WCW April 1996 - 4/28 & 4/29

[jackknight]

Hashtag said:

Dark Matches:
“Bad” Barry Darsow defeated Chuckie Haas with an inverted shoulder breaker.

David Taylor and Norman Smiley defeated Mr. D’Amore and Mr. Stasiak when Taylor locked D’Amore in the Regal Stretch STF.

El Diablo and Gran Akuma w/La Diabolica defeated Rage and Kaos High Voltage after Akuma finished Kaos off with Shoryuken Uppercut.

.
.
.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’S BOMBTRACK opens the broadcast as the camera pans over a raucous Rosemont Horizon

Tony Schiavone, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes, Mauro Ranallo, and Terry Taylor welcome everyone to beautiful Chicago, Illinois where we have a huge night of action, as we kick things off with the World Television Title match!

.
.
.

Match 1
Best 2 out of 3 Falls with a 1 hour time limit FOR THE WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPIONSHIP
Nick Patrick is referee in charge

Steamboat and Jericho have gotten intimately familiar with one another since Jericho arrived on the scene at the beginning of the year, and have delivered some classic wrestling matches in the process. This one starts out full speed ahead, both men desperately trying to gain that all-important first fall. Steamboat appeared to have the upper-hand in the waning moments of the first fall, but the ever mindful Jericho rolled through Steamboat’s signature top rope High Cross Body Block, grabbed a handful of tights and went up 1 to 0!

The Dragon protested throughout the rest period, but that proved to be a distraction as Jericho dominated the beginning of the second fall. He really went to town on Steamboat, showing why the wrestling world sees so much potential in the Long-Island Loud Mouth! The Dragon proved to be ever resilient though and caught Jericho in a scramble in the La Mahistrohl cradle to even this thing up at 1 fall apiece!

Both men were feeling the effects of the grueling encounter as we approached the half hour mark. Neither man’s gas tank was totally empty though as both men were able to gain near falls after spurts of offense. They staggered into the ropes and began a criss-cross that resulted in both men attempting a cross-body block and smacking their heads together! Jericho rolls to the floor and under the ring, while Steamboat remains motionless. From the other side of the ring Jericho finally emerges, his hair all over the place he crawls over to Steamboat, 1……2………NO! Steamboat somehow managed to kick out! Inside cradle and jack-knife pinfall attempts by Jericho merely get nearfalls as well. Steamboat fights to his feet, he chops Jericho, and again, and again, he grabs a handful of Jericho’s hair, looks him dead in the eye, and….. points his finger? WTF?

Jericho drops down, rolls to the floor, and as Steamboat follows him across the ring, Jericho emerges from the otherside, was he sprinting??? Jericho rolls him up, 1……2………3!!! Jericho has done it, and he quickly rolls outside, grabs his World Television title and scampers up the ramp, Steamboat is beside himself.


.
.
.

Match 2
Is a 1 Fall Match and is a Semi-Final contest in the GenX Title Tournament
Mark Curtis is your referee in charge

Hugh Morrus w/Kevin Sullivan was pushed to the brink by the “Japanese Buzzsaw” Tajiri, and Mr. Fuji and Kevin Sullivan preoccupied one another at ringside, allowing their charges to go all out. In the end, Hugh was a bit too powerful for Tajiri’s deadly submission finisher, The Tarantula, and the No Laughing Matter Moonsault proved to be the difference maker.

.
.
.

Match 3
Is a 1 Fall Match and is a Semi-Final contest in the GenX Title Tournament
Randy Anderson is your referee in charge

Super Pegasus and Aryan Von Raschke w/Da Baron went to war! Both men went all out, leaving little in the gas tank for the finals. In the end Super Pegasus’ Corkscrew Brainbuster was more than Von Raschke could withstand.

After the contest HUGH MORRUS AND KEVIN SULLIVAN hit the ring and destroyed Super Pegasus with anything not nailed down at ringside. Morrus even tore Super Pegasus mask off his face and wiped his chest with the blood of Pegasus. Referee’s and medical personnel threw a towel over the face of Pegasus and quickly rushed him to the back, it wasn’t long before the towel was soaked in blood. Will Super Pegasus be able to compete in the finals later tonight?

