Bischoff puts over the idea that ANYTHING can happen on Monday Nitro because it's live. Part of me instantly regrets my decision to review old Nitros. Because, now I have to watch a Hogan television match against Bubba Rogers. Hogan's taking control, but Bubba Rogers - oh my god... this is resthold paradise as we go to a side headlock. Again, Hogan with the overpower shoulderblock that looks about as ginger as a tulip arrangement. Test of strength - and cheap shot gives me some hope that Traylor will just annihilate him. But, we go back to incredibly slow chokes in the corner and a tired turnbuckle spot that doesn't even get ten. He tries for a ten punch in the corner - fails at that too because Hogan's timing here is way off. Heel takes over, and Rogers is able to get him off his feet. Hogan uses Jimmy Hart's distraction to get momentum. Rogers with a brief comeback, Hogan three punch, whip, kick, legdrop, Hogan goes over clean. Finally. This match is what you could expect from Hogan in a main event with a 'who?' kind of opponent. Hulkamania is waning, as you can see the fans halfheartedly cheering his comeback, but cheering the posing at the end. When out of nowhere, Hogan gets mobbed by the Dungeon of Doom, Kevin Sullivan's group of heels, and Luger comes out and everyone assumes it's to take on Hogan as he's freshly in WCW from their competition - but, instead, helps Hogan out by tossing Kamala and they bump into each other to start a confrontation. Before we get an explanation, we go to commercial. We're back and Luger is in the ring cutting a 90s Luger promo - meaning he occasionally forgets what company he's in and screams most of the dialogue. And in a roundabout way, talks about the WWF, calling them 'kids' - referring to the young talent running the show in WWE at the time, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and the rest of the Kliq running the show in WWE. Hogan fires back with Hulkamania-fueled bravado. Sting and Randy Savage are out there as their seconds to their friends apparently, waiting for something to go wrong. The two end up signing a match for the following Nitro, and a shoving match starts without turning into a brawl. Barely contained aggression - well booked, there, actually, and we don't see enough of that these days. Bischoff and crew put over next week's show and we go off the air. The Good: Three good length matches, a MUST SEE opener. The 'anything can happen' era of wrestling started here, and the commentary is great as well, the announcers putting over holds, storylines and moves, and transitions are just perfect to watch. Well done television by Bischoff and company. The Bad: Three matches. But, the show's only forty minutes. The shilling on display is mock-worthy, and the main event is Hulk Hogan. Which means, you get a Hulk Hogan match on TV, which is to say - a clean win for Hogan 9.9 times out of ten, with little surprises. The Ugly: Seeing Service Merchandise stores, and a commercial for Batman Forever for the SNES and Genesis. What utter garbage. Also, Mean Gene's Hotline was just shameless in it's money-grubbery. So that's my review of Episode One. Leading us into next week, we've got a fresh challenge from newly arriving wrestler Lex Luger against the champion. We've got Savage facing Scott 'Flash' Norton, and a match with Sabu - should be watchable! (Except the main event.) Also, if you have any questions, comments, or think I'm off-base, toss me a message and I'll happily reply!
Dan has taken a chairshot to the face from Ballz Mahoney. He grew up in Tampa, mere blocks from the Sportatorium, watching wrestling and taking it all in. He's a writer, and a professional illustrator.
