It's Sunday, September 15th, 1996. Jean Claude Van Damme takes a Maximum Risk at the box office. We're still trapped in the Macarena with no end in sight. And Tupac Shakur, who was shot six days prior, passes away on September 13th. In the world of WCW, it's been an all out war in the past few months, and it all comes to a head at the annual Fall Brawl: War Games. Held in the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem , North Carolina. 11,300 in attendance and a .65 buyrate. So, what the hell's been going on since Hog Wild?
At Hog Wild, the NWO struck the biggest blow to WCW yet as Hollywood Hulk Hogan won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship from The Giant. In the weeks that followed, The NWO would continue their assault on the company with attacks to Ric Flair and Randy Savage. With Fall Brawl and the annual War Games double cage match in sight, the WCW's finest had to rally against the NWO. That being Sting and Luger joining forces with Ric Flair and Arn Anderson of the Four Horsemen. However, things got off to a rocky start with nobody able to get along. That is until yet another assault by the NWO seemed to get things on the right track. August 26th Nitro: Ted Dibiase shows up in the crowd promising a fifth member of the NWO.
Septemer 2nd, 1996: That fifth man would reveal himself to be none other than The Giant, who would lay out his former Dungeon of Doom alums, as well as take out his opponent for Fall Brawl, Randy Savage. Hogan and the NWO would spray a yellow streak down Savage's back. Giant's reason for turning was simple: he's in it for the money. With the largest and most destructive member of the WCW now under the NWO roof, things couldn't possibly get worse.
Au contraire, because on the September 9th edition of Nitro, it appeared that Sting had become the next member of the NWO, attacking Luger in the parking lot. This possible turn leads the WCW team into a state of panic, but still ready to fight the NWO at War Games. Also tonight, Randy Savage faces The Giant, Diamond Dallas Page faces Chavo Guerrero, Harlem Heat faces The Nasty Boys for the WCW Tag Team Championships and more.
Opening action is Diamond Dallas Page taking on Chavo Guerrero Jr. Back at Clash of the Champions, Eddie Guerrero defeated DDP for the Battlebowl ring, but then got laid out by Page. Ever since, Chavo has been trying to get revenge. Chavo rushes the ring and hits a pair of dropkicks sending DDP to the outside. Flipping plancha over the ropes follows. He throws Page into the steps and then whips him with a belt. How that's not a DQ is beyond me, but this is WCW. He brings Page back in and hits a plancha and covers for two. Cross body cover only gets two.
Chavo slows down with some arm work, keeping Page grounded for a while. Page slams him, but Chavo recovers with a hair pull. DDP finally frees himself with an elbow, but Chavo gets in an arm drag and a dropkick sending Page into the ropes. Another dropkick barely catches Page as Chavo crashes and burns. Page brings Chavo in and lands a flying clothesline off the top. Definitely something different from Page's playbook. Page continues offense by pounding down on Chavo and choking him under the ropes with his boot. He goes to suplex Chavo, but Chavo catches him in a small package for two. Page is back on him with more blows.
Page hits a back suplex, dropping Chavo roughly. Nonchalant cover for two. Page continues to stretch Chavo as we get a panning shot of the arena and the double cage above the ring. Chavo tries to recover, but gets elbowed. Cover by Page gets two. Chavo starts to recover as Page does the old "banana peel" slip spot. Chavo follows with a knee lift and a messy springboard clothesline. Chavo doesn't cover, but instead hits a missile dropkick. Cover gets a two. He catches Page with a solid headscissor. Cover still just hits two.
Page recovers with an elbow to the face. Cover using the ropes, but only gets a two count. Page throws Chavo over the ropes into the second ring. Surprisingly doesn't count as a DQ or a count out. Page lands a sloppy tilt-a-whirl covering for two. A second attempt is turned around by Chavo into a headscissor. Roll up by Chavo only gets a two. Another tilt-a-whirl into a powerbomb only gets a two count. Page calls for the Diamond Cutter, but Chavo tries a backslide, only for Page to stomp the back of his foot and catch the Diamond Cutter. Cover gets the three in a really solid match. Hot start, slow middle, really good final few minutes. Save for a few slippery spots, this was quality stuff.
