I've got two words for you: hey yo!

Finally, Scott Hall is back. And so is Kevin Nash. The appearance of the Outsiders was easily the highlight of Monday Nitro even if all they did was pose as spectators. The Kemper Arena crowd popped hugely for these guys as they made their way to front row seats, clutching beers and ticket stubs. Yeah, their spectator gig was a work. But so what? They're back and that's what counts.

I've admitted to being a mark for Sid Vicious. I'm an even bigger Hall mark. The bad guy is easily one of the most entertaining performers in the wrestling business. Let's see here. The last time Hall and Nash walked into WCW something called the New World Order was formed and the WWF got left in the dust. Can lightning strike twice?

As Hall and Nash took their seats, an excited Bobby Heenan jumped out from behind the announce desk to interview them. Heenan wanted to know where they had been. Hall spoke first. Guess which were the first two words out of his mouth? Hall went on to say that he and Nash had been to a party "down there." Right on cue, Heenan asked, "Down where?" Is Sean Waltman somewhere in the crowd, too?

For his part, Nash simply said with a smile, "I'm retired." I broke into laughter when Hall said Nash was working a retirement angle and begged him to come back. Breaking kayfabe during a work. I love it! Hall went on to say that it's no fun in the WCW locker room and that he and Nash will return when it's fun again. Nash said, "We're getting the band back together!" Another Blues Brothers movie? Okay by me!

They finally took the leash off Heenan. He's in full heel mode again, something he's one of the best at. That can only help WCW. It even makes Tony Schiavone better since he's a face announcer.

This was another solid effort by WCW, with plenty of storyline development and a mat classic with Bret Hart and Chris Benoit.

The only black mark was the abrupt removal of Lenny and Lodi, arguably two of the most over personalities in WCW. It seems the gay-accented angle didn't sit well with the Time Warner suits and it got yanked. That's a shame. These guys could work and bump with the best of them.

Of course, they had to do something about Lenny's cruiserweight title. Tony informed us during the opening match between Rey Mysterio and Dean Malenko that Psychosis won the title "recently" at a house show. What house show? Oh, probably the one where Sid got several of his 120 "wins." Lenny's name wasn't even mentioned.

Tony also mentioned the hiring of writers Vince Russo and Ed Ferrara away from the WWF. Enough has already been about this already by enough people. Just consider that Russo and Ferrara were instrumental in the WWF's leap to the top. This is a coup for WCW. The product is already improving. The ratings may take a while but there is hope.

The Malenko-Mysterio match was good as you might expect but it was merely a prop for the crumbling of the Revolution. Shane Douglas ran in, punked the ref and prepared to hit Rey with a chain wrapped around his fist. Perry Saturn ran in and grabbed the chain from Douglas, who got down and his knees and pleaded with Saturn not to him. Saturn acted like he was to a huge pop, the most heat Douglas has gotten since he joined WCW. Saturn hit Rey instead! That allowed Malenko, who didn't see it, to claim the win as Douglas and Saturn gleefully left the ring. Malenko did see the replay and was furious. This was a great segment. They are finally using Douglas the way he should be used. Rey didn't get any help since none of his Filthy Animals mates were in the building, which would later be proven untrue.

Psychosis promptly dropped his new title to Disco Inferno, who went over cleanly. This one was a little surprising. I kept waiting for Chavo Guerrero and gang to run in but it didn't happen.

It seemed that Sid tried to get even with Goldberg for having his car crushed last week. Naturally, it backfired when Goldberg drove off after his match. A security guard told Sid he had to move his car. Personal assistant Moses moved it into Goldberg's vacated space and mumbled about Sid ordering him around. Of course the tow truck showed up and hauled off Sid's car and it got crushed just like last week. "Why me!?" Sid bellowed, looking like a giant little kid.

