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.

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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.

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Monday Night Raw
Date: June 10, 1996
Location: Cumberland County Memorial Auditorium, Fayetteville, North Carolina
Attendance: 5,000
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We’re less than two weeks away from King Of The Ring and the tournament has already started. That’s the kind of thing that can carry a show, but we also have Mankind still wanting to hurt the Undertaker. In addition, we have Shawn Michaels dealing with the British Bulldog. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

King Of The Ring First Round: Owen Hart vs. Yokozuna

Hart, with Jim Cornette, jumps him from behind to start fast but Yokozuna headbutts his way out of trouble. The big elbow misses Hart though and he’s back with a running crotch attack on the ropes. A running spinwheel kick drops Yokozuna for two but for some reason Hart tries a headbutt. Yokozuna drops him with a headbutt of his own and tries the Banzai Drop, only to fall off the ropes and give Hart the pin (with feet on the ropes) at 3:59.

Rating: C-. Yokozuna cannot do much right now and that’s becoming more and more obvious. He’s so big and it’s becoming obvious that his size is all he has at this point. Hart beat him in about four minutes, which isn’t a great sign for Yokozuna’s future. Nothing match, but they did about all they could.

Yesterday on the Action Zone, Jake Roberts talked about his drug issues.

In the back, Yokozuna can’t believe he lost again and talks about how he wants to get his hands on Jim Cornette. For now, he’s going to leave and figure out what he wants to do.

King Of The Ring First Round: Marc Mero vs. Skip

Jake Roberts is on commentary and Sable is here with Mero. They take their time to start with Mero backing him into the corner and giving him quite the stare. A hiptoss and armdrag have Skip on the floor but he moves before Mero can dive. Back in and Mero charges into a boot in the corner, followed by Skip’s middle rope fist to the face.

Mero catches him on top but gets knocked down, only to dropkick Skip out of the air. Skip catches him on top for a change but a super hurricanrana is blocked. Mero’s top rope sunset flip gets two and we take a break. We come back with Skip grabbing a gutwrench suplex and we hit the chinlock.

Mero fights up and hits the running knee but misses a charge and crashes out to the floor. They change places and Mero hits a flip dive to the floor, followed by a slingshot dive (the Bad Day as it was called in WCW) for two. A super hurricanrana gives Mero the pin at 14:27.

Rating: C+. Mero was starting to figure this stuff out, which mainly included showing off his athleticism. He was someone with a good enough look and who could move out there, even with Sable out there. She’s not a huge focal point yet, but that’s going to be the case, as it tends to be with women managing good guys.

Jerry Lawler is in the ring for a chat and Vince McMahon brings out the Ultimate Warrior, who is in a hat for no apparent reason. Lawler praises the artwork in Warrior’s comic book and presents him with a (rather nice) portrait of Warrior that Lawler did himself. Warrior says Lawler is a CON artist, and while he appreciates the art, there is only one king and that is Warrior himself.

Lawler hits him with the portrait and runs off, with Warrior giving chase (without even going down) I’m assuming the hat was covering up a pad of some kind. If that’s the case, it makes Lawler complaining about the hat on the infamous Warrior DVD all the worse. It’s a fine angle, but was anyone overly interested in Warrior vs. Lawler?

Undertaker vs. British Bulldog

Owen Hart, Diana Smith and Paul Bearer are here too. Before the bell, we get a split screen interview with Shawn Michaels at the WWF Studios, but Jim Cornette jumps on commentary to ask how it felt to lose to the Bulldog. Cornette has a surprise: there is going to be a guest referee at King Of The Ring and Cornette gets to pick him.

Michaels knows he’s in trouble and we get the opening bell. They take their time to get going until Undertaker throws him into the corner to hammer away. Bulldog bails outside for a breather but comes back in for Old School, with Cornette not understanding how that is possible. A nice legdrop gets two but Bulldog is back up with his delayed suplex. Undertaker fights back until a powerslam puts him down for two more.

We take a break and come back with Bulldog holding a chinlock, naturally complete with his foot on the rope. The comeback doesn’t take long but Bulldog knocks him down again to restart the chinlocking. Undertaker fights up again, this time with a belly to back suplex for the break. Back up and Undertaker slips out of the running powerslam as we take another break. We come back again with Undertaker hitting a chokeslam and they go outside, with Bulldog being sent into the steps. They head back inside…but Mankind pops out from underneath the ring to grab Undertaker for the DQ at 11:24.

Rating: C. Well there was no way we were getting a clean finish when these two have big matches coming up at King Of The Ring. It would be insane to go that way so this was more about waiting for Mankind to come out and do something. That’s a fine enoughw ay to go and the match wasn’t bad, but dang there was a good deal of chinlocking.

