WWF Monday Night RAW (July 24, 1995)

Original Airdate: July 24, 1995

From Louisville, Kentucky; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler.

Shawn Michaels v Jimmy Del-Ray: Shawn is the newly crowned Intercontinental champion, but this is non-title. Well, 'non-Intercontinental Title.' The title for sleazier gimmick aimed at elementary school kids is still up for grabs here, as the stripper squares off with the gigolo. Shawn controls with an armbar on the mat, so Jimmy pulls out a neat counter where he walks Shawn over to the corner in the hold, then climbs to the top rope, and uses a slingshot reverse somersault to escape. Unfortunately for him, Michaels clotheslines him out of the ring before he can follow-up, then baseball slides him into the rail. Del-Ray dodges a second try, but an attempt to double-team with Tom Prichard backfires. Back in, Del-Ray manages a DDT for two, so Shawn finds a sunset flip for two, but gets cutoff with a clothesline, and hit with a neckbreaker for two. Chinlock, but Shawn fights up, so Jimmy bodyslams him to setup a flying splash - which misses. Shawn kips up and catches him with a diving forearm, then a bodyslam of his own sets up a gorgeous flying elbowdrop for two. Prichard gets involved again, but takes a Superkick for his efforts, and another one for Del-Ray finishes at 5:23. As usual, Shawn knowing exactly how to time his comebacks for maximum effectiveness pays off here. Afterwards, Shawn humps the title belt on the mat, then teases stripping completely nude, but luckily stops himself short. Can't help but agree with Bret Hart, that has no place on family programming. **

Last night at In Your House, Jeff Jarrett performed 'With My Baby Tonight' before jobbing the Intercontinental Title, but some think he may have been lip-synching. Love how big of a deal they're making of the title change, as opposed to today, when sometimes you don't even realize the IC title has changed hands until weeks after the fact. Also, Shawn's win makes him a record tying three-time champion, which I'm pretty comes with a WWE contract these days

Bret Hart/Hakushi feud recap

The Smoking Gunns v John Faulkner and Rick Stockhauser: Who's naming these jobbers? What ever happened to nice names like 'Smith' or 'Jones.' I do dig their matching tights, though. It shows that they take pride in their job(bing). Gunns with powerbomb/flying fistdrop combo at 2:00. ¼*

Barry Didinsky wants you to buy a copy of 'With My Baby Tonight.' I never bought the one offered here, but I actually do have it off of the Full Metal album from 1996, and it's still awesome

Goldust vignette. This is certainly one of the more tame ones, as it's just gold flakes falling to form the name 'Goldust'

Out in San Francisco, Fatu teaches some kids to dance. If they really wanted to keep kids off drugs, they should have probably rethought their booking, because 1995 could totally drive someone to substance abuse

Waylon Mercy v Gary Scott: Scott falls for the handshake, and gets clobbered. You'd think he'd have learned, given that this isn't Mercy's debut, but he's not one of their regular job guys, so I can forgive it. Still, do your homework! Barry Horowitz would never fall for that shit! Sleeper finishes at 2:01. ¼*

In Your House Recap. It's kind of telling that this is the fourth time they review Shawn's title win tonight, but Diesel beating Sid to end their long feud is treated like almost an afterthought

Bret Hart v Hakushi: Manager Shinja distracts Bret as he gives away his sunglasses to allow Hakushi to attack on the outside, and he tosses the Hitman into the post. In, Hakushi bodyslams him to setup a 2^nd rope pump-splash, but Hart lifts his knees to block, then hits an inverted atomic drop to setup a clothesline. Backbreaker sets up a pointed elbowdrop, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Hart ends up wrapping himself around the ring post. That looked spectacular. Hakushi punctuates it with a baseball slide up against the post, then whips him into the opposite corner for a handspring elbow. Bronco buster follows, and he adds a cool three-alarm no-release short-clothesline, but Bret counters the third alarm with a Russian legsweep - only to take a spinkick to the ribs before being able to capitalize. Hakushi with a gutwrench backbreaker for two, and a hard cross corner whip sets up a flying headbutt to the ribs for two. Snapmare sets up a nervehold, but Bret quickly fights up for a rollup, so Hakushi hits the deck, and Hart goes flying out through the ropes. Hakushi follows with a space flying tiger drop - which, unlike many of Rob Van Dam's pointless flip-flop spots, actually uses the cart wheeling to add momentum to the actual move. Shinja comes over to help finish Bret off, but Hart knocks their heads together out there, then springboards off the middle rope with a bodypress onto both of them. This is wild stuff for 1995. Bret with a backbreaker on the way back in to setup a 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two, and a bulldog gets two. Inside cradle for two, but another distraction by Shinja allows Hakushi a side suplex - only for his flying headbutt follow-up to miss. The crowd is just popping for Bret like crazy here at every turn. Superplex, and the Sharpshooter finish at 13:31. Took a minute to get going, but once it did, this was awesome stuff - especially for 1995. But then, as soon as it's over, we're instantly reminded how shitty their period could be, as Jean Pierre Lafitte comes out to steal the severed head effigy Hakushi had been carrying around, to setup his own feud with Hart. Of course, he'd have to wait his turn, because Bret has mad dentists to deal with first. At least with Shawn, you could tell the awesome crowd reactions weren't in vain. Bret was just totally wasn't for most of the year. *** 

Dean Douglas vignette. When you consider that his 'lecture hall' looks like it's setup in his mothers basement, and that there is literally no one else there with him, it actually makes this character rather depressing

Shawn Michaels joins us for a backstage interview, to remind everyone yet again of the title change

BUExperience: Both Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were incredible (and incredibly entertaining) during this period, and since they’re both featured heavily in this episode, it’s an easy winner.