The Great American Bash ’98

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

The Great American Bash

June 14, 1998

Baltimore Arena

Baltimore, Maryland

News & Notes: After Slamboree, Bischoff gloated about his supposed victory over Vince McMahon. Eric wore a crown and called himself the king of cable TV. He claimed his winning streak would rival Goldberg’s. Meanwhile, WCW also had a reason to gloat. Karl Malone is coming. They teased his arrival. This drew his NBA Finals rival Dennis Rodman back to the program. He skipped practice to appear on Nitro, much to the chagrin of his team. Even the NBA hyped Malone’s upcoming WCW involvement. Some of the NBA commentators cared little for doing the promotion. You heard it in their voices. When Rodman arrived, he partied with the nWo and their women. Then he disrupted a Wolfpac promo. Hogan let Dennis tinker with the lights and pyro while Kevin Nash spoke. But Rodman took it a step farther. The Wolfpac offered DDP a spot, but Hogan and Rodman ruined the festivities. They attacked Page with chairs before he could accept Nash’s invitation. (DDP never joins the group.)

The opening video feels like the trailer for a patriotic horror film. They play a distorted version of “Stars and Stripes Forever.” We see scenes of confrontations between Piper, Savage, Hogan, and Bret Hart. Clips of Sting and The Giant follow this. There’s even footage of Chavo and Eddie Guerrero. It once again has no narration. This feels more suited for Halloween Havoc.

Tony welcomes everyone to Baltimore. The noisy fireworks almost drown out his introduction. He calls Baltimore the cradle and the hotbed of wrestling. Then Schiavone mentions the tag team main event. It involves arguably the four greatest wrestlers in the sport. But he won’t argue the point. Hogan and Hart are together. You can’t say the same for Savage and Piper. Heenan blames Bret Hart’s propaganda for their problems. On the other hand, the idea of Savage and Piper fighting excites Tenay.

What does Mean Gene think? He recaps the issues between Sting and The Giant. Tonight, one man will hold both tag belts. It’s extraordinary, and it makes Gene glad! Tony says The Giant already named The Disciple as his new partner if he wins. However, we don’t know Sting’s choice. Next, the commentators discuss Benoit and Booker T’s Best of Seven Series. The finals ended in controversy, so they’ll redo the bout tonight. The winner will face Finlay later in the evening. They show a replay of the controversial finish. Booker asked for a rematch out of respect for Benoit. JJ Dillon agreed.

TV Title #1 Contender Series Finals: Booker T vs. Chris Benoit

Notes: WCW named Booker T the #1 Contender after Slamboree. Benoit took exception to this. He interrupted Booker’s interview time to complain. It appeared Chris would relent, but he attacked Booker and left. Stevie Ray told his brother to man up and fight Benoit. So they agreed to a Best of Seven Series to determine the true #1 Contender. These matches happened on Nitro, Thunder, and Saturday Night. Benoit took an early 3-1 lead. Then Booker tied it with Stevie Ray’s help. This pissed off Benoit, so he attacked Booker’s leg and spat on him. Stevie prevented more damage. Booker recovered in time for the seventh match. Before the bout, Bret Hart offered Benoit a spot in nWo Hollywood. Hart also attacked Booker to help Benoit win. Chris rejected Bret’s offer. He didn’t want the victory this way. Chris told the ref what happened, so they awarded the win to Booker by DQ. Both men agreed that wouldn’t do. They’ll redo the final at the PPV. The winner will face Finlay later in the show. This annoyed Stevie Ray. He wanted his brother to accept the initial outcome.

