WCW Nitro 2/17/97
Steinbrenner Entertainment Hall at the Florida State Fairgrounds
Tampa, FL
Hour 1
Announcers: Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko
- We start off in the parking lot where the NWO is emptying out of a pair of limousines. Zbyszko is already all over them, calling them all sheep who follow DiBiase’s checkbook. They stop suddenly and turn back around and see that one of the members has been laid out on the ground. We don’t see who it is and the camera is shooed away by Syxx and we cut into the arena for our opening match.
1) Rey Mysterio, Jr. defeats Super Calo with a Springboard Victory Roll at 5:59
Larry and Tony continue to speculate on which NWO member was taken out as Rey Mysterio makes his way down the aisle for our opener here in Tampa. Tony runs down our card for the night as we get a lockup to start. Rey grabs control, but Calo turns it into a Leglock. Apparently we will be visiting Roddy Piper in Alcatraz tonight as we are under a week away from Superbrawl. Larry wonders if Piper is training with the ghost of Al Capone. Rey mares Calo over an dropkicks him in the back. He grabs a headlock and takes Calo down and then goes for a springboard dive, but Calo dropkicks him on the way down. Tony and Larry discuss Hogan embarrassing Piper in front of his son two weeks ago. Calo tries a sunset flip powerbomb on the floor, but Rey blocks it and flips out. Calo hits a missile dropkick off the ring apron and follows with a nice somersault Senton out of the ring and onto a prone Rey. Tony tells us that the Steiner Brothers were injured in an auto accident after their match on Saturday night and are now out of Superbrawl. Sources claim that the Outsiders were involved in the accident. We quickly cut outside to see Big Bubba being loaded into an ambulance as the NWO surrounds their fallen comrade. VK Wallstreet hops in the ambulance and rides off to watch after Bubba. Larry jokes that Wallstreet has enough money to cover the medical. Back in the ring, Calo is still in control and working the arm. Rey lands a back elbow and drops a springboard corkscrew press for two. Tony tells us that Superbrawl is sold out as Rey drops a guillotine legdrop on Calo as he was hanging over the middle rope. Rey leaps up top, but Calo shoves him off as Larry and Tony talk more about Piper and Alcatraz. Calo takes Rey off the top with a headscissors for two. Rey recovers and heads to the apron and comes in with a springboard Senton, but Calo is able to stay on his feet, so Rey rolls forward and picks up the win. Tony reminds us that Rey will take on Steven Regal at Superbrawl and the TV time limit rule will be waived for the match. A fun opener and I must say that Calo was really great and often overlooked when we reminisce about WCW’s cruiserweights. Grade: **
2) Steve McMichael defeats Hugh Morrus when Morrus lands on the Halliburton 4:19
We are back from break and Hugh Morrus is laughing his way to the ring as Larry and Tony talk about Alcatraz some more. Mongo and Debra are out next to a pretty good reaction. Larry compares Piper’s trip to Alcatraz to Superman going to the Fortress of Solitude to think and prepare. Tony says that since the Steiners are out of Superbrawl, the four corner tag match has now become a triangle match. We don’t know many details or extent of injuries, but the accident is under investigation. Mongo slugs away to start and puts Morrus down with a big clothesline. He hits a pair of three point stance charges but misses a big legdrop. Mongo will face Jarrett at Superbrawl with Jarrett’s Horsemen spot on the line. Hugh works the ankle as Larry riffs on the marital goings on between Debra and Mongo. Morrus slams Mongo and heads up top. Mongo pulls himself up and takes Morrus down from the top with an electric chair. Hugh is up first and stomps away. He drops an elbow low and locks in a leg grapevine as Tony talks about the recent happenings between the Horsemen and Dungeon of Doom, focusing on the debut of Miss Jacqueline. Debra slides in the Halliburton as Morrus heads up top. Mongo holds the briefcase on his chest as Debra distracts the referee. Morrus comes off with the moonsault but lands hard on the Halliburton and Mongo gets the win. Mongo is hurting and selling the leg as he and his wife walk off. That was a fun little match and the crowd was rocking all the way through it. Mongo was made for quick TV matches and tag matches where he would work the hot tag portions, as he was fun in spurts due to his energy out there. Grade: *1/2
- We head over to Tony and Larry at the table and get some more Piper talk. Larry thinks Roddy is more emotionally distraught than flat out crazy. Larry thinks he has a plan and hopes it works and we are out to break.
