-Got this one done just before the calendar rolled over to March. We continue our look at the PPVs celebrating a 25th anniversary with WCW’s February offering. It’s Hogan/Piper II (for WCW) and this time it is for the World Title. Let’s get to it!
-Announce Team: Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
-Date: Feb 23, 1997
-The Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA
-Attendance: 13,324
-PPV Buys: 275,000 (up 105,000 from Souled Out last month)
-We head to Alcatraz where Roddy Piper gets let out of his prison cell after spending a week there to get ready for this match with Hogan. Piper then takes a boat across the Bay and generally acts like a madman. Dude was just a head of his time for Monster’s Ball matches in TNA.
-Tony Schiavone welcomes us to the show and he, Dusty and Bobby hype Hogan/Piper II (again, II in WCW). Schiavone then throws to video of Syxx stealing the Cruiserweight Title from Eddie Guerrero at Starrcade and then the CW Title from Dean Malenko, which leads to:
WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Dean Malenko (c) vs. Syxx
-Dean looks pissed as he marches down to the ring and the fight is on before the bell rings. Tony brings up that Syxx was trained by Dean’s father Boris and Syxx has used that to get under the skin of Dean. Malenko blitzes Syxx and seemingly has the match won but pulls Syxx up at two as he wants to continue the beating. Brainbuster gets two as Dean just backs off the cover. Even Tony is questioning the strategy now. Dean just stomps on Syxx’s face and catches him coming out of the corner with a powerslam for two. Dean goes to a chinlock as the crowd starts a “1 2 3” chant. Dean pounds away in the corner, but gets sent into the corner. Syxx tries for what would become the Bronco Buster, but Dean avoids. Cloverleaf is blocked by Syxx, but Dean just continues to pound away and hits a cross-body that sends both men over the top to the floor. Syxx misses a spin kick and Dean drops him with a clothesline. Back inside the ring Dean misses a clothesline and Syxx finally lands a kick to the head to stop the onslaught. To the corner where Syxx fires off his arsenal of kicks and now gets The Bronco Buster. Lightning leg drop gets a two count. Syxx fires off some chops and gets a sleeper, but Dean breaks in the corner rather easily. Syxx goes back to it, but a belly to back suplex forces a break and also gets Dean a two count. Syxx up first and lands some more head kicks and then heavy chops in the corner. Syxx hangs Dean over the apron and comes off the top with an elbow. Back in the ring a suplex from Syxx and then he heads up top and comes off with the leg drop for two. Dean up and charges, but gets caught in the sleeper for a third time. A massive “1 2 3 Sucks” chant breaks out as the sleeper gets taken to the ground. Dean uses the corner to break again and ends up getting a sleeper of his own. That gets broken up as they bang heads. Syxx up top, but Dean crotches him and then meets him up there. Top rope belly to back suplex, but Syxx kind of turns and ends up landing on his stomach while Malenko took most of the move on the back of his head. Syxx grabs the CW Title and here comes Eddie Guerrero. Eddie and Syxx play tug of war while Malenko pulls Syxx by the hair. Eddie loses his grip and the title splats Dean in the face which gives Syxx the easy cover for the win at 12:02. Heenan is all over Guerrero for costing Dean this one and tells everyone to just mind their own business. He’s not lying!
Winner and New WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Syxx via pin at 12:02
-They had to pull the trigger on Syxx winning a title at some point and the cruiserweight division was obviously the best place for him. Good match that never hit the next gear as it wasn’t given a ton of time. ***1/4
-Mean Gene is backstage to plug his hotline as apparently a prominent WCW Star was having breakfast in San Fran with Bischoff, Hogan, and Nash. He brings in DDP who has a match tonight against someone from the nWo. Page goes through the list of who it could be, and Gene gets told that it will be Buff Bagwell. Page is cool with that.
