WCW Monday Nitro (November 11, 1996)

Original Airdate: November 11, 1996

From St. Petersburg, Florida; Your Hosts are Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko (hour one); Eric Bischoff, Mike Tenay, and Bobby Heenan (hour two). Weird bit during the intro, as some dude in the crowd is desperately trying to pass a package to Tony, before getting hauled off by security. The ‘what the fuck was that?’ look on Schiavone’s face is pretty funny

Chris Benoit v Jeff Jarrett: They feel each other to start, as Kevin Sullivan split screens in to cut a promo on Benoit, upset that Chris has been feeling his wife out. Chris uses a headbutt to stun Jeff for a cross corner whip, but Jarrett reverses, and takes the Crippler down with a drop-toehold. He cracks Chris across the jaw from there, but that triggers Benoit, and we have a scuffle on the mat as they trade mounted punches. Chris gets the better of that one, but telegraphs a backdrop, and eats a sloppy swinging neckbreaker. Vertical suplex follows, and Jeff ropechokes him to set up a straddling ropechoke. Chris responds with chops and a clothesline before giving Jarrett a taste of his own ropechoking medicine, but Jeff manages a takedown. He goes after the leg, but Benoit dodges an elbowdrop, and drops Jarrett front-first across the top rope. Jarrett ends up on the apron, and responds by suplexing Chris over the top to the floor. He celebrates with a strut, when Sting suddenly shows up, and drops Jeff with an inverted DDT for the DQ at 8:20. And then he just walks out, and no one knows what to make of it. This aired opposite the better Shawn/Sid/Bulldog/Owen tag opener on RAW, and I'll give the WWF the edge - though both segments were good. **

The dude from the opener with the package manages to get over the guardrail, and he drops it on the announce desk before getting hauled off. Tony actually decides to open it, and it's a video tape, with a note saying that it was played in Europe in 1992, and has something to do with Roddy Piper and Hollywood Hulk Hogan. This was well done, as his bit during the opening was so subtle that you could have easily missed it. In fact, at first, I didn't realize the earlier bit was even an angle, because they were so subtle with it. And now they've built some intrigue to keep the viewers hooked, nicely done

Ric Flair is in Birmingham Alabama, recovering from rotator cuff surgery with Dr. James Andrews. Same guy who later worked on Shawn Michaels' knee in 1997, in one of the forgotten jumps of the Monday Night Wars

WCW Women's Title Quarterfinal Match: Malia Hosaka v Zero: Hosaka charges with dropkicks at the bell, but Zero just kind of stands there, and glares at her. Not even a HINT of selling. Zero suplexes her down for a legdrop, so Hosaka tries a sunset flip, but gets sit-down splashed. Hosaka keeps trying, but eats a short-clothesline next, and Zero pulls her up at two, before finishing with a crucifix powerbomb at 1:43. This aired opposite Mankind/Floyd on RAW, and we can call it a push. ¼*

Gene Okerlund is finally back, and he brings Diamond Dallas Page out to talk about why the Outsiders helped him last week, and whether he is part of the nWo. Nice to see them openly acknowledge that Page used to manage Scott Hall and tag with Kevin Nash, even though those were different gimmicks. Adds a nice bit of realism. Anyway, he denies any current association with them, which draws Hall and Nash themselves out to make a pitch for him to join the group, but he's a little pissed that it took them this long to ask. "There's reasons," says Nash. You know, like how Page lives two doors down from Eric Bischoff, for one. "Wrestling is as political as it gets," notes Nash. They end with neither side coming to any sort of agreement, and peacefully going their separate ways. Good segment for the smark crowd, but this probably went over the heads of a lot of people at the time. Mine too as a kid, but I remember it feeling like hearing something I shouldn't be, and finding all this intriguing - even if I didn't completely understand it all. This aired opposite Undertaker's Paul Bearer effigy bullshit over on RAW, and I'd give Nitro an easy edge

