WCW Monday Nitro 9/15/2003
The final Nitro before Fall Brawl opens with tag-team action involving two of the Cruiserweight Title tournament semifinalists and two men on a collision course. It's Harry Smith and Ernest "The Cat" Miller vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Konnan! Surprisingly solid match considering the hodgepodge nature of the teams. The two upcoming battles wind up becoming more than referee Charles Robinson can contain and he calls for the bell, disqualifying both teams!
WCW Executive Committee member Vince Russo comes out onto the ramp and announces what we all kind of assumed: Ernest Miller vs. Konnan will happen in six days at Fall Brawl!
Two spots have been filled in the semifinals, and #3 is on the line next as the phenomenal AJ Styles (who eliminated Billy Kidman in round one) takes on Crowbar (who dispatched "Above Average" Mike Sanders). Tonight's match of the night is a high-flying affair. The brash Styles hits his trademark Styles Clash on Crowbar, then heads to the top for a Spiral Tap. He takes too long playing to the crowd, which allows Crowbar time to climb up beside him, push him off the top, and hit a moonsault for the victory! After the match, AJ throws a fit. This title is
his, dammit!
Backstage, a handful of wrestlers are watching the match on a monitor. As AJ limps past them, he overhears what he's pretty sure is laughing. He turns to confront the source... "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan! Styles blasts Duggan with a kick and walks off.
Crowbar has joined Harry Smith and Chavo Guerrero Jr. in the semifinals, and the final spot is up for grabs as America's Most Wanted's "Wildcat" Chris Harris (who took Psychosis out of the tournament) takes on Juventud Guerrera (who won the best match of the tournament thus far against Ultimo Dragon). Solid action, but Harris' Cinderella run comes to an end at the hands of Juvi's 450 splash. After the match, Chuck Palumbo assaults Harris, laying him out with a Jungle Kick.
"American Made" hits the speakers as Hulk Hogan leads Team WCW to the ring. Once in the ring, the quintet of Hogan, Bill Goldberg, Booker T, Dustin Rhodes, and Rey Mysterio Jr. strike an imposing figure. Hogan grabs the mic and cuts a pretty fantastic promo about War Games.
The nWo theme hits, and the six members make their way to the ring, led by Sting. Sting barks some orders at Rick Steiner, who enters the ring to face Hogan in our next contest. Steiner is 0-3 in his attempts to make the War Games team. He falls to 0-4 after a big boot/legdrop combo.
An ailing Steiner is helped to his feet by his brother as the nWo enters the ring. Team WCW leaves, because now it's the heels' turn to cut a promo. Sting says that Steiner has one final opportunity on Thursday. If he can defeat Dustin Rhodes, he's in. If not... he's out. Both Steiner brothers look terrified while Scott Norton almost kind of sort of smiles.
Sting is in action in a rare TV match (hey, if I'm making Hogan do it, Sting wants to play, too!) against "Cowboy" James Storm. It's almost like wrestling is staged, because after Sting hits the Scorpion Deathdrop and wins the match, Sean O'Haire hits the ring and lays Storm out with a Widowmaker!
Eventually, they're separated, Chris Harris comes out to join Storm, and Chuck Palumbo joins O'Haire. AMW challenges O'Haire and Palumbo to a match at Fall Brawl... and they accept!
Tonight's main event is a six-man Fall Brawl preview as the World Champion Shane Helms teams with Scott Hall and Road Warrior Animal against the #1 contender Jeff Jarrett, Nikita Koloff, and Big Van Vader. It's better than the combined ages of the participants would make you think, with the young champion hitting Jarrett with a Vertebreaker to get his win back from Thunder. The three singles matches get into individual staredowns as Nitro goes off the air!
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Quick Results (Final Rating 6.45)
- Harry Smith and Ernest Miller vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr. and Konnan ends in double-DQ
- Vince Russo announces Ernest Miller vs. Konnan at Fall Brawl
- QUARTERFINALS - Crowbar over AJ Styles
- Jim Duggan is laughing backstage, Styles attacks
- QUARTERFINALS - Juventud Guerrera over Chris Harris, Chuck Palumbo attacks Harris after
- Team WCW promo
- Hulk Hogan over Rick Steiner
- New World Order promo
- Sting over James Storm thanks to interference from O'Haire
- AMW challenge O'Haire & Palumbo for Fall Brawl
- Shane Helms, Road Warrior Animal, & Scott Hall over Jeff Jarrett, Big Van Vader, & Nikita Koloff
Fall Brawl 2003 Card so far (9/21)
- War Games: Team WCW (Hulk Hogan, Goldberg, Rey Mysterio Jr., Booker T, and Dustin Rhodes) vs. New World Order (Sting, Lex Luger, Scott Steiner, Buff Bagwell, and Scott Norton or Rick Steiner)
- WCW World Heavyweight Title: Shane Helms (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett
- WCW Cruiserweight Title: Tournament final, participants TBD
- Street Fight: Road Warrior Animal vs. Big Van Vader
- America's Most Wanted vs. Chuck Palumbo & Sean O'Haire
- Ernest Miller vs. Konnan
- Scott Hall vs. Nikita Koloff
Cruiserweight Title Tournament Semifinal Match-Ups
Harry Smith vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Crowbar vs. Juventud Guerrera