WCW Hog Wild 1996 (Version II)

Original Airdate: August 10, 1996

From Sturgis, South Dakota; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, and Bobby Heenan

Opening WCW Cruiserweight Title Match: Rey Mysterio Jr v Ultimo Dragon: This is Dragon's debut for the promotion, though they bill him as 'Ultimate' Dragon. Mike Tenay sits in for commentary here. Feeling out process to start, as people in the crowd toss around a blowup sex doll. I guess that's the Sturgis version of a beach ball. The crowd could not give less of a shit about them, as the poor guys do all sorts of fast reversal sequences to try and get the fans into it, but it goes nowhere for them. Dragon uses a dropkick to gain control, and he puts Rey in the corner for a handspring backelbow, followed by a running sitout powerbomb. Figure four is applied, but Rey makes the ropes, and bails to the outside after Dragon breaks. Back in, Dragon continues to dominate him with an inverted torture rack, followed by a surfboard, but Rey topples him for two. Dragon tries another handspring elbow, but Rey dodges this time, and uses a dropkick to send Dragon to the outside. Mysterio follows up with a baseball slide to knock Dragon off of the (very tall) platform that holds the ring, and the champ does a crazy suicide dive after him, right into the dirt. And I mean, literal dirt. Back in, Mysterio tries a springboard, but Dragon is ready with a dropkick to block, and Rey ends up on the outside again. Dragon dives with a plancha, and they seem to be having an extended spot call session out there. Way to make it seem real, guys. Inside, Dragon hits a bridging German suplex for two, and a springboard moonsault press follows. Slam sets up a flying moonsault for two, but Rey counters another running powerbomb with a rana. He takes Dragon up for a rana off the top, but the challenger blocks, so Rey springboards up for a second try - getting him with it at 11:35. Meh. Pretty disappointing, actually. Felt like they never got out of second gear, and were more about trying to play to the crowd with spots than trying to engage them with story. Also, the set design wasn't doing them any favors, as the large amount of dirt getting into the ring and on the ropes seemed to be presenting safety challenges. ** ¼ (Original rating: **)

Scott Norton v Ice Train: The venue is really unique, and a nice way to cap off the run of outdoor Nitro's they did leading up to this show. And it's South Dakota not Florida, so the heat and humidity isn't unbearable like it has been for the workers on those Nitro's. Norton gets him into the corner for chops right away, but Train responds in kind, so Scott takes a shot at the injured shoulder to turn it around. That turns into a slugfest, and Norton goes after the shoulder again to keep control, and this time gets Train down so he can properly stomp the part. It's such an interesting and unique venue, but I never really got this as a concept. Like, the entire crowd is papered, and on top of that, they make the promotion look like the low-rent alternative to the WWF. Just seems like a lose/lose situation. And I don't fault them for trying something new, but the fact that they then went back and ran it again another three times is what's truly perplexing. Anyway, Norton dominates while working the shoulder, with Train getting in some brief hope spots, but getting cut off quickly each time. Finally, Train manages to duck a clothesline and hit a powerslam for two, and he starts making a comeback. Norton cuts him off with a single-arm DDT, however, and slaps on a fujiwara armbar for the win at 5:05. This was really bad, but at least Norton went after the bad arm and finished with an armbar. ¼* (Original rating: ¼*)

Battle of the Bikes Match: Madusa v Bull Nakano: Winner gets to smash up the losers motorcycle. That's a nice little bit to fit in with the theme of the show, though it's so random in general. Like, neither of their gimmicks have anything to do with motorcycles. But it is a smart way to engage this crowd of casuals, most of whom only recognize the big name stars. For maximum engagement, Bull's bike has a Japanese flag theme, while Madusa rides out on a pink Harley. Well, can't say they don't know their audience here. Bull attacks from behind, and beats on Madusa with nunchucks, then starts throwing her across the ring by the hair after the referee takes the weapon away. Doesn't he know? There's no party like a nunchuck party! Except maybe a party filled with nuns and Chuck Norris. Bull with a bodyslam for two, but Madusa comes back with a trio of matslams for two, so Nakano counters a powerbomb attempt into her modified sharpshooter. Bull with a rope-hung DDT for two, and a snapmare leaves Madusa in a chinlock. Madusa fights free and throws kicks, ahead of a rana for two. Spinkick gets two, but Bull ducks a second one, and clobbers her with a clothesline for two. German suplex, but Madusa reverses for two. She tries again, but Bull counters with a bridging side suplex for two. Madusa with a sunset flip for two, as this is just falling apart by the second. Bull with another side suplex, but this time she doesn't properly bridge, and pins herself at 5:04. You know they're working badly when even Dusty is confused by what they were going for there. Nakano thinks she won it, and goes after the bike, so Madusa steals the sledgehammer away, and destroys Bull's bike as intended. It's honestly hard to believe these are the same two women who were having near four-star level matches with each other only two years before this. ½* (Original rating: ½*)

