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Volume 4

Monday Night Raw Reviews:

1993

Place To Be Nation Publications

Copyright © 2016 Place To Be Nation Publications. All Rights Reserved.

Published by Place To Be Nation Publications

Distributed by Smashwords

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the authors, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

### Book Disclaimer:

We, like you, are wrestling fans. As such, we have our own opinions about what we like and what we don't like, and we don't mind sharing our opinions. The reviews in this book and in future volumes are OUR opinions. You may agree or disagree. That is one of the things that makes professional wrestling great. It caters to different tastes, and there will be differences of opinion on what makes a particular match or segment "great."

JT and Scott began writing their PPV reviews back in 2007. In 2014, a refresh of those reviews began where each would rewatch and rewrite their reviews of the events. Along the way, Jeff came in to refresh and add new Fun Facts for the events. We re-released those refresh reviews and facts into our three ebooks. This book is a deviation from the PPV reviews. We wanted to fill in the gaps between PPVs, beginning in 1993 with the start of Monday Night Raw.

In our reviews, unless it is something very blatant, we will not tell you to watch something or not to watch something. Our opinions may sway you in one direction or another, but we want you to watch and be the judge for yourself.

We love reading everyone's feedback, which you can give on our Place To Be Nation Facebook page. At the end of each event, we have listed the podcast episode for the event. We encourage you to visit the Place To Be Nation website at placetobenation.com and listen to these podcasts as well as the array of other pop culture podcasts we produce.

We hope you enjoy our reviews.

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Table of Contents

1993

### January

  * #1 - 1/11/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #2 - 1/18/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #3 - 1/25/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

### February

  * #4 - 2/1/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #5 - 2/15/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #6 - 2/22/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

### March

  * #7 - 3/1/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #8 - 3/8/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #9 - 3/15/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * #10 - 3/22/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * March to WrestleMania IX – 3/28/93 – Cumberland County Memorial Auditorium, Fayetteville, NC

### April

  * #11 - 4/5/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #12 - 4/12/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * #13 - 4/19/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * #14 - 4/26/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

### May

  * #15 - 5/3/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #16 - 5/10/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #17 - 5/17/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #18 - 5/24/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #19 - 5/31/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

### June

  * #20 - 6/7/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #21 - 6/14/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #22 - 6/21/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * #23 - 6/28/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

### July

  * #24 - 7/5/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #25 - 7/12/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #26 - 7/19/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #27 - 7/26/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

### August

  * #28 - 8/2/93 - Castle Recreation Center, Alexandria Bay, NY

  * #29 - 8/9/93 - Castle Recreation Center, Alexandria Bay, NY

  * #30 - 8/16/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * SummerSlam Spectacular - 8/22/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

### September

  * #31 - 9/13/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #32 - 9/20/93 - Manhattan Center, New York, NY

  * #33 - 9/27/93 - New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT

### October

  * #34 - 10/4/93 - New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT

  * #35 - 10/11/93 - New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, CT

  * #36 - 10/18/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * #37 - 10/25/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

### November

  * #38 - 11/1/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * #39 - 11/8/93 - Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, PA

  * #40 - 11/15/93 - Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, PA

  * Survivor Series Showdown 1993 - 11/21/93 - Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, PA and Farrell Hall, Dehli, NY

  * #41 - 11/29/93 - Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY

### December

  * #42 - 12/6/93 - Westchester County Center, White Plains, NY

  * #43 - 12/13/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * #44 - 12/20/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

  * #45 - 12/27/93 - Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, NY

Thank You

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# Monday Night Raw #1

January 11, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

Fun Fact I: The WWF had been running a weekly prime-time program on the USA network since 1985, Prime Time Wrestling. For most of the broadcast, the show was a recap of current storylines from the main syndicated shows along with some exclusive matches from the house shows. In its waning years, the format changed first to a talk show format with a live audience and then to a roundtable discussion. The final episode of Prime Time Wrestling aired on 1/4/93 with a revolutionary new show taking its place the following week, Monday Night Raw.

Raw would broadcast live from the Manhattan Center in New York City. This venue was much smaller than where most WWF events were recorded, but it provided a more intimate atmosphere and rowdier crowd. A new broadcast team was put together for the initial episodes made up of Vince McMahon, Randy Savage and Rob Bartlett, a comedian from the Imus in the Morning radio program who had no previous background in wrestling (which would become apparent very quickly). The format of Raw introduced matches between top stars instead of the typical squash matches shown on other WWF programming.

Fun Fact II: Bobby Heenan, who appears in this episode continually trying to get into the Manhattan Center, is the only person to appear on the inaugural episodes of both major shows during the Monday Night War. He would appear on commentary for the first episode of WCW Monday Nitro on 9/4/95.

### 1) Yokozuna defeats Koko B. Ware with the banzai drop at 3:45

### Scott:

So, there we are. The answer to the trivia question: What was the first match in the history of Monday Night Raw? Koko vs. Yoko. It even rhymes. We begin the new live Monday night concept with Koko B. Ware doing the same job he used to do on Saturday Night's Main Event: Putting over new talent. Yokozuna debuted in late-1992 and even got a squash win over Virgil at the Survivor Series. I was perplexed as to why Rob Bartlett came in for commentary. Vince rarely brought in outside sources to do shows, but maybe he wanted to have a cutting edge guy (Bartlett worked for Don Imus) to add some sizzle to the show. This match really didn't have much sizzle; it was as Randy Savage said a "squashamundo." Yoko continues his ascent as he heads to Sacramento for the Royal Rumble.

### JT:

The night the WWF's world changed for good. For years, syndication was the prime TV outlet for the company's programming, but with Prime Time Wrestling having run its course, the WWF decided it was time to shake things up. And that include the decision to go live on Monday nights with an hour of rowdy live wrestling TV that saw big time matches and angle progression not quite seen before outside of Saturday mornings. So, live from New York's Manhattan Center, we have Monday Night Raw. Vince McMahon is in the booth, picking up the gig after Saturday Night's Main Event died, and he is joined by the semi-active Randy Savage and local radio comedian Rob Bartlett. Our opener featured the current star heel on the rise Yokozuna taking on the ever-present stalwart Koko B. Ware. Yoko had debuted in the fall and was clearly being lined up for a big time push right away thanks to his immense size and presence. Koko is rocking the high flattop here in 1993 and of course, is in his High Energy gear, but he is going it alone tonight. Bartlett wastes no time using "Oriental," so we are off to a hot start. The crowd is really fired up here, and the concept definitely feels like an immediate hit as a result. Yoko completely overmatched Koko from the start, just shoving him hard to the mat and corners and swatting off any attempt at offense by the Birdman. He capped things off with a giant leg drop and a Banzai drop for the win. Poor Koko. This match was the epitome of a squash, and it made perfect sense as Yoko was being prepped for big things.

*** Bobby Heenan cuts a promo teasing the impending debut of Narcissus, calling out Mr. Perfect specifically. ***

2) Steiner Brothers defeated The Executioners when Scott pinned an Executioner after a top rope bulldog at 3:01

_Fun Fact:_ _The Steiner_ Brothers _began teaming together in the NWA/WCW in January 1989. The pair of amateur wrestlers from the University of Michigan used that as their gimmick, wearing amateur singlets and headgear to the ring. In less than a year, the team would defeat the Freebirds and win the NWA World Tag Team_ Championships _, their first titles as a team. The Steiners would remain with WCW until November 1992 when the team would leave due to receiving a low contract renewal from Bill Watts. They would quickly sign on with the WWF and would make their debut before the end of 1992 on Prime Time Wrestling._

### Scott:

The WWF's newest tag team comes in to demolish the ambiguous Executioners. I feel bad for the poor bastards that had to don those masks because it was a stiff, straight ahead beating that Rick and Scotty gave those schmucks. The crowd in the Manhattan Center was pretty hot, and the announcers are trying to keep the fire going. There isn't much more to say here, it's a straightforward squash to keep the brothers hot heading into the Royal Rumble.

### JT:

We continue to show off some of the newer talent of the WWF as the recently arrived Steiner Brothers get a showcase squash match against the Executioners. The Steiners were one of WCW's top acts for over three years but finally decided to mix things up and head north for a run. They added instant credibility to a lagging tag division and was a no-brainer move for the WWF to pick them up. Vince notes they are set for a big throw down with the Beverly Brothers at the Royal Rumble, a good matchup for them to get on track with as far as PPV goes. Both Steiners were cut and jacked here and looked ready to dominate. As they put a beating on the masked men, Doink the Clown showed up and putted around the crowd, messing with the fans. One of the Executioners shockingly got a couple of punches in but that would be about it. Rick was nasty out there, shoving one of the masked men hard into the ropes, pasting him with a clothesline and then driving him into the corner with an Oklahoma stampede. In a weird little fun fact, Vince notes that Buffalo Bills player Mitch Frerotte was heading into the WWF soon. Obviously, that never happened, but an odd thing for Vince to push aggressively on a big night like this. The Steiners mixed in a couple more stuff suplexes and then finished things off with the top rope bulldog for the victory. I could watch Steiner squashes all day long. Bring on the Beverlys.

*** Vince McMahon interviews Razor Ramon in the ring to talk about his upcoming WWF Title match against Bret Hart at the Royal Rumble. We also see footage from WWF Mania when Ramon attacked and injured Owen Hart.***

3) Shawn Michaels defeats Max Moon to retain WWF Intercontinental Title with a side duplex at 9:56

_Fun Fact:_ _Thomas Boric was born in May 1961 in Croatia. His family moved to Canada when he was 13. He played soccer in college before signing on as a goaltender in the North American Soccer League, which he played in until 1984 when the league folded. He soon began his wrestling training under the Malenko family in Florida. He took on the ring name Paul Diamond and began his career in Texas. Most of his early wrestling was in various tag teams, teaming up with Nick Kiniski and Shawn Michaels in Texas and Jeff Jarrett and Pat Tanaka in the CWA. The pairing with Tanaka to form the team Badd Company led to much success in both the CWA and AWA. When Diamond signed on with the WWF in 1990, it was in a lower card singles role, primarily that of a jobber. He_ was later reunited _with Tanaka in the Orient Express where he wore a mask to conceal him not being Asian and taking on the name Kato. In the fall of 1992, Diamond_ was given _the new role of Maximillian Moon, a character_ originally created _for Konnan before he left the WWF. Max Moon was supposed to be a man from the future, signified by his futuristic space outfit, just one of the many gimmick characters we will see_ around _this_ time period _._

### Scott:

Our first title match in Raw history pits the IC Champion taking on the electric Max Moon. Shawn Michaels is one of the big stars that Raw was meant to be created for with his provocative outfits and exceptional in-ring work. During the match, we have Bartlett with cheesy jokes and even equally bad impersonations, like Mike Tyson. During the show we also see Doink moving around the crowd with the WWF fans. It is pretty funny that they make fun of Tyson considering what would happen five years from now. This was a surprisingly good match as Max Moon really took it to Shawn and the crowd (back then anything could happen I suppose) maybe was feeling that Moon would pull off the upset. But Vince does mention Shawn vs. Marty at the Rumble and that kind of went out the window. Shawn gets the victory, but the match was much better and more competitive that I remember it being.

### JT:

For the first time in the show's lengthy history, the WWF Intercontinental Title is on the line as Shawn Michaels defends against the mysterious Max Moon. Of course, Michaels won the strap in the fall from the British Bulldog and was just getting his legs under him as champion. His biggest challenge to date would be at the Rumble against his former friend Marty Jannetty. Moon popped up in mid-1992 and despite the garish outfit and assumed attached plans for the character, he fizzled into quasi-enhancement talent very quickly. Bartlett buried Moon right away, and you could already tell he was probably going to be trouble with his off the cuff comments. A lot of them were also really forced and unfunny. We got a quick pace here with Moon grabbing most of the momentum until Michaels begged off and regrouped. Moon would hook in a hammerlock submission as he started to focus on the arm of the champ, but Michaels waited him out and then caught him on a charge and dropped him with a stun gun. Doink showed up in the aisle just as Bartlett did a terrible bit where he called in to pretend he was Mike Tyson. In the ring, Moon grabbed a near fall on a roll up, but Michaels maintained control of the bout. He meandered a bit through his offense, laying in strikes here and there while also preening for the fans. Savage took the Tyson stuff to the next level when he flat out said Tyson got a raw deal in getting sent to jail. Vince cut that down quickly. Moon made his comeback by slingshotting Michaels to the floor and then diving out after him. Back inside, Moon hit a nice spin kick and followed with a rolling fireman's carry for a close near fall. A moment later he missed a senton and Michaels took advantage by pelting him with a superkick and hitting the teardrop suplex for the win. The match was sluggish in the middle, but the open and finish were pretty good. The commentary did it no favors with all the nonsense bits and barely talking about what was going on, but it is what it is at this point. A nice showcase win for Michaels, who is clearly a high priority for the company at this point.

*** Gene Okerlund delivers the Royal Rumble Report, with the following matches announced:

Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty – WWF Intercontinental Title

Royal Rumble Match: Ric Flair, Tatanka, IRS, Bob Backlund, Jerry Lawler, Mr. Perfect, Ted DiBiase, Crush, Rick Martel, Yokozuna, Randy Savage, Papa Shango, Earthquake, Berzerker, Undertaker, Carlos Colon, Tenryu, Tito Santana, Typhoon, Fatu, Samu, Jim Duggan

Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon – WWF Heavyweight Title

Two weeks away on PPV! ***

*** We head back to Superstars to see footage of Kamala finally getting fed up with Kim Chee and Harvey Wippleman after one of his matches. Reverend Slick would come out and protect Kamala, but after Kim Chee slugged him in the face, Kamala saved him and attacked his now former handler. ***

### 4) Undertaker defeats Damien Demento with a tombstone at 2:25

_Fun Fact:_ _Phillip Theis was born in_ June _1958 in Long Island, New York. He was training under Johnny Rodz and made his wrestling debut on the independent circuit in 1987. He got his break with the WWF when the Bushwackers forwarded an interview tape of Theis to WWF_ management, _and he_ was signed _to a contract. He would be given the character name, Damien Demento and would_ be announced _as being from "the outer reaches of your mind_." _He received an initial push, winning his first few matches in the fall of 1992. His only PPV match would occur at the Royal Rumble later this month._

### Scott:

Our main event really isn't a main event at all, but a showcase match for the Deadman. Going into the show back in 1993, I didn't even know who the hell Damian Demento was. As for the Undertaker, well he was the top babyface, along with Bret Hart, in the company and it made sense for him to end the show with in essence a squash. This first Raw was meant to introduce the new concept and to get the top talent on the show. Winning and losing was not the focus here, nor was really having decent matches (other than the title match). Easy win for the Deadman.

### JT:

Our first Raw main event is here as the increasingly popular Undertaker closes the show out against the bizarre Damien Demento. Demento is in the same boat as Max Moon, an over the top character that debut in the middle of 1992 and has done pretty much nothing besides job since. Taker is joined by Paul Bearer and is kind of in limbo when it comes to feuds as he has finished off Kamala back in November. He did have a brief issue with Nailz flair up, but that ended when the convict went nuts and got himself fired. Demento went right at Taker, but his attack was brief as Taker mowed him right down and then cracked him with his top rope axe blow. Demento landed one lonely final blow before Taker nailed him with a running clothesline and put him to sleep with the Tombstone. Another showcase squash for a top star here and once again, nothing to write home about.

*** Vince McMahon interviews Doink the Clown and they talk about Crush's warning to the Clown to stop making children cry. Doink basically says he doesn't give a shit and that draws out Crush, who gives him one last warning to stop messing with the kids. ***

### Final Analysis:

Scott:

The debut episode of the WWF's new flagship show was exactly what they needed. A simple look at the new set, the fresh announcing team, and the top flight talent. Only WWF Champion Bret Hart was absent, which is ok as it gets new viewers hooked to the next week's show. Sure there were some questionable gimmicks, but the most important part of the show was for me the Shawn Michaels/Max Moon match. It showed that the company would put solid matches on as well as the goofy gimmicks. Speaking of goofy gimmicks, Vince can still get away with that now, but as we will see over the next couple of years, that runs old as does the look of the company. I will grade this a little high for historical purposes, but after that, I will certainly be more stringent.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this certainly was a fresh environment for WWF action. Outside of PPVs and the Main Event specials, the company did not offer much in the way of live televised wrestling action, but now we will get it weekly. We still get a few squash matches, but they are wisely using some name enhancement talent that had been built up in syndication to put over the stars. It at least feigns that we are getting higher quality matchups to start off here. The show cruised right along, and the format felt right: four matches, one for a title and a few promos or interview sprinkled in throughout. The commentary was hit or miss and most of Bartlett's jokes were terrible but it is just week one, so we will give him some time to settle in before completely making a judgment. Regardless, this was a huge step in the right direction and brought a lot of excitement to the WWF product. In a vacuum, there wasn't a ton here to fall in love with, but I will grade on a curve for it being the first episode of a really innovative venture.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #2

January 18, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

*** During the open of the show, Repo Man attacks Randy Savage and steals his hat. Rob Bartlett also tears up a picture of Bobby Heenan, spoofing Sinead O'Connor ripping the picture of the Pope on Saturday Night Live. ***

### 1) Mr. Perfect defeats Terry Taylor with the Perfectplex at 9:28

_Fun Fact:_ _After leaving the WWF in 1990, Terry Taylor returned south and signed with WCW, wrestling initially under his_ own _name. He joined the York Foundation and began going under the more formal name of Terrence Taylor, where he was a heel. He remained heel after the York Foundation disbanded, teaming with Greg Valentine to win the WCW US Tag Team Championships. Taylor resigned with the WWF in September 1992 under the new gimmick of "Terrific" Terry Taylor (no more Red Rooster)._

### Scott:

Six years after these two were in the running for the Mr. Perfect gimmick, the winner faces the loser. Taylor had left in early 1990 and went to WCW where he toiled in the York Foundation and other endeavors. Meanwhile Mr. Perfect had a strong run with the company, including two runs with the Intercontinental Title. He took 1992 off for his back issues but returned and turned babyface to freshen things up. I wonder if turning face was to be a red herring for winning the Royal Rumble and getting a World Title shot at WrestleMania. Bobby Heenan calls in during the match to give Rob Bartlett grief about his picture getting ripped up during the match. Bartlett was annoying immediately for me. This match was actually really good at the beginning until former running buddy Ric Flair comes down the aisle and works Perfect over. Perfect recovers and beats Taylor, but clearly that feud isn't over. The match overall was really good, even with the run-in that broke the flow. Terry Taylor's career is winding down, but after a year off, Mr. Perfect is back and ready to entertain again.

### JT:

It feels like these two were just meant to be together. Our second ever episode of Monday Night Raw opens with a battle between two men that kicked off their WWF careers together back in 1988 and have seemingly been tied together since. The story that is always floating around is that they were both up for the same gimmicks and as a result of the decisions made, Taylor ended up clucking his way to mediocrity while Perfect became a star. Taylor left the WWF in 1990 but had recently returned in mid-1992 under his own name and like some of the guys we discussed last week, quickly slid down the ladder into an enhancement role. Perfect turned face back in November when he came out of retirement to turn on Bobby Heenan and team with Randy Savage at Survivor Series. We open the show with Rob Bartlett doing is Sinead O'Connor impression and Savage getting drilled by Repo Man for some random reason. We then head to the ring where Taylor enters to his old Red Rooster theme (maybe a network edit, not sure?) which is pretty funny. Perfect was super over with the NYC crowd as his face turn completely reinvigorated him as he stepped back into the ring. We got some mat work early along with lots of juking from both men as they attempted to trade strikes. Perfect got the first flurry in, capped by a great standing dropkick and a chase around ringside. He would crank on a tight side headlock and then an armbar as Bobby Heenan called in to bitch out Bartlett and plug All-American Wrestling. Taylor finally slowed him down by yanking him hard to the floor and cracking him with right hands. Taylor stomped away and started to focus on that rehabbed back, liberally going to the eyes and throat when he needed to. Taylor would get near falls on a spinebuster and a gut wrench powerbomb, really emptying out his arsenal. Perfect took advantage of Taylor failing to put him away and started to pick apart at the Terrific one, hammering him with right hands and rattling his head with neck snaps. As Perfect started to look to put this away, Ric Flair showed up at ringside and distracted and eventually attacked him. However, even that wasn't enough for Taylor as Perfect just popped up and hit the Perfectplex for the win. That was a very enjoyable match, and I like how Taylor varied up his offense in the middle stretch. Perfect's comeback was good too, and the advancement of his issue with Flair worked well.

*** Vince McMahon interviews Bret Hart in the ring to discuss his Royal Rumble WWF Title match with Razor Ramon. Hart denounces Ramon for attacking his brother Owen from behind and the threats he made to Bret's father, Stu.***

### 2) Marty Jannetty defeats Glen Ruth with the Rocker Dropper at 5:12

Fun Fact: Following the breakup of the Rockers in late 1991, Marty Jannetty was supposed to be involved in a feud with Shawn Michaels that would culminate at WrestleMania VIII. Things outside the ring prevented this from happening due to personal issues with Jannetty. He was arrested in early 1992 for drug possession and physically confronting a police officer at a nightclub, leading to his firing from the WWF and a sentence of house arrest for six months. The WWF would bring him back in late 1992 where they picked up the angle with Shawn and his new manager, Sensational Sherri.

### Scott:

This is a showcase match for the former Rocker to get ready for his Intercontinental Title match on Sunday in Sacramento. We know what Glenn Ruth would eventually be, but for now, he's simple enhancement. During the match, IC Champion Shawn Michaels calls in and says he carried the Rockers and at the Royal Rumble he will prove that. They also talked about what Sensational Sherri's role would be. Shawn says she will do whatever, "and he means whatever" the Heartbreak Kid wants. Raw is uncensored and "uncooked," but the WWF will only go so far with the innuendo. Jannetty wins the match to set himself up for Sunday. The match was average, but the dynamic of the match with Michaels on the phone was great television, except for that boob Rob Bartlett, who I'm getting very tired of very quickly.

### JT:

Nearly a year after getting chucked through the Barber Shop window, Marty Jannetty made his surprise return to attack Shawn Michaels back in November. He also accidentally wiped out Sensational Sherri with a mirror. So, he was now set to challenge Michaels for his IC gold at the Rumble and the big question heading in surrounded which corner Sherri would be in. Jannetty gets a showcase here against true jobber Glenn Ruth, one last tuneup before Sacramento. Ruth slipped some offense in, but Jannetty dominated out of the match, including landing a top rope bulldog and some basic arm work. As Marty ran through his offense, Shawn Michaels called in to trash Jannetty and talk about how he knows what goes down in Marty's head and promises a victory on Sunday. He also discussed Sherri's role and basically said she is worthless but madly in love with him. Jannetty worked Ruth over with an armbar, eating up some time as Michaels rambled on. Ruth got a tiny smudge of offense in but it was brief, and Jannetty kept riding him down and going back to the arm. Marty would finally polish things off with the Rocker Dropper, but this may be the blandest squash we have seen so far. Next up: Shawn Michaels in Sacramento.

*** We see footage of Doink assaulting Crush on Superstars, brutally beating him with a cast loaded with batteries. McMahon notes that Crush will no longer be in the Royal Rumble match as a result of the attack and potentially having suffered a concussion. Outside the building, Repo Man brags to Sean Mooney about his attack on Randy Savage and shows off the hat he stole. They then tease a future match between the two. ***

*** Gene Okerlund brings us the final Royal Rumble Report, with the following matches announced:

Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon – WWF Heavyweight Title

Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty – WWF Intercontinental Title

Royal Rumble Match: Ric Flair, Tatanka, IRS, Bob Backlund, Jerry Lawler, Mr. Perfect, Ted DiBiase, Crush, Rick Martel, Yokozuna, Randy Savage, Papa Shango, Earthquake, Berzerker, Undertaker, Carlos Colon, Tenryu, Tito Santana, Typhoon, Fatu, Samu, Jim Duggan, Repo Man

This weekend on PPV! ***

*** Randy Savage runs around in the street looking for Repo Man and yelling at Sean Mooney. ***

### 3) Ric Flair wrestled El Matador to a no contest at 8:14

### Scott:

The fact Rob Bartlett is making fun of Ric Flair's robe is the prime reason they should never have brought this clown onto the show. I still scratch my head why Vince brought this guy in. Clearly, he has no idea who Flair is or what kind of career he had, and why he shouldn't be throwing cheesy jokes out about him. The match is really good, which is par for two expert workers in the ring. As expected Mr. Perfect comes out and starts brawling with Flair, which in essence ends the match. Poor Tito is getting stumbled over by everybody, like a poor forgotten jobber.

### JT:

We have a pretty neat main event here tonight as Tito Santana arrives on the scene to go to battle with the legendary Ric Flair. Flair was in the midst of his heated issue with Mr. Perfect as we saw earlier tonight while Tito has been milling around the card as always. Bartlett hasn't been too bad here tonight, but he really amped up the lame jokes for this one. Flair and Santana did a little feeling out and battled to an early stalemate until the Matador got a quick flurry of offense leading into a side headlock. He kept grinding the hold right through a break, but Flair would turn the tide by blocking a monkey flip, sending Tito back hard to the mat. Flair started to chop away, taking his time in landing his offense while also jawing with the referee. Tito made a comeback with a backdrop and a series of hammering blows in the corner, but Flair cut him off with a shrewd thumb to the eye. The Nature Boy made a big mistake as he climbed to the top rope, where he was caught and slammed to the mat. Tito didn't show any mercy, shrugging off some Flair begging, tossing him to the floor and then hitting him with a stiff clothesline on the floor. Back inside, he kept pouring it on but eventually made a mistake as well with a wild charge that missed and sent him hard to the floor. Before Flair could take advantage, Perfect showed up and triggered a wild brawl all around ringside. The match was disappointing given the talent but with the limited duration and the eventual screwy finish it never really got into the next gear.

_*** The brawl continues after a commercial but Ric Flair breaks free to talk to Vince McMahon and issues a challenge for a Loser Leaves WWF match. Mr. Perfect_ accepts, _and the match_ is set _for next week. ***_

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This episode wasn't as flashy as the previous one, but we did get an appearance from the WWF Champion Bret Hart one week from his big title defense at the Royal Rumble. The matches weren't as juicy as the previous week, but we did get a fun brawl between Perfect and Flair that will lead to the big "Loser Leaves WWF" match next week. It's cool to see guys like Glenn Ruth as a jobber here, knowing what he will become in a few years. I'm already tired of Rob Bartlett, and Vince should have been tired of him as well. He's ruining the show with his awful jokes and half-assed commentary. The show is established now. Time to bring some wrestling guys into the booth like Bobby Heenan to make it legit instead of trying to push too much mainstream. This show has to be graded on its merit, as the curve that the first episode got for being historic is gone.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was a quick watch that hummed along once again and on the whole featured a stronger lineup of matches. However, the Jannetty squash and the main event both under delivered so as far as in ring action, we don't get too much after the opener. We did get some real strong focus and development in the Flair/Perfect feud as the majority of the episode was centered around it. They also did a good job hyping Sunday's Rumble along the way, focusing heavily on the Michaels/Jannetty tilt in the middle of the show. We also got the Raw debut of the WWF Champion Bret Hart to give a final hard sell for his Rumble match. They are still working on fleshing out the format and how heavy the show will be on major angles, but the first two shows have been very refreshing and enjoyable watches, even despite the dip in quality in-ring.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #3

January 25, 1993 (Taped January 18, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan & Rob Bartlett

### 1) Randy Savage defeats Repo Man with the flying elbow at 12:00

Fun Fact: Last week on Raw (1/18/93), the Repo Man jumped Randy Savage at the very beginning of the show, stealing Macho Man's hat. This act of thievery leads to this match.

### Scott:

This goes back to last week when Repo Man stole Randy Savage's cowboy hat after attacking him. It's evident the third episode of the show is taped, for there is only one random reference to the Royal Rumble the night before in the early going. Vince starts mentioning yesterday's PPV, but he says "the WWF Champion," instead of actually saying Bret Hart, who of course defeated Razor Ramon. Well now as I'm listening, Vince is actually mentioning that Yokozuna won the Rumble. The show still feels a bit dated, but at the same time, we know that there won't be any interviews from anybody live pertaining to the Rumble results because the crowd can't be tipped on anything since it's recorded from the week before. Another match ruined by Rob Bartlett's nonsense, and I think Vince is finally realizing that this was a bad idea. Sadly, Bartlett doesn't totally vanish. Savage jumped Repo early, and there was a lot of posturing and moving around, but Repo settled in with things like body scissors. You can tell the crowd is watching a second show because they're not as pumped up as they were last week. Savage makes the big comeback to win the match. It was a fun sprint, but the announcing is still lacking.

### JT:

Last week our episode opened with Repo Man randomly attacking Randy Savage and stealing his cowboy hat. After a cat and mouse chase through the streets of New York City, it was revealed that Savage would get his chance at revenge in the ring here tonight. With Savage in action, Bobby Heenan is in the Raw booth for the first time, calling the action alongside Vince McMahon and Rob Bartlett. We are also one night after the Royal Rumble and get updates throughout the show. I love how Repo pulled up to the building in a tow truck, and he even gets promo time, which makes me wonder what spurred this sudden push after a year of pure job duty. Savage was really fired up, jumping Repo during his entrance and working him over at a frantic pace in and out of the ring. Repo tried to buy some time by tossing Savage outside, but Macho sprinted back into the ring and drove a knee into his back. Savage was relentless as Bartlett kept making fun of his hair despite cheering him on. Repo was able to run Savage into the steps to turn the tide as Vince mentioned Yokozuna winning the Royal Rumble and Bobby pushed tonight's huge main event. Back inside, Repo hooked in a body scissors, slowing the match way down until Macho wriggled free and came back with some uppercuts. Repo fended him off and went back to the body scissors as Bobby and Bartlett took some jabs at each other. Repo landed a big clothesline and stalked Savage as his beer gut sloped down through his increasingly snug tights. He was clearly quite winded too as he slowly moved around the ring while alternating submission holds. Savage finally came back with a clothesline and slam before putting Repo to bed with the flying elbow. The match started hot and finished strong, but that middle stretch was rough as Repo lumbered around and sucked wind. Savage pitched Repo out and celebrated his big win, his first on Raw.

### 2) Kamala defeats Brooklyn Brawler with a splash at 3:32

Scott:

The WWF is trying this babyface push for Kamala, perhaps to get a big spot or maybe some sort of goofy gimmick reboot. More awful Rob Bartlett jokes ruin the enjoyment of the match as this is a glorified squash. Bobby Heenan is funny as he talks about Brawler as if he never really knew him, even though he managed him four years earlier. Kamala gets the win in quick order.

### JT:

The recently turned face Kamala is up next for a quick squash with the Brooklyn Brawler, who of course usually portrayed his former handler Kim Chee. Bartlett made me chuckle when he said "Hey look, it's Nell Carter" to which Vince dryly responded, "No, it's not." Brawler attacked off the bell, but Kamala swatted him off and slammed him hard to the mat. Heenan notes how Kamala has recovered after being stuffed in the coffin back at Survivor Series. After working Brawler over some more and playing to the crowd a bit, he finally finished him off with a side kick and a big splash for the win. After the bell, Slick talks to McMahon to put over Kamala's love for his fans. Nothing to see here, just a chance to remind us that Kamala is a friendly monster now, one with a Reverend in his corner.

*** Gene Okerlund is on the scene to recap the Royal Rumble, informing us that Bret Hart retained the WWF Championship and Yokozuna won the Rumble match, tentatively setting up our WrestleMania main event in Las Vegas. He also notes that Bobby Heenan revealed his Narcissist Lex Luger and mentioned the debut of Giant Gonzalez, who debuted and brutally assaulted the Undertaker. ***

### 3) Mr. Perfect defeats Ric Flair in a Loser Leaves Town match with the Perfectplex at 23:00

Fun Fact: We bid farewell to the Nature Boy following this match to end his first run in the WWF. Flair would return to WCW in February, but would not be able to wrestle immediately due to the non-compete clause in his WWF contract. He would host a talk show, A Flair for the Gold, until he was able to wrestle again. We will see Flair again, but not until the Monday Night War concludes, WCW is purchased, and the Invasion is complete in November 2001.

### Scott:

We know this will finish the show off because we won't see one of these guys in the company after tonight. We anticipate that it will be Flair leaving, but you never know. We also know that they never wrestled one-on-one, so the quality will indeed be off the charts. The storytelling was off the charts as Perfect was ready for war, whereas Flair continues to be skittish and consults with Heenan constantly. It was also obvious that Flair was leaving because Bobby didn't have that same kind of drama and energy involving Flair that he did one year earlier when Flair won the Royal Rumble to become WWF Champion. Flair was cheating like crazy, and we even got some blood from Perfect. Perfect deals with Flair's constant cheating and Flair fights like a desperate man clinging to whatever he has left in his WWF career. Finally after close to twenty minutes of fantastic wrestling, Perfect gets the victory, and yes Ric Flair's WWF career is over. It seemed like just yesterday that Bobby Heenan mentioned him at SummerSlam 1991, and when he walked on the red carpet on that historic episode of Prime Time Wrestling. That Royal Rumble 1992 victory is still an iconic moment in WWF history. Some feel he never totally fit in with the Federation Era way of doing things, but he fit like a glove the minute he walked into Titan Towers. By early-1993 he was going to be pushed down the ladder. Thus, per the handshake deal with Vince when he arrived, he walked out to go back to WCW where he would immediately be pushed again as a main eventer. After clearing out all the meatheads in late-1992 Vince needed to push the smaller, younger workers. As for Perfect, this proves that his 1992 hiatus was smart because he's back in the mix and wrestling better than he was since he was in the AWA six years earlier. This would be Raw's landmark match for the first 18 months of the show's history.

### JT:

And with that, it is time for the biggest match in Raw history to date. Mr. Perfect vs. Ric Flair, loser leaves the WWF. For those even remotely in the know, this one was a pretty foregone conclusion. But, even with that knowledge, there was still angst in place for fans of Perfect, who had missed a whole year due to a back injury, so it wasn't totally out of the question that he had to head into retirement. This feud has been burning hot since Survivor Series, and the most recent skirmish came the day prior when Perfect eliminated Flair from the Rumble. Perfect was really over as has been evidenced over the past two weeks and he looked primed and ready to go here. Things were a bit slow early as both men took their time due to the enormous stakes in place. As Flair bailed to the floor to regroup, Heenan came over and met him to confer for a moment. Back inside, Perfect went to a hammerlock followed by both men trading rattling chops to the chest. The match resets but Perfect was all over Flair again, peppering in chops and right hands, basically playing around with the Nature Boy. Flair would finally go to the eyes and actually teased using a chair, but the referee broke that up as we went to break. When the show returned, Flair was working over Perfect with kicks before slinging him hard into the corner, leading to Perfect flipping right out to the floor, smacking the post on the way over. The now bloodied Perfect would slide back in, but Flair started to work over the rehabbed lower back, taking his time as he picked his former consultant apart. Perfect made a comeback and was able to work his way into a backslide for a near fall. Perfect heated back up, stalking Flair and pummeling him with right hands. He followed up with a big suplex for a close near fall as Heenan started to really fret on commentary. Flair hooked on a desperation sleeper, but Perfect stayed alive, breaking the hold by running Flair into the buckle hard. Both men were wiped out as the match wore along, neither wanting to make the big mistake of the match. Flair struck next, locking in the figure four. Perfect forced the break, but Flair kept bringing the fight to him. He then made the same mistake he always makes: he went to the top rope. Of course, Perfect caught him and slammed him off, but Flair still had one trick left as he pulled his trusty brass knuckles out of his kneepad and pasted Perfect with it. Perfect kicked out of the cover but Flair stayed cool, jabbing away at Perfect's open cut, but Perfect eventually stiffened, and the adrenaline kicked in. Unwilling to give in, Perfect went right at Flair, mowing him down with a right hand and a clothesline. Flair tried to cheat one last time, rolling Perfect up and putting his feet on the ropes, but a moment later he got caught with his head down and had his WWF career ended with a Perfectplex. Heenan melted down at ringside as Perfect celebrated his monumental win. It has been a hell of a run for Flair, but it was time for him to head home. This was a marquee win for Perfect as a face, solidifying his position as a key player in 1993. The match was really good and clocked in at over twenty minutes with good back and forth and only a few sluggish spots. The closing sequence was really good as both men emptied their tanks heading into the finish. This is easily the best Raw match to date, and we will see how long that holds up.

*** Vince McMahon lets us know that Ric Flair must honor his commitments through the weekend and that Typhoon will wrestle Doink the Clown next week. ***

### Final Analysis:

Scott:

I remembered wondering if this Raw felt canned since it was taped the week before the Royal Rumble but aired after the Royal Rumble. At first, it did feel canned, but then as the show progressed Vince did mention the Rumble (albeit in generalities), but then the pre-recorded Rumble report by Mean Gene (without highlights or still shots) helped fill the gaps. The Flair/Perfect match is one of the best in Raw history and will forever be remembered as Flair's WWF swan song. He leaves for almost a decade, while Perfect helps galvanize a fresh and young roster as the company enters unfamiliar waters.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Our third episode is a real solid one, mainly thanks to the really good main event eating up a good 25 minutes of the show. Having that match on Raw instead of PPV immediately showed that they had big plans for their new showcase program and ensured there would be a legacy of important moments and matches woven into it. The opener was fine and a nice chance to see Macho Man in action and the only other match was a quick squash with neither being enough to carry the show down in any way. Bobby Heenan was sharp in the booth, and it was shrewd to have him in there for Flair's final match. Even Bartlett wasn't as bad this time around, plus he barely spoke during the entire Loser Leaves WWF match, which helped as well. Raw continues to roll along as we officially hop on the Road to WrestleMania.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #4

February 1, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

### 1) Tatanka defeats Damien Demento with the Papoose to Go at 4:10

### Scott:

I honestly thought that we never saw Damien Demento again after the memorable first Raw loss to Undertaker. Yet here he is facing the Native American superstar. He's slowly moving up the ladder with his undefeated streak, possibly to an Intercontinental Title match. We are less than five minutes into this show, and Rob Bartlett already ruined this match, saying that he used to play with "Tatanka trucks" as a kid, and how Damien Demento is "Ruth Buzzi's love child." I would say about 85% of the viewing audience didn't even know who Ruth Buzzi was. He needs to go, and go fast. Demento could have been a decent little heel, but he was honestly nothing more than a jazzed up jobber to the stars. Tatanka gets the win, and the undefeated streak continues.

### JT:

Coming off the hottest Raw match to date last week, we are back live in the Manhattan Center and open up with the first Monday night appearance of Tatanka. The Native American is still undefeated but hasn't been embroiled in much of a feud since reclaiming his eagle feathers from Rick Martel at Survivor Series. Damien Demento is still doing his thing, putting guys over and acting insane, including talking to himself in the corner while Tatanka dances in circles. Randy Savage is back in the booth this week, sending Bobby Heenan to the bench sadly. Demento would get some licks in here and there, but Tatanka mainly dominated this one, using bodyslams and chops on offense. I am surprised they didn't try to repackage Demento at some point as he had a pretty good look overall and wasn't terrible in the ring. As Demento hooked on a rear chinlock, a "We Want Flair" chant fired up but quickly burned out. Tatanka eventually rallied, hit the Papoose and put this one on ice, keeping that streak alive.

*** We see footage from Madison Square Garden, where Bret Hart donated a check to the Somalia Relief Fund on behalf of the WWF's Headlock on Hunger program. ***

*** Vince McMahon hops in the ring to interview the returning Brutus Beefcake. The Barber gets a nice warm reception from the fans, and he was excited to be back. Beefcake announces his official return to the ring, and then they cover all of his recent tragedies, including his mother and father passing away and his wife leaving him. He then details his parasailing injury and recovery, including the support he received from Hulk Hogan. Throughout this, the once hot crowd faded due to all of these depressing tales, with one person actually yelling for Beefcake to "kill yourself." Beefcake continues mentioning Hogan, saying the Hulkster pushed him to go for a comeback and the Barber said nothing will make him give up and quit if he hasn't yet.***

### 2) High Energy defeats Skull Von Krus & Iron Mike Sharpe when Hart pinned Krus after a Ware missile dropkick at 1:31

### Scott:

Wow, in 1993 Iron Mike Sharpe was still around? VON KRUS WAS STILL AROUND? Vince and Randy Savage are still pumped up about the return of Brutus Beefcake while Rob Bartlett is making jokes about High Energy's tights. That's why the guy needs to go. He has no interest in learning the storylines or anything else. He thinks this entire job is the Imus in the Morning on TV. It's unfortunate because this new show is meant to bring new audiences to the product and learn the characters, and instead we have awful jokes and disconnected comments. I'm bitching about Bartlett because this match is a two-minute squash and there's nothing more to say.

### JT:

Better hope Koko B. Ware and Owen Hart can bring some of that high energy in this one because Beefcake completely cooled the crowd off. These two have been teaming since the fall and have brought some excitement to the lower levels of the tag division. You could tell Owen could really work and was hopefully just being prepped a bit for something bigger at this point. It was also nice to see Koko get a little bit of a run behind just JTTS at this point. They get a couple of bigger name jobbers instead of the usually randoms, having to tangle with the legendary Iron Mike Sharp and the infamous (?) Von Krus. Owen and Sharpe kicked things off as the Rocket cut him down with a dropkick and then worked the arm. Koko tagged in, and in a weird twist, he had the same color scheme as Von Krus. High Energy dipped into the double teams and made quick work of Krus after Koko hit a missile dropkick and Owen covered for the win. If these four actually were given some time to build a tag match it could have been pretty solid. As is, it is just a side of squash for the technicolor dream team.

*** We see clips of Doink the Clown's attack on Crush from last month. ***

### 3) Doink the Clown pinned Typhoon with a flying shoulder block at 3:13

Fun Fact: The concept for a miserable clown character in the WWF was originally conceived by Road Warrior Hawk, but came to fruition through Matt Osborne, who played the original character. Doink the Clown began appearing in WWF audiences in late 1992 playing tricks on fans before making his in-ring premier in early 1993. When Osborne left the WWF in the fall of 1993, Doink would become a less consistent character as he would be played by five different wrestlers between late 1993 and 1996. The character would also be used in other promotions.

### Scott:

After milling around the crowd and attacking guys like Crush and Big Boss Man, Doink actually wrestles someone with some merit, in the Natural Disaster Typhoon. I loved the Doink character as a heel, knowing that Matt Borne was the guy playing him. Borne is an expert worker and this character showed his personality even more now than when he was Big Josh. This match actually was a bigger squash than I thought it was. Doink really worked the big guy over with grappling moves that kept him grounded. He then hit a shoulder block and got the victory. The inevitable feud with Crush will start once the Hawaiian returns. They pumped the hell of out this match last week and earlier in the show, and it was a squash. Weird.

### JT:

The Doinkster makes his official Raw in-ring debut here against the big man Typhoon. The Natural Disasters were pretty much cooked by this point as Earthquake was on his way out the door, so Typhoon had been working as a solo act. He did have the size and some name value, so it wasn't the worst idea. Doink went right to work, taking Typhoon down and grinding him on the mat, showing off his strong mat skills. What a great character: an evil clown that is a master in ring technician. Typhoon used his size to combat Doink's skill where he could, but the Clown grounded him again and worked a chinlock. Bartlett unloaded all of his clown jokes until Typhoon made a comeback and locked in a bear hug. Doink would rake the eyes and then ride the big man down again, really showing off his amateur background. Typhoon would miss a splash in the corner, and Doink took advantage with a shoulderblock off the top rope and then rolled Typhoon up and hooked the tights for the win. Nice heel work there with the tights. Typhoon lumbered around, but Doink's showcase offense was pretty cool, especially when you consider the gimmick. This early incarnation of the gimmick is really fun all around and is very inspired.

*** Vince McMahon interviews WWF Mania host Todd Pettengill, who reveals that Giant Gonzalez will be showcased on this weekend's show. Howard Finkel then announces that Andre the Giant passed away, leading to a ten-bell salute and clips in his honor. ***

### 4) Yokozuna defeats Bobby DeVito with the Banzai Drop at 2:03

### Scott:

The Royal Rumble winner is lined up with a sacrificial lamb to begin the journey to April 4 in Las Vegas. During the quick squash, Vince is on the phone with another fossil of the Federation Era, Hacksaw Jim Duggan who has an upcoming challenge against Yokozuna, or as he called him "the big Jap Yakazumo." I'm stunned that made air. This isn't a 1984 episode of TNT. Thus, the reason why I'm calling Duggan "a fossil." Yoko wins in quick fashion, and we move on.

### JT:

As this episode chugs along, Yokozuna is out for a match with chubby jobber Bobby DeVito. In discussing their battles at the Royal Rumble, Savage butchers the big man's name. Yoko, of course, won the Rumble match and is now set for WrestleMania and the WWF Title match. As Yoko goes through his prematch ritual, Jim Duggan joins the show via phone to talk about his upcoming match with Yoko on Superstars. Yoko dominated DeVito as you would imagine and squashed him with the Banzai Drop for the win. The overall match quality of Raw has already sagged after a strong first few weeks. At least they are using these squashes to hype upcoming matches and feuds and having Duggan call helped add some good heat to their battle. Yoko looks unbeatable still and has built up really well to this point.

*** Vince Mcmahon climbs back out of the booth to interview the WWF Tag Team Champions, Money, Inc. at ringside. The champs would mock Brutus Beefcake, calling him Humpty Dumpty due to his reconstructed face. They then flip a coin to determine who will accept Beefcake's open challenge on the next episode of Raw with DiBiase winning. Their manager Jimmy Hart then comes out and says this all a waste of time because if one of them get hurt in the match, it kills their run as tag team champs. They laugh that notion off and say Beefcake is the only guy likely to get hurt. Hart gets them to leave but not rescind their offer, meaning Brutus Beefcake vs. Ted DiBiase is slated to happen. ***

### 5) Lex Luger defeats Jason Knight after the running forearm at 2:38

### Scott:

Lex Luger comes in pissed off that instead of some hot chick carrying the Raw cards around, it's one of the Rossati sisters. Luger worked this gimmick so well because let's be honest that's probably how he acted in real life. Of course, his opponent's name is familiar to wrestling fans because of his career in another promotion shortly after this. Here he takes a pretty good beating and is knocked out with the big forearm, which will be a bigger part of Luger's character very soon. Another squash, another heel win on this episode.

### JT:

After debuting at the Royal Rumble, former long time NWA stalwart Lex Luger makes his official WWF in-ring debut here. Of course, he had been affiliated with the promotion for over a year but was stashed in the WBF until his WCW contract ran out. In between he was in a motorcycle accident, leading to a steel plate being wedged into his forearm to help him heal up. This was a perfect gimmick for Luger as he could just pose, preen and be a douchebag while beating up jobbers. Before the match starts we check out Mr. Perfect tossing perfect spirals to Steve Jordan of the Minnesota Vikings. He then, of course, throws a ball and catches it himself. This is all to push along Perfect's burgeoning feud with Luger, who was brought in specifically by Bobby Heenan to get revenge on his former business partner. As Luger opened things up with Jason Knight, Savage announces that the Beefcake/DiBiase match is now official for the next episode of Raw on 2/15. Luger mowed through Knight with ease before putting him to sleep with his loaded forearm. Luger makes a statement in his debut and is now set on eliminating Perfect on behalf of the Brain.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This show seemed like the first prelude to Hulk Hogan making his return after being gone since after WrestleMania VIII. Beefcake's return was shocking, but that's not a return that's earth shaking. The Red and Yellow coming back is. A secondary PPV without Hogan is one thing, but the thought of a WrestleMania without him is something quite different. The roster is solid with good talent, but instead of trying to roll with it Vince wanted some splash. Yokozuna is slowly building himself up as a credible heel since winning the Rumble and having Lex Luger around is a suitable replacement (for now) for Ric Flair leaving. The episode is ok, and the ramping up of WrestleMania will make them better.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, we were due for a dud of an episode at some point, and after a well-built show and great main event last week, we get a show loaded with filler and squash matches. Add in that the one "feature" match was basically a squash too and this was a real rough in ring episode. Beefcake's return was a cool moment, but his interview died a quick death and just dragged on, killing the crowd in the process. We do get some good storyline movement, and squash showcases can be very useful, but you kind of need at least one of them to deliver with some fun. These were all bland and shuffled in and out quickly. That said, our next episode has been built up well here, but we have to wait two weeks to get there thanks to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. You could argue we got two dog shows in a row after watching this episode of Raw.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #5

February 15, 1993 (Taped February 1, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

Fun Fact: WOOF WOOF! On February 8, 1993, WWF fans would encounter one of the two yearly interruptions to the RAW schedule. Every February, RAW would be preempted on USA by the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, a two-day show USA had been covering since 1984. Fans will also see a preemption every late August/early September for the US Open tennis tournament, something that would play an important role at the start of the Monday Night War in 1995, so stay tuned.

### 1) Steiner Brothers defeat Bobby Who & Glenn Ruth when Scott pins Who after a top rope bulldog at 3:32

### Scott:

One thing we will notice on these Raws throughout 1993 is that the Steiners take great pleasure in pummeling the pathetic jobbers they are fed. The clotheslines, punches and power moves are ten times as stiff as when they face equal competition. It's not really fair when Bobby Who gets drilled with the butterfly suplex then the team bulldog finisher to close it out. Sadly, something was wrong with Randy Savage's microphone, so we had to hear Vince McMahon and that clown Rob Bartlett alone. Ear-bleeding I tell you. The Steiners win easily as the jobbers get smashed.

### JT:

After a two-week layoff thanks to the Dog Show, we are back inside the Manhattan Center and feeling a bit stale as this show was recorded back on February 1. However, we do have a highly hyped main event ahead of us and the early inklings of a card for WrestleMania to come. We open things up with the Steiner Brothers returning to the show to beat up on a new pair of jobbers. Ruth and Who are rocking some hella neon tights here. They better hope those colors aren't triggers for Steiner violence. Scott and Ruth started things off, and the first big blow of the match was a nasty full nelson German suplex. As Rick and Who came in, Randy Savage started having microphone issues, and it sounded like he was talking through a paper towel roll. Rick shoved Who down and hit a belly-to-belly suplex before tagging back out. Scotty mowed down Who with a dropkick and the Rick tagged in and walloped him with an elbow to the heart as Scott held him over his shoulder. Rick crushed Who with a clothesline and then Scott planted him with a pretty butterfly suplex before the double team top rope bulldog finished things off. Best squashes in the business, baby. Could watch them all day long.

*** Gene Okerlund has our first WrestleMania IX report and announces the following matches for Las Vegas:

Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna – WWF Championship

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez

Crush vs. Doink the Clown

Tickets are moving fast but aren't sold out, so get on it! ***

### 2) Yokozuna defeats Ross Greenberg with the Banzai Drop at 2:01

### Scott:

They are big time pushing Yokozuna as the biggest force on the heel side as with every match he comes in, destroys who's in the ring and walks out. Over the past weekend on Superstars, he took out Hacksaw Jim Duggan (thank God) to actually beat someone with stature. I don't know if as a fan anybody thought Yoko would actually beat Bret Hart for the WWF Title, but they sure were building him up like no other heel has been built up for a while. The one saving grace is that Savage stole Rob Bartlett's headset so we can hear him and not that other stooge. I think Vince was finally realizing that this guy is a waste of space and isn't really anything special for the show.

### JT:

The squash fiesta rolls along as Yokozuna ambles out to face the ever game, Ross Greenberg. Savage's mic was still having issues as Yoko settled himself in the ring before destroying Greenberg, piling up wins on his resume heading into WrestleMania. Yoko was merciless here, hitting all his impact offense before putting Greenberg into traction with the Banzai Drop. Bartlett was actually serviceable in this one, really putting over how dominating Yoko was. Another fun squash with a real "wow factor" from the crowd as Yoko pummeled him. Savage finally had enough as well, stealing Bartlett's mic and taking over on commentary.

*** Lord Alfred Hayes brings us WWF Update, covering Yokozuna's assault on Jim Duggan on Superstars. Duggan did become the first man to knock Yoko off his feet but the good times ended when after the bout, Yoko crushed Duggan with a series of Banzai Drops, sending him out on a stretcher. ***

*** We get clips of Giant Gonzalez defeating three jobbers in a match and as a result, the participants in tonight's battle royal petitioned for Gonzalez not to be allowed to enter the contest. ***

### 3) Razor Ramon wins a 16 Man Battle Royal at 15:00

Participants: Owen Hart, Razor Ramon, Koko B. Ware, Kamala, Kimchee, Shawn Michaels, Iron Mike Sharpe, Bob Backlund, Typhoon, Damien Demento, Berzerker, Terry Taylor, and Skinner

Fun Fact: We say bon voyage on this show to the viking known as The Berzerker. Played by John Nord in the WWF from 1991, The highlight period for the character is when he won a 40-person battle royal on Prime Time Wrestling in July 1992 and then challenged Bret Hart for the WWF title in November. After leaving the WWF, Nord would spend time in All Japan Pro Wrestling and WCW before retiring from wrestling.

### Scott:

A battle royal is a perfect type of match for this show. It gives the audience a chance to see the majority of the roster and perhaps start up some new feuds to build so we can fill out this WrestleMania card. We still have an Intercontinental Champion and Tag Team Champions that need title defenses. Well, the tag champions have something brewing later in the show, but Shawn Michaels will need an opponent for April 4. It could be Tatanka as he beat Shawn in a non-title match over the weekend and as half of the final four of this battle royal he and Tatanka are going back and forth, Razor Ramon and Tito Santana the other two. During the battle, in comes Giant Gonzalez, who was not invited to the match because no one else would get into the match otherwise. Gonzalez cleans out the ring except for Razor Ramon, who wasn't thrown out of the ring. Incidentally Savage keeps throwing jabs at Bartlett so obviously he wasn't well liked by Macho Man. Razor wins, but he doesn't have an opponent yet for Las Vegas just yet.

### JT:

Up next we have the first battle royal in Raw history, and it features a strong mix of talent with a few legit contenders going at it. They went old school to start too, having all sixteen guys stand outside the ring until the bell sounded and opened the bout. Shawn Michaels took his time entering, milling around ringside before finally joining the fray. Everyone quickly paired off and traded fists with the main showcase coming from Kim Chee, who kept bailing to the floor to avoid Kamala. Iron Mike Sharpe was the first to go, but it was cool that he was even included in this. Michaels almost bit the dust, but Razor Ramon saved him, and a moment later Shawn dumped Koko B. Ware. Kamala chopped away at Ramon as Tito Santana actually hit a move off the top rope, which is always dangerous in this environment. In one corner, Berzerker tried to push out Bob Backlund but couldn't get the full leverage to finish the job. Of course, Backlund is coming off an amazing Royal Rumble performance. Michaels had another close call, courtesy Owen Hart, but this time Berzerker saved him. In a brutally telegraphed bit, Skinner did some weird dance and then just dropped his head before Typhoon clotheslined him from behind and knocked him to the floor. Damien Demento followed him out in quick succession as the ring thinned a bit. Berzerker would dump Hart but hung on when Santana tried to push him out as well. Kamala kicked out Berzerker a moment later as the Ugandan Giant was quietly positioning himself as a favorite here. That died quickly as Kim Chee snuck up and shoved his former charge out of the ring. Kamala returned to the ring and knocked Kim Chee out and then chased him all through the crowd, even all the way through the balcony. That was a fun bit and a nice use of the space around them, taking full advantage of the unique building.

After a break, the match continued with our field down to seven. Typhoon poured it on Michaels in the corner, but he charged wildly and got backdropped out to the floor. This was a good showing for the big man, certainly better than his match last week. Terry Taylor and Backlund also went out during the fray, leaving us with Ramon, Santana, Michaels and Tatanka. The four reset with the heels and faces pairing off and battling into opposite corners with Tatanka trying to shove out Michaels while Tito smacked around Ramon. The tag battle edged along until Tito and Tatanka teamed up to kicked Michaels to the floor. Ramon did his best to fight off both guys until Giant Gonzalez showed up and wiped out all three guys. Ramon bailed to the floor as Gonzalez eliminated Tatanka and Santana, claiming victory before ambling to the back. As he left, Ramon slid into the ring and was announced as the official victor of the match, a nice slick heel move. As far as battle royals go, this one was pretty fun, with everyone working hard, the Kamala stuff and then the finish as the high points. Ramon winning how he did was great, and they still got to establish Gonzalez's dominance.

### 4) Brutus Beefcake defeats Ted DiBiase by disqualification 4:26

Fun Fact: Last time on Raw (2/1/93), Vince conducted an in-ring interview with Brutus Beefcake, making his first appearance since early 1992. During the interview, he indicated that he was back to take on all comers. Later in the night, Ted DiBiase and IRS commented about Beefcake's statement and decided to flip a coin to see which of the two should take him up on his open challenge. DiBiase won the coin flip which leads to our match here tonight.

### Scott:

This is in response to Beefcake's return and open challenge last episode and the Million Dollar Man's response. Obviously, Beefcake isn't 100%, so they have to be careful here with how to work the match. He dances his way through the early moments, but then really takes advantage with some headlocks and right hands. DiBiase bails, and if you hear Jimmy Hart, he's almost sounding sympathetic towards Beefcake and being more cautious than he ever was before as a manager. Brutus had the upper hand for practically the whole match until IRS came down the aisle. He whacks Beefer with the Halliburton to cause the DQ. However, it's what happens next that moves things in motion. DiBiase holds Beefcake, and IRS is about to crush his face with the Halliburton. Jimmy Hart tries to stop him but gets tossed out of the ring and then BANG! Brutus gets crushed in the face with the Halliburton and squirms in the ring in pain. The tag team champions leave the ring in joy while BABYFACE Jimmy Hart is helping Beefcake onto a stretcher. I think we all know what this leads to, but let's let it happen. The match is crap but the moment is a big deal.

### JT:

So, here we are. After two and a half years of inaction, surgeries, and rehab, Brutus Beefcake returns to a WWF ring to compete in a match. We saw this all go down in our last review, with Money, Inc. laying down the challenge against the wishes of their manager Jimmy Hart. Ted DiBiase would win the coin toss, and a WrestleMania V rematch was upon us. Hart's main contention was that there was nothing to gain here as DiBiase could maybe get hurt in a meaningless match or do serious damage to Beefcake's face and really become a target for future harm. Beefcake gets a nice little reception from a crowd that tuned him out and wished him death earlier in the taping. Beefcake went into some histrionics, strutting around and teasing DiBiase before finally locking up. DiBiase finally buried a knee to the gut and then poured on a series of clubbing blows until Beefcake countered with punches of his own, driving Ted to the floor. Beefer cranked on a side headlock and continued to rattle DiBiase, who was completely caught out of sorts by how aggressive and on point the Barber was. As Beefcake went back to the headlock, IRS showed up and eventually bashed the Barber with his briefcase, drawing a DQ. The tag champs made Beefcake pay the price for his success, double teaming him in the ring and then crushing his face with the briefcase. During the fray, Hart tried to stop them, but they shoved him down to the mat, ignoring his advice and warnings. The match was really nothing and just a chance to show that Beefcake could get in there and wrestle, but the aftermath attack was tremendous heat building and really made the champs look like conniving pieces of shit for smashing his face for no reason but to be assholes. Hart consoled Beefcake as the champs threatened more before deciding just to give up and walk off. The Barber's comeback may already be over.

*** Vince McMahon previews next week's show and flat out says that he wouldn't be surprised if Hulk Hogan shows up after what happened tonight. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This episode was the prelude to the return of Hulk Hogan, pure and simple. Money, Inc. attacking Beefcake was a feud that didn't seem in tune with the rest of the company. With top young guys like Bret Hart, Razor Ramon, and Shawn Michaels, this feud is right out of 1989. Another point is the Steiner Brothers. My original assessment of them in the WWF was they weren't as tough and as polished in the ring as they were in early NWA/WCW. Watching these Raws may change my mind, as these squashes are really fun to watch. The battle royal was good, as we watch Giant Gonzalez attempt to be an intimidating force against Undertaker and not some goof in a furry man suit. Overall this was a fun episode with more to come on the road to WrestleMania.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We bounce back from last week with a pretty good episode of Raw, featuring two really stiff squashes, a well-worked battle royal, and a heated angle to close things out. The whole episode was very focused and got a lot accomplished in the hour. Plus, having Bartlett only call half of the show helped things as well. And he wasn't even that bad when he was involved this time. There was no fluff and a lot of action. We also got the first steps towards WrestleMania with matches announced and others teased. Beefcake's return was well done, and there is now a ton of heat on Money, Inc. and a clear path for the long-awaited return of Hulk Hogan.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #6

February 22, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

### 1) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Scott Taylor with the top rope headbutt at 3:01

### Scott:

We open the show with the Beast from the East's debut on Raw after his recent WWF return. He was a pretty hot commodity when he arrived six years earlier to Titan Towers, but politics pushed him out the door. He has returned as the company needs some stars that don't look like they're on steroids. It honestly doesn't take long for Rob Bartlett to make me want to punch him in his fat face. We all know who Scott Taylor would eventually become, but for now, he's an up and comer ready to... well, get the crap kicked out of him. Bigelow dominates with backbreakers and a couple of flying headbutts, and he gets the easy win. I've always been a Bigelow fan, and he will be very helpful in boosting the roster of stars without having anybody too ripped. That was a quickie, and we move on.

### JT:

So, we ended last week with a massive tease from Vince McMahon, and we open this one up with a continuation of that tease as we see a gaggle of fans in Hulk Hogan regalia as Rob Bartlett does an SNL style open to the show. There was a real, palpable buzz in the building as we are back live this week and everyone is just waiting for the return of the Hulkster. But first, we have a few matches to get through, starting with the recently returned Bam Bam Bigelow battling jobber Scott Taylor. Bigelow made his way back to the company in late 1992 after having left Stamford in 1988. He spent time traveling around, including a stint in the NWA and more importantly, a strong run in Japan. Now he returns to bolster a roster that is in need of some fresh blood. Bigelow uses his power to dominate Taylor, not even coming off his feet when Taylor landed a rare blow. Bigelow would crush Taylor with a vicious clothesline and then later drop him with an electric chair and a nice modified backbreaker before finishing the job with a pair of diving headbutts. I will say one of the hallmarks of these early Raws has been the real fun squashes we have been treated too. For whatever reason, they feel so much harder hitting and in your face in this setting. Bigelow continues to make statements.

*** Vince McMahon interviews Hulk Hogan in a studio in a chat that was pretaped a few days prior to this show. They talk about his time off, the support of the Hulkamaniacs and his potential return to the company. He also talks about how he has made mistakes in his life, how those recently came to light and also takes shots at the tabloid media problem of the 1990s. He basically says the Hulkamaniacs don't dwell on that negativity and Hogan wants to be the leader and role model of the 90s for children. He also adds a fifth demandment: Believe in Hulk Hogan. ***

### 2) Tatanka & Nasty Boys defeat Shawn Michaels & Beverly Brothers when Tatanka pins Shawn Michaels with a sunset flip at 14:00

Fun Fact: Tatanka enters the match having pinned the IC champion Michaels on the 2/13 episode of Superstars in a non-title match. This six-man tag match further builds toward a match the two will have at WrestleMania IX for the IC title.

### Scott:

This match is really not meant to feature the two tag teams, but to solidify the feud brewing between the Intercontinental Champion and the #1 contender. Vince announces officially at the start of the match that Shawn Michaels and Tatanka will battle at Wrestlemania for the IC Title. Tatanka's momentum has been brewing for over a year, and he hasn't sniffed any type of title chances, mostly because fellow babyfaces had held the titles. Based on Randy Savage's commentating, you can tell he hates Bartlett about as much as I do. Michaels hasn't been on much after the Max Moon title match, but he has now been on back-to-back weeks. This match was pretty solid early on as the heels really work over Knobbs and Saggs. Finally, they get the hot tag to Tatanka who really works the Intercontinental Champion over and gets the three count. So the Native American has now pinned Shawn Michaels twice in a few weeks, to put doubt in the champ's mind. That was a solid TV match with some storyline advancement.

### JT:

Our anchor match this week is a big six-man tag team match with some solid star power. The Beverly Brothers are running on fumes, but they are joined by the red hot Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels. Michaels had experienced some tough sledding lately, having lost a non-title match to Tatanka on Superstars. And of course, Tatanka is across the ring from him here once again, teaming with the Nasty Boys, who are also flailing around in the tag division as well. They had turned face in the fall and seemed lined up for a big title feud with Money, Inc., but that seems to have stalled out. The match starts fast off the bell with the faces chucking the heels out to the floor to reset things. The Nastys kept up the pace, battering around the Beverlys until Knobbs came up empty on a charge to the corner. Michaels would tag in and lay in some basic strikes on the Nasty Boy before pelting him with a back elbow. Knobbs made a quick comeback and tagged in Tatanka, but the champ quickly tagged out to Beau, who got trapped in an arm bar. The faces tagged in and out and kept working that arm of Beau, keeping control even when things broke down at one point. After a commercial break, the Beverlys took advantage of a charging Knobbs and caused him to crash to the floor by yanking down the top rope. Michaels would slam Knobbs into the post and then work him over in the ring as Vince noted that Tatanka would indeed challenge Michaels for his title at WrestleMania. Knobbs survived a double team Beverly attack and a Blake bear hug as the crowd rallied him along. The heels kept up their quick tagging and swarming offense until Knobbs was able to kick down Michaels and finally tag Tatanka. The crowd was fired up as the Native American came in and tore into the champ, firing away with a heavy flurry of offense, capped by a powerslam for a pin cover that was broken up by Blake. Tatanka mowed down both Beverlys and then chopped Michaels over and over and picked up a couple of near falls but the Beverlys kept making the save. With the Nastys and the Beverlys fighting outside, Tatanka reversed the teardrop duplex into a sunset flip and snuck out his second consecutive non-title win over Michaels. That was fine but felt a little bit like it was in slow motion at times. The crowd stayed into it for the most part, and I liked how they had Tatanka pin Michaels for a second time to really build momentum for Mania. The finish carried it, but overall this was fine for a TV match.

### 3) Crush defeats Terry Taylor with the Cranium Crunch at 3:46

### Scott:

The Kona, Hawaii native is back after the injury suffered at the hands of Doink. That match is set for WrestleMania, so this is a mere warm up. As for Terrific Terry, well he's reaching the end of the line for his career and is merely enhancement talent. Not much more to say here.

### JT:

Next up we get to check out Crush, making his return to action after that violent attack by Doink earlier in the year. He is set to tussle with Terry Taylor, a resident Raw JTTS. Sadly we don't get the Red Rooster music this week. Crush started things off by cranking on a side headlock before landing a standing dropkick. Taylor actually got a hint of offense in as Bartlett did a bad Arnold Schwarzenegger impression in the booth. That went hand-in-hand with Vince saying Bill Clinton was going to name Hulk Hogan as the lead on his national physical fitness program. Crush survived a chin lock and some right hands as Vince notes that Crush will indeed battle Doink at Mania, looking for revenge from the attack. Crush landed a running clothesline and then parked Taylor with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker before finishing him off with the Cranium Crunch. Another squash here, albeit not as fun, but Crush needed to be rebuilt after his injury and prepped for Vegas so there we go.

Fun Fact: In 1992, a doctor with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission, Dr. George Zahorian, was being accused of selling steroids to wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan. Despite Hogan's appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show denying the allegations, public pressure was mounting against the Hulkster, who ended up taking a one-year leave of absence from the company. On this evening, Hogan makes his return to the WWF.

*** Vince McMahon hops in the ring and wastes no time in bringing Hulk Hogan out to the ring for his official WWF return after being out of action for nearly a year. The Manhattan Center erupts into cheers as Hogan does his usual routine before settling in for his chat. Hogan recaps what he went through last week watching Money, Inc. beat up on his buddy Brutus Beefcake. He lets everyone know that the Barber is OK and thanks God and Jimmy Hart for saving Beefer from further injury. With that, he officially confirms that he is back in action and looking to right the wrongs of Money, Inc. He then brings out Brutus Beefcake and announces that they will be tag team partners as he wants and trusts the Barber in his corner. Beefcake's nose was all bandaged up, and he talked about his rough evening last week thanks God and Jimmy Hart for their protection. Hogan says they are going to start taking all of Money, Inc.'s assets and that starts by taking Hart away to manage them instead of the champs. Hart comes out, decked in red and yellow, becoming a face for the first time in his long WWF career. Hart says he has always idolized Hogan and dreamed of this moment and is ready to manage another great tag team. Hogan wraps up by coining their team name as The MegaManiacs and demanding a match with Money, Inc. ***

### 4) Undertaker defeats Skinner

### Scott:

We wrap the show up with a thrown together match that started during the commercial break and ends after the show goes off the air.

