What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – 04.18.94

Vince McMahon and Randy Savage are in the booth, taped from Utica, New York. Savage floats the idea of him getting a WWF title shot against Bret Hart.

Opening Non-Title Contest: Bret Hart (WWF Champion) (4-2) defeats Kwang (w/Harvey Wippleman) (8-1-1) via submission to the Sharpshooter at 6:52 shown:

Poor Kwang does not get an entrance for his biggest match to date. If Bret is supposed to be a fighting champion it is unusual that this match is not for the title. Owen Hart calls in, promising to take the fight to Bret on the WrestleMania Revenge Tour. Kwang misses his chance at victory with a spinning heel kick and Bret goes into his moves of doom. The finish is not dramatic as Kwang gets kicked in the head when he tries a backdrop, Bret does a side Russian leg sweep, and wins his first televised match since WrestleMania with the Sharpshooter. Rating: **

Doink the Clown and Dink are shown attending a charity event for disabled children at the Rye Playland Skating Rink in New York.

Jeff Jarrett (11-2) pins P.J. Walker after a DDT off the ropes at 3:59:

Walker’s physique looks more chiseled than usual. In response to Savage’s statement at the top of the broadcast, McMahon says that he is sure Bret Hart would be glad to give him a title match. Walker gets a near-fall after reversing a backbreaker attempt into a small package. However, he then goes hard into the buckle on a blind charge and Jarrett wins again.

Captain Lou Albano demands that WWF President Jack Tunney give he and the Headshrinkers an answer about the status of their WWF Tag Team title shot next week.

The Steiner Brothers (1-0-1) defeat Barry Hardy & Mike Khoury when Scott pins Khoury after the Steiner Screwdriver at 5:12:

This is the first televised Steiners match in more than two months, last appearing when they failed to beat the Quebecers in ten minutes on WWF Superstars. It was telling about their status that they were not part of the fan poll to face the Quebecers last week. McMahon floats the idea that the Steiners could benefit from a manager or coach. He also says there are rumors that Rick and Scott are not getting along and Scott displays some heelish behavior by taunting the enhancement talent that is not in the match and wrenching Hardy’s neck underneath the bottom turnbuckle. Hardy takes a super overhead belly-to-belly suplex from Rick and then a super Samoan drop from Scott, tagging Khoury, who Scott gives some hard shots across the back before finishing him off with a double underhook suplex and the Steiner Screwdriver. The ideas of the Steiners turning heel or Scott getting a singles run were appealing but good luck getting the Steiners to buy into either idea.

WWF Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze appears on the King’s Court. Jerry Lawler throws out some sexist comments about women’s wrestling but Blayze has some good lines that call Lawler’s interview segment a cheap imitation of Piper’s Pit and likens him to Humpty Dumpty. Blayze says that her title belt was stolen, implying that Lawler may have taken it because he likes wearing it. Lawler has Luna Vachon come out. Vachon denies taking Blayze’s belt because she is a “Princess of Mayhem,” not a thief. Blayze’s rebuttal is a mess, stooping to saying that Vachon does not know if she is a woman or a man half the time, but gets around to challenging her. Not wanting violence to break out, Lawler ends the segment. The story of the stolen title belt was silly as these two would have been fine arguing over who was a better wrestler. Vachon has far more presence than Blayze, who the WWF has still barely established as a character.

Earthquake (13-0) pins Mike Bell after the Earthquake Splash at 3:55:

McMahon hypes Earthquake facing Yokozuna on the WrestleMania Revenge Tour even though neither man has anything to avenge against the other from the pay-per-view. He pivots to frame the match as a clash of sumo stars, talking about Earthquake’s legitimate Japanese sumo career. There is also discussion of WWF Mania getting a new co-host, which was usually Savage’s job. Savage says he preferred hiring someone who sent in a blank tape over Johnny Polo. This is just a slow squash as the Earthquake takes his time finishing Bell.

Irwin R. Schyster (8-2) beats Major Yates via submission to the Penalty at 3:32:

Yates, despite his name, did not have a military gimmick. He did enhancement matches for the WWF from 1990-1992, last appearing on the October 5, 1992 edition of Prime Time Wrestling in a losing effort to Skinner.

IRS tells Tatanka that he learned the hard way about what happens when people do not pay their taxes. McMahon laments that IRS destroyed Tatanka’s headdress, likening it to a timeless artifact. McMahon and Savage root hard for Yates but the paper thin talent can only manage a fluke near-fall from a sunset flip.

McMahon says that Jack Tunney will announce his decision about the Headshrinkers next week. Johnny Polo says that he is going to go to Toronto and tell Tunney that the Headshrinkers should not get a title shot. He seems uncertain about the ability of the Quebecers to beat their Samoan rivals.

In a funny visual, Jerry Lawler is sitting on his throne backstage by a forklift. He talks about having Nikolai Volkoff as a guest next week.

Tune in next week to see Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon battle Jeff Jarrett! Also, Bam Bam Bigelow, the 1-2-3 Kid, and Owen Hart will be in action! Find out what happens with the Headshrinkers quest for a WWF Tag Team title shot and Nikolai Volkoff will be a guest on the King’s Court!

The Last Word: The feature match was a solid opener but everything was skippable after that. The WWF is starting to have a depth problem where there is a growing gap between the entertainment that can be provided from its top acts and the rest of the card. The lack of charismatic stars in the midcard makes shows littered with squashes, like Wrestling Challenge, a chore to sit through.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for April 23!

And if you would like to read a compiled breakdown of 1990-1993 WWF, 1993 ECW, or of various promotions in 1995, check out my Amazon author page to purchase e-books or paperback copies!