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WCW: 1996 Year in Review

What a ride 1996 brought us on. People who were heroes became villains, and people who became WWF Intercontinental Champions were the cornerstones of WCW Prime. There were moments of great highs, and sometimes, very low lows.

But it is important not to spend all ones focus on The Public Enemy, because there were many months in the year (12, at my count), and as many as 4 complete shows did not feature them.

So grab a bowl of popcorn, sit back, and head back to where it all began, which like so many years before it, started in …

JANUARY


Following a gruelling Starrcade, Ric Flair surprised everyone by walking out with the belt for the first time in nearly 18 months. Backed by Arn Anderson, Chris Benoit, and Brian Pillman - one of the strongest Horsemen units in years - Ric Flair began a month-long quest to see how many different ways Hulk Hogan could beat him in under 30 days.

Despite dropping his first 19 matches of the year to Hogan, it was Randy Savage who would surprise everyone in capturing the WCW belt on the January 22 Nitro. Hulk Hogan demanded the first title shot 12 seconds after Savage’s win, and acted hurt when Savage took a little offense.

On that same show, Lex Luger would cheat to win the tag-team titles from Harlem Heat, with partner Sting. When the replay showed Lex having used a roll of silver dollars to score the win, an angry Sting demanded answers. Lex told Sting, with all sincerity, what he just saw never actually happened. Sting was satisfied.

Meanwhile, WCW pettiness was at its ugliest. Following the acquisition of a former WWF talent, Sting was tasked with squashing him on an early episode of WCW Prime, completely eliminating any chance he had of getting over in the long haul. These types of vindictive childish games were a large part of WCW’s eventual downfall. Dave Dalton really deserved better.

Lex Luger made short work of Cobra, an up and coming former federal CIA agent, turned wrestler, on WCW Saturday Night. Though seemingly innocuous at the time, Cobra would begin a year-long mission to seek revenge against the man of many pecs, plotting for the right moment to really make it count. To sting him, if you will.

The One Man Gang, crowned WCW US Champion at the tail end of 1995, went around the horn defending his belt against all-comers, including newcomer Super Giant Ninja. While failing to capture the belt, the Super Giant Ninja would live on all year through my obsession with hilariously tall jobbers.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

The match of the month is a ***1/2 affair between Chris Benoit and Eddie Guerrero on the January 15th edition of Prime. The match was interrupted twice; once by Brian Pillman to save Chris Benoit from being pinned, and another time to let us know we can buy The Century of War for $4.99 + shipping and handling.

The Hulk Hogan of Mexico, Konan, would burst on to the scene, defending the prestigious Mexican Heavyweight Title, which had roots dating all the way back to the earliest parts of January.

“Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff is forced into retirement with neck problems. Many saddened fans were left with the same question: why couldn’t it have been Kevin Sullivan?

Sista Sherri and Colonel Parker’s wedding is halted, when it’s revealed that Madusa has exceptionally large breasts.

A mini-series, dedicated to the great WCW announcer, Mongo McMichael, airs in 10-minute parts on WCW Saturday Night. Former coach Mike Ditka spends several episodes detailing Mongo’s triceps.

Bobby Heenan expands his vocabulary during a Clash of Champions special.

And speaking of special…

FEBRUARY

Diamond Dallas Page rolls the dice in the biggest gamble of his life, putting his $6.6 million on the line in order to secure a TV title shot against Johnny B Badd, after having lost his previous 6 outings. This turns out to be about as wise an investment as Andy Beale’s foray into the space program, and Page is left homeless. Johnny swears complete and total devotion to DDP’s ex-wife Kimberly. He immediately disappears from all programming except WCW Prime.

On the same show, Brian Pillman decides he’d be better off whipping out his Johnson elsewhere than continue to be booked against Kevin Sullivan.

Ric Flair re-captures the WCW belt from Randy Savage, when Savage is betrayed by his ex-wife and her friend. Randy is completely shocked that his bitter ex, who spent years terrified and controlled by his insane jealousy, would turn her back on him again several years after their divorce. His best friend Hulk Hogan shows his support by immediately challenging for the title.

Hogan is granted a series of matches against Flair’s ally Arn Anderson instead, and loses all of them. For some reason, I feel compelled to repeat this at ad nauseum for months afterwards.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

Konan captures the United States title from One Man Gang. The TV title is immediately recognized as the #2 belt in the company.

Color commentator Mongo McMichael dresses up his pet ferret to look like cupid on Valentine’s Day. Former coach Mike Ditka details Mongo’s trip to Petcetera, where the costume was purchased, as part of WCW’s continuing Saturday Night miniseries.

50-year old, 500 pound European wrestler, Loch Ness makes his debut for the Dungeon of Doom. Armed with less mobility than the Great Khali, he is put over every young talent in the company.

