WCW Saturday Night 7/13/1996

World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 7/13/1996
From: Orlando, FL

Matches:
1.) WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Psicosis to retain the title
2.) Diamond Dallas Page defeated Billy Kidman
3.) American Males defeated High Voltage
4.) Maxx defeated Randy Savage by disqualification
5.) Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus, Meng & The Barbarian defeated Prince Iaukea, Butch Long, The Gambler & Chad Brock
6.) Greg Valentine defeated Bill Payne
7.) Konnan defeated Top Gun
8.) WCW United States Champion Ric Flair, Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit defeated Alex Wright, Cobra & Mark Starr
9.) Dick Slater & Mike Enos defeated Todd Morton & Joe Gomez
10.) WCW Tag Team Champions Harlem Heat defeated Public Enemy to retain the titles

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) They are using the same arena as they do for WCW Worldwide, but it’s just revamped a little bit for Saturday Night.

2.) Mysterio takes Psicosis down to the mat with a wrist lock, but Psicossi counters quickly into a hammerlock chicken wing, but Mysterio trips Psicosis to the mat to break free. Psicosis kicks Mysterio in the midsection and keeps wrist control for a few moments. Mysterio handsprings free on the wrist lock and dropkicks Psicosis to the mat. Psicosis drops Mysterio throat first over the top rope. Dean Malenko shared a promo during the match as Psicosis hit a spinning heel kick. Malenko claims that he beat himself and didn’t lose to Mysterio. Mysterio dropkicks Psicosis off the middle rope to the floor. Mysterio hits a somersault dive over the top to the floor. Mysterio rolls Psicosis into the ring and hits a springboard sunset flip for a two count. Psicosis stops Mysterio with a clothesline and taunts the crowd. Psicosis knee drops Mysterio and locks in a sleeper hold. Psicosis chops Mysterio in the corner a few times. Psicosis sits Mysterio on the top rope, but is knocked off by Mysterio. Mysterio hits a head scissors and a tilt a whirl backbreaker. Mysterio hits a standing moonsault for a two count. Psicosis shoulder rams Mysterio to the mat to regain control of the contest. Psicosis misses a running splash in the corner. Mysterio connects with a springboard hurricanrana off the top to pin Psicosis. (***. For the most part, Psicosis really didn’t get a chance to shine or showcase his move set. Despite that, this was a fun match to put over Mysterio and it was effective. Obviously their PPV match is a great match, but this is a fine followup especially for Saturday Night.)

3.) Mean Gene interviews the WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. Mysterio says that Malenko gave him three tries to win the title and he achieved his goal. Mysterio will give Malenko another shot at the title. Mysterio cuts a promo in Spanish per Gene’s request.

4.) Riggs and Kaos start off the tag match with Riggs getting a rollup for a two count in opening moments of the match. Kaos boots Riggs in the midsection and gets headlock control. Riggs dropkicks Kaos and tags in Bagwell. Kaos comes off the ropes and is met with a double back elbow strike. Kaos works over Bagwell with a few strikes and tags in Rage. Rage doesn’t keep the advantage as Bagwell got a headlock and shoulder block. Bagwell hip tosses Rage and connects with a dropkick. Riggs tags in and delivers an axe strike off the top rope. Bagwell tags into the match and strikes Rage over the shoulder. Bagwell scoop slams Rage to the mat and tries for a splash, but Rage got his knees up. Rage tags in Kaos and takes Bagwell down with a drop toe hold allowing Kaos to keep control with a vertical suplex. Rage continues to work over Bagwell with a strike and a scoop slam. Rage misses an elbow drop. Bagwell hammers away on Rage to get the advantage and tags in Riggs. Rage runs into a double dropkick and that’s good enough for the three count. (*. There’s not much here, but I tend to enjoy American Males matches regardless. They are giving me a modern day feel of the Rock n Roll Express in terms of being a tag team heartthrob.)

