WCW Monday Nitro
September 30, 1996
Cleveland, OH
CSU Convocation Center

The current WCW champs were as follows:
WCW World Champion: Hollywood Hogan (8/10/1996)
WCW U.S. Champion: Ric Flair (7/7/1996)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: Public Enemy (9/23/1996)
WCW World Television Champion: Lord Steven Regal (8/20/1996)
WCW World Cruiserweight Champion: Rey Mysterio (7/8/1996)

During the week, the Wrestling Observer reported that a “woman called the WCW office complaining because her five year old had spray painted NWO on her one year old.” It’s no surprise that some parents are just stupid.

HOUR NUMBER ONE! Your hosts are Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko.

We go over to Eric Bischoff for an apology on what happened last week when the new World order hijacked Nitro when all the good guys were gone to Japan. This nWo thing has GOT TO STOP! He again confesses his one and only mistake while he’s been with WCW – bringing in Hulk Hogan.

• WCW World Tag Team Champions Public Enemy vs. El Technico & Juventud Guerrera
  

El Technico is Billy Kidman under a mask playing a Mexican luchadore. It’s a one shot deal. He’s dressed like El Caliente which is Eddie Guerrero’s alter ego he used in 1997. Don’t know why they couldn’t have just let him be Billy Kidman. It’s not like they didn’t just have Juventud in a tag match with a gringo last week. Juvi nails Rocco with a springboard headscissors which takes him to the floor, but then he dodges a baseball slide and tosses Juventud into the guardrail. Back inside, El Technico takes a side slam/flying elbow from the Public Enemy. It breaks down as Juvi takes a wild backdrop bump out to the floor. That leaves El Technico all alone for a DRIVE BY to give PE the win. (2:06) Enjoy it while you can, because the Heat regain the tag belts in six days. Afterwards, Rocco somersault planchas El Technico through a table and then they leave through the crowd. ¾*

In the back, Mike Tenay continues to handle the interviews as he is standing by Chris Benoit, Steve McMichael, and Debra. Mongo and Deb are here not only to represent the Four Horsemen, but to support Benoit tonight in his match against Rick Steiner. That’s our main event?

We head over to the new World order suite at the Cleveland Marriot. Six year-old “Nasty Nick at Nite” (wtf Hulk?) Hogan is sitting on his daddy’s lap. Hollywood says Nick’s mom is going to let him watch every nWo Monday Nitro from here on out. Well, that’s going to be one disappointed kid. DiBiase says WCW is having to pay for this commercial time now because they lost Wargames. Nash makes a random Ross Perot joke. Then again, this is 1996. Also, Debra McMichael wants him…bad. Yeah, it’s just general hanging out fun for the new World order.

• Dean Malenko vs. Alex Wright
  

Malenko brings Rey’s mask to the ring that he stole on Saturday Night and places it on a ringpost. Some nice basic mat stuff to start until we go to a break. After some commercials, Malenko dumps Wright out when he tries an ab stretch for some guardrail action. Back in, Malenko gets distracted by the Rey mask, which causes Wright to capitalize with a sunset flip. Malenko blocks that and grabs a legbar. Wright comes back with a flurry of offense. Spinning heel kick connects, but he misses a corner charge. Lucky for him, he also manages to duck away from a flying bodypress. With Malenko down on his hands and knees, Wright jumps over and gets a quick rolling cradle for the upset 1-2-3. (5:17 shown) Match of the night, but why the upset when Malenko’s already signed to face Mysterio at Halloween Havoc? Is “too focused” on Mysterio and nobody else? That doesn’t work for me. **¼

Two days ago on Saturday Night in a match with Randy Savage taking on Big Bubba, Elizabeth watched on from the tunnel while Savage beat up referees – specifically Nick Patrick.

There’s supposed to be an interview with Randy Savage, but there’s no Randy Savage to be found. WHERE IS HE? HAS HE BEEN BEATEN UP BY THE NWO? WHAT IS HAPPENING?!

• Eddie Guerrero vs. Jim Powers (w/Teddy Long)
  

You’d think the confidence of Jim Powers would be a little shattered after being violated by the new World order last week, but apparently not. This is the first we’ve seen of Eddie Guerrero since the Clash. They show Olympic silver medal winner Matt Ghaffari in attendance again. Are they REALLY looking for a counter to Mark Henry? Nick Patrick is the ref for this match. He’s wearing a neck collar like he was in an automobile accident in that beatdown from Randy Savage. Eddie escapes a headlock and leads Powers into a jumping heel kick and a Hilo for two. Guerrero flips out of a suplex, but Powers fires back and nobody seems to care. Overhead belly to belly suplex gets two for Powers. Here come the nWo picketers through the crowd. Eddie fights out of a chinlock, but Powers catches him up top and brings him down with a superplex for 1-2-NO! Guerrero shoves Powers out of a slam and tries an O’Connor roll, but that fails so Eddie has to transition into a German suplex for 1-2-3. (6:27) Looked like Jim Powers got his shoulder up at two, which leads to Teddy Long arguing with an “injured” referee. That gets the biggest crowd reaction of the match. **

Back over at the hotel, the Nasty Boys join the party. They think the nWo are doing more for them than WCW ever did. I hear the first mention of the word “wolfpack” as “Nasty Nick at Nite” is wearing his Wolfman Halloween mask. Jerry Sags does his best Eric Bischoff impression inspired by Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.

