WCW: Monday Nitro
August 24, 1998
Chicago, IL
United Center

The current WCW champs are as follows:
WCW World Champion: Bill Goldberg (7/6/1998)
WCW U.S. Champion: Bret Hart (8/13/1998)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Giant & Scott Hall (7/20/1998)
WCW World Television Champion: Chris Jericho (8/10/1998)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Juventud Guerrera (8/8/1998)

Hollywood Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Elizabeth, and the Disciple show up to the building in a black limo. They seem to be in high spirits despite having to deal with the Warrior last week and the fact that he’s starting a REVOLUTION tonight. They go straight from the limo the ring to discuss what they want to discuss. Bischoff pulls out a pen from his jacket to prove a point that the pen is the most powerful thing in the universe [besides Hollywood Hogan, of course]. He has managed to get rid of Vader and Johnny B. Badd with a pen, and he’ll continue to keep whoever he wants out or in [looking at you, Eddie Guerrero] he chooses. Notice how Steve Austin wasn’t mentioned. Hogan wants to beat somebody up real bad tonight. He calls DDP a “puke” and says he doesn’t have the power or the stroke around here to bring Warrior to Wargames. As for WOYAH, the people might as well forget about him because the last time he and Hogan met, Warrior ran away from him for eight years. He announces Bischoff is the man with the stroke around here and Warrior won’t be at Wargames. Hogan is losing his voice at this point. Hulk can’t wait to get his hands on the nWo Wolfpac at Fall Brawl. Now that DDP will be in Wargames all alone, Hogan will rip him limb from limb, win Wargames, and go on to make Goldberg drop to his knees to beg Hogan to stop beating him up and declare that Hogan is in fact the man. As God as Hogan’s witness, he will make Goldberg beg for forgiveness. 4-LIFE, BROTHER. Now worship the ground Hogan walks on, ladies and gentlemen. Cut it short, Hogan’s throat is GONE.

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

THE WARRIOR SHOCKS NITRO!

• Wrath vs. Mike Enos

Looks like Wrath has been repackaged. This is the first we’ve seen of him in seven months. He’s no longer accompanied by James Vandenberg and wears a cool wrestling singlet instead of those black tights. No more dark entrance with strobe lights. He looks AWESOME. By the way, where is Vandenberg? Has he already been sent home and getting paid to sit on his duff or what? Sounds like the crowd wants Flair. To stop those chants, Wrath takes Enos to the floor and beats him up. Back inside, Wrath hits a slingshot spinning back elbow. There’s a butterfly suplex and a senton gets two. Enos turns things around with a powerslam. He misses a corner charge, so Wrath misses a jumping shoulderblock or whatever. Enos misses a splash off the ropes and that staggers him into the MELTDOWN by Wrath for the win. (3:40) Folks, don’t tell Kevin Nash, but we might have another Goldberg on our hands! ½*

FEEL THE POWER OF THE WARRIOR!

NITRO GIRLS! They air another Nitro Party video from O-H-I-O! That’s brought to you by Mug Root Beer where the foam goes straight to your brain.

• Dean Malenko vs. Kaz Hayashi

Tony immediately discusses Malenko’s involvement with Steve McMichael to bring back the Four Horsemen. Malenko outwrestles Hayashi to start while the crowd occasionally chants about how they want Ric Flair. Hayashi comes back with a somersault senton. Clearly this dude loves Keiji Mutoh. Malenko fires right back with a back suplex and grabs a headscissors to take us into commercial. When we come back, Malenko is still grounding Hayashi. As Hayashi trips up Malenko to the floor, he flies onto Dean with a twisting somersault tope. WHOA. Back in, Malenko holds onto Kaz for a series of short-arm clotheslines, but Hayashi ducks a third one with a high angle bridging German suplex for two. WHOA, again. Over in the corner, Malenko stops Hayashi. Oh wait, no he doesn’t. Malenko blocks a flying moonsault by bringing the knees up, but then run he runs into a drop toe hold and gets caught in La Magistral cradle for 1-2-NO! Malenko then avoids a dropkick and answers with one of his own. Butterfly powerbomb sets up the TEXAS CLOVERLEAF as the crowd explodes. Hayashi taps out. (4:27 shown) You can already tell they seem to like Hayashi as he’ll become a part of the WCW cruiserweight scene until WCW closes. **

The nWo Wolfpac are now in the house except for Sting. Probably hanging out with Bret Hart – like they do. They run through their catchphrases and then Kevin Nash says the only thing of any substance. Concerning Hollywood Hogan, Nash says he can’t run with them. Sounds like there will be WAR at Wargames. Next on the agenda is Goldberg. The first time Nash got speared, things were chill. Now Nash wants to see where Goldberg stands by teaming with him tonight against Hogan and the Giant. Holy smokes, says Tony. We hear Goldberg’s music and they do the WHOLE police escorted entrance. Really guys? He comes out and gets up in Nash’s face to let him know the match is on. There’s your main event, folks!