Dean Malenko v Chris Benoit: This has to be the whitest crowd I've ever seen. They scuffle on the mat to start, until Benoit gets him in the corner for some chopping. He throws a knee and a turnbuckle smash next, but Malenko responds in kind, and manages to add a hanging vertical suplex for two. Neckbreaker sets up an elbowdrop for two, and Dean goes to a chinlock. Chris starts to fight free, so Dean pounds him into the corner, but Benoit fights him off with headbutts. Backelbow puts Dean down for two, and an extended pinfall reversal sequence ends in Malenko hooking a backslide for two. That was quite the sequence, with lots of reversals, and interesting set ups. Dean grounds him in a short-armscissors next, but Chris powers to a vertical base in the hold, and drops him for two. Always love that spot. Chris with a snap suplex for two, and he grabs an abdominal stretch, as the announcers get into a weird conversation about getting old. Criss cross ends in both guys throwing a bodypress at the same time, leaving both looking up at the lights. But there aren't lights here in Sturgis. But if there were, they'd be looking at them. Sorry, Randy Savage isn't on the card tonight, and I miss him. Chris recovers first and hits a flying headbutt for two, but a tombstone gets reversed for two. That allows Dean to try a cross corner whip, but Chris reverses, and hooks a cradle for two. Dean charges with a bodypress to send both guys tumbling over the top, and Malenko sends him into the post out there. Speaking of lights, the lighting for this show is terrible, relying way too much on natural light. I guess Craig Leathers fancied himself as Stanley Kubrick. Back in, Dean goes up, but Chris follows, and brings his ass down with a vertical superplex. He knocks himself silly and can't cover though, and ends up needed a bodyslam to put Dean back down for two. German suplex, but Malenko reverses with a cool release version for two, so Benoit tries a small package for two. Chris is able to add a short-clothesline for two, but another try at it gets reversed for two, and Dean hits a northern lights suplex for two. Benoit responds with his own bridging version for two, and a bridging German suplex is worth two. The crowd is not connecting with this at all, and unlike the opener, they're appealing to them with good storytelling, but the bikers just don't give a shit. Chris uses a bodyslam to set up an elevated crab, inspiring a funny conversation with the announcers where they try to name the new move, and settle on 'Canadian Crippler Crab.' This was, of course, before the debut of Chris Jericho. Dean gets the ropes, so Chris dumps him to the outside, and dives with a plancha. That narrow platform is really limiting everyone tonight. Back in, Chris hooks a bridging cradle for two, but Malenko counters a German suplex with a victory cradle for two. Chris tries a hiptoss, but Dean counters to a backslide for two, and uses a schoolboy for two. Chris fires back with a powerbomb for two, and a bodyslam sets up a dive, but Malenko follows him up with his own vertical superplex for two. Oklahoma roll gets two, and a powerbomb is worth two, just as time expires at 19:52. So it looks like we have a draw, but the referee decides to give them five more minutes to settle things. Chris kicks that off with a side suplex for two, and a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker is worth two, so Chris decides to get cute by putting him in a Texas cloverleaf! Dean can't reach the ropes, but manages to hang on until Benoit gives up on the hold, and Malenko throws a leg-feed enzuigiri at him to buy time. Both guys stagger up, and end up knocking heads in the corner for another double knockout spot, but Chris is up first this time, and he locks Malenko in a grapevine. Dean won't quit, so Chris lets off and starts diving onto the leg, not having much time left to waste here. He tries a kneebar, but Malenko makes the ropes, so a frustrated Crippler tries a slam, but Dean is able to cradle for two. He's too battered to follow-up, but it doesn't matter anyway because time is out at 24:55. But don't worry, the referee gives them another overtime to settle this damn thing - which the crowd actually boos! Perfect. Dean is hobbling around as the bell sounds, but Chris shows him no mercy with a backdrop. Malenko manages to grab the leg to block a kick, and he whips Chris to the mat with a corkscrew legwhip, but a short-clothesline is countered with a bridging dragon suplex for two. Reversal sequence ends in Chris reversing a victory cradle for two, but Dean dodges a dropkick, and locks on the Texas Cloverleaf! Chris inches towards the ropes, so Dean shifts to an STF, but is forced to break to deal with an incoming Woman. Unfortunately for him, that's all the distraction Benoit needs, and he schoolboys at 26:51. This match was really good (certainly better than the crowd gave it credit for), but the bad finish, and the multiple stop/stars hurt it a lot. *** ½ (Original rating: *** ¼)

