The following is a reprint of the Torch Newsletter review of WCW Nitro from five years ago this week.

-Jason Powell, Torch assistant editor

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Torch Newsletter Archive
By Wade Keller, Torch editor
June 18, 1998 - WCW Thunder
Originally published: Pro Wrestling Torch Weekly newsletter #500
Cover dated: June 27, 1998

WCW THUNDER - 6/18
(Live from Philadelphia, Pa.)... [Q1]... Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay, and Bobby Heenan introduced the show...

Konnan and Lex Luger came out. Luger then cut a promo that was laced with real-life animosity toward Hollywood Hogan. He said there are wrestlers who weren't on the show that week who think because they carry a cell phone and a pager, that they're big stars. "That doesn't cut it. If you love something, you let them know about it." He told Hogan he is a star because "the fans decided your were a star." He said a guy who doesn't try to be a big star, but fans know is a star is Goldberg.

"While you were off filming your last movie, guys got together and that doesn't sit well with you. You'll try to divide us, swerving behind closed doors with Eric Bischoff to try to shut down the red and black. Well, there's a new powersource in town and the fans have decided we are it. You can have parties, basketball players, limos, you can try to embarrass us, but it won't work. You once said all the little dogs wrestle while you're off doing movies. Well, now we've grown up and we're not just big dogs, we're wolves." Schiavone said that a lot of what Luger said rang true. Great interview...

[Q2]... The announcers cheated about the Tonight Show appearance. Schiavone said Jay Leno was trying to have "fun with it," but that Karl Malone was dead serious . They hyped that the press conference from earlier in the day would air on Nitro, showing Thunder is clearly a secondary show. They showed footage of Bischoff kicking Randy Savage's leg, saying that Savage suffered a broken leg as a result. They showed Nash going backstage looking for the remote for the cage and they showed that the technician had been beaten up and said it was Vincent who raised the cage moments earlier...

(1) Steve McMichael beat Mike Enos at 2:54. Mongo had gained some weight during his off-time. The announcers made a big deal out of Mondo using his injured forearm as a weapon...

[Q3]... Raven came out with Reese, Lodi, Kidman, Riggs, Horace, and Sick Boy. He talked about his childhood memories with Saturn. He said he hung around with him when he wasn't popular in school and loaned him money. He said all he asked of Saturn was that he beat Kanyon, and when he didn't, "you had the unmitigated gall to take out your frustration on me. I cannot figure you out. I despise you, you broke my heart." Saturn then came out and said, "I let you down? We're through. I'm on my own." You'd think they were breaking off a love affair given their language and tone. Kanyon ran out and attacked Raven. He and Saturn cleared the ring of the Flock...

Jimmy Hart plugged the upcoming TBS movie. Hart has replaced Dok Hendrix as the most embarrassing, condescending TV personality...

[Q4]... (2) Fit Finlay pinned Brad Armstrong at 5:44. Fans chanted "boring"...

(3) Giant (w/Vincent) beat Disco Inferno at 0:58. Disco said Giant's smoking will stunt his growth...

[Q5]... Schiavone interviewed Dean Malenko who gave a good, intense interview saying he was going to bring respect back to the belt... (3) British Bulldog & Jim Neidhart beat Masa Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan via DQ at 4:20 in an IWGP Tag Team Title match. WCW didn't realize technically, the IWGP Title changes hands on a DQ. When Chono & Tenzan first came out, I thought it was the Nasty Boys...

[Q6]... Schiavone interviewed Rick Rude who said Curt Hennig was training in Minneapolis with "the greatest amateur wrestler ever," Brad Rheingans. In an embarrassing moment, WCW piped in "Goldberg" chants over the sound-system. The crowd picked up the chant, but it made Goldberg's popularity seem as phony as Jim Carrey's life in "The Truman Story"... (

4) Konnan pinned Alex Wright at 4:15. Rude taunted Konnan over the house mic...

[Q7]... (5) Chris Benoit beat Eddie Guerrero at 3:43. The storyline is Eddie is despondent because he lost a match to his nephew...

[Q8]... Chavo Jr. came out and taunted Eddie, saying, "Come on little trooper. When the going gets tough, a Guerrero gets going. Keep your head up, you're still my favorite wrestler"...

(6) Public Enemy beat Riggs & Sick Boy at 6:18. Great finishing move with Rocco flipping onto Sick Boy crashing through two tables at ringside. Otherwise, bad match with no heat... (7) Goldberg beat Reese at 1:09 despite Flock interference with a stop sign. Heenan compared Goldberg's crowd reaction to Hogan at his peak...

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