Recapping American wrestling since 2013. Not only following the current stuff in WWE, Impact and ROH but also going back in time and doing stuff from back then as well.
The New World Order, minus "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, shows up to start the show. Scott Hall sends a shout-out, who is sitting back at home, and says that all is well within the nWo. Hall then calls out "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko, and tells him that he, Kevin Nash and Eric Bischoff watched old tapes of him and that even on fast-forward, he still didn't move. Hall then says Zbyszko doesn't want a piece of him and that he can't beat Bischoff. Kevin Nash says the nWo has an agenda, and tells The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) that they haven't beaten them and that The Outsiders (Hall and Nash) are the true tag team champions. He also tells The Giant that he can keep his spot as the one true giant in WCW as he's too busy being 6'10", sexy and just two sweet. Bischoff says that the nWo had so much fun with surprises last week that they have a new one this week: "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan himself. Hogan then brings out "Ravishing" Rick Rude, who is still in WWF as part of D-Generation X ("The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Chyna, Rude), now no longer sporting his full beard. Rude says "Oh, what a difference a day makes!" and talks about the rights and the wrongs of professional wrestling. He says it is wrong that that Shawn claims to be a world champion when he never beat Bret "The Hit Man" Hart, and that Vince McMahon instructed a referee to ring the bell to rob Bret of the WWF Championship. On the other hand, he calls Bret abandoning "the Titanic" and swam to the refuge of the nWo, and nWo's course to destroy WCW and beat up the man called Sting what's right with wrestling, and regrets not being able to take part in last week's beating on Sting. He tells Sting that the second verse will be the same as the first, a whole lot rowdier and a whole lot worse, as he will participate. Hogan then asks the fans what it's like to be him, and says that spring has sprung and Sting has been stung before proclaiming that his blood runs through the nWo's veins and vice versa and all they had to do was watch him put Sting in their place to realize that he will live forever. Hogan says that Sting won't show up, as Sting will never be seen in WCW and nWo will rule for eternity. (Rick Rude shows up during the second hour of WWF Raw sporting a full beard. This is significant as it proves that Nitro was really broadcast live and that Raw was taped; tonight's episode of Raw was taped six days earlier. Rick Rude also appeared over the weekend on ECW Hardcore TV as well.)
We see a performance by The Nitro Girls.
"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews Ray Traylor. He says he does not want any help or sympathy, saying that he turned his back on WCW to join the nWo but did not like the person he had become. Every time the nWo attack him from behind to hurt it, it shows what cowards they are. As he challenges anyone to face him anywhere, any time, he is suddenly jumped from behind by The New World Order. Even "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan joins in on the attack, smacking Traylor in the back with his belt, and Savage spray paints the letters "NWO" on Traylor's back.
Meng beats Glacier by pinfall with the Tongan Death Grip. After the match, Meng and The Barbarian, the latter having been called out by Jimmy Hart, attack Glacier, but "The Cat" Ernest Miller makes the save and fights off all three men only to fall victim to the Tongan Death Grip as well.
Diamond Dallas Page says he doesn't know Bret "the Hit Man' Hart on a professional level, but he knows Bret Hart as a wrestler. He doesn't get why Bret "The Hit Man" Hart would join The New World Order, especially when he know how bad Bret wants it each and every night in the ring.
This Saturday on WCW Saturday Night: Disco Inferno! Harlem Heat! The Giant! Rey Mysterio Jr.!
Alex Wright beats Steve "Mongo" McMichael by disqualification when Mongo violently pushes the referee while stomping Wright in the corner after being aggravated by Debra McMichael. During the match, it is announced that Mongo will face Goldberg one-on-one at World War 3.
We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.
Rey Mysterio Jr. beats Chris Jericho after escaping the last powerbomb in a triple powerbomb attempt and hits a hurricanrana for the win. Both men show respect after the match (though it is not shown as the replay for the match plays right over it).
"The Crippler" Chris benoit says Bret is a great role model recognized by everyone, and says it is a shame that Bret would affiliate himself in any way with the nWo.
Eric Bischoff gets "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko's attention on the commentary table, and tells him he is sick and tired of hearing the commentary team talk about the New World Order. Bischoff walks away after , then walks back and smacks him in the head. Zbyszko confronts Bischoff, but is attacked by Konnan, Buff Bagwell, Scott Norton and Vincent. A fan tries to attack Bischoff from behind, but he gets attacked as well and is detained by WCW security. Bischoff kicks Zbyszko in the gut a few times while the other nWo members hold Zbyszko down. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan shows up on commentary early, replacing Zbyszko on commentary while a trainer tends to Zbyszko.
