Starrcade 1996: WCW Finally Lands a Punch on the nWo

Ultimo Dragon and Dean Malenko open Starrcade with the night's best match and one of the strongest technical showcases WCW put on pay-per-view in 1996. Malenko targets the leg, Dragon keeps changing the geometry of the match with kicks and counters, and every near fall feels earned because both men have established enough control to make victory plausible. The closing stretch is loaded with reversals without turning into empty move trading. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match above eight and the Observer awarded four-and-a-half stars. TJR went to four-and-a-quarter. It is polished, dramatic and exactly the kind of opener that gives a major event immediate credibility.

Akira Hokuto and Madusa have a historically meaningful match that never becomes a great one. Hokuto supplies the stronger offense and carries herself like a champion from the opening exchanges, while Madusa mixes athletic bursts with a few awkward transitions. Sonny Onoo's interference with the flagpole gives Hokuto the opening for the missile dropkick and Northern Lights Bomb, but it also ensures the inaugural title win feels more like another heel finish than a fresh division beginning. CAGEMATCH currently places the match in the low fives, and TJR rated it one-and-a-half stars. The title creation matters. The match itself is uneven.

Jushin Thunder Liger against Rey Misterio Jr. gives Starrcade a second international showcase and a very different one from the opener. Liger is the heavier aggressor, throwing Rey with powerbombs and suplexes, while Rey creates danger every time he reaches open space. Their chemistry is strongest when Liger shuts down an aerial idea and forces Rey to invent another route. The Liger Bomb finish is decisive without making Rey look outclassed. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match in the low sevens with an Observer score of three-and-three-quarter stars. It is not quite Dragon-Malenko, but it is fast, physical and one of the night's safest recommendations.

Jeff Jarrett and Chris Benoit work a stiff, competitive match that becomes increasingly crowded as the surrounding Horsemen story intrudes. Benoit gives the bout physical credibility with hard suplexes and strikes, while Jarrett is more athletic than his later reputation sometimes allows and keeps pace well. The No Disqualification stipulation barely matters until Kevin Sullivan and Arn Anderson appear, and the final chain reaction leaves Jarrett accidentally draped over Benoit for the pin. CAGEMATCH currently has the match a little above six and the Observer at three-and-a-half stars. The wrestling is good. The finish is useful storyline chaos rather than satisfying competition.

The Outsiders against the Faces of Fear is better than the matchup looks on paper because everyone leans into the physical style instead of pretending this should be technical tag wrestling. Meng and Barbarian throw heavy strikes and make Hall work from underneath, while Nash's size keeps the champions from ever looking overwhelmed. Nick Patrick's nWo association hangs over the match without completely swallowing it, which is almost refreshing by late 1996 standards. CAGEMATCH currently rates the bout in the mid-fives, while TJR was more positive and called it a solid tag-title match. It is straightforward, snug and useful, even if the illegal-man confusion at the finish keeps it from climbing higher.

Eddie Guerrero versus Diamond Dallas Page is a good match with an even better storyline attached to it. Page works with growing confidence and can now hang comfortably in the faster exchanges Guerrero creates. Eddie's movement keeps the match fluid, while DDP's power gives the tournament final a contrast that prevents it from becoming a standard cruiserweight bout. The nWo eventually attacks Page for rejecting membership, allowing Guerrero to hit the frog splash and win the vacant United States title. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match just above six, and TJR gave it three-and-a-quarter stars. The interference lowers the match grade, but the consequences matter.

Lex Luger against The Giant is not a technical classic, but it is tremendous live-event storytelling. Giant controls the early match with size, Luger keeps finding small openings, and the crowd becomes louder every time the Torture Rack looks possible. Nick Patrick and Syxx complicate the finish until Sting appears, leaves the baseball bat and walks away after whispering to both men. Luger then uses the bat and pins Giant, producing one of WCW's first major pay-per-view victories over the nWo orbit. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match in the low sixes. The work is simple. The crowd reaction and storyline payoff elevate it substantially.

Roddy Piper against Hollywood Hogan is a limited wrestling match with enormous atmosphere. The two legends brawl, stall, choke and work around what they can still physically do, while the crowd treats every Piper comeback like a referendum on the nWo. The Giant interferes late, Piper survives, and the sleeper produces the shocking submission victory. The strangest part is that the match is non-title despite being sold as the clash of icons on WCW's biggest show. CAGEMATCH currently rates the bout in the low fours, while Leighty gave it two stars but praised the heat and payoff. The wrestling is ordinary. The result is anything but.