WCW Clash of the Champions XXXII 1/23/1996

WCW Clash of the Champions XXXII 1/23/1996

We are in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan are on commentary. This show is on a Tuesday.

Mean Gene Okerlund is in front of a wedding chapel. He says Col. Rob Parker and Sherri will exchange their vowels here.

The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobbs and Jerry Saggs) vs Public Enemy (Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge)

They all fight to start. Saggs and Rock roll out. Knobbs lariats Johnny over and Rock is sent into the rails. Saggs is sent into the rails. Johnny's head is banged off the buckles and Knobbs misses a splash. Johnny backdrops Knobbs. Rock is crotched on the rails. 

Johnny dances and Saggs goes to the back for something. Johnny goes over the top and Saggs brings out a table. Knobbs splashes the rail when Johnny moves. Saggs hits punches on Rock and Rock bulldogs him. A table is set up in the corner. Rock hits a flying headbutt on Knobbs. Rock moonsaults onto Knobbs for 2. Johnny takes a back body drop on the floor.

Knobbs elbows Rock out then knocks him off the apron. Rock lands hard on the apron on that. Saggs hits a big piledriver on Johnny. Knobbs pulls a table out and the ref calls the match off. Knobbs is laid on the table and Rock moonsaults him. The table doesn't really break but Saggs hits Johnny with a side piece of it. Saggs then throws a table at Johnny's head while he's leaving in a nasty spot. Sabbs then hits Johnny with a table piece.

Thoughts: This was brutal. That was not a gimmicked table and there's no way Johnny wasn't concussed after it got thrown at his head. This was all brawling here and both teams are lucky to still be alive after this one.

Ric Flair, The Giant and Jimmy Hart are interviewed. Flair says the man who is wearing his title will have to get in the ring with him and The Giant. Flair talks about some girl. Giant says tonight is the night where Hulk and Macho get wiped off the face of the planet forever. Giant says it's all over but the crying if Flair tags him in. Flair says Hulk can't hide behind Baywatch and has to fight a real life giant.

Dean Malenko vs. Alex Wright

We see clips of Malenko putting Alex in a texas cloverleaf on WCW Saturday Night and not letting go.

They lock up. Alex side headlock takeovers him. Dean headscissors him. Alex headflips out. Dean side headlock takeovers him. Alex hammerlocks him and Dean legsweeps him. Alex kips up and they stand off. Alex flips out of a backdrop and hits a dropkick and headscissors.

Alex snapmares him and Dean elbow drops him. Dean bangs Alex's leg off the post. Dean hits a nasty dragon screw and leg locks him. Dean works the knee more and Alex top rope twisting crossbodies him.

Dean backdrops him and goes up top. Alex dropkicks him while he's up top. Alex superplexes him. Alex germans him. Dean lariats him. Alex flips off of Dean in the corner, takes a shot to the knee and Dean jack knife pins him.

Thoughts: The finish was sudden and pretty weak with Dean just winning with a kick to the knee. It was tough as they did a work the knee match with someone who relies mostly on flying around. Alex did sell the knee though. It was fine but the crowd didn't care.

Disco Inferno vs "The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan

Someone is dressed up like fat Elvis and is eating on his way to the ring. Fat Elvis has a singing telegram for Kevin. Kevin nails him as he finishes singing. He stomps on him and hits a double stomp. Jimmy Hart says Task hates Elvis impersonators, baby.

We go back to Mean Gene at the chapel. He sees Dick Slater and Bunkhouse Buck arrive. Buck asks where the colonel is and says he doesn't care if he's here or not. Dick Slater says when he last saw Parker, he gave him money and Parker was a craps table. 

Eric Bischoff interviews Lex Luger and Sting on the stage. Sting and Lex recently became tag champs. Lex says they are the tag team of the 90's and are the world tag champs. Lex says everyone wants to say they are hte best but the best are the guys who wear the belts.

The Legion of Doom/Roadwarriors come in. Sting is happy to see them. Animal says to be the best, you gotta beat the most powerful team in wrestling. Animal says they want the belts anywhere and anytime. Sting wants to set the match up. Lex interrupts. Lex says they got rematches with Harlem Heat, The American Males, The Nasty Boys and even State Patrol. Lex says The LOD have been on the shelf. Lex says The LOD were a great tag team but Animal is coming back from a hurt back. He says he doesn't want hurt his back in his first match.

Hawk says Animal's back is too big for Lex's rack. Hawk says they have an annual beating quota and are behind. Hawk says Lex could be the first on their beating quota. Sting says he wants to sign the match but Lex clearly isn't for it.

We catch up with Paul Orndorff. He says he has a neck injury and his arm is going numb. He says he was told he has to have surgery and says this could be a career ending injury. He says Gary Spivey got his confidence up and he was on a roll. He said it was just a matter of time before he had a belt on his waist.

