Reliving The War Special: Episode 23.5 - WWF Raw 4th March 1996

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A special episode of Reliving The War that covers an unopposed episode of Monday Night Raw.
The date is 3.4.1996, WCW Monday Nitro is pre-empted on TNT in favor of a "made for TV" movie. This means the WWF have no competition this week, and this also means that the WWF have a great oppurtunity to attract some WCW viewers.
We are still on the road to WrestleMania XII and the WWF creative team have decided to showcase Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels in separate matches. HBK will kick things off with the 1-2-3 Kid while Bret Hart will close the show with Hunter Hearst Helmsley. We also get a huge announcement from Vince McMahon in regards to the Ultimate Warrior. Can the WWF capitilize and put on a good unopposed wrestling show this week?
00:00 - No Nitro on TNT
01:58 - Shawn Michaels vs 1-2-3 Kid
06:34 - Goldust's "Piper's Pit"
07:58 - Ultimate Warrior announcement
09:03 - The Raw debut of Justin Hawk Bradshaw
11:24 - Bret Hart vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley
14:28 - Billionaire Ted on TeeVee Trivia
15:50 - Next Week's Reliving The War
#WWE #Wrestling #WWFRAW

[@robbiesilverwolf]

I love how the Brets’s rope joke is going throughout the wrestling fandom

[@primetime429]

O s dub. Lol

[@MrEmperorApples]

I mean...it IS the most dangerous rope after all. What Bar is Bret's Rope? Lol

[@Krontok]

@@MrEmperorApples Umm... Don't suppose one of you fine folk could enlighten me?

[@MrEmperorApples]

@@Krontok OSW Reviews. It's a channel on YT. Check it out

[@mr.rodgers3745]

What is Brets rope joke

[@Venemofthe888]

Its weird that Ultimate Warrior comes back in 1996 and then like a year later the attitude era was on its way to beginning

[@generalkhan5569]

Right, I was a big Ultimate Fan and I was hype in the beginning but after his return he just didn't fit with that current product at that time. He just seemed out of place.

[@KEWLV1C]

I was 12 during this time, and I was very excited at the thought of Ultimate Warrior returning.

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

I was 22 at the time and I was also excited about the return of The Ultimate Warrior.

[@chuckyblack3578]

I was turning 12 that September

[@hooksncrosses3419]

I was 13 at the time. I too was excited about Warrior.

[@TheKiid810]

I was about 6 or 7 here and i remember not getting it about warrior lol. Never got excited when he popped up acting crazy. Maybe it was for the generation before me

[@hooksncrosses3419]

@@TheKiid810 I was the same with Hulk Hogan. I got into wrestling in 1991. I never was a fan of Hogan even as a kid. 🤣 I think it's because his popularity was waning in general.

[@Makainternational]

I was 12 at this time and Bret Hart was my hero. I have watched wrestling since I was 7. I followed Bret’s singles career, and I was hoping somehow at WM12 that Bret would hold on to his title. I always liked Shawn Michaels and his wrestling ability, but Bret was my hero and I wasn't going to turn on him and join the Kliq. I feel that the WWE could have built this match up way better than they did. Even for a 12 year old kid, I knew that Shawn was going to win. The WWE made it too obvious. The WWE had a great chance here to really hype up both men since it was going to be the first WM main event since Hogan and warrior, where it would be babyface vs babyface. The WWE were pushing for Shawn too much, and I wish it really wasn't clear who was going to win. Pat Patterson did a great job though at putting this match together at WM12. It looked like Bret just might keep the title when he had Shawn in the Sharpshooter for the last 30 seconds of the Ironman Match. Bret and Shawn were like Hogan and Warrior......but they could actually wrestle and for 60 minutes. Even today in 2020, I think that Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels are the best two wrestlers and athletes to grace a wrestling ring. Bret Hart’s Calgary hard-hitting style and technical wrestling vs. Shawn Michaels’ Mexican high flying wrestling was brilliant to watch. Both were fantastic athletes.

[@only1icon1801]

Completely agree on everything you say. They did make it way too obvious and while I didn't mind HBK at the time, Bret just always had a great realism about his craft.

