What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – February 1, 1993

Vince McMahon, Rob Bartlett, and Randy Savage are the commentary team, broadcasting live from the Manhattan Center in New York City. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, 900 fans attended the show.

Opening Contest: Tatanka (3-0) beats Damien Demento (2-1) after the Papoose to Go at 4:10:

Demento talks to his voices but that gets him in trouble at points because Tatanka is not a jobber who lays on the mat for long periods of time. Fans work up a “We want Flair!” chant during a chinlock as if that is going to get the WWF to nullify last week’s stipulation. This is a basic back-and-forth match that ends with Tatanka going on the war path, throwing some chops, and winning with his finisher. Demento never stood a chance. Rating: *½

Footage of WWF Champion Bret Hart presenting a $100,000 check to the American Red Cross at the WWF’s Madison Square Garden card on January 29.

McMahon does an in-ring interview with Brutus Beefcake, who has not been seen since Sid Justice destroyed his Barber Shop before WrestleMania VIII. McMahon forgets all of that, though, arguing that fans have not seen Beefcake since his parasailing accident in the summer of 1990. Beefcake tells fans that he is going to return to the ring. If the promo ended there it would be fine but Beefcake talks about his parents dying and his wife divorcing him before his accident. Fans get tired of promo, with one yelling “Kill yourself!” as he recounts his story. The promo finally gets to its larger point of praising Hulk Hogan for being a good friend and urging Beefcake to return to the squared circle. It ends with Beefcake saying that he has an open contract.

High Energy (1-0) defeat Von Krus & Mike Sharpe when Owen pins Krus after a Koko B. Ware missile dropkick at 1:33:

Krus was trained by WWF Hall of Famer Johnny Rodz and began his career in 1990. He wrestled for Japan’s NOW Wrestling Federation and started doing enhancement matches for the WWF in 1991. In 1992 he made eight appearances as a heel, losing to Bret Hart (twice), Virgil (twice), Tatanka, the Legion of Doom, the British Bulldog, and the Undertaker. He would go on to later fame as Big Vito in WCW.

Bartlett finally makes a good joke, comparing Bobby Heenan to the groundhog that will be used for Groundhog Day. High Energy make very short work of their opponents, treading water in a directionless tag team scene.

Doink the Clown (1-0) beats Typhoon (0-1) after a flying shoulder block off the second rope at 3:11:

This is just a glorified showcase for Doink as he twists Typhoon up like a pretzel after taking him to the canvas. All Typhoon can muster in response is a powerslam. After Typhoon misses a corner avalanche, Doink flies off the second rope with a shoulder block and wins after holding the tights. Rating: ½*

Todd Pettengill hypes an appearance by Giant Gonzalez on this Saturday’s WWF Mania.

Howard Finkel talks about the recent passing of Andre the Giant and ten-bell salute takes place as pictures of Andre’s career flash on the screen.

Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji) (6-0) pins Bobby DeVito after the sit-down splash off the second rope at 2:02:

DeVito was a David Schultz trainee who started his career in 1991. Wrestling as Tony DeVito, he wrestled four matches in 1992. Three of those were tag team matches as he lost to the Nasty Boys, the Natural Disasters, and the Headshrinkers. He would find some fame later as a member of Da Baldies in Extreme Championship Wrestling.

Bartlett screws up the existing storyline of Yokozuna not being knocked off his feet, arguing that Savage did it at the Rumble. McMahon corrects him and Savage is put in the weird spot of saying that he did not do it. After some technical difficulties, Hacksaw Jim Duggan calls in and promises not to disappoint the United States when he faces Yokozuna. Yokozuna destroys another jobber, this time using a punishing side slam to set DeVito up for the sit-down splash off the second rope.

WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated stop by the announce table and take up Brutus Beefcake’s offer of an open contract. They flip a coin for which of them will wrestle Beefcake and DiBiase wins. The team’s manager, Jimmy Hart, comes out late and urges his men not to fight Beefcake because it is keeping the team’s mission away from holding onto the Tag Team titles. DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster say that is not a concern because they know how to hurt Beefcake.

An old vignette of Mr. Perfect throwing passes to Steve Jordan of the Minnesota Vikings before throwing a touchdown to himself is shown.

Lex Luger pins Jason Knight after a forearm at 2:41:

Luger was a former professional football player who entered wrestling in 1985 after being trained by Hiro Matsuda. He quickly became a star in Florida, winning the Southern Heavyweight Championship from Wahoo McDaniel within a month of his debut. Luger’s star rose even higher when he moved to Jim Crockett Promotions in 1987, becoming a Tag Team and United States champion. In 1991 he became WCW World Heavyweight champion at The Great American Bash, defeating Barry Windham in a cage match when Ric Flair quit the company. Luger went on to drop the title to his old friend Sting at SuperBrawl II and signed with the WWF. However, getting a release from his WCW contract stipulated that he could not wrestle until 1993 so the WWF planned to use him as part of the World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF). Luger had an interview segment at WrestleMania VIII but was in a nasty motorcycle accident in Atlanta, Georgia nearly ended his life in June. If not for Sting, his career may have ended as doctors were on the verge of amputating his right arm but Dr. James Andrews was called and reconstructed it, allowing Luger to continue his in-ring career. The accident kept Luger off television until he was announced as the Narcissus, changed to the Narcissist (and then used only as a nickname), at The Royal Rumble.

Knight was trained by WWWF talents Johnny Rodz and Bobby Bold Eagle and started his career in 1984. He did some enhancement matches for WCW in 1990 and wrestled seven matches for the WWF, positioned as a babyface jobber and losing to Ric Flair, Rick Martel, the Mountie, and others. By the end of the year he would become a manager in Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) when Paul Heyman took over booking duties from Eddie Gilbert.

Since Luger’s character is someone in love with his own physique, there is a big mirror in the ring for him to pose and admire himself. Some comedy is also included as a Rosati sister is used as a ring girl and someone may not have told Luger as he almost corpses while posing when she gets in the ring. After the bell rings, Savage announces that Beefcake has accepted DiBiase’s challenge. Luger throws some clotheslines and wins with some forearm blows that appear to knock Knight out. After the bell, Luger picks up Knight by the legs and spins him around to put over that he is a jerk. This was an okay debut but Luger did not do anything that made him stand out from other heels on the roster.

McMahon informs audiences that Monday Night RAW is pre-empted next week for the Westminster Dog Show. It will return on February 15 and showcase the Beefcake-DiBiase match and a 16-man battle royal.

The Last Word: This was a more storyline-driven show than past episodes. Brutus Beefcake is out of place in this new era of the WWF and programming him against Ted DiBiase is like the WWF is trying to turn back the clock to 1989. His promo was terrible but the first sustained mentions of Hulk Hogan on WWF television since WrestleMania VIII signal that he is on his way back. That is going to shake up the WWF babyface scene, much to the detriment of Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect, who have gotten strong pushes in Hogan’s absence.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for February 6!

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