Monday Night War – WWF Jan 15th, 1996

WWF Monday Night Raw January 15, 1996

Welcome to Monday Night Raw!

The show starts with a salute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as it is MLK Day. Long live The Dream!

Tonight, we are gearing up for the Royal Rumble this Sunday live on Pay-Per-View! How did Sunny use her “influence” on interim President Gorilla Monsoon? We see the Undertaker face Issac Yankem, D.D.S. before his match on Sunday versus Bret the Hitman Hart for the WWF Championship. Goldust has told the world how he feels about Razor Ramon, who he will challenge for the WWF Intercontinental Championship at the Royal Rumble. Goldust will join Vince McMahon for a special interview. Dok Hendrix lets us know that Razor Ramon is expected to show up here tonight to confront Goldust. Also, we will have a new peek into Billionaire Ted’s “Wrasslin’ War Room”!

Vince McMahon and Jerry the King Lawler open up the show discussing the match-up between The Undertaker and Issac Yankem, D.D.S. as Marty Jannetty makes his way to the ring to gear up in the first match of the evening. His opponent, The King of Hearts Owen Hart, is accompanied by Jim Cornette as he makes his way to the ring not to long after, and King and Vince make their predictions about the Royal Rumble and who will be the winner, including King dubbing royalty will win the 30-man over-the-top match-up, citing himself, King Mable, and Owen.

Marty Jannetty takes control of the match in the early part of the match, using his quickness to overcome Owen Hart, but Owen quickly takes over. The momentum between Jannetty and Hart goes back and forth, but a gut wrench suplex helps Hart hold control of the match-up. Jannetty recovers and uses his strength to take it back, but Owen Hart places Jannetty into a bridge for the win.

Winner by pin fall: Owen Hart

We take a look a replay of the victory before Vince sends us over to Todd Pettengill, who plans to talk about the 1996 Royal Rumble and to Dok Hendrix. He reminds us that The 1996 Royal Rumble is this Sunday live exclusively on Pay-Per-View. Insert a reference to TLC’s Waterfalls as he talks about a new program from the WWF 30 minutes before the Royal Rumble and will be shown on the preview channel at 6:30 Eastern. At that time, the WWF Free For All will air with the preview of the Royal Rumble on the preview channel, including a very special match. This match will include the two men who drew blanks during the official drawing for the order of the participants of the rumble. The winner of this match will enter into the Royal Rumble at #30, but the loser of the match will enter into the 30-man match at #1. He reminds us of the time for the Free For All, and he highlights the Royal Rumble, the winner going on to WrestleMania to be in the WWF Championship match. Big Daddy Diesel is announced as a favorite to win the Royal Rumble as a promo from the man himself.

We also see a promo for Vader, another favorite to win the Rumble. He also reminds us that Ahmed Johnson will face Double J Jeff Jarrett and that three titles will be on the line. He sends it over to Dok Hendrix, who lets us know that Razor Ramon is on his way to the arena and will beat the living snot out of Goldust once he gets there.

We join Vince and Lawler back at the ring as we see the Million Dollar Champion The Ringmaster make his way to the ring for his WWF in-ring debut, accompanied by none other than Ted Dibiase. We shot to a segment of Sunny telling us what she (clears throat) likes. Still to come, we take a new look inside Billionaire Ted’s “Wrasslin’ War Room”, plus the match between The Undertaker and Issac Yankem, D.D.S. We are set to start the second match of the evening as bell rings for The Ringmaster, in his green trunks, and his opponent of the evening, Matt Hardy. Yes, I said Matt Hardy.

The Ringmaster is set as the predicted winner of this match-up as we see the Million Dollar Champion take control of the match. Hardy hits Ringmaster with a roll-up, but he only gets the two count. Vince and Lawler get off track with the conversation about the match-up, but Ringmaster is in full control in the ring. Advertisements for the Royal Rumble are plugged into the commentary as Ringmaster maintains control of the match-up. Hardy looks for the upset as control of the match slightly switches back and forth, but Ringmaster hits the Million Dollar Dream sleeper hold to put Hardy down for the win.

