Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 10/30/1995
From: Brandon, Manitoba
Matches:
1.) Goldust defeated Savio Vega
2.) Marty Jannetty defeated Joe Dorgan
3.) WWF World Tag Team Champions The Smoking Gunns defeated Phil Apollo & John Rashner
4.) WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon defeated Owen Hart by disqualification to retain the title
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) This weeks episode is a Halloween themed episode due to Halloween being the next day.
2.) Also, this is the debut for Goldust on RAW. Goldust attacks before the bell and drops Vega with a clothesline. Goldust works over Vega in the corner with shoulder rams. Savio makes a comeback with strikes to knock Goldust down. Goldust holds onto the ropes to avoid a dropkick and Vega crashes down to the canvas. Goldust sends Vega shoulder first into the ring post. Goldust wraps Vega’s arm around the ring post to maintain his focus of attack on the injured limb. Vega ducks a clothesline and nearly wins with a cross body. Goldust quickly regains control with a knee in the corner. Vega avoids a splash in the corner and knocks Goldust down with a series of clotheslines. Goldust sidesteps a spinning heel kick and kicks the injured shoulder of Vega. Goldust rolls Savio up onto the injured shoulder to win the match. (*1/2. Nothing great of a debut for Goldust in terms of in-ring action. However, it’s quite apparent that the character offers something different to the program. A unique entrance and a controversial character adds to the WWF programming.)
3.) Backstage, Razor Ramon and 1-2-3 Kid are having a confrontation before we go to break.
4.) Vince McMahon interviews the British Bulldog and Jim Cornette in the ring. McMahon is wearing a prison outfit thanks to his 1994 steroid trial. Cornette says that he is not happy about what happened at In Your House. Once again, the Bulldog is being overlooked for an opportunity. Jim is mad that Bulldog isn’t involved in the main event at Survivor Series. Bret Hart cost Bulldog the championship. Cornette has gotten Clarence Mason to be their lawyer to make sure that Bulldog gets the chances he deserves to be WWF World Championship. Mason is confident that justice will be served. Mason notes that Bulldog won at Survivor Series and they are arguing that Bulldog won and should be involved at Survivor Series. McMahon says that the man who left with the championship would go to Survivor Series. Cornette is pissed about the Wild Card match at Survivor Series because his guys are split up and have partners that would turn on them quickly. Next week, Bulldog will wrestle Marty Jannetty. Bulldog says that Jannetty doesn’t belong in the same ring as him. That brings Jannetty out and Marty dropkicks Bulldog to the floor. Marty knocks Cornette off his feet with a back elbow! Mason is left in the ring and is begging off. Mason threatens a sue but Jannetty fakes him out and plays to the crowd.
5.) During the Gunns matches, 1-2-3 Kid apologizes for his actions at the pay per view where he attacked Billy and Bart. Kid thinks they should give himself and Ramon a rematch soon.
6.) Backstage, Bret Hart cuts a promo about himself and Diesel going to war at Survivor Series. Hitman says he respects Diesel but everything is in his favor. Hart tells us that whether Diesel likes it or not, he will be the new WWF World Champion.
7.) A promo by Paul Bearer assures us that The Undertaker will be returning to take out King Mabel for crushing his face!
8.) Ramon quickly enters the ring and sends Owen over the top to the floor with a clothesline. Razor yanks Owen down by the arm and continues to work over the arm. Ramon drops Owen with a quick right hand. Owen slaps Ramon but gets caught on a cross body, thus allowing Ramon to hit a fallaway slam. Cornette gets on the apron and is punched off by Razor. Here comes Yokozuna to watch the match for his partner. Owen tries to get out of a hammerlock but Razor slams Hart to the canvas. Owen sidesteps a charging Ramon and sends the champ over the top to the floor. Owen baseball slides Razor chest first into the guard railing. Hart comes off the apron to drop a knee on Razor’s chest. Hart hits a top rope missile dropkick for a two count. Owen splashes onto Ramon, who is across the middle rope.
Owen nails Ramon with a spinning heel kick but only manages to get a near fall. Hart continues his offense with a neck breaker and a top rope elbow drop for a two count. Ramon gets out of a sleeper hold with a back suplex. Razor drops Owen with a discus punch and momentum is clearly on his side. Razor puts Owen on the top rope and goes for a back suplex, only for Owen to reverse, but Ramon rolls through on the canvas for a near fall. Razor goes for the Razors Edge but Yokozuna enters to cause the DQ and runs over Ramon with a clothesline. Yoko drops a leg onto Razor! 1-2-3 Kid runs down and makes the save. Yoko leg drops Kid but here comes Ahmed Johnson! Ahmed scoop slams Yokozuna! The British Bulldog went in for the attack but backed off quickly to end the show. (**. A decent match to end the program but the DQ finish was rather expected. The aftermath with Ahmed Johnson was more memorable than the match itself. Ramon and Owen work well together and this wasn’t any differently.)
Final Thoughts:
An average episode for RAW this week as we got the debut of Goldust and a decent main event. The promo by Bulldog/Cornette sets Bulldog up as the top heel contender for the remainder of the year. I can live with that.
Thanks for reading.