WCW Monday Nitro
July 14, 1997
Orlando, FL
Orlando Arena

The current WCW champs were as follows:
WCW World Champion: Hollywood Hogan (8/10/1996)
WCW U.S. Champion: Jeff Jarrett (6/9/1997)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Outsiders (10/27/1996)
WCW World Television Champion: Steven Regal (5/18/1997)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Chris Jericho (6/28/1997)

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

Michael Buffer introduces the world to the Nitro Girls. They are proof positive that guys will watch hot girls do anything. Fyre is still my favorite, by the way. Just saying.

Still shots of Kevin Nash disguised as Sting hitting the Giant with a bat last night at Bash at the Beach gets shown.

• Prince Iaukea vs. Alex Wright
  

This doesn’t last long at all. So as to not lose too much face, Wright cuts a split-screen promo telling us he could get all the girls with one snap of his fingers. Giant runs out and CHOKESLAMS everybody in the ring except Alex Wright to deem this a non-contest in 1:25.

Giant lays out about six or seven security guards with more CHOKESLAMS. On the mic, Giant says he’s had it with the nWo. He knows it wasn’t Sting who hit him with a ball bat and says Kevin Nash is at the top of his hit list. Now is when Doug Dellinger comes out. Giant wants Nash NOW, but unfortunately we have to go to commercial.

• Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Eddie Guerrero
  

Eddie is still trying to make a “man” out of Chavo. Real fun quick start to this one as Chavo gets the better of Eddie. On the floor, Chavo dives onto Eddie. It looks like they cracked heads! Back in, Eddie stops Chavo up top for a superplex. Eddie abuses Chavo and calls out to his mother. Chavo catches Eddie charging at him in the corner and launches him face down onto the buckle. Northern lights suplex gets 1-2-NO! German suplex gets two as well. Chavo goes for the Frog Splash, but Eddie brings up the knees. Nasty Powerbomb by Eddie takes us to the real FROG SPLASH for the win. (4:15) Eddie gives Chavo another Frog Splash afterwards to bring out Eddie’s brother Hector Guerrero. Hector points the finger at Eddie and gets shoved down. Eddie tells the camera that if Hector doesn’t like it, do something about it. **½

Gene Okerlund introduces us to Diamond Dallas Page and Kimberly. DDP tells us a story about running into Curt Hennig at a bar in Minneapolis about six months ago. It was that conversation that led to a mutual respect. When it came time for DDP to pick a partner for Bash at the Beach, Hennig turned out to be ‘plan D’ because Sting, Giant, and Luger weren’t options. DDP thought Hennig was a stand up guy, but he was wrong. DDP says he isn’t even mad, but he will get even. DDP finishes saying he’s full of surprises and if Hennig doesn’t believe him, ask Randy Savage about La Parka. BANG!

Time for some more Nitro Girls.

Now Gene Okerlund brings out Harlem Heat. They have the Outsiders later tonight in a non-title match, of course. Gene says he thinks the nWo must think the Heat are a couple of patsies because they keep ducking them. I don’t see the connection. He mentions Vincent who keeps distracting them during their matches. Okay, that does make sense. Booker says this isn’t 1962 and they aren’t Lee Harvey Oswald. It was 1963, but I get your point. It’s one of those ‘look at the adjective: play’ moments. When Okerlund asks Stevie Ray about not having any representation right now since Sherri was fired, Stevie Ray says they are going to turn this match into an old fashioned ghetto street fight. NOW CAN YOU DIG THAT?

• Rick & Scott Steiner vs. Vicious & Delicious (w/Vincent)
  

The Steiners mock Buff’s silly posing to start. I guess it’s no dumber than Scott riding his brother when he’s down on all fours. Bagwell is looking good here in a real fast exchange with a leapfrog and a dropkick. They try the same sequence again as Scott puts on the brakes and drills Buff with a Steinerline. Buff slaps Scott across the face. Big mistake. Scott goes nuts on Buff with power moves and clotheslines him to the floor. Buff trips on the bottom rope when he makes his way back inside the ring. Just a small bit you don’t see any more. Tag to Rick, and we cut to the parking lot where Konnan is getting out of an nWo limo. Kevin Nash has to be helped out of the limo because he’s apparently injured. Hall – “Where you been, man? We missed you last night.” I like how it’s a conversation like they didn’t just get out of a car together. Maybe it’s a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOONGER limo than the camera can show us. Back to the ring. The match is breaking down. After Vincent sneaks in the ring and nails Rick, Norton gives Rick a TORNADO DDT. WHAT IS HAPPENING. As the match settles back down, Rick catches Buff trying a double sledge and gives him a Belly to Belly Suplex. HOT TAG TO SCOTT. This match is breaking loose for the second time. Scott goes SUPLEX CRAZY on these goons. The Steiners go for their finish, but out comes Masa Chono and the Great Muta for the DQ. (6:45) So much fun. Despite this being 5-on-2, the Steiners manage to clean house. If Sting can do it, why can’t they? ***¼

