WCW Saturday Night 1/18/1997

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 1/18/1997
From: Gainesville, GA

Matches:
1.) Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated JL
2.) Konnan fought Big Bubba to a double count-out in a chain match
3.) WCW Television Champion Lord Steven Regal defeated Psychosis to retain the title
4.) Rick Steiner defeated Mike Enos
5.) Jim Duggan defeated The Gambler
6.) Bobby Eaton defeated Disco Inferno
7.) WCW United States Champion Eddie Guerrero fought Syxx to a no contest
8.) Maxx defeated Mark Starr
9.) The Barbarian defeated Arn Anderson by disqualification
10.) Lex Luger defeated Scott Norton

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) It’s rather interesting to see that a chain match is taking place on Saturday Night. Heck, it’s also involving two heels. Bubba avoids a shot in the corner and decks Konnan with a right hand. Konnan uses the chain to low blow Bubba after avoiding a chain swing. Bubba is on the floor and ties Konnan’s legs together but Konnan comes over the top and whips Bubba. They brawl towards the backstage area and they are both counted out. (DUD. A chain match is used to fill up the show and nothing happens between the guys. A waste of time.)

2.) A rematch from last week where Psychosis beat Lord Steven Regal by disqualification. Regal takes Psychosis down to control the arm of the challenger. Regal works over Psychosis in the corner with strikes but is soon met with a dropkick. Psychosis hits a top rope spinning heel kick. Regal puts Psychosis on the top rope but is knocked off and Psychosis hits a moonsault for a two count. Psychosis nearly wins with a rollup and Regal is knocked to the floor. Psychosis hits a slingshot leg drop to the floor. Regal dropkicks Psychosis in midair as he came off the top. Regal hits a reverse suplex and locks in the Regal Stretch for the win. (**1/4. A really quick match but they didn’t slow it down and was actually a fine short match by the two.)

3.) Lee Marshall interviews the Steiner Brothers. Scott Steiner says this is his first time back after being injured for several months. Scott says that he is back and bigger than ever. Rick says he doesn’t get enough oxygen in his brain and he is just rambles. He is going to have a bone to chew at the pay per view.

4.) Eddie Guerrero has a ladder with him for his match with Syxx, which is a preview for Souled Out. Guerrero takes Syxx out with a cross body to the floor but Syxx delivers a spin kick and grabs the ladder but misses Eddie. They brawl on the floor and the match never happens.

5.) Lee Marshall interviews Arn Anderson about the issues in the Four Horsemen. Anderson says that Jeff Jarrett got saved by a woman. Arn knows that Jarrett wants to be a Horsemen but everyone wants to be a Horsemen. They didn’t become a symbol of excellence by letting women into the fold. He is going to give Barbarian a beating in just a moment.

6.) The Anderson/Barbarian match wasn’t much of anything as the purpose was for Jeff Jarrett to seemingly show his worth and makes the save for Anderson against the Faces of Fear. Chris Benoit stops Anderson from making the save with a chair because Jarrett isn’t worth the time or effort.

7.) The main event this week saw Lex Luger take on Scott Norton and it lasted less than five minutes. Luger is able to get out of a shoulder breaker attempt and puts Norton in the Torture Rack to win the match by submission. (DUD. Nothing special of a match here. After all, it’s Lex Luger.)

Final Thoughts:
A lot of matches got very little time and anything interesting matches had nothing happen and they hyped the PPV match instead. The ever great bait and switch runs rampant in WCW.

Thanks for reading.