Diamond Dallas Page beats Villano V. After the match, DDP knocks Villano IV off the top rope and hits him with a Diamond Cutter as well before leaving through the crowd.
Dean Malenko vs. Eddie Guerrero ends n a double count-out when both men are unable to get up after a ten-count following a top rope back suplex by Dean Malenko. Eddie Guerrero retains . Rey Mysterio Jr. briefly watches the match from the entrance ramp midway through the match, as he faces the winner of this match this Sunday at World War 3 for the Cruiserweight title.
Lex Luger has mixed reactions about Bret "The Hit Man" Hart joining The New World Order, saying he has known Bret for years from travelling down the road together and has mutual respect for him. If it is true, it is hard to believe, but he is very disappointed.
Jamie Brandenberg of Georgetown University of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity in Georgetown, Kentucky is the winner of this week's Nitro Prize Pack, and we see the videotape of his Nitro party.
Perry Saturb beats Scotty Riggs with The Rings of Saturn. Raven's Flock (Raven, Perry Saturn, Billy Kidman, Sick Boy, Van Hammer) is seen in the front row before the next match, in which Saturn participates. Kidman grabs a microphone after he and Raven jump the guardrail alongside Saturn, and says he is authorized by Raven to give Riggs one more chance to join Raven so he can set him free. During the match, Riggs' eyepatch and bandage around his right eye both fall off, and we see how glassy and fogged out that eye is before he hits Raven's Flock with a top rope cross body to the outside and into the front row. Raven's Flock attacks Riggs after the match, then Raven moves his men away and kneels over Riggs.
We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.
The Steiner Brothers (Ric and Scott Steiner) and Ted DiBiase are all attacked by The New World Order, putting an end to the match between the Steiners and Vicious and Delicious (Scott Norton and Buff Bagwell) before it can even take place. "Macho Man' Randy Savage spray paints the letters "NWO" on Scott Steiner's back. Before this, it is announced that "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko has been taken from the arena to a local hospital for further observation.
Lex Luger beats Curt Hennig by disqualification after pushing the referee into Luger and hits him in the skull with the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship. Curt Hennig retains the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship, and runs away when The Giant heads into the ring to save Luger. During the match, it is announced that The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) and Ted DiBiase are not seriously hurt after what happened earlier, and that The Steiner Brothers will be able to compete again soon at World War 3.
Before the next match, Kevin Nash guests on commentary after heading to the commentary table, scaring away Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.
The Giant beats Scott Hall by disqualification after Scott Hall injures The Giant's right hand in an attempt to stop the choke slam and the rest of The New World Order attack The Giant before he can hit Scott Hall with a choke slam. The entire WCW locker room rushes into the ring and fights back against the nWo to end the show.
After the cameras stopped rolling last week during "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock vs. "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter fights back against Triple H and "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, shoving both Triple H and Shawn. Shamrock puts Shawn in a schoolboy pin while Sgt. Slaugher counts the pinfall. Despite Triple H being his opponent and not Shawn, Shamrock gets the win, albeit unofficially.
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin shows up and takes the microphone from ring announcer Tony Chimel. He says that Vince McMahon has metnioned that anything can happen in the WWF, and he asks the crowd to give him a "Hell Yeah" if they want to see Rocky Maivia get his ass whipped. He says Maivia makes challenges like he's something special, and tells him that if he thinks he's something special and can beat the hell out of him, he tells him to show up and bring whoever he wants with him as he has something for him. The whole Nation of Domination (Faarooq, D'Lo Brown, Kama Mustafa, Rocky Maivia) shows up, and Rocky has the rest of The Nation approach the ring instead. Austin fights off D'Lo Brown in the ring, and Maivia steals the WWF Intercontinental Championship while Faarooq and Kama Mustafa get D'Lo Brown out of there. After The Nation of Domination leave, Austin takes Jim Ross's headset off of his head and tells him he'll get the belt back tomorrow at the airport when Maivia goes through security, as he won't be safe anywhere. He leaves, then comes back and tells Jim Ross that he's not going anywhere, as he's going to be in the building for the entire show and that Maivia will get his payback.
