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RAW vs Nitro #19 (1/22/96)

Welcome back to another edition of RAW vs Nitro. Click here to read the last edition if you missed it. Now let's get into it, this is RAW vs Nitro #19!
But first, a recap of what happened at the Royal Rumble, which happened the day before this episode of RAW.
  • Ahmed Johnson defeated Jeff Jarrett by disqualification after Jarrett smashed his guitar over his head.
  • The Smoking Gunns retained the WWF Tag Team Championships against the Bodydonnas.
  • Goldust defeated Razor Ramon to win the Intercontinental Championship after the debuting Marlena distracted the referee, allowing the 1-2-3 Kid to run in and deliver a top rope spinning heel kick to Razor. Goldust capitalized and pinned Razor for the win and the championship.
  • Shawn Michaels won the Royal Rumble match, eliminating Diesel last with Sweet Chin Music.
  • The Undertaker defeated Bret Hart in the main event for the WWF Championship by disqualification. Undertaker hit the Tombstone Piledriver on Hart, but Diesel ran down and pulled the referee out of the ring before he could count the three. Hart retained the title because titles can't change hands on a DQ. Diesel then flipped off the Undertaker before walking off.
  • After the show, Gorilla Monsoon announces that Bret Hart will defend the WWF Championship against Diesel at the next In Your House. Undertaker then walks in and says it will be a cold day in Hell before Diesel ever wins the WWF Championship. Monsoon then announces that the WWF Championship match at In Your House will now be a Steel Cage match.
Now onto RAW.

RAW

  • Before the show, Sunny says that RAW contains action of a graphic nature while playing pool.
  • Savio Vega vs Vader with Jim Cornette-Vader overpowers Vega to start, forcing him into the corner and beating him down to the ground. Vega fights back and manages to superkick Vader out of the ring, but Vader lands on his feet and pulls Vega out of the ring with him. Vader drops Vega across the barricade before taking the fight back into the ring. Vader hits a Stinger Splash in the corner before hitting the Vader Bomb for the win. After the match, Vader does the laziest Worlds Strongest Slam ever before hitting another Vader Bomb on Vega. Vader then attacks the referee and throws him out of the ring. Another referee enters the ring, so Vader slaps him and powerbombs him. Gorilla Monsoon enters the ring and yells at Vader before telling the ring announcer that Vader has been suspended indefinitely. Cornette tries to hold Vader back, but Vader shoves him off. Vader & Monsoon argue before Monsoon chops Vader a few times. Vader responds by splashing Monsoon in the corner and dropping an elbow on him before finishing him off with another Vader Bomb. Shawn Michaels & Razor Ramon run down and run Vader off. This was great, Vader looked like an absolute beast.
  • After a commercial break. We see Gorilla Monsoon being stretchered off. This would be the final appearance of Monsoon as WWF President. Backstage, Vader yells at Jim Cornette before saying he's declaring war on every wrestler & official in the WWF, including Vince McMahon and, as he said, "Mr...AHHHHHH!" Vader then beats up a trash can, which he sets up on a chair for some reason.
    Cornette tries to explain what Vader was trying to say, but he's cut off by the next match.
