World Wrestling Federation: The New Generation?

[Bobby Barrows]

World Wrestling Federation
The New Generation?
​

Vince McMahon's Mansion Greenwich, Connecticut November 1992 The scene opens around a long dining table, where Vince McMahon and his wife Linda are settled at one end, and three other folks are gathered at the other end. There is Pat Patterson, Vince McMahon's most trusted confidant, Gerald Brisco, a senior associate of McMahon, and the heir to the McMahon family business, Shane McMahon. There's a tense feeling in the air; The World Wrestling Federation has long been the king of the professional wrestling business, but things are not the same as it's always been. Just a year ago, the public caught wind of a major sexual abuse scandal involving several staff members of the World Wrestling Federation; though Pat Patterson had been implicated, he was able to escape any public reckoning because of the flimsy bases of those accusations. Then came the ongoing steroid scandal, with the company being alleged to have been distributing steroids to other wrestlers as company policy... it was a bleak time for Vince McMahon; and so many people had decided to leave during this time... Hulk Hogan, the biggest star of the 80s, went on hiatus to film in Hollywood. The Ultimate Warrior and Vince McMahon's differences appeared to be irreconcilable and thus he was fired. Jake The Snake Roberts had felt disrespected, and with his rampant drug use, he forced his departure after WrestleMania VIII. Davey Boy Smith, The British Bulldog, had drug problems and thus left. Jim Neidhart had the same issue. John Tenta, known as Earthquake, had left after an expired contract. Roddy Piper had seemingly retired. Sid Justice had also quit so as not to deal with a steroid test. Ric Flair, though still under contract, wanted to leave WWF as soon as possible. It was a mass exodus in the WWF, and the bleeding seemingly could not be stemmed. It was with this context that this meeting was called for. Survivor Series had just finished, and it had become one of the lowest-rated Pay-Per-Views in the last four years, and yet that was the first Royal Rumble on Pay-Per-View in 1989... Vince McMahon appeared stressed and unnerved. His empire was cracking, and all of his hard work had seemingly begun to fall apart. He knew that with all the public discourse regarding his leadership coming to ahead, he was desperate. Vince McMahon: "We're looking straight ahead at a brick wall, gentlemen. I can't keep doing it alone... I mean look at the numbers for Survivor Series... I thought the Royal Rumble was bad enough, but they keep going down... I did all I could, so why are we failing?" Pat Patterson: "Vince, we lost a lot of talent last year, I think this is just gonna be a down year, ya know?" Vince: "Even a single down year is bad for business, Pat, you and I both know this... something's gotta is done. I put the title on Bret, and he's been a loyal soldier, but are we sure he's the right man for the job...?" Gerald Brisco: "He's the best wrestler in the company by a country mile, Vince. The people love him internationally, and he's also clean. He's the best man for the job to get us through this rough patch. We just have to give him opponents that can shine with him, and then he'll be huge in no time..." Shane McMahon, who had been quiet throughout this entire meeting, pipes up, and shrugs as he speaks. He's grown up in the wrestling business, and the young man was only 22 years old, but being Vince's son, he's obviously had some ideas, right? Shane McMahon: "If you want to make Bret Hart a big deal, you obviously have to have him beat the big boys. Hell, if I were in charge, I'd have Bret beat Randy Savage at WrestleMania, then once Hogan comes back, convince him to do the job to Bret down the line. Bret's already beaten Flair, but we can still use Flair even if he wants to leave so bad. We've got the stars of the future right here, pops. Bret, Shawn (Michaels), Scotty (Hall), and Curt (Hennig) are some of the best in this company and I know you love your giants, Vince, but there's a market out there for great technical work. Maybe we can mix both for our top guys... Just my two cents." There's a stunned silence in the room. Pat and Gerald both look at each other, and while Vince just stares silently at his son, they nod to each other in agreement. They both know that Shane's pragmatic opinion is the best take going forward. Vince however might vehemently disagree, and it is with that in mind that they speak nothing on the matter. Instead, Vince turns to his wife. Vince: "Linda, what do you think?" Linda McMahon: "You already know what I'm going to say." Linda folds her arms and has a small smirk on her face before turning to Shane. Vince sighs and begins to contemplate, he then looks at Pat and Gerald, who both shrug and give a mixed facial reaction, as if one of resignation. Vince sighs and rubs his eyes before looking at Shane. Vince: "Alright Shane, you said it yourself; if you were in charge, maybe things could be better..." Shane: "Hold on, what?" Vince: "Shane, it's about time you step up and do your old man proud. Pat and Brisco are loyal soldiers, and they both know they'll do what's best for this company, and I'm not so old and not so blind as to see what's going on around us. I've decided to let you run the day-to-day operations of this company. Before you get your panties in a twist, I'm not stepping down; I'll still have the final say on several matters, but I want to see just what you can do, Shane. Pat and Gerald will be your confidants and advisors, but I'm going to take a step back and see how you run things. Linda and I have been discussing whether to involve you in the business side of this company for a while... and now you've got your chance."​

Welcome
To The Next Generation...​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

World Wrestling Federation
Roster
​

Active Roster:

Al Burke

Bam Bam Bigelow
Barry Hardy
Barry Horowitz
Beau Beverly
Big Bossman
Blake Beverly
Bob Backlund
Bret Hart (WWF World Heavyweight Champion)
Brian Knobbs
Brutus Beefcake
Bushwhacker Butch
Bushwhacker Luke

Crush

Damien Demento
Doink the Clown
Duane Gill

Ed Moretti
El Matador

Fatu

Giant Gonzalez
Glen Ruth

Hulk Hogan [On Hiatus]

Irwin R. Schyster (WWF Tag Team Champion)

Jason Knight
Jerry Lawler
Jerry Sags
Jim Brunzell
Jim Duggan
Jim Powers
Joey Maggs

Kamala
Koko B. Ware

Lex Luger
Louie Spicolli

Marty Jannetty
Max Moon
Mike Bell
Mike Sharpe
Mr. Hughes
Mr. Perfect

Owen Hart

Papa Shango

Randy Savage
Razor Ramon
Red Tyler
Reno Riggins
Repo Man
Ric Flair
Rick Martel
Rick Steiner
Rikki Nelson
Ross Greenberg

Samu
Scott Steiner
Shawn Michaels (WWF Intercontinental Champion)
Skinner

Tatanka
Terry Taylor
The Berzerker
The Brooklyn Brawler
The Million Dollar Man (WWF Tag Team Champion)
The Predator
The Undertaker
The White Knight
Tony DeVito
Typhoon

Virgil

Yokozuna

Tag Teams:

High Energy (Owen Hart & Koko B. Ware)
Money Inc. (The Million Dollar Man & Irwin R. Schyster) [WWF Tag Team Champions]
The Beverly Brothers (Beau & Blake Beverly)
The Bushwhackers (Butch & Luke)
The Executioners (Duane Gill & Barry Hardy)
The Headshrinkers (Samu & Fatu)
The Mega-Maniacs (Brutus Beefcake & Hulk Hogan)
The Nasty Boys (Jerry Sags & Brian Knobbs)
The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott Steiner)

Managers:

Afa
Harvey Whippleman
Jimmy Hart
Mr. Fuji
Paul Bearer
Sensational Queen Sherri
Slick

On-Screen Personalities:

Boni Blackstone
Bruce Prichard
Gene Okerlund
Jack Tunney
Mike McGuirk
Sean Mooney
Sgt. Slaughter
Shane McMahon

Broadcast Team:

Bobby Heenan
Gorilla Monsoon
Larry Matysik
Lord Alfred Hayes
Raymond Rougeau
Rob Bartlett
Vince McMahon

Referees:

Dave Hebner
Earl Hebner
Jack Doan
Jim Korderas
Joey Marella
Mike Chioda
Tim White

Producers:

Gerald Brisco
Jack Lanza
JJ Dillon
Pat Patterson
Rene Goulet
Tony Garea

 

[Bobby Barrows]

World Wrestling Federation
Championships
​

WWF World Heavyweight Championship

Current Champion: Bret "The Hitman" Hart​

Previous Champion: "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair​

WWF Intercontinental Championship

Current Champion: "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels​

Previous Champion: The British Bulldog​

WWF World Tag Team Championship

Current Champions: Money Inc. (The Million Dollar Man & Irwin R. Schyster)​

Previous Champions: The Natural Disasters (Earthquake & Typhoon)​

WWF King of the Ring

1993 King of the Ring: N/A​

1991 King of the Ring: Bret "The Hitman" Hart​

WWF Royal Rumble

1993 Royal Rumble Winner: N/A​

1992 Royal Rumble Winner: "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

World Wrestling Federation
Schedule
​

Television Programmes:

