Thunder comes on the air with footage of the debuts of three new superstars, Jerry Lawler, Balls Mahoney and the returning Mikey Whipwreck all for ECW.  We then go to ringside where Cyrus, Mike Tenay and Mark Madden are all at the announce table. Tenay:  Welcome to Thunder everyone.  Tonight we have five matches booked for tonight--- Cyrus:  But the big news is that Jerry Lawler will address us here tonight. Royal music plays as Jerry Lawler comes to ringside.  In the ring Gene Bennett has the mic. Bennett:  Jerry Lawler, you have some explaining to do.  After everything you have said bad about ECW how can you join them? Lawler:  Gene, let me ask you something, who the hell are you to ask me anything.  You are nothing but a second rate announcer. Bennett:  Listen, I might be a second rate announcer but I have loyalty.   Lawler:  So do I.  Back in 1997 who was it that got ECW on WWF TV?  Me.  Who was it that appeared on ECW TV?  Me.  Who was it that appeared on ECW pay per views?  Me?  Who was Paul's partner?  ME!  You are looking at one of WCW's owners. Bennett:  Why Lawler why? Lawler:  Why?  The answer is simple.  All I heard was how Ric Flair was a 14 time world champion.  What about me?  I am a legend in this sport just like him.  What about the 29 Heavyweight titles that I have held?  You never hear about that do you? Bennett:  So this is all about jealousy then huh?   Lawler:  This is all about respect you snot nosed little brat.   "WHO'S BETTER THEN KANYON!!" plays as Chris Kanyon comes out. Kanyon:  Hey Jerry, where are you from again? Lawler:  Everyone knows that I the biggest thing EVER out of Memphis. Kanyon:  That's right, (Andy Kaufman accent) all you do is plow the fields there is Memphis.  Is this how you talk there in Memphis.  Lawler:  So you think you are Andy Kaufman now do you boy?  Well tonight I am going to do to you what I did to him. We go to break with Lawler and Gene arguing in the ring. After the break we see William Regal in the ring. Regal:  Hello all my American friends.  Tonight I get the chance to bring respect and honor back to a title I have held on several different occasions.  Tonight I bring gold back to WCW.  Thank you. Little Guido was able to retain his title in this technically sound match.  This match went back and forth with counters to countered counters.  Both men proved that they are on top of their games in this match.  The end came when Regal missed a lariat and got hit with a flying cross body for the win. Little Guido Maritato pinned William Regal after a flying cross body press in 0:05:38. Rating: ** 1/2 (Little Guido Maritato retained the ECW TV Title.) Cyrus:  Another big win for Guido here guys.  ECW already off to a great start. Tenay:  Cyrus, this is all about ECW now isn't it?  We are all ECW for now on.  After all WCW is dead. Madden:  Yeah, everyone now E-C-W, E-C-W! Cyrus:  SHUT UP!  When we come back we get to see the debut of one of ECW's owners Jerry Lawler. Jerry Lawler picked up a big win in his debut over former TV Champion Chris Kanyon.  Early on Kanyon was in charge by using his quickness.  He hit several lariats kicks.  He whipped Lawler into the corner and then hit a rocker dropper from the second rope.  Kanyon then went for a splash but Lawler moved and that is when he took over.  Lawler was very slow in his attack keeping Kanyon down.  Lawler finally went for the Piledriver which Kanyon reversed into his Spinebuster Powerbomb move.  Kanyon then said it was over and went for the Kanyon Cutter but Lawler threw him off into the official.  Kanyon turned around right into one of Lawler's patented moves, a fireball.  Moments later Kanyon took a Piledriver and Lawler got the win.  Lawler however wasn't happy with just beating Kanyon, he wanted him hurt.  Lawler was about to give Kanyon a second Piledriver when Diamond Dallas Page hit the ring.  He gave Lawler several rights and then a lariat that took Lawler over the top.  Jerry Lawler pinned Chris Kanyon with the Piledriver in 0:13:29. Rating: ** 3/4 Madden:  OH My GOD!  KANYON JUST GOT A FACE FULL OF FIRE!! Tenay:  This makes me sick to my stomach.   Cyrus:  I love the smell of burning flesh don't you? Tenay:  Let's go to the back where Gene Bennett is with Ric Flair. Bennett:  Ric, you just saw what happened to Chris Kanyon. Flair:  Gene, I have been known to do some low down rotten things. They don't call me the dirtiest player in the game for nothing.  Lawler, if you want a piece of THE NATURE BOY, you got it.  Whatever that fat pig Heyman is calling the pay per view, I will see you there Lawler.  As a warm up I am going to take out that returning Mikey Whipwreck here tonight.  WHOO! Bennett:  Sounds like when we return it will be Ric Flair and Mikey Whipwreck.  Oh yeah, Cyrus, KISS MY FAT ASS. The former US Champion Mikey Whipwreck got a huge win over Ric Flair thanks to interference from Jerry Lawler.  Flair seemed to have this match well in hand.  Ric was about to lock in the Figure Four when Lawler ran out.  Lawler hit the ring and the two men began to exchange rights and chops.  Flair got the better end of the deal and actual chopped Lawler over the top.  He turned around right into the Whippersnapper.  Lawler helped with the pinfall by holding Flair's feet. Mikey Whipwreck pinned Ric Flair with the Whippersnapper in 0:04:44. Rating: ** 1/4 Cyrus:  Another big win for ECW here tonight.  Man does WCW ever suck. Madden:  Well WCW will be the winners when this is over.   