David Finlay draws a great deal of attention when it’s discovered that his giant brown mullet was actually ripped directly off the head of Brad Armstrong. As a result, he and Steven Regal can’t stop punching each other in the nose for several months.

VK Wallstreet clarifies his 1996 goals, by naming the top wrestlers he wishes to defeat. Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and the Shark. I am not making this up.

Ric Flair and Randy Savage wrestle one more time, and put on the match of the month at ***1/2 on February 19th. The Zodiac is taken by their awesome display of wrestling, and decides to start wearing see-through pants and calling himself “the Booty Man” seconds after its conclusion.

DDP’s ring attire and Mercedes Benz are repossessed.

Things would sink even lower in…

MARCH

The Alliance to End Hulkamania hits its apex, as 8 of the group’s members challenge the Megapowers to a handicap match inside a Doomsday Cage. The rules, never fully clear, either before or during the show, led to a lot of confusion. Adding further problems, was the renaming of Ludwrench Perkins “The Ultimate Solution”, causing more than a few insensitivity complaints.

Hulk Hogan, realizing that things were getting ugly, smooths things over by booking the match to run 25 minutes. Wrestlers are chained in and outside of the cage, with Savage and Hogan sliding in and out like survivors of Jurassic Park. Still, a sport to the end, realizing he had no business winning this match with the odds so heavily stacked for the heels, Hogan pins World Champion Ric Flair following an errant coal miner’s glove, and insists on a title shot. The match is one of the most memorable of the year, picking up an epic rating of -*****.

Meanwhile, hot newcomer, The Giant, would continue his path of destruction, sending Loch Ness back to Europe, and ending the careers of both Dave Sullivan and Ralph the Rabbit. Fans openly ask why his brother Kevin could not have followed suit.

Lex Luger and Cobra once again meet on a loaded edition of Saturday Night. Lex again dispatches of the CIA agent, with some illegal assistance from good friend Jimmy Hart. Sting tries to mend the fences, but Cobra doesn’t hear of it. He returns to the tactical unit to work on a cerebral mind-trick to split up the reigning tag-team champions. A hard deadline of 180 days is set.

The tag-team division is turned upside down with a series of memorable returns and matches. While the Road Warriors and Steiners are given heroes’ welcomes, it’s actually Men at Work and the Barrio Brothers who truly leave the division with more questions than answers.

The Faces of Fear destroy Buck Quartermaine and Mike Winner, kicking off a love-affair for one particular recapper.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

Fit Finlay and Steven Regal stop punching each other long enough to enter the ring separately at Uncensored, and then immediately resume punching each other. They are given **** for their effort; the match of the month.

Johnny B Badd appears at Wrestlemania. In response, WCW Prime is now sponsored by the Badd Blaster.

During one night of festivities, Ric Flair nearly comes to blows with an irate Mongo McMichael. This is replayed heavily on WCW Saturday Night, hosted by former coach Mike Ditka.

DDP has his career repossessed.

Sadly, nothing would repossess the memories of…

APRIL

Bootymania runs mild! Partnered as Hulk Hogan’s pants-free friend, Bootyman seduces Kimberly Page. Wrestling fans rejoice, understanding that with Kimberly’s lowered expectations, they might actually have a shot! Bootyman is given a World Title match, and in a rare display of comradery, Hogan demands one too.

Instead, it is The Giant who unseats Ric Flair on the final Nitro of April, hitting a chokeslam on the champion right out of the Figure Four. Giant had turned babyface to ally with Sting for a cup of coffee at the start of the month, before reverting to his heel ways. This would continue to be a trend for the next 20 years.

Women’s wrestling is pushed to the forefront, and leading the division is Madusa, who is given a number of highly competitive 2 minute losses to Colonel Robert Parker.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

Fit Finlay and Steve Regal continue to punch each other at a frantic pace, generating their second **** affair in as many months in the parking lot of the April 29th Nitro. Finlay wins after piledriving Regal on the roof of Heenan’s rental car.

Johnny B Badd takes over as lead commentary on WCW Prime.

Meng wrestles Hacksaw Duggan to a **1/2 match. This is not a joke.

DDP has his house repossessed.

After weeks of fighting each other to a series of draws, Scott Norton and Ice Train figure that if they collectively can’t beat each other, they must be the toughest wrestlers on earth and should form a tag-team. Thus, Fire and Ice debuts, losing every match they ever wrestle together.

And on the topic of huge debuts…

MAY

Following months of anticipation, things finally come to a head on the Memorial Day episode of WCW Nitro. No longer under WWF contract, and one of WCW’s finest all time acquisitions makes his debut to much surprise. Going head to head with RAW, WCW makes their move, and brings out the former Blake Beverly, now dubbed “The Mauler”. Realizing this could tip the ratings scales for good, the WWF panics, and sends in Razor Ramon to interfere in the match.

