We’re one day before Summerslam and that means this is going to be the big push towards the show. That could go in a variety of ways, though I’m not sure how much I’d expect from what was definitively the B show at this point. It’s not a great time for the company either, but there is some talent worth seeing. Let’s get to it.

Superstars
Date: August 17, 1996
Location: Yakima Sun Dome, Yakima, Washington
Attendance: 2,922
Commentators: Jim Ross, Vince McMahon, Mr. Perfect

The opening recap looks at Ahmed Johnson needing surgery and having to vacate the Intercontinental Title.

Opening sequence, which is a country style theme (and sounds like it’s being sung by Michael Hayes).

Commentary runs down the card.

Undertaker vs. Who

Paul Bearer is here with Undertaker (in what would be the last time for the original team, at least when it comes to a traditional entrance). Who jumps him to start and hammers away in the corner, earning himself a jumping clothesline. The Tombstone finishes fast at 1:08.

Ahmed Johnson, in a snazzy red robe, talks about how the mental pain is worse than the physical pain.

We look at Johnson’s recent success and how everything has stopped, with the Intercontinental Title being vacated. A tournament is starting next week on Raw, but it isn’t clear if or when Johnson will return to the ring. There will also be a mini battle royal for his previously won WWF Title shot.

It’s off to Slam Jam, with the big final push of Summerslam.

Jerry Lawler is ready to make Jake Roberts see a lot of doubles, just like when he’s drunk!

Roberts is ready to get revenge on Lawler.

Savio Vega/Freddie Joe Floyd vs. Uncle Zebekiah/Justin Hawk Bradshaw

This is fallout from Zebekiah and Bradshaw branding Vega. Zebekiah bails to the floor so Vega hammers on Bradshaw, with Floyd coming in for a double dropkick. Floyd kicks Bradshaw in the case for a quick two as the rapid tags continue. Bradshaw finally manages to kick Floyd out to the floor as commentary talks about the Summerslam Tag Team Title match. Zebekiah gets in a clothesline on the floor and it’s a double team in the corner to keep Floyd in trouble as we take a break.

We come back with Vega having to save Floyd but that’s not enough for the actual tag. Bradshaw grabs a Russian legsweep for two but a jumping back elbow gets Floyd out of trouble. Vega comes in to clean house, with a spinning kick to the face getting two on Zebekiah as everything breaks down. Zebekiah misses a branding iron shot to Vega and gets rolled up for the fast pin at 9:37.

Rating: C+. This is what you would get on Superstars around this point, as it was more about giving something to the lower level stars. Vega vs. Bradshaw might not be a top level feud but it is at least a story and something that got a few weeks to build. Floyd might not be a top level star, but he’s more than good in the ring. Zebekiah is fine as a second for Bradshaw, as long as you understand that he’s so banged up from a harsh career that he can’t do much in the ring.

Post match the brawl stays on with Floyd getting double teamed until Vega makes the save with the branding iron.

Video on Shawn Michaels vs. Vader, with Vader pinning Michaels at In Your House: International Incident. Michaels knows that he is in danger and wants the Kliq to support him more than ever.

Crush vs. Aldo Montoya

Clarence Mason is here with Crush. Montoya gets knocked down to start and the neck crank is already on. Crush thumbs him in the neck and the tilt-a-whirl backbreaker cuts off Montoya’s comeback attempt. The big clothesline sends Montoya outside and Crush powers him inside without much trouble. A shoulder breaker into the full nelson finishes for Crush at 3:11.

Rating: C. Crush is someone who got chance after chance and while it could have been worse, he never became the star that the company seemed to want him to be. Granted putting him in there with Mason wasn’t the best way to go, as Mason wasn’t going to make Crush feel important. For now though, not a terrible start for Crush’s singles run, but I’m not getting my hopes up.

Video on Undertaker vs. Mankind.

Mankind vs. Billy Two Eagles

Mankind hammers him down into the corner to start and shrugs off a boot to the face. A swinging neckbreaker (with Mankind pulling the hair of course), setting up the Mandible Claw for the fast win at 1:48.

