WCW Saturday Night 6/22/1996

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 6/22/1996
From:

Matches:
1.) Kevin Sullivan fought Pat Tanaka to a double count out
2.) WCW United States Champion Konnan defeated VK Wallstreet
3.) Harlem Heat defeated Fire & Ice
4.) Madusa defeated Debbie Combs
5.) Rock n’ Roll Express defeated Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The show opens with footage from GAB where Eric Bischoff talked to guys previously known as Razor Ramon and Diesel in WWF. They cut away before showing the powerbomb off the stage.

2.) Dusty Rhodes promises that WCW will show these two guys what war is all about.

3.) Kevin Sullivan literally just beat up Pat Tanaka and they went outside the venue causing the double count-out. Sullivan is clearly not happy about losing to Chris Benoit at GAB and Arn Anderson turning on him.

4.) Konnan cut a pre-tape promo on Ric Flair telling him he’s the WCW United States Champion and wants Ric Flair to come and get it.

5.) Wallstreet knee lifts Konnan and sends Konnan into the corner face first. Wallstreet is hip tossed by Konnan followed by a clothesline. Konnan hits a middle rope dropkick for a two count. Konnan misses a splash as Wallstreet got his feet up to block it. Wallstreet sends Konnan through the ropes to the floor. Wallstreet eye rakes Konnan followed by a clothesline. Wallstreet keeps a sleeper hold on Konnan, but doesn’t get a submission. Wallstreet airplane spins Konnan, but Konnan counters with a cradle to win the match. (1/2*. That was a boring match.)

6.) Train and Booker kickoff the tag match with Train working over the left arm with a wrist lock. Booker fights back with forearm shots. Train hip tosses Booker coming off the ropes and delivers a clothesline. Norton tags into the match, but Booker ducks a clothesline to hammer away on Norton and tags in Ray. Ray pummels Norton with right hands against the ropes. Norton connects with a leaping shoulder block for a two count. Norton splashes Ray in the corner. Booker knee lifts Norton from the apron and Ray nails Norton with a big boot. Ray connects with a clothesline as Norton comes off the ropes. Booker tags into the match and nails Norton with a savant kick for a near fall. Ray returns to the match and clubs away on Norton. Ray keeps a nerve hold on Norton, but doesn’t get a submission. Ray side slams Norton and tags in Booker. Booker tries for a top rope crossbody, but Norton catches Booker with an atomic drop. Train and Ray tag in with Train hammering away on Ray followed by a leaping body strike and a clothesline. Train powerslams Ray, but Booker dropkicks Train into Norton on the apron. Booker nails Train with a leaping sidekick and Ray wins the match. (*1/2. The finish was a bit weird as Train got distracted because Norton wanted a tag at an odd time. The match wasn’t all that bad, but it was just an instance of not enough time to really develop much of anything.) After the match, Norton briefly argues with Train, but they makeup quickly.

7.) Madusa won her match in less than three minutes with a rollup.

8.) Morton and Anderson kickoff the tag team main event. Anderson knee lifts Morton and rams Morton into the corner. Anderson is rammed into the corner from the apron and Gibson big boots Anderson off the apron to the floor. Morton takes Anderson out with a suicide dive to the floor. Morton rolls Anderson into the ring and tags in Gibson. Gibson clotheslines Anderson for a two count. Gibson backdrops Benoit followed by a head scissors and an arm drag. Gibson knee drops Benoit on the shoulder, but Benoit battles back by avoiding a spear in the corner. Benoit works over Gibson with chops and stomps in the corner. Gibson is double teamed in the corner, but Gibson gets a sunset flip on Anderson. Benoit is tagged in and beats on Gibson to keep control of the bout. Gibson tries for an inside cradle managing a two count. Anderson delivers a strike to the ribs, but Gibson decks Anderson with a right hand. Anderson prevents a tag to Morton and Benoit tags in. Gibson is able to nail Benoit with a kick to the head. Gibson struggles, but tags in Morton. Morton hammers away on Anderson followed by an atomic drop. Morton comes off the ropes with a bulldog for a two count. Anderson is met with a double dropkick. Benoit tosses Morton over the top to the floor causing a disqualification. After the match, Benoit beats on Morton with stomps. Anderson pulls Benoit off to end the segment. (**. I’d consider this a quality match with a cheap finish. I tend to enjoy the Express and they did a good job in there keeping up with Benoit and Anderson.)

9.) Backstage, Mean Gene interviews Woman, Elizabeth and Debra. Debra loves money and that’s why they turned on Kevin Greene. Flair, Anderson, Mongo and Benoit enter the scene to cut a promo. Anderson made a political bond when Benoit was gone for a bit. Anderson says they will win together after cutting loose the dead wood. Benoit proved that he’s an elite wrestler and part of an elite group when he defeated Kevin Sullivan. Mongo says that he did Kevin Greene a favor at the PPV. Flair says this all happened thanks to Randy Savage’s money.

10.) The show ends with footage from GAB where Eric Bischoff was powerbombed off the stage.

Final Thoughts:
An average episode this week for Saturday Night as when the show is only an hour it’s usually a lot easier to watch.

Thanks for reading.