WCW Monday Nitro
April 14, 1997
Philadelphia, PA
CoreStates Spectrum

The current WCW champs were as follows:
WCW World Champion: Hollywood Hogan (8/10/1996)
WCW U.S. Champion: Dean Malenko (3/16/1997)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Outsiders (10/27/1996)
WCW World Television Champion: Ultimo Dragon (4/7/1997)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Syxx (2/23/1997)
WCW Women’s Champion: Akira Hokuto (12/29/1996)

Just to remind you of a little ECW history, this is the night after ECW’s first PPV. For whatever reason or measures WCW took, there are barely any ECW signs at all, ECW t-shirts, only one minor ECW chant, and no bWo shirts of any kind that I saw. Its very interesting and makes you wonder why considering the ECW faithful would normally show up in droves any time the WWF got near Philly back in those days. Except for Hat Guy, maybe they were all too hung over for another night of wrestling.

Let Us Take You Back To Last Week: The nWo settled their differences and DDP calls out Randy Savage only for Hollywood Hogan to try and handle the guy. Then Sting appears and stands between them pointing a baseball bat.

HOUR NUMBER ONE! Your hosts are Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko.

Lex Luger says he wants to cash in his World title shot opportunity against Hollywood Hogan TONIGHT! The nWo head out and take over the announce position for a response. Now Kevin Nash is saying that if Luger wants Hogan, he has to go through him.

For those who care about this sort of thing, ECW Hat Guy is in the second row.

• The Barbarian (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Chris Benoit
  

The ex-ECW employee counter:1. Chris Benoit

I have a feeling where this match is heading. Benoit chops and throws Barbarian around until Jimmy Hart trips him up. Jimmy gets pulled out of his blazer and runs around the ring only to found himself right into the hands of Benoit. Hart gets nailed, but Barbarian is there to drill Benoit with a KICK OF FEAR! He tries to press Benoit back inside and has trouble fitting him through the ropes. Ouch! Benoit hits a German suplex, but he’s caught up top for a SUPER BELLY TO BELLY THROW! Benoit nearly lands in the opposite corner. Barbarian misses a Flying Headbutt and takes a SWANDIVE HEADBUTT instead for the 1-2-3. (2:37) The Dungeon of Doom attack and put Benoit in the Tree of Woe just for Sullivan’s jollies. Jeff Jarrett and Steve McMichael waltz out to the ring and scare the DOD away, but it’s way too late. *

Gene Okerlund grabs a word with Chris Benoit while JJ and Mongo head out. If Benoit doesn’t destroy Sullivan, Sullivan is going to destroy him.

After that run-in, the ex-ECW employee counter: 4. Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus (as Crash the Terminator), and Konnan.

• WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion Dean Malenko vs. Hector Guerrero
  

The ex-ECW employee counter: 6. Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus (as Crash the Terminator), Konnan, Dean Malenko, and Hector Guerrero.

Didn’t Hector get squashed by Sullivan last week? Now he’s getting a US title shot? After some feeling out time, Hector dismisses an ab stretch and sends Malenko to the floor. He springs off the ropes and splashes Malenko on the floor. Back in, Malenko hits the Tiger Bomb and the TEXAS CLOVERLEAF gets the win. (2:55) Malenko leaves the hold on a little too long after the bell and Eddie Guerrero walks out – his arm still in a sling. They exchange words as Eddie makes his way over to Hector. ¾*

The ex-ECW employee counter: 7. Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus (as Crash the Terminator), Konnan, Dean Malenko, Hector Guerrero, and Eddie Guerrero.

Reggie White is in attendance. He’s here to get a match with Steve McMichael! However, Mongo has yet to agree to any certain terms.

• Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera
  

The ex-ECW employee counter: 9. Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus (as Crash the Terminator), Konnan, Dean Malenko, Hector Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio Jr., and Juventud Guerrera.

This is the first match to garner ECW chants from the crowd which makes sense considering this exact pairing happened over a year earlier in Philly. Juvi fights off a Mexican surfboard on Rey’s back, but takes a headscissors out to the floor. After some guardrail action, Guerrera powerbombs Rey off the apron. Back in, they go counter-for counter until Juventud springboards into a dropkick. SPRINGBOARD HURRACANRANA from Rey gets the 1-2-3. (3:25) They seemed a little lost at times as if this match was booked on the fly. *½

Gene Okerlund brings out Luna Vachon. She thinks Madusa is the Womens champion. That pretty much sums up the thought that’s put into the women’s division here.

The ex-ECW employee counter: 10. Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus (as Crash the Terminator), Konnan, Dean Malenko, Hector Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio Jr., Juventud Guerrera, and Luna Vachon.

• WCW World Television Champion Ultimo Dragon (w/Sonny Oono) vs. Lane Carlson
  

Don’t wonder who Lane Carlson is. It’s just Lenny Lane. Dragon kicks Lane around and rips at his face. Lane comes back with a Rocker Dropper for two. Bulldog gets two. To the floor we go! Lane somersaults onto Dragon from the top. Dragon then trips him on the apron and lands a pescado. Sonny Oono gets some kicks in. Back in, the SPINNING HEADSCISSORS from the top sets up the TIGER SUPLEX for the 1-2-3. (3:46) Surprising little squash. Never thought Dragon would let him get that much offense in. ¾*

• WCW Cruiserweight Champion Syxx vs. Prince Iaukea
  

Prince loses the TV belt last week and now he gets a cruiserweight title shot. Iaukea makes Syxx retreat to start with headscissors and dropkicks. Syxx comes back with a roundhouse kick and sliding legdrops. Iaukea whiffs on a crossbody out of the corner and takes the Kick Combo in the corner. Bronco Buster! Syxx misses a cannonball splash. HERE COMES PRINCE! He hits Air Pillman for 1-2-NO! Flying sunset flip kind of fails. Just like that, Syxx turns the beat around with the BUZZ KILLER for the submission. (5:42) Holding onto submissions WAY after the bell is EXTREME~! Not that bad of a match. *½

Ric Flair, Kevin Greene, and Roddy Piper head out to waste some time. They just downgrade the new World order and tell their age by talking about what they did in the 70s, the 80s, and today. Flair thinks he was in the Hoosier Dome against Randy Savage at WrestleMania VIII in 1993. Any wrestling nerd knows that was 1992! If it wasn’t for Flair and Piper paving the way for them, there would be no wrestling today. Isn’t this exactly what everybody hated Hogan for saying last July?

