Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 10/16/1995
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Matches:
1.) Hunter Hearst Helmsley defeated Doink the Clown
2.) WWF World Tag Team Champions The Smoking Gunns defeated PG-13
3.) Dean Douglas defeated Joe Dorgan
4.) Bret Hart defeated Isaac Yankem in a steel cage match
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) The show starts off with Isaac Yankem, Bret Hart and Jerry Lawler cutting promos about the steel cage match tonight. If Lawler gets involved in the match, he will be put inside another small cage.
2.) Over the weekend, Jim Cornette cut a promo with British Bulldog about turning on Diesel and pinning the WWF World Champion last week right in the middle of the ring. Bulldog is doing to do it again this Sunday at In Your House. Bulldog feels that he hasn’t been getting treated with any respect. He will make sure he gets respect this Sunday.
3.) Ahmed Johnson cuts a promo about a woman making minimum wage. He tells kids to do well in school. If your mother can find $7-8 to attend a WWF event, you can do well in school.
4.) Shawn Michaels calls in during the Douglas match. Michaels had recently gotten jumped at a bar in Syracuse. Despite the attack, Michaels assures us that he will be at In Your House.
5.) A vignette promoting the debut of Goldust is aired. Goldust says that he doesn’t care about Marty Jannetty and he will never forget his name.
6.) Paul Bearer cuts a promo saying that the Undertaker has been taken out of action due to the attack of Yokozuna and Mabel. Bearer says that Yoko and Mabel have crushed his face and the Undertaker may never look the same. However, the Undertaker will soon return to action and crush the souls of Yokozuna and Mabel.
7.) Yankem backs Hart to the corner and starts to pummel the Hitman in the corner with strikes. Hart avoids an attack in the corner and fights back with a series of punches and an atomic drop followed by a clothesline. Hart scoop slams Yankem and tries to escape the cage but is stopped. Yankem drives Bret into the canvas and tries to leave the cage but is also stopped. Hart punches Yankem off the cage and nearly gets over the cage but is pulled back over into the ring. Yankem sends Hart face first into the steel cage. Yankem attempts to leave but Hart yanks him off and drives Yankem face first into the mat. Hart wants to escape through the door, but the referee struggles with the key for the lock. That allowed Yankem to recover and attack Hart from behind. The referee is struggling with the lock and it’s revealed that Jerry Lawler has switched the locks as he has on with him at the commentary table!
Hart slams Yankem off the top rope and leaps off the top to hit a clothesline. Hart has the Sharpshooter locked in but tapping out does nothing. Hart has Yankem weakened on the mat and goes to escape the cage, however Jerry Lawler leaves the commentary table and punches Hart back into the ring. Gorilla Monsoon comes out and ends up putting Lawler in the smaller cage. Hart punches Lawler to the floor where he is escorted to the smaller cage. The smaller cage is lifted into the air and over the ring. Yankem crotches Hart over the top rope and continues to work over Hitman. Hart gets over the cage but Yankem is able to pull Hart back over into the ring. Yankem slams Bret off the top rope. Yankem attempts to leave but cage but Bret gets up to prevent the escape. Hart loses his footing and crotches himself over the top rope after knocking Yankem back into the ring. Jerry Lawler has gotten a nose bleed and his whining is hilarious.
Hart rams Yankem face first into the cage and hammers away on his rival. Hart side slams Yankem and again tries to escape the cage. Yankem recovers and pulls Bret back into the ring. Yankem plants Hart with a DDT. Yankem attempts another escape from the cage but Hitman prevents that from happening. Yankem sends Hart hard into the corner chest first. Lawler passes down the key to the lock for the door but Hart comes from behind and punches Yankem in the groin. Bret plants Yankem with a bulldog and a back breaker. Hart comes off the middle rope with an elbow drop. Hart casually climbs over and escapes the cage to win the match. (*1/4. Well, that was a rather boring cage match. The most entertaining part of the match was Lawler whining about being stuck inside a small cage. The finish lacked any emotion or drama.)
Final Thoughts:
The go-home show for In Your House was rather lackluster and it didn’t really hype any of the matches for the pay per view. The cage match was a big disappointment and I’m a sucker for cage matches to begin with. A thumbs down for this weeks RAW.
Thanks for reading.