SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The following report originally published 30 years ago this week in the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter paper copy…
KELLER’S WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
JANUARY 22, 1996
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER (ISSUE #371)
-Sunny opened the show playing pool and saying Raw contains footage of a graphic nature and viewer discretion is advised…
-Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler narrated a letterbox highlight package from Royal Rumble. Then the music picked up pace as Raw was previewed and referred to as the first step toward WrestleMania… Lawler said that Bret Hart was injured last night and that Goldust would be finishing him off later on Raw…
(1) Vader defeated Savio Vega at 2:58. Vader got a mix of cheers and boos as he dominated Savio, pounding and spitting on him. Savio made a brief comeback at 1:30, but Vader soon took over, dropping Savio over the ring barrier. Vader won with the swinging rope splash. Vader attacked two referees and Gorilla Monsoon after the match and was suspended…
-Upon returning from a commercial they showed Monsoon being stretchered from the ring. They then replayed Vader’s attack…
-In the locker room, Vader shoved Cornette aside and said he is declaring war on all wrestlers in the WWF and every official, “including you Mr. McMahon, and you Mr. (pause, uh oh, I don’t know any other official’s names, so I’ll just scream) Ahhhhh!” He then destroyed a metal trash bucket and banged into lockers. McMahon said as far as he’s concerned, Vader is done for good. “A 24 hour career in the WWF and Vader is history,” McMahon said…
(2) Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/valet Shea Marks) beat Razor Ramon via countout at 7:48. A soundbite aired with Ted DiBiase and 1-2-3 Kid. They made fun of Ramon for crying and whining about the way he lost the title (a take-off on Ramon’s behind-the-scenes reputation). At 7:05 Kid came to ringside and squirted water from a big baby bottle into Ramon’s face. Ramon got so mad he took over offense on Hunter and then chased Kid around ringside causing Ramon to be counted out. Ramon went for the Edge after the match, but Hunter escaped and fled to the locker room…
McMahon then presented, for what he referred to as “comedic purposes,” the final Billionaire Ted Skit. Ted talked about buying old assets such as old movies, old cartoons, and old wrestlers. Ted said he is tired of stealing ideas from the WWF. He asked the room to come up with one original idea. “Jeopardy” music played for several seconds as everyone thought. Scheme Gene then said he came up with a new idea but Ted would have to call his 900 number to get the info. The narrator then said, “The WWF New Generation, don’t fall for cheap imitations.” They then showed Dok Hendrix and “The Raw Band” playing at ringside.
-McMahon interviewed Shawn Michaels in mid-ring. Michaels said there is a three step plan. First step was winning the Rumble. Third step is winning WrestleMania. But between them he said The Clique has to take care of a young man, Owen Hart, who is taking credit for Michaels’s injury. Michaels said there are nine thugs he’ll take care of at a later time. Cornette then came to the ring and said Owen will forever take credit for putting Michaels out of action. Michaels said he’d give Cornette anything to get a match against Owen. Cornette said Michaels doesn’t have enough money, but then paused and said Michaels does have one thing he wants. He asked Michaels to put his Wrestlemania title shot up against Owen at In Your House. Michaels said, “Let me ask the Clique (his fans), how badly do we want Owen Hart?” The fans cheered, so Michaels (full of irony) said, “Well, if The Clique wants it, The Clique gets it.” Michaels then grabbed Cornette and threw him over the top rope and said he’ll do the same to Owen Hart…
(3) Bret Hart beat Goldust (w/”his director,” Marlina) with the Sharpshooter to retain the WWF Title at 11:32. On TV the match was interrupted with three commercial breaks, so not much of it actually aired. McMahon interviewed Bret about facing Diesel at IYH to close the show. Bret ripped on Diesel and said he wanted the cage match. He was friendlier to Undertaker and said he’d give him a rematch…
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