[@InsomniacRocker]

I was 10 and a huge HBK fan. I wanted him to win so badly lol. I think WM12 was the first PPV I talked my parents into ordering so I could watch it live, and not on tape later. I was jumping around the living room for the whole hour of that match and went nuts when he pulled it off in overtime. I still think one of the all time classic matches, but seeing it live as a 10 yo definitely creates a bias.

[@only1icon1801]

@@InsomniacRocker fair play mate, the match is a real credit to both men's athleticism, stamina and talent. Don't think many others could have pulled it off really. Its amazing when you're younger how much of an effect it had on you and (for me at least) stays with you even now. Just a shame that today's product is not even close to how great it was back then.

[@jeffjam9695]

Wow word for word agree and was 12 also or turned 12 I'm same age as mania same end of March time too 2 greatest ever, I put Undertaker in there too, I remember taping this episode

[@Baastilein31]

Sean Waltman is massively underrated as a performer.

[@TheChodax]

One of the best of his generation, his work was up there with Owen's.

[@InkWarrior]

He took a ladder shot from Terry Funk in House of Hardcore a few years back and finished the fight. I helped keep the wound closed while we waited for the ambulance

[@LuchadorMasque]

That's because he did a lot of things to distract from his work

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

Agreed

[@LuchadorMasque]

@@TheChodax idk about all that

[@MuscleDad420]

This was the RAW episode that got me hooked. I was obsessed with Shawn Michaels as a kid. I thought that move at 5:52 was the coolest thing in the world.

[@nachiketdaithankar4405]

Yay! The walk down memory lane is back ...I'm proud to say,this is the only TV show I follow these days❤️❤️

[@JeromeDoyle]

Those Mankind promos are so iconic. I tuned in every week for those throughout this era of the program.

[@scottmcginn2169]

Putting out there.... Andersonville is the absolute drizzles, don't bother. I watched it for about two hours and they still hadn't talked about Ole or Arn, so I gave up.

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

Bravo, Sir!! 👋👋👋👋👋

[@Thor-Orion]

Wait they didn’t even get to Ole in the first two hours?!

[@chrisbucci5769]

Nope the first 2 hours are all about gene.

[@garrettedwardspears]

LOL

[@SegaDream131]

Ole is no Anderson....

[@justafanofnerdculture7602]

Thursday can only mean one thing... Reliving The War!! I honestly anticipate these videos almost as much as I anticipated watching the actual Monday night war. Hindsight being what it is, maybe Hunter intentionally didn't sell the injured arm. Another awesome video, as usual, Sir. 👏👏👏👏

[@jhammaster]

This and ups and downs are the best quality of wrestling content when a show isn't on.

[@peteryoung08]

YES!!! BRETT'S ROPE!!!! I love watching both you and OSW videos.

[@yelnaw]

Can of coke for you

[@anthonyamadeo8386]

The deadliest rope

[@richardtherichard26]

Osw is goat. Can’t get enough of the lads.

[@darklordojeda]

Lmao I remember the Goldust piper spit. “I got quite a rise out of...They Live.” Lmao loved it.

[@TheIndustrialRetrospective]

Those WM 12 Iron Man hype videos were great, with Stu stretching Bret!

[@jerryjanik480]

Sheamus's is Ed Leslie of this generation Sean was having sunny days

[@abajindar]

except Sheamus is way better than Leslie could ever hope to be

[@bashamd96]

If Sheamus is our Ed Leslie I think we're doing great as a generation compared to the last ours can actually work a match and didn't get most of his paydays thanks to knowing more popular names

[@jerryjanik480]

@@bashamd96 Triple H and Shawn Michaels anyone and Bono yes Sheamus way better than EdLeslie but my point is that the reason why they they both basically politic their way to Major pushes in professional wrestling

[@BigFlange]

I dont understand what people hate about him. In an Era where you knew 99% of the time that John Cena was winning his main event match Sheamus was a part of the other 1% where you didnt know and i am thankful for that.

[@TheFlyingV]

'The WWE had a profitable year with Sheamus as champion which tells you what you need to know about that.' Yeah, that Sheamus rules and is mad underrated.

