WCW Saturday Night 3/30/1996

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 3/30/1996
From: Rome, GA

Matches:
1.) Arn Anderson defeated Steve Armstrong
2.) Jim Duggan defeated Dave Taylor
3.) Booty Man defeated Maxx Muscle
4.) Eddie Guerrero defeated Devon Storm
5.) Harlem Heat defeated Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker & Lt. James Earl
6.) WCW Televison Champion Lex Luger defeated Shark
7.) WCW United States Champion Konnan defeated Pat Tanaka
8.) The Belfast Bruiser defeated Bobby Eaton
9.) The Giant defeated Big Bubba
10.) Marcus Alexander Bagwell & Scotty Riggs defeated Meng & The Barbarian
11.) Sting defeated Hugh Morrus
12.) WCW World Champion Ric Flair defeated Dick Slater

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Backstage, Mean Gene is with Arn Anderson, Kevin Sullivan and Jimmy Hart for an interview. Sullivan says there is no tag team match tonight. Sullivan says he’s hurt from the chokeslam by the Giant. Sullivan heard Anderson laughing at him for getting chokeslammed. Sullivan wants Anderson to prove how tough he is by wrestling one of the Armstrong brothers. They better be on the same page for the match on Nitro against Hogan and Booty. Anderson tells Sullivan that he’s going to cover Flair’s back everyday and if he’s got to hit a Giant, then that’s what he’ll do.

2.) Anderson goes after Armstrong from behind and delivers a back elbow followed by stomps. Anderson clubs on Armstrong on the apron. Armstrong rams Anderson face first into the turnbuckle and comes off the top with a clothesline for a two count. Armstrong slams Anderson and leaps off the top to hit a missile dropkick for a near fall. Armstrong hammers away on Anderson in the corner, but Anderson delivers an atomic drop and quickly hits a DDT for the win. (*. For a quick match they kept a fast pace and Armstrong had some decent quick offense.)

3.) Duggan backs Taylor into a corner, but cleanly backs away. Taylor is sent into the corner and met with a couple of clotheslines. Taylor takes Duggan down to the mat and gets control with a chin lock. Duggan takes Taylor down and hits a running clothesline to win the match. (DUD. That was basically a squash.) After the match, Taylor cheap shots Duggan. Duggan gets up and knocks Taylor out with a taped fist.

4.) Backstage, Madusa cuts a promo saying that Col. Robert Parker is nothing but a low life twit. Madusa says that Parker’s mind wonders onto numerous women and she’s looking forward to their rematch. That rematch is apparently going to be taking place on TBS.

5.) Lee Marshall interviews Col. Robert Parker and Dick Slater. Parker wants to provide a play by play of the PPV. Parker talks about manhandling her at the PPV. Parker dismisses the notion she slammed him. Marshall calls Parker a liar and Parker reminds Marshall that he won the match.

6.) Guerrero has wrist control on Storm to start the contest, but Storm counters quickly. Storm hits a springboard heel kick to gain the advantage followed by right hands. Storm knee strikes Guerrero, but Guerrero comes back with a head scissors and arm drag. Storm arm drags Guerrero and connects with a baseball slide to the floor. Storm takes Guerrero out with a somersault dive to the floor. Storm rolls Guerrero back into the ring and maintains control with a right hand in the corner. Storm sits Guerrero on the top rope, but Guerrero shoves Storm off. Guerrero plants Storm with a tornado DDT. Guerrero heads to the top rope hitting the frog splash for the win. (*1/2. They didn’t get nearly enough time, but I think they would have a great match if given the proper TV time to do so. I think this is the first time that Schiavone properly called the frog splash instead of calling it a jackknife.)

7.) Mean Gene interviews Harlem Heat following their victory. They have a tag title shot on Nitro. Stevie says that a debt has to be paid because Booker helped Sting at UnCensored. Booker wants the titles back and says you either smoke or get smoked.

