Thunderstruck - Thunder recap for April 22, 1998

"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and The Disciple show up. Bischoff says the time has come to give the fans what they have been waiting for, and says there is nobody else he would want to do the honors with than The Disciple, who takes the can of black spray paint and spray paints "nWo" on the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Bischoff says he has learned a lot since first meeting Hogan and says everyone in the world, including the Turner organization from Ted Turned down, is afraid of him, and even after the political infighting, jealously, and everything else that worked to keep Hogan out of the WCW, everything is now as it always should be. Hogan says it is the same as it ever was, and while he doesn't want to talk about the jealously of the wrestlers in the back and the promoters who cannot stand him being the leader and the man who made professional wrestling what it is today, as the back of his newest shirt states that he is the man. He says that World title should never have left his hands, and that it was stolen from him and he got it back the first chance he could. He says that the nWo is back together and celebrating in the back, and says the celebration is a little too sweet for live TV. Now that the belt is back in his hands, so is his power and the ratings, and now that the record is set straight, there is a new rule in the wrestling world: if anyone in the back lays a hand on Bischoff, they will have to answer to the entire nWo. Hogan then says that he has beaten "Macho Man" Randy Savage in the center of the ring with a certified referee making the count and ultimately broke him, and that Savage is now retired. He makes an example of Savage, saying that this is what happens when you mess with someone who the whole world worships and that this is the final goodbye for Randy Savage.

It is announced that Miss Elizabeth was injured last weekend and has suffered rib injuries.

Booker T retains the WCW World Television Championship against Disco Inferno.

The Barbarian beats Prince Iaukea.

This Saturday on WCW Saturday Night, one hour later than usual: Rick Steiner vs. Scott Norton! The Barbarian! The entirety of Goldberg vs. Raven for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship at Spring Stampede!

Vicious and Delicious (Scott Norton and Buff Bagwell) vs. Lex Luger and Rick Steiner ends in a double pin after Scott Steiner shows up as Vincent carries a steel chair to the ring, takes the steel chair from Vincent and smashes it into Rick Steiner's back himself while the referee is pre-occupied with Ted DiBiase on the ring apron. Scott puts Bagwell on top of Rick Steiner, but Bagwell and Rick Steiner end up pinning each other. Referee Mark Curtis rewards the match to Norton and Bagwell after heading to the back and seeing what happened.

Scott Norton and Vincent still in the ring with Buff Bagwell and a trainer, as it is mentioned that Bagwell had trouble extending his arm to make the pinfall in the last match. WCW and medical staff bring out a stretcher. It is then noted that Buff Bagwell's head hit the back of Rick Steiner, which caused Bagwell to lose control of his right arm. Bagwell is checked on and immobilized, and Sick Boy and Kidman of Raven's Flock watch from the front row as Bobby "The Brain" Heenan leaves the commentary to get updates on Bagwell's condition from executive producer Craig Leathers. When he comes back, he mentions that Bagwell cannot be moved due to a cervical injury and that medical staff are waiting for the ambulance to bring a gurney so that they can. After a commercial break, the paramedics are in the ring immobilizing Bagwell and placing him on a gurney, and it is announced soon afterwards while the commentary team recap "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan from this week's Nitro in-depth that Bagwell is slowly regaining some movement.

It is announced that the man who helped Raven win the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship at Spring Stampede is named Horace Boulder, whose career includes a stint in Japan and parallels that of Raven's.

Horace Boulder beats Evan Courageous after Diamond Dallas Page gets in the ring and hits Horace with a Diamond Cutter for costing him the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship at Spring Stampede. During the match, it is announced that Buff Bagwell will be fine and that he has been taken to a local hospital. After the match, Evan Courageous and referee Billy Silverman also receive Diamond Cutters, then DDP takes the microphone and says he did not come here to take down any of the three men as he came to Greenberg, South Carolina jacked and ready to get his hands around Raven's throat. DDP calls Raven out, and Raven shows up only to walk away. DDP tells Raven to walk away from him like he did his sister when she needed him most and how he walked away from his mother and left him crying. Both times, Raven considers heading back to the ring, but turns around and heads to the back. DDP says he will not leave the ring until Raven feels the bang, then leaves through the crowd.

Tony Schiavone interviews "Macho Man" Randy Savage. Savage says he isn't giving up; he's just giving started. He says he is at least 90% okay, and says everyone knows "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan is total scum and that "Rowdy" Roddy Piper now knows that Bret "The Hit Man" Hart has reached a new level: nuclear scum. He then tells Piper that Hart did what he did because Hart is a loser and that he should join all the losers who suck up to Hogan. Savage then says he is so sick of listening to Bret saying he got screwed, and that he was sick of it then and he is sick of it now. He then says that instead of the best there is, was and ever will be; Bret is the best there is and was as well as the best con man to walk the face of the earth, and that he is totally underpaid, unproven and the biggest mark for his own publicity to walk the face of the earth. He then says that Bret has graduated to the top of his intergalactic hit list and that he is coming to get him.

We see a video package of Goldberg.

Goldberg retains the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship against Mike Enos.

It is announced that Nitro will air for one hour this Monday from 12:30 AM to 1:30 AM Eastern this Monday and that a special "Tuesday Nitro" will air the following night from 6 PM to 8 PM Eastern.

Sting beats Scott Steiner by disqualification after the nWo runs in. During the match, it is announced that Buff Bagwell is doing fine and is now moving around. After the match, the nWo gang up on Sting, but Rick Steiner shows up and chases Scott Steiner to the back. The Giant then runs into the ring and immediately takes out the nWo, saving Sting. Sting then grabs a microphone and says every single week is the same old thing: fighting all the bad guys like it is a bar room brawl. He feels like buying everyone a round, and then says that all the jokes have been played and that Kevin Nash should be doing stand-up comedy because he is too good, too big, too sexy and too sweet. He says that Nash should know better and that every joke has a punch line. He then says he has a spot for Nash - not his spot, not his dog Spot, not a liver spot, not Arn Anderson - but a spot at Slamboree, and if they bring the tag team titles, he'll bring The Giant and they'll get it on.