Sid had an actual match against a non-gimmicked Brian Adams. And it wasn't a squash. Adams planted Sid with a nice piledriver. But Charles Robinson was the ref and he ignored Rick Steiner's interference. Adams actually had the upper hand at first but the numbers were against him. Sid and Rick spike powerbombed him for the win. "Are they pulling him back some?" wondered my friend Lady Diamond Cutter. Perhaps. This wasn't a typical Sid match and it was fun to watch. I guess since Sid is going to job to Goldberg he can't look invincible anymore.

Speaking of Goldberg, he got called out by Jimmy Hart called him out to squash Jerry Flynn. But it was trap of sorts as Brian Knobbs and Hugh Morrus helped out after Flynn kicked a distracted Goldberg to the arena floor. Goldberg sold for a while then prevailed in the usual manner. Then he got on the stick and killed some time as RAW went on the air. That's good counter programming and I'm not being sarcastic for once.

Brad Armstrong is getting a push. He jawed down Berlyn in the dressing room. Then he had a match with Curt Hennig, who was accompanied by Kendall Windham and Vincent. I am NOT going to call Vincent Curly Bill. And Lex Luger is still Lex Luger, that stupid "funeral" notwithstanding. You might guess that Berlyn and bodyguard ran in and you would be right. But once AGAIN Berlyn looked bad as he got punked by Armstrong, who was punched by the bodyguard right into a perfectplex. They are pushing Armstrong and Berlyn into a program but will there be any heat? Not if they keep making Berlyn look ineffective. Armstrong, who isn't over, can't carry them both.

We saw Billy Kidman and Torrie Wilson run out of the shower because Rey reminded him he had a match. See, Tony lied. Kidman battled Juventud Guerrera, that jabroni as the Rock would tell Chris Jericho. You get the usual with these two. The highlights came when Psychosis ran in, unnoticed by the ref. Juvi hit a plancha on Psychosis, who was trying to hold Kidman. Then Kidman hit a plancha on both of them. But a handicap match was too much and Juvi won. The Filthy Animals won the match after the match even though they supposedly weren't there.

There's not a lot you can add to the Hart-Benoit match except that it was a classic. The only storyline was a tribute to Bret's late brother Owen, who plunged to his tragic death in this same Kemper Arena. They grappled for nearly half an hour. What this did remind of was how not too many years ago, matches of this length were not unusual. I remember Ric Flair and Ricky Steamboat going 54 minutes in a world title match. Flair didn't call himself "60 Minute Man" for nothing. And some of those matches were classics. I miss those days.

Buff Bagwell thought he had one against Diamond Dallas Page. But DDP grabbed the top rope to block the blockbuster attempt. You know what happened next.

I'm saving the best for last.

Harlem Heat cut a promo with Gene Mean concerning their bout with Knobbs and Morrus at Halloween Havoc. We got to see something that again reminded of the good old days: a run-in during an interview. Knobbs and Morrus came out and the brawl was on. A couple of chair shots by Knobbs turned the tide and the First Family laid down a MAJOR beating. They sure are getting a big push. Jimmy Hart's backstage influence must be growing. Knobbs wanted to know, "Who's a bunch of fruit booties now?" Several referees poured into the ring to break up the carnage. Then they ordered the bell rung, over and over. Years ago, my friend Della Mean used to ask me, "Mikey, why do they keep ringing that stupid bell?"

Hulk Hogan and Flair battled Sting and Luger in the main event. The fans are STILL cheering for Sting. Ultimately they will decide whether he can be a heel. A lot of Flair's offense got no sold, unlike the good old days. The significant thing about this match was that the crowd was popping for Hogan after a lengthy heat segment on Flair.

Then came the slapstick. DDP ran in to give Flair a diamond cutter, only to be shoved into Luger by Flair. Luger, who had his back turned, gave DDP a golotta kick and then racked him! I wonder why DDP didn't say, "Lex! It's me, Page! Put me down!" Meanwhile, Hogan did the leg drop of doom on Sting and pinned him.

And all is well in the world again.....at least until next Monday.