But first! A quick recap of King of the Ring, which happened the day before this episode of RAW.
- In the semi-finals of the King of the Ring, Steve Austin defeated Marc Mero after hitting the Stone Cold Stunner.
- Also in the semi-finals of the King of the Ring, Jake Roberts defeated Vader by disqualification after Vader pulled the referee down when he was getting DDT'd. After the match, Vader attacked Roberts and hit the Vader Bomb.
- The Smoking Gunns retained the WWF Tag Team Championships over the Godwinns. Billy Gunn got the pin after Bart Gunn hit Phineas Godwinn in the back of the head with his cowboy boot. After the match, the Godwinns attack the Gunns
- The Ultimate Warrior defeated Jerry Lawler after a shoulder tackle in under four minutes.
- The Undertaker faced Mankind. Mankind had the Mandible Claw applied as Paul Bearer tried to hit Mankind with his urn. However, Mankind dodged it, causing Bearer to hit the Undertaker with the urn. Mankind re-applied the hold to get the knockout win. Mankind chased Bearer to the back with a chair after the match.
- Goldust defended the Intercontinental Championship against Ahmed Johnson. Johnson won after hitting the Pearl River Plunge to win his first Intercontinental Championship.
- In the finals of the King of the Ring, Steve Austin defeated Jake Roberts to win the King of the Ring tournament in 4:28. After the match, Austin cuts the famous "Austin 3:16" promo, mocking Roberts' born-again Christian persona. "You sit there and you thump your Bible, and you say your prayers, and it didn't get you anywhere! Talk about your psalms, talk about John 3:16... Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!"He ends by saying he's prepared to run through everyone on the roster and win the WWF Championship.
- Shawn Michaels defended the WWF Championship against the British Bulldog with Mr. Perfect as the special outside enforcer. Unfortunately, no referee pajamas from Perfect.
Michaels retained after hitting Sweet Chin Music. After the match, Bulldog & Owen Hart, who spent the night on commentary, attack Michaels before Ahmed Johnson runs down to make the save. Vader ran down to give Camp Cornette the advantage again before the Ultimate Warrior made the save.
RAW
- Ahmed Johnson vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley-Johnson overpowers Helmsley at first, shoving Helmsley away twice. Johnson applies an armbar before flooring Helmsley with a shoulder block. Johnson controls the match until Helmsley sends him out of the ring and hits a baseball slide. Helmsley throws him into the steps before beating him down around ringside. Back in the ring, Helmsley hits a diving double fist drop for a near fall. Helmsley controls the match as we go to a picture-in-picture promo from Goldust. He says he made a mistake trying to save Johnson's life last night by giving him mouth-to-mouth again before saying he'll end Johnson's life now. Helmsley continues to control the match until Johnson locks in a bearhug. He drops it into an inverted atomic drop before hitting a gorilla press slam for a near fall. Johnson hits an atomic drop followed by a spinebuster. Johnson goes for the Pearl River Plunge, but Helmsley powers out and backdrops Johnson. Helmsley beats down Johnson in the corner, only for Johnson to hit a quick Pearl River Plunge for the win. This was pretty uneventful. After the match, Dok Hendrix interviews Johnson. Johnson accidentally calls Hendrix "Mike" before saying he's proud to be the first African-American Intercontinental Champion. He says he'll defend the title for everyone "black, white, red, or green." He says the title has been around the wrong person for a long time and he'll defend the title for the people. He says if Goldust wants a rematch, he knows where to find him.
- The BodyDonnas with Cloudy vs The Brooklyn Brawler & Jerry Fox-So the BodyDonnas got their new manager. It's Cloudy. Get it, instead of Sunny they have Cloudy...which is the opposite of Sunny!...Why aren't you laughing? Anyways, this is Cloudy:
Yeah. As you can plainly see, Cloudy is a man. That's Jimmy Shoulders, another wrestler and real-life friend of Chris Candido (Skip). Sunny, who is on commentary, hypes up a new singles wrestler she'll be managing. So yeah, the BodyDonnas win after Skip hits a Super-Frankensteiner followed by a seated splash by Zip, but the fans, couldn't care less. They are not over as babyfaces, whatsoever. After the match, Cloudy chases Sunny off before chasing Jerry Lawler into the crowd. - Camp Cornette with Jim Cornette & Diana Smith vs Savio Vega, Aldo Montoya, and Barry Horowitz-I think the J.O.B Squad was more credible than the babyface team in this match. Aside from Vega, the other two are enhancement talent. Owen Hart & Horowitz start off with Horowitz hitting a hip toss and a high knee on Hart. Horowitz follows up with a monkey flip before tagging in Vega. British Bulldog tags in and Vega hits a crossbody for a near fall. Vega follows up with two dropkicks and an arm drag, but Bulldog gets to his corner and tags in Vader. Vader beats down Vega in the corner before clotheslining him. Vega manages to hit a spin kick and a superkick before Hart tags back in. Montoya tags in two dropkicks, but Hart catches him with a spinning heel kick before tagging in Bulldog for a delayed vertical suplex. Vader tags in for a chokeslam before tagging Bulldog back in for an assisted corner splash. Bulldog hits a running powerslam before tagging in Hart for the submission victory.
