For a switch, we run the opening credits at the opening of the show. Did you know almost all the guys appearing in the beginning are NWO members now?

It's WCW Monday Nitro! Coming to you LIVE 6.7.98 from the Georgiadome in Atlanta, GA, this show is closed-captioned, rated TV-PG-DV (the "D" is for damn, what a main event) and hosted by Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay and Larry Zbyszko.

Hey, look - it's the Nitro Girls doin' that Disco call!

Tony's wearing a tux. Larry's wearing a suit (then he stands up to acknowledge the "Goldberg" chants - can't win 'em all, Larry, give it up baby, give it up) - Mike has a banded collar - well, two out of three ain't bad. All the talk is about Goldberg somebody.

Turn on the grill and cook up some Voodoo Chili - it's time for YOU KNOW WHO come to fill up some time with an interview. He's accompanied this week by the BOOTY DISCIPLE, CRACKA EAZY-E and MISS ELIZABETH. Biscoff claims that Atlanta is yet another "town that Hollywood built," which actually makes me think of Ric Flair, which can't have been the intention. Hogan talks loud and says nothing, which is not a shock. When mentioning Rodzilla, Hogan talks about talking to him on the cel phone - surely they wouldn't want to screw with us and not produce Dennis Rodman after last week's tour de hype? Trying further to mess with our heads, Hogan says tonight's title defense "ain't gonna happen." Goldberg's only beaten "a bunch of jabrones" (well, point to Hogan) and the Committee's dissin' Hogan by not running the match by him first. Lost in all this is the supposed fact that the US Champ is the de facto #1 Contender. Oh well. Anyway, Hogan says that one of his "brothers" will take the Goldberg match tonight instead. Just to make it real interesting, if Goldberg can beat the NWO brother, then Hogan WILL wrestle Goldberg tonight. Why won't Hogan give us a name? He keeps saying "the other brother." Could it be...could it be...? Nah, I won't say anything. I'll probably just be wrong and we'll all be disappointed. Interview time: around eight minutes.

Oh, boy, FAN INTERVIEWS! "This ain't Madison Square Garden, and this ain't 1985!" That guy sounds like a WWF fan, actually...hmmm.

This portion of WCW Monday Nitro is brought to you by Valvoline! Win a car!

That scintillating Hogan interview makes me want to buy a Hogan T-Shirt..hmm...whoa! A Hogan T-shirt ad! How lucky am I?

MEAN GENE OKERLUND interviews BRYAN MURPHY, who won Mark Martin's racecar last year - it looks like they practiced their lines several times. They're standing in front of ANOTHER racecar, which they're giving away this year. Call 1-800-TEAM-VAL for details. If you win, take me for a ride, too.

Now THAT'S a quarter hour that will bang the ratings!

DEAN MALENKO v. BOOKER T. for the WCW World Television Championship - Lockup - to the ropes, break out, shoulderblock by Booker T. Commentators immediately ignore the match. Arm wringer into a headock by T. Malenko powers out and hits a drop toehold on the way back. Mat sequence, reversals, and we're back up. Lockup, Malenko goes behind with a rollup for 1. Feeling out - Booker T. with a knee, then a bodyslam. Forearm and Malenko slumps into the corner. Booker T. whips him out and foils a counter. Two reversals and T. hits a belly-to-back. T. to the top but Malenko ducks a missile dropkick attempt. Malenko tries the cloverleaf, but Booker T. rolls it over for 2. To the corner, T reverses a whip, Malenko climbs the ropes, leaps - but is caught and suffers a spinebuster. T. with his kool kicks. Whip, flapjack, breakdance, Harlem sidekick ducked, Malenko runs through and both men go over the top rope. As if on cue, CHRIS MONDAY JERICHO is out with a mic, giving the Iceman the badmouth. Malenko turns to Jericho, then finally thinks about getting back in the ring. Unfortunately, he sticks his head through the ropes in perfect position to take an axe kick and get pinned. (3:42)

We cut to a shot of Goldberg backstage, who is doing pushups in order to get so tired he'll lose the match. No, wait...

