wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: WCW Monday Nitro 12.02.96
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Written: 4.6.26
-Run Time: 1:37:42
-Plugs: WCW SuperBrawl IV
-Quick update on things I have coming for 411 as we get to Mania and the rest of April. I will have live Hall of Fame coverage next Friday at Midnight (Eastern). At the same time, my Retro Review of WrestleMania III will be up. I will also be doing the Netflix Hulk Hogan 4 part series and the Peacock documentary on Shawn Michaels. Then at the end of the month, WWE on A&E returns so I will have that as well. With all that, my PPV Retro Reviews will be on hold, but I have many finished and waiting for their weekly release. Nitro reviews will continue weekly as this show just makes me happy.
-Announce Teams: Larry and Tony (Hour One); Tony, The Brain and Tenay (Hour Two)
-Live: Hara Arena, Dayton, OH
-Larry and Tony are interrupted by The Steiner Brothers. They are still annoyed with Sting and Rick says it’s not over. He will make sure tonight it is over as they will finish it tonight. Yeah, just keep pushing the dark and brooding mute with the baseball bat.
-We go back two weeks where Sting dropped Rick Steiner on his head for running his mouth.
Glacier vs. Hardbody Harrison
-Hardbody getting a Nitro payday! Tony keeps mentioning that Hogan has never beaten Piper. Yeah, well he has never beaten Warrior either and nobody is mentioning that…well, yet. Oh, Glacier hits the Cryonic Kick for the pin at 1:02.
Winner: Glacier via pin at 1:02
-I hope Harrison was paid well. SQUASH
-Cincinnati Bengals are in the front row and have nWo jerseys. Larry wants them thrown out of the building.
Renegade and Joe Gomez vs. The Amazing French Canadians (w/ Colonel Parker)
-Jacques starts with Gomez and The Desperado gets a dropkick for two. Pierre in, but Renegade runs him over. The ref forces him out, which lets The Canadians throw Gomez over the top as Parker pulled down the ropes. Parker lays the boots to Gomez and Pierre is out to fire off a chop. Double Team Hot Shot! Jacques decks Renegade to sucker him into the ring. Renegade has had enough and just decks both Canadians and throws Pierre off the top rope. Proper tag to Renegade and he runs wild with powerslams. Handspring elbow to Jacques! Jacques reverses a whip and Pierre hits a clothesline. Piledriver and The Assisted Top Rope Cannonball finishes at 3:15.
Winners: The Amazing French Canadians via pin at 3:15
-Renegade showed some fire before getting put away in short order. Gomez didn’t get anything in this one. The AFC had some cool double team offense. *1/2
-Gene is with Arn Anderson who talks about Hogan vs. Piper. Arn notes he beat Hogan in back to back weeks. He was told by Flair that Piper was the toughest man he ever fought. He feels the nWo gave Piper an edge and anything that happens to Hogan is a receipt. The crowd starts a loud “nWo” chant during this promo. We definitely aren’t in the South.
The Faces of Fear vs. Scotty Riggs and Robert Gibson
-American Express? Rock N Males? At least their tights give the illusion of being a team as they are both rocking red with white. Barbarian pounds Riggs down in the corner, but we don’t care about that as we get a long split screen showing the nWo beating down The Harlem Heat and Faces of Fear last week. 80 seconds of a split screen covering what happened the previous week seems too long, but probably more exciting than the first two minutes of this match. Barbarian with a slam, but Riggs holds the arm and makes a tag to Gibson. He sets too early on a backdrop and Barbarian slugs him down. Meng in and Riggs comes off the top from a blind tag with a cross-body for two. Riggs gets another two count and goes to an armbar. Quick tags in and out by the American Express, but Meng ends that with a HEAVY CHOP to Scotty. Backdrop into the powerbomb and that move is always great! It gets a big pop from the crowd, but doesn’t get the win as Gibson saves. The FOF are next for The Outsiders at Starrcade, so they need to be dominating this one. They should have let The FOF smoke Renegade and Gomez and given this makeshift team to The AFC. Meng with more chops in the corner and he STICKS Riggs with a piledriver for two as Gibson makes the save again. Barbarian in for some chops, but misses an elbow. He doesn’t miss a second one. Riggs tries a sunset flip and then avoids a butt splash. Now another elbow misses and cold tag is made to Gibson. He hits an ugly neckbreaker and then an enziguiri. He goes after Meng and turns into a Kick of Fear for the pin at 7:40.