"Butterbean" Eric Esch is in the front row once again.
Before the next match, Sable waves at "Butterbean" Eric Esch, and Butterbean is confronted once again by Marc Mero. After the match begins, "Too Sexy" Brian Christopher shows up and stands in Jerry "The King" Lawler's corner before guesting on commentary.
Jery "The King" Lawler beats Marc Mero by disqualification when Lawler takes advantage of a distraction by "Too Sexy" Brian Christopher trying to get Sable's phone number by getting a cheap shot on Mero and hitting him with a piledriver. When Lawler goes for the pin, Sable gets in the ring and chokes out Lawler with her whip, and as she is in the ring, her sunglasses come off. As Sable has the ref distracted, Mero hits Lawler with a low blow before hitting him with the TKO, and as Mero confronts Sable for getting him disqualified, we find out that Sable is wearing her sunglasses to cover up a black eye.
The WWF Attitude vignette is replayed, with all footage of Bret "The Hit Man" Hart redacted.
We see part one of Jim Ross's interview with Vince McMahon, subtitled "Why Bret Why?: The Untold Story." Vince says everyone, including Bret "The Hit Man" Hart, would say he "screwed" Bret Hart. He believes that "Bret Hart screwed Bret Hart," and that Bret can look in the mirror and know that. Vince says he has no problems taking accountability for his actions, especially this one, and hopes that he makes more good decision than he does bad ones. Vince says that when someone is leaving, they show the right amount of respect to the other Superstars and the company who made them, and that this is a time-honored tradition that Bret did not want to honor. Vince says this is a surprising action coming from Bret, and that this was Bret's decision. Bret's 20-year contract with the WWF signed in 1996 is brought up. Vince says that Bret's departure is a joint decision, exacerbated by recent events, and that the two of them orchestrated the opportunity for WCW to "steal" Bret. Vince felt that, for business and financial reasons, that Bret's salary was not justified and that Bret felt that he was second banana to "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels in his own mind, and that the two of them would work out something to both of their best interests: a 3-year deal in which Bret is paid $3 million a year - the richest deal in all of professional wrestling, assuming Bret is working 125 days a year. Vince decides that if Bret was not a great investment for the WWF - although he didn't want him to go - the least he could do is help Bret help himself, and tells Bret that if he took the WCW deal, he would be the first to congratulate him, which he was and did. Vince re-iterates that he did not want to see Bret leave the WWF. It is mentioned that Bret stayed in the ring after Survivor Series, then spit in Vince's face and destroyed television equipment. Vince says he was disappointed in Bret when he hit him, as he sustained a concussion and vision problems from the attack, and while it wasn't the right thing to do, Bret apparently is proud of striking Vince. He says it is not a question of confrontation, as even at 52 years old, things would have been a little different if there had been a confrontation. Vince then says that he allowed Bret to strike him, hoping that he wouldn't and hoping that they would sit down and try to work things out as gentlemen. When asked if he would press charges or pursue legal remedies, Vince says he has only considered it and that it is all up to Bret. When Vince is asked how he would have wanted to write Bret's final chapter in the WWE, Vince says he hoped that Bret's story would be a dramatic story, and hoped that Bret's story would be one that gave him dignity and poise to claim that he was maybe the greatest WWF Superstar ever in terms of his departure. Vince says that one way of giving back to those who helped him get to where he was in the end might have been, for argument's sake, would have to accept being pinned, then stand straight up and show the whole world what a true champion he really was After that, he would have congratulated "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels before asking the whole locker room to watch his match and tell them this is how it should be done as he went out the way a true championship should go out. Vince then goes on to say that he has no sympathy for Bret, and that he has no sympathy for someone who is supposed to be a wrestling traditionalist not doing the right thing for the company and fans who made him what he is to day. Vince says Bret made a selfish decision, that Bret screwed Bret and that he has no sympathy for Bret.
Before the match, it is announced that Los Boricuas' (Savio Vega and Miguel Perez) locker room was vandalized, with ring gear and clothes missing. Los Boricuas' music plays again, but this time it is "Road Dog" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn dressed up like Los Boricuas as they mock them. Savio Vega and Miguel Perez immediately realizes that Road Dog and Billy Gunn vandalized their locker room and immediately go after them, starting their tag team match early. The match ends as quickly as it begins when Jose Castillo and Jesus Estrada Jr. show up and attack Road Dog and Billy Gunn.
