1996 Discussion

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Chris Benoit vs Randy Savage (WCW Saturday Night, 2-10-96, WCW Title match)
Bleh. Benoit dominates for about 6 minutes until Savage gets in some offense and goes for the big elbow, only for Flair (his opponent the next night) and Anderson to run out for the D.Q. *

Chris Benoit vs Chris Jericho (WCW Saturday Night, 11-2-96)
Really here to get over the Evil Ref angle with Nick Patrick. Benoit’s arm is torn up from the past PPV and Jericho frequently goes to it when Benoit mounts comebacks. I liked that he didn’t immediately go after the shoulder until he had to because he was pretty determined to actually beat Benoit. Jericho argues with Patrick at one point and Patrick calls the match in Benoit’s favor for the rest of it. Really short, but watching these guys go is pretty easy to do. *1/4

Chris Benoit vs Eddie Guerrero – Saturday Night (2/3/96)
Didn’t have the pizzazz the previous encounters had, but both guys were able to go out there and sing the hits and send ya home happy. **3/4

Belfast Bruiser vs. Steve Regal – WCW Saturday Night 04/13/96
Regal started out firing on all cylinders, really kicking Finlay’s ass but it didn’t last too long. Finlay would always regain control after some failed comeback attempts from Regal. It’s like Regal was just focused on beating the shit into Finlay instead of really paying attention to the match. The match doesn’t last 5 minutes so it’s really just storyline progression and nothing else. Finlay wins after DQ due to interference. We got another ‘SOMEBODY CALL THE LAW!!!’ from Dusty, which was probably the highlight of the whole thing actually.

Belfast Bruiser vs. Steve Regal – WCW Saturday Night 04/27/96
Another match used more for storyline progression than anything. Finlay controlled the majority of the match with Regal barely getting any shots in. Any shots Regal did get were near the end. Match runs about 4/5 minutes and has another DQ ending due to chairshots on the floor. Finlay doesn’t care if the match is over and hits a Tombstone on the outside. You can see why they close to do the Parking Lot Brawl next since DQ’s were always happening and now the ring couldn’t contain these two. Dusty was great here again, claiming he’s wrestled 5000 matches and only lost one. Ohhhh Dusty

Belfast Bruiser vs. Brad Armstrong (WCWSN 2/17/96)
Sucks major balls that Finlay has been fired from WWE. Sure, he hasn’t been an active wrestler in quite some time, but a guy like Finlay is most certainly gotta be an asset backstage. Hopefully he’ll be back in a few months when the bullshit dies down. Until then... might as well watch some of his stuff for the poll .

I *think* this is his debut match in WCW, after jumping Regal a few weeks earlier which brought him into WCW. Good decision to put him in with an Armstrong I guess, since the ones in WCW (aka not Road Dogg lol) are all very solid in the ring and can help make Finlay look as good as possible for his debut. Kinda like how sticking him with Matt Hardy in 2006 when he debuted in WWE; Hardy was a great worker back then too.

Some nice back and forth action, was kinda expecting more of a squash to put over Finlay, but ah well. He still looked good, and the finish was a DQ when the Blue Bloods showed up and... got their arses handed to them as Regal looked on terrified

Belfast Bruiser vs. Steven Regal (WCWSN 4/13/96)
Damn, almost some payback for Regal with the very first move, as he just kicks Finlay straight in the fucking head. Didn’t bust Finlay open though; like that punch did to Regal in the previous match.

Regal is fucking intent on destroying Finlay’s face in the early going with more kicks and plenty of palm thrusts to the nose. Everything looks brutal and therefore awesome .

Dammit, more interference from the Blue Bloods...

Before that though, the match still gets some decent time for TV, and we get some more of that great, great action that we saw at the PPV. Not as good as the PPV match though, but for what it was it was still really good. And stuff.

Belfast Bruiser vs. Steven Regal (WCWSN 4/27/96)
MOAR rematch?

Dusty when Regal dropped Finlay’s crotch onto his knee: “He got him right in the billy willy!”

We get some more great stuff... but it ends in DQ before it develops into something really awesome. Thankfully it’s not a “Blue Bloods interference” DQ, but a “Finlay wants to kill Regal” DQ, so it’s a little better . Just more build to the parking lot brawl match that I’ve already seen, talked about and stuck on my list lol.