Winners: The Faces of Fear via pin at 7:40
-Way too long as The FOF should have destroyed them to get ready for Hall and Nash. Not a fan of this one. DUD
-Riggs uses a chair to blast Barbarian and Meng in the head after the match. I was thinking this was leading to Meng no selling and destroying Riggs, but nope. The FOF actually powder. What was that about? Why are they selling chair shots and having an eight minute match with these two?
-Saturday Night: 6:05 PM: Arn Anderson, Regal, The FOF, Jeff Jarrett, Sullivan, and more!
-We get footage for the much-hyped Baltimore House Show in November that featured the Benoit/Sullivan rematch. They brawled back to the same bathroom they fought in at The Great American Bash, but the Dungeon of Doom were waiting and they beat the fire out of Benoit there and then back in the ring. Woman storms out and stands over Benoit and then attacks Sullivan. She gets held back so the beating of Benoit can continue.
Kevin Sullivan vs. KC Sunshine
-Sullivan jumps the kid before the bell. He sends him to the floor and hits him with a chair, but no DQ even though we had a bell and the ref saw it. The kid is wearing Zebra print tights even though we haven’t been told his name. Sullivan throws Z-Bro to the floor and fires a bottle of water at him. Larry asks the kid’s name and Tony says they were never told. Well that’s shoddy production! Tree of Woe and Double Stomp finish at 2:00. I looked online and KC Sunshine was the one who was destroyed here.
Winner: Kevin Sullivan via pin at 2:00
-Entertaining SQUASH. SQUASH
-Gene hits the ring to interview Sullivan. Sullivan says sometimes the sweetness wears off and he doesn’t care “if I dig my own grave with my own hands with you because one of us will be buried alive.” Again, this story is rather uncomfortable watching today.
WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Dean Malenko (c) vs. Billy Kidman
-Young Kidman before he got any kind of push and a year before Raven’s Flock. Not sure what he has done to this point to earn a Title match, but minor quibble. Lockup to start and Malenko releases as Kidman is backed into a corner. Dean hooks an arm and works the wrist and then into a hammerlock. Kidman counters, so Dean takes him to the mat for a one count. Full Nelson from Dean. Kidman out and snaps off a rana for a two count. He takes Malenko down with a side headlock, but Dean is back up quickly. Shoulder tackle by Kidman and he catches Dean with a head scissors. Sling shot to the floor, but Dean moves out of the way and BURIES Kidman with a powerbomb on the floor. Sonny is out to take pictures of Ultimo Dragon’s opponents. Dean works a submission and tortures Kidman on the mat. NASTY brainbuster gets a big pop, but only a two count. Dean out smarts Kidman as he avoids a boot in the corner, but he falls for it a second time. Kidman off the middle ropes with a dropkick and then fisherman’s suplex for two. Ugly backslide for no count as he couldn’t hold him. They go back and forth with a small package exchanging two counts. Kidman ends up on the apron and heads up top, but Dean meets him up there and hits a superplex to wake the crowd up again. Dean up top, which is weird, but it’s just an excuse so Sonny can blind him with the camera. Kidman breaks out the Shooting Star Press, but Dean gets up the knees and The Texas Cloverleaf gets the submission at 5:52.
