{"id":34930,"date":"2016-11-14T12:38:18","date_gmt":"2016-11-14T18:38:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=34930"},"modified":"2016-11-14T12:41:18","modified_gmt":"2016-11-14T18:41:18","slug":"20-yrs-ago-kellers-wcw-monday-nitro-report-11111996-fans-boo-piper-video-promo-plus-hogan-nwo-jericho-liz-luger-rey-mysterio-jarrett","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2016\/11\/14\/20-yrs-ago-kellers-wcw-monday-nitro-report-11111996-fans-boo-piper-video-promo-plus-hogan-nwo-jericho-liz-luger-rey-mysterio-jarrett\/","title":{"rendered":"20 YRS AGO: Keller\u2019s WCW Monday Nitro Report (11\/11\/1996): Fans boo a Piper video promo, plus Hogan, NWO, Jericho, Liz, Luger, Rey Mysterio, Jarrett"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-959804369\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p><em>The following is my report WCW Monday Nitro from 20 years ago this week, originally published in Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter #415 (cover-dated Nov. 16, 1996). VIP members can read the entire issue including\u00a0all of this:<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"s1\">This issue includes:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"s1\">-A cover story on Curt Hennig\u2019s surprising jump from the WWF to WCW.<br \/>\n<\/span><span class=\"s1\">-WWF Newswire reports on drug testing changes and the new Saturday night program.<br \/>\n-WCW Newswire details Hulk Hogan on Regis &amp; Kathy Lee.<br \/>\n-Part five of the Torch Talk with Shane Douglas as he talks about beginning the second chapter of his ECW career after his ill-fated stop in the WWF.<br \/>\n-Wade Keller\u2019s End Notes<br \/>\n-WWF Newswire, WCW Newswire, ETC. Newswire.<br \/>\n-Reports on Raw, Nitro, and other TV shows<br \/>\n-Letters to the Torch, and more\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"http:\/\/vip.pwtorch.com\/2016\/11\/05\/vip-1996-back-issue-pro-wrestling-torch-415-nov-16-1996-hennigs-jump-from-wwf-to-wcw-wwf-drug-testing-changes-new-saturday-night-program-more\/\">VIP LINK TO ALL-TEXT &amp; PDF VERSION OF THIS ENTIRE NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Go VIP right now and read the entire 12 page issue packed with fascinating behind-the-scenes details and analysis of the current pro wrestling scene just as the Monday Night War was expanding pro wrestling\u2019s popularity:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/pwtorch-vip-membership-information\/\">CLICK HERE FOR VIP INFO<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>WCW NITRO REPORT<\/h2>\n<h3>11\/11 on TNT<\/h3>\n<p>(St. Petersburg, Fla.)\u2026 Tony Schiavone &amp; Larry Zbyszko opened the program. They talked about the prospects of WCW signing the \u201cmatch of the decade\u201d between Roddy Piper and Hulk Hogan\u2026 An interview aired with Jimmy Hart and Kevin Sullivan. Hart told Woman one phone call could end the whole thing\u2026<\/p>\n<p>(1) Jeff Jarrett beat Chris Benoit via DQ at 9:08. Late in the match after Jarrett suplexed Benoit out of the ring. Sting came from behind and dropped him to the mat with a reverse DDT. When Benoit got back in the ring, Woman said they didn\u2019t know anything about Sting\u2019s interference and then told Benoit to help Jarrett to his feet since they know Jarrett is pro-WCW\u2026<\/p>\n<p>After a commercial a guy came to ringside with a package and told Schiavone and Zbyszko to play the tape inside. Security carted him away. Schiavone opened the envelope and read a letter which said the tape was a hit in Europe in \u201992 and it regarded Piper wanting Hogan\u2026 A feature aired on Ric Flair\u2019s injury. His doctor explained Flair\u2019s rotator cuff injury\u2026<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-415464503\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>(2) Zero (w\/Sonny Onno) beat Malaya Hosaka in a woman\u2019s title tournament match at 1:43. Schiavone referred to the envelope incident and told fans not to do that sort of thing if they want to be on TV and to wave from a distance instead. Schiavone acknowledged Zero\u2019s past identity as Chigusa Nagayo and said she has undergone a recent transformation, much like Konnan did. Onno added to his lame stereotype gimmick by shooting photos of Zero after the match (on a disposable camera)\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Gene Okerlund interviewed Diamond Dallas Page. Page acknowledged that he used to manage Scott Hall and used to team with Kevin Nash. Page said Hall and Nash shouldn\u2019t be getting involved in his matches. Hall and Nash approached. Hall told Page to forget about the past and to seriously consider joining the NWO for life. Page said he would be number eight, insulted that they didn\u2019t come to him earlier. Nash said he