Promotional consideration paid for by Slim Jim, Motel 6, America (ha!) Online, and Hot Pockets. Hey baby...wanna see my Hot Pockets?

(Wisely) pre-recorded comments by KARL MALONE, who was "disappointed" that Rodman didn't show during last week's Nitro. But at Bash at the Beach, he'll HAVE to show. Does that mean they're going to try to screw with us and not produce Rodman after last week's tour de hype?

KANYON v. RAVEN (with Lodi) - can I say one last time I liked the Mortis music better? Raven has some Nirvanesque music of his own now...Kanyon attacks both men before the bell on the floor - Lodi getting knocked out. Kanyon with one of those "innovative" moves for 2. Raven with a sleeper. Kanyon suplexes Raven over the top rope and also falls out himself. Whip into chairs and barricade is reversed and Raven is laid out while David Penzer tries to stay out of the way. Kanyon has a chair in the ring before collecting Raven. Kanyon with a fireman's carry into a flapjack onto the chair (well, that's where he was aiming anyway) for 2. Kanyon gently places the chair on Raven's face, then climbs the top rope to gently fall on the chair - before this happens, Lodi has crothced Kanyon on the top turnbuckle. Raven's up now, and after positioning the chair, superplexes (!) Kanyon on the chair. (well, that's where he was aiming anyway) But now, SATURN has come out. (DQ? No contest? 2:15) Big martial arts kicks to Raven - Lodi gets a belly-to-belly. Kanyon comes up from behind, and Saturn (unknowingly?) puts him in a Spicolli driver. And now Saturn has a table - giving us a good look at where the cut is. Raven's on the table, Saturn's on the top rope - and he splashes Raven - oops, the cut was on the wrong side and the table doesn't budge! That'd be funny if it didn't look so PAINFUL. Meanwhile, Kanyon's (unknowingly?) given a Flatliner to Saturn - before we find out anything else - we cut to a

Limousine outside. A wheelchair is removed from the trunk - and out from the back seat is - YEAH! BUFF BAGWELL! along with his mother, who's wheeling him. He's got a neck brace on. Maybe we'll see him later...I'm pretty sure he's not taking on Goldberg tonight, though.

Mean Gene narrates the Starburst Fruit Chews Pin on a Map Road Report - Birmingham is the place, Wednesday is the day, THUNDER! is the show. Yes, Wednesday. Not Thursday. Wednesday. OK? Good.

Another fan interview. I wonder if they'll find a fan tonight that wants Hogan to win. I think probably not.

Hey look, it's the Nitro girls! And they're wearing shiny outfits!

Drink some Mug and send your Nitro Party video to WCW! Yeah!

The Treacherous three talk about Diamond Dallas Page and Karl Malone, which leads to footage from last week's Nitro footage of the exciting truck brigade, Hogan yammerin', the NWO fleeing like rabbits from the BIG MEAN SCARY TRUCK, Page and Malone running to the ring, Malone delivering a so-so bodyslam and two WEAK clotheslines. They edit out Malone saying "Oh it hurts, yes it do" which was the best part of this whole bit, in my opinion.

Gene-O brings out DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE & KARL MALONE. For some bizarre reason, the camera cuts to a "GOLDBERG: KING OF JEWS" sign. Page & Malone have their synchronised entrances down. "What's happening...HOT-LANTA! Forty thousand people, that's what's happening. I tellya Gino, as far as I'm concerned, this..this..." "DDP" chant is going "...thank you. This is going to be the worst week of Hollywood 'Scum' Hogan's life. You see Gino, the way I see it, Hogan has now painted himself into a corner, because I don't care who he puts in front of Goldberg in his hometown - Goldberg's going through him - and you know who's next, Hogan? You're next. Which is gona make you one bruised up boy. Listen to it, Hogan, it's gonna make you one bruised up boy. And at Bash at the Beach, you're gonna be one BANGED up boy! And then again, so's your friend Rodman, because I know that the Mailman has got a special delivery for you, Rodman - what you got to put on Rodman?" "Rodzilla, I'm gonna whip you like Madonna SHOULDA whipped you! I'm gonna knock the paint right outta yo hair, boy!" "Sounds like you're gonna be a killa come Bash at the Beach." "No, a RODZILLA KILLA!" "So come Bash at the Beach - Rodzilla, Hogan, get ready to feel...the..." (audience participation portion of the show) Well, Malone said it all with a straight face this time. As a further racial indignity, Zbyszko says "Rodzilla Killa" as we go to break.

