This Week In The WCW

WCW Monday Night Nitro - Monday, 12/30/96

Show started off with the arrival of the nWo in their limos. They were proud of themselves for "beating up Piper". The Giant was with them and he did not look happy. nWo told him he dropped the ball. Giant reminded Hogan of his promise for a shot at the belt if Giant had won World War III (which he did). Hogan said Giant didn't understand. Giant's title shot was a bye to give them more time to party in L.A. When the Giant pressed further, Hogan again reminded him that he had dropped the ball and warned him not to drop it again. Hall and DiBiase put their hands over the camera and the spot ended.
Schiavone started off the broadcast talking about the Giant/Luger match and showed stills from Starrcade. They talked about how Luger kept putting the Giant in the rack but couldn't keep him there and how Sting got involved. It was really odd that they didn't mention Patrick's and Syxx's involvement.
The Amazing French-Canadians def. Public Enemy when Carl Oulette pinned Rocco Rock after flipping off Jacques Rougeau's shoulders.
- When the AFC tried to go back to the dressing room during the match, PE went after them and beat them with their own flags.
- Grunge laid Rougeau out on the ringside table and when Grunge and Rock tried to table job Rougeau, he rolled out of the way and they both took the hit. Rougeau rolled a semi-concious Rocco Rock into the ring in preperation for the AFC finisher.
The Ultimo Dragon pinned Jushin "Thunder" Liger with a Dragon Suplex.
Konnan def. M. Wallstreet in a four-corners strap match.
- Konnan was supposed to fight Big Bubba, but when Big Bubba's new non-nWo music starting playing, no one came out for a minute, and M. Wallstreet came out. He grabbed the mike and said Bubba wasn't coming. When Konnan turned his back, Wallstreet jumped him and the referee started the match.
- This four corners match was different than other ones I've seen. Wallstreet and Konnan hit the first corner, they both hit the second, and then both hit the third. Whoever touched the fourth would be the winner, and was Konnan. Every other four corners match I've seen, no matter how many corners Wrestler 1 has touched, once Wrestler 2 touches one, Wrestler 1 has to start over. (Since my original posting, I got an e-mail saying that I was wrong and that the rules for this strap match are the way strap matches usually work. If so, sorry for misleading anyone.)
Hogan and Bischoff strutted out as arrogant as ever with Hogan not looking embarassed at all. Hogan and Bischoff prattled on and on while people in the crowd were tilting their heads and putting two hands under it for the international symbol of sleep (get it?). Hogan said that to fight one match, get beat up and lose, and then run away, makes Piper the worst kind of coward. Schiavone and Zbyszko got incensed with Hogan saying he had won and they said they were going to show the videotape from Starrcade.
"The Laughing Man" Hugh Morrus def. Kensuke Sasaki via disqualification when Sonny Ono cracked Morrus over the back with a flagpole.
- Morrus had hit Sasaki with the "No Laughing Matter" and was pinning him when Ono got Sasaki disqualified.
- During the match, Bischoff came out with the videotape and told Schiavone and Zbyszko it was not going to be shown. After the match, Schiavone and Zbyszko showed stills of Piper's victory instead.
The Harlem Heat def. The Faces of Fear when Stevie Ray pinned Meng.
- Near the end of the match, Col. Parker came out and smacked Sister Sherri on the heinee. She attacked him and in the confusion, Jacques Rougeau came out and threw charcoal powder into Stevie Ray's eyes. Meng gave Stevie Ray a Mafia Kick and covered him. However, the ref didn't see it and Booker T. came off the top onto Meng's back and rolled Stevie Ray on top of Meng and the referee counted the pinfall.
- The announcers announced that Piper was in the building.
Okerlund interviewed "Diamond" Dallas Page. Okerlund asked him about last night. Page said, "I'm not a crier, I'm a fixer. Sometimes I can be a little thick headed. But you get dropped on your head, and you understand. The nWo is too strong right now." Okerlund emphatically asked Page what he was going to do. Page reluctantly and quietly said, "The nWo" and walked off.
Glacier pinned Disco Inferno following a Cryonic Kick.
- As Glacier was coming to the ring, Heenan noted: "He has two different color eyes. He's half man, half siamese cat."
- Before the match, Disco Inferno threatened Glacier with his new leg lock.
- During the match, Mike Tenay noted that in addition to Glacier's father and brother being in law enforcement, Glacier's mother has 20 years in law enforcement. Heenan asked, "Would that be San Quentin?"