After a recap of everything involving the NWO since their debut in the company, we enter our next match. A submission match between former Fire and Ice partners Ice Train (with Teddy Long) and Scott "Flash" Norton. Lots of fast counters early on with Ice Train getting the better. Splash by Train followed by a World's Strongest Slam. He goes for a second splash, but Norton avoids and follows with a DDT. Norton continues offense, while constantly jaw jacking Teddy Long. That gives Ice train the chance to turn things around with a powerslam and a chinlock. Snap suplex followed by a whip to the corner and a corner splash. He tries again, but Norton lands a clothesline and locks in the arm bar.
Teddy almost throws the towel, but the referee admonishes him. Regardless, Ice Train won't quit, so Norton goes in for a neckbreaker. Ice Train reverses a whip and hits a big body slam, he turns things around into a arm bar of his own, but Norton won't quit. Clothesline from Train followed by a big boy senton. He tries a third splash, but Norton gets the legs up. Ice Train tries to recover, but gets caught in a spinebuster and a Boston Crab from Norton.
Ice Train won't give up, so Norton locks in an arm bar. Teddy tries to interfere, but Norton just turns things around into a different arm lock. Teddy gets involved again so Norton grabs him, allowing Ice Train to lock in a full nelson. Norton taps. Overall, not as bad a match as I thought it would be. Some good power moves and submission holds. Plus it was brief, which really helped.
Up next, it's Juventud Guerrera taking on Konnan for the Mexican Heavyweight Championship. Konnan who is now a member of the Dungeon of Doom as illustrated on the previous Nitro. Which means he's no longer wearing the goofy Power Rangers-like gear to the ring in favor of street gear. Juvi tries to dodge Konnan, only to get caught with a release german suplex that drops Juvi on his head. Konnan follows that by pressing Juvi out to the floor knee-first.
Juvi hops to the apron of the second ring and hits a springboard spin kick (more like a spin ass) from ring to ring, rope to rope on to Konnan. Cover, but only a two. He takes Konnan to the outside and hits a suicide dive. He tries a hurricanrana off the rails, but gets caught with a powerbomb by Konnan. Returning to the ring, Konnan gets in a rolling clothesine and jaw jacks the crowd. Dropkick that barely catches Juvi and a cover only gets a two. Konnan tosses Juvi to the second ring, but Juvi counters with a messy springboard hurricanrana through the ropes. Konnan sent back out as Juvi lands another dive.
Back in the ring, Juvi lands a springboard dropkick, but Konnan lands a back body drop sending Juvi gut-first into the ropes and follows that up with a powerbomb. He then applies an ankle lock transitioning into the STF. Juvi tries to recover with a springboard moonsault, but barely catches Konnan and lands roughly. Konnan recovers the blown spot with another nice powerbomb. Basement dropkick tales Juvi's leg out as Konnan follows with some German suplexes. Juvi rolls out to recover. He then hits another springboard dropkick and a jumping leg drop. Cover, but Konnan kicks out.
Sloppy attempt at a sunset flip off the apron is countered by Konnan who follows with a dropkick to the outside. Konnan goes to the top turnbuckle, but Juvi crotches him, goes up top and... moonsaults to the mat, allowing Konnan to dropkick him again. WHAT? Slow to a cover, but only two for Konnan. Leapfrop allows Juvi to attempt some covers, but none succeed. Konnan suplexes Juvi over the ropes, but Juvi counters with another springboard spin kick. Slow cover only gets a two.
Wheelbarrow suplex from Konnan who covers, but is too close to the ropes as Nick Patrick actually obeys the rules in this occasion. Juvi with a springboard dropkick. He wedges Konnan in the ropes and hits a somersault. Cover, but Konnan is too close to the ropes. Juvi tries again with a 450, but Konnan kicks out at two. So it's back up again with a weird spin spot, but Konnan kicks out again. Konnan finally catches him with an Alabama Slam and a flip for two. Konnan sets him on top and hits a Muscle Buster and covers, but Juvi keeps kicking out. Power Drop bomb gets the three for Konnan.
