"Hope is a good thing, perhaps the best of things."

Earlier today Hogan got to the arena early!

Fireworks and the rest. Uncensored clips of the big 3 matches last night. Hype the replay. Tonight: Hardcore champ Knobbs vs. Hugh Morrus! Booker vs. Dustin! Tag champs the Harris Brothers vs. Sting/Vampiro! Main Event- Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner vs. Hulk Hogan and Sid Vicious! And more!

First match: Candido vs. Evan - 3 Count do their thing. Announcers explain the Hard Knox gimmick. They talk about the 3 count match last night, show some of the brutal clips. Candido comes to the ring and does the bully thing and squashes Evan. The other two come in but Candido is able to clear them out. Announcers protect 3 Count a bit by saying they went through a lot last night, but push the bully thing and say Prince is in trouble.

Rationale: 3 count are former Hardcore champ and Evan former cruiser so it gives the bully gimmick a good debut. The highflying style will be a good counter to Candido and their heel heat will warm Candido to the fans. And last night's match can cover the loss for 3 Count who won't be players in the cruiser division anyway.

Knobbs and Fit and Dogg and Morrus walk! Sid arrives!

Now things are going to be tough at first as I try to straighten things out.

WCW has had a lot of injuries lately the most notable of course being Goldberg. We're glad to see Hogan back last week and Sting back as of last night and as soon as Goldberg is back, we're sure WCW will be back on the winning track."

Match Two - Hardcore Title - Brain Knobbs vs. Hugh Morrus - Clip of Knobbs making the third pin last night and holding up the belt. Fit and the Dogg join Knobbs on the way out, Fit does commentary and the Dogg does his schtick during the match. Fit says he's impressed by Hugh's ability and now that Knobbs is hardcore champ again, he might need to look to expand his Hardcore army and Hugh would be a good soldier. Short match has Hugh do his best but at various times he has to fight off all three here. After about five minutes back and forth Sid slowly comes down to the ring wearing the World title. He takes off the belt before entering the ring. Once inside the ring he beats up all four, blocks some trashcan shots, does some of his own. Chokeslam on Hugh, powerbomb on Dogg, Fit and Knobbs call for the retreat. Sid on the mic: 'That, was a demonstration. Do you hear the people chanting Sid? Do you hear the ovations? I am the WCW world champ. I am the master! I rule the World! Terry Taylor, new WCW commissioner, Sid's calling you out! We need to talk!" Terry comes out a bit unsure. Sid gets the world belt in the meantime. Taylor enters the ring. Sid: "I heard your little state of WCW address Terry. You say WCW is in trouble and you are looking to Goldberg to save the company? I'm the World champ Terry! You think I'm doing a bad job? You think I can't save the company? I'm the World champ. Not Goldberg. Not Hogan or Sting or Flair. Sid Vicious, master of the powerbomb!" Terry has been trying to calm Sid all this time saying 'Yes, yes, I know, you're right.' "The people are chanting my name! Sid! Sid! Sid! Not Goldberg. I'm the Millennium Man. I'm the future of WCW. See me and Goldberg, we've already fought that battle. We have an understanding him and I. Don't be looking for Goldberg, Mr. Taylor." Taylor asks for the mic. "I certainly apologize Mr. Vicious, I didn't mean to be misunderstood. You are the world champ and I'm looking forward to the main event tonight when you and Hogan take out the nWo's leaders Jarrett and Steiner, I was just saying that the fans were all wondering when Goldberg's going to-" Sid puts the one hand choke on Taylor and takes the mic back. "Don't say that name to me again." "Yes, yes sir, yes Mr. Vicious." Sid drops the mic, releases Taylor, and holds up his world title belt and encourages the fans to chant his name.

Rationale: Sid heel turn is self-explanatory. As for the match, it's just a set-up for the Sid bit but why not get an angle of Hugh and Fit started? I wonder if Hugh can work these days or if he simply had that one good match in him. Anyway, I think he could be a decent fit with Fit and Co. Spend a month with him fighting the three and then decide if he's working well enough and getting the cheers to stay face on his own, or turn him and team him with Fit in the midcard tag division (them vs. Mamalukes would be quite watchable imo)

Norman and the Demon in the back. "We're going to rock and roll all night" "And wiggle ev-ery day."

