My Take On The Monday Night Wars 3.01.08: Raw vs. Nitro (6.02.97)
Posted by Larry Csonka on 03.01.2008
Ric Flair battles Scott Hall and Chris Benoit is erased from history on Nitro! Meanwhile over on Raw we get more of the unlikely tag team champions of HBK and Austin while the Undertaker battles Sid!
Introduction:
Welcome back to the latest edition of My Take On! With the addition of WWE 24/7 to my cable system, I have decided to have some fun and do some columns on "The Monday Night Wars." I plan to work this similar to the "My Take on MMA" columns, where it isn't a recap as much as it is an analysis piece. I will provide the ratings of the two shows, my breakdowns of each segment that aired and then give an overall final grade so to speak of the show. At the end I will give the winner a point for the ratings win and a point for the show I thought was the best. The goal is to run through as many of these as I can as they air. I think it will be a fun adventure to embark on. Sit back and relax, as I relive The Monday Night Wars!
For those that have asked, these columns don't have a set schedule. They will appear as a fill in for when another 411 writer needs the day off.
Match/Segment: Recap of Last Week/Taker's Explanation Larry's Enjoyment Index: 8.5 Final Thoughts: Raw was coming off of an excellent show which was highlighted by part II of Foley interview, the Austin/HBK Title Win and Taker/Paul Bearer forced reuniting angle. While they were losing the ratings, the shows at the time were going very well. We're currently 6-days away from the King of the Ring PPV as we enter this show. They did a solid recap of the main events and angles from the previous week (the Austin/HBK Title Win and Taker/Paul Bearer forced reuniting) and then we get the show opening. I think the recap video is an important thing that doesn't always get used as well as it could. But back during the time you knew what was going on, and if for some reason you didn't they made damn sure you did know. Now another think I liked was when they would end one show with an angle and then pick right back up with it. This is another trait of episodic TV that is a simple tool and again not always used well. Taker explains that blackmail in why he rejoined with Paul bearer. It is a simple story, yet complicated. He's living hell due to Paul Bearer and people from his past were almost hurt, which is why he reluctantly has to go with Paul. And he knows that the Creature of the Night won't be happy but he has to do this. I liked this, he explains without explaining if that makes sense. There is major shit going down, but he can't spill any of it if he wants to protect certain people. While Taker was a formidable force and an instrument of destruction, this humanized him because you could tell that he wanted to protect people he cared about, even if he had to hurt the people that supported him. Paul then comes out and explains that with Taker back with him that HE will rule the word. This does not set well with one Psycho Sid, who we remember lost the title to Taker at WM XIII. Sid puts Taker over for winning the title and wearing the belt with pride, until he returned to the fat man. Taker accepts the rematch and in a very ECW like segment, the nation is now out. Farooq promises that this time next week, a black man will rule the world.
Match/Segment: Farooq w/The Nation (D-Lo, Crush and Savio) pinned Ahmed Johnson Larry's Enjoyment Index: 5.25 Final Thoughts: They show a video of Farooq debuting and beating down Ahmed Johnson, leading to surgery. While he was out the Nation was formed. Overall a pretty detailed video and it put over the hate both men had for each other. Ahmed also cut a solid promo before the match promising to take out Farooq before he made it to his title shot. The Nation would get involved, and that led to Taker hitting the ring and trying to clean house. In the craziness Ahmed eats the steel steps, allowing Farooq to get the pin. Ahmed tries some attitude with Taker, and eats a choke slam for his troubles. He then no sells it and walks up the ramp after Taker leaves. Asshole. This started off really well, but became a complete cluster. Plus Ahmed no selling the chokeslam is fucking taboo man.
Match/Segment: The Hart Foundation Speaks Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.0 Final Thoughts: HBK and Austin are on the TRON so that they will not be out there to cause havoc. Bret says due to being abused by American Wrestlers like Steve Austin, he will not be able to compete against HBK at the KOTR. HBK is pissed at Austin, while Austin wanted to take him out for good. HBK tries to say that Austin failed, which leads to they talking tremendous amounts of shit including them claiming they have to save each other's ass. I loved this stuff. They agree to take out the LOD and they settle their differences. This then leads to Pillman offering to step aside at KOTR so that Austin and HBK can go at it. Austin appreciates the offer, accepts and them promises as ass beating next Monday for Pillman. Nothing epic, but great heat and chemistry made this very fun.
Match/Segment: Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart defeated Bob Holly Larry's Enjoyment Index: 5.0 Final Thoughts: Holly defeated Owen on the May 19th episode of Raw to earn this shot. Unfortunately they did piss poor follow up as he lost to D Lo clean the next week and killed any momentum that he had. They worked well together, and due to the heat the Foundation had on them the crowd was into this to a good degree. Owen wins clean with the Sharpshooter, it was fine.
