WCW Monday Nitro Review – 09.04.95

A funny thing happened a few weeks ago. I reviewed the Russo’s Revenge episode of WCW Monday Nitro and it gave me a big shot of WCW nostalgia. I needed more. No, not more of the Russo era, god no. But did I want more Nitro? A little more. So before I jump back into the SmackDown timeline with the proper start of the series, here’s a bonus Nitro.

We’re in Minneapolis, Minnesota and at the Mall of America for the debut edition of WCW Monday Nitro. Eric Bischoff and Steve McMichael greet us from ringside. Mongo immediately starts talking about farm dirt before they’re joined by Bobby “The Brain” Heenan, making his Monday night return. Mongo shocks the Brain with a trick ring. The setting is very unique – it’s a mall. There’s escalators, elevators, and The Great Train Store.

Jushin Thunder Liger vs Flyin’ Brian Pillman

Dave Penzer is our ring announcer. This is a rematch from their big SuperBrawl II match. Eric promises great action and big surprises ahead as Liger flies, catching Pillman with a headlock. Mongo breaks out “Bobby the Stain.” Pillman ranas Liger and boots him, hitting a second-rope rana. Luger hooks the reverse surfboard which has always been one of the cooler moves to me. Pillman misses a dive and hits the floor, Liger leaps out with a rolling dive. Let’s go to break! Wait, this isn’t Raw 2025.

The fans chant “USA” because America, I guess. Pillman hits Liger with a dive from the top roe and rolls Liger back in. Liger knocks Pillman down and superplexes Pillman for a two count. Liger leaps from the top into a Pillman dropkick. I’m very distracted by trying to figure out what the stores are in the background. Is that a Claire’s? I need WWE Vault to find the footage. Liger takes Pillman up for a rana from the top for a two. Pillman DDTs Liger from the second rope. Pillman catches Liger and rolls him up for the three. They shake hands after and hug.

Brian Pillman pins Jushin Liger. So far, this is the best match in Nitro history. Seriously though, it’s a very good match. These two always worked well together. It might not be on the level of SuperBrawl but it is good.

Sting is somewhere in the mall and tells Ric Flair that he’s hooking the Scorpion Deathlock on him tonight.

Eric catches up with WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart and brother, we’re at Pastamania. “With Pastamania running through my brain, who’s gonna beat Big Bubba, Hulkamaniacs?” He does promise to give Big Bubba a dose of his Hulkaroos, so that’s nice of him at least. As we all know, Pastamania is no longer open.

WCW U.S. Title: WCW U.S. Champion Sting vs “Nature Boy” Ric Flair

These men had 142 singles matches against each other in their careers and this was #118 of the set. As Sting gets in the ring, we see Lex Luger and his white puffy shirt as Bischoff gives us shock. “Get the camera off him!” They did not get the camera off. The fans chant for “Luger” as Sting is very confused. Sting has chosen purple and pink facepaint tonight.

Sting bodypresses Flair twice to the delight of the crowd. Flair goes down to a hiptoss and Flair tumbles to the outside. Hey, there’s Service Merchandise back there. Eric notes chaos in the locker room. Flair pokes Sting’s eye and gives him some corner chops. Sting muscles out of the corner and presses Flair again, Flair hits Sting with a crossbody and they both fall to the mall floor. Flair chops and is caught again by Sting who presses him back into the ring. Flair begs off, Sting misses the corner splash. Eric says we have to take a break as we see an overhead shot of the ring. It’s only a minute of commercials on Peacock which is a BREEZE compared to what I’ve grown used to on Raw on Netflix.

Sting is body pressing Flair again as Arn Anderson and his Nike wind jacket walk to ringside. Always a style icon. Flair lands a suplex on Sting who muscles up with clotheslines. Flair flops into the corner and runs into a clothesline. Mongo suggests Luger was around because he went to Pastamania for a meal. Sting and Luger counter each other as men who have wrestled 117 previous times should do. Sting superplexes Flair and notices Arn questioning why he is there. That gives Flair the chance to chopblock Sting who locks on the figure-four. Flair grabs the ropes and won’t release, so the referee calls for the bell. Anderson comes in to confront the cheating Flair and they trade blows before brawling down the aisle.

