WCW Bash At The Beach 1996 Review - July 7th, 1996

WCW Bash at the Beach

July 7th, 1996

Daytona Beach, Florida

“It’s more than just the bash at the beach. It’s the attempt at a hostile takeover.”

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)

WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)

WCW Tag Team Champions: Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) (since 6/24/96)

WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)

WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Commentators - Bobby Heenan, Tony Schiavone, & Dusty Rhodes

The boys open the show talking about the morale of the locker room heading into tonight’s event and the unknown about the Outsiders, their attempted takeover, and their mysterious third man. 

1) Rey Misterio Jr. vs. Psychosis 

I don’t know where to start with this one. Or really even the words to say to properly review such a legendary match and one that holds up here, almost 30 years later. I had seen this match a few times before, but this was my first time in about 10 years. And man, I can’t lie. I watched it 3-4 times before moving forward with this show. It was just such a statement match and completely groundbreaking for its time. These two put on the most insane display of highflying and Lucha style pro wrestling. Just watch this match. Good lord. One of the best 15 min sprints ever in pro wrestling. Misterio wins at 15:18.

Match rating - ****1/2

Backstage, Konnan makes a statement toward Ric Flair and says no matter what he’s leaving with his US Title still in tact tonight. 

2) John Tenta vs. Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart) - Carson City Silver Dollar On A Pole Match 

“He’s got a leash around his neck, maybe he’s gonna take him outside.. maybe it’s that time of day.” -Bobby Heenan

Russo baby. Two 300+ boys climbing a pole. We are here. And it’s about as dumb as you’d expect. But atleast it’s entertaining.. sort of. They do shit. Choke each other with a strap. Jimmy climbs the pole for Tenta, but Bubba knocks Tenta on his ass while Hart is on the pole and takes the silver dollars from Hart when he comes down to win the match. 

Match rating - **

Backstage, Macho & Luger are fired the fuck up and they’re honored to be a part of the team representing WCW against the outsiders tonight. Sting says the unknown makes his mouth water so it doesn’t matter who the surprise man is. LETS GOO.

3) Diamond Dallas Page vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan - Lord of the Ring Taped Fist Match 

WCW Monday Nitro Review - July 1st, 1996

WCW Monday Nitro

July 1st, 1996

Landover, Maryland

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)

WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)

WCW Tag Team Champions: Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) (since 6/24/96)

WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)

WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbysko open the show. Before they can cover much, Diamond Dallas Page interrupts and says his ring has been stolen. He wants the building shut down and searched. They shew him away and replay the incident from last week where The Outsiders showed up and Harlem Heat stole the tag titles from Luger & Sting. That leads us into our first match of the evening. OO also, this was the first mention of "New World Order" as Zbysko said verbatim "there will be a new world order in professional wrestling on Sunday"... interesting. 

1) Harlem Heat (Booker T & Stevie Ray) (c) vs. The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott Steiner) - WCW World Tag Team Title Match

The Horsemen were shown at ringside watching this with their ENTOURAGE. This is decent. They go back and forth with stuff. There's some decent near falls down the stretch and some confusion on who the legal man is. Just as The Steiner's are building some momentum, Colonel Parker gets involved and it gives Harlem Heat the opening they needed to finish this one off and retain the titles. 

Match rating - **1/4

Mean Gene approaches the Four Horseman at ringside after the match. They all get a few minutes to speak. Mongo talks about why he did what he did and joined the horsemen and it's because MONEY MAKES THE MONKEY DANCE. This gets Flair all sorts of fired up.

2) Disco Inferno vs. Kurasawa (Manabu Nakanishi)

WCW Monday Nitro Review - June 24th, 1996

WCW Monday Nitro

June 24th, 1996

Charlotte, North Carolina 

LIVE FROM THE QUEEN CITY OF THE SOUTH 

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)

WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)

WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)

WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)

WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Tony Schiavone is on one tonight!! It’s Tony and Larry Zbysko for hour one again. They once again show us Nash & Hall destroying Eric Bischoff at Great American Bash a week ago. Meanwhile, the crowd is chanting “WE WANT FLAIR” — we are in Nature Boy country baby!!!! 

