83 Weeks - Souled Out 1999 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Souled Out 1999 

Souled Out 1999 took place on January 17th, 1999 from the Charleston Civic Center, in Charleston, West Virginia. The show did sellout weeks in advance to the tune of 10,833, with 10,255 paying $210,740. 

We're coming off of Starrcade 1998, where we saw Goldberg's fabled undefeated streak come to an end on his birthday, when he lost the World Title to Kevin Nash

We also saw Ric Flair become the president of WCW the night after Starrcade by beating you

On January 4th, we saw the infamous Fingerpoke of Doom where Nash laid down for Hulk Hogan to regain the World Title and they reformed the nWo. Also that night you pulled an old trick out of the bag by having commentator Tony Schiavone give away that Mankind beat The Rock on Raw that same night to win the WWF World Title. And, it did put butts in the seats for the WWF. 

Thanks to Tony's comment which he has said was at your order, the Mankind/Rock match drew a 5.9, while the Hogan/Nash match drew a 4.6

That Nitro set every attendance and gate record for WCW. There were over 40,000 in the arena, with 37,000 of them paying customers. The gate totalled over $940,000.  

There was a lot going on in WCW heading into 1999, but over the course of the year things wouldn't go too good as they lost 15 million dollars by the end of the year

January 98 vs January 99

Estimated average attendance 1/98 8,203

Estimated average attendance 1/99 8,661 (+5.6%)

December 1998 10,243

Estimated average gate 1/98 $157,019

Estimated average gate 1/99 $196,303 (+25.0%)

December 1998 $236,944

Percentage of house shows sold out 1/98 35.7

Percentage of house shows sold out 1/99 14.3

December 1998 35.3

Average Monday cable rating 1/98 4.48

Average Monday cable rating 1/99 4.95 (+10.5%)

December 1998 4.24

Meltzer reported - Bret Hart may be off television until mid-February. His groin injury is just about healed, but now they have no plans for him. He had shot an angle on 12/28 in Baltimore where he was going to kidnap Kimberly, but the angle was taken from him and given to Steiner.  

Speaking of Bret, in his Dec. 26 Calgary Sun column, Bret Hart responded to those who say the double-cross finish was a work between McMahon and himself. He wrote: “And then there are the skeptics, that small percentage of wrestling fans who point to the fact that I was wired for my conversation with McMahon in Montreal and the unprecedented backstage access that the film crew was granted by the WWF as a little too convenient and they conclude that McMahon and I concocted the whole thing. 

They are desperately trying to rationalize it out so they can go on feeling like a member of the WWF club. Get real. It’s simple. The deal to make the documentary was signed while I was still on good terms with McMahon. They were finished filming, but I smelled the potential for the double-cross in Montreal, I asked the camera crew to come back out. I was wired for sound the entire year they tailed me, not just in Montreal. Before going to that meeting with Vince they asked me if they should remove the wire. I said no. The rest is history. Let’s put it in the past.” 

Keller reported - The political alliances behind the scenes have changed in recent months, and that was reflective of on-air comments early this week. Kevin Nash and Konnan had been inseparable for more than a year. Their on-air chemistry as part of the WolfPack was based on their friendship behind the scenes. Since Nash has aligned with Hogan, Konnan and Nash have not been getting along. Lex Luger and Elizabeth have sided with Nash, also, leaving Konnan without “friends in high places.” That said, Hogan is trying to play “good cop” by telling Konnan that he will make sure he continues to get a push. 

Hogan says since he gets a percentage of PPV profits, he wants WCW to do well and will push wrestlers who are popular with fans regardless of political allegiances. If that were truly the case, Bret Hart would be getting a push. Hogan’s policy over the years has been to hold back anyone who is a threat to him. Apparently Bret is a threat, but Konnan isn’t. The heat between Nash and Konnan came through during their on-air comments during Nitro this week. 