8.) Shark attacks Luger before the bell and gets the early advantage ramming Luger into the corner a few times. Shark chokes Luger in the corner and over the middle rope. Shark runs into a boot in the corner and Luger continues with strikes. Shark knee lifts Luger to stop his momentum. Shark continues with headbutts to the chest and a running clothesline. Luger tries for a slam, but Shark lands on top and nearly wins the match. Shark comes off the ropes with an elbow drop. Shark connects with a powerslam and taunts the crowd. Luger gets an inside cradle on Shark to counter a slam attempt and wins the match. (1/2*. I guess there wasn’t going to be a Torture Rack tonight. Yet another quick match, but considering it’s Shark, there’s no need to complain about it.)

9.) Mean Gene interviews Lex Luger. Gene talks about UnCensored where Luger double crossed Ric Flair. Luger says he is the only man to know if it was on accident, or accidentally on purpose. Luger has talked to Sting and Sting wants Luger to go for the WCW World Championship tomorrow night and thus Harlem Heat won’t get a title shot.

10.) Bruiser goes after Eaton with right hands during his entrance and kicks Regal. Bruiser continues to beat on Eaton and rolls Eaton into the ring to deliver a clothesline. Bruiser uppercuts Eaton and a forearm strike. Bruiser uppercuts Eaton against the ropes. Eaton stops Bruiser with a swinging neckbreaker. Eaton chokes Bruiser over the middle rope. Bruiser keeps Eaton on the mat with an elbow strike to the nose. Eaton eye rakes Bruiser and chokes Bruiser over the middle rope briefly before delivering more strikes. Bruiser forearms Eaton in the corner. Eaton elbows Bruiser, but is kicked on the leg. Bruiser delivers a running high knee and spikes Eaton with a dangerous tombstone piledriver for the win. (*1/4. I’m liking Bruiser and feel like he’d mesh well with the bigger names considering his brawling style. Eaton is lucky he didn’t break his neck on the tombstone.)

11.) Bubba goes right after Giant as Giant stepped over the top rope. Giant shoves Bubba away and taunts Bubba. Bubba eye rakes Giant and delivers a kick to the head. Bubba splashes Giant over the middle rope, but Giant no sells it as Bubba taunts the crowd. Giant dropkicks Bubba sending Bubba over the top to the floor. Giant slams Bubba into the ring from the apron. Giant delivers an elbow drop to the knee. Bubba headbutts Giant, but falls down. Bubba is sent hard into the corner and drops to his knees. Giant chops Bubba against the ropes to keep control of the contest. Bubba battles back with right hands, but Giant headbutts Bubba to the floor. Bubba avoids Giant on the floor and Giant hits the post shoulder first. Bubba goes to the top rope as Giant returns to the ring. Giant catches Bubba in midair to deliver a slam. Giant plants Bubba with a chokeslam to win the match. (*. I was kind of surprised how much Bubba was able to hang in there with Giant. It’s also weird to hear Giant have music other than Dungeon music, by the way.)

12.) Backstage, Mean Gene is with Hulk Hogan and Booty Man for an interview. Gene promotes a tag match where they will be wrestling Sullivan and Anderson on Nitro. Hogan says they are going to light Nitro on fire as a team. Hogan thinks they could become WCW Tag Team Champions. Booty says if you don’t want your booty kicked then you better keep yourself seated. Hogan has never seen Booty light up when he looked at Kimberly. Kimberly enters the scene and Booty says that she’ll be their manager at Nitro. Kimberly tells Gene they haven’t been to the drive in, but they are on their way.