Another Slam Jam looks at the Tag Team Title match, with the Smoking Gunns/Sunny thinking that the company is against them. The Bodydonnas just want the titles back.

The Stalker talks about wanting to hunt various people. The introduction called him Barry Windham, so why not just let him be that?

Sunny teases various limited material swimsuits for the Summerslam pre-show.

Steve Austin vs. Marc Mero

Sable is here with Mero, who knocks him into the corner to start. They go outside, where Austin yells a lot and kicks him in the ribs to take over. Back in and Mero takes him down into an armbar as Marlena and Goldust joins commentary. Goldust talks about being a zookeeper at Summerslam as Austin makes the comeback and knees Mero in the head. We take a break and come back with Austin holding a chinlock. Mero fights up and snaps off a headscissors as Mankind comes out to tell Sable (“Mommy”) that he’s been a naughty boy. Mero goes after him for the save and that’s a DQ at 9:43.

Rating: C+. The match was pretty good, which shouldn’t be a surprise given who was involved, but dang there was too much going on with the whole thing. The ending was a bit of a cheap way to prevent both of them from losing, but at least the match wasn’t boring. Just slow down a bit next time.

Post match the brawl is on until Undertaker comes out for the save, with Sable running away in terror to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. Well, the show was designed to make me more interested in seeing Summerslam and that went well enough. At the same time, Summerslam 1996 is only so interesting of a show in the first place. It’s an absolute two match show and pretty much nothing more, with what we got on here not exactly being enough to carry it that much higher. The action here was fine, but it was very clear that Raw was the thing and had been for a very long time.

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:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Monday Night Raw
Date: December 9, 1996
Location: New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, Connecticut
Attendance: 4,968
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

After last week’s less than thrilling show, it’s time to do something else to pick up the pace. Therefore, this week it’s the Undertaker vs. Mankind in a no holds barred match. I’m not sure how that is going to go, but even a short form version of those two fighting each other is worth a look. Let’s get to it.

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

We open with a look back at Undertaker vs. Mankind.

Sid vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley

Non-title. Sid jumps him in the aisle to start fast and sends him inside. The clothesline puts Helmsley back on the floor and there’s the chokeslam into the powerbomb. Helmsley crawls out for the countout at 2:57.

We look at the Boiler Room Brawl, with Mankind beating Undertaker at Summerslam 1996.

Goldust vs. Bart Gunn

Marlena is here with Goldust, who jumps Gunn to start. Gunn gets dropped throat first across the top rope and Goldust sends him outside to keep up the beating. Some shots to the ribs don’t get Gunn very far as Goldust grabs a suplex back inside. Billy Gunn is shown watching in the back and doesn’t think much of Bart’s efforts. Goldust grabs the chinlock for a bit before Gunn misses a charge into the buckle. We take a break and come back with Gunn hammering away in the corner. A running crossbody and bulldog give Gunn two but he misses a spinning high crossbody. Goldust chop blocks him for the pin at 5:59.

Rating: C. Eventually they’ll figure out that Gunn isn’t interesting but it might take some time to get there. At least Goldust got the win here, even if it was kind of a weird way to get there. Just not much of an interesting match, with the highlight being Billy’s rather snazzy cowboy outfit.

Post match here is Billy to say HE won the Tag Team Titles, with Bart just being along for the ride. Bart fights up and chases Billy off, limping as he goes.

Uncle Zebekiah and Justin Bradshaw are ready to make Jesse Jammes squeal.

We preview the Karate Fighters finals. Yes.

Justin Bradshaw vs. Jesse Jammes

Rematch from last week and Uncle Zebekiah is here with Bradshaw. Jammes jumps Bradshaw to start and even takes out Zebekiah. A Japanese armdrag takes Bradshaw down for two but he sends Jammes outside. Back in and Bradshaw and Zebekiah hammer away (the referee does at least chastise Zebekiah) as I guess this is a handicap match. Jammes rolls Zebekiah up for two but Bradshaw makes the save.