Monday Night RAW (Monday)
(1-Hour A-Show)

- Airs on USA Network (Prime Time)

WWF Mania (Saturday)
(2-Hour B-Show)

- Airs on USA Network (Afternoons)

Pay-Per-View:

WWF Royal Rumble (Sunday, Week 4, January)

WWF March to WrestleMania (Saturday, Week 4, March)

WrestleMania (Sunday Week 4, April)

WWF King of the Ring (Sunday, Week 4, June)

WWF SummerSlam (Sunday, Week 4, August)

WWF Survivor Series (Sunday, Week 4, November)

 

[Bobby Barrows]

January 1993 Round-up​

Shane McMahon has now ascended to Executive Vice President of the World Wrestling Federation. With Linda McMahon as President of the WWF, and with Vince McMahon as Chairman of the Board of the WWF, it would seem that much of the world is in his hands, and it is up to Shane to bring the next generation of wrestling to fruition. So what exactly is he working with? ​ The Top Names ​ "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan Still the biggest name in professional wrestling by a country mile; though Hogan's loyalties to the World Wrestling Federation are questionable, he's under contract until the end of the year. The question becomes, what should Shane do with him? Hogan will be turning 40 this year, and fans have begun to turn on him more and more as of late... perhaps something needs to be done to revitalize the Hulkster... sadly, creative control is a bitch. Randy "Macho Man" Savage Of course, there's the other stalwart of the WWF, Randy Savage. Now Savage is 40, but he can still go, and he's one of the absolute best talkers in the business. Vince McMahon had mentioned something about turning him into a commentator, but that would be a gross misuse of his talents. He's a wrestler, for chrissake, it's better to use what he has left in the tank to full fruition. He's hopefully going to stay in the WWF for a long time. "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair Ric Flair has made it clear that he intends to leave the WWF as soon as his contract is up at the end of January. This is bad news for Shane; Ric Flair is still a great talker and a great wrestler despite being on the older side. There's not much we can do about convincing Flair to stay, but that doesn't mean Shane can't use him to bring up lower talent. This is a sore loss for WWF, but whatever. Bret "The Hitman" Hart The current WWF World Heavyweight Champion, Bret Hart, is young at 35 years old and a loyal soldier of Vince's. It is extremely doubtful that Bret Hart will be an issue down the line, and considering he's poised to be the face of this new era, he'll have to be made to look like a million bucks. He's also downright one of the best wrestlers in the entire company. The only thing that could be a mark against Bret is that he's not the greatest when it comes to the microphone. It's an issue for sure, but not one that would necessarily make him non-championship material. The Undertaker When talking of The Undertaker, it's incredible how much his talents have been misused. He's mostly been fed "monsters" as something of a showcase, but that completely takes away from the fact that not only is The Undertaker actually a great wrestler, but he's also agile as hell and naturally charismatic. The issue now for Shane is how to transition him from a monster killer to a bona fide main event championship contender. It will be interesting to see what The Undertaker can do against some great talent. The Future Stars ​ "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig If there has been one thing to describe Curt Hennig, it of course would have to be the namesake of his moniker: Perfect. Despite having missed active wrestling for over a year due to a bad back injury, he's back in full force and he has a chance to finally break through to the top of the pile as he did in the AWA nearly 6 years previously. He's a great talker, a great wrestler, and someone who has proven to be able to go toe-to-toe with guys like Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and Ric Flair. He's also perhaps the biggest rival of Bret Hart at the moment with the two sharing an inseparable history. Yokozuna This mountain of a man is poised to be a major threat for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in the near future, all he needs is something to put him over the top as a main eventer. Perhaps defeating a major star would do him a world of good and bring him some legitimacy. Still, though, there are questions about his stamina and charisma. No doubt he's a project for the moment. "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels The "Heartbreak Kid" has been on the rise ever since the separation of The Rockers in January 1992; having recently won the WWF Intercontinental Championship from The British Bulldog, he's seemingly got the world and the future in the palm of his hand. He's a spectacular wrestler, flashy, and cocky as all hell to boot. Shane McMahon's got his work cut out for this one because it's likely sooner rather than later that this guy will become a WWF World Heavyweight Champion. "The Bad Guy" Razor Ramon Heyo, Chico! Scott Hall signed with the World Wrestling Federation just last year, and the Razor Ramon character, that of a wrestling version of Scarface, has been a hit thus far, catapulting him into the main event scene without much wait time. Ramon's fucking cool, a great talker, and most of all, one of the steadiest hands in the entire company. He was hired at the behest of Curt Hennig, who worked with him in the AWA and the two are thick as thieves. He's also garnering a friendship with fellow future star Shawn Michaels. If one thing is for certain with Razor Ramon, he can seemingly work with anyone. "The Total Package" Lex Luger A huge signing from WCW, Lex Luger had originally intended to be involved in Vince McMahon's doomed WBF, but after that failed, Vince then intended to turn Luger into this weird version of Narcissus... Shane McMahon scrapped that almost immediately. Lex Luger's whole appeal in WCW was that he was an egotist who thought he was the best fucking thing since sliced bread, and not in a narcissistic way. Either way, Lex Luger is a pretty good talent and a good hand in the ring; Shane's looking at this man as a future main eventer and possibly even a future world champion. Who knows what could happen? The Project Pieces: "The Beast From The East" Bam Bam Bigelow Bam Bam Bigelow has spent most of his career in Japan, but he has garnered for himself one hell of a reputation. Fans in the WWF may best remember Bigelow from the 1987 Survivor Series where he was the last man to be eliminated by Andre The Giant for Hulk Hogan's team. Since then, he's grown experience and wisdom, and the 31-year-old is perhaps now in the prime of his life and career, and he looks like a man who could be a major player in a few years. Maybe not World Champion material, but definitely a contender. Rick and Scott Steiner These two signed to the WWF from both New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling, and thus far, they've become huge fan favorites in the tag division. There's no doubt from Shane McMahon that these two are going to be the faces of the WWF Tag Team Division. The only question will be their itchy feet and if they get the urge to leave the WWF, what then? Questions for later. Tatanka Since his debut, Tatanka has grown into a considerably solid wrestler and he's managed to get the fans to like him. An undefeated streak will do that for you; nevertheless, he's still a ways off from being a main eventer, and it's uncertain if he'll ever reach that level. The Intercontinental Championship is certainly attainable for the young Tatanka, but that is dependent on what happens with Shawn Michaels, and other talents. In a perfect storm, it is entirely possible for Tatanka to win the championship and, though improbable, he could just become a World Championship contender. Owen Hart The youngest Hart sibling, Owen is one of the most beloved people behind the scenes, and he's growing into a veritable underdog on-screen. His team with Koko B. Ware as High Energy is a unique tandem, but Shane wonders of that's all Owen is destined to, undercard tag matches... He's got the talent, and it's arguable that Owen actually has more charisma than bigger brother Bret. Maybe something can help push Owen over the top into a top star. It's questionable whether it can happen without Bret's interference, but that's a question for a later time. The Big Bossman Several years ago, Bossman was the main event star that challenged the likes of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. Nowadays, he's been settled in the midcard; but here's the thing... he's not even 30 yet, and there's still plenty of time in his career left to make a mark. Bossman is a good talker and a good wrestler, and it's incredible that he hasn't at least won any title in the WWF. Shane sees the potential in Bossman, but it's entirely dependent on how he's presented... perhaps a change of looks is in order, or maybe he just needs a special someone to be brought back into his life and breathe a whole new perspective that fans haven't seen from him since his days down South...​

 

[King Kota]

It's funny I just started a tew file on this

 

[Bobby Barrows]

MONDAY NIGHT RAW OFFICIAL DEBUT PREVIEW! WWF World Heavyweight Championship "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart (c) The Steiner Brothers vs. The Beverly Brothers The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer vs. Papa Shango "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair vs. Bob Backlund -PLUS- An Interview With Randy Savage! Mr. Perfect Has Some Words for Flair! Razor Ramon Promises to End Bret Hart's Reign!​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Monday, Week 1, January 1993
Alumni Hall
Queens, New York City, New York
Attendance: 6,008 (SOLD OUT!)