There were good things and oh lord were there bad. Konnan looked really good in this match, very rarely botching too badly and trying to work with Juventud to the best of his abilities. As for Juvi, he had some good moments, but when he got sloppy, he looked really sloppy. Also, that moonsault spot still confuses me. Unless Konnan was supposed to push him off, that would have made sense. Went way too long and the multiple near falls were awful. Too many spots that should have ended it early.
Up next, Holy Canuck! It's Chris Jericho taking on Chris Benoit. An exchange of slaps with Benoit winning out. Benoit is in full control for a while, landing a big back body drop and a back suplex. Cover only gets a two. Alabama Slam followed into a full Lion Tamer, a submission that Jericho would eventually make his own. Powerbomb attempt is met with a sunset flip for two. Jericho then hits a spin kick for two.
Jericho tries to roll up Benoit awkwardly, but only gets a two. He gets a dropkick to the back of Benoit's neck, then lands a springboard dropkick. Jericho then tries a springboard elbow of some sort and falls back-first on the apron. No Ryback style save on that one. Missile dropkick by Jericho and a cover for two. Big powerbomb and a cover only gets two for Jericho. Dragon Suplex, but Benoit gets to the ropes. Flurry of chops by both men, but Jericho wins out with the dropkick. Benoit tries a back suplex over the apron and tosses Jericho to the floor.
They return to the ring as Benoit gets a knee to the gut of Jericho, then throws him into the ropes. Jericho tries to recover, but Benoit is much more aggressive. He locks in an abdominal stretch, working the injured ribs of Jericho, until Jericho escapes. Dusty is mumbling bad on commentary and Heenan seems drunk as well. Diving headbutt by Benoit as he crashes his head into Jericho. Cover gets a two. Jericho tries to recover with a roll up, but Benoit kicks out and goes right into the stomps. Backslide by Jericho only gets a two, but Benoit right back at the stomps and stiff chops. Jericho tries to recover with another roll, but Benoit kicks out.
Northern lights suplex from Jericho, but still only two. More brawling and stiff strikes from both men. Benoit tries a tombstone piledriver, but Jericho turns into one of his own. Springboard moonsault, but Benoit escapes, only to get caught with a clothesline. Cover, but Benoit kicks out at two. Frankensteiner off the top, but Jericho only gets a two on the cover. Benoit takes Jericho to the top buckle and nails a giant back superplex. Cover and the three. Awesome match, as expected. Jericho looked sloppy in places, and Benoit looked crisp and, for lack of a better term, deadly. A definite contrast to the previous bout.
Up next, we have the WCW Cruiserweight Championship on the line as Super Calo challenges Rey Mysterio Jr. Well, Calo did not impress on his Nitro appearance on the blog, so let's see if Rey can get something out of him. Arm drag by Rey and already Calo injures himself off the rope. Welp. Calo returns to the ring and works the arm of Rey. He lands a running powerslam, almost DDTing himself as he follows with an elbow drop. Slow cover only gets a two. Lots of fast counters by Rey, who then follows with a springboard rana. He teases a dive, but Calo avoids.
Dropkick by Calo, followed by a nice rope powerbomb. Cover only gets a two. Calo lands a shoulder block off the rope, then hits a clothesline over the rope. He then goes up and lands a dropkick to Rey. Calo, in how he takes bumps off the top, tends to injure himself worse than Rey. He slams Rey on the apron and hits another flip over the ropes. Some guy in the crowd screaming "Hey, he was waiting for that!" Cover, but Rey kicks out. Tilt-a-whirl powerslam and covers by Calo only gets twos. Calo takes Rey to the second ring, places him up top and hits a nice headscissors, covering fast, but not succeeding.