Mankind beats Undertaker down and hits a piledriver to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This show was definitely a step up from the previous week, if nothing else due to having some better action. Undertaker and Mankind is a hot feud and overshadows the dull stuff that is Bulldog vs. Michaels. That’s about all you can ask for here and it was a good enough show on the way to the pay per view.

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Monday Night Raw
Date: April 17, 1995
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, New York
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We’re coming up on the first In Your Hour next month but there is still a lot of time to fill in before we get there. That includes this week, which will see Bob Holly/1-2-3 Kid getting a Tag Team Title shot after last week’s win in a six man tag. Hopefully they come up with something bigger to draw me in to the pay per view so let’s get to it.

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

Over the weekend, Sid was added to the Million Dollar Corporation.

Opening sequence.

Jean Pierre Lafitte vs. Duke Droese

Lafitte hammers away to start and kicks Droese into the corner but Droese is back up with a hiptoss. Droese knocks him to the floor and then drops a knee back inside. Lafitte drops him again though and hits a legdrop for two. With Droese tied up in the ropes, Lafitte gives him a running crossbody for a painful looking crash. Droese gets out and misses a charge into the corner before his sunset flip is blocked.

We take a break and come back with commentary talking about a poll about cheating on your taxes. A double clothesline gives us a double knockdown before Lafitte dives into a raised boot. Droese makes the comeback, including a powerslam, only to miss a top rope splash. Lafitte’s Cannonball finishes at 11:10.

Rating: C+. This worked well enough as a hoss fight, but I’ve always liked both of them. Lafitte was a good example of someone who knows how to wrestle his style rather well and that was the case here. Droese was someone with some size who could move well, but there was only so far you could go as a wrestling garbage man.

Bob Backlund is on the beach and promises to make a big impact. Get your dictionary!

We look back at Sid joining the Million Dollar Corporation. The idea is that DiBiase got Sid to attack Shawn Michaels so Bam Bam Bigelow could get the next title shot. I’ve heard worse continuity ideas.

Doink The Clown vs. Raymond Roy

Dink is here with Doink. The chase doesn’t go well for Roy to start as Doink catches him with a suplex. Doink starts working on the arm and drops an elbow for two. More arm cranking has Roy in trouble, followed by the Whoopee Cushion. Dink adds one of his own for the pin at 3:22.

Rating: C. This version of Doink is nowhere near as entertaining as the original villain, but there is something to be said about someone who is there for a pretty clearly defined purpose. Good guy Doink is a simple character who exists to make the kids laugh. That’s not a bad thing at all and it worked well enough, at least until it is done way too often.

We get the first In Your House report, with the WWF Title match between Sid and Diesel being made official. And you can win a house!

Tag Team Titles: 1-2-3 Kid/Bob Holly vs. Owen Hart/Yokozuna

Hart and Yokozuna, with Jim Cornette, are defending. Kid takes Hart down by the arm and holds on despite some flailing. Holly comes in to stay on the arm but it’s off to Yokozuna. Holly actually manages to take him down by the hair but Yokozuna sends him outside. A ram into the steps has Holly down and Hart grabs a suplex.

The double arm crank goes on but Holly fights out. The backslide is blocked though and we take an early break. We come back with Yokozuna using the laziest nerve “hold” I’ve ever seen. It looks like he’s taking Holly’s pulse. Thankfully it’s back to Hart for an enziguri but Holly rolls him up for two.

A double clothesline puts Holly down for two and we’re back to the nerve hold. Hart’s chinlock doesn’t last long as Holly gets up for a collision. The Kid comes in to fire off the kicks, including knocking Hart out to the floor. A dive off the top is pulled out of the air though and Yokozuna crushes Kid with a belly to belly suplex to retain at 15:51.

Rating: C. This was a match that made sense and was put together well enough, with Yokozuna eventually crushing the Kid because there was no other way it could have gone. At the same time, that nerve hold takes away some points as Yokozuna couldn’t have looked less interested. Hart and Yokozuna weren’t about to lose to these two, but at least the match was treated fairly seriously.

Undertaker doesn’t want you to drink and drive.

Henry Godwinn vs. Rich Myers

Godwinn starts fast with a wheelbarrow faceplant as commentary takes a phone call from….a cartoon pig named Cornfed. The pig (a detective from the series Duckman) thinks he could beat Lawler but is a big scared of Godwinn. The Slop Drop finishes at 1:50.

Commentary hypes up next week’s show to wrap it up.

Overall Rating: C. And this is what happens when you don’t have a ton of star power on one of these shows. While it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t a show that felt interesting or important in the slightest. I do like the idea of keeping a lot of the matches shorter though, as they only have about forty five minutes a week. Let them get some people out there and see if something sticks, as they can certainly use the help.

