Bash at the Beach ’98

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

Bash at the Beach

July 12, 1998

Cox Arena

San Diego, California

News & Notes: Goldberg won the WCW championship, but I’ll discuss that in the match notes. There is plenty to cover outside of the main storylines, so let us begin. After The Great American Bash, Sting chose his partner. It was Kevin Nash. They defended their belts against Harlem Heat. However, Nash has injuries. WCW allowed The Wolfpac to use Freebird rules. Luger swapped with Nash twice. Sting & Luger defeated The Giant & Brian Adams and Bulldog & Anvil. Let’s see how long it takes for WCW to forget they have tag team champions. (Spoiler alert: Sting doesn’t appear on this PPV.)

In other news, WCW teased a Horsemen reunion. Stevie Ray grew tired of Booker’s mutual respect with Chris Benoit. Tensions boiled over when Benoit suggested Booker find a new partner. Stevie attacked, so Mongo returned to help his former Horsemen stablemate. Since Stevie wouldn’t let it lie, Mongo pleaded with Arn Anderson to reform the Horsemen. Arn told McMichael and Benoit it was over. They must move on. This didn’t deter Mongo. Stevie Ray continued jumping them and interfering in matches. Booker was reluctant, but he joined his brother to fight McMichael & Benoit. Afterward, Mongo once again asked Arn to do the right thing.

Meanwhile, Eric Bischoff found someone new to antagonize. After the main event players appeared on The Tonight Show, Bischoff got an idea. He started his own talk show segment, called The Eric Bischoff Show. Eric copied Jay Leno’s set and even stole his monologue. Then Bischoff welcomed his first guest. It was Scott Steiner. They discussed Scott’s budding acting career. Steiner promised to return the next week with a special guest. Buff Bagwell was Scott’s choice. Plans changed when Bagwell arrived in a wheelchair. Judy Bagwell wheeled her son into the arena for an interview. Buff said he wouldn’t appear with Steiner. In fact, it was time for them to go their separate ways. Don’t worry, we haven’t seen the last of The Eric Bischoff Show. This starts a storyline for next month. Get ready. Jay Leno is coming to WCW!

It sounds like a Dr. Who Dalek narrates the opening video. We see shots of Goldberg, Kevin Greene, Malone, Rodman, DDP, and Hogan. The Dalek repeats the words Mailman and Rodzilla. They edited this between clips of palm trees and beaches. It’s Bash at the Beach!

Tony welcomes everyone to San Diego. He says the media scrutinized tonight’s main event like never before! The new WCW champion Goldberg defends his belt against Hennig. But the world is talking about Hogan & Rodman vs. DDP & Malone! Then Schiavone introduces Tenay and Heenan. Mike lists the various media members who descended upon San Diego. Tony calls the tag match the biggest encounter in wrestling history! Heenan discusses Hogan’s mindset. He blames DDP and Malone. They ruined Hogan’s match with Goldberg. However, Rodman defeated Malone in the NBA Finals. There’s no love lost.

What does Mean Gene think? He says everyone across the country anticipated this event! Then Gene speaks about the WCW title bout. Will Hennig regain the belt for the nWo’s spiritual leader, Hollywood Hogan? Find out on the WCW Hotline! Gene promises a complete capsule composite from Mike Tenay. (A what now?)

Raven’s Rules Match: Raven (w/ Riggs & Lodi) vs. Saturn

Notes: Raven claimed Saturn broke his heart with his betrayal. He called Perry a tumor on The Flock. Saturn had enough of the faction, so The Flock jumped him. Kanyon came to Perry’s aid, but he didn’t want it. They may have a common enemy, but Saturn didn’t like him. Perry would take on Raven’s group by himself. He proved this by calling out The Flock. Saturn bit off more than he could chew. The mistake allowed Raven to give Perry an Even Flow. He told Saturn it was his own fault his life sucked. Because of the beating, Saturn challenged Raven to a match. He accepted. The last time they fought was in sixth grade, and Raven gave Saturn a bloody nose. Meanwhile, Raven gave Kanyon a stay of execution while he handled this business. But Raven and Kanyon still wrestled. Saturn got involved and scuffled with Kanyon. Both men hit each other with their finishers. However, they still teamed to face Raven & Horace. During the bout, Lodi blinded Saturn. Because he couldn’t see, Perry put Kanyon through a table. He thought it was Raven. Saturn also teamed with Hammer on Saturday Night. They faced Raven & Horace. Raven pinned Hammer after an Even Flow.