Meltzer reported - Terry Taylor quit WCW before Nitro on 1/18 to take a job working with Vince Russo and Ed Ferrera in scripting the television shows for WWF, and was already at work in his new job on 1/19. Taylor was working without an existing contract which made this all possible. Taylor was one of those unfortunate types caught in the middle, having to make sense out of all the egos vetoing everything and then taking the heat because the shows don't make any sense and had at times been Bischoff's whipping boy. It should help WWF, as Russo, who grew up as a fan but has virtually no wrestling background (which has both its pluses and minuses), and Ferrera, who didn't, are writing TV that is drawing ratings but the details of the storylines often don't make sense (Undertaker storyline glitch alert) and often don't build to anything 

Keller reported - It looks like the first NBC special on Feb. 14, the second NBC special will go head-to-head with a WWF pay-per-view – Wrestlemania on March 28. Some WCW officials have been tongue-in-cheek about the “coincidence” of the NBC specials going up against Wrestlemania. The NBA All-Star game was scheduled for Feb. 14, but that was cancelled due to the NBA lock-out. NBC denied to Vince McMahon that a deal with WCW exists. Apparently the deal is agreed upon, but not signed yet, and NBC wants to be the first to officially announce the agreement.

Former head of Turner Entertainment Group, Scott Sasa, is now the head of NBC’s entertainment division, which may explain more than anything why WCW got picked up by NBC.

Keller later reported - NBC has cancelled the scheduled WCW prime time specials because of the resolution of the NBA lockout. Although Eric Bischoff didn’t specify to the wrestlers that the deal hinged on the NBA season being cancelled, apparently that was part of the deal. As it now stands, WCW may air those specials head-to-head with the WWF’s February and March pay-per-views, but if so it would be on TNT instead of NBC. NBC still plans to air WCW specials, but not on the previously scheduled dates. There is no word yet on the timetable for the eventual specials. 

Keller reported - Ric Flair continues to get press in North Carolina for his consideration of running for governor. In the Jan. 4 Independent Tribune, columnist Scott Jenkins wrote predictions for 1999. “Jesse Ventura’s success in Minnesota will inspire other professional wrestlers to throw their tights into the political ring. ?ature Boy’ Ric Flair will make a bid for the governorship of North Carolina and in 2000 will win, naming the other Four Horsemen as Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and Secretary of State. 

Hogan appeared on the “Mancow in the Morning” radio show based out of Chicago in early January. The following are key excerpts.

•Regarding Giant, “He’s gone.”

•On why he made a comeback so soon: “I sat back for a couple of months and watched the ratings plummet and these so-called superstars of five-to-nine years try to carry the load. So, I’m back and ready to put money back in everyone’s pockets.” For the record, the ratings do not correlate with Hogan’s claims; the opposite is closer to true. The closest Nitro came to Raw in months was actually the week before Hogan returned.

•On whether he’d ever return to the WWF, he said you never say never. He said when he filming the “Three Ninjas” he sent word out that he was interested in getting back into wrestling. He said Vince McMahon came to his hotel and they chatted for five or six hours about everything – the ’80s, the feds, etc. Hogan said he likes competing against McMahon and being a thorn in the side to “the smartest man in the wrestling business.” He said it tongue-in-cheek.

•On the NBC deal: “Well, it was 99.9 percent done, then they settled this NBA lockout. So, it still looks like a go, but I’ve got to get on the phone with NBC today.”

•Regarding Dennis Rodman suing WCW for shorting him on his pay: “It’s not Rodman, it’s Dwight Manley, his agent. Rodman is in his own cosmic world, man. He doesn’t know about the lawsuit.” Hogan claimed to have helped Rodman out of some bar fight “last night” in Newport Beach.

•Regarding Bret Hart, he said he was faking a groin injury, but the NWO has to sit down with him to see where he stands.

•Regarding Ric Flair, he said: “He’s cool. He’s a survivor.” Then he said the NWO would kick his butt.