Wow, that interview was so great, I wish I could buy a DDP Diamond Cutter T-shirt! Why, wait! Here's an ad for one now!

Let's take a special look at STEVE "MONGO" McMICHAEL talking about being a Monster of the Midway, being a Horseman, and begging Arn to help out while completely forgetting that Ric Flair had something of a hand in starting that whole Horsemen thing. I wonder how much they paid Mike Ditka to appear in this package. Hmmm, when McMichael talks about the Bears, why does he say "commitment to excellence" like they're the Raiders? Ahh, this is just so confusing and frustrating. Hey, whatever happened to that guy's wife, anyway?

SCOTT "POLISH PIRATE" PUTSKI v. RIGGS (with tongue) - as Riggs walked out, RAW started. Good night everybody!

Goldberg clip. Victory #1, for storyline purposes, happened on the 22.9.97 Nitro against Hugh Morrus. After the victory, he turned to the camera and said "That's #1." Hmmm, did they have this planned, all that time...? Naaaaah...

There's a limo, there's the NWO...whoa, it's SCOTT HALL! Maybe *he's* the guy who will be taking on Goldberg tonight.

CHRIS MONDAY JERICHO v. WAIT A MINUTE - "Hello! Welcome to Monday Night Jericho! I am your host with the m-m-m-m-m-m-most! I...well you know who I am...and tonight! I gotta face the Ultimo Dragon, but you know, you never beat me, you're not the #1 Contender. At Bash at the Beach I gotta face Dean Malenko, but Dean, I mean enough's enough, YOU'RE not the #1 Contender. The #1 Contender is the hot, feisty, sassy young Latino, Rey Mysterio Jr. who beat me last week - *he's* the #1 Contender, and *he's* is the man one who I'll be facing at Bash at the Beach, it's only fair - he beat me. What is your problem, JoJo? Why are you constantly interfering with me? Get a life, man!" Let's pause and remind you that on THUNDER! last week, Jericho brought out a faux Mysterio and faked a pinfall against him in a "non-title" match in an effort to change the card and shut out Malenko - a brilliant master plan by Jericho. Anyway, Dillon is out, Malenko is out. Dillon says that nothing's changed, he'll still be fighting Dragon tonight, he'll still be facing Malenko at Bash at the Beach - and then Dillon tells us that if Malenko and Jericho touch each other before Sunday, there will be an immediate DQ decision rendered before the match even takes place. As you might figure, Jericho tries really hard to bait Malenko into waffling him, with no results. Finally, Jericho goes on to intimate that perhaps Malenko's brother is only a half-brother, as Boris was out on the road a lot and his mother needed some companionship - and Dean finally lets loose and wails on him. Cue the security to hold back the not-Iceman and we have to take a break.

Get wired at www.wcwwrestling.com!

CHRIS MONDAY JERICHO v. ULTIMO DRAGON for the WCW World Cruiserweight Championship - Lockup, Headlock by Dragon - carried to the mat. Jericho with a body scissors, Dragon jumps out. Lockup again, Jericho with a headlock, to the ropes, whip out, shoulderblock by Jericho. A series of Cruiserweight ducks and misses ends with a Dragon dropkick. They do the Dragon's headstand spot. Dragon with the kic and the stomp on his back, but as he climbs the ropes and leaps, he meets nothing. Jericho with a big dropkick to the back of the head of a seated Dragon. Jericho with a suplex. Arrogant cover for 2. (That NEVER works!) Whip, Dragon holds on and Jericho goes down. Snapmare by the Dragon, big loud kick by Dragon, and here's DEAN MALENKO again (DQ 2:14), not only punching away but *pulling out Jericho's hair*. Security is out again, and we're out again. Man these matches NEVER happen.

WCW live in action in Macon, Birmingham for THUNDER!, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas for next week's Nitro.