Trios Match: Konnan, La Parka, Villano IV vs. Juventud Guerrera, Ciclope, Super Calo
-Mike Tenay joins commentary as he is one to do with anything involving the luchadores. Villano and Ciclope start as Tenay talks about Ray Stevens which has Bobby getting emotional. That’s pretty awesome! We get some armdrags being traded and then a stalemate, so they tag out. Now it’s Konnan vs. Juvie and they know each other very well. Konnan gets a rolling lariat, but misses another and gets taken down with a head scissors. Juventud hits a springboard dropkick, but gets dumped with a wheelbarrow slam. Ciclope gets planted with a powerbomb as the crowd is popping for everything. Calo in and he ends up in the Tree of Woe, but La Parka misses a spear. Calo gets caught with a boot and then a clothesline. Parka ends up on the floor and Calo gets a slingshot Senton on the floor. Damn! Springboard from the middle rope misses, so La Parka breaks out a chair. He sets Calo in it and heads back in the ring to hit a suicide dive. Ciclope and Villano back in the ring as they trade some moves before heading back to the floor. Ciclope springs off for a dive and just completely whiffs as he was nowhere near Villano as he crashes to the floor. That had to suck as Villano couldn’t even get near him to break the fall. Juvie back in and he hits a somersault plancha from the top. He throws some chops to Villano. La Parka off the top on Juvie and then they fight on the top. Something goes bad as they blow whatever they were trying. La Parka just hangs out on the ropes, so Juvie gets a springboard into a rana for two. Doomsday Device from Konnan and Villano. Juvie gets planted with a double powerbomb and we get all six men involved in a rolling cradle as this is falling apart. Juvie gets tossed over the top to the floor by Konnan in a crazy bump. The Star (as called by Tenay) is applied and La Parka gets Juvie in an upside dive surfboard in the middle of it all. Now to the floor for Triple Suicide Dives. Twenty five years later and this is still crazy. In the ring Juvie gets a cradle on Konnan for two. Konnan has had enough and drops Juvie with the elevated sit-out powerbomb for the win at 9:56. Weird ending as it looked like Juvie may have kicked out and even commentary thought he did, but the ref said otherwise. Replay shows it was probably the right call.
Winners: Konnan, La Parka, and Villano IV via pin at 9:56
-They were like 60% at things hitting in this match it seemed. It mean, you can’t say it boring, but it broke down after Ciclope nearly killed himself on the botched quebrada. Still a spot-fest! **3/4
WCW Television Title: Prince Iaukea vs. Rey Mysterio, Jr.
-Iaukea had just won the TV Title from Regal because The Rock had just won the IC Title from Triple H on RAW. The Monday Night Wars were a crazy time! Arm ringer from Prince, which gets reversed by Mysterio and they work off that for a bit. Another go and this time we get some mat wrestling. Rey grabs a side headlock and then lands a dropkick. Iaukea ends up on the apron and springboards over Rey and then hits him with a superkick. They head to the floor where Rey gets slammed on the apron. Iaukea heads up top and comes off with a cross-body to the floor. Back in the ring Prince lands a leg drop for a two count. Nice vertical suplex gets another two count as Iaukea looks gassed. Apparently, he is as he hooks a headlock to get a chance to suck down some oxygen. He gets a gorilla press into a backbreaker as the crowd starts booing him. He heads up, but Rey catches him with a dropkick on the way down. Rey is up and gets a rana that sends Prince over the top to the floor. Rey gets a basement dropkick and then hits a suicide dive into a senton. That was wild! 1995-1997 Rey was just something else man! Back in the ring Rey ends up on the apron, so he just hits a double springboard into a moonsault press for two. Spin wheel kick and then a springboard into a split legged moonsault gets two. Rey avoids a hiptoss by bouncing off the ropes. He heads up top, but Iaukea meets him up there and brings him down with a Super Samoan Drop. Steven Regal is out and while the ref and Prince are distracted, he pulls Rey off the apron causing him to land face first. He gets rolled back in the ring and Iaukea gets the win at 8:56.
Winner and Still WCW TV Champion: Prince Iaukea via pin at 8:56
-Bad ending to a solid match that was picking up towards the end. Rey did all he could here, but Iaukea was still a bit out of his league as this point in his career. **1/2
-Iaukea tries to give the belt to Rey as he doesn’t want to win that way, but obviously Rey isn’t going to take it either. Heenan lets us know that he will take it as it has to be worth something. I love The Brain!
-To the back where Gene is with The Giant. He isn’t falling for the mind games of The Outsiders. He guarantees he will be walking out with the tag titles tonight.