Backstage, Mean Gene has Luger, Sting, & Macho Man to talk about conquering The Outsiders and fighting for WCW. Harlem Heat and The Steiner’s interrupt. They basically say they’ll have their backs in fighting for WCW, but tonight they’re taking those tag titles. It’s a triangle match for the WCW Tag Team Championships later on! 

1) Blue Bloods (Lord Steven Regal & Dave Taylor) vs. Public Enemy 

WCW Monday Nitro Review - June 17th, 1996

WCW Monday Nitro 

June 17th, 1996

Richmond, Virginia

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)

WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)

WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)

WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)

WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Tony Schiavone is joined by Larry Zbysko tonight. They quickly recap everything that happened at the Great American Bash last night, most notably focusing on Kevin Nash and Scott Hall’s attack on Eric Bischoff. They tease showing the whole clip, but cut it before the full thing and say they will show the rest of the horrific attack later.

1) Rick Steiner vs. Stevie Ray 

Short, short match. But typical Steiners and Harlem stuff. Hard hitting power shit. Rick wins with the Steinerline. 

Match rating - *1/2

After the match, Booker T comes down to attack Richard and this brings Scott out to save his brother. Harlem Heat gets the upper hand and Rick seemingly injured his ribs during the attack. 

2) Disco Inferno vs. Joe Gomez 

WCW: Great American Bash 1996 Review - June 16th, 1996

WCW Great American Bash 1996

June 16th, 1996

Baltimore, Maryland 

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)

WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)

WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)

WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)

WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes welcome us to the event and preview all the main stories going on tonight including the major one involving Scott Hall & Kevin Nash being in attendance looking for a fight.

1) The Steiner Brothers vs. Fire & Ice - There Must be A Winner

This was a pretty banging opener between these bulky bastards. The crowd is hot for it, too. Norton isolates Scott and it leads to the hot tag to Rick and things break down. Steiner Bros comeback leads to some good false finishes before the FRANKENSTEINER from Scott ends things. These boy dropping bombs.

Match rating - **1/2

2) Konnan (c) vs. El Gato - US Heavyweight Title Match 

They tried their best here, but a lot of this looked clunky. It definitely didn’t deserve the boring chants that were scattered throughout. Konnan powerbombs Gato to the floor off the apron and Gato gets back in the ring before they can even really start counting for a count out and then they go to the finish. Just fucking weirrrd. This kinda was ass. 

Match rating - *3/4

Backstage, MEAN GENE IS WITH STING. They’re talking about our Lord Steven Regal. It gets real weird and 1996 real fast with Sting talking about how American men are raised different than the “prissies” in England. Meh meh. No good.

3) Diamond Dallas Page vs. Marcus Bagwell

WCW Monday Nitro Review - June 10th, 1996

WCW Monday Nitro 

June 10th, 1996 

Wheeling, West Virginia 

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)

WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)

WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)

WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)

WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Commentators - Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko (Hour One) and Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan (Hour Two) (ugh)  

Tony & Larry show us a replay of the verbal showdown between Scott Hall and Sting that ended the broadcast last week. Hall promised a big surprise for Sting this week so I guess we will be finding out what that entails tonight. This is the final Nitro before The Great American Bash PPV. 

1) Booker T vs. Scott Steiner 

These two are normally in tag matches around this time, but tonight they’re going singles. This is short and inoffensive. A lot of power moves and trading kicks & suplexes. Booker dominates most of it only to lose in the end after about 5-6 minutes. The Steiner’s have a PPV match coming up against Fire & Ice so makes sense for Scott to get the win here. 

