May 10, 2008
Mike Abitabile

Monday Nitro
Baltimore Arena, Baltimore, Maryland
5/12/97

Nitro is on the air from Baltimore, Maryland as the fireworks explode. After Tony Schiavone welcomes us to the show, “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Liz make their way to the ring. Savage is off crutches and wants the microphone. “Ohhhhh yeahhhhhh!” He says he is all healed up. Last week, DDP pumped up his adrenaline. So Savage slapped him so hard, now DDP is the one on crutches. And now, Savage calls out DPP right, which is convenient considering Page has been calling out Savage for the past few weeks, but he never accepted because he was hurt. Now, the roles are reversed.

We go to the announce location and Tony tells us Eric Bischoff was contacted by Sting, and Sting wants to conduct an interview with Bischofff, tonight. That doesn’t sound like Sting to me. Bobby Heenan and Larry Zybysko are with Tony tonight. Brain points out that Sting hasn’t spoken for months and he can’t wait to see this. If Sting hasn’t spoken for months, doesn’t anyone find it odd he requested an interview? Larry wants to see Page get his hands on Savage. Tony reminds us we are just six days away from Slamboree, then we head to the ring.

TV Title Match: Ultimo Dragon (Champion) vs. Juventud Guerrera

Sonny Onoo is with Dragon. Before the match starts, we hear pre-recorded comments from Lord Steven Regal, who will be facing the Dragon for the TV title (provided he retains here) at Slamboree. Regal says he is going to get his title back. He says he can outwrestle anyone from Ric Flair to Hulk Hogan. He’s going back to his dirty rotten scoundrel self. They lock up and Dragon applies a headlock but is sent to the ropes. He takes Juvy down with a shoulder block and they trade reversals. Juvy hits a spring board dive off the top for two then hits a spinning head scissor to take Dragon out of the ring. He crawls back in and Juvy goes for a backdrop but Dragon lands on his feet then hits his quick kicks. The announcers try and figure out why Sting would contact Bischoff and trust him. Dragon applies a spinning reverse torture rack then drops to his knees! Dragon applies a face lock but Juvy is up. Dragon sends him to the ropes but Juvy ducks and hits a jumping spin wheel kick for two on the way back. Dragon goes for the “Layin’ the Smackdown DDT” but Juvy reverses it into a Northern Lights suplex for two. Juvy goes for a hurricanrana but Dragon turns it into a power bomb then goes for a moonsault off the top but Juvy moves and Dragon lands on his feet! Juvy gets a sunset flip for two. Dragon hits a moonsault off the ropes for two and goes for his Dragon suplex but Juvy reverses and they trade near falls. Juvy sends Dragon into the corner but Dragon gets his foot up when Juvy comes charging in. They fight to the top rope and Dragon is able to hits a superplex off the top rope. They trade standing switches then both tumble out of the ring. They trade blows on the outside and Dragon goes back in. As Juvy tries to get back in, Onoo grabs Jusy so he goes after him. This distraction allows Dragon to come over the top with a kick to the head of Juvy then Onoo gets some cheap shots in. Juvy is thrown back in and set on the top rope. Dragon hits his spinning hurricanrana off the shoulders of Juvy then locks on the Dragon Sleeper to retain his title! During the replays, Hennan says Juvy must have said something to insult Sonny, and that’s why he attacked Juvy.

“Mean” Gene is in the ring and brings out Ric Flair, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and Kevin Greene. Big pop. Kevin Greene says he will keep it short and simple. He has never lost in Charlotte and is undefeated. There are three things you can put in the bank – you pay taxes, you die and he is going to break his foot off in someone’s ass Sunday night. Gene says he doesn’t think Kevin can say “foot.” MEAAAAAAANNNNNN GENE! Flair says this Sunday night, the nWo is going down. Piper says he has had some fights in this building. The nWo thinks they are lions, but this isn’t the Wizard of Oz and Piper isn’t Dorothy. All of a sudden, Hall, Nash and Syxx interrupt on the big screen. Well, compared to the tian tron, it’s a pretty small screen. Hall says if Piper is hungry, there’s an all you can eat buffet, “down there.” Syxx mocks Flair and says he’s with Flair’s wife when he’s out of town. Hall says the Wolfpac doesn’t respect them. He says they wanted to be there tonight, but couldn’t because there wasn’t enough cheese with all this wine. Nash says they should trade Greene from Charlotte. He also says, the rules have changed for the pay per view – it’s now no DQ and no count out – someone is getting beat right in the middle of the ring!

US Champion Dean Malenko vs. Steve “Mongo” McMichael

Debra and Jeff Jarrett accompany Mongo to the ring. On his way out, Mongo goes off on Reggie White, who he will be facing this Sunday at Slamboree. The announcers are happy to hear the main event at Slamboree will now be no DQ and no count out and think it favors Flair, Piper and Greene. Malenko and Mongo tie up and Mongo backs Dean into the corner. Dean then backs Mongo into the corner. Mongo shoves him off and pops up. He applies a headlock and Mongo sends him to the ropes and goes for a clothesline but Dean ducks and hits a dropkick. Mongo shoves off another dropkick and sends Dean to the corner. Dean gets his feet up and goes after the leg of Mongo. Mongo shoves him off again them pounds on Dean. Mongo goes after the face of Dean. They back into the corner and break but Dean hits a shoulder to the midsection then hits a dropkick which gets two. Dean sends Mongo to the ropes but it is reversed and Dean is tripped up by Jeff Jarrett. Dean turns around to confront Jeff, so Mongo hits a chop lock from behind on the knee of Malenko. Mongo goes for a power slam but the foot of Dean knocks referee Mark Curtis in the head and out of the ring. Mongo would have the win, but Reggie White comes running out and distracts Mongo. Jarrett grabs his leg allowing Mongo to go after Reggie. Mongo pulls Reggie in the ring and Reggie takes him down with a clothesline then a big splash! Jarrett gets shoved off the apron as well. Mark Curtis crawls back in as Dean Malenko applies a forward roll on Mongo to get the win!

