Raw #157 - April 29th, 1996

Tonight’s Raw is all about SEX! Whom did Shawn Michaels proposition last night? Sable? Marlena? Sunny (once again)? Nope, try Diana Smith! Shawn certainly did. Mankind has his third match on Raw, this time against Bart Gunn, who is in the midst of the Smoking Gunns Awareness campaign to remind everyone that they still exist despite brother Billy’s horseback injury.

Raw #153 - April 1st, 1996

It’s the night after the Wrestlemania XII, and all through the house, not a creature is stirring, except to flip back and forth between Raw, Nitro, and the NCAA basketball finals. And what better way to kick things off than Bob “Spark Plugg” Holly, whose music plays at the beginning of the show! A new wrestler named, “Mankind” enters the ring to ominous music. Vince is taking a chance by letting Mick Foley debut under this name, rather than “Mason the Mutilator.”

Raw # 148 - February 26th, 1996

Sunny warns us of the (porno)graphic nature of tonight’s Raw. These pre-show vignettes by Tammy Sytch really do make Raw look filthier than it is. I do like the resulting thumbnails it creates for my blog posts, though.

Raw #143 - January 15th, 1996

Tonight’s Raw opens with an intro honoring Martin Luther King and his dream, which is good news for the Federation’s one black wrestler, Ahmed Johnson. Mabel and Mo will be gone after Sunday’s Royal Rumble. Dok Hendrix tells us that Razor Ramon is on his way to the arena to confront Goldust, who has an interview tonight. Plus, a new Billionaire Ted skit will air. Also, some guy named The Ringmaster will debut, but that doesn’t make the intro package.

Raw #134 - November 6th, 1995

The British Bulldog takes on Marty Jannetty to open the show in a battle of the 1992 firings. Dok Hendrix is at the announce table tonight, filling in for Jerry Lawler, who teams with Isaac Yankem to take on Bret Hart and Hakushi. The Modern-Day Kamikaze has apparently forgiven Bret Hart for being a racist. Speaking of which, did I mention that Michael Hayes is doing commentary tonight?

Raw #131 - October 16th, 1995

Welcome to a very eventful Raw, where not only does Bret Hart face Isaac Yankem in Raw's first-ever cage match, but USWA tag team champions PG-13 take on WWF tag champs, The Smoking Gunns. First, though, Hunter Hearst Helmsley faces Doink in the last Raw match by the clown. Not Triple H; the one in the face paint. Vince McMahon also mentions that Mabel and Dean have both been fined $7,500 for interfering in last week's match, the former causing an injury that will keep the Dead Man off In Your House.

Raw #130 - October 9th, 1995

It's a "very special holiday edition" of Raw, taking place on Columbus Day. Starting off the show is a six-man tag match, with three men on each team to represent the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa María. I guess. Otherwise, I don't see anything having to do with Columbus Day on this episode. Diesel, Shawn Michaels, and Undertaker take on Camp Cornette. Only one of the three faces will even make it to the pay-per-view in a few weeks.

Raw #129 - October 2nd, 1995

Razor Ramon enters the ring to a veritable golden shower (of pyro) to face the Kid. No, this isn't an R. Kelly home video; this is Monday Night Raw, despite the cold open and lack of its new opening video and theme. Also tonight, Bret Hart faces Jean Pierre LaFitte in a rematch from In Your House, which, coupled with the negation of the Triple Header match's outcome, serves to further rub it in the faces of the fans who paid money to see that event.

Raw #126 - September 11th, 1995

It's Raw's "season premiere," complete with a new intro and theme song. I can't believe my ears, as I was expecting an entirely different theme, one that didn't suck nearly as much. Raw "premieres" with a theme called, "I Like it Raw," which would be quickly scrapped the following week, with its vocals replaced by faux-police radio messages, then sirens before the theme would be abandoned altogether for a generic but passable tune with no vocals. The highlight of the introductory video is Shawn Michaels running towards the edge of the roof with a vest and leather hat, which disappear in the next shot as he supposedly leaps from the roof onto Kama. The shaky start to the "new fall season" continues with both announcers appearing in front of a green screen, a practice I thought had ended months before. Tonight, the newly-turned heel British Bulldog will face Razor Ramon, whom Lawler claims will have to be picked up with a pooper-scooper after Davey Boy is through with him. "Pooper-scooper!?" says McMahon.

Raw #120 - July 17th, 1995

Shawn Michaels aims to slap the taxman across the face in this last televised match of IRS's. But first, the tag team championship combination of Yokozuna and Owen Hart make their way to the ring for a warm-up match before their title defense against the Allied Powers. If you'll recall that Lex Luger never won a title in the WWF, you can pretty well guess how that match turns out. Their opponents tonight are Jim Dimitri and Gus Kantarrakis. "Sounds like a law firm," says Jim Cornette at ringside. "Who are these two jokes?"

Raw #119 - July 10th, 1995

Tonight's Raw opens up with a raucous crowd that, according to Vince McMahon, is "anxiously awaiting the presence of the Caribbean legend, Savio Vega." Either that, or they were told to make a lot of noise right before the cameras started rolling. Tonight, the Allied Powers take on the team of Tatanka and Henry Godwinn, with whom Ted DiBiase has replaced King Kong Bundy.

Raw #118 - July 3rd, 1995

Sid and Bam Bam Bigelow face off tonight in a battle of the dissapointing big men whose careers would be sabotaged by the Clique! Jerry Lawler is back on tonight's episode (which was taped right after the previous episode). Jerry is carrying around a bottle of Scope, still selling his foot-kissing injuries. He promises another visit to the offices of Dr. Isaac Yankem (pronounced, YAN-kəm) tonight. Lawler takes a big swig of Scope and swallows it after promising that his dentist would "extract" revenge on the Hitman.

Raw #117 - June 26th, 1995

The Raw after King of the Ring 1995 begins with a recap of the previous night's most important bout. The tag team main event between Diesel & Bam Bam and Sid & Tatanka? The tournament finals pitting Mabel against Savio Vega? Of course not. It's Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler. That match just happened to be a "Kiss My Foot" match, but regardless...