He says he's from the old school where you earn respect. He says he got sucker punched but got back up and was going to stomp the guy's head in who did it. He says that's how you get respect and says The Horsemen don't know what respect it. Paul says Pillman's role in The Horsemen is to provoke. Paul says he was recruited to a be a horseman a long time ago and says Pillman would not be a horseman if he had chosen to be one. Paul says The Horsemen are a gang and says Flair and Arn orchestrated the whole thing. Paul says this wasn't an accident and says The Horsemen meant to end his career. He says body is crippled but not his heart. He says he's proud of who and what he is. He says The Horsemen haven't seen the last of him. We then cut to Gary Spivey in the crowd.

Gene is still at the chapel and Rob Parker arrives. Rob says he's late for his own wedding and needs to borrow $50 for the taxi. He asks Gene for it. He says he gambled his money away in Vegas. Rob's cell phone rings. He tells the person on the other line not to worry about it as the taxi honks at Rob.

Brian Pillman vs Eddie Guerrero

Pillman stalls. They put their hands in each others faces and Eddie pushes him over. Pillman stalls outside. Eddie side headlocks him then shoulders him over. Eddie dropkicks him out. Pillman hides behind Heenan outside, grabbing his jacket and Heenan says, "what the f**k are you doing?". Heenan then gets mad and almost leaves. Eddie chops him and hits a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.

Pillman bites him. Pillman slaps him and steps on his face. Pillman chinlocks him. Eddie dropkicks him. Eddie popped up and hits a dropkick off of it. Eddie tornado ddt's him. Pillman tries to pin him with his feet on the ropes. Pillman argues with the ref and is rolled up for 2. Pillman crossbodies him and pins him while holding the tights. Pillman rolls out of the ring near Heenan and Heenan gets up and out of the way.

Thoughts: This match became all about the Heenan/Pillman incident. It was hard to focus on anything else and while the fans at the arena maybe didn't notice, it a major distraction. The match wasn't as good as it could have been and didn't really have the time it should have had.

Eric Bischoff interviews Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage and Kevin Greene. Hulk says him and Macho have a lot of positive momentum after Macho won the title. Hulk says he wants to see The Horsemen or Dungeon of Doom try to sneak up on them with Greene at their side. Greene is asked what he'd do if the heels were in his face. He says he'd run through them like he will at the Superbowl.

Hulk says the wrestling world is on fire. Hulk says Miss Elizabeth will be in their corner. Hulk says they got a problem though - which one gets to take Miss Elizabeth out on the town. Greene says Hulk will have to go through him. Macho says Greene might have an easier time with the Dallas Cowboys and Hulk says she's more than Macho can handle.

Thoughts: Greene was fine but the stuff about Liz was weird.

WCW World Tag Team Title Match - Lex Luger & Sting (c) vs. The Blue Bloods (Earl Robert Eaton & Lord Steven Regal)

Sting bows at Regal and Regal is bewildered. Sting wristlocks Regal. Regal reverses it. Sting shoulders him over. Sting hits a nice dropkick on Regal then claps his ears. Sting mocks Regal's selling.

Lex and Eaton go at it. Eaton throws him out. Eaton takes a back body drop on the floor then is lariated over. They bring up Lex owning a gym with Sting. Lex backs up Regal in the corner and Regal eye pokes him. Regal hits euros. Lex fights off Regal and Eaton then takes an eye poke from Regal and a neckbreaker from Regal. Regal elbow drops him for 2. Regal knee drops Lex's head.

Eaton snapmares Lex. Eaton hits a top rope knee drop. Regal puts Lex in the regal stretch and Sting breaks it up. Eaton comes off the top, Lex tries to powerslam him but can't really get him over. Lex and Eaton collide. 

Sting is tagged in and beats up on the heels. Regal eye pokes Sting and nails Lex from behind, knocking him out of the ring. Eaton is knocked off the top and crashes into Regal. Sting then scorpion deathlocks Eaton and submits him. Sting and Lex win.

Thoughts: I didn't buy that the heels had a shot here which brought some of this down. The work was fine but they weren't going for a great one here.

Mean Gene is at the chapel with Parker and Harlem Heat. Stevie Ray complains about the champagne. Sherri arrives in a limo. Rob tells Sherri he has bad news and says he's down to his last dollar. He says he's been losing all day and it's the unluckiest day of his life. Sherri says he didn't tell her she's been gambling and Sherri says she's going to get dressed. They argue more and Sherri said Rob promised her a spectacular wedding. Sherri is supposed to change a trailer but Buck and Slater say the door is locked. Sherri throws a fit and Tony Schiavone says they may have to settle for a drive-by wedding.

