What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – 05.02.94

Vince McMahon and Randy Savage call the action, taped from Burlington, Vermont. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the taping took place on April 26 and drew a sellout crowd of 2,500 fans. The WWF opted not to do a live show for this cycle of Monday Night RAWs because of preparations for McMahon’s steroid trial.

Opening Contest for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The Headshrinkers (w/Afa & Captain Lou Albano) (10-0) beat the Quebecers (Champions w/Johnny Polo) (10-3-1) when Fatu pins Jacques after the splash off the top rope to win the titles at 12:52 shown:

Albano is termed as the Headshrinkers advisor. There is a conservative start as the Headshrinkers provide encouragement to each other and Polo does the same for his team, selling the big fight feel of the match. The crowd takes to the Headshrinkers, popping for their high impact moves. The champions try to walk out but referee Earl Hebner orders them back lest they lose their titles. When the champions finally go on offense at the six-minute mark the crowd starts a “USA!” chant. At least Savage tries to make that fit by saying it is a chant for American Samoa. Commercial breaks split up the action twice and a second one leads to Samu’s hot tag, which ends when he hangs himself in the ropes. He has only done that spot in the Royal Rumble so it gets a reaction. The champions go for La Tour but it misses and Afa and Albano neutralize Polo. There is a false hot tag spot, which leads to another attempted double team but there is heel miscommunication. Pierre does not take kindly to it, hitting Jacques and that allows the Headshrinkers to finish him off with a splash off the top rope. This was a fun, hard-hitting match that was a good way to end the Quebecers run at the top of the division. Rating: ***¼

Todd Pettengill does the King of the Ring Report. He reveals that next week there will be a qualifying match on RAW between Razor Ramon and Kwang. It is also announced that former Baltimore Colt Art Donovan will be a guest analyst on the pay-per-view.

McMahon and Savage talk with Chief Jay Strongbow, who says that Tatanka is on the warpath. Strongbow is adding nothing to this program. The only reason he is being used is that he was a road agent even though Wahoo McDaniel would have been a much better proxy for the feud with Irwin R. Schyster.

Tatanka (12-1-1) pins Derek Domino after the Papoose to Go at 5:18:

IRS calls into the show, saying that he cannot wait to face Tatanka. The story of the match is that Tatanka is on the warpath. He does lay in his chops but the squash lasts so long that it makes Tatanka look weak if this is what he is supposed to look like when someone has gotten under his skin. After winning, Tatanka hugs Strongbow.

Intercontinental Champion Diesel is a guest on the King’s Court. Before Diesel comes out, Jerry Lawler bashes Roddy Piper, questioning his manhood and claiming that he is washed up. Diesel puts over a new “Big Daddy Cool” nickname and talks about his close friendship with Shawn Michaels. Now that he has beaten Razor Ramon he says he wants to go after the WWF title, issuing a challenge to Bret Hart.

Some auto workers, preschool children, firefighters, and jewelry store workers talk about seeing the Undertaker.

Handicap Match: Yokozuna (w/Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji) defeat Scott Taylor & Mike Davis after pinning both men after the Banzai Drop at 4:20:

McMahon talks about how Yokozuna might enter the King of the Ring Tournament. The match is not that interesting because Yokozuna takes his time going through his moves so McMahon can talk about current events. Finally, Yokozuna gets around to stacking the jobbers and making a sandwich out of them with the Banzai Drop. After the bell, Yokozuna gives each man a separate Banzai Drop, which is meant to show that he is more aggressive since losing the WWF title. Earthquake rushes in to stop more destruction and Yokozuna leaves the ring instead of facing him.

McMahon and Savage talk with Earthquake, who says he is tired of hearing about Yokozuna so he challenges him.

Tune in next week to see Razor Ramon face Kwang in a King of the Ring qualifying match!

The Last Word: The show could have used another match so that the Tatanka and Yokozuna matches did not drag out. The Headshrinkers winning the Tag Team titles was a nice payoff for their standing challenge with the Quebecers but the problem is who will be positioned as their first challengers since Jacques Rougeau has given notice. The Heavenly Bodies are the only other heel team in the promotion and it is hard to see the Bodies being considered credible challengers. The other significant development was Diesel gunning for the WWF Championship, setting him up as Bret Hart’s opponent at The King of the Ring because Yokozuna is being paired with Earthquake rather than getting a rematch for the title. Even Owen Hart is getting passed over even though he holds a victory over Bret.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for May 7!

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