Nitro-Glycerin - Monday Nitro recap for January 19, 1998

The show starts with a performance by The Nitro Girls.

Rick Martel beats Eddie Guerrero with the Quebec Crab.

Eric Bischoff and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan show up. Bischoff says that while Hogan was proving he was the real World Heavyweight champion and stealing Sting's dreams and soul, he had the honor of appropriating his baseball bat, as Hogan is the glue that holds the nWo - and the entire industry - together. He then presents the bat to Hogan so that Hogan can continue to control the world as he sees fits. Hogan says it's not a situation of "spare the rod, spoil the child," and admits there tensions are high in the nWo, but the nWo is falling in line as there is a pecking order and he is the one running everything. If anyone steps out of line, it'll be "batter up," even if he loves them like a father. He says that the nWo has shown WCW legally, physically and emotionally that they are here for life. He says that he is the true World champion, that he will never be beaten for a three count, and that the fans pray for the situation to be rectified as he has beaten Sting. Hogan then says that people are asking why Hogan wants to beat up The Giant and just accept his belt gracefully after the paperwork is put aside, and then says he is a fighting champion and the man the fans - his disciples - worship each and every day. He then says he can beat The Giant tonight, and then he'll beat Sting when he gets in the ring again.

"The Crippler" Chris Benoit beats Marty Jannetty with the Crippler Crossface as Raven's Flock (Raven, Saturn, Billy Kidman, Sick Boy, Lodi, Van Hammer, Scotty Riggs) shows up. Sick Boy attacks Benoit, but Benoit puts him in the Crippler Crossface. Marty Jannetty tries to fight Raven's Flock, and he helps Benoit clean house as Lodi becomes the next victim of a top rope diving headbutt.

Ernest "The Cat Miller" beats Jerry Flynn. Before the match, it is announced that WCW Nitro is now available for the Sony PlayStation.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

Scott Hall shows up. After the usual nWo survey, Scott Hall calls out "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko, mentions that he gets a World title shot at SuperBrawl in February, and gives Zbyszko a chance to bow out gracefully as he has more important things to take care of than him. He mentions Zbyszko being AWA World Heavyweight Championship when the owner was his father-in-law and that the company went out of business with him as champion. He says that Zbyszko isn't he best and definitely not Dusty Rhodes, who got him started. He says that Zbyszko wants no part of him, but Zbyszko tells him he wants every part of him. He slowly approaches the ring as the show goes to break.

The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) beats Vicious and Delicious (Buff Bagwell and Scott Norton), but Ted DiBiase and Rick Steiner confront Scott for not tagging Rick in. Scott runs right into Rick for a few seconds, then leaves the ring.

Pyrotechnics signal the start of the second hour.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews The Giant. The Giant tells "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan he has a choke slam for him. Suddenly, Hogan shows up with Kevin Nash. Hogan is carrying Sting's baseball bat while Nash has a pot of coffee. As Nash taunts The Giant right in his face, "Macho Man" Randy Savage shows up and tries to go after Nash again. Savage leaves, but Savage gets back in the ring and pushes Hogan into Nash. The Giant is about to choke slam Nash when Nash tosses the coffee into The Giant's face and Hogan hits The Giant with the bat. Sting then shows up and hits Hogan with the Scorpion Death Drop to reclaim his bat. Sting then says something into The Giant's ear, which fires him up.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

Booker T retains the WCW World Television Championship against Mortis. Before the match, it is announced that starting next week, Nitro will officially go to three hours and that this episode will go past two hours. After the match, Wrath goes on the attack and hits Booker T with the Death Penalty. Rick Martel shows up and returns the favor for Booker T, confronting Wrath. Wrath leaves along with James Vandenberg. Booker T thanks Rick Martel, who asks for the title shot at Souled Out. Booker T tells Rick Martel to sort it out with the WCW Executive Committee, and he's got his title shot.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Flair wonders what everyone will call him after he beats Bret "The Hit Man" Hart at Souled Out. Suddenly, Bret shows up, and says he knows Flair has a lot of problems and a lot of respect from other people, and tells Flair that he has a lot of respect for him to the point that he'd be the last person to say he's not a credit to the sport, as he agrees that he is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. He wants him to understand one thing: he grew up with wrestling his entire life, he has waited for this very moment, and he didn't come out here to disrespect Flair, America or WCW, and that he knew he had to earn a reputation when he came here as it was akin to starting his career. He says that Saturday will be a long day for Flair, as he has one mission and one goal: running right over him. Bret then says that after Souled Out, Flair will feel his words that he is the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be. Flair says it is moments like this that people remember for a long time, as when they both say they're best and have the opportunity to prove it, one of them will come up short. Flair says he might love his father and his family and respect his heritage, but he won't let Bret tell him one more time that he's a better wrestler than he is. Flair tells Bret he won't fight him tonight as he's going downtown, he gives Bret a chance to either say he's the best or he can do the "best there is" line again. Bret says he's going downtown tonight, too, and he tells Flair that come Sunday, those words will be ringing in his ears.

Chris Jericho beats Juventud Guerrera with the Lion Tamer, and puts it on him for a few seconds. After the match, Jericho says he didn't realize that Guerrera was tapping out and that the referee didn't make it clear enough to him. He says this will never happen again, then apologizes to Guerrera. When Guerrera refuses to listen to him, Jericho attacks Guerrera, and Rey Mysterio Jr. shows up to fight Jericho. Jericho and Guerrera team up to give Jericho what for and toss him over the top rope.

Robert Rice of Warren, Michigan is the winner of this week's Nitro Prize Pack. We see footage of his Nitro party.

Lex Luger beats Scott Hall by disqualification after "Macho Man" Randy Savage interferes. Luger fights off both men, but the numbers game catches up to him. "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko gets in the ring, but he doesn't fare any better until Lex Luger rushes back into the ring with a steel chair to send Hall and Savage running out of the ring.

Before the next match, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan suddenly shows up in a neck brace. Eric Bischoff says that due to the actions of The Giant, Hogan will not be able to participate in the main event tonight. This doesn't stop The Giant, who grabs Hogan from outside of the ring and rips the neck brace off.

The Giant beats "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. During the match, Hogan body slams The Giant and hits the leg drop, but the referee stops the count when he sees "Macho Man" Randy Savage on the top rope. Giant hits the choke slam and gets the win, and when he goes after Savage, Kevin Nash attacks The Giant from behind. He almost puts The Giant in the Jackknife Power Bomb when Lex Luger attacks him. The rest of the New World Order rushes in and attacks Luger, then Sting drops down from the rafters and confronts Hogan in the ring. He and Luger fight off the entire nWo along with The Giant to end the show.