Thunderstruck - Thunder recap for May 21, 1998

Tony Schiavone interviews The Giant in the ring to start tonight's show. The Giant shows up with both title belts of the WCW World Tag Team Championships, and says he and Sting had a little disagreement and that he got carried away when he spat in his face. He says Sting did not fully understand the question that he was imposing, and says that Sting is "under the weather" and is not here. He says that he and Sting are fine and that Sting made the right decision, saying he is "nWo all the way." All of a sudden, Lex Luger shows up as Schiavone says that Sting's actions on Monday night seemed to prove otherwise, and says that it is a funny thing to hear what is coming out of The Giant's mouth and that security - which has shown up along with referees and some wrestlers from the locker room - is not necessary. He says that he has talked to Sting personally and says everything The Giant is saying is a total, unadulterated lie. Luger says he and a lot of fans doubted Sting once, and that he is not going down that road again. He says that if The Giant wants to be part of the nWo, that is fine, but now that he has attacked Sting and lied his ass off, he is now challenging him to a match later on tonight. The Giant says that is fine, and he gives Luger the same choice he gave Sting, saying he can make the right choice or the wrong choice, given that they have been tag team partners and champions together. When asked if he wants to join the nWo, Luger says his answer is the same as Sting's, and he spits in The Giant's face before getting off the apron. Referees and wrestlers get in the ring to keep The Giant from charging at Luger, and the wrestlers that get in the ring - all cruiserweights - are easily fended off by The Giant. He says that if Lex Luger wants some of him, he's got some.

Ernest "The Cat" Miller beats Yuji Nagata despite physical involvement by Sonny Onoo.

This week on WCW Saturday Night: The Giant! Konnan!

Before the next match, Chris Jericho shows up with a sign saying "Conspiracy Victim" and a clipboard. He says that the footage of him throwing a temper tantrum after Slamboree was "propaganda" and that it will never happen again, then says that he is the victim of a conspiracy so large that it is as big as the 1918 Chicago "Black Sox," the Roswell Incident and the John F. Kennedy assassination and has robbed him of the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. He says this conspiracy has been perpetrated by "the snake oil salesmen" in the WCW office and the locker room, and demands that WCW Executive Committee Chairman J.J. Dillon face him in the ring right now. Dillon shows up soon after He goes on to call Dillon "a twisted old fruit" and reads the evidence of a conspiracy against him in the form of the list of participants in the Cruiserweight Championship battle royal, which does not include Dean Malenko. Jericho says that there was no way he should have lost to Dean Malenko and that the battle royal was "fixed," and says he will not stop hounding Dillon until he finally faces him and gives him and Jerichoholics what they want: Jericho as Cruiserweight Champion again.

Chris Jericho beats Super Calo with the Lion Tamer.

Raven shows up with riot police. He says that Saturn implied at Slamboree that he no longer needed him and that he wanted to be on his own. He says their friendship was more important than his selfish desire to be United States Champion. He then asks Saturn who took his collect calls when he was in detention homes and got him his jobs in Extreme Championship Wrestling and WCW as Saturn shows up, and says he did. He tells Saturn that he thought their friendship was important and that Saturn was loyal. Saturn says his loyalty is not at question; rather, it is Raven's being drunk with power, as he is not a mindless zombie that follows the guru and he has never been a member of Raven's Flock. Instead, he is his friend, and their relationship is 50/50. He tells Raven that if their friendship is to continue, Raven will not boss him around again. Raven says Saturn was right and that he is wrong and he is sorry. Saturn leaves, then Raven says he knows Mortis is in the building wearing a rainbow wig and a "horrible" disguise, and calls him out for a one-on-one match. Mortis, carrying his mask with him, shows up from out of the stage and heads down the ramp to the ring. Raven then sics the riot police on him, then a fan jumps the barricade and hits a reverse Russian leg sweep on Raven before running to the back. The announce table is confused as to who was Mortis.

Fit Finley retains the WCW World Television Championship against Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart.

