This Week In The WCW
This Week In The WCW
WCW Clash of the Champions XXXIV - Tuesday, 01/21/97
- In the dark match, Ice Train pinned Mark Starr with a splash.
- "The Man of 1,000 Holds" Dean Malenko made Ultimate Dragon submit with the Texas Cloverleaf to regain the WCW World Cruiserwight Title.
- Lots of nWo Cheeseheads in the crowd in Milwaukee.
- Malenko was really over with the crowd.
- It was announced Ray Misterio, Jr. would be out for a few weeks with a knee injury.
- Heenan: "Dusty, what do you call 40 millionaires sitting at home watching the Super Bowl? The Dallas Cowboys!"
- Malenko is the first ever three-time WCW World Cruiserweight Champion.
- Malenko had Ultimate Dragon in the Cloverleaf and was distracted by Ono and Malenko knocked Ono out. He went right back to the Cloverleaf and got the submission.
- Just like last night with Dave Taylor, Dragon tapped the mat to submit.
- Scotty Riggs pinned "Mean" Mike Enos following a flying forearm shot.
- The Horseman, sans Flair, were interviewed by Okerlund.
- The crowd kept chanting "We want Flair!"
- Then they chanted "Bears suck!"
- Mongo's big line was "Listen up, you limburger losers!"
- "Lionheart" Chris Jericho, Chavo Guerrero, Jr., and Super Calo def. Konan, J.L., and La Parka when Jericho pinned J.L. after a Super Frankensteiner off the top rope.
- Harlem Heat def. "Desperado" Joe Gomez and "Champ to Chump" Renegade when Booker T. pinned Renegade after a Heatseeker.
- Masa "My Hero" Chono pinned "Das Blunderpinned" Alex Wright after a Mafia Kick.
- Try as he might, Wright could not get over with the crowd.
- Wright lost the match due to a number of slow counts by Nick Patrick.
- Eddie Guerrero pinned Scott "Flash" Norton following a Frog Splash.
- The frog splash was set up by a Diamond Cutter on Norton from "Diamond" Dallas Page who entered and left the arena through the crowd.
- Nick Patrick's count on Norton was really slow, but he had no choice as no one came out to make the save. This was the first time ever that Nick Patrick counted a pinfall on an nWo member.
- "The Crippler" Chris Benoit pinned "Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan after Woman whacked Sullivan on the head with a chair.
- Although it was a "falls count anywhere" match, the pin happened in the ring. There was a two-count on Benoit on the men's room floor, however.
- The match went right up to the men's room.
- Dusty commented on the urinals: "If you've never seen one, there they are lined up against the wall!"
- On the way back down to the ring, Sullivan threw Benoit down two flights of stairs.
- Bobby Eaton did crowd security as they made their way to and from the men's room. This probably was a bad idea as Eaton not only had to contend with people grabbing for Benoit and Sullivan, but also people grabbing at him. Take a memo, Doug Dillinger, don't have a famous person doing crowd control.
- After the match, Benoit chaired Sullivan again for good measure with a chair that was conveniently under the ring, in the first place Benoit looked.
- The Steiner Brothers def. The Amazing French Canadians when Scott Steiner pinned Carl Ouelette after a bulldog from the top rope.
- "The Total Package" Lex Luger def. Scott Hall via DQ when Kevin Nash and Syxx interfered.
- Mark Curtis, the referee, did the best job of refereeing I've ever seen. When Nash and Syxx came in the ring, Luger held his own at first. The referee didn't call for the bell in case Luger still pulled out a victory. Only when Luger was being double-teamed and at a distinct disadvantage did the referee call for the bell. It was like a penalty flag in football. You let the play continue after the flag as a "free chance" to the other team and you give them a chance to "decline the penalty".
- Mark Curtis is most noted for the running instant replay of the match he gives as it's going on. Watch him to see what I'm talking about.
- When Hall, Nash, and Syxx started doing a mudhole stomp on Luger after the match, the Steiner Brothers made the save on Luger. A pier-six brawl ensued with Luger and the Steiners coming out on top. The fighting was still going on when the show ended.
