Nitro-Glycerin - Monday Nitro recap for March 22, 1999

Van Hammer beats Bull Payne. During the match, Mike Tenay plugs the WCW Hotline, which this week contains information on the whereabouts of Sting and "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

Riki Rachtman interviews Rey Mysterio Jr., who says that Panama Beach, Florida is a party town, and that Kidman deserves another Cruiserweight title shot at Spring Stampede. He says that Kidman gives him a lot of competition in the ring, and that he wants to see who is the best man that night.

We see some footage of today's Spring Break-Out party in Panama Beach, Florida courtesy of Cinn-a-Burst Gum.

Riki Rachtman interviews Disco Inferno. Disco would like to say he's having a great time, but he says a woman in a wet T-shirt contest who weighed more than him. After a Yakov Smirnov reference or two, Riki Rachtman mentions Disco placing himself in Konnan's video, and admits that he and the fans find it irritating after seeing it more than twice. Disco says "his" video made everyone forget Konnan's video, then we see Disco's version of Konnan's video briefly. Riki says he and everyone else is getting sick of seeing it, and Disco says that if Konnan wants to do something about it, to face him at Spring Stampede, as Konnan needs to decide if he wants to be a wrestler or a rap star, as his sources in Tijuana say they hate Konnan there and that the people there look better than Ricky Martin. Disco says he is also in negotiations with Madonna to produce her next music video.

We see footage of Fit Finley looking for Rick Steiner. After some words are exchanged, Rick tells Finlay he will see him in the ring.

Riki Rachtman shows us footage of Goldberg spending time with the fans in Atlanta, Georgia, then Hak shows up with Chastity. Hak says that he came to WCW his first night and told everyone that he was the king of extreme. He says he told everyone he was the king of hardcore, and demands everyone call him "Hardcore Hak, the king of extreme." When Riki Ratchman asks if this means he is facing Goldberg, Hak confirms this after whacking himself in the forehead with a kendo stick, saying that if everyone thinks Goldberg is extreme, he'll show everybody extreme.

We see the "60 Seconds with Goldberg" video package from last year.

Psychosis, El Dandy, Silver King and La Cucharacha (who is seen wearing a Mil Mascaras mask) beat Damian, La Parka, Lizmark Jr. and Super Calo after La Cucharacha hits Stone Cold Stunners on three guys on the opposing team. After the match, La Cucharacha immediately leaves.

We see the Mr. & Ms. Nitro competition at today's party in Panama City, Florida courtesy of 1-800-COLLECT.

Pyrotechnics signal the start of the second hour, and we see a performance on the balcony by The Nitro Girls.

WCW President "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair and WCW Executive Committee Chairman J.J. Dillon are seen outside in Panama City, Florida in footage from earlier today. Flair tells Dillon that he plans on challenging the entire company, drawing names lottery-style and involving all of the mid-card and the cruiserweight division.

We see footage from earlier today where Mike Tenay interviews "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, who is now employed by World Championship Wrestling as a consultant. Dusty mentions that when "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair won last night, he was supposed to be re-hired as a commissioner, and that this may be an oversight on Flair's part, which he will let go for now. He also calls "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko a second-rate announcer who is sitting in the spot that he should be sitting at. He also says that there was talk of him replacing Tenay as WCW analyst. When asked about how he feels about Flair being president of WCW, he says that the tradition that he and Flair made came back, and all their bad blood was put aside. He is happy with him having been World champion more than a dozen times, and asks Flair if he is cross with him, then calls himself "the bull of the woods."

"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews WCW President "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair. Before much can happen, Raven shows up and says it is a little obvious that Raven has never received a title shot, and says "What about me? What about Raven?" Flair tells him and he and Kanyon can take on "The Crippler" Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko for the tag team titles tonight. Raven says that he was looking forward to wrestling Flair tonight, but if that is the way he wants to escape it, he'll have to try a little harder as Kanyon is not here and is instead shooting a movie about Jesse "The Body" Ventura. Flair tells Raven that he should not have walked out here like he did. Raven says he'll beat them by himself, then. Flair then says that he has challengers coming from all sides, and whether people like it or not, they'll have to learn to love him as WCW President. Tonight, because he is the WCW President and the greatest world champion of all time, he is defending the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. He plans on putting everyone's name in a hat, and whoever has their name pulled out will be facing Flair for the World title.

Rick Steiner beats Fit Finlay. During the match, it is announced that a tournament to decide a new United States Champion - following Scott Hall being stripped of the title for not defending it within 30 days - will start with a first-round match between Scott Steiner and Chris Jericho later on tonight tonight and will end with the finals at Spring Stampede.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

Juventud Guerrera beats El Vampiro.

