Road Wild ’97

(All screen captures are the property of World Wrestling Entertainment)

Road Wild

August 9, 1997

Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

Sturgis, South Dakota

News & Notes: I apologize for canceling the live-tweet. Something personal came up. But I’m back in time for my review of Road Wild. Lex Luger defeated Hollywood Hogan on the 100^th episode of Nitro. Now he defends his title in a rematch with Hogan. Plus, The Steiner Brothers finally get their hands on The Outsiders. The Giant faces Randy Savage. And DDP looks for revenge on Curt Hennig.

Meanwhile, there were other developments on Nitro. JJ Dillon went contract crazy. But none of them worked out the way he intended. First, Dillon offered a contract to Raven. This confused Raven because he didn’t negotiate with them. It was Stevie Richards who did it. When Raven learned of this, he spat on Stevie and punched him. Richards tried a second time and got the same result. However, Richards blocked Raven’s punch. He finally had enough and said, “You will not abuse me anymore!” Then JJ Dillon prepared a contract for Sting. WCW reviewed the tape of Bash at the Beach. They knew that Sting was Nash in disguise. So Dillon believed Sting was on their side. WCW wanted Sting to wrestle again. So JJ offered Sting a match contract—with Curt Hennig. Sting ripped it in half and walked away. But Dillon vowed to keep trying.

I have a few more details before we begin. First, Eddie Guerrero’s heel turn continued. He faced Chavo one-on-one. Chavo fought well, but he lost. Eddie then gave Chavo more Frog Splashes until Hector stopped him. So Eddie fought Hector the following week. Dean Malenko attacked Eddie after the bout and put him in the Cloverleaf. Hector made Dean release the hold. But Eddie didn’t care. He left Hector to his fate. Eddie walked away while Malenko beat up Hector. Next, there was a title change on Nitro. Ultimo Dragon regained the TV title by defeating Steven Regal. Finally, Larry Zbyszko had enough of Eric Bischoff’s crap. Bischoff took over the announce table. But Larry confronted him. Zbyszko yelled at Eric and the two scuffled. Larry then dragged Bischoff to the ring and threw him to The Giant. Bischoff received a chokeslam from The Giant, much to the commentators’ delight.

Everything is rumbling at WCW’s Road Wild! The nWo blanketed the world with their propaganda. But now their world is crumbling. Lex Luger recaptured the WCW world title. Will it be a short trip of victory for Luger. Or is it a long road of defeat for Hollywood Hogan?

Tony Schiavone welcomes everyone to Sturgis. He speaks about the motorcycle rally while we get helicopter shots of the town. They also show various bikers, who almost drown out Tony with their engines. The commentators believe the nWo is done if WCW wins all their matches. (Yeah, right.) But Heenan says that’s easier said than done. Hogan won’t walk away. Meanwhile, Dusty is ready to go. Let’s get it on!

Harlem Heat vs. Vicious & Delicious (w/ Vincent)

Notes: Harlem Heat called out The Outsiders, but Nash faked an injury after Bash at the Beach. Booker & Stevie got Hall & Syxx instead. The bout ended when Nash left his wheelchair and caused Harlem Heat to lose. Then Harlem Heat’s issues with the nWo continued. Booker faced Buff Bagwell on Nitro. But Stevie was absent. Vicious & Delicious took advantage of this. They attacked Booker after the bell. The commentators wondered where Booker’s brother was. We never got that answer. Stevie returned on the 100^th Nitro. He helped Booker take out his frustrations on Vincent. (On a side note, Harlem Heat gets a much better reaction this year. Thank goodness. Also, Harlem Heat promised a surprise during this bout.)

The Match: Booker and Buff start, but Vicious & Delicious takes control. They use hip tosses, dropkicks, strikes, and corner splashes. Norton also nails a side slam on Stevie. But Booker kicks Norton from behind and Stevie hits a sidekick. Booker then tags and continues the attack with a jumping forearm. Vicious & Delicious almost rally when Buff tags. But Stevie low-bridges Bagwell and attacks him on the floor. Harlem Heat then uses scissor kicks, chinlocks, and a fisherman’s buster. Meanwhile, Jacquelyn appears in Harlem Heat’s corner. She cheers them while Harlem Heat controls the bout with more chinlocks. But Buff fights back and reverses a powerbomb. He then tags Norton, who cleans house with clotheslines and shoulder tackles. Everyone brawls until Vincent trips Stevie and pulls him outside. This allows Norton to hit a shoulderbreaker on Booker. However, Miss Jackie jumps on Scott’s back. Booker uses the opening to land two Harlem Sidekicks. Jackie then holds Norton’s foot for the pin.

