August 12, 1995
From Roberts Stadium in Evansville, IN
Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix
This week, Skip vs. Barry Horowitz in a ten-minute challenge.
Hakushi vs. Aldo Montoya
Hakushi’s first match without Shinja. The announcers note that Hakushi’s only two losses have come against Bret Hart. Hakushi attacks Montoya before the bell then connects with a handspring back elbowinja smash. Hakushi lands chops in the corner as Vince says that Shinja is probably put out of action for good due to Bret two weeks ago on RAW as a way to write him off. We then learn that Hakushi vs. 1-2-3 Kid will take place at SummerSlam as Hakushi catches Montoya with a tilt-a-whirl slam for a two count. Montoya fights back and wipes out Hakushi with a pescado. They head back inside where Montoya fires away. Montoya continues to run wild and heads up top for a flying body press and a two count. We then get a reversal sequence that ends with Hakushi using a Saito suplex for two. Montoya comes back with a Northern lights suplex for two then hits his flying bulldog but neglects to cover and heads back up after a celebration and whiffs on a splash as Dok calls him “stupid.” Hakushi then hits a gorbuster and goes up top for a diving headbutt and the win (4:02) **. Vince also tells us that Dean Douglas will critique the match later on in the show.
Thoughts: Good action while it lasted as Hakushi is now set to face Kid at SummerSlam. They also all but told us that Shinja isn’t coming back and its not like he enhanced Hakushi in any aspect. Montoya once again jobs on TV as that is becoming his role. And we will get another Dean Douglas segment.
WWF Live Event News with Stan Lane. Another Shawn Michaels & Diesel interview to hype their match against Men on a Mission tonight at Madison Square Garden.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Brickhouse Brown
Helmsley’s entrance took place before the break. Dok starts singing “She’s a Brickhouse” by The Commodores when Vince asks if he knows anything about the guy. Brown knocks down Helmsley and grabs a side headlock. Helmsley cheap shots Brown as Vince tells us that Helmsley will face Bob Holly at SummerSlam. Dok tells us how luxurious Helmsley’s house is as Brown’s attempt at a sunset flip fails. Brown then floats over in the corner and hits a pair of dropkicks but Helmsley blocks a hip toss and finishes Brown off with the Pedigree (2:15). Vince then talks up the WWF/AOL partnership and how we will learn more next week.
Thoughts: Here we learn that Helmsley will get his first PPV match and it will be against Bob Holly. Since Helmsley is still billed as undefeated and Holly not doing anything at all I think the winner is obvious but its time for Helmsley to get another win over a name opponent.
Another graphic hyping Goldust’s debut airs. Dok promises that Goldust will “blow the roof off of this place” when he arrives.
We get a video package on the Skip/Barry Horowitz feud.
The Bodydonnas and Horowtiz are now out for the match. Rules are that Skip has to beat Horowitz in ten minutes or less. Skip attacks a distracted Horowitz and tosses him outside where he hits a suplex. Skip then runs laps in the ring as Dok wants the ref to ring the bell to start the match. The ref checks on Horowitz as The Bodydonnas celebrate in the ring with Vince telling us that we are now going to Dean Douglas as its unclear whether or not Horowitz can continue the match. Nice angle here to make Horowitz appear like even more of an underdog heading into this match.
The Report Card with Dean Douglas. He wants to see if Aldo Montoya is deserving of the “man-of-war” moniker. Douglas defines the word and goes over Montoya getting attacked after turning his back thus not being ready for war and gives him a double “A” grade for “Absolutely Abominable.” I give these segments that same grade.
Back from break to the announcers as we learn that Horowitz is okay and the match is still on as Dok says Horowitz will not win and how Vince is old and needs a lot of work to get ready for this show.
Adam Bomb vs. Nick Barberri
Vince puts over the MSG main event for tonight. Barberri cheap shots Bomb in the corner as the announcers talk about the other matches at MSG, including a brief mention of Bomb vs. Henry Godwinn. Bomb takes control of the match and applies a chin lock as the announcers continue to talk about the MSG show. Barberri escapes with a jawbreaker but charges in the corner and gets dumped outside. Bomb then hits a flying shoulder tackle from the apron and takes Barberri back into the ring and roughs him up for a bit until hitting a flying clothesline for the win (2:23). The announcers now hype Shawn vs. Jerry Lawler on RAW this coming Monday night.
Thoughts: All hype for the MSG show with next to no hype for Bomb even though he has a match on that show. This would be the last televised match we would see on this timeline (he had a squash match that would air on the 9/2/95 edition of “Mania”) and he would be gone from the company in a couple of days. I’ll get more into that on tomorrow’s MSG show recap.
The camera cuts to Bob Backlund campaigning in the crowd. No mention of the Backlund/Man Mountain Rock feud as they’ve apparently gave up on that garbage.
We are shown Diesel beating Sir Mo on RAW this past Monday night plus King Mabel’s attack on Diesel and Shawn Michaels after the match.
Barry Didinsky is in the WWF Cafeteria with two women playing with the WWF Mad Caps as Didinsky shills the uncut sheet of Mad Caps you can get for $19.00 that comes with the gold slammer and board plus a free three-month subscription for free and if you already subscribe then you get three additional free months. Wonder how much of this they sold. They basically have to tack on as much free shit as possible to move these Mad Caps so I assume they had stacks of them in the merchandise warehouse that didn’t move.
