WCW: Monday Nitro
December 15, 1997
Charlotte, NC
Independence Arena

The current WCW champs are as follows:
WCW World Champion: Hollywood Hogan (8/9/1997)
WCW U.S. Champion: Curt Hennig (9/15/1997)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: Rick & Scott Steiner (10/13/1997)
WCW World Television Champion: Disco Inferno (12/8/1997)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Eddie Guerrero (11/10/1997)

HOUR NUMBER ONE! Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and Larry Zbyszko. I guess Larry Z’s not worried about focusing on his match with Eric Bischoff anymore.

The nWo come out to start the show. No Kevin Nash, but Masahiro Chono is here. He spouts off some Japanese gibberish for Charlotte. Since we’re in Flair country, the US champ Curt Hennig accepts his challenge for a cage match from last week and says he will retire Ric Flair on December 28 in Washington DC. Now over to Hollywood Hogan, he vows to look through every inch of the stinky Independence Arena and make sure Sting is done tonight. While our esteemed commentators mentioned his name, the nWo made no mention of Bret Hart just yet.

They replay Ric Flair’s comments relating to Bret Hart from last week.

• Ray Traylor vs. Vincent
  

It’s a three hour Nitro, so Vincent gets some time on the show. Raven’s Flock head down to ringside, but no sign of Raven this week either. Traylor takes his time destroying Vincent and picks up the win with what Tenay calls TRAYLOR TRASH (Bossman Slam) at 1:51. The rest of the nWo don’t bother to come out proving Vincent’s worth to that crew.

NITRO GIRLS!

• WCW World Television Champion Disco Inferno vs. Yuji Nagata (w/Sonny Oono)
  

Finally, somebody deserving of a TV title shot. Nagata unloads with kicks, but Disco tosses Nagata in the corner and stomps a mudhole in him. Does Disco think he’s going to get over by stealing all of Austin’s offense? Nagata goes low and dumps Disco on the floor for the series of kicks Sonny Oono always does. Back inside, Nagata lands the Rolling Kick and jabs Disco in the throat. Flying forearm gets two. Disco fires back with an atomic drop and a jumping clothesline scores a nearfall. Front suplex connects and he follows up with a swinging neckbreaker for two. Oono grabs Disco, but Oono takes a CHARTBUSTER on the top rope to send him falling down to the floor. Disco catches Nagata charging and hotshots him in position for the CHARTBUSTER for the win. (4:32) Hey, not bad. Disco put together a string of moves and got a hot finish here. *½

WCW Saturday Night! Watch it IF YOU WEEL! 6:05PM eastern! TBS! WCW TV Champ Disco Inferno, Chris Jericho, Diamond Dallas Page, the Steiner brothers, Lex Luger, and many others! Don’t miss out! It’s the MUTHASHIP! PAY WINDAHS, CLUBBERIN, AND PLUNDAH, BABY!

• Dean Malenko vs. Fit Finley
  

For the third week in a row, Eddie Guerrero provides some extra special color commentary for a Dean Malenko match. Wristlocks are traded to start. Malenko gets up from a nerve hold and gives Finley a back suplex. He pulls back on Finley’s chin with a knee in his shoulders, but Finley fights up with a jawbreaker and delivers a short-arm clothesline. Meanwhile, Eddie is talking about how boring Malenko is. Tony wonders what Eddie’s mom must think of his attitude right now. Eddie says he’s the favorite and his brothers are only mad at him because they know it’s true. They flub a powerbomb spot, but Finley brings up back on track with a Fireman’s Carry Roll. We see a series of nearfalls exchanged and Eddie leaves the commentary table. He jumps up to the ring apron as Malenko tries the double underhook powerbomb and gets elbowed down to the floor. Finley runs Malenko over with a clothesline and delivers the TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER for the win. (6:05) This one tried to be too many different things and never really made much sense until we went to the finish. The problem with this match is that Malenko really only knows how to pull off his own technical style. Anything outside that and he suffers. *

