wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Monday Nitro 11.11.96
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Written: 3.14.26
-Run Time: 1:30:35
-Plugs: Retro Rankings: 1993
-Announce Team: Tony and Larry (Hour One), Eric, The Brain, and Tenay (Hour Two)
-Bayfront Center, St. Petersburg, FL
-Last week, Benoit and Mongo aren’t so sure about Jarrett just walking in and wanting to be a Horseman. Jarrett then takes a verbal shot at various people, including Sting, who is listening from the rafters. They are basically telling us that won’t end well for Jarrett.
Chris Benoit (w/ Woman) vs. Jeff Jarrett
-Insert promo from Kevin Sullivan as they continue to plug the Benoit/Sullivan rematch in Baltimore. Jarrett gets an early take down and struts. They go to a test of strength, which Benoit turns into a submission, but Jarrett reverses. He throws Benoit across the ring and we get headlocks into head scissors before Benoit ends the mat wrestling and lands a strike. Jarrett with a drop toe hold and he walks on Benoit’s back. We take a break at 2:10.
-World War 3 commercial. Interesting that they hype Outsiders vs. Nasty Boys for the Tag Titles since we didn’t get that match. It ended up being a Triangle Match with The Faces of Fear added. I assume that was due to the issues The Outsiders and Nasty Boys had.
-Back with both men just swinging with punches. Jarrett gets a suplex and chokes Benoit on the middle rope. Jarrett drops his weight on Benoit’s back. To the corner where Benoit starts firing off chops and hits a lariat. Now he chokes Jarrett on the middle rope. They start scrapping once again as they throw punches while rolling around the ring. Benoit drops Jarrett gut first on the top rope and starts firing away with forearms. Jarrett delivers a shoulder and they start trading punches again. Jarrett actually suplexes Benoit to the floor. Here’s Sting and he hits Jarrett with The Scorpion Death Drop to a big pop from the crowd. That is a DQ at 6:13.
Winner: Jeff Jarrett via DQ at 6:13
-Solid match with some good aggression. It was a cheap ending, but the crowd didn’t care as they were pumped to finally see Sting do something. Jarrett brought it on himself. **1/4
-Woman tells Benoit they don’t know about Sting, but they know Jarrett is WCW and he should help him up. Benoit reluctantly does it.
-Some “fan” hands Larry and Tony a package before getting taken away by security. It’s a tape and a letter that reads it’s from Europe in 92 and should be played if they want Piper to take the match with Hogan. Weird!
-Video package on Dr. James Andrew and how he repaired Ric Flair’s torn rotator cuff. Apparently Ric’s rotator cuff is twice as thick as normal men. I bet he used that as a pickup line in bars around the loop.
WCW Women’s Championship Tournament: First Round: Malia Hosaka vs. Zero (w/ Sonny Onno)
-Zero is The GAEA Women’s Champion and is better known as Chigusa Nagayo, one half of the Crush Gals (w/ Lioness Asuka). Tony does mention she was known as Nagayo is Japan and covers how she has gone through an attitude transformation to become Zero. 30 seconds in and some in the crowd are chanting boring. Zero no sells some kicks and then SQUASHES Hosaka to block a sunset flip. Flying forearm and again, Zero no sells and knocks Hosaka down. Lariat gets a two count as Zero pulls her up. Razor’s Edge into a powerbomb finishes at 1:43.
Winner: Zero via pin at 1:43
-This was a match in the WCW Women’s Tournament. All I can really say about it. 1/2*
-Mean Gene is back after his contract issues and Tony puts him over big time. It just feels right having Gene back in the aisle interviewing people. DDP is with Gene and is immediately questioned about Hall and Nash helping him. DDP notes he used to manage Hall and tag with Nash, but before he can continue, Hall and Nash are out. He tells them they don’t need to get in his matches. Hall tells Page to think about the present and future as this is his chance to jump on board with the nWo. Page is a little offended that he is the 8th guy they asked. Nash says they could have came earlier, but there were reasons. He then calls out Page for being Bischoff’s neighbor and how wrestling is political. Page is offended they would accuse him of using that to his benefit. Page doesn’t turn them down, but it’s kind of great character work that he is offended they asked him so late. Nash tells him he doesn’t get it and won’t ever get it.
Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Ciclope
-Ultimo Dragon, with his 6 Belts, and Sonny Onno are sitting ringside. Who knew that Ciclope’s debut here would result in one of the loudest reactions in WCW history at Slamboree years later? Rey springs off the top with a head scissors that sends Ciclope to the floor. Rey with a suicide dive and they both crash into the railing. Rey calls out for a Frankensteiner, but as he springs, Ciclope catches him with a clothesline for two. CICOPLE HITS A SUNSET FLIP POWERBOMB TO THE FLOOR. That only gets two back in the ring. Dean Malenko is watching from the entrance way and I bet he is wondering what it feels like to wear Ciclope’s mask. Ciclope throws Rey around the ring and then set him up top. Nasty DDT from there as Rey is just killing himself to help Ciclope get over here and it’s great. Psychosis is out and standing behind Dean to scout as well. Ciclope with a reverse chinlock, but thankfully, it doesn’t last long. Powerbomb into a pin gets two and back to the chinlock. Rey escapes and hits a spin kick. Sprinboard moonsault, but Ciclope catches him and hits a TOMBSTONE. Man! Ciclope up, but Rey hits a dropkick and then takes Ciclope to the floor with a head scissors. This is wild even today, let alone by 96 standards. Rey with the sprinboard rana for the pin at 6:00.
Winner: Rey Mysterio Jr. via pin at 6:20
-This was a wonderful match with several spots that had me screaming. This is what made WCW so great as they would just throw two CW out there and give them time to pop the crowd and show us things we had never seen. ***1/2
-You can go to wcwwrestling.com on this internet deal. My parents actually got us our first internet computer right around this time as an early Christmas present.
-Hall, Nash, and Syxx are out to hype The Cable Ace Awards. Hall tells Larry he thought he would be bigger. Larry: “I thought you would be thicker.” Hall tells Larry he will bring him out of retirement and that’s what happened, but it took some time. Hall says the nWo wants a Cable Ace Award because they are the reason for WCW’s success. Nash gets to make jokes and Tony hides his face because he is cracking. Larry is a pro though! Monday Nitro becomes nWo Nitro in a few weeks according to Nash. Tony: “They are going to take over this show? No chance.” Yeah, about that!
-Pyro as we begin Hour Two! Eric, The Brain, and Tenay welcome us to the show.
Scott Norton vs. Lex Luger
-Eric brings up Sting attacking Jarrett and says he doesn’t know what Jarrett did to deserve that. Well, they showed it at the start of the show. This is a Big E special here with a lot of meat and muscles in the ring. Lockup and they jockey for position, so we get an insert promo from Arn Anderson. He also plugs the house show in Baltimore as he gets a rematch with Lex Luger. Back to the match as Lex tries a shoulder tackle, but nobody budges. Norton gets a back breaker and nearly drops Luger, so he just lays him down. Luger kind of no sells it and starts walking around the ring. Sting is watching from the concourse area, which grabs the attention of the fans. Norton gets sent to the floor, so pulls Luger out and throws chops. Luger sends Norton into the post, but moves and Luger ends up hitting the post as well. Back in Norton misses a clothesline but hits a shoulder tackle as we take a break at 3:28.
-The following announcement has been paid for by the new World order.
-Buy the shirt!
-The preceding announcement has been paid for by the new World order.
-Back at 3:44 with Norton slowly working over the arm and shoulder. Norton misses a charge and Luger catches him with a belly-to-back suplex. Eric says they are going to preview the tape the fan gave Tony and if is worth anything, they will play it. Norton gets a boot up in the corner and heads up, but Luger side steps him. Torture Rack finishes at 6:33.
Winner: Lex Luger via submission at 6:33
-Just a lumbering match with clotheslines and forearms. The main point is Luger gets another win over a big guy and continues to get the crowd behind him. *
-Earlier: Sting takes out Jarrett with the yet to be named, Scorpion Death Drop. I knew it as the Slop Drop at the time. Eric says the crowd was stunned, but I don’t know if them cheering like crazy qualifies as being stunned.
-Gene is in the ring to interview Lex Luger, who is still selling his arm. Luger mentions “Phantom of the Opera,” and I applaud. Long Live The Opera Ghost! Luger says WCW is at their darkest hour and he is holding the rope by himself. He apologizes to Sting again, and says WCW needs him and wants him back.
-Lee Marshall is ON THE ROAD with 1-800-Collect in Florence, SC.
The Amazing French Canadians (w/ Colonel Parker) vs. Harlem Heat (w/ Sister Sherri)
-Eric says he didn’t get to meet Piper in Toronto due to scheduling issues, but had a phone conversation with him and thinks look promising. The Sherri/Parker situation finally hit a breaking point on Saturday Night as all ties were cut and Sherri slapped him in the face. Parker is now managing the French Canadians. AFC jump Heat before the bell and look like they are setting Stevie up for a double team move, but then nothing happens. Weird! Heat back with a double backdrop to Carl. We go to the back and The Nasty Boys are trying to get in the building, but security is stopping that. Doug Dellinger heads over and won’t let them in either. We get a split screen and neither screen has anything really interesting happening. The Nasty Boys end up running into Brother Brutus, who has also been blackballed by WCW. We get a bell as Sherri and Parker got involved. Sherri screams, “I’ll kill you,” at Parker.
