WCW: Thunder
January 21, 1999
Indianapolis, IN
Market Square Arena

The current WCW champs are as follows:
WCW World Champion: Hollywood Hogan (1/4/1999)
WCW U.S. Champion: Bret Hart (11/30/1998)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: Vacant (1/7/1999)
WCW World Television Champion: Scott Steiner (12/28/1998)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Billy Kidman (11/22/1998)

We start the show with a video package featuring the reinvigorated Hollywood Hogan and Ric Flair feud as they will meet again over the WCW world title at SuperBrawl IX on February 21.

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and Bobby Heenan. They already seem off tonight.

We cut to the nWo B&W locker room where STEVIE RAY is talking to the rest of his team. He’s mad that he doesn’t seem to know what’s going on around here. Stevie Ray isn’t wearing the nWo B&W t-shirt either, so when VINCENT hands him a shirt, Stevie Ray throws it across the room! WHOA. SCOTT NORTON stands up to Stevie Ray as they start to argue. BRIAN ADAMS, HORACE, and Vincent step up to get them to calm down. Vincent answers the door off camera and comes back with a letter from the “boys” or the nWo Wolfpac. They continue to bitch and moan while Vincent reads the letter that states Hollywood Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and the rest of the crew are stuck in Tampa due to bad weather and can’t make it tonight. The nWo B&W crew continue to argue. Vincent steps up onto a table and hits his head on the ceiling. What the hell is happening right now. Norton pulls him down and Vincent says something about being one of the “founding fathers” of the nWo. Gee, you think he’s overstating his status in the nWo much? When we leave the nWo B&W locker room, they seem to be able to chill out.

• Disco Inferno vs. Jerry Flynn

Disco starts off with an atomic drop and clothesline combo, but Flynn turns things around with kicks in the corner. He delivers the running spinning heel kick in the corner as well. A legsweep kick leads to the anklelock. Disco grabs the ropes and retreats to the floor so he can snap Flynn’s neck on the top rope. Back in, Disco stomps a mud hole in Flynn and walks it dry. Flying elbow drop scores for a nearfall. There’s a swinging neckbreaker as Disco starts taunting the crowd. He applies a chinlock and Flynn manages an escape into a cross armbreaker, but again Disco finds the ropes. Flynn comes back with an enziguri kick and a belly to belly suplex gets two. He catches Disco with a spinning back kick, but he misses a bicycle kick in the corner. As he comes out of the corner, Disco grabs him for the CHARTBUSTER for the win. (5:16) The fact that it took the guy who beat Wrath on Nitro to beat JERRY FLYNN in five minutes plus tells you they were trying to send Wrath off into the sunset. ¾*

Back to the nWo B&W locker room, Scott Norton and Horace fiddle around with some two-way radios. Norton sends Horace to go wait for the nWo Wolfpac limo. Wait, I thought they weren’t coming.

After commercials, we go back to the nWo B&W locker room. Vincent brags about having Hollywood Hogan’s cell phone number, which is weird, right? Vincent tries to call Hollywood, but it goes to voicemail. He tries calling Kevin Nash, but Stevie Ray calls bullshit on it. Horace calls Norton on the two-way radio to say the nWo Wolfpac limo has arrived. Everybody but Stevie Ray leaves to go meet them. As Horace goes to greet the nWo Wolfpac and looks in the door window, he gets knocked down somehow. The door swings open – and it’s the FOUR HORSEMEN and ARN ANDERSON inside the limo. They stomp the crap out of Horace – including STEVE McMICHAEL beating Horace with a vacuum cleaner. RIC FLAIR leaves the rest of the Horsemen behind to keep doing what they’re doing. Tony points out the nWo license plate hinting the Four Horsemen stole the limo or something.

