Pro Wrestling Chronicle

Match # 34: The Steiner Brothers vs. Sting and Lex Luger (Nitro 6/3/96)

I’m assuming this is babyface vs babyface. It’s also the last feud they would all have before the NOW years, so I guess I should enjoy the last gasp of the Steiners or the old Stinger. I’m skeptical, but then Scott Steiner and Sting worked well together (Match # 32) and Luger had that performance with the Giant in a sprint.

Turns out this match is more of a backdrop for a few things, notably a great Bobby Heenan weasel promo during the opening minute graveling on the phone to an angry Macho Man Randy Savage. Post match he cuts an even better promo offering Savage an NFL trophy in exchange for not showing up to “coach” across from him at the next PPV.

The match itself is a fun 6-8 minute sprint. The Steiners just brutalize Lex and Sting with stiff suplexes. Everyone gets in their stuff (if you can even say that about Luger), but the Steiner’s get in the most. The selling isn’t really long term, but all the pins are broken up by the opposite team. No real soul to the match, but it’s short and it’s babyface vs babyface fun. Finish is the Giant killing Scott Steiner with an incredibly safe choke slam on the outside, then coming after Luger. The faces all team up to send the Giant packing, but it’s compelling stuff for its time.

Maybe the biggest historical news out of this match is when Scott Hall walks up to the announcers after the match and Sting confronts him as they are going off the air. This is early NOW before the name of the Nash debut. Sting cuts the promo saying “You’re in the jungle baby! This is WCW.” Then they have a pull apart. I marked out. 2 and 4/10.