Nitro-Glycerin - Monday Nitro recap for March 16, 1998

The New World Order shows up. Eric Bischoff says that just when everyone though there would be a split in the nWo, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan saved the day for the family. Hogan says he's got his family with him, and is proud to have "the real giant" Kevin Nash with him and to have been behind him all the way, saying that Kevin Nash would have beaten The Giant in an army wrestling match as The Giant would have been stooping low enough to cheat. He then says that Kevin Nash beat The Giant, and everyone in the nWo bows down to him. He then focuses on "Macho Man" Randy Savage, who he says he loves like a brother, saying that Savage put him to the test by crossing the line with him. He welcomes him back into the fold after he beat Savage in the steel cage within an inch of his life, and says that while Savage is stubborn, his stubbornness is one of his endearing qualities and one of the things that the nWo likes about him. Now that the nWo is all together, Hogan has a surprise for Savage: a signed contract for a tag team match with the team of Savage and Hogan against the team of Sting and Lex Luger later tonight. He says that this match will be the chance for Savage to put the icing on the cake and prove he is part of the fold again. Eric Bischoff then addresses Sting, saying there's no rafters to hide above and no way to hide in the water below, but Hogan tells Bischoff that Savage told him that Sting isn't even here.

We see a performance by The Nitro Girls. It is announced that the encore for Uncensored is tomorrow night on pay-per-view.

Bill Goldberg - now known as just plain Goldberg - beats Lodi in seconds while the rest of Raven's Flock (Saturn, Scotty Riggs, Hammer, Kidman, Sick Boy, the unnamed big man). After the match, everyone else in the Flock fights Goldberg, but none of them are able to do anything.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund plugs the WCW Hotline with news of the retirement of a wrestling great. The info is available only on the hotline.

Ultimo Dragon beats Fit Finlay - who now has short, spiked blonde hair - with a reversal into a Dragon Sleeper.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

Scott Norton beats "Gentleman" Chris Adams with the shoulder breaker, which he now calls the Flashback.

We see some footage from the Miss Nitro 1998 competition as well as some footage from earlier in Spring Break-Out '98, where there was plenty of Burst gum - an official sponsor - on hand. Miss Nitro 1998 is seen in the crowd before the next match.

The British Bulldog and Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart beat Mike Enos and Wayne Bloom.

Pyrotechnics signal the start of the second hour.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

Eric Bischoff, Miss Elizabeth and "Macho Man" Randy Savage show up. Eric Bischoff says there is nothing but iron in the words of "Hollywood' Hulk Hogan, and announces the madness is back in nWo after apologizing to Miss Elizabeth for everything she had to go through. When Bischoff welcomes Savage back, Savage takes the microphone, tells Bischoff he never left, and that he did what he did to Sting last night for him, not for Bischoff or Hogan, and did it for life. He tells Bischoff - and tells Bischoff to tell Hogan - he will beat Sting for the World title and control nWo, and the nWo will control the world. Then, Hogan will now what it feels like to be at the bottom of the pecking order.

Before the next match, Raven says "The Crippler" Chris Benoit cost him the United States title, and because of Benoit, Diamond Dallas Page is still the champion. He calls Benoit "a brave and valiant warrior," but it's time for him to fulfill his destiny, and that it's time for their feud to end and that he must feel the Evenflow. As for DDP, it didn't have to be like this, and they could have ruled wrestling side by side, but he deserted him and there can be only one. He says "The Snake" is watching, and that he would want it that way.

Raven beats "The Crippler" Chris Benoit in a Raven's Rules grudge match with an Evenflow DDT into a steel chair to go on to face Diamond Dallas Page for the WCW United States Championship at Spring Stampede.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls, this time in the balcony seats and with plenty of silly string.

Ernest "The Cat" Miller beats Yuji Nagata.

We see yet another performance by The Nitro Girls.

Scott Steiner beats Ray Traylor with the Steiner Recliner after Buff Bagwell shows up and pushes Ray Traylor off the top rope. During the match, Traylor tosses Steiner into the Club La Veda pool. After the match, Buff Bagwell whips Traylor with a leather belt.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls, followed by pyrotechnics signalling the start of the third hour.

Before the next match, Eddie Guerrero gives his nephew Chavo Guerrero, Jr. a gift as part of their reconciliation, but Chavo refuses to wear it when he finds that it says "My favorite wrestler is Eddy Guerrero" on the front and "Cheat To Win" on the back. Eddie tells him it's part of their reconciliation, and forces him to wear the T-shirt, which Chavo reluctantly does.

Booker T retains the WCW World Television Championship against Chavo Guerrero Jr.

We see some more footage from Spring Break-Out '98. Trenny Updegro wins $1,000 courtesy of Burst Gum.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

The name of the now-biggest man in Raven's Flock is revealed: Reese.

Diamond Dallas Page retains the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship against Reese. During the match, it is announced that the music video for "Rising" by Stuck Mojo, feature Diamond Dallas Page and Raven's Flock, will premiere on MTV Live on April 18th.

Before the next match, Chris Jericho welcomes everyone to "Monday Night Jericho" before running down everything he's taken: Rey Mysterio Jr.'s knee, Juventud Guerrera's mask, the Cruiserweight title and Dean Malenko's dignity. He mocks Malenko saying he was going home after losing to him at Uncensored. He also says his future is so bright he's got to wear shades, and he is going known for generations to come not as an icon or legend, but as a legacy. He also plans to take Malenko's Texas Cloverleaf, re-christen it the Jericho Maple Leaf and make it hold #1,005 just for the Jerichoholics.

Juventud Guerrera beats Chris Jericho by disqualification when Jericho hits Guerrera with the WCW Cruiserweight Championship, then Jericho puts Guerrerea in the Texas Cloverlead before deciding he doesn't like the move. Chris Jericho retains the WCW Cruiserweight Championship.

We see yet another performance by The Nitro Girls, this time from the Club La Vela waterfall.

The Outsiders (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash) show up. After Scott Hall's survey, Kevin Nash brags about The Giant getting knocked out and says he hasn't seen The Giant all day and that he doesn't have the guts to show up, as if he was here, he'd give him the proverbial beating of his life. He then calls The Giant out, saying he's in a good mood and he and Hall want to beat him up. The Giant shows up, now without a neck brace, and when he chases after Hall and Nash, Nash does a cannonball into the pool, and The Giant chases after Hall. Hall trips on some camera wires, and The Giant grabs him and tosses him into the pool.

Before the next match, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage are visibly at odds with each other, and Eric Bischoff has to play peacemaker. After Lex Luger shows up, Eric Bischoff says that Sting isn't coming and that Lex Luger is dinner for the nWo, who have "one hell of an appetite." Suddenly, a helicopter is seen flying low above the ring, and Sting rappels down from it into the ring. Hogan confronts Savage for not getting the job, and the mysterious bearded nWo member shows up to stop Savage from escaping to the back.

"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan and "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Sting and Lex Luger ends when the mysterious bearded nWo member attacks Luger as he has Hogan in the Torture Rack. The rest of the nWo shows up, but Sting and Luger fight them all off.