- Disco Inferno nailed Glacier with a vicious clothesline and became the first wrestler to take Glacier down. However, Disco Inferno tried his new leg hold again and once again couldn't figure out how to put it on.
"The Crippler" Chris Benoit defeated "Lionheart" Chris Jericho with a belly-to-back suplex from the top rope in a very physical match with a 100% workrate.
- Benoit and Jericho, like all the wrestlers since the Harlem Heat / Faces of Fear match, were covered with the charcoal dust that was all over the mat.
Okerlund interviewed Benoit, Woman, Flair, and the McMichaels. Debra tried to make nice with Woman and Woman and Steve started to get into it and then Benoit and Steve started to get into it. Then Jarrett came out and asked what the deal was. Benoit said Jarrett proved himself and he can be anything he wants to be, except a Horseman. With that, he and Woman walked off. Debra McMichael said Woman was just upset about gaining weight over the holidays. Okerlund ended it with "What a way to end 1997!" Good god, why don't they fire this guy?
When Lee Marshall gave his 1-800-COLLECT road report, Heenan noted, "With a face like that, he could be on a bag of nacho chips".
In a Mexican midget tag team match (no, I'm not kidding), Octagoncito and Mascarita Sagrada def. Jerrito Estrada and Piratita Morgan when Octagoncito pinned Estrada with a Hurricarana.
- The Mexican midgets have a five foot height limit. Also, Mexican midgets take on the persona of a full-size counterpart. It is an honor to a full-size wrestler to have a midget with his gimmick. (Reminds one of Doink and Dink)
- Heenan's comments during the match:
  - "It looks like a riot in a day care center!"
  - "Octagoncito is so happy about being a wrestler, he feels four feet tall!"
  - "We'll be back after a short break."
"The Man of 1,000 Holds" Dean Malenko and Ray Misterio, Jr. wrestled to a time-limit draw.
- Heenan had a few great comments during the match:
  - On the Nashville fans in the long line for Starrcade: "They thought they were giving out grits!"
  - On the Nashville Starrcade attendees arriving three hours early: "They don't have watches there."
  - And finally, "You like 360 pound women in bowling shirts? You'll love Green Bay."
"The Total Package" Lex Luger made Greg "The Hammer" Valentine submit with The Human Torture Rack.
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper came out and told the crowd that he had wrestled his last match and that "I'm proud that history reads that I am the icon". The nWo music started playing and Hogan and Bischoff came out. Piper and Hogan got into it verbally with Piper getting the best of it. Then Hogan said, "The only reason I didn't break you was because one of your kids begged me not to hurt his daddy". With that, Piper got incensed and said, "Let's do it one more time!" With that, the entire nWo, including the Giant and Nick Partick in an nWo t-shirt, rushed the ring. The nWo laid a severe beating on Piper to the point of him being practically unconcious. (The WCW fans have now realized that throwing full cups of soda into the ring is a much better way of making a mess than throwing wads of paper. The ring and all the wrestlers got absolutely soaked!) Hogan gave the Giant the order to give the chokeslam. The Giant got Piper by the throat and wouldn't do it. Hogan said last night was strike one, this was strike two, and then Hogan slapped him for strike three. The Giant grabbed Hogan by the throat and threatened a choke slam and screamed at all of the nWo guys to get out of the ring. They all scrambled out and Giant yelled into Hogan's face "Do I get my title shot?!" (Meanwhile, Piper is being taken out by paramedics on a stretcher and having a seizure.) Hogan started to cry and said he was sorry and begged for mercy and said, yes, the Giant could have his title shot. The Giant let Hogan go and Hogan staggered out of the ring coughing and saying he was sorry. As soon as he got to the floor, he yelled "Get him". Marcus Bagwell (with his brand-new George Clooney hairdo) was first in. Tossed off like a rag doll! Vincent was next. Chokeslam! nWo Sting was next. Chokeslam! Finally, they all ganged up on the Giant and gave him a thorough beating. Again, soda, ice, and cups just RAINING down on the ring. Hogan whacked the Giant with the belt a few times for good measure practically crying saying, "This is my belt!" Finally, with the Giant unconcious, the nWo ripped the Giant's nWo t-shirt off. It was an awesome ending. As they showed the credits, they showed Piper being taken away in an ambulance.

