Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 10/7/1996
From: Hershey, PA
Matches:
1.) WWF Intercontinental Champion Marc Mero defeated Diesel by disqualification
2.) The Smoking Gunns defeated The New Rockers
3.) The Sultan defeated Aldo Montoya
4.) Psycho Sid defeated Goldust
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Jim Ross accompanies the fake Diesel to the ring for his match against Marc Mero. Ross heads over to the commentary table and isn’t playing the managerial role it looks like.
2.) Diesel starts the match working over Mero in the corner with elbow strikes to the head and knee lifts. Diesel sends Mero to the corner and delivers a big clothesline to continue his advantage. Mero boots Diesel away and sends Diesel over the top to the floor with a dropkick. Mero dives over the top to the floor onto Diesel to hit a cross body. Mero slingshots back into the ring and to hit a splash for a near fall. Diesel stops Marc by dropping him throat first across the top rope. Diesel continues his offense with a big boot to stop Mero as he was running the ropes. Diesel drives Mero down with a side slam as we hear from Razor Ramon who suggests he needs to take a closer look. Mero counters a back suplex attempt and nearly rolls Diesel up.
Diesel cuts Mero off with a quick clothesline to regain momentum. Diesel casually scoop slams Mero but misses an elbow drop. Ramon is at ringside now as Mero jabs Diesel and hits a head scissors takedown. Marc clotheslines Diesel over the top to the floor and takes Ramon out with a somersault dive over the top to the floor! Ramon enters the ring and that causes a disqualification as Mero is double teamed. Diesel plants Mero with a power bomb and they taunt the crowd. (*1/4. Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I was anticipating. Ramon still throws some really bad punches, but Mero provided enough of a spark that the match wasn’t a miserable experience.)
3.) We go to the graveyard where Undertaker is digging a grave for Mankind. His work is nearly complete and says that Mankind’s existence is nearly over with as well. All he needs to do is bury Mankind alive.
4.) A video promoting Mr. Perfect is aired as he will be returning to in-ring action soon to take on Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
5.) The Smoking Gunns are looking forward to regaining the WWF World Tag Team Championships. Billy is more concerned about getting Sunny back by their sides. Sunny is on the phone and says she might consider taking them back because Billy is too cute to resist.
6.) Billy and Leif start off the match with Leif yanking Billy down by his hair a few times. Leif misses an elbow drop as Billy eye rakes Cassidy to gain control briefly. Jannetty tags into the match as does Bart. Jannetty nearly wins with a rollup but Bart works over Marty with a scoop slam but Jannetty nearly wins with an inside cradle. Jannetty nearly wins again with a backslide on Bart but only manages to get a near fall. Billy runs over Marty with a clothesline and tags Bart back into the ring. Leif clotheslines Bart on the floor as he ways chasing Marty on the floor and the Rockers get momentum. Marty drops Bart with a spinning back elbow and tags in Cassidy. Bart is met with a double right hand and Cassidy delivers a few more kicks and a clothesline for a near fall. Cassidy takes Bart over with a belly to belly suplex. Marty comes off the ropes to hit a fist drop and gets a two count on Bart. Bart fights back on Cassidy with strikes but is met with a kick to the chest. Marty returns to the contest but is kicked by Billy from the apron for the cheap advantage. Billy tags into the contest and stomps away on Marty. Billy leaps off of Bart’s back to clothesline Marty in the corner. Billy misses a charging attempt and Marty sends Billy over the top to the floor. Leif and Bart get tagged into the match with Leif cleaning house on the Gunns. Billy distracts Cassidy so that Bart can set up for the Sidewinder and that gets the three count. (**. An average match with some consistent action. Fans don’t seem to overly care about the Rockers at least in a baby face tag team role.)
7.) Time for another segment about Jesse James being the real singer of the “With My Baby Tonight” that Jeff Jarrett claimed to be the singer of. James says that people wanted to know if he was friends with Jeff still. Jesse doesn’t hate Jarrett but credits Jeff with helping him get as far as he is. James would welcome Jarrett back to hold his bags and calls him “road dog.”
8.) Backstage, Goldust cuts a promo on Sid saying that he will rule Sid tonight.
9.) Jim Ross introduces Jim Cornette and Vader for an interview segment. Ross notes that at Buried Alive, Vader will wrestle Sid in a number one contenders match with the winner facing WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series. Cornette is not happy with that. Cornette says that Vader beat Michaels back in July, twice at SummerSlam and a couple weeks ago on RAW. Cornette thinks the WWF is protecting their merchandise seller. Jim says that Vader will beat Sid with the power bomb. Cornette is confident that Vader will be champion.
10.) Mankind and Paul Bearer are at the graveyard and Mankind is telling Paul Bearer that he doesn’t want to be buried alive and doesn’t want maggots to eat his flesh. Mankidn jumps into the grave and freaks out but grabs the urn and begins to rock back and forth calming down in the process.
11.) Goldust attacks Sid before the bell and clotheslines Sid to the canvas to get the quick advantage. Goldust hammers away on Sid in the corner with right hands. Sid clotheslines Goldust a few times after an atomic drop and goes for the choke slam but switches for the power bomb and Goldust bails to the floor to avoid it. WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels calls in and says he is in for tough battle regardless if it is Vader or Sid. Goldust drops Sid across the top rope to get control and strikes Sid several times. Sid slaps Goldust a few times but is driven face first into the canvas. Goldust power slams Sid but can’t get a three count. Sid grabs Goldust and hits the choke slam! Sid doesn’t go for the cover and rather sets Goldust up for the power bomb and hits it! Sid with the cover and gets the three count. (*1/2. Goldust had some decent offense during this one and the crowd is heavily behind Sid. What a difference a year makes, huh?) After the match, Vader attacks Sid and hits a middle rope splash! Sid completely no sells the move and is behind Vader, who is shocked. Sid choke slams Vader and plays to the crowd while Vader goes to the floor!
Final Thoughts:
Nothing really stood out on this episode as it came across quite average to me. The Undertaker/Mankind stuff is still the most interesting part as their graveyard promos are doing a good job at promoting the match. That feud is on its last legs, though. The rise of Sid is fun to watch, as well.
Thanks for reading.