We have an interactive hotline where WCW fans can call it and decide who will main event tonight’s edition of Nitro. You see, people were claiming that WWE had been pioneers of sports entertainment interactivity with their Taboo Tuesday/Cyber Sunday gimmick PPVS in the mid-2000s, but WCW revolutionized that concept in 1995… WITH FUCKING TELEPHONES.
And what did WCW fans book with their amazing power of phones?
They booked Ric Flair vs. Sting… because of course, they did… and the worst part is that that wasn’t even the main event; it was playing second fiddle to an interview segment involving Jimmy Hart and the reigning WCW Champion THE GIANT, who opened the show with a ten second win over some guy named Cobra.
Cut to some backstage bits where Sting wants the Nature Boy (and he would get him), followed by Hogan and Macho Man in Venice Beach conversing with street bums… how much prodding did it take for Hogan to pretend to associate with these individuals. This is followed by a short match between Kevin Sullivan and the Renegade… the Renegade, for those who don’t know, was WCW’s attempt at a knock-off Ultimate Warrior when they couldn’t sign the real deal. And even though nobody bought the gimmick, Renegade was still given a lengthy TV title reign before dropping it to DDP a couple episodes ago.
And so after a quick match, Sullivan defeats Renegade and Jimmy Hart comes out to wash off Renegade’s face pain, declaring him to be “just Rick.” Well, “just Rick” would still use the Renegade moniker with no paint and would fade off into the radar before having a brief stint in 98 as the Warrior’s stunt double. And then some time afterwards, the guy committed suicide… sometimes, this shit really sucks.
Anyway, this is followed by a great Eddie Guerrero/Chris Benoit match that ends with Guerrero scoring the win despite Benoit’s feet on the ropes, which should lead to a rematch down the road. And in the main event match, Sting defeated Ric Flair via Scorpion Deathlock submission… that Sting would hold on to until Luger shows up to whisper something in Sting’s ear that would cause him to head to the back… presumably, someone raided his hair dye supply and he’s only got a few months worth before he has to go dark. Oops.
In the main event interview, Jimmy Hart explained his reasoning for turning on Hogan… while saying absolutely nothing. The key thing is that Jimmy worked a clause into the contract for the Hogan/Giant title match that the title could change hands on a DQ and so Jimmy did the DQ thing, which resulted in a title change… but WAIT JUST A MINUTE, KING! Mean Gene brings out a lawyer to dispute this, who declares that as a result of the shady finish, the WCW title is being held up and a new champion will be decided at the 60-Man 3-Ring World War 3 battle royal, which I’m sure will leave us with no doubt as to who the real champion is.
dtm666 