Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Monday Nitro: 12.16.96

-Written: 4.20.26
-Run Time: 1:37:31

-Plugs: WrestleMania III Retro Review; Hall of Fame Report

-Announce Team: Eric Bischoff and Ted Dibiase
-Pensacola, FL

-Tony Schiavone and Larry Z welcome us to the show at the announce position, but get run off by Eric, Ted, and Vincent. Eric tells them that he misses it, and Larry says they don’t have enough men to make him leave. Eric threatens his contract and Larry says he doesn’t need a contract. Larry tells Ted it has been a long time and continues they aren’t enough. Eric calls him “The Living Has-Been.” They have Vincent escort him away and Larry walks off saying, “I don’t need this.”

-Eric throws back to last week and we see Eric getting doused with a drink that was tossed from the crowd.

WCW Television Title: Lord Steven Regal (c) vs, Psychosis

-Eric is giving the WCW roster until Christmas to convert their contracts to nWo ones or suffer the consequences. Eric notes New Japan will become the minor leagues of the nWo. FORBIDDEN DOOR! USA chant to get under Regal’s skin, though not sure that is helping Psychosis. Regal gets arm control, but Psy flips out and gets an armbar. Regal back to the arm and throws palm strikes to the head. We take a break at 2:17

-Back with Regal getting a roll-up for two. Psychosis catches Regal by the arm and takes him down to the mat. Side headlock, but Regal gets shoved off. Spin wheel kick from Psychosis and he hits a dive over the top and onto Regal on the floor to a big pop. Back in, Psychosis comes off the top with a sunset flip for two. Dropkick from Psychosis and he sets Regal on the top rope. Top Rope Rana gets another big pop. No win though as Regal is out at two. Small package gets two! Slam and Psychosis heads up top. He comes off with the leg drop and this crowd is on fire for this match. That’s great to see! Regal with a counter and dumps Psychosis on his shoulder with a suplex. Koppu Kick gets two for Pyschosis. Regal right back to the ground game as he hooks a Half Nelson and buries a knee into the back. Regal throws kicks to the face from his back and lands a knee in the corner. More palm strikes from Regal as he is beating the horns off Psychosis. Double under hook suplex gets two. Regal sets Psychosis up top as Eric notes Hogan was a rockstar before he became a wrestler. Metaliica don’t you know! Psychosis shoves Regal off and gets a splash for a strong near fall. Regal with another Palm Strike and follows with a roll-up for two. Backslide by Psychosis gets two. Superkick from Pyschosis gets two. He tries a head scissors, but Regal shoves him off and goes to the Regal Stretch. Psychosis gives it up at 10:27.

Winner and Still WCW TV Champion: Lord Steven Regal via pin at 10:27
-Strong match and one of the best Nitro matches ever at this point. Two different styles but they knew how to blend them and it helped they also have a hot crowd popping for everything. ***1/2

Big Bubba vs. Chavo Guerrero Jr.

-Ted notes that Bubba is wearing black. I guess that’s kind of a spoiler. Bubba mauls Chavo to start and runs him into the corner. Chavo back with a dropkick and he bounces Bubba back and forth between the ropes with a right hand. Another dropkick sends Bubba to the floor. Slingshot plancha, but Bubba catches him and gets a slam on the floor. Another one and Bubba seems content to take a count-out. Back in Chavo gets run over with a shoulder tackle. Bubba misses a splash and Chavo gets a small fury. Forearm and dropkick followed by a pin for two. Rear View from Chavo and a flipping splash gets two. Eric: “What the hell was that?” Bubba catches Chavo and gets the Boss Man Slam for the pin at 2:53.

Winner: Big Bubba via pin at 2:53
-Basic match with Chavo getting some token offense but never having a realistic chance to win. *

-Masa Chono and Sonny Onno are out and Gene catches them in the aisle. Eric and Ted are laughing as they know something Sonny doesn’t. It seems Chono has not signed a new deal with New Japan yet and unveils an nWo shirt. Chono yells Japanese at Chono and Gene wants to know what he said, so Sonny repeats in Japanese and Gene yells at him. Chono shoves Sonny on his ass and Chono gets the porno music.

Masa Chono vs. Chris Jericho

-Chono starts fast and pitches Jericho to the floor. Back in Jericho lands a few “back leg round kicks.” Shoulder tackle and neither man budges. Chono tells Jericho to run again and then Chono lands a big boot to the face. Chono goes to eyes and throws Jericho to the floor again. They fight out there and back into the ring. Atomic Drop from Chono has Jercho’s balls in jeopardy. Chops from Chono in the corner as Eric shows off his Japanese accent. Chono up top but Jericho meets him and gets a superplex. Eric takes a shot at In You House from the previous night. My review of It’s Time is here! Jericho gets dumped to the floor again. Chono lands a boot and Jericho gets hung upside down between the ropes. Chono beats on him and I guess it’s a DQ at 5:49.

