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WCW Monday Nitro 10/4/99
Recap of last week's show. I hope Brain is drunk and angry again this week. Tonight, the show is held in the Kemper Arena, which is the same building where Owen Hart died earlier in the year. Bret Hart asked WCW to allow him to have a tribute match with Chris Benoit, and WCW agreed.
Dean Malenko vs Rey Mysterio Jr.
Both guys got jobber entrances. The match starts basically the same way as last week. Dean slows it down with a lot of submission work, focusing mostly on Rey's leg. It doesn't prevent Rey from doing a springboard flipping senton. Rey then tries a springboard rana, which is countered into the Texas Cloverleaf. Rey made it to the ropes. I hate matches where Rey gets his leg worked over, but still has no problems doing all kinds of jumping around and springboard stuff. Double clothesline/Boss Man Slam thing. Shane Douglas ran in and took the ref out. He then got his chain out and was about to hit Rey when Saturn ran out to stop him. But then Saturn hit Rey with the chain. SWERVE! Dean wins via Texas Cloverleaf, but it is unclear if he knew what happened. He seemed confused after the match. Then he got angry and helped Rey up after the match.
Bret/Owen video.
Disco Inferno vs Psychosis WCW Cruiserweight Championship
Hypno is now the Cruiserweight champ. He won it in a match against Lenny that never happened. He's also now a face. Someone finally caught on to Lenny and Lodi being gay and wanted the angle dropped. Remember around this time last year when Disco had to drop weight to be a cruiserweight? He's definitely bigger now than then and it's totally fine. Disco wins with the Last Dance. New champion! Why not just give the title to Disco to begin with?
Bret/Lex and DDP/Flair are announced for Halloween Havoc.
TO THE BACK. Sid is on a pay phone, talking to someone about space 22.
In the crowd, Scott Hall and Kevin Nash head to ringside with drinks. This is the first time Nash has made an appearance since his "retirement" at Road Wild, and Hall's first appearance since March or so. Brain heads over to them to get some words. Brain asks when they're going to come back to wrestle. Hall says, "He's working a retirement angle and nagging me to come back". He then asks if it is fun again. Brain says it is fun. Hall says Brain must not have been back in the locker room lately, but The Outsiders will come back when things get fun again.
Brian Adams vs Sid WCW US Championship
Lol, Crush has already dropped the Demon gimmick, has generic rock music, but still wears the pants and boots from the Demon outfit. That's great. He made all of TWO appearances under the gimmick before deciding he didn't want to do it, but he kept the gear. Rick Steiner was allowed to openly interfere. Double team powerbomb for the win. Sid is now 120--0.
Jerry Flynn vs Goldberg
Goldberg shit talked while Goldberg was getting his big entrance. Remember, Goldberg can't touch Sid or the match at Halloween Havoc is canceled. I'm not sure that going through the First Family is the best way to build up Goldberg, but whatever. He's crushed everyone on the roster a few times. Even with Hugh and Knobs interfering, Goldberg still dominated. Goldberg says that Sid's mind games can't compare to his mind games and he's going to kick Sid's ass wherever the match happens.
TO THE BACK. Berlyn says something in German to Brad Armstrong, who does the standard "THIS IS AMERICA. YOU SPEAK ENGLISH WHEN YOU SPEAK TO ME, STUPID FOREGINER!".
TO THE MEAN SUCKA. Harlem Heat talk about those milk drinking, fat, out of shape fruit booties of the First Family wanting a title shot. They also offer the Outsiders a title shot. Stevie called the women with Hall/Nash something that got muted. Hugh and Knobs attack from behind. They brawl all around ringside and into the ring. Knobs got dangerous with a chair. The Outsiders thought it was hilarious. Harlem Heat were laid out.
Diva Search shit.
TO THE BACK. Goldberg puts his gear in his car and leaves.
TO THE TENAY. Mike talked with Chris Benoit about the tribute match for Bret. Benoit explained starting for Stampede and his friendship with the Hart family.
Brad Armstrong vs Curt Hennig
Super short. Berlyn came out and hit Brad, allowing Perfect to hit the Perfect Plex for the win. Berlyn beat Armstrong up after the match.
TO THE BACK. Rey came to get Kidman for his match. He was running out of the shower with Torrie right behind him. They had been fucking. Cookin' the puss. Elsewhere, Sid gives his keys to the same guy who gave his keys to Goldberg last week so this guy could move his car for him.
