83 Weeks - Nitro 08.26.96 Watchalong [Show Notes] (Patreon)

This week we’re right back into 1996 and the 25th anniversary of the nWo and this episode is focused on just who is going to be joining the nWo!

Let’s fire up the Peacock machine...Season 2 episode 33. It’s funny to me as the caption on the Peacock network is…”The nWo’s reign of terror begins as Scott Hall, Kevin Nash & Hulk Hogan dole out justice.” What justice do you think the nWo was doling out?

3-2-1…

As we hit the intro this is important from the Observer at this time..

“The restraining order hearing involving the WWF lawsuit against WCW for trademark infringement was scheduled to take place this week, but a settlement between the two sides on that aspect took place before the hearing.

In a consent order signed by both sides, WCW agreed to not have any employees or independent contractors who work for the company call Scott Hall either Razor Ramon or The Bad Guy or call Kevin Nash either Diesel or Big Daddy Cool. In addition, WCW is not allowed to state that either Hall or Nash currently work for the WWF. Since WCW wasn't about to do any of that anyway, it appeared to be pretty much an amicable deal. Apparently there is heat within WCW because WWF was able to find out about interoffice memos sent when Hall and Nash first started working for the company where they were called by their Titan names, which will no doubt be used by Titan in the lawsuit aspect of the case.

Titan is still bringing the lawsuit forward asking for damages from WCW for trademark infringement and unfair competitive practices with no date set as of yet for the jury trial.

In other legal entanglements, the situation regarding Sean Waltman seems to have wound up with 1-2-3 Kid temporarily locked up as a pawn between the two warring sides.

Apparently WWF agreed to give Waltman a release from his contract, and Waltman reached a deal with WCW and was going to debut on 8/10 as the fourth member of the NWO team. However, before signing the release, Titan listed not only the name 1-2-3 Kid but mannerisms, dress and look of the character that they claimed as intellectual property and since it wasn't settled and still isn't settled, Waltman is tied up. Waltman did a Prodigy interview with Bob Ryder believing that he's become a pawn in the lawsuit. In addition, both WWF and WCW have been carefully scrutinizing the WCW hotline for veiled mentions of 1-2-3 Kid because since Waltman hasn't been released, if there are any mentions, WWF can use it as lawsuit ammunition that here WCW is still talking about bringing in talent that is under contract to Titan Sports (since Bret Hart wasn't under Titan contract, whether he is right now I don't believe so but am not sure, starting rumors of his coming doesn't fall under that umbrella).”

How much heat do you have from Turner execs for the lawsuit?

How difficult is the negotiation and the worry about bringing in Sean Waltman at this point?

Is this around the time when you didn’t negotiate with Bret Hart like Bret said you did?

WarGames is coming up in Winston Salem, NC...Horsemen country...when do you think of the fake Sting angle?

This is a big night for you Eric but it’s in front of a small arena and small house. It’s a sell out but it’s in front of 1,384 people with a gate of $20,600. Do you remember why this arena was used here in Palmetto, Florida?

You’re running unopposed against Monday Night Raw because of the US Open. Did you think differently in terms of your creative when you run unopposed. Decide to shoot bigger angles like the one we see later tonight?

We open with a debut of which there will be many with Juventud Guerrera facing off with Billy Kidman. I’m assuming Juventud comes in at Konnan’s recommendation?

This is really the beginning of the influx of the cruiserweight talent from Mexico as this is the 3rd luchadore to debut in almost 2 months between Rey, Psicosis and now Juventud. What was it about the cruiserweights Eric that you think you needed to freshen up the lower to mid cards?

They go 4 minutes here and have kind of a wonky finish. Looks like Juvi forgets to kick out of Billy Kidman’s beautiful shooting star press and gets the win with a beautiful hurricanrana and then you do what any smart man does...GIVE A GUY WHO BARELY SPEAKS ENGLISH PROMO TIME WITH GENE OKERLUND. Eric...what are we doing here?

Blood Runs Cold...still.

Scotty Riggs is injured and so forms the tag team no one ever knew they wanted...Marcus Bagwell & Jim Powers as they team up to face Kevin Sullivan & Big Bubba. It’s actually...a damn good match all things considered. Buff isn’t bad as a babyface in peril and Jim Powers with the cross body but hold up...wait a minute...Nick Patrick is our ref and he can’t let the good guys win so he restarts the match and Bubba gets the pin right after on Powers. Was this to show that Patrick wasn’t full fledged nWo?

In an amazing case of foreshadowing...or Gene Okerlund being funny...Kevin Sullivan cuts a promo after the match and accuses Gene of hanging out on a boat with Hulk Hogan in Florida but Gene says it wasn’t him but maybe it was you Eric. Do you know...right here right then...you’re turning heel to join the nWo or is this Gene having one too many and making an off hand comment?

Last week on Nitro Lex Luger, Sting, Ric Flair & Arn Anderson decided to come together for the betterment of WCW and team up at War Games against 4 nWo members and Luger & Sting are confused why the other Horsemen...Steve McMichael & Chris Benoit...are upset about this? When did you start to think shades of grey was going to be important here for the WCW vs. nWo angle to really work?