Thoughts: This was basic. The finish was interesting, but the rest wasn’t. Plus, it was oddly structured. Harlem Heat wrestled as the heels. Vicious & Delicious had the hot tags and rallies. Then Harlem Heat won by cheating. It seemed backward. I get what they went for. But it fell flat.

Winners: Harlem Heat (10:20)

Harlem Heat celebrates with Jacquelyn. Booker says it’s on like neck bone. Jackie says something too, but I couldn’t hear her. Then Stevie raises Jackie’s arm as they leave.

Meanwhile, The Steiners and Ted DiBiase are on wcwwrestling.com. The intern asks why Ted chose to manage the Steiner Brothers. Ted says they represent traditional wrestling. The Steiners have an amateur background. He says more, but Tony speaks over him. The Steiners stand in the background throughout the segment. Rick looks odd because he’s wearing his headgear like a hat. As the segment ends, Heenan loses his train of thought. He spotted a hot biker woman and started choking.

Mexican Death Match: Konnan vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.

Notes: Konnan joined the nWo. Nash welcomed him into the group. He said K-Dawg earned his spot by injuring Mysterio’s leg. Then Gene interviewed the injured Mysterio. Rey stood on crutches until Konnan kicked them out from under Rey. Other luchadores came to Mysterio’s aid. So Konnan vowed to injure them. La Parka was first. K-Dawg kicked Parka’s chair back into his face. Next was Psychosis. However, Rey came to his rescue. It appeared Mysterio was still injured. But it was a ruse! Mysterio broke his crutch over Konnan’s back. So WCW booked this Mexican Death Match. It’s a fancy way to say there are no disqualifications.

The Match: Rey nails strikes and springboard dropkicks and headscissors. But Konnan presses Mysterio into the corner and nails a rolling clothesline. Then Konnan focuses on Rey’s knee. He puts Rey in a deathlock. Rey rallies and does a slingshot headscissors. But his knee buckles and Konnan pounces on the injury. Konnan uses more leg holds and attacks until Rey can’t stand. Then Konnan tries to remove Mysterio’s mask. It takes forever, but he gets it off. However, Rey pokes Konnan’s eyes and puts the mask back on. Rey then lands dropkicks, leg drops, and a springboard moonsault. But it hurts his knee again. Konnan capitalizes with low dropkicks and a stump puller. Rey fights back with a wheelbarrow arm drag and a victory roll. Mysterio also uses his own low dropkicks and slowly climbs the turnbuckles. He takes too long and Konnan catches him. Konnan turns the move into a cradle DDT. He follows with the Tequila Sunrise for the victory.

Thoughts: This was slow and plodding. I liked Rey’s selling. He did his best to make this dramatic. But it was dull. I liked the finishing sequence, but it wasn’t enough to turn this around. This show is off to a flat start.

Winner: Konnan (10:20)

Konnan refuses to release the Tequila Sunrise. The ref yells, but Konnan ignores him. He lets go when he’s ready and poses for the camera. More officials arrive. Chuck Tache puts Rey’s leg in a splint while the refs keep Konnan in the corner.

Then Mean Gene shows off his new tattoo. He doesn’t remember how it happened. But he’ll wear it the rest of his life. (It looks a little like Shawn Michaels’ tattoo.) Gene also plugs the hotline. There are two new managers in WCW. One is a former world champ. The other is a story that’s developing as they speak. Call the hotline for more information!

Elimination Match: Steve McMichael & Chris Benoit vs. Jeff Jarrett & Dean Malenko (w/ Queen Debra)

Notes: Debra claimed she turned on Mongo because he’s a has-been. She hated living in his shadow. Her new man Jeff Jarrett defended his US title against Flair. But Mongo & Benoit attacked Jarrett. So Jeff sought someone to watch his back. He approached Malenko. Jeff offered to help him with his Guerrero problem if Dean did the same for him. Malenko pointed out Jarrett had no issue using Eddie’s interference to win the US belt. So Jeff proved himself by helping Dean beat up Hector & Chavo Guerrero. Malenko reluctantly agreed to team with Jeff. But he wouldn’t strut with him, no matter how often Jeff tried. Jeff & Dean then defeated the Guerreros in a match. They also started a brawl with the Horsemen after a Benoit vs. Syxx bout. (On a side note, Dusty loses his mind when he sees a woman in the crowd. Rhodes says he’s flubbergasted.)

