Monday Night Raw
Date: October 18, 1993
Location: Mid-Hudson Civic Center, Poughkeepsie, New York
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, Randy Savage

The big deal this week is the Randy Savage/Crush summit, as the two of them have apparently been having some issues. This week they get to talk everything out, which I’m sure won’t go badly at all. We also have a new Intercontinental Champion in Razor Ramon, plus some issues between Ludwig Borga and Lex Luger. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video looks at the Savage/Crush summit and recaps last week’s major stories, calling them summits as well. I sense a theme emerging.

Opening sequence.

Steiner Brothers vs. Corey Student/Tony DeVito

Scott and DeVito start things off with Scott snapping off a dragon suplex. Student comes in and gets clotheslined down, followed by the Steiner Screwdriver, which has commentary freaking out. A tilt-a-whirl slam sets up the Steiner Bulldog for the pin at 3:07.

Rating: C+. The match had the Screwdriver and that alone is going to make it worth a look. The Steiners were still one of the best teams around and getting to see them smash people was always fun. Throw in quite the collection of bumps, including the one off the Screwdriver, and this was a guaranteed success.

Commentary talks about Shawn Michaels’ suspension and you can call in (for 99 cents) to vote on whether he should be brought back. Diesel and Mr. Perfect argue either side.

Video on Yokozuna, stylized as an old Godzilla movie.

IRS vs. Scott Taylor

IRS starts fast with a suplex and an elbow to the face to drop Taylor again. Taylor gets two off a sunset flip but IRS is right back with another suplex. We hit the chinlock as the fans start up their IRWIN chants. The abdominal stretch doesn’t last long so it’s the Write Off to pin Taylor at 3:31.

Rating: C-. Nothing to see here, but what else were you expecting? IRS has always been someone who can have a competent match, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be the most entertaining. You can only get so much out of a guy whose offense is built around an abdominal stretch and a running clothesline, which was on display here.

Jeff Jarrett is in Nashville at the Country Music Hall Of Fame where he talks about being born into a wrestling family. He’s coming to the WWF to use it as a stepping stone to the country music injury. We get two spellings of his name, which Jarrett likes to do.

Tatanka vs. Iron Mike Sharpe

We see a quick clip of Tatanka running into Ludwig Borga for a mini argument over the weekend. Tatanka works on the arm to start as Savage says he doesn’t want his friendship with Crush to wind up like his friendship with Hulk Hogan. Savage goes into a rant about how Hogan is a primadonna and a backstabber who thinks he’s the greatest thing walking the face of the earth. Well that went hard fast. Sharpe fights back and sends him into the buckle, which sends Tatanka onto the war path. Some chops to the head set up the Papoose To Go to give Tatanka the pin at 3:02.

Rating: C. Again, there is only so much you can get out of a match like this, even with an established jobber like Sharpe. That being said, the Savage rant on Hogan was by far the most interesting thing here, as those two felt like they were about to explode at any time. With Hogan being gone from the company, things could be more open, which is certainly what Savage did here.

Survivor Series Report. My goodness I still remember that building skeleton theme from when I was a kid. Joe Fowler recaps the idea of Survivor Series and runs down the double main event: the All Americans vs. the Foreign Fanatics and the Hart Family vs. Jerry Lawler and three mystery knights.

Crush arrives and talks to Bobby Heenan.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Dennis Diamond

Diamond looks like an average guy off the street. Bigelow throws him out of the corner to start as Heenan rants about how Savage needs to beg Crush for forgiveness. Savage still has no idea what he did wrong as Diamond gets dropped with a suplex. A jumping enziguri drops Diamond and a slingshot splash finishes him off at 3:01.

Rating: C-. Now this is more the kind of show that makes Raw feel all the less interesting, as you have a bunch of short, nothing matches. Bigelow mauled him here and there was only so much to get out of it. The match wasn’t that long, but Bigelow beating people up while commentary talks about the show’s big story is only going to get you so far.

Diesel begs fans to call and vote to have Shawn Michaels brought back, though he seems to get the phone number wrong.