Ten Minute Challenge: Skip w/ Sunny vs. Barry Horowitz
Skip punches away to start. Horowitz fights back and hits a back drop as Skip starts to get more serious. The crowd gets behind Horowitz as Dok says the crowd relates because they are also underdogs. Both guys end up in the ropes after trying to hip toss each other then Horowitz shoves down Skip and slingshots him from the corner. Horowitz counters an abdominal stretch with a cradle for two and follows with a senton but charges and Skip sidesteps and tosses him outside. Skip heads out to rough up Horowitz then returns and flexes to taunt the crowd. Vince brings up Sunny almost kissing Shawn Michaels and Dok asks if Skip saw that tape. Skip hits a suplex then a leg drop for a two count. Skip applies a chin lock as Sunny yells at Horowitz to give up. Vince then brings up Sunny as a cheerleader and how she’d only date the quarterback of the team with Dok adding it could also be the coach. Horowitz escapes and knocks down Skip but runs into a knee smash. Skip does jumping jacks then puts Horowitz in a surfboard as Vince questions why isn’t Skip trying to pin Horowitz. We are halfway through the match as Horowitz reverses the hold until Skip is able to stick his head through the ropes. Skip decks Horowitz and slaps him around a bit before applying a Boston Crab. Horowitz is able to reach the ropes as we learn that four minutes are remaining. Horowitz fights back in the corner but Skip cuts him off. Skip misses a leaping attack as the crowd cheers. Horowitz peppers Skip with European Uppercuts as three minutes are left. Horowitz misses a charge in the corner then Skip punches away. Horowitz manages a reverse rollup for two. Crossbody gets two. Horowitz then hits a back suplex as there are just two minutes left. Skip manages a suplex for two as Sunny is getting worried. Skip tosses Horowitz back into the ring and slams him for two. Skip yells at the ref as Horowitz rolls back outside so Skip takes him back in and uses a small package for a nearfall as we get a countdown clock on the screen for the final minute. Skip heads up top and whifffs on a splash with thirty seconds left. Horowitz uses a sunset flip for two. Dropkick gets two and he covers a few more times before a wrist lock suplex gets two then the time expires as Horowitz survives (10:00) **1/2. Dok now predicts that The Bodydonnas will break up as we see them flip out on the outside.
Thoughts: The outcome was great and the match itself decent but the lack of urgency by Skip for most of the match and Horowitz basically surviving basic holds after they ran the pre-match attack angle was disappointing. So, after Horowitz wins again, expect Skip to challenge to another match. According to Skip in his RF Video shoot interview, the Horowitz win was originally just going to be a one-off thing were Skip was to get his win back the following week after his loss but due to the crowd reaction, both guys asked the office if they could run with it longer and they did. Its honestly probably the best actual feuds going on at the moment as the underdog story is getting over a bit.
The Lawler & Isaac Yankem segment from RAW airs.
Joshua Brice is the guest ring announcer. He is a young kid. Waylon Mercy shakes his hand and congratulates him as Vince calls Mercy a “con man.”
Waylon Mercy vs. Buck Quartermaine
Mercy shakes hands with the ref but Quartermaine doesn’t bite and attacks Mercy. Quartermaine fires away in the corner but after the ref backs him up, Mercy hits a chokeslam. Mercy follows with another chokeslam then an overhead suplex as the announcers talk about Razor vs. Shawn at SummerSlam. Mercy continues to brutalize Quartermaine as Dok claims to have seen Razor head down the aisle on RAW, ready to attack Shawn. Vince plugs the WWF Superstar Line as Quartermaine gets dumped outside. Quartermaine gets back inside and Mercy snaps the rope off of his back then soon after that puts on the sleeper for the win (2:41). Vince screams about Mercy needing to let go of the hold then puts over his undefeated record after Mercy leaves.
Thoughts: Nothing new here with Mercy as we get another squash win but Dok trying to stir shit and build intrigue towards a Razor heel turn on Shawn was interesting. Its a good way to build heat towards the ladder match as opposed to two now friends trying to outdo each other again.
WWF Live Event News with Stan Lane. We hear from Men on a Mission to hype their tag match tonight at MSG.
A hype video for next week’s King Mabel vs. Bam Bam Bigelow match airs.
Back to the hosts as Vince claims Bigelow has been setting the WWF on fire as of late. Dok then wonders what changes Gorilla Monsoon will make as Interim President and suggests Vince no longer will be announcer of this show and it will be all his.
Final Thoughts: The build to SummerSlam continues as we get the announcement of two additional matches added to the PPV with one of them having the potential to be quite good. Although, oddly enough, no “SummerSlam Insider” segment this week. Anyway, next week is King Mabel vs. Bigelow as the PPV is now just over two weeks away with most of the card already announced.
Here is my schedule for the next several days:
Friday: WWF Madison Square Garden 8/12/95
Saturday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 8/13/95
Sunday: WWF Monday Night RAW 8/14/95
Monday: WWF Valleyfield, Quebec 8/16/95
Tuesday: WWF Superstars 8/19/95, WWF Wrestling Challenge 8/20/95
Wednesday: WWF Monday Night RAW 8/21/95
Thursday: WWF Superstars 8/26/95, WWF Wrestling Challenge 8/27/95