WCW – 1996 Results
WCW @ Atlanta, GA – Omni – January 1, 1996 (6,000; 3,619 paid)
Bobby Walker defeated Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker; a local DJ was the referee for the bout
Joey Maggs (w/ Teddy Long) defeated Disco Inferno
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Monday Nitro – featured the announcement that Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs would face Arn Anderson & Brian Pillman and Lex Luger would face Cobra on WCW Saturday Night; included Gene Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with the Giant & Jimmy Hart regarding Hulk Hogan, during which footage was shown of Hogan assaulting the Giant with a chair during the Dec. 18 Nitro; featured the announcement that the Clash of the Chamipions would be held Jan. 23 in Las Vegas, NV:
Randy Savage pinned Arn Anderson at 6:55 after hitting Anderson with Anderson’s own foreign object as referee Randy Anderson was knocked down and then putting the weapon back in Anderson’s trunks; during the bout, Eric Bischoff announced that WWF Tag Team Champions the Smoking Gunns won the Raw Bowl during the previously taped Monday Night Raw airing in opposition; after the bout, Brian Pillman and Chris Benoit came out to dispute the call and tend to Anderson
Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) pinned Chris Benoit at 5:42 after Benoit missed a plancha to the floor and Regal rolled him back in the ring for the win; prior to the bout, Bischoff again said the Gunns had won the WWF’s Raw Bowl on Monday Night Raw; during the bout, Hank Aaron was shown in attendance; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Benoit, Pillman, and Anderson in which Pillman dressed down Benoit and Anderson for losing their matches days after Ric Flair won the WCW World Title; moments later, Anderson told Pillman he was starting fights the Horsemen didn’t need to be fighting; Kevin Sullivan, the Zodiac, the Giant, and Jimmy Hart then appeared in the aisle, with the Giant and Hart holding the others back from fighting the Horsemen
Sting & Lex Luger defeated the Super Assassins (the Warlord & Barbarian) (w/ Col. Rob Parker) at 5:52 when Sting put Barbarian in the Scorpion Deathlock as Luger put the Warlord in the Torture Rack; during the bout, Bobby Heenan alluded that Parker would propose to Sister Sherri the coming weekend on WCW Saturday Night
Hulk Hogan defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair via disqualification at 7:55 when Hogan knocked down an interfering Arn Anderson and pulled Anderson’s foreign object out of his own trunks, moments after Hogan knocked an interfering Jimmy Hart off the apron; after the bout, the Giant appeared as Hogan had Flair, Anderson, Chris Benoit, and Brian Pillman begging off; as the Giant attempted to assault the Giant with a stool, Randy Savage came out, grabbed the stool away, and helped clear the ring; moments later, Zodiac kept the Giant from going back to the ring – despite Sullivan’s orders – by saying “Friend” and “Hurt” toward Hogan and Savage; after the commercial break, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Hogan and Savage in which Hogan challenged Flair & Anderson for a tag team match the following week and Savage alluded to having a secret weapon in their arsenol; Hogan was booed during the segment
WCW Pro – 1/6/96:
Dave Sullivan vs. Disco Inferno
Meng vs. Julio Sanchez
Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, & Chris Benoit defeated Joey Maggs, Frankie Lancaster, & Men at Work
Lord Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton vs. Vern Henderson & Eddie JackieBR> Jim Duggan vs. Big Bubba
The Main Event – 1/7/96 – featured an opening clip showing Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage fending off the Giant and the Four Horsemen during Monday Nitro; hosted by Gene Okerlund & Bobby Heenan; included footage of Eric Bischoff conducting a sit-down interview with Mike Ditka about Steve McMichael; featured an ad promoting the WCW Hotline; included a Clash of the Champions Control Center hosted by Okerlund in which the following matches were announced: Hogan & Savage vs. WCW World Champion Ric Flair & the Giant, Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan vs. Psychosis, Sting & Lex Luger vs. Lord Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton, Eddie Guerrero vs. Brian Pillman, the Nasty Boys vs. Public Enemy, Kevin Sullivan vs. Disco Inferno, and Alex Wright vs. Dean Malenko, as well as the wedding between Col. Rob Parker and Sister Sherri; featured the Sting vs. Sgt. Craig Pittman match from the 1/6/96 Worldwide, joined in progress; included the WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd vs. Dave Taylor match from the 1/6/96 WCW Saturday Night; featured an ad promoting WCW calling cards; included the Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Arn Anderson vs. Joey Maggs, Frankie Lancaster, Mark Starr, & Chris Kanyon match from the 1/6/96 Pro; featured Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included the announcement that Nitro would include Guerrero vs. Regal, Sting vs. Diamond Dallas Page, the Nasty Boys would be in action, and an interview with Sting and Luger:
Hugh Morrus (w/ Kevin Sullivan) pinned Dino Cassanova with the moonsault at 3:10 (Disney/MGM Studios)
Alex Wright pinned Disco Inferno with a missile dropkick at 4:56 as Disco was dancing (Center Stage Theatre)
WCW @ North Charleston, SC – Coliseum – January 8, 1996
Big Bubba defeated the Renegade
The Nasty Boys defeated Bobby Eaton & Johnny Grunge
Monday Nitro – featured Gene Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Sting and Lex Luger in which Sting questioned Luger’s actions at Starrcade that cost him the triangle match, with Luger asking Sting to be his tag team partner at the Clash of the Champions so he could prove he was on Sting’s side, with Sting agreeing; prior to the interview, Okerlund alluded to the WWF hiring new talent that is almost old enough for Social Security:
Chris Benoit (w/ Brian Pillman) pinned Alex Wright with a punch to the face and the dragon suplex at 6:40; during the bout, Eric Bischoff made note of the WWF raising their pay-per-view prices from $24.95 to $29.95
Eddie Guerrero pinned Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) with a backslide at 8:08; during the bout, Bischoff referred to the WWF’s Royal Rumble as the “Royal Fumble;” after the bout, Regal attacked Guerrero until Guerrero slid to the floor
Sting defeated Diamond Dallas Page via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock at 6:20 after avoiding a back suplex attempt; prior to the bout, it was announced WCW Saturday Night the following weekend would include the second part of an interview with Mike Ditka and WCW World Champion Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage (The Very Best of WCW Monday Nitro Vol. 3)
Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair & Arn Anderson at around the 15-minute mark when Hogan pinned Anderson with the boot to the face and legdrop; immediately after the fall, Chris Benoit, Brian Pillman, Kevin Sullivan, and the Zoadiac came ringside and brawled against each other while the Giant climbed in the ring and hit chokeslams on both Hogan and Savage; moments later, Zodiac climbed in the ring and held the Giant off from inflicting more punishment; during the bout, it was announced Savage would face Lex Luger and Hogan would face Meng the following week in Miami (The Very Best of Nitro)
WCW @ Atlanta, GA – Center Stage Theatre – January 10, 1996 (800; sell out; all freebies)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Road Warrior Hawk defeated Kurasawa
Road Warrior Hawk pinned Fidel Sierra (w/ Ricky Santana) with the clothesline off the top
1/13/96:
Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Butch Long
Randy Savage (w/ Hulk Hogan) defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair via reverse decision; Flair originally won the match after Arn Anderson hit Savage with brass knuckles but Hogan told the referee what happened and the decision was reversed
1/20/96:
Eddie Guerrero pinned Chris Benoit (w/ Brian Pillman) with a roll up after Benoit accidentally hit Pillman when Guerrero moved out of the way
Scott Norton defeated Bill Payne
Chris Kanyon & Mark Starr defeated Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker) when Chris Kanyon pinned Buck
Arn Anderson defeated Big Bubba after Jim Duggan interfered
Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Chris Nelson
WCW US Champion the One Man Gang defeated the Super Giant Ninja (Ron Reis)
Brian Pillman defeated Todd Morton via submission with a camel clutch
Alex Wright defeated Dean Malenko via disqualification when Malenko refused to break the Texas Cloverleaf
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) defeated Sting & Lex Luger via disqualification when Luger threw Stevie Ray over the top rope
1/27/96:
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated Fidel Sierra & Ricky Santana when Santana submitted to Luger’s Torture Rack and Sierra submitted to Sting’s Scorpion Deathlock
Joey Maggs (w/ Teddy Long) defeated VK Wallstreet via disqualification when Wallstreet refused to stop attacking Maggs and ignored the referee’s 5-count
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Steve Armstrong
Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) defeated Dusty Wolf via disqualification at 1:58 when an unknown man wearing a Northern Ireland jacket pulled Regal out of the ring, shoved referee Randy Anderson to to the floor, and assaulted Regal outside the ring; the man then looked at the camera and introduced himself as Fit Finlay, the Belfast Bruiser, and said Regal was paying for 400 years and that he was an English pig (Finley’s surprise debut)
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd (w/ Kimberly) defeated Meng by pinning an interfering Diamond Dallas Page
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – January 1996
The Main Event – 1/14/96:
Chris Benoit & Brian Pillman defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) via disqualification at 3:43 when Col. Rob Parker climbed in the ring to fight Benoit after Benoit accidentally knocked Sherri off the ring apron; after the bout, Benoit scared Parker to the floor, with the Heat then blaming him for the loss
– 1/96: WCW title holders had to leave their belts with company officials rather than travel with them. This ruling was made on the heels of Alundra Blayze putting her WWF Women’s Title in the trash on Nitro, with WCW officials fearful there could be a retaliation by the WWF.
WCW @ Miami, FL – Knight Center – January 15, 1996 (4,200; 3,100 paid)
Monday Nitro – featured Gene Okerlund conducting an impromptu in-ring interview with the Four Horsemen – WCW World Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman, & Chris Benoit and the Dungeon of Doom – Kevin Sullivan, the Giant, Zodiac, WCW US Champion the One Man Gang, Hugh Morrus, and Jimmy Hart in which Anderson said the scheduled match with he and Pillman vs. Sullivan & Morrus was off and the war between the Horsemen and the Dungeon of Doom could not be won so it wouldn’t happen; Sullivan then said he respected Flair so much that he would let Flair team with the Giant at the Clash of the Champions but had no respect for Pillman; moments later, Pillman mouthed off, with Anderson then slapping him across the face; included the announcement that Sting & Lex Luger would face WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat on WCW Saturday Night and that the show would include a special interview with Jim Belushi:
Lex Luger defeated Randy Savage via KO with the Torture Rack at 5:10 after avoiding the flying elbowsmash; prior to the bout, it was announced Savage would receive a title shot the following week against the winner of the WCW World Title match later in the show; several fans chanted “Luger” during the contest
Public Enemy defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs at 3:28 when Johnny Grunge pinned Bagwell with a roll up after Rocco Rock hit Bagwell in the back behind the referee’s back; after the contest, Rock hit a somersault splash off the top to the floor onto Bagwell and through two wooden tables stacked ontop of each other (Public Enemy’s surprise debut)
WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Sting with the figure-4 at around the 12-minute mark when, after Lex Luger came out to pull Hart off the apron, Sting knocked himself out while hitting a Stinger Splash in the corner and hitting his head on Hart’s megaphone as Luger and Hart were near the corner; during the bout, it was announced Sting & Lex Luger would face WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat the following week; after the contest, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage appeared and cleared Flair, Hart, and Luger from ringside; moments later, Hogan and Savage told Sting that Luger was continuing to cost him matches, with Sting going backstage to find Luger; moments later, Hogan cut a promo on he and Savage facing Flair & the Giant at the Clash and then took issue with Savage getting a title shot ahead of him, considering Savage lost his match to Luger and that Hogan was healthy while Savage wasn’t
Hulk Hogan pinned Meng (w/ Kevin Sullivan) at 4:41 after hitting him with his own spike after Randy Savage came out to counter the interference of Sullivan
WCW @ Atlanta, GA – Center Stage Theatre – January 17, 1996
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Randy Savage defeated Chris Benoit via disqualification
WCW World Champion Ric Flair defeated Alex Wright
WCW World Champion Ric Flair defeated Dean Malenko
WCW @ Atlanta, GA – Center Stage Theatre – January 18, 1996
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Brian Pillman defeated Mike Davis, Chris Nelson, & Buck Quartermaine
2/10/96:
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting & Lex Luger defeated the Barrio Brothers when Fidel Sierra submitted to Sting’s Scorpion Deathlock
The Belfast Bruiser defeated Mike Marcello
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Larry Santo & Pepep Prado in a handicap match by pinning both men
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd (w/ Kimberly) defeated Bull Payne
Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) defeated VK Wallstreet
The Nasty Boys defeated Manny Fernandez & Red Tyler when Brian Knobbs pinned Fernandez
Arn Anderson & Brian Pillman defeated the Cobra & Joey Maggs (w/ Teddy Long) when Anderson pinned Maggs
2/17/96:
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker & Lt. James Earl when Bagwell pinned Earl
Men at Work defeated Scott & Steve Armstrong when Kanyon pinned Scott
Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Todd Morton
Alex Wright defeated Dusty Wolfe
2/24/96:
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd (w/ Kimberly) defeated Chris Benoit
The One Man Gang defeated Pez Whatley
WCW @ Las Vegas, NV – Caesar’s Palace – January 22, 1996
The Giant defeated WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd in a non-title match
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
Lord Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton defeated Dick Slater & Bunkhouse Buck
Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit via disqualification
Monday Nitro – featured a segment where Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan interrupted the opening comments at the commentary table to cut a promo on his title defense the following night at the Clash of the Champions against Psychosis (Konnan’s surprise return after a 5-year absence); included the announcement that Sting & Lex Luger would be in tag team action, WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd would face Meng, Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs would face Harlem Heat, and WCW World Champion Ric Flair would face Alex Wright on WCW Saturday Night:
Randy Savage pinned WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Jimmy Hart) to win the title at 8:35 with the flying elbowsmash after Arn Anderson appeared and accidentally hit the champion with a pair of brass knuckles, with Hulk Hogan then appearing, pulling Anderson off the apron, and fighting with him as Savage scored the pin; prior to the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview with Savage in the aisle in which Hogan interrupted and said if Savage won the title then he wanted the first shot; during the ring entrances, it was announced Elizabeth and Kevin Greene would be in Hogan & Savage’s corner the following night at the Clash of the Champions; during the match, it was announced the Road Warriors would return to WCW by also appearing at the Clash; prior to the contest, Savage was escorted to the ring by several women, including Woman, Linda Bollea, Debra McMichael, and others; early in the bout, Flair attempted to dance with Woman at ringside until she slapped him across the face; of the women in Savage’s corner, only Woman was referred to by name; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Savage and Hogan in which Hogan again challenged Savage to a title shot; Savage said that would have to be decided by WCW President Nick Bockwinkel but then said he wanted the match at Caesar’s Palace; Hogan was booed during the segment (Woman’s surprise return after a 5-year absence) (Macho Madness: The Ultimate Randy Savage Collection, The Very Best of WCW Monday Nitro Vol. 3)
Brian Pillman pinned Dean Malenko at 6:20 after Malenko’s leg became entangled in the ring ropes (Brian Pillman: Loose Cannon)
Sting & Lex Luger defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat to win the titles at 9:33 when Luger pinned Booker T after Jimmy Hart appeared during the final moments and gave Luger a roll of silver dollars, who then hit Booker with it behind the back of referee Nick Patrick
Hulk Hogan pinned WCW US Champion the One Man Gang in a non-title match with the legdrop at 3:03; after the bout, Hogan and WCW World Champion Randy Savage fought off Chris Benoit, the Zodiac, Arn Anderson, and the Gang as the remainder of the Horsemen and Dungeon of Doom surrounded the ring and held back the Giant; moments later, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Hogan and Savage regarding a possible title match between the two and having Kevin Greene and Elizabeth in their corner the following night
Clash of the Champions XXXII – Las Vegas, NV – Caesar’s Palace – January 23, 1996 (3,100)
Lord Steven Regal defeated Chris Benoit
WCW US Champion the One Man Gang defeated Disco Inferno
Shown live on TBS – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary; included Gene Okerlund at A Little White Chapel where Sister Sherri and Col. Rob Parker would get married later in the show; featured Eric Bischoff conducting an interview at the entrance stage with Ric Flair, the Giant, & Jimmy Hart regarding Flair’s world title loss the night before and Flair & Giant’s match later in the night against Hulk Hogan & WCW World Champion Randy Savage; included Okerlund at the chapel speaking with Bunkhouse Buck and Dick Slater about the upcoming wedding; featured Bischoff speaking with WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger at the entrance stage about their title win the night before, with the Road Warriors interrupting and challenging Sting & Luger to a title shot; Sting initially accepted but Luger argued there were other teams in line and he didn’t want to be responsible for putting Road Warrior Animal back on the shelf (the Road Warriors’ surprise return after more than a 2-year absence); included a video package on Paul Orndorff – in a neckbrace – regarding the injury he sustained at the hands of the Four Horsemen; moments later, Orndorff’s inspirational leader, Gary Spivey, was shown in the crowd; featured Okerlund at the chapel, with Parker arriving in a car and saying he had lost all his cash at the tables; moments later, Parker spoke on the phone with his “fried pie;” included Bischoff conducting an interview at the entrance stage with Hogan, Savage, and Kevin Greene of the Pittsburgh Steelers about the main event and their “secret weapon,” Elizabeth; featured Okerlund at the chapel with Harlem Heat, during which Sherri arrived and Parker admittd to her he had lost his money gambling; included Bischoff conducting an interview at the entrance stage with Brian Pillman; featured Okerlund at the chapel, with Okerlund walking Sherri down the aisle; as the two began to give their vows, Madusa appeared and fought with Sherri outside the chapel until the fight was broken up:
The Nasty Boys fought Public Enemy to a double disqualification at 4:00 when referee Nick Patrick called for the bell as the Nastys attempted to use a table brought into the ring by Public Enemy; prior to the bout, a Public Enemy vignette was shown; after the match, Johnny Grunge hit a moonsault off the top onto Brian Knobbs laid on top of a table; moments later, Jerry Saggs assaulted both Grunge and Rocco Rock in the aisle with the table
Dean Malenko pinned Alex Wright with a double leg pickup into a roll over at 5:29 after a dropkick to Wright’s injured left leg; prior to the bout, footage was shown of Malenko refusing to break the Texas Cloverleaf applied on Wright during WCW Saturday Night that weekend
Kevin Sullivan defeated Disco Inferno via forfeit when an Elvis impersonator appeared and said Disco was singing at Col. Rob Parker’s wedding; moments later, Sullivan assaulted the impersonator and threw him to the floor
Brian Pillman pinned Eddie Guerrero with a crossbody and grabbing the tights for leverage at 5:59; at around the 2-minute mark, Pillman grabbed Bobby Heenan by the jacket with Heenan then responding with “What the fuck are you doing?!?!;” Heenan then briefly left the commentary position, returned, and apologized for what he said (Brian Pillman: Loose Cannon)
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated Lord Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton at 7:47 when Eaton submitted to Sting’s Scorpion Deathlock after bumping into the ropes, causing Eaton to fall off the top and collide with Regal
Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan defeated Psychosis via submission with a modified standing figure-4 at 5:26; Mike Tenay joined the commentary team for the bout (Psychosis’ debut; Konnan’s in-ring return after a 5-year absence)
Ric Flair & the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Hulk Hogan & WCW World Champion Randy Savage (w/ Kevin Greene, Elizabeth, Woman, and several other women) when Flair pinned Savage at 9:52 after hitting him with a foreign object thrown in the ring by Hart; after the bout, Hogan and Greene cleared the ring of Brian Pillman and the Zodiac (Elizabeth’s debut) (The Best of Clash of the Champions)
WCW @ Atlanta, GA – Center Stage Theatre – January 1996
2/3/96:
Eddie Guerrero defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification at 7:24 after Luger pulled referee Nick Patrick in the way of Guerrero’s missile dropkick; the bell rang several moments later, after Luger hoisted Guerrero into the Torture Rack, with Luger then thinking he had won the match; after the bout, Luger attacked Guerrero and knocked him to the floor
WCW @ Canton, OH – Civic Center – January 29, 1996
Brian Pillman defeated the Renegade
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Monday Nitro – featured the announcement that Dean Malenko would face Ric Flair, Lex Luger would face Eddie Guerrero, and Kevin Sullivan, Sting, and the Public Enemy would be in action on WCW Saturday Night; included Gene Okerlund conducting an in-ring interview with Kevin Sullivan, with Hugh Morrus, in which Sullivan mentioned Arn Anderson, with Anderson and Brian Pillman then appearing; Sullivan then said he and Anderson made a pact and he wanted to make sure Anderson kept his end of the bargain by keeping Pillman in line; Anderson then began to discipline Pillman until Sullivan and Morrus jumped Anderson from behind, with Sullivan then whipping Pillman across the back; Anderson eventually dropped Morrus with the DDT inside the ring and then shoved Sullivan away from Pillman on the floor; Okerlund then interviewed Anderson, with Anderson saying the Horsemen police themselves and then demanded a match with Sullivan and Morrus; Pillman then told Anderson he got them into the mess and he would get them out:
Ric Flair (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Hulk Hogan (w/ Elizabeth) at around the 13-minute mark after hitting Hogan in the eye with one of Elizabeth’s high heel shoes, stolen by Hart and Arn Anderson, who appeared ringside during the final moments of the contest; prior to the bout, Hogan was escorted to the ring by Woman, Debra McMichael, and Linda Bollea, though only Woman was referred to by name; after the bout, WCW World Champion Randy Savage came out to tend to Hogan, along with Elizabeth
The Road Warriors defeated Meng & the Barbarian at 9:06 when Road Warrior Hawk pinned the Barbarian with a clothesline off the top as Barbarian attempted a piledriver on Road Warrior Animal (the Road Warriors’ return match after a 6-year absence)
Sister Sherri pinned Madusa at 1:48 by reversing a bodyslam off the top into a cradle; prior to the bout, Okerlund attempted an in-ring interview with Sherri regarding Madusa ruining her wedding at the Clash of the Champions until Madusa attacked Sherri from behind; after the contest, Madusa knocked Sherri out with a back suplex and continued to assault her until referees forced her away; during the attack, Eric Bischoff said Madusa could have stayed in the WWF and been successful in the men’s division (Madusa’s in-ring return after a 4-year absence) (The Very Best of WCW Monday Nitro Vol. 3)
The Giant defeated WCW World Champion Randy Savage via disqualification at the 28-second mark when Savage came out of the crowd and attacked the challenger from behind with the title belt before putting him in a sleeper; prior to the bout, Woman, Linda Bollea, Debra McMichael, and Elizabeth appeared and waved for Savage to come out of the entranceway, with Savage then jumping the Giant from behind; after the contest, Ric Flair came ringside and assaulted Savage around ringside and knocked out the referee; Flair and the Giant then took turns double teaming Savage with the Giant dropping Savage with the chokeslam; moments later, Giant attempted the move a second time until Hulk Hogan, his eye heavily bandaged, knocked the Giant to the floor with a steel chair before fending Hugh Morrus, Meng, WCW US Champion the One Man Gang, Kevin Sullivan, and Jimmy Hart from the ring; Flair, Giant, and Jimmy Hart then appeared at the commentary table with Flair and Giant cutting a promo on their upcoming steel cage matches with Hogan and Savage at SuperBrawl; the show ended with Bischoff and Steve McMichael leaving the broadcast table while Flair put on the headset and Hogan and a referee helped Savage backstage
The Main Event – 2/4/96: Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan pinned WCW US Champion the One Man Gang to win the title at 3:59 by holding onto the top rope as the champion attempted a slam into the ring, with Konnan falling on top for the win; prior to the bout, it was announced the two would have a title match at SuperBrawl VI; after the contest, OMG attacked Konnan and stomped him out of the ring
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Universal Studios – February 1, 1996
WCW Worldwide taping:
Chris Benoit & Brian Pillman defeated Pat Tanaka & Steve Doll
Ric Flair defeated Alex Wright
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Universal Studios – February 2, 1996
WCW Worldwide taping:
Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Brian Pillman defeated Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus, & Meng via disqualification
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Universal Studios – February 3, 1996
WCW Worldwide taping:
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Universal Studios – February 4, 1996
WCW Worldwide taping:
Pro – 2/3/96:
Meng (w/ Hugh Morrus) defeated Damon Striker (Edge) via submission with a nerve hold at 2:24 after a side kick to the face
WCW @ Lakeland, FL – Jenkins Arena – February 5, 1996
WCW US Champion & Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan defeated Devon Storm
Bunkhouse Buck & Dick Slater defeated the Barrio Brothers
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Monday Nitro – featured the announcement that WCW World Champion Randy Savage would face Chris Benoit, VK Wallstreet would face Sgt. Craig Pittman, and Brian Pillman & Arn Anderson, the Giant, WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger would be in action on WCW Saturday Night:
WCW World Champion Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) defeated Chris Benoit via disqualification at 8:17 when Woman began choking Savage from behind on the floor after Ric Flair appeared and grabbed Elizabeth, distracting Savage; after the bout, Arn Anderson appeared and helped double team the champion until Hulk Hogan made the save with a steel chair; as Savage was helped backstage, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Hogan, with Elizabeth, regarding the assault on Savage; as Hogan’s back was turned, Flair returned to the ring and repeatedly punched Hogan in his bad eye; the Giant and Zodiac then came out, with the Giant hitting Hogan with the chair until Zodiac pulled him away; Savage then returned and cleared the ring with the chair; Savage then told Okerlund that what he would do to Flair at SuperBrawl couldn’t be said on TV and then questioned Elizabeth as to why she didn’t warn Hogan before he was blindsided, with Okerlund saying she tried to
Brian Pillman & Arn Anderson defeated Kevin Sullivan & Hugh Morrus (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification at 7:17 when, after Morrus hit the moonsault on Pillman, Morrus held Pillman down as Sullivan whipped him with a leather strap; during the bout, it was announced Pillman would face Sullivan in a strap match at SuperBrawl in which the loser would be the man to tell the other he respects him; late in the contest, Anderson and Sullivan battled near the entranceway, with someone behind the curtain breaking a broom over Anderson’s back
Ric Flair (w/ Woman) defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell via submission with the figure-4 at 7:01; prior to the bout, Paul Orndorff appeared at the commentary table and implied he was the man behind the curtain that broke a broom over Arn Anderson’s back in the previous match; during the contest, it was announced WCW World Champion Randy Savage was taking Hulk Hogan to the hospital and would be on his way back to the arena; it was also announced that WCW US Champion Konnan would face the One Man Gang, WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger would face Harlem Heat, the Nasty Boys would face Public Enemy in a streetfight, and WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd would face Diamond Dallas Page with both the title and Page’s money at stake at SuperBrawl; after the contest, Flair punched the referee and kept the hold applied until Savage ran out and chased Flair backstage
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated the Road Warriors at 8:37 when Luger pinned Road Warrior Animal after hitting him in the back with a steel container brought to the ring late in the match by Jimmy Hart; during the bout, the building temporarily lost power, with Eric Bischoff implying the WWF was behind it; after the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with the Road Warriors in which Road Warrior Hawk demanded a shot against the winners of the Sting & Luger vs. Harlem Heat match at SuperBrawl and wanted the match at the pay-per-view (The Very Best of Nitro)
SuperBrawl VI – St. Petersburg, FL – Bayfront Center – February 11, 1996 (7,200)
The Main Event – shown live – featured Eric Bischoff & Dusty Rhodes on commentary:
The Road Warriors defeated Dick Slater & Bunkhouse Buck
Hugh Morrus defeated Chris Kanyon
Big Bubba & VK Wallstreet defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman & Joey Maggs
Jim Duggan fought Loch Ness (w/ Kevin Sullivan & Jimmy Hart) to a no contest when Duggan began assaulting Sullivan with his 2×4 before the match began and before Loch Ness appeared; moments later, Loch Ness came out, dropped an elbow drop on Duggan, and fought off Sgt. Craig Pittman, the Barrio Brothers, Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker, and another enhancement wrestler by hitting elbow drops on them as well (Loch Ness’ surprise debut)
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, & Bobby Heenan on commentary; included Gene Okerlund interviewing Mexican and WCW US Champion Konnan regarding his rematch later in the night against the One Man Gang; featured Okerlund interviewing Harlem Heat backstage regarding their rematch against WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger later in the night and a potential match against the Road Warriors; included Okerlund interviewing the Road Warriors backstage regarding their interference in the Sting & Luger / Heat match and their title shot later in the night; featured Okerlund interviewing the Giant & Jimmy Hart backstage regarding the steel cage match later in the night against Hulk Hogan; included Okerlund interviewing Ric Flair & Woman regarding Flair’s steel cage title shot against Randy Savage later in the night; featured Okerlund interviewing WCW World Champion Randy Savage & Elizabeth backstage regarding Savage’s defense against Flair; included Okerlund interviewing Hogan backstage regarding Elizabeth turning on Savage and his cage match against the Giant:
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy at 7:50 when Brian Knobbs pinned Rocco Rock after hitting him with a piece of broken table after avoiding a Drive By off a prop souvineer stand near the entranceway (Allied Powers)
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd (w/ Kimberly) pinned Diamond Dallas Page at 14:56 by reversing a tombstone attempt into a tombstone of his own; during the bout, WCW US Champion Konnan was seen speaking with the Spanish announce team of Pedro Morales and Miguel Alonzo; due to pre-match stipulations, Kimberly won DDP’s $6 million; after the bout, Badd handed Kimberly the oversized check for the $6 million
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated Harlem Heat at 11:47 when Luger pinned Stevie Ray after the Road Warriors came out and Road Warrior Animal hit Stevie in the chest with a steel plate, with Luger falling on top for the win; pre-match stipulations stated the Road Warriors would face the champions later in the night; after the bout, Okerlund interviewed the champions at the entranceway on their victory
Mexican & WCW US Champion Konnan pinned the One Man Gang at 7:25 with a somersault splash onto a standing OMG after the challenger failed a top rope move; Steve Grissom of WCW Motorsports was shown in attendance during the match
Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Brian Pillman in an I Quit strap match at the 53-second mark when, before either man was tied to the strap, Pillman grabbed the mic and said “I respect you, bookerman” and walked out; moments later, Arn Anderson came out in a street clothes to continue the match for Pillman (the “bookerman” portion of Pillman’s comments was cut from the home video version)
Arn Anderson fought Kevin Sullivan to a no contest in an I Quit strap match at 3:30 when Jimmy Hart brought Ric Flair out who stopped the match and told the two men they had to work together to take out Hulk Hogan and WCW World Champion Randy Savage later in the night; moments later, Flair said he would take Savage’s title and wife before Anderson and Sullivan shook hands
The Road Warriors fought WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger to a double count-out at 13:53 when all four men began fighting on the floor before brawling to the backstage area (The Life & Death of the Road Warriors)
Ric Flair (w/ Woman) pinned WCW World Champion Randy Savage (w/ Elizabeth) in a steel cage match at 18:54 to win the title after Flair hit the champion in the face with Elizabeth’s shoe after she opened the door and gave it to Flair as the referee was distracted by Woman after she tried to throw powder in Savage’s face; prior to the bout, Flair cut a promo offering Elizabeth one last chance to kiss him before he sends Savage to the hospital; the bell rang at 14:57 following a nearfall from Savage; after the bout, Hulk Hogan came out, chased Elizabeth and Woman around the ring, scared Flair from the ring, and hit Arn Anderson with a steel chair; as Hogan, the referee, and trainer helped Savage backstage there was a small chant of “Hogan sucks”
Hulk Hogan defeated the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart & Kevin Sullivan) in a steel cage match at 15:04 by escaping over the top of the cage after kicking the Giant off the top rope; there were chants of “Hogan sucks” during the bout; after the bout, Hogan single-handedly fought off the Giant, Sullivan, Meng, the Barbarian, Hugh Morrus, Zodiak, the One Man Gang, and Shark before Loch Ness came out to face Hogan and was held back by the other members of the Dungeon of Doom
WCW @ Tampa, FL – Florida State Fair – February 12, 1996
Monday Nitro – featured an opening segment featuring still photos from the Kevin Sullivan / Brian Pillman, Randy Savage / Ric Flair, and Hulk Hogan / Giant matches the previous night at SuperBrawl VI; included Gene Okerlund interviewing racecar driver Steve Grissom about the WCW car; featured Okerlund interviewing the new WCW World Champion Ric Flair, with Woman & Miss Elizabeth, about his title win the night before and his title defense the following week against Randy Savage with Elizabeth explaining why she turned on Savage at SuperBrawl:
Randy Savage pinned Hugh Morrus at 4:50 after hitting two flying elbowsmashes; prior to the bout, it was announced Savage would get a rematch against WCW World Champion Ric Flair the following week on Nitro; during the match, it was announced the “Baywatch” episode taped last July during Bash at the Beach, which featured Hulk Hogan, Savage, Flair, and Kevin Sullivan would be airing soon; after the bout, Savage went up to drop a third elbow but Morrus rolled out to the floor, with Savage then grabbing the mic and saying the referee was right – he didn’t want Morrus, he wanted Flair
Loch Ness (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Scotty Riggs at around 1:15 with an elbow drop
WCW US Champion and Mexican Champion Konnan pinned Devan Storm at 5:19 by reversing a hurricanrana off the top into a powerbomb and roll over; during the bout, New York Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner was shown in the audience (Storm’s debut)
Arn Anderson (w/ Woman) pinned Hulk Hogan at 9:15 after hitting Hogan in the eye with Miss Elizabeth’s high heel shoe after Woman threw powder into Hogan’s face; WCW World Champion Ric Flair & Elizabeth came ringside at around the 6:30 mark; after the match, Randy Savage came out and helped Hogan clear the ring of Flair and Anderson; moments later, Flair grabbed Eric Bischoff’s headset, put it on himself, and said Hogan had his “ass kicked again” and bragged about having the belt, with Anderson then saying he beat Hogan once and he could do it again; Hogan then ran to the broadcast table, scaring the heels backstage, stole away Bobby Heenan’s headset and challenged them to come back out; Okerlund then interviewed Hogan and Savage about Anderson’s challenge for a rematch the following week, with Hogan accepting and about Savage’s title match the following week against Flair (The Very Best of Nitro Vol. 2)
WCW @ Atlanta, GA – Center Stage Theatre – February 14, 1996
WCW Saturday Night taping:
The final taping from Ceter Stage
2/17/96:
Fit Finlay defeated Brad Armstrong via disqualification
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Mike Winner
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated Dave Taylor & Bobby Eaton (w/ Lord Steven Regal & Jeeves) when Eaton submitted to Sting
Chris Benoit defeated Joey Maggs (w/ Teddy Long)
Public Enemy defeated Buck Quartermaine & Larry Santo when Johnny Grunge pinned Santo
Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (w/ Woman) defeated the Nasty Boys when Flair pinned Brian Knobbs
2/24/96:
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Scott Armstrong
Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) fought Diamond Dallas Page to a double count-out
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated Public Enemy when Sting pinned Rocco Rock
The Road Warriors defeated the Gambler & Butch Long when Road Warrior Hawk pinned the Gambler
Scott Norton fought Ice Train to a draw
Loch Ness (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell
Worldwide – 2/17/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
WCW US Champion & Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan pinned the One Man Gang at 6:45 with a somersault attack off the top, moments after the challenger failed a splash from the middle turnbuckle; Konnan did not appear with the title belts
WCW @ Baltimore, MD – Arena – February 17, 1996 (11,000; 8,000 paid)
Alex Wright pinned Disco Inferno with the German suplex
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a falls count anywhere match when Knobbs pinned Johnny Grunge after slamming a table on him inside the ring
Lex Luger pinned WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd to win the title with his feet on the ropes for leverage
Kevin Sullivan, Meng, & Hugh Morrus defeated Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Scott Norton (sub. for Brian Pillman) when Meng pinned Norton with a splash off the top; after the bout, both the Dungeon of Doom and the Horsemen attacked Norton until he made a comeback
The Giant pinned Sting with the chokeslam after catching him in mid-air as he attempted a Stinger Splash in the corner
WCW World Champion Ric Flair pinned Randy Savage when Arn Anderson interfered and hit the challenger with a pair of brass knuckles as Kevin Sullivan distracted the referee; Miss Elizabeth also interfered on behalf of the champion
WCW @ Norfolk, VA – Scope – February 18, 1996 (9,500; 6,487 paid)
Alex Wright pinned Disco Inferno at 10:01
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a falls count anywhere match at the 8-minute mark when Jerry Saggs pinned Johnny Grunge
Johnny B. Badd pinned WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger to win the title with a roll up; the title belt was not ringside for the match
Kevin Sullivan, Meng, & Hugh Morrus defeated Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Scott Norton when Meng pinned Norton with a splash; after the bout, the five other men attacked Norton before Norton cleared them from the ring
The Giant pinned WCW Tag Team Champion Sting at 8:48 with the chokeslam after catching Sting attempting a Stinger Splash in the corner
WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Woman) pinned Randy Savage at 18:47 after Arn Anderson interfered, as Kevin Sullivan distracted the referee, and hit Savage with the DDT; late in the match, Woman threw Flair her shoe but Savage grabbed it, hit Flair behind the referee’s back, and made the cover, leading to the interference; Sullivan wore a Four Horsemen T-shirt during his appearance
WCW @ Salisbury, MD – Wicomico Civic Center – February 19, 1996 (4,700; 3,800 paid)
The Giant defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Sting
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger
Monday Nitro – hosted by Eric Bischoff, Steve McMichael, & Bobby Heenan; featured the announcement Chris Benoit vs. WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd, Scott Armstrong vs. WCW US Champion Konnan, WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger vs. Public Enemy, and the Road Warriors would highlight WCW Saturday Night:
Arn Anderson (w/ Woman) defeated Hulk Hogan via disqualification at 6:03 when Randy Savage ran out to the ring to cut off an interfering Kevin Sullivan; during the match, it was noted Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair, and Vader would soon appear on ‘Baywatch;’ in reference to Vader, Eric Bischoff mocked Paul Orndorff dominating him in a backstage altercation before Vader left WCW; Hogan had Anderson in the figure-4 at the time of the finish
Loch Ness (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Alex Wright at 2:22 with an elbow drop
