What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – December 13, 1993

Vince McMahon and Jim Cornette are commentating, live from Poughkeepsie, New York. Due to the WWF’s taping schedule, this is the last live RAW telecast of 1993.

Opening Contest: Randy Savage (2-1) beats Fatu (w/Afa) (0-2) after the flying elbow drop at 5:51:

Savage’s program against Crush is an opportunity to show McMahon that he still has something left in the tank as an in-ring competitor. However, he does not help his cause by falling back into his formula of getting beaten up for most of the match until he knocks Fatu off the top rope, does a flying axe handle to the floor, and wins with the flying elbow drop. Rating: *½

Todd Pettengill says he is paying for this spot on the broadcast to tell WWF President Jack Tunney that Savage should be allowed to be a co-host on WWF Mania. He urges fans to call 1-900-454-4WWF and vote in favor of Savage doing so. After fans were not listened to on the Shawn Michaels reinstatement, one wonders why they would bother with this poll.

The Smoking Gunns (24-3) defeat Steve Smith & Jim Messenger when Billy pins Messenger after a flying bulldog at 2:46:

Cornette says that he is meeting with Tunney to keep Lex Luger out of the Royal Rumble because that could give Luger another WWF title match against Yokozuna. That confirms that the stipulation of the Rumble winner getting a WWF title match at WrestleMania is going to remain from last year. Captain Lou Albano wanders out to ringside, presumably to scout the Gunns as a team he can take under his wing. The Gunns mix up their finish again as Bart DDTs Messenger and then Billy flies off the top with a bulldog. That infringes on the Steiner Brothers finish a bit, though, so it hard to see the Gunns keeping it.

Irwin R. Schyster (13-3) defeats Todd Mata after a backdrop suplex at 1:48:

IRS does not like when the cameraman gets close to the contents inside his briefcase because it contains Razor Ramon’s gold chains, something that McMahon says has been missing. Such brazen locker room theft is bound to get worse now that the Big Bossman has departed for WCW. After Mata gets a near-fall from a sunset flip, IRS throws him out of the ring and wins after a backdrop suplex.

WWF Champion Yokozuna has a nightmare of being dressed as Santa Claus and being nice to children. Compared to other WWF commercials this year it was a cute spot.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (14-0-1) pins J.S. Storm after the Tombstone at 2:04 shown:

The match starts before the show returns from a commercial break. McMahon and Cornette put over the casket match stipulation for The Royal Rumble as the Undertaker wipes out inferior competition. After the match, the Undertaker and Bearer put Storm in a body bag, something he has not done in a long time. Afterward, the Undertaker stomps on Storm’s body.

Rick Martel (5-4-1) beats Tim McNeany via submission to the Boston Crab at 2:59:

McNeany takes the fight to the Model, scoring some near-falls from a body press off the ropes, small package, and sunset flip. He makes a Jim Powers-like mistake, though, by missing a dropkick and Martel locks in the Boston Crab to continue to push his singles record over .500.

Bret Hart (10-4) defeats the Brooklyn Brawler via submission to the Sharpshooter at 4:19:

McMahon announces that Shawn Michaels will be a color commentator on next week’s show. After taking the moves of doom, the Brawler kicks out of the second rope elbow drop. That just prolongs the inevitable, though, as Bret uses a backbreaker to set up the Sharpshooter.

Cornette shows off a Santa Claus cover on his tennis racquet.

Tune in next week to see Tatanka battle Ludvig Borga! Also, Men on a Mission and Owen Hart will be in action! And Jeff Jarrett makes his debut!

The Last Word: This was a poor live RAW, booked more like a syndicated show with filler squashes that allowed Vince McMahon and Jim Cornette to hype various storylines and angles. The only good thing was that younger fans got to see the Undertaker and Bret Hart wrestle in an era when their televised matches were rare.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for December 18!