Let’s go to ringside with Gene Okerlund as he tries to find out what Raven’s announcement is. He spouts off some more babble and says the announcement is that there is no announcement. When Stevie Richards looks confused and after no more than getting the words, “You said if I signed a contract with WCW…” out of his mouth, Raven spits in his face and shoves him down. Gene – “[Raven]’s abusing him like a child!” What an awful choice of words.

• Chris Benoit vs. Mike Enos
  

Benoit cuts a split-screen promo before the match. He says now that Kevin Sullivan is gone, it’s time to get back to Horsemen business. After Benoit starts off strong, Enos puts the boots to him in the corner and delivers a Super Fallaway Slam (!!). Reverse neckbreaker gets two. Piledriver scores another nearfall. Benoit fights out of a bearhug and clamps on the CRIPPLER CROSSFACE for the win. (3:46) Kind of a Randy Savage TV match where he takes all the punishment and comes back with his finisher. *½

More fun with the Nitro Girls. They don’t do any dancing, but the camera motions make it *feel* like they are. They just look at us over some sunglasses like this is the 1980’s.

For some reason, Bobby Heenan is already out on commentary before we kick off the second hour. The La Parka incident from last week on Nitro gets replayed. During La Parka’s entrance, Kimberly stayed out on the stage and flashed the Diamond Cutter sign to drive Savage crazy.

• Super Calo vs. La Parka
  

No match, really. Naturally, Randy Savage runs down and beats up both luchadores. Of course he targets La Parka over Super Calo. That goes on for a little bit when DDP appears and attacks Savage. Out comes Curt Hennig to blast DDP with some taped knux. Once the damage is done, Hennig leaves never paying Savage any attention to dampen any nWo defection rumors by our esteemed commentators. Randy leaves DDP alone after one Macho Elbow.

We go over to Gene Okerlund who grabs Curt Hennig for a word. Hennig tells us his side of the story saying that he and Page have nothing in common and that he’s just a *mark*. If DDP gets in the ring with Hennig, he won’t last thirty seconds – just like he can’t last thirty seconds with that ‘ho bag’ he calls an old lady. Apparently ‘ho bag’ is Flair’s favorite buzz word because here he comes! He is doing all he can to recruit Hennig as the fourth Horsemen.

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

Time to check in Lee Marshall for the 1-800-COLLECT Road Report. He’s in Jacksonville FL getting people jazzed about next week’s first ever TUESDAY Nitro. Bobby Heenan hates this man. You’re not alone, Bobby.

Out comes the nWo. Kevin Nash is now sitting in a wheelchair. Eric Bischoff says he loves each and every one of us. How nice! He announces that Kevin Nash is injured. He’s appalled that there are people in this world who would actually accuse Nash of being a Sting impersonator. Nash denies the whole thing and says he would never attack another wrestler from behind. Next up, Nash gets help from his boys out of his wheelchair because he has to make a big announcement: Konnan (or K-Dawg) is the newest member of the nWo. Nash defends their latest acquisition by saying that Konnan has what it takes to be in the nWo after breaking Rey Mysterio’s knee last week. Scott Hall wraps this up reminds us that when you’re nWo, you’re nWo 4-LIFE. Nash – “Even looking like Larry Flynt, I’m just TOO SWEET.”