The Match: They trade takedowns, mat holds, and pin attempts. Momentum shifts with strikes and suplexes. Booker reverses a back suplex into a pin. Benoit answers with chops and stomps before draping Booker on the ropes. He then places Book in a chinlock and a bow and arrow stretch. When Booker breaks free, he catches Chris with a powerslam. Then Book attempts a diving crossbody. It misses. Benoit capitalizes with more strikes, chinlocks, and a Crossface. Booker gets a rope break. This leads to Booker’s rally with an enziguri, a spinebuster, a flapjack, and a Spinaroonie! However, Benoit catches him with Rolling Germans. When Booker blocks him, Chris nails a Dragon Suplex instead. Benoit also uses a short-arm clothesline and the flying headbutt. He takes a while to cover, so he only gets a two. Booker recovers and grabs an inside cradle. Then he whips Benoit into the corner. Book follows with two Harlem Sidekicks. One is to the back of the head, and the other is to the front. Booker finishes a dazed Benoit with a missile dropkick.

Thoughts: It started at a slow pace, but that made sense. The story was both men wanted to conserve energy. They built to a strong finish and executed a good one. Plus, they never lost the crowd. The fans reacted well to the action. This was an enjoyable opener.

Winner: Booker T (16:20)

Chavo is in the internet room with Lee Marshall. He lost his mind. Now Chavo believes Eddie knows what’s best for him. He deserves pain and punishment. Lee doesn’t buy this. He tells Chavo Eddie doesn’t want to fight him. Chavo calls this ridiculous. Eddie is a Guerrero. They love to fight! He’s playing! The segment ends with Lee and Chavo arguing. Heenan asks which one is Chavo.

After the internet segment, Saturn arrives for his match with Kanyon. Raven was the original opponent, but he gave the bout to his friend Perry. This leads to a disagreement among the commentators. Is Saturn in The Flock? He told Raven they are friends, but Saturn is no follower. Heenan says if you walk and smell like The Flock, you’re in the group. While they argue, what appears to be Mortis enters the arena. They think it’s Kanyon, but the real Kanyon emerges from the crowd. He sneaks behind Saturn.

Kanyon vs. Saturn

Notes: Mortis is dead. Raven killed him with the Even Flow on the ramp. But Kanyon is reborn, and he’s coming for Raven! Kanyon used decoys and disguises to jump both Raven and Saturn, so Raven grew paranoid. He needed Saturn’s help. Saturn agreed on one condition. Raven must remember they were childhood friends. No more ordering him around. He’s not a mindless zombie! Raven proved his loyalty by firing The Flock. He only needed Saturn! However, Raven rehired them later because of his paranoia. He also didn’t keep his promise to Saturn. Raven sent Saturn into the crowd every time he swore he saw Kanyon. He then ordered Saturn to fight Kanyon at the PPV. This raised the tensions between Saturn and Raven. So Raven aided Perry in his ongoing mini-feud with Glacier as a peace offering. Kanyon used this opening. He dressed as a ref and attacked Perry. Kanyon put a Mortis mask on him and covered Saturn in a shirt that said, “Anytime, Anywhere, Anyplace.” This made Raven’s worries stronger. He fired his riot squad when they wouldn’t listen. One of them removed his helmet to reveal Kanyon. He gave Raven the Flatliner and left.

The Match: Kanyon jumps Saturn with strikes. He nails a swinging neckbreaker and an inverted electric chair drop. Chris then fends off Kidman and sends Saturn to the floor. Perry answers with a hotshot and a slingshot splash. When Saturn crashes on a missed charge, Kanyon lands a diving Fameasser. This draws out the rest of The Flock. They pull Kanyon to the floor, so Saturn dives onto everyone! Nick Patrick ejects The Flock, but they did their damage. Saturn capitalizes with an anklelock and a cattle mutilation. He also sends Kanyon outside with a springboard clothesline. While on the floor, Perry grabs a chair. He uses it to land a double jump dropkick and a triple jump moonsault. But Kanyon catches him ducking. Chris gives him a Russian Leg Sweep, so Perry rolls to the apron. He slingshots inside only for Kanyon to catch him in a Northern Lights Suplex. After Saturn hits a swinging neckbreaker, they trade multiple pin attempts. This leads to Kanyon using a Reverse TKO and a fireman’s carry neckbreaker. Next, they block and avoid each other’s finishers. It leads to fighting on the top rope. They get crotched and tumble outside, so two men in Mortis costumes pounce. Each tries to help the other man, so the Mortis impostors fight each other. While this happens, Kanyon catches a diving Saturn with a Flatliner. It’s enough for the victory.