Meanwhile, a series of vignettes begin airing on Nitro, indicating that BLOOD RUNS COLD. Speculation begins regarding this mysterious wrestler, who is expected to debut at any time.

Lex Luger misses a series of scheduled World Title matches, using an array of excuses lifted from an 18-year old McDonalds employee. Young, enthusiastic Marcus Bagwell offers to wrestle in place of Luger, giving him a chance to show off his wide array of dropkicks.

Displaying Ali-like reactionary skills, WCW suspends Randy Savage for being “too insane”. They are also said to be investigating claims that Ric Flair drinks too much, and Hulk Hogan is losing his hair. Many frustrated fans call WCW to demand Kevin Sullivan also be suspended.

The Lethal Lottery rears its ugly head at Slamboree, and it’s DDP, armed with millions of dollars via a mysterious benefactor, who wins the Battle Royale, and prestigious ring and eventual World Title shot. The title shot is immediately repossessed.

The WCW Road Report is conducted from the house of Mongo McMichael by former coach Mike Ditka.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

Fit Finlay mysteriously disappears. Steven Regal punches Jeeves, but it’s not the same.

Cobra begins a winning streak, while Dusty Rhodes embarks on a mission to crack the “Morris” code of Cobra’s theme music. Fans with particularly good listening are able to make out L … E … X … L … U … before the commercial break.

The match of the month is delivered on the May 6th edition of Nitro from an unlikely pair. Randy Savage and Hugh Morrus put on a hellacious **** brawl, complete with Morrus stealing Savage’s ring-attire and doing Macho Man imitations.

“Lifeguard” Steve Collins wrestles Buddy Valentine on one particularly delightful edition of WCW Prime. Head Prime referee Johnny B Badd calls it the finest match he’s ever officiated.

Hulk Hogan takes a brief hiatus, but films a segment from his latest movie shoot on the beach, where he keeps us abreast of his demands to receive a World Title shot.

The real shots would be fired in…

JUNE

After weeks of back and forth drama and escalating tension, tempers finally brewed over and Big Bubba cut off half the hair of The Shark. Now without the backing of the Dungeon of Doom, Shark delivers a heartfelt promo where he admits, despite much speculation to the contrary, that he was a man, not a fish.

Meanwhile, at the Great American Bash, Razor Ramon and Diesel continue their path of destruction by putting WCW Executive Vice President Eric Bischoff through a table. WCW stars unite, challenging the pair to a match at the following month’s pay-per-view. Even the absent Hulk Hogan weighs in, demanding an immediate title shot.

Bobby Heenan returns to managing one more time, joining the Four Horsemen in a battle against football brethren Mongo McMichael and Kevin Greene. Proving once again to be smarter than everyone else in wrestling, Heenan pays off Mongo to throw the match and join the Horsemen. Everyone is disgusted by this turn of events, including former coach Mike Ditka who dedicates the entire month of WCW Saturday Night to its continued coverage.

Blood continues to run cold, as our mysterious new wrestler appears to be named “Glacier”. He is a dual threat, having both a brown and blue eye. He promises to be arriving very soon.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

Diamond Dallas Page continues his winning streak, armed with a new swagger since being gifted millions from his benefactor. His swagger is immediately repossessed.

Chris Benoit and Kevin Sullivan wind up brawling through the men’s room on pay-per-view. The addition of urinals, and the possibility of a career ending injury to Kevin Sullivan pushes this match to *****, easily the best of the entire year.

The newly established “Cruiserweight” division finds its first superstar in 21-year old Rey Mysterio Jr. Weighing little more than an official US minted silver dollar, Rey wows audiences with his high flying maneuvers, and appallingly awful interviews.

Johnny B Badd begins booking WCW Prime.

A new jobber named “Johnny Wild”, looking like David Spade’s “Joe Dirt”, challenges Lord Steven Regal on a star-studded Saturday Night. Regal, having spent most of the month looking for Fit Finlay, punches him in the nose repeatedly.

Sadly, we would continue to receive no mention of Finlay in the month of …

JULY

Razor Ramon and Diesel finally make their in-ring debuts, challenging any 3 members of WCW’s roster against their trio of the both of them. Sting, Lex Luger, and Randy Savage step up to the plate, but Luger is injured early and unable to assist. Still, WCW keeps it together, until Hulk Hogan returns. Angry about a denied title shot, Hogan hits Savage with the atomic legdrop and tells the fans to stick it. This was the birth of the New World Order.

More disturbingly, Diamond Dallas Page is missing his Battlebowl Ring, and locks down the entire building, frisking everyone from the announcers, producers, and even Johnny B Badd who is on his way to a taping of WCW Prime.

