WCW 1996 - Nitro 8/7 posted

Pyro explodes around the set based in the heart of Disney/MGM Studios in Orlando, as WCW brings to you the hottest wrestling show on television! Tony Schiavone, Mike Tenay and Larry Zbyszko open the show, discussing the historic events of last night's Bash at the Beach pay-per-view. Schiavone says stills will be provided later on in hour #2 as well as details of the encore presenation, but fans are warned they are shocking. Stills are shown of the crowd reaction, tossing garbage into the ring and children sobbing by the guard rails. We begin the show with our first bout..

Rey Misterio, Jr. defeats Dean Malenko with a hurricanrana into a roll-up to become the new WCW Cruiserweight Champion.
Nitro starts in the most grandiose of fashions, with the lightning-quick Rey Misterio, Jr. ending the Iceman's reign as King of the Cruiserweight division. Malenko tries to wear down his opponent but despite all the physical punishment, the will and desire to win remain. Malenko hoists Misterio up for an intended double underhook powerbomb but it's reversed with a hurricanrana, with Misterio holding onto Malenko's leg and gaining the 1-2-3. Rey Misterio, Jr. earned his rematch with Malenko last night by defeating his nemesis Psychosis, and is now your new Cruiserweight Champion. This tops their match from the Great American Bash.

A commercial airs for our next pay-per-view event, the first of it’s kind! Live from Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, all your favourite WCW stars will battle it out at Hog Wild!. Hog Wild is available on pay-per-view on August 10, with more information available from all local cable and pay-per-view providers. The announcers discuss Hog Wild and what involvement the new alliance of Hulk Hogan and the Outsiders will have on this event. Schiavone reminds us that we will see images from Bash at the Beach in hour #2.

The Steiner Bros. defeat The Nasty Boys via count-out.
These are two of the best teams going in professional wrestling. Hard-hitting, teeth-clenching tag team specialists clash in chance to prove themselves worthy of a World Tag Team title shot. Knobbs and Sags cheap illegal tricks are not enough to beat the former champs, and they know it. Scott nails the frankensteiner on Knobbs, but Sags hooks his partner’s leg and drags him to safety. The Nastys live to fight another day here, but at the price of an important victory.

Gene Okerlund is in the ring like a flash and wants a word from the Steiners. He asks for their reaction to Hogan, Hall and Nash and the ending to Bash at the Beach. The Steiners condemn Hogan. “He’s aligned himself away from WCW. If that’s what he wants, we don’t care. Hogan has shown his true colours. We’re WCW through-and-through, 24/7, and we will always defend these fans and this business”.

Hugh Morrus (with Jimmy Hart) defeats Chavo Guerrero, Jr.
Morrus is a big, bad son-of-a-gun, and it's a complete mis-match here in this encounter with the cruiserweight Chavo, Jr. Morrus sells some of the high-flying stuff well, he’s incredibly agile for a 300lbs-er. But it’s not enough for Chavo, Jr., and he’s put down with a running powerbomb. Signalling for the finish, Morrus flattens his opponent and ends the match with a brilliant moonsault, the “No Laughing Matter”. A good showing for the Dungeon of Doom.

WCW U.S Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair (with Elizabeth and Woman) defeats V.K. Wallstreet in a non-title match.
The Nature Boy battles an old adversary in Wallstreet. Flair looks troubled by Wallstreet’s offense, downed with a huge vertical suplex and stiff elbows to the side of the head. But Flair is not about to beaten, especially with several WCW stars gunning for his belt. He breaks out his routine after Wallstreet whips him into and over the top turnbuckle. As he advances, Flair jams his thumb into Wallstreet’s eye and takes control. Stiff chops proceed a piledriver, and then the figure-four leglock. Wallstreet taps, Ric Flair is your winner!