Thoughts: It was a disjointed mess. They did some cool and innovative spots, but it had no flow. Even the fans lost interest. The match received some boring chants. Then it had a weak finish. I like both men, but this fell flat. I had high expectations. It didn’t deliver.

Winner: Kanyon (14:46)

One of the Mortis impostors helps Kanyon to his feet, but he gives Chris the Even Flow! It’s Raven! He unmasks and poses in the ring. Then Raven grabs a mic and berates Saturn. He had one job, and he failed. Raven says, “What about me?” He tells Perry he does nothing right. But Raven backs off when Saturn glares at him. However, Raven changes his tune when he sees The Flock is there. Raven goads Saturn into attacking him and runs. The Flock jumps Perry so Raven can escape. Saturn dispatches them with strikes and suplexes.

Cruiserweight Title Match: Chris Jericho vs. Dean Malenko

Notes: Chris Jericho called the events of Slamboree a conspiracy. He even carried a sign that said, “Conspiracy Victim.” Jericho demanded JJ Dillon overturn Malenko’s win. JJ refused unless Chris could find a legal precedent for such a decision. So Jericho went to Washington DC! He visited all the landmarks. During his tour, Chris whined to homeless people about his treatment. Then Jericho found an NWA rule book at the Library of Congress. Dillon still wouldn’t listen, so Chris interrupted a Malenko match. He said the rule book included an entry about a champion’s right of refusal. Jericho never agreed to face Malenko! Chris thought he had his case, but Ted Turner sent him a letter. Ted sided with WCW. Malenko remains the champion! However, Dean grew tired of Jericho insulting his father. He agreed to vacate the belt if it meant he could get Jericho in a return encounter. Dillon agreed to the terms. The winner would be the rightful champion. A furious Jericho wanted Dillon to hand him the gold, but JJ refused. When Chris complained, his dad appeared. Ted Irvine told his son to stop whining and grow up.

The Match: They charge into a double clothesline. Then they trade strikes until Dean lands a German Suplex. Jericho answers with a Liontamer attempt. Dean counters with more strikes and submissions. Jericho screams as Malenko beats him. When Dean whips Chris into the corner, Jericho tricks Malenko. He puts himself in a tree of woe and baits Dean into a baseball slide. Jericho avoids it and nails a pescado to the floor. After a cocky pin, they trade sleeper holds. Dean breaks free, so Chris does a Lionsault. It misses. Dean capitalizes with a leg lariat, a victory roll, and a diving facebuster. Next, they fight on the top rope. Jericho blocks a Super Gutbuster and lands a Super Frankensteiner. Then Dean blocks a powerbomb and fights out of a Liontamer. Dean also reverses another one and places Chris in the Cloverleaf. Jericho reaches the ropes. He follows with an underhook backbreaker. Chris senses trouble, so he goads Malenko. Jericho slaps him and says Dean isn’t as good as his dead father! That’s enough. Malenko takes him outside and grabs a chair. He shoves Penzer to the floor and gives Chris weak chair shots. They’re enough for a DQ.

Thoughts: It was solid with some good storytelling, but it wasn’t outstanding. I like the story of Jericho growing desperate. He goaded Dean into getting disqualified. It fits Jericho’s character. But the bout never got out of second gear. I’d call it enjoyable but not thrilling. (On a side note, they give Jericho the vacant title on Nitro. Even though it was a DQ, it’s still a victory.)