Here is Bobby Heenan in the ring for the Randy Savage/Crush summit and Crush has Mr. Fuji with him. Crush talks about how he and Savage (still on commentary) were best friends and Crush would listen to everything he said. Then Crush became Savage’s superior and people like Heenan and Fuji have shown him the light. Crush tried to face Yokozuna with a bad back and Savage didn’t help him from the Banzai Drops.

Crush’s career could have been ruined and that’s what Savage wanted. Savage called him….to see how BAD he was doing! Fuji owns the hotel in Crush’s backyard and his word is gold. Savage needs to stay out of his life and out of his way, which is enough for Savage to get in the ring. Savage calls Heenan and Fuji a couple of goofs and wants to talk to Crush man to man. If Savage is wrong, he’ll absolutely admit it, but he wants to talk to Crush one on one.

Savage offers a handshake but Crush isn’t sure. Heenan tries to say Savage is tricking him but Crush shoves him away. We do get a handshake and Savage holds the ropes open for Crush, who goes outside with Savage…and then lays him out. The huge beatdown is on, with Savage being dropped onto the barricade. Cue Yokozuna and Jim Cornette, with Crush bowing to them. Yokozuna crushes Savage with a Banzai Drop and Savage is carried out. This got intense in a hurry and you could feel the fans not being happy with Crush, which should be a good sign for his future.

Post break we’re told Savage has a lacerated…tongue. That’s not quite the devastating injury.

36% of people want Shawn Michaels back.

A preview of next week’s show takes us out.

Overall Rating: C. In a similar situation to last week, this was all about one big thing and the rest of the show was just time around that segment. At the same time, stuff like the blatantly pathetic “CALL AND VOTE, FOR MONEY!” thing was annoying and none of the matches were worth a look. While it’s always cool to see Scott Steiner bust out the Screwdriver, it wasn’t enough to carry the other half hour of the show. The big segment was good though, and like a lot of the shows from this era, that was about enough to get by.

 

 

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Monday Night Raw
Date: October 11, 1993
Location: New Haven Coliseum, New Haven, Connecticut
Attendance: 5,500
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, Randy Savage

Last week saw Razor Ramon and Rick Martel as the final two entrants in a battle royal. This week, the two of them meet for the vacant Intercontinental Title, which is a pretty big deal to air on Raw. Other than that, the slow build towards the Survivor Series continues and there is work to be done. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video recaps the battle royal and previews the title match.

Opening sequence.

Intercontinental Title: Razor Ramon vs. Rick Martel

For the vacant title. Martel poses a lot and gets a toothpick in his face. They fight over a hammerlock until Martel takes him down for the slaps to the back of the head. Martel does some jumping jacks before charging into the fall away slam (even Heenan saw that one coming). Back in and Martel gets in a shot of his own, only to be powered out to the apron. Ever the uncertain one, Ramon brings him right back in as the fans certainly approve.

The big driving shoulders have Martel in more trouble and Ramon grabs an armbar to crank away. Martel breaks out but misses a charge into the corner as we take a break. We come back with Martel sending him outside before whipping him into the corner a few times in a row. A rollup with feet on the ropes gives Martel two so he knees Ramon into the corner.

The Boston crab goes on, with Ramon going straight to the ropes. Martel’s belly to back suplex sets up the Boston crab again but Ramon gets out again. A dropkick doesn’t do much to Ramon but Martel breaks up the belly to back superplex. Ramon rolls through a high crossbody for two and the Razor’s Edge gives him the pin and the title at 10:43.

Rating: B-. This was a good example of a match where there was no doubt about the result, but rather the question of how we would get to Ramon winning the title. Ramon is someone who has felt like one of the bigger stars in the promotion since his debut last year so this is a big step up for him. Good match, with the only possible outcome.

Headshrinkers vs. Tommy Morrison/Sid Curtis

Afa is here with the Headshrinkers, who take their sweet time getting ready. Samu backdrops Morrison to start as commentary talks about the Rock N Roll Express. Fatu comes in for the superkick and sends Curtis outside. Back in and a double clothesline drops Curtis and they drag him over for the tag to Morrison. Fatu’s top rope splash finishes Morrison at 3:49.

