Chairshot Classics: WCW Monday Nitro Episode 5

Episode 5 of Monday Nitro is here! Ric Flair grabs Eric Bischoff’s headset on the intro and cuts a quick promo on Arn Anderson.

Lex Luger vs Randy Savage

So this match is for Luger’s career in WCW which I find hilarious. Lex showed up on WCW 4 weeks prior and he could already be forced out, just hard to believe. After some jockeying for position, Luger hits a neckbreaker on the outside and a military press slam back inside the ring. There’s a ref bump after a whip attempt which means there is no count after Savage hits the elbow drop. The Giant comes down to the ring and chokeslams Savage. Man, his chokeslam when he was younger was great. Luger picks up Savage and locks the torture rack in. The ref checks on Savage but he’s out already so he calls for the bell. A shorter match for this stipulation and it seemed to lack much direction or storytelling.

Lex Luger wins via ref stoppage due to submission.

Eddie Guerrero vs Dean Malenko

Disco Inferno is dancing on the entrance ramp and the music changes to Eddie Guerrero’s entrance who comes out to chase away Disco. Eddie wasn’t exactly slight of form here, his upper body is starting to show the muscularity that he had in his later years. This match is so intriguing to me, I love both of these guys between the ropes. Some amazing reversal and chain wrestling to start the match before Malenko gains control. We are taken to backstage to see Hogan arriving backstage. WHY ARE WE INTERRUPTING THIS MATCH!?! After a minute’s worth of incessant yelling, we come back to more classic chain wrestling with the two generals in the ring. Eddie hits a HUGE cross body dive from the top rope to the outside, I don’t know how he jumped so far. Eddie then drops Dean with a brainbuster and attempts the frog splash, but Malenko gets the knees up. After a short counter exchange, Eddie picks up the win by countering a roll up. Malenko asks for a rematch, Eddie says anytime, anyplace. What a terrific match, at least what we saw of it. This is exactly what I’d hope for from these two.

Eddie Guerrero wins via pin

Mean Gene is in the ring and welcomes Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart. Hogan calls out The Giant in normal fashion, yelling at the top of his lungs with brother punctuating every other phrase. He leaves the ring to find The Giant, but someone throws powder in Hulk’s eyes and attacks him with a cane. It’s Kevin Sullivan dressed up as an old woman. The Zodiac and The Giant come down and remove the neck brace. The Giant does the neck wrench move and Sullivan shaves off Hulk’s moustache. Faces come streaming down to the ring and all get a chokeslam from The Giant.

Arn Anderson vs Ric Flair

Anderson is already in the ring, which by today’s standards means he’s jobbing out, but I doubt it’ll be that way here. Flair takes control early but Anderson rakes the eyes before they both tumble out of the ring. Flair pokes the eye to regain control, wait- who’s the heel here? Anderson hits a nice spinebuster for a near fall. More back and forth leads to a figure four leglock by Flair but Brian Pillman interferes to help Arn. Pillman and Anderson beat down on Flair for a bit. This match was back and forth, and just not super entertaining. It’s announced that Arn will face Flair the following week inside a steel cage.

Ric Flair wins via disqualification