We see a video package of "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock.
Sunny is guest referee for the next match.
El Torito, Tarantula and Battalion vs. Max Mini, Mini Nova and Mini Taurus end when Paul Bearer and Kane show up. All six participants, including guest referee Sunny, hide behind the commentary table, and Battalion grabs Jim Cornette's tennis racket in case he has to defend himself. As Kane looks at the commentary table, The Headbangers (Thrasher and Mosh) attack Kane from behind with their boombox, but even a boombox shot to the head that is powerful enough to shatter the boombox isn't enough to knock Kane down, and both Thrasher and Mosh fall victim to the Tombstone Piledriver.
The introduction to the show is replayed to signify the start of War Zone.
"Ravishing" Rick Rude starts the second hour (with a full beard, one hour after appearing on WCW Monday Nitro without one to reveal he is the newest member of The New World Order) by introducing D-Generation X ("The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels, "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Chyna, Rude). Shawn tells "The WOrld's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock that what he did last week only happened thanks to WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter, and if Shamrock wants some of him and wants some respect from D-Generation X, then he has news for him as D-Generation X respects absolutely nobody. When told that he should be careful about mention Bret "The Hit Man" Hart, he says that he ran Bret out of the WWF and beat every member of his family, and that there is only one more thing for him to do: beat the crap out of his friends, and if one of them happens to be Ken Shamrock, he'll beat Ken Shamrock up. Triple H, who now has his hair all the way down at this point, calls out Sgt. Slaughter, who shows up. Triple H asks Slaugher who he thinks he is, and says that D-Generation X makes the rules in the ring, not Slaughter, and that if he sticks his nose - or chin - in DX's business, it will be the last thing he does. Triple H then says that he's heard Sgt. Slaughter's wife isn't too thrilled about Slaughter's own privates, and that he has a problem "going past half mast." Triple H warns Slaughter not to stick his nose in their business or else he'll show his wife his "lance corporal" and show her what standing at attention is all about. Slaughter slaps Triple H, not impressed at all with the military weiner jokes, then Rick Rude tosses the steel Halliburton briefcase to Shawn so he can hit Slaughter in the back with it. Chyna rips off Slaughter's shirt and punches him in the face before Triple H hits Slaughter in the head with the briefcase. Triple H then leaves Slaughter lying with the Pedigree. Rick Rude then pull rolls of toilet paper, place a toilet paper "X" on top of Slaughter, then toss the rolls of toilet paper into the crowd like streamers. Referees and officials show up, but they don't even do anything as DX celebrates their actions and continue to mock Slaughter. (Rick Rude's appearance on the second hour of Raw after appearing on the first hour of Nitro is significant, as it proved that Nitro really was broadcast live, while Raw was taped; this episode in particular was taped six days earlier. Meanwhile, Rude had also appeared on ECW Hardcore TV over the weekend, making Rick Rude the only man to be in all of the "big three" promotions at one time.)
Scott Taylor beats Eric Shelley to continue to the semi-finals of the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship tournament. Jef Jarrett announces via telephone during the match that next week, he will make his in-ring wrestling debut. He says that Vince has promised that he will shine the spotlight briglhtly on his and that he will have a chance to prove he is the greatest wrestling talent walking on the earth today. He promises that he will not let anyone down and prove that he is the greatest wrestler.
After the previous match, Marc Mero and Sable - the latter now wearing her sunglasses again - show up, and tells Jim Ross to interview him in the ring. Marc Mero says his woman - his property - has been stalked and that WWF has done nothing to help him. He says that "Butterbean" Eric Esch has been stalking her, and tells him not to wave or even look at her, saying that she is just like the rest of the fans who are chanting for Sable and wants to hurt him. He says that he is a boxer - a five-time New York state Golden Glove champion - and that Butterbean isn't and that Butterbean can't even beat anybody, much less himself. Butterbean jumps the guardrail along with his manager, then Butterbean confronts Mero, who tells him not to even enter an arena again before calling him a fatass. Mero shoves Butterbean, then Butterbean shoves back to greater results. Butterbean's manager tries to stop a physical confrontation, and referees have to show up to separate both men.
