WCW: Thunder
May 27, 1998
Nashville, TN
Nashville Municipal Auditorium

The current WCW champs are as follows:
WCW World Champion: Hollywood Hogan (4/20/1998)
WCW U.S. Champion: Bill Goldberg (4/20/1998)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Giant & Sting (5/17/1998)
WCW World Television Champion: Fit Finley (5/4/1998)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (5/17/1998)

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

Bret Hart comes out to the ring and gets a ton of heat from the crowd. He tries to play devil’s advocate by telling Sting that the nWo Wolfpac isn’t for him. Bret says he has the key that will put Sting on the path to the top and he won’t need any of these morons out here. Awesome.

• The Barbarian (w/Jimmy Hart & Hugh Morrus) vs. Jim Powers
  

Whoa – Jim Powers. We haven’t seen this guy in a while. While still talking about Sting, our esteemed commentators inform us that the nWo Hollywood camp has been getting Scott Steiner to talk to movie producers. Can you imagine? Anyways, the standard squash match they have been doing lately where the ham and egger gets in a few moves and looks strong before he’s quickly hit with the finish. The KICK OF FEAR puts down Powers. (2:53) I miss Meng. ¾*

Tony Schiavone on interview duty brings out Chris Jericho. Since JJ Dillon isn’t in the building tonight, Jericho calls Dillon a bunch of names and makes Tony hold the “Conspiracy Victim” sign that points to Jericho. He then says that he’ll be heading to Washington DC to find the legal precedence that will reinstate him with the cruiserweight title belt that JJ Dillon requires. When that happens, JJ Dillon will never EVER be able to intimidate him agayne.

WCW Saturday Night! Watch it – IF YOU WILL! 6:05PM eastern time on TBS! Two hours! You will see match #3 between Booker T and Chris Benoit! It’s the MUTHASHIP! Take it to the PAY WINDAH, baby!

Let Us Take You Back: Nitro, 5/25/98. Lex Luger joins the nWo Wolfpac!

• Davey Boy Smith & Jim Neidhart vs. High Voltage
  

Here is the return of Davey Boy Smith since he left disgruntled about refusing to job to Scott Norton on the night after Spring Stampede. High Voltage BUM RUSH THE SHOW, but Davey Boy and Neidhart quickly clean house on the roided up monsters. Back in, Neidhart gets tripped up and worked over in the High Voltage corner for a bit. Rage misses a springboard senton thing setting up a hot tag to the Bulldog. He goes clothesline crazy, hits the Hourglass Suplex, and finishes off Kaos with the RUNNING POWERSLAM. (3:03) Bulldog is a fine hot tag for the mid-card and I think that’s where he should stay right now. Good to see him back on TV. *

MFGWLM HYPE: Van Hammer, “No Holds Barred” (1989) starring “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan.

They debut the new nWo Wolfpac rap theme here tonight. Don’t turn your back on the Wolfpac, you might wind up in a body bag. Lex Luger does all the talking because 1) he has to explain why he left WCW to go over to the nWo Wolfpac and 2) try to recruit Sting to the nWo Wolfpac. He explains that he joined up with the nWo Wolfpac because he feels something big was happening here and he didn’t want to be on the sidelines doing nothing. He’s not anti-WCW, he’s just pro-nWo Wolfpac. As for Sting, Lex says they are family and that Bret Hart has no idea what he’s talking about when he says he has the key to Sting’s future. When Lex and Sting last spoke, Lex says that even Sting admitted that he felt something when the crowd was wanting him to join up with the nWo Wolfpac last Monday night. COME ON STING! Make the jump. It’ll be just too SWEEEET!

• Glacier vs. Van Hammer
  

Since Hammer interfered in his “big” match with Saturn on Nitro, this match does seem necessary. After some initial wristlockage, Hammer hits a cobra clutch slam on Glacier. He mocks Glacier and slams him out of the corner for two. Glacier then bails and baits Hammer into the ring to put the boots to him. He kicks down Hammer and applies the RINGS OF SATURN. It’s almost like Saturn was waiting by the ramp because he’s immediately out to the ring to hit Glacier with the lethal standing side kick for the DQ. (3:52) Raven comes out and saves Saturn from Hammer with an EVENFLOW DDT. Meanwhile, Saturn gives Glacier the DEATH VALLEY DRIVER. Now Raven convinces Saturn to be friends again. He’s on his knees begging! Saturn says he didn’t need Raven’s help. Raven admits that and says it’s the thought that counts the most. They shake hands apparently reconciling their differences when Raven starts going nuts thinking various people are masquerading as Mortis. They assault a popcorn guy and another stage hand before the REAL Kanyon/Mortis appears dressed as a construction worker (Men at Work nod?) and blasts Raven with a giant cookie sheet. The riot squad and Saturn chase Kanyon off and then return to help up Raven because he is out cold. *½

• Best of 7 Series – Match 2: Booker T (0) vs. Chris Benoit (1)
  

They trade wristlocks and headlocks to start. Benoit fires on Booker with chops, but then gets whipped into the ropes for a powerslam. Booker applies an armbar, but Benoit ducks the Hook Kick only to be kicked out to the floor. Booker drops a double sledge on Benoit from the apron and we’re back in the ring. Benoit puts the boots to Booker and runs him over with a back elbow. Snap Suplex gets two. Benoit corners Booker for some chops and whips him from corner to corner to continue working on the back. He pulls back on the arm with his knee between the shoulder blades. Booker tries to counter the hold, but Benoit uses the momentum to roll through and kick back at Booker. Double KO ensues as Booker tries to mount a comeback. Benoit hits a backbreaker though and comes off the top with the Swandive Headbutt. Amazing airtime there. Benoit is slow to cover for 1-2-NO! Booker fights out of a chinlock and hits the desperation Ax Kick. He’s slow to cover as well for a nearfall. He misses a Harlem Side Kick by the ropes and gets crotched. Benoit delivers a perfect bridging German suplex for 1-2-NO! He stomps the crap out of Booker in the corner and pulls him to the center of the ring for another two-count. Booker fires back with a Sidewalk Slam. He follows up with a back suplex and SPINAROONIES up to his feet. Benoit knows the Harlem Side Kick is coming. He ducks one, but gets drilled on the rebound. MISSILE DROPKICK to Benoit! Cover, 1-2-3. (11:28) So Booker splits the series at one a piece. This one took a while to get going and picked up well in the last few minutes. ***

