We press forward. Fresh off of WWF’s Royal Rumble 1996, we go straight into the Monday Night War (and ECW TV) with fallout from the Rumble on RAW, while Nitro is building towards The Clash of the Champions. Former WCW World Champion VADER is making is WWF TV debut on RAW, as we start to see the beginning of the “talent acquisition” era.
WWF Monday Night RAW – 1.22.96
-Our main event is WWF Champion vs. WWF IC Champion – Bret Hart against Goldust.
-Jim Cornette asks us what time it is after Savio Vega enters…and Vader makes his WWF RAW debut.
-Vega got annihilated. Vader attacks after the match, and hits another Vader Bomb on Vega. Vader then takes out the referee, and McMahon goes apeshit on commentary. Another referee comes in, and Vader takes him out too. Gorilla Monsoon gets in the ring and goes face to face with Vader. Vader calls for the microphone from the ring announcer (ugh, not Fink), and the announcement is made that Vader is indefinitely suspended.
-Vader shoves Cornette out of the way, gets in Monsoon’s face again, and then retreats. Cornette tries to get Vader to calm down, but Vader goes and taps Monsoon on the back while he’s checking on the official. Monsoon ignores him, so Vader chops Monsoon hard on the back. Monsoon stands up and hits three hard chops to Vader’s chest! Vader shoves Cornette away and hits a huge splash on Monsoon in the corner! Vader Bomb on Monsoon, and HBK/Razor hit the ring as Vader escapes. Vader goes over and gets in McMahon’s face, and officers/HBK/Razor are out checking on Monsoon. AWESOME ANGLE. Talk about getting Vader over in a MAJOR way.
-Why’d they write Vader off TV so quickly after his debut? That just seems like a strange choice. Real reason?
-Back from commercial as Monsoon is being stretchered out.
-Hunter Hearst Helmsley to the ring, with an escort for the first time – this one is Shae Marks, who is a former Playboy model. That tidbit wasn’t mentioned on RAW. Hunter’s facing Razor Ramon.
-1-2-3 Kid brings a baby bottle to ringside and squirts Razor in the face. Not sure what the point of that is..
-But Razor gives chase to Kid around the ring. Hunter wins via countout, and Razor comes back in to give the fans the Razor’s Edge, but HHH flips out of it.
-McMahon brings down Shawn Michaels for an interview. Michaels calls out Owen Hart to give him payback for having Owen running his mouth saying he took HBK out. Cornette comes out, says Owen is done with HBK. HBK says he’ll do anything to get his hands on Owen Hart…Cornette says put the title shot up against Owen, and they can talk business. HBK balks at first but then agrees.
-Goldust to the ring, and they reveal that Marlena…is named Marlena. Man…I REALLY had a thing for Marlena/Terri around this time. BIG TIME.
-Diesel against Bret Hart for the WWF Title at the next IYH, on 2.18.96.
-Bret Hart wins. Vince gets in the ring and screams “let’s talk about” and follows that with about 7 different statements.
WCW Monday Nitro – 1.22.96
-Konnan interrupts the announcers, and says it’s good to be in WCW, and that he’ll defend the Mexican Heavyweight Championship at COTC tomorrow night against Psichosis. So ECW loses another.
-Randy Savage brings a bunch of women to the ring…including WOMAN. So, geez, there’s another person who leaves. Did these people leave without any notice at all or what?
-Looks like we’re opening Nitro with the WCW World Heavyweight Title match…obviously Woman’s going to turn on Savage here.
-Bischoff reveals that Miss Elizabeth returns to Savage’s side tomorrow night. Yay for that!
-Woman slaps Flair.
-Remember when I asked where Road Warrior Animal was? He’s back tomorrow as well. Holy talent acquisition WCW. Wow.
-Hulk Hogan faces WCW U.S. Champion “One Man Gang” later on. Two questions – who the hell is that, and when did he beat Susake for the title?
-This is why nobody holds a candle to JR, and why WCW is annoying…this is a WCW World Title match, and all they’ve done is hype the rest of Nitro and the Clash.
-Anderson interferes, but accidentally clocks Flair…the ref SEES IT HAPPEN AND DOESN’T DISQUALIFY SAVAGE, Savage drops the elbow and regains the WCW World Title. Um…what?
-Here comes Hogan bitching about wanting a title shot again. Savage tells him to earn it.
-Pillman against Malenko. Pillman wins. I’m barely paying attention here.
-Harlem Heat against Sting and Lex Luger. REALLY stupid question – are Stevie Ray and Booker T actually brothers?
-Sherri and Col. Parker get married tomorrow too. WHO CARES
-Sting and Luger win after Luger cheats, and win the WCW World Tag Team Titles. Yay.
-Apparently this One Man Gang dude is yet another member of the Dungeon of Doom. He looks pretty worthless.
-Hogan squashes him. Way to build up your US Champ! DOD follows with a beatdown. Yawn.
ECW – 1.23.96
-STILL showing footage from House Party, as the show leads off with RVD’s debut.
-Raven and Stevie Richards face Tommy Dreamer and a mystery partner Saturday in NYC. Presumably they’ll show this
next week on ECW since it’s not a supercard.
-Hack Myers and Taz from House Party.
-Sabu/Richards from House Party. Styles recaps Sandman pinning Austin to regain the ECW World Title, “a title that cannot be bought for a million dollars”.
-Sandman against Konnan from House Party.
-Dreamer doing a promo at the end of the show, and Douglas comes in. He says he couldn’t get “that fat ass Cactus Jack” in the ring, so he’ll go one step further, to his mentor Raven, and be Dreamer’s partner – with the stipulation that the first to win a title between Dreamer and Douglas gives the other one a shot. Dreamer agrees. LOVE Shane Douglas promos.