Match/Segment: Goldust pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.75 Final Thoughts: Again they do good work of background with the video packages. We get some background on HHH and Goldust and how it also played with the women. Well, woman and Chyna. Besides the personal feud between the two, the winner also gets a European Title Shot next week against Bulldog, so fuel to the fire basically. HHH and Chyna have some miscommunication and Goldust gets the win. Short, but very energetic. HHH could afford the loss as he was about to win the KOTR and bigger things were to come.
Match/Segment: The Legion of Doom defeated World Tag Team Champions Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels, by Count Out Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.5 Final Thoughts: Again we have the greatness of Austin and HBK knowing that they need each other to survive, but that neither of them like it. They work really well together, which is just a credit to how good both guys were. JR was really on top of his game referencing the tag team credentials of the LOD as well as the fact that HBK and Austin made their early bones in the tag ranks with mentions of the Rockers and Austin being a partner with Pillman. The good times end when the Hart Foundation makes a second trip to ring side, Austin and Hart brawl and get counted out. And as we know Austin and HBK would face at the KOTR while the LOD would team with Sid to face the Hart Foundation (Owen Hart, Jim Niedhart, and Davey Boy Smith) on the show. An overall good segment with good crowd heat that forwarded an angle I really loved and still like to this day.
Match/Segment: JR Interviews Mankind Part III Larry's Enjoyment Index: 10.0 Final Thoughts: This is the explanation of the Cactus Jack years. Jack would always go a bit further than anyone else in and out of the ring. And when he was asked to tone down, he left the country. When he saw barbed wire ropes for the first time, he was home. We get to see the King of the Death Match video clips here. He was respected, loved, and cheered. He had dignity then, but not now as people spit on him. Foley discusses the scars, quotes some Shakespeare and then explains that his scars are a map of where he has been and what he has done. A fulfilled life he says. The pure emotion and unique way they did this is awesome, still awesome today. Next week we get the Mankind years.
Match/Segment: KOTR Qualifier: Mankind pinned Savio Vega Larry's Enjoyment Index: 8.0 Final Thoughts: Mankind actually gets cheers as he comes to the ring, which he sells well as he is not completely sure ho to react. Dear Lord Savio and Mankind try to kill themselves one-minute in as they battle on the floor, with Savio missing a crazy cross body from the top rope to the ramp. They worked hard and put on a different kind of match that the rest, which was good. Lawler's commentary was great and insulting of Mankind, leading to their KOTR match and adding fuel to the fire for the eventual Foley turn and Dude Love arrival. Also Crush cost Savio the match, which was more of the slow burn to break up the Nation and go into the gang wars. They brawled and Farooq would come out, only to blow them off. In hindsight this was really good segment.
Match/Segment: World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker pinned Sid Vicious Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.0 Final Thoughts: Sid gets some run, but eventually Taker goes through him like a cheap burrito from the construction site chow wagon. The nation would hit the ring and beat down Taker, and while Sid would try to help he would be beat down as well. The Nation stood tall and sent a message, and I feel Farooq looked badass laying the beat down on Taker. There was no magical comeback, they laid out Sid and Taker in a big way.
The Overall: Best Match/Segment: JR Interviews Mankind Part III 10.0 Worst Match/Segment:: Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart defeated Bob Holly 5.0 Final Thoughts: This was the go home show for the PPV, and they were really clicking well here. Sid returns get his world title rematch, we find out that Bret Hart is out of action and then see Austin and HBK tricked into a match at the PPV. The Nation was crumbling at the feet of Farooq, the man that was about to challenge for the title and we saw the beginnings of the Mankind face turn as the third part of the interview ran and the crowd started to get behind him on this show. Austin and Pillman was already set for next week as well as Goldust vs. Bulldog for the European title. Things were just clicking big time and while the ratings at the time didn't show it, it's obvious when you look back. Show Score: 8.0
WCW MONDAY NITRO (6.02.97)~!: RATING: 3.3
Match/Segment: The n.W.o Kicks off the show Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.5 Final Thoughts: Syxx and Hall kick off the show this week, explaining that they are the reason to watch WCW, to watch TNT and why they are the stuff. Damn, the WCW tag titles were small as shit. Syxx then BERRIES Flair and says he is done, he thought it would be an honor to face him but he lost a step. They call Flair out and JJ Dillon comically runs to the ring. Dillon explains to them that Flair was on his way to the arena and Hall will be taking on Flair. I love wrestling, Dillon says Hall talked himself into a verbal contract. Tremendous. Hall tried to refuse the match, but Dillon threatened to strip him of the tag titles. That changed his mind. A fine segment that sets up the main event and plays off of what they have been doing, but it wasn't anything earth shattering.
