WCW Saturday Night 1/6/1996

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 1/6/1996
From: Atlanta, GA

Matches:
1.) Eddie Guerrero defeated The Gambler
2.) Disco Inferno defeated Big Train Bart
3.) Meng defeated Mike Davis
4.) WCW Television Champion Johnny B. Badd defeated Dave Taylor to retain the title
5.) Alex Wright defeated Chris Kanyon
6.) Hugh Morrus defeated Mark Starr
7.) Arn Anderson & Brian Pillman defeated Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs
8.) Lex Luger defeated Cobra

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Mike Ditka was interviewed by Eric Bischoff regarding Steve “Mongo” McMichael. Ditka enjoyed coaching Mongo because of the way Mongo played. Ditka describes Mongo has being intense and competitive. Mongo took names and kicked ass on the football field. Ditka really talks about Mongo’s impact on the football field. Ditka puts over Mongo has the highest rated defensive player on the Bears. The interview eventually steers away from Mongo. There will be a second installment next week.

2.) Badd controls Taylor with a headlock on the mat, but Taylor quickly gets free. Taylor arm drags Badd and maintains control with an arm bar. Badd head scissors Taylor and keeps a head scissors on the mat. Taylor kips out of the hold and they have a standoff. Badd takes Taylor down to the mat and controls the left leg for a moment. Badd switches to a modified surfboard, but Taylor refuses to give in. Badd locks in an STF until Taylor reaches the ropes to break the hold. Taylor puts a sleeper on Badd, but doesn’t get a submission. Taylor keeps control with an uppercut as the show returns from commercial. Taylor keeps a leg submission on Badd, but doesn’t get a submission as Badd flips Taylor over to break free. Badd shoulder blocks Taylor, but misses a crossbody and hits the ropes chest first. Taylor plants Badd with a neckbreaker. Taylor staggers Badd with an uppercut and chokes Badd over the middle rope. Taylor takes Badd down to the mat with a hammerlock. Taylor stomps Bad on the shoulder, but Badd fights back with strikes. Taylor uppercuts Badd to the mat and taunts the crowd. Badd plants Taylor with a DDT for a near fall. Badd knee lifts Taylor followed by a backdrop and a dropkick to send Taylor to the floor. Taylor flips into the ring and is decked by a left hook leading to Badd winning the match. (*. Taylor’s offense was mostly boring and made the match feel like it was taking forever. Badd is a fun wrestler and should be used in a way to showcase his high impact moves, which was not done here at all.)

3.) Bagwell and Pillman start the tag match. Bagwell shoulder blocks Pillman, but Pillman complains of a closed fist. Pillman elbows Bagwell in the corner followed by strikes. Bagwell hip tosses Pillman followed by a drop toe hold and tags in Riggs. Riggs comes off the top rope with an axe handle. Riggs yanks down on Pillman’s arm and Bagwell yanks down on Pillman’s arm a few times. Riggs returns to the contest controlling Pillman’s arm. Anderson tags in and Riggs drop toe holds Arn to the mat. Bagwell tags into the match and continues to focus his offense on the left arm. Bagwell keeps a hammerlock on Anderson and delivers a few knee drops. Bagwell scoop slams Anderson for a two count. Riggs tags into the match to deliver an axe handle. Anderson tags in Pillman and Pillman controls Riggs with a headlock. Pillman shoulder blocks Riggs, but Riggs comes back with a dropkick and an arm drag. Bagwell clubs Pillman over the back and controls Pillman with a headlock. Bagwell atomic drops Pillman on a leapfrog and decks Pillman leading to a tag to Anderson.

Anderson rakes Bagwell’s eyes over the ropes before tagging Pillman into the match. Pillman drives Bagwell down to the mat face first. Pillman heads to the top rope, but Bagwell tries for slam off the top. Bagwell breaks free from a sleeper by driving Pillman into the corner. Bagwell punches Anderson off the apron. Anderson pulls Pillman from the corner. Pillman nails Bagwell with a heel kick and Anderson tags in to hit a knee drop. Anderson sends Bagwell hard into the corner back first. Anderson keeps control with a backbreaker. Arn locks in a bearhug on Bagwell before driving Bagwell into the corner back first. Pillman tags back in and rubs Bagwell’s face on the mat. Riggs is distracting the referee as Bagwell is double teamed. Anderson maintains control keeping Bagwell on the mat. Pillman tags in and prevents Bagwell from tagging out. Bagwell tags in Riggs and Riggs cleans house with dropkicks and a scoop slam to Pillman. Riggs has a rollup on Anderson for a two count. All four men are in the ring brawling at this point. Pillman sends Riggs to the floor. Riggs hits a top rope sunset flip on Arn, but Pillman dropkicks Riggs from behind allowing Arn to get the pin for the win. (*1/2. They got plenty of time, but there wasn’t a good heat segment or anything here and the Males didn’t really come across as a competitive team.)

4.) WCW World Champion Ric Flair and the Giant cut a promo about their match against Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. Giant promises that it will be all over for Hogan and Savage at the Clash. Flair chimes in and says there’s no love lust between himself and either Hogan or Savage. Flair puts over the Clash as the biggest event ever created for television.

5.) Luger won the main event against Cobra in what was an extended squash match with the Torture Rack.

6.) Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage cut a promo regarding the Clash to end the program. Hogan knows that the odds makers are putting their money on them to win at the Clash. Hogan says that their problems have become each others problems. Savage teases they have a secret weapon for the Clash. Hogan stops him from revealing their secret weapon. Hogan finishes off with his usual catchphrases.

Final Thoughts:
Kind of a bland episode of Saturday Night to start 1996. There wasn’t a standout match on the show nor was there any promos of real substance. This was a lackluster episode to begin the year.

Thanks for reading.