​

It's pandemonium ladies and gentlemen, because we've arrived at the debut episode of Monday Night RAW, and this sold-out crowd here in Queens, New York is rabid for some World Wrestling Federation action! Vince McMahon welcomes us in the most gravelly and bombastic voice possible, as he hypes us up for the debut edition of Monday Night RAW, with the WWF World Heavyweight Championship on the line tonight when Bret Hart defends against WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels! Bobby Heenan cuts in and then proceeds to hype up "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair's appearance tonight, and he's gonna be in action against Bob Backlund... which is starting right now! "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair vs. Bob Backlund This crowd is ready for an exciting night of action, and what better way to start it off than with two legends of the business doing what they do best, getting out there and kicking ass! Backlund starts things off with the advantage but we all know it's only a matter of time before Flair pulls out his bag of tricks and cheats like the dirty dog he is. Whenever Flair is on the offense, Bobby Heenan is using it as an example of just what's going to happen to Mr. Perfect for being a traitor and a no-good son of a- Well, ya know. Vince McMahon continually has to tell Heenan to calm down. Despite an excellent comeback attempt by Bob Backlund, Flair in the end wins with the figure-four leg lock. Rating: 78​

After the match, we're shown a pre-recorded segment from Mr. Perfect where he has a special message for Ric Flair and Bobby Heenan. He declares that at the Royal Rumble, Ric Flair is gonna have a lovely taste of the Perfect-Plex, and when all is said and done, no force on earth is going to deny Mr. Perfect the "perfect outcome", with Flair a mess of blood and guts and Perfect standing tall over him. Why is Mr. Perfect so confident? Because, unlike Flair, he's "absolutely perfect." Rating: 86​

When we return from the commercial break, we see Vince McMahon in the ring, who promptly introduces the crowd to Randy Savage. There's massive applause from the crowd as Savage comes out and adores the adulation showered upon him. Bobby Heenan on commentary just scoffs and makes the accusation that "these idiots would cheer for Hillary Clinton." Vince McMahon interviews Savage and asks him point-blank what the future for the Macho Man looks like. Savage admits that he's been too occupied dealing with "dummies like Flair and gutless cowards like Bobby Heenan over there". Instead, it's time Savage got back to doing what he does best, being the best damn wrestler in the World Wrestling Federation, and he's going to prove that by entering his name into the 1993 Royal Rumble Match, where Savage declares he's gonna guarantee a win for himself because he wants to prove he still has plenty left in the tank and can compete with guys like Bret Hart. Rating: 78​

The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer vs. Papa Shango It's a battle of two monsters in The Undertaker vs. Papa Shango! Of course, this is meant to be a simple showcase of The Undertaker, Papa Shango still gets some good offense in. Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan both admit that The Undertaker in the Royal Rumble would be a scary force to battle with, especially since he's a former WWF World Heavyweight Champion. In the end, Taker hits the Tombstone on Shango and it is lights out for Shango Tango. Rating: 71​

We're back with "Mean" Gene Okerlund giving an interview to the #1 Contender for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship: Razor Ramon. Ramon admits that it felt really good slapping around Bret Hart, but next week, he's gonna have an even better time slapping around little baby brother Owen. Okerlund asks Razor who he's pulling for to win tonight, and Ramon admits that he outright hopes Bret wins, because he wants the satisfaction of taking the title from Bret for himself and nobody else. Rating: 67​

The Steiner Brothers vs. The Beverly Brothers It's a battle of the brotherly tag-teams! The Steiner Brothers have recently debuted in the WWF, and they've somehow managed to make Bobby Heenan a big fan of theirs, despite being generally good guys. He admits, "I don't like how they do business, but they are phenomenal wrestlers!" This match is no doubt another showcase of just how star-spangled awesome they are. The Beverly Brothers do get some decent offense in, but the brotherly tandem of Rick & Scott Steiner is too much for them and the Beverlys get put away in less than 7 minutes. Vince McMahon ponders what could happen if the Steiners go up against Money Inc. for the WWF World Tag Team Championships... Rating: 58​

WWF World Heavyweight Championship "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart (c) It's the main event we've all been waiting for, and what a match. Bret Hart puts his title on the line against Shawn Michaels, his Survivor Series opponent, to prove he's not just a paper champion. Vince McMahon is hyped to see how this match goes, and it delivers in spades. While not a perfect match, it is a knock-down-drag-out technical affair; Bret controls most of the match, but Shawn's flourishes of excellence show through here and there. The ending of the match sees Shawn attempting a dive off the top rope, BUT BRET'S THERE TO COUNTER HIM! They both climb to the top rope... what could happen here! MASSIVE SUPERPLEX! Both men are down! Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan are both amazed at how both of these men can still be moving after a hard crash like that. Both Bret and Shawn get to their feet... Shawn goes to kick Bret in the gut... BUT BRET CATCHES IT! He trips Shawn and BRET'S GOT THE SHARPSHOOTER! BRET'S GOT THE SHARPSHOOTER ON SHAWN! Shawn Michaels taps out almost immediately! BRET HART RETAINS THE TITLE! Vince McMahon is screaming at what an incredible main event this was and what an exciting debut episode for Monday Night RAW! He urges everyone to tune in next week to see Razor Ramon vs. Owen Hart and a rare matchup of Mr. Perfect vs. Marty Jannetty! Rating: 71​

Show Rating: 74
Television Rating: 0.59 (447,944 Viewers)​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Saturday, Week 1, January 1993
Gallagher Center
Lewiston, New York
Attendance: 2,293


​

Sean Mooney and Lord Alfred Hayes welcome us to an exciting edition of WWF Mania! The two-hour morning extravaganza is set to be several exciting matches and several segments of interviews. Let's go ahead and get it started right now! The Bushwhackers vs. The Executioners It's a job match to kick things off, and The Bushwhackers make short work of The Executioners. During the match, Mooney and Hayes joke around that The Bushwhackers are looking better than ever. Another win for Butch and Luke! Rating: 32​

Gene Okerlund is backstage and interviews Repo Man, who tells Gene that he's been keeping his eyes on someone for a long time, and that person has been reneging on their payments! What is the Repo Man to do, but the honorable thing, you know: REPOSSESS THEIR STUFF! NYEHEHEHEHEHE! Rating: 51​

We're back in the ring and look! It's Jimmy Hart and his new client, the menacing, the badass, the scary Bam Bam Bigelow! Jimmy Hart announces that it's true! He's got a new client on top of the WWF World Tag Team Champions, Money Inc., and this new man is gonna enter the Royal Rumble and kick all kinds of tail! Rating: 59​

Bam Bam Bigelow w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Sean Waltman Bam Bam Bigelow faces off against the woefully small Sean Waltman; this one isn't in doubt though, as Bigelow ragdolls this young man all over the damn ring and utterly decimates him. Mooney and Hayes both recognize though that somehow Waltman keeps getting up even after being demolished as bad as he is right now! In the end, a diving headbutt puts Waltman down for the count. Rating: 51​

Gene Okerlund takes the chance to get a few words from The Nasty Boys, who are set to challenge Money Inc. for the WWF World Tag Team Championships at the Royal Rumble. Knobbs and Sags both admit it's no surprise Jimmy Hart went and got a big bad bodyguard because they're gonna need all the help they can to stop The Nasty Boys from nastisizing Money Inc. and ruining all the blood money that they bought Hart with! Rating: 64​

The Nasty Boys vs. The Texas Mustangs The Nasty Boys take on a team making their WWF debut tonight: The Texas Mustangs. Sadly, they are decimated by the Nastys almost immediately. This of course, is a good show of force from The Nasty Boys, who want to show they mean business when it comes to Money Inc. Rating: 36​

Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake vs. "Iron" Mike Sharpe Brutus Beefcake appears in his very first match back ever since 1990, when a parasailing accident nearly killed him and caused extensive damage to his facial structure. He's got a tough opponent in Mike Sharpe, but Brutus makes very short work of "Iron" Mike. Mooney and Hayes admit that Brutus is looking just as good as he did three years ago! Rating: 51​

Doink The Clown vs. "Jumpin'" Jim Brunzell Our next matchup sees that weird clown known as Doink make his in-ring debut... and he utterly demolishes Brunzell with not only ruthless efficiency but ruthless cruelty. Sean Mooney is aghast as Doink's entire facial expression shows off this evil leer in Doink's eyes; it's almost as if this clown is a lot more dangerous than people realize! Rating: 51​