Winner and Still WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Dean Malenko via pin at 5:52
-Sloppy and the crowd only popped for the big moves, but still the best match on this show so far. Kidman was still getting his legs under him, so no wonder we didn’t get much from him for a bit still, but I like seeing how guys start their career before getting that break they needed. **1/4
Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs. Jeff Jarrett
-Pyro! Hour Two! Tenay and The Brain are on commentary and waiting for Tony to make his way to the broadcast booth. Heenan hypes up Piper/Hogan being bigger than Hogan/Andre in 97. Yeah, no! And that’s being fair to Hogan/Piper as it ended up being the biggest match in WCW history at this point. Jimmy Hart mocks Jarrett’s strut and Bubba gives him a high five. Bubba gets a powerslam as Tenay and Tony talk about Piper/Valentin at the first Starrcade. That reminds me of Punk’s awesome promo where he asked MJF to be his Valentine. I will be firing up HBO Max and watching that match again tonight now. Bubba chokes Jarrett on the ropes and Jimmy chokes as well. We have a fired up Jimmy Hart tonight. Maybe he was stiffed by Jerry back in the day and wants payback. I kid! Jarrett goes after Jimmy. Bubba tries to save, but accidentally punches Jimmy in the face. Back in the ring Jarrett comes off the top with a crossbody for two. Bubba kicks out of the figure four and tries to get the megaphone from Jimmy. Jarrett avoids and gets a roll-up but no ref. He finally gets there, but only a one count. This match is kind of a wreck as well. Jarrett dropkicks the megaphone back into Bubba’s face for the pin at 4:10.
Winner: Jeff Jarrett via pin at 4:10
-Not a fan of this one either but I enjoyed the work Jimmy put into the match. 1/2*
-The Steiners are in the ring and are calling out Sting again. Sting pops up in a press suite and the crowd pops. Rick tells Sting to come down and fight him one-on-one. The crowd wants to see it, but they would have to wait a little longer * for a Sting match. Sting nods and the announce team hype Sting having a match tonight.
*339 Days to be exact!
-The nWo want you to but their shirt. My parents did and I got it for Christmas just a few weeks after this show.
-The nWo music hits and the crowd goes crazy. Out come Bischoff, Vincent, Hall, Nash and Syxx. They fake going to the ring and then rush the announce position. Heenan is the first one to bail as expected! Tony is out as well and Tenay gets a smack on the ass from Syxx. I always appreciated that Heenan was the first one to bail. Eric says he is back and he has Nash and Hall on commentary with him. They hype Sting being on the black and white express and want him to punk Steiner tonight. The crowd starts a loud “nWo” chant. Eric shoots on Vader and we see footage of Hogan beating the piss out of him back at Slamboree. We then cut to Ric Flair getting jumped by the nWo while Nash screams “thug life.” Always makes me laugh! Finally, we see Savage getting destroyed as Liz is forced to watch. Hall’s Black and Gray nWo shirt is throwing me off. It doesn’t look as clean as the black with white logo.
Squire Dave Taylor vs. Eddie Guerrero
-Hall and Nash put Eddie over on commentary while also noting “he’s no Syxx, but he can go.” Eric says this isn’t their show yet because they will have better graphics and lighting. Eddie starts fast but runs into a clothesline and Euro uppercut. Hall wonders if they should expand into Mexico and as we know, Konnan ended up in the nWo. Taylor with a head scissors and another one. Hammerlock as Nash put over Regal on commentary. Cool! Eddie gets tossed in the air, but snaps off a head scissors, but Taylor lands on him. Eddie heads up top and Frog Splash finishes at 2:15. Hall: “There’s enough of those Guerreros.”
Winner: Eddie Guerrero via pin at 2:15
-I think this was a US Title Tournament Match as Hall noted at the end that Eddie advanced. Not much to this one as it got 2 minutes. Hall and Nash entertained me on commentary. *
-Hall tells the truck to hit the “porno music.” Funny!
-Lee Marshall is on The Road with 1-800-Collect! He is fired up and talks smack to Eric while plugging next week in Charlotte. Eric tells Lee he has three weeks to make a decision.
Arn Anderson vs. Jim Powers (w/ Teddy Long)
-I assume we get steroid references from Hall and Nash about Powers. Arn buries a knee to the gut and throws Powers to the floor. He rubs his face on the floor and sends him into the post. Fired up Arn is fun! Back in the ring Arn drops a knee and gets a two count. The Outsiders note Arn is great, but they are just better. Scott tells Larry Z to stick to golf as they continue an angle that would get paid off way down the line. Arn goes to the eyes and buries shoulders in the corner. He runs Powers eyes across the top rope, but misses an elbow. Powers back with kicks and a knee-lift. Dropkick from Powers for two. Arn gets sent from corner to corner and a clothesline gets a two count. Arn has had enough and lands one kick and the DDT finishes at 3:08.