.
.
.

Match 4
1 Fall with a 20 Minute Time Limit
Mark Curtis is your referee in charge

The Highlight Express and Dem Aloha Boys had a fast-paced back and forth contest. Christian and Lenny worked as a cohesive unit, drawing Midnight Express comparisons, which Dusty found a bit premature, but does agree the boys have potential. Iaukea and Rosey made for a formidable duo though and the power of Rosey was the difference in this contest as he caught Lane with a powerbomb after he ate a superkick from Iaukea and that was all she wrote!

.
.
.

Match 5
1 Fall with a 20 Minute Time Limit
Randy Anderson is your referee in charge

“Beautiful” Bobby w/Col. Rob Parker went to battle with his former partner Rick Martel, and was able to even the score in the rivalry by finishing off Martel with the Alabama Jam top-rope leg drop.

.
.
.

Match 6
1 Fall with a 30 Minute Time Limit is for the UNITED STATES HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Nick Patrick is your referee in charge

New Champ Scott ‘Flash’ Norton and Diamond Dallas Page w/Kimberly have been at war since Norton attempted to make a statement at the expense of DDP who is still wearing special padding around his ribs from the powerbombs sustained at the hands of Norton. This one was indicative of these two guys disdain for one another as a blatant disregard for the instructions of Nick Patrick. Patrick let them have the leeway they deserved in this high stakes encounter. In the end, the bad ribs proved to be more than DDP could overcome after he was rammed into the steel ringpost by the sadistic Norton and finished off with the power-bomb inside the ring.

.
.
.

Match 7
1 Fall with a 20 Minute Time Limit
Mark Curtis is your referee in charge

Southern Justice w/Col. Rob Parker found the biggest victory of their fresh partnership more challenging than anticipated, but were able to defeat The Steiner Brothers with a little help from the shoe of the Col. This was a hard-hitting bout between 4 maulers, Big Bubba and Ricky Steiner seemed to have a little extra something on the potatoes they threw at one another, and were brawling on the floor, catching the attention of both Mark Curtis and Scotty which enabled Tony Anthony to blast Steiner in the back of the head with Parker’s shoe and pick up an upset victory.

.
.
.

It is announced that in order to give Super Pegasus extra time to prepare the World Tag Team Title match would be taking place now. Hugh Morrus and Kevin Sullivan were awful proud of themselves. Morrus had the ripped apart, bloody mask of his former tag partner and road brother over his head as a sick trophy, and assured us that by “taking his mask, I and the Gamesmaster have taken Pegasus’ soul! And that a STORM was brewing” Sullivan says that Storm will result in Hugh being the first, and “only GenX champion!”

.
.
.

Semi-Final
1 Fall with a 30 Minute Time Limit is a Triangle Match for the Unified Tag Team Championship of the World
Randy Anderson is your referee in charge

Harlem Heat w/Sister Sherri, the Faces of Fear w/Gamesmaster Kevin Sullivan, and the Nasty Boys brawled all over the ringside area, Dusty Rhodes was in heaven, and could barely be understood with all the laughing he was doing at the expensive of the behemoths in the ring. This wild and wooly encounter had everything you would expect with these six men involved. Sherri and Sullivan made their presence felt, in the end it was the wit and teamwork of Harlem Heat that enabled Booker T. to nail the Barbarian with the Harlem Hangover flipping top-rope leg drop to garner a big win the world’s best tag team.

.
.
.

The following contest is the FINALS in the Generation Next tournament
Is 1 Fall with NO time limit and will crown the first GenX Champion!
Mark Curtis is your referee in charge

Hugh Morrus and Kevin Sullivan are in the ring, displaying the torn mask of Super Pegasus. Mark Curtis stalled for a few moments, but after the second playing of Pegasus’ entrance music, he had no choice to start the 10 count! Suddenly from the back emerged a battered and bandaged Super Pegasus, EMT’s trying to restrain him, holding a towel over his head, but the fighting spirit burned inside him as he hit the ring
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.