[@jk844100]

That’s not the point. At the time he was just a generic white bread Babyface like Rocky Maivia and this is at a time when fans had just been through about 5 years of Super Cena constantly winning everything. Sheamus in 2011 was pretty much the same thing as Roman in 2015.

[@tehZoni]

Someone seems to watch OSW and Wrestling With Wregret also

[@jasoncrane1928]

Of course. You do not just wake up one morning and decide to create you tube content for a subject without being a avid supporter of that subject. And I would say those two and others watch Wrestling Bios because some of his content has also been recreated by other channels since he began! I might be wrong and someone will correct me if I am, but I have not seen an, as in depth, coverage of the Monday Night Wars by any other channel than this one. Not even WWF itself has as good a revision of the wars due to Vince's ridiculing of everything WCW/NWA/Crockett.

[@brianpayne6524]

@@jasoncrane1928 only thing we have is that Monday night war show witch its not the same

[@ElectricMessiah1]

I wasn’t allowed to watch TV on weekdays. So the only wrestling I got to watch was Saturday B shows and the PPVs. I am loving this series! Thanks a lot!

[@zacharythomason7359]

That sucks

[@pezpowerproductions2602]

Lol I used to have to go to bed like an hour after it started so I would start sneaking.l down to the tv 📺 room. Got caught once or twice.

[@user-ns7tv2li1u]

Mankind' s one of the last pre debut promo was 1000% awesome...Foley gave his soul..inside..

[@pauldunn1880]

Could listen to this fella all day

[@michaelaburns734]

Bret: Me and Shawn Michaels are friends. Me: Wait until Survivor Series Montreal Bret.

[@mickmickymick6927]

Macho Man's reaction to being pulled back by a fan in that intro section is really good, he doesn't get flustered or annoyed, he just acts as if it was all part of the act. Fair play to him.

[@robattewell6087]

Loving the series, don't worry I will be there for the 6 man tag match with you. Just got to get through it, be brave lol

[@rodyaromanovic3741]

I don't understand how anybody can dislike this.

[@TheSlashTraxNetwork]

FRIENDS? lol with friends like that who needs enemies or their own personal assassins for that matter

[@only1icon1801]

God I remember this episode and building up WM12 and did a decent job I was 11 at the time and was excited for the Ultimate Warrior return but it lasted about as long as his match with HHH This episode also proved JBL has always been an arsehole, who knew? Loved it when HBK came out to watch Brets match which I thought built some tension which was needed Great upload as always WB

[@toddrichardson8595]

With Hogan in the main event again next week, I can rest assure that Raw will win...

[@thejoshadams6]

Sucks the way things ended for Hakushi. A sharp heel turn could have set up matches with Shawn.

[@Rob_Thorsman]

He started as a heel and feuded with Bret.

[@thejoshadams6]

@@Rob_Thorsman Yes, I enjoyed that part of his run in WWE. The match at In Your House was a classic. Going back heel would have set up a potential short feud with Shawn. Could have been a great match.

[@olbloodngut4039]

I loved the Hart-Michaels build up to Wrestlemania Xll.

[@robattewell6087]

So did I, I was a huge Bret Hart fan growing up, my mum and sister liked Shawn Michaels and my dad was an Undertaker follower. 1996/1997 were intetesting years in my house 😂 😂

[@DeedeeandtheBeebee]

Thursday nights are the best !!!!ty WB!!!!

[@jacob9538]

You should be scoring the unopposed nights. They are arguably the biggest wins of the war.

[@popmonika]

Even though I was a huge Bret Hart fan. Can remember a twelve year old me being excited by the ultimate warrior's return and confused that his return match was against triple h... Oh if only I knew back then 😂😜

[@robbiesilverwolf]

The match was still a disappointment with warrior squashing triple h and no selling the pedigree

[@ELL830]

I get bummed when the episode ends cause I am reminded its going to take like 10 years to get to the final nitro

[@kadenhadley9980]

Closer to 7 years, Nitro wasn't on for a full decade.

