WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Terminators '96 (1996)

 

WWF Coliseum Video Collection: Terminators '96 (1996)

Coliseum Video compilation. The front cover features Shawn Michaels diving at Yokozuna

Dok Hendrix hosts from the studio

WWF Tag Team Title RAW Bowl Match: The Smoking Gunns v Owen Hart and Yokozuna v Razor Ramon and Savio Vega v Sycho Sid and 1-2-3 Kid: This is the 'RAW Bowl' from Monday Night RAW on January 1 1996 (taped December 18 1995) in Newark Delaware. Everyone is wearing football jerseys here, as part of the theme. During the entrances, Goldust has flowers delivered to Razor, which earns his usher a beating. I guess Ramon never heard the expression about not shooting the messenger. Bart Gunn starts with Owen, and dominates him with hiptosses, so Hart decides to stick it to him by tagging Billy Gunn in. The Gunns mess around without actually hurting each other, and then stick it right back to Owen and Yoko by tagging them both in. That leads to a funny bit where they try to do a criss cross like the Gunns, but Yokozuna is so big that Owen can't help but collide with him. He tags to Savio, and Vega comes in hot on Yoko with rights, but runs into a bodyslam. Yokozuna tags to Kid, and a criss cross with Vega ends in Savio hitting a clothesline for two. Spinheel kick gets two, so Kid tags out to Owen. Vega tries to keep it going, but runs into a spinheel kick from Hart for two. A bunch of tags in and out, until things settle on Bart and Sid, with Sid choking him down. Bart fires back with a clothesline for two, and actually delivers a hanging vertical suplex for two. Cool! Elbowdrop misses, however, and Bart quickly passes to Savio before big Sid can thump him. Sid thumps Savio instead, so Vega stupidly tries a bodyslam, and gets toppled for two. Owen tags in to nail Vega with a leg-feed enzuigiri for two, and Vince is quick to note that this is the same move that put Shawn Michaels on the shelf. They really got that thing over as a killer. Sharpshooter, but Vega blocks, so Owen passes to Kid to drill Vega with a spinheel kick for two. The heels all work together to cut the ring in half on Vega, but Kid misses an elbowdrop, and Razor gets the tag. He goes to town on his former little buddy, but Kid calls a timeout ahead of the Razor's Edge, and since this is the RAW Bowl, he's actually allowed one! Unfortunately, Ramon ignores that, and hits the move anyway, so the referee blows a whistle and throws down a flag, in some nice touches. That distraction allows Sid to clobber Ramon, and he puts Kid on top for the pin at 10:44. Vega tries to claim that he called a timeout at two, but the referee isn't hearing it. Dust settles on Sid and Kid cutting the ring in half on Bart, and they tag Owen in to let him get in on the fun as well. Owen misses a flying splash, allowing the tag to Billy, and he comes in hot on all four heels! Five, counting Jim Cornette! Unfortunately for him, he gets overwhelmed fighting a five front war, and Owen clobbers him. Banzai Drop from Yoko, but Bart pulls Billy out, and replaces him with Hart - Yoko inadvertently dropping on his own partner! That allows Billy to pin Owen at 15:53! Nice! Sid rushes right in an absolutely stomps the life out of poor Billy, and Kid corner dropkicks him to set up a clothesline from Sid for two. They cut the ring in half on Billy, but Razor runs back out to shove Kid off the top rope to prevent a double team, and Billy cradles Sid at 20:22! Like the Wild Card match a few months before, this wasn't necessarily a great match, but it was fun to see them try something different, and there were all sorts of cute booking touches here. ***

Diesel v Davey Boy Smith: From RAW on January 29 1996 (taped January 22) in Stockton. Some guy in the crowd is holding up a 'RAW is WAR' sign, about a year ahead of schedule. I'll bet there are no less than a dozen YouTube conspiracy theory videos about it. Diesel goes to town in the corner to start, as the crowd gets distracted by something going on in the stands. Probably a fight, or something. That used to happen so often in the 90s, but you almost never see it anymore. Guess that's what happens when the audience shifts from rowdy college kids to families. Diesel clotheslines Bulldog over the top, but Davey sweeps him from out there, and rams the leg into the post. Back in, Smith works the leg, and Diesel actually does a great job of selling it. His selling really improved following the match with Hart at Survivor Series. Yokozuna waddles out as Smith works a half-crab, and he takes a cheap shot at Big Daddy Cool behind the referee's back. Diesel ends up on the outside, allowing Davey to expose a top turnbuckle as the referee is busy counting, but he gets reversed into it. Diesel quickly adds a snake-eyes into the exposed buckle, so Yoko runs (well...) in - only to accidentally hit Bulldog with a legdrop! That allows Diesel to cover, and Davey's done at 6:09. This was like a compact version of the match they had at In Your House IV. And give Diesel credit, he sells the leg all the way up the aisle. ½*