• Rey Mysterio Jr. & Juventud Guerrera vs. La Parka & Psychosis
  

Guerrera gives Psychosis a flying headscissors early, but La Parka kicks him in the back of the head when he tries to come off the ropes to cause Juvi to stumble into a Psychosis clothesline. La Parka tags in and kicks Juvi in the face! With Juvi draped across the middle rope, Psychosis flies in with a GUILLOTINE LEG DROP! La Parka busts out some power moves with a belly-to-belly suplex and a NICE powerbomb for two. Juvi avoids a missile dropkick from Psychosis which nails La Parka. Psychosis still manages to cut off the tag and brings Juvi back to his corner. The heat segment ends as La Parka misses a corner splash and Psychosis takes a Juvi Driver. Hot tag to Rey, as the crowd wakes up. La Parka and Psychosis double-whip Rey in as Juvi tries a springboard crossbody. He gets caught, but Rey takes them all down with an Asai Moonsault. A complicated little sequence leads to Rey springboard splashing his opponents. Stereo kicks from Mysterio and Guerrera put La Parka and Psychosis on the floor for STEREO SOMERSAULT PLANCHAS! Back inside, Psychosis receives Air Juvi for two. Rey trips up La Parka into Psychosis to put him on the floor. With La Parka perched up top, Guerrera launches Rey for a hurracanrana! From the floor, Psychosis pulls Rey off the cover. Psychosis grabs Juventud from the apron. La Parka charges, but Rey is there to trip him up. With Psychosis and Juventud up top, Juvi rolls through a SUPER POWERSLAM and ends up slamming Psychosis to the mat for 1-2-NO! La Parka makes the save. He gets too busy strutting, so Rey dropkicks him out. Rey and Juvi look for a Doomsday Device of sorts, but La Parka comes over and crotches Juvi. More strutting from La Parka gets him knocked off the apron and then Rey wipes him out for good with a SPRINGBOARD FLYING HEADSCISSORS up the aisle as Juvi climbs back up to the top for the 450 SPLASH to Psychosis! That gets the win! (6:33) This took a while to get going, but it sure picked up towards the end with some awesomeness. ***¾

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

Gene Okerlund is standing by with some Charlotte police chiefs and Doug Dellinger in the ring. He welcomes Arn Anderson to come out to the ring. Huge pop for AA. Arn says while he may own a house down the road from this arena, his home will always be the mat and these four posts. He introduces his best friend Ric Flair to come down. In a great gesture, Flair presents the two Charlotte police chiefs with a check for $15,000 to go towards a memorial for policemen who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Even with Flair on the screen, I’m sure some considered flipping over to Raw or some other channel during this segment. As the police chiefs and Doug Dellinger head out, Flair goes into Carolina Mode and removes his jacket to talk about Curt Hennig. He wants WCW to make a match happen tonight between him and Hennig. The whole nWo can’t beat the NATCHA BOY up in Charlotte, jack. WOO!

After the break, Gene Okerlund speaks with JJ Dillon. Okerlund wants JJ to make the rules clear for the match between Eric Bischoff and Larry Zbyszko at Starrcade. We all want to see Bischoff get what’s coming to him, but the promos for this from Bischoff’s side is how it’s all unfair and that’s really all he’s bringing to the table. Eric Bischoff comes out and reminds us that it’s unfair because he’s not a wrestler and how Larry Z outweighs him by sixty pounds (his words). Since he’s at a disadvantage, closed fist punches and head kicks are all legal. JJ Dillon is fine with that as long as submissions count as well. Was that ever not the case? Anyways, Bischoff agrees to the terms and walks out talking trash towards Larry Z.

NITRO GIRLS!

• Scott Hall vs. Chris Jericho
  

Tony reminds us that if Larry Zbyszko beats Eric Bischoff at Starrcade, he will have a chance to meet Scott Hall at some point in 1998. Imagine if Hall won the world title at Superbrawl and Larry Z cashed in his chance to face Hall as world champ? Might have been interesting, but we all know it would have never happened. Hall loses the survey this week and I don’t think it’s even close like usual. I love Charlotte. This is the rematch from the flash pin Jericho got on Hall a few weeks ago. While Jericho does get a couple nearfalls on the guy, lightning doesn’t strike twice and Hall gets his usual moves on Jericho ending with the OUTSIDER’S EDGE for the three-count. (2:33) Seriously, Hall gets no love from these people. ½*

• Steve McMichael vs. Meng (w/Jimmy Hart)
  

As has been the formula as of late, Barbarian faces a guy first and then they have to go through Meng. Good luck. Well, Mongo never makes an entrance and we go backstage to see that Bill Goldberg has taken him out. He screams at Mongo that if you bite the bull, you get the HORNS. JJ Dillon comes over and tells Goldberg that since he knocked out McMichael, he has to replace Mongo in his match against Meng. Goldberg – “If you want another victim, you got it.”

