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WCW Monday Nitro - May 3, 1999

by Wrestling Recap's Bob Colling

From: Charlotte, North Carolina

To open up the show we see Ric Fair, Arn Anderson and the large nurse from the Mental Hospital get in a limo as they make their way to Charlotte for Nitro. There are also several mental patients riding with them.

We also see clips from last week and the announcers hype up Slamboree.

Before the next match, the Armstrongs get some microphone time as Scott says that they are going to prove tonight that they are championship material.

Opening Contest: WCW World Tag Team Champions Billy Kidman/Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Scott Armstrong/Steve Armstrong in a non-title match:

Steve and Kidman kick off the bout. Kidman head scissors Steve followed by two dropkicks to both Armstrong’s. Scott and Rey tag into the match with Scott backing Rey into a corner delivering a few right hands a running clothesline. Rey arm drags Scott followed by a dropkick and tags in Kidman. Kidman is sent into the ropes but falls to the floor as Steve pulls the top rope down. Steve sends Kidman back first into the guard railing. Steve legally tags into the bout but misses a splash in the corner. Kidman hits a bulldog before tagging in Rey who leaps off the top to Thez Press Steve but is met with a right hand from Scott. Rey shoves Scott into a corner and Kidman power bombs Steve for a near fall. Rey flips over Kidman to hurricanrana Scott while Kidman counters a power bomb from Steve with a face buster. Kidman catapults Rey to the top rope and Rey hits a hurricanrana on Steve for the win. (**1/4. It was kept fairly short but they delivered with some quality wrestling. The finish was pretty nice as well. The Armstrong’s can sure hang with the quality tag teams as they have proven that in recent weeks.)

After the match, the Horsemen and Raven/Saturn run down to the ring. The Horsemen bail from the ring after Raven and Saturn enter the ring. Raven plants Kidman with a DDT and Saturn hits the Death Valley Driver on Rey. The Horsemen return to beat down the other four men!

Before the next match, Ernest Miller gets on the microphone and gives Bagwell the chance to leave, but Bagwell doesn’t.

Second Contest: Buff Bagwell defeated Ernest Miller:

Miller actually gets the upper hand with a super kick as Bagwell posed. Bagwell hip tosses, arm drags and dropkicks Miller until he bails to the floor. Miller yells at some fans to stall for a few moments. Bagwell has a wristlock on Miller to maintain the advantage. Miller dumps Bagwell to the floor where Sonny Ono gets a few cheap shots in. Back in the ring, Bagwell gets a near fall following a swinging neck breaker. Ono helps Miller block a monkey flip and Miller hits Bagwell with a super kick. Miller blocks a sunset flip with right hands but Bagwell manages to roll Miller up for a two count anyway. Miller recovers by nailing Bagwell with another super kick. Miller ducks a right hand and holds Bagwell so that Ono can hit him but Bagwell moves out of the way. Miller goes to strike Ono but Bagwell connects with the Blockbuster to win the bout. (1/2*. An incredibly boring contest. I suppose since Miller is still fairly green and doesn’t have a wide range of offense, not like he ever did anyway, they couldn’t do much more than formula stuff.)

Ric Flair and company have arrived to the building. Flair is upset about his name not being on the marquee for the event. They make their way down to the ring where Flair offers Gene a hug from his muscular nurse. Flair says that he wants Savage, George, Goldberg, DDP and Sting but that he wants Savage and George first. He also says that Savage is fired. Flair tells Gene that tonight he will become the fifteen time WCW World Heavyweight Champion. He turns his attention to Piper talking about their upcoming match. Randy Savage and his ladies come down as Nitro goes to commercial. Savage ends up taking security out but Flair grabs a hold of George in the ring. Savage is taken away by the cops. Charles Robinson cuts a promo on Gorgeous George saying that he is going to get a piece of gum for her, because a “bimbo can’t chew gum and walk at the same time.” George slaps Robinson for that comment but is put in a choke hold by the big nurse! Security returns to the ring to help George get out of the situation. Flair continues to talk trash about Sting and Goldberg. Sting comes down to the ring and is told by Flair that he isn’t the Franchise of WCW. Sting attacks Flair. Anderson stands in front of both men as Flair calls for Goldberg. Goldberg comes down and attacks Flair, even after he is called the Franchise. Sting starts to brawl with Goldberg and even security fail at breaking things up. Officers enter the ring and stop things. Sting breaks free to start the brawling again. Things get calmed down as the show goes to commercial.

Backstage, Ric Flair is talking to Stevie Ray about Kevin Nash being his problem since he would have to wrestle Nash at the pay per view if he were to win the championship tonight. Flair offers Ray $100,000 to take out Nash. Ray accepts it by saying that he is here to break necks and cash checks.

Third Contest: Bam-Bam Bigelow fought Hak to a no contest in a hardcore match:

Bigelow puts Hak through a total of four tables during the bout. He connected with a superplex through two tables. Brian Knobbs ends up making an appearance and attacks Bigelow. Knobbs also knocks Hak out and the match is tossed out by the referee. How can there be a no contest in a hardcore match?