Buff Bagwell vs. Diamond Dallas Page
-Dusty calling Bagwell, “Buffy” always makes me crack up for some reason! DDP is still puffing on the cigar during his entrance. That would disappear not long after this and traded in for some athletic tape around the ribs thanks to his upcoming wars with Savage. The crowd is behind DDP as his star was still on the rise after turning down the nWo. DDP gets a hammerlock and then offers a clean break. Bagwell pulls the hair and then bails between the ropes to frustrate DDP. Bagwell stalls as he yells at the crowd. Another go and Page gets a standing side headlock. He hits a back elbow and then a rolling neckbreaker to pop the crowd. They love them some DDP! They head to the floor and then back on the apron where Bagwell hangs Page up on the top rope throat first. He lays the boots in and chokes on the bottom rope. Tornado DDT from Bagwell that looked nearly like a Diamond Cutter or a screwed up bulldog. Not sure what happened there! Back elbow gets a two count. DDP gets a small package for two and then a roll-up for another two count. Bagwell lands a clothesline and then shoves the ref as he yells about a slow count. Dickinson pops the crowd as he shoves Bagwell on his ass and backs him down. That lets DDP recover as he hits the discus lariat to leave both men down. Big time DDP chant as he rallies behind the crowd. Page with an atomic drop followed by a sit-out powerbomb for two. A blind charge bites him as Bagwell lands a back elbow and gets two while also uses the ropes for leverage. Page back with a roll-up for two. Bagwell mounts in the corner, but Page walks out and drops Bagwell face first on the turnbuckle. Diamond Cutter is blocked into backslide for two. Fisherman’s Suplex from Bagwell, but he releases as he demands the ref count Page out for a 10 count. Well, that’s dumb! I mean, I know Bagwell just turned heel, but Page should have steamrolled him here. Reverse neckbreaker is countered into The Diamond Cutter, but no pin as Syxx, Vincent, Wallstreet, and Nick Patrick hit the ring at 9:47.
Winner: Diamond Dallas Page via DQ at 9:47
-Kind of dull, but okay. Buff was still working out the kinks of this new character while Page was getting more comfortable with his new found popularity. Dumb finish though as Bagwell should have eaten the pin here. **
WCW United States Champion: Eddie Guerrero (c) vs. Chris Jericho
-Production error as the graphic noted this was a TV Championship match. Two future WW(F)E Champions going at it here! Eddie gets a quick armdrag to start and then works the arm. Snapmare, but Jericho rolls and gets a hammerlock as he demands the ref “ask him.” Eddie to his feet and he gets a trip as Tony tells us this is the new blood of the sport. No kidding, but sadly they blew it with both of them. Eddie lands a leg lariat and a suplex for a two count. Side headlock, but Jericho breaks that with a belly to back suplex for a one count. Jericho hooks an abdominal stretch, but Eddie is out and we get a test of strength. Eddie loses that battle, and Jericho ends up getting a suplex into a bridge for two. Backslide gets another two count as this crowd is dead right now. Delayed vertical suplex gets another two count. Eddie with a trip into a pin for one and Jericho is back at him and it’s a stalemate. Jericho with a spinebuster into The Lion Tamer, though it was only a Boston Crab at this point in his WCW run. Jericho goes to a chinlock as a “boring” chant breaks out and even the camera pans around the crowd. Jericho with a backbreaker submission and he drops straight down to put all the pressure on Eddie’s back. Jericho springs to the top, but misses a cross-body and gets mowed down by a lariat. Powerbomb into a jack-knife covers gets two for Eddie. Brainbuster follows and Eddie heads up top. Jericho moves, but Eddie rolls through on the way down. Jericho counters a hold into a release German Suplex for two. Jericho with what become the Code Breaker, but Eddie flips off but then gets tossed across the ring with a release belly to belly suplex. Jericho drops Eddie balls first on the top rope and hits the springboard dropkick. Then he springs off the middle over the top to the floor with a splash onto Eddie. Again, they are having a high quality match here, but the crowd wants nothing to do with it. Back inside the ring Eddie gets a backslide for two as the fans start to boo again. They try to kick each other and crash and burn. Again they think of the same move and they collide. Both up and Jericho catches Eddie charging with a powerslam for two. Standing side kick from Jericho and then a roll-up for two. Charge in the corner catches an elbow. Eddie looks for a Tornado DDT, but Jericho counters into a bringing suplex for two. The crowd boos as they want this one over. Jericho preps for a powerbomb, but Eddie flips over into a sunset flip for the win at 12:01.
