WWF RAW 9/6/1996

Written by: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 9/6/1996
From: Wheeling, WV

Matches:
1.)Psycho Sid defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley in a WWF Intercontinental Title Tournament Match
2.)Marc Mero defeated Steve Austin by disqualification in a WWF Intercontinental Title Tournament Match
3.)Mankind defeated Alex Porteau
4.)WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Goldust to retain the title

Angle Developments/Notes:
1. This show is called RAW Championship Friday.

2. Sid continues to get incredible babyface heat. Sid tosses Hunter to the floor early on. Hunter bails to the floor after a shoulder block. Sid nails Hunter with a big boot and goes to work on Hunter with kicks to the midsection in the corner. Hunter is able to drop Sid with a swinging neck breaker. Hunter follows up with a knee drop and begins to choke the big man. Sid blocks a right hand and soon goes for a choke slam which he hits! Mr. Perfect makes his way down to ringside as Sid hits the power bomb on Hunter to win the match. (*. Sid is a perhaps the most popular wrestler on the roster at the moment. This was a decent somewhat squash match. Hunter will soon have brighter moments in the WWF.) After the match, Hunter notices that Perfect has taken his girl yet again!

3. We hear from Ahmed Johnson who says he feels a little bit better but not 100%. Johnson believes he is supposed to be in the WWF since he nearly died but didn’t. The doctor says there is a chance Ahmed will be back 100%. Ahmed assures us that he will be back.

4. Brian Pillman says he will reveal what is going on with Bret Hart soon. He is on commentary for Austin/Mero. Mero drops Austin with a right hand after Austin taunted him in the corner. Austin cheap shots Mero with a back elbow in the corner but Mero nearly wins with a roll up. Mero dropkicks Austin for another close fall but Austin bails to the outside. Mero controls Austin with a head scissors for a moment and goes for a backslide which gets him a two count. We go to commercial as Austin backed Mero into a corner. Austin drops Mero throat first across the top rope for a two count. Mero avoids a middle rope forearm drop. Mero clotheslines Austin in the corner and follows up with a series of punches. Mero hits a top rope double axe handle but can’t put Austin away! Austin dumps Mero to the floor and Mero accidentally shoulder blocks the referee from the apron on accident. Austin hits the Stunner on Mero but the referee called for the bell. The referee has disqualified Austin for shoving him in the way. (*1/2. Not that great of a match. Compared to what these two have done in the past, this was actually lackluster and uninteresting for the most part.) After the match, Austin and Mero brawl for a moment until referees come down to break them up.

5. Jerry Lawler is going to interview Mark Henry in the ring this week. Lawler says that Jake Roberts and the Olympics both got bombed. Wow, that was a harsh statement. King says that Henry made him mad at SummerSlam. Henry doesn’t like Lawler or Vader. Lawler issues a challenge to Henry for a match. Lawler wants a wrestling match and not a street fight. Henry says he isn’t ready for wrestling. Lawler proceeds to call Henry a coward. Henry ends up accepting the challenge.

6. Jim Ross announces that Diesel and Razor are on their way back to the World Wrestling Federation!

7. Bob Backlund is in the ring with a microphone. Backlund says he is going to bring back someone to win the WWWF World Championship. Yes, he said the extra W. Backlund introduces an mentor for his protege. Here is the Iron Sheik!

8. The Undertaker cut a promo on Goldust saying that Goldust will rest in peace, finally.

9. Goldust tried to attack Michaels before the bell but is sent over the top to the floor two times. Michaels hammers away on Goldust on the floor before heading to the top but is met with a right hand to the gut back in the ring. Michaels punches Goldust a couple of times but Goldust comes back with a uppercut of his own. Goldust tosses Michaels over the top to the floor and drops the champ throat first across the guard railing! Marlena blows cigar smoke into Shawn’s face. Goldust brings Shawn back into the ring from the apron with a vertical suplex. Goldust stops Shawn with a knee lift to the midsection to keep control of the contest. Backstage, Mankind keeps on saying he has a surprise for Michaels. They both go down after a double clothesline. Michaels hits a leaping forearm smash and kips up to his feet. Michaels scoop slams Goldust and heads to the top rope to hit a cross body but Goldust rolls through for a near win! Michaels hits a top rope elbow drop and signals for the Sweet Chin Music. Marlena gets on the apron and that allows Goldust to regain control. Shawn is sent chest first into the corner and Goldust goes for the Curtain Call but Michaels gets out of it and wins the match with a top rope moonsault! After the match, Mankind runs down to the ring and along with Goldust try to attack the champ, but Michaels leaves the ring. (***. A good television match here between two good talents in the WWF. I’d always been interested in a long-term feud between Goldust and Michaels, but that never happened. I don’t think anyone really thought Goldust had a shot here. Maybe if this match happened three months ago there would be some doubt. Still, it was a good TV main event to close the show.)

Final Thoughts:
Aside from the main event there isn’t anything all that good on this episode. There weren’t any angle developments for the most part either. But, I can’t give it a thumbs down as I really did enjoy the main event. This weeks show just gets an average rating from me.

Thanks for reading.