Rating: C. Not much to see here, but my goodness it was bizarre to hear Heenan talking about the Rock N Roll Express. Other than that, it was your run of the mill squash and that’s all it needed to be. The Headshrinkers were a team who could always work, and it was nice to see them showing that again here.

Owen Hart vs. Scott King

Hart works on the arm to start and pulls King into the chinlock. A monkey flip and dropkick have King down and Hart wrenches his guts with a suplex. Hart drops a middle rope elbow and we’re back to the chinlock. Back up and a missile dropkick into a northern lights fisherman’s suplex finishes King at 3:38.

Rating: C. As weird as it was to see Hart in what appeared to be something like the Blue Blazer gear, it was fun to see him doing his thing. At the same time, I’m not sure how well the bridging northern lights suplex is going to be as a finisher. Much like Shawn Michaels, drop the suplex and go with the (missile drop) kick.

Vince McMahon brings out Ludwig Borga for a chat. Borga doesn’t like America and insults the fans, suggesting that most of them work at McDonalds. He doesn’t like Lex Luger, who is a loser like everyone here. Cue Luger, and you know he’s serious because he’s wearing his American flag pants. Luger doesn’t like what Borga has to say about American when he’s happy to get paid right here in America. Luger goes with the classic “love it or leave it” and offers to help Borga leave right now. Borga calls him a typical hot blooded American and walks away. Savage: “You gotta be ribbing!”.

Adam Bomb vs. Russ Greenberg

Bomb has Harvey Wippleman as his new manager. Greenberg is powered into the corner to start and a jumping dropkick sends him to the floor. The slingshot clothesline into the Atom Smasher finishes for Bomb at 2:34.

Commentary previews next week’s Randy Savage/Crush summit.

Rock N Roll Express vs. Duane Gill/Barry Hardy

The Express’ Smoky Mountain Tag Team Titles aren’t on the line. Hardy hits a running shoulder on Gibson to start, earning himself an enziguri. Everything breaks down and something like a powerbomb/clothesline combination drops Gill. It’s back to Gibson to work on Hardy’s knee before the rolling double fists drop Gill. The double dropkick finishes Hardy at 2:20. Not much to see here, but the Express could do this match in their sleep. That being said, it’s still bizarre to see them in the WWF, as it never felt right.

We look back at Razor Ramon winning the title.

The preview for next week’s show takes us out.

Overall Rating: C+. This was the opener and then everything else, which made for kind of a strange show. What mattered here was getting the title picture reset with Michaels gone, but the rest of the show was only so much to see. The next few weeks should be getting us ready for the Survivor Series, and that should be enough to carry things until they get to Boston.

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Monday Night Raw
Date: July 26, 1993
Location: Manhattan Center, New York City, New York
Attendance: 1,200
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, Bobby Heenan

It’s time to start putting together the Summerslam card as Lex Luger continues his quest for a WWF Title shot. He doesn’t actually have it yet but maybe he can get there by doing….bus things. Other than that, we have a rematch from the King Of The Ring finals as Bret Hart meets Bam Bam Bigelow. Let’s get to it.

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

Doink the Clown is NOT happy with Randy Savage costing him a match so if the Macho Boy ever does it again, it won’t go well. If he’s a good Macho Boy though, Doink might have a surprise for him.

Opening sequence.

Commentary previews the show, with Stu and Helen Hart in the balcony for Bret’s match.

Bret Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow

Luna Vachon is here with Bigelow, who knocks him down fast to start and hammers away. Hart slides between the legs though and slugs away before knocking him out to the floor. Back in and Hart hits a top rope…something but comes up holding his knee. Bigelow stomps away and we take an early break.

We come back with Hart on the floor and holding his knee so Bigelow whips him hard into the corner. Some mockery makes it even worse and a World’s Strongest Slam gives Bigelow two. Hart avoids another shot and hits a belly to back suplex before slugging away. Bigelow hits a dropkick to the ribs of all things and we hit the rather large chinlock. We take another break and come back with Hart fighting out of the chinlock.

Another dropkick is avoided though and Hart manages a backdrop. A middle rope clothesline gives Hart two and he jumps on Bigelow’s back with a sleeper. With nothing else working, Bigelow just launches him head first into the buckle for the escape. Hart knocks him down again and tries the Sharpshooter…but Jerry Lawler is in the balcony with Stu and Helen Hart.

