Monday Night Raw – January 15, 1996: Double History
Monday Night Raw
Date: January 15, 1996
Location: Bob Carpenter Center, Newark, Delaware
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler
It’s the last Raw before the Royal Rumble and last week’s show might as well have been subtitled “Shawn Michaels Is Going To Win”. They aren’t really bothering to hide that this is a Rumble with one possible winner, so the question is more how Michaels is going to do it. Other than that, we’ve got Undertaker ready to challenge Bret Hart for the WWF Title and he has quite a big match of his own. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with the tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. for his namesake day.
Opening preview.
Opening sequence.
Owen Hart vs. Marty Jannetty
Jim Cornette is here with Hart. Feeling out process to start with Jannetty’s front facelock not lasting long. Instead Jannetty hits a running clothesline for two and slaps on the chinlock. That’s broken up rather quickly and Hart stomps away, only for Jannetty to come back with a spinning middle rope crossbody.
This time it’s Hart grabbing his own chinlock but it’s too early for the Sharpshooter. Hart suplexes him down and we take a break, coming back with Jannetty managing a faceplant. A middle rope flipping faceplant and a powerslam have Hart in more trouble, followed by a clothesline out to the floor. Back in and Hart slips behind him into a rollup for the fast pin at 9:12.
Rating: B-. As usual, taking two talented wrestlers and letting them do their thing for a few minutes works out well. Jannetty might have been an all time screwup, but he could work well in the ring with just about anyone. Hart was starting to come into his own as a singles star here and it’s no surprise that this worked.
We’re off to the Slam Jam, featuring the announcement of the Free For All show, which will feature a match for the #30 spot in the Royal Rumble, with the loser getting the #1 spot. The names involved will be the ones who draw blanks in the Royal Rumble drawing, so nice job of keeping a mystery. As for the Rumble itself, Diesel is ready to win and we get the same Vader workout video. The Jeff Jarrett vs. Ahmed Johnson match gets a quick look too.
Ringmaster vs. Matt Hardy
Non-title and Ted DiBiase is in (the debuting) Ringmaster’s corner. Ringmaster (that name is already getting annoying) hammers away to start and stomps away in the corner. Some knee drops give Ringmaster two and a gordbuster gets the same. Hardy (With HV on his tights, either for High Voltage or perhaps….HARDY VERSION?) gets choked on the ropes and the Million Dollar Dream finishes for Ringmaster at 4:35.
Rating: C. There is something so fascinating about an all time star making his debut and having such a basic match which showed absolutely nothing. Throw in the fact that he was in there against a future legend in his own right and it’s quite the historical curiosity. To say Austin would get better is an understatement, but this was a good start.
Video on Shawn Michaels, who is returning at the Royal Rumble, including his recent health issues.
Smoking Gunns vs. Spiders
Non-title and we’re actually joined in progress with Billy getting two off a small package. Bart comes in with some dropkicks and the Sidewinder finishes at 1:02 shown.
It’s off to Billionaire Ted’s Wrasslin War Room, where Ted is mad that he can’t buy the WWF.
Here is Goldust for a chat, with Vince McMahon accusing him of preying on homophobia. Goldust: “Mr. television announcer, is that another microphone in your pocket or are you just excited to see me?” He promises to make Ramon and everyone else remember his name.
Ramon arrives (with about twenty minutes left in the show) and is looking for Goldust.
Undertaker vs. Isaac Yankem DDS
Paul Bearer is here with Undertaker. They stare each other down to start (like long lost…never mind) and Undertaker takes over with a slam. Yankem scores with a clothesline out of the corner but has to slip out of a Tombstone. They go outside with Undertaker hammering away and getting in a posting, only for Lawler to go after the remains of the urn. Undertaker isn’t having that and chases Lawler off but Yankem drives him into the post.
We take a break and come back with Undertaker fighting out of a half crab. A bearhug doesn’t last long either as Undertaker fights out and does the situp. Yankem knocks him down again and tries his own Tombstone (like that could ever work), which is reversed into the real thing to give Undertaker the pin at 8:35.
Rating: C. This is one of those things where you could see the idea on paper, just because it was so rare to find someone of Undertaker’s size who could move like Yankem. The problem though was that again, Yankem was a wrestling dentist and that was only going to get him so far. The key was finding out how to use the talent, which is one of the keys to good booking. Once they figured that out, it was off to the races. Eventually.
Goldust is ready to face Bret Hart next week but gets jumped by Razor Ramon. The brawl is on and Goldust hits him low to escape.
Here’s what’s coming next week.
Royal Rumble rundown.
Ramon jumps Goldust again and chases him outside. They brawl in the snow until Goldust rams him into a truck and gets in his car to escape and end the show.
Overall Rating: C+. This is definitely one of those shows where the historical impact wouldn’t become apparent for a good while, but dang it’s fascinating to see the future right there in front of your eyes. You have Austin’s in-ring debut and the first battle of the Brothers Of Destruction. That’s a heck of a Raw and while it would mean more later, it winds up being a completely decent show on its own, with the Michaels announcement being a needed boost.
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