Match/Segment: Glacier pinned Alex Wright Larry's Enjoyment Index: 5.0 Final Thoughts: The booking off Wright was odd. They had him turn on Ice Train and then go full heel. The following week (last week) he loses to Psicosis and then follows up here with a loss. Way to work that heel turn boys. This was an inoffensive match. Afterwards Vandenburg is out with the helmet that his men stole from Glacier. Mortis and Wrath appear and surround Glacier. Alex Wright joins in on the beat down, but Mortis ends up kicking him. I laughed. Glacier, for the first time was actually able to fight them off and escape.
Match/Segment: Buff Bagwell pinned Joe Gomez Larry's Enjoyment Index: 5.0 Final Thoughts: This was before the ridiculous top hat and stupid dance phase of Buff. He's still a piece of shit though. Buff wasn't jacked to the degree that he became immobile yet and actually doesn't look bad. Well, except for that oh so gay choker he is wearing. Buff wins, it was fine, nothing special, move on.
Match/Segment: Prince Iaukea pinned Hugh Morris Larry's Enjoyment Index: 5.0 Final Thoughts: Konnan attacked Morris as he was coming to the ring. It looked as if he hit him with a broom. Morris has been knocked loopy but he goes to the ring anyway. The ref and trainer check on him a bit, but he decides to go on. Iaukea gets the roll up win as Konnan stands on the ramp and celebrates. Like the rest of the show this was fine as it got Iaukea a win and forwarded the Morris/Konnan program, although neither was setting the world on fire.
Match/Segment: JJ Dillon Speaks Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.0 Final Thoughts: JJ Dillon discusses the tag team ranks in WCW, and have decided that no matter happens in the upcoming title matches, that The Steiner Brothers will be recognized as the #1 contenders. Sista Sherri and Harlem Heat are out and they are pissed. Dillon explains that if The Steiner Brothers win their match tonight that there is no arguing about it. Sherri promises that actions demand reactions. I thought that this was a nice job of trying to work the tag titles back into things and not just as props for Hall and Nash. It also made the upcoming tag match seem more important instead of random as it really was.
Match/Segment: Great Muta and Masahiro Chono defeated The Steiner Brothers Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.0 Final Thoughts: The Steiner's were ridiculously over still at this point, and to a point that is amazing. They had been repeatedly screwed out of and stripped of the tag titles and they ran the risk of the crowd totally turning on them, but they still supported the brothers. While not a classic, this match was really fun in a lot of ways. Steiner lines out the ass, Muta's cartwheel back handspring, YAKUZA kicks and then the Harlem Heat runs in, paying off of the promo from earlier and the Steiner's lose. After the match JJ Dillon is out and the Heat demand that they become #1 contenders. Dillon says that they better win their match tonight. I think we all see what's coming.
Match/Segment: THE NATURE BOY ARRIVES … WOOOOOOOOO! Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.5 Final Thoughts: MEAN… WOOOOOOO …GENE! Flair may not be able to beat Hall, but he just has to find out. Flair knows that Nash isn't here, it is just Hall and Syxx and Flair will stomp a pothole in Hall's toothpick chewing ass. TONIGHT. Flair is just awesome. He essentially said both jack and shit, but was some fucking energetic that you felt like you watched a great promo and it made you want to see Flair vs. Hall. Awesome.
Match/Segment: United States Champion Dean Malenko defeated Michael Wallstreet and 50 other angles Larry's Enjoyment Index: 3.0 Final Thoughts: Wallstreet is rocking the anti-WCW shirt and luscious mullet. The Mike Rotunda of the late 80's/early 90's vs. Dean would have been a pretty damn sweet match. Tony keeps trying to put this over as a "PPV quality bout." Um, yeah, a bad PPV. This wasn't bad, but at this point Rotunda wasn't exactly a spring chicken and he looked as if he was walking through most of his matches to collect a big fat check. This is also more of the Nick Patrick on Probation period after he came home to WCW after being in the n.W.o. So we have the Wallstreet vs. WCW angle, Nick Patrick probation angle and then Jeff Jarrett runs in to try and cost Malenko the match. No wonder Jarrett likes over booking. The finish sees Malenko get the cloverleaf, while Patrick blocked Wallstreet from getting the ropes. Blah. Jarrett then gets promo time, calls Malenko non-charismatic and then demands a rematch. Should you be making fun of people when you wear ridiculous outfits like that? Really Jeff? Really? Jesus it gets worse as Mongo hits the ring and they argue. He then bitches about Kevin Green and promises to burn him down. This was so TNA like it was amazing.
Match/Segment: Damien and Ciclope defeated Harlem Heat Larry's Enjoyment Index: 5.0 Final Thoughts: This goes as you would expect. Harlem Heat dominates, the lucha's gets some spots, the Steiner's come out and get involved and Damien and Ciclope get the HUGE win and pop from the crowd. Of course they would do nothing to follow up on the Damien and Ciclope win. This was fine.