Tenay:  Up next a two unique teams will face off as Curt Hennig team with Ray Traylor to face Big Vito and C.W. Anderson. Curt and Ray got the first win for WCW tonight.  Big Vito fresh off his win over Booker T came up short here.  C.W. and Vito had great teamwork including hitting several double superkicks.  Hennig and Traylor however had the experience on their side.  The end came when the WCW team got a double pin.  Hennig had C.W. in the Hennig Plex while Traylor got the cover with his Traylor Park Trash. Curt Hennig and Ray Traylor defeated Big Vito and C.W. Anderson when Traylor pinned Vito with the Traylor Park Trash in 0:11:35. Rating: * Madden:  Not so mouthy now are you Cyrus.  That is one for the good guys as a buddy of mine would say. Cyrus:  Well---- Tenay:  Wait a second someone is just arriving. We go to the back where we see Lance Storm arriving.  Lance opens his trunk and pulls his bags out.  When he shuts the trunk Vampiro is on his car's roof. Storm:  Jesus, what are you trying to do give me a heart attack? Vamp:  You are a trader my friend.  You turned on WCW and tonight you pay. Storm:  I didn't turn on WCW, you guys turned on me.   Vamp:  Tonight Lance, you are going to be in the ring with me. Storm:  This isn't the time for WCW to fight amongst itself, think about it. Vamp:  Tonight you will see your career come to it's end as I drive the final nail into its coffin. We go to break with Storm shaking his head.  After the break it was time for the Hardcore Title match as Paul Wight challenged Rhino for the title. Rhino retained his title in this very competitive match up.  This stayed in the ring and there were only two weapons used.  One was a chair and the other was the set of stairs from ringside.  Wight was the one who used the chair several times.  The end came when Rhino threw the chair to Wight and Gored it into Wight.  He then locked in the Rhino Recliner for the win. No-Countout-No-DQ-Falls-Count-Anywhere Match: Rhino made Paul Wight submit to the Rhino Recliner in 0:05:58. Rating: * 3/4 (Rhino retained the ECW Hardcore Title.) Cyrus:  YES!!  That big goof goes down to the man beast.   Madden:  If that so called big goof hears you saying that he will come over here and put his foot up your ass. Tenay:  Up next Balls Mahoney will make his WCW debut against former Hardcore Champion Steve Blackman. Cyrus:  It is his ECW re-debut Tenay, the NETWORK will not be happy with that screw up. Tenay:  That match is next network my ass. Balls Mahoney, the hardcore chair swinging freak, picked up a win during his debut.  Blackman didn't go down without a fight however as he got several near falls.  It looked like Blackman was going to win when he missed a Pump Kick.  He turned around right into the Nutcracker Suite for the pinfall.  After the match we go to the back where we see Booker T getting some coffee when Shane Douglas walks by. No-Countout-No-DQ-Falls-Count-Anywhere Match: Balls Mahoney pinned Steve Blackman with the Nutcracker Suite in 0:04:17. Rating: * Douglas:  Hey aren't you Booker T? Booker:  You know who I am sucka, what do you want? Douglas:  I was just wondering if you really were Booker T.  The same Booker T that kept me down in WCW because he was a great athlete.  You sure didn't look like it when you were looking at the lights under someone like Big Vito. Booker:  You got a problem with me chump?  How about you put that title on the line here tonight. Douglas:  Do you know who I am?  I AM THE FRANCHISE DAMN IT!  You want a piece of me you got it. After the break Vampiro was in the ring waiting for Lance Storm. Lance Storm and Vampiro tore the house down in the semi main event.  Both men went back and forth and got several near falls.  Storm managed to lock in the Maple Leaf but Vamp got to the ropes.  Moments later Vamp hit the Nail in the Coffin but Storm got his feet on the ropes.  Vampiro then locked Storm in a version of his own Maple Leaf.  This is when some of ECW's superstars hit the ring.  The Dudley's attacked Vampiro.  Spike gave Vamp the Acid Drop followed by the 3D by D-Von and Buh Buh Ray.  They then left the ring.  Storm looked on stunned. Vampiro defeated Lance Storm by disqualification in 0:12:15. Rating: **** Cyrus:  Another victory for ECW. Madden:  Well that convinces me Mike.  Lance Storm has gone to ECW. Tenay:  I hate to say it, but I think so too Mark. Cyrus:  Up next Shane Douglas takes out your 'People's Champion' Booker T. Booker T picked up a moral victory for WCW in the Thunder main event.  Booker had the eye of the tiger so to speak.  He controlled most of the match.  From the back out came ECW's Chris Candido and Tony Mamaluke.  This distracted Booker allowing Shane to recover.  Shane went for the Franchiser but Booker countered into the Book End.  He was about to become ECW US Champion when Candido hit the ring causing the DQ.  Candido and Mamaluke worked on Booker T until from the back out came Ric Flair and DDP.  They however were followed by Big Vito and C.W. Anderson.  Then from the rafters a masked Sting lowered.  Armed with a ball bat he cleared the ring ECW.  He then grabbed the mic. Booker T defeated Shane Douglas by disqualification in 0:08:14. Rating: ** 1/2 (Shane Douglas retained the ECW United States Title.) Sting:  Shane Douglas you want to call yourself the Franchise?  There can only be one Franchise in this company.  At Massacre on 34th Street we will find out just who the true Franchise really is.  CAUSE ITS SHOW TIME!! We go off the air with Booker T, Sting, Ric Flair and DDP all standing tall.