Following a commercial break, Eric Bischoff and Bobby Heenan welcome us to the second hour of the hottest show in professional wrestling, Monday Nitro! Hour two will see those Bash at the Beach images as well as Sting vs. Anderson, Eddy Guerrero in action, and words from WCW World Heavyweight Champion The Giant!

Gene Okerlund welcomes his guest at this time. Accompanied by “the Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart, the WCW World Heavyweight Champion The Giant! Hart leads out the Dungeon of Doom’s prized asset with the big gold belt draped over his enormous frame. Okerlund questions Giant about his future intentions following several key incidents last night at Bash at the Beach, including a big tag team victory over Arn Anderson and Chris Benoit, and Hulk Hogan turning his back on WCW. Giant says that he proved why he is the World Champion when he almost drilled Arn Anderson through the ring with the chokeslam. He will do that to anyone who wants to try and take the belt from him, and that includes Hulk Hogan. He knows that to take control of WCW, Hogan will need what Giant has. Giant says that last night, Hogan destroyed Hulkamania himself, and now only Hogan, the man himself, remains. However, if Hogan crosses him, he will destroy all that remains of Hogan, and he will be erased from professional wrestling forever.

Eddy Guerrero defeats Mr. J.L.
Another great cruiserweight match to treat the WCW audience. Plenty of back-and-forth action, including J.L. nailing a picture-perfect plancha on Guerrero to the delight of the Disney spectators. Guerrero later replied with a plancha of his own! From there, it was all over as Guerrero forced J.L. into submission with a cloverleaf hold.

It’s revealed that WCW Saturday Night will feature Meng and Barbarian against Bagwell and Riggs, Lord Regal against Iaukeau, and an appearance by the Macho Man!

Diamond Dallas Page defeats Mark Starr.
This one is all DDP. Page looks to shoot up the card with an impressive display in the ring. Mark Starr is no real threat to the former Television Champ. Page unleashes a flurry of offensive moves including a pumphandle slam, short-arm clothesline and a gigantic DDT on his way to the win, topped off with an epic Diamond Cutter. The fans seem to like this supposed bad guy!

A vignette airs to hype the newest star heading to WCW. He is Glacier!

The announcers discuss last night’s WCW pay-per-view event Bash at the Beach and the shocking incident that unfolded. Stills are shown as Savage, Sting and Luger defend WCW’s honour, confronted by only two of their three expected opponents. Mind games continued throughout the match – who is the third man? Hall and Nash dominate a physical contest, resulting in injury to the throat of Luger and he has to be stretchered from the ring. It’s two-on-two and WCW is in trouble. That is, until, Hulk Hogan comes to the rescue. Clearing the ring, he saves Savage from impending doom, but instead turns and drops his leg across the throat of the Macho Man. Kids are crying, the fans are filled with anger and disbelief as the ring fills with garbage. Hogan demands respect for this “new world order of professional wrestling”. The announcers continue their discussion of this “new world order”, fearing the worst for WCW. Will the hostile takeover of this organisation continue, and what will it mean for WCW’s future?

Sting defeats Arn Anderson.
Our Nitro main event pits two of WCW’s biggest stars against each other. The veteran Anderson controls Sting as only he can do, but it won’t be enough to beat his tough opponent. Mid-way through the match we see the Outsiders make there way out to the ring, their intentions obviously to cause havoc and disruption to the programme. Surprisingly, they don’t have new recruit Hogan with them. Randy Savage and Lex Luger come out to counter their presence, though Luger is wearing a neck brace, only highlighting a potential weakness and the damage that the Outsiders can inflict. Luger grabs a steel chair and forces Hall and Nash’s retreat back up to the entrance way. Meanwhile, in the ring, Double A has been caught with a Stinger Splash and is tied in a knot by Sting’s scorpion deathlock! Anderson taps to give Sting the win. He turns his attention to the Outsiders as he is joined by Savage and Luger in the ring. Hall and Nash taunt them. Nash points at Sting and tells him to “be ready” as Nitro goes off the air.