Monday Night Raw
November 18, 1996
New Haven, CT
New Haven Coliseum

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Psycho Sid (11/17/96)
Intercontinental Champion: Hunter Hearst Helmsley (10/21/96)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/96)

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler.

• Steve Austin vs. Mankind (w/Paul Bearer)
  

This was originally scheduled as Austin/Vader, but Yokozuna injured Vader at the PPV. Mankind attacks Austin during his entrance and they brawl in the aisleway. You can hear a smattering of Austin chants. A bunch of refs and road agents come out to separate the chaos because there hasn’t been a bell yet. JR mentions that this is supposed to be some sort of “tough man” contest. I don’t believe anything ever came from that though. I could be wrong. Austin takes a nasty bump into the steel steps. Finally we’re in the ring and the bell sounds. Austin stomps a mudhole and walks it dry before we’re back on the floor. Back inside, Mankind squeals and chokes on Austin, but he pops up with a clothesline. He punches Mankind out to the floor where a chair gets involved. They fight over it, but the ref puts a stop to it. Austin reverses a whip and Mankind goes flying over the guardrail. BAH GAWD! In the ring, Austin field goal kicks Mankind in the balls to escape the MANDIBLE CLAW. Mankind backs Austin out of the corner, but runs into a boot. He then catches Austin with a clothesline and goes for a Pull-Up Piledriver. Austin backdrops Mankind out to the apron, but Mankind hotshots him pretty good. Mankind gets punched and slammed off the top. Now Austin starts stomping and choking, but the ref goes easy on them because it’s a “tough man” contest. To the floor, Austin gets his face slammed on the steps, but then drops Mankind on the guardrail. Back in, Austin hits the elbow from the second rope for two. As Austin shoulder butts Mankind through the ropes, here comes the Executioner to attack Stone Cold for the DQ. (7:16 shown) Undertaker runs out and cleans house not because he cares for Austin, but just to get another piece of Mankind and the Executioner. Once UT turns his back on Austin, he comes up behind the Undertaker and clotheslines him out to the floor because you NEVER turn your back on Stone Cold. Short, fun brawl that exhibited their chemistry well and showed off what both men were capable of doing in this type of environment. We would definitely see more of this in 1998 when they tore the house down at Over the Edge. ***

It appears that Ahmed Johnson is in attendance. Unlike most wrestlers who get a front row seat, he sits down about twenty rows back.

• Faarooq (w/Clarence Mason & PG-13) vs. Savio Vega
  

Sunny introduces her good friend Faarooq and then joins the commentary table. This is the RAW debut of PG-13 as part of the NOD as they do their little rap on the way to the ring. Realizing Ahmed is here, Faarooq arms himself with a 2×4. Faarooq concentrates on the back and kidney area to send a message to Johnson. Savio mounts a comeback once he stops Faarooq up top. He looks for a superplex, but then they both end up taking a fall to the floor. Back inside, Savio hits one SPINNING HEEL KICK and takes another bump to the outside. When he puts his hands on PG-13, JC Ice whacks Savio with the 2×4 and puts him back in the ring for the pinfall. (8:10 shown) Here comes Ahmed. He steals the 2×4 and scares away the NOD. Crowd goes nuts! Ahmed gets on the mic vowing revenge (at least I think so) and boy it’s all downhill from there. YOU’RE! GOING! DOWN! When Faarooq dares him to come get some, Ahmed continues to chase him to the back. *

More Karate Fighters action. Sunny beats Bob Backlund.

In the back, Jim Ross meets with the NEW WWF champion Psycho Sid while he’s doing bicep curls. That sets up still shots of the HBK/Sid match from last night.

• Doug Furnas & Phil LaFon vs. Leif Cassidy & Bob Holly
  

Captain Lou joins the SAT for some reason. I’d be very surprised if he knows any Spanish. This is all about Vince telling us to be impressed with Furnas and LaFon. They even bring out Owen and Davey Boy onto the split-screen to talk about how they were beaten by them last night at Survivor Series in their elimination match. Clarence Mason ensures that Furnas and LaFon will have to climb the ladder of success before they ever get a shot at the tag titles. Wonder where Jannetty was tonight? LaFon gives Cassidy a Cobra Clutch Suplex and gets pinned. (5:57 shown) So they’re good wrestlers, they just don’t engage the audience. *½

It’s Main Event Interview Time. Jim Ross introduces us to the new WWF champion Psycho Sid. Does he have any remorse for how he won the WWF title last night? Sid feels no remorse for what happened to Jose Lothario. While he has plenty of respect for the man, Lothario should not have put his butt on the apron because then he became a part of the game, which only leads to misery. Sid has no qualms about giving Shawn Michaels a rematch, because he is the man, the master, and the ruler of the world. JR announces that Bret Hart will get the first shot at Psycho Sid on December 15 at In Your House. Sid says he will take on all comers no matter who they are. As for Bretman (his words), Sid will end his comeback on December 15 and will remain the WWF champion. Welp, no Shawn tonight.

NEXT WEEK: Bret Hart versus Owen Hart – one more time.