Monday Night Raw
Date: June 28, 1993
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, New York
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, Bobby Heenan

It’s the last show of the month and the big story coming out of last week is Razor Ramon’s continued frustrations with the 1-2-3 Kid. Last week Ramon still couldn’t beat the Kid, who ran off with the $10,000 Ramon was putting up. Other than that, we’re coming up on the Yokozuna bodyslam challenge, which could be rather interesting. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Intercontinental Title: Shawn Michaels vs. Kamala

Michaels, with Diesel, is defending. They take their time to start with Michaels offering a handshake, which allows him to knock Kamala into the corner. Kamala doesn’t care for that and bites the finger before knocking Michaels out to the floor. Back in and Kamala charges into some raised knees in the corner as we take a break.

We come back with Kamala’s bearhug being broken up with a rake to the eyes, allowing Michaels to stomp away. Michaels avoids a charge in the corner and goes after the leg, though the Figure Four attempt is blocked. Kamala kicks him into the corner and starts chopping away, setting up the splash to the back. As usual, Kamala doesn’t quite have the pinning thing down so Diesel gets on the apron. That’s enough for Michaels to hit a superkick to the back of the head for the pin at 11;15.

Rating: C-. Michaels is an all time star but there is only so much you can do in this situation. Kamala’s good guy run was a stretch on its best day and then it was hard to make something like this work. Diesel being involved in the ending helped establish him, but the idea of Michaels needing help against Kamala is a stretch at best.

Post match Kamala goes after Michaels but Diesel makes the save.

Here are Yokozuna and company for a chat. Mr. Fuji is ready to humiliate various American athletes at the bodyslam challenge but Vince McMahon warns him that America is kind of amazing. Someone will step up and hit a home run, though Fuji doesn’t seem convinced. Yokozuna calls American athletes inferior, just like American products, so McMahon gets a USA chant going. It was weird to hear McMahon be so one sided in a story like this, but it shows how big of a villain Yokozuna really is.

Various athletes, including Tatanka, say they can slam Yokozuna.

Smoking Gunns vs. Iron Mike Sharpe/Barry Horowitz

Billy and Sharpe start things off with Billy clearing both jobbers out in a hurry. Bart comes in for a crisscross into a small package for two on Sharpe, followed by the armbar. It’s off to Horowitz, who avoids a crossbody to actually take over. A northern lights suplex doesn’t get Horowitz very far as Bart is back up for the tag off to Billy. The Sidewinder finishes Horowitz at 4:25.

Rating: C. The Gunns are only going to be able to go so far, but at the same time, the tag division isn’t exactly strong at this point so they only have to be so good. They have a time honored gimmick and the Sidewinder isn’t bad. Just let them win some matches and see where they can go from here.

We look at the 1-2-3 Kid stealing Razor Ramon’s money last week.

Here is Money Inc. for a chat, with Vince McMahon immediately mocking them for being the FORMER Tag Team Champions. IRS shrugs that off because they have a rematch clause in their contract against the Steiner Brothers. They move on to the idea of keeping your money, with Ted DiBiase mocking Razor Ramon for losing his cool, and as a result, his money, last week. Maybe Ramon can go to some stupid school like the University Of Michigan so Ramon can become the third Steiner Brother! And that’s how we’re setting up Ramon’s face turn.

Adam Bomb vs. PJ Walker

Johnny Polo is here with Bomb, who chokes Walker down to start. Naturally commentary ignores the match to talk about the bodyslam challenge, even as Bomb takes him to the floor for a hard clothesline. Back in and a top rope clothesline sets up the Atom Smasher for the pin at 2:14.

Crush vs. Bastion Booger

Heenan says Booger is related to Hilary Clinton as Crush can’t quite lift him up. Instead they go outside, with Crush not being able to ram him into the post. Booger can send him into the post though, and the steps as well. Back in and Booger grabs a bearhug but Crush powers out and manages a suplex. Some slams put Booger down, followed by a second and third for the pin at 5:37.

Rating: D+. Hey, did you know that Crush is strong and can lift large people? That was the entire point of the match and there wasn’t anything else going on, which made for a long five minutes. The match was as dull as you would expect and thankfully they did what they should have. It’s about as good as a Booger match is going to be, because, shockingly enough, he’s not very good.

Randy Savage is at Giants Stadium with a New York Giant who is ready to slam Yokozuna.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Commentary is hyped for the bodyslam challenge to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. The idea of this show was focusing on the upcoming bodyslam challenge, with Crush being the big name who is going to come after him. That’s a fine enough idea, but then you realize that you’re getting ready for a bodyslam challenge rather than a match. It’s only going to change so much, and it makes for some rough time on the way there, which was on display this week.

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Monday Night Raw
Date: June 7, 1993
Location: Manhattan Center, New York City, New York
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, Bobby Heenan

We’re on the way to the King Of The Ring, with the show taking place this coming Sunday. That should be more than enough of a focus, and now we get to see if Yokozuna is ready to face Hulk Hogan. Other than that, there is a good chance that we get a look at the tournament so let’s get to it.

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

Intercontinental Title: Shawn Michaels vs. Russ Greenberg

Michaels, the brand new champion (having won the title at a house show last night), has a brand new unnamed bodyguard is defending here (in case there was any confusion). A hammerlock takes Greenberg down to start and Michaels gives him a slam. Michaels grabs a chinlock until Greenberg fights up, which is cut off just as fast. The middle rope elbow and piledriver finish for Michaels at 3:48.

