Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 1/16/1995
From: Houston, TX
A video promoting Bret Hart vs. Jeff Jarrett kicks off the broadcast. William Shatner will be in Hart’s corner for the match.
Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels are on commentary. They continue to hype up the Hart vs. Jarrett main event.
Opening Contest: 1-2-3 Kid/Bob Holly defeated the Heavenly Bodies: the Heavenly Bodies attack Kid and Holly before the bell. Del Ray clotheslines Kid over the top to the floor and they whiplash Holly to the mat. Pritchard scoop slams Holly and follows up with a few elbow drops for a two count. Del Ray tags in to get a few shots in on Holly. Holly is met with a double back elbow while the referee is distracted by Kid. Del Ray connects with a super kick but isn’t able to put Holly away. Del Ray scoop slams Holly and Pritchard delivers a leg drop with assistance from Del Ray for a two count. Holly fights back until he is poked in the eyes. Pritchard gets a two count following a gut wrench sit down power bomb. Del Ray leaps off the top to hit a double axe handle and taunts Kid. Del Ray continues with a snap suplex for a two count. Del Ray scoop slams Holly and leaps off the top to hit a cross body but Holly rolls through and nearly pins Del Ray. Tatanka and Bigelow make their way down to the ringside area. Pritchard leaps off the middle rope to knee drop Holly for a near fall. Holly is able to block a double clothesline and sends the Bodies into each other. Kid gets the hot tag and cleans house with dropkicks and spinning heel kicks. Holly spears Pritchard and Kid connects with a fisherman suplex to pin Del Ray! (**1/2. This was a fun little match to open the show. I don’t think the Heavenly Bodies get enough credit, if any, for their WWF work. They could put on some good matches.)
Backstage, Bret Hart and William Shatner are hanging out. McMahon asks if Bret has any ring rust before his title match on Sunday. Hart says he has no rust and will be ready for Royal Rumble. Michaels asks who is going to watch Shatner’s back this week. Shatner doesn’t need backup and warns the Roadie to watch himself during the Hart vs. Jarrett match.
Second Contest: Mantaur defeated Jason Ahrndt: Mantaur wins the bout after he runs over his opponent, literally.
Royal Rumble 1995 Report with Todd Pettengill is up next. The Undertaker cut a promo on IRS saying he will rest in peace at the Rumble. Jeff Jarrett cuts a promo during the segment. Jarrett rips on Shatner calling him a geek. He is going to send both Hart and Shatner back to Canada! Jarrett hears Pettengill say he has his money on Bret Hart tonight. Jarrett tells Todd he better put his money him!
Third Contest: Bret Hart defeated Jeff Jarrett: Jarrett backs Hart into a corner but Hart blocks a right hand and goes to work on Jarrett. Hart rubs Jarrett face across the top rope followed by an atomic drop and a running clothesline. Hart delivers a few elbow strikes and an upper cut. Hart head butts the lower midsection of Jarrett and keeps control with a top wristlock. Hart counters a hip toss with a backslide for a two count. Jarrett scoop slams Hart but Hart keeps an arm bar on him. Hart stops Jarrett from running the ropes with a sleeper hold but Jarrett is able to connect with a back suplex followed by a dropkick. Jarrett hits a swinging neck breaker as RAW goes to commercial. Jarrett blocks a sunset flip but Hart rolls Jarrett up for a near fall. Jarrett sends Hart back first into the corner and taunts the fans as Shatner gets the fans behind Hart. Jarrett hits Hart with a double axe handle off the middle rope. Hart blocks a second attempt and hammers away on Jarrett with right hands. Hart atomic drops Jarrett followed by a side Russian leg sweep for a two count. Hart get another near fall following a snap suplex. Hart delivers a back breaker and heads to the middle rope where he hits a forearm drop for a two count. Hart looks to go for the Sharp shooter but Jarrett rakes Hart’s eyes. Hart head butts Jarrett and ties him up in the ropes. Roadie breaks Jarrett free and Hart leaps into the ropes chest first. Jarrett locks in the figure four leg lock right in the middle of the ring! Hart manages to reach the bottom rope with help from Shatner. Hart rolls through a roll up and pins Jarrett for the win. (**1/2. A decent bout but not what I would’ve expected from these two on television. My expectations are never met when it comes to these to wrestling. I always imagine a good match, which you can clearly see is the case if you read other reviews of mine that have these two wrestling.)
After the match, the Roadie misses a top rope splash as Shatner moved out of the way. Shatner rams Roadie head first into the top turnbuckle a few times. Shatner also tosses Roadie over the top to the floor.
Footage from WWF Superstars where Bam-Bam Bigelow and Tatanka defeated the New Headshrinkers to advance in the tag team title tournament is shown. Also, 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Holly defeated the Heavenly Bodies to advance in the tag team title tournament. Thus, Bigelow and Tatanka will compete against 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Holly at the Royal Rumble for the vacant tag team championships.
Jerry Lawler is joined by the Million Dollar Coporation for Kings Court. DiBiase says that he is the CEO for the Corporation. He believes the Royal Rumble will be the night for the Corporation. The celebration is going to last all night starting at the beginning when IRS defeats the Undertaker. Then, Tatanka and Bigelow will win the vacant tag team championships! DiBiase says that next week on RAW, his tag team champions, will defend the titles against the Smoking Gunns to show they are great champions. DiBiase believes that King Kong Bundy is the odds on favorite for the Royal Rumble match and will win it! DiBiase says that the Corporation is “alive in 95!”
Main Event: Mable defeated Lee Toblin: Mabel wins the bout following a leg drop.
Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels interview Mabel at ringside. Mabel says he is the biggest and the baddest thus he will win the battle royal. Michaels wants to know what makes Mabel think he will win the Rumble. King Kong Bundy comes out and tells Mabel that he is the biggest and baddest. Mabel gets in the ring and wants Bundy to get in there as well, but DiBiase holds back Bundy.
Next week, the Smoking Gunns square off against the new WWF World Tag Team Champions whoever that may be.
A video hyping up the WWF World Champion, Diesel is aired to close out the show.
Final Thoughts: A pretty good episode this week. Both of the featured bouts produced entertaining bouts to a certain extent, so that’s always a good thing. It was a nice go home show before the Royal Rumble.
Thanks for reading.