MR. PRESIDENT Ric Flair heads to talk to Gene Okerlund in the ring. He says he wants to let Scott Hall and Kevin Nash know they aren’t the tag team champions and that there will be a tournament where the new champions will be crowned at SuperBrawl – which is the same night Flair will kick Hogan’s ass. He goes on a TEAR on Hogan saying that Hogan has kept him and other great talent in the shadows for twenty years. When Flair was wrestling Rufus Jones for an hour, Hogan was at MSG making money. In other words, Flair is painting himself as the harder working man of the two – because as a wrestler, Hogan couldn’t carry Flair’s jock strap. He thanks Hogan for enhancing the sport to levels unseen, but Hogan beat up Flair’s nineteen year old son, and Hogan will have to pay. At SuperBrawl, we will all find out who the true world heavyweight champion is. He points out that if you ask Chris Jericho or Chavo (or Chavito as Flair says) which wrestler they wanted to be like. It’s Hogan’s fame and notoriety versus Flair’s reputation at SuperBrawl. Somebody in the front row must be heckling Flair (or maybe not) because he promises to take his wife home and make a woman out of her. WOO! Classic Flair. Gene brings up Bischoff, but Flair tells him to forget about Bischoff. Hogan – TRAIN TO WRESTLE FOR THE HARDEST MATCH OF YOUR LIFE AGAINST THE DIRTIEST PLAYER IN THE GAME. Two men walk the aisle to enter the ring and one leaves at SuperBrawl 9. WOO!

Backstage, the nWo B&W team just now arrive to help Horace up to his feet.

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From Nitro 1/18/99, they replay Chris Jericho pointing out to JJ Dillon that Perry Saturn has to wear a dress everywhere for the next ninety days.

• Perry Saturn vs. Al Greene

Wearing a skimpy red dress to the ring, Saturn’s new catchphrase is “Life’s a drag.” Al Greene is here so you know Kevin Nash is booking. He gets a lot of powerful offense in on Saturn. When Greene starts messing with Saturn’s dress, Saturn delivers a standing side kick and a T-Bone suplex. Over in the corner, Saturn punishes Greene with kicks and then puts his dress over Greene’s face in the corner for a ten-count corner punch. A guillotine legdrop sets up the DEATH VALLEY DRIVER for the win. (2:53) LIFE’S A DRAG. ½*

HOP ABOARD THE BRUISE CRUISE ‘99! May 17-21! The Nitro Girls might be there!

WCW SATURDAY NIGHT! This week you’ll see Super Calo, Hector Garza, and Lizmark Jr. taking on Juventud Guerrera, Silver King, and La Parka in a LUCHA LIBRE match. Konnan and Booker T will both be in action. PLUS MUCH MORE! Join Mike Tenay and Scott Hudson at 6:05PM EST. IT’S THE MUTHASHIP!

We get a hodge podge of old clips of Raven arguing with his mother.

• Kenny Kaos vs. Glacier

Glacier is doing his thing. God help him. Once Kaos gets Glacier on the mat, he applies an anklelock which is the second time we’ve seen that move done poorly tonight. Kaos slams Glacier and comes off the second rope with a legdrop for two. Glacier fires back and trips up Kaos before throwing him into the corner for a BUNCH of body shots. As he walks away to do his Glacier thing, Kaos grabs Glacier. He isn’t able to do much as Glacier slams Kaos. He comes off the middle rope, but gets nailed on the way down. Kaos delivers a back suplex and clotheslines Glacier in the corner. As Glacier runs into a boot in the corner, Kaos heads to the apron and delivers a SPRINGBOARD CLOTHESLINE for the win. (3:38) They actually didn’t look too bad here. *

Back to the nWo B&W locker room. Horace is licking his wounds. Stevie Ray, Norton, and Adams are pacing the floor. Vincent is all “HEY COME ON MAN!” and leads his boys to go after the Four Horsemen. As they all leave, Vincent stays behind and takes off his nWo B&W shirt to reveal an nWo Wolfpac t-shirt. WHAT IS GOING ON?

When we come back from a break, Stevie Ray leads the nWo B&W crew to the ring – sans Vincent. Oh wait, here comes wearing the nWo Wolfpac t-shirt. Vincent seems to think he’s the leader now. He tells the Four Horsemen that Brian Adams and Horace Hogan will represent the nWo B&W in the WCW world tag team titles tournament. Not only that, but Vincent challenges the Four Horsemen to a six-man tag with Stevie Ray and Scott Norton on his team. Nobody in the nWo B&W crew like Vincent’s ideas here as it seems no one is in charge.