- Brian Pillman comes down to the ring on crutches before the main event. He says he hasn't gotten paid since signing and demands his money, despite not wrestling yet due to his ankle injury.
- The Undertaker with Paul Bearer vs Steve Austin-Austin attacks Taker from behind and rams him into the turnbuckle, but it has no effect. Taker strikes away at Austin before ramming him into the turnbuckle. Taker follows up with a big boot before clotheslining Austin out of the ring. During this time, Jerry Lawler pesters Bearer at ringside. Austin pulls Taker out of the ring but gets thrown into the post for his troubles. Back in the ring, Taker controls the match before Austin rolls out of the ring. Austin tries to pull Taker out of the ring, but Taker kicks him back. Austin tries to walk out of the match, but Taker stops him and brings him back to the ring. Taker bodyslams Austin but misses an elbow drop. Austin charges at Taker in the corner, but Taker gets his boot up before the commercial break. We come back to see Taker hit Old School on Austin. Taker chokes Austin in the corner before Austin takes out Taker's knee with a chop block. Austin targets Taker's leg, kicking away at it, slamming it into the ring apron, and tying it up in the ropes. Austin controls the match as Goldust & Marlena come down to the ring and take a seat at commentary. Taker fights out of a hold and goes for a big boot, but Austin takes out his knee again before the commercial break. We come back to see Austin dodge a jumping clothesline from Taker. Austin goes for a body guillotine, but Taker dodges it and chokeslams Austin. Goldust proceeds to leave commentary and hop up on the apron as Taker goes for the Tombstone Piledriver. Goldust throws some gold dust in Taker's eyes to cause a DQ. Austin takes the fight to the blinded-Undertaker, but Taker is able to fight him off. Jerry Lawler gets in the ring and tells Taker to ask if Bearer cost him the match against Mankind at King of the Ring on purpose, but Taker scares him off to close the show.
That's it for RAW. Onto Nitro.
Nitro
- We kick off the show with Mean Gene interviewing Randy Savage, Sting, and Lex Luger. Savage & Luger both have their faces painted like Sting. Savage says WCW is their country and tonight, they'll divide and conquer. Savage leaves to prepare for his match tonight. Sting says he's not OK with attacking a commentator and questions where Hall & Nash's third man is. Luger says WCW stands strong and as a unit, they're the very best. Suddenly, the Steiner Brothers show up. They say they'll have their backs at Bash and the Beach, but tonight they're taking the Tag Team Championships. Harlem Heat shows up and says they want the titles tonight. All three teams argue before we go to the opening match.
- The Blue Bloods with Jeeves & Earl Robert Eaton vs Public Enemy-Before the match, Public Enemy cuts a barely comprehensible promo. Rock & Regal start off mocking eachother and dancing. The two finally lock up before Rock locks in a wristlock. Regal fights out and hits a hip toss before mocking Rock. Rock responds with a dropkick that sends Regal out of the ring. Regal makes a tag to Taylor while he's outside the ring. That's not a legal tag but referee Nick Patrick's just like "f*ck it" and lets Taylor get in the match. Taylor uppercuts Rock a bunch before Rock flips over him in the corner Daniel Bryan-style before an ugly spot where Taylor rolls up Rock into the corner. Taylor stomps Rock before Rock hits a clothesline and dropkicks Taylor out of the ring. Rocco Rock is surprisingly athletic. Regal tags back in (legally, this time!) before Rock applies a full nelson. Regal turns it into one of his own, but Rock fights out, only to eat sh*t on a springboard moonsault. Taylor tags in and uppercuts Rock before throwing him into the corner. The Blue Bloods control the match until a double clothesline spot between Rock & Regal. Johnny Grunge gets the hot tag and runs wild on Taylor, hitting a bodyslam. Regal breaks up the pin before chaos ensues. Eaton trips up Grunge, causing him to land on his cast covered wrist. However, this doesn't matter in the slightest, as he clocks Taylor with his cast covered hand for the win. This was better than I expected. Granted, my expectations are about as low as possible when it comes to the Public Enemy, but still. The ending was a bit dumb, though.