doesn\u2019t get it and that wrestling is full of politics and there was a reason he didn\u2019t get asked earlier. Nash brought up that Bischoff lives two houses down from him and they party together. Page was upset they were suggesting he benefited from being friends with Bischoff and brought up that he worked harder in the Power Plant than anyone. Nash said they\u2019ve been looking out for him all along and to not be upset. Page said he could have understood being number five or six, but couldn\u2019t understand being number eight. Nash and Hall left upset. Good segment\u2026<\/p>\n<p>(3) Rey Misterio Jr. beat Ciclope (who came to the ring to a take off on Pearl Jam) at 5:58. Ultimo Dragon sat at ringside with Sonny Onno (still the most embarrassing, condescending character portrayal in wrestling) holding several of his title belts (Schiavone actually didn\u2019t know he held eight until later in the match after someone else told him). Rey Jr. launched through the ropes and shoulder tackled Ciclope into the ringside barrier. Rey Jr. called for the frankensteiner, but when he went for it, Ciclope caught him with a lariat. Ciclope reversed a sunset flip attempt into a powerbomb off the apron to the floor. Dean Malenko walked down the aisleway and stared at the match. Shortly thereafter Psicosis walked down the aisle and watched Malenko and the match in the ring. Rey Jr. finally made a comeback at 5:00 dropkicking Ciclope off the top rope and then taking him to the floor at ringside with a flying head scissors. Schiavone said one of these days one of these high fliers will go down and not get up for a long, long time. Rey Jr. won with a flying hurricanrana roll up. Rey Jr. said he is ready for anybody\u2026<\/p>\n<p>A parade of NWO picketers approached the ring. Hall, Nash, and Syxx followed and actually came to the ring through the official entrance rather than through the crowd. Syxx held a Cable Ace Award. Hall said, \u201cThis Saturday the Outsiders and Hollywood Hogan are heading out to the West Coast for the Cable Ace Awards because everybody knows the NWO is the reason that TNT is the hottest show on cable.\u201d (Actually, TNT is a network, not a show.) They walked up to Schiavone and Zbyszko. Hall said to Zbyszko: \u201cOh, the living legend. I thought you\u2019d be bigger. I\u2019ve been watching you since I was a kid.\u201d Zbyszko told him not to point his finger at him and not to push his luck. Nash opened up Zbyszko\u2019s bottled water and drank from it. Hall said their Web site went up today. Nash then put on Zbyszko\u2019s headset. Nash said to Zbyszko: \u201cNice shirt. Did you get a cup of soup with that?\u201d He then cracked up at his own one-liner. Nash said he wants WCW Nitro to become NWO Nitro in a few weeks. Nash said the NWO takeover is almost complete and then went into a goofy Jerry Lewis impression before he, Hall, and Syxx left. Good segment, especially Hall and Nash\u2019s rips on Zbyszko\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and Mike Tenay took over as the second hour began\u2026<\/p>\n<p>(4) Lex Luger beat Scott Norton at 9:19 with the torture rack. Tenay said Norton just won half of the tag tournament in New Japan a week earlier. They talked about Sting\u2019s actions in the first hour. Heenan suggested Sting is with the NWO. An inset interview aired with Arn Anderson. He said he underestimated Luger last time and didn\u2019t realize he could get mean. He said he\u2019s going to ride Luger next time when his tongue starts hanging out and then show him what the DDT feels like. Sting showed up again and watched the match from a distance. Luger clotheslined Norton over the top rope and they brawled at ringside\u2026 Okerlund interviewed Luger in the ring. Luger said he can\u2019t carry WCW on his shoulders and begged Sting to come back. He admitted he and everyone else was wrong not to trust Sting. Of course, this comes an hour after Sting attacked Jarrett from behind, not exactly the actions of someone who is \u201ctrustworthy\u201d and beyond reproach\u2026<\/p>\n<p>(5) Harlem Heat (mgd. by Sherri) fought The Amazing French Canadians (now mgd. by Col. Robert Parker) to a DDQ. During the match they showed the Nasty Boys being turned away from entering the arena by security at the door. Doug Dillinger walked up and told them to leave. Bischoff told them they deserved to be turned away because they tried to sellout to the NWO. They showed the Nastys in the parking lot talking to Brutus Beefcake, although they never referred to him by name and it was tough to tell it was him in the dark. Back in the ring the ref called for the bell as Sherri and Parker entered the ring. Heat held back Sherri from going after Parker\u2026<\/p>\n<p>(6) Konnan beat Chris Jericho at 5:25 via DQ. Bischoff pointed out the seven fans