Riki Rachtman introduces Julie Williams, who has been crowned Miss Nitro 1999. Hollywood Hogan and Kevin Nash shows up with a few women in bikinis, and Nash says it it time for nWo's "Miss Spring Break." The seven women stand in front of the camera, and Nash there was supposed to be eight lovely ladies. The eighth one is Torrie Wilson, who shows up with David Flair. Torrie takes off her dress to reveal the bikini she is wearing underneath. Nash then asks Riki Rachtman to pick which woman will become Miss nWo. Riki wants nothing to do with this, but Nash prepares to put Riki in a Jackknife Power Bomb before giving him a second chance. Riki says he will pick whichever one Nash chooses, and that person is Torrie Wilson. Torrie Wilson is declared Miss nWo, and Nash says "Sable...eat your heart out!"

Goldberg beats Hak.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews Bret "The Hit Man" Hart. Bret says that he came to WCW to earn a reputation, not lose it. He says that he has had zero title shots in one year, and says that he gets no respect in WCW and that he is sick and tired of it. He says WCW President "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair stuck his nose in his business a few months ago and cost him the United States title, and fancies himself a tough guy. He asks Flair if he remembers him coming in a year ago and wiping the floor with him. As for Hollywood Hogan, people have dreamed about the two of them squaring off, and says he has stopped believing that it will ever happen. Bret tells Hogan that they both know it comes down to the both of them, as they are the two biggest entities in wrestling and they have never had a match. As for Kevin Nash, he may be seven feet tall, but he remembers the time they have squared off in the past and says that he can beat him now just like he did back then. He says that if Nash is the pencil, he can be the eraser. As for Goldberg, he says that Goldberg has been hand-fed opponents for so long that he has ducked him, and says Goldberg has never stepped in the ring with a technical wrestler. He dares Goldberg to step in the ring with him one time, even if he is wetting his whistle after the match from earlier. He says that Goldberg has never fought any real, tough competition and says he could beat him in five minutes as he has a wrestling background the likes of which nobody has ever seen. He reiterates his claim that he can beat Goldberg in five minutes.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls, who are all dressed like Hollywood Hogan, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Konnan, Raven, Buff Bagwell and Sonny Onoo.

Before the next match, Vincent tells Horace Hogan that Hollywood Hogan put him in charge, and says he is the boss and Horace is the nephew. This leads to Horace punching Vincent when he pokes him in the chest one too many times.

Vincent beats Horace Hogan with an inside cradle. During the match, Stevie Ray shows up and watches the match from ringside. When Horace's back is to him, Stevie Ray pushes him, allowing Vincent to get the win with an inside Cradle. After the match, Stevie and Horace attack Vincent, and Brian Adams heads to the ring to join him. Stevie Ray and Brian Adams are seen talking after the match, and it is noticed by their tones of voice that something has gone awry.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund is in the ring with The Four Horsemen ("The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson, "The Crippler" Chris Benoit, Dean Malenko) and WCW Executive Committee Chairman J.J. Dillon. There is a tumbler with numerous numbers inside, and whoever has their number drawn will face Flair for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship tonight. The lucky number is 23, and that number belongs to El Dandy, who is injured. Rey Mysterio Jr. takes the number and says he will take care of it. Flair says that Rey is ineligible, as he is already a champion, and tells Dillon to get this worked out. Flair wants nothing to do with Rey, but Rey is facing Flair, anyway.

We see a video package of "The Crippler" Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko. (Interestingly, the music for this is Hardcore Holly's theme in the WWF.)

The Four Horsemen ("The Crippler" Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko) retain the WCW World Tag Team Championships against Raven by disqualification. During the match, Perry Saturn shows up and confronts Benoit and Malenko, who says that he can have the leftovers and that "this is Horsemen business." As soon as Benoit turns his back, Saturn attacks him and Malenko, which effectively makes him part of the match as part of Raven's team. The match ends when Raven is caught hitting Dean Malenko with one of the tag belts before Malenko can do the same to Saturn - who has Benoit in the Rings of Saturn - with the other. Benoit and Malenko end up retaining the tag titles by the thinnest of margins.

Before the next match, Scott Steiner tells the women in the crowd to close their eyes and visualize their idea of the perfect man, and fantasize about a man with a perfect man. When they open their eyes, that man will be right in front of them.

Scott Steiner beats Chris Jericho with the Steiner Recliner to advance in the United States title tournament after kicking Jericho in the groin to get out of a full nelson.

Rey Mysterio Jr. beats "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair by disqualification after "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson yanks referee Charles Robinson out of the ring, but the win goes to Flair after Anderson tells him to give Flair the win. Flair retains the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Rey responds by booting Flair into the nearby swimming pool to end the show.