The Belfast Bruiser pinned Brad Armstrong at 6:50 with a tilt-a-whirl slam; prior to the bout, it was noted the WCW Cruiserweight Title would debut in the coming months and Armstrong wanted to be in the tournament; during the match, it was noted Eddie Guerrero would challenge WCW US Champion Konnan at Uncensored
WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) pinned Randy Savage at 11:29 after Arn Anderson hit the DDT on the challenger as the referee was distracted by Hulk Hogan fighting off an interfering Kevin Sullivan on the floor; prior to the bout, Steve Grissom was shown sitting ringside; Savage’s left elbow was heavily taped for the match; immediately after the bout, Hogan and Savage were double teamed until Ed Leslie ran out and cleared Flair, Anderson, and Sullivan from the ring; as Hogan and Leslie tended to Savage, Flair and his group disrupted the announce table and Flair bragged on his team; moments later, Hogan, Savage, and Leslie scared them away, with Hogan speaking with Gene Okerlund challenging Flair, Anderson, & Sullivan to face he, Savage, and “the Booty Man” the next week; during the segment at the announce desk, Savage took possession of Flair’s title belt before Eric Bischoff told him to leave the belt (Booty Man’s surprise debut)
The Main Event – 2/25/96: The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy at 5:50 when Brian Knobbs pinned Johnny Grunge after Rocco Rock accidentally hit the Fly By on his own partner; Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes provided commentary for the match
WCW @ Knoxville, TN – Civic Coliseum – February 26, 1996
Lord Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton defeated Dick Slater in a handicap match
Brad Armstrong defeated Disco Inferno
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Monday Nitro:
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Big Bubba
WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated the Renegade
The Road Warriors defeated Harlem Heat
Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, & the Booty Man defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, & Kevin Sullivan
WCW @ Gainesville, GA – Georgia Mountains Center – February 28, 1996 (1,800)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
3/2/96:
Loch Ness (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Shadow & Kenny Shaw in a handicap match by pinning the Shadow
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker) in a handicap match; Bunkhouse Buck was announced to be Slater’s partner but did not appear
Arn Anderson & Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Scott D’Amore & Tom Kent when Anderson pinned D’Amore
Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Joey Maggs (w/ Teddy Long)
WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated Cobra
Jim Duggan defeated VK Wallstreet after Sgt. Craig Pittman interfered
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Dave Sullivan
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Pat Tanaka & Larry Santo when Barbarian pinned Santo
WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Sting via disqualification when WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger interfered as Sting attempted to reverse the figure-4
WCW @ Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium – March 2, 1996 (2,900)
The Belfast Bruiser pinned Bobby Walker with the tombstone at the 9-minute mark; during the bout, Lord Steven Regal appeared ringside and was attacked by the Bruiser
Big Bubba pinned the Renegade at the 13-minute mark with the sidewalk slam and a splash
Sgt. Craig Pittman pinned Kurasawa at the 14-minute mark with a German suplex
Arn Anderson pinned WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger at the 12-minute mark after hitting him with brass knuckles as the referee was knocked down
WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd pinned Diamond Dallas Page at the 19-minute mark with a reverse roll up into a bridge
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor (w/ Lord Steven Regal) at the 11-minute mark when Riggs pinned Eaton with a roll up after the Belfast Bruiser ran out and hit Regal with a tombstone outside the ring
WCW World Champion Ric Flair defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Sting via disqualification at the 14-minute mark when referee Nick Patrick caught WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger in the ring, moments after Luger fought off an interfering Arn Anderson; Sting had Flair in the Scorpion Deathlock during the finish
WCW @ Macon, GA – Coliseum – March 6, 1996 (3,300)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Chris Kanyon defeated Kid Flash
3/9/96:
WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger pinned WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd (w/ Kimberly) to win the title at 5:29 after Diamond Dallas Page dropped Badd with a Diamond Cutter on the floor while Jimmy Hart distracted the referee from the apron; prior to the bout, Badd questioned Kimberly as to what she was doing the previous week on Nitro when she came out wearing white and holding roses; Kimberly refused to talk about it; during Badd’s ring entrance, he cut an insert promo rejecting Page’s challenge to a rematch, noting he had taken everything from Page and there was nothing left that he wanted; late in the bout, Hart and Page appeared ringside together; after the contest, Lee Marshal conducted a ringside interview with Badd in which he cut a promo on facing Page at Uncensored and lashed out at Kimberly for not looking out for him during the match (Badd’s last appearance)
The Road Warriors defeated Meng & the Barbarian when Road Warrior Hawk pinned Barbarian
Alex Wright defeated Bobby Walker
Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor (w/ Lord Steven Regal) defeated Public Enemy via disqualification
Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit; stipulations stated the winner would earn a WCW US Title shot at Uncensored
Pat Tanaka defeated Disco Inferno
VK Wallstreet defeated Joey Maggs (w/ Teddy Long)
WCW World Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Loch Ness, & Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart, Elizabeth, & Woman) defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long), Jim Duggan, Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs when Anderson pinned Riggs; Loch Ness refused to appear and compete because he was angry with Hart
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Universal Studios – 1996
Pro – 3/9/96 – hosted by Chris Cruise, Dusty Rhodes, & Larry Zbyszko; featured a promo by Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, & the Booty Man regarding their upcoming strap match on Monday Nitro; included Gene Okerlund promoting the WCW Hotline in which he talked about a sighting of the Warrior; featured a WCW Motorsports segment in which Steve Grissom met Sting, with Sting then painting the faces of the entire crew; included the announcement WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger would challenge WCW TV Champion Johnny B. Badd later that day on WCW Saturday Night; featured an Uncensored 96 Control Center segment hosted by Okerlund in which he noted Hulk Hogan would answer the challenge for the Doomsay cage match later that day on WCW Saturday Night; included footage of the WCW Tag Team Champion Sting vs. WCW World Champion Ric Flair match from the previous week’s WCW Saturday Night and the conclusion of the bout, which did not initially air, with Luger coming out and accidentally costing Sting the match via disqualification:
VK Wallstreet pinned Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) at 3:24 after Big Bubba came in behind the back of referee Nick Patrick and knocked Pittman out with a punch; prior to the bout, footage was shown of how Pittman cost Wallstreet his match against Jim Duggan the previous week on WCW Saturday Night
Kurasawa defeated Johnny Boone via submission with a Fujiwara armbar at 2:22
The Road Warriors defeated the Gambler & Pat Tanaka at 3:03 when Road Warrior Hawk pinned Gambler after the Doomsday Device; during the match, it was noted the Road Warriors would face Meng & the Barbarian on WCW Saturday Night and the Nasty Boys on Monday Nitro
Jim Duggan defeated Big Bubba via disqualification at 2:57 when VK Wallstreet interfered after Duggan hit the running clothesline on Bubba; prior to the bout, footage was shown of Jim Duggan attacking the Giant with a taped fist during the previous week’s WCW Saturday Night, followed by the announcement Duggan would face the Giant on Monday Nitro; it was announced before the match that Duggan, Sgt. Craig Pittman, Marcus Alexander Bagwell, & Scotty Riggs would face WCW World Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Kevin Sullivan, & Lochness and that Eddie Guerrero would face Chris Benoit later that day on WCW Saturday Night; after the match, Duggan was double teamed until Pittman made the save
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated the Barbarian via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock at 5:01 after Barbarian missed a headbutt off the top
WCW @ Winston Salem, NC – Lawrence Joel Memorial Coliseum – March 11, 1996
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Joey Maggs
Meng defeated Dave Sullivan
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Bobby Eaton
Monday Nitro:
The Giant defeated Jim Duggan
The Road Warriors defeated Rick & Scott Steiner (the Steiners’ surprise return after a more than 3-year absence) (The Very Best of Nitro Vol. 2)
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger pinned Alex Wright
Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, & the Booty Man defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, & Kevin Sullivan in a lumberjack strap match
WCW @ Dalton, GA – March 13, 1996
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Fit Finlay fought Dave Taylor to a double count-out
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Alex Wright
Jim Duggan defeated Disco Inferno
3/16/96:
The Road Warriors defeated Mark Starr & Chris Kanyon via disqualification
Fit Finlay defeated Dave Taylor (w/ Jeeves)
Brad Armstrong defeated Disco Inferno
Public Enemy defeated Pez Whatley & Larry Santo when Rocco Rock pinned Santo
Arn Anderson, Kevin Sullivan, WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Gambler, Pat Tanaka, & Cobra when Sullivan pinned the Gambler; Luger did not appear until after the match began
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Dave Sullivan
Jim Duggan defeated the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Kurasawa
The Barbarian & the Shark (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage via disqualification
NJPW @ March 17, 1996
The Great Muta & Riki Choshu defeated Scott Norton & Hugh Morrus at 12:12 when Choshu pinned Morrus with a lariat after Muta hit the moonsault off the top
Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Masahiro Chono vs. Yuji Nagata & Kazuo Yamazaki
El Samurai vs. Koji Kanemoto
Jushin Liger vs. Shinjiro Otani
WCW @ Chattanooga, TN – UTC Arena – March 18, 1996
Monday Nitro – featured Tony Schiavone conducting an interview at the entrance stage with Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage regarding their match later in the show and teaming up in the Doomsday cage match at Uncensored; during the segment, Hogan was loudly booed; included the announcement of the following matches for the following week’s WCW Saturday Night: the Road Warriors vs. Public Enemy, WCW Tag Team Champion Sting vs. Bobby Eaton, Eddie Guerrero vs. Alex Wright, and WCW World Champion Ric Flair vs. Sgt. Craig Pittman:
WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated Loch Ness via count-out at the 13-second mark; the broadcast opened with the Giant, with Jimmy Hart, attacking Loch Ness in the aisle and claiming to be the one true giant in WCW; moments later, Luger made his entrance for the match; after the bout, Luger approached the broadcast table and bragged about getting the shortest win in WCW history and cut a promo on Hulk Hogan
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Public Enemy in a stand-by match at 7:02 when Rick pinned Johnny Grunge following the bulldog off the top double team after Rocco Rock crashed through a table on the floor; during the bout, Eric Bischoff announced Dennis Rodman had just been suspended by the NBA for six games and don’t be surprised to see him lock up with Hogan; it was also announced that a 1992 Olympian would soon be on his way to WCW
The Booty Man pinned Arn Anderson (w/ Woman) at 5:43 with a running knee to the head as Anderson went to get back inside the ring; prior to the bout, it was announced if Booty defeated Diamond Dallas Page at Uncensored then Page would be gone from wrestling; late in the match, Kimberly appeared ringside to cheer on the Booty Man
The Road Warriors defeated the Nasty Boys
Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage fought WCW World Champion Ric Flair & Kevin Sullivan to a double count-out in a Texas Tornado match
NJPW @ Nagoya, Japan – March 20, 1996
IWGP Tag Team Champions Shinya Hashimoto & Junji Hirata defeated Harlem Heat when Hashimoto pinned Booker T with a brainbuster
Shinjiro Ohtani pinned Chris Benoit; due to pre-match stipulations, Ohtani became the first WCW Cruiserweight Champion
WCW @ Augusta, GA – Richmond County Civic Center – March 20, 1996 (4,400; 3,200 paid)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Shark defeated Pez Whatley
3/23/96:
WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated Brad Armstrong
Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) defeated the Gambler
Arn Anderson & Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Julio Sanchez & an unknown when Anderson pinned Sanchez
WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long)
Col. Rob Parker (w/ Dick Slater) defeated Tommy Bonds
Eddie Guerrero defeated Steve Doll
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Chris Kanyon & Mike Winner when Scott pinned Winner
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Bobby Eaton (w/ Jeeves)
Public Enemy defeated the Road Warriors via disqualification
The Main Event – 3/31/96: Cobra pinned Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker with the Cobra Slam at 5:35; Dusty Rhodes & Lee Marshall provided commentary for the match
Dark match after the taping: WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated the Giant via count-out when the Giant chased an interfering Loch Ness backstage
Worldwide – 3/23/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Hulk Hogan pinned Shark at 2:44 after Hogan shoved referee Nick Patrick out of the way on the floor and twice hit Shark with a chair as Shark was down; after the match, Hogan again struck Shark with a chair, knocking him to the floor
Uncensored 96 – Tupelo, MS – Coliseum – March 24, 1996 (9,000; 7,300 paid)
The Main Event – shown live:
WCW Cruiserweight Championship Tournament Opening Round: JL pinned Dean Malenko at 3:20
Jim Duggan pinned Big Bubba at 3:20
Dick Slater pinned Alex Wright at 1:55
Rick & Scott Steiner fought the Nasty Boys to a no contest at 5:19 when the Road Warriors interfered and attacked both teams
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Col. Rob Parker & Dick Slater regarding Parker’s match later in the show against Madusa; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with the Giant & Jimmy Hart regarding Giant’s match later in the show against Loch Ness; during the segment, it was announced the winner of the match would face WCW World Champion Ric Flair the following night on Monday Nitro; included Lee Marshall conducting a backstage interview with the Road Warriors regarding their match later in the show against Booker T & WCW Tag Team Champion Sting; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger & Hart regarding Luger’s participation in the Doomsday cage match – subbing for Loch Ness – when he was originally scheduled to compete with Sting against the Road Warriors in a streetfight; early in the segment, Hart said it was the last night he would be managing Luger and gave Luger a jacket with his face on it; included Marshall conducting a backstage interview with Booker T & WCW Tag Team Champion Sting regarding their match later in the night against the Road Warriors, with Booker mentioning he wanted a future tag team title shot for Harlem Heat against Sting & Luger:
WCW US Champion & Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan pinned Eddie Guerrero at 18:26 after the challenger mistimed a leapfrog, causing Konnan to accidentally headbutt Guerrero in the groin; during the bout, it was announced JL would face the champion the following night on Monday Nitro; after the match, Konnan helped Guerrero to his feet, with Eddie then shoving Konnan away
Fit Finlay defeated Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) via disqualification at 17:28 when Bobby Eaton and Dave Taylor, wearing suits, attacked Finlay as Finlay and Regal brawled on the floor; during the bout, WCW US Champion Konnan was seen speaking with the Spanish announce crew of Pedro Morales & Miguel Alonzo; also during the match, it was announced this was the first WCW pay-per-view to air in Australia and that Finlay would face Randy Savage the following night on Nitro; after the bout, the Blue Bloods triple teamed Finlay until he attacked them near the entranceway and into the backstage area
Col. Rob Parker pinned Madusa at 3:46 when Parker rolled on top of Madusa after Dick Slater appeared ringside and pulled Madusa’s leg out as she attempted a German suplex into a bridge
The Booty Man pinned Diamond Dallas Page at 16:00 with the high knee after Kimberly, who appeared ringside mid-way through the match, slapped DDP after he kissed her in the ring; pre-match stipulations stated DDP would win Kimberly and the remainder of his $16 million if he won but would quit wrestling if he lost; prior to the bout, Tony Schiavone mentioned DDP recently cost Johnny B. Badd – his original scheduled opponent – the WCW TV title, with Badd then blaming Kimberly for the loss and deciding he didn’t have what it took to compete in WCW anymore
The Giant pinned Loch Ness at 2:34 with a boot to the face and a legdrop; pre-match stipulations stated the winner would face WCW World Champion Ric Flair the following night on Monday Nitro; after the bout, the Giant cut a promo into the camera on Hogan – regarding his finisher – and facing Flair on Nitro
Booker T & WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated the Road Warriors in a streetfight at 29:36 when Booker pinned Road Warrior Hawk after Stevie Ray interfered and hit Hawk in the back with a steel chair; pre-match stipulations stated Harlem Heat would earn a WCW Tag Team Title shot if Booker & Sting won; late in the bout, Booker and Animal fought backstage, with Stevie Ray and WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger – with Jimmy Hart – interfering, attacking Animal, and handcuffing him in the backstage area; after the match, Stevie Ray was shown backstage hitting Animal with a steel chair and saying he wanted his tag team belts back (Falls Count Anywhere: The Greatest Street Fights and other Out of Control Matches)
Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson (w/ Woman & Miss Elizabeth), Meng, the Barbarian, Kevin Sullivan, WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger (w/ Jimmy Hart), Z Gangsta, & the Ultimate Solution in a handicap three-tier steel cage match at 25:19 when Savage pinned Flair after Luger hit Flair with a loaded glove; prior to the match, the commentary team made mention of Brian Pillman not appearing as advertised for the match; stipulations for the match stated Hogan & Savage would start at the top tier and work their way down until they escaped the bottom cage; mid-way through the match, a brawl between Hogan & Savage and Sullivan & Luger continued out of the cage to ringside, with Hart eventually leading Z Gangsta & Ultimate Solution ringside to bring Hogan & Savage back inside the cage; minutes later, Flair & Anderson who were eliminated earlier in the match returned to gang up on Hogan & Savage; late in the bout, the Booty Man appeared and passed Hogan & Savage a frying pan; during the closing moments, Hogan & Savage went to leave the cage, with Savage then deciding to return to the ring and cover Flair instead for the win
WCW @ Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Civic Center – March 25, 1996 (3,300 paid)
Monday Nitro:
Randy Savage pinned the Belfast Bruiser at 5:05
WCW US Champion Konnan pinned JL at 6:19
The Booty Man pinned Disco Inferno at 1:14
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs at 6:20
WCW World Champion Ric Flair fought the Giant to a no contest at 8:56
WCW @ Rome, GA – Forum – March 27, 1996 (3,400)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
3/30/96:
Arn Anderson defeated Steve Armstrong
Jim Duggan defeated Dave Taylor (w/ Jeeves)
The Booty Man (w/ the Booty Babe) defeated Maxx Muscle
Eddie Guerrero defeated Devon Storm
Harlem Heat defeated St. Buddy Lee Parker & Lt. James Earl when Booker T pinned Earl
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated the Shark
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Pat Tanaka
The Belfast Bruiser defeated Bobby Eaton
The Giant defeated Big Bubba
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Meng & the Barbarian when Riggs pinned Barbarian
Sting defeated Hugh Morrus
WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Elizabeth) pinned Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker) with a knee to the back and putting his feet on the ropes for leverage; late in the bout, Elizabeth told Parker that Woman wanted to see him backstage, with Parker immediately leaving ringside to look for her; moments later, a backstage camera caught Parker and Woman together, with Woman clearly distracting Parker as Flair pinned Slater; immediately after the contest, Parker ran back out to the ring and apologized to Slater
4/6/96: WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification
Pro – 3/30/96 – hosted by Chris Cruise, Dusty Rhdoes, & Larry Zbyszko:
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor (w/ Lord Steven Regal) at 4:21 when Bagwell pinned Eaton after a double dropkick
Worldwide – 3/30/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Brad Armstrong pinned Disco Inferno at 4:06 with a reversal into the side Russian legsweep
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger defeated Fidel Sierra & Ricky Santana at 5:35 when Santana submitted to Luger’s Torture Rack and Sierra submitted to Sting’s Scorpion Deathlock; Sting & Luger did not appear with the title belts
WCW US Champion Konnan vs. VK Wallstreet
WCW @ Columbus, OH – March 30, 1996 (3,300)
Alex Wright defeated Dick Slater
Harlem Heat defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
The Road Warriors defeated Arn Anderson & Kevin Sullivan
The Booty Man defeated Disco Inferno
The Giant defeated the Renegade
Randy Savage defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair via disqualification
The Main Event – 3/31/96 – hosted by Gene Okerlund & Bobby Heenan; included a WCW Motorsports segment with WCW Tag Team Champion Sting; featured a WCW Hotline ad; included the Disco Inferno vs. Brad Armstrong match from the 3/30/96 Worldwide, Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs vs. Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor match from the 3/30/96 Pro, and highlights from the WCW World Champion Ric Flair vs. Dick Slater match from the 3/30/96 WCW Saturday Night:
Cobra pinned Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker with the Cobra Slam at 5:35; Dusty Rhodes & Lee Marshall provided commentary for the match (3/20/96; Augusta, GA)
Jim Duggan pinned Stevie Ray at 6:24 by hitting him with a taped fist; Dusty Rhodes & Lee Marshall provided commentary for the bout; late in the contest, Booker T appeared ringside and rammed Duggan into the ringpost on the floor behind the referee’s back before returning backstage (taped before a WCW Monday Nitro)
WCW @ Dayton, OH – March 31, 1996 (4,700)
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Arn Anderson & Kevin Sullivan
The Booty Man defeated WCW TV Champion Lex Luger via disqualification
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Dick Slater
The Giant defeated the Renegade
Randy Savage defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair via disqualification
WCW @ Cleveland, OH – Convocation Center – April 1, 1996 (7,000; 3,831 paid)
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Dick Slater & Col. Rob Parker
The Renegade defeated Rocco Rock
Monday Nitro – included the announcement that WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger would face the Giant, Randy Savage would face Scott Norton, and WCW World Champion Ric Flair would face the Booty Man the coming weekend on WCW Saturday Night and that the first drawing for Slamboree’s Lethal Lottery would also take place; featured a closing segment in which Bobby Heenan admitted his claim earlier in the show that he was retiring was an April Fools Joke:
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Sting via disqualification in an impromptu match at around the 3-minute mark when WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger ran out and helped Sting hold the Giant off after Giant was knocked to the floor; the match started just before the show went live and it was announced that Hart had paid off Harlem Heat to step aside from their scheduled match against Sting & the Giant, subbing for Luger, in a tag team title match; after the contest, footage was shown of Hart giving the Heat an enveope as they made their way out to the ring before the show went live
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated the Road Warriors and the Nasty Boys (sub. for the Public Enemy) at around the 15-minute mark when Scott pinned an interfering Johnny Grunge, who slid in the ring dressed as Brian Knobbs after Rocco Rock laid out Knobbs on the floor
Hulk Hogan & the Booty Man (w/ Kimberly) defeated Kevin Sullivan & Arn Anderson (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) at 7:43 when Hogan pinned Sullivan after hitting him with Woman’s high heel, stolen by Kimberly; during the bout, Bobby Heenan announced he was retiring from professional wrestling and this would be his final appearance on Monday Nitro; after the contest, the Booty Man saved Kimberly from Elizabeth and Woman on the floor; moments later, Kimberly kissed the Booty Man on the lips for his help; as Hogan and Kimberly went backstage, Booty Man was attacked from behind and briefly double teamed until Hogan ran back out to make the save; Gene Okerlund then conducted an in-ring interview with Hogan, Booty, & Kimberly in which Booty said Hogan should be his partner the following week because he had something up his sleeve
WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) pinned WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger with a roll up and putting both feet on the top rope for leverage at 10:57 after Woman took a cup of coffee from a ringside fan and threw it in Luger’s face as Luger had Flair in the Torture Rack and Elizabeth distracted referee Nick Patrick; during Flair’s ring entrance, he stopped by to see Debra McMichael, who sat ringside for the show; during the match, it was announced Nitro would be preempted the following week but would return April 15; after the bout, WCW Tag Team Champion Sting came out to check on Luger
WCW @ Birmingham, AL – Boutwell Coliseum – April 10, 1996 (2,800)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
WCW World Champion Ric Flair & Chris Benoit defeated Pat Tanaka & Steve Doll
Billy Cannon (Kidman) defeated Mike Gainer
4/13/96:
WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) & the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
Eddie Guerrero defeated Mr. JL
Chris Benoit (w/ Arn Anderson) defeated Dave Sullivan
The Belfast Bruiser defeated Lord Steven Regal via disqualification
Col. Rob Parker defeated Madusa via disqualification
Brad Armstrong defeated Dean Malenko
Arn Anderson & Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Larry Santo & Rick Fargo
Sting defeated Chris Kanyon
The Nasty Boys, Rick & Scott Steiner fought the Road Warriors & Public Enemy to a no contest
WCW @ Roanoke, VA – Civic Center – April 13, 1996 (4,500)
Bobby Eaton defeated Bobby Walker
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
The Giant defeated Jim Duggan
Rick & Scott Steiner fought the Road Warriors to a double disqualification
Randy Savage defeated Chris Benoit
Sting defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair via disqualification
WCW @ Charleston, WV – Civic Center – April 15, 1996
Monday Nitro:
Hulk Hogan defeated Arn Anderson & Kevin Sullivan in a handicap match
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a streetfight
Randy Savage defeated Bobby Eaton
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair & the Giant via disqualification; all three titles were at stake in the match
WCW @ Anderson, SC – April 17, 1996
TV taping:
Randy Savage defeated the Shark
Public Enemy fought the Nasty Boys to a no contest
Bobby Eaton defeated Steve Doll
Lord Steven Regal fought Fit Finlay to a double disqualification
The Giant defeated Dick Slater
Chris Benoit defeated Alex Wright
The Booty Man defeated an unknown
Meng defeated Steve Armstrong
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Harlem Heat
WCW @ Little Rock, AR – Barton Coliseum – April 20, 1996 (6,000)
Disco Inferno defeated Alex Wright
Terry Taylor (sub. for Eddie Guerrero) defeated Lord Steven Regal
The Giant defeated Jim Duggan
Rick & Scott Steiner fought the Road Warriors to a double count-out
Randy Savage defeated Chris Benoit
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Harlem Heat
The Main Event – 4/21/96 – hosted by Lee Marshall & Dusty Rhodes:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Maxx Muscle & the Gambler at 2:32 when Rick pinned Muscle with the bulldog off the top double team
WCW @ Jackson, TN – April 21, 1996 (4,718)
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
The Giant defeated Jim Duggan
The Road Warriors fought Rick & Scott Steiner to a no contest
Sting defeated Chris Benoit
Randy Savage defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair via disqualification
WCW @ Albany, GA – Civic Center – April 22, 1996
Monday Nitro taping:
4/22/96 – featured Gene Okerlund, flanked by two women – Emily and Cherry, announcing Hugh Morrus & Meng vs. the Barbarian & Bobby Walker, Stevie Ray & Big Bubba vs. Scott Norton & Ice Train, WCW World Champion Ric Flair & Randy Savage vs. Arn Anderson & Eddie Guerrero, Alex Wright & Disco Inferno vs. Dick Slater & Bobby Eaton, Lord Steven Regal & the Belfast Bruiser vs. V.K. Wallstreeet & Jim Duggan in Battlebowl matches to take place at Slamboree; included Okerlund interviewing WCW official Rob Garner, with Randy Savage then appearing and Garner telling Savage his recent actions were unacceptable; Savage replied he would do what he wanted when he wanted and he would be Flair’s tag team partner from hell at Slamboree; Garner then suggested Savage seek professional help, with Savage eventually walking off after threatening to slap Garner; featured the announcement Lord Steven Regal would face the Belfast Bruiser, Chris Benoit would face Alex Wright, and WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger would face Harlem Heat on WCW Saturday Night:
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Public Enemy via disqualification at 7:23 when both Johnny Grunge & Rocco Rock threw Bagwell over the top; prior to the bout, Eric Bischoff gave away the results of that night’s WWF Monday Night Raw by saying the “RuPaul impersonator” Goldust beat Savio Vega to regain the IC title, Mankind beat Aldo Montoya, and Vader beat Fatu; during the match, Bischoff said Bagwell would soon be staring in a movie before wishing Brian Pillman a speedy recovery after his recent car wreck; it was announced the following week’s show would have a special 7 p.m. start time due to the NBA playoffs; after the contest, Rock and Grunge put Riggs through a table on the floor
Chris Benoit pinned Eddie Guerrero at around 7:30 by blocking a sunset flip out of the corner and grabbing the middle rope for leverage
Jim Duggan pinned Meng at 6:00 after hitting him with a taped fist; during the match, Bischoff again ran down the results of that night’s Monday Night Raw
WCW Tag Team Champions – Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) & the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification at 7:25 when Flair threw hot coffee – handed to him by Woman – in the Giant’s face when Sting moved out of the way; all three championships were at stake in the match; during his entrance, Flair stopped by Debra McMichael, sitting ringside, and kissed her hand; moments later, Randy Savage ran from the back towards Flair until security handcuffed Savage and dragged him backstage; during the match, Bischoff said the Giant had been invited to try out for the Detroit Lions and Sting would face the Giant at Slamboree; after the bout, Flair begged forgiveness before rolling out of the ring; moments later, Okerlund interviewed the Giant and Hart in the ring, with the Giant challenging Flair to a title match the following week; Flair, from the commentary table, said the Giant would apologize to Flair the next week or he would kick his big ass, with the Giant then chasing Flair backstage
4/29/96 – began at 7 p.m. due to the NBA playoffs; featured Gene Okerlund conducting an interview with WCW World Champion Ric Flair, with Elizabeth & Woman, about his title defense later in the show against the Giant in which Elizabeth and Woman said Flair was more of a man than the Giant:
WCW Tag Team Champions – Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Harlem Heat at around 10:45 when Sting pinned Booker T with a roll up after the challengers became distracted by Jimmy Hart, who came ringside late in the contest and tried to throw a white towel into the ring to cost Harlem Heat the match
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Scott Norton & Ice Train at 3:25 when Rick pinned Train with a clothesline
Lord Steven Regal pinned the Belfast Bruiser at 6:13 in a parking lot brawl following a piledriver onto the hood of a car; the match was contested in a blocked-off area of the parking lot with several hundred fans watching (The Very Best of Nitro)
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned WCW World Champion Ric Flair (w/ Elizabeth and Woman) to win the title at 5:49 with the chokeslam after putting a choke on Flair as the challenger was caught in the figure-4; prior to the bout, Flair confronted Debra McMichael who sat ringside for the show; Randy Savage’s name plate was still shown on the title belt, with the commentary team saying Flair kept it there as a message to Savage; after the match, Okerlund interviewed the new champion, with Hart, in the ring as Flair was helped backstage, with the Giant saying the belt belonged to him since Halloween Havoc and challenged Hulk Hogan, Sting, and Savage to face him for the title; as the show went off the air, it was announced the previously scheduled match between Sting and the Giant at Slamboree would now be a title match (The Rise and Fall of WCW, The Big Show: A Giant’s World)
NJPW @ Tokyo, Japan – Sumo Hall – April 25, 1996 (11,500)
Tokimitsu Ishizawa defeated Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Yuji Nagata defeated Akitoshi Saito
Kengo Kimura, Kuniaki Kobayashi, & Michiyoshi Ohara defeated Osamu Kido, Takayuki Iizuka, & Tadao Yasuda
Black Tiger, El Samurai, & Gran Hamada defeated Shinjiro Ohtani, Koji Kanemoto, & Dean Malenko at 16:26 when Samurai pinned Ohtani
Kazuo Yamazaki defeated Hiro Saito
Riki Choshu & Kensuke Sasaki defeated Satoshi Kojima & Osamu Nishimura at 6:23 when Sasaki forced Kojima to submit
Shiro Koshinaka pinned Hiroyoshi Tenzan at 5:29
IWGP Tag Team Champions Shinya Hashimoto & Super Strong Machine defeated Yoji Anjoh & Yoshihiro Takayama at 12:13 when Hashimoto forced Takayama to submit
Keiji Mutoh & Jushin Liger defeated Nobuhiko Takada & Naoki Sano at 15:46 when Liger pinned Sano
WCW @ Jacksonville, FL – Coliseum – April 27, 1996 (3,200)
The Booty Man pinned VK Wallstreet with a rolling reverse cradle at the 10-minute mark
Dick Slater fought the Shark to a double count-out
Madusa pinned Col. Robert Parker at 4:45 by reversing a bodyslam into an inside cradle
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a streetfight at the 13-minute mark when Jerry Saggs pinned Johnny Grunge after Rocco Rock accidentally came off the top hitting his partner
WCW US Champion Konnan pinned Eddie Guerrero at 23:30 by reversing a body scissors into a powerslam
WCW World Champion the Giant pinned Jim Duggan at the 8-minute mark with the chokeslam
Sting defeated Ric Flair via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock at the 17-minute mark
WCW @ Lakeland, FL – April 28, 1996 (1,900)
The Booty Man defeated VK Wallstreet
Dick Slater fought the Shark to a no contest
Madusa defeated Col. Rob Parker
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Eddie Guerrero
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Jim Duggan
Sting defeated Ric Flair
NJPW @ Tokyo, Japan – Tokyo Dome – April 29, 1996 (55,000)
Yuji Nagata & Tokimitsu Ishizawa defeated Shinjiro Ohtani & Koji Kanemoto at 11:20 when Nagata pinned Kanemoto
Riki Choshu, Takashi Iizuka, Osamu Nishimura, & Satoshi Kojima defeated Shiro Koshinaka, Kuniaki Kobayashi, Tatsutoshi Goto, & Akira Nogami at 11:04 when Choshu pinned Nogami
The Great Sasauke pinned IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Jushin Liger to win the title at 19:27
Randy Savage pinned Hiroshi Tenzan at 9:49
Masahiro Chono defeated Lex Luger via submission at 14:37
The Road Warriors & Kensuke Sasaki defeated Scott Norton, Rick & Scott Steiner at 15:17 when Road Warrior Animal pinned Rick with a powerslam off the top
The Great Muta pinned Ginsei Shinzaki at 19:44
Genichiro Tenryu pinned Tatsumi Fujinami at 9:16
Shinya Hashimoto defeated IWGP Champion Nobuhiko Takada via submission at 12:33 to win the title
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Universal Studios – May 2, 1996
Worldwide taping:
Chris Benoit fought Eddie Guerrero to a double count-out
Jushin Liger defeated Steve Armstrong
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Chris Kanyon & Mark Starr
Chip Minton defeated Pat Tanaka
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated VK Wallstreet
The Booty Man defeated the Gambler
Joe Gomez defeated an unknown
Bobby Walker defeated an unknown
Steve Collins defeated Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker
Hugh Morrus defeated an unknown
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated an unknown
5/18/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Brad Armstrong pinned Jushin Liger with a reversal into the side Russian legsweep at 4:02
Dean Malenko defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Shinjiro Ohtani (w/ Sonny Onoo) to win the title at 4:48 via submission with the Texas Cloverleaf after catching Ohtani in mid-air as he attempted a dropkick off the top; Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes provided commentary for the bout; during the match, it was noted Ohtani defeated Brad Armstrong in the tournament final for the championship when in fact it was Chris Benoit
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Jim Duggan
Prime – 5/27/96 – featured Chris Cruise & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included the WCW World Champion the Giant vs. Jim Duggan match from the 5/18/96 Worldwide:
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs at 3:21 when Sting pinned Bagwell with an Oklahoma side roll after Luger kicked Bagwell as he had Sting covered with a fisherman suplex
6/1/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Masahiro Chono & Kensuke Sasaki (w/ Sonny Onoo) fought the Nasty Boys to a double count-out at 5:23 when all four men began brawling on the floor
Public Enemy defeated Arn Anderson & Kevin Sullivan via disqualification
6/8/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Kensuke Sasaki defeated Cobra
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated Hugh Morrus via disqualification
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Fit Finlay
Public Enemy defeated Meng & the Barbarian and Harlem Heat at 7:48 when Rocco Rock pinned the Barbarian with a crossbody off the top, and Stevie Ray clipping Barbarian from behind after he caught Rock in mid-air
WCW @ Daytona Beach, FL – Ocean Center – May 6, 1996
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Public Enemy
Harlem Heat fought the Nasty Boys to a double disqualification
Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit
Monday Nitro – aired live at 7 p.m. due to the NBA schedule on TNT; featured a graphic noting the recent death of Ray Stevens and that donations could be made in his memory to the Cauliflower Alley Club; included Gene Okerlund conducting an interview with Ric Flair, Elizabeth, & Woman in which Flair commented on them spending Randy Savage’s money, that he would get revenge on WCW World Champion the Giant when the time was right, and noted Steve McMichael’s wife was in the audience; moments later, Flair sent a glass of champagne to Debra McMichael, a few feet away, with Debra then pouring it out onto the floor; featured a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier:
Hugh Morrus defeated Randy Savage via disqualification at around the 5-minute mark after Savage used his ring jacket to hang Morrus over the top rope; moments later, Savage hit the flying elbowsmash on Morrus; the referee then shoved Savage and raised Morrus’s hand in victory, with Savage then slapping the referee and throwing Morrus to the floor; referee Nick Patrick then ran out, with Patrick trying to prevent Savage from a further assault but Savage hit the flying elbowsmash on the initial referee anyway; several more referees then arrived ringside flanked by half a dozen armed law enforcement officers; the referee was then tended to in the ring while Savage was escorted backstage
Dean Malenko pinned Jushin Liger (w/ Sonny Onoo) at around the 8:50 mark with a double underhook into a sit-down powerbomb; prior to the bout, it was noted Shinjiro Ohtani was the new WCW Cruiserweight Champion, would debut on WCW TV with the title during the weekend of May 18, and would defend the belt as part of Slamboree; during the bout, it was announced Randy Savage had been ejected from the building by police; moments later, Ric Flair, wearing a tuxedo, Elizabeth, & Woman appeared and took their seat at the Horsemen’s VIP table near the entrance stage (The Very Best of Nitro Vol. 2)
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting pinned Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) at 6:13 when Sting reversed a butterfly suplex into a backdrop and bridge; Regal had tape above his eye and around his right thigh following the parking lot brawl shown the previous week against Fit Finlay; during the bout, it was noted WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger still had not arrived to the arena for his match against WCW World Champion the Giant and that Finlay, who Regal was to team with at Slamboree, was out injured and would be replaced by Dave Taylor
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Jim Duggan (sub. for WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger, who had not arrived to the arena) at 3:16 with the chokeslam as Duggan attempted to tape his fist; after the bout, Giant hit the move a second time; after the bout, Cobra, David Sierra, and Alex Wright attempted to make the save but all sustained chokeslams; Ric Flair then came out and smashed a chair over the champion but the Giant was unaffected by it; moments later, Sting ran out, attacked Giant’s leg, and eventually knocked him to the mat with a double axe handle off the top; after Flair left ringside, Sting put Giant in the Scorpion Deathlock only for Hart to hit Sting with the megaphone; Luger then ran out with his bag and cleared the ring; moments later, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Sting & Luger, with Sting questioning where Luger was since all the chaos was his doing for not being in the building for his match; Luger then asked Sting if he had ever missed a flight in all his years of wrestling, with the show then coming to a close