Match three - Mamalukes vs. Screamin Demons - Uncensored footage of the Lukes losing the belts. Disco as announcer complains that WCW is holding them back. They were robbed of the belts and now instead of the rematch they have to work against these jobbers. Other announcers go on about Sid being mentally unbalanced and wondering who was visiting the nWo. Norman on the mic encourages the fans to get up and wiggle. Mamalukes attack and dominate. Norman is tossed out of the ring. Ref distracted, Disco gets involved giving the Stunner to the Demon. The ref misses that but sees Disco dancing over the Demon and this starts a big argument between the Lukes and the ref. Norman sneaks in and hooks the Conquest on Johnny from behind. The ref and the other Lukes notice this at the same time, Johnny is tapping, winner of the match The Screaming Demons! The Lukes gang up on Norman but a groggy Demon grabs a chair and with the help of the ref, chases them off.

Rationale: The Lukes were champs before they were ready and can now afford to drop a few matches in a short jobbing streak (or rather a .500 streak, for example beat Helms and Moore, beat Los Fabulosos, job to say Heat 2K and Sting/Vampiro) before building to another run at the titles. In the meantime, might as well try to let Norman and Demon get a win and try to move them up. The Lukes doing jobs can help develop character to the team by their reactions to the losses.

Gene knocks on the nWo door. Jeff barely opens. They are celebrating the return of Big Poppa Pump and they'll do their talking later tonight, now scram.

Flair and Luger arrive. Flair "Tonight's going to be a great night for Team Package! Whoo!"

Match Four - Bam Bam vs. Stevie Ray - Time killer match. Bam Bam is in control when the Harlem Heat screwjob breaks loose and Booker makes the save.

I know, enough with Booker and Stevie. I still feel Booker needs to win a blowoff match, I'm not going to continue pushing the Kidman stuff and there's some stuff I can do with Booker and Bam Bam as a team after this show (hey, can't keep making him US or World champ every show! WCW just ain't going to get the message.)

Harris brothers interview - Yeah the nWo will have a surprise before the night is over, but it'll be no surprise when they beat the freaks Sting and Vampiro. And then they'll sit back and laugh as Jeff and Scott destroy Sid and Hogan. Who knows, maybe they'll H-bomb Sid and Hogan as well before it's all said and done.

Rationale: It'll be easier to get the Wall some big time wins with Luger and Flair to help him. Plus it just might get him a bit of a rub. He's probably better as a lone monster but it will be easy enough to break him from the group when the time is right. For now he needs to be established, no more time to waste with midcarders, and he's not ready to be pinning top carders by his lonesome. He needs to be ready to be a credible challenge to Goldberg by the summer and right now he's just squash meat.

Match Five - Tank vs. Kanyon - Kanyon in the ring first. (without emotion) "Hey, it-really-sucks-to-be-here-you-people-are-all-losers." Tank comes into the ring and Kanyon lays down. Tank's not sure what to do. "Get up." "Pin me." "What are you doing? Let's fight!" "Just pin me." Tank starts to kick Kanyon. Kanyon gets to his knees and shoves Tank. Tank shoves back and Kanyon falls to the mat, eyes closed, playing dead. Tank looks to the ref who shrugs. Tank puts his foot on Kanyon, 1, 2, 3. Tank walks off disgusted. We here the ref yell at Kanyon, 'What do you think you're doing?'
Kanyon: 'Whatever.'

Rationale: I know that Russo started something like this with Buff and of course there was the JOB Squad. My intention with this however isn't to be winking at the smarts. I just want Chris to be a bitter underdog who rallies against the "politics" of the business. I think Kanyon could pull this off amazingly. 'It doesn't matter if I win or lose, WCW won't give me the spotlight, so why try? If I break my contract or try to get out of it, the lawyers will take everything I own, but there's nothing in my contract that says I can't intentionally lose every match. What does it matter if they only book me matches on Worldwide? It's just as good as when I busted my ass every night for this company.'

Hogan interview: Gene: 'Do you think you can count on your partner tonight?'

'Well you know brother, I saw what Sid did and I like it! He and I, we're walking the edge of insanity. I know what it's like to be heavyweight champion and you have to have that fire, that intensity. Tonight we take out that bogus nWo. I had to go to Terry Taylor, you know the WCW committee was discussing punishment for Sid for choking Terry for a moment, but I got all that cleared up. It's all set straight, it's all forgiven, and tonight in the main event, Jeff Jarrett and Scott Steiner, we're going to kick your ass! Whatcha goin' do?'