Yokozuna v Shawn Michaels: From RAW on January 29 1996 (taped January 22) in Stockton. The middle aged women in the crowd are just losing their shit for Shawn here. Yokozuna knocks him around in the early going, so Shawn jiggles the big guys ass, and knocks him to the outside with a series of right hands. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've seen Keith Thurman or Deontay Wilder use that strategy before too. Anyway, that's enough to get Jim Cornette to bring Owen Hart out to ringside, but Shawn stays on Yokozuna with a flying moonsault press for two. Yoko manages to reverse a cross corner whip, however, and Shawn flips to the floor, where Owen is ready and waiting! Michaels takes a beating out there, but beats the count in, where Yokozuna grounds him in a nervehold. Shawn's selling actually makes the hold a lot more tolerable than most guys who took it, and he's a master of timing his hope spots. Yokozuna tries a legdrop, but Michaels rolls out of the way, only to have the same thing happen to him on a flying splash. A flying axehandle doesn't go much better, as Yokozuna catches him, and signals Owen in as Cornette distracts the referee. Hart charges, but ends up hitting Yokozuna by accident, and Shawn capitalizes on the error with the Superkick at 11:02. Shawn actually managed to pull a fairly decent match out of Yokozuna at this stage in the big mans career, which is no small feat. Or legs. Or butt. Or stomach. Afterwards, Camp Cornette tease dissention, with Davey Boy Smith having to run out and play peacemaker. They focus their aggression on Michaels, but Diesel runs out to back him up, and they retreat. Not sure why, you're still up four guys to two. At ringside, McMahon grabs Cornette, and immediately starts stirring the pot, but Jim quickly changes the subject by challenging Shawn and Diesel to face his guys in tag action next week - which they accept. Shawn and Diesel being goofy together is fun, as usual. * ½ 

Diesel and Shawn Michaels v Yokozuna and Davey Boy Smith: From the February 5 RAW.  Shawn actually bothered going to the trouble of putting on different gear for his second match of the taping, which is why this dude was getting a main event push. Just like my dad always taught me, you want to make the big money, you change your underwear. Shawn and Bulldog start, and they mess around with each other. Shawn takes a bump that would make even Mr. Perfect blush, crashing all the way to the outside following a shoulderblock. Back in, Bulldog tries a press-slam to win a reversal sequence, but Shawn goes to the eyes, and clotheslines him over the top. That brings Yokozuna in, but Diesel throws Michaels into the big man, and Yoko ends up on the outside as well! The dust settles on Diesel and Yokozuna, as the announcers talk shit about Ted Turner. Diesel slugs away, but Yoko drops him like a Samoan, only to miss an elbowdrop follow-up. That allows the tag back to Shawn, and Michaels picks up right where he left off last week, but a cheap shot from Bulldog leaves HBK on the outside. Smith whips him into the steps out there before forcing Michaels back inside, where Camp Cornette cut the ring in half. Yoko misses a splash to allow the hot tag to Diesel, and Roseanne Barr the door! Diesel kills both heels with big boots, and then passes to Shawn to come off of his shoulders with a flying splash, but Bulldog breaks the count - only to hit Yoko by accident! That allows Michaels to plant the Superkick on the big man, and Yoko is knocked to the outside for the countout at 12:22. Well, you didn't expect him to job to Shawn two weeks in a row, did you? The characters involved made this fun, even if the wrestling was nothing special. Afterwards, Cornette chews Yokozuna out for the loss, though I remember him being pretty satisfied when the same thing happened back at SummerSlam '93. He won't get off of Yoko's case, until the big man finally has enough, and cleans house on Cornette, Bulldog, and Owen Hart to turn face. I remember having a really hard time accepting Yoko as a babyface at the time, though the angle wasn't poorly done. * ½ 