Winner and Still United States Champion: Chris Jericho via pin at 12:01
-Weird one here as the crowd wanted nothing to do with this match and no matter what they did, it wasn’t going to make the crowd care. I think it messed with both of them, but they powered through and gave us a solid match that would have hit better even a year later when the fans were into both men. ***1/4
Triangle Match: Faces of Fear vs. The Public Enemy vs. Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri)
-Rocco Rock is sporting a bald head in this one. Barbarian and Rock start as this is anyone can tag anyone rules. Barbarian hits a powerslam for two, but is out as Stevie Ray makes a blind tag. He pounds away on Rock and gets a Gorilla Press Slam for two as Meng makes the save. Tag to Grunge but he gets kicked in the back of the head by Booker on the apron and the by Stevie Ray. Booker is tagged in and gets a two count off a side kick. Tag back to Stevie Ray as he hits a lariat. Heat double team Grunge as the ref gets Rock out of the ring. Sidewalk slam from Booker, but an elbow drops misses. A Harlem Sidekick doesn’t miss however. Hey, the crowd is back from the dead! Barbarian decks Booker from the apron and Meng tags himself in in place of Grunge. He stomps away and throws a dropkick which gets a two count. Clubbering in the corner from the Face of Fear pop Dusty and the crowd. Barbarian in and he hits a top rope belly to belly suplex for two. I always loved that spot from Barbarian! Booker gets a roll-up for two, but Barbarian goes to the eyes and then gets a running lariat. Heenan tries to tell us The Faces of Fear are savages that live in trees and Dusty and Tony shoot all of that down. Smart men! Meng and Barbarian hit a double head bit from the middle rope a something clunky is happening with this match. Meng with a backdrop of Booker where Barbarian catches him in mid-air and hits a powerbomb. Cool! Faces of Fear were great! Everyone finally gets involved including Sherri and that leaves Barbarian alone with The Public Enemy. Barbarian preps for a powerbomb, but Grunge comes off the top onto both men and that lets Rock roll over for the pin at 7:43.
Winners: The Public Enemy via pin at 7:43
-They were still working out the kinks of a triangle match and really this would have been better as Tornado Tag where they were just left to cut loose. Public Enemy getting the win was a shock however. This was clunky in spots and a dull in others. FOF looked good though! *1/2
Grudge Match: Steve McMichael (w/ Debra) vs. Jeff Jarrett
-If Jarrett wins he gets to become a member of The 4 Horsemen. Jarrett gets booed out of the building as again, he just didn’t work at all in this run with WCW. Jarrett gets a hiptoss and struts and again, crowd boos the crap out of him. Jarrett toys with Mongo and then poses on the top rope. Mongo misses a charge in the corner, but catches Jarrett trying to float over and hits a powerslam. He throws shoulder tackles at the knees as Jarrett bails to the floor. Debra slows Mongo down and that lets Jarrett land a below from behind. Debra lets us know that she wanted the match back in the ring. Jarrett hooks an abdominal stretch and uses the ropes for good measure, so Debra smacks his hand with the briefcase. Dusty, Tony, and Brain are loving this as they joke Debra is doing a better job keeping this a fair fight than anyone else ever has. Press slam from Mongo and Jarrett bails to the floor again. Debra towels Jarrett down, but Mongo is out and he chokes Jeff with the towel. He drops Jarrett throat first on the guard rail. Back in the ring Mongo sets too early on backdrop and Jarrett plants him face first into the mat. Jarrett chokes on the middle rope and tells the ref he has to five. Somewhere in Washington someone was taking notes! Jarrett takes a lazy cover and it lets Mongo grab the bottom rope to break. Jarrett to a sleeper, but Mongo breaks easily and gets a sleeper of his own. Jarrett uses a belly to back suplex to break. Debra tells the camera she doesn’t know which one to help. Brain: “the one that pays your bills.” The one thing I have noticed about these WCW shows is how much the commentary makes me happy. Modified spinebuster from Mongo gets a two count. Jarrett back with a slam and he heads up top. He comes off with a cross-body for two and on the kick-out he lands on the ref. Mongo wants the briefcase, but Debra won’t do it. She then just tosses it over her head and Jarrett grabs it first and just waffles Mongo in the head. That’s enough for the win at 8:12.