Steven Regal vs. Sting – Saturday Night 25/05/1996
After entrances this one gets a nice 3 and a half minutes to work with lol.

Regal tries to be a gentleman at the start, offering to lock up nice and clean with Sting, and he does, only for Sting to power him down and stomp on his hands! That bastard! People cheered for this guy?!?!

A thumb to the eye puts Regal in control, and let’s face it, Sting had it coming. Regal wanted a nice clean match and Sting had to go and stomp on his hands. I hope HE DIES.

Most of the match (as short as it is lol) involves pinning exchanges, with Sting getting a win eventually. Why even bother with these 3 minute matches lol?

Steven Regal vs. Lex Luger – Saturday Night 31/08/1996
You know, I’m always surprised when I go into a Luger match and it ends up being good lol. I guess I underestimate the guy constantly, and forget that against certain opponents, Luger can actually be good. Regal appears to be one of those opponents.

Regal tries to wrestle with Luger at the start, but Luger’s power prevents Regal from doing, well anything lol. Luger then stomps on Regal’s hands, and that causes Regal to get angry and do whatever necessary to take charge of the match; a good old thumb to the eye followed by, you guessed it, forearm shots and European uppercuts .

Eventually Luger makes his comeback, which is simple as hell, just a bunch of powerful clotheslines and backdrops and whatnot. Regal sells it all well, the crowd are eating it up, and despite being simple it’s all good stuff.

In the end though, some interference from the NWO allows Regal to win back the TV title! If this title run is anything like his other TV title run, then I’m super excited for more matches on this disc!

Good and fun TV match, and probably the best on this disc so far (not including the Sting match that I skipped this time around because I’ve already reviewed it). Has a small chance of making my bottom 100.

Steven Regal vs. Bobby Eaton – Saturday Night 02/11/1996
Eaton is no longer doing the whole “Earl” gimmick as part of the Blue Bloods, and Regal is more focused on his singles career than being in a team anyway. Should be interesting to see these two get it on.

Good god was this fun. Only negative I have is that it was too short (like a lot of TV matches have been so far unfortunately). They play off the fact they both used to be in the Blue Bloods beautifully, with Bobby wanting to get at Regal, Regal out wrestling Bobby and getting all cocky, Bobby firing back and Regal wanting to make up so he doesn’t have to endure one of the famous right hands from Eaton, only for Eaton to blast him in the fact anyway. Regal is fucking awesome at this point when he takes 3 right hands from Bobby. The first knocks him silly, the second does the same but he does that thing where he puts on hand behind his back and starts pointing his other finger as if he’s going to lecture Bobby... only to eat another right hand and fall down, where he proceeds to flop around like a fish .

Another match I want in my bottom 10 because it’s fun as fuck.

Randy Savage vs. Shark - WCW Saturday Night 4/27/96
Ahhh, this match is at least better than the “Shark dominates for 95% of the match” formula from the last two matches. With Shark’s eye getting fucked in the first 30 seconds leading to him getting pissed off and fucking shit up. This match is actually done back and forth which I prefer so, so much to the heel dominating a whole match.

SHARK ACTUALLY WENT TO THE SECOND ROPE BAH GAWD.

Oh it’s not so much back and forth as 2 minutes long. Yay.

¼*

Steven Regal v Fit Finlay (Saturday Night 27/4/96)
--I'd already seen this, but it's one of the most superb pieces of five minute wrestling matches I've ever seen. Finlay was in WCW as some sort of intruder; tracking down Regal because they fought all over Europe and he wants revenge or...something. Either way, he's pissed that he didn't get to completely wipe Lord Steven off at Uncensored and he goes balls-to-the-walls gritty on offense here (to no surprise, obviously), and Regal brings just as much (see the previous sentence in parenthesis). arm shots, crossface grinding, those chest-on-aprons blasts, basically, you name a gritty move, and they likely did it in these five minutes. They get into outside/barricade/chair territory soon enough and Finlay eventually gets disqualified for piledriving Regal on the mat outside. I loved the look on his face, and his whole demeanour; like, "don't give a flying shit what the fans like, don't give a flying shit what referee wants, don't give a flying shit if I get sent to jail." Man oh man I dig this.

