What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – June 7, 1993

Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Randy Savage are broadcasting tonight’s episode, live from the Manhattan Center in New York City.

Shawn Michaels, who regained the Intercontinental Championship the previous night at a house show in Albany, New York is announced as the new titleholder by ring announcer Bill Dunn. Michaels comes to the ring with his bodyguard and he gloats to the announce team about how he is back on top of the world. Michaels’ yet-to-be named bodyguard was Kevin Nash, who had been working for the last three years for WCW under different gimmicks. According to Nash, he heard that Michaels was looking for a bodyguard from Rick Steiner and was able to get out of his WCW contract by telling Barry Windham that his wife was about to leave him if he did not leave the wrestling business so when he asked Ole Anderson, the release was immediately signed. Nash then took the release and faxed it to the WWF from WCW’s office, securing quick employment.

Opening Non-Title Contest: Shawn Michaels (Intercontinental Champion w/His Bodyguard) (14-4-1) pins Ross Greenberg after a piledriver at 3:52:

The announcers also refer to Michaels’ bodyguard as his “insurance policy.” Michaels is usually hated by all segments of the Manhattan Center crowd but tonight the majority cheer him. He diversifies his arsenal, hitting Greenberg with an elbow drop off the second rope and using a piledriver to finish.

Gene Okerlund does The King of the Ring Report. Since Michaels is Intercontinental champion his match with Crush is now for the title.

Michaels, unhappy with the news, storms to the announce table and makes a funny complain that he should be on a beach “sipping a blue Hawaiian rather than having to face a 350 pound Hawaiian.” He alleges that there is a conspiracy against him because he is the best wrestler in the company.

Adam Bomb (w/Johnny Polo) (4-0) beats El Matador (8-2-1) with a slingshot clothesline to the back of the head at 5:32:

This time Polo carries lacrosse gear to the ring. Bomb also shows off yellow contact lenses to enhance the gimmick, something he said in shoot interviews was his idea. McMahon tells the audience that Razor Ramon has increased his offer to the 1-2-3 Kid to $7,500. The match is a glorified squash as Bomb swallows up the former Intercontinental champion. El Matador’s big hope spot is catching Bomb with the flying forearm off the ropes but Bomb kicks out at two. The newcomer uses the ropes to block an O’Connor roll and then blasts his dazed opponent with a slingshot clothesline to the back of the head for his biggest win to date. Rating: *

Tatanka (20-0) pins Peter Weeks after a flying chop at 3:17:

Weeks, a bigger wrestler who began working in 1980, wrestled a few WWF enhancement matches in 1991 but did not make any appearances in 1992.

McMahon says that most fans on The King of the Ring Hotline think Bret Hart will win the tournament and Tatanka is receiving the second highest number of votes. Manhandling the bigger Weeks makes Tatanka look impressive, but he must have been unable to lift him for the Papoose to Go so he finishes with a flying chop instead. It also seems like Weeks had an accident in his tights during the match as brown spots appear on the canvas late in the match where he lands.

It is announced that Tatanka will wrestle Mr. Hughes on WWF Mania this Saturday.

Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji are guests on the King’s Court, which makes no sense because they were already guests on Wrestling Challenge a day earlier. Before interviewing his guest, Lawler repeats his claim that the winner of the King of the Ring Tournament will be a fraud. Fuji says that Yokozuna has eaten 15-20 meals a day with chicken and fish to bulk up for the title match against Hulk Hogan this Sunday. Yokozuna tells Hogan that he will go down in Dayton.

Irwin R. Schyster & Fatu (w/Ted DiBiase, Afa & Samu) defeat Billy Gunn & Rick Steiner (w/Bart Gunn & Rick Steiner) when IRS pins Billy after a clothesline to the back of the head at 9:07 shown:

Dunn refers to Bart as Billy’s cousin even though they have been presented as brothers. In a nice piece of product placement, Afa and Samu are eating WWF ice cream bars. The one that Afa has is of Savage and he has a funny bit about whether he is not sure if he should be flattered by that. IRS also gives Fatu money for some reason. The Headshrinker passes it to his partner, who passes it to Afa, who is becoming the Supreme Eating Machine, and the manager eats it. The heels have dissension where IRS and Fatu miscommunicate on an assisted clothesline spot but the Tag Team champions put things at ease with more money. A formulaic tag team match plays out and Billy is the one chosen for the hot tag spot. He backdrops Fatu and IRS and knocks DiBiase off the apron. Billy poses after doing that, which is costly, as IRS takes advantage and clotheslines his opponent in the back of the head, allowing the heels to escape with a win. Credit goes to the booking team for designing a pinfall finish as it would have been easy to just have all of the seconds rush the ring and cause a double disqualification. Rating: **¼

Razor Ramon comes to ringside as the crowd works up a “1, 2, 3” chant. He promises that he is going to get the Kid in the ring next week for $7,500 but McMahon says that match has not been confirmed. Ramon is confident that the Kid will accept the offer. When McMahon reveals that only 7% of voters on The King of the Ring Hotline think he is going to beat Bret Hart, Ramon blows it off because he is going to expose Bret as just another wrestler.

Tune in next week to see Marty Jannetty face Doink the Clown! Also, Jerry Lawler will be in action!

The Last Word: This was a good show, although one that still fell short of making The King of the Ring seem like a must-see event. The main event was solid and Shawn Michaels seems rejuvenated now that he has a big bodyguard by his side. And with two programs going on with Crush and Mr. Perfect, one has to figure that Marty Jannetty is not going to get too many chances to regain his title.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for June 12!