Dark match after the taping: The Booty Man defeated Disco Inferno
WCW @ Johnson City, TN – Freedom Hall – May 11, 1996 (6,000; 4,400 paid)
Alex Wright pinned Disco Inferno with a backslide
The Booty Man pinned Arn Anderson with a running kneelift
Chris Benoit pinned Eddie Guerrero with a German suplex into a bridge
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a streetfight when Brian Knobbs pinned Johnny Grunge
WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger pinned Jim Duggan by grabbing the tights for leverage
Randy Savage pinned Ric Flair with a roll up; Flair initially won the match via pinfall after hitting Savage with a foreign object but the referee caught the weapon and ordered the match to continue
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Sting via disqualification when WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger attacked the Giant
TripleMania IV – Chicago, IL – International Amphitheater – May 11, 1996 (2,676)
Karis la Momia, Arunyo, & Killer defeated Blue Demon Jr., Torero, & Mascara Sagrada Jr. in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match at the 14-minute mark; Torero pinned Momia and Sagrada pinned Arunyo at the 6-minute mark; Momia forced Sagrada to submit and Killer forced Torero to submit at the 10-minute mark; Killer pinned Demon
Jerry Estrada & Juventud Guerrera defeated Pantera & Super Calo in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match at the 20-minute mark; Calo pinned Guerrera; Guerrera pinned Calo at the 14-minute mark; Guerrera pinned Pantera
Picudo, Cibernetico, & El Mosco defeated Octagon, the Ultimo Dragon, & La Parka in a Best 2 out of 3 falls match at the 23-minute mark; fall #1: Octagon, Dragon, & Parka won; fall #2: Octagon submitted and Mosco pinned Dragon; fall #3: Picudo pinned Dragon and Cibernetico pinned Octagon
WCW US Champion Konnan & Perro Aguayo defeated Pierroth Jr. & Cien Caras at the 17-minute mark in a lumberjack match when Aguayo pinned Caras and Konnan pinned Pierroth
WCW @ Knoxville, TN – May 12, 1996 (2,800)
Alex Wright pinned Disco Inferno
The Booty Man pinned Arn Anderson
Eddie Guerrero pinned Chris Benoit
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Jim Duggan
Randy Savage pinned Ric Flair; Flair originally won the match but the bout continued after the referee found him with a foreign object
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Sting via disqualification
WCW @ Nashville, TN – Municipal Auditorium – May 13, 1996 (5,700; 2,942 paid)
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
Jushin Liger defeated Billy Kidman
Eddie Guerrero defeated Lord Steven Regal
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy
Monday Nitro:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Public Enemy
Chris Benoit defeated Dave Taylor
Ric Flair defeated VK Wallstreet
WCW World Champion the Giant fought WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger to a double count-out
WCW @ Montgomery, AL – May 15, 1996 (2,085; 1,300 paid)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
5/18/96 – featured a video package on WCW World Champion the Giant to hype his title defense the following night against Sting as part of Slamboree; included a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier:
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Meng
Jushin Liger (w/ Sonny Onoo) pinned Steve Doll with a splash off the top at 2:04
Chris Benoit & Kevin Sullivan defeated Mike Hayner & Rick Fargo
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Billy Kidman
The Barbarian defeated Jim Duggan via disqualification
5/25/96:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
The Booty Man defeated the Gambler
Harlem Heat defeated Men at Work
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Lord Steven Regal
WCW @ Lake Charles, LA – May 18, 1996 (4,000)
The Booty Man defeated Kevin Sullivan
Dick Slater defeated Lord Steven Regal via count-out
Randy Savage defeated Arn Anderson
Sting defeated Ric Flair
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Eddie Guerrero
Public Enemy defeated the Nasty Boys in a streetfight
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Jim Duggan
Slamboree 96 – Baton Rouge, LA – Riverside Centroplex – May 19, 1996 (7,791; 6,308 paid)
The Main Event – featured Eric Bischoff & Dusty Rhodes on commentary:
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Shark (w/ Jimmy Hart) & Maxx at 2:38 when Riggs pinned Shark after, as Shark had Riggs up for a powerslam, Maxx accidentally dropped his partner with a clothesline, with Riggs folling on top for the win; after the bout, WCW World Champion the Giant appeared as Shark attacked his partner and grabbed at Hart; moments later, the Giant dropped Shark with the chokeslam
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, & Bobby Heenan on commentary; included Gene Okerlund, with three girls from Hooters, deciding which team would receive a bye in the second round – Scott Norton & Ice Train – and the first second round match, Dick Slater & Bobby Eaton vs. VK Wallstreet & Jim Duggan; featured Okerlund drawing the second round matches of Public Enemy vs. Randy Savage & Ric Flair and Diamond Dallas Page & the Barbarian vs. the Booty Man & Rick Steiner; included Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Flair, Arn Anderson, Woman, & Elizabeth, with Flair saying Savage had been arrested; moments later, Flair cut a promo on Steve McMichael and alleged that McMichael’s wife had a crush on Flair; McMichael then appeared, with Flair challenging McMichael to find a partner and face himself & Anderson; McMichael then brought out Kevin Greene, with Flair backing off and saying he said McMichael could pick any retired player; Flair, Anderson, Woman, & Elizabeth then went toward the exit as Okerlund conducted an interview with McMichael & Greene, during which McMichael said they would face Flair & Anderson any time, anywhere; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with WCW World Champion the Giant & Jimmy Hart regarding Giant’s title defense with Sting and potentially facing Diamond Dallas Page at the Great American Bash:
Lethal Lottery Round 1: Road Warrior Animal & Booker T fought Road Warrior Hawk & WCW TV & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger to a double count-out at 6:52 when the Road Warriors began brawling with Luger and Booker on the floor, with Luger then leaving ringside (Road Warrior Hawk’s last appearance) (Road Warrior Animal’s last appearance for nearly 5 years)
Lethal Lottery Round 1: Public Enemy defeated Chris Benoit & Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 4:44 when Rocco Rock pinned Benoit following a double team modified somersault splash from the apron through a table on the floor, with Johnny Grunge holding Benoit’s foot down during the cover; during the closing moments, Sullivan appeared to have held Benoit down on the table and then had Hart help him backstage after he complained of a knee injury
Lethal Lottery Round 1: Rick Steiner & the Booty Man (w/ Kimberly) defeated Scott Steiner & Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) at 8:22 when Rick pinned Pittman with a German suplex into a bridge after Booty made the blind tag while caught in the Code Red
Lethal Lottery Round 1: VK Wallstreet & Jim Duggan defeated Lord Steven Regal & Dave Taylor at 3:48 when Duggan pinned Taylor after hitting him with a taped fist; prior to the bout, Regal & Taylor were escorted ringside by Jeeves
Lethal Lottery Round 1: Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker) & Bobby Eaton defeated Alex Wright & Disco Inferno at 2:58 when Slater pinned Disco after hitting him in the back of the head with his cowboy boot behind the referee’s back as Disco danced; prior to the bout, Eaton was escorted to the ring by Jeeves
Lethal Lottery Round 1: Diamond Dallas Page & the Barbarian defeated Meng & Hugh Morrus at 5:17 when Barbarian pinned Morrus with a boot to the face; Meng pinned Page at the same time following a boot to the face but Page’s foot was outside the ring during the cover, with referee Randy Anderson giving the win to Page & Barbarian as a result
Lethal Lottery Round 1: Scott Norton & Ice Train defeated Big Bubba & Stevie Ray at 3:34 when Norton pinned Bubba following a double clothesline after Bubba collided with Stevie Ray on the apron
Lethal Lottery Round 1: Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) & Randy Savage defeated Arn Anderson & Eddie Guerrero at 4:07 when Flair pinned Guerrero after Anderson dropped his partner with the DDT and then threw Savage into the ringpost outside the ring; during the ring entrances, Flair’s music played first but he didn’t appear; Savage then appeared, with Flair only coming out after Anderson jumped Savage from behind; it wasn’t until the match began that Woman & Elizabeth came out to be in Flair’s corner; after the contest, Flair and Anderson held Savage for Elizabeth to slap him, with Anderson then dropping him with a DDT on the floor; Flair then repeatedly stomped Savage before the Horsemen left ringside
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Brad Armstrong at 8:28 with a firemans carry into a gutbuster off the top; during the bout, Pedro Morales & Miguel Alonzo were shown providing Spanish commentary for WCW’s first Spanish broadcast pay-per-view
Lethal Lottery Round 2: Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker) & Bobby Eaton defeated VK Wallstreet & Jim Duggan at 4:09 when Eaton pinned Wallstreet with a roll up after Duggan punched his partner in the face, moments after Wallstreet twice punched Duggan; after the bout, Duggan cleared Wallstreet from the ring
Lethal Lottery Round 2: Public Enemy defeated Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) & Randy Savage via forfeit; during the ring entrances, Savage’s music played but he didn’t appear; moments later, Flair, Woman, & Elizabeth came out, with Elizabeth throwing Savage’s money out to the crowd until Savage jumped Flair from behind; security then swarmed the aisle and, along with Sgt. Craig Pittman, Marcus Alexander Bagwell, Eddie Guerrero, and Scotty Riggs, held Savage back while Flair left ringside; Public Enemy were then awarded the match
Lethal Lottery Round 2: Diamond Dallas Page & the Barbarian defeated the Booty Man (w/ Kimberly) & Rick Steiner at 5:07 when Barbarian pinned Booty after Page hit an elbow drop to the back of the head behind the referee’s back as Booty had Barbarian covered with a roll up
WCW US Champion Konnan pinned Jushin Liger (w/ Sonny Onoo) with the Splash Mountain at 9:31; Mike Tenay joined the commentary team for the match, subbing for Dusty Rhodes
Diamond Dallas Page won an 8-man battle royal by last eliminating the Barbarian at 9:39; stipulations stated the winner would become the Lord of the Ring and earn a WCW World Title match at the Great American Bash; Page’s feet touched the floor at the 1:30 mark but referee Nick Patrick didn’t see it; other participants included: Johnny Grunge, Rocco Rock, Scott Norton, Ice Train, Bobby Eaton, and Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker); order of elimination: Rock by Barbarian via a backdrop (3:45); Eaton by Slater when Slater accidentally hit Eaton with his boot when Norton moved out of the way (4:03); after the elimination, Eaton punched Parker on the floor when Parker began yelling at him; Slater by ? (4:14) (not shown on camera); after the elimination, Slater and Eaton fought on the floor; Norton by Page (4:34); Page pinned Grunge with the Diamond Cutter (5:39); Page pinned Train with the Diamond Cutter (5:46); Page pinned Barbarian with the Diamond Cutter after avoiding the headbutt off the top; the pinfall stipulation was not mentioned by the commentary team until Page began pinning opponents
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned WCW Tag Team Champion Sting (w/ WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger) at 10:42 with the chokeslam after Sting was struck in the head with Hart’s megaphone as Luger and Hart, who were handcuffed together for the duration of the match, began fighting over the weapon while on the ring apron (The Big Show: A Giant’s World)
WCW @ Monroe, LA – Civic Center – May 20, 1996 (4,000; 3,029 paid)
Monday Nitro – 90-minute episode; Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan provided sole commentary for the first hour, without Steve McMichael; included footage from the previous night at Slamboree of McMichael introducing Kevin Greene as his tag team partner to face Ric Flair & Arn Anderson; moments later, Bischoff said the match would take place at the Great American Bash in Baltimore; it was noted Randy Savage had been banned from the building; featured Gene Okerlund conducting an interview outside the arena with Savage, blocked from entering by police, in which Okerlund said WCW officials were meeting regarding Savage’s future; moments later, Savage attempted to push his way into the building but he was held off by security; included a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; featured an ad promoting the WCW Power Plant:
Rick & Scott Steiner fought Scott Norton & Ice Train to a double count-out at 5:27 when all four men began brawling on the floor
Ric Flair (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) pinned Eddie Guerrero at 19:43 with the figure-4 as Flair held onto Woman from the floor for leverage; after the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview with Flair, Elizabeth, & Woman at their VIP table about Randy Savage and the challenge of Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene; after the commercial break, Flair joined the commentary team with food and champagne from his table; Flair then provided guest commentary for the remainder of the show (The Very Best of Nitro)
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Meng & the Barbarian at 10:52 when Luger pinned Barbarian after Sting hit a splash off the top; after the match, Eric Bischoff announced Randy Savage was at the building
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Brad Armstrong at 7:47 with the Diamond Cutter; during the bout, it was noted the show would expand to 2 hours beginning the following week; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with DDP regarding his Battlebowl win at Slamboree; Page then cut a promo on WCW World Champion the Giant, who he would challenge at the Great American Bash; moments later, Okerlund cut him off, saying WCW officials reviewed footage of how he won the match and have decided that his win would stand but he would not get a title match at the Bash; Okerlund then said WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger would challenge the Giant instead
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Arn Anderson (w/ Kevin Sullivan) at 3:38 with the chokeslam; prior to the bout, Sullivan told Hart at ringside that he was only there to make sure Anderson got a fair shot; after the bout, as the show ended, Bobby Heenan walked off with items left at the broadcast area from Flair’s VIP table
Worldwide – 5/25/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger via disqualification at 5:26 when Luger threw Scott over the top rope, moments after Sting sustained the Frankensteiner and bulldog off the top double team and was covered by Rick
WCW @ Macon, GA – Coliseum – May 27, 1996 (4,309; 1,811 paid)
Monday Nitro – the first 2-hour episode; featured Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyzsko on commentary for the 1st hour; included a vignette of Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene in training for their match against Ric Flair & Arn Anderson at the Great American Bash; featured a video package highlighting Randy Savage’s explosive behavior over the past few months following the announcement he had been suspended indefinately from appearing on WCW events; included Gene Okerlund interviewing the Shark backstage in which he said he had been thrown out of the Dungeon of Doom but would get his revenge by taking the Giant’s WCW World Title and going after Jimmy Hart; featured a Hulk Hogan video package showing Hogan’s appearanced with George Foreman, Shaq, Dennis Rodman, Kevin Greene, and Sugar Ray Leonard as well as appearing on “Baywatch;” included Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan on commentary for the 2nd hour in which Bischoff said he wasn’t going to dignify the “interruption” earlier in the show (Scott Hall’s debut) by discussing it; featured a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier:
Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs at 12:59 when Flair pinned Bagwell after Bagwell sustained a gouged eye from Woman and DDT from Anderson; after the bout, Gene Okerlund interviewed the winners at their VIP lounge in the aisle regarding the challenge of Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene at the Great American Bash, with Anderson saying he didn’t respect anyone that had to wear pads and Flair alleged Debra McMichael was his
The Mauler (w/ Col. Rob Parker) fought Steve Doll to a no contest at around the 5-minute mark when Scott Hall appeared in the crowd, jumped the rail, grabbed a mic and cut an in-ring promo on “Billionaire Ted,” “the Nacho Man,” and “Scheme Gene” before saying he had a challenge for “that Ken Doll lookalike” (Eric Bischoff) and then said “You want to go to war? You want a war? You’re gonna get one;” moments later, Hall left ringside (the Mauler’s debut)
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) at 3:01 with the Diamond Cutter as Pittman checked on Long after DDP grabbed his manager
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned the Shark with the chokeslam at 4:01 after the challenger went after Hart on the ring apron; after the bout, Big Bubba came out, cut the Shark’s hair, and shaved half his head as he was knocked out
WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated Maxx at 5:45 via submission with the Torture Rack; during the bout, it was announced Chris Benoit would face Kevin Sullivan at the Great American Bash in a falls count anywhere match; after the bout, Okerlund interviewed Luger in the ring about his title shot against the Giant at the Bash and showed footage from 2 weeks earlier of the Giant hitting a chokeslam on Luger through a table set up at ringside, with Luger saying he wanted every big man WCW had as a warmup to facing the Giant
Bobby Walker pinned Brad Armstrong at 4:26 with a shoulderblock off the top; after the bout, the two men shook hands
Lord Steven Regal (w/ Geeves) pinned Alex Wright at 10:18 with a roll over and bridge after blocking a monkey flip out of the corner; after the bout, Okerlund interviewed Regal in the ring, with Regal saying his dad would be proud he just beat “Junior Adolf,” said WCW’s world champion had escaped from the circus, and warned people from other organizations of declaring war when Regal is in the company; he then issued a challenge to Sting in hopes of getting some attention within WCW
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting fought Scott Steiner to a double disqualification at 10:16 when Rick Steiner and WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger, who came ringside at the 7-minute mark, began fighting on the floor leading all four men to start an in-ring brawl; after the bout, Marcus Alexander Bagwell, Scotty Riggs, Sgt. Craig Pittman, Steve Doll, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Bobby Walker, Chip Minton, the Barbarian, and Alex Wright came out to pull the men apart; moments later, Scott Hall confronted Bischoff at the commentary table, made a challenge for 3 of WCW’s best, said he wasn’t coming alone, and if WCW wanted a war they would get one but it would be in the ring – not on the microphone or in the newspapers and dirtsheets (Sting: Into the Light)
WCW @ Dalton, GA – May 29, 1996 (1,300)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
John Tenta fought Big Bubba to a double count-out
6/1/96:
WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated Dick Slater
The Booty Man defeated Mark Kyle
Ric Flair & Arn Anderson defeated Scott & Steve Armstrong
Kevin Sullivan defeated Alex Davis
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Pat Tanaka & Kurasawa
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Alex Wright
Prince Iaukea defeated the Gambler (Iaukea’s debut)
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Cobra
Scott Norton & Ice Train defeated Bobby Eaton & David Taylor
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Johnny Grunge
The Main Event – 6/2/96 – featured the contract signing for the WCW Tag Team Champion Sting vs. Lord Steven Regal match at the Great American Bash, after which Regal slapped Sting across the face:
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated the Barbarian
Kevin Sullivan defeated Rick Fargo
World Wrestling Peace Festival – Los Angeles, CA – Sports Arena – June 1, 1996 (5,964)
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated KGB via submission at 6:11
Jim Neidhart pinned Bobby Bradley Jr. at 5:00
Lady Apache & Akira Hokuto defeated Neftali & Bull Nakano at 8:24 when Hokuto pinned Neftali
Chris Benoit pinned Alex Wright at 9:54 by blocking an attempted roll up out of the corner and grabbing the middle rope for leverage
Rey Mysterio Jr. & the Ultimo Dragon defeated Psychosis & Heavy Metal at 11:44 when Dragon pinned Metal with an Asai moonsault and dragon suplex; Psychosis & Metal used Guns ‘n’ Roses “Sweet Child of Mine” as their theme music; after the bout, both teams hugged and raised each others’ hands
Lex Luger defeated Masa Saito at 5:53
Negro Casas pinned El Hijo del Santo at 5:54 with an Oklahoma side roll after Santo missed a top rope move
Atlantis, Dos Caras, & Hector Garza defeated Silver King, Dr. Wagner Jr., & Gran Markus Jr. at 10:35 when Caras pinned Markus
Tatsumi Fujinami pinned Black Cat at 5:15
Perro Aguayo & La Parka defeated Pierroth Jr. & Cibernetico at 9:35 when Aguayo pinned Pierroth
WCW US Champion & Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan defeated Chris Jericho and Bam Bam Bigelow in a non-title elimination match at 7:42; Jericho pinned Bigelow at 4:56 by lifting his shoulder out of a back suplex into a bridge; Konnan pinned Jericho with a crucifix powerbomb; Konnan used Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” as his theme music for the bout; after the bout, Konnan raised Jericho’s hand out of respect
Jushin Liger pinned the Great Sasuke at 12:46 with a fisherman buster and Liger Bomb; after the bout, the Ultimo Dragon appeared and helped Sasuke from the ring
WCW World Champion the Giant pinned WCW Tag Team Champion Sting at 5:12 with the chokeslam as the challenger attempted a fifth consecutive Stinger Splash
Antonio Inoki & NWA World Champion Dan Severn defeated Oleg Taktarov & Yoshiaki Fujiwara at 9:15 when Severn pinned Fujiwara as he had an armbar applied, moments after dropping Fujiwara with an overhead armbar slam; after the match, all four men shook hands; moments later, as the other wrestlers on the show filed into the ring, Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Bill Apter presented Inoki with PWI’s Lifetime Achievement Award before Inoki addressed the audience
WCW @ Asheville, NC – Civic Center – June 3, 1996 (4,500; 3,518 paid)
Madusa pinned Bull Nakano with a German suplex
Madusa defeated Akira Hokuto via disqualification when Bull Nakano interfered
Monday Nitro – featured Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger regarding their title defense later in the show against Rick & Scott Steiner and their respective matches at the Great American Bash; moments later, the Steiners interrupted with Luger and Scott briefly getting into a shoving match; included a video package recapping the Chris Benoit vs. Kevin Sullivan feud dating back to April; featured a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; included a music video tribute to Hulk Hogan set to his theme music; featured the announcement that a new pay-per-view, Hog Wild, would be held in Sturgis, SD in August and that Hogan would be part of the show; included a video package highlighting the training of Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene, narrated by Lee Marshal, before their match with Ric Flair & Arn Anderson at the Great American Bash; during the segment, after McMichael spotted Greene eating a Slim Jim, they decided to ask Randy Savage if he would coach them for their match; featured a closing segment in which Bobby Heenan offered Randy Savage his Madden trophy in exchange for not going through with the match at the Bash; moments later, Scott Hall interrupted and confronted Eric Bischoff at the commentary table; WCW Tag Team Champion Sting then appeared and questioned why Hall was wanting three of WCW’s best when he came out alone; Hall then said Sting would get a fight if he wanted one but it would be on his terms; Hall then threw his toothpick at Sting, with Sting then slapping him in return; after police arrived at the table, Hall said he would have a “big” surprise the following week:
John Tenta defeated Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) via count-out at 1:10 when Bubba left the ring after Tenta grabbed Bubba’s own pair of scissors; prior to the bout, footage was shown of Bubba cutting Shark’s hair the previous week; before the match, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle with the Shark, who said he wasn’t shaving the other half of his hair off as a reminder of what Bubba did to him; Shark then said he wasn’t a fish or an Avalanche but was John Tenta and that he would shave the head of WCW World Champion the Giant; during the match, Tony Schiavone made mention of an ad in USA Today for the show that had both Johnny B. Badd and Vader in the ad; Schiavone then said they wouldn’t be appearing during the show and were no longer playing with the big boys
Meng & the Barbarian defeated High Voltage at 3:24 when Meng pinned Rukkus with a kick to the face following a double diving headbutt (High Voltage’s TV debut)
Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) defeated Disco Inferno via submission at 1:50 when Disco gave up as Pittman attempted to apply the Code Red; after the match, Disco motioned to the camera that he gave up so that he could still dance
Lord Steven Regal pinned Jim Duggan at 4:27 with a roll up after Duggan knocked an interfering Bobby Eaton out with a taped fist, moments after an interfering Dave Taylor stole away Duggan’s 2×4; prior to the match, Regal was escorted to the ring by Jeeves; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Regal in which Regal commented on his upcoming match with WCW Tag Team Champion Sting at the Great American Bash
Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Prince Iaukea at 1:22 with the double stomp; after the bout, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Sullivan & Hart regarding Sullivan’s upcoming match with Chris Benoit at the Great American Bash, during which Sullivan said there were two wars going on in WCW – one the legal department would handle and the other was against Hulkamania; Sullivan then addressed Arn Anderson and reminded him that he warned him about Brian Pillman, as footage from his match with Pillman at SuperBrawl VI was shown, and said Benoit was a serpent
Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) defeated Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson at 18:59 when Flair pinned Gibson after Woman raked Gibson’s eye behind the referee’s back and Anderson dropped Gibson with the DDT; on their way to the ring, Flair wore a Kevin Greene jersey while Anderson wore a Steve McMichael jersey; during the contest, Eric Bischoff made mention of the coming weekend’s Ilio DiPaolo tribute in Buffalo, with proceeds going to the Ilio DiPaolo Scholarship Fund; later in the match, Bischoff said that Randy Savage would be part of the show but would not wrestle on TV or on pay-per-view until further notice; moments later, Bobby Heenan left the broadcast table, walked to ringside, and whispered something to Elizabeth & Woman before taking a seat at the Horsemen’s VIP section; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an interview with the winners at the VIP section, during which Heenan said he promised himself he would never manage again but then opened a Halliburton to show his 1988 trophy won by coaching John Madden’s team; Heenan then said he would coach Flair & Anderson at the Great American Bash (Morton & Gibson’s return after a 3-year absence)
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Ice Train at the 29-second mark with the chokeslam after Train became distracted by Hart on the floor; prior to the bout, it was announced Train & Scott Norton would face Rick & Scott Steiner at the Great American Bash, with the added stipulation that there must be a winner; after the contest, Norton came out to check on Train and called out the Giant for attacking him as he did; moments later, the Giant hit two chokeslams on Norton; moments later, referees and preliminary wrestlers tended to Norton and Train; Okerlund then conducted an interview in the aisle with the Giant in which he questioned why highlight packages of Hulk Hogan were being shown and then cut a promo on facing WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger at the Great American Bash
Scott Norton pinned Hugh Morrus at 1:50 after throwing Morrus off as he attempted the moonsault and then hitting two forearms to the face; Norton had yet to get to his feet following the Giant’s chokeslam and was still being attended to by the trainer when Morrus came out to start the match
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger fought Rick & Scott Steiner to a no contest at around the 11-minute mark when WCW World Champion the Giant, with Jimmy Hart, interfered, hit a chokeslam on Rick on the floor, caused Scott to fall over the top, and then brawled with Luger; during the match, Randy Savage called into the commentary team to accept Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene’s offer to be their coach at the Great American Bash; after the contest, Scott, Sting, & Luger triple teamed the Giant with Luger knocking the Giant over the top to the floor
WCW @ Rome, GA – June 5, 1996 (2,400; 1,800 paid)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
The Mauler defeated Steve Doll
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated Rob Rockus
Scott Norton & Ice Train defeated the Gambler & Rick Fargo
6/8/96:
Rick & Scott Steiner fought Scott Norton & Ice Train to a double count-out
Lord Steven Regal defeated Billy Kidman
Kevin Sullivan defeated Terry Quick
Arn Anderson defeated Steve Armstrong
WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated David Taylor
John Tenta defeated Larry Keen
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Kurasawa
The Nasty Boys defeated Mark Starr & Mike Winner
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Hugh Morrus via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock
The Main Event – 6/9/96: Kevin Sullivan defeated Might Yankee
The Main Event – 6/9/96: El Gato (Pat Tanaka) defeated Kurasawa
WCW @ Buffalo, NY – Memorial Auditorium – June 7, 1996 (14,852; 14,082 paid
The last card at the venue – Ilio DiPaolo tribute and fundraiser for the Ilio DiPaolo Scholarship Fund
Pee Wee Jones pinned Farmer Pete at 7:54
Gino Brito defeated the Missing Link via disqualification at 6:12 when Link shoved the referee
Tony Parisi & Dominic DeNucci defeated Bruiser Bedlam & Cowboy Johnson at 12:46 when Parisi pinned Johnson
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Alex Wright at 9:17 with a low blow and the Diamond Cutter
WCW US Champion Konnan pinned Big Bubba with a dropkick at 6:37
VK Wallstreet pinned Joe Gomez at 7:14
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a streetfight at 9:10 when Brian Knobbs pinned Johnny Grunge
WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger pinned Jim Duggan at 5:15
Randy Savage (w/ Angelo Poffo) pinned Ric Flair (w/ the Destroyer) at 12:05 with a roll up
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Sting via disqualification at 7:09 when Lex Luger interfered
WCW @ Youngstown, OH – Beeghly Center – June 8, 1996 (2,620)
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Alex Wright
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Big Bubba
VK Wallstreet defeated Joe Gomez
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a streetfight
WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated Jim Duggan
Randy Savage defeated Ric Flair
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Sting via disqualification when Lex Luger interfered
WCW @ Johnstown, PA – Cambria County War Memorial Arena – June 9, 1996 (1,844)
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Alex Wright
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Big Bubba
VK Wallstreet defeated Joe Gomez
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a streetfight
WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated Jim Duggan
Randy Savage defeated Ric Flair
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated WCW Tag Team Champion Sting via disqualification when WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger interfered
WCW @ Wheeling, WV – Civic Center – June 10, 1996 (3,500)
Monday Nitro – included footage from the previous week’s altercation between Scott Hall and WCW Tag Team Champion Sting in which Sting slapped Hall, with Hall then promising to have a big surprise the following week; featured a video package recapping the feud between Chris Benoit and Kevin Sullivan hyping their upcoming falls count anywhere match at the Great American Bash, during which footage was shown of Sullivan beating up Brian Pillman and it was said Sullivan kicked Pillman out of WCW after showing he wasn’t worthy of being a Horsemen; included a vignette on WCW US Champion Konnan; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Konnan regarding his upcoming title defense against El Gato during the Great American Bash; included a backstage segment with Okerlund, Debra, and Bobby Heenan in which Heenan agreed to let Debra speak with Flair; he led her into the locker room, with Heenan shoving the door behind them and Debra running out screaming and crying moments later; the Rengade & Joe Gomez came to Debra’s aid only to be attacked and laid out by Flair & Anderson, their scheduled opponents later in the show, in the hallway before security could force them away (Gomez’s debut); included a video package hyping the Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko match at the Great American Bash, with recent footage of Malenko in action spliced with clips of Mysterio competing in other companies; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Big Bubba & Jimmy Hart regarding Bubba recently cutting the hair of John Tenta and Bubba facing Tenta at the Bash; included a clip from WMAQ-TV of the Nasty Boys speaking with Dennis Rodman and presenting him with a Nasty Boy jersey as an unofficial member of their group; featured a clip of Kevin Greene appearing on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ to discuss his upcoming tag team match at the Bash; included a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; featured a vignette on Hulk Hogan; included a video package recapping how Heenan and Randy Savage became coaches for Flair & Anderson and McMichael & Greene, respectively, for the Bash; featured a closing segment where Heenan cut a promo on Savage and the upcoming match at the Bash; Heenan eventually ran from the commentary area after seeing Hall; Hall confronted Eric Bischoff, with Bischoff asking where Hall’s surprise was; Kevin Nash then appeared behind Bischoff, with Nash taking the mic, saying they weren’t there to play, and no one wanted to face them; Nash made fun of the age of the WCW wrestlers before repeatedly asking who’s going to face he and Hall; Bischoff eventually told them to show up at the Great American Bash and he would see about getting them their match; Nash shoved Bischoff before he and Hall played to the crowd (Nash’s surprise return after a 3-year absence):
Scott Steiner pinned Booker T with an overhead belly to belly suplex at 5:54 after avoiding a splash off the top; following the commercial break, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview with Scott in the aisle regarding he and Rick Steiner facing Scott Norton & Ice Train Sunday at the Great American Bash; moments later, Debra McMichael interrupted and was concerned that Steve McMichael might hurt someone permanently in his upcoming match against Ric Flair & Arn Anderson; Debra then asked Okerlund if it was possible to meet with Flair & Anderson later that night to possibly call off the match before anyone was hurt, then noting there was no telling what Randy Savage might do either
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Jim Powers at 4:05 with the Diamond Cutter (Powers’ debut)
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Meng via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock at 3:10 after crotching Meng on the top rope, causing him to fall off
Jim Duggan pinned Dave Taylor at 2:26 after hitting him with a taped fist; during the bout, it was noted the Renegade & Joe Gomez were too injured to compete as a result of the backstage attack at the hands of Ric Flair & Arn Anderson; moments later, it was noted WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger had agreed to face Flair & Anderson in the place of Renegade & Gomez, with the titles at stake
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Scott Norton at 1:43 after dropping Norton with a chokeslam on the floor; prior to the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview with Norton in the aisle regarding the two chokeslams he sustained from the Giant the previous week, with Norton saying he took the Giant’s best and wasn’t scared; after the bout, WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger ran out to make the save but was beaten down as well; moments later, the Giant attempted to put Luger through a ringside table with a chokeslam only for Luger to kick the Giant in the groin, further assault him, and walk away; Kevin Sullivan, Big Bubba, and Hugh Morrus then came out to tend to the champion, with the Giant then going backstage to find Luger; Luger then went to the commentary position, took a mic from Eric Bischoff, and said he was ready to take on the Giant at the Great American Bash
Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves) defeated Billy Kidman via submission at the 57-second mark with a modified Stump Puller; immediately after the bout, WCW Tag Team Champion Sting ran out to the ring, knocked Regal to the mat with a slap, and left ringside
Public Enemy defeated the Nasty Boys via disqualification at 11:30 when Jerry Saggs & Brian Knobbs began using Rocco Rock’s garbage can as a weapon against their opponents; during the bout, Eric Bischoff noted Johnny Grunge was wrestling with a broken hand suffered the previous night
WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger (sub. for Joe Gomez & the Renegade) fought Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) to a no contest at 18:34 when WCW World Champion the Giant, alongside Jimmy Hart, stepped in the ring; during the bout, Bischoff said there would be information the following week for where to send in photos of fans’ Nitro parties; after the bout, Scott Steiner ran in and repeatedly hit the Giant with a wooden chair, with Sting, Luger, and Scott triple teaming the Giant until Hart ordered him to leave the ring; moments later, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle with the Giant, with Giant telling Luger he was a dead man and would leave the ring on a stretcher
WCW @ Anderson, SC – Civic Center – June 12, 1996 (1,200)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
The Main Event – 6/23/96: Scotty Riggs defeated VK Wallstreet
Bobby Walker defeated Billy Kidman
The Main Event – 6/23/96: Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated Dave Taylor
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Public Enemy
Dick Slater defeated Steve Armstrong
6/15/96:
Marcus Alexander Bagwell (w/ Scotty Riggs) pinned VK Wallstreet at 4:38 with a roll up; after the bout, Diamond Dallas Page confronted Bagwell & Riggs as they were interviewed
Jim Duggan pinned the Gambler with the running clothesline at 2:13
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Harlem Heat at 5:08 when Rick pinned Booker T with a roll up
Scott Norton & Ice Train defeated High Voltage at 2:44 when Train pinned Rage with a splash off the top
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Scotty Riggs (sub. for Steve Doll) via disqualification at 2:30 when Marcus Alexander Bagwell interfered; prior to the bout, Riggs came out, spoke with Doll, and took his spot in the match
Arn Anderson pinned Brad Armstrong at 2:46 with the spinebuster
Lord Steven Regal (w/ Jeeves, Bobby Eaton, & Dave Taylor) defeated Johnny Wild via submission with the Regal Stretch at 1:17
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Cobra, Prince Iaukea, Mark Starr, & Rex King in a handicap match after hitting the chokeslam on both Iaukea and King at the 38-second mark
John Tenta pinned Top Gun at 1:01 with the sit-down splash; during the bout, Big Bubba & Jimmy Hart appeared ringside
WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger defeated the Barbarian via submission with the Torture Rack at 5:01
WCW @ Norfolk, VA – Scope – June 14, 1996 (5,000)
Dick Slater pinned Disco Inferno with a right hand punch and roll up at 9:46
Chris Benoit (w/ Arn Anderson) pinned Rocco Rock (w/ Johnny Grunge) with a Dragon suplex
Madusa defeated Col. Rob Parker in a strap match
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Brad Armstrong with a victory roll
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Jim Duggan with the Diamond Cutter
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Randy Savage via disqualification when Savage threw the referee into the corner; after the bout, Savage dropped Luger with a double axe handle off the top
Ric Flair defeated WCW World Champion the Giant via disqualification at the 9-minute mark when Lex Luger interfered
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Universal Studios – June 1996
Pro – 6/15/96 – hosted by Chris Cruise, Dusty Rhodes, & Larry Zbyszko; featured footage from the previous week’s Monday Nitro in which Scott Hall & Kevin Nash confronted Eric Bischoff at the commentary table and Bischoff said he would have an answer to their challenge Sunday at the Great American Bash; included a Great American Bash Control Center hosted by Gene Okerlund; featured a WCW Motorsports segment with appearances by WCW TV Champion & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger, Diamond Dallas Page, and WCW Tag Team Champion Sting; included footage from Monday Nitro of WCW World Champion the Giant attacking Luger, with Sting and Scott Steiner helping make the save; featured a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier:
Eddie Guerrero pinned Jushin Liger with the frog splash at 3:42 after shoving Liger off the top
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Masahiro Chono & Kensuke Sasaki (w/ Sonny Onoo) at 4:41 when Scott pinned Sasaki with the Frankensteiner as Rick and Chono fought on the floor; during the match, it was noted the Steiners would face Harlem Heat on WCW Saturday Night, Rick would face Stevie Ray on Monday Nitro, and Scott would also be in individual action
Public Enemey defeated Scott & Steve Armstrong at 2:41 when Rocco Rock pinned Scott with the Drive By; during the bout, it was noted Joe Gomez would face Disco Inferno on Monday Nitro in Gomez’s debut and that Arn Anderson, WCW World Champion the Giant, and WCW US Champion Konnan would be in action on WCW Saturday Night
Ric Flair (w/ Elizabeth & Woman) defeated Scotty Riggs via submission with the figure-4 and holding onto Woman for leverage at 9:48 when Riggs crotched himself on the top and landed injuring his knee; prior to the match, it was announced Randy Savage’s TV suspension would end Monday and Flair would face Savage on Monday Nitro; during the bout, it was noted Konnan would face Kurasawa on WCW Saturday Night
– 6/15/96: Dick Murdoch passed away at the age of 49.
