WCW Monday Nitro
March 25, 1996
Huntsville, AL
Von Braun Civic Center

The current WCW champs were as follows:
WCW World Champion: Ric Flair (2/11/1996)
WCW U.S. Champion: Konnan (1/29/1996)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (1/22/1996)
WCW World Television Champion: Lex Luger (3/6/1996)

Your hosts are Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and that Emmy-award winning Steve “Mongo” McMichael.

• Randy Savage vs. Belfast Bruiser

Sounds like they’re giving us a break from Hogan this week, but the man who is professional wrestling (according to Bischoff) will be back next week! Belfast Bruiser gets a HUGE heel reaction as he comes to the ring. Bischoff tells us that Bruiser demolished Regal’s nose and cheek bone last night at UnCeNSoReD. Bruiser controls the head to start and then knocks Savage loopy with a couple European uppercuts. Savage comes back with a clothesline and a running knee takes Bruiser to the floor. On the outside, Bruiser sends Savage into the post and drops him sternum-first on the guardrail. Bruiser dishes out more punishment before going back into the ring. Back in, a short-arm clothesline gets two. And just like that, Bruiser misses a corner charge and eats a MACHO ELBOW for the 1-2-3. (5:05) Typical Nitro match for Savage. *¾

Gene Okerlund brings out the World Champ Ric Flair and his two ladies. What’s causin’ all this, Giant? Gene asks him what was up with Luger nailing you last night. Flair says that Luger just wants to be the Natcha Boy. WOO!

• WCW U.S. Heavyweight Champion Konnan vs. Mr. JL

Bischoff says that JL beat Dean Malenko in the WCW Cruiserweight title tournament last night before the PPV. Although not recognized in America, Shinjiro Ohtani already beat Chris Benoit to become the first champion five days prior to this show. We’ll just have to see how this works out when Malenko wins the belt in a few weeks. JL hits a pair of tilt-a-whirl headscissors takedowns to put Konnan on the floor. Back in, Konnan keeps JL grounded with some weird arm drags. JL counters a monkey flip, but then gets nailed with a DDT. Bischoff interrupts and says that in the back, Randy Savage is going nuts trying to get his hands on Ric Flair. Meanwhile in the ring, they trade wheelbarrow armdrags. Jumping back elbow from JL leaves both men down on the mat. JL hits a missile dropkick, but then lands on the back of Konnan’s knee, which can’t feel good. Cover, 1-2-NO! Konnan fights back with a Doctorbomb for a nearfall. JL counters a Splash Mountain into a sunset flip for two. After a rollup sequence, JL stops Konnan on the middle rope and DDTs him to the mat! Cover, 1-2-NO! Off a corner whip, JL tries to leap over Konnan but gets caught for the Alabama Slam into a jackknife cover for 1-2-3. (6:22) Pretty good, but definitely wasn’t without some noticeable sloppiness. **½

• The Booty Man vs. Disco Inferno

Evidently DDP sold his diamond rings to Disco for cash now that he’s a total bum, because he’s wearing them to the ring. Still wearing that retarded ballerina costume from last night, the Booty Babe comes down to cheer her man on. At one point, Booty Man lets her spank him. High Knee gets the win. (1:17) Booty Man gives Kimberly another kiss. Oh, the things people will do in wrestling. ¼*

WCW Saturday Night! Watch it! 6:05PM eastern! TBS! WCW TV Champion Lex Luger takes on Shark! Sting versus Dean Malenko! Ric Flair will be in action! Plus, the Belfast Bruiser meets Earl Robert of Eaton! And the Giant against Big Bubba? It’s the MUTHASHIP, IF YOU WHEEEEELL! PAY WINDAHS, CLUBBERIN’, and PLUNDAH, BABY!