WCW World Tag Team Title Match: Harlem Heat v The Steiner Brothers: The crowd, all of whom have been sitting on their hands for the entire show thus far, comes alive to mercilessly boo and threaten Harlem Heat. And not just the men, even the WOMEN are challenging them to fights! I've heard people brush it off as 'just heel heat,' but considering that they've barely reacted to anyone else in the first four matches, I'm not really buying that argument. Lots of stalling to start, as the Heat play to and rile up the crowd, until Scott Steiner grabs Booker T with a tigerbomb, and hits Stevie Ray with a vertical suplex to clean house. The dust settles on Booker and Scott, and a big criss cross ends in Scott ducking a savate kick, and hitting a press-slam. Into the corner for a ten-punch count, and a hiptoss sends Booker to the outside to regroup. The dust settles on Scott and Stevie this time, and Stevie is quick to rake the eyes to take control for a bodyslam. Big boot, but Scotty ducks, and throws him with a suplex ahead of a tag to brother Rick Steiner. Rick goes right to a chinlock (how lazy can you get?!), and drills Stevie with a Steinerline for two. Back to Scott for a headbutt to the groin, but Stevie rakes the eyes, and passes to Booker for a sidewalk slam. Booker unloads in the corner, but misses a charge, and Scott drops him with a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Tag to Rick, so Booker takes a page out of his brothers playbook with an eye poke, but Rick reverses a vertical suplex for two. That prompts Stevie to take a cheap shot, and the Heat are able to add a double team to take control of the contest. They cut the ring in half on Rick, but Booker walks into a powerslam, and Scott is able to tag in with a dropkick. He goes to an STF, but Stevie runs in to break it up, so Rick switches off without a tag to grab a reverse chinlock. The bikers back them up when the referee questions it, of course. That results in Stevie pulling down the top rope on a criss cross to send Steiner tumbling over the top, and he runs Rick into the post out there. Sister Sherri is quick to get her licks in as well before rolling Rick in, where Booker tries the Harlem sidekick, but ends up crotching himself on the top rope when Steiner ducks. Luckily for the champs, Stevie is able to cut him off before a tag is made, and the Heat go to work. Booker misses a 2^nd rope flying kneedrop to allow the tag to Scott, and Roseanne Barr the door, we've got a kettle on! Scott hits Booker with an overhead suplex, but Colonel Robert Parker throws a handful of powder in Steiner's eyes, and Booker is able to score the pin at 17:03. This one kind of went over my head the first time around, but it's good tag action here, with both teams working hard. First time in the show they managed to engage the crowd too, though for all the wrong reasons. ** ¾ (Original rating: ½*)

