World War 3 (1996)

World War 3 (1996)
Promotional poster
Tagline(s)	Total Destruction!
Information
Promotion	World Championship Wrestling
Date	November 24, 1996
Attendance	10,314
Venue	Norfolk Scope
City	Norfolk, Virginia
Pay-per-view chronology
Halloween Havoc (1996) World War 3 (1996) Starrcade (1996)
World War 3 chronology
World War 3 (1995) World War 3 (1996) World War 3 (1997)

World War 3 (1996) was the second World War 3 professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The event took place on November 24, 1996. Like the previous year's event, this event emanated from the Norfolk Scope in Norfolk, Virginia. Similar to the Royal Rumble format, this event marked for the first time that the winner of the World War 3 battle royal would receive a future title shot at the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.

Eight matches were contested at the event. The main event was the World War 3 battle royal to determine the #1 contender for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. The Giant won the World War 3 by last eliminating Lex Luger. Giant earned his title shot at the inaugural Souled Out pay-per-view. Other major match on the card was a three-way match for the WCW World Tag Team Championship, in which The Outsiders retained the title against The Faces of Fear and The Nasty Boys.

Before they even got in the ring for the World War 3 match, the Four Horsemen and the Dungeon of Doom battled outside of Ring #3, with Benoit, Sullivan (Taskmaster) and Big Bubba battling into the crowd. In the ensuing commotion WCW television announcer Lee Marshall (working the ring with Larry Zybysko), was knocked down and legitimately kicked to the head and chest by the Dungeon's The Faces of Fear (The Barbarian and Meng) while lying on the floor and could be heard yelling "What the heck is going on out here?". After the fight moved back toward the locker room, Marshall managed to get himself up and, after some difficulty (and questioning why former wrestler Zybysko didn't come to his aid), finished commentating the match from his designated announcing position.