The Match: Saturn jumps Raven on the floor. He whips Raven into the rails, chokes him with a flannel shirt, and throws strikes. When they return to the ring, Saturn slips off the top rope. He recovers with a dropkick and nails takedowns and suplexes. Saturn tries a guillotine leg drop next. It misses, so Raven lands a butterfly suplex. He then fetches a table. (Tony calls it a chair. Tenay jokes it’s a chair masquerading as a table. Heenan questions where Tony eats at home.) Next, they fight on the apron. Saturn crotches Raven, but Perry tumbles outside on a missed springboard. Raven sends him into the railing with a Russian Leg Sweep. Back inside, Raven uses sleeper holds. Saturn counters with a jawbreaker and more suplexes. Then Perry grabs a chair. He leg drops it against Raven’s head!

This draws Riggs and Lodi in for interference. Saturn gives them a double suplex. He then uses the chair for a double jump wheel kick. Saturn hits Nick Patrick by mistake. (He takes an amazing dramatic bump.) Raven regroups, but Saturn bulldogs him on the steps. Then Perry sandwiches Raven between two tables and climbs the turnbuckles. Kanyon appears and pulls Raven off the stack. Saturn doesn’t notice and crashes through the plunder. Kanyon wanted Raven for himself. He nails a Flatliner onto a chair and leaves. Riggs rolls Saturn in and Raven crawls on top for a two. Raven follows with a drop toe hold onto the chair. When he tries another chair attack, Saturn kicks it into Raven’s face. Riggs senses trouble and interrupts. Perry gives him a DVD, but this allows Raven to pounce. He hits an Even Flow for the win.

Thoughts: It was a decent fight. There were some shaky moments, but they also had good spots. However, the storyline is beyond convoluted. Even the announcers had a hard time explaining Kanyon’s actions. (It gets worse in the future.) The action was good, but the shenanigans dragged it down.

Winner: Raven (10:40)

Mean Gene watches The Flock help Raven leave. Gene says they carried him out of the bar the same way last night. Then Okerlund welcomes Eddie Guerrero. Eddie has a Hair vs. Hair Match later. Gene calls himself qualified to discuss such an encounter. However, Chavo must face Stevie Ray before he fights his uncle. Okerlund says Eddie has an unfair advantage. Eddie says his wacko nephew concerns him. Chavo confirmed his whacked-out status when he accepted a bout with Stevie. (Eddie stumbled over these lines. It’s not his best work.) Stevie Ray will leave nothing behind after he beats Chavo. So Eddie promises to hit a Frog Splash, cut Chavo’s hair, and send him home to mama. Gene questions this, so Eddie vows to shave Chavo bald!

Juventud Guerrera vs. Kidman (w/ Lodi)

Notes: They added this late, so it has little build. Juvi and Kidman faced each other multiple times before The Great American Bash. Guerrera won most of those encounters. Then at the Georgia Dome Nitro, Juvi fought Psychosis. The Flock remembered they didn’t like Guerrera. They jumped him after the bout. On Thunder, Guerrera wrestled Judo Suwa. He won, but Kidman confronted him afterward. It was a distraction. The Flock attacked Juvi again. They held Juventud down, and Kidman nailed the Seven Year Itch (Shooting Star Press).

The Match: They tussle and exchange strikes. Then they trade leapfrogs, reversals, and flips. Juvi does a headscissor takedown and sends Kidman to the floor. Lodi trips Guerrera and holds him for Kidman. But Billy hits Lodi with a slingshot crossbody by mistake. Juventud capitalizes with a springboard plancha onto both men. Next, they reverse through waistlocks until Kidman performs a wheelbarrow suplex. He also sends Juvi outside for attacks on the rail. Kidman crashes when he misses a dive. Guerrera answers with a sunset bomb off the apron! This leads to fighting on the top rope. Kidman uses a low blow and lands a super sit-out spinebuster! It only gets a two, and Kidman grabs a chinlock to recover. After more back and forth and pin attempts, they fight on the ropes again. Juvi crotches Kidman and gives him a springboard hurricanrana. He follows with a Northern Lights Suplex. Kidman fends off another throw and catches Juvi with a springboard bulldog. It’s not enough, so Guerrera flips through Kidman’s German and hits a Juvi Driver for two! Kidman returns with a spinebuster and tries the Seven Year Itch. It misses, so Juvi nails a 450 for the victory.

Thoughts: This was solid and fun. They did some great spots. I only had two gripes. Referee Mark Curtis stopped counting while they were outside. There was no discernible reason. He let them go. It made little sense. The other issue was the crowd. They didn’t care until the finish. Did the first match deflate them? They should have opened with this bout instead. It might have gotten a better reaction.

