WCW Monday Nitro (June 24, 1996)

Original Airdate: June 24, 1996

From Charlotte, North Carolina; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko for hour one, with Bobby Heenan replacing Zbyszko for hour two

We take a look back at the Outsiders beating up Eric Bischoff at the Great American Bash to start, and Eric is still out of action this week, so don't expect to hear the words 'back-front round leg kick' tonight

Speaking of the Outsiders, Lex Luger, Sting, and Randy Savage are backstage, and they're ready for all challenges. Well, anything other than color coordination apparently, based on Savage's outfit choice for the night. Macho's so embarrassed at his mismatched hat that he runs off in the middle of the promo, but then the Steiner Brothers and Harlem Heat show up to get in Luger and Sting's faces ahead of the Triangle match later on. Luger with face paint is a weird look

The Blue Bloods v Public Enemy: This feels like a giant style clash in the making. Lord Steven Regal starts with Rocco Rock, and we get lots of stalling as Regal takes offense to Rock's various dances. Steven responding with some funky moves of his own after winning a sequence is downright hilarious, though. That earns him a dropkick from Rock, however, and he quickly passes to Squire David Taylor. Taylor pounds Rock in the corner, but an attempt at a schoolboy goes badly due to a miscommunication between the workers. Rock sends him to the outside with a dropkick, so Taylor passes back to Regal on the way back in. Man, those Blue Bloods really can't handle taking a dropkick. Regal trades full-nelsons with Rock, until Rocco tries a springboard moonsault press, so Steven just sidesteps and lets him wipe out. And then he celebrates with more dancing, since he's awesome. Back to Taylor to work Rocco over as the Bloods cut the ring in half, but Johnny Grunge gets the hot tag following a double knockout spot, and Roseanne Barr the door! The Enemy get control, so Earl Robert Eaton trips Grunge up, but David takes too long celebrating it, and gets nailed with Grunge's cast at 5:50. I like how both promotions had a guy wrestling in a cast that he uses as a weapon at the same time. This was more like a skit than a true match. ¼*

Kevin Sullivan v Kip Abee: Sullivan is all hot and bothered, and storms the ring to kick Abee's ass like he owes him money. It quickly spills out to the floor, where Sullivan sends him into the crowd, and drags him up the steps into the upper levels of the arena. They end up on a concourse near the concession stands, but the officials think fast, preventing them from brawling into the women's bathroom by quickly barricading it. That was pretty funny. Also funny: the looks on the faces of the poor Subway sandwich vendors as Sullivan beats Kip up in front of their cart. The referee can't get control of this one, so he disqualifies Sullivan at 2:00 for not obeying his commands. This was another one that was more of a bit than a proper match. Afterwards, Gene Okerlund comes out to talk Chris Benoit with Sullivan, and apparently Kevin doesn't like Chris. Yeah, just wait. DUD

Glacier teaser. His blood is still running cold. He should probably see a doctor

WCW Cruiserweight Title Match: Dean Malenko v Bobby Walker: Walker should really have a construction gimmick of some sort to go along with his nickname. Also, Dean's constant need to adjust his wrist tape on his way to the ring is such a weird tic. Feeling out process to start, and Walker actually gets an overhead armdrag that sends Malenko retreating for the outside to regroup. Back in, Bobby tries to keep it going, but Malenko pops him with an elbow as Walker tries a waistlock, and the champ executes a bodyslam for two. Chinlock, but Walker starts to fight free, so Dean shifts to a snap suplex, then grounds him in a crucifix hold. Walker angles for the ropes, so Malenko shifts to a camel clutch next, but can't coax a submission. Dean responds with a powerbomb into the Texas Cloverleaf, but Disco Inferno shows up to flash his new record album, and Malenko lets off the hold to see what's up. That allows Walker to recover with a backdrop and a dropkick, followed by a rollup for two. Disco then decides to climb into the ring mid-match to have a dance, which results in Malenko suplexing Walker, then dropkicking him into dancing Disco ahead of a northern lights suplex at 4:39. A lot of dancing on the show this week. The stuff with Disco was really weird and unnecessary, but it's not like it was a great match before that anyway. Afterwards, Okerlund pops in to talk to the champ, but Disco keeps interrupting, and apparently they're set to wrestle at the Bash at the Beach. Did Gene get some pay raise right before they went on the air? He's looked positively giddy all night. ¼*