3) Dean Malenko defeats Robbie Brookside by submission with the Texas Cloverleaf at 2:53
Back from break and we are set for our next match as Tony runs down the upcoming live events. Malenko hits the ring and grabs the mike. He tells Syxx that ten minutes up the road is where his father trained and prepared Syxx. In six days, Syxx will continue his lessons, this time from Dean Malenko. We get a lockup and clean break to start, but Dean takes control quickly. Robbie has Daisy Dukes on that would make Jessica Simpson blush. Actually, they are just really small tights. Dean grabs a top wristlock and works the arm as Tony discusses Dean’s dad and relates it to Roddy and Colt Piper. Dean locks in a full nelson and then mares Robbie over for a one count. Robbie works out of it, but Dean regains control and hits a charging clothesline. Larry says if he had six kids he would lock them in Alcatraz. Robbie gets a roll up for two as we get more Piper talk. Dean hits a textbook suplex and hooks in the Texas Cloverleaf for the submission win. As Dean celebrates, Syxx walks down the aisle with a mike. He tells Malenko that he has listened to him for the past weeks, but now it’s his time. He says that Dean’s old man is dead and his respect and gratitude died with him, because he never liked Dean anyway. He stole the belt just so he could get a shot as Dean has been ducking him all along. He hits a crotch chop and says Dean’s respect is right there and then runs off as Dean follows. Grade: *
- Back from break and over to the announce table and are talking about the tag team triangle match. We pan over and see Hall, Nash and Syxx walking over. Hall says he thought Larry would be bigger. Larry says he thought Hall would have enough guts to come alone. Hall says they have been listening to Larry and Tony gossiping like broads in a hair salon. Hall admits that there was an auto accident involving Hall, Nash, Syxx and the Einsteiners. Hall says they can’t pin it on them and Nash has videotape proof to show Tony and Larry’s accusations are false. Nash leaves the tape and Hall flicks his toothpick at Larry, and Larry is ready to throwdown but Tony stops him. Hall is trying to bait Larry, but he doesn’t bite and the NWO heads off as we head to the ring.
4) Public Enemy defeat the Amazing French Canadians when Rocco Rock pins Carl Oulette after a somersault senton through a table at 4:45
Tony appreciates Larry holding back as his job is to broadcast. Larry says that Hall must have stopped working out and that Tony has bigger arms. Grunge and Rock are out and carrying some wood as Tony says the reports he has received to place the blame for the accidents on the Outsiders. Larry wonders if the videotape is doctored because he believes the NWO to be liars. Tony says the triangle match will no longer be a number one contender match, because if the Steiners aren’t involved, it can’t be one. That makes no sense to me, but we will run with it. Jacques and Carl sing “Oh, Canada” for us as we see Harlem Heat and Sister Sherri watching from the crowd. The Canadians stop singing and attack Public Enemy to kick off the match. Tony pleads with Larry to either go his dressing room or head to the hotel after hour one because the NWO is a gang and he doesn’t need to cause trouble backstage. Larry admits that they are gang and says he is going to the casino after hour one. Grunge gets tossed to the floor, where he is assaulted by Col. Parker. Carl rolls Grunge back inside as Rock leads a “USA” chant. Jacques smacks Grunge and tags in Carl. Tony says the videotape is cued up and we will see it shortly. Tony is worried for Scott Steiner as he has just come back from a back injury. Jacques tags back in and they spike Grunge back to the mat. He tags Carl right back in and they hit a nice double team stun gun and Carl goes to a headlock. Grunge elbows out of it and shoves Carl into Jacques, but Carl bounces back and lands a back elbow. Both men tag, but the ref didn’t see Grunge tag Rock and he disallows it. The Canadians go for the Cannonball double team, but Grunge rolls out of the way and Carl crashes to the mat. Grunge finally tags in Rock and he comes in and takes out both Canadians. Rock slams Jacques and the back body drops Carl. Grunge heads outside and sends Carl hard into the ring steps. Grunge pulls Carl up and lays him on the table. Jacques tries to save Carl, but he hits him by accident and Carl falls back onto the table. Rock comes flying out with a somersault Senton. Grunge tosses Carl back in and Rock grabs the pin. Harlem Heat and the Faces of Fear are looking on from the crowd and neither looks impressed. The match was a bit of a mess, but it was entertaining enough. Grade: *1/2
