Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 4/5/1997
From: Johnson City, TN
Matches:
1.) Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Chavo Guerrero Jr.
2.) Diamond Dallas Page defeated Scott Armstrong
3.) Booker T defeated Rick Fuller
4.) WCW Television Champion Prince Iaukea defeated David Taylor to retain the title
5.) Public Enemy defeated La Parka & Villano IV
6.) Lex Luger defeated T Rantula
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Arn Anderson cut a promo backstage about last Monday. Anderson says that the Kevin Sullivan he let pass him was the same guy he has known his entire career. Anderson says he is getting a lot of heat for letting Sullivan get pass him. Arn didn’t get involved because Flair had everything under control. He has surgery scheduled in a couple of days and he isn’t going to risk further injury. Anderson says that there is life after wrestling and suggests that Sullivan mend his fences. Arn says his career isn’t over until he says so. He is going to come back from his neck injury and show what he is all about.
2.) Iaukea knocks Taylor down with a couple of dropkicks but is caught on a cross body attempt allowing Taylor to hit a fallaway slam for a two count. Taylor decks Iaukea with an uppercut and taunts the fans. Taylor chokes Iaukea in the corner and continues to dominate the champion with uppercuts in the corner. Iaukea fights back with a backdrop on Taylor and heads to the top rope. Iaukea leaps off hitting a cross body for the win to retain the title. (*1/4. Well, that was a quick defense and luckily Taylor controlled the majority of the match before the finish. I’ve never been entertained by Iaukea.)
3.) Lee Marshall interviewed Lex Luger and the Giant in the ring to end the program. Giant says that Hulk Hogan’s plan has backfired against him. Giant puts over what Luger just did in the ring. Giant says the best man is going to win tomorrow night at Spring Stampede. Luger chimes in about Harlem Heat saying he respects them. Luger isn’t going to be a stepping stone for Harlem Heat tomorrow night. It’s either going to be the Torture Rack or the choke slam coming for Hulk Hogan.
Final Thoughts:
A quick show as it comes in under forty minutes as it was an hour program. The squash matches provided were entertaining and served their purpose in getting people over before the pay per view tomorrow night. The feature match was bad, but the other matches make up for it so it wasn’t a complete waste of an episode, I’d say.
Thanks for reading.