Bash at the Beach ad. The original logo with the wave bicep was always the superior one

Barbarian v Eddie Guerrero: Eddie makes the big powerhouse chase him around to start, but gets caught in the corner while trying to shoot for the leg, and Barbarian punishes him. Press-slam, but Eddie slips free, and throws a dropkick. Barbarian tries to fight back with a pop-up flapjack, but Eddie counters with another dropkick - only to have a springboard bodypress countered with a slam into the turnbuckles. Barbarian with a cross corner whip to set up a vicious powerbomb for two, and a pump-handle slam is worth two. Eddie is just letting Barbarian slam him around with total abandon here. Guerrero manages to dodge a charge to set up a headscissor takedown, and a saito suplex sets up a trip to the top, but Barbarian crotches him. Barbarian follows him up for a release overhead superplex, and poor Eddie ends up on the outside after the crash landing. Barbarian takes him back upstairs for another superplex, but this time Guerrero topples him on the way down, and manages to get the fluke pinfall at 5:39! Short and sweet, with Guerrero going over, but making Barbarian look like a total killer in the process. This needed a few more minutes to really find its groove, but it was still fun. Afterwards, Okerlund shows up again to talk about Eddie losing to Konnan way back at Uncensored, since Guerrero will be challenging for Konnan's US title at the pay per view. Gene constantly coming out is getting a little annoying, but they're doing a good job of building up the Bash. **

The Rock 'n' Roll Express v Arn Anderson and Chris Benoit: The Express look so wildly out of place. This one is programmed right at the top of the second hour (opposite the start of RAW), too. Ricky Morton gets dominated by Benoit early on, and I just can't get over how sad the Express look. I think if they'd at least switched the ring gear and hairstyles up it would have made a massive difference. Ricky manages to hit Benoit with a springboard bodypress to get a tag off to Robert Gibson, and Robert hooks a sunset flip for two. Over to Arn, so Robert tries a charge, but eats elbow. That allows Arn a sleeper, but Gibson fights him off in the corner, and tags Ricky back in to keep the momentum going. Anderson bails to sucker Ricky into a cheap shot from Benoit on the outside, and the Horsemen cut the ring in half until Ricky manages to slip away from Arn long enough for the tag - Roseanne Barr the door! Robert tries a backslide on Benoit, but Steve McMichael bashes him with his briefcase to put a stop to that (to a huge pop), and Chris covers at 7:59. And if you thought the Express looked old and out of place here, just wait until they show up in 1998 WWF, right alongside the biggest stars of the Attitude Era. Afterwards, the Horsemen want to continue the beating, but Joe Gomez runs out to make the save, and ends up getting destroyed in their place until Randy Savage and Kevin Greene make the save. This aired opposite the Johnson/HHH match on RAW, and I'd give the WWF the edge since their match was not only better, but also featured two up-and-coming stars as opposed to washed up has-beens desperately clinging to the vestiges of their glory days. ¼*

Backstage, Ric Flair and his harem are still looking for that elusive redhead to tie the room together. This aired opposite more of the Johnson/HHH match, and I'd again give the WWF the edge since there was nothing notable said here

Lord of the Ring Match: Diamond Dallas Page v Alex Wright: I never got DDP defending the ring like it's a title. Always felt weird. Page gloats early on, allowing Wright to roll him up for two, and send him to the outside with a dropkick. Back in, Page uses a hair pull to control a wristlock, but eats boot on a charge, so Alex goes for a suplex, but gets driven to the mat instead. Page with a gutwrench stomachbreaker (nicely sold by Wright), and Dallas puts the boots to him, but misses a big kick, and ends up on his ass. That allows Alex to make a comeback, and a leg lariat puts Page down for some mounted punches. Wright goes up with a flying axehandle for two, and a springboard missile dropkick knocks Page to the outside again. Alex is on him with a tope suicida, and he tries a slingshot splash on the way back in, but DDP lifts his knees to block. He tries another gutwrench, but Wright slips free, so Dallas drops the Diamond Cutter instead at 4:12. Just a quickie here. Afterwards, Gene comes out yet again so Page can hype up his match with Jim Duggan for the Bash. Ugh, yuck. That's the kind of match you bury on the card and don't talk about until after you've sold the show. This aired opposite a King of the Ring encore promo, and highlights of the Bodydonnas' manager search contest, so that's pretty much a win for Nitro by default. *

Glacier teaser. Guys, his breath is visible! He really is cold, it's not all just talk!