• Bill Goldberg vs. Meng (w/Jimmy Hart)
  

No match. Before Goldberg can hit the ring, Mongo is up behind him with a forearm shot. Goldberg barely sells the blow, but it triggers a pull-apart brawl anyways to take us into commercial.

NITRO GIRLS!

• WCW World Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner (w/Ted DiBiase) vs. Konnan & Scott Norton (w/Vincent)
  

Konnan and Norton try a pearl harbor job, but the Steiners clear the ring and do their dog bit. Scott throws Konnan around for a while and tags in his brother to face Norton. They do a powerslam spot that Norton botches REAL bad and drops Rick right on his head. Rick continues the match though and hits a flying clothesline. Norton stops Rick up top though and Konnan comes in to help double-team the DFG. SHOULDERBREAKER to Rick gets 1-2-NO! Konnan tags and leapfrogs into a powerslam to hopefully kickstart the comeback. Meanwhile, the Scotts are brawling on the floor. Norton gets whipped into the guardrail. The Steiners go for the bulldog finish and Vincent has to hop in the ring to kick Scott in the gut to save the day and trigger the DQ. (3:57) It’s a 3-on-2 nWo beatdown (as DiBiase yells at the ref) until Ray Traylor makes the save to send the nWo B-team packing. Konnan, Norton, and Vincent – that’s about as B-team as it gets. On the replay, they show the dangerous powerslam botch from TWO different angles. Way to go, WCW. ¾*

• Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth) vs. Booker T
  

No doubt – a big match for Booker. Armbars and hammerlocks to start. Savage corners Booker for some punches, but Booker returns fire with a jumping forearm smash to send Savage out. Some brief guardrail action follow, but we’re back inside with Booker in control and raising the roof. Spinaroonie and the Harlem Side Kick connects. Again we’re on the floor, as Savage sneaks in a hard plastic chairshot to the head. Savage follows up with the Flying Double Sledge before sending Booker into the steps. Back in, Savage gets two. Uh oh, a possibly drunken yet certainly overweight fan jumps the rail to get at Savage. He’s promptly stomped in the face and escorted out of the arena. Tenay – “Just part of the madness that surrounds Randy Savage!” Booker mounts a comeback with another Harlem Side Kick, but then dropkicks Savage into the ref. Whoops. He nails the AXE KICK and heads up top, but Elizabeth grabs hold of Booker’s leg. Savage comes over and punches Booker down to the floor, and gives him him another hard plastic chairshot. With Booker out of it, Savage rolls him back inside and nails the MACHO ELBOW while Liz wakes up the ref for the 1-2-3. (6:45) Darn you, Miss Elizabeth! What happened?! We loved you! *½

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

NITRO GIRLS!

• Chris Benoit vs. Scotty Riggs
  

Once again, no Raven. Does he think he’s Jeff Jarrett or something? Benoit gets distracted looking over at the Flock and gets blindsided by Riggs. After a few clotheslines in the corner, Benoit reverses things and starts chopping away. Riggs fights back when they head to the floor, but he just seems to have no real offense to string together. Benoit hits the Swandive Headbutt and calls out to the Flock before applying the CRIPPLER CROSSFACE for the tapout. (3:38) Afterwards, Benoit gets on the mic and calls the Flock a bunch of Raven wannabes. If they want to see a non-conformist, Benoit is non-conformity personified. Benoit then drops the mic and lunges at the Flock, but he’s quickly taken back over the railing since he’s severely outnumbered with no real friends. They take Benoit into the ring where the RINGS OF SATURN are applied. ¾*

