WWF Monday Night Raw Results
July 22, 1996
Seattle, Washington (Key Arena)
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: We see shots of the sights of Seattle, Washington. We’re live at the Key Arena in Seattle, Washington. Footage shows fans entering the arena.
WWF Tag Team Champions The Smoking Gunns head to the ring with Sunny leading the way. Sunny is wheeling a birthday cake down to the ring. Vince McMahon notes that it’s The Fabulous Moolah’s birthday, as well as WWF Champion Shawn Michaels.
Video: The Raw video plays.
WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson heads to the ring with a big bandage on his nose. His nose was broken last night at WWF In Your House: International Incident.
WWF Champion Shawn Michaels heads to the ring with José Lothario. Michaels approaches the birthday cake. The Smoking Gunns quickly attack Michaels and Johnson. Billy Gunn gets Michaels in the ring and goes for a press slam, but Michaels gets out and hits him with Sweet Chin Music! Billy is out.
Michaels goes to the cake and smears some icing on her face. A furious Sunny takes the large cake and goes to hit Michaels with it, but he turns and catches her. Johnson then comes up from behind and shoves the cake into Sunny’s face! Sunny is covered in cake and icing. Michaels comes over and licks some off. Sunny runs away, but Michaels catches her again before posing in the ring with Johnson.
Mike’s Thoughts: Decent start to the show and a good way to try to get people to watch to the end by moving the title match to the main event. Harmless fun with Sunny getting cake in her face.
-Commercial Break-
Replay: Moments ago, Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson smothered Sunny in birthday cake.
The Goon is in the ring, ready for a match against “Wildman” Marc Mero.
Backstage Interview
WWF President Gorilla Monsoon says this WWF Tag Team Championship match will still take place with The Smoking Gunns defending against Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson. They’re waiting for Billy Gunn to get his faculties together. If the Gunns don’t defend the titles tonight, they’ll be stripped of the titles.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin joins the commentary team. The Goon, who is a hockey player who is so rough that he is not allowed to play, is making his Raw debut.
The Goon vs. “Wildman” Marc Mero w/ Sable
Referee: Tim White
The bell rings, and The Goon attacks Mero from behind. Goon hits the ropes and knees him in the lower back. Goon sends Mero to the corner, but Mero elbows him down. Mero goes to the apron and attempts a slingshot splash, but Goon gets his knees up. Goon punches him in the midsection and sends him into the ropes. There is some miscommunication here. Goon sends him back into the ropes for a back elbow. Goon punches Mero, but Mero catches him with an inside cradle for a two-count. Mero jumps over Goon and goes for a dropkick, but Goon catches him. Mero twists him down. On commentary, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin runs Bret Hart down a bit, saying he’d like to face him, but Hart has gone missing. Mero sends Goon to the corner, but Goon boots him back and connects with a clothesline.
Phone Call: Jake “The Snake” Roberts joins broadcast via phone. Vince McMahon says Roberts has an intercostal strain. Jerry “The King” Lawler says Roberts has “barthritis” because he’s stiffing a different joint every night. Lawler presents a bottle of Jim Beam and says it’s Roberts’ tag team partner. Roberts says he’ll be gone for two to three weeks. He’ll pray about it.
In the ring, Goon sends Mero into the ropes and avalanches him. Mero fights back and sends Goon into the ropes, but he lowers his head and eats a kick. Goon sends Mero back into the ropes, but Mero ducks a clothesline and dropkicks him down. Goon reverses a whip into the corner and goes for a back suplex, but Mero flips through. Mero catches him with a Japanese Leg Clutch pin for a near fall. Mero powers Goon into the corner. The referee tries to separate them, so Goon peppers him with some strikes. Mero kicks back at Goon. They start brawling. Mero reverses a whip and hits a snap powerslam for a near fall.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin is saying he’s going to make an example of the Undertaker next week on Raw, “And that’s the bottom line because Stone Cold said so!” People have to do whatever it takes to watch him. Goon applies a rear chin lock, but Mero fights out and catches him with a head-scissor takeover. Mero then hits him with a back body drop. Mero hits Goon with a knee lift. Mr. Bob Backlund heads down to the ring, but he’s not acknowledged on commentary. Goon sends Mero out of the ring. The ringside mats are still covered in icing from the birthday cake. Mero gets in the ring and crushes Goon with a somersault senton.
Goon slips on the icing as he gets back into the ring. Mero hits a slingshot leg drop for the win. Austin is disgusted.
