WCW March 1996 - 3/21

[jackknight]

Hashtag said:

Clash of the Champions
Live from the Pyramid in Memphis, TN

Dark Matches:

Dem Aloha Boys defeated The Silver Bullets in their WCW debut. Prince Iaukea brought his cousin Rosey in and they worked well as a unit finishing off Titanium with Paradise Lost (the Hart Attack).

High Voltage defeated Mr. D’Amore and Mr. Stasiak by pinfall when Rage hit D’Amore with a powerbomb.

El Diablo and Gran Akuma w/La Diabolica defeated Charles Haas and David Young by submission when Akuma locked Young in the Fujiwara armbar.
.
.
.
.
.
Rage against the Machine’s “Bombtrack” opens the broadcast as the camera pans across a raucous crowd.








Tony Schiavone, Dusty Rhodes, Mauro Ranallo, and Terry Taylor welcome everyone and the discussion focuses on Lex Luger’s actions of late and the decision facing him tonight, will he pick Diamond Dallas Page, or will Luger finally come to his senses and make amends with his longtime best friend the Stinger? Dusty says that he isn’t sure Sting would do it even if Luger asked him after the “double barrel salute” he gave him Monday on Nitro, that being such “an un-Stinger type uh, uh, action, if ya wheel.” Taylor suggests that if Luger had any brains he would give the match to Sting AND DDP and wait for his World Title match that he has not received yet. Mauro talks about being a longtime fan of Puro and that in tonight’s main event, we get another Clash dream-match. Former Japanese Olympian, a man who WCW fans may remember from the last Clash, Hiroshi Hase has returned, and this time he wants the Unified World Tag Team Championship, along with him he brings the very best tag team partner that Hase ever had, and the current International Heavyweight Champion, Masahiro Chono. Tony says that without a doubt there is excitement in the air, which can mean only one thing, it’s time for WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING! “Dave Penzer, take it away……”






Match 1 is a One Fall Match with a 20 Minute Time Limit
Your referee in charge is Mark Curtis
SUPER PEGASUS vs. HUGH MORRUS w/”Gamesmaster” Kevin Sullivan

These two have developed a blistering rivalry throughout the early part of 1996, and this contest served as a measuring stick of intensity between the two. Hugh used his size and strength to keep Pegasus grounded with a mauling attack, much to the delight of the Gamesmaster at ringside. Morrus was able to collect a couple of near falls in early going after a brutal head and arm trapped throw, and a knee breaker, back suplex combination. Super Pegasus showed what he was made of by fighting his way back into the contest and getting a couple near falls of his own. Pegasus hoisted Hugh up, attempting the Corkscrew Brainbuster, Morrus proved that he knew exactly how dangerous the move is by being able to avoid it here in this encounter by digging his fingers into the eye holes of Super Pegasus, Morrus dropped down behind him, rolls him up, one……………..two…………..HE GRABS THE ROPES….three!

Hugh Morrus has evened things up in this feud with his former partner, but that is not enough for the maniacal misfit, as the Gamesmaster holds Pegasus down in order for Morrus to deliver not one, but two, No Laughing Matter moonsaults!


.
.
.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.
.
.
International wrestling and broadcast journalist Mauro Ranallo is joined by World Television Champion Chris Jericho, Christian Cage, and Lenny Lane just moments before their big 6 man elimination match. Jericho says that “clinger oners” like Ricky Steamboat are exactly what is wrong with the wrestling business today, refusing to let-go and protecting “their spots” like it was their very breath of life. The Dragon should have stayed at home and just enjoyed watching Monday Nitro like the rest of his “geriatric, Icy Hot using brethren” and been thankful that Jericho didn’t leave him “a broken-down shell of his former self,” but tonight Steamboat won’t be so lucky. That last time out Jericho viewed Steamboat as his former hero whom needed a lesson taught, but this time, Steamboat “is just another victim! And all of the Jericholics in Memphis will never, ehhveeeeerrrrr, forget March 21st, 1996, the day The Dragon was finally forced into extinction!”