Winner: Juventud Guerrera (9:55)

Lee Marshall interviews Konnan in the internet room. Marshall says someone flipped a switch. Now everyone wants to be rowdy rowdy and bout it bout it with Konnan. Konnan agrees. It’s like flipping switches in a lowrider. They’re moving side to side. Who wouldn’t want to hang with The Wolfpac? Then Konnan almost reveals the location of the after-party. He changes the subject. K-Dawg asks Lee if he got his shirt from a Skittles giveaway. Konnan also says his aunt sells fish tacos in the parking lot.

Harlem Heat’s music plays. The fans cheer until they realize it’s Stevie Ray. Chavo is next. He wears an inflatable pool toy and carries a Super Soaker. Chavo sprays the crowd as Eddie arrives with a pair of scissors. He wants a front-row seat for this fight. Chavo spots his uncle and grabs a mic. He dedicates his bout to his favorite wrestler, Eddie Guerrero. This is for the Little Trooper!

Stevie Ray vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Notes: I’ll discuss the build for the Hair vs. Hair Match in a moment. First, let me explain this. Chavo’s descent into madness continued. He added a hobby horse named Pepe to his act. (Wasn’t that the name of Mongo’s dog?) Chavo rode the horse to the ring during a Stevie Ray victory celebration. He told Stevie he knew about family issues, so he offered advice. Stevie had no time for this nonsense. He shoved Chavo on his ass and left. Crazy Chavo then requested this bout on the same night as his encounter with Eddie. This increased Eddie’s confidence in the upcoming fight. After all, will there be anything left of Chavo afterward?

The Match: Chavo avoids Stevie’s attacks and poses. He even dances! Stevie stares at crazy Chavo, so Chavo offers him a handshake. After contemplating it, Stevie takes his hand. Chavo reacts like he’s in excruciating pain. He drops to his knees as Stevie pulls away in confusion. It’s too late. Chavo submits to the handshake!

Thoughts: For what it was, this was amusing. It wasn’t a match, but that’s fine. I like the story. Chavo lulled Eddie into a false sense of security and turned it on him. I’ve never seen someone tap out to a handshake. It made me laugh. Everyone played their part well.

Winner: Stevie Ray (1:35)

Chavo says that was for Eddie. He’s exhausted, but they’ll fight now. Eddie throws a fit at Stevie, so Ray glares at him. Then Eddie removes his shirt and enters the ring.

Hair vs. Hair Match: Eddie Guerrero vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.

Notes: Losing to Chavo at The Great American Bash messed with Eddie’s head. He couldn’t focus. It cost him matches. To make matters worse, Chavo went off the deep end. He continued following his uncle and interfered in his business. Eddie called him a wacko. Chavo said, “No, it’s Chavo. C-H-A-V-O!” As the losses mounted, Chavo told Eddie to keep his head up. He even called him a little trooper. Then Chavo introduced Pepe. Eddie swiped the hobby horse and broke it. Chavo called him a horse thief. Next, Chavo set up a cardboard box trap for his uncle. He used a burrito as bait. This insult was too much. Eddie jumped his nephew and cut a chunk of his hair off with scissors. This gave Chavo an idea. He requested a Hair vs. Hair Match. Eddie agreed and vowed to shave him bald. After the challenge, Chavo carried scissors to matches. He chased a referee with them. Chavo also wore a hard hat to cover the bald spot Eddie left when he cut his hair.

The Match: Chavo flusters Eddie with headlocks, shoulder blocks, and leapfrogs. Then he bites Eddie’s butt! An angry Eddie retrieves a chair, so Chavo sits on it. Eddie tries a different tactic. He offers a handshake. Chavo clotheslines him. Eddie seeks safety with the ref, but Chavo bites him again! Eddie answers with a low dropkick after a clean break in the corner. He then focuses on Chavo’s lower back. Eddie uses dropkicks, shoulders, and a slingshot senton. He continues with attacks on the apron and the guardrail. Next, Eddie locks his nephew in a Gory Special and a Camel Clutch. Chavo rallies with takedowns and strikes, but he misses a springboard corkscrew. He bounces back with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker only for Eddie to take him outside. Eddie pulls up the mat and attempts a suplex. Chavo reverses it. Then they fight on the top rope. Eddie crotches him and lands a superplex. Chavo recovers for a hotshot in the corner and a Frog Splash. Eddie raises his knees on the latter. This leads to Eddie giving Chavo his own Tornado DDT. He then gets the scissors, but the ref stops that! Eddie tries a Frog Splash instead. It misses, so Chavo nails a Tornado DDT. However, he also collects the scissors. A worried ref grabs Chavo’s arm. It allows Eddie to hook an inside cradle for a three.