Returning from the commercial break, we get Sean Mooney hesitantly walking to Doink in the ring with a microphone, ready to interview the weird Clown. Sean asks Doink what exactly is he doing in the WWF; Doink has a demented smirk on his face and simply says he's here to serve up smiles and laughter, wonder, and merriment. Mooney points at the horribly beaten Jim Brunzell and asks if that's his idea of smiles... Doink turns to Mooney and raises an eyebrow, almost like he's ready to bust out laughing. He holds it in and then shakes his head, declaring, "that's just business, but this is for fun!" He then squirts Mooney in the face with water and cackles like a witch! Mooney gets out of the ring to dry himself off, and Doink starts walking down the aisle before someone else's music starts playing! It's Kona Crush! He walks down the aisle and merely glances at Doink before passing him by... Doink on the other hand turns around and stares daggers into Crush... before smirking and chuckling to himself and walking off. Rating: 60​

Kona Crush vs. Rick "The Model" Martel We got us a big match, as Crush challenges Rick "The Model" Martel! It's an even back and forth match and this crowd is actually pretty into it for the most part. In the end, it's Crush with the Heart Punch that puts the Model down on the mat! Rating: 63​

Kona Crush begins to celebrate in the ring, having won a hard-fought match, BUT SUDDENLY DOINK COMES OUT WITH A CHAIR! He's viciously mauling Crush with that chair, and it is bending right over his body as Doink pummels his back with it! Crush is down for the count and Doink throws the chair with that menacing glint in his eyes as he reaches under the ring for a large spray bottle of soda! He gets in and then starts spraying Crush with the bottle! The referees and agents finally get Doink away from Crush, but the damage is done and Doink is belly laughing like a madman! Rating: 62​

Kamala w/ Slick vs. The Brooklyn Brawler After the commercial break, Kamala battles against the Brooklyn Brawler, and easily handles the man; the big hullabaloo of the match is that Kamala is still learning how to pin properly, applying several extremely wrong attempts until finally managing to pull out an approximation of a pin attempt. Kamala of course wins, and the crowd seems to love him. Rating: 45​

The Big Bossman vs. "Terrific" Terry Taylor The Big Bossman is here and he is going up against Terry Taylor! It's a solid match all around, but Bossman ends up winning the match with his signature Bossman Slam! The Bossman is looking as good as ever, and actually appears to be getting in better shape, thinning up a bit. Rating: 59​

After the match, The Big Bossman admits that he hasn't felt like himself for a while, but that's going to change, because there are a lot of lawbreakers that need to be dealt with, and what better way than ENTERING THE ROYAL RUMBLE! Rating: 69​

High Energy vs. The Headshrinkers w/ Afa It's the penultimate match of the night and a tag-team match between two up-and-coming teams in the WWF! The Headshrinkers are two big bad men managed by former Wild Samoan Afa, and they clean up on Owen Hart & Koko B. Ware pretty well. Mooney mentions to Hayes that The Headshrinkers are dark-horse contenders for those WWF World Tag Team Championships. Rating: 54​

It's an interview between Vince McMahon and the WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels! The Heartbreak Kid tells Vince that the victory by Marty Jannetty against Mr. Perfect meant nothing, because Shawn's superior to both, and come the Royal Rumble, "Marty Jannetty Day" is gonna come crashing to a halt and de-rail forever! Rating: 65​

Back in the ring is Mr. Fuji, waving around a Japanese flag and proclaiming that the Age of Yokozuna has begun! Yokozuna is given flowers by two women, who are shooed away soon after by Fuji; the pleasantries are over, and it's now time to see if Jim Duggan can do the impossible and knock down the big man! Rating: 73​

Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji vs. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan Our main event is here, and it sure doesn't disappoint! This crowd is at a fever pitch for Jim Duggan, and chants of "USA! USA!" ring around the arena! Can Duggan knock down the mighty Yokozuna? Well the two starts brawling a bit, and at the climax of the match, the two run into each other! It's a stand-still! Jim Duggan goes to rush Yokozuna from the ropes again! DUGGAN DUCKS A CLOTHESLINE! HE BUMPS INTO YOKOZUNA! YOKOZUNA'S STRUGGLING TO KEEP STANDING! DUGGAN HITS HIS SIGNATURE CLOTHESLINE! Yokozuna refuses to stay down! ONE MORE CLOTHESLINE! TIMBERRRRRRR! YOKOZUNA IS DOWN! This crowd is going absolutely mad and Jim Duggan wants Yokozuna to get back to his feet for another beating- WAIT! What is Mr. Fuji doing! He's up on the apron and both Duggan and the referee are distracted! Yokozuna crawls over to his salt bucket and takes a handful... He's back on his feet, and Duggan turns around... SALT IN THE EYES! DUGGAN IS BLINDED! Yokozuna takes full advantage and belly-to-belly suplexes Jim Duggan right onto the mat, draining all the air out of the building! Yokozuna finishes Duggan off with a Bonsai Drop and this one is over. Rating: 70​

Show Rating: 68
Television Rating: 0.01 (11,856 Viewers)​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Monday, Week 2, January 1993
Alumni Hall
Queens, New York City, New York
Attendance: 6,008 (SOLD OUT!)


​

Welcome everyone to another incredible edition of MONDAY NIGHT RAW!!! Vince McMahon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan welcome us to this one-hour extravaganza of incredible wrestling and great action! Tonight's lineup is going to be star-studded because we have in the Main Event Mr. Perfect taking on Marty Jannetty! Later on tonight is also Razor Ramon taking on Owen Hart, the younger brother of Bret "The Hitman" Hart! Without further ado, let's get the show on the road! Look! It's Randy "Macho Man" Savage, and he's about to have a chat with Vince McMahon over by the commentary desk! Last week, Randy had mentioned that he was intending to join the Royal Rumble and win the whole thing, but he's planning on joining us for commentary tonight! That is... IF IT WASN'T FOR A VICIOUS REPO MAN AMBUSH! Randy Savage is being savagely attacked by Repo Man, who kicks the crap out of him and even throws a folding chair at him for good measure! Repo then steals Macho Man's hat, with a giggle and runs off! Looks like The Repo Man was targeting Randy Savage all along! Macho Man struggles back to his feet and looking furious, he runs off chasing after Repo Man! Rating: 65​

Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji vs. Barry Horowitz It's our first match of the night, and Yokozuna looks fresh as a daisy after that spectacular match against Jim Duggan only a few days ago on WWF Mania. Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan allude to how that match ended, and how Yokozuna is truly a force to be reckoned with. Well, that's certainly true, because Horowitz had no chance from the jump. He's utterly decimated by Yokozuna within a matter of minutes. Rating: 68​

It's the WWF World Tag Team Championships, Money Inc. out here being interviewed by Gene Okerlund. Gene shoots straight with Jimmy Hart and asks the tough question, "Now just what in the world are you doing with a new client, Jimmy Hart?" Jimmy declares that Money Inc. is a business and as such, needs security and protection! Well, Jimmy Hart and Money Inc. searched and searched all throughout the WWF until they found their man... and they'd like to introduce him to the world right now... BAM BAM! It's Bam Bam Bigelow! He comes into the ring and looks menacing as usual. The Million Dollar Man declares that Money Inc. is expanding and it's now the Million Dollar Corporation! BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! One more thing, to the Nasty Boys, Irwin R. Schyster says that at the Royal Rumble, the only thing that's gonna be nasty is when the Million Dollar Corporation takes The Nasty Boys to Wall Street and throws them from a window. Rating: 71​

Tatanka vs. "Terrific" Terry Taylor Another excellent matchup awaiting us is the Native American Tatanka taking on Terry Taylor. Vince McMahon hypes up Tatanka as a man not only with an undefeated streak but a big future here in the WWF if he can keep it up! Tatanka spends most of the match on the offense as Terry Taylor cannot keep up with the tomahawk chops and power moves of the big man. In the end, Tatanka's win streak continues! Rating: 64​

When we return from the commercial break we see Vince McMahon in the ring as he introduces Doink The Clown to the crowd. The mad clown enters the ring with that scary look in his eyes and looking like he's about to burst out laughing at nothing. Vince calls him on the spot and demands answers for why he attacked Crush on WWF Mania (which we are then given a quick snippet of what happened). Doink stares at McMahon and smirks, "He seemed like someone who needs a little laugh in his life, and I'm willing to give it to him... at his expense, of course." McMahon is flustered at this answer but Doink just laughs, "Oh, a few boos from the gallery, I see! Sooner or later you'll see the fun in things, Vince McMahon! Crush is only the first I'll be serving smiles to!" Before Vince can leave Doink extends his hand out for McMahon, who takes it hesitantly... BZZT! It was a buzzer that Doink had in his hand the whole time! Vince looks aghast and angered, but Doink cackles and has a manic expression on his face as he leaves. Rating: 63​