On whether he’ll ever bring back the red and gold colors: “I don’t know. My father wants me to be a good guy and retire, but I am a good guy.” He said the prayers and vitamins routine ran its course and he’s a hipper, ’90s guy, “cool as ice cream,” making fun of everyone else with the NWO.”

•Regarding the current wrestling boom, Hogan said he thought he’d retire, but then things started picking up again, so he came back to be on top.

Another radio interview, on this one, Kevin Nash appeared on Mark Madden’s Pittsburgh, Pa. radio show. Nash said Sting has a severe yeast infection and that’s why he’s out of action. He said Jericho and Bischoff had a handshake agreement, but is now asking for more money because the salary structure has increased since then. Nash said he hopes they can reach an agreement so Jericho can stay. He said Bischoff is a fun guy to go with the bar with, but often loses his cool when he’s upset. He said Vince is much smoother and more persuasive and could “convince you to leap off a building” 

Meltzer reported - Eddie Guerrero's condition has improved and he's looking at being back in the ring in about three more months. While it was downplayed publicly, he did nearly die the day after the accident because of liver problems because the liver was lacerated in the accident 

The accident happened on New Year's Day in 1999. He crashed his car two weeks back after falling asleep behind the wheel and suffered serious injuries, he was thrown 100 feet out of the sunroof of his car into some soft sand. It’s a rare case where had he been wearing his seat belt, because of how badly mangled his car ended up, he probably wouldn’t have lived. 

Had he not landed on a soft surface, though, he might have been just as badly hurt as if he had remained in the car 

That takes us to Souled Out.

Chris Benoit beat Mike Enos in 10:34. This match had really good heat, particularly for the wicked chops Benoit was throwing that ripped the skin off Enos' chest. Benoit was great as usual in carrying the match and everything he did was over with the crowd even though Enos isn't a pushed commodity and the audience had no reason to care. Unfortunately, the usually underrated Enos did not have a great performance in his highest profile match with the company. Benoit did his rolling german suplexes and a head-butt off the top rope. Enos turned things around, but threw the weakest looking clothesline in history, which apparently he was expecting the arm to be used not to hit Benoit, but to be caught for the crossface. Anyway, after Benoit sold his lame blow, he took Enos down with the crossface submission. ***

Norman Smiley beat Chavo Guerrero Jr. in 15:44. Smiley came out with an urn supposedly with the ashes of Pepe. Guerrero looked good, but they were out there for too long. Smiley can wrestle on the mat, but fans don't want to see that, and when he's on his feet, he doesn't work well. He's over as a cult deal with his big wiggle, which he spent the match teasing until finally doing it. Guerrero blocked the chicken wing. Smiley blocked the swinging DDT. Smiley then threw the sawdust from the urn into Guerrero's eyes and used the chicken wing submission. *1/2

David Finlay pinned Van Hammer in 7:54 with a tombstone piledriver. Crowd was totally dead. Hammer was a sub for Steve McMichael, who missed his flight due to the dreaded personal problems in what was scheduled as the long-anticipated battle of the tombstone piledrivers. McMichael did make a later flight, but wouldn't have been able to make it to the building until 10 p.m. and they told him to stay in Columbus. Nobody missed him. DUD

Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Wrath in 9:23 with the Greetings from Asbury Park. It was hard hitting, but the match didn't have any heat. Wrath missed a charge into the corner right before the finish. 3/4*

Lex Luger beat Konnan in 9:31. The crowd went nuts when Konnan came out to that song and they had a real hot first minute or two until Konnan missed the lowest dropkick in wrestling and the air was sucked out of the crowd. Most of the match saw Luger work on Konnan's back. Just before the finish as they were outside the ring, Konnan told Luger that his back was out, to stop the match and to call the doctor. There was a lot of heat on this as evidenced by Kevin Nash's interview on Nitro the next night. Luger got a smirk on his face figuring Konnan was blown up, and didn't stop the match. It didn't even look like Konnan was going to get back in the ring, but he did, and somehow (one of life's great mysteries since the cameras were focused on showing us Elizabeth and her new boob job coming to the ring) Konnan got Luger in the Tequila Sunrise. Liz sprayed black paint in Konnan's eyes and Luger racked him. Looks like they are going to hook Luger and Elizabeth up on television. 3/4*