Thoughts: This was a good mix of technical wrestling and amusing entertainment. Chavo plays a crazy character well. I liked the story of them using each other’s finishers. Plus, I enjoyed the finish. It keeps Chavo looking strong even in defeat. I’d call this better than their last bout, and that one was good too.

Winner: Eddie Guerrero (11:54)

Charles Robinson hands Eddie the clippers. He tells his nephew to sit in a chair, but Chavo won’t do it. Chavo swipes the clippers and threatens Eddie. However, Chavo uses the shears on his own head! Chavo shaves chunks and laughs like a crazy person. A scared Eddie bails to the floor. Chavo asks why Eddie doesn’t want to cut his hair. He won! They can cut each other’s hair and be twins! Eddie watches in horror as Chavo takes a water break with his Super Soaker. Then Chavo continues shaving his own head. (This was amusing, but it dragged.)

While the crew cleans the ring, the commentators discuss the Jericho/Malenko situation. Dean violated JJ Dillon’s no-contact clause, so they canceled the match. Jericho still promised to appear, but who is his opponent? Heenan claims Jericho did everything to avoid the fight. When you insult a man’s father, you went too far.

Then Disco Inferno and Alex Wright arrive. Penzer says Disco now resides in Funky Town. Their appearance confuses Tony. He thought Jericho’s bout was next. This is a bonus attraction. Wright takes a mic and speaks German. Next, Disco says they know the southern Hispanic scene. They prove this by doing Konnan’s catchphrases. However, Disco admits he does not know what they mean. It doesn’t matter. Everyone came to see Disco and Alex dance! So hit their music! They play the Wolfpac theme instead. Konnan arrives with Nash and Luger. Nash says The Wolfpac is in the house. He also spouts some other trendy lingo. After this, Konnan shows Disco how to do his shtick. The fans sing along.

Konnan (w/ Lex Luger & Kevin Nash) vs. Disco Inferno (w/ Alex Wright)

Notes: This is an added attraction, so it has no build. Therefore, I’ll discuss Disco’s new tag team. They gave Disco some jobber squashes on Nitro and Saturday Night. He gained a few victories with a piledriver. (They took away his Chartbuster because The Disciple does the Stunner now.) These wins gave Disco confidence. He told the announcers to call him the new icon. Then Disco formed a team with Alex Wright. The announcers call them The Dancin’ Fools. But they had separate entrances and argued over whose theme music they’d use. Then they defeated Tokyo Magnum & Shiima Nobunaga (Cima). Afterward, Magnum wanted to join The Fools. He aided The Fools in their encounters with The Public Enemy. However, Disco & Alex left Tokyo to the wolves. They made up for it by attacking Rock & Grunge on Magnum’s behalf. During these run-ins, The Public Enemy challenged The Fools to a dance-off. The fans picked Rocco & Johnny, so Disco & Alex attacked The Public Enemy. Meanwhile, Konnan had a small winning streak. This included a win over Alex Wright.

The Match: Konnan uses strikes, takedowns, and a sunset flip. Disco dances, but Konnan flips him into a pin. Then Konnan nails a facebuster and a rolling clothesline. Disco blocks the cradle DDT and sends Konnan outside. Alex Wright attacks, so Luger confronts him. Lex puts Alex in The Rack. This distracts the ref, so Nash enters the ring. He gives Disco the Jackknife, and Konnan locks him in a Tequila Sunrise for the submission.

Thoughts: This was an amusing but forgettable squash. It popped the crowd and got the wrestlers a paycheck, but it was pointless. This is more suited for TV.

Winner: Konnan (2:16)

The Giant vs. Kevin Greene

Notes: The original plan was Goldberg & Greene vs. Hennig & The Giant. They split it into two singles bouts after Goldberg won the title. Kevin Greene returned to WCW TV. Mean Gene interviewed him until Hennig & Rude interrupted. It was a distraction. The Giant jumped Greene from behind. After a wild brawl, JJ Dillon booked a Giant vs. Greene encounter for the same night. However, Hennig & Rude ruined this fight. Kevin fought them off until Goldberg arrived to save him. Hennig & Rude retreated when Bill reached the ring. During the Georgia Dome Nitro, The Giant defeated Jim Duggan. He then called out Greene for a confrontation. Kevin took it to The Giant and clotheslined him to the floor. He kept the big man at bay with Duggan’s 2×4.

