What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – March 22, 1993

The show begins with a video of WWF superstars at the Michael Landon Awards. It is missing on Peacock’s streaming service because this segment was set to the song “A Whole New World” from Aladdin. Hulk Hogan gives a speech about the WWF’s involvement with children and then wrestlers do some anti-drug bits. Parts of Vince McMahon’s acceptance of an award is shown, highlighting how he is happy that WWF superstars can make ailing children smile.

McMahon, Rob Bartlett, and Randy Savage are commentators, live from the Manhattan Center in New York City. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the show drew a crowd of 1,000 fans.

Opening Contest: The Bushwhackers (1-0) beat Damien Demento & Repo Man when Butch pins Repo Man after the Battering Ram at 5:28:

Repo Man has reverted back to his old tights and abandoned his mask. The Bushwhackers precede the Sandman’s entrance through the crowd in ECW, marching through the upper balcony and hugging and licking fans. They also lick the Rosati sister doing the ring cards. And even though the Manhattan Center is full of more critical fans, they take to the Bushwhackers act and cheer them like conquering heroes for their entrance. The match is sloppy and the heels do nothing interesting in their heat segment on Luke. And Butch’s hot tag is treated with silence. The Bushwhackers try a double clothesline on Demento but Repo Man intercedes so Luke throws a headbutt into Demento’s mid-section when Demento tries to slam Luke. However, referee Bill Alfonso will not count the fall and there is heel miscommunication when Repo Man tries to elbow drop Luke, hitting his partner instead. The chaos resumes to the Bushwhackers nailing Repo Man with the Battering Ram and that is good enough to end the match. This would be Repo Man’s last appearance as Barry Darsow decided to leave after McMahon shot down his idea of a babyface turn. In a fun bit of how life can imitate art, Darsow spent time selling car alarms before he was signed by World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Rating: ½*

Tatanka (8-0) pins Reno Riggins after the Papoose to Go at 3:29:

Riggins is wearing some leopard pattern tights that make it look like he is ripping off Jungle Jim Steele. Tatanka wakes up the crowd with some hard knife-edge chops and recovers from a missed reverse flying body press off the second rope to remain undefeated.

McMahon announces the formation of the WWF Hall of Fame. A video package announces its first inductee: Andre the Giant.

Non-Title Match: Money Incorporated (WWF Tag Team Champions) (3-1) beat Scott Rich & Jeff Armstrong when Irwin R. Schyster pins Rich after the Write Off at 3:02:

Before the match, IRS helpfully reminds fans to pay their taxes and not to get caught avoiding them. As the match happens, Bartlett flips through channels on another television to see “the competition.” McMahon is not appreciative of that and declares that there is no competition to the WWF. Well, not for another two and a half years. Money Incorporated go through the motions, giving McMahon time to recap their ongoing feud with the Mega-Maniacs.

Gene Okerlund does the WrestleMania IX Report. Savage tells Okerlund that he will show up in a sedan with some vestal virgins.

Doink the Clown (7-1) defeats Kamala (w/Slick) (8-0) via count out at 3:38 shown:

Kamala becomes enamored by a present that Doink brings to the ring but will not allow him to open. Doink does his mat-based style but Kamala is unsure how to sell it. After a commercial break, Kamala chases Doink around the ring so Doink gives him the present. Kamala opens it but there is nothing inside. He is upset but what he should be more upset about is that it got him counted out and drops him from the ranks of the undefeated for the year. That ending makes Kamala look mentally deficient and it also makes Slick look like an incompetent manager. Rating: ¼*

After the bell, Kamala chases Doink underneath the ring. Doink crawls out and gets a chair to wallop Kamala, hitting a post underneath when it looks like Kamala is coming out. However, Kamala crawls out a different side, surprises Doink, and chases him to the locker room.

The Rosati Sisters are introduced as a fan club for Bartlett. Bartlett kisses one of them in a segment that bombs.

Tune in to the March to WrestleMania IX special this Sunday on USA Network at 8 p.m.! Matches include Randy Savage vs. Yokozuna, the Undertaker vs. Bam Bam Bigelow, and a little person six-man tag team match! There will also be a special interview with the Mega-Maniacs!

The Last Word: This was a terrible episode of RAW. The puff piece at the beginning sucked the energy out of the show and it never recovered. The Rosati Sisters were always good sports for segments where they were made fun of but Rob Bartlett cannot hold a candle to Bobby Heenan, whose interaction with them was always a fun part of Prime Time Wrestling. There was a surprising lack of WrestleMania build on this show too since the card is less than two weeks away.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for March 27!

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!