The Match: Jarrett and Benoit trade hammerlocks until Jeff struts and tags Dean. Then Benoit and Malenko exchange shoulder blocks, leapfrogs, holds, and takedowns. Dean gets a few pin attempts. But The Horsemen take control with frequent tags. Mongo uses a tilt-a-whirl side slam and forearms. Benoit gives Dean a snap suplex and hard strikes. Then Mongo nails another side slam and a powerslam. This continues until Dean avoids a chop block and tags Jarrett. Jeff enters the ring and uses a jawbreaker on Mongo. However, Jarrett then pulls McMichael on top of himself and holds him in place for a three-count! (Elimination: Jeff Jarrett)

A smug Jarrett walks away and leaves Dean to his fate. Malenko fights valiantly. He fends off double-teaming and gets some pin attempts. But The Horseman stomp, clothesline, and suplex him. Dean rallies again with a Cloverleaf on Benoit, but Chris reaches the ropes. Benoit then reverses a Tombstone and hits a flying headbutt. It isn’t enough. So Mongo tags and gives Dean another Tombstone for the win. (Final Elimination: Dean Malenko)

Thoughts: It wasn’t a thrilling match. But I liked the storytelling. Jarrett’s antics amused me. It had crisp action when Benoit and Malenko wrestled. There was enough to make this enjoyable. My only complaint is Dean needed more offense. He spent much of this match getting beat, even before Jarrett abandoned him.

Winners: Mongo & Benoit (9:36)

Then they show footage of the WCW wrestlers riding their motorcycles to Sturgis. We see The Steiners, DDP, and Mongo. Most of them rode shirtless. I hope they wore lots of sunscreen.

Cruiserweight Title Match: Alex Wright (c) vs. Chris Jericho

Notes: Alex Wright recently turned heel. This brought a change in attitude. Now Wright thinks he’s god’s gift to both wrestling and women. Then Wright upset Chris Jericho on Nitro to win the Cruiserweight belt. Jericho had the bout won with a Lionsault, but he opted not to cover him. This backfired and Wright was the new champion. Alex celebrated the next week by dancing with the Nitro Girls. This amused the commentators. He also cut a terrible promo. Wright spoke both German and English, and neither sounded great. Gene told him to knock off the Wienerschnitzel nonsense. Perhaps it’s best if Alex danced more and spoke less. During Wright’s entrance, an Alex Wright sign shocks Tony. He can’t believe his eyes.

The Match: They trade holds, takedowns, reversals, and strikes. But Wright keeps regrouping and begging off. This leads to derogatory chants from the crowd. Then Alex uses hair takedowns to gain an advantage. But Jericho answers with a wheel kick, and they fight at the apron. Jericho then crotches Wright on the ropes and nails a springboard dropkick. Wright regroups, so Jericho lands a springboard body press. Then both men take turns slamming and suplexing each other on the floor. When they return to the ring, Jericho slams Wright off the ropes and puts him in an armbar. Jericho holds on for dear life, but Alex breaks free. Wright then uses strikes, a wheel kick, and a flying stomp. But he misses a moonsault. Jericho answers with a shoulder block, a jawbreaker, and a Lionsault. It isn’t enough, so Chris uses a double powerbomb. However, Chris takes his time climbing the ropes and Wright hits a superplex. Then they trade pin attempts until Alex reverses an O’Connor Roll. Wright pulls the tights and gets a three-count.

Thoughts: The action was crisp. But there was too much stalling for my taste. Some were intentional, but sometimes they seemed unsure what to do. It was a decent but awkward bout. They don’t have great chemistry. Both are good wrestlers. But this is a mismatch.

Winner: Alex Wright (13:03)

Then they show more shots of the town. An ambulance drives by, so Tony says they’re coming for Heenan. Bobby ignores this and jokes about putting baskets on the front of the bikes. They also show the mayor of Sturgis, Clifford Lynn.

