What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – 02.05.96

Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler are commentating, concluding the taping in Stockton, California.

Opening Contest: Diesel & Shawn Michaels defeat Yokozuna & the British Bulldog (w/Jim Cornette) via count out at 10:51 shown:

This is a rematch of In Your House 3 with less stakes because no titles are on the line. Michaels is placed in peril when the Bulldog pulls down the top rope and beats him up behind the referee’s back. The crowd is hot for a third hour of the taping cycle, owed in part to how well Michaels sells. Diesel gets a hot tag after Yokozuna misses a splash, leading to Michaels splashing Yokozuna off of Diesel’s shoulders. The Bulldog interrupts the count by trying a leg drop but Michaels moves and Yokozuna takes the blow. Diesel knocks the Bulldog out of the ring as Michaels gives Yokozuna Sweet Chin Music and the big man tumbles to the arena floor. Owen Hart runs out and he and the Bulldog try to revive Yokozuna and get him in the ring but he is too heavy and the heels are counted out. Overall, this was an enjoyable tag team match, owed to an engaged crowd. Rating: **½

After the match, Cornette chews out Yokozuna in the ring. An angry Yokozuna pushes Cornette into the corner and lays in a few shots before he is attacked by Owen and the Bulldog. Yokozuna does not sell it, causing his former allies to flee and this turns him babyface. The crowd pops so that turn is off to a good start.

Mankind argues that things are getting out of control in the WWF and he hopes to find a hardcore home.

The 1-2-3 Kid (w/Ted DiBiase) defeats Hakushi (2-1) after a superduper double underhook suplex at 8:20 shown:

The Kid still has his babyface theme music but that does not fit his heel persona. When these two have faced off whomever is the heel has typically had the advantage. Hakushi makes a hot comeback after dropkicking the Kid in mid-air, popping the crowd with a springboard dive to the floor. He waits too long to cover after a flying shoulderblock off the top rope and only gets a near-fall. The Kid catches Hakushi with a spinning heel kick for a near-fall, which Hakushi turns into a pinning combination of his own for two. The crowd bites on that as well as a hurricanrana from Hakushi. When Hakushi goes back to the top rope, the Kid dropkicks him and then uses a superduper gutwrench suplex to earn a hard-fought win. The last few minutes of this one were great, putting on a unique style of match that WWF fans were not accustomed to. It is a shame that the WWF cannot find something worthwhile for Hakushi to do. A team with Barry Horowitz is an insult to his talent. Rating: ***¼

Clarence Mason, with Jim Cornette, gives pre-recorded comments about how he has not heard any words from WWF President Gorilla Monsoon, reiterating a threat to sue immediately. Monsoon gives a rebuttal from home, wearing a neck brace. He works in his Monsoonisms about anatomy when describing his injuries, which is a nice touch, and thanks fans for sending him well wishes. When asked about Vader, Monsoon is not willing to apologize to him and is against his reinstatement, although he leaves the door open if the WWF’s board of directors overrules him. Lawler asks about Roddy Piper being the interim president and Monsoon notes that Piper is a “man’s man” who will steer the ship well until he returns after WrestleMania.

Dok Hendrix announces that the 1996 Slammy Awards will happen during WrestleMania weekend and fans can cast their ballots for the different categories.

WWF Championship Match: Bret Hart (Champion) (2-1) wrestles the Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (2-0) to a no-contest when Diesel interferes at 11:58 shown:

McMahon says that Diesel was against Bret putting the title on the line against the Undertaker tonight. If the Undertaker wins the title, though, it is announced that he will face Diesel in a cage at In Your House. McMahon also announces that the Westminster Dog Show will pre-empt Monday Night RAW next week and that when RAW returns on February 19 that the Undertaker will face Intercontinental Champion Goldust. As the Undertaker, who no longer wears his phantom mask, beats down Bret there is discussion between McMahon and Lawler about Roddy Piper designing a triple threat match for the house show circuit featuring Bret, Diesel, and the Undertaker. Diesel walks to ringside as Bret shows intelligence by yanking the Undertaker off the ropes during the Undertaker’s ropewalk move. Diesel sits down to do commentary and Bret and the Undertaker do a rehash of their Royal Rumble match, which does not engage the crowd much. Usually Diesel is a funny commentating guy but this time he does not have a lot of good lines. His best is saying that he does not worry about the dark because he has rechargeable flashlights. The Undertaker pulls off the ropewalk and a flying clothesline. When he hoists Bret for the Tombstone referee Tim White is taken out by Bret’s legs. When Bret smashes the Undertaker’s legs into the ring post, Diesel leaves the commentary table and attacks Bret, throwing him into the ring post. The Undertaker attacks Diesel, only to receive a hard chairshot to the back. Diesel throws the Undertaker into the ring, delivering the Jackknife and the Dead Man struggles to get up. To make sure he does not, Diesel Jackknifes the Undertaker again to boos from the crowd. The match goes to a commercial break and it is over when the show resumes. Footage airs of Bret fighting Diesel in the aisle. McMahon announces that the match was thrown out. Diesel’s interference was the best thing about the match as zombie Undertaker and technician Bret do not have good chemistry. This was a worse effort than The Royal Rumble as they went through the motions until the Diesel angle kicked in. Rating: *

The show ends with the second part of the Billionaire Ted press conference where reporters note that WCW has lost millions and hurt Turner’s shareholders over the years. Another reporter brings up whether a Turner merger with Time Warner will adjust this strategy. Turner says he does not care about the shareholders because he is entitled to “a play thing.” He announces that he wants more power and money because when he dies he can tell his father to kiss his ass. McMahon shows an ad that was rejected by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal that tells Time Warner stockholders that Ted Turner has lost $40 million fighting the WWF and that the losses were not reported on TBS’ financial statements. McMahon says that a modified version will be posted in The New York Times financial section on Thursday.

The Last Word: Credit should go to the Stockton, California crowd for staying engaged throughout the taping, something that is rarer than finding Bigfoot in the wild. This was a strong episode of RAW for the most part, even though the main event was a worse iteration of The Royal Rumble’s main event. The Billionaire Ted sketch sent everything off the rails as they are becoming more embarrassing. If the WWF wanted to take shots at WCW’s booking or reliance on old acts that is one thing but the ads are taking on a political tone that does not fit a wrestling broadcast. The idea that Time Warner shareholders would be tuning into Monday Night RAW and persuaded by them is ridiculous too. The sketches are not drawing ratings as RAW has lost the last two weeks to WCW. That had to be disappointing for this episode because the WWF loaded it up on talent with premier matches.

Monday Night War Rating: 2.7 vs. 2.9 for Nitro (Main Event: WCW Tag Team Champions Lex Luger & Sting vs. The Road Warriors)

Up Next: WWF Superstars for February 10!

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