Great American Bash 96 – Baltimore, MD – Arena – June 16, 1996 (9,000; 7,323 paid)
The Main Event:
Rocco Rock pinned Jerry Saggs at 1:46
VK Wallstreet pinned Jim Powers at 3:07 with the Samoan Drop
Jim Duggan pinned Disco Inferno at 2:09 with the running clothesline
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included an presentation of the colors by Sgt. Craig Pittman as the National Anthem played before the opening match; the passing of Dick Murdoch was mentioned prior to the opening contest; featured Gene Okerlund interviewing Kevin Sullivan & Jimmy Hart backstage regarding the falls count anywhere match against Chris Benoit later in the night in which Sullivan said he would do to Benoit what he did to Brian Pillman; included Okerlund interviewing Sting backstage regarding his match later in the night against Lord Steven Regal; featured Okerlund interviewing WCW World Champion the Giant & Hart regarding the match against Lex Luger later in the night; included Okerlund interviewing WCW TV & Tag Team Champion Lex Luger regarding his match with the Giant later in the night; featured Okerlund interviewing Randy Savage, Steve & Debra McMichael, Kevin & Terri Greene regarding their match against Ric Flair & Arn Anderson later in the night; included Okerlund interviewing Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, Woman, Elizabeth, and Bobby Heenan regarding Benoit’s victory and the match later in the night against McMichael & Greene, with Flair closing with “There’s a lot of things the Macho Man would like to do that he can’t do anymore, right Liz?”; featured a segment at the entrance stage with Eric Bischoff in which he asked the two men who have been recently interrupting Nitro – Scott Hall & Kevin Nash – to come out; after they did, Bischoff agreed to their challenge of a match and it would be at Bash at the Beach July 7 in Daytona Beach, FL; he then asked if they worked for the WWF, with both responding they didn’t; after Bischoff said they would have to wait until the following night to find out who their three opponents would be, Hall punched Bischoff in the stomach and Nash powerbombed Bischoff off the stage through a table feet away; moments later, medics and officials tended to Bischoff and he was taken backstage on a stretcher; as Bischoff was being assisted, Schiavone left the commentary table to check on the situation:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Ice Train & Scott Norton at 10:28 when Scott pinned Norton with a botched Frankensteiner following the bulldog off the top double team
WCW US Champion Konnan pinned El Gato at 6:02 with a modified spinebuster out of the corner into a roll over
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Marcus Alexander Bagwell at 9:38 with the Diamond Cutter after blocking Bagwell’s attempt at the fisherman’s suplex
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Rey Mysterio Jr. at 17:51 by reversing a hurricanrana attempt into a powerbomb and putting both feet on the ropes for leverage; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the bout (Mysterio’s debut) (Rey Mysterio: 619, Rey Mysterio: Biggest Little Man)
John Tenta pinned Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 5:23 with a powerslam after catching Bubba as he came off the top; after the bout, Tenta cut off some of Bubba’s beard after Bubba collided with Hart in the ring
Chris Benoit pinned Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 10:02 in a falls count anywhere match following a superplex from a table laid across the top turnbuckle; after the bout, Arn Anderson came to the ring, pulled Benoit off Sullivan – appearing to be siding against his Horsemen teammate – before he and Benoit both began stomping the leader of the Dungeon of Doom; moments theraefter, Anderson and Benoit left the ring as Meng, the Barbarian, Big Bubba, and Maxx ran out to make the save (Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story)
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Lord Steven Regal via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock at 16:29 following a backdrop; prior to the bout, Regal was escorted to the ring by Geeves
Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (w/ Bobby Heenan, Elizabeth, & Woman) defeated Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene (w/ Randy Savage) at 20:51 when Flair pinned Greene after McMichael hit Greene over the head with a Halliburton full of money as Greene attempted to reverse Flair’s figure-4; prior to the bout, it was announced Savage had been re-instated as a wrestler and would return to the ring the following night on Monday Nitro against Flair; mid-way through the match, Elizabeth & Woman scared Debra McMichael & Terri Greene, who escorted their husbands ringside, backstage with Debra returning ringside during the closing moments in a dress, rather than her Carolina Panthers jacket, alongside Elizabeth & Woman and showing McMichael the Halliburton and a 4 Horsemen t-shirt; Chris Benoit came ringside during the closing moments as well to attack Savage; after the bout, Savage was assaulted and hit over the head by Flair with the Halliburton before McMichael put on the Horsemen t-shirt, officially joining the group, and both he and Debra shook hands with Heenan
WCW World Champion the Giant pinned WCW Tag Team & TV Champion Lex Luger with the chokeslam at 9:38 after Luger failed an attempt at the Torture Rack and fell face-first to the mat as the champion was on his shoulders; prior to the bout, Luger checked on the injured Eric Bischoff as he was being placed on a stretcher near the entrance stage; Jimmy Hart escorted the Giant to the ring but was chased backstage at the 2-minute mark by Sting after Hart tried to hit Luger with his megaphone (The Big Show: A Giant’s World)
NJPW @ Tokyo, Japan – Budokan Hall – June 17, 1996 (13,500)
WAR International Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Lance Storm & Yuji Yasuraoka defeated El Samurai & Norio Honoga at 13:28 when Storm pinned Honoga
NWA Jr. Heavyweight Champion Masayoshi Motegi pinned Shiryu at 11:51
WWA Light Heavyweight Champion Gran Hamada pinned Tatsuhito Takaiwa at 12:05
Shinjiro Ohtani defeated UWA Light Heavyweight Champion Kazushi Sakuraba at 8:13 via submission to win the title
CMLL Welterweight Champion Super Delfin pinned Taka Michinoku at 16:09
WAR International Jr. Heavyweight Champion the Ultimo Dragon pinned Gran Naniwa at 13:58
Jushin Liger pinned British Jr. Heavyweight Champion Dick Togo at 15:56 to win the title
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion the Great Sasuke pinned Black Tiger (Eddie Guerrero) at 16:54
WCW @ Richmond, VA – Coliseum – June 17, 1996 (5,638)
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated Jim Powers
Monday Nitro – featured still photos recapping Rick & Scott Steiner vs. Ice Train & Scott Norton, John Tenta vs. Big Bubba, and WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko vs. Rey Mysterio Jr. held the previous night at the Great American Bash; included a video package recapping Eric Bischoff interviewing Scott Hall & Kevin Nash the previous night at the Bash, with Hall & Nash admitting they don’t work for the WWF before Bischoff was attacked; the powerbomb incident was not shown; featured Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Ric Flair, Woman, Elizabeth, & Debra McMichael regarding Debra & Steve McMichael joining the Horsemen the previous night and Flair facing Randy Savage later in the show; included Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Randy Savage regarding his match later in the night against Flair; Tony Schiavone provided guest commentary for the second hour, subbing for an injured Bischoff, alongside Bobby Heenan; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with WCW World Champion the Giant, Kevin Sullivan, his face heavily bruised, & Jimmy Hart regarding the Horsemen; included a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; featured still photos of Nash sending Bischoff off the stage with a powerbomb the previous night at the Bash, Flair & Arn Anderson vs. Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene, and Chris Benoit vs. Sullivan; included a closing segment in which Okerlund, in the aisle, said the six top WCW stars, based on win-loss records, were Hulk Hogan, the Giant, Ric Flair, Lex Luger, Sting, and Randy Savage; a random drawing chose Sting, Luger, & Savage to face Hall, Nash, & their mystery partner at the Bash at the Beach:
Rick Steiner pinned Stevie Ray at 2:16 with a Steinerline after avoiding a move off the turnbuckle; after the bout, Booker T attacked and double teamed Steiner; moments later, Scott Steiner attempted to make the save but was injured as well
Joe Gomez pinned Disco Inferno at 3:34 with a crucifix as Disco made a lazy cover; during the bout, Tony Schiavone announced that Hulk Hogan called WCW the night before to ask for his name to be thrown into the hat to potentially face Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, & their mystery partner at Bash at the Beach (Gomez’ in-ring debut)
Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs at 5:48 when Benoit pinned Riggs after dropping him chest-first across the top rope, with Anderson holding Riggs’ foot during the cover; Benoit’s face was heavily bruised as a result of the previous night’s falls count anywhere match against Kevin Sullivan; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Anderson & Benoit regarding Sullivan
John Tenta pinned Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 4:42 with his feet on the ropes for leverage following two consecutive powerslams after knocking an interfering Hart to the floor; after the match, Tenta chased Hart until Bubba assaulted him with a loaded sock; moments later, Bubba poured coins out of the sock onto Tenta; Gene Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle after the match with Bubba & Hart in which Hart said he and Kevin Sullivan were making sure all those that turn their backs on the Dungean of Doom pay for it
Ric Flair (w/ Elizabeth, Woman, & Debra McMichael) pinned Randy Savage at 12:46 after Steve McMichael interfered and hit Savage over the back and over the head with his Halliburton; prior to the bout, Savage chased Bobby Heenan around the ring before Heenan joined the commentary team for the remainder of the show; moments later, Flair came out with a Kevin Greene t-shirt to gloat on his win at the Great American Bash; moments later, Flair grabbed the mic and made fun of Savage’s divorce, with Savage then taking a mic and saying he would kick Flair’s ass; late in the bout, Savage fought off an interfering Chris Benoit and Arn Anderson until he was attacked from behind by McMichael; after the match, all four Horsemen attacked Savage
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Rey Mysterio Jr. at 8:42 with a reverse DDT; prior to the bout, Gene Okerlund interviewed Mysterio in the aisle regarding his match the previous night against Malenko
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Scott Steiner with the chokeslam at around the 10-minute mark immediately after Steiner broke a wooden chair over the Giant in clear view of referee Nick Patrick; the challenger’s ribs were taped due to him being injured following the opening match
WCW @ Gainesville, GA – Georgia Mountains Center – June 19, 1996 (1,800; 900 paid)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
WCW US Champion Konnan pinned Pat Tanaka at 1:41 with a double leg rolling cradle
6/22/96 – featured promos from Lord Steven Regal and Harlem Heat regarding the arrival of Scott Hall & Kevin Nash:
Kevin Sullivan fought Pat Tanaka to a double count-out
WCW US Champion Konnan defeated VK Wallstreet
Harlem Heat defeated Scott Norton & Ice Train at 5:14 when Stevie Ray pinned Train following a dropkick to the back of the head, knocking Train into Norton on the apron, and a Harlem side kick from Booker T behind the referee’s back; prior to the match, it was announced WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger would defend against Harlem Heat, Rick & Scott Steiner two days later on WCW Monday Nitro
Madusa defeated Debbie Combs
Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit via disqualification
6/29/96 – 1-hour edition; hosted by Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes; included comments from WCW TV Champion Lex Luger who stated the only way to stop a “hostile takeover” was through violence; featured two Bash at the Beach Control Centers hosted by Gene Okerlund; included Okerlund promoting a Hotline story on who the “third man” could be during the Hostile Takeover Match at the PPV, and someone in wrestling who was complaining about not being paid well; featured comments from Randy Savage who claimed he would prove he was the Macho Man and not the Nacho Man at the PPV; included comments from WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko who claimed he would teach Disco Inferno respect at the PPV; featured Eddie Guerrero who stated he would be at Bash at the Beach to support WCW during the Hostile Takeover Match; included Schiavone interviewing Sting, Savage, & Luger, with Sting claiming they had jumped into the jungle, Luger stating their team would work together in times of war, and Savage stating they would take the invaders down:
Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Billy Kidman at 2:18 with a victory roll as Kidman was seated on the top turnbuckle
Jim Duggan pinned the Gambler at 1:58 with the running clothesline; the bell rung as the referee made the count
John Tenta pinned Bobby Eaton (w/ Jeeves) at 1:13 with an elbow drop; Tenta competed with a bandage covering his left eye
Disco Inferno pinned Johnny Boone at 1:14 with a swinging neckbreaker
Randy Savage, Sting, & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Meng, the Barbarian, & Maxx at 3:03 when Savage pinned Maxx with the flying elbowsmash; Savage, Sting & Luger wore matching face paint for the bout
7/6/96 – 1-hour edition; hosted by Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes; included Okerlund interviewing Public Enemy on facing the Nasty Boys in a Texas Tornado Dog Collar Match at Bash at the Beach; featured comments from WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko who called the two invaders nothing but thugs out to steal his thunder; included Okerlund interviewing Ric Flair, along with Elizabeth, Woman & Debra McMichael, who claimed WCW US Champion Konnan was a Spaniard wearing a US Title and Konnan would lose the title because the Horsemen wanted all the titles; featured Okerlund promoting a Hotline story on who the “third man” could be during the Hostile Takeover Match at the PPV; included a Bash at the Beach Control Center hosted by Okerlund; featured Okerlund interviewing Diamond Dallas Page, who called Jim Duggan a thief and claimed he would take him out with the Diamond Cutter at the PPV; included comments from Jimmy Hart, who warned the outside invaders not to mess with WCW; featured Okerlund conducting an interview with Sting, Randy Savage, & Lex Luger, who claimed they were totally focused and would end the Hostile Takeover at the PPV; included a vignette promoting Glacier’s arrival in July:
Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson fought Marcus Bagwell & Scotty Riggs to a no contest at 2:09 when Chris Benoit & Arn Anderson attacked Bagwell & Morton on the arena floor, with Anderson then hitting Gibson with the DDT as Benoit dropped Riggs with a powerbomb
Chris Benoit defeated Cobra at 2:22 with the Dragon Suplex
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Eddie Jackie at 2:15 with the Diamond Cutter
Randy Savage, Sting, & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated VK Wallstreet, Mike Enos, & Dick Slater (w/ Col. Rob Parker) at 3:20 when Sting pinned Slater with a crossbody off the top
Worldwide – 6/22/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated the Mauler (w/ Col. Rob Parker) at 3:22 via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock
Jim Duggan & Sgt. Craig Pittman vs. Meng & the Barbarian
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Kensuke Sasaki with the Diamond Cutter at 3:43
WCW @ Charlotte, NC – Independence Arena – June 24, 1996 (6,000; 4,238 paid)
Monday Nitro – included footage of Scott Hall & Kevin Nash attacking Eric Bischoff at the Great American Bash; featured Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Randy Savage, WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger regarding their match at Bash at the Beach against Hall, Nash, & their mystery partner; all three had their faces painted like Sting; after Savage left, Sting reviewed footage of him slapping Hall three weeks before; moments later, Rick & Scott Steiner appeared and said they would watch Sting & Luger’s backs but they still had a title shot later in the show; Harlem Heat then appeared and said they still owed Sting & Luger payback for taking the tag team titles in Las Vegas; included vignettes promoting the debut of Glacier; featured ads for the Slamboree and Great American Bash 96 home videos; included the announcement that Bobby Eaton would face John Tenta the coming weekend on WCW Saturday Night and that Rey Mysterio Jr. would be in action and that Randy Savage, WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger would compete in a 6-man tag team match; featured Tony Schiavone on guest commentary for the second hour, subbing for an injured Eric Bischoff; included Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Ric Flair, Woman, Elizabeth, and Debra McMichael in which Flair bragged about the Horsemen being under security watch backstage, preventing Randy Savage and Kevin Greene from getting to them; moments later, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, and Steve McMichael walked in to celebrate their victory and Flair cut a promo on WCW US Champion Konnan; featured Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Greene in which they reviewed footage from the Great American Bash of McMichael hitting him with the Halliburton; moments later, Greene said he would be thinking of McMichael while he was training for the NFL season, he would get some revenge after the season, and that he and the Carolina Panthers were going to surprise some people:
Public Enemy defeated Lord Steven Regal & Dave Taylor (w/ Bobby Eaton) at 5:49 when Johnny Grunge pinned Taylor after hitting him with his hand cast behind the back of referee Nick Patrick; prior to the bout, Regal & Taylor were escorted to the ring by Jeeves; during their entrance, an insert promo by the Public Enemy in which they challenged the Nasty Boys to a double dog collar match; Public Enemy brought a dog collar chain to the ring with them for the contest and played the babyfaces in the match
Kip Abee defeated Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) via disqualification at around the 2-minute mark after Sullivan assaulted Abee through the crowd and through the hallway, where security prevented him from fighting in the women’s bathroom; during the bout, it was announced Sullivan & WCW World Champion the Giant would face Chris Benoit & Arn Anderson at Bash at the Beach, with the added stipulation that if the Horsemen won then a member of the group would receive a world title shot the following night; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Sullivan & Hart regarding the upcoming tag team match, during which the fans chanted “We want Flair;” moments later, Sullivan said the fans wanted Flair to get a rematch with the Giant but it wouldn’t happen
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Bobby Walker at 4:39 with a northern lights suplex after dropkicking Walker into the Disco Inferno, who was dancing on the turnbuckle, knocking Disco to the floor; during the bout, it was announced Malenko would face Disco at Bash at the Beach; late in the match, Disco came out to celebrate his record selling one million copies and going gold and had his music played as he climbed in the ring to dance; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Malenko and Disco in which they had words
Eddie Guerrero pinned the Barbarian at 5:37 when Barbarian failed a superplex and Guerrero fell on top for the win; following the match, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Guerrero in which they reviewed footage of Guerrero losing to WCW US Champion Konnan at Uncensored; moments later, Guerrero said he wanted a rematch for the title; Guerrero, who it was mentioned had just returned from a tour of Japan, said he wished his name was on the list to face Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, & their mystery partner at Bash at the Beach
Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit (w/ Steve McMichael) defeated Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson at around the 9-minute mark when Benoit pinned Gibson after McMichael hit Gibson with the Halliburton behind the referee’s back; Morton & Gibson came out without music; Anderson & Benoit were cheered while Morton & Gibson were booed;during the match, it was announced McMichael would face Joe Gomez at Bash at the Beach; after the bout, Gomez attempted to make the save but was beaten down as well; moments later, Randy Savage and Kevin Greene ran out to clear the ring
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Alex Wright with a back elbow and the Diamond Cutter at 4:12; Page’s Lord of the Ring was on the line in the match; during the contest, it was announced Ric Flair would challenge WCW US Champion Konnan at Bash at the Beach and Jim Duggan would challenge Page in a taped fist match; after the bout, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with DDP regarding his facing Duggan, during which Page argued he was being held down by having to face Duggan in Duggan’s own match
Randy Savage (w/ Kevin Greene) pinned VK Wallstreet with the flying elbowsmash at 4:37; Savage’s face was painted like that of Sting for the match
Harlem Heat defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger and Rick & Scott Steiner to win the titles at around the 10-minute mark when Booker pinned Luger with a roll up after Luger dropped Booker from the Torture Rack after Scott Hall & Kevin Nash, armed with baseball bats, came out of the crowd, prompting Sting, Luger, the Steiners, and several armed security guards to hold them off from the ring; on their way to the ring, Harlem Heat were shown talking to someone on a cell phone; prior to the bout, it was announced Bruno Sammartino would be a guest referee when WCW makes a tour of the Northeast the coming weekend; Luger’s face was painted like Sting’s for the match (The Very Best of Nitro)
Dark match after the show: Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) pinned Randy Savage after hitting him with brass knuckles
WCW @ Hartford, CT – Civic Center – June 28, 1996 (5,707; 3,931 paid)
Chris Benoit (w/ Arn Anderson) pinned Eddie Guerrero
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Lord Steven Regal
Jim Duggan defeated VK Wallstreet
WCW US Champion Konnan (w/ Pedro Morales) defeated Kevin Sullivan
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat fought Rick & Scott Steiner to a double count-out
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a streetfight
Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit
Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage; Bruno Sammartino was the guest referee for the bout; Flair originally won the match but it was restarted when Sammartino caught Flair with a foreign object
Worldwide – 6/29/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary; included the announcement the following week would feature Arn Anderson, Harlem Heat, Dean Malenko plus the Nasty Boys vs. Sting & WCW Tag Team Champion Lex Luger; during that announcement, Harlem Heat were referred to as the “former WCW tag team champions,” despite having won back the titles days earlier on Monday Nitro Scott Norton & Ice Train defeated Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor (w/ Lord Steven Regal & Jeeves) at 4:01 when Ice Train pinned Eaton with a splash after a shoulderbreak from Norton; after the bout, Regal and Taylor blamed Eaton for the loss
Alex Wright pinned Kurasawa with a German suplex into a bridge at 4:39
Dick Slater & the Mauler (w/ Col. Rob Parker) defeated Cobra & Bill Payne at 3:32 when Mauler pinned Payne with a powerslam (the debut of Rough ‘n’ Ready)
The Booty Man (w/ Kimberly) pinned the Gambler after a series of knee lifts at 1:28
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Kensuke Sasaki with the chokeslam at 1:22
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger pinned Hugh Morrus with a powerslam at 6:41
WCW @ Philadelphia, PA – Civic Center – June 29, 1996 (5,606; 3,271 paid)
Chris Benoit defeated Eddie Guerrero
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Lord Steven Regal
Jim Duggan defeated VK Wallstreet
WCW US Champion Konnan (w/ Pedro Morales) defeated Kevin Sullivan
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat via disqualification
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Arn Anderson
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy
Randy Savage defeated Ric Flair; Bruno Sammartino was the guest referee for the bout
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Sting via disqualification when WCW TV Champion Lex Luger made the save after Sting sustained the chokeslam
WCW @ New York City, NY – Paramount Theatre – June 30, 1996 (4,500; 3,587 paid)
Chris Benoit pinned Eddie Guerrero with a roll over and grabbing the ropes for leverage
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Lord Steven Regal; after the match, Regal took the mic and told Malenko that the better man won
Jim Duggan pinned VK Wallstreet after hitting him with a taped fist
WCW US Champion Konnan (w/ Pedro Morales) pinned Kevin Sullivan with a sunset flip after Morales hit an interfering Jimmy Hart with a headbutt; after the bout, Konnan took the mic and responded to chants of ‘ECW’ with vulgarities towards the fans; minutes later, Sullivan took the mic and said Konnan did not speak for WCW management regarding their competition
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat via disqualification when one of the challengers was thrown over the top rope, moments after the Steiners hit the bulldog off the top double team
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Arn Anderson via submission with the Torture Rack
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a streetfight when Jerry Saggs pinned Johnny Grunge after Grunge fell into a table; the match was originally advertised as the Nastys vs. Public Enemy vs. the Road Warriors before the Road Warriors left WCW
Randy Savage pinned Ric Flair with a roll up and grabbing the tights for leverage; Bruno Sammartino was the guest referee for the bout; Flair initially won the match via pinfall after hitting Savage with a weapon but Sammartino spotted the weapon and had the match continue
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Sting via disqualification when WCW TV Champion Lex Luger made the save after Sting sustained the chokeslam; after the match, Sting & Luger knocked the Giant to the floor with a backdrop
WCW @ Landover, MD – USAir Arena – July 1, 1996 (7,000; 4,000 paid)
Monday Nitro – featured Diamond Dallas Page interrupting the opening of the broadcast in which he said his Lord of the Ring ring had been stolen and he wanted everyone in attendance strip searched until it was found; included footage from the previous week of Scott Hall & Kevin Nash coming through the crowd during the WCW Tag Team Title match, with police eventually filling the ring to end the broadcast; Tony Schiavone then announced there was a rumor Hall & Nash would appear later in the show; Larry Zbyzsko then said “There will be a new world order this Sunday in professional wrestling;” featured Gene Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with the Horsemen regarding their match later in the show, during which footage was shown of the Horsemen’s recent attack on Joe Gomez, the Renegade, Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson; included a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; featured the return of Eric Bischoff for the second hour, following his injury at the Great American Bash; following Bischoff’s comments at the commentary table, Hall & Nash were shown coming through the crowd with popcorn and drinks before taking ringside seats; Doug Dillinger initially tried to eject them from the building until they showed him the tickets they bought for the show:
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Rick & Scott Steiner at 10:49 when Booker T pinned Rick after Col. Rob Parker, who appeared ringside mid-way through the contest, caused Rick to crotch himself on the top rope and them hit him in the back of the head with a cane; prior to the contest, Booker T was shown talking on a cell phone while making his way to the ring; during the bout, Ric Flair, Chris Benoit, Arn Anderson, Steve McMichael, Elizabeth, Woman, and Debra McMichael were shown sitting at a table in the aisle (Parker’s debut with Harlem Heat)
Disco Inferno pinned Kurasawa at 3:46 when, after referee Randy Anderson and Kurasawa were distracted by a man dancing in the aisle while wearing an Elvis jumpsuit, Disco had his disco ball lowered and then threw it into Kurasawa’s back
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Scotty Riggs at 5:41 with the Diamond Cutter after avoiding a bodyslam; prior to the bout, DDP was shown shaking down a stagehand on his way to the ring, looking for his missing Lord of the Ring ring; Jim Duggan cut an insert promo before the bout regarding his upcoming taped fist match with DDP at Bash at the Beach; after the match, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle with DDP regarding his match with Duggan and Page’s missing ring
Randy Savage pinned Greg Valentine with the flying elbowsmash at 5:19; Valentine used the Hollywood Blondes’ theme song; Savage came to the ring wearing Sting’s face paint and swated at items at the Horsemen’s vacant table in the aisle before the bout (Valentine’s return after a 4-year absence)
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned John Tenta at 6:38 with the chokeslam after attacking him from behind as Tenta went after an interfering Kevin Sullivan; after the bout, Big Bubba, who appeared ringside during the final moments of the match, shaved half of Tenta’s beard; moments later, Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle with Hart, Giant, Sullivan, & Bubba regarding Bubba’s upcoming match at Bash at the Beach against Tenta in a silver dollars on a pole match and Giant & Sullivan facing Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit in a No DQ match
Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Steve McMichael defeated the Renegade, Joe Gomez, Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson at 11:51
Dark match after the show: Randy Savage defeated Ric Flair; Bruno Sammartino was the guest referee for the bout
Bash at the Beach 96 – Daytona Beach, FL – Ocean Center – July 7, 1996 (8,300; 6,400 paid)
Jim Powers pinned Hugh Morrus
The Main Event – featured Tony Schiavone on guest commentary, subbing for a missing Eric Bischoff, alongside Dusty Rhodes:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Col. Rob Parker) via disqualification at 5:01 when Sister Sherri interfered
Bobby Walker pinned Billy Kidman at 2:00
Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated Scott Norton & Ice Train at 2:08 when Morton pinned Norton
Eddie Guerrero pinned Lord Steven Regal at 3:39 with a roll up after Regal thought he had won the match
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with WCW US Champion Konnan regarding his title defense later in the night against Ric Flair; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Sting, Randy Savage, & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger regarding their match later in the night against Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, & their mystery partner; included Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with WCW World Champion the Giant & Kevin Sullivan, along with Jimmy Hart, regarding their upcoming match against Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit; featured Lee Marshal conducting an interview in the aisle with Anderson & Benoit regarding Hall & Nash and their upcoming match; included Okerlund backstage surrounded by security outside the Outsiders’ dressing room; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Ric Flair, Woman, & Elizabeth regarding Flair’s upcoming US title match against Konnan, during which Flair said he would have both the US and WCW World titles by the end of the following night’s Monday Nitro; included a backstage segment with Okerlund outside the Outsiders’ dressing room, with Okerlund saying he’s heard both men on the other side of the door and the sound of a third man who sounded familiar; featured a video package highlighting the Outsiders’ appearances since Memorial Day:
Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Psychosis at 15:18 by reversing a Splash Mountain off the top into a hurricanrana; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the match (Rey Mysterio: 619)
John Tenta pinned Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 9:01 in a silver dollars on a pole match after stealing the silver dollars from Hart and hitting Bubba with it
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Jim Duggan at 5:39 in a taped fist match at 5:40 with the Diamond Cutter after causing Duggan to crotch himself on the middle rope; Page’s Lord of the Ring was on the line in the match; after the contest, Duggan used a taped fist to knock Page out
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a double dog collar match at 11:26 when Jerry Saggs pinned Rocco Rock after using the chain as a clothesline and then hitting Rock with the chain; after the contest, the two teams continued to fight with Rock putting Saggs through a table at ringside and following with an elbow drop from the apron to the floor
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Disco Inferno via submission with the Texas Cloverleaf at 12:03 following a double underhook into a powerbomb
Steve McMichael (w/ Debra McMichael) pinned Joe Gomez at 6:45 with one hand after hitting the tombstone
Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) pinned WCW US Champion Konnan to win the title at 15:34 with his feet on the ropes for leverage after Woman hit the champion with her high heel shoe as Elizabeth distracted referee Nick Patrick from the apron
WCW World Champion the Giant & Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit at 8:01 when Giant pinned Anderson with the chokeslam; stipulations stated the Horsemen would receive a world title shot the following night on Monday Nitro if they won; early in the bout, Steve McMichael attacked the Giant from behind with the Halliburton until Giant chased him backstage; late in the match, Benoit and Sullivan battled their way to the commentary position; after the contest, Benoit and Sullivan continued to fight until Woman came out to try to get Benoit to stop; moments later, the Giant and Hart returned to the ring, with Benoit, Anderson, and Woman then leaving ringside; the Giant then carried Sullivan backstage
Sting, WCW TV Champion Lex Luger, & Randy Savage fought Kevin Nash & Scott Hall to a no contest at around the 17-minute mark when Hulk Hogan appeared, scared Hall & Nash from the ring, and then hit the legdrop on Savage three times, signaling his allignment with them; Luger was taken backstage on a stretcher at the 3-minute mark after his neck was laid across the top turnbuckle and he accidentally sustained a Stinger Splash; prior to the match, Gene Okerlund came out and interviewed Hall & Nash about their mystery third partner, with both men only saying that the third man was in the building; after the bout, a fan attempted to get in the ring but was kicked out by Hall & Nash, with security then attending to the man; moments later, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Hogan, alongside Hall & Nash, during which fans littered the ring with trash; during the segment, Hogan coined the name New World Order to describe the trio of he, Hall, and Nash and said the trash thrown in the ring represents the fans that disrespected him (nWo: Back in Black, WCW Fan Favorites)
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios outdoor venue – July 8, 1996 (600; all freebies)
Monday Nitro – featured still photos from the previous night’s matches of Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Psychosis and WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko vs. Disco Inferno at Bash at the Beach; included Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with the Nasty Boys and Rick & Scott Steiner regarding their upcoming match, with the winners getting a WCW Tag Team Title match at Hog Wild; featured vignettes promoting the debut of Glacier; included the announcement that WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat would face Public Enemy on WCW Saturday Night and that Randy Savage would be in action as well as the Horsemen in a 6-man tag team match and the Dungean of Doom in an 8-man tag team match; included Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Jimmy Hart, Kevin Sullivan, and WCW World Champion the Giant regarding Hulk Hogan joining Scott Hall & Kevin Nash the previous night at Bash at the Beach, during which Sullivan said Hogan destroyed Hulkamania himself; during the segment, still photos were shown of Giant & Sullivan’s match the previous night against Chris Benoit & Arn Anderson; featured still photos of Lex Luger being taken backstage on a stretcher the previous night at Bash at the Beach; included Okerlund conducting an interview near their limo with Kevin Nash & Scott Hall regarding Hogan joining them the night before; featured a closing segment with still photos from the main event of Bash at the Beach detailing Hogan turning on WCW:
Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko to win the title at around the 12:30 mark by reversing a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker into a hurricanrana and cover (Rey Mysterio: 619, Rey Mysterio: Biggest Little Man)
Lord Steven Regal & Dave Taylor (w/ Bobby Eaton) defeated Big Bubba & Hugh Morrus (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 3:11 when Taylor pinned Morrus following a double back suplex after John Tenta appeared and began brawling at ringside with Bubba; prior to the bout, Regal, Taylor, & Eaton were escorted to the ring by Jeeves; Bubba & Morrus were cheered by chants of “USA” during the match; early in the contest, still photos were shown of Bubba’s match at Bash at the Beach against Tenta
Eddie Guerrero pinned Psychosis with a superplex and the frog splash at 8:34; during the contest, WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. cut a backstage promo on his reaction to Hulk Hogan joining Scott Hall & Kevin Nash the previous night; it was mentioned during the match that Hulk Hogan would appear the following week and that Psychosis would challenge Mysterio on WCW Saturday Night
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated the Nasty Boys at 6:09 when Scott pinned Jerry Saggs after Col. Rob Parker accidentally hit Saggs behind the referee’s back as Sister Sherri distracted the referee from the apron; pre-match stipulations stated the winners would earn a tag team title shot at Hog Wild; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with the Nasty Boys in which they said they didn’t condone what Hulk Hogan did but at the same time couldn’t blame him for it because the New World Order does what they want when they want to do it, just like the Nastys
WCW US Champion Ric Flair (w/ Woman, Elizabeth, & Debra McMichael) defeated Jim Powers via submission with the figure-4 at 5:40 as Flair held onto Woman outside the ring for added leverage; before the match, Eric Bischoff mentioned he was at a last-minute meeting which is why he couldn’t call The Main Event the previous night as scheduled; following the ring entrances, still photos were shown from Flair’s US title win the previous night over Konnan; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle with Arn Anderson, Steve McMichael, Flair, Woman, Elizabeth, & Debra McMichael, during which the men commented on Hogan joining the New World Order
Chris Benoit defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) (sub. for an injured Lex Luger) at 2:43 when Long threw in the towel as Pittman was caught in the Crippler Crossface; Benoit’s face was bruised as a result of his match the previous night at Bash at the Beach
Sting defeated Arn Anderson via submission with the Scorpion Deathlock at 12:18 after holding onto the ropes to block the DDT; mid-way through the bout, a black limo was shown arriving near the ringside area with Scott Hall & Kevin Nash coming out of the limo moments later and approaching the ring; security eventually blocked their path, with Randy Savage then coming out and, alongside Sting and Anderson, daring Hall & Nash to enter the ring; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Sting and Savage, with Sting saying Hulk Hogan dashed the hopes and dreams of all the kids that looked up to him and told Hogan to stick it; moments later, Savage said it was scary what he had on his mind to do to Hogan
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – July 9, 1996 (600; all freebies)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
7/13/96:
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Psychosis at 5:10 following a hurricanrana off the top; during the bout, Dean Malenko cut an insert promo in which he issued a challenge to Mysterio for a rematch since he gave Mysterio three shots at the title when he held it; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview with Mysterio in which Mysterio said Malenko could have his rematch
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Billy Kidman
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated High Voltage
Randy Savage defeated Maxx
Kevin Sullivan, High Morrus, Meng, & the Barbarian defeated Prince Iaukea, Butch Long, the Gambler, & Chad Brock
Greg Valentine defeated Bill Payne
Konnan defeated Top Gun
WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, & Chris Benoit defeated Alex Wright, the Cobra, & Mark Starr
Dick Slater & Mike Enos defeated Todd Morton & Joe Gomez
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Public Enemy
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – July 10, 1996 (450; all freebies)
WCW Worldwide taping:
Dick Slater & Mike Enos defeated Mike Wenner & Mark Starr
The Gambler defeated Chad Brock
The Leprechaun defeated Joe Gomez
The Leprechaun defeated Chad Brock
Jim Duggan defeated Buddy Valentine
John Tenta defeated the Cuban Assassin
Prince Iaukea defeated Manny Fernandez
7/28/96:
Scott Norton defeated Todd Morton
Alex Wright defeated Buddy Valentine
Billy Kidman defeated Psychosis
Lord Steven Regal & David Taylor defeated Steve & Scott Armstrong
Chris Benoit defeated Eddie Guerrero
8/4/96:
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated the Gambler
Scott Norton defeated Manny Fernandez
Dean Malenko defeated Billy Kidman
Konnan defeated Kurasawa
Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit defeated Jim Powers & Joe Gomez
8/11/96:
Eddie Guerrero & Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated High Voltage
Kevin Sullivan defeated Chad Brock
Ice Train defeated Maxx
Big Bubba defeated Chip Minton
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Dick Slater & Mike Enos
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney – July 13, 1996
Attraction matches
Public Enemy defeated Prince Iaukea & the Gambler
Eddie Guerrero defeated Billy Kidman
Chris Benoit defeated Alex Wright
Big Bubba defeated Joe Gomez
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Hugh Morrus & Maxx
Ice Train defeated the Cobra
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney – July 14, 1996
Attraction matches
Lord Steven Regal & David Taylor defeated Chad Brock & Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Disco Inferno
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated High Voltage
Eddie Guerrero defeated Bobby Eaton
Dick Slater & Mike Enos defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
Scott Norton defeated Bobby Walker
TripleMania IV – Madero, Mexico – July 15, 1996 (12,000)
Cardenal & King Boy defeated Novato I & Acertijo
R-15 & Munrak defeated Lover Boy & Dragon Boy
Mascarita Sagrada Jr., Super Munequito, & Mini Frisbee defeated La Parkita, Espectritos 1 & 2
La Parka, Winners, Super Calo, & Mexicano defeated Jerry Estrada, Fishman, Villano IV, & My Flowers in an elimination match
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Misterio Jr. pinned Juventud Guerrera
Perro Aguayo, Villanos III & IV defeated Octagon, Psicosis, & Cibernetico via disqualification
Pierroth Jr. defeated Konnan in a dog collar match
Los Payasos & Karis la Momia defeated Mascara Sagrada Jr., Blue Demon Jr., Tinieblas Jr., & Halcon Dorado Jr. in a loser unmasks steel cage match; Dorado had to unmask
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios outdoor venue – July 15, 1996 (450; all freebies)
Monday Nitro – it was noted during the show that Sting, WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Randy Savage, and WCW World Champion the Giant were not at the arena and some were competing overseas in Japan; featured footage of Hulk Hogan joining Scott Hall & Kevin Nash at Bash at the Beach against Team WCW; included Gene Okerlund conducting an interview with Kevin Sullivan, Jimmy Hart, & Big Bubba regarding Hogan turning on WCW; as they talked, Scott Norton & Ice Train, who just lost the opening match, walked past and argued amongst themselves; moments later, Meng & the Barbarian appeared as Hart cut a promo on putting out the Four Horsemen, Bubba said he would hurt WCW TV Champion Lex Luger later in the show, and Sullivan said he would get revenge on Chris Benoit; featured vignettes promoting the debut of Glacier; included Okerlund conducting an interview with Norton & Train in which Norton said Train was costing the team wins, with Teddy Long then interrupting and saying they were a great team and didn’t want to see them break up; Norton replied by shoving Long to the ground; featured Okerlund conducting an interview with Kevin Green regarding the recent actions of Hogan, during which Green said he didn’t want to wait until after training camp to go after Steve McMichael; included a vignette on WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr.; featured Okerlund conducting an interview with Green in which he said he had to catch a plane back to training camp and wanted McMichael but would now have to wait until after the NFL season; included Hall & Nash appearing at the stage to cover up the WCW letters with “NWO” as the crowd chanted “Diesel;” featured Okerlund conducting an interview with Steve & Debra McMichael, with Steve holding his dog and saying Green was a coward for leaving the arena as soon as he got there; Debra then talked about Steve’s numerous NFL records and said Green had none:
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Scott Norton & Ice Train at 10:43 when Rick pinned Train following a belly to back suplex after Train accidentally hit a splash on Norton; mid-way through the bout, Teddy Long appeared ringside
Dean Malenko defeated Billy Kidman via submission with the Texas Cloverleaf at 5:15 following a double underhook into a powerbomb; during Malenko’s entrance, Jimmy Hart appeared and was shown speaking with Malenko until Malenko sent him backstage; it was noted before the match that Malenko would face Chris Benoit at Hog Wild
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) defeated Dick Slater & Mike Enos at 7:40 when Booker T pinned Slater with a roll up and grabbing the tights for leverage after Sherri kissed Slater behind the referee’s back; Col. Rob Parker walked with both teams during their entrance
Madusa pinned Malia Hosaka at 4:07 with a German suplex into a bridge; during the bout, it was noted Madusa would face Bull Nakano at Hog Wild with the winner getting to destroy the other’s motorcycle
Meng (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Arn Anderson at 10:58 with a kick to the face after the Barbarian, who appeared ringside mid-way through the bout, hit a clothesline from behind on the apron behind the referee’s back; during the bout, there was a brief chant of “Hogan;” Scott Hall & Kevin Nash were shown watching the match from the stage
Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit via count-out at 9:38 after Dean Malenko ran out and rammed Benoit’s head into the ringpost as the referee tended to Guerrero on the floor; prior to the bout, it was noted Guerrero would challenge WCW US Champion Ric Flair at Hog Wild; during the match, Hall & Nash were shown to no longer be at the top of the stage, where they covered up the WCW letters earlier in the show
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger fought Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) to a no contest at 11:30 when Kevin Nash & Scott Hall interfered and double teamed Luger as Hulk Hogan came in the ring; prior to the bout, it was shown that the “NWO” letters which Hall & Nash used to cover the WCW letters on the stage had been removed; during the match, a limo was shown near ringside, with Hall & Nash standing beside it; after the bout, Nash dropped Luger with the powerbomb; after Luger was knocked to the floor, Hogan helped Bubba to his feet and shook his hand, with Hall & Nash then jumping Bubba and throwing him to the floor as well; moments later, Gene Okerlund entered the ring as the crowd chanted “Diesel,” with Hogan then saying he wish he would have done this two years earlier, he was bigger than wrestling, and that the nWo would rule wrestling; Hogan then said he led all the kids on the right path but they booed him anyway, that he remembered when Sting was a skinny kid in Venice Beach, and that Randy Savage blamed his divorce on Hogan; he then said he made wrestling as the ring became filled with trash; Hogan continued by saying he wasn’t going to waste time with Sting or Savage because he wanted WCW World Champion the Giant at Hog Wild and would take the title; he finished by challenging anyone from the back to come out to face them, with Rick & Scott Steiner, Meng & Barbarian, and Arn Anderson the surrounding the ring as the show ended
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – July 16, 1996 (600; all freebies)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
7/20/96:
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
Dean Malenko defeated Mark Starr
Eddie Guerrero defeated Mike Enos
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Ice Train & Scott Norton
Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Bobby Eaton
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Bobby Walker & Jim Powers
Lord Steven Regal defeated Disco Inferno
Chris Benoit defeated Big Bubba
NJPW @ Sapporo, Japan – Nakajima Sports Center – July 16, 1996
Jushin Liger, Norio Honaga, & El Samurai vs. Shinjiro Ohtani, Tokimitsu Ishizawa, & Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Ric Flair defeated Randy Savage via submission with the figure-4 at 10:28, moments after avoiding Savage’s flying elbowsmash; Flair used his 1991 WCW theme for the match
Sting & the Great Muta defeated the Road Warriors at 7:15 when Muta pinned Road Warrior Hawk with a roll up moments after avoiding the Doomsday Device Riki Choshu & IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto vs. Tatsumi Fujinami & Shiro Koshinaka
WCW World Champion the Giant vs. Kensuke Sasaki
Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Kazuo Yamazaki & Takashi Iizuka
NJPW @ Sapporo, Japan – Nakajima Sports Center – July 17, 1996
Kazuo Yamazaki & Tatsutoshi Goto vs. Takayuki Iizuka & Michiyoshi Ohara at 13:22
Randy Savage pinned Jushin Liger with a clothesline and the flying elbowsmash at 8:12; prior to the bout, the two men shook hands; after the match, Savage helped Liger to his feet and the two men hugged
WCW World Champion the Giant vs. Sting at 5:46
The Road Warriors & Kensuke Sasaki vs. Riki Choshu, the Great Muta, & Satoshi Kojima at 7:33
Tatsumi Fujinami, Shiro Koshinaka, & Akira Nogami vs. Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, & Hiro Saito at 10:59
Ric Flair vs. IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto at 12:54
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney – July 18, 1996
Attraction matches
Brad Armstrong defeated Kurasawa
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated the Gambler
Bobby Walker defeated Chad Brock
Disco Inferno defeated Bobby Eaton
Dick Slater & Mike Enos defeated Joe Gomez & Mark Starr
VK Wallstreet defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
WCW @ Rock Hill, SC – Winthrop Coliseum – July 19, 1996 (1,303)
Big Bubba defeated the Cobra