Winner by Pinfall: “Wildman” Marc Mero
Mike’s Thoughts: This was a pretty pitiful match. Marc Mero and The Goon were not on the same page, leading to a horrific match. It boggles my mind that this is a live show going against WCW, the only chance this company will have to be live head-to-head against Nitro for the next month, and WWF’s big ideas to draw ratings over Hulk Hogan and the nWo is Sunny getting a birthday cake smashed in her face and an absolutely brutal match with Marc Mero taking on The Goon. It truly defies logic. Like T.L. Hopper, the wrestling plumber we were “lucky” to meet last week, The Goon was one of those guys hired to be jobbers with gimmicks. Poor Marc Mero is already saddled with a bad gimmick and terrible facial hair while his wife, Sable, gets a lot of attention. Last week on Raw, he had a long match against the plumber. On the pay-per-view, he loses clean to Steve Austin. Now, he’s on the live show having a clunky match against a wrestling hockey player.
Backstage Interview
WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson are in the locker room. Vince McMahon wishes Michaels a happy birthday. Michaels thanks McMahon, but he says he really has to thank Sunny. She can’t get any action. The only action she gets is from the Heartbreak Kid. Michaels thanks her for the “cakes.” Johnson chuckles. McMahon mentions that Johnson broke his nose. Michaels says they’re going to take the Tag Titles tonight. The Smoking Gunns can get action whereas their girl can’t. They’ll get all the action they can handle tonight.
Mike’s Thoughts: Wow, Shawn Michaels was absolutely diabolical here. As I detailed in a recent retro recap, Sunny was not well-liked backstage by this point. On top of being difficult to work with, she was engaged to Chris Candido, Skip of The Bodydonnas, who had been her high school sweetheart. It was well known that she was having an affair with WWF Champion Shawn Michaels, creating a humiliating situation for Candido.
That makes this promo feel especially uncomfortable. Michaels joking that Sunny could only “get action” from the Heartbreak Kid was a double entendre that cut way too close to real life. Even Ahmed Johnson wound up smirking at how blatant this was. This wasn’t just a heelish or cocky babyface line. It was backstage drama making its way onto television (something Michaels would famously do several times in the years ahead), and once again, poor Chris Candido was the one left looking like the punchline to those in the know.
Video: Stridex presents the SummerSlam sweepstakes. Ten winners will receive tickets to a domestic pay-per-view event, including hotel and airfare. Fifty winners will receive a viewing of a pay-per-view or some merchandise.
-Commercial Break-
Mr. Bob Backlund is in the crowd, still campaigning for the Presidency of the United States of America.
Video: Earlier today, WWF President Gorilla Monsoon found himself in a conference room with Clarence Mason and a man with his back to the camera. Mason was talking about the man, saying his client was charged with a crime and had been arraigned. His client was never convicted of a crime and should be in the WWF.
Photos: Last night at WWF In Your House: International Incident, The Undertaker defeated Goldust by disqualification after Mankind broke through the canvas, applied the Mandible Claw to the Undertaker, and dragged him under the ring. Undertaker would pop through the canvas on the other side. They brawled back to the locker room and into a boiler room.
At SummerSlam, The Undertaker and Mankind will battle in a Boiler Room Brawl.
Freddie Joe Floyd vs. Mankind
Referee: Jack Doan
The bell rings, and Floyd quickly grabs a waistlock. Mankind viciously elbows him off and hits a shoulder tackle. Floyd quickly monkey flips him out of the ring. Mankind gets into the ring, but Floyd hits an arm drag, followed by a dropkick. Mankind stays on his feet. Floyd goes to the top rope and leaps, but Mankind steps aside. Mankind whips him hard into the corner and boots him in the head. Mankind whips him hard into the corner and punches him back before unloading on him with forearms. Mankind backs up and hits a running knee to the face. Floyd’s head is on the bottom rope, so Mankind drops a leg on him. Mankind crawls into the ring and grabs at Floyd’s face. Floyd fires back with strikes before hitting the ropes. Floyd ducks a kick and spins him around, but Mankind counters with a clothesline. Mankind chokes him in the corner while squealing. Mankind puts him in the tree of woe and goes for a flying fist, but Floyd sits up to avoid it.