Ric Flair vs. Syxx

Notes: Ric tried to introduce Curt Hennig as the new horseman. But Syxx appeared instead. Syxx said there wouldn’t be a new Horseman because they’re a thing of the past. He claimed Flair only returned because he’s out of money. Ric said he’d be the better man and walk away. But he turned and decked Syxx in the face. Then Flair & Benoit faced The Outsiders. They lost because Ric and Syxx brawled on the floor. Syxx put Ric in the Buzzkiller (Crossface Chickenwing). He tried to injure Ric’s surgically repaired shoulder. The following week, Syxx interfered in a Flair & Hennig vs. Vicious & Delicious bout. But Ric fended him off.

The Match: They trade headlocks, shoulder blocks, and chops before taunting each other. Syxx does crotch chops. Flair answers with hip thrusts. (Dusty says Syxx tripped the light fandango!) Then Syxx tumbles on a missed corner charge, so he regroups. They trade more chops and holds until Flair pokes the eyes and struts. But Syxx answers with spin kicks, corner attacks, and a Bronco Buster. Syxx also nails a flying leg drop and more kicks. Next, Flair rallies with more chops and fakes Syxx out with a Flair Flip. This leads to a shinbreaker, but Syxx counters with an enziguri. However, Syxx misses a flying somersault senton. Flair capitalizes with the Figure Four, but Syxx reaches the ropes. Then Syxx attempts the Buzzkiller, but Flair blocks it. Syxx tries another Bronco Buster instead. But Flair boots him in the crotch and pins him with his feet on the ropes.

Thoughts: This wasn’t bad. But even this bout dragged. There’s an odd malaise over this show. It might be because of the heat outside. I had high expectations for this, and it was disappointing. I’m not saying I hated it. But it was a slight letdown.

Winner: Ric Flair (11:06)

Curt Hennig vs. Diamond Dallas Page (w/ Kimberly)

Notes: DDP claimed he and Hennig bonded over drinks and similar wrestling backgrounds. But Page misjudged Curt’s character. Hennig retaliated for these comments. He knocked DDP out with a fist weapon while Page fought with Savage. Curt left Page lying in the ring, so Savage gave DDP multiple flying elbow drops. Hennig then said he had nothing in common with Dallas. He’s nothing like DDP. Dallas couldn’t last 30-seconds with him. Page can’t even last that long with Kimberly! Then Flair continued recruiting Hennig for the Horsemen. But Curt was hesitant to pledge his allegiance. He’s still a free agent. Next, Curt cost Page a match against Syxx. So DDP had enough. Since Hennig & Flair were buddies, DDP challenged Flair to a bout. Hennig interfered again, but Page fended off the attack.

The Match: They chase each other in and out of the ring. Then they trade strikes and Hennig takes Dallas down by the hair. Page returns that favor and beal tosses Curt across the ring. Then he crotches Hennig on the post. Hennig’s singlet almost falls off as Page continues his attack. But Curt recovers and crotches Page on the ropes. He then chokes Dallas with his towel. Curt follows with a knee-lift, a neck whip, and a neck twist. Next, Hennig works on DDP’s leg. He uses a spinning toe hold, but he also grabs a sleeper hold for good measure.

DDP breaks free and they trade pin attempts. Hennig kicks out of one and Page lands on the ref. Curt uses this opening to remove a turnbuckle pad. He rams Page into it and lands a Hennig Plex. But DDP kicks out! Then Page blocks another turnbuckle shot and sends Curt into it. But DDP clips the ref again with a pancake. This opens the door for Ric Flair. Page fends Ric off and gives him a Diamond Cutter. But Hennig uses the opening to hit another Hennig Plex for the victory.

Thoughts: This was another disappointing bout. They didn’t have the chemistry you’d expect. It was awkward and slow. Plus, it seems Hennig isn’t in the greatest of shape. I liked the finish, but the rest wasn’t great.

Winner: Curt Hennig (9:41)

The commentators want to know if this makes Hennig a Horseman. No one knows. Maybe they’ll find out on Nitro. Meanwhile, Gene plugs the hotline again. He says there are updates on the Raven situation. They know who his first opponent is. But you’ll have to call the hotline to find out more.

Then they show a commercial for Fall Brawl. The narrator asks what is anger and rage. They will lock eight men in a steel cage. Then we see a bunch of jobbers fighting in War Games. None of these men will be in the match.

Next, Eric Bischoff cuts a black and white promo on Luger from his motorcycle. He says Luger will pay a very dear price for what he did. He can count on it! They splice the promo between footage of Bischoff riding his motorcycle and nWo music.