Bash at the Beach ad - it's Sunday! Rodman will supposedly show up at THIS event.

We come back to an "earlier tonight" shot of Jericho's hair. Dean Malenko has been cuffed and removed from the arena. Dean is grimacing, which is almost emotional for him.

Hey look, it's the Nitro Girls! It's also the "halfway point" (1:22 in) and Bobby Heenan is out. Again we hear that Goldberg has to get through Scott Hall to get to Hogan - although no one's actually SAID that for real, yet.

Nitro Party address is displayed again. Tony says that "the foam's gone straight to my brain!"

JOHNNY SWINGER v. PSYCHO CHAVO CETU JAVU - "Do you know who I am?" (No.) "I'll tell you who I am - I'm Johnny Swinger! Do you know what I am?" (A jobber?) "I'll tell you what I am - I'm the hottest young commodity in wrestling today - and tonight, the whole world's gonna find out why! Chavo is out in a hardhat and carrying scissors - last week, Eddie cut some of Chavo's hair - which is presumably to explain the hardhat. Apparently, Guerrero is going to wrestle with the construction helmet on. Tony announces the attendance at 39,919 - ha! No 40K for you! Chavo finally removes the helmet but wrestles the ENTIRE match with his right hand covering his "bald spot." No wait, he finally removes his hand - I guess he was tired of the repeated near-falls by Swinger followed by him saying "Do you know who I am?" (You are da Mountie?) Chavo with the tornado DDT. Oops, that's it for the hottest young commodity - 1, 2, 3 (1:57). Chavo grabs the mic - "I just noticed something right now - Johnny Swinger, you've got split ends! And I've got some scissors baby, woooo! Woohoo!" And he cuts about an inch off - well, I guess THAT'S why Swinger's wrestling tonight. Chavo suggests that maybe his match with Uncle Eddie Sunday should really be a hair-vs.-hair match. Well, sure, look at Eddie's hair - then look at Chavo's hair. Why WOULDN'T you want to put that stipulation in? Chavo is a little bet less psycho this week, oh well - guess he only turns it on when Eddie's around.

Goldberg video clip - Goldberg's 25th victory was against Glacier - wait, wasn't his *105th* victory against Glacier? Sounds like he was still called "Bill Goldberg" back then, too.

Closed captioning where available courtesy of Compu$erve - hey, how does AOL feel about that?

Shot of Goldberg - who stands there - oh wait, he's on - shadowboxing. Well, at least he only works out when on camera - he won't get tired that way.

DISCO INFERNO & ALEX WRIGHT v. THE PUBLIC ENEMY (with two tables) - Wright's entrance is marred by TOKYO MAGNUM trying to get involved all the dancing and the fun. The PE set up their two tables side by side outside the ring. Quickly the dancing fools are ushered out of the ring. Disco is more worried about Magnum sticking around than his match. Oh yeah, the Public Enema are wearing Atlanta Braces jerseys. Total domination by the Public Enemy until Magnum gets up on the apron, distracting them and turning the tide. Does this mean they'll let him hang around now? I guess they'd have to win first. Hot tag to Rocco Rock who is a house afire. They block a double head butt and perform a double hiptoss, but they forgot about Johnny Grunge, who performs a double bulldog. And now it's table time. Grunge puts Wright on a table, but Magnum is there to save him. Wright appears to not be too thankful, though - he and Disco walk off. So Magnum is left to take the table shot - a double stack in fact - both tables break. As the Public Enemy celebrate, Wright and Inferno are FINALLY back with a garbage can and lid - referee "Blind" Mark Curtis calls for the bell - about a minute later, the bell finally rings (DQ 5:01). The twin twinkle toes leave for good, having done the damage. Magnum is still laid out. Ahh, I'm so confused. Replay of the table spot.