Rating: C. This was exactly what you would have expected as Michaels smashed through a jobber shortly after winning the title. The good thing is that they kept it short enough to not be dull but let it go on long enough so Michaels could look good. That being said, Michaels using a piledriver still doesn’t feel right and that’s going to need to change.

It’s the King Of The Ring Report, which runs down the card, including the first round of the tournament. Also announced: Shawn Michaels vs. Crush is now an Intercontinental Title match.

Michaels, with the bodyguard, storms down to ringside where he is livid over having to defend the title.

Adam Bomb vs. El Matador

Johnny Polo is here with Bomb. Matador works on the arm to start and Bomb is already bailing over to the ropes. The quick breather seems to work as Bomb is back with a powerslam but Matador grabs another armbar. Bomb powers out again and kicks away before ramming Matador face first into the buckle. Matador fights back and the fans seem into it but Bomb cuts off an O’Connor roll attempt. A slingshot clothesline to the back of the head finishes for Bomb at 5:32.

Rating: C+. Better than I was expecting here though I’ve long since been a fan of both guys. Matador is someone who had been established as a good hand for a very long time and thankfully that continued after things changed from years as just Tito Santana. On the other hand you have Bomb, who always felt like he had potential but never got the chance to really do anything important.

Tatanka vs. Peter Weeks

They fight over arm control to start until a hiptoss puts Weeks on the floor. Back in and a big jumping elbow hits Weeks but he actually fights back with some forearms. Tatanka goes on the warpath for the quick comeback, with the top rope chop connecting for the pin at 3:15.

Rating: C. Another squash here, but not quite as entertaining as the Michaels version, though that might be due to the other one featuring Shawn Michaels. Tatanka was someone who basically give you just about everything he was going to be able to do in any given match. That’s not giving him much of a ceiling, though there were far worse options for a short outing.

Here is Jerry Lawler (in pink) for the King’s Court. He’s sick of being in the Rotten Apple and insults various people who live here. After a break (yes in an interview segment), Lawler says he’s not talking about the King Of The Ring tournament because the winner is nothing but an imitation of the real king. Instead he brings out Mr. Fuji and Yokozuna, who are ready for Hulk Hogan. Lawler insults Hogan and Fuji brags about Yokozuna’s weight. Even Yokozuna is ready to win.

Rick Steiner/Billy Gunn vs. Fatu/IRS

Their partners are all here too. Afa is here too…and he’s having a WWF ice cream bar. Those Samoans have all the luck. Afa isn’t sure what to make of the $50 that IRS hands him but gets distracted by the good guys taking over on Fatu. IRS comes in and gets caught in the wrong corner, allowing Rick and Billy to work on the arm. That’s broken up and IRS accidentally decks Fatu, with the big fight being teased as we take a break.

We come back with the villains having calmed down, mainly thanks to DiBiase paying them off (the Headshrinkers ate the money). Back in and IRS sends Rick crashing out to the floor, with DiBiase and Samu sending him into the steps. Fatu drops Rick with a clothesline but Rick Steiner Lines his way out of trouble. The tag brings in Billy as everything breaks down, with DiBiase offering a distraction. That’s enough for IRS to hit a clothesline to the back of the head for the pin at 11:35.

Rating: C-. What exactly were you expecting out of this? It’s a mixed up tag match to preview a King Of The Ring eight man tag which wound up being a heck of a lot shorter than this one. The match was rather long and nothing of note happened, which made for a pretty lengthy stretch of TV time.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Here is Razor Ramon to offer the 1-2-3 Kid $7,500 for a rematch. As for King Of The Ring, he’s ready to make Bret Hart a Nutter Loser.

Overall Rating: D+. Well, King Of The Ring can’t get here fast enough, as a tournament show doesn’t exactly give you much to talk about on television. It doesn’t help that a bunch of big names are in the tournament and that leaves stuff like Hulk Hogan (not here), an eight man tag and Shawn Michaels vs. Crush. I’m going to need more to get hyped about than that and we didn’t see it happen here.

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Monday Night Raw
Date: January 29, 1996
Location: Stockton Civic Auditorium, Stockton, California
Attendance: 2,904
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We’re on the way to the next In Your House, which means we’ll be getting ready for the last stop on the Road To Wrestlemania. The big story continues to be Shawn Michaels’ quest for the WWF Title, though he seems like he’s going to have a stop over with the other Hart Brother on the way to face Bret for the title. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening preview.

Opening sequence.

British Bulldog vs. Diesel

Jim Cornette is here with Bulldog. Diesel powers him around to start and hits a slam but Bulldog gets in a knockdown of his own. Bulldog wraps the leg around the post and cranks away (because this formula worked so well in their disaster of a pay per view match), including a half crab. Cue Yokozuna to ringside as we take a break.

We come back with Bulldog choking and then doing his weird double step stomps to the leg. Diesel gets sent outside where Yokozuna…throws him back in. Back in and Diesel boots him down but Cornette has the referee, leaving Yokozuna to drop a leg. Granted the leg hits Bulldog so it doesn’t exactly work out well but at least he was trying. Cornette freaks out as Diesel gets the pin at 9:38.

Rating: C+. It’s still not a great match, but what matters is that it wasn’t an all time disaster like their match back in October. Keeping it shorter and not having the match drag on forever certainly helped, though they did something similar with the leg work. Diesel needed the win though, as it’s not like Bulldog had much going on at the moment.

