Oh here we are once again to watch the dying days of a once great company. In case you’re just tuning in, every week without a major wrestling show the At Odds with Wrestling podcast does homework assignments. Something wrestling related from the past. This week continues the semester long project viewing a period of WCW full of regime changes. 

This week’s Nitro takes place from Chapel Hill, NC. Your hosts for the evening will be Tony Schiavone and Mark Madden. 

The show starts off hot with Finlay and Vampiro fighting in the back. Now live to the arena and there are a LOT of signs in the crowd. 

Psychosis (with Juventud Guerrera) vs. Kaz Hyashi. 

Juvi is in his full rip off the Rock’s gimmick character. Kaz dives over the top onto both men and Juvi ends up in the front row. Kaz is doing well but he is just an Asian guy in black pants here. Cookie cutter gimmick. Tony says, “its great to see the cruiserweight division back as a real division.” Well never mind all that because now Finlay and Vampiro brawl down the aisle and through the ring. Kaz kicks out of a top rope Frankensteiner. TAFKAPI and Paisley come out. “He went for a cross body or a big splash or something.” Let’s hear it for the play by play guy. Psychosis hits Kaz with a dropkick as Kaz comes off the top. Psychosis then hits a top rope leg drop. However, there’s a distraction and TAFKAPI hits Psychosis with the CW title. Kaz gets the win. Juvi and Psychosis fight with Prince. Way too much happening here. This is a hat on a hat match. 

Security is separating Finlay and Vampiro. 

The nWo are in the most pathetic student play set up “locker room” I’ve ever seen. 

Mean Gene interviews the Mamalukes and Disco Inferno. 

Vampiro kicks things. 

Riki Rachtman is having a Nitro Party at Duke on the Road to Spring Break. The Nitro Girls and 3 Count are with him, 

Lex Luger, Ric Flair, and Elizabeth show up. 

Big Ron (with Heavy D) vs. Big Vito (with the rest). 

“If I could think of one word, it would be big.” He’s being paid to do this. Vito hits a DDT then the ref is distracted and we have some twin magic going on. One of the Harris boys has a chain on his hand to hit Vito with and gets the win. They’re celebrating in the aisle with the referee raising their hands, like usual, and the replay shows the shenanigans. I’m not sure if the referee reverses the decision or not but then the Harris boys go back to the ring and beat everyone up. Security shows up. The police show up. One Harris brother pushes around the black police officer and when the officer pulls out a baton, the Brothers leave. 

Mean Gene interviews David Flair and Daffney. Today is David’s 21st birthday. 

The Harris Brothers get arrested for laying their hands on a black police officer. Life imitates art. Jeff Jarrett protests and somehow this nWo locker room looks worse every time it’s shown. 

“The monster against the music.” I’m debating watching this show on mute. 

David Flair (with Daffney) vs. The Wall

Daffney has a “David’s Legal” shirt which is fantastic. “What can he do with two tables?” I don’t know, serve twice the guests? Daffney distracts the Wall. David hits Wall with a crowbar. David celebrates on the top rope in a position that coincidentally perfectly positions him for the next spot. Wall choke slams David from the top through two tables to the floor. Daffney cry/screams which is very disturbing but sells the moment. Curt Hennig, Terry Funk, and Arn Anderson all check on David. Curt asks where “the old man” is. David is taken out on a stretcher. 

In the back, Bam Bam Bigelow yells at the Wall. “What did I teach you?” So we’re starting some plot there. Wall hits Bam Bam who prat falls off the steps and onto but not through a table. 

3 Count vs Finlay, Brian Knobbs, and the Dog. Or is it Evan Karagias vs. the Dog? It doesn’t matter. Everyone is fighting everywhere. Finlay and Knobbs bring out the Dog, put a mask over his head, then pull it right off. What is the point of this? It’s like Al Snow’s Avatar, but worse. Why is this the longest match on the show so far? Knobbs helps put Evan into position. Dog with a middle rope slam for the pin. Then they do the mask spot again?! 

Let’s go back to the signs. I did look for CarrieTime.com which appears to no longer exist. I can’t find what Carrie or her friend next to her had a website for but it may be lost to non renewed URLs. 

Mean Gene interviews Lex, Liz, and Ric Flair. Ric says David is a big boy and can take care of himself. 

Jeff Jarrett is mad in the nWo locker room and will be coming out soon. 

The Nitro Girls dance.

Sid talks to Vampiro. 

