[1998-04-20-WCW-Nitro] Hulk Hogan vs Randy Savage

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Last few minutes. Nick Patrick runs in and attack the referee. The two are working over Savage's leg on the ringpost and Nash finally runs out to make the save. Bischoff grabs Nash's leg from behind and eats a punch for his efforts before Nash powerbombs Hogan to a huge pop. Nash rolls Savage on top of Hogan when Bret Hart comes out and nails Nash with the title belt and then throws Hogan on top of Savage. Hogan is the champ again. Holy overreaction to losing the ratings war for one week! Piper comes out and wants Bret to explain himself and ends up getting punched in the face for it. This was a Bret heel turn without adding him to the NWO, which just made him especially lame.

[Zenjo]

If you think this is disgusting just wait for Hogan's next world title win. I don't even know where to start with this, it's awful in so many ways.

[soup23]

Yeah, this was shit and really desperate. Bret helps Hogan win the title without any rhyme or reason. Sad enough, the pieces are still there for this all to work out and Hogan vs. Nash without all the shenanigans would be a hot program. Savage now looks like a crazy lame duck guy and I will be interested to see when he rehabilitates.

[Migs]

So many logic gaps.

 

Why is Nash not defending his buddy while the Disciple attacks? Why didn't he accompany him to the ring?

 

Piper said "no one can run in" but the match is no DQ?

 

Why has Bret turned? He was Sting's friend a week ago.

 

And still, the pop for Nash power bombing Hogan is mega.

[Superstar Sleeze]

WCW World Heavyweight Champion Randy Savage vs Hollywood Hogan - WCW Nitro 4/20/98

 

The match I hated the most as a child, fresh off seeing my hero win the World Championship at Spring Stampede he faces Hogan in what is basically an extended squash.When you add together that Savage prefers taking heat when he is a face, that he was injured and Hogan loves working on top it really was not to be unexpected. At first, Hogan looked a little bit more plodding than he had in the other matches I had seen from this year. The badmouth was still there, but the same energy was not there. Savage was on top of his game acting like wounded animal that would occasionally lash out, but the pain would overwhelm. Not often you get to see Hogan work over a body part and it is admirable. Savage is great at peppering in heated hope spots that get the crowd to pop like using the belt and the Big Elbow, but he lands on the injured knee! Hogan goes back to the knee, spinning toe hold and a figure-4. This has been a great story in terms of Savage being too banged up and defending his title the next night and Hogan is just licking his chops. Savage going crazy and choking Hogan draws a big pop. The finish goes into overdrive with The Disciple attacking the ref. Beefcake has one of those faces that just can never recognize him when he changed gimmicks. Nash coming in powerbombing Hogan got a massive, massive pop. This makes the Goldberg title victory all the more intriguing because I am surprised they did not put the belt on Nash. Hart nails Nash and puts Hogan on top. It is not going to blow you away, but on WCW main event sliding scale this was pretty good. The novelty of Hogan working a body part was cool. Savage doing his crazed wounded animal selling keeps the match entertaining throughout. I have seen better Hogan performances on the year though.

 

Resetting to Hogan makes complete sense now that I have seen the Sting title reign. He was in no shape to carry the belt. Savage as a one day champion is a fine transitional champion because he will be on the shelf soon and it sort of puts to bed the Hogan/Savage issue shifts to Hogan/Nash and Savage/Hart, which is not a bad one-two punch, but Nash is so interested in hanging out with his buddy, Hall in that miss their window to pop a big buyrate with Hogan/Nash on top. Bash at the Beach 1998, the two year anniversary of the NWO, Nash vs. Hogan on top would have been huge. Alas. I understand the reset to Hogan and I think they went with gutsier move to put it on Goldberg. I would have probably played it safe and put it on Nash. WCW just when you think you have them figured out they keep you guessing even all these years later.

[PeteF3]

Total clusterfuck that gives us a shock finish but does nothing to bring focus to the main event scene at all--just the opposite. At least Bret has something to do now, I guess.

[TravJ1979]

Hogan needed the belt back. That is the only logic that makes sense of any of this. Yes, Nash has Savage's back, but waits until he gets the shit kicked out of him to run in. I guess it was running, because the unintentional hilarious parts of this match were Nash, Hart, and Piper running to the ring. I can't decide who looks more embarrassing running to the ring. Top two titles both get ended after one day reigns. WCW.

 

EDIT - I would have never known Bret was still in WCW if it wasn't for this, which IIRC, leads nowhere.

[Zero]

Now, we can add Bret to the dead in the water club with Sting. He's done. We see him in the following weeks rocking a Hogan shirt and hanging with NWO Black and White, a total dork.