It’s off to the Slam Jam where Bret Hart, with a black eye, still wants Diesel in a steel cage match. We run down the rest of the In Your House car, including the newly added Duke Droese vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley.

Apparently WCW is threatening legal action over the Billionaire Ted skits. Therefore, here’s another one with Ted at a press conference where he won’t answer any questions about his business practices. This stuff is so beyond dumb and nothing but Vince McMahon whining about competition spending money.

Godwinns vs. Bodydonnas

This is Phineas’ debut and Hillbilly Jim and Sunny are here too. Henry runs Skip over to start but Zip comes in with a cheap shot to take him down. A double suplex drops Henry again and Sunny flirts with Jim, leaving Skip to miss a top rope splash. Phineas comes in and gets to clean house, with the Slop Drop finishing Zip at 2:17.

Post match Sunny runs away from…hillbilly things.

We look at Vader’s path of destruction in his rather short WWF career. This includes attacking Gorilla Monsoon last week, which was quite the moment. Of note: McMahon actually uses the term “stable mate” to describe Yokozuna and Vader.

Clarence Mason and Jim Cornette think the suspension is TOTALLY UNFAIR and there is an injunction against the suspension.

You can send in Get Well Soon letters to Monsoon. And I’m sure this won’t be used to restock the WWF’s mailing list.

Vince McMahon brings out the new acting President of the World Wrestling Federation: RODDY PIPER! The fans seem to approve, with Piper asking if he’s Vince’s boss. Piper lists off some of his accomplishments in the 80s but he knows that the wrestlers today are faster and stronger. The difference though is they’re a little confused, with Piper being here to fix things.

There will be no government shutdown when he is President. He pulls out some papers, which contain rules. Vince: “You’ve never lived by rules in your life!” Piper: “Good point!” And he puts the papers back in his pocket. He promises the fans are in good hands, gives Vince an airplane spin, and wraps it up. I’m not sure I have any idea what Piper was saying, but the GOOD POINT part was funny.

Mankind, with his deformed ear, wants us to have a nice day.

Yokozuna vs. Shawn Michaels

Owen Hart and Jim Cornette are here with Yokozuna. Michaels realizes that locking up with him is a really bad idea so he goes with right hands to knock Yokozuna outside. The villains have a meeting on the floor and we take an early break. We come back with Michaels’ top rope moonsault press getting two but Yokozuna whips him hard into the corner.

That sends Michaels crashing out to the floor, where Hart gets in a posting like a good villain should. Back in and we hit the nerve hold (Yokozuna certainly had his favorites) and we take another break. We come back with Michaels avoiding the legdrop but missing a top rope splash. Michaels slugs away, only to get driven into the corner. Hart tries to come in but kicks Yokozuna down by mistake. The superkick gives Michaels the pin at 11:42.

Rating: C. As usual, you know what you’re going to get with Yokozuna at this point and that’s not a good thing. He’s just so big and there is very little that anyone can do against him. Even Michaels was limited here, with the interference into the superkick being about as good as it was going to get. At least Michaels won by pinfall, as it makes him look like he could beat almost anyone. Or at least really big people who could barely move, which has little to do with either Hart brother, but it’s better than nothing.

Post match the Bulldog has to play peacemaker between Yokozuna and Hart. Michaels is caught 4-1 but Diesel runs in for the save. Cornette says his men are perfectly fine and issues the challenge for a tag match next week. Michaels and Diesel seem in to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The Vader stuff is interesting, mainly because you can see what kind of a monster he really is, but at the same time he’s not going to be around for the time being. You also have Roddy Piper around, and that’s only going to be….I have no idea actually (much like whatever he said). The wrestling was good enough, but this is all about getting to Wrestlemania and you can see some pieces coming together, which is exciting enough.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: January 22, 1996
Location: Stockton Civic Auditorium, Stockton, California
Attendance: 2,904
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We’re done with the Royal Rumble and that means Shawn Michaels is (shockingly) enough on the way to Wrestlemania for a WWF Title shot against Bret Hart. That’s in about two months though and we have one more pay per view on the way. Either way, this is going to be all about Michaels for a bit so let’s get to it.

Here is the Royal Rumble if you need a recap.

We open with a long Royal Rumble recap.

Opening sequence.

Vader vs. Savio Vega

Vader, who debuted last night, has Jim Cornette with him. Vader powers him into the corner to start and hammers away to drop Vega in a hurry. Vega is back up with some chops and a superkick to the floor, where Vader drops him onto the barricade. Back in and a corner splash into the Vader Bomb finishes Vega at 3:01.

Rating: C. That’s pretty much exactly what it needed to be, as Vader smashed through someone the fans knew and looked like a killer. That’s entirely the point of Vader, who had already made an impact in the Royal Rumble but needed to do the same in a regular match. He’s the ultimate monster and that was on display here.

Post match Vader keeps up the beating and takes out some referees. President Gorilla Monsoon gets in the ring and yells at Vader before announcing that Vader is suspended indefinitely (read as until he’s healed from shoulder surgery). Vader slaps Monsoon on the back so Monsoon chops away, getting physical for the first time in well over ten years.

That earns Monsoon a beating, including the Vader Bomb, with Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon running in for the save. Monsoon is taken out on a stretcher. I know it couldn’t be done given Monsoon’s age and health, but sweet goodness the business they could have done with Monsoon having one more match with Vader over all of this.

Post match Vader declares war on everyone in the WWF and beats up a trashcan as Jim Cornette tries to calm him down. Vince doesn’t think Vader belongs around here (how true that would wind up being).

