WWF Monday Night RAW (August 1, 1994)

Original Airdate: August 1, 1994

From Youngstown, Ohio; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Randy Savage – this marking McMahon’s return after the steroid trial. Legendarily awesome moment right off the bat, as Randy claims Razor Ramon will ‘annihilate Shawn Michaels tonight, just like Vince McMahon did to the United States Justice Department, 1-2-3 in the middle of the ring – not guilty!’ The look on Vince’s face here is priceless.

Opening Match: Razor Ramon v Shawn Michaels: This is Shawn's first match since WrestleMania X, so fitting that he pickup right where he left off. He tries trash talking Ramon in the corner, and they do a quick reversal sequence that ends in Shawn literally walking all over him, but getting cocky, and tossed out of the ring. Razor uses his fists to keep Michaels on the floor, but Shawn rakes the eyes, and comes off the top with a flying axehandle, but Ramon is ready with a gutpunch. Shawn scrambles for a swinging neckbreaker to keep control, but a 2^nd rope bodypress is caught in a blockbuster for two. Armbar, but Shawn slugs free, and chokes Ramon in the corner. Shawn with a dropkick for two, as Savage makes jokes about McMahon's legal troubles. Oh, Randy. You so crazy. Shawn tosses Razor into the ropes for Diesel to abuse for a bit, and then slaps on a chinlock. Razor fights out into a backslide for two (spot called on camera), but walks into a clothesline from Michaels for two. Back to the chinlock, but Ramon quickly powers up, and uses a slingshot to send Shawn flying clear over the top, and onto Diesel! That was pretty damn cool. Back in, Ramon beats him from pillar to post, but Shawn suckers him into the corner. He goes up top, but he's moving too slowly (selling the beating), and Razor slams him off. Abdominal stretch, but Shawn goes to the eyes to escape - only to telegraph a backdrop, and take a facebuster. Ramon with a high elevation backdrop, and he slaps on a bearhug to keep the hurt on the back. Shawn elbows his way out, but his back fails him on a bodyslam attempt, and Ramon slaps the hold back on. Shawn uses a sunset flip to escape, but walks into a lariat for two. Razor with a shoulderblock, but a second is dodged by Michaels, and the Bad Guy goes flying out of the ring off of it. Diesel is ready and waiting with a clothesline out there, and Shawn adds an axehandle off of the apron for good measure. Inside, Shawn unloads a series of jabs in the corner, and hits a jumping backelbow for two. Slugfest controlled by Ramon, but Michaels dives onto his back with a sleeper to keep control. Razor fights off the third arm drop, and side suplexes his way out of the hold for two. Shawn desperately tries retaining control with a backdrop, but in his desperation he telegraphs it, and takes a big kick to the face - selling it beautifully. Razor comes at him again, but Shawn fires back, and we have a double-knockout! Both guys stagger up for a slugfest - won by Ramon - and Shawn takes the Flair flip in the corner to set up a clothesline for two. Side superplex, but Shawn elbows him down, and tries a flying bodypress, but Razor rolls through for two. Shawn snaps off the superkick for two (that one was still a few months away from achieving 'finisher' status), but Ramon blocks his attempt at the Edge with a backdrop. Ugh, and now we're treated to Razor's ass, via wedgie. Diesel hops up onto the apron to object to the funky butt lovin', and the distraction allows Michaels to grab the title belt, but Razor sees it coming, and backdrops him. Unfortunately for him, he runs into Diesel's big boot right after, and Shawn schoolboys him with a handful of tights for the pin at 23:00 - thus setting up Walter Peyton's involvement in SummerSlam, since Razor needs backup. It wasn't as good as the ladder match, of course, but still a good, long (longer than the WrestleMania match, actually) outing, with tons of nearfalls, and hard work all around. *** ¼

SummerSlam Report! Gotta dig that old school SummerSlam theme

WWF Women's Title Match: Alundra Blayze v Bull Nakano: Blayze wants a handshake to start, but Bull is having none of it, and throws her around like a ragdoll in response. Ouch! Alundra tries fighting back with kicks, so Nakano whips her across the ring by the hair a couple of times. Great bumping from Blayze here thus far. Bull tries a powerbomb, so Blayze ranas her for two, and hits a spinkick to finally put her challenger down. A second one misses, however, and Nakano just CREAMS her with some very stiff forearms on the ropes. Chinlock, but Alundra tries escaping, so Bull shakes her head like a paint can. Piledriver gets two, and a powerbomb is worth two. Second one is countered into a sunset flip for two, but a 2^nd rope dropkick misses, and Nakano bodyslams her. Flying seated senton splash looks to finish, but Blayze rolls out of the way, and hits a bridging German suplex for two. Second try is reversed, but this time Alundra expects it, and counters into a victory roll for two! Great psychology there! Back to the middle rope, but Bull slams her down. Bull goes up, but Blayze superkicks HER down - and right out of the ring. She follows with a flying bodypress out after her, but a whip into the post gets reversed, and both ladies are counted out at 5:26 - setting up their SummerSlam match. Always loved their chemistry. It was like Vader/Sting, with vaginas. *** ¼

Jerry Lawler goes into the crowd, and finds a guy why wants to propose to his girlfriend. Man, this happened a lot during the early days of RAW, didn't it? This is like the third time in less than two years! Lawler insults them all, of course, and he's the perfect person to host these kinds of bits. He also tries to kiss the chick, which is definitely a Lawler thing to do. They go through a commercial break as a cliffhanger for her response, but she eventually accepts. Lawler kisses her anyway, which doesn't go over well. Dude! You just beat rape charges less than a year ago! Keep it in your pants!

Segue from there into the King's Court, as Lawler brings out Bob Backlund - who had just lost to Bret Hart on Superstars over the weekend, and snapped afterwards by attacking Hart. This character only got better and better as the year went on, and this was quite a start, with Backlund railing against the New Generation, and the fans who support it

The Smoking Gunns v Tom Bennett and George Anderson: Only a few minutes left of airtime, as we certainly didn't waste any time this week! The Gunns run through their usual stuff at double time, and finish with the Sidewinder at 1:55 - with the show going off the air immediately after the referees hand hits the mat. Well timed, if nothing else. DUD

BUExperience: Looks like everyone was in a celebratory mood, because this was a hot episode, with good wrestling, focus on the SummerSlam buildup, and no wasted time. Best episode in a long time.