SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 30 years ago this week in the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter paper copy…
KELLER’S WCW NITRO REPORT
FEBRUARY 19, 1996
PHOENIX, ARIZ.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER (ISSUE #375/376)
(Live from Salisbury, Md.)… Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and Steve McMichael introduced and previewed the program. McMichael said Hulk Hogan has never lost to the same man twice, so he would soundly defeat Arn Anderson. They then showed the WCW car with driver Steve Grissom winning a Daytona race last week…
(1) Arn Anderson (mgd. by Woman) defeated Hulk Hogan via DQ. During Hogan’s ring introduction, Bischoff said, “Hey, can you hear that? That incessant whining coming from the northeast part of the building. Kinda sounds like… Aw, never mind.” Obviously a shot at McMahon’s complaining in recent weeks about unfair business practices. Hogan attacked Anderson at the bell, ripping off his jacket, and brawling to ringside. At 2:00 Hogan played possum and caught Anderson with a clothesline off the top rope.
When plugging Baywatch, Bischoff mentioned Hogan, Ric Flair, Kevin Sullivan, Randy Savage, and “the guy that left here with his tail tucked between his legs, of course we’re talking about Vader, on the receiving end of a physical conversation with I believe Paul Orndorff in the locker room not long ago.” McMichael added, “I don’t believe Mr. Vader would agree with the demise of Paul Orndorff.” (All in reference to the locker room brawl chronicled in the Torch last year.) Bobby Heenan, as usual, stayed out of the WWF-bashing.
Hogan took a Hulkamania handkerchief off of a fan at ringside and choked Anderson with it. He then handed it back to the fan when he was done. Not exactly a frying pan, but it’ll pass. Bischoff continued, “Without question, it’s not even close, the most watched program each and every Monday.” Bischoff acknowledged that a Cruiserweight Champion would be crowned in coming months.
At 6:00 Anderson went for a DDT, but Hogan slipped out. Hogan then gave Arn a boot to the face and instead of going for the pin, after playing to the crowd, he went for the figure-four. Kevin Sullivan attempted to interfere, but Randy Savage cut him off at the pass. The ref saw Savage in the ring and DQ’d Hogan for his presence…
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Gene Okerlund interviewed Steve Grissom… (2) Loch Ness pinned Alex Wright at 2:30. Wright sat on the top rope and applied a sleeper, but Loch Ness flipped him to the mat and a minute later dropped an elbow for a win. Competitive, but still a squash…
(3) Belfast Bruiser beat Brad Armstrong at 6:40. Lots of talk about the Cruiserweight Title during the match, but again they demeaned the Cruiserweight Title by saying jobber Brad Armstrong would be a contender for the belt. They also ran down some top names from Japan who would contend. Bischoff talked about having met with Antonio Pena recently and was looking forward to featuring AAA talent in WCW soon. In the end, Armstrong hit a back suplex but Bruiser hit a salto slam for the pinfall. Bruiser called for Regal afterward…
(4) Ric Flair pinned Randy Savage to retain the WCW Title at 11:20. McMichael referred to Woman and Elizabeth as “bulletin board material” (as in Missy Hiatt?) Bischoff made reference to Elizabeth rubbing Savage’s face that she has half of his money and lives in “his” house. Bischoff talked about Savage being wound up tight and said he was talking from personal experience when saying he shouldn’t be riled up. Bischoff said, “It’s a war and as is usually the case the most desperate men may win the battle but they’ll never win the war.”
Woman threw her shoe to Flair, but Savage caught it and nailed Flair. Savage covered Flair, but he kicked out. Meanwhile, as Hogan beat on Sullivan at ringside, Anderson DDT’d Savage. Flair then draped his arm over Savage for the win. Afterward, Sullivan, Anderson, and Flair attacked Hogan. The Boodieman (a/k/a Brutus Beefcake, Zodiac) made the save and fired up the crowd…
The show ended with chaos around the announcers and Hogan demanding a six-man next week on Nitro…
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