WCW Nitro is back! The Great American Bash is behind us and we have new champions, new groups, and plenty to address as Nitro is LIVE from the Earl A. & Virginia H. Chiles Center in Portland, Oregon.
"Party Hard" hits, followed by pyro as the voices of WCW, Joey Styles & Jerry "The King" Lawler, welcome us to Nitro!
We are starting out hot as the new WCW World Heavyweight Champion, Lance Storm, arrives with Dawn Marie in tow. Storm is actually smiling as he grabs the microphone. "If I could be serious for a moment... Lance Storm is the BEST WRESTLER IN THE WORLD AND YOUR WCW WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION!" Storm is showing some rare emotion here, talking about how this is a career-defining moment and a mountain he has been climbing for over a decade. He claims the title proves he is the best, just as he’s always said.
BG James interrupts, and here comes the "Doggfather." James congratulates Storm on finally backing up his mouth but plays coy, asking where Storm's "friends" are—specifically Diamond Dallas Page & Kanyon. James says he has dealt with groups of jackasses before, but since he has a prior victory over Storm, he thinks he deserves a title shot right now. Storm interjects, claiming he has nothing to do with DDP & Kanyon, but James brushes him off.
Next out is Booker T. Booker says the title around Storm's waist belongs to him and he was robbed in Boston. However, Booker knows that as long as DDP & Kanyon are running around, he has unfinished business. Booker tells James to take care of Storm for now, but warns that he is owed a rematch and will collect once he takes care of some loose ends. As Booker leaves, Buff Bagwell appears from a press box! Bagwell moans that everyone is forgetting "The Stuff." Buff claims he has been part of WCW since before these "Johnny-come-latelies" arrived and says he deserves the shot. James notes they have a match tonight, so the solution is simple: the winner gets Storm at Bash at the Beach! Storm yells that they have all ruined his moment, telling James & Bagwell the match is on, but it doesn't matter because no one will ever take the summit from him.
RVD is getting bigger reactions every week, and his style is incredibly entertaining. Kwee Wee is low-key underrated and played his part perfectly to make RVD look like a superstar.
Vintage footage of WCW's past plays, showing the Rock 'n' Roll Express from the Jim Crockett Promotions era. A voice over begins: "Wrestling used to be a place full of honor and respect, a place where the mat ruled supreme and men ruled over it. Now, this new generation forgets what Old School is..." The camera pans back to show the back of a blonde head. "The ring has always needed a ruler, someone who can bend it and all within it to their will. The ring needs a King." The person spins around to reveal Steve Corino. "The King of Old School is coming to WCW!"
Backstage in the Commissioner's office, Arn Anderson and Pete Gas are shown watching the end of the Corino video. Pete asks Arn if signing Corino was a good idea. The Enforcer says that although Corino can be a tricky customer, he's one of the best in the industry. A knock at the door brings in CW Anderson, whom Arn greets warmly. He introduces CW to Pete as his "nephew" and tells Pete that after last week, he has modified Pete's contract to that of a full active wrestler. He says it’s time Pete learns the "Anderson Way," and CW is here to whip him into shape.
O'Haire still needs some work as his inexperience shows in singles matches. Crowbar looked good in a losing effort; WCW might need to find more direction for guys like him and Jason Jett.
"Self High Five" hits as Diamond Dallas Page & Kanyon head to the ring. DDP runs down Shane McMahon as the man who will finally kill WCW due to blatant favoritism and an ego that overlooks the men who have actually carried the company. They call Arn Anderson and Booker T "bootlickers." DDP claims that as long as the foundation is strong, WCW will always rise to the top. They officially dub themselves "The Foundation."
Booker T storms the ring, sending DDP & Kanyon retreating through the crowd. Booker asks where the "third sucka" is, wondering why Lance Storm isn't there to thank his friends for the title. Booker says Shane McMahon has only tried to make WCW the best it can be, while DDP & Kanyon just can't accept they have to work for what they want.
Shane McMahon appears on the stage. He tells DDP & Kanyon he respected them for showing up every day, but says DDP now thinks he deserves everything handed to him. He tells Kanyon he earned respect by winning at the Bash, but lost it by interfering in the main event. Shane announces that next week, "The Foundation" will face a team that combines the past and the present of WCW.
A simple match that served its purpose. Dreamer got to shine, and WCW continues to familiarize the fans with these newer faces.
Chavo Guerrero Jr. makes his way out with the Jung Dragons. Chavo grabs a mic and says the Cruiserweight title is back where it belongs—on a Guerrero. He reveals the Jung Dragons have turned to him for guidance, calling the new unit "Los Dragones." Shane Helms interrupts, calling Chavo an arrogant prick who is just manipulating people. Los Dragones attack Helms, but Shannon Moore & Evan Karagias sprint down to 3 Count's music to make the save. The former 3 Count members hug it out in the ring—the reunion is on!
Backstage, Disqo & Sanders are looking for the MIA, who are reportedly on "vacation." They find a room labelled "The Beach" and burst in, only for Disqo to run into a dark janitor's closet and get a bucket of liquid dumped on his head. The camera cuts to the MIA actually sitting on a beach with cocktails and their titles.
It looks like Palumbo is back in the tag ranks with Stamboli full-time. Chetti was a bit forgettable in this debut, but Paul London’s selling made the new Mamalukes look dominant. After the match, Little Guido (referred to as Guido Maritato) appeared on stage slowly clapping, which seemed to unnerve Palumbo and Stamboli.
DYLAN'S FINAL THOUGHTS: A solid show that focused on establishing the new landscape. While not a roof raiser, it set the stage for the summer build toward Greensboro. Fine for a midcard feud, but it's a bit of a stretch seeing Road Dogg as the top challenger for the World Title right now. It seems WCW has other plans for the likes of Booker, DDP, Kanyon, RVD & Mike Awesome which is hurting the World Title scene.