Eddie Guerrero defeated Arn Anderson
Chris Benoit defeated Dean Malenko via count-out
Eddie Guerrero (sub. for Ricky Morton) & Robert Gibson defeated Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Alex Wright
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Public Enemy, Meng & the Barbarian, and Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs in an elimination match
WCW @ Columbia, SC – Township Auditorium – July 20, 1996 (2,459)
Big Bubba defeated the Cobra
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Alex Wright
Eddie Guerrero (sub. for Ricky Morton) & Robert Gibson defeated Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
Eddie Guerrero defeated Arn Anderson
Chris Benoit defeated Dean Malenko
The Nasty Boys defeated Rick & Scott Steiner and Public Enemy
WCW @ Greenville, SC – Memorial Auditorium – July 21, 1996 (4,546)
Final show at the arena
Big Bubba defeated the Cobra (sub. for John Tenta)
Eddie Guerrero defeated Arn Anderson
Chris Benoit fought Dean Malenko to a 15-minute time-limit draw
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
Eddie Guerrero (sub. for Ricky Morton) & Robert Gibson defeated Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Alex Wright
Public Enemy defeated the Nasty Boys and Rick & Scott Steiner
Randy Savage pinned WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – July 22, 1996 (450; all freebies)
Monday Nitro:
David Taylor defeated Scott Norton via disqualification
Konnan defeated VK Wallstreet
Jim Powers, Joe Gomez, Renegade, & Alex Wright defeated Kevin Sullivan, the Leprechaun, Hugh Morrus, & the Barbarian via disqualification when WCW World Champion the Giant interfered, with the Giant then accepting Hulk Hogan’s challenge from last week for Hog Wild; most of the match was not shown on TV after Kevin Nash & Scott Hall invaded the control room and forced the production crew to move the cameras off the ring
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Prince Iaukea
Dean Malenko defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Meng defeated Ice Train via disqualification when Scott Norton interfered
Eddie Guerrero defeated Psychosis
Sting, Randy Savage, & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated Chris Benoit, Arn Anderson, & Steve McMichael at 6:41
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – July 23, 1996 (600; all freebies)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
7/27/96 – featured footage from outside the Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, OH after the 7/24/96 show in which Scott Hall & Kevin Nash attacked Sting in the parking lot after WCW TV Champion Lex Luger was called away for a phone call:
Dean Malenko defeated Dave Taylor
WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Steve McMichael defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell, Scotty Riggs, Chavo Guerrero Jr., & Jim Powers
Sting & Randy Savage defeated the Nasty Boys at 3:38 when Savage pinned Brian Knobbs with the flying elbowsmash after Sting hit Knobbs with Steve McMichael’s haliburton, which Savage brought with him to the ring; during the pinfall, McMichael & Debra came ringside and stole back the haliburton; after the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview with Sting & Savage in which Savage said he would have a special interview at Hog Wild and said Hulk Hogan would never get to the ring to face WCW World Champion the Giant; Sting then spoke about facing Scott Hall & Kevin Nash at the pay-per-view
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Dick Slater & Mike Enos
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated the Booty Man
WCW @ Cincinnati, OH – Riverfront Coliseum – July 24, 1996 (3,559)
Alex Wright pinned Disco Inferno at the 17-minute mark with a German suplex
The Public Enemy defeated the Nasty Boys in a falls count anywhere dog collar match at the 6-minute mark when Johnny Grunge pinned Jerry Saggs after Rocco Rock came off the top with a chairshot to Saggs’ head
Dean Malenko pinned Eddie Guerrero at the 17-minute mark by rolling through a top rope huricanrana and putting his feet on the ropes for leverage
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat to win the titles at the 14-minute mark when Rick pinned Stevie Ray with a small package; the match was advertised as a non-title match, with the Heat agreeing to put the titles on the line after arguing with the Steiners before the bout
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger via disqualification at the 13-minute mark when the referee caught Sting hitting Nash with a steel chair, after Sting stole the weapon from Nash as Nash attempted to hit Luger with it
Randy Savage pinned WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match with a roll up; Flair initially won the match via pinfall after hitting Savage with a weapon but the referee spotted the weapon and had the match continue
WCW Saturday Night – 7/27/96 – featured footage from outside the arena after the show in which Scott Hall & Kevin Nash attacked Sting in the parking lot after WCW TV Champion Lex Luger was called away for a phone call
WCW @ Charleston, WV – July 25, 1996 (2,500)
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
Eddie Guerrero defeated Dean Malenko
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a dog collar match
WCW Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Harlem Heat
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger via disqualification
Randy Savage defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match
WCW @ Muncie, IN – Ball State University Arena – July 26, 1996 (3,500)
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
Public Enemy defeated the Nasty Boys in a dog collar match
Dean Malenko defeated Eddie Guerrero
WCW Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Harlem Heat
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger via disqualification
Randy Savage defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match
WCW @ Dayton, OH – July 27, 1996 (4,100; 3,100 paid)
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy in a dog collar match
Eddie Guerrero defeated Dean Malenko
Harlem Heat defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Rick & Scott Steiner to win the titles
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger via disqualification
Randy Savage defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title steel cage match
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – July 29, 1996 (450; all freebies)
Monday Nitro – featured footage of Greg Sacks winning the Talladega 500k over the weekend while driving the WCW car; included from WCW Saturday Night of Scott Hall & Kevin Nash waiting for Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger outside the arena in Cincinnati on 7/24; after Luger was called away for a phone call, Hall & Nash jumped Sting in the parking lot; included the announcement that Randy Savage would face Chris Benoit, WCW World Champion the Giant would face Brian Knobbs, and WCW US Champion Ric Flair would face Chavo Guerrero Jr. the coming weekend on WCW Saturday Night; featured a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyzsko joined Eric Bischoff on commentary for the second hour after Bobby Heenan walked out of the show following the backstage attack by Scott Hall & Kevin Nash; included a nWo vignette in which Hulk Hogan said Ted Turner wouldn’t be able to fix WCW after the nWo gets done with it; moments later, Hall & Nash said Sting & Luger had gotten soft and Hogan said he would take the WCW World Title at Hog Wild; Bischoff left the commentary team before the last match to check on the condition of the injured wrestlers:
Jim Duggan pinned Mike Enos at 7:30 after hitting him with a taped fist; during the bout, Tony Schiavone questioned whether WCW US Champion Ric Flair had joined the New World Order because he wasn’t at the previous week’s show; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Duggan regarding Hulk Hogan in which Duggan said the first words his oldest daughter said were Hulkster and that he didn’t want to wrestle Hogan, he wanted to beat him up
Sting, Randy Savage, & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger fought WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Chris Benoit, & Steve McMichael (w/ Elizabeth, Woman, & Debra McMichael) to a double count-out at 13:23 when all the participants went backstage after Jimmy Hart came ringside and said Scott Hall & Kevin Nash were backstage; during the bout, it was announced Benoit would face Dean Malenko at Hog Wild and that Sting & Luger would face Hall & Nash; late in the match, a cameraman showed Hall & Nash, holding a baseball bat, standing over Arn Anderson and Marcus Alexander Bagwell; moments later, Scotty Riggs came out of a trailer and was laid out as well; WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. then leapt from the trailer onto Nash but Nash caught him in mid-air and threw him head-first into the trailer; moments later, Savage jumped on the Outsiders’ limo as they drove off; after the commercial break, ambulances arrived as Sting, Luger, Alex Wright, the Horsemen, Hart, and Eddie Guerrero tended to the injured; during the segment, Mysterio said that there were four attackers; Mysterio was unmasked after he was placed on the stretcher but covered his face with his hands; Wright left with Mysterio, telling Guerrero to stay for his match; moments later, Meng confronted Benoit with Benoit and McMichael telling Meng now wasn’t the time; following the commercial break, Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan joined the broadcast team for the second hour, with Heenan quickly saying he wasn’t going to do the show because he already had a history of neck problems and WCW couldn’t guarantee his safety; as most of the activity was outside of the crowd’s view, chants of “boring” were heard as the remainder of those injured were placed on stretchers; Bagwell and Anderson shared an ambulance, with Flair, Woman, and Sting riding in the same ambulance
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated High Voltage (sub. for Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs) at 4:46 when Scott pinned Rage following a modified tombstone; prior to the segment, WCW TV Champion Lex Luger was shown backstage tending to Scotty Riggs as Riggs was put into an ambulance; during the contest, Rick stood on the floor while not the legal man and watched the backstage area to make sure he wasn’t attacked from behind until Scott eventually got him focused on the match
Eddie Guerrero pinned Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) (sub. for WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr.) at 10:47 with a sunset flip into the ring as Bubba attempted to use Hart’s megaphone as a weapon; during the match, Bischoff said WCW had been contacted by a national news agency about the backstage incident earlier in the show
WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Greg Valentine (sub. for Arn Anderson) after hitting a chokeslam as Valentine stood on the middle turnbuckle and then following with a second chokeslam at 1:42
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – July 30, 1996 (600; all freebies)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
The Booty Man defeated Johnny Attitude
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Butch Long, Bill Payne, & KC Thompson in a handicap match
8/3/96:
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Dick Slater & Mike Enos
WCW US Champion Ric Flair defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Ice Train defeated the Gambler
Alex Wright defeated Brad Armstrong
Public Enemy defeated Butch Long & Bill Payne
Dean Malenko defeated Steve Armstrong
Meng defeated the Renegade
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman & Miss Elizabeth) defeated Randy Savage via disqualification
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Brian Knobbs
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – 1996
Pro – 8/10/96: WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Dean Malenko
WCW @ Corpus Christi, TX – Memorial Hall – July 31, 1996 (3,300)
Randy Savage defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match
WCW @ Beaumont, TX – Civic Center – August 1, 1996 (3,200)
Konnan defeated Michael Wallstreet
Alex Wright (sub. for Chavo Guerrero Jr.) defeated Terry Taylor (sub. for Psychosis)
Big Bubba defeated John Tenta
Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Dean Malenko via reverse decision; Malenko originally won the match and title after hitting Mysterio with brass knuckles
Public Enemy defeated the Nasty Boys in a streetfight
Randy Savage defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair; Flair originally won with his feet on the ropes for leverage but the bout continued with the title not at stake
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated WCW TV Champion Lex Luger
WCW @ Midland, TX – Chapparal Center – August 2, 1996 (3,000)
Randy Savage defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match
WCW @ Lubbock, TX – Municipal Coliseum – August 3, 1996 (3,000)
Randy Savage defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match
WCW @ Orlando, FL – MGM Studios – August 5, 1996 (450; sell out; all freebies)
Monday Nitro:
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express
Malia Osaka defeated Madusa
Alex Wright defeated Chris Benoit via count-out
Randy Savage pinned Lord Steven Regal with the flying elbowsmash at 6:12; late in the bout, Sting & Lex Luger came out and sat ringside as protection from the nWo; after the bout, Sting & Luger found a wreath inside the nWo’s limo which said “Condolences;” moments later, Gene Okerlund interviewed Savage in the ring about Hulk Hogan in which he said he wanted whatever the Giant left behind; moments later, Savage took the wreath from Sting & Luger and destroyed it; the limo then left the area
The Booty Man defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair via disqualification
WCW World Champion the Giant defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman
Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated the Nasty Boys
Hog Wild – Sturgis, SD – Sturgis Rally & Race – August 10, 1996 (5,000)
WCW Saturday Night – shown live – featured a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; included a video package recapping the feud between WCW and the New World Order over the past month; featured a vignette showing Jimmy Hart aligning himself with Maxx in an alley, with Hart leading him to Kevin Sullivan’s secret lair; moments later, Sullivan said he was targetting the Four Horsemen and the New World Order and said the Dungeon of Doom wasn’t going to lay down for anyone; the three then met up with Big Bubba, the Dungeon’s “Enforcer,” who cut a promo on the Horsemen and the nWo; Sullivan then called for Braun the Leprachaun, the Dungeon’s answer to Chris Benoit, and finally visited WCW World Champion the Giant, who said the nWo stood for “No Way Out” for Hulk Hogan and that he had already proven himself against Ric Flair:
Public Enemy defeated Dick Slater & Mike Enos at 3:47
Konnan pinned Chavo Guerrero Jr. at 4:24
The Nastys Boys defeated High Voltage at 3:24 when Brian Knobbs pinned Kenny Kaos with a splash off the top following a pumphandle slam from Jerry Saggs; prior to the bout, footage was shown of Gene Okerlund conducting an interview with the Nastys during the previous Monday Nitro, during which Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger interrupted; the Nastys wore gimmicked motorcycle helmets to the ring for the bout; after the match, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with the Nastys, during which Knobbs said Hogan was his friend but what the New World Order does is their own business
Alex Wright pinned Bobby Eaton (w/ Jeeves) with a missile dropkick at the 32-second mark
Kevin Sullivan, Meng, & the Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Jim Powers, Mark Starr, & Joe Gomez when Meng pinned Starr with a kick to the head at 3:07
David Taylor pinned JL at 2:37
Diamond Dallas Page pinned the Renegade at the 53-second mark
Arn Anderson pinned Hugh Morrus at the 40-second mark
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, & Bobby Heenan on commentary; the first few minutes of the pay-per-view aired on WCW Saturday Night but the feed ended just before the first match began; included a vignette of WCW US Champion Ric Flair in which he spoke on the nWo’s attack on Arn Anderson and that the Horsemen were now involved in the WCW vs. nWo war; featured footage of various talent riding from the Mall of America in Minneapolis to Sturgis on their motorcycles, including Sting, Rick & Scott Steiner, Steve McMichael, Big Bubba, Eric Bischoff, and Diamond Dallas Page; included Gene Okerlund conducting an interview with WCW World Champion the Giant & Jimmy Hart regarding the title defense later in the night against Hulk Hogan:
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) at 11:36 with a hurricanrana off the top; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the bout (Rey Mysterio: Biggest Little Man)
Scott Norton defeated Ice Train at 5:05 when referee Randy Anderson stopped the bout as Train, his arm heavily bandaged, was caught in Norton’s armbar and was deemed unable to defend himself
Madusa pinned Bull Nakano (w/ Sonny Onoo) at 5:22 by lifting her shoulder out of a back suplex into a bridge; due to pre-match stipulations, Madusa earned the right to destroy Nakano’s motorcycle parked ringside; after the bout, Onoo grabbed the sledgehammer and attempted to damage Madusa’s bike until Madusa stole the weapon away and repeatedly smashed Nakano’s with it
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) pinned Dean Malenko at 28:10 with a roll up and grabbing the bottom rope for leverage after Malenko became distracted by Woman getting in the ring; the match originally went to a 20-minute time-limit draw at 19:51 but referee Nick Patrick ordered for there to be a 5-minute overtime period; the match again went to a draw at 25:41 and was again ordered to continue; the crowd heavily booed each time the match was ordered to continue
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Col. Rob Parker & Sister Sherri) defeated Rick & Scott Steiner at 17:53 when Booker pinned Scott after Sherri threw powder in Scott’s face and Parker broke his cane over the challenger, moments after Parker accidentally threw powder in Booker’s face (Allied Powers)
WCW US Champion Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) pinned Eddie Guerrero at 14:16 with the figure-4 while holding onto Woman outside the ring for leverage, moments after Guerrero further injured his knee attempting the frog splash (Viva La Raza: The Legacy of Eddie Guerrero)
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger at 14:36 when Hall pinned Luger after, as Luger attempted to put Hall in the Torture Rack, a dazed referee Nick Patrick knocked into Luger’s leg with Hall falling on top; at the time of the finish, Sting had Nash caught in the Scorpion Deathlock outside the ring
Hulk Hogan pinned WCW World Champion the Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) to win the title at 14:56 after hitting him in the face with the title belt after the Giant dropped an interfering Scott Hall and Kevin Nash with the chokeslam; after the bout, the Booty Man appeared, wearing a nWo t-shirt, with a birthday cake for Hogan; after Booty Man wished Hogan a happy birthday, Hogan cut a promo on Ric Flair and the attack on Arn Anderson, with Hogan then ordering Hall and Nash to hold Booty so he could hit him with the title belt; Hogan then cut a promo on facing Flair in Denver at the Clash of the Champions before spraypainting “nWo” on the title belt (Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology)
The Main Event – 8/11/96:
Psychosis vs. Prince Iaukea
Hugh Voltage & Lord Steven Regal & Bobby Eaton
Konnan vs. Cobra
Jim Duggan & Sgt. Craig Pittman vs. the Faces of Fear
WCW @ Casper, WY – Events Center – August 12, 1996 (6,408; 4,220 paid)
Monday Nitro – featured Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyzsko on commentary for the first hour and Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan on for the second hour; included an opening segment showing stills from the Sting / Lex Luger vs. Outsiders match from Hog Wild; featured the announcement that WCW US Champion Ric Flair would face WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan at the Clash of the Champions Thursday in Denver; included Sting & Luger coming out to ringside and issuing a challenge then and there for the nWo to face them but the nWo never appeared; featured a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; included a backstage promo from WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, & Scott Hall responding to the challenge of Sting & Luger in which they said they would face them later in the show, during which Hogan made mention of there being a fourth and fifth member and said the WCW fans would abandon Sting & Luger after they lose again; featured the announcement that the Four Horsemen would compete in an 8-man tag team match and the Giant would also be in action during the upcoming WCW Saturday Night; included still photos from Rick & Scott Steiner / Harlem Heat tag team title match from Hog Wild after which it was announced the two would battle in a rematch during the second hour of the show; featured footage of Madusa destroying Bull Nakano’s motorcycle at Hog Wild; included still photos from the Hulk Hogan / Giant world title match at Hog Wild along with footage of the nWo attacking the Booty Man after the match and Hogan spraypainting “NWO” across the world title belt; featured Okerlund interviewing Hogan in the aisle with Hogan saying he didn’t attack Ric Flair earlier in the show because he wanted there to be no excuses after he beats Flair at the Clash of the Champions; included footage from two week’s earlier after Arn Anderson was attacked by the nWo backstage:
The Barbarian, Meng, Hugh Morrus, & Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart & Big Bubba) defeated Mike Enos, Dick Slater, & High Voltage at 2:40 when Meng pinned Rage with a kick to the face after he missed a reverse crossbody off the top; after the bout, Rough & Ready attacked their own tag team partners before leaving the ring
Diamond Dallas Page pinned the Renegade at 5:45 by reversing a suplex attempt into the Diamond Cutter; during the bout, it was announced DDP would be part of Thursday’s Clash of the Champions
Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan pinned Jim Powers at 3:21 with both feet on the ropes for leverage after kicking Powers as he ran into the corner; during the bout, it was announced Konnan would be part of the Clash of the Champions; after the match, Gene Okerlund interviewed Konnan in the ring about his recent breaking of the rules with Konnan saying he was supporting WCW against the nWo
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman & Miss Elizabeth) pinned Ron Studd at 3:31 with a superplex; after the bout, Okerlund interviewed Benoit in the ring about him facing the Giant at Clash of the Champions as well as his match at Hog Wild Saturday against Dean Malenko (Studd’s TV debut)
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri & Col. Parker) via disqualification at 8:57 when Rick ran Parker into the ring, with Parker tripping over Booker T as Booker had Scott covered; moments prior to the finish, Sherri swept Scott’s foot out as he attempted to suplex Booker into the ring, with Booker falling on top and Sherri grabbing Scott’s foot for leverage from outside the ring; after the bout, the champions argued with Parker for costing them the match until Sherri stepped in-between
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Ono) at 4:34 by reversing a powerbomb attempt into a sunset flip; prior to the match, still photos were shown from their match Saturday at Hog Wild
WCW US Champion Ric Flair (w/ Woman & Miss Elizabeth) pinned Randy Savage at 11:43 after WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan came out and hit Savage in the back and over the head with a chair as Savage attempted to hit a piledriver on Flair outside the ring; prior to the match, still photos were shown from Flair’s match against Eddie Guerrero Saturday at Hog Wild; after the bout, the commentators discussed Hogan not touching Flair
Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger fought Kevin Nash & Scott Hall to a no contest at around 3:40 when WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, and Steve McMichael rushed the ring after the Outsiders began getting away with things that should have gotten them disqualified and it appeared referee Nick Patrick pulled Hall out of the corner as Sting attempted a Stinger Splash, with the Outsiders and Patrick quickly leaving the ring; after the match, Okerlund interviewed the Horsemen at the entrance stage with Flair saying he didn’t like Sting or Luger but would play ball with them because they’re WCW and the Horsemen were ready for whomever the nWo had in their group (The Very Best of Nitro)
WCW @ Colorado Springs, CO – City Auditorium – August 13, 1996 (2,037; 1,500 paid; sell out)
WCW Saturday Night: taping:
The Main Event – 8/24/96: John Tenta defeated Big Bubba
8/17/96:
Mike Enos & Dick Slater defeated Bobby Eaton & Dave Taylor
WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Steve McMichael defeated High Voltage, the Renegade, & Joe Gomez
The Nasty Boys defeated Bobby Walker & Mark Starr
The Giant defeated Jim Powers
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat fought Rick & Scott Steiner to a no contest when the Nasty Boys interfered
8/24/96:
Mike Enos & Dick Slater defeated the Renegade & Mike Winner
Lord Steven Regal defeated Bobby Walker
WCW TV Champion Lex Luger defeated David Taylor
Bull Nakano defeated Madusa
The Ultimo Dragon defeated JL
Kevin Sullivan, Big Bubba, Meng & the Barbarian defeated High Voltage, Jim Powers, & Joe Gomez
Konnan defeated Mark Starr
WCW US Champion Ric Flair defeated Dean Malenko
Clash of the Champions XXXIII – Denver, CO – Coliseum – August 15, 1996 (8,304; 5,931 paid)
Mike Enos & Dick Slater defeated Jim Powers & Mark Starr
The Nasty Boys defeated JL & Bobby Walker
Shown live on TBS – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary; included footage from the previous Monday’s Nitro of the Four Horsemen making the save for Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger against Kevin Nash & Scott Hall; featured a vignette promoting the debut of Glacier; included Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with the Nasty Boys in which they said they were frustrated over being left out of the tag team title match later in the show and wanted a title shot; featured a backstage segment where Ice Train was seen chatting with fans online at the WCW CompuServe table until he was attacked from behind by Scott Norton; included Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Woman, & Elizabeth regarding Flair’s match later in the night against WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan; featured Hogan confronting Okerlund in the aisle about what he said about him earlier in the show and then cutting a promo on facing Flair later in the broadcast:
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Dean Malenko at around the 12-minute mark with a victory roll; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the bout; Malenko originally won the match and title seconds earlier following a gutbuster off the top but referee Randy Anderson noticed Mysterio’s foot on the bottom rope during the cover (The Rise and Fall of WCW)
VK Wallstreet pinned Jim Duggan at 3:49 with a roll up after the referee attempted to take away Duggan’s roll of tape before he could tape his wrist
Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan pinned the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) in a non-title match at 2:58 with a roll over and grabbing the tights for leverage; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the match
Meng (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Randy Savage via forfeit; Savage was not in the building following the chairshot to the head he took from WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan Monday on Nitro; after the decision, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus, the Barbarian, Meng, & Hart regarding Hogan’s recent change; during the segment, the Dungeon of Doom’s leprechaun ran around ringside
Madusa pinned Bull Nakano (w/ Sonny Onoo) at 2:42 with a roll up after Onoo accidentally kicked Nakano in the midsection (The Best of Clash of the Champions)
Eddie Guerrero pinned Diamond Dallas Page to win the BattleBowl ring at 4:22 with the frog splash after knocking Page off the top; after the bout, Page threw the referee to the floor, fought off Chavo Guerrero Jr. as he attempted to make the save, and then dropped Eddie three times with the Diamond Cutter – the third time coming from the top rope (The Best of Clash of the Champions)
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Chris Benoit (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) at the 23-second mark with a dropkick and the chokeslam after Benoit got caught in his vest while Woman was grabbing it
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat, Sting & WCW TV Champion Lex Luger, and Rick & Scott Steiner fought to a no contest at 13:22; during the bout, it was announced Sting & Luger would face WCW US Champion Ric Flair & Arn Anderson, Randy Savage would face the Giant, and VK Wallstreet would face Jim Duggan the following Monday on Nitro; referee Nick Patrick called for the bell when he saw Scott Hall & Kevin Nash attacking Sting & Luger in the aisle, after he counted to 2 as Scott had Booker covered following the Frankensteiner; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an interview with Patrick in the aisle regarding his call (The Best of Clash of the Champions)
WCW US Champion Ric Flair defeated WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan via disqualification at 8:04 when, after Hogan was caught in the figure-4, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash came through the crowd and ganged up on Flair; after the bout, Sting, WCW TV Champion Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, and Steve McMichael – along with Woman & Elizabeth – cleared the ring
The Main Event – 8/18/96:
Braun the Leprechaun vs. Todd Morton (Braun’s in-ring debut)
WCW @ Huntsville, AL – Von Braun Civic Center – August 19, 1996 (5,850; 3,760 paid)
Monday Nitro:
Jim Duggan defeated Vk Wallstreet
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman & Elizabeth) pinned Bobby Eaton with a lariat and the diving headbutt at 4:03
Scott Norton defeated Disco Inferno
Dean Malenko defeated Lord Steven Regal
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy
Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Diamond Dallas Page
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
The Giant fought Randy Savage to a no contest
WCW @ Dalton, GA – August 20, 1996
Public Enemy defeated the Gambler & Ted Allen
WCW Saturday Night – 8/31/96:
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart & Hugh Morrus) defeated Renegade
Ice Train (w/ Teddy Long) defeated Kurasawa
Chris Jericho defeated JL
Rick Steiner fought the Nasty Boys to a no contest in a handicap match when WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat interfered
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Billy Kidman
Scott Norton defeated Bobby Walker
The Barbarian & Meng (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman & Cobra
Lord Steven Regal pinned WCW TV Champion Lex Luger to win the title at 7:40 after Scott Hall & Kevin Nash came out and threw Luger head-first into the ringpost on the floor, behind the back of referee Nick Patrick; prior to the bout, Regal was escorted to the ring by Jeeves; after the contest, Tony Schiavone conducted an interview with Regal regarding the title win in which Regal said he didn’t see any outside interference, praised Patrick as a referee, said he was going to defend the title all over the world, and said he was loyal to WCW
The Main Event – 8/31/96: The Giant defeated Kurasawa
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – August 22, 1996 (600; all freebies)
WCW Pro taping:
The Gambler defeated Randy Starr
Ice Train defeated Maxx
Scott & Steve Armstrong defeated Bill Payne & Rick Thames
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Prince Iaukea
9/8/96:
Alex Wright defeated Scott Armstrong
Sgt. Craig Pittman defeated Terry Davis
Chris Benoit defeated Ron Studd
Dean Malenko defeated Brad Armstrong
9/15/96:
The Nasty Boys defeated Bill Payne & Rick Thames
Ice Train defeated Cliff Sheets
Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Prince Iaukea
Chris Benoit defeated Jim Powers
VK Wallstreet defeated John Tenta
WCW Tag Team Champion Harlem Heat fought Public Enemy to a no contest
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – August 23, 1996
Pro taping:
Glacier defeated Big Bubba
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – August 24, 1996 (600; all freebies)
Pro taping:
Jerry Flynn defeated Ned Brady
Glacier defeated Big Bubba
Jerry Flynn defeated Mark Starr
Jim Duggan defeated Ned Brady
Glacier defeated Big Bubba
10/27/96:
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Dick Slater & Mike Enos
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Chris Jericho defeated Manny Fernandez
Ice Train defeated Scott Norton
10/20/96:
Big Bubba pinned Eddie Jackie with the sidewalk slam
Rick Steiner pinned Booker T with a roll up; after the bout, Booker T & Stevie Ray attacked Steiner
Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus, Meng, & the Barbarian defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell, Mark Starr, Steve & Scott Armstrong when Morrus pinned Scott with the moonsault
Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit defeated the Nasty Boys when Anderson pinned Jerry Saggs after Benoit hit the diving headbutt
Public Enemy defeated High Voltage
11/3/96: Bobby Eaton defeated Dave Taylor
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – August 25, 1996
Pro taping:
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Juventud Guerrera; the match was redone later in the show
Konnan defeated Juventud Guerrera
Super Calo defeated an unknown
Super Calo defeated Billy Kidman
Chris Benoit defeated Chris Jericho
11/3/96: Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Juventud Guerrera (Rey Mysterio: The Life of a Masked Man)
11/24/96:
Juventud Guerrera defeated Bobby Walker
Kevin Sullivan & Konnan defeated Pill Payne & Nasty Ned
WCW @ Lakeland, FL – Manatee Civic Center – August 26, 1996 (1,384; sell out)
Monday Nitro:
Juventud Guerrera defeated Billy Kidman at 3:40 (Guerrera’s surprise debut)
Kevin Sullivan & Big Bubba defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Jim Powers at 4:20
Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Mike Enos at 4:35
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated JL at 14:04 (The Very Best of Nitro)
The Giant defeated Jim Duggan at 4:34
Ric Flair & Arn Anderson defeated Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson at 4:28
Chris Jericho fought Alex Wright to a no contest at 4:52 when, after Wright hit his head against the ringside barrier while jumping to the floor, Jericho told the referee he didn’t want to win via count-out, thus giving up his easy victory; after the bout, Gene Okerlund interviewed Jericho at ringside with Jericho saying he didn’t come to WCW to take easy wins and that men like himself and Wright would stand up to Hulk Hogan and the nWo (Jericho’s debut) (Before they Were Superstars 2)
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Bobby Easton & Dave Taylor at 3:29
Sting & Lex Luger fought Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael to a no contest at 5:42 when the nWo interfered
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – August 29, 1996 (600; all freebies)
Worldwide taping:
Chris Jericho defeated Jerry Flynn
Eddie Guerrero defeated Disco Inferno
Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated High Voltage
9/8/96:
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Dick Slater & Mike Enos
Konnan defeated Disco Inferno
Hugh Morrus defeated Leroy Howard
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Prince Iaukea
Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit defeated Meng & the Barbarian
9/15/96:
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated the Renegade & Jim Powers
Ice Train defeated VK Wallstreet
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Pat Tanaka
Konnan defeated John Tenta
The Nasty Boys defeated Maxx & Hugh Morrus
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – August 30, 1996 (600; all freebies)
Worldwide taping:
The Giant defeated Joe Gomez
Chris Benoit defeated Chris Jericho
Eddie Guerrero defeated Dean Malenko
Randy Savage defeated Meng
11/17/96:
Alex Wright defeated Disco Inferno
Brad Armstrong defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Billy Kidman defeated Jerry Lynn
Chris Jericho defeated Prince Iaukea
Public Enemy defeated Joe Gomez & the Renegade
11/24/96:
Jim Powers defeated Mark Starr
Glacier defeated Pat Tanaka
Brad Armstrong defeated Jerry Lynn
Lex Luger fought Rick Steiner to a double disqualification
WCW @ Utica, NY – Donovan Stadium – August 31, 1996 (1,200)
Scorch (local DJ) pinned Kid Kris (local DJ) after throwing a fireball in his face
Alex Wright pinned Disco Inferno with a backslide at around the 16-minute mark
Chris Jericho pinned Dean Malenko with a roll up at around the 12-minute mark
Hugh Morrus pinned John Tenta with an elbow drop off the middle turnbuckle at around the 6-minute mark
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy at around the 13-minute mark when Brian Knobbs pinned Johnny Grunge after using a table as a weapon
Jim Duggan pinned Meng at around the 7-minute mark
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Sting & Lex Luger via disqualification when referee Nick Patrick stopped the match when Sting applied the Scorpion Death Lock on Hall, the illegal man; after the bout, Sting attacked Patrick and put him in the Scorpion Death Lock as well
The Giant pinned WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match with the chokeslam, moments after Flair put the champion in the figure-4
WCW @ Chattanooga, TN – UTC Arena – September 2, 1996 (5,893; 5,180 paid)
Monday Nitro – hosted by Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko for hour 1 and Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan for hour 2, with Mike Tenay doing guest commentary; included a Monday Nitro denim shirt promo featuring Marcus Bagwell & Gene Okerlund; featured Okerlund interviewing Col. Rob Parker & Sister Sherri backstage, with Parker giving Sherri a leather vest and chaps to wear when he takes her to his ranch; included two vignettes for the debut of Glacier; featured a promo hyping the WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Super Calo match at Fall Brawl; included a promo for that weekend’s WCW Saturday Night with Steve McMichael vs. John Tenta in the main event; featured a New World Order vignette with WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan boasting about getting through the Giant and Ric Flair and claiming Team WCW would crumble inside the War Games; included a Fall Brawl promo:
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Alex Wright at 3:44 with the Diamond Cutter; after the match, Gene Okerlund interviewed referee Nick Patrick and suggested that Patrick’s counts were a little slow tonight, with Patrick claiming Okerlund was a liar
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Greg Valentine & Buddy Valentino at 4:11 when Booker T pinned Valentino with the Harlem Hangover; Ted Dibiase appeared in the crowd during the opening moments of the match and took a ringside seat; after the match, Gene Okerlund interviewed the champions who claimed they would beat the Nasty Boys one more time, with the Nasty Boys then jumping the champions from behind and delivering a spike piledriver to Booker T in the ring (the debut of referee Mark Curtis)
Chris Jericho pinned Dean Malenko at 9:01 after countering a German suplex into a forward roll
The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Brad Armstrong at 3:46 with the chokeslam; during the bout, a black limosine was shown arriving outside
Randy Savage pinned Ron Studd at 2:42 with the flying elbow drop; during the bout, WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, and Scott Hall were shown exiting their limo outside the building; after the match, Gene Okerlund interviewed Savage, who stated he liked living on the edge with all the pressure on him, and guaranteed he would defeat the Giant at Fall Brawl and beat Hogan at Halloween Havoc
Rick & Scott Steiner defeated Sting & Lex Luger via disqualification at the 38-second mark when referee Nick Patrick disqualified Luger for making contact with him after Rick shoved Luger; after the match, the Steiners refused to have their arms raised and Patrick defended his decision; prior to the opening bell, WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Steve McMichael were shown running out to the nWo’s limo but finding it empty inside
WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, & Steve McMichael (w/ Elizabeth, Woman, & Debra McMichael) defeated Kevin Sullivan, Big Bubba, the Barbarian, & Meng (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 16:54 when Flair pinned Sullivan with the figure-4 as Woman held Flair’s hands for leverage, moments after Benoit confronted her to get involved against Sullivan; during the bout, Lex Luger & Sting were shown chasing referee Nick Patrick outside, with Patrick running past the New World Order’s limo, which Ted DiBiase got into; moments later, Sting through a large rock through one of the windows before it sped off, with Sting & Luger then stealing a police car and chasing the limo; after the match, WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, and Kevin Nash attacked the participants, with the Giant running down to the ring and dropping the chokeslam on Meng and the Barbarian and joining the nWo; moments later, Randy Savage ran out and hit Giant, Hall, and Nash with a steel chair before being ganged up on by the nWo and chokeslammed by Giant, with Hogan then delivering multiple legdrops and spraying a yellow streak on Savage’s back as Hall & Nash kept the WCW wrestlers out of the ring; as the show ended, the four nWo members took over the broadcast booth, with Hogan alluding to a sixth nWo member to come, and Giant explaining how Ted DiBiase invited him to Hulk Hogan’s home in Florida to discuss business the prior week
WCW @ Gainesville, GA – Georgia Mountains Center – September 4, 1996 (1,800; sell out; heavily papered)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Chris Jericho defeated Billy Kidman
Ice Train defeated the Gambler
9/7/96:
Bobby Walker defeated Arn Anderson via disqualification
Chavo Guerrero Jr. pinned Kenny Chaos
Bobby Eaton pinned Dave Taylor
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Prince Iaukea & Jim Powers when Barbarian pinned Iaukea
VK Wallstreet defeated Randy Savage via disqualification
9/14/96:
The Nasty Boys defeated High Voltage
Rick Steiner defeated Kurasawa
Lex Luger defeated Ron Studd
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Jim Duggan via disqualification when referee Nick Patrick stopped the match after catching Duggan using a closed fist; after the bout, Duggan chased Patrick from the ring with his 2×4
WCW @ Shreveport, LA – Hirsch Memorial Coliseum – September 6, 1996 (6,810; 6,107 paid)
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Joe Gomez
John Tenta defeated Hugh Morrus via disqualification when Morrus attacked Tenta with a chair as Tenta came out for the match
Scott Norton defeated Ice Train via count-out
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Rick Steiner & Terry Taylor (sub. for Scott Steiner)
Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, & the Giant defeated the Barbarian, Hugh Morrus, & Big Bubba
Lex Luger pinned WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match; Flair originally won the match after hitting Luger with brass knuckles but the bout was ordered to continue
WCW @ Little Rock, AR – September 7, 1996 (5,463)
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Joe Gomez
John Tenta defeated Hugh Morrus via disqualification
Scott Norton defeated Ice Train
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Rick Steiner & Terry Taylor (sub. for Scott Steiner)
Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, & the Giant defeated the Barbarian, Hugh Morrus, & Big Bubba
Lex Luger defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match
WCW @ Jackson, TN – September 8, 1996 (2,900)
Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, & the Giant defeated the Barbarian, Hugh Morrus, & Big Bubba
Lex Luger defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair in a non-title match
WCW @ Columbus, GA – Civic Center – September 9, 1996 (6,000)
Monday Nitro – featured clips from the previous week of the Giant joining the New World Order; included Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Rick Steiner regarding his rematch later in the show against Lex Luger; moments later, Luger walked in and the two talked about the controversial decision the previous week, with Luger noting he would be part of Wargames the coming weekend; featured an ad promoting the nWo T-shirt, with Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and the Giant; included footage from WCW Pro during the weekend of Glacier’s debut; featured Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Luger, WCW US Champion Ric Flair, & Arn Anderson regarding their participation Sunday in Wargames, during which Flair repeatedly questioned Luger about where Sting was; moments later, Steve McMichael & Chris Benoit walked in, with McMichael saying Flair & Anderson couldn’t trust Sting & Luger and the fact Sting wasn’t around proved that; Anderson then said he’s got himself a hospital room booked in Winston-Salem because he expects to get hurt and the nWo should expect the same; included footage from the Clash of the Champions of Diamond Dallas Page attacking Eddie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero Jr. beating Page weeks earlier on Nitro, during which it was announced Page would face Chavo at Fall Brawl; featured footage from outside the arena of WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, the Giant, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash putting fliers on cars in the rain; nearby, Ted Dibiase was shown speaking to someone in a black limo; included the announcement that WCW Saturday Night would feature Diamond Dallas Page vs. Jim Duggan, Rick Steiner vs. Kurasawa, plus Lex Luger, Scott Norton, Chris Benoit, and the Nasty Boys would be in action; featured an extended look at the previous week’s episode regarding the nWo, alongside exclusive footage of Kevin Sullivan, the Barbarian, & Meng helping Randy Savage backstage after Savage was attacked by the nWo; included a nWo vignette with Hogan, Dibiase, Hall & Nash regarding Wargames, during which Dibiase said the nWo gets their own segment, their own tag team tournament, and it would be on WCW’s tab if they won Wargames; featured closing footage of the ‘Sting’ attack on Luger earlier in the show:
Super Calo pinned Pat Tanaka at 2:26 when Tanaka failed an attempt at a suplex off the top, with Calo falling on top for the win; Tanaka used what would later be Bill Goldberg’s theme music; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the bout alongside Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko; prior to the bout, it was announced Calo would challenge WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. at Fall Brawl; during the contest, cameras outside the arena showed teenagers wearing nWo T-shirts and carrying what appeared to be boxes of flyers (Calo’s debut)
The Nasty Boys defeated Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette at 3:26 when Jerry Saggs pinned Oulette after Brian Knobbs hit Oulette in the head with the Quebec flag behind the referee’s back; prior to the bout, it was noted Randy Savage would face the Giant and the Nastys would challenge WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat at Fall Brawl; during the match, the teens shown outside the arena earlier in the show were shown distributing nWo fliers in the crowd; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with the Nastys, during which Okerlund referred to their opponents as ‘the Rougeau Brothers,’ about their title match at Fall Brawl against Harlem Heat; during the interview, they said they didn’t care what the nWo was doing because they were focused on the tag team titles (Rougeau & Oulette’s debut)
Scott Norton defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) in a hold vs. hold submission match at 2:59; during the bout, it was noted Norton would face Ice Train in a submission match at Fall Brawl; late in the bout, as Norton had Pittman in the armbar, Train came out and threw in the towel for his own safety; after the contest, Norton faced off with Train before leaving the ring
Juventud Guerrera pinned Joe Gomez at 2:13 with the hero con plancha; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the bout alongside Schiavone & Zbyszko; prior to the bout, it was noted an injured Psychosis would not be able to face Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan at Fall Brawl and Guerrera would compete in his place; after the bout, Okerlund conducted an interview with Nick Patrick in the aisle about his controversial call the previous week during the Rick & Scott Steiner vs. Sting & Lex Luger match, with Patrick saying Luger struck him on purpose and should be suspended for chasing him out of the arena the previous week; Patrick then told Okerlund that if he kept pushing his buttons then he would see him in court
Rick Steiner defeated Lex Luger via count-out at 6:57 when referee Nick Patrick came ringside and urged Luger to come outside; moments later, Sting’s voice was heard inside the black limo speaking with Ted Dibiase; Luger then came out and asked Dibiase where Sting was, with a man appearing to be Sting then coming out of the limo and kicking Sting, with the other New World Order members helping in ganging up on Luger; eventually, Luger fought off the limo chauffer, with the nWo leaving the area; after the commercial break, Luger, alongside Scott Norton, Brian Knobbs, Jacques Rougeau, Carl Oulette, and others searched one of the limos outside the arena after the other limo was said to have driven away
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Billy Kidman at 1:40 with a somersault senton onto a standing Kidman
The Barbarian & Meng (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Public Enemy at 10:41 when Meng pinned Grunge with the Tongan Death Grip; Braun the Lephrachaun briefly appeared ringside during the match; during the bout, Okerlund conducted a backstage interview with Flair, Anderson, and Luger, with Chris Benoit and Steve McMichael in the background, regarding Sting turning his back on them to join the nWo; late in the bout, the Barbarian crashed through a table on the floor after missing a headbutt onto Grunge, with Public Enemy hitting the FlyBy moments later in the ring on Meng through a table; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Hart, Meng, Barbarian, Sullivan, Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan, Big Bubba, Hugh Morrus, and Maxx regarding the Giant joining the nWo, during which Bubba called out Glacier
John Tenta defeated Randy Savage via count-out at around the 2-minute mark when, after Savage twice hit the flying elbowsmash, Teddy Long ran out and told Savage that the nWo had returned to the arena; Tenta used what would later be Chris Jericho’s theme music for the bout; during the match, Eric Bischoff clarified Meng was not associated with any other wrestling organization after Bobby Heenan accidentally called him ‘Haku’ during the previous contest; after the bout, Long showed Savage the nWo limo in the parking lot, with WCW US Champion Ric Flair, WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr., Arn Anderson, Brian Knobbs, Chris Benoit, Kevin Sullivan, Rick Steiner, Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan, Public Enemy, Meng & Barbarian, Jimmy Hart, and more digging through the limo, finding yellow spraypaint and spraypainting the limo; moments later, the Four Horsemen joined the commentary team, with Anderson mentioning the original Horsemen and saying they taught Hogan out it was done and saying they would take Sting’s head if he’s the nWo’s fourth man in Wargames; Flair then ranted on Hogan and the nWo, saying Hogan wouldn’t leave Winston-Salem alive
WCW @ Albany, GA – Civic Center – September 10, 1996 (5,100; 1,800 paid)
TV taping:
Renegade defeated ?
