WWF Monday Night Raw Results
April 22, 1996 (Taped April 1)
San Bernardino, California (Orange Pavilion)
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.
Goldust makes his way to the ring with Marlena.
Backstage Interview
Savio Vega is waiting to make his entrance when Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler get him for an interview. Lawler says he knows Vega is shaking in his boots, but Vega gets fired up and cuts a promo in Spanish before making his entrance.
WWF Intercontinental Championship
Goldust w/ Marlena vs. Savio Vega
Referee: Mike Chioda
Last week on Raw, Goldust attempted to strike Savio Vega with the WWF Intercontinental Championship after the referee was knocked down. Vega took it away from him and hit him with it to pick up the win. A second referee ruled out what happened. WWF President Gorilla Monsoon decided to vacate the title and have a rematch this week.
The bell rings, and they quickly start brawling. Vega sends Goldust into the ropes and turns him inside out with a clothesline. Vega sends Goldust into the ropes and hits a scoop powerslam for a two-count. Vega chops Goldust, and he quickly rolls out of the ring to recover. Goldust starts to head up the aisleway, so Vega turns him around and chops him down. Goldust takes a bump on the concrete. Vega puts Goldust into the ring, but Goldust drops down and hits an uppercut. Goldust sends Vega into the ropes and hits an avalanche. Goldust talks trash and slaps him in the face before kissing him! Goldust sends him to the opposite corner and charges, but Vega sidesteps him. Goldust manages to kick back and low blows him out of the referee’s eyesight.
Marlena watches on while smoking a cigar. Goldust takes a moment to recover before stomping him. Goldust taunts the crowd and punches Vega in the face. Goldust kicks Vega in the hamstring before punching him. Goldust twists Vega’s leg around the middle rope and punches him. Goldust pulls him away, but Vega hits an enzuigiri.
-Commercial Break-
Back from the break, Goldust is back in control, working on his leg. Goldust applies a leglock. Goldust lets go and puts Vega’s leg on the bottom rope before jumping on it. Vega writhes around in pain. Goldust punches Vega in the face and beats him into the corner. Goldust goes to the ringside area and snaps Vega’s leg off the apron. Goldust sits on Vega’s back and applies a rear chin hold. The referee checks on Vega’s consciousness by lifting his arm. 1 drop… 2 drops… Vega holds it up before the third drop. Vega tries to fight up, but Goldust jumps on his back and sits on his back for the chin lock.
Video: The Ultimate Warrior says the Intercontinental Championship is what he’s come for, as well as to bust a hole In Your House. Goldust will be squealing.
Goldust tries to jump on Vega’s back, but Vega turns around and shins him in the groin. Goldust gets up, in a lot of pain. Goldust tries to whip Vega into the ropes, but Vega’s leg gives out. Goldust drops a leg for a two-count. Goldust drags Vega to the corner and wants to crotch him against the ring post, but Vega pulls his legs back and drives Goldust’s face into the post!
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin and “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase head to the ringside area to get a closer look. Austin and Vega have been feuding. Goldust gets in the ring and goes for the ten punches, but Vega pushes him off and goes for a big splash, but Goldust gets the knees up.
-Commercial Break-
We return from the break to see Vega get a small package for a two-count. Goldust quickly punches back and goes for a Curtain Call, but Vega flips through and hits a spinning heel kick. Austin looks unimpressed. Vega covers for a two-count. Vega pulls himself up in the corner and talks to the referee. Goldust charges, but Vega sidesteps him and rolls him up for a two-count. Vega sends Goldust into the ropes, but Goldust counters with a facebuster.
Marlena gets on the apron to distract the referee. Vega rolls Goldust up and has him pinned, but the referee doesn’t see it. Austin then hits Vega in the face with the Million Dollar Championship! Goldust crawls over and pins Vega to win the Intercontinental Championship.
Winner by Pinfall and new WWF Intercontinental Champion: Goldust
An exhausted Goldust takes his Intercontinental Championship and leaves the ring. Goldust drops to his knees in exhaustion as he heads up the aisleway. Goldust’s video feed froze on the video tron.