Winner: No Contest at 3:01
-This was a bunch of nothing as you could barely tell what was happening due to the split screen. DUD
Konnan vs. Chris Jericho
-Konnan goes with crazy fists to start and then we start flipping around the ring. Tenay mentions Jericho’s dad played in the NHL and they show his hockey card from the 70s. Oh, I should mention that Nick Patrick is the ref for this one. Jericho with a springboard dropkick that kind of connects. He goes for a sling shot cross-body, but Konnan moves and hits a clothesline. Back in the ring, Konnan hooks a submission as he yells about The Dungeon of Doom. Jericho lands a few shots and charges, but Konnan with a dropkick to the knee. Konnan with a sweet looking powerbomb for two and back to a submission hold. Eric notes the Steeler’s defense has renamed their defense after the nWo and they have been wearing nWo shirts. I have no recollection of that at all. Jericho avoids a charge and gets a release German Suplex and then hits a spinning kick. Jericho gets a two count off a roll-up and then things kind of fall apart on a roll-up into a bridge sequence. Jericho nearly runs into Patrick, but puts on the brakes. Konnan with a dropkick from behind and Jericho ends up bumping Patrick for the DQ at 5:16.
Winner: Konna via DQ at 5:16
-Dumb ending and not sure what happened with the roll-up sequence that fell apart. Sometimes just a bad night. 1/2*
Miguel Perez vs. Juventud Guerrera
-Neither man gets an entrance as the match starts as soon as they come back from a commercial. Perez misses a clothesline, but Juvie misses an enziguiri. Chops from Juvie as Heenan puts over Miguel’s father, Miguel Sr. Juvie ends up on the apron and comes off top with a missile dropkick. Miguel gets a Side Russian Leg Sweep that looked weird as Juvie just kind of stood there. Standing moonsault from Miguel gets two. Miguel ends up on the apron, and Juvie hits a springboard dropkick. Juvie heads up top and comes off with a cross-body. Juvie tries a rana off the railing, but Miguel DESTROYS HIM WITH A POWERBOMB. Space Flying Tiger Drop from Miguel because sure and sadly, it only popped Heenan on commentary. Tornado DDT, but Juvie flips through with it and hits another dropkick. Slam from Juvie and he heads up top again. 450 but Miguel moves and gets a roll-up after Juvie lands on his feet and that gets the pin at 3:57.
Winner: Miguel Perez via pin at 3:57
-This was just all action as they crammed everything they could in a four minute match. That powerbomb on the floor was sick and Perez breaking out a Space Flying Tiger Drop on WCW TV in 1996 was pretty wild. ***1/4
-Ted Dibiase starts calling out for Sting. He has Vincent with him and they have an nWo shirt for Sting.
The Faces of Fear vs. The American Males
-The Males get super, special pyro, which is weird as the team was toast in a couple weeks. The FOF attack before the bell. Meng with chops to Bagwell. Meng tries a cross-body from the middle rope, but misses. Flying forearm from Bagwell. Barbarian in and he hits a powerbomb. Hot tag to Riggs and he runs wild with dropkicks as Heenan notes Piper is the only Hogan has never been able to beat. Well, I mean, that Warrior guy is out there, but what are the chances of him ever coming to WCW. Barbarian hits a hook kick for the pin at 3:40. Bagwell looks disgusted as they continue the build to that turn.
Winners: The Faces of Fear via pin at 3:40
-This was nothing as a match, but The FOF needed a dominant win and we had to continue the Bagwell/Riggs issues. *
-Jimmy Hart cuts a promo after the match as The FOF want a Tag Title shot. He wonders how The Nasty Boys get a shot and they aren’t even allowed in the building.
-We get the mysterious Piper video and it’s a music video from the early 90s that he released in Europe. Yep, it’s Piper singing. I don’t remember this at all and must have flipped over to RAW or maybe I was at work late. No clue how this was supposed to make Piper want to come back and face Hogan? I guess the idea is that in the video there is a brief scene where a marquee in LA has Hogan vs. Piper as a match and the idea is Piper has been wanting the match since 92. I have no clue and could be reaching. Other than that all I get from the video is we need to forget the rest because Piper is our man. Piper: “I can be your milkman. I’m not a half pint. I’m a full load.” Oh boy!
-Back to Eric and he puts the pieces together with the marquee on The Hollywood Bowl: The Ultimate Bout: Piper vs. Hogan. So, yeah, I guess that’s what they wanted us to gather from the video.
-Hulk Hogan is out (with Dibiase, The Giant, and Vincent) and this is the episode where Hogan has Liz dressed in a skimpy Santa dress and hat. Saying she looks amazing is kind of an understatement. Look, I grew up with Liz being the first celebrity crush I had as a kid. Sadly, Hogan has Vincent take Liz to the back. BOOO THIS MAN! Hogan cuts another promo on Piper and says he has been challenging Piper’s for three weeks and has no heard anything. He is tired of Piper and opts to pose to the give the fans what they want.
-Thanks for reading!
