Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Worldwide
Date: 1/14/1996
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Jim Duggan defeated Mike Korney
2.) Big Bubba Rogers defeated Dave Sullivan
3.) WCW United States Champion Kensuki Sasaki defeated Bart Sawyer
4.) Diamond Dallas Page defeated Johnny Boone
5.) Eddie Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1. Bubba tries to attack Sullivan before the bell, but that doesn’t work and is sent into the turnbuckles. Bubba bails to the floor and starts to scratch himself. They are talking about how Bubba is allergic to Dave’s pet rabbit Ralph. Yeah, that’s actually happening. Sullivan hits Bubba with Ralph’s home. What the heck is this?! Sullivan continues with right hands in the corner. Bubba tapes his fist behind the referee’s back to deck Dave. Bubba covers and wins the match. (DUD. That was unbelievable on so many levels.) After the match, Bubba shows that he had a roll of quarters, too.
2. Mean Gene talks to Jimmy Hart, the Giant and WCW World Champion Ric Flair about a tag match against Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan. Giant says he has done to Hogan what no other man could do. He is going to stretch both men out. Giant is going to be on top with Flair. The champ chimes in says that he has never walked to the ring with the belt with a wrecking machine by his side. Flair asks what Hogan and Savage are going to do at the Clash.
3. Benoit arm drags Guerrero to start the match. Eddie controls Benoit on the canvas with some mat wrestling. Benoit chops Guerrero but is taken down with a back suplex. Guerrero scoop slams Benoit and hits a slingshot somersault splash from the apron for a near fall. Benoit uses his leg strength to flip Guerrero over to avoid a Boston Crab. Eddie hits a hurricanrana for a two count and dropkicks Benoit to the floor. Benoit avoids suicide dive attempt, but Guerrero stops himself in the ring. Benoit side steps a dropkick and hits a snap suplex. Benoit locks in a great looking Boston Crab, but can’t get a submission out of Guerrero. Eddie battles back with a northern lights suplex but can’t follow up. Benoit drops Eddie gut first across the top rope for a two count. Guerrero nearly gets a three with a rollup. Eddie starts to get a second win, ya know like a Hulk Up, and hits a tilt a whirl back breaker for a near fall. Guerrero goes to the top rope but Benoit cuts him off and hits a superplex! Benoit powerbombs Eddie in the middle of the ring and taunts the crowd. Benoit goes up top and misses a diving head butt! Guerrero almost wins with a cross body. Benoit gets out of another rollup and hits a quick clothesline. Eddie drives Benoit down with a brain buster and goes to the top and hits the frog splash! Brian Pillman runs down and that causes the disqualification. Guerrero is double teamed by the Horsemen. Guerrero avoids Pillman in the corner and bails to the floor to escape further punishment. (**3/4. How can you not enjoy a match between these two? The finish was lame, but not a complete shock. A refreshing match for Worldwide.)
4. Mean Gene talks to the Mega Maniacs about the Clash of Champions. Hogan tells us that they are going to be taking care of family business at the Clash. Randy’s problems are Hulk’s problems. Hulk is teasing some kind of surprise for Clash that the fans aren’t going to be able to handle. It’s a secret weapon, brother.
Final Thoughts:
An average show this week. Bubba/Sullivan was really awful and only the Guerrero/Benoit made up for that. Benoit and Eddie are incapable of having a bad match.
Thanks for reading.