WCW Monday Nitro - September 18, 1995
by Scrooge McSuck
- Last week on Monday Nitro, in case you're too lazy to read the recap of it... Sabu made his debut against "Das Wunderkind" Alex Wright, and had his typical garbage match with a mind-numbingly dumb finish. Sting successfully defended his US Title against newcomer "VK" Wallstreet. Randy Savage pinned Scott Norton in a brain-fart of a finish, and in the Main Event, Hogan and Luger is given away for free and has a shitty finish. High-profile matches aside, notice all the dumb finishes and putting the same old guys over.
- Forgot to mention that we're only 24 hours removed from Fall Brawl, featuring arguably one of the worst War Games Matches in the history of the gimmick. Despite two great matches featured in the undercard between Johnny B. Badd and Flyin' Brian, and Arn Anderson and Ric Flair, it's a pretty bad show. If you don't believe me, you can watch it in the archives of the WWE Network, for only $9.99 a month!
- One last break before we get to this week's episode of Nitro... the competition. What did Monday Night Raw offer over on the USA Network? Taped three weeks earlier, The 1-2-3 Kid continues teasing a heel turn in a match with friend Razor Ramon featuring a run-in from DEAN Douglas, Tatanka and Kama defeated the make-shift team of Savio Vega and Bob Holly, and in the Main Event, Owen Hart and Yokozuna defeated Men on a Mission in a Non-Title, Nonsensical Heel vs. Heel Match. I don't know if WCW can top that.
- Live! from Location Not Given (later name dropped as Johnson City, TN by Ric Flair). Eric Bischoff, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, and Steve "Mongo" McMichael are on commentary, unless otherwise noted.
- "The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan and The Big Giant show up in am ambulance, not unlike what Hulk Hogan left Fall Brawl in the back of courtesy of The Big Stinky Giant. They actually continue the blasphemy that Andre The Giant is his father. "If you're father were still alive..." He'd probably shake his head and laugh at something so stupid.
WCW Tag Team Championship Match:
Harlem Heat © (w/ Sista' Sherri) vs. The American Males:
(Booker T & Stevie Ray vs. Marcus Bagwell & Scotty Riggs)Ugh... The American Males theme music might crack my Top 5 List for Worst Theme Music EVER. They were victorious over the Nasty Boys last night, but it wasn't on the PPV, so you can't see it on the WWE Network. This was supposed to be the Am-Males against the Blue Bloods, but Harlem Heat took them out backstage and want to "heat up Monday Nitro." Only 24 hours removed from winning the Titles, you don't think they'll be jobbing them to Bagwell and Riggs do you? Slugfest to start. Things calm down with Riggs and Stevie Ray starting, officially. Riggs and Bagwell with dropkicks and arm work. Stevie catches Bagwell off the ropes with a side slam. Booker T tags in and somehow salvages what looked to be a blown Powerslam spot. Booker with an Axe Kick on Riggs, but doesn't bother to cover. Booker with a jumping heel kick to another big pop. I think this Booker T might have potential. Cute banner, dead center of the camera side of the crowd, reads "We Want it RAW!!" Bagwell gets the "hot" tag and unloads with dropkicks until Booker T casually brushes him away. Col. Robert Parker shows up to flirt with Sherri, creating a distraction in the process. Booker goes for a Pumphandle Slam, but Bagwell shifts his weight and lands on top for three at 4:41!? NEW Tag Team Champions on Monday Nitro! *1/2 Match was all about Booker T popping the crowd with his awesome moveset, and little else. I'm sorry, but the American Males going over Harlem Heat? Pass.
- "Mean" Gene Okerlund brings out Ric Flair for an in-ring Interview. Last night on Fall Brawl, Arn Anderson broke the code by bringing in an outsider (Brian Pillman). They were supposed to settle it within the family, but Anderson brought an outsider into the ball game. Flair offers to chop Pillman hard enough for Boomer Esiason to feel it.
- This Saturday Night at 6:05 on TBS... Sting takes on Lord Steven Regal, a Fall Brawl ReMatch between Fake Sting and Sgt. Craig Pittman, and an Update on the condition of WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan.
