What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – 09.26.94

Vince McMahon and Randy Savage call tonight’s action, live from Utica, New York. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the show drew a heavily papered crowd of 4,500 fans.

Opening Contest for the Intercontinental Championship: Razor Ramon (Champion) (28-4) defeats Tatanka (w/Ted DiBiase) (28-3-2) at 13:36 shown:

As noted before, not changing Tatanka’s attire or theme music is a misfire as he embarks on a heel run. Both men look sluggish and work deliberately. Part of that may be owed to Tatanka trying to figure out how to wrestle as a heel since it robs him of some of his normal spots like going on the warpath or doing moves off the top rope. After a commercial break, Tatanka focuses his attack on Ramon’s ribs until Ramon makes a comeback out of nowhere. DiBiase gets on the apron after Ramon does his super backdrop suplex, causing Ramon to go after the manager on the floor. Tatanka jumps Ramon after that and Lex Luger tries to intervene but is attacked from behind on the way down the aisle by Bam Bam Bigelow. Tatanka breaks off to fight Luger, leading to Ramon roll in and win a bad match via count out. Rating: *

WWF officials rush out to break up the two-on-one attack on Luger in the aisle and Ramon jumps in to try to clear the heels out. The show goes to commercial break before any side looks dominant. Chances are this will produce a tag team match later at this taping.

Kwang (w/Harvey Wippleman) (21-5-1) defeats Rich Myers after the spinning heel kick at 2:06:

McMahon prefers to talk more about the football than the action, making a joke that Randy Savage is going to go to the Phoenix Cardinals in exchange for Phil Simms and the Bushwhackers will be heading to ESPN Gameday. Myers tries to make things interesting with a headscissors but he misses a reverse body press of the second rope. That opens him up for Kwang’s spinning heel kick, losing to Wippleman’s charge for the second time this year.

The British Bulldog is a guest on Jerry Lawler’s King’s Court, telling a lot of dog jokes until he targets the Bulldog’s wife Diana. That makes the Bulldog threaten bodily harm, bringing out Jim Neidhart. Neidhart argues that the Bulldog is not a Hart family member and challenges him to a match next week. It takes a while for the Bulldog to get around to accepting, saying he is in the WWF to back up WWF Champion Bret Hart.

McMahon announces that WWF Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze will team with Heidi Lee Morgan to face Bull Nakano and Luna Vachon on next week’s show.

McMahon tells viewers that Lou Gianfroddo only suffered a “slight shoulder separation” from Bob Backlund’s attack last week.

The 1-2-3 Kid (17-4-1) beats Kerry Davis after the flying leg drop at 3:24:

Davis had not been seen in a while after working WWF squash matches in 1991 and 1992. His last appearance on WWF television was a loss to Crush on the December 27, 1992 edition of Wrestling Challenge.

This time Davis does not have colorful neon tights and bright blonde hair. He looks unkept with long brown hair, a decent sized beard, and a gut that hangs over his tights. As the squash proceeds, Backlund visits the announce table and hands a present to Savage with an envelope on it. McMahon opens the envelope, reading a letter that tells Savage that he is gifting him a dictionary so he can learn more words to be a better commentator. The Kid misses a dropkick in the corner but recovers with a spinning heel kick, winning with a flying leg drop.

WWF Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels & Diesel are shown backstage. Diesel holds up one of the Tag Team belts so Michaels can adjust his look in the reflection.

Non-Title Match: Shawn Michaels & Diesel (WWF Tag Team Champions) (4-0) defeat Chris Canyon & Bob Starr when Michaels pins Starr after a Diesel Jackknife at 3:42:

Starr was a trainee of Ricky Lawless and the Monster Factory. He made his debut in 1988 in the Mid-Atlantic area, working independent shows until the establishment of the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation (MEWF) in 1991. Starr became the first MEWF Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Champion in March 1993 and won the East Coast Wrestling Association (ECWA) Tag Team Championship with Timothy Burke, who went by Lucifer. When not making independent dates, Starr worked as an enhancement talent for the WWF and WCW, last appearing in the WWF in a 40-man battle royal on a July 1992 episode of Prime Time Wrestling.

McMahon announces that Samu has started no-showing dates and the champions are taking credit for it. Despite being cast as heels, the Utica crowd cheers the champions throughout the contest. Its highlight is Michaels doing an elbow drop off the second rope to Starr and acknowledging Savage after doing that move. After Diesel Jackknifes Starr, Michaels is tagged in and mockingly runs the ropes before stopping and getting the winning pin.

When the match is over, Fatu and an unidentified Headshrinker enter the ring and clear out the champions, not generating much reaction. After a commercial break, Captain Lou Albano introduces the new Headshrinker as Sione, who last worked in the WWF in 1992 as the Barbarian. Albano tells McMahon that Samu has disappeared because he ate some bad fish and had to go back to Samoa to be cured. Diesel wants to fight the New Headshrinkers at the end of the show but Michaels holds him back.

Tune in next week to see the British Bulldog battle Jim Neidhart! Also, Alundra Blayze & Heidi Lee Morgan wrestle Bull Nakano & Luna Vachon!

The Last Word: The Intercontinental title match was bad, reinforcing that Tatanka’s heel turn is a flop. Samu’s decision to depart the WWF, which he says was due to lingering injuries, has forced a recasting of the Headshrinkers but now the team has the “new” label attached to it and that never turns out well.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for October 1!

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