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
APRIL 1, 1996
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER (ISSUE #382)
(Live)
As the show went on the air, Sting and Giant were facing off. Eric Bischoff said that a moment earlier Jimmy Hart paid off Harlem Heat to bow out of the match so Giant could go after Sting one on one. Lex Luger eventually came to Sting’s aid and Giant left with Jimmy Hart… They showed footage from before they went on the air of Jimmy Hart paying off Heat…
(1) The Steiner Brothers beat The Road Warriors and The Nasty Boys in a triangle tag match. The rules were that any man could tag any man and if anyone scored a pin on anyone, they would be the winner tag team. After several minutes of solid basic action, the crowd popped as all six brawled at ringside. No sustained storyline took place because of the frequent tags. In one of the high points of the match, Brian Nobbs was about to be belly-to-bellied by Rick when the Road Warriors nailed both of them.
Nobbs and Rick both bumped to the floor. At 15:39 the Public Enemy came to ringside and nailed Brian Nobbs with a chair. With Nobbs knocked out, Johnny Grunge, who was dressed up as Nobbs, rolled into the ring. Scott pinned Grunge to gain the win for his team. Grunge then slithered out of the ring and laughed in the face of a stunned Nobbs. Creative finish, although the match itself was pretty non-descript…
(2) Hulk Hogan & Booty Man (w/Booty Babe) beat Kevin Sullivan & Arn Anderson (w/Woman and Elizabeth) when Hogan pinned Sullivan at 7:50. At 2:15 Booty man cleared the ring of Sullivan and Arn with a flying knee. At 3:20 Hogan tagged in and rammed the heels’ heads together. The heels got the advantage when Woman raked Booty Man’s eyes.
Hogan got a hot-tag and cleared the ring of the heels and when he played to the crowd he was met with audible boos. Hogan knocked out Sullivan with Woman’s shoe to score the win. Booty Man saved Booty Babe from the heels, so Booty Babe kissed Booty Man to reward him. After the match Anderson, Sullivan, and Woman attacked Booty Man and Hogan made the save…
Okerlund interviewed Hogan, Booty Man, and Booty Babe. Booty said he is tired of the heels always getting the last laugh on them. He said he has something he’s been keeping on the side to even the sides. All Hogan has to do is team with him on next week’s Nitro. He asked Hogan to trust him and they would get some “satisfaction.” Okerlund pointed out that it would have to be a week from Monday (because they’re off next week). On TV it sounded like Hogan and Booty got almost zero positive fan heat. During the next match, Bischoff somehow drew the conclusion that Booty Man was talking about getting Booty Babe in the match with Elizabeth and Woman on the opposing team…
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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(3) Ric Flair pinned Lex Luger at 10:55 to retain the WCW Title. As the referee held up the WCW Title, the nameplate still read “Macho Man.” Flair sounded like Mankind as he squealed when Luger twisted his arm during a test of a strength. Luger dominated with his strength until Flair caught him charging with an elbow to the face. Flair threw a temper tantrum after Luger clotheslined him over the top rope. As Flair begged off, he surprised Luger with a thumb to the eye. He threw some chops and the pro-Flair crowd “whooed” with him.
When the camera caught Flair calling spots in the ring, Bischoff astutely said, “Those two are trash talking in the ring. Luger is not about to be intimidated.” Woman helped Flair keep the advantage and at 7:45 Flair applied the figure-four in mid-ring. After brief action outside the ring, Luger scored two near falls.
Flair flipped over the top turnbuckle and came off the ropes. Luger caught him and suplexed him off the second rope. He powerslammed him and signalled for the torture rack. Woman, though, threw coffee into Luger’s eyes while the ref was distracted by Elizabeth. Flair then cradled him for the pin. Sting consoled Luger afterward…
Heenan admitted his threats to retire were an April Fool’s joke…
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