Match rating - **1/4

Back from commercial, Mean Gene is interviewing Scott Steiner. He gets interrupted by Debra. Debra hasn’t been able to sleep worrying about her husband’s well being at the PPV Sunday and she wants a meeting with Flair & Anderson to call off the match. Mean Gene says he will try to arrange it. 

2) “Diamond” Dallas Page vs. Jim Powers 

WCW Monday Nitro Review - June 3rd, 1996

WCW Nitro 

June 3rd, 1996 

Asheville, North Carolina

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)

WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)

WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)

WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)

WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Commentators - Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko (Hour One) and Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan (Hour Two) (ugh)  

The Shark opens the show on the ramp to discuss the hair shaving he suffered last week at the hands of Big Bubba. Mean Gene Okerlund hosts the interview. Shark says he’s not a Shark.. he’s a man and his name is John Tenta and he’s gonna destroy Big Bubba and make him feel how he felt last week! AW HELL. Tenta charges the ring and we are underway. 

1) John Tenta vs. Big Bubba (w/ Jimmy Hart)

Tenta hits a body slam and some stuff starting off on fire. Bubba flees the ring when Tenta pulls out some scissors. This leads to a countout victory for Tenta. 

Awesome backstage interview segment between The Steiners and Sting/Luger, they clash tonight and I can't wait. 

2) High Voltage (Ruckus & Chaos) vs. Faces of Fear (The Barbarian & Meng)

This is the WCW debut for High Voltage. Faces of Fear fucking destroy them. Barbarian hits Ruckus with a belly to belly off the top turnbuckle and considering size of them both, it’s nuts. Mafia Kick from Meng gets them the win. 

Match rating - **

3) Craig Pittman (w/ Teddy Long) vs. Disco Inferno 

WCW Monday Nitro Review - May 27th, 1996

WCW Monday Nitro
May 27th, 1996

Macon, Georgia

WCW World Champion: The Giant (since 4/29/96)

WCW US Champion: Konnan (since 1/29/96)

WCW Tag Team Champions: Sting & Lex Luger (since 1/22/96)

WCW TV Champion: Lex Luger (since 3/6/96)

WCW Cruserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (since 5/18/96) 

Commentators - Tony Schiavone & Larry Zbyszko (Hour One) and Eric Bischoff & Bobby Heenan (Hour Two) (ugh)  

SO outside of a very few select matches (mostly cruserweight stuff), I haven't watched hardly any WCW. My dad was a WWF/Stone Cold head so as a kid, that's all that was on so I don't even have any childhood memories or knowledge of WCW. BUT with having so much time at home recently, I figured there would be no better time to start diving into the company and what better place to start than as the Monday Night Wars were picking up and as the NWO formation began to be teased?

This is the first broadcast of Nitro as a two hour program head to head with Raw's one hour program.

1) Ric Flair & Arn Anderson vs. The American Males 

God, Flair & Anderson are SO GOOD. They make this match somehow seem interesting and believable. They get the win after 11 minutes which you could argue they didn't need but they worked it perfectly and it flew by. 

Match rating - *** 

2) Steve Doll vs. Mike Enos

This gets interrupted and one of the most historic moments in WCW history takes place. SCOTT HALL walks through the crowd and cuts the well renowned promo - "You want a war? You've got one..." Crowd is awkwardly quiet in complete shock and awe. WHAT IS GOIN ON. Epic epic moment that is a huge hallmark in the history of the Monday Night Wars and pro wrestling as a whole. 

3) Craig Pittman vs. Diamond Dallas Page

TEDDY LONG is ringside with Pittman. Page gets the win in a glorified squash. D D P.

Bischoff welcomes us to hour two of Nitro. Man he realllllly is so openly trying to outdo WWE with these little things as Raw was only an hour long at the time and he made a huge deal out of Nitro being 2 hours and being in it's second hour as Raw is just starting for it's one hour program. 

4) The Giant (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs. The Shark - WCW World Heavyweight Title Match