Written By: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents
Date: 5/20/1996
From: Sioux City, IA
RAW opens up with a very brief video about the MSG show last night. We will get information on what happened later on.
RAW opening video
Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler welcome everyone to RAW. McMahon mentions that Sunny has “kissed away the tag team titles.” The Godwinns won the WWF World Tag Team Championships last night defeating the Bodydonnas.
Opening Contest: Steve Austin defeated Marc Mero by disqualification: Mero backs Austin against the ropes but neither man gets a clear cut advantage. Austin with a go behind but Mero reverses into one of his own. Austin with a wrist lock and yanks on Mero’s arm. Mero reverses with a wristlock of his own and controls Austin with a arm bar. Austin drop toe holds Mero but Mero is able to lock in a hammerlock. Austin nails Mero with a back elbow but is met with a drop toe hold and Mero goes back to a hammerlock on the mat. Austin misses a chop and Mero comes off the ropes connecting with a cross body for a near fall. Mero with a arm drag and keeps the advantage with a arm bar. Austin nails Mero with a back elbow but Mero comes back with right hands. Shoulder block by Austin but Mero hip tosses, arm drags and dropkicks Austin to the floor. Mero goes for a dive to the floor but lands on the apron as Austin moved out of the way. Austin with a boot to the midsection and drops Mero throat first across the top rope. Austin chokes Mero across the middle rope and jumps on Mero’s back for a two count. Austin with several clubbing blows but Mero delivers a few jabs until Austin is able to dump Mero to the floor as RAW goes to commercial. Mero rolls Austin up after reversing a suplex and gets a two count. Austin recovers and clotheslines Mero quickly to regain control of the contest. Austin leaps off the middle rope connects with a forearm drop for a near fall. Austin locks in a sleeper hold for a few moments before Mero fights to his feet. Mero elbows out of hold and has a sleeper on Austin until Austin drops Mero with a jaw breaker for a two count. Austin with a few knees to Mero’s back and gets a two count. Austin goes back to the sleeper hold. Mero elbows out of the sleeper and begins to trade right hands with Austin. Mero gets the upper hand and shoulder blocks Austin. Head scissors take down by Mero and drops Austin with a knee lift. Mero heads to the top rope and nails Austin with a double axe handle for a two count. Mero with a few punches in the corner and clotheslines Austin for a near fall, again. Ted DiBiase trips Mero and Austin hammers away on Mero from behind. Scoop slam by Austin and heads to the top rope. Savio Vega runs down with a strap and whips Austin. Austin bails from the ring but wins by DQ. *
After the match, Austin celebrates his win while staring down Mero. Mero confronts Vega as he isn’t happy about what happened, but nothing happened.
A video highlighting the WWF going to Kuwait.
Next week, Ahmed Johnson will wrestle Vader in a first round match for the KOTR. Also, Goldust wrestles Ultimate Warrior in another first round match for the KOTR.
A video of Ultimate Warrior signing autographs for his comic book.
Second Contest: Savio Vega defeated 1-2-3 Kid: Vega with a go behind but Kid counters with one of his own. Vega with a side headlock and shoulder blocks Kid for a two count. Vega with a arm bar until Kid fights out of the hold. Vega hip tosses Kid and connects with a dropkick. Vega works on Kid in the corner connecting with a spinning heel kick and they both drop to the floor. Vega dropkicks Kid for a near fall back in the ring. Vega has a sleeper hold locked in to slow down the match. Vega chops Kid and has a sleeper hold locked back in. Vega snap mares Kid and again goes back to a sleeper hold. Ted DiBiase taunts Vega with a chauffer hat and that allows Kid to spin kick Vega. Kid with a few stomps and kicks Vega in the corner a few times. Running dropkick by Kid in the corner and connects with a top rope splash for a near fall. Kid kicks Vega on the chest and delivers a yakuza kick followed by a big splash for a two count as RAW goes to commercial. Kid with a elbow smash as he has Vega in a neck vice. Vega battles out of the hold and head butts Kid but misses a elbow drop. Kid with a lighting quick leg drop for a two count. Kid with a kick and several right hands in the corner. Vega begins to get a second wind and drops kid with a right hand but Kid chops Vega and chokes him on the middle rope. Kid charges towards the corner but is met with a spin kick. Vega covers and gets a two count. Vega with rock bottom and gets a two count. Vega back drops Kid but Kid comes back with a standing sidekick. Kid heads to the top rope but misses a big splash. Vega with a rollup and picks up the win. *¼
After the match, Steve Austin returns to the ring and attacks Vega. Vega ducks a clothesline and hammers away on Austin. Kid spin kicks Vega and Austin goes back to attacking Vega. Austin grabs a strap and ties Vega up. DiBiase puts the chauffer hat on Vega while Austin holds Vega.
