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The following report originally published 30 years ago this week in the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter paper copy…
KELLER’S WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
JANUARY 9, 1995
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE PRO WRESTLING TORCH NEWSLETTER (ISSUE #316)
-Vince McMahon & Shawn Michaels opened the program in a darkened Houston Summit that didn’t have the feeling of being a major arena…
-A short promo aired with William Shatner telling Jerry Lawler to leave him alone on the “King’s Court” later in the show…
(1) Owen Hart defeated Razor Ramon via DQ in an Intercontinental Title defense by Ramon. The bout began strong with some impressive moves including Ramon backdropping Owen over the top rope and Owen diving through the ropes onto Ramon at ringside. Owen got a two count on Ramon after a second rope crossbody block. At 10:03 Owen applied a sleeper on Ramon leading to a “Razor, Razor” chant. Owen hit a top rope dropkick at 12:00 after dropping Ramon crotch-first over the top rope. As Owen began to apply the sharpshooter, Bret Hart ran to the ring and interfered for the DQ apparently because of Owen’s crotching of Ramon a moment earlier. Jeff Jarrett then ran out and brawled with Ramon and Owen and Bret fought…
-Todd Pettengill gave the latest line-up for Royal Rumble…
-Diesel talked about facing Bret at Rumble playing a solitaire word association game…
(2) Hakushi won a squash…
-Jerry Lawler interviewed William Shatner on “King’s Court” in order to hype his new series on USA Network Tekwar that has been panned by critics and will now try to ride on the back of Raw. Lawler asked Shatner if being on King’s Court was his biggest honor. When Shatner said no, Lawler poked him in the chest. Shatner elbow locked Lawler and threw him into the ropes. Lawler came back, but Shatner monkey flipped him. Bret Hart then ran to the ring to hold up Shatner’s arm… King Kong Bundy won a quick squash…
-Another Kama preview video aired where he said he was banned from boxing because he didn’t like to play by the rules…
(3) Howard Finkle defeated Harvey Wippleman in what could be the lowpoint in wrestling television history not so much for the display in the ring (although that alone might qualify) but for the attitude by McMahon that anyone would be crazy NOT to enjoy this embarrassing display of out of shape men rolling around the mat in their red briefs trying to take off what was left of their clothes as McMahon revelled in calling the display. After being declared the victor, Finkle walked around the ring unabashedly in his skimpy red briefs. (Boxers would have been funny, but there’s a reason for dressing rooms (or in this case, maybe bedrooms) and that’s so the public doesn’t have to see this type of display.) What’s worse? Well, because the match apparently ran short, Finkle had to parade around the ring in his shorts for several minutes to fill the live airtime as the Bushwackers marched around the ring and fans around the building sat uncomfortably on their hands (as McMahon, like a little kid, continued to have the time of his life)…
-After a commercial break, McMahon and Michaels filled more time until Jarrett came to ringside and previewed his bout versus Bret on next week’s Raw…
Comments: I hope everyone involved in Raw had a good vacation because this definitely appeared to be the product of a staff just back from vacation. Not the worst Raw ever because the opener was a decent two star effort, but for a two year anniversary show – and the Finkle-Wippleman abomination notwithstanding – there was nothing to set this show apart as an anniversary show. No highlight clips, no Raw music video, no reflecting on two years of angles and matches. Just Lawler selling for an egotistical actor in a flop series passing as a celebrity interview. At least Jim Ross can’t help but make things better. Jim Herd and the Ding Dongs would be better… [WK]
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OR CHECK THIS OUT AT PROWRESTLING.NET: John Cena’s “What Drives You” trailer includes two more WWE wrestlers
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