Jim Duggan defeated ?
Big Bubba defeated ?
Hugh Morrus defeated Billy Kidman
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Juventud Guerrera; the match was redone later in the taping
WCW Saturday Night – 9/21/96:
Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette defeated Scott & Steve Armstrong
Jim Powers defeated Disco Inferno
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Super Calo
Kevin Sullivan & Konnan defeated JL & Joe Gomez
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Juventud Guerrera
The Main Event – 9/21/96 – featured opening clips recapping the events of Fall Brawl and Monday Nitro; hosted by Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan, with Lee Marshall & Dusty Rhodes on commentary for the exclusive Main Event matches; included a video package recapping the events regarding Sting at Fall Brawl, Sting addressing the fans on Nitro and not showing up to be Lex Luger’s tag team partner later that night; featured a Halloween Havoc Control Center hosted by Schiavone in which WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Dean Malenko and Eddie Guerrero vs. Diamond Dallas Page in a match for the Battlebowl ring were announced; included an ad promoting the WCW Hotline; featured the announcement WCW Saturday Night would include Jim Powers vs. Disco Inferno, WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Juventud Guerrera, and that the Amazing French Canadians and Diamond Dallas Page would be in action; included the announcement DDP vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr., Chris Benoit vs. JL, WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat and Meng & the Barbarian would be in action during the following day’s episode of Pro; featured an ad promoting the WCW Magazine; included a video package recapping the nWo’s attack on Randy Savage at Fall Brawl and Elizabeth coming to his aid at the end of the show, only to be spraypainted herself, and then Savage punching referee Nick Patrick on Nitro; featured a video package hyping the WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan vs. Savage match at Halloween Havoc; included a nWo vignette featuring footage from recent weeks and comments from Hogan, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash; featured footage from Nitro of Syxx’s debut and him dropping nWo flyers from the ceiling; included the announcement Nitro would include Chris Jericho vs. Dick Slater and Randy Savage vs. Greg Valentine; featured the closing moments of DDP vs. Jim Duggan from the 9/14/96 WCW Saturday Night, Public Enemy vs. Harlem Heat from the 9/15/96 Pro and Glacier vs. Big Bubba from the 9/16/96 Nitro:
Billy Kidman pinned JL with the shooting star press at 3:02
Dave Taylor (w/ Jeeves) pinned Bobby Eaton at 4:00 with his feet on the bottom rope for leverage after ramming Eaton face-first into the ringpost and following with a fallaway slam in the ring
The Main Event – 9/28/96: Konnan defeated Super Calo
WCW @ Knoxville, TN – Coliseum – September 13, 1996 (2,550)
Lex Luger defeated Dick Slater
Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Super Calo
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Brad Armstrong
Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, & Chris Benoit defeated the Barbarian, Meng, & Hugh Morrus
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated the Nasty Boys
Randy Savage fought the Giant to a no contest
WCW @ Johnson City, TN – Freedom Hall Civic Center – September 14, 1996 (4,515; 3,954 paid)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Super Calo
Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Brad Armstrong
Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, & Chris Benoit defeated the Barbarian, Meng, & Hugh Morrus
Lex Luger defeated Dick Slater
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated the Nasty Boys
The Giant defeated Randy Savage via disqualification
Pro – 9/15/96:
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Public Enemy via disqualification when the Nasty Boys attacked the champions after Johnny Grunge crashed through a ringside table when Booker T rolled out of the way
Fall Brawl 96 – Winston-Salem, NC – Lawrence Joel Coliseum – September 15, 1996 (11,300; 10,714 paid)
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, & Bobby Heenan on commentary; included footage from the previous Monday of Sting attacking Lex Luger on Monday Nitro and of Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and the Giant destroying Luger’s car the previous day on Saturday Night; featured Gene Okerlund hosting a video package recapping the nWo’s invasion, subsequent incidents from that point on, the formation of Sting, WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, & Lex Luger as the WCW team for Wargames, the Giant and Ted Dibiase joining the nWo, and Sting helping attack Luger on Nitro; included Mike Tenay conducting a backstage interview with Randy Savage regarding his upcoming match with the Giant and match at Halloween Havoc against WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan; featured Tenay conducting a backstage interview with WCW US Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Lex Luger, Miss Elizabeth, & Woman regarding the upcoming Wargames and losing Sting from their team, during which Sting appeared and argued it wasn’t him who attacked Luger on Nitro:
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Chavo Guerrero Jr. at 13:08 with the Diamond Cutter after stomping Guerrero’s foot to block a backslide reversal of the move
Ice Train (w/ Teddy Long) defeated Scott Norton in a submission match at 7:17 with a full nelson after Norton grabbed at Long on the ring apron; prior to the bout, it was announced that the nWo said they wanted WCW to pay all their bills if they win the Wargames main event
Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Juventud Guerrera (sub. for Psychosis, said to be injured at the hands of Konnan) at 13:46 with a modified sit-down crucifix powerbomb; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the bout
Chris Benoit pinned Chris Jericho at 14:40 with a back suplex off the top
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Super Calo at 15:48 with a double springboard into a hurricanrana and roll up; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the bout (Rey Mysterio: Biggest Little Man)
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri & Col. Rob Parker) defeated the Nasty Boys at 15:32 when Booker T pinned Brian Knobbs when, after the challengers hit a pumphandle slam / splash off the middle turnbuckle double team on Booker, Sherri interfered as referee Mark Curtis was distracted by Parker on the ring apron and hit Knobbs over the head with Parker’s cane as Knobbs had Booker covered
The Giant pinned Randy Savage at 7:48 when, after Savage bodyslammed the Giant and hit the flying elbowsmash, WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan appeared ringside, drawing Savage to the entranceway where he was attacked from behind by Scott Hall & Kevin Nash and sustained a chairshot; as referee Nick Patrick checked on the Giant inside the ring, Hogan, Hall, & Nash dragged Savage back to ringside and rolled him inside the ring for the Giant to make the cover
WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, & the nWo Sting (w/ Ted Dibiase) defeated Sting, Lex Luger, WCW US Champion Ric Flair, & Arn Anderson in Wargames at 18:18 when referees Nick Patrick and Randy Anderson called for the bell after Luger became caught in the nWo Sting’s Scorpion Deathlock as Hogan had Luger in a choke; order of entry: Hall, Anderson, Nash, Luger, Hogan, Flair, nWo Sting, and Sting; the participants remained backstage until they were officially in the match; upon his entrance, Sting single-handedly laid out the nWo before walking out on his team for them not believing him; after the match, Luger crawled in the aisle, calling for Sting, until he was attacked by the nWo; moments later, Flair and Anderson brawled with the nWo as Randy Savage cornered Hogan in the ring; moments later, the Giant arrived and twice dropped Savage with the chokeslam, with Miss Elizabeth appearing and begging Hogan to leave Savage alone; as Elizabeth covered Savage’s body, Hogan spraypainted “NWO” across her back; Hogan then cut an in-ring promo calling Savage and Elizabeth trash and spitting on Elizabeth; the nWo then continued to stomp Savage before the Giant spraypainted “NWO” on his back and again dropped him with the chokeslam; moments later, the nWo took over the commentary position, scaring off the commentary team, with Dibiase saying he had made some demands to WCW and, because of the Wargames win, intended to see them come true; the trainer and Elizabeth then helped Savage from the ring as the show came to a close (nWo: Back in Black, The Rise and Fall of WCW, WarGames: WCW’s Most Notorious Matches)
WCW @ Asheville, NC – Civic Center – September 16, 1996 (5,000; 2,800 paid)
Monday Nitro – featured still photos from the previous night’s Wargames, post-match attack on Randy Savage, and Hulk Hogan spraypainting Elizabeth; moments later, Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko discussed the fake Sting and noted the real Sting was in Japan the previous week; included footage from earlier in the night of nWo fliers being passed out as fans came into the arena; included an ad promoting the nWo T-shirt; featured Mike Tenay conducting a backstage interview with Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael, alongside Debra McMichael, regarding their match later in the night against Sting & Lex Luger and the fact Sting & Luger dropped the ball in Wargames; included a vignette detailing the training and experience of Glacier; featured footage of Sean Waltman sitting ringside, during which it was noted he was known as the 1-2-3 Kid in the WWF and was no longer with the company; included the announcement Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette, Jim Powers, WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr., Kevin Sullivan & Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan would be in action as part of WCW Saturday Night; featured Mike Tenay conducting an interview in the aisle with Savage in which they reviewed still photos from his match with the Giant at Fall Brawl and discussed Savage’s match at Halloween Havoc with WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan; moments later, cameras outside the arena saw Hogan, the fake Sting, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and Ted Dibiase celebrating the Wargames win beside their limo; included an in-ring segment in which Sting walked out, took the mic, and discussed the WCW wrestlers doubting him after the events of the previous week; Sting then said he had given Luger the benefit of the doubt a dozen times in the past year, he had given his blood, sweat, and tears to WCW, and said he would continue to stand by the wrestlers and fans that never doubted him; he then told those that did doubt him to stick it, that he was now a free agent, but that he would continue to appear when they least expected it; Sting then left the ring and slapped fans’ hands as he went backstage; featured an ad for the Four Horsemen T-shirt:
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Juventud Guerrera at around the 9-minute mark with a hurricanrana off the top; during the bout, Tony Schiavone said it would be revealed in the coming weeks as to what the nWo’s demands would be coming off their win at Wargames; late in the bout, footage was shown outside the arena of nWo fans with signs and fliers; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the bout (The Very Best of Nitro Vol. 2)
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Ice Train (w/ Teddy Long) at 4:41; during the bout, it was noted Randy Savage would challenge WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan at Halloween Havoc; at the finish of the bout, footage was shown of nWo fans blocking the WCW merchandise table in the arena; upon replay, it was shown that Page grabbed Long’s white towel and threw it in the ring himself behind referee Nick Patrick’s back as Train had him caught in a full nelson; moments later, it was shown that the nWo fans were now selling nWo merchandise
Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Super Calo with a sit-down crucifix powerbomb at 6:44; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the match; after the bout, Tenay conducted a ringside interview with Sean Waltman about why he was in attendance; Waltman was not referred to by name
Brad Armstrong pinned Hugh Morrus at 3:56 with a crucifix as Morrus made a lazy cover after hitting the moonsault
Scott Norton defeated Randy Savage via disqualification at 6:35 when, as the two were fighting on the floor, Savage repeatedly struck Norton over the head with a steel chair; during the bout, it was noted several top WCW stars would be overseas the following week as part of a Japan tour; after the bout, referee Nick Patrick came ringside, with Savage punching him in the face
Glacier pinned Big Bubba at 2:41 with a spinning side kick to the face; the entirety of the bout took place under Glacier’s blue entrance lighting (Glacier’s Nitro debut)
WCW US Champion Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (w/ Woman) defeated Chris Jericho & Marcus Alexander Bagwell at 10:10 when Flair pinned Bagwell with the figure-4 and holding onto Woman for added leverage, moments after Bagwell sustained an eye rake from Woman and DDT from Anderson; prior to the bout, a backstage camera showed Elizabeth too scared to go ringside after the events of Fall Brawl; following the ring entrances, Sean Waltman was shown pushing a button in the crowd, with then thousands of nWo fliers dropping from the ceiling; moments later, the commentary team noted Waltman had revealed himself as the sixth member of the nWo; during the contest, Eric Bischoff said the nWo earned their own show as per their demands before Wargames; Anderson had a bandage above his eye as a result of Wargames; mid-way through the match, the nWo and Waltman were shown outside listening to the audio of Sting they used to trick everyone the previous week
Lex Luger defeated Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael (w/ Debra McMichael) via disqualification in a handicap match at 5:59 when WCW US Champion Ric Flair & Arn Anderson ran out as Luger had Benoit in the Torture Rack; the bout was scheduled as Sting & Luger vs. Benoit & McMichael but Sting did not appear; it was noted during the contest that Luger, Sting, Flair, Dean Malenko, Rick & Scott Steiner, Hugh Morrus, Eddie Guerrero, WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal, Chris Benoit, and Anderson would be among those scheduled to be in Japan the following Monday; after the contest, Flair, Anderson, McMichael, & Benoit attacked Luger; moments later, the nWo sent word that their newest member would be referred to as Syxx; the nWo was then shown in their limo talking about the fact that Randy Savage would be the only top WCW wrestler who would be at Nitro the next week
NJPW @ Okayama, Japan – September 19, 1996 (4,500; sell out)
Shinjiro Otani, Dean Malenko, & Eddie Guerrero defeated Tatsuhito Takaiwa, El Samurai, & Chris Benoit
Osamu Nishimura defeated Yuji Nagata
Hiro Saito & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Takashi Iizuka & Tadao Yasuda
Rick Steiner & Lex Luger defeated Arn Anderson & Scott Norton
Kurasawa defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair via submission
Animal & Power Warrior defeated the Great Muta & Junji Hirata
New Japan/WCW Tournament first round: WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Satoshi Kojima
New Japan/WCW Tournament first round: Shiro Koshinaka defeated Hugh Morrus
New Japan/WCW Tournament first round: Sting defeated Masahiro Chono
New Japan/WCW Tournament first round: Shinya Hashimoto defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell
NJPW @ Osaka, Japan – Furitsu Gym – September 20, 1996 (6,850; sell out)
Kurasawa defeated Hugh Morrus
Sting & Shiro Koshinaka defeated Hiro Saito & Masahiro Chono
The Great Muta & Rick Steiner defeated Chirs Benoit & Animal Warrior
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal & Marcus Alexander Bagwell defeated Eddie Guerrero & Shinya Hashimoto
New Japan/WCW Tournament first round: Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Arn Anderson New Japan/WCW Tournament first round: WCW US Champion Ric Flair defeated Tatsumi Fujinami New Japan/WCW Tournament first round: Scott Norton defeated Riki Choshu New Japan/WCW Tournament first round: Kensuke Sasaki defeated Lex Luger
Pro – 9/21/96:
Meng & the Barbarian vs. the Renegade & Joe Gomez
Chris Benoit vs. JL
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat vs. Scott & Steve Armstrong
Mike Enos & Dick Slater vs. Cliff Sheets & Casey Thompson
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Worldwide – 9/21/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Juventud Guerrera vs. Jerry Lynn
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Disco Inferno at 4:22 with the Diamond Cutter after Disco thought he had won the match, not realizing DDP’s foot was on the bottom rope during the cover
Super Calo vs. Brad Armstrong
Hugh Morrus, Big Bubba, Meng, & the Barbarian vs. Tony Mella, Pepe Prado, Scott & Steve Armstrong
Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit vs. Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson
NJPW @ Tokyo, Japan – Korakuen Hall – September 21, 1996 (1,904; sell out)
Yuji Nagata & Shinjiro Otani defeated El Samurai & Eddie Guerrero
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Rick Steiner defeated Arn Anderson & Hugh Morrus
Takashi Iizuka defeated Hiro Saito
Satoshi Kojima, Osamu Nishimura, & Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Dean Malenko, Lex Luger, & Chirs Benoit
New Japan/WCW Tournament quarter-finals: Scott Norton defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan
New Japan/WCW Tournament quarter-finals: Shiro Koshinaka defeated Sting
New Japan/WCW Tournament quarter-finals: Kensuke Sasaki defeated WCW US Champion Ric Flair
New Japan/WCW Tournament quarter-finals: Shinya Hashimoto defeated WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal
WCW @ Cleveland, OH – Convocation Center – September 23, 1996 (4,308)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Super Calo at 6:16 with an Arabian press after a botched springboard huracanrana
Monday Nitro – hosted by Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko for hour 1 and Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and Mike Tenay for hour 2 until the broadcast was taken over by the New World Order; numerous top WCW talent were noted as being in Japan during this episode, with Schiavone pointing out an “nWo Nitro” ad in that day’s USA Today newspaper that led him to believe the nWo would try to take over the show; included footage of New World Order volunteers handing out nWo propoganda outside the building to fans; featured an nWo t-shirt promo; included Tenay conducting a backstage interview with Randy Savage, with Savage claiming he was a marked man but also the last hope for WCW, and that he cancelled his Japan tour to be here at Nitro to confront the New World Order; featured a promo for that weekend’s WCW Saturday Night with a main event of Randy Savage vs. Big Bubba; included silver medal Olympian Matt Ghaffari shown in the crowd; featured the New World Order, having taken over the broadcast booth at the top of the second hour, introducing the nWo #49 Nascar as it drove into the arena; included a closing segment with the New World Order wrapping up the show from the broadcast booth, with Scott Hall asking the Giant “Is Andre really your dad?” and Bischoff being forced to remain in his seat as the group cracked jokes:
Kevin Sullivan & AAA Americas Champion Konnan (w/ Jimmy Hart & Big Bubba) defeated Juventud Guerrera & Brad Armstrong at 2:36 when Sullivan pinned Armstrong with the double stomp after Konnan delivered a powerbomb; after the match, Konnan confronted Sullivan about making him tag out, with Bubba & Sullivan immediately attacking Konnan and double-teaming him before Sullivan helped Konnan to his feet and explained he was just initiated into the Dungeon of Doom
Chris Jericho pinned Mike Enos at 7:41 by reversing Enos’ powerslam into a lateral press
Glacier pinned Pat Tanaka at 1:10 with a spinning roundhouse kick; the match was contested under blue lightning
Public Enemy defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri & Col. Rob Parker) at 11:15 to win the titles when Rocco Rock pinned Booker T by reversing Booker’s inside cradle, with both sets of shoulders possibly being down, but referee Nick Patrick awarding the match to the challengers; during the match, a split-screen aired with WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, the Giant, Ted DiBiase, Syxx, and nWo Sting arriving backstage in their limos, with Nash stating “Accept no imitations, the real deals are in the house” as a knock on the WWF promoting “Razor Ramon & Diesel” would appear on Raw that same evening
Greg Valentine defeated Randy Savage via disqualification at 2:59 when Savage came off the top with a chair shot to Valentine’s head; moments later, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Syxx, Ted DiBiase, and the Giant hit the ring to attack Savage as Elizabeth looked on concerned, with Savage sustaining Hall’s Outsider’s Edge and Nash’s powerbomb; moments later, the Giant introduced WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan to the ring, with Hogan delivering two legdrops to Savage and spraying black paint in Savage’s hair to cover his bald spot, with the Giant eating a Slim Jim to mock Savage; the six nWo members then took over the broadcast stage, with Nash then taking over the broadcast booth and threatening to punch Bischoff unless he stayed and called the show with them; moments later, Vincent was introduced as the newest nWo members and their head of security (Vincent’s debut)
Jim Powers (w/ Teddy Long) fought Michael Wallstreet to a no contest when Scott Hall & Kevin Nash attacked Powers outside the ring; the Giant acted as the ring announcer, with Eric Bischoff & Ted DiBiase providing commentary for the segment; after the attack on Powers, referee Randy Anderson left the ring and refused to work on the nWo-ruled show, with Nick Patrick then coming to the ring and stating he would referee and do his job
The Giant (w/ Scott Hall & Kevin Nash) pinned Jim Powers (w/ Teddy Long) at the 52-second mark with the chokeslam; Giant also acted as the ring announcer, with Eric Bischoff & Ted DiBiase providing commentary; during the bout, a split-screen aired with WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan spray painting “NWO” on the arena walls in the back, with Hogan then greeting the Nasty Boys and discussing their close friendship, with Hogan giving the Nasty Boys the key to his suite and the WCW World Title belt to take there and meet him later to discuss business
Syxx (sub. for Ron Studd) pinned Jim Duggan at 2:20 after the Giant chokeslammed Duggan on the arena floor; the Giant acted as the ring announcer, with Eric Bischoff, Ted DiBiase, & Hulk Hogan providing commentary; Studd was assaulted by WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan & Kevin Nash during his entrance, with Giant then introducing Syxx as his replacement (Sean Waltman’s in-ring debut)
nWo Sting defeated Bo LeDuc via submission at 1:36 with the Scorpion Deathlock; the Giant acted as the ring announcer, with Eric Bischoff, Ted DiBiase, & Hulk Hogan providing commentary; Bischoff stated that LeDuc was a wrestler brought to the show by the nWo
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash (sub. for Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette) defeated High Voltage at 10:20 when both Hall & Nash pinned Kaos with a foot on his chest after Nash delivered the powerbomb; the Giant acted as the ring announcer, with Eric Bischoff, Ted DiBiase, & Hulk Hogan providing commentary; Hall & Nash came to the ring as the Amazing French Canadians sung the Canadian anthem, with the team then cowering from the ring and allowing the nWo team to take their spot
NJPW @ Yokohama, Japan – Arena – September 23, 1996 (17,010; sell out)
Shinjiro Otani & Dean Malenko defeated El Samurai & Eddie Guerrero at 13:19 when Otani pinned Samurai
Satoshi Kojima, Yuji Nagata,, Osamu Nishimura, & Junji Hirata defeated Akitoshi Saito, Michiyoshi Ohara, Akira Nogami, & Kuniaki Kobayashi at 9:40 when Kojima pinned Ohara
Sting & Lex Luger defeated Arn Anderson & WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal (sub. for WCW US Champion Ric Flair) at 12:03
Riki Choshu & Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Kengo Kimura & Tatsutoshi Goto at 7:08 when Goto submitted to Fujinami
Animal Warrior pinned Tadao Yasuda at 3:31
Rick Steiner pinned Kurasawa at 8:00
New Japan/WCW Tournament semi-finals: Shiro Koshinaka pinned Shinya Hashimoto at 10:56
New Japan/WCW Tournament semi-finals: Kensuke Sasaki defeated Scott Norton via forfeit when Norton was unable to compete due to injury
Jushin Thunder Liger pinned Chris Benoit at 18:31
The Great Muta defeated Pedro Otarvio
Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Kazuo Yamazaki & Takashi Iizuka at 18:06 when Chono pinned Iizuka
New Japan/WCW Tournament finals: Kensuke Sasaki pinned Shiro Koshinaka at 12:10
WCW @ Montgomery, AL – Civic Center – September 25, 1996 (4,100; 1,800 paid)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Prince Iaukea defeated the Colorado Crusader
Scott Vick defeated Big Sexy
The Gambler defeated Hog Higgins
9/28/96:
WCW Tag Team Champions Public Enemy defeated High Voltage
Dean Malenko defeated Brad Armstrong
Eddie Guerrero defeated Maxx
Konnan defeated the Gambler
Mike Enos & Dick Slater defeated Chris Jericho & Jim Powers
Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Disco Inferno
The Barbarian & Meng defeated Scott & Steve Amrstrong
Lex Luger defeated Juventud Guerrera
Big Bubba defeated Randy Savage via disqualification
The Main Event – 10/5/96: Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette defeated High Voltage
The Main Event – 10/5/96: Chris Jericho defeated Konnan via disqualification
The Main Event – 10/5/96: Jim Powers defeated JL
WCW @ Columbus, OH – September 28, 1996 (3,016)
Jim Powers defeated Juventud Guerrera
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Dean Malenko via disqualification
Lex Luger defeated Rick Steiner
Syxx defeated Eddie Guerrero
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Ric Flair & Chris Benoit
The Giant defeated Randy Savage
WCW @ Steubenville, OH – September 29, 1996 (1,500)
Jim Powers defeated Juventud Guerrera
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Dean Malenko via disqualification
Rick Steiner defeated Lex Luger
Syxx defeated Eddie Guerrero
Ric Flair & Chris Benoit defeated Scott Hall & Kevin Nash via disqualification
Randy Savage fought the Giant to a double disqualification
WCW @ ? – September 30, 1996
Monday Nitro – featured an opening statement by Eric Bischoff at the announce table in which he made note of WCW’s lengthy history, insulted the nWo, said his only regret was hiring Hulk Hogan, and said the nWo’s actions would not be tolerated any more and would stop; included Mike Tenay conducting a backstage interview with Chris Benoit, Steve McMichael, and Debra in which McMichael said he was there to support the 4 Horsement and to be ready if the nWo tried to attack someone, with Benoit then cutting a promo on his match later in the night against Rick Steiner; featurd a nWo paid advertisement – now paid by WCW – from the Cleveland Mariott with Hulk Hogan and his son Nick, Fake Sting, Kyle Petty, the Giant, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash, Syxx, and Ted Dibiase in which they welcomed the WCW stars back from Japan and Nash said Debra McMichael wanted him; included footage of Randy Savage assaulting referee Mark Curtis and Nick Patrick two days earlier during WCW Saturday Night, with Tenay then introducing Savage for an interview in the aisle but Savage never appeared; featured a nWo segment from the Mariott in which the Nasty Boys joined the party with the rest of the nWo and Jerry Saggs did an Eric Bischoff impression with his ass; included the announcement of the following matches for the following weekend’s WCW Saturday Night: the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express vs. Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael, Harlem Heat vs. WCW Tag Team Champions Public Enemy, and Jim Powers vs. Disco Inferno; featured Tenay conducting a backstage interview with Arn Anderson, Woman, and Elizabeth in which Anderson and Woman confronted Elizabeth about not being on the same page and her seemingly still having feelings for Randy Savage; included Schiavone introducing the WCW motorsports car which had been renamed the Sting car, as a peace offering following what happened between Sting and WCW at Fall Brawl; featured a segment of the nWo at the Mariott in which Kyle Petty talked about driving the new nWo car and Hogan cut a promo on facing Randy Savage at Halloween Havoc; included a closing segment of the nWo at the Mariott in which Elizabeth was shown sitting on the couch inbetween the Giant and Hogan, with Hogan offering Elizabeth a movie career; moments later, Elizabeth walked out of the hotel room and down the hall, just as Randy Savage ran down the hall and confronted her about why she was there:
WCW Tag Team Champions Public Enemy defeated Juventud Guerrera & El Technico (Billy Kidman) at 2:05 when Rocco Rock pinned Technico following a Drive By from the top rope (not turnbuckle); after the bout, the champions put Technico through a table and celebrated in the crowd
Alex Wright pinned Dean Malenko at 8:33 with an Oklahoma side roll after avoiding a crossbody off the top; Malenko came to the ring in possession of Rey Mysterio Jr.’s mask which he stole two days earlier during WCW Saturday Night
Eddie Guerrero pinned Jim Powers (w/ Teddy Long) at 6:25 with a German suplex into a bridge; prior to the bout, it was announced Guerrero would face Diamond Dallas Page at Halloween Havoc for the Battlebowl ring; 1996 Greco-Roman super heavyweight Olympian silver medalist Matt Ghaffari was shown sitting ringside during the match; Nick Patrick was the referee for the bout and wore a neckbrace following the assault he took from Savage two days earlier; after the bout, Long argued with Patrick for several moments that Powers had his shoulder up before the 3-count
Hugh Morrus pinned Brad Armstrong at 4:15 after two moonsaults; prior to the bout, it was announced Lex Luger would face Arn Anderson at Halloween Havoc; after the match, Anderson and Woman were shown talking with Elizabeth backstage in which they told her to get her head in the game
Arn Anderson (w/ Woman) pinned Chris Jericho at 5:33 with the DDT after avoiding a springboard moonsault; prior to the match, an angry Bischoff left the commentary team to find the nWo at their hotel, with Tony Schiavone taking his spot; Elizabeth was shown watching the match from backstage until she got up and walked off; after the commercial break, Elizabeth was shown walking out the arena with her bags
Lex Luger defeated Michael Wallstreet via submission with the Torture Rack at 7:22
Meng & the Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express at 12:03 when the Barbarian pinned Robert Gibson with a kick to the back of the head; after the bout, WCW Tag Team Champions Public Enemy attempted to make the save but were beaten down as well, with Meng splashing Johnny Grunge’s already injured left knee
Chris Benoit (w/ Steve McMichael & Debra) pinned Rick Steiner at 4:24 after McMichael hit Steiner in the back with his Halliburton as Steiner attempted a belly to belly off the top, with Benoit falling on top for the win; after the bout, it was announced Benoit & McMichael would face Meng & the Barbarian at Halloween Havoc
WCW @ Canton, OH – Civic Center – October 1, 1996 (2,000)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Bobby Eaton defeated Dave Taylor
10/5/96:
Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Juventud Guerrera
The Barbarian & Meng defeated John Tenta & Ron Studd
Eddie Guerrero defeated Joe Gomez
Arn Anderson defeated Vic Steamboat
Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael defeated Ricky Morton & Robert Gibston
Dean Malenko defeated Mr. JL
Lex Luger defeated the Renegade; after the bout, the two men shook hands
Brad Armstrong defeated Mark Starr
Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri & Col. Rob Parker) defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Public Enemy to win the titles at 5:51 when Booker pinned Johnny Grunge after Stevie Ray hit Grunge in the knee with Parker’s cane behind the back of referee Nick Patrick; after the bout, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash, Syxx, and the Giant were shown watching on from the crowd
The Main Event – 10/12/96: Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson defeated Dave Taylor & Mr. JL
The Main Event – 10/12/96: Jim Powers defeated Disco Inferno
The Main Event – 10/19/96: Konnan defeated Pat Tanaka
The Main Event – 10/26/96: Juventud Guerrera defeated Mark Starr
WCW @ Erie, PA – Civic Center – October 2, 1996 (1,731 paid)
Worldwide – 10/5//96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Arn Anderson pinned Scott Norton at 4:50 with a roll up and grabbing the tights for leverage as Norton argued with Patrick
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Rick Steiner via disqualification at 4:04 when DDP ducked a clothesline and Steiner narrowly avoided referee Nick Patrick but did not touch him; regardless, Patrick called for the bell
WCW @ North Charleston, SC – Coliseum – October 6, 1996 (2,842)
The Barbarian defeated Dick Slater
Glacier defeated Big Bubba
The Nasty Boys defeated Public Enemy
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Eddie Guerrero
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Scott Hall & Kevin Nash via disqualification
The Giant defeated Sting and Randy Savage via disqualification
WCW @ Savannah, GA – Civic Center – October 7, 1996 (4,300)
nWo Saturday Night – 10/12/96: Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Joe Joe & Rocket Starbuck; the bout was taped in the empty arena with only Ted Dibiase & Vincent in the crowd; Nash & Hall provided their own commentary for the match
Monday Nitro:
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri & Col. Rob Parker) defeated Public Enemy in a non-title match when Booker T pinned Johnny Grunge following a kneedrop off the top as a steel chair was laid across Grunge’s bad knee, moments after Parker crotched Rocco Rock on the top and caused him to fall through a table set up at ringside; prior to the bout, footage was shown of the Heat regaining the titles two days earlier on WCW Saturday Night; mid-way through the bout, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Ted Dibiase, Vincent, & Syxx appeared in the crowd, with Hall, Nash & Dibiase cutting a promo on facing Heat at Halloween Havoc before disappearing
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Jim Powers
Meng & the Barbarian defeated High Voltage
Glacier defeated Mike Winner
Jeff Jarrett defeated Hugh Morrus via submission with the figure-4
Arn Anderson (w/ Woman) pinned the Renegade at 7:07 with the DDT after clubbing Renegade in the back of the head as he attempted a second springboard elbow in the corner; after the bout, Anderson hung Renegade upside down in the corner and continued to assault him until Lex Luger came out and scared Anderson to the floor
Lex Luger defeated Dave Taylor via submission with the Torture Rack at 2:36; during the bout, Luger cut an insert promo on wanting to regain the WCW TV Title from Lord Steven Regal as well as his upcoming match at Halloween Havoc against Arn Anderson; after the bout, Anderson jumped Luger from behind in the aisle with a steel chair and assaulted him until he was sent backstage by referees
Rick Steiner (w/ Scott Steiner) defeated Chris Benoit (w/ Steve McMichael & Debra) at around the 10:30 mark when Rick stole away McMichael’s Halliburton as he attempted to hit Scott with it and then hit both McMichael and Benoit with the weapon; during the bout, it was announced Rick would soon be teaming with the Great Muta, instead of his injured brother, in a New Japan tag team tournament
WCW US Champion Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage
WCW @ Greenwood, SC – Civic Center – October 8, 1996 (2,600; 2,100 paid; sell out)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Bobby Eaton defeated Harrison Norris
High Voltage defeated the Starbuck Brothers
Maxx defeated Mike Winner
10/12/96:
Jeff Jarrett defeated Billy Kidman
Eddie Guerrero defeated Disco Inferno
Ron Studd defeated Jack Boot
Hugh Morrus defeated Prince Iaukea
Michael Wallstreet defeated Jim Duggan via disqualification
Chris Jericho defeated Steve Armstrong
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Dick Slater & Mike Enos
Kevin Sullivan defeated Scott Armstrong
nWo Sting defeated Bunkhouse Buck
Lex Luger defeated Jim Powers
The Main Event – 10/26/96: Mike Enos defeated JL
WCW @ Tupelo, MS – Coliseum – October 13, 1996 (2,948)
Alex Wright defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Chris Jericho defeated Disco Inferno
High Voltage defeated Public Enemy via forfeit; Johnny Grunge was injured
Jim Duggan defeated Michael Wallstreet in a taped fist match
The Barbarian & Meng defeated the Nasty Boys
Eddie Guerrero defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Randy Savage defeated Sting and the Giant via disqualification when both Giant and Sting were eliminated from the match
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat via disqualification
WCW @ Memphis, TN – Mid-South Coliseum – October 14, 1996 (6,930; 5,650 paid)
nWo Saturday Night – 10/19/96: Syxx defeated Johnny Accabell; the match was taped in the empty arena before the show
Monday Nitro – featured a closing segment in which the entire nWo came out, with Elizabeth, and Hulk Hogan cut an in-ring pomo about facing Randy Savage at Halloween Havoc; moments later, the Nasty Boys came out in nWo attire and slapped hands with Hogan before they were both beaten down by the nWo, after Hogan said they couldn’t wear the colors until Hogan said they could; moments later, the backs of the Nasty Boys were spraypainted as Hogan said the same would happen to Savage and that Elizabeth dreamed about Hogan night and day before Savage’s marriage fell apart; the nWo then took over the commentary table, with Hall & Nash cutting a promo on Harlem Heat before a clip was shown of Savage earlier in the show listening to Elizabeth saying she still loved him:
Dean Malenko pinned Scott Armstrong with a three-quarter nelson
Jim Duggan defeated Michael Wallstreet
Hugh Morrus pinned Jim Powers
Lex Luger defeated Greg Valentine via submission with the Torture Rack
Eddie Guerrero defeated the Cheetah Kid
Jeff Jarrett pinned Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) after dropkicking Hart’s megaphone into Bubba’s face as Bubba attempted to use it as a weapon; after the bout, Tony Schiavone interviewed Jarrett in the aisle and announced Jarrett’s wish to face the Giant at Halloween Havoc, taking the place of Ric Flair, had been granted; Jarrett then said he would make the nWo respect Flair, WCW, and himself
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri & Col. Parker) fought Meng & the Barbarian to a no contest in a non-title match at 7:18 when the match stopped when both teams confronted Scott Hall & Kevin Nash after Hall & Nash came through the crowd; within the opening minute of the bout, Chris Benoit, Steve McMichael & Debra came out and briefly watched Meng & the Barbarian; after the bout, Hall & Nash walked back up through the crowd
WCW @ Anderson, SC – Civic Center – October 16, 1996 (2,300; 2,000 paid)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Joe Gomez defeated Sonny Trout
Dick Slater defeated Scott Armstrong
10/19/96 – featured an interview with Arn Anderson & Woman in which they discussed Elizabeth no longer being part of the Horsemen and said Lex Luger had no guts:
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Scotty Riggs with the Diamond Cutter; after the bout, DDP cut a promo on facing Eddie Guerrero at Halloween Havoc
Dean Malenko pinned Alex Wright with a double underhook roll over
Jeff Jarrett defeated Steve Armstrong via submission with the figure-4
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Mike Enos & Bunkhouse Buck
Lex Luger defeated Mark Starr via submission with the Torture Rack
Ron Studd pinned Chavo Guerrero Jr. with a suplex
Syxx pinned an unknown with a spin kick
Chris Benoit pinned Sgt. Craig Pittman with the diving headbutt
Chris Jericho pinned Marcus Alexander Bagwell with a crossbody off the top
Roadblock pinned Dale Wolfe (sub. for Randy Savage); when Savage didn’t appear for the match, Roadblock went backstage, grabbed Wolfe, brought him to the ring, and assaulted him
Dark match after the taping: Lex Luger defeated Roadblock
WCW @ Minneapolis, MN – Target Center – October 18, 1996 (7,473 paid)
JL defeated Chris Jericho via disqualification
Chris Jericho fought Syxx to a double count-out
The Barbarian & Meng defeated High Voltage
Madusa defeated Leilani Kai
Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit defeated the Nasty Boys
Eddie Guerrero defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash fought WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat to a no contest when the Nasty Boys interfered
Randy Savage defeated Sting and the Giant when both Sting and Giant were counted-out
WCW @ LaCrosse, WI – October 19, 1996 (1,990)
WCW @ Sioux Falls, SD – Arena – October 20, 1996 (2,716)
Sting vs. the Giant
Chris Benoit & Arn Anderson vs. Scott Hall & Kevin Nash
Randy Savage vs. ? (sub. for Ric Flair)
NJPW @ Kobe, Japan – World Hall – October 20, 1996
Hiroyoshi Tenzan pinned Satoshi Kojima at 11:06 with a powerbomb, headbutt to the groin, and headbutt off the top
WCW @ Mankato, MN – Civic Center – October 21, 1996 (4,034)
nWo Saturday Night – 10/26/96: Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated the Starbuck Twins; the match was taped in the empty arena before the show
Eddie Guerrero defeated Robbie Rage
Monday Nitro – included an opening clip from last week’s show of Randy Savage reacting to Elizabeth confessing she still loved him, with Savage then leaving the arena in his limo; featured a video package of WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr.; included the announcement Scott Hall & Kevin Nash would compete in a tag team match during the nWo portion of WCW Saturday Night the following weekend; featured a recap of WCW US Champion Ric Flair being attacked by the nWo two weeks ago and Jeff Jarrett challenging the Giant, taking Flair’s spot, a week ago; included a longer recap of the previous week’s clip of Elizabeth sitting on her porch swing confessing to Savage that she still loved him, with Savage then walking out of the arena and into his limo:
Chris Jericho pinned Bobby Eaton at 7:05 with a missile dropkick; prior to the bout, Syxx & the fake Sting were shown underneath a nWo banner in the crowd and Syxx videotaping the match; it was announced during the contest that Syxx would face Chris Jericho at Halloween Havoc; after the bout, Tony Schiavone interviewed Jericho at ringside about his upcoming bout at the pay-per-view
Dean Malenko defeated Jimmy Graffitti at 6:38 via submission with the Texas Cloverleaf after avoiding a missile dropkick; prior to the bout, Malenko came to the ring with Rey Mysterio Jr.’s mask (Graffitti’s debut)
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Sgt. Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) at 2:54 with the Diamond Cutter; after the bout, Long argued with referee Nick Patrick since he didn’t notice DDP submitted while his back was turned; moments later, Schiavone interviewed Patrick at ringside about the match and the rumor he was the masked nWo referee on WCW Saturday Night, with Patrick denying he was
Jeff Jarrett defeated Ron Studd via submission with the figure-4 at 1:28; prior to the bout, Ric Flair came out to the ring, invited Jarrett to strut, and then did the same before shaking Jarrett’s hand and returning backstage; after the bout, Schiavone interviewed Jarrett at ringside about his match at Halloween Havoc against the Giant and said he was targetting Giant’s leg, with Flair then returning and saying he would be in Jarrett’s corner at Havoc after his operation; the Giant was shown in the crowd watching on during the segment
Lex Luger defeated Roadblock via submission with the Torture Rack at 3:47 after trying three times to put him in the hold; during the bout, Arn Anderson cut an insert promo about his match with Luger at Havoc (Roadblock’s debut)
WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri & Col. Parker) defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs in a non-title match at 9:33 when Stevie Ray pinned Riggs following a side kick from Booker after Riggs knocked Parker off the ring apron; prior to the bout, Eric Bischoff congratulated the Atlanta Braves for their win over the New York Yankees during the World Series, with Bischoff then saying “We kinda make that a habit around here, don’t we? Big win over New York;” during the bout, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash were shown in the crowd videotaping the match
Meng & the Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Bobby Fulton & Tommy Rogers at 5:18 when the Barbarian pinned Rogers after Meng kicked Rogers in the head as Barbarian had Rogers held in the air after catching him from a crossbody off the top
