What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – 04.08.96

Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect are calling tonight’s action, taped from San Bernardino, California. This broadcast started a trend of airing RAW three minutes early at 8:57 p.m. Eastern time to get a jump on Monday Nitro.

Opening Contest: Vader (w/Jim Cornette) (3-0) defeats Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji) (2-1) via referee stoppage at 3:43:

A slap fight starts the contest, which quickly becomes a hoss battle of power moves. Yokozuna’s Samoan drop, uranage, and leg drop are not enough to keep Vader down. An avalanche attempt meets buckle and Vader does the Vader Bomb to Yokozuna’s leg, which is draped over the bottom rope. Yokozuna screams in pain as his leg is apparently broken and the referee calls for the bell. The action was abbreviated but fun while it lasted. The fact that Vader makes Yokozuna scream in agony was a big deal and adds to the wrecking ball nature of his character. This would be Fuji’s last appearance in the WWF, ending a WWF run that dated back to 1981. He would retire to Tennessee and successfully sue the creators of the WCW vs. NWO World Tour video game for using his likeness. Rating: *

After the bell, Vader keeps his attack going, giving Yokozuna’s leg two more Vader Bombs. Just like his destruction of Savio Vega after The Royal Rumble, a vocal part of the crowd cheers Vader’s attack. Yokozuna rolls to the floor as WWF officials try to tend to him. No wrestlers come out to check on him, including his WrestleMania XII friends.

Since Yokozuna is too heavy to be put on a stretcher, footage shows him being carried out on a forklift with his injured leg immobilized. This segment was meant to send a signal to Yokozuna to get his weight under control.

McMahon does an in-ring interview with the Ultimate Warrior, who gets a big pop. The Warrior says that his fans have summoned him back. Intercontinental Champion Goldust and Marlena interrupt as McMahon announces that the Warrior will wrestle Goldust at In Your House 7. Goldust quotes The Warriors in saying that the Warrior is welcome to come and play with him. The Warrior responds by calling the champion a freak, sounding like an actual human being. He also curses a few times before promising to take Goldust on an “action packed adventure” and clotheslining him. These two characters worked well off of each other, even though it is weird to see the Warrior thrown into the Intercontinental title picture as he is above that level.

Poor Yokozuna is still on the forklift backstage so Vader comes by with a chair and hits him with it several times.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley (9-3) pins Duke Droese (6-1) after the Pedigree at 4:31 shown:

In keeping with the feud, Droese charges the ring and attacks Helmsley. McMahon gloats during the contest that the Free for All before WrestleMania gave the Preview Channel its best ratings ever. In the split screen, Marc Mero promises that wild surprises will start next week on RAW for Helmsley. A commercial break spares the home audience Helmsley’s methodical offense. Helmsley does bump well for Droese, though. Droese’s comeback never leads to a pin attempt but he does try the Trash Compactor, only to have Helmsley float out of it and hit a kick and the Pedigree to definitively end their feud in his favor. Rating: *½

After recapping Mankind’s attack on the Undertaker last week, Yokozuna is finally loaded into an ambulance. Perfect likens the situation to Free Willy.

Arm-Wrestling Match: Ahmed Johnson (9-0) beats the British Bulldog (w/Owen Hart) (2-2):

Diana Hart Smith is once again shown in the crowd, following her husband to every card he wrestles on. Owen provides the entertainment, complaining about oil on Ahmed and his positioning, which gives Ahmed “too much leverage.” When Ahmed gets mad and picks up a chair, Owen complains that Ahmed is not a good sportsman. Referee Jack Doan does not appreciate Owen intervening when he gets the Bulldog and Ahmed’s hands set, so he sends him to the locker room. The crowd gets into the contest when it starts, cheering Ahmed. Their hands go back and forth, with Ahmed winning. The Bulldog is a poor sport in defeat, hitting Ahmed with a chair three times, throwing him into a table in the corner twice, and then throwing the table on top of him. As a coup de grace, the Bulldog hops on the table a few times when it is laid over his rival. ECW fans in the crowd chant “He’s hardcore!” at the attack, which was more violent than most WWF fans were used to seeing. Referees finally force the Bulldog to walk away, but he lifts the table to dump it on Ahmed one last time, a spot that breaks one of Ahmed’s thumbs.

Dok Hendrix hypes a match next week between Intercontinental Champion Goldust and Savio Vega. It is noteworthy because the voiceover bills it as a match of WrestleMania losers, which is not a great selling point.

Diesel, wearing a Shawn Michaels t-shirt, walks out to do guest commentary for the main event. Diesel hilariously blows off McMahon when he goes for a handshake.

Non-Title Match: Shawn Michaels (WWF Champion) (7-0) defeats Jerry Lawler (2-0) after Sweet Chin Music at 7:21 shown:

Diesel makes good points about how it only took him two years to win the WWF Championship while it took Michaels eight and that Michaels has never beaten him before. During this era it was hard for Michaels to have a bad match on television but Lawler rises to the challenge by bringing his Memphis stalling into a format where there is not enough time for that. Michaels survives Lawler’s piledriver and blocking a Lawler flying double axe handle fuels his comeback. When Michaels jaws with Diesel following a flying elbow drop, Lawler tries to sneak behind him with the phantom object trick but Michaels just blasts the King with Sweet Chin Music. This was a dreadful first television match for Michaels after winning the title. Rating: *

Michaels calls Diesel out after the win so Diesel obliges him. They briefly fight until Perfect provides a distraction, allowing Diesel to mow Michaels down with a big boot. Perfect tosses Diesel the WWF title belt, which Diesel uses to wallop the champion. Michaels works in a 360 degree sell and Diesel stands over top of him. In a nice touch, Diesel picks up his sunglasses from the announce table before walking to the locker room.

Tune in next week to see Intercontinental Champion Goldust defend against Savio Vega!

The Last Word: It was not a good night for babyfaces but that is what made this show stand out at the time. The main event was bad but the angle afterward made up for it. The other angles were great too, showcasing violent heel beatdowns that gave the product an edgier feel. Since the WWF was unopposed this week against Monday Nitro it scored a high rating and was hoping fans would stick around for the following week when Nitro returned.

Monday Night War Rating: 4.7 (unopposed)

Up Next: WWF Superstars for April 13!

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