WCW Monday Nitro - September 4th, 1995
Originally posted to Cohost.
The debut edition of Nitro, all the way from Mall Of America in Minneapolis. What the fuck is "Mall of America"? I don't know but I can't imagine how bizarre it must have been to be one of the people going up the escalators to go shopping while wrestling was happening downstairs.
The broadcast itself is ropey. The commentary is terrible, very much focused on telling us how good WCW is, how skilled the wrestlers are, how amazing their "wrestling moves" (direct quote) are. The agenda here is to make us WCW fans Vs WWF fans. Which is fine but also seems very defensive? A weird thing when from what I understand, WCW was very much the best game in town at this point. 1
But that aside, the wrestling itself is pretty good. I made some notes as I was watching it so I'll drop them here.
Match 1: Justin Thunder Luger Vs Flying Brian Pullman
Starts a bit ropey with some obviously telegraphed moves but once they hit their rhythm it's fun. Some nice high flying moves and they keep up a pretty brisk pace throughout. Commentary is absolutely awful though.
In between matches reigning WCW champion Hulk Hogan cuts a promo about pasta that's one of the worst things I've ever seen.
Match 2: Ric Flair Vs Sting.
Commentary continues to be awful. Telling us how amazing the "wrestling moves" are going to be and repeating "if you're not tuned into this you're missing out". But we are tuned in to it, aren't we? Otherwise we couldn't hear you. Shut up.
Looking at Sting now, 20 years later, during Pride month, I feel like someone is shouting slurs at me. Crow/NWO era Sting is the Sting I'm familiar with, and this very colourful purple and glitter gimmick isn't working for me. He's still one of the best to ever do it though.2
Starts very high tempo, Sting lifting Flair over his head twice right at the start and throwing him around the ring like a toy. This match is loads of fun. Sting and Flair work really well together. It goes to a commercial break mid fight which is a bit rubbish really, I wanted to see the whole thing.
Someone whose name I didn't catch interrupts the match and beats up Ric Flair. Obviously part of an ongoing storyline I don't know about but I also don't care about it as a new viewer.
Scott Norton shows up, has an argument with Macho Man Randy Savage. I guess he's returning to the WCW? I have no idea what's going on.
After the match we get a promo. Michael Wallstreet is coming to WCW apparently. I assume his name would mean something to me back in 1995 but I've never heard of him and I don't care.
Match 3: Big Bubba Rogers v Hulk Hogan.
It pains me to say it because fuck Hulk but this match was really fun. Bubba and Hulk work well together and the match is short enough that they can keep up the pace and make it entertaining. Hogan might be a shitty person with the worst hair in entertainment but he was a great performer in his day and he brings it here.
Next up is Nitro from September 11th, 1995.
Reading this 18 months after reading it, having got more into wrestling in the interim, it's amazing how much current AEW reminds me of Wars-era WCW in the way they talk about themselves and position themselves in direct opposition to WWE.↩
Being at All In this year and seeing him turn up to save Darby Allin was one of the greatest moments I've had watching live wrestling.↩