Winner: Jeff Jarrett via pin at 8:12
-This was better than I remember as they kept it short and Jarrett is pro enough to lead Mongo around. You knew Debra was going to play a role in this somehow and the way it was done was fine. **
San Francisco Death Match: Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jacquelyn and Jimmy Hart) vs. Chris Benoit (w/ Woman)
-I will be happy when this feud is over as it just hard to watch anymore. Woman and Jackie are strapped together and then all hell breaks loose as all four start beating on each other. Jackie and Woman trade shots with the strap on the outside while Benoit and Sullivan just punch each other in the face repeatedly. Sullivan lands a backdrop, but Benoit is back with chops and then heads to the top rope. Sullivan up and tosses him to the mat. Double underhook suplex from Sullivan as the women head back into the ring. Woman wears her out with the strap and Sullivan tries to get involved and gets kicked in his balls. The crowd is loving all of this! Jackie whips Benoit which lets Sullivan get the strap and he hangs Benoit from the top rope. Geez! Again, I will be happy when this feud is over! Jackie kicks Benoit in the balls and then the women hit the men with a clothesline. Benoit and Sullivan head to the floor while the women continue their battle in the ring. They fight up the aisle and Sullivan gets a thumb to the eye. Credit to Woman and Jackie for doing work here and tearing into each other. The men continue their brawl into the crowd and head near the parking lot of the building. Sullivan lands a slam on a nearby cart and then tosses a trashcan at Benoit. That seemingly woke him up as he throws the can back at Sullivan. They head back through the crowd while Jackie is choking Woman with the strap back in the ring. Sullivan with a kick to the balls as they head back into the ring. Benoit gets tied in the Tree of Woe and Sullivan hits a running knee. The Double Stomp follows, but Woman breaks up the fall with the strap. Benoit spikes him with a piledriver and then heads to the floor where he pulls out a table. Tony points out Public Enemy left that behind and come to think of it, that table was never used in that match. Sullivan gets put on the table as Benoit heads up. Jackie decks Woman and then covers Sullivan, but Benoit just dives off onto both with the flying headbutt. Benoit makes the cover under the table and Mark Curtis just shakes his head and makes the count to end this at 8:33.
Winner: Chris Benoit via pin at 8:33
-Short and violent that the crowd ate it up. This was something right out of ECW minus the blood and fewer weapon shots. Again, it’s hard to watch this feud and separate what sadly happens, but as a match this was what the fans wanted and was crazy for the time. ***1/4
-Arn Anderson is watching from the aisle and just shakes his head. Paul Orndorf is down to check Sullivan and Jackie. Lee Marshall, and Terry Taylor are also out to check on everyone. EMTS hit the ring with stretchers to carry Benoit, Sullivan, and Jackie out of the arena. They get loaded in separate ambulances as Benoit is also on oxygen. To think we were still five months away from the final blow-off in this feud!
-Uncensored commercial! That will be next up for me and I still have to figure out what I want to do on the WWE side of things as I already covered WrestleMania 13 years ago.
WCW World Tag Team Titles: The Outsiders (c) (w/ Syxx) vs. The Giant
-So, this was to be Giant and Lex Luger challenging, but The Outsiders ran Luger off the road (while recording it) and he isn’t cleared to compete, so Giant has to make a go of it on his own. Hall wins rock, paper, scissors and will be starting the match. Hall throws his toothpick in Giant’s face and I question that strategy. Lockup and Hall buries a knee, but gets caught with a back elbow that drops him. Another go and this Hall gets a flurry before Giant just tosses him around the ring. He throws heavy chops in the corner and hits a slam. Hall spits on Giant and makes the tag to Nash. The crowd is ready for this one! Nash wins the early exchange and gets a running lariat in the corner. Giant back with one of his own and Hall comes in to eat one as well. Giant fires off a dropkick that sends Nash over the top to the floor. Wow! He carries Nash around like a child and runs him back first into the post. Back inside an elbow drop gets a two count as Hall makes the save. Syxx comes off the top with a belt shot which lets Nash hit a boot. Hall off the ropes with a bulldog to get the big man of his feet and that gets a two count. The crowd really wants Lex Luger down here now! Nash works Giant over in the corner with some knees and then chokes with his boot. Hall runs the apron and delivers a clothesline for good measure. Giant gets choked out on the middle rope and Hall hits a leg drop on the apron. Syxx throws a kick that misses so much that the announcers have to even call it a miss. Tag to Hall and he punches away in the corner, but Giant just keeps shoving him down. Nash back in and runs into a big boot. Syxx comes off the top, but gets caught and press slammed on Nash. Hall gras the belt and decks Giant from behind. NASH HITS A PICTURE PERFECT POWERBOMB THAT BLOWS THE ROOF OFF THE PLACE! That was all kinds of impressive and actually had a screen shot of it as my background on my desktop in high school. What happened with the Souled Out one years later where it looked like he broke Giant’s neck? Nash’s back is gone now and here comes Luger. Bischoff tries to stop him, but gets tossed on his ass. Luger runs wild in the ring and gets the tag. He puts Nash in the Torture Rack and that ends this one at 8:53. Giant hits a chokeslam on Hall and covers him which Curtis counts just to cover all the bases.
