WCW Monday Nitro (January 1, 1996)

Original Airdate: January 1, 1996

From Atlanta, Georgia; Your Hosts are Eric Bischoff, Steve McMichael, and Bobby Heenan

Randy Savage v Arn Anderson: Macho is pissed over Starrcade, and charges right in, but Arn has the high ground, and pounds him down. Randy manages to toss him to the outside, and he sends the Enforcer into the steps, then the guardrail, as Bischoff gives away the finish to the RAW Bowl match (or 'toilet bowl,' as he calls it). Back in, Arn tries a sunset flip, but Macho blocks with right hands, and delivers an inverted atomic drop. Flying axehandle follows for two, and a backelbow is worth two. The crowd is pretty silent for this, all considered. Arn shakes him off in the corner by going to the eyes, and he goes after the taped up arm with a single-arm DDT. Hammerlock-slam follows, and Anderson works the arm on the mat. Bischoff notes that this match is pay per view quality, because WCW is so committed to their fans that the 'C' could stand for 'committed.' World Committed Wrestling? Yeah, sounds about right, actually. Anderson bashes Macho's arm into the post, and he works an armbar while using the ropes for leverage. Savage escapes with a flurry of fists, but the bad arm prevents a whip, and Anderson drops him with the DDT for two. Arn goes for it again, but Macho blocks, and bops Anderson with brass knux for three at 6:55. Decent enough, but certainly nothing special. This aired opposite the RAW Bowl, and I'd give the WWF the advantage there, since that was something unique. It was also really annoying listening to the announcers outright tell you how big and great WCW is ad nauseam. * ¼

Chris Benoit v Lord Steven Regal: The announcers are still going on about how great WCW is, and Bischoff gives away the finish to the RAW Bowl again, just in case you still thought he wasn't an asshole. Man, all this talk about the RAW Bowl is making me want to watch the RAW Bowl. And apparently I'm not the only one who felt that way, since RAW edged them out in the ratings this week. Regal quickly takes him down, and tries holding him down for three, but Benoit starts throwing headbutts, and that goes bad for Steven. Regal tries a front-facelock, as we spot Hank Aaron in the crowd, probably wondering where his old pal Bill Watts is at. Benoit tries to reverse the hold, but Regal traps him in a crossface, then pops him with a few European uppercuts in the corner. Benoit manages a release German suplex, but Regal returns fire with a butterfly suplex for two. Chris keeps coming with an electric chair, but the flying headbutt misses. That allows Regal to try a tombstone, but Chris reverses, and Steven wisely rolls to the outside to avoid getting pinned. Benoit follows with a plancha, but Regal sidesteps, and Chris wipes out. Back in, that's enough to give Regal the three count at 5:42. Interesting match, with both guys throwing bombs, and dropping each other on their heads like maniacs. This was opposite more of the RAW Bowl, and I'd call the segments a push. ** ¼

Gene Okerlund brings the Horsemen (minus Ric Flair) out for an in-ring interview, with Brian Pillman chewing the other two out over their losses tonight, and getting dirty looks from all the older ladies in the crowd (dirty, mixed with a hint of dirty) for his crude sexual boasts. This aired opposite the conclusion of the RAW Bowl, and I'd give the WWF the edge, though Pillman was always entertaining when he had a microphone in front of him

Sting and Lex Luger v The Super Assassins: The Assassins are Warlord and Barbarian under masks, and managed by Colonel Robert Parker. I'm not sure why they'd stick them under masks, considering both guys were fairly well known. And it's not like they were shy about using ex-WWF guys' fame to their advantage during this period. As the bell rings, Sgt. Craig Pittman shows up to the announce position to ask Steve McMichael to be his manager. Man, this guy is really working his way down the food chain, isn't he? As that drags on, we watch the match in split screen, and since this is 1996, WCW is still using those annoying split screens where the logo takes up more screen than either of the two videos. Sting and Luger dominate the early going, but Sting gets into trouble on the outside, and Assassin 1 (Barbarian) puts him in an overhead backbreaker. Over to Assassin 2 (Warlord) to help cut the ring in half, and a vertical suplex/flying shoulderblock combo looks to finish, but Luger distracts the referee to give Sting enough time to recover. Assassin 1 powerbombs him to set up a flying headbutt, but Sting dodges, and Lex gets the tag. This crowd is hot for Luger. Torture Rack finishes Assassin 1 at 5:52, as Sting puts Assassin 2 in the Scorpion Deathlock. This aired opposite the RAW halftime report, as well as the WWF's airing of the Hog Pen match from In Your House. WCW may have been touting their pay per view quality TV matches, but the WWF was literally giving you pay per view matches on TV. I'd give the WWF the slight advantage, since showing a pay per view match in full was quite the novelty for the period... even if that match is the Hog Pen match. * ¼

Gene Okerlund brings Jimmy Hart and Giant out to do what everyone in WCW does best: talk about Hulk Hogan. Give RAW the edge again with the Hog Pen match

WCW World Title Match: Ric Flair v Hulk Hogan: Man, WCW planted a lot of Hogan merchandise didn't they? Flair is wearing yellow boots with red kneepads here, which makes him look like a shrunken down version of Hogan when he's working a headlock, and they're legs are side by side. Flair unloads with chops in the corner, but Hogan starts no-selling after a while, so Ric goes up, only to get slammed down. Hogan sends him over the top with a clothesline, so Ric goes to the eyes when Hulk follows, and whips his challenger into the rail. Hulk rebounds with a clothesline, and they head back in, with a corner whip flipping Flair into a clothesline on the apron. Ric thinks fast with an eyerake, and he clips the leg to put Hogan down. Crowd loves both of these guys, with the older males leaning towards Flair, and the youngsters towards Hogan. Flair works the leg, and the Figure Four is applied, but Hulk reverses. That draws Jimmy Hart out, and the distraction allows Ric to take control by attacking the knee again. Hanging vertical suplex gets two, but triggers the HULK UP!! Fists of Fury! Big Boot! Legdrop! But Hart distracts him again, and Hogan takes the bait like a moron, allowing Arn Anderson to run in. Hulk no-sells the knux, however, and shows them to the referee - the official taking Hogan's word for it that Anderson actually used them, and calling for the DQ at 7:55. Man, I know Hogan had a crazy contract, but I didn't realize he had the authority to command the officials too. I mean, so what, Anderson had knux stashed in his tights. That doesn't prove he used them! And the evidence is so flimsy. Like, if he used them, why is Hogan walking around totally unharmed? If anything, Anderson should be pressing charges because Hulk reached into his tights and fished out the knux! That's not only stealing, but potentially sexual assault as well! Anyway, Hulk gets the knux, and starts beating on all four Horsemen, but Giant runs in. Unfortunately for him, he's cut off by Randy Savage, and they chase all the heels away. The match was a quickie of the usual Hogan/Flair match, but was fun. I didn't care for the finish, though. Afterwards, Hogan and Savage challenge Flair and Anderson to a tag match next week. This aired opposite the rest of the Hog Pen match, the Diesel/Mabel match, the Smoking Gunns getting the 'Lombardi trophy,' a Vader vignette, and the first Billionaire Ted's Wrasslin' War Room skit. I'll give Nitro the slight edge here, since even by 1996, Hogan/Flair is still Hogan/Flair. * ½

BUExperience: Nitro put a lot of heavy hitters out there against RAW, and though they fell short in the ratings, they delivered a fun show this week as well. I’d call this week a push.

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	1/1/96
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.6	2.5
Total Wins	7	7
Win Streak	1
Better Show (as of 1/1)	3	11