Hugh Morrus couldn’t believe it, as LANCE STORM fought with everything he had, got rid of Sullivan, delivered throws and chops and kicks, keeping the larger man bewildered, the former Super Pegasus ascended to the top rope, he FLIES, crashing down with a devastating head-butt that busts himself back open, he covers, 1……..2……..3!!!!



LANCE STORM IS THE GENX CHAMPION!!

.
.
.

Your Main Event of the evening is a 1 Fall Match with a 60 Minute Time limit
And is for the WCW Heavyweight Championship of the World
WCW Senior Official Nick Patrick is your referee in charge
Curt Hennig w/Scott Norton vs. Lex Luger w/Marcus Bagwell and Miss Elizabeth

This one has been building for over two months as Hennig drove a wedge between Luger and his best friend the Stinger, and also injured his protégé Marcus Bagwell. Culminating in Scott Norton stealing the US Title from Luger a couple of weeks ago on Nitro. Tonight was Luger’s chance at redemption, and he fought like a man with nothing to lose, scoring several near falls on the champ. But Hennig was able to prove why he is considered a living legend in professional wrestling and was able to fend off the attacks of The Total Package. Luger though appeared to have the match and title won when he was able to lock Curt in the dreaded Human Torture Rack! Scott Norton jumps on the apron, but gets his foot grabbed by Bagwell.

Oh, no. This is bad. “HE IS STILL IN A NECK BRACE FOR CRYING OUT LOUD” Schiavone screams out as Norton stalks Bagwell at ringside! Luger drops Hennig, jumps to the floor and steps in between Norton and Bagwell. Nick Patrick gets all up in Norton’s face as Lex walks Bagwell back to his chair at ringside. Luger goes to finish off Hennig who is still motionless in the ring. WHAT THE HELL??? Bagwell creams Luger in the back of the head with the chair, and Luger falls back into the ring! Here comes Nick Patrick, Curt throws his arm over Luger, 1………….2…………..3!

Bagwell and Norton rush in the ring to congratulate Curt, and Marcus gets in Luger’s face, pointing his finger and slapping him! Liz stands at ringside bewildered as Hennig, Norton, and Bagwell stand tall over Luger as the PPV goes off the air.

[jackknight]

Hashtag said:

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’S BOMBTRACK opens the broadcast panning over the sold-out Civic Center in Peoria, Illinois.


Tony, Dusty, and Terry Taylor open the broadcast, discussing everything that went down last night at Spring Stampede. Schiavone assures everyone that Curt Hennig, Scott Norton, and Marcus Bagwell would answer for their actions last night in a big interview with Mauro Ranallo later in the broadcast. And an old face returns to WCW in a big broadcast.

Match 1
Iaukea and Rosey w/Samu defeated The Silver Bullets. After the contest they cut a promo with Rosey’s Godfather, Samu, famously of the Samoan Swat Team who watched the cousin’s come together as a tag team a couple of weeks ago, and pick up a big victory at Spring Stampede, and with him around they will develop the edge they need to get to the top of WCW

.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.

Match 2
Norman Smiley and Dave Taylor, the Queen’s favorite tag team, defeated “Bad” Barry Darsow and the Extraordinary Mercenary when Smiley was able to plant Darsow with a Northern Lights Suplex and bridge.



Footage is shown of Hugh Morrus and Kevin Sullivan beating down, bloodying, and ripping the mask off of Super Pegasus prior to the finals of the GenX tournament last night, and also of the emotional comeback that Lance Storm was able to mount, and to win the championship. Storm is with Ranallo and says that he had seriously been considering removing the mask, shedding the façade that was Super Pegasus, and that he really needed to thank Hugh and Sullivan for removing the “albatross” from his neck. And that winning a championship as himself, for the very first time was the highlight of his career. Thusfar. And when Dave Penzer announced Lance Storm as the “NEWWWWW” champion, that’s when Storm knew that the biggest moments of his career were still yet to come. And sure he left Spring Stampede beaten up and bloodied, but he also left as champion, and that felt pretty damn good.




