The SmarK Rant for WCW Monday Nitro – 09.16.96
As a reminder, this rant will be immediately available in the Rant Archives link on OneDrive, available now for only $20 via Paypal to skeith@gmail.com!
Hopefully there’s not too much Hogan on this show so it doesn’t have to get awkward. God help us if he’s interacting with Booker T.
Live from Asheville, NC
Your hosts are Tony & Larry
CruelConnectionNumber2: Barbarian is a babyface! For like 2 weeks.
Yes, it wasn’t until 1993 that the fans were finally able to accept what had been true since the 80’s … that the Barbarian was simply the greatest physical specimen to ever set foot on planet earth. These two weeks were the WCW Universe’s way of handing him a lifetime achievement award. “We are not worthy” is the sentiment of the day, and will be carrying us through the next several millennia.
It’s WCW’s most powerful hour, it’s THE Power Hour! TONY SCHIAVONE and LARRY ZBYSZKO have exciting news: they have personally signed a rematch between Cactus Jack and The Barbarian against Vader and Paul Orndorff. Does Tony wield that much influence? Or, is that the gimmick of this show – he who hosts the Hour holds The Power?
Thunder
Date: March 1, 2000
Location: Fargodome, Fargo, North Dakota
Attendance: 5,368
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Bobby Heenan
We’re getting closer to Uncensored, meaning it’s time for more matches that people don’t want to see and characters old enough to be our parents. The big story continues to be Sid vs. Jarrett, with a co-main event of WCW vs. the fans in a battle to make us accept Jarrett as anything but the career midcarder that he is. Let’s get to it.
Monday Nitro #229
Date: February 28, 2000
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Attendance: 4,638
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden
The big story coming out of Thunder is that the old guys are actually starting to mix it up with the younger guys in the form of Dustin Rhodes vs. Terry Funk and Vampiro vs. Ric Flair. I fully expect WCW to screw this up as only they can, but it’s nice to dream for a little while. I’m sure Luger and Hogan will be here tonight to explain how things really work in wrestling. Let’s get to it.
Thunder
Date: February 23, 2000
Location: Lawlor Events Center, Reno, Nevada
Attendance: 3,777
Commentators: Mike Tenay, Bobby Heenan
After Monday it’s very clear that this is the old guys/NWO (assuming you still think of them as the NWO) show. The wrestling has taken a backseat to “let’s see how simple a feud the old guys can put together” and it’s really not working too well. There have been a few glimmers of light with some young guys getting some upgrades lately and hopefully they continue tonight. Let’s get to it.
In the world of professional wrestling, there are shows, there are events, there are special events, and then there’s … THE MAIN EVENT! We have a genuinely stacked show tonight; where both the Barbarian and Cactus Jack get to seek a little redemption against Harley Race’s gang o’ scumbags, and Erik Watts sees his first action since his arrest.
JIM ROSS and MICHAEL P.S. HAYES are your hosts, coming to you LIVE in front of a Green Screen. Superbrawl III, hype hype hype.
The SmarK Rant for WCW Monday Nitro – 08.26.96
The skip weeks for RAW really threw off my recapping mojo, so now we had back a couple of weeks to an unopposed Nitro to get us caught up again.
From Palmetto, FL. Really, THAT city warranted a mention? It’s only a 1500 seat building, too.
Your hosts are Tony & Larry.
Monday Nitro #228
Date: February 21, 2000
Location: Arco Arena, Sacramento, California
Attendance: 9,408
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden
It’s the night after SuperBrawl and almost nothing has changed. That’s about as close to the truth as you can get here as no titles changed hands, unless you count a tournament final for a new champion. The big story continues to be Hogan/Sting vs. Flair/Luger as we’re back in the earliest days of this show, minus Randy Savage. Let’s get to it.
InVerse: This is several years from being relevant to this post, but it felt really important to bring to CFB’s attention but not quite important enough to warrant it’s own thread.
I hadn’t realized prior to this evening just how important InVerse was to me – but reading this, it’s clear we’re going to be inseparable soul mates from this day forward.
SuperBrawl 2000
Date: February 20, 2000
Location: Cow Palace, San Francisco, California
Attendance: 8,569
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden, Mike Tenay
Well the TV shows have been some of the least interesting things I’ve ever had to sit through, so maybe the pay per view will be the complete opposite and be entertaining. I mean, stranger things have happened right? The main events tonight are Sid Vicious defending the World Title against Jeff Jarrett and Scott Hall in a three way, plus Hogan vs. Luger and Funk vs. Flair because they haven’t replaced the Radicalz, but these old guys are still going to be fighting each other no matter who else is on the card. Let’s get to it.
Thunder
Date: February 16, 2000
Location: First Union Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 5,586
Commentators: Bobby Heenan, Mike Tenay
It’s the go home show for SuperBrawl and the old guys abound. The big stories here are Hogan vs. Luger and Flair vs. Funk, one of which I can’t imagine appearing tonight because he’s worked the last two shows in a row. Other than that we get to find out if Prince Iaukea or Psychosis gets to fight Lash Leroux for the Cruiserweight Title. I continue to beg WCW to hire some fresh talent before too late sounds like great days gone by. Let’s get to it.
Monday Nitro #227
Date: February 14, 2000
Location: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York
Attendance: 8,160
Commentators: Tony Schiavone, Mark Madden
It’s SuperBrawl week and you can see most of the card at this point. If you hurry, you can still cover your eyes before your face melts like the Nazi in Raiders of the Lost Ark. The big stories tonight are Hogan vs. Flair and Luger vs. Funk as they mix up the big matches before Sunday. Let’s get to it.
I’ve finally managed to get Worldwide back in the rotation – and not a moment too soon! Z-Man! Johnny Gunn! Nothing but the biggest names on the planet!
TONY SCHIAVONE and JESSE VENTURA welcome us to an actual arena in Alabama. Tony’s displaying a quality part on the mid-right side of his head, with the kind of precision that lets you know, yes, this is the 90’s. PAUL ORNDORFF saunters on camera, and he starts screaming about Rick Rude’s injury. He apparently knows exactly what needs to be done. And what needs doing? Whether it’s Milwaukee, or Philadelphia, he’s going to have a match with Steeng. What of Atlanta? St. Louis? Murfreesboro? Does “Steeng” not work those territories?