WCW United States Title Match: Ric Flair v Eddie Guerrero: The sun is going down, giving us cool 'magic hour' lighting for this one. They size each other up to start, with Flair losing his cool after getting into a shoving match (with both Eddie and the referee), and bailing to regroup. Back in, Eddie tries a headlock, so Flair tries a side suplex, but Guerrero topples him. That whole sequence looked all kinds of messed up. Eddie ends up on the outside after it, and he stalls out there for a bit, before coming back in to trade chops with the Nature Boy. Guerrero dominates, so Flair bails again, as this thing it just not coming together the way you'd hope. Back in, Guerrero goes to the mattresses with a headlock, but Flair powers out, so Eddie whips him into the corner for a backdrop, when suddenly the lights die. And with the sun going down, that leaves them in near total darkness, but thankfully they get them up and running again within a few seconds. Honestly, I'd be fine with missing this match anyway, because they're stinking the joint up. Also, points off because the bikers didn't think fast, and turn on their headlights. Flair takes control with some chops, but Eddie corners him for a ten-punch, and a cross corner whip flips Flair to the outside. Back in, Eddie is ready with a backdrop, and a clothesline sends the Nature Boy back out, over the top. No dive from Eddie again, as I guess he doesn't feel like killing himself with that narrow platform. Can't say that I blame him. In, Guerrero unloads with chops, so Flair goes to the eyes, and kicks his challenger in the balls. Well, that's one way to calm his ass down. Eddie manages a bodypress for two, and a clothesline follows for two, but Ric blocks a flying sunset flip. Flair tries a headlock, but Guerrero quickly escapes with a drop-toehold, and he slaps on a figure four! Flair makes the ropes, so Eddie uses a springboard rana for two, and a tornado DDT is worth two. Eddie tries a charge, but wastes too much time mocking Flair's strut, and misses. That allows Ric to go up top, but Guerrero slams him off for two, so Flair gets desperate, dumping him to the outside. Eddie responds with a slingshot sunset flip, but Ric won't go over, so Guerrero tugs down the tights to get him down for two. Surprisingly, the crowd is into that. Eddie goes up for the Flying Frogsplash, but hurts himself as well on the landing, and can't cover. That allows Flair to try a side suplex, but Eddie slips free. He tries a rollup, but Flair blocks, and drills him with a clothesline to set up the Figure Four! He uses Woman for leverage, and holy shit, he actually scores a pin with it at 14:16. Hey a (relatively) clean finish! Too bad the match was all over the place. It got pretty good towards the end, but it felt like Guerrero couldn't plug into Flair's formula, and Flair couldn't work Guerrero's usual style, and what we were left with was a weird, disjointed mish-mash of stuff. * ¾ (Original rating: ¾*)

Lex Luger and Sting v The Outsiders: Luger is still technically the Television champion, though I think even he'd forgotten about it by this point. He's on the shows every week, but I haven't seen him wearing the physical belt since I can't even remember when. Lex starts with Scott Hall, and they were almost always on the same side of the heel/face fence in the WWF, so we never really saw them interact much over there. They keep it basic to start, measure one another. Hall dominates early on, but Lex reverses a hiptoss out of the corner, and hits a kneelift, followed by a bodyslam. Kevin Nash's incredulous expression as a fired up Luger flexes at them is pretty funny. Big Kev tags in, but Lex is still going crazy with the flexing, so Nash wants Sting instead. Yeah, can't say that I blame him. If a dude couldn't stop flexing and smiling at me, I'm not so sure I'd want to lock up either. Not that there's anything wrong with that if that's your thing, of course. Sting obliges, and Nash knocks him down with one punch, but spends too much time gloating, and the Stinger recovers. He charges Nash with his own punch, but can't lift him for a slam, and it turns into a slugfest. Sting sticks and moves, and hits the bodyslam on the second try, then knocks Hall off of the apron just for good measure! Pumped up Sting is the best Sting. Probably why the crow era was my least favorite for the character. He keeps hammering Nash, but gets caught with a snake-eyes in the corner, and Hall adds a clothesline from the apron to turn the tide. The Outsiders work him over with double teams in the corner, as Dusty clarifies that the term 'plunder' comes from plumbers. That really sums up a lot about ECW, doesn't it? The Outsiders cut the ring in half on Sting, and you know what, Sting is kinda underrated as a guy getting the shit kicked out of him to sell a tag heat segment. Nash hits the big boot, so Hall wants him to do the powerbomb, but Nash says no, he'd rather see the Outsider's Edge. Scott obliges, but Sting manages to backdrop out of it, and he makes the hot tag to Lex - Roseanne Barr the door! Sting hits Nash with the Stinger Splash as Luger goes to town on Hall in the corner, and Sting takes Kevin to the outside to lock in the Scorpion Deathlock to neutralize his big ass! That allows Luger the freedom to hit Hall with a powerslam, but as he goes for the Torture Rack referee Nick Patrick clips his knee, and Scott topples him for a fast count pin at 14:36! Patrick acts like it was all an accident, of course, but we know better. Pretty basic stuff, but solid throughout. * ¾ (Original rating: ½*)