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: April 10, 1995
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, New York
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

We’re still dealing with the fallout from Wrestlemania, which last week saw Shawn Michaels dumping Sid, earning himself a beating in the process. That isn’t going to go well for Michaels, whenever he’s back to deal with Sid. Other than that, we’re about a month away from the first In Your House and the show needs to be put together. Let’s get to it.

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

We preview tonight’s show.

Owen Hart and Yokozuna are ready for tonight’s six man tag. Hakushi stands there.

Opening sequence.

Commentary hypes up the show.

Adam Bomb vs. Tatanka

Ted DiBiase is here with Tatanka, who hammers Bomb up against the ropes to start. A single right hand knocks Tatanka outside, followed by a running clothesline for two back inside. We take a break and come back with Tatanka knocking him into the corner, followed by a DDT for two. Bomb fights out of a chinlock and slugs away, with the clotheslines sending Tatanka outside. They fight to the floor and that’s enough for a double countout at 7:43.

Rating: C. Not much that can be done with so little time shown and that kind of an ending. As usual, the heel version of Tatanka was just lame as he was the exact same thing he was before the turn, albeit with a lot less energy. I’ve always liked Bomb, but he wasn’t getting to do much in this situation.

Headshrinkers vs. Tony DeVito/Mike Bell

This is Fatu and Sionne (Barbarian) as Samu has left. DeVito rams their heads together to start and it goes as well as you would expect. A clothesline actually takes Fatu down but Sionne gets in a cheap shot from the apron. Bell gets knocked into the wrong corner and the Superfly Splash finishes for Fatu at 2:54.

Jean-Pierre Lafitte talks about having his treasure stolen and seems to want revenge.

Bob Holly won a race.

We look back at last week, with Shawn Michaels seemingly blaming Sid for the loss to Diesel at Wrestlemania. Sid laid Michaels out, and we see the beatdown, which took place during a break for some reason. Vince just walking away as Sid beats Michaels down is rather funny for some reason. Diesel made the save after some powerbombs.

Kama vs. Scott Taylor

Before the match, Kama holds up a gold chain, which is the melted down urn (that can’t be a good idea). Kama rolls him up for a fast two but Taylor manages a quick armdrag. Back up and Kama sends him into the corner and chokes on the rope, followed by a Vader Bomb for the pin at 2:43.

We look at Alundra Blayze winning the Women’s Title last week but then being attacked by an unnamed woman. As a result, Blayze needed surgery to repair a broken nose.

The 1-2-3 Kid, Bob Holly and Bret Hart are ready for the six man tag.

You can win a house!

Yokozuna/Owen Hart/Hakushi vs. 1-2-3 Kid/Bob Holly/Bret Hart

Bret and Yokozuna start things off with Bret slugging away and handing it off to Holly. Some arm cranking doesn’t do much and it’s off to Hakushi as we take a break. We come back with Owen coming in to kick Kid down for two before Yokozuna comes in for a nerve hold. Hakushi chops away and we take another break.

We come back with Owen waving the Japanese flag and Kid fighting back against Hakushi, which is enough for the tag off to Bret. Yokozuna gets knocked down for the middle rope elbow and it’s back to Owen. Some stops have Bret in trouble but he dropkicks Owen into a rollup to give Holly the pin at 15:32.

Rating: B-. They’re trying to make Holly into a big deal and while I can appreciate the effort, there is only so much you’re going to be able to get out of someone whose deal is he drives race cars. At the same time though, it isn’t like they have many other options so this is about as good as it can be. The Harts and Hakushi were both good enough here, but the match was hardly great.

We see the introduction of Lawrence Taylor’s All Pro team at Wrestlemania as a way to entire you to buy the replay.

Overall Rating: C. A bunch of squashes and a decent main event make this a rather 1995 Raw. The show wasn’t interesting around this time and taking Shawn Michaels out of the picture wasn’t making things better. The main event felt like they were trying to do something bigger, but it only got them so far.

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: April 3, 1995
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, New York
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jim Cornette

It’s the night after Wrestlemania XI and the big story is that Diesel retained the WWF Title over Shawn Michaels. Other than that…well there’s a reason you don’t hear about Wrestlemania XI all that much. Ted DiBiase won’t be happy that Bam Bam Bigelow lost to Lawrence Taylor in the main event though so let’s get to it.

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

We open with some stills from last night’s bigger matches.

Opening sequence.

Jim Cornette is VERY happy to be managing the Tag Team Champions.

Bob Holly vs. Hakushi

The 1-2-3 Kid and Shinja are here too. Holly starts with the dropkicks and a hiptoss, which has Hakushi down again. Back up and Hakushi knocks him into the corner and avoids a high crossbody. Cue Owen Hart and Yokozuna to watch as we take a break. We come back with Hakushi working on the arm as the Kid and Hart get in a fight on the floor. Holly fights out and hits a top rope clothesline into another dropkick for two more. Yokozuna trips Holly down though and Hakushi nails a backsplash for the pin at 6:49.