Winner: Chris Jericho (by DQ) (13:52)

Jericho and Malenko brawl down the aisle. Dean drags Chris by the hair and throws punches. He rams Jericho into the stage and leads him backstage. The fight almost spills into the women’s room, but Dean tosses Chris onto a table instead. (Why does everyone brawl in the women’s bathroom at the Baltimore Arena?) Then they head outside. Malenko throws Chris against a mailbox. Doug Dillinger stops them before they enter traffic. This allows Jericho to escape into the building across the street. Penzer announces Jericho won by disqualification.

Lee Marshall speaks with Eddie Guerrero in the internet room. Eddie says he overreacted. He apologizes to Chavo. Grandma Guerrero and Eddie’s dad don’t want them to fight! Eddie begs Chavo to call off the match. He loves him, and he’ll give Chavo his freedom. Lee doesn’t buy it. He says they have to wrestle. Schiavone calls it sad.

They start Juventud Guerrera’s music, but it stops. It’s not time for that yet. First, Tony discusses the Cruiserweight Title situation. He believes Jericho has a claim to the belt because he won. Then Schiavone introduces a special video about a man who never gives up. It’s Juventud Guerrera. A pensive Juvi wanders around a monastery while guitar music plays. Guerrera fades in and out of the shot like a ghost. No one speaks. It’s footage of Juvi looking forlorn. What was this?

Juventud Guerrera vs. Reese (w/ Lodi)

Notes: Juvi was on a winning streak until he ran into Horace. During the bout, Reese attacked Guerrera and gave Horace Boulder the win. The problems with The Flock didn’t end there. Juvi fended off Lodi’s interference to defeat Kidman. To make matters worse, Reese cost Juvi another victory. This time, Reese helped Jericho beat Guerrera. So Juventud got his revenge. The Flock jumped Van Hammer. Juvi came to his rescue. The Flock almost overwhelmed him until Hammer pulled Guerrera to safety. WCW booked this bout because of the tensions. Reese admired Juventud’s heart, but he had no chance against him. Lee Marshall questioned this. He reminded Reese about David vs. Goliath. Reese silenced the notion when he and Horace defeated Juvi & Hammer. But Guerrera regained momentum with two more victories over Kidman.

The Match: Juvi prays in the corner and then sticks and moves. Reese shoves him around, so Guerrera regroups. He lures Reese into chasing him, and Juvi attacks at the apron. He does a dropkick through the ropes and a slingshot crossbody. Reese catches Juventud and rams him into the post. Then he press slams Juvi into the ring, but he lands on his feet. After more shoving, Guerrera jumps on Reese’s back. He claws at Reese’s face and uses a choke. Reese backs him into the corner and nails a bending backbreaker. He follows with a beal toss on Juvi. After this, Reese stands on Juvi’s hair and places him in a bear hug. But Juvi breaks free and blocks a chokebomb with two low blows. When Juvi charges, he runs into Reese’s punch. Reese follows with a suplex and asks the ref to count. Juvi rises at nine, so Reese grabs a chair. The ref stops him, which leads to an argument with Lodi. While this happens, Juventud leaps onto Reese’s shoulders. A sneaky Van Hammer clocks Reese with a chair, so Juvi takes Reese over with a hurricanrana. He pins him for the win.

Thoughts: This was dull and uninteresting. The fans couldn’t care less. They started a Free Ric Flair chant. If they wanted to do Juvi vs. The Flock, give us Guerrera vs. Kidman instead. Kidman has more of an upside than Reese.

Winner: Juventud Guerrera (8:45)

A crazy Chavo walks to the ring. He tells Eddie he’s still his favorite, but he’s ready for his uncle. Then Chavo high-fives fans until he realizes it creeps him out. Eddie Guerrero follows. He looks worried and reluctant. But he tells the fans to kiss his butt. When Eddie enters the ring, he offers Chavo a handshake. Chavo’s demeanor changes. He backs his uncle into the corner. Eddie says he loves him, but Chavo slaps Eddie.

Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Eddie Guerrero

Notes: Chavo lost his mind. Eddie swore Grandma Guerrero wanted Chavo to win more matches. So Chavo did his best. He cheated to get the elusive victory over Dragon. Chavo’s odd enthusiasm confused Eddie. Now Chavo cheered him and tried to get the fans to follow suit. He increased his creepiness by begging Eddie to slap him. Dillon realized this needed to end, so he booked a bout between Eddie and Chavo. Eddie didn’t want this. He told Chavo the family was proud of him again. They shouldn’t fight. Chavo insisted. An agitated Eddie tried to avoid his nephew, but Chavo kept interrupting his matches. He cost Eddie victories and chased him to the locker room. Eddie blamed Chavo’s erratic behavior on constipation and gave him the night off. But Chavo interrupted another contest. Eddie pleaded with Chavo to call off their PPV encounter. He thought he got his wish. Chavo faced Goldberg. There’s no way Chavo would survive, right? Chavo received bruised ribs from the fight, but he laughed it off. Chavo even credited Eddie for the injury.

The Match: They trade shoves and slaps before scuffling on the mat. Then they exchange hotshots in the corner. When Chavo does it, Eddie scrapes his shoulder on the turnbuckle bar. Chavo drags an injured Eddie into the ring and uses headscissor takedowns. Eddie regroups, so Chavo collects his uncle. Eddie attacks as Chavo enters and goes after his arm. Chavo answers with an arm drag, a monkey flip, and a backdrop to the apron. Next, Chavo rolls through a missed somersault and lands a moonsault. But Chavo tumbles outside on a missed charge. Eddie rams him into the steps and rolls him inside. There, Eddie lands a brainbuster and yells at his nephew. It angers Chavo, so he chokes his uncle. A scared Eddie leads Chavo on a chase and hides behind the ref. He uses the distraction to clip Chavo’s knee and put him in a Figure Four. When Chavo breaks it, Eddie grabs a Gory Special and a Camel Clutch. Eddie even does a Canadian Backbreaker and an airplane spin. These don’t work, so Chavo breaks free. He sends Eddie outside for a somersault plancha. When they return to the ring, Chavo hits a springboard bulldog. Next, Chavo climbs and gets knocked down, but Eddie misses a Frog Splash. Chavo capitalizes with a Tornado DDT. Eddie dumps him over the ropes to stop it. Chavo hotshots him on the way down. This allows Chavo to do a springboard Tornado DDT for the win.

Thoughts: This was solid and crisp. I liked the storytelling, and the finish was good. It’s a shame the fans ignored the memo. The previous match killed the crowd. They didn’t react to this. It affected my enjoyment, but this was still a good bout.

Winner: Chavo Guerrero Jr. (14:46)

The commentators discuss the Hogan & Bret vs. Savage & Piper match. Tony and Heenan say Bret Hart sowed hatred between Roddy and Randy. They think Bischoff ordered it. Can they coexist? This leads to a replay from Nitro. Savage wasn’t having a great day. He was born at night, but not last night. Savage isn’t buying Piper’s sincerity. Roddy says he wasn’t selling anything. He’ll tag with Savage, but afterward, Savage’s ass is his. Randy then decked Piper, and they brawled.

TV Title Match: Booker T vs. Fit Finlay (c)

Notes: While Benoit and Booker had their series, Finlay was a busy champion. He defended his belt often. Fit defeated Neidhart, Mike Enos, and Brad Armstrong. He also beat Psychosis and Norman Smiley. (This is odd. Benoit and Booker needed a series. These guys got opportunities for nothing!) Despite his busy schedule, Finlay monitored the Benoit/Booker matches. He noticed Booker’s leg injury and pounced. On Saturday Night, Finlay attacked Booker’s leg until Stevie Ray stopped him.