- We cut to the aisle where Gene Okerlund is with Diamond Dallas Page. Gene asks DDP if he has any idea who may have laid out Bubba earlier tonight. Page says he just walked in ten minutes ago and asks what happened. Gene doesn’t really buy the story. Page denies involvement and says that he would never want to see anything serious happen to a competitor. Gene says he sees sincerity but still doesn’t believe it. Page asks if he is pinning it on him and Gene says nobody would blame him for fessing up. Gene asks about Superbrawl, but Page says that Bubba is out now, so he doesn’t know what is up, but he is worried about Bubba now. And with that we are to break.
- Back from commercial and Tony tells us that Jeff Jarrett will take on Konnan, Rey Mysterio will battle Villano IV and Ice Train will wrestle Super Calo on Saturday Night this weekend.
5) Prince Iaukea defeats Lord Steven Regal with a crucifix roll up to win the World Television Championship at 3:29
Tony and Larry are still talking about Piper, Colt and Hogan as Gene grabs Regal in the aisle. Gene asks Regal about his title defense against Rey Mysterio at Superbrawl and asks if he will make an example of Iaukea here tonight. Regal says that he promised the world that he would take on all comers after he beat Lex Luger for the TV title. He rags on Rey’s size, references the Seven Dwarfs and threatens to stretch Rey. Regal claims to weigh in at a trim 18 stones and 2 pounds and then heads to the ring for his title defense. Tony wonders if Bubba is now out of Superbrawl like the Steiners are. Tony thinks if Page was involved, he is the type to admit to it. Tony says that Craig Leathers is working on playing the Outsiders’ video tape, but because it is compact VHS, they are searching for an adaptor. It is little things like that which add realism to a show, and I like it. Regal jaws with the crowd and finally locks up with Prince. Prince reverses a wristlock, but Regal reaches the ropes. Iaukea grabs a side headlock and then puts Regal down with a shoulderblock. Regal hits a palm thrust to Iaukea to gain control. Regal hits an uppercut and kicks Prince in the face. Tony and Larry talk about the upcoming match between Randy Anderson and Nick Patrick. Tony talks about Anderson coming off surgery last fall and Larry tells us that Patrick is a trained wrestler, but became a referee after a knee injury. Regal sits Iaukea on the top rope and takes him over with a nice double underhook superplex. Regal looks towards the aisle and yells for Rey, and he obliges and stands in the aisle to observe. Regal drops an elbow and goes for an arrogant cover, but Iaukea hooks the arms and rolls Regal over to the huge upset win and the TV title. The crowd, Larry and Tony are freaking out at the upset. Regal is in shock as Teddy Long, Rocco Rock, and a few other guys head out to celebrate with Prince in the aisle. Tony wonders if Iaukea will now defend against Rey this Sunday and says this is the biggest upset they have ever seen. The Valvoline replay recaps the finish for us. The match was nothing but the shock of Iaukea upsetting the arrogant Regal was some good stuff. Grade: *1/2
Hour 2
Announcers: Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan & Mike Tenay
At the table and Tony is talking about the huge upset we just saw. Mike says that unpredictability is the name of the game in WCW and we just witnessed that. Bobby talks about Bubba being laid out, but warns everyone to be careful now after that attack. We see clips of Bubba being loaded into the ambulance from earlier as Mike says that somebody is sending a message to the NWO.