Rating: C+. Not much to see here, but Hakushi was always worth at least a bit of a look. He was a different kind of star than someone you would see in the company around this time and he’s getting a chance to showcase himself. At the same time, even though he’s a champion, there is something strange about seeing Yokozuna go from being the World Champion last year to cheating to beat Bob Holly.

Jim Ross gives us one more Wrestlemania Report, which is little more than a recap of the main event. After the match, Bigelow said that he’s going to make the New Generation a better generation. We also look at Bret Hart beating Bob Backlund and Undertaker beating King Kong Bundy.

Here is Diesel for an in-ring chat. Diesel knows Shawn Michaels deserves a rematch and thinks Sid might have cost Michaels the match at Wrestlemania. The reality is that he and Michaels have been friends and Michaels can have a rematch anytime. Also, Michaels needs to know that Sid is NOT his friend. When it comes to the rematch, leave home without it.

Allied Powers vs. Well Dunn

Well pounds on Bulldog to start but the Powers hit press slams and clotheslines to clear the ring. Luger headlocks Well but Well Dunn is back with a Beverly Bomb to slow Luger down. Back up and Luger gets in another clothesline, allowing the tag off to Bulldog. Everything breaks down and a Hart Attack (forearm version) finishes Dunn at 3:43.

Rating: D. And you wonder why Luger was gone in just a few months. He could not seem to care any less if he was trying here and while that’s not exactly stunning given the competition, dang it’s rough to watch. At least the Powers’ finisher was good, though that’s about all there was to be seen here.

The Wrestlemania celebrities had fun.

Women’s Title: Bull Nakano vs. Alundra Blayze

Nakano is defending and starts fast with a dropkick into a hair toss from one corner to another. Something like an ankle lock keeps Blayze in trouble but she fights up and hits a spinwheel kick. The middle rope dropkick gives Blayze two but Nakano sits down on a sunset flip attempt for two of her own. Nakano grabs something similar to Paige’s Scorpion Crosslock before a piledriver gets another near fall.

Blayze knocks her outside for a big dive but Nakano gets in another knockdown back inside. The guillotine legdrop gives Nakano two but the bridging German suplex gives Blayze the same. Nakano shoves her outside but misses a dive, only to send Blayze into the steps. The moonsault misses though and Blayze grabs another German suplex for the pin and the title at 6:45.

Rating: C+. As has been the case far too often before, there is only so much that you can get out of a match without much time. They were going for something a bit more epic here and that didn’t work with less than seven minutes. These two worked well together and have had some far better matches, but this felt like something of an aftermath.

Post match Blayze celebrates but a mystery woman attacks her.

Men On A Mission vs. Ben Jordan/Tony Roy

This is the evil Men On A Mission and they waste no time in clearing the ring to start. And they waste no time in clearing the ring. Mo stomps away in the corner and Mabel hits a belly to belly to finish Roy at 1:47.

You could win a house at In Your House!

Here are Shawn Michaels and Sid for a chat. Michaels’ back is killing him but he knows that there is nothing more important than the WWF Title. Therefore he would love to accept Diesel’s offer of a rematch and he can live his life just fine without a bodyguard. He certainly doesn’t need a bodyguard who causes a referee to twist his ankle and cost him the WWF Title. Sid isn’t happy and goes off on Michaels as we take a break. We come back with Sid having laid Michaels out (off camera of course) and Diesel running in for the save. And that’s how Shawn Michaels turned good.

Overall Rating: C+. It wasn’t quite what you would expect from a Raw After Wrestlemania, but the Shawn deal in the end was a good way to go and felt important. Other than that you had the title change, but the wrestling itself was hardly inspiring. That’s 1995 in a nutshell, as a few people are carrying the show and the other people just kind of exist.

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: July 31, 1995
Location: Louisville Gardens, Louisville, Kentucky
Attendance: 4,181
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Vince McMahon

We’re still on the way to Summerslam and unfortunately it seems that means King Mabel is coming after Diesel and the WWF Title. There is nothing good that can possibly come from that but it’s what we’re getting due to reasons of it’s 1995. Shawn Michaels continues to feel like the biggest star in the company, but Bret Hart got to remind us of how good he was last week. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at Razor Ramon and Savio Vega getting ready to challenge for the Tag Team Titles.

King Mabel vs. John Barberry

Sir Mo is here too and I feel for the people who have to carry Mabel and the throne to the ring. Mabel runs him over to start as you would expect and the beating is on to start. They actually go outside with Barberry getting crushes again. Back in and Barberry avoids a legdrop and hits a dropkick but gets splashed in the corner. The belly to belly suplex finishes for Mabel at 3:13.

