WCW: Thunder
March 26, 1998
Fairfax, VA
Patriot Center

The current WCW champs are as follows:
WCW World Champion: Sting (2/22/1998)
WCW U.S. Champion: Diamond Dallas Page (12/28/1997)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Outsiders (2/22/1998)
WCW World Television Champion: Booker T (2/22/1998)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Chris Jericho (1/24/1998)

WHAT IS ERIC BISCHOFF YAPPING ABOUT NOW? The show starts in the production truck where Bischoff orders Craig Leathers and Keith Mitchell not to show *that* tape. He’s quickly turning into Paul Heyman with that ponytail. Doug Dellinger is called in and he escorts Bischoff out of the truck. Once Bischoff is gone, they air the tape anyways.

The tape they air is from Monday Nitro where Kevin Nash shoves Hollywood Hogan. It’s the SHOVE OF DOOM, ladies and gents. As soon as he pushed Hogan back, I think WCW felt they knew exactly what direction to go into this time with that reaction.

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, and Lee Marshall.

• Chris Benoit vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. (w/Eddie Guerrero)
  

Before the match, Eddie makes Chavo switches matches with him. Chavo had a shot at the TV title tonight, but that is no more. Now Uncle Eddie faces Booker T later in the show. Instead, Chavo now has to face CHRIS BENOIT. Schiavone wonders about the legalities of that decision. Rick Rude and Eric Bischoff take over the announce table. Bischoff and Rude put over Eddie for a moment. He talks about WCW is a lot like the U.S. government right now and compares the nWo conspiracies of dissension to the “right-wing” conspiracies against Bill Clinton. Chavo is hardly all that aggressive against Benoit. He hits a few moves, but Benoit doesn’t have much of a problem putting him away with the CRIPPLER CROSSFACE in 3:31. *½

When we return, Hollywood Hogan and Eric Bischoff come down to the ring. THERE IS NO CONSPIRACY. WCW IS LYING TO YOU. HOGAN AND NASH ARE LOVERS. THEY WILL BE AT THE PAY PER VIEW TOGETHER. Here comes Kevin Nash to discuss this a little more. He says while he knows who runs the show around here, nobody is pulling his strings. Hogan may be the leader of the nWo, but the heart and soul of the nWo is the WOLFPAC. Speaking of the Wolfpac, Nash wants to know why Syxx doesn’t have a job here anymore. He also wants to know why Scott Hall isn’t appearing on TV. As far as Syxx goes, Hogan says he couldn’t “cut the mustard” and run with the rest of the nWo. Crowd boos that one. As far as Scott Hall goes, Hogan says he has no idea where he’s at. Hogan figured Nash would know since they are so tight. Moving on. Hogan says he wants to hear any other grievances Nash has with him because they have this big match coming up at Spring Stampede (or as Hogan calls it, “the next PPV”). Nash says that issue is the main problem between them. Hogan suggests teaming up with Nash tonight against anybody WCW wants to prove that they trust one another. Nash – “It would be an honor, BROTHER.” As Nash walks out, Hogan looks a little bit confused to keep the tension going.

• Prince Iaukea vs. La Parka
  

Mike Tenay replaces Marshall for this match. La Parka does a little bit of his shtick to start. The crowd clearly favors him over Iaukea and who can blame them. Iaukea catches La Parka with a rolling kick to send him to the floor to set up a CANNONBALL off the apron. Back inside, Iaukea leg whips La Parka and puts him in the NORTHERN LIGHTS SUPLEX for the win. (2:04) Sheesh, this crowd does not like Iaukea. ½*

Tony Schiavone brings out Lex Luger for an interview. Luger and Sting accept the challenge from Hollywood Hogan and Kevin Nash for the main event.

MFGWLM HYPE: Disco Inferno, “Police Academy 3” (1986) starring Steve Guttenberg.

• WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Disco Inferno
  

Crowd is giving Jericho a lot of negative attention here. He’s SO hot right now. Disco doesn’t spend any time dancing. He takes it right to Jericho with a hiptoss and stomps a mudhole in the corner. A flying fist drop gets two. Jericho trips him up into the ropes and hits the Stalling Suplex into the C’MON BABY cover. He charges into a spinebuster though. Disco delivers an atomic drop and a running forearm smash for another nearfall. The Swinging Neckbreaker scores another close two count. Jericho blocks a clothesline and hits the Butterfly Backbreaker to set up the LIONTAMER for the win. (3:27) Jericho takes Disco’s “Stayin’ Alive” headband to add to his trophies. Not bad. **

WCW Saturday Night! Watch it – IF YOU WILL! 6:05PM eastern time on TBS! The Cruiserweight champ Chris Jericho meets Psychosis, the TV champ Booker T faces Yuji Nagata, and Kevin Nash takes on Rick Steiner in the feature bout. It’s the MUTHASHIP! Take it to the PAY WINDAH, baby!

• Bill Goldberg (61-0) vs. Jerry Flynn
  

Goldberg shows off an overhead belly to belly throw on Flynn. He gets taken down in a single leg, but rolls through an anklelock and bars Flynn’s leg. Goldberg continues to add to the MOVESET by showing us a nice powerslam. Flynn tries a triangle choke, but Goldberg powers him up and drops him down. Crowd chants for “Goldberg”. He slings away a sleeperhold from Flynn and applies a cross armbreaker. When Flynn escapes, Goldberg gets him in an arm triangle choke until Flynn reaches the ropes. Goldberg misses a corner charge and Flynn starts delivering some kicks. That just makes Goldberg mad and he SPEARS Flynn down. JACKHAMMER. Goodnight, Jerry. (2:45) There’s win #62. Great squash for Goldberg. Kudos to Flynn too, I gotta say. *

• Kidman vs. Psychosis
  

The Flock takes their ringside seats. Kidman wants revenge for Lodi getting injured against Psychosis on Nitro. Tenay says he suffered a broken ankle. Kidman pearl harbors Psychosis, but takes a spinning heel kick to the face to send him to the floor. Psychosis heads up top for the corkscrew moonsault, but Kidman shoves him off onto the guardrail! With Psychosis hurting, he runs down the apron for the SSP. Tenay says he’s now calling it the Seven Year Itch. Back in, the BK Bomb gets two. They mess up a powerbomb spot and Psychosis levels Kidman with a clothesline. Psychosis trips Kidman up in the ropes and gives him the flying legdrop. That gets two. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker puts Kidman in position for the Guillotine Legdrop, but Kidman crotches him for a superplex. Sick Boy tries to help out with a springboard dropkick to Psychosis, but hits Kidman by mistake. With Sick Boy clotheslined out to the floor, Psychosis hits the GUILLOTINE LEGDROP for the three-count. (4:34) I feel like the good outweighed some of the bad moments in this one. *½

Tony Schiavone welcomes Diamond Dallas Page to the ring. He’s the U.S. champion without a belt thanks to Raven. DDP says JJ Dillon is going to do everything in his power to get the belt back to him. Thanks, but no thanks. I think DDP would rather BANG his way back to the belt. DDP brings up his match with Sting. There’s nobody who has more respect for Sting than him. Back to Raven, he’s SCUM. DDP mentions Jake is the one who taught him everything, not Raven. DDP is sick of hearing Raven’s complaining. He’s at the bottom of the list of people DDP feels sorry for, but he’s at the top of his BANG list.

This Week in WCW Motorsports segment. FUHFUHWID.

• Davey Boy Smith & Jim Neidhart vs. Brian Adams & Curt Hennig (w/Rick Rude)
  

This feels like a main event on Saturday Night if you will. Rick Rude forces Lee Marshall from his position. Davey Boy and Adams start this match. They seem to have a hard time getting it together. Neidhart tags in and and slams Adams. Back to Davey Boy and Hennig, Davey Boy is suckered out to the floor and nailed from behind by Adams. Back in, we get some clubbering. Tag to Anvil, he receives one of those horrible piledrivers from Adams. After a double-team on Neidhart, Davey Boy comes in and runs down Hennig. We get a messy brawl between the two teams until ref Charles Robinson calls for the bell. (4:04) Well, that was ROUGH. CRAP

