The ending to the June 9, 1997 edition of WCW Monday Nitro featured one of the more memorable nWo angles, with several current Legends and WWE Hall of Famers – Sting, Diamond Dallas Page, Ric Flair, Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Eric Bischoff and Hulk Hogan, among others.
DDP recently took to Facebook and gave the story behind how Bischoff approached him and told him he’d be rescued by Sting that night, and how he worked with WCW’s stunt team for his ride to the rafters in front of 22,000 fans at the FleetCenter in Boston, now known as the TD Garden.
The main event that night saw The Outsiders face Flair and Piper in a non-title match. The match ended with Flair and Piper winning by DQ due to interference by Sean Waltman. This led to the Four Horsemen and the nWo hitting the ring for a brawl, while other 1997 Great American Bash participants fought to further their feuds. This Nitro was the go-home show for the Great American Bash, which was headlined by Savage defeating Page in a Falls Count Anywhere match, plus The Outsiders retaining the WCW World Tag Team Titles over Flair and Piper.
After Savage hit the ring on Nitro, DDP attacked him while the ring was full of other nWo members. Hogan attacked DDP from behind with a belt shot, sending him to the floor. That’s when Sting came down from the rafters, fought off nWo members with his signature baseball bat, and then hooked onto DDP to take him to the rafters as Nitro went off the air.
Page took to Facebook this week with the backstory to his ride to the rafters. You can read his full post below, along with footage of the angle from Nitro that night:
So I was having a beer with Bischoff one weekend and he told me this week on Monday Nitro, you’re gonna attack Savage while the whole NWO is there.
Hogan is gonna hit you with the belt and you go to the floor. The NWO is gonna come for ya, then Sting drops down and pulls you up to the rafters.
I didn’t say anything to him other than Sure Okay. He went silent. Eventually he said You’re not gonna sell it?
I said I’m sure you have some safe way for that to happen…
You’ll do it? he says
Abso F’N Lutely!
I thought you were afraid of heights
I am, but I’m doin that!
That Monday they put me in a harness that has a hook coming out the middle of my back. I put on my long duster coat over it, and you can’t see it at all.
The stunt coordinator Ellis says are you ready? We’re gonna take you up 10 feet.
They lift me up 10 feet, and I say OK that works.
He says no we gotta do a practice run all the way to the top.
I tell him “Bro, today I’m Frank Sinatra”
He asks WTF does that mean?
“You got ONE take, we’re doing it LIVE!”
I wasn’t scared at all until Sting finally dropped down to save me, and the NWO started to attack him.
Sting was yelling at them, “you’re not supposed to attack me, WTF are you doing!?” Now panic sets in and I start hyperventilating.
Eventually Sting fought them off, hooked me up, pulled me up 6 inches off the ground. I’m only focusing on my breath…it chilled me out.
And now we go!
I had my eyes closed, but half way up I had to open them because I just had to see everyone screaming their ass off. It was amazing!
When we got to the catwalk, I grabbed that railing like a cat trying to get out of a tub. I threw myself over the railing and I’m hanging pretty much upside down still hooked up to sting.
There’s a white light behind Sting……and I said “Oh my GOD! You really are Batman!”
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