Lawler says they have more tragedies than Shakespeare as Bigelow rams Hart into the post. Stu argues back with Lawler and it goes about as well as you would expect. Helen tells him to wrestle and keep his mouth closed as Bigelow keeps hammering away. Bigelow misses a Swanton of all things and Hart slugs away, which is enough for him to go after Lawler for the countout at 17:02.

Rating: B-. It’s not quite as good as the match at the King Of The Ring but then again that’s not the point here. This was about advancing Hart’s issues with Lawler and having him go after Hart’s parents is going to do that rather well. Hart can always work well with a monster and Bigelow is more than good enough so the match worked well as a result.

Post match Hart gets to his parents but Lawler is long gone.

Summerslam Report! Lex Luger is officially getting the WWF Title shot, though he has to wear an elbow pad. Gene Okerlund thinks Jerry Lawler is a complete jerk, but he also wants to see the Rest In Peace match between Undertaker and Giant Gonzalez. What is a Rest In Peace match? Only Undertaker knows. Also, hasn’t Undertaker been feuding with Mr. Hughes? So why is he facing Gonzalez? Normally I would say would Gonzalez be that much worse than Hughes…..but yeah, yeah he would be.

Mr. Hughes vs. Ross Greenberg

Hughes hammers away to start as commentary talks about the Undertaker, with McMahon asking how a match between Undertaker and Hughes would go. Then he plugs the Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez match. 1993 was weird. Hughes hits a powerbomb and sends him into the buckle a few times. A Boss Man Slam finishes Greenberg at 3:05.

Rating: C-. Commentary summed up the problem here perfectly: why in the world should I care about Hughes if Gonzalez is getting the big match with Undertaker? It makes Hughes feel like a filler (which, granted, he was) and that’s not the best way to go. Then again, it is better than having Gonzalez out there week after week.

Post match Hughes rips up another black wreath from the Undertaker and Heenan makes a rather inappropriate joke about Bill Clinton.

Wrestlemania: The Album is being released so there was a party with some wrestlers present.

Smoking Gunns vs. Duane Gill/Glen Ruth

Billy takes Gill down without much effort to start and it’s off to Bart to work on the arm. Ruth comes in and gets taken down by a crossbody. A powerslam into an elbow drop sets up a double Russian legsweep. Billy adds a dropkick and a clothesline as the Gunns keeps making the quick tags. Commentary talks about Lex Luger long enough until McMahon decides to focus on the match. A backdrop into a piledriver finishes Ruth at 4:23.

Rating: C. The Gunns were a team who felt like the next big thing, which is pretty much exactly what they were. They had an easily identifiable gimmick and they worked well together, but as usual in this time period, there was no competition for them and it took away what they could do. Total squash here, and I’m not sure on that finisher.

Ludwig Borga doesn’t like America.

Lex Luger was here earlier today and talks about how happy he is to have his WWF Title shot at Summerslam. He’s fine with wearing the elbow pad and wants to do nothing more than answer questions and meet fans on the way to the match.

We look at some fans who have joined the Lex train.

Doink The Clown vs. Phil Apollo

Doink wrestles him down without much trouble to start and ties Apollo up on the mat. Savage says Doink is boring, with natural promoter Vince McMahon running in to defend Doink, which is rather weird to hear. The Whoopee Cushion finishes Apollo at 2:32.  Apollo would be better off when he he became…Doink.

Post match Doink talks to the Macho Boy, and comes to the floor to talk to him face to face. Doink challenges Savage to face him next week and promises Triple Vision, with two more Doinks appearing in the arena. Savage is down with the match and promises a little surprise for next week. Oh dear.

We wrap it up with the Wrestlemania Rap and…yeah I still love it.

Overall Rating: C+. As usual, Hart carries things around this time and he has a new foe in Lawler to work with, so things should go well. Other than that, you have Luger continuing his bus stuff and…it’s Lex Luger riding around the country on a bus. What am I supposed to get out of that? The Hart match is the only good thing here but luckily it takes up a bunch of time so things could be a lot worse.

 

 

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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