WCW Monday Night Nitro - Monday, 01/20/97
- The show opened with "Macho Man" Randy Savage coming through the crowd to the ring. He grabbed the mike and said he'd been "blackballed" by WCW and wasn't leaving until he saw someone with some "major stroke". And, "As for my ex-boss Eric Bischoff, he can kiss my ass!" He then sat in a chair in the middle of the ring. Chavo Guerrero, Jr. came out confused for his opening match. Macho kicked back and wouldn't budge. Chavo tried to reason with Macho to no avail. Chavo started getting hot (you know that Guerrero temper!). Macho popped him and pitched him. Maxx Muscle came out and went to the ring to an unexpected meeting with Macho Man's fisties. Macho picked up the chair and everyone started cheering. Then he sat down and everyone booed. Then, in succession, Macho popped and pitched the referee, Doug Dillinger, and Alex Wright. Sting then suddenly rapelled some 300 feet from the ceiling (it was pretty incredible). Sting did his shove and then hand it to him thing with the bat with Macho. Then they walked off through the crowd together.
- "Lionheart" Chris Jericho pinned "Das Wunderpinned" Alex Wright with a reversal of a German suplex into a forward roll.
- It didn't take long for the "Boring" chants to start in this match. Also, there were some at the arena. :-)
- Scotty Riggs def. nWo Sting via DQ when the nWo second team (nWo sans Hogan, Nash, Hall, and Syxx) rushed the ring.
- nWo Sting got more cheers than Scotty Riggs during the match.
- Zbyszko commented that he didn't know anything about nWo Sting. They still insist on carrying the angle that they don't realize that it's Cobra under the makeup.
- Ric Flair did a promo with "Big" Bob Provert of the Chicago Blackhawks stating that Provert was going to make a future appearance with the Horseman.
- "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson and Steve "Mongo" McMichael def. Eddie Guerrero and Jeff Jarrett when Arn Anderson made Jeff Jarrett submit with a Boston Crab, sort of.
- Jarrett got a lot of boos.
- Arn and Mongo got a lot of cheers. Mongo, especially, as they were in Chicago.
- The crowd really got into the match. Too bad it wasn't a better match.
- A couple minutes into it, Guerrero took off after Syxx who was in the wings leaving Jarrett to his own devices.
- Anderson got Jarrett in a Boston Crab with Mongo kicking Jarrett in the head. Debra McMichael threw in her sash and submitted on Jarrett's behalf. Lame ending and bad angle!!
- In the post-match interview, including Flair, Benoit, and Woman, Flair said the Horseman of years past were stronger because there was no female influence. He told Benoit, Woman, and the McMichaels to get their act together. He said as long as he and Anderson are together, there will be Horsemen. Debra spoke a bit. Man, she can generate heat like no one else in wrestling. She just says one word and people start booing like crazy!
- Ultimo Dragon pinned "The Man of 1,000 Holds" Dean Malenko by trapping the arm and rolling him over. Ultimo Dragon retains the WCW Cruiserweight Title.
- Ultimo Dragon won the Power Pin of the Week on a rollover. Pretty lame.
- "Lord" Steve Regal def. The Mountie, whoops, I mean Jacques Rougeau via DQ when Col. Parker interfered to retain the World Television Title.
- "The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan pinned "The Crippler" Chris Benoit after ringing his bell, literally!
- As Sullivan was coming to the ring for the match, Benoit nailed him hard from behind.
- They went right into the stands and right up into the men's room. It was absolute chaos with fans getting in the way everywhere. It was a mess!
- Heenan commented: "Benoit looks flushed!"
- They fought their way back to the ring, getting drenched by numerous beers along the way, and then the bell rang to START the match as the "Falls Count Anywhere" match isn't until the Clash.
- They fought some in the ring and then Benoit went up for the flying headbutt. Jimmy Hart handed Sullivan the ring bell. As Benoit came off the top, the bell rang when Benoit's head hit it!
- If this is a preview, tomorrow's match between these two is going to be great. There are rumors all over the Web that there is going to be some juice.
- "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan pinned Carl Ouelette after Scott Steiner socked Oulette and then Duggan followed up with a taped fist.
- The nWo took over the booth before the match. Kevin Nash commented that he couldn't understand the whole thing with Woman. Benoit and Sullivan should handle it the way he would: "The money's on the dresser, honey. Take it on your way out."
- Bischoff said they were changing around the matches for the rest of the show.
- Masa "My Hero" Chono made "Squire" Dave Taylor submit with the STF.
- Taylor came out with new duds. Looked like he was going on safari.
