Written By: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 2/19/1996
From: Cincinnati, OH
A video recapping what happened at last nights pay per view. The Undertaker screwed Diesel over in the main event, thus Bret Hart retained the WWF World Championship. The video also hypes up a match between Razor Ramon and Goldust for the WWF Intercontinental Championship. McMahon mentions the Ultimate Warrior to close out the video.
RAW opening video
Opening Contest: Razor Ramon defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Goldust via count-out: Ramon hip tosses Goldust out of the corner and follows up with a running clothesline in the corner as Goldust still has his robe on. Ramon goes to hit Goldust with the title belt but the referee takes it away and clotheslines Goldust over the top to the floor. Ramon spits in Goldust’s face and nails him with a right hand. Ramon with a wrist lock and lifts Goldust up into the air and slams him down to the mat a few times. Ramon backdrops Goldust and signals for the Razors Edge. Goldust is able to avoid it by back dropping over the top to the floor as RAW goes to commercial. Goldust continues his offense with a clothesline. We see that during the commercial, Goldust knocked Ramon off the apron sending Ramon back to the floor. Goldust with a sleeper hold but Ramon shoves the champ off and has a sleeper hold locked in. Goldust breaks up the hold with a jaw breaker and heads to the top rope where he is crotched by Ramon. Ramon with a superplex and catches Goldust as he comes off the ropes. Ramon sends Goldust over the top with a fall away slam and leaps off the apron to clothesline Goldust on the floor. Goldust misses a right hand and is crotched on the top rope. Ramon drives Goldust down with a back suplex and Goldust rolls to the floor. Goldust jogs to the backstage area and is counted out. *½
After the match, Ramon grabs a microphone and wants everyone to listen to what he has to say. Ramon doesn’t want Goldust’s belt, instead he wants his ass (Goldust might like that!). Ramon talks about the return of Roddy Piper. Ramon doesn’t want his kids to watch the stuff Goldust does on television. Ramon tells Piper that he wants a match with Goldust “anywhere, anytime”. Ramon mentions that everyone knows that Goldust wants Ramon and says that Goldust is right when he says Ramon is hot. Ramon wants a match with Goldust.
Backstage, The Undertaker exits his coffin.
Dox Hendrix talks about last nights In Your House pay per view. Hendrix main focus is talking about the Shawn Michaels vs. Owen Hart match. Michaels defeated Owen Hart following a super kick and now will face Bret Hart at WrestleMania XII. Hendrix proceeds to talk about Bret Hart defeating Diesel in a cage match to retain the WWF World Championship. Diesel will square off against the Undertaker at WrestleMania XII. Hendrix also talks about the British Bulldog vs. Yokozuna match briefly until he stops talking as Vader comes down to the ring.
Vader enters the ring and beats up Aldo Montoya and Barry Horowitz who were scheduled to compete against the Bodydonnas. Vader just beats them up and taunts the fans.
A video hyping up the return of the Ultimate Warrior is shown.
Second Contest: The Ringmaster defeated Marty Jannetty: They trade hammerlocks early on until Ringmaster takes Jannetty down and they switch hammerlocks again. Ringmaster reaches the ropes and Jannetty breaks the hold. Jannetty with a side headlock and comes off the ropes with a cross body which Ringmaster rolls through for a near fall. Ringmaster tosses Jannetty through the middle rope to the floor. Ringmaster with a few right hands as Jannetty is on the apron. Jannetty slides through Ringmaster’s legs and dropkicks Ringmaster getting a two count. Ringmaster drops Jannetty throat first across the top rope as RAW goes to commercial. Jannetty drops Ringmaster with a right hand and gets a near fall. Jannetty comes off the ropes but splashes down across Ringmasters knees. Ringmaster sends Jannetty hard back first into the corner and locks in a STF. Jannetty tries to reach the ropes and eventually does as Ringmaster lets go of the hold. Ringmaster drives Jannetty’s left knee down to the canvas and hammers away on Jannetty. Ringmaster with a modified chin lock and sends Jannetty into a corner where he runs into a big boot from Jannetty. Jannetty comes off the ropes with a face buster blocking a backdrop. Jannetty with a spinning back elbow and connects with a knee lift for a near fall. Ringmaster locks in the Million Dollar Dream seconds later and wins the match. *
A promo by Mankind is shown. Mankind is in a dark area and wonders why God has made him so deformed and forgot so many important parts that everyone else has. Mankind also has a rat with him and says that his ugliest lives inside of everyone else.
A video promoting next weeks handicap match is shown. Yokozuna will take on the British Bulldog and Owen Hart. Jake Roberts and Diesel will both be in singles action. Their will also be a face to face confrontation between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart.
Main Event: The Undertaker defeated Tatanka: Tatanka tries to attack Taker from behind but fails. Taker with a clothesline after sending Tatanka into a corner. Taker chokes Tatanka briefly in the corner and Tatanka tries to comeback with a chop but Taker isn’t affected. Taker yanks Tatanka down by the hair and follows up with a throat thrust. Taker big boots Tatanka as Tatanka charges the corner. Tatanka with a Samoan Drop and Diesel comes down to the ring with a axe. Diesel grabs a cameraman and RAW goes to commercial. Backstage, Diesel uses the axe to destroy the Undertaker’s casket. In the ring, Taker breaks out of a sleeper hold with a back suplex. Taker ducks a clothesline and connects with one of his own. Taker walks the top rope and leaps down across Tatanka’s arm. Tatanka gets out of a tombstone attempt and pile drives Taker. Tatanka signals for the end but Taker grabs Tatanka by the throat and choke slams Tatanka. Taker signals for the end and drives Tatanka down with the tombstone. Taker covers and wins the match. ½*
After the match, Diesel destroying the casket is shown on the big screen and Taker leaves the ring making his way towards Diesel.
Larry Fling is joined by Billionaire Ted. Ted reminds Larry that he owns Larry Fling. Larry takes a call from a guy named Randy from Sarasota and says he has a hair problem. A man named Terry calls in and says that he needs Monday off because he has been hit with a woman’s shoe. Fling asks Ted about several issues about his companies but Ted says he can’t talk because of his throat. Fling will have the Huckster and Nacho Man will be on the show next week.
Backstage, the Undertaker and Paul Bearer react to the destroyed casket.
End of show
My Take: I thought Ramon/Goldust was going pretty good until the lame count-out finish. It just continues their feud, which judging by Ramon’s promo afterwards may be finishing up at WrestleMania. Ramon actually hit all his major spots this time around unlike a few weeks ago when he wrestled HHH.
Ringmaster/Jannetty was a typical extended squash for Ringmaster to continue his push. It was mentioned that Jannetty has a new tag team partner and they will be named, the New Rockers. Such a original name. McMahon also referred to Ringmaster as being “stone cold” several times throughout the match.
The main event was pretty boring as it was pretty obvious that Tatanka had no chance in hell of winning the match. Most of Ted DiBiase’s corporation are jobbers now, aside from Ringmaster. The stuff with Diesel was a fine job to further his feud with the Undertaker. I think it is safe to say that Taker/Diesel is the best feud in terms of storyline heading into WrestleMania.
WWF needs to stop with these Billionaire Ted skits. They are just stupid.
Overall, after a pay per view this was pretty dull and seemed pretty flat. WWF needs to put together so good shows heading into Mania.
Thanks for reading.