CHRIS BENOIT EDIT ALERT! On this episode of Nitro Chris Benoit defeated The Barbarian. While there were mentions in commentary about it, they skip over the match and head right to the main event of Flair vs. Hall. CHRIS WHO?
Match/Segment: Ric Flair defeated Scott Hall by Disqualification Larry's Enjoyment Index: 7.75 Final Thoughts: As I watch this match I find two things that depress me. Scott Hall looks horrible today due to all of his issues, and it is sad because he looks like such a star here. Also, Flair's hair used to be awesome and today it is a sad sight. Flair is the fucking man as he does the corner flip to the apron and then nails a Thesz press to the floor onto Waltman. Hall and Waltman work together to keep the advantage on Flair until Flair fights back, uses the Greco Roman nut shot and runs wild on both men, awesomeness. Randy Anderson calls for the bell and after a belt shot Flair is in trouble. Mongo finally comes out with Jarrett and they make the save for Flair. Flair and Hall were great, got tie and it felt really fun. Hall should have been a world champion at some point, but unfortunately for him Hogan and Nash got the title runs. When it looked like Hall would get the big run, his personal issues put an end to that, and really, that's a shame.
Match/Segment: The n.W.o closes the show Larry's Enjoyment Index: 6.0 Final Thoughts: Savage with Liz drag Mean gene out for an interview, literally drag him out. Savage to me made no sense, he said he had something to say and wanted to say it right away. But he wouldn't do it unless Mean Gene went to the ring. Oh well. Liz was so MILF-Tastic in WCW. Gene says Savage believes his own hype, and then JJ Dillon waddles his way to the ring. Dillon lays down the law about harassing WCW announcers, and then says he used to respect Savage but no more. OH NO! Savage is cracking me up, "Did I burst your little bubble in regards to the Macho Man?" Dillon says at one time Savage would have been a man and challenged DDP man to man, but he isn't that man anymore and said that Savage was hiding behind a woman. Savage attacks Dillon and Bishoff rushes in to try and stop him as security hits the ring. I dig the whole Savage going off the deep end style here, and the fact that Bishoff "knew it wasn't good for the n.W.o to do things like this." It had a nice wild aspect to it really. Savage is insane as they chant for DDP and tries to attack Dillon again. I also dug the DDP/Savage feud, although many people still don't think much of DDP.
The Overall: Best Match/Segment: Ric Flair defeated Scott Hall by Disqualification 7.75 Worst Match/Segment:: United States Champion Dean Malenko defeated Michael Wallstreet and 50 other angles 3.0 Final Thoughts: Again like the previous week Nitro actually felt like a Wrestling Program that was trying to put on a complete show and build to a PPV. While there were instances of stuff being "fine" and or passable, there was also some solid stuff happening. Overall this was a bit below the previous week but they are doing good repair work from the one-hour mailed in shows. Show Score: 6.9
THE WINNER:
According to the Ratings: NITRO According to Larry: RAW Overall Series Score: RAW~9 – NITRO~3
"Lord Savio"?? Come on, he was at best an average guy...
Posted By: Mike (Guest) on March 01, 2008 at 11:15 AM
He said "Dear Lord Savio and Mankind try to kill each other" not "Dear Lord" in the sense that Savio is a god.
Posted By: MIB (Guest) on March 01, 2008 at 01:55 PM
"He said "Dear Lord Savio and Mankind try to kill each other" not
"Dear Lord" in the sense that Savio is a god."
It is called punctuation.
This should clear it up:
Dear Lord, Savio and Mankind try to kill each other
Posted By: Stinkylicous (Guest) on March 01, 2008 at 03:05 PM
Hey Lar, did you see the news about June 9th? Real laugher there, huh? Technical difficulties? What a crock!The only technical difficulty they saw was the crowd in Boston 5x more rabid than the one in Hartford for Raw. I'm starting to believe that Beniot is small fries in the matter, and that the true reason these Nitros are starting to be cut is they don't wanna show how they had success in prime WWF country.Exhibit A: The only nitros to be cut thus far? Boston and Philly.Exhibit B: the 4/14 Raw that was cut was the awful South Africa/Truth Commission show that was straight up awful.Meanwhile, Philly had the normal raucous Philly crowd and was highlighted by the PE-High Voltage StreetFight and Luger-Nash.Just curious to see your view on this development. Feel free to conspiracy theorize everyone.
Posted By: SMYK (Guest) on March 03, 2008 at 01:57 PM
Meltzer confirmed that the 6/9 Nitro tape was horrible quality. So bad that the WWE was trying to find a DVD copy to run and they didn't have.
Chris Who? Yep, heaven forbid they edit out a double murderer. Wrestling fans need to see a 10-year old show unedited dammit! I'm glad they edit out Benoit. I don't want to watch a murderer wrestle.
Posted By: O'Dog (Guest) on March 09, 2008 at 04:56 PM