The Giant vs. Macho Man Randy Savage (w/ Miss Elizabeth)

Notes: Both The Giant and WCW knew the Sting at Bash at the Beach was Nash in disguise. They watched the tape. So The Giant called out Nash, but he didn’t get him. A frustrated Giant then chokeslammed wrestlers and security guards. (The guards were indie wrestlers. This included a young Super Crazy.) The Giant then faced The Great Muta, but Muta sprayed mist in his eyes. This opened the door for Randy Savage to attack The Giant. Luger came to check on his friend. The blinded Giant almost chokeslammed Lex. Then WCW announced The Giant would face Randy at Road Wild. But The Giant still wanted Nash. He saved The Steiners from Savage & The Outsiders and challenged Nash. But Nitro ran out of time before they fought. Then The Giant had a warm-up squash against three jobbers. Savage taunted him from the aisle afterward.

The Match: Savage stalls outside the ring. But he jumps The Giant when he turns. However, Savage fails on a slam attempt. The Giant answers with strikes, a beal toss, and a head rocker. Then he rips Savage’s shirt and hits him with clubbing forearms and chops. Savage regroups again and hides behind Liz. So The Giant lifts and moves her. The Giant then press slams Randy into the ring and headbutts him. But Savage ducks and chop blocks The Giant’s knee. Savage follows with more leg attacks, eye-pokes, clotheslines, and a flying crossbody. But The Giant presses Randy out of a pin. Savage tries a flying axehandle instead. So The Giant catches him out of the air and nails a chokeslam for the win.

Thoughts: There wasn’t much to this. It was mostly stalling and leg work. It’s a big win for the Giant. And the finish is a feel-good moment for WCW. But this was forgettable. This match existed to give Giant and Savage something to do. Their main feuds are on hold. WCW isn’t ready to give us The Giant vs. Nash and DDP is busy with Hennig.

Winner: The Giant (6:05)

Tag Team Title Match: The Steiner Brothers (w/ Ted DiBiase) vs. The Outsiders (c)

Notes: The Steiners cleared all the hurdles. They earned their match with The Outsiders. Rick & Scott confronted The Outsiders on Nitro. But Hall & Nash pretended they weren’t scared. However, it appeared they weren’t at the next week’s show. The Outsiders called and claimed they were in Detroit. It was a lie! The Outsiders attacked The Steiners after a bout. So The Steiners sought help in this fight. They found it in a new manager. It’s Ted DiBiase! He defected from the nWo. Ted claimed he lost his way because of the money and power. Now it’s time to destroy what he helped build. (Ted also slipped up and almost said WWF tag team titles during a promo. Gene covered for him.) The Outsiders said nWo is for life. So DiBiase is a dead man for allying with The Steiners. The threat didn’t stop DiBiase from leading The Steiners into this match. Rick & Scott rode motorcycles to the ring.

The Match: The two Scotts start by taunting, shoving, and slapping each other. Hall has control until Scott Steiner hands out suplexes and a Tiger Bomb. This leads to a brawl and The Outsiders regroup. Then Rick fends off Nash’s Snake Eyes and the Steiners use quick tags. But Hall attacks from behind and The Outsiders take control. Hall hits a chokeslam and a fallaway slam. Nash uses corner attacks, boot chokes, and a Boss Man Attack on the ropes. The Outsiders also apply an abdominal stretch and use leverage. So DiBiase complains.

Scott Steiner breaks free, but Nash gives him Snake Eyes. Nash then brawls with Rick on the floor, but Hall attacks Scotty while Kevin is busy. Then Hall gives Scott Steiner a diving bulldog and tries an Outsiders Edge. Rick breaks it up with a clothesline. This allows Scotty to tag and Rick cleans house with Steinerlines and slams. They send Nash to the floor and nail The Steinerizer on Hall. But Nash pulls Nick Patrick out of the ring. Nick calls for a DQ.

Thoughts: It was decent. I liked the story they told. But the heat spot on Scott Steiner went on a bit long. Plus, that finish was disappointing. This has been a night of lackluster matches.

Winners: The Steiner Brothers (by DQ) (15:29)

The Steiners celebrate. DiBiase thinks they won the titles. (Did he not pay attention?) Ted raises the belts in the air, but Nick Patrick tells him no. DiBiase yells at Nick while the fans chant bullshit.