Mankind quickly gets up and charges for a running knee, but Floyd moves. Floyd kicks away at Mankind before hitting a jumping calf kick to the back of the head. Floyd hits a flying heel kick and goes to the top rope for a diving back elbow. 1… 2… Mankind kicks out. Floyd rolls him up for a two-count. Floyd goes to the top rope, but Mankind hits the ropes to crotch him up there. Mankind climbs to the second rope and applies the Mandible Claw. Floyd fights it, so Mankind pulls him down crotch-first on the top rope. Mankind then locks the Mandible Claw onto Floyd, and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner by Technical Submission: Mankind
Mike’s Thoughts: A quick, painless squash match for Mankind. Freddie Joe Floyd is another one of the jobbers with gimmicks, but his is way less offensive and irritating than the wrestling hockey player or plumber. Floyd is better known as the late, great Tracy Smothers, who was a huge part of what made the Full Blooded Italians (FBI) so great in ECW.
Next week on Raw: The Undertaker will battle “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. “Wildman” Marc Mero will also take on Vader. Finally, we’ll see Sycho Sid take on Justin “Hawk” Bradshaw.
Brian Pillman makes his way to the ring on a crutch.
-Commercial Break-
WWF Raw is brought to you by the US Army. Be all you can be. Consideration is also paid for by Stridex.
Brian Pillman will be on commentary for the next match. Pillman threatens to say the 7 Words You Can’t Say on Television. If he does, Vince McMahon is… in trouble.
Locker Room Interview
“Wildman” Marc Mero is backstage with Sable. McMahon asks about facing Vader next week, as well as facing Goldust at SummerSlam. Mero says it will be jungle warfare against Vader next week. As for Goldust, there are three things you don’t do: tug on Superman’s cape, spit in the wind, and mess with Sable. Mero is sick and tired of the sick letters and presents. Goldust is infatuated with Sable. If he wants their full attention, he’s got it at SummerSlam.
Pillman says he was hoping to see Sable and Marlena go after each other’s carpets… er, jugglers?
Barry Horowitz vs. Goldust
Referee: Mike Chioda
Goldust punches away at Horowitz and sends him into the ropes for a clothesline. Goldust sends Horowitz out of the ring and bounces him off the steel steps. Goldust gets Horowitz back into the ring, and Horowitz quickly attacks him as he gets inside. Goldust quickly cuts Horowitz off and hits a vertical suplex. Goldust punches Horowitz down and stands over him before punching him in the jaw. Goldust rakes Horowitz’s back and then grinds his face on the top rope. Goldust connects with an uppercut and chokes him in the corner. Goldust shouts at the referee and bounces him off the top turnbuckle. Goldust sends him twice into the corner before hitting the Curtain Call for the victory.
Winner by Pinfall: Goldust
A furious Goldust punches Horowitz several times before getting to his feet. Goldust stands on the bottom rope and poses.
Mike’s Thoughts: It’s jobber night on Monday Night Raw. They’re actually backing off the more lurid aspects of Goldust and focusing on him as a serious competitor who is aggressive in the ring. I like this change. Goldust looked great in this.
Backstage Interview
WWF Tag Team Champions The Smoking Gunns are backstage with Sunny, who still has cake in her hair. Sunny says they are real champions. Real champions don’t conduct themselves in the way Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson do. They won’t have their cake and eat it too. Billy Gunn says they’ll see a side of The Smoking Gunns they’ve never seen before. Bart Gunn says they will pay for what they did to Sunny and his brother.
Stridex Slam of the Week: Last night at In Your House: International Incident, Jim Cornette stopped Shawn Michaels from hitting Sweet Chin Music on Vader. José Lothario then punched Cornette down. Vader avalanched Michaels and smashed him with a Vader Bomb to beat him.
-Commercial Break-
Vader and Jim Cornette address the WWF Championship match at SummerSlam
Vince McMahon is in the ring with Vader and Jim Cornette. McMahon mentions that Vader will be going one-on-one with Shawn Michaels with the WWF Championship on the line. Cornette asks McMahon who won the 6-Man Tag Team Match at In Your House. McMahon said Vader had help with Cornette holding Michaels’ ankle. Cornette chastises McMahon and says, “When I ask you what time it is, don’t tell me how to make the watch. Who won the match?” McMahon answers, “Vader.” Cornette says that’s why they went to Gorilla Monsoon and demanded that Vader be the next in line for a WWF Championship match.
Cornette wants Shawn Michaels to think of being in grade school of the guy who would hide and take his stuff. That kid was The Man They Call Vader, only now, he’s all grown up. In fact, he’s overgrown and coming after a shiny new football called the World Wrestling Federation Title. He’s the biggest bully in the WWF. Vader is the baddest man walking. Michaels has lived the dream long enough. At SummerSlam, on August 18, he’ll step headlong into the biggest nightmare of his punk life. The newest champion will be The Man They Call Vader. Vader and Cornette pose in the ring before Vader starts hitting the ropes.