6) Nick Patrick defeats Randy Anderson by disqualification at :40 when Eric Bischoff reverses the decision due to Anderson using brass knuckles
Patrick is jawing at the camera on the way down, saying Randy and his kids will be crying. Mike tells us that Anderson was a tremendous amateur wrestler in Georgia and was never pinned. Anderson is decked out in his referee gear and even gets some pyro, which was kind of funny. Mike tells us that Anderson’s family is watching at home and is on pins and needles as Randy’s reinstatement is on the line. Referee Jimmy Jett checks both men, but discreetly hands Anderson something as he checks him over. Tony and Bobby catch on and back the move. Patrick takes off his shades and shadow boxes a bit as the crowd is chanting for Randy. Anderson lines up Patrick and lands a huge loaded right hand to knock Patrick out and give him the huge win. The crowd pops nicely as Randy celebrates in the ring. The celebration doesn’t last too long, however, as Eric Bischoff powerwalks to the ring. He asks Randy what he thinks he was doing. He grabs the brass knuckles and tells Anderson he should know better than that because he used to be a referee. He tells Randy that he has won nothing and he fires Jimmy Jett too. Eric tosses both men out of the building and says what happened wasn’t fair. Bischoff drags Patrick from the ring as we head to break. Grade: 1/2*
- Back from break and we head to Lee Marshall in San Francisco for our 1-800-COLLECT road report. He is in a traveling Nitro party and can see Alcatraz from where he is. He advises the California fans to get their tickets and tells us that he will be in Atlanta next week. Lee tells Bobby to wear a flower in his hair when he comes to San Francisco and advises Mike and Tony to visit Weasalman’s Wharf and have some weasel-roni, the new San Francisco treat, as well. Tony tells us that we are finally ready to check out the Outsiders’ tape of the Steiners’ accident. The footage is black and white and is of Hall, Nash and Syxx driving. They drive by a shack and Syxx says that it is Luger’s place. They pull into a gas station and see Rick and Scott Steiner getting into their car. They make fun of their car and say they must not be getting paid. Nash says that there are not any cops around as some kid asks Syxx how he is doing and he says “better than you!” They follow the Steiners out of the lot and slowly tail them as Hall chastises the Steiners for not fully stopping at a stop sign. Nash jokes about giving them a slight tap as Syxx asks if they are looking for a Super 8 and a single room with a cot. Nash shows us how to properly stop at a stop sign. Hall dares Nash to tap them and he obliges. Scott throws something out the window as they swerve across the road and the Nash keeps bumping them side to side. Rick leans out the window and is screaming and tosses his hat, but he loses control of the car and it swerves off the road and flips over. The Outsiders wonder if the should stop and then check to see if anybody was around before speeding off. Tony says they have gone too far and we go to break. That video was really well done and felt pretty real in a COPS way.
- Back from commercial and Tony says they are speechless as there is no question that the Outsiders and Syxx caused this. Tony thanks them for the tape and says this is a criminal act. Taking over WCW and being the best in the ring is one thing, but taking things outside the ring and acting like this is too much. Mike says only the NWO is bold enough to pull something like this and then deny it, despite the tape proving otherwise. Tony can’t believe that a company as big as WCW can’t find out about the injury status of the Steiners. I can’t believe that Tony doesn’t believe that WCW couldn’t do something that simple.