The Match: Greene evades The Giant and sticks and moves. Then he bails and draws The Giant into a chase around the ring. When they reach the ropes, Kevin kicks them into Giant’s crotch and shakes them. Next, The Giant shoves Greene and locks him in a bear hug. He turns it into a spinebuster, nails an elbow drop, and places Kevin under the ropes. The Giant stands on them to choke Greene. Kevin answers with strikes and a crossbody, but The Giant catches him. He throws Greene outside, so Kevin nails a hotshot as he falls. This leads to fighting on the floor. Greene whips The Giant from the rail to the post and back again. When they head inside, Giant shoves Kevin. Green retaliates with a flying forearm. The Giant powers out of the pin, so Kevin attacks his leg. He follows with a jumping forearm. However, Giant grabs Greene by the throat when he charges. It leads to a Giant chokeslam for the victory.

Thoughts: This is Greene’s fifth match. The Giant is only three years into the business. All things considered, this was better than expected. I’m not calling it great, but I enjoyed it. Somehow, Greene looked more polished than The Giant. I’ll say it again. WCW hired the wrong football player to the full-time contract. Kevin would have made a great wrestler with more seasoning. (On a side note: this ends Greene’s involvement in WCW. NFL teams ask him to stop participating in wrestling.)

Winner: The Giant (6:58)

Lee interviews Curt Hennig in the internet room. In a world of unbeaten people, Hennig faces an undefeated man. Curt reminds Marshall he issued the challenge before Goldberg was champion. He has the secret to beating Goldberg. Lee asks what it is. Hennig says it’s experience. Curt knows the ring in and out, and he knows what to do and when to do it. Goldberg lacks experience, but Curt can go all night.

They recap the issues between Jericho and Malenko. Chris cost Dean a match by distracting him. The issues escalated, so Dillon ordered them to avoid contact until the PPV. Jericho pushed Malenko to defy the order. Insults about Dean’s parents made Malenko snap. He attacked Chris twice and ripped out a chunk of hair. They canceled the planned encounter.

Jericho arrives as promised. He wears a top hat and carries a cane. Jericho gloats about Dean’s suspension and offers to do a soft shoe routine instead of a match. JJ Dillon interrupts, which annoys Chris. JJ says he misjudged Jericho. Chris has fans. This surprised Dillon. He knows Jericho doesn’t want to disappoint them, so he offers a new fight. JJ found a local guy who hasn’t wrestled in six months. Chris likes the sound of this, but he wants a No DQ contest like they planned. He’ll bring this jobber up to a new level, so bring him on! Since Chris agreed, Dillon calls out the local talent. It’s Rey Mysterio Jr.! Jericho freaks out.

No DQ Match for the Cruiserweight Title: Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Chris Jericho (c)

Notes: JJ Dillon handed Jericho the Cruiserweight belt after his DQ win. However, he declared Jericho must defend it against Malenko within 30-days or lose it. Jericho lost his cool. He didn’t want to fight Dean. Jericho sought every loophole he could find. Chris even told Dragon to petition for the title shot instead. Jericho promised the opportunity to Dragon if he could beat Dean. Then Jericho gave Ultimo a count-out win. He lured Malenko away with more insults about his dad. Dragon argued with Jericho backstage, so Dean jumped Chris. Ultimo got involved, which allowed Chris to escape. Jericho claimed the brawl gave Dragon a concussion, so he needed a new opponent. Chris faced a mini Mysterio impostor named Rey Midgeterio. He pulled the little man on top of himself for a three and declared him the new #1 Contender! Dillon had none of this idiocy. The Malenko match was still on. But he banned any contact between Jericho and Malenko. Otherwise, Dean would forfeit the bout. Jericho saw his opening. He implied Dean’s mother cheated on Boris. This was too far. Malenko snapped and beat the crap out of Jericho twice. He ripped out a chunk of Chris’s hair. They arrested Malenko, fined him, and suspended him. It canceled the Jericho/Malenko encounter.

