RAW Retrospective: Monday Night Raw 01.11.93

Posted by Trace Aber on 07.06.2009

The beginning of an era...

WWF RAW Episode One
January 11, 1993
Live from the Manhattan Center
Hosts: Randy Savage, Vince McMahon, and Rob Bartlett
Approx. Run Time: 35 minutes

Ah, Monday Night Raw. It's something that has been a part of most wrestling fan's lives for sixteen years and provided some of our most memorable and favorite moments in wrestling ever. From a weekly, taped one-hour show to live 3-hour specials, RAW has seen a slew of changes over its tenure and still continues to change and update almost on a weekly basis. The problem was that it was generally difficult to find some of those memories and matches unless they have been a part of a Best Of…DVD or random clips on YouTube. Thanks to WWE.com Legacy, however, we are now able to watch episodes of RAW, starting from the very first one, with a couple new episodes added every month. As of this writing, they have posted 81 episodes of RAW, and I plan to review them all, in order.

Sean Mooney kicks things off with a shot of the New York Skyline, standing outside of the arena that the first RAW is taking place in. While he's talking about how pumped up every one is, Bobby Heenan comes and is told he's been replaced. Heenan tries to buy a ticket, but apparently it's sold out. The two argue as we cut to the original Monday Night RAW intro, jazz music and all.

The three commentators hype up tonight's show and it sounds like Vince and Savage are having a contest to see who has the scratchiest voice. Rob Bartlett makes it be known that he is a terrible announcer the moment he opens his mouth.

Opening Match: Koko B. Ware Vs Yokozuna
Not sure if I'd choose this match to kick off a new TV show, but I don't think even Vince thought RAW would be as successful as it turned out to be. The ladies following Yokozuna are quite attractive, by the way. At this point, Yoko had yet to be knocked off his feet or defeated. The audience doesn't seem too terribly interested in either man. Barlett says Yoko "has an ass like an amphitheater" while Savage thinks Yoko weighs 1000 pounds. After a steady shot of Yoko's ass, they circle the ring…slowly. Finally, after what seems forever, they lock up and Koko gets thrown across the ring. Mr. Fuji likes this, apparently. They circle up again with similar results. Koko's pants are ridiculous. Koko goes for a shoulder block but Yoko brushes him off, tries again, and meets the same fate. They continue to stall until Koko goes for a series of dropkicks, which stagger Yoko. Koko goes for a flying clotheslines but gets nothing but ropes and flies back to the center of the ring and Yoko follows with a chokeslam as Bartlett makes fat jokes. Yoko throws Koko in the corner and hits the splash followed by the Banzai Drop for the three at 3:45. Nothing match to put over Yoko as a beast and a viable contender as the winner in the Royal Rumble. (DUD)
Winner: Yokozuna (Banzai Drop)

Shot of the announcers as one of the RAW Girls walks around with a sign that says, "Monday Night War." This is utterly pointless, but what do I know?

The Brain cuts a promo putting over Lex Luger, who was running the Narcissist gimmick. Brain says Luger is "more than perfect" and compared to him, Mr. Perfect is horse manure. I whole-heartedly disagree, but Heenan lets us know that Luger is anatomically perfect, so touché'. Heenan apparently was watching some Warrior Warrior promos as he says Luger is from another world and galaxy, and that he will debut at the Royal Rumble. Awkward promo.

The Steiner Brothers Vs The Executioners
Scott starts things out and hits a tilt-a-whirl drop as we see Doink the Clown running in the crowd. Tag into Rick who circles around and hits a couple of hard punches. One of the Executioner goes for the Irish whip but it's reversed and the Executioner trips, but gets clotheslined anyways. The Executioners meet outside but Scott gives them the ole' double headbutt treatment. Back in the ring, Rick hits a powerslam and tags Scott in who hits a nice looking belly-to-belly suplex. The Executioners are forced to tag in and Scott hits a double-underhook powerbomb that looked half impressive and half dangerous. Match finishes with the Steinerizer for the three at 3:04. Another squash that was kind of sloppy, but the crowd was into it. (*)
Winners: The Steiner Brothers

Sean Mooney is outside with a woman who is being detained trying to get in the show. She claims that Rob Bartlett is her nephew, to which the always talented Sean Mooney replied, "So you're his mom?" Sean almost falls for it until he figures it out that it was Bobby the Brain all along! That wacky Heenan.

