August 16, 1993
Location: Poughkeepsie, New York, USA (Mid-Hudson Civic Center)
Announced attendance: N/A
TV rating: 3.2 (USA Network) [down 6.1% from the previous week’s 3.4 rating]
Welcome everyone to my review of what is technically the last RAW before SummerSlam. While the show is only on August 30, next week will feature a replay of the SummerSlam Spectacular event that airs the day before. I will review that show as usual and review all the matches from the event as if it was a normal RAW review, considering it aired on RAW’s time slot. Anyway, this week we have a pretty big match between Ted DiBiase and The 1-2-3 Kid. Let’s get to it.
Here are the champions in WWF heading into this RAW:
- WWF Champion: Yokozuna [64th day of his 2nd reign] – previous champion: Hulk Hogan
- WWF Intercontinental Champion: Shawn Michaels [71st day of his 2nd reign] – previous champion: Marty Jannetty
- WWF Tag Team Champions: The Steiners (Rick & Scott Steiner) [58th day of their 2nd reign] – previous champions: Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase & Irwin R. Schyster)
Enjoy the review!
Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan & Randy Savage
We start off with RAW’s intro and immediately go to the ring for our featured match. No comments from the announcers this week.
Ted DiBiase vs. The 1-2-3 Kid
They show us a clip of Kid pinning DiBiase on Wrestling Challenge. This is the rematch. The Kid takes his time getting into the ring while DiBiase intimidates him. Into the ring goes Kid… DiBiase jumps him on the way in. DiBiase beats him up for a while before throwing The Kid to the floor. Voice call from Razor Ramon over on commentary, who says Kid has a surprise for DiBiase and that The Kid promised to leave just a little bit of DiBiase for him at SummerSlam. DiBiase slugs away in the corner and whips him hard into the buckle. Kid takes the Bret Hart Bump to sell that one. He rolls to the outside and DiBiase chases him, allowing The Kid to catch him with a crossbody for two. That nearly went wrong. Kid with a series of dropkicks for two. A blind charge misses, though, and DiBiase stomps away on The Kid. The crowd chant for Razor while DiBiase is in control. McMahon announces The Kid will face IRS at SummerSlam. DiBiase eats buckle on a blind charge, and Kid comes off the top with a high crossbody for two. Kid goes back up top… but here comes IRS who shoves Kid off the top at 4:46.
Winner: The 1-2-3 Kid (DQ)
- Rating: Solid match that was just starting to get going when IRS ran in for the finish. The action was good and The Kid made an exciting comeback, although it was extremely short. Even then, the finish did a nice job of building Kid vs. IRS & Razor vs. DiBiase for SummerSlam, and Money Inc vs. The Steiners for SummerSlam Spectacular. *1/2
Money Inc. beat up The Kid together since Razor is not in the building, until The Steiners come out to make the save.
McMahon mentions Marty Jannetty will face Bastion Booger later tonight. That’s quite a challenge for Jannetty, but with the 1993 he’s been having, maybe he can pull a nice one out of Bastion Booger. Let’s see.
Video package promoting SummerSlam Spectacular coming up next Sunday airs.
The Headshrinkers (Samu & Fatu) (w/ Afa) vs. Dave Maraldo & Mike Khoury
The Headshrinkers jump the jobbers in the corner. Fatu tosses one to the floor while Samu DRILLS the other one with the mother of all superkicks. That looked great. Samu rolls the guy all over to his corner and brings in the other one. Double facebuster by the Samoans with their opponents both knocked out on the mat. Afa talks about wanting a shot at the tag titles while Fatu finishes it with the Flying Splash at 3:08.
Winners: The Headshrinkers
- Rating: Fine squash to put over the Samoans. They looked good as usual. 1/2*
SummerSlam Report w/ Mean Gene
- Lex Luger will get his one and only shot against Yokozuna
- King of the Ring winner Bret Hart meets the self-proclaimed king Jerry Lawler
- The Undertaker vs Giant Gonzalez in a Rest in Peace Match; the rules are still unknown
- Shawn Michaels vs. Mr. Perfect for the IC Title
- Newly announced match: Marty Jannetty vs. the debuting Ludvig Borga
- Also added to the card: The Steiners vs. Heavenly Bodies for the tag titles
- The SummerSlam card is complete
We see Bastion Booger eating ice cream in the back. Hmm… interesting.
Marty Jannetty vs. Bastion Booger
Marty is wearing red, white and blue wristbands in support of Lex Luger. They really are putting all the eggs in the Luger basket. Booger wants a test of strength to start. He gets the better of that at first, but Jannetty manages to find a way out and sends him into the buckle twice. Marty uses his speed to avoid Booger and catches him with a springboard crossbody for two. Marty with a series of armdrags, a hiptoss and a couple of dropkicks knock Booger to the outside. Marty goes up top and comes down with a flying axehandle on Booger. Back in, Marty jumps off with a dive. Jannetty rams Booger’s arm into the post twice as we take a break.
