What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – 09.12.94

Vince McMahon and Randy Savage commentate, taped from Lowell, Massachusetts back on August 15 because the WWF is overseas.

Opening Contest: The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (4-1) defeats Kwang (w/Harvey Wippleman) (19-4-1) after a chokeslam at 5:20 shown:

Due to the taping cycle, fans in Lowell got to see the Undertaker return before SummerSlam. However, Bearer has a much smaller urn than the pay-per-view. The Undertaker gets a big pop for his entrance and proceeds to have a slow, glorified squash match. Kwang manages a few superkicks but the Undertaker shrugs them off. Kwang’s last gasp is spitting green mist into the Undertaker’s face but the Undertaker spits it back, resulting in a chokeslam finish. This ends an eight-match winning streak for Kwang in singles competition. The end of the bout had a nice twist but there was nothing good about this other than seeing the Undertaker again. Rating: ¾*

Jim Neidhart (w/Owen Hart) (10-0) beats Tim McNeany via submission to the Camel Clutch at 3:52:

Neidhart gets another squash to build him as a WWF title contender. There are also a lot of cuts to Owen, who talks about how Neidhart is going to hurt Bret Hart when they wrestle. Longtime fans may have seen a Hart Foundation blowoff as overdue but unless Neidhart gets some meaningful wins it is hard to see that program drawing money. Neidhart follows his typical formula of spamming forearms before locking in the Camel Clutch. Afterward, Owen gets in and snaps Hitman shades back into McNeany’s face several times.

Doink the Clown and Dink are guests on the King’s Court. Lawler tells the crowd that WWF President Jack Tunney wants him to apologize to Doink and Dink for what happened recently on WWF Superstars. Dink wears a Burger King crown. Doink has some ring attendants bring a big present into the ring. Wisely, Lawler refuses to open it so the clowns do it, revealing a garbage can. Doink tells Lawler that Duke Droese is going to take him out next week. In response, Lawler looks to punt the trash can into the audience but falls to the canvas in pain after doing it. As Lawler hobbles around, Doink pulls some black weights out of the trash can, outwitting the King.

Non-Title Match: Shawn Michaels & Diesel (WWF Tag Team Champions) (1-0) defeat Tony DeVito & Paul Van Dale when Michaels pins Van Dale after a splash off of Diesel’s shoulders at 4:23:

Michaels and Diesel get an abbreviated entrance because at the time of the taping they were not Tag Team champions and do not have the belts. The Lowell crowd cheers the champions, applauding a Michaels dive through the ropes onto DeVito and chanting for Diesel. McMahon hypes house show rematches that the Headshrinkers are getting for the belts through the contest. But again, who would buy the Headshrinkers as challengers with how pedestrian they have looked since they won their feud with the Quebecers? Like Superstars, the champions take their time beating up their opponents and steal the Headshrinkers finish, albeit with a twist, as Michaels launches himself off of Diesel’s shoulders to pin Van Dale.

Adam Bomb (11-6) pins Dwayne Gill after a pumphandle slam at 3:19:

Bomb is given a new, catchy rock theme for an entrance. McMahon and Savage talk about Bomb confronting Bam Bam Bigelow on Superstars and hype a future bout between them. Bomb plays to the crowd as he avoids a Gill body press off the ropes, flattens him with a slingshot clothesline, and earns the pin with a pumphandle slam. After the win, McMahon proclaims Bomb “The Creation of Devastation.”

A new New Generation adsees someone confessing in a Catholic church. As the man confesses various sins the priest cheers his behavior because he is watching the WWF. The ad’s narrator urges fans to put their faith in the company.

The Bushwhackers (8-2) defeat Bert Centeno & Barry Hardy when Luke pins Centeno after the Battering Ram at 4:15:

There is something funny about airing a Bushwhackers match after hyping the New Generation. Abe Schwartz pickets during the match, with the Bushwhackers playing their greatest hits to a receptive crowd. That includes clotheslining Hardy in the back of the head so he falls on top of his partner. Butch tries to count three when Luke piles on top but referee Earl Hebner puts a stop to that. As the squash wraps up, McMahon hypes the Bushwhackers feature match with Well Dunn on this weekend’s Superstars.

Tune in next week to see Duke Droese wrestle Jerry Lawler! Also, Lex Luger and Yokozuna will be in action! And Bob Backlund will appear for a special interview!

The Last Word: Once fans saw the Undertaker’s return they could have turned the show off and not missed anything. The WWF has been on a slow decline creatively since WrestleMania and is currently presenting programs that appear one-sided like Bret Hart vs. Jim Neidhart or Shawn Michaels & Diesel vs. The Headshrinkers. The Undertaker’s pursuit of Yokozuna is arguably the best thing the company has in its back pocket but some of the shine of that program has been lost based on Yokozuna’s tumble down the card since WrestleMania X. Overall, this was a poor episode that came off as the WWF needing something to fill television time until it returned to the United States.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for September 17!

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