Glacier is about to change, because blood runs the fury of a cold warrior. Loosely translated: He’s coming soon.

Greg Valentine arrives to a Nitro taping, and while greeting old friends backstage, finds himself accidentally placed in a match with Randy Savage. Valentine is pinned in seconds, having not been given his requisite hour to get warmed up.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

Masked acrobats, Rey Mysterio Jr. and Psychosis, put on an unbelievable show during Bash at the Beach that would leave Guy Laliberte needing a change of pants. At ****1/2, this is the match of the month.

Rough and Ready lose their first of 478 consecutive matches to Harlem Heat.

The Dungeon of Doom reveal their latest device in their war against Hulkamania: A hyperactive cannibal leprechaun named “Braun”. The fans don’t take to the silly gimmick, calling for more realistic storylines, like a retirement party for Kevin Sullivan.

Joe Gomez, Alex Wright, The Renegade, and Jim Powers discover they all have nipples. They form an alliance.

But alliances would be tested in…

AUGUST

Celebrating Hulk Hogan’s 44th birthday, longtime friend and ally, Brutus “The Zodiac Butcher Barber Furface Booty Boulder” Beefcake presents a cake to his good friend. Hogan destroys the cake, screaming “I HAVE HYPOGLYCEMIA!” and orders new best friends Scott and Kevin to destroy him. With the ring covered in cake, Hogan eyeballs his old buddy, and immediately demands a title shot, despite having captured it from the Giant moments earlier.

“Lord” Steven Regal upsets Lex Luger to capture the TV title for an unprecedented 3rd time. Regal cuts an emotional interview afterwards, vowing to defend his title against anyone in the world who wants a shot ... but only after he solves the mystery of the missing Fit Finlay, who his fists miss dearly. Regal isn’t seen again for months.

And speaking of Lex Luger, he and Sting spend an entire episode of Nitro chasing a limousine. Failing to capture the elusive automobile, they challenge old “Stretch” to a rooftop match at Halloween Havoc, as is tradition.

Decorated Japanese star, Jushin Liger, is brought back to WCW to bolster its incredible Cruiserweight division. He is given several high profile matches on top syndicated program, WCW Prime, by president elect Johnny B Badd.

The Dungeon of Doom are given a 5 minute segment prior to Road Wild, where they take us through the misty caves. Through a series of mysterious doors, this turns out to be the bunker in which the members live. Cannibal “Braun” The Leprechaun has the most open concept room; as he’s replaced his door with a cloud of orange smoke. Disturbingly, The Giant’s door is much smaller than his 7’0” 400 pound frame can handle, leading to a probe by the Human Rights Commission.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

“Mean” Gene Okerlund promises exciting news on the WCW Hotline about an interesting debut that is right around the corner. It turns out it’s just Glacier, who’s coming.

Diamond Dallas Page has his winning streak repossessed at the Clash of Champions.

Joe Gomez and the Renegade invite High Voltage to tag with them on an episode of Saturday Night. They are on the losing end of a beating from the Horsemen, largely due to the fact High Voltage wears singlets, covering their nipples.

Marcus Bagwell has an affair with Jim Powers.

The match of the month is fought at Hog Wild, where The Ultimate Dragon makes his WCW debut against Rey Mysterio Jr. in a fantastic **** affair. Rey retains the Cruiserweight title, but is unable to capture Sonny Onoo.

Controversy would rear its ugly head in…

SEPTEMBER

The Four Horsemen challenge the nWo to a showdown at Fall Brawl under the traditional War Games banner. Sting and Lex Luger beg for inclusion, resulting in the exile of Mongo McMichael. Mongo McMichael warns the pair not to drop the ball. Former coach Mike Ditka sits down with Eric Bischoff to discuss Mongo’s lack of fumbles throughout his career on a special edition of WCW Saturday Night.

Cobra finally strikes. Months of preparation lead to a dramatic moment on Monday Nitro, when the beret wearing superstar joins forces with the mysterious limousine. Lex Luger attacks the car alone, and has his mind blown when he sees Cobra wearing Sting’s facepaint inside. Devastated, Luger draws the conclusion that the paint must have come from Sting, despite his friend’s protests to the contrary. At Fall Brawl, Sting confronts Luger with a receipt from Dollarama, proving Cobra purchased the facepaint alone. Luger apologizes, but Sting retreats to the rafters to consider his next move.

The nWo expands its ranks, adding the 1-2-3 Kid, Miss Elizabeth, Ted DiBiase, The Giant, Nick Patrick, and Kyle Petty. However, it’s the curious inclusion of the Nasty Boys that gets a lot of press from Internet Wrestling Fans and sparks much debate. During their initial meet and greet party, Jerry Saggs shocks WCW Vice President Eric Bischoff, when he reveals he has an asshole. Party host Hollywood Hogan shares Bischoff’s disgust, angrily admitting his mistake in inviting them, by demanding a title shot.