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Razor Ramon

We get a quick insert interview from the 1-2-3 Kid and Ted DiBiase, who promise to give Ramon a bottle and change his diaper (yes, Jim Cornette was working on the creative team at this point). Helmsley hammers away in the corner to start but gets caught with a clothesline. Ramon misses a charge out to the floor though and we take a break. We come back with Helmsley crotching him on top as Lawler sucks up to Helmsley’s valet. A running knee to the back puts Ramon down again and here is the 1-2-3 Kid with a bottle. Ramon fights back but opts to chase the Kid, earning the countout at 8:02.

Rating: C+. The ending was the right way to go as Ramon was starting to change sides a bit, but he was still obsessed with the Kid. Let him go after that issue for a bit and make him easier to care about, which is coming sooner than later. For now though, it’s enough to have him do his usual stuff against a villain.

Post match Helmsley has to escape the Razor’s Edge and run off.

It’s off to Billionaire Ted’s Wrasslin War Room. They’re tired of stealing ideas but can’t think of a new one. The voiceover talks about not accepting imitations.

We then cut to Doc Hendrix and the Raw Band, because having a house band on a show airing at night is a 100% original idea.

Here is Shawn Michaels to brag about his win in the Royal Rumble. He’s on his way to Wrestlemania but there is someone to deal with on the way. There is someone who is bragging about taking Michaels out, and while that would be nine guys in Syracuse, New York, Owen Hart is doing a lot of bragging.

Cue Jim Cornette, who says if Michaels wants Hart, he’ll have to go through Cornette, who signs Hart’s contracts. The match isn’t going to happen, but Michaels says he’ll do anything to get his hands on Hart. Cornette says Hart might be interested if the WWF Title shot at Wrestlemania was on the line, with Michaels eventually agreeing. Then he throws Cornette over the top, because that’s the kind of thing that happens to Cornette. That’s what this needed to be and they set up Michaels’ next big match.

Bret Hart vs. Goldust

Non-title and Marlena is here with Goldust. We get some chest rubbing before Hart takes him into the corner and we take a break. We come back with Hart working on the arm but Goldust reverses into a hammerlock of his own. That’s reversed with a quick trip out to the floor and we take a second break. This time we come back with Goldust working on the arm until Hart fights up. Goldust tries to leave but Razor Ramon throws him back in as we take a THIRD break. We come back again with Hart grabbing the Sharpshooter for the submission at 10:59.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure why we needed so many breaks in there but it was distracting from a match which was…well it was pretty much just ok at best. Hart is on his way to Wrestlemania (ok more than likely at least) so giving him some wins is a good idea, though I’m not sure if that needed to be against the Intercontinental Champion. At least it was a loss to the WWF Champion, but there was no better option here?

Post match Hart says Undertaker deserves a rematch and wants Diesel in a cage.

Overall Rating: C+. Michaels instantly makes this better, as he’s the biggest star in the company and there is no way around it. We’re pretty clearly in the countdown to his inevitable title win at Wrestlemania, but the fans are behind him all the way there. Now just make it work for the next few months and everything should be fine. That and maybe don’t have your Intercontinental Champion lose the night after he wins the title.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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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.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: January 8, 1996
Location: Bob Carpenter Center, Newark, Delaware
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We’re getting closer to the Royal Rumble and that means we’ll be seeing some more names added to the card. In addition, since it’s the holiday season and the company didn’t want to tape too much, we’re getting another match from the most recent In Your House, which is certainly a way to fill in time. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a preview of the show, promising more from Billionaire Ted. Of course.

Opening sequence.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Hakushi

Jarrett teases playing the guitar and singing for us but opts to just not instead. An early slam lets Jarrett strut but Hakushi sweeps the leg. A top rope shoulder drops Jarrett again and we pause for him to tease walking out. Back in and Jarrett hits the running crotch attack in the ropes and we take a break.

We come back with Hakushi fighting out of an abdominal stretch and hitting a jumping spin kick. Jarrett knocks him back down for two more and we hit the chinlock. Hakushi fights out but his springboard splash hits knees, allowing Jarrett to get the Figure Four for the win at 9:19.

Rating: C. I always feel bad when I see Hakushi falling further and further down the ladder. He really was a different kind of star and could have been a bigger deal if he was given the chance. It doesn’t help when he lost to the perfectly capable but terribly uninteresting Jarrett. While Jarrett is far from bad, it’s not exactly easy to get behind him in any meaningful way. That was the case again here, as this was just a step above a squash.

We go to Slam Jam, which serves as the Royal Rumble control center. We look at various Rumble entrants, including a video on Vader Finally, “Scheme Gene” makes a cameo which, believe it or not, isn’t funny.

Ahmed Johnson vs. Jeff Brettler

Johnson throws him around to start and hits a kick to the head. A spinebuster and the Pearl River Plunge finish at 1:51.

Post match Jeff Jarrett tries to sneak in with a guitar shot but hits the buckle instead. Johnson scares him off and breaks the guitar.

Next week: Undertaker vs. Isaac Yankem.

And now, the Brother Love Show, because that was brought back in 1996. The guest is Ted DiBiase, who is unveiling his new Million Dollar Champion: THE RINGMASTER! DiBiase presents him with his title, with the Ringmaster sticking his hand out to the screen so fans can reach out and touch greatness. He’s already in the Royal Rumble so he can go on to Wrestlemania and win the WWF Title, but it doesn’t compare to the Million Dollar Title. And that’s Steve Austin’s WWF debut.