7) Kevin Sullivan defeats Doc Dean with the double stomp at 3:15
We get some more Piper talk as Sullivan, Jackie and Jimmy Hart walk out to the ring. Kevin jumps Doc right off the bat and grabs control right away. He hits a clothesline and scoop slam and then tosses Dean to the floor. Jackie clubs away at him and then puts him down with a big clothesline. She slams Dean on the floor and tosses him back in the ring. Kevin shoots Dean in and puts his head down, allowing a Dean sunset flip for two. Kevin regains control, but Dean gets a small package for two. Sullivan hits a back suplex and Tony plugs the personal issues in the Superbrawl matches. Dean is tossed back outside and Jackie takes him over with a suplex and then shoots Dean back inside again. Sullivan locks Dean in the Tree of Woe and gets his back massage from Jackie before burying a running knee into Dean. Kevin drops the double stomp and gets the win. Jackie gets in the ring and drops some elbows on Dean as she and Kevin continue to roll right along here. Jackie is actually getting pretty over with her assaults on Kevin’s opponents. Grade: *
8) Eddie Guerrero defeats Konnan by disqualification when the Barbarian interferes at 6:03; Guerrero retains the United States Championship
Tony tells us that they just received word that Hollywood Hogan has arrived from his Tampa home. Bobby thinks Piper spending a week in a cell at Alcatraz is a good thing because he will be so angry and intense to help him take on Hogan. Konnan shoves Eddie to start, but ducks between the ropes when Eddie comes at him. Konnan slugs away and military presses Eddie to the mat, but Guerrero gets a headscissors takeover and sends Konnan to the floor. He follows out but Konnan whips him into the guardrail. Eddie will face off with Chris Jericho this Sunday on PPV. Konnan spikes Eddie into the ring steps as Tenay informs us that Eddie helped to train Konnan in El Paso and that Konnan idolized Chavo Guerrero growing up. Back in the ring, Konnan puts Eddie down with a clothesline and grabs a reverse chinlock. Mike tells that Konnan doesn’t view Eddie as a real representative of the Mexican people because he never lived on the streets. Konnan hits a seated dropkick for two and goes back to the reverse chinlock. Tony, Mike and Bobby speculate on what will happen to the TV title match this Sunday. Konnan slams Eddie and heads up top but gets caught with an Eddie dropkick on the way down. Eddie chops way and charges Konnan, but Konnan scoops him up and hot shots him on the top buckle for a near fall. Tony is in shock that the NWO would have the audacity to show the video of them running the Steiners off the road. Mike says they are just flaunting it. Konnan hits a powerbomb for two as Mike says he has become the enforcer of the Dungeon and has been on a roll as of late. Konnan back to the reverse chinlock as Tony informs us that Prince Iaukea will indeed take on Rey Mysterio for the TV title at Superbrawl. Konnan goes to an armbar as the crowd tries to rally Eddie. Guerrero ducks a clothesline and hits one of his own. Eddie hits a European uppercut and a vertical suplex. Eddie heads up top, but Konnan catches him and follows him up. Eddie shoves him off and nails the frog splash. He covers, but the Barbarian interferes to draw the DQ. Meng is also in and they put the boots to Eddie. Chris Jericho runs in and makes the save for his PPV opponent. Jericho and Eddie ward off the Dungeon members and are left standing in the ring. That was a good match and Konnan has good offense and it was mixed up nicely with an opponent who sells like a champ. The ending was weak, but I can see why they wanted to protect Konnan, as he had been rolling along as of late. Grade: **1/2
9) Giant defeats Top Gun & Johnny Swinger when he pins both men after Chokeslams at :40