As we go backstage, we see Sean Mooney standing next to Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake. Mooney congratulates Beefcake on his return and asks just how difficult it has been for him to return to the ring; Beefcake admits that he had finally crawled out from the lowest point of his life... his mother and father had both passed away, and then his wife decided to divorce him... but worst of all as the parasailing accident that nearly ended his life. The only thing that kept him going was the hope, love, and adulation of his friends and fans! He's going to pay them back tenfold because Brutus Beefcake is entering the Royal Rumble and wrestling for everyone that believed in him and prayed for his return! Rating: 63​

Razor Ramon vs. Owen Hart We come to our penultimate match of the night, and it's Razor Ramon in action against the younger brother of the WWF World Heavyweight Champion Bret Hart! Owen Hart is a young athlete, but he shows flashes of brilliance much like his older brother. Sadly, Razor Ramon is an overwhelming force... that isn't to say Owen Hart doesn't tug at the fans emotions! Once or twice Razor almost had himself lost against Owen, but alas... Just as Owen had the win, a botched attempted diving crossbody off the top rope saw him land face-first into the mat; Razor had dodged out of the way just in time, and picked up Owen for a Razor's Edge... It's all over. Rating: 69​

After the match, Razor Ramon, though victorious, doesn't look finished! He picks up Owen again and proceeds to just knock his lights out with a series of hard-hitting punches and kicks! He wants to send a message to Bret Hart! Even worse... Razor picks up Owen and lifts him up... what is Razor doing! OH MY GOD! A FALLAWAY SLAM TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE RING! Owen goes flying to the concrete below and he looks completely unconscious! Vince McMahon is livid on commentary while Heenan declares, "Bret Hart better watch himself! Razor is going to do the exact same thing to him at the Royal Rumble, Vince!" Rating: 59​

Backstage we find Randy Savage wandering around and limping a little. He spots the camera and just starts shouting about how Repo Man is going to pay not only for stealing his hat, but for being a gutless coward and attacking him from behind instead of being a man and facing him face-to-face! "REPO MAN! YOU'RE A DEAD MAN WALKING, YEAH! YOU DON'T BEAT DOWN THE MACHO MAN AND THINK YOU CAN JUST GET AWAY, NO NO! I'M GONNA GET YOU AND I'M GONNA DO A LOTTA BAD THINGS, YEAH!" Macho Man just keeps screaming for Repo Man to come out before wandering off and getting cut off with a commercial break. Rating: 82​

Mr. Perfect vs. Marty Jannetty (Shawn Michaels on Commentary) We got ourselves a rare face vs. face matchup against Mr. Perfect and Marty Jannetty. Both men have been looking to get ahead in the WWF for some time, but now's their chance to prove themselves. If Mr. Perfect can win, it's possible a WWF Championship match is his down the line; Marty of course needs this win as momentum when he faces off against the WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels at the Royal Rumble... speaking of Shawn, he's at the commentary booth and throughout the match, completely disparages Marty and mentions that both men aren't good enough to challenge him for the title. It's a back-and-forth affair match for the most part, but... it seems like Mr. Perfect is in the driver's seat and is about to clinch the Perfect-Plex, when suddenly... IT'S RIC FLAIR AT RINGSIDE! Mr. Perfect notices him and looks annoyed! The two exchange words with one another before Perfect flips off Flair! YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON TELEVISION! Flair rolls his eyes and motions for Perfect to come and get him... Perfect instead goes back to finish off Marty... BUT MARTY QUICKLY PUTS PERFECT IN A SMALL PACKAGE! 1... 2... THREE!?!? HOLY COW! Everyone on commentary can't believe it! Marty Jannetty just defeated Mr. Perfect on Monday Night RAW! Shawn Michaels is miffed while Bobby Heenan laughs at Mr. Perfect's misfortune! Ric Flair for his part turns around and goes backstage! This crowd is stunned and cheers on Marty for the surprise victory as RAW goes off the air! Rating: 62​

Show Rating: 70
Television Rating: 0.56 (421,816 Viewers)
Last Week's Television Rating: 0.59 (447,944 Viewers)​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Saturday, Week 2, January 1993
Santa Monica Auditorium
Santa Monica, California
Attendance: 2,316


​

Hello everyone and welcome to another exciting edition of WWF Mania! There's a jam-packed card ready for the fans tonight, so let's not wait any longer, let's get to it! The Natural Disasters vs. The Texas Mustangs It's the return of The Natural Disasters! Earthquake is officially making his return to the WWF after a lengthy hiatus, and the two big men come back in a big way. They decimate the Texas Mustangs while Mooney and Hayes tell Money Inc. to watch themselves because the Disasters are back and hungry for revenge. Rating: 50​

Sean Mooney interviews Crush, who is still bandaged up from that Pearl Harbor attack last week from Doink the Clown. Crush says that Doink is gonna pay for attacking him from behind like a gutless coward. Rating: 55​

"The Total Package" Lex Luger vs. Barry Horowitz Lex Luger faces off against Barry Horowitz and wins in a convincing fashion. He throws up Horowitz in a Torture Rack and decimates him into submission. Mooney and Hayes admit that Luger could be a big threat to the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. Rating: 46​

The Big Bossman vs. Duane Gill After the commercial break, The Big Bossman challenges Duane Gill, and Bossman just crushes this bozo. A Bossman Slam finishes off Gill and Hayes and Mooney admits that Bossman hasn't really been the same since Survivor Series, and something could be missing for him. Rating: 47​

The Big Bossman celebrates in the ring and raises his arms to the fans after a pretty easy victory, but is suddenly cut off by a man with a microphone, "Now just hold on one darn second!" HOLY COW! Look who it is! Sean Mooney and Lord Alfred Hayes are flabbergasted! "For those who don't know me, my name is James E. Cornette! For those that do know me, I need no further introductions! Now I'm sure everyone is just wondering, what in sam-hill is Jimmy doing in the World Wrestling Federation!? I'm an ambitious man, and I go where I want!" Cornette climbs into the ring as Bossman stares him down in disbelief, "Well well well if it isn't The Big Bossman! It's sure been a long time, hasn't it, Bubba?" Corny has a huge smile on his face while Bossman is equally happy to see Jimmy. "Well, I notice you've been having a little trouble lately, huh? Now no worries, Bubba, I ain't here to read you the riot act; I'm just here to tell you it's time to come back with some old friends and start dominating once again! You can't keep catering to these here mental defects out here, because they'll throw you away when you're disposable! I've never abandoned you and never left you behind Bubba! Don't you think it's time for you to come home?" Cornette tries to sweet-talk The Big Bossman, but he isn't really convinced, or at least isn't sure. Cornette nods his head and points at The Bossman, "Sooner or later, I know you'll do the right thing, Big Bossman." He drops his microphone, sadly shaking his head and walking away, leaving Bossman to himself. Rating: 68​

We cut backstage to Gene Okerlund talking to Repo Man, who has Macho Man Randy Savage's hat! The Repo Man laughs and says that Randy Savage knows better than anyone else that if you don't pay your bills, you'll get your items repossessed! NYEHEHEHEHEHE! Rating: 55​

Repo Man vs. Virgil It's Repo Man vs. Virgil here on WWF Mania, and the two do manage to put on a pretty good match. Sadly, Repo Man cheats to win and applies The Crowbar on Virgil, forcing him to submit. Hayes and Mooney admit that Repo Man definitely got under the skin of The Macho Man. Rating: 57​

Tatanka vs. Papa Shango After the commercial break, we get Tatanka vs. Papa Shango, and it's another solid match. Tatanka is getting massive cheers from the crowd, and he comes in with a big undefeated streak going on. In the end, Tatanka pulls away with a victory and gets applause from the fans in attendance. Rating: 59​

We cut to a pre-recorded promo with "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. They call out Mr. Perfect and declare that when the Royal Rumble comes, they'll find out who deserves to be run out of the World Wrestling Federation, and there's no longer enough room between the two men. Flair throws down the challenge, "LOOK AT IT LIKE THIS, PERFECT! You and me! No Holds Barred! Nowhere to Hide! LOSER LEAVES TOWN! WOOOO!" Rating: 73​

We have a promo from Money Inc. in the ring, where they show off Bam Bam Bigelow and the WWF World Tag Team Championships. Jimmy Hart declares that it doesn't matter who challenges Money Inc., whether it be the Natural Disasters or The Nasty Boys, in the end, they'll be taken to the poor house! Rating: 71​

