World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 9/28/1996
From:
Matches:
1.) WCW Tag Team Champions Public Enemy defeated High Voltage
2.) Dean Malenko defeated Brad Armstrong
3.) Eddie Guerrero defeated Maxx Muscle
4.) Konnan defeated The Gambler
5.) Mike Enos & Dick Slater defeated Chris Jericho & Jim Powers
6.) Chavo Guerrero Jr. defeated Disco Inferno
7.) The Barbarian & Meng defeated Scott & Steve Armstrong
8.) Lex Luger defeated Juventud Guerrera
9.) Randy Savage defeated Big Bubba
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Public Enemy won the WCW Tag Team Championships on Nitro, and are now scheduled to wrestle Kevin Nash & Scott Hall at Halloween Havoc instead of Harlem Heat. Speaking of Public Enemy, they showed a video of the new champions for a ‘special look’. The video consists of the new champions shopping, attempting to steal a car display, and bathing in a public water fountain.
2.) High Voltage attack before the bell for the early advantage, but the new champs hit stereo neckbreakers. Grunge tags in and elbow drops Rage after a drop toe hold by Rock. Grunge plays to the crowd and tags Rock back into the bout. Rage is met with a knee lift to the midsection. Rock chops Rage against the ropes and tries for a slam, but Rage sends Rock into Kaos on the apron and hits a back suplex for a two count as Grunge makes the save. Kaos atomic drops Rock and Rage nails Rock with a running clothesline for a two count. Rock boots Rage in the corner and they are both down following a clothesline by Rock. Grunge gets tagged in and cleans house on High Voltage. Grunge slams Rage and Kaos. Voltage stops Grunge with a knee lift and double clothesline. Rage collides with Kaos and Grunge gets the pin on Rage with a rollup. Rock clotheslines Rage to the floor. (*. Public Enemy appears to be over with the crowd here, but there’s no way they’d actually defend the titles on PPV against Nash & Hall.) After the match, Public Enemy put Kaos through a table with the Drive By.
3.) Malenko backs Armstrong into a corner, but cleanly backs off. They have a standoff after a brief counter on the mat. Armstrong arm drags Malenko, but doesn’t followup. Malenko drop toe holds Armstrong, but they counter again on the mat. Armstrong gains the advantage, but Malenko gets to his feet. Malenko shoulder blocks Armstrong, but Armstrong hip tosses Malenko followed by a slam and a dropkick. Malenko regroups in the corner. Malenko takes Armstrong down to the mat with a top wrist lock and rams Armstrong into the corner. Malenko clotheslines Armstrong in the corner, but runs into a boot. Armstrong bulldogs Malenko out of the corner and delivers a knee lift for a two count. Malenko dumps Armstrong through the ropes to the floor. Armstrong shoulder rams Malenko from the apron and tries for a sunset flip. Malenko manages to sit down and pins Armstrong to win the match. (*. It was mostly just an actual wrestling match without much in terms of substance.)
4.) Tony Schiavone interviews WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. Mysterio respects Malenko and knows they will have a great match at Havoc, but is confident he’ll retain the title. Mysterio did what he had to do to win the title, and he’s going to keep it for a long time. Malenko enters the scene and puts over Mysterio for being a great champion. Malenko has promised that he’ll regain the title. Malenko thinks he’s the better man and proceeds to offer his hand, but decks Mysterio with a clothesline! Malenko rips off Mysterio’s mask and Schiavone covers Rey with his jacket.
5.) Eddie Guerrero dropkicks Muscle a couple of times and hits a top rope frog splash to win the match in under a minute. Muscle argues the call and essentially no sells the frog splash.
6.) Jericho and Slater kickoff the tag match. Jericho sends Slater into the corner and hits a monkey flip followed by a slam. Slater avoids a dropkick by holding the ropes, but misses an elbow drop. Jericho sends Slater into the corner, but is met with a strike. Slater jabs Jericho several times on the forehead to maintain the advantage. Enos tags into the match and clotheslines himself and Jericho over the top to the floor. Enos tosses Jericho back into the ring where Slater boot scrapes Jericho. Enos tags in and drives Jericho down with a neckbreaker, but misses a diving headbutt off the ropes. Powers gets the hot tag and rams Enos into the corner a few times. Powers backdrops Enos coming out of the corner. Powers clotheslines Enos, but Slater makes the save. Jericho gets involved, but Slater dumps Jericho to the floor. Enos backslides Powers, but uses the ropes for leverage and wins the match. The announcers note that Nick Patrick blatantly looked at the feet on the ropes. Teddy Long is pissed and questions Patrick, as well. Patrick doesn’t like Long questioning him. (*1/2. Enos looked pretty good in there and his intensity was noticeable. Enos continues to shine in his WCW performances.)
7.) Tony Schiavone interviews Nick Patrick regarding his performance. Patrick dismisses the notion that he didn’t call the feet on the ropes on purpose. Patrick talks about the rumor of Sting joining NWO hurt WCW, and blames Schiavone for doing that. Patrick insists that he’s WCW through and through. Patrick doesn’t appreciate Dusty Rhodes questioning his loyalty. Patrick tells WCW fans that as long as he’s here there’s nothing for them to worry about.
8.) Tony Schiavone interviewed Jimmy Hart, Barbarian and Meng after their win. Hart says that the Faces of Fear are going to beat the Horsemen, Benoit & McMichael, at Halloween Havoc. Hart promises they will do something scary to Chris Benoit. Barbarian and Meng briefly talk, but it’s not English, really.
9.) Arn Anderson cut a pre-tape promo during Luger’s match. Arn says that Luger didn’t hold up his end of the deal at Fall Brawl, and now they wrestle at Halloween Havoc.
10.) Guerrera hits a springboard somersault kick, but Luger cuts Guerrera off quickly with a clothesline and a powerslam. Luger quickly puts on the Torture Rack and wins the match easily. (NR. I’m not entirely sure why Guerrera is put in this spot, but whatever.)
11.) Tony Schiavone interviews Lex Luger regarding Arn Anderson at Halloween Havoc. Luger says the Horsemen want to point fingers and he’ll take the blame for War Games. Luger says that Anderson had to only ask him, but it took four of them to beat him down. Luger wants Anderson to feel the pain he felt at War Games. Luger has watched the tape regarding Sting and says the NWO had a lot of people fooled about Sting. Luger knows that Sting is hurt and angry. Luger has apologized and says this is the biggest test of their friendship. Luger is giving Sting space and is only controlling what he can and that’s Halloween Havoc.
12.) Bubba sends Savage to the floor to kickoff the match, but Savage sends Bubba into the railing and head first into the ring steps. Savage rolls Bubba back into the ring and heads to the top rope hitting an axe handle. Elizabeth is seen on the aisle watching the match. Savage hits a top rope elbow drop and signals for a second one. Savage leaps off again to hit the elbow drop a second time. Savage tosses the referee to the floor. Savage is stopped by Nick Patrick, but Savage grabs Patrick and delivers a punch. Savage chokes Patrick, but the locker room empties to chase Savage away. That wraps up the show. (NR. Savage being enraged is the absolute best way to present him. I love it.)
Final Thoughts:
It’s a skippable show, but it’s not a bad show. Savage being nuts is entertaining, but that’s just about it, really.
Thanks for reading.