Tony grabs Chris Benoit for a word after the match. He wonders if Booker T really has what it takes to beat him in the best of seven series. During this series, Booker will find out why they call him the “Crippler”. Uh oh. Match #3 goes down this weekend on WCW Saturday Night!

• WCW World Television Championship: Fit Finley (c) vs. Brad Armstrong
  

Tony brings up the Bruise Cruise that I totally forgot about was happening right about now. Finley controls with headlocks and grabs the traps of Armstrong. He gets a brief comeback, but Finley pulls him into a short-arm clothesline. He tries a Finley Roll, but Armstrong slips out into a sunset flip for two. Finley goes to the eyes and pounds Armstrong down into a sleeperhold. There’s some noticeable “boring” chants happening right now. Armstrong gets a few hope spots, but it’s just a matter of time until Finley delivers that TOMBSTONE PILEDRIVER for the win. (5:39) I guess this was a little long for Nashville. Brad Armstrong is one of my favorites so I didn’t really mind this being longer than most squashes. ¾*

Let Us Take You Back: Nitro, 5/25/98. Bret Hart stirred the pot and caused Randy Savage’s paranoia to kick in when discussing Roddy Piper.

• Saturn vs. Barry Darsow
  

Darsow has the bald, goatee, black tights, and black boots look going for him now. If he could have just started the “WHAT?” chant, his career may have taken a totally different turn. Another glorified squash as you know despite all this offense he’s getting, Darsow has no chance of winning. They put over Darsow’s new overhead wristlock finishing hold called BARELY LEGAL that Saturn gets into the ropes to avoid. The Lethal Standing Side Kick sets up the DEATH VALLEY DRIVER for the three-count at 3:52. ¾*

• WCW U.S. Heavyweight Championship: Bill Goldberg (c) (91-0) vs. Barry Horowitz
  

This doesn’t begin or end well for Horowitz. Imagine that. He gets thrown around and Goldberg picks up win #92 with the JACKHAMMER in :55. Only fifteen more matches until we get to Hollywood Hogan.

MFGWLM HYPE: Hugh Morrus and Jimmy Hart, “No Holds Barred” (1989) starring “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan.

Out comes nWo Hollywood to the ring — Bret Hart, Eric Bischoff, Vincent, and the Giant. Bret carries with him an nWo t-shirt for Sting. He is getting so much HEAT from this crowd. Bret calls Sting a “broken hero” just like him. There’s also only one person in the world Sting can trust and that person is Bret. Nobody else was around to watch Sting’s back at Starrcade. He says if it were up to him, Sting would still be world champion. Hmm, really? Bret feels that nobody respects Sting but him. They share great finishing holds and great careers – tons in common together. And what good is the nWo Wolfpac? Kevin Nash is the scum of the earth and Randy Savage is all washed up. Bret doesn’t see how Sting can trust either of those guys after all that went down over the last month. As for Lex Luger, Bret definitely doesn’t trust the guy. The fact is Bret just wants to know where Sting stands, but in reality he feels he knows Sting’s true colors. Those colors would be black and white. The nWo Wolfpac theme interrupts Bret and the crew walks out to the ramp. Kevin Nash gets on the stick and says everybody knows Sting belongs with the nWo Wolfpac. Now Bret is getting pissed and says Sting doesn’t belong with a bunch of backstabbers. He belongs to be with people who stand up for their convictions. Bret calls them scum, but Nash is tired of discussing this issue. He feels Sting has already made his decision and that decision is black and red. Aaaand we get a big nWo brawl to close out the show.

AND NOW FOR A SPECIAL BONUS MATCH~!

• Best of 7 Series – Match 3: Booker T (1) vs. Chris Benoit (1) – (WCW Saturday Night, 5/30/98)

You had to know I was going to seek this one out. Mike Tenay and Scott Hudson on commentary. Benoit attacks at the bell and stomps Booker down into a corner. Booker comes back with a big slam and Benoit gets on his bicycle. Back in, Booker escapes an armbar and delivers the Hook Kick for two. Benoit charges into a backbreaker and Booker holds onto Benoit for a second one. Awesome. Booker misses the Harlem Side Kick and takes a tumble out to the floor. Back in, Benoit delivers a Snap Suplex for two. Booker powers out of a chinlock with Benoit’s knees in his back, but gets drilled with a back suplex. Benoit heads up for the Swandive Headbutt, but misses. Booker sees the Crippler Crossface coming, but gets nailed with a Bridging German Suplex for the three-count. (6:44) Benoit takes match #3! Not on the level as the first two, but still good stuff. I knew it would be shorter for sure. It’s Saturday Night in 1998 that we’re talking about here. The rest of the series will appear on Nitro, Thunder, and at the Great American Bash. **½

Until next time, so long for now.

MAIN EVENTS
Hollywood Hogan & Bret Hart vs. Roddy Piper & Randy Savage
Roddy Piper vs. Randy Savage
WCW U.S. Heavyweight Championship: Bill Goldberg (c) vs. Curt Hennig
WCW World Television Championship: Fit Finley (c) vs. Booker T or Chris Benoit
Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Eddie Guerrero