• WCW U.S. Championship: Diamond Dallas Page (c) vs. Saturn
  

Both guys anxious to get the quick win to start. Saturn throws DDP over with a T-bone suplex. He grabs an abdominal stretch and cheats using the ropes. DDP counters the hold, but Saturn reverses as well into a Northern Lights suplex. DDP escapes a chinlock and hits a Belly to Belly Suplex. Saturn takes DDP’s flurry of punches and the discus lariat before dropping him with a jawbreaker. Just as DDP stops Saturn up top though, Raven appears in the aisle with DDP’s U.S. title belt. If DDP wants the strap, he’s gotta come and get it. With DDP all distracted, Saturn leaps from the top only to fall prey to a DIAMOND CUTTER~! Saturn is out cold. DDP goes after Raven and ends up losing the match via countout. (5:16) Not that Saturn was ever an amazing worker, but this should have been better. *½

MFGWLM HYPE: Booker T, “Police Academy 3” (1986) starring Steve Guttenberg.

• WCW World Television Championship: Booker T (c) vs. Eddie Guerrero (w/Chavo Guerrero Jr.)
  

Booker tells Chavo to stand up to his uncle and to not put up with a bully. While Chavo is on the apron with the ref, Eddie nails Booker when he turns around with some taped knucks. Eddie throws the foreign object to Chavo. Cover, 1-2-NO! Chavo throws the foreign object right at Eddie in plain sight of the ref and he gets DQ’ed! (:41) Afterwards, Eddie forces the foreign object onto Chavo’s hand and orders him to punch out Booker. Awesome. Before this goes any further, Chris Benoit runs down and cleans house on Los Guerreros. Booker doesn’t seem very appreciative of Benoit’s help though. N/R

• Rick Steiner (w/Ted DiBiase) vs. Scott Norton (w/Buff Bagwell)
  

Pearl harbor job by Norton to start. Rick throws Norton over and applies a half crab. Once he powers out, they collide in the center of the ring. Norton wins that battle as Steiner gets wiped out. He takes over with chokes and stuff. Steiner comes back with a powerslam and Steinerlines. He gets distracted by Buff as Scott Steiner appears off-camera and tosses a spiked dog collar to Norton. Rick gets it away from Norton and in a clumsy finish, Norton gets whacked in the face with the collar on the way down during a back suplex. Rick falls on top of Norton for the three-count. (3:19) After the bell, Rick and DiBiase chase Scott up the aisle to the locker room to end this poor match. ½*

• Sting & Lex Luger vs. Hollywood Hogan & Kevin Nash
  

Nash is wearing his street clothes here. Everyone else is in their gear. Hogan gets HANDLED by Sting and Luger for a few moments. When he finally gets Luger down, Hogan tags Nash. Now Nash destroys Luger with the knees with the corner, the elbows in the corner, and a corner clothesline. Back to Hogan, he chokes and claws on Luger. He tags in Nash and holds up Luger for a big boot – only Luger moves and Hogan eats the boot. Hot tag to Sting, he dropkicks Nash into a corner and hits him with a Stinger Splash. Here comes Randy Savage to jump Sting for the DQ though. (4:23) He beats up Sting and prevents Luger from putting Nash in the Torture Rack. Hmm. Hogan comes back in the ring and attacks Savage, but then Nash pulls Hogan off Savage! They get into an argument as the rest of the nWo head out. The Disciple helps Hogan clear out. Nash leaves the ring on his own while Sting and Luger take care of Hennig and Steiner. Hogan goes over to Nash and tells him he now knows where he stands and that he’s in big trouble. Don’t forget that the nWo is 4-LIFE, brother. *½

That main event was the highlight of the show in my eyes. Good stuff.

Until next time, so long for now.

WCW/nWo Spring Stampede LIVE ON PPV premieres April 19
from the Denver Coliseum in Denver, CO.
MAIN EVENT
WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Sting (c) vs. Randy Savage
WCW U.S. Heavyweight Championship: DDP (c) vs. Raven
Bat Match: The Giant & Roddy Piper vs. Hollywood Hogan & Kevin Nash