What the World Was Watching: Monday Night RAW – 03.25.96

Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler are in the booth, wrapping up the last show taped in San Antonio, Texas. This is the last RAW before WrestleMania XII.

Before the opener, Shawn Michaels comes to the ring with a handheld video camera, taping the audience for the “Kliq Cam.” Michaels then gets on the microphone and welcomes his mentor Jose Lothario to the ring, billing him as a legend in the area and noting that Lothario is going to take him to WrestleMania. Seeing Lothario walk out to “Sexy Boy” is good for laughs. Michaels gives Lothario the microphone, making sure to tell him where the hard camera is, and Lothario promises that Michaels will bring San Antonio the WWF Championship. It should be noted that Michaels and Lothario have no on-screen chemistry and Lothario effectively neuters whatever edge Michaels has had as a character going back to his babyface turn following WrestleMania XI.

Opening Contest: Shawn Michaels (w/Jose Lothario) (5-0) pins Leif Cassidy after Sweet Chin Music at 8:32 shown:

Cassidy does not get an entrance, emphasizing that even though he is a “new” act that he is nothing special. WWF Champion Bret Hart quickly walks out to do guest commentary, causing Lawler to flee in a callback to his two long running feuds with Bret in 1993 and last year. After some mat wrestling, Michaels tries to leapfrog and appears to take a bad bump on his head when Cassidy counters with a spinebuster. A uranage follows for a Cassidy near-fall, bringing Marty Jannetty to ringside. This time Jannetty and Cassidy have matching black and red ring gear. For a group billed as the New Rockers they do not have attire that looks like the old team. In fact, Jannetty looks terrible in a singlet. Michaels gets busted open somehow, leading to a funny comment by Bret about Michaels getting beaten up last year by “nine cheerleaders in Syracuse,” something that McMahon quickly corrects as “nine thugs.” Cassidy tries a powerbomb or something near the ropes but it just causes Michaels to fall on top of him. Cassidy follows with a superduperplex for a near-fall and tries to do it again. Bret announces that as a mistake and sure enough, Michaels blocks it to cue a late rally. Michaels is noticeably angry when there is a miscommunication on an inverted atomic drop, causing him to fall down after doing the move. Jannetty gets involved at that point, tripping Michaels before he can do a flying forearm. Jannetty proceeds to hold his former tag team partner by the tights in the corner but Bret leaves the commentary table and forces Jannetty to let go, allowing Michaels to avoid a Cassidy charge and deliver Sweet Chin Music to remain unbeaten in 1996. Regardless of gimmick, Al Snow has been a botch machine since coming to the WWF. The match had good action but the sloppiness detracted from parts of it. Rating: **¾

After winning, Michaels leaves the ring and interrogates Jannetty, who Bret was reading the riot act to before the finish. Michaels then turns his ire on Bret and they stand nose-to-nose before Lothario intervenes, getting each man to go their separate ways. Bret tells McMahon that Michaels is ungrateful for him helping him in the last match. He is supposed to give a powerful closing for WrestleMania but keeps repeating his aim to beat Michaels into the dirt, which does not please McMahon.

Footage of the Ultimate Warrior saving Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VIII is shown.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley (7-2) pins Aldo Montoya (0-3) a Pedigree at 4:31:

Helmsley has a blonde woman with him who is not named. He quickly waves her off after a kiss and then attacks Montoya when he helps her exit the ring. The crowd is dead as Helmsley runs through his offense. It takes three minutes for Montoya to generate anything, hitting a reverse flying body press off the second rope for a near-fall. A flying body press comes close to earning an upset but then Montoya predictably puts his head down too early on an Irish whip and eats a Pedigree. Since the WWF is trying to bill Helmsley as a worthy oWarrior, of the Ultimate Warrior it seems like he should have earned a more dominating win. Rating: *

Intercontinental Champion Goldust is on the Hollywood backlot where he will fight interim WWF President Roddy Piper in six days. He talks to a mannequin dressed as Piper, rubbing its chest and talking about how Piper will be thrilled to face him. “Television editing” removes Goldust acting like he is going to go down on the WWF legend. After whispering some suggestive lines in the mannequin’s ear, Goldust throws it against a beam and the mannequin breaks apart.

Mankind debuts next week!

McMahon does an in-ring interview with the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. Bearer complains about Diesel costing the Undertaker the WWF Championship at The Royal Rumble, recapping the big moments of the feud since then. The Undertaker, who has gotten arguably the loudest reaction at this taping, asks his fans if they are ready for the feast of Diesel’s flesh and says that Diesel’s fate lies in his hands. This was a classic “filler promo” to remind fans that the Undertaker and Diesel are facing off at WrestleMania.

Dok Hendrix sings “Badstreet USA” with the RAW Band.

Jim Ross narrates another training video of Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. Michaels wrestles two men at one time in a training session under Lothario’s guise and he gives both Sweet Chin Music. Michaels tells Lothario he is not taking him to Anaheim to lose. A black and white video follows that hypes the iron man match as a passionate war between an immortal champion and someone who has made it their mission in life to take that title. Ross files a report from Calgary after that. Bret discusses how he knew Michaels was coming for him sooner or later, likening it to him passing Randy Savage years ago. The champion posits that when he captures the first fall Michaels will take too many risks to catch up and lose.

Ahmed Johnson (7-0) defeats Owen Hart (w/Jim Cornette) (4-1) via disqualification after the British Bulldog interferes at 3:39 shown:

The Bulldog wastes no time coming to ringside, making one wonder why he did not come out when Owen made his entrance. There is a blown bearhug spot when Owen dives into Ahmed’s arms off the second rope, leading to Ahmed having to repeat the spot after throwing Owen into the ropes. A Bulldog distraction puts Owen in control but a commercial break glosses over all of his offense. When the action returns, Ahmed catches Owen off the ropes with a spinebuster. But before he can do the Pearl River Plunge, the Bulldog rushes in for a predictable disqualification. Rating: *

Owen and the Bulldog’s double team on Ahmed goes awry but Vader comes down to make it a three-on-one attack. Yokozuna and Jake Roberts take forever to get to the ring to help their partner but when they do get in, they force the heels to flee as McMahon and Lawler go back and forth hyping each of the WrestleMania matches.

A Bret Hart music video entitled “You Start the Fire” airs. It would win the Slammy Award for best music video.

The Last Word: Again, the athletic style of video presentation for Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels in the iron man match was the best way to hype it. Doing a hot angle for the Undertaker-Diesel program would have been wise too as the Undertaker’s promo was a flat way to sell the program days before the show. Overall, not a bad go-home effort but this WrestleMania still struggles in not feeling like a WrestleMania, a problem the company has had for the last few years.

Monday Night War Rating: 2.8 vs. 3.1 for Nitro (Main Event: WCW Champion Ric Flair vs. The Giant)

Up Next: WWF Superstars for March 30!

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