Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Monday Nitro 1.15.96

-We continue with the start of 1996 as we have a World Title Match tonight. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Eric Bischoff, Mongo, and Bobby Heenan
-Miami, FL

Lex Luger vs. “Macho Man” Randy Savage

-Eric lets us know that Savage gets a rematch for the World Title next week no matter who wins tonight’s Flair/Sting Main Event. Savage wants to us a chair to start and I don’t blame him. He already has a World Title Match next week and wants revenge on Luger, so just deck him, get disqualified and save yourself for next week. The ref grabs the chair though and that gives Luger an opening. They head to the floor and Luger sends Savage’s bad arm into the post. Savage pulls Luger to the floor and runs him into the railing and then the stairs. Back in the ring, Savage comes off the top with a double ax for two. He chokes on the top rope as we get a “Luger” chant from some in the crowd. Savage lands a back elbow for another two count. Luger begs off in the corner, but Savage doesn’t care and stomps away and chokes with a boot on the throat. Right hand gets a two count and Savage goes for another pin, which gets two again. In the corner Luger goes to the eyes to slow Savage down and starts dropping elbows for two. Savage back as he drops Luger throat first on the top rope and heads upstairs. Elbow Drop misses as Luger rolls out of the way just in time. That looked great! Torture Rack and Savage’s arm drops three times to end it at 5:08. That’s four straight wins for Luger over Savage.

Winner: Lex Luger by submission at 5:08
-Short and energetic which is all I what from this match. Savage not being able to beat Luger is a nice little story they have going. It never really gets paid off though as something big happens to turn the company upside down in a few months. **

-The entire Dungeon of Doom head down to the ring and are joined by The 4 Horsemen. One Man Gang is part of the Dungeon now and is the new United States Champion. Gene informs us this was supposed to be a Tag Match, but Arn says they are having a business meeting. Arn lays out that protecting Flair and the World Title is their main focus, but they want every other Title they can get as well. Arn says there are no winners or losers in a war between The Horsemen and Dungeon and he is stopping it. Sullivan puts over Flair as The Greatest Champion of All-Time and he respects him so much he is letting Flair borrow The Giant as his partner. Sullivan also respects Anderson, but his problem is Brian Pillman and how he isn’t Horseman material. Arn tells Sullivan not to mistake respect for fear and Pillman starts running his mouth, so Arn slaps the taste out of his mouth.

Public Enemy vs. The American Males

-Bischoff tells us this is a standby match since Horsemen/Dungeon didn’t happen and it’s also the debut of PE. The Males avoid PE to start and stereo clotheslines send them to the floor. Grunge yells they don’t play as they pull The Males to the floor. They brawl out there and Bagwell gets sent into the railing. Riggs gets double teamed back in the ring, but forget about Bagwell who comes off the top with a crossbody. Dropkicks sends both PE back to the floor. We start proper with Riggs and Grunge. Sunset flip from Riggs gets two. He hits a dropkick but gets decked from the apron by Rock. Tag to Rock, but he sets too early on a backdrop and gets slammed down on the back of his head. Tag to Bagwell and he sends Grunge flying with a backdrop. Rock in and backdrop for him. Dropkicks for both members of PE. Powerslam to Grunge gets two as Rock makes the save. Roll-up by Bagwell ,but the ref is with Riggs and misses Rock reversing things and Grunge gets the pin at 3:27.

Winners: Public Enemy via pin at 3:27
-Not the best debut for PE as far as in ring goes, but we know what they are good at and a standard tag match is not it. *

-We get to the fun stuff now as Public Enemy stack some tables and Rock comes off the top with a Senton through Bagwell and both tables. The crowd loved that! Nearly 30 years later and it’s still pretty cool! I want to rate the match higher just for the post match attack.

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Ric Flair (c) (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs. Sting

-Weird, this isn’t closing the show as it’s for the World Title, but I guess Hogan/Meng is a bigger deal? These two can do this match while sleeping so this should be fun. Flair takes Sting down, but he keeps kipping up and then gives us a yell as Flair slows things down. Knee to the gut from Flair and he pitches Sting to the floor, but he is right back in and Flair begs off in the corner. Sting pounds away with right hands and sends Flair across the ring with a hip-toss. Standing dropkick and then a Gorilla Press. Whip to the corner where Flair flips over and Sting runs him down on the apron with a clothesline. Suplex brings Flair back in and it gets a one count. Flair begs off again and then lands a trusty thumb to the eye. CHOP knocks Sting down. More chops in the corner and then another shot to the eye for good measure. Off to another corner and here’s some more chops! Flair goes for a suplex, but Sting blocks and puts Flair on the top rope. Superplex from Sting as Flair starts flopping around like a fish. A smart fish as he gets the knees up to block a splash. We take a break at 4:31.