The double teaming in the corner is broken up but Bradshaw cuts him off with a side slam. Jammes comes back with a middle rope clothesline and loads up the pumphandle slam, which is broken up just as fast. Bradshaw grabs a full nelson and Zebekiah brings in his branding iron but hits Bradshaw by mistake, giving Jammes the pin at 5:49.

Rating: C. It’s a bad sign when I’m not even sure what the rules are for the match. That being said, I’ll take this over another singles match between the two of them, as they are only so good in the ring in the first place. This hasn’t been the most thrilling feud, but at least they mixed it up a bit here.

Post match Bradshaw beats Zebekiah up.

Here is Bret Hart for a chat about this title match with Sid at It’s Time. We recap Hart’s recent issues with Steve Austin, which lead to his issues with Sid. Hart has wanted to be WWF Champion again for the last six months and Sid is the only thing in his way. When Sid snaps, people call him Psycho, but when Hart snaps, they’ll call him the WWF Champion. That’s a great line to wrap it up.

Undertaker vs. Mankind

Anything goes and Paul Bearer is here with Mankind and his early distraction earns Mankind a boot to the face. The chokeslam hits less than a minute in but here is the Executioner to break up the Tombstone. Undertaker stalks him to the back and we take a break. We come back with Mankind hammering away on the floor but Undertaker goes after the Mandible Claw hand.

Said hand is stomped and crushed on the steps but Mankind takes out the leg. They’re quickly back on the floor, with Undertaker being sent knees first into the steps. Mankind drops the apron elbow onto the leg and they’re back in, with Undertaker barely being able to stand. They’re already back on the floor, with Undertaker throwing him over the announcers’ table.

We take another break and come back again with Mankind using a drop toehold of all things to escape a chokeslam attempt. Undertaker kicks and punches a chair into Mankind’s face but Mankind is fine enough to grab the Mandible Claw. That’s broken up with a ram into the corner though and Undertaker hits the Tombstone for the pin at 16:17.

Rating: B-. Not their best match, but it’s hard to beat what they’ve done before. What matters the most is that they were able to beat the living daylights out of each other for a good while, which is what they do as well as anyone else at the moment. Undertaker getting a clean win is a bit of a surprise, and the match did feel big for the show.

Post match Executioner comes in to choke Undertaker out to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The main event helped it a lot and that’s the best thing on the entire card. Hart vs. Sid should be fine for a B show main event, with Hart’s closing line being a nice preview for the match. Other than that though, there wasn’t much to see on here, which was the case for a lot of shows around this time.

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: December 2, 1996
Location: New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, Connecticut
Attendance: 4,968
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We’re just done with Survivor Series and on the way to It’s Time, which means we could be in for a lot of Vader. That’s in theory only though, as Vader isn’t actually scheduled for the show, but the focus will be on Sid instead. He’s going to need some competition though and we might find out some more about that this week. Let’s get to it.

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

Flash Funk vs. The Goon

The Funkettes are here with Funk. Goon jumps him from behind to start fast and hammers away. Funk kicks him to the head and gets two off a sunset flip out of the corner. We go split screen to look at Sid vs. Bret Hart in London last week as Funk takes him down with an armbar. Goon is sent outside for a middle rope clothesline, followed by a top rope moonsault. We take a break and come back with Funk working on the armbar again. That’s broken up and Goon drops a middle rope elbow. Funk suplexes him out of the corner though and a moonsault legdrop finishes Goon at 9:04.

Rating: C-. Other than the cool finisher, there was no reason for this to go so long. At the end of the day, occasionally you need to see someone just get a squash win and that was the case here. Funk isn’t a big star, but he’s a bigger deal than the Goon and it shouldn’t have taken nine minutes to get to the proper result.

Last week in London, Steve Austin wasn’t happy. This was very Stone Cold and that’s only going to get better.

Diesel vs. Phineas Godwinn

The bell rings and we IMMEDIATELY cut to a split (and then full) screen look at Jerry Lawler breaking Tiny Tim’s ukulele back in July 1993. We actually go back to the match with Diesel hitting an elbow in the corner and a side slam. The running crotch attack to the back connects as Jim Ross hypes up Diesel and Razor Ramon getting a Tag Team Title shot at It’s Time. Phineas sends him into the corner and a belly to back suplex but here is Ramon for a distraction. The Jackknife finishes for Diesel at 3:43.