WCW Saturday Night! Watch it IF YOU WEEL! 6:05PM eastern! TBS! The Rock N Roll Express battles Chris Benoit and Steve McMichael! Plus, WCW world tag team champs Public Enemy takes on Harlem Heat for their title rematch! Jim Powers meets the Disco Inferno! Don’t miss out! It’s the MUTHASHIP! PAY WINDAHS, CLUBBERIN AND PLUNDAH, BABY!

In the back, now Mike Tenay has Arn Anderson, Woman, and Elizabeth for an interview. More of the same stuff. Liz is either with the Four Horsemen or she’s not, but she has to make a choice. WHERE DO YOU STAND, LIZ?

• Hugh Morrus vs. Brad Armstrong
  

Wonder why Jimmy Hart never comes out with Hugh Morrus anymore? Tentative match to start until Armstrong misses a dropkick. After the second hour fireworks finish, Morrus takes over. Armstrong fights out of a chinlock and hits an enziguri. Backslide gets two. Small package gets two. Armstrong tries a RUSSIAN LEGSWEEP, but Morrus hooks the ropes and Armstrong hits the canvas. Not one, but TWO NO LAUGHING MATTER moonsaults gets the win for Morrus. (4:15) You know, the Hugh Morrus character is one they didn’t embellish upon enough. In fact, he almost goes completely ignored. It’s sad to think his only name to fame is being the first to job for Goldberg. *½

HOUR NUMBER TWO! Your hosts are Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and Mike Tenay.

Arn and Woman try to convince Elizabeth to make a decision, but she just keeps saying that “it’s complicated”.

Meanwhile, Eric Bischoff leaves the announce table to go find Randy Savage and then try and confront the new World order. Hopefully he’s not taking Savage with him. That could get CRAZY.

• Arn Anderson (w/Woman) vs. Chris Jericho
  

This just feels like a babyface slaughter. Schiavone joins Heenan and Tenay for the rest of the night. Since there’s a teasing of an upset, Jericho controls early with armbars. AA heads out and avoids any pescados and such, but then Jericho comes off the apron with a flying shoulderblock. Woman gets in Jericho’s face and slaps him around so Arn can PUNCH Jericho around. Back in, Arn comes off the middle rope and eats a dropkick. They head over to the apron as Jericho nails Arn to the floor with a springboard into a shoulderblock. Back inside, Jericho hits AA with a flying back elbow for 1-2-NO! He goes for LIONSAULT, but misses and gets dropped with the DDT for the 1-2-3. (5:35) Yep, Chris Jericho is dead. **

nWo t-shirt ad airs. It makes you look skinny on TV, says the Giant.

Backstage, Liz has packed her bags and she’s ready to go.

• Lex Luger vs. M. Wallstreet
  

I can’t believe Wallstreet’s so snooty now that he can’t reveal his full first name. Standard Rotunda match where he applies chinlocks and ab stretches and uses the ropes for leverage. Lex makes his comeback using his STEEL PLATED FOREARM SMASH. Wallstreet refuses to quit and nails Luger with the Write-Off (jumping lariat), but Lex avoids a suplex and hoists Wallstreet up in the TORTURE RACK for the win. (7:23) Wallstreet never had a chance. *½

To make up for accusing Sting of stabbing the entire company in the back by joining up with the new World order, WCW adds the likeness of his face on the hood of the WCW car. Gee Sting, hope you like Busch car racing!