  • Hunter Hearst Helmsley with Shae Marks vs Razor Ramon-Who is Shae Marks? Well, she's a former Playboy model...searchy searchy. During the match, the 1-2-3 Kid & Ted Dibiase cut a picture-in-picture promo calling Razor a crybaby before holding up a comically large bottle & diaper.
    The two take forever to lock up before Razor knocks Helmsley down. Razor locks in a wristlock before slamming Helmsley while keeping the wristlock on. Helmsley takes the fight to Razor before Razor hits an atomic drop and a clothesline. Helmsley yanks the ropes down, sending a charging Razor over the ropes before the commercial break. We come back to Helmsley hitting a baseball slide on Razor. Helmsley suplexes Razor onto the ropes crotch first before beating him down in the ring. The beat down continues as the 1-2-3 Kid comes down to ringside. Razor starts to fight back before running after the Kid, getting counted out in the process. Razor runs back down to the ring and beats down Helmsley before going for the Razor's Edge, only for Helmsley to escape with Marks.
  • Another sh*tty Billionaire Ted skit. This one ends with the narrator saying "Don't fall for cheap imitations." I want you to remember this line. It'll be very ironic when I get to a certain episode of RAW.
  • Vince McMahon interviews Shawn Michaels in the ring. Michaels says that he is back and that before he goes to WrestleMania, he has to deal with Owen Hart. He says he's the only one in the WWF who talks trash and he & his "clique" are going to beat him on the way to the WWF Championship. This brings out Jim Cornette, who says that Hart is the one who put Michaels on the shelf and that there's no reason for Hart to face Michaels again. Michaels says he'll do anything to face Hart again, so Cornette says if Michaels' puts his WWF Championship match at WrestleMania on the line, he'll let Michaels face Hart. Michaels hesitates but says yes. Michaels then throws Cornette out of the ring.
  • Next week, Diesel faces the British Bulldog and Shawn Michaels faces Yokozuna.
  • Goldust with Marlena vs Bret Hart-Before the match, Goldust says in a picture-in-picture that he has more gold now and his next challenge is Bret Hart. The two lock up before the commercial break. We come back to Hart holding Goldust in a hammerlock before Goldust forces him to the ropes. Goldust locks in a hammerlock of his own and takes Hart to the ground, but Hart fights out and sends Goldust out of the ring before another commercial break.We come back to see Goldust hit a diving punch. Goldust locks in an armbar, but Hart escapes and goes to work on Goldust. Goldust goes a Figure Four, but Hart blocks it and boots Goldust from the ring. Marlena opts to take Goldust to the back, but Razor punches Goldust and throws him back in the the ring. This is not a DQ, somehow, and we go to ANOTHER COMMERCIAL BREAK! Why are there so many commercials in this match? It's completely disrupting the match. We come back to Hart hitting a second rope bulldog and a Russian leg sweep before locking in the Sharpshooter for the submission win. Decent match, but so many commercial breaks hurt it. After the match, Vince McMahon interviews Hart. Hart says Diesel ruined his match at the Royal Rumble and that he wants the steel cage match with Diesel. He also says he'll give the Undertaker a rematch.
That's it for RAW. Onto Nitro.

