WCW Nitro 8/12/1996

Written By: Matt Peddycord

WCW Monday Nitro
August 12, 1996
Casper, WY
Events Center

The current WCW champs were as follows:
WCW World Champion: Hollywood Hogan (8/10/1996)
WCW U.S. Champion: Ric Flair (7/7/1996)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: Harlem Heat (7/27/1996)
WCW World Television Champion: Lex Luger (3/6/1996)
WCW World Cruiserweight Champion: Rey Mysterio (7/8/1996)

HOUR NUMBER ONE! Your hosts are Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko. Larry thinks they’re in the middle of nowhere, but Tony always tries to find a positive even when there isn’t one.

Some funny photo stills are shown from Hog Wild like Nick Patrick getting kicked in the face from the swing of the Torture Rack. They even show STILLS of Nick Patrick clipping Luger from behind. Tony, who according to this should never be on a jury, can’t decide whether the fall into Luger’s knee was intentional or not. Yet he KNOWS for sure that the three-count on Luger was fast. Pfft. You silly, Tony.

Meng, Barbarian, Kevin Sullivan & Hugh Morrus (w/Jimmy Hart & Big Bubba) vs. High Voltage & Rough N Ready
Wow this is random. Rage & Kaos get in one shoulderblock on Hugh Morrus and the Faces of Fear come in and murder them. Enos and Slater don’t mind standing to them though. They decide to give Rage another try against the Dungeon of Doom, but he winds up getting caught in the Tree of Woe thanks to Kevin Sullivan. It breaks down and once Rage misses something off the top on Meng, he gets up and eats a KICK OF FEAR for the 1-2-3. (2:55) Afterwards, Rough N Ready turn on High Voltage. Ha, no tolerance for incompetence. ¾*

Here comes Sting and Lex Luger to interrupt. Lex can’t talk very well this evening, so he hands the mic over to Sting. Screw all the controversies at Hog Wild, they want Hall and Nash right now. And the Outsiders never show.

Glacier ad airs. He does some fancy karate kicks, but can he rip out your spine?!

Diamond Dallas Page vs. Renegade
Renegade fights off all of DDP’s advances to start, but never follows up on anything. Next up, we will hear from the nWo’s response from their dressing room. Clothesline stuns Renegade as Page takes over. DDP cheats on a chinlock with his feet in the ropes. Renegade fights out and avoids a corner charge to roll up Page for two. He mounts a comeback, but DDP flips out of a suplex into a DIAMOND CUTTER for the 1-2-3. (5:46) I’m kind of getting tired of the DDP heel character. *

Over in the nWo dressing room, they don’t want to hear WCW boo-hooing about losing at Hog Wild. Hall reprimands WCW for blaming their loss on a referee while Nash puts Nick Patrick over as being a fine referee. Nevertheless, they’ll take on Sting and Luger again tonight and beat them one more time. Should they bring out who the fourth nWo member is on camera? Nah, stay over there you. Hogan says WCW isn’t smart enough to even figure out who the fourth man is. As for the WCW belt, he decides it’s too heavy to carry around, so maybe they’ll melt it down to make their own nWo belt.

WCW Saturday Night! Watch it IF YOU WEEL! 6:05PM eastern! TBS! The Four Horsemen will compete in an eight-man tag! The Giant will be there to wrestle somebody too! It’s the MUTHASHIP! PAY WINDAHS AND PLUNDAH, BABY!

Konnan vs. Jim Powers
No entrances for these guys. Since he lost the US title, Konnan’s turned into a heel who breaks the rules because of Hulk Hogan’s actions. Makes you wonder if Konnan was really ever a good person at all. Basic stuff from Powers sends Konnan rolling to the floor. He flips Konnan back in off the apron, but telegraphs a backdrop and gets his head slammed back onto the mat. Powers fights back with some turnbuckle smashes and a Mr. Wrestling II Knee Lift. He’s like an ’80s cliché. Speaking of ’80s clichés, Powers runs into a boot in the corner and gets scooped up for the Ric Flair pin as Konnan puts his feet on the ropes for the cheap win. (3:22) After the match, a hurried Gene Okerlund gets a word from Konnan. He proclaims his allegiance to WCW, but he’s still going to break the rules. ½*