Eric Bischoff interviews Brian Pillman. Brian asks if Eric is nervous. Eric says no and Brian says he should be. Brian says he wants to say the 7 words not allowed on TV. He says Paul Orndorff made tonight's subject "respect". Brian says it's something you can't buy or sell, it's something you gotta earn.

Brian says he's not Hulk or Savage or Sting but says he's Brian Pillman and not to forget it. He says it's his dream to each everyone respect and says he will hack your cell phone to do it.

Mexican Heavyweight Title Match - Konnan (c) vs. Psychosis

Kon armdrags him out. Kon goes after him and Psy gets back in. Kon armdrags him off the buckles. Kon rolls him into a grounded octopus. Kon germans him. Kon catapults him and does a regal stretch variation. Psy spinning heel kicks him then Kon ties up his legs.

Kon walks up the buckles and armdrags Psy. Kon then goes up and over with a headscissors. Kon hits armdrags and dropkicks Psy in the knee. Kon then ddt's him. Psy top rope dropkicks him then suicide dives him.

Kon spider germans him. Kon does a standing figure four and taps out Psy.

Thoughts: It was a one-sided match that nobody in the crowd cared about. It was clear Psy had no chance in this one. It was a total squash here. 

Sherri's in the back of the limo with her feet hanging out of it. Parker asks Gene for $30. Gene ends up offering to give Sherri away to Parker during the marriage ceremony and Sherri agrees.

We go to break and return. Sherri is in a red dress and Gene walks with her. Gene brings up the call Parker was on earlier. Sherri says she wasn't on the call. The Disco Inferno walks in front of them and says he told them he was going to dance at the wedding. Sherri and Gene then arrive at the drive-thru wedding window. Dick Slater is crying as Parker and Sherri are about to get married.

The drive-thru window lady asks if anyone wants to object to their marriage. Nobody does. Meduasa then comes out of the trailer and slaps Sherri. Medusa then throws Sherri onto a table and they fight. They make a mess and Sherri rolls into cake. Booker T gets knocked over and Medusa hits Sherri with stuff.

Thoughts: Well this was out of nowhere. Tony says Medusa was Parker's secret girlfriend that he was talking to on the phone to try and explain this. This wasn't done well.

Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair & The Giant

Hulk's team has Kevin Greene and Miss Elizabeth with them. There's also some other women including Woman with them.

Macho has red and yellow gear on. Hart gets on the apron and Greene gets in the ring. Ric backs off. Flair gets on the mic and tells him another time.

Ric chops Macho. Macho back body drops him and hits lariats. Macho hits punches. Ric is sent into the corner and knocks the camera man over in the process. Hulk hits a big boot on Ric on the apron. Macho slaps Flair and Flair begs off.

Ric hits Macho low then chops him. Macho back slides Ric and blocks a punch. Macho hits punches on Ric. Ric backs off and tags in Giant. Giant shoves Hulk into the corner on the lock up twice. Hulk side headlocks Giant. Giant hits a weak shoulder and knocks him over. Hulk rakes the eyes and goes for the slam but gets clubbed.

Giant slams Hulk. Giant elbows Hulk in the neck and boots him. Giant headbutt drops Hulk in the gut. Giant backbreakers him. Giant misses an elbow drop. Hulk eye rakes him. Hulk then slams Giant and sells his back after.

Ric comes in and suplexes Hulk. Hulk back body drops Ric then lariats him over. Ric eye pokes him. Hart distracts the ref. Giant pulls Hulk out and bearhugs him. Giant sends him into the rails. Ric chops and forearms Hulk. Ric back elbows him. Hulk throws Ric off the top onto the mat.

macho gets in and drops Ric with punches. Macho top rope double axe handles Ric. Macho slams him. Hulk and Giant fight outside. Macho top rope elbow drops Ric. Hart gets on the apron again and Ric gets hold of knucks. Ric punches on Macho and pins him.

Thoughts: It wasn't too good. They just didn't have a lot of time here which ensured it would not be great. Greene and Liz also played no role in this one defeating the whole purpose of them being out there.

The Zodiac and Brian Pillman come in the ring after. Hulk gets the edge on them. Him and Greene then throw both out. Green and Elizabeth hold up Macho's and Hulk's arms after.

Heenan said something is going down in the back and he has to go as the show ends.

Overall thoughts: I didn't like this show. They had more matches than they had time for the matches. The main didn't get enough time and wasn't that great. They didn't do that much with Greene and Liz either in it. The Parker/Sherri wedding thing could have been good but they did a poor job of explaining and making sense of it when they had a lot of fun gags to work with. Pillman/Eddie was a disaster with Pillman making Heenan shoot on air. The opening tag match was brutal as well with The Nasties being reckless with Public Enemy. There was just nothing that good on this one and it's a shame because the pieces were there, they just weren't put together properly. I'd give this a 3 out of 10.