Luger/Eddie - Saturday Night 2/3/96 - Cool. The whole "Luger sucked after such-and-such" talking point baffles me whenever I watch Luger. Sure, he stopped having great matches, but he looked great here. He's a terrific monster-muscle dickbag. They work great shtick early: Luger asks for a test of strength, but Eddie is too short. Luger gets on his knees. Eddie lies down. Then Eddie zoom-zooms & looks like a million bucks throughout the cat-and-mouse. Then Luger catches him & WAMP-WAMP. Really fun sub-10 minute match. It's a high-end maybe for me. Likely to just miss my list, but I dig polls because it gets me to watch shit like this. Shit like this is muy fun.

Regal vs. Finlay - WCWSN 4/13/96
Awesome 5-minute match. They beat the shit out of each other & even work in some limb psych with Finlay going after the arm. No finish; bummer. Wouldn't have voted for it, anyway, as their Parking Lot Brawl had all the same positivies but accomplished more & had CARS.

Eddie Guerrero vs. The Gambler (WCWSN, 01/06/96)
What a disaster; here I’m treated to a rare appearance from The Gambler, and the stupid show is Joined In Progress which prevents us from getting his entrance. Saturday Night always had the best jobbers, the Gambler may have been the best of them all, as on his way to the ring, he’d always be cheating at cards! Sure, it was a game of Solitare, and sure I have NO idea what on earth he might be doing with random aces up his sleeve before fighting the WCW superstars, but hot damn if this man wasn’t committed to his cheating. Guerrero is working a rear chinlock, but Gambler escapes with a jawbreaker. Guerrero takes a backdrop, and then they proceed to botch something. Guerrero takes over and hits a slingshot bodypress on the floor. Back in, Guerrero drops Gambler on his head with a side suplex. Gambler isn’t digging that and throws the clubberin’ forearms. A DDT from the Gambler gets a 2 count. Gambler shows things down with a neck vice, but Eddie escapes and turns the tide with a tornado DDT. A brainbuster sets up the Frog Splash, and Eddie gets the win at 5:39. *1/2

Disco Inferno vs. Big Train Bart (WCWSN, 01/06/96)
Big Train Bart is the former Black Bart from the NWA days in the earlier part of the 1980’s. Disco nails a hiptoss and dances, which probably isn’t going to endear him to the 300 pound hairball. Disco throws a flurry of fists, but one meathook from Bart stops that display. Disco tries again, but eats a hiptoss, followed by the big leg drop for 2. Bart misses an elbow, and Disco hits the spinning neckbreaker for the win at 3:06. 1/2*

Meng vs. Mike Davis (WCWSN, 01/06/96)
Hugh Morrus wants us all to keep it down, lest we interrupt his uncontrolled laughing. Meng beats the hell out of Davis, and opts to choke him out much to the referee’s ire, who is so upset he warns him with a 5 count. Davis tries to use violence of any kind, and when Meng’s tired of completely ignoring that, Meng drops him with a spinning neckbreaker, and the Spiked Thumb finishes at 2:58. DUD

Dave Taylor vs. Johnny B. Badd (WCWSN, 01/06/96)
Badd wrestles Taylor to the mat, and when they break, Taylor stands up in the Drunken British Fightin’ Pose, always a classic. Taylor applies an armbar which Badd breaks nicely with a headscissors takeover. Taylor tries to apply a rear naked choke, but can’t hook it and Badd wiggles out. Johnny goes to a strange looking surfboard, but Taylor won’t tap. Badd moves to the STF, but Taylor makes the ropes. Taylor takes control with a full nelson into a rear chinlock, and we take a timeout because the action is just far too exciting. Upon return, Taylor is using his specialty move – the European Uppercut. I could watch him do these all day, and if you’re watching a Dave Taylor marathon, you probably will. Taylor goes back to the mat because this wasn’t boring enough, but Badd breaks up the monotony by throwing himself into the ropes with a missed flying crossbody, allowing Taylor to hit a spinning neckbreaker to slow things down again. European uppercut from the master, and Taylor chokes Badd out in the ropes. Taylor stretches Badd with a hammerlock submission, and tries to roll him into a pinning position. Badd keeps wiggling and makes the ropes to break. Taylor, and you won’t believe this, throws a European uppercut and goes back to a chinlock. Badd escapes, hits a DDT and gets 2. Badd flattens Taylor with a running kneelift, and dropkicks him to the outside. Taylor heads back in, right into the Tooti Frooti and Badd retains at 11:37. I thought these things had a 10 minute time limit. *