Chris Jericho beat Perry Saturn in 11:44 in a loser has to wear a dress for 90 days match. The stipulation was changed with the loser having to wear the dress because Saturn basically volunteered to lose the match that he probably was initially supposed to win since Jericho isn't getting pushed. Guess Saturn figures that wearing a dress got Pillman over and at least he won't be just another guy in the pack on television as long as he's got the dress on. Ralphus reminds me of Chumley the Walrus on the old Tennessee Tuxedo cartoon show. Scott Dickinson was there as heel ref. The match didn't click and wasn't crisp. The lack of heat didn't help, but there were a few badly missed kicks on both sides as well. It was finally starting to pick up at the end, when Jericho wriggled him way out of a death valley driver, then Saturn got out of the Lion tamer. Saturn had Jericho in an inside cradle, when Dickinson, who hadn't played heel the entire match, turned over the pile and gave Saturn a fast count. Saturn eventually put on this ugly dress. Heenan made a crack about him going bra-less. Dickinson, Jericho and Ralphus left together. 3/4*

Billy Kidman won the four corners match over Juventud Guerrera, Psicosis and Rey Mysterio Jr. in 14:24. As usual, these guys were the show stealers. Poor Tony Schiavone announced early in the show that Kidman and Mysterio Jr. had won the coin-flip and would start. Then, when Guerrera's music was second, he said that Guerrera must have won the coin flip and he and Kidman would start. Then Mysterio Jr. started with Kidman. The fans started chanting "USA." Schiavone then explained, and I'm not making this up, how the rules of this match make no sense and there is no logic in every tagging out under these rules. Of course he's right, but that begs the next question, why book rules that make no sense? 

When Rey and Kidman wanted to tag out, Psicosis and Guerrera acted like they didn't want to get in the ring, when the whole logic was they should want to be in and nobody should ever tag because you're giving someone else the chance to win. So since nothing made sense, they just had a great match, although it was a shade down from the Starrcade match. Guerrera did a spinning headscissors on Kidman, who landed wrong on Guerrera's knee and he was limping a little. Psicosis flipped Mysterio Jr. over the top and he crashed on Kidman. Psicosis and Guerrera argued about who would do an Asai moonsault on the floor, giving Kidman and Mysterio Jr. time to give them stereo power bombs off the apron to the floor. 

Mysterio Jr. & Psicosis did a springboard doomsday device double-team move on Guerrera. Mysterio Jr. leaped over ref Charles Robinson's back with a running flip dive onto Kidman. It appeared Kidman banged his already injured shoulder on this spot. Guerrera did this crazy Air Juvi dive on everyone. Kidman and Mysterio Jr. were laid out on the floor and Psicosis did this running dive over the top into a senton on the floor. After a bunch of reversals and near falls, Mysterio Jr. did a springboard to the floor into a Frankensteiner on Psicosis while in the ring Kidman used the shooting star press on Guerrera. ****

Ric & David Flair beat Barry Windham & Curt Hennig in 13:56. David, who had trained to do a few spots with Windham but had no training time with Hennig, was in just for the angle. He totally lacked facial expressions and wasn't ready to be in a match, but hadn't trained to be a wrestler either. He was still better than Reggie White or Jay Leno, and showed up in better condition than Dennis Rodman. After David did his spots with Windham, he tagged out and it was largely a handicap match. 