Commercial break
We’re back with Jannetty taking it to Booger out on the floor. However, Booger throws Marty into the post, who takes a great bump. Booger follows it up with a running splash into the post. Booger takes Marty back inside and backdrops him. Marty runs the ropes and goes for a sunset flip, Booger blocks it and comes down with the buttdrop splash for two, at which point Jannetty rolls over and pins Booger in 6:01.
Winner: Marty Jannetty
- Rating: Believe it or not, this was actually a pretty fun match. Jannetty brought his A-game like he did many other times in 1993, and Booger wasn’t that bad either. A lot better than I expected. **
Money Inc. promo
IRS claims The 1-2-3 Kid just got a small taste of what will happen at SummerSlam. DiBiase hopes Razor Ramon and The Steiners were watching what he did to The Kid. He says Razor will pay the price at SummerSlam, but Vince McMahon cuts him off before Ted mentions the Steiners, so he can promote the upcoming cage match. DiBiase reminds Vince everybody’s got a price, and when the Steiners signed for a steel cage with Money Inc., they were bought and paid for. IRS adds the Steiners shouldn’t be worried about SummerSlam because they’re not gonna make it there with the titles. DiBiase puts them over as amazing athletes but says they’re stupid. McMahon says it takes speed and stamina to escape the cage first, and most people believe the Steiners have the advantage. IRS cuts him off and claims the “M” on the Steiners’ jackets stands for “morons” and Money Inc. have the brains to beat the Steiners. Effective promo to sell the upcoming TV special and PPV.
Men on a Mission (Mabel & Mo) (w/ Oscar) vs. Barry Horowitz & Iron Mike Sharpe
All-time great jobber team right here! Horowitz takes it to Mo but ends up eating a backdrop. Mo tags Mabel in, drop toehold by Mo into a Mabel legdrop combination. Mabel slams Barry all the way into his corner, and Horoitz brings in Iron Mike Sharpe. Double shoulderblock by MOM followed by a double elbowdrop. Huge clothesline by Mabel in the corner. Slam by Mabel while Mo goes up top, and Mo bulldogs Mabel onto Sharpe for the win in 2:09.
Winners: Men on a Mission
- Rating: Easy win to put over Men on a Mission. 1/4*
Lex Luger‘s interview this week is about drugs in sports and anabolic steroids. Yeah, we’re going there. Vince McMahon asks Luger if he does steroids, who says no. Luger honestly says he did steroids in the past, but it makes him feel good because now he knows he doesn’t need a shortcut to look good. Yeah, I think it’s clear what the purpose of this interview was.
Main Event
Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Luna Vachon) vs. Rich Myers
Bigelow destroys Myers easily. Running avalanche by Bam Bam in the corner. Bigelow continues to stomp away on Myers while Luna screams on the outside. Delayed vertical suplex by Bigelow as Savage talks about having some surprise. Bigelow slams Myers and goes up top for the Diving Headbutt at 3:13.
Winner: Bam Bam Bigelow
- Rating: Not a particularly great squash. It could’ve ended about 2 minutes earlier but Bam Bam just kept beating him up, probably due to time cues. 1/4*
And now, Savage’s surprise is… Macho Midget coming to the ring with a bunch of girls. This was funny the first week, but now after three weeks in a row it’s just ridiculous. And then Macho Midget gets in the ring and does nothing as we simply move on. That’s your final piece of action in the ring on RAW before SummerSlam!!!!
The announcers rundown next week’s SummerSlam Spectacular matches: Michaels vs. Backlund for the IC Title, special interview with The Undertaker, Steiners vs. Money Inc. in a steel cage for the tag titles, and Yokozuna vs. Jim Duggan.
END OF THE SHOW
Final thoughts: Yet another awful RAW for the second consecutive episode. The only things that were somewhat OK were Kid vs. DiBiase and Money Inc.’s promo, which at least sold the PPV and SummerSlam Spectacular. The rest of the show was just skippable nonsense. Jannetty vs. Booger ended up being a lot better than it should’ve been, but it’s not memorable or anything like that. Very poor episode so close to SummerSlam. 3/10
POINT SYSTEM
What is the purpose of the point system?
That’s gonna be all from me today. Make sure you don’t miss SummerSlam Spectacular, SummerSlam or any of the upcoming reviews. Next up will be WCW Clash of the Champions featuring Vader vs. British Bulldog for the WCW World Title. Until next time, see you everybody!
