Thunder
Date: April 16, 1998
Location: Fargodome,
Fargo, North Dakota
Commentators: Lee
Marshall, Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
It's the final show
before Spring Stampede and by now the news has broken that Nitro lost
in the ratings on Monday for the first time in nearly two years. It
should be interesting to see if things change up at all tonight to
try to right the ship. Other than that tonight is going to be the
final push for the PPV, meaning more NWO whether anyone likes it or
not. Let's get to it.
We open with a recap of
the main event from Nitro with Bret Hart cleaning house to save
Sting.
NWO video on Buff
Bagwell, showing him looking in a mirror.
Buff Bagwell vs.
Rick Steiner
Rick throws his collar
around to get Vincent off the apron before scaring Buff to the floor
as well. Buff armdrags him down and poses so Rick punches him in the
face. An atomic drop and a clothesline put Buff on the floor as Lee
wonders who brought Scott Steiner to the NWO. Didn't we cover that
like months ago? Back in and Buff pounds away at Rick's head, which
actually has an effect. Buff's middle rope ax handle is caught in
mid air and Rick throws him around a few times. Rick loads up the
bulldog but here's Scott Steiner to shove him off the top for the DQ.
Rating: D+.
Nothing to see here with the whole match existing tos et up something
else at Spring Stampede. They've been pushing this battle of the
Steiners for months now but there's no sign of the actual showdown
coming. Then again why bother pursuing a match that could be a big
deal and bring in some money when you can keep pushing Buff Bagwell?
Hogan is amused at
Savage's injuries and is ready to take the title back from Sting
soon.
Here's Nash with
something to say. He's tired of hearing Hogan talking about how
amazing he is because Hogan is afraid. Nash should be champion right
now and would be if not for Hogan and then Hart interfering in his
title shots. Bret made a huge mistake by messing with Nash on Monday
and Hart will be dealt with. Back to Hogan: if he doesn't do what
he's supposed to do on Sunday, Nash will drive a stake through his
heart. He's ready for Giant and Piper and tonight he's ready for
Sting and Bret with Savage as his partner. Just hyping up the big
tag matches here.
We get the same video
on Goldberg from Nitro.
Goldberg vs. Barry
Darsow
Goldberg vs. Saturn is
official for Sunday. Barry tries to match power with Goldberg and is
easily run over and thrown into the corner. Heenan: “This could be
a very hair raising experience for Barry Darsow.” Darsow is bald
if that clears anything up. Barry sends him over the top and out to
the floor but Goldberg comes right back in with the spear. The
Jackhammer makes it 73 in a row.
We get the same video
on Page vs. Raven from Nitro.
Here's JJ Dillon to say
that the winner of Page vs. Raven has to defend the US Title against
Goldberg on Monday night. I'm jumping the gun a bit here but that
means that both of Goldberg's title shots this year have been
announced four days in advance. You would think he'd get more hype
than that.
TV Title: Booker T
vs. Rick Fuller
Booker fires off kicks
and forearms to start, only to run into a powerslam from the much
bigger Fuller. Fuller slams him down again but misses a charge into
the corner and walks into a spinebuster. The ax kick and side kick
set up the missile dropkick to retain Booker's title. Squash for the
most part.
Recap of Hogan vs.
Nash, despite them not being opponents anytime soon.
Tony announces Scott
Steiner/Buff Bagwell vs. Lex Luger/Rick Steiner at the PPV. Scott
Steiner comes out to say he and Buff aren't showing up because his
parents don't want to see him fight his brother.
Chris Benoit vs.
Scott Norton
Benoit pulls Vincent to
the floor for some chops before going in and being chopped down by
Norton. A few elbow drops have Benoit in trouble and a slam puts him
down again. Benoit comes back with some chops but Norton just
punches him down with no selling at all. A splash in the corner
crushes Benoit and a shoulder sends him all the way to the floor.
Benoit avoids a charge
into the post but Norton is back inside first and still in control
with a powerslam. Chris escapes a shoulder breaker and takes Norton
down with two German suplexes. Norton charges into the post and gets
caught in the Crossface, only to have Vincent come in for the DQ
immediately.
Rating: D+.
What's the point in Benoit even being out there if Norton won't sell
a single bit of his offense? Norton went into the post twice, both
off his own power, and still wouldn't stay down. Also for the
thousandth time or so, WHY CAN SCOTT NORTON NEVER LOSE A CLEAN
FALL??? Benoit is going into a PPV title match but can only get a DQ
win over Norton because.....I'm thinking Scott Norton has photos of
Eric Bischoff smoking crack while wearing women's lingerie and
shoving an old lady down a flight of stairs.
Post match Booker comes
in for the save but gets shoved down for his efforts.
Here's Giant with Piper
on his shoulders and something to say. Giant steps over the top rope
with Piper still on his shoulders. That's rather impressive. Piper
rambles on and on as he is known to do. His odd line of this promo:
“What's the opposite of Big Sexy? Pee Wee Herman?” Piper gets
off Giant's shoulders and pretends he's a tiger that has to be tamed.
He spends the next minute and a half or so saying he and Giant will
win. Piper: “We'll bring the bat, you bring the balls.” Again,
someone keep Piper away from live mics. Please?
Curt Hennig vs.
