July 26, 1993 Taped show (on July 19, 1993)
Location: Manhattan, New York, USA (Manhattan Center)
Announced attendance: ca 1 200
TV rating: 3.0 (USA Network) [up 3.4% from the previous week’s 2.9 rating]
Hi everyone. Welcome to yet another RAW review here on the blog. On the final episode of July 1993, Bret Hart battles Bam Bam Bigelow in a rematch from the King of the Ring final. Let’s get into it!
Here is the list of champions in WWF at the time: (considering the air date)
- WWF Champion: Yokozuna [43rd day of his 2nd reign] – previous champion: Hulk Hogan
- WWF Intercontinental Champion: Shawn Michaels [50th day of his 2nd reign] – previous champion: Marty Jannetty
- WWF World Tag Team Champions: The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott Steiner) [37th day of their 2nd reign] – previous champions: Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase & Irwin R. Schyster)
Note: in title matches, the defending champions appear underlined
Enjoy the review!
Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan & Randy Savage
Clip from earlier tonight – Doink the Clown says if Randy Savage interferes in any of his matches again (Savage cost Doink’s 2 out of 3 falls match against Marty Jannetty a few weeks earlier) he will have a surprise for ‘The Macho Boy’.
We see Bret Hart’s parents, Stu & Helen Hart, in the crowd.
Bret Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Luna Vachon)
Bobby Heenan is on the phone with Jerry Lawler and reveals Lawler is on his way to the arena. Bigelow unloads on Bret to start. Shoulderblock by Bam Bam. They mess up a spot where Bret slides underneath Bigelow’s legs, but then Bret makes up for it with a fantastic dropkick. He follows it up with a clothesline that dumps Bigelow over the top to the floor. Bret takes the fight to the floor, where Sherri unsuccessfully tries to interfere. After a while, Bret takes him back inside and comes off the top with a flying bodypress, with Bret hurting his knees on the way down. We take a break.
Commercial break
We’re back with Bret selling the knee injury on the outside. Bret makes his way back in, and Bam Bam hits a delayed backdrop suplex for two. Hard whip into the buckle leads to the classic Bret Hart Bump. Crossbody attempt by Bret is caught by Bigelow in midair, who turns it into a falling slam for two. Bigelow drops some headbutts on Bret, until he finally avoids one and comes back with a backdrop suplex. Great detail by Bret, who sells his own bad knee after delivering the move. Bret nails another dropkick and drops an elbow on the chest for two. Bam Bam turns things around and connects with his own dropkick. Chinlock by Bigelow as we go to a second break.
Commercial break
We return with the crowd chanting ‘Let’s Go Bret’ while he’s still caught in the chinlock. Bigelow rakes the eyes to prevent Bret from escaping the hold, but misses a dropkick as Bret holds onto the ropes. Bret sends him flying with a huge backdrop and drops an elbow to the back of the head for two. Hart is limping around which is great. Bret with a few headbutts to the lower back, then hits the Russian legsweep for two. Flying clothesline off the second rope gets two. Bret goes to a sleeper, and Bam Bam rams his head into the buckle to escape. Bigelow misses a clothesline, though, and Bret comes off the ropes with a running bulldog to take Bigelow down. It’s Sharpshooter time… but we hear Jerry Lawler‘s voice on the microphone. He’s close to Bret’s parents, mocking Stu’s mumbling. Bret leaves the ring to go after Lawler, but Bam Bam catches him and rams Bret’s back into the post out on the floor. Lawler keeps mocking the Hart family while Bigelow whips Bret into the buckle for two. Slam by Bigelow and a splash. He goes up top, misses a senton bomb, and Bret hits a clothesline followed by an elbow for two. Bret with a DDT, but Lawler keeps ranting all the time, so Bret finally leaves the ring and goes after him, giving Bigelow the count-out win at 17:00. Lawler runs away before Bret arrives, and Bret goes up to his mom and dad for a hug.
