WCW Monday Nitro (May 6, 1996)

Original Airdate: May 6, 1996  

From Daytona Beach, Florida; Your Hosts are Eric Bischoff, Steve McMichael, and Bobby Heenan

Randy Savage v Hugh Morrus: Hugh attacks him in the aisle during the entrances, and drops Macho across the guardrail out there as he beats him down. They finally head in to signal the official start of the match, with Morrus putting on Savage's entrance gear, and mocking him. He's actually rocking that look. Macho doesn't seem to think so though, and chokes Morrus out with the jacket until the referee disqualifies him at 1:22. Randy keeps choking him after the bell, however, and gives him a Flying Elbowdrop for good measure. The referee objects, so Savage slaps him right across the face, and tosses Morrus out of the ring so he can give the official his proper attention. The ref gets a Flying Elbowdrop as well, so another ref comes out to try and stop the beating, but Savage chases him off. That draws out the law enforcement to drag Savage away - though he still stops to slap hands all the way up the aisle anyway. This was nothing as a match, but great as a segment. DUD

Jushin Thunder Liger v Dean Malenko: Feeling out process to start, loaded with quick reversals. Criss cross sees Liger knock him to the outside with a leg-feed enzuigiri, as Ric Flair and his entourage show up to take a seat at their catered VIP table near the entrance. Back in the ring, Liger hits a somersault senton splash for two, and a brainbuster gets two. It's a shame no one is actually watching this because of the Flair stuff. Liger takes him down in a bodyscissors, as the camera crew focuses on Flair sharing champagne with Woman and Elizabeth over at their table. Dean escapes and hits a dropkick, but Liger is in the ropes at one. Dean keeps coming with a snapmare into a grapevine, but Liger makes the ropes. Dean keeps pounding the leg and hooks another grapevine, but Liger manages a cradle for two, and a he cartwheels into a backelbow for two. Koppou kick rattles Dean for a superplex, but Liger can't get him up, so he sends him to the outside with a standing dropkick on the top rope instead! Jushin dives after him with a flying bodypress, then back in for another cartwheel move, but Malenko counters with a victory cradle for two - reversed by Liger for two. Liger goes up, but Malenko follows, bringing him down with an exploding gutbuster, and that shit should be the finish, but he doesn't even bother covering! Instead, he goes for a powerbomb, but Liger topples him with a seated senton into a cradle for two, and a reversal sequence ends in Malenko hitting a tigerbomb at 8:49. This was really fun, though it felt like an afterthought because everyone was focused on Flair's antics. Another five minutes and this could have really been something, though. ** ¾

Gene Okerlund stops by to check out Flair's spread, and Ric makes clear that all the money being spent on his lavish accommodations is coming straight out of the pocket of the Macho Man. He also sends a glass of champagne to Debra McMichael (Steve's wife), who is seated in the front row, but she pours it out. Elizabeth's not crying over spilt champagne though, because "Randy has plenty of money." This was fantastic

Glacier teaser. Man, they ran these forever before finally getting around to debuting him on TV in September

Sting v Lord Steven Regal: Regal is all bandaged up from the brawl with Belfast Bruiser last week, and does a lot of stalling to start. Sting hits him with a quick backdrop for the Scorpion Deathlock, but Regal's in the ropes before he can get it on, and Steven bails. Back in, Regal does some more stalling after getting bounced around during a criss cross, and they trade wristlocks for a bit. It's kind of weird seeing Regal do his prim and proper act a week after seeing him piledrive a dude on the hood of a car. Regal manages to get Sting down in a straightjacket, but Sting reverses, and Regal reverses back, so Sting snapmares him off. Sting with a dropkick and a pair of overhead armdrags, followed by a bodyslam, and a pair of clotheslines. Stinger Splash, but Regal dodges, only to have a butterfly suplex countered with a backdrop driver at 7:49. Nothing crazy, but watchable, and Sting seemed particularly motivated tonight. *

WCW World Title Match: Giant v Jim Duggan: Duggan is subbing for Lex Luger here, who has failed to arrive at the arena in time for the match. I guess that early start time messed with more than just the ratings this week. I do very much like how everyone from the announcer to the referee to the commentators all sell the substitution like it's a legit surprise, as opposed to how today’s over production tends to kill any feeling of spontaneity. Duggan makes the most of this opportunity by attacking while Giant is climbing into the ring, causing the announcers to note that "Duggan is no midget." Well, not physically. Giant fights him off and uses a bootchoke, but misses a hip attack in the corner, and Jim stupidly tries to slam him. That does not work out. Giant goes back to pounding him, so Duggan starts taping up his fist, but Giant simply Chokeslams him at 3:16 before that goes anywhere. Giant takes a page out of Randy Savage's book and continues the beating after the bell, until a bunch of enhancement guys run out in street clothes to try and stop him, but each of them eats a Chokeslam. Finally Ric Flair runs in with a chair, but Giant no-sells him, and Sting actually makes the save! He makes some progress with Giant by repeatedly clipping the knee, and even manages to get the big man in the Deathlock, but Jimmy Hart breaks it up. And now suddenly Lex Luger runs out in street clothes, carrying a briefcase that he uses to prevent Giant from beating up on Sting. Seeing a dude run out to the ring carrying a metal briefcase and not getting a title shot feels weird. That leads to Sting and Luger arguing over Lex's whereabouts, as the show runs out of time. DUD

BUExperience: The ratings were in the toilet due to NBA playoffs forcing a timeslot change (this episode is tied with the 9/18/95 episode for Nitro’s lowest rating thus far), but it was another good, focused episode. The top angles are lot more watchable and realistic without Hulk Hogan popping up to ruin everything with his cartoonish shit, too.

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	5/6/96
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	4.1	1.9
Total Wins	15	14
Win Streak	5
Better Show (as of 5/6)	8	20