Chairshot Classics: WCW Monday Nitro Episode 20 (1/15/96)

January 15, 1996 brings us to the Knight Center in Miami, Florida for a stacked show. The preview highlights Hulk Hogan and “one of his toughest test to date when he battles Meng.” Interesting description there. We also have Ric Flair taking on Sting, Public Enemy facing The American Males and Lex Luger meeting Randy Savage. Eric Bischoff lets us know that Ric Flair is putting his WCW Heavyweight Championship on line against Sting. Funny how that didn’t make it into the preview.

Lex Luger vs Randy Savage

Luger attacks Savage early, using a chair as a distraction. Savage hits a big top rope double axe handle for a near fall. A decent volume Luger chant breaks out, that’s very surprising. Lex comes back, drops a trio of standing elbow drops, but gets hot shot across the top rope. Savage goes up top, but misses a HUGE elbow drop and Luger locks in the torture rack. Savage passes out and the bell rings, but Luger holds on after the bell.

Winner: Lex Luger via submission

Taskmaster Kevin Sullivan, Hugh Morrus, One Man Gang, The Zodiac and Giant come out flanked by the Four Horsemen(Flair, Anderson, Pillman, Benoit). Sullivan and Morrus were supposed to take on Anderson and Pillman. Mean Gene asks what is up and Anderson says the match won’t happen because there’s no win for both teams. Pillman seems to speak out of turn and Anderson slaps him. Obvious dissent within the Horsemen.

Public Enemy vs The American Males

This is the debut in WCW for Public Enemy and the crowd is pretty excited. Males in control early with stereo back body drops and clotheslines to the outside. Public Enemy drag them outside but eat a big cross body from the top by Bagwell then a pair of dropkicks. Grunge beats down Scotty Riggs but he gets to Bagwell for a tag. Bagwell in and hits a pair of dropkicks and clotheslines before a powerslam on Grunge. Rock comes in and hits Bagwell which allows Grunge to roll up Marcus for the pinfall win. Public Enemy bring out a pair of tables after the match and stack them on top of each other. Bagwell is placed on top and Rock hits a flipping senton off the top rope sending Bagwell through both tables.

Winner: Public Enemy via pinfall

Sting vs Ric Flair (c)- WCW Heavyweight Championship

Battling “woo” screams from both after a series of chain wrestling sequences to start. Sting hits a big military press slam before sending Flair into the corner for his trademark up and over bump with a clothesline from Sting on the apron. A suplex brings Flair back in the ring but a poke in the eyes puts Ric in control. Sting battles back and hits a top rope superplex but the splash is countered with Flair’s knees in the gut. A cross body attempt sends Sting neck first into the top rope. Sting locks in a sleeper, but Ric counters it into a belly to back suplex for a double down. Sting reverses a figure four attempt into a pin attempt for a near fall. A backslide from Sting yields the same count while a sunset flip plus pulled tights reveals Ric’s posterior for many to see. Ric goes to the top rope(because reasons) and gets tossed off by Sting. Chops from Flair are no sold by Sting before getting a big military press. Luger comes down and is fighting with Jimmy Hart over the megaphone, and inadvertantly clocks Sting, allowing Ric to get the pinfall win. Hogan and Savage come out to save Sting from a beatdown and are joined by Mean Gene. Hogan and Savage try to convince Sting that he can’t trust Luger. Sting goes off to confront Lex. Hogan talks about the upcoming Clash of the Champions teaming with Savage but says Savage had something worked to guarantee a title shot next week. Hogan thinks it should be his(when did he not think he deserved the belt?) but Savage dismisses it.

Winner: Ric Flair via pinfall

Meng vs Hulk Hogan

Meng in control early and Sullivan interferes from the outside. Meng with strikes and chokes to keep Hogan down. Meng misses a headbutt and Hogan comes back with strikes. Hulk starts to…well, Hulk up, and hits the big boot. Kevin Sullivan climbs on the apron to interfere, but Savage is out to stop him and Hogan grabs the spike from Sullivan, uses it on Meng behind the ref’s back and gets the pinfall win.

Winner: Hulk Hogan via pinfall

This was a case of the wrong match in the main event. The WCW Championship deserved that spot as it was a much better match. Maybe they’ll get it right next week?