NO nWo FOR THE WARRIOR!

• Konnan vs. Jim Neidhart

Konnan runs through some of his offense to start. Neidhart bails and gets back inside only to get grounded with an armbar. Back up, Neidhart nails him with a clothesline and hammers Konnan on the mat. He misses a splash off the second rope, allowing Konnan to come back with the K-Factor and the TEQUILA SUNRISE for the win in 2:34. ½*

Tony Schiavone brings out Stevie Ray for an interview. Gene’s not allowed in Chicago, I suppose. Stevie Ray says he’ll deal with the Giant and everybody involved in beating him up on Thunder last week. When they mention Chris Jericho and the TV title, Stevie Ray says he’s coming to get “my” title back. Well, BOOKER T returns to confront his brother. Booker T says he’s been running himself ragged over the past 6-8 months and needed some time away from wrestling, but now people are asking him why his brother Stevie Ray is desecrating his TV title, so he’s here to ask his brother what the hell is going on. Stevie Ray blames JJ Dillon for “pimping” Booker and the TV title has split up Harlem Heat. Booker doesn’t think those are the facts and Tony interjects that JJ Dillon has actually made Booker T the #1 contender for the WCW U.S. title. Stevie Ray is pissed and wants to know why they aren’t getting shots for the WCW tag team titles. Booker wants revenge for what Bret Hart did to him and says they will RAISE THE ROOF TONIGHT. NOW CAN YOU DIG IT? Man, Booker is getting me fired up. The segment ends with Harlem Heat arguing.

NITRO GIRLS!

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

Tony Schiavone brings out “the leader of Team WCW” and the only confirmed member of Team WCW for Wargames, Diamond Dallas Page. He calls Eric Bischoff a fool and says he’d like to stick the pen through Bischoff’s ears. As for Hollywood “SCUM” Hogan, DDP says Hogan can’t steal his heart because there’s no way he won’t be at Fall Brawl. He may be backed into a corner, but there’s somebody is stepping up to the plate to help him out. It’s RODDY PIPER. He’s still the commissioner even though I thought JJ Dillon was making all the decisions, but whatever. He puts over DDP for doing a “hell of a job”. Piper says he’s the only guy Eric Bischoff can’t fire and calls Bischoff an “Eddie Munster-look-a-like”. Oh boy. Piper says he’s changing Wargames and then goes off on some Clinton jokes. Anyways, Roddy Piper will be joining DDP at Wargames – and hopefully so will Warrior. Before Nitro ends tonight, he’ll make sure we’ll see the greatest dream team ever. FEEL THE BANG, folks!

• Steve McMichael vs. Riggs

Chicago gives Mongo some love and he takes time to give it to him. Riggs runs wild to start, but Mongo reverses a corner whip, clotheslines him, and then follows up with a running bulldog. Riggs yanks Mongo to the floor and then comes off the apron with a clothesline. Back in, Riggs nails a dropkick and abuses McMichael on the mat. There’s a chinlock. Mongo fights out into a kitchen sink knee. Riggs doesn’t seem to be a fan of the Four Horsemen. McMichael sees a backdrop coming and kicks Riggs down, but misses an elbow drop. Let’s move onto the finish. Mongo hits the three point stance shoulderblocks and goes for the Mongo Spike, but Riggs stops him. How about one more try. There’s the MONGO SPIKE for the win. (5:46) Horace and Sick Boy jump Mongo until Dean Malenko runs down. He dropkicks Horace out and puts Sick Boy in the TEXAS CLOVERLEAF. Why is the ref looking for a tapout? Saturn comes out and gets Malenko to release the hold. Once that’s over, Saturn does a suicide dive to the floor, but eats the stop sign. The fight continues as Malenko and Mongo stand tall in the ring. Mongo wants Malenko to show the four fingers, but he won’t since he’s not a member of the crew and walks away. ½*

NITRO GIRLS!

THE REVOLUTION BEGINS!