Jarrett comes out. He sends the nWo ladies to the back. Why bother having them at the show at all? This is pointless and would save money. Jarrett announces the Wall will be his partner this evening. He hopes Sid has his “major medical bills” paid off. Not his minor ones though. Also, Major Medical Bills sounds like a member of WCW’s soon to be Misfits in Action. 

Lane and Idol are on the phone. They see the Demon’s casket and are up to mischief. 

Curt Hennig walks. Ric Flair walks too. 

Ric Flair vs. Curt Hennig. 

Flair gets some cheap heat before the match. This match feels like it could have been something. PPV level. Couple weeks of story. But no. It really isn’t a bad match but you know there’s going to be something screwy at the end and it won’t matter. The match is long too. “Cool” Curt Hennig? When did that start? There’s the screwy. Lex comes out. But wait, Hennig Plex for the pin? Clean? I’m shocked. Lex and Flair beat up Curt. Arn is out for the save. Arn watches Lex “break” Curt’s arm. Lex looks to attack Arn but Flair tells him no. Again, this could be something but probably won’t be. 

Lane and Idol weld the KISS casket shut but the Demon is behind them and Lane and Idol over power and double team the Demon? 

More Nitro Party.

Curt Hennig in an ambulance. 

Lex, Liz, and Flair are happy. 

Lane (with Idol) vs Norman Smiley. 

No way that girl Lane and Idol go up to is over 18. Madden is interested in rats. Lane runs up the ropes, hits a moonsault, an impressive move, but no one is there. Idol is on commentary. Ms Hancock comes out and if anyone was paying attention to the match, they’re not now. Norman conquest for the win. Demon is out to fight Lane and Idol. Are Demon and Norman now best friends? 

Mean Gene talks to Sid. 

Tank Abbot has arrived. 

Post commercial break, Tank is in the ring. He cuts a bad promo. “He (Sid) couldn’t hold a candle to my jock strap.” What? How does that make any sense? Is the candle to cover up the smell? Tank says he’s not leaving the ring. La Parka comes out for his match. Tank punches the chair, and La Parka. Security is out. Meng comes out. Was he supposed to face La Parka? Everyone is excited for Tank vs. Meng so JJ Dillon says it can’t happen. He threatens Meng with a 60 day suspension. So? It’s probably been 60 days since we’ve seen him last. Oh, without pay. Now it’s a threat. Tank leaves the ring. But I thought you weren’t going to? 

Nitro Girls dance. 

Hulk Hogan pre taped promo. “Strap master Jimmy Hart.” What the hell is with this episode? “Raw pink meat.” “Double strap you with both fists.” Okay, they must know what they’re doing, right? 

Kidman (with Torrie Wilson) vs Stevie Ray (with J. Biggs).

Big T and Bigger T/Cassius are out. Kidman says he has a partner but this still starts out as a two on one attack. Booker comes out for the save. Kidman in the long jeans looks weird. Kidman hits an elbow off the top. Cassius pulls out the ref. Stevie hits Kidman. Big T pins Kidman. Harlem Heat beats up Booker. 

Jarrett hypes up the Wall.

Dustin Rhodes walks. 

Nitro Party. 

The American Dream 2000 Dustin Rhodes comes out to cut a promo. Terry Funk comes out and says he has Dustin’s illegitimate brother in a trash bag. It’s a chicken in a diaper! Why is this so funny and so gross at the same time? Funk challenges Dustin to a barbed wire match tonight. “I’ll strap it on if you strap it on.” Make it stop. Funk throws the chicken. Dustin throws powder in Funk’s eyes. Dustin attacks and piledrives Funk. Funk fights back. Dustin is now wrapped in barbed wire and runs away. 

Jeff Jarrett and the nWo girls walk. Wall walks. Sid walks and Vampiro joins him. 

Jarrett and the ladies come out. He says they can stay but then still sends them to the back. Way to kill time and money. It is announced that Lex vs Sting at Uncensored will be a lumberjack cast match. That’s okay. Sleep all night, work all day. 

5 minutes for the main event of Jeff Jarrett and the Wall vs. Sid Vicious and Vampiro. 

All four men just fight everywhere. Sid and the Wall face off – which could have been cool and could have meant something. There’s a ref bump of course. Sid takes a guitar shot, then a choke slam from the Wall, and Jarrett pins Sid. 

There’s a lot to dislike during this era of WCW. This episode however is maddening because there are good ideas but nothing comes from any of it. “Hey, what if we all get pizza tonight?” Yeah that sounds like a great idea, but then no one has any money and no one actually orders any pizza.