Michael Buffer in a ridiculous hat introduces the main event. He calls it the rematch the world has waited for. (They only waited five days.) Hogan enters without a belt. Heenan says he isn’t strumming anything now! But Hogan still plays air guitar to prove Bobby wrong. Then Luger arrives with fireworks. Buffer once again calls Luger the master of the Torture Rack of Doom! (Does he realize Luger isn’t in the Dungeon of Doom anymore?) Then Hogan and Luger go face-to-face and Hogan trash talks him.

WCW Title Match: Hollywood Hogan vs. Lex Luger (c)

Notes: Luger earned his title match months ago, and he wanted it at Road Wild. The nWo tried to jump Lex, but Sting had his back. Then Hogan accepted Luger’s challenge. But the WCW officials had a different idea. Hogan was well past the 30-day clause on defending the belt. Therefore, he had to defend it on the 100^th episode of Nitro. Hogan and his lawyers tried to block the bout and failed. It happened and Luger fended off plenty of nWo interference. He placed Hogan in The Rack and Hogan submitted! Luger won the WCW title! Lex celebrated with the WCW locker room. They gave him a champagne bath while Luger & The Giant cleaned the nWo graffiti off the belt. Now Luger must defend his title in a rematch with Hogan.

The Match: They trade headlocks, shoulder blocks, and strikes. Then both men pose and flex. They return to the exchange of holds until Luger gets the advantage. A frustrated Hogan asks for a time-out. Hogan then uses more strikes, slams, and chinlocks. But Luger rams Hogan into the turnbuckles. So Hogan tries a new tactic. He pulls Luger outside, rams him into the steps, and chokes Lex with a cable. Next, Hogan focuses on Luger’s back. Hogan uses a backbreaker, stomps, and a bear hug. Then Hogan transitions to a knucklelock, but Luger reverses it.

Hogan answers with a low-blow, throat thrust, and a back suplex. Hollywood also nails a big boot, but he doesn’t do the leg drop. Hogan uses a suplex instead and Luger hulks-up! Lex hits strikes and running clotheslines until Hogan begs off. But Hogan uses the opening to poke Lex’s eyes. Hogan then slams Lex and attempts a leg drop. But he misses! Luger follows with more running clotheslines. So the nWo interferes. Lex fends off Hall, Nash, Syxx, & Norton. But someone dressed as Sting appears. He clocks Luger with his bat and leaves. Hogan then lands the leg drop for the win.

Thoughts: This was basic and slow. But it was a little better than I expected. That’s not saying much, but Hogan did more wrestling moves than I’ve seen in a while. It wasn’t punches and back rakes. It was still a flat main event. Also, the finish was ridiculous. It clearly wasn’t Sting, but the announcers fell for it again.

Winner: Hollywood Hogan (New Champion) (16:15)

Hogan celebrates with the nWo while the fans throw trash. Hollywood uses the belt to block the debris. The commentators commiserate over Sting’s actions. Did he hit the wrong man? Heenan tells Tony not to make excuses. There was only one man in front of Sting. Then the nWo retreats to avoid the rain of garbage. Tony continues asking how this happened. Meanwhile, The Steiners and Hennig check on Luger and help him to the back. The situation distresses the announcers. They find it sickening.

Then Dennis Rodman joins the nWo backstage. They celebrate, and Hogan gives Dennis the honor of reapplying the nWo graffiti to the belt. Hogan says he loves sharing the belt with them. Syxx says they dropped a bomb on WCW. Hogan claims they will all sleep well tonight. A distraught Tony Schiavone says goodnight.

The Good:

• Jarrett’s antics

• Flair/Syxx was decent.

The Bad:

• Most of the matches were disappointing.

• There were no interview/backstage segments to break the monotony.

• The show ended on a sour note.

Performer of the Night:

I can’t think of one. Everyone was off their game on this show.

Final Thoughts:

This was a night of disappointment. Nothing was terrible. But everything fell flat. Was it the heat outside? Did the wrestlers party too hard before the show? No one seemed motivated. It didn’t help the show ended on a low point. WCW looked like chumps on this PPV. The nWo had the upper hand. And the commentators fell for another fake Sting. If not for Souled Out, I’d rank this as the worst show so far in ’97. So this is second worst.

Thank you for reading. My next review is ECW’s Hardcore Heaven ’97. Look for it next Sunday!