Rating: D+. As has been the case before, it’s not a good sign when the match is ignored for the sake of talking about something that has nothing to do with the match. In this case it was over three years old and had no major connection to anything here. If they don’t care about Diesel (and Razor Ramon), why keep having him on TV?

Shawn Michaels joins us to say he was defensive last week but not defensive enough. He’s fine with Sid hitting him with a camera at Survivor Series, but he’s not ok with Sid attacking Jose Lothario. Michaels goes into a rant about giving the fans what they want and promises to win the WWF Title back at the Royal Rumble. We also hear something about dragging skeletons out of the closet and having his navel pierced. If Michaels was on something here, I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised.

Justin Bradshaw vs. Jesse Jammes

Bradshaw has Uncle Zebekiah (Dutch Mantel) with him and Jammes is the former Roadie, who has since been revealed as the real singing voice behind Jeff Jarrett’s music career. Believe it or not, this wasn’t the big break he was looking for. Jammes crossbodies him to start and Bradshaw is already bailing out to the floor. Back in and Bradshaw shrugs ff some right hands before kicking Jammes in the face.

Jammes gets knocked into the ropes but comes back with a suplex. A swinging neckbreaker cuts that off in a hurry and Bradshaw yells at the referee for being slow. The sleeper is countered with a belly to back suplex (clearly something he learned from Jarrett) and Jammes starts the comeback. Some right hands and a dancing clothesline set up a knee lift but Jammes goes outside to yell at Zebekiah. Back in and Zebekiah trips him down, setting up Bradshaw’s lariat for the pin at 5:55.

Rating: C. Match of the night thus far, partially because it didn’t feel like it went on far too long. Bradshaw is basically what he would be for years to come, at least in the ring, while Jammes still isn’t showing much in the way of in-ring action. It’s a fine enough match, but it’s not like either of these two are known for what they do in the ring.

Jerry Lawler takes Sid’s place in the Karate Fighters tournament and beats Todd Pettingill.

Last week, the British Bulldog cut off Steve Austin from Pillmanizing Bret Hart’s leg. This led to a brawl in England last year, with Hart saving Bulldog. Then Sid beat up Hart, who can’t catch a break.

Owen Hart and Bulldog are ready to beat up Austin.

Bret Hart will see Austin down the road and wants to win the WWF Title again.

Sid is ready to beat up Bret at It’s Time.

Merc Mero/Jake Roberts vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley/Billy Gunn

Roberts chases Gunn into the ropes to start before hitting a running knee to the floor. We get a split screen interview with Jesse Jammes, who is ready to face Bradshaw again next week. Mero comes in to chase Helmsley out to the floor so Mero settles for a running knee to Gunn instead.

It’s back to Roberts to work on the arm before Mero chases Helmsley to the floor again. Gunn gets his arm cranked on even more as that’s the extent of the heroes’ offense. A backdrop gives Mero two and Roberts comes back in for the short arm clothesline. Gunn finally gets over to Helmsley, who gets to stomp on Roberts in the corner.

We take a break and come back with Helmsley grabbing a front facelock. Gunn gets to do the same but Roberts fights out for a double down. Mero comes in to clean house as Gunn and Helmsley get in an argument. Mero’s Samoan drop into the Wild Thing finishes Helmsley at 15:28.

Rating: C+. It was long and the parts with Roberts were rough, but I’ll take just about anything after this mess of a show. Mero is starting to figure things out in the ring at this point and it’s making for some fun watches. He’s already in the Intercontinental Title picture and that result is only going to get him closer.

Post match Roberts gives Helmsley the snake treatment to end the show.

Overall Rating: D+. There’s a reason Monday Nitro was smashing through Raw at this point and…well ok it was the NWO, but this show wasn’t helping itself at all. Other than a just ok main event, there was nothing worth watching here and it was not an easy show to sit through. Maybe it gets better with some bigger names involved, but what we got here was not good and there was no way around it.

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

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6