nWo Sting fought JL to a no contest at around 1:40 when the real Sting, in a black trench coat and white fact paint, came out, attaked the fake Sting and put him in the Scorpion Deathlock before the nWo (save Hulk Hogan), who came ringside through the crowd before the bout got in the ring; after the bout, Ted Dibiase and Kevin Nash invited Sting to join the group, with Sting saying he may or may not be in their price range but “the only thing sure about Sting is nothing’s for sure,” with Sting then leaving ringside (Sting’s first appearance in a month)
Chris Benoit fought Randy Savage to a no contest when Savage came out in all black street clothes and was interviewed by Eric Bischoff in the aisle, with Bischoff showing Savage footage of WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, the Giant, and Elizabeth on the set of Hogan’s “3 Ninjas” movie, with Hogan forcing Elizabeth to tell Savage she loved him and yelling at her to cooperate and not embarass him; Hogan “fired” director Sean McNamara during the clip and replaced him with the Giant, and made himself the producer; during the segment, Elizabeth said Hogan ruined her life twice; Bischoff said he wanted Savage to see the footage to prove Elizabeth was legit; after the footage, Savage said he realized friendships, relationships, and marriage were fragile before saying “But Hulk Hogan, life is fragile;” Savage then turned around and walked backstage as the show came to a close
WCW @ Rochester, MN – October 22, 1996
WCW Saturday Night taping:
Joe Gomez defeated JL
High Voltage defeated Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton
10/26/96:
Mike Enos & Dick Slater defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat via disqualification
Jeff Jarrett defeated Roadblock via submission with the figure-4
Eddie Guerrero pinned JL
Dean Malenko pinned Alex Wright
Jimmy Graffiti pinned the Cheetah Kid
Chris Benoit pinned Sgt. Craig Pittman
The Barbarian & Meng defeated High Voltage when Meng pinned Chaos
The Main Event – 11/2/96: Chris Jericho defeated Jimmy Graffiti
The Main Event – 11/2/96: Ron Studd defeated Roadblock
WCW @ Stockton, CA – October 24, 1996 (2,500; sell out)
Madusa defeated Leilani Kai
Lex Luger defeated Big Bubba
Syxx defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit at 9:08 when Hall pinned Anderson after Nash, the illegal man, kicked Anderson in the head behind the referee’s back after Anderson dropped Hall with the spinebuster; Hall & Nash were heavily cheered and Anderson & Benoit heavily booed in the match
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scott Riggs defeated Kevin Sullivan & Konnan
Lex Luger defeated the Giant via disqualification
WCW @ San Jose, CA – October 25, 1996 (2,231)
Chris Benoit & Arn Anderson defeated Kevin Sullivan & Konnan via disqualification
Juventud Guerrera defeated Psychosis
Syxx defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Madusa defeated Leilani Kai
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Dean Malenko
Eddie Guerrero defeated Damien
Lex Luger defeated Big Bubba
Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
Randy Savage defeated the Giant via disqualification
Halloween Havoc 96 – Las Vegas, NV – MGM Grand Garden Arena – October 27, 1996 (10,000)
Jim Powers pinned Pat Tanaka
Psychosis & Juventud Guerrera defeated Damien & Halloween when Guerrera pinned Damien
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included Lee Marshal conducting a backstage interview with Jeff Jarrett in which he said the Giant would not chokeslam him; featured Mike Tenay conducting a backstage interview with Lex Luger regarding his upcoming match with Arn Anderson; included an ad promoting World War 3:
Dean Malenko pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. to win the title at 18:32 with a gutwrench powerbomb off the top; Mike Tenay provided guest commentary for the match; during the bout, Mysterio regained possession of a mask Malenko recently stole from him and removed the mask he had been wearing to put on the other one (Rey Mysterio: Biggest Little Man)
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Eddie Guerrero with a sit-down powerbomb and the Diamond Cutter at 13:40 to win the Lord of the Ring ring
The Giant defeated Jeff Jarrett (w/ Ric Flair) via disqualification at 9:55 when Flair hit a low blow on the Giant outside the ring after he powered out of Jarrett’s figure-4 and attempted to hit the chokeslam on the floor; prior to the bout, Ted Dibiase, with the Giant, cut a promo in the audience on the upcoming match with Jarrett; Giant came to the ring in possession of the WCW US Title belt; after the contest, Chris Benoit, Steve McMichael, and Arn Anderson came out to prevent Giant from going after Jarrett and Flair
Syxx pinned Chris Jericho with a spin kick to the face at 9:49 after Jericho began arguing with referee Nick Patrick over a series of slow counts; prior to the bout, Ted Dibiase and Syxx, with Vincent, cut a promo on the upcoming match and the Giant’s win over Jeff Jarrett; during the bout, Kevin Sullivan, Konnan, and Big Bubba were shown sitting in the crowd; after the contest, Jericho chased Patrick out of the ring, with Patrick then helping Syxx backstage
Lex Luger defeated Arn Anderson via submission with the Torture Rack at 12:20 after repeatedly hitting Anderson over the back with a steel chair outside the ring; following the bout, Luger briefly kept the hold applied while Kevin Sullivan, Konnan, and Big Bubba were shown cheering in the audience
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) & Steve McMichael (w/ Debra McMichael) defeated Meng & the Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 9:25 when Benoit pinned Meng with the headbutt off the top after McMichael hit Meng in the head with the halliburton; during the ring entrances, it was mentioned Ric Flair had accompanied an injured Arn Anderson to the hospital; after the contest, Kevin Sullivan, Konnan, and Big Bubba joined Meng & the Barbarian in ganging up on Benoit & McMichael as Woman and Debra watched; moments later, Sullivan unbuttoned his shirt in front of Woman and said he was still the man, then punted Benoit; after the Dungeon of Doom left the ring, the trainer came in to check on Benoit & McMichael
Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri & Col. Rob Parker) to win the titles at 13:07 when Hall pinned Booker T after Nash broke Parker’s cane over Booker behind the referee’s back after Booker hit the Harlem Hangover on Hall; prior to the bout, Ted Dibiase and Vincent appeared in the crowd, with Dibiase bragging about the nWo’s victories earlier in the night and said the same thing would happen in the tag team title match, then introduced the challengers; Nash & Hall were heavily cheered in the match; late in the contest, after Nash took Parker’s cane, Parker ran backstage (Allied Powers)
WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan (w/ Ted Dibiase) pinned Randy Savage at 17:37 after the Giant came ringside, as Savage attempted to get at Dibiase, and hit a chokeslam on the floor moments after Savage knocked the champion out with Dibiase’s own foreign object and then hit the flying elbowsmash; prior to the bout, Hogan, with the Giant and Vincent, appeared in the crowd, cut a promo on just finishing his “3 Ninjas” movie and having “Santa with Muscles” about to be released, and said he would wipe the mat with Savage; Hogan worked the match with a crewcut wig, from his movie filming, until Savage took it off mid-way through the match; during Savage’s entrance, he had a Macho Man monster truck drive out to the entrance way; moments later, Savage cut an in-ring promo telling Hogan to send Dibiase and the Giant, who accompanied him to the ring before the match, backstage so he could kick his ass; referee Mark Curtis then sent the Giant backstage; Hogan wore sunglasses for the match until Savage took them off mid-way through and put them on himself; moments later, Elizabeth came out to be in Savage’s corner; late in the bout, Curtis was knocked out, with Nick Patrick then taking over officiating duties; after the contest, the Giant revived Hogan by pouring ice water on him while Savage was helped backstage by officials and Elizabeth; moments later, Hogan, with the Giant, cut an in-ring promo on his success until Roddy Piper appeared; Piper then said he was as big a Hollywood star as Hogan and as big a wrestling icon as Hogan; Piper then referred to WrestleMania 1 and said Hogan got the cheers he did because he was facing Piper and said he was the only man Hogan could never beat; Piper then said Hogan needed to admit that he didn’t draw the fans, the fans made him; after Hogan admitted Piper was as big a star as him, Piper told him to straighten up and attempted to leave until Hogan told him to squat when he goes to the restroom; moments later, Hogan and Piper came nose to nose as the two alluded to having a match; Hogan and the Giant then left the ring until Piper grabbed Hogan’s title belt; the show then went off the air as the two continued to talk (Piper’s surprise debut)
WCW @ Phoenix, AZ – America West Arena – October 28, 1996 (6,300; 3,175 paid)
nWo Saturday Night – 11/2/96: The Giant defeated Pat Tanaka; the bout was taped in an empty arena before the show
Monday Nitro:
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Juventud Guerrera
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Mike Enos
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Jim Powers
Jeff Jarrett defeated Ricky Morton
High Voltage defeated the Amazing French Canadians via disqualification when the Nasty Boys interfered
Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Jimmy Graffiti
Chris Benoit defeated Eddie Guerrero
Booker T defeated Lex Luger via count-out
Dark match after the show: Psychosis & Juventud Guerrera defeated Halloween & Damien
WCW @ Rome, GA – October 30, 1996 (2,300; 1,200 paid)
WCW Saturday Night: taping:
Chavo Guerrero Jr. fought Pat Tanaka to a no contest
11/2/96:
Eddie Guerrero defeated Jimmy Graffiti
The Barbarian & Meng defeated Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson when Barbarian pinned Morton
Joe Gomez defeated the Cheetah Kid
Kevin Sullivan & Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Jack Boot & Chavo Guerrero Jr. when Bubba pinned Guerrero
Jeff Jarrett defeated John Tenta
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Bobby Eaton
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) defeated Chris Jericho
The Main Event – 11/9/96: WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated the Cheetah Kid
The Main Event – 11/9/96: Chris Jericho defeated Bobby Eaton
WCW @ Hammond, IN – November 1, 1996 (3,940; sell out)
Syxx defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Chris Jericho
The Nasty Boys defeated Juventud Guerrera & Psychosis
Eddie Guerrero defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Lex Luger defeated Chris Benoit
Sting defeated Randy Savage and the Giant in an elimination match at 7:36; Savage was disqualified at 6:53 after repeatedly hitting the Giant with a steel chair; the Giant was counted-out after falling to the floor and striking his head against the steel barricade
WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Harlem Heat
Worldwide – 11/2/96 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Eddie Guerrero (w/ Chavo Guerrero Jr.) via disqualification at 5:39 when referee Nick Patrick stopped the match after he saw Chavo walking over and tending to Eddie outside the ring; after the match, Eddie and Chavo disputed the call
WCW @ Battle Creek, MI – November 2, 1996 (3,604)
Syxx defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Chris Jericho
The Nasty Boys defeated Juventud Guerrera & Psychosis
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Eddie Guerrero
Lex Luger defeated Chris Benoit
Sting defeated Randy Savage and the Giant when Savage and the Giant were both counted-out
WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Harlem Heat
WCW @ Saginaw, MI – Civic Center – November 3, 1996 (3,618)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Chris Jericho
The Nasty Boys defeated Juventud Guerrera & Psychosis
Syxx defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Lex Luger defeated Chris Benoit
Eddie Guerrero defeated Diamond Dallas Page
Sting defeated Randy Savage and the Giant when Savage and the Giant were both counted-out
WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Harlem Heat
WCW @ Grand Rapids, MI – Van Andel Arena – November 4, 1996 (7,568)
nWo Saturday Night – 11/9/96: Syxx defeated the Bounty Hunter; the bout was taped in the empty arena before the show
Monday Nitro – featured an opening show of Sting standing in the rafters and the Giant & Ted Dibiase in the crowd looking up at Sting; moments later, Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko showed off the WCW Women’s Title belt, which would be awarded to the winner of a tournament that would begin later in the show; it was announced Eric Bischoff was not on hand as he was in Portland, OR trying to strike a deal with Roddy Piper to face WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan; included an ad for the WCW Monday Nitro T-shirt staring Meng & the Barbarian, with subtitles; featured the announcement WCW Saturday Night would feature Jim Duggan vs. Lord Steven Regal, Harlem Heat vs. Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette, and Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko; included an ad for the nWo T-shirt staring the Giant, WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash; featured footage from the previous week of the Giant, in the crowd, cutting a promo on Jeff Jarrett; included Mike Tenay conducting an interview in the aisle with Jarrett, Chris Benoit, Woman, Steve McMichael, and Debra McMichael, during which Benoit & McMichael took exception to Jarrett considering himself a Horseman; after the other Horsemen went backstage, Jarrett told Tenay that WCW needed leadership as Sting was spotted in the crowd; moments later, Jarrett said Sting fumbled the ball at Fall Brawl but Jarrett, Ric Flair, or Piper could get the job done against the nWo; featured a segment in which Bischoff called in to the commentary team to report there had been a snag in negotiations between Piper and WCW but he would meet up with Piper the following Tuesday in Toronto to continue discussions; included, in full, Piper’s appearance at Halloween Havoc; featured a closing segment in which Hogan, Dibiase, Giant, and Vincent came out, with Hogan showing a clip from his new movie, ‘Santa with Muscles;’ Hogan then noted the upcoming Cable ACE Awards, the fact Ted Turner would be sitting front row, and that Hogan and the nWo were still waiting on their invitations; Hogan then said he was deserved an award and would crash the award show; Hogan then said Piper was too scared to face him and then posed for the fans:
Marcus Alexander Bagwell (w/ Scotty Riggs) pinned Brad Armstrong at 7:57 when Bagwell landed on top as both men attempted a crossbody at the same time; during the bout, Sting, in the rafters, and the Giant and Ted Dibiase, in the crowd, were shown going backstage
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Ice Train (w/ Teddy Long) at 6:35 with the Diamond Cutter; prior to the bout, footage was shown from the previous week in which WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall celebrated Page’s victory; early in the match, Nash & Hall appeared in the crowd; referee Nick Patrick wore a neckbrace for the contest; late in the bout, Hall & Nash assaulted Train in the ring with their title belts as Page and Patrick were on the floor; moments later, Train got up and traunted Hall & Nash, now in the aisle, until he sustained the Diamond Cutter
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Scotty Riggs (w/ Marcus Alexander Bagwell) at 3:23 with an Oklahoma side roll after Riggs was knocked off the top to the floor and Bagwell rolled his partner back inside the ring; prior to the bout, it was announced Malenko would defend against Psychosis at World War 3; during the contest, Syxx appeared in the crowd accompanied by several fans carrying nWo signs; after the match, Bagwell and Riggs had words over the loss
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) pinned Hector Guerrero at around the 12-minute mark with a roll up and putting his feet on the ropes for leverage after Woman prevented Guerrero from getting a pin with a rolling cradle; during the bout, Kevin Sullivan & Jimmy Hart cut an insert promo on Sullivan’s upcoming match with Benoit Nov. 23 in Baltimore; after the contest, the Giant, in possession of the WCW US Title, was shown in the crowd
WCW Women’s Championship Tournament: Madusa pinned CMLL Women’s Champion Reina Jubuki (a masked Akira Hokuto) in a non-title match at 3:14 with a reversal into the German suplex and bridge; referee Nick Patrick wore a neckbrace for the match; during the contest, Zero & Sonny Onoo appeared ringside
Chris Jericho pinned Michael Wallstreet with an inside cradle at 6:47; after the bout, Mike Tenay conducted an interview in the aisle with Nick Patrick and his attorney until Jericho interrupted, said Patrick wasn’t injured, and was working for the nWo; moments later, Teddy Long came out and argued that Patrick let Ice Train lose earlier after the nWo’s interference; Ted Dibiase and Vincent were then shown watching in the crowd
Lex Luger pinned Booker T (w/ Sister Sherri) at around the 8-minute mark with a forearm to the back of the head and roll up after Booker became distracted by Col. Rob Parker at ringside; during the bout, Luger cut an insert promo in which he asked Sting to talk to him about what’s going on
Dark match after the show: Lex Luger defeated the Giant via disqualification
WCW @ Gainesville, GA – Georgia Mountains Center – November 5, 1996 (1,400; sell out)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
11/9/96:
Psychosis & Juventud Guerrera defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Jim Duggan via disqualification
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Ice Train
Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette defeated Harlem Heat via count-out
Chris Benoit defeated Hugh Morrus
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Rey Mysterio Jr.
Lex Luger defeated Maxx
11/16/96:
Jim Duggan defeated the Gambler
Hugh Morrus defeated Jim Powers
Chris Benoit defeated Hector Guerrero
High Voltage fought Hard Body Harrison & Jack Boot to a no contest
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Juventud Guerrera
Diamond Dallas Page defeated the Cheetah Kid
Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr. & Bobby Eaton
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Psychosis
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – November 7, 1996
Television taping
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – November 8, 1996
Television taping
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – November 9, 1996
Television taping
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – November 10, 1996 (600; all freebies)
Worldwide taping:
Chris Benoit defeated Terry Sawyer
Harlem Heat defeated Butch Long & Bill Payne
Big Bubba defeated Leroy Howard
Sting defeated Hugh Morrus
Kevin Sullivan & Konnan defeated Scott Armstrong & Kenny Kendall
Scott Norton defeated Chris Nelson
12/22/96: Lex Luger defeated Hugh Morrus
1/12/97 – included Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary; featured a Souled Out ad focusing on WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash vs. Rick & Scott Steiner, Chris Jericho vs. Masahiro Chono, and WCW US Champion Eddie Guerrero vs. Syxx in a ladder match; included a Souled Out ad focusing on WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan vs. the Giant:
Rey Mysterio Jr. fought Psychosis to a draw at 4:23 when referee Mark Curtis stopped the bout after deeming neither man could continue after a Mysterio flying leg scissors knocked both men off the top to the floor
Bobby Eaton pinned Jimmy Graffiti with the Alabama Jam at 2:56
Madusa fought WCW Women’s Champion Akira Hokuto (w/ Sonny Onoo) to a double disqualification in a non-title match at 2:47 when the two fought on the floor and Onoo was knocked down in the melee; Hokuto did not appear with the title belt and was not announced as champion since the match was taped before Starrcade
Dave Taylor pinned Leroy Howard at 1:39 with a fireman’s carry into a cradle
Brad Armstrong defeated Jerry Flynn via submission with a modified Dragon sleeper at 5:14
Lex Luger defeated the Barbarian via submission with the Torture Rack at 8:48 after avoiding a headbutt off the top
2/9/97 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Miguel Perez Jr. defeated Ciclope
WCW US Champion Eddie Guerrero pinned Psychosis with a superplex and frog splash at 5:06; Guerrero did not appear with the title belt and was not introduced as such, as the match was taped before his title win
WCW Women’s Champion Akira Hokuto (w/ Sonny Onoo) & Kaoru defeated Madusa & Meiko Satomura at 2:32 when Hokuto pinned Satomura with a northern lights suplex after a Bombs Away from Kaoru and missile dropkick from Hokuto, as Madusa chased Onoo around the ring; Hokuto was not announced as champion and did not appear with the belt as it was taped before her title win
2/16/97 – featured Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan on commentary:
Billy Kidman defeated Jerry Flynn
Meiko Satomura pinned Malia Hosaka (w/ Sonny Onoo) with a frog splash at 1:15
Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
Alex Wright defeated Sonny Trout
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit via disqualification
2/23/97:
Horace Boulder defeated JL
Chris Jericho defeated Scott Armstrong
Miguel Perez Jr. defeated Steve Armstrong
WCW @ St. Petersburg, FL – Bayfront Center – November 11, 1996
Miguel Perez Jr. defeated La Parka
Saturday Night – 11/16/96: WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Brian Costello & Jack Shane; the match was taped in the empty arena before the show
The Main Event – 12/14/96: WCW Women’s Championship Tournament Semi-Finals: Madusa defeated GAEA All Asia Athlete Women’s Champion Zero in a non-title match; the bout was held before Zero’s opening round match during the live telecast
Monday Nitro – in the background during the intro segment, security tended to a fan in the crowd who was waving a package in his hand, apparently trying to get the attention of Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyzsko; the commentary team did not notice the fan; featured footage from the previous week of Mike Tenay conducting an interview with Jeff Jarrett, with Chris Benoit and Steve McMichael stepping in when Jarrett claimed to be a Horseman; after Benoit & McMichael left and Jarrett continued his rant on WCW needing a leader to face the New World Order, Sting was shown in the crowd; included a segment where the same fan, Ken McDade, from the opening segment jumped the rail and gave the commentary team the package before he was ejected by security; a note the fan left with the commentary team said the video was a hit in Europe in 1992; featured footage of Ric Flair going through rehabilitation in Birmingham, AL with Dr. James Andrews; included Gene Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Diamond Dallas Page regarding his being recruited by the New World Order; moments later, WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash appeared, with Page being offended that he would become the eigth member of the group; Nash replied they couldn’t come to him earlier because Eric Bischoff lives two doors down from Page; featured the announcement that Jim Duggan, Chris Benoit, Hugh Morrus, Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette, WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko, and WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal would be part of WCW Saturday Night; included a segment where several men wearing nWo t-shirts and carrying pickett signs led Hall, Nash, & Syxx to the ring, with Hall saying he, Nash, and WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan would be heading to the West Coast Saturday for the Cable Ace Awards; Nash then said while the nWo already had a segment on WCW Saturday Night, they had plans to take Nitro in a few weeks; featured a segment with Ted Dibiase, with Vincent, in the crowd calling for Sting, who didn’t appear, and thanked Sting for laying out Jeff Jarrett earlier in the show and offered him an nWo t-shirt; included Roddy Piper’s “I’m Your Man” music video, released in 1992 in Europe, in which Piper was shown training as his and Hulk Hogan’s name appeared on a marquee; featured a closing in-ring segment with WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, the Giant, with the WCW US title, Dibiase, Vincent, the Giant, and Elizabeth, dressed as an elf, in which Hogan said he would wipe the mat with Piper and that Piper doesn’t want any of Hogan; Hogan then posed until the show went off the air:
Jeff Jarrett defeated Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) via disqualification at around the 9-minute mark when Sting interfered and dropped Jarrett with a reverse DDT after Benoit sustained a suplex to the floor; prior to the bout, Kevin Sullivan & Jimmy Hart cut an insert promo on Sullivan facing Benoit in Baltimore the day before World War 3; during the match, it was announced Jarrett would face the Giant at World War 3
WCW Women’s Championship Tournament Quarter Finals: GAEA All Asia Athlete Women’s Champion Zero (w/ Sonny Onoo) pinned Malia Hosaka with a modified powerbomb at 1:43
Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Ciclope at 5:58 with the hurricanrana into a roll up after a hurricanrana off the top to the floor; J-Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon and Sonny Onoo were at ringside for the duration of the contest; WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko appeared at the entranceway mid-way through the match to watch, with Psychosis coming out behind Malenko moments later; it was announced during the match that Malenko would face Psychosis at World War 3 (Ciclope’s debut)
Lex Luger defeated Scott Norton via submission with the Torture Rack at around the 8-minute mark after avoiding a shoulderblock off the top; prior to the bout, it was announced Norton had just returned from co-winning New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual tag team tournament; during the contest, Arn Anderson cut an insert promo on facing Luger Nov. 23 in Baltimore; moments later, Sting was shown in the crowd; following the commercial break, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Luger in which Luger said he couldn’t carry the WCW banner alone and needed Sting
Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) fought Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette (w/ Col. Rob Parker) to a no contest when both Sherri and Parker interfered at 3:10; prior to the match, footage was shown of Sherri hitting Parker the previous weekend on WCW Saturday Night; during the contest, footage was shown of the Nasty Boys trying to get into the arena but were held off by security and Doug Dillinger; moments later, they were shown speaking with Ed Leslie outside the arena
Mexican Heavyweight Champion Konnan defeated Chris Jericho via disqualification at 5:18 when Konnan dropkicked Jericho into referee Nick Patrick; during the bout, a hockey card of Ted Irvine, Jericho’s father, was shown on a split screen; Patrick barely nudged as a result of the collision but immediately called for the bell
Miguel Perez Jr. pinned Juventud Guerrera at 3:55 with a modified victory roll after avoiding the 450 splash (Perez’ debut)
Meng & the Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs at 3:34 when Barbarian pinned Riggs after Meng kicked Riggs in the face, moments after Bagwell tripped Barbarian from the floor; during the bout, Eric Bischoff said he had met with Roddy Piper and his management team but it was hard to get any answers out of them but the video tape provided by the fan earlier in the show would hopefully answer some questions; after the contest, Hart grabbed the mic and argued why the Nasty Boys were facing WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall at World War 3 and then said Meng & the Barbarian should be in the match as well
Dark match after the show: WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Lex Luger
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – November 12, 1996 (600; all freebies)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
11/23/96:
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Ciclope & Galaxy
Kevin Sullivan defeated Scotty Riggs
Chris Jericho defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman
Arn Anderson defeated Bunkhouse Buck
Jacques Rougeau & Carl Outlette defeated Mark Starr & KC Thompson
Jeff Jarrett defeated Mike Enos
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko at 5:28 when Regal lifted his shoulder as Malenko had him covered with a roll up into a bridge, with Malenko pinning himself; only the TV title was at stake
WCW @ Florence, SC – Civic Center – November 18, 1996 (4,164; sell out)
WCW Saturday Night – 11/23/96: WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Pez Whatley & Buck Brezner; the bout was taped in the empty arena before the show
High Voltage fought Ciclope & Galaxy to a no contest when the Nasty Boys attacked both teams; WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash then attacked all the participants with steel chairs
Monday Nitro – the show opened 5 minutes early as WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash laid out the Nasty Boys, High Voltage, and Ciclope & Galaxy with steel chairs; moments later, Hall & Nash confronted Tony Schiavone at ringside about comments he made towards them the previous week; Hall & Nash then cut a promo on facing Meng & the Barbarian at World War III as part of their triangle match; moments later, they went backstage and were jumped by Meng & the Barbarian as Jimmy Hart cheered on his men; the two teams brawled in the backstage area and out of the arena as the show went to commercial break; after the commercial break, Schiavone walked out of the show after having his well being threatened by the nWo; featured a vignette of J Crown Champion Ultimo Dragon, with highlights from WCW and Japan, as Mike Tenay discussed his recently winning the eight title belts in Japan; included the announcement that Meng & the Barbarian vs. Ciclope & Galaxy, WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal vs. WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko, Jeff Jarrett vs. Mike Enos, Arn Anderson vs. Bunkhouse Buck would take place on WCW Saturday Night, Chris Jericho and Kevin Sullivan would also be in action, and the show would also feature a nWo match; featured a close up of a fan in the crowd, wearing a nWo T-shirt and holding a Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper WWF LNJ action figure, as the commentary team discussed the possibility of a Hogan vs. Piper match in WCW; included footage from the previous weekend’s WCW Saturday Night in which Chris Jericho, alongside Teddy Long, confronted Nick Patrick, in a neckbrace, and his lawyer, during which Jericho challenged Patrick to a match at World War III with one arm tied behind his back; featured WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, alongside Ted Dibiase, Virgil, and Elizabeth, confronting Eric Bischoff at the commentary table and forcing Bischoff to admit that Hogan was a better wrestler, actor, and was richer than Roddy Piper; after Bischoff reluctantly agreed to say everything Hogan wanted, the nWo members returned backstage; included Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Diamond Dallas Page about rejecting the nWo’s offer to join them as their eighth member; moments later, Giant, with the WCW US title, Syxx, Hall, & Nash came out; Nash eventually told Page, quoting ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ “It’s going to be something very beautiful happen tonight, very beautiful;” featured a closing in-ring segment in which Bischoff apologized for what Hogan made him say earlier in the show and that he was doing everything he could to get Piper to sign to face Hogan; moments later, Piper appeared and said he had never heard so many lies from people that weren’t him; Piper then said his first child was born in Charlotte and he was happy to be back in the Carolinas, then saying he was being chased by the cops at the same time the highway from Charlotte to Columbia, S.C. was being built; Piper then quoted LL Cool J, “You slap Roddy Piper and you didn’t get a hassle” – then pointing at Bischoff – “you’re a liar;” Piper then asked Bischoff details about his supposed trip to Oregon to see Piper, then said “Listen, you piece of shit” before the entire nWo came out to the ring and Hogan hugged Bischoff; Nash, Giant, Hall, Syxx, and Vincent held Piper as Hogan said Bischoff was working with the nWo and that no one knew Piper’s name before he wrestled Hogan; police swarmed the ring as Piper repeatedly spat at Hogan and had to be held back by the other nWo members; the nWo eventually left the ring, leaving Piper in the ring with a dozen cops; Piper then took the mic and said he would be at World War III with a contract “in my teeth”:
La Parka pinned Juventud Guerrera at 9:22 with a corkscrew off the top onto a standing Guerrera; Mike Tenay substituted for Tony Schiavone mid-way through the match, alongside Larry Zbyszko; during the contest, it was noted Harlem Heat would face Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette at the pay-per-view (La Parka’s debut)
J Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) defeated WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko via disqualification at 4:02 when Malenko sent Dragon over the top rope with a backdrop, moments after Malenko knocked an interfering Onoo into the ring; during the bout, Rey Mysterio Jr. cut an insert promo in which he said he wanted another shot at Malenko; during the bout, it was noted Malenko would face Psychosis and Dragon would face Mysterio at World War III
Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette (w/ Col. Rob Parker) defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs at 5:24 when Jacques pinned Bagwell after Riggs accidentally caused Bagwell and Jacques to butt heads, with Oulette then putting his partner on Bagwell behind the referee’s back; prior to the bout, it was noted Sister Sherri would get 5 minutes in the ring with Parker if Harlem Heat beat Rougeau & Oulette at World War III; after the contest, Bagwell argued with Riggs for the loss
Lex Luger defeated Hugh Morrus via submission with the Torture Rack at 4:22; during the bout, Arn Anderson cut an insert promo on Luger regarding their upcoming match Saturday in Baltimore; it was also noted during the match that Chris Benoit would face Kevin Sullivan in Baltimore in a rematch of their Great American Bash falls count anywhere contest and that Ric Flair would make an appearance; after the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Luger regarding his recent winning streak and participating in World War III, during which Okerlund said Luger was the odds-on favorite; moments later, Sting came out of the crowd with a baseball bat and shoved Luger with it before handing the bat over to Luger and leaving the ring
Chris Jericho pinned Johnny Grunge with the missile dropkick at 5:21 after Grunge crashed through a table set up in the ring; during the bout, Eric Bischoff noted Jericho would soon be on a tour of Japan; Nick Patrick was shown watching on during the contest from the aisle; after the match, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview with Jericho in the aisle about his upcoming match with Patrick; moments later, Teddy Long came out and apologized for getting Jericho into the match with his arm tied behind his back, with Jericho saying Long didn’t do anything wrong and it was the only way he could get Patrick to agree to the match
Jeff Jarrett defeated Bobby Eaton via submission with the figure-4 at 2:17; during the final moments of the bout, Ric Flair, his arm in a sling, came out to the ring; moments later, Flair strutted in the ring with Jarrett; Gene Okerlund then conducted an interview in the ring with Jarrett & Flair regarding Jarrett facing the Giant at World War III and Sting attacking Jarrett the previous week; Flair then said Jarrett was in the Horsemen because Flair said so; Sting was shown watching on during the segment
Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Jim Powers at 3:55 with the sidewalk slam
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) pinned Eddie Guerrero at around the 12-minute mark with a roll over out of a hurricanrana into a roll up; during the bout, Kevin Sullivan cut an insert promo regarding his upcoming match with Benoit in Baltimore
WCW @ Fayetteville, NC – Cumberland County Civic Center – November 19, 1996
WCW @ Baltimore, MD – Arena – November 23, 1996 (6,500)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Eddie Guerrero
WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated Harlem Heat
Syxx defeated Rey Mysterio Jr.
Lex Luger defeated Arn Anderson via submission with the Torture Rack
Jeff Jarrett defeated Big Bubba
Rick Steiner defeated the Barbarian
Chris Benoit fought Kevin Sullivan to a no contest in a falls count anywhere match
The Giant defeated Sting via disqualification when Sting attacked the Giant’s legs with his baseball bat
Pro – 11/24/96:
Juventud Guerrera vs. Bobby Walker
Public Enemy vs. Scott & Steve Armstrong J Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon vs. the Cheetah Kid
World War III 96 – Norfolk, VA – Scope – November 24, 1996 (10,314)
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Dusty Rhodes on commentary, with Schiavone & Heenan, Rhodes & Mike Tenay, and Larry Zbyzsko & Lee Marshall on commentary for the three respective rings during the main event; included Gene Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Diamond Dallas Page regarding the nWo trying to recruit him, Eric Bischoff being his nextdoor neighbor, and his participation in the 60-man battle royal later in the show; featured Marcus Alexander Bagwell speaking backstage with the WCW.com table; included Okerlund conducting an interview at the entrance stage with Ric Flair, his arm in a sling, regarding the feud between WCW and the nWo; featured an in-ring segment where Roddy Piper brought a contract with him to face WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, with Eric Bischoff, Ted Dibiase, and Vincent then appearing and Bischoff saying he had Hogan’s power of attorney; after Piper looked at Vincent and said he taught him how to fight, he called Bischoff an Eddie Munster lookalike and then asked how much the fine would be for knocking Bischoff out; Piper then said he wanted a No DQ match at Starrcade an called for Hogan to come out, with Hogan, Elizabeth, the Giant, Syxx, and WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash appearing; moments later, Hogan had Piper show the scar left from his hip surgery before then singing the contract; after Hogan called Piper a gimp, Piper slapped Hogan and went after him until he was held back by the nWo, with Hogan then hitting Piper in the hip with a steel chair, repeatedly stomping it, and spraypainting nWo on it; Piper eventually pulled himself back up to his feet as the nWo left ringside and cut a promo telling Hogan he would be in trouble at Starrcade if that was the best he could do; included Okerlund conducting a backstage interview with Lex Luger regarding his participation in the 60-man battle royal and the mysterious actions of Sting:
J-Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) pinned Rey Mysterio Jr. at 13:47 with a springboard sit-down powerbomb after blocking Mysterio’s attempt at a hurricanrana; after the bout, Onoo cut a promo into one of the cameras saying they were now coming for WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko (Wrestling’s Highest Flyers)
Chris Jericho (w/ Teddy Long) pinned Nick Patrick at 8:00 with a superkick; pre-match stipulations stated Jericho would have to wrestle the match with one arm tied behind his back; Patrick wore a neckbrace for the match
The Giant pinned Jeff Jarrett at 6:04 with the chokeslam after Sting came through the crowd and dropped Jarrett with a reverse DDT; the Giant came to the ring in possession of the WCW US title belt; during the bout, it was mentioned the Giant had a bit part in the new Arnold Schwarzenegger film “Jingle All the Way” because of WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan
Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) defeated Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette (w/ Col. Rob Parker) at 9:15 when Booker T pinned Oulette with the Harlem Hangover after Stevie Ray rolled out of the way of a Tower of Quebec attempt as Oulette stood on the ring steps, positioned on a table laid across the top rope; pre-match stipulations stated Sherri would have 5 minutes in the ring with Parker should the Heat win; after the bout, Sherri attacked Parker in the ring, threw him over the top, continued beating him into another ring, and gained a near fall with a crossbody off the top until he was pulled out by Rougeau, with the two men then running backstage
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Psychosis at 14:33 with a reverse victory roll into a bridge
WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated the Nasty Boys and the Barbarian & Meng (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 16:09 when Nash pinned Brian Knobbs with the powerbomb after Hall hit Knobbs with Hart’s megaphone; Knobbs wore a bandage on his head for the match; Nash & Hall were heavily cheered over the other two teams
The Giant won the 3-ring, 60-man battle royal at 28:19 after eliminating both Lex Luger and WCW Tag Team Champion Kevin Nash as Luger had Nash in the Torture Rack; due to pre-match stipulations, the Giant earned a WCW World Title shot; eliminations late in the match: Eddie Guerrero by WCW TV Champion William Regal via a backdrop after Guerrero was thrown into the ropes by Diamond Dallas Page (25:13); Rey Mysterio Jr. by the Giant via a one-handed press slam (25:40); Jeff Jarrett by Nash via a clothesline (26:20); Page by Regal when Regal ducked a charge and pulled down the top rope (26:26); Regal by WCW Tag Team Champion Scott Hall via a punch as Regal stood on the apron (26:48); Hall by Luger via a backdrop as Hall attempted the Outsider’s Edge (27:55); Syxx by Luger via a press slam (28:01); Nash by Giant (28:18); Luger by Giant; other participants included: Tony Rumble, Kaos, Rage, Michael Wallstreet, Marcus Alexander Bagwell, Scotty Riggs, Sgt. Craig Pittman, Booker T, Stevie Ray, Big Bubba, Hugh Morrus, Konnan, Ron Studd, La Parka, Pez Whatley, Steve McMichael, Disco Inferno, the Renegade, Joe Gomez, Meng, the Barbarian, Bunkhouse Buck, Arn Anderson, Johnny Grunge, Ciclope, Galaxy, Scott Norton, J-Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon, Jimmy Graffitti, Mike Enos, Roadblock, Ice Train, Jack Boot, Jim Duggan, Chris Benoit, Juventud Guerrera, Jacques Rougeau, Pierre Oulette, Prince Iaukea, WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko, Bobby Eaton, Jim Powers, Dave Taylor, Chris Jericho, Alex Wright, Mark Starr, Mr. JL, Villano IV, Rick Steiner, and Kevin Sullivan; prior to the bout, Lee Marshall & Larry Zbyzsko discussed the Chris Benoit vs. Kevin Sullivan match the previous night in Baltimore in which Benoit was jumped in the bathroom by the Dungeon of Doom and his face heavily bruised; Benoit, Sullivan, Bubba, Konnan, Anderson, Meng, the Barbarian, and Morrus were eliminated before the match began when the members of the Four Horsemen and Dungeon battled into the crowd; after the bout, the crowd chanted “Luger” as Giant, Hall, Nash, and Syxx celebrated in the ring
WCW @ Salisbury, MD – Wicomico Civic Center – November 25, 1996 (3,278)
Monday Nitro:
WCW US Championship Tournament Quarter Finals: Lex Luger fought Arn Anderson to a double count-out when Luger put Anderson in the Torture Rack as both men were brawling on the floor
Diamond Dallas Page pinned Disco Inferno with the Diamond Cutter at 2:15 after avoiding a clothesline; after the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Page regarding his history with WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash, the fact Eric Bischoff is his neighbor, and the nWo’s attempts to recruit him
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Tony Pena via submission with the Regal Stretch
WCW US Championship Tournament Quarter Finals: Eddie Guerrero pinned Konnan
Big Bubba pinned Rick Steiner after Sting interfered and dropped Steiner with the Scorpion Death Drop
Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Psychosis by reversing a Splash Mountain off the top into a hurricanrana
Jeff Jarrett defeated Alex Wright via submission with the figure-4
Meng & the Barbarian fought Harlem Heat to a no contest when the nWo interfered
WCW @ Wheeling, WV – November 29, 1996
WCW Saturday Night – 11/30/96:
Chris Jericho vs. La Parka
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal vs. Bobby Eaton
Kaoru vs. Sonoko Kato
Konnan vs. Eddie Guerrero
Harlem Heat vs. Mike Enos & Bunkhouse Buck
WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash vs. Tommy Greco & the Back Stabber
Chris Benoit vs. Juventud Guerrera
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Scott Norton
WCW @ Charleston, WV – Civic Center – November 30, 1996 (3,000)
Alex Wright vs. Disco Inferno and Konnan vs. Juventud Guerrera did not take place as advertised
Ciclope defeated Galaxy
Arn Anderson defeated Sting via count-out
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Joe Gomez (sub. for Eddie Guerrero)
Chris Jericho defeated Dave Taylor (sub. for Syxx)
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Tony Pena (sub. for Rey Mysterio Jr.)
