WCW Saturday Night 5/18/1996

Written by: Bob Colling

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 5/18/1996
From:

Matches:
1.) WCW Tag Team Champion Sting defeated Meng
2.) Jushin Liger defeated Steve Doll
3.) Chris Benoit & Kevin Sullivan defeated Mike Hayner & Rick Fargo
4.) Diamond Dallas Page defeated Billy Kidman
5.) The Barbarian defeated Jim Duggan by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Meng attacks Sting from behind with a clothesline and keeps control with a headbutt and stomps on the mat. Meng elbows Sting over the back and chops Sting against the ropes. Meng continues to beat on Sting on the mat to maintain the advantage. Meng holds Sting as Barbarian enters the ring. Barbarian misses a big boot hitting Meng on accident. Sting clotheslines Barbarian over the top to the floor and pins Meng. (DUD. That was a major disappointment. I was actually looking forward to maybe a decent little match but that was not the case this time around on Saturday Night.)

2.) Mean Gene interviews Sting after his easy win. Sting issues an apology to Lex Luger for the Giant putting Luger through a table with a chokeslam on Nitro. Luger says that Sting doesn’t need to apologize to him. Luger will be handcuffed to Jimmy Hart at Slamboree tomorrow night and he’s going to have Sting’s back to make sure a new champion is crowned. Sting would love to add another reign to his list of WCW World Championship reigns. Sting promises to lock in the Scorpion Death Lock on Giant again.

3.) Liger knee lifts Doll followed by a chop and a back elbow strike. Liger delivers a vertical suplex and a rolling senton off the ropes. Doll rolls to the floor to regroup where Sonny Ono delivers a cheap shot. Liger chops Doll, but is kicked and clotheslined by Doll. Doll delivers a leaping forearm smash for a two count. Doll hits a snap suplex for a two count. Liger nails Doll with a somersault kick in the corner. Liger hooks Doll for a superplex and hits it. Liger heads to the top rope hitting a big splashj for the clean win. (*1/2. Essentially a showcase for Liger and I thought he looked good in there. It is completely random to have him wrestling Steve Doll of all people, but it wasn’t all that bad.)

4.) There were no issues during the tag match with Benoit and Sullivan teaming. Purpose they have been able to put their differences aside when it comes to wrestling together.

5.) Mean Gene interviews Chris Benoit and Kevin Sullivan. Sullivan sees a lot of himself in Benoit, but Benoit is offended by being called “kid” by Sullivan. Benoit doesn’t need to sucker punch anyone to beat them. Sullivan reminds Benoit that the last time he punched a Horsemen they didn’t get up. Arn Anderson chimes in and says they’ll have to meet himself and Eddie Guerrero down the line, too. Jimmy Hart is apparently worried about being handcuffed to Luger at Slamboree.

6.) Shark and Bug Bubba are seen in the crowd watching the show. They will be partners on the PPV tomorrow night.

7.) Duggan avoids Barbarian in the corner and delivers a clothesline. Duggan staggers Barbarian with a couple of clotheslines. A third clothesline knocks Barbarian off his feet and bails to the floor. Duggan shoulder blocks Barbarian, but gets tripped by Meng. Barbarian splashes over Duggan on the middle rope. Barbarian chokes Duggan in the corner followed by stomps on the apron. Meng delivers a strike from the floor while Duggan was on the apron. Duggan hammers away on Barbarian but a headbutt does more damage to him than Barbarian. Duggan knocks Barbarian off his feet with a shoulder block. Meng decks Duggan from behind and tossed an object to Barbarian. Barbarian misses a clothesline hitting Meng off the apron. Duggan hits Barbarian with his 2×4 causing a disqualification. (1/4*. This was simply a way to promote the Lethal Lottery matches with Meng and Barbarian being on opposite teams and this tension leading to that match.)

8.) Mean Gene interviews Arn Anderson to close the show. Anderson explains Lethal Lottery and how it’s a task for anyone to win the whole thing. Anderson talks about not stepping on anyone toes when he wins Battle Bowl to get a WCW World Championship match. Anderson promises there is no conspiracy this time around.

Final Thoughts:
I’d consider this a subpar episode of Saturday Night especially as the final show before Slamboree. There just wasn’t much going on here to get excited for the PPV, which is a PPV I hate because of the concept of Lethal Lottery.

Thanks for reading.