Winner by submission: The Ringmaster

We go into a video promo about the most anticipated return and entrant into the 1996 Royal Rumble, The Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. He discusses what caused him to have to forfeit the Intercontinental title and keep him out of action for the short period that he did, collapsing in the middle of the ring when attempting to get back into the ring too soon. Despite the warnings from doctors and officials, he plans to enter into the Royal Rumble and win to go on and become the WWF Champion at WrestleMania.

We shot to Dok Hendrix, who informs us that Razor Ramon is only a few miles away and might make it in time for the Goldust interview. McMahon informs us that the interview is next, followed by being joined by Billionaire Ted in his “Wrasslin’ War Room” and the match between The Undertaker and Issac Yankem.

We come back to the third match of the evening, a tag team match-up between The Spiders and The Smokin’ Gunns, brothers Bart and Billy Gunn. The Smokin’ Gunns will face the Bodydonnas in a tag team title match at the Royal Rumble as they have lost control of the match. They quickly recover as the brothers take out one of the Spiders and double team the other. Billy Gunn hits a leg drop from the top rope for the pin.

Winner by pinfall: The Smokin’ Gunns

We go into a segment to the infamous Billionaire Ted’s “Wrasslin’ War Room” as Ted, the Hulkster, and Macho Man as well as lawyers discuss why Ted can’t buy WWF.

As we had back, Goldust makes his way to the ring as Vince McMahon is standing by in the ring for the special interview. Goldust unfavorably touches McMahon as he enters the square circle, and McMahon is compelled to ask him only one question about his stated feeling towards Razor, and Goldust responds by asking McMahon is he happy to see him in the most erotic way possible at the moment (wow!). King laughs as Goldust goes on to state that he goes into a quote from the movie Tootsie, and he proceeds to tell Razor that he wants him as Vince looks on in disgust. He is Goldust, and this is their (he and Ramon’s) little secret. Don’t forget the name of Goldust as he blows a kiss to the crowd and makes his exit, McMahon happy that the interview is over, and Lawler is the commentary table making the most jokes and unnecessary comments (as usual).

Dok Hendrix tries to get a word with Razor Ramon but is only able to tell him that Goldust is in the men’s locker room as Ramon makes his way to confront the man.

We get into the main event of the evening as Issac Yankem and the Undertaker both make their way to the ring, the Undertaker being accompanied by Paul Bearer. McMahon and Lawler continue to talk about Goldust and Ramon as Vince is trying to get a camera backstage to catch up with Ramon and Dok Hendrix. Lawler gives Yankem a pep talk before the match begins with Undertaker. Undertaker takes control early in the match as he shows his power over Yankem, who about matches the Phenom in size and height. Yankem tried to take control of the match, Undertaker was too much for him as Paul Bearer comes close so that the Phenom can get power from the urn that Bearer possesses. Lawler decides to make a move try to take the urn from Paul Bearer with no luck.

We come back from commercial to see that Issac Yankem has taken control of this match-up. Vince lets the television audience know that Bret Hitman Hart will face Goldust next week on Raw. As the match continues, Dok Hendrix lets us know that Goldust will discuss that match-up once the match is over. We wait for Razor Ramon to find Goldust’s location backstage as McMahon says he is told Lawler is making his way back to ringside. The Undertaker picks up Yankem and hits the Tombstone pile driver for the win.

Winner by pinfall: The Undertaker

Dok Hendrix is backstage with Goldust as Goldust begins to talk about his match with Bret Hart the next week on Raw, but Razor Ramon cuts that short by attacking Goldust. Goldust is able to stop the attack by hitting Ramon with a low blow.

Sunny is seen naked in a bathtub as we come back from commercial and get a replay of what happened when Razor Ramon was able to finally get his hands on Goldust. The officials are trying to stop Ramon from continuing the attack as we are reminded that Goldust will face Bret the Hitman Hart next week on Raw and the Royal Rumble is live exclusively on Pay-Per-View this Sunday night. Lawler and McMahon go the official card, and we shot to the backstage area to Hendrix as we see Goldust trying to make his escape, but Razor catches him beforehand and beats him up all the way outside and alongside the building as officials try to get between the two. We end the show with Goldust barely escaping in his vehicle.

See you at the 1996 Royal Rumble! Goodnight everybody!

Keshia Holt

Follow on Twitter @ReallyNoKesh