Alex Wright vs. Chris Kanyon (WCWSN, 01/06/96)
Kanyon is dressed as the construction worker from the Village People, perhaps in an effort to appeal to Alex Wright. It fails, because Wright’s in full denial, and he dropkicks Kanyon to the floor. Kanyon wants a test of strength, but Wright suckers him in to try and just hiptosses him instead. Kanyon runs the ropes, but Wright just backdrops him and hits a pair of headscissors takeovers. Kanyon comes back with a Russian legsweep and gets 2. Kanyon takes Wright to the floor and delivers some fast blows to the face. Back in, arrogant cover from Kanyon gets 2. Wright gets back to his feet, but is dropped with a tombstone piledriver for 2. Can you imagine seeing a tombstone today getting anything short of a 30 count on free television? It’s a transition move in this match. It’s astounding how uneducated we were about neck and head protection just a few years back; and even more scary that type of thing is still done with regularity on the indy circuit. Wright comes back with a missile dropkick, and finishes with a German suplex for 3 at 5:31. **

Arn Anderson, Brian Pillman vs. American Males (WCWSN, 01/06/96)
Pillman and Bagwell start, but Bagwell’s headlock is shoved off because he’s not quite buff, and lacks the stuff. Pillman works over Bagwell in the corner with stiff Horsemen chops, but Bagwell fires back with a couple of take downs. Pillman tries to tag out, but the Males cut off the ring and go through a series of quick tags working over Pillman. Pillman does get the bag, but Anderson is taken to the mat by Riggs. Bagwell tries to pull Anderson’s arm out of its socket, and drops his knee on the shoulder to do some damage. Anderson eats a bodyslam, and he’s had enough so he tags out. Pillman fares no better, taking a dropkick from Riggs, and is stretched on the mat. Pillman tries to leapfrog Bagwell, but Bagwell sees it and boots him in the groin instead. A pissed off Anderson gets the tag, and grinds Bagwell’s face into the ropes to turn the tide. Pillman slams Bagwell’s face to the mat, and applies a sleeper. Bagwell runs Pillman back to the corner, and fights him off, but a kick to the face stops his momentum, and in comes Arn. Anderson grinds his knee into Bagwell’s face, picks him up for a slam, and gets 2. Pillman slams Bagwell’s face on the mat, and mashes it in for effect. Riggs gets slapped, which causes a melee between Riggs and the referee while the Horsemen double team Bagwell. The Horsemen try to keep the ring cut off, but Bagwell manages to scoot past Anderson on an Irish whip, and gets the hot tag. Riggs drops Pillman, and a headscissors on Anderson gets 2. Pillman dumps Riggs to the floor, but he comes back in with a sunset flip off the top. The referee is too busy trying to get Bagwell out of the mess, and misses Pillman dropkicking Riggs to the back of the head, and by the time the referee turns around, he’s left – and the pin is academic for Anderson at 10:29. **1/2

Lex Luger vs. Cobra (WCWSN, 01/06/96)
Cobra is of course a super secret CIA agent, and Tony can’t help but blab all about it. He literally states nobody knows who he is because he’s CIA and he’s just that much of a secret. Well, I’m so glad he’s entrusted YOU Tony with his FEDERAL SECRET. Luger misses a blind charge, and gets hiptossed into an armbar. They trade shoulderblocks, but then Cobra tries a dropkick that misses and momentum shifts. Luger stomps and pounds on Cobra before casually dropping him to the floor. I anxiously await a high flying maneuver and as always, Luger disappoints. I mean, sure, a gentle axehandle might work for some, but I was really hoping he’d bust out a Space Flying Tiger Drop just this one time. Back in, Cobra gets a new wind and fires in some punches. A backdrop is followed with a botched brainbuster, and Luger done had enough. Torture Rack finishes at 5:43. No wonder we’re stuck in a recession, the CIA can’t even stop Lex frickin Luger. *