[@b_side8669]

I was there at WM12 best event ever looking back on it I get kinda sad because half the wrestlers at that even isn’t with us anymore & I’m very proud & happy to say I actually met Yokozuna & have his autograph & have a picture with him he was a very very sweet guy & that’s no joke

[@avbugsy38]

By the time i got the ultimate warrior action figure on xmas 96, he was alrdy gone for wwf tv...thanks alot jim hellwig and vince mcmahon. U ruined my xmas.

[@Rick-si1re]

Kukos to you "Wrestling Bios" I really like these "relieving the war" episodes, I've missed a ton of them, I gotta go back to your channel and check out the ones I missed to get caught up.

[@jedimasterd11]

Thanks for all your hard work Wrestling bios. I get to relive some of my favorite wrestling moments from my childhood

[@jamesbounds]

I enjoy watching these each week.

[@ham-mantheman-ham634]

I really appreciate the effort you put into these.

[@Jacobthewrestlingfan]

Wish I grew up in this era and alot of interesting wcw gimmicks during this time

[@joshshanks4550]

Was so nice

[@Jacobthewrestlingfan]

@Zee Dee cool ima check it out on the network

[@onyoursix8408]

Thx again for this great series.

[@dgerhart7330]

Thank you so so much it's literally like reliving the war and back to when I was young,I can still remember the majority of your videos seeing them for the first time,so for that cheers mate keep it up for reliving the war

[@marcuspine9436]

Cheers man Your videos get me through my dreaded cardio workouts!

[@aloysiusdevadanderabercrom6401]

Haven't said this yet but thank you so much for this series. It is so well done and laid out. Great work and again, thank you.

[@adzbeck7681]

Nwo music started randomly playing in my head, then I went straight to KZbin and the next episode of reliving the war was posted 45 minutes ago 😂 yes 👍🏻

[@peterwhite6683]

Did your hand go straight down your pants?

[@chuckyblack3578]

One of my favorites. The Rock's Nation music, & Owen's Nation music are the best to me

[@timewithoutconsequence4611]

This was an amazing idea. Thank you so much for the content.

[@deehiggdh]

Watched them all..love them..i get stoked when a new one uploads..keep em coming and keep up the good work!

[@mikehopkins9463]

Love this series, another great upload thanks 👏👏😁

[@pataker7875]

You are like an amazing time capsule, opened up weekly. Thank you.

[@RisingJericho]

JBL with long hair makes him look like Triple H, and I don't think I can unsee this

[@dannydbrown90]

I remember jbl with long hair when he was in APA with Farooq

[@puparn93]

Great video, I look forward to these every week!

[@serpentlord285]

Ive actually been trying to find this specific episode just for that Shawn VS 1-2-3 Kid match since its the first 1-2-3 Kid match that i ever saw since it was actually on Shawn Michael's youtube channel, so ye thx Wrestling Bios

[@chindub6563]

Another amazing video keep up the amazing work much love from south Carolina bro

[@sohailiqbal880]

Bret Hart middle in the ring pose music the pose hitman the best.

[@jojobeware4873]

it sucks that Hakushi never made his Wrestlemania debut.

[@generalkhan5569]

Hakushi would've been used better in ecw.

[@raphaelmorrata8905]

Yeah he was very talented

[@kennethallen3843]

Vintage Goldust would fit into Hollywood no problem these days

[@GAURAV25855ify]

True very true justlike cm punk character like most wwe rooster these days look like they came from sucide squad movie

[@richardtherichard26]

This series is goated and the fact you’re under 1 mill subs escapes me. Keep up the great work king ❤️

[@MidnightCherryTV]

Have been binge watching your vids, great stuff. Every video has been a winner.

[@drillerkiller5199]

What I remember most about the Monday night wars? A friend of mines mom was banging the singer from the union underground.

[@lickkittysplit3871]

Cincinnati Ohio. My Hometown. Thank You for making this video!

[@slanderman3296]

Sweet, don't get to see to many Shawn and Sean against each other

[@branchtana315]

I'm pretty sure the reason that Piper was inserted into the angle with Goldust is because Hall was suspended for failing a drug test. Hall had already either decided to go to WCW or had told Vince he didn't want his contract to roll over, so Hall claims in shoot interviews that the suspension for the failed drug test was because he was leaving.

[@michaelaburns734]

Mick Foley man. Can't help but love the guy.

[@ericjohnson5462]

I Love ❤️ these reliving the war series always good to know things and you are good at this my friends

[@deanowynn]

As always....great job!

[@mitchellalexander9162]

15:39 And this is why this series is great. Really helps to contextualize the Period, with them being side by side. It's probably a Journey and a hike to produce but ohhh man is it good.

[@BIGGIEDEVIL]

13:41 "Bret's rope" the osw reference is just awesome

[@noahrichards553]

Still loving it!! Keep up the good work!

[@brianmiddleton3359]

Love reliving shows i havent seen since i was a kid.

[@canuckj8382]

Great video as always 👍🏻

[@kelvin19888]

Time for another awesome of Reliving the War

[@PJErvin]

7:05 - Point for Nitro

[@TheChodax]

Great video as usual.

[@kennywright1021]

Another great episode in the books.

[@Marc_Masters]

This was awesome, and so was raw

[@SnakeHiggins]

Man to be honest I remember Andersonville...that was a damn good made for tv movie, me and my dad watched it quite a few times including on this night.

[@mikebuglione32]

It was good. Just sucks they couldn’t have put it on a Tuesday night lol

[@samuraijock9185]

My respect and adulation for you has just gotten stronger my man. Bret's rope comment is rampaging through the OSW Universe.

[@imal25]

WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW FOR ANOTHER WRESTLING BIOS SO UNTIL THEN TAKE CARE.

[@timbartschwolfman]

It's that time of the week again guys

[@kennethallen3843]

Thursday yeah

[@597yasser]

Awesome vid!

[@stevenimeson902]

modern day stan hanson cracked me up so hard!! 13:06 someone's wearing a cactus jack shirt people must have knew he was coming

[@LuchadorMasque]

Good timing. I'm out of gems and coffee for guardian tales.

[@davidworden4470]

Brett and shawn Michael's opened the doors for the attitude era

[@JASETHE13TH]

Been waiting for this all day

[@timbartschwolfman]

Nice picture of Jason

[@JASETHE13TH]

@@timbartschwolfman Thanks he's my favorite slasher

[@timbartschwolfman]

@@JASETHE13TH Nice

[@joelzedney4299]

I LOVED watching this match live and kinda wished it had turned into a fued...

[@yelnaw]

Keep em coming homeboy

[@CDSmith-yb2df]

Love your channel especially reliving the war perhaps you might think about also including the ppv's if both company's are running one that month I know you recap but head to head would be better

[@KylePrime_1986]

I remember hbk vs 123 really well

[@bcal8118]

That time of the week!!

[@jmendoza2003]

I remembered I recorded this episode of Raw. It's one of my favorites. Back then, I would at least have 4 episodes of Raw and Intro on videotape. But Would not record the entire episode of both them just only stuff I prefer to record to save tape. But for sure I would record the Main events of both Raw and Nitro. That's what I love about those days.

[@petertr2000]

I can tell you exactly what Bradshaw is, but I don't want to swear.

[@yourefriendlyneighborhoodbuddy]

93/4-97 early....was down...then picked up then dropped 5 year intervals give or take....not a fan of hbk as a person but he did give kid A LOT OF TIME TO SHINE...but the fact they let jinsei shinzaki get rolled like that

[@th3garbageman]

I still can’t believe JBL was a thing.

[@pc8679]

Love this series

[@lukebaer5128]

I rarely think about it but mention something about the like button because I honestly forget about it. Remind us! Lol

[@manuscriptking8175]

THE INTRO WAS 🔥 🔥 EVERY TIME I 👀 A MATCH MY BRAIN ACT LIHE FILE CABINET!!😂😂😂

[@TheAaronetic]

I'd also love to own some of those older WrestleMania chairs! That WM 12 chair looks very cool.

[@prashantconstantine5943]

Love ur videos

[@diesel101raw]

This was Awesome

[@otakubatman1853]

I have an old monday night raw chair. Not as cool. But I live it.

[@aaront.akabiggs631]

So funny Vince gets so mad about being counter-programmed in the 90s that he makes fun of a billionaire on air week after week, but does the same thing to AEW today