• WCW World Tag Team Champions Sting & Lex Luger vs. The American Males

Haha, Bischoff informs us that Marcus Bagwell will be transitioning over to the “silver screen” to be in an upcoming Andy Sidaris film. Classy! On his way to the ring, Luger makes sure to have a big smile on his face as he high-fives the crowd whenever Sting is looking at him. Riggs hits a dropkick and a backdrop to start on Luger. He turns away to high-five Bagwell and gets blindsided by Lex. Luger tears Riggs up and then knocks Bagwell off the apron just to be a total douche. Bagwell retaliates and pulls Lex out to brawl. Lex buries a knee and tries to throw Bagwell into the guardrail when Sting and Riggs come over and break it up. Back in, Lex backs away from Bagwell and tags Sting. They run the ropes a bit, ending with Bagwell getting a backdrop on Sting. Sting blocks a powerslam and hits a pair of slams on Bagwell instead. Since this is all friendly competition, Bagwell gives Sting a thumbs up and tags Riggs. Tag to Luger, the American Males give him a double-hiptoss. Splash by Bagwell gets two. Luger sidesteps a crossbody out of the corner and stomps the daylights out of Bagwell. He even puts the bad mouth to Bagwell, which brings a weird look on Sting’s face. Bagwell hits a flying forearm and tags Riggs. Bagwell knocks Luger to the floor with a forearm to get rid of him, but then Sting delivers a crossbody block for the 1-2-3. (6:31) This was actually not bad and told a good story with Luger being all passive aggressive. Luger leaves Sting in the ring, so Sting celebrates with his other buddies. **½

• WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair (w/Woman & Elizabeth) vs. The Giant (w/Jimmy Hart)

On their way to the ring, Liz and Woman throw some of Savage’s money out into the crowd. Most of it doesn’t even make it within arm’s length of the people at ringside. Savage tries to get at them, but security holds him back. With him being held there, it allows Liz and Woman to slap the guy. Dang, Randy. Jimmy Hart leaves his Giant alone to take on Flair and heads to the back. Giant NO-SELLS Flair a bunch and gives him a couple press slams. Whoa, they need to be careful here to not turn him face. Press slams are Babyface 101! Giant brings Flair back into the ring once he tries to leave. Back in, Giant NO-SELLS more chops and gives Flair a suplex! He whips Flair in for the Flair Corner Flip. Flair runs down the apron and flies right into Giant’s arms for a backbreaker. Meanwhile, Bischoff is hyping the Hog Wild PPV that doesn’t even happen for another four months. Giant goes up top for a flying splash, but Flair moves even though he would have missed him by a mile anyway. Giant misses a corner splash much like he did against Loch Ness last night and tumbles out to the floor. While Liz distracts ref Randy Anderson, Woman slips Flair some piano wire or something to choke down Giant. In the ring, Flair gets Giant down to his knees and pounds away. Giant shoves Flair back so he can get up to his feet, but then Flair field goal kicks Giant in the balls. With the Giant down, Woman chokes him some more with the wire. It’s just not enough though, as Giant gets up and slams Flair off the top. DOWN COMES THE SINGLE STRAP! Giant gives Flair a CHOKESLAM! The women run in to plead with the Giant as Arn Anderson runs down and BLASTS Giant in the back with a chair! Kevin Sullivan follows after him and grabs the chair away from AA. When Giant turns around, he sees Sullivan with the chair and assumes he’s the one who hit him. CHOKESLAM to Sullivan! Arn’s so excited! Oh, but the Giant ASSUMES NOTHING and delivers a CHOKESLAM to Arn as well! Finally, the bell rings. This match is determined a no-contest. (8:56) Jimmy Hart is in now and jumping all over the place. Since Giant can’t trust anybody in the ring, he leaves by himself and heads to the back. This was cool with Giant teasing a face turn, but it feels like it’s all going to be moot within the next few weeks. **½

Next week, Hulk Hogan and Booty Man will be facing Arn Anderson and Kevin Sullivan. HOW’S THAT GONNA WORK? We’ll just have to wait and see. And with that, WE ARE OUTTA HERE!