We see part two of Jim Ross's interview with Vince McMahon, subtitled "Why Bret Why?: The Untold Story." When asked if he would welcome Bret "The Hit Man" Hart to return to the World Wrestling Federation after all he did, McMahon says that the professional wrestling business is a strange one, and says he would but also would want to hear Bret apologize to him, and that he would tell Bret "no more free shots" and that there would be no problem with the two of them having problems behind the scenes. He also says that if Bret tore up his contract with "the other guys" right now, he would welcome him back under those conditions. Vince acknowledges the signs in the crowd saying that Bret sold out and that Bret was sensitive to that notion, saying that Bret did sell out and that he helped him do it. He says that Bret jumped ship to World Championship Wrestling for the money, and that Bret loses credibility every time he says he didn't. When asked if the deal with Bret affected him personally or financially, Vince says that from a business perspective, the WWF will go on without Bret, but it has affected him personally as you can't simply end a 14-year relationship without having feels and regrets being forced into making the decisions he had to make. He also regrets the decisions that Bret made, and also regrets the Bret Hart fans who are hurt in any way by this. He regrets that Bret's family has to endure what Bret is going through, and that his own son had to witness some of what happened in the locker room. He regrets all that happen, but remains steadfast that he made a tough decision that was the best decision for both the WWF and the fans. If he had an opportunity to speak with Bret, he would tell him he made a mistake that he will regret from a professional standpoint that he didn't have to make, and that he had to do what he had to do for both the fans and the company. Vince says he is unwavering in his point of view, and feels Bret feels the same way about his. He doesn't know if they'll ever get together again, and says it's too bad that a 14-year relationship was destroyed because one member of that relationship forgot that we're in the sports entertainment business and forgot where he came from. Vince says he is over this now, and at the same time, Bret has been such a part of the WWF and always will be, and he will remember the good times and what Bret did to the greatest degree, and remember Bret as "The Excellent of Execution," but says it's too bad that Bret wasn't the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be, as he had the opportunity to prove that in his last match in the WWF and failed.
Before the next match, it is announced that Vince McMahon will be live on America On-Line at 11 PM Eastern (Keyword: WWF) to address fans' questions. Goldust then shows up in leggings, black-and-gold checkerboard face paint with some parts in red, a white pajama top, black pantyhose and gold house slippers, accompanied by WWF official Gerald Brisco as his left arm is in a blue sling. Goldust grabs a microphone and says he is an invalid, broken and crippled, and that the doctor hasn't given him clearance to wrestle. Vader says the whole world knows he's not hurt, and that he doesn't care what his doctor's note says. He reads the note, and asks Gerald if he's going along with this before balling it up and tossing it away. Suddenly, Goldust pulls a hammer out of his sling and strikes Vader in the head with it, knocking him down before heading to the back.
We see a "WWF Attitude" vignette of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter gets in the ring and says that a few months ago, he accepted the position as Commissioner of the World Wrestling Federation. He knew it wasn't an easy task, but he cast aside being the Army sergeant that he is most famous for being and put on a sports coat and walked into the battlefields of the WWF with nothing more than a rule book. He knows the fans cheered the decisions they liked and the booed the ones they don't, and says that the commentary table said he was drunk with power, but he did his job and did it well. He tells D-Generation X - especially Triple H - that they crossed a line and made it personal between them. He can call them names back all day if they want, but at In Your House: D-Generation X, he orders Triple H to get in the ring with him, announcing that he is taking off the sports coat, spitting in his face, lacing up the combat boots and seeing who the better man is. He's not saying he's winning or losing, but he is giving Triple H the fight of his life, and in a sort of Pearl Harbor reference, tells Triple H that December 7th will live with him forever in infamy.
Before the next match, Rocky Maivia shows up with the rest of The Nation of Domination (Faarooq, D'Lo Brown, Kama Mustafa) says that his match is a non-title match (even though he is not the Intercontinental Champion) and that he is not a thief as "The Rock" was the best Intercontinental champ there was. He says he is a world-class athlete, an intelligent man and better than the rest. He tells the fans that if they wanted "The Rock," then "The Rock" has answered their call.
Dude Love beats Rocky Maivia by disqualificaton after the rest of The Nation of Domination (Faarooq, D'Lo Brown, Kama Mustafa) attack Dude Love after the Double Arm DDT. The Rock is about to use the Intercontinental Championship as a weapon when "Stone Cold" Steve Austin shows and fights The Nation along with Dude Love as Maivia flees. Maivia stands at the stage with the Intercontinental title to end the show.
