WWF Monday Night Raw July 12, 1993
by SamoaRowe
Monday Night Raw -Taped the previous week. Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Randy Savage are on commentary and they are “live” in the Manhattan Center.
WWF Championship:
Yokozuna © (with Mr. Fuji) vs. Crush
Yokozuna is in a foul mood after being embarrassed by Lex Luger and intimidates his flower girls. I must say, it’s nice having a World Champion who is actually available to show up on this program on a consistent basis (unlike a certain absent orange goblin). Lots of stalling in the early going, but the crowd is red hot for this one. They finally lock up with Yokozuna using his weight to push off Crush. Crush blocks a shot and unloads with strikes. Crush runs into a power slam. Yokozuna misses an elbow drop and gets kicked to ringside. Fuji checks on his client, who takes his time getting back. Match restarts with a Crush headlock. Crush’s shoulder tackles have no effect. Hard Irish whip by Crush and a smash in the corner. Crush tries to repeat, but Yokozuna dodges and chops down the Hawaiian goof. Yokozuna drops Crush on the ropes and strikes him to ringside. Back to the ring, Yokozuna methodically dominates.
After the break, Crush has quickened the pace but runs into a boot to the face. Yokozuna goes back to pinching the neck. Hard whip by Yokozuna sets up a splash, but it misses! Standing drop-kick by Crush and a clothesline knocks Yokozuna off his feet! Crush goes high risk and connects with a flying shoulder block. Cover by Crush gets 2.9! Crush climbs the turnbuckle again, but Mr. Fuji hits him with the Japanese flag pole. Yokozuna delivers a scoop slam at ringside. Back to the ring, Yokozuna nails a belly to belly suplex. Leg drop by Yokozuna. The Banzai drop finishes Crush at 11:09 (shown)! Solid little formula match that was elevated by some awesome crowd heat, **½.
Winner and still WWF Champion: Yokozuna
-Yokozuna sends a message to Lex Luger by delivering two more Banzai drops to Crush. Tatanka runs in for an attempted save but gets knocked off the apron. Yokozuna drops a fourth Banzai drop. Some more wrestlers run in but they are quickly dispatched. Randy Savage leaves commentary and helps drag Crush out of the ring. Yokozuna still has evil intentions, so Savage fends him off with a chair.
-We take a commercial break and Crush is being wheeled out on a stretcher. Heenan is ranting about how what happened to Crush is Lex Luger’s fault for making Yokozuna snap.
The Headshrinkers (with Afa) vs. Aaron Ferguson and PJ Walker
Ferguson and Walker turn their backs and get jumped by the Headshrinkers. Ferguson is elevated into the air by both Headshrinkers and hits the mat at a sickening angle. Samu nails a clothesline and trades head butts with his own tag partner. Fatu tags and they roll an unconscious Ferguson to his corner for a tag to Walker. Hard clothesline by Fatu and a falling head butt. Walker is in trouble, but Ferguson appears to be dead and can’t make a tag. Samu tags and the Headshrinkers nail a double side Russian legsweep on Walker. Fatu tags and nails a big flying splash for the win at 3:23. Great showcase for the Headshrinkers, ¾*.
Winners: The Headshrinkers
-Next week: Shawn Michaels vs. Marty Jannetty for the Intercontinental Championship!
Tatanka vs. Brooklyn Brawler
Brawler plays to the crowd in the early going but not even the NYC fans like him. Tatanka gets rough with the Brawler, pushing him around. They kind of just stand around as Randy Savage returns to commentary and talks about Crush. Tatanka’s whip is reversed, but he ducks a clothesline and nails a series of slams. The Brawler takes a hike. Brawler takes his time coming back and they shove each other. Slap to the face by Brawler leads to a chase. Brawler runs into a power slam. Tatanka goes to work on the arm. Brawler counters a wrist lock with a clothesline. Neckbreaker by the Brawler but he stomps instead of going for a cover. The Brawler appears to be biting but Tatanka comes back with strikes but misses a charge to the corner. Another clothesline by Brawler who removes his shirt to choke Tatanka with it. Snapmare gets a cover for 2 by Brawler. Chinlock by Brawler. Tatanka powers out but Brawler pulls the hair to slam him back to the mat. Tatanka finally goes on the warpath and unleashes on Brawler. The Samoan drop finishes Brawler at 7:11. Better than the typical Tatanka match, but still nothing too special, *¾.
Winner: Tatanka
Mr. Hughes (with Harvey Wippleman) vs. Tony Devito
As the bell rings, a sinister looking wreath is placed at ringside, apparently a gift from The Undertaker. As you can imagine, Hughes isn’t too pleased and unleashes his frustration on poor Devito. Hughes violently whips Devito into the turnbuckles. Cover by Hughes is voluntarily broken up so the punishment can continue. Big drop-kick by Hughes. The chokeslam finishes Devito at 2:10. Nothing to see here, DUD.
Winner: Mr. Hughes
-There is a card for Hughes on the wreath and you’ll never guess what it says! “Rest in Peace.” Mr. Hughes destroys the wreath and poses with The Undertaker’s urn.
Adam Bomb (with Johnny Polo) vs. Scott Atami
Waist lock takedown by Bomb in the early going. Bomb corners Atami and kicks the midsection. Atami is tossed across the ring. Clothesline by Bomb. Side backbreaker by Bomb who then grips the gut. Atami is tossed over the ropes to the floor. Scoop slam at ringside by Bomb, which makes Polo happy. Back to the ring, Bomb goes high risk and connects with a flying clothesline. Powerbomb finishes Atami at 2:36. Compared to the Hughes squash, this was entertaining, so ¼*.
Winner: Adam Bomb
Final Thoughts: Short episode this week, as it clocked in at 38 minutes. The opening title match was entertaining and an effective way to follow up Yokozuna’s embarrassment the week before. Everything else was kind of a wash, with Tatanka having an okay-ish extended squash with the Brawler and two outright squashes with two guys who never ended up going anywhere. Unless you really find the Yokozuna/Luger feud to be riveting stuff, this was a skip-able week.
Thumbs in the middle, leaning down.
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