Post by damnediarist on Jun 25, 2010 10:12:30 GMT -5
Hey all. This diary is essentially an extended version of the RTB that just got done running on WC. It details where the plot goes from there, and all the other things happening in WCW at that time. For my money, 1998 was the year everything went wrong for WCW. I've said this for years, and I figured I might as well see if I can do any better with WCW in 1998. The changes start in 1997, however, more specifically at Starrcade, where the Steiners and Ray Traylor defeat Scott Norton, Vincent and Randy Savage, Lex Luger defeats Buff Bagwell and Sting's match with Hogan goes thusly:
The last Nitro of 1997 is a best of 1997 clip show, before the company prepares to go in new directions in 1998.
Hogan struts arrogantly to the ring, air guitaring away on the title belt as ever. Sting, by contrast, simply walks to the ring, as though nothing exists in the world but his need to defeat Hogan. A little of the pride and confidence seems to leave Hogan, making room for fear as he stares at Sting, and the bat Sting brings with him, which he places down at the bottom of one turnbuckle. Hogan passes the belt to Nick Patrick, the nWo's dirty ref, who holds the prize both men will fight for high above his head, before passing it away, and calling for the bell.
The two icons pace the ring in a circle, looking for an opening. Hogan is the first to step forward, raising his hands for a test of strength. Sting raises his own, and they lock hands above their heads. The two push with all their strength, and Hogan begins to give ground to WCW's icon. Hogan opts to end the test by kicking Sting in the stomach, before wearing him down with a headlock. Sting powers out of this, however, bouncing Hogan against the ropes, before striking him with a powerful clothesline. Hogan finds his feet, only to be rewarded with another clothesline. He starts to rise again, but sees Sting waiting, and opts to roll outside the ring instead. Sting follows, but is tripped to the ground as he steps off the apron. As Sting attempts to stand, Hogan stands over him, raining punches across his back and head. Sting tries to fight back with elbows, but has his head slammed into the ringpost instead. Hogan whips Sting towards the guardrails by the next corner, but Sting is able to turn the whip around, sending Hogan crashing into them instead, before following him with his patented splash, crushing Hogan against the steel. Hogan is hurled violently back into the ring, before Sting enters by climbing the top turnbuckle, catching Hogan with a crossbody as he stands, getting a reluctant two from Nick Patrick. Sting pulls Hogan up by his head, only to be struck with a low blow that Nick Patrick pretends not to see, and sent into a corner. Hogan follows, propping Sting atop the turnbuckle, and delivering a superplex. With Sting down, Hogan hits the opposite ropes, and attempts his legdrop, only for Sting to roll away. As both men stand, Hogan's back is to Sting, a dangerous mistake which allows Sting to quickly score his Scorpion Deathdrop DDT. Sting covers, but Nick Patrick does not count the pin, sticking to his nWo loyalties.
Sting drops Patrick with a fierce clothesline, before going to his corner, and grabbing the baseball bat. Hogan stands, and is dropped by a shot between the eyes. The nWo arrive in force now, the entirety of their group turning up, with the exception of Hall and Nash. They storm the ring, only to be put down one by one by Sting bat shots. Numbers chip away at Sting though. Hope is on the horizon, however, as out come Lex Luger and Bret Hart, still in his referee's uniform. Luger and Sting begin to brawl with the assorted nWo members, giving Sting time to recover. The combined force of the three heroes is more than enough to clear the ring. Luger stands at the apron, watching for nWo member who may still try to enter, while Bret's continued presence in the stripes suggests he is taking over officiating duties for the match. Sting and Hogan brawl for a while, trading punches. Hogan kicks Sting in the gut to end the fist fight, and bounces him against the ropes, before going for his big boot. Sting ducks the boot, and as Hogan turns around, repays him the favour of a kick to the gut. This kick sets up a piledriver, Bret Hart looking on with approval at the crisp execution. Sting then drags Hogan to the centre of the ring, and places him in the Scorpion Deathlock. It isn't long before the cowardly Hogan is screaming in submission, and slapping the mat repeatedly with his hand to the joy of the crowd. Bret passes the belt to Sting, who holds it aloft. Elated, the WCW locker room swarms the ring, driving the nWo members from ringside, and crowding around Sting, celebrating him as their hero. Sting, however, pushes his way roughly through the throng of bodies, and walks silently up the ramp alone instead. He stops for a moment to stare at the prize he has won, before he steps behind the curtain and out of sight.