They return to the right ring as Calo goes into an arm scissors. He follows with a dropkick, sending Rey arm-first into the ropes. He catches Rey with a clothesline and returns to the rest hold work. Rey escapes to the outside and sells the injuries as Calo returns to offense, until Rey hits a dropkick.
Cross body by Rey and HOOOLY CRAP WHAT A BOTCH. Calo is stuck, unable to flip over the ropes to the point that referee Randy Anderson has to assist him over the top rope while Rey drags him down. Dude honestly wasn't doing too bad and then this disaster show happens. Somersault senton by Rey over the ropes that lands perfectly. Rey takes Calo back in and goes for a springboard dropkick, but Calo catches with one of his own. Cover, but still only two. Calo tries an arm drag on the ropes, and falls to the outside, landing awkwardly.
They return to the apron as Calo tries more arm work until Rey catches with a frankensteiner off the ropes. A second springboard somersault to the outside, almost as if this was trying to make good on that botch earlier. Springboard sunset flip, but Calo kicks out. Springboard flipping moonsault still only gets a two for Rey. He goes up top, but Calo sends him down on an electric chair and covers multiple times with Rey kicking out. Rey catches with another frankensteiner, but Calo kicks out. Calo tries a dropkick, but catches rope as Rey dows a rope jump frankensteiner for the win.
This was another mess. It seemed like they were going well for the first half, but once Calo botched that cross body, everything went to hell. A lot of repeated spots and much like Konnan/Juventud, it was too long with too many spots that should have finished the match sooner. Rey looked solid, but when Calo fell apart, he hit the floor bad.
Up next, the WCW Tag Titles are on the line as The Nasty Boys take on Harlem Heat. Stevie and Saggs start off with Stevie laying in fists in the corner. Saggs recovers with a clothesline and a cover for two. Sherri tries to pull Saggs out of the ring, but that just leads to confusion. Tag to Knobbs as there's some "clubbering" in the ring. Tag to Booker as they land a double team, but Knobbs hits a clothesline and an ax handle for two. Surprisingly a match where the Nasty Boys actually work in-ring with less plunder. Saggs is tagged in an hits a neckbreaker, covering for two. Tag to Knobbs as they double team Booker.
Another clothesline from Knobbs, who then calls for the Pit Stop, which means driving Booker into Saggs' armpit, but a distraction by Sherri allows for Stevie to break it. Saggs goes to hit Parker and Sherri with a chair as Harlem Heat double team Knobbs. Pump kick by Stevie that nails Knobbs. Cover, but Saggs breaks it up. Booker comes in and works the chin. Knobbs escapes, but Booker hits an elbow to the face, then attacks Saggs. Distraction from Saggs alows Sherri to cheap shot Knobbs. Saggs tries to chase Sherri, but she escapes.
Stevie comes in and lands a leg drop. Tag back to Booker as Stevie tries to lift Knobbs, but gets sandbagged, so Booker has to ax handles him instead. Harlem side kick by Booker is dodged by Knobbs as Booker awkwardly falls. Tag to Saggs who cleans house on both men. Sherri distracts again, but this time she gets thrown in by the hair from Saggs. Roll up on Booker, but only gets a two. He lands a piledriver ("The nasties are using a hold!" - Bobby Heenan). Saggs heads up, but Parker trips the leg. He chases Parker, but gets steamrolled by Stevie. Thrown back in and covered by Booker, but only a two.
Ax kick from Booker as Saggs falls out again, allowing for Sherri to wail on him. Back elbow by Stevie who covers for two. More double teaming by Harlem Heat as Knobbs is stupid enough to constantly distract the referee. Wrestling logic, I know. Saggs recovers with a double facebuster to both members of Harlem Heat. Saggs slowly crawls to Knobbs and tags as Knobbs cleans house. Splash to Booker, but Stevie breaks it. After 15 minutes we get more of that chaotic work from the Nasties. They have Booker prone for the Pumphandle and splash, but Parker distracts, allowing Sherri to nail Knobbs with Colonel Parker's cane. Cover and the three for a Harlem Heat retain.