-45 seconds of Peacock commercials!

-SuperBrawl VI commercial!

-Back at 5:49 with Sting missing a dive and getting caught throat first on the top rope. Flair drops a knee and gets both feet on the ropes, but Sting is out at two. Flair looks to send Sting over the top, but Sting just kind of bounces off the ropes. Flair takes him to another side as Jimmy has the ref, and this time he goes flying over the top rope. Jimmy gets in a shot for good measure. Back in the ring Flair with a chop for another two count. To the corner and there’s a chop, but Sting rushes out of the opposite corner with a desperation clothesline. Sting reverses a whip to the corner and gets a sleeper, but Flair breaks with a belly to back suplex. They trade chops and punches in the corner and Sting gets the better of the exchange. Dropkick misses as Flair holds the ropes. Figure-Four is countered into a small package for two. Backslide from Sting gets two! Flair sends Sting to the floor but again, he is right back and goes for a sunset flip. Flair’s ass is hanging out as is usual, but he throws a punch to block the sunset flip. Another Gorilla Press from Sting, but he runs into a back elbow in the corner. Flair up top, but Sting slams him down. Eric and Mongo bring up The Colts/Steelers AFC Championship Game from the previous day and it seems they were pulling for The Colts. Well, my family was quite happy that Hail Mary hit the ground and we ended up having a Super Bowl party two weeks later. Another Gorilla Press and here’s Lex Luger as he tries to get Hart off the apron. He pulls the megaphone away from Hart and “accidentally” decks Sting, who was going for a Stinger Splash in the corner. Flair applies the Figure-Four to be a dick, but Sting is out and the ref counts three at 11:55.

Winner and Still WCW Champion: Ric Flair via pin at 11:55
-Your standard Flair/Sting match which means it’s good at the bare minimum as long as Flair isn’t forced to wear a mask and pretend to be someone else. Ending was silly, but it kind of worked. ***1/4

-Hogan and Savage are out for the save and then try to talk sense into Sting, who has no clue what happened. He runs off to talk to Luger since Hogan and Savage are so sure Luger is against him.

-With Sting out, Hogan is kind of a dick as he calls out Savage for losing to Luger for a 4th time and still getting a World Title shot next week. Savage tells Hogan to back up or he will explode on him. Hogan thinks he has the better chance and questions the health of Savage’s arm. Savage tells him he is fine and walks away, which annoys Hogan. I know the idea they are trying with Luger/Sting and Hogan/Savage not knowing if they can trust each other while all their enemies are uniting. It just making Sting look like an idiot, Hogan look like a dick, and Savage a loser.

-Saturday Night: Sting and Luger vs. Harlem Heat; Special interview with Jim Belushi. Yep, that Jim Belushi.

Meng (w/ Kevin Sullivan) vs. Hulk Hogan

-Sullivan decks a WCW photographer on the way to the ring. Meng controls early with a choke and Sullivan lands a chop to the throat on the apron. Nerve hold from Meng as Eric talks about the NAPTE TV convention in Vegas next week, which is part of the reason WCW is having a Nitro and Clash there. Meng misses off the top and Hogan starts a comeback, but gets caught in the throat with the Spike. Hogan kicks out at two and we get a Hulk-Up. Big Boot, but Sullivan grabs the leg. Savage is here and decks Sullivan as Hogan grabs the spike and he decks Meng to get the pin at 4:40.

Winner: Hulk Hogan via pin at 4:40
-Abbreviated Hogan formula and it clearly should have been under the World Title Match, but I assume they wanted to send the crowd home happy. 1/2*

-Thanks for reading!

6.0

The final score: review Average

The 411

Flair/Sting was their normal good match, but the rest was kind of blah. Still an easy watch, but there wasn't much happening and you could tell they are just trying to get to Caesar's Palace and the Nitro/Clash double shot. A little historic value with Public Enemy making their debut and Flair/Sting is nearly always an enjoyable match. Just needed a little more.