Money Inc. w/ Jimmy Hart vs. The Bushwhackers We get ourselves a tag team contest between the WWF World Tag Team Champions Money Inc., and the Bushwhackers! It's a solid contest for both teams, but of course, money never beats around the bush! The Whackers are beaten in the end thanks to interference from both Jimmy Hart and Bam Bam Bigelow. Rating: 62​

Backstage we have Gene Okerlund interviewing Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji. Fuji laughs and says that what happened last week against "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan is going to go on repeat forever and ever because Yokozuna is unbeatable and unstoppable! Tonight, Tito Santana is gonna suffer the same fate! Rating: 69​

Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji vs. Tito Santana For our penultimate matchup of the night, Yokozuna and Tito Santana take on one another to see who can win! It's Yokozuna, pretty handily. Tito tries his best, but Yoko is big, bad, and mean. All it takes is one Banzai Drop to put Tito away. Rating: 70​

Bret Hart has a pre-recorded promo before his World Title match tonight here on WWF Mania! Hart says that he watched Razor Ramon beat down his little brother Owen on RAW and wants a piece of Razor before the Rumble. Does the scumbag think he can attack Bret's family and get away with it? Not on Bret's watch. "As far as I'm concerned, Razor Ramon's a gutless coward, and the next time I see him I'm gonna make him pay!" Rating: 82​

WWF World Heavyweight Championship Skinner vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart (c) It's our Main Event of the evening and a WWF World Heavyweight Championship match! Skinner takes on WWF Champion Bret Hart! The two men absolutely beat the piss out of each other, and it's an awesome back-and-forth match that does show that Skinner truly is someone that can be a threat on the best of days! Skinner almost sneaks a win a few times too! In the end, though, Bret Hart sinks in the Sharpshooter for another successful title defense! Rating: 83​

Bret Hart celebrates in the ring... BUT LOOK! It's Razor Ramon! Bret is ambushed from behind by Razor and the two are having a huge back and forth! Referees and agents are swarming the ring trying to peel the two off of each other, and there is pandemonium ringing out all over! Bret Hart is trying to claw his way to Bret Hart, but Razor smirks and is successful in pissing off Bret! It's all a game to Razor Ramon, just to get him off his game! The show goes off the air with Bret angrily stomping around the ring and raising his WWF World Heavyweight Championship while Razor Ramon swaggers away, a confident glint in his eye, motioning for a belt around his waist. This rivalry is at a fever pitch and these two can't even stand to be in the same room as the other! Rating: 78​

Show Rating: 79
Television Rating: 0.03 (23,581 Viewers)
Last Week's Television Rating: 0.01 (11,856 Viewers)​

 

[Death By Looch]

Look at my man Steve Keirn bringing the fuckin' Workrate up like a champ
Razor vs. Bret is about to boil over... Perfect's gonna beat Flair and make him leave... Rumble's gonna be great

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Monday, Week 3, January 1993
The Pavilion
Davis, California
Attendance: 8000 (SOLD OUT!)


​

Hello everyone! Welcome to Monday Night RAW! We've got Vince McMahon, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, and who do we have here? A new member of the WWF broadcasting team! It's Jim Ross, fresh from World Championship Wrestling! We're excited for one hell of a night of action here on WWF Monday Night RAW, because we've got a massive main event with Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair, and a WWF Intercontinental Championship match between the mighty Kamala and champion Shawn Michaels! It's time to get on going! "HEY THERE, TOUGH GUY!" We get a backstage promo where Jim Duggan, patched up and rearing to go, tells it like it is. His match with Yokozuna didn't go the way he wanted it to, but that's okay, he's gonna get revenge on that dirty Jap, and Mr. Fuji is gonna get the Japanese flag stuck up his rear, because it's all about the U-S-A, and Duggan is ready for the Royal Rumble... HOOOOOOOOO! Rating: 74​

The Headshrinkers w/ Afa vs. Lightning Pegasus Our first match of the evening is a tag team affair, where the Headshrinkers are facing off against the debuting team of Lightning Pegasus. Jim Ross mentions that the Pegasus Kid, as he's known, is a popular attraction in Japan and a great technical wrestler, while The Lightning Kid uses his high-flying technique and fast-paced offense to get the job done. Vince questions whether they'll have what it takes to defeat the savage Samu & Fatu. Sadly, it wouldn't take much work for the Headshrinkers to dominate against their far smaller foes. Pegasus Kid and Lightning Kid do manage to nearly pull off a shocking upset, but Afa cuts it short with his interference, and alas, Fatu gets the pin. Rating: 41​

"Hey-Yo, chico." Razor Ramon is backstage and has a big smirk on his face. He asks Bret how it felt to be in that big fight on WWF Mania, knowing that Razor had him dead to rights if not for the referees. Razor mentions that he goes wherever he wants, whenever he wants. At the Royal Rumble, Bret Hart is going to get... a hit put on him... courtesy of Razor Ramon... Rating: 83​

Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake vs. Damien Demento After a commercial break, we return to the ring to see Brutus Beefcake face off against Damien Demento, and this isn't even close. It's all Beefer all match, and he wins it easily. Jim Ross admits he's excited to see how Beefcake performs in the Royal Rumble. Rating: 60​

Backstage, we find Gene Okerlund interviewing Marty Jannetty. Jannetty tells Okerlund his thoughts, "Ya know, Gene-O. I had to do a lotta thinking alone for almost a year. For almost a year I had to wake up every morning and wonder if I'd ever get the opportunity to get back at Shawn Michaels for betraying me and betraying every fan of the Rockers... and each day never got better for me. I had to read the newspapers and hear all about how Shawn Michaels was on the rise, how he was the next big thing for the World Wrestling Federation, and it ate me alive, man. We were supposed to rise to the top together, Gene! He stabbed me in the back and threw me out as if I was yesterday's garbage. Well, ya know Gene, I thought I could live with going our separate ways back then, but not like that. Shawn, you did me dirty and you thought you got rid of me, but I want you to know that you didn't kill my spirit, you didn't break me down, you only put a fire in my belly and hardened my heart, because what I'm gonna do to you at the Royal Rumble... you're gonna wish it was you that was thrown through that window in the Barber Shop. " Rating: 61​

WWF Intercontinental Championship "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels vs. Kamala w/ Slick It's time for the semi-main event of the evening, an Intercontinental Championship match! Shawn Michaels is defending against the monstrous Kamala, and it'll be interesting to see how he can defend himself... Vince McMahon admits that Kamala may be too much for him, while Bobby Heenan is confident in the champion's abilities. It's a decent back-and-forth match, but if you were really expecting a new champion, you'd be disappointed. Shawn would hit a huge super-kick, which knocked out Kamala entirely... Bobby Heenan was so surprised he would say, "You see that McMahon! That was some Sweet Chin Music! Kamala's seeing stars and probably dreaming of a night in the jungle!" Rating: 71​

Backstage, we find Mr. Perfect, looking solemn and as if he's thought long and hard about the challenge put before him by Ric Flair... a Loser Leaves Town Match at the Royal Rumble... "Well, Flair... you wanna know my answer? Is Mr. Perfect willing to throw away his entire career for the chance of ridding the World Wrestling Federation of scum like you? It's a tough decision; one misstep and I am gone forever from the company I love. I've never been one to go the easy way... so you know something, Ric Flair, Bobby Heenan? I'll take on your challenge. At the Royal Rumble match, it's not only going to be a Loser Leaves Town match... it's going to be the only kind of match fitting for a situation like this. Ric Flair, when I get my hands on you, the two words you're going to be saying, is 'I Quit'. You wanna get rid of me, Ric Flair? Make me say those magic words. Only one of us can stay in this company, and by the grace of God and his perfect wisdom, we're going to settle this once and for all... see you at the Rumble, chump." Rating: 85​

OOOOOH YEAH! Randy Savage is in the ring and he is ready to wrestle against "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair; before that, however, he shares a few words regarding the Repo Man. Savage says that after he wins the Royal Rumble, he's gonna take care of the Repo Man and get his hat back. It's only fitting that the Macho Man Randy Savage though beats down Ric Flair before the Royal Rumble... Rating: 81​

"Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair It's our MAIN EVENT! A huge matchup between two bitter rivals should set us up for some greatness. Bobby Heenan on commentary is ready to see Ric Flair defeat Savage one more time, but Jim Ross isn't so sure of that. It's a hot back-and-forth match, where Savage goes to brutalize Flair, but Flair keeps cheating. The crowd is eating it up and wants to see Savage win... but it looks like Flair has the upper hand... That is until Mr. Perfect comes out! It's revenge for last week, he comes out and jaw-jacks with Flair at ringside, setting up Savage just perfectly to knock out Flair from behind! Savage picks up Flair and slams him down... setting up... DIVING ELBOW! FLAIR IS DOWN! 1... 2... 3!!! Bobby Heenan is livid on commentary, while Jim Ross can't believe Savage's comeback! Vince McMahon declares that Perfect just paid back Flair for last week's RAW, and this I Quit Match at the Royal Rumble is going to be SPECTACULAR! Rating: 79​

Show Rating: 78
Television Rating: 0.64 (483,236 Viewers)
Last Wek's Television Rating: 0.56 (421,816 Viewers)​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Saturday, Week 3, January 1993
Dave Torrey Arena
St. Cloud, Minnesota
Attendance: 2,000 (SELL OUT!)