.
.
.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.
.
.
Match 2 is a Six-Man Elimination Match with a special 30 Minute Time Limit
Your referee in charge is Pee Wee Anderson
Winning team captain selects stipulations for Jericho/Steamboat II
RICKY STEAMBOAT and THE WESTERN RENEGADES vs. CHRIS JERICHO and THE HIGHLIGHT EXPRESS

The Dragon thought he was beginning the contest with Chris Jericho, only to have Jericho tag Lenny Lane in at the last second much to the dismay of the great fans here in the Pyramid as well as Steamboat himself. The Dragon put on a wrestling clinic, taking Lane to wrestling school, never letting the youngster to get going. Steamboat’s trademark armdrags, dropkicks, chops, and pinning combinations were on full display. Steamboat and the Renegades tagged out often, keeping the fresh man in at all times, and never allowed Lane to get a break or catch his breath, eventually putting him away with a running bulldog from Kendal Windham, before either of his teammates even got in the match!
.
.
.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.
.
.
Back from break and Jericho is in full control of Kendal Windham. Just as the 30-second rest period was wrapping up, Christian delivered a running knee to the back of an unsuspecting Windham allowing Jericho to begin the 2nd fall with an advantage. Cage and Jericho functioned like a well-oiled machine much like Steamboat and the Renegades in the first fall. Windham showed that fighting spirit that has long been a family trait of his, as he was able to capitalize on a Cage and Jericho miscommunication and make the tag to Youngblood who came in a house of fire! It was nearly a 3 on 1 advantage for team Steamboat after the End of the Trail superkick, but Jericho broke up the pin attempt with a diving knee drop to the head of Youngblood, Cage reversed the pin attempt, and eliminated Youngblood evening things back up!

After the 30 second rest period, Windham and Cage erupted into an all out brawl, which did not bode well for the young Canadian as the big Texan was able to win the battle of fist a cuffs. The cagey Christian reached deep into his bag of tricks though and used a brilliant leverage move to force his way out of the running bulldog and send Windham crashing to the floor. Cage met him there and put a good beating on the tall Texan. Christian flung Windham into the guard-rail, and then again into the steps, before rolling back inside the ring at the count of 8, but instead of allowing the count-out Christian made what proved to be a fatal mistake by go back after Windham, and attempting his reversed double under-hook face plant ON THE RAMP, but Kendal stood up in the hold, delivering essentially a reversed back body drop that sent Christian face first into the ramp himself! Windham was able to roll back inside the ring before the count of ten, Christian was not so lucky, making it two on one against the Champ!
.
.
.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.
.
.
We return from break to see Jericho taking it to Windham, Jericho has Windham down just a few feet in front of Steamboat, and Jericho is antagonizing the Dragon. Steamboat made an uncharacteristic mistake rushing into the ring, allowing Jericho to send Windham crashing shoulder first into the ringpost! Jericho delivered the Lionsault, and locked in a cross armbreaker, and Kendal had no choice but to submit!

While the Dragon checked on his partner who was in obvious pain, Jericho did not allow the 30 second rest period, jumping Steamboat, dumping him to the floor, and putting a beating on the legend! Once the fall kicked off officially, it appeared to be just a matter of time before Jericho had once more defeated Steamboat, but the Dragon showed that fighting spirit he is famous for, and fought his way back into the contest tooth and nail! The Steamer got his second wind and that is when things really picked up, these two tore into each other with chops and strikes, the intensity and crowd got hot enough to fry an egg on the television! They locked up, and were forced into the corner, Jericho went for an eye-poke, but Steamboat had him scouted, blocked it, and delivered a dropkick to the teeth of Jericho that sent him flipping over the top rope and to the ramp!

Steamboat was begging him to get back into the ring, there was a fire burning in the belly of Steamboat, Jericho thought long and hard about the situation, went over to Penzer grabbed the Television title AND WALKED AWAY FROM THE FIGHT! BOOOOOOOOOO! The fans let Jericho have it, but he could not have cared less, he looked right into the camera and said, “next time Steamboat, next time.”