Rey Mysterio Jr v Ciclope: This is Ciclope's TV debut, though he'd worked some dark matches and tapings that aired later prior. Ultimo Dragon and manager Sonny Onoo observe from ringside. Ciclope goes after the wrist right away, but Rey escapes, and forces a criss cross so he can use a monkeyflip. Springboard flying headscissors sends Ciclope to the outside for a tope, but another springboard on the way back in gets blocked. Ciclope dumps him to the apron to set up a sunset bomb on the floor, getting two on the way back in, as WCW Cruiserweight Champion Dean Malenko shows up to observe as well. Ciclope with a flying dropkick for two, and a pop-up flapjack ends in Rey bailing to the outside to catch a breather. Ciclope forces him back in for a spike DDT for two, as now Psychosis makes a cameo to observe as well. Ciclope uses a spinning powerbomb for two between chinlocks, but Rey escapes, and manages a spinheel kick. Springboard moonsault press follows, but Ciclope catches him in a tombstone. He goes up, but Rey crotches him, and follows for a wild headscissors off the top to the floor! Springboard flying rana into a cradle on the way back in finishes at 5:57. Good action here, with Rey making Ciclope look like a total star in the division. This aired opposite a bunch of backstage hype stuff for Survivor Series from Sid and Austin, and that was fine, but I'd give Nitro the edge with the hot action. ** ¾

The Outsiders are back, with Syxx in tow this time, to harass Schiavone and Zbyszko, and brag about getting to go to the CableACE Awards this weekend. Nothing says 'rebel outlaw group' quite like company mandated fluff appearances. They take over the commentary booth as Larry fumes, but Tony actually laughs along with their jokes, like the nerdy kid trying to fit in with the cool guys. And, anyway, that's about it. I guess the CableACE Awards were serious business in 1996, I dunno. This aired opposite more Survivor Series hype (this time with Shawn Michaels) over on RAW, and we'll call it a push. RAW's segment was more focused, but Nitro's was more engaging

Lex Luger v Scott Norton: They measure each other to start, as Arn Anderson split screens in, promising to take Luger down and 'ride' him. Well, that sounds interesting. Norton with a backbreaker, as Sting shows up in one of the balcony's to watch from on high. Lex clotheslines Norton over the top, but Scott pulls him out after him for chops, and Luger ends up eating post. Back in, Norton absolutely barrels into him with a shoulderblock, and he snaps Lex's arm across the top rope. Scott works the part, but misses a charge in the corner, and Luger capitalizes with a sloppy side suplex. Though, it worked in context, since the shoulder/arm is supposed to be damaged. Lex with a forearm for two, but he misses his own charge in the corner, and Norton clotheslines him. Scott goes up for a dive, but Lex sidesteps, and Norton wipes out in dramatic fashion. Torture Rack finishes at 8:42. Wow, Norton actually SUBMITTED?! That's surprising. Afterwards, Okerlund comes in to get Luger's thoughts on what Sting did earlier, and Lex is lucky he isn't working for Vince anymore, because he uses BOTH 'belts' and 'straps' to describe various titles. Also, he don't know what the fuck is up with Sting. This aired opposite the better Austin/Holly on RAW, and I'll give the WWF the edge. ¾*

Lee Marshall calls in from Florence, South Carolina with the 1-800-COLLECT Road Report

Harlem Heat v The Amazing French Canadians: Over the weekend on Saturday Night, Harlem Heat turfed Colonel Robert Parker, and he's with the Canadians now. The Canadians sneak attack before the bell, and work the heat over for a bit, but gets reversed while trying to cross corner whip them into each other. That allows the Heat to isolate Carl Ouellet, as we cut to outside the building, where the Nasty Boys are trying to get inside, but 'aren't on the list.' Ouch. Next time, bring a couple of hot girls with you. Meanwhile, inside, both teams brawl on the outside, including Sister Sherri and Parker going at it, and the whole thing is a no contest at 3:10. Uh, yeah. DUD