Sting defeats Ric Flair by disqualification and retains the WCW U.S. Title. This was good. Flair and Sting could have a three-star match in their sleep.

Scott Norton appears and yells at Bobby Hennan. Norton shoves Mongo and says he signed a contract and he wants a match on Nitro. Randy Savage is here and shoves Norton, welcoming him and offers a match. Bischoff says no sir and tells Norton to get out of here.

Here’s a look at Sabu. This blew my mind because all I knew of Sabu was from ECW in the wrestling mags and they made him seem like the craziest, coolest guy in the world. His WCW run would not be so cool.

“Mean” Gene Okerlund is in the ring. He congratulates the winner of the WCW Harley-Davidson sweepstakes, Mike Hill in Cullman, Alabama. I need someone to catch up with Mike and see if he got the bike.

Bischoff hypes WCW Saturday Night. We have a double main event: Johnny B. Badd vs Dick Slater and Sting & Savage vs The Bluebloods. Well, one of those sounds like a main event.

Here’s a look at Mr. Wallstreet. People have talked about the new generation, which he calls the “few generation.” BURN. He knows the IRS will be watching him closely. Oh brother.

WCW World Heavyweight Title: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan (with Jimmy Hart) vs Big Bubba Rogers

Rogers very possibly bought the suit he is wearing at Sears in the mall. Bischoff tells us that Savage/Norton is signed for next week in Miami. Bubba works a headlock on Hulk as the fans chant Hulk. I will save Heenan and Mongo did have some fun with each other as the show went on and they kept picking on each other. Hogan rams Bubba’s head into the turnbuckle and walks into an eye poke. Bubba runs into several corner boots. Hogan cheats of course and puts Jimmy’s jacket on Bubba’s head, punching him in the corner. Bubba sells a Hogan clothesline in the corner like he’s having a seizure.

While we had the offense going, I went back to Cagematch and learned these two had 63 singles matches and this was the last one. Hogan hulks up. Big boot, leg drop, and Hulk wins. The Taskmaster, Zodiac and Kamala run out followed by The Shark to attack Hulk, Lex Luger comes for the save. Hogan and Luger back into each other and hold their punches, Hogan asking Luger what he’s doing here.

Hulk Hogan pins Big Bubba Rogers to retain the WCW World Heavyweight Title. I went researching in the middle of the match because it hit me how easily these two worked together. For both of these two, it probably felt like a night off because they’ve done this match dozens of times. It’s your typical Hogan match which is fairly low impact but fine. It didn’t drag on.

Randy Savage and Sting come to separate the two and Hogan tells Luger to go back where he came from, having not come from the same place

WCW presents Fall Brawl: WarGames as WCW. The show benefits MDA.

After a break, Mean Gene is with the chaos in the ring. Luger: “People say that you’re the number one wrestler in the world today. You wear that WCW belt around your waist and you know what, that makes you the only World Heavyweight Champion. I’m here to take that belt.” Luger says he’s been where Hogan has been, beaten the same people he has, and he’s sick of playing with kids. He’s here for the big boys. Hogan says Luger has nothing to prove to him and he’ll put the title on the line next week. They shake and we have a deal. Next week, Hulk Hogan vs Lex Luger for the first time ever.

Pepe in a devil costume has joined commentary. We have Michael Wallstreet as well as Sabu next week plus Savage/Norton and Hogan/Luger. Thanks for joining us, we’ll see you next week on TNT!

A lot has been said over the last thirty years about this episode and it all holds up. In 1995, this felt fresh and new especially with some of what 1995 WWF was giving us on Monday nights. There was a unique setting, there was excitement, and there were surprises. Lex Luger! Sabu! Uh… Michael Wallstreet, I guess. It also helps that it’s over in 45 minutes. This episode holds up as a fun watch thirty years later.