Top 10 WCW Monday Nitro Matches

25 Years ago today WCW debuted WCW Monday Nitro at a primetime slot on the TNT network. In my previous post I counted the top ten moments in Nitro history. Here are the top ten matches I think defined the era of Monday Nitro and the Monday Night Wars.

1. Sting vs Ric Flair Very Last Nitro

March 23, 2001 the then WWF bought rival WCW. March 26, 2001 was the last ever WCW Monday Nitro on TNT. Against the backdrop of Panama City Beach, which another sidenote the Spring Break editions of Nitro were ones I always looked forward to. The show was full of sadness and uncertainty, with rumors abound that this was probably Flair's last match ever. Sting probably was not sure about what his next move would be,  but one staple was Sting vs. Ric Flair as the main event. These two competitors were cornerstones of the organization and had many classic matches against one another throughout the years. They did not disappoint during this match showing why they were franchise players of WCW.

 

2. Psychosis vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera vs. Blitzkrieg

 

During this time WCW had worn out the NWO angle, and really had nothing else to fall back on. On the April 19, 1999 edition of Nitro, these four put on a 20 minute wrestling clinic for cruiserweights. Juventud and Rey were stars of the division, Psychosis could make anyone look good, and Blitzkrieg did not stick around long but his moveset was smooth and memorable. The crowd was energized which probably made the performers go even harder and everyone appreciated the spectacular work they just put on.

 

3. DDP vs. Sting

In April 1999 Sting was returning from a hiatus due to injury, and the man of the people DDP was racking up wins and playing his new found heel persona to perfection. The two competed on the April 26, 99 edition of Nitro showing a little edge. Trading nearfalls and power moves the two showed they had alot left in the tank, masters of storytelling and the audience were in the palm of their hands.

 

4. Bret Hart vs. Chris Benoit Owen Hart tribute match

On the October 4, 1999 edition of Nitro, in the same arena Owen passed in. Bret Hart and Chris Benoit put on a match that was as simple as it gets. Two mat specialists competing against one another to honor a fallen friend and brother. No storyline was involved, no titles, just two men wrestling to the best of their abilities. Emotions were high, and neither man disappointed showing why mat technicians are some of the greatest wrestlers ever.

 

5. Brian Pillman vs. Jushin Thunder Liger

September 4h, 1995 The very first edition of Monday Night Nitro opened with Brian Pillman taking on the legend Jushin Thunder Liger. These two competitors paved the way for the crusierweight style that would become a staple of Monday nights and WCW in general. Fighting a fast paced athletic style they set the tone that Nitro would be a wild one.

 

6. Ric Flair vs. Eddie Guerrero

 

May 20^th 1996, at the time Ric Flair had already cemented himself as a legendary figure in pro wrestling history. Eddie Guerrero had been in WCW a few months, finding his way he didn’t have all the attributes that would later make him a legendary figure. Lo and behold some say Flair made Guerrero shine in this match, but Guerrero showed he was a star and  one to watch out for.

 

7. Chris Benoit vs. Booker T.

     This is the match that lead to their classic best of seven series of matches during the spring and early summer of 1998. Booker T. Was defending his television championship and Chris Benoit fresh off a feud with Raven and DDP was thirsty for a championship. This bout went to the time limit with neither competitor happy with the outcome, continuing their battles. Sidenote if you're an aspiring wrestler looking for matches to study, takes notes from this entire series.

 

8. Booker T. Vs. Lance Storm

     WCW was putting the final nails in the coffin around this time. On the August 7, 2000 WCW World Heavyweight champion Booker T. took on Lance Storm who was the hottest heel in WCW at the time. The match is only around 3 minutes long, but those two made the best of their three minutes. Several reversals and near falls, this match shows why Lance Storm is one of the best technicians ever and why Booker T is one of the Goats.

 

9. Goldberg vs. Hollywood Hogan

     July 6, 1998 in front of a red hot sell out crowd at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. This match isn’t really a great match, as neither are the greatest technical wrestlers. However the atmosphere the "dream match" at that time becoming a reality. The roaring hot crowd, the inclusion of DDP and Karl Malone to fend off the nwo. Everything aligned perfectly to give WCW one last jolt and last homegrown superstar before they spiraled completely out of control.

 

10. Any Cruiserweight match

Could be considered not a legit entry, but who cares. The cruiserweight division carried WCW for the entire duration of Monday night Nitro. With talented wrestlers such as Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, Kidman, Chris Jericho, Juventud Guerra, Dean Malenko, Syxx, Psychosis, and so many more supporting acts. The crusierweight divison was a personal favorite of mine and did not disappoint. I personally cannot think of one cruiserweight match that was a disaster.