I didn't mind that. When I saw the Nasty Boys on the match list, I was concerned since it would mean garbage hardcore work, but for a change of pace, it was interesting to see them work a more basic match. That being said, it went way too long, but otherwise, and way too much face in peril stuff, but it wasn't the mess that I feared.
Mike Tenay is backstage with Randy Savage. Savage say that he's come to the plate for WCW and plans to hit a grand slam on The Giant. He's been thinkin', thinkin', thinkin' and what he's thinkin is to whup the Giant, go to Halloween Havoc and rip the black heart out of the chest of Hulk Hogan. He's gonna walk down that aisle and cut the Giant in half.
Speaking of which, it's time for "Macho Man" Randy Savage taking on the newest member of the NWO (well, fully confirmed anyway considering Sting), The Giant (who for some reason still comes out to the Dungeon of Doom theme, only for it to be changed mid-way down the ramp. Audio snafu?). He tries to rush Savage, but to no avail. Nick Patrick officiating in the ring, of course. Savage tries to slam Giant on the outside, but no avail. Giant instead just presses him over the ropes and into the ring. He then goes to town, chops in the corner and more stiff strikes. Delayed back breaker follows. The crowd are looking at something in the crowd, but we don't get any answer as to what.
Giant applies a Boston crab. He follows that up with a bear hug until Savage rakes the face to escape. He goes up top for an ax handle, but gets caught mid-air and slammed. Savage recovers by wearing down the leg with stomps. He goes up again and lands a facebuster off the top. Cover, but barely two. Savage hits a massive body slam and goes up for the elbow drop...
Hogan shows up and distracts Savage who gives chase. And lo and behold the Outsiders lay into Savage with a chair while Nick Patrick is focused on The Giant. The NWO throw Savage back into the ring allowing Giant to cover easily for the win. Overall, not too bad. Mercifully shorter than most of the work tonight, and good build as we get to Halloween Havoc next month.
It's time for the main event. War Games between the NWO and Lex Luger, Arn Anderson, Ric Flair and Sting? Well, Flair and the others are backstage as Flair says Sting or no Sting, it's going ot be the three of them regardless. Suddenly Sting shows up and tells the others that it wasn't him last week. Luger says he doesn't believe him, so Sting says that we'll see in a while.
Rules of the War Games for the uninitiated. Seven periods within. First is five minutes with the others two. Two men start and after that first five minute period, another man from the team who won the pre-match coin flip enters. This goes on until all eight men are in and "the match beyond" begins where there must be one fall to a finish.
Scott Hall (with Ted Dibiase at ringside) starts it off with Arn Anderson. And of course, despite the mishaps of the last match, the referee is, of course, Nick Patrick. Exchange of chops and a ram to the cage by Arn. Hall recovers with a cheap shot and a clothesline (as the crowd chants "Razor"). Hall bashes Arn into the steel. Arn recovers and stomps down the leg of Hall. Hall lays some punches and gets a choke of his boot in the corner as Patrick threatens to end the match already.
Arn applies a sleeper as two minutes remain in period one. Hall breaks free as one minute remains. Arn nails a spinebuster as The NWO win the coin toss backstage. Period one ends as Kevin Nash comes in as entrant #2 for the NWO. Arn dodges Nash and lays in shots until Hall catches him, allowing Nash to lay a boot. They throw Arn into the steel and follow with a snake eyes and a clothesline. Period #2 ends and the next entrant is Lex Luger who rushes to the ring early. He cleans house and throws both Outsiders to the steel, followed by some clotheslines.
Arn and Luger double team as Period #4 starts with Hogan as the next man. Luger and Arn wail on Hogan until Hall and Nash regain control to make the save. Hogan works Arn while Luger is worked on by Hall and Nash. Loud "we want Flair" chants as we get a minute left to go. Hogan, Hall and Nash continue to amass control. Hogan lands a leg drop on Arn. Period #5 begins with Ric Flair rushing to the ring and calling on Hogan. Hogan reciprocates and we're off to the races. Flair ducks a clothesline and nails some strikes until Hall and Nash try to cheap shot. But this is the dirtiest player in the game, so a pair of low blows are done. Period #6 arrives and it's...
