WCW: Thunder
December 10, 1998
Memphis, TN
Mid-South Coliseum

The current WCW champs are as follows:
WCW World Champion: Bill Goldberg (7/6/1998)
WCW U.S. Champion: Bret Hart (11/30/1998)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: Rick Steiner & Kenny Kaos (10/26/1998)
WCW World Television Champion: Konnan (11/30/1998)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Billy Kidman (11/22/1998)

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

• Chris Jericho (w/Ralphus) vs. Bobby Duncum Jr.

Jericho tears up a “Thursday Night Ralphus” sign on the way to the ring. This is a rematch due to the last rematch when Jericho got a cheap win. Yeah. I wonder why Jericho left. Headlocks and shoulderblocks to start. We go to commercial about a minute into the match. When we come back, Jericho looks to be in charge only for Duncum to turn the tide. They head to the floor where Duncum gives Jericho a suplex. Back in, Jericho gives Duncum a drop toehold into the middle rope. There’s a running senton splash for two. COME ON BABY goes nowhere. Jericho pulls back on the arms, but Duncum reverses only for Jericho to mule kick him away for two. Jericho applies a backbreaker while Lee Marshall is wowed over the mule kick. He takes forever coming off the top rope and eats a boot on the way down. Duncum connects with a Bradshaw running boot and hits the Running Bulldog for 1-2-NO! Jericho escapes a powerbomb and sunset flips Duncum with his feet on the ropes for the pinfall. (6:22) The *new* WCW TV champ Konnan – who couldn’t POSSIBLY have an axe to grind here – yells to the ref Mickey Jay that Jericho cheated and gets him to restart the match. Duncum tries a sunset flip of his own and Jericho holds the middle rope as he drops to his knees on top of Duncum. Not wanting to let Jericho cheat again, he instead cheats on Duncum’s behalf by whacking Jericho in the face with the TV title to give Duncum the win. (7:17 total) Got to get Konnan and Jericho on the Starrcade PPV somehow, right? *½

They play a Flair versus Bischoff hype video.

Watch WCW Saturday Night at 6PM EST – IF YOU WILL. Chavo Guerrero Jr., Wrath, Konnan, LWO’s Eddie Guerrero and Juventud Guerrera will all be in action. Plus, the main event will be “Lone Wolf” Scott Hall versus nWo B&W’s Stevie Ray!

• Perry Saturn vs. Glacier

They go tit-for-tat to start. Saturn is really going after Glacier’s “Cryonic Kick” leg. He ends up cornering Glacier and superkicks him out to the floor for some ringside violence. As Saturn stalks Glacier back into the ring, SONNY OONO (wearing a neck brace) appears and pulls on Saturn while he’s on the apron for Glacier to take advantage. He suplexes Saturn back into the ring and hits a rolling back elbow. Yes, a rolling back elbow. Eventually, Saturn avoids a running kick and hits a big boot of his own. He follows through with a T-bone suplex and hits a flying elbow for 1-2-NO! Glacier avoids the Death Valley Driver, but gets caught in the RINGS OF SATURN. That brings in Sonny Oono to kick at Saturn for the weak DQ. (6:38) Saturn NO-SELLS what Oono is throwing his direction (including a pile of money) and gives Oono a Falcon Arrow. He puts Oono in the RINGS OF SATURN as well. Glacier tries to help out with an elbow drop, but Saturn moves and Oono gets nailed. Saturn sends Glacier packing with an overhead suplex. *½

Get your copy of WCW/nWo Revenge on N64 for only $60.

• Norman Smiley vs. Kaz Hayashi

Smiley is getting into his dancing gimmick these days. Hayashi lights up Smiley with chops and a tilt-a-whirl headscissors to start. Smiley ends up launching him in the air. There was a weird cut to the Memphis crowd for some reason. Smiley delivers that cool body slam he does. Meanwhile, the crowd is chanting “NORMAN”. There’s another weird cut to the crowd, but there doesn’t seem to be any match editing. Smiley gives Hayashi a back suplex and pulls back on the arms. To get the crowd going, they head to the floor where Smiley backs Hayashi into the apron. Smiley shows the crowd his big wiggle only for them to give him crotch chops which is just the most 1998 thing you’ll see on this show. Hayashi mounts a comeback and sunset flips Smiley. Instead of going down on his back, Smiley lifts Hayashi up by his throat only for Hayashi to counter into a forward rollup for two. Hayashi wants to keep his offensive flurry going, but Smiley pulls Hayashi into the CROSSFACE CHICKENWING for a submission victory. (6:03) Smiley has won two TV matches since the night after WW3 which was his last loss to Chris Benoit. He’s beaten Prince Iaukea (last week’s Nitro) and Kaz Hayashi (match that just happened). That’s two matches. Meanwhile, Tony Schiavone is trying to make it seem like Smiley is really on a win streak here. I mean, technically, Tony is correct. But ya know, let’s calm down. **

