Nitro-Glycerin - Monday Nitro recap for December 23, 1996

We hear pre-recorded comments from The Taskmaster, who tells The Crippler Chris Benoit that he just woke up something that should have been left alone. He says that Benoit may have taken his Queen, but he now has him in the ultimate trap. Soon after this, Diamond Dallas Page guests on commentary to see who he will face for the vacant WCW United States Heavyweight Championship.

Eddie Guerrero beats "The Crippler" Chris Benoit to continue on to the finals of the United States Heavyweight Championship tournament after Guerrero pushes Benoit off the top rope after Benoit shoves the referee off the ropes.

"Mean" Gene Okerlund interviews "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair, "The Enforcer" Arn Anderson, Steve "Mongo" McMichael, "The Crippler" Chris Benoit and Debra McMichael. He says that any man's nightmare would be seeing their woman with another man, but the worse nightmare is being the man that's there when the door gets kicked open and the husband or boyfriend comes in with rage in his eyes as the other man deserves it. He tells Benoit he took a beating from The Taskmaster for him next week, and wants to know where Woman is. Debra once again brings attention to herself, and tells Benoit to let her know next time he has an affair. Benoit says that Woman is tending to Horsemen business at this moment, and says that he doesn't appreciate the allegations of partying and infidelities. He says he and Woman were in Germany having meetings on how to bring the Four Horsemen back together. Benoit then calls out Debra, which raises the ire of Mongo, who tells him to shut up before he gives him a beatdown. Flair breaks this argument up, saying it's only two days before Christmas, and that Woman deserved a weekend with Benoit. He says the Horsemen are alive and well.

"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan shows up with Ted DiBiase, Miss Elizabeth and Vincent. Hogan says he can smell "Pipermania" running ragged, and says that "Rowdy" Roddy Piper is hiding in the deepest, darkest hole he can find. He says he thought that Piper would be one of the last men's men to take a whipping like he should, but Piper is afraid of him. He pretends to think he hears Piper coming. Hogan boasts that everything is going his way, as he is the star of the New World Order, and that in 100 years, he will be a wrestling icon and Piper will not as he will be the man who "scared the skirt off of "Rowdy" Roddy Piper." He pretends to think he hears Piper coming, but says that Piper won't be coming as he doesn't have enough guts to take a beating like he should. He says that as the next millennium approaches, there is a pecking order in professional wrestling, and people like "Macho Man" Randy Savage, "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair and "Rowdy" Roddy Piper are way down that pecking order as Hogan is the man that made wrestling what it is and put the nWo on the top of the wrestling world. He calls Piper the biggest coward he's ever seen and says he's "not man enough to wear a skirt." Hogan then poses for the crowd.

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Lex Luger beats Tombstone with the Torture Rack. After the match, The Giant gets in the ring and fights Luger, but Luger strikes back with impressive strength before putting him in the Torture Rack. It doesn't last for long, however, as The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) rush in, forcing Luger to retreat.

Rey Mysterio Jr. beats Mr. J.L. After the match, Rey Mysterio Jr. heads to the commentary table and says that Sting's reaction to his diving on him last week was normal compared to what Kevin Nash and The Giant did to him last summer and at World War 3, respectively, as Sting did not know it was him until he tossed him to the ground. He knows that Sting will not betray WCW like "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, and asks for the ending of last week's show to be replayed again to prove that Sting is WCW.

Pyrotechnics signal the start of the second hour. According to the New World Order, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper is in the building.

Glacier beats Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker.

Unlike past weeks, The Amazing French Canadians (Jacques Rougeau and Carl Ouellet) smack Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge and "Flyboy" Rocco Rock) with their flags when they try to attack them from behind. But Public Enemy get back up, and cover Rougeau and Ouellet's faces with their beanie hats and punch them, starting their match.

The Amazing French Canadians (Jacques Rougeau and Carl Ouellet) beat Public Enemy (Johnny Grunge and "Flyboy" Rocco Rock) by disqualification when Public Enemy use their now-broken table as a weapon. That doesn't matter to Public Enemy, who get the last word on The Amazing French Canadians with a few double-team attacks.

Big Bubba beats Konnan by disqualification after throwing Big Bubba off the top rope. The match is refereed by Nick Patrick and is his first match without his neck brace and his first match since losing his match against Chris Jericho, and he throws Jimmy Hart out of the match despite the fact that he did nothing to Big Bubba. After the match, Konnan gets his hands on Nick Patrick, but Big Bubba drags Patrick to safety.

Lee Marshall calls from Knoxville, Tennessee - the site of next week's Nitro - for the 1-800-COLLECT Road Report.

Dean Malenko and "Lord" Steven Regal wrestle to a time limit draw. "Lord" Steven Regal retains the WCW World Television Championship. During the match, Sonny Onoo shows up with his camera to distract Malenko again, but he is thrown out of the match by referee Randy Anderson.

The fake Sting shows up during Jeff Jarrett vs. Rick Steiner, and is about to hit the reverse DDT on Jarrett when Rick Steiner hits the faker with a clothesline. Jeff Jarrett pins the fake Sting for a three-count. This ends the match.

"Hollywood" Hulk Hogan shows up again. He says he has gotten a Western Union letter from "Rowdy" Roddy Piper stating that Hogan is indeed the icon. Piper's music plays, but it is really Eric Bischoff dressed up as Piper with black denim jeans and boots underneath the kilt and a red-and-yellow Hulk Hogan T-Shirt behind his leather jacket. Bischoff simultaneously mocks and pretends to be Piper before he asks for a referee so he and Hogan can do this right now. Nick Patrick shows up, and Bischoff lays down for Hogan while Patrick makes the three-count. As Bischoff and Hogan pretend to mock Piper, a Scottish bagpipe orchestra shows up and plays for the real "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, who now shows up cleaner-shaven than previously seen. Hogan and Piper brawl as the rest of the New World Order show up and surround Piper, while the real Sting watches from the rafters. Security shows up to separate Hogan and Piper to end the show.