Johnny B. Badd vs. "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff:
Speaking of Worst Theme Music, it's Mr. Wonderful. Unlike the American Males, while it's AWFUL, it's so awful it's almost fun to listen to, but you don't want anyone knowing you're listening to it. Remember his vignette with Gary Spivey, the self-help psychic guru? Orndorff has new-found confidence, including his new theme music and looking at himself in a mirror as much as possible. Orndorff was doing duck-face selfies years before such a thing existed! He really is Mr. Wonderful! Orndorff clips the knee moments after the bell and kicks away while the crowd chants "Paula." Badd comes back with a hip toss and slam. He goes to the top and jumps into a boot in one of the most obvious spots in history. We return from a break, with Badd splashing the knees. Orndorff to the top, missing a splash of his own. Badd unloads with lefts, sending Orndorff to the floor. Badd signals something, but Orndorff is out of position. Badd finally gets his attention and follows with a plancha. Badd with a big double axehandle for two. Someone tell Johnny that's Savage's move. Orndorff goes for a piledriver, but Badd counters. Badd with clotheslines, but another Piledriver is countered. They fight over a sunset flip until Orndorff sits down and hooks the legs for three at 3:57. Wonderful! They call him Mr. Wonderful! 1/2* Match was anything but Wonderful. They seemed on different pages and Badd was very sloppy.- Randy Savage is on the set up of Baywatch showing off doing reps until the Taskmaster shows up from his trailer... err... out of nowhere, and attacks him.
-"Mean" Gene Okerlund brings out Randy Savage for another In-Ring Interview. Randy Savage said he's going to take the Taskmaster's head off like a Snake and destroy him. Savage says Hogan has a poor perception of character and says Lex Luger cheap shot him just like he said would happen. Gene tries to refute the claims, but Savage cuts him off claiming those people saying it were Hogan's buddy Jimmy Hart and Luger's best friend, Sting. This brings Lex Luger out, not really denying it. Savage wants a match now, but a commercial break spoils things.
- We see footage from this past weekend where the Giant, in his own custom Monster Truck, run over and destroy a Harley Davidson given to Hulk Hogan by the fans. Hogan flailing away at the truck and the Giant's demented, goofy laughing is some great, forgotten comedy. Then we see clips from Fall Brawl where the Giant gave Hogan the Zeus Special.
Ric Flair vs. Flyin' Brian:
This is our Main Event of the evening, and this has potential to be pretty good. Incase you need a refresher, Pillman was quite instrumental in Arn Anderson getting the victory over Ric Flair at Fall Brawl. Lockup into the corner, Pillman with slaps, and Flair with some big chops. Whip, Flair avoids a dropkick and continues to dish out the punishment before tossing Pillman to the floor. Flair to the top rope... and he connects with a double axehandle?! I guess that was his 1 time out of 1000. Pillman briefly takes control, but Flair lays him out with a clothesline from the apron. He tries another move from the top, but Pillman counters with a dropkick for two. They take it to the floor, and the crowd is completely into babyface Flair. Pillman eats rail and flops face-first in a very familiar spot. Pillman tries to sunset flip back in the ring, but Flair blocks. Flair goes to the top, and this time gets slammed off. Pillman to the top, missing a splash. Flair goes for a Figure-Four, but Pillman counters with a cradle for two. Whip to the ropes, and a collision knocks them both down. Pillman grabs the leg, takes Pillman down with a back suplex, and slaps the Figure-Four on in the center of the ring for the victory at 5:25. **1/2 High energy match from start to finish, non-stop action, and a clean finish. This seems very unlike WCW.- Eric Bischoff signs off hyping next week's show, featuring the Nitro debut of the Disco Inferno, taking on Alex Wright, an appearance by Col. Robert Parker's newest protege Kurasawa, and Randy Savage takes on Kevin Sullivan. Feh. They also had an image of Lex Luger and Meng, but nothing was said about it.
Final Thoughts: Three matches featured, only one that really stood out for quality. Harlem Heat randomly dropping the Tag Titles to an undeserving team like the American Males looked like a booking choice done on a whim rather than something well thought out, and the match was nothing when it didn't involve Booker T showing off his athleticism. Sandwiched in the middle was a really poor match between Johnny B. Badd and Mr. Wonderful, with the highlight being Mr. Wonderful's theme music. Compared to Raw, it's not much better. I'd give Nitro the slight edge based on Flair/Pillman, but I could've done without the rest.
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