WWF Monday Night RAW (July 4, 1994)

Original Airdate: July 4, 1994 (Taped June 20)  

From White Plains, New York; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Randy Savage.

Opening Match: Jeff Jarrett v Tatanka: Tatanka controls with a cross corner whip early, and he adds a running powerslam out of the corner for two. Hanging vertical suplex for two, but Jeff hits a drop-toehold as they criss cross, and he slaps on a mat-based side-headlock. Tatanka powers out, and controls another criss cross with a Japanese armdrag, then a standing side-headlock. Another criss cross goes his way with a hiptoss, as Randy Savage has to talk about how these two are 'leaders of the New Generation' with a straight face. At least when they'd say it about Bret Hart, or Razor Ramon it seemed believable. Not to mention that Savage could wrestle circles around either of these guys, even years after this. Another criss cross, and Jeff dodges him for a launch out to the floor, and he follows with an axehandle off the apron. He rams Tatanka into the apron and the post, then rolls back in for the countout victory at 6:10. Jeff doesn't want it that way though, and challenges Tatanka to restart the match. He agrees (why wouldn't he?), and Jeff controls with a chinlock. Tatanka escapes, so Jarrett cracks him with a backelbow for two. He tries for the chinlock again, but Tatanka hooks a sleeper - Jeff falling into the corner to break, then hitting a clothesline for two. Sleeper of his own, as Savage declares this 'one of the greatest matches he's ever seen.' Well, there's hyperbole, and then there's THAT, I guess. Tatanka powers out, so Jarrett tries turnbuckle smashes, but he JIGS UP!! Tomahawk Chops! DDT! Flying Tomahawk Chop! Jarrett rolls out of the ring and decides to bail, but Doink and Dink show up in the aisle, and force him back in - Tatanka rolling him up for the pin at 16:00. Not 'one of the greatest matches I've ever seen,' but perfectly fine for TV. *

Jerry Lawler hosts The King's Court, with guest 1-2-3 Kid. Kid earned a shot at Bret Hart's WWF Title with a grueling victory over Nikolai Volkoff, and with that match coming up next week, Lawler offers advice, but Kid doesn't want to win by cheating. He'd much rather prefer having a career because of who his friends are, thank you

Summer Sizzler Tour promo

Hot RAW Girl Sign of the Week: RAW to the Bone

Jim Neidhart v Gary Scott: Neidhart attacks at the bell, and bites him. Backdrop is well sold by Scott, and Jim hooks a chinlock, as Owen Hart talks shit from the floor. Cross corner whip and a tree of woe, then back to the chinlock. The crowd is gone for his, too. He dumps Scott out to the floor, then right back in for a running powerslam at 3:17. Foreshadowing Davey Boy's return, perhaps? Neidhart looked terrible, but putting him over was understandable given his role in the Hart family feud angle. Credit to Scott, he made the Anvil look much better than he actually was, though. DUD

Duke Droese v Mike Sharpe: Sharpe tries a headlock, but Duke powers out quickly, and they do a power-stalemate off of shoulderblocks. Sharpe tries a slam, but can't hoist the Dumpster up, and Duke reverses. Inverted atomic drop, so Mike rakes the eyes, but a turnbuckle smash is promptly reversed. Lots more follow. Clothesline for two, as the fans head to the bathrooms. Snap suplex for two, and an elbowdrop finishes at 3:58. Luckily, his finisher would get better. ¼*

Bret Hart promo. Oh, how I envied that kid

The Undertaker v Mike Bell: This is Ted DiBiase's bogus Undertaker, played by Brian Lee. Standard mid-90s Undertaker squash, with Lee running through the move set (chokehold, sit up, ropewalk forearm, jumping clothesline, Tombstone, zombie mannerisms), and pins the jobber at 3:59. Afterwards, Paul Bearer comes down to try and lure the Undertaker back to his side, but DiBiase flashes his bankroll to convince him otherwise. It's obvious now that this is a different guy, but it fooled me as a nine year old in 1994, and Lee did a good job of playing the part. DUD

Backstage, Jerry Lawler catches up with Ted DiBiase in hopes that the Million Dollar Man will be his guest on next weeks King's Court

BUExperience: I remember being pissed that I missed this episode in 1994, as I was finally allowed to stay up for RAW (summer vacation from school), but my family was at 4^th of July fireworks when it aired, and this was pre-DVR. Simpler times, to be sure.