The Match: Rey grounds Jericho with strikes, a backdrop, and a dropkick. He follows with a springboard leg drop, so Jericho regroups. Rey joins him and spins around the post for a headscissor takeover. (He slips, but they recover.) Back inside, Chris targets Rey’s knee. But Jericho tumbles on a missed corner charge. Jericho has enough and leaves, so Mysterio chases him to the beach set. Chris climbs the lifeguard stand. Rey pulls him down and lands a dragonrana off the stand! (He almost head-plants into the sand.) Mysterio also uses the dreaded pocket sand! When they return to the ring, Jericho rolls through a flying crossbody. Then he takes Rey to the top and hits a super powerslam. With Rey down, Chris grabs a chair. He uses it on Mysterio’s braced knee and tries to Pillmanize him. It misses. Rey returns the chair work to Jericho’s leg and surprises him with a facebuster. Next, Rey tries a springboard hurricanrana. Jericho turns it into a Liontamer, but Rey blocks it. This draws out Malenko for a distraction. Chris attempts a Liontamer when Dean arrives. Rey turns it into a victory roll for a three!

Thoughts: What we got was great, but they rushed the finish. Was the show running long, or was it always planned as a short bout? I enjoyed the action and liked the finish. But I wish it was longer.

Winner: Rey Mysterio Jr. (New Champion) (6:00)

Malenko chases Jericho backstage. Arn Anderson blocks Chris’s path, so Dean jumps on Jericho. He punches him and rams Chris into a production truck. Meanwhile, Mysterio celebrates with the belt. (Why did Arn get involved? We shall see!)

TV Title Match: Booker T (c) vs. Bret Hart

Notes: During Stevie Ray’s issues with the remaining Horsemen, Bret Hart fought Benoit. Stevie distracted Benoit, so Hart attacked with a chair. He then made Chris pass out in a Sharpshooter. Next, Harlem Heat wrestled Benoit & Mongo. Bret Hart continued his chair attacks on Booker T. He cost Harlem Heat the win. So Booker challenged Bret. This annoyed Stevie. Booker is the champion. He shouldn’t issue challenges. Booker needs to handle things by laying Bret out backstage! He ignored this advice, so Stevie told his brother to go put on his cheap suit again. This isn’t the old Booker Stevie once knew. Then Booker defended his TV title against Finlay. After the encounter, Booker cut a promo on Hart. He claimed Bret had lazy legs. This joke was too lame for Stevie. He told his brother to stop doing interviews and take care of business. So Stevie showed his brother how it’s done. He fought Konnan and tried to use a chair on him. Booker stopped it, which caused an argument between the brothers.

The Match: Booker shoves Bret until Hart says, no more Mr. Nice Guy. They trade takedowns and mat holds. Booker nails a jumping forearm and a heel kick. Then they reverse hip tosses until Booker throws Bret outside. Booker celebrates with fans after ramming Bret into the rail. So Hart gives him a hotshot on the steel and rolls Booker inside. Bret continues with elbows and a headbutt to the gut. Booker answers with a spinebuster into a jackknife pin. This leads to more fighting on the floor. Hart runs Booker into the rail and the post. They return to the ring where Bret hits a leg drop. It leads to Bret’s routine. We see a backbreaker, a diving elbow, and a Russian Leg Sweep. Bret also throws strikes, but Booker counters with a sloppy sunset flip in the corner. This opens the door for Booker’s wheel kick, axe kick, and flapjack. After a Spinaroonie, Booker does a missile dropkick. Bret gets a foot on the ropes during the pin. He then regroups and gets a chair. Booker tries a plancha, but Bret swats him with the weapon for a DQ.

Thoughts: They had a good match going until the finish. These two have great chemistry. I wanted more, but the ending disappointed me. The action we got was solid. Once again, it feels like they’re rushing these later matches. They want more room for the main event.

Winner: Booker T (by DQ) (8:28)

Bret continues his attack. He focuses on Booker’s braced knee and hits it multiple times. Then Hart places Booker in a ring post Figure Four. He holds it until Stevie Ray enters the arena. Stevie takes his time and looks disappointed with his brother. Bret releases the hold and leaves. The ref and the doctor help Booker, but Stevie says he doesn’t need it. Ray helps Booker walk backstage despite the ref’s protests. Stevie Ray shakes his head in disbelief at the situation.

They recap Goldberg winning the WCW title. Hogan said the match wouldn’t happen unless Bill defeated Scott Hall. They show Goldberg headbutting a door before pinning Scott Hall. Then Bill fought Hogan. He hit a distracted Hogan with a spear and a Jackhammer to become the new champion.

