WWF Monday Night RAW (May 22, 1995)

Original Airdate: May 22, 1995 (Taped May 15)

From Binghamton, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Opening Match: Razor Ramon v Mike Bell: I never realized it as a kid, but Razor really was treated as kind of an afterthought after SummerSlam '94. He really needed either a heel turn (like the one that was rumored to happen to setup a WrestleMania feud with Undertaker) or a feud with Diesel (which seems like a gimme, given that Ramon beat him for the Intercontinental Title the year before), but instead he just sort of floundered on the midcard. He was Intercontinental Champion for much of that time (in an era when the belt still meant something), yeah, but it's kinda weird that they never tries moving him up again after early 1993 - when it was too much too soon. Razor's Edge finishes Bell at 4:17. DUD

Immediately after the match, Bret Hart storms down (wearing the same jean shorts/leather jacket combo he sports today) to confront Jerry Lawler, and challenge him to one final match - even going so far as to call Lawler 'lower than shit' as he slaps his headset off. This was really cool, especially watching Bret behave like this two years before it became a big part of his character

Hunter Hearst Helmsley v John Chrystal: Do kids today, who probably only know Triple H as an authority figure/part timer, even realize that his name stems from this crappy gimmick, or do they just think that's what he goes by? Honestly, I'm surprised they never changed it. Hunter with an ace crusher at 2:50. Surprisingly, he never made that a signature move after adopting the Pedigree. DUD

Bob Backlund joins us from his campaign headquarters to discuss what he'll do if elected President. This is, of course, where he famously threatens to ban summer vacations, thus terrifying my friends and I at the time

Backstage, Ted DiBiase psyches King Kong Bundy up ahead of his King of the Ring Qualifying Match against Shawn Michaels

Stephanie Wiand takes the eleven year old (!) who won the In Your House sweepstakes on a tour of his new Florida home. How did this even happen? Did they forget the 'must be 18 years of age, or older' clause you always see with those things? The 90s were a simpler time, I guess. Also, the poor kid shits his little pants when the fucking Bushwhackers pop out of his bedroom closet, but luckily, Stephanie has a complimentary In Your House t-shirt for him to change into. I'm assuming that kid never slept a peaceful night in that house after that, and who could blame him?

The Allied Powers v Tony DeVito and Bill Payne: I'm still trying to get over the fact that someone thought it would be a good idea to have the Bushwhackers hide in a little kids bedroom. Where's Dateline NBC when you need them? Payne is dressed like Jerry Lawler here, which is probably the only notable thing about this whole match. Davey Boy Smith with the Running Powerslam after Bill misses a charge at 2:56. DUD

We get a review of the So-Super-Exciting-Poop-Is-Coming-Out-My-Butt-As-We-Speak Bam Bam Bigelow/Million Dollar Corporation storyline thus far

Kama v Barry Horowitz: You know they must have had big plans for Kama if they're giving him the A-list job guys to squash. Suck it, Mike Bell. Kama with a half-crab at 2:15. I like how he's supposed to be this crazy MMA guy, but his finish is a shitty, poorly applied half-crab - that he can't even be bothered to get over with the proper facial expressions, to boot. At least WCW gave Sgt. Craig Pittman a believable armbreaker, and he bulged his eyes like a madman to get it over. DUD

Todd Pettengill promotes the second annual WWF Hall of Fame induction ceremony, set for King of the Ring weekend in June, with Antonio Rocca announced as an honoree

Barry Didinsky wants you to buy the new Shawn Michaels t-shirt! Who is this doof? He looks like Ray Romano's out of work cousin, or some shit

WWE King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: Shawn Michaels v King Kong Bundy: This is Shawn's big return as a babyface, after the three powerbombs the night after WrestleMania. Bundy tries a sneak attack during the entrances, but a four hundred pound guy named 'King Kong' can't exactly 'sneak,' and Shawn high knees him out of the ring to properly finish his striptease. Good thing, too, because Vince might have had a fit had he not. Shawn dives after him with a flying bodypress, and Bundy brings it in to get us officially underway. Shawn messes around by teasing a handshake to infuriate Bundy, then jiggles his belly after dodging an attack. Shawn ten-punches him in the corner, then slides out of the ring to antagonize DiBiase a bit - in a funny spot he'd often do when wrestling Ted's guys. That one never gets old. He still manages to hustle to the top rope and flying axehandle Bundy before the big guy recovers, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Shawn flies out of the ring off of it. Bundy follows him out for a bodyslam on the floor, then back in, adds a backdrop. Bearhug, so Shawn escapes with a sunset flip, but the pin attempt gets cutoff when Bundy sit-down splashes him for two. Chinlock, as Diesel and Bam Bam Bigelow watch from a tiny monitor in what looks like the bowels of the building. Bundy tries a splash to finish, but Shawn dodges, and hits a 2^nd rope clothesline, then adds a flying punch - which looked like it was meant to be a bodypress, but Bundy was out of position. Luckily this isn't a year later, because Shawn would have likely thrown a tantrum. Thankfully, it's still 1995, and Shawn just finishes him with the Superkick at 8:00. Not an all-time classic or anything, but the perfect way to reintroduce Michaels, and easily Bundy's best match from this run. Shawn also looked like he was having an absolute ball out there as a babyface. * ¼

BUExperience: While this Kliq heavy episode was not monumental, Bret’s tirade and Shawn’s match were definite highlights, and there’s Triple H’s RAW debut lending to the historical side of things. Much better than last weeks live effort, anyway