What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – January 11, 1993

Sean Mooney is on the streets of New York City and accosts Bobby Heenan, who is trying to get in.

Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Rob Barlett are doing commentary, live from the Manhattan Center in New York City. Barlett was a comedian who performed and wrote for the famous “Imus in the Morning” radio show that originated from New York City. Like Todd Pettengill, the WWF hoped using him would enhance their audience. One of the things that stands out about the new show is that it has a catchy instrumental theme and the announcers are not superimposed on a green screen, they are on the arena floor with fans. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the show drew a sellout crowd of 1,000 fans, 600 of whom paid to attend.

Opening Contest: Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji) (2-0) pins Koko B. Ware after the sit-down splash off the second rope at 3:45:

Ware left the WWF for Memphis in 1991 after years of working as a glorified babyface enhancement talent. He returned in April 1992 and was slotted into a tag team with Owen Hart, who had lost his tag team partner Jim Neidhart over Neidhart’s refusal to take a drug test. Called High Energy, the duo got a strong run on television until November when they lost cleanly to WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated. The team also lost a house show feud to the Nasty Boys and then lost to the Headshrinkers in the opening match of Survivor Series.

Just minutes into the broadcast and Bartlett gets on fans nerves, making lots of jokes about Yokozuna’s appearance, including a politically incorrect one about how Yokozuna is an “Oriental.” He just keeps firing them off in rapid succession and it interferes with any attempt by McMahon or Savage to tell a story or hype the combatants. After Ware stun guns himself across the top rope, Yokozuna squashes him with a leg drop, corner avalanche, and the sit-down splash off the second rope. Fans in the Manhattan Center have a lot in common with their counterparts in Philadelphia, loudly cheering Yokozuna’s preparation for the finish.

A ring girl carries around a “RAW” sign for the crowd between matches. This was Themis Klarides, who later became Minority Leader in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 2015-2021. After that is shown, Heenan’s bit about Narcissus from Superstars is replayed.

The Steiner Brothers (2-0) beat the Executioners when Scott pins Pain after the Steinerizer at 3:00:

The Executioners were Dwayne Gill and Barry Hardy, two wrestlers that had been doing WWF enhancement work for many years. On the Mid-Atlantic independent scene, they worked as the lords of Darkness and won tag team gold in the Atlantic States Wrestling Alliance and the World Wrestling Association. In 1992, Hardy and Gill were put under masks as the Executioners and did enhancement work against all the promotion’s babyface tag teams. That is a role they reprise here.

Doink appears in the crowd facing the hard camera, his arm still in a sling, laughing. The Steiners give the Executioners a rough beating, with Scott laying in some stiff shots across Pain’s back. That leads to a double underhook suplex and the Steinerizer, where Scott lifts Pain on his shoulders and Rick comes off the top rope with a bulldog.

Heenan tries to get into the building dressed as a woman, claiming to be Bartlett’s aunt.

McMahon interviews Razor Ramon, who says that he is made for golden opportunities like his WWF Championship match at The Royal Rumble. Ramon gloats about beating up Owen Hart, arguing that Bret Hart cannot do anything about it. This feud was originally framed as Ric Flair and Ramon going after Bret’s title but now it is exclusively about Ramon and that is not packing the same punch.

Tatanka urges fans to help the “Headlock on Hunger” campaign.

Intercontinental Championship Match: Shawn Michaels (Champion) (2-0) pins Max Moon after the Teardrop Suplex at 7:53 shown:

Moon was a futuristic, lucha libre gimmick originally designed by Konnan. It was supposed to feature him in a blue futuristic-like suit that would shoot fireworks on his way to the ring. However, creative differences with McMahon caused Konnan to no-show television tapings in September. Paul Diamond, who was going nowhere as masked wrestler Kato, volunteered to put on the costume and work the gimmick. That paid dividends at first as Moon went undefeated after his debut in September 1992, chalking up wins against Rick Martel and Repo Man along the way. There were plans for him to have a match at The Royal Rumble but Diamond was allegedly caught having an affair with Tatanka’s wife backstage and sent home. According to Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer of January 20, wrestlers were surprised when Diamond returned for this show due to those circumstances. Since Moon was replacing Lance Cassidy on house shows, one wonders if Cassidy was supposed to get this match instead before he quit.

The heel tendencies of the crowd show themselves again as they work up a loud “Let’s go Shawn!” chant. McMahon almost has a stroke on commentary during the match when Bartlett tells fans that Michaels pulled a knife on Moon during a commercial break. Then Bartlett kills time by doing a Mike Tyson impression, allegedly calling into the show from prison. Doink also shows up in the aisle to mess with fans. When it comes to the match, Michaels and Diamond are familiar with each other because of tag team battles in the AWA and WWF but they work at a disappointing, plodding pace. After six minutes, the action finally picks up as Moon dives onto Michaels on the floor from the apron and hits his Star Trek Splash for a close two count. However, a somersault senton splash off the ropes misses and Michaels blasts Moon with a superkick. Moon floats over Michaels first Teardrop Suplex attempt but Michaels ducks a blow and hits his finisher, retaining the title. Rating: **

This time, Heenan tries to get into the arena dressed as a rabbi to see Bartlett, who he claim is his nephew.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (1-0) defeats Damien Demento (1-0) after the Tombstone at 2:25:

This crowd already saw Demento lose a dark match to Bob Backlund for the WWF’s international telecasts so they knew he did not have much of a chance. Of course, coming to that conclusion did not require a lot of critical thought. Demento offers nothing more than strikes in a quick squash for the Undertaker. This may have been booked to go longer but the show was running out of time.

McMahon talks with Doink. Doink says that it is not his problem if young fans do not have a sense of humor. Crush walks out to confront him, telling Doink that he will break his other arm and legs if he catches Doink playing more jokes on the fans. He chases Doink around the ring but cannot get him, making Doink laugh some more.

Mooney tells Heenan that he can go into the venue. Heenan excitedly rushes in but the show is over.

Tune in next week to see Mr. Perfect face Papa Shango! Also, El Matador faces Ric Flair! WWF Champion Bret Hart will appear for a special interview too!

The Last Word: Over the course of an hour fans were treated to three star vs. star matches, an interview segment, and a few humorous sketches from Bobby Heenan, which is more than can be said of a lot of recent editions of Prime Time Wrestling. The Manhattan Center was a great venue for the show since it had a unique look and also provided an intimate feel for the action. The only problem with making it a regular stop – the WWF’s initial plan – is that travel schedules had to be arranged to get talent all the way back to New York City each week, one reason why the show that takes place after The Royal Rumble is going to be taped. Putting Rob Bartlett on commentary was a big misfire as he had no product knowledge and his dumb jokes grew tiresome quickly. Still, the show was a massive upgrade over the television that the WWF had produced for years and the effect of that cannot be understated.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for January 16!

And if you would like to read a compiled breakdown of 1990-1992 WWF, 1993 ECW, or of various promotions in 1995, check out my Amazon author page to purchase e-books or paperback copies!