- Chono came out to the "nWo Second Team" music.
- Nick Patrick refereed the match but didn't really come into play.
- Taylor tapped the mat to submit. It made me think I was watching the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
- Scott Hall pinned Booker T. of the Harlem following the Outsider's Edge.
- Nash on the crowd: "I haven't seen this many black t-shirts since the 1977 Foghat tour.
- Hall took a couple serious bumps in this match. Either the shoot with Saggs on 1/4 was really a work or he recovered quickly.
- Nick Patrick was the referee. If it wasn't for a very slow count by him earlier in the match, Booker T. would have won.
- "The Total Package" Lex Luger racked Stevie Ray of the Harlem Heat.
- Nash on Stevie Ray's entrance: "Hey, that's the guy we just beat up! Oh, wait, it's the other guy."
- Nick Patrick was the referee. After the match, both Luger and Stevie Ray were mad at the referee. It looked like there was supposed to be some angle like as if Stevie Ray hadn't submitted yet or something. However, the angle never was explained.
- "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan came out and, as expected, talked about what a wimp the Giant is. The Giant, as expected, rushed the ring. Nitro, as expected, ended just as the Giant was getting in the ring.
- In the dark match, Lex Luger def. Hulk Hogan via DQ when Scott Hall made the save on Hogan when Luger had Hogan racked. According to Tom S., who was at the card, the ending was really lame as the ref rang the bell for the DQ even before Hall entered the ring.
WCW {Pro} Wrestling was preempted by movies Sunday, 01/19/97
WCW Saturday Night - Saturday, 01/18/97
- Chavo Guerrero, Jr. pinned J.L. following a moonsault.
- Konnan and "Big" Bubba Rogers went to a double-countout in a four-corners chain match.
- The chain wouldn't stay attached to either of their wrists and the match legitimately fell apart. It looked like the equipment problems prevented them from getting to whatever the planned finish was supposed to have been.
- In a rematch from last week's show, "Lord" Steven Regal made Psychosis submit with a Regal Stretch. Regal retains the World Television Title.
- "The Dog-Faced Gremlin" Rick Steiner pinned "Mean" Mike Enos after a bulldog off the top rope.
- "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan pinned The Gambler after a sock in the mouth with a taped fist.
- The referee clearly saw Duggan taping his fist. If the referee's not going to disqualify him, why not just use brass knuckles?
- "Beautiful" Bobby Eaton pinned Disco Inferno after a swinging neckbreaker.
- Disco Inferno evened up the score in the "Overused Angle Contest". Disco Inferno has now failed at his new leglock four times, although tonight he brought a cheat sheet as a way to freshen up the angle. Steve Regal has saved his TV title four times with a time-limit draw as he was about to be pinned. Which angle will be concluded first?
- Eddie Guerrero and Syxx brawled all the way back to the dressing room in a match that never even really got started. The U.S. Belt was left in the ring and Nick Patrick came out and walked off with it.
- Maxx Muscle made Mark Starr submit in a Ken Patera swinging neckbreaker.
- Lee Marshall interviewed Arn Anderson. Arn said Benoit and Woman should leave their problems at home. He said Mongo and Debra McMichael should leave their problems at home. He said the Horsemen are run by four men, and women don't have a say in Horseman business. For those of you who like to pick interviews apart word for word looking for hidden meaning, Arn said Benoit and Woman were irreplaceable but did not same the same about Mongo and Debra.
- The Barbarian def. "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson via disqualification after Jeff Jarrett interfered.
- Anderson had Barbarian set up for the DDT. Meng distracted Anderson. When Anderson turned his attention back to Barbarian, he was Mafia Kicked. As Barbarian was pinning him, Jarrett rushed the ring and Arn was DQ'd. Jarrett threw Arn out of the ring and then took on Meng and Barbarian by himself, presumably to prove he was Horseman material. Arn grabbed a chair to use to make the save on Jarrett and Benoit came out and talked Anderson out of it, saying Jarrett wasn't worth it. Meng and Barbarian opened up a can of whup-ass on Jarrett until referee Randy Anderson came out and dragged Jarrett out of harm's way.
- "The Total Package" Lex Luger racked Scott "Flash" Norton.
- Luger showed no offense until the very end when he reached down deep and put Norton in the rack with absolutely no set up for it. Gosh, I've never seen Luger do that before.