Chris Benoit (w/Woman & Elizabeth) vs. Ron Studd
If Benoit wants to be ready for the Giant at the Clash, he’s got to defeat somebody like “Big” Ron Studd a.k.a. The Yeti a.k.a. Reese. For this character, he looks like a 19th century circus attraction. Benoit dropkicks him down and works his knee in the ropes. Once he’s vertical, Benoit goes for a shinbreaker, which Studd elbows out and gives Benoit a slam. Like an idiot, Studd heads to the top turnbuckle. Benoit easily dropkicks him and brings Studd down with a SUPERPLEX. That will do. (3:32) Yes, Benoit is LEGIT. Gene Okerlund meets Benoit and the ladies for an interview. Gene mentions his match with Malenko back at Hog Wild. Benoit puts Dean over as an excellent technical wrestler, but he just wasn’t good enough to beat him. Anyways, Benoit goes on and on about how relentless the Four Horsemen agenda is, but says nothing about it whatsoever. Well, I think we all know his mic skills aren’t the greatest. ¾*

Stills are shown of the Harlem Heat/Steiners match from Hog Wild.

HOUR NUMBER TWO! Your hosts are Eric Bischoff and Bobby Heenan. Why didn’t Bischoff show up to Nitro last week? He had some business to that needed his attention and that’s all there is to it. Nothing more, nothing less.

WCW World Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat (w/Sister Sherri & Col. Robert Parker) vs. Rick & Scott Steiner
Our first of THREE rematches from Saturday’s PPV. The Steiners clean house to start and do the “I’m riding my brother because he looks like a dog” thing. Back inside, Scott throws Booker around. Stevie Ray tries to save and eats a Steinerline. The Heat go back to the floor to regroup. Rick and Stevie Ray tag in and there’s more of the same as the tag champs can’t get anything going. Commercials! When we come back, Booker T is running for his life on the floor as Rick gives chase, but he’s baited right into a clothesline from Stevie Ray! It gets them every time. Back in, the outside attack did little to help their team because Booker leapfrogs into a powerslam. Tag to Scott, the action turns loose and gets WIDE open as all four men are in the ring. Scott tries to suplex Booker back in off the apron, but Sherri trips him up and Booker lands on top for the 1-2-WHAT? Rick chases Parker into the ring, who trips over Booker and Scott to give the Steiners the win via DQ. (5:22 shown) Wow, the ref can see! Afterwards, Scott Steiner stomps Parker’s hat while the Heat get all up in his face! Sherri tries to calm everything down because hey, they’re still the champs. *½

Flashback to Hog Wild where Madusa hit on Sonny Oono’s Honda motorcycle. She actually did as little as damage as possible. Is Sonny Oono in cahoots with Madusa?! FIND OUT NEXT WEEK ON NITRO! Nah I’m just kidding.

Stills are shown of the Mysterio/Dragon match from Hog Wild. Now let’s get to that PPV rematch!

WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio vs. Ultimo “Ultimate” Dragon (w/Sonny Oono)
Dragon OWNS Mysterio to start with his kick combo and the Argentine backbreaker. Handspring Elbow connects, as does the RUNNING LIGERBOMB! No cover? Rey brings the feet up once Dragon comes off the top. Springboard headscissors takes Dragon to the floor, so Rey decides to fly with a somersault plancha! Back in, Dragon catches Rey coming off the top with a dropkick. VINTAGE PILLMAN~! Out to the floor goes Rey, as Dragon dropkicks him through the ropes into the guardrail. Dragon skins the cat and drills Rey with the Suicide Dive. Back in, Dragon hits the Tiger Suplex for 1-2-NO! Mutasault gets 1-2-NO! Quebrada gets another two. Dragon goes for another Ligerbomb, but Mysterio counters into a sunset flip for 1-2-3. (4:34) Great little match. **¾

We see stills from Hog Wild where Flair retained the US title over Eddie Guerrero.

WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair (w/Woman & Elizabeth) vs. Randy Savage
I guess they don’t want you forgetting to hate Flair, even though he’s facing Hogan in four days at the Clash. Savage goes ballistic on Flair to start. They head to the floor where Flair eats the guardrail, but then he goes low on Savage. Back in, commercials! Afterwards, Flair is still in control as we see Liz giving Savage a slap across the chops. Savage fights out of the corner and mounts his comeback. Flying double ax handle connects, but Flair nails him on the way down for the second one. Flair takes Savage to school and hooks on the FIGURE-FOUR. Flair grabs the ropes a WHOLE bunch, but it’s not enough to get Savage to submit. He reverses the hold, but Flair gets a back suplex for two. Flair heads up, Flair goes down. Flair Flip lands him into a clothesline on the apron. Back inside, ref Randy Anderson has to physically back Savage out of the corner to get him off Flair. Flair charges at Savage with a clothesline, but Savage ducks and ref Randy Anderson gets nailed. Back to the floor, Savage nails Flair with the Flying Double Sledge. He decides to peel back the ringside mats to give Flair a piledriver on the concrete, but here comes Hollywood Hogan with a chair! Just as Savage starts to lift Flair up, Hogan DRILLS Savage with the chair! Now we see ref Nick Patrick in the ring checking on Randy Anderson. Hogan gives Savage a chair shot to the face and rolls him back inside. Hulk completely ignores Flair as Woman and Liz help him back inside. Cover on Savage with his feet on the ropes, 1-2-3. (9:13 shown) WASSUPWIDDAT? You’ll have to watch the Clash to find out! **½

Stills of the Hogan/Giant match from Hog Wild are shown. They show actual video highlights of what Booty Man did, the nWo beating him up, and then the desecration of the WCW world title belt.

Speaking of Hollywood Hogan, here he comes for an interview with Gene Okerlund. By the way, the T-800 Terminator nWo shirt is AWESOME. Why did Hulk do what he did to help Flair retain the title? When he wipes the floor with him at the Clash in Denver, he doesn’t want to hear any excuses for the beating. After Hall and Nash take care of Flexy Lexy and the Stinker tonight and Hogan defeats Flair at the Clash, Flair will be then known as the “Stupid Little Man” instead of the Nature Boy. WHAT. That’s the best you can do, Hulk?

Sting & Lex Luger vs. Scott Hall & Kevin Nash
We were told the main event would be The Giant facing Arn Anderson, but we get this instead because we’re LIVE and things can change when you’re LIVE. WHERE ARE THE OUTSIDERS? WHY ARE THEY NOT COMING THROUGH THE TUNNEL? Bischoff and Heenan are freaking out. Okay, here they come through the crowd. Lex Luger comes through the tunnel, but he’s by himself? WHERE’S STING? Luger storms the ring and ducks the double clothesline only to turn around and drop both Outsiders with clotheslines. Luger ten-count punches Nash in the corner and then launches himself onto Hall to unload on him. Now here comes Sting through the crowd! He comes off the top with a clothesline on Nash! Together, they clean house on the Outsiders. Sting dropkicks Nash off the apron to give him a pescado while Hall catches Luger coming off the apron. Hall saves Nash and now it’s two on one until Luger makes the save for his partner. Now the Outsiders dump out Sting, leaving Luger all alone for a Side Slam. Nick Patrick is the referee for this match, which tells you why there’s no real order. Sting saves Lex and starts dishing out Stinger Splashes. He misses one on Hall thanks to Nick Patrick yanking him out of the corner! OH WAIT – here comes the Four Horsemen to chase the Outsiders back through the crowd and out of the arena while Nick Patrick runs to the back. Awesome. (around 4:00) This is what they should have been doing at Hog Wild. *½

Gene Okerlund grabs the Four Horsemen for an interview. A Four Horsemen vs. nWo match is teased. Wargames, perhaps? Flair says that Nash might be a little too big for him, but he should try Mongo on for size. STYLE AND PROFILE – HORSEMEN STYLE at the Clash! WOOOOOOOOOOOO.

So glad to be out of the Disney MGM Studios. Those shows annoyed me.

And we out.