The Match: They fight into the corners and exchange forearms and kicks. Then they trade mat holds until Booker sends Finlay to the floor. Book nails a slingshot crossbody and brings Fit back inside. However, Finlay attacks the leg. He cycles through leg submissions. Fit puts Booker in a deathlock, a kneebar, a Half Crab, and a modified Figure Four. Booker shoves him away, but Fit brings him to the apron. He rams Book’s leg into it and twists his knee around the ropes. Booker answers with desperation pin attempts. Fit returns to leg holds. He uses a legbar and a stretch muffler. Book grabs a headlock to stop it, but Finlay gives him a shinbreaker. This leads to more leg attacks. Fit almost uses a chair until the ref stops him. So Finlay wraps Booker’s knee around the post instead. He even hits a Vader Bomb onto the leg. Book answers with a heel kick, a powerslam, an axe kick, and the Spinaroonie. Fit stops this with a lariat and attempts the Tombstone. They botch a reversal spot and turn it into a sloppy pin. Next, Finlay crashes into the corner on a missed charge. It allows Booker to give him an inverted Tombstone for the victory.

Thoughts: This dragged. I get the story Finlay told, but it was dull. The fans chanted boring. Finlay is a good wrestler, but this experiment with him as TV champion failed. They were right to put the belt back on Booker.

Winner: Booker T (New Champion) (13:13)

Stevie Ray joins his brother in celebration, but he checks on him first. Once he’s sure Booker is fine, he helps him to his feet. Booker raises his title into the air.

U.S. Title Match: Goldberg (c) vs. Konnan (w/ Rick Rude & Curt Hennig)

Notes: Curt Hennig challenged Goldberg for his US Title. However, Hennig appeared on crutches a week later. Curt said he injured his knee, but he’ll appear at the PPV! In the meantime, he asked Konnan to take his house show dates against Goldberg. Konnan obliged. As the show grew closer, Hennig admitted he was behind on his recovery. The doctors said he’d be out another two weeks. Therefore, he needed Konnan to take the PPV spot too. Konnan seemed skeptical, but he accepted a title opportunity. K-Dawg even offered Hennig the first shot if he won the belt. Meanwhile, Goldberg improved to 99-0. He squashed various wrestlers. This included a bout with La Parka where Parka tore his ACL. He’ll be out a while.

The Match: Konnan regroups when Goldberg shoves him around the ring. Then they trade headlocks. Goldberg turns it into a rolling leglock, but they mess up the spot. Konnan answers with punches. He boots Bill on a corner charge. But Goldberg shakes it off and nails a spear and a Jackhammer for the win.

Thoughts: Poor Konnan. They didn’t give him as much offense as Raven or Saturn got with Goldberg. This was another squash. It’s more about getting Goldberg to 100 wins and setting up the post-match stuff. This was forgettable.

Winner: Goldberg (1:57)

Goldberg celebrates and leaves. Hennig and Rude help Konnan to his feet, but Curt attacks him from behind! They beat up Konnan with punches and kicks until Nash and Luger arrive. As Hennig and Rude leave, Curt rips off his Wolfpac shirt. He has the nWo Hollywood colors underneath! Nash chases them away from the ring. Heenan thinks Bischoff sent Hennig to be a mole in the Wolfpac. Schiavone says Curt faked his knee injury. (You don’t say!?)

Next, they show a Bash at the Beach commercial. A couple enjoys their time at a resort. They share drinks and swim in the ocean. The narrator tells us to enjoy the crystal blue waters and relax in the sun. This is an untouched paradise. Scratch that! The WCW wrestlers arrive to ruin the fun. They ask if we ever skinny-dipped with sharks. The Giant emerges from the water and says someone is going down. It’s Bash at the Beach, and it’s coming in July!

Michael Buffer introduces an unprecedented tag team match. He says four of wrestling’s—superstars face each other in this bout. (Did he forget the word?) It’s legends united versus legends united. A mutual hatred unites Piper and Savage, but they don’t enter together. However, Hogan and Hart do. The commentators believe this is the first time these four men shared the same ring. Meanwhile, Buffer remembers Bret Hart’s full name! After the introductions, Piper and Savage argue about who will start. Piper takes the spot and spits at Bret.