Backstage, Stevie Ray tells his partners that Flair offered him $50,000 to take out Nash. For some reason we see Arn Anderson coming out of the bathroom after Ray said that.

Fourth Contest: Konnan defeated Horace Hogan by disqualification:

Konnan has the Tequila Sunrise on Horace but is attacked by the non-important New World Order guys. Kevin Nash comes down to the ring to make the save for Konnan. He and Konnan actually touch fists to show some kind of unity or respect. Remember when they were feuding three months ago? I wonder if Rey Mysterio Jr. approves of this.

Backstage, Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Charles Robinson are hanging out in a room. David Flair and Torrie Wilson have arrived to the arena. Ric thanks David for helping him. Ric tells David that he will be in the main event for Nitro. Ric books David vs. Meng for later tonight. Ric wants Charles to tell Meng that David doesn’t think he can go anymore. Arn chimes in to say that Meng will kill David, which Ric fully agrees with.

A red limo arrives to the arena and it turns out that Roddy Piper is in it. Piper looks for Ric and finds his room. Piper hits Ric with a trash can and slaps a cop. Piper attacks Ric while the mental patients look on. Piper puts his Reality Check shirt on Ric to end the segment.

A random press conference for Lex Luger and Miss Elizabeth is shown but the picture fades in and out throughout the segment. That was supposed to happen as Luger is beginning to change his name and character.

Backstage, Scott Steiner is looking for Kevin Nash but finds Buff Bagwell first and beats the crap out of him.

Fifth Contest: Meng defeated David Flair:

Thankfully, Meng wins the bout with the Tongan Death Grip. Dave ends up doing a stretcher job as Ric Flair tries to hit on Torrie Wilson.

Mean Gene calls out the WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Diamond Dallas Page. Page asks Gene if anyone has ever won the championship after being a manager and color commentator. Page shows that he has gotten quite the ego as he compares himself to Gretzky, Elway and Jordan. Page believes that Flair wants to be him. Page tells us that he is in his prime and that "in order to be the man, you gotta beat the man!”

Sixth Contest: WCW Television Champion Booker T defeated Curt Hennig by disqualification to retain the title:

A rather quick bout here. Hennig works on Booker’s knee in the early stages and avoids a slapjack shot from Stevie Ray. Rick Steiner makes his way down to the ring and brawls with Booker on the floor leading to the DQ finish.

Main Event: WCW World Heavyweight Champion Diamond Dallas Page defeated Ric Flair to retain the title:

Charles Robinson is the referee, which would have to give Flair the advantage. Page backs Flair into a corner and delivers a few jabs to the midsection. Page backdrops Flair and taunts the President. Page shoulder blocks Flair and goes to work with a few stomps and an elbow drop. Flair gains the advantage with a few chops and hip tosses Page out of the corner. They go to the floor where Flair exchanges blows with Page. Page rams Flair head first into the guard railing a couple of times. Flair fights back with chops and rams Page head first into the railing. They begin to walk up the aisle way trading several blows. Flair low blows Page as Robinson purposely turns his back. Flair rolls into the ring after Page low blows Flair. Page gets a two count following a swinging neck breaker. Flair battles back with a few right hands and connects with a knee drop for a near fall. Page backdrops Flair but only gets a two count. Page sends Flair flipping into a corner and the President of WCW falls to the floor. Page brings Flair back into the ring from the apron with a vertical suplex for a two count. Page stops Flair on the top and tosses Flair off with a press slam but isn’t able to keep Flair down for the win. Page puts the figure four leg lock on Flair until Flair is able to reach the bottom rope. Flair manages to block a second figure four attempt and pokes Page in the eyes. Flair drops Page after a few chops. Page nails Flair with a discus clothesline for a two count. Flair avoids an elbow drop and begins to exchange blows with Page. Flair ducks a clothesline on the apron and actually hits a top rope double axe handle! Randy Savage and Gorgeous George make their way down to the ring as Flair connects with a vertical suplex and puts the figure four on Page! George enters the ring to pull Flair’s hair. Page nails Flair with brass knuckles and covers Flair as a new referee enters to get the win. (*1/4. A main event in Charlotte, NC with Flair getting next to zero crowd reaction is quite surprising. The match just felt flat and I was quite uninterested in it. I don’t understand the idea behind this either. I guess Flair was playing the babyface role even though he has been a deranged heel for the past few weeks. Not a good way to close a rather poor wrestling show.)

Final Thoughts: From a wrestling perspective this show didn’t deliver whatsoever. I guess they didn’t want to give away too much considering the pay per view is six days away. Page’s title defense to this point has been really lackluster to me. He just doesn’t scream World Champion to me in 1999. Maybe he could have been a transitional champion in 1998 when fans cared for him but in 1999, it’s just not happening. I was actually entertained by the Robinson/Flair/Savage/George feud development. The only reason I am entertained by the feud is because Robinson, a referee, is doing a great job playing Little Naitch. I’m pretty sure a referee being the most entertaining part of a wrestling is NOT a good sign for things to come in WCW. Bad week for WCW leading into “the biggest pay per view of 1999”… until the next one.

Thanks for reading.

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