Juventud Guerrera vs Kidman
I'm happily surprised at the restraint WCW has shown with this match up this year. I think this is the 3rd total, whereas they had about 15 last year. This was weird and featured a ton of Juvi just posing. Hypno came out and was a heel again. Rey also came out and distracted the ref for no reason, which allowed Hypno to cost Kidman the match.
TO THE BACK. Guy moves Sid's car to spot 22. A big tow truck thing pulled up shortly after.
Chris Benoit vs Bret Hart Owen Hart Tribute Match
Harley Race was the special guest ring announcer. Tenay joined on commentary. Starts right away with trading headlocks and hammerlocks. Basically a straight grappling match for the first few minutes. After a pretty even match, Bret gets the upper hand with a knee to the gut. He unloads some European uppercuts in the corner. Bret didn't appropriate a chop so he nails a DDT. Diving second rope elbow. Benoit rolls through a pin and turns it into a Liontamer variant. Benoit was still in control as we came back from a break. Huge suplex from Bret. Bret begins to work over the lower back. Jumping tombstone from Benoit. Bret kicks out of a Northern lights suplex. Rough chop from Benoit gets Bret fired up. Belly to back that nearly ends in a backdrop driver. Bret takes his normal corner bump in the middle of the ropes and took a rest on the floor. As soon as he did, Benoit followed up with a suicide dive. Another commercial break. 2 commercial break Nitro match is unheard of. Bret apparently dominated during the break. Bret is being very methodical, but taking Benoit apart. Superplex from Bret. Bret is technically covering Benoit, but we get a 10 count instead of a pin fall. Bret attempts the Sharpshooter, which was countered into the Crossface. Bret was near the ropes. 3 Amigos. Diving headbutt. Bret comes back with a piledriver. Benoit got a foot on the ropes. He fires up with some chops and goes for the rolling Germans. Bret blocked the 3rd one. After some struggle, Bret locks on the Sharpshooter. Benoit taps out. It's really a shame that Benoit had to do what he did, because this is definitely the best match of Bret's WCW career and probably single best Nitro match of all time. Both men were fighting back tears after the match and the normally shit head WCW fans were respectful and into the entire time, giving the match a standing ovation with chants for Owen. I would go as far to say that it was the best TV match from any company in the Attitude Era.
TO THE MEAN BY GOD BROTHERJACKDUDE. Hogan and Flair doing a joint promo. What a weird follow up to the previous match. Hogan says Flair is the man. Hogan did the thing he did in the 80s where he'd steal the mannerisms of his partner and try to take all the attention. Flair and Hogan kissing each other's asses and doing poses is wrong.
TO THE BACK. Sid checks spot 22, believing he has Goldberg now.
DDP vs Buff Bagwell
During DDP's entrance and part of his pre match promo, Dr. Claw was talking, but he was cut off and no one acknowledged it. Tony mentioned Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara having joined WCW and fans could chat with them online tomorrow. I don't know why you would ever make a big deal about writers on screen. It's so weird. I guess only wrestling can do something like that. You can't do that on a TV show where the characters say "Hey, we got new writers from some other show". I think the Triad is done. DDP won with a Kanyon Cutter. BANG! Remember a few months ago when it seemed like Buff was about to get a main event push and nothing at all came of it?
A Seven video aired which featured a window in a desert. A kid looked through it and saw a CGI horse with bulging eyes looking back at him. It was weird.
The Total Package/Sting vs Ric Flair/Hulk Hogan
Liz looks like she has some severe anxiety issues. Starts as a brawl on the floor. Hulk, who had zero issue walking out and strutting around in his promo, now suddenly sells his leg. Flair is dominated until he makes the hot tag to Hogan. His knee is now totally fine. DDP came out. Flair shoved him into Lex, who low blowed him and put him in the torture rack. Hogan pinned Sting with the leg drop.
TO THE BACK. Sid gets his keys and asks where his car is. Space 22. TWENTY TWO?!? WHY ME!?!?! WHY ME!?!?! WHY MEEEEEE?!?!?!
DQ Count: 0 out of 9 matches.
At least Sid had a reason to be at the show this week. Crush dropping the Demon gimmick after two appearances and no matches is great. Bret/Benoit was excellent and definitely should be watched if you haven't seen it and don't have problems watching Benoit matches.