Nitro-Glycerin - Monday Nitro recap for November 3, 1997

It is announced that the match between Sting and "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship was made official for Starrcade during a commercial break during the premiere of Assault On Devil's Island last Tuesday. We see a scene from the movie, then the press conference where Sting suddenly shows and signs the contract for the match before pointing his baseball bat at Hogan as he leaves.

Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero beats Rey Mysterio Jr. and Steven Regal with a Texas Cloverleaf to Rey after Malenko tags himself in before Eddie goes for the frog splash, much to Eddie's chagrin.

We see a performance by The Nitro Girls.

It is announced that "Rowdy" Roddy Piper has suffered nerve damage in his face after the events of Halloween Havoc and that there is no telling how long he will be out of action.

Fit Finlay beats Dave Taylor. Raven, Perry Saturn and Billy Kidman are seen heading to the front row during the match.

This Saturday on WCW Saturday Night: Lex Luger and The Giant in tag team action! Disco Inferno! The Faces of Fear (Meng and The Barbarian)!

Eric Bischoff cuts in on commentary via telephone, telling them that "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan has challenged Sting on numerous occasions and has not hid from him, and that Sting is the coward. He says that "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's injuries are consistent with brain damage that caused him to get in the steel cage with Hogan in the first place and that Sting suffers from similar brain damage. He also acknowledges the WWF and USA Network trying to put Assault On Devil's Island and Hulk Hogan down and steal Hogan's thunder, and calls all the attempts a miserable failure. He then announces that there will be more movies to come, and next week, the entire New World Order will be on hand with a huge surprise for everyone in WCW.

Yuji Nagata beats Psychosis with the Nagata Lock after Sonny Onoo kicks Psychosis in the face from the apron.

We hear another message from Raven: "Mrs. Landis' sixth-grade classroom. I sat in the third row, next to Teresa Hayes. It was there that I first discovered that alienation is a barren path. The taunting and the badgering by the other kids made me realize the depths of human evil and the dark underbelly of human society. I closed my eyes and pretended I was someone different, that I wasn't a misfit. You can't erase the dream, you can only wake me up. I didn't care. I never obeyed the rules 'cause even back then I realize that nothing in nature behaved so consistently and rigidly as a human being in pursuit of destruction. Quoth the Raven, nevermore."

Raven, Perry Saturn, Billy Kidman, Sick Boy and Stevie Richards are seen in the front row.

Perry Saturn beats Disco Inferno with The Rings of Saturn to win the WCW World Television Championship in his Nitro debut.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, who shows his appreciation for the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He tells Curt Hennig that he will find him in the building and make sure he does that on the air, saying he will be Eric Lindross and Hennig will be Yeager. He dares Hennig, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash and Scott Hall to cut the sleeves off of his robe. He hopes to eliminate Hennig in the World War 3 match and go on to win the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

Pyrotechnics signal the start of the second hour, and we see another performance by The Nitro Girls. "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko replaces Bobby "The Brain" Heenan on commentary for the second hour.

Scott Hall is seen wearing a WCW Tag Team Championship belt around his waist as he heads to the ring. After seeing who is nWo for life and announcing that Kevin Nash and Syxx are at home in Phoenix, Arizona and Minneapolis, Minnesota respectively, he calls out "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko, saying he is a decent announcer and on his best day as a wrestler, he couldn't touch The Wolfpack (Nash, Hall, Syxx) as his best day was about ten years ago. He tells Zbyszko he doesn't want any part of him because he can't even beat Eric Bischoff. After showing the footage of Hall and Bischoff's beating on Zbyszko at Halloween Havoc in typical nWo black-and-white, he then tells the backstage area to bring out Chris Jericho.

Chris Jericho beats Scott Hall after reversing The Outsider's Edge with a roll-up, then Hall hits Jericho in the back of the head and hits him with The Outsider's Edge not once, but twice before threatening to do the same to referee Billy Silverman. Hall is about to go for a third Outsider's Edge on Jericho when "The Living Legend" Larry Zbyszko leaves the commentary table and confronts Hall, telling him to sign the dotted line on his open contract in his hands. Hall walks away, and tells him he will be known by every fan as the biggest coward in the nWo who is afraid of a two-handicap broadcaster.

