World Championship Wrestling presents Worldwide
Date: 10/6/1996
From: Orlando, FL
Matches:
1.) Dean Malenko defeated Scott Armstrong
2.) Diamond Dallas Page defeated Rick Steiner by disqualification
3.) Harlem Heat defeated Bill Payne & Rick Thomas
4.) Big Bubba Rogers defeated LeRoy Howard
5.) WCW Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. defeated Billy Kidman
6.) Arn Anderson defeated Scott Norton
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Malenko and Armstrong trade hammerlocks at the start of the match. Malenko shoulder blocks Armstrong, but Armstrong fights back with a hip toss. Malenko sits Armstrong on the top but Armstrong hits a sunset flip for a near fall. Malenko holds the ropes to avoid a dropkick attempt. Armstrong ducks a clothesline and nearly wins with a rollup. Malenko dropkicks Armstrong on the left knee. Malenko locks in a leg lock, but doesn’t get a submission. Malenko splashes onto Armstrong’s knee a couple of times. Malenk delivers a few elbow drops, as well, but Armstrong doesn’t submit. Malenko drives Armstrong to the mat with a knee breaker. Malenko drags Armstrong to the corner and wraps Armstrong’s leg around the ring post. Malenkoi knee drops Armstrong on the knee again to maintain control of the bout. Armstrong comes off the ropes and backslides Malenko for a two count. Armstrong strikes Malenko several times and gets a two count with an inside cradle. Armstrong punches Malenko and boots Malenko in the corner. Malenko drops Armstrong to the mat face first while Armstrong went onto Malenko’s shoulders. Malenko gets a rollup and pins Armstrong. (**. Not too bad of an extended squash for Malenko. Malenko was a bit methodical with his attack on the knee, but he showed that he’s a superior wrestler and can find many ways to defeat his opponents.)
2.) DDP controls Steiner with a few shoulder blocks and a wrist lock. Steiner counters and strikes DDP over the shoulder before flipping DDP to the mat. Steiner puts a headlock on DDP and shoulder blocks DDP to the floor. DDP regroups on the floor for a moment. DDP eye pokes Steiner and puts a headlock on Steiner. DDP shoulder blocks Steiner, but is met with a hip toss. Steiner clotheslines DDP over the top to the floor. DDP drops Steiner throat first over the top rope. DDP taunts the fans and stomps Steiner on the mat. DDP continues with a swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. DDP puts a headlock on Steiner and uses the ropes for leverage. Steiner gets to his feet and breaks free with a jawbreaker. Steiner hammers away on DDP in the corner and rams DDP into the top turnbuckle several times. Steiner misses a clothesline and the referee falls down. The referee calls for the bell and gives the match to DDP by DQ. After the match, DDP checks on the referee while Steiner claims that he never touched the referee. (*. I feel like I don’t remember Patrick being a crooked referee for DDP, but this is a cheap finish. I fully expected Steiner to win this one, but DDP is on the verge of having a major breakout in WCW.)
3.) Harlem Heat won their match following the Heat Seeker.
4.) Big Bubba Rogers won his match following a side slam.
5.) Mysterio gets a wrist lock on Kidman for the early advantage. Mysterio takes Kidman down to the mat out of a hammerlock. Mysterio keeps a leg lock on Kidman, but doesn’t get a submission. Mysterio puts a wrist lock on Kidman, but Kidman counters. Mysterio kips up and is sent into the corner chest first. Kidman hits a head scissors, but misses a dropkick attempt. Mysterio hits a nice hurricanrana. Kidman elbows Mysterio off the apron, but misses a slingshot crossbody attempt. Mysterio leaps off the apron to moonsault Kidman on the floor. Mysterio rolls Kidman into the ring and plays to the crowd before trying for a springboard, but Kidman delivers a powerbomb. Kidman heads to the top rope hitting a splash for a near fall. Kidman plants Mysterio with a sit down powerbomb for a near fall. Kidman scoop slams Mysterio and hits a slingshot leg drop for a near fall as Mysterio reaches the ropes. Kidman elbows Mysterio coming off the ropes. Kidman is stopped on the middle rope. Mysterio misses a hurricanrana attempt, but a hits a second attempt to pin Kidman. (**1/2. Once they got going this turned into a fun match. I think it’s obvious that Kidman has potential to be a fixture in the Cruiserweight division.)
6.) Norton shoulder blocks Anderson to kickoff the match. Anderson regroups in the corner. Norton sends Anderson into the corner shoulder first and delivers an arm breaker. Norton locks in an arm bar, but Anderson reaches the ropes to break the hold. Norton stomps Anderson on the mat a few times. Norton delivers a hammerlock scoop slam. Anderson leg sweeps Norton, but is kicked into the corner chest first. Norton delivers an arm breaker to maintain control of the bout. Norton strikes Anderson over the middle rope focusing on Anderson’s left arm. Norton splashes Anderson in the corner and puts another arm bar on Anderson. Anderson reaches the ropes to break the hold. Norton tosses Anderson through the ropes to the floor and sends Anderson into the ring post shoulder first. Anderson knee strikes Norton followed by strikes. Norton kicks Anderson to the mat. Anderson knee lifts Norton to break free from the corner. Anderson tries for a DDT, but Norton holds the ropes. Norton goes back to an arm bar on the mat, but Anderson reaches the ropes again. Norton knee drops Anderson’s arm. Anderson tries to fight out of the corner. Anderson elbows a charging Norton in the corner. Norton strikes Anderson in the corner several times. Norton shoves the referee away. Norton gets in the referees face, but Anderson gets a rollup with a handful of tights to pin Norton. Norton lifts the referee up by his shirt, but Anderson makes the save. Norton knocks Anderson to the floor. (*1/2. Nick Patrick is a confusing referee to get involved again and this time cost Norton. Why is there a focus on Patrick for this episode as referee? There wasn’t much to this one action-wise.)
Final Thoughts:
An easy hour program to watch as there was a couple of decent matches. I didn’t like the attention that Nick Patrick got during the show, but despite that it was a decent show overall.
Thanks for reading.