Nitro-Glycerin - Monday Nitro recap for October 6, 1997

WCW extends its thoughts and prayers to the family of Brian Pillman, 1962-1997.

The show starts with a performance by The Nitro Girls.

Eric Bischoff and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan show up. Hogan says he has been here week after week putting the WCW World Heavyweight Championship on the line, and that Sting is too afraid to face him. He also announces that he has heard that "Rowdy" Roddy Piper is on his way here to Minneapolis, Minnesota tonight and that he is at the wrong place at the wrong time. Hogan awaits him with bated breath as he will read that "skinny little punk" the riot act and wants Bischoff to be by his side when he does it.

Booker T beats Jeff Jarrett after Steve "Mongo" McMichael shows up and chews out Debra McMichael. When Debra slaps Mongo and Jarrett is about to go at it with Mongo, Mongo punches Jarrett and sends him right back into the ring, allowing Booker T to get the roll-up and the win.

This Saturday on WCW Saturday Night: Lex Luger! Jeff Jarrett! Disco Inferno! Ray Traylor! Chris Jericho!

Alex Wright beats Billy Kidman. Raven and ECW wrestler Perry Saturn are both seen in the front row during the match. Also, Debra McMichael and Steve "Mongo" McMichael are seen arguing backstage, and when Jeff Jarrett shows up, Mongo says he will have a way to settle everything at Halloween Havoc.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

"The Cat" Ernest Miller beats Mortis. During the match, it is announced that Disco Inferno has signed for a match with Miss Jacqueline at Halloween Havoc according to the WCW Executive Committee. For the first time in WCW history, a female competitor is in a match for a title that has always been held by males. After the match, Miller chases after James Vandenberg.

The nWo makes an announcement stating that "Macho Man" Randy Savage will beat Diamond Dallas Page.

Scott Hall and Syxx show up. Hall announces that Kevin Nash is at home recuperating from an injured knee, and that he is hurt as well, as indicated by his taped-up ribs. He would be at home recuperating, but he refuses to let down the fans. As for how they got hurt at the same time, it happened at Nash's house when Nash fell off his stool and Hall laughed so hard he put his back out when they watch old tapes of "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko, and tells Zbyszko and Lex Luger that they're sitting at home while the nWo carries the load, and if he has to crawl to Las Vegas to take on Luger and Zbyszko at Halloween Havoc, they're still going down. Pyrotechnics then signal the start of the second hour.

Scott Hall beats Hector Garza after manhandling the referee and allowing Syxx to interfere during the match. After the match, Syxx kicks the referee in the back of the head as he lifts Hall's arm in victory, then Hall puts the referee in the Torture Rack, revealing that he is not even hurt. As referees show up to restore order, Scott Hall takes a can of black spray paint and spray paints the letter "Z" on the back of the referee's shirt.

We take a special look at Bill Goldberg, and we learn that Goldberg played football for the University of Georgia and the Atlanta Falcons.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

Diamond Dallas Page beats Disco Inferno by disqualification after "Macho Man" Randy Savage runs in and attacks Page. Disco Inferno retains the WCW World Television Championship. Savage exposes the concrete below the mats outside of the ring in an attempt to piledrive Page on it, but Interim WCW Commissioner "Rowdy" Roddy Piper stops Savage and allows Page to hit Savage with a Diamond Cutter on the concrete before Page and Piper flee through the crowd. The rest of the New World Order rush in to check on Savage and demand that a doctor come out. Medics show up with Miss Elizabeth and a stretcher, and Hogan instructs some of his men to head to the back to keep "Rowdy" Roddy Piper from escaping. The crowd sings "Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)" as Savage is placed on the gurney.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews Interim WCW Commissioner "Rowdy" Roddy Piper in the ring. Piper says he has never heard so many liars in his life, saying that Scott Hall has lied more than Minnesota has lakes and that Scott Hall didn't beat him like he says he did. As for The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) and their injuries, they will defend the WCW World Tag Team Championships, and if they don't, they will be stripped of the titles even if they are injured. Also, "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Diamond Dallas Page will have a "Piper Rules" Match at Halloween Havoc, where they no rules at all and the last man standing is the winner. Eric Bischoff and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan show up, and Okerlund immediately gets out of dodge as Bischoff says Hogan has something to say. Hogan tells Piper that the icon crap stops here, and asks him who he thinks he is barking orders because J.J. Dillon is hurt and what makes him think he can lay the law around here. Hogan tells Piper he is incapable of being an icon simply because he still exists, and while their careers did parallel for the last 15 years, Piper spent those years in his shadow. Hogan says the fans are here and the nWo is wide open because of him, and at Halloween Havoc, he will prove to Piper's wife and kids that he's the only icon as he ends his career and makes his come home for good, and if he wants to kick his ass, he'll do it right here. Hogan pushes Piper, Piper shoves Hogan, and Bischoff kicks Piper in the back of the knee before Hogan pulls Piper's shrt over his head, punches him and repeatedly rams the back of his head into the mat. When Bischoff goes for the roundhouse kick to Piper's head, however, Piper ducks and Bischoff kicks Hogan instead. Piper gets on top of Bischoff, then gets on top of Hogan before The New World Order shows up and pulls Hogan out of the ring. Piper grabs the WCW World Heavyweight Championship and swings it around, keeping the nWo at bay.

We are presented with another performance by The Nitro Girls as it is announced that if Steve "Mongo" McMichaels beats Jeff Jarrett at Halloween Havoc, Debra McMichael must leave World Championship Wrestling.

Mike Tenay reports on the history of lucha libre and the Mexican luchadors, from its beginnings made possible by Don Salvador Lutteroth (which has brought wrestling to Arena Mexico in Mexico City, Mexico which is still performed there to this day), the lucha libre boom of the 1940s and the introduction of masked luchadors, the advent of lucha libre on television in the 1950s, the era of the second generation wrestler in the 1980s, and When Worlds Collide! in 1994 which saw WCW partner with EMLL, Promo Azteca, AAA and UWA. The difference between rudos and technicos (rule breakers and/or wrestlers with unorthodox styles and wrestlers with technical and/or traditional mat skills, respectively) is also defined in this report. Next week's report will focus on the importance and sacred status of the mask in lucha libre.

Eddie Guerrero retains the WCW Cruiserweight Championship against Ultimo Dragon.

Curt Hennig retains the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship against "The Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit. Vincent, Buff Bagwell and Konnan show up and attack Benoit after the match, then "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair makes a surprise appearance and fights all of them off before chasing Curt Hennig to the back and into the street at high speed, but Hennig is long gone by the time Flair is out of the arena. Flair heads back to the entrance ramp and is interviewed by "Mean" Gene Okerlund, and he grabs the microphone and tells Okerlund - and the fans - that he is taking this to the center of the ring as it's time to talk reality. He says that everybody in their adult lifetime should have a moment like this, and he calls out The Wolfpack (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Syxx) and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, telling them that this reality before saying that he has been put through hell and is still here tonight, much to their dismay. He says that he is Minneapolis, Minnesota born and bred, and that he will die Minneapolis dead. He tells Hennig and Hogan that since they have become the focus of his life, he tells them it's not about politics as they've wanted him out for ten years and that it's not about being the best as there has never been one better than him. He tells Hennig he is nWo for three more weeks and not for life, as at Halloween Havoc, he will come for Hennig whether WCW books it or not and that he will come to hurt him for a long time before coming for whatever is left of Hogan, saying he will have him in his face until they square off on Nitro.