Earl Hebner defends not stopping Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog due to Hart’s blood loss. Geez the jokes write themselves.

Goldust vs. Aldo Montoya

Goldust takes his time getting rid of his wig and then takes out Montoya for daring to start fast. The slow beating is on, including a running kick to Montoya’s chest. Montoya fights up and hits a clothesline, only to walk into the Curtain Call for the fast pin at 2:10.

It’s another Slam Jam, this time looking at Shawn Michaels’ press conference from earlier today. He is officially in the Royal Rumble and he’s going on to Wrestlemania to win the WWF Title. Scheme Gene pops in to say he has a hot name for the Royal Rumble but call his hotline to find out who it is. IN CASE YOU DIDN’T GET THE JOKE!

Various wrestlers give their thoughts on Shawn Michaels coming back.

From In Your House V: Seasons Beatings.

WWF Title: Bret Hart vs. British Bulldog

Hart is defending and Jim Cornette is here with Bulldog. Feeling out process to start with Bulldog showing off the power, leaving Hart to go after his arm. Back up and a knee to the ribs cuts Hart down for two and we’re already in the chinlock. That’s broken up so Cornette gets in a cheap shot with the racket, meaning the chinlock can go on again. The hard whip into the corner gives Bulldog two and yep, it’s time for another chinlock.

Hart finally fights out and hits a monkey flip, followed by a bulldog to Bulldog. A quick piledriver gives Hart two and the middle rope elbow connects as we take a break. We come back with Hart getting crotched on the top and knocked outside, with Bulldog driving him hard into the post. Hart is busted open BAD and there is a bunch of blood on the floor. Bulldog gets two off his own piledriver and the not so delayed suplex is good for the same.

A top rope headbutt to the back gives Bulldog two more and he grabs a bow and arrow. Hart’s quick counter into the Sharpshooter is broken up and Bulldog shoulders him hard out to the floor. Back in and Hart slips out of a suplex to grab a German suplex for two and they’re both down. Hart manages to send him outside for a slingshot dive but another is countered into the running powerslam on the floor.

We take another break and come back again with Hart crotching him on the barricade and hitting a clothesline. The backbreaker gives Hart two and he whips Bulldog hard into the corner for a change. A top rope superplex gets a delayed two and a rollup, ala Summerslam 1992, is reversed to give Hart two more. With nothing else working, Hart grabs la majistral to retain at 21:09.

Rating: B+. As usual, these two have some great chemistry together. It felt like Hart was having to struggle to survive against an aggressive power guy and that is where Hart tends to thrive. Bulldog could work well with almost anyone and tended to do best against someone Hart (or Shawn Michaels) sized, so the formula was firmly in play here. Great match and worth a look if you have time.

Undertaker is ready to take the title from Bret Hart at the Royal Rumble.

A woman has won the Royal Rumble sweepstakes.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

We wrap it up with Billionaire Ted’s Wrasslin War Room, with the board trying to come up with a better slogan. The Huckster and Nacho Man are happier about avoiding steroid tests. Young Vince Russo can be seen as one of the people around the table.

Overall Rating: B-. I’m not sure what it means when the best match is from a pay per view, but I’ll take that over the usual mess that we got around this time. Other than that, it was a bunch of short, uninteresting matches and an all time important debut, even if there was no way of knowing that at the time. Shawn Michaels really needs to get back already, as they’re only going to be able to use matches from pay per views for so long.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: March 25, 1996
Location: Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 9,364
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

It’s the last Raw before Wrestlemania and the big question is what kind of jokes can the WWF make about Ted Turner. That’s been the last big thing we’ve seen over the last few weeks at the end of the show so we must need to see it again here. Hopefully they have time to talk about Wrestlemania a bit here too. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Shawn Michaels vs. Leif Cassidy

Marty Jannetty is here with Cassidy so Michaels debuts his official manager: Jose Lothario. After some generic comments from Lothario about how Michaels is going to Wrestlemania and an enthusiastic handshake from Cassidy, Bret Hart comes out for commentary. Michaels takes over on the arm to start before a running crossbody gets two. Back up and Cassidy grabs a sitout spinebuster for two before grabbing a surfboard.

We take a break and come back with Cassidy grabbing a chinlock but getting reversed into an exchange of rollups. Cassidy superplexes him for two but Michaels is back with a top rope clothesline. Jannetty trips him down though, with Hart getting up for the save. The superkick finishes for Michaels at 11:18.

Rating: B-. Cassidy was a good choice to put in this spot as he could wrestle a nice technical match against just about anyone and you know Michaels can work well in that spot. The Jannetty connection at ringside was a nice choice and they even teased a bit of drama with Hart. The main event of Wrestlemania is carrying the show and that’s going to need to be the case given the rest of the card.

Post match Michaels thinks Hart tripped him but Lothario calms things down. Hart says he’s ready to give Michaels a beating like he’s never received at Wrestlemania.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Aldo Montoya

Montoya starts fast and slams Helmsley, who gets his knees up to block a splash. Back up and Helmsley hits a jumping knee into the curtsy. The knee drop gives Helmsley two and a clothesline gets three more near falls. Montoya fights back and hits a dropkick, followed by a high crossbody for two. The Pedigree gives Helmsley the fast pin at 4:43.

Rating: C. Not much here as Helmsley isn’t going to have trouble against someone like Montoya. At the end of the day, Helmsley is ready for a high profile match at Wrestlemania and Montoya is Montoya. That doesn’t leave much room here and the match was about what you would have expected.

