February 12, 2009
Matt Peddycord

WCW [Pro] Wrestling
November 18, 1995
Orlando, FL
Universal Studios

The current WCW champs were as follows:
WCW World Champion: vacant (11/6/1995)
WCW U.S. Champion: Kensuke Sasaki (11/13/1995)
WCW World Tag Team Champions: Harlem Heat (10/28/1995)
WCW World Television Champion: Johnny B. Badd (10/29/1995)

This is a landmark show for Pro as this is the first episode where they changed the set over to the back alley look that Monday Night Wars fans would be more familiar with. Not only that, but this is one of the first shows where some New Japan talent get to shine leading into Starrcade.

Your hosts are Chris Cruise, Dusty Rhodes and Larry Zbyszko.

Chris Benoit vs. Vern Henderson
So Ernest P. Worrell’s neighbor finally shows his face. He moves like Iron Mike Sharpe though. Chris Cruise wants you to think this show is really happening at 9am on a Saturday morning, so he mentions that Florida high school football coach/weekend jobber Vern Henderson worked out from 5am to 7am that morning. Believe it home boy. Henderson actually has a good showing against Benoit. They take turns with a wristlock for a while. Benoit chops back and levels Vern with a Snap Suplex. Dusty mentions that Benoit is the latest member of the Four Horsemen. Apparently they introduced him to the crew on Saturday Night, because it didn’t air on Nitro either. Benoit stretches Vern out with a Muta Lock and while he holds onto the deathlock, he hooks the arms for Cattle Mutilation. Standing switch by Henderson and he launches Benoit with a release German suplex. He wants another one and ducks Benoit’s back elbow to send him flying with a release belly-to-belly. Cover, 1-2-NO! Before Vern can do anything else, Benoit puts him away with a DRAGON SUPLEX. (3:53) KNOWWHUTIMEAN?

10-Man Jobber Battle Royal
Oh this should be fun. Dave “EVAD” Sullivan, Nasty Ned (?), Disco Inferno, Cobra, Mark Starr, Frankie Lancaster, Ricky Santana, Fidel Sierra (NWA’s Cuban Assassin!), Lt. James Earl Wright and Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker. This is supposed to give us a sneak peak of World War 3, says Dusty. Aimless little match for the most part as Disco Inferno tries to stay out of everybody’s way and worrying about his hair. Dusty catches the State Patrol CLUBBERIN on Cobra. Frankie Lancaster gets tossed out first by Ricky Santana. More hilarity from Dusty as he picks Nasty Ned to win this whole thing. It takes four guys to get rid of Cobra. Not sure why, but he’s out of here. Larry Z picks Disco since he’s hanging out in the empty corners. Dusty ~ “But Nasty Ned is still in there. KNOWWHUTIMEAN?” The Cubans throw out Mark Starr and Dave Sullivan, then they both take backdrops out to the floor by the State Patrol. I sense the tag team feud of the century is near! We’re down to our final four: Nasty Ned, Disco Inferno, Lt. James Earl Wright, and Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker. Ned takes some CLUBBERIN from the State Patrol before he’s thrown out. Disco receives the same treatment and as the State Patrol go to double hiptoss him out, Disco shoves them both over the top rope to win the match. (5:02) It’s straight to the top for that Disco Inferno character.

Eddie Guerrero vs. The Gambler
I miss the Gambler. The man was always playing cards. He always had a good hand too. When there’s no chinlocks, Eddie is all over Gambler with a headscissors and a sick back suplex. Gambler gets a nice swinging neckbreaker for two. He chokes Guerrero real good up in the ropes and delivers a butterfly suplex for two as Dusty hypes Hogan/Sting for the following week’s Nitro. Guerrero comes back with a leg scissors rollup out of the corner for two. Brainbuster follows the FROG SPLASH for the 1-2-3. (3:52) Cruise talks up the awesome Guerrero/Benoit match that airs that night on TBS. It’s easily the best TV match of the year from either of the Big Two.

Jushin Liger vs. Barry Houston
Sonny Oono replaces Dusty and Larry for the New Japan portion of the show. Houston avoids a suicide dive from Liger, but can’t avoid a cannonball splash off the apron. Oono calls it the cartwheel kick. Oh geez. Back in, Liger misses a flying senton and takes a slam or two. Houston gives Liger an armdrag throw of sorts. To the floor they go again where Houston delivers a springboard crossbody on Liger. Not only that, but then he levels Liger with a Northern Lights suplex. Inside the ring, Liger stops Houston up top for a superplex and finishes Houston off with the Fisherman Buster. (3:23) Lots of good action in this one. More than I expected to see from Houston.

Koji Kanemoto vs. Scott Armstrong
He’s the oldest and least popular of the four Armstrong brothers, but he’s the only one currently employed by WWE as a referee. It’s Scott Armstrong. Koji Kanemoto was the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight champion at the time, but there’s no mention of it here. Kanemoto slaps away a handshake and then goes to work on Armstrong’s leg. Armstrong fires back with forearms and tries a monkey flip, but Kanemoto flips out of it. He turns around into a right hand though as Scott takes him down with a headlock. Kanemoto fights up and hits a double chop, but whiffs on a dropkick. Armstrong shows him how it’s done with a dropkick to take Kanemoto to the floor. Back inside, Kanemoto kicks down Armstrong and then pitches him out to the floor. Kanemoto hits Armstrong with a pescado and then shows off like a douche by back flipping off the top rope in the ring. To make up for it, Kanemoto bows before Scott. When Scott goes to return the favor, Kanemoto starts chopping him on the head. Sonny Oono ~ “American don’t bow! It’s silly.” Corkscrew senton by Kanemoto connects. It looks to be curtains for Kanemoto, but Armstrong fires back with an All-American boot the gut. What’s with the xenophobia? Fisherman’s suplex by Armstrong gets 1-2-NO! Kanemoto answers with a spinning heel kick and starts gouging the face. He hits a flying moonsault and a TIGER SUPLEX for the 1-2-3. (6:37) Pretty good Pro main event. You’ve got to love it when Kanemoto starts acting like a prick. **