​

It's another week here on WWF Mania, and Sean Mooney and Lord Alfred Hayes are here to hype you up for some exciting action tonight as we have one of the biggest main events happening when Randy Savage faces off against Razor Ramon one-on-one! We also have Crush facing off against "The King" Jerry Lawler, and even two rivals from their past, "The Model" Rick Martel battling against Tito Santana! Without further ado, let's get to the action! Skinner vs. Glen Ruth Our first matchup of the night sees Skinner decimate the jobber named Glen Ruth. It's a quick match and really just meant to get Skinner back in the winner's circle. Mooney admits that Skinner can be a dangerous opponent when he's in the right mindset. Rating: 35​

We get a backstage promo with "Macho Man" Randy Savage, who declares that after he's done winning the Royal Rumble, he's gonna finally pay back Repo Man for attacking him and stealing his hat. It's gonna take place on the RAW after the Royal Rumble! OH YEAH! Rating: 89​

Repo Man vs. The Lightning Kid Our next match is Repo Man taking care of The Lightning Kid in a pretty convincing fashion. Sean Mooney and Lord Alfred Hayes discuss the future Repo Man vs. Randy Savage match in a few weeks. Mooney admits that Repo Man could be a surprising challenge for Savage. Rating: 40​

After that match, we get a pre-recorded segment, this time with Mr. Fuji and the big man Yokozuna. Mr. Fuji points to Yokozuna and mentions that this man is going to waltz into the Royal Rumble and dominate the entire field, because there is nobody who can defeat him. He then mentions Jim Duggan, asking just how his ribs are feeling? If he wants to step up to Yokozuna again, he's gonna get an even worse result than just some bruised ribs. Rating: 71​

High Energy vs. The Texas Mustangs It's a quick tag match next up that sees the team of Owen Hart and Koko B. Ware get a victory over the team of John Bradshaw and Bobby Duncum Jr. High Energy was really needing a win after the last couple of weeks they've been having, so it's good to see them enter the winning column for once. Rating: 27​

Bam Bam Bigelow w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Barry Horowitz After a small commercial break, we get Bam Bam Bigelow in the ring with Jimmy Hart, and at ringside was the WWF World Tag Team Champions: Money Inc.! Barry Horowitz unfortunately has no chance to really win this match, especially against a dominant monster like Bigelow, and with that in mind, it's over in a matter of minutes. Rating: 51​

After the match, The Million Dollar Corporation climbs into the ring as "Mean" Gene Okerlund has a microphone in hand and can't believe that Bigelow is such a dominant force. Ted DiBiase cackles and says that there is nobody that is gonna be able to stop them, because EVERYBODY'S GOTTA PRICE, GENE! Jimmy Hart gets on the mic and says, "Look at us, Nasty Boys! We've got the money, the fame, and the numbers, and all you got is just the stink of defeat around you! You know why they call you Nasty? It's because you're all just roadkill on the Million Dollar Corporation's limo! We intend to clean you off of it and keep going on our way!" Gene then asks about this upcoming match with Bam Bam Bigelow facing off against The Undertaker on Monday Night RAW. Bigelow is not afraid of some dead man, or his pale sidekick; Bigelow is gonna get the job done and do the Million Dollar Corporation proud! Rating: 63​

The Steiner Bros. vs. The Demented Darkness After the commercial break we get ourselves a solid tag match with the Steiner Brothers, Rick & Scott, facing off against the newly formed team of Papa Shango and Damien Demento, known as The Demented Darkness. It is a solid back and forth, but the Steiners absolutely kick ass in the second half and pull out a victory with ease. Sean Mooney is surprised and says that with how dominant the Steiners have been, he wonders if Money Inc. are worried about having to face off against them sooner or later. Rating: 51​

In the ring, we get Sean Mooney talking to Marty Jannetty, who's excited to be facing off against Shawn Michaels, something he has been waiting for a year to have the opportunity for. Marty declares that when all is said and done, the Royal Rumble is gonna be Marty Jannetty Day, but that's not all! Marty has a little surprise for Shawn at the Royal Rumble, and he's not gonna reveal just what that is. He's certain that Shawn is just gonna "love" it though. Rating: 52​

"The Model" Rick Martel vs. Tito Santana Our next matchup is one we've seen in the past, but between two friends turned bitter enemies! That much has not changed since then, and it's still as heated a match as it was back then. Tito dominates in the early going before The Model cheats and skirts the line as much as he can! Both Tito and Martel are desperate for a win here, but it's the Model that comes out with the pinfall victory after getting his feet on the ropes while the ref isn't looking! Rating: 58​

After the commercial break, we have Bobby "The Brain" Heenan in the ring excitedly telling the whole crowd to shut up and listen to what The Brain has to say! He says that he is honored to be introducing to this crowd a man who is one of the greatest managers of all time, a man he has been a huge fan of for a long time, a man who Bobby "The Brain" Heenan is proud to call his friend! None other than JAMES E. CORNETTE! Waltzing down to the ring is Jim Cornette with his signature tennis racket with a big grin on his face. Heenan and he hug in the ring once Cornette climb in and the two are just in awe with one another. However, Cornette is here on business, and he tells Heenan that the reason he's here is to show that he's got plenty left to prove, after all, when you're looking for the best, it's either go big or go home, and the WWF has some of the best wrestlers in the world. Cornette then mentions that last week he saw The Big Bossman for the first time in almost five years! The Bossman has done well for himself, but he's never made it over the top and he's never gotten himself a championship to call his own! Cornette speaks into the camera, as if speaking to Bossman and says, "Bubba, I'm still giving you a chance to do the right thing, come back to your friends, lemme manage you one more time, and together we can turn you into a monster again! Hell, you can even become a WWF World Champion with my help! Think on it, because I'm giving you until the Royal Rumble to decide, Bossman!" Rating: 78​

After that we get us a pre-recorded segment with Doink the Clown, who stares into the camera and is stifling his uncontrollable urge to giggle. He says that he heard all about what Crush said last week on WWF Mania and isn't afraid of some Hawaiian Punch. Doink is here to spread merriment and cheer, and some tall guy isn't gonna stop his fun... but if Crush really feels like wanting more of Doink... well, the fun and games are over, boy. His smile warps into a deadly glare and he walks off-camera with a sneer. Rating: 68​

Crush vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler Our next matchup is a pretty big match between the big man from Hawaii: Crush, and "The King of Memphis" Jerry Lawler! Lawler comes off as a sort of comedy wrestler, but make no mistake, this man is as tough as they come. He actually gives a pretty good challenge to the big man, but we all know how this was gonna turn out, because you can't keep a fiery Hawaiian down for the count. A huge heart punch knocked down Lawler and gave Crush the win! Sean Mooney and Alfred Hayes discuss just what could happen if Doink The Clown and Crush get into the ring together. Rating: 62​

Tatanka vs. Duane Gill Following that commercial break, we got ourselves a quick squash match between the popular Native American Tatanka, and the young Duane Gill. Of course Tatanka gets the easy win here within a few minutes. Sean Mooney admits that he's amazed at the immense popularity of Tatanka, and thinks he could challenge for a title sometime soon! Rating: 53​

The Undertaker and his keeper Paul Bearer are here in a pre-recorded segment, with Paul Bearer talking about a match between Taker and Bam Bam Bigelow coming up in next week's Monday Night RAW. The Undertaker says that the Million Dollar Corporation are merely waiting for their coffins to be prepared, and Bam Bam Bigelow is a threat that must be extinguished, and so... he will Rest... In... Peace... Rating: 88​