Mike’s Thoughts: Simple and effective build for the WWF Championship match at SummerSlam. Jim Cornette was really firing on all cylinders in 1996 and was still getting matches over in a big way. This is the kind of promo Vader needed more of since arriving in the WWF: less goofiness and more fear.
Video: The commercial for the 1996 SummerSlam event
WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson head to the ring together with José Lothario.
WWF Tag Team Championship
WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson w/ José Lothario vs. The Smoking Gunns (Bart Gunn and Billy Gunn) (c’s) w/ Sunny
Referee: Jimmy Korderas
The Smoking Gunns charge down to the ring and start attacking Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson. Michaels and Johnson quickly clear The Smoking Gunns from the ring. Sunny checks on the current Tag Team Champions at ringside. Sunny shouts that Michaels is a pervert.
After taking a few moments, it’ll be Michaels starting against Billy. Michaels rolls him up for a two-count. Michaels hits the ropes and ducks a clothesline before punching Billy down twice and clotheslining him over the top rope. Michaels high-fives Johnson as Bart and Sunny check on Billy at ringside. Michaels lays across the top turnbuckle before going to ringside and high-fiving some fans. Michaels is showing up The Smoking Gunns. Billy gets on the apron, so Michaels brings him into the ring the hard way. Michaels hits an arm drag takedown and holds onto Billy’s arm. Johnson is sporting a white bandage on his broken nose. Johnson tags in and clubs Billy’s arm. Johnson wrenches away at Billy’s arm before stomping away at him.
-Commercial Break-
Back from the break, Michaels is in the ring working on Billy’s arm. Billy punches Michaels and hits a scoop slam. Bart Gunn tags in and goes for an elbow drop, but Michaels moves. Johnson tags in, and he quickly gets Bart in the corner. Johnson gives a clean break before Bart kicks him in the midsection. Bart sends Johnson into the corner, but Johnson pops out with a clothesline. Bart reverses a whip and catches Johnson with a hotshot on the top rope. Bart stomps Johnson and tags Billy in. Billy punches Johnson in the nose and rips his bandage off. Johnson reverses a whip and hits a scoop powerslam.
Michaels tags in and goes to the top rope for a diving ax handle. 1… 2… Billy kicks out. Billy gets Michaels into the corner. Michaels reverses a whip to the opposite corner and hits a hip toss. Michaels charges onto Billy’s shoulders and hits a head-scissor takeover. Michaels goes for it again, but Bart grabs him and snaps him off the top rope. José Lothario is not happy. Bart tags in and sends Michaels into the corner. Bart hits a military press onto the top rope, and Michaels goes down to the canvas. Bart drops a knee before pulling Michaels up and sending him into the ropes. Billy tags in. Billy punches Michaels before Bart hits a swinging neckbreaker. Billy covers for a two-count. Billy gets Michaels on his feet and punches him into the corner. Michaels kicks Billy back and bounces him off the top turnbuckle. The crowd is getting loud. Billy reverses a whip to the opposite corner, causing Michaels to roll up the turnbuckles and fall to the floor.
Bart attacks Michaels at ringside as the referee tries to keep Johnson from coming into the ring. Bart sends Michaels back into the ring, and Billy poses. Billy pushes the birthday boy down and covers for a two-count. Billy applies a front facelock. Michaels pushes to his corner and tags Johnson, but Bart was distracting the referee. The referee stops Johnson from coming into the ring as The Smoking Gunns double-team Michaels in the corner. Lothario jumps to the apron to argue with the referee.
-Commercial Break-
Video: Call the WWF Superstar Line at 1-900-737-4WWF and dial Option Six to find out if SummerSlam will be The Undertaker’s final WWF match.
Back from the break, Michaels and Bart are down. Bart is the first to his feet and attacks Michaels. Bart sends Michaels into the ropes, and Billy tags in. Bart gets Michaels into the corner and drops to all fours. Billy leaps off Bart’s back and avalanches Michaels. Billy spits at Johnson and slowly covers Michaels for a near fall. Johnson’s nose looks like it’s bleeding. Billy applies a rear chin lock, but Michaels soon elbows out. Billy quickly pokes him in the eyes and tags Bart in. The Smoking Gunns send Michaels into the ropes, but Michaels grabs them and clunks their heads together.
Johnson tags in to a huge ovation. Johnson smashes The Smoking Gunns with clothesline after clothesline before sending Billy into the ropes for a spinebuster. Johnson hits the ropes, but Bart pulls the top rope down to get him out of the ring.
