WWF Monday Night RAW (January 18, 1993)

Original Airdate: January 18, 1993

From New York, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Rob Bartlett, and Randy Savage – oh, but here's Repo Man! He jumps Savage from behind during the intros, and steals his hat - disappearing into the crowd before Savage knows what happened.


Opening Match: Mr. Perfect v Terry Taylor: They jaw at each other to start, and I can only imagine what Taylor might have to say. Perfect outwrestles him in the early going, and catches him with a hiptoss coming out of the corner. Dropkick knocks Taylor to the outside, and he tries to sucker Perfect into a chase, but nearly walks into the Perfect-Plex, and hides on the floor for a bit. Back in, Perfect gets a standing side-headlock, and takes him to the mat in it for two. Taylor whips him into the ropes to break, but takes a shoulderblock, and an armdrag puts Terry in an armbar. Into the corner, Perfect unloads chops, but gets knocked to the floor, and Taylor rams him into the guardrail. Inside, Taylor hits a chincrusher and a backbreaker for two. Chinlock, but Perfect gets uppity, so Terry gives him a spinebuster for two. Gutwrench powerbomb is worth two, but Taylor gets cocky, and takes an earringer. Perfect with an inverted atomic drop and a somersault necksnap, and he goes for the kill - but here's Ric Flair! Flair's distraction allows Taylor to dropkick Perfect to the floor, and Ric beats the shit out of him, then rolls him back in for Taylor to finish. Suplex, but Perfect quickly counters into the Perfect-Plex for the pin at 9:28 - and takes off after Flair. Not total garbage, but they never really got going, and just weren't clicking. *

Vince McMahon brings Bret Hart into the ring for an interview regarding his upcoming WWF Title defense against Razor Ramon at the Royal Rumble. Bret's biggest point: he is shocked - SHOCKED - that Razor Ramon could even THINK to threaten to slap Stu Hart! He's 78 years old! I'm the biggest Bret Hart mark in the word, but God, no wonder his first run wasn't a blockbuster.

The Undertaker and Paul Bearer offer thoughts on Headlock on Hunger. Well, that's morbid.

Marty Jannetty v Glen Ruth: All these years, and it's STILL weird to see Ruth as a clean-cut, balding jobber. Ruth jumps him from behind during the entrances, but quickly misses a cross corner charge, and takes a 2^nd rope bulldog. Armbar, but Ruth gets uppity, and a criss cross allows Marty to hit a clothesline. Jannetty hits a snap suplex between armbar breaks, as Shawn Michaels phones in to promise victory over Jannetty at the Rumble. Into the corner, Marty unloads rights, and a cross corner whip leaves Ruth dazed... for another armbar, before finally putting us all out of our mercy with the Rocker Dropper at 5:12. I get why they booked a Marty Jannetty squash, but boy, did he go about it in the most boring way possible. DUD

Royal Rumble promo

Clips from Superstars over the weekend, as Doink beats the shit out of Crush with a prosthetic arm. Worth watching simply for the look on peoples' faces as the deranged clown just goes ballistic. Best part: Vince McMahon promising an update this weekend on the 'WWF Network.'

Sean Mooney is outside of the arena with Repo Man, who gloats about stealing the Macho Man's hat. Savage sees it on the monitor, and freaks out, giving chase.

Royal Rumble Report, with Gene Okerlund! It's live this Sunday, folks, and only on pay per view cable TV!

Back outside, Randy Savage plays in traffic while looking for Repo Man.

Ric Flair v Tito Santana: Crowd loves Flair (heel > dirty Mexican), but Tito doesn't, and blasts him with an armdrag as he plays to the crowd. Santana with a bodyslam, and he takes Ric to the mat in a side-headlock. And the crowd actually CHANTS for Flair to motivate him, which is just weird in New York. Tito responds with a dropkick, but Flair blocks a monkeyflip, and hooks a somersault cradle for two. Snapmare and a pair of shindrops hit, and into the corner, Flair unloads with chops. Cross corner whip, but Tito reverses, and backdrops him. Ten-punch count, so Flair rakes the eyes and climbs - only to get slammed off the top! He begs off, but Tito flips him to the floor, and brings him back in for a backdrop. Kneelift and the Diving Forearm hit, but Ric ducks a bodypress, and Tito crashes out to the floor. And before Ric can even get back to his feet, here comes Mr. Perfect to attack - the referee ruling it a no contest at 8:14. I've seen these guys wrestle a bunch of times on various Coliseum Videos, and they've always better on paper. ½*

Back from commercial with Flair and Perfect still fighting around ringside, but Ric manages to get away from him long enough to issue a challenge: next week, Loser Leaves Town Match! Perfect accepts, and it's on like Super Mario!

Outside of the arena again, Repo steals Rob Bartlett's car. Not sure if that was a face turn.

BUExperience:  Week two, and things are still right on track. Again, nothing earth shattering, but just a fun, light, breezy way to spend an hour – pretty much the polar opposite of today’s three hour RAW borefests.