Raw Retrospective: Monday Night Raw 06.07.93

WWF RAW Episode Twenty
June 7, 1993
Live from the Manhattan Center
Hosts: Randy Savage, Vince McMahon, and Bobby Heenan
Approx. Run Time: 38 minutes

We kick the show off with Shawn Michaels coming out and introduced as the new WWF Intercontinental Champion, as well as having his new bodyguard, Diesel with him. Shawn Michaels mentions he is now on top of the world, mentioning Diesel as his “insurance policy.” He also lets Vince know that he will never, ever…ever know what it’s like to be Shawn Michaels. Funny moment as when Vince is running down the night’s card, he looks up at the sky as though he forgot the matches.

Intercontinental Championship: Shawn Michaels(c) Vs Russ Greenberg
Shawn works over the arm and takes Greenberg down. Vince announces Michaels defeated Jannetty the night before and that his bodyguard (yet to be named by this point) reportedly had something to do with that. Michaels hits a couple of bodyslams before strutting his stuff. Greenberg comes up with a small package but gets punched in the corner for his troubles. Michaels nails a stalling suplex and a rib breaker, which gives him a chance to lay on the ground and admire himself. Diesel is wearing a very ninety’s windbreaker jacket and is more interesting than the headlock going on. Greenberg tosses Michaels into the ropes but bends down, which earns him a swinging neckbreaker. Michaels climbs the top rope, hits an elbow drop, and hits the piledriver for three at 3:53. * Nothing more than a squash, but it was fine for what it was.
Winner: Shawn Michaels

We come back from break with Shawn Michaels yelling at McMahon for making him defend his newly won title from Crush at King of the Ring.

Adam Bomb Vs Tito Santana
Johnny Polo is out with Adam Bomb. They lock up and Tito works the arm but has to break it after Bomb gets the ropes. Adam Bomb looks like he’s selling hot sauce. Tito gets taken down with a bodyslam but moves out of two elbow drops. Tito goes back to the arm as Johnny Polo looks on ridiculously. Vince announces that Razor Ramon has put up $7,500 to face the 123 Kid again. Adam hits a few shoulder blocks but Tito gets a sunset flip for two. Adam takes control though and begins stomping down on Tito. Bomb gets a backbreaker while Vince says that fans have Bret Hart winning the King of the Ring. Tito hits a flying forearm for two. Tito hits a dropkick but Adam doesn’t go down! Adam takes Tito down then goes to the outside and hits a diving clothesline over the top rope for three at 5:32. * Slightly competitive match, but neither guy seemed particularly motivated.
Winner: Adam Bomb

Tatanka Vs Peter Weeks
Weeks looks awful. They take turns with some armbars and slaps, with Tatanka obviously winning. Pete hits a weak elbow , runs really slow, and I think he does something but I’m way too distracted by his jiggling form. Tatanka throws Weeks out of the ring and chops him down. Back in, the chops continue followed by an elbow. Tatanka hits a sloppy back body drop and, what do you know, more chops. Weeks gets some offense in, but it only powers Tatanka and ends things with a Tomahawk chop at 3:16. DUD. I hate all of Tatanka’s squashes, and this was no difference.
Winner: Tatanka

Jerry the King Lawler comes out in pink to host the King’s Court. The King is here and no longer do we have to listen to Vince and Savage! We’re in the city of the rotten apple, and after spending the entire day there, the King knows what kind of people they are – the most common pet is a cockroach on a leash. They paint their trash cans red and gold so the kids think they’re at McDonald’s. He is also the King of bad jokes. He says whoever wins the King of the Ring will only be an impostor, so he’s not wasting time talking about that. He’s going to talk about Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji, who will be facing Hulk Hogan at the King of the Ring for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship. The King apologizes to Yoko and Fuji for the crowd’s idiotic ways. Mr. Fuji says when Hogan looks across the ring and sees 550lbs of Yokozuna standing across from him, he will be foaming and every bone in his body will be broken after Yoko is done with him. The King wants Yoko to crush Hogan flat, and Yoko says that Hogan will go down! This Sunday, you can say goodbye to Hogan for good! Good foresight on their part.

Fatu and IRS Vs Rick Steiner and Billy Gunn
During the beginning of the match, Randy Savage runs down a bunch of birthdays for some reason. Fatu and Gunn start things off, but IRS pays Fatu to cooperate. Instead, they eat it, thinking it’s food. Fatu rushes Gunn but gets taken down with a drop toe hold, a dropkick, and a spinning neckbreaker, which gets Gunn two. Rick gets the tag and hits a bodyslam for two. Fatu elbows Rick and hits a clothesline before tagging out. IRS goes for a clothesline but Rick ducks and IRS goes over the top rope. Back in, Rick pounds away and hits a clothesline for two. Vince says prelude for his ninth time of his match as IRS tags Fatu in. Fatu holds Rick who ducks, causing IRS to deck him with an elbow. Money Inc have to pay off the Headshrinkers to not eat them. Watching Dibiase explain to them that it’s not food is hilarious. Back to the action, IRS sends Rick charging out of the ring using his own momentum. Rick crawls back in but gets tossed out to Fatu and Dibiase, who attack Steiner until Scott and Bart break things up. Back in the ring, Steiner takes a stiff clothesline but manages to get a shoulder up a two. IRS and Fatu double team in the corner while the ref is distracted. Make that ten preludes. Fatu goes for a splash but Rick gets his knees up. IRS and Gunn both are tagged and IRS takes a back body drop. Fatu runs in and gets one for himself. Gunn takes out IRS, Fatu, and Dibiase, but through the chaos IRS hits a clothesline from behind and gets the pin at 11:30. ** Not a bad tag match, which did a decent job of building up to the meaningless 8-man tag for the King of the Ring.
Winners: Fatu and IRS

It’s announced that Marty Jannetty will face Doink the Clown next week! Mr. Perfect will also be in action.

Razor Ramon comes out to speak with Vince. Vince asks him if Ramon truly offered $7,500 to face the Kid, which starts the “123” chants. Ramon says that next week, the match that everyone wants to see – Razor Ramon Vs 123 Kid, is happening. Vince says that there’s no confirmation of that, to which Razor says is enough to make everyone stand on their heads, naked. Vince points out that only 7% of people think Ramon will win the King of the Ring, but Ramon doesn’t care. Bret Hart is going to be a ‘nutter loser, ‘nutter hasben, and a ‘nutter grease spot (in reference to the arena, Nutter Center, which is four minutes away from my house!).

The 411: Better show than last