Giant makes his way down to the ring for a handicap match as we return from break. Gun distracts Giant from the floor, allowing Swinger to jump in and attack to start the match. Swinger gets whipped to the corner and Giant follows with a big clothesline. He grabs Swinger and crushes him with a Chokeslam, but Gun interferes. Giant turns, garbs Gun and buries him as well. Giant puts a hand on each guy for the three and the easy win. Giant grabs a can of spray paint and writes “Hall” on Gun and “Nash” on Swinger. The crowd is digging Giant big time here. Well, that was a blunt statement and just a way to put the big man over for his tag title match on Sunday. Grade: 1/2*
- Gene Okerlund and Lex Luger hit the ring to join Giant. Gene says that Giant will be facing the Outsiders this Sunday. Giant says that based on Luger’s face, it looks like he won’t be alone. Lex says he has some good news and after searching far and wide, he has obtained a medical clearance to compete at Superbrawl. On Sunday we will see racking and chokeslamming in the Cow Palace. Gene wants to look at the paper, but Luger says it is for Bischoff. And right on cue, Eric makes his way out. Bischoff says that Luger is 167 hours late, because he needed the release by the end of last week’s show, not this week. Eric says they need notice and have deadlines and can’t make matches by the seat of their pants. Eric says Luger is a no go for Sunday. Lex calls Eric pathetic and says he hides behind his title and thinks he can control lives. Luger says that Bischoff can’t prevent him from flying to San Francisco, renting a car and a hotel. Eric asks if that is a threat and tells Luger to think things over because he will be fired. Lex and Giant walk out after Bischoff, but he scampers backstage before they reach him.
- We are back from break and Tony says that Piper is a man who was bitten by a rabid dog and it happened in front of his son. Since that time, Piper has been a man possessed. We now head live to Alcatraz where Roddy has been preparing. We see the exterior of Alcatraz and then head inside where Piper is sitting on a bed inside a cell. He says that Roddy Piper is live from Alcatraz not even Taz does Alcatraz. He is maniacally laughing throughout all this. He asks Hogan if he knows how hard Piper has worked. He fought for 28 years to get a family and earn all this. He has been dead inside before, when he was on the streets at age 16. You can’t hurt a man who is dead inside and he is coming to the Cow Palace dead inside. He calls Hogan “Mr. Spandex” and calls him a snake for lying about Piper hiding behind his son. This isn’t a promo to try and draw tickets. He asks what happened to Hogan tells kids to take vitamins and say prayers, but it’s gone because Hogan is a façade and has nothing inside. He walks through airports with his tights on and his platinum blonde hair so people will recognize him. Piper says Hogan needs the recognition. He doesn’t walk around airports in a kilt. He is proud of his family and children. It cost him a hip, he wrestled seven years with no cartilage in his hip and he never complained and never got beat. In five minutes, Hogan took it all away from him. Piper wants to get mean to the extreme and he flips the bed over. He lies on the ground and says he is staying there for seven days and seven nights and won’t be creating the world, but will be destroying Hulk Hogan. There isn’t room in the sport for both of them. What Hogan did is beyond wrestling. He asks Hogan if he needs more PPV money to buy another yacht for his phony Hollywood life. He tells Hogan that he has messed with the wrong man as he yells into the toilet. In San Francisco, Piper is going to teach Hogan that to pay is a four letter word and that they will be taking a walk on the wild side. As the ladies say” doo dah doo, doo dah doo, what ‘cha gonna do when I’m through with you!” Piper calls Hogan a piece of garbage and starts doing pushups as we transition back to the arena. Bobby says that nobody has ever escaped Alcatraz, but if you locked Piper up, he would find his way out. That was a great crazed promo for Piper that added a whole lot more to an already personal issue. The build to this rematch has been really well done.