Rating: D+. Hey did you know that Mabel is really big? I’m not sure if they made that clear enough, because it’s all that Mabel had at this point. Literally, what else is there that is supposed to get my attention about him? This was another dull squash as we continue the horrible march towards Summerslam.

Post match Mabel wants to be the WWF Champion.

Fatu is still trying to make a difference.

We look back at Jerry Lawler and Shawn Michaels arguing last week.

Lawler and Michaels have a face to face meeting in the back, with Lawler saying fans want to see Sid beat Michaels up at Summerslam. Michaels thinks that sounds like a challenge and some poking ensues, seemingly setting up a match.

Goldust is still coming.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Bob Cook

Bigelow knocks Cook to the floor to start and sends him flying for a bonus. Cook actually gets in a shot, only to be suplexed down for his efforts. The chinlock goes on as we hear something about America Online. Bigelow slams him down and drops the top rope headbutt for the pin at 3:20.

Rating: C. Nothing much to see here, though it really is amazing to see how Bigelow had this kind of a career resurgence in 1995. He headlined Wrestlemania and King Of The Ring but then just fell away shortly thereafter. Nothing to see here as usual, save for the always good looking headbutt.

We go to the Report Card, where Dean Douglas agrees that Bam Bam Bigelow is indeed a beast, who looks like a walrus. He gets an F based on looks alone.

Jim Cornette talks about cars to suggest that Owen Hart and Yokozuna will retain the Tag Team Titles.

Skip vs. Major Yates

Sunny is here with Skip and insults the crowd before the match. Skip takes him into the corner to start and fires off some forearms. Yates comes back with a wristlock but gets hit in the face for his efforts. A sunset flip gives Yates two so Skip gives him a running clothesline. Skip hits a top rope superplex for the pin (and some pushups) at 2:20.

We go to the Summerslam Insider, focusing on Mabel vs. Diesel, with the latter saying he gets respect. He’ll earn respect from Mabel at Summerslam. Other than that, Jerry Lawler and Isaac Yankem look at a patient’s teeth (or a camera) and find what they see as disgusting as Bret Hart. Finally, Shawn Michaels is ready for Sid. Uh, yeah.

Next week, Diesel vs. Sir Mo. Sweet goodness somebody get my medicine.

Merchandise shill.

Tag Team Titles: Owen Hart/Yokozuna vs. Savio Vega/Razor Ramon

Hart and Yokozuna, with Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji, are defending. Vega and Hart start things off with Vega taking him into the corner to chop away. They trade wrist cranks and chops before it’s off to Ramon for an arm twist of his own. Hart gets knocked to the floor and holds his jaw as we take a break.

We come back with Hart getting beaten up some more but getting knocked over to the corner for the tag to Yokozuna. Ramon gets shoved down off to Vega, who manages to knock Yokozuna outside. Vega is smart enough to avoid being taken into the corner before it’s off to Hart for a spinwheel kick. Yokozuna drops the big leg and Vega is in trouble in a hurry. The nerve hold goes on and we take a break.

We come back with Vega making the tag and Ramon comes in with a middle rope bulldog. Everything breaks down and a double clothesline drops Yokozuna. The Razor’s Edge hits Hart for the pin and the titles at 15:49. And never mind as Hart wasn’t legal so the match has to restart. The match restarts but Cornette is ejected for arguing too much.

Ramon hammers at Yokozuna and throws Hart onto him for a bonus. Vega comes in for a rollup on Hart and we take a third break. We come back again with Yokozuna missing a big elbow and Ramon crotching Hart on top. Hart reverses the belly to back superplex into a crossbody for two and they’re both down. Ramon gets back up…and we’re out of time at 21:49 with the match still going. Well that’s certainly an ending. More on this next week I’d assume.

Rating: C+. Well it certainly wasn’t short. I’m not sure I’d call it good, but just seeing a match get this much time was nice to see. Ramon and Vega were a fine enough team and maybe even a better fit than Ramon and the 1-2-3 Kid, at least in the ring. Other than that, you had your usual sluggish Yokozuna match, but thankfully the other three were doing most of the work.

Overall Rating: C. The main event was the big focal point here, but the problem is that we’re closing in on Summerslam, meaning King Mabel is going to be around that much more. For the life of me I do not get what Vince McMahon saw in him other than he’s a big guy, but that’s what we’re getting at the moment. Just move on from it already and find anyone else, because it almost can’t be worse.

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: July 17, 1995
Location: Danville High School, Danville, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 2,700
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Vince McMahon

It’s the last Raw before In Your House and the big story is still Sid, who may or may not be scared of Diesel. Other than that, there is a lot of focus on Jeff Jarrett around here, which can’t be the best idea. We might get something else added to the show this week, though the card seems pretty full. Let’s get to it.

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

IRS says Shawn Michaels is going to learn what it’s like to pay the tax man.

Shawn Michaels doesn’t seem worried.

Opening sequence.