Jeff Jarrett defeated the Giant via disqualification
WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash defeated the Nasty Boys
Pro – 12/1/96:
Alex Wright vs. Johnny Swinger
Psychosis & Juventud Guerrera vs. Galaxy & Ciclope
Eddie Guerrero vs. JL
Dave Taylor vs. Eddie Jackie
Arn Anderson vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.
WCW @ Dayton, OH – Hara Arena – December 2, 1996 (3,800)
Monday Nitro – featured an opening segment in which Rick & Scott Steiner interrupted Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyzsko, with Scott saying he considered Sting a friend but he would make sure Sting didn’t lay out his brother as he did the previous week; Rick then challenged Sting to face him later in the night; included footage from the previous week of Sting attacking Steiner after Steiner said he couldn’t trust him; members of the Cincinnati Bengals and Dayton Ice Bandits were shown in attendance; featured Gene Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Arn Anderson regarding Roddy Piper’s involvement at Starrcade against WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, during which it was announced Piper would be on Nitro the following week in Charlotte; included the announcement that Arn Anderson, WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal, Meng & the Barbarian, Rick Steiner, Bunkhouse Buck, Jeff Jarrett, Chris Jericho, and Kevin Sullivan would be in action the coming weekend on WCW Saturday Night; featured footage from the Nov. 23 Baltimore Arena falls count anywhere match between Chris Benoit and Sullivan, during which Benoit was attacked in the bathroom by Meng & the Barbarian, Konnan, Big Bubba, and Hugh Morrus; moments later, after the fight returned to the ring, Woman came out and jumped on Sullivan until members of the Dungeon of Doom held her back as Benoit was assaulted; included an in-ring segment in which Rick Steiner, with Scott Steiner, called out Sting, with Sting then appearing in the rafters as Rick challenged him to a fight; moments later, Sting nodded in agreement to the match; featured a segment in which Eric Bischoff, Syxx, Vincent, WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall came out and ran off the commentary team, with Bischoff, Hall & Nash taking their spots at the commentary table for the remainder of the show; moments later, Bischoff said he was trying to save Piper from Hogan and then showed footage of Hogan dominating Vader, Flair being attacked backstage, and Hogan spraypainting Randy Savage:
Glacier pinned Hardbody Harrison at 1:02 with a spin kick to the head
Jacques Rougeau & Carl Ouelette (w/ Col. Rob Parker) defeated Joe Gomez & the Renegade at 3:16 when Oulette pinned Renegade following the Tower of Quebec after Rougeau dropped Renegade with a piledriver; during the bout, it was announced that Starrcade tickets were to have gone on sale the previous Friday but did not due to a technical glitch; they would go on sale the coming Friday
Meng & the Barbarian defeated Robert Gibson & Scotty Riggs at 7:41 when Barbarian pinned Riggs with a boot to the face as Gibson attempted to fight off both opponents; during the bout, footage was shown of the New World Order attacking Meng & Barbarian and Harlem Heat the previous week, followed by the announcement that Meng & Barbarian would face WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall at Starrcade; after the bout, Riggs made the save and repeatedly hit Meng with a steel chair
Kevin Sullivan pinned KC Sunshine at 2:01 following the Tree of Woe and double stomp; after the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Sullivan regarding his ongoing feud with Chris Benoit
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Billy Kidman via submission with the Texas Cloverleaf at 5:50; prior to the bout, it was announced J-Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon would challenge Malenko at Starrcade; during the match, Sonny Onoo appeared ringside and took photos of Malenko, at one point temporarily blinding Malenko with the flash
Jeff Jarrett pinned Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 4:09 after dropkicking Hart’s megaphone into Bubba’s face as Bubba attempted to use it as a weapon
Eddie Guerrero pinned Dave Taylor at 2:16 with the frog splash; during the bout, footage was shown of Guerrero defeating Konnan the previous week in the WCW US Title tournament; Eric Bischoff, WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall provided guest commentary for the match and the remaining matches on the show; during the match, Bischoff said WCW could have their tournament to determine a new US champion only if the winner defended against the Giant
Arn Anderson pinned Jim Powers (w/ Teddy Long) with the DDT at 3:08
WCW US Championship Tournament Quarter Finals: Chris Benoit pinned WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal in a non-title match at 6:26 with the dragon suplex after flipping Regal upside down in the corner; for much of the bout, the camera had a wide shot but no reason was given; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle with Arn Anderson, Steve McMichael, Debra, and Benoit in which Anderson asked where Woman was, with Benoit saying she was taking care of Horsemen business; moments later, Debra insulted Woman; Anderson then said he would take Benoit at his word
Lex Luger defeated Rocco Rock (w/ Johnny Grunge) via submission with the Torture Rack at 3:56 after Rock collided with Grunge on the apron when Luger moved out of the way; after the bout, Luger knocked Grunge out of the ring to the floor
Sting fought Rick Steiner (w/ Scott Steiner) to a no contest at around the one minute mark when Sting took his baseball bat and shoved Rick in the chest with it, then dropping the bat and turning around; when Rick went to hit Sting with the weapon, Scott stepped in his way; moments later, Sting took the bat, approached Bischoff, Hall & Nash at the commentary table, and pointed it at them before eventually leaving through the crowd (The Very Best of WCW Monday Nitro Vol. 3)
WCW @ Gainesville, GA – Georgia Mountains Center – December 4, 1996 (900)
WCW Saturday Night taping:
David Sammartino defeated Rex King
High Voltage defeated Wayne Keys & Tommy Bonds
Scott Norton defeated an unknown
12/7/96:
Chris Jericho defeated DR Sarge
Jacques Rougeau & Carl Oulette defeated Scott & Steve Armstrong
Rick Steiner defeated Bunkhouse Buck
Kevin Sullivan defeated Prince Iaukea
Jeff Jarrett defeated Johnny Blintz
The Barbarian & Meng defeated High Voltage
Marcus Bagwell vs. Pez Whatley
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Dave Taylor
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal fought Arn Anderson to a draw
12/14/96:
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko defeated Billy Kidman
The Renegade & Joe Gomez defeated High Voltage
Jeff Jarrett defeated Larry Santo
Diamond Dallas Page defeated Rex King
Ice Train defeated Luther Biggs
The Barbarian & Meng defeated Roadblock & Ron Studd
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Hugh Morrus
The Giant defeated KC Sunshine
Jim Duggan defeated Dave Taylor
Pro – 12/8/96:
Michael Wallstreet vs. Casey Thompson
Dave Taylor vs. Bobby Eaton
Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Billy Kidman
Konnan vs. Brian Kees
Akira Hokuto vs. Meiko Satomura
WCW @ Baunatal, Germany – Rundsporthalle – December 8, 1996 (500)
Big Bubba pinned Disco Inferno at 10:42 after hitting him with a taped fist
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Public Enemy at 20:45 when Riggs pinned Johnny Grunge with a fisherman suplex; after the bout, Bagwell & Riggs argued
Eddie Guerrero pinned Chris Benoit at 18:25 with the frog splash after avoiding a headbutt off the top
Glacier pinned Mortis at 11:55 with a reverse kick
Syxx (w/ Vincent) pinned the Booty Man at 9:45 after Marcus Alexander Bagwell came ringside and gave Syxx a pair of brass knuckles, with Syxx hitting Booty with them; after the match, Bagwell put on an nWo shirt; moments later, Booty struck referee Nick Patrick, with Bagwell, Syxx, and Vincent then triple teaming Booty
Lex Luger & Alex Wright defeated Harlem Heat at 21:35 when Wright pinned Booker T with an inside cradle, after both Stevie Ray and Luger reversed it behind the referee’s back
WCW @ Braunschveg, Germany – December 9, 1996 (500)
The Booty Man defeated Disco Inferno
Public Enemy defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
Chris Benoit defeated Eddie Guerrero
Glacier defeated Mortis
Syxx defeated Big Bubba
Lex Luger & Alex Wright defeated Harlem Heat
WCW @ Charlotte, NC – Independence Arena – December 9, 1996
Monday Nitro – featured an opening segment in which Roddy Piper came out, wearing a Carolina Panthers T-shirt, spoke about living at the Tukasegee Days Inn in Charlotte and said he was happy to be home; Piper then noted his hip was fine after the recent attack on him by the New World Order and referenced his WrestleMania 2 boxing match with Mr. T, saying he was asked to take a dive for the actor; Piper responded by saying he wouldn’t take a dive then and wouldn’t now; he continued by implying the nWo was gay before challenging WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan to a fight then and there; included clips from WCW Saturday Night of Chris Benoit & Woman’s video message to Kevin Sullivan, during which Benoit said his bishop takes Sullivan’s queen in their game of chess; moments later, Sullivan, watching on, appeared dazed; it was then noted Benoit & Woman were on WCW’s tour of Germany; featured a music video on Sting to the tune of Bonnie Tyler’s “I Need a Hero;” included Gene Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Kevin Greene, with Greene saying he would be back during the off-season to go after Steve McMichael and discussed the Panthers making the NFL playoffs; Greene then said the nWo was a bunch of crap and then cut a promo on Hogan; featured an ad for the Outsiders T-shirt; included the announcement that Jim Duggan, the Renegade, Joe Gomez, Diamond Dallas Page, Jeff Jarrett, and Ice Train would be in action on WCW Saturday Night and WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal would face Hugh Morrus; featured clips from the Nasty Boys vs. Meng & Barbarian vs. WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash match at World War 3 to promote the Nastys vs. Meng & Barbarian match later in the show; included Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Ric Flair, during which Flair asked Piper to come out; after Piper appeared, Flair noted Piper came to Charlotte in 1981 and now lives beside the founder of Nike in Oregon; Flair said he fumbled the ball in 1994 to Hogan and made the mistake of walking away, then said Piper had the full support of the Horsemen and Charlotte in his match with Hogan; Piper responded by saying his match with Hogan was his last shot and he didn’t want anybody’s help to beat Hogan; featured footage of the clashes between Sting and Rick Steiner in recent weeks; included Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Rick & Scott Steiner regarding Sting, with Scott saying he saw a glimpse of the old Sting the previous week and emphasized that they and Lex Luger were standing behind WCW; featured an ad for the Public Enemy hockey jersey; included a vignette on Luger, after which it was announced Luger would face the Giant:
Michael Wallstreet pinned Mike Enos at 1:36 with the Samoan drop after Enos became distracted by Ted Dibiase at ringside, moments after Dibiase appeared ringside with papers in hand; after the bout, Dibiase gave Wallstreet the papers before the two men went backstage
Hugh Morrus pinned the Renegade (w/ Joe Gomez) with the moonsault at 3:01; after the bout, Morrus attempted the move a second time but Gomez pulled the Renegade out of the ring; after the bout, Kevin Sullivan confronted Tony Schiavone at ringside about re-airing the video sent to him from Chris Benoit & Woman and said Schiavone was just out to get ratings at the expense of Sullivan’s own personal life
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned Jimmy Graffiti at 8:09 with a cradle as Graffiti had Malenko up for a delayed suplex; during the bout, Sonny Onoo appeared ringside to taunt Malenko; after the match, Gene Okerlund conducted a ringside interview with Onoo about his distracting Malenko during the contest and Malenko’s match with the Ultimo Dragon at Starrcade
Meng & the Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated the Nasty Boys at 5:19 when Barbarian pinned Brian Knobbs after hitting him with Hart’s megaphone behind the referee’s back after Knobbs threw Hart onto Meng on the floor; during the bout, WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash briefly appeared at the entrance stage to watch; late in the bout, Meng hit Jerry Saggs with a chair on the floor in plain view of the referee
Chris Jericho pinned Bobby Eaton at 2:35 with a missile dropkick; during the bout, Jericho cut an insert promo in which he praised WCW in its battle with the nWo
Arn Anderson (w/ Steve McMichael & Debra McMichael) pinned Sgt. Craig Pittman with the DDT at around the 3:30 mark after Steve hit Pittman with his haliburton on the floor, behind the referee’s back; during Pittman’s entrance, it was noted he and Teddy Long had parted ways; early in the bout, Kevin Sullivan cut an insert promo in which he said he blamed Anderson for what had happened between he and Woman and would face Anderson the following week to get revenge; it was noted during the contest that more video footage from Chris Benoit & Woman would air the coming weekend on WCW Saturday Night; after the contest, Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle with Anderson and the McMichaels about Woman’s absence, with Debra then saying Nancy was a tramp; Anderson then told Benoit to come home and that he had a bone to pick with Woman
WCW US Championship Tournament Quarter-Finals: Diamond Dallas Page pinned Jeff Jarrett at around the 10:30 mark after WCW Tag Team Champion Scott Hall ran out and, as WCW Tag Team Champion Kevin Nash distracted referee Randy Anderson from the floor, Hall dropped Jarrett with the Outsider’s Edge; Hall & Nash then left ringside with Hall giving the DDP hand sign; after the contest, Gene Okerlund conducted an in-ring interview with Page in which he said he didn’t need the nWo, compared them to a broad that wouldn’t leave him alone, and said no one wanted the US title more than him (The Very Best of Nitro Vol. 2)
Rick Steiner fought Scott Norton to a no contest; during Steiner’s entrance, before he appeared, Roddy Piper came out instead, sat in a chair in the ring, and cut an in-ring promo calling out WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan; moments later, Hogan’s music began to play but only Eric Bischoff appeared, with Bischoff taking the mic and saying he tried to keep Piper out of WCW for his own good and that Hogan would squash him like a grape; Bischoff then went to leave but Piper punched him in the side of the face and assaulted him until Ted Dibiase, WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash ran ringside; Piper took the chair to hold them off, with Kevin Greene then running out and helping Piper fend off the nWo as the show ended
WAR @ Tokyo, Japan – Sumo Hall – December 13, 1996 (8,500)
Takashi Ishikawa & Daikakubo Benkei defeated Jun Kikuchi & Tomohiro Ishii at 2:52 when Ishikawa pinned Ishii
Masakazu Fukui & Kamikaze defeated Taru & Takashi Okamura at 5:43 when Kamikaze pinned Taru
Doink (Ray Apollo) & Battle Ranger defeated Keizo Matsuda & Keisuke Yamada at 10:54 when Doink pinned Matsuda
Ryuma Go pinned Samurai Max at 5:44
Tatsuo Nakano pinned Satoshi Yoneyame at 5:15
Bam Bam Bigelow & Nobukazu Hirai defeated Arashi & Osamu Tachihikari at 8:40 when Bigelow pinned Tachihikari
Kazuo Yamazaki & Takashi Iizuka defeated Koki Kitihara & Nobutaku Araya at 10:49 when Iizuka pined Araya
WAR International Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Lance Storm & Yuji Yasuraoka defeated Tiger Mask (Sayama) & Masaaki Mochizuki at 11:03 when Yasuraoka pinned Mochizuki
J Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon pinned Rey Misterio Jr. at 10:16
Koji Kitao pinned John Tenta at 7:20
Genichiro Tenryu pinned Nobuhiko Takada at 19:27
WCW @ Siegen, Germany – December 13, 1996
The Booty Man defeated Disco Inferno
Glacier defeated Mortis
Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit
Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Public Enemy
Syxx defeated Big Bubba
Lex Luger & Alex Wright defeated Harlem Heat
WCW @ Minden, Germany – December 14, 1996
The Booty Man defeated Disco Inferno
Syxx defeated Big Bubba
Mortis defeated Glacier
Eddie Guerrero & Scotty Riggs defeated Public Enemy
Marcus Alexander Bagwell defeated Chris Benoit via disqualification
Lex Luger & Alex Wright defeated Harlem Heat
WCW @ Pensacola, FL – Civic Center – December 16, 1996 (announced as a sell out)
Monday Nitro – featured an opening segment in which Eric Bischoff & Ted Dibiase, with Vincent, approached the broadcast booth and took over commentary duties from Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyzsko; moments later, Bischoff reviewed footage of Roddy Piper challenging WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan to a fight the previous week, with Bischoff then appearing and being pelted with objects from the crowd as he approached the ring; included footage from three weeks earlier of Big Bubba defeating Rick Steiner after Sting attacked Steiner, followed by the announcement Steiner would face Sting later in the show; featured the announcement that Jeff Jarrett, Diamond Dallas Page, Scott Norton, Lex Luger, Eddie Guerrero, and Michael Wallstreet would be part of WCW Saturday Night and that WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash would compete in a handicap match; included footage from the previous week of Ric Flair giving Piper his support, with Piper saying he would beat Hogan but he would beat Hogan without outside help; featured footage from the previous week of Piper attacking Bischoff after Bischoff called Piper a gimp, with Piper and Kevin Greene then holding off the nWo with a steel chair; included Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Flair, Arn Anderson, Steve McMichael, and Debra regarding Anderson’s match later in the night against Kevin Sullivan and Chris Benoit & Woman being in Germany; during the segment, Debra alleged that Benoit had hit on her but she doesn’t go for boys; Flair then said Piper would beat Hogan at Starrcade and that he was on his way to Greene’s home for a Carolina Panthers victory party; featured a segment to open the second hour in which Bischoff & Dibiase gave up their commentary roles to Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Mike Tenay; included Syxx conducting an interview in the aisle with WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall in which they challenged Meng & the Barbarian to a match later in the show, in addition to their scheduled match at Starrcade; featured a video package on Sting’s recent actions; included footage of Benoit & Woman drinking wine in Germany, during which both spoke to the camera asking Sullivan what it’s like coming home to an empty house; featured an in-ring segment where Hogan, alongside the Giant, Dibiase, Vincent, and Elizabeth, in which Hogan said he started his career in Pensacola and then challenged Piper to come out and fight him then and there; when Piper didn’t show, Hogan claimed he ran out the back door as soon as he saw Hogan coming through the front door; Hogan then said he would add Piper to the list of broken down former challengers like Flair and Randy Savage:
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Psychosis via submission with the Regal Stretch at 11:08 after reversing an attempted victory roll and throwing the challenger face-first to the mat
Big Bubba pinned Chavo Guerrero Jr. at 2:53 with the sidewalk slam
Chris Jericho defeated Masahiro Chono via disqualification at 5:49 when Chono continued to assault Jericho after Jericho became entangled upside down in the ring ropes; prior to the bout, Gene Okerlund conducted an interview in the aisle with Chono and Sonny Onoo in which Onoo said he had been working with Chono to negotiate a contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling; moments later, Chono unzipped his jacket to reveal an nWo short underneath; Chono then roughed up Onoo and continued on to the ring
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko pinned David Sammartino at 2:57 with a full nelson into a cover
Ice Train (w/ Teddy Long) defeated Jerry Flynn via submission with an ankle lock at 3:25
Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned Bobby Eaton at 4:57 following a hurricanrana off the middle turnbuckle; during the bout, it was announced Mysterio would face Jushin Liger at Starrcade
Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) pinned Arn Anderson at 3:52 after hitting him with a wooden chair as Anderson attempted the DDT on an interfering Hart, moments after fighting off an interfering Hugh Morrus and Konnan; late in the bout, Konnan, Morrus, and Big Bubba appeared ringside after referee Mark Curtis was knocked out; after the bout, Steve McMichael came out to tend to Anderson and clear the ring
Sting fought Rick Steiner (w/ Scott Steiner) to a no contest; before Sting was able to make it through the crowd, the nWo Sting came into the ring with a baseball bat; after the real Sting appeared with a bat, the two Stings turned their backs on the Steiners as the Steiners were in possession of the weapons; at that point, the real Sting dropped the nWo Sting with a reverse DDT and then left through the crowd
Meng & the Barbarian (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash via disqualification in a non-title match at around the 1-minute mark when Big Bubba ran out and dropped Meng with the sidewalk slam; moments later, Kevin Sullivan, Konnan, the Giant, Buff Bagwell, Vincent, Michael Wallstreet, WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal, Psychosis, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Jerry Flynn, Masahiro Chono, Ice Train, Scott Norton, Arn Anderson, Steve McMichael, Rey Mysterio Jr., and David Sammartino joined in on the brawl; during the fight, Norton joined the nWo as well; moments later, Sting came out from backstage and fought off several WCW stars but only after they threw the first punch; moments later, Sting left ringside
WCW @ Montgomery, AL – Civic Center – December 18, 1996
WCW Saturday Night – 12/21/96:
Jeff Jarrett vs. Rex King
Diamond Dallas Page vs. Bunkhouse Buck
David Taylor vs. the Gambler
WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko vs. Mark Starr
Scott Norton vs. Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker
Eddie Guerrero vs. Disco Inferno
Mr. Wallstreet vs. Bobby Eaton
WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash vs. Alan Storm
Lex Luger vs. Jim Powers
WCW @ Birmingham, AL – Boutwell Auditorium – December 19, 1996
WCW Saturday Night – 1/4/97 – featured Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included highlights of the Chris Benoit vs. Jeff Jarrett match from Starrcade; featured a video package hyping WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash vs. Rick & Scott Steiner, Syxx vs. WCW US Champion Eddie Guerrero in a ladder match, and Chris Jericho vs. Masahiro Chono at Souled Out; featured highlights of Diamond Dallas Page vs. Eddie Guerrero at Starrcade and the involvement of Hall, Nash, and Syxx; included a WCW Hotline segment in which Gene Okerlund discussed a major superstar joining the nWo; featured footage of Madusa vs. WCW Women’s Champion Akira Hokuto earlier in the day on WCW Main Event; included Marshal conducting a backstage interview with Madusa about Sonny Onoo’s constant interference, with Madusa saying she planned to go to Japan and bring the title back; featured a video package of highlights from Monday’s Nitro; included the announcement Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Psychosis and Guerrero vs. Alex Wright would take place on Nitro and WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal and Kevin Sullivan would be in action; featured a promo by Hall & Nash on facing the Steiners at Souled Out; included a Clash ad noting Benoit vs. Sullivan, the Steiners vs. the Amazing French Canadians, Mysterio vs. Regal, and Konnan, Psychosis, & Juventud Guerrera vs. La Parka, Chavo Guerrero Jr., & Super Calo; featured a video package hyping Giant vs. Hogan at Souled Out; included highlights from the Lex Luger vs. Giant match at Starrcade and the appearance of Sting; featured the announcement Dean Malenko vs. Mysterio would take place the next day on Pro; included footage from Nitro of the nWo attacking Roddy Piper and then the Giant:
Chris Jericho pinned Jim Richland at 4:41 with a missile dropkick after avoiding a moonsault off the top; during the bout, it was noted the match between the Giant and WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan was official for Souled Out and Jericho would face Masahiro Chono; following the bout, Lee Marshal conducted a backstage interview with Jericho about his upcoming bout with Chono
Arn Anderson pinned Chavo Guerrero Jr. with the DDT at 4:01; prior to the bout, it was announced Chris Benoit would face Kevin Sullivan in a falls count anywhere match at the Clash of the Champions and Benoit would face Jeff Jarrett in a Starrcade rematch Monday on Nitro; after the bout, Lee Marshal conducted a backstage interview with Anderson about the friction within himself, Benoit, Jarrett, and Woman
WCW US Champion Eddie Guerrero fought Dean Malenko to a double count-out in a non-title match at 5:39 after a headscissors by Guerrero sent both men to the floor; at the time of the match, Malenko was the WCW Cruiserweight Champion; neither man appeared with a belt; Guerrero had not yet won the US title when the match was taped
Masahiro Chono defeated Mark Starr via submission with the STF at 3:52 after a piledriver; referee Nick Patrick wore an nWo shirt and facemask for the bout
Big Bubba pinned JL with the sidewalk slam at 2:46; referee Nick Patrick wore an nWo shirt and facemask for the bout
Public Enemy defeated Scott & Steve Armstrong at 3:51 when Rocco Rock pinned Scott with the Drive By; the Armstrongs worked the match as heels
Lex Luger defeated Mike Enos via submission with the Torture Rack at 3:43
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal fought Ice Train (w/ Teddy Long) to a time-limit draw at 10:07; the challenger hit a standing splash and Regal kicked out of the cover right when the bell rang
The Main Event – 12/22/96:
WCW Women’s Championship Tournament Semi-Finals: Akira Hokuto defeated Kauro
WCW @ Orlando, FL – Disney / MGM Studios – December 1996
WCW Worldwide taping:
12/22/96:
Chris Jericho pinned Butch Long with the missile dropkick at 2:42
Konnan & Big Bubba vs. two unknowns
VK Wallstreet vs. an unknown
Galaxy & Ciclope vs. two unknowns
Lex Luger vs. an unknown
WCW @ Macon, GA – Civic Center – December 23, 1996 (4,900)
Monday Nitro – featured Gene Okerlund conducting an interview in the aisle with Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, Steve & Debra McMichael, with Anderson saying Benoit wasn’t focused and that’s why he lost his match earlier in the show; he then said he took a beating from Kevin Sullivan the previous week because Benoit wasn’t around to take it himself; after Anderson asked Benoit where Woman was, Debra insulted Woman and called her “damaged goods;” Benoit said he and Woman were in Germany tending to Horsemen business, then told Steve to “talk to the hand” when he tried to intervene once Benoit turned his attention to Debra and her comments; Flair then said Woman deserved a weekend with Benoit after living with Sullivan 10 years and said he intended to reunite the Horsemen and have them party for the holidays; included an in-ring promo by WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, alongside Ted Dibiase, Vincent, and Elizebeth, in which he cut a promo on facing Roddy Piper at Starrcade; Hogan then said Piper, Randy Savage, and Flair were nothing compared to Hogan and dared Piper to come out and face him then and there, knowing he wasn’t really in the building; featured the announcement that the coming weekend’s WCW Saturday Night would be a Year in Review edition; included a trailer of Piper’s new movie, set for a January release, called “Marked Man;” featured a clip from the previous week of Sting dropping the nWo Sting with a reverse DDT, then fighting off members of the Horsemen and Rey Mysterio Jr. when they attacked him near the closing of the show; included an ad promoting the Outsiders T-shirt; featured a closing in-ring promo by Hogan in which Hogan claimed Piper sent him word that he admitted Hogan was the true icon of wrestling, again knowing Piper wasn’t in the building; Piper’s music then began playing, with Eric Bischoff then walking out in Scottish garb and a red and yellow Hulkamania T-shirt; Bischoff, as Piper, then told Hogan that he had no right to be in the ring with him at WrestleMania and wanted to go ahead and have the match then and there; Nick Patrick then came out to officiate as “Piper” laid down for Hogan and Patrick made the 3 count; as “Piper” said Hogan was the reason he had a house and was able to feed his family, a bagpipe band came ringside playing “Scotland the Brave,” with Piper eventually walking past them, entering the ring, and fighting with Hogan until members of the nWo ran out; the real Sting was then shown watching from the rafters as the entire nWo assaulted Piper, with security then running out to break up the attack as the show ended:
WCW US Championship Tournament Semi-Finals: Eddie Guerrero pinned Chris Benoit at 10:36 after knocking Benoit off the middle turnbuckle with an elbow to the face and then hitting the frog splash, with Guerrero turning 180 degrees in mid-jump; prior to the bout, footage was shown of Benoit beating Guerrero during the 11/18/96 Nitro; during the match, Kevin Sullivan cut an insert promo in which he said Benoit was in his trap, despite “taking his queen” (Woman); moments later, Diamond Dallas Page joined Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko on commentary to discuss his potential opponent for the finals at Starrcade
Lex Luger defeated Tombstone via submission with the Torture Rack at 3:41; after the bout, the Giant confronted Luger in the ring but Luger fought him off and had him up in the Torture Rack before WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash ran out, with Luger sliding to the floor
Rey Mysterio Jr. pinned JL at 6:02 with a hurricanrana off the top; after the bout, Mysterio joined Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko at the commentary table to discuss Sting, with Mysterio saying Sting throwing him the previous week was a logical reaction – not like what the nWo did to him in the previous months; Mysterio then said he knew Sting wasn’t going to betray WCW like WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan; Mysterio then asked to have replayed the Sting tribute video shown weeks earlier to the tune of Bonnie Tyler’s “I Need a Hero,” which was then shown
Glacier pinned Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker at 2:29 after two kicks to the head
The Amazing French Canadians (w/ Col. Rob Parker) defeated Public Enemy via disqualification at 3:15 after Johnny Grunge & Rocco Rock assaulted their opponents with a table Jacques Rougeau & Pierre Oulette brought in the ring moments earlier; after the bout, Oulette sustained the Fly By after being placed on top of the broken table
Big Bubba defeated Konnan via disqualification at 5:37 when Konnan threw Bubba over the top rope; prior to the bout, footage was shown of Bubba turning on the Dungeon of Doom to join the New World Order the previous week; Jimmy Hart escorted Konnan to the ring but was ejected from ringside by referee Nick Patrick during the final moments of the bout after Bubba claimed Hart tripped him, but Hart never touched him; after the contest, Konnan cornered Patrick but Patrick escaped to the floor and left ringside with Bubba
WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal fought WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko to a 10-minute time-limit draw at around the 9:30 mark; only the TV title was at stake; prior to the bout, it was noted the nWo would have their own pay-per-view Jan. 25 in Cedar Rapids, IA; during the match, Sonny Onoo came ringside to scout Malenko prior to his match at Starrcade against J Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon but he was eventually ejected by referee Mark Curtis; Malenko had Regal covered following a brainbuster at the time the match ended
Rick Steiner (w/ Scott Steiner) fought Jeff Jarrett to a no contest when Jarrett pinned an interfering nWo Sting at 3:24 after Steiner dropped the fake Sting with a Steinerline; prior to the bout, it was noted Jarrett would face Chris Benoit in a No DQ match at Starrcade; after the bout, the crowd chanted “We want Sting” as Rick stomped the fake
WCW @ Anderson, SC – Civic Center – December 26, 1996
WCW @ Johnson City, TN – Freedom Hall – December 27, 1996
WCW @ Louisville, KY – Commonwealth Convention Center – December 28, 1996
Starrcade 96 – Nashville, TN – Municipal Auditorium – December 29, 1996 (9,030; 8,327 paid; sell out)
Mascarita Sagrada & Octagoncito defeated Jerrito Estrada & Piratita Morgan at the 7-minute mark when Sagrada pinned Morgan with a crucifix
Pay-per-view bouts – featured Tony Schiavone, Bobby Heenan, & Dusty Rhodes on commentary; included Gene Okerlund interviewing Roddy Piper backstage about his match against Hulk Hogan later in the show, during which Piper showed his hip was fine; featured vignette showing the struggle between WCW and the nWo over Sting; featured a backstage promo by Ted Dibiase & WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan, with Vincent and Elizabeth, regarding Hogan’s match with Piper later in the show:
J Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) pinned WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko to win the title at 18:31 with a reversal into a modified dragon suplex; during the bout, it was announced the Dragon would defend his existing 8 cruiserweight titles Jan. 4 in Tokyo against Jushin Liger; only Malenko’s title was at stake in the match; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the contest
WCW Women’s Championship Tournament Finals: Akira Hokuto (w/ Sonny Onoo & Kensuke Sasaki) pinned Madusa to win the title at 7:06 with a missile dropkick and brainbuster after Onoo hit Madusa from behind with her own American flagpole; Lee Marshall did guest commentary for the match; after the bout, there apeared to be tension between Sasaki and Onoo
Jushin Liger pinned Rey Mysterio Jr. with a Liger Bomb at 14:16 after avoiding a hurricanrana off the top and hitting a rolling kick; Mike Tenay did guest commentary for the match (Rey Mysterio: Biggest Little Man, Starrcade: The Essential Collection)
Jeff Jarrett pinned Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) in a No DQ match at 13:48 when Arn Anderson, who came ringside late in the bout seemingly to be in Jarrett’s corner, dropped Jarrett with a DDT on the floor and rolled him in the ring – accidentally putting him on top of Benoit moments after Kevin Sullivan interfered and broke a wooden chair over Benoit’s head; moments before the finish, Konnan and Hugh Morrus came out and attempted to kidnap Woman but she fought them off; after the bout, all the participants and Anderson walked by Gene Okerlund as he attempted to interview them in the aisle but Steve McMichael & Debra came out, with McMichael saying Woman had made Benoit weak in the knees and Debra insulted both Benoit and Woman
WCW Tag Team Champions Kevin Nash & Scott Hall defeated Meng & the Barbarian at 11:54 when Nash pinned the Barbarian with a kick to the midsection and the powerbomb after avoiding a boot to the face; Jimmy Hart was in the challengers’ corner and Syxx was in the champions’ for much of the bout until Syxx chased Hart backstage with his own megaphone; the challengers played the subtle heels for the bout and the champions played the subtle babyfaces; Nick Patrick was the referee for the match
WCW US Championship Tournament Finals: Eddie Guerrero pinned Diamond Dallas Page with the Frog Splash to win the title at 15:21 after Syxx, WCW Tag Team Champions Scott Hall & Kevin Nash came out with Hall dropping DDP with the Outsider’s Edge as Syxx distracted the referee; after the bout, Guerrero fought off all three members of the nWo before he was eventually triple teamed and had the belt stolen by Syxx
Lex Luger pinned the Giant at 13:23 with a low blow and several blows with a baseball bat left in the ring by Sting moments earlier; late in the bout, Nick Patrick came out to replace injured referee Mark Curtis, with Syxx appearing moments later to prevent Luger from putting the Giant in the Torture Rack; Sting then came through the crowd, shoved Patrick down with his baseball bat, left it in the middle of the ring, and went to both Luger and the Giant and told them something before leaving ringside (the Giant’s 2nd pinfall loss)
Roddy Piper defeated WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan (w/ Ted Dibiase) in a non-title match via submission with the sleeper at 15:27 after avoiding a punch, moments after Piper fought off an interfering Giant; prior to the bout, Hogan was escorted to the ring by Elizabeth and Vincent; after the match, Piper fought off Hall & Nash before leaving ringside and celebrating with his son Colt at the entrance stage; moments later, the Giant and Hogan argued in the aisle with Giant blaming Hogan, Hall, and Nash for not watching his back when he watched theirs and Hogan blamed the Giant for “dropping the ball” (Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story, Starrcade: The Essential Collection)
Pro – 12/29/96 – featured Chris Cruise, Dusty Rhodes, & Larry Zbyszko on commentary:
Chris Benoit defeated the Renegade via submission with the Crippler Crossface at 2:35; prior to the bout, it was announced Benoit would face Kevin Sullivan in a falls count anywhere match at the Clash of the Champions
WCW @ Knoxville, TN – Civic Coliseum – December 30, 1996 (4,021)
Monday Nitro:
The Amazing French Canadians (w/ Col. Rob Parker) defeated Public Enemy when Pierre pinned Rocco Rock
J Crown Champion the Ultimo Dragon (w/ Sonny Onoo) pinned Jushin Liger
Konnan defeated Michael Wallstreet in a strap match
Hugh Morrus defeated Kensuke Sasaki (w/ Sonny Onoo) via disqualification when Onoo hit Morrus with the Japanese flag
Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri) defeated Meng & the Barbarian when Booker T pinned Meng
Glacier pinned Disco Inferno with the Cryonic Kick
Chris Benoit pinned Chris Jericho
Octagoncito & Mascarita Sagrada defeated Jerrito Estrada & Piratita Morgan
Dean Malenko fought Rey Mysterio Jr. to a time-limit draw at 9:22, immediately after Mysterio came off the top with a hurricanrana (The Very Best of Nitro)
Lex Luger defeated Greg Valentine via submission with the Torture Rack
The Main Event – 1/4/97 – hosted by Tony Schiavone & Bobby Heenan; included highlights of the nWo attacking Roddy Piper at the end of Nitro; featured an ad promoting the Giant vs. WCW World Champion Hulk Hogan at Souled Out; included a video package of the Eddie Guerrero vs. Diamond Dallas Page WCW US Title match at Starrcade; featured footage from the Disco Inferno vs. Glacier match from Nitro; included the announcement WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal vs. Ice Train would take place on WCW Saturday Night and Public Enemy, Chris Jericho, and Arn Anderson would be in action; featured footage from Jeff Jarrett vs. Chris Benoit at Starrcade; included the Benoit vs. Renegade match from Pro; featured the announcement Rey Mysterio Jr., WCW Cruiserweight Champion Ultimo Dragon, Dean Malenko, and Michael Wallstreet would be on Pro the next night; incluided a WCW Hotline segment in which Gene Okerlund discussed a major star joining the nWo; featured footage of Lex Luger vs. the Giant at Starrcade, and of the Giant being kicked out of the nWo on Nitro; included a Clash of the Champions ad with the announcement of Benoit vs. Kevin Sullivan (falls count anywhere), Mysterio vs. WCW TV Champion Lord Steven Regal, Rick & Scott Steiner vs. the Amazing French Canadians, and Konnan, Psychosis, & Juventud Guerrera vs. La Parka, Chavo Guerrero Jr., & Super Calo; featured footage of the minis match from Nitro; it was announced that Dusty Rhodes & Lee Marshal would provide commentary for the exclusive match, but it was Mike Tenay & Marshal:
Madusa fought WCW Women’s Champion Akira Hokuto (w/ Sonny Onoo) to a double count-out after Madusa assaulted both Hokuto and Onoo on the floor, and then slammed Hokuto; Lee Marshal & Mike Tenay provided commentary for the match (the bout was joined in progress)