Report for Monday the 15th


Nitro opened with its first match between Public Enemy and Hugh Morrus and Barbarian in a Philadelphia Street Fight. It seems kind of dumb to me that the ex-Dungeon of Doomers keeps getting into these no-rule brawls with Public Enemy. After using cookie trays and garbage cans, Public Enemy eventually pinned the Barbarian outside the ring for the victory. Next, Mene Gene interviewed Macho Man. He went on to say that in order for DDP to join the Wolfpac, he first had to beat him in a steel cage. In the next match, Benoit staked his claim in WCW's competitive TV title scene with a convincing victory over the mad Irishman and former WCW Television Champion. Finlay seemed to have the match well in hand, but an attempt at the tombstone piledriver was countered by a Benoit armbar takedown and the immediate application of the Crippler Crossface. Finlay submitted. Post-match, Steve McMichael joined Benoit in the ring and the two, together, held up four fingers, indicative of their Horseman alliance. Before McMichael came out, Benoit was interviewed by Mene Gene and when he was asked what he thought of Booker T., he invited Booker to ring to face him as a man. Everybody suspected he was going to beat him down but instead, he showed his sportsmanship by raising Booker T's arm and then telling him that if he ever needed a partner, then Benoit was behind him. This didn't go to well with Stevie Ray, and after telling Benoit that Stevie already had a partner, he then started beating him. That is when McMichael came out. Piper then came out, and told Savage that he was crazy. Since he is the commisioner, he agreed to let the cage match go on and he said since nobody else was crazy enough, he would be the special referee. Masa Hiro Chono and Tenzan d High Voltage The NWO imports from the Orient had a lot of trouble against the Power Plant graduates, finding themselves victim to double teams and suplexes. However, the two rebounded and eventually scored the win via a Chono Mafia kick on one of the muscled youngsters. Next, the wrestling world was blessed by the appearence of Nash, Luger, and Konnan. They first talked about how the last member to join the Pac was the first to bring home gold, and then Konnan went on to say that the Wofpac was in the house and they were ROWDY, ROWDY, and BOUT IT BOUT IT. They then introduced Sting and he came to the ring with a big smile on his face. He explained how no matter who he chose, he was going to have a great partner and the fans would have to wait to see who it was until the title match. In the next match, Canyon defeated Sick Boy with a flatliner. Curt Henning and Rick Rude cam out next and told Goldberg that his greatest fear was defeat and that they were both going to make him face his fears. Henning claimed that he would never turn his back on Rude, but I din't beleive him by the look on his face. In a dissapointing announcement made, JJ Dillon named Chris Jericho the Cruserweight Champion. He said since there was no champ going into the match, and Malenko got D-Qed, Jericho had to be the champ. After Jericho received the belt, he made a remark about Malenko's dad and MAlenko came running out and they fought all the way to the back, very much like the PPV match. In another match which was just there to take up time, between the Giant and Chris Adams, the Giant once again waled to the ring smoking a cigarette. After telling Adams to wait a second, Adams tryed to attack him but he just hit him and knocked him down. The second time Adams touched him, he put out his cigarette and then chokeslammed him and pinned him by standing on him. Next, was the long awaited match between Sting and his unknown tage team partner and the Harlem Heat. When he came out, he brought with him Kevin Nash. Under normal circumstances, the two couldn't have picked a tougher first defense than a match against the eight time former champions. But the two brothers looked rusty in their first match since a Stevie Ray injury vaulted Booker T. into singles competition. Stevie Ray seemed all too eager to share his half of the tag load and, when mugging in the ring, fell victim to a Scorpion Death Drop from Sting. The Dark One covered for the pin. The last match of the night, was between DDP and Macho Man in the steel Cage Match. The guest referee Piper called the action down the middle. But much to the Scotsman's surprise, both Savage and Page turned and attacked him. As the three brawled in the ring, mysterious forces lifted the cage and Hollywood Hogan's NWO group-- including Tenzan and Chono-- attacked. As the Wolfpac ran ringside for the save, the cage lowered, leaving the three fighters vulnerable to attacks from Hogan, Bischoff, and other members of the black-and-white. Kevin Nash eventually gained control of the cage apparatus and lifted the covered steel fencing. This allowed Sting, Lex Luger, and the rest of the Wolfpac to chase Hogan and his cronies from the ring.