Mike’s Thoughts: So let me see if I’ve got this straight. Last week, with no interference in the match, the referee was taken down; Savio Vega used the title to hit Goldust and pinned him to win it. Gorilla Monsoon comes out and declares the title vacant because one referee saw what happened, and the other didn’t. This week, pure interference from Steve Austin, including hitting Vega with the title as the referee wasn’t looking… and Goldust gets to become the champion? Doesn’t that completely undermine everything that happened the week before? Where was Gorilla Monsoon for this? I swear, it honestly seems like they went out of their way to make him look as inept a manager as they could. Monsoon is consistently booked to look dumb.
This wasn’t a bad match, but you could tell both guys were exhausted at the start. Every Raw since April 1 was taped on the same night, so they had last week’s match and this match all on the same show. Last week’s match was fast-paced and hard-hitting. It was also taped the night after WrestleMania XII, so both guys, particularly Goldust, had to be feeling a little beat up. They had trouble picking up the steam in this one, but it was fine for what it was. But wow, was that finish stupid.
Video: Shawn Michaels will defend the WWF Championship against Diesel in a No Holds Barred match this Sunday at In Your House.
Vader heads to the ring with Jim Cornette.
Replay: On Raw from January 22, Vader attacked Gorilla Monsoon and sent him to the hospital. Two weeks ago on Raw, Vader viciously attacked Yokozuna’s leg.
-Commercial Break-
Vader w/ Jim Cornette vs. “Make a Difference” Fatu
Referee: Tim White
We join this match in progress. Vader punches Fatu’s midsection as he leans against the ropes. Vader mauls him against the ropes before sending him into the ropes. Fatu goes for a sunset flip, but Vader doesn’t go down. Vader goes for a cannonball, but Fatu moves. Fatu clotheslines him down. Fatu hits the ropes, ducks a clothesline from the big grizzly, and hits a diving battering ram shoulder. Vader is off his feet. Fatu punches away at Vader and hits a running cutter. Fatu heads to the top rope and hits a big splash! Vader immediately pops up! Vader turns Fatu inside out with a clothesline. Vader sets him up in the corner, and the crowd chants, “Moonsault.” Vader sets up for a Vader Bomb, but he rethinks it and goes to the top rope to a big reception. Vader hits Fatu with a moonsault for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Vader
Mike’s Thoughts: I always loved a good Vader squash. Here, he annihilated Fatu, whose character was quickly losing steam (if it had any to begin with) and who may have only an appearance or two left in this series. He actually lasted a lot longer than my memory thought he did. I thought he was in and out in 1995. According to reports from the time, Vader was apparently supposed to win this with the Vader Bomb, but when the crowd chanted for the moonsault, he gave it to them. That’s a babyface move to give the crowd what they want, which probably wasn’t appreciated backstage, but on a long taping, why not give the crowd something they want?
Video: Footage from the WWF Tour in Germany is shown. Bret “Hitman” Hart is shown in action, as is WWF Champion Shawn Michaels. This past weekend in Bayreuth, Germany, Jake “The Snake” Roberts battled Owen Hart. Roberts hit Hart with a big DDT, but The British Bulldog quickly interfered and attacked Roberts. Roberts tried to get up, but Bulldog hit a clothesline and dropped a leg. Roberts eventually got up and kneed Bulldog in the face before punching away at him. Roberts hit an inverted atomic drop and hit a short-arm clothesline. Roberts then threw his Python Revelations onto Bulldog. The snake wrapped itself around Bulldog until he escaped the ring.
The British Bulldog will battle Jake “The Snake” Roberts this Sunday at In Your House.
-Commercial Break-
Jerry “The King” Lawler has left the commentary table to go find the WWF Tag Team Champions, the Bodydonnas.
Video: Sunny is shown with the Bodydonnas. She says it’s time for the Manager of the Year and the WWF Tag Team Champions to give the hog farmers a taste of their own medicine.
Lawler returns to commentary, saying he can’t wait for Sunny to reveal her surprise.
