Monday Night Raw
April 8, 1996
San Bernardino, CA
Orange Pavilion

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Shawn Michaels (3/31/1996)
Intercontinental Champion: Goldust (1/21/1996)
World Tag Team Champions: The Body Donnas (3/31/1996)

This is one of the few times I remember watching Raw. There was no Nitro this week due to a TNT movie premiere, but I had to get my wrestling from somewhere, so I decided to see what was going on in the WWF.

Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Mr. Perfect.

• Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji) vs. Vader (w/Jim Cornette)
  

They show Vader getting a Slammy award for essentially beating up Gorilla Monsoon. Hilarious. They take turns knocking each other down to excite the crowd. Yoko hits the uranage and drops the leg. Over to the corner, Vader avoids a corner charge and delivers a Vader Bomb on Yoko’s leg draped on the bottom rope. As Yokozuna SCREAMS in agony, the ref calls for the bell. (3:45) Two more Vader Bombs and Yoko is out of action to lose some weight. Since he’s so fat (200 pounds heavier than Vader!), they have to carry him out on a FORK LIFT. ¾*

Vince McMahon brings out the ULTIMATE WARRRRIOR. The spirit of the WOYAH has been calling him for the last three and a half years. For whatever reason, it took them that long to answer. Vince wants to know how he will fare against the New Generation. Goldust and Marlena interrupts. He hits on WOYAH. Too bad because WOYAH feels that queering doesn’t make the world work. WOYAH doesn’t give a shart what Goldust is into and says if Goldust wants a full-length action film, it would include him kicking Goldust’s backside from beginning to end. Whoa! Attitude era, much? WOYAH sends him to the back with a signature clothesline and beats on his chest while they play his music. That was kind of epic.

• Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Duke Droese
  

Oh boy, this feud is still going. Droese is a HOUSE OF FIRE to start until Helmsley ducks a charge and Droese goes flying to the floor. HHH runs him into the stairs real good. Back in, we get Marc Mero on the split-screen promising a surprise for Helmsley next week. Helmsley pounds the back and goes for the PEDIGREE, but Droese counters and catapults him in the corner. Series of atomic drops and a spinebuster leads to the TRASH COMPACTOR finish, but Helmsley slips out and nails the PEDIGREE for the 1-2-3. (4:31) That should end this one now. Let’s move on with HHH and Mero. ¾*

Let Us Take You Back: Raw, 4/1/96. Mankind attacks Undertaker.

Meanwhile backstage, Yokozuna is finally getting put in an ambulance.

• Ahmed Johnson vs. Davey Boy Smith (w/Owen Hart) – Arm Wrestling Match
  

Diana Smith sits smiling in the front row to support her hubby. Typical arm wrestling stuff. Owen complains of Ahmed getting too much leverage. However, he interrupts once too often and ref Jack Doan sends him to the back. Now they can lock up in peace. It goes back and forth as always until Ahmed finally puts Davey’s arm on the table. And that’s it.

• WWF Champion Shawn Michaels vs. Jerry Lawler
  

Diesel joins us for commentary insuring some shenanigans. Rather slow and psychological match as you would expect from these two. Lawler wants to keep it slow and Shawn does not, so speed wins here. Lawler goes into his trunks and punches Shawn in the face with whatever is in his hand. Meanwhile, Diesel is making Shawn jokes and hating on the Kliq. Commercials! When we come back, Lawler remains in control and hits the PILEDRIVER. Delayed cover gets 1-2-NO! He heads up top, but flies down into a gut shot. HERE COMES SHAWN! He delivers the Flying Forearm, the Flying Elbow, and then looks over at Diesel before nailing Lawler with SWEET CHIN MUSIC. See ya. (8:12 shown) Diesel meets Shawn in the ring for the physical confrontation. Perfect hops up from the table and causes a distraction to help Diesel nail him with a big boot. Diesel then whacks Shawn with the WWF title belt, lays it on his chest, and stands tall over the champ. Looked like Diesel was paid off by Perfect to do that. Awesome. *½

NEXT WEEK: WWF IC champ Goldust defends against Savio Vega!