In this WCW Nitro 9/18/95 review, Ric Flair goes one-on-one with Brian Pillman, Randy Savage and Lex Luger have choice words, and much more.
Let’s get to it.
- Event: WCW Monday Nitro
- Date: September 18, 1995
- Location: Freedom Hall in Johnson City, TN
ON THE STAGE: Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, Steve McMichael, and PEPE hype the action. We then hear sirens and Bischoff says there’s an emergency in the back.
BACKSTAGE: Gene Okerlund is standing outside of an ambulance, and The Taskmaster and The Giant hop out. Giant says he’s the true immortal and not Hulk Hogan. Gene says Giant’s father would be disappointed in him. Yes, this was when they were pushing that Andre the Giant was his actual father. Giant says his father would be helping him destroy Hogan.
ON THE RAMP: Earl Robert Eaton goes to make his entrance, but he’s jumped by Harlem Heat. They walk down with Sherri, who is carrying the Tag Team titles that Booker T and Stevie Ray won at Fall Brawl. Booker says they’re gonna turn up the heat on Nitro and defend the titles right now.
The American Males vs. (c) Harlem Heat- WCW Tag Team Titles
Gotta appreciate an impromptu title match. I also like the consistency of Harlem Heat’s approach. They’re just dudes who want to beat the shit out of everyone. If you wanted to know why Booker was seen as a future top star of the company, his incredible offense in this match made it very clear. His athleticism and star potential was on another level.
Colonel Robert Parker makes his way out and grabs Sherri off the apron, which of course leads to them making out on their way to the back. Meanwhile, Bagwell takes advantage and counters Booker and pins him to win the titles. Keep in mind that commentary was noting throughout the match that they weren’t sure if this title defense was official since Nick Bockwinkel wasn’t in attendance.
Blake’s Take: Since I’m watching this many years later, I didn’t remember the title switch here which made it entertaining. I figured something was up with commentary starting the match questioning whether it was an official defense, so I’m sure Harlem Heat will get their belts back soon enough.
VIDEO: Call the WCW Hotline at 1-900-909-9900! And kids, get your parents’ permission!
IN THE RING: Gene welcomes Ric Flair. Gene brings up Flair’s match later on with Brian Pillman. Flair addresses his issues with Arn Anderson and says he broke the code by bringing an outsider into it. Flair is gonna chop Pillman back to Cincinnati and then kick Anderson’s ass. Woooooo!
COMMENTARY: It’s gonna be Sting vs. Lord Steven Regal, Cobra vs. Craig Pittman, a special interview with Dusty Rhodes, and an update on Hulk Hogan’s status on WCW Saturday Night.
Paul Orndorff vs. Johnny B. Badd
Orndorff’s entrance music is TREMENDOUS. I mean, it’s terrible, but it’s great for his Mr. Wonderful character. Orndorff with a dropkick to start the match and he goes after Badd in the corner, then gets in referee Nick Patrick’s face. Bischoff plays up Badd’s grueling 30-minute match against Pillman at Fall Brawl and how it could slow him down in this one. Badd comes off the top rope, but Orndorff gets the knees up. Back from commercial and Badd is in control after throwing Orndorff to the outside. Badd with a couple of aerial moves for a near fall. Orndorff goes for the piledriver, but Badd counters in a flurry of offense. However, Badd goes for another counter and Orndorff sits on him and hooks the legs for the victory.
Blake’s Take: They worked hard and the story was Badd perhaps being fatigued, and it’s Orndorff stealing the win with the flash pinfall.
ON THE BEACH: Randy Savage is doing BENCH PRESSES on the beach in front of a bunch of Baywatch lifeguards. As if that wasn’t normal enough, here comes Taskmaster to throw the bar on Savage before attacking him. Flair, dressed in his ring gear, runs off Taskmaster. Wild stuff.
IN THE RING: Gene welcomes Savage. He says thanks but no thanks to Flair saving him. Savage is gonna destroy Taskmaster, and he adds that no one is stronger than Hogan. He then says Hogan is a horrible judge of character because he picked Lex Luger for the team. Gene pushes that what Luger did was unintentional, but Savage isn’t buying it. Savage predicts that Lex Luger, Sting, and Jimmy Hart are gonna join the Dungeon of Doom at some point. That brings out Luger, who thinks Savage is jealous because he also wants to be the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Savage tells Luger that he hit him with a cheap shot. Savage wants to throw down right now and slaps Luger in the face as we go to commercial. Speaking of which, I’m watching the original broadcast from 1995, and every commercial break features the movie trailer for SHOWGIRLS, which of course had Elizabeth Berkley (aka Jessie Spano from Saved By The Bell) in the starring role.
ON THE STAGE: Bischoff says security cleared the ring to stop Savage and Luger from going at it.
VIDEO: We look back at Giant driving a monster truck and running over Hogan’s motorcycle on the Fall Brawl pre-show. Then it’s the replay of Giant breaking into the cage and twisting Hogan’s head like a bottle top.
COMMENTARY: Coming up next on TNT, it’s American Kickboxer II!
Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair
These two go right after each other, and Flair throws Pillman to the outside and delivers a flying axe handle. They go back and forth, and it’s Pillman with a huge dropkick on Flair as he jumps off the top. Of course, Pillman tries to use the ropes for leverage, and Bischoff is pissed at his change in attitude. It’s CHOP TIME as they exchange some brutal ones outside, then Flair throws Pillman on the guardrail.
Flair beats down Pillman in the ring, and he goes back up top. That doesn’t work as Pillman throws him off. Pillman misses his own top rope move, and Flair goes for a pin but Pillman counters into a near fall. Flair goes to the Figure Four and Pillman has no choice to tap to give Flair the win.
Blake’s Take: These two can obviously go in the ring, but this was pretty short and straightforward with Flair handling his business.
IN THE RING: Flair looks into the camera and tells Arn he’s waiting for him. Flair then says he’s gonna kick Arn’s ass next week.
ON THE STAGE: Mongo hypes the feud between Savage and Luger, and Heenan thinks Arn is gonna kick Flair’s ass. Bischoff also says Bockwinkel might do something about the tag title situation. Heenan then points at his headset and says something is going on in the back. That’s your cliffhanger.
Blake’s Nitro Awards
- Best Match: Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair
- Best Angle: Savage and Luger
- Nitro MVP: Ric Flair
- Overall Nitro Rating: 5.0/10
- Thoughts: Not the most noteworthy edition of Nitro, but it forwarded several big feuds with Flair vs. Arn, Savage vs. Luger, and of course, Giant’s monster truck vs. Hogan’s monster truck.
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