Tony Schiavone announces that the WCW Executive Committee has named a #1 contender for the WCW World Television Championship: Booker T. Schiavone is about to interview Booker T when "The Canadian Crippler" Chris Benoit shows up instead, wanting to talk to whoever it was who made the final decision on this. Booker T then shows up and says he respect Benoit a lot, but he is not scared of him. He says that the committee have made their decision and he can live with it, and says they have had their battles, that it is over and done with, and now it is his turn. Benoit tells Booker T that he is the #1 contender and that he will get what he deserves. Benoit almost leaves, then blindsides Booker T as soon as he turns his back. Stevie Ray then shows up, telling Booker to get up before asking him what is wrong with him, saying he needs to remember where he is and not to lay down for Benoit as he tells Booker to fight him. He then tells Booker T to head back to the back and show what kind of man he is.

"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan beats Brian Adams by disqualification after Biel tossing referee Charles Robinson across the ring for grabbing him by the hear to break a hold performed by Adams on the ropes. After the match, Adams goes for a big boot on Hacksaw, but inadvertently kicks Vincent off the ring apron before being slammed onto the mat by Duggan. Vincent then gives Duggan's 2x4 to Adams, who swings it at Charles Robinson and misses before Duggan clotheslines it out of Adams' hands.

Saturn beats Hammer after Raven hits Hammer with an Evenflow DDT as Reese distracts referee Mark Curtis on the ring apron. Saturn tells Raven he does not need his help, but Raven says he does.

Rick Rude shows up, then introduces Curt Hennig as the next WCW United States Heavyweight Champion. Rude then says people have been asking him which side of the nWo he is on, and says he is true blue and a friend until the end, and says he and Hennig live by the buddy system and have each other's backs. He then says that the only colors they will be wearing are black and blue. Hennig says Goldberg and his undefeated streak is what is really bothering him, and calls him "the biggest mark [he has] ever seen in his life." He says that if he wants to put his undefeated streak on the line against him, he can put a blemish on it right now. Rick Rude then gives Goldberg ten seconds to get in the ring, but Hennig says he has a better idea. He challenges Goldberg to a match for the United States title at The Great American Bash, where he says that Goldberg will run into an iceberg from Minnesota and sink to the bottom, never to see light again. Rick Rude then tells Goldberg "United we stand...secluded, you fall."

Horace beats Juventud Guerrera after Reese hits Juventud with a choke bomb behind the referee's back.

Tony Schiavone nearly gets hit in the head with a drink on the commentary table.

"Macho Man" Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth show up. Savage said that at Slamboree, he promised the tag team match from Hell and says that it would have been completely insane. He brags that he would go to Hell and make a deal with the devil to get Bret "The Hit Man" Hart and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan together in the ring and make "Rowdy" Roddy Piper his tag team partner. He admits that both he and Piper hate each other and that they both hate Bret even more than that, and tells Piper that he can count on him and that he thinks he can count on Piper. He then says that if Piper wants a piece of him afterwards, that works for him, because last Monday's apology that he did not give him was very weak. He says that if Piper is not man enough to apologize to him, then he is man enough to beat an apology out of Piper. Savage says he wants Piper fired up for that tag team battle, and after they beat Hart and Hogan, he will beat up Piper. Savage says he doesn't know what an icon is, but he knows what the madness is, and is Piper is brave enough to tag team with him, then they can go at it afterwards.

We hear from Eddie Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero Jr. and their mother. Eddie butts in, saying that his mother is proud of what he is doing with Chavo, but Chavo and mother say otherwise.

Before the next match, Eddie Guerrero tells Chavo Guerrero Jr. that the family is a bit confused as to what is going on as of late, but Chavo Guerrero Jr. gets himself fired up for his own match and tells Eddie to get out, much to Eddie's own confusion.

Dean Malenko retains the WCW Cruiserweight Championship against Chavo Guerrero Jr. with the Texas Cloverleaf. After the match, Eddie dares Chavo to hit him after hitting him with his towel. Chavo rears back to hit him, then kisses him instead before slapping Eddie in the face, much to the surprise of Eddie.

Lex Luger beats The Giant by disqualification. During the match, a fan tries to get into the ring but is quickly caught by WCW security. Later on in the match, Sting shows up wearing an nWo shirt, but it is the fake nWo Sting and not the real one. He and The Giant stomp Luger while The Giant drapes an nWo shirt on Luger to end the show.