In the ring, Razor Ramon is out and being interview by Vince McMahon. When asked about whether or not he was ready for his match with Bret Hart, he claims to be born ready. Vince talks about Hart taking 8 and a half years to get to the top, while Ramon is simply a "Johnny Come-Lately". Ramon says Hart spent all that time to get to the top while Ramon got to the top in 8 and a half months. They show clips from Ramon attacking Owen Hart during an interview and Ramon says squashing Owen like a "cockaroach" was fun and there was nothing Bret could do about it. Vince tries to end the interview but Ramon continues and said Bret Hart can't do anything about Razor winning the title. Razor throws his toothpick at Vince who simply replies, "He's a bad guy." Nowadays he'd be forced to kiss Vince's ass and then fired. My, times have changed. Pointless interview that did very little to promote the match.

Max Moon Vs Shawn Michaels© for the Intercontinental Championship
Vince says HBK might have an "ego," which is probably an understatement. An HBK armdrag starts things off, followed by a lock up where Max Moon and HBK battle over arm locks. Michaels runs the ropes by Max Moon avoids contact until HBK goes for a kick, gets caught in a backdrop, which he flips out of. Moon gets behind HBK, goes for a roll up, Michaels holds onto the ropes but runs into some arm drags and a bodyslam before they take a break. They lock up but Michaels knees Moon in the guts, misses a clothesline and gets hit with a hammerlock takedown. Moon works the hammerlock as we cut to break. Back in, Michaels has Moon in the corner and follows up with a couple of punches, but misses a diving shoulder and gets nothing but turnbuckle. HBK no-sells it and picks Moon up to drop him throat-first on the ropes. Michaels stomps on Moon before dropkicking him. Something happens but they decided it was more important show Doink laughing. Back in the ring, HBK is primping his hair and smiling for the camera. Shawn picks up Max Moon and goes for the Irish whip but Moon gets a roll-up for a long-two. Michaels gets tired of being fancy and punches Moon in the face and then smashes his face in the turnbuckle, followed by a hard whip into the opposite corner. Moon gets another surprise rollup but Michaels kicks out and hits an elbow for two. Michaels locks in a sleeper hold, but Moon manages to get to his feet. Michaels goes for a dropkick but gets caught by Moon and is catapulted to the outside over the top rope then Moon hits a senton to Michaels on the outside. HBK cowers in the corner and gets hit with a roundhouse kick and that move that Kennedy did for a while gets a two. Moon misses another senton, however, and gets hit with a savant kick and a suplex, yes, a suplex, wins the match. Granted, the suplex was modified, but still. Match finished at 8:08 of what was shown, though I want to point out that during this match Rob Bartlett has been doing a really bad Mike Tyson impression that is only devaluing what was a decent match. Michaels dominated most of the match but it was still entertaining. (**)
Winner: Shawn Michaels

Outside, people are lining up for tickets to next week's RAW. Bobby Heenan comes back, dressed as a Rabbi and makes a discount price joke before the fake beard falls off. Mooney and Heenan have the same exchange they've had three times earlier tonight.

Main Event: Damian Demento Vs The Undertaker
Here it is - the first ever main event in RAW history. As much as I don't like Damian Demento, I hate Rob Bartlett ten times more. Undertaker is in full deadman mode, and Demento is…partially retarded. Demento talks to himself before an awkward staredown that is broken by a Damian punch. They look pretty stiff as well. Taker gets tossed in the ropes but takes control with a facebuster. Undertaker hits Old School, which at the time was simply known as "School." Undertaker chokes Demento in the corner but gets a boot in the face when he charges. A double axehandle from Demento is broken up by what appears to be an accident, but they follow that up with Undertaker hitting a flying clothesline. The match finishes, mercifully, with the tombstone. (DUD). Despite the 2:26 match length, it felt much longer and had a lot of awkward spots and botches. Not a good start at all.
Winner: The Undertaker

Vince is ringside with Doink the Clown, who likes to make children cry, not laugh. Doink doesn't care if children cry, as long as he laughs. Crush comes out to confront Doink and makes a joke about having size 14 shoes and a size 20 mouth. Oh, Crush - quite the linguist. Crush warns Doink to stop with the jokes, so Doink shoots him with a water gun. This leads to a chase around the ring that ends abruptly when Crush's music plays. Doink laughs on the floor while Crush looks on.

Bobby Heenan is finally allowed in the building, but, AH! The show is over. Damn you Sean Mooney and your tomfoolery.

The 411: The first RAW is far from the polished product it has become. Vince and Savage did their part on commentary, but having Rob Bartlett was a huge mistake. He was a real downer on every match and made unfunny jokes and rarely talked about what was going on in the ring. The only match that was decent was Michaels Vs Moon, but it's not worth going out of your way. All in all, a historical show for sure, but history alone does not make an entertaining show.

Final Score:  5.5   [ Not So Good ]