• Scott Norton vs. Rick Fuller

Bobby Heenan replaces Zbyszko for the rest of the show. These two unload on each other with chops. There’s an avalanche from Norton followed by a Samoan drop. Big boot from Fuller isn’t sold. Norton isn’t bothered with chops. He nails Fuller with a back suplex and delivers the POWERBOMB for the win in 1:12. ½*

WILL THE WARRIOR RETURN?

We now see Scott Steiner coming out with Dr. Schwartz. Yeah, they are still going with this. The commentators think Scott Steiner and Rick Steiner are booked. Scott says Chicago sucked before Michael Jordan and now that he’s gone, they will suck again. He ain’t wrong. Chicago needs another hero and that man should be Big Poppa Pump because he has no peers and he’s a man among boys. As for Rick Steiner, they are going to get it done tonight. Dr. Schwartz won’t give Scott clearance to wrestle and then looks confused again. Is it because Scott is hurt? RIGHT ON. Scott says he’s going against doctors orders and calls out Rick. It’s not Rick, it’s Buff Bagwell doing a Rick Steiner impression. They take the dog bit way over the top. Buff even eats a dog treat. Scott has Buff roll over and play dead. The ref Scott Dickinson is forced to count the pinfall for the lulz as Scott confirms this will happen to his brother at Fall Brawl because he’s the STRONGER, FASTER, BIGGER STEINER BROTHER. Buff reminds he’s still the stuff and that all the people believing them are stupid. I mean, he ain’t wrong either. If you believe Scott Steiner at this point, you’re probably not very bright.

• Lex Luger vs. Brian Adams (w/Vincent)

Is this really what you want to show the people to wrap up the second hour? These two don’t seem to be in any hurry to lock up. Once they do, they go back and forth in a tie-up. Adams shoves off a headlock and takes a shoulderblock as Lex flexes his muscles at him. He heads to the floor and gets some encouragement from Vincent. Back inside, Adams forces Luger in the corner, but Luger fights out with a hiptoss. Vincent distracts Lex which allows Adams to nail Luger from behind. Adams kicks him to the floor and lets Vincent slam Luger’s face off the steps. Back in, that gets two. He applies a headscissors on the mat. That kills some time. Adams whips Luger hard into a corner and follows up with the inverted atomic drop, but Lex NO-SELLS and punches back. Adams comes back with a vertical suplex for two. He grabs a nerve hold as the “action” continues. Lex fights up, but Adams press slams him down into a gutbuster for 1-2-NO! Now Lex comes back with his signature stuff. There’s the Bionic Forearm. That gets two. Here’s the powerslam, but Vincent flies in only to get nailed. Vincent is out, but here comes Adams. Lex slips away from a backdrop and hoists Adams up into a TORTURE RACK for the win. (9:03) These two had a decent match on RAW in 1993. This ain’t that. ¾*

We take a look at the Warrior, which is just a fancy video package of the showdown last week.

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

IT’S WARRIOR TIME! Warrior does his vintage entrance running to the ring and shaking the ropes. Dang, he’s already blown up. His coat says OWN: One Warrior Nation. There’s already “OWN” t-shirts in the crowd. It’s another long-winded promo about how Hogan is a hypocrite that settled for mediocrity. Lots of dead air pauses as Warrior continues to try and breathe from that run to the ring. He continues to say that Hogan never assumed someone would come forward that knew the difference between a rebellion and a revolution, which will be Hogan’s greatest mistake. Everything Hogan reveres is now threated. Hogan’s entire world is going to be turned upside down because starting tonight, Warrior launches the OWN Revolution: the One Warrior Nation Revolution. Heenan – “What does that mean?” Warrior will destroy Hogan and intends to show the world that a revolution is based on better ideas and courage. For now, that’s all Hogan needs to know. Until next week, same Warrior time, same Warrior place, same Warrior channel. The big screens show white noise and the WARRIOR SIGNAL flashes to the ceiling of the United Center. Nothing he said had anything to do with what Roddy Piper had to say earlier. The man is on a planet of his own.

