Monday Night Raw
March 18, 1996
San Antonio, TX
Freeman Coliseum

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Bret Hart (11/19/1995)
Intercontinental Champion: Goldust (1/21/1996)
World Tag Team Champions: Vacant (2/15/1996)

Yesterday at MSG, Diesel went FULL BLOWN HEEL and laid waste with a steel chair not to just Bret Hart and the Undertaker, but he then did the unthinkable and took out his own best friend Shawn Michaels as well! Maybe we’ll find out why tonight.

Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Jerry Lawler.

• Davey Boy Smith (w/Jim Cornette) vs. Jake Roberts
  

They exchange wristlocks to start. Jake calls for the DDT too early and Bulldog jets to the floor. Back in, Davey Boy hammers Jake down and chokes him in the ropes giving Cornette a chance to jab the tennis racket into his throat. Legdrop misses, and Roberts rallies back with jabs. He slips out of the Running Powerslam and hits the DDT. He covers, but Cornette pulls Roberts off the pin. Jake has had enough of Corny and chases him backstage with the snake causing himself to counted out. (4:53) Jake is just not in ring shape here. ½*

Another workout video from Bret and Shawn as they prepare for the Iron Man match at WrestleMania XII – giving us all a “candid” look at the competitors. Again, Shawn sticks to realizing a dream while Bret makes sure to inform everybody of Shawn’s shortcomings – particularly mentioning his cocky attitude. Again, great stuff.

• WWF Intercontinental Champion Goldust (w/Marlena) vs. Fatu
  

Just to play more mind games with Piper, Goldust comes out to wrestle wearing a kilt over the rest of his golden body suit. Fatu is still trying to make a difference, but that doesn’t seem to working out so well for him. Fatu gives Goldust a few spankings underneath the kilt. Roddy Piper talks with Vince and King via telephone, which we find out right before a commercial break. Don’t go away! When we come back, Piper tells us that the back lot brawl will be as legit as can be because he is PLENTY PISSED OFF at this guy. Oh yeah, Goldust wins with the CURTAIN CALL. (2:38 shown) Glorified squash and nothing more. ½*

More hype for the return of the Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania XII. They show him destroying Randy Savage at WrestleMania 7. That couldn’t have possibly been unintentional.

This past weekend on Superstars, Jake Roberts joined forces with Yokozuna and Ahmed Johnson to challenge Camp Cornette to a six-man tag match at WrestleMania XII. Tonight, Vince McMahon has Camp Cornette in the ring to respond. Cornette has no problem with that. He has the greatest assemblage of talent ever in the WWF. As for Yokozuna, Cornette calls him a traitor and explains that even though Cornette took him to the top, Yoko wouldn’t stop listening instead to that senile Mr. Fuji. Cornette says Fuji is in the hospital suffering an unfortunate knee injury. He says he doesn’t know how it happened. Fuji just fell down some stairs and he fell so quick, Cornette couldn’t stop him even when he was standing right behind him. Camp Cornette can’t WAIT to get those three at WrestleMania XII. Over on the TitanTron, Jake Roberts announces that Cornette should have read the fine print in the contract because if his team wins, Yokozuna gets five minutes alone with Jim Cornette. I believe a Banzai Drop will somehow be involved. Of course, Cornette throws a tantrum in the ring even though his men try and reassure him that won’t happen.

Clips are shown from MSG where Diesel laid out Taker, Bret, and Shawn Michaels with a chair.

• Diesel vs. Barry Horowitz
  

Diesel goes through his three moves right as Paul Bearer wheels down a casket to ringside and then heads back to the dressing room. With Diesel distracted, Horowitz tries to take advantage. He’s cut off with a Big Boot. For some reason, Horowitz kicks out, so Diesel punches him in the face and gets the pin for real this time at 2:05.

Afterwards, Diesel arms himself with a wrench from the timekeeper (HUH?) and goes over to open the casket. BONG! There’s somebody or something inside. Diesel lifts up a piece of plastic to reveal a picture-perfect wax replica of himself! Completely freaked out, he then closes the lid and walks backstage looking all scared but at the same time still trying to act all tough.

Karate Fighters Slam of the Week: Mark Henry giving Jerry Lawler a press slam last week on Raw.

• WWF World Champion Bret Hart vs. Tatanka (w/Ted DiBiase)
  

Tatanka beats Bret down to start, but then Bret comes back and works on the arm. Crossbody gets two. Tatanka stops a hiptoss with a clothesline as the 1-2-3 Kid joins Ted DiBiase at ringside. Hard corner whip sets up a Side Slam for two. Tatanka grabs a chinlock, but Bret escapes only to run into a knee. Elbow drop gets two. Tatanka telegraphs a backdrop as Bret catches him with an inside cradle for two as we go to break. When we return, Bret makes his big comeback. Russian Legsweep, Inverted Atomic Drop, Backbreaker, Flying Vertical Elbow Drop, and now the SHARPSHOOTER. DiBiase gets up on the apron to bring Bret off Tatanka. Meanwhile, Kid climbs onto the apron as well. Bret swings at him, but the Kid ducks and grabs Bret. Tatanka comes off the ropes, but Bret moves and the Kid gets nailed as Bret rolls up Tatanka for the 1-2-3. (7:00 shown) Pretty pedestrian match as it was just a way to get Bret in a TV match before WrestleMania XII.

No explanation or interview time for Diesel. Seems odd.

Next Week: Shawn Michaels meets Leif Cassidy!