Flair's charisma made it a decent match, and Hennig really worked hard and looked the best he has in a long time bumping to get Flair over. Flair still looked better than most of the wrestlers in the company, and even took big bumps like a superplex and a slam off the top a few weeks before his 50th. Arn Anderson got involved a little, tripping Hennig at one point to allow Flair to get an advantage back.

Hennig smashed Anderson into the guard rail. David gave Hennig a low blow. Hennig came back on David and set him up for the fisherman suplex, but Anderson hit Hennig with the tire iron and David pinned him. After the match, both factions of the NWO showed up destroying Anderson and also Chris Benoit, who ran in for the save. Hogan came out and handcuffed Ric to the ropes and they took David down and Hogan was whipping him with his lifting belt. 

Huge chants for Goldberg, and then for Sting, once again, the latter again a surprise since he hasn't been around and unlike last week with Konnan, Sting has never been affiliated with the Horsemen (well, I know, he was in 1990, but that's ancient history, but then again, so is Windham as a good wrestler). Hogan spray painted "EZE" on David's back. They threw David to Ric. Then they dragged him out and Hogan punched him a few times and was whipping him again. Super heat angle. **1/4

First talk about how David got there. Do you think he really wanted to be a wrestler?

Ric wrote in his book about it - DAVID NEVER SPOKE about becoming a wrestler when he was growing up. Not once. I’d always felt that he was a little shell-shocked from not having a father in his day-to-day life, and I worried about him. Now I wasn’t sure if he was going in the right direction; he was almost too nice a person for this insensitive business. I spoke to him about forgetting wrestling and going back and taking the state trooper’s exam, but he was so happy it was hard to say no.

David said about the beating with the belt - It was Hogan, Hennig, and Windham with Buff Bagwell and Scott Norton. They grabbed my dad and handcuffed him to the ropes. Then they held my arms and legs while Hogan whipped me with a belt. He told me he was going to hit me three or four times, and I was like, “Okay.” But he must have hit me fifteen, maybe twenty times. He just whipped the shit out of me. 

The belt would go around my back and slash me in the stomach. I was black and blue. I’ll never forget how Scott Norton, this big strong guy who used to be an arm-wrestling champion, kind of squeezed my hand as he held my arm down and asked, “Are you okay, kid?” I never expected that from him. But then, I also never expected to get whipped like that. That shit hurts.

Ric said about David's whipping - What no one had told me was that Hogan would try to be cute and whip David over and over again. It wasn’t fair to make my son go through that— he wasn’t even really a wrestler yet— but there was nothing that I could do. I was handcuffed to the ropes. I couldn’t jump up and say, “Hey, don’t do this to my kid.” I wanted to, though. I felt like running over and holding David in my arms, and just stopping that stupid angle right there. 

He wasn’t ready. David didn’t say a word. He took it like a man. You had Curt Hennig and Barry Windham, two of the best performers during their primes, and they bounced around for every one of David’s moves. My son couldn’t do anything, and they made him look like a star. And then there was Hogan-— with all his experience, and all his celebrity— trying to be cute. He whipped David like a dog. It was sickening, and I’ll never forgive him for it.

Ric went on to say about the angle - We continued the storyline on Nitro the following night. On television, I accused Bischoff of orchestrating the whole episode, and we set up a contest: David against Eric. If my son won, Bischoff would have to shave his head. If David lost, I’d shave mine and relinquish the presidency of WCW. In the match, David hit Bischoff with a roll of quarters and scored the pin, and the Horsemen cut Eric’s hair

Meltzer reported - There are no long-term plans to keep David Flair around. He was brought in just to do the angle to set up Flair vs. Hogan. He's planning to be a state trooper but hasn't closed his mind to the idea of being a wrestler, but won't become a wrestler without a lot more training than he's received thus far. He worked out his spots with Windham ahead of time, but never trained at all with Hennig before the match 

Bill Goldberg beat Scott Hall in 17:41 of a ladder match with a stun gun on the top. They did an angle before the first match where they went into Goldberg's dressing room and he was on the floor writhing in pain from an unseen attack. Goldberg came out wearing a big knee brace and limping badly. Most of the match saw Hall work over Goldberg's knee. Goldberg did a tremendous job selling the knee. Really it was his best performance from a dramatic standpoint to date, limping like a big monster with his head covered in blood (which I'm told was hardway although the timing and dramatic effect of this blood certainly fit perfectly in the match) with the fans knowing not to give up because he was going to make a comeback. 