Gene Okerlund has JJ Dillon come out to the ring again. Apparently, Eric Bischoff is throwing another tantrum backstage. JJ has no idea what it could be since he’s agreed to every demand asked of him. Bischoff comes out and asks JJ who the ref will be for his match against Larry Z. Well, JJ hadn’t thought about it, but mentions Randy Anderson’s name. Bischoff doesn’t like that because he’s too fat. He needs a ref in shape and tall enough to see everything. Scott Dickinson’s name gets mentioned. Bischoff doesn’t want a ref fatter than JJ Dillon. Bischoff offers up Kevin Nash a special ref for this match, but no dice. How about Syxx? He’s hurt. He can’t do anybody any harm right now. JJ Dillon doesn’t agree to Syxx being the referee, but makes a deal with Bischoff that he will allow the ref to be from the nWo camp as long as he gets to pick the person. Fine by Bischoff. With that said, Dillon asks for the special guest referee to come out to the ring. Of all people, it’s BRET HART. Gene welcomes Bret to Monday Nitro and doesn’t ask him about his allegiance with the nWo. Bret is wearing street clothes under the Hart Foundation jacket. Bret says he will be honored to be the referee, but he knows what it’s like to get screwed by a referee. Bret seems to hope Bischoff wins the match, but tells Bischoff that he will be calling it straight down the middle. In other words, don’t look to him for any extra assistance. Bischoff reminds him of the $7.5 million a year he’s getting of Ted Turner’s money. It doesn’t seem to matter to Bret. He leaves Bischoff behind in the ring and heads back to the locker room.

After the break, Gene Okerlund brings out Lex Luger to the ring. Instead, we get Buff Bagwell because he feels he’s the REAL Total Package. Buff says for the last couple weeks, Luger can’t beat Buff and he will never beat Buff. It’s that simple. Lex Luger rushes down to the ring and says he’s been granted time to face Bagwell again tonight. Since there’s no ref, Buff thinks the match won’t happen. Well, Luger brings out the ref he personally chose and it’s Nick Patrick. Hmm.

• Lex Luger vs. Buff Bagwell
  

Luger is a HOUSE OF FIRE, but Bagwell quickly cools him down with a bunch of stomps down in the corner. Bagwell shoves Patrick back and gets up in his face. Luger stops a corner charge with a boot and powerslams Bagwell to call for the TORTURE RACK. Here comes Vincent and Scott Norton down to the ring, but Luger punches them off the apron. Bagwell charges Luger and takes a hiptoss over the top rope to get the cheap DQ win. (2:07) Lex can’t believe it. YOU’RE PATHETIC, BUFF. ½*

• WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion Curt Hennig vs. Ric Flair
  

Hennig kills some time talking about great he is. There’s no match though as the nWo (sans Hogan and Bischoff) attack Ric Flair in the first thirty seconds. Flair holds his own until Hennig blasts him with the US title belt. DDP comes out for the save and takes out the nWo all by himself. As the rest of the nWo clear out, DDP saves Hennig for last and punches him out of the ring. Lex Luger and the Steiners check on Flair and carry him out (WOW) while DDP challenges Hennig to a match. Now TWO young fans jump the rail and try to get in the ring. Randy Anderson piefaces out to the floor while Dave Penzer yanks out another one to the floor. Go Dave! WCW security is seriously slacking tonight.

Now the entire nWo come out to close the show. DDP decides to fight another day and leaves through the crowd. Hey look, no Bret Hart. Apparently, Hulkster didn’t find Sting in the arena. He calls Sting a coward and then the lights go out! However, the guy running the spotlight seemed to know EXACTLY where Sting was. He’s up in the rafters. When the lights come back on, ANOTHER fan tries to get in the ring. This is nuts. Hogan wants Sting to come get some and the lights go out again. Probably not a good idea with all these fans jumping rails. The lights come back on and Sting is on top of the entrance set standing right over the WCW Monday Nitro piece. Hogan calls him a coward and tells Sting how lucky he is he’s not in the ring right now. Well, Sting gets down off the set and starts to come down to the ring as the show comes to a close.

Goodnight everybody!

TOTAL BELL TO BELL TIME: 38:31. Considering there was an extra hour this week, that’s pretty lousy.

WCW presents Starrcade LIVE ON PPV on December 28 from Washington, DC.

MAIN EVENT: WCW World Title – Hollywood Hogan (c) vs. Sting
CAGE MATCH: WCW U.S. Title – Curt Hennig (c) vs. Ric Flair
NITRO ON THE LINE: Larry Zbyszko vs. Eric Bischoff
The Giant vs. Kevin Nash