The Raw Review

[Bored 0]

As a take off of the Smackdown and Heat review threads created by tank abbott here is the Raw Review with a look back at results from this week from the last 10 years:

 

April 26, 1993

Mr. Perfect def. Damian Demento

Lex Luger def. Crush by countout

Mr. Hughes def. Jason Knight

Typhoon def. Von Krus

 

April 25, 1994

Razor Ramon def. Jeff Jarrett by DQ

Bam Bam Bigelow def. Tony DeVito

The Heavenly Bodies def. John Paul & Jason Headings

The 1-2-3 Kid def. Duane Gill

Owen Hart def. Rich Myers

 

April 24, 1995

The Smoking Gunns def. Barry Horowitz & The Brooklyn Brawler

Bertha Faye def. La Pantera Serena

Diesel def. Bam Bam Bigelow; WWF Title Match

Aldo Montoya def. The Black Phantom

 

April 22, 1996

Goldust def. Savio Vega to win the Intercontinental Title

Vader def. Fatu

The Godwinns def. Tajiri (?) & Ken Patterson

Mankind def. Aldo Montoya

 

April 21, 1997

The Sultan def. Ahmed Johnson by DQ

Bret Hart NC Steve Austin in a Street Fight

Tiger Ali Singh def. Salvatore Sincere

Rockabilly def. Jesse James

The Undertaker def. Hunter Hearst Helmsley by DQ

 

April 20, 1998

Faarooq def. Kama in a Street Fight

Dan Severn def. Mosh

Bradshaw def. Goldust by DQ

2 Cold Scorpio & Terry Funk def. The New Midnight Express

Triple H & The New Age Outlaws def. Owen Hart & L.O.D. 2000

Dude Love def. Steve Blackman

 

April 26, 1999

Kane & X-Pac def. Edge & Gangrel

D’Lo Brown def. Val Venis

Triple H def. Billy Gunn

Mankind & The Big Show def. The Big Bossman & Test

The Godfather def. Jeff Jarrett

Ken Shamrock NC Bradshaw

The Rock def. Shane McMahon by DQ

 

April 24, 2000

Rikishi Phatu def. Kurt Angle by DQ

Chris Benoit def. Road Dogg; IC Title Match

The Hollys def. The Hardy Boyz

Matt Hardy def. Crash Holly to win the Hardcore Title

The Big Show def. The Big Bossman & Bull Buchanan by DQ in a handicap match

D’Lo Brown & Steve Blackman def. The Godfather & Al Snow

Val Venis def. Eddie Guerrero

Edge & Christian def. The Dudley Boyz

Triple H & Chris Benoit def. The Rock & Chris Jericho; special guest referee Shane McMahon

 

April 23, 2001

Rhyno def. Spike Dudley; Hardcore Title Match

Kaientai def. Bull Buchanan & The Goodfather

Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho def. William Regal & Kurt Angle in a Submission Tag Match

The Big Show def. Test by DQ

The Radicalz def. Raven, Grand Master Sexay, & Steve Blackman

Trish Stratus def. Ivory

Steve Austin, Triple H, Edge & Christian def. The Undertaker, Kane, & The Hardy Boyz

 

April 22, 2002

Brock Lesnar def. Matt Hardy

Rob Van Dam def. Mr. Perfect

Jazz & Molly Holly def. Trish Stratus & Jacqueline

Booker T & Goldust def. The New Dudleyz

William Regal def. Shawn Stasiak

Steve Austin & The Big Show NC Scott Hall & X-Pac

[cawthon777 0]

The Godwinns def. Tajiri (?) & Ken Patterson

Yeah, it's the same guy.

[Bored 0]

The Godwinns def. Tajiri (?) & Ken Patterson

Yeah, it's the same guy.

All right cool...when I was researching the results I found three different sources and only one them listed Tajiri and the other two just had a "?" mark. Guess maybe his name was never announced.

[cawthon777 0]

The Godwinns def. Tajiri (?) & Ken Patterson

Yeah, it's the same guy.

All right cool...when I was researching the results I found three different sources and only one them listed Tajiri and the other two just had a "?" mark. Guess maybe his name was never announced.

Dude, feel free to use my research. It's about 99.999995% correct.