5.) Mean Gene interviews the American Males regarding what happened at the PPV last Sunday involving Hulk Hogan turning heel. Bagwell says before the PPV it was about the ladies and the beach, but now it’s about Hogan. Bagwell feels betrayed by Hogan because he was a believer. Riggs says that Hogan was an idol to everyone, but Hogan broke their hearts. Riggs believes that Hogan will regret turning his back on the fans.

6.) A pre-tape promo by Randy Savage is aired. Savage recalls talking to Hulk Hogan about all the problems that he was dealing with in WCW when Hogan was gone. Savage says that Hogan told him this was a war that needed to be fought and won. Savage didn’t know Hogan was coming down to shoot his own men. Savage says that Hogan deserves an Academy Award. Savage says that he’ll be Hogan’s nightmare and he’ll pay for his past. Savage promises that Hogan will regret his decision.

7.) As for Savage wrestling, Savage could have won his match but decided to hit Maxx with several elbow drops because he has snapped. Savage tosses an official and yells at the referees.

8.) Yes, Chad Brock is the same man who would become a country singer.

9.) Mean Gene interviews Konnan following his victory. Konnan says he’s the number one contender and Flair has to give him another shot at the title. Konnan has nerve damage in his eye, but that’s nothing compared to what he’s going to do to Flair. Konnan promises to have WCW’s back against the Outsiders.

10.) Mean Gene interviews Col. Robert Parker, Dick Slater and Mike Enos following their victory. Parker has a cane and says it was given to him by Tom Petty and claims he has been dealing with gout lately. Parker is managing these guys and the Harlem Heat. Harlem Heat enter the scene with Sherri. Stevie says they hired Parker to work for them and not Enos and Slater. Booker chimes in and says they are the tag champs and it will remain that way. Slater taunts Booker saying he’ll slap his face off. Sherri declares that she didn’t leave Parker at the alter and says that Parker was doing her dirty behind her back. Parker gets nervous and says that was nothing.

11.) Ray and Grunge start the main event with Ray pummeling Grunge with right hands in the corner. Ray stomps Grunge a few times followed by more strikes. Ray elbows Grunge coming off the ropes and delivers an elbow drop for a two count. Ray misses a splash in the corner and Grunge continues with strikes. Grunge sends Ray into the corner face first and Rock enters to boot Ray in the gut and they hit a double side Russian leg sweep. Rock gets a two count following an elbow drop. Ray tags in Booker and Booker kicks Rock in the midsection. Booker chokes Rock over the top rope and keeps arm control. Rock cartwheels to counter with a wrist lock of his own. Booker elbows free of a hammerlock and misses a leaping side kick. Rock blocks a kick and misses a wild right. Booker misses a clothesline and Rock hits a springboard moonsault for a two count. Rock keeps Booker on the mat with a chin lock. Rock switches to an arm bar on the mat, but doesn’t get a submission. Rock scoop slams Booker to the mat and comes off the ropes, but Booker plants Rock with a spinebuster and tags in Ray. Ray sends Rock into the ropes to deliver a clothesline. Ray atomic drops Rock and delivers a few stomps on the mat. Ray sends Rock into the corner, but Rock avoids Ray and almost wins with a rollup. Booker tags back into the match and connects with a leaping side kick for a two count as Grunge made the save.

Booker keeps Rock on the mat with a sleeper hold. Booker side slams Rock and misses an elbow drop. Booker recovers to nail Rock with a leaping side kick again. Ray enters the match managing a two count as Grunge made the save again. Ray powerslams Rock to the mat. Ray sets Rock up for a powerbomb, but Grunge gets in the match and all four men begin to brawl. Sherri is on the apron and the distraction allows Ray to hit Rock with the cane and pins Rock for the win. (*1/2. The cheap finish didn’t surprise me at all. The match was fine for what it was though it was a little clunky in spots, but that should be expected to some extent.)

Final Thoughts:
A decent show coming out of the PPV, and I liked Rey/Psicosis having a rematch on the show. The two hours flew by, and I enjoyed most of the show.

Thanks for reading.