We see another report by Mike Tenay on lucha libre and the Mexican luchadores. This week's report is on the many high-risk maneuvers of lucha libre.

Barrett Brooks, Kevin Turner and Steve Everett of the Philadelphia Eagles are in the front row for tonight's show. Bobby "The Brain" Heenan joins commentary for the rest of the show.

The Giant shows up during a Cruiserweight Battle Royal and destroys everyone in the ring. Once the ring is cleared, The Giant says that's how you train for a battle royal before telling Kevin Nash he's the only big man in wrestling and that he will send him straight into the crowd in the World War 3 match.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

"The Nature Boy" Ric Flair beats Alex Wright with the Figure Four Leg Lock.

Ray Traylor beats Steve "Mongo" McMichael. During the match, Bill Goldberg shows up with Mongo's Super Bowl ring on his pinky, and this is enough to distract Mongo.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews Diamond Dallas Page. Page says he is living a dream and doing exactly what he wants to do. Whether he is hurt or not, he's loving every minute of it. He announces that Halloween Havoc had the biggest pay-per-view viewing audience for a wrestling PPV of all time, and that he is honored to be part of the double main event. He says that "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan calling him out jacks him up, and beating him by disqualification doesn't get it for him. What does get him is that he wrestled Savage with torn cartilage in my ribs on Sunday and then wrestled Hogan the next week, and he stood toe-to-toe with Hogan and both men gave it everything they had, and that Hogan still couldn't beat him. At 6'5" and 250 lbs., he is not he biggest or the strongest, but he has the most heart in the business today, as nobody wants it more than him. If he wins the World War 3 match and Hogan is still the champ, he knows Hogan a lot better and says Hogan should be worried.

We see another performance by The Nitro Girls.

The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott Steiner) beat Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge and "Flyboy" Rocco Rock) in a Philadelphia Street Fight.

We see a replay of what happened at last year's World War 3 Match.

Curt Hennig beats Lex Luger by disqualification and retains the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship after "The Nature Boy" Ric FLair attacks Hennig once again. Lex Luger then puts Hennig in the Torture Rack, but Flair continues to go after Hennig. Luger chases after Flair and catches him just before Flair can get his hands on Hennig on the way to the back, and confronts Flair for costing him the United States title as the show goes off the air.

Raw Deal - Raw recap for November 3, 1997

The show starts with Vince McMahon interviewing "Stone Cold" Steve Austin in the ring. When you do to Austin what Owen Hart did, it really pisses him off, and his match against Owen will not be a wrestling match; instead, it will be payback, as when he gets dropped on head and paralyzed, somebody's getting their ass whipped. On the subject of ticking everyone in the WWF off, everyone's pissed him off, as he wants not only the Intercontinental Championship but also Owen's ass, and says The Nation of Domination (Faarooq, D'Lo Brown, Kama Mustafa, Rocky Maivia) and Ahmed Johnson were both at the wrong place at the wrong time, and that when somebody sticks their head in the ring with him - or when he sticks his head in the ring with somebody - somebody's getting their ass whipped, plain and simple. Ahmed Johnson shows up, surrounded by referees who try to keep him from getting in the ring with Austin. Ahmed says that he respected Austin up until last week, but after that, he crossed his end zone. He promises to kick Austin's ass if it's the last thing he does, and challenges him to a match tonight. Steve Austin asks the crowd to give him a "Hell Yeah" if they want to see Ahmed get his ass kicked, then says he'll be happy to beat the hell out of him on live television.

Sunny is special guest ring announcer for the next match, and "Too Sexy" Brian Christopher guests on commentary.

Aguila beats Super Crazy ton continue to the semi-finals of the Light Heavyweight Championship Tournament. During the match, it is announced that WWF President Gorilla Monsoon is feeling better after his stay in the hospital.