WCW Starrcade '96 - Sunday, 12/29/96

The Ultimo Dragon pinned "The Man of 1,000 Holds" Dean Malenko with a variation of the Tiger Suplex to become the new WCW World Cruiserweight Champion.
- Ultimo Dragon now holds nine Cruiserweight belts.
- During the match, Sonny Ono asked, "What should I do with the extra belt? Maybe I'll use it to hold my pants up!"
- Mike Tenay explained why The Dragon is sometimes called Ultimo and sometimes Ultimate. Ultimo is the Mexican version. It means "final" and recognizes that Ultimo Dragon was the last protogee of Bruce Lee.
- The match started really slow to the point of some "Boring" chants from the crowd. About halfway through, things really picked up.
- At one point in the match, Malenko got Dragon in the Texas Cloverleaf in the middle of the ring. Sonny Ono jumped up on the apron and Malenko broke the hold and went after Ono before Drgaon submitted. In my opinion, it was a lame spot as Ono being able to break Malenko's concentration that easily is totally out of character for Malenko.
- The ending was somewhat surprising in that it wasn't the result of a monster finishing move.
Akira Hokuto pinned Madusa following a brainbuster to win the tournament and become the WCW Women's Champion. The pinfall came very soon after Sonny Ono clocking Madusa over the back with the pole of her American flag.
- Hokuto was escorted to the ring by Kensuke Sasaki, her husband and also a wrestler (rated 70th in this year's PWI 500). At one point, Sonny Ono tripped Madusa and Sasaki got pissed at Ono for interfering.
- Nick Patrick was the referee but did not really come into play.
- After the match, Sasaki was very pissed at Ono for his involvement in the match.
Okerlund interviewed Piper. Piper was practically frothing at the mouth. Many threats, many jokes. He was a complete nut-job. Talking about Hogan's ego: "Rosanne Barr's bra cups, on Hogan's head? A yarmulke!"
Jushin "Thunder" Liger pinned Ray Misterio, Jr. with a Ligerbomb (powerbomb).
- Jushin "Thunder" Liger had a benign brain tumor removed in August. His return to the ring so soon is impressive.
- Ray Misterio missed a Frankensteiner from the top rope immediately before the pin. It looked like a legitimate miss.
- Misterio powered out right at the three-count but it was too late.
- Three for three for the Japanese wrestlers tonight.
Jeff Jarrett pinned "The Crippler" Chris Benoit. See below for more details.
- Benoit and Woman came to the ring together smiling at each other. She looks kind of big. It's possible that the rumors of her being pregnant (by her husband, Kevin Sullivan) may be true after all.
- Benoit was very arrogant early in the match, talking trash.
- Benoit threw Jarrett over the top during the match, and the referee saw Woman raking Jarrett's eyes, but it was a no-DQ match.
- After Benoit was dropped on the top rope onto his lower extremities, Dusty commented, "That will mess up your fraternizing in Paris".
- Near the end of the match, Arn Anderson came out and walked right past Benoit and stood in Jarrett's corner. It looked like Benoit had been kicked out of the Horsemen in favor of Jarrett. Morrus and Konnan came out and attacked Woman. Woman gave Morrus a sweet kick between the wickets. When Benoit threw Jarrett outside the ring, Anderson DDT'd Jarrett on the floor and rolled him back in for Benoit to cover him, thus making Anderson's overture toward Jarrett a fraud. However, in the meantime, Sullivan had come into the ring and chaired Benoit and knocked him out flat on his back. Thus, when Anderson rolled Jarrett back in the ring, one of Jarrett's arms fell across Benoit and the referee counted the pinfall on Benoit.
- Anderson stormed off. Jarrett left making the "V" for victory. Benoit left being helped by Woman.