Let's go to Gene O, who brings out BUFF BAGWELL - well, actually his mother JUDY brings him out, but let's not mince words. A C-7 and C-4 fracture was the official injury, and he was close to death several times. "Gene, do you have any idea how it feels to come back into your own home city and to be able to say the words 'I love Atlanta!' Gene, this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my entire life. There's no way I can tell you how it feels to be laying on your back and not knowing whether or not you're ever going to be able to come out in front of these great fans ever again...Gene I almost lost my life twice, there's no way to tell you how that feels. Gene, everybody across the nation kept in such touch with me, I cannot tell you how it feels to know that these people love me just as much as I love them, and God knows I love each and every fan out there - listen to that! Are you kidding me? ... Scott Steiner last week came out and he wanted to bring me out as his costar, you know, since this injury Gene, I tellya I've had a second look at life - as you can see I'm not doing too good right now, but just to be able to bring a fork to my mouth is something I can not believe I can do, because the feeling I had in that ring - I was never gonna be able to move again from the neck down. So Scotty's gotta go on with his life, and I gotta go on with mine - and it starts with coming out in Atlanta and telling everyone out here - Buff Daddy loves 'em! ... You know what, Gene, if I had the entire three hours of this Nitro tonight to tell you what this lady behind me means to me, we would run over and cost Ted Turner millions of dollars, there's no way I could ever explain to everybody out there how much I love this lady behind me, Judy Bagwell. ... Well, I'm not the surprise that [Scott Steiner] thought I was gonna be, but like I told ya Gene, I'm just thankful to be eating and breathing. Scott Steiner's got his life, and I've got mine, and I tell you what Gene, I'm just happy to be out here again, able to come out and say thanks to the fans, and thanks to this lady behind me. ... There's one more thing I want to say Gene, and it's something you may have heard before, but I'm Buff, and I'm *still* the stuff!" Hey WCW, you showed class. Good job.

Anybody see a bonus here? We MAY not have to endure the NWO Late Hour again! YEAH!

Goldberg video clip - Victory #50 was at THUNDER! against Rick Fuller. Wow! Well, not really, but what else can I say.

The WCW Power Plant is the Harvard of...

Hour three begins at ten 'til! Fireworks! Goldberg/Hall is going to lead off the hour, so we hear. Before we get to that match, let's talk about Hogan/Goldberg as if there's no doubt in our minds that he'll beat Hall. The Awesome 3 go on and on about Goldberg.

#1 CONTENDER SCOTT HALL v. (bill "106-0") GOLDBERG for the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship - Hall mouths "I'm the shit" on camera - hey, he IS trying to get fired. We don't get a survey tonight - I guess they're scared to give him a live mic. The whole "is it canned" controversy should be settled because we ALL heard the damn tape loop "G-Goldberg!" For once, we have a worthy #1 Contender, right? Well, who's Hall beaten recently? Har, har. Hall with a shove while Goldberg's back was turned. Lockup, Goldberg shoves him to the mat. Armwringer by Hall, repeated shoulderblocks, and the slappin' of the head, Goldberg with a hard clothesline to take Hall down. Bakc up. Hall wants the test of strength - no he wants to kick him in the gut. Clothesline, repeat. Whip, reverse, and Hall falls - was he supposed to do that or something else? Hall backs up to the corner and walks back. Hall with a poke, Goldberg with a poke of his own. Now they're trading slaps. Kick to the gut by Hall, slam attempt, no, Goldberg with a bodyslam. Hall is back up and spits at him - lockup, Goldberg pushes him away. Hall is backup quick, and they do it again, Goldberg pushing him away. Hall lunges a third time but it's a fake - he boots him in the gut (well, he doesn't have a gut, but you know) punches by Hall, reversal, whip, Hall steps aside, Goldberg pulls up short but Hall with a clothesline to the back of the head. Belly-to-back suplex by Hall for 1. Hall with a boot to the head. Another. Chant is starting up (ha!) Hall is absorbing punches to the head - he's Hulking up - Hall continues to punch and Goldberg continues to shake - armbar into a takedown by Goldberg - armdrag, another, and Hall is staggered - no, he's out of the ring. No dummy is Hall - and now he's motioning to the back - out come BOOTY DISCIPLE and VINCENZO, but before they make it, DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE & KARL MALONE take a couple chairs to the NWO Hollywood contingent, who fold like a cheap card table. Meanwhile, Hall has his back to the ring, and Goldberg has grabbed him by the hair. Hall turns it into a hot shot and takes him down (!) with a lariat. Hall makes the "That's it" sign. The Outsider Edge attempt is countered with a back body drop. Spear as Hall gets back up. Jackhammer time? Yup. 1, 2, 3. Nice to see ya Scott, come back in a couple months, won't you? (entrance 2:01, match 5:55) Tonight, the World title match WILL take place!