• Booker T vs. Norman Smiley

This is Nor-MAN Smi-LAY’s biggest challenge to date. There’s a back and forth feeling out process to start. Booker rocks Smiley with a clothesline to send him out to regroup. Back in, Smiley fires back on Booker, but Booker quickly comes back with a signature jumping forearm. Booker’s offense continues until Smiley hotshots him in the corner. He teases the Big Wiggle dance and gets booed when he doesn’t deliver. The Big Smiley Swinging Slam connects, which is pretty impressive on a tall man like Booker. He works a chinlock and takes Booker to the floor for some ringside violence. Back inside, Smiley delivers a back suplex. Heenan giving Schiavone a hard time over pronouncing Smiley’s name is pretty hilarious. The people finally get to see the BIG WIGGLE – which just triggers Booker’s comeback. He hits the 110^th STREET SLAM for two. Smiley rolls out and Booker has some fun with the guardrails. Back in, Booker lands the Axe Kick and heads up top, but Smiley heads for the exit sign and loses via countout. (10:02) I wonder if this was a chance to see if Smiley could move up the card. The Big Wiggle is getting a reaction, but Norman Smiley ain’t. **

From Nitro 1/18/99, they remind us that Scott Steiner was creeping on the Nitro Girls – and specifically wanted a piece of Kimberly while her hubby Diamond Dallas Page was away in Las Vegas.

• WCW World Tag Team Championship Tournament – First Round Match: Brian Adams & Horace Hogan (w/Vincent) vs. Billy Kidman & Chavo Guerrero Jr.

The CW champ could have picked pretty much anybody he wanted for a tag team partner – especially in the cruiserweight ranks – and he chooses a guy whose last match was over him getting revenge on another guy who put his best friend who just so happens to be a STICK HORSE into a wood chipper – AND HE LOST THAT MATCH. Now Chavo is a good wrestler, but that’s not really the point here. Old Flock buddies Horace and Kidman start the match. That doesn’t get mentioned at all. Horace throws down Kidman and puts the boots to him. He hiptosses Kidman from corner to corner and when he tries a second time, Kidman armdrags him over and dropkicks him in the corner for a ten-count corner punch. Horace brings Kidman out of the corner over his shoulder, but Kidman sunset flips him. Horace pulls him up by his throat and as he launches Kidman into the air, Kidman dropkicks him down. Whoa! Tag to Chavo, he starts off hot before he runs into the ropes where Adams pulls the top rope down to send him flying to the floor. Adams tags in and presses Chavo back into the ring. Back inside, Chavo tries to come back with a crossbody block only for Adams to catch him in mid-air. In comes Kidman to knock Chavo over on top of Adams with a missile dropkick for two. As Adams escapes an armbar, Chavo gets thrown into the ropes and blind tags Kidman. Once Chavo slides underneath Adams and Adams is doubled over, Kidman shoots in with a DDT! Nice! Cover, 1-2-NO! Kidman runs into the TOUR OF THE ISLANDS and then gets launched into the air. Adams puts his foot on Kidman for two. Tag to Horace, and it’s time for a commercial break. When we come back, Kidman hits Horace with the Tornado Bulldog. HOT TAG TO CHAVO! Unfortunately, Horace quickly boots down Chavo. Adams tags in and delivers a pair of legdrops before nailing a backbreaker for two. Back over to Horace, Chavo finds a way to try a springboard bulldog. Horace won’t go down and tries a back suplex, but Chavo flips out of *that* move and gives Horace a back suplex of his own. Vincent pulls Kidman down off the apron to prevent the tag – and clotheslines the ringpost by mistake. Chavo completely flips over Horace to avoid a backdrop and finally lands the Springboard Bulldog. Tag to Kidman, he’s got a headscissors for Adams. Plus, YOU CAN’T POWERBOMB KIDMAN goes to Horace. DOUBLE DROPKICKS ALL AROUND! In comes Vincent, Chavo ducks the SLAP JACK and Kidman gets wiped out. Hey, Stevie Ray is out talking with ref Billy Silverman. As Chavo goes after Horace, Adams covers Kidman for the three-count. (7:00 shown) This is more of a hidden Thunder gem thanks to Kidman and Chavo being excellent wrestlers, but also Horace and Adams willing to play ball and sell for these guys. An unexpectedly fun match. Stevie Ray wants to know why Vincent had his slap jack, but Vincent just wants to warn the Four Horsemen they have a fight coming to them. **½

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In the nWo B&W locker room, Stevie Ray is still concerned how Vincent got his slap jack. He went through your bag, bro! Anyways, all that matters is the W. Now they want to know why Vincent is wearing the nWo Wolfpac t-shirt. Whatever, it doesn’t seem to really matter.

• Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. La Parka

Rey is still wearing the LWO t-shirt. As La Parka stands on his chair during Rey’s entrance, Rey sends him flying with a springboard dropkick. We see La Parka staying on his feet while Rey tries a satellite armdrag routine. They go to the corner for the LA PARKA MISSES EVERYTHING spot. Mysterio tries a flying crossbody block, but La Parka catches him in mid-air and does the La Parka strut. He sits Rey up top and slaps him across the chest. As he struts away, Rey flies in with a flying headscissors. To the floor they go, Rey runs and does a jump off the second rope to then leap to the floor for another flying headscissors. Back in, La Parka stops another headscissors from happening with a slam dunk on Rey. That gets two. Tony mentions Elliot Murnick (son of Crockett-era promoter Joe Murnick) and Gordon Nelson (hauled the ring for WCW) as two guys that have been part of behind-the-scenes WCW that have suffered from recent health problems and wishes them both well. That’s something you would never hear in the WWF. La Parka continues to control Rey – until he comes off the top rope and eats a pair of boots on the way down. He misses a corner charge and runs his shoulder into the post as well. Rey gets crotched up top, but again avoids a corner charge from La Parka. As Rey charges La Parka, he gets launched into the corner and then staggers into a spinebuster. La Parka looks for his corkscrew moonsault, but Rey trips him up. Mysterio delivers the satellite bulldog and gets the win. (4:19) Fun albeit short match. **½

HOP ABOARD THE BRUISE CRUISE ‘99! May 17-21! The Nitro Girls might be there! Don’t confront them like that Scott Steiner fellow did though.

Gene Okerlund brings out DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE to the ring. DDP looks pissed. He comes right down the ramp and doesn’t even give us the Diamond Cutter sign or anything. Gene makes sure to remind DDP he’s married a real HOT piece of ass. DDP says he’s used to knuckleheads hitting on his HOT wife – ON THE DAILY. However, Scott Steiner has crossed a line and DDP is madder than hell. Kimberly told Dallas she would handle everything, but DDP doesn’t think she can handle Scott Steiner. The way DDP sees it since the nWo Wolfpac isn’t in the house, DDP challenges Scott Steiner. You say you want a FREAK? Well, DDP IS YOUR HOOKUP. If Steiner gets close enough to Kimberly to breathe the same air again, it’s on. As DDP leaves without acknowledging the audience whatsoever, Gene recaps the whole interview like he could give a shit. Hilarious.

Back to the nWo B&W locker room, Vincent wants everybody to now call him “Vince”. They all leave him behind in the locker room because it’s main event time. We catch Vincent reaching into his locker to chug like six eggs yolks out of a glass. When he chokes on the first one, he spies a secret camera up over the lockers and wonders who is filming. We catch who is on the other side of the camera – and we’re now inside the limo of the nWo Wolfpac. Hollywood Hogan and Kevin Nash are shown intently watching and shaking their heads. Hogan looks to the rest of his crew to say “I guess you know what time it is.” UH OH.

• Ric Flair, Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael vs. Scott Norton, Stevie Ray & “Vince”

McMichael and Stevie Ray start the match – because why not. Stevie Ray corners Mongo, but Mongo ducks a blow from him. When Vince complains, Stevie Ray tags him into the match. McMichael heaves Vince into the Horsemen corner and tags in Benoit. Chops abound. Vince goes to the eyes, but Benoit reverses a whip in the corner. Vince does a nice floatover, but Benoit is there to chop him down. Benoit delivers a snap suplex and calls for the Swandive Headbutt. Vince rolls over and tags Norton. They trade chops on each other, but Benoit manages to grab hold of Norton and tags in the much larger Mongo. Norton immediately throws him in the ropes and powerslams him. Tag to Vince, Norton slams Mongo only for Vince to miss an elbow drop. Flair tags in and starts leveling Vince in the corner calling out for Hogan. SHATTERED DREAMS by Flair! That causes the whole match to fall apart as all six men are fighting. As they clear out, Flair applies the FIGURE-FOUR on Vince for the easy submission win. (4:05) Sick of Vince’s attitude, Scott Norton and Stevie Ray leave him for dead. Flair calls out to Hogan while Benoit applies the Crippler Crossface. *½

Until next time, so long for now.

WCW / nWo PRESENTS: SUPERBRAWL IX
LIVE on February 21 from The Arena in Oakland in Oakland, California! ONLY ON PPV!
MAIN EVENT: WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Hollywood Hogan (c) vs. Ric Flair
WCW World Tag Team Championship Tournament Finals