- Kevin Sullivan with Jimmy Hart vs Kip Abee-Sullivan straight up takes Abee right to the crowd and over to the concessions stand. He throws him around before getting back to the ring. Mean Gene is there with Jimmy Hart, who says he & Sullivan are walking out of Horsemen Country alive. Sullivan says the crowd wants Ric Flair to take the World Heavyweight Championship off the Giant, but that's not happening.
- GLACIER VIGNETTE!
- Bobby Walker vs Dean Malenko-Oh great, Bobby Walker's back...whoopie. Malenko gets a quick near fall off an arm drag. Walker follows up with an arm drag of his own, which prompts Malenko to leave the ring. He quickly goes back in and catches Walker with an elbow. Malenko follows up with a bodyslam before holding Walker in a crucifix. Malenko controls the match before locking in the Texas Cloverleaf. He lets go of the hold after he notices Disco Inferno come down to the ring with a record. This allows Walker to fight back and hit a back body drop and a dropkick for a near fall. Disco calls for his music to play and gets in the ring & dances as Walker gets a roll up.Disco Inferno might be the best. This distraction allows Malenko to hits a snap suplex and a monkey flip. Walker lands on his feet, but Malenko dropkicks him into Disco, who falls out of the ring. Malenko hits a Northern Lights suplex for the win. After the match, Malenko yells at Disco before Disco says he interrupted the match because Malenko & Walker were boring the crowd, so he came out to entertain them.
- The Barbarian vs Eddie Guerrero-Guerrero uses his quickness to avoid the larger Barbarian at first, but Barbarian catches him and forces him into the corner. Guerrero escapes a gorilla press slam and goes for a sunset flip, but Barbarian blocks it. Guerrero dodges a punch and hits a dropkick followed by a pop-up dropkick for a near fall. Guerrero goes for a springboard crossbody, but Barbarian catches him and rams him into the corner. Barbarian follows up with a big powerbomb for a near fall. Barbarian controls the match before Guerrero blocks a powerbomb attempt and hits a side suplex. Guerrero goes to the top rope, but Barbarian meets him there and hits a super belly-to-belly suplex. Barbarian is pretty dope. Guerrero rolls out of the ring, but Barbarian brings him back to the top rope and goes for a superplex. Guerrero manages to turn it around and land on Barbarian and gets the three for the win. This was pretty good. After the match, Mean Gene interviews Guerrero. Guerrero says he wants to face Konnan for the United States Championship after his controversial loss at Uncensored before wishing Savage, Sting, and Luger his best against Hall & Nash.
- Arn Anderson & Chris Benoit with Steve McMichael vs The Rock 'n' Roll Express-Morton & Benoit start off with Benoit hitting a shoulder block. After a long break, Morton floors Benoit with a punch. Benoit goes for a powerbomb, but Morton turns it into an arm drag before hitting a corner crossbody for a near fall. Gibson tags in for a running knee lift and an arm drag. Morton gets a near fall off a sunset flip before Anderson tags in. Anderson locks in a sleeper hold, but Gibson breaks it by backing up to the corner. Anderson goes for a double axe handle, but Gibson catches him with a back elbow before tagging in Morton. Anderson leaves the ring and lures Morton into a clothesline from Benoit. Back in the ring, Benoit tags in and stomps away at Morton. Morton is able to fight back and tags in Gibson, who fights with Benoit as Morton punches Anderson in the corner. As the referee is distracted with Morton & Anderson, Mongo clocks Gibson with his briefcase, allowing Benoit to get the pin. Fine match, nothing special. After the match, Joe Gomez runs down to brawl with Anderson but gets clocked by Mongo. Randy Savage & Kevin Greene run down and Horsemen leave the ring.