Match 3
The Highlight Express defeated Chuckie Haas and Joey Matthews after nailing Haas with the Rocket Launcher. After the contest, Mauro tried to get a word with Lenny and Christian, about Chris Jericho’s defense against Ricky Steamboat last night at Spring Stampede, apparently there is a subject the duo doesn’t have a opinion on.

.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.

Mauro Ranallo wis joined by “2 Col…..”

“Nuh-uh playa, Too Cold ain’t here no mo.” Too Cold was the guy here a few years ago “smilin’, rappin’, and dancin’; carryin some young crackas to the best matches of they career” just trying to please his bosses. That was Too Cold. But Too Cold? “He gone. Its jus Scorpio here now. No mo dancin or carryin white boys to greatness.” All Scorpio is worried about is “bustin heads, and cashin checks.”

Which is why with him is super sports agent and practicing attorney, Clarence Mason, who points out that Scorpio’s WCW contract was signed on April 10 of 1996, so why then, “Mr. Ranallo is my client’s first booked appearance on 29 April?” Have no fear, Mr. Mason will tell us why, “because WCW wants Scorpio, WCW needs Scorpio; they just do not want to see him with Championship Gold!” Scorpio says that he was defining Generation Next before it was a thought in any suits mind. He is the innovator, he is the origins of this division, and “it’s a crime, mane. Keepin’ me out that tournament like dat.” But that’s ok, “that’s aight” Scorpio has his boy C. Mase on the case, and that he knows Lance Storm very well, “and Lance you can’t hide from me boy.”


Match 4
Scorpio w/Clarence Mason defeated Robbie War Eagle with the 450 Top Rope Splash.



.
.
.
Commercial Break
.
.
.

Match 5
United States Champion Scott Norton defeated Rick Martel after his dreaded Powerbomb.



Mauro Ranallo is standing by with a very pleased Col. Robert E. Lee Parker who says that he is the"finest leader of men since his namesake, the honorable General passed on." That just last night his boy Bobby took care of Rick Martel, and says that contrary to what Mr. Scorpio says, Beautiful Bobby Eaton has been doing the GenX thing for 15 years, and is a former World Television Champion himself. And also his Mustang and his Thoroughbred, Tony and Bubba, showed the Steiners what Southern Justice was all about, and that they are just itchin to get their hands on Harlem Heat.


Match 6
Marcus Bagwell w/Curt Hennig defeated Chris Youngblood w/Kendall Windham after planting him with the Blockbuster flipping neck breaker from the top rope.

Mauro Ranallo then joined the Heavyweight Champion of the World Curt Hennig, the United States Champion Scott Norton, and their new friend Marcus Bagwell. Bagwell says that he was laying in a hospital bed just a couple of weeks ago, watching Nitro on TBS, and heard what the Champ had to say. And much to his surprise, later that night Curt Hennig gave him a phone call. They talked for awhile, and come to find out they had a lot in common, a helluva lot more than he had with that “egotistical jackass” Lex Luger! Luger didn’t give him a call, a card, or even a swift kick in the keyster. Then all of a sudden, Lex calls him up, and without ever asking how Bagwell was feeling, was telling him how he is getting his title match and wants Bagwell to be in his corner? “For all Lex knew, I could have been paralyzed, and the first thing he says to me is to ask me to be in his corner?” Well to hell with that. “Lex Luger is a self-centered, self-serving…….”

Lex Luger has had just about enough and runs to the ring and gets him some of Marcus Bagwell!! The adrenaline doesn’t overcome a 3-on-1 advantage though. From the back comes Diamond Dallas Page and Ricky Steamboat to even things up. Security is trying to break up the brawl as Tony, Terry, and The Dream sign off….