### JT:

With the Hulk Hogan interview running long, we just get to see the opening moments of this one, but the show ends abruptly before the match does. That was a cool touch that really pushes that live feeling out to the audience after years of syndicated canned programming.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The return of the Hulkster makes this the most anticipated and probably most watched Raw thus far. Hogan had been off camera since that shit show at WrestleMania VIII when he apparently retired. Well as much as Vince liked his young, hungry roster of workers, he needed a little star power to hook more viewers into this show. So back came the face of the Federation Era to defend his boy Brutus and send a challenge to his old nemesis Ted DiBiase. More on that as the weeks progress. Tatanka gets the best of the Intercontinental Champion again and sets the stage for another title match at WrestleMania. Other than that trash bag Rob Bartlett, these first few Raws are fun and very informative in pushing the new roster and getting the somewhat thin WrestleMania card over.

Final Grade:

### JT:

While this certainly was a very historical installment of Raw, it definitely wasn't one of the best episodes we have seen to date. The matches were kind of blah, and we didn't really need the studio interview with Hulk Hogan since we were going to get a lengthy in-ring chat as well. The Hogan segment itself was fine and quickly resets the scoreboard, establishing his return, creating the MegaManiacs and setting up that Hogan will be out of the World Title picture... for now, anyway. Listening to Jimmy Hart say he always idolized Hogan after he spent years trying to kill him was a bit much, but whatever, it was red and yellow fever. The six-man match had some potential but ended up being a bit sluggish until the finish, which set up the Mania IC Title match nicely. The whole card for Vegas is starting to come into focus, and I am guessing we will have a bit more time next week to really flesh things out more. Again, there is a lot of history here, but as a whole, it missed the target this week.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #7

March 1, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

### 1) Bret Hart defeats Fatu to retain WWF Heavyweight Title via submission with the Sharpshooter at 15:06

### Scott:

Rob Bartlett is doing an Elvis impersonation. There's nothing more that needs to be said. We have our first WWF Title match in Raw history, and an Elvis impersonator is doing the commentating. You can definitely tell that Raw was taped some weeks because of the rotating of guys from week to week. We haven't seen Bret since before the Royal Rumble and his eventual win over Razor Ramon. Fatu is the prototypical holdover title match opponent to give Bret some work before his date with Yokozuna on April 4. Fatu worked the champ over with power moves and nerve pinches, and then Samu came down to ringside and started working Bret over on the outside. Bret was actually busted open by Samu's attack, a rather vicious beating for an early Raw match. Scanning through the crowd, we see the Bob Backlund superfan right on camera side very consistently. Either he's a real superfan who comes to every single show, or some of the shows are taped. It's also fun scanning through the crowd for whom the hot teams were at the time. There is plenty of Bills, Cowboys, Bulls, Knicks, and Braves stuff around the crowd. The match really does turn into a pretty fun one as Fatu holds his own and kicks out of many Hitman pin attempts. The Hitman battled through the Samoans and got Fatu in the Sharpshooter for the victory. That was a fun match that saw the battling Champion survive to move on.

### JT:

One week after Hulk Hogan officially returned to the WWF, we are really locked and loaded on the Road to WrestleMania IX. We are also back live inside the Manhattan Center and joined by Vince McMahon, Randy Savage and... Elvis? Or Rob Bartlett dressed as Elvis, anyway. We kick off the show with the first in-ring Raw appearance by our WWF Champion Bret Hart as he defends the title against Headshrinker Fatu. This type of defense is the quintessential Bret Hart title match during this stretch: wrestling regularly and taking on all types of challengers. It was also a nice little nod to smart fans who knew the relationship between Fatu and Hart's Mania challenger Yokozuna. We would get some simple back and forth early with Fatu establishing his power advantage and Hart doing what he could to stick and move and grind on the mat. Hart would work the arm while trying to nab a pinball here and there, but the tide turned with a great spot when the Hitman tried to spike Fatu into the mat, but Fatu popped back up and crushed the champ with a side kick. That was really nice. Fatu cut Hart down with a clothesline and hooked on a nerve hold as Bartlett kept running through his Elvis bit, with Vince and Savage playing right along. Hart tried for a cross body on a near fall but failed and got dumped to the floor right as Samu made his way out. With Fatu tying up the referee, Samu really laid into Hart on the floor. After a break, Fatu kept on the offensive, working hard to go after pin cover after pin cover with an aggressive attempt to take the title. He got a close one after spiking Hart with a piledriver but couldn't keep the champ down. Fatu is a really ideal opponent for Bret as he is a bit bigger and has effective and crisp looking offense that Hart could sell and also could bump around well during Hart's comeback. Fatu would get caught up top as Hart hammered him with a right hand and took him over with a superplex. From there, Hart went into his usual attack before hooking in the Sharpshooter, but with Afa tying up the referee, Samu slugged Hart from behind, and then covered for a near fall. Fatu would switch back, but Hart caught him, rammed him into Samu, dropkicked Afa and then locked the Sharpshooter back on for the win. In a funny slip up, Earl Hebner slid in and started to count and then realized what he was doing. That was a really well-worked match with everyone playing their role perfectly. Fatu actually looked legitimate throughout which is a credit to Hart and to the plan the Headshrinkers executed. I would say this is the second-best match we have seen so far. Hart moves on to Mania.

*** Gene Okerlund brings us the WrestleMania IX report, with the following matches announced:

MegaManiacs vs. Money, Inc. – WWF Tag Team Titles

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez

Tatanka vs. Shawn Michaels – WWF Intercontinental Title

Mr. Perfect vs. Lex Luger

Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

Call your cable company or satellite provider today! ***

*** Crush joins us by satellite from a beach in Hawaii and discusses his upcoming battle with Doink at WrestleMania. ***

### 2) Doink the Clown defeats Koko B. Ware via submission with the Stump Puller at 1:47

Fun Fact: This will be the final televised WWF match for Koko B. Ware until 1994. On 3/10/93, Ware's tag partner, Owen Hart, injured his knee and was going to be out of action for a while. At the time, the WWF had a talent exchange going on with the USWA. Koko began wrestling singles matches again in the USWA and would remain in that promotion for one year.

### Scott:

This was a quick squash to keep Doink hot for his date with Crush at WrestleMania. After the match delivers my favorite Raw moment to this point: He throws a cream pie on Rob Bartlett's fat face.

### JT:

And speaking Doink, he is back for another tilt here on Raw, this time against the always feisty Koko B. Ware. Doink carried a present out and teased some fans, but nothing came of it. Koko has shaved his head so no more high Kid 'N' Play flat top. Doink jumped Koko and busted up his leg as Elvis made Gary Coleman jokes. Koko tried to punch Doink away, but the crafty Clown kept him grounded and hooked in an STF(!) as Vince put over his skills. Koko kept writhing on the mat as Doink just punished the leg with a spinning toehold until he hit a spinning neck breaker and locked on the stump puller for the submission win. Poor Koko, he goes out with a whimper in this squash loss. I will miss the Birdman popping up time to time in our reviews, but he had a hell of a run. After the match, Bartlett grabbed Doink for an interview, but the Clown popped open his present and pasted Bartlett with a pie to the face. That was kind of funny.

*** Vince McMahon heads to the ring to interview Money, Inc. They play up their relationship with the CEO of American Express and impending his $730K/year retirement payment, and multi-million dollar severance and no compete. DiBiase then mocks Hulk Hogan's return to help his friend and says he has been busy making movies and commercials and has gone soft. IRS says he gave Beefcake a wake call and that they care greatly... about themselves and that they also held back from putting the Barber out for good. They rename IRS' briefcase "The Beefcase" and have Hogan's picture pasted on it. They also officially agree to put the tag team titles on the line at Mania as they aren't afraid at all. DiBiase calls Beefcake the weak link and vow victory in Vegas. ***

### 3) Lex Luger defeats PJ Walker after a running forearm at 3:16

### Scott:

The match consisted of Luger squashing the jobber and the announcers talking to Bobby Heenan about going to Philadelphia and saying that Elvis is George Steinbrenner. Luger uses the forearm, which Vince starts to allude to as being possibly illegal. After the match Luger says his opponent is a typical American male: Frail and pale. Luger is hitting Vegas to face Mr. Perfect.

### JT:

Next up we continue our squash parade as Lex Luger slowly marches to the ring for a WrestleMania tuneup and his second Raw match to date. The Elvis stuff was getting pretty distracting by this point, but at least he has shut up when needed. He also looked like he came from a bukkake party as he sat at ringside with pie cream all over his face. As Luger worked over PJ Walker, Bobby Heenan called in to promote All American Wrestling and make fun of the Elvis stuff, pretending he is partying with Priscilla Presley at his Beverly Hills estate and saying it is actually George Steinbrenner at ringside. He also puts over Luger saying he will take care of Perfect at Mania. Luger would win with the running forearm blow, knocking Walker out cold as the speculation around the legality of his forearm continues to swirl. A pretty slow squash compared to most we have seen, but Heenan's call in at least made it go by quickly.

### 4) Steiner Brothers defeat Duane Gill & Barry Hardy when Scott pins Gill after a Frankensteiner at 4:06

### Scott:

As the match starts, Vince says Scott & Rick will face the Headshrinkers at WrestleMania. Unlike the usual quick hit squash, the Steiners go about really torturing and punishing these two stiffs with power moves galore and a couple of grapples like rear chin locks. The crowd is really into these guys and at the moment probably the #1 babyface tag team in the company. Scott used the Frankensteiner on Duane Gill and didn't kill him. It does get uglier as time progresses, but this one is ok.

### JT:

Yes! Steiner squash time! A true highlight of these episodes. Scott and Barry Hardy kicked things off, and Scotty wasted no time showcasing his amateur skills as he rides Barry right to the mat. As things reset, Vince announces that the Steiners will take on the Headshrinkers at Mania. Scott clubbed the shit out of Barry's back and then sent him flying with a double underhook suplex before tagging in Rick. Rick mauled Hardy, knocking him hard to the floor with a clothesline. Duane Gill trepidatiously entered, and things went just as poorly for him as Rick dropped him with a tilt-a-whirl suplex and Scott pulverized him with a pump handle slam. A Scotty standing dropkick was followed by another underhook suplex and finally the Frankensteiner for the win. Steiner squashes the best squashes.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The saga with Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake vs. the Tag Team Champions continues as Money, Inc. officially accepts the challenge, and we are off and running for Las Vegas. We get some new matches announced for the show, including Lex Luger vs. Mr. Perfect, and then we get a Luger squash. Must have been so easy to just act like yourself as part of your character. It was nice to see Bret Hart defend his title before his first WrestleMania main event. I don't remember how long Rob Bartlett stays on the show, but he's ruining them because he's such a jackass. Vince and Savage were the perfect team at this point, and Bartlett is a waste. I don't understand what Vince thought he would gain with him on the team. He doesn't add any mainstream coverage; he's a putz. This run to April 4 has been fun, and I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the journey.

Final Grade:

### JT:

OK, we are back on track after a pretty rough outing last week. The feature match here is one of the best we have seen and really showcased Bret Hart as a champion of the people as he wins a very hard-fought match against a random contender. After that, we got a series of squashes of which two were pretty entertaining. The Money, Inc. promo was solid as well. Bartlett is Bartlett but him getting mashed with the pie was good enough for a laugh. WrestleMania is pretty much set to go for the most part, so these next few weeks will be all about building heat in all the right places.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #8

March 8, 1993 (Taped March 1, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

*** Hulk Hogan, Brutus Beefcake and Jimmy Hart cut a pre-taped backstage promo on Money, Inc. about their upcoming WrestleMania Tag Team Title match. ***

### 1) Money, Inc. defeated Tito Santana & Virgil to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when IRS pinned Virgil with a back suplex at 8:00

### Scott:

This isn't a title match, but the champions decide on a warm up against two game workers like Virgil and Tito Santana. I love Randy Savage but talk about towing the company line saying that the WWF had a myriad of great tag teams. They had maybe, what, four teams? This isn't 1989 for pete's sake. This episode is taped as Vince doesn't mention "WE ARE LIVE..." We really start noticing that little hint as how things operate. It's a pretty straightforward TV match, with Tito (and not Virgil surprisingly) playing face-in-peril and Virgil is the one that gets the hot tag late in the match. Rob Bartlett is not impersonating anyone this week (unless you count a commentator that doesn't know what he's talking about). Virgil is caught jaw jacking with DiBiase, and IRS hits a reverse suplex for the victory. A pretty straightforward heel win, with no crazy cheating. Definitely a chance to see Money, Inc. together and not cheat in order to show they are a force and a definite challenge to the MegaManiacs.

### JT:

As we inch ever so closer to WrestleMania IX, we are on tape from the Manhattan Center and open up strong with a big tag team title matchup. This match was hyped at the very end of last week's show and Money, Inc. are currently in the forefront of this program over the last month as they factored in directly with the return of Hulk Hogan and are being treated as such. Here they face off with Virgil and Tito Santana, and there is a little history here as these two battled DiBiase and Repo-Man back at This Tuesday in Texas in late 1991. Santana and DiBiase opened things up with a quick back and forth that ended in Santana controlling with a side headlock. I always dug Tito's black matador trunks. DiBiase wriggled free, and the match resets with Virgil and IRS both tagging in. Virgil had some early success and tagged in Santana, who cranked away at Irwin's arm. They traded off with quick tags and focused on the arm until IRS turned the tide during a break and then buried a knee to the gut of Tito. DiBiase tagged in, but Tito caught him in the midsection and made the tag to Virgil, who came in and met IRS with a series of fists. Virgil cut through both champs until he got distracted by DiBiase, which allowed IRS to hit a back suplex for the win. That was an odd little match as the champs basically got no offense in at all against a pair of low-level mid carders and had to sneak out the win. I know that is their shtick, but you would think they would look a bit stronger heading into Vegas. The match was standard fare but nothing that will stick out as memorable.

*** We get a recap of Tatanka's two recent non-title victories over Shawn Michaels. Rick Martel then comes out and takes over for the Raw Girl in modeling the sign. ***

### 2) Tatanka defeats Phil Apollo with the Papoose to Go at 2:42

### Scott:

The challenger to the Intercontinental Championship works over another well known early 90s heel, and he crushes him in quick fashion. Most of the match is spent with IC Champion Shawn Michaels on the phone, dressing Tatanka down and saying he "likes his view from the penthouse." Honestly, there's not much more to say here, as Tatanka gets an easy win and this match April 4 could go either way.

### JT:

Despite his very lengthy undefeated streak, Tatanka has been pretty much void of title matches, which is quite weird on the kayfabe surface. That is finally changing though, as he knocked off Shawn Michaels in a pair of non-title bouts and those wins netted him a shot at Intercontinental gold at WrestleMania. This was a pretty straightforward squash with Tatanka running through his usual offense on the portly Apollo. The crowd was really into his big chops that were laid in on Apollo's moobs. Michaels would call in on the phone during the match and made a couple of gambling jokes and basically says Tatanka won't get lucky a third time. Apollo got a few licks in, but Tatanka made a quick comeback, hopped around in his war dance and then got the win with the Papoose. Nothing doing here, just another win for Tatanka and a chance to hear from Michaels to hype Mania.

*** Gene Okerlund delivers us our weekly WrestleMania IX Report, with the following matches discussed for April 4:

MegaManiacs vs. Money, Inc. – WWF Tag Team Titles

Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez

Call and order today! ***

### 3) Papa Shango defeats Mike Edwards with a reverse shoulderbreaker at 2:31

### Scott:

I honestly didn't know Papa Shango was still with the company, to be honest. This seems like a filler match to give the crowd something extra. Bartlett makes fun of Mike Edwards' hairy back. Please fire him soon, or my computer will melt soon. Pretty nondescript match to fill the hour.

### JT:

Papa Shango is on the scene, and this is a bit of an odd decision for a squash showcase as he isn't lined up for anything major at WrestleMania. Regardless, here he is making very quick work of Mike Edwards, pulverizing him from bell to bell and finishing him off with the shoulderbreaker. I wonder how long it took Papa to put that face paint on. Certainly, longer than two and a half minutes. Been a soft squash offering this week, sadly.

### 4) Bob Backlund defeats Tony Demoro with a double underhook suplex at 3:51

### Scott:

Why is Bob Backlund back with the company? To be honest, these are the kind of guys Vince needs to stay away from. He hadn't really jumped on the "New Generation" thing yet considering one half of his main event is guys from the 80s, but it is Hulk Hogan. Boring guys like Backlund really don't fit this new crop of stars, but perhaps he's offering a job to a guy who's 43 years old and not really fitting anywhere else in the business. Backlund shows off after the butterfly suplex with some dopey underhook amateur pin to get the victory. The match is average as is Backlund's character.

### JT:

Our next squash match features Bob Backlund, still riding high from his big Royal Rumble performance and of course on his mission to reclaim his WWF Title. Tony Demoro is in pretty good shape, a nice change from our last two jobbers. Demoro refused to shake Backlund's hand, leading to Bartlett calling him a "pants load'. Robby Boy has actually been pretty solid tonight as I think he is finally starting to feel the flow and tone of the booth. Savage notes that it is Backlund's dream to compete at WrestleMania, so we will see how that shakes out. As Backlund dumps Demoro to the floor, McMahon asks Bartlett to head backstage to interview Rick Martel. When Demoro returned, we got some amateur mat work that Bob controlled. Demoro changed the tone with a stiff back elbow, leading to Backlund getting more aggressive and hitting a nice double underhook suplex for the win. Backlund has his eyes set on Vegas as he notches another win.

*** Rob Bartlett interviews Rick Martel, who calls him classless and blah. He says the same of the Raw Girls, which is why he keeps cutting into the model. He also claims to be the best and most classy wrestler in the world in reference to his upcoming main event bout. ***

### 5) Mr. Perfect defeats Rick Martel with the Perfectplex at 10:00

### Scott:

I have been actually looking forward to this match since it was announced the previous week. Martel may seem slightly out of place as much as Backlund does but at least he has a flashier gimmick and is a great wrestler. Perfect might as well get as many matches with good workers as he can now because he will be carrying a piece of luggage at WrestleMania IX in Lex Luger. As expected, these two are working very well together and doing expert reversals. Perfect gets the win in possibly next to Perfect/Flair back in January is the best match in the short history of the show.

### JT:

Main event time and it should be a pretty nifty one, at least on paper anyway. Rick Martel continues to be aimless after his fall feud with Tatanka but is always a good choice for a plug and play like this. Mr. Perfect is of course ensconced in a feud with the recently debuted Lex Luger and his old friend Bobby Heenan. Perfect gets a warm welcome from the NYC crowd that has shown him lots of love in these early episodes. Perfect would control early on, but Martel got on track and started to go into his histrionics, such as avoiding a backdrop with a cartwheel and some jumping jacks. Perfect would return the favor in a funny bit, frustrating Martel, who was a bit unsure how to approach the match now. Martel would sort it out and stick Perfect in the grill with a forearm. From there he worked the arm, turning to a hammerlock but made a big mistake with a wild charge that Perfect ducked. As the Model crashed to the floor, we took a break. When we returned, Martel was back in control, and Perfect was favoring his rehabbed back. Martel would hit a perfect gutwrench suplex for two, but Perfect cracked him with a big right hand to gain some breathing room. Martel stayed strong and hooked in a reverse chinlock, to which Bartlett said: "He is riding him like a horsey." Perfect broke free, but Martel caught him with a knee to the gut. That momentum came to a thud when Perfect got his knees up as Martel tried a slingshot senton into the ring. Martel started to get desperate and tried to come off the middle rope, but Perfect caught him with a right hand to the stomach. Perfect rattled Martel from there and was in full control as we took a final break. Surprisingly enough, when we returned we found out Perfect had already won the match during the break, catching Martel with the Perfectplex. I thought that was a shrewd little move to add a live feel to a taped show. The match didn't have many stakes behind it, so it was an easy one to sacrifice for that gimmick. Both guys meshed well, and it was technically quite solid but there just wasn't too much heat behind it thanks to Martel's dulling star. Perfect looks good, though, and is ready for Lex Luger.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a solid episode with a great main event and matches that advanced WrestleMania participants, and Papa Shango. I'm still confused as to why he was on this show, perhaps to fill a slot from a no-show. We do get a MegaManiacs appearance (taped of course) at the beginning of the show to build that co-main event. Tatanka got a crazy push, and it will continue over the next few weeks until April 4 in Las Vegas. The main event does it, and I contend that next to Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect is the best worker in the company. The build continues, and this was a solid piece of it.

Final Grade:

### JT:

A pretty soft outing this week with two matches that looked pretty good on paper but didn't quite deliver bookending a trio of blasé squashes. I don't mind the squash matches on Raw at all, but I like when they have some sizzle behind them. These three were just kind of there. We did get some pretty good hype for WrestleMania but there were no big stakes or angles this week, and it almost felt like a bland time killer for the most part. Hopefully, next week's live show brings a bit more energy and drama. One positive was that Rob Bartlett was fairly tolerable as he has seemingly learned how to pick his spots and contribute instead of forcing in his material.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #9

March 15, 1993

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan & Rob Bartlett

Fun Fact: The Storm of the Century...that is the name given to the blizzard of 1993 that hit the east coast of the US during mid-March. The storm wreaked havoc up and down the Atlantic coast states as it moved from the Gulf of Mexico up to New England, bringing inches, and in some cases feet, of snow with it. Even areas as far south as Cuba felt the impact of the storm where winds topped 100 mph.

This is the backdrop for this episode of Raw. Due to the blizzard in New York City, the show was moved for the first time away from the Manhattan Center to Poughkeepsie. The original show was supposed to include Bret Hart vs. Lex Luger, Randy Savage vs. Giant Gonzalez, and Bob Backlund vs. Razor Ramon. Many wrestlers could not make it to the show due to the storm. Those who could make it were thrust into action in this very make-shift card.

### 1) Razor Ramon defeats Ross Greenberg with the Razor's Edge at 3:08

### Scott:

We are in a new venue for the first time in RAW history as a big blizzard really mucked the plans up for everything. Vince McMahon and Randy Savage are in Manhattan for a charity benefit where Vince is getting an award. So it's old Prime Time partners Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan back together with Rob Bartlett impersonating Vince McMahon. Gorilla is already annoyed by it. So am I, Gorilla, since the show debuted. Razor hasn't actually been on much since losing to Bret Hart at the Royal Rumble. He won the battle royal a couple weeks ago on a technicality. Now he's punishing this poor stiff. It's been announced that Razor will face Bob Backlund at WrestleMania. I wonder why that combo was booked. It always seemed very strange. The Poughkeepsie crowd is hot, and it's nice to be somewhere else besides the Manhattan Center. Big squash.

### JT:

Well, we are live this week, but the show is coming to viewers under some very unique circumstances. There was a major blizzard in the Northeast, and it prevented from many being able to travel, leaving the company with a skeleton crew to run the show. We see it almost immediately with the commentary team as Vince McMahon misses his first Raw with Gorilla Monsoon stepping in. Bobby Heenan is in for Macho Man but Rob Bartlett, doing a Vince McMahon parody, was able to make the commute up to Poughkeepsie. And speaking of... it is also our first Raw outside the Manhattan Center, which also makes this one stand out. Our opening bout is a showcase for Razor Ramon as he preps to square off with Bob Backlund at WrestleMania. Razor went right at Greenberg, slapping him around and chucking him across the ring. Bartlett has the Vince deal down OK, but it got old pretty quickly here. Ramon would hit the fallaway slam and hook in an abdominal stretch before dropping Greenberg with a chokeslam, a back superplex and then picking up the win with the Razor's Edge. Ramon has some fun squash offense that the crowd loved, and he just wrecked Greenberg here. Besides Bartlett's shtick, Gorilla and Bobby did a nice job setting up Ramon's Mania tilt.

### 2) Typhoon defeats LA Gore with a splash at 2:57

### Scott:

LA Gore looks like a bloated Van Hammer. It's evident Gorilla is out of his element here, as all the campy humor is not his cup of tea and he just wants to broadcast wrestling. Gorilla seems like one of those guys who thinks someone like Bartlett is mocking his business that he's worked for years protecting. Typhoon laid down for Doink a few weeks ago, but here he's making quick work of this goof with the Hogan handlebar mustache. Easy squash.

### JT:

Typhoon is quickly becoming a Raw regular over the last few weeks, but seeing him in a squash is a bit odd, and I would assume it was storm related. Gorilla kept talking about a Michael Landon Awards Banquet that was going down in NYC and promises we will get clips after. Bobby also makes a funny Leslie Gore joke in relation to LA here. Typhoon overpowered Gore and easily swatted off any minimal offense LA got in. After a cool little suplex and powerslam, Typhoon eventually got the win with a splash. Typhoon actually varied his offense a bit here, believe it or not. You do you, Typhoon.

*** Bobby Heenan interviews Harvey Wippleman and Giant Gonzalez in the ring. They run down Undertaker and hype Gonzalez as a true threat to him at WrestleMania. Heenan notes that Undertaker has vowed to put Gonzalez in the largest coffin ever. Wippleman laughs that off and warns Undertaker that he will be the one stuffed in the coffin next to Paul Bearer. Gonzalez actually talks and says he has a giant surprise for Undertaker. ***

### 3) Bob Backlund defeats Papa Shango with an inside cradle at 6:58

### Scott:

Gorilla is ready to punch Bartlett in the face at this point in the show. At least with Backlund Gorilla is in his wheelhouse from the 1980s. Bobby has been pretty solid in the color commentary role, but his and Gorilla's chemistry is being ruined by Bartlett's nonsense. Shango (or Charles Wright) was working in the USWA in Memphis at the same time, feuding for that promotion's championship. We saw Backlund's opponent for WrestleMania earlier in the show, which means it feels like they are promoting other parts of the WrestleMania card that have been largely ignored. A fun match that ended with a Backlund roll-up out of nowhere for the victory. Gorilla is ready to snap at Bartlett.

### JT:

One of our two feature matches is up next as we get treated to Papa Shango for a second straight week. His opponent is Bob Backlund, who is also looking to notch a key win like his Mania opponent did earlier. The crowd is digging on Bob as he comes in, but Heenan goes right to the Opie jokes. Gorilla was at wit's end with Bartlett by this point as he was going further off the rails. Backlund frustrated Shango early on and started to work the arm, but Papa turned the tide when he turned a charge into a backbreaker. Shango mauled Backlund in the corner and then shoved him outside where he rammed him hard into the edge of the ring apron. Back inside, Shango went to a chinlock while also continuing to work the lower back. Bartlett hit the funniest part of his bit here when he plugged Matrix on USA, coming up next. Even Gorilla liked that one after telling him to shut up a few minutes earlier. Shango trudged along and was in full control, but things changed in a blink when Backlund caught him coming in and hooked an inside cradle for the surprise pinfall. I liked that finish a lot as it showed that Backlund is always dangerous regardless of the size of his opponent, a nice setup for Mania. The match itself was better than expected but was worked at a pretty slow pace. Papa focused nicely on the lower back, and Backlund's selling was solid as well.

*** Gene Okerlund brings us the WrestleMania IX Report with the following matches discussed:

Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

MegaManiacs vs. Money, Inc. – WWF Tag Team Titles

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez

Mr. Perfect vs. Lex Luger

Gene also announces that the show will officially be the world's largest toga party as everyone working the show will be decked out accordingly. Call your local cable company... right now! ***

### 4) Nasty Boys and Headshrinkers wrestled to a double count out at 8:26

Fun Fact: This will be the last that we see of the Nasty Boys on MNR. In April, shortly after a tour of Europe, the team was suspended and subsequently released from the company. During the summer they would reappear in WCW and would be pushed as a top tag team.

### Scott:

This should be a fun mess with four guys who aren't exactly technical whizbangs. Gorilla definitely can't wait for this show to be over. He can't get a word in edge-wise on anything, even simple commentating and play by play. What sucks is this is going to be a very entertaining match, and the commentating will be unbelievably brutal. Both teams do go all out for the quick time they're in, and eventually they brawl out onto the floor until everyone is counted out. They start hitting each other with concessions and popcorn and other amenities. It was a fun last match of the show, and the raucous Poughkeepsie crowd helped it.

### JT:

Main event time now and it looks like we will be set up for a hard-hitting brawl between two wild tag teams. Knobbs and Sags set the tone early by planting big kisses on a Rosati sister as they entered the ring. The crowd fired up a loud "Nasty" chant as Knobbs and Samu opened things up. Samu got the first lick in, but Knobbs came firing out with some clotheslines and tagged out to Sags. Gorilla notes that the Nasties actually stepped aside from a Mania tag title bout so the MegaManiacs could step in for revenge. How kind. Sags grabbed a near fall on Fatu as he and Knobbs tagged in and out and double teamed a bit. Sags would work the arm of Fatu as the crowd kept cheering them on. Fatu landed a couple of right hands, but Sags had no part of it and kept plugging away. Gorilla is so great at the little details as he mentions that Afa is missing tonight and that the Shrinkers seem a bit lost without him. The tide turned when Samu clubbed Sags from behind, and a double team attack further put the Nasty One into a deep hole. The Samoans stayed tightly on Sags, hammering him both in and out of the ring. Samu would go for the kill with a top rope headbutt, but Sags rolled away, and Samu came up empty. Knobbs came in hot and wrecked both Samons with a series of clotheslines and a double DDT. The match would spill outside where all four brawled manically down the aisle and over to a very random concession area that was set up next to the entrance. The wild food fight was pretty fun and a good way to end a very odd night and send the crowd home buzzing. Sags bashing Samu with a chair while he was doused with mustard is a pretty cool little spot. That concession area was so staged but whatever it worked. The match had some fun little energy to it, and the crowd loved it. The finish made sense too, given the teams and circumstances. I enjoyed it overall quite a bit, and it is a fitting farewell for the Nasties, bringing an end to a pretty successful WWF run.

*** The show ends with a video package highlighting all of the charity work the WWF does. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

As the build to WrestleMania continues, we finally get some shine on the Undertaker/Giant Gonzalez match with a live interview from Harvey and his charge. Still no Undertaker on camera for a bit but that's fine; his character lends to that type of mysteriousness. Unlike the MegaManiacs, who should be on every week. If Hulk Hogan is here, he needs to promote this match constantly. Overall this show is kind of a disjointed mess with the change in venue (which helped the show as the Poughkeepsie crowd is pretty jacked) to the mish-mosh of announcing. We clearly aren't in Gorilla's wheelhouse any longer as the humor and Bartlett, in particular, isn't his cup of tea. I liked the episode, even with all the production snafus.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, they tried. It was some harrowing circumstances here with a giant blizzard messing up the planned show, but they got it done and entertained a pretty fired up crowd. I enjoyed the variance in the booth as well. Gorilla and Bobby were locked in as always, and Bartlett was fine at times as his Vince impression is funnier than most of his attempts at comedy. We got some good Mania hype blended in as well as the matches just acted as a pure backdrop this week due to the reshuffling, so from that perspective it was successful. The charity puff piece to close things out and Gorilla constantly mentioning the Landon ceremony was overkill though. We get it; you donated money to cover for the steroid issues. Overall, not a very good episode but everyone busted it to deliver best they could, and they at least got lots of Mania prep in where they could.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #10

March 22, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

### 1) Bushwhackers defeat Damien Demento & Repo Man when Butch pins Repo Man after the battering ram at 5:28

Fun Fact: We bid farewell to Barry Darsow, aka the Repo Man, in this episode. Darsow had wanted a run with the character as a hero, but that never happened. He would spend the rest of 93 in the Independent Wrestling Association before heading to WCW in 1994.

### Scott:

Back to the Manhattan Center we go for this week's show, as is Vince McMahon and Macho Man returning too. This match right out of the gate looks like a gigantic pile of steaming poo. Two jobbers to the stars facing a team so far out of the prime window, and simply filling the show with a nothing tag team match. Now, these are the matches that Rob Bartlett throws his two cents in because there really isn't any redeeming long-term importance to them. Demento carried most of the heel action in the middle of the match, but eventually Luke and Butch make the comeback, hit the Battering Ram and end this mess. The crowd doesn't care and really neither do the announcers.

### JT:

We are back live in the Manhattan Center for our final live edition of Raw before WrestleMania IX, and of course, we open up with a match between four guys that won't sniff the ring in Las Vegas. I am not sure they still fully grasped what they had in their hands here. The Bushwhackers make their Raw debut to fire the crowd and take on two guys that have actually been regulars in the Manhattan Center in Repo Man and Damien Demento. I could see tossing this one out there at the end of a taped episode, but to open a live taping on the precipice of the biggest show of the year? Such an odd decision. Luke and Butch marched their way to the ring by walking through the balcony and crowd, leading to a funny moment where Luke falls hard coming over the barricade. Vince pimps the Whackers six-man tilt next Sunday on the March to WrestleMania as they team with Tiger Jackson against the Beverly Brothers and Little Louie. So I guess that explains this match? Demento landed the first shots, clubbing at Butch but things turned quickly with both Whackers taking a bite out their opponents' asses. The match would reset from there, and the heels actually use some nice tactics as Demento distracts Luke by talking to the sky, and Repo clubbed him from behind. Repo really needs to focus on chest day. Or consult Sid Farkus on buying a Bro. Repo and Demento tagged in and out, hammering away on Luke and now I am convincing myself that they could have been a fine little tag team at this point if they got a new gimmick and were given some time. Butch would tag in and clean house, leading to a battering ram on Repo for the win. A waste of time, but at least it was short? Sadly, this would be the swan song for Demento and Repo as Barry Darsow was let go shortly after this and would head down south for the rest of his career. Amazingly enough, he was an early stalwart of the salad days of Raw.

### 2) Tatanka defeats Reno Riggins with the Papoose to Go at 3:30

### Scott:

Now at least this match has some importance to it, as the #1 contender for Shawn Michaels' Intercontinental Championship is heading to Las Vegas for the biggest match of his career to that point. Riggins is one of those classic jobbers that everybody remembers fondly. Well not really, it's just easy to remember his name. Vince is pimping the WWF Hotline for the first time in a while, and with two weeks to go before WrestleMania, it makes perfect sense. Riggins actually gets some moves in, and Tatanka looks vulnerable for a small moment but eventually takes over with some stiff chops, a power slam, and the Papoose to Go for the win. The Native American is rolling into Las Vegas, ready to take Shawn Michaels' gold.

### JT:

We head right into our next match, and this one is a showcase for a big time WrestleMania participant. Tatanka has been all over the place here on Raw over the past couple of months, and he is on a major collision course with Shawn Michaels in Vegas. Will the undefeated streak end? Or will Tatanka bring home the gold? Tatanka went right at Riggins, hammering him with chops and sending him flying over with a back body drop. Riggins landed a couple of shots in and even ducked a cross body, but Tatanka pretty much dominated and then finished Riggins off with the Papoose. I think he is ready for Vegas. I am surprised they didn't have Michaels call in or show up at all, but again, they haven't really sorted out this whole formula yet.

*** Vince McMahon reveals the official opening of the WWF Hall of Fame and that the late Andre the Giant will be the first honoree. We also get a video package with some highlights of the Boss' career. ***

### 3) Money, Inc. defeated Jeff Armstrong & Scott Rich when IRS pins Rich with the Write Off at 3:02

### Scott:

As with the last match, Money, Inc. makes an appearance with their huge match around the corner. In essence, they are carrying this feud with the MegaManiacs, since God forbid Hogan and Beefcake can show up on these shows and help promote the feud. During the match, Bartlett is changing the channel at the broadcast table watching other shows. Please, for the love of GOD fire him. Savage wanted to give him a "Macho Hangover." Please save us, Savage. You can easily tell he hates him and Bartlett gives it back which means there is no love lost between them. At times, it makes for fun TV. Oh, and the Tag Team Champions win easily.

### JT:

While Hulk Hogan has been non-existent since his return last month, Money, Inc. has been working hard to push their WrestleMania semi-main event through interviews and matches each week here. This is a final tune up for their title defense, but in the eyes of most fans, they had to be the heavy underdogs. DiBiase was pretty vicious out there, landed a rattling clothesline as Bartlett flipped around to various channels on another TV to show what type of competition Raw was beating. The champs took turns pasting both guys before IRS finished off Rich with the Write Off. Nothing to see here, order WrestleMania!

*** Gene Okerlund has our final WrestleMania IX Report and discusses the following matches:

Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

MegaManiacs vs. Money, Inc. – WWF Tag Team Titles

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez

The arena is being transformed into the Roman Coliseum and will also the world's largest toga party, so call your local cable company now! ***

### 4) Doink the Clown defeats Kamala by count out at 5:40

### Scott:

I never get tired of Doink's heel music. Wow, Vince is pimping the hell out of the show "Matrix" on USA after Raw. I don't even remember it. This was a mind game win for Doink, who handed Kamala an empty gift box and Doink the match by count out. They chase each other around, and that's that. Honestly, there's not much to say besides that.

### JT:

Our main event brings us Raw favorite Doink the Clown taking on Kamala. For some reason, Doink is sporting a short perm type haircut this week, which Bartlett picks up on and rips for a couple of minutes. Kamala has really gotten some pretty good fan support since his turn and has settled nicely into the lower mid card, crowd engagement fun spot. Similar to the Bushwhackers really. Doink is another guy with a big match at Mania, his first PPV bout, against his enemy Crush. To open up, Doink tries to hand Kamala a gift but just uses it as a distraction so he can take Kamala down and start to work the arm. Aggressive grinder Doink is the best. Kamala broke the hold with som ahead chops, but Doink just kept tackling the Ugandan Giant and wearing him out with some mat work. Kamala battled back with more strikes, but Doink booked it to the floor and ran around the ring until using the present as a distraction once again. This time, as Kamala messed with the gift, Doink rolled inside and won the match by count out. Kamala would chase Doink around and under the ring until Doink grabbed a chair. Kamala would actually outsmart the Clown and sneak out another side of the ring and clobber him from behind to get the last laugh. Doink's mat work was fun, but the rest of this was pretty soft and definitely didn't close the show out on a good note.

*** We end with the Rosati Sisters celebrating Rob Bartlett's 1993 Spam Eater of the Year Award. The sisters make up Rob's fan club. Rob makes fun of them but then makes out with one of the sisters to close out the show. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Our final stop on the Road to WrestleMania is another example of how poor Money, Inc. had to carry all the juice in this feud while Hogan and Beefcake sit home and do nothing. It was great to see Andre honored in this fashion, although the Hall of Fame as some younger viewers know it isn't what was envisioned in 1993 (as far as I know). No Raw next week as there is a WrestleMania special on Sunday night, with all the big players. So our next Raw will be the night after WrestleMania IX. It will be interesting to see how the booking of this show goes with such a long gap between PPVs. Our go-home episode was ok, but not blow away.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This... this was not a very good episode. The crowd was pretty hyped up, and everyone got good reactions, but we got very minimal Mania build and no good matches. The opener made zero sense and the other three, while at least showcasing Mania participants, were bland squashes for the most part. It felt like a real throwaway episode at the worst possible time. Bartlett was pretty subdued and tolerable, but otherwise, there was nothing working or memorable here at all. Not even a promo or interview with Bret Hart or Yokozuna or Hulk Hogan or Undertaker or Shawn Michaels... where were these guys? But leaving time for the Rosati nonsense to close it out? Odd episode that leaves us limping into Mania from a Raw perspective.

Final Grade:

# March to WrestleMania IX

March 28, 1993 (March 7, 1993)

Cumberland County Memorial Auditorium

Fayetteville, NC

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

*** We open the show with highlights of the big WrestleMania IX contract signing between Bret Hart and Yokozuna. The segment ended with Yokozuna attacking the WWF Champion. ***

### 1) Yokozuna defeats Randy Savage with a belly-to-belly suplex at 6:36

Fun Fact: Going back to the Royal Rumble, Randy Savage and Yokozuna were the final two in the Rumble match, with Yokozuna pressing him over the top rope for the win.

### Scott:

Randy Savage gets a chance to redeem himself after looking like a total dope at the Royal Rumble by trying to pin Yokozuna. One week away from the challenger's date in Las Vegas with the Hitman for the gold, Yoko gets a chance to finish off the Macho Man. Vince thinks this was a big mistake by facing a future Hall of Famer just one week away from Yoko's date with destiny. This is a fun match because we don't get to see Savage in the ring as much as we should, so seeing him on the big stage is a nice gift to the fans. Of course, he can't do anything against the massive #1 contender. Bobby makes a good point saying that Bret is wearing himself thin by going all over the world wrestling and doing promotional appearances. This was a glorified squash, which was a big deal at the time because Savage is still a top dog even if he hasn't wrestled lately. Remember it was only last September he was WWF Champion and lost to Ric Flair. Savage was making a big comeback until Mr. Fuji shoved him off the top rope with the Japanese flag. Yoko hits the belly-to-belly and wins the match. It was a quick sprint to give Savage some play and give the #1 contender one more legit win before April 4 in Vegas. Savage gets some heat back by ducking out of the way of a post-match Bonzai Drop and chasing Yoko out of the ring.

### JT:

We are just one week away from WrestleMania, and this is our final stop along the way as we put the finishing touches on the build for Las Vegas. Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan have the call for us, and we are opening things up with a big time bout, a rematch of sorts from the Royal Rumble. It was there that Yokozuna eliminated Randy Savage from the Rumble bout to win the match and officials punch his ticket to WrestleMania. Tonight, Savage is looking for revenge on the mammoth sumo star. Yoko and Mr. Fuji sauntered out to the ring to get us started, and he was followed by Macho, who got a big pop as always. Bobby thinks this could be a career ender for Savage, but Vince thinks Yoko taking on this bout right before their big night in Vegas is a big mistake and Bobby agrees there. We get plenty of talk about Bret Hart as well, and Bobby says the Hitman paid off Savage to attempt to hurt Yoko here. After some initial feeling out, Yoko plants Savage with a shoulder block and then starts to use some of his power strikes before chucking Macho to the floor. Bobby thinks Hart is running himself ragged and is primed for a loss at Mania. Yoko heads out and batters Savage on the floor and then shoves him back inside and continues the assault there. Savage peppered in some punches, but Yoko cut that off with a big chop to the throat followed by a huge leg drop. Yoko kept pressing Savage, but whiffed on a running splash in the corner, allowing Macho to sprint to the top and pelt him with a double ax handle. Savage tried for a second one, but Fuji jabbed him with the Japanese flag, sending him crashing to the mat. Yoko bounded up and planted Savage with a belly-to-belly for the win. After the bell, Yoko tried for the Banzai Splash, but Savage was able to dodge him and escape. This was a statement for sure. Yoko pretty much just mauled Savage, and even with the assist from Fuji, he still looked absolutely dominant in there. This was a great way to prep him with one last victory before Mania and sacrificing Savage was a worthy choice here tonight. The crowd was pretty into it too, and Vince and Bobby did a great job tying this all into the main event of WrestleMania.

*** We revisit the debut of The Narcissist back at the Royal Rumble as well as some highlights of his knockout streak in matches. ***

### 2) Mr. Perfect defeats Skinner with the Perfectplex at 5:27

### Scott:

We get a look at Lex Luger, the Narcissist before this match. That fits since we will have Mr. Perfect vs. Luger at WrestleMania. First Perfect will take on Skinner, complete with his Hershey's Chocolate Sauce spilling from his mouth. Mr. Perfect can easily be a #1 contender for the World Title and is in pretty good shape to do that with a win against Skinner here and Luger at WrestleMania. I like how Vince is alluding that Bobby and Luger paid Skinner off to take out Perfect before their match. Bobby loves Luger, but it's not the same as when Ric Flair came in back in 1991. Sure, he's a cocky, arrogant heel, but he's no Ric Flair. Perfect recovers to get the victory.

### JT:

We head back to the ring for our next bout as Mr. Perfect heads to the ring to battle the alligator man, Skinner. Perfect is embroiled in a heated rivalry with Lex Luger, who we just saw a quick feature on before the bout. They will clash in Vegas. Skinner attacks at the bell and kicks Perfect down before slinging him into the corner and then tossing him to the floor. Skinner heads out and keeps bringing the heat, spiking him into the steps. Vince thinks Heenan and Luger may have paid off Skinner to hurt Perfect here, but Bobby denies it and says Luger needs no help. Perfect turns the tide on the floor and runs Skinner into the post but back inside, Skinner takes off his belt and clotheslines Perfect with it before whipping him with it as well. No idea why the referee just stood there and watched that, but whatever. Skinner keeps laying the wood, cutting off Perfect's comeback and controlling the match. The crowd tries to rally Perfect, but Skinner has wrestled a strong match, really smothering Perfect and not giving an inch. Skinner made his first mistake when he came up empty on a leaping charge into the corner, crotching himself on the middle buckle. Perfect took advantage, laying in some strikes and running through his usual offense but Skinner was able to jab him in the eye with his alligator claw to slow him down. However, a second later, Skinner dipped his head, and Perfect polished off the man from the Everglades with the Perfectplex. This was a fun little TV match with some good energy and solid work by both men. Skinner looked pretty good here, wrestling aggressively and nearly sneaking out a win. Perfect withstood the attack and stole the victory, putting himself in a good position mentally for WrestleMania.

*** Vince McMahon plugs the WrestleMania hotline. Kids ask your parents' permission, of course! ***

### 3) Kamala defeats Kim Chee with a splash at 2:10

Fun Fact: After losing to the Undertaker at Survivor Series 1992, Kamala turned face and gave up his handler, Kim Chee, and his manager, Harvey Wippleman. During the first part of 1993, Kamala would face Kim Chee multiple times through the house show circuit.

### Scott:

This is a nice throwaway match to give Kamala some face pops before his match with Bam Bam Bigelow at WrestleMania. I'm expecting Bigelow to win the match at Mania because Bigelow has better long-term value. The commentary carries this mess as Bobby Heenan says pet owners are weaklings who don't want anyone to talk back to them. It keeps Reverend Slick with the company as he is Kamala's new handler. Kamala chucks Kim Chee around and gets the pin. The match was crap, but the crowd seemed to like it.

### JT:

As we head back to the ring, Reverend Slick is out, and he introduces his relatively new charge Kamala. Of course, after the Ugandan Giant was buried by Undertaker at Survivor Series, things changed, and he was kicked to the curb by Harvey Wippleman and Kim Chee. So, the now benevolent Slick takes him under his ring and attempts to do the Lord's work and humanize him. After some prodding and searching by Slick, Kamala marches out and is looking to gain revenge on his former handler, a man that often mentally and physically abused him during their time together. Kamala is set to battle Bam Bam Bigelow at Mania in a battle of the bulge, so this is Kamala's chance to put Kim Chee in his rearview mirror once and for all. Chee arrogantly saunters out, and we get under way with him immediately bullying poor Kamala. He works over the monster until Kamala finally has enough and smashes him with chops and kicks. Bobby mocks pet owners as Chee comes back with a clothesline, but Kamala blocks a second attempt with a bear hug. Kamala mauls Chee from there and finishes him with the big splash and then smacks him around with his own helmet after the bell. The crowd was into this, but it was nothing more than a generic squash. Now, Kamala can finally move on and focus on WrestleMania where he looks to slow down the red-hot Beast from the East.

*** We check out a special music video set to the main track "WrestleMania" off WrestleMania: The Album. ***

*** Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan discuss the MegaManiacs vs. Money, Inc. WrestleMania match and then lead us into a video package recapping the feud. ***

### 4) Money, Inc. defeats Jerry Sabin & Reno Riggins via submission when Ted DiBiase locks Riggins in the Million Dollar Dream at 2:55

### Scott:

Is this the main event at WrestleMania? Will this be the last match on April 4? Jerry Sabin is actually Gary Sabaugh, the former "Italian Stallion" in the Crockett days. Why he changed his name back in the day is totally beyond me. Weirdo. Money, Inc. has pretty much been at the top of the tag team heap for over a year, pretty much since right after WrestleMania VIII. Does it end April 4? And again, will it be the main event? Money, Inc. wins this squash easily, but I'm concerned poor Bret Hart will be shoved in the background as WWF Champion that day.

### JT:

We are heading back to action as our Tag Team Champions head to the ring for a tussle with Jerry Sabin and Reno Riggins. Money, Inc. is slated to battle the recently returned Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake in Vegas, with the gold on the line. Ted DiBiase and IRS tortured Beefcake bad in February, and that led to Jimmy Hart disowning his former charges and hooking up with his former enemies. The crowd wastes no time getting into an "Irwin" chant as Vince puts over the strength of the MegaManiacs pairing. However, Bobby wonders how rusty Hogan and Beefcake will be, but Vince says despite their inexperience as a team, they will have Hart and the Hulkamaniacs in their corner. The champs dominate Sabin for a bit until Riggins comes in and eventually gets trapped in the Dream, giving Money, Inc. the win. The champs are locked in and looking to not only retain their gold but also do some permanent damage to the Maniacs in Vegas.

*** After a break, the MegaManiacs and Jimmy Hart march out to the podium for a chat with Gene Okerlund. Hulk Hogan says he is aware of how destiny will take its course in Las Vegas and a few weeks back as he was sitting back at home he saw a nightmare on Monday Night Raw. Money, Inc. smashed that steel attache case into Brutus Beefcake's face, and it caused his emotions to run wild, and he hopped on Beefcake's motorcycle and rode right toward the Pacific Ocean. It was there that he heard the Hulkamaniacs praying for Brutus and his face and he was on auto pilot as he drove all the way to New York City. Seven days later, he arrived, kicked down the door of the Ramada Inn, and found Beefcake relaxing and healing his face. Hogan thanks God that Brutus was OK and Brutus says the sound of the suitcase bouncing off his face is still reverberating through his head. He and Hogan were down in Cape Canaveral testing his new titanium facemask, and it held up to Hulk's attacks. He says Money, Inc. will be heading straight to bankruptcy court and then Hart gives a tip: don't invest in any Money, Inc. stock because they are going belly up. The MegaManiacs are looking bright, and they will have all sorts of new merchandise after they leave Vegas as Tag Team Champions in just one week. Brutus spent the last few days prepping to cut some hair. but DiBiase and IRS aren't worth the effort, so instead, he used his steel blades on desert cacti to dull them up. But even that won't be necessary as he will just yank the hair out of their heads instead. Hogan says he was recently fishing with his hands and pulled two hammerhead sharks out of the ocean and has them and some sea urchins and mermaids in a pool at Caesar's Palace. He will also prop the sharks' mouths open with the tag titles so they can't mess with any of the beauties or Hulkamaniacs that hop in the pool. Hogan, Beefcake, and Hart will be celebrating all throughout Vegas as champs, and he instructs Beefcake to lotion up all the Hulkamaniac babes to ensure they have an even tan. That about does it! ***

*** We revisit the recent interactions between Tatanka and Shawn Michaels, in which the Native American pinned the Intercontinental Champion twice in non-title matches. ***

### 5) Tatanka defeats George South with the Papoose to Go at 3:16

### Scott:

This George South is obviously the old NWA jobber, first because he's old looking and second because we are in the Carolinas. Tatanka seems to be right in line to be the next Intercontinental Champion. This feud is prime for it, as Tatanka is undefeated and Shawn Michaels has been champ for quite a while. It seems like a ready-made timeline for a big babyface win at WrestleMania. This squash is crap, but after the match, Tatanka and Shawn Michaels start jawing with each other, and Shawn stalks the steps before backing up as a good heel does. Shawn is also rocking the awesome seafoam leather IC belt. He had better colored belts than Ultimate Warrior, except for Warrior's neon blue belt.

### JT:

Up next, Tatanka is set to square off against old veteran George South. The Native American has been on a hot streak against Shawn Michaels and hopes to parlay that into IC gold at WrestleMania. He makes really quick work of South, but then Michaels shows up, and the two share some final words to build up their bout. Michaels teases coming into the fight but walks off, making us all wait for Vegas. Will Tatanka be the one to finally take the gold off Michaels? He sure seems like the favorite at this point.

### 6) Bushwhackers & Tiger Jackson defeat Beverly Brothers & Little Louie when Jackson pins Louie with high cross body at 9:57

Fun Fact I: In late 1992, Tiger Jackson signed with the WWF and began teaming with the Bushwackers in their feud with the Beverly Brothers. The Brothers followed suit soon after and picked up Little Louie to even to odds.

Fun Fact II: Claude Giroux was born in Quebec, Canada in 1956. He began his wrestling career in the late 70s after being trained by Little Brutus and Sky Low Low. His initially wrestled under the name Tiger Jackson and traveled through the NWA territories, Puerto Rico and Germany as a midget wrestler. He also wrestled in the WWF in the early 80s, sometimes teaming with his brother Lionel Giroux, who wrestled under the name Little Beaver. Later in his WWF run, he soon began imitating full-sized wrestlers, a practice that was common for midget wrestlers in Mexico. His first imitation was that of the Macho Midget. The character he is most known for came from pairing him with Doink as Dink the Clown. He would remain with Doink into 1995 before the character was slowly phased out.

Fun Fact III: Little Louie (real name Louis Waterhouse) is an American midget wrestler. He wrestled for Vincent J. McMahon back in the mid-70s in the WWWF as well as other promotions when midget wrestlers were more common.

### Scott:

Why the hell are there midgets in this match? Can't the Beverlys and outdated Bushwhackers just have a match without all this other nonsense? Vince & Bobby spend most of this match going over the WrestleMania card and not talking much about the crap going on in the ring. They're even talking about the entrances of the commentators at WrestleMania, like Gorilla Monsoon on an elephant and who the Vestal Virgins will carry to the ring. Seriously, of all the matches that had to go close to ten minutes, this was the one? Skinner & Mr. Perfect couldn't go ten minutes? Sometimes I bang my head against the desk wondering what Vince is thinking when he lays out which matches go longer than others. Finally, this mess ends, and just because the Beverlys are a decent team, I won't totally flunk it.

### JT:

Time for some comedy, it seems. This really makes no sense as none of these guys will be at WrestleMania and it kills the flow of what has been a really focused show this far. We have been full on locked in on Mania and showcased all the stars that will be in Vegas. This is just completely out of left field. The Bushwhackers are so dated, and it amazes me that they are still milling around. The Beverlys are really damn good, but they have been beaten up to the point of being complete non-factors in the division. As for Little Louie and Tiger Jackson, whatever. We get the usual antics and nonsense in the ring, which the crowd enjoys well enough I guess. Vince and Bobby spend this ten minutes (!) hyping up the Mania card and everything else that will take place at Caesar's Palace as well as the Hotline, which I guess was an admirable enough idea. Jackson eventually catches Louie with a high cross body and picks up the win. Let's just move on.

*** We review a video package recapping the history between Undertaker and Giant Gonzalez. ***

### 7) Undertaker defeats Bam Bam Bigelow via count-out at 7:39

### Scott:

This is our final match and the one I was most looking forward to. Two big hosses and Bigelow will make Taker's offense look pretty good. This turned out to be a fun brawl as both guys are throwing bombs in and around the ring with the crowd really getting into it after the bad squashes we've dealt with. Taker takes all of Bigelow's offense, but eventually, the Deadman does drop him with a chokeslam. Instead of getting pinned, Bigelow rolls out of the ring and gets counted out. Crap ending but it's to protect both guys, plus as the segment ended, Giant Gonzalez and Harvey Wippleman come out of the tunnel, and we get a nice staredown and a stalking up the ramp. The match was decent, but at least the builds on this show have been really good.

### JT:

We head back down to the ring for our final match of the night as the Undertaker is slated to battle the rising heel Bam Bam Bigelow. Bigelow returned to the WWF in late 1992 and has been rolling since a roll he looks to continue against Kamala at WrestleMania. Across the ring, Undertaker is preparing for a daunting challenge as he has to figure out a way to take out the massive Giant Gonzalez. Gonzalez wiped out Taker back at the Royal Rumble and has barely been touched since in the few matches he has had. Bobby thinks this match was a big mistake for Taker as he knows Bigelow will be able to soften him up. Bigelow shows no fear at all, going right at Taker and laying in some hard right hands. Taker sidesteps a charge and takes Bigelow down and then mauls his face, sending Bammer to the floor to regroup. Bigelow comes right back with some power strikes and headbutts, but he drops his head and Taker plants him with a DDT. Taker chokes away as Vince and Bobby hype both men's Mania matches. Taker keeps bringing the fight to Bigelow, cracking him with right hands and then crashing into him with a blow off the top rope. Bigelow would duck a leaping clothesline and after a break continued to control the Deadman both in and out of the ring. Bigelow would slam Taker on the floor and shoot him into the steps and then back inside, took him over with a tight back suplex but the Deadman would not stay down. Bigelow slammed Taker and dropped a headbutt on him, but Taker again sat up. Bammer stayed cool and hammered away, unloading all of his offense without slowing down at all, but Taker just kept on coming. Bigelow kicked Taker back down and dropped another falling headbutt and then found enough of a window to head to the top rope. However, as he cruised off with his headbutt, Taker sat up, and Bammer crashed hard to the mat. Taker pushed to his feet and leveled Bigelow with a clothesline and then dropped him with a chokeslam, but Bigelow was able to roll to the floor and walk off, happy to survive and take the count out loss. As Taker regrouped in the ring, Giant Gonzalez and Harvey Wippleman showed up in the aisle, leading to a staredown between the two monsters. This was a really fun power match with a hot atmosphere. Bigelow's power offense attack was quite impressive here, and I loved how aggressive both men were. It was well executed, and with a few more minutes and a hot finish, this could have been a bit of a hidden gem. As is, it established both guys as strong and closes out the show on a good note.

*** The show wraps up with a special Bret Hart highlight video set to Aretha Franklin's Respect. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Even though most of the matches were average crap (including that midget six-man mess that should have been shorter than it was) the build to all the huge matches at WrestleMania went swimmingly. The bonkers promo that the MegaManiacs cut made the show, even though I have no idea what Hulk Hogan was talking about. I'm curious as to how this show will be laid out. Will the Bret/Yoko match be last because it's for the World Title, or the Tag Title match because well...it's Hulk Hogan. That Taker/Gonzalez match is a strong visual, but I can't imagine it being very good. I like the prospect for Luger/Perfect, but it depends where on the card it is. Vince and Bobby didn't work as much together as they should have but this was a perfect snapshot of Bobby at his aggravating best. Not all go-home WWF specials go off this well, so don't get used to it. But I have figured out that the matches are fill, and the fill is not what's important.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was a pretty solid hype show for WrestleMania as we had focused on all of the big matches and showcased most of the competitors. We saw quick hit package recaps of the feuds and some good promos and interviews as well. The commentary was really well focused too, hitting all the key points of each match in Vegas. Oh, and that MegaManiacs promo... my Lord, what was Hogan talking about? Iconic. The in ring lacked severely here as it was a parade of squashes until a fun power battle between Undertaker and Bam Bam Bigelow wrapped us up. But, on these shows that never is really all that important. The key is giving a successful final hard sell for the PPV. I was surprised that, despite the well-done music video, Bret Hart was absent, not even delivering a promo, but other than this covered all the bases in an easy, succinct way. See you in Vegas!

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #11

April 5, 1993 (Taped March 22, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Randy Savage

Fun Fact: The Monday Night Raw time slot on 3/29/93 was filled by a replay of the March to WrestleMania IX special.

### 1) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Virgil with the diving headbutt at 6:59

### Scott:

Knowing that this show was taped two weeks before WrestleMania, what could the guys sitting behind the guardrail be thinking when Vince had to say that Hulk Hogan was the new WWF Champion after "last night" at WrestleMania? I suppose back then fans weren't paying attention to that kind of stuff. Or it was post-production of course. So this is going to be a very bland in-ring episode of Raw while the filler will be all about the show and what happened. Bigelow got hosed at WrestleMania as his match with Kamala was bumped off the PPV due to time constraints. So he's taking it out on Virgil, even though...it...hadn't....happened yet. Ah, the magic of television. This match was more competitive than I thought it would be. I felt bad for Virgil, as the "Virgil Sucks" chants were pretty loud. There is no Rob Bartlett on this show, and it's already the best episode in the short history of Raw. Bigelow drills the head butt and moves on.

### JT:

Well, we are finally here, the night after WrestleMania... for a taped show? Logistically it made sense, as Mania was in Las Vegas and Raw was still filmed in NYC each week, but it certainly doesn't make for the most exciting product and was a sign that while the company was moving forward, it was still old school in some ways. So, we open our canned show with what effectively looks to be a competitive squash between Bam Bam Bigelow and Virgil. Vince McMahon and Randy Savage do reference Mania in their stand up open but keep it very vague and quickly move on from the discussion. Once the two are off camera, we get some detail, which of course was likely dubbed in afterward. Bigelow has continued to develop his heel presence as he slowly works his way up the ladder, picking up victories without really entering any feuds. Virgil got a little offense in early, but Bigelow shrugged most of it off as Vince noted that Mr. Fuji and Yokozuna have filed a protest to Jack Tunney about the way the big man lost his title to Hulk Hogan. Bigelow tried a falling headbutt, but Virgil dodged it and kept bringing the fight. That ended when Bammer caught a charging Virgil and squashed him with a Samoan drop. Bigelow cranked on a rear chinlock as Savage put over Bret Hart to help keep him strong in defeat. Vince also talked about how Lex Luger attacked Hart at the Mania brunch earlier in the day before his defense and how did the same to Mr. Perfect on the PPV, hinting that Tunney may take action there. Bigelow kept wearing on Virgil with submission holds as Vince notes that Rob Bartlett got left behind in Las Vegas after Mania thanks to a tough night in the casino and wonders if he will make it back. Virgil escaped a bear hug and made a swift comeback but couldn't get Bammer off his feet. He eventually missed a cross body, and Bigelow finished him with a urinage and the diving headbutt. There was some spirit here, but those submissions dragged on and slowed things up for most of the bout. Virgil gave it a go, but Bammer stays hot.

*** Jerry Lawler comes out for his Raw debut but gets aggravated at not being shown respect from the fans as well as their "Burger King" chants and walks to the back instead. ***

### 2) Bob Backlund defeats Kim Chee with a roll up at 3:58

### Scott:

So they are pimping the whole Yokozuna/Hulk Hogan mess as in limbo. That somewhat makes sense since this is a taped episode and when they are live next week, they can jump further into it. The Bob Backlund fan with the gold t-shirt is pumped as his guy makes his way to the ring. Backlund lost a solid but short match to Razor Ramon at WrestleMania, mostly to put over the younger talent. Backlund will get the win easily here because Steve Lom-... I mean Kim Chee is here to put guys over. Backlund's roll up is impressive, and the crowd is still pretty hot for the former WWF Champion.

### JT:

With Kamala gone rogue, Kim Chee is still hanging around now as a JTTS, a fine role for a man of his stature. As Bob Backlund heads out, Vince wonders what Tunney will do about the World Title situation, wondering if the match may be considered non-sanctioned and unofficial. Backlund has been on Raw quite a bit thus far but is coming off a tough loss to Razor Ramon in Vegas. Backlund avoided Kim Chee's attacks and tripped him up, eventually sending him scurrying to the floor. The wily Chee grabbed Bob's leg from the floor and worked him over back inside, slamming him to the mat and then catching him with a back elbow. Chee's gear looks so uncomfortable to wrestle in. He worked a quick chinlock on Backlund, stomping away at him in between turns with the hold. Backlund wriggled free and blocked a monkey flip attempt by just sitting on Chee and bridging back for the win. That was a funny finish to a throwaway match that solely existed so we could hear more about Mania.

### 3) Damien Demento defeats Jim Brunzell with a jumping kneedrop at 5:07

### Scott:

This match is simply to have that moron Rob Bartlett on the phone, apparently stuck in Vegas because he has no money. Even Vince is pretending that he can't hear him as that dope is begging for more money. Leave him there; he can perform at the Stardust or the Sahara. I forgot Jim Brunzell was still in the WWF and I also didn't believe that Demento had this many matches on Raw. I thought he lost to Undertaker on the debut episode and we never saw him again. The match actually wasn't too bad, as Demento did the usual heel stomping but Brunzell making some great comebacks until Demento wins with a simple, bland knee drop.

### JT:

We are really circling the drain now as Jim Brunzell is let out of his cry-chamber to battle the erstwhile Damien Demento, a man on the highway to nowhere. It is amazing that they are rolling this match out there the night after the biggest show of the year. As they fire things up, Rob Bartlett calls in from Vegas to let the boys know he is out of money and stranded in Vegas. I am surprised they didn't utilize Brunzell more and give him a mini push before jobbing him to the bigger names, but I guess he had too much baggage at this point. Demento pretty much mauled him as Vince and Savage ran through more Mania talk while also pimping the encore presentation. Demento poured it on while the crowd flattened out and the announcers kept questioning Tunney's potential actions regarding Yoko and Hulk. Brunzell came back with some strikes and an atomic drop before cracking Damien with his vintage dropkick for two. Demento survived that flurry and picked up the win with... a knee drop. About as exciting as you would imagine and this only notches a grade because of Brunzell's sweet, sweet dropkick.

*** Jerry Lawler returns but again is annoyed by the fans and leaves instead of wrestling. ***

### 4) Steiner Brothers defeat Beverly Brothers when Scott pinned Blake with a Frankensteiner at 10:56

Fun Fact: The Steiner Brothers had officially challenged Money, Inc. to a WWF Tag Team Title shot following their win at WrestleMania IX.

### Scott:

Rick and Scott pulled a Hart Foundation in 1990 and announced they want to face the winner of the WrestleMania IX title match for a shot at the tag straps. That, of course, is Money, Inc., which makes sense of course. At this point, the Steiners need to take over as the to babyface tag team in the promotion. The Beverlys were a solid heel team during the transition from Federation Era to New Generation Era, and that would make this match solid right on paper. The crowd somewhat lost their sizzle during this match, probably because it was the second show of the day and later in the second show to boot. I thought after the Steinerline the match was over, but the Beverlys broke up the pin, then Scott hit the Frankensteiner, and there is the victory. Really not a bad match but the crowd is somewhat gassed and took out some of the juice. They are ready for the titles.

### JT:

Alright, finally a match we can get into here. The show hasn't been a total loss because the commentary has been focused and fired up breaking down the events of Mania. In the ring is a much different story. The Steiners knocked off the Headshrinkers in Vegas but enter here for a rematch of their Royal Rumble tilt. Vince notes that the Steiners have officially challenged Money, Inc. for a tag title match. Scott and Beau opened things up with Scott winning a wristlock battle and taking Beverly hard to the mat. After Beau begged off, Scott regains control with a side headlock, but Beau blocked a hip toss and yanked Scotty hard to the mat. Scott recovered and tagged in Rick as Beau bailed and swapped with his brother. Blake landed some kicks and hit a nice powerslam, but Rick rebounded and hit a powerslam of his own. Scott would come in and send Blake flying with a belly-to-belly toss but Beau made a tag, and the Beverlys double-teamed their way into control. Beau picked up a near fall with a backbreaker and worked Scott's back over through a break, and the brothers kept cheating where they could to keep Scott in peril. Scott finally was able to block a suplex and hit one of his own before punching his way through Beau and planting him with a nearly disastrous tilt-a-whirl suplex. After a tag, Rick mauled both Beverlys until Scott tagged himself back in and things broke down. A moment later, Scott hit a vicious Frankensteiner on Blake for the win. That was executed well but was nasty Blake landed right on top of his head. This wasn't as fun as their Rumble match but had some glimmers here and there before a hot little finish.

### 5) Jerry Lawler defeats Jim Powers with a piledriver at 6:16

### Scott:

So after coming out twice earlier in the show and then ducking back into the back as punishment for the "BURGER KING" chants, Jim Powers decides to force Jerry Lawler into the match and wrestle. Powers doesn't have that beefy look that he had in the 1980s, but he obviously was told to cycle off the juice if he wanted to stay in the company. Boy, when you see him a few years later in WCW that completely changes as he is gassed out of his gourd. The match is entertaining (for Lawler standards), and he hits the piledriver for the victory. After the match, Lawler calls out Randy Savage from the broadcast table. Not much more comes from that.