Winner: Chris Jericho via DQ at 5:49
-Dumb ending to a boring match. *

-Hall and Nash will be on Saturday Night this week.

-Back to last week where Piper called out Hogan while wearing a Carolina Panthers shirt. That reminds me, that the day before this show, I attended my first NFL Game. Three Rivers Stadium and I got to watch my 49ers beat the Steelers, 25-15. We get highlights of Piper vs. The nWo last week and I think this is what Eric wanted shown at the start of the show. Great moment as someone finally got the better of the nWo. Eric is great as he lies about the footage after TV where the nWo took out Piper and Greene. I like that little touch!

-The Horsemen are out to interview with Gene. No Benoit still as he is in Europe falling in love with Woman. Arn notes the kiss of a woman has poisoned many minds. Arn has a solution for Sullivan and they will face each other tonight. Ric is cool with Benoit and Woman traveling through Germany and hopes they are having a great time. Debra takes more shots at Nancy and she is the one that is easy on the eyes. Again, she crushed this role! Mongo tells Arn to take Sullivan out Horsemen style. Flair loses his voice as he is on his way to Kevin Greene’s party. Man, I don’t think I’ve ever heard Ric lose his voice like that.

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Dean Malenko (c) vs. Dave Sammartino

-Wild that we have Dave Sammartino on Nitro in 1996 and thus a Sammartino is part of the Monday Night Wars. Eric tells Ted not to call Bruno “The Living Legend,” or Larry might come back out to fight. Funny! We get some mat wrestling to start as they trade holds. Just solid mat wrestling and trading of holds going on in this one. Dean misses a running clothesline in the corner and Dave gets a roll-up for two. Small package for two! Backslide for two! They trade standing switches and Dean gets the pin though it didn’t look like it. That is the win at 2:54. Dean storms off with the Title and David looks confused. Weird!

Winner and Still WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Dean Malenko via pin at 2:54

The mat stuff was good and then it just ended before they could build. Weird deal! *

-Eric and Ted take their leave and let, Tony, Mike, and The Brain take over announcing duties for Hour Two.

-We go back to Hour One with Chono going nWo.

Jerry Flynn vs. Ice Train (w/ Teddy Long)

-Flynn attacks before the bell and Train no sells. Clothesline from Train and the crowd is back into the show. Train with a slam and hits a standing splash. Crowd is into Train tonight. Splash in the corner and Train is digging the reaction he is getting. He charges in the corner and Flynn gets a boot up to block. Flynn with a kick in the corner and floats over to the apron. He tells a fan to shut up and gets a two count back in the ring. Train kicks out at two again. YES KICKS from Flynn, but Train just eats them and comes back with right hands. Tony is forced to read a promo hyping tickets being on sale for some nWo PPV called Souled Out. Train gets an anklelock and Flynn taps at 3:21.

Winner: Ice Train via pin at 3:21
-The crowd was into this one so it had that going for it. *

-Syxx interrupts and brings out The Outsiders. Syxx asks Nash about the bandana and he notes he is looking “Too Sweet.” That will never catch on. Hall and Nash don’t want to wait until Starrcade and will defend the Tag Titles against The Faces of Fear tonight. This was Nash basically telling fans at home to stay on Nitro for the Main Event and it probably worked as I assume they torched RAW in the rating.

-nWo: BUY THE SHIRT! nWo hat available as well. Thirty years later, there are still men’s slow pitch softball teams with nWo themed jerseys and hats.

-Sting video package with the audio slowed to give an eerie effect.

Bobby Eaton vs. Rey Mysterio Jr.

-Another case of WCW throwing out wacky combinations for matches and bless them for it. They don’t always produce winners, but it’s something fresh. Anyone else would put Regal vs. Eaton and Rey vs. Psychosis, but they do the opposite here. Rey starts fast so Easton just decks him with a right hand to slow him down. Eaton throws Rey in and the air and lets him land on his stomach. Backbreaker as Bobby gets to show off some power moves. Rey gets dumped to the floor and Bobby follows, which is a mistake as he ends up hitting the railing. Rey with a suicide dive. They fight on the apron and Rey brings Bobby back into the ring with a head scissors. That gets a two count. Rey avoids a suplex and hits a spinning kick. Rey flips out to the apron and springs back in with a dropkick. He bounces off the top rope into a moonsault for two. Eaton catches Rey with a clothesline for two and follows with a reverse chinlock. Tony is kind of a dick as he talks about the videos being sent to Sullivan and how he won’t let Sullivan see them before they’re aired because he doesn’t answer to Sullivan. That’s just mean! Eaton off the top with a knee drop for two. Eaton to the middle ropes, but Rey springs up and snaps off a rana for the pin at 4:56.