Ricky Steamboat will now get to select the stipulations for his World Television Title rematch!
.
.
.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.
.
.
Mauro Ranallo is standing by with Diamond Dallas Page and the lovely Kimberly. DDP says he has not heard from Luger yet, but hopes that Lex does the right thing and picks Page. DDP says that he doesn’t care about Luger and Sting’s personal problems, though he has “mad” respect for the Stinger, this isn’t a personal attack on Sting, it’s about him getting his hands on Norton. And whether its tonight, or Monday, or the next pay-per-view, or “hell in the frikkin parkin’ lot” Diamond Dallas Page would make “damn sure that Flash feels. The. BAAAAANG”


.
.
.
.
.
Match 3 is set for One Fall with a 20 Minute Time Limit
Your referee in charge is senior official Nick Patrick
#1 Contenders Match contested Texas Tornado Rules
THE NASTY BOYS vs. THE FACES OF FEAR w/”Gamesmaster” Kevin Sullivan

This one has been building since the Nasty Boys returned to WCW at the beginning of the year. They have a long history with Kevin Sullivan, including one of the craziest matches in WCW history at Spring Stampede 94, and this one resembled that one very closely. With so much riding on the outcome of this fight, some suspected a bit more discretion, but they weren’t too familiar with these brooding bruisers obviously. This one went all around the ringside area, even running the guys away from the announce position momentarily, as Sags sent Barbarian crashing into the timekeeper’s station. The Gamesmaster liberally involved himself throughout the contest, and ate a big elbow drop from Sags delivered onto the floor for his troubles. Even with the rules relaxed in this Texas Tornado tag encounter, senior official Nick Patrick, the poor bastard, was unable to maintain any semblance of order, and had to eventually declare it a NO-CONTEST when the four behemoths battled back into the dressing room area. Leaving all to wonder what JJ Dillon and Magnum T.A.’s decision would be regarding the next #1 Contender’s for the Unified Tag Team Championship.


.
.
.
.
.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
.
.
.
.
.
Terry Taylor is standing by with the Heavyweight Champion of the World Curt Hennig and Scott ‘Flash’ Norton, and the time is nearly at hand. The World is waiting on pins and needles for Lex Luger’s decision. Will it be Dallas Page? Will it be Sting? Would Sting even team with Luger at this point? All those questions are irrelevant as far as the Champ and his heavy hitter are concerned. Curt says that if Sting and DDP no what’s good for them they would avoid Lex Luger like the plague, “because that is exactly what he is. He is a virus that feeds off of everyone around him and the Minnesota Mauler and the Champ have the cure for that virus!” Norton goes on to say that nothing was ever personal between he and DDP, Norton needed to make a statement and Page was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But now, things “are damn sure personal” and that Page better hope Luger picks anyone else because if it is him, he will pay the ultimate price, “your career!”
.
.
.
.
.
Match 4 is a One Fall match with a 20 Minute Time Limit
Your referee in charge is Mark Curtis
BEAUTIFUL BOBBY and SOUTHERN JUSTICE w/Col. Parker vs. RICK MARTEL and THE STEINER BROS.

These six really went at it full bore in this one. Martel and Eaton are as familiar with one another as any two competitors could be. Rick and Scott are no strangers to Eaton either, nor their partner. They meshed surprising well with Martel even though he had a hand in Scotty’s rib injury late last year. The wildcards proved to be Bubba and Anthony whose no-nonsense style clashed with that of the Steiners. Producing more than one “oooh” and “ahhh” spot with the crowd as Rick or Scott would no-sell and then be fed a boot from Bubba or an elbow from the Dirty White Boy. Not to be outdone the Steiners showed their raw power and mastery of leverage in suplexing Anthony and Rogers like they were a couple of junior heavyweights. In the end it was the Colonel who made the difference, distracting Martel long enough for Bubba to catch him off-guard, and then plant him with a devastating Bubba side-slam for the victory.