Steve Armstrong vs. Alex Wright (WCWSN, 01/13/96)
These guys were bound to meet sooner or later; I think it’s time to settle once and for all who is the better man wearing a jacket without a shirt. Wright hits an early overhead suplex with a bridge for 2, and follows with a backslide for the same. Armstrong is dumped to the outside, and uses that time to consider all his options. He opts for the American way over truth or justice, and winds up right back in a headlock. Armstrong fights back, as a shoulderbreaker knocks Wright to the mat, and a reverse suplex into a half brainbuster have him completely out to lunch. Tony has a major announcement; we have another Armstrong in the next match. Armstrong goes for a slam, but a small package from Wright gets the pin at 6:55. *1/2

Scott Armstrong vs. Eddie Guerrero (WCWSN, 01/13/96)
Armstrong is rocking the mullet that we all wish he was rocking today. Eddie bars the knee, but Armstrong reverses into a surfboard. Dusty: “Is there some name for this move? A Russian crab? A New England clam chowder?” Eddie escapes, but gets backdropped for 2. Going completely off the deep end, Dusty starts listing the comparisons between the legendary Guerrero family, and the legendary Armstrong family. I imagine I’ll be proven wrong if The Road Dogg winds up beating CM Punk for the WWE Title at some time in the coming months, but I won’t be holding my breath. Eddie applies a legbar, but Armstrong kicks him off and headbutts Eddie in the kidneys. A backbreaker gets 2, and Eddie is really selling the back now. Armstrong continues to work it over with kicks and stomps. After a failed pin attempt, Eddie hits a brainbuster that sets up the Frog Splash at 7:06. **

Ric Flair vs. Randy Savage (WCWSN, 01/13/96)
Champ enters first, because The Mothership has lost its way. THE ZODIAK immediately makes an appearance to hold The Giant back from the impending chaos. Something stinks about Brutus Beefcake telling anyone to stay away from Hogan – but Giant is stupid enough to listen. Flair and Savage lock up, and Flair goes straight to the mat. Tony reminds us this feud goes back to last year’s Slamboree where Flair attacked Angelo Poffo, which is pretty good memory considering who we’re talking about. Flair rakes the eyes, but Savage no-sells and gets a backslide for 2. Flair gets in the referee’s face, and winds up shoved to the mat and Savage gets another 2. Flair tries to mount any kind of offense, but gets backdropped and heads to the floor. Never one to avoid a brawl, Savage is hot on his heels, so Flair retreats to the ring for safety. Flair busts out the chops, but Savage wins that battle with the meathooks, and gets 2. Flair finally gets a shot in with the Nolan Ryan punch, and drops a knee which sends Savage rolling to the outside. Jimmy Hart gets in a couple of free shots while the referee is distracted. Flair works over Savage on the guardrail, so Savage grabs a fan’s CANE in rage. The referee is quick to take that away, allowing Flair to hit a backdrop suplex for 2. Flair goes to the standing vertical suplex this time, and gets another close 2 count. Flair senses the end is near, and starts softening up Savage’s knee. Figure Four is applied centre of the ring – and Savage has nowhere to go. With the ref checking in on Savage for a tap, Flair cheats like hell with the ropes. Savage sits up, so Flair starts bitch slapping him – which is a BIG mistake. Savage reverses the figure four to escape and nails Flair with a hot shot. Flair heads to the top, but he’s caught and slammed. Savage hits a series of clotheslines, and heads up to finish. The Big Elbow hits – but Jimmy Hart distracts the referee drawing in Hogan. While the referee gets rid of him, ARN ANDERSON runs in to hit Savage with brass knucks and that scores Flair’s win at 9:10. ***

