WWF Monday Night RAW (December 4, 1995)

Original Airdate: December 4, 1995 (taped November 20)

From Richmond, Virginia; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Davey Boy Smith v Bob Holly: One thing I really like about these one hour RAWs from back in the day is how things get right down to business. Three minutes into the broadcast, and the bell has already gone here. Holly manages to knock him to the outside early on, so Davey tries slowing things down with a headlock on the way back in, but eats a powerslam for two. Bob tries a wristlock, but gets press-dropped crotch-first across the top rope. Smith follows up with a suplex, but Holly counters with a small package for two, so Davey blasts him with a clothesline to cool his jets, then hits the hanging vertical suplex for two. Chinlock, but Holly escapes with a sunset flip for two, so Smith throws a knee to take the pep out of his step again. Bodyslam sets up a legdrop, but Bulldog misses a clothesline, allowing Bob to throw a dropkick. Holly mounts a comeback, and another dropkick gets two. Ten-punch count is worth two (one of the few times I've actually seen someone cover after one), but Bob runs into the Running Powerslam at 5:06. Really basic, but watchable. *

Last week, Bob Backlund attacked WWF Champion Bret Hart on the Brother Love Show, and this past weekend on Superstars, he attacked Jim Ross. That segues into Lawler bringing Backlund out for an interview, with the King having the unenviable task of informing Bob that his match with Bret Hart next week won't be for the title, setting off an epic rant from the would-be challenger. I think he scarred some poor children seated at ringside for life there

Fatu v Brooklyn Brawler: Brawler attacks from behind, and manages to unload in the corner, and even hit a knee before Fatu counters a hiptoss with a backbreaker. Cutter follows, and Fatu heads up for a flying splash at 1:25. Hey, Fatu can't waste time with JTTS, he's got a difference to go out and make! DUD

In Your House report with Dok Hendrix! Nice edit here, from Fatu dancing in the ring to Dok dancing in his man cave. The only news is that Diesel has answered Owen Hart's open challenge for the show

Bob Backlund attacks the sound engineer. Because he didn't like the sound of a non-title match? It's worth noting that I was watching the product religiously at this point, and I have zero recollection of any of this angle, so clearly it wasn't resonating the way it did the first time around in 1994

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Razor Ramon v Dean Douglas: Douglas attacks before Ramon even has a chance to take the title belt off, and stomps the Bad Guy down. He unloads on the ropes, but a bodypress lands him in a fallaway slam, and Razor clotheslines his ass over the top. You'd think he'd stop trying to use a bodypress on Razor, given that the exact same thing happened to him every single other time they wrestled. Back in, Ramon hits a hiptoss, and he grounds the challenger in an armbar. As promised, connoisseurs! Charge in the corner misses, however, allowing Douglas the worlds ugliest 2^nd rope flying bulldog, followed by a bodyslam. Seriously, he basically got a couple of strands of hair there, and we're supposed to buy that it forced a three hundred pound dude to the mat. Abdominal stretch follows, but Ramon reverses, so Dean hiptosses him. Flying bodypress, but Razor rolls through for two, and throws a clothesline. Razor's Edge looks to finish, and what do you know, it does at 6:12. Basically little more than a squash, as Douglas gets shown the door in the WWF (he'd already wrestled his last match for the promotion by the time this even aired). *

And now, for another fun edition of the Brother Love Show. Brother Love reminds us that he's the one who originally brought Undertaker to the WWF, before introducing the man who hopes to vanquish him from the promotion at In Your House: Mabel. At least Mabel was a good choice as a guest for Brother Love. Classic 'ugly friend theory.' Next to a character as lame and annoying as Brother Love, Mabel almost seems interesting. This is all set up for a druid to push out a casket, but it turns out the druid is Mo, and the casket has been defaced with graffiti

Backstage, Marty Jannetty wants Razor Ramon to watch his back during his match with Sid tonight. Why is Jannetty sweatier than Razor, despite Ramon just getting done in the ring? Then again, that Brother Love segment was so terrible and so long that he probably had time to do all three S's during it

The RAW Bowl is coming January 1!

Barry Didinsky wants you to drop near $30 on Undertaker or Diesel cardboard stand-ups. It's no secret that I generally enjoy the product from this era more than the current product, but one thing you've got to give them today is that the quality of the merchandise is generally much, much better. Everything about the stuff from this era screamed 'cheap cash grab.' Some of the t-shirts they're shilling look barely above homemade grade

Sycho Sid v Marty Jannetty: Marty goes right at the big guy with right hands, rattling him enough for a bodypress to work. Again, but this time Sid catches him in a slam, and he pounds on Jannetty. Sid tries a charge, but hits boot, and Marty comes off the middle with a flying somersault cutter to set up a fistdrop for two. Sunset flip, but Sid blocks, and sends Jannetty flipping to the mat with a clothesline for two. Chinlock, but Marty starts to escape, so Sid tosses him over the top for Ted DiBiase to abuse. Jannetty doesn't appreciate that abuse, but here's 1-2-3 Kid to save Ted from a beating - charging Marty from behind with a pretty badass running dropkick on the floor. That draws Razor Ramon out to chase Kid into the crowd, as the referee calls for the bell at 7:31, ruling it a no-contest. It should be noted that Sid gets a pretty massive babyface pop for powerbombing Jannetty after the bell, too. Not much here, but Jannetty did some nice selling, and the finish with Ramon chasing Kid all around the building was exciting. ½*

Dr. Jeffrey Unger, Shawn Michaels' personal physician, discusses HBK's condition, basically writing off his career. I find it funny that the promotion was apparently hesitant about any charges being filed against the guys who had the altercation with Shawn in Syracuse for fear that it would shatter kayfabe (since Michaels was riding with Bulldog and 1-2-3 Kid), but Vince has got no problem whatsoever loudly  introducing this segment right in front of the same crowd that just witnessed Shawn collapse earlier that evening. I guess you could hope they'd believe it was an update 'from the hospital' that same evening, but come on. That's why I never got them putting the announce position right at ringside, within earshot of the fans, for these taped shows. Also, I have no idea if this Unger guy is a real doctor or not, but I'm going to assume 'not,' because no self respecting doctor would actually refer to Razor Ramon as 'the Bad Guy Razor Ramon'

BUExperience: Certainly nothing special, but the episode felt lively enough, and didn’t drag like the molasses covered corpse last weeks episode was. Brother Love continues to be terrible, though.

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	12/4/95
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.6	2.4
Total Wins	6	5
Win Streak	1
Better Show (as of 11/27)	3	8