Winner: Rey Mysterio Jr. via pin at 4:56
-Fun little sprint! Eaton can work with anyone and he had no issue meshing with Mysterio here. Good win for Rey as he knocks off someone in the Heavyweight Division. **1/2

-Lee Marshall is on The Road with 1-800-Collect in Macon, GA. The last Nitro before Christmas and the go home show for Starrcade. Marshall makes his weekly weasel jokes. Heenan tells him to stay off the moonshine.

-Tony throws to another Benoit/Woman video. They are getting cozy in a restaurant drinking wine. Benoit tells her they are off to Paris. Benoit: “Kevin, doesn’t life suck.” Woman says she might be coming home and she might not. “I am not cold anymore.” Again, this is icky/uncomfortable to watch.

-Tony: “We didn’t need to see that.”

Kevin Sullivan (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs. Arn Anderson

-SULLIVAN IS PISSED AND YELLS AT SCHIAVONE. Don’t blame him! They immediately start fighting in the aisle as Sullivan lands a kick to the balls and just unloads with right hands. Arn takes the beating and gets in a knee and then a kick to turn things around. Sullivan goes to the eyes and throws a chair at Arn’s face as Jimmy distracts the ref. Arn swings for the fences but only hits ring post. They get in the ring and Sullivan continues to punch Arn in the face really hard. Back to the floor and Arn gets tossed into the front row. They brawl through the crowd and the crowd is loving it. No bathroom though as they fight back to ring side. Into the ring and Arn lands a knee to the gut. He chokes Sullivan in the corner and throws more knees. The ref gets hit by accident. Arn gets poked in the eyes and ends up SPIKING the ref (Mark Curtis) with a DDT. Double Stomp by Sullivan and he hands Arn in the Tree of Woe. Sullivan charges, but Arn hits him in the balls to stop that. Effective! Hugh Morrus is out and DDT from Arn. Konnan down and he gets decked. Arn hits Jimmy Hart, but Sullivan breaks a wooden chair over his back for the pin at 3:52.

Winner: Kevin Sullivan via pin at 3:52
-This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed every chaotic second. It did exactly what it needed to and the crowd loved it. Sullivan needed the win after the airing of these videos but Arn came out fine as it took three people and a chair to beat him. ***

Rick Steiner (w/ Scott Steiner) vs. Sting

-Sting makes his way down from the rafter and then gets joined in the ring by the nWo Sting. They stand side by side and then point baseball bats at each other. Sting pats the fake Sting on the bat and then drops him with the Scorpion Death Drop to a big pop. Rick throws the bat back to Sting and he takes his leave through the crowd.

-Starrcade commercial!

-Hulk Hogan is out and has The Giant, Vincent, Ted Dibiase and Miss Elizabeth with him. Liz is in the phase where she is rocking the short, black, nWo dress. Hogan has a rare nWo shirt with barbed wire around the letters. HARDCORE! Hogan calls out Piper, but Tony notes that Piper is not here tonight and Hogan knows it. Hogan tells the crowd he started his career in Pensacola. He notes he could beat up Flair and Piper at the same time. Tony and Bobby’s disgusted reaction is great. The back of Hogan’s shirt has a skull with the nWo logo on the forehead. So ECW on the front and Stone Cold on the back? Hogan makes Elizabeth give him a kiss on the cheek. Hogan then poses to entertain us because Piper ran out the back. We a decent pile on garbage in the ring as Hogan continues to generate heat while Hall, Nash, and Syxx are the cool kids.

The Outsiders (c) vs. The Faces of Fear (w/ Jimmy Hart)

-For some reason Hall and Nash are out without their belts, so I guess this is non-title. Makes sense as it’s being billed as a Starrcade preview. All four men start brawling and Hall hits a SWEET clothesline on Meng. Barbarian breaks up the Razor’s Edge. Big Bubba hits the ring and turns on WCW as he goes nWo and that’s a DQ at 60 seconds.

Winners: The Faces of Fear at 1:00
-Not a match as this was all about getting the nWo in the ring with the DOD to start a war.

-Bubba with a Boss Man Slam on Meng. Sullivan is out and Morrus follows as we get a DOD vs. nWo battle. The Giant is out along with more nWo members. WCW stars hit the ring as this is fantastic. Regal, Chavo, Psychosis, etc are out to stand up for WCW. Norton out and he turns on WCW to join the nWo. Sting is down to really pop the crowd as this is total mayhem. Arn tries to punch Sting but misses and Sting decks him. Mongo sticks up for Arn and Sting drops him. Rey jumps on his back and Sting throws him off and walks away. Good character work there as you know Sting was dying to fight the nWo with WCW, but they still haven’t learned to trust him and he realized they weren’t worth it yet. To be fair to Arn, I think it’s just in his nature as a Horseman to swing at Sting on sight.

-Thanks for reading!

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8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

Hot ending with two good to really good matches makes this one a winner. I love the odd pairings and I love that 1996 WCW pulled David Sammartino out to work a match in Florida of all places. Things are just rolling along for WCW at this point and building nicely to their biggest show of all time at this point.