This was actually some of the best drama WCW has done in a long time. Hall brought in the ladder and tried to be Shawn Michaels, but there's only one. Hall was good for the most part, including doing an elbow drop off the ladder. This ladder match blew away the one on last week's ECW show, although a lot of that is because Goldberg is so much more over than Dreamer. Hall took bumps off the ladder, once catching his throat on the top rope and another time attempting to crotch himself as the ladder tumbled over (although he missed the crotch spot by two feet and suffered a legit groin injury in the process). 

Goldberg was about to get the stun gun, but Disco Inferno knocked over the ladder and he caught his throat on the top rope. Hall got the stun gun, but Goldberg blocked him twice and gave him a side kick. The stun gun hit the floor and Goldberg got it. Goldberg zapped Disco. Goldberg threw the stun gun in the air like a ref on a jump ball, and as Hall tried to catch it, Goldberg speared and jackhammered him. Goldberg then zapped him for the win. Bigelow then ran in but Goldberg brawled with him. This gave Hall a chance to get the stick and he zapped both Goldberg and Bigelow and left both laying. Aside from the post-match, this was real well-done. 

While it set up the three-way on TV, Goldberg's mission, which is WCW's best chance this year for a hot program, is go through the pac one by one until getting to Hogan. While there is a time for someone losing to get his heat back after the match, this wasn't the time nor the place for that to happen because the big money is to use this match to build to a bigger money program, not have this be the program. ***1/2

Talk about the heat between these two? On Goldberg's recent interview with Steve Austin, he had some unkind things to say about Hall even to do this, 20 years later

Keller wrote - Alan Sharpe’s job in WCW public relations is to put a positive spin on things, but in USA Today earlier this month responding to Dana Hall’s charges regarding Scott Hall, he took that spin control to a new level. He said: “Since Scott has returned, he’s been professional and performed his job for WCW like he should. The man has a right to make a living. 

He’s conducted himself well with us. We can’t just ask him to leave. Believe me, if he came to one of our tapings and we felt like he was under the influence then, yeah, we would have a problem” 

That takes us to Nitro the next night. But first, 

This Monday, Jan. 18, the Winnipeg Sun ran a story that area parents are supporting the Winnipeg School Divisions push to have Raw moved to a later hour. In a letter to local cable operators, they complained that wrestling is “violent and sexually driven.” The board is asking that the shows be moved to later timeslots, not in prime time or weekend mornings and afternoons.

Later that day, WCW Nitro showed even more signs of loosening standards. Ric Flair bashed in a side window of a limousine with a tire iron, Arn Anderson used a tire iron as a weapon, Flair talked about killing Hollywood Hogan, Hogan talked about killing Flair, wrestlers used the previously taboo word “ass,” Flair called Bischoff a “son of a bitch,” a reference was made to “shaving Bischoff’s ass,” Scott Steiner pushed his way into the Nitro Girls’ locker room and forced himself on Kimberly for all-night sex, 

Steiner offered himself to women in the crowd after the event, Steiner accused Saturn of being “queer” (the word was bleeped, but it was clear what he said), Steiner gave the crowd several “up yours” arm gestures, Saturn placed Steiner’s head under his dress pressing his crotch up against his face while moving back and forth throwing punches (the announcers made a point that they didn’t even want to try to describe that move). A lot of the above words and gestures were uttered during the hour that precedes Raw. The WWF at least claims that they reserve their more controversial material for the 10-11 p.m. ET hour.