Razor Ramon v Hunter Hearst Helmsley: Also from the January 22 RAW. Razor Ramon v Hunter Hearst Helmsley: Hunter has Playboy Playmate Shae Marks on his arm as a valet tonight. 1-2-3 Kid and Ted DiBiase show up on split screen as the bell sounds, taunting Ramon over his title loss to Goldust the night before. Razor dominates Hunter to start, but misses a charge, and takes a bump over the top. Helmsley blasts him with a baseball slide out there, and he drops the Bad Guy crotch-first across the top rope on the way back in, as Lawler hits on Marks at ringside. Helmsley with a series of corner whips, and a high knee leads to a clothesline for two. HHH unloads in the corner, and with Razor down, Kid shows up at ringside with a baby bottle in his hands. He taunts Ramon with it, which gets Kid chases around ringside, and Razor is counted out in the process at 8:01. Pretty dull match, actually. I'm surprised, since generally the Kliq guys turned it up against one another. ½*

Bret Hart v Goldust: From RAW on January 22 1996 in Stockton California. Bret is the WWF Champion, and Goldust is the Intercontinental champion, but neither belt is on the line. Goldust plays his usual mind games to start, as they announce that Hart will defend against Diesel at In Your House VI. Feeling out process to start, with Hart dominating, until Goldust starts pounding him in the corner. That allows Goldust to ground the Hitman in a hammerlock, but Bret manages to dump him to the outside to escape. Goldust fights him off on the way back in, and hits a flying punch to put Bret back down for an armbar. Hart slugs free, so Goldust tries sweeping him down for a sharpshooter, but Bret shoves him out of the ring to block. Goldust decides to take a walk, but here comes Razor Ramon to beat him back down into the ring! Hart is ready with a legdrop, and a 2nd rope flying clothesline connects. Russian legsweep sets up the Sharpshooter, and Goldust very quickly submits at 10:58 - marking his first televised loss. Well, Bret needed a win after the weak finish at the Rumble the night before, and it didn't hurt Goldust to job here. Nothing much to this one, as Bret was apparently pretty banged up, and working hurt. He's even sporting a black eye, looking more like Robert De Niro on the Raging Bull poster than himself. Afterwards, Vince comes into the ring for some quick words with Bret regarding the Diesel defense, and they're clearly running out of airtime, because Hart is talking like he's on speedballs here. DUD

Fatu v Ringmaster: From the February 10 Superstars (taped January 23) in San Jose. Vince notes that Fatu has ‘unquestionably’ made a difference. Uh, I’m questioning it. Feeling out to start, with Ringmaster using holds, but Fatu using fists. Fatu tries a superkick, but Ringmaster ducks it, and clips Fatu’s leg. Ringmaster posts the knee next, and a pointed elbowdrop connects, as we get a split screen promo from Ringmaster and Ted DiBiase. I’m surprised production let him wear those sunglasses. Ringmaster with a kneedrop, as Vince notes that he’s ‘stone cold.’ If I didn’t know better, I’d praise the foreshadowing. Ringmaster works the leg, but Fatu fights him off, and goes upstairs, so Ted crotches him. That allows Ringmaster a vertical superplex, and the cobra clutch finishes at 7:12. Watching this, it’s hard to believe that Ringmaster was just two short years away from becoming one of the biggest stars in history. ½*

WWF Title Match: Diesel v Yokozuna: TV taping dark match from Valparaiso Indiana on September 26 1995. They do a staredown, and Diesel comes at him with a series of clotheslines, before putting him down with a jumping clothesline. Powerbomb, but Yokozuna backdrops him to block, and delivers a legdrop. Banzai drop, but Diesel dodges, and hooks the leg at 1:06. Gosh, how many times did they do the ‘I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up’ finish with Yokozuna? DUD