A one hour tribute to the fallen Fit Finlay airs on WCW Prime, featuring an update on television champion Steven Regal, who has been travelling through Europe in search of answers. It is considered one of the most touching interviews of the year, according to President of Prime, Johnny B Badd.

The long-awaited debut of Super Calo occurs this month. Calo wrestles Rey Mysterio Jr. at the Fall Brawl pay-per-view, and despite being a long-shot underdog, manages to keep his hat on throughout the entire match.

And on the topic of debuts, after a 6 month journey, Glacier finally arrives on September 16th. He is scheduled to wrestle Big Bubba, but it’s cut for time purposes following Glacier’s 84 minute entrance and martial arts show. Through his 300 year old mask, he vows to come again.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

The Faces of Fear begin a four month odyssey of balls out work, carrying lacklustre wrestlers Chris Benoit and Arn Anderson to a **** match on Prime, which is the finest of the month.

Dusty Rhodes is unable to make it to WCW Saturday Night, having made a wrong turn at the Pay Windah on his way through the Mothaship. He blames that Debulush Woman for his filibusterin’ around.

The Booty Beefcake gives a candid interview on the topic of Hulk Hogan. While the betrayal has left him questioning whether or not he can ever wrestle again, he does feel he’ll return if given a big pay raise.

Diamond Dallas Page has his heel heat repossessed.

“Braun” the Leprechaun eats Prince Iaukea. Using modern technology, many fans surf on over to WCW.com, where they campaign to have Kevin Sullivan devoured next.

Unfortunately, Sullivan would remain uneaten through…

OCTOBER

Former Yeti and Ninja, Ron Studd is placed under intense scrutiny when he curiously debuts using Fit Finlay’s music. The search for Finlay proves to be fruitless, as Steven Regal returns from a 2 month investigative search of Europe. Frustrated, and without hope, the TV champion is forced to ask himself “what would Hulk Hogan do?” Later on Nitro, he demands a World title shot.

However, it’s Randy Savage, cleared of the insanity charges, who is granted the first crack at Hogan’s title belt. Realizing this might be his last chance at glory, Randy spends the month in lockdown, crying about his lost Elizabeth. This turns out to be an ineffective strategy against Hulk Hogan’s ridiculous wig.

Super Calo is put out of action following a particularly nasty leg injury. He won’t return for the rest of the year; but the luchadore remains optimistic, as he successfully gets through surgery without once losing his hat.

WCW Prime signs off for the last time, with a special 1-hour tribute to Johnny B Badd, as narrated by Johnny B Badd.

Debuting this month is a family bonded superstar who is bound to carry us through the next millennium. He is clearly the anointed choice to lead WCW against the nWo. Given a chance to showcase his arsenal against the crafty veteran Arn Anderson, brother of recently retired Ricky, Vic Steamboat puts on a DUD of a clinic on Saturday Night.

Also Jeff Jarrett debuts.

Ultimately, the big news of the month is the returning Roddy Piper, who debuts at Halloween Havoc. Refusing to let bygones be gone, Roddy tells Hulk Hogan he’s a disgrace. The announcers declare this the biggest moment in the history of WCW.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

Pat Tanaka, clearly over the weight limit, gets a Cruiserweight title shot, paving the way for future superstars like Oklahoma.

Lex Luger’s hair is granted its own area code at Halloween Havoc.

Road Block, a gigantic brickhouse of a man, who carries a road block on his shoulders, takes over WCW Saturday Night, and demands a match with Randy Savage immediately. Savage, the #1 contender to the title, declines, leaving Dusty Wolfe to try and destroy this Goliath. A wild 37 seconds follows, and gets the holy grail of match ratings, a perfect *****, best of the month.

The nWo are gifted their own segment on Saturday night, which is simulcast on Skinemax, due to the overwhelming masturbation.

Sting begins writing angst-ridden poetry, with the first one titled “WCW, My One, My Only”. Larry Zbyszko speculates that Sting has joined the nWo.

Sting would have a much bigger impact in…

NOVEMBER

Frustrated by the lack of leadership in WCW, a silent Sting, clad in a homemade “I <3 WCW” t-shirt, descends from the rafters to confront a mouthy Jeff Jarrett about his loyalty. Larry Zbyszko throws his headset in disgust at Sting’s obvious jump to the nWo.

All eyes turn to World War 3, where a 3-ring 60-man battle royal will determine the #1 contender to Hulk Hogan’s World Title. Hogan responds by twerking at the end of every Nitro for some reason.

