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The Weird and Wonderful World of WCW Nitro


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As you say, what I loved about watching the first year of Nitro back is that they're really caught between two worlds - Bischoff knows that wrestling is in the shitter and needs to be progressive to be interesting, so he's bringing in guys with the buzz for being hot acts and acknowledging the war on commentary, and doing all sorts of new things. But at the same time, he has the biggest outdated, reaching for past glory albatross in the world as the heart of the show in Hogan and the Dungeon, and you get that thing watched where, just when something unique or cool happens, you immediately get the sour taste in your mouth with the next segment.

 

Doing the MNW timeline shows for the podcast, we're at mid-98 now, and while they do take chances when it comes to panic attacks in response to the ratings, the thing that sticks out to me in many ways is that Bischoff's hunger for progression has slowly petered out since WCW has achieved success, and he so badly wants time to stand still as it was in 1997 when they were Kings.

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Its sad, as once WWE caught on, and started pushing other guys/trying new things/signing up other talents, people gravitated back towards them.

 

WCW for the most part in 95 is very good, and its easy to see why you might switch over from WWE programming for it. Guys like Savage/Hogan (despite the boos)/Sting/Luger/Flair are all in their prime, Luger especially has had some really good matches so far, and even little touches like acknowledging the director of the camera work, is all great. Just a shame that its over shadowed by having Bischoff ram Hulk Hogan down our throats every episode.

 

Also, [although its probably more to do with him than WCW], but its a shame Sabu didn't stay in WCW for the long haul. His matches have been very different, and would have been cool to see him mix it up with some of the upper card guys

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The second episode of Nitro (Sept 11th 1995) Sabu debuted against Alex Wright.

 

The PPV he appeared on was Halloween Havoc the next month, against Mr JL (Jerry Lynn under a mask).

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The second episode of Nitro (Sept 11th 1995) Sabu debuted against Alex Wright.

 

The PPV he appeared on was Halloween Havoc the next month, against Mr JL (Jerry Lynn under a mask).

YES! That's the one, he has a few odd matches on Nitro as well, but the Halloween Havoc match also has The Sheikh at ringside.

 

Mr JL has been very good, from what I've seen of him. His last match for 95, has him breaking his arm during the match against Dan Malenko, so I presume he's off for a bit.

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Can't believe they let Jerry Lynn and Sabu get away but keep Public Enemy for an eternity.

Sabu didn't give a shit about WCW. He was making money elsewhere. Can't remember exactly, I think he may have double booked himself & opted to work the other show & consequently got ditched by WCW. Either way, he made it abundantly clear that WCW meant no more to him than any other Company, indie or otherwise. That was his stance/ethos at the time anyway.

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Didn't Sabu show up in WWF in 97 at some point too. I seem to recall a match of him against Flash Funk and Sabu trying many many times to put Funk through a table that just wasn't having any of it.

I want to say it was after the initial ECW invasion were they came in to promote Barely Legal

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Didn't Sabu show up in WWF in 97 at some point too. I seem to recall a match of him against Flash Funk and Sabu trying many many times to put Funk through a table that just wasn't having any of it.

I want to say it was after the initial ECW invasion were they came in to promote Barely Legal

 

It was in June, shortly after Robbie V turned up, I believe as part of the deal that was meant to help build to Dreamer v Lawler at Hardcore Heaven.

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Didn't they bounce around all 3 feds in 99?

I believe so, walking through a forgettable match with the Dudley's at House Party 99 and getting the shit kicked out of them by big Ron and JBL.

 

 

I think it's a huge shame Sabu never got things worked out with Haymen to work in WCW in 2000. That company was such a clusterfuck from early 2000 onwards he could have done some amazing shit.

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Sorry to backtrack....

 

Sabu didn't give a shit about WCW. He was making money elsewhere. Can't remember exactly, I think he may have double booked himself & opted to work the other show & consequently got ditched by WCW. Either way, he made it abundantly clear that WCW meant no more to him than any other Company, indie or otherwise. That was his stance/ethos at the time anyway.

 

It was New Japan. Sabu was virtually a permanent fixture in New Japan for the whole of 1995. He thought he was a made man and had no interest in signing a contract that would have stopped him being at New Japan's beck and call. WCW had him on a "per appearance" deal. The double booking incident referred to here was actually the circumstances under which he left ECW high and dry causing his temporary departure prior to return at November To Remember 95. I forget why he stopped appearing for WCW but I believe it was that they found him difficult to work with. Sabu being himself, basically.

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I always liked Mean Gene post match interviews, he was never really beat up or slapped around at first and didn't have the Wrestler bully him like the Rock even as a face would do.

 

He carried the stories on asking the questions, rather than the face or heel just picking up a microphone for no reason and then telling everyone what's going on.

 

I think that only lasted to about halfway into the nWo but he was all over the 95 Nitro's asking about Lex Luger and his tweener character, which was great at the time.

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