in the front row with t-shirts that spelled out \u201cN-W-O-4-L-I-F-E\u201d and said the Pittsburgh Steelers\u2019 defensive linemen have renamed themselves the NWO defense. In the end Konnan dropkicked Jericho into Patrik. Jericho brushed against Patrik\u2019s arm, so he DQ\u2019d Jericho. Jericho complained to Patrik about the decision\u2026<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-433269462\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>(7) Miguel Perez pinned Juventud Guerrera at 3:52. Perez reversed a hurricanrana attempt and powerbombed Juventud off the railing to the floor. Perez rolled up Juventud for the leverage pin after Juventud missed a 450 splash but landed on his feet\u2026 Ted DiBiase and Virgil stood in the crowd. DiBiase offered Sting an NWO shirt and wanted him to join the NWO\u2026<\/p>\n<p>(8) Meng &amp; Barbarian (w\/Jimmy Hart) beat The American Males (who are the real life New Rockers, oblivious to their geekiness) at 3:30. Bischoff said a Piper vs. Hogan match would be on par with the Holyfield vs. Tyson fight in stature. He said he met with Piper last week and didn\u2019t get very far, but did get to meet his kids. He said he will meet with Piper this week to try to sign a match with Hogan. At the end of the match, Marcus Bagwell tripped Barbarian coming off the ropes which caused Scotty Riggz to miss his dropkick and land on his head. Meng then hit a hook kick and pinned Riggz. Bagwell was upset with Riggz for losing\u2026 Jimmy Hart complained about the Nasty Boys getting the tag title shot against the Outsiders at World War 3 and said the Faces of Fear should be added to the match and make it a three-way for the belts. Bischoff said, \u201cYou know what, he\u2019s got a point\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n<p>The video tape that a \u201cfan\u201d dropped off in the first hour then aired. It was a music video dated 10-31-92 titled \u201cI\u2019m Your Man\u201d starring Piper. The tape was VHS and therefore of poor picture and sound quality. Piper sang while he lifted weights and played on a beach with a dog and a woman. Pretty hokey stuff. Bischoff then showed a freeze frame of a sign that read \u201cHollywood Bowl: The Ultimate Bout \u2013 Rowdy Roddy Piper vs. Hulk Hogan Tonight!\u201d apparently proving Piper has wanted to get at Hogan for years. The fans in the background were booing, presumably in response to seeing the video on the big screen\u2026<\/p>\n<p>The show closed with Hulk Hogan, Giant, Vince, and Elizabeth (dressed as a Santa helper to plug his new movie) coming to the ring for an interview. Hogan said his movie will be number one 10 weeks in a row and said major directors have been calling him as a result. He had Vince forcibly lead Elizabeth out of the ring. He said Piper doesn\u2019t want what he has for him and he told Piper to bring his skirt on. He wondered why Piper hadn\u2019t shown his face in three weeks. Hogan filled the remaining seconds of the show by posing\u2026. [WK]<\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-310909028\"><div id=\"pwtor-329968970\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>The following is my report WCW Monday Nitro from 20 years ago this week, originally published in Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter #415 (cover-dated Nov. 16, 1996). VIP members can read the entire issue including\u00a0all of <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2016\/11\/14\/20-yrs-ago-kellers-wcw-monday-nitro-report-11111996-fans-boo-piper-video-promo-plus-hogan-nwo-jericho-liz-luger-rey-mysterio-jarrett\/\" title=\"20 YRS AGO: Keller\u2019s WCW Monday Nitro Report (11\/11\/1996): Fans boo a Piper video promo, plus Hogan, NWO, Jericho, Liz, Luger, Rey Mysterio, Jarrett\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4708,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[46,30,31],"tags":[362,3128,1543,193],"class_list":["post-34930","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spotlightarticles","category-specialfeatures","category-exclusives_flashbacks","tag-hulk-hogan","tag-monday-nitro","tag-nwo","tag-wcw"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/post\/2015\/12\/HallScott_3x2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34930","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=34930"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34930\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34931,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34930\/revisions\/34931"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4708"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34930"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34930"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34930"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}