[TheOriginalOrangeGoblin 0]

April 21, 1997

The Sultan def. Ahmed Johnson by DQ

Bret Hart NC Steve Austin in a Street Fight

Tiger Ali Singh def. Salvatore Sincere

Rockabilly def. Jesse James

The Undertaker def. Hunter Hearst Helmsley by DQ

 

 

BEST. RAW. EVER

[Guest bob_barron]

I have that RAW on DVD- it's so awesome

[cawthon777 0]

I have that RAW on DVD- it's so awesome

I hate you lol

[Bored 0]

Here's an old recap of the infamous 4/21/97 Raw done by G.P. Ryan on the RSPW message boards.

 

WWF RAW IS WAR, 21 April 1997

=============================

 

Telecast live from Binghamton, NY (Broome County Arena)

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

 

(Like I noted last week, the timing of these reports could become

_quite_ erratic for the next few weeks...)

 

Vince in-ring to interview Austin, according to Lawler about a SCSA/

Bret streetfight for tonight. JR says the arena is sold out. Vince

confirms the main event for IYH in Richmond, VA: UT vs. Austin. SCSA

tells Vince to "shut [his] stinkin' hole." He says the whole world

saw him whip Bret's ass [not censored] last night. He says Bret has 1

minute to come out, and he'll whip his ass back to Canada. Ass count:

4 so far. The final 30 seconds are counted down on the jumbo screen.

Bret w/the New Hart Foundation, shows up on the screen and accepts

the challenge. He says the YooEss fans are a pack of wild hyenas,

just like SCSA. He says SCSA will be going straight to hell after he

is through with him. SCSA says if that's so, he'll be damn sure to

take Bret with him, and stalks to the back.

 

The announcers hype tonight's lineup, and Austin is shown stalking

around the back. --break--

 

Bret is pacing back and forth in his dressing room.

 

The Sultan (w/Iron Sheik) vs. Ahmed Johnson

Vince beables something about S. Africa being Ahmed's 'motherland'.

First contact at about 0:20. Sultan gets the early edge, but his whip

is reversed, and Ahmed just _nails_ a jumping side savate kick, and a

picture-perfect jumping Rocker Dropper-type kick. AJ corner whip is

reversed, and he walks into an inferior savate kick. Ahmed vs. NOD at

IYH. Lawler says if stupidity were water, Ahmed would be Niagara

Falls. Sultan pummels him in the corner, AJ comes back but gets

whipped into a knee to the gut. TS piledriver, plods around then

covers for 2, then goes to a kneeling side headlock. AJ punches out,

but gets headbutted, TS whip, duck and and AJ face-first suplex,

shoulder up. AJ nails a spinebuster and signals for the Pearl River

Plunge, but goes outside when the NOD shows up on the entrance ramp.

TS nails him from behind and runs him into the post. The NOD are

backed away from AJ's 2X4, which he firmly applies to Sultan's back.

WINNER: The Sultan, by DQ at 4:50 *1/2 (-1/2* for cheesy finish)

[AJ then gives him some love taps with it; most of the rating was for

those nicely done moves early on, the overall pace was fairly slow]

 

(Note on ratings: I go by DUD-***** scale on increments of 1/2*;

squashes, for the most part, will be automatic DUD's)

 

Sunny comes out to model the new UT T-shirt ($20; i.e. at least

$19.95 too much). --break--

 

May's IYH is brought to you by Castrol All Wheel Cleaner. SCSA tries

to kick in the door to the Hart Foundation's dressing room, then

tries to break it down with a chair [good luck, Stevie]. Bret enlists

some suits to hold the door closed.

 

Ken Shamrock has joined the announcers. Shamrock/Vader no holds

barred at IYH. Very brief footage airs of Tiger Ali Singh from the

Kuwaiti Cup. Vince says Vader took offense on a talk show at being

asked if wrestling was fake. A graphic of TMTCV with "Vader Held

Hostage: Day 9" is shown. He says "why don't you come down tonight

and before I kick his (Undertaker, who was also there) [ass], I'll

kick your [ass]." [From the rumours at first, you'd have thought that

Vader had punked him out; all he did was grab him by the collar].

Lawler displays a piece of his artwork (of Vader shoveling camel

excrement). Shamrock says he's always had problems with bullies, among

them Vader. He accidentally says IYH is March 11. Shamrock challenges

Mike Tyson. Lawler says Tyson would knock him out. Possible Quote of

the Night: "Why don't you shut up, sit down and enjoy your

retirement?" -- Shamrock to Lawler.