After the match, Gene Okerlund interviews Reggie White in the aisle. Reggie says Mongo can talk about him all he wants, but when it comes to his family and the Green Bay fans, he takes it personally. Gene tells Reggie he might have to deal with Jeff Jarrett and Debra on Sunday. Reggie says he is ready and Green Bay will prove they are better than Chicago (in Charlotte). We go to break.

We return with Lee Marshall On the Road with 1-800-Collect. Lee is in Asheville, North Caroline, where Nitro will be next week. Tickets are still available. He tells the guys to visit the famed Biltmore Estate when they get there. But before you just drop in, you need to know their policy is no shoes, no shirt, no weasels. Larry asks Bobby if he owes Lee money or something.

James Vandenburg’s New Charge vs. Scotty Riggs

Before the match gets under way, Tony reminds us WCW has a big Nitro live from Las Vegas on June 30th. Before the match gets underway, James Vandenburg comes out with Mortis and tells us the name of the big man is Wrath. Mortis stands outside the ring facing the entrance ramp, presumably waiting for Glacier. Wrath grabs Riggs and throws him into the corner then sends him to the ropes. He goes for a big clothesline but Riggs ducks and hits a few dropkicks. Wrath responds with a spinning tilt-a-whirl slam. Wrath hits a standing Rock Bottom out of nowhere for the win. After the match ends, the lights go down and Glacier appears on the ramp. Larry tells us the busy body Mike Tenay told him that he heard Glacier mumbling something in Japanese earlier today, which translates to “attack.” Well, he does nothing and we go to break. Good call, Tenay!

Hugh Morrus and Konnan vs. Ice Train and Alex Wright

Jimmy Hart is with Hugh and Konnan. Teddy Long is with the jobbers, I mean, Ice Train and Alex Wright. Tony points out that members of the Baltimore Ravens are in the front row. Hugh and Konnan double team Ice Train in the corner to start. Hugh sends Train to the ropes but it is reversed into a power slam. Alex wants a tag, so he’s in and kicking away on Hugh. He backs Hugh into his corner and refuses to make a tag back to Train. Alex is showboating to the crowd a lot. Alex slaps the taste out of Hugh’s mouth then makes a blind tag to Ice Train now that Hugh is mad. Hugh slams Train then clotheslines him. Hugh then goes after Alex Wright on the apron but he bails and dances on the floor. Teddy tells him to stay focused. Hugh sends Train into the corner and charges in but it is reversed. Train goes to tag Alex, but Wright says he’s got a bad knee and doesn’t want the tag. Alex goes after Teddy Long and leaves allowing Hugh and Konnan to double team Train. Hugh hits a spinning neck breaker on Train then Konnan kicks him. Hugh was going to go for his moonsault but Konnan kicked him out of position. Konnan applies the Tequila Sunrise to get the submission win. In the aisle, Alex Wright says he is the best and everyone should look at his body. We go to break as Hugh and Konnan double team Ice Train.

We return with Tony reminding us Randy Savage called out Page earlier tonight and shows footage from last week when Page got injured. The announcers cut the footage off to tell us a cameraman has been dispatched to the back quickly. We see Nash and Syxx running out of Piper’s locker room then we see a chair next to Piper, who is on the ground, holding his hip! They said they were in Charlotte tonight! Those liars! We go to break.

We return with Eric Bischoff on his way to the ring. Larry still wants to know why Sting would waste his time calling Bischoff. That must have been an interesting phone conversation. If Easy E didn’t have Caller ID, he must have thought it was a prank call since no one on the other end was talking. Bobby wants an update on Piper’s condition. Tony doesn’t have one.

Bischoff says he loves the people. Tony points out that Bischoff has his own nWo mic cube. Larry wants to know what a mic cube is. (It’s the thing on the bottom of the microphone). Bischoff says he promised the world Sting would talk to him. And he is a man of his world, so if we want to hear him talk for the first time in months, let’s bring Sting out right now. The old Sting music plays (“Man Called Sting”) and nWo Sting comes out from the entrance ramp. It’s not Sting! What a shock. Tony: “We should have known.” Bisch acts like he is scared of “Sting” and tells him he didn’t need to bring the bat. Bisch wants to know if it is true that Sting has been compared to Hollywood Hogan throughout his entire career. “Sting” nods yes. Bisch wants to know if the people who make those comparisons say Sting will never accomplish what Hogan has accomplished. He nods yes again. Easy E wants to know if deep down inside, that Sting knows he will never measure up to Hogan. “Sting” thinks about it and nods. The real Sting comes out of the entrance area (not from the ceiling) and Bischoff hides behind nWo Sting and his bat. The crowd pops. Sting’s got his own bat! He goes to hit nWo Sting but stops, however nWo Sting still flinched. Sting hits the Scorpion Death Drop on nWo Sting while Bischoff cowers. Easy E bails through the crowd. Tony wants to know about the interview now. We’re out of time!

Next week, the Slamboree fallout and I am sure we’ll hear more about Sting from Bischoff.