May 3rd, 1993
From the Manhattan Center in New York City, NY
Your hosts are Vince McMahon, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, and Bobby Heenan
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan
The crowd starts up a USA chant as Duggan teases Shawn with the 2×4. We get some stalling from both men then Duggan hits a few clotheslines as Shawn rolls outside and falls down. Duggan starts up another USA chant as then Shawn tries to leave but Duggan carries him back into the ring right before commercial. The action returns as Shawn snaps Duggan’s neck off of the top rope. Shawn then fires away and avoids punches by Duggan. Shawn heads up top with a double axe handle then chokes out Duggan on the mat. Shawn now uses a chinlock as Vince says this is Duggan’s first chance to become a champion in the WWF. Duggan eats boot on a charge then Shawn drops an elbow for two. Shawn goes back to the chinlock but Duggan escapes and fires away. Shawn cuts off a comeback then yanks Duggan through the ropes as the crowd gets behind Duggan with another USA chant. Duggan returns and tries to fight back but Shawn attacks the eyes. Shawn runs Duggan’s face across the top rope before using another chinlock. Duggan escapes then blocks a turnbuckle smash and starts firing away. Duggan uses mounted punches in the corner and follows with a slam then sets up for the Three Point Stance and hits that but it knocks Shawn outside. Shawn then heads up the aisle until Duggan attacks then they fight at ringside with Shawn raking the eyes. Duggan clotheslines Shawn over the guardrail then heads back into the ring and wins via count out (11:17) *1/2. After the match, Duggan grabs the mic to say the WWF does a lot right but has this wrong and will not leave until he gets another piece of Shawn. Duggan tosses a few chairs inside of the ring and grabs the board as the crowd cheers.
Thoughts: The match itself was not good but the crowd was into Duggan and hated Shawn. Duggan really seems to have difficulty moving around the ring and they adapted to a really slow-paced, basic style. It was also billed as Duggan’s first title match in the WWF even though he did technically receive a Intercontinental Title shot against the Honky Tonk Man at the WrestleFest ’88 show.
We return as Duggan is still in the ring, pacing around and refusing to leave until Shawn comes back. It appears some in the crowd are chanting “Shawn is a fag.”
King of the Ring Report is next. After that, Okerlund then tells us that Duggan has been talking to WWF President Jack Tunney.
Kamikaze Kid vs. Doink the Clown
Kid is of course Sean Waltman, who was previously the Lightning Kid in GWF. Vince notes that it is his debut. Doink attacks Kid from behind then hammers away. Doink uses a belly-to-belly suplex as Vince brings up how we saw two Doinks last week. Doink beats on Kid some more then uses the stump puller for the win (2:05).
Thoughts: More hype for Doink as we saw the first appearance of Kid where he did got get in any offense.
WWF Mania ad airs.
Bob Backlund vs. Duane Gill
Vince puts over how Luna Vachon was on this past Saturday’s episode of Mania as Heenan puts her over for being hot. Backlund takes Gill down as Vince talks about Backlund still on the comeback trail to become champion. Vince is then handed a note and says Duggan has been talking to Jack Tunney and will have a rematch against Shawn in a lumberjack match, the first-ever lumberjack match on RAW. Backlund continues to ground Gill and uses the bridging cradle for the win (3:38).
Thoughts: The big news here is that Duggan gets his rematch next week in a Lumberjack Match, which was apparently the result of talking with Tunney. They also keep pushing the story of Backlund on a quest to become the champion once again.
Vince now interviews Duggan at ringside. Duggan talks about next week’s Lumberjack match and how Shawn does not know how to fight and one way or another will become the Intercontinental Champion. Duggan says he has to keep his head on a swivel and not trust anyone while saying he is focused on becoming champion.
Smoking Gunns vignette from this past weekend’s syndicated shows airs.
Howard Finkel then welcomes Capt. Lou Albano to the ring. Albano then joins the commentators for the next match.
Jim Bell & Jay Sledge vs. The Headshrinkers w/ Afa
Albano talks about ICOPRO as Vince asks him about how he used to manage Afa & Sika. The Headshrinkers & Afa then yell and point at Albano, who continues to rant. The Headshrinkers beat down their opponents as Vince tells us that Yokozuna will be one of the lumberjacks next week. The Headshrinkers now use a spike piledriver as Vince once again brings up how Albano used to manage Afa as Albano responds by speaking jibberish. Albano is now upset over The Headshrinkers breaking the rules as they stay in control until Fatu hits Bell with a top rope splash for the win (5:43). After the match, The Headshrinkers rip the top of Bell’s singlet.
Thoughts: Really long for a squash match. There was a rumor of Albano coming back to manage the Nasty Boys, which seems to make sense with Albano coming out during a Headshrinkers match when the Headshrinkers/Nasty Boys was being pushed as a program on TV but unfortunately the Nasty Boys were suspended when this aired then went to WCW. Also, we heard that Yokozuna would be one of the lumberjacks, which is not good news for Duggan.
We see a clip of The Bushwhackers & Lord Alfred Hayes attempting to do some plumbing to sell the “Smack ‘Em, Whack ‘Em” Coliseum Home Video release. It ends up with Hayes getting soaked.
Kamala w/ Slick vs. Rich Myers
Vince tells us that Mr. Perfect will be a lumberjack next week. Kamala overpowers Myers as the announcers hype up next week’s lumberjack match. Kamala stays in control and hits a splash then eventually turns Myers over and gets the win (2:29).
Thoughts: Just a match to provide a backdrop so the announcers can hype up the lumberjack match as we learn that Mr. Perfect is also going to be a lumberjack, which is not good news for the champ.
Also next week we will see Typhoon vs. Bam Bam Bigelow in a King of the Ring qualifying match.
Heenan is in the locker room with Shawn Michaels. Shawn blames Jack Tunney for poor treatment and that Duggan gets to call Tunney at home while he does not even have Tunney’s number. Shawn then says he has a few friends out there and talks his plans with Heenan as the show ends.
Final Thoughts: Even though the match was not good I did like how this mini-feud of Shawn and Duggan developed and how it plays out with their other feuds. Capt. Lou Albano returned for the first time since 1986 and we also get a King of the Ring qualifying match for next week to go along with the Lumberjack match and RAW once again is part of its own little universe.
Also, stay tuned later today for the 5/8 Superstars and 5/9 Wrestling Challenge recaps.
Here is my schedule for the next several days:
Saturday: WWF Monday Night RAW 5/10/93
Sunday: WWF Mania 5/15/93
Monday: WWF Superstars 5/15/93, WWF Challenge 5/16/93
Tuesday: WWF Monday Night RAW 5/17/93
Wednesday: WWF Superstars 5/22/93, WWF Challenge 5/23/93
Thursday: WWF Monday Night RAW 5/24/93, WWF Mania 5/29/93
Friday: WWF Superstars 5/29/93, WWF Wrestling Challenge 5/30/93