In this WWF Monday Night RAW 7/22/96 review, Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson challenge The Smoking Gunns for the WWF Tag Team titles, Faarooq makes his debut, and much more.
Let’s jump in.
- Show: Monday Night RAW
- Date: July 22, 1996
- Location: Key Arena in Seattle, WA
RINGSIDE: The Smoking Gunns and Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson make their entrances for the upcoming tag title match. Vince McMahon is JACKED over the fact that it’s Shawn Michaels’ birthday. Sunny has a cake ringside, and I’ve got one guess where that cake winds up. Sunny distracts Michaels with the cake and Billy and Bart jump the challengers on the outside. Michaels hits the Sweet Chin Music to Billy to reset things, with Vince noting that he’s knocked out. Cake time, as Michaels puts his finger in the cake and wipes it on Sunny’s nose. She picks up the cake to throw it at Michaels, but Ahmed comes from behind and smashes the cake in her face. Michaels then essentially licks her face and tries eating some of the cake. A lot to unpack in that sentence there. Vince reminds us that Billy is still down as Michaels’ music plays, so I guess we’re not getting the title match. Well then.
BACKSTAGE: Back from commercial, and Gorilla Monsoon says we are gonna have the match later tonight. If Billy can’t compete, he’s stripping the Gunns of the belt. A little harsh if you ask me.
The Goon vs. “The Wildman” Marc Mero (w/Sable)
Jerry Lawler ponders why the New York Rangers would sign Wayne Gretzky when they could’ve had The Goon. Good point. Mero is coming off the loss to Stone Cold Steve Austin at In Your House: International Incident. Austin joins commentary and taunts Mero. Vince announces it’s Austin vs. Undertaker next week, then Austin starts throwing verbal jabs at Bret Hart. Meanwhile, Jake Roberts is on the phone. Vince asks about his injury, and Lawler makes jokes about Jake’s drinking. Well that’s something. The camera stays on Lawler who is mocking him, and Austin says he’ll backhand Vince if he interrupts him again.
Yes, there’s still a match in the ring, and it’s Goon with the momentum. Austin wants Vince to give him a painted school bus like Lex Luger and instead of kissing babies, he’ll kick people’s asses. The man’s rise to stardom was obvious at this point. He wasn’t gonna be denied. Lawler is back to the Jake drinking jokes, while Austin wants to know why Sable is ringside since she’s a distraction. Goon throws Mero to the outside, but he slips on the cake icing and runs into the steps. See what they did there? Mero flies over the top and leaps back in with the leg drop to score the win.
BACKSTAGE: Michaels says Ahmed wants a piece of the tag team gold and they’re gonna face the Gunns.
IN THE CROWD: Bob Backlund is campaigning to be president of the United States.
VIDEO: Clarence Mason argues with Gorilla Monsoon about trying to get a new client into the WWF.
Freddie Joe Floyd vs. Mankind
Floyd is Tracy Smothers, so that’s worth noting. We get highlights from In Your House: International Incident, which saw Mankind climb from under the ring to brawl with The Undertaker. Floyd gets a decent amount of offense and a few near falls, but Mankind locks in the Mandible Claw for the victory.
RINGSIDE: Brian Pillman makes his way to the announce table. He teases saying a lot of bad words.
Goldust (w/Marlena) vs. Barry Horowitz
We get an inset promo from Mero, who is going to beat Vader next week. Mero is also infuriated with Goldust’s obsession with Sable. Pillman says a bunch of outlandish things in response to Vince and Lawler. Not much to this match, as Goldust hits his finisher for the win.
BACKSTAGE: Sunny is pissed about what Michaels and Ahmed did to her. The Gunns say they are going to pay.
IN THE RING: Jim Cornette tells Vince they demanded that Vader get a title shot after he pinned Michaels at International Incident. Cornette says Vader will be the new champ.
Shawn Michaels and Ahmed Johnson (w/Jose Lothario) vs. (c) The Smoking Gunns (w/Sunny) – WWF Tag Team Titles
They brawl to start, and Michaels taunts Sunny since she’s still covered in cake. Lots of back forth, with Vince adding in his trademark “he got him…no he didn’t line” for a few pinfall attempts. The Gunns get some cheap shots in on Michaels with the referee distracted. And they do it again after the referee misses the tag. Meanwhile, the WWF Superstar Line with Jim Ross teases that SummerSlam could be The Undertaker’s last match in the company. Only $1.49 a minute to find out! Michaels finally turns the tide with the double noggin knocker and he makes the hot tag to Ahmed. He runs wild, but Bart pulls the rope down to send him to the outside. And then we get the debut of Faarooq, who destroys Ahmed for the DQ. Lawler says he looks like Ron Simmons. Sunny embraces with Faarooq to signal a partnership between the two.
BLAKE’S TAKE ON MONDAY NIGHT RAW 7/22/96
- Overall Rating: 5.0/10
- Thoughts: The running thread of one story throughout an episode is always appreciated. Michaels was the center of attention for both his top contender in Vader and the tag champs in The Gunns. That was the way to do it given his stardom at this point.