That takes us to Nitro, live from Columbus, Ohio.

The show opened with freezeframes of the NWO attacking David Flair at the PPV the night before

Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and Larry Zbyszko introduced the program. They showed Ric Flair, accompanied by the other Horsemen, backstage throwing furniture. He vowed to get revenge on the NWO. They showed a view inside the NWO’s limo as they pulled up to the arena. The Horsemen ran out of the arena to meet the limo. Flair bashed in a side window of the limo. The limo drove away… Flair then went to the ring.

Gene Okerlund tried to keep up. In the ring, Flair gave an intense promo. He said Hulk Hogan doesn’t have the guts to do anything alone. He said at SuperBrawl he has booked a WCW Title match between himself and Hogan and he said two men will walk into the ring and only one will walk out. He said he wanted to be the man to kill Hulk Hogan. Flair then called for you to “walk your ass out here right now.” 

You said he had nothing to do with what happened the night before. Flair said he knows that’s not true, and thus he is forcing him to wrestle him later on Nitro. Bischoff said his contract says he doesn’t have to wrestle; that’s not in his job description. Flair offered to shave his own head bald if you were able to beat him. He then began throwing elbow drops in the middle of the ring. You said, “No way” and began walking away. Flair raised the stakes. “Beat me, shave my head, and I’ll give you your company back and go away forever,” he said. 

You smiled and said if it meant no more ring trucks and he gets total control back, he’d do it. David Flair came up from behind you shoved you from behind, and stormed into the ring. He screamed he wanted to fight you later. You took off your shirt and showed his burst blood vessel in his chest. 

You said you’d fight David and if you beat David, Ric would have to shave his head and relinquish control of the WCW. Ric said, “Okay, but if he beats you, we shave your head and your ass.” Zbyszko said, “Can’t we just shave his head.” Schiavone said, “No, I’d like to see all of it.” Oh, really? Okerlund said somebody better get a barber

Booker T pinned Chris Jericho (w/Ralphus) 

Okerlund interviewed J.J. Dillon. Dillon said he suspended ref Scott Dickenson for 30 days as a result of his biased officiating at the PPV the night before. He said he wants to see Scott Hall, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Goldberg in a three-way match later on Nitro. Dillon said he’d try to sign the match. He then talked about the David Flair vs. you match

Okerlund interviewed Rey Misterio Jr. in a sit-down interview. He said his mask is everything to him and it’s a part of his life. He said he won’t be intimidated, not even by Lex Luger who is trying to take off his LWO shirt and remove his colors

David Flair pinned you 1:11. you hit David with karate kicks early. As you gloated, David got out a roll of coins and hit you with a punch. David broke the roll of coins over yout KO’d body. Ref Randy Anderson raised David’s arm. The Horsemen charged the ring and began shaving your head. Zbyszko cracked, “If they shave him any closer he’ll look like Hogan.” They put coins over each of your eyes. you grabbed shaved hair off of the mat and covered your head and walked to the back . A replay from a different camera angle showed that Randy Anderson actually slipped David the roll of coins

Jericho confronted J.J. Dillon backstage. He said he found the dress and rumpled up contract in the corner regarding his match against Saturn at the PPV. Jericho pointed out that the contract stipulates that Saturn must wear a dress at all times at WCW events. Saturn walked up and Dillon showed him the stip. Dillon said he didn’t like it, but Saturn said he is a man of his word… 

Konnan came out for an interview. He said Kevin Nash betrayed their friendship and he’d be getting revenge. He said he’d be “up the NWO’s butts like a pair of tight jeans.” He said he and his friends would make life miserable for them. He told them to prepare to “toss my salad and peel my potato.” He said to Nash, “If you ain’t the lead wolf, the view never changes,” a reference to Nash playing second fiddle to Hollywood Hogan

Meng & Barbarian (w/Jimmy Hart) fought Mike Enos & Bobby Duncum Jr. to a no contest at 6:46. 

