We’ve finally reached it. The moment that changed not only WCW, but pro wrestling forever. Our latest WCW RetroView looks back at WCW Bash at the Beach 1996 and the night the New World Order was formed.
It shows all of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash’s invasion moments. Including Hall’s first appearance on Monday, Nitro and Nash powerbombing Eric Bischoff off the stage at the Great American Bash.
Tony Schiavone, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Dusty Rhodes welcome us to the show. Schiavone immediately ponders on who the mysterious third man will be to join Hall and Nash in the main event six-man tag match.
Heenan says that the WCW stars – Sting, Lex Luger, and Macho Man Randy Savage – are ready for whoever comes with the Outsiders. Dusty stresses how important tonight is for WCW and he’s not wrong. After their discussion, we get right to the first of nine matches.
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
Singles Match
Psychosis vs Rey Mysterio Jr.
All the announcers praise how good Rey Mysterio Jr. was in his WCW debut match with Dean Malenko a month earlier. Mike Tenay references the pre-WCW feud these two have and how it all started eight years ago.
It doesn’t take long for this match to spill to the outside, where Psychosis hits a spectacular dive over the top rope onto Mysterio. Another impressive move nailed by Psychosis is a guillotine leg drop from the top turnbuckle that even Dusty Rhodes was impressed by.
Not to be outdone, Mysterio Jr. hits a Frankensteiner onto the outside minutes later. This is when Mysterio Jr. really gets going, his fast-paced attack once again exciting the WCW fans.
While there are moments where they push the pace to a high level, the majority of this match is a slower-paced, wear-you-down type performance from Psychosis. Of course, Mysterio Jr. is the perfect good guy trying to fight his way back.
Mysterio Jr. gets the win with an amazing counter to a top rope Splash Mountain attempt into a Frankensteiner.
Winner – Rey Mysterio Jr.
We cut to the back, where Mean Gene is interviewing Konnan, who has to defend his United States Champion against Ric Flair.
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
Carson City Silver Dollar Match
Big Bubba w/ Jimmy Hart vs John Tenta
Before the match starts, the announcers continue building up the intrigue about who the third man is going to be. Heenan says his sources saw three WCW executives going into an office with security outside.
The winner of this match has to climb up the turnbuckle and secure the silver dollars hanging in a sock from a pole attached to the turnbuckle. Two big men who’s best days are behind them in this match, but they do hit each other pretty hard throughout.
The cool moment when Tenta sends Bubba flying from the top turnbuckle. The funny thing in this match is that neither man is able to climb the tiny pole, so they have to attempt to bring the pole down.
Bubba uses his belt to choke out Tenta before taping him to the middle rope and whipping him with said belt. A low blow allows Tenta to free himself, and he uses scissors to cut one of the straps holding the pole up to the turnbuckle.
Knowing he can’t climb it, Bubba sends Jimmy Hart up the pole to grab the sock. Which he does; meanwhile, Tenta recovered and hit Bubba with a power slam. Hart celebrates while sliding down the pole until he realizes Tenta is waiting for him.
Tenta steals the sock and nails Bubba with it for the win. Pro Wrestling!!
Winner – John Tenta
Mean Gene is now joined by Sting, Luger, and Savage. Each WCW guy has the Sting-style face paint, and they are ready for battle. All three deliver the goods with fired-up promos, and they are pumped and ready to go.
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
Taped Fist Match
Diamond Dallas Page vs Jim Duggan
Still, a cool thing seeing DDP rise to the ranks of WCW. At this point, he’s still receiving a fair share of boo’s, but his Diamond Cutter is really starting to garner him a smattering of cheers.
This match is over the Battle Bowl ring that DDP has. Duggan is still popular with the fans as he continues to lead the “USA” chants. DDP doesn’t wait long to utilize questionable tactics, including taping Duggan’s legs around the ring post.