Main Event: WCW World Title Match: Giant v Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hogan's still getting the hang of the character, and doesn't quite know what to do with himself as he walks down the aisle. It's like his muscle memory keeps trying to take over and push him into his babyface routine, and he's stifling the urge each time. It would get a lot better once he won the belt, and had something to keep his hands busy. Lots of stalling from Hogan to start, as he refuses to get into the ring, and refuses to get started. He even teases walking out of the show at one point, but eventually comes back in. He tries pounding Giant into the corner to start, but Giant no-sells and advances on him, so Hulk bails. Funny bit as Heenan reminisces about managing Andre the Giant against Hogan in front of 90,000 people, which is a weird thing to hear them talking about on a WCW PPV. More stalling from Hulk, as he comes in, tries a move, gets rebuffed, then bails over and over. He tries to cheat his way through a knucklelock, but Giant ultimately overpowers him into an overhead wristlock, so Hogan cheats some more to get him down into an armbar. I honestly think that's the first time I've seen Hogan do a standard mat-based armbar at this point in his career. Wasn't really something you saw from the superhero Hulkster character. He then continues to innovate with a bow-and-arrow, and he's doing a great job of slipping in all sorts of cheap tactics throughout. He may have had to settle into the entrance routine, but he had no problem transitioning as a worker, which is pretty impressive considering how long he played a babyface for. Though, the work itself sucks. It's good heeling, but we're ten minutes in, and there's been nothing but stalling, and various wristlocks. They spill to the outside, where Hogan runs him into the post, and works him over with backrakes. Well, at least those fit his heel persona a lot better than they did his babyface one. Into the post again, but Giant reverses, and they go back inside, where Giant cross corner whips him a few times. The champion uses a backbreaker for two, and a bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop, but Hulk dodges. Hollywood starts unloading, but Giant steals the hulk-up routine, in a funny bit. You'd think, of all people, Hogan would know the counter. Giant hits the big boot, so the Outsiders run in, and Giant is forced to deal with them, allowing Hogan to escape to the outside. Giant drops both Hall and Nash with chokeslams, but the distraction allows Hogan to grab the title belt, and he blasts Giant with it for the pin at 14:20! The match was really boring for the most part, but it is worth noting that Hogan worked intelligently, realizing he was getting the biggest reaction of the night (likely because he was one of the only wrestlers this crowd was familiar with going in), and playing a cowardly heel to try to swing the crowd into Giant's favor. He did obvious heel stuff like stalling and cheating, but also worked in little touches like not kicking out of Giant’s stuff (as the Hulkster would have), but rather choosing to weakly put a foot on the ropes. Still a bad match, but I can appreciate those touches. Afterwards, Booty Man comes out in an nWo t-shirt, bringing a birthday cake for Hogan with him, and it's all hugs and kisses at first, until Hogan suddenly instructs the Outsiders to grab him of him, and it's beat down time. Hogan as the leader of a gang is such a great fit. And then afterwards, to really hammer it all home, Hulk pulls out a can of spray-paint, and paints 'NWO' onto the belt, in what has become an iconic image. DUD (Original rating: -**)

BUExperience: Unique atmosphere aside (which was visually interesting, but also hurt the show due to the terrible crowd), this one is mainly about Hogan winning the belt, and not much else. There are a few solid in-ring efforts, but they’re mostly ruined by the crowd, as well as the terrible finishes booked in almost every single bout. I’d give it a look if you’ve never seen it before, but not otherwise.

*