What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – January 10, 1994

WWF Tag Team Champions the Quebecers and Johnny Polo reiterate that Marty Jannetty & the 1-2-3 Kid will be a mere tune up tonight for The Royal Rumble.

Vince McMahon and Randy Savage are in the booth, live from Richmond, Virginia. This is the first RAW that has taken place outside of the Northeast. Savage has a cool RAW ring jacket.

Opening Contest for the WWF Tag Team Championship: Marty Jannetty & the 1-2-3 Kid (1-0) beat the Quebecers (Champions w/Johnny Polo) when the Kid pins Pierre after a suplex-flying body press combination to win the titles at 14:07 shown:

The match follows the old Saturday Night’s Main Event formula where the babyfaces get a long shine. During a commercial break Jannetty pins Jacques after a superkick but Jacques has his foot on the ropes and the pin is nullified. The Kid also goes crazy by doing a somersault plancha onto Pierre on the floor before hitting Jacques with a flying clothesline. Referee Joey Marella is not in position for a fall, though, so the Kid goes back to the top rope where Pierre pushes him off to help the Quebecers get the edge after eight minutes on the defensive. The Quebecers run through their double teams but the Kid keeps kicking out. They refuse to cover the Kid after their assisted top rope senton bomb and Jannetty breaks up a second attempt to set up a hot tag the crowd pops big for. Jannetty clears the ring and Pierre is pinned after a suplex-flying body press combination to lose the titles. This was a great, fast-paced match weighed down only by frequent commercial breaks. Rating: ***½

After the bell, Savage runs into the ring to congratulate the new champions and the Kid and Jannetty celebrate in the crowd.

The Kid’s upset of Razor Ramon on May 17 is shown as part of tonight’s gimmick of celebrating the first year RAW has been on the air.

Jim Ross does The Royal Rumble Report because Todd Pettengill is snowed in. He says that Bret and Owen Hart will probably still face the Quebecers but now it will not be for the Tag Team Championship.

Jerry Lawler breaking Tiny Tim’s ukelele on the July 19 episode airs. Showing Lawler illustrates the WWF’s confidence that his legal problems in Louisville, Kentucky may end soon.

Ludvig Borga (2-0) defeats Brad Anderson via submission to the torture rack at 2:30:

Anderson was the son of Gene Anderson, one half of the famed Minnesota Wrecking Crew that captured tag team titles in Georgia Championship Wrestling and Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling. After being trained by his father and Nelson Royal, he started wrestling as Zan Panzer and Agent Steele in Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988. After that he had stints in the Pacific Northwest, where he won tag team gold with Ricky Santana; Carlos Colon’s World Wrestling Council (WWC) promotion in Puerto Rico, where he was a junior heavyweight champion; and Florida, where he was NWA Florida Heavyweight champion.

Borga does not sell a clothesline and goes into destroying Anderson. Lex Luger calls in, reiterating his thanks to WWF fans for getting him in the match. After the bell, Borga spits on Anderson before he leaves the ring.

Doink the Clown throwing water on Bobby Heenan on the September 13 episode is shown.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (1-0) pins Ray Hudson after the Tombstone at 2:28:

McMahon passes the time by saying that WWF President Jack Tunney is going to offer John Madden a broadcasting contract. The Undertaker has a mean streak going into The Royal Rumble, intimidating referee Earl Hebner before the contest, finishing Hudson with a jumping Tombstone, and going to attack his foe after the bell until Bearer intervenes.

The camera shows a Monday Night RAW cake near Savage before the next match.

Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Luna Vachon) (1-0) beats Bastion Booger (1-0) after the flying headbutt at 2:31:

To quote Jim Ross, the match is “Bowling shoe ugly.” Booger is squashed by the Beast from the East as Bigelow attacks him before the bell and Vachon lures Booger to his doom on the floor by blowing him some kisses. There is a blown body slam spot to set up the finish but Bigelow completes it on his second attempt. In this battle of heels, the crowd was firmly behind Bigelow and the right man went over and in the right fashion. Now Bigelow can move on to more important things, like beating up a clown.

When the match is over, Vachon slaps Booger and Bigelow dropkicks him out of the ring. McMahon says that this shows Booger where Vachon’s heart lies, which was not in question last week when she slapped Booger multiple times.

Backstage, the Quebecers console Johnny Polo over their loss, saying that they are going to beat Marty Jannetty & the 1-2-3 Kid in a rematch next Monday night in Madison Square Garden and get their titles back.

Kamala chasing Kim Chee around the Manhattan Center on February 15 is shown.

Irwin R. Schyster comes to ringside but before he can finish cutting a promo against Savage, Savage takes the RAW cake and slams it into IRS’ face.

Tune in next week to see Randy Savage face Irwin R. Schyster while Crush is guest commentator!

The Last Word: The Tag Team title match was fantastic, giving fans a feel-good moment to celebrate the one-year anniversary of Monday Night RAW. The only problem with that is it disrupts the Quebecers-Harts match at The Royal Rumble and, if the Quebecers regain the belts next week, it telegraphs that they are probably not changing hands a few days later at the pay-per-view. The rest of the show was pedestrian outside of Savage getting a big pop for shoving the cake in Irwin R. Schyster’s face.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for January 15!

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