10) Chris Jericho defeats Jeff Jarrett after Steve McMichael hits Jarrett with the Halliburton at 2:31
Bobby puts over Piper big time as Jarrett makes his way out for our main event. Tony tells us that we are over the 10:00 hour, but that this is Nitro at its best. Jericho hits a back elbow and takes Jarrett down. Jarrett hits a hot shot on Jericho as Tony plugs their matches for Sunday. Debra is out to ringside to root on Jarrett. JJ grabs a sleeperhold, but Jericho takes him over with a back suplex. Tony gushes over the passion and heart in Piper’s promo. Jericho gets a rollup for two. Jarrett gets a backslide for two as Tenay thinks Hogan is in big trouble. Tony says that Hogan should have left things alone after Starrcade. JJ goes up top and comes off with a cross body, but Jericho rolls through for two. Mongo is out to confront his wife and isn’t happy that she came out. Jericho hits a powerbomb and heads up top. Debra asks Jericho not to hurt Jarrett, and JJ is able to dodge a senton bomb after the slight distraction. JJ locks in the figure four, but Mongo slips in the ring and smashes JJ in the back with the Halliburton. Jericho rolls over and picks up the win. Debra is pissed at Mongo, but he says that is what he thought Debra wanted. The match was terribly rushed and was only there to further the Horsemen angle. Grade: *
- Back over to the booth where Tony tells us that we have witnessed a lot tonight, as we spill into a third hour. Bobby, Tony and Mike talk a bit more about Piper but we are interrupted by the NWO music. We pan to the aisle as the entire NWO pours out of the entrance way. Hogan, Bischoff, DiBiase and Elizabeth head to the ring as the rest of the troops stay on the ramp. Tony thinks Hogan must be concerned. Eric tells us that he loves us as Hogan tears the shirt. Eric says that the rest of the world may be afraid of Roddy Piper, but Hogan is up to the challenge. Piper can lock himself up and drive himself nuts, but he can’t touch Hollywood’s stuff. Hogan says that all the NWO-ites know Piper is crazy for getting back in the ring with Hollywood. He is crazy to tell his kids that he is coming home and even crazier to lie to the people about taking Hollywood out of wrestling. We cut to the entrance way where we see Sting and Randy Savage standing. Eric says that Piper is history and is nothing. He can’t carry Hogan’s booth and is half the man Hogan is. Hogan says he is a god to the people of Tampa and he put the city, along with Venice Beach, Madison Square Garden and WCW on the map. Sting and Savage walk towards the ring, but stop halfway and turn around and head backstage. Hogan says he had some movie commitments last week, but was ready to face Piper here tonight but Roddy is locked in a cell instead. The music fires up as Hogan says he never wants hear “Hulk Hogan” again as it is “Hollywood Hogan” from now on. Hogan hits the poses as Tony wishes us a goodnight and we quickly fade out.
Final Analysis
Well, we got a fun and fast paced PPV go-home show this week. The matches were all pretty basic with a couple of good ones sprinkled in throughout, but the main focus was on Hogan/Piper and Superbrawl. Rey and Calo kicked things off nicely and the crowd stayed hot throughout. The Horsemen wars are getting a bit stale here, but Mongo is so unexpectedly entertaining right now that I am OK with the air time the feud is getting. Jarrett has been pretty bland though and it is easy to see why Mongo was being cheered over him. The Steiner Brother video was very well done and I enjoyed the updates and battle over the video footage throughout the show. The Iaukea upset was some fun TV and popped the crowd nicely. It will be interesting to see how they capitalize on the initial surprise here tonight. The referee battle also got a nice reaction, but Randy Anderson is still fired and now has been joined by Jimmy Jett. In fact, Bischoff did a great job here tonight of continuing to be a grade A asshole. WCW had a lot of interesting feuds going on at this point and they all felt very real and personal, especially Outsiders/Steiners, Luger & Giant, Bischoff/Anderson, Syxx/Malenko and Hogan/Piper. Superbrawl has been built up really well and all of the feuds are peaking at the right time as the PPV hits. This was a fun show all around tonight with some memorable moments and great storyline development and the promo of a lifetime from Piper. Final Grade: A-
MVP: Roddy Piper
Runner Up: Prince Iaukea
Non MVP: Jeff Jarrett
Runner Up: Lord Steven Regal
Review Date: April 2008
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