A mysterious video tape is handed to Tony Schiavone by a random guardrail jumping fan. Tony insists that whatever’s on this tape MUST be played immediately. This turns out to be a bad decision on his part, as the content features all 4 minutes of Roddy Piper’s “I’m Your Man” German music video. Embarrassed, WCW promises to make things right, and plays the video on a continuous loop for the next 2 weeks.

Completely humiliated, Roddy Piper returns to WCW to confront Eric Bischoff, and exposes him as a fraud. Bischoff admits that yes, Piper’s correct, but that everyone has known this for years and he isn’t exactly breaking new ground.

Meanwhile, WCW finally rallies the troops to end this nWo problem once and for all, by introducing a new Women’s title and holding a tournament to crown the first champion.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

“Braun” the Leprechaun passes away following a bout of Kuru; contracted by his cannibalism. Newcomer Jack Boot points out that Hugh Morrus is exhibiting similar symptoms, while fans suggest Kevin Sullivan might consider trying cannibalism.

At 240 pounds, Scotty Riggs receives a Cruiserweight title shot. John Tenta considers becoming a Cruiserweight.

The nWo begins showing DDP preferential treatment, helping him win matches. Page insists he doesn’t need help from anyone, except perhaps a lawyer to prevent anything else from being repossessed.

Jim Duggan threatens to beat up someone named Terry Hogan. Petrified, Terry never debuts in WCW.

Rey Mysterio Jr. and The Ultimate Dragon tear down the house once more, wrestling a ****1/2 classic at World War 3. The Dragon captures the Cruiserweight title, adding it to his massive collection of walking title belts. “Mean” Gene Okerlund announces on his Hotline that the belts don’t actually have legs, and pulls back the curtain to reveal Sonny Onoo.

Juventud Guerrera makes waves by signing the first ever contract that includes WCW title shots on every show. Juvi fails to win any of the titles he competes for, but it sets the stage for Hulk Hogan to consider renegotiating his own deal.

But the only deal being negotiated comes in…

DECEMBER

Live coverage of Roddy Piper hits fever pitch, with round the clock updates of his past segments. Highlights, such as the time he arrived at Halloween Havoc, the time he got in Bischoff’s face, and the time he made a horrible music video in Germany, are played on a continuous stream on TBS. Hulk Hogan, in his most charitable move of the year, offers to wrestle him in a non-title match if he’ll stop airing the music video.

A tournament to find a new United States Champion comes to a head at Starrcade, and Eddie Guerrero pins Diamond Dallas Page to capture the gold. Having expected a heavily favored DDP to win, the repo men take the belt anyway and award it to Syxx.

Sting also makes an appearance at WCW Starrcade, handing his baseball bat to WCW leader, Lex Luger, to defeat nWo member The Giant. Scrawled on the bat reads “Lex, please take me back, I miss you, I miss everyone in WCW, I just want you to want me.” Larry Zbyszko considers this the most damning evidence to date that Sting is the new leader of the nWo.

The Faces of Fear take back-to-back losses to close out the year, causing one particular recapper to write angry letters to Ted Turner himself. Turner would reply, informing the lunatic that WCW went out of business 14 years ago.

Screenshot of the month:


In other news…

Sergeant Buddy Lee Parker makes his return after a 10 month leave of absence, taking the roster spot of Jack Boot. Lieutenant James Earl is unable to return, having been promoted to lead investigator in the Fit Finlay story.

After the disappointment of Vic Steamboat in October, WCW calls upon another wrestling family to try and sew the seeds of tradition back into the company’s proverbial quilt. Unfortunately, that person is David Sammartino, who is immediately asked to leave by irate WCW fans, and “to take Kevin Sullivan with you!”

Sullivan is going nowhere, however, needing to avenge the loss of his wife to young stallion Chris Benoit. Benoit taunts the much older Sullivan by sending a number of adult films featuring he and Woman in a series of poses that would re-write the Kamasutra series. Benoit declares this a “killer partnership”, and adds “this won’t be remotely awkward to look back on in several years”.

And as we close out a memorable year in wrestling, it’s important to remember that while we experienced a number of lows, which was not limited to the Nasty Boys, we also got introduced to a colorful new cast of characters that are bound to carry this company for the next 20 years. During a 10-part series that aired in December, former coach Mike Ditka predicted Mongo McMichael would one day have a more colorful legacy than Hulk Hogan.


For reasons even he could not have predicted, he would not be wrong. But that’s to be saved for another year.

Comments

  1. Bret should have dropped the belt because that's the time honored tradition, but Shawn was such an ass for saying to Bret that if the situation was reversed, he wouldn't have done the job. Maybe if Shawn wasn't such a pain, Bret would have done what he should have done, When the Screwjob halpened, I thought it was the need of the WWF and Vince parlayed that into the Mr McMahon character and became e billionaire,

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  2. royal Rumble 92 is Heenan's greatest work

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  3. He tossed the belt off a bridge in the final culturally significant moment involving a beeper.