During the weekend, Jim Ross interviewed Dustin (Goldust) and Terri Runnels (Marlena). Terri says it was very hard being with Brian Pillman, with the hardest part being away from her two daughters and Goldust, and says it's great to have a relationship with her husband and be part of a family again. Life throws out so much ugly things, and family is always the first thing she runs to. She mentions that Dakota is in pre-school, and while she isn't a big fan of it, she loves being with her mom and is glad to have her home, and Terri has to tell her she went on a long vacation as that is the only way she can explain to Dakota what happened to her. Dustin suddenly says "I can't do this anymore," and says that everything coming out of her mouth sickens him. For so long, he has lived for his father and for her, and when he was interviewed about his father Dusty Rhodes, it made him cry because Dusty made his life a miserable wreck. He then says that for the last seven years he has spent with Terri, he has been treated like a puppy dog and that she scorns him when he doesn't do anything to her liking. He is sick of Terri disciplining him and keeping him from being himself, and says Terri knows nothing about his life. He says he is tired of living for her and her father, and when Terri was away, he reached out and found something that allowed him to be himself because Terri hasn't done it, and that he watched her occasionally and wonders what she could have been doing. He says that he has now found someone who understands him and allows him to be himself. He then tells Terri he loved her for a long time, but no more. Terri breaks down, and asks why. Dustin says he's done all he can for her, and that he is starting his life over and doing it for himself, and refuses to live for her or Dusty anymore. He tells Terri to take his ring, their marriage and Marlena and shove it up her ass because he's had it with "[her] and [her] shit."

We take a look back at what led to the match between "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels and Bret "The Hit Man" Hart for the WWF Championship.

Ahmed Johnson shows up, wanting to take on "Stone Cold" Steve Austin right now, but instead of getting Austin, he gets Paul Bearer and Kane. Even Ahmed cannot bring Kane down, and he is next to fall victim to both a choke slam and Tombstone Piledriver from Kane. After a second Tombstone to Ahmed, Mankind shows up with a metal object and puts Paul Bearer in the Mandible Claw before hitting Kane with the metal object. As Mankind grabs a steel chair outside of the ring to protect Ahmed, Kane gets right back up, and referees have to keep Mankind and Kane apart.

After the break, it is announced that Ahmed Johnson is receiving medical attention. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin then shows up and says Ahmed Johnson was going to get his ass whipped, and that's what happened. He then says that Ahmed got off light, as he would have opened a real can of whoop-ass and fed it to him with a spoon. He then says that if Ahmed can still get in the ring, he'll take him on. If not, he'll face anybody else in the locker room. As he waits, he tells someone to get him a hot dog and a beer. He finally get a challenge in the form of The Nation of Domination (Faarooq, D'Lo Brown, Kama Mustafa, Rocky Maivia), and Kama Mustafa is the one to step up. Suddenly, Austin gives Kama a stunner while The Legion of Doom (Road Warrior Animal and Road Warrior Hawk) attack the rest of The Nation. As referees try to get The Nation and The Legion of Doom apart, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin heads to the back with a smile on his face.

The introduction to the show replays to signal the start of War Zone.

