WWF Monday Night RAW (April 1, 1996)

Original Airdate: April 1, 1996

From San Bernardino, California; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Bob Holly v Mankind: This is effectively Mankind's debut, though he'd worked at least one house show with the gimmick before this. Mankind jumps him at the bell, as some guy holds up a sign imploring the WWF to bring back the Conquistadors - going so far as to note that he'd specifically like to see Conquistador 1 and 2 back. Better safe than sorry. I'd be pissed if 4 or 8 showed up. Mankind beats him down in the corner, but stops to tear his own hair out, allowing Holly time to recover. Bob slugs at him and lands a dropkick, but misses a charge, and goes out over the top. Mankind chases after him with a hotshot on the apron, then back in for a tree of woe, followed by more hair ripping. That shit freaked me out as a kid. Of all the guys you'd think could one day be known for being loveable and goofy, Mankind would not rank highly on that list. Mandible Claw finishes at 3:22, and they immediately get it over as a killer finish, in no small part due to Holly's efforts selling it here. Again, who'd ever have guessed it would eventually be a goofy spot involving a sock puppet? This was a very effective debut. ½*

Last night at WrestleMania XII, Marc Mero made his WWF debut backstage, and immediately got into a fight with Hunter Hearst Helmsley over his treatment of valet Sable

Fans offer their thoughts on WrestleMania on their way out of the building following the show. Apparently their thoughts are all very loud, because this is just a montage of people yelling barely comprehensible shit at the camera

Isaac Yankem v Marc Mero: That Sable chick from last night bought a ticket, and is sitting in the first row. Yankem tries to overpower him early, so March dropkicks him over the top, and dives with a somersault plancha. Mero with a slingshot legdrop for two on the way back in, and a headscissors takedown leads to a kneelift. Flying axehandle gets two, but Marc misses a charge in the corner, and Yankem throws a clothesline to take over - as HHH shows up to try and win back Sable. As he pleads with her, Yankem side suplexes Mero for two, and grounds him in a chinlock. I like how this angle is basically the same one Mero was working in WCW before he jumped ship. Stick with what works, I guess. Marc escapes the hold and hooks a crucifix for two, but Yankem cuts off the comeback with a boot, and he hammers the Wildman. Corner whip sets up a side suplex, but Marc counters with a double-underhook cradle for two, and he starts throwing jabs. A big left puts Yankem down, and Mero goes up with a flying sunset flip at 4:26. This was another effective debut, though Yankem looked horrible here, with his timing way off, and constantly out of position. Afterwards, Mero rescues Sable from Hunter, and some guy in the front row nearly gets caught in the crossfire. Well, wouldn't be the first time a dude in a LA Kings hat ended up an innocent bystander. ½*

Ultimate Warrior makes his RAW debut, right here next week!

Speaking of RAW debuts, here's Ed Begley Jr to discuss violent strippers. No, really

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The Bodydonnas v Barry Horowitz and Aldo Montoya: Poor Lawler's head nearly explodes with Sunny out there. Skip and Aldo start, with Montoya dominating a criss cross, but getting trapped in the wrong corner. He manages to escape a double team, and he takes both champions down on his way to cleaning house. Dust settles on Zip and Barry, which sounds like it could be a zany radio show. They do a reversal sequence to a stalemate, then back to Aldo for a flying axehandle, so the champs use a double team to put Montoya down, then add a tandem flapjack. Skip with a snap suplex, then back to Zip for a pair of elbowdrops. They cut the ring in half, but Montoya reverses a vertical suplex from Skip right out of the ring, then dives with a flying bodypress! That allows the hot tag to Barry, and he nails Skip with a high knee. Cradle looks to finish, but Sunny is distracting the referee, and we have no count. Montoya dives in with a flying bodypress for two, but Skip fires back with a bridging German suplex for two, followed by a spinebuster. Rana off the top sets up a flying seated senton splash from Zip, and we're done at 5:32. This was actually building into something that might have been really great given a few more minutes. ** ½

Bob Backlund is campaigning in the stands

More people have very loud thoughts about WrestleMania

And speaking of violent strippers, Vince McMahon brings new WWF Champion Shawn Michaels out for an interview. He's still doing the Richard Dawson thing, but no Jose tonight, at least. Last night, Shawn won the title in perhaps the greatest match of all time - if 'greatest' is a synonym for 'most disappointing,' that is. Lawler sniping at him from the commentary table as HBK gushes about his boyhood dream is great, though. And, in fact, Jerry is going to be getting a shot at Shawn's title right here next week. Shawn notes that he'll be sending the Burger King back to his white castle. Really, what is it with burger joints and royalty? There's a lot of foods you might associate with royalty, but greasy burgers ain't one of them. And, of course there's still Diesel, who wants his piece of Shawn as well, and he'll be getting it at In Your House

WWF Store is selling a WrestleMania XII plaque that features a picture of Shawn Michaels and a patch of the mat from WrestleMania XII on it for only $50. I remember really wanting one of those, but $50 felt like all the money in the world to an elementary school kid, so no go

Ed Begley Jr is still riding around on his bike, looking for violent strippers, or whatever the hell it is that guy does

Undertaker v Justin Bradshaw: Undertaker's entrances are way to slow for hour long TV shows. Bradshaw attacks from behind, and manages a corner whip, but runs into a boot as he charges. He still manages a powerslam as they criss cross, followed by a clothesline, and an elbowdrop. Kick to the head sends Undertaker to the outside, and Bradshaw manages a sidewalk slam on the way back in. Flying shoulderblock gets two, but a second one is countered with a powerslam, and Undertaker turnbuckle smashes him. He tries a cross corner whip, but it backfires when Justin rebounds at him with a lariat, and he cracks Undertaker with a big boot. Clothesline, but Undertaker ducks, and comes off the ropes with a jumping version. Chokeslam leads to the Tombstone, and ya' done Bradshaw! Cover, count, but here's Mankind for the DQ at 6:17. He goes to town on Undertaker, knocking him out of the ring with a flurry of rights, and sending his undead ass into the rail and steps. That leaves Undertaker down in the aisle, and Mankind dives on him with a flying elbowdrop from the apron, then slaps on that Mandible Claw! I do hope he at least rinsed is after the Holly match. Mankind keeps it on until he's pulled off my a gaggle of officials, and that was a pretty major beat down, one of the few I can think of where Undertaker didn't sit up and come at the heel afterwards. Good angle to cap off a surprisingly energetic match. * ¾

BUExperience: Strong showing this week, with two major debuts, WrestleMania fallout, and a big angle to cap things off. Not surprisingly, this ended Nitro’s four week winning streak in head-to-head competition, though it’s worth noting that it was a very thin margin.

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	4/1/96
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.9	2.8
Total Wins	11	14
Win Streak	1
Better Show (as of 3/25)	6	17