What the World Was Watching: WWF Monday Night RAW – 10.31.94

Vince McMahon and Randy Savage commentate once again from Burlington, Vermont.

Opening Contest: Lex Luger (28-3-1) beats Bob Backlund (9-1) via disqualification when Tatanka interferes at 8:17 shown:

Luger has a young flag bearer lead his way to the ring. He awkwardly wrestles Backlund’s style to start, sweeping his opponent’s legs several times. However, Backlund quickly outmaneuvers him through some slow technical work and tries to wear Luger’s arm down for the crossface chicken wing. Luger rallies after breaking a bearhug, prompting Tatanka to come to ringside. When Luger is distracted, Backlund locks in the chicken wing. Instead of letting his fellow heel win, Tatanka runs into the ring like an idiot and gets Backlund disqualified, putting the boots to Luger as he is trapped in the hold. This was the very definition of a styles clash as each man moved awkwardly when taking each other’s offense. The WWF also booked themselves into a corner since Luger would hurt his character by submitting and Backlund could not lose because of the WWF title match he is getting at Survivor Series. Still, there had to be a better finish than what was done here. Rating: *

WWF officials get Backlund and Tatanka to back off but Backlund soon reapplies the hold. Savage cannot take this anymore so he runs in and drives Backlund off, earning a bigger pop than the feature match received. McMahon wonders if Savage will be fined or suspended for intervening.

After a commercial break, an angry Savage tells Backlund that he is out of line.

The 1-2-3 Kid (21-4-1) pins Tony DeVito after the flying leg drop at 3:14:

Savage is still wound up, saying that he does not care if WWF President Jack Tunney punishes him for helping Lex Luger. DeVito has made a lot of appearances this year but has yet to wrestle the Kid. McMahon chalks up some of the Kid’s early struggles to the wear and tear he suffered in the Tag Team title match on The Action Zone yesterday. But the Kid’s feet of fury are enough to send him to another victory.

Todd Pettengill’s Survivor Series Report announces that Doink the Clown, Dink, Wink & Pink (“Clowns Are Us”) will face Jerry Lawler, Queasy, Sleazy & Cheesy (“The Royal Family”) in an elimination match.

Footage of WWF superstars playing in a charity softball game against the New Jersey Union Recreational Women’s All-Stars on Saturday. The WWF stars narrowly won and signed a lot of autographs for those who turned out.

King Kong Bundy (6-0) pins Bert Centeno after a knee drop at 2:44:

Bundy does a copy of his previous squashes as McMahon talks about Mike Zitka and Greg Gumball watching The Action Zone instead of commentating for NBC. Savage says he would like to see Bob Backlund shoved in a casket. After winning, Bundy throws Centeno over the top rope. At least that was new.

The Undertaker and Paul Bearer are guests on the King’s Court. The WWF timed this appearance to match Halloween, giving Lawler material to make fun of how scary looking the crowd is. Bearer does some product placement for a special magazine that has come out to feature the Undertaker’s “gravest matches.” He opens a page to reveal the casket match at The Royal Rumble, saying that multiple men will not help Yokozuna this time. When Lawler accuses the duo of getting Chuck Norris installed as special guest referee, Bearer says they had nothing to do with it. The Undertaker argues it is time for Yokozuna to be held accountable for his actions. He dubs his fanbase the “Creatures of the Night” for the first time, arguing that Yokozuna getting help against him at The Royal Rumble was a crime.

It is announced that next week’s show will feature Bret Hart & the British Bulldog against Owen Hart & Jim Neidhart. This match is framed from the finish to the Bret-Owen title match on The Action Zone but is also an extension of the SummerSlam main event cage match.

Jim Neidhart (15-1) defeats Tony Roy via submission to the Camel Clutch at 4:11:

As Neidhart pulverizes Roy, Owen tells the camera that this is what awaits Bret and the Bulldog next week. The squash gets more time than it needs so that Savage can read copy for a USA Network film called Scam that features Christopher Walken and Lorraine Bracco. After the bell, Neidhart reapplies the Camel Clutch so Owen can do the Hitman shades routine.

McMahon talks with Lex Luger backstage. Luger has ice on his left shoulder. There are technical problems so nothing is heard. The camera briefly goes back to Savage, who hilariously tries to narrate what Luger might be saying and when it cuts back to the locker room, Luger is shown fighting with Tatanka as WWF officials try to separate them.

Tune in next week to see Bret Hart & the British Bulldog face Owen Hart & Jim Neidhart!

The Last Word: The Undertaker appearance on the King’s Court made the crowd happy but it just provided more generic comments to a match that has a foregone conclusion at Survivor Series. The Lex Luger-Tatanka feud remains cold as the two seem to be making each other worse the longer it plays out. The show was not good but it is historically significant because it would be the last time that Randy Savage would appear on a WWF broadcast. Savage was upset that Vince McMahon was not allowing him to return to the ring as a full-time competitor. Having pitched programs to elevate some of the WWF’s “New Generation” of talent and being rebuffed, Savage made peace with Hulk Hogan and signed with WCW. Following in the footsteps of Hogan, Gene Okerlund, Bobby Heenan, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and others, Savage’s departure offered one of the final breaks from the WWF’s Golden Age. His remarkable charisma and energy will be sorely missed.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for November 5!

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