Hey look, it's the Nitro Girls! And they're bothering those nice commentators! They're so mean!

PSYCHOSIS v. NEVER SURRENDER JUVENTUD GUERRERA - those of you who are more into, say, Goldberg, probably wouldn't appreciate lots of flying head scissors, suicide dives, catapults outside the ring, *fat* sentons from the top rope to the floor, Juvi drivers, and 450 (firebird) splashes, so instead I'll just say Juvi wins (3:17) and the FLOCK comes out to beat on him, five on one. Before we can see any angle advancement, we have to cut out for

Goldberg video clip - Victory #75 was against Raven for the United States title. Yup.

Promtional consideration paid for by David sunflower seeds, Dan Marino gonna come give us a FirstPlus mortgage, and Slim Jim (again?)

This Friday night, we can hear the LA Melee '98 on www.wcwwrestling.com - they're not going to charge us for it are they? The Awesome 3 talk a little bit about that great big main event at Bash at the Beach.

Here's a special video look at a preview of said main event. Mmmm. Oh boy, Michael Buffer was there to say "Let'sgetreadytorumbulllll!" Page & Malone take on Hogan & Rodman - Hey, I was just thinking - is Page going to join the Wolfpack? Oh yeah, back to the clip. 12 July is the date, Bash at the Beach is the event.

"HACKSAW" JIM DUGGAN v. NO-SMOKIN' GIANT - what the HELL is this match doing on Nitro. Duggan attacks before the bell - head to the turnbuckle, head to another turnbuckle, whip, reversal, big boot to the face - repeated boots, butt to the gut in the corner, repeat, third time Duggan slips out - bodyslam attempt - yeah, right. Giant with a slam. Giant misses an elbow drop. Three point stance clothesline - and Giant goes down! Old Glory kneedrop - no, it's blocked with a raised fist. (Must have hit him in the good eye.) Heenan and I make essentially the same joke, eerie. Chokeslam, good night. (2:10) Giant gets the mic. "Now, first I want to talk about a yellow coward gutless wimp - an all-Pro football player, Kevin Greene? You are pathetic. You run your mouth, why don't you leave Goldberg out of this, why don't you come down and just make it just you and me, one on one? Bring all you got, 'cause I got something waiting for you - and it's called the chokeslam - I'm going to grab you by your skinny, pathetic neck -" well, there's KEVIN GREENE, who... well, *expectorates* on Giant and then clotheslines him out of the ring. Whoa! Hey, he stole Duggan's 2x4!

Malone makes some more pre-recorded comments and ends with "BANG!" You know, he could learn a clothesline from Kevin Greene...

THUNDER! ad - it's Wednesday this week!

JIM NIEDHART v. DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE (with Karl Malone and a Chair) - the Anvil appears to have replaced "Yeahbaby!(tm)" with "Shuddup!" I don't like Niedhart's odds in this match. Lockup, three revolutions before they break - and Anvil is punching him down to the ground. Foot on the throat. Page springs up and fights back. Lots of punches and knees. I'm just trying to think if we've seen a wrestling move in this match. Low blow by Niedhart. Blatant hairpull and putdown. Munch on the skull. Full nelson (whoa! A hold!) but Page with a back kick in the - lower abdominal area. "What the hell?" Diamond Cutter for the instapin. (2:22) Page & Malone exit through the crowd.

Hey, how about another Bash at the Beach promo. "Card Subject to Change," by the way - hey, maybe Rodman won't show!

Goldberg video clip - Victory #100 came (nuh uh) against Konnan (no it didn't) at the Great American Bash (that's a lie). That's where they stopped counting and just made up whatever they wanted, uh huh.