• The Rock N Roll Express vs. The Faces of Fear (w/Jimmy Hart)

This crowd has been crapping on most everything tonight not Four Horsemen or new World order related. This match is no different. Morton tries to stop Meng early with a sleeper, but that fails. Barbarian catches Morton off a crossbody and Gibson comes in to dropkick them over. The RNR Express try to get the quick pinfalls, but it’s dead on this crowd. I don’t know what their problem is. Gibson gets a Jack Brisco rollup on Barbarian for two as we take a commercial break. When we return, Morton is trying to get another quick pin on Barbarian. Meng drops Morton with a piledriver and grabs a nerve hold. In comes Barbarian with the KICK OF FEAR for 1-2-NO! Gibson saves. Barbarian delivers one NASTY powerbomb for 1-2-NO! Backbreaker gets two. More face in peril stuff follows as Morton seemingly has no chance. STEREO HARLEY RACE DIVING HEADBUTTS gets 1-2-NO! Barbarian tries a FLYING HEADBUTT, but Morton moves and HOT TAGS GIBSON! Of course he does the unnecessary tuck and roll into the tag. DOUBLE DROPKICK to Meng! Now Jimmy Hart hops up on the apron and Gibson grabs hold of him, but then Barbarian saves with a KICK OF FEAR for 1-2-3. (8:25 shown) The Faces of Fear beat on Gibson some more until Public Enemy run in for the save. Rocco takes a backdrop out while Grunge takes a chopblock from Meng. Not only that, but then Barbarian holds him down while Meng splashes the knee. They’re trying to break his leg! You DO NOT want to mess with Dungeon of Doom business. **

Back over at the nWo party, everybody talks too much until Hollywood Hogan straight up tells them all to shut up. Kyle Petty is now at the party. He says he didn’t even know WCW had a car! The man’s got JOKES.

• Chris Benoit (w/Steve McMichael & Debra) vs. Rick Steiner
  

It’s a big scuffle to start until Steiner launches Benoit with a release German suplex. Benoit fires back with a clothesline, but Steiner fires back and grabs a chinlock. Benoit avoids an elbow drop and hits a Snap Suplex. Steinerline connects and Benoit leapfrogs into a powerslam. That gets two. Alright, that’s enough wrestling. Debra distracts ref Nick Patrick while Mongo breaks up a Belly to Belly Superplex by striking Steiner in the back with the Haliburton briefcase. That gets the three-count. (4:25) Good for what we saw, but criminally short. **

Before we go, we head over to the nWo party one last time. Elizabeth is there now! They’ve offered her a contract! She’s really unsure about this decision. Hogan’s offering her movie deals – I didn’t know she could act. Then again it never stopped Hulk from getting paid. Vincent walks in with a present for Hogan as Liz leaves with a lot to ponder. As she’s walking down the hallway, Randy Savage BOLTS over to her and yells at Liz accusing her of setting him up for something. Oh boy, is he pissed.

And that’s our show!

Looks like some of Halloween Havoc’s matches on October 27 are already set.

– MAIN EVENT: WCW World Champion Hollywood Hogan vs. Randy Savage
– WCW World Tag Team Champions Public Enemy vs. The Outsiders
– Lex Luger vs. Arn Anderson
– Eddie Guerrero vs. Diamond Dallas Page – ‘Lord of the Ring’ match
– WCW World Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Dean Malenko

BUT WAIT…HERE’S A SPECIAL BONUS MATCH!

– WCW World Tag Team Champions Public Enemy vs. Harlem Heat (w/Sister Sherri & Col. Robert Parker) – (WCW Saturday Night, 10/5/96)

Tony says this will be the final tag team championship match between now and Halloween Havoc so they’ll have their champions set and ready to take on the Outsiders. Remember the Faces of Fear attack on Johnny Grunge’s knee last week on Nitro. Stevie Ray and Rocco Rock start us off. Lots of CLUBBERIN going on here. Grunge gets a quick rollup on Stevie Ray for two, so he gets a kick in the knee. Tag to Booker, he nails the Hook Kick AND an enziguri for two. Uh oh, there’s so nWo people in the stands. Hall, Nash, Giant, Syxx – they’re all here, but far enough away to not get physically involved. The Heat get a little distracted, but they maintain control of the match. Grunge hits a desperation swinging neckbreaker on Booker, but the tag is still cut off. The Heat attempt a double-team on Grunge, but he puts on the brakes as Rocco charges in with a double bulldog. Rocco tries a DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER, but naturally they NO-SELL. Rocco ducks a double clothesline and tries a DOUBLE MOONSAULT PRESS, but only hits Booker. Ha, Stevie Ray falls anyway. Public Enemy hits the DRIVE BY on Booker, but while Sherri has the ref, Parker hooks Grunge’s leg using his cane when he tries to get through the ropes, allowing Stevie Ray to kick him in his bad knee. The interference continues as Stevie Ray just straight up WHACKS Grunge in the knee with Parker’s cane. Rocco takes Stevie Ray to the floor while Booker covers Grunge for the 1-2-3. (5:51) And the Heat win their SEVENTH WCW world tag team championship in two freaking years. Did Stevie Ray call the Outsiders ‘gay boys’ at the camera on his way backstage? Sounds like he did. If anybody would, that guy would definitely say that. ¾*