WCW Monday Nitro
May 12, 1997
Baltimore, MD
Baltimore Arena

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)

SPECIAL NOTE: Because of the NBA playoffs airing on TNT, the next two weeks of Nitros will be only one hour.

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan and Larry Zbyszko.

For some reason, Michael Buffer starts the show with his catchphrase. He’s forced to hand the mic over to Randy Savage and Liz right when he’s done as they storm the ring. That’s right – he’s not on crutches anymore. Apparently the beating he laid upon DDP hurt him so bad, that now he has to use Randy’s old crutches. If DDP is in the building, Savage wants him to hobble down to the ring tonight for another beating. DIG IT!

Schiavone tells us that Eric Bischoff will be conducting an interview tonight with STING! We’ll see about that.

• WCW World Television Champion Ultimo Dragon (w/Sonny Oono) vs. Juventud Guerrera
  

Regal appears on the split-screen before the match to tell us he’s going to stop being such a noble man to become a dirty rotten scoundrel to take back his TV title at Slamboree. Juvi controls to start with springboard moonsaults and headscissors takedowns. Dragon has to regroup out on the floor. Back in, Dragon comes back with the Kick Combo and the Spinning Backbreaker on the shoulders. They really make you think Guerrera has a chance of pulling off the upset here. Dragon puts a stop to any of that with a TOP ROPE SUPERPLEX! Both men up at eight and they tumble to the floor. Of course, Sonny Oono gets involved. He pulls Juvi off the apron. As Guerrera grabs Oono, Dragon leaps out over the top rope and dropkicks Guerrera in the back of the head. Sonny Oono then kicks Juvi around and puts him back inside for Dragon to deliver the SPINNING HURRACANRANA and the DRAGON SLEEPER for the win. (5:14) Not too shabby. Best match in weeks too. **½

Gene Okerlund brings out Team Piper for an interview. Greene says he’s never lost in Charlotte. Three things are guaranteed in life: death, taxes, and Kevin Greene breaking his foot off in I’m assuming his opponents keisters at Slamboree. Nothing too awesome or different from Flair and Piper this week though. Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Syxx interrupt LIVE VIA SATELLITE in Charlotte. Syxx makes the joke asking Flair was his wife does when he’s out of town first thing in the morning. She’s leaving his hotel room! HA! Scott Hall brings up how Team Piper thinks the nWo Wolfpac doesn’t respect them. Well to be honest, they don’t. Nash announces that the six-man main event is now a no-DQ affair. SNAP!

After the break, Tony Schiavone reminds us that we will hear a big announcement from NASCAR driver Mark Martin next week! I’m counting the days, Tony!

• WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion Dean Malenko vs. Steve McMichael (w/Jeff Jarrett & Debra)
  

Not sure why this is happening since JJ gets a US title shot at Slamboree. Malenko tries to ground Mongo, but can’t keep him down. Jarrett grabs Malenko’s leg from the floor off a whip, which helps McMichael to chopblock him from behind. As he goes for a powerslam, the ref gets knocked out of the ring by the swing of Malenko’s legs. Mongo covers Malenko and here comes Reggie White to a HUGE pop. You’d think we were in Green Bay. Jarrett distracts Reggie so Mongo can get in the cheapshot. Inside the ring, Reggie reverses a cross corner whip and runs Mongo over with a clothesline. Big splash by Reggie! Jarrett hops up on the apron to yell at Reggie, but he’s shoved down to the floor. As Reggie walks out, Malenko bridges McMichael for the 1-2-3. (3:14) REGGIE! The camera is on Malenko, but Reggie White is on everyone’s minds. ½*

Gene Okerlund grabs Reggie White for a quick word. He’s taking everything McMichael has said apparently about anybody personally and he’ll take care of him this Sunday at Slamboree.

Time for “On the Road with Lee Marshall”. He’s in Asheville NC this week. Marshall thinks the Biltmore House would let him in over Bobby Heenan. For a rebuttal, Bobby makes a fat joke.

• Wrath (w/James Vandenberg & Mortis) vs. Scotty Riggs
  

Why is Scotty Riggs still using the American Males theme music and getting so much pyro? This is the wrestling debut of Wrath. No one cares, but I must mention that Wrath is wearing Glacier’s helmet that Vandenberg stole from him. Kind of an Undertaker’s urn thing going on there. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker is followed by the DEATH PENALTY (uranage) for the win in just under a minute. Glacier stares down the opposition from the rampway. ¼*

• Konnan & Hugh Morrus (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Alex Wright & Ice Train (w/Teddy Long)
  

Wright bails out of the ring while Ice Train gets stomped like crazy by the DoD. Train comes back with a slam on Morrus and tags Wright. Crowd is hating on Das Wunderkind for all the showboating. Wright wakes up Morrus with a slap and then tags out real quick. That leaves Train all alone to the Dungeon. Meanwhile, Teddy Long and Alex Wright are getting into it which leads to Wright walking out on the match. TEQUILA SUNRISE on Ice Train gets the win. (3:18) Alex Wright is still dancing and talking up about how good he looks in the aisleway. Whatever. ¾*

Let Us Take You Back To Last Week: DDP got beat with a crutch in a planned attack by Hollywood Hogan and Randy Savage.

Something is going on backstage. The nWo Wolfpac weren’t in Charlotte at all! We see them leaving Roddy Piper’s dressing room as they have him laid out on the floor holding onto his hip. Piper gets some medical assistance as we go to break.

It’s Main Event Interview Time! Eric Bischoff introduces Sting. Of course, it’s the fake one. He asks the fake Sting some questions that try to make Sting less superior to Hollywood Hogan. This charade brings out the Real Sting. SCORPION DEATHDROP wipes out the fake one. With nothing between he and Sting, Bischoff jumps out the ring and leaves through the crowd as the show goes off the air.

WCW presents Slamboree on May 18 in Charlotte NC!
Here is the final card:

MAIN EVENT:
Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, and Kevin Greene vs. Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Syxx – No DQ Match
WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion Dean Malenko vs. Jeff Jarrett
WCW World Television Champion Ultimo Dragon vs. Lord Steven Regal
Steve McMichael vs. Reggie White
Rick & Scott Steiner vs. Hugh Morrus & Konnan
Madusa vs. Luna Vachon
Chris Benoit vs. Meng – Death Match
Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Yuji Yasuraoka
Glacier vs. Mortis