1-2-3 Kid v Hakushi: From RAW on February 5 1996 (taped January 22) in Stockton. Listening to Vince hyping up Silk Stalkings on commentary is something I forgot I love. Much like Tatanka before him, the only change Kid has made to his character since turning heel is that he now walks to the ring instead of running. Feeling out process to start, dominated by Hakushi. Superkick sends Kid to the outside, where Ted DiBiase is standing by to help him regroup. Back in, Hakushi cracks him with chops, so Kid tries a leg-feed kick, but Hakushi legsweeps him to block. Hakushi with a spinkick to the gut, but Kid sidesteps a charge, and Hakushi goes flying over the top. Kid is on him with a somersault plancha, and DiBiase of course gets some licks in as well. Inside, Kid unloads with lightning kicks in the corner, and a corner dropkick puts Hakushi down. Kid with a leg-feed kick, followed by a vertical suplex for two, but a flying bodypress is blocked when Hakushi throws a dropkick. He really stuck that one in there, too. Hakushi mounts a comeback, but a leg-feed kick sends Kid to the outside, so Hakushi dives with a springboard bodypress! Hakushi with a flying shoulderblock for two on the way back in, but he runs into a spinheel kick - only for Kid to have the resulting cradle reversed for two! Hakushi with a rana for two, but a trip back to the top ends badly when Kid crotches him, then butterfly superplexes him down for the pin at 10:16! What, no Razor Ramon run in? Much better than their SummerSlam match, and better than the one they had on RAW the night after Survivor Series '95 as well. ** ¾ 

Diesel v Isaac Yankem: From Superstars on January 20 1996 (taped December 19 1995) in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. I’m not even going to make the joke. Diesel hammers him into the corner to start, and a cross corner whip is followed in with a corner clothesline. Diesel with a sidewalk slam, but another corner clothesline gets blocked, and Yankem throws a series of rights. Yankem clotheslines him over the top from there, but loses a slugfest on the floor, so Jerry Lawler distracts him. That allows Yankem to nail him on the way inside, and Yankem delivers a backelbow before putting the boots to Diesel. Yankem with a bodyslam to set up a flying legdrop, but Diesel dodges, and a delivers a straddling ropechoke. Diesel adds a snake-eyes, but a big boot misses, and Yankem throws a clothesline. Isaac with a legdrop for two, but Diesel counters a DDT with a backbreaker. Both guys stagger up, and Diesel powerbombs him at 5:36. ¾*

Jake Roberts v Tatanka: From the Free For All on February 18 1996 in Louisville Kentucky. Tatanka goes to the eyes, allowing him to take Jake down in a wristlock right away. Jake fights it off with a short-clothesline, and he tries for the DDT, but Tatanka bails. Tatanka gets control as he comes back in, and he cracks Jake with a hard chop. Tatanka bootchokes him from there, and he goes for the Samoan drop, but Jake counters to the DDT at 4:59. Really dull, but the crowd popped big for the finish anyway. DUD (Original rating: DUD)

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Yokozuna, Owen Hart, and Hakushi v Bret Hart, Razor Ramon, and Savio Vega: TV taping dark match from Wheeling West Virginia on June 6 1995. Yoko and Razor start, and they do some posturing. Yoko misses an elbowdrop, allowing Razor a series of rights, but he drops Yoko right into his home corner with them. Funny spot, as Yoko collapses, and lands right on Owen’s foot. Tags to Hakushi and Bret, and Bret wins a wristlock exchange. Tag to Vega for a 2nd rope axehandle, and he cranks a wristlock of his own. Tag to Owen, so Vega backdrops him, and passes to Razor to work the arm. Owen goes a headlock, but Razor escapes, and wins a criss cross with a fallaway slam for two. Razor goes back to the wrist, so Owen throws a series of uppercuts. A criss cross allows Owen a spinheel kick, and a neckbreaker sets up a 2nd rope elbowdrop, but Razor dodges. Tags to Hakushi and Bret again, and Bret unloads. Bret with a cross corner whip, and a DDT sets up a 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two. Bret keeps coming with a backbreaker to set up a legdrop for two, but Hakushi reverses another cross corner whip, and the Hitman hits the buckles. Hakushi stays on him with a bronco buster, and the heels cut the ring in half on the Hitman. Owen with a leg-feed enzuigiri for two, and he traps Bret in a chinlock from there. Bret escapes, but gets caught in a belly-to-belly suplex for two, and it’s back to the chinlock. Hakushi misses a flying headbutt drop to allow the hot tag to Savio, and he runs wild on Hakushi. A small package gets Vega two, and a knife-edge chop leads to a backslide for two. Savio slaps on a pumphandle submission, so Owen and Yoko come in to break it up. Vega fights them all off, but starts getting overwhelmed, so Razor comes in to back him up. That allows Savio to put Hakushi back in the pumphandle hold, but Owen saves. Owen and Hakushi try a double team, but miss, and Savio puts Hakushi away at 11:36. This was solid, if lowkey. *