Super Calo
Rude is on commentary
as usual. Curt easily takes Calo down and hits a quick Hennig
Necksnap for no cover. Calo avoids a charge in the corner and gets
one off a quick missile dropkick. Curt will have none of that and
stomps Calo down before ending him with the Hennigplex. Squash.
Cruiserweight Title:
Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Chris Jericho
During the entrances,
Tony rants about how WCW delivers the matches they promise, in
reference to Austin vs. McMahon not happening. I would say I
remember Ric Flair talking about that last week, but he never showed
up as advertised. Chavo pounds away to start, only to get kicked in
the ribs and suplexed down for two. Jericho charges into a boot in
the corner and gets clotheslined down for two as well as Chavo stays
in it. An atomic drop sets up a rollup for two more on Jericho but
he trips Guerrero up and hooks an early Liontamer. Chavo crawls over
to the ropes but Eddie slaps his hand away twice, forcing Chavo to
tap out.
After the quick match,
Iaukea comes out with the scale from last week to knock Jericho off
of Chavo. They fight to the back, leaving Eddie and Chavo alone in
the ring. Uncle Eddie calms Chavo down and says that if Chavo beats
Jericho on Sunday, he's free. Chavo is facing Ultimo Dragon on
Sunday but at least there's a story to the match now.
Here are Hogan,
Bischoff and Disciple with something to say. After Eric sucks up to
Hogan for awhile, he talks about realizing what he had when Hogan
came to WCW in 1994. Hogan runs down Savage and Nash and understands
why they're both jealous of him. He brags about the 3 Ninjas movie
and being on the Tonight Show before saying he should get the next
world title shot because he's just that awesome. Nothing much to see
here and he didn't even mention his opponents for Sunday.
Here's JJ with
something to say. First of all, Goldberg will receive his first
major title shot this Monday on Nitro. This confirms one of two
things: either the TV Title, which Goldberg had a shot at last year,
isn't a major title or WCW doesn't remember matches that happened
five months ago. Also, due to Savage's injuries, there might have to
be a replacement in the world title match. The options would be
either DDP, Nash or Hogan. JJ says Savage can wrestle on Sunday if
he has a doctor's clearance, but tonight he just can't be wearing a
cast.
This brings out Savage
to say that JJ should be outside watching for red and yellow Vipers
that are running over people. JJ says there's no concrete evidence
as to who attacked Savage so he needs a doctor's clearance and no
cast on Savage's arm. Savage says he's getting the title shot on
Sunday no matter what.
Giant vs. Bryan
Adams
Nothing match as Giant
shrugs off Adams' offense (including Adams going up top and just
falling off) and kicks him in the face, only to have Vincent run in
to break up the chokeslam and draw the DQ.
Post match the B team
comes in but gets destroyed as well.
Video on Raven.
Silver King vs.
Perry Saturn
Saturn side steps a
fast dropkick and hits a running elbow in the corner, only to get
caught in a tornado DDT. Saturn avoids a charge in the corner and
superplexes King down before the Rings of Saturn gets the submission.
Video on Diamond Dallas
Page.
Page says to say he's
ready for Raven but thinking about fighting Goldberg gets him even
more jacked up. Goldberg and his buddy Jack Hammer has been running
through WCW and Page wants to know if Goldberg can be banged. He's
getting his belt back on Sunday, but the fans are oddly silent during
this entire speech.
Sting/Bret Hart vs.
Randy Savage/Kevin Nash
Tony goes off about how
they'll deliver what they promised no matter what. Savage has the
cast on, despite JJ saying he couldn't wear one tonight. Bret and
Savage get things going but Nash comes in before any contact is made.
Nash and Bret pound each other into the corner with Nash hammering
Bret in the back to take over. There's the foot choke in the corner
but Nash charges into a boot in the opposite corner.
Bret clotheslines Nash
down and fires off right hands before bringing in the world champion.
Savage gets the tag and is put in the Scorpion about ten seconds
later. Nash pulls Randy out to the floor for a long stall before
it's Bret vs. Nash again. Bret escapes Snake Eyes by shoving Kevin
into the corner, only to be punched in the face for his efforts.
There's the side slam but Hart avoids the elbow, only to have Savage
break up the Sharpshooter.
Nash puts on a sleeper
of all things but Bret suplexes his way to freedom. A double tag
brings in Savage and Sting but Nash breaks up the Stinger Splash as
everything breaks down. Nash and Bret fight to the floor and the
Stinger Splash hits Savage's cast. Savage goes up for the elbow and
waits forever until Hogan and Disciple run in for the DQ because why
would a world title match need story development?
Rating: D.
This was the usual lazy main event match from all parties involved.
Savage being injured excuses his lack of effort but the other three
guys just looked bored out there. To be fair though Bret has nothing
to do, Sting is the lamest of all lame duck champions and Nash is
Nash so why bother trying at all?
Post match Hogan goes
after Savage's bad arm but Nash makes the save to end the show.
Overall Rating: D+.
This is a strange one to grade as the show did a good job of building
up to Spring Stampede, but Spring Stampede is one of the least
interesting shows in a long time. Why they don't just do Nash vs.
Hogan is beyond me, but I'd guess neither guy was willing to do a job
for whatever reason they always gave. The show had its moments but
the NWO drags it down as usual.
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books as low as $4 at:
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