Sting. But you can definitely tell that this isn't the same Sting that we know of. Sting lays into Luger and the Horsemen, focusing on Luger. Loud "we want Sting" chants as the crowd can tell that this ain't the real deal. Razor's Edge by Hall on Arn as a minute remains. As the period comes to an end, we get our last WCW entrant and it's...
Sting! Yes, the real deal this time, meaning that he was indeed telling the truth. Sting lays out the fake and cleans house on the NWO. Stinger splashes on the NWO and a facebuster to Hall. Sting yells "is that proof" enough, gives Luger the fist, then walks off. Which makes sense because they did kind of drag his name in the mud without giving him a chance to sort this out.
And thus with this single moment begins the origin story of what will define Sting's career more than the era of the surfer dude ever did.
Back in the ring, it's now a four on three disadvantage as the match beyond begins. Hogan leg drops Luger. Flair tries to fight off Hall, but Hogan keeps on Luger while "Sting" applies a Scorpion Death Lock. Nick Patrick says that Luger gave up as the NWO win the War Games. Not one of the better War Games, but the angle behind it was at least worth the watch.
Post-match, the NWO continue to wail on Arn and Flair, Hogan even trying to wedge Arn through the two rings. Luger is kicked out of the ring as Luger crawls up the entrance way. But the NWO continue to wail on him. Arn and Flair continue to try and fight while Savage shows up to go after Hogan, bringing him back in the ring. However, The Giant shows up and lands a chokeslam on Randy. Another wrinkle to this arrives as Miss Elizabeth runs to ringside to plead with Hogan. Despite the fact that we've spent the better part of 1996 with her spending his money and flaunting around with Flair, this happens. I guess old habits die hard.
She tries to cover Savage, keeping him from being spraypainted, so Hogan just does it on her back instead (Painting HH on her ass BTW. I guess Savage was right all along about that lust for Elizabeth). Hogan calls for a microphone and tells the crowd that the two losers Savage and Elizabeth made a sacred oath of "til death do us part". Well, courtesy of the NWO, they'll make it happen. He spits on Elizabeth and plays to the crowd. They finally get a hold of Savage and spraypaint his back as well. One more chokeslam to Savage follows as the referees try to keep Elizabeth safe. That doesn't work out too well as they gang up on her some more until the cameras move to commentary.
And so they head to the commentary booth and take that over too, with Dibiase saying that they want their demands fulfilled. Savage and Elizabeth are carried out as the show cuts to credits.
Fall Brawl 1996 overall was okay at best save for the final hour. Chavo and DDP was fine, as was Ice Train and Scott Norton. Juvi and Konnan was overlong and got messy in a flash, while Super Calo and Rey was also too long and went to hell once Calo had that massive botch. As for the rest, Benoit and Jericho was really good. A sign of what was to come with both men. Savage and Giant was quick, decent, and focused on the building angle with the NWO. As for War Games, the match itself was kind of flat, but the multiple pieces of story within is what's most important. First off, the stuff with Sting, which includes both the revelation of the fake NWO Sting, and the real Sting's frustrations with being accused leading him to leave his partners high and dry. Especially when his involvement looked like the lynch pin that would have saved WCW.
Then there's the end stuff with Savage and Elizabeth, adding that continued wrinkle of seven years prior with the explosion of the Mega Powers. It worked to give Hogan and the NWO mega heel heat by the end, so that's a plus as well. It's kind of amazing that we're in this period of solid storytelling when a year prior it was Hogan and Giant getting ready to battle in monster trucks with some mummy bumming incoming not too long after. Overall, while I feel a lot of the show's booking was a victim of overlong, overcooked matches, Fall Brawl was still a solid show nonetheless. Bring on Halloween Havoc. Fall Brawl 1996 gets a B-.
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