We see Goldust in a Hollywood back lot, where he gets rather close to a Roddy Piper mannequin, which he then destroys.

Next week: Mankind.

Here are Undertaker and Paul Bearer for a chat. Bearer recaps the feud with Diesel, including Diesel attacking Bearer two weeks ago. This led to Diesel seeing himself in a casket in quite the creepy moment. Undertaker says Diesel caused this to happen and promises to make him rest in peace at Wrestlemania.

We get one more Shawn Michaels training video.

Video on Hart vs. Michaels, with Hart talking about his plans to capitalize on Michaels’ mistakes.

Owen Hart vs. Ahmed Johnson

Jim Cornette is here with Hart as Vince goes on some rant about how the WWF makes sure that you get your money’s worth around here. Johnson powers him down to start and then does it again as the British Bulldog comes out to watch. Hart tries to pick up the pace but charges into a bearhug. Bulldog offers a distraction though and Johnson gets knocked to the floor as we take a break. We come back with Bulldog loading up the Pearl River Plunge but Bulldog comes in for the DQ at 5:34. Not enough shown to rate but it was just a way to get to the post match brawl.

Post match the beatdown is on, with Vader, Jake Roberts and Yokozuna coming in for the big brawl.

We wrap it up with a big music video on Bret Hart, either inspired by or set to You Start The Fire by Billy Joel (not the biggest music fan so that’s likely wrong).

Overall Rating: C+. The opener was the best part here but what matters the most is that we’re finally to Wrestlemania. That’s a show that has been needing to happen already, as the Hart vs. Michaels match is taking up so much TV time. It makes sense as it’s such a big chunk of the card, but dang that makes for some rough TV. They did well enough here, but it’s hard to find a more one match Wrestlemania card.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: March 18, 1996
Location: Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 9,364
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We are less than two weeks away from Wrestlemania and you can see most of the card from this far out. The matches are either already made or are close enough to being made, with a few more possibly being confirmed this week. Other than that, I’m sure we’ll get some more Bret vs. Shawn stuff, which should be fine as well. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening preview.

Opening sequence.

Jake Roberts vs. British Bulldog

Jim Cornette is here with the Bulldog. Roberts works on the arm to start and Bulldog bails straight to the floor. The threat of a DDT has Bulldog backing off again but he starts hammering on the back to take over. Bulldog’s legdrop misses and the DDT connects but Cornette grabs Roberts’ leg. Roberts gets the snake and gives chase, earning the countout at 4:52.

Rating: D+. Nothing to this one, as it’s just part of the preview for the six man tag. The problem is that Roberts is little more than the DDT at this point and that isn’t enough to carry him through the match. Bulldog was a bit better, but not quite better enough to make this work.

Just like last week, we see a Shawn Michaels training video. At least it’s a different package.

Likewise, we get a similar Bret Hart training video, this one from Calgary.

Goldust vs. Fatu

Marlena is with Goldust and I don’t think the Intercontinental Title is on the line here. Goldust is wrestling in a kilt and Fatu starts fast by sending him into the corner and mocking the deep breath. A possibly low blow connects as Roddy Piper calls in and we take a break. We come back with Fatu missing a Superfly Splash, allowing Goldust to rub his chest. The Curtain Call finishes at 4:41 as Piper rants about being dangerous. Not enough shown to rate but it was more of the last minute push towards Goldust vs. Piper.

Video on the Ultimate Warrior.

Here is Camp Cornette, with Jim Cornette agreeing to a six man tag with Ahmed Johnson/Jake Roberts/Yokozuna at Wrestlemania. The villains are ready to go, with Cornette seemingly writing Mr. Fuji off TV by saying he hurt his knee in a fall. Hold on though, as Roberts and Yokozuna pop up on screen to say that if their team wins, Yokozuna gets five minutes with Cornette. Panic ensues as Yokozuna beats up a Cornette doll.

We look at an MSG house show over the weekend, with Diesel turning on Michaels. This led to Michaels promising to “kick his seven foot a**”, which was the setup for their In Your House match after Wrestlemania.

Diesel vs. Barry Horowitz

Diesel hammers away to start but here is Paul Bearer, wheeling a casket to ringside. Horowitz actually fights back but gets booted in the face for two. Instead a right hand finishes Horowitz off.

Post match Diesel grabs the timekeeper’s hammer and goes to the casket, which contains….Diesel. Oh dear.

Ted DiBiase throws a camera out of the locker room.

Bret Hart vs. Tatanka

Non-title. Tatanka strikes away in the corner to start but gets dropped with a quick clothesline. Hart goes after the arm, with a knee to said arm setting up an armbar. Back up and a crossbody gives Hart two and it’s right back to the arm. Cue the 1-2-3 Kid as Tatanka is back with a clothesline. Hart stays on the arm but gets dropped by another clothesline as we take a break. We come back with Hart fighting out of a chinlock and grabbing the Five Moves Of Doom. The Kid’s distraction doesn’t work though as Tatanka is sent into him by mistake, allowing Hart to grab a rollup for the pin at 8:40.

Rating: C+. It really is amazing how Tatanka went from someone interesting to this in the span of a few years. That heel turn killed everything he had, as there was nothing to him after the change over. He was just a guy in trunks who used to have a big undefeated streak but was now Tatanka: Heel Who Happens To Be Native American. Where was that supposed to go?