the NWO limo arrived at the arena again. They cut away from the match. You walked out and took off his hat to show Hogan what Flair did to your head. You asked Hogan and the rest of the NWO to get back at Flair for you. The NWO walked right into the arena and to the ring. They attacked all four wrestlers in the tag match. Hall zapped Meng with the stun stick. Nash said that they won’t let there be a tag team tournament. Hogan said it was Armageddon time for WCW and “someone is going to die.” He said it is his job to put the silver stake in Flair’s heart. You wore a hat the whole time

Wrath pinned Disco Inferno at 5:33. Hall came to ringside and acted as cheerleader for Disco. Hall eventually entered the ring, but as Wrath stomped on him, Disco surprised Wrath with the Chartbuster for the upset pin.

Scott Steiner interrupted the Nitro Girls’ dancing. He asked them if they want to be with a real man. They left through the back, so he turned to the crowd and offered himself to women. He said, “After the show, Big Papa Pump is ready to go”

After a commercial, Scott and Buff Bagwell walked to the ring. Scott again said he is looking for “a freak of the week.” Scott said backstage they saw someone in a dress with tattoos and an ugly face. 

He challenged Perry Saturn to come to the ring so he could show him what it’s like to wrestle a real man. When Saturn got to the ring Scott said Saturn is from Texas and only “steers and queers” come from Texas, and said Saturn isn’t a steer. Saturn punched Scott to start the match

Scott Steiner beat Saturn at 6:02 via submission. Buff blocked Saturn’s DVD attempt, but Scott then gave Saturn an overhead released suplex followed by a Steiner Recliner. Saturn’s arm dropped three times to end the match

Highlights aired of Luger racking Rey Jr. on last week’s Nitro… As Luger, Nash, and Elizabeth walked to the ring, Schiavone said he often wonders what Sting thinks of Luger’s turn. Tenay said, “Where is Sting? He can’t be proud of Luger.” 

Nash made fun of Konnan’s catch-phrases. Nash said if it wasn’t for him, Konnan would still be “pulling the curtain in the opening match.” In reference to Konnan’s remark about Nash’s view never changing, Nash stuck his butt out and asked Konnan how the view had been the last couple of years. Luger vowed to unmask Rey Jr. after beating him

Scott Steiner followed Kimberly into the Nitro Girls’ dressing room. They told him to leave. Scott said, “My body is better than your husband’s.” He said to the other Nitro Girls, “You girls are next, but she’s first” Schiavone said he is delusional

Psicosis pinned Juventud Guerrera at 11:14 after a top rope legdrop.

Rey Misterio Jr. beat Lex Luger via DQ at 5:58 when Nash interfered.

Highlights aired of the press conference revealing drawings of the future Nitro Grill restaurant in Las Vegas set to open in a few months. Dallas Page and Gene Okerlund were there

Scott again cornered Kimberly. He told her that her husband has probably cheated on her, so this was an opportunity of a lifetime

Goldberg and Scott Hall and Bam Bam Bigelow fought to a no contest. Goldberg got a huge pop for spearing both Hall and Bigelow at the same time.

At 2:45 the NWO interfered. Goldberg fought them off at first, but eventually was overwhelmed. The Horsemen ran out to a big pop and helped Goldberg. Flair fought past Hall to get to Hogan, who escaped into a limo before Flair could get to him

This Nitro got a 4.4 and Raw got a 5.6

WCW SOULED OUT FINAL POLL RESULTS

• Thumbs up 58 (48.7%)
• Thumbs down 47 (39.5%)
• In the middle 14 (11.8%)

BEST MATCH POLL

Mysterio Jr. vs. Guerrera vs. Kidman vs. Psicosis 89

WORST MATCH POLL

David Finlay vs. Van Hammer 61

Ric & David Flair vs. Barry Windham & Curt Hennig 10