 

Steve Austin vs. --commercial break--

 

Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart (streetfight)

Double Feature of SCSA standing on the announcer's table. Vince calls

him a lunatic. Bret comes to ringside fairly slowly. OwenDog storm

through the crowd and jump SCSA. HBK comes through the crowd, chair

in hand, misses Bret, thumps Owen and taps DBS, and pursues OwenDog

out through the crowd. Bret pummels SCSA. The bell never rings to

start it, so no time will be given for this. Someone holds up a 'Hey

Bret, Only Wussies Wear Pink' sign while the subject of the sign hits

a piledriver. He requisitions a chair from ringside, sets Austin's

ankle in it, goes up top but misses, and gets nailed with the chair

in his right knee. Someone in the front row holds up a 'R.I.P. C.F.'

sign [huh?] while SCSA works over his knee. Bret returns the double-

finger gesture SCSA had given earlier, and gets smacked some more for

it. SCSA goes up 2-1 in the War of Obscene Gestures and locks on the

Sharpshooter. Vince and JR say it was a setup, and Lawler points out

maybe SCSA set it up for HBK to come out [possible interesting

plotline, if they go anywhere with that, which by later events, it

appears they might] --break-- When we return, Owen and Davey are

comforting Bret. Replay of some footage clearly shows Bret, whilst

delivering the classic double-bird, uttering the equally classic

'[Copulate] you'. While Bret is helped out, Monsoon chews out Austin

in the back. He says SCSA has broken all the rules. He says he wants

SCSA to get his ass out of the building right now. Bret is on the

stretcher, and yells something that was censored [it appeared to be

repeated instances of '(excrement)']. Instead, Owen and Davey help

him to the back. --break--

 

[begin "hour 2"]

 

The camera pans the audience, no doubt catching _many_ future Rhodes

Scholars.

 

Tiger Ali Singh vs. Salvatore Sincere

TAS's outfight looks somewhat like Owen's. Vince refers to Tiger Jeet

Singh as "one of the all-time greats". TAS pummels him in the corner,

while Bret is on the stretcher again, being wheeled out back. SS

briefly oversells the punches with a weird facial expression. TAS

corner whip and Stinger Splash, then a released Northern Lights

suplex. TAS whip, kick to gut and faceslam. Split-screen of Bret

being attended to. SS blocks a suplex and nails a nice-looking

Northern Lights for 2. SS front slam (think Berzerker-slam Lite) and

a 2d-rope back elbow for 2. SS chokes him down, whip, TAS sunset flip

for 2. No heat for this match. Vince says SS is 'underrated'. SS

clothesline, shoulder up. "Boring" chant lasts a second or two. SS

chinbreaker, shoulder up. SS whip, ducks, TAS backslide for 2, while

Bret was shown again. An SS chop gets a 'Whoo!'. SS whip, 2 missed

clotheslines, and TAS hits a *very* weak-looking Vegakick for the

pin.

WINNER: Tiger Ali Singh, at 4:42 RATING: 1/2*

[This guy needs a _lot_ of seasoning...]

 

Bret is loaded into the ambulance, at last. Austin is shown in the

driver's seat, and again pummels Bret, but OwenDog force him away.

Owen and DBS talk about 'getting him'. --break--

 

OwenDog return into the arena.

 

Jesse James vs. Rock-A-Billy Gunn (w/Honky Tonk Man)

'Jesse Jammes' can go right in the circular file with such creative

(mis-)spellings as Sycho Sid, Konan, Eddie Guerrero and Syxx. Vince

says he can wrestle as well as he can sing ("he won't win many

matches, then" -- Lawler), and that he's the Real Deal (wouldn't

Evander Holyfield have something to say about that?) Bleah, Rock-A-

Billy almost ranks right down there with Max Moon in terms of horrid

gimmicks [Doink is accorded a permanent place of (dis)honor at the

very bottom]. [Pointless aside: shouldn't Harlan Ellison be Billy's

manager instead of Honky?] BG kicks him a few times in the corner and

dances in a manner somehow reminiscent of the New Rockers. BG whip is

reversed, he gets taken down on a kick attempt, JJ hiptoss for 2. JJ

armdrag to armbar. JR plugs the hotline (66% higher for Canadians;

rather higher than the exchange rate was, last time I checked) BG

whip, duck, JJ sunset flip. BG clothesline, belated cover, shoulder

up. The match continues at an almost-Yokozuna-like pace (what's the

point of typing 'kick, kick, punch, suplex, etc. etc.'?)... ... ...

