Monday Night Raw – October 17, 1994: Save Us Clowny

IMG Credit: WWE

Monday Night Raw
Date: October 17, 1994
Location: Memorial Auditorium, Burlington, Vermont
Attendance: 1,800
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage

The march to Survivor Series continues and that means I need to up my blood pressure medication. This isn’t a good time for the company and I don’t see that getting any better anytime soon. As long as the show doesn’t focus too heavily on Lawler vs. Doink, I think I can make it through this. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with some shots of Burlington, which seem to confuse the announcers. Ok then.

Opening sequence.

Doink the Clown vs. Jeff Jarrett

And Doink has a second mini clown by the name of Wink. They give the Spanish announcers a fake flower, because that’s what this show has turned into. Jeff bails straight to the floor but gets in a shot to the knee to take over early on. Back in and Doink gets in a slam, allowing Dink to bite Jeff in the tights area. A headlock doesn’t slow Jarrett down very much as he comes back with a drop toehold.

An abdominal stretch with a grab of the rope puts Doink in trouble, allowing Vince to talk about the minis running around as of late. Cue Dink to bite Jeff’s hand to get Doink out of the hold as the pace picks up. Now it’s Queasy and another unnamed mini King, drawing Dink and Wink over to chase them off. Things settle down until Doink charges into a boot in the corner as we take a break. Back with Doink still in trouble and Jeff getting two off a dropkick, meaning it’s time for the chinlock.

Doink slams his way to freedom but misses an elbow as this keeps going. Jeff’s sleeper is broken up pretty quickly so it’s a whatamaneuever (enziguri here) for two on Doink instead. Doink makes his comeback with a butterfly suplex as Vince and Randy talk about Savage’s old Gremlin needing a steering wheel. Jarrett misses a middle rope splash and gets powerslammed. A suplex gives Doink two more as the mini clowns chase the mini kings. Doink hits the Whoopee Cushion but here’s Jerry Lawler to deck Doink, giving Jarrett the pin.

Rating: C. You know what? Why not? They were trying here and got some time to turn it into a half decent match. It’s not like there were any expectations to this one and the focus was on the minis running around anyway. What we got was decent though and I can think of worse ways to spend the first third of the show.

Post match, Lawler introduces the second mini king as Sleazy.

The Action Zone is coming. Sweet…for like two weeks.

British Bulldog vs. Roy Raymond

They shove each other to start and Roy actually goes with a slap. The beating is on in a hurry and there’s the delayed vertical suplex. Bulldog grabs a chinlock as the announcers talk about Action Zone. A butterfly suplex gets a very delayed two and it’s back to the chinlock. Roy fights up and manages to go up top, only to be tossed back down. A kick to the ribs, as in Roy’s ribs, knocks Bulldog down and a release fisherman’s suplex gets two. The running powerslam gives Bulldog the pin.

Rating: D. This was Bulldog’s big return after being let go (I assure you the timing had nothing to do with the steroid investigations) and he’s….exactly the same guy as he was before. As has been said, there is only so much you can do to repackage the British Bulldog and this is more proof.

Post break Bulldog is still here….and he just poses without saying or doing anything else.

Here’s a random cameo from Burt Reynolds, saying to watch Raw.

Here’s an angry Bob Backlund, who wants to talk to Vince. Bob does NOT want to show the tape of what he did to Arnold Skaaland over the weekend but Vince shows it anyway. Backlund refused to accept Skaaland’s apology for throwing in the towel to cost Backlund the WWF Title back in 1983 and gave his a crossface chickenwing instead. Back in the arena, Backlund says he should apologize to everyone involved….for having Skaaland as his manager.

Back in July, Backlund understood that the people didn’t get him and they are doomed to be down in life. He did more to try to help people, including never eating marijuana or ever swearing in front of children. How can you expect your children to not take drugs when they’re in your billfolds??? HIS daughter isn’t out there with a gun.

Vince: “What does this have to do with the crossface chickenwing?” Backlund says the chickenwing is about discipline because no one can break it, and yes that’s a challenge. Cue Lex Luger to say he’s heard enough about the chickenwing so try it on him instead. Backlund: “He’s got a lot of panache!” Agents and referees keep anything from happening.

Bob Holly vs. Reno Riggins

Randy is trying to figure out the eating marijuana thing as Holly works on a weak headlock. An armbar keeps Riggins in trouble but he’s back with a slam to the mat by the hair. Riggins charges into an elbow in the corner and gets shoved off the ropes, setting up a high crossbody to give Holly the pin.

Next week: Razor Ramon vs. Yokozuna for the Intercontinental Title.

IRS vs. Tim McNeany

Before the match, IRS says he’s coming after the Undertaker for cheating on his taxes. Egads I had forgotten that nightmare feud. Randy gets in on the IRWIN chants but stops before IRS hits a hiptoss. Some elbows keep Tim in trouble as Vince praises the Million Dollar Corporation, which is still a pretty lame stable. A suplex sets up the Penalty (a weird STF) to make McNeany tap.

We look at Yokozuna being scared of caskets on Superstars.

Heavenly Bodies vs. Barry Horowitz/Nick Barbarry

Jim Cornette introduces the Heavenly Bodies as the team that has won more matches than Elvis and the Beatles combined. Tom and Barry start things off with a bit of shoving until Barry gets two off a rollup. The Bodies switch places until Barry armdrags Tom down again. Barbarry comes in and gets caught with a bad looking floatover DDT, allowing Del Ray to drop Tom into a legdrop onto Nick. The moonsault gives Del Ray the pin in a hurry.

Luger says he wants Backlund.

Overall Rating: D+. It’s a weird night when Backlund and Doink carry the show, because I don’t think that has ever happened before. We’re coming up on Survivor Series but so far we’re not quite ready for things yet. I’m not sure what they’re going to do, because Luger vs. Backlund doesn’t quite feel big, but then again there’s a reason this era is so poorly remembered.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and pick up the paperback edition of KB’s History Of In Your House (also available as an e-book) from Amazon. Check out the information here:

https://kbwrestlingreviews.com/2019/05/31/new-paperback-kbs-history-of-in-your-house/


And check out my Amazon author page with cheap wrestling books at:


http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

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