They take us back to Monday Nitro 12/7/98 when Kevin Nash protests Goldberg wrestling Bam Bam Bigelow backstage. Of course, Kevin Nash makes sure the match doesn’t happen which pisses off the Houston crowd.

Ernest Miller is followed by a bruised and broken Sonny Oono out to the ring. Sonny really needs some new glasses thanks to Saturn. Anyways, Ernest Miller comes out and threatens the Memphis crowd. Sonny stops Miller and asks him where he was earlier in the show when Perry Saturn was kicking his ass. Miller says that Sonny works for him and Sonny already beaten Saturn once before, so why does he need Miller’s help? Sonny asks Miller if he’s afraid of Saturn, but of course Miller quickly acts like a tough guy and wants to beat up everybody in the Mid-South Coliseum. Miller tries to get Sonny Oono excited and tells him to go find Saturn to teach him a lesson. And that’s that.

BRUISE CRUISE! May 17-21. Book your trip now, sucka.

• Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera

Rey is still wearing that 6XL LWO t-shirt. HAHA, it’s funny because he’s so small. I feel like I’ve made that joke before. The winner of this match faces Billy Kidman at Starrcade over the CW title. Mike Tenay takes over for Lee Marshall since this is one of those “hard to call” matches. They go shot for shot on each other to start. Juventud stuns Mysterio with a Rocker Dropper, but Rey fires back with a satellite headscissors as we take a commercial break. When we come back, Mysterio is all over Juventud. They flub a bronco buster spot and Mysterio recovers with a ten-count corner punch only for Guerrera to stop him with a Running Ligerbomb. The LWO head down to circle the ring to make sure this all goes according to Eddie Guerrero’s plan. Mysterio stops a move off the top rope with a pair of boots. Split-legged moonsault by Rey gets two. Juventud ends up on the apron and snaps Rey’s neck on the top rope to set up a flying bodypress for 1-2-NO! Out comes Eddie Guerrero and his bodyguard Spyder. Mysterio delivers a dropkick to the knee and while Juventud is on all fours, Rey delivers a flying legdrop to the neck. OUCH. Guerrera comes back with a reverse suplex to hang Rey out to dry on the top rope. Mysterio counters a suplex back in the ring and victory rolls Juventud for another nearfall. Guerrera tries a back body drop, but Mysterio blocks and delivers an X-Factor. He tries to powerbomb Juventud, but Guerrera flips out of it into a bulldog for 1-2-NO! Guerrera catches an Asai Moonsault, but Rey shoves him off into the corner. Guerrera then flips out of a German suplex and catches Rey with a JUVI DRIVER. He’s slow to get to Rey and drags him to a corner for the 450 Splash, but Mysterio crotches him up top and headscissors him down. The LWO attack for the CRAPPY DQ. (9:41) Even though the Memphis crowd could not have cared less, this was a fun back and forth match. Billy Kidman comes down and flies onto the LWO. Some idiot fan jumps in the ring and gets his ass whooped. Rey manages to escape out with Kidman to end the segment. ***¼

Starrcade ad airs. Whether you like it or not, KEVIN NASH IS NEXT.

They replay the Giant’s promo on DDP from last week’s Nitro. Of course, you couldn’t just show the promo, you had to show DDP taking him out with a steel chair too.