- Backstage, Mean Gene interviews Ric Flair with Woman, Miss Elizabeth, and Debra. He says the Horsemen took charge tonight and says Savage & Greene can't get to him because he's in a secure area. The rest of the Horsemen join Flair & the ladies before Mongo shows off his Super Bowl ring. Mongo says the Horsemen are nationwide and nobody can stop them.
- Alex Wright vs Diamond Dallas Page-Wright almost gets two quick roll up wins before dropkicking Page out of the ring. Back in the ring, the two trade holds before Page throws Wright to the mat. Wright gets back up and goes for a suplex, but Page blocks it and drops Wright down to the mat. Page hits a gutbuster but misses a kick, allowing Wright to hit an inverted atomic drop, a few uppercuts, and a heel kick. Wright hits a double axe handle followed by a springboard dropkick that sends Page out of the ring. Wright hits a plancha and throws Page back in the ring. Wright goes for a slingshot splash, but Page blocks it with his knees. Page hits the Diamond Cutter for the win. Fine match, nothing special. After the match, Mean Gene interviews DDP. Page says the Diamond Cutter will finish anybody off and says WCW is trying to hold him down by putting him in a Taped Fist match against Jim Duggan at Bash at the Beach. DDP says nobody has even beaten Duggan in a Taped Fist match, which isn't true. Big Bubba beat him at Uncensored. He was there, he should know this. Page says he'll beat Duggan and keep his title as the Lord of the Ring.
- Mean Gene interviews Kevin Greene. He says Mongo sold him out and turned his back on him. He says that after the Carolina Panthers season is over, he's coming for Mongo and the Four Horsemen.
- V.K. Wallstreet vs Randy Savage with Kevin Greene-Savage takes the fight right to Wallstreet, ramming his head into the corner and dragging his face across the top rope. Outside the ring, Wallstreet shoves Greene before getting back in the ring and almost getting pinned with a roll up. Wallstreet throws Savage out of the ring and over the guard rail. Back in the ring, Wallstreet controls the match until Savage kicks Wallstreet for a near fall. Savage hits a suplex for a near fall but misses an elbow drop. Wallstreet stomps away at Savage before suplexing him and going to the top rope. Wallstreet goes for a diving fist drop, but Savage gets his boot up, clotheslines Wallstreet, and goes for the diving elbow drop. Wallstreet dodges it and rolls out of the ring, only to get thrown into the ring post by Greene and back in the ring. Savage hits a bodyslam and the diving elbow drop for the win. The babyface cheated to win, he got outside assistance. Boo.
- Sting & Lex Luger (c) vs Harlem Heat vs The Steiner Brothers-WCW Tag Team Championships-Scott Steiner & Booker T start the match with Steiner hitting an arm drag. Steiner follows up, but gets cheap shotted by Stevie Ray, allowing Booker to hit a crescent kick for a near fall. Booker goes for a spin kick, but Steiner dodges it and hits a double underhook suplex, but Luger breaks up the pin. Rick Steimer & Stevie Ray tag in and Stevie beats down Steiner. Steiner comes back and hits a German suplex followed by a clothesline, but Booker breaks up the pin. Scott Steiner tags in, only to quickly tag in Sting. Stevie Ray forces Sting into Harlem Heat's corner, where they work over Sting until Booker crotches himself on the top rope off a missed wheel kick. Sting continues to assault Booker's balls with an inverted atomic drop for a near fall. Sting bodyslams Booker and goes for a slingshot splash, but Booker blocks it with his knees. Stevie Ray tags in and beats down Sting before hitting a body slam for a near fall before the commercial break. We come back to see Booker hit a jawbreaker on Sting. Booker hits a powerslam for a near fall before applying a shoulder claw. Harlem Heat controls the match until Sting & Booker collide. Booker goes down and Sting falls head first into Booker's balls. June 24, 1996 was a bad day to be Booker T's testicles. Luger gets the hot tag and runs wild on Harlem Heat. Luger hits a powerslam on Booker as Scott Hall & Kevin Nash come down to from the crowd with baseball bats. Security & police flood the ring.During the commotion, Booker T rolls up Luger for the win, giving Harlem Heat the win and the Tag Team Championships for the fifth time. The babyfaces stand with security, who have their nightsticks drawn and their hands on their guns. Opting not to get shot, Hall & Nash back off to close the show.
RAW: 16
Nitro: 22
That's it for this edition of RAW vs Nitro. Stay tuned for the next one.
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