The Great American Bash 1996: WCW Finally Finds the Future

The Steiner Brothers against Fire and Ice is a strong power opener because everyone understands the assignment. Scott Steiner throws suplexes with alarming ease, Scott Norton absorbs punishment like concrete, and Rick and Ice Train keep the pace moving without turning the match into a rest-hold contest. The finish combines the Frankensteiner and bulldog for a satisfying clean victory. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 6.29 and records a three-star Observer rating. Leighty also liked the match. It is not sophisticated, but it is physical, energetic and a very good way to start the show.

Konnan versus El Gato is the lone early-card match that never comes together. El Gato, the masked Pat Tanaka, struggles through several transitions and forces Konnan to visibly reposition him for spots. Konnan's power offense provides some structure, but there is no real suspense that the United States title might change hands. The abrupt spinebuster finish is more relief than climax. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 4.07 and records a two-star Observer rating. TJR gave it two stars. The match is short enough to survive, but it feels like filler on a card with much better talent.

Diamond Dallas Page against Marcus Bagwell is a useful snapshot of Page's climb from annoying midcard heel toward something much bigger. Bagwell controls enough of the early match to keep the crowd engaged, Page slows things down with character work and shortcuts, and the closing stretch gives both men several credible counters before the Diamond Cutter ends it cleanly. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 5.24 and records a two-and-a-half-star Observer rating. Scott Keith found it solid, and the crowd's reaction to the Cutter is the real takeaway. Page is not a main-eventer yet, but the building is starting to tell WCW where this is going.

Dean Malenko versus Rey Misterio Jr. is the match that changes the texture of WCW's undercard. Malenko grounds the newcomer and attacks the arm, giving Rey's bursts of speed and aerial offense a clear purpose rather than presenting them as a highlight reel. Rey's selling earns the crowd, and the final stretch is fast enough to feel revolutionary without becoming incoherent. Malenko counters the hurricanrana into a powerbomb and uses the ropes to steal the pin. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 7.73 and records a four-star Observer rating. Rey's WCW debut is an immediate success and a preview of the division's future.

John Tenta versus Big Bubba Rogers is a brief grudge match that works mostly because it knows not to overstay. Bubba uses a concealed object, Tenta survives, and the two big men trade simple offense before Tenta catches a top-rope attempt and wins with a powerbomb-like slam. The post-match haircut revenge is more memorable than the match itself. CAGEMATCH currently rates it 3.59 with a one-star Observer rating. It is the weakest wrestling on the card, but five minutes of uncomplicated revenge is far easier to tolerate than the long Dungeon of Doom matches WCW had been presenting.

Chris Benoit versus Kevin Sullivan is a violent, compact brawl that feels startlingly different from the rest of WCW in 1996. They fight through the crowd, into the men's room and back toward ringside with stiff punches, kicks and improvised weapons before Benoit finishes with a superplex from a table positioned on the ropes. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 7.58 and records a four-star Observer rating. Leighty also went to four stars, while Scott Keith rated it even higher. Arn Anderson's post-match turn on Sullivan completes the Horsemen story and gives the fight a meaningful payoff beyond spectacle.

Sting versus Steven Regal is an excellent contrast of personalities and styles. Regal controls long stretches with nasty-looking submissions, stiff forearms and constant heel character work, while Sting sells patiently until his explosive comeback finally turns the crowd loose. The match is deliberately paced rather than slow, and Regal's ability to make every hold feel insulting gives Sting's eventual fire-up more weight. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 7.01 and records a three-and-a-half-star Observer rating. TJR gave it three stars, while Scott Keith loved it. Sting wins cleanly with the Scorpion Deathlock after one of Regal's best WCW performances.

Ric Flair and Arn Anderson against Kevin Greene and Steve McMichael succeeds far beyond reasonable expectations. Flair and Anderson structure the match around football-style collisions, bump generously and let Greene's natural intensity carry stretches where technique is limited. The crowd is loud throughout, Bobby Heenan and Randy Savage add personality from the corners, and the eventual betrayal feels earned rather than random. Debra returns with a briefcase of money and a Horsemen shirt, Mongo clocks Greene, and the Four Horsemen gain their newest member. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 6.07 with a three-and-a-half-star Observer rating. It is terrific sports-entertainment craftsmanship.

The Giant versus Lex Luger is a competent heavyweight title match placed in an impossible position. The crowd has just watched Kevin Nash powerbomb Eric Bischoff through a table, so the world championship immediately feels secondary. Giant works Luger's back, Luger fights from underneath and eventually creates the memorable visual of lifting the champion into the Torture Rack before collapsing under the weight. Giant wins cleanly with the chokeslam. CAGEMATCH currently rates the match 4.33 and records a one-and-a-quarter-star Observer rating. The match tells a reasonable story, but almost nothing could have followed the Outsiders angle successfully.