WCW Main Event 3/24/1996

World Championship Wrestling presents Main Event:
Date: 3/24/1996
From: Tupelo, MS

Matches:
1.) Mr. JL defeated Dean Malenko in the WCW Cruiserweight Title Tournament Match
2.) Jim Duggan defeated Big Bubba
3.) Dick Slater defeated Alex Wright
4.) Steiner Brothers fought Nasty Boys to a no contest

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) This show is live before the UnCensored PPV taking place.

2.) Lee Marshall opens the show on the second tier cage promoting the main event of the PPV.

3.) Malenko kicks JL in the midsection but JL responds with a dropkick. JL head scissors Malenko and gets a rollup for a two count. Malenko hits a side suplex after sending JL chest first into the corner. Malenko clotheslines JL in the corner and hits an exploder suplex. Malenko takes JL down with a rollup attempt for a two count. Malenko powerbombs JL and gets a pop from the crowd for a two count. Malenko messes up a tilt a whirl backbreaker, but still gets a two count. Malenko nails JL with a heel kick and a brainbuster for a near fall. Malenko elbow strikes JL and hooks JL to hit a double under hook powerbomb for another two count. JL gets out of a suplex, but Malenko elbows JL. JL surprises Malenko with a rollup and pins Malenko in a major upset! (**. It got a little sloppy in spots, but I thought this was a solid enough match on Main Event. I was stunned that JL pulled off the victory. I was not expecting that, at all.)

4.) Mean Gene interviews the Alliance To End Hulkamania, or ATEH for short, which spells nothing. Sullivan says that Hogan isn’t going to overcome them with vitamins and training. Sullivan doesn’t have Flair with him. Flair is in the dressing room preparing. Anderson knows that Hogan has a feeling in his gut and he should have that scared feeling. Anderson promises that Hogan and Savage are both going down tonight.

5.) Bubba hammers away on Duggan with right hands to start the match as Duggan stumbles around the ring. Bubba continues to deliver strikes in the corner. Duggan fights back with a strike and shoulder block. Duggan tries for a running clothesline, but is dumped over the top to the floor by Bubba. Bubba punches Duggan on the jaw and rams Duggan on the apron face first. Bubba slides to the floor and punches Duggan over the middle rope to maintain control. Duggan jabs Bubba a few times, but Bubba decks Duggan into the corner. Bubba argues with the referee while working over Duggan. Duggan battles back with right hands out of the corner. Duggan and Bubba collide in the corner and they both go down. VK Wallstreet makes his way down to ringside to watch the match. Duggan and Bubba trade right hands in the middle of the ring. Bubba splashes Duggan in the corner and continues with right hands. Wallstreet sends the 2×4 into the ring, but Bubba fights with the referee to get it. That allows Duggan to tape his fist and knocks out Bubba to win the match. (1/2*. Action wise this wasn’t all that interesting or good. The finish popped the crowd, but I’m just glad it was over, honestly.)

6.) Mean Gene interviews Jimmy Hart and the Giant. Giant is wrestling Loch Ness on UnCensored. Giant is going to chokeslam Loch Ness. I don’t think I care for that match, at all.

7.) Mean Gene interviews Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage in front of the live crowd. Hogan knows there are guys shaking in their boots seeing three cages. Savage says they have made an agreement that they are bad to the bones. Savage says they will survive. Hogan believes they will beat everyone in the three tier cage match. Savage says they will bring it to another level to end the segment.

8.) Slater attacks Wright in the corner before the bell and sends Wright through the ropes to the floor. Wright punches Slater, but is rolled back into the ring. Slater delivers a side Russian leg sweep to keep control. Wright uppercuts Slater a few times, but Slater stomps on Wright’s face. Wright sunset flips Slater for a near fall. Wright hammers away on Slater in the corner followed by shoulder rams. Wright elbows Slater in the corner and connects with a snap suplex. Wright heads to the top delivering a stomp. Madusa comes down to ringside to chase Col. Robert Parker to the backstage area. Slater decks Wright with his boot from behind and wins the match. (1/2*. It’s interesting to see Wright losing a match to Slater considering his success in 1995. I understand the distraction, but is there really anything for Slater in a singles role to justify this? Probably not.)

9.) Earlier today, Schiavone talked to Sting and Booker T. They will be teaming for the first time ever against the Road Warriors in a Chicago street fight on the PPV. Booker says that he’s teaming with Sting because in 1995 he won the tag titles with his brother four times. Booker wants to win them in 1996 for the fifth time. Booker is using Sting to reach that fifth title reign. Sting says that he needs Booker to be pumped up for the match. Sting has been a five time world champion and says he got in this mess because of Jimmy Hart tying up Luger in legal stuff. Booker blames the Road Warriors for costing them their fifth title reign. Booker asks Sting if they will get a title shot and Sting says they will.

10.) Steiner’s and Nasty’s start off brawling until Sags sends Scott to the floor and Rick is double teamed with a double shoulder block. Rick is hammered away on in the corner. Scott hits a top rope clothesline to both men. Rick decks Knobs to the floor and the Steiner’s play to the crowd. All four men are in the ring brawling. Sags clotheslines Scott in the corner. Knobs slams Rick, but Rick stops Knobs on the top rope. Sags gets knocked off by Scott on the apron and Knobs splashes Rick from the middle rope for a near fall. Rick slams Knobs to counter a leapfrog. Scott tags into the match and kicks Knobs in the ribs. Scott hits a belly to belly suplex on Knobs. Knobs avoids a hurricanrana and tags in Sags. Sags elbows Scott on the apron a few times. Sags sends Scott into the guard railing chest first. Sags spikes Scott with a dangerous looking piledriver for a two count as Rick breaks the cover. Scott kicks Sags before hitting a double under hook powerbomb. Rick and Knobs get the hot tags with Rick cleaning house. Sags decks Scott over the back and sends Scott to the floor. Knobs powerslams Rick and Sags hits a top rope elbow drop, but Scott makes the save. Scott dumps Knobs to the floor. Scott has Sags on his shoulders as Rick goes to the top rope hitting a bulldog! The Road Warriors run into the ring and all three teams brawl to cause the match to be thrown out. (**. The match was a solid encounter with a lackluster finish, but the crowd went nuts for the Warriors running into the match for the aftermath. This match probably should have been on the main PPV card.)

11.) Mean Gene is in the ring with the Alliance To End Hulkamania on all three levels slicing lettuce on the cage, which shocks Gene that they’d do that. Ric Flair is out there this time. Flair wants Savage and Hogan to pay attention to the men involved in the match. Lex Luger is there, too. Luger is standing outside of the cage. Luger has been railroaded and tells Jimmy Hart this is the final deed he does for Hart. Sullivan wants to know if Luger is with them. Hart asks Sullivan where Brian Pillman has been and wonders if Pillman is with them. Gene wraps up the show.

Final Thoughts:
A couple of decent matches to start and end the pre-show for the PPV, but I don’t think this was effective in making me more interested in the actual PPV itself. I think the main angle between Hogan and Dungeon of Doom is lacking to allow me to purchase the show.

Thanks for reading.