Winners and New WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Giant and Lex Luger via submission at 8:53
-Short and fun! The crowd loved it and it didn’t overstay it’s welcome. Plus you had Nash hitting a powerbomb on The Giant. Of course the decision wasn’t going to stand, but it was fun and the crowd bought it. ***1/4
WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Hollywood Hulk Hogan (c) (w/ Ted Dibiase and Vincent) vs. Rowdy Roddy Piper
-The ref has to hold Piper back as Hogan spits on his kilt. Props to Pipe for committing to the Alcatraz gimmick as he looks like crap. The bell sounds and Hogan immediately stalls on the floor. Hogan decides to leave, but Piper gives chase and the brawl is on the floor. Piper rolls Hogan back into the ring and pounds away with rights. He hits a shot to the eyes and then to the balls. Lot of that going on tonight! Piper bites the forehead and uses his t-shirt to choke as the crowd is losing it. Hogan tries to crawl away, but Piper is back with the shirt to choke some more. Hogan gets rammed into the railing and then into the ring post. Piper grabs a chair and throws it at Hogan’s which should be a DQ, but whatever. Hogan lands a low blow, but Piper no sells and rakes the eyes and face. Wallstreet is out and Piper makes short work of him. Tony harps about the nWo interfering being a DQ, but I mean the ref just watched Piper hit Hogan in the head with a chair. Hogan tries to attack the bad leg, but nothing is working as Piper continues the beating all around the ring. He drops Hogan crotch first on the top rope and in the aisle it’s Sting and Randy Savage. Savage heads towards the ring and Sting tries to stop him, but Savage blows him off and is at ringside now. I mean, even as a 15-year-old I knew where this was going. The crowd wants Sting, but he takes his leave. Meanwhile back in the ring Hogan has turned things around and starts beating on Piper. He gets a back rake and then runs Piper back first into the post. Next he wraps the bad leg around the post. I mean, Savage is dressed in black and with lightning bolts all over him just like Hogan. Hogan goes to a bear hug which gets the reaction he wants as the crowd starts a loud “Roddy” chant. Piper kicks out of a few pin attempts as Hogan maintains the hold on the mat. Piper claps Hogan’s ears to break, but Hogan switches to a choke. Elbow is missed and Piper just crazy with fists to the head. Hogan goes to a low blow, and looks for a slam, but Piper slides off and gets the sleeper which won the Starrcade match. Hogan is out and we have a new World Champion at 10:10. Savage puts Hogan’s feet under the ropes and apparently that is enough for Curtis to think he screwed up and we get a restart. Savage hands Hogan some brass knuckles and he waffles Piper for the pin at 10:57.
Winner and Still WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Hulk Hogan via pin at 10:57
-I wonder if Hogan screwed up by not getting his feet under the bottom rope? The announcers basically ignored that Savage pulled his feet under the ropes. This was basically a fight instead of wrestling match which is fine. The crowd loved it and again, they kept it short enough. I found the Starrcade match more enjoyable because of the non-screwy finish, but they were in the same ballpark. Also, Hogan using brass knuckles seems fair to me since Piper used a chair first. **
-Savage pounds away on Piper after the match and tags him with the spray paint as we have a new member of the nWo. Savage hits the flying elbow and then Hogan drops the leg which is MDK as far as 80s finishers go. Another elbow drop and another leg drop as we go off the air with the nWo celebrating.
-Thanks for reading!
7.0
The final score: reviewGood
The 411
There is enough here to classify this as a good show, but was missing that show stealing classic to put it over the top. WCW was finding their groove as the nWo was giving the fans all the star power they wanted and the undercard was giving us a little bit of everything.