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  4. Another good thing about NXT (in a string of many), The Lucha Dragons are perfect little tag team champions.

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  5. You should open them to the public after the voting closes in each round for shits and giggles. Its what Jacques would want!

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  6. Bull Dempsey vs Baron Corbin is going to suck something awful when it finally happens... and I can't wait to see it.


    Damn you, NXT!

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  7. At times? That's like saying the Grand Canyon is a slightly big hole.

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  8. The most overrated tag team in history.

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  9. That was a good read. Well done.

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  10. Mature Asian Dating, Mature Russian dating, wtf BoD ads, its like you're in my mind!!!

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  11. "there were many months in the year (12, at my count)"

    What about Smarch?

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  12. Was there a lot of ballot stuffing for the Roadkill Warriors?

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  13. Harlan Leverage IIIJanuary 8, 2015 at 8:47 PM

    The Rock vs. Ezekiel Jackson is going to be the tournament's first shutout, right?

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  14. Damn, there are some legit good match-ups in there. Hart/Steamboat, HBK/Punk, Savage/Angle, and Christian/Owen could all be great.

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  15. In all fairness, Jim McMahon is considered a Chicago legend as well. :/



    Just giving you shit...I'm from Houston, so I have no room to talk!

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  16. And yet you're a Hogan mark, he who bodyslammed the 1000 pound Andre the Giant who passed away right after.

    All kidding aside, 95% of wrestlers are marks for themselves. The other 5% are jobbers.

    ReplyDelete
  17. That's because they are. The ads are based on shit you're "interested" in.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Tommy dreamer and Michael Hayes are up there.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Heenan; "Jameson use to come home from school and find out his parents had moved"

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  20. "HEY YOU, stupid! Get me something to drink!"

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  21. Houston? That's like Chicago with cowboy hats. I love Houston!

    You're wrong about McMahon though. That was Walter Payton's team. McMahon was just the lucky dude that got to hand it off to Sweetness.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Home Depot. I'm lame.

    ReplyDelete
  23. "You know why his parents never got divorced? Neither wanted custody."

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  24. How DARE you doubt the Mountie's victory?

    Do you know who he is?!

    HE'S THE MOUNTIE!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hogan plays up the mythology when he's on puff shows like Today. Listen to his podcast with Jericho and you'll hear Hogan talk business. He knows when to turn the bullshit on and off.



    And if Hogan is a mark for himself, he at least deserves to be. He's legit #1 or #2 biggest draw in wrestling history. Bret thinks he filled a 80,000 stadium himself (SummerSlam 92). Hogan actually did.

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  26. I'd say Tommy Dreamer is #2. Hayes at least had a major run in the territory days. Dreamer's claim to fame is working for Heyman for free.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I believe footage of the title change is on the Royal Rumble dvd, and probably the wwe network version of the show too.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Then why the fuck haven't I got any Pregnant Dating site ads yet?!?

    ReplyDelete
  29. The weather is so lousy I try to forget it myself.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I mean, you could, but it's against wrestling tradition for an official to successfully stop the heel from cheating.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Instead that's what we call his career.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Well I do post the numbers to the bracket after the vote is closed already.

    ReplyDelete
  33. YankeesHoganTripleHFanJanuary 8, 2015 at 9:43 PM

    I'm not saying one person votes 1000 times. Just everyone votes for The Mountie

    ReplyDelete
  34. Let's do it Sideshow Bob style and have the dead vote.


    I'll work on getting votes from the pet cemetery.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I thought they just showed clips of the match, I don't remember the entire match ever being shown. Unless it was just a minute long match?

    ReplyDelete
  36. It actually never aired on television. The only place footage appeared was on the Coliseum version of the Royal Rumble, and it also made it onto the Rumble DVD set. Not sure if it's on the Network or not.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Maybe it's late and I'm tired, but has the voting started? I can't drag my vote to the next round. I've registered and used different browsers without any luck. Suggestions?

    ReplyDelete
  38. It's a pity you haven't posted vote totals, it'll be interesting to see how close the votes were.

    ReplyDelete
  39. First round proper hasn't started yet. That'll be in a separate post.

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  40. I think the Bret-Mountie switch was always the plan, or at least that's what was reported at the time. WCW DID make an effort to land Bret and have him bring the IC belt with him, as payback for Flair. Bret was ready to take their offer but unbeknownst to him his WWF contract automatically rolled over and he was stuck. Didn't seem to hurt him, though.

    ReplyDelete
  41. "Doesn't look much like a contender, does he? Standing on the apron, SCARED TO DEATH of Jimmy Hart."

    ReplyDelete
  42. That Bushwhackers match is possibly the worst match in WWF PPV history, and yet it's still watchable just for the Brain.