- No one wanted to talk to Okerlund so Steve and Debra McMichael came out. The crowd got loud while Debra was talking so McMichael yelled, "You zipperheads! Shut your piehole!!" The crowd went nuts. Debra had a great quote about Woman: "She's been rode hard and put up wet too many times".
The Outsiders def. The Faces of Fear when Kevin Nash pinned Barbarian after a powerbomb. The Outsiders retain the WCW World Tag Team Championships.
- Nick Patrick was the referee and started getting in the Faces of Fear way early on. He also conveniently missed all of the illegal tactics used by the Outsiders.
- Kevin Nash didn't do his homework. He gave Meng and Barbarian double coconuts at one point with no effect. They just turned and gave Nash a double coconut.
- After a Mafia kick, Barbarian waited about ten seconds to attempt the cover because Jimmy Hart missed his cue to distract the referee so he would miss the pinfall.
- Partway through the match, Syxx grabbed Jimmy Hart's megaphone and chased Hart back to the dressing room.
- Scott Hall actually acted like a face at one point. Barbarian had Hall in a nerve hold for a long time and Hall "Hulked Out Of It". It was odd.
- The ending was actually a clean finish. Nick Patrick really did not do anything to help the Outsiders in the last few minutes of the match.
Equal time for the nWo since Roddy Piper was interviewed. Hulk proclaimed it Hollywood Day and said if it wasn't for him, the wrestling business wouldn't even be on the map.
Eddie Guerrero pinned "Diamond" Dallas Page with a frog splash to become the new WCW United States Heavyweight Champion. The pinfall followed Scott Hall giving "Diamond" Dallas Page a Razor's Edge unbeknownst to Eddie Guerrero.
- After Guerrero realized what had happened, he talked trash at Hall, Nash, and Syxx such that they came back into the ring and did a mudhole stomp on him. When they were done, they stole the new U.S. Heavyweight belt that was to replace the one they had stolen from Ric Flair.
- Somewhat ironically, as Eddie Guerrero is a total face, the crowd was clearly behind Page in this match. Guerrero was actually getting as many boos as cheers. Actually, most people just weren't that interested in Guerrero.
- My theory was Guerrero would win this match as payback for Page legitimately (and accidentally) breaking Guerrero's ribs on a recent pay-per-view. This is similar to J.L. getting a pinfall victory over Dean Malenko (can you believe it?) some time ago after Malenko had accidentally broken J.L.'s arm during a match.
Advertisement for the nWo Souled Out pay-per-view Saturday, 1/25, Superbowl weekend.
"The Total Package" Lex Luger pinned the Giant after hitting a grand slam on the Giant with Sting's baseball bat.
- This was the nWo's first loss ever. (Editor's Note: Since originally posting this, I've gotten a couple of e-mails correcting this. This was actually at least the fourth loss of the nWo although, depending on your definition, the first three may not "count". Ric Flair beat Hulk Hogan via DQ at the Clash following Hog Wild. Chris Jericho pinned Nick Patrick. Chris Jericho defeated Masa Hiro Chono via DQ in Chono's nWo debut on Nitro.)
- Throughout the match, the Giant had a number of opportunities where he lifted Luger up from a cover to administer more punishment.
- When Schiavone hadn't heard the sound of a hard hit in the match, Heenan said, "If you'd put down that big jug with those three Xs on it, you would have heard it".
- At one point, Luger covered the Giant. The Giant powered out throwing Luger in the air and Luger landed on the ref and knocked the ref out. Luger racked the Giant and Nick Patrick came out and kneed Luger in the back and Syxx came in and gave Luger a spinning kick to knock Luger out.