Razor Ramon v Jeff Jarrett: From Superstars on February 3 1996 (taped January 23) in San Jose California. Jeff tries to sneak attack, but loses the exchange, and nearly gets caught with the Razor’s Edge before hitting the deck and bailing. Razor chases to the outside, and slugs Jarrett. Inside, Razor wins a criss cross with a right hand, and then wins a second one with the same tactic. Backdrop, but Jarrett blocks with a matslam, and Jeff adds a straddling ropechoke. Jarrett with a slingshot side suplex for two, but Razor blocks a sunset flip, and cradles for two - Jarrett reversing for two. Jarrett throws a dropkick for two, and he slows things down by grounding Ramon in a chinlock. I keep having to remind myself that this isn’t for the Intercontinental title, since Razor doesn’t have it anymore. He feels so naked without it. Razor escapes the chinlock, so Jeff goes to a sleeper, and then a swinging neckbreaker for a leveraged two count. Jarrett argues the count, allowing Razor to schoolboy for two, but Jeff cuts him off with a clothesline for two. Back to the chinlock, but Razor manages a side suplex to escape, and both men are left taking the count, as 1-2-3 Kid makes his way out, carting a baby stroller. Ramon covers Jarrett for two, and the Bad Guy makes a comeback as they get vertical. Razor with a fallaway slam, and he clotheslines Jeff over the top. He follows, but runs into Kid, and knocks him cold. Back in with Jarrett, Razor delivers a side superplex, and he goes back to the Edge, but Jarrett dumps him to the outside to block. Jeff follows to post Razor, but Kid attacks him with the stroller for the DQ at 7:15. Afterwards, it’s beatdown time, but Ahmed Johnson makes the save, looking like he just ran out on his shift at McDonalds. These two had plenty of experience working with one another, and it shows. This would mark Jarrett’s last TV appearance for the WWF until late 1997. He worked a few more house shows over the week after this was taped, and then worked in the USWA before turning up in WCW in October. ** ¾ 

WWF Title Match: Bret Hart v Undertaker: From RAW on February 5 1996 (taped January 22) in Stockton. I'm guessing they wanted a second try, after shitting the ring at the Rumble. Vince and Lawler continue taking shots at Ted Turner on commentary, with Lawler trying to blame him for the fact that RAW won't be on next week. Bret sticks and moves in the early going, but Undertaker gets control in the corner, as the announcers note that Diesel will get a shot at the title at In Your House no matter who wins here, and tease the possibility of this new match type to settle these scores, one that they credit Roddy Piper with inventing called the ‘Triple Threat’ match. Yeah, like that'll ever catch on. And speaking of Diesel, he strolls down to ringside as Undertaker tries the ropewalk forearm, the distraction allowing Bret to block. Diesel settles in at the commentary desk as Hart goes to work on the leg, but Undertaker fights him off long enough to deliver a side suplex, and they spill to the outside. Undertaker rams him into the guardrail out there, and he hits the ropewalk forearm on the way back inside. Undertaker with a jumping clothesline, but the referee gets bumped as he goes for the Tombstone, and Hart is able to slip free. He tries a schoolboy, but there's no referee to count. Bret fires off shots at the leg to try and keep control until the official can recover, but as he slides to the outside to bash 'Taker's leg into the post, Diesel attacks! He sends Bret into the post, so Undertaker hops out to intervene, but Diesel hits him with a chair, and delivers a pair of Jackknifes back in the ring! He leaves Undertaker for dead, but Bret goes after him as Diesel tries to flee the scene, and they brawl - the referee eventually recovering, and declaring the whole thing a no-contest at around 14:00. Another shitty match between these two, but the angle with Diesel was entertaining. ¼*

BUExperience: This was a pretty lazy release, with mostly a bunch of TV matches from the same couple of tapings, and only two exclusive matches (one of which ran all of a minute). The match selection itself wasn’t bad for the most part, just lazy, and not worth your time.

Not a good addition to your Coliseum Collection.