Chavo Guerrero Jr. vs. Mike Enos with Dick Slater at ringside is up next but as this match gets underway Randy Savage vs. Hulk Hogan is announced as being the main event of Halloween Havoc. We see some odd stuff in this match Eric. Konnan looks to have become a gang banger over night and then Enos hits the ref with an eyepoke AND SWITCHES WITH DICK SLATER LIKE THEY’RE THE FUCKING BELLA TWINS!

Surprisingly enough...it works and Chavo gets the pin on Slater! Eric...what in the fuck?

Cruiserweight Title is up for grabs next as we got Rey Mysterio Jr. vs. Mr. JL which was Jerry Lynn who recently joined us on AdFreeShows.com for a live zoom call with our top guys! Eric have you had much interaction with Jerry in the last few years?

We get started and we’re immediately taken back to the production area where the nWo is spray painting the trucks. Was this...really a heel move in your mind?

You have two of the best wrestlers in the world probably at this point and this is when you stick this angle in here. Couldn’t we have spared ourselves seeing Juventud try to cut a promo?

Back from commercial and we’re about 5 minutes in of a match we’ve seen nothing of. Do you see why...looking back at these shows now...why the internet was full of hate and contempt over the treatment of the really good wrestlers in the lower to mid card?

All things considered though this isn’t a great match. Even Meltzer says it wasn’t very good. The crowd doesn’t care until the 2nd hour fireworks shoot off and the finish is sloppy. What say you Eric?

Next up we see Benoit & Mongo saying they need to prove they should be in War Games.

Here’s a recap of Randy Savage going nuts to lead to him vs. Hogan. Do you remember why this Savage push vs Hogan was such a big deal as it kind of seems like you’re planning for two pay-per-views ahead. Did it have to do with Slim Jim pushing Havoc and Randy’s contract?

Next up we got the Giant vs. Jim Duggan which is notable for really one reason and only one reason. The 4th member of the nWo makes his way down through the crowd and it’s the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. Giant wins by the way when Jim Duggan just can’t wrap enough tape around his hand to knock the big man off and hits a choke slam. Ted announces he’s the 4th man and next week there will be a 5th member. From the minute Ted leaves the WWF it’s assumed he was coming to WCW and then when the nWo is formed it’s also assumed he would be a member. Ted has never worked for WCW at this point. Soooo does that blow your whole guys coming back for revenge or things done wrong to them idea out of the water or was this just a necessary evil of pitting him with the top heel group?

What was the negotiation like with Ted? We all know he retired due to an injury and he was another one of the Lloyds of London guys...was he not allowed to wrestle or take bumps?

The 5th man...is that supposed to be Sean Waltman at this point?

Next up it’s kind of a blast from the past as Ric Flair & Arn Anderson take on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Express. Meltzer would write, “Boy has the quality of this match dropped about ***1/2 since 1990. Morton, who always looked ten years younger than he really was, has caught up to his real age”

Would you agree with Dave here?

It’s over in 4:30 with Arn getting the pin. Was it time to wrap up the Rock ‘n’ Rolls at this point?

Next up we got another debut! Chris Jericho! Man I wonder if he’ll have some legivity in this business?

He’s taking on Alex Wright and it’s a babyface vs babyface match that’s pretty good when this weird finish of Wright getting hurt and Jericho doesn’t want to take a count out win...so it’s a no contest. Is this really how you expected to get him over as a babyface?

The Steiners are taking on Lord Robert Eaton & Squire David Taylor next. Eric Bobby Eaton passed away a couple weeks ago so as we get into this match how would you describe Bobby?

Scott is hurt and has a bad hip in this match which is why he’s out of the ring mostly the whole time.

Wow this finish is supposed to be a powerslam in mid-air and somehow Rick takes it on his head and doesn’t get him all the way over. This is the end of the Blue Bloods as they break up afterwards.

It’s main event time. Sting & Lex Luger vs. Chris Benoit & Steve McMichael. We only get 5 minutes into this match and here comes Hulk Hogan with spray paint and it’s the first official nWo finish where no one wins or loses it’s just nWo chaos.

So everyone is attacked but Lex Luger isn’t spray painted...foreshadowing that never gets there?

Flair is even spray painted on his hair. How up for this was Ric?

From Meltzer…

“It was the best angle since the debut angle of Hogan as a member of the NWO. There will be lots of fans cheering NWO as it's hard to not think three guys laying out the top six wrestlers isn't cool but it really doesn't matter who gets cheered if the War Games draws a strong buy rate, and this was a great angle to build up that PPV show. The angle drew incredible heat live with fans showering the ring with debris.”

Meltzer’s assumption eventually comes true as the nWo does get cheered laying out all the top guys but man what a finish that we would see often in the coming years.

The show is a ratings success though Eric. It sets an all-time record with a 4.3 rating and a 7.2 share. It gets a 3.8 for the first hour which is the highest first hour ever which is important because the first hour is always unopposed which means this is the indication of interest in WCW’s product is it not?

The second hour does a 4.8 and 7.7 share which is a record going back to the mid-80s of just a normal television event for wrestling on cable.

When you get this news Eric how does this make you feel? That it’s all working and clicking?