- As Syxx and Patrick were trying to put Giant on top of Luger, WCW Sting came out with his baseball bat and chased off Syxx and Patrick. Sting whispered something to Luger who was in one corner and then whispered something to the Giant who was in the opposite corner. He then put his bat in the center of the ring and left.
- Luger got to the bat first but Giant stepped on it. Luger gave the Giant a low blow and took the bat and hit a grand slam on the Giant (whacked him four times). Luger then flipped the bat out of the ring and the groggy ref (and the crowd) counted a very slow three count. The crowd went absolutely friggin' nuts.
- This was the beginning of the Giant's face turn as he realized that when he was in trouble, the only people sent out to help him were Nick Patrick and Syxx.
"Rowdy" Roddy Piper defeated "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan via submission with a sleeper hold.
- Hogan started the match with slaps to make Piper angry.
- When the referee (Randy Anderson) started getting in the way, Piper sat him on the ropes and patted him on the head.
- Hogan got an early advantage with punches and body rakes.
- Piper came back with a clothesline the signature two-finger eye poke. Hogan then rolled out.
- Piper got a headlock on Hogan and Hogan could not throw Piper out of it. Hogan gave Piper a belly-to-back suplex and Piper still wouldn't let go.
- Hogan finally got out of it and snapped Piper's neck on the top rope and threw Piper out of the ring and gave him a beating out there.
- Hogan got Piper back in, missed a clothesline, and Piper gave Hogan one.
- Hogan rolled out and started going toward the dressing room. Piper followed him out and started beating him in the aisle and brought him back to ringside.
- Piper pulled the belt off his kilt outside the ring and started beating and choking Hogan with it.
- Piper got Hogan back into the ring and DiBiase grabbed Piper's foot. Piper went out after DiBiase and Hogan followed him and took the advantage.
- Hogan slammed Piper into the metal steps and then tossed him into the crowd. He then brought Piper back into the ring and started working on the bad hip.
- Hogan then got Piper into an abdominal stretch until Piper flipped him out of it.
- Piper and Hogan started rolling around fighting and Piper and Schiavone commented that Piper was pulling Hogan's hair out. Heenan said: "Well, that won't take long".
- Another signature two-finger eye poke by Piper and Piper suplexed Hogan. Piper measured Hogan and then missed a knee drop.
- Hogan missed the Leg Drop Of Doom.
- The Giant came in and tried to chokeslam Piper. Meanwhile a legit fan tried to get in the ring. Hogan and Randy Anderson proceeded to beat the hell out of the fan while pushing him out of the ring into the waiting arms of security guards and cops.
- As the Giant was trying to chokeslam Piper, Piper backed the Giant up to the ropes and using leverage threw the Giant over the top rope.
- Piper put the sleeper on Hogan. The referee put Hogan's arm up three times and it fell down three times. The ref called for the bell. Roddy Piper beats Hulk Hogan by submission! Hogan jobs to Piper!! In a sleeper hold in a non-screw-job finish!!!
- After the match, Hall and Nash rushed the ring. Piper socked them both and made a hasty exit from the ring. He walked past the Giant and was met by two youngsters (presumably his kids) by the dressing room.
- Hogan and Giant started getting into it with Giant saying, "I watch your back and where were you when I needed you?" The Giant then stormed off and Hogan said into the camera that "The Giant dropped the ball. He blew it."
- As Hogan and The Outsiders got back into the ring, the crowd started a serious "Hogan sucks!" cheer.
- Hogan said into the camera, "Piper, I beat you! I killed you!" and hocked a disgusting loogie right into the camera lens.
- The nWo music started playing and Hogan started posing and the pay-per-view ended.

