Hog Wild 1996: Great Undercard, Dead Crowd, and the nWo Takes the Belt

Rey Misterio Jr. and Ultimo Dragon open Hog Wild with the exact kind of match WCW's cruiserweight division was beginning to make routine. The elevated ring creates a genuinely memorable visual when Rey dives all the way down toward the dirt floor, and Dragon's kicks and power moves give the champion a different kind of opponent than the luchadors he had been facing. The chemistry is not flawless, including a stumble near the finish, but the athleticism carries it. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 7.12, and Leighty gave it three-and-three-quarter stars. It is an easy recommendation.

Scott Norton versus Ice Train is a short power match built around Train's injured shoulder. Norton sensibly attacks the damaged arm, keeping the structure simple and physical, while Train fires back with just enough offense to give the crowd a reason to react. The match never develops beyond that basic premise, and the submission finish feels more practical than dramatic. CAGEMATCH currently rates it 4.16, while TJR called the match a dud. Five minutes is the right length. There is nothing offensively bad here, but there is also very little reason to revisit it.

Madusa versus Bull Nakano is more memorable for the motorcycle stipulation than for the wrestling. Nakano controls with hair throws, strikes and power, while Madusa's comeback produces several decent near falls before the finish becomes confusing enough to require explanation. The wrong person appears to have won for a moment, Sonny Onoo reaches for the sledgehammer, and Madusa ultimately destroys Nakano's bike. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 4.50, while TJR went to one star. The wrestlers are capable of far better, but the five-minute sprint and muddled finish never give them room to build much.

Chris Benoit and Dean Malenko produce the best pure wrestling match on the show, even though the Sturgis crowd is almost the worst possible audience for it. Their counters are tight, the strikes are hard and the mat work builds logically toward increasingly dangerous suplexes and submissions. The twenty-minute time limit leads to two overtime periods, which gives the match a distinctive shape but also stretches a technical contest in front of spectators who are already drifting. CAGEMATCH currently rates it 8.04, while Leighty gave it three-and-a-half stars and TJR went to three-and-three-quarter. Excellent wrestling survives a terrible environment.

Harlem Heat and the Steiner Brothers give the crowd one of the night's easiest matches to understand: two powerful teams trading throws, strikes and attitude. Booker T and Scott Steiner provide the athletic highlights, while Rick and Stevie Ray keep the match grounded in a rougher heavyweight style. The Sturgis crowd becomes noticeably louder here, even if some of that energy comes from revving motorcycles rather than wrestling chants. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 6.26. The interference finish with powder and Colonel Parker's cane is disappointing, but the body of the match is solid and physical.

Ric Flair versus Eddie Guerrero is one of the night's most interesting generational matchups. Guerrero brings speed, crisp counters and a believable frog-splash near fall, while Flair gives him enough offense to make the challenger feel like a genuine threat without abandoning the veteran heel formula. The crowd reacts better than it did for several earlier technical matches because Flair is instantly recognizable and Eddie's comebacks are easy to follow. CAGEMATCH currently rates it 6.42 and records a three-and-a-half-star Observer rating. The rope-assisted Figure Four finish is another cheap ending, but the match itself succeeds.

The Outsiders against Sting and Lex Luger is more important for the nWo story than for its wrestling. Hall and Nash isolate Sting for much of the match, Luger eventually gets the hot tag, and the crowd finally has a simple WCW-versus-invaders dynamic to follow. The finish introduces Nick Patrick's increasingly suspicious officiating when he clips Luger's leg and enables Hall to score the pin. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 5.45, while TJR gave it two-and-a-quarter stars. The bout is ordinary, but the result matters because the nWo is now beating WCW in major matches without Hogan even needing to wrestle.

Hollywood Hogan versus The Giant is a historically enormous moment attached to a dreadful wrestling match. Hogan stalls repeatedly, works slow control holds and spends long stretches outside the ring while Giant tries to play the sympathetic champion. The finishing sequence finally delivers the story WCW needs: Hall and Nash interfere, Hogan uses the championship belt and the nWo takes control of the company's biggest prize. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 2.70, and a recent F4W/WON flashback revisited the Observer's negative rating. The post-match spray-painting of the title is iconic. The match before it is not.