WWF Monday Night Raw Results
December 11, 1995 (Taped November 20)
Richmond, Virginia (Richmond Coliseum)
Commentary: Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“The World Wrestling Federation: for over fifty years, the revolutionary force in sports entertainment.” The WWF video leads us into the show.
Video: Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler narrate a video to hype up tonight’s Raw. McMahon says the ER is coming to the WWF (a reference to the popular 1990s series ER, which really launched George Clooney). Mr. Backlund is the carrier of an infectious disease known as the Crossface Chickenwing. Lawler says WWF Champion Bret “Hitman” Hart is identified as Patient Zero. McMahon says two weeks ago on Raw, Hart was the first to suffer side effects. Lawler says no one is immune. McMahon says Hart will look to inoculate Backlund. We’ll also hear from Shawn Michaels for the first time since his collapse.
Video: The battle on top of the WWF Headquarters video plays.
Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler welcome us to the show. McMahon says WWF Champion Bret Hart will battle Mr. Bob Backlund in a non-title match. Hart will also put the title on the line this Sunday at In Your House. Tonight, we’ll see Diesel. Ahmed Johnson will also be in action.
Owen Hart w/ Yokozuna, Jim Cornette, and Mr. Fuji vs. Jeff Hardy
Referee: Tim White
The bell rings, and Hart kicks Hardy before punching and chopping him. Hart hooks a side headlock before Hardy whips him off. Hart runs him over with a shoulder tackle and hits the ropes. Hardy drops down before leapfrogging him and hitting a hip toss. Hardy wrenches the arm.
Backstage, “Big Daddy Cool” Diesel is watching this match. Hart will battle Diesel at In Your House this Sunday. Diesel answered the open challenge to avenge Shawn Michaels.
Back to the ring, Hart turns Hardy inside out with a kitchen sink knee to the midsection. Hart stomps the midsection and hits a backbreaker. Diana Hart is shown watching the match, supposedly at ringside. Hart sends Hardy into the corner and uppercuts him. Hart grinds Hardy’s face on the ropes before hitting a snap suplex. Hart pops up to his feet and shouts, “Everybody loves me!” Hardy blocks a shot into the corner and bounces Hart off the top turnbuckle. Hart reverses a whip and turns Hardy inside out with a clothesline. Hart goes to the top rope and connects with a missile dropkick. Hart feigns going for a Sharpshooter before doing a jackknife pin for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Owen Hart
As soon as the bell rings, a number of fans in the background start running to the left of the screen. It’s an odd visual. I wonder what happened there.
Diesel is watching backstage as Yokozuna steps into the ring. Hart puts Hardy in the corner, and Yokozuna goes to the second rope for a devastating Banzai Drop! Hart then pulls Hardy to the center of the ring and locks him in a Sharpshooter. Diesel has seen enough and charges down to the ring. Hart escapes. Yokozuna tries to attack Diesel, but Diesel takes it to the big man. Diesel rocks him with a clothesline, but Yokozuna doesn’t go down. Diesel then big boots the behemoth out of the ring! Diesel celebrates in the ring before walking off.
Mike’s Thoughts: Multiple legends in that ring, including the enhancement talent. Awesome to see a very young Jeff Hardy, just a few years away from a full-time contract and superstardom, perform against Owen Hart. They matched up well. Amazing that Hardy, who has put his body through so much punishment, is still going at a high level thirty years later. The post-match was very good. It was super goofy that they kept showing those clips of Diana Hart, who was allegedly at ringside. It was so obvious that she wasn’t there, and those were filmed at some other point. Not fooling me!
Later tonight, WWF Champion Bret Hart will battle Mr. Bob Backlund in a non-title match. Coming up next, we’ll hear from Shawn Michaels.
-Commercial Break-
Chaparita Asari vs. Aja Kong
Referee: Mike Chioda
The bell rings, and Kong kicks Asari before sending her to the corner. Asari avoids an avalanche and sends her to the opposite corner for a handspring mule kick. Asari hits it a second time before sending Kong into the ropes. Asari attempts a running crossbody block, but she bounces off the mighty Kong. Jerry “The King” Lawler says Kong is like a bowling shoe because there’s nothing much uglier than that. Kong sends Asari into the ropes for an avalanche. Kong celebrates a bit before hitting a pair of hairmares before kicking her in the spine a few times. Asari tries to fight back, but Kong kicks her in the chest. Kong punches Asari down before connecting with a vertical suplex. 1… 2… Kong pulls Asari’s shoulders up. Asari hits a nasty package piledriver and covers. 1… 2… Kong pulls Asari’s shoulders up again. Kong clubs Asari’s spine before hitting a snapmare and a STIFF kick to the back. Kong viciously kicks her in the chest and hits a big splash. Kong pulls her shoulders up before the referee can count. Asari fights back and goes for a dropkick, but Kong swats her away. Kong shakes her hips, so Asari slaps away at her. Kong headbutts her down before headbutting the turnbuckle a few times. Kong connects with a scoop slam before going to the second rope for a splash, but Asari moves. Asari heads to the top rope for a spinning senton splash, but Kong moves. Kong then absolutely annihilates her with a spinning back fist for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Aja Kong
Two referees get in the ring to help Chaparita Asari up. Her nose is gushing blood, broken from the spinning back fist moments ago.