Since we haven't seen enough of Gene Okerlund this week, let's have him bring Kevin Greene out to talk about Mongo turning on him at the Great American Bash. It's hard for me to take Kevin seriously as a tough guy with that mustache, though. And it doesn't help that he promises to get revenge on McMichael... after football season is over. Well, no rush I guess. This aired opposite a Bodydonnas squash on RAW, and I'll give Nitro the edge since their presentation didn't feature Kloudy

Randy Savage v VK Wallstreet: Macho blitzes him in the corner to start, and goes to town until Wallstreet bails to the outside. Kevin Greene chases him back in for Savage to schoolboy for two, but Wallstreet manages to get control, and he tosses Randy over the top behind the referee's back. Greene helps him back in, where Wallstreet is waiting with some abuse, and he drops an elbow for two. Backdrop, but Savage blocks with a boot, and he pounds VK down. Vertical suplex gets Savage two, but he misses an elbowdrop, and Wallstreet hammers him. VK with a vertical suplex of his own, and he goes up for a dive, but Savage lifts his boot to block, and makes a comeback. Flying Elbowdrop, but Wallstreet bails to avoid it - only to run into Greene out there, and get sent into the post! Back in, Savage hits the Elbow on the second try at 4:37. Shockingly, Okerlund doesn't suddenly materialize as soon as the bell sounds this time. This aired opposite a fun six-man over on RAW, and I'll give the WWF the edge. ¾*

This months WCW Magazine features the Booty Babe! Eh, she's done better magazine spreads

WCW World Tag Team Title Triangle Match: Lex Luger and Sting v Harlem Heat v The Steiner Brothers: First fall wins it here. Booker T and Scott Steiner start, and they throw one another around as they size each other up. Stevie Ray throws a cheap shot to allow Booker to get control, and he grounds Scott in a headlock. Steiner fights free, so Booker tries a savate kick, but Scott ducks, and double-underhook powerbombs him for two. Both guys tag their respective partners, and Stevie pounds Rick Steiner down right away, but misses a charge in the corner. That allows Rick a German suplex, and the Steinerline gets two when Booker saves. Stevie looks for a tag, but Booker is too busy jawing with the fans to notice, and Stevie ends up in their with Sting. He manages to power Sting into the Heat's corner for some abuse, but Booker misses the Harlem Sidekick, and ends up straddling the top rope. Sting capitalizes with an inverted atomic drop for two, and a bodyslam sets up a 2^nd rope pump-splash, but Booker lifts his knees to block. Tag to Stevie to put the boots to Sting, as the announcers continue their non-stop hype job for Bash at the Beach. They're really pulling out all the stops for it, and good for them. The Heat dominate Sting, but Booker misses a flying splash to allow the tag to Lex, and Luger comes in hot - Roseanne Barr the door! Powerslam on Booker looks to set up the Torture Rack, but a commotion breaks out when Scott Hall and Kevin Nash make a beeline to the ring from the stands, baseball bats in hand! A gaggle of police offers quickly stand in their path, and Booker manages to slip free and roll Luger up for the title during the confusion at 10:43! No one even notices that though, as everyone is focused on the Outsiders at ringside, ending in a big standoff between the two factions, with the cops (hands on their guns!) standing in between. Well, except for Harlem Heat, who triumphantly walk off with the belts without getting involved. Ha, love it! The match was nothing special, but the angle was tremendous. The announcers continue to do a great job of getting the realism of the moment over, especially Heenan. He may have been a shell of his former self in WCW, but he still had some great moments here and there. This aired opposite Brian Pillman making a quick appearance, and a boring Undertaker/Austin main event on RAW, and I'll give WCW the easy advantage. *

BUExperience: They had their moments this week, but the show dragged a lot overall, and couldn’t even clear the low bar set by the opposing RAW.

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	6/24/96
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.7	3.3
Total Wins	17	19
Win Streak		2
Better Show (as of 6/24)	9	26