Sting interview, 'he sees a bit of himself in Vampiro and it's not just the white facepaint. WCW booking committee thought it'd be a good team to get the tag gold back so why not.' 'Well where is Vampiro, why isn't he here by your side.' 'Well Vampiro is kind of a strange guy, he goes by the beat of his own drummer, but when the bell rings, he'll be in my corner and I can trust him.'

Match Six - Dustin vs. Booker - Dustin to the ring and - wait, something in the back!

Sid kicks in the door to the WCW committee room. 'You're going to try to suspend me? Try to punish me? I rule the world!' Security barely keeps Sid away from Taylor.

Back in the ring Booker makes it to the ring. Match goes a while. Announcers talk about Sid not being focused and going crazy and the main event tonight. Booker's about to win, Jarrett is out to crash a guitar on his head. Dustin takes off the shirt and he's nWo. Refs get Booker out of the ring. Jarrett and Steiner do their thing on the mic. So Dustin was the one who visited the nWo.

Vampiro interview. Yeah, I am a bit of a loner. I don't quite... fit... in. But Sting, you're also right that when the match starts, you can count on me to be in your corner.

Sting/Vampiro vs. Harris Bros - Good guys start hot, Harris boys use switches and chains to have a small bit of offense. Shots in the back show security surrounding the nWo dressing room. They won't interfere in this match. Before things get too awful in the match Team Package comes out (since security wasn't watching them). Flair, Luger and the Wall make a three way brawl of it (basic pairing of Wall/Harrises, Vamp/Flair, Sting/Luger).

Rationale: Sting elevates Vampiro, Luger and Flair elevate Wall, Harris Brothers probably won't last too long in the war but maybe Jarrett/Dustin could fill the role. Plus we'd have Booker Bam Bam for awhile in the mix. Not a bad tag division at the top with H2K and Mamalukes in the mid and XS, Los Fabs, 2 Count, and Jung Dragons at the low.

Sid and Hogan vs. Jarrett and Steiner - Jarrett and Steiner in the ring, work the crowd. Hogan comes out. Where's Sid? Hogan takes on both men, house o' fire style. Sid comes down to the ring. Hogan starts to be face in peril. He makes he tag to Sid. Sid comes into the ring. He beats up Jeff and Scott. Dustin through the crowd with guitar and nWo shirt. (He escaped security!) He tosses the guitar to Hogan who smashes it on Sid. Hogan puts on the nWo shirt. 'You know what brothers, last night I did what I had to do. But when I went home, I watched the tape, and I thought, do I want to be hanging with old news like Sid? Or do I want to be with Big Poppa Pump and Jeff Jarrett? Well the choice was simple so I made a phone call and the deal was made. When you're nWo it's for life brah.' Hogan spraypaints the World title belt and plays it like a guitar. End of show.

Rationale: Normally I'm not that big on swerves, but I kinda like this one. I'd probably have done Uncensored a bit different so it wouldn't have been such a 180 here, but really in pro wrestling it doesn't make that much difference. Jarrett has been top heel in WCW and he's just not enough. Sid the Heel ain't going to be much better. Hollywood Hogan has been the only time I've found Bolea watchable so why not? It's all about building to Goldberg's return. The nWo for better or worse would actual be a respectable force and if Steiner gets healthy we can all enjoy him putting Hogan in the recliner when he takes over the nWo a few months later. I think the nWo could still have a bit of life if you keep it in check, let them come out and talk for short bits, let Jarrett do most of the wrestling for the group.

Standard disclaimer 1: Fantasy booking is easier than actual booking. I completely understand this. In reworking Nitro I try to remain aware of the realities of pro wrestling in general and WCW in particular. That means not booking myself as cruiserweight champion, as fun as that would be. I try to use the same wrestlers WCW used on their actual broadcast. The few exceptions are made in cases where it seems obvious to me that the people are available and capable of the role I put them in.

Standard disclaimer 2: Until WCW starts paying me to do this, I can't bother with spit and polish. I put about two hours into this. 15 minutes into setting up the matches and the rest typing out the scenes off the top of my head as I go along. Please ignore spelling errors, words without proper capitalization, etc.

Standard disclaimer 3: I do not do this to prove how smart I am or how stupid WCW is (though many may infer just that). I do this to a) prove that WCW still has the talent to put on a good show at any point they choose if they'd just use their people effectively, with foresight and good intention and b) allow myself to go into Thunder with good thoughts toward WCW instead of simply thinking how much Nitro sucked and how there is no reason to expect a good show from the promotion anytime in the near or distant future.

All comments good and bad are welcome.