Randy "Macho Man" Savage vs. Razor Ramon It's our main event of the evening! What a big-time match for these fans in the crowd tonight as it's Randy Savage facing off against the #1 Contender to the WWF World Championship! This matchup tonight is set for a 15-minute time limit, in accordance with television standards, and these two are rearing to battle one another; especially since they share a recent history going back to the Survivor Series. After the bell rings, we get a small staredown as neither wants to make the wrong move to start at a disadvantage... but then comes the lock up and WE'RE GETTING IT ON! It's a knock-out drag-out fight between these two men, one Macho, and one the epitome of Machismo. Just when it looks like Razor is putting this match in the bag with a few stretches and hard slams against Macho... Savage starts to mount his comeback! It might be too late though! Time is running out in the match! SAVAGE IS COMING BACK! There are a few clubbing blows! He Irish-whips Razor... CLOTHESLINE! Razor hops to his feet, and GETS SCOOP-SLAMMED! Razor tries to climb back to his feet quickly out of desperation... Randy Savage rushes the ropes and rebounds with a FLYING CROSSBODY! Razor's down and he's being pinned! 1... 2... KICKOUT! Savage picks up Razor but RAZOR GOES FOR A SMALL PACKAGE! 1... 2... KICK OUT! There's one minute left in the match! Both men struggle to get to their feet and for a moment, they look at one another... Razor tries to strike first but MISSES! SAVAGE HITS THE ATOMIC DROP ON RAZOR! Razor's knees wobble, and as he turns around to face Savage, he's PICKED UP AND SLAMMED AGAIN! Savage is going for the Diving Elbow... and with such incredible grace, he HITS IT ON RAZOR! IT'S TOO LATE THOUGH! The bell is ringing! This match ended in a draw! Savage is not satisfied at all and vociferously argues with the ref that the match has to continue! During this, Razor slowly crawls out of the ring and his knees wobble as he struggles to keep standing... Rating: 70​

Suddenly from out of nowhere, it's Bret Hart diving and throwing fists at Razor Ramon! These men are absolutely filled with rage for one another and Bret Hart wants to beat Razor within an inch of his life! It's a massive struggle outside the ring with agents and refs trying to tear each other apart! Razor is pulled into the corner of the ringside area as he covers up and laughs a little despite being in pain. On the other side is Bret Hart clawing and tearing his way, trying to get right at "The Bad Guy"! Randy Savage climbs out of the ring and attends to Bret Hart, trying to get him to calm down, "Wait for the Rumble, beat him at the Rumble, Hitman, you don't wanna do something stupid!" It's a site of pandemonium as WWF Mania goes off the air and Sean Mooney shouts, "See you all next week for more crazy action!" Rating: 87​

Show Rating: 74
Television Rating: 0.03 (23,600)
Last Week's Television Rating: 0.03 (23,581 Viewers)​

 

[Bobby Barrows]

Monday, Week 4, January 1993
The Pavilion
Davis, California
Attendance: 8000 (SOLD OUT!)
​

WELCOME EVERYONE TO ANOTHER EDITION OF MONDAY NIGHT RAW! Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Jim Ross introduce us to an exciting night of action, with the prime attraction being an all-star tag team matchup with Marty Jannetty and Mr. Perfect facing off against Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair! Additionally, the two other matches tonight have blockbuster written all over it! Bret "The Hitman" Hart defends his WWF World Heavyweight Championship against Rick Martel, and finally, The Undertaker faces off against The Million Dollar Corporation's newest asset, Bam Bam Bigelow! Well, surprise, surprise! It's starting off right now! The Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer vs. Bam Bam Bigelow w/ Jimmy Hart Our first contest of the evening is a huge hoss match between two men that need no further introduction! It's a big brawl between The Undertaker and Bam Bam Bigelow, and all the while on the outside, Paul Bearer and Jimmy Hart keep out of each other's way. This back-and-forth affair goes on for nearly seven minutes, with Taker slowly being worn down by Bigelow... Bigelow is about to hit the diving headbutt on Taker... BUT TAKER SITS UP! BIGELOW IS IN A DAZE! They both rise to their feet quickly but TAKER CLOTHESLINES BIGELOW TO THE OUTSIDE! Taker follows and it's an OUTSIDE THE RING BRAWL! The referee is losing all control of the situation! He has to call the match a double count-out! Rating: 67​

It's chaos as Taker and Bigelow continue to brawl on the outside! Jimmy Hart and Paul Bearer are trying to pull their stars from one another but it all ends up being the two managers barking at each other instead! They're all piling down the aisle and into the back as agents and referees eventually peel the two apart and restore order! Rating: 68​

Backstage, we see the Nasty Boys, Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags talking about the Royal Rumble, in just one week they'll be getting their hands on The Million Dollar Team, and all that money is going to be worthless when their stocks crumble and Wall Street is nastisized! The WWF World Tag Team Championships are coming home, and everyone knows this! Rating: 63​

WWF World Heavyweight Championship Rick "The Model" Martel vs. Bret "The Hitman" Hart (c) Our next matchup is the WWF World Heavyweight Championship being on the line! It's gonna be a doozy of a match-up as Bret Hart takes on Rick Martel, and Bobby Heenan is guaranteeing there is gonna be an upset here because The Model will be too much for the Hitman! Instead, the Hitman has control of most of the match for the most part, but Rick Martel does get a few good segments of control in there. Jim Ross talks about the pedigree of Rick Martel, a former AWA World Heavyweight Champion himself nine years ago. Vince McMahon admits that Rick Martel is a consummate athlete regardless of his ego and personality. In the end, Bret Hart gets the sharpshooter on the Model, proving Bobby Heenan's prediction wrong. Heenan merely quips, "Just wait till later tonight, Mr. Perfect and Marty Jannetty are gonna be seeing stars!" Rating: 80​

In the ring we get Vince McMahon interviewing Bret Hart, who was just victorious against Rick Martel before the commercial break. Vince asks Bret just why he attacked Razor Ramon last week on WWF Mania. Bret declares it was pay-back for when Razor decided to blindside him a few weeks ago on Monday Night Raw. "Razor, you wanna fight dirty? Well, I've never been afraid to do what it takes to win, everyone who's taken a long look at my career knows that I've never been the cleanest wrestler, but I don't need to fight fire with fire just to tie you up into knots, buddy. You tortured my little brother Owen, you've attacked me after matches, so I thought I'd give you a little taste of your medicine just so you know I know what you're all about 'chico'". Bret declares that at the Royal Rumble, Razor Ramon is going to 100% tap out to the Sharpshooter. Rating: 83​

We get ourselves a short video explaining what has led to this tag match a week before the Royal Rumble, dating all the way back to Marty Jannetty being betrayed by Shawn Michaels last year. We then flash forward to Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair turning against one another... all these images of the past flash but then are torn apart by an explosion as we get a pre-match screen for this blockbuster matchup! It's time for the main event after all! Rating: 66​

Marty Jannetty & Mr. Perfect vs. Ric Flair & Shawn Michaels It's a huge tag team matchup between four men that will be battling against one another at the Royal Rumble this Sunday! In the ring first is Shawn Michaels and Mr. Perfect as an excellent appetizer, but the biggest story is Ric Flair not wanting to be in the ring while Perfect is in, and Shawn Michaels not wanting to be in while Jannetty is in. Perfect dominates the early going against Michaels, but when Jannetty is tagged in, Ric Flair takes control and it's there where the heels get to work beating and wearing down Jannetty. Eventually, though, Jannetty gets a comeback going and HOT TAGS PERFECT! PERFECT IS RUNNING WILD ON FLAIR AND MICHAELS! Flair and Michaels have to go outside the ring to regain their senses, and the both of them get back in the ring... AND FLAIR BLATANTLY CHEATS BY POKING PERFECT IN THE EYE! Shawn and Flair are beating the hell out of Perfect! Perfect manages to sneak a tag to Jannetty though, and now it's an all-out brawl! The ref is having a hard time breaking it up, as he tries to get Perfect and Michaels out of the ring... so he DOESN'T SEE FLAIR USE BRASS KNUCKLES ON JANNETTY! Jannetty is busted open and unconscious! Flair locks in the Figure Four for an insult to injury, and as the ref turns back to see it, he has to call the match! Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair just stole this match from Marty Jannetty and Mr. Perfect! Vince and Jim Ross are apoplectic! Bobby Heenan is cheering on his client and the Intercontinental Champion as RAW goes off the air! Rating: 81​

Show Rating: 80
Television Rating: 0.63 (475,051 Viewers)
Last Wek's Television Rating: 0.64 (483,236 Viewers)​