### JT:

After a pair of teases, we finally get Jerry Lawler's in-ring Raw debut against long time mid carder Jim Powers. I guess this really is throwback night with him and Brunzell doing some work. Powers doesn't give Lawler a chance to change his mind this time as he hops out of the ring and decks him in the face at ringside. Powers ran him into the ring post and pitched the King inside where he kept bringing the fight right at him, showing some nice fire as he did so. The crowd kept riding Lawler as he tried to slow Powers down and get his feet under him. Powers worked out of a headlock, hit a hip toss and a slam that sent the King scurrying. Lawler was all out of sorts as he went to the floor to bitch at Savage and Powers was oozing with confidence. The tide finally turned when Powers whiffed on a dropkick and crashed hard to the mat. Lawler slowly picked apart and peppered Powers while also running his mouth at Savage some more. Powers made a comeback and got a decent amount of offense in until he got caught with his head down and squished with a piledriver to take the loss. This was fine with the usual King stalling, and preening and Powers showed some feistiness as well in there. He and Brunzell should have teamed up and had a little run in the tag division, could have been fun. Lawler keeps calling out Savage as things wrap up.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was an evergreen episode wrapped around late edits for post-WrestleMania discussion. No Hulk Hogan, Yokozuna, Bret Hart, Undertaker or any of the big players from Las Vegas. The matches weren't terrible, and without that tool Bartlett, the commentary seemed fresh and exciting with just Vince and Savage. The showcase talent here is the Steiners, who are clearly being positioned as the top babyface team and are ready to take the straps from Money, Inc. There's really not much more to say here, other than it's time to go live next week and see the next stage of feuds and WrestleMania fallout.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was a very rough installment of Raw with zero angle development and a handful of blasé matches that accomplished very little and entertained even less. The crowd was tired and flat, and the bouts were littered with jobbers. Odd choices. The commentary was the highlight as they really pushed the key results and storylines that came out of Mania, but it wasn't enough to carry this one. Hopefully, we get back to being live and filter in some excitement next week because this episode was a slog.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #12

April 12, 1993

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

*** Before the show, Money, Inc. pays off the Beverly Brothers for information on how to handle wrestling the Steiner Brothers. ***

### 1) Scott Steiner defeats IRS by disqualification at 12:05

### Scott:

We are live in Poughkeepsie, and it's evident that Raw needs to start spreading out and going to other arenas. The crowd is red-hot, and after a while, I'm sure that Manhattan Center crowd will start getting flat. It was evident that the honeymoon was clearly over with Rob Bartlett as he's not talking too much and Vince isn't feeding him much to say either. I wonder if either the contract was up and they decided not to bother, or if there was a mutual parting of the ways. We are really kicking the top tag team feud into high gear with half of each team in a singles match. IRS does his best heel work to keep pace going with Scotty doing some great reversals. Scott's about to go for the pin when Ted DiBiase interferes to cause the DQ. The Beverlys come in to help the attack, but for some reason, the two heel teams start to go back and forth and shove each other. A Beverlys face turn? That's an interesting development. The match is good but the big news is Bloom & Enos are faces?

### JT:

For the first time in quite a while, we are back live in Poughkeepsie and can certainly look at this episode as the official post-WrestleMania launching point. Rob Bartlett is back with Vince McMahon and Randy Savage, and Robbie is actually looking pretty cleaned up this week. Of course, Money, Inc. retained their tag team titles at WrestleMania with a DQ win over the MegaManiacs and with Hulk Hogan now otherwise occupied, they are moving onto a new set of challengers in the form of the red-hot Steiner Brothers. The Steiners have wrecked everyone in their paths since debuting in December and are primed for a tag title run, but have one more team to defeat to get there. To tee up the feud, Scotty Steiner is lined up with IRS to open up the show. The two would trade some holds early with IRS forcing breaks where he could, trying to avoid the severe power advantage of Scott. After the third break, Scott started to get frustrated, allowing IRS to drill him with enziguri to pay that off. Scott came back with a powerslam and IRS rolled outside to regroup as you could feel the momentum building with the Steiners and the fans. Back inside, Scott went to work on the arm, grinding him on the mat before hitting a vertical suplex for a near fall. IRS would again bail to chat with Ted DiBiase, and Savage took the opportunity to mention Chris Webber's timeout snafu at the Final Four in relation to his Michigan brethren in the ring. IRS would come back in and go to the eye before pitching Scott hard to the floor where DiBiase leveled him with a clothesline. After a break, IRS remained in control, working Steiner over with some hard kicks and a piledriver for a two count. IRS would go to a chinlock before dropping Scott with a backbreaker and heading to the top rope, which backfired as he ate a Steiner boot on the way down. Scott fired up, landing a stiff back elbow and then hammering away in the corner and then yanking IRS neck-first across the top rope by his tie. Scott was really on fire, and the crowd was buzzing as he hit a double underhook suplex but the pin cover was broken up by DiBiase to draw the DQ. The Steiners ran through the champs after the match until the Beverlys ran out to make the save. They tried to rough up the Steiners, but some miscommunication ended that, leaving the boys from Michigan to stand tall. Money, Inc. and the Beverlys had a shoving match and some arguing afterward that ended with IRS getting knocked outside and DiBiase begging off. The match was perfectly fine with some good heat and was certainly a fine first step in this feud.

### 2) Tatanka defeats Von Krus with the Papoose to Go at 4:00

### Scott:

We have the Native American's first match since his countout win at WrestleMania is again the hottest mid-card worker, even though he didn't win the IC Title. Von Krus is one of the most renowned jobbers in WWF history. The match is a squash, and Tatanka is still undefeated, but will he get a second shot at Shawn Michaels and the Intercontinental Title? Time will tell.

### JT:

One of the most consistent stalwarts of Raw, Tatanka, is back at it with another showcase squash, this time against one of our favorite jobbers, Von Krus. Tatanka came up just short back in Las Vegas, winning the match against Shawn Michaels but not the title. That meant he was 3-0 against the champion with no gold to show for it. Tatanka worked over Krus as the boys plugged the Encore. Bartlett isn't talking much tonight, but when he does, he is actually doing a solid job towing the company line. As Tatanka remained in control, Doink ambled down the aisle. Vince immediately wondered which Doink this was but didn't matter as he sauntered off pretty quickly. Krus got a few shots in, but Tatanka cut that short with some chops and a suplex, but Krus hung in with a back elbow. Vince noted that the Beverlys were demanding a match with Money, Inc. and that we will hear more soon. Tatanka made his comeback with the war dance, some chops, and the Papoose to Go for the swift win. With Michaels in his rearview, where does he turn next for a feud?

*** Sean Mooney recaps WrestleMania with an excuse Monday Night Raw report. Coming up after this show there will be a special Encore on PPV, so get on that! Mooney then shows stills from the show and recaps some of the events. ***

*** Rob Bartlett leaves his chair to head to ringside where he is set to moderate a face to face debate between Luna Vachon and Sensational Sherri. Luna had debuted alongside Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania and doled out a stiff beating to Sherri. Bartlett makes a couple jokes, but Luna is focused and pissed off as always and takes a couple of digs at Sherri before she makes her way out. Sherri calls Luna a disgrace and takes a jab at Bartlett too. Luna says she is the ultimate female of the ring and rules the squared circle, vowing to wipe Sherri all over the mat. Sherri says she has faced bigger men than here and that she is a woman and calls her a little girl. With that, Sherri kicked Luna and triggered a wild melee that included Bartlett getting caught up and his clothes torn as well. The brawl was wild and included Sherri's short getting torn open and exposing her bra and a tussle into the fans at ringside. Eventually, a host of officials broke things up, but after a break, everything reignited when Luna returned to jump Sherri while she was talking to Savage. They were again separated to finally end the fighting. ***

### 3) Papa Shango defeats Scott Taylor with the reverse shoulderbreaker at 2:24

Fun Fact: This will be the final Monday Night Raw appearance for Papa Shango, although the character continues with the company until October 1993. He would only make sporadic appearances on the syndicated WWF TV programs into July before disappearing altogether and leaving the WWF in the fall for the USWA under the arrangement the two companies had.

### Scott:

Shango is a RAW filler from the beginning. He's wrestling down in Memphis which is his main role right now but whenever they need a slot to fill on RAW in he comes. Scott Taylor (for some reason Fink announced him as Skip Taylor) as we know is a future Attitude Era mainstay. Rob Bartlett is out on the floor after the Sherri/Luna brawl and as expected a simple Vince/Savage broadcast team is great. Oh, and Shango wins the match comfortably, which no one is really paying any attention to. They probably want to see Sherri's boobs flopping around again.

### JT:

It is a sad day as this is our final look at Papa Shango, a Raw favorite from the start. The show nearly rejuvenated him in some ways. Instead, he is off to work in the USWA and await the call to come back eventually. The interesting thing about Shango is that he would get squash features and wasn't just used as a JTTS, right up until the end. Taylor landed a couple of shots to open up the match, but Shango shrugged him off and proceeded to chuck him around the ring. As the match went on, Bartlett stumbled back to ringside and collapsed, clothes torn apart. Change continued to show off his power, tossing Taylor around with ease before finishing him with the shoulderbreaker.

### 4) Friar Ferguson defeats Chris Duffy with a sit-down splash at 4:22

Fun Fact: This will be the first AND last Raw match for Friar Ferguson, played by Mike Shaw. After the debut of the character, the WWF received complaints from the Catholic Church of New York, so the character was quickly and quietly dropped. Shaw will return to WWF programming in late May with a new character.

### Scott:

Ok, now this is a minor example, but an example of something that would end up being a bigger problem over the next couple of years. It's one thing to give someone a gimmick, but it's another thing to give a gimmick that is so ridiculous that by 1993 the fans really don't want any part of it. So out comes the former Norman the Lunatic, but he's dressed in a monk's cossack and comes in to weird religious sounding music. Easily one of the stupidest ideas Vince ever came up with. The match is crap as expected, but the gimmick just reeks of something from 1988. Certain gimmicks do still work, but others go way off the rails that the crowds really don't care. This is one of them. Fortunately, outside sources tell the WWF to ditch it, and Mike Shaw gets another, more memorable but less dignified gimmick down the line.

### JT:

Time for our last match and it features the debut of a very interesting character... Friar Ferguson. The Friar is of course portrayed by the ex-Norman the Lunatic/Makhan Singh and here is decked out in a typical monk robe and played to the ring with Gregorian chants. It was certainly an odd gimmick, but you figured they would try something religious at some point. Duffy tried to shove the Friar, but Ferguson shoved him hard to the mat and then back dropped him up and over to the mat. He followed that with a leg drop and then mimed a sign of the cross as Duffy tried to escape. Vince wondered if anyone was managing Ferguson and Savage quipped that maybe it was Hulk Hogan. Vince also noted that it was now official for next week: Beverly Brothers vs. Money, Inc. Ferguson unleashed a pair of clotheslines and then did some absurd dancing, nearly exposing his nether regions. Seems a bit risky. Ferguson kept piling on, hitting a big splash but picking Duffy up during the cover. He followed with an avalanche in the corner and then rubbed his robe over his face. As things slowly moved along, Ferguson just meandered through some offense before locking in a lazy nerve hold that was really quite unnecessary. Talk about filling time; this kept going and going until Friar blocked a sunset flip with a sunset flip and mimed the cross again. Friar can rest peacefully knowing he has delivered the worst squash match we have seen so far since Raw debuted. This doesn't seem long for the world.

*** Money, Inc. cut a promo about their match with the Beverly Brothers next week, but the Beverlys attack them and the team brawl until the show ends. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a fun show simply because of the different atmosphere, as this was the second time they would leave the Manhattan Center to head north to Poughkeepsie and that crowd is hot. It's an added energy that for some early episodes the Manhattan Center didn't have. We get some legit post-WrestleMania information, but no Hulk Hogan takes something away from this. After the bizarre happenings in Vegas, he really should have come here live and cut an impassioned promo. Nope. That doesn't change. As a practicing Catholic, the Friar Ferguson gimmick didn't offend me; it was just stupid. They were smart to ditch it in a few weeks. This was a solid Raw that could have used its champions, and they were absent.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Our official post-WrestleMania Raw got off to a really good start before sputtering to a close late in the show. The Steiner/IRS match was pretty good and sets up our main tag team feud of the spring right out of the gate. We also get the Beverlys tossed into the mix to help bridge the weeks and give us a nice little multi-show arc to dig into. The Sherri/Luna stuff was a lot of fun and one of the most memorable segments of Raw's first year. Other than that, there wasn't much going on in ring or storyline wise. We did get a lot of Mania recapping and discussion, with lots of late push for the Encore. The Ferguson match was a disaster, and that gimmick needs to go into the trash bin quickly. It went on and on and ground what had been a decent show to a screeching halt. This was definitely an improvement from last week but still a little way off from where we were prior to Mania.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #13

April 19, 1993 (Taped April 12, 1993)

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Rob Bartlett

### 1) Razor Ramon defeats Virgil with the Razor's Edge at 6:59

### Scott:

The last time we saw the Bad Guy, he defeated Bob Backlund in a way too short match at WrestleMania. Razor is technically still a heel but is starting to get cheers from the crowd so you can somewhat tell a face turn was in the offing at some point. Virgil is still the serviceable guy that will be trotted out there to make the other guy look good. This is officially Rob Bartlett's final Raw, and thank God for that. He's not saying much, and Savage is antagonizing him every chance he can get. This match actually was better than I thought, as Virgil gave a better match than a typical squash. Razor hits the Edge for the victory, but at the moment he's floating somewhat aimlessly. In fact, post-WrestleMania everybody is somewhat floating around.

### JT:

After a rather up and down yet rowdy episode last week, we remain in Poughkeepsie for the back end of that same taping for this week's episode. The show opens up with the return of Razor Ramon, still hot off his WrestleMania victory but still a bit aimless on the card. His opponent is the ever-present Virgil, who is still hanging around doing the same old thing. The match opened with some real basic standing switches and soft arm work until Razor shoved Virgil into the corner and buried a tight knee. Virgil came back with a nifty small package and went right to the arm, but Razor dodged a dropkick and went to work with stomps and chokes, followed by an abdominal stretch. Virgil escaped the hold but missed an elbow, giving Razor the seam to take control back. The Bad Guy toyed around a bit, but Virgil was able to land a shot here and there with nothing sustained. After a Ramon chinlock, Virgil caught Razor with his head down and started to make an aggressive comeback, showing some nice fire before crashing hard to a mat when he missed a cross body block. Ramon pounced and hit the Razor's Edge for the win. That was a decent little squash, and Virgil showed good energy whenever on offense. Ramon's squashes are always fun because he gives a lot of offense throughout and sells so well while doing it.

### 2) Giant Gonzalez defeats LA Gore with a chokeslam at 1:20

### Scott:

After that hot mess at WrestleMania, Harvey Wippleman's big guy takes on the iconic LA Gore. There's really nothing more to say, as it's a quick, sloppy squash.

### JT:

If you ever wanted to see Giant Gonzalez job to the ring, this is the match for you. He does look pretty impressive in this intimate setting, so that is something. Our buddy LA Gore has quite the task ahead of him, but the job is short-lived as Gonzalez smacks him around and polishes him off with a chokeslam. Even though he lost in Las Vegas, the Giant and Harvey Wippleman still have their eyes targeted on burying the Undertaker.

*** Luna Vachon cuts a promo on Sensational Sherri from a dungeon, recapping their issues over the past couple of weeks. ***

### 3) Tatanka defeats Art Thomas with the Papoose to Go at 2:29

### Scott:

Wow during this early stretch of Raw episodes no one worked harder on TV than Tatanka, who has probably been on at least half of the episodes. It almost seems like a crime that he didn't win the Intercontinental Title from Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania because he's really still over with the fans and add to the fact that he is still undefeated makes for a perfect combination. Art Thomas is pretty stacked for a jobber, but the Native American takes him out with relative ease. Does he get a rematch with Shawn Michaels? Time will tell.

### JT:

Another week, another Tatanka match here on Raw. This guy certainly is earning his pay in the WWF. This week he gets to battle the rather cut Art Thomas. Art attacks off the bell and lands some right hands to the head and gut before pasting Tatanka with a back elbow. Tatanka quickly turned the tide and grabbed hold of the arm as he regrouped. Thomas dodged an elbow drop, showing some more signs of feistiness, but Tatanka shrugged off his follow-up, hit the war dance and finished Art with the Papoose to remain undefeated. As we asked last week... now, what lies ahead?

### 4) Money, Inc. defeat Beverly Brothers in a non-title match when Ted DiBiase pins Beau after botched interference at 12:59

Fun Fact: Last week on MNR (4/12/93), Money, Inc. started the show by paying off the Beverly Brothers to get advice on how to beat the Steiners. Later in the evening, Scott Steiner won his match against IRS when Ted DiBiase interfered. Following the match, the Steiners were setting DiBiase up for the bulldog off the top rope when the Beverly Brothers came out for the save. While DiBiase held Scott, the Beverlys backed up to set up for a double clothesline. At the last moment, Scott moved out of the way, and DiBiase was laid flat with the clothesline. The two teams began shoving each other and squared off against each other. IRS turned to leave and was shoved out of the ring by the Beverlys. DiBiase tried to buy the duo off before slipping out of the ring. Lots of jawing was done between the two teams, and it set up the matchup for this week's episode.

### Scott:

Next to Tatanka, no one has worked harder on these early Raws than the Tag Team Champions. Whereas Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels haven't been on camera once since WrestleMania, Money, Inc. has been on constantly, working with everyone and getting good matches each time out. Beau and Blake are a great team, and this was a fun back and forth match with Money, Inc. continuing their great run of matches and RAW appearances. They are the hardest working of the "Federation Era" guys that are trying to transition into this new era of the WWF. I'll grade this match slightly higher than it probably is as a tip of the cap to Money, Inc. for being the only stable and visible champions.

### JT:

Continuing our story from last week, it is time for tag team warfare as Money, Inc. heads out to square off with the Beverly Brothers in a non-title affair. Vince called both teams "undesirable" which made me laugh. This was the easiest time of year for IRS to cut promos, layup after layup. This was a nice little dead cat bounce for the Beverlys, who seemed lost at sea after jobbing to the Steiners back at the Royal Rumble. I actually think they had potential as a slighted, aggressive face team, so we will see if anything comes of this. They started off well, jumping the champs and triggering a pretty fun brawl that ended with DiBiase and IRS on the floor. Once the match reset, Blake and DiBiase started things off by trading headlocks and arm holds until Blake hit a bodyslam and tagged in Beau, who came in on fire, hammering DiBiase with hammer blows. The Beverlys quick tagged and double teamed, showing off pieces of the arsenal we don't always get to see. Surprisingly they basically worked a heel role though, pinning DiBiase in the corner and beating on him while baiting in IRS to distract the referee where they could. I thought for sure this was going to be a quasi-face turn, but alas. Blake kept pouring it on but ran into a DiBiase elbow, which allowed him to tag in IRS. The Beverlys quickly regained control and now worked over Irwin's arm for a bit. You can tell Rob Bartlett is running out of steam as he has been really quiet the last two weeks. A bittersweet end to a very interesting run for sure. After a commercial, IRS was finally on top, grinding Beau with a front chancery. The champs then started to do what they do best: bend the rules and work as a fluid team. That fell apart as Beau landed a kick to a hunched over DiBiase but was unable to make the tag. This is a really neat case study in tag wrestling with two pure heel teams with similar styles working both sides of the coin. Blake would finally get that tag and knife through DiBiase but for some reason tagged Beau right back in. That seemed like questionable strategy. Beau held his own, though, burying a back elbow and back drop. However, a double team attempt went haywire, and after the Beverlys collided, DiBiase rolled up Beau to steal the win. That was a pretty fun exhibition between four veteran tag workers that know exactly how to build a match like that. Raw should continue to be built around these mini-story arcs that eat up multiple episodes. Money, Inc. rolls on, but the Steiner Brothers await.

*** Vince McMahon brings out the former WWF Champion Bret Hart for a chat in his first post-WrestleMania appearance on Raw. Bret talks about his familiarity of being an underdog and the resulting challenges he faced as champion. He vowed that he wouldn't be one and done and goes into his past as a Tag Champion and Intercontinental Champion and each time he lost, he proved the critics wrong by not staying down. He then talked about Lex Luger's attack on him at the WrestleMania brunch, and he informs everyone that the Narcissist is the number one priority on his hit list. He is on board with Jack Tunney's investigation into Luger's forearm and will aim to take care of Luger for good. ***

### 5) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Phil Apollo with a diving headbutt at 4:43

### Scott:

Bigelow is another big heel that needs to start being pushed up the ladder. Forget that awkward goof, Giant Gonzalez. This is the guy that Harvey Wippleman should have been managing and being positioned (next to Yokozuna) as the top heel in the company. Money, Inc. is hot as the tag champs, but their window is obviously closing, and new heels need to be pushed. As mentioned in Bret's promo, Luger is another one that needs more TV time. Apollo gave Bigelow a better match than anybody probably thought. Bigelow puts him away with the flying head butt to win, then hits another one. After the match, Friar Ferguson comes out to save Phil Apollo and dropkicks Bigelow out of the ring. Perhaps this was done to make sure the Friar is a babyface religious figure, but the gimmick is quietly buried regardless.

### JT:

One more match to go here tonight as Bam Bam Bigelow marches out to battle Phil Apollo. Bigelow is another heel, like Razor Ramon, that has tons of potential but very little direction at the moment. Apollo tried to grab a side headlock to start things off, but that plan failed as Bigelow started to wreck him with his power offense. Bammer grabbed a brief chinlock but missed a charge, giving Apollo a chance at some offense... which failed again as he came up empty on a dropkick. Bigelow went right back to work with aggression as Doink wandered out into the aisle again to taunt the fans. Bigelow slowly worked through his offense to eat up the rest of the show before winning it with a diving headbutt. After the bout, he hit a second one, but before more damage could be done, our buddy Friar Ferguson came out to make the save and dropkick Bigelow to the floor before dancing in celebration. Well, maybe Bigelow won't be directionless for much longer. Or maybe he will, as Ferguson was tossed in the trash heap right after this show due to some complaints from the Catholic Church of New York. Back to the monastery, big guy.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The fact that it's Rob Bartlett's last episode is enough for me to give it an A+. I won't, but I could. Money, Inc. and Tatanka continue to be the hardest working guys on the roster and seem to be on every Raw while the two singles champions (Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels) are nowhere to be seen. Shawn will eventually start to work more on Raw, but Hogan? HA! That's a laugh. We will see as Raw evolves in 1993 how much that decision in Las Vegas will come back to haunt Vince. This still was a great episode and a hot crowd that also proves Raw needs to move out of the Manhattan Center more often.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Not a bad episode here with a pretty good anchor match, lots of in-ring action and very little fluff. Razor Ramon and Virgil had a decent little match as well, but outside of Friar Ferguson and Bigelow at the end, not much happened in the way of storyline development either, making this a bit of a filler episode. It was nice to see The Hitman resurface and discuss his plans, which now include taking out Lex Luger, a man who will be in action next week. We also say goodbye to Rob Bartlett. He hasn't been good, but I thought he was actually improving over the past couple weeks. We will never know if he could have become serviceable. Until next week!

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #14

April 26, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

Fun Fact: In this episode, we say farewell and good riddance to the failed commentary experiment of Rob Bartlett. In a 2013 interview with Inside the Ropes, Bartlett states that he left because he felt the chemistry wasn't there and because he wasn't as familiar with the wrestling world as he should have been. Bartlett was replaced in the booth by Bobby Heenan.

### 1) Mr. Perfect defeats Damien Demento with the Perfectplex at 4:56

Fun Fact: We say goodbye on Raw to Damien Demento. After this, Demento primarily works house shows for the company before leaving altogether in October 1993. He would work on the independent circuit into 1994 before retiring from wrestling and becoming an artist.

### Scott:

Ah, I can feel the breath of fresh air without Rob Bartlett in the booth, and Randy Savage even had to do a parting shot at the start of the show. Bobby Heenan is in at the table with Vince McMahon and Macho Man, and it's truly glorious. Mr. Perfect is being hinted at being the next Intercontinental Champion, which is good and bad. Good because we could see a great in-ring feud between Perfect and Shawn Michaels, who strives to be Mr. Perfect. However, it's bad because it looks like we won't see a rematch between Michaels and Tatanka who was screwed at WrestleMania and is still very much over with the fans. I honestly didn't think Damian Demento lasted this long in the company. Yet with every episode, he's there again putting some babyface over. Man, it's great to hear Bobby give (although with a heel slant) analysis instead of that other dope and his stupid jokes. Go back to writing Creamette pasta live reads for Don Imus. Perfect wins, and we move on.

### JT:

For the second straight week, we are live on Monday Night, but there is one significant change... Rob Bartlett is no more. The writing had been on the wall lately as he was clearly being phased out but it is official now as Bobby Heenan slides into his seat. Rob had his moments and helped get the show off and running, and he was improving as he learned more about the business, but he will never be Bobby Heenan. And they had Bobby Heenan available to them, so take the easy upgrade and move on. Vince just says Rob quit when he heard Heenan was joining the Raw team and he is swept under the rug for good. We also say farewell to our buddy Damien Demento, a surprising stalwart of the early Raws. This is his final appearance, and he left the company as a whole right afterward. His last tussle is against another Manhattan Center favorite, Mr. Perfect. Perfect ate a tough loss back at WrestleMania, and while he is still pissed at Lex Luger, his full focus is now on Shawn Michaels, who had attacked him backstage at Caesar's Palace and also happens to hold his once beloved Intercontinental Title. Perfect started hot, working Demento over and sending him scurrying to the floor. Bobby wasted no time hopping into the fray and ripping on his former charge. Demento came in and got a few licks on Perfect, but it was short lived as Perfect fired right back. Damien was able to dodge a charge and send Perfect flying outside, giving him a brief run of control until Perfect chopped his way out of the corner and cracked Demento with a knee lift. Perfect would block a Demento splash and then end Damien's WWF career with a Perfectplex. Basically a squash that could have probably been decent with some time, but it just wasn't meant to be on this night. I hope Damien's trip back to the outer reaches of your mind went smoothly. Perfect remains on the hunt for his gold.

*** We hear a dramatic reading from Jasmine McNeill, a young child that won an essay contest about rejecting drugs. Undertaker also pops in to let us know that there is No Hope With Dope. Bobby Heenan then tells us that a fan in the building is planning to propose to his girlfriend later tonight. He has the cameraman pan over and then makes fun of the couple. ***

### 2) Lex Luger defeats Crush by countout at 13:00

### Scott:

I'm looking forward to this one because we have two legit big men and it's the kind of match we don't have every week as the show is still treated like a live Superstars at times. The big focus here is on Lex Luger's bionic forearm and how Jack Tunney needs to make a decision whether it is deemed a weapon and Luger has to put padding over it. Crush is a great force, but Vince needs to stop calling him "The Original Hawaiian Punch." That is a terrible nickname, as who would want to be reminded of a fat pitcher of juice? The match is a back and forth power affair, but Crush gets the upper hand late and starts squeezing on Luger's head when he sees Doink in the rafters of the Manhattan Center and challenges him to come into the ring. But then there's the second Doink, and it allows Luger to smack Crush with the forearm and win by countout. The match was solid enough, and it doesn't make Crush totally look bad, but does portray him as a bit of a dope for falling for the double Doinks gag AGAIN.

### JT:

Our big match of the week is up next as the undefeated Narcissist battles the pissed off Crush. The big Hawaiian was humiliated back in Las Vegas after Doink pulled the okie doke on him and stole a big upset win. Suddenly, a very promising face run seems to have stalled a bit. This match is a key one for him to get back on track. Luger knocked off Mr. Perfect at Mania and had drawn the ire of Bret Hart after he clocked the then-WWF Champion with his loaded forearm at the Mania brunch. As Luger posed, Vince lets us know that Jack Tunney's investigation was fruitless and he has no recourse to do anything about the steel forearm. We also get some helpful exaggerated animations of what the plate looks like. The two strongmen opened with an elongated lock up that was eventually won by Crush. A test of strength followed, but that ended with a Crush press slam that sent Luger flailing out of the ring and down the aisle to regroup. Luger laid in some clubbing blows when he slid back in, but Crush turned things around in a blink and controlled Lex's arm through a break. Luger turned the tide and shoved Crush to the floor where he worked over the lower back, jamming him into the edge of the ring and then running him into the ring post. Lex kept the pressure on, stomping away before locking in a bear hug and eventually hitting a powerslam for a near fall. Crush turned the tide with a back suplex, bodyslam and leg drop for two and was starting to feel some momentum. The crowd rallied the Hawaiian as he grabbed Lex's head and cinched in the cranium crunch, hoisting him into the air and slamming him down twice. Before Luger submitted or passed out, Crush released the hold and looked to the balcony where his archenemy Doink was sitting and staring him down. And across from him was a second Doink mimicking the first. As Crush pieced everything together, Luger clocked him from behind and knocked him to the floor, leading to a countout loss. Crush has not had it easy. Luger grabs a victory from the precipice of defeat, but the real story here is that Crush is still embroiled in a frustrating feud with the manic clowns as his career continues to stall out. The match itself was surprisingly feisty and had a lot more energy and was less plodding than I was expected. Luger brought his working boots for this one and seeing them trade off some solid power offense was entertaining enough.

*** Vince McMahon announces two King of the Ring Qualifying Matches for the upcoming weekend: Mr. Perfect vs. Doink (Superstars) and Bob Backlund vs. Lex Luger (Challenge). ***

### 3) Mr. Hughes defeats Jason Knight with a sidewalk slam at 2:07

Fun Fact: Curtis Hughes trained under Sonny Myers and Bob Geigel before making his professional debut in 1987 in Central States Wrestling and then to the AWA as Curtis "Big Cat" Hughes. Late in 1990, he moved to WCW, and over time his character changed to one of a heel enforcer. This is the role we see him in here as he enters the WWF.

### Scott:

He was formerly known as the Big Cat in early WCW but eventually settled into the role of hired muscle/bodyguard before heading North and signing with the WWF. He debuts here against Mr. Knight, who has become another Raw mainstay. The highlight of the match is Bobby switching the channels and putting both the Braves and TNT on. Hmmmm, foreshadowing? The match is nothing.

### JT:

Up next we check out the Raw debut of the robust Mr. Hughes. The former WCW bodyguard arrived on the scene earlier in the month and was being prepped for some pretty big things. During the match, Heenan rips off the Bartlett gimmick of flipping through random channels to prove the show is live. He also mocks the Atlanta Braves in a fun veiled shot at Ted Turner. Hughes mauls Knight with some plodding offense, eventually finishing him off with a sidewalk slam.

*** A vignette airs hyping the upcoming debut of a new tag team, the Smoking Gunns, containing footage of Billy and Bart riding horses and teasing their arrival. ***

*** After a break, Shawn Michaels joins Vince McMahon in the ring for a special interview. Vince announces that Michaels will be defending his Intercontinental Title against Jim Duggan next week and asks how he feels about that while Mr. Perfect is breathing down his neck. Michaels makes fun of New York City and then takes a few shots at both the fans and Jim Duggan. The heated crowd chanted "Shawn is gay" as Michaels shrugged them off while also egging them on before turning to his attack on Perfect at WrestleMania. Perfect would eventually come out to ringside but was held back by a handful of officials. As he battled them, Michaels came over and kicked him in the face and then took off before Perfect could get revenge. ***

*** We head back to Superstars to check out footage of Bam Bam Bigelow tormenting Sensational Sherri until Tatanka made the save. Later in the show, Bigelow jumped Tatanka backstage and cut off some of his sacred red hair. ***

### 4) Typhoon defeats Von Krus with a splash at 2:37

### Scott:

I can't even fathom the point of this match at all. Typhoon is the face equivalent of Papa Shango. He was brought in to fill out matches on shows and then move on. The main focus was Jim Duggan calling in about his Intercontinental Title match with Shawn Michaels next week.

### JT:

This is quite the matchup. Before the bout, we check out Howard Cross and Joey Smith of the New York Giants in the crowd. It is amazing to me that we have had multiple Typhoon showcase matches over the past handful of episodes. He seems so dated and out of place as he still lingers around here. I get using him to put over some heels but keeping him strong on your live showcase show feels off. Typhoon would make quick work of Krus, during which Jim Duggan called in to further push his match with Shawn Michaels next week. The highlight of that was Heenan going right at Duggan with a vicious slew of insults with Duggan giving it right back to the Brain. Typhoon grabs another win and keeps on keeping on.

*** Bobby Heenan walks over to ringside and helps Rob Sosnowski propose to his girlfriend of five years, Louise. Rob pops the question, and she accepts after Heenan gets them both to admit that neither has been involved with anyone else sexually before meeting each other. Heenan mocks them one last time as they make out and we head off the air. There also seemed to be a green lantern singing in the background. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This episode wasn't bad as it balanced some squashes with a big interview and first appearance of Shawn Michaels since WrestleMania. Mr. Hughes makes his debut, and I was surprised the Crush/Doink feud was continuing because it was making Crush look like an idiot for continuing to fall for the double Doinks trick. I have enjoyed seeing all these hodge podge jobbers like Von Krus who are there simply to put over the current roster. Jim Duggan gets his last push before pretty much being put out to pasture, and surprisingly he seems set up to deliver. This was a standard episode with not much flash.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this was a pretty basic episode. It was entertaining and breezy enough, and we got some good storyline advancement as well as set up our big match for next week, which always is a good idea. Beyond that, there wasn't much happening in the ring, and the back end of the episode was definitely pretty soft with a pair of bland squashes. The Typhoon match made zero sense, but there was some fun in there as Heenan and Duggan dueled over the phone. The marriage proposal stuff was pretty funny too, and the injection of wit and humor that Heenan added immediately was refreshing. Him calling Louise "Chuck" makes me laugh out loud every time. The Luger/Crush match was pretty decent as well, and now that we have a summer PPV to focus on, there is some direction to the company post Mania, a nice change of pace from years past. We will see how that plays out over the coming weeks.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #15

May 3, 1993 (Taped April 26, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Jim Duggan defeats Shawn Michaels by countout at 11:17; Michaels retains WWF Intercontinental Title

### Scott:

This is our first title match on the show since Shawn Michaels beat Max Moon a few months ago. Shawn had been incognito since escaping with the IC Title at WrestleMania against Tatanka. Now he defends against another fossil of the Federation Era. I wonder why Jim Duggan has to wear a singlet now because he's gone the way of these other guys who have gotten lazy? I find it bizarre that Duggan has the USA chants going when Michaels is... from Texas? I wonder why the WWF Championship can't be defended on RAW. Oh right, because Hulk Hogan CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS. It's been a month, and we get no promos, no highlights, not one live appearance. Michaels did the best he could during this match with a guy who had limited skills when he was in his prime, and now, well, isn't in his prime. Duggan looks to be hitting his finisher and preparing to shock the world, but Michaels gets clotheslined out of the ring. Duggan comes out and clotheslines him over the railing. Michaels gets counted out, and Duggan wins the match but no title change. It wasn't a bad match all things considered. After the match, Duggan grabs a seat and says he won't leave the ring until Shawn Michaels returns to the ring.

### JT:

We waste no time this week rolling out the big intercontinental title match that was teased heavily on our last show. Shawn Michaels has been pretty absent on Raw over the past handful of episodes, but he returned last week for an interview and is back in the ring here against the veteran Jim Duggan. Duggan has never been one for titles in the WWF, but as he was nearing his waning days in the promotion, he takes a stab at grabbing some gold here. Duggan hasn't been as present as he was in past years but he did have a pretty cool mini-feud with Yokozuna earlier in the year, so in some ways, he was being used higher up the card here than he had in around two years. The crowd loved him just the same as well, and the "USA" and "Hooo" chants rained down immediately. Michaels would stall early on as Duggan chased him around and rallied the crowd. Duggan finally got his hands on the champ, barreling into him with three clotheslines that finally sent Michaels scurrying outside. Duggan was looking pretty portly here, probably a good idea to put him in the singlet at this point. Duggan kept bringing the fight, even chasing down Michaels in the aisle and carrying him back to the ring. After a break, Duggan was still in control, but Michaels quickly cut him off by yanking his neck across the top rope. For the first time all match, Michaels sped up and got aggressive, pouncing on his opening by unloading knee drops and stomps. Hacksaw popped the champ with some heavy blows but ate a boot on a charge and then got trapped in a chinlock. The crowd kept rallying Duggan, but Michaels didn't give him much room to breathe, dumping him to the floor and following with an axe blow. Duggan kept plugging away, refusing to stay down, so Shawn went to the eyes and back to the chinlock to wear him down. Hacksaw eventually punched his way back into things, rattling the champ in the corner and then slamming him hard to the mat. Another blow knocked Michaels to the floor, and this time Duggan followed out and hammered away at him. He would shrug off an eye rake and clothesline Michaels into the crowd before rolling inside and picking up the count out win. They did a nice job teasing there because on paper there was no chance Duggan would win the gold, but it started to look possible towards the end of the match. The bout was fine with plenty of strikes, a pretty hot crowd (especially for a taped episode) and a good closing couple of minutes. Duggan definitely broke out his working boots for this one, and if they had PPV constraints instead of TV, it might have inched even higher.

*** After the match, Jim Duggan grabs a microphone and demands a rematch and vows not to leave the ring until he gets another shot at the title. He would proceed to chuck a few chairs into the ring and then sit on one in protest. He would eventually leave the ring to call Jack Tunney.***

*** Gene Okerlund delivers our King of the Ring Report, with the following announced:

Qualified Participants

Bret Hart

The Narcissist

Upcoming Qualifiers

Mr. Perfect vs. Doink

El Matador vs. Razor Ramon

Jim Duggan vs. Papa Shango

PPV Matches

Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

Sunday, June 13 in Dayton, OH! Be there! The Mayle Family will be! ***

### 2) Doink the Clown defeats Kamikaze Kid with the Stump Puller at 2:05

Fun Fact: Sean Waltman began his pro wrestling training in 1989 before debuting on the independent circuit as The Lightning Kid. He would wrestle in Pro Wrestling America and the Global Wrestling Federation where he wrestled with Jerry Lynn extensively. Waltman wrestled a tryout match in Phoenix, AZ the day after WrestleMania IX and earned a contract with the WWF.

### Scott:

On this night, we begin the saga that is Sean Waltman. His character and reputation will grow throughout 1993, and it begins as the Kamikaze Kid, a faceless jobber as exciting as Von Krus or LA Gore. Doink and Mr. Perfect fought to a draw on Superstars this past weekend, so he's still in limbo for King of the Ring. He does tie the Kid up in knots, and that's that.

### JT:

One of our favorite Raw stars is back as Doink the Clown saunters to the ring for our next matchup. Doink had tried to qualify for KOTR this past weekend, but he and Mr. Perfect battled to a draw. In the KOTR Report, Gene Okerlund mentioned that the two would receive another shot at competing to advance. Across the ring is the Kamikaze Kid, a new jobber to the world of WWF but a familiar face to knowledgeable wrestling fans who may have seen him plying his trade down in Global. Doink jumped the Kid off the bell and took him over with a tight belly-to-belly suplex before stomping away. He followed with a clothesline and then turned Kid into an STF, basically toying with him throughout. Kid tried to land a couple of shots, but Doink went to the eyes and then dropped a few elbows before wrenching in a nasty stump puller where he rolled all the way back on the mat. Man, give me more of these two, what a fun squash. Doink keeps on being awesome, a very underrated member of the roster from both an in ring and character standpoint. The Kid gets a rough welcome to Raw.

### 3) Bob Backlund defeats Duane Gill with a bridge at 3:39

### Scott:

Wow, Dwayne Gill is rocking the most awesome 1993 mullet on the planet. As the match is going on, Vince announces that next week Duggan will get an Intercontinental Championship rematch with Shawn Michaels, and it will be a lumberjack match. Backlund, unlike some of the other older guys on the roster, actually still can work in the ring and is a great addition to some of these Raws, defeating the scrubs and putting over the hotter talent. He handles Mr. Mullet here with ease, and we move on.

### JT:

Bob Backlund is back for yet another Raw match as he has been one of the most consistently active competitors since the show launched. Here he lines up against Duane Gill and his elaborate mullet. Vince notes that Jack Tunney decreed Michaels and Duggan will have their rematch next week and the ring will be surrounded by lumberjacks to ensure the champion can't escape. It looks like Michaels may be in some trouble live next Monday night. Backlund outworks Gill both standing and on the mat and beats him with an amateur bridge, as he is usually wont to do. Backlund chugs along, a man without a feud.

*** Jim Duggan heads back to the ring to chat with Vince McMahon. He recounts his conversation with Jack Tunny and confirms he will get another crack at the Intercontinental Title in a lumberjack match next week. ***

*** We check in with the soon-to-debut Smoking Gunns, who call out some of the WWF's top teams while they are practicing their shooting out in the desert. Lou Albano is then introduced to the crowd, and he comes out to join in on commentary. ***

### 4) Headshrinkers defeated Jay Sledge & Jim Bell when Fatu pinned Bell after a top rope splash at 5:43

### Scott:

Ugh, so not only does Captain Lou Albano have to return and glom off of everybody, he has to be on commentary too. It's Albano's first appearance since 1987, and it's clear he's lost a lot of weight. He's out because he used to manage the Headshrinkers' relatives, the Wild Samoans. They totally bury these two stiffs with constant power moves, including a nasty spike piledriver. Samu and Fatu are particularly vicious in this squash, lifting up the bums during pin attempts and continuously applying more pain and punishment. I'm not letting Albano's babbling ruin my enjoyment of this squash, including Fatu's victorious top rope splash. I particularly enjoyed that, Albano notwithstanding.

### JT:

With Lou Albano settled into the commentary booth, the Headshrinkers are led out by his former charge Afa. After their hard luck loss at WrestleMania, the Shrinkers are looking to back on track and possibly into the tag title mix. Albano says he is on ICOPRO and is thrilled to be back in the big time. He also says the Samoans have taken a turn for the worse since the days he was associated with them. The Shrinkers jumped their opponents to start, and the squash was officially on with a double team flapjack on Sledge. Sledge took a shit kicking from there, getting shoved to the floor and body slammed out on the mat. As he ate a side kick from Samu, Vince noted that Yokozuna would be a lumberjack next week. Fatu came in and fed Sledge to his corner and then kicked Bell in the face right as he walked in. Bell had it worse than Sledge as he got crushed with a spike piledriver and then ate even more offense from both Samoans. Albano and Heenan sparred as the Samoans put Bell down for good with a double reverse Russian leg sweep and a Fatu big splash. Really fun squash by the Samoans, as always.

### 5) Kamala defeats Rich Myers with a splash at 2:29

### Scott:

This final squash is nothing more than background noise to reveal that not only was Yokozuna announced as a lumberjack in next week's IC Title match, but Mr. Perfect is as well. Myer's mullet is just as impressive as Gill's, but Gill's is dyed, so he gets the nod. The match is the match.

### JT:

Kamala is back on the scene and flying solo as Slick is absent this week. As he starts to square off with Rich Myers, Vince announces that Mr. Perfect will be a lumberjack next week as well, meaning each competitor has an arch nemesis to deal with at ringside now. Kamala smacked his way through Myers and his glorious mullet before finishing him off with a splash. Also of note, Myers was a horrible bumper, and Savage gets in an Omar the Tent Maker reference.

*** Vince McMahon announces that Bam Bam Bigelow will battle Typhoon in a KOTR qualifier next week. Bobby Heenan then chats with Shawn Michaels about next week's title match and the major injustice of Jim Duggan and Jack Tunney conspiring against him as well. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The chaos of the Duggan/Michaels match brings a whole new element to the show we haven't seen yet. For some sick reason, I'm looking forward to the lumberjack rematch. GET OUT OF MY HEAD DUGGAN! Seeing Captain Lou back does nothing for me, but he is being teased for an eventual comeback. The Headshrinkers were fun to watch as they were pretty stiff in pummeling the jobbers. Oh, and still no Hulk Hogan appearances. What a shock!

Final Grade:

### JT:

Pretty decent little offering this week with a hot opener, a nice through line that carries us into next week's live show and a decent series of squashes to close things out. There were no real slow spots or time wasters in here as we just chugged along at a nice pace. The crowd stayed pretty fired up too considering it was their second show of the evening. The Headshrinkers are pretty high on the squash list so anytime we get to see them waste a couple of jobbers it helps the grade as well. The commentary is also obviously a positive now too and helps the show flow even through dead zones. This was a solid episode, especially for a taped show, but checks in just a notch below the real strong outings.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #16

May 10, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

*** The show opens outside the Manhattan Center where Lord Alfred Hayes is interviewing Shawn Michaels. As he is bragging, Mr. Perfect attacks him, and they brawl amongst the fans into the street, where Perfect slings Michaels onto the hood of a card and through the windshield. The brawl would continue until the two were broken up by officials. ***

### 1) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Typhoon in a King of the Ring Qualifying Match after the diving headbutt at 7:00

### Scott:

This almost seems like a foregone conclusion as to who is the more over guy and who will win this match. The show got off to a hot start when Shawn Michaels and Mr. Perfect started brawling outside the building in the Manhattan streets. Typhoon looks like he's lost some weight over the past few months, not looking as plump has he had been throughout 1991-92. When you're the butt of Bobby Heenan jokes instead of being somewhat taken seriously, you know you've been shoved down the card. I wasn't expecting this match to go as slow and plodding as it has. Bigelow got Typhoon on his shoulders for a Samoan drop, then hit the flying headbutt for the victory. So Bigelow moves on to June 13 in Dayton and the tournament. Who he faces? Brackets haven't been released yet.

### JT:

We are back live inside the Manhattan Center for a very well hyped Raw with a nicely built main event. But first to start things off, we have our first Raw King of the Ring Qualifying Match. The tournament is about a month away, but the brackets were already filling up quickly. Bam Bam Bigelow is still humming along through the roster looking for some sort of direction, so he preps himself for a shot at the crown. Typhoon is still floating around, notching yet another Raw match to his resume in a battle of the big men. The two locked up and twice collided to a stalemate in the center of the ring until Typhoon grabbed hold of the wrist. Bigelow broke free of that and impressively slammed Typhoon before dropping an elbow. Typhoon battled back with some offense, including going back to the wrist, but Bigelow took him over with a back suplex. Typhoon shook that off too and shoved Bammer to the floor, but Bigelow baited him over and rammed his head into the post to take over. Bigelow slowly worked him over as Bobby Heenan noted that he had a gash on the top of his head. Typhoon tried to mount a comeback, but Bammer cut him down with a Samoan drop and landed the headbutt for the win. They gave it a go, but this one moved quite slowly outside of a spot here or there. The final sequence was pretty good, and Bigelow was the easy choice to advance here, looking to perhaps deliver a career night in Dayton.

*** Another vignette airs warning of the impending debut of the Smoking Gunns, which is coming this Saturday on Mania! ***

### 2) Yokozuna defeats PJ Walker with the Banzai Drop at 2:12

### Scott:

Seeing the former WWF Champion here reminds me of one thing: Hulk Hogan, our proud WWF Champion hasn't been on camera since WrestleMania. It's been six weeks now, SIX WEEKS. No tv appearances for the WWF Champion. And other than Randy Savage mentioning it, no one is talking about Bret Hart's deserved rematch. More of that soon. Yoko wins easily.

### JT:

As Yokozuna saunters to the ring, the announcers discuss the former champion's upcoming rematch in Dayton against the absentee Hulk Hogan. Keenan speaks confidently as this time around Yoko will be prepared to face the Hulkster. Vince even notes that Hogan hasn't defended the belt since Mania and won't until KOTR. Heck of a champion. It is revealed that Yoko will be back next week for a big tussle with Kamala. Savage would mention that Bret Hart deserves a rematch too while Heenan rips him for being too active as champion, leading to him finally dropping the strap. Yoko mows through Walker with his always fun heavy impact squash offense, picking up the win with the Banzai Drop. It was the definition of a squash, but Yoko's are always entertaining to watch.

*** Gene Okerlund is on the scene with this week's King of the Ring Report, brought to you by ICOPRO! You gotta want it! The following matches are discussed:

Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna – WWF Championship

The following superstars have qualified:

Bret Hart

Lex Luger

Razor Ramon

Jim Duggan

Bam Bam Bigelow

Three slots remain, and the following qualifying matches are upcoming this weekend:

Doink vs. Mr. Perfect

Tatanka vs. Giant Gonzalez

Call your cable company today! ***

### 3) Mr. Perfect defeats Iron Mike Sharpe with the Perfectplex at 4:40

### Scott:

Always great to see Canada's Greatest Athlete back in the ring. Sharpe isn't acting like a normal jobber though, for after taking his licks he and Perfect go chop for chop for about 30 seconds which is pretty awesome. During the match, Bobby is watching other channels on the screen. Incidentally at ringside is a kid wearing a Sting t-shirt. That camera moved pretty quickly. Perfect, after some real work in the ring, hooks the Perfectplex for the victory. They are definitely setting up the eventual feud with Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Championship.

### JT:

A big time Manhattan Center favorite is back this week as Mr. Perfect squares off against good old Iron Mike Sharpe. Of course, he was quite active already tonight with his brawl in the street, will return later to be a lumberjack for the main event and now has a major match this weekend too with Doink. Before the match, Perfect puts his gum in the mouth of one of the Rosatti sisters' mouth. Quite sexual. Perfect frustrated Sharpe early, grabbing a headlock and pitching him to the floor. Perfect slung him back into the ring and messed with him a bit before the two traded chops in a fun sequence. Sharpe is really getting a few minutes to shine a bit here, which is a nice touch. To show his hatred for Perfect, Heenan flips around various channels on his alternate TV, which of course is just a way to show they are live. We also catch a glimpse of Bruce Pritchard parked next to Heenan, working producer duties. Back in the ring, Sharpe fell victim to the Perfectplex and ate another loss. Perfect is seemingly 2-0 on the night with more to come.

### 4) Mr. Hughes defeats Cannonball Kid with the sidewalk slam at 2:19

Fun Fact: Harvey Wippleman debuts as Mr. Hughes' manager here.

### Scott:

So The Kid continues changing his name after each loss, as both Vince and Bobby have pointed out. I forgot during these matches when Vince had to shill these dreadful USA movies, involving cops, hookers, and crime. Maybe that's where future storylines were coming from. Mr. Hughes, now managed by Harvey Wippleman, mangles the Kid for five minutes before pinning him. Another loss and the legend grows.

### JT:

The mysterious L. Kid is back yet again this week, this time under the moniker of Cannonball Kid. It was clear they had some sort of plan for him by the look and extra attention he is granted. We also get a surprise during Mr. Hughes' entrance as he is accompanied by his newly minted manager Harvey Wippleman. Hughes wrecked the Kid, cutting him down with right hands and a powerslam. He followed that with a tree slam as Vince promoted the hot USA Original Movie "Sex, Love & Cold Hard Cash." Check it out! Hughes laid in more aggressive offense before polishing the Kid off with a big sidewalk slam. Maybe next week, bud. That was another fun little squash, but the bigger story here is around what plans Harvey may have for his new charge.

### 5) Shawn Michaels defeats Jim Duggan to retain WWF Intercontinental Title in a Lumberjack Match by disqualification at 17:20

### Scott:

After the schmozz that went down on the last episode, the IC Champion can't run and hide from Hacksaw this week. I love the visual touch of all the lumberjacks wearing flannel shirts. Hacksaw cheap shots Yokozuna on his way to the ring. Michaels comes out on crutches to try and worm his way out of it, but Mr. Perfect will have nothing of it. Duggan and Michaels go all out, and the match is much better than I remember it being. Shawn is wrestling with jeans, cowboy boots and some old 1991 WWF t-shirt that has the Ultimate Warrior and Legion of Doom. To Duggan's credit, he really worked his ass off to keep up with Michaels, and the lumberjacks are adding chaos to the match. Eventually, Duggan gets disqualified, and everyone starts to brawl in the ring. Michaels retains his championship but this was one of the most fun matches in a while, and it made this one of the best endings to a Raw since the show started.

### JT:

I wonder what shifted around this episode because Vince McMahon is heavily hyping matches and appearances all throughout the upcoming weekend. Sweeps? Bix told me those don't matter for cable, so who knows. We get quite the interesting mix of lumberjacks, with some decent star power blended into some low mid carders. The best part is that they are all wearing the red and black lumberjack, sadly without the hat to match. Jim Duggan, still red hot from getting hosed last week, power walks to the ring and goes right after Yokozuna, dropping him with a big right hand before stomping around in the ring. Shawn Michaels was out next, but he hobbled out on crutches in his street clothes, trying to get out of the match with an injury exception. The ruse was quickly blown up by Perfect, who ran over and slugged him. Michaels hopped in the ring and jumped up and down in anger, exposing his poorly executed plan. The bell sounded, and Duggan brought the fight right to the champ, showing lots of fire and energy. Duggan grabbed a near fall as the NYC faithful fired up their "Shawn is gay" chant that they stumbled across a week ago. Hacksaw really mauled Michaels, clobbering him with heavy blows and shooting him from corner to corner. Vince notes that all throughout his lengthy career, Duggan never really had much of a chance to become a champion. That is a nice touch to add some importance to this match. Michaels was completely rattled, never getting on track at all as Duggan kept cracking him with punches and elbows before going to a rear chinlock and then a front chancery. At this point, the match may have been the biggest squash of the night so far with Michaels notching zero offense at all. The lumberjacks would finally get involved as well as Michaels got sent flying to the floor. He would try to escape, but Perfect and Bob Backlund chased him down and carried him back into the ring.

After a break, Duggan was still on the offensive, slamming the champion hard to the mat but whiffing on a big knee drop. Michaels took advantage by pasting Hacksaw with his boot and then kicking him to the floor where the heel lumberjacks got a few licks in. Michaels grabbed a near fall before going to a chinlock, but Duggan would break free and level Michaels with a clothesline. The hobbled Hacksaw was back on the attack, eventually catching Michaels on a cross body attempt and slamming him down hard for a close two count. Michaels would get dumped outside again, and after another commercial break, he had returned to the ring and regained control. That was short-lived, though, as he missed a charge in the corner. Before Duggan could take advantage, Bigelow hopped on the apron and distracted Hacksaw, allowing Michaels to drill him from behind. The champion then pitched Duggan to the floor, where Yoko squashed him with a leg drop. As Michaels put one boot on Duggan for the cover, Perfect hopped in the ring and cracked Michaels to draw the DQ. A moment later, all the lumberjacks spilled into the ring and brawled until Duggan cleaned house with the 2×4. That was a pretty fun match with tons of energy and brawling, but the end was pretty soft. I don't mind the DQ, but it felt really flat and was a bit confusing too. I enjoyed the two-week mini-storyline here as it got Michaels back front and center and ran concurrent to his hotly burning feud with Perfect. Duggan came oh so close, but Michaels sneaks out with the gold yet again.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

An Iron Mike Sharpe appearance? He actually got some offense in that match too. The lumberjack match was a lot of fun with the controlled chaos. It's also the first Raw that I've noticed the aura that the company is giving Yokozuna. He's definitely feeling like the next WWF Champion, which is probably why Hulk Hogan is hiding under his bed and not on TV promoting their PPV match. Vince is probably starting to regret that stupid audible in Las Vegas and now is making plans to fix that mistake. Another great match for Shawn Michaels as well as the continuing growth of the "ADJECTIVE" Kid and next week that growth takes a spurt. Another fun episode as the road to the new shiny PPV continues.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was a pretty crisp little episode of Raw as it hummed along with five matches and no filler wasted time at all. All of the squashes were entertaining enough, and the main event was quite fun and paid off a nice little mini-arc of a storyline. I like when they do stuff like that, confined to the Raw neighborhood. It happened with this Kid stuff too. They need more of it here as we move along. All in all, not a show that had much historical significance, but it was a fairly breezy 45 minutes and got a lot accomplished over the course of the episode.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #17

May 17, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

*** After we footage from the big brawl between Shawn Michaels and Mr. Perfect last week, Lord Alfred Hayes joins us from the street and tells us that we are in for a big surprise later tonight, one that we won't believe. ***

### 1) Smoking Gunns defeated Tony Vadja & Glenn Ruth when Bart pinned Ruth after a backdrop into a piledriver at 3:42

Fun Fact: The cowboy team of the Smoking Gunns is made up of the kayfabe brothers Billy Gunn (Monty Sopp) and Bart Gunn (Mike Polchlopek). The duo got their start in the International Wrestling Federation and won the IWF Tag Team Championships twice. They signed on with the WWF in April 1993 and make their MNR debut tonight.

### Scott:

After weeks of vignettes, we finally see the debut of the new babyface tag team on the block. Billy & Bart Gunn bring a breath of fresh air to the tag team division to go along with the Steiners to counter Money, Inc. and the Headshrinkers. The match is indeed a big squash and starts the show off on a good note as the new team on the block gets a win, adding another challenge to the plate of the Tag Team Champions.

### JT:

For the second straight week, we are back live in the Manhattan Center and open the show with the Raw debut of the Smoking Gunns, a team that we have seen vignettes for over the past few weeks. The Gunns certainly had a unique look, and the tag division needed depth, so they have a big opportunity to catch a push right out of the gate. On top of the debut, our commentary team runs down tonight's card, and the show is pretty loaded up and hyped, perhaps the most since Hulk Hogan's return. Bart and Vadja started things off and ol' Tony may be one of the worst looking jobbers I have ever seen, top to bottom. The Gunns took turns showing off their offense, both solo and double teams, before polishing off Ruth with a nice little backdrop/piledriver combo that nearly had a very ugly ending for Glenn. Good start for the Gunns and they presented a fairly unique moveset to go with their well-defined gimmick.

*** Vince McMahon heads to the ring to interview Shawn Michaels. Michaels talks about he delivered on all of his promises, including surviving the lumberjack match last week. He then talks about how he is better than Mr. Perfect and how he took his best shot and still stands tall with the gold. Michaels follows that up by saying he fears no man anywhere, any place, any time. And with that, a guy hopped in the ring with a hood over his head before revealing himself to be Marty Jannetty. Jannetty feeds Michaels' lines right back to him and asks him to stand by his words and defend the belt here tonight against his former partner. McMahon joined in the goading and Jannetty reassures his old friend that he had his gear in the back. Michaels eventually was forced into the match, and all of a sudden a big show got much bigger. ***

### 2) The Kid defeats Razor Ramon with a moonsault at 2:12

### Scott:

So, after two weeks of changing his name and losing big to some top quality talent, the *INSERT NAME HERE* Kid takes on the brash and overly talented Razor Ramon. Ramon toys with the Kid and smacks him around and even hits his fallaway slam. Razor charges the corner, but the Kid ducks out of the way and Razor hits the post. Razor is dazed, and Kid goes to the top rope to hit a somersault splash and then goes for the pin. There's the 1...2...3? Wait, did the referee actually count three? Was that a mistake? Well actually no, the Lightning Kid actually won the match! What was that all about? Razor is beside himself, and the Kid's career is made. Bobby is flipping out and saying the three count was fast. This begins the slow turn for Razor to the babyface side.

### JT:

The Kid is back again this week and has decided to just go with his surname this time around. He also faces perhaps his toughest challenge in the red-hot Razor Ramon, a guy that seemingly hasn't lost since the Royal Rumble. Ramon was quite overconfident here and watching it unfold you can tell that something was building with Kid as the announcers have discussed him quite a bit throughout the show to this point. Ramon toyed with Kid, who tried to find an opening but seemed destined for another loss, for a couple of minutes until the youngest dodged a charge, leapt to the top rope and hit a moonsault for the massive upset win. The crowd and announcers went bonkers as Ramon flipped out and Kid fled. This was a fantastic and memorable moment, one of the greatest in the history of the show. The question now is whether or not Kid will be pushed or if this was just a one-off fluke.

### 3) Tatanka defeats Scott Taylor with the Papoose to Go at 3:44

### Scott:

There's nothing really to say here, as Tatanka's undefeated streak continues. It's also announced on the KOTR Report that Tatanka will face Lex Luger in the first round of the tournament on June 13. Would the streak be broken there? It still bothers me that he never got an IC Title shot after the DQ win at WrestleMania.

### JT:

Well, that match was a real tough act to follow but using Tatanka here was a good choice as he is always fairly over. He starts by mowing Taylor down with a clothesline and then went to work from there before picking up the win with the Papoose. Tatanka has been a real Raw workhorse and is an underrated squash worker with some rough offense. With not much else going on, Tatanka is just prepping himself for the upcoming KOTR tournament.

*** Gene Okerlund is back with this week's King of the Ring report and here are the announced matches:

Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon – KOTR First Round Match

Jim Duggan vs. Bam Bam Bigelow – KOTR First Round Match

Tatanka vs. Lex Luger – KOTR First Round Match

Qualifying Matches this weekend:

Shawn Michaels vs. Crush

Kamala vs. Mr. Hughes

It is not too early to call and order, so do it...now! ***

### 4) Yokozuna defeats Kamala with the Banzai Drop at 3:41

### Scott:

Wow, there's a lot of beef in that ring. Vince says that WWF Champion Hulk Hogan is watching at home keeping an eye on his opponent at the King of the Ring. What would be nice is if he actually SHOWED UP ON A RAW! We haven't seen Hogan on a television screen since winning the belt at WrestleMania and on Raw since early March. This is utterly ridiculous that the WWF Champion doesn't bother to come live on Raw to promote his rematch or to even entertain the fans. The beef flows and as expected Yokozuna wins the match. Perhaps this is a way to get fans accustomed to seeing Yokozuna because he COULD be WWF Champion again.

### JT:

The hits just keep on coming as Yokozuna is back this week and he has a pretty stiff challenge in Kamala, who brings a decent amount of beef to the ring himself. Despite his big hiccup at the end of WrestleMania, Yoko has been pretty much unbeatable, and Bobby Heenan even notes that he has never been body slammed either, setting up a storyline point for KOTR. Randy Savage then wonders about how much heat Jack Tunney is taking for naming Bret Hart the top seed at KOTR and not forcing him to qualify for the big tournament. After some early machinations, we get a really cool spot where the two beats charge and slam into each other in the middle of the ring. Kamala came firing out of that with some big chops to the head, but Yoko cut him down and shoved him to the mat. Heenan would note that Mr. Fuji claimed Yoko would be even bigger by KOTR while McMahon mentioned that Hogan is going the other way and... ahem... slimming down for the big match. Kamala made a last-gasp comeback attempt, but Fuji tripped him up from the floor, allowing Yoko to kick him in the face and then squash him in the corner before hitting the Banzai Drop for the win. They booked this well, keeping it short, giving Kamala a couple of hope spots but giving Yoko the dominant victory over a name talent. Yoko certainly seems to be getting setup to regain that gold but time shall tell.

### 5) Marty Jannetty defeats Shawn Michaels to win WWF Intercontinental Title with an inside cradle at 10:57

Fun Fact: Marty Jannetty makes his return to the WWF after being released following the 1993 Royal Rumble. Following the match, rumors began spreading that Jannetty had been under the influence of alcohol during the match, a claim that Jannetty denies to this day. He claims that Shawn Michaels started the rumor.

### Scott:

For the third straight week, Shawn Michaels (unlike Hulk Hogan) is on Raw defending his Intercontinental Championship. After a two-match battle with Jim Duggan, he takes on his former Rockers partner, who we haven't seen since Michaels beat him back at the Royal Rumble. I'm gaining a lot of respect for Shawn during this six-week stretch after WrestleMania to pick up the load for the champions since the WORLD CHAMPION doesn't bother to show up. The match has a breakneck pace from the very beginning, and as expected Shawn tries to grab his belt and bug out of the whole thing when in walks Mr. Perfect who gets him back into the ring and the match continues. Even for a contained television time, this was a superb match, better than their affair at the Royal Rumble. The tension is building that perhaps Marty could grab that brass ring. Sure enough, Marty rolls Shawn up, and with Perfect getting involved from outside the ring, we have a new Intercontinental Champion. I still wish this was Tatanka who earned another title shot and should have been given a run with the belt. A tremendous back and forth affair with two guys who knew each other well.

### JT:

With the ring cleared out of all the beef, it is now time for our huge main event. Heading into the evening, Shawn Michaels figured he would cut an interview, talk some trash and then head out on the town. Instead, he now finds himself in the shine box against his arch rival and former best friend with his title on the line. I really think they did some great week to week booking here in May with Shawn's mini feud with Jim Duggan and the Perfect skirmishes setting up his hubris here. They got the crowd completely red-hot to see him finally get his ass kicked by running him out the last few weeks and having him survive some tough predicaments. By this point, the crowd was rabid to see him go down. It was also cool seeing Marty back as he vanished right after the Rumble and having him lose there and then go away (for legit reasons) just felt like such a poor ending to a great story. The two traded blows to start, with Marty coming out on top but keeping his cool and not getting ahead of himself. He seemingly had a counter for every Michaels move, eventually knocking him to the floor to a big pop. Jannetty kept pouring it on, careening into the champ with a cross body to the floor and then regrouping in the ring as Michaels stumbled around ringside. After slowing things down with a rest hold, Jannetty picked things back up by slinging Michaels to the floor again. Shawn would grab his title and scamper towards the back, but once again Mr. Perfect made a timely appearance and forced Michaels back to the ring. After a break, Michaels finally gained a semblance of control, and you could feel the crowd start to wonder if he was going to escape with his gold yet again. Shawn kept peppering strikes followed by a dropkick, but Jannetty would block a second attempt, catch Michaels in mid air and sling him into the ring post for a close near fall. He picked up another one with a powerslam, but Michaels would reverse a roll up and almost sneak out the win by grabbing the tights. He would clock Jannetty with a super kick but paused to argue with Perfect. After hearing too much jawing, Perfect chucked his towel in Shawn's face, causing him to stumble back and fall into a Jannetty inside cradle for the huge win. The crowd loved that one and Jannetty celebrated like crazy around ringside as Perfect fist pumped in the background. Another great, all time classic moment that solidifies this as the best Raw to date and one of the best of all time. The match was really good too with constant action, fluid pacing and great heat that built to a well-done finish, paying off a long-term storyline as well as stoking the fires of a current feud as well. Great main event.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was one of the best Raw episodes in a while. We had some exciting moments like the out of nowhere win by the Kid over the unstoppable heel Razor Ramon. That begins a fun storyline that creates many twists and turns. Then there is truly the out of nowhere IC Title win for Marty Jannetty over Shawn Michaels, who I thought was definitely holding the belt until he lost to Mr. Perfect. Instead, we get this clutch win for the "other Rocker." Stuff like this easily cushions the blow of not having the WWF Champion show up for oh, about TWO MONTHS. I hope that something comes to a head June 13 in Dayton, since Hogan is hamstringing this company because Vince was "scared" about WrestleMania IX bombing. Guess what Vince? IT BOMBED ANYWAY. Now I feel better. Let's not take away from one of the most memorable Raws in history.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was a great show top to bottom, and it all had to do with pacing, logical storytelling and clear through lines flanked by well-executed matches character development and storyline build. The whole fall of Shawn Michaels was set up so well since Mania that this payoff felt extremely satisfactory, especially when you factor in the deep history between him and Jannetty. On top of that, we had the shocking win by the Kid, which had also been built up nicely over a three-week span. It was clear they were starting to see Raw as a viable vehicle for big moments and storylines and are booking weekly as such since May began. Tack on the debut of the Gunns, a nice win for Yoko and a stiff Tatanka squash and we have a pretty much picture-perfect template for a live one-hour prime-time TV program.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #18

May 24, 1993 (Taped May 17, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Mr. Perfect defeats Doink the Clown in a King of the Ring Qualifying Match with a Perfectplex at 15:00

Fun Fact: This is the third King of the Ring qualifying match between Mr. Perfect and Doink the Clown. The first match on the May 1 episode of WWF Superstars and the second match on the May 16 episode of Wrestling Challenge both resulted in time-limit draws. This third match was given a no time limit stipulation in order to produce a qualifier.

### Scott:

We open the show with an illusion, as Doink comes down to ringside but then there's Lord Alfred outside the Manhattan Center with Doink...standing right next to him. It's definitely Matt Borne, so obviously the Lord Alfred clip was recorded earlier. This is the third match between the two with the winner getting a slot in the PPV tournament. The first two on previous syndicated TV ended in schmozzs and draws. On talent alone, this should be a great match as Borne can go hold for hold with Perfect if need be, and after some punches and kicks Doink starts working on Perfect's arm. Perfect tries to make comebacks, but Doink has been relentless with the cheating and hard strikes. The match continues to roll on when the second Doink comes crawling under the ring from the aisle. Of course, the second Doink emerges and starts laying into Perfect, and instead of ignoring it Vince acknowledges that this Doink's makeup is unsmudged and not coming off. Perfect ends up hitting the Perfectplex for the victory, then the original comes out, and both Doinks start laying the business to the winner until Crush comes out to save him. So Perfect is the final piece to the King of the Ring puzzle. After last week's five-star main event, this one is close but not quite, yet still better than anything else we've seen recently.

### JT:

We are not live this week, so the arena still feels like it is buzzing from the events of our last episode, which was easily the best so far since Raw kicked off. It was a statement type of episode that announced what Raw could be when delayed appropriately. Time to see if that momentum carries over to this week. We open up with the rubber match between Doink and Mr. Perfect for a highly coveted King of the Ring tournament slot after the two had fought twice to draws. Doink entered first and ducked under the ring as we quickly cut outside to Lord Al Hayes, who is with... Doink? Illusions all over the place! Back ringside, Doink emerged from his hiding spot, and as he settled into the squared circle, Mr. Perfect made his way out, looking to hopefully settle this issue and nab that KOTR slot. Doink jumped Perfect coming in the ring and then bealed him across the ring before making lewd gestures with Perfect's towel. That horseplay cost him as Perfect recovered and laid a tight beating on the clown, working over the leg in the process. Doink tried to hobble away, but Perfect kept a hold of the leg, rattling it off the post as we went to break. When we returned, Perfect was still in control and still mauling the leg, but Doink turned the tide by landing a kick to the gut when Perfect let his guard down. Still selling the leg, Doink laid in some stiff strikes and then pitched Perfect to the floor, following him with an axe blow off the apron. Perfect laid in a shot as they made their way back in but Doink clobbered him back to the floor before dragging him inside. Perfect recovered a bit, and the two traded holds on the mat, showing off their respective amateur skills. I love these matches where Doink gets to showcase his mat skills; it added such a great dimension to his already well-developed character. Perfect slipped free and hit a neck snap and then came right at the clown as he begged off. Both men spilled out to the floor with a shrewd tease of another potential draw, but Doink won the tussle and ended up rattling Perfect's shoulder and arm against the ring post. Doink wrapped up the arm and then slammed Perfect hard on it, but Perfect rebounded and leveled the clown with a clothesline. Perfect would pitch Doink outside but as he did, a second Doink snuck down and slid under the ring to hide. As the announcers sorted things out, the Doinks swapped, and the new Doink hit the ring and started to work over Perfect. McMahon noted right away that Doink's paint was restored, but things went sideways for the clowns as Perfect grabbed him in the Perfectplex and snuck out the win. Before he could celebrate, the Doinks mobbed him and viciously beat him down. Crush would eventually make the save and while damage was done, Perfect has officially locked up a spot in the big tournament in Dayton. This was a great match with a tremendous focus on limb work and on point selling from both. The pacing was really good too as the two had cultivated a smooth chemistry in the ring. This easily could have gone another ten minutes without losing a step.

*** Gene Okerlund is here with our King of the Ring report. Here are the matches discussed:

Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon – KOTR First Round Match

Jim Duggan vs. Bam Bam Bigelow – KOTR First Round Match

Tatanka vs. Lex Luger – KOTR First Round Match

Mr. Perfect vs. Mr. Hughes – KOTR First Round Match

Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

It is not too early to call and order as the show is less than a month away...so do it...now! ***

### 2) Money, Inc. defeated Mike Bell & Tony DeVito when IRS pinned DeVito with the Write Off at 3:58

### Scott:

So after kicking it old school and DiBiase gets his shoes shined by some dope in the crowd, the tag team champions make their first Raw appearance in a while by working some stiffs over. The highlight of this match is the inside joke by Bobby when he said "The only thing worse than having the last name Devito is the first name Basil," referring to a backstage WWF official. The champs win after an IRS flying clothesline. The clock is ticking on their title reign, as the Steiner Brothers are lurking.

### JT:

Our tag team champions are back in the house this week for one of their usual Raw tune up matches. Vince notes that they will be taking part in a big eight man tag at KOTR but doesn't give specifics. DiBiase takes us back to 1988 by pulling some kid from the crowd to shine his boots for $100. I wonder what his RSPW screen name was? IRS teaches him a tough lesson by taxing the payment and only giving him $30. Still not a bad deal, really. With that done, DiBiase kicks things off with Mike Bell as Heenan lands the DeVito joke that Scott noted above. Pretty funny. The champs make quick work of Bell and DeVito and look towards their KOTR tussle as well as a looming challenge from the red hot Steiner Brothers.

### 3) Crush defeats Bobby Who with the head vice at 3:22

### Scott:

Crush has been the butt of a giant joke during this feud with Doink, and we hope at this point that it's over and he moves on. They do start transitioning the feud out of Doink and into Shawn Michaels, but of course last week's title change kind of throws a wrench into the mix of that feud. Not much more to say here, just another squash.

### JT:

After coming into WWF with a hot push, Crush's career has really stalled out since entering this feud with Doink. He hasn't really gotten much shine in and is being made to look like a dope at every turn, getting outsmarted in and out of the ring. He needs a win and a reset badly. Who actually got a few licks in but Crush shrugged them off and wiped Bobby out from there. Vince discussed how Crush and Shawn Michaels wrestled to a double countout over the weekend, a result that knocked them both out of the KOTR tourney and hinted that their issue was not yet settled. After cutting Who down with a clothesline on the floor, Crush hammered away for a bit longer before locking in the head vice for the win. This is a key time for Crush's development as a top-level player as he is now embroiled in two big feuds and desperately needs to emerge victorious from at least one of them.

*** Vince McMahon welcomes Razor Ramon to the ring for a chat. We start off with highlights of his embarrassing upset loss to The Kid last week. Ramon denies losing, takes shots at the Kid's stature, says he doesn't know or care what his name is and then offers $2,500 for a rematch. Talk then turned to KOTR, but before they got started, Bret Hart sauntered out and led the crowd in a "1-2-3" chant before busting Razor's balls about his loss and obsession with the Kid instead of focusing on the tournament. Ramon then flipped out as Hart walked off. ***

### 4) Adam Bomb defeats Phil Apollo with a powerbomb at 3:24

Fun Fact: Bryan Clark made his pro wrestling debut in the AWA in 1989 under the name The Nightstalker. He moved on to WCW in 1991 when the AWA folded and then on to Smoky Mountain Wrestling. He signed on with the WWF in the spring of 1993 and began wrestling under the name Adam Bomb, a character who was a survivor of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident. He makes his MNR debut here tonight.

### Scott:

One of my favorite characters of the "New Generation" makes his Raw debut here with his iconic manager, Johnny Polo. I was a big Adam Bomb fan immediately as another great big heel to counter guys like Undertaker and such. Phil Apollo has been as much of a Raw mainstay as the actual superstars on the roster, as he's put over a myriad of guys since the show started. Bomb had a great look, great tights, and a great manager.

### JT:

We wrap up this week's show with the Raw debut of a new character, Adam Bomb. He is led to the ring by the eclectic Johnny Polo, who Bobby Heenan immediately puts over as a close friend. Bomb was a massive dude with a good look and...interesting gimmick. He certainly has the tools and the mouthpiece, but we will see how he evolves. Before he makes his way out, we see Bobby flipping channels as usual. And man it makes you remember what TV was like in 1993. In a fun bit, he stops on a channel that shows Johnny Polo backstage warning of Bomb's impending appearance. Apollo never stood a chance here as Bomb battered him from corner to corner and then folded him up with a back suplex. Vince kept harping on the Kid/Ramon upset and also shilled tickets for next week's show before pimping the newest USA World Premiere movie: Duplicates. Bomb eventually finished off Apollo with a flying clothesline off the top and a powerbomb, winning in fairly impressive fashion.

*** Bam Bam Bigelow joins us from backstage to hype his big Intercontinental Title match with Marty Jannetty next week. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This episode may not have had as much sizzle as last week's, but we do have a great opener with Perfect and Doink, with Perfect filling the last tournament slot. Razor Ramon tried to get some of his dignity back by buying it, but Bret Hart comes out to put over his match at KOTR by dressing him down. They had a great match back at the Royal Rumble, and there's no reason why their rematch wouldn't be equally as good. The Raw debut of Adam Bomb and his awesome manager Johnny Polo makes this a personal favorite episode for me. Oh, and the WWF Champion decides to show up for a quick three-minute TAPED appearance after not showing up on TV since that farce in Las Vegas. That's probably our only build for the title match at KOTR, thanks for the three minutes. This was a decent episode of Raw, but not as good as last week's.

Final Grade:

### JT:

The WWF had a tough task following up last week's outstanding installment of Raw, but they did a pretty damn good job of giving it a go. The opening match was really good, one of the best in Raw history so far, and the rest of the show flowed right along without a bump. All three squash matches were short and serviceable, and the Ramon/Hart interview packed a lot of build across two feuds into just an effective few minutes. They also worked in a lot of build and hype for both KOTR and next week, making this a very effective 45 minutes. That is all you can ask for out of a televised wrestling program at that point.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #19

May 31, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Marty Jannetty defeats Bam Bam Bigelow to retain WWF Intercontinental Title via countout at 10:00

### Scott:

So, the match doesn't even start before Sensational Sherri and Luna Vachon start cat fighting in the ring. It was very weird seeing Marty Jannetty with any kind of belt around his waist, but after the Rocker Miracle two weeks ago, here we are. Bigelow gets his first title match since his return as well. Jannetty had things going his way early until Bigelow drilled him with an electric chair as a reversal. After a commercial, Bigelow takes over with power moves and headlocks. Perhaps the numerous IC Title matches we've seen on Raw makes up for the lack of a visible WWF Champion since WrestleMania, which is probably why Shawn Michaels lost the belt in the first place. It's obvious they're still on the road to a Michaels/Perfect title match down the line, so Michaels will likely win the IC strap back very soon, but hell let's give Marty some shine for a bit. Both guys really worked their asses off, but Bigelow loses cheap when thanks to Sherri's distracting presence he is counted out. Kind of a cheap win for Marty too. Bummer because it was a really good match.

### JT:

As we continue to roll on towards King of the Ring, we are back live inside the Manhattan Center for another episode of Raw, a show that has been on quite the hot streak as of late. Opening things up is our new Intercontinental Champion, the man who shocked the world just two weeks ago when he returned to upset Shawn Michaels. Across the ring from Marty Jannetty is Bam Bam Bigelow, a guy being positioned as a top heel but one that is still trying to gain some traction. He was finally in a feud with Tatanka after aimlessly working his way up the ladder but sidesteps for a big title bout here. Bammer has also picked up a new valet in Luna Vachon, and of course wherever Luna is, so is Sensational Sherri, who shows up alongside her old pal Jannetty. And the ladies wasted no time going at it as they immediately brawled in the ring until separated. Eventually the bell rang, and Bigelow jumped Jannetty to rattle him with headbutts and clubbing forearm blows. Bammer continued to use his power to neutralize the champ until Jannetty ducked a clothesline and slammed into the challenger with a forearm. He hustled from there, taking to the air and grabbing a near fall. Bigelow quickly regained control and hammered away before grabbing a tight bear hug. Jannetty wriggled free and again went aerial until it backfired when Bigelow slammed back hard with an electric chair. After a break, Bigelow had Jannetty trapped in a chinlock which he eventually released to go back on the attack. Jannetty peppered his way back into things and then spiked Bigelow to the mat for a two count.The challenger cut the champ off again and hit a double underhook backbreaker. He then hit the ropes, but Sherri hooked his leg and tied him up, allowing Jannetty to knock him to the floor. The champ followed with a baseball slide dropkick and then a cross body off the top rope. After trading some punches, Bigelow slung Jannetty into the ring post and then pitched him inside. However, Sherri distracted Bigelow again, causing the challenger to get counted out and take the loss. After the bell, Bigelow hopped in the ring and jumped Jannetty, leaving him laid out after a leg drop to the ribs. Pretty strong match here to open up the show, especially the final moments until the soft, but necessary, finish. I like that they protected Bigelow and the way Jannetty flew around late and had Bammer rocking kept him strong too. It wasn't like he was saved by Sherri, she just helped out. Marty's reign is a nice little change of pace with him being the high-flying face champion battling monster challengers. Bigelow continues to look good in the ring as well.

*** Sensational Sherri comes back to the ring and demands that Luna Vachon returns so they can continue their fight. Luna obliged, and after she was detained by an official, Sherri jumped her, and the brawl raged on around ringside. Sherri would slam Luna hard on the mat and slide into the ring, but Bigelow showed up and hooked her from behind. Luna came in and slugged away at Sherri until Tatanka ran out to make the save. ***

### 2) The Steiner Brothers defeated Rich Myers & Executioner when Scott pinned Myers after the top rope bulldog at 4:14

### Scott:

Vince McMahon announces that at King of the Ring the two top babyface teams (Steiners & Smoking Gunns) will face the two top heel teams (Money, Inc. & Headshrinkers) in an eight-man tag team match. The minute I saw Rich Myers' massive mullet, I knew a stiff beating was in the offing. The Steiners take pleasure in pummeling poor stiffs on Raw. I always liked with Rick Steiner would wear the tights with all the numbers on it. Maybe it would help him remember them. Steiners win in a comfortable squash. I also noticed that Rick Steiner had the same boots on. Weird.

### JT:

Steiner squash time! Rich Myers, his mullet, and the Executioner drew the short end of the stick this time around. Rick and the masked man opened things up, and Rick landed the first big shot with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Of course, the Steiners will be involved in the big eight-man tag at KOTR, and next week we get a preview of that with a tag match mixing the four teams. Rick fed Executioner to the corner so Myers could get in on the fun, which included a rough Oklahoma Stampede. Scott tagged in, and things didn't get much better for Myers, and he got slung viciously into the corner. The Brothers tagged in and out and worked the arm a bit until Scott rattled him with a butterfly suplex and a Steiner Screwdriver. A moment later, they polished off poor Myers with the top rope bulldog. I say it every time, but I could watch that every single week. The screwdriver never gets old!

### 3) Mr. Hughes defeats Bert Centeno with a sidewalk slam at 3:02

### Scott:

I am a big Mr. Hughes fan, simply because he's a power guy and you can never have a shortage of power guys in your company. He's set for the KOTR tournament against Mr. Perfect and continues to plow through guys to put himself over. He will probably be someone's bodyguard at some point. Vince and Bobby try so poorly to put over charity golf tournaments for the weekend.

### JT:

The squash train continues to roll on through as Mr. Hughes is back this week to tussle with the husky Bert Centeno. Before the match, Savage pimped the KOTR hotline and said he was going to call for all the scoops. Hughes took his time and ran right through Bert as the announcers discussed the whereabouts of Harvey Wippleman, whom Bobby says was quite ill at home. Hughes picked up Centeno on a couple of pin attempts before finally finishing him with the sidewalk slam. Hughes looks primed for KOTR and ready to go for his first-round tilt with Mr. Perfect.

*** Gene Okerlund stops by with our King of the Ring Report, which is just a hair under two weeks away! Here are the matches discussed:

Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon – KOTR Opening Round Match

Mr. Perfect vs. Mr. Hughes – KOTR Opening Round Match

Jim Duggan vs. Bam Bam Bigelow – KOTR Opening Round Match

Tatanka vs. Lex Luger – KOTR Opening Round Match

Crush vs. Shawn Michaels

Call your cable company and join us live on PPV! ***

### 4) Jim Duggan defeats Bill Thomas with a running clothesline at 2:21

### Scott:

Mark Thomas is pretty stacked for a jobber. He probably should have beaten the weary and not over Jim Duggan. The KOTR report this week announces that Shawn Michaels and Crush will go one on one at the PPV in Dayton. Duggan works this guy over and gets the victory. After the match, Duggan does the Pledge of Allegiance with everyone after the match, which admittedly is pretty cool.

### JT:

With it being Memorial Day, we, of course, had to have a visit from Jim Duggan, fresh off a fun two-week angle with Shawn Michaels. And of course, it would also be his final Monday Night Raw appearance for quite some time as he would leave the company right after the PPV. Hacksaw carried out a big American Flag, mows through Thomas with ease and then leads the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance in a nice little touch to make this show stand out. Duggan is also ready for KOTR, but his opponent will prove to be a very great challenge.

*** Vince McMahon catches us up on Razor Ramon's attempts to push the 1-2-3 Kid into a rematch. The Kid refused his first offer, but Ramon then upped the offer to $5,000. We hear from the Kid, who said he was watching WWF with his grandparents and saw Ramon's new offer but he turns it down due to the potential consequences. ***

### 5) Razor Ramon defeats Tony Roy with the Razor's Edge at 4:00

### Scott:

Two weeks after the big upset loss to 1-2-3 Kid, he takes on another bad mullet jobber. Razor is distracted by Randy Savage starting the 1-2-3, 1-2-3, 1-2-3 chant, and he's almost rolled up for another upset loss. Of course, he won't let the non-Kliq jobber beat him so after the almost 3 count, he pummels him down and gets the victory. It's clear even with the 1-2-3 chants that Razor's heel run is coming to an end.

### JT:

Tony Roy out here looking like Richard Simmons' brother. Ramon is obviously really frustrated and upset over everything that went on with the Kid. The crowd and Macho Man get all over him right away, chanting "1-2-3" and it leads to Roy almost sneaking out an upset. Ramon pasted him with a clothesline, followed with a fallaway slam and then smacked Roy around as Vince talked about his KOTR bout with Bret Hart, wondering how he could beat the Hitman if he couldn't beat the Kid. Roy again grabbed a roll up near fall as Ramon got distracted by the fans, but the Bad Guy shook it off and laid in some stiff kicks, followed by an abdominal stretch and a back superplex. Ramon then finished Roy off with the Razor's Edge, ensuring another upset wouldn't happen this time around. Ramon heads to Dayton and is back on track.

*** Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji head out to wave the Japanese flag and trash talk Memorial Day. McMahon talks up Hulk Hogan and their KOTR match before Yoko actually speaks English and says "Hulkamania Will Die." McMahon then says he wouldn't be surprised if Hogan showed up next week before Fuji vows Yoko will be the new Champion. Jim Duggan then appeared in the balcony, waving the American Flag as the show went off the air. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a fun, patriotic episode of Raw. We have Duggan doing the Pledge of Allegiance for everyone as well as a rare Marty Jannetty IC Title match. When watching them in 1993, I wasn't a big Steiners fan because they just weren't as good as they were in NWA/WCW. My opinion has changed watching these again as they were very entertaining pummeling jobbers into the ground. They are overdue to win the tag straps. The build to this new PPV has been good if maybe the WWF CHAMPION CAN SHOW UP ONCE. Poor Yokozuna has carried the build entirely, and I hope he gets rewarded for it. Not much more to say here, it was a solid episode.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This week's live edition of Raw was a pretty smooth watch, with a tight IC title match opener and a series of solid squash matches to round things out. In a nice touch, there was a lot of focus on the KOTR tournament competitors too, which was smart. The Sherri and Luna stuff continues to be fun as they are just going crazy in their wild brawls. The continuation of Razor's quest for revenge on the Kid was well executed too. Plus, getting to see Jannetty's big IC title defense was a treat, especially since it was a good match that made both guys look strong. Despite the lack of having the WWF Champion on TV, the promotion is pretty locked in as it heads into King of the Ring and May overall was a very strong month on Raw.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #20

June 7, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Shawn Michaels defeats Russ Greenberg with a piledriver at 3:53

Fun Fact I: Kevin Nash was born in July 1959 in Detroit, Michigan. He played basketball at the University of Tennessee from 1977 to 1980 before going to Europe to play professionally. His basketball career was cut short when he tore his ACL in 1981 while playing in Germany. He served in the military police at a NATO secure facility in Germany for two years, worked on an assembly line at Ford and as a floor manager at a strip club in Atlanta before getting into professional wrestling. He started his wrestling career in 1990 in World Championship Wrestling, where Nash would go through several character changes, but would never find the right fit. He started as part of the Master Blasters tag team under the name Steel. When the team broke apart in 1991, he was rebranded as the Master Blaster for his first singles run. His next push was as a character named Oz, based off of the Wizard of Oz children's book. This run only lasted a month before it was scrapped. He then was billed as Vinnie Vegas, which lasted until Nash left for the WWF in 1993. Nash came to the WWF at the request of Shawn Michaels to serve as his bodyguard. He makes his on-camera debut here without a name.

Fun Fact II: On June 6, the night before Raw at a house show in Albany, New York, Shawn Michaels beat Marty Jannetty to win back the Intercontinental Championship. Jannetty was distracted by his debuting bodyguard, allowing Michaels to hit a superkick for the win.

### Scott:

Shawn Michaels enters the match as the NEW Intercontinental Champion, as he won the title back from Marty Jannetty with his new "insurance policy" helping out. His new bodyguard should be familiar to WCW fans of the time. He's the former Oz and Vinnie Vegas, yet he has no name right now. Seems like nothing more than a piece of meat, but that changes. Shawn finally gets to work over a stiff and gets the victory. The Marty win was a nice one night spike in Raw's ratings, but in the grand scheme of things, Shawn being champion is probably better for things. After the KOTR report, where it's announced that the Michaels/Crush match at the PPV is now for the IC Title, Shawn comes back out and bitches that his gold is now on the line. This match is nothing, but Shawn is back on top.

### JT:

Here we are just one week away from KOTR with one more Raw to go before the big showdown in Dayton. We are also back live yet again here in the Manhattan Center, and we open with a big-time surprise as Shawn Michaels is revealed to have regained the IC title from Marty Jannetty over the weekend. Poor Marty, his run was a brief shooting star but it doesn't take away from was an awesome moment his victory was. I guess he could only go so far with the belt, but we could have maybe squeezed out a few more fun title bouts. Anyway, Michaels enters here with the gold tightly fastened around his waist, but he is also not alone... as he has a giant bodyguard alongside him. Michaels ambushes the announcers as they intro the show and introduces his to his unnamed "insurance policy." In the ring, Greenburg gives it a bit of a go, but Michaels easily outworks him on the mat, followed by a flurry of higher impact moves before finishing him off with a piledriver for the win. Michaels was all over Raw over the past six weeks, and he caps off this run to KOTR with a strong weekend of victories.

*** Gene Okerlund stops by with our King of the Ring Report, which is now just six days away and completely sold out! Here are the matches discussed:

Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna – WWF Heavyweight Title

Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon – KOTR Opening Round Match

Mr. Perfect vs. Mr. Hughes – KOTR Opening Round Match

Jim Duggan vs. Bam Bam Bigelow – KOTR Opening Round Match

Tatanka vs. Lex Luger – KOTR Opening Round Match

Crush vs. Shawn Michaels – WWF Intercontinental Title

Call your cable company and join us live on PPV for this unforgettable night of wrestling! ***

*** Shawn Michaels and his bodyguard come back out to bitch at the announcers about having his match with Crush changed to an IC Title defense. He accuses the promotion of being jealous and taking it out on him as a result. He vows that he and his bodyguard will ensure his title stays around his waist on Sunday. ***

### 2) Adam Bomb defeats Tito Santana with a slingshot clothesline at 5:32

Fun Fact: This will be the Raw farewell for a WWF legend, Tito Santana. His last televised WWF match will occur on Superstars in July, and he will continue to wrestle for the company into August before signing on with Eastern Championship Wrestling.

### Scott:

So, Tito Santana is doing once again what he does best. He's going to put new talent through his paces and put him over as a big star. Johnny Polo comes out with a lax stick and gloves this time, but Adam Bomb is the centerpiece. A huge guy with a great look, even sporting the creepy contact lenses. Tito does take the match to Bomb, and the big guy has had to work a little more than he's used to, and even had to take the Flying Burrito forearm but that was when the match changed. After the two count, Bomb takes over and hits a somewhat awkward flying clothesline from the outside of the ring. He gets the win, but perhaps he should come up with another finisher as this one could be ugly if not executed properly.

### JT:

Newcomer Adam Bomb makes his way out to the ring for another showcase match here on Raw. As always, he is accompanied by the great Johnny Polo. Tonight, his competition is a bit stiffer than usual as he has to tussle with the beloved veteran Tito Santana, who actually gets an entrance here. The crowd seemed happy to see Tito here tonight, perhaps wondering if he could sneak out one more win in the Big Apple. Tito was able to work the arm a bit to start before Bomb overpowered him. Santana kept using his speed to dodge Bomb, and the big man just couldn't find a seam to get on track until finally busting out of a sunset flip and cracking Santana with an uppercut. As Bomb went to work, Vince noted that Razor Ramon was now offering $7,500 to the Kid for a rematch. Heenan believes Kid thinks that isn't enough money to risk his career. Bomb ran Tito from corner to corner, but the Matador landed a few punches and then hit the flying forearm to rattle Bomb. However, the big man shook that off, spiked Tito back to the mat and then hit a flying clothesline for the win. Santana was game here, but Bomb was really stiff still at this point and didn't give him much to work with. Santana has been a ton of fun to watch through our PPV, SNME and Raw recaps and I will definitely miss seeing him pop up on these shows from time to time.

### 3) Tatanka defeats Peter Weeks with a tomahawk chop off the top rope at 3:16

### Scott:

Tatanka, who seems to be getting farther away from being Intercontinental Champion, is now set to face the Narcissist Lex Luger on Sunday in Dayton. Here he takes on some new fodder in the jobber pool. Tatanka was really hot throughout the first four months of 1993, but after the DQ win at WrestleMania, he's cooled off and been put on the backburner. I don't really understand it as he is really over with the fans and he should have gotten a rematch with Michaels at King of the Ring with a stipulation and a title victory. Oh well, he gets the win here.

### JT:

Well, well, well, Tatanka is back! The early Raw mainstay was absent in the ring last week but he is back here and ready to rock against Peter Weeks. Weeks has a terrible look. As Tatanka made quick work of him, the announcers discussed his opening round match with Lex Luger and a potential second round showdown with his nemesis Bam Bam Bigelow. Weeks would land a couple of shots in before Tatanka chopped him to pieces and picked up the win. Not much to see here, just a chance to hype up KOTR and rightly so.

*** Jerry Lawler comes out for a special edition of The King's Court. Lawler makes fun of Vince McMahon and Randy Savage as well as New York City. After a commercial, the King brings out Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji for one final chat before KOTR. Lawler starts by ragging on Hulk Hogan, claiming he is off in Hollywood making movies before asking Fuji what it will be like in Dayton. Fuji reveals that Yoko has bulked up and is now weighing in at 550 pounds. Fuji says Hogan's bones will crack and then Yoko will squash him to take the title back and earn the respect of Japan. Yoko again speaks English, saying Hogan will go down. ***

### 4) Fatu & IRS defeat Rick Steiner & Billy Gunn with a clothesline from behind at 11:30

### Scott:

A prelude to the eight-man tag match coming up at the KOTR has one member of each team in a mixed tag match if you will. These are the top four teams in the promotion right now with Money, Inc. still holding the tag straps. The Steiners are obviously being prepped as the next face team to win it, as the Gunns have just arrived and need more seasoning. The other four guys are stalking the ring, almost like an unspoken lumberjack match. As expected the heels are miscommunicating and arguing with each other as Rick & Bart are working very well together. This match eventually just falls apart with everybody going bonkers until Money, Inc. sneaks in and gets the victory for the heels. That could be a fun match at KOTR, with the top four teams going at it.

### JT:

And it is officially main event time as we get one last shill in for KOTR with some of the competitors in the big eight-man tag squaring off to close out the show. Bill Dunn introducing Bart as Billy's cousin made me laugh. The crowd was all over Irwin immediately, as always, and he glared right back at them as everyone settled in around the ring. In a funny bit, the Headshrinkers were devouring WWF Ice Cream Bars before the bell. This definitely had the makings of a chaotic scene as Scott Steiner, Bart Gunn, Samu, Ted DiBiase and Afa were all milling around ringside. DiBiase tries to give the Shrinkers some cash to ensure things are on the up and up but Afa just eats it. And with that, Billy and Fatu kick things off with Gunn controlling the offense. Gunn picked up a near fall with a neckbreaker before tagging Rick, who hit a nice belly-to-belly for two. IRS would get the tag but whiffed on a clothesline and spilled to the floor. Once he got back inside, Rick slugged away with right hands and a big clothesline for two. As Steiner and Gunn tagged in and out and dominated, things got dicey on the floor with Money, Inc. and the Shrinkers getting into it. DiBiase would flash some more cash to settle things down and eventually the bout restarted with IRS and Steiner going at it. IRS was able to pitch Steiner to the floor where he was met by an attack from DiBiase and Samu. Scott tried to help out but the referee got tied up, and the assault continued. Scott has quite the look going here, with a tank top tucked into jeans, which were in turn tucked into cowboy boots. Back in the ring, Fatu mowed through Rick with a stiff clothesline for a near fall. Scott would dodge a Fatu splash and make the tag to Billy, who cleaned house on both guys. However, he got stupid, and after slugging at DiBiase, he stood and did a ridiculous gun show dance until IRS pegged him from behind and snuck out the win. That was pretty chaotic, as expected, and also a bit sloppy but all of that energy and mayhem definitely sets the tone for the least hyped KOTR PPV match. It was nice that they got a chance to build it just a bit. It also shows that Money, Inc. has three legit tag teams that could come gunning for their gold. The Steiners are definitely a top that list but the Gunns and Shrinkers are right in the mix too.

*** Razor Ramon comes out to chat with Vince McMahon. McMahon notes Razor's latest offer of $7,500 as the crowd chants "1-2-3". Razor says that next week we finally get the match that everyone is waiting for: 1-2-3 Kid vs. Razor Ramon. McMahon says there is no confirmation but Ramon says for that amount of money, he could have everyone in the Manhattan Center standing on their heads naked. McMahon then asks about his KOTR match with Bret Hart and says that hotline voters have him at just a 7% chance of victory. Ramon says Hart will be a loser, has been, and grease spot on the mat. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

What would a RAW episode be without a Tatanka match? Who has been on more since the show launched in January: Tatanka or Money, Inc.? The tag champs haven't been on lately, so the Native American has caught up somewhat. Our go home Raw for KOTR has had big time build, including a LIVE interview with the #1 contender for the WWF Championship. Think maybe the WWF Champion could show up for at least THIS segment? Vince really buried the main event situation completely, and I think a lot of it has to do with him panicking at WrestleMania and still treating the promotion like it's 1986 and that doesn't work when you have legitimate weekly programming. Fortunately by now, he figures that out. So, let's see how this PPV shapes up and if it works to have a big show in between WrestleMania and SummerSlam.

Final Grade:

### JT:

The hot run of Raws since the calendar switched to May pretty much comes to an end here. They did a fine job of hyping the hell out of KOTR but the show as a whole never really clicked. We do get the major revelation of Shawn Michaels regaining the IC title but other than that, there wasn't much going on. Yokozuna was in the house for one last hard sell of the WWF Title match but Vince McMahon's prediction from a week ago fails to come true as Hulk Hogan was a no show. That means the Hulkster did not appear live on the flagship program once since February. Pretty crazy that they couldn't roll him out at least one time to help set up the rematch, but I guess in some ways it sells itself regardless, plus he seemed out of place in that setting anyway. The main event was fine, but no match here really props up the show in any way. It was all about KOTR hype, which makes perfect sense, but overall quality wise, this is one of our worst in a while.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #21

June 14, 1993 (Taped June 7, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

*** The show opens with a clip of Yokozuna defeating Hulk Hogan to win the WWF World Title followed by Gene Okerlund interviewing the new champ and Mr. Fuji. Fuji reveals that they will have a big celebration on July 4th followed by Yoko stating that Hulkamania is dead. ***

### 1) Mr. Perfect defeats LA Gore with the Perfectplex at 2:46

### Scott:

One night after the King of the Ring, Mr. Perfect takes on the iconic LA Gore. Perfect defeated Mr. Hughes in the quarterfinals last night but lost in the semifinals to Bret Hart in a match that I personally think was better than their SummerSlam 1991 match. Perfect is still the man, and the eventual IC Title match with Shawn Michaels is around the corner. Despite not being live, the announcers dubbed in conversation about KTR, including Yokozuna regaining the WWF Title. They even talk about Bret Hart getting his long-deserved rematch with Yoko after the shenanigans at WrestleMania. Oh, Perfect wins this match easily.

### JT:

We are officially airing one night after King of the Ring but this episode was taped the week prior, so we can't expect too much fallout to be showcased except on commentary throughout this one. Mr. Perfect opens things up, coming off a tough semifinal KOTR loss to Bret Hart, but he still has work to do with his sights set on the Intercontinental Title. As Perfect and Gore locked up, the announcers discussed Perfect's hard-fought night in Dayton as well as mentioning that the Manhattan Center is the "house of upsets." Perfect dominated early forcing Gore to reset on the floor while Heenan and McMahon discussed the closing moments of Yokozuna's big WWF Title win, trashing Hulk Hogan along the way. Perfect beat on Gore bell to bell, giving him not a second to breathe until he finished him off with the Perfectplex while McMahon noted that Bret Hart should now be lined up for a title shot with Yoko coming off his KOTR tournament win.

*** Vince McMahon welcomes Razor Ramon to the ring. As he saunters down with a sack of cash slung over his shoulder, Savage and Heenan talk about his loss to Bret Hart the night before, with Heenan saying he was too preoccupied with the 1-2-3 Kid. Ramon ups the ante of his challenge, saying Kid doesn't even have to beat him since nobody can. He then offers the Kid $10,000 and discusses all the things he could do with the money if he accepts the challenge. McMahon asks Ramon what would happen if Kid wins again but Razor laughs that off and says he won't be stopped by some punk. ***

### 2) Marty Jannetty and Doink the Clown wrestle to a double countout at 8:45

### Scott:

Vince made me laugh out loud when he screamed, "THERE'S TWO DOINKS UNDER THERE!". Neither of these guys wrestled at KOTR and Jannetty has settled into his role as Raw enhancement after his cup of coffee with the Intercontinental Title. Doink came down the ramp without a jacket, then went under the ring, then came out with a jacket! However, I actually think it's still Matt Borne, and he put the jacket on under the ring. At least we knew we would get a pretty good match here and indeed both guys came back and forth, and after Jannetty superslammed Doink off the top rope, I thought the match was over. Jannetty kept working Doink over, and I thought this match would end eventually. Doink keeps kicking out of all the attempts, then they both spill out onto the floor. They continue brawling until the bell rings, and both men are counted out. I'm sure a RAW rematch is in the offing soon. This was a fun match with a bummer ending, and a rematch will likely happen.

### JT:

Raw favorite Doink the Clown is up next, and he wastes no time getting into the antics as he sashays to ringside and then ducks under the ring before emerging on the other side. However, Vince notes that the Doink that came down the aisle didn't have a jacket on like the one that crawled out. Double vision abounds! Marty Jannetty charged to the ring but played things cautiously before yanking Doink to the floor. The Clown quickly turned the ride and clobbered Marty before shoving him back inside. Jannetty has quickly lost steam since his IC Title loss but is becoming a Raw mainstay, which is great considering his strong in-ring abilities. Jannetty punched his way back into things before taking Doink down into an armbar. Doink fought to his feet and tripped Jannetty up before knocking him to the edge of the ring. Marty thwarted his attack and grabbed a near fall with a cross body before going back to the arm. After a break, Jannetty still kept pressure on the arm as McMahon still fretted over the double Doink conundrum. Jannetty headed to the top rope after a brief slugfest and hit another cross body for a near fall, but the Clown regained control with a powerslam. Doink kept the pressure on, hooking a half nelson and grinding Jannetty's face to the mat. The Clown followed with a whoopee cushion, but Jannetty kicked out before three. Doink didn't give up from there as he kept kicking away before heading up top where Jannetty blocked him and slammed him hard to the mat. Jannetty cut Doink down with a pair of dropkicks and hit a suplex for two and followed with a face spike for another near fall. Both men would tumble to the floor where Jannetty leveled Doink with a super kick and took him over with a head scissors, but as they brawled, the bell sounded for a double countout. The brawl continued with Jannetty hitting a cross body off the apron and then hammering away at Doink's head until the Clown eventually was pushed to the back. This was a pretty fun little match that was definitely cut too short, but based on the finish it seems things aren't over just yet. Jannetty is great in this type of role and Doink is as awesome as always, playing the heel stud wrestler role to perfection.

### 3) Owen Hart defeats Dan Dubiel with a bridge suplex at 3:48

### Scott:

I still laugh whenever I see "Themis" the Raw card girl, as she is now a state representative for the State of Connecticut. We have the Raw debut of Bret's little brother, still in his High Energy gear. During the match, the 1-2-3 Kid is on the phone "from Japan" (or really the hallway of the Manhattan Center), and he finally accepts Razor Ramon's offer of $10,000 to face him again. Owen looks crisp, hitting a missile dropkick and then a bridge pin for the victory. We will see more of Owen over the next few months. Incidentally, after the match, Vince does a promo for Sunday's All-American, and he mentions a "Bastion Booger." Who?

### JT:

Up next we have a Raw debut of a superstar that has been around for well over a year. Owen Hart had been battling a knee injury since the winter, but he is back in action now and seems to be lined up for a bit of a push. Dan Dubiel is ugly as shit. Themis is not, and she is also an attorney per McMahon. Hart went at the arm to start as the announcers welcomed 1-2-3 Kid in via phone from Osaka, Japan. Kid talks about how excited everyone in Japan was about Yoko's title win as well as all of his success since he knocked off Ramon and then accepts Razor's challenge, unable to turn down the $10 Gs. Kid asks if Razor will have cash and Vince confirms, which is what sealed the deal. During that, Dubiel actually got a little offense in but it was short lived as Owen cracked him with a leg lariat and a perfect missile dropkick before hitting a Northern Lights suplex into a bridge for the win. Vince confirm Ramon vs. Kid for next week as Hart celebrates his big Raw win, but a big t tussle with newcomer Bastion Booger this Sunday on All-American.

*** We head back to Superstars from two days earlier for highlights of an Undertaker match against PJ Walker. However, just as Taker picked up the win, Harvey Wippleman and Giant Gonzalez made their way to the ring. Taker went right at Gonzalez, but the Giant eventually tied him up until Mr. Hughes joined the fray. Hughes wiped out Paul Bearer with a sidewalk slam, allowing Harvey to take hold of the urn. He handed it to Hughes, who clocked Taker with it. He continued to pelt Taker and Bearer with the urn, leaving them both unconscious in the ring. ***

### 4) Jerry Lawler defeats Mark Thomas with a piledriver at 3:50

### Scott:

The King comes out dressed in Pink and Black, which is a great heel touch after what he did to Bret Hart the night before at King of the Ring. Now he takes on perpetual jacked jobber Art Thomas. Lawler did get through his career with minimal workrate, from punches and kicks to the one piledriver. He wins this easy match, but obviously, the build is growing for the eventual battle with Bret Hart.

### JT:

Closing out this week's show is Jerry Lawler, decked out in pink and black as a shot at the new KOTR Bret Hart, who Lawler beat the piss out of in Dayton the night before. Mark Thomas is clearly ingesting quite a bit of ICOPRO. King grabs the mic and shits on the fans, demanding they stop any Burger King chants. Lawler stalled a bit more as Heenan walked out in protest of the crowd. Lawler clubbed away at Thomas while also playing the hostile crowd. Heenan showed back up as King dropped Thomas with an inverted DDT and proceeded to break some news, saying Mr. Fuji & Yokozuna's Fourth of July celebration will take place at an American landmark and will be a challenge to any American athlete to show up and slam Yokozuna so he can embarrass them all like they did Hogan. Lawler kept jawing with fans before finishing Thomas off with a Piledriver for the win. It made sense to get the King into the ring as he is clearly lined up for a big feud with Bret Hart.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Jerry Lawler dressed in pink and black still makes me laugh. Unfortunately, instead of Bret Hart being installed in a feud with the NEW WWF Champion Yokozuna, he's thrust in a feud with the King. Bret was owed better. We get Owen Hart's RAW debut which is very cool. The Doink/Jannetty feud starts with a fun match. The build is also growing for a Razor Ramon and the Kid One guy who hasn't really been a part of Raw since the show started was Undertaker. He's on Superstars more than Raw. I think that is still Vince not quite realizing that Raw has to be his #1 priority and that the weekend syndi-shows are mere fodder now. It's 1993, not 1983. This show was ok, but the big players need to step up and be on camera.

Final Grade:

### JT:

While this episode was certainly tighter and more exciting than the episode the night after WrestleMania, we still didn't get too much in the way of hot action. We did get a couple of major developments, though, with Kid finally accepting Ramon's challenge and Mr. Fuji revealing his grand plans to ruin Independence Day. We also got to check out the big attack on Undertaker as his feud with Harvey Wippleman's crew rages on. In the ring, the Jannetty/Doink match was solid, but the squashes were all pretty bland and really used as a chance for the dubbed announcing to discuss the fallout from KOTR. It was actually a quick moving episode but one of the weaker ones over the past two months.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #22

June 21, 1993

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Steiner Brothers defeat Reno Riggins & Barry Hardy when Scott pins Riggins with the Frankensteiner at 3:51

Fun Fact: On June 19 at a house show in St. Louis, the Steiners defeated Money, Inc. to regain the WWF Tag Team Championships. Scott Steiner pinned Ted DiBiase after hitting him with the Frankensteiner for the victory.

### Scott:

We have major news as Rick and Scott come through the curtain, and that they are the NEW Tag Team Champions after beating Money, Inc. the Saturday before in St. Louis. It was only a matter of time before the belts would switch and these guys would be at the top of the mountain. Now that they're the champions they will be stiffer than ever in the ring, and sure enough, these bums (even the iconic Reno Riggins) are taking a pretty rough beating from the champs. The best thing about their squashes is that they are much longer than a typical beating. The champs win, and the crowd loves it. I enjoy the Raws in Poughkeepsie because the crowd is bigger and considerably louder than the Manhattan Center, which at times seems tired when there are tapings.

### JT:

We once again shift outside the Manhattan Center for a live edition of Raw, with this installment coming at us from our home away from home in Poughkeepsie. We also open with big time news as the Steiner Brothers arrive for their match with the WWF Tag Team Titles around their waists. Without much of a feud really unfolding and still moths away from SummerSlam, the company hopped on the hot Steiners and tossed the straps on them on a house show. I wonder why they didn't just do the switch at KOTR or even on Raw? They saw the excitement that could unfold with a big Raw title change just a month earlier. They still seem stuck between the old school way of doing things and really taking advantage of this new world they have built. So, the new champs get to battle a dream jobber team in their first televised match as champs, and they quickly take care of business as usual. Scott toyed with Riggins a little early on, but that was short lived of course. Riggins was able to escape and tag in Hardy, whose night didn't go much better. After an Oklahoma Stampede from Rick and some battering from Scott, Hardy was able to make the tag to Riggins, who ate a belly-to-belly suplex and a brutally botched Frankensteiner to close things out. That could have ended really poorly for Reno. Ouch!

### 2) Marty Jannetty defeats Doink the Clown in a Best of Three Falls Match at 20:38

Falls

Doink pins Jannetty with the Whoopie Cushion at 7:16

Jannetty pins Doink with the flying forearm at 14:38

Jannetty via disqualification at 20:38

Fun Fact: Last week on Raw, Jannetty and Doink wrestled to a double count-out during their qualifying match. Following the match, referees had to come to ringside to pull the competitors apart. This sets up a rematch here tonight in a best 2 out of 3 match.

### Scott:

Wow, the crowd is way into the other Rocker as he makes the ring for this very anticipated rematch from last week's Raw. These two had a great match last week with a lot of back and forth action that ended in a double countout schmozz. So on this day we up the ante with two out of three falls bout. The match starts very deliberately with great psychology by Doink, trying to break clean and messing with Marty's head. They really battle back and forth, and Doink (as usual for a heel in this stipulation) gets the first fall. This could be one of the longest matches in Raw history to this point. Marty during the second fall cracks the clown with a stiff thrust kick, then a fist drop off the top rope leads to a three count and a tie 1-1 in the match. Vince, Bobby & Savage are in such symmetry on commentary; it seems like so long ago that Rob Bartlett was butchering the WrestleMania build with his nonsense. Doink almost looks like Matt Borne during the third fall as his makeup is totally off his face during the figure four spot. Doink usually doesn't wrestle TV matches this long and house show crowds probably can't see his face unless you're in the front row. It was perfect for this match to be in this arena with the bigger, hotter crowd than in the canned Manhattan Center crowd. Just as the match really hits the climax, we see the second Doink come down the aisle and hide under the ring. After some more great work, Doink goes under the ring but comes out again. Then when both men hit the deck, Doink goes under the ring and the OTHER Doink comes out. His paint isn't perfect but clearly, there's more makeup on this Doink's face, plus the wig is a bit ragged. Doink #2 hits the piledriver and gets the final pin. That brings Savage from his seat and drags Doink #1 from under the ring. The referee sees the jig is up and reverses the decision. Marty wins a great match, maybe a top three match in show history to this point.

### JT:

After their spirited match ended in a double countout last week, Marty Jannetty and Doink are back at it again here, but this time with a best of three falls stip attached to the bout. The crowd was revved up as Jannetty charged to the ring and as the match got under way. Doink played some mind games early, but Jannetty didn't bite initially. The Clown kept baiting him in and did it in a fairly creepy way until he finally landed a cheap shot punch and followed up with some chops and a headlock. After a criss-cross, Jannetty turned the tide with a monkey flip, but Doink went to the hair to cut things short, leading to a reset. Doink would continue to play games and draw Jannetty in, but Marty played fire with fire, deeking out the Clown on another criss-cross before spiking him to the mat. The Rocker started to work the arm, bearing down on Doink and keeping him on his heels, thwarting reversals and maintaining control of the limb. I love that they are working this bout in a different way than last week due to the stipulation, with slower pacing and more feeling out in the critical first fall. Marty picked up a near fall on another monkey flip as well as a backslide, but he made a crucial mistake with a wild charge to the corner that ended with a whiff on hitting Doink and crotching himself as a result. Doink quickly sped to the top and hit the whoopee cushion to grab the first fall.

After a break, Doink wasted no time going right at Jannetty to open the second fall, smothering him with verbal taunts and strikes followed by a double ax off the top and onto Marty, who was keeled over on the floor. As Doink cranked on a chinlock, McMahon ran through all of the pro athletes that were planning to show up on July 4th to attempt to bodyslam Yokozuna. Marty would break free and get a near fall on a rollup before hitting a suplex and a jaw-rattling superkick, but Doink would be saved by the ropes. A moment later, Jannetty sprinted to the top and hit a big fist drop to tie up the bout at one fall a piece. The crowd loved that.

The third fall started with Jannetty still on fire, landing an atomic drop for a near fall but Doink slid to the floor and yanked Jannetty hard to the mat before wrapping his leg hard across the post. Back inside, the Clown hooked in a figure four in the dead center of the ring. Just when things looked bleak with some damage done, Jannetty shifted the hold over, and Doink quick forced a rope break. The hold definitely took a toll as Jannetty hobbled around the ring with Doink hot on his trail, kicking away at the leg before locking in a tight STF. Pretty funny that none of the announcers had a clue as to what the hold was, with each stumbling to describe it. Looking to end the match, Doink slowly climbed to the top, but Jannetty popped up and slammed him hard to the mat. Marty did his best to limp through an offensive assault, but as he rattled Doink's head with punches, another Doink snuck underneath the ring. The fans leapt into action, telling Marty to check under the ring. He obliged, but Doink took advantage and kicked him in the side of the head. Back inside, Jannetty recovered and hit a dropkick that sent Doink right back to the floor and eventually under the ring. Jannetty was on to the jig and caught the original Doink as he slithered back inside. The Clown again ended up outside, and this time he was able to pull the switcharoo, which was obvious thanks to the fresh paint job. Jannetty survived momentarily, but eventually, the fresh Doink was just too much as he dropped Jannetty with a piledriver for the win. As Doink celebrated, Macho Man leapt into the ring and exposed the carny act, leading to the referee reversing his decision to a big pop from the crowd. Savage and Jannetty stood tall in the ring as the Doinks convalesced outside. That was a pretty good match that had a nice build and some well-executed psychology. I also liked the finish too with the double Doinks finally being exposed and bit in the ass as a result. Jannetty has been rock solid on Raw since his return and is a really good addition to the mid card.

### 3) Mr. Hughes defeats Bobby Who with a sidewalk slam at 3:01

### Scott:

Mr. Hughes comes out with the Undertaker's urn after what happened on Superstars a couple of weeks back. It's amazing how huge a superstar the Undertaker is, and how many times has he been on Raw? Twice in 22 episodes? Mr. Hughes throws his weight around while the guys on commentary are making fun of Bobby Who and the dopey jokes that go with it. Vince pimps all three Porky's movies at the end of the week on USA. I notice today's RAW announcers don't shill any of USA's programming. Why bother!

### JT:

Themis is back as a Raw ring girl, and Vince really hypes her up as Mr. Hughes smugly marched to the ring, Undertaker's urn in hand. Hughes stomped, clobbered... and dropkicked (!) Who before eventually finishing him off with a sidewalk slam. This was all a chance to showcase Hughes while pushing the feud between Undertaker and Wippleman's crew. And to push the Porky's movies, natch.

*** Vince McMahon announces that this weekend's All-American Wrestling will take place on the USS Intrepid, which is also revealed as the location of the Yokozuna Bodyslam Challenge on Independence Day. ***

### 4) Razor Ramon wrestles 1-2-3 Kid to a no contest at 5:31

Fun Fact: Flashback to the 5/17 episode of Raw...The Kid defeated Razor Ramon with a moonsault in a stunning upset. Since that time, Razor had been offering the newly named 1-2-3 Kid money for a rematch, offering $2,500, then $5,000, then $7,500 for the match. After being turned down three times, Ramon raises the amount to $10,000, which Kid finally accepts for the rematch.

### Scott:

The most anticipated rematch in Raw history to this point has finally arrived. May 17 was the notorious day when the jobber upstart shocked the world, and now the Kid has taken the $10,000 and immediately gets two tenuous two counts against the Bad Guy. Then Razor goes to town and just pummels the Kid with power moves, elbows, and glorified choke slams. He methodically butchers the kid with a powerslam and a back suplex off the second rope. Razor goes outside to lift up the padding and was going to hit the Razor's Edge on the concrete, but the Kid reverses into a backdrop. Kid hits a moonsault, then grabs the bag of money and runs off. He jumps in a car and leaves. Great psychology as he didn't need the win, but he'll take the money.

### JT:

And it is officially main event time, and perhaps the most unlikely WWF TV main event match in some time. Just about a month ago, the 1-2-3 Kid made history and shocked the world with a win over Razor Ramon. Since then, the Bad Guy has been obsessed with getting a rematch with the upstart and finally got him to cave when he upped the pot to $10,000. Kid is very trepidatious here, taking his time to climb on the apron and finally engage Ramon. Razor charged at him, but Kid ducked and ran him into the buckle before heading to the top to look for a quick finish. Kid would hit a sunset flip off the top for a two count and then land a dropkick and some spin kicks before Ramon caught him on a charge and sent him flying with a fallaway slam. As Ramon hammered Kid and crushed him with a clothesline, it looked like his magic had possibly run out. Ramon wrecked Kid with a urinage and then locked in an abdominal stretch, taunting him right back for all the weeks of embarrassment he had been enduring, before hitting a powerslam. Ramon really started to get cocky again as the Kid writhed on the mat. The Bad Guy would hit a back suplex off the middle rope and then shove Kid to the floor where Ramon met him and pulled up the protective mat. Looking to finish the Kid off for good, Ramon tried for a Razor's Edge, but Kid blocked it and backdropped him on the concrete. Again looking to end things in a flash, Kid scurried to the top but slipped and crashed hard to the exposed floor in a nasty bump. He would recover and hit a moonsault inside the ring, but this time Ramon kicked out and survived. With the Bad Guy down, Kid unleashed his plan as he grabbed the sack of money and sprinted backstage where he dove into a waiting car and sped away. This storyline continues to be really entertaining and well executed as Ramon keeps getting made to look foolish due to his arrogance with the Kid outsmarting him yet again.

*** Razor Ramon returns to ringside and vows that Kid can run, but he won't be able to hide as Razor is after him. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This Raw had three things that make a 1993 Raw episode great: One top flight workrate match, a big storyline rematch, and a Steiner Brothers squash of epic potato proportions. It's pretty amazing how little we have seen two major stars on Raw to this point: Bret Hart and Undertaker. In terms of real top-flight upper mid card/main event guys, probably Shawn Michaels and Yokozuna have been on more than anybody. The Steiners are not only jobber killers but also finally tag team champions, as it's time for Money, Inc. to take a step back in the title picture and let fresher teams battle for the gold. The Doink/Marty match was perfect TV fare as both guys really worked their asses off and put on one of the best TV matches of the year. Forget the wig, makeup, and gimmicks. Matt Borne is a great wrestler. I'm probably grading this match higher than I should, but it was really fun.

Final Grade:

### JT:

There is such a different feel when these episodes are live, and that was evident here. The announcing is more upbeat and exciting, the crowds are fresher, and shit is happening. We have new tag team champions; Razor Ramon is still filled with rage at the Kid and Mr. Hughes is gloating about putting the Undertaker out of action. Sandwiched into all the storyline developments was a real hot match between Marty Jannetty and Doink. The Clown as been a real workhorse on Raw in 1993 and since his return, Jannetty has been as well. We have seen some real good matches since episode one, but this was right up there with any of them. We also didn't have any fluff on this episode, with no interviews or trips backstage. Just four matches and lots of action and development. It wasn't the most exciting or memorable episode, but it was very effective. We are officially gearing up for the build to SummerSlam, but first, we have a very interesting detour with the Bodyslam Challenge, coming in just two weeks time.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #23

June 28, 1993 (Taped June 21, 1993)

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Shawn Michaels defeats Kamala to retain WWF Intercontinental Title with a superkick at 11:00

Fun Fact: Tonight, we say goodbye to Kamala on WWF TV. He would wrestle on house shows through the end of July before leaving the company. For the next two years, Jim Harris (who played Kamala) would go back to driving a truck before getting back into wrestling and joining WCW. The next time we will see Kamala in a WWF ring on TV is at WrestleMania X-Seven in the Gimmick Battle Royal.

### Scott:

Wow, they will throw anybody up against Shawn for the IC Title. He worked harder than when Hulk Hogan was WWF Champion. Even Marty Jannetty when he was IC Champion for that very short time fit in a title match on Raw. Shawn's bodyguard officially has a name, and it is Diesel. It's kind of weird to think about if Kamala had title shots throughout all of the promotions he worked in throughout the 1980s, from World Class to Mid-South to anywhere else around the world. He seemed like one of those novelty gimmicks meant to hunt down babyfaces and not really go after championships. It's a typical big man/little man match with Kamala using power moves and bear hugs, then Shawn grounds him with the leg. Vince is pimping the July 4 event as big as a PPV, as everybody will be watching and Savage is heavily promoting the charities involved in the event, like Tomorrow Children's Fund. This match is going longer than I thought it would. Kamala had the match won but did the stupid wrong pin attempt gag, and after Diesel distracted the big guy, Shawn superkicked him in the back of the head and retained the title.

### JT:

We are back at it for another week of Monday Night Raw action, and this go around we are taped and thus still inside the Mid-Hudson Civic Center. Our favorite Raw workhorse Shawn Michaels is back at it against the fading veteran Kamala. The big man turned face back in the winter but really became a glorified JTTS since then, essentially working as a lower mid card comedy act. But, he was enough of a threat that an IC title match with Michaels doesn't feel like a complete no-brainer for the champ. Michaels was escorted out here by his bodyguard Diesel, a man quickly making his presence known as a force to be reckoned with if you are tussling with the champ. After some early feeling out, Michaels landed the first few shots, but Kamala quickly overpowered him before sending his pleading his way into the corner and eventually out to the floor to regroup. Kamala kept laying in chops before slamming the champ and then hooked in a bear hug as the show went to break. When we returned, Kamala still had the hold in and was actually using it to score near falls. Michaels escaped, but Kamala dodged a dropkick and went right back on the attack, barreling Michaels hard into the corner but ultimately missed a charge in the corner, hurting his knee in the process. The champ gathered himself and went to work on the leg, keeping Kamala confined to the middle of the ring while softening the big man up. As Michaels kept the pressure on, Vince and Savage promoted the upcoming July 4th Bodyslam Challenge, naming the various athletes that would be partaking. Kamala was finally able to shove Michaels off and regain some control, but the damaged wheel kept him limping through his attack. He eventually had Michaels compromised but got confused during the pin cover and had Shawn on his stomach. After some hijinks, Diesel hopped on the apron and ran a diversion, allowing Michaels to pop up and superkick Kamala in the back of the head for the win. Kamala attacked Michaels after the bell, but Diesel made the save and left the Ugandan Giant laid out. Considering Kamala was involved, this actually wasn't that bad. It had some solid limb work, and Kamala showed a lot of energy throughout. The crowd was fairly invested too, right up until Diesel got involved. If nothing else, this was a good showcase for Diesel and what his role is in protecting the gold for Michaels.

*** Vince McMahon hops in the ring and welcomes out WWF Champion Yokozuna and his manager Mr. Fuji. Vince level sets the Bodyslam Challenge, running through why Fuji and Yokozuna issued the challenge before Fuji reminds us that they have invited athletes from any sport to show up and take a hack at slamming the champ. Fuji confirms that they want to demean American athletes, but McMahon says someone always steps up to the plate and hits a home run when it comes to defending the USA. Fuji reminds us that Hulk Hogan failed at slamming Yoko and Hulkamania is dead and says all of Japan will celebrate his victory. Yoko says that American athletes are just like American products: they are no good. Vince triggers the fans into a "USA" chant, and that is that. We then get comments from a few challengers planning to show up Sunday: George Martin (Giants), Jim Campen (Packers) and Tatanka (WWF). ***

### 2) Smoking Gunns defeat Iron Mike Sharpe & Barry Horowitz when Billy pins Horowitz after the Sidewinder at 4:26

### Scott:

I know that Vince had a cache of enhancement talent to put guys over, but I honestly didn't know Canada's greatest athlete was still with the company this late into 1993. He was on an earlier Raw episode against Mr. Perfect, but I thought he was gone after that. This is like an all-star jobber team with the iconic Barry Horowitz joining Iron Mike. The Gunns are clearly that kind of tag team that will be world champions at some point. Their finisher is a little sloppy with Bart almost missing Horowitz, but they can work on that. The match is typical TV fodder, but it's nice to see two iconic jobbers on screen again.

### JT:

As the Smoking Gunns jogged to the ring, Vince notes that the winner of the Bodyslam Challenge will also receive a red, white and blue Chevrolet pickup truck. The stakes have risen! The Gunns are still working their way up the ladder and tonight are challenged by a top-flight jobber team, and honestly, a team that could have been pretty damn good as legit contenders if used right. But, alas, they are nothing more than enhancement players at this point. Billy worked over Mike Sharpe to open things up, and soon enough Bart was doing the same to Horowitz. As Bart whiffed on a cross body and Horowitz leapt into an attack, Savage clarified that the Bodyslam Challenge would not be televised, and the only way to see it was to be live in NYC. The dream quickly died as Bart recovered and hit a flying forearm on Horowitz before tagging in his partner. Billy came in hot, cleaning house on both men before the Gunns finished off Barry with the Sidewinder. Squash city, nothing more to see here.

*** We revisit last week where 1-2-3 Kid pulled the okie doke on Razor Ramon, knocking the Bad Guy down long enough to escape with the bag filled with $10,000. Vince McMahon then returns to the ring to chat with the former WWF Tag Team Champions Money, Inc. Vince jokes about them not having the gold anymore after losing to the Steiners before IRS reveals that the title match contract guaranteed them a return match for the straps. DiBiase then pivoted and took a shot at Razor Ramon, saying he lost his cool and his money. He would also call him stupid letting things escalate like they did and put over the Kid for his intelligence in robbing Ramon blind. DiBiase tells him to go to school, perhaps to Michigan like the .Steiners and says he can stand in the ring with a letter jacket and stupid headgear on too. The crowd cheered for Ramon as Money, Inc. kept taking shots at him, offering him a job as their maid, before sauntering off. ***

### 3) Adam Bomb defeats PJ Walker with a powerbomb at 2:13

### Scott:

After a lengthy Money, Inc. promo, another well-known jobber hits the ring to take on the freak from Three Mile Island and his iconic manager Johnny Polo. The match was a quick squash that barely fit the hour with the long Yokozuna and Money, Inc. promos.

### JT:

Back to in ring action as the massive Adam Bomb is led to the ring by the very animated Johnny Polo. Old reliable PJ Walker is out there as his opponent, and he gets zero offense in as Bomb kicks him off the bell and never relented until winning the bout with a powerbomb. Adam Bomb keeps rolling on, still waiting for his first real rivalry in the promotion.

### 4) Crush defeats Bastion Booger with three bodyslams at 5:37

Fun Fact: Tonight, we see the return of Mike Shaw. Recall back in April; Shaw debuted as the mad monk, Friar Ferguson. Shaw's return to the ring is as a slobbish character named Bastion Booger. Allegedly, Shaw was given this character as a punishment for his weight issues.

### Scott:

So, Mike Shaw gets punished because Vince got crap for a religious gimmick, so now he's...this? He must be pissed off about this because multiple times he no-sold Crush's fireman's carry and he seemingly wouldn't even cooperate backdrop for him. The match is a horrible mess with the commentary focusing on the Stars & Stripes Challenge and who can body slam Yokozuna. Also, that Booger has a hump, and he smells like moldy fruit. Finally, Crush slams Booger three straight times, pumping him up as the possible favorite to slam Yoko on July 4.

### JT:

Tonight's show wraps up with the Raw debut of Bastion Booger, the newest gimmick for old Mike Shaw. We saw him briefly as Friar Ferguson, but that quickly bombed and drew more heat from outside the world of wrestling than from fans, so he was repackaged... to this. Crush seems to have finally shaken free of the Doinks and now his sights set on slamming Yokozuna on the Intrepid. Booger laid in some clubbing blows, also blocking a slam attempt, but Crush shook off the strikes and kicked away at the big guy. He followed with an ugly backdrop attempt, but Booger regained control and took the flight to the floor. After shoving Crush into the steel steps, Booger pulled him back inside and choked away at him. As Booger grabbed a bear hug, the announcers hyped the Bodyslam Challenge some more, only stopping when Crush finally broke free. Crush finally got himself going, taking Booger over with a fireman's carry before slamming the gargantuan three times in a row for the win. That match was really bad, one of the worst we have seen on Raw to date, but the finish was really well done. Crush is being prepped as a legit contender to slam Yokozuna on Sunday, so having him slam Booger here gives the fans some hope he can do it on the Intrepid as well. Booger was terrible here.

*** We get a clip of Randy Savage at the Meadowlands, where he talks with former New York Giants running back Joe Morris, who says he is coming in to slam "Yokozuno" on behalf of "Macho, Giants fans, and America." ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This show is a huge drop off from last week, with the in-ring action fairly unremarkable and at times downright atrocious with sloppy workers and boring power matches. I would never rip Adam Bomb because he was one of my favorite 1993 gimmicks. The focus of the show was to really pump up the Stars and Stripes Challenge on July 4, and the rest was just fluff. Next week's show will be very important as it's live and the day after the event on the Intrepid. So, we will blow this off as a throwaway taped show to get everyone ready for the big live show next week.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was not a very good show. They did a hell of a job hyping up the Stars & Stripes Challenge, but that was about it. The only other segment of interest was Money, Inc. ripping Razor Ramon to seemingly trigger a very interesting and unlikely feud. The in-ring action sucked pretty bad on this episode, with the two non-squash matches coming up very flat. And like I said above, the main event may be the worst match we have seen to date. Without the Intrepid hype, this would have been a real throwaway, but at least that made this episode somewhat worthwhile.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #24

July 5, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York City, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

Fun Fact: July 4, 1993...America's 217th birthday. In the WWF, Yokozuna ruled the wrestling landscape. As a way to show his dominance, a challenge was set up on the 4th of July and was open to anyone to try to bodyslam the Japanese monster on the USS Intrepid battleship. If a competitor could bodyslam him, they would win a red, white and blue truck and would defend the pride of America. Lots of athletes from inside and outside of wrestling made the attempt, all falling short of the America-defending slam. Just when it looked like all was lost, in comes a helicopter delivering the last hope for America, Lex Luger. In short order, Luger was able to bodyslam the 500+ pounder and bring victory to the USA. This was the beginning of the push for Luger as the replacement for Hogan as All-American babyface.

*** Vince McMahon, Randy Savage and Bobby Heenan narrate full highlights of yesterday's Bodyslam Challenge from the USS Intrepid. Yokozuna survived challenges from Lee Rouson (New York Giants), Bob Backlund, Peter Taglianetti (Pittsburgh Penguins), Scott Burrell (Charlotte Hornets), Scott Steiner, Tatanka, Bill Fralic (Detroit Lions), Crush and Randy Savage. When all hope looked lost, a helicopter arrived on the deck of the ship and out walked Lex Luger, decked out in an American flag button-down shirt. As he marched the ring, he shoved away consultant Bobby Heenan, got in Yoko's face and then dumped Mr. Fuji to the floor. A moment later, Luger avoided a charge, cracked Yoko with his forearm and slammed the grand champion to win the challenge, solidifying a face turn and defending his country along the way. ***

### 1) 1-2-3 Kid defeats Blake Beverly with a top rope leg drop at 8:00

### Scott:

We opened the show with all the highlights from the Intrepid, including Lex Luger's epic slam of Yokozuna and his obvious face turn. We then head back to Manhattan for the 1-2-3 Kid's first match since running off with Razor Ramon's $10,000. I guess the Beverly Brothers' face turn against Money, Inc. some time ago was temporary as Blake now has that smarmy look on his face as he comes to the ring. Blake works the Kid over during a majority of the match and gets chucked around the ring and outside the ring. Blake has seen better days, not really in great shape and let his hair grow to mullet-ish levels. The Kid had minimal offense as Blake really pitched him all over the place. The Kid made a quick spurt, including a dive to the outside but Blake caught Kid on a leap frog and suplexed him to the floor. The Kid recovers, hits the top rope leg drop and gets the big win. Psychology-wise that was a great match, with Blake beating the Kid senseless and then the late recovery and comeback for the win.

### JT:

We are back live inside the Manhattan Center, and history has been made this past weekend as Lex Luger eschewed his Narcissist character (one we haven't seen on Raw in a long while) and ensconced himself in the red, white and blue to bodyslam Yokozuna and save America from embarrassment. The building is red hot and burning with Americana as we start the show proper with our opening tilt. The 1-2-3 Kid is on the scene here for the first time since taking off with Razor Ramon's money and is being presented as more than a jobber for the first time. He has his own theme music and jazzed up tights with his name plastered all over them. Blake Beverly is still putting around here, basically doing job duty and doing it well, God bless him, despite having packed on some pounds... quite a few actually. He even gets an entrance, but that classic Beverly swagger has clearly dissipated. As Kid smiles his way to the ring, he says hi to nearly every fan and even shakes hands with Vince and Randy. They really played up how he was just happy to be here. Blake landed a punch off the bell, but Kid quickly came right back and knocked him to the floor. From there, he started to show off, hitting a sky-high dropkick off a flapjack attempt followed by an enzuguri for a near fall. Blake cut him down with a powerslam and followed that with a neckbreaker and a suplex over the top rope, sending Kid crashing to the floor. Blake started to show off his size advantage, spiking Kid hard to the mat and then hitting a big leaping headbutt. He then hit a powerslam for a near fall before punishing Kid with a sharp clothesline and a shoulder block that knocked Kid outside a third time. Blake domination crashed to a cocky halt when he missed a dive off the second rope to the floor and Kid capitalized with a somersault senton off the top. He pitched Blake back inside, but Blake countered a leap frog with a back suplex. Kid would dodge a splash off the middle rope and crunch Blake with a top rope leg drop to nab the win. This was a damn fine little match, honestly one of the better ones we have seen on Raw outside the top tier. Blake really brought it and based on this alone they should have given him more of a singles push as he looked good on offense and put Kid over strong. And speaking of the Kid, he gets a nice hard-fought win while surviving an ass kicking while also unleashing some of his aerial arsenal.

*** We get a vignette for the soon-to-be debuting Men on a Mission. ***

### 2) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Joey Maggs with an avalanche splash at 0:40

### Scott:

Bam Bam Bigelow had a great performance at the King of the Ring, including a gutty, tough loss to Bret Hart in the finals. So he gets back up on the horse with a nice tidy squash alongside his main squeeze Luna Vachon. This was quick and painless.

### JT:

Coming off the biggest night in his WWF career at King of the Ring, Bam Bam Bigelow is back at it here tonight and is accompanied by his new valet and main squeeze, Luna Vachon. Luna almost helped him with the tournament in Dayton, but he came up just short against the Hitman. Bigelow wastes no time in destroying longtime jobber Joey Maggs, reminding us all what a beast he really is.

### 3) Undertaker defeats Samu with a chokeslam at 9:00

### Scott:

The first live Raw appearance of the Deadman since the show debuted in January! That is unfathomable. The Deadman has no urn and no Paul Bearer after the heinous acts of Harvey Wippleman's crew on Superstars a few weeks ago. Taker's in-ring stuff was still pretty stiff and limited (more on the gimmick than his ability) but another point here is that Samu is able to really work Taker over as most Taker matches dictate. He hits slams, head butts and any other combination of power and aerial moves with Taker "half-selling" as opposed to no-selling, more to sell the lack of an urn or Paul Bearer right now. Samu hits the top rope head butt, but Taker hits the chokeslam/tombstone combo for the victory. That was a fun little sprint with great work by Samu and Taker did a good job of not being too dominant, as the stolen urn storyline continues.

### JT:

We haven't seen the Undertaker on Raw in quite a long time, since the early weeks of the show, but he arrives here in Manhattan, having recovered from the vicious assault at the hands of Mr. Hughes and Giant Gonzalez a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, his manager Paul Bearer hasn't quite convalesced yet, so Taker is going at it alone. He also doesn't have it easy here tonight as he will battle one-half of the hard-hitting Samoans, Samu. Taker unloaded some thrusts to open things up, but Samu stood toe-to-toe with the Deadman, not backing down at all. Taker would take Samu down with a drop toehold (!), but the Samoan quickly bailed to the floor to regroup. The Deadman followed that with a dropkick (!!) and Samu bailed yet again, clearly thrown off by this new arsenal of Taker. Samu would finally find an opening when Afa ran some interference on the floor, as the Samoan cracked Taker from behind and then leveled him with a side kick. Afa laid some kicks in as well followed by Samu running Taker into the ring steps and then pitching him back inside. The Samoan hit a powerslam followed by a bodyslam, but Taker wouldn't stay down. Samu would clothesline him over the top, but Taker landed on his feet, came right back in the ring and grabbed the Samoan by the throat, shoving him hard into the corner. Samu survived that and hit a sidewalk slam and then landed a flying headbutt off the top, but Taker again sat back up and planted Samu with a chokeslam and Tombstone for the win. Not a bad little power match with Samu getting some good offense in (as Taker sold more with no urn present) and Taker opening up the vault a bit and mixing it up out there. It was a good showcase for both and was nice to see Taker in this setting yet again.

*** Vince McMahon brings Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji to ringside for a chat. Vince rubs in Luger's slam, saying Fuji's celebration was ruined. Fuji denied this, saying Luger hip tossed Yoko and that it wasn't actually a slam. Vince says that Fuji denied Luger's request for a WWF Title match and Fuji rambles on with reasons why before saying he would accept any challenge that came their way. Crush then showed up and put over Luger before accepting Fuji's open challenge. Fuji tried to back out but Vince boxed him in, and Yoko eventually gave in. Crush said he was proud to be an American and would levy more embarrassment at the champ next week on Raw. ***

### 4) Mr. Perfect defeats Brian Costello with a Perfectplex at 1:00

### Scott:

Fresh off the heels of the Yokozuna/Crush confrontation, this is a quick and painless squash of another iconic jobber.

### JT:

With just minutes to spare, Mr. Perfect shows up, puts his gum on the glasses of a Rosatti sister and then quickly beats Brian Costello with the Perfectplex.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Having the Undertaker on this episode instantly ups the grade to what it would have been if someone else was in the match. The big theme was of course Lex Luger slamming Yokozuna the day before on the Intrepid. Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji's promo really got the ball rolling on that feud, because not only did they says Luger cheated but Yoko he also won't get a WWF Title shot out of the deal. We will see if that stonewalling continues. The rest of the show was enhancement squashes, which to be frank are starting to slog the show down a bit. It does give the chance for fun back and forth between Vince, Savage, and Bobby. The SummerSlam build should be starting soon, and we are off and running.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Our return to the Manhattan Center brought along with it a pretty solid episode of Raw and a nice bounce back after last week's rough installment. Both Kid/Beverly and Undertaker/Samu were pretty solid bouts, and I would argue that the former is one of the best we have seen since the show debuted. The Luger/Yoko stuff was clearly the main focus, as it should be, and the wheels are in motion for Lex to be the top contender for Yoko's title, even if Mr. Fuji is denying it thus far. The squash matches were really quick due to a time crunch, but that made the show feel more real and live, which I like. We also set up Crush/Yoko for next week. Was this an all-time classic? No. But it was a pretty easy watch with a good crowd, and it jammed a lot into just 45 minutes.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #25

July 12, 1993 (Taped July 5, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York City, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Yokozuna defeats Crush to retain WWF Heavyweight Title with the Banzai Drop at 10:00

Fun Fact: During the Bodyslam Challenge, Crush had attempted to slam Yokozuna, getting him slightly off of his feet before failing. The following night after Yokozuna was slammed by Lex Luger, Mr. Fuji came out and offered an open challenge for the WWF title. Crush came out to answer the challenge. Mr. Fuji was hesitant, but Yokozuna accepted the challenge to take place this week on Raw.

### Scott:

So, after WrestleMania IX, the WWF Champion doesn't show up live ONCE. Yokozuna defeats the now former WWF Champion at King of the Ring, and he shows up on TV and now actually defends the World Title here against the Kona Crush. Of course, we are slowly beginning the build to Lex Luger ascending after what happened on the Intrepid. The Manhattan Center crowd is pretty hot (for the second show that night, taped from last week). This is the kind of nuclear heat that Yoko was bringing made him maybe the best heel in the company and possibly in wrestling (next to Vader). Crush was trying to keep pace, but it was almost a glorified squash, as Yoko dominated the last five or six minutes of the match and finishes Crush with the banzai drop. Then, Yoko ups the ante with four squashes on Crush after the bell and then takes out some bums as well. Randy Savage finally comes up from the table (after Vince warned him he couldn't get involved) and gets Crush out of the ring. Was he too late? Crush was taken out on a stretcher, and Bobby Heenan kept blaming Lex Luger for what happened after last week on the Intrepid. This was a decent match but an overall great segment that really puts Yokozuna over the edge.

 for the entire segment

### JT:

Well, we waste no time getting right to it. Last week, Crush accepted Mr. Fuji's foolish open challenge (you think he would have learned) and gets his WWF Title match to open up the show here tonight. Yokozuna has been a man possessed since ending Hulkamania in Dayton and is being pushed further and further by Lex Luger, who slammed him on July 4th. Bobby Heenan agreed as he promises a meaner, nastier Yokozuna in the house tonight. Crush was fired up as he entered and the crowd was fully in his corner. The announcers discuss how Crush indeed got Yoko's leg off the mat in the slam challenge, coming the closest to do the deed before Luger got it done. The crowd actually sang the National Anthem and waved little American flags as Crush and Yoko gathered themselves. That was pretty damn cool. We got a big lockup to start with neither man really budging. Crush got things started though, landing two big punches to the dome. Yoko would slam Crush down but missed an elbow drop, and Crush made him pay with a big boot that sent him out to the floor. Crush did whatever he could to rock the champ when he returned to the ring, slinging him into the corner and hitting a running splash. Yoko dodged a second one and sent Crush to the mat with a double thrust. Yoko dropped Crush with a stun gun and then started to work him over with more thrusts and kicks as well as a nerve hold. Crush fought to his feet and was able to dodge an avalanche before unleashing a dropkick and clothesline to knock Yoko off his feet. The challenger hurried to the top rope and hit a flying shoulderblock for a close near fall and then went right back up a second time, but Fuji cracked him with the flag pole and sent him crashing outside. Yoko followed him out and slammed him hard before pitching him back in. The champ then hit a leg drop and finished Crush off with the banzai drop. Yoko continued to show his new aggressive streak after the match, wrecking Crush with three more splashes as Heenan ranted about how this all Lex Luger's fault. Tatanka and a jobber came out to help, but Yoko swatted them away and kept bringing the heat. Before Yoko could land another one, Randy Savage slipped in the ring and yanked Crush to safety. Macho acted despite warnings from Vince that his contract clearly prevented him from getting involved in the ring. Heenan continued to rant as Yoko taunted Savage and celebrated with Fuji. This was all incredibly well done. The commentary was next level, selling Yoko's newfound aggression all throughout the match and explaining exactly why he was so pissed off and fired up. The match was solid, with Crush getting a couple of hope spots but ultimately putting the champ over fairly clean, solidifying him as a monster. Then, the post-match was tremendous, with Yoko snapping and just taking all his frustration out on Crush until Savage made the save. And even that part had some storyline woven into it. Easily one of the best Raw angles to date here tonight to open the show.

*** After a break, Crush is carried to the back on a stretcher. ***

### 2) Headshrinkers defeat Aaron Ferguson & PJ Walker when Fatu pins Ferguson with the top rope splash at 3:23

### Scott:

The Headshrinkers are apparently taking the same path as the Steiner Brothers as they have become increasingly stiff in the ring and these poor bastards are the recipients of it. In fact, PJ Walker may have been completely knocked out while Ferguson was beaten senseless. They have (to me) forged ahead of Money, Inc. as the top heels on the tag team ladder and a match with the Steiners would be awesome.

### JT:

As the Headshrinkers headed out for their match, Heenan really kept pouring it on to Lex Luger, blaming him for everything that just unfolded. This crowd is great, loudly chanting "Afa" before the match. They brought the heat tonight. The Samoans mashed both Ferguson and Walker, beating the piss out of them and dropping them on their heads before hitting the top rope splash for the win. The Headshrinkers continue to give the Steiners a run for their money when it comes to wrecking jobbers. Speaking of the Steiners, Vince notes that their titles will be on the line this weekend on Superstars against Money, Inc.

### 3) Tatanka defeats Brooklyn Brawler with the Papoose to Go at 7:13

### Scott:

Still undefeated, still without any title shots since WrestleMania. Kayfabe, what a pisser. The announcers are really not paying attention because they are still talking about what happened to Crush earlier in the show. Brawler is actually bringing the heat back to the Native American, and it's a more 50/50 match as Brawler is stalling and bringing some offense, including choking with his stinky Yankees shirt. I couldn't fathom if Rob Bartlett was still here while all this actual storyline stuff was going on. Tatanka makes the comeback and gets the victory. Still undefeated, still no title shots.

### JT:

Tatanka is back in the house this week and matched up with the Brooklyn Brawler. They have really been rolling out the jobber red carpet lately. As Tatanka lit up Brawler with a chop, Randy Savage returned to the booth to give an update on his buddy Crush. He tells Heenan to shut up and stop gloating and makes his pitch to Jack Tunney as to why he got involved and shouldn't be punished for it. Heenan gives it right back to him, but Savage tells him to no "switch the heat" which should all be on Yoko. The match featured a lot of stalling by the Brawler in between offense from Tatanka, but the announcers were completely engrossed in discussing what happened earlier. Brawler was able to take Tatanka down and lay some offense in, including a nice neck breaker that actually got Vince's attention. Brawler cranked in a side headlock after actually eschewing his shirt and showing off his... well, whatever. They are clearly just eating up time, so the announcers can push the storyline in the booth. Tatanka finally made a comeback and hit the Papoose to win. I am all set never seeing this match again.

### 4) Mr. Hughes defeats Tony DeVito with a sidewalk slam at 2:13

### Scott:

My favorite bodyguard is back to beat on Basil DeVito's cousin, per Vince. That's an inside rib on an employee in the company. Savage says the guy owes him money. While Hughes is pummeling the poor stiff, some guy comes up to ringside with a black wreath that says Rest in Peace. Clearly, the storyline with the Undertaker continues, and after the match, a clearly unnerved Hughes rips the wreath apart. That feud continues, which I like because Hughes is one of my favorite guys at this point.

### JT:

Mr. Hughes makes his Raw return here tonight, looking to get back on track after his KOTR opening round loss. Of course, he has bigger issues at hand, as the Undertaker is back, pissed off and ready for revenge. As Hughes mauls DeVito, a random dude brings out a black wreath, symbolizing that trouble isn't far off for Hughesy. DeVito stood no chance here as Hughes grabs the win with a sidewalk slam. After the win, Hughes reads the tag on the wreath, which reads "From: The Undertaker" and the destroys the gift. The highlight here was Vince and Randy mocking Hughes for taking so long to read the note with Heenan defending him because he is wearing sunglasses.

*** It is time for our first SummerSlam report with Gene Okerlund! The following matches are discussed:

Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler

Gene also notes that Lex Luger has hinted that he will be launching a campaign to lock in that WWF Title shot. Things are really heating up, and we are just over a month away from the biggest show of the summer! ***

*** We get another vignette for Men on Mission, including a rap from Oscar that serves as a general introduction to the group. ***

### 5) Adam Bomb defeats Scott Atami at 2:39

### Scott:

Is Scott Amati an intern? He looks like he's a sophomore at New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn. Johnny Polo looks crazy swank in his matching plaid outfit. Adam Bomb was a beast early on, another of my favorite gimmicks. After our high-profile WWF Title match to start the show, we have had a steady feed of jobber squashes (except perhaps the Tatanka match), along with another Men on a Mission vignette and our first SummerSlam report with Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler as our first match announced. Bomb wins easily.

### JT:

Johnny Polo is a fucking pimp. What a great outfit. The original Yacht Rocker. Adam Bomb is back again, slowly building up his resume here with each passing win. His opponent is Josh Richer...er, Scott Atami. Savage returned again, and he and Heenan continued to argue over the Crush stuff as Bomb wasted Atami, notching the win with a powerbomb.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a great, jam-packed episode that included a rare World Title match on RAW. Crush not only loses but is beaten down post match. They made a big deal out of Randy Savage not being allowed to interfere or help, but he eventually does. Hmmmm, that's interesting. The last recap I mentioned that they are going a bit overboard on jobber squashes but this week some interesting fodder, including a guy who may not have even reached puberty yet. My bromance with the iconic Mr. Hughes continues with black wreaths delivered by the Undertaker. Overall, a solid episode with a lot of in-ring action, and to me. an enhancing of Yokozuna as a heel badass that had been lacking a bit.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this episode started off red-hot and then kind of went off a cliff. The crowd was hot throughout, and the commentary was on fire, but the action after the opener was really nothing to write home about. The squashes were fine, but that Tatanka/Brawler was really boring. The Yoko/Crush/Savage angle was fantastic and easily one of my favorites to date here, and because they layered in so much and carried it on throughout the commentary, I definitely give the rest of the show a bit of a pass. It was a strong episodic offering, and that is the goal. Bobby Heenan, Randy Savage, and Vince McMahon have been spectacular the last two weeks and it all crested here, especially late in the show when Savage was just snapping at Heenan to shut up as the Brain kept trolling, blaming Savage, Luger and Crush for everything that went down. With that type of storytelling and commentary, even a sluggish back end of an episode can hum along.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #26

July 19, 1993

Manhattan Center

New York City, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

*** We open with highlights of Lex Luger's press conference to launch his Lex Express bus tour and campaign as he works to secure a WWF World Title match at SummerSlam. ***

### 1) Shawn Michaels defeats Marty Jannetty to retain WWF Intercontinental Title after Jannetty missed a dive to the floor at 23:00

Fun Fact: The longstanding rivalry between former tag team partners continues here. Recall that back at the beginning of June, Shawn Michaels won the IC title back from Marty Jannetty at a house show with the assistance of new bodyguard, Diesel. On the 7/3 episode of Superstars, Jannetty lost again to Michaels with more interference from Diesel.

### Scott:

You could say that this feud is a nominee for PWI Feud of the Year, as these guys have had multiple matches from PPV and free TV and all have been really good. Perhaps Shawn's regaining the title should count there too. This is probably the final encounter for these two and I'm guessing right off the bat that Michaels will probably win this match as the inevitable title match with Mr. Perfect is on the horizon for SummerSlam. After a few minutes, we get a phantom finish as Marty Jannetty gets a pin after a DDT but Shawn's foot was on the ropes that the referee didn't see. So, when we return from break, the match is restarted, and Michaels starts to take control. Shawn is looking a little beefy compared to (and I can't believe I'm saying this) the better conditioned Jannetty. Both men actually go back and forth after Shawn did some Ric Flair-like tactics, using the ropes for leverage on a front facelock. Then Marty gets about three or four very close two counts in a row as both men really go at it. This may be the forgotten great match of the set, as most remember the 5/17 match only because Marty won the title in that bout, but this match won PWI Match of the Year. Eventually, Marty goes for a throw and Shawn ducks, so Marty goes flying out to the floor. Diesel tosses him back in, and Shawn barely pins him to retain the IC Title. It was a really great match, and Shawn finally dispatches his former tag team partner. He probably moves on to Mr. Perfect now, or whoever his opponent will be for SummerSlam.

### JT:

We are back live this week inside the Manhattan Center and waste no time in kicking off the show with a big-time rematch between Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. It was just about two months ago that Jannetty shocked the WWF with a surprise return and upset win to take Michaels' IC gold. A month after that, Michaels debuted his new bodyguard and regained his strap from his former teammate. Now, Jannetty gets one more crack at it, and the fans in NYC were ready for the magic to happen again. Michaels landed the first blow, taking advantage of Jannetty being distracted by Diesel. Jannetty made a quick comeback, reversing a few offensive moves for near falls before sending the champ flying to the floor. When he returned, Michaels was able to grab a tight side headlock, but Jannetty escaped and continued to frustrate Michaels by dodging or reversing all of his offense. That is a nice little plot point as Jannetty really does know Michaels quite well and can duck away from his big shots. The champ got dirty and took a cheap shot around the referee but missed a big charge into the corner leading to a flurry from the challenger. Michaels slowed things back down with a back elbow but ate a boot on another hard charge and the challenger followed with a clothesline off the middle rope and DDT for... the win? It sure looked like it, but Diesel hopped in the ring and pointed out that Shawn's foot was on the ropes during the cover.

After a break, everything was sorted out thanks to Bobby Heenan, and his monitor and the match was back under way with Jannetty still in control, snapping Shawn over with a suplex for two. Jannetty kept pouring it on, eventually grabbing a sleeperhold but Michaels broke that with a back suplex. The champ landed a stiff back elbow and shoved Jannetty to the floor so he could buy a moment to regroup. He eventually ambled outside as well where he shoved the challenger back into the ring. The two would collide on a criss-cross, and the force knocked Shawn right back to the floor, where Diesel met him and tried to help him recover. After another commercial, Michaels quickly scurried to the top rope and hit a clubbing blow on Marty for two. Michaels worked to ground Jannetty from there, wrangling him to the mat with a front chancery. Jannetty finally broke free and hit a leaping back elbow for a near fall before reversing a powerbomb into a head scissors takeover. Michaels bounced up and again sprinted to the top rope where he hit a cross body that the challenger reversed for a near fall. Jannetty followed with a rocker dropper, but Shawn suckered him in towards the ropes and was able to avoid a flying dive by Marty, who crashed hard outside. With the referee tied up, Diesel pitched Jannetty back inside for Michaels to easily cover for the win. That was a really hot match with great pacing from both guys. They never stopped hustling, and Michaels is so good at giving a ton of offense but never looking weak. Jannetty was crisp and on point again too, and Diesel was effective without being too involved. The win by Michaels puts this issue to bed finally so he can move on. It will be interesting to see where Jannetty goes from here. This is yet another of the best Raw matches to date as the overall in-ring quality has picked up since the late spring.

*** Vince McMahon welcomes Money, Inc. to the ring for an interview and immediately busts them up about losing their straps to the Steiner Brothers. IRS reveals that they have a rematch coming up this weekend on Superstars and there will be no referee reversals or payoffs and that the titles are coming home. Ted DiBiase then starts taking shots at Razor Ramon again, calling him a loser and makes fun of him for losing to a nobody punk that stole $10,000 from him. Ramon saunters out to a huge pop as DiBiase keeps ranting and offers Ramon a gig as their toilet cleaner. Ramon says he doesn't mind working with his hands, but he does for himself and not for DiBiase or IRS. DiBiase then offers him some money before slapping it across his face. Ramon then shoves him down and pitches IRS to the floor as the crowd cheers him on. Money, Inc. hops back in the ring, and DiBiase vows to embarrass Ramon by challenging 1-2-3 Kid and wiping the mat with him. ***

### 2) Men on a Mission defeat Rich Myers & Hank Harris when Mabel pins Harris with a big splash at 1:51

Fun Fact: Nelson Frazier (Mabel) and "Bobby" Lee Horne (Mo) make their tag team debut in the WWF here at Men on a Mission. The duo originally got their start in the Pro Wrestling Federation and USWA as the brother tag team, the Harlem Knights.

### Scott:

A very bright combination of guys makes their RAW debut after a couple weeks of vignettes. Two big dudes from the streets with their rapping manager Oscar, Mo, and Mabel come out to a pretty good response from the crowd with Oscar's rapping intro and generic hip-hop music in the background. They make quick work of these two stiffs while the announce guys recap the Razor Ramon/Money, Inc. situation that just occurred. An easy squash for their debut win.

### JT:

After a few weeks of hype, Men on a Mission make their official in-ring debut. Oscar leads Mo and Mabel to the ring rapping, and the fans seemed pretty into the whole thing. MOM worked fast, knocking Harris to the floor and then double-teaming Myers, including Mabel dropping a big leg on him. Harris eventually made his way back in as the crowd chanted "Whoomp, There It Is!" which really helps the ambiance. As Oscar laid a challenge to Money, Inc. on the outside, Mabel hit a giant splash on Harris to grab the win. That was a pretty good debut, and they certainly felt like stars out of the gate, especially with the rapping and the crowd buying right into the whole act.

*** Gene Okerlund is back with this week's SummerSlam Report and the following matches are covered:

Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez – Rest in Peace Match

Gene also notes that Jack Tunney will announce a decision regarding Lex Luger's quest for a WWF Title match with Yokozuna. It's the hottest night of the summer for sure! ***

*** We get footage of the initial stops on the Lex Express Call to Action bus tour, with Luger greeting fans and take photos at local landmarks. ***

### 3) Bastion Booger defeats Scott Despres with a sit-down splash at 1:28

### Scott:

PTBN member Matt Rotella's favorite wrestler makes an appearance here against a poor bastard that will have to have his head between Booger's legs. Why did Mike Shaw get punished with this gimmick because Friar Ferguson was inappropriate? Unless he came up with it, then he deserves the fact he smells like a combination of damp laundry and moldy fruit. The match is thankfully quick and painless.

### JT:

Our buddy Bastion Booger is back this week, and Vince wastes no time calling him a gargoyle and a warthog, and both seem to fit well. Booger squashes Despres with ease, sitting on his back, dropping a leg on him and the polishing him off with a sit-down splash. That is my kind of squash, quick and painless and hard hitting enough to get the crowd engaged. The gimmick is pretty awful, but Booger is good as a potential JTTS, picking up wins like this to establish himself as a player.

*** Jerry Lawler comes out for a special edition of the King's Court. His guest is music ...icon (?) Tiny Tim, the master of the ukulele. King makes jokes about his outfit as Tim gleefully just shrugs the barbs off. King asks Tim to sing Tiptoe Through the Tulips but cuts him off right away and makes fun of his voice. King also references his marriage to Miss Vickie and asks him when his career died and what he is up to now. Tim continues to just deadpan the answers and plug his upcoming show, ignoring all of King's attacks. The fans chant for Bret Hart as King asks Tim if he thinks he is a Burger King. Tim says he is not a Burger King, but he is a Dairy Queen. King snaps at that one and then destroys his prized ukulele, sending Tim into overacted tears. King closes out by promising to destroy Bret Hart as well. ***

### 4) 1-2-3 Kid defeats Chris Duffy with a leg drop off the top rope at 2:17

### Scott:

Earlier in the show, Ted DiBiase challenged the Kid to a match, pretty much to humiliate Razor Ramon. That match location is to be determined. Speaking of Money, Inc., they come out to watch the match with Kid and the iconic (well ok maybe not) Chris Duffy. Razor Ramon comes out to make sure there are no shenanigans. Where did Duffy get those tights? Good grief. Watch this episode, and you'll see what I mean. Kid wins the match with his top rope leg drop, and then because both exits are blocked, Kid leaves through the crowd. Razor then flicks his toothpick at DiBiase, and we are off the air.

### JT:

1-2-3 Kid has settled right into the roster as a regular competitor, even getting slated for a showcase match here against the beloved Chris Duffy. Kid quickly goes on the attack, grabbing a fast near fall but as he locked up with Duffy, Money, Inc. showed up in the aisle. Vince reveals that Kid accepted DiBiase's challenge for a match to be determined in the future. Razor Ramon would emerge as well, ensuring Money, Inc. stayed away from the Kid. Duffy landed one shot in, but Kid pretty much owned the match as the focus continued to be around Ramon and Money, Inc. at ringside. Kid kept flying around at a crisp pace before finishing Duffy with a top rope leg drop. After the match, Kid assessed everyone at ringside and snuck out through the crowd. Quick, fun squash with a lot of excitement due to what was going down at ringside.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This episode should get an A right off the bat for that awesome IC Title match between the former Rockers. It's amazing how even though Shawn Michaels was starting to look a little out of shape he was kind of working his butt off show-in and show-out and getting really good matches out of everybody. We finally get the debut of Men on a Mission who are funny comedic guys that enhance the babyface side of the tag division. We also start seeing the slow babyface turn of Razor Ramon which was clearly needed. The show is in a good groove now with storylines (it seems like it coincided with Hulk Hogan leaving, what a surprise). One of my favorite episodes thus far, even with the Bastion Booger sighting.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was a really damn good episode of Raw, with a red-hot title match kicking us off and lots of angle development following. I think this Jannetty/Michaels certainly rivals their May tilt, just with a little less drama involved. We also had the very iconic King's Court with Tiny Tim, which is a hallmark segment of the early years of Raw. Add in a few quick hitting squashes and the big face turn of Razor Ramon, and we had a show that chugged along and never slowed down. In addition, we had the hot debut of MOM, who looked like stars out of the gate thanks to their atmosphere and the crowd buying into the act. Capping it all off was just enough pushing of the Lex Express without going too overboard in hyping it. The SummerSlam hype is fully underway, and hopefully, the hot Raws will continue as well.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #27

July 26, 1993 (Taped July 19, 1993)

Manhattan Center

New York City, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

*** We open with a word from Doink the Clown, who calls out Randy Savage for getting involved in his match with Marty Jannetty and promises that he has a little surprise for him. ***

### 1) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Bret Hart by countout at 17:00

Fun Fact: In the King of the Ring finals in June, Bret Hart won the crown in a disputed finish. Originally, Bam Bam Bigelow won the match when Luna Vachon came to ringside and hit Hart with a chair, and he subsequently hit Bret with a headbutt. Another referee ordered the match to be restarted with Hart getting the pin.

### Scott:

We open the show with a rematch from a great King of the Ring final between the Hitman and the best Asbury Park, New Jersey had to offer. Bret's parents, Stu & Helen are in the building up in the balcony. Really Bret? Those were the best seats you could get them? We haven't had many Bret Hart matches on Raw, so it's a treat to see him tonight. His match with Jerry Lawler is one of only two matches scheduled for SummerSlam at the moment, so I think we will see more of Bret in the coming weeks. Bigelow never truly got the respect and recognition he deserved as a worker, as he is really working the Hitman over and has great heel offense to work a match over. Bobby says Lawler is in Manhattan today and with Stu and Helen in the house, you know the jabs will begin when he gets to the building. With this match, it's evident Vince is going to start adding some real showcase matches at the start of the show to get the crowd really fired up, particularly during these taped episodes. Bret takes control mid-match and starts laying the shots in but Bigelow keeps kicking out, and both men continue to go at each other. Eventually, after a bulldog, Bret is about to ratchet the Sharpshooter up when Jerry Lawler comes through the balcony to badger Stu and Helen. Bret gets distracted, and Bigelow starts working the Hitman over while Lawler just lays into Calgary's royal family. Bret is beating down Bigelow, but he is fed up with Lawler's barbs and leaves the ring to confront him, and gets counted out. Lawler bails before Bret can get to the balcony. The match was so good until the bad ending. Bigelow (sort of) gets his win back from KOTR.

### JT:

We come at you on tape this week, still inside the Manhattan Center and our opener is a big one as Bret Hart battles Bam Bam Bigelow in a KOTR Finals rematch. Hart was a stalwart on Raw early on but hasn't been as active of late. He is embroiled in a feud with Jerry Lawler, and their match is set for Auburn Hills at SummerSlam. Bigelow is joined by his now ever-present main squeeze Luna Vachon, but as the Hitman marches out, we discover that Bret's parents Stu and Helen are seated up in the balcony to check out their son's match. Bigelow hammered away to start and then planted Hart hard with a shoulder block. Hart would duck a hard right hand and land a dropkick and clothesline to send Bammer flailing to the floor. Bret followed him out and was able to eschew a Luna distraction to maintain control. He followed with a seated crossbody off the top but seemingly tweaked his knee as he landed. Bigelow regrouped and assessed the situation and then started to kick away at the knee as we took a break. After the commercial, Hart was still hobbled and now crumpled up on the floor. He would crawl back inside, but Bigelow immediately folded him up with a back suplex, grabbing a near fall. Bigelow really started taking his time, methodically using his power to keep Hart grounded and in pain. Bobby Heenan kept promising that Lawler was going to show up at some point and McMahon and Savage wondered if he was telling the truth and what the King was going to do. Bammer's confidence rose as he slammed Hart down viciously and dropped two headbutts on him, with Vince saying he is focused on KOTR revenge. Hart would dodge a third headbutt and hit a back suplex of his own before pelting Bigelow with an elbow to the skull for two. Bigelow fought his way back into things and hit a dropkick before grabbing a tight rear chinlock. Hart escaped and landed some right hands before sending Bigelow flying with a back body drop. Hart was still favoring the knee as he stayed aggressive in his attack, hitting a Russian leg sweep and a clothesline off the middle rope for two. Hart then leapt on Bigelow's back and hooked a sleeper, but Bigelow stayed on his feet and used the corner to break the hold. Hart came right back with a bulldog and loaded up the Sharpshooter, but before he could finish applying it, Jerry Lawler's voice boomed throughout the building. The camera panned up to show the King chatting with Stu & Helen, leading to Bret releasing the hold and climbing out of the ring and into the crowd. Bigelow yanked him back to ringside and posted him as Lawler started laying into the Harts. Stu tried to give it back to him, but Lawler just ate him up and started taunting Bret as he crawled back in the ring. Bigelow pounded away, picking up a near fall, as Lawler kept up the lounge act in the balcony. Bammer really started to unload, hitting a heavy senton but Hart was able to dodge a second one to buy some time. The Hitman punched away and hit a DDT, but instead of covering, Hart left the ring and went into the crowd. He would be counted out, giving Bigelow the win, but Lawler escaped before Bret could arrive. This was a good match, a notch below their KOTR tilt, but still well worked and lots of heavy offense by both. The Lawler stuff was necessary for the angle, but it really derailed the flow of what could have been a great bout. Still, it was needed to build more heat for SummerSlam, so all told this was a very effective segment, with a strong match and good angle development.

*** Gene Okerlund is in the house with our SummerSlam Report as the biggest show of the summer inches ever closer. Here are the matches discussed:

Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna – WWF World Title

Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez – Rest in Peace Match

August 30th! Join us live! ***

### 2) Mr. Hughes defeats Russ Greenberg with a sidewalk slam at 3:06

### Scott:

We continue this "Scott's favorite hosses" episode of RAW as Mr. Hughes comes out with Undertaker's urn to beat on some poor stiff. Like Hughes' last match, we have a black funeral wreath delivered to ringside. Hughes pummels poor Ross Greenberg to the ground, as expected. Then he destroys the wreath like he did last time. The mind games continue.

### JT:

With the crowd still cooling down after our opener, it is time to parade out some showcase squashes, starting with the always grumpy Mr. Hughes. Harvey Wippleman is still toting around the urn and Vince wonders if Hughes will be in Giant Gonzalez' corner at SummerSlam. As Hughes slugs Greenberg in the face, another black wreath is delivered to ringside, drawing a confused look out of Harvey. Hughes beat Greenberg around, dropping him with a hard powerbomb along the way. Vince ran down the upcoming stops on the Lex Express tour as Hughes hammered on Greenberg before finally finishing him off with a sidewalk slam. Typical Hughes squash but we get a bit more development in Harvey's issue with Undertaker along the way.

*** We get a look at the soon-to-be-released WrestleMania: The Album and check out clips from the RCA album release party. Randy Savage even presented Tiny Tim with a new ukulele. The album is out tomorrow, so pick it up! ***

### 3) Smoking Gunns defeated Glenn Ruth & Duane Gill when Bart pinned Ruth after a backdrop piledriver at 4:23

### Scott:

Slowly moving up the ladder in the tag team division is Bart & Billy Gunn, probably #2 behind the Steiners on the babyface side. It's announced that WrestleMania: The Album is out tomorrow at all K-Mart stores. That album will haunt me for years to come. Bobby Heenan's jabs at Stu & Helen Hart are just as funny as Lawler's earlier in the show, calling them Fred & Ethel Mertz. This is a slight sign that the humor in the WWF is getting a bit dated. The squash is expected, and we move on.

### JT:

The Smoking Gunns are back this week against two of our resident jobbers. The Gunns are working their way up the ladder but still haven't gotten into much of an angle or feud. Vince notes that WrestleMania: The Album is a smash hit in the UK as Billy and Gill open things up. Billy wrangled up Gill before the double teams started. Gill was able to go to the eyes of Bart and tag out, but Bart came back with a cross body that took out both men. The Gunns quick tag and control Ruth as Bobby says Glenn's mother is Dr. Ruth and that she dated one of the Gunns. Vince then notes that Helen Hart is very distraught backstage, but Heenan just makes jokes about the situation. The Gunns keep working Ruth over until finishing him off with a backdrop piledriver. Another win in the books for the cowboys but eventually they need to get some sort of issue going here.

*** We get a vignette showcasing WWF newcomer Ludvig Borga, who had been dominating his competition on the syndicated shows of late. The Pride of Finland is not a very big fan of the good ol' USA. ***

*** Earlier in the day, Lex Luger sat down with Vince McMahon for an interview inside the empty Manhattan Center as he made a quick stop off the bus tour. Vince talks about Luger receiving his SummerSlam match from Jack Tunney and Luger thanks all the fans that were petitioning on his behalf. They discuss the stipulation that was put in place by Tunney, that Luger must wear a pad over his forearm, but Lex says that doesn't worry him. He wraps up by saying the Lex Express will still roll on, coast to coast, right up until SummerSlam and then vows to take the WWF Title back home where it belongs. ***

### 4) Doink the Clown defeats Phil Apollo with the Whoopie Cushion at 2:31

### Scott:

At the start of the show, Doink challenged Randy Savage not to get involved in his matches after what happened some time ago with the Marty Jannetty two out of three falls match. He keeps winking and cackling at Macho Man after winning the match easily. After the match, he challenges Savage, who can't get involved because of his announcer's contract. That little storyline hook makes a big difference later in the year.

### JT:

Our final bout features Doink the Clown, who issued that warning to Savage before the show, squaring off with Phil Apollo. Doink was all over Apollo, smothering him against the ropes and smacking him in the face before grabbing hold of the arm. Doink continued to chuck Apollo around before swiftly ending the match with the Whoopie Cushion.

*** After the match, Doink calls out Savage and dares him to come into the ring for a chat. Vince tells Savage to stay seated as his contract states he is not permitted to leave his seat or get involved in the ring. Since Savage stays at the table, Doink hops down and gets in his face and confronts him about getting involved in his matches. Doink tries to bait him in the ring for a match, but Savage stays cool and doesn't bite on the challenge. Doink then offers an official match next week and promises Savage will see triple vision. And with that, we see two other Doinks, one in the ring and one in the balcony. After a commercial break, Savage says he does commentary because he wants to do it, not because he has to do it and says next week will be his reentrance into the ring. And he will have a little surprise for Doink as well. We then close the episode with a clip of the WrestleMania music video to promote the album release. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

After the actions at King of the Ring we hadn't seen much interaction on Raw between Bret Hart and Jerry Lawler, but that changes here as the second big feud for SummerSlam begins with a great match in the ring and Lawler mercilessly chiding grizzled Stu and his wife in the audience. This begins what seems like a three-year storyline of everything involving the Hart parents. It fits here, and in some cases later it doesn't. I honestly thought the Lex Express dragged on longer in terms of begging for a title match, but as of this episode and SummerSlam report, Lex gets his shot at Yokozuna's strap. The Doink/Savage interaction was interesting, probably to get Savage some work back in the ring. That happens in the fall. Another solid episode with great storyline advancement and great jobber destruction.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Another pretty good episode here coming off the heels of a great outing last week. They seem to have settled into a nice little format here with a long, strong match to open and then a parade of quick squashes and interviews to close out the show. The episodes with this layout have moved along very briskly and have been quite effective. We get some nice storyline advancement across the board here, specifically for Lawler/Hart, but also with a good sit-down interview with Lex Luger, who is slowly building up momentum for SummerSlam and coming across very well in the process. The Doink/Savage stuff is interesting too and adds to the list of multi-Raw angles that exist solely in this universe.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #28

August 2, 1993 (Taped July 25, 1993)

Castle Recreation Center

Alexandria Bay, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

Fun Fact: A short Fun Fact about Jim Cornette could never fully do him justice, so we encourage our readers to research more about one of the greatest managers in wrestling history. Cornette was born in Louisville, Kentucky on September 17, 1961. At an early age, Cornette fell in love with wrestling, going so far as to install a 10-foot-tall antenna on the top of his family's house so he could pick up as many regional broadcasts as possible. He started working at wrestling shows at the age of 14. After a few years of working as a photographer, ring announcer, timekeeper, and pretty much any other job he could try, he was tapped by Jerry Jarrett in the CWA to become an on-screen manager. He became the character of a rich kid turned manager whose clients would fire him after their matches. In the mid-80s, Cornette would become very well known as the manager of a new team formed in Mid South, the Midnight Express. Their long-standing feud with the Rock & Roll Express set the standard for tag team wrestling in the mid-80s in Mid South and Jim Crockett Promotions/WCW. In the early 90s, Cornette started his own promotion, Smoky Mountain Wrestling (SMW), covering Tennessee, West Virginia, Georgia, Kentucky and the Carolinas. Wrestling was going through a downturn during this period, so the promotion only lasted four years before being sold to the WWF. Cornette put together a working relationship with the WWF during this time and began working for the company while still running his promotion in 1993.

### 1) Steiner Brothers defeated Barry Horowitz & Duane Gill when Scott pinned Gill with the Frankensteiner at 2:45

### Scott:

This is actually an all-star matchup. The current tag team champions vs. the greatest jobber tag team of all time. It's announced the Steiners have an open contract at SummerSlam against anybody. Right off the bat, we have a new venue for RAW. Now I've lived in the Northeast my whole life, and I have no idea where Alexandria Bay, NY is located. I guess near Niagara Falls as they are hinting it's near the Canadian border. In any event, like any Steiners squash, Gill & Horowitz get pummelled as Scott & Rick take pleasure in beating down poor stiffs. Who will challenge them for the straps at SummerSlam? We shall see.

### JT:

For the second straight week, we are going to you on tape from... what looks like some sort of garage in Alexandria Bay, NY. It certainly is a unique looking... warehouse? We open things up with our tag team champions, the Steiner Brothers and I have been jonesing a squash by them for a few weeks now. This week they get the jobber deluxe tag team of Duane Gill and Barry Horowitz. With Randy Savage slated to wrestle tonight, we roll with just Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan in the booth. We do hear quickly from Macho, who reminds us that he will have a little surprise for Doink later tonight. As the champs head out, Vince notes that the Steiners have signed an open contract for SummerSlam, which of course will be in their hometown. Scott and Horowitz open things up, and things are amiable enough until Scott chucks him with a big belly-to-belly suplex. Rick tagged in, and Gill followed suit, which I am sure he regretted when Steiner clobbered him with a hard clothesline. Scotty headed back in and took Gill over with a pump handle suplex and then finished him off with a Frankensteiner. Not their best squash, but fun nonetheless. Now the question remains: who will take a shot at the champs in Auburn Hills?

*** We check out an installment of Getting to Know Lex Luger. In this piece, he discusses growing up with a tough father and how he had to excel at school and take chorus in order to participate in athletics as well as having to move around a lot when he was young. More to come in future weeks. ***

### 2) Adam Bomb defeats Tony Roy with the Atom Smasher at 2:18

### Scott:

The awesome Johnny Polo brings his charge to the ring for a jobber beating. This Rec Center they are coming from looks like it has no air conditioning, so it's probably 100 degrees in there. The match is a one-sided beatdown, but it looks like he did change his finisher to a powerbomb after his other finisher seemed very clunky and could hurt somebody.

### JT:

Adam Bomb is back in the house, led to the ring by man, Johnny Polo. Polo is wearing lacrosse gloves and carrying a stick as well so you know he is full of class. Tony Roy's hair is really impressive. Impressively terrible. Roy was very hesitant as the bell rang and his instincts were accurate as Bomb took him down to the mat and then started to quickly manhandle him from there. Vince and Bobby plugged the world premiere of "Marilyn & Bobby: Their Final Affair," coming this Wednesday to USA as Bomb made quick work on Roy, finishing him off with the Atom Smasher. Bomb keeps rolling along, notching yet another win.

### 3) Randy Savage defeats Doink the Clown with an inside cradle at 11:22

Fun Fact I: On last week's (7/26) episode of Raw, following Doink's win he got on the mic and challenged Randy Savage to a match for this week.

Fun Fact II: Claude Giroux is a Canadian midget wrestler who during the mid-90s played several roles in the WWF. At tonight's Raw, he comes into the match to even the odds as a second Doink comes out to interfere in the match. Giroux comes out from under the ring dressed just like the Macho Man and was dubbed the Macho Midget. Later in his WWF run, he would actually take on the role of a miniature clown named Dink, but we will get to that soon.

### Scott:

For the first time in a while on Raw, we actually have a Randy Savage match. As I say with every heel Doink match, it's Matt Borne, so we are talking straight up wrestling which means this one will be very good. Savage was wrestling on the house show circuit sporadically, so he's definitely not rusty. Doink had a pretty cool looking neck submission move after the commercial break, but Savage reversed it. Savage said he's dedicating this match to his friend Crush, who's convalescing in Hawaii after the beatdown Yokozuna gave him a few weeks ago. At one point Savage goes outside and crawls under the ring. Doink is waiting until on the other side of the ring out comes... a MACHO MIDGET? Ugh. He distracts Doink and chases him around until the real Macho Man comes out, beats Doink down and gets the victory. This was a cute little Raw TV match, but having Savage with midgets was like the Road Warriors with Rocco one year earlier. It just doesn't fit.

### JT:

We waste no time heading right int our next matchup, the payoff to the build that really started back when Randy Savage foiled Doink's scheme in a match with Marty Jannetty. Last week, Doink challenged Savage to a match for revenge, so here we are. The look of this whole episode really is odd, as it is a bit washed out and looks like a house show from 1987. Vince informs us that Savage is dedicating this match to his buddy Crush, who is still recuperating after his match with Yokozuna. Before the match gets underway, Savage peeks under the ring to scout for additional Doinks. Savage started off in control, but Doink started to beg off and play some mind games, baiting Macho in and going to the eyes. A pissed off Savage grabbed a chair, but the referee yanked it away as Doink clobbered him and aggressively went to work, eventually hooking in a Boston crab. Savage would force the break, but Doink continued to target the leg, kicking away and wrenching it over the ropes. Savage fought him off and shoved the Clown to the floor, but Doink dodged him and shoved Macho hard into the ring post. After a break, we were back in the ring where Doink was now working the neck. Doink kept the pressure on, grabbing a near fall and then locking in an abdominal stretch, which he twisted into a rear chinlock. Savage broke free, but Doink slammed him to the mat and headed to the top, but Macho was able to dodge the Whoopee Cushion. Still, Doink shook it off and just casually pitched Savage to the floor. Macho gained his bearings and then crawled under the ring. A moment later, a Macho Man midget emerged from the other side, which caused Doink to crack up laughing in the ring. That is one scary ass mask. Doink headed outside and chased the Midget around until Savage popped out and tripped the Clown up. Savage slammed him on the floor and shoved him back inside where he grabbed an inside cradle for the win. Shenanigans! It really must be hot as hell in there as Doink's face paint had completely eroded. Savage cracked Doink again after the bell, saving his little buddy from an attack. Well, this match ended up being basic, which is fine, but I had higher hopes when it was announced. Still, I liked Doink oscillating across Savage's body parts, trying to find one that would do the trick. Savage did his usual here: sold like a champ and then scored a quick win. Plus, we finally had the Midget payoff to give Doink a taste of his own medicine. Does Savage stay active from here or head back to the booth? Stay tuned.

*** Gene Okerlund is here with our SummerSlam report and we are officially now just four weeks away from the hottest night of the summer. And it is brought to you by Chevrolet! Here are the matches discussed:

Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna – WWF World Title

Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler

Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels – WWF Intercontinental Title

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez – Rest in Peace Match

Join us live on pay-per-view in four weeks. But order NOW! ***

*** Ted DiBiase calls in via phone to discuss his embarrassing loss to the 1-2-3 Kid on Challenge this past weekend. DiBiase blames Razor Ramon for the loss and promises he will pay for his actions. Vince shows us the footage of the match and DiBiase hangs up out of protest. ***

*** Jim Cornette marches out to the ring unannounced in his WWF debut as Vince says he has no business being here and Bobby freaks out with excitement. Heenan stumbles and then sprints into the ring and gives Cornette a huge hug. Vince notes that Cornette is from Smokey Mountain Wrestling as Heenan grabs a mic and gushes over the greatness of Cornette. Cornette then puts over Heenan and SMW before talking about how he has done everything in wrestling except appearing in the WWF. But now he is here. And he is here to bring the Heavenly Bodies to the company as well. He also is here to accept that open challenge of the Steiners for SummerSlam, so he can take home the WWF Tag Team Titles and deliver his final knockout blow. ***

### 4) Mr. Perfect defeats Barry Hardy with the Perfectplex at 2:40

### Scott:

It was announced earlier in the show on Mean Gene's SummerSlam Report that Mr. Perfect has gotten his long-awaited Intercontinental Title shot with Shawn Michaels. Jim Cornette joins the broadcast table and acknowledges that there's no AC in this sweat box that the show is emanating from. Cornette says his team the Heavenly Bodies in SMW want to challenge the Steiners at SummerSlam, but he thinks the champions won't accept it. We will see if it happens. Oh, this match is a squash as anticipated.

### JT:

As Mr. Perfect sauntered to the ring, Jim Cornette hopped in the announce booth to join Vince and Bobby for our final bout of the evening. Perfect is officially on a collision course with Shawn Michaels of SummerSlam, to pay off a feud that kicked off way back at WrestleMania. Cornette reiterates his challenge for the Steiners and puts over the Bodies as Vince shows off some knowledge about SMW. Perfect makes quick work of Hardy to pick up the win.

*** We wrap up with a video highlighting Lex Luger's recent stops on the Call to Action campaign. ***

### Final Analysis::

### Scott:

This was a pretty flat episode with nothing real big of note other than the Luger vignette pumping up his match with Yokozuna and the announcement of Perfect facing Michaels for the IC Title. Nice to see Randy Savage in the ring for the first time in a while, which makes you wonder how Crush was feeling. Savage couldn't leave the broadcast table to help him when he was getting beat down against Yoko, but now he can wrestle Doink and have midgets. Interesting. A pedestrian episode.

Final Grade:

### JT:

After a couple of really strong episodes, we fall pretty flat here this week. The arena looked very minor league, and this show almost feels like a bit of a throwaway and a time killer. Outside of Jim Cornette's debut, there was nothing of consequence on display here. The Savage/Doink mini-angle was fun and does plant some important seeds, but on the surface, it is just a match. The rest of the show was filled out with bland squashes. The commentary is great though and pushes a lot of storyline advancement throughout the episode. The Cornette debut was a big one but other than that, this is a very skippable episode of Raw.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #29

August 9, 1993 (Taped July 25, 1993)

Castle Recreation Center

Alexandria Bay, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Tatanka defeats Mr. Hughes by count-out at 7:00

### Scott:

This may be the first match in a while where Tatanka's undefeated streak may be in legit jeopardy. Mr. Hughes has been on a roll since taking the Undertaker's urn, and with every Mr. Hughes match, we get the black funeral wreath at ringside. Why isn't Taker facing Mr. Hughes at SummerSlam instead of the rematch with Giant Gonzalez? It really makes no sense at all. Mr. Hughes must be dying in that sweat box in upstate NY that we were also in last week. The match could have been better but it was a lot of punching and rolling around, and then Tatanka wins by countout when Mr. Hughes didn't get back in the ring in time. I was actually looking forward to this match because Tatanka had spent his undefeated streak beating up a bunch of jobbers and now was going to face a legitimate big man and the match wasn't really much of anything. Hughes attacks Tatanka with the urn after the match, which still begs the question why it's not Hughes vs. Undertaker at SummerSlam?

### JT:

We are back in the Alexandria Bay sweatbox for our third straight taped episode. Instead of cresting toward SummerSlam, it feels like we may be backing our way in by eating up some time with stale episodes. We shall see as this week's show rolls on if we get concrete build for Auburn Hills despite the moldy episode or filler to eat up a week. Raw favorite Tatanka is in the house here, and his undefeated streak will be put to the test against the rugged Mr. Hughes. I have no clue how Hughes is out there in that full suit in such a smoking hot building. Hughes jumps Tatanka to start but the Native American fires right back, leading to a trading of blows. Hughes used his weight advantage to lean on Tatanka and regain control, but Tatanka hit a cross body block for a new fall off a whip. Hughes quickly clobbered him to take back over, eventually grabbing his mullet and kneeing him hard in the lower back. Bobby Heenan noted that he is confident we will see Hughes at SummerSlam during the Undertaker/Giant Gonzalez battle. After a break, Hughes had Tatanka trapped in a neck vise as the crowd did their best to rally him. Tatanka caught a break when Hughes charged wildly at him and missed, slamming his head into the ring post as a result. He then unloaded a series of chops that ended up knocking the shades right off Hughes' face. Hughes was able to sidestep a charging Tatanka and slung him outside. He followed him out and slammed him hard on the floor, but Tatanka was able to back drop him and slip back in the ring to barely beat the count and win the match. After the bell, Hughes clobbered Tatanka with the urn and crumpled up a black wreath all over him. This was pretty rough and definitely not up to the in-ring standard we have become used to from the marquee Raw matches. Also, the audio is a mess here with clearly over sweetened crowd noise drowning the announcers out badly. And like Scott said, this whole angle has been weird with Hughes blatantly having the main issue with Undertaker but is missing from SummerSlam while Giant Gonzalez gets the rematch.

*** We get our next installment of Getting to Know Lex Luger. This week he discusses his experience at college, playing football and his immediate life after quitting. ***

### 2) Bushwhackers & Macho Midget defeated Brooklyn Brawler, Blake Beverly & Little Louie when Macho pinned Brawler with a splash off the top rope at 6:29

Fun Fact I: Little Louie (real name Louis Waterhouse) is an American midget wrestler. He wrestled for Vincent J. McMahon back in the mid-70s in the WWWF as well as other promotions when midget wrestlers were more common. VKM brings Louie back to the WWF here in '93 to counter the addition of the Macho Midget.

Fun Fact II: We bid farewell here to Blake Beverly (Mike Enos) on Raw. After Beau Beverly (Wayne Bloom) left the WWF after the Royal Rumble, Blake stuck around, being used primarily as enhancement talent. He would go back to wrestle for NJPW for a while before signing on with WCW in 1996.

### Scott:

I...have no words for this. Bushwhackers and midgets? Egad this isn't 1975 anymore. I keep forgetting the Bushwhackers were still with the company at this point, but they pop up from time to time. The announcers are trying to say the mask that Macho Midget is wearing is actually his face. It doesn't become really prevalent until 1995, but these little things are what is making the WWF feel dated and out of touch. Dopey gimmicks and silly parlor tricks. Bobby Heenan is saving me from this mess with the short jokes with all the double entendres with the midgets. He must be thinking the way I'm thinking right now: This is a horrible mess of a match and making fun of the little rugrats is all the entertainment we have.

### JT:

This feels really out of place on one of the final Raws before the second biggest PPV of the year. I guess it was just an excuse to use the Macho Midget after his debut this week and is a poor man's version of the big six man early in the year where Tiger Jackson teamed with the Bushwhackers against Little Louie and the Beverly Brothers. This is pretty much the same match, but Beau is gone, so the Brooklyn Brawler gets shoved in his place, making it feel even more jobberific. We get the usual comedy to open up as Macho dances around the ring until things finally get going with Luke and Blake. That quickly devolved into mayhem as all six got in the ring and we got more of the usual midget wrestling antics. Bobby asking if Louie was Hillbilly Jim made me chuckle. Louie got a few shots in until Macho ran him off to the floor and the match reset with Butch and Blake. The Bushwhacker easily controlled, picking up a near fall and taking advantage of miscommunication from Beverly and Brawler. After more ambling around on both ends, when Butch used Brawler to battering ram Blake and then both Whackers planted him with a double DDT (!). Instead of pinning him, the Whackers launched Macho off the top with a splash onto Brawler to nab the win. This was a waste of time and not very interesting at all. It should have been a Coliseum Home Video match at best if it absolutely had to exist.

*** Vince McMahon was standing center ring next to a table with Bobby Heenan, Randy Savage and a gang of WWF officials. He then brought out Yokozuna, first, and, eventually, Lex Luger for the big SummerSlam contract signing. Yokozuna was accompanied by Mr. Fuji... and Jim Cornette. Fuji reveals that Cornette is now Yoko's official American spokesperson for the champion. Cornette puts over the people of Japan as leaders of industry but says they have been taken advantage of by Jack Tunney and his goons, so Cornette will now be double checking all the details and contracts going forward. Luger eventually makes his way out and has a seat at the table. Cornette verifies that he is good to go with this contract, so Yoko signs on the dotted line, as does Lex. Cornette then clarifies that if Luger fails to win at SummerSlam, he will never, ever get another WWF Title match again as long as he is champ. Luger says he won't need a rematch as he and all of his fans will kick the door of the Palace in and take the belt back to America. ***

### 3) Razor Ramon defeats Dan Dubiel with a Razor's Edge at 2:11

### Scott:

Bobby Heenan announces that Razor will face Ted DiBiase at SummerSlam, as the holes are being filled in the August 30 card in Auburn Hills. This is a quick squash as we get some punches, an abdominal stretch and a Razor's Edge. That's pretty much it.

### JT:

In his first Raw match as a face, Razor Ramon is set to tussle with Dan Dubiel. Vince reminds us the crazy success of last year's SummerSlam as a segue off an NFL preseason game that went down at Wembley Stadium over the weekend. Razor makes quick work of Dubiel, but the big news is that Ramon will battle Ted DiBiase at SummerSlam to cap off their feud that has brewed over the past month.

*** Gene Okerlund is back in the house with our SummerSlam report, which is now just three weeks away!

Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna – WWF World Title

Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez

Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels – WWF Intercontinental Title

These and much more, so call your cable company RIGHT NOW! ***

### 4) Heavenly Bodies defeat Bobby Who & Mike Bucci when Jimmy Del Ray pins Bucci with a moonsault at 2:37

Fun Fact: Tom Prichard and Stan Lane formed the team of the Heavenly Bodies in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Managed by Jim Cornette, the team became the first SMW Tag Team Champions in April 1992. SMW and WCW worked a cross-promotional deal that allowed the Bodies to wrestle on SuperBrawl III in February 1993 against their heated rivals, the Rock 'n' Roll Express. When Lane lost a Loser Leaves Town match in May 1993, he was replaced on the team by Jimmy Del Ray. In July, Cornette's deal with the WWF allowed the Bodies to appear on WWF programming.

### Scott:

So, it seems they are leaning towards this new tag team from ANOTHER promotion facing the Steiners August 30 in Auburn Hills. Still, in the era of kayfabe, we were perplexed how Vince was working with another promotion since the WWF never did that before. Cornette will never confuse these guys with the iconic Midnight Express, but they have good chemistry and worked these two stiffs (including the future Hollywood Nova) over with quick tags and solid double team moves. After the match, Cornette continues to bait Scott & Rick into signing the contract by calling them cowards. We will see if the Steiners answer the challenge.

### JT:

After being referenced by Jim Cornette last week, the Heavenly Bodies are in the house here tonight for their WWF debut match. Vince reminds us that Cornette challenged the Steiner Brothers for a SummerSlam match on behalf of the Bodies. He also discusses recent going on in SMW which is a cool touch. Tom Prichard and Bobby Who kick things off with the Doctor taking him down and showing off a bit. Vince notes that a WWF title has never left the company for a different one but that it could happen if the Bodies win in Auburn Hills. Jim Del Ray comes in and lands a nice side kick and the chucks Who into the corner so he can tag in Bucci. As Del Ray works him over, Vince promotes the USA original movie Praying Mantis, so check that out too. After a quick double team by the Bodies, Del Ray finishes Bucci with a nice moonsault off the top rope.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

I'm still stunned that Vince actually acknowledged talent from another promotion. I wasn't really in the know at the time, so I was clueless about it, but it seemed pretty cool. It may also be an insult to the other tag teams in the company like the Headshrinkers that should have gotten a title shot at SummerSlam instead of these guys. Razor is on fire as a babyface as is Tatanka but they at the moment are somewhat rudderless. Another middling episode that has fluff and the Lex Express.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Not our best Raw to date. Luckily the contract signing was pretty great because it saved this episode from being a complete dud. It has been fun watching everyone soaked with sweat inside this hell hole, but both episodes from Alexandria Bay have been pretty flat and just felt unimportant overall. With just one more Raw before SummerSlam, hopefully next week things can turn around. The feature match here stunk, and the midget mess was a waste of time. Tack on a pair of innocuous squashes and all we've got is that contract signing, which was good, but not good enough.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #30

August 16, 1993

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) 1-2-3 Kid defeats Ted DiBiase by disqualification at 4:46

Fun Fact: The 1-2-3 Kid and Ted DiBiase have a history going back to July. After Kid defeated Razor Ramon the first time, Ramon offered $10,000 of his own money for a rematch. Instead of the rematch, Kid took the money and ran. DiBiase would later taunt Razor for losing to a nobody. This pissed Kid off, and he challenged DiBiase to a match, which he won with the assistance of Razor. Kid is scheduled to wrestling DiBiase's tag team partner, IRS, at SummerSlam just a couple of weeks from this point.

### Scott:

For the first time in Raw history, we have consecutive Raw venues, and neither are the Manhattan Center. Vince is realizing he can handle slightly bigger venues more often for Raw to make some extra ticket scratch. This match continues the feud involving fresh babyface Razor Ramon. Ramon and IRS are barred from ringside for this match. It's good that Money, Inc. is being phased out of the tag team title picture to give the younger teams a chance to shine. They will have a return steel cage title match with the Steiners next week on the SummerSlam Spectacular. This is an excellent use of DiBiase, who obviously is in the twilight of his career and is ready to put over the new talent. Razor Ramon was on the phone during the match, saying the Kid needs to save a piece of DiBiase for SummerSlam. The match was cooking along until IRS came in for the DQ and Money, Inc. beat the Kid down. He's saved by the Steiners, and the former champions are chased off. The match was working ok until the DQ.

### JT:

We are finally back live, and this is our final Raw before SummerSlam, so the hype should be hot and heavy. The show kicks off with the continuation of a boiling feud as Ted DiBiase is looking for revenge for an embarrassing loss to the 1-2-3 Kid on Challenge a couple of weeks ago. DiBiase and IRS have been relentless in mocking Razor Ramon, and in fact, they hounded him so much, the Bad Guy turned face. The crowd was quite heated up as DiBiase sauntered out, calm and collected as usual. As the Kid jogged out, McMahon noted that both Ramon and IRS were barred from ringside, meaning there would be no shenanigans here. DiBiase aggressively attacked Kid off the bell, laying in chops and slinging him hard into the corner before choking away at him. The crowd chanted "1-2-3" as DiBiase pitched the Kid to the floor. Vince and Savage discuss DiBiase's upcoming schedule, teaming with IRS to battle the Steiners in a cage this Sunday on the SummerSlam Spectacular and then battling Ramon in Auburn Hills. Speaking of Ramon, he calls in and puts over the Kid and says DiBiase better watch out. He also tells Kid to leave a little piece of DiBiase for him to finish off at SummerSlam. In the ring, DiBiase maintained control as Kid has never gotten on track and Vince noted that he is the odds-on favorite here. Kid took a rough bump out of the corner and rolled to the floor to regroup, but DiBiase chased him back inside. Kid took advantage of the breather and landed a leg lariat and pair of clotheslines for a near fall. However, DiBiase avoided a charge and kicked away as the crowd chanted for Razor. Vince mentions that Kid will tussle with IRS at SummerSlam just as Kid escapes DiBiase and hits a high cross body off the top for a near fall. He would head back up again, but IRS ran down and shoved him to the mat to draw the DQ. Money, Inc. stomped away at Kid until the Steiners showed up to make the save. That was a fun little match the could have really popped with another five minutes tacked on. As is, it told a good a story and laid the groundwork for SummerSlam as well as the Spectacular tag match. We should also note this is our final DiBiase Raw match. He, along with IRS, has been a real stalwart of the show here to date, especially in the first few months. He had some memorable moments and matches on Raw as well. Thanks for the good times and profuse sweating, Teddy.

### 2) Headshrinkers defeated Mike Khoury & Dave Moraldo when Fatu pinned Moraldo with a top rope splash at 3:08

### Scott:

The heel version of the Steiners take to the ring to pummel two more stiffs. They have usurped Money, Inc. (in my opinion) as the top heel team in the promotion, even though the Heavenly Bodies will be getting the tag title match at SummerSlam. This was a quickie so we can get to Mean Gene's SummerSlam Report.

### JT:

Squash city time as the always entertaining Headshrinkers march to the ring, ready to feast on another pair of stiffs. Savage says their goal is to destroy everyone until they get that tag title shot. The Shrinkers both attacked to kick off the match before Samu started to beat the piss out of Khoury, eventually crushing him with a kick to the chest. Fatu would make his way in and the two worked together to maul Moraldo as Vince informed us that the Shrinkers would be teaming with Bam Bam Bigelow to battle Tatanka and the Smoking Gunns at SummerSlam. The assault of Moraldo continued as Khoury lay unconscious on the edge of the ring apron, which was pretty funny. They eventually finished off Moraldo with the top rope splash by Fatu. Another fun squash in the books for the Samoans.

*** Mean Gene is in the house with our final SummerSlam Report on Raw as the show is just two weeks away! Here are the matches discussed.

Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna – WWF World Title

Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez – Rest in Peace Match

Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels – WWF Intercontinental Title

Marty Jannetty vs. Ludvig Borga

Steiner Brothers vs. Heavenly Bodies – WWF Tag Team Titles

The card is complete, so be sure to join us live on PPV... order right now! ***

### 3) Marty Jannetty defeats Bastion Booger with a sunset flip at 6:01

### Scott:

A contrast of styles as the high-flying Rocker takes on...the not so high-flying fat guy. I love how Bobby keeps highlighting Booger's hump on his back because the straps are so tight. The match is pretty much trash until Marty reverses the Trip to the Batcave into a Sunset Flip for the victory. Marty faces the iconic Ludvig Borga at SummerSlam. This match made a Coliseum Video Van Favorites tape, and I have no idea why.

### JT:

Marty Jannetty suddenly finds himself with a big SummerSlam match against the red-hot Ludvig Borga, so he gets a tuneup match here with the disgusting Bastion Booger. Booger continues his jobber to the stars duty but does present an interesting challenge for Marty, who is having a nice sustained run here as an upper mid card presence. Vince informs us that the Lex Express is in Denver tonight as Luger is making his way around the country before arriving in Auburn Hills in two weeks. Booger wins an early test of strength, but Jannetty works out of it and grabs hold of the arm. Jannetty followed with a series of dropkicks that knocked Booger awkwardly to the floor. Marty followed with consecutive dives, one from the top rope and one over the ropes from the mat. Booger eventually waddled back into the ring, but Marty kept him grounded and wrapped his arm around the ring post. The match would end up outside the ring where Booger finally turned things around by shoving Booger into the post and then splashing him against it. Back inside, Booger sustained a bit more offense, but Jannetty was able to absorb his sit-down splash and roll through into a sunset flip for the win. There wasn't much to this at all, but Marty's dives to the floor and early work gives it a slight... ahem... bump. Marty grabs a nice victory here and putting himself in a good spot to battle another big man two weeks from tonight.

*** Vince McMahon welcomes out Money, Inc. for a chat. IRS says they gave Kid a taste of what is coming at SummerSlam and Ted DiBiase says he hopes both Razor Ramon and the Steiner Brothers were watching what happened earlier. Vince thinks Money, Inc. may not make it to SummerSlam due to the cage match, but DiBiase says the titles are bought and paid for now. IRS calls the Steiners losers, and DiBiase laughs at McMahon's threats of the cage being bad for them. IRS says they have the money and brains to win the match. ***

### 4) Men on a Mission defeated Iron Mike Sharpe & Barry Horowitz when Mabel pinned Sharpe after a big splash at 2:09

### Scott:

Mike Sharpe & Barry Horowitz are like the all-star team of jobbers. They always team together and get a smidgen of moves before getting laid out like typical jobbers. Good for Mike Sharpe to keep getting a paycheck via putting over the young guys. Macho Man keeps alluding to a surprise he has, but honestly, no one knows what he's talking about. This is a quick squash so we can get to these unwatchable "Who is Lex Luger" vignettes. He tries to use big words that he can't get out of his mouth which makes him even more disingenuous than he already is.

### JT:

Time to dance as Men on a Mission head to the ring, led by the rapping Oscar. The crowd is really into them as they head out and get things started against the super jobber squad. Mo works over Horowitz until tagging in Mabel, who smashes him with a big leg drop. Horowitz escapes and tags in Sharpe, who takes a shit kicking as well. Vince informs us that this Thursday we have a USA movie special: Outrageous Fortune, starring Bette Midler and Shelly Long, so set your VCRs now. Mo and Mabel take turns beating on Iron Mike as Savage keeps promising a surprise. Mabel eventually splashed Sharpe in the corner and then dropped him with a powerslam. Mo then climbed to the top and rode Mabel down on top of Sharpe for the win.

*** A new installment of Who is Lex Luger featured Lex talking about anabolic steroids and drugs in sports. He discusses the immaturity of young athletes as well as the peer pressure and how they end up being susceptible to drug abuse as a result. He also admits to experimenting with drugs at a young age but flat out denies using steroids at this time. Luger then talks about how to live a clean, healthy life and work out without the aid of steroids. ***

### 5) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Rich Myers with the flying headbutt at 3:13

### Scott:

Wow! Rich Myers has the greatest mullet in Raw history to this point. That thing goes halfway down his back. Bigelow is truly a beast and is possibly one of my top three favorite guys in the promotion at this point. He is in the six-man tag at SummerSlam with the Headshrinkers against Tatanka and the Smoking Gunns. Bigelow completely mangles the Master Mullet with power moves and a long vertical suplex that he doesn't even bother to drop with. He hits the flying headbutt, and this execution is over. A lot of trash jobber squashes this week.

### JT:

Wrapping things up this week is Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon, set for a showcase bout with good old Rich Myers and his absurd hair. Bigelow is looking to warm up before his big SummerSlam six man and shouldn't have much of a problem here. The announcers talked about that match as Bigelow murdered Myers and his mullet, notching the quick victory.

*** Randy Savage reveals his surprise as the Macho Midget leads out a group of Raw girls to wave to the crowd. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This wasn't the best episode heading into SummerSlam. It was a myriad of ugly jobber squashes and a solid match that ended with a crap DQ. We get what looks like the final SummerSlam Report with the full card and the final part of that awful "Who is Lex Luger" series. It was evident he had zero charisma with those pieces, and I'm sure people weren't thrilled that he could have won the WWF Title. No Hart/Lawler references on the show, which makes these Raws still really weird. As 1993 moves along, I hope things change and Raw pimps the PPVs more and ditch the jobber squashes. I have to grade this low with is being so close to the second biggest show of the year.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Not much to see here this week at all. The heaviest focus was around Money, Inc. as we got hype for their big tag title cage match as well as their singles bouts at SummerSlam. The rest of the show was squashes, but at least three of them featured guys wrestling at the PPV. We didn't really need a MOM squash as that slot could have also been filled with someone competing at SummerSlam, but you can't win them all. And then we wrap up with the stupid Macho Midget leading some Poughkeepsie 8s to the ring for a parade. It is hard to call this the go-home Raw because we still have the Spectacular next week, but overall this was pretty disappointing with no pushing of the top PPV angles or matches.

Final Grade:

# SummerSlam Spectacular 1993

August 22, 1993 (Taped August 16, 1993)

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Jim Ross & Gorilla Monsoon

### 1) Yokozuna defeats Jim Duggan with a Banzai Drop at 10:26

Fun Fact I: On the 2/6 episode of Superstars, Duggan had challenged Yokozuna to a match. To win the match, all Duggan had to do was knock Yokozuna to the mat. Duggan won the match, but following it, he was attacked by the champion. Yokozuna hit three Bonzai Drops on Duggan, covered him with the American flag and then hit a final Drop on him. Duggan was carried to the back on a stretcher. Two weeks later, Duggan's wife, Debra, would comment that she didn't want Duggan to wrestle again after the injuries he sustained from Yokozuna. Duggan's father, a police chief, would speak with Vince McMahon in a phone interview encouraging his son to return to the ring. Duggan would return to the ring in April, and the two would compete again each other on house shows. This would be the only televised rematch following the 2/6 attack.

Fun Fact II: This would be the farewell match for Jim Duggan's primary run with the WWF. He would sign on with WCW in late 1994, debuting at Fall Brawl. Duggan would not return to the WWF until 2005.

### Scott:

I always know it's a big WWF show when Vladimir is sitting in the front row. The Poughkeepsie crowd is crazy for the prelude to Summerslam in one week at the home of the Pistons. This goes back to a few months earlier when Hacksaw challenged the WWF Champion and ended up getting squashed in the process. Based on now the company is looking, it's evident that Duggan is nothing more than big time enhancement to get Yoko ready for the big title match with Lex Luger. Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon are doing commentary here, and they've been pretty much the second team in WWF announcing after Vince and Savage on Raw. This was obviously taped after a live Raw as the big RAW sign is right opposite the hard camera side. Age hasn't made Duggan any smarter as he got the early advantage but then tries to hit the champion with the 2×4 which is pretty stupid since it would get him disqualified. The referee is distracted while Mr. Fuji is giving Hacksaw the business, then the champion goes to work with chops and strikes. Multiple times during this match Ross and Gorilla keep saying that Yoko must weigh over 600 pounds now. I'm not sure if he's that big yet, but he eventually would be. This was a great idea to continue doing the PPV spectacular preceding the PPV, even though they already had Raw as the big weekly show. Yoko has Duggan in a bear hug until Duggan bites his face to break it up. Duggan hasn't had any offense since having the 2×4 taken away from him. I noticed that Gorilla has gotten a little more heelish in the 90's, as he consistently says that perhaps Duggan should have stayed retired. Duggan starts making a comeback with right hands and then misses the running avalanche. Pretty much other than right hands he hasn't brought much to the table, but the crowd sure is into it. Duggan gets Yoko down with a clothesline, and the crowd is in a frenzy. But when he goes for the three-point stance, Duggan gets tripped by Fuji, which gives Yoko a chance to hit the Bonzai Drop and win the match. That was a solid enough 10 minutes to boost Yoko for next week in Auburn Hills. As for Duggan, well GOOD RIDDANCE.

### JT:

We are just a week away from SummerSlam, and our final stop isn't an episode of Monday Night Raw, but instead, a special precursor show built completely around hyping the PPV. This show was actually taped the week before after Raw. but has enough spliced in to make feel like a strong go home offering by the WWF. Also, to mix things up, we have different announcers here with Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon on the call, which was a nice touch to make it stand out. We kick things off with a big-time matchup, albeit non-title, as our champion Yokozuna has one more piece of business to handle before facing Lex Luger in Auburn Hills. Yoko and Jim Duggan have had big time issues dating way back to the winter when Hacksaw was the first man to knock Yoko down but paid dearly for it. Hacksaw is in his final days here so giving him this crack at Yoko to finally pay off their issue made a lot of sense. Ross pondered where Jim Cornette was as the champ ambled to ringside, as just Mr. Fuji accompanied him. The crowd erupted with "USA" chants as we check out a picture of Duggan and his newborn. After some stalling and histrionics, Yoko landed the first blows, clobbering Hacksaw with thrusts to the throat and then choking away at him. Fuji would land a cheap shot in between heavy offense from the champ, including a headbutt before he knocked Duggan to the floor. Hacksaw let the crowd fuel him as he stomped back into the ring and landed a few punches. Yoko shrugged him off, shoved him down and then dropped a huge leg across his chest. Yoko grabbed a bear hug, but again Duggan fed off the crowd and was able to hammer his way free. Hacksaw made a big mistake trying for a bodyslam as Yoko shifted his weight and fell hard on Duggan. After a break. Yoko had the bear hug locked back on, and as Duggan worked free again, Yoko clubbed him back down. Duggan kept coming, tossing out hard punches and doing anything he could but Yoko wouldn't give in. In a final gasp, Hacksaw dodged a running splash in the corner but was so worn out he couldn't fully capitalize. Duggan got a burst of energy and laid into the champ with three clotheslines that finally put him on his back. Hacksaw prepped himself for the three-point stance, but Fuji tripped him up. Yoko took advantage of the distraction and splashed Duggan in the corner before polishing him off with the Banzai Drop. Yoko would go for another splash, but a gaggle of referees made the save before he could strike. That was a tight little match with good heat and lots of strong selling from Duggan. It also put over Yoko quite strongly as he dominated nearly the whole match and then reminded us of Fuji at ringside too. Fine opener and a strong final performance for Hacksaw, who has had a bit of a renaissance here in 1993.

*** Vince McMahon interviews Jim Cornette and Yokozuna backstage after the match. Cornette tells Luger that Yoko is a rabid dog that has been whipped into a frenzy. He reminds Lex that he asked for this chance and everything that happens is on his head, not theirs. He vows the heartbeat of America will be silenced and Yoko will remain WWF Champion. ***

*** Jim Ross plugs the SummerSlam hotline, and then we revisit the history between Razor Ramon and Ted DiBiase. ***

### 2) Razor Ramon defeats Blake Beverly with the Razor's Edge at 6:11

### Scott:

I do like how the script was flipped, so Razor went from being a rich, arrogant heel to someone who needed sympathy because he grew up on hard times. Blake Beverly got a little pudgy as his tag team went by the wayside since Beau left. They had that one mini-face turn when they went against Money, Inc. on the one episode of Raw, then pretty much went back to being a heel. He's another reminder of the Federation Era that ended at King of the Ring when Hulk Hogan lost the World Title to Yokozuna after that sham at Wrestlemania IX. Razor was going to turn babyface anyway as the crowd was cheering him going back to Wrestlemania and with Hogan gone and Luger already babyface, they might as well turn another heel as the WWF crowds are starting to choose their new favorites as their old favorites are retiring or leaving the WWF. After going back and forth early, Razor is on the floor outside when Blake unhooks the turnbuckle pad. Blake then snaps off a neckbreaker then Irish Whips Razor into the corner with the exposed turnbuckle. Razor made a great comeback, hit the Edge and won the match. Razor is heading to Summerslam to face Ted DiBiase and really solidify his face turn.

### JT:

Blake Beverly is still hanging on and still rocking his epic theme music, but sadly this is also the end of the road for him too. A night of farewells. In his parting bout, he takes on the red hot Razor Ramon, who now has the fans on his side and seems prepped for a quick rise up the ladder. Of course, he is lined up with Ted DiBiase at SummerSlam, looking for revenge over the verbal abuse Money, Inc. had been heaping on him and the ensuing issues from there. Gorilla reminds us that Aaron Neville will be singing the National Anthem next Monday and plugs his album as we get underway. Blake is decked out in his rarely seen alternate white tights, and they are sexy as hell, even when suckered around his tanned paunch. We got a lockup to start, but Blake made the mistake of slapping Ramon off the break, pissing off the Bad Guy, who lit up Beverly in the corner. Blake bailed to the floor to regroup and baited Ramon into chasing him around. Back inside, Ramon wriggled free of a side headlock, but Blake stayed aggressive, going right at Razor with kicks and punches, not stopping or backing down. Ramon slugged Blake down, but Beverly recovered and back dropped the Bad Guy over the top rope to the floor. As Razor regrouped, Blake ripped off the top turnbuckle and then grabbed Ramon and slung him into it. Blake went to work on the back, hitting a backbreaker and a slam before cutting Ramon down with a hard lariat. Things changed in a flash when Razor reversed a whip and sent Beverly into the exposed corner before finishing him with the Razor's Edge. Another fun, hard hitting match. Too bad Beverly left as he has been pretty good in these Raw matches too. He could have been repackaged and used in the mid card for sure with showings like this. However, Ramon cleans him up and heads to Auburn Hills on a roll.

*** We check out Lex Luger's recent travels on the Lex Express and then head to Memphis, where Jerry Lawler interviews "Elvis" inside his pink Cadillac. Lawler makes jokes at the expense of the Hart Family and calls him a King impersonator. Elvis mentions having a recent conversation with "JFK" about their mutual girlfriend "Marilyn Monroe" and none of them like imposters. We then hear from Bret Hart, who informs us that members of the Hart Family will be littered throughout the crowd to watch him make Lawler pay at SummerSlam. ***

### 3) Smoking Gunns & Tatanka defeat Reno Riggins, Barry Horowitz & Brooklyn Brawler when Riggins is pinned at 7:04

### Scott:

We have a little six-man tag dance to put over two more popular babyfaces in the WWF. We haven't seen a whole lot of the Smokin' Gunns since debuting, as they've had less than a handful of matches on Raw. The Tag Team division is slowly trying to work itself into shape. As for Tatanka, I've often documented in our recaps that continuously mentioning the undefeated streak makes no sense if the company isn't going to reward him with anything. He hasn't sniffed a title match since the DQ win over Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania, so what's the point? Shouldn't he automatically have a shot at Yokozuna or at least a rematch with Michaels for the IC Title? As for their opponents, a fine cache of heel jobbers, including the matching tights of Horowitz & Riggins. They must have been teaming on the syndi shows on the weekends. Both have occasionally been on Raw putting over talent. This heel team was getting pretty frisky here, and perhaps an upset was in the air, but Tatanka gets a hot tag and chops his way to a victory for his team. That was a fun little sprint, and the heels did much more than anybody thought.

### JT:

Up next we get to check out a six-man unit prepping for a big-time tag at SummerSlam. Tatanka and the Smoking Gunns will battle Bam Bam Bigelow and the Headshrinkers next Monday, but here they are taking on a jobber dream team to get themselves used to teaming up. I love when they do stuff like this, having guys team up to get used to working together before a big PPV bout. Billy Gunn and Barry Horowitz kicked things off, and that was easily won by Billy. Gorilla and Ross give some nice analysis of the SummerSlam match as Bart tags in and beats on Reno Riggins a bit. Riggins would tag into the Brooklyn Brawler, and we just got more of the same from Bart and then Tatanka, who entered with a tomahawk chop off the top rope. Brawler made a bit of a comeback on Billy and then tagged in Horowitz, who actually got a near fall on a Northern Lights suplex. Brawler tagged back in and picked up a two count on a neck breaker. The jobber team is making a move! Even Riggins for a little offense in! The jobber squad kept pouring it on, tagging in and out and leveraging referee distraction to double and triple team in the corner. Gorilla chastised the Gunns and Tatanka for their performance here, and I can't blame him at all. Billy finally broke things up with a flying forearm to Riggins, allowing him to tag out to Tatanka. The Native American came in and mowed through all three guys with chops, and then the Gunns backed him up with a double dropkick. Tatanka was all fired up, as was the crowd, and he ended up making quick work of Riggins, finishing him off with a high cross body. Well, I get the idea here, as by showing them as struggling here, it makes you feel Bigelow and the Headshrinkers are the favorites in Auburn Hills. Tatanka looked great, and it was fun seeing the jobbers get some sustained momentum too in this surprisingly little feisty matchup.

*** We see more clips of the Lex Express tour before Gene Okerlund welcomes out the Undertaker for a chat in the ring. Undertaker vows revenge and says Giant Gonzalez has tried and tried to take him out but failed each time. While he doesn't have Paul Bearer, he has the Creatures of the Night in his corner. He then says the Rest in Peace Match is when Undertaker reaches through his chest and extracts all his organs and takes possession of his soul. Perhaps Gonzalez should have read the fine print on this contract. And speaking of, Gonzalez stomps to the ring along with Harvey Wippleman and tells Taker this time he won't get up and will rest in peace. Taker would disrobe but Gonzalez wanted no part of a fight and then walked off confidently. ***

### 4) Shawn Michaels defeats Bob Backlund to retain WWF Intercontinental Title with a roll-up at 9:00

### Scott:

On the verge of perhaps the biggest match of his young solo career, Shawn Michaels faces the former WWF Champion who's actually been a great addition to the roster. I've said at times that the roster needs to be younger. But unlike guys like Duggan who are getting fat and taking up space, Backlund is still a great worker in the company and is putting over the younger talent. This is actually a good chance for Michaels to really get under his legs against somebody who wrestles like Mr. Perfect, his opponent at SummerSlam. The match is getting off to a slow start, as we get a couple of body slams and lots of posturing. Diesel is there backing Michaels up, but to this point, we really haven't seen him get utilized. Gorilla Monsoon is definitely settling into the role of heel announcer with Ross as the PBP guy. Gorilla also acts like this on the Coliseum Video releases when he's with Johnny Polo. It's utterly hilarious and needs to be watched to be believed. Shawn is working Backlund over with punches and a front facelock until Backlund lifts up and puts him on the turnbuckle. Michaels is definitely looking a little puffy recently and perhaps out of shape. Backlund gets a phantom three count when Diesel goes on the apron. Eventually, Michaels grabs a hunk of Backlund's tights and gets a cheap roll up for the victory. It was a throwaway match to get the IC Champion on the card, but not an impressive performance.

### JT:

With lots of hype surrounding his big Intercontinental Title defense against Mr. Perfect at SummerSlam, Shawn Michaels first has to get through an interesting challenge in Bob Backlund. Michaels is joined by Diesel, as always, so this will be a real uphill climb for Bob. Michaels controlled off the bell, scoop slamming Backlund down and then playing to the crowd a bit. In a nice touch Backlund, along with other faces tonight, are wearing red, white and blue wristbands in support of Lex Luger. Michaels continued to taunt Backlund and preen around arrogantly after a second slam. Ross noted that the champ didn't seem to be taking this one seriously right as Backlund unleaded a quick flurry of offense, including a backslide for a near fall. Michaels scampered outside to grab a breather and was able to avoid a charging Backlund by ducking in the corner back in the ring. After a break, Michaels had regained control, hammering him with sledge blows and picking up a near fall. Michaels would grab a front chancery, but Backlund would eventually slip free and again lay into the champ with a fast-paced series of moves for a near fall. Backlund followed with a delayed atomic drop that Michaels sold like he got shot. Diesel would tie up the referee to save Shawn, allowing Michaels to hook the tights and steal the win by cheating. This had all the pieces to build into a very good title bout but was too compressed to really get there. They worked together, and Backlund's quick sprint offense in between heat segments was well done. Michaels heads to SummerSlam with his gold in tow.

*** We get our final installments of "Who is Lex Luger?" as Lex talks about being a role model. Vince McMahon then interviews Ludvig Borga backstage. Borga talks about his issues with Marty Jannetty, and America. He will show Jannetty pain like he hasn't seen before and says it will be his final SummerSlam. He isn't here to win titles, just to destroy everyone and inflict pain. ***

### 5) Marty Jannetty defeats Duane Gill with the flying fist drop at 3:21

### Scott:

First off, why is Ross calling Marty Jannetty a "kid"? He's been in the WWF technically since 1988! Gorilla really throws Borga under the bus saying that he's wrestled nobody and hasn't proven anything. I know Marty is on the card at SummerSlam, but this seems like nothing more than a throwaway crap match. Duane Gill still has the boss mullet, but not the skills to go with it. Marty wins with his finisher and is ready for the beast from Helsinki.

### JT:

The showcasing of SummerSlam participants continues as Marty Jannetty runs to the ring for a tune-up match with Duane Gill. Ross notes that Jannetty's quickness should give Ludvig Borga some problems while Gorilla says Borga hasn't beaten anyone yet and needs to prove himself. Gill gets a token armbar, but Jannetty makes rather quick work of Duane and his mullet, picking up a win in his final TV match before his big SummerSlam challenge.

*** Gene Okerlund is here with our final SummerSlam Report and he discusses the complete card:

Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna – WWF Championship

Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler

Mr. Perfect vs. Shawn Michaels – WWF Intercontinental Championship

Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez – Rest in Peace Match

Steiner Brothers vs. Heavenly Bodies – WWF Tag Team Titles

Tatanka & Smoking Gunns vs. Bam Bam Bigelow & Headshrinkers

Razor Ramon vs. Ted DiBiase

1-2-3 Kid vs. IRS

Marty Jannetty vs. Ludvig Borga

Order now on PPV! It is never too early to call, avoid those busy operators! See you in Auburn Hills next Monday! ***

### 6) Steiner Brothers defeated Money, Inc. in a steel cage match to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when both Steiners escape the cage at 22:00

Fun Fact I: On June 14, the Steiners won the tag team championships from Money, Inc. The tag belts would switch hands back to Money, Inc. on June 16 only for the Steiners to win them again on June 19. The two teams battled each other through the early part of the summer of '93 with Money, Inc. unable to regain the belts.

Fun Fact II: This will be the final tag team match for Money, Inc. At SummerSlam, Ted DiBiase would wrestle Razor Ramon, which would be his final match with the WWF. IRS would return to singles competition.

### Scott:

Our main event is the fond farewell for one of the best WWF heel teams of all time, and the anchor of the tag division for about a year and a half. Money, Inc. has been fabulous both as challengers and champions. Meanwhile, the Steiners have become one of the most popular teams in the WWF, and they've bounced back and forth with Money, Inc. with those tag straps. Now everything will come down to this inside a steel cage. I seriously doubted that the belts would change hands now with the Steiners facing the Heavenly Bodies at SummerSlam for the belts and both members of Money, Inc. in singles matches at Auburn Hills. The match is very psychological, with a decent amount of action in the ring, but honestly Money, Inc. pretty much runs for the cage walls to climb over a bunch of times. Apparently only going over the top of the cage wins the match as the door remains locked. There has been some solid action in the ring, as it's mostly a tornado match and all four guys are working at the same time which adds to the excitement and unpredictability of the match. In a rare instance, IRS' tie comes off, I think while he was choking Scott Steiner on the top of the cage. There were some dangerous moments, as at one point, DiBiase had Rick Steiner upside down on the wall of the cage. One member of each team made it to the floor but then decided to get back in the ring to help their partners, and Gorilla says that nullifies them leaving the ring. Scott Steiner left the ring a second time and then gets back in. IRS escapes the cage and smartly tries to pull DiBiase over the wall to the floor. Both teams really give everything for this match, and the ending is great. Rick Steiner is already on the floor, and he catches IRS on his shoulders as Irwin is trying to escape. DiBiase gets out of the cage and starts punching Rick to drop IRS and give Money, Inc. the titles. But while DiBiase is punching away, Scott is crawling out of the cage behind him and eventually hits the floor, and the champs retain their Tag Team Titles. This was a real fun match to give the crowd a great finish to the show and get everyone ready for SummerSlam!

### JT:

It is main event time and also time to finally end the summer-long feud between the Steiner Brothers and Money, Inc. The teams have traded the titles back and forth, but this is lining up to be the challengers' final opportunity and it is taking place inside a steel cage. The Fink runs through the rules, clarifying that both team members have to escape the cage to win the match and the straps. This is a pretty big-time match for this show, which has been loaded as a whole. As the bell rings, the Steiners double teamed Ted DiBiase as IRS tried to scamper out of the cage. The champs caught him, and things reset with all four trading blows. The Steiners controlled the action, using the cage walls as weapons before trying to escape but the challengers made the save. DiBiase landed the first big blow by taking Scott off the top rope with a back suplex, leading to he and IRS scaling the wall but again they were caught. DiBiase would ram Rick into the cage as IRS was able to crotch Scott across the top rope. With the champs down, DiBiase made it to the top of the cage, but Rick popped up and caught him and yanked him back over. Both teams continued to attempt escapes while trading blows, capped by DiBiase dragging Scott over the cage wall and to the mat with a suplex. With Scott wiped out, the champs double teamed Rick, who eventually escaped and almost made it over the top, as did Scott. However, they got caught again, and this time IRS took Scott off the top of the cage with a great superplex. DiBiase started to grind Rick as the show headed to break and as we returned, the Steiners stopped both challengers from escaping. Scott would finally make it over the top and halfway down, but DiBiase yanked his head through the cage and choked him before pulling him back into the ring. We got more escape teases, saves and strikes from both sides and even got a rare match where IRS removed his tie! With Rick and DiBiase wiped out, Scott and IRS each escaped at the same time, leaving this to a one on one match. Rick recovered first and started to climb, but IRS scooted back in and made the save, which also led to Scott returning to the ring to help his brother... but he entered with a big double axe handle off the top of the cage. There were lots of neat spots in this one. DiBiase started choking Rick with IRS' tie, and after a break, we saw Scott had again escaped but was returning for a second time. IRS would then climb out again, and DiBiase was right behind him before barely being pulled back in by Scott. The Steiners started to double team DiBiase and hung him in the ropes, forcing IRS back inside to stop them from escaping. Rick then made it outside for the first time, but he also started to come back in as Scott got worked over. However, before he got to the top, Scott wiped out both challengers, so Rick dropped to the floor to cheer his brother on. Scott had trouble recovering, and the challengers made their move. DiBiase escaped and got to the floor, but Rick sidled under IRS and caught him on his shoulders. As DiBiase tried to knock him loose, Scott scurried down the cage and touched the floor to win the match for his team. There was plenty of good psychology here, blended with lots of escape teases, big bumps and smart work on both ends, plus a real cool looking finish. I liked how they kept escaping but returning due to strategy and having to avoid too much double teaming. These teams have really good chemistry, and this was a strong way for Money, Inc. to go out. They have been stalwarts of Raw in 1993, and it will be weird to see them broken up and to have DiBiase be gone. The Steiners move onto Auburn Hills, but this was a really high-quality match to put their issues with Money, Inc. behind them for good. A really fun main event caps off a good night of WWF action.

*** We wrap up the show with a special Lex Luger tribute rap by Men on a Mission and "Rappin" Randy Savage. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Besides the real fun cage match, none of the other matches really did anything other than showcase the talent wrestling at SummerSlam. Shawn Michaels looked uninspired in his win, unlike Yokozuna who did put his working boots on against Jim Duggan. Really it was a two-hour commercial pushing SummerSlam for any final buys while putting matches all around it. This was a changing of the guard of sorts as a lot of old Federation Era guys were pushing out and new faces were coming on in. Savage's rapping is epic and Mean Gene does his final PPV report. Will Lex Luger defy the odds? Will Mr. Perfect make it an IC three-peat? Will Bret Hart shut Jerry Lawler up? There's only one way to know. ORDER SUMMERSLAM! Before another hole gets knocked through the bottom of the boat.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Outside of the main event, no match really popped here, but this was a really quick watch that did a great job of hyping SummerSlam. All of the matches showcased key members of the PPV, and we also got interviews and video packages galore to get you all geared up for next Monday night. And even though the grades didn't really bear it out, the rest of the card beyond the tag title match still was entertaining with a lot of aggression and stiff offense. And speaking of stiff, the cage match had a lot of really good bumps and cool offense and strategy on display. The opener was solid too, really putting Yokozuna over as a monster. Both this card and SummerSlam really usher in change to the promotion as we bid farewell to a few real stalwarts of the early Raw era and look to reset things a bit for the fall. I also enjoyed the mixing up of the commentary, which made this show stand out a bit more as special as well. Overall, this did exactly what it was meant to do: hype the hell out of SummerSlam, and it happened to deliver a couple of fun matches along the way. Plus... HE ALMOST KNOCKED A HOLE RIGHT THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE BOAT!

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #31

September 13, 1993

Manhattan Center

Manhattan, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

Fun Fact: This is the first episode of Raw in nearly a month. On 8/23, Raw was a 1-hour condensed version of the SummerSlam Spectacular that aired the night before. Over the next 2 weeks (8/30 and 9/6), Raw would be preempted due to the US Open tennis tournament.

### 1) The Quebecers defeat The Steiner Brothers to win WWF Tag Team Titles in a Province de Quebec Rules Match when Scott Steiner was disqualified at 22:00

Fun Fact I: The Quebecers are made up of Jacques Rougeau (formerly The Mountie) and Pierre (Carl Ouellet). The duo met while in Puerto Rico, and Rougeau brought Ouellet into the WWF. The two were put together as a tag team and pushed very quickly to the top of the tag division. The team dressed in red and black, similar to the Mountie uniforms that Rougeau had worn before in singles competition.

Fun Fact II: Johnny Polo (Scott Levy) makes his debut as the manager of the Quebecers. In the early part of his career, Levy wrestled in Puerto Rico, Canada, in the Pacific Northwest and in Texas before signing on with WCW. Under the surfer gimmick, Scotty Flamingo, he would win the WCW Light Heavyweight Championship from Brian Pillman in 1992. He would leave the promotion after a disagreement with promoter Bill Watts. After spending some time in the USWA, Levy came into the WWF as Johnny Polo, a spoiled rich kid persona. He managed Adam Bomb initially before switching over to be the Quebecers manager here.

### Scott:

We take a big skip in dates for Raw from our last outing, due to both SummerSlam and the US Open on the USA Network. There's no wrestling competition for them on TV, so the time off doesn't hurt them in any way. At SummerSlam, the Steiners successfully defended the Tag Team Titles against the Heavenly Bodies and are still the top team in the promotion. Our good friend Jacques Rougeau returns dressed as The Mountie, but this time he has a tag team partner, and it's not Raymond. It's Pierre. They were on Superstars before being in this spot, but they've not been on Raw at all before this point. The Quebec Province Rules means the belts can change by countout or DQ, no piledrivers, and coming off the top rope and being thrown over the top rope is illegal. That actually makes the flow of this match really good, as both teams avoid a lot of cheating and crazy maneuvers, and instead we get some solid ground and pound workrate with a lot of close falls. About a third of the way into the match out comes Adam Bomb's manager Johnny Polo who is wearing a Montreal Canadiens jersey (should have been the Nordiques) and he apparently manages the Quebecers now as well. Eventually, Johnny Polo's hockey stick gets in the ring, and Jacques and Scott Steiner are battling with it. Scott grabs it, and just as the referee turns around, he clocks Jacques with it. Thus, this out of nowhere tag team is the new champions. That was one of the best matches in the show's history and possibly one of the biggest upsets. I really enjoyed that match, and a trio of great heels are the top of the tag team food chain.

### JT:

It has been nearly a month since our last episode of Raw thanks to preemption due to the SummerSlam Spectacular, SummerSlam itself and the US Open. And it almost feels like a bit of a reset for the promotion in ways. As we discussed at the Spectacular, some old faces were phased out, and others have changed allegiances or made their debuts. And we open with some fresh talent here. The Quebecers had debuted on WWF TV back in the summer but this is their Raw debut, and they immediately are into a big Tag Team Title match with the dominant Steiners. I love how they shifted names to the Quebecers to avoid any more heat with the RCMP like they battled through the last time around. Vince McMahon states that history will be made here tonight as the titles will be defended under Quebec Province rules, meaning the titles can change hands on DQ and countout and also stuff like coming off the top rope, piledrivers and chucking guys over the top rope were DQs. These rules certainly seem to favor the challengers here. The Quebecers brought tons of energy to the division as happy, over-the-top assholes with strong chemistry and workrate. It was a strong boost to the heel slate, especially with Money, Inc. and the Beverly Brothers both finished. The Steiners were still on top of the mountain and were looking pretty unbeatable at this point. Rick and Jacques opened things up and traded some offense, including a Rick powerslam and clothesline that nearly sent Jacques over the top rope. The Steiners kept dominating, this time picking apart Pierre by working his arm and cracking him with power moves. Pierre found an opening and was able to hit a clothesline off the second rope on Scott for a near fall. Pierre kept pressing on Scott, but Steiner hit a backdrop and tagged out to reset the match. Rick erased a piledriver, but Scott reminded him of the rules, so he punched in the face instead. After a break, Jacques was back in control of Rick, but Steiner cut his momentum and shoved him to the floor. Scott and Pierre came in, and Steiner grabbed hold of his head, but Pierre broke free and wrecked him with a hard clothesline. Scott recovered and hit a belly-to-belly for two and grabbed a single leg crab before tagging to Rick, who hooked the same hold. Jacques came in and broke it up, but Rick went right back to the leg, Pierre regained control, and as he did, Johnny Polo showed up at ringside in a Canadiens jersey that also pretty much spelled out that he was with the Quebecers on the back. Good use of Polo and a more natural fit and clear upgrade from Adam Bomb for him. Pierre would eventually bail to the floor, where he huddled up with Jacques and Polo in the aisle as we took a second break.

Upon returning, Scott was working over Jacques until Pierre clobbered him from behind to give the challengers the upper hand. Vince took a shot at Monday Night Football here, saying it was a boring game and welcoming anyone who switched over. The Quebecers double teamed and quick tagged for a bit, including a stiff stun gun, and a leg sweep/clothesline combo for near falls. Scott would eventually get a desperation DDT on Jacques, but Pierre knocked Rick off the apron to block a tag. Rick finally came in and busted up a double team, but it wasn't enough to free up Scott for a tag. A moment later, Scott hit both Quebecers with a double clothesline and finally made the big tag. Rick mowed through the challengers and Scott came right back in and hit a Frankensteiner on Pierre. Just when this looked like a defense for the champs, Polo hopped on the apron and wielded a hockey stick. Rick clobbered Polo, but Jacques grabbed the stick, which Scott yanked from his hands and drilled him with, drawing the DQ... and leading to a title change. Polo and the Quebecers did it, they leveraged the absurd rules and outsmarted the champs. This was a really damn good match with lots of back and forth and really good selling blended with a few high impact moves. The finish was a bit goofy, but it paid off the stipulations perfectly and also put over the intelligence of this newly aligned threesome. The Steiners' reign is shockingly over already but time will tell just how long the Quebecers can hang on to the gold.

### 2) Mr. Perfect defeats Tony DeVito with the Perfectplex at 2:47

### Scott:

After failing to win the IC Title at SummerSlam thanks to Diesel, Mr. Perfect takes out one of the resident jobbers in the WWF. It looks like they are transitioning Perfect off of Shawn Michaels and to his bodyguard. Not much more to say here.

### JT:

Mr. Perfect is back this week, looking to shake off his tough loss at SummerSlam thanks to the assist from Shawn Michaels' bodyguard Diesel. The match had been hyped as potentially the greatest IC Title match of all time but didn't quite meet those lofty expectations. The announcers are still stunned about our title change from earlier and discuss that in addition to Perfect wanting revenge on Diesel as Perfect makes very quick work of the rotund DeVito.

*** We check out exclusive footage from SummerSlam when Ludvig Borga confronted Lex Luger in the locker room after the show ended. Borga promised to crush Luger, who is the backbone of America. ***

### 3) Razor Ramon defeats The Executioner with a back suplex off the second rope at 2:36

### Scott:

I can comfortably say this ISN'T Buddy Rose playing the Executioner here. Razor is coming off his big SummerSlam win over Ted DiBiase, and it looks like he's going to have a match with IRS as well. Money, Inc. is effectively dead anyway, as DiBiase is gone. Razor actually wins the match with a suplex off the second rope for the victory. Then he hits the Razor's Edge after the match. Not much there, but Razor is one of the top faces now, after being a top heel at the beginning of the year.

### JT:

Razor Ramon is on a roll, coming off his solid win over Ted DiBiase at SummerSlam and looking to keep moving up that ladder. We get a little digression in the announce booth as Heenan discusses Conan O'Brien's test run on NBC. Vince also discusses how IRS is prepping to eventually battle the Bad Guy in the near future. Executioner gets a few strikes in, but that is about it as Razor polishes him off with the back suplex off the second rope. Ramon would hit the Razor's Edge after the bell as he stays locked in and on fire.

*** Vince McMahon welcomes out the Quebecers and Johnny Polo for a chat. They discuss making history as the first ever French Canadians to become WWF Tag Team Champions. Vince asks if the Steiners will get a rematch and after a huddle, Polo states that if one of the Steiners can beat one of the Quebecers, they will get a title shot. Vince goads Polo into accepting that singles contest for next week as the Steiners head to ringside while being held back by officials. ***

*** We are shown footage of Randy Savage and Bobby Heenan appearing on the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon that occurred over Labor Day weekend. ***

### 4) Doink the Clown defeats Rich Myers with the Whoopee Cushion at 2:10

### Scott:

This was a squash (although Doink beating a heel jobber was interesting at that time). The main focus during this match was that Crush called into the announcer's table. We haven't seen Crush since June when he was attacked after a match with Yokozuna. Vince asks him a few questions, and after a dopey Bobby Heenan question, Randy Savage gives Crush well wishes. Crush asks if that's Savage and then the line cuts (or it sounds like Crush hung up?). Interesting. To clarify my query about Doink facing a heel jobber, he walks around the ring after the match with a bucket of water and instead of throwing it Vince or Savage he throws it at Bobby. Do we see a Doink face turn?

### JT:

Time for our final bout of the evening as Raw favorite Doink the Clown shuffles to ringside with a pair of buckets in his hands. He empties the buckets into the crowd, revealing confetti, before sliding into the ring and going right at the Mullet King, Rich Myers. Vince pimps tonight's Silk Stalkings as Doink snaps off a great German suplex. While the Clown keeps the pressure on, Crush calls into the commentary team and discusses his rehab and promises to return with unmatched power and intensity. The conversation goes fine until Randy Savage speaks and the line cuts out. Savage ponders what happened there as Doink finishes Myers with the Whoopee Cushion. Doink grabs another win but as we see in a moment, times may be a changing for the evil Clown.

*** Doink grabs another bucket from under the ring and sneaks around the ring. Bobby Heenan pops up and asks Doink to empty it on Randy Savage, but Doink swerves him and dumps the pail of water all over the Brain instead. Doink then comes back out and chucks more confetti into the crowd. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

So we have the official babyface turn of Doink and some possible bad blood brewing between Randy Savage and Crush. Once again, we have some timeliness issues as it has been three weeks since the last episode and SummerSlam is two weeks old now. Again, some television wrinkles that will be fixed as time progresses. We do have a huge title change as the Steiners, who really didn't get a big run as champions, laid down to the Quebecers. Razor Ramon continues to grow as a babyface which was a great choice by the bookers. He's a big fan favorite and will just get more popular. Another episode where the storylines are better than the matches.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We are back from our SummerSlam vacation and waste no time in getting right back in some hot action. The show opened with a massive tag team title change that came at the end of a very good and long match. That was followed by a series of squashes, each of which was kept short but allowed for the advancement of a few storylines. Tack on the interesting Crush development and Doink's apparent title change and this is quite the memorable episode. They also did a great job hyping up next week's show with the Scott Steiner/Pierre singles match on tap. This episode definitely felt like a refresh in many ways as new storylines are being fired up, the roster has shaken up a bit, and the overall tenor of the show just felt renewed after the SummerSlam angles had all closed out. We also get the debut of the new ad campaign for the fall season. I have always dug this episode thanks to the historical title change and overall pacing throughout. There was a lot accomplished and two very memorable moments, can't ask for much more.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #32

September 20, 1993 (Taped September 13, 1993)

Manhattan Center

Manhattan, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Scott Steiner defeats Pierre with a Frankensteiner at 12:43

Fun Fact: Last week on Raw, the Quebecers defeated the Steiners for the tag team championships. On the 9/19 episode of Wrestling Challenge, Johnny Polo said that he would be glad to give the Steiners a rematch for the titles if either one of them could defeat one of the Quebecers in a singles match on Raw. However, following the match, the Quebecers stated the Steiners would not get a rematch because there were teams more deserving of a shot at the belts.

### Scott:

Coming off of the tag title upset last week, the Steiners were promised a rematch for the tag titles if Scotty can knock off Pierre here to open the show. They showed portions of last week's title match and how the Province of Quebec rules screwed the Steiners in the end. They booked that pretty poorly as Rick was DQ'd with the hockey stick, but he should have got DQ'd for a piledriver or something. So the two powerhouse guys on the teams face off here, and if Scott wins his team gets the title shot. Scott is rocking the Michigan colors on his singlet, something you really didn't see too often. Scott dominates early and chases Pierre and Johnny Polo off until after the break when they return with Jacques, which brings out Rick Steiner. All four men are jaw jacking with each other which gives Pierre a chance to attack Scott from behind. Pierre takes control now while Rick is holding Jacques off with a chair, but not a steel chair. Rather it's one of those banquet chairs, which looked pretty funny. The match turns into a fun back and forth battle of power guys while Bobby Heenan is coughing and sneezing and asking if Themis the Raw card girl can rub Vick's Vap-O-Rub on his chest. Pretty funny stuff. Finally, Scott recovers late, hits the Frankensteiner and gets the victory. So conceivably the Steiners should get their title shot at some point. That was a fun match with some great power moves and fun character work.

### JT:

We are on tape this week but are set up for a pretty big show because right out of the gate we have a key singles bout between Scott Steiner and Pierre. The Quebecers stole the Tag Team Titles a week ago, but if Scott can get the duke here tonight, the Steiners will be granted a rematch. This is suddenly a pretty good feud that really cropped up out of nowhere. Scott was laser focused as he came out and in complete contrast, Pierre and Johnny Polo exuded great cockiness while sauntering out to their beautiful theme music. Scott threw some heavy bombs to open things up, slugging Pierre down and then hitting a clothesline off the top rope. In a nice touch, Vince mentions how that would have been a DQ a week ago but is back to being legal here. It happens again when Scott chucks Pierre over the top to the floor. And then a third time when Scott hits a piledriver for a near fall. Cool storytelling. Scott was on point, grabbing an Indian death lock with a bridge into a chinlock. He would release that and continue to work over Pierre, including a sweet belly to belly throw off the top rope. Pierre rolled to the floor to regroup with Polo, but Scott followed him out and chased him off. After a break, Pierre returned, but now Jacques was with him as well. That drew out Rick Steiner to even the sides up, and after resetting things, Pierre was all ready to clobber Scott from behind to finally take over control. Pierre worked the neck and upper back, using his weight advantage to aid in his offense and picking up a near fall. In a good running bit here, Bobby Heenan is battling a cold thanks to Doink dousing him with water last week. Scott would grab a flash sunset flip, but Polo ran interference to prevent the referee from counting. Pierre kept leaning on Steiner, wearing him down with a chinlock in between brief spurts of Steiner offense. Scott would punch his way back into the match, followed by a clothesline and a double underhook suplex. A moment later, Scott hit a Frankensteiner, and the lights went out on Pierre. It looks like the Steiners will be getting that rematch after all. Pretty good match here, long and hard hitting with both guys getting some nice shine. This feud has been an unexpected boon to the division.

### 2) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Laverne Magille with a senton bomb at 5:19

### Scott:

Perhaps one of the coolest names in jobber history takes a beating from the Beast from Asbury Park. The match is nothing, but during the match, we have another conversation with Crush on the phone, and this time he says pretty clear he will never talk to Randy Savage again. So, the storyline is pretty clear now, after the first phone call was caused by "technical problems." Bigelow wins easily, but it's the Crush/Savage situation that takes center stage here.

### JT:

We haven't seen Bam Bam Bigelow in a few weeks, but he is back in the house here tonight, coming off a tough loss in a six-man tag at SummerSlam. He doesn't have much of a feud brewing at the moment as his issues with Tatanka seem to be tapering off. Bigelow cracks Magille with a dropkick to open, but Laverne would dodge a second one and actually land a few shots. Magille kept moving, dodging Bigelow's splash in the corner but then crashing and burning on a missed dropkick of his own. As Bigelow started to pound Magille, Vince McMahon brought Crush into commentary via the phone for a second straight week. Crush talks about his rehab and promises to be back very soon. Vince transitions the call to Randy Savage, who puts Crush over, but Crush ignores Savage and then tells McMahon he will never speak to Savage again. Interesting. Heenan plainly states Crush just wants nothing to do with Savage and Vince agrees but Macho has zero explanation or answer for what is going on. Once the call ends, Bigelow stops eating up time and gets more aggressive on offense. Vince plugs tonight's Silk Stalkings as Magille makes another comeback. That gets quickly snuffed out as Bigelow catches him coming off the middle rope and rams him into the corner. Bigelow eventually finishes him with a senton bomb. This was a weird squash as Magille got a decent amount of offense in. Bigelow usually looks stronger in these, but the real focus was on Crush's phone call anyway.

*** We see clips of Doink dousing Bobby Heenan with water last week. Vince McMahon then brings out Bret Hart for a chat. Vince recaps his SummerSlam experience with Doink and Jerry Lawler and everything that went down with the entire Hart Family. Hart disputes anyone that calls Lawler the King of the WWF as he hasn't really beaten anyone. He also talks about his family's honor meaning more than any crown, and he promises that Lawler won't even have a head to wear a crown on when he finishes with him. ***

### 3) Mr. Perfect defeats Mike Bell at 3:55

### Scott:

After his almost win against Shawn Michaels at SummerSllam, it seems like Mr. Perfect is kind of in limbo. Perhaps he is due a World Title shot with Yokozuna, or something else. Bobby is debating about Joe Fowler on All American Wrestling, as Mean Gene was on his way out the door. Perhaps the time is coming when Vince is realizing his talent has to start getting a little younger as the roster is starting to get younger. Plus, some of these older commentators and interviewers want a lighter schedule. Perfect wins easily.

### JT:

For the second straight week, Mr. Perfect is in the house for a showcase bout. As Perfect comes out, Heenan trashes his new All-American co-host, Joe Fowler. Don't you dare disparage the voice of the Screaming Eagles! Perfect smacks Mike Bell around before cracking him with a dropkick. Vince pushes Perfect's issue with Diesel as the match edges along. Perfect works pretty stiff here, popping Bell in the face with two hard punches and then eventually polishes him off with the Perfectplex for yet another Raw win.

*** Ludvig Borga roams some random countryside and trash talks America, mixing in a rhyme amidst the disdain. Bobby Heenan then heads over to a couple sitting front row and triggers a marriage proposal. He also eats their popcorn and hands her his dirty tissues before making a Chinese food joke regarding the Asian woman. ***

### 4) PJ Walker defeats IRS with a roll up at 1:22

### Scott:

Before the match, Bobby went to ringside and two people got engaged while he ate their popcorn. IRS wants to bait Razor Ramon into a match, but that doesn't happen. Well until Razor Ramon comes out and distracts IRS, which gives PJ Walker the chance to roll him up and get the upset victory. IRS is beside himself and is being held back while Razor is laughing at him. This really wasn't a match at all but a chance for Razor to get the upper hand on Irwin.

### JT:

After Razor Ramon mowed down down Ted DiBiase at SummerSlam, his old partner IRS looks to be out for revenge. Before his match here, be tries to goad Ramon into coming down for a match but then just says he will take care of PJ Walker, tax cheat, instead. IRS aggressive attacks Walker, tossing him to the floor and then kicking him violently before spiking him into the stairs. Back inside, IRS kept the attack on, but as he did, Razor Ramon did show up at ringside. IRS would catch eyes, and as they jawed, Walker snuck over and rolled IRS up for the huge upset win. The mind games and major upsets continue to flow in this feud. The match was nothing but this is definitely a memorable moment in Raw's first year.

*** Bobby Heenan heads backstage to interview the Quebecers and Johnny Polo. Polo says the Quebecers will defend their titles next week, but it won't be against the Steiners. There are other great teams that deserve title shots, and one of them will get a crack next week instead. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Other than the opener and the Bobby stuff with the couple getting married, this was a pretty boring show. It's evident some things around WWF are changing, as Mean Gene left the company at this point and was replaced on All-American by Joe Fowler. I need to look up who Laverne Magille is. He seems like somebody I should know. We are in between PPVs, so some of these shows are a little boring. We get some big news and a new Raw venue when next week comes, which is where the real action begins.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We follow up a pretty strong outing a week ago with a decent enough episode this week. The opening match was solid, and that was joined by the memorable PJ Walker win and progression in the Crush/Savage storyline. Mix in some fun commentary and a couple of decent enough squashes, and this was another quick watch. The Heenan stuff was funny too, both his sickness and the proposal. Quick bits like that help the show chug along. Next week is shaping up to be another big card as well as they are doing a nice job of hyping and building week to week and progressing things along by this point.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #33

September 27, 1993

New Haven Coliseum

New Haven, CT

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

Fun Fact: While Shawn Michaels never admits to this day that he did not take steroids, here in September 1993 he is suspended for testing positive for steroids. In storyline, he is stripped of the IC title for having not defended it within a 30 day period.

*** We open the show with an announcement from WWF President Jack Tunney. Tunney announces that Shawn Michaels has not fulfilled his contractual obligations and was being stripped of his Intercontinental Title. A battle royal will occur next week, and the last two men will face off in two weeks time to determine the new champion. ***

### 1) Tatanka and Rick Martel wrestle to a no contest at 10:48

Fun Fact: For most of '93, Rick Martel was an undercard performer. We see him make his TV return here against Tatanka.

### Scott:

Pardon me while I wipe the tear from my cheek... my beloved New Haven Coliseum hosts its first Raw, and I have to say the crowd (we LOL) was jacked for our first RAW. My first live Raw after six years of house shows in my home base. Seriously, it was great for Raw to be in a legit arena with a change of scenery. We begin with the return of the Model, who really hasn't been on since the Survivor Series match with Tatanka about one year earlier. Tatanka has been one of the MVPs of this first year of Monday Night Raw, being on consistently and winning all the time. Of course, as I always lament, he hasn't gotten one title shot since the win over Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania. Tatanka did blow a move and slipped off the turnbuckle on a reversal and almost fell over. Martel is, like some of the other veterans on the roster, good glue to help the younger superstars and advance the shows and the talent to the next level. This match has been fun but somewhat sloppy, as I think Tatanka got a bit exposed here with his limited repertoire. They battle outside, and the referee counts both of them out. It was a sloppy fun match to get the show started.

### JT:

We are live, and we have massive breaking news to open this jam-packed episode as Jack Tunney revealed that Shawn Michaels had been in breach of his contract and was being stripped of his Intercontinental Title immediately. Next week we get a battle royal as step one to determine the new champion, but for now, we open with a pretty interesting match and a reignition of an old feud. Rick Martel has been gone for nearly a year on TV but he, of course, had a good little feud with Tatanka in late 1992 that culminated at Survivor Series. Martel makes his TV return here tonight against Tatanka, who was still sitting undefeated and being looked at as a potential top threat to the now vacated IC gold. We are also in a brand-new arena for Raw, as we emanate from New Haven, CT. Tatanka, a big time Raw stalwart, gets a warm welcome as always and it was great to see Martel back in the old baby blues too. We open with a feisty lockup and some basic feeling out with both men trading time working the arm. Martel went to the eyes, but Tatanka shrugged it off and chucked the Model over the top rope and to the floor. Martel took his time getting back inside, and when he did Tatanka kept the pressure on. The Model finally caught a break when Tatanka tried a blind reverse cross body block off the middle rope and came up empty. Martel took advantage, hitting a back suplex and then kicking Tatanka to the floor. After a break, Tatanka was back in the ring and grabbed a sunset flip for a near fall, but Martel kicked him and regained control, hooking an abdominal stretch to catch a breather. Tatanka would escape and grab an abdominal stretch of his own, but Martel went to the eyes again to break it up. Martel kicked away and hit another back suplex for a near fall. Tatanka absorbed a backbreaker but got his knees into the gut of Martel to slow him up. That was short lived as Martel took Tatanka down and got to working over the lower back again, locking in a rear chinlock. Tatanka rallied and got a cross body block for two and then fired up his war dance, including cutting Martel down with a series of chops to the head. Tatanka would charge at Martel, but the Model side stepped him and pitched him to the floor again. Tatanka would yank him out to the floor where the two traded blows until they were both counted out. Kind of a surprising match and finish there as Tatanka wasn't protected much at all, with Martel eating up most of the offense and Tatanka getting a brief spurt before the weird finish. The match was really basic and technically fine with Martel really carrying things and keeping it all together. Tatanka looked a bit off, but it was fine enough for what it was.

*** Joe Fowler is in the Event Center and he runs down the participants for next week's IC Title Battle Royal and they are as follows: IRS, Randy Savage, Adam Bomb, Giant Gonzalez, Mr. Perfect, Owen Hart, Rick Martel, Jimmy Snuka, Bob Backlund, Pierre, Jacques, Razor Ramon, Mabel, Diesel, MVP, 1-2-3 Kid, Bam Bam Bigelow, Marty Jannetty, Tatanka and Bastion Booger. ***

### 2) Ludvig Borga defeats Phil Apollo with the torture rack at 3:15

Fun Fact: For more information on Ludvig Borga's background, check out our SummerSlam 1993 Vintage Vault entry.

### Scott:

The bad man from Helsinki makes his Raw debut against legendary Raw jobber Phil Apollo. I loved Borga and that great heel entrance theme music. Borga called out Luger after SummerSlam, probably to siphon Luger off the main event feuds with Yokozuna since he wasn't winning the WWF Title anyway. Not much more to say here, just a nice squash.

### JT:

After plying his trade on the syndicated circuit since his arrival, Ludvig Borga makes his big Raw debut in a showcase match with the ever-present Phil Apollo. Borga is hot off his big SummerSlam win a month ago and has been hellbent on challenging Lex Luger and punishing Americans everywhere. Borga pounds the piss out of Apollo, making quick work out of Portly Phil and nabbing yet another win to remain undefeated.

### 3) Jimmy Snuka defeats Paul Van Dale with the Superfly Splash at 4:34

Fun Fact: Tonight, Jimmy Snuka returns to the WWF after a year and a half absence. During his time away, Snuka has been working in smaller promotions around the country, including playing a role in the creation of a new promotion in the Northeast, Eastern Championship Wrestling. He would become the first Eastern Championship Wrestling Heavyweight Champion on April 25, 1992.

### Scott:

Now bringing back recent veterans is one thing, but Snuka is probably close to 50 at this point. Is this another incident of a poor broke stiff coming back for a payday? During the match, Bobby Heenan called Crush to continue stirring the pot between him and Randy Savage, which means no one really cares about this match. Sure, the old school New Haven crowd probably popped for the return of the Superfly, but otherwise, guys like this need to be low on the card and the young guys need to be focused on the shows.

### JT:

The night of returns continues as Jimmy Snuka is back on the scene in the WWF. We last saw Superfly in early 1992, but he had been working consistently across the country since and was brought back for a small bump to fill in some depth. Even at his advanced age, Snuka was in damn good shape here. As the match wears on, Bobby Heenan dials up Crush and asks him if he is going to be in the Battle Royal next week. Crush says he wasn't invited and is pissed off about it. Heenan tells Crush that Randy Savage is in the match and Crush is even more aggravated by that. Savage tries to interject, but Crush ignores him and basically hints at being stabbed in the back by his good friend, with a push from the Brain of course. Crush eventually hangs up as Savage tells him to show up and talk things out. In the ring, Snuka smacks Paul Van Dale around a bit before unleashing the Superfly Splash for the win. It was neat to Snuka back for the pop, and he will be around next week too, but this match was really here to be a vehicle for pushing along the Savage/Crush feud.

*** We revisit footage from last week when Razor Ramon cost IRS a match against jobber PJ Walker. Vince McMahon then interviews IRS in his office and calls him Mr. Rotundo for some reason. IRS tells Razor Ramon he earned himself an audit as a result of his shenanigans and then promises to take him out of the Battle Royal next week. ***

### 4) Quebecers defeat 1-2-3 Kid & Barry Horowitz to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Pierre pinned Kid after he fell over the top rope to the floor at 9:47

### Scott:

So, Barry Horowitz was supposed to team with Reno Riggins to face the champions, but Barry chose the 1-2-3 Kid to be his replacement. Although not obviously a top ten team, having the Kid on it does bring some sort of slight possibility that we have a huge upset on our hands. As expected, the champs pummel the underdogs until Jacques gets "injured" and is stretchered out. The referee decides that the match will continue, so Pierre has to wrestle a handicap match against the upstarts, and the match keeps going back and forth until the Pierre escapes with a late pinfall. I didn't think they'd lose the titles here but having some doubt with the Kid in the match does give it extra entertainment value. Having Johnny Polo wear Harvard stuff in the heart of Yale country was a nice touch. BOOLA BOOLA!

### JT:

Last week, Johnny Polo and the Quebecers announced that they wouldn't give the Steiners their rematch and instead would offer a title shot to another top ten tag of the WWF. Vince would ponder which of the great teams of the promotion would get the shot, but after a break, it was revealed that the team was legendary jobber connection Barry Horowitz and Reno Riggins. And with the depth of the division here in 1993, you could argue they were legit top ten. However, we get a monkey wrench tossed in as Riggins is home with the flu and Horowitz recruits the beloved 1-2-3 Kid to step in his spot. The Quebecers laugh it off and accept the offer, but Bobby Heenan warns the champs that the Kid is known for pulling upsets here on Raw and that they need to be careful. Johnny Polo rocking the Harvard gear on was an awesome touch to teak the local Yale ball washers. Kid and Horowitz could have been a pretty great team if given a push and time to gel, probably a top four team on the roster at that point. Digression aside, Jacques and Kid open things up as the crowd chants for the underdog. Vince promotes tonight's Silk Stalkings as Kid started to take it to both champs with Horowitz hopping in as well and clearing the ring of the champs. The commentators are great here, reminding us all of the rash of upsets we have seen since Raw began. The champs regrouped and quickly took control, using heavy power offense and double teams to punish the Kid. The Quebecers were so good at using their weight and leverage when on offense, utilizing smooth double teams and quick tags to cut a crisp pace. Jacques gave the challengers a window when he missed a blind cross body off the middle rope. Kid dropkicked him to the floor, where he took a nasty sell and was apparently knocked unconscious. Polo attended to his fallen champion as Pierre pounding on the Kid. After Polo showed no attention towards a possible neck or head injury by shaking Jacques around, officials eventually showed up and carried Jacques off on a stretcher. Thus, Pierre was left to go it alone now, ratcheting up the drama another notch.

After a break, Pierre was in charge of things, slamming Horowitz and then hitting a leg drop off the middle rope for a near fall. Kid would tag in eventually, but Pierre is remaining in control, dropping him with a flapjack and then smacking him with a clothesline. Kid came back with a spin heel kick but when he tried a jump kick, Pierre dodged him, yanked the top rope down, and Kid flew hard to the floor. Polo would pitch his limp body back inside, and Pierre covered to win and survive. This was some pretty odd booking, but it worked in the end. I was surprised Kid ate the pin, but they sold it well as he suffered a pretty gnarly bump at the end. The Jacques stuff was weird too and almost made Pierre feel like a face at times. I think a quicker squash with one big hope spot from Kid would have been better booking. Regardless, the big hook here was the Quebecers playing mind games and continuing to outwit the Steiners.

*** Razor Ramon struts out and tells Vince McMahon that if IRS wants a piece, he is easy to find. Vince also reminds everyone that the Battle Royal is every man for himself and Randy Savage says that the strong will survive and friendships will be put aside. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

I will grade this show ridiculously high because I was there and it was the first Raw inside one of Vince's go-to house show venues dating back to its opening in 1972. I first went there in 1987 and went to a boatload of house show from then till now but to be at a legit TV taping was really cool. The crowd popped for standards like Rick Martel and Jimmy Snuka. Tatanka is still undefeated but treated like just another guy. We get the weird switcheroo with the tag team champions, but that's fine. The fact that Shawn Michaels was stripped of the titles and a new IC Champ would be crowned in my presence was pretty cool. At the time, I wasn't sure what Shawn's situation was, but in any event, we will have a new champion. This show was solid, but the next two would be better here.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We had some nice energy this week. We were back live, in a new arena, and the card was full of interesting twists and turns and one major announcement. For a show that was devoid of the top stars, this episode felt pretty important and never really waned. Obviously, we started with a pretty historically memorable segment as Jack Tunney stripped Shawn Michaels of his gold. We have spent all of 1993 tracking Michaels' run as champ and watched him dodge challenger after challenger and now ends so abruptly; it just felt weird. They did do a nice job of hyping the battle royal, really selling the significance of the match and having everyone put it over strongly. The squashes were fine, and then two big matches got their points across well enough for TV. I can't say this was a stellar episode across the board, but it was certainly memorable and fun to watch.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #34

October 4, 1993 (Taped September 27, 1993)

New Haven Coliseum

New Haven, CT

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Razor Ramon and Rick Martel win a 20 Man Intercontinental Title #1 Contender Battle Royal at 19:21

Participants: Razor Ramon, Rick Martel, Adam Bomb, Bam Bam Bigelow, Bastion Booger, Bob Backlund, Giant Gonzalez, Irwin R. Schyster, Jacques, Jimmy Snuka, Mabel, Marty Jannetty, Mr. Perfect, Owen Hart, Pierre, Randy Savage, Tatanka, The 1-2-3 Kid, MVP

Fun Fact I: The first MVP in the WWF (no, not Montel Vontavious Porter, but Most Valuable Player) was an alternate persona of Steve Lombardi, better known as the Brooklyn Brawler. This would be a short run character used by Lombardi. This will be the only televised match the MVP character appears on. The character would later be rechristened Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz and mainly existed to take shots at MLB's strike.

Fun Fact II: We bid farewell to the Giant Gonzalez (and his suit with fur and drawn on muscles). His contract with the WWF would expire on 10/7, and he would move on to wrestling in Japan for NJPW and WAR before retiring from the ring in 1995.

Fun Fact III: This match was ordered due to President Jack Tunney stripping Shawn Michaels of the IC title due to not defending it in a 30-day period (kayfabe).

### Scott:

So the rules are the last two guys in the match will face each other next week for the vacant Intercontinental Title. Shawn Michaels was stripped at the time due to failing a drug test, but he has since proclaimed his innocence, so I'm not totally sure, but in any event, we have a huge mass of humanity. There is a big template of guys, from jobbers to legends to legit contenders. I remember thinking no doubt that Bam Bam Bigelow was going to be one of the last two. He was my favorite mid-card heel at that time, and I thought the company wanted to keep the IC Title on a heel since Michaels was the champion. Then again with the WWF Champion and the Tag Team Champions heels perhaps they wanted to flip the script. The dark horse was Randy Savage, who is, of course, one of the greatest IC Champions of all time. Perhaps this was finally the time for Tatanka to get the title he deserved, but when Bigelow eliminated him, that finally showed to me that he wasn't title material. Then Bigelow was eliminated by Razor, and I was disappointed. I assumed if they were going face/heel with the final two guys that Bigelow would be the final heel. As the ring thinned, Razor's chances were getting higher and higher. The last six competitors were Razor, Savage, Adam Bomb (another of my favorite heels), Martel and the Quebecers. Eventually, it was three heels vs. Razor. At that point, I knew the Quebecers would probably be eliminated, and sure enough, miscommunication led to them being taken out. So, it will be Razor Ramon vs. Rick Martel next week for the vacant Intercontinental Championship. That will be a fun match. Perhaps one of the best battle royals I've ever seen.

### JT:

The hype began a week ago when Jack Tunney shockingly announced that Shawn Michaels would be stripped of his IC Title due to failing to fulfill his contractual obligations. Thus, we have a battle royal here were the final two men would square off a week later to determine the new champion. The match is pretty loaded as we learned a week ago, but there are still some potential favorites in there, such as Bam Bam Bigelow, Mr. Perfect, Marty Jannetty, Randy Savage, IRS and Razor Ramon. Most of the competitors were in the ring when we came on the air but did see entrances for Tatanka, Giant Gonzalez, Razor Ramon, Randy Savage, Adam Bomb and the Quebecers. Man, those guys were getting a hell of a push, entering the showcase slot here. Savage struck quickly as he entered the ring, cracking Gonzalez with a double ax off the top rope. He took full advantage of rocking the giant and got some help from a bunch of other entrants to shockingly eliminate him right off the bat. Great strategy there by the cagey veteran. With Gonzalez gone, the match began in earnest, and everyone started pairing off and angling for eliminations. They really did a nice job of loading this thing up. MVP got some highlighting early on, and I wonder if he was actually set for any kind of push or if it was simply to mock MLB for their strike. We got a long stretch of brawling and teases with a little storyline advancement between Ramon and IRS until the eliminations sparked with Diesel shoving the mammoth Mabel out. I really like how it took a while to start the eliminations in this one, hoping to show the real importance of the match. In a nice spot, Mr. Perfect and Randy Savage really went at it, showing there were no friends here either. Ramon would pitch IRS to continue their feud, and a moment later Bastion Booger chucked 1-2-3 Kid to the floor. Another feud continued when Perfect ducked a charge and dumped Diesel out of the ring.

As we returned from break, Rick Martel eliminated Bob Backlund and then Jimmy Snuka a moment later. Snuka had a fun little two-week run, but he is back off to the indies for now. On commentary, Bobby Heenan started to push the Savage/Crush feud again, talking about how he believes Savage kept Crush out of the match on purpose. In a big elimination, Bigelow knocked Perfect to the floor, taking out one of the biggest favorites in the match. Another potential favorite was gone right after when he wildly charged at Adam Bomb, who ducked and sent him flying. Tatanka made the same mistake right after that, running at Bigelow, who dodged him and watched him crash to the floor. Three surprising eliminations in a row there. The bodies kept flying as Savage shoved out Booger and Ramon tossed Bigelow. After a break, Owen Hart dropkicked MVP out of the ring, but Hart was tossed immediately after. Pretty funny that he lasted as long as he did and conversely this was a nice little showing for Hart who was settling back into action and primed for a solid push finally. With six left, Ramon and Savage settled into one corner while the Quebecers, Bomb, and Martel hung out across the ring and plotted their attack. The tag champs would double team Razor as Bomb and Martel choked away at Savage while trying to shove him out on the opposite side. Heenan called out how Johnny Polo managed both the Quebecers and Bomb and could be set up for a big night. Savage struck first, shoving out Bomb but he got tangled up near the ropes and Martel and the Quebecers hustled over and knocked him out. That left Ramon and the French Canadians. They tussled for a moment until some miscommunication led to the Quebecers being dumped, leaving Ramon and Martel as the winners. Officials poured out and stood between the two men who would return next week to decide the championship. This was a really fun battle royal with a fairly loaded slate and pretty good pacing. The Quebecers are getting a hell of a push here, and it was interesting to use Martel in this slot against Ramon as it didn't leave much question as to who would win. I think IRS or Bigelow would have been better choices to add a little uncertainty. That said, this has been a nice mini arc and a well booked and executed match to open the show.

### 2) Heavenly Bodies defeated Scott Taylor & Mark Thomas when Jimmy Del Ray pinned Taylor with a moonsault at 4:00

### Scott:

I was wondering who was going to fill this episode out after practically everybody was in the battle royal, and I forgot about the team that challenged the Steiners at SummerSlam. You know we haven't seen a boatload of guys on Raw since SummerSlam: No Bret Hart, no Lex Luger, no Yokozuna. That's very strange, and this was a pretty vicious beatdown.

### JT:

The Smoky Mountain Wrestling relationship continues as the Heavenly Bodies are here to stay and weren't just imported for a one-time title match at SummerSlam. Tom Prichard and Mark Thomas kicked things off, and Prichard suckered Thomas in by faking a test of strength and then drilling him from behind. In an interesting discussion on commentary, Heenan mentions that the Rock 'N' Roll Express will compete on All-American this weekend and puts over their legacy and resume. What a time to be alive. The Bodies would double team and toy with their opponents before finishing them off. Fun squash with some good hard hitting double teams and it looks like the Bodies will now have to deal with a team that followed them to the North.

*** We see clips from Superstars when Doink the Clown and Bam Bam Bigelow had an altercation in the aisle, one that started with the Clown dumping confetti on Bigelow and ended with him dousing Luna Vachon with a bucket of water. Bigelow tried to get revenge, but Doink tripped Bammer up and escaped unscathed. Doink would grab a broom to mock Luna and then set up a trip wire in the aisle, leading to Bigelow falling on his ass. ***

### 3) Doink the Clown defeats Corey Student with the Cannonball at 1:58

### Scott:

Doink is officially a full-fledged babyface with new lighter entrance music, and after clips of what he did to Bam Bam Bigelow on Superstars this past weekend, it's pretty clear. This looks to be Matt Borne still, and he chucks popcorn on Bobby Heenan before the bell. This match will be a squash, but as expected Bam Bam Bigelow comes up to the ring and wants a piece of the Clown after what happened the previous weekend. Looking at the face post-match I am pretty sure it is Matt Borne, but that doesn't last long.

### JT:

As Vince McMahon gawks at the Raw Girl, he proceeds to promote this week's USA World Premiere Movie: Linda. Welp. And with this entrance, the old evil Doink that we knew and loved was officially dead. He had started his face turn a couple of weeks ago when he soaked Bobby Heenan with a bucket of water, continued it over the weekend with his tussle with Bam Bam and Luna and now... well, now he has happier music. It's over. Doink plays to the fans and then dumps popcorn on Heenan as he continues to torment the Brain. Heenan was great here, begging and then closing his eyes and saying he is freezing before Vince calls him an idiot. In the ring, Doink made quick work of Corey Student and at the very least still worked a pretty stiff and grinding style in the ring. Bigelow and Luna showed up after the match, but nothing physical went down. Farewell evil Doink, your candle blew out far too soon.

*** We wrap up with highlights of the final moments of the battle royal and hype for next week's Intercontinental Title match. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This episode was totally carried by the battle royal. It ate up most of the time but is also one of the best televised battle royals of all time in my opinion. My only change would have been to have Bigelow as the final heel instead of Martel, as I think it would have added more intrigue to the final match next week. Nothing against Rick Martel, but this isn't 1990 when he was higher up the card. I don't think there was any doubt that Razor was going to win the belt. The rest of the show was ok with our first the first appearance of full-blown babyface Doink. The entrance music is putrid, as I miss the creepier heel theme. Perhaps the babyface turn marked the first example of Vince needing to change some of the creative directions of character. A heel clown is awesome. A babyface clown is stupid in 1993. This was a great episode with a huge anchor match.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This is a very historical episode of Raw with a big-time battle royal eating up over half of the show. We are all queued up for next week now as Razor Ramon and Rick Martel will square off to determine the new Intercontinental Champion. The battle royal was a lot of fun, and it was neat seeing all of the heavy hitters on the roster jammed into the ring at once. The squashes weren't bad either, and we got lots of progression for the burgeoning Bigelow/Doink feud. The commentary was on point too, especially during the battle royal, pushing along all of the agendas as well as being on point in calling the action. While losing Shawn Michaels is a bad thing on paper, having the vacated IC Title has helped spark Raw during what is usually a down time.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #35

October 11, 1993 (Taped September 27, 1993)

New Haven Coliseum

New Haven, CT

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Razor Ramon defeats Rick Martel to win vacated WWF Intercontinental Title with a Razor's Edge at 10:42

Fun Fact: After Shawn Michaels was suspended and surrendered the IC title, a battle royal was held (see 10/4/93 episode of Raw). The final 2 men standing in that battle royal would battle here to fill the vacant title.

### Scott:

So after the shunting of Shawn Michaels, we had the big battle royal last week to determine the final two men that would battle for the gold. We have those final two men now. However, I have to say, with no disrespect to The Model, but he hasn't been in the WWF in over a year before a couple weeks ago, and Razor is one of the most over babyfaces in the company now. I think it was pretty clear that Razor was going to win this match, which is why I've always thought a more current heel like Bam Bam Bigelow or even a face/face matchup with Mr. Perfect would have had a little more suspense as to who would win the match. Vince messed up when he called Martel a former WWF Champion. He was a former tag team champion back in the day, and a former AWA Champion, but never a WWF Champion. Having said that, Martel wrestled a great match and really put the screws to the Bad Guy and gave him a great battle, using some big power moves and his patented Boston Crab. Razor was kicking out of various two counts and didn't submit two separate times to the Crab. Razor eventually got down deep and hit the Razor's Edge to win the IC Championship. Again, I don't totally find this a shock, but it's still a great moment that I got to watch live. So now we have at least one babyface with a title in the WWF (Yokozuna & The Quebecers holding the other straps), and the crowd was still hot, even on its third show of the night. This was a much better match than I remember.

### JT:

A week ago, we had the battle royal to get us to this point, putting us on the verge of crowning a brand new Intercontinental Champion. And due to the way they booked this whole thing, the outcome is a pretty obvious one. It is hard to sit here and come up with any scenario in which Rick Martel would win the gold. Even if IRS or another heel cost the Bad Guy, you can't really see Martel taking the win. Now, as we mentioned a week ago there were other options out there to add some ambiguity, but instead, we take this route. And it isn't necessarily a bad thing as any fan of Ramon would certainly be glued to the episode knowing he was likely becoming the champ. Before the show opens, Vince McMahon does a nice job of recapping our path here and the New Haven crowd, on their third episode of the taping, is pretty damn fired up as we get underway. As the match fires up, Bobby Heenan says Ramon belongs in the ghetto, so we are off to a hell of a start. Martel tries to work the arm, but Ramon overpowers the Model and eventually sent him to the floor to regroup with a fallaway slam. Martel shook out the cobwebs and slid back in and was able to bury a knee in the gut and finally build some sustained offense. Ramon fought through it and slugged his way back into control before kicking away and grabbing hold of the arm. After a break, Martel had taken over on offense and started to target the lower back of the Bad Guy both in and out of the ring. Ramon tried to battle back, but Martel was able to drill him in the lumbar each time and eventually was able to twist him into the Boston Crab. Ramon would force the rope break, but Martel went right back to the hold and cinched it in tightly. Ramon powered out this time, but Martel was able to slip free and hit a high cross body off the top that Ramon rolled through on for a two count. Martel struck quickly to keep Ramon on his knees, but he dropped the head on a whip and ate a hard knee. After that, Ramon muscled Martel up into the Razor's Edge and picked up the win and the gold. That was a tidy little title match that was worked cleanly and efficiently with no blown spots or nonsense. I liked how Ramon struggled to hoist Martel into the Edge as well. Ramon has had quite the year, and his face turn built nice and organically, all leading to this moment, a moment that felt very well earned. The crowd ate it all up, and Ramon's celebration was a fun one as he soaked in the moment in the center of the ring. Despite the lack of mystery around the finish, Martel was a good choice as a solid heel veteran mechanic that could give Ramon a good match and put him over strongly for his big moment.

### 2) Headshrinkers defeat Sid Curtis & Tommy Morrison when Fatu pins Morrison after a top rope splash at 3:49

### Scott:

So, we really dip down into the jobber pool for a couple of mullet-clad stiffs, one of which was Rocky's final opponent three years earlier. That made me laugh when his name was announced. Vince and Bobby even make light of that during the match. The Headshrinkers definitely went to the Steiner Brothers' school of punishing poor jobbers. Samu and Fatu are sloppy with their stiffness, whereas Rick & Scott are more methodical. An easy squash.

### JT:

Tommy "The Machine" Gunn! Oh... different Tommy Morrison. Anyway, here come the Headshrinkers who just keep on keeping on. They don't seem to have much of an issue going on right now that we are past SummerSlam so while they wait they will pound some more poor jobbers. Vince does ponder what it could be like if the Samoans were to battle various other teams on the roster but again nothing seems to be on the horizon. Samu and Fatu just ran through Curtis, knocking him unconscious and slapping his face with their feet. They then dragged him to his corner to force the tag and proceeded to treat Morrison the same, unloading their standard hard hitting squash offense and pick up yet another win here on Raw.

### 3) Owen Hart defeats Scott King with a northern lights suplex at 3:38

### Scott:

We saw Owen in the battle royal last week, and now he's in singles competition for just the second time in Raw history. Raw still acts like a syndicated show as they really haven't talked about the big feuds even since SummerSlam. Only now with Owen in the ring are they talking about the Bret Hart/Jerry Lawler feud and what went down in Auburn Hills. Vince has time for USA movie promos, but not about storylines. Owen wins with an impressive Northern Lights suplex in a very tidy and crisp match.

### JT:

Hey! An Owen Hart sighting! After battling a knee injury and hanging out on the weekend shows, Hart is making back to back appearances here on Monday Night. Of course, he played a role in the giant fiasco at SummerSlam and the announcers discuss what went down between the Kings and the Harts at the Palace while he works over King. It is good to see Owen back in the mix on Mondays, and he picks up the quick win here with a northern lights suplex.

*** Vince McMahon brings Ludvig Borga to the ring for a chat. Borga tells the fans that USA stands for "U Stink A lot" and then mocks the pollution and employment of the country. He finally moves on to calling out Lex Luger and the way he defends Americans. Luger would eventually show up, rip on Borga's takes and then tell him to love it or leave it as the crowd roared behind him. Borga shrugged of Lex's aggression and marched off as Luger fired up the crowd in the ring. ***

### 4) Adam Bomb defeats Russ Greenberg with the Atom Smasher at 2:34

Fun Fact: Johnny Polo sold the contract of Adam Bomb to Harvey Wippleman so he could concentrate on managing the WWF Tag Team Champions, the Quebecers.Tonight is Wippleman's debut as Bomb's manager.

### Scott:

We had a transaction over the weekend as Harvey Wippleman purchased Adam Bomb's services from Johnny Polo. Still loved Adam Bomb, and even he could have been in the IC Title match with Razor, and it would have added some intrigue. In any event legendary 90s jobber Russ Greenberg took a typical pounding. Before this match, we had a great face to face between Ludvig Borga and Lex Luger in the ring, which will set up our main event for Survivor Series in Boston. Bomb hits the Atom Smasher, and we move on. I definitely liked 1993 WWF's cache of heels. It was a solid roster of guys that could take on anybody, and Bomb is one of them.

### JT:

Back to the ring as... Harvey Wippleman is leading Adam Bomb to the ring. Vince lets us know that Johnny Polo sold the contract of Bomb to Harvey over the weekend as he needed to focus fully on the Quebecers going forward. Looks like with Mr. Hughes and Giant Gonzalez suddenly gone, Harvey needed a new charge anyway. Bobby also adds in that Harvey has a new team in the promotion named Well Dunn too. Also on commentary, McMahon revealed that we would be witness to the Savage/Crush Summit next week on Raw. Ross Greenberg gave it a go, but it was a fruitless attempt as Bomb smacked him around, pasted him with a standing dropkick and slingshot clothesline and then polished him off with the Atom Smasher.

### 5) Rock 'N' Roll Express defeat Duane Gill & Barry Hardy when Gibson pins Gil after a double dropkick at 1:30

Fun Fact: Tonight, we see the debut of an NWA mainstay tag team, the Rock 'n' Roll Express. Made up of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, the RnR Express began wrestling as a tag team in Memphis in 1983 under Jerry Lawler. The duo is best known for the feud with the Midnight Express, which carried over from Mid South Wrestling to Jim Crockett Promotions. The high-flying glam rocker team was always a fan favorite in the South, especially with the female crowds.

### Scott:

For the first time in WWF TV history, we see belts from another promotion. Ricky & Robert are wearing the SMW Tag Team Titles to the ring in an unsanctioned match with two more mulleted jobbers. Duane Gill's mullet looks fluffier and fluffier every match he's in. This was an "express" squash, and both guys moved fast and won with their patented double drop kicks.

### JT:

Well, the WWF's crossover with Smoky Mountain Wrestling rolls on as the SMW Tag Team Champions, the legendary Rock 'n' Roll Express are in the house. Heenan mentions that they have been chasing Jim Cornette all over the place and that is why they are here. It was crazy to see the RNRs pop up like this after having spent such lengthy careers far away from New York. Pretty historical moment. And they even face a legendary jobber tag team in Duane Gill and Barry Hardy! Gibson and Morton pick up a very quick win in their very first WWF match and seem locked in on tracking down Cornette and the Heavenly Bodies.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The third of three taped shows in my hometown definitely came off tired. I know it was saving money, but Vince should have done just done two shows per site and moved on to the next town. Once you get to the third show, the crowd is pretty gassed. Having said that the match to open the show was indeed red hot and seeing Razor win the IC Title was a huge moment. The rest of the show was pretty tiring. The autumn has been a bit sluggish in between SummerSlam and Survivor Series. Then, when you get to these taping where by the end of the night, the crowd is cooked. I'll grade it high for the big moment, but otherwise, it was a typical flat show.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We wrap up the New Haven tapings with a pretty important episode of Raw. Razor Ramon's big win over Rick Martel brought closure to the fun three-week odyssey of the Intercontinental Title and launched a new era for both the upper mid card and for the Bad Guy. That match was perfectly fine and a great moment and we also had a pretty hot showdown between Lex Luger and Ludvig Borga as well as the really cool debut of the Rock 'N' Roll Express. The back end of the show was filled with squashes, but they were all at least kept brief and mainly all served a purpose from a commentary point of view. We also set up next week's show nicely with the big hype for the Savage/Crush Summit. Another week in the books... see you next week!

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #36

October 18, 1993

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Steiner Brothers defeat PJ Walker & Tony DeVito when Scott pins DeVito after the top rope bulldog at 3:08

### Scott:

We haven't seen Scott & Rick in a few weeks after gaining a big singles win over one-half of the Quebecers, but they haven't seemed to get a Tag Team Championship match on TV since losing it almost a month ago. Vince got his jobbers wrong, as he called PJ Walker "Corey Student," who is another jobber that we saw lose to Doink a few weeks ago. They are still clinically stiff, which means they pummel guys with precision and not sloppiness. The Screwdriver Scott hit on Walker was pretty devastating as always. They finish the mauling with the top rope bulldog, and the former champs move on.

### JT:

And we are back live and back in our home away from home, the Mid-Huston Civic Center. SummerSlam is comfortably in our review view mirror, and we are about half way to Survivor Series, so things are percolating, but overall it is a bit of an in between time with most issues still being fleshed out. I really enjoyed the opening video package as Vince McMahon narrated us through the concept of summits, both throughout history and within the WWF, all to set up tonight's massive Savage/Crush summit, which hopefully solves an issue that has been simmering for weeks now. Savage is all fired up to start the show, putting McMahon and Bobby Heenan on blast for stirring the pot week after week and vows everything will be settled tonight. And with that, we head to the ring where the Steiner Brothers are on the scene. It has now been about a month since they dropped the straps to the Quebecers and have been unable to recapture them in the weeks since. Here, they look to deliver a Raw tradition: a stiff Steiner squash destruction. Their opponents are one-time winner PJ Walker and the iconic Tony DeVito. And there is no jobber magic here tonight as the Steiners destroy both men with aggressive glee. At one point, Scott just wrecked DeVito with a full nelson German suplex that was just gross. And for some reason McMahon keeps calling Walker "Corey Student," mixing up his jobbers. Get it together, Vinnie! Although I am sure Walker wishes it was Student in there as Scott just murdered him with the iconic Steiner Screwdriver! And a moment later, DeVito got buried by a Rick top rope bulldog to wrap things up. Gotta love Steiner squashes, especially when Scotty busts out the screwdriver.

*** Vince McMahon promotes a hotline which fans can call and vote whether or not Shawn Michaels should be reinstated by Jack Tunney. We then get face-to-face platforms from Mr. Perfect and Diesel, who angrily argue the issue. ***

### 2) IRS defeats Scott Taylor with the Write Off at 3:30

### Scott:

I'm wondering at this point if IRS has become the #1 contender to Razor Ramon's Intercontinental Championship since they were feuding before the belt changed hands. The Shawn Michaels situation comes to the fore for the first time since being stripped of the IC Title. I'm curious how that is going to play out when (or if) he does return. This is a typical squash.

### JT:

Back to the ring as IRS slowly marches out, and you have to assume he will be weary out here in these showcase matches after what happened with our buddy PJ Walker. Of course, Irwin's feud with Razor Ramon is still raging on, and suddenly he is in line for potential IC title matches. IRS wasted no time, making a beeline for Taylor and smashing him into the corner. From there, he smothered Taylor with sharp, grinding strikes. Taylor would get a sunset flip to allow Vince to remind us of the Walker upset, but IRS cleaned house from that point on, picking up the win with the Write Off.

*** We check out a vignette for Jeff Jarrett, a wrestler headed to the WWF that is looking to use the promotion as a stepping stone for a career in Nashville as a country music star. Jarrett is outside the Country Music Hall of Fame and talks about his love for country music and the abundance of talent he possesses. He then states he will use the WWF and its stars to advance his Nashville career. ***

### 3) Tatanka defeats Iron Mike Sharpe with the Papoose to Go at 3:00

### Scott:

They should just have Tatanka lose and get this undefeated thing over with. It makes no sense that the guy hasn't lost a match in over a year and hasn't gotten a title match since early-April. Not even one throwaway WWF Title match against Yokozuna? Wow out of nowhere Randy Savage just started bashing the crap out of Hulk Hogan during this match while being kayfabe with the Crush summit later in the show. That was definitely shoot comments coming from Savage about Hogan since Hogan wasn't on contract and we wouldn't see him for years. Vince even seemed taken aback by the comments. Oh and Tatanka won again.

### JT:

It is the night of Raw stalwarts here tonight as we have seen the Steiners, IRS and now Tatanka! Even Mike Sharpe is in the house. Although, for the third straight match of the evening, we don't have much of angle or storyline to progress as this just a straight showcase bout with the commentary still focused on the summit. We do see a quick clip from Superstars where Tatanka and Ludvig Borga had a shouting match in a backstage hallway. And of course, we need to mention that Tatanka is still undefeated, amazingly enough. Heenan takes a moment to put over Jeff Jarrett and then needles Savage a bit. Savage gets really feisty and veers off into harshly burying Hulk Hogan (!), calling back to his recent Radio WWF visit where he discussed his relationship with the Hulkster. Savage says he is worried that Crush spoke to Hogan and had his mind poisoned but is confident he can talk some sense into him. This is wild. Sharpe gets a show in here and there, but Tatanka quickly mops him up and grabs the win. The question now is whether or not Tatanka and Borga will square off in the near future following their shouting match.

*** Joe Fowler has our first Survivor Series Report. The big show comes at us on Thanksgiving Eve, and the Boston Garden is already sold out, long before any matches were revealed! And here are the matches discussed tonight

Lex Luger, Tatanka & Steiner Brothers vs. Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga & Quebecers

Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce Hart & Keith Hart (w/ Stu Hart) vs. Jerry Lawler & His Knights – Ray Combs will be the special guest ring announcer

More matches to be announced this weekend, so stay tuned and call your cable company to order RIGHT NOW! ***

### 4) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Dennis Diamond with a slingshot splash at 3:01

### Scott:

Crush has arrived at the arena during the Survivor Series report and is ready for the big Summit with Randy Savage, while the man who I thought should be the #1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship pummels some stuff with awful plaid tights. This has been a very storyline-heavy show this week, with really the matches as background noise for the commentators. Mr. Asbury Park wins easily, another mindless squash.

### JT:

Crush has arrived in the building, but we have one more match to get through before it is time for the Summit. Bam Bam Bigelow is out with Luna Vachon to battle Dennis Fucking Diamond and his intense mullet, stache and floral pattern tights. What a jobber. As Bigelow wiped the mat with Diamond, Heenan fired up again and just laid into Savage yet again. This Summit stuff has dominated this show, but it has been fantastic the whole way through, from top to bottom. Vince sneaks in the update that 65% of voters don't want Shawn Michaels back. Bigelow lands the slingshot splash and nabs another victory.

*** Diesel rejoins us to voice his disappointment with the poll results thus far and begs people to call in and vote for the reinstatement of "The Champ." ***

*** Bobby Heenan hops into the ring to kick off the Summit. He opens things up by bringing out Crush and again tweaking Savage while doing so. And in an interesting twist, Crush is accompanied by Mr. Fuji and is also sporting a goatee. Heenan continued to prod Savage and stir up the drama as Crush hit the ring. Crush took it from there, saying Savage used to be his best friend and that Macho's words were like gold to him. Crush always listened to his advice word for word, but when he became his teacher's superior, Savage couldn't handle it. Heenan helped push Crush along as Crush said he was helped by both Heenan and Fuji to see the light. He claims that Savage told him to wrestle Yokozuna despite a bad back and promised to have his buddy's back. But, Savage proceeded to sit at the announce table on his ass while Yoko squashed Crush with four Banzai Drops. Heenan asks why Savage didn't save him sooner and Crush says that Macho just wanted him out of the WWF. He adds that Savage only called him to see if he was too hurt to come back but Mr. Fuji constantly checked in on him throughout his whole recovery. Crush gives Savage one last warning to stay out of his life and business, but Macho leaves the table and heads into the ring to speak his piece. Macho tells Crush he is making a big mistake and that he should dump Fuji and just sit and talk things out. He is willing to admit he is wrong if it comes to it, but they need a man-to-man talk and a handshake just to put everything behind them and sort it all out. Crush says it is too late, but Savage disagrees and says that everyone makes mistakes. Crush contemplates his move and then bumps Heenan away as the Brain tries to talk him out of fixing the relationship. Crush eventually shakes Savage's hand to a nice pop and Heenan and Fuji bail to the floor.

However, as the two make their way down the aisle, Crush snapped and wiped Savage out with a hard clothesline. He then nailed Savage with a headbutt before hoisting him high in the air and dropping him across the guardrail with a hot shot. As Savage writhed in pain, Jim Cornette waved Yokozuna out to the ring. Crush would shove the bloodied Savage into the ring steps and post and then pitch him into the ring, where Yoko squashed him with a Banzai Drop. As officials carried off Savage, Crush celebrated the ring with his new crew. ***

*** Vince McMahon wraps things up by informing us that Savage has suffered a lacerated tongue and that also 64% of voters said "NO" to Shawn Michaels' reinstatement. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a 50/50 episode, with boring garbage squashes but big-time storyline advancement, starting with Crush's heel turn (which balances out Razor Ramon's face turn over the summer) and the reinstatement issue with Shawn Michaels. We know he will return eventually and want that IC Title back. Mean Gene is gone, as Joe Fowler did the Survivor Series report and gave us our first two matches. For the first time, we've gone to back-to-back legit arenas and not gone back to the Manhattan Center, which means maybe they're starting to realize they can pull this off without the small place and make some money. I'll grade this down the middle: Crap matches but great storyline advancement.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, on paper, based on in-ring action, this show sucked. However, the Savage/Crush Summit was epic, and it dominated the whole hour. All of the hype was tremendous, the commentary bickering and prodding throughout was so well done, and the Summit itself was awesome. Savage burying Hogan on commentary and tying it into the storyline was masterful as well. They did a hell of a job of building this angle over the past month or so and really paid it off beautifully. It felt like a real old school style TV show with the squashes and heavy focus on one big time angle that closed out the show with a bang. They also did a magnificent job of elevating Crush by having him wax Savage and be aligned with Yokozuna and his crew. And it is hard to hate on a show that nailed its one goal and kept viewers engrossed throughout it. Toss in maybe one competitive match, and we raise this quite a bit, but as is, this was really damn good wrestling television.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #37

October 25, 1993 (Taped October 18, 1993)

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Crush defeats Phil Apollo with the cranium crunch at 2:49

### Scott:

One week after the traitorous betrayal of Randy Savage and the injuries suffered in the beatdown, Crush and his new manager Mr. Fuji come out to abuse Raw jobber Phil Apollo. Savage is not at ringside due to the lacerated tongue he suffered in the beatdown. It was evident while Crush spent the summer off camera, that he trimmed down a bit and looked in much better shape than when he was a babyface with those bright orange tights. From a storyline perspective, it makes sense because Razor Ramon switched to babyface, so we needed a heel to replace him. Razor is crazy over as Intercontinental Champion, so Crush needs to be a badass. The new purple tights and face paint certainly fits the new personality. Crush wins the squash and lays some kicks into Apollo post-match.

### JT:

We are back in Poughkeepsie and on tape this week and are still feeling the aftershocks from last week's Savage/Crush Summit. It was a wild scene that saw Crush's anger boil over and end in a vicious attack on his former buddy. With Savage now sidelined thanks to a lacerated tongue, Crush is out here to open the show, sporting a new look, some face paint and being joined by his official new manager Mr. Fuji. Phil Apollo needs the Blow-A-Way diet and some more flattering attire. He gives it a go, but it is futile as Crush wears him down with his power and, ahem, martial arts based strikes. As Scott mentioned, Crush definitely lost some of his bloating during his time off and seems to be moving a bit better now. As much as the Crush heel turn was needed, he really was quite over earlier in the year, and the company seemingly missed their window to make him into a main event level star. The Doink feud just stunted his momentum and necessitated the turn, which was really was so well done. Crush grabs his first win as a heel with his Cranium Crunch.

### 2) 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty wrestle to a double count-out at 13:00

Fun Fact: On the 9/21 episode of All-American Wrestling, these two babyfaces wrestled for the first time, with Jannetty winning after the Kid missed a dive through the ropes and was counted out. Following the match, Jannetty helps the Kid back into the ring, and the two hugged each other.

### Scott:

These two babyfaces are working together as a team at Survivor Series, but in this instance, we can get a good match out of the youngster and the experienced veteran. Jannetty has settled into the role as veteran mid-carder and is going to put over and work with the other young workers. After the spike in his career with the May upset of Razor Ramon, Kid has settled back into the role of lower mid-carder. Midway through a pretty decent match, Johnny Polo comes to ringside. Polo slammed both guys in a promo before the match as "losers." Vince and Bobby surmise that he is scouting both guys, in particular, the Kid. Polo has tripped both guys during Irish whips and continues to bash them as bums and that he could beat them with his hand tied behind his back. The match settles in with more grappling moves, and sadly if Polo wasn't at ringside, this probably would have been a much better match with more of a flow. Both guys start picking the pace up late, and the referee gets knocked out. Polo interferes and throws Jannetty into the post, making Kid miss his plancha move to the floor. Due to this, the match sadly ends in a double countout. Polo tries to leave triumphantly but Marty and Kid catch up, and both guys lay the business into Polo in the ring. A double thrust kick knocks Polo to the floor. A great match ended poorly, but the beatdown made up for it.

### JT:

This is a nice little surprise and quite the treat here tonight. Marty Jannetty and 1-2-3 Kid were in the middle of a little friendly rivalry and Kid was looking to even up the score. Before the match, we get a quick promo from Johnny Polo as he mocks both guys and claims he could beat them both with his arms tied behind his back. Vince also mentions that these two will be teaming up come Survivor Series, but we will cover that more later. Both Kid and Jannetty get warm welcomes from the fans, and on paper, this has sneaky potential to be one of the best bouts we have seen this year. After some feeling out, Jannetty was the first to grab a hold, but Kid came right back and worked the arm. Bobby Heenan has been pretty funny all night as earlier he was mocking Savage's busted tongue by doing impressions and now he was putting over Polo's athletic ability. A quick flurry ended with another standoff and some applause from the crowd as these two friends seem to know each other's offense quite well. Kid got the first near fall but things reset again, allowing Marty to grab a side headlock but Kid slipped free and hit a flash leg drop for another near fall. Kid kicked away, but Jannetty caught him on a leapfrog and powerbombed him for two. As Jannetty got to his feet, Polo sauntered out to ringside and mugged for the camera. Following a break, Polo tripped up Jannetty and Kid took advantage, grabbing a two count. Kid kept using his kicks and leg drops to force Jannetty on his back but got a little too ahead of himself and missed a moonsault off the top rope. As Jannetty worked over Kid, Polo told the camera he could beat both guys, and the proceeded to trip up Kid. Jannetty glared at him and went for the cover anyway. Jannetty grabbed hold of the arm and seemed to be in control, but out of nowhere, Kid nailed him with a bridging German suplex for a close near fall. Marty recovered and got a bit more aggressive, but Kid was able to reverse a whip and shoot him into the referee by accident. With the official down, Kid dropkicked Marty to the floor, but Polo was able to drag Marty out of the way as Kid charged and he ended up missing a wild moonsault dive, crashing hard on the floor. The referee recovered, and the match ended up being a double countout. That miss by Kid was nuts. Polo laughs and celebrates and struts off, but Marty caught up to him and pitched him back into the ring. Kid and Marty would get some revenge with a brief attack before kicking Polo to the floor. Well, this wasn't quite as good as it could have been because just as it was getting dialed up, the storyline took over and much of the attention was on Polo mugging at ringside. There were a couple of really neat spots and Kid's dive to the floor was a rough one but overall it just never really got going. That said, this is a pretty fun little feud that is brewing, and you can tell the hierarchy thought highly of Polo at this point.

*** Jeff Jarrett is back again this week and this time he is hanging around a Nashville strip mall, talking about politics of the country music business. Thus, he has sought out Buddy Lee, the top publicist in the world. He first promises to prove that he is the greatest wrestler in the world by taking out Undertaker, Mr. Perfect, the Steiners and others. And then he will return here, and Buddy Lee will beg and plead him to sign a deal with his company once he sees the stardom of Jarrett. ***

### 3) Ludvig Borga defeats Mike Bucci by submission with the backbreaker at 3:45

### Scott:

The monster from Helsinki is here and mangles the future Hollywood Nova. It is announced that Borga will face Tatanka on this weekend's Superstars in the battle of the undefeateds. Perhaps this is a good time for Tatanka's streak to end since the WWF isn't doing anything with it. Admittedly Borga has been in the perfect spot to siphon Lex Luger off the WWF Title picture and into this patriotic feud. One of the many things that need to change in the WWF is things like Bobby mentioning that it's both Minnie Pearl's and Dave Cowens' birthdays. The younger WWF fans either don't know who they are or don't care. Borga wins the squash easily and afterward talks to Bobby and says he will end the Native American's streak this weekend.

### JT:

Ludvig Borga is back on the scene this week, and he wastes absolutely no time in jumping Mike Bucci as the bell sounded. Bucci had zero chance here as Borga is on a mission and has bigger fish to fry, mainly Lex Luger and Survivor Series, but also Tatanka, who he will face this coming weekend on Superstars. That is a massive match of two undefeated stars. Borga mows through Bucci and looks locked in and ready to potentially end Tatanka's steak.

*** Bobby Heenan interviews Ludvig Borga at ringside. Borga vows to end Tatanka's undefeated streak this weekend on Superstars. He also promises to end his career and the American dream. ***

### 4) Men on a Mission defeat Steve Greenman & Todd Mata when Mabel pinned Mata after a bulldog at 5:33

### Scott:

We haven't seen MOM in a while, and I don't remember any of these jobbers. Steve Greenman has one of the worst singlets I've ever seen. Vince says that this weekend on WWF Challenge that MOM will get a Tag Team Title shot against the Quebecers. Another example of how things in the WWF need to change. The warm up squashes should be on the weekend, and the title matches should be on your prime-time show. This tiresome philosophy will change as Vince realizes that Raw is his flagship show and not the weekend syndies any longer. Of course, MOM have minimal ability, but they had flashy tights, and the rapping got the crowd going as well. The big guys take care of these faceless stiffs, and we move on.

### JT:

I will say this: Men on Mission brought a hell of an energy to these arenas, and the fans loved getting into their entrance routine. Great presence, soft look and... well, not great in the ring. What the fuck is Steve Greenman wearing? Mo kicked things off and took it right to Greenman, including breaking out a clothesline off the middle rope. It seems like we have a big-time weekend lined up on the syndicated programs as not only do we have Borga vs. Tatanka but we also will be getting a Tag Team Title match between MOM and the Quebecers on Challenge. Must be sweeps! Mo finally tagged in Mabel, who punished Mata, grounding him and then leaning heavily on his back with a submission hold. MOM would also quick tag a bit and break out some double teams as the crowd chanted "Whoomp, There It Is." Mabel would eventually polish off Mata with a bulldog to cap off an impressive little win. MOM is now primed to take a swipe at the gold this weekend.

*** Joe Fowler is back with our Survivor Series Report! The big night is just a month away, and we discuss the following bouts:

Lex Luger, Tatanka & Steiner Brothers vs. Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga & Quebecers

Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce Hart & Keith Hart (w/ Stu Hart) vs. Jerry Lawler & His Knights – Ray Combs will be the special guest ring announcer

Doink, Doink, Doink & Doink vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, Bastion Booger & Headshrinkers

Mr. Perfect, Razor Ramon, 1-2-3 Kid & Marty Jannetty vs. IRS, Adam Bomb, Rick Martel & Diesel

Order now! The anticipation is building, and the show will be available only on PPV! ***

### 5) Diesel defeats Dan Dubiel with a right-hand punch at 4:02

### Scott:

Time for the Raw singles debut of Shawn Michaels' bodyguard. Shawn is still on the outs, and the hotline #'s are burning up as to whether he should be reinstated. I love how Vince & Bobby would mock the USA live reads for their shows. Silk Stalkings was around in 1993? Wow, I didn't know that! Diesel is big and lumbering but who cares. He's a beast, but he needs some polishing, as he won the match with a punch. Yeah, that has to change.

### JT:

We wrap things up this week with one more squash match featuring Diesel's first Raw singles bout. Of course, he is embroiled in an issue with Mr. Perfect and Vince also notes that he is gunning for Razor Ramon's IC Title. In addition to all of this, he has also been banging the drum to have Jack Tunney lift the suspension of his buddy Shawn Michaels. The fans disagreed on the hotline, natch. Diesel ambles his way to a win with a soft looking punch to the dome. The look and potential are there, but a lot more polishing is needed... and it probably wouldn't hurt his chances for success if Michaels comes back sooner than later.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a fun episode to get the build going for Survivor Series. Diesel makes his Raw singles debut and is, well, rough. Kid/Jannetty was a fun match, as Marty was in a good groove as a solid mid-card guy who worked with the younger talent. Ludvig Borga was an awesome heel who was bent on destroying Lex Luger and the All-American team. Men on a Mission are a typical early 90s babyface team with little ability but fun tights and a crowd friendly attitude. Again, the matches were crap, but the in between stuff was solid.

Final Grade:

### JT:

After a massive episode last week, we take a pretty big dip with this episode. It was filled with aimless squashes and very little storyline direction outside of the Kid/Jannetty match. Even that under delivered for the most part. The Polo stuff was fun, but it definitely killed that match. We get some hype for Borga/Tatanka, and the Survivor Series card is now fleshed out, but otherwise, there wasn't much happening here this week. Hopefully, things pick up on our next episode.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #38

November 1, 1993 (Taped October 18, 1993)

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Razor Ramon defeats Bastion Booger in a non-title match with a sunset flip at 7:09

### Scott:

Razor's first TV match since winning the Intercontinental Title is a non-title affair against the man who was eating raw chicken before the open. That's...disturbing. They go to a quick commercial and when we returned Booger was taking control with a splash for a two count. Razor takes control and heckles Booger by rubbing his fat belly while he's tied up in the ropes. Booger is being treated like a legit contender though, as Razor can't slam him. Booger works him over with a bear hug, but it's not properly done as he is squeezing at the waist and not near the lungs, and Bobby actually points that out. It's Bobby's birthday, and he's bloviating about his party. Razor goes for the Edge, but Booger back flips him to the floor. He actually hits the Batcave, but Razor reverses it into a sunset flip for the victory. That wasn't a bad match, for what it was.

### JT:

We arrive to you via tape this week, still inside the old Mid-Hudson Civic Center and open things up with a non-title match featuring our brand-new IC Champion Razor Ramon. And he has a... hefty challenge ahead of him here tonight as he battles the grotesque Bastion Booger. Booger very quickly became mid card fodder, a notch about a JTTS but not by much. Before the show started, Booger was sitting backstage devouring a giant feast, and it was about as disgusting as you would imagine. He really does look like Matt Rotella. Booger even gets a full entrance after Ramon comes out and they were positioning him as a threat. After some jawing back and forth we get a lock up with a clean break. Ramon is sporting the sweet red tights here tonight, and the crowd is pretty hot for him. The company really struck some gold with his organic popularity. After an early break, we return with Razor collapsing during a bodyslam attempt. He bounces back quickly and knocks Booger hard to the floor as Bobby Heenan tells Vince McMahon that today is his birthday. Vince trolls him a bit about it as Booger gets tangled in the ropes. Both men would end up on the floor and Booger was able to splash Ramon against the post and then ram him into the edge of the ring. Back inside, Booger focused in on that lower back, slamming Ramon hard to the mat for a near fall. Vince sent well wishes to Tatanka, who suffered his first ever loss over the weekend, courtesy Ludvig Borga, and then took a rough beatdown from Yokozuna. As Booger wrenched in a bear hug, Heenan kept talking about his big birthday bash that was going down after the show while Vince called this a "lethargic matchup." And on cue Razor started his comeback and was finally able to slam Booger to a big pop. The Bastion wasn't done yet though as he countered the Razor's Edge with a backflip and then hit the Batcave but Ramon turned that into a sunset flip for the win. Well, as Vince said, most of that was lethargic but the end was pretty fun, and I liked all the back work and teases being paid off by the big slam at the end. Booger showed up to play tonight, but Ramon fights through it and racks up another victory.

*** Todd Pettengill is in the house with our Survivor Series Report. Todd first plugs the big boxing PPV this Saturday night between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe, so check that out too, but we are just three weeks away from the final PPV of 1993 and here are the matches we cover tonight:

Lex Luger, Tatanka & Steiner Brothers vs. Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga & Quebecers

As part of the report, we get to see footage of Tatanka's loss to Ludvig Borga and the ensuing assault and conspiracy by the Foreign Fanatics that kept Tatanka's friends at bay. Todd lets us know that we have lots of other matches on tap for the show, but the heavy focus is on Tatanka right now, so we wrap things up. And remember... don't wait until the last minute to order Survivor Series... avoid the giant rush and do it now! ***

*** Vince McMahon is in the ring with the full Foreign Fanatics squad, including Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga, The Quebecers, Mr. Fuji, Jim Cornette and Johnny Polo. Cornette makes fun of Tatanka and said it is unlikely he will ever return to wrestling and definitely won't be at Survivor Series. He says the name of the game is eliminate and survive and it is already 4-3. Polo cracks some jokes as well, and then Borga discusses his match with Scott Steiner next week. He also calls the fans "illiterate, stupid Americans." Cornette wraps things up by saying they are the greatest collection of talent from around the world and they will survive. ***

### 2) Mr. Perfect defeats The Executioner with the Perfectplex at 4:51

Fun Fact: This match will be the final Raw appearance of Mr. Perfect until after the Monday Night War in 2002. Backstage, Mr. Perfect was upset over being passed over for the Intercontinental title. He is taken off the road at the end of October. He will make an appearance in 1994 at WrestleMania X as a guest referee between Lex Luger and Yokozuna. The match was to set up a feud between Perfect and Luger, but Perfect was suffering from back issues that would ultimately force him to leave the WWF in April 1994.

### Scott:

Perfect definitely feels lost in the shuffle in the company at this point, similar to Money, Inc. and Rick Martel. Sure, he's popular and obviously more over than those guys, but on the babyface side, he's definitely low on the ladder. Speaking of babyfaces, we haven't seen Bret Hart on Raw in weeks. What's his story? Watching all these Raws all in a row and not seeing Bret is really strange. As I've said before, this isn't the Executioner from the first WrestleMania, but his luck is about the same. I miss Savage, but Vince and Bobby aren't bad together. Bobby is talking about being President, as he always mentions the Clintons and being in their company. Perfect worked Executioner over and won with the Perfectplex.

### JT:

It is a sad day as one of our most consistent Raw stalwarts enters for his final Monday night tussle. Mr. Perfect has been a major player on the show since day one and delivered many memorable matches and moments but his time had come. And you could see the writing on the wall. He was no longer really in any title picture and was aimlessly meandering through a feud with Diesel. Unless he was keyed up for another heel turn what was left for him to do really? The roster was definitely turning over a bit, and guys like him suddenly felt out of place. The Executioner gets a few shots in to start things off, but Perfect turns the tide and lights him up with some chops. Vince runs through Perfect's Survivor Series match as the match rolls on, with Heenan thinking Ramon may be in trouble due to having past issues with his teammates. Bobby also jokes about running for President and his friendship with the Clintons. Perfect tortures the Executioner a bit, stretching him out with a leg grapevine before finally putting him away with the Perfectplex.

*** Jeff Jarrett is hanging outside the world-famous Tootsie's Orchid Lounge in Nashville. He makes fun of Billy Ray Cyrus ("some I-Talian Boy") and then calls out Razor Ramon ("Another I-Talian), Men on a Misson ("Send them back to the homeless joint where they belong") and the 1-2-3 Kid. And once he takes over the world of wrestling, Tootsie's will come calling, and everyone will want his album. ***

### 3) Smoking Gunns defeat Well Dunn by disqualification at 7:31

Fun Fact I: Well Dunn was made up of team members Steven Dunn (Steve Doll) and Timothy Well (Rex King). The duo originally started tagging together in the Pacific Northwest when Steve Doll's partner in the Southern Rockers, Scott Peterson, was replaced by Rex King. The Southern Rockers competed and won championships in multiple promotions, including the Pacific Northwest, USWA, WWC and Music City Wrestling. While in the USWA, they were part of the talent exchange with the WWF which brought them into the promotion. They would change their name to Well Dunn and begin competing in the WWF in June 1993.

Fun Fact II: This match is the Raw debut of Well Dunn.

### Scott:

Now here is something completely funny about my memory of 1993 wrestling. I had no idea that Well Dunn were heels. I never knew that Harvey Wippleman managed them either. We haven't seen Billy & Bart in some weeks, which tells you about how the Raw taping situations go. Vince must take a core group of guys for one arena taping and try to rotate everybody for multiple shows. But really, it's been since before SummerSlam that we've seen Bret Hart on camera. I can't fathom he's been on Superstars and not on Raw. Vince and Bobby continue to talk about this birthday party and are half announcing the match. Speaking of missing superstars, where's the Undertaker? He hasn't even been mentioned since Mr. Hughes was getting those wreaths before SummerSlam. The match is back and forth until Harvey causes the DQ, then the Gunns clean out the ring. Why would this match have to end in a DQ? Weird.

### JT:

Big tag team action up next as we get to check out the Raw debut of a recently debuted tag team, Well Dunn. They are wearing some very interesting tights and are also managed by Harvey Wippleman, who has been expanding his operation of late. Well and Billy open things up with some feeling out that ends with a big Billy right hand. Well Dunn does some typical slimy heel tactic and mannerisms in between getting beaten around by the Gunns. Bobby is on a roll tonight, making jokes about Vince Coleman and Madonna in regard to his party. The Gunns remain in control, now working over Dunn and keeping him grounded in the middle of the ring. The worm finally turned when the referee got tied up with Billy which allowed Well to interfere and spike Bart across the top rope with a stun gun. Well Dunn levied some double teams and kept quick tagging while wearing down Bart. Vince and Bobby are spending a lot of time talking about the All-Americans vs. Foreign Fanatics war at Survivor Series with Bobby pushing the idea that Luger will be left alone come Thanksgiving Eve. He also gets a funny line in asking if "we ever expected to see Well Dunn on Raw." The heel tag tricks continued until Bart snagged a flash roll up for a close near fall. Dunn regained control but it was brief, and Bart was able to tag in his brother. Billy lit up both guys until things broke down and Harvey got involved to draw the DQ. I guess this feud will continue! Makes sense to keep the new guys strong but there isn't too much here to get excited about. The crowd was into the final few minutes though. The Gunns are building credibility and should quickly be moved past a team like this.

*** Randy Savage calls in and vows to be back at Raw next week and will be all over Crush, who will also be in the house. He says everyone will understand who he is come next week. Bobby Heenan mocks his lacerated tongue, but Savage shrugs it off and stays focused. ***

### 4) Adam Bomb defeats Virgil with a powerbomb at 5:31

### Scott:

Harvey's doing double duty tonight as he comes right back down to the ring with his bigger charge from Three Mile Island. Virgil is even lower on the babyface ladder than Mr. Perfect, but that's really his job, which is to...job. The big story during this match is that Randy Savage and Crush will be on Raw next week. Bomb dominates the action until Virgil gets some offense in late until both guys botched a move where Virgil was probably supposed to bounce off the corner and be caught by Bomb, but Bomb just backs up and lets him fall to the canvas. It looked sloppy. Bomb wins.

### JT:

Time for our final match of the night and as Adam Bomb heads out, Vince pushes this week's USA Movement: In the Line of Fire with Clint Eastwood. Bomb has Harvey with him as always and has a bit tougher of an opponent this week in our old friend Virgil. The crowd actually chants for Virg as things get under way. Virgil controls early until Bomb ends up on the floor and Harvey gets involved. Virgil chases him around and then slides into the ring and dives back out over the top rope into the arms of Bomb. That was a pretty cool spot. Heenan calls Elvis a "fat truck driver" as nobody is safe from his assault tonight. Bomb takes over and meanders through his offense before finishing Virgil with a soft looking powerbomb. The match was nothing special and sloppy in spots, but I will give it a bump up for Virgil's energy and big dive.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The sad thing about this episode is that this is the farewell match for Mr. Perfect, as he was just totally getting lost in the shuffle. I still laugh forgetting that Well Dunn were dopey heels. The road to Survivor Series was moving along, but the taping schedule still made shows feel stale. Vince and Bobby were in a groove as an announce team, but it's sad what happens down the line. I'll tick this one slightly higher than average for the Gunns match and a Razor appearance.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was a pretty average episode of Raw on a balance. The matches were all just kind of there, and the majority of it was focused on pushing the Survivor Series main event and the sudden cloudiness surrounding it. The commentary was really good this week, blending in calling the matches, pushing the big angle and working the show long joke of Heenan's birthday party. Heenan has been extra douchey lately, in particular, really being aggressive in his verbal jousts and getting ballsy with his actions. The show was effective in pushing things along and showcasing some of the roster, but it was nothing that stood out or was memorable in any way.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #39

November 8, 1993

Fernwood Resort

Bushkill, PA

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Ludvig Borga wrestles Scott Steiner to a double disqualification at 13:00

Fun Fact: On the October 30 episode of Superstars, Ludvig Borga ended Tatanka's nearly two-year undefeated streak and giving Tatanka his first televised WWF loss. After controlling Tatanka throughout the entire match, Borga knocked him out with a steel chair while the referee was not looking and pinned Tatanka by placing one finger on him. Tatanka was then assaulted by Borga and Yokozuna after the bout.

### Scott:

We have one member of each team of our Survivor Series main event battling to open this week's show. Incidentally, we debut a new venue in Raw history... a resort? What is this, Dirty Dancing? Where's the Sheldrake? These are the two heavy hitters on the teams, so I was expecting a pretty stiff fight here. It's definitely more of a ground and pound affair after Scott hit two pretty sweet suplexes and Borga bailed to the floor. Savage isn't talking as much as Vince and Bobby so I wonder if his tongue is still bothering him after the Crush attack. As the match progresses, out come the Quebecers to ringside. Eventually, Scott puts Borga in a Boston Crab and out comes Scott's brother Rick to make sure things are ok. Borga was definitely being pushed as a major player, and I wonder if he was going to be the next heel champion or at least a legit feud for Razor Ramon's IC Championship. Meanwhile, there's a poll out as to who would face Quebecer Pierre on next week's show. The choices are Luger, Rick Steiner, Doink or Marty Jannetty. Gee, I wonder who the WWF wants to win that poll? Scott Steiner is dumped to the floor; then Rick Steiner gets on the apron and Borga throws him into the ring. Eventually, the whole thing ends in a brawl, and we get the bell. That ending was fairly obvious, but still, it was a pretty solid TV match with some good strikes and suplexes.

Grade: **

### JT:

As we creep ever closer to Survivor Series, we are live tonight from the iconic Fernwood Resort and are opening things up with a big time tussle between powerful hosses. Both Ludvig Borga and Scott Steiner are slated to be on opposite teams in the Survivor Series main event, but tonight they are squaring off in singles action. Borga is hot off ending Tatanka's undefeated streak and likely knocking him out of the Thanksgiving Eve Spectacular and Steiner is looking for revenge. And speaking of revenge, Randy Savage is back in the booth and has his eyes set on Crush, who is here tonight. Before the match, Vince McMahon lets us know there is a poll tonight to determine who gets to battle Quebecer Pierre next week: Lex Luge, Rick Steiner, Doink or Marty Jannetty. Best of luck to all involved. Borga kicks things off by attacking Steiner as he was taking his jacket off and proceeded to hammer away at him with hard fists. Borga kept bringing the heat as Vince wondered how Scott would adapt to singles competition. Borga would cut down Steiner with a clothesline on the mat and then head up top and hit a nice flying lariat as well. The resort crowd chanted "USA," and it paid off as Steiner battled back and hit a butterfly suplex followed by a pump handle suplex, sending the Finnish monster to the floor. This resort ballroom is tiny, and it's so crazy to think Raw was held there. Savage calls out Crush again, but Vince reminds him he is obligated to remain in the booth as the match resets with a lockup. After busting out of a side headlock, Steiner grabbed a near fall with a big belly-to-belly suplex. Ludvig again punched his way back into control and then hit a leaping clothesline for two. Borga is pretty funny out there, jawing loudly the whole match and giving a big "yeah!" after the clothesline. Steiner recovered, but Borga dodged him by bailing outside yet again. And this time some backup arrived as the Quebecers marched out to ringside to consult with Ludvig. After a break. Steiner suplexed Borga back into the ring and then turned him into a rather sloppy Boston Crab. As Borga crawled to the ropes, Rick Steiner came down to the ring to keep an eye on the tag team champs. Borga would reverse a whip but ate a boot on a charge, leading to a pair of Steiner near falls. Steiner pelted Borga with a dropkick and then a missile dropkick but only got a two count. Borga, sporting a bloody nose, came right back with a powerslam for two. Steiner would end up on the floor and Borga wouldn't let him back into the ring, leading to Rick getting pulled into the ring. Rick would take Borga over with a back suplex, triggering a big brawl and the double disqualification. That was a pretty fun match with some hard-hitting power offense and a suplex showcase by Scott. It did a nice job of setting the stage for the PPV too and overall ended up being much more entertaining than it looked on paper.

*** We head back to Nashville to visit with our friend Jeff Jarrett. This week he pulls up in a vintage 1968 Cadillac and is being driven by his driver Billy Ray. They pull up in front of the iconic Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry. He then dumps all of it, saying the place is dead just like its legendary stars Conway Twitty and George Jones. Well, Jones' career is dead anyway. He takes a shot at the Undertaker and vows to use him and the WWF to become a country music star. And they will even rename the promotion the JJF and the auditorium the JJ Auditorium. ***

### 2) Men on a Mission defeat Corey Student & Steve Smith when Mabel pins Student after a splash at 3:37

### Scott:

While this mess is going on, Vince is talking to Savage about not getting involved physically if Crush comes down the ramp. But wasn't Savage in a couple matches lately, including the IC Title battle royal? I love how Vince uses that stip whenever Savage needs to be held over a barrel. It's so stupid. This is a typical MOM gimmick match with goofy parlor tricks and such. The rapping is average, and the wrestling is well below that.

### JT:

Up next we have some tag team action with crowd favorites Men on a Mission, or as Bobby Heenan calls them, Men from a Mission. The Fernwood faithful are digging the entrance as most crowds seem to do. Just based on their entrance alone you would think MOM were mega stars. Mabel toys with Steve Smith to start things off as the commentary quickly turns back to Randy Savage and Crush with Vince again reminding Savage of his obligations. Vince also promotes "Kennedy," this week's USA movie special. Bobby spins a Whoopi Goldberg and Ted Danson joke as the match meanders on in the ring. Mabel finally finishes Student off with a splash to pick up the win. MOM is another team without direction and could use some sort of feud at some point soon. Really, the whole division outside of the Steiners and Quebecers feels like it's in the same boat.

*** Todd Pettengill is here with this week's Survivor Series Report and here are the matches discussed:

Lex Luger, ??? & Steiner Brothers vs. Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga & Quebecers

Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce Hart & Keith Hart (w/ Stu Hart) vs. Jerry Lawler & His Knights

Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, Mart Jannetty & 1-2-3 Kid vs. IRS, Adam Bomb, Diesel & Rick Martel

Doink, Doink, Doink & Doink vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, Bastion Booger & Headshrinkers

Rock 'N' Roll Express vs. Heavenly Bodies – Smoky Mountain Tag Team Titles

Be sure to tune into Superstars this weekend to find out who will replace Tatanka. The show is sold out in Boston, so the only way you can watch is on PPV, and you should get that order in right now! ***

### 3) Rick Martel defeats John Paul via submission with the Boston Crab at 2:52

### Scott:

Rick Martel is the heel version of Mr. Perfect, a solid veteran who can knock out some jobbers and then put over the younger guys. Savage isn't really talking much; he's really stewing at the broadcast table waiting for Crush. Martel will get an IC Title rematch with Razor this weekend on Superstars. Again, why not here on Raw? This is your prime-time show, and while Vince is promoting those atrocious USA movies, we should have some title matches. Martel ratchets up the Boston Crab for the easy victory. Will he finally gain much sought-after gold? Check out Superstars this weekend to find out.

### JT:

Hey, Rick Martel is here! We last saw him battling Razor Ramon for the vacant IC Title, but he is hanging around still and is slated for Survivor Series as well. I love that Martel brought back those baby blue tights. As Martel works over John Paul, Vince implores us to watch Superstars to find out that new member of the All-Americans and also to check out Martel's rematch with Ramon. Heenan lets us know that Bernie Kosar was benched by the Browns earlier today, so there you go. Paul gets a glimmer of offense, but the Model quickly puts him away with the Boston Crab. Martel looks primed for his big title shot this weekend as well as the PPV.

*** As Crush is set to head out for his match, Randy Savage leaps up from the announce table and starts pacing. Vince McMahon follows him and tries to talk some sense into him, but he shoves McMahon to the ground and attacks his former friend in the aisle. They are eventually broken up by officials. ***

### 4) Bob Backlund vs. Barry Horowitz

### Scott:

We were supposed to have Crush vs. Dan Dubiel, but Savage gets up and throws Vince to the ground. Then he jumps Crush, and all hell broke loose. It was actually a pretty cool moment, something that Raw hasn't really had to this point. So then we get to 80s guys wrestling in the 90s. Savage comes back to the broadcast booth, all exasperated and pissed off. That was the beauty of Randy Savage. He always added that extra emotion that made feuds that much better. During the match, Crush broke through his locker room door, which got Savage running down the ramp and backstage and he goes after Crush again. This match actually never ends as we see them brawl in the hallway and we go to commercial.

### JT:

Coming off a hot brawl between Randy Savage and Crush, we arrive at our final match, a tilt between Bob Backlund and Barry Horowitz. Vince and Bobby pay very little attention to the match and just argue over the Savage/Crush situation instead, with the Brain really being an asshole as he has been for the last few weeks. Vince notes that Crush is locked in his locker room and things have settled down. Backlund and Horowitz trade holds and takedowns as Savage reappears and rejoins the commentary team. He is all fired up and gets in Heenan's face for making fun of his injury. Savage just keeps rambling on as the match is going absolutely nowhere in the ring. We then cut backstage where Crush breaks out of his dressing room (which looks like the resort janitor's office) and storms down the hallway (filled with faux paneling and a green carpet). Savage bolts from the table and meetings him back there for another wild brawl. And after a break, the match is over, so we never will know the winner of that one. And that is probably for the best.

*** Vince McMahon announces that Lex Luger has won the viewer poll with 62% of the vote and will take on Quebecer Pierre next week. We then cut to Randy Savage and Crush brawling outside to close the show. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was one of the best Raws in a while. The Savage/Crush stuff dominated the action, and that's fine because this show needed a little juice to it coming close to Survivor Series. After the opener which continued to push the main event of the PPV, the rest of the matches were crap. MOM are utterly talentless but hey the crowd digs them so why not. Survivor Series is around the corner, and STILL no Bret Hart on Raw? We get a promo during the Survivor Series Report but still no Bret on camera. Very strange. Having said that, this is one of the most entertaining episodes to date.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this certainly was an upgrade from last week. Sure we had a few dog matches, but the majority of the show was eaten up by a fun power match and lots of Savage/Crush angst and brawling. I really enjoyed Borga vs. Steiner, and it was a good showcase build for the Survivor Series main event. Savage was the MVP of the episode, stewing at ringside the whole show before finally exploding, chucking McMahon to the floor and then finally getting his licks in on Crush. It was a wild scene that injected some hot energy into the show. The commentary overall really has been fantastic since SummerSlam as it has been focused and blended with pushing the big angles, calling the action and mixing in plugs and ongoing bits. Really sharp work. Just one more Raw to go before Survivor Series... see you then!

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #40

November 15, 1993 (Taped November 8, 1993)

Fernwood Resort

Bushkill, PA

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Razor Ramon defeats Brooklyn Brawler to retain WWF Intercontinental Title with the Razor's Edge at 2:54

### Scott:

Big news as the Intercontinental Champion walks down the aisle. First, Shawn Michaels was reinstated by Jack Tunney, and Shawn will replace Jerry Lawler at Survivor Series against the Hart Family. This was Lawler's infamous case against a teenager who said Lawler raped her. Randy Savage is barred from announcing because he is "unstable" after what happened last week with Crush. That was fantastic television. Razor wins this one easily, so there's not much more to actually say.

### JT:

Welcome back to the beautiful Fernwood Resort as we are on tape this week with a show that could have some big time Survivor Series implications. It is our final Raw before the big tussle in Boston as next week will bring us the Survivor Series Showdown special. We open things up with our IC Champ back in action as Razor Ramon is lined up against the ever-present Brooklyn Brawler. Of course, no Randy Savage in the booth this week after he had his huge meltdown and brawl with Crush a week ago. As Ramon heads out, Vince McMahon announces that Shawn Michaels was reinstated by Jack Tunney as revealed on WWF Radio this past weekend. Also, he is replacing Jerry Lawler at Survivor Series due to the King's legal problems. They quickly brush over that part. What is interesting is that Vince says that Michaels is Ramon's arch nemesis even though they have not really crossed paths at all to this point. Brawler attacked Ramon off the bell, not even allowing him to get his vest off, but Razor quickly made a comeback. As Bobby Heenan noted that the IC title rightfully is Shawn's and not Ramon's, Razor swiftly finished the Brawler off with the Edge Ramon grabs yet another win but the big story here was all of the major story developments with Shawn Michaels and Jerry Lawler.

### 2) Headshrinkers defeat Mike Bucci & Mike Moraldo when Fatu pins Bucci with a top rope splash at 4:25

### Scott:

Another squash on the horizon. We get a promo for the Survivor Series Showdown this coming Sunday on USA, where Bret Hart finally gets his WWF Title rematch with Yokozuna. Yeah, that only took nine months. Speaking of the Hitman, was the last time he was on Raw that week he chased Jerry Lawler up the Manhattan Center catacombs before SummerSlam? So almost four months. That is so bizarre. Same with Undertaker. I never realized that as I'm watching these 1993 Raws. Oh, this match is typical Headshrinkers, an ugly mangling of two stiffs.

### JT:

Squash city is on tap next as Vince discusses the upcoming Survivor Series Showdown, featuring Bret Hart's big WrestleMania rematch against Yokozuna, so don't miss that! Hart also has a big tilt with IRS this weekend on Superstars. The Headshrinkers are set to go for Survivor Series and get one last warmup here against a couple of stiffs. Well, at least one of them may be innovative anyway. Vince also screws up and confuses the jobbers, calling Moraldo "Bucci" and vice versa. The Shrinkers mow right through them with their usual vicious offense as Vince and Bobby mainly run through the hot issues, including the new Heidi Fleiss pajama line.

*** We head back to Superstars where Lex Luger and the Steiners revealed that the Undertaker would be replacing Tatanka on their team at Survivor Series. Undertaker would come out to the ring and open his robe to reveal a giant American flag sewn on the inside. ***

### 3) Lex Luger defeats Quebecer Pierre with a running forearm at 13:32

Fun Fact: Last week on Raw, a 1-800 number was presented during the broadcast allowing viewers to vote on who would face Pierre this week. Lex Luger won overwhelmingly.

### Scott:

Right before the match, we get the Superstars clip where the Undertaker took it upon himself to replace Tatanka on the All Americans team at Survivor Series. It makes perfect sense since he is way more over than Tatanka, and with the undefeated streak over, he's just another mid-card face. As expected the match has its moments but Johnny Polo keeps distracting Luger and Pierre gets the upper hand. Pierre is the bigger, durable half of the Tag Team Champions. Pierre has a great ground and pound offense to work Luger over. I love Savage, but he really hasn't spoken much the past few weeks anyway. Vince and Bobby together have been really good on commentary and working this match very well. Pierre leans on Luger with a headlock in the middle of the match, but Luger lifts him up and drops him. Pierre recovers and hits a piledriver for two. Pierre goes to the top rope and hits some sloppy leg drop for two. They start going punch for punch and Luger gets the advantage and starts hitting some bombs, but now Pierre is kicking out. This is a pretty good match even if it is a bit sloppy at times. Luger dumps Polo, then Pierre gets hit with the loaded forearm, and Pierre is out cold. Luger wins the match, and Bobby is freaking out about the foreign object.

### JT:

Before the bout, we got to check out some footage from Superstars, and that included the iconic moment of Undertaker joining the All-Americans and revealing the giant flag on the inside of his coat. He didn't fit much on the surface, but after the bizarre 1993 he has had, this was a good call to get him into the main event picture. Tatanka was replaceable at this point as his steam was sadly starting to dry up. He had a really busy year and was all over Raw, but after a while, the idea of someone being undefeated for as long as he was without having a title was a bit much. Ending the streak to put over Ludvig Borga was the right move. Anyway, up next we have the match that fans voted for last week and that is Quebecer Pierre taking on Lex Luger. I like how these Survivor Series teams gave been going at it in solo matches to help push the PPV. Pierre has the wonderful Johnny Polo with him as usual, and everything about them is always so merry and joyous. What a trio. Luger got a nice welcome as he sauntered out for the bout and eventually we were under way. Vince pushes the angle along, stating that the Fanatics' plan is to eliminate members one by one and pondering what the All Americans would do if Luger were eliminated here. Lex goes right at Pierre, smacking him around and picking up a quick near fall before the Quebecer bailed to regroup. Pierre came back in and was able to slug away a bit, but he ran into a boot and ate a clothesline before heading outside again. Polo tried to run interference, but it backfired as Luger back dropped Pierre on the floor before a break. When we returned, Luger was controlling the arm, but Pierre quickly turns the tide and went to work. He would use his weight to grind Luger, leaning on him with a front face lock until Luger broke free and regained momentum. Polo would again get involved, and this time it worked as Pierre clobbered Lex from behind, driving him to the floor and slinging him into the stairs. Back inside, Pierre used his weight again, punishing Luger's back and neck with a variety of basic offense. Heenan made a nice point here too, talking about how Pierre doesn't care if he wins this match, just that he wants to take Luger out of Survivor Series. Luger would use his power to stand up while in a rear chinlock and drop Pierre back hard to the mat. Pierre recovered and followed with a nice piledriver for a two count and kept the pressure clamped on tight. Lex finally made his comeback, hitting a powerslam and knocking down Polo off the apron. A moment later, Luger pelted Pierre with his loaded forearm for the win. As Pierre is carted out on a stretch, Vince pretty much right away announces that he thinks Pierre may be knocked out of the PPV due to the forearm. This was a surprisingly good little match thanks to some smart structure, aggressive offense from Pierre and a good closing sequence. I was surprised that they kept things clean and never had Jacques come out to get involved until after the match ended. This also now seemingly draws us even as far as prematch eliminations for Survivor Series, so we will now see who the Fanatics turn to as far as drawing the teams back even.

### 4) Diesel defeats Sid Garrison with an elbow drop at 3:29

### Scott:

The big guy ends the show with another squash, but the big news is that Randy Savage is technically back to being active and can go after Crush. Bobby's jokes are getting a bit old, talking about going to Burger King for Judge "Whoppner's" birthday party. Ugh. Diesel wins easily.

### JT:

We wrap things up with a quick showcase bout for Diesel. Of course, the return of Shawn Michaels is a pretty big one for the big guy as he has been completely rudderless since he vanished. Bobby notes that Reo Rogers and Shawn Michaels will visit the Hart House to interview Stu and Helen at the Showdown next week. McMahon also notes that Randy Savage is free of his constraints thanks to Jack Tunney and he can focus solely on eliminating Crush. Garrison lands a couple of blows, but Diesel eventually polishes him off with an elbow drop. Nothing doing here.

*** Todd Pettengill is in the house with our final Survivor Series Report here on Raw. The following matches are discussed:

Lex Luger, Undertaker & Steiner Brothers vs. Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga & Quebecers

Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce Hart & Keith Hart w/ Stu Hart vs. Shawn Michaels & The Knights

Razor Ramon, Marty Jannetty, 1-2-3 Kid & Mr. Perfect vs. IRS, Diesel, Rick Martel & Adam Bomb

Doink, Doink, Doink & Doink vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, Bastion Booger & Headshrinkers

Rock 'N' Roll Express vs. Heavenly Bodies – Smoky Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Titles

Also, the Hotline is opened up now as well, so give that ring with your parents' permission, of course. We are just about ten days away from this huge night in the sold-out Boston Garden so be sure to call your cable company today to get that order in and avoid the rush! ***

*** We head to Nashville for a visit into the private recording studio of Jeff Jarrett. He berates the staff and musicians and then makes his vow to get to the top of the WWF and the country music industry as well. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

I enjoyed this show as we are a week and a half out from Survivor Series. Lex Luger is (at the moment) the top babyface in the company, even with the failed SummerSlam match. With Jerry Lawler gone, it seems any Bret Hart stuff is somewhat on the down low because Lawler isn't there to do the back and forth. This show also shows that Pierre is a pretty good wrestler and deserves more credit than he gets as a worker. I'm grading this one high because of the Luger/Pierre match and another Diesel sighting.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Our final Raw before Survivor Series was a pretty effective one. We got more build for the issue between Randy Savage and Crush and a lot of development for the main event as it now looks like Pierre has been eliminated. The squashes were all quick and fine, and the show hummed right along for the most part. And on top of it, Luger vs. Pierre was a good TV match that allowed Pierre to showcase his offense a bit. Good outing here on the precipice of Survivor Series. See you at the Showdown!

Final Grade:

# Survivor Series Showdown 1993

November 21, 1993 (Taped November 8, 1993 & November 10, 1993)

Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, PA

Farrell Hall, Dehli, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan; Gorilla Monsoon & Jim Ross

### 1) Doink the Clown defeats Bastion Booger with a roll up at 7:37

### Scott:

This is a fun, goofy opener to pump up that workrate marvel of a survivor match between the Doinks against Bigelow, Booger and the Headshrinkers. The Bigelow/Doink feud was raging since about September, and these guys are just part of the equation. This Fernwood Resort is an odd place for a show, but it will be a staple for Raws over the next year or so. The match is a bunch of goofy parlor tricks and slow power moves. Listening to Ross and Gorilla is unique if you aren't used to them, particularly since none of the weekend shows are currently on the WWE Network, so it's really just Raw with Vince and whoever the color commentator was at the time. Gorilla was on a couple times, and Ross was on I think once to this point, if not shortly after this. After the early nonsense, Booger worked Doink over and then tricked him by tapping him on the shoulder during a pin attempt, thinking it was the referee. Booger gets up thinking he won; then Doink rolled his fat ass up for the victory. Then Doink threw hot sauce on Booger's pizza. Typical 1993 nonsense.

### JT:

Well here we are, less than one week away from Survivor Series and our final stop features a pretty interesting card topped by a big time main event. This show was actually filmed across a pair of taping dates and is kind of piecemealed together, so we will bounce between locations and announcer teams as we go. First up we have Doink battling the grotesque Bastion Booger in a mini preview of their Survivor style matchup. Of course, we spent some time with gags and histrionics, including Booger trying and failing at using Doink's scooter. The Clown kept tripping up Booger, doing whatever he could to mess with the big man and keep him aggravated. Booger was able to finally catch Doink outside the ring and then went to work, ambling through some rudimentary offense. Booger would lock in a chinlock in between clubbing away as Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Ross talked about the potential strategy between these teams at Survivor Series. The Bastion continued to lean on Doink, really controlling the bout with ease, until getting pissed off on a near fall. That lapse in focus cost him as Doink rolled him up and stole the win. Doink then played a prank on Booger, dousing his pizza in Tabasco sauce and laughing his way to the back as Booger coughed it all up. This was about what you would expect, and really the only question outstanding for these guys surrounded what these four Doinks would like.

*** We recap a key point in the feud between the All-Americans and Foreign Fanatics: the early elimination of Tatanka. Ray Rougeau then interviews the All-Americans on the aisle podium. They discuss the injury to Tatanka and the replacement by the Undertaker and also discuss how Pierre was officially taken out of the match by Luger on Raw last week. Rougeau reveals that Pierre will be replaced by Crush in Boston. They discuss their game plan for Wednesday and promise to eliminate and bury the Fanatics. ***

*** Vince McMahon reveals that Randy Savage will not be in the booth at Survivor Series but believes his presence may be felt in other ways. We then check out a video package recap some of his issues with Crush. ***

### 2) Crush defeats Virgil with the Cranium Crush at 7:55

### Scott:

The build is red hot right now between Crush and the Macho Man, which I love because if Randy Savage is here, get him back in the ring. He's probably (with Hogan gone) the most beloved guy in the entire company right now. Crush has a warm up match for Survivor Series with a squash against Virgil. Todd gives us a tutorial about how to order the PPV before this match, Man; I remember calling my "local cable company." Wasn't it so different back when there were only five PPVs a year? I remember the long summer builds to SummerSlam. It's amazing how much things changed in just a year or so from here. When Luger was the Narcissist, Bobby Heenan was on him like white on rice. Now that he's a babyface, Bobby wants Luger banned from the WWF for the steel plates in his forearm. Crush methodically works Virgil over with power moves and chokes. Virgil gets a surprise sunset flip attempt on him for the count of two and then recovers to throw a clothesline off the top rope and even punches Crush to the floor. Crush regains control, but Virgil then slips another roll up attempt for two. Really thought Crush dominated this match with Virgil getting the occasional pin attempt to build some drama. It felt like an old school NWA squash, which means it's a three-minute match extended to about eight minutes. Crush finally ends it with the head vice and moves on to Survivor Series.

### JT:

And speaking of Crush, he is out here for our next bout. As mentioned above, Crush will now be in action this Wednesday as he is stepping in for the injured Pierre. He wastes no time going at Virgil, mauling him right off the bell. Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan have the call for this one and discuss what Crush brings to the table for his new squad. Virgil made a swift comeback, knocking Crush to the floor with a clothesline and then diving out on top of him. Virgil is fired up! Crush ended the good feelings with a big kick to cut Virgil down and then went into some of his martial arts strike based offense. Virgil would dodge a charge and get a sunset flip for two, but Crush leveled him with a pair of kicks to maintain overall control. Virgil would get his feet up on another ill-advised Crush charge and then knocked him down with a clothesline off the middle rope. Virgil slugged Crush out of the ring and tried to dive at him again but this time Crush was waiting for it and was able to catch him and run him hard into the edge of the ring. Virgil somehow grabbed another small package near fall, but Crush would eventually put him away with the Cranium Crunch. Virgil is fun in these squashes as he always expends a ton of energy and is often aggressive in his glimpses of offense. Crush survives and looks toward the big main event in Boston... and maybe a visit from the Macho Man too?

*** The two announce teams chat back and forth with Gorilla Monsoon issuing a warning to Bobby Heenan that he better get his affairs in order because he is done with his nonsense. We then head back to Superstars to check out the match between Razor Ramon and Rick Martel. The bout ended with Harvey Wippleman costing Martel the match, followed by Martel slapping Harvey around. Adam Bomb then came out, and he and Martel got into it as well until Diesel and IRS broke things up. ***

Fun Fact: Reo Rogers was a short-lived persona played by Bruce Prichard. The character was a satire of Dusty Rhodes. Rogers did a segment called Reo's Roundup that only aired twice before being axed.

*** We get our special edition of Reo's Roundup as Reo Rogers and Shawn Michaels make a special visit to the "Hart House" in Calgary. Michaels discusses his Knights and how he will get revenge on Bret Hart for his loss last year and take out the whole family along the way. They then walk up to the side of a house and enter the house where they encounter someone in a female Halloween mask pretending to be Helen Hart. They walk around and take digs at the Harts as memorabilia is strewn around the home. They then come upon someone sitting in a wheelchair wearing an old man mask and Hitman sunglasses, pretending to be Stu Hart. Vince McMahon interjects and ends the segment. ***

### 3) IRS defeats Marty Jannetty with the Write Off at 12:36

### Scott:

This seems like a pretty straightforward match like one that's been on Raw often. You could argue that these two guys are two of the hardest workers in 1993, as they've pretty much been all over both Raw and the weekend syndie shows. IRS is easily one of the most over heels in the company, while Jannetty is consistently working on Raw and helping out guys like the 1-2-3 Kid get over, as well as have a pretty solid feud with Shawn Michaels over the IC Title throughout the summer. The match is methodical early on, as Marty outsmarts Irwin with arm bars and reversals. There's a sweet moment when Marty went over the top rope on an IRS suplex attempt and get a pin attempt out of it. IRS retakes control and really grinds Marty into the ground with elbows and headlocks. I like how Gorilla chastises Danny Davis for not checking if the headlock is a choke hold. I don't think this is 1987 again, but it is funny. IRS goes to an abdominal stretch as Gorilla and Ross talk about the history of the move. Marty attempts a comeback with right hands and a knee lift for a two count. IRS is working so hard one of his red suspenders came loose. You never see that, no matter how hard he's working a match. IRS wins with a clothesline in a shocker. I didn't see that coming, not IRS winning but the immediate way it happened. Will IRS eliminate Marty Wednesday too? That was actually a fun little TV match.

### JT:

Up next we have members of opposing teams tussling once again as IRS and Marty Jannetty are set to square off. Jannetty has had a pretty good run here in 1993, with his big shock title win and then two straight PPV outings plus being positioned as a strong mid card act. IRS has been a bit out of place since Ted DiBiase left, but he has made his intentions very clear: he still wants to take out Razor Ramon and grab his gold while he is at it. IRS begged off to start, slowing Jannetty's role and game plan and making sure he didn't rush into anything. Gorilla wondered if IRS's team had any unity left after Superstars as the match finally got under way. Marty finally just went at IRS and sent him scurrying to the floor after a flurry of offense. After IRS returned, Jannetty remained in control, working the arm and keeping IRS close. IRS was able to turn the tide by dodging a charge and sending the Rocker hard to the floor. Shyster followed him out and slung him into the steps. IRS would try to suplex Jannetty back into the ring, but Marty floated over and rolled him up for a near fall. However, IRS popped right up and aggressively knocked Jannetty back to the mat. IRS stomped away and went for pin covers while also working his patented chinlock. Jannetty would work free of that, but then IRS caught him in his other favorite, the abdominal stretch. Jannetty fought out of that hold as well, and the crowd was pretty engaged in cheering him on and taunting "Irwin". Marty punched away and cracked IRS with a knee lift for two, but IRS caught him with a snap suplex for a near fall of his own. Things ebbed and flowed from there until IRS pelted Jannetty with the Write Off for the clean win, which really feels like a bit of a rarity. This was a perfectly acceptable WWF TV match, and the crowd hung with them the whole way. IRS picks up the win... will it be a harbinger of things to come in Boston?

*** Ray Rougeau chats with the Foreign Fanatics on the podium. Jim Cornette rips on the fans chanting "USA" and mocks the early elimination Tatanka as well as stating defiance about the Undertaker stepping into the open slot. He also puts over the addition of Crush and what he brings to the Fanatics. Johnny Polo and the rest of the team then describe what will go down Wednesday night. ***

*** Todd Pettengill is here with our final Survivor Series Report and here is the full card:

Lex Luger, Undertaker & Steiner Brothers vs. Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga, Jacques & Crush

Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce Hart & Keith Hart w/ Stu Hart vs. Shawn Michaels & The Knights

Razor Ramon, 1-2-3 Kid, Marty Jannetty & Mr. Perfect vs. IRS, Diesel, Rick Martel & Adam Bomb

Doink, Doink, Doink & Doink vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, Bastion Booger & Headshrinkers

Rock 'N' Roll Express vs. Heavenly Bodies – Smoky Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Titles

Todd also hints that more changes could happen between now and Thanksgiving Eve. The card is set, and the Boston Garden is sold out so order now and then settle in for the Survivor Series! ***

### 4) Yokozuna defeats Bret Hart to retain WWF Heavyweight Title by disqualification at 20:00

Fun Fact: On the 11/15 episode of Raw, Vince McMahon announced to the viewing audience that due to legal reasons, Jerry Lawler would not be appearing at Survivor Series and would be replaced by Shawn Michaels. The legal reasons McMahon referred to was a charge against Lawler that came from a teenage girl (reports differ on the age between 13 and 15) that claimed that Lawler had raped and sodomized her. Lawler was immediately removed from television while the case was pending. Ultimately, the case began to unravel, and the girl admitted that she had made the entire story up.

Prior to this, the WWF had recorded a match for this show between Owen Hart and Lawler. During the match, Owen was tied up in the ropes with Lawler slapping and spitting on him. Bret Hart runs into the ring to save Owen and Lawler wins the match via DQ. Later that evening at the end of this Yokozuna/Bret Hart match, Lawler begins to make his way out to the ring to interfere in the match but is stopped by Owen, which distracts the referee as the two fight in the aisle, allowing Mr. Fuji to hit Bret. Since Lawler couldn't be shown on TV, the WWF had to insert footage of Owen running to the ring from a different match.

### Scott:

After all the crap that went down back in April In Las Vegas, Bret Hart finally finished jumping through hoops and gets his long-awaited World Title match with Yokozuna. I always find it funny when Bret Hart chants "USA, USA", and he's Canadian. I know it's dopey, but it makes me chuckle. With the main event of the Foreign Fanatics vs. All-Americans, and Yokozuna on that team, this bout ripples throughout the big matches on Wednesday in Boston. Vince and Bobby are really amping this up, and the crowd senses that perhaps the title changes hands here. After being a little unfocused, Yoko takes control and grinds into the Hitman with elbows and kicks. I like how Vince wanted the ref to watch Mr. Fuji, then two minutes later tells the ref to ignore Mr. Fuji and focus on the match. Sometimes he was such a mess. Bobby is ripping the Hart family and calling them quitters. Yoko goes to his vaunted nerve pinch after a commercial break. The brawl goes to the outside, as they throw each other into the steps. Vince calls Yoko this massive "Polynesian." Clear proof (in case you didn't know) that they weren't pushing Yokozuna off as Japanese. We take a second commercial break as Bret barely got back into the ring, so there was no countout. Yoko continues to pummel away, but Bret makes a comeback and almost takes the big guy off his feet. Bret misses a dropkick and Yoko hits the big leg drop which is mostly his fat ass. Yokozuna is distracted by the American flags while Bret is recovering on the mat. Bret is trying to make comebacks with clotheslines until Yoko finally hits the deck. Yoko kicks out of a pin attempt until Fuji comes in to distract Bret and then Yoko puts Bret in a bear hug. Bret got out of it by biting Yoko and then the best move of the night, Bret hits a middle rope bulldog, and Yoko sells it like a pro. Bret keeps getting consistent two counts and then comes off the rope to do something but Yoko catches him with a spinebuster, but he doesn't go for the pinfall. Yoko goes for a splash off the ropes and misses. Bret somehow gets the Sharpshooter on, and he seems to have won, but for some dopey reason, Owen Hart comes out to celebrate, causing the referee to go over there. Mr. Fuji cracks Bret with the salt bucket, and Owen's interference (which was poorly spliced in there due to that Lawler mess) causes Bret to lose by DQ. So obviously the seeds are planted for something within the Hart Family. In any event, Yokozuna escapes with his WWF Title as we head to Boston for Survivor Series. This was a fun match, and you could argue maybe on par with their WrestleMania IX match.

### JT:

It is time for our main event, and it is a big one as Bret Hart finally gets his long-awaited WWF World Title rematch against Yokozuna. Yoko knocked off the Hitman back at WrestleMania, and they both went on winding paths from there but now they converge, and we could get a massive shakeup just days before the final PPV of 1993! Hart went right at the champ off the bell, pegging him with right hands and then dropkicking him to the floor. Yoko was quite out of it and actually walked into the ring post while recovering. The crowd chanted "USA" and even though Bret isn't American, he went with it as patriotism is top of mind around here these days. As Yoko finally climbed back in the ring, Heenan leaked out that Shawn Michaels has selected new Knights from those that Jerry Lawler had lined up. Intrigue! Hart would hop on Yoko's back and hook a sleeper, but Yoko easily flipped him down to the mat. Hart popped up and hammered away until Yoko mowed him down with a hard clothesline. Yoko kept slugging away with thrusts and a headbutt and controlled the match as we headed to break. When we returned, Hart was making a comeback, but Mr. Fuji got involved and swung the tide back to the champ. Yoko would lean on Hart with a nerve hold as the crowd did whatever it could to rally the Hitman. Hart would break free, but Yoko cut him down again and then pitched him over the top to the floor. The champ followed him out but whiffed on a charge and ate the stairs. Yoko was able to shake that off again, and this time he grabbed a steel chair and smacked Hart across the back and then the head with it. Yoko rolled back inside and rested as we hit a second break. As we came back on air, Hart had just rolled back into the ring, but Yoko was right all over him again. Hart kept fighting though, but Yoko wouldn't back down and was able to force the Hitman to the mat and then drop a big leg across his head. Yoko would sling Hart into the corner but came up empty on an Avalanche. With his best opening in a while, Hart went to work, finally knocking Yoko down with a running clothesline. Sensing danger, Fuji got on the apron, but Hart smacked him as well. Hart would come off the middle rope, but Yoko caught him in a bear hug. The Hitman bit his way free from the hold and then rode Yoko down with a bulldog off the middle rope. Hart got a bit over his skies from there, wildly charging again but Yoko caught him and slammed him hard to the mat. Vince and Bobby kept mentioning how Yoko seemed distracted and was having an off night. And maybe it was true as Yoko meandered for a bit and then missed a big splash. And just like at Caesar's Palace, Bret pounced and hooked Yoko in the Sharpshooter. Fuji was down and seemed unable to help this time, but as Yoko held on, Owen Hart showed up and started a premature celebration. With the referee outside the ring trying to usher Owen away, Fuji came in and popped Hart in the head with his salt bucket. That caused Owen to crash into the ring and start working over both Fuji and Yoko, causing a DQ win for the champ. Vince tried to rationalize Owen's actions by saying he heard Yoko submit but it wasn't meant to be. This was a fun main event between two guys that have really good chemistry together. I liked the Mania bout better because it was tighter and faster paced, but they did a good job of keeping you engaged here too. The finish was a bit curious, but I do like the story the commentators told, mentioning how Yoko seemed unfocused and then getting bailed out at the end. We will see if the Harts can get back on the same page by Thanksgiving Eve. Yoko has pressing issues then as well. See everyone in Boston!

*** We close the show with one last hard sell as well as a face to face smack talking session between Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon. Men on a Mission then come out to the arena to close out the show with a special Survivor Series rap. ***

### Final Analysis::

### Scott:

This was a fun prelude to Wednesday night in Boston. All the big matches were covered, and a boatload of vignettes, interviews and card previews ensure that you are more than ready for Thanksgiving Eve. Even with Lawler out of the picture adding Shawn Michaels was a smart thing to do and they did a pretty solid job of putting him over as part of the match with the Hart family considering all the heat was really on Lawler at this time. The title match was a nice touch at the back end of the show, and even the IRS/Jannetty match was pretty entertaining as IRS was probably top three in terms of the hardest working guy in the company. He's literally on every single show, from the syndies to Raw. This is a fun watch, and I recommend putting this on if you can find it before Survivor Series and you will feel complete!

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this was a pretty good hard sell show as it covered all of the matches with lots of plugs, recaps and talking head bits to set everything up. The match lineup was solid too, with a huge main event and a pretty solid IRS vs. Marty Jannetty tilt. Every match and segment served a purpose here, and that is what you want from these shows. There was no chance you could watch this show and not be fully up to speed on Survivor Series and all of the build and issues that have gone into it. They even did a good job of quickly heating up Shawn Michaels and his feud with The Hart Family as he steps in for Jerry Lawler. For a card with no WWF title matches, it was really hyped up and came together fairly organically with some stakes mixed in as well. That is all from here, enjoy the Survivor Series!

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #41

November 29, 1993

Westchester County Civic Center

White Plains, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

### 1) Steiner Brothers defeat Mike Khoury & Reno Riggins when Scott pins Khoury with the Frankensteiner at 3:45

### Scott:

We have a live RAW after a PPV, and it definitely adds so much to the show, because we can get fresh commentary and somewhat reset as we get to the end of the year and into the Royal Rumble build. The Steiners do feel somewhat forgotten after losing the Tag Titles to the Quebecers, even though they were in the main event at Survivor Series. Vince has now noted the start of the Women's Championship tournament, revitalizing the division that ended with that hack Rockin' Robin as champion. Lest we be reminded of that Robin/Judy Martin match at the 1989 Royal Rumble? I'm curious to see who is in this tournament. Vince said it started that night at house shows. I know I'm not getting into the match, but as usual, it's a Steiners dissection.

### JT:

We are officially in the wake of Survivor Series and now turn our sights to both the end of 1993 and the forthcoming Royal Rumble, which is about a month and a half away. The Steiner Brothers are on tap first here tonight, and even though they both succumbed to elimination in Boston, they were part of the winning squad as Lex Luger survived the match on their behalf. And of course, they are also still looking to regain those Tag Team Titles that were stolen from them by the Quebecers back in September. Poor Mike Khoury and Reno Riggins draw the short straws tonight, but it is always good to see ol' Reno as it has been a while. Scotty and Khoury opened things up, and it didn't take long for the suplexes to fly. Rick would tag in and level Khoury with a clothesline, sending him rolling into his corner where he could mercifully make the tag. Riggins landed one quick shot in but in the blink of an eye he was upside down and slammed into the corner with an Oklahoma Stampede. Scott topped that with a nasty Screwdriver on Reno and then a tilt-a-whirl on Khoury before polishing him off with a gross Frankensteiner that bent poor Mike in half. As always, a Steiner squash is worth a bump over your standard squash but can all these wins net them that elusive title rematch?

*** We head back to Nashville, TN where Jeff Jarrett is back at Buddy Lee Attractions as promised. And with him in the elevator is Buddy's cousin RP Lee, who set up the meeting. Jarrett and RP march right past the front door looking for Buddy but they aren't able to track him down. They push past as many people as they can but are eventually shuffled out by security. ***

### 2) Razor Ramon defeats Diesel in a non-title match by disqualification at 5:19

Fun Fact: Two nights prior at Madison Square Garden, Razor Ramon and Diesel were wrestling in another non-title match when Shawn Michaels came out to the ring and hit Ramon with his IC title belt (the fake belt). Michaels and Diesel would double team Ramon until they were forced to the back by referees. It was announced to the crowd that Michaels had been fined $5,000 for his actions.

### Scott:

As we've seen over the past few weeks, Shawn Michaels' bodyguard has been working some singles matches while his boss was suspended. Before the match, we've seen yet another Jeff Jarrett vignette. This is like five straight weeks of vignettes. Must have been some kind of no compete clause he had to wait on. Maybe not, but it just seems long. The match was pretty standard TV fare with Diesel doing a lot of power moves and such. After a few minutes of action in comes the no-longer-suspended Shawn Michaels and tries to interfere, but in comes the 1-2-3 Kid to counter the interference and Razor wins by DQ. The match was fun TV fare, but they would get better.

### JT:

And next up we have a pretty big matchup as our IC Champion Razor Ramon is set for a big non-title match against the menacing Diesel. Diesel was pretty lost without Shawn Michaels, but now that his buddy has returned, the big man seems to have his groove back, and a win here could go a long way toward a future title shot. Diesel used his power to shove Razor off early, but the champ bounced up and tried to grab hold of the wrist. Diesel again pushed him off and then grabbed a side headlock. Razor fought free and landed a few blows, but Diesel quickly turned the tide and started to grind away with slams and stomps. He would follow with a backbreaker and side slam for two counts before grabbing a tight bear hug. Ramon worked his way free but then ran into a hard big boot followed by a snake eyes for a Diesel near fall. Razor again broke free, and after kicking Diesel in the face, he hit a bulldog off the middle rope for a two count. Ramon slugged away and started to prep for the Edge, but before he could load it up, Shawn Michaels hit the ring and attacked the Bad Guy to draw the DQ. Michaels pegged Ramon with a superkick and then tried to piledrive him on the belt, but 1-2-3 Kid showed up to make the save. Kid knocked Michaels to the floor, and he and Ramon stood tall in the ring. That was a fun little match, and Diesel actually showed more of an arsenal than we are used to. Between the claim to the IC Title, the DQ finish and the brawl at the end, the feud between these four men seems to really just be heating up.

### 3) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats John Chrystal with an enziguri at 3:14

### Scott:

After that brutal match with the Four Doinks at Survivor Series, The Beast from the East takes on another forgettable jobber. Bobby is funny here, asking Vince if he wanted to hear Luna Vachon waking him up in the morning. Bobby also makes a Leon Lett dig, as this was right after Leon's gaffe in that infamous Cowboys/Dolphins Thanksgiving game in the snow. URGH. According to Vince, President Jack Tunney said there can't be more than one Doink. Well after this squash win we go to the past weekend's Superstars where Santa Claus gives Doink an early present: Dink. Yep, it begins. No wonder so many got frustrated.

### JT:

If there is any guy that needs a post-Survivor Series reset, it is definitely Bam Bam Bigelow. His feud with Doink has stalled his upward progress, and he ended up being quite humiliated in Boston thanks to the hijinks of the clown show. As always, Luna Vachon accompanies her man and watches on as Bigelow just wrecks poor John Chrystal. As the beating went on, Bobby Heenan started picking on Gorilla Monsoon in a feud that has really been reheated as of late. He also made fun of Leon Lett, who had just had one of the most memorable fumbles in NFL history days before on Thanksgiving. Vince Mcmahon also reveals that Jack Tunney decreed the multiple Doink nonsense needs to finally stop and said from now on there will only be one version of the Clown allowed. Bigelow grabs the win with an enziguri and based on the commentary it sounds like Bigelow isn't quite done hunting clowns.

*** We head back to Challenge where Doink the Clown was given an early Christmas gift by Santa Claus: Dink the Clown. Dink was a midget version of Doink, thus circumventing Jack Tunney's decree of no more multiple Doinks. ***

*** Vince McMahon heads into the ring as it is time to present the trophy for WWF Superstar of the Year as voted on by the WWF fans. He first brings out the runner-up, Lex Luger. Luger then reveals the winner of the trophy: Bret Hart. Hart heads out as well, and after Lex takes off, he gives a heartfelt thank you speech to his fans that have always supported him through thick and thin. He dedicates the award to those fans and then holds the trophy up high to end the ceremony. ***

*** We revisit footage from Survivor Series that focused on the miscommunication between Bret and Owen Hart as well as the ending argument between the two after the match. ***

### 4) Owen Hart defeats Chris Duffy with the Sharpshooter at 2:48

### Scott:

So, after we see what happened at Survivor Series, Owen Hart comes out with the black tights and the Bret shades, and he is getting some boos but still getting babyface cheers too. Right from the beginning, you know Owen was ready to break out and be a star. Owen gets the quick win with the Sharpshooter. Owen was confident before and during the match, but then Bobby tries to get an interview and mentions Bret winning the trophy and Owen just walks off. This is only just beginning.

### JT:

And speaking of the Hart Family, Owen is here tonight and set to tussle with Chris Duffy. Hart is still rocking the pink and black that he and his brothers wore in Boston. Of course, Owen did have his issues with Bret during and after their Survivor Series match, but thing seemed to have settled down, despite the claims of Bobby Heenan. Owen went right at Duffy, cracking him with a leg lariat and a standing dropkick. As Owen kept working over Duffy, Vince reveals that Shawn Michaels has challenged the 1-2-3 Kid to a match here next week. The crowd fired up a "We Want Bret" chant as Owen peppered Duffy with a headbutt and an uppercut. Duffy landed a nice leaping back elbow and actually grabbed a near fall before Owen quickly came back and picked up the win with the Sharpshooter. Heenan notes that Owen is wearing Bret's sunglasses and using his finishing hold so he goes and interviews him at ringside, but Owen just blows him off.

*** 1-2-3 Kid officially accepts Shawn Michaels' challenge for next week. Razor Ramon is with him and issues Michaels a warning that Kid can beat anyone. ***

### 5) Ludvig Borga defeats Scott Taylor with the Torture Rack at 2:27

### Scott:

I wonder if Borga's character was taken down a notch after having to eat the pin against Luger at Survivor Series. Is that feud over and Borga, in essence, starting over? Or was it just a throwaway pin in a tag team match and Borga continues rolling along? I'm not sure at this point. He makes quick work of Scott Taylor with a torture rack. After the match, the 1-2-3 Kid accepts Shawn Michaels' challenge for a match next week after what happened earlier in the show.

### JT:

Closing things out this week is our good friend Ludvig Borga, who is still licking his chops after suffering his first ever pinball loss at the hands of Lex Luger at Survivor Series. Vince and Bobby discuss Gorilla some more as Borga makes swift work of Scott Taylor, nabbing the win with the Torture Rack.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is the first really fresh feeling Raw in a while. We leave Survivor Series, and it feels like we are generating new feuds and utilizing talent that hadn't been there in a while. Having Shawn and Bret on the same show for the first time in ages was a breath of fresh air. The fall was ok but still had that stale feeling, particularly since they were taping three shows in venues, by the third show it felt stale and boring. That sadly won't go away but at least the roster is starting to freshen up, and some feuds are really kicking in. This was a great "out-of-PPV" episode that seems to be a reboot of stuff.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was a pretty solid episode that was light on the in-ring action but meaty when it came to establishing some new feuds and directions. The heavy focus was around the brewing issue between Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels, which also stars Diesel and the Kid. We also got a bit of development in the Hart Family saga as well. The squashes were all kept quite short and thus were effective in getting some heat back on guys that all lost at Survivor Series. We also had the nice Superstar of the Year segment that seemingly has repositioned Bret Hart as a top player again after he been sagging a bit throughout the fall. On top of that, we have a big match already set for next week as Michaels and the Kid will go at it. Not a memorable Raw but an effective one in the scheme of its goal to be interesting episodic wrestling TV.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #42

December 6, 1993 (Taped November 29, 1993)

Westchester County Civic Center

White Plains, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

Fun Fact: Tonight, our hearts ache as we say goodbye to Bobby Heenan. He has been a fixture in the WWF since 1984 when he was brought in from the AWA by McMahon. He served as a manager from '84 to '91 and as a commentator until here in late '93. He did sporadic managerial duties during this time, including managing Ric Flair as the Real World Champion when he came into the WWF. Heenan was having issues with his neck along with the long work hours, so he decided he was going to retire and spend time with his family. Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon came up with the idea for the closing of the show where Heenan was literally thrown out of the arena by Monsoon.

Shortly after he left the WWF, WCW contacted him about coming in. He hesitated but took the job after finding out about WCW's lighter schedule. Heenan would return to the WWF at WrestleMania X-Seven in 2001 to call the gimmick battle royal with Gene Okerland. He is regarded by many as one of the best, if not the best, wrestling manager of all time.

### 1) Shawn Michaels defeats 1-2-3 Kid by disqualification at 15:00

Fun Fact I: Last week on Raw, Shawn Michaels interfered in the match between Razor Ramon and Diesel. In the aftermath of the match, Michaels was going for a piledriver on the IC title belt when the 1-2-3 Kid came out to make the save.

Fun Fact II: This is Shawn Michaels' first match on Monday Night Raw since he defeated Marty Jannetty on the July 19 episode.

### Scott:

This is going to be an exceptional opening match. Shawn Michaels made his big return last week after suspension and almost piledrove Razor Ramon through the IC belt. Shawn now has his own IC belt and is calling himself the Intercontinental Champion because he was never pinned, rather Jack Tunney stripped him of the title. That is the storyline that Michaels and Razor will battle with through 1993 into 1994. What we have to remember is that Razor Ramon is also feuding with IRS. One of the best moves in this bout came when a stunned Michaels caught the Kid in mid air, and power slammed him outside to the floor. Shawn keeps working the Kid over until he tries a superplex and then Kid throws him to the canvas. Bobby keeps making fun of Kid, saying that he's still a toddler, but he's recovering from everything the former IC Champion throws at him. After some two counts, both guys hit noggins and drop to the canvas. The crowd is a little gassed due to it being the second show of the night, and sadly this match deserves some more juice. Kid goes for his top rope finisher and hits it, but Michaels kicks out. Eventually, Michaels gets control and actually hits a Razor's Edge but lifts Kid's head during the count and hits ANOTHER Razor's Edge. He goes for a third one, but the Intercontinental Champion comes out to save Kid, essentially ending the match. Razor runs Michaels to the back, but the Bad Guy gets cheap shotted by Diesel. Shawn beat Razor down, and he actually hits Razor with the Razor's Edge on the concrete. Then he comes back out and hits ANOTHER one. This was great storyline development to set up one of 1994's biggest feuds.

### JT:

We are coming to on tape this week, still inside the Westchester County Civic Center and open things up with a pretty big match. Of course, this bout was inked a week ago when Shawn Michaels attacked Razor Ramon during a match with Diesel, and the 1-2-3 Kid made the save. We haven't seen Michaels in a Raw ring in over four months, but he looks to be in better shape than when we last saw him. Before the match, he reminds us that he claims still to be the undisputed IC Champion thanks to his suspension and having never actually been pinned. Razor Ramon obviously disagrees, so we will keep an eye on that. The match started with a fast pace and a flurry of offense by both men that ended with Michaels regrouping on the floor. Kid followed after him with a nice springboard cross body, and then back inside he snapped off a German suplex into a bridge for a near fall. Kid slowed things down with a side headlock, but Michaels broke the hold and turned the tide, clubbing him with right hands before whipping him to the floor with a flying headscissors. On the floor, Kid reversed a whip and sent Michaels hard into the ring post, but when he tried another reckless dive, Michaels caught him and took him to the floor with a hard powerslam. After a break, Michaels was working Kid over with backbreakers in the ring, Kid would fend off Michaels on the top rope to block a superplex, but when he came off with a missile dropkick, Michaels met him with a dropkick of his own. Michaels focused in on the lower back again, hitting another backbreaker and then holding Kid there on his knee. Kid kicked free and rallied for a moment until the two men collided in the center of the ring. Kid recovered first and rattled Michaels with kicks before hitting a top rope moonsault for two. Kid headed right back up again but came up empty on a somersault senton as we take a second break. Upon returning, Michaels was back in control and looked to add insult to injury as he dropped Kid with a Razor's Edge. However, Michaels wasn't done, and he picked up the Kid during the pin cover. He would hit another Edge, but before he could levy any more punishment, Razor Ramon showed up and pulled the Kid to safety. Michaels confronted Ramon and slapped him in the face, causing Razor to chase him around the ring and into the aisle. Michaels would trip and crawl toward the entrance, but as Ramon got closer, Diesel punched him in the head through the curtain. Michaels pounced, choking Ramon out with his own shirt and then dropping him on the floor with a pair of Razor's Edges. This was a damn good match and segment that added a ton of heat to the feud over the Intercontinental Title. I love how Kid and Diesel are involved here too, and everything has been booked really well since Michaels returned. Diesel has been rejuvenated and seems important again, and Kid is being elevated as a result of things as well. The match was strong, and with a true hot finish, it could have climbed even higher, but the finish we got was exactly what this feud needed. Michaels is back, and suddenly Razor Ramon has a major issue on his hands.

### 2) The Quebecers defeat Bert Centeno & Brian Walsh when Pierre pins Centeno with the Tower of Quebec at 4:26

### Scott:

The Tag Team Champions have their first Raw match in a while against the usual jobber fare. Pierre and Luger had a great match a few weeks before which showed he was just as good a wrestler as Jacques is. The tag division is a little flat right now, as the Steiners are really the only team at the level of Johnny Polo's charges. Polo is sitting in a beach chair outside relaxing while the champs handle these two bums. After the win, Pierre clotheslined Bert Centeno out of the beach chair, which was pretty cool actually.

### JT:

We are back from break and a breather after out wild last segment, and it is time to be visited by our tag team champions the Quebecers. Johnny Polo leads out the champs as always and actually sets up a lawn chair at ringside and reads a polo magazine as the match kicks off. We get more banter over Gorilla Monsoon as Bobby takes dig after dig at him while Vince claims Monsoon is on his way to Raw as we speak. Jacques tries to fuck with Bert Centeno a bit, but Centeno smacks him in the face, dropkicks him and then scurries over and tags in poor Brian Walsh. Walsh gives it a go and then tags Centeno back in, and that was the beginning of the end. The Quebecers double teamed Centeno, beating on him with clubbing forearms and slams as well. Jacques would plant Centeno with a piledriver and then tagged in Pierre so they could unleash the Tower of Quebec for the victory. Polo would hop in the ring with his lawn chair, and the champs sat Centeno in just so Pierre could clothesline him out of it. Wonderful douchebaggery by the champions as always.

*** Vince McMahon interviews Owen Hart and asks for his thoughts about Bret Hart winning Superstar of the Year. Owen says it was great that Bret was rewarded but he wants to know when he will win an award as he has always stood behind his brother and promises he will reveal a surprise that will get everyone talking about him as well. ***

### 3) Doink the Clown defeats Tony DeVito with the Whoopee Cushion at 5:58

Fun Fact: We have already seen Claude Giroux in the WWF before, playing the role of the Macho Midget. However, here he makes his Raw debut in the role he is most known for, Dink the Clown, sidekick to Doink. On the November 27 episode of Wrestling Challenge, Dink was given to Doink as a present from Santa Claus.

### Scott:

Do we really need close ups of Dink? He is one ugly little turd. I like that Bobby Heenan said Dink should be hanging off his rear-view mirror. So, this is what Doink matches turned into? Midget parlor tricks? Vince and Bobby are pretty much ignoring the match and talking about the Razor/Shawn situation. This match is horrendous and is way too long, not helped by having to deal with Dink and that nonsense. Mercifully the match ends.

### JT:

Sigh. As we saw a week ago, Jack Tunney decreed that the multiple Doink shenanigans were officially to end. No more clones or multiples or mind games from the Clowns. And then Santa Claus showed up and gave Doink the gift of a midget doppelganger named Dink. And here we are. With Matt Borne long gone and Dink on the scene, all of the vestiges of the great original evil clown gimmick are gone. And that sucks. It sucks almost as much as Dink. Bobby gets a funny line in here asking if Doink's opponent is Basil DeVito. The Clown did his usual mat work on DeVito, frustrating and grinding him, while Dink danced and did clown things on the apron. Vince brings up Monsoon again, saying he may be right and that Heenan is not a nice person. At least Doink still worked a pretty aggressive style here at this point, breaking out some amateur holds on the mat and tossing DeVito around with suplexes while also mocking his portly opponent. This squash edged on way too long as Doink finally picked up the win with the Whoopee Cushion after nearly six minutes of action. Vince reminds us that Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon still want revenge on Doink, so yeah that feud is definitely rolling on.

*** We head back to Nashville for another visit with Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett is walking down the street bitching to some random guy wearing suspenders, a bow tie, and a bowler hat. Jarrett ambles up to a gift shop and chats up Waldo the Country Sax outside the building. He then reminds us of his grand plans to rename the WWF the JJF before returning to Nashville to become a mega star. Jarrett wraps up by telling his buddy to give Waldo a dollar. ***

### 4) Crush defeats Tony Roy with a stun gun at 4:10

### Scott:

Led to the ring by Mr. Fuji, Crush works over another stiff, while we get a promo announcing that Macho Man is back as an official superstar and next week will face Fatu in his first match. Vince is throwing Jack Tunney under the bus by saying is probable no one agrees with his decision about suspending Savage as an announcer. You know this issue with Crush will end up at WrestleMania.

### JT:

Wrapping things up this week is Crush, who is still deeply embroiled in his feud with the Macho Man. Before the match, it was found out that Savage will return to the ring next week on Raw as he will battle Fatu. Back in the arena, Mr. Fuji leads out Crush for his bout with Tony Roy. As Crush beats on Roy, Savage calls in from the United Kingdom. He credits Jack Tunney for the wake-up call, and he is happy to be back in action and out of the broadcast booth. He also discusses his match next week and thanks the fans for their support. Heenan prods Savage, saying he is hiding in England instead of confronting Crush here tonight. Savage cuts in and out a bit but promises to show his fans what's up next week and against Crush. As Savage hangs up, Crush hits a stun gun and finally puts Roy, and the viewers, out of our collective misery.

*** As Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan discuss next week's show, Gorilla Monsoon finally arrives and marches down the aisle and over to the commentary table. Monsoon gets in Heenan's face and tells him that he won a free trip. He then yanks Heenan up and drags him down the aisle and then finally throws him out of the building along with his bag. Heenan pratfalls a bit outside and then starts to tear up as he longingly looks back at the Civic Center as the show fades out. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Other than the great storyline advancement with Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon, and the sad exit of Bobby Heenan at the end this wasn't much of a show. The squashes were boring and the crowd, who was watching their second show of the night was pretty gassed. If the Michaels/Kid match had been during the live show earlier in the night, it would have had a hell of a lot more juice. At the time, who knew that would be the last time we'd see Bobby Heenan in the WWF until April 1, 2001. He looked legitimately upset at the end and was really crying. It's sad because he was a major part of all of our childhoods for the last eight years. This show overall was solid but not as good as last week.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was certainly a memorable installment of Raw. The opening match between the Kid and Shawn Michaels got the show off to a hot start and the angle that closed it was really good and helps keep the feud over the IC Title cooking. We also got more development around Owen Hart as he has promised a big surprise to get his name on the map and some movement in the continuing saga of Savage vs. Crush as well. The Doink match nearly derailed things, but the show hung on and survived. The Crush match was pretty bad too, but Savage calling made it move along quickly enough. And of course, we close the episode out with one of the most memorable moments in the history of Raw as Bobby Heenan is thrown out of the building by Gorilla Monsoon, drawing an end to their new decade-long rivalry and the Brain's WWF career. It's sad to watch today, and these Raws won't be the same without him. He breathed fresh breath into the booth when he took over for Rob Bartlett in the spring and has been a mainstay ever since. He helped push along feuds and went toe-to-toe with Randy Savage and Vince McMahon week after week. He also progressively became more antagonistic as the weeks went along and in retrospect, you can see they were building it all toward this moment where he would finally get his comeuppance. It was a hell of a run for the Brain, and even though we have a few more weeks left in 1993, it is one of a few ways that kind of marks a close to the first "era" of Raw.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #43

December 13, 1993

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Jim Cornette

### 1) Randy Savage defeats Fatu with the flying elbow at 5:52

### Scott:

So officially, the Macho Man is out of the commentary booth and back into active competition, probably to get back in ring shape for the eventual battle with Crush down the line. With Bobby Heenan gone, Jim Cornette slides into the broadcast booth with Vince McMahon. I'm curious as to how this will go. Cornette is a solid heel, and actually brings more factual stuff and less dopey jokes than the Brain did. Bobby is Bobby, we all know that. But perhaps a difference of approach at the table is what the show needs. Fatu is a good guy for Savage to face because he's stiff and undisciplined, which is the kind of guy Savage likes to work with. Savage is also the best in the business with sympathy heat, as the referee is constantly distracted and Fatu with Afa is cheating like crazy. Savage recovers from the beating, hits the ol' elbow off the top rope, and got the victory. The crowd is crazy, and Savage is back in the game.

### JT:

We are back live and back in Poughkeepsie, and things look a little different than they have since the spring as Bobby Heenan is officially gone from the WWF. He has been a staple at the Raw desk since Rob Bartlett was jettisoned after WrestleMania but he was sick of the grind, and that was that. With the Brain gone and Randy Savage in active competition, we start the trek to find some stability alongside Vince McMahon, and that starts this week with Jim Cornette. In the ring, Savage has his first Raw match in quite some time as he is officially reactivated as a wrestler and removed from announcing by Jack Tunney. He is on a mission to eradicate Crush and that all starts with this tilt against the ornery Fatu tonight. Cornette was heated up right from the start, ripping Savage for being unstable and a menace. I do enjoy how the Headshrinkers are keeping up the old Samoan legacy of competing in big singles matches from time to time. It makes for good little random TV bouts. Vince doesn't waste much time in invoking the upcoming Royal Rumble, noting that Savage hopes to be chosen for the bout, and revealing that names will be announced this weekend. Savage and Fatu tie up to start, and Fatu uses his power advantage right away. Savage tries to pepper awaywhere he can, but Fatu uses his head to stay in control, eventually knocking Macho to the floor. Outside, Fatu ran Savage into the ring steps and then into the post as well. Back inside, Fatu dropped a headbutt for a near fall, but Macho recovered and took the Samoan over with a back drop. He got a bit ahead of himself, though, and tried a wild charge, allowing Fatu to backdrop him over the top rope. He was met there by Afa, who landed a kick and then slung him back into the ring. Fatu kept Savage grounded and headed to the top rope, but Savage popped up and knocked him to the floor. He then scaled the top rope and hit a top rope axehandle. After shoving Fatu in the ring, Savage cut him down with a clothesline, whacked Afa and dropped the big elbow for the win. This was a perfectly fine TV match with nice pacing that helps get Savage reestablished in the ring. Despite the win here, he still has his eyes locked in only on Crush... and the Royal Rumble as well.

*** Todd Pettengill comes to us live from the WWF Mania studio having paid for time on Raw to urge fans to vote Yes on the referendum on whether or not Randy Savage should be allowed to still cohost Mania. Vince McMahon then shares the hotline for fans to call to cast votes. ***

### 2) Smoking Gunns defeated Jim Messenger & Steve Smyth when Billy pinned Messenger with a top rope bulldog at 2:50

### Scott:

The Tag Team division needs to get its ship righted at some point because it does seem to be disjointed without some credible face teams to battle the Quebecers. The Gunns are definitely one of those teams that could eventually be champions, but where are the Steiners? Ugh, Lou Albano is checking the Gunns out, which means they will probably be champs so he can pad his stupid stats. They're technically the #1 contenders still. The big thing here is that Cornette says Lex Luger shouldn't be allowed in the Royal Rumble because he got his one title shot with Yokozuna at SummerSlam and (as he assumes that Yoko will win his title match with the Undertaker), he won't be allowed to win the Rumble at use it at WrestleMania. Good logic there actually. Gunns win easily.

### JT:

Next up we have some tag team action as the Smoking Gunns are back on the scene for a showcase bout. The Gunns have been quite aimless since SummerSlam other than that one tussle with Well Dunn. The Gunns easily take care of Messenger and Smyth, but this was here solely so Cornette could rant about not allowing Lex Luger to compete in the Royal Rumble due to the prematch stipulation back at SummerSlam. His claim was that Luger agreed that would be his only WWF Title match against Yokozuna and a Rumble win would possibly force a rematch at Mania. Great logic. Lou Albano also waddles out to study the Gunns as he looks for a new team to glom onto... er, new team to mold. The Gunns grab the easy win.

*** We revisit last week to check out the final moments of the match between Shawn Michaels and 1-2-3 Kid and the ensuing mayhem that left Razor Ramon laid out on the floor. ***

### 3) IRS defeats Todd Mata with the Write Off at 1:48

### Scott:

The stud from Staten Island, Todd Mata takes on IRS. Now IRS technically is feuding with Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon, while Razor is also feuding with Shawn Michaels. Razor's gold chains were swiped by IRS and are now nestled in the Halliburton. What a workhorse Razor is, fending off two heels at the same time. The match is a squash.

### JT:

With Razor Ramon embroiled in a big feud with Shawn Michaels, he is also stuck trying to hold off IRS from coming at his gold as well. In fact, some of that gold was already gone as IRS stole Razor's chains on Superstars and stored them inside his Halliburton briefcase. Tough sledding for the Bad Guy here late in the year. IRS has held strong since Ted DiBiase left the company, picking up some good wins and now being squarely in the IC Title picture as well. We do get a brief glimpse of the gold in his case before the match and that leads to commentary around it as IRS makes friend work of Mata. Cornette is pretty good here too, as he has been all show, stepping in for Heenan as far as comedy and pop culture references but also really getting over the storylines and characters too.

### 4) Undertaker defeats JS Storm with the Tombstone at 2:14

### Scott:

We will be seeing much more of the Deadman in the coming weeks as the match is booked for January 22 in Providence. He will face Yokozuna for the WWF Title, and according to Cornette and the alleged "contract meddling" by the WWF that it will be a casket match. As expected, the match is a squash as Vince keeps getting into Cornette's head that he sold Yokozuna up the river and put him in Taker's signature match. As the year is ending some very intriguing feuds are developing.

### JT:

And with Jim Cornette at ringside, it was quite fitting that we have the Undertaker in the ring this week, a pretty rare occurrence over this first year of Raw. He has his eyes dead set on Yokozuna and his WWF Title, and it comes out here that their Royal Rumble title tilt will be a casket match. Vince spends the whole match trolling Cornette for missing the fine print that allowed the stipulation. He also notes that like SummerSlam, the contract does dictate that this will Undertaker's only title shot. Vince reminds him that Taker has never lost a casket match, but Cornette claims this is only because he has never faced Yoko. Taker plants Storm with a chokeslam and Tombstone for the victory and then wraps him up in a body bag afterward as Cornette rants about it all. The Deadman continues to march on toward Providence and his long await shot at the gold.

*** We check out a montage of all the Jeff Jarrett vignettes we have seen over the past couple of months as Jarrett will make his WWF in-ring debut next week here on Raw. ***

### 5) Rick Martel defeats Tim McNeany with the Boston Crab at 3:00

### Scott:

I didn't remember Rick Martel being on Raw this often after the IC Title match loss to Razor Ramon, but like Mr. Perfect, he was a serviceable veteran who filled the gaps on the show. Cornette continues to harp that Lex Luger shouldn't be allowed in the Royal Rumble because of the binding contract that Luger would only get one shot at Yokozuna, and that was at SummerSlam. Another squash but Cornette's commentary is creating a lot of great storyline stuff.

### JT:

The parade of squashes continues as Rick Martel saunters out for the next match. Martel has had a nice little resurgence here since the fall, but he also feels archaic in some ways. I think a gimmick change and face turn may have been interesting to inject some life back into his career. Vince plugs this week's USA World Premiere MovieL Jericho Fever. So check that out. As Martel works over McNeany, Vince and Cornette banter further about Lex Luger as well as the ongoing issues in the Hart family. Vince also plugs next week's huge main event between Tatanka and Ludvig Borga. Martel eventually gets the win with the Boston Crab, but he is on the escalator to nowhere at this point.

*** We head back to Superstars where Vince McMahon had a sit-down interview with a still angry Owen Hart. Hart vents about living in the shadow of his brother Bret and challenges him to a match so he can prove he is better than his older brother. ***

### 6) Bret Hart defeats Brooklyn Brawler with the Sharpshooter at 4:20

### Scott:

I've been harping in past reviews about the lack of appearances by Undertaker and Bret Hart on Raw. Now we get them both on the same show. Perhaps Vince is realizing that Raw is indeed his flagship show, as USA Network is pretty much on basic cable and almost everybody has it. It's time to really put this show on the forefront. The best part of having a Bret match here is it gives Vince and Cornette the chance to discuss the Bret/Owen issue that's brewing and really give the audience some sort of background so it can grow over the next few weeks. Before the match, they showed the interview from Superstars where Owen challenged Bret to a match. We will let that hang in the air for a bit. Bret wins his first Raw match in months.

### JT:

We have seen a lot of in-ring action this week, and it all caps off with a rare in-ring appearance by Bret Hart. It has been a while since he was on Raw with any sort of consistency, but here he is, set to battle the Brooklyn Brawler. Vince and Cornette do a great job of weaving through the nuances of the sibling rivalry, setting the stage for the weeks to come. Cornette, of course, defends Owen's point of view and discusses why the match should happen. Will Bret accept his brother's challenge or will cooler heads prevail? Time will tell. Hart grabs the win with the Sharpshooter, but he has much bigger issues at hand.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

For me, this is a pretty important Raw. We have a new color commentator who's directly involved in the major storylines, and that's a huge bonus. I love the Brain, but at this moment in history, he's not fitting with the WWF style anymore. We also have Bret Hart and Undertaker on the show, who we normally don't see on Raw. The Royal Rumble is mentioned often, and as we get to the turn of the year, the build will grow exponentially. This was a fun Raw with a lot of great commentary and loaded with superstars. It felt live, and it was live.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We rarely get six matches on an episode of Raw but having this squash parade actually helped the show buzz right along. Jim Cornette was a strong addition on commentary and all of the inconsequential match time allowed him and Vince McMahon to really dig into the hottest storylines of the day: Savage/Crush, Ramon/Michaels/IRS, Yokozuna/Undertaker and Hart/Hart. We also got some strong Royal Rumble hype as we are just about a month out of the first PPV of 1994. Raw seems to be finding itself here late in 1993, settling into more of a formula and featuring more ongoing storylines and developments instead of singular show long storylines that existed only in this universe. Those can be fun, but the way Raw has trended makes the show feel more important and part of the rest of the WWF World. I could have used at least one solid feature match here, but outside of that, this was a good episodic installment of Raw. Until next week!

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #44

December 20, 1993 (Taped November 29, 1993)

Westchester County Civic Center

White Plains, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Shawn Michaels

### 1) Jeff Jarrett defeats PJ Walker with a DDT at 4:09

Fun Fact: "Ain't I great!" Tonight is the debut of J-E-Double-F J-A-Double R-E-Double T, Jeff Jarrett. Son of the Memphis wrestling promoter, Jerry Jarrett, Jeff started working for his father in the CWA in March 1986 as a referee. He was trained by his father and Tojo Yamamoto and made his in-ring debut in April 1986. His father purchased WCCW in 1989 and merged it with his promotion forming the USWA. In 1992, Jeff was part of the initial angle launching the talent exchange with the WWF. He made his full-time WWF debut in October '93 and makes his Raw debut here tonight.

### Scott:

After weeks of vignettes, Jeff Jarrett finally makes his in-ring debut. This episode aired on 12/20, but it was taped on 11/29, so it actually happened before the Raw that aired last week. So Jarrett actually made his televised in-ring debut during his pre-debut vignettes airing. That was so bizarre. Also bizarre was the outfit that Jarrett had on as this outfit was... well fuzzy. Even his boots have fuzz on them. That's a bit much. The match isn't bad, but it's a quick squash. He's a pretty good heel that will piss people off, which will serve his purpose.

### JT:

We are back at it this week, coming at you once again from White Plains, but this time via some pretty aged tape. As we near the end of 1993, there are a lot of feuds brewing and angles cooking and we are steamrolling toward the Royal Rumble. The guest commentator rotation rolls along as Shawn Michaels steps into the booth this week, picking up where Jim Cornette left off a week ago, although with a touch more arrogance. And the show opens with the long-awaited debut of a brand-new heel: Jeff Jarrett. We are already quite familiar with Jarrett thanks to weeks and weeks of hype vignettes, but it was time for him to finally let his wrestling talk for him. Double J strutted his way to the ring and cut a quick promo in the ring as Vince McMahon wondered why Jarrett has failed in Nashville to date if he is as good a singer as he claims to be. Jarrett would finally lock up with PJ Walker as Vince and Michaels remind us that Walker already has one upset win in his pocket this year. Vince then notes that nine men have officially been announced for the Rumble already and Jarrett and Michaels are two of them. Walker got a smattering of offense, but it was short-lived as Jarrett really clobbered him from behind and then hammered away for a bit. Vince continued to discuss the Rumble and confirmed that Lex Luger is still being denied entry due to Jim Cornette's politicking and the SummerSlam stipulation. Jarrett would eventually nab the win with a DDT, notching the first of what he hopes to be many, many victories.

*** Vince McMahon plugs the WWF Opinion Poll hotline and asks fans to call up and weigh in on whether or not Lex Luger should be permitted to enter the Royal Rumble match. Ask your parents' permission first! ***

### 2) Men on a Mission defeat Barry Hardy & Duane Gill when Mabel pinned Hardy after a splash from the middle rope at 2:47

### Scott:

This rapping is abysmal. The gimmick is cool and, well, Mabel is the "Candy Girl." You can tell this show is totally canned and stale as they're adding extra graphics about Shawn on commentary that they normally don't do. You can also tell by the sound that Vince and Shawn are in an audio booth and not actually there. They obviously needed to freshen up the match by talking about current events and storylines, as throughout most of this match they're discussing the upcoming Royal Rumble and the Owen/Bret drama that's brewing. The match is crap, as is the rapping, but the fans seem to like it.

### JT:

Ho ho ho! Men on a Mission are here, sporting Santa Claus hats and bringing Christmas cheer to White Plains... and pain to Barry Hardy and Duane Gill. The crowd was pretty into Oscar's rap as usual and man I always forget how damn infectious that beat was. This clearly is our holiday episode as we get some decorative graphics flowing in and out during the show. Vince notes that Mabel is a confirmed Rumble entrant and Michaels wonders how he can possibly be eliminated. Michaels also promises he and Diesel won't go at it if they cross paths in the Rumble as they are much too tight. He and Vince also touch on the Hart Family issues as the match edges along. Mabel and Mo make really quick works of the stalwart jobbers and pick up an easy win after Mabel squashes Hardy off the middle rope.

*** Todd Pettengill is here with our very first official Royal Rumble Report on Monday Night Raw. We are a shade over four weeks away, and the Providence Civic Center is already sold out, so give your cable company a call now to lock yourself in for the show. Todd discusses the following matches:

Undertaker vs. Yokozuna – WWF Championship Casket Match

Razor Ramon vs. IRS – WWF Intercontinental Championship

Royal Rumble: Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Mabel, Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Crush, Kamala, Doink & Scott Steiner

More names to come in the following weeks so keep an eye on these reports and remember the winner of the Rumble match will battle the WWF Champion at WrestleMania X! ***

### 3) Tatanka defeats Ludvig Borga by disqualification at 4:44

Fun Fact: As you will recall, at the end of October, Borga defeated Tatanka for his first loss in the WWF on TV. He dominated Tatanka and put him out of action for six weeks, causing him to miss Survivor Series. This is their rematch.

### Scott:

I have to say, watching these Raws, the Hellraiser from Helsinki was a damn good heel. He really got the crowd going with his mannerisms and his clubbing workrate. This is the long-awaited rematch from October when Borga ended Tatanka's undefeated streak. We just had our first Royal Rumble report, which included the first nine guys announced for the Rumble match, as well as the announcement that Razor Ramon will defend the IC Title against IRS. Of course, the Yokozuna/Undertaker WWF Title match was already booked. The match was going along until the World Champion Yokozuna comes out and the match ends in a DQ. Except this time Lex Luger comes out to even the odds. He clubs Yokozuna with his forearm and then bodyslams him. There was no doubt at this point that Luger was the guy in line to win the Rumble and beat Yokozuna at WrestleMania for the World Title. Luger was Vince's guy, but obviously, he's no Hulk Hogan circa 1985. We will see if this is the course that's stayed.

### JT:

It is the rematch we have been waiting over six weeks for as Tatanka is healed up and looking for revenge one the Finnish bastard Ludvig Borga. Shawn references Shannen Doherty getting booted from Beverly Hills, 90210 so he gets extra points on my scorecard. Tatanka was all fired up, and the crowd was excited to see him back in action for this big-time rematch. Tatanka started hot, chopping and kicking away on his rival, both in and out of the ring. Outside, Tatanka also shot Borga hard into the post and then shoved him back inside and kept pouring it on, eventually grabbing a near fall on a high cross body. Borga was all out of sorts and completely stunned until he gained his bearing and clobbered Tatanka with a big running body block. Borga started to work on those rehabbed ribs, but Tatanka did what he could to fend him off. Borga came back with a nice running splash in the corner, but Tatanka shook it right off and kept bringing the fight. Borga sat back and caught his aggressive foe with a good powerslam for two. As Tatanka made another comeback, Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji ambled down the aisle to boos, and they immediately got involved as Fuji shoved Tatanka off the top rope and Yoko hopped in the ring to draw the DQ. Tatanka fought Yoko off briefly but the numbers eventually caught up to him, and it looked like we had a repeat of Superstars on our hands. However, a moment later Lex Luger charged out to cheers and helped Tatanka run the foreign fanatics from the ring. Well, that was short, but man did it have some fun energy behind it. Both guys cut a good pace, and the crowd was into it right through the post-match brawl. The finish here is fine as Borga can't take the loss so soon after Survivor Series and Tatanka wasn't going to lose his comeback bout. Plus, it keeps all the irons in the fire for all four men.

*** Captain Lou Albano is brought out to the ring and gets a warm reception from the crowd. ***

### 4) Adam Bomb defeats Mark Thomas with the Atom Smasher at 1:42

### Scott:

Mark Thomas was actually a pretty jacked up dude, and I'm surprised Vince didn't take this guy under the company's wing and turn him into a star. Vince never totally cared about ability, as long as they had incredible physiques. Even in this era where the steroid scandal was going on Vince didn't totally shy away from the big guys. Vince just said that Thomas is a big Barney fan. Well, that pretty much killed that. I was still a big Adam Bomb guy but sadly was not involved in any big-time feuds yet. This was a quickie.

### JT:

The action continues as Adam Bomb makes his way out for a showcase match against the juiced-up Mark Thomas. As he does, Michaels puts over Bomb's decision to hire the erstwhile Harvey Wippleman as a manager. Lou Albano was still meandering around inside the ring as the match was about to get underway. Get the fuck out of here, Captain. Bomb wastes no time in leveling Thomas, who Vince compares to Barney due to his purple tights. Bomb drops him with a back suplex and polishes him off with the Atom Smasher for the win.

*** We check out a vignette of a future WWF newcomer, Thurman "Sparky" Plugg. Plugg is also a race car driver, and we visit him live on the track, as he promises to rise right to the top when he arrives in the company. ***

*** We then head back two weeks to relive Vince McMahon's sit-down interview with Owen Hart where Owen challenged his brother Bret to a match. A week later, Bret claimed that under no circumstances would he ever wrestle his brother in the ring. ***

### 5) Owen Hart defeats Mike Bell with the Sharpshooter at 3:01

### Scott:

It's good that there are more Owen Hart appearances since Survivor Series, while Vince and Shawn push the storyline with Bret after the Hitman said on Superstars over the weekend that there will not be a fight between the two of them. Shawn was funny on commentary, saying that Owen got all the coal and no presents while Bret got everything he wanted. Owen got his licks in and ended with the Sharpshooter. This show is definitely canned because they dump right out of the match the second it ends, instead of lingering with replays and commentary.

### JT:

Hot off of Bret Hart vowing to not wrestle his brother Owen, the Rocket heads to the ring for a bout with Mike Bell. Bell looks like a candy striper with his ridiculous tights on. Vince wonders if the Hart Brothers could cross paths in the Rumble match as Shawn puts over how good Owen has looked as of late. They continue to discuss the storyline as Owen works through his offense and finishes Bell with the Sharpshooter. Owen continues to put the pressure on his brother... will he eventually cave?

*** We head to the Undertaker's workshop where he and Paul Bearer are assembling Yokozuna's double deep, double wide casket in preparation for the Royal Rumble. ***

### 6) Headshrinkers defeated Jerry Seavey & Phil Apollo when Fatu pinned Seavey with a splash off the top rope at 3:06

### Scott:

The tag team division is really starting to fill up now as teams are lining up to take on the Quebecers, who have been the champions since September. As I've said in the past, Samu & Fatu have turned into the heel version of the Steiners, only sloppier and rougher. These two guys (including Raw icon Phil Apollo) get smacked around for a few minutes before finishing for the pin.

### JT:

Our final match of the night takes us to the tag division as the Headshrinkers are set to wreck another pair of poor stiffs. Jerry Seavey looks like he should be hanging around the local dive with Benny Mardones. As the Samoans wrecked shit, Vince prodded Yokozuna and his camp by saying his advisers let him down with the Royal Rumble stipulation. He also discusses the wedding of Donald Trump and Marla Maples, which was actually ongoing as this show was airing. The Headshrinkers picked up the easy win to close things out. At some point, these tag teams need to do more than win squash matches as we seemingly have zero feuds ongoing at this time.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This show was quite old, so it's tough to really give a grade to it. Vince and Shawn had some decent chemistry, even if it was to lay down post-production audio tracks to keep a stale, month-old show relevant. Other than finally seeing the debut of Jeff Jarrett and the long awaited Borga/Tatanka rematch, this show isn't much.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Coming at us on Christmas week, this certainly felt like nothing more than a time filler episode of Raw. It had been filmed over three weeks ago and felt very over-produced in many aspects of the presentation. I did enjoy Shawn Michaels on commentary as he was pretty subdued but did a nice job pushing along the storylines and putting over all of the heels, including himself of course. The big match was Tatanka vs. Borga, and that was pretty fun but was quite short and just existed to further the storylines between Lex Luger and his foreign foes. Outside of that, we got some good Rumble hype and a big parade of squashes, and for the second straight week, we actually get six matches. Nothing special here and it was definitely an episode that could have been skipped with much being missed.

Final Grade:

# Monday Night Raw #45

December 27, 1993 (Taped December 13, 1993)

Mid-Hudson Civic Center

Poughkeepsie, NY

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Jacques & Pierre

### 1) Lex Luger defeats Barry Horowitz with a superplex at 4:26

### Scott:

The fact that the World Tag Team Champions, the Quebecers are on commentary makes this entire show ten times more entertaining. At this point, there's no doubt that Lex Luger was Vince's guy to win the Rumble, go to MSG on March 20 and become the WWF Champion. The crowd was definitely into Luger, so it wasn't totally out of the realm of possibility. I love that the Quebecers are speaking French on the air over Vince's commentary. They should have been on more often. The match is, of course, a squash because Luger is the top dog right now. He's facing Jacques this weekend on Superstars so of course, Jacques is ripping him throughout the match, saying he needs to oil himself up because he has no physique.

### JT:

Well, it has been a long winding road throughout 1993, but here we are at the final episode of Raw of its inaugural calendar year. We have seen many stars come and go and lots of fun angles, memorable moments and some really...well, interesting stuff. We kick off the 1993 finale fittingly with one of the year's most visible stars in Lex Luger. When Raw premiered, Luger was just preparing to debut as the Narcissist. Almost twelve months later, he is now positioned as the top face of the promotion. That said, despite his position, he is amazingly in danger of not being part of the marquee Royal Rumble match in a few weeks due to a stipulation he agreed to prior to SummerSlam. He battles our old buddy Barry Horowitz here, and the action is what you would expect, but the true highlight is our audio accompaniment as the Quebecers are this week's guest announcers. And it is glorious. As Vince is trying to call the match, they are just covering in French and disregarding him, mainly because Pierre doesn't speak English apparently. Vince and Jacques discuss Luger's goal of competing in the Rumble and then announce that the Quebecers will be defending their Tag Team Titles against Bret and Owen Hart in Providence. Jacques laughs that off and also jokes about his match with Luger this coming weekend. Horowitz begs off a bit and tries to outwit Lex and actually controls for a quite a bit, but ultimately it is to no avail as Luger makes a quick comeback on Barry and nabs the win with a superplex. Lex continues to make his case, but at this point, he is still on the outside looking in. Of course, you can get your vote in now on the Opinion Poll hotline!

*** We head back to October 25 with highlights of the Marty Jannetty vs. 1-2-3 Kid match that ended thanks to interference from Johnny Polo. Polo then joins us for a live interview and talks about his promises that he can defeat both Jannetty and the Kid at the same and will take out "Marty Confetti" tonight. ***

### 2) Johnny Polo defeats Marty Jannetty by blocking a sunset flip at 6:22

Fun Fact: This match was announced last week on Raw during the Headshrinkers match. McMahon announced that Polo would face Jannetty and that the Quebecers would be joining him on commentary.

### Scott:

This is actually a great match as Polo is a former WCW Light Heavyweight who's currently managing the Tag Team Champions but after what happened with that 1-2-3 Kid vs. Jannetty match from October where Polo interfered against both of them, the Rocker gets his revenge. It's announced here that the Quebecers will face the rehabilitated Owen & Bret Hart for the Tag Team Titles at the Royal Rumble. Vince is hilarious here, getting frustrated that Jacques and Pierre are talking French over his commentary. You knew because Jannetty is just fodder that Polo was going to win this match with nefarious means. The visual of the theme blasting while Polo and the Quebecers are celebrating afterward was pretty awesome. Afterward, referee Joey Marella kicked Pierre out of the broadcast booth. I didn't know referees had that kind of power. The match was fun.

### JT:

This has been such a fun mini-feud. Because of his versatility, Johnny Polo was so good in this role. He was really good as a manager, he was very funny in promos and interviews, and he could step in the ring and deliver when called upon as well. The ongoing battles between Polo, Jannetty, and Kid have slowly unfolded but were executed well, and this feels like a well-built match to close out the year. Polo has talked lots of trash, and it is time to see if he can do it in the ring. Polo plays some mind games to start before they finally lock up and Johnny shows off a bit with a standing switch and hip toss. Jacques played it up as Polo sent Jannetty flying across the ring again, but Marty finally cut that off and went to work. Jannetty would grab a near fall and then started to work the arm, but Polo outsmarted him again, ducking a charge and causing Marty to crash hard to the floor. Polo then took to the air and dove out into Marty as Jacques kept cheering him on, dubbing it "PoloMania." Jannetty recovered and jumped over the top rope and into the ring, careening into Polo for a two count. Vince jokes that the Quebecers could lose the titles at the Rumble and then end up at Neverland Ranch. That is a pretty loaded statement. Marty unloads a back elbow and then spikes Polo to the mat before heading up top. However, Polo met him up there and attempted a superplex that the Rocker managed to block. He would shove Polo to the mat and hit a high cross body for two. Jannetty would dropkick Polo over the top rope and Pierre came over to help, but Marty dropkicked them into each other. Pierre would recover and scamper around the ring to trip up Marty, but that backfired as he caught Polo trying to sneak attack him. Marty headed back up top, but Pierre pulled Polo to the floor. Marty was finally fed up and dove into Pierre off the top. Jannetty popped up and tried a sunset flip back into the ring, but Polo dropped down and grabbed Pierre for leverage to pick up the big upset victory. This was a lot of fun and played perfectly as the douchebag heels just kept fucking with Jannetty until they finally stole a win over him. Polo did his job well, flashing enough to make the match watchable but not going all out. The Quebecers would celebrate at the announce table until the referee came over and tossed Pierre out of the booth. Too little, too late Marty! Polo grabs the win, but this feud seems to be far from over.

### 3) Doink defeats Spike Gray with a German suplex at 1:04

### Scott:

I just noticed that throughout most of 1993 that Vince totally screwed up the jobber's names. He just called Spike Gray "Mike." That's not the first time he's done that this year. Of course, Dink is now seconding Doink to the ring, and this was a super quick squash. That means I don't have to look at Dink that long.

### JT:

And after that greatness, we are saddled with Doink and Dink. Talk about the difference a year makes, Doink is a prime example. A cunning, devious, unique heel early the year was stripped down, diluted and made into a dopey joke by Christmas. Jacques rips on Jack Tunney and tells him to get Luger's steel plate out of his arm if he wants to get involved in things. Doink would get an assist from his sidekick to fuck with Spike Gray before the Clown swiftly knocks off his opponent with a midget assisted German suplex. What a sad state of affairs!

*** Todd Pettengill is in the house with our Royal Rumble report. The Rumble is just over a few weeks away, and since the Providence Civic Center is already sold out, the only way to see the show is on PPV. Here are the matches discussed:

Royal Rumble Match: Bret Hart, Crush, Kamala, Owen Hart, Doink, Mabel, Scott Steiner, Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Adam Bomb, Bam Bam Bigelow, Randy Savage, 1-2-3 Kid, Fatu, Samu, Rick Steiner, Bob Backlund & Greg Valentine

Undertaker vs. Yokozuna – WWF Championship Casket Match

Razor Ramon vs. IRS – WWF Intercontinental Title Match

Quebecers vs. Bret & Owen Hart – WWF Tag Team Title Match

More Rumble names to come, but for now, this is what we got. Call your cable company today, so you don't get locked out because it's time to Rumble! ***

### 4) Crush defeats Mike Moraldo with the Cranium Crush at 2:14

### Scott:

I love that when they showed Mike Moraldo on camera, he looked so confident and thrilled, that he's about to get the crap beat out of him. Crush is moving up the heel ladder. I wonder if Crush (or Randy Savage) was considered Rumble favorites? In particular Savage, who was finally back on the regular wrestling circuit, was someone that could be in the main event at WrestleMania. Perhaps? Nah, it's all about Luger right now. Crush wins easily.

### JT:

Next up is our weekly visit from Crush. At least it seems to be weekly ever since he turned heel. Vince notes that both Crush and his archival Randy Savage will be in the Rumble match, so we are sure they will cross paths there. Jacques blames Savage for messing up their Survivor Series match, and then Vince needles him about the big Rumble Tag Title match. Vince also mentions that Savage is back in the ring full time but has also now been cleared to work Mania with Pettengill. Crush batters Moraldo and forces him to quit with the Cranium Crush. The man from Kona keeps rolling on as we all await his huge collision with the Macho Man.

*** We visit the Undertaker's workshop where he and Paul Bearer continue to assemble the double wide, double deep casket for the Royal Rumble along with levying threats at Yokozuna. We then head back to this past weekend on All American Wrestling where Alundra Blayze knocked off Heidi Lee Morgan to win the reinstated WWF Women's Championship in a tournament final. After that, we get a quick vignette alerting us of the impending debut of the mysterious Kwang. ***

### 5) Razor Ramon defeats Derek Domino with the Razor's Edge at 3:53

### Scott:

As they pan through the crowd and I'm looking at some of the fans, and wow the WWF had some of the ugliest t-shirts. Thank God they got better merchandising people as time went on. Razor comes out with the title but not with the gold chains, which were swiped by IRS. IRS will get an IC Title shot at the Royal Rumble, so perhaps the gold will return. The matches on this week's show were pretty awful, but at least Jacques on commentary was hilarious and made it entertaining.

### JT:

We wrap things up this week with our Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon in action against Derek Domino. Razor has the gold around his waist, but the usual gold around his neck is stashed away in the Halliburton of IRS still. Razor has been a true Raw workhorse throughout 1993, rarely missing a week. Jacques is really funny here with loads of cheesy jokes and ball busting. He also insinuates that Ramon has an affair going on with Fidel Castro's wife. Ramon dominates the match and nails the Razor's Edge for the win.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a throwaway taped episode with some forgettable squashes, but some fantastic commentary from the Quebecers saved the episode. The first year of Monday Night Raw is in the books, and it's a very different roster than it was in January. Hulk Hogan is gone, and the rest of the roster of young studs has definitely stepped up. Will 1994 will go down as one of the more surprisingly exceptional years in WWF history? Heels are dominating right now, but we are soon into WrestleMania season. Let's get it on.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We end 1993 with a forgettable episode of Raw that seemed to exist solely to kill time during the holiday week. It was a few weeks old at this point anyway, and the only match of note was a mid card feud that involved a manager. The commentary was quite funny and helped keep the episode from dragging, but in-ring, it was not good at all. There was also very little angle development outside of Vince and Jacques discussing the key issues. The first year of Raw has had many ups and downs, and while we enter 1994 with less star power than a year ago, the company seems to set up for a fun WrestleMania season with many of its players established and locked into interesting feuds. See you on the other side!

Final Grade:

###

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