Tag Team Titles: Yokozuna/Owen Hart vs. Gus Kantarrakis/Jim Dimitre

Yokozuna and Hart, with Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette, are actually defending here for some reason. Hart works on a wristlock to start and then flips out of Gus’ version. A clothesline and dropkick put Gus down and it’s off to Yokozuna for a wishbone. Hart trips Gus for the big leg from Yokozuna and the Sharpshooter finishes Jim at 2:57.

The In Your House Control Center runs down the card and focuses on the lumberjack match. The rest of the show gets some attention as well.

Jean-Pierre Lafitte vs. David Thornberg

Lafitte knocks him against the ropes to start and splashes him in the back. They head outside to keep up the beating, followed by a Cannonball for the pin at 2:31.

Fatu is back where he grew up and now he wants to make a difference. Sweet goodness what a lame gimmick. It’s a perfectly nice idea, but they couldn’t have been more ham handed with it if they tried.

For the third straight week, here is the With My Baby Tonight video.

Shawn Michaels vs. IRS

Ted DiBiase is here with IRS. Michaels, in the always awesome looking black trimmed with red, takes IRS down to start and works on the arm to send him outside. Back in and IRS bails to the floor again, with Michaels grabbing the tie. A headlock takeover lets Michaels grind away a bit, and it works so well that he does it a second time. IRS finally manages to send him over the top for a crash out to the floor and the pace slows down a bit. Sidenote: I know it happens a lot, but IRS is so drenched in sweat that I thought he was in a light blue shirt. My goodness man that’s insane.

Michaels’ comeback doesn’t last long as he misses an elbow, allowing IRS to grab a chinlock. We take a break and come back with the chinlock continuing, as it tends to do. Michaels fights up and slugs away but gets dropped with a clothesline. Back up and the superkick finishes for Michaels out of nowhere at 12:14.

Rating: C. It’s not a good sign when the part of the match that stands out the most is IRS’s sweating. As usual, IRS isn’t interesting in the slightest but he’s perfectly fine from a technical standpoint. That was the situation again here, with Michaels just shrugging off whatever was thrown at him and kicking IRS in the face for the pin.

Merchandise shill.

Isaac Yankem DDS, again with Jerry Lawler in his office, pulls out a child’s tooth, which is censored due to the pain involved.

Kama Mustafa vs. Billy Mack

I wonder if he’s related to Willie Mack. Mustafa, with Ted DiBiase, hammers away to start but spends too much time yelling at the crowd, allowing Mack to hit a missile dropkick. That’s it for the comeback, as Mustafa hits him in the face for the win at 2:02.

Vince McMahon brings in Diesel to introduce his lumberjacks. First though, Diesel insults Sid and suggests he’s a CHICKEN. He insists he’ll keep the title and brings out the midcarders extraordinaire as his lumberjacks. Some of them say what they have planned for Sid if he goes outside, including Shawn Michaels promising a little chin music (for some reason, I’ve remembered the way he said that line for thirty years). Sid comes out for the staredown but walks away. The lumberjacks and Diesel celebrate (for some reason) to end the show.

Overall Rating: C-. What was the big draw here? Michaels had a perfectly watchable yet uninteresting match and then….here are the midcarders who will be watching the main event of the pay per view? That’s about it, and I’m going to need more than that to make the show worth a watch.

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: October 18, 1993
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, New York
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, Randy Savage

The big deal this week is the Randy Savage/Crush summit, as the two of them have apparently been having some issues. This week they get to talk everything out, which I’m sure won’t go badly at all. We also have a new Intercontinental Champion in Razor Ramon, plus some issues between Ludwig Borga and Lex Luger. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the Savage/Crush summit and recaps last week’s major stories, calling them summits as well. I sense a theme emerging.

Opening sequence.

Steiner Brothers vs. Corey Student/Tony DeVito

Scott and DeVito start things off with Scott snapping off a dragon suplex. Student comes in and gets clotheslined down, followed by the Steiner Screwdriver, which has commentary freaking out. A tilt-a-whirl slam sets up the Steiner Bulldog for the pin at 3:07.

Rating: C+. The match had the Screwdriver and that alone is going to make it worth a look. The Steiners were still one of the best teams around and getting to see them smash people was always fun. Throw in quite the collection of bumps, including the one off the Screwdriver, and this was a guaranteed success.

Commentary talks about Shawn Michaels’ suspension and you can call in (for 99 cents) to vote on whether he should be brought back. Diesel and Mr. Perfect argue either side.

Video on Yokozuna, stylized as an old Godzilla movie.

IRS vs. Scott Taylor

IRS starts fast with a suplex and an elbow to the face to drop Taylor again. Taylor gets two off a sunset flip but IRS is right back with another suplex. We hit the chinlock as the fans start up their IRWIN chants. The abdominal stretch doesn’t last long so it’s the Write Off to pin Taylor at 3:31.