Mike’s Thoughts: Welp, that’s it. From now until basically 1998 (other than a goofy segment or two), there won’t be another women’s match on Raw. But WOW was this final one STIFF as hell! At least in the United States, Aja Kong was about thirty years too early. As last week, the final appearance of Alundra Blayze on Raw, the commentators’ comments regarding the look of the women were disgusting, but for the time, quite par for the course. Kong and Chaparita Asari delivered a stiff match that saw Asari legitimately break her nose, and McMahon and Lawler are sitting there either ignoring it or saying Kong is disgusting. Not exactly the way to get a monster woman heel over.
Why is this the final women’s match on Raw for three years? Find out next week!
Shawn Michaels’ first interview since his collapse
Earlier today, Todd Pettengill was with a smiling Shawn Michaels. HBK compliments Pettengill for reading his press and believing it. Pettengill says everyone has been concerned about him and asks how he is feeling. HBK thanks the fans of the World Wrestling Federation for their concern. HBK, as a man, person, and superstar, says it means a lot to him. HBK thinks he’s ok and isn’t suffering from any of the symptoms that his doctors claim he has. There is no dizziness or blackouts. Pettengill says everyone is talking about him and wants to ask when he’s coming back. HBK says he would return today, but there are doctors and people in higher places who don’t agree. HBK will have to ignore the authority and do what he wants. Before long, he’ll be back.
Pettengill says it has to be cool to be HBK. He’s been the Intercontinental Champion and the Tag Team Champion. He’s never been WWF Champion, but he’s had an awesome career. HBK says there are goals left for him to attain. He’d like to stick around to see them through. Pettengill asks if that prospect is in jeopardy.
HBK turns serious at the thought of retirement, asking if that’s what this is all about. It’s not about Pettengill’s concern for him. It’s about Pettengill getting his reaction to that question on his camera. HBK says it must be easy for Pettengill to sit there. For HBK, to respond to a question like that… this is not a job. This is his life. This means more to him than just about anything he could dream of. HBK is not going to dignify that question with a response.
Mike’s Thoughts: Damn good interview segment with Shawn Michaels and Todd Pettengill. Pettengill was his usual goofy, disingenuous self, but Michaels was on another level, going all in on this storyline. This is the first we’ve heard from him since the collapse a few weeks back, and it was great. The acting was top-notch. The false bravado as he tries to convince himself that his career isn’t in jeopardy, only to crash out a bit when pressed about the possibility… cinema. Great stuff, played to perfection.
-Commercial Break-
Video: Bret Hart will put the WWF Championship on the line against The British Bulldog, Hart’s brother-in-law and someone Hart has never beaten.
Video: Dean Douglas tells Ahmed Johnson to gather his family close because, at In Your House, his meteoric rise in the WWF comes to an end.
Ahmed Johnson vs. Rick Stockhausen
Referee: Jack Doan
The bell rings, and Stockhausen attacks Johnson from behind. Johnson absorbs the offense before attacking him. Johnson sends Stockhausen into the ropes and hits a vicious (and sloppy) spinebuster. Johnson sends him back into the ropes for another spinebuster. Johnson connects with the Pearl River Plunge (the first time it was called that on Raw) for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Ahmed Johnson
Video: Karate Fighters, Electronic Hot Shot, and WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game are sponsoring Raw. These classic commercials are shown.
Jerry “The King” Lawler gets up to interview Ahmed Johnson. Lawler sarcastically addresses him, saying he knows Johnson is waiting for this Sunday. It must be like a little kid waiting in the principal’s office, a little nervous and not knowing what to expect. Dean Douglas told Lawler that the toughest four years of Johnson’s life were in third grade. Johnson says if Douglas did his homework, he’d never sign up to face him. Johnson tells Lawler to sit down where he runs his big mouth, and he’ll go take care of Douglas.