All of a sudden, a mysterious, huge man runs down to the ringside, dressed in black wrestling tights with light blue accents and a silver gladiator helmet, and kicks Johnson right in the kidneys.
Winners by Disqualification: WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson
The Tag Team Titles cannot change hands via disqualification.
This mysterious man continues to pummel away at Johnson. In the ring, Michaels fights off The Smoking Gunns. The man hits Johnson with a scoop slam on the floor and kicks him stiffly in the head. WWF officials, including Pat Patterson and Rene Goulet, run down to try to pull this man off Johnson. The man lifts Johnson and slams him into the ring post. Sunny is cheering him on.
Michaels comes off the apron and kicks the man back. The man backs up, and Jerry “The King” Lawler says, “He looks like Ron Simmons, but he’s bigger than Ron Simmons!” The man heads up the aisleway with Sunny. The man then says, “From this day forward, this kingdom is yours,” and he points to Sunny. The man then walks back and starts brawling with Michaels as the show ends.
Mike’s Thoughts: Strong main event. Much like the 6-Man Tag Team Match was carried by Shawn Michaels, this one was as well. Michaels, who was celebrating his 31st birthday on this show, was phenomenal. It was insanely hard to have a bad match against Michaels in 1996, though that one match against The British Bulldog at the May PPV was the exception.
Ahmed Johnson was phenomenal in his very short hot tag before Ron Simmons, who was decked out in an all-time horrible costume, really – and I mean REALLY – gave him one hell of a beating. That first kick to the kidneys allegedly resulted in a ruptured kidney. Johnson would try to fight through the pain, but it’s going to wind up taking a toll on him before something wild happens in the coming weeks. We’ll see what happens soon. Simmons will be starting off as Faarooq Asaad before it gets shortened to just Faarooq, but this was a heck of a debut, minus the costume part. He was humongous and looked like a major threat right off the bat. The only other negative was they paired him with Sunny to start. I have no issues with Sunny and find her to be a good manager, but she was still covered in cake from the segment earlier in the night, so it was just a goofy visual to see.
Quick Match Results
— “Wildman” Marc Mero def. The Goon
— Mankind def. Freddie Joe Floyd via Technical Submission
— Goldust def. Barry Horowitz
— WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and WWF Intercontinental Champion Ahmed Johnson def. The Smoking Gunns (Bart Gunn and Billy Gunn) (c’s) via DQ in a WWF Tag Team Championship match; The Smoking Gunns retain the titles
Mike’s Wrap-Up: What We Learned from Raw
This was a much better episode of Raw than the last few weeks, but that’s not exactly clearing a high bar (though that last set of tapings was particularly miserable). The show had more energy, the main event felt important, and the debut of Ron Simmons gave the WWF a badly needed talent who looked like he could actually matter. Even with that ridiculous gladiator helmet (were they going for Spartacus?), Simmons came across like a threat immediately, especially with the way he destroyed Ahmed Johnson.
The problem is that the WWF still can’t get out of its own way. Marc Mero, who months ago became the first WWF wrestler to sign a guaranteed contract, should be building momentum, but instead he’s stuck wrestling The Goon one week after wrestling T.L. Hopper. Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson winning the Tag Team Titles would have been interesting, but the match exists mostly to set up Simmons. Goldust and Mankind are being presented well, and Vader finally feels pointed in the right direction heading into SummerSlam, but the show still has too much cartoon garbage dragging down the acts that actually matter.
That’s the strange thing about the WWF right now. There are pieces here. Shawn Michaels is excellent. Steve Austin is getting closer and closer to becoming something special. Mankind is one of the most compelling characters on the roster. Vader should be a monster. Ron Simmons has just arrived. The company is not completely hopeless. It just keeps surrounding the good stuff with plumbers, hockey players, weird comedy, and dated gimmicks while WCW feels like the hottest promotion in wrestling.
WWF Raw (USA Network, live): 2.2 (Record: 19-21-2)
WCW Nitro (TNT, live): 2.6 (Record: 21-19-2)
Winner: WCW Nitro (6-week streak)
The ratings tell the story. Even with Raw live, Nitro still wins the week. The WWF showed some signs of life, but WCW still feels like the company everyone is talking about.
Email – mike@wrestleview.com
X – @MikeTedescoWV
In Your House 9 | Last week’s Raw | Last week’s Nitro
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Part of Wrestleview’s Monday Night War: 30 Years Later series, with weekly Raw and Nitro recaps every Thursday.