Konnan v Chris Jericho: They're still billing Konnan as the 'Mexican Heavyweight Champion,' but he no longer holds the AAA America's Title, so now he's carrying around what looks like the old TV title with a few stickers on it to make it look 'Mexican.' Also, Nick Patrick is refereeing, which seems like a ridiculous conflict of interest, all considered. Big criss cross to start, ending in Jericho throwing a spinheel kick. He adds an overhead armdrag and a clothesline for two, and Konnan ends up on the outside. Chris dives with a plancha, but Konnan dodges, and uses a rolling clothesline on the way back inside. He grounds Jericho in a hold, but Chris fights free, so Konnan dropkicks the knee. That allows him a powerbomb for two, and he cranks on a wristlock, then shifts to a triangle choke. That goes nowhere, so Konnan corner whips him to set up a corner dropkick, but another charge misses, and Jericho German suplexes him. Chris starts making a comeback, and a victory cradle is worth two. Bridging cradle doesn't even get one, so Konnan dropkicks him into Patrick, and that's a DQ at 5:20. Started off fine, really fell apart in the middle, and couldn't really get the nose up for the finish. ¾*

Juventud Guerrera v Miguel Perez Jr: This is Perez's TV debut, though he also worked a taping before this. Guerrera sprints in and throws a dropkick, but misses a second one, and Perez clotheslines him. Magistral cradle, but Guerrera blocks, and cracks him with chops. Cross corner whip, but Perez reverses, and follows in with a clothesline. Backdrop sends Juvi over the top to the apron, but he comes back at Perez with a missile dropkick. Criss cross ends in Perez using a Russian legsweep, and a bodyslam sets up a springboard somersault senton splash. Standing moonsault gets two, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Perez flips over to the apron. That allows Guerrera to dropkick him to the floor, and he follows with a dive for good measure. He lifts Perez onto the rail to set up a rana, but gets countered with a powerbomb on the floor, and Perez dives with a space flying tiger drop. Not a good one, but I appreciate the effort. Back in, Perez tornado DDTs him, but Guerrera lands on his feet, and springboard dropkicks him. Slam sets up a 450 splash, but Perez dodges, and hooks a victory cradle at 3:57. A few awkward bits, but they made up for it with lots of enthusiasm. And then Perez did nothing after this, and ended up in the WWF three months later. **

Ted DiBiase and Vincent are out in the crowd, offering praise to Sting for what he did to Jarrett earlier, and officially offering him a spot in the nWo

The Faces of Fear v The American Males: The Faces attack while the Males revel in their pyro display, but an attempt to isolate Scotty Riggs doesn't work out, and Marcus Alexander Bagwell unloads on Meng. He misses a blind tag to Barbarian (despite looking right at it), however, and the Faces double team him. Barbarian drops him with a powerbomb and a backbreaker as the Faces cut the ring in half, but Riggs gets sick of waiting, and comes in to even out a double team. He throws dropkicks like they're going out of style, but a miscommunication with Bagwell causes him to miss one, and Meng superkicks Scotty for Barbarian to pin at 3:34. I expect the Males to breakup right then and there (given that they gave this the main event spot, and all), but nope, I guess that happens some other time. ½*

The guys in the truck checked that tape from earlier, and indeed it is a music video that aired in Europe in 1992, in which Roddy Piper sings (???), while the digital sign outside of the Hollywood Bowl promotes a Piper/Hogan match. Europe is a weird place. And this is legitimately from 1992, as you can immediately see that Piper is much younger. I guess that's what he was doing that summer, instead of working SummerSlam '92. You have to wonder how the hell this ever made it to the air. Like, I'm assuming Piper told them that this existed, and sold it as 'hey, I did a music video four years ago, and in the video, there's a marquee advertising a match with Hogan, so obviously we should include that in the angle because...' and that's where the WCW guys cut him off, and shouted 'SOLD!'

And speaking of Hogan, here he is with the nWo for his weekly rambling closing interview. Luckily, there's not much time left, so this one is pretty quick

BUExperience: Both shows were pretty solid this week. RAW was more focused as they made their final push for Survivor Series, while WCW just sort of cruised, without any major developments. But both were fine. Gun to my head and I’m giving RAW the win, simply because they had the match of the night, and the one hour format is much more pleasant to watch. But, not like it was a blow out, or anything.

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	11/11/96
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.5	3.7
Total Wins	17	37
Win Streak		20
Better Show (as of 11/11)	18	34