Tag Team Match
The Godwinns (Henry O. and Phinneas I. Godwinn) w/ Hillbilly Jim vs. Yoshihiro Tajiri and Ken Patterson
Referee: Jack Doan
Phinneas I. Godwinn starts against Yoshihiro Tajiri. Tajiri flips through an arm wrench and elbows Phinneas’s arm. Tajiri hits the ropes, but Phinneas catches him and hits a backbreaker. Tajiri avoids an elbow drop, stomps Phinneas, and hits a standing moonsault for a two-count. Ken Patterson tags in, so Henry O. Godwinn tags in as well. They show a replay of Tajiri’s standing moonsault. Patterson knees and punches Henry. Henry reverses a whip into the corner and applies an odd-looking bear hug.
Sunny walks down to the ringside area with the WWF Tag Team Championship belts. She shouts to Hillbilly Jim, who chases after her with Old Blue, their dog. They go to the back. Henry hits Patterson with a scoop slam and tags Phinneas in. Phinneas kicks and headbutts Patterson before biting his forehead. Phinneas punches Patterson in the head and headbutts him. Henry continues to strike away at him before hitting the Slop Drop. 1… 2… 3.
Winners by Pinfall: The Godwinns
The Bodydonnas attack the Godwinns from behind. Skip sends Henry into the ropes. They then hit Phinneas with a hi/low, followed by a double-team slingshot suplex. They slop Phinneas before Henry chases them off.
Mike’s Thoughts: Not much to this. The prospect of watching The Bodydonnas vs. The Godwinns doesn’t exactly light my world on fire. The only thing cool about this was that a young Yoshihiro Tajiri was in this match as one of the enhancement talents. Yes, Tajiri, who would go on to gain fame in ECW before coming to the WWF/E. One of my favorite cruiserweights from the early 2000s.
-Commercial Break-
Replay: Three weeks ago on Raw, Mankind made his debut and viciously attacked the Undertaker, beating him at ringside and knocking him out with the Mandible Claw.
Aldo Montoya vs. Mankind
Referee: Earl Hebner
The bell rings, and Mankind is rocking in the corner. Montoya hits him with a dropkick, but Mankind stays standing. Montoya bounces Mankind off the top turnbuckle and punches him, but Mankind fights back with a headbutt and a chop block. Mankind stomps away at his head and bounces him off the top turnbuckle. Mankind wildly forearms him in the corner and squeals before ripping his own hair out. Mankind hits a short-arm back elbow before hitting another headbutt. Mankind hits a running knee to the face before laying him across the bottom rope and dropping a leg on him. Mankind elbows away at him.
-Commercial Break-
Back from the break, Mankind sends him into the ropes, but Montoya slides through the legs and punches away at him. Montoya hits a running corner dropkick, causing Mankind to stumble around. Montoya goes to the top rope, but Mankind forearms him out of mid-air. Mankind puts him in the tree of woe and hits a flying double fist. Mankind rips more of his hair out. Mankind hits a stump piledriver and continues to squeal and scream. Mankind applies the Mandible Claw before Montoya submits.
Winner by Submission: Aldo Montoya
Mankind falls into a trance as he looks at his saliva-covered finger covering as soft piano music plays.
Mike’s Thoughts: Another good squash match for Mankind. I love watching Mick Foley figure out what this character is and how it should be. This is really genius-level character work being done here. He looks like a phenomenal fit on his first set of tapings. I’m kind of in between thinking this segment could have been better by sending Paul Bearer out there to hold up the urn because it has been three weeks of television that have passed since Mankind’s attack on the Undertaker. Then again, this really puts the emphasis on how devastating Mankind’s attack on the Undertaker was. He’s basically pushing a month off television from the brutality. I love early Mankind. The squealing and screaming, the chaos, the ripping his hair out spot, how he mauls them… it’s phenomenal. I know my fandom for Mick Foley is showing a bit, but he is historically one of the great characters of this era.
Video: In Your House: Good Friends, Better Enemies is coming this Sunday. Shawn Michaels will defend the WWF Championship against Diesel in a No Holds Barred match. They go through their history.
Dok Hendrix is shown singing with the Raw Band.