We get another Billionaire Ted skit, this time parodying A Few Good Men with Ted talking about how he needs to use predatory practices. We also get the contact information for the FTC in case you’re worried about the idea of Ted Turner getting to merge his company with Time Warner. Perhaps spending time on this week after week is why Wrestlemania feels so weak?

Overall Rating: C-. Remember how the last two weeks were good? Forget all of that for this week, as it was another boring show with mostly bad action and little that would make me want to see Wrestlemania. Hart had a mostly nothing main event and it felt like little changed for the pay per view. Building towards a pay per view shouldn’t be this hard but they are managing to mess it up fairly well.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: March 11, 1996
Location: Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 9,364
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We’re less than three weeks away from Wrestlemania and this time around we’re in Shawn Michaels’ hometown. That sounds like it has quite a few makings for some Michaels excellence, though the rest of Wrestlemania could use some attention of its own. It’s not going so well thus far, but with a one hour match on the card, there is only room for so much else. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening preview.

Opening sequence.

Savio Vega vs. Steve Austin

Austin, with Ted DiBiase, is now officially STONE COLD. Has a nice ring to it no? I’m not sure on the white boots though. Austin shoulders him down to start and grabs a headlock but Vega is right back with a crossbody. Back up and Vega misses a kick to the head, allowing Austin to hit an ax bomber of all things.

Some choking on the ropes and a suplex give Austin two and he fires off shoulders in the corner. As the beating ensues, we see a former Olympian named Mark Henry sitting in the front row. We take a break and come back with Austin dropping a leg to the back of the head for two. Vega is right back with a hiptoss into the running spinwheel kick in the corner. They brawl out to the floor and it’s a double countout at 9:51.

Rating: B-. These guys always worked well together and it was good to see Austin getting the chance to be out there with someone so talented. Vega really was an underrated in-ring star and Austin has praised his work over the years. At the same time, it’s cool to see Austin starting to develop into the superstar he would become, as it’s quite the game changing effort.

Post match the brawl stays on, with Vega clearing the ring to set up their rematch at Wrestlemania.

We see a clip from during the break of Mark Henry muscling Lawler around.

Here are Goldust and Marlena, plus Roddy Piper, for a chat. Piper calls him a transvestite and mocks Goldust’s “movie” from last week. He accuses Goldust of just trying to get attention. Piper beat up Adrian Adonis with a baseball bat and declares himself a lesbian. Goldust’s attempts at playing the bagpipes doesn’t bother him but turning the Intercontinental Title into a joke bothers him. Not even Freddy Kruger comes into Piper’s nightmares but Goldust says he wants a piece of Piper and drops to his knees.

Goldust invites him to his back lot as he slowly crawls around Piper. He lifts up the kilt and asks for a sneak preview, which is too far for Piper. Goldust licks his (own) lips and slaps Piper, who slaps him back. The challenge is accepted, with Piper promising to make a man out of him. To call this not good would be an understatement, but there is only so much that they could do with Piper being brought in as a last second replacement for the suspended Razor Ramon.

Godwinns vs. Jerry Meade/Alex Porteau

Henry clothesline Meade down to start and it’s off to Phineas, who fights out of the corner. House is quickly cleaned and Henry gives Porteau the Slop Drop for the pin at 1:52.

Shawn Michaels was in his hometown of San Antonio earlier with Jose Lothario and we look at their training regimen.

Meanwhile, Bret Hart is training in Calgary, meaning a lot of cardio and working with Stu Hart. Bret agrees that Michaels is good, but he isn’t the best.

Video on the Ultimate Warrior.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Vin Grier

Helmsley, who is facing the Warrior at Wrestlemania, starts fast with a suplex. The quick beating doesn’t take long as Helmsley finishes with the Pedigree at 1:52.

Scheme Gene previews the Huckster vs. the Nacho Man, which involves the Huckster being old and the Nacho Man having a bald spot. At least this was a bit better than mocking Ted Turner to no end.

Yokozuna/Undertaker vs. Owen Hart/British Bulldog

During Undertaker’s entrance, Diesel doesn’t seem to be impressed. Undertaker and Yokozuna tease a brawl before the bell but wind up taking out the other two instead. Yokozuna drops the big leg on Bulldog and Undertaker takes Hart outside as Diesel comes in for a cheap shot on Paul Bearer. That’s enough for Undertaker to give chase and we take a break. We come back with Hart dropping an elbow for two on Yokozuna, who fights up anyway. Cue Vader to jump Yokozuna for the DQ at 5:20.

Rating: C. This wasn’t much of a match and was more about advancing/likely setting up stuff for Wrestlemania. That’s a good enough way to wrap up the show as Wrestlemania needs some more build outside of the main event. Undertaker vs. Diesel is the second biggest match on the card and Diesel going after Bearer is as good of a way to go as any.

Post match Ahmed Johnson and Jake Roberts run in for the save and brawl to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This show was about building towards Wrestlemania and that’s a good sign with just a few weeks to go before the pay per view. A bunch of the matches were advanced in the span of an hour, with the big angle at the end likely setting up a six man tag. Good, efficient show here and that’s what Wrestlemania needed.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: March 4, 1996
Location: Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio
Attendance: 8,500
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

We’re less than a month away from Wrestlemania and Shawn Michaels is the star of the show. Michaels is on his way to the main event against Bret Hart for the WWF Title but he needs to be built up a bit more on the way there. That could mean some good matches along the Road To Wrestlemania so let’s get to it.

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

We open with a preview of the show.

Opening sequence.