Rating: C-. Nothing to see here, but what else were you expecting? IRS has always been someone who can have a competent match, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the most entertaining. You can only get so much out of a guy whose offense is built around an abdominal stretch and a running clothesline, which was on display here.

Jeff Jarrett is in Nashville at the Country Music Hall Of Fame where he talks about being born into a wrestling family. He’s coming to the WWF to use it as a stepping stone to the country music injury. We get two spellings of his name, which Jarrett likes to do.

Tatanka vs. Iron Mike Sharpe

We see a quick clip of Tatanka running into Ludwig Borga for a mini argument over the weekend. Tatanka works on the arm to start as Savage says he doesn’t want his friendship with Crush to wind up like his friendship with Hulk Hogan. Savage goes into a rant about how Hogan is a primadonna and a backstabber who thinks he’s the greatest thing walking the face of the earth. Well that went hard fast. Sharpe fights back and sends him into the buckle, which sends Tatanka onto the war path. Some chops to the head set up the Papoose To Go to give Tatanka the pin at 3:02.

Rating: C. Again, there is only so much you can get out of a match like this, even with an established jobber like Sharpe. That being said, the Savage rant on Hogan was by far the most interesting thing here, as those two felt like they were about to explode at any time. With Hogan being gone from the company, things could be more open, which is certainly what Savage did here.

Survivor Series Report. My goodness I still remember that building skeleton theme from when I was a kid. Joe Fowler recaps the idea of Survivor Series and runs down the double main event: the All Americans vs. the Foreign Fanatics and the Hart Family vs. Jerry Lawler and three mystery knights.

Crush arrives and talks to Bobby Heenan.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Dennis Diamond

Diamond looks like an average guy off the street. Bigelow throws him out of the corner to start as Heenan rants about how Savage needs to beg Crush for forgiveness. Savage still has no idea what he did wrong as Diamond gets dropped with a suplex. A jumping enziguri drops Diamond and a slingshot splash finishes him off at 3:01.

Rating: C-. Now this is more the kind of show that makes Raw feel all the less interesting, as you have a bunch of short, nothing matches. Bigelow mauled him here and there was only so much to get out of it. The match wasn’t that long, but Bigelow beating people up while commentary talks about the show’s big story is only going to get you so far.

Diesel begs fans to call and vote to have Shawn Michaels brought back, though he seems to get the phone number wrong.

Here is Bobby Heenan in the ring for the Randy Savage/Crush summit and Crush has Mr. Fuji with him. Crush talks about how he and Savage (still on commentary) were best friends and Crush would listen to everything he said. Then Crush became Savage’s superior and people like Heenan and Fuji have shown him the light. Crush tried to face Yokozuna with a bad back and Savage didn’t help him from the Banzai Drops.

Crush’s career could have been ruined and that’s what Savage wanted. Savage called him….to see how BAD he was doing! Fuji owns the hotel in Crush’s backyard and his word is gold. Savage needs to stay out of his life and out of his way, which is enough for Savage to get in the ring. Savage calls Heenan and Fuji a couple of goofs and wants to talk to Crush man to man. If Savage is wrong, he’ll absolutely admit it, but he wants to talk to Crush one on one.

Savage offers a handshake but Crush isn’t sure. Heenan tries to say Savage is tricking him but Crush shoves him away. We do get a handshake and Savage holds the ropes open for Crush, who goes outside with Savage…and then lays him out. The huge beatdown is on, with Savage being dropped onto the barricade. Cue Yokozuna and Jim Cornette, with Crush bowing to them. Yokozuna crushes Savage with a Banzai Drop and Savage is carried out. This got intense in a hurry and you could feel the fans not being happy with Crush, which should be a good sign for his future.

Post break we’re told Savage has a lacerated…tongue. That’s not quite the devastating injury.

36% of people want Shawn Michaels back.

A preview of next week’s show takes us out.

Overall Rating: C. In a similar situation to last week, this was all about one big thing and the rest of the show was just time around that segment. At the same time, stuff like the blatantly pathetic “CALL AND VOTE, FOR MONEY!” thing was annoying and none of the matches were worth a look. While it’s always cool to see Scott Steiner bust out the Screwdriver, it wasn’t enough to carry the other half hour of the show. The big segment was good though, and like a lot of the shows from this era, that was about enough to get by.

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: July 12, 1993
Location: Manhattan Center, New York City, New York
Attendance: 1,500
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, Bobby Heenan

We’re fresh into the summer of Lex Luger, but first we have to take a trip to Hawaii as Crush is getting a WWF Title shot against Yokozuna. That’s about all there is going on here as last week’s show focused on pretty much nothing else whatsoever. Summerslam is a month and a half away so we’ve got a long way to go. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

WWF Title: Yokozuna vs. Crush

Yokozuna, with Mr. Fuji, is defending and we spend over a minute doing the warmup ceremony. They fight over a lockup until Yokozuna slams him, only to miss an elbow. Crush knocks him to the floor and it’s time for an early breather. Back in and Crush strikes away but gets knocked down to cut that off fast. Yokozuna knocks him to the floor before grabbing a nerve hold back inside.

