WWF Monday Night RAW (April 24, 1995)

Original Airdate: April 24, 1995

From Omaha, Nebraska; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

We start with a video package detailing the 'fall from grace' of Bam Bam Bigelow. That must have been a pretty short fall, given that he spent most of 1994 feuding with Doink. When was this 'graceful' period? His alliance with Tatanka? Jobbing to a football player at WrestleMania? Actually, according to the video package, yes, exactly that

Opening Match: The Smoking Gunns v Brooklyn Brawler and Barry Horowitz: The Gunns are slated to face Owen Hart and Yokozuna for the tag titles at In Your House, so they've given them the quality jobbers to squash this week. And they don't hold back - finishing Brawler with a side suplex/neckbreaker combo at 2:15. Horowitz didn't even tag in! ¼*

Backstage, a black-eyed Bam Bam Bigelow and Ted DiBiase prepare for Bigelow's title shot against Diesel. Hmm, must have not stuck the landing during that fall from grace

Backstage, Diesel also prepares. His logic behind why Bam Bam is getting a title shot is pretty funny, as he's basically just, like, 'well, I already beat everyone else'

Bertha Faye v La Pantera Serena: After her memorable, bad ass debut attacking Alundra Blayze a few weeks back, suddenly Faye has dropped the all black look, dropped the face paint, and replaced them with polka dots, skipping, and Harvey Wippleman. I guess they just really hated making money in 1995, or something. Weird moment, as they botch a flying bodypress spot, and Vince calls them out on it by noting a 'miscommunication.' The rest of the squash is as bad, as they stumble around the ring in clumsy, amateurish fashion until Faye press-slams her at 3:55. Guys, history has been made here! We have a negative-star squash! Holy shit! Kids, mark this date on your calendars so you can tell your own children one day! -*

In Your House Report! The sales pitch has gotten considerably more desperate, as now they're not only trying to bribe viewers with a free house, but trying to sell the show on the basis that ordering is cheaper than going out and doing better things! They should bring that strategy back today to push the Network

WWF Title Match: Diesel v Bam Bam Bigelow: Diesel knocks him to the floor right away, so Bam Bam marches back in for a power showdown - which he promptly loses. Diesel hits a Stinger splash on the corner, and he hiptosses him to setup a bootchoke. Man, if they'd booked Diesel to look like this much of a badass regularly, his title reign might have gone a lot differently. Bam Bam rakes the eyes to stop the onslaught, but Diesel returns the favor, and takes his head off with a clothesline for two. Bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop for two, then back into the corner for another bootchoke. Asking for more moveset would have been pushing it. Diesel works an armbar, but Bigelow railroads him into the corner, and headbutts him. Bodyslam sets up a falling headbutt, but Bam Bam misses a clothesline, and takes a diving shoulderblock for two. Diesel takes a trip into the post as they spill to the outside, then back in, Bigelow drops him like a Samoan for two. Chinlock, but Diesel powers out, and splashes him for two. Straddling ropechoke follows, and a vertical suplex is worth two. Headvise, but Bam Bam escapes, and hits a snap suplex for two, then goes back to the chinlock as Tatanka joins Ted DiBiase at ringside. Diesel uses a side suplex to escape the hold, but Bam Bam is up first, and stomps the champion. However, Tatanka accidentally ends up tripping Bigelow as he runs the ropes, and Diesel hits the big boot, then Jackknifes him to retain at 18:50. Afterwards, DiBiase - tired of Bigelow's constant screw-up’s - fires him from the Million Dollar Corporation. Honestly, you can't fault him there. I mean, first Bigelow screws up and costs them the tag titles at Royal Rumble. Then, he picks a fight with a football player, and gets his ass kicked. Now this. Plus, DiBiase has Sid now. The fuck would he need Bigelow for? Speaking of Sid, he joins Tatanka and IRS to help beat Bam Bam down, but Diesel eventually makes the save. As for the match, their timing was way off the whole time, it ran too long, and was loaded with restholds. But, other than that, it was great! *

Aldo Montoya v Black Phantom: More like Black Fatom, amIright? And speaking of goofy jobbers, what were they thinking still making a go of it with fucking Aldo for this long? There's perseverance, then there's just plain stubbornness. Aldo with a 2^nd rope bulldog at 2:44. ¼*

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vignette. Well, less a traditional 'vignette,' and more just him sitting on a chair in front of a bad green screen while glaring at the camera. Still might be preferable to what he does on TV nowadays, though

BUExperience: If you’ve never seen this episode before, well, consider yourself lucky.