Buffer introduces the WCW championship bout. For the first of two times tonight, let’s get ready to rumble! Hennig enters the arena. He carries a Goldberg t-shirt. It says, “Who’s next?” Curt unfolds it to reveal he added Goldberg’s name underneath. Hennig tosses the shirt to a fan and swats his gum into the crowd. This leads to Goldberg’s arrival. He only wears the WCW belt. They will decide the fate of the U.S. Title later. While Goldberg stands in his pyro, Buffer introduces him. Michael says Goldberg is the master of the inverted lift and jackhammer slam. (Say what now?) Tenay mentions Goldberg busted open his own forehead by headbutting a locker.

WCW Title Match: Goldberg (c) vs. Curt Hennig

Notes: Hennig said he returned to nWo Hollywood for the money. He also called out Goldberg. The winning streak didn’t impress Curt. He won over 3000 matches in his career. Meanwhile, Goldberg increased his victories. It caught JJ Dillon’s attention. On the Thunder before the Georgia Dome Nitro, Dillon shocked everyone. Since Hogan hadn’t defended his belt in a while, he booked a WCW championship bout. Hogan’s opponent was Goldberg! However, Hogan said it wouldn’t happen unless Goldberg defeated Scott Hall first. Bill fought Hall. Scott called for backup, but DDP and Malone thwarted this plan. Goldberg won and earned his fight with Hogan. During the main event, Hennig & Rude aided Hollywood. So Karl Malone gave Hennig a Diamond Cutter! This distracted Hogan. Goldberg nailed him with a spear and a Jackhammer. He pinned Hogan to become the new WCW champion! On Thunder, Dillon announced Hennig requested a shot at Goldberg’s new gold. He agreed to split the planned tag match into singles encounters. Also, JJ said they would decide what to do with Goldberg’s US belt later. Since Hennig had this opportunity, he tried to get out of a planned TV bout with DDP. Curt used his lawyers to cancel the fight, but he still jumped Page. Goldberg came to Dallas’s aid as Thunder ended.

The Match: Hennig regroups after Goldberg uses a headlock, shoulder block, and hip toss. Curt answers with strikes, but Bill does a bodyscissor takedown. Hennig bails outside. Goldberg drags him back to the ring and throws punches. Then Curt raises his boot on a corner charge and climbs the turnbuckles. Bill grabs him and nails a Gorilla Press Powerslam. Next, Curt attacks Bill’s leg. He kicks, stomps, and jumps on the knee. Goldberg turns the attack into a rolling leglock, but Hennig gets a rope break. After a running forearm, Curt lands the Hennig Plex. It only gets a two! Goldberg recovers and does the spear and Jackhammer for the win.

Thoughts: It was a fine Goldberg squash, but this is for the WCW title. They need to make these longer. For a major title defense, it was disappointing. However, Hennig got more offense than Konnan did last month. Who did Konnan piss off?

Winner: Goldberg (3:50)

Tony promises a video recapping the main event’s build. It’s dramatic music over footage of press conferences and chair attacks. We see DDP and Malone arrive at Nitro in a big rig. They also show them interfering in Goldberg vs. Hogan. The war is on! It’s DDP & Malone vs. Hogan & Rodman!

Buffer calls this a tag match like no other in wrestling’s history. This is bigger than any title, trophy, or championship belt! (You know Hogan told him to say this.) Then Buffer says his catchphrase again. A fan tells him to suck it. (Did WCW pay him for saying it twice?) Hogan and Rodman take their time entering the arena, so Heenan makes fun of the fans. When they arrive, they pose for photographers. Heenan compares it to the press for the OJ Simpson trial. Tony and Tenay ignore him. DDP and Malone are next. They do Diamond Cutter gestures in unison. Buffer says they have no affiliations with any organization. (How did the Utah Jazz feel about this?) Malone almost runs over a cameraman as he rushes to the ring. Hogan and Rodman bail to let them pose. Buffer claims Malone will deliver the mail as no man has delivered it before!

Hollywood Hogan & Dennis Rodman (w/ The Disciple) vs. Diamond Dallas Page & Karl Malone

Notes: After The Great American Bash, Savage wanted DDP to prove himself to the Wolfpac. He fought Page in a Cage. (I forgot Savage had one more bout before leaving.) Dallas accepted, but he wouldn’t join the Wolfpac. He needed to focus on Hogan & Rodman. Speaking of them, they interrupted the Cage Match. The nWo seized the controls. They raised and lowered the roofed cage to trap Page inside for an ambush. Dallas needed a partner. He attended the NBA Finals and recruited his friend, Karl Malone. Dillon made this main event official on Thunder. Then all four men appeared on The Tonight Show to hype the meeting. Next, DDP and Malone drove to an episode of Nitro in a big rig. The nWo awaited them. They armed themselves with chains and bats. Hogan & Co. cut a promo in the ring when they arrived. Page and Malone fought through the armed nWo with chairs and approached Hogan. Malone attacked. He used a sleeper, a slam, and a clothesline on Hollywood. It sent Hogan to the floor. Malone then dared Rodman to show up at the Georgia Dome. He promised to whip Dennis like Madonna should have. Rodman didn’t show, but DDP and Malone got involved in Hogan vs. Goldberg.

