WWF RAW 1/22/1996

Written By: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 1/22/1996
From: Stockton, CA

A video hyping up what happened last night at the Royal Rumble is shown. Goldust won the WWF Intercontinental Championship, and Shawn Michaels won the Royal Rumble match. Bret Hart was able to retain the WWF World Championship.

Tonight on RAW, Bret Hart vs. Goldust, and Razor Ramon squares off against Hunter Hearst Helmsley!

RAW opening video

Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler welcome everyone to the show and talk about last nights pay per view. They also hype up the matches on this weeks RAW.

Before the first match, Jim Cornette has a microphone and says that he has a answer to everyone’s question. Cornette says he has the answer to the “What time is it?” question and says it is VADER TIME! Vader makes his way out to face Savio Vega to open the show.

Opening Contest: Vader defeated Savio Vega: Vader taunts Vega before they lock up and Vader tosses Vega towards the corner. Vader backs Vega into a corner and delivers several shots to the midsection and head of Vega. Vader with several more strikes to the face as Vega gets back to his feet in the corner. Vader misses a splash in the corner and Vega chops Vader before super kicking Vader over the top to the floor. Vader lands on his feet and drops Vega throat first across the guard railing. Vader with more punches in the corner and splashes Vega in the corner this time. Vader sets Vega up and connects with the Vader Bomb! Vader goes for the cover and picks up the win. *
After the match, Vader connects with another Vader Bomb on Vega and head butts a referee. Vader power bombs a second referee as WWF President Gorilla Monsoon enters the ring. Monsoon gets in Vader’s face and suspends Vader indefinitely and eventually strikes Vader with a few punches as Vader kept on getting in his face. Vader doesn’t let that go without a consequences and splashes Monsoon as he checks on Vega in the corner. Vader also connects with a Vader Bomb on Monsoon. Vader gets a “Vader! Vader!” chant as Michaels and Razor Ramon run down to the ring to save Monsoon.

A video highlighting what happened at the Royal Rumble is shown.

Gorilla Monsoon was placed on a stretcher during a commercial break. Another clip of Vader attacking Monsoon is shown.

Backstage, Vader is flipping out and breaking stuff.

Before the next match, 1-2-3 Kid and Ted DiBiase call Razor Ramon a crybaby.

Second Contest: Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Razor Ramon via count-out: HHH with a wristlock but is met with a couple right hands from Ramon. They lock up and Ramon has a wristlock on HHH and deliver a few shoulder blocks. HHH tries to reverse it but is sent into the corner. HHH ducks a right hand and gets a few shots on Ramon. Ramon with a running clothesline in the corner and atomic drops HHH followed by a right hand. Ramon charges towards HHH but HHH pulls down the top rope and Ramon crashes to the floor as RAW goes to commercial. HHH baseball slides Ramon as Ramon staggers to his feet. HHH attempts a vertical suplex back into the ring but settles for crotching Ramon on the top rope. HHH sends Ramon back first into the corner a few times. HHH rams Ramon head first into the corner and deliver a high knee lift to the back of Ramon. HHH comes off the ropes with a clothesline and gets a near fall. HHH with a series of boots and right hands in the corner to keep control of the contest. HHH with a series of jabs but Ramon staggers before being dropped with a right hand. 1-2-3 Kid walks down and shoves a baby bottle into Ramon’s face. Ramon gets a few shots on HHH and leaps to the floor to chase Kid around. The referee with one of the quickest counts ever and counts Ramon out. *¼
After the match, Ramon hits HHH a few times and goes for the Razors Edge but HHH gets out of it and bails to the floor.

The final episode of the Billionaire Ted War Room is shown. Ted talks about buying old movies and old shows. He is sick and tired of stealing stuff from the WWF. He wants one original idea. His goons try to think and Scheme Gene says he has a idea but can’t say it on TV. They need to call his hotline and they all pull out their phones to call the hotline.