Hollywood Hogan & Bret Hart (w/ The Disciple) vs. Roddy Piper & Randy Savage

Notes: Piper reviewed the tape of Slamboree. He reversed his decision and declared Savage the winner by DQ. Bret almost confronted Piper over this, but Hogan stopped him. Hollywood challenged Piper & Savage to a tag match instead. Randy agreed to the bout, but he found Roddy’s apology weak. After the tag encounter, he wants a piece of Piper. Bret saw an opportunity to stir the pot. He claimed Piper colluded with him at Slamboree. Roddy calmed an angry Savage. Piper said if Randy teamed with him, Savage could have his match with Roddy afterward. As far as Hart’s accusations, you can’t trust him. Bret hasn’t even declared if he’s in the nWo or not. He only wears Hogan shirts, not nWo clothing. Savage seemed appeased by this, but the nWo goaded him again. This time, they revealed Miss Elizabeth remained in nWo Hollywood after Savage left. She mocked Randy and called Bischoff the real Macho Man. They used this to lure Randy away from a tag bout against Giant & The Disciple. The nWo jumped Savage in the parking lot until Nash rescued him.

The Match: Piper and Savage surprise everyone with frequent tags. They take turns punching Hogan and raking his face. Then Roddy gives Hollywood atomic drops, head claps, and biting. This continues until The Disciple nails Piper from the apron. Bret tags and the nWo Hollywood team takes control. They use ref distractions for corner choking and cheating. Bret and Hogan lure Savage into the ring to cause mayhem. Bret uses a Russian Leg Sweep and nails his diving elbow. Piper answers with desperation pin attempts, but Bret cuts off his rally. He also blocks Roddy’s tag attempts and prevents the ref from seeing them. Savage has enough. He chases Hogan away with a chair. Next, Savage slips the chair between Piper and Bret Hart’s headbutt. Bret hits the chair with the move. This leads to Savage and Hogan tagging. Randy runs the heels into each other. Then Bret hits Hogan with a clothesline by mistake. It opens the door for Savage’s flying elbow. But Piper knocks Randy off the ropes by accident. He tumbles into the ring. (The commentators missed the spot and think he fell.) After this happens, Piper scuffles with Hogan and The Disciple on the floor. In the ring, Bret places Savage in the Sharpshooter for a submission.

Thoughts: This was basic. It was a throwback to an old-school style, but it wasn’t interesting. I get the story, and I know why they did this match. The events of this bout and what comes next write Randy off of TV. However, this was disappointing for a PPV encounter, especially considering the participants.

Winners: Hogan & Hart (11:40)

Piper chases Hogan and Hart away from the ring and checks on Randy. Mean Gene joins them to interview Roddy. After everything, how can Piper continue with a match against Savage? Roddy ignores the question. He’s more concerned with Randy. Roddy helps him to his feet, but Savage decks Piper. The match is on!

Rowdy Roddy Piper vs. Macho Man Randy Savage

The Match: Savage chokes Piper with his bad knee. After some punches, Savage climbs and hits his flying elbow. It hurts his leg. Since he takes a while to cover, it only gets two. An angry Savage attacks the ref. This allows Roddy to nail a low blow and some punches. Then Piper kicks the knee and puts Randy in a Figure Four. Another ref arrives as Savage submits.

Thoughts: This was anti-climatic. I get they need to write Savage off of TV, but this was nothing. I would call it more of a storyline than a match, but there was little of that. It was a necessary but forgettable evil. We won’t see Randy for a while. When he returns, he has a new look and a new girlfriend.

Winner: Roddy Piper (1:37)

Buffer introduces the final match of the evening. The Giant enters the arena and lights a cigarette! He throws his lighter to a fan. Tony says this is an answer to Sting’s criticisms. Sting told The Giant to stop smoking and get in better shape. Then Sting arrives. They added snarling wolf sounds to the Wolfpac’s new rap theme. I’m glad they drop this later. During his entrance, Buffer describes Sting joining the Wolfpac. He stumbles over the lines. Meanwhile, The Giant blows cigarette smoke into Sting’s face. Sting slaps him.

