WCW the Great American Bash (1996 TV Special) User Reviews

GAB 1996 is watchable PPV. Recommend it.

[amanwhorocks · 7/10 · 20 November 2013]

1. Steiner Brothers Vs. Fire & Ice - Decent match but there were screwed some moves. 7/10

2. WCW U.S. Heavyweight Title match: El Gato Vs. Champ: Konnan - By Konnan it was still good. Retains. 6.5/10

3. Diamond Dallas Page Vs. Marcus Bagwell - Push for DDPwho applied nice Diamond Cutter. 7/10

4. Cruiserweight Title Match: Rey Mysterio Jr. Vs. Champ-Dean Malenko - decent match, but these two can do it better. 7/10

5. Big Stiffa Vs. John Tenta - Bossman is stiff. Hate even look at him. match was poor, crowd dead. 5/10

6. Chris Benoit Vs. Kevin Sullivan - Basic brawling in backstage but at least, Benoit won. 6.5/10

7. Sting Vs. Lord Steven Regal - Funny, somebody booked Big Stiffa over Sting at PPV and Regal must job to Sting, tough he is 100 times better grappler than Big Stiffa. Technical but good match. Far the best of the night. 8/10

8. Ric Flair/Arn Anderson Vs. Steve Mcmichael/Kevin Greene - I don't like this kind of matches, it's stupid in itself. Team of Mongo/Greene acted like complete idiots. Action was boring either, I really don't know, what should entertain me 5/10

Legendary moment - Kevin Nash powerbombed Bischoff through the table!

9. WCW World Heavyweight Title Match: Lex Luger Vs. Champ-Giant - Kick/punch match with clean Giant victory. 6/10

7.2 is far too good for this show.

[callanvass · 5/10 · 28 April 2016]

(06.16.96)

Live from Baltimore, Maryland

Attendance: 9,000

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone & Dusty Rhodes

Fire & Ice (Scott Norton & Ice Train) Vs The Steiner Brothers

The Steiner's win after Scott drills Norton with a frankensteiner. There are certainly worse ways you could start a show. I wouldn't call this match great by any means, but they did enough to keep your attention. They sprinkled in some exciting moments here and there.

**1/4

United States Championship

Konnan (C) Vs El Gato

El Gato is Pat Tanaka in a mask. Konnan wins with a jackknife roll- up. This match wasn't so hot. They were never able to fully get going like they had the potential to do. Konnan's sunset flip powerbomb on the floor from the apron was cool, though.

*1/2

Lord of the Ring

Diamond Dallas Paige Vs Marcus Bagwell

DDP wins with the Diamond Cutter. This was a pretty average match for the most part. I can't recall any moment in this match that really stood out to me. DDP was really working on improving his craft at this juncture.

**

Cruserweight Championship

Dean Malenko (C) Vs Rey Mysterio Jr.

Can you say, hell yes?! Malenko powerbombs Mysterio and puts his feet on the ropes to retain his title. I'm gonna have to say that this match was disappointing. Malenko spent WAY too much time applying arm holds to Mysterio. I'm all for good psychology, but Malenko overdid it here to the point of boredom. It picks up near the end to kinda salvage this match a bit.

**3/4

Big Bubba (W/Jimmy Hart) Vs John Tenta

Tenta is Earthquake, The Shark, Avalanche, Golga, etc. Big Bubba is The Big Bossman. Tenta wins with a powerslam. This was pretty crappy. It's weird to think how irrelevant these two became in WCW. This would have been a marquee match in the early 90's in the WWF.

*

Falls Count Anywhere

Chris Beniot Vs "The Taskmaster" Kevin Sullivan (W/Jimmy Hart)

Beniot wins with a superplex off a table that was situated on the top rope. Beniot beats up Sullivan some more after the match. Anderson originally gets Beniot away from Sullivan, then turns on Sullivan as he double teams Sullivan with Beniot. The Dungeon of Doom run down and chase Beniot and Anderson away. This was a really entertaining match that featured plenty of excitement and some creative spots as well. The crowd erupted after Beniot's win and went even crazier after The Horsemen reunited.

***1/4

"Lord" Steven Regal Vs Sting

Sting wins with the Scorpion Deathlock. This match was kind of dull, to be honest with you. Regal slapped on too many rest holds for my liking. Because of how poorly they were booking Regal, he never felt like a threat.

*3/4

Ric Flair & Arn Anderson (W/Bobby Heenan, Miss Elizabeth & Woman) Vs Steve McMichael & Kevin Greene (W/Randy Savage & Debra McMichael)

Flair and Anderson win after McMichael turns heel on Greene by nailing him with a briefcase full of money. Steve McMichael has souled out for the money and is now a member of the Four Horsemen. The match was better than expected, but the ending is complete nonsense. McMichael being a member of the Four Horsemen is illogical and idiotic. It tarnishes the image of the Horsemen.

**1/4

Eric Bischoff brings out Scott Hall and Diesel. Bischoff asks if they still work for the WWF. They both say no. Hall says they are gonna get carved up whoever Bischoff chooses to face Hall, Nash, and their surprise partner. Bischoff won't tell them who he's chosen. Nash, subsequently powerbombs Bischoff off the stage and through a table.

Thoughts: Nobody had ever done anything like this at the time. It was a huge deal and made Nash and Hall look like badasses.

WCW Heavyweight Championship

The Giant (C) Vs Lex Luger

The Giant retains with a chokeslam. This was a pretty mediocre way to end the show. Luger barely got in any offense at all. The only time he did was near the end. The crowd (either exhausted or indifferent) was dead throughout the match.

*1/2

5/10 overall