Winner: Arn Anderson via pin at 3:08
-Just a match and the crowd was just waiting for the DDT. *
US Title Tournament: Chris Benoit vs. Lord Steven Regal
-Eric notes Benoit is avoiding bathrooms. Hall: “He is learning bladder control.” Regal controls the arm and works the wrist. He takes Benoit down as the crowd starts a USA chant. Well, neither man is from The US. Regal with a two count. Benoit rushes him and throws palm strikes. I think Regal is bleeding from the head off one of the strikes. Cool! Benoit with a side headlock and he runs Regal over as he gets shoved off. We get a WIDE SHOT because someone is bleeding. Great! Funny we went from WIDE SHOTS for blood on TNT to Moxley bleeding every week like a stuck pig. Man, we even go wider as Hall says it’s because they are looking for Sting. Regal stretches Benoit as this is just bizarre staying on this wide view. Benoit kicks Regal in the head and fires off a chop. He heads up and hits the flying head-butt. Hall: “this guy is reckless.” Tombstone is reversed by Regal, but then again by Benoit who hits the move. Regal rolls to the floor and Benoit tries a sling shot plancha, but Regal avoids. Back in the ring Regal sets Benoit up top and hits a SUPER DOUBLE UNDER HOOK SUPLEX for two. Nice! Benoit ducks a clothesline and dumps Regal on his head with a German Suplex. Hall is wondering what the cameraman is doing while I assume someone is yelling to stay wide because of the blood. Another German Suplex gets the pin at 6:26.
Winner: Chris Benoit via pin at 6:26
-Hard hitting match as you would expect from these two, but it was kind of hard to watch due to the fear of blood being shown. Probably would have been better if we didn’t have to watch from the cheap seats. **3/4
-Gene interviews The Horsemen and they have some issues about where Woman is. Mongo warns of ego destroying teams that should be dynasties. Debra’s not as subtle as she is sick and tired of Nancy and her cheap perfume. She spills the tea about Benoit and Nancy. Arn says they are going to put this back together and Benoit offers a handshake. Arn gives us a WOOO and it’s rather weak. No wonder he left it to Flair.
Rocco Rock (w/ Johnny Grunge) vs. Lex Luger
-Nash buries Rock’s chances in this one and puts over Luger for being the one guy staying in there for WCW. Luger gets one of the bigger reactions of the show as well. Hall: “Luger is looking huge.” Rock drops Luger throat first on the top rope and Grunge chokes away. Eric: “There is room in the world for more than one wrestling company.” Hall says they can get a Japanese company to be number three. Nash mentions ECW can be number four and my mouth just hit the floor. Hall makes a bingo joke and I am dying over here. Eric nearly chokes laughing and I don’t blame him. The PE continue to cheat as Grunge beats on Luger on the floor. He runs Luger’s head off a monitor at the announce desk. Luger finally avoids a charge and The PE run into each other. Torture Rack finishes at 3:52.
Winner: Lex Luger via submission at 3:52
-I enjoyed commentary more than the match. This was PE cheating and then Luger getting The Rack for the win. *
Rick Steiner (w/ Scott Steiner) vs. Sting
-Hall and Nash continue to make jokes about how big Scott is. Crazy part is he would only get bigger. The crowd chants for Sting and he makes his way down with ball bat in hand. Sting throws the bat down and turns his back on Rick. He decks Sting and Scott sends him back into the ring. Rick pounds away with right hands, but misses one and Sting hits The Scorpion Death Drop to a strong pop. Sting then grabs the bat and uses it to push Scott out of the way. He shoves Rick with the bat and then hands it to him. Sting turns him back and Rick is ready to swing for the fences, but Scott stops him and Sting walks away.
-We didn’t have an opening or closing bell, so no match I guess.
-Sting walks to commentary and points at Hall, Nash, and Eric with the bat before walking away. It’s a nice touch that they have no clue what Sting is doing and yet, continue to be confident he is part of the group.
-Eric and The Outsiders rap the show while showing off the new Outsiders t-shirt.
-Thanks for reading!
