What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – April 5, 1993

Vince McMahon and Randy Savage are commentating, taped from the Manhattan Center in New York City. The introduction gives away that the show was taped because McMahon says that Savage wore a “Macho toga” at WrestleMania when Savage did nothing of the sort. Rob Bartlett is not on this episode because he “lost everything” in Las Vegas.

Opening Contest: Bam Bam Bigelow (15-1) beats Virgil (3-2) after the flying headbutt at 6:58:

McMahon says that Mr. Fuji has protested to WWF President Jack Tunney that Yokozuna’s match with Hulk Hogan to end WrestleMania should not count. One feels bad for Virgil as he works a wristlock and the crowd chants that he sucks. Bigelow is not motivated, working long rest holds. Virgil whiffs on a flying clothesline during his comeback, covering for it with a missile dropkick shortly thereafter. A reverse flying body press misses and Bigelow puts Virgil down with a clothesline and flying headbutt. Rating: *½

Jerry Lawler is supposed to wrestle the next match but he walks out because the crowd is chanting “Burger King” at him.

Gene Okerlund talks with Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji. Or really, Okerlund does the segment for both men, saying that they are protesting that the match with Hulk Hogan should be thrown out because no contract was signed ahead of time.

Bob Backlund (9-1) pins Kim Chee (1-1) with a bridging cradle at 3:59:

Keeping Kim Chee around as a character is weird after he lost his feud with Kamala. Kim Chee gives Backlund a good battle for a while, even though loves to work some longer chinlocks. The ending comes suddenly, as with most Backlund matches, as he traps Kim Chee’s legs when Kim Chee tries a monkey flip and wins with a bridging cradle. Rating: *

Damien Demento (6-3) beats Jim Brunzell after the knee drop at 5:04:

Bartlett calls into the show and cries about being trapped in Las Vegas without any money, blowing his paycheck on shrimp cocktails. Savage tells him to get a life. One wonders if the voices in Demento’s head yell “Boring!” at him like fans do at his matches around the country. Brunzell carries the match with roll ups but everyone knows he is losing so the fans ignore his efforts. Brunzell’s dropkick only gets a near-fall because Demento puts his foot on the bottom rope. He runs into a kick off the ropes and Demento finishes with his neckbreaker-knee drop combination. Rating: ¾*

Jerry Lawler returns to do his match but fans will not quit chanting “Burger King” at him so he goes back to the locker room again.

The Steiner Brothers (13-0) beat the Beverly Brothers (1-2) when Scott pins Blake after the Frankensteiner at 8:50 shown:

These two teams have been doing a lot of house shows matches where the Steiners have been beating the Beverlys like a drum. One would think that could lead to a spirited match but this is just an A-B-C formulaic encounter. The Steiners do not get a big shine segment and the Beverlys surprisingly dominate. It would help if they went for near-falls but they just prefer to beat on Scott as much as they can. Rick gets a hot tag so he can throw some Steinerlines but he soon gets tossed from the ring, leading Scott to tag in. Heel miscommunication between the Beverlys leaves Blake vulnerable to the Frankensteiner and the Steiners beat the Beverlys for the second time this year. This checked off all the boxes of the tag team formula but the crowd watching it did not care. Rating: **

Jerry Lawler pins Jim Powers after a piledriver at 6:17:

Lawler was trained by Jackie Fargo and began working in 1970. He quickly became a star in Memphis, co-owning the Continental Wrestling Association with Jerry Jarrett, and he attracted national attention for a feud with comedian Andy Kaufman in 1982. After several failed efforts at winning a world championship, Lawler finally got over the hump in 1988 and beat Curt Hennig for the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. He unified that title with the World Class World Heavyweight Championship when he beat Kerry Von Erich at SuperClash III. Lawler took that unified title to the United States Wrestling Association (USWA), a promotion former by a merger of the CWA with World Class in 1989 and would defend it against all comers. However, the wrestling industry had moved beyond territories and accepting this reality, Lawler and Jarrett made a talent agreement with the WWF in 1992 that allowed for an exchange of wrestlers and Lawler to appear in the WWF as a commentator and part-time wrestler.

Before Lawler can walk out again, Powers attacks him. In true Memphis style, Lawler stalls as much as he can to work the crowd. He also taunts his Superstars co-worker Savage several times. All of this drags out the match. Powers makes a spirited comeback late with a knee lift and backdrop but he puts his head down too many times and Lawler counters another backdrop effort with a piledriver to win his first singles match in the WWF. Rating: ½*

After a commercial break, Lawler tells Savage that he does not have the guts to face him. Before Savage can respond, McMahon hypes next week’s show.

Tune in next week to see WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated face the Bushwhackers!

The Last Word: An exciting show after WrestleMania IX this was not. Many of the matches went too long so Vince McMahon and Randy Savage could discuss what happened last night at WrestleMania and encourage fans to buy an encore presentation that was scheduled to air the following Monday. That would conflict with next week’s live episode of RAW but it shows where the WWF’s bread was buttered. On the bright side, fans got a lot of action on this show. It just was not action from wrestlers that many cared to see.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for April 10!

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