(THIS IS) STING & THE NARCISSIST (with Kevin Nash and Konnan) v. KIDMAN & SICK BOY for (maybe) the WCW Tag Team Championship - Nash: "Fatlanta, G.A.! Wolfpack in the howwwwwwwwwwwwwse" Konnan: "[I say this every week!]" Crowd: "[We usually repeat it!]" I was so busy thinking of something funny to say that I missed the match. Big torture rack on Sick Boy. (:28)

Goldberg video clip - Victory #107 was moments ago against Scott Hall. The match is NEXT! I don't believe it!

This portion of Monday Nitro is brought to you by MasterLock.

I don't know - twenty minutes left in the show - it seems a little EARLY to have this match - well, let's just see how it plays out.

Hey! I think this means no Eric Bischoff show! Praise the Lord!

(bill "107-0") GOLDBERG v. YOU KNOW WHO for the WCW World Heavyweight Title - Heenan knocks me out when, discussing Goldberg's record, he says "and they weren't all ham'n'eggers!" Well, what the hell WERE they, then? We follow Goldberg from his long walk from the back, through the curtains - ewww, he did an OKIE BLOW! They have the whole pyro thing set up a second time. Michael Buffer must have had the week off. Let's take an ad break after Goldberg hits the ring (entrance 3:50)

I'm convinced WCW can only afford to play Voodoo Chile once a night, because Hogan comes out to the NWO theme music. "I am gonna kick Goldberg's ... BUTT!" Get down, Hogan, we all know REAL men say "ass." Hogan is out alone, at least, now he is. Hogan's entrance "only" takes two minutes. Now we're at ten to the hour. "Goldberg" chant, real or otherwise, fires up. Lockup, Goldberg with a headlock. Hogan: "No, nonononono..." Goldberg continues to ratchet it in. Hogan with some kidney punches, Hogan tries to power out but meets a shoulderblock. Hogan backs into the corner. Standing up, lockup - Hogan with a side headlock, Goldberg picks up Hogan, and has to put him down. To the corner, clean break. Goldberg is to his eyes. Test of strength, wow! Goldberg wins it and Hogan's on his knees. But he manages to get one foot over the bottom rope to break the knucklelock. Lockup - no, Hogan with a boot, punch to the head, another, another, face rake, rake of the back. Hogan removes his belt and whips Goldberg with it. Goldberg grabs the belt when Hogan poses and - throws it out of the ring. Oh, come on, Bill. Whip him ONCE before you toss it! Lockup, Hogan with a headlock, a chain of wrestling holds? Goldberg reverses to a full nelson - Hogan wisely kicks backward into the lower abdominal region. Uppercut by Hogan, another right. Whip and a lariat by Hogan - Goldberg goes down - Hogan covers, no it's a choke. Hogan with a bodyslam, but he misses an elbow drop. Another attempt, another miss. Goldberg with a pansy lariat but Hogan rolls out to the floor. Hogan walks around the ring, finds his belt, and puts it back on. Now Hogan climbs the steps and walks through the ropes. "Hogan sucks" chant fires up (not canned). Lockup, to the tcorner. Clean break? No, Hogan with repeated knees to the gut. Hogan throws Goldberg through the ropes. And now his head meets the barricade. Hogan's got a chair and isn't afraid to use it. Three chair shots. Goldberg is rolled back in, and Hogan follows. Another bodyslam. LEG DROP OF DOOM! A second one! CURT HENNIG is walking out? KARL MALONE and DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE are behind? Hey, let's watch the damn match, shall we? 1, 2, Goldberg kicks out! Malone has caught up to Hennig, and gives him a Diamond Cutter! Meanwhile, Goldberg is spearing Hogan! Everyone is standing! If something's gonna happen, it'll happen now. Goldberg picks up Hogan for the jackhammer, and hits it! As Schiavone says "Aw hell yeah!" (what the...?) Referee "Blind" Charles Robinson - makes the count...1, 2, 3!!! Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new WCW World Heavyweight Champion. (8:11)

I think Mike Tenay did a good job of capturing the moment when he said, "Thirty-one year old Bill Goldberg, less than ten months in the sport, is on top of the wrestling world."

But what can they possibly do for an encore?