This is about what you’d expect from these two veterans. Lot of old-school bad-guy shenanigans from DDP and Duggan playing to the crowd like he does. In the end, DDP gets the win with the Diamond Cutter. Duggan gets the last laugh with a taped right fist after the match leaving DDP lying.
Winner – Diamond Dallas Page
The Giant and Kevin Sullivan are in the locker room with Mean Gene now. They talk about their upcoming tag team match coming up against Arn Anderson and Chris Benoit. The Dungeon of Doom is such an odd and goof wrestling faction.
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
Double Dog Collar Match
The Nasty Boys vs Public Enemy
Dusty Rhodes quickly assesses that Public Enemy is bringing the plunder. The four men are paired off and connected by dog collars. Rock Rock and Brian Knobbs are chained together, while Johnny Grunge and Jerry Sags are connected.
Of course, this fight goes all around the ringside area, and boy, does it feature the plunder. Including – trash cans, steel steps, chairs, and tables. The announcers joke around about the lack of wrestling holds in this before they all react hysterically to a rubber shark being used as a weapon.
WCW always had great theme entrance ramp areas, and the Bask at the Beach one is destroyed by these four. They use the surfboards and the lifeguard perch as weapons. After almost twelve minutes of brawling, the Nasty Boys get the win after utilizing the chain for a clothesline.
Winners – The Nasty Boys
Mean Gene is now standing in front of the Outsiders’ guarded locker room. Okerlund talks up the situation and talks about the condition of Eric Bischoff and continues building up who the third man might be.
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match
Dean Malenko © vs Disco Inferno
Disco makes his entrance first, complete with a bright orange suit and a goof disco entrance song. Malenko comes out with an ice-cold stare, as usual, mid 90’s Dean Malenko was so great.
He wastes no time taking the attack to Disco. This is a master class from Malenko as he brutalizes Disco with a variety of holds, locks, and maneuvers. He truly was the man of 1,000 holds.
Disco gets a brief flurry of offense midway through the match, but this is all about Malenko dissecting his challenger. Malenko remains Cruiserweight Champion, forcing Disco to submit to his patented Texas Clover Leaf.
Winner – Dean Malenko
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
Singles Match
Steve “Mongo McMichael vs Joe Gomez
Joe Gomez, not much to say about him, comes out first. Then that iconic Four Horsemen theme hits, and out comes Mongo.
Who, I’ll say it again, had his flaws inside the ring, but being the Super Bowl-winning former Bear, had the look of a Horsemen. As expected, Mongo dominates poor Joe Gomez before finishing him off with a tombstone piledriver.
Winner – Steve “Mongo” McMichael
In the back Mean Gene is joined by Ric Flair, Elizabeth, and the devilish Woman. Flair talks about having all the trophies and how he’s going to win the US Championship and the World Championship in two days’ time.
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
WCW United States Championship Match
Konnan © vs Ric Flair
Konnan enters first with a look of determination. Schiavone and Rhodes both feel he’s truly ready to take on Ric Flair. Flair comes out in his pink and red robe with both vixens by his side.
After a bit of one-upmanship by both men, Konnan keeps Flair reeling with a mixture of power and technical wrestling. A bow and arrow submission hold puts Flair in a tough spot early on.
Woman helps give Flair the advantage when she causes Konnan to fall off the top turnbuckle. She helps even more by delivering a low blow while the ref is distracted by Flair. Flair’s vixens serve their purpose well with multiple distractions throughout.
The first figure four attempt by Flair is met with a two-count roll-up by Konnan. Then Konnan applies the figure four to Flair, which elicits a loud reaction from the crowd. Flair is able to break the hold by reaching the bottom rope.
Konnan begins to steal the momentum and looks to have the match won, but another referee distraction by Elizabeth allows for Woman to strike Konnan with the shoe. Easy pickings now, Flair pins Konnan and uses his feet on the top rope for extra leverage.
We have a new United States Champion.
Winner – Ric Flair
Mean Gene is once again waiting outside the Outsiders locker room door and he continues to build up the intrigue. Who is the third man? The next match was Arn Anderson and Chris Benoit versus the Taskmaster and the Giant, a match won by the Dungeon of Doom members.
