WWF Monday Night RAW (July 12, 1993)

Original Airdate: July 12, 1993 (Taped July 5)

From New York, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Randy Savage.

Opening WWF Title Match: Yokozuna v Crush: Power-showdown goes to something of a stalemate, so Crush switches to simply punching, but gets bodyslammed. He manages to dodge an elbowdrop though, and a big boot knocks Yoko out to the floor. Call that foreshadowing for SummerSlam. Back in, they do another power-stalemate, so Crush gives him a Stinger splash. Second try misses, and Yoko savate kicks him, then hits a headbutt. Punch to the throat knocks Crush out to the floor, and back inside, Yoko slaps on a nervehold. That eats up a few minutes, but Crush won't submit, so Yoko slaps him around with chops, and goes for the avalanche, but Crush sidesteps. Crush with a standing dropkick and a clothesline to take Yoko off of his feet, and the Hawaiian adds flying shoulderblock for two. Up again, but Mr. Fuji whacks him with the flagpole, and Crush falls to the floor. Yoko follows for a slam out there, and he rolls the challenger back in for a belly-to-belly suplex. Legdrop and the Banzi Drop (the looks on people's faces when he does that move are amazing) finish at 13:00. But Yoko isn't satisfied, and decides to give Crush another Banzi. And another. And another! Tatanka runs out to break it up, but Yoko slaps him down, and hits a fourth Banzi. A few jobbers run out, but Yoko swats them all away as well. Fifth Banzi, but this time Randy Savage drops his headset, and pulls Crush out of harms way. Nothing match, but this set up Crush's heel turn (and subsequent feud with Randy Savage) nicely, so it wasn't a waste of time. ¼*

The Headshrinkers v PJ Walker and Aaron Ferguson: The 'Shrinkers attack before the bell, and toss Ferguson to the outside so they can properly double-team Walker - starting with a nice double-flapjack. The dust settles on Samu and Walker, and Samu takes his head off with a clothesline, then tags Fatu. They force a tag to Ferguson, and Fatu creams him with a clothesline and a falling headbutt. Tag back to Samu for a double-forward Russian legsweep, and Fatu finishes with a flying splash at 3:20. I have nothing to add here. ¼*

Tatanka v Brooklyn Brawler: Brawler stalls, but Tatanka is unimpressed and levels him with chops, then bodyslams him, so Brawler bails. Inside, Brawler slaps him across the face to lure him into a chase, but it backfires when Tatanka slams him, and slaps on a wristlock. Brawler blocks a bodyslam with a clothesline, and a nice standing neckbreaker hits. Another clothesline, and Brawler takes his shirt off to choke Tatanka with. Too hot for television! Too hot for television! Snapmare gets two (really?), and Brawler snaps on a chinlock. Brawler keeps working him over with punch-kick stuff, but Tatanka JIGS UP!! Chops! Flying Tomahawk Chop! End of the Trail! 7:09! Nothing really WRONG with it, just dull, and overlong. ¼*

Fans outside the building campaign for Yokozuna to give Lex Luger a title shot. One little kid actually cuts a full on promo in the sea of the usual 'Lex Luger is #1! Whooo!' sound bites, which was awesome, actually.

Mr. Hughes v Tony DeVito: But first, a black wreath gets delivered to ringside to play mind games with Hughes - who had recently stolen the Undertaker's urn. Hughes keeps focused, and hammers the jobber for a bit, then finishes with the scrapbuster at 1:52. Afterwards, Hughes inspects the wreath, and finds a cute card reading 'Rest in Peace, From: The Undertaker' on it. God, really? Would it have killed them to let us all just assume it was from the Undertaker? I mean, seriously, would anyone have thought it was from Ted DiBiase without a nice little card? Match was just background for the wreath business. DUD

SummerSlam Report! Bret Hart/Jerry Lawler is the only match announced thus far.

Men on a Mission vignette. The worst part is that these thugs rap in front of a green screen with the 'hood on it. Though, really, that was probably for the best, because I can't see these guys not ending up riddled with bullets had they actually tried this act outside of the studio.

Adam Bomb v Scott Atami: Bomb with a go-behind into a takedown, and he shoves Scott into the corner for some abuse. Hiptoss launches the kid across the ring, and Bomb cracks him with a clothesline. Backbreaker sets up a stomach-claw, and Bomb tosses him to the floor for a slam. Bomb with a flying clothesline on the way back in, and the Atom Smasher finishes things at 2:14. Just a squash, but Bomb was motivated, and energetic. ¼*

BUExperience: Pretty dull show this week. The Crush angle was well done and notable, but everything else is totally forgettable.