Footage from the MSG house show last night is shown. Sunny was messing around with Phineas before the tag title match with the Bodydonnas. Clips of the tag team title match are shown which concluded with Phineas pinning Zip with the Slop Drop.
Jim Ross is talking to Paul Bearer on the aisle way. Bearer says that Goldust has crossed “that fine line” and it is time for Goldust to face the grim reaper. Bearer claims that Undertaker is ready for Goldust. Ross interviews Undertaker who is laying down in a casket. Taker says the casket is Goldust’s future. Wait a second.. Mankind comes over and seals the casket shut as Goldust stalks Paul Bearer. Mankind grabs a pole from the backstage area and begins to smash the casket with the pole! Mankind shoves the casket over and continues to whack the casket with the pole.
Before the main event, Jim Cornette says Shawn Michaels will not be doing commentary for the match. Gorilla Monsoon walks down to the ring and takes a look at the paper work. Monsoon says that the restraining order is valid, but that he is making Diana Smith leave the ringside area! Cornette flips out as Diana is escorted to the backstage area. Shawn Michaels walks down to the commentary table.
Main Event: British Bulldog vs. Jake Roberts didn’t have a finish: Bulldog backs Roberts into a corner and delivers several right hands. Bulldog rams Roberts face first into the top turnbuckle and puts the boots to Roberts. Roberts comes back with right hands and back elbows in the corner. Roberts runs into a high knee in the corner and Bulldog continues to hammers away on Roberts. Bulldog works on Roberts knee with a few knee drops. Bulldog works on Roberts knee for a few moments. Roberts kicks his way out of the hold but Bulldog delivers a few shots to Roberts leg and drops down across Roberts leg. Bulldog wraps Roberts leg around the ring post and goes to send Roberts across the ring but Roberts leg gives out. Roberts with a few punches and a short arm clothesline to drop Bulldog. Roberts goes for the DDT but Bulldog stomps away on Roberts injured knee. Bulldog with a half Boston Crab on Roberts. Roberts grabs the bag with his snake but isn’t able to get a hold of it. Bulldog goes back to work on the injured knee of Roberts. Diana Smith comes down to ringside as RAW goes to commercial. Diana confronts Michaels on the floor. Diana splashes water onto Michaels and Michaels punches Cornette. Bulldog jumps off the apron knocking Michaels down to the floor as RAW goes off the air. DUD
End of show
My Take: Austin/Mero was a incredibly boring match. They didn’t get out of first gear it seemed like and they just went through the motions. The crowd is clearly dead at this point as this was the last taping for several weeks worth of RAW’s. A bad match between two good workers, usually.
I was also disappointed by Kid/Vega. They had several rest holds just like the first contest and they didn’t offer anything of real excitement. This show also seemed to be heavily promote the Vega/Austin strap match at the pay per view in six days. Why so much air time for a mid-card feud?
Why was their another Undertaker interview this week? That was just repetitive. Mankind destroying the casket was mildly entertaining, though.
Bulldog/Roberts was horrible, awful and just a complete waste of my time. Just like the other matches, they just did rest holds or moves that require very little effort. A boring way to end a very boring show.
Overall, a awful show. WWF really lacks the ability of putting on a entertaining show leading into the pay per views. Who would want to order a pay per view after sitting through this garbage? I wouldn’t.
Thanks for reading.