Michael Cole interviews "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels in the ring. Instead of Shawn, everyone gets "Ravishing" Rick Rude, who tells all "the fat, out-of-shape Pennsylvania pissants" to button their lips and open their eyes as he introduces D-Generation X (Shawn, "Triple H" Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Chyna, Rude). Shawn kisses both Triple H and Chyna on the lips, then then Triple H takes the microphone and says they've come out here week after week giving everyone a hard time, and shakes Michael Cole's hands for sticking it out that long before pushing him back, causing him to fall over Chyna. Cole leaves the ring, then Shawn takes the microphone, puts himself a pedestal, and then decides to take it one level higher and says he will always be known as the wrestling god, but Triple H stops him before he can finish that statement and Shawn makes fun of "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. Triple H says Shawn that to be a god, you have to be as old as god. He also takes potshots at the Halloween Havoc cage match, calling it "Age in the Cage." Shawn says Triple H has made his point, then says he will show Bret "The Hit Man" Hart he is the man. He says showing his bare bottom is nothing compared to what he will do next week: walk out to the ring naked and take "The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock and show him "The World's Most Dangerous...Man." Triple H says D-Generation X calls the shots, and tells WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter to come out to the ring and make the match official. As Sgt. Slaughter asks Shawn if he wants the mask, Triple H and Shawn run to a pair of paper bags and pull out riot helmets and put them. He asks again, then they run to the bag again and place windshield wipers on the face masks of the riot helmets. Sgt. Slaughter says that they had ways of straightening guys like them out in boot camp, then gives Shawn the match, then adds a stipulation: it's taking place tonight, not next week. When Shawn and Triple H pull the face guards on the riot helmets up, Sgt. Slaughter finally spits at them. Shawn says that boot camp may have ways of straightening guys like him out, but this is the World Wrestling Federation and he'll straighten him out. As soon as Shawn says this is the WWF, Vince says "It sure is," and the crowd suddenly cheers, causing Shawn to stop talking and say "I'm Shawn Michaels! You can't talk to me that way!"

Marc Mero drags Sable out of her dressing room before she can finished getting dressed for the ring.

Savio Vega tells Marc Mero that tonight is revenge for what Mero did to Miguel Perez last week.

Marc Mero beats Savio Vega with another low blow before the TKO after Sable distracts the referee, thanks to Vega trying to grab her by her hair. Michael Cole tries to interview Sable after the match, but Mero butts in and declares the interview over, telling Cole that if he wants to talk to a superstar, he should talk to him.

Before the next match, it is announced that The Patriot is out with a torn tricep, and a decision will be made over the weekend on who will take his place. Also, Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon accompany The British Bulldog to the ring along with Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, and Jim Ross notes the irony of Doug Furnas being in The Bulldog's corner on commentary, stating that Furnas is an American and from Commerce, Oklahoma while LaFon is Canadian and from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

During the next match, Michael Cole interviews Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon, asking why they are part of Team Canada for Survivor Series. LaFon says he is from Canada, while Furnas says that the American fans didn't care when they were in an auto accident five years ago and didn't write any letters to him, yet other fans around the world did. He implies that America can kiss his ass.

Vader beats The British Bulldog in a Dog Collar Match. After the match, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon. All of a sudden, a man in a white tanktop, black slacks and black sneakers jumps the barrier, gets in the ring and fights off the three of them with competent martial arts ability. Vader has to place himself on top of him to keep Neidhart, Furnas and LaFon from attacking this man. Referees, officials and police officers get in the ring, and after order is restored, this man is escorted out of the arena. Vince McMahon reminds the viewers at home that while WWF encourages fan participation, they do not recommend doing what that man just did.

Before the next match, "Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn call Los Boricuas (Jesus Castillo and Jose Estrada Jr.) a stepping stone for them.

"Road Dogg" Jesse James and "Bad Ass" Billy Gunn beat Los Boricuas (Jesus Castillo and Jose Estrada Jr.) when Billy Gunn stops a pinfall by Jesus Castillo with a splash from the top rope before placing Road Dogg on top of Jesus as the referee is preoccupied with Jose Estrada Jr. During the match, it is announced that The Legion of Doom (Road Warrior Animal and Road Warrior Hawk) have been asked to leave the arena after a verbal altercation with WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter.

"The World's Most Dangerous Man" Ken Shamrock beats "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels by disqualification when Chyna distracts the referee as Shawn taps to the ankle lock submission while "Ravishing" Rick Rude, who showed up midway through the match, hits Shamrock in the back with the steel Halliburton briefcase. The referee then turns around to see D-Generation X (Shawn, Triple H, Chyna, Rude) attacking Shamrock, then Triple H pedigrees Shamrock into the steel Halliburton briefcase to end the show.