Vince McMahon is standing in the ring and introduces the 1996 Royal Rumble winner, Shawn Michaels! Michaels says the last thing he wants to say is “I told you so”, but he says it anyway. Michaels talks about a three step program. Win the Royal Rumble, done. Win at Wrestle Mania? That is going happen. Michaels says that the clique has something they need to handle. Michaels mentions that there is one guy who is claiming to have taken him out, but he credits the nine thugs in Syracuse for that. Michaels is referring to Owen Hart who keeps on taking credit. Michaels continues to talk until Jim Cornette walks down to the ring. Cornette tells Michaels that if he wants Owen Hart he has to talk to him about that. McMahon asks Cornette how did it feel when Michaels eliminated Vader and Yokozuna. Cornette doesn’t want Michaels to put his hands on his guys because Owen proved his point. Cornette says their isn’t a incentive for Owen to wrestle Michaels again. Michaels will do anything to get another shot at Owen Hart. Cornette ends up saying that if Michaels wants Owen Hart in the ring, he needs to put his title shot at WrestleMania shot up on the line. Michaels realizes he said anything but he has waited eleven years for his shot. Cornette doesn’t care about what Michaels has done and mock cries. Michaels asks the clique how bad do they want Owen Hart. Michaels accepts the match with Owen Hart. Michaels finishes off the segment by throwing Cornette over the top rope to the floor.

A video hyping up next weeks RAW is shown. Diesel vs. British Bulldog and Shawn Michaels will take on Yokozuna!

Before the main event, Goldust cut a promo earlier in the day. Goldust talks about his next trophy and that being Bret Hart’s WWF World Championship.

Main Event: WWF World Champion Bret Hart defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Goldust to retain the title: Goldust taunts Hart before they lock up by rubbing his chest and gets a few “faggot” chants. Hart backs Goldust into the corner and breaks away cleanly. Goldust rubs himself again and casually walks around as RAW goes to commercial. Hart has a hammerlock on Goldust but is backed into the ropes by Goldust. Goldust with a few right hands and chokes Hart in the corner. Goldust drops Hart with a right hand and has a wrist lock on Hart. Goldust with a hammerlock of his own but Hart gets to his feet and is able to send Goldust through the middle rope to the floor as RAW goes to another commercial. Goldust leaps off the top rope with a double axe handle and has a arm lock on Hart to keep control. Hart with a few right hands that back Goldust into the corner and rakes Goldust eyes across the top rope. Goldust attempts a figure four after a takedown but is kicked to the floor. Goldust goes to leave but Ramon appears from behind and decks Goldust with a right hand. Ramon tosses Goldust back into the ring. Hart with a leg drop and Goldust begs off. Hart with some punches as RAW goes to its third commercial of the match. Hart leaps off the middle rope with a clothesline and drives Goldust down with a side Russian leg sweep. Hart locks in the Sharpshooter and Goldust is forced to tap out in the middle of the ring. **
After the match, Goldust quickly leaves the ring.

Vince McMahon enters the ring and talks to Bret Hart. Hart tells McMahon that his fans were robbed of a decision last night. Hart blames Diesel for the lack of decision and has had enough of Diesel. Hart tells Diesel that he will find out what he is all about. Hart assures Undertaker that he will get a rematch.

Jerry Lawler hypes up next weeks “Super Monday”. Their will also be exclusive press conference with Billionaire Ted.

RAW comes to an end with Vader splashing Monsoon from earlier on.

End of show

My Take: Vader beating Vega was a mildly entertaining squash. The fans are clearly behind Vader as a heel as they kind of cheer for his offense but I don’t think they want him to beat a guy lie Bret Hart or something. One of the better crowd reactions for a WWF wrestler I have seen so far in 1996. The only thing I didn’t like about the segment was one of the referees got punches and instead of going down quickly he just stood up as if he was staggered. That really bugged me.

Ramon/HHH was pretty disappointing as they really just traded right hands the whole time. Ramon didn’t even hit his usual move set like the fall away slam or the middle rope back suplex. Just a extremely bland and boring contest. What a shame. Looks like they are going with a 1-2-3 Kid vs. Ramon feud, again. Kid needs to work with other baby faces to become a good heel in my opinion. All of his interactions appear to be with Razor Ramon and no one else.

Michaels/Cornette segment was okay, I guess. Michaels vs. Owen is going to be a good match at what I would assume would be the next IYH pay per view. They didn’t mention when that match would be taking place. No chance in hell that Michaels would lose his title shot, so having that stipulation makes the outcome obvious. Would’ve liked a super kick to finish off the segment instead of just sending Cornette over the top rope to the floor.

Hart/Goldust was a decent main event as their was actually wrestling moves throughout the contest. Goldust, in my opinion, is the best character going for the WWF at this time. The fans really hate him and he is getting some good matches in already. I also take it that Ramon will continue his feud with Goldust after his involvement in the main event.

Overall, from a wrestling standpoint this was a disappointing show. Vader’s segment was a good way to get a heel going for a new company and the main event was a good way to close the show.

Thanks for reading.