- Rating: This was a very good TV match used to advance the feud between Bret and Lawler. It wasn’t as good as King of the Ring since the action wasn’t the main focus, but it was still a very good match. Bret’s selling of the leg was very good throughout the bout. ***1/2
SummerSlam Report w/ Mean Gene
- Jack Tunney booked the Yokozuna vs. Lex Luger WWF Title match for SummerSlam last weekend on Superstars, but under one condition – Luger must wear an elbow pad to cover the deadly forearm of doom.
- The feud between Bret Hart and Jerry Lawler has intensified after tonight.
- The Undertaker will face Giant Gonzalez in a RIP Match.
Mr. Hughes (w/ Harvey Wippleman) vs. Russ Greenberg
Hughes still comes out with Undertaker’s urn. They sure tried to make a big deal out of this feud, but Hughes got fired before it could even begin. Most likely for the better. Hughes takes over with his exciting array of kicks and punches while the fans chant ‘Undertaker’. Powerbomb by Hughes. Instead of pinning, he slaps Russ and takes him back up for a headbutt. His Bossman Slam (or maybe it’s a Chokeslam, one of the two) puts Greenberg away at 3:06. Hughes destroys flowers handed by The Undertaker afterwards.
- Rating: Always very slow and boring, but it wasn’t terrible. 1/4*
They show clips of the launch party of WrestleMania: The Album and show Randy Savage giving Tiny Tim a new ukelele.
The Smoking Gunns (Billy & Bart Gunn) vs. Dwayne Gill & Glen Ruth
Billy with dropkicks to both guys. Crossbody by Bart on both Gill & Ruth gets two on Ruth. Slam by Bart, legdrop by Billy and an elbowdrop by Billy. Double Russian legsweep by the Gunns. Dropkick by Billy Gunn. Bart with a delayed vertical suplex and Billy comes back in with a clothesline. Just put the poor guy away already! Billy hits a scoop powerslam, tags in Bart and backdrops Ruth right into a Bart piledriver to finally end this at 4:23.
- Rating: This was longer than necessary, as the Gunns had the match won about a minute into it and kept going forever. 1/4*
Ludvig Borga video. Oh boy…
We see a Lex Luger interview with Vince McMahon from earlier today. Luger says the response to the Lex Express has been amazing and had led to a WWF Title shot at SummerSlam. Vince asks about the stipulation that forces Luger to wear an elbow pad, but Luger doesn’t care about it. He says all he wants is a shot. Vince wants to know if Luger is an open book and Luger says he’ll answer all the tough questions about his past from the fans. Finally, Luger says the Lex Express tour is not over, even after he’s gotten his title shot.
Main Event
Doink the Clown vs. Phil Apollo
Doink wastes no time in going after the arm. Belly to belly suplex by Doink who stares at the camera. Doink takes it to the mat as he maintains control. Suplex and an elbowdrop by Doink. He hits a powerslam, goes up top and comes down with a flying buttsplash to the chest for three at 2:31.
- Rating: Dominant win for Doink. 1/4*
After the match, Doink grabs the microphone and challenges the ‘Macho Boy’ to confront him. McMahon reminds Savage of his commentary contract, so Doink goes to the commentary table instead. Doink challenges Randy Savage for a match next week, but warns him he won’t be seeing double vision – he’ll be seeing triple vision. After that, another Doink appears in the ring and a third one shows up on the stands. Savage accepts the match anyway and tells Doink to bring as many Doinks as he wants, because Macho has a surprise for Doink as well.
END OF THE SHOW
Final thoughts: It was similar to last week’s episode in a lot of ways, as the first match delivered big time (HBK vs. Marty last week and Bret vs. Bigelow here) and then it was mostly filler. This show didn’t do as good a job of building to SummerSlam, though, outside of Bret vs. Lawler. However, they did set up a small TV program between commentator Savage and Doink, which has everything to deliver in the ring. Again, not as good as last week, but still nice enough. 6/10
POINT SYSTEM
Read more about the point system here
That’s all from me. Don’t miss the next reviews here on the blog. Next week, we enter August as we continue the build towards SummerSlam. See you next time, everyone!