    "Well, why doesn't he have money? Why doesn't he have a job? No, he chose to be a LEECH--to LEECH off the government and my good tax money. I paid almost 200 dollars in taxes last year..." "WHAT?!"

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  43. I saw him at a house show in late 2013 against Jack Swagger. He came out to 98% crickets and 2% OLE chants. By the end of the match the fans gave him a very solid ovation for his win. That's a great sign for a ten minute match.

    ReplyDelete
  44. I got blenders. Yawn....

    ReplyDelete
  45. Literally one of my all-time favorite Bobby quotes

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  46. A format that never fails for Dave Barry, glad to see someone else trying it out.

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  47. I'd be hard-pressed to think of a more bullshit opponent to have taken the belt off of Bret at that point. If the objective was to make me hate the Mountie, well fuck, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

    In short, fuck THAT guy.

    ReplyDelete
  48. You know, I've been reloading and I got blenders once too. What the heck?

    I don't even know if I own a blender. Hey, do they know what I own?

    ReplyDelete
  49. Piper's title win is still one of my biggest mark out moments. And his battle with Bret at mania is also one of my all time favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  50. No groaning. We knew he was corny coming in. Nobody who still likes Third Wave can be uncorny.



    10,000 Zaniacs would have been even better.

    ReplyDelete
  51. You know as a Bear's fan, did it ever bother you that Walter didn't get to score even ONE TD during that superbowl?

    ReplyDelete
  52. Can we just have the Lucha Dragons deported already?

    Sasha is the tits now. What an awesome burgeoning heel.

    Gable looked good, and that armbar in the ropes is Hartesque. I like.

    Itami needs some time, it seems.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Not sure if trolling.

    You know Hogan wasn't even at that show, right?

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  54. He is my inspiration for everything ever.

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  55. He didn't need to. Sweetness was a giving man. He wanted the Fridge to have that touchdown.

    ReplyDelete
  56. What sells is that Heenan doesn't even sound like he's telling jokes for half of what he says. He sounds genuinely thoroughly disgusted.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Here's the footage of the title change:

    http://youtu.be/Z4IoFIPkPvY?t=14m23s

    ReplyDelete
  58. Wouldn't you be?

    I mean, on that one episode of The Bobby Heenan Show with the stripper, Jameson DID have a bit of an accident on one of Heenan's pillows.

    ReplyDelete
  59. He's handsome! He's brave! He's strong!

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  60. I think he's referring to WM3 rather than Summerslam.

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  61. Me too! Although I was looking at them last weekend so that makes sense.

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  62. As far as I can tell, the Coliseum version of PPVs are what they've uploaded to the Network, at least as far as RR and WM are concerned.

    Couldn't tell you about SummerFest or Survivor Series, since I had the live versions of those growing up, and the Anthology versions for me were always defective on those two sets.

    Fun fact: three years ago, I literally went through four different Survivor Series Vol. 1 Anthology sets. They all glitched up beyond belief at some point during the 1987 show. After the last one, I just said "fuck it" and asked Amazon for a refund.

    ReplyDelete
  63. I love how disinterested Hunicara looks when he does the Lucha chant while doing it next to Kalisto, who is more than into it.

    ReplyDelete
  64. Wasn't the flu thing really disrespectful to Rougeau? I mean, why not push the whole "see, ANYTHING can happen in the WWF, the IC title changed hands at a house show" thing instead of saying "this guy is such a loser the only way he beat Bret was because Bret was at death's door with pneumonia"?


    At least TRY and make the poor bastard somewhat credible before having him drop the strap to Piper.

    ReplyDelete
  65. "And WHAT is the deal with The Heckler?"

    ReplyDelete
  66. Didn't Jacques blame Bret for forcing them to come up with that story or something? It DOES help make Bret look sympathetic, and The Mountie like an asshole, but yeah, it makes Rougeau look like a lame-duck champion who didn't deserve his victory. These guys need credibility at least a LITTLE.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Did anyone pick up the fact that Itam's finisher is Devitt's old move Dreamcast?

    ReplyDelete
  68. Next week's show looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  69. I hope you get a mediocre sitcom too.

    ReplyDelete
  70. This is fun stuff. Well done

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  71. The American Males....smh. Once Regal and Finlay were done beating the piss out of each other, they should have shaken hands, had a pint or twelve, then teamed up to destroy the REAL enemy......the weak sister bitches Bagwell & Riggs.

    ReplyDelete
  72. This is awesome! I do not want it to end. Tell me a lie!

    ReplyDelete
  73. I'd like to see this too.

    ReplyDelete
  74. Honestly Mr Perfect should get the win.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Did Del Rio not do the armbar over the ropes to someone a few times?


    I seem to remember seeing someone bust it out on the main roster, but not 100% sure who it was.

    ReplyDelete

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