.
.
.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.
.
.
Match 5 is set for One fall with a 20 Minute Time Limit
Your referee in charge is senior official Nick Patrick
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION CURT HENNIG and SCOTT NORTON vs. UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION LEX LUGER w/Miss Elizabeth and A PARTNER OF HIS CHOOSING



Lex kicks things off with the mic in his hand and says that with having a few days to sit back and think about things, he realized how important this decision was, and needed someone that he trusted implicitly in his corner. So no offense to Diamond Dallas Page, but he had to chose someone he has more of a history with. Someone that he has run the roads with, someone who shares his dreams and beliefs. Someone that the total package, like himself, believes can be a World Champion….
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

MARCUS ALEXANDER BAGWELL??

To the bewilderment of the announce crew, the audience, and his opponents Lex chose his protégé’ the young and impressive Marcus Alexander Bagwell. Luger started the contest, which proved to be his best decision of the night. It wasn’t long before the Heavyweight Champion of the World and the Minnesotan Mauler took over the contest. It was obvious to Duthtay that Norton and Hennig was a well-oiled machine, working in unison to systematically take the #1 contender apart. For all of his faults though Luger proved he could take a beating and bounce back as he connected with a flying forearm on Curt Hennig, and then met the freshly tagged Norton with a complete powerslam in an impressive show of strength at this point. Lex was finally able to make the tag to Bagwell who came in a house of fire with dropkicks and strikes for both his opponents. The change of pace from Luger through Norton and Hennig off long enough for Bagwell to display some impressive offense, but once he made a mistake, which young wrestlers tend to do, he was in over his head. If you though that Luger took a beating early on then you definition of beating quickly changed as Bagwell was destroyed. To the point that Schiavone and Ranallo called for Nick Patrick to stop the match.

But the valiant Bagwell would not be pinned nor would he submit. Luger attempted many times to save his partner, but that proved to be an even larger mistake as it gave Hennig and Norton the opportunity to do some double team damage while the referee was busy restraining Luger. The combination of Hennig and Norton proved to be too much in the end as Norton folded Bagwell in half with a powerbomb, and then tagged in the Champion whose perfect execution of the Fisherman’s suplex was a foregone conclusion to finally bring an end to this one. Luger rushed in to check on his partner while Hennig and Norton stood over them amused by the entire situation.






Duthtay said it best, “I bet Lugah wishes his head hadn’t been up his hind end and he’d asked da Stingah to be his partnah here tonight…”
.
.
.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.
.
.
We return from break to find out that Marcus Alexander Bagwell had to be taken to the local medical facility here in Memphis and that we would have an update at the earliest possible opportunity.

The Main Event of the evening is set for One Fall with TV time remaining
And is for the UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP OF THE WORLD
Your referee in charge is Randy Anderson

The challengers are from the Land of the Rising Sun, they weighed in this morning at a total combined weight of 499 lbs., they are the former INTERNATIONAL TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS and Two-Time NEW JAPAN GRAND PRIX TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS, they are HIROSHI HASE and the INTERNATIONAL HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION MASAHIRO CHONO and their opponents weighing in at a total combined weight of 520 lbs., from the streets of Harlem, are led to the ring by their manager SENSATIONAL SISTER SHERRI and they are the reigning, defending UNIFIED TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS OF THE WORLD BOOKER T., STEVIE RAY, HARLEM HEAT

In a tag team encounter for the ages Booker T. and Stevie Ray were put to the test. Hase and Chono were at the top of their games, and several times appeared to have the Unified World Tag Team Championship within their grasp and on their way back to Japan. Chono’s mafia kick proved to be the single most effective weapon of the bout as it changed the tide of battle numerous times. Whether it was to prevent a Harlem Heat tag, put a halt to their offense, or turning an even exchange to his favor Chono used the big boot to its maximum potential. Hase, the smallest man in the match, proved that leverage and grappling knowledge is the ultimate equalizer with his ability to seamlessly suplex either member of Harlem Heat from any given position. That is what an Olympic-level Judo player can do. But as the old saying goes “iron sharpens iron” and Booker T. proved to be the sharpest blade in the ring as he was able to finally gain an advantage and finish Hase with the Harlem Hangover flipping leg drop from the top rope.