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
MARCH 11, 1996
PHOENIX, ARIZ.
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER (ISSUE #379)
(Live from Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Eric Bischoff opened the show saying something about Nitro being the hottest show “each and every week.” (Well, almost every week). He, Steve McMichael, and Bobby Heenan opened the program…
(1) The Giant (mgd. by Jimmy Hart) beat Hacksaw Duggan at 6:24. Early in the match fans held up banners in the crowd saying, “Call Brian” and then a 900 number under it. Bischoff tried to ignore the chaos, but when he saw that it was Brian Pillman in the crowd, he ran down and joined security in getting Pillman escorted out of the building. He then returned to the broadcast booth and in a smart move, didn’t mention the distraction again. The Giant threw the referee to the side as Duggan re-entered the ring and nailed Giant with a foreign object, taking Giant to the mat. Jimmy Hart tried to steal it, but Duggan grabbed him. That gave Giant a chance to get to his feet and surprise Duggan with a chokeslam for the victory…
-Gene Okerlund interviewed Steve Grissom…
(2) The Road Warriors defeated Rick & Scott Steiner when Hawk pinned Rick at 10:15. The Steiners rode to the ring on motorcycles from behind a black curtain. Bischoff said that either the Steiners or Road Warriors had knocked the Nasty Boys out of action and the Steiners were replacing them. Both teams exchanged powermoves in the opening minutes. At 5:30 the bout slowed with Animal being held on the mat with submission moves.
At 7:00 Scott and Animal hit each other with simultaneous clotheslines. While Raw was in a commercial Bischoff plugged Uncensored’s line-up for the benefit of Raw viewers who channel flip. Hawk got a hog-tag and cleared the ring of Scott Steiner and powerslammed Rick Steiner. Hawk powerwhipped Animal into Rick in the corner. Animal then set Rick up for a top rope clothesline. Scott made the save from what looked like a match-ending cover. Rick then belly to back suplexed Hawk. Scott went to the top rope to return the favor to Hawk. He waited just long enough for Animal to stop him.
Hawk recovered enough to flip Rick off of him. Scott then clotheslined Hawk. Animal nailed Scott. A four-way brawl broke out. Scott hit a frankensteiner, but Animal broke up the pin. Scott lifted Hawk onto his shoulders and Rick hit a top rope bulldog. Animal, though, hit Rick with his boot and Hawk covered Rick for the pinfall win at 10:15. A good match… Okerlund interviewed Scott Steiner after the match. He said they were waiting for The Road Warriors to face them, but they never came, so they came to WCW to get the Warriors. Rick finally got to his feet and said they came to wrestle and the Warriors use dirty tactics to win. “It ain’t the end,” he concluded…
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of “PWTorch ’90s Pastcast” with Patrick Moynahan and Alex McDonald, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
(3) Lex Luger pinned Alex Wright at 6:10. Bischoff buried Badd during the ring intros. Luger showed frustration at 4:10 after Wright had the advantage a few times in the match. Luger began slapping him and screaming at him. Wright caught a charging Luger with a boot. Bischoff pointed out that Sting was in Los Angeles on business… At 6:08 Jimmy Hart came to ringside and interfered with Wright on the top rope. Luger caught Wright off the ropes and dropped him over the top rope for a three count. Luger screamed at Hart afterward that he wasn’t supposed to be there and shoved him away. Wright did a really good job against Luger, but the fans weren’t into him at all…
(4) Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage & Bootie Man beat Ric Flair & Arn Anderson & Kevin Sullivan when Hogan pinned Flair at 6:30 after a legdrop. There was noticeable booing for Hogan’s entrance. Bischoff acknowledged it by saying they were in Flair country. At the start, Giant held Hogan as Flair chopped him. Lock Ness accidentally whipped Giant leading to them brawling. The fans got behind Hogan as he punched Flair ten times in the corner. A minute later the fans popped for Flair choking Hogan with the strap… Okerlund interviewed the heels regarding the Uncensored cage match against Hogan…
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