Video: Footage is shown of Diesel in a locker room at the Oberfrankenhalle in Bayreuth, Germany. Diesel says he’s ready to go out to the ring to teach another of the idiots of the WWF a lesson. Diesel says he’ll teach Shawn Michaels a lesson at In Your House. It’s the final chapter of HBK’s career. Diesel doesn’t care about the WWF Championship and doesn’t want it. That belt was on him for a year, and it was the worst year of his life because Vince McMahon and the rest of the corporate puppets tried to make him something he wasn’t. Now, he doesn’t win any Slammys or get any accolades. He’s the Bad Guy. Everyone knows who the real leader of the New Generation is. It’s Diesel. HBK is a dime-a-dozen guy. Diesel is a genetic wonder. At In Your House, anything can happen. Diesel says when he gets done with Michaels, he’ll get even with McMahon!
Next week on Raw, the Ultimate Warrior will battle Isaac Yankem.
Mike’s Thoughts: A strong promo from Diesel. The Podunk video sent in from Germany was a little hard to hear because the audio wasn’t balanced properly, but the content was good. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think this guy is here for the long haul in this company. They went back to the character he was doing before he told Vince McMahon he was leaving the company back in early March. In this, he talked about WWF’s attempt to turn him into a corporate puppet while he held the WWF Title, which turned out to be the worst year of his life. He even threatened to get into it with McMahon upon defeating Shawn Michaels. It doesn’t sound like they’re bringing this character in for a landing whatsoever. Probably smart as they’re trying to build a PPV main event with this guy as the challenger, but this was compelling television and a great hook to keep tuning in. Most people probably had no idea this would be Diesel’s final time speaking on Raw until 2002.
Quick Match Results
— Goldust def. Savio Vega to win the vacant WWF Intercontinental Championship
— Vader def. “Make a Difference” Fatu
— The Godwinns (Henry O. and Phinneas I. Godwinn) def. Yoshihiro Tajiri and Ken Patterson in a Tag Team Match
— Mankind def. Aldo Montoya via Submission
Mike’s Wrap-Up: What We Learned from Raw
After last week’s show felt like the WWF hitting a wall, this episode is more of a mixed bag. There are still some strong pieces in place, but the cracks from these long tapings and a thinning roster are becoming harder to ignore.
On the positive side, a few acts continue to carry their weight. Mankind looks like a home run early on, with Mick Foley already bringing a level of character work that feels different from anything else on the roster. It’s certainly more nuanced than anything the WWF had tried in years. Vader is simply awesome at this point. He’s a totally dominant force and must-watch TV. Diesel’s promo did a great job of selling the main event for In Your House, even if we know his time in the company is coming to an end.
But around those bright spots, the show continues to struggle. The Intercontinental Championship situation felt overbooked and inconsistent from week to week, and some of the midcard content comes off like it’s just filling time rather than building anything meaningful. You can tell these matches were taped deep into a long night, and the energy just isn’t the same, despite this being taped the night after WrestleMania XII.
That’s really the story right now. The WWF still has talent that can deliver, but it’s relying heavily on a few key pieces while everything else feels stretched thin. With major names either leaving or stepping away, there’s less margin for error, and shows like this make that pretty clear.
Even though this show was taped as part of a LONG taping the night after WrestleMania XII, the television audience is none the wiser and still enjoying the post-WrestleMania experience. Check out these ratings!
WWF Raw (USA Network, taped): 3.3 (Record: 13-14-2)
WCW Nitro (TNT, live): 2.7 (Record: 14-13-2)
Winner: WWF Raw (3-week streak)
Even though there are some things on this show that are truly troubling and will continue to be, WWF is, without a doubt, rolling at the moment. Even against a stronger roster on the other side of the war, they’re holding their own. Perhaps canceling out WCW’s three-minute headstart did them a lot of favors. It won’t be long until WCW starts trying other things to get ahead. We’ll see how that goes in the weeks to come!
Email – mike@wrestleview.com
X – @MikeTedescoWV
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Part of Wrestleview’s Monday Night War: 30 Years Later series, with weekly Raw and Nitro recaps every Thursday.