• Booker T vs. Lodi

Wow, Lodi is still here? Okay then. This is most likely the last time we’ll see Lodi until he hooks up with Lenny Lane next summer. As Booker runs through Lodi, STEVIE RAY comes down to yell at his brother for the DQ. (1:48) Lodi loads up his glove, but he gets blasted by Stevie Ray’s slapjack before he can do anything. JOIN THE NWO, BOOKER. Stevie Ray’s patience is wearing thin. N/A

• Chris Benoit vs. Kanyon

No Raven this week. Kanyon says he’s sick of him and calls Raven a “man child”. I would say Raven should be the least of your worries when your opponent is Chris Benoit, but that’s just me. Strong tie-up to start, but ends with Kanyon taking Benoit over with an armdrag. They trade wristlocks as Kanyon manages a quick rollup out of that for two. Benoit continues to want to wear down Kanyon with holds, but Kanyon pulls him into a swinging fisherman’s suplex for another two. Kanyon misses a short-arm clothesline as Benoit starts the Rolling German Suplexes, but Kanyon puts on the brakes only to turn around into a couple chops. OUCH. Benoit puts Kanyon up on the top turnbuckle for a VINTAGE Benoit superplex. They both head to the floor for some ringside violence. Benoit runs Kanyon into the ringpost while our commentators hype Starrcade. Back inside, Benoit runs him down and hits the Dynamite Kid snap suplex for two. Kanyon reverses a corner whip as Benoit hits the chest-first bump. He explodes on Benoit with a Russian legsweep, but he’s too hurt to capitalize. Kanyon gives Benoit a suplex near the ropes and delivers a slingshot elbow drop for two. Benoit turns things around with chops and stomps him down in a corner. A backbreaker by Benoit gets two. There’s a series of knee strikes to Kanyon’s head while the crowd is chanting “boring”. I think they are just burned out. Kanyon comes back with the Flying Rocker Dropper for another nearfall. Benoit fights out of a chinlock, but runs into a flapjack off the shoulders. He looks for a second one, but Benoit escapes and runs him down with a clothesline. Kanyon trips Benoit up top when RAVEN comes down  and wallops Benoit in the head with a paint bucket for the DQ. YES, ANOTHER DQ. (10:14) Kanyon looks PISSED and who can blame him? Raven just walks out on Kanyon. Meanwhile, Benoit locks in the CRIPPLER CROSSFACE on Kanyon to tap him out. Ugh, another good match ruined with a bad finish. ***

No MFGWLM tonight. We’re in the ”15 Days of 007”. Tonight, they show THUNDERBALL (1965) starring the original James Bond – Sean Connery.

• Lex Luger & Konnan vs. Horace, Stevie Ray & Vincent

According to Meltzer, Kevin Nash was originally scheduled to compete making this a six-man tag, but now it’s just a handicap match because Nash “refused to do the match not wanting to be in a match that on paper would be bad while he needed to build his momentum for Starrcade”. Hall was plan B, but he refused because he didn’t think it was right for the storyline to team with the nWo Wolfpac. Konnan does his usual thing on the mic and the camera looks at some white lady in the front row who acts totally confused as to what just happened. You can’t really blame her. Luger and Stevie Ray start the match. This goes exactly as you might expect as Lex becomes *your* Wolfpac-in-peril. He fights out of the nWo B&W corner and goes hiptoss crazy. He actually sells for Vincent and Horace, which isn’t good. Hot tag to Konnan, he hits the Rolling Clothesline on Horace. I guess Stevie Ray will refuse to sell or job here to Konnan here. They do another Wolfpac-in-peril segment with mostly Horace and Vincent doing the work. Yeah, not good. Moving on, Konnan escapes a chinlock from Horace into a double KO spot. Hot tag to Luger, he’s got clotheslines for everybody. Bionic Forearm to Stevie Ray, but Stevie Ray jawbreakers Luger and pulls out the slapjack. Next thing we know, SCOTT HALL is on the apron. He pulls away the slapjack and wallops Stevie Ray into the TORTURE RACK for the submission. (8:57) That was some WCW Saturday Night-level main event stuff right there. Hall throws up the nWo Wolfpac sign to the winners as we close the show. ½*

MONDAY NITRO IN TAMPA IS NEXT! Until then, so long for now.

WCW/nWo PRESENTS STARRCADE
LIVE ON PPV from the MCI Center in Washington, DC on Sunday, December 27!
MAIN EVENT: WCW World Championship: Goldberg (c) vs. Kevin Nash
Ric Flair vs. Eric Bischoff
Diamond Dallas Page vs. The Giant