[4.0] "This was an improvement from last week's disappointment, with some slightly better matches and storyline segments, though it's still a show that's weaker than I'd like. There was certainly a captivating opening with many of the nWo members apparently taken out by DDP, Piper, and Sting, really switching the roles of the usual WCW-vs-nWo formula. Hogan, Savage, and Bischoff calling out the trio afterwards was good given their pissed-off intensity. Eddie vs Benoit was, to absolutely no surprise, a very good opener, with never-ending intensity and explosiveness on top of flawless chemistry. How typical of WCW to rob us of a proper match by only giving us 5 minutes (that made tape), but this was still quite fun for its time. I'd definitely have scrapped at least 1 other match on this show to give this one longer. ***. Goldberg vs Wrath was the best display of Goldberg's aura and abilities thus far because it was a pure squash, being his quickest match yet. TS;NR (too short; no rating). Mungo being teased as the answer to Goldberg's "who's next? " was smart, given they share a football background plus Mungo is of higher status, though I can't imagine such a match would be very good. Mungo vs Mortis was fine. Mortis had some decent beatdown work and power moves, while Mungo was stuck selling outside of his few highlights. TS;NR. Debra interrupting Mungo's post-match promo to again (awkwardly) work her way through another tease of Mungo's PPV opponent was very bland, and you just know if it was actually anyone good then they'd actually have revealed it by now for the sake of ticket/PPV sales. Raven's vignette was entertainingly pretentious and faux-deep once again. This week's lucha history segment focussed on Misterio and did well giving his background and displaying his immense appeal. Nagata vs Juventud was decent for being so brief, with Nagata having great all-around impact, though Juventud didn't get to show off much. A shame about the interference plus the distraction with Raven's flock in the crowd. TS;NR. Ono and Nagata beating Ultimo down sadly made Ultimo look like a dork when he almost willingly walked into it. The Giant finally returned, interrupting a lucha match to cut a decent promo calling Nash out for cowardice before taking out the 3 luchadors who had attacked him, which did well to remind the audience of Giant's power. Disco vs Misterio was okay for its time, mostly because of Misterio's bumping, selling, and typically cool spots. Eddie interfered again, which would've been okay as a TV finish to set up the PPV match, but it was really just a repeat of last week, and then the spotlight was absurdly stolen by yet another confrontation in the stupid Disco-vs-Jacquelin inter-gender feud. *That* getting the final shot in this segment instead of Eddie and Misterio was moronic. TS;NR. Bischoff, Hogan, and Savage cut another promo calling out Piper, DDP, and Sting, this time upping the stakes by calling for an arena lockdown until they came out. Their intensity was good once again, but I would've liked more of a teased response from the WCW guys instead of the flat finish. Hennig vs Malenko got some decent time but was a bit weak. There was certainly fun technical exchanges, good general intensity, plus solid chemistry, but sadly they often took too long developing their segments and moving to their next spots, which frequently caused the tension to die down. The finish with Hennig's phantom strike was really unclear and thus felt unconvincing, making for a flat ending. **1/4. Norton vs. Traylor was truly pointless, just a rehash of the previous week. There was admittedly some okay big-man offence from both guys, but also some awkward chemistry at times and some underwhelming moments from Traylor, plus yet another nWo interference finish. TS;NR. Booker vs Luger was perfectly okay. Luger is still loveably goofy, while Booker still had charismatic style, so this had some baseline enjoyment just from that. They both had decent energy and physicality (albeit with Booker being the clearly more athletic one), though most of their exchanges were quite basic and thus not super exciting. **1/4. Luger's post-match promo going after nWo was good, with his usually mumbled delivery barely noticeable. Zbyszko coming out to emphasise his impartiality was good as a way to sew distrust between him and Luger. Hall's pre-match WCW-vs-nWo 'survey' question FINALLY got a pro-WCW response! About time, and a good sign of WCW crowd sentiment finally leaning towards the babyfaces. The rest of Hall's promo going after the WCW wrestlers was good as usual. Hall vs Steiner was initially quite good but fell to the usual WCW booking patterns. It followed the story of Hall's size, dirty tactics, and arrogance up against Steiner's explosive physicality and rebellious fire, with that clash of styles making for fun action regardless of who was in control, especially when both were sure to sell and bump convincingly for each other. Unsurprisingly, nWo interference shenanigans played into the finish and sullied what was otherwise a fun match. Also, it was hilarious to pretend that masked ref was anyone other than Vincent. **1/2. The show-closing segment was good, with more masked Stings attacking the nWo just like last week, only this time with them revealed to be DDP and Sting (hence their evident strength/durability increase), and with Sting then repelling down alongside the cage we saw earlier. It was smart for the WCW guys to lure nWo in here via their attacks throughout the show, thus trapping them in that cage to finally be cornered. Hogan smartly managed to escape via the door so as to maintain some aura prior to the PPV cage match, but it was satisfying enough seeing the other nWo guys beaten down."

[8.0] "There was a lot to like about this episode of Nitro. Opening up with the nWo laid out in the back and the nWo believes it to be Piper and Sting that did it because there was a bat and a Piper T-shirt left behind. Then, we got an intense killer Chris Benoit Vs. Eddie Guerrero match, outrage nWo promos, Piper and DDP disguised as Sting, and a wild brawl to end the show. Good stuff."

[7.0] "I'm loving the Raven promos and the luchadore history segments a lot. Eddie and Chris open the show and immediately after the Hogan opera. Mortis and Wrath becoming jobbers is sad but Sonny Onoo is back and Raven is in the crowd with Saturn, a drug addict Billy Kidman, and I think that was Richards. Can we get the TV belt off Disco please, it's so bad. Dean Malenko and Curt Henning was disappointing. Rematch Hoss fight was cool but Lugar vs Booker T and Scott Hall vs Scott Steiner was better. We end on more Hogan opera with Sting and his army mind tricking Hogan when it was really Piper and DDP."

[9.0] "Another good Nitro. Loved Benoit vs. Eddie and really liked Hall vs. Steiner, Luger vs. Booker, and Norton vs. Bossman. The big angle on the show was the nWo getting attacked backstage, a taste of their own medicine, then Sting, DDP, and Piper attacking again at the end of the show in a really good segment."