WWF Monday Night RAW (June 28, 1993)

Original Airdate: June 28, 1993

From Poughkeepsie, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Randy Savage. Tonight’s theme: Night of Champions!

Opening WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels v Kamala: Diesel still hasn't mastered the black leather look yet, but has at least advanced past dressing like a jogger, and moved on to dressing like DDP. Shawn doesn't quite know what to make of Kamala, and stalls. He tries to talk Kamala into a handshake (with the crowd warning him not to trust the champ), and of course, Michaels decks him when he goes for it. Kamala reverses him on a cross corner whip though, so Shawn offers a handshake again, but this time Kamala bites him. Shawn bails to the outside to strategize with Diesel, but inside, Kamala bodyslams him, and slaps on a bearhug. He carries him to the mat in the hold for a few two counts, so Shawn bails, and suckers him into a chase - stomping the challenger on the way back in. Shawn goes after the knee with really basic stuff (mostly stomps, actually), but can't get a toehold on (despite, like, five tries - give it up, guy!), and Kamala finally shoves him off, and chops him. Splash, but Kamala tries pinning him on his belly again, and without Slick he can't get it. Diesel hops up on the apron to help, but it turns out to be another trick, and Shawn superkicks him for the pin at 11:00. Shawn's selling carried things, but it was pretty much house show level stuff, otherwise. ¼*

Stars and Stripes Challenge promo

Speaking of which, Vince McMahon brings WWF Champion Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji out for an in-ring interview, to discuss that whole bodyslam challenge set for July 4^th aboard the USS Intrepid in New York. Nothing major said here, but they were going somewhere, and we got a damn good payoff to this whole deal, at least.

Various WWF Superstars and professional athletes offer pre-taped promises of slamming Yokozuna this Sunday

Cute RAW Girl Sign of the Week: Deep Down Everyone is RAW

The Smoking Gunns v Barry Horowitz and Mike Sharpe: Billy Gunn starts with Sharpe, and dodges an early double-team, then plants them both with dropkicks to clean house. Tag to Bart Gunn, and a big criss cross allows him to cradle Sharpe for two. Tag to Barry, but he charges his way right into an armdrag, and Bart hits a sloppy bodypress (it looked more like he tripped onto Horowitz) for two. Another try, but Barry hits the deck to dodge, and snaps Bart's neck across the bottom rope with a slingshot. Bridging Northern lights suplex gets two, but Bart reverses an Irish whip, and hits a diving forearm before tagging brother Billy. That draws Sharpe in, but it's bodyslams and dropkicks all around, and the Gunn's finish Horowitz powerbomb/flying elbowdrop combo at 4:28. Just a squash. ¼*

Vince McMahon brings Money Inc out for an in-ring interview. They discuss the title loss to the Steiner Brothers, but DiBiase quickly segues into making fun of Razor Ramon for getting embarrassed by the 1-2-3 Kid the week prior - both officially turning Ramon face, and setting up DiBiase's last program as an in-ring competitor.

Adam Bomb v PJ Walker: Bomb destroys him with forearms and uppercuts right away, and he launches poor PJ with a chokeslam. Bomb with a slingshot clothesline, and he finishes with the Atom Smasher (a release powerbomb) at a brisk 2:13. Just going through the motions here, but it made its point. Still, DUD

Another Stars and Stripes Challenge promo

Crush v Bastion Booger: The idea here is that if Crush can slam Bastion Booger, he might have a shot against Yokozuna on Sunday. Booger doesn't give a shit though, and rakes the eyes right away, then chokes Crush on the ropes. He blocks a Samoan drop by being fat, but the crowd chants for Crush, so he 'manages' a backdrop. The quotes because it looked like he shoulderblocked Booger, and Bastion sold it with a somersault more than anything like a backdrop. To the outside, Booger shoves him into the post, and the big man continues with the chokes on the way back in. Bearhug, but Crush powers out, and hits something vaguely resembling a suplex. He follows up with three successful bodyslams, and that's enough for the pin at 5:50. Yeah, I wasn't feeling this. DUD

We take a look at pre-taped footage of Randy Savage at Giants Stadium, where football players promise to slam Yokozuna on Sunday. Man, they were pushing this REALLY hard, but again, they did pay it off in a really significant way, so no complaints from me.

BUExperience: Hey, did you know that the Stars and Stripes Bodyslam Challenge is this Sunday, July 4^th?!? If not, watch this one hour commercial! And so much for ‘Night of Champions,’ too! One title match, and the Steiner Brothers don’t even show up. Take a pass on this episode.