Chris Benoit vs. Eddie Guerrero (WCWSN, 01/20/96)
Well, I suppose if they’re going to recycle the same matches over and over, it’s better this pairing than the American Males against the Faces of Fear. Guerrero dropkicks Benoit from behind just off the bell, which pisses Chris off. Benoit beats the tar out of him, and upon getting reprimanded by the referee, Pillman attacks. It’s been all of 45 seconds, let’s take an ad break. Mean Gene has Hotlines to shill. WCW kindly presents us stills from the break in case we wish to order the replay, specifically with Chris working over Eddie’s leg. Benoit keeps flashing the 4 in Eddie’s face. A pretty sick standing reverse surfboard on Eddie is applied – great because it looks so easy to apply, but appears to damn near cripple Eddie. No idea why this isn’t being used today. Eddie fights back, and on the top rope, Eddie hits a Frankensteiner which Dusty calls a Russian suplex for 2. Powerbomb is reversed into a sunset flip by Guerrero and gets 2. Benoit applies a modified version of the Lasso from El Paso, but Eddie won’t tap. Guerrero is sent packing to Pillman’s awaiting arms, and faces a beating. Back in, a suplex by Benoit is turned into a body press mid air and gets 2. To their feet, the boys throw 203523049204 consecutive punches in rapid fire success (I counted, we’re good), before Eddie hits a tilt-a-whirl that leaves Benoit looking like a corpse. Eddie hammers away in the corner, but Pillman provides distraction. Eddie gets caught in the middle, but ducks and Pillman flattens Benoit with the brass knucks. Eddie dives in and steals a pinfall at 7:20. This really felt like it could have gone somewhere, but 7 minutes isn’t long enough for these two to tell any kind of story together. **

Big Bubba Rodgers vs. Arn Anderson (WCWSN, 01/20/96)
Bubba threatens Anderson with a big meaty fist, but Anderson throws up the dukes and Bubba backs off. Bubba cheats first, using the ropes with Anderson trapped in an abdominal stretch. Referee Nick Patrick goes through the classic motions of checking Bubba by taking a long walk around him to see if he’s holding the ropes, by which point he’s long let go. This continues until Patrick walks around from behind, catches him in the act, and kicks his cheating hands off the ropes. After some words, Bubba takes Anderson to the floor and levels him with an uppercut. On his way back in, Anderson trips him up on the apron, and Bubba goes chinfirst into the apron. Back in, Bubba hits a spinebuster, but uses the ropes for leverage and Patrick sees it before the 3. A shame, because that was the win right there. With time to recover, Anderson nails a neckbreaker. Back on the floor, VK WALLSTREET emerges from the crowd and flattens Arn! JIM DUGGAN isn’t far behind – threatens to plow Anderson with the 2x4, but changes his mind and tapes up Arn’s fist for him instead! Anderson lures Bubba in to check on him, and clocks him with the loaded fist for the win at 5:01. That’s some violent athletic tape! Surprisingly a lot of fun. **1/2

Harlem Heat vs. Sting, Lex Luger (WCWSN, 01/20/96)
On the ramp, Booker and Stevie decide now would be the best time to interrogate where Sherri’s head is at, and wind up sending her to the back, because they need to focus on the championship gold and not her wedding. Sherri, heartbroken, retreats. After a commercial break, Sting and Lex Luger enter together. Apparently Sting and Luger have mended fences from Luger costing Sting the World Title on Monday. I like to think the conversation went something like this:

Sting: “I hear you hit me Lex, I’ve seen the tape, and I want to know why!”

Luger: “No you didn’t.”

Sting: “Maybe I didn’t. I’m sorry!”

Dusty is still carrying on about Belushi as this match starts. I had completely put out of my mind just how strongly Mongo was shoved down our throats as an ANNOUNCER before he even learned how to apply a headlock. (Spoiler: He didn’t.) Sting nails Booker square in the face with a nice dropkick and takes him to the mat with a drop toe hold. Luger takes over and spends more time posing than anything, allowing Booker to tag and Stevie pounds on Lex. Sting tries to get something going, but Stevie chokes him out in the ropes. Luger tags in and flattens Stevie, but goes back to the posing and takes a Harlem Sidekick from Booker. Stevie nails Lex with a clothesline, but only gets 2. Luger is kept grounded with a nerve hold, but he refuses to tap while Sting screams encouragement. A flying forearm from Booker gets 2. Booker starts taunting Sting, which allows Stevie Ray the opportunity to hit a Superkick on the floor in the distraction. Back in, Booker hits the 110th Street slam but misses a legdrop off the top allowing Luger to get the hot tag to Sting. Harlem Heat tries to double team Sting, but Sting hits a flying back elbow off the ropes that flattens both. Booker misses a charge in the corner, Sting applies the Scorpion Deathlock and we have new World Tag-Team Champions at 8:43! BUT WAIT – in the mess of the Scorpion Deathlock, Luger had dumped Stevie Ray over the top rope which resulted in a disqualification, so Harlem Heat retains the belts. Tony immediately announces a rematch for Nitro. **