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
Hostile Takeover Six-Man Tag Match
Sting, Lex Luger, Macho Man Randy Savage vs Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Mystery Partner
After the highlight video showing how WCW got to this point, it’s time for the million-dollar question to be answered. But of course, we’re not giving that answer right away as Hall and Nash come out, no partner in sight.
A fact that aggravates all three announcers. Schiavone says they have to reveal their hand at some point. Heenan gives them credit for keeping everyone in suspense. Mean Gene makes his way to the ring to figure out what exactly is going on.
Hall proclaims their partner is there, and he’s ready, something that Nash confirms. You have to give WCW credit. They really milked this mystery partner, and boy, does it payoff in the end.
The WCW trio of heroes come out next, and they look like a million bucks in their matching face paint. Dusty Rhodes sums up the atmosphere perfectly…
“Bad intentions are starting to happen, brother.”
Starting the match is Luger and Hall, and of course, Hall tosses his toothpick into Luger’s face. Which is met with a hard right hand from Luger. The Total Package starts off red hot but finds himself being held on the top turnbuckle on Nash.
Sting comes flying in with a Stinger Splash on Nash, and this takes out Luger. Laid out on the ringside floor, Luger is checked on by Sting and Savage before being assisted to the back on a gurney. It’s now two against two, which concerns all three announcers.
Once the chaos settles, it’s Sting versus Hall in the ring. Hall slaps Sting, and the Stinger fires up with a bevy of punches and kicks. The Macho Man tags in and tries a double axe handle from the top turnbuckle but is met with a punch to the gut by Hall.
Nash finally gets tagged in, and he squares up with Savage, something the crowd erupts for. The power of Nash overwhelms the madness of Savage, and the man formerly known as Diesel goes to work.
Kevin Nash continues to control the match when Sting tags back in, hitting all his classics. Knees in the corner, heavy right hands, and a boot choke in the corner. The Outsiders begin to isolate Sting from his partner, something that drives Savage crazy on the outside.
Quick tags by the Outsiders keep Sting in peril. Hall puts Sting in an abdominal stretch and is aided by Nash before they make a quick switch, and Nash applies the hold. The beatdown of Sting continues, and the announcers praise the Outsiders for knowing what they’re doing.
When Sting begins to fire up, the crowd’s anticipation raises, and when Savage tags in, the crowd erupts. Savage begins to take it to both Outsiders, including a double axe handle from the top turnbuckle to the outside onto Hall.
Amidst the chaos of all four men being in the ring, Nash hits a low blow on Savage. This move brings out Hulk Hogan from the back. Schiavone and Rhodes erupt in excitement, but Heenan asks…
“But whose side is he on?”
Hogan chases Hall and Nash off before hitting the most devastating leg drop of all time on Macho Man Randy Savage. His actions shocks the announcers and the crowd. No one can believe especially Dusty Rhodes and Tony Schiavone on commentary.
Heenan sums it up… “Probably the lowest shot ever given to pro wrestling.”
He then validates everything he’s said about Hogan for years. The ref is thrown out of the ring before Hogan makes the pin while Hall counts to three.
Winners – The Outsiders & Hulk Hogan
Soaking in the boo’s and utter shock of the audience, the Outsiders and Hogan add salt to the wound by posing and taunting everyone in attendance. In response, the crowd litters the ring with trash.
Mean Gene cautiously enters the ring to get a word from the nefarious trio. With trash raining down, Hogan gives a venomous promo explaining that this is the formation of the New World Order of professional wrestling.
He hints at their connection to the great big organization up north. Meanwhile, Hall and Nash continue taunting the fans. Hogan compares the trash in the ring to the fans before telling the fans to stick it.
The takeover of WCW had truly begun, and Schiavone ended the show by telling Hulk Hogan to go straight to hell. A truly seminal moment in pro wrestling history that changed everything.