Shawn Michaels vs. 1-2-3 Kid

Yeah this should work. Kid charges at Michaels before the bell and gets backdropped outside, even as the music is still playing. Michaels mocks the martial arts pose and gets taken down with a headlock as we officially start. A headlock takeover out of the corner brings Michaels down and Kid gets in a kick for two more. Back up and Michaels sends him to the floor and skins the cat, followed by a rare gorilla press slam.

We get a split screen interview with Bret Hart, who says he wouldn’t let Michaels get away with this stuff. Michaels grinds away on a headlock of his own but Kid is back up with a spinwheel kick for a breather. Kid sends him outside and hits a big dive, which has Lawler rather happy. Michaels’ head is rammed into the floor, which Hart doesn’t like as he doesn’t have any personal animosity against Michaels (A-HUH).

Back in and Kid kicks him down for two more and we take a break. We come back with Kid grabbing a chinlock until Michaels gets up, only to be kicked in the face for two more. Michaels fights up and hits the forearm as it’s already time for the comeback. Back up and Michaels head fakes him on a crossbody, setting up a top rope standing moonsault press for two instead. The top rope elbow connects but Kid bails from the threat of a superkick. Kid gets back in and manages a slam, only to miss a guillotine legdrop. Now the superkick can finish for Michaels at 13:36.

Rating: B. I for one am shocked that this was a good match as you had two talented stars getting some time to really make things work. It was one of the better matches you’ll see on Raw around this time, and the fact that they were friends behind the scenes is just a coincidence of course. Either way, heck of a match here.

Post match a kid gets in the ring to dance with Michaels. Eh sweet enough.

We get a Goldust film called Piper’s Pit, which is Goldust, with Marlena, on the set of, well, Piper’s Pit. He talks about the fantasies he had as a teenager from watching Roddy Piper on the set of the show. Stuff like the coconut bursting on Jimmy Snuka’s head you see. And the skirt, which had Goldust thinking about various things. Goldust picks up the bagpipes and isn’t very good at them. Yeah I think we get the idea here as they weren’t exactly pouring on the subtlety.

We look back at some great Ultimate Warrior moments, because he’s back at Wrestlemania.

Roddy Piper (WWF President at this point) is watching Raw in Hollywood and he needs to talk to Vince McMahon.

Hakushi vs. Justin Bradshaw

Uncle Zebekiah is here with Bradshaw, who is played to the ring by…Michael Hayes and the Raw Band. Which is actually a real thing. Ok then. Bradshaw starts stomping away as Vince talks to Piper, who says that he’ll announce Ultimate Warrior’s Wrestlemania opponent next week.

As Bradshaw kicks Hakushi in the face and drops a leg, Piper talks about how he fought Adrian Adonis so he knows what kind of mind games Goldust is playing. Hakushi fights up but charges into a boot to the floor, with Bradshaw hitting a dive to take him down again. Back in and another big boot sets up the lariat to finish for Bradshaw at 4:10.

Rating: C-. Well that seems to be it for Hakushi, who was more or less squashed here as the match was a backdrop for Piper talking about Goldust. Bradshaw is a fine choice for a Stan Lariat clone (minus a lot of the talent and charisma) but it’s not like this is going to get him very far. Not much to see here, and that’s a bad sign for Hakushi’s future.

Post match Hakushi gets hogtied and branded.

Mankind is in a very dark room (we can’t see his face) and talks about how he has dealt with evil for years and now it is time for others to face it as well. No one will have a nice day.

Bret Hart vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley

Non-title and we get a clip of a fan being moved to tears by getting Hart’s sunglasses at a recent live event. That’s awesome. Helmsley sends him into the corner to start but charges into a boot, allowing Hart to hit a clothesline. Hart hammers away and grabs an armbar for some cranking. Cue Shawn Michaels with a chair to watch at ringside and we take a break.

We come back with Hart taking him down by the arm again and working on a hammerlock. Helmsley gets up and rakes the eyes, allowing him to send Hart outside. Hart is fine enough to knock a dive out of the air as Vince thought Helmsley and Michaels might be in cahoots together (make your own jokes).

Back in and Helmsley hammers away in the corner, setting up a rather hard whip into the corner for two. We take another break and come back with Hart hitting a bulldog into the backbreaker. Naturally the middle rope elbow follows for two but Helmsley rolls him up for the same. Helmsley goes up and dives right into the Sharpshooter for the submission at 17:21.

Rating: B-. Helmsley wasn’t up to the next level yet but Hart was there to carry him far enough. It helps that the point of this match was to tease tension between Michaels and Hart, who are building towards one of the biggest matches of the year. Helmsley being in this kind of a match is a good sign for him, though he has a lot of work to do.

Michaels applauds Hart and leaves without incident.

And now, Tee Vee Trivia, which is a game show parody, featuring various quotes from Ted Turner, because this is a thing that had to happen for months on end. The one funny bit: we’re asked where the Huckster (Get it?) is and we cut to an empty arena, where he is still handcuffed to the ring, as he was to close Nitro. As usual, it’s just petty nonsense from the WWF, as they keep insulting Turner for daring to try to have something of his own and it went very badly for them for a good while.

Overall Rating: B. Yeah you can’t argue with a show like this, as you had two long matches, both of which went well. It helped set up Wrestlemania, but there is only so much on the card outside of Hart vs. Michaels. Piper vs. Goldust isn’t exactly working and there is a good chance it’s only going to get worse. The stuff that worked did so rather well though and that’s a great thing to see after some less than thrilling shows.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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