The two icons pace the ring in a circle, looking for an opening. Hogan is the first to step forward, raising his hands for a test of strength. Sting raises his own, and they lock hands above their heads. The two push with all their strength, and Hogan begins to give ground to WCW's icon. Hogan opts to end the test by kicking Sting in the stomach, before wearing him down with a headlock. Sting powers out of this, however, bouncing Hogan against the ropes, before striking him with a powerful clothesline. Hogan finds his feet, only to be rewarded with another clothesline. He starts to rise again, but sees Sting waiting, and opts to roll outside the ring instead. Sting follows, but is tripped to the ground as he steps off the apron. As Sting attempts to stand, Hogan stands over him, raining punches across his back and head. Sting tries to fight back with elbows, but has his head slammed into the ringpost instead. Hogan whips Sting towards the guardrails by the next corner, but Sting is able to turn the whip around, sending Hogan crashing into them instead, before following him with his patented splash, crushing Hogan against the steel. Hogan is hurled violently back into the ring, before Sting enters by climbing the top turnbuckle, catching Hogan with a crossbody as he stands, getting a reluctant two from Nick Patrick. Sting pulls Hogan up by his head, only to be struck with a low blow that Nick Patrick pretends not to see, and sent into a corner. Hogan follows, propping Sting atop the turnbuckle, and delivering a superplex. With Sting down, Hogan hits the opposite ropes, and attempts his legdrop, only for Sting to roll away. As both men stand, Hogan's back is to Sting, a dangerous mistake which allows Sting to quickly score his Scorpion Deathdrop DDT. Sting covers, but Nick Patrick does not count the pin, sticking to his nWo loyalties.
Sting drops Patrick with a fierce clothesline, before going to his corner, and grabbing the baseball bat. Hogan stands, and is dropped by a shot between the eyes. The nWo arrive in force now, the entirety of their group turning up, with the exception of Hall and Nash. They storm the ring, only to be put down one by one by Sting bat shots. Numbers chip away at Sting though. Hope is on the horizon, however, as out come Lex Luger and Bret Hart, still in his referee's uniform. Luger and Sting begin to brawl with the assorted nWo members, giving Sting time to recover. The combined force of the three heroes is more than enough to clear the ring. Luger stands at the apron, watching for nWo member who may still try to enter, while Bret's continued presence in the stripes suggests he is taking over officiating duties for the match. Sting and Hogan brawl for a while, trading punches. Hogan kicks Sting in the gut to end the fist fight, and bounces him against the ropes, before going for his big boot. Sting ducks the boot, and as Hogan turns around, repays him the favour of a kick to the gut. This kick sets up a piledriver, Bret Hart looking on with approval at the crisp execution. Sting then drags Hogan to the centre of the ring, and places him in the Scorpion Deathlock. It isn't long before the cowardly Hogan is screaming in submission, and slapping the mat repeatedly with his hand to the joy of the crowd. Bret passes the belt to Sting, who holds it aloft. Elated, the WCW locker room swarms the ring, driving the nWo members from ringside, and crowding around Sting, celebrating him as their hero. Sting, however, pushes his way roughly through the throng of bodies, and walks silently up the ramp alone instead. He stops for a moment to stare at the prize he has won, before he steps behind the curtain and out of sight.
The last Nitro of 1997 is a best of 1997 clip show, before the company prepares to go in new directions in 1998.