(Arrrgh, this match is lasting seemingly forever...) JJ finally comes

back with a bodyblock and some punches. JJ struts and when he walks

back to the corner, BG grabs him and drops him face-first on the

turnbuckle (not a la Nash) and hits the dreaded Shake Rattle 'N Roll

for the pin, to mercifully end this ordeal.

WINNER: Billy Gunn at 8:47 RATING: DUD

[i was _sorely_ tempted to make an exception to my 'never-lower-than-

DUD' rule; well...let's just say I would if WWF brought back Duggan,

Mabel and Bundy for a 3-way "Ironman match"]

 

JJ stomps him briefly, until Honky busts a guitar over his head. If

they were going to have a match tonight, why not save the 'protege's

announcement' thing for tonight?

 

Monsoon and HBK arguing in the back, with Monsoon trying to play

mediator. --break--

 

Castrol Super Clean All Wheel Cleaner Slam of the Week (CSCAWCSOTW

for short): Mankind's head-first bump through the table at IYH.

 

WWF champ The Undertaker vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/Chyna)

Non-title. Geez, twice in one night that the champ comes out first.

(Waltman/Rey, specifically) What's up with that? [And while I'm idly

bitching, why doesn't UT wear the danged belt?] --break-- UT jumps

HHH on the entrance ramp, and throws him into the ring. In the ring,

UT continues to dominate, including an overhead choke. UT whip, ducks

and takes a knee, and a clothesline sends him stumbling to a corner.

Vince says UT/SCSA is a dream match for the fans. HHH corner whip,

runs into a big boot and clothesline, shoulder up. UT armbar, and

legdrops it for a one-count. Ropewalk armbar. UT covers again, and

goes to a lame chinlock, then to a crucifix-type pin, into the ropes.

HHH goes out, where he ends up eating the steps, and is put back in.

HHH pounds away on UT's "scar tissue", and hits a kneedrop for 2 1/2.

HHH corner whip, ducks, and UT _beautifully_ hits the jumping Rocker

Dropper. UT corner whip, Flair Flip, and walks into a clothesline for

2. UT visits Resthold City, this time with a nervehold. HHH escapes

and tosses him out, returns the favor of Ringsteps As Entree. HHH

goes to a chinlock. JR mentions Harley Race. Shot of a couple in the

crowd, the distaff half blatantly flouting the strict no-smoking

policy; JR slips and calls them Dustin and Terri, "er, Marlena".

--break (3 minutes)-- As always, the heel has dominated throughout

the break. HHH corner whip is reversed, but he nails a back elbow.

UT finally starts to no-sell and Fists of Fury send HHH over the top.

Mankind comes out with a blowtorch while UT hits a weak (but really

one-handed this time) chokeslam. MK hits him with the acetylene[sp?]

botle for the DQ.

WINNER: Undertaker, via DQ at 15:14 *1/2 (generous; -1/2* for DQ)

 

MK gets UT laid out on the mat, but before he can ignite the

blowtorch, UT grabs him by the throat (sparing himself a Flambe

Facial in the process) and punches him through the ropes, and both

brawl into the crowd. Chyna leans back against the entrance rail,

conveniently right in front of the Runnelses, who take the

opportunity to jump her and HHH. --break--

 

Vince again interviews SCSA, who talks about McMahon wanting to jump

on the Stone Cold bandwagon (eliciting a smile). McMahon declines to

deny such, SCSA says he'd knock his ass out....he tells UT to shine

the belt. He says he is the ruler of the world (so, Sid _is_ on the

roster of the West Memphis All-Stars now?). He starts his catchphrase

of "that's the bottom line, b/c" when OwenDog, royally sick of hearing

that, jump him again. Vince gets shoved on his tuchus by Owen when he

tries to break it up. Again, HBK comes in for the save. SCSA is

face-down in the ring. "Austin [Rules?]" chant. While Austin leans

against the ropes, Brian Pillman runs in (repeat after me, "through

the crowd") and jumps him, nailing him hard in the back with a chair.

Pillman sets SCSA's ankle in the chair, and HBK completes the Run-In

Trifecta as the show ends.

 

Incidental comments: VERY poor wrestling-wise (only 4 matches in 2

hours, and none breaking the ** barrier), but simultaneously very

hot angle-wise. But pretty soon, they're going to have to deliver

more in the ring... (As someone said, the sign on the marquee says

'wrestling'.)