• Non-title match: WCW World Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Syxx (w/Kevin Nash) vs. Harlem Heat
  

Syxx is subbing for Nash due to his injury, obvs. Booker and Syxx start the match. Syxx hits his spinning heel kick and sliding legdrops. They both miss elbow drops, but Booker comes up with the SPINAROONIE and blasts Syxx with the Harlem Side Kick. They switch out. Hall throws his toothpick at Stevie Ray. Apparently Stevie Ray has never felt so disrespected, because he goes bonkers on Scott Hall. Yes, bonkers. Tag to Booker, he flies into the Fallaway Slam for two. Hall applies the armbar, but Booker fights out and drills Hall with the Heel Kick. The Heat continue to dominate Hall. Axe Kick gets two. Schiavone notices the lack of quick tags between Harlem Heat and points out that this is the first time they have had no guidance. It’s technically untrue, but let’s go with it anyways. Nash stands up wanting to help Hall, but his back hurts too much and he sits back down in his wheel chair. Booker even elbows away the Back Superplex and hits a flying body press for two. Syxx charges Stevie Ray for a spinning heel kick and gets caught for a big slam. This crowd either loves watching big guys beat up little guys or they *hate* Syxx. Either way, they have been hot all night, which was almost opposite of last night. Syxx rolls out to the floor and Stevie Ray follows, causing the ref to be super distracted. Next thing you know, Nash is jumping up on the apron and nails Booker from behind straight into the OUTSIDER’S EDGE for the win. (9:00) So much for the bad back. This was a little disappointing as I think the ‘heel in peril’ went a little too long. I get what they were going for with Hall and Syxx not being able to handle the angry Harlem Heat, but I think it could have been executed better if it had been a little quicker. *

Yay Nitro Girls!

• Public Enemy vs. Great Muta & Masahiro Chono (w/Vincent)
  

Big ringside brawl to start with the nWo Japan boys in control. ECW! ECW! ECW! In the ring, Public Enemy clean house and wave their hands in the air like they just don’t care. Back inside, Grunge slows down Chono with a swinging neckbreaker. Tag to Rocco, Chono nearly takes his head off with the Yakuza Kick, but he ducks and levels Chono with an Asai Moonsault. We got tags on each side. Muta hits the Handspring Elbow and the face slam on Grunge. Rocco nails him from the apron and gets a tag. The match pretty much breaks down and Vincent distracts on the apron. Grunge knocks him down, but the ref is still distracted by him for some reason. Grunge turns around to Muta and receives the GREEN MIST~! YAKUZA KICK by Chono ends Grunge for the night. (6:50) Pretty silly match. ¾*

• WCW U.S. Champion Jeff Jarrett (w/Debra) vs. Ric Flair
  

Flair sticking one step ahead of Jarrett to start. They go to the floor where Flair reverses a whip into the guardrail, but he walks into a backdrop. Back inside, Flair rolls through a flying body press for two. On the second try, we see the Flair Flip and he’s down the apron and up on the top turnbuckle. Superplex by Jarrett, but Flair kicks away the Figure-Four a couple times. Jarrett tries again and this time, Flair counters to an inside cradle for two. Jarrett is clearly frustrated. DOWN COME THE STRAPS! Flair chops, punches, struts, and makes a sexually charged motion towards Debra. WOO! This crowd is pumped. Debra rambles on to the camera nearest her about sick of being married to a has-been. That’s why she’s switched to Jeff Jarrett to manage him straight to the top. Thankfully, Steve McMichael comes down to yell at his soon-to-be ex-wife in storyline terms and in real life for jumping onto the Jeff Jarrett ship. Meanwhile, Jarrett is stuck in Flair’s FIGURE-FOUR. When it appears Flair could regain the U.S. title, Mongo hops in the ring and starts beating the heck out of Jarrett for the DQ. (5:25) Chris Benoit joins us to make this a 3-on-1 assault until Jarrett slinks out under the bottom rope to escape with his new manager. Decent match supercharged by a hot crowd loving every minute of Flair. No wonder he retired in Orlando. **½

Gene Okerlund brings out Lex Luger for our MAIN EVENT INTERVIEW~! He thinks his match at Bash at the Beach will be one of the biggest moments of his career. Okerlund mentions that Lex Luger has a WCW world title shot coming to him and that Road Wild might be the place to make it happen. Lex Luger agrees and officially challenges Hollywood Hogan for a title defense, brother. That’s when some members of the nWo come down to encircle the ring. What appears to be a Sting impersonator walks out down the aisle behind them and faces Luger inside the ring. He takes off the wig and takes off the mask to reveal that the *real* Sting is here.

BUT FANS, WE’RE OUTTA TIME! SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY!