Countdown to the Crowning: How to Not Do Raw
Countdown to the Crowning
Date: June 13, 1994
Location: Erie Civic Center, Eric, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 3,500
Commentators: Stan Lane, Ted DiBiase
This is a special that may or may not have been an episode of Monday Night Raw (it’s not listed on the Network). Vince announced it as an episode of the show last week but it’s basically just a big commercial for Sunday’s pay per view with a single match. In other words, expect a lot of “video on this” here. Let’s get to it.
Vince and Randy are in a studio as they hype the tournament and introduce the match.
Tag Team Titles: Quebecers vs. Headshrinkers
The Samoans are defending. Samu doesn’t waste any time and drops an early headbutt to drop Pierre. One heck of a crossbody puts Pierre down so it’s off to Jacques for that attempt at a bulldog, earning himself a superkick. Back from a break with the Quebecers having taken over and Jacques grabbing a reverse chinlock.
For some reason he tries to drop down onto Fatu’s back and earns himself a low blow. I guess he’s not an Arn Anderson fan. It’s back to Pierre to try the Cannonball but Fatu moves away and hits a double dropkick (close enough) for the hot tag to Samu. The double Stroke and the top rope splash are enough to retain the titles.
Rating: D+. I’ve always liked the Headshrinkers so watching them beat up a couple of goofs who happen to have Johnny Polo with them is a fun enough sit. This was just a warmup before the Headshrinkers have their real defense against Crush and Yokozuna in a match I can barely remember.
Savage picks the Headshrinkers to retain.
Crush and Yokozuna disagree.
CALL THE HOTLINE!
Commercial for the New Generation with Savage saying he’s the bridge between the two generations. Until December when he goes to WCW and the bridge is out.
Recap of the Hall of Fame Class of 1994 induction ceremony, including Arnold Skaaland, Bobo Brazil, Buddy Rogers, Chief Jay Strongbow, Freddie Blassie, Gorilla Monsoon and James Dudley.
Here’s the King’s Court from May 30 with Bret Hart as the guest, but only after Lawler makes some jokes at the Hart Family’s expense. Lawler brings up Bret’s title defense against Diesel at King of the Ring so here are Shawn and Diesel to have Lawler’s back. Bret doesn’t back down and says he’s ready for whatever Diesel has. In a voice that clearly isn’t ready for this kind of spot, Diesel promises Bret the VIP treatment: Very Intense Pain. The beatdown is quickly on with a Jackknife leaving Bret laying.
Bret promises to have a family member in his corner at the pay per view.
LONG recap of how all eight entrants qualified for the tournament. This goes on so long that it needs a commercial in the middle. They really could have cut this whole show down to half an hour and been fine.
In the big centerpiece of the show, Savage makes his King of the Ring picks. Here they are, in all their glory, starting with the original bracket:
Mabel
IRS
Razor Ramon
Bam Bam Bigelow
Jeff Jarrett
1-2-3 Kid
Owen Hart
Tatanka
IRS
Bam Bam Bigelow
Jeff Jarrett
Tatanka
Bam Bam Bigelow
Jeff Jarrett
Bam Bam Bigelow
In other words, he got all but one pick wrong.
Video on Lawler vs. Piper.
Here’s the King’s Court from last week. Lawler’s guest is from Scotland and wears a Hot Rod t-shirt but just happens to be about seventeen years old and weighs 130lbs with a brick in each pocket. The guy does a good impression but it gets old in a hurry as you can get the joke after about two seconds. After a few gay jokes, the guy gets on his hands and knees to kiss Lawler’s feet in an attempt to get out of the match. He crawls out of the ring to finally end this.
Piper is dedicating this match to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, which gets a quick plug. Nothing wrong with that.
And now, just to continue wasting time on the show, we go to a separate arena where Jack Tunney brings out all eight participants to say a very few words and then…..just stand there as the show ends.
Overall Rating: D-. Total waste of a show here in something that would have aired on the Network today. It didn’t help that the show wound up being one of the least interesting shows the company ever put on with the tournament really not working. I’m not looking forward to the pay per view and this really didn’t help things along.
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