The Match: After a discussion, Rodman and Malone start. They stall while Hogan removes Dennis’s sunglasses. Then they tease lock-ups and tests of strength. Rodman grabs a weak headlock, avoids a shoulder block, and tags Hogan. He has a flex-off with Malone. After another test of strength tease, Karl grabs a head and arm hold. He even slams Hogan before tagging DDP. This leads to Page and Rodman fighting. They shove each other and Dennis complains of hair-pulling. This leads to them spitting on each other, and Dennis does an arm drag! Dallas regroups and they do more sloppy headlocks. Rodman falls over after a collision and a leapfrog. So Page tags Malone out of frustration. Malone and Hogan work through a top wristlock until Dennis attacks Karl from behind.

Hogan and Rodman then use frequent tags, strikes, and choking. Hollywood also uses a rear chinlock. Next, Rodman holds Karl for Hogan’s punches. The impact makes Dennis fall again. (The commentators cover by saying Hogan is too powerful.) Malone tags after Hogan misses an elbow drop. Page enters with a flying clothesline to Hogan and knocks Rodman off the apron. Rodman answers with a knee to Page’s back. This allows Hogan and Rodman to control the bout. Hogan uses his weight belt and chokes Page. They continue these tactics while distracting the ref. Hogan and Rodman cut off the ring, keep Page in their corner, and double-team him. The Disciple even interferes. The nWo stops Dallas’s tag attempts and prevents the ref from seeing successful ones. However, Hogan misses a leg drop after taunting the fans. Malone makes a hot tag. He cleans house with clotheslines, slams, and a double noggin knocker. Then Karl rams Hogan into the corners. After a big boot, Malone tags DDP. Page nails a running Diamond Cutter. Rodman breaks up the pin, so Karl gives him a Diamond Cutter. The ref argues with Malone and Rodman. This allows The Disciple to hit a Stunner on DDP. Hogan covers for the win.

Thoughts: This was awful. It was 90% stalling. Malone trained for this, but Rodman couldn’t do basic moves without falling. Also, did this bout need two hot tags? It dragged longer than it should. Now I see why they cut the earlier matches short. What a terrible finish to a PPV. The story is, Rodman partied throughout the night before the event. It showed. He’s lucky he didn’t hurt anyone.

Winners: Hogan & Rodman (23:47)

Malone gives The Disciple a Diamond Cutter. A fan throws a drink that nails The Disciple in the crotch. (I laughed.) Then Karl complains to the ref about the finish. A frustrated Malone nails Charles Robinson with a Diamond Cutter. Tony wonders if WCW will fine him. DDP and Malone then exit through the stands. They avoided the nWo gathering in the aisle. Hogan, Rodman, and nWo Hollywood do a long celebration. The group and the commentators talk over each other. I couldn’t tell you what any of them said. Hogan calls himself the king of the world and walks like an Egyptian to the back. Tony bemoans the fact they’ll hear about Hogan’s win for weeks. Heenan says Hogan needed the victory after losing to Goldberg. The commentators then recap the night and show replays. (Did the main event end early? Was it supposed to go longer!?)

The Good:

• Juvi/Kidman was solid.

• Chavo’s antics were amusing.

• Eddie/Chavo was great.

• Giant/Greene surprised me by being decent.

• Jericho/Rey was good but short.

The Bad:

• That terrible main event.

• Rushed finishes.

• A squash match for a WCW title defense.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to a surprising choice. Kevin Greene is my pick. I expected good things from most of the wrestlers on this show. But Greene exceeded expectations. I knew he was decent, but he was in a match with an almost equally green wrestler. (No pun intended.) He still performed well.

Final Thoughts:

Until the main event, I thought this was a great PPV. The final bout almost ruined it. If you skip the final hour of the show, it’s a solid event. Almost everything delivered, even if it was short. Here’s the sad thing. The undercard had shorter bouts because Hogan requested more time for his contest. The story is, Hogan wanted forty minutes. He’s not even the champion! This is one of the bigger examples of his ego running wild, brother!

Thank you for reading. My next review is the WWF’s Fully Loaded: In Your House. Look for it next Sunday!