WWF RAW 7/22/1996

Written by: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 7/22/1996
From: Seattle, WA

Matches:
1.)WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels & WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson fought WWF World Tag Team Champions the Smoking Gunns to a no contest
2.)Marc Mero defeated the Goon
3.)Mankind defeated Freddie Joe Floyd
4.)Goldust defeated Barry Horowitz
5.)WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels & WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson defeated the Smoking Gunns by disqualification

Angle Developments/Notes:
1. Sunny brings out a cake for Shawn Michaels as her men, the Smoking Gunns are in tag team action against birthday boy Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson!

2. The Smoking Gunns attack Michaels and Johnson before the bell sounds. Michaels nails Billy Gunn with a superkick! Shawn goes to the floor to get the cake puts some of the frosting on her face. Sunny tries to put the cake in the champ’s face but Ahmed rubs it in her face and Michaels licks some of it off! This match will happen later on in the night.

3. The crowd appears to be rather dead for this show as the second match got ready to go on. Steve Austin is on commentary for the match. He will be wrestling the Undertaker next week on RAW. Austin says he is the excellence of execution now that Bret Hart is gone. Jake Roberts called in to give an update on his injury. Jerry Lawler ripped on Roberts saying he had some booze with him and was going to give Roberts a gift. Mero won with a slingshot leg drop from the apron, by the way.

4. Backstage, Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson cut a promo. Michaels thanks Sunny for the cake. Michaels says he and Ahmed are going to get all the straps tonight.

5. Earlier in the day, Clarence Mason was trying to get someone into the WWF. Mason says his man was never convicted of a crime and believes Monsoon should let his man into the WWF.

6. Brian Pillman made his way out to the ring after Mankind’s victory. He joins the commentary team.

7. We hear from Marc Mero who will wrestle Vader next week and he promises jungle warfare! Mero tells Goldust that he is sick and tired of Goldust messing with his woman. They will be meeting at SummerSlam!

8. Backstage, the Smoking Gunns tell Michaels and Johnson that they are going to pay for what they did earlier in the night!

9. Vince McMahon conducted an interview with Vader and Jim Cornette in the ring. Vader will be meeting Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam. Cornette wants Michaels to remember the bully from high school who would bully him. That man is Vader today. Cornette says Vader is the biggest bully in the WWF! Cornette says Vader will be the WWF World Champion at SummerSlam.

10. Ahmed and Shawn knock the Gunns to the floor with right hands in the opening moments of the contest. Billy and Shawn kick off the match with Shawn getting the better of Billy with right hands and a clothesline sending him to the floor. Michaels slingshots Billy from the apron back into the ring to keep control of the contest. After a break, Bart gets a tag but can’t hit Michaels with an elbow. Ahmed tags in and Bart cheap shots Johnson in the corner. That doesn’t last as Ahmed connects with a clothesline only for Bart to drop Ahmed throat first across the top rope. Ahmed hits a power slam on Billy that was sloppy and tags in Michaels who hits a top rope double axe handle. Shawn is dropped throat first over the top as he attempted a head scissors on Billy. Bart press slams Shawn across the top rope a second time. Bart continues his offense with a swinging neck breaker but Billy enters to only get a two count on the cover. Billy sends Shawn hard into the corner and the champ flips over to the floor. The referee gets distracted as Michaels tags in Ahmed. Shawn is in trouble as the show goes to break. Billy leaps off Bart’s back to splash Michaels in the corner for a two count. Shawn rams the tag champs into each other and all three men are down. Shawn makes the tag to Ahmed who cleans house with right hands. Johnson plants Billy with a spine buster! Bart yanks the top rope down to dump Ahmed to the floor. A mystery man runs out and kicks Ahmed in the side and viciously attacks Johnson on the floor while Michaels fights off the tag champs. Johnson is rammed back first into the ring post! Michaels finally saves Johnson. The man is Ron Simmons dressed up in a rather ridiculous headgear. (**. Nothing special of a match. It was basic and lacked much crowd. The beating on Ahmed after the match was good and would injure Ahmed legit. These four could have produced something better, I’m sure.)

Final Thoughts:
Wrestling wise this show leaves a lot to be desired and is rather weak. However, they have already announced the main event for SummerSlam and there a was a debut of Ron Simmons taking place, too. So, in that sense the show did accomplish some good things. I’ll actually consider it an average show since I wasn’t overly bored by it or anything.