We take a break and come back with Yokozuna kicking him down and grabbing the nerve hold again. Back up and Crush avoids a charge into the corner and hits a dropkick, followed by a top rope shoulder for two. Crush goes up again but Fuji hits him with a flag (must be a Demolition thing) to cut that off. Back in and a belly to belly plants Crush, followed by the big legdrop. The Banzai Drop retains the title at 11:09.

Rating: C+. Yokozuna continues to be one of the most unique WWF Champions of all time as there was only so much stuff that you can do to him. Crush isn’t someone who can throw Yokozuna around (granted almost no one can) but he was mixing up his offense here. While Crush wasn’t going to be the big hero, he is someone who made for an entertaining and unique challenger and that’s a good thing to have.

Post match Yokozuna hits some more Banzai Drops, with Tatanka making a failed save attempt. Randy Savage, who is banned from getting physical, gets in to pull Crush away. Savage holds Yokozuna off with a chair as Bobby Heenan blames all of this on Lex Luger.

During the break, Crush is taken out on a stretcher with Savage going with him. Heenan goes on a rant about how this is ALL Luger’s fault.

Headshrinkers vs. Aaron Ferguson/PJ Walker

Afa is here with the Headshrinkers, who jump them from behind to start. Walker gets dropped hard and a heck of a clothesline drops him again. It’s off to Ferguson, who is knocked down just as fast. The double Stroke into the top rope splash gives Fatu the pin at 3:19.

Rating: C. I’m a sucker for the Headshrinkers and I always will be. There’s something about them coming in and smashing through people, which is what we got here. What matters the most is that they were a team who could be put into the title picture rather quickly, which has been the case for the Samoan teams over the years. Yeah it’s a simple idea, but it’s an effective one and that’s good to see.

Next week: Marty Jannetty gets another shot at Shawn Michaels’ Intercontinental Title.

Tatanka vs. Brooklyn Brawler

Brawler poses on the ropes to start and gets backed into the corner, meaning it’s time to bicker. Savage gets back to commentary and it’s time to talk about Yokozuna and Crush rather than the match. Normally that’s annoying but…well what would you rather talk about? Tatanka knocks him outside as Heenan rants about how this is Luger’s fault. Savage: “DON’T SWITCH THE HEAT! DON’T SWITCH THE HEAT!”

Savage all but says this match isn’t important as Brawler kicks him down and grabs a neckbreaker for two. Tatanka misses a charge into the corner and Brawler rakes the eyes a few times. We get a rare shirtless Brawler as Savage wants to face Heenan next week. Tatanka gets sent into the corner, which triggers the comeback. The top rope chop into the Papoose To Go finishes Brawler off at 7:03.

Rating: C-. Tatanka wasn’t a new star at this point but he needed that long to beat the Brooklyn Brawler? I’m not sure what the thinking is here, as Tatanka is a big enough star who should be able to smash through one of the most famous jobbers of all time. Just a weird choice, though Savage ranting and raving against Heenan was great, even if they all but said “this match doesn’t matter”.

Some fans are on the Lex train.

Mr. Hughes vs. Tony DeVito

Hughes is on quite the roll here, having taken out Undertaker, stolen the urn and injured Paul Bearer. The bell rings and a black wreath is delivered to ringside. Hughes slowly pounds him down and grabs DeVito by the hair to pull him down. One heck of a whip into the corner sets up a splash for two, with Hughes pulling him up. A dropkick and chokeslam, which Vince says is reminiscent of the Big Boss Man, finish DeVito at 1:52.

Post match Hughes sees that the wreath is from the Undertaker so he rips it apart.

It’s the Summerslam Report, which mentions that Lex Luger is about to start a campaign.

Video on Men On A Mission. They rap and seem to want to make things better for kids.

Adam Bomb vs. Scott Amati

Johnny Polo is here with Bomb, who takes Amati down in a hurry to start. Amati gets thrown into the corner and then over the top, where Polo gets to promise more destruction. Back in and the Atom Smasher finishes at 2:32.

Commentary wraps us up.

Overall Rating: C. I liked the Crush vs. Yokozuna title match but at the same time, there is only so much you can do when the main star isn’t on the show. Lex Luger not being around is a weird choice, but he’s on a bus so at least they’re doing…something with him. Other than that, Undertaker is stalking Mr. Hughes and I’m still going to need a bigger secondary story than those two. It’s just such a dead time for the company and you can really see why with these 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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