Tag Team Title Match: Sting vs. The Giant

Notes: When The Giant asked for Sting’s decision, Sting spat in his face. The Giant attacked him, but he claimed they patched their differences during the week. Luger denied this and called The Giant a liar. This led to a match, but nWo Sting jumped Lex and they draped a nWo shirt over Luger. Then Giant turned his attention to Nash. The Wolfpac and Luger came to Kevin’s aid. Because of Lex’s help, the Wolfpac offered him a spot in the group. Luger accepted! He then asked Sting to join him in the faction. Luger said it wasn’t about betraying WCW. There were bigger things happening. He wanted Sting on board. However, Bret Hart made a counter-offer to Sting to join nWo Hollywood. After a Hogan & Giant vs. Luger & Nash bout, Sting appeared. He wore the nWo Hollywood shirt. But it was a swerve! Sting attacked Hogan and Giant and ripped his shirt to reveal the Wolfpac colors! The decision invigorated Sting. He had a renewed attitude and new red face paint. Since Sting abandoned him, The Giant replaced him with Brian Adams. He tried defending the tag belts against Luger & DDP, but Dillon had none of that. The Giant can’t change champions. (Dillon called into Nitro from home. The fans in the arena went home thinking the gold changed hands. They clarified it later.) JJ booked this bout between Sting and Giant. The winner takes the belts, and they can choose a new partner afterward.

The Match: The Giant misses a charge and lands on the turnbuckles. Sting gives him kicks and a Stinger Splash. When Sting tries a second one, The Giant boots him. Then Giant shoves Sting around and nails corner chops. He also absorbs Sting’s crossbody and lawn darts Sting into the corner! The Giant follows with a bear hug. Sting breaks it with head claps and biting. Next, Sting clips The Giant with a low dropkick. He follows with more Stinger Splashes and grabs a Scorpion Deathlock. The Giant powers out of it, so Sting lands a Scorpion Death Drop. It only gets two! Sting blocks a chokeslam and nails a second Death Drop. It gets the same result! The Giant throws headbutts and charges at Sting. Giant eats a boot, and Sting grabs him. Sting then goes for an elevated Scorpion Death Drop from Bret’s Rope. (Credit to OSW.) The Giant fights it, but Sting powers him down for the win.

Thoughts: This was short and explosive. They did some fun spots. It was fine, but it’s disappointing for a PPV main event. This would work better as a TV showcase. However, it’s a fitting end to a lackluster show. It matches the rest of the card, and that’s isn’t a good thing.

Winner: Sting (6:40)

Sting celebrates with the two tag belts. The commentators wonder who he’ll choose as his partner. But you must tune into Nitro to find out! (He chooses Nash.) They show replays, and Tony says there will be many questions on Monday. Heenan interrupts to talk about Jericho, so Tony tells him to shut up.

The Good:

• Benoit/Booker was good.

• Eddie/Chavo was great, despite the crowd.

• The storytelling of Jericho/Malenko was solid.

The Bad:

• Hogan & Hart vs. Savage & Piper was disappointing.

• The pointless Juvi/Reese match.

• Kanyon/Saturn was messy.

Performer of the Night:

It’s a tie between Eddie and Chavo. I loved their performances before and during the bout. They were entertaining.

Final Thoughts:

This PPV was a misstep after two good ones. It looked good on paper, but much of it fell flat. This was a story of wasted potential. I had high hopes for the show when I saw the card. The event contained some good stuff, but not enough to make up for the rest. It also didn’t feel important. The Great American Bash felt like an extended episode of Nitro.

Thank you for reading. My next review is the WWF’s King of the Ring ’98. It’s time to talk about THAT match. Look for it next Sunday!