Nitro

  • Before the show, the debuting Konnan shows up at the commentary booth with the "Mexican Heavyweight Championship." He says he will defend the title next week on Nitro against Psicosis.
  • Ric Flair (c) with Jimmy Hart vs Randy Savage-WCW World Heavyweight Championship-Randy Savage is led to the ring by a bunch of women before Hulk Hogan comes down and says he wants the first shot at the title when Savage wins it. Flair tries to fraternize with Savage's women before the match, and he earns a slap from one of them. That woman was in fact...Woman! Yes, her name is simply "Woman", aka Nancy Sullivan at the time and the future Nancy Benoit...boy, this got awkward fast. Savage goes after Flair on the outside and beats him down at ringside. The two brawl outside the ring before going into the ring. Savage gets a near fall off a clothesline before Flair hits a back elbow. Flair throws Savage out of the ring over the top rope while Jimmy Hart distracts the referee. Flair beats down Savage at ringside before Savage back body drops him onto the floor. Savage goes for a top rope double ax handle to the outside, but Flair dodges and sends Savage into the barricade before the commercial break. We come back to the two trading blows in the ring before Savage hits the 10 punches in the corner and throws Flair out of the ring. The two brawl outside the ring again before going back in the ring. Savage blocks a hip toss and gets a near fall off a backslide before Flair hits a knee breaker. Flair locks in the Figure Four while using the ropes for leverage. The referee catches him, so he yanks Flair out of the hold by his hair.
    I'm pretty sure he can't do that. This then leads to one of the things I hate most about Ric Flair...he sells for referees. After Flair shoves the referee and hardly sells it, the referee shoves him back and he sells it like he just took a hard hit. How does that make any sense? Ric Flair's selling is so inconsistent. How can he get right back up after being thrown off the top rope like it's nothing but then act like he took a devastating hit from a referee half his size? It makes zero sense. After beating down Savage, Flair goes to the top rope, only for Savage to pop and throw him to the mat. Flair pops right back up (of course) just in time to take a double ax handle. Flair pops up AGAIN and takes another one before Savage calls for the elbow drop. Jimmy Hart hops up on the ring apron to distract the referee as Arn Anderson comes down to ringside. Flair holds Savage back so Anderson can hit him with his brass knuckles, but Savage dodges it, causing Anderson to hit Flair. Hogan runs down to take out Anderson as Savage hits the top rope elbow drop for the win and the title. Fine match, nothing special. After the match, however, Savage calls out Hogan for celebrating like he won the title himself. Savage says he won it and is the champion. Hogan says he helped Savage win the belt and that he still wants the next title shot. Savage says they have to face off and they agree to face off in the future. That never happens.
  • Dean Malenko vs Brian Pillman-The two lock up before going back and forth, ending with Pillman avoiding the Texas Cloverleaf and escaping the ring. The two feel eachother out before Pillman locks in a headlock and screams "I'M THE SHOOTER! I'M THE SHOOTER" before breaking the hold and crawling up to the camera to scream "CAUSE I GOT A FULL METAL JACKET!" Pillman hits a suplex for a near fall before slapping Malenko. Malenko responds with a takedown before hitting a running clothesline followed by a suplex. Malenko hits a neckbreaker for a near fall before Pillman responds with a tornado DDT. Malenko hits a double underhook powerbomb for a near fall before dropkicking Pillman to the outside. The two brawl at ringside before Pillman throws Malenko back in. Pillman goes for another tornado DDT, but Malenko blocks it and hits a fireman's carry gutbuster. Malenko locks in a leg lock, but Pillman makes it to the ropes. Pillman gets Malenko's foot tied up in the ropes and makes the cover. Even though Malenko's foot is very obviously tied up in the ropes and his shoulder is up, Pillman gets the win. Pretty good match with an awful finish.
  • Harlem Heat (c) vs Sting & Lex Luger-WCW World Tag Team Championships-Luger & Stevie Ray start off going back and forth until Luger gets a near fall off a high elbow. Booker kicks Luger in the back, allowing Stevie to hit a big boot on Luger for a near fall. Booker tags in, only for Luger to hit a double clothesline and tag in Sting. Sting runs wild on Harlem Heat, hitting Stinger Splashes on both of them before locking in the Scorpion Death Lock on Stevie. Luger gets in the ring, which causes the referee to miss Booker hitting a scissor kick on Sting. Harlem Heat proceeds to beat down Sting until Sting dodges the Harlem Hangover from Booker. Luger gets the hot tag, but the referee doesn't see it. Jimmy Hart runs down to hand Luger a roll of silver dollars as Sting & Booker both go down off a double crossbody spot. Luger gets the tag and blasts Booker with his fist full of coins, which explode out of his hand in the process. The referee has to pretend he doesn't see all the silver dollars on the mat as he counts the three, giving Sting & Luger the win and the titles.
    Fine match, nothing special.
  • One Man Gang vs Hulk Hogan-So even on a show with a world title match AND a tag title match, Hulk Hogan still gets the main event. It's not even like an important match, he's fighting the One Man Gang. Gang forces Hogan into the corner to start, but Hogan fights back and almost gets the big boot early. The two brawl at ringside before fighting back into the ring. Hogan pokes Gang in the eye before biting his head and clotheslining him to the ground. Gang turns the tables on Hogan before hitting a bodyslam and a splash. Hogan pops right up and Hulks Up. Punch. Punch. Whip into the corner. Whip into the corner. Corner clothesline. Big boot. Bodyslam. Leg drop. Win. The United States Champion just got squashed in four minutes. WCW everybody! After the match, the Zodiac runs down, followed by Chris Benoit and Arn Anderson. Hogan proceeds to single-handedly beat all of them by himself before Savage runs down. The Giant tries to get in the ring, but the rest of the Dungeon of Doom hold him back. Hogan & Savage get on the mic, hyping up their secret weapons for Clash of the Champions; Kevin Greene of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miss Elizabeth.
And that's about it. Man, Nitro has been slacking lately. Only one of the four matches on this show had a clean finish, and none of the matches were that great. All of RAW's matches were at least fine, plus Vader being a beast is great. Point to RAW
RAW: 8
Nitro: 11
That's it for this edition of RAW vs Nitro. Stay tuned for the next one.

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