WWF Monday Night Raw, September 25, 1995
This is the show immediately after In Your House. We open with a video package of Shawn Michaels & Diesel winning the Tag Titles last night. Then we cut to the boardroom this morning to hear that Jim Cornette found a contractual loophole and brought his lawyer to meet with Gorilla Monsoon and argue the case. Because of that loophole, the title was given back to Owen Hart & Yokozuna, and we learn they're going to be defending it again tonight.
Match 1: Marty Jannetty vs. Skip
Broadcast is a little sloppy here. Jannetty is back in the WWF and he's in the ring with someone who's never actually introduced but who I eventually figured out is called Skip. I assume that this is meant to make Jannetty look good since it's his big return but a lot of the work here from both guys is sloppy. Even commentary acknowledges that Jannetty "might be a bit rusty" and it's very clear he is, but Skip doesn't carry him well either. (Hilariously a few minutes later McMahon says "Jannetty is showing no ring rust whatsoever", I guess having realised we can't acknowledge that people are ever less than perfect when we're competing directly with WCW).
Ultimately this is a nothing match from two guys I've never heard of and don't care about.
Interlude
Another video package from In Your House, giving us some more context about last night's tag match and the upcoming tag match tonight. Honestly I didn't really follow what the loophole is but I'm not feeling very well and my attention is wavering so that's on me really. From what I understand, the British Bulldog replaced Hart last night and was made a temporary tag champion. When Hart interfered in the match and got pinned, he wasn't technically the champion, so he can't have lost the belt, so he has to get it back now. And so now they're defending it again.
Match 2: Owen Hart & Yokozuna w/ Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji vs. Smoking Gunns for the Tag Team Title
I'm going to try not to complain about tag wrestling every time I see it because I get bored of myself but I really only enjoy tag very rarely. I'm sure most people find the whole "the ref is distracted so we're going to take advantage of that to deliver some illegal offence" thing entertaining but I just find it so predictable that I can't get into it. It happens a few times here.
This is a bit of a nothing match really. Some solid but largely uninspiring work from Hart, a really rubbish "nerve pinch" spot from Yokozuna that nobody sells particularly well, a couple of big splashes that don't make contact in the middle of the ring. It's only really the ending that's properly entertaining, with Hart taking a couple of fast bumps before being whipped into Yokozuna. The Gunns hit the Sidewinder on Owen, Yokozuna tries to break up the pin with a splash but ends up on top of Owen, then he's sent through the ropes and Hart is pinned for the belt to change hands. Everything leading up to that final sequence was a bit forgettable really but that was fun.
Interlude
A promo spot with Gorilla Monsoon talking about what we can expect from the next In Your House. It really is the case that weekly shows have always existed to sell tickets for PPVs, isn't it?
Match 3: British Bulldog w/ Jim Cornette vs. The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer
Davey Boy entered while Gorilla was talking but after the break we get to see the full Undertaker walk in. I think this is the first time I've seen Undertaker while watching shows from this era.
This is a fun one. Bulldog spends a lot of time working on Taker's leg and Undertaker sells it throughout the match, including a stumble and fall in the middle of the ring as Bulldog tries to whip him into the corner that's the polar opposite of all the times he's been portrayed as invincible and spent the whole match no-selling things. There are some classic Undertaker spots including him talking the top rope and hitting a chokeslam and Bulldog gets to show off some of his sheer strength, tossing the Undertaker over his shoulder like he weighs nothing for an attempted running powerslam, later hitting a piledriver and a vertical suplex. It's a real spectacle.
Annoyingly it all ends with interference, Bulldog and Mabel going to town on the Undertaker and ending in a DQ before descending into chaos as Shawn Michaels and Diesel run out followed by Owen Hart and Yokozuna plus the Smoking Gunns. This was on track to be a really fun match but the ending killed it for me. I understand that both Hart and Undertaker are being protected and can't lose clean but I hate shit like this. Bulldog does get to hit his running powerslam after the bell, though, which is fun to see when it's a guy as big as the Undertaker over his shoulder.
The rest of the show is just ads for the WrestleMania XI special and some more footage from In Your House last night before the show closes. I often find that the least entertaining weekly shows are those on either side of a PPV and this is no exception really. A couple of fun moments but largely a nothing episode.