• WCW World Television Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Curt Hennig

Rick Rude is “conspicuous by his absence” this week. Jericho takes a sign in the aisleway, rips it up, then slips on it for comical effect. The man was born to entertain. Pretty much tit-for-tat to start as they chop and slap each other. Hennig takes over with the Rolling Neck Snap, but Jericho fires back with a spinning back kick and chokes Hennig in the corner. Hennig comes out with the Dragon Screw leg whip. More chops on the floor. Back in, Jericho starts kicking at the knee as Hennig flips around. As Hennig rolls to the apron, Jericho hits the springboard dropkick to send Hennig down. Back inside again, Jericho delivers another big dropkick and follows up with a suplex and the C’MON BABY pin for two. Jericho avoids a dropkick from Hennig and goes for the LIONTAMER, but Hennig grabs the ropes. Jericho walks away thinking he’s won, but Hennig nails him from behind and tries the HENNIGPLEX. Jericho reverses into an inside cradle for two. More blows are traded until they call for the bell and announce a ten-minute time limit draw. (6:08) Oh boy, the crowd doesn’t like that. Here comes the Giant. As Hennig holds Jericho for the Giant, the Giant shoves Hennig down and Jericho gets away. Hennig is dumbfounded. They almost come to blows, but head back to the dressing room to settle things. WHAT’S HAPPENING. **¼

NITRO GIRLS!

Elsewhere, Booker T and Stevie Ray are arguing in the back. Booker tells his brother to watch his back in his match against Bret Hart for the WCW U.S. title.

After the break, we come back to see Bret Hart coming to the ring. Booker T’s music plays, but it stops and Bret starts talking about how people responding to him being a jerk now. People have corrupted the world of heroes and you can’t trust anybody anymore, so he went to the one man he could trust: Hollywood Hogan. He went to Hogan about his trouble with his best pal Sting. Is Bret talking about adding Sting to his long list of people he’s put on the shelf this year? Anyways, Bret tells Booker T to get his ass out to the ring for one more ass kicking. His music plays a second time, but no Booker T. Let’s take a break.

When we come back, we see Stevie Ray standing over Booker who is holding his injured knee. Stevie Ray heads to the ring and asks Bret if he had anything to do with his brother getting hurt. That continues as Curt Hennig, the Giant, Buff Bagwell, and the rest of the nWo B&W B-team head to the ring. Wait, things now seem okay between Hennig and Giant. Whatever. As the top nWo recruiter, Bret lets Stevie Ray know they respect him and asks to join the nWo B&W by giving him a t-shirt. Without much thought, Stevie Ray accepts the shirt and joins the nWo B&W. Stevie Ray says his brother made his own choice, and so he’ll make his own choice. Giant and Stevie Ray make up. Vincent, I think is the happiest, because finally there’s another brother in that group.

• Bill Goldberg & Kevin Nash vs. The Giant & Hollywood Hogan (w/the Disciple)

First no Gene, and now there’s no Michael Buffer either? Tony lets us know that the powerbombs are now legal in WCW. Nash and Giant do a tie-up to start. Giant teases a test of strength, but headbutts Nash back when they go nose-to-nose. Giant clotheslines Nash in the corner and boots him down, but then Nash avoids an elbow drop and does his corner stuff to Giant. Nash punches him down and delivers the Bossman straddle. A double-clothesline doesn’t work, but a double-boot down does. Once they’re up, they tag out. Chicago comes unglued. Goldberg shoves Hogan down out of the tie-up. Hogan goes low on Goldberg and stretches and claws his face. He starts dishing out turnbuckle smashes, but Goldberg NO-SELLS. Hogan goes to the eyes and whips Goldberg into the ropes for the running clothesline, but Goldberg ducks and shoulderblocks Hogan down a couple times. As Goldberg comes off the ropes for the third one, Disciple hits him in the back with the world title belt. Nash runs Disciple around the ring. The Giant is there to keep Nash distracted. Curt Hennig shows up. Meanwhile, Hogan delivers a back suplex to Goldberg. Now Hennig, Disciple, and the Giant join Hogan to stomp Goldberg. Giant attacks Nash. Lex Luger shows up, but he’s not enough to even the odds. Konnan is here, but who’s afraid of Konnan. The fight settles out onto the floor as Hennig is left to take the Spear and the JACKHAMMER. For some reason, the match is still going and ref Mickey Jay counts the pinfall. (8:15) Uhh, what? Hogan jumps Goldberg from behind and in comes Nash to help out, but Hogan moves and Nash nails Goldberg with a big boot. Whoops. Hogan punches Nash out of the ring. Now we get a Giant and Goldberg showdown. Giant clotheslines him clear out of the ring. Next thing we know, Warrior, DDP, and Roddy Piper run down to clean house on the nWo B&W. Looks like Piper made good on his word. CAN YOU BEAT A TEAM LIKE THAT? Tony thinks not. Goldberg and Nash have a showdown on the floor, but Konnan holds back Nash. *

And with that, THUNDER is next, which I’m sure will be exciting! Until then, so long for now.