HOUR NUMBER TWO! Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, and Mike Tenay.

• Public Enemy vs. High Voltage – Philadelphia Street Fight
  

The ex-ECW employee counter: 12. Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus (as Crash the Terminator), Konnan, Dean Malenko, Hector Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio Jr., Juventud Guerrera, Luna Vachon, Rocco Rock, and Johnny Grunge.

Public Enemy bring the PLUNDER with them. It’s just trash cans though. The tables are already at ringside! Bah, Heenan calls Kaos and Rage High Energy! Whoops. Since PE is wearing personalized Flyers jerseys, the crowd chant “Let’s Go Flyers”. There’s a few minutes of trash can brawling until PE set up a double stack of tables. Rage gets put on top and they QUEBECER CRASH through the tables for the win. (4:37) Possibly their favorite moment for Public Enemy in their entire WCW run. ¾*

• The Giant vs. Big Al
  

The ex-ECW employee counter: 14. Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus (as Crash the Terminator), Konnan, Dean Malenko, Hector Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio Jr., Juventud Guerrera, Luna Vachon, Rocco Rock, and Johnny Grunge, and 911.

911 gave up ECW to become Big Al in WCW. It’s the battle of the chokeslams! Now who do you think would win? WRONG! It’s the Giant. (1:00) Thanks for coming, 911. ¼*

• Diamond Dallas Page (w/Kimberly) vs. Konnan
  

For those caring to keep track, Konnan is already on the counter. Konnan tries to sexually harass Kimberly, but it doesn’t matter because he’s taking the DIAMOND CUTTER at 2:09. ½*

More importantly, Randy Savage and Liz are in the audience with a mic. When Savage tells Kimberly to stop “calling him”, DDP jumps the rail and heads after him until we can no longer see him.

Ray Rhodes – former head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles – is in attendance. Enough football players already!

Time for On the Road with Lee Marshall. He’s in Saginaw Michigan this week. He visited the GM plant and after much serious negotiations, said there’s no chance of getting a Cadillac Eldo-weasel (Eldorado) made. Bobby says if they did, he would buy one just to put Lee Marshall in the trunk and drive it into the Detroit river. Yes! An awesome rebuttal! Of course, Tony walks all over his joke with a comment about gas mileage.

• Harlem Heat (w/Sister Sherri) vs. Jeff Jarrett & Steve McMichael (w/Debra)
  

The ex-ECW employee counter: 14. Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus (as Crash the Terminator), Konnan, Dean Malenko, Hector Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio Jr., Juventud Guerrera, Luna Vachon, Rocco Rock, and Johnny Grunge, 911, and Sherri Martel.

Mongo shows up on time this week like everything is cool. Booker and Jarrett trade some stuff to start. They tag out and Mongo slams Harlem Heat around as we go to commercial. When we come back, Jarrett is *your* face in peril. Booker hits the Scissors Kick and taunts Mongo while Sherri chokes Jarrett in the ropes. Double suplex gets two. Booker saves his bro when Jarrett tries a sunset flip. Harlem Side Kick gets two. Jarrett ducks an enziguri and tries the FIGURE-FOUR, but Stevie Ray makes the save. The match breaks down and the Haliburton gets involved. Sherri tries to stop Mongo from whacking Stevie Ray, so Debra grabs Sherri. Big mistake, beauty queen. Finally, ref Mark Curtis sees what is happening and calls for the bell. Mongo and Jarrett win via DQ, but it FEELS like a no-contest to me. (7:13 shown) Debra ducks a Haliburton shot from Sherri, who still whacks her on the head by accident. Whatever. Moving on. *

Gene Okerlund meets the Horsemen in the ring. He announces that Mongo has indeed signed the contract to face Reggie White at Slamboree. Mongo gets on the mic and claims the only way Reggie could win a Super Bowl was to leave Philadelphia. Also, he left for the money! Reggie White jumps the rail and hops into the ring to confront Mongo. Reggie gets SPAT on and that triggers a pull-apart brawl.

So the only match right now that’s certain for Slamboree is Mongo v. Reggie. Thank God there’s still four weeks for them to build on.

• Lex Luger vs. Kevin Nash (w/the nWo)
  

When I say the nWo, I mean everybody but Hollywood Hogan and Randy Savage. Scott Hall is of course still AWOL. As Luger starts to warm up, the nWo start grabbing at him from the floor which allows a Big Boot from Nash to take over. Side Slam gets two. He follow that up with the Snake Eyes and the Bossman straddle. There’s more Nash offense until Luger hits the Loaded Forearm. Here comes the nWo into the ring for the DQ. (4:07) Luger can’t fight them all off. DDP tries to save and can’t. Nash has a lead pipe! Giant heads down as well. Sting follows and he’s got three extra ball bats with him. Wait a minute, Tenay just mentioned how confident Nash looks with a lead pipe in his hand. What’s the difference?! Sting passes the bats around and then they clean house as we close the show. With their plan foiled, it seems like Kevin Nash has more reason to be pissed at Hollywood Hogan for not showing up. ½*