13.) Meng and Barbarian attack before the bell for the cheap advantage. Meng chops Bagwell in the corner followed by several strikes. Meng chokes Bagwell over the middle rope. Meng chops Bagwell against the ropes and delivers an elbow strike. Meng kicks Bagwell in the gut and delivers a powerbomb, but Riggs makes the save. Barbarian tags in and keeps control of the contest until Bagwell tags in Riggs. Riggs is decked by Meng on the apron and Barbarian powerbombs Riggs for a two count as Bagwell made the save. Riggs is met with a double headbutt and falls to the mat. Meng continues with a back suplex for a two count. Bagwell tries to help by attacking Meng and Barbarian. Meng knocks Riggs to the floor leaving Bagwell to be double teamed. Barbarian misses a clothesline and knocks Meng down on accident. Meng works over Riggs on the floor. Barbarian slams Bagwell and heads to the top rope. Bagwell avoids a diving headbutt. Riggs goes to the top hitting a crossbody, but is caught until Bagwell chop blocks Barbarian allowing Riggs to get the upset win. (*1/4. The referee completely lost control and while Riggs was the legal man, the finish was poorly done as Bagwell wasn’t even warned to get out of the ring. I wish they’d give a push to Meng and Barbarian, but the American Males are likely getting another title shot soon to justify this TV win.)

14.) Morrus knee lifts Sting against the ropes and delivers a clothesline. Morrus continues with a right hand but misses a clothesline. Sting slams Morrus followed by a clothesline to send Morrus rolling to the floor. Morrus backs Sting into the corner and delivers a few shoulder rams. Morrus headbutts Sting to the mat a few times. Sting hammers away on Morrus followed by a dropkick. Sting slams Morrus and misses an elbow drop. Morrus drives Sting down with a backbreaker. Morrus misses a moonsault. Sting goes to the top rope hitting a crossbody for the win. (*. Just your usual Sting squash match.)

15.) Lee Marshall interviews Sting following his victory. Sting had no idea that Harlem Heat would want a title shot so quickly. Sting assures them they will get their title shot. Sting will fight by himself to defend against Harlem Heat. Giant enters the scene and says that he’d be Sting’s partner to drive Sullivan nuts. Sting accepts Giant’s offer.

16.) Flair backs Slater into a corner, but Slater delivers an elbow strike to knock Flair down. Slater gets a rollup for a near fall. Flair kicks Slater on the knee and sends Flair flipping into the corner followed by a side Russian leg sweep and an elbow drop for a near fall. Slater splashes down onto Flair’s knee causing Flair to retreat into a corner. Flair kicks Slater to gain control of the match. Flair continues with some chops and strikes in the corner. Flair goes to the top rope, but Slater slams Flair to the mat and locks in the figure four. Flair reaches the ropes to break the hold. Slater hooks Flair on the apron to hit a suplex into the ring and Flair begs off. Slater drops Flair with an elbow strike, but Flair sends Slater to the floor. Col. Parker tries to give Slater something, but Slater declines it. Slater tries for a backslide and eventually gets a two count. Slater tries for a piledriver, but Flair backdrops Slater. Slater locks in a sleeper hold as Elizabeth tells Parker that Woman wants him backstage. Flair drops Slater with a back suplex as Parker has left ringside. Flair splashes down onto Slater’s knee. We see Parker meeting with Woman backstage. Flair knee lifts Slater from behind and uses the ropes for leverage to pin Slater. Parker sees what happened and runs back to ringside. (*. A dull main event for the most part.)

17.) Mean Gene interviews WCW World Champion Ric Flair and Elizabeth. Flair asks Liz who has the better body him or Luger. Of course, Liz says that Flair has the better body and is better looking. She also says that Flair is more famous and rich. Flair says that Luger didn’t get what it takes from God to defeat Flair. Flair knows that Luger could have pulled the punch, but didn’t do it. Flair promises to pound Luger’s body on Nitro. Flair kisses Liz’s arm to end the show.

Final Thoughts:
Despite there being a bunch of lower midcard matches on the show, it’s probably a skippable program this week. I like seeing all these guys wrestle, but the matches needed more time to really matter. I’d especially like to see Guerrero vs. Storm with some more time to it.

Thanks for reading.