Mike’s Thoughts: Pretty basic squash match for Ahmed Johnson. The promos are proving to be a challenge for him early on (and it doesn’t get much better), but the guy is all intensity and high impact.
Later tonight, WWF Champion Bret Hart will battle Mr. Bob Backlund. Coming up next, we’ll hear from Sycho Sid, the 1-2-3 Kid, and Ted DiBiase.
Dok Hendrix’s Merchandise Pit
We see Dok Hendrix in an awful denim jacket with Shawn Michaels painted on the back. There are also ones for Undertaker, Bret Hart, and Diesel, which you can buy for only $59.95.
Video: A little kid looks at a lineup of Santas, with four of them being Razor Ramon, Ahmed Johnson, Yokozuna, and Hakushi. There’s a wimpy guy dressed as Santa in the middle. The kid says the guy in the middle told him that Santa isn’t real, wrestlers are wimps, and cigarettes are good for you. The wrestlers beat the little man with their Santa sacks. The cop turns and lets it happen. Happy Holidays for the World Wrestling Federation.
-Commercial Break-
Video: “Classy” Freddie Blassie gets some wrestlers excited about the Raw Bowl on the first Raw of 1996. Blassie tells them to kick those pencil neck geeks’ butts.
The Million Dollar Corporation speaks
Vince McMahon is in the ring with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, the 1-2-3 Kid, and Sycho Sid. McMahon says Kid and Sid will face “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon and Marty Jannetty. McMahon asks Kid about running away the last time we saw him. DiBiase says he’s the spokesperson and will start it off. Ramon is a whiny, crying, bellyaching greaseball. They didn’t invite Ramon down to ringside. Last week on Raw, he chased him out of the building. When Sid is in the ring, Kid will be there because he’s in the Million Dollar Corporation. The same goes for when Kid is in the ring because they’re one big, happy family. DiBiase predicts that Kid and Sid will soon be Tag Team Champions.
Kid says he doesn’t worry about the people and only cares about winning. DiBiase asks what’s the most important thing of all. Kid says to get the money. Kid screams that Ramon has twisted his mind for the last few years. Ramon has used him like a puppet. Jannetty is a great wrestler and was the Intercontinental Champion. They were even Tag Team Champions, but Kid carried the team. At In Your House, they’ll show why they’re the best tag team in history.
Sid says he feels sorry for Mr. Jannetty because he is a victim of circumstance. At In Your House, Jannetty has chosen the wrong partner. Sid does not feel sorry for Ramon. The things they’ll do to him, they’ll enjoy. Sid says if the Kid is in the ring, he’s welcome. Same with him. They are family. Sid feels sorry for Jannetty and won’t enjoy what he has to do. McMahon sneers at Sid. Sid then starts to laugh and says he’s not serious. They will enjoy this. The Million Dollar Corporation walks off.
Mike’s Thoughts: For as good as the Shawn Michaels interview segment was a little while ago, this was the complete opposite. Awful, campy garbage.
Video: Next week on Raw, Yokozuna will battle Razor Ramon for the Intercontinental Championship.
Mr. Bob Backlund heads to the ring. Last week on Raw, he beat up a sound engineer.
WWF Champion Bret “Hitman” Hart follows soon after.
Video: Promotional consideration paid for by the following: Ricochet, NFL Quarterback Club 96, and Erector.
-Commercial Break-
Non-Title Match
Mr. Bob Backlund vs. WWF Champion Bret “Hitman” Hart
Referee: Earl Hebner
Diana Hart-Smith, Bret Hart’s sister, is watching from ringside.
The bell rings, and Backlund goes for a takedown, but Hart sidesteps him. Hart tries to trap Backlund in a waistlock, but Backlund makes it to the ropes. They go for a test-of-strength, but Hart wrenches the arm and applies a waistlock. Backlund reverses it, but Hart takes him down. Backlund hooks a head-scissor and squeezes Hart’s head. Hart gets out and applies a front facelock.
Jerry “The King” Lawler leaves commentary to interview Diana Hart-Smith. It’s clear this isn’t happening while the match is going on. Diana says she has known about Davey Boy Smith’s wrestling prowess, but no one listened. She supports Jim Cornette getting him a title shot when no one else did.
Back to concentrating on the match, Backlund gets to the ropes to escape a waistlock. Backlund stands on the apron and shouts at the crowd before Hart dropkicks him off into the barricade.