WCW {Pro} Wrestling - Sunday, 12/29/96

"Lionheart" Chris Jericho pinned The Gambler following a dropkick off the top rope right in the Gambler's piehole.
Ice Train pinned "Luscious" Luther Biggs with a John Tenta Squash from a standing position.
Konnan pinned Billy Payne following a combination DDT and brain buster.
- Billy Payne's new hairdo makes him look like he's trying to be one of the Wild Samoans.
"Beautiful" Bobby Eaton pinned Sonny Trout following an Alabama Jammer.
- The announcers had a grand old time making puns on Sonny Trout's name:
  - Chris Cruise: Sonny Trout's floundering already.
  - Chris Cruise: Eaton's perched to land on Trout!
  - Chris Cruise: Trout's flip-flopping away.
  - Dusty Rhodes: Put Trout in the frying pan, he's done.
High Voltage def. Steve and Scott Armstrong when Rage pinned Scott following a Voltmeter.
- This was the first opportunity to see High Voltage's finisher, the Voltmeter. Kaos stands in the middle of the ring with the opponent sitting on his shoulders. Rage hops from the apron onto the top rope and springs off the top rope delivering a flying body press to the man perched on Kaos' shoulders. Not bad.
The show ended with another Hogan/DiBiase "paid for by the nWo" bit. The only thing of note was Hogan mistakenly saying "snap, crapple, and pop" instead of "snap, crackle, and pop".

WCW Saturday Night - Saturday, 12/28/96

The 12/28/96 WCW Saturday Night was the Year In Review show. As such, Dusty Rhodes and Tony Schiavone did the show from a restaurant (probably Dusty's idea) and no new matches were shown. However, since I sat there like an idiot and watched the entire thing anyway, I thought I might as well give a rundown of what was covered.

Highlights of the 1/1/96 Monday Nitro match where Flair got DQ'd against Hogan to retain his World Heavyweight Title.
Highlights of Flair jobbing the World Heavyweight Title to the Giant on Nitro.
A montage of Misterio, a montage of Malenko, and a montage of the other cruiserweights.
A montage of Steve McMichael's experiences with the Horsemen.
Segment on the Benoit/Sullivan feud.
Segment on the nWo saga.
A very short montage of Madusa and Akira leading up to their match for the title at Starrcade.
Segment on Glacier (more on this at the end).
Segments on "Diamond" Dallas Page and Eddie Guerrero leading up to their match for the U.S. Title at Starrcade.
- Dusty talked about how the U.S. Title was a steppingstone to the World Title and how he himself had used the U.S. Title as a steppingstone to the World Title. Either Dusty is senile or he takes us for idiots (or both). Dusty won all of his World Titles before he won the U.S. Title. In fact, the U.S. Title was one of the last, if not the last, belts Dusty ever won. It was a big hype as it was the only belt he hadn't won yet.
Segments and discussion of the Sting situation.
Segments on Luger.
- Seeing those clips, I realized I'd forgotten how close Luger had come to turning heel this year and how he was the center of attention (will he or won't he turn?) before the whole nWo thing got started. No wonder Luger has felt shoved aside.
A short segment was shown of Hogan receiving his 1996 Pro Wrestling Illustrated Most Hated Wrestler of the Year award from senior editor Bill Apter.
Lots of Piper and Starrcade hype.
The show ended with a "paid for by the nWo" bit with Hogan and DiBiase where Hogan said he made Piper what he is. Hogan said he will take pleasure in putting Piper out for good.

I try not to use DDT Digest as a forum for bitching, but to feature Glacier in the 1996 Year In Review is ridiculous!! Nothing on Arn Anderson. Nothing on "Lord" Steven Regal who's held the television championship for half the year. Is Glacier Bischoff's brother or something?

This Week In The WCW

WCW Monday Night Nitro - Monday, 12/30/96

WCW Starrcade '96 - Sunday, 12/29/96

WCW {Pro} Wrestling - Sunday, 12/29/96

WCW Saturday Night - Saturday, 12/28/96

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