-Commercial Break-
Back from the break, Hart catches Backlund with a backslide pin for a two-count. Backlund rolls out of the ring to recover. Backlund holds his back in pain before getting into the ring to break the count and quickly rolls back out. Backlund gets back on the apron, so Hart brings him in the hard way and clubs away at the arm. Hart sends him into the ropes for a slam, but Backlund gets out and attempts a Crossface Chickenwing. Hart quickly dives at the ropes to break the hold. Backlund holds it for a few seconds, then releases to avoid disqualification. Backlund attacks Hart’s arm and twists it around the top rope. Backlund whips Hart hard into the turnbuckle and continues to attack the arm. Backlund sizes Hart up, but Hart gets to the corner. Backlund continues to work on the arm before hitting a snapmare. Backlund elbows Hart in the injured arm and stretches it a bit. Backlund stomps the arm and applies an arm bar. Backlund digs his elbow into the muscle. Hart soon gets out, but Backlund quickly forearms him down. Backlund goes back to the arm. Hart fights up and wrenches Backlund’s arm. Backlund attempts a slam, but Hart falls on him for a two-count. Hart rolls him up for a two-count.
-Commercial Break-
Back from the break, Hart takes it to Backlund and hits a Russian leg sweep for a two-count. Hart connects with a backbreaker before going to the second rope for a diving elbow drop. Hart grabs the legs for a Sharpshooter. Before he can lock it in, he releases as The British Bulldog gets in the ring. Bulldog doesn’t do anything. Backlund then traps Hart in the Crossface Chickenwing. The referee calls for the bell.
Winner by Disqualification: WWF Champion Bret “Hitman” Hart
Bulldog stomps away at Hart as WWF officials and referees get in the ring to separate them. Bulldog continues to stomp Hart. Backlund quickly grabs Hart and applies another Crossface Chickenwing. Bulldog shows appreciation to Backlund before stomping his brother-in-law again.
Mike’s Thoughts: God, that was PAINFULLY boring. Not even the great Bret Hart could make a match with Bob Backlund interesting. Nothing was bad in this per se, but the prospect of trying to take Backlund seriously at this point was tough. It was tough the year before when Backlund beat Hart for the title. And that finish? Woof. This went on too long and ended atrociously. This is absolutely not the way to get people behind your champion. All those interviews Hart has done, saying they purposely booked him weak in this run… It’s kind of hard to argue.
Quick Match Results
— Owen Hart def. Jeff Hardy
— Aja Kong def. Chaparita Asari
— Ahmed Johnson def. Rick Stockhausen
— WWF Champion Bret “Hitman” Hart def. Mr. Bob Backlund via DQ in a Non-Title Match
Mike’s Wrap-Up: What We Learned from Raw
This was a strange episode of Raw. It wasn’t terrible, it wasn’t great, but it was a real snapshot of where the WWF was in late 1995. You had some legitimately compelling pieces: the follow-up to Shawn Michaels’ collapse was truly excellent, a genuinely strong TV segment that got you emotionally invested in him as more than a wrestler. You had Ahmed Johnson continuing to carve out a spot as the next big powerhouse. And you had a really good opening with Owen Hart going over a young Jeff Hardy before Diesel stormed the ring.
But then there was the other half of this show.
The Aja Kong vs. Chaparita Asari match was brutal, stiff, and impressive, but watching it now, knowing it’s basically the end of women’s wrestling on WWF television for almost three years, is kind of sad. The commentary didn’t help. This didn’t die because of the work in the ring. It died because the WWF had no idea what to do with women… and something else next week.
And then you get to the main event. Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund in 1995 was never going to hit the way it did in 1994, and even then, it didn’t exactly land. Backlund is now a full year into the crazy man phase of his character, and the match reflected that. It was brutally slow and methodical, but even worse, it was utterly pointless. Bulldog’s interference, which was awkward and weird (maybe Backlund was supposed to immediately snatch Hart for the chickenwing and was late?), wasn’t exactly the kind of hook that sends viewers into Sunday feeling psyched for this PPV.
In the broader Monday Night War picture, this episode once again shows the gap in urgency between the two companies. On one side, you have the unpredictable Nitro, where Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were facing each other in a Tag Team main event. Raw was once again controlled and sterile, having been taped weeks earlier. I mean, Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund was a main event. Like, come on.
So, was Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund the draw Vince McMahon believed?
WWF Raw (USA Network, taped): 2.5 (Record: 6-6-2)
WCW Nitro (TNT, live): 2.6 (Record: 6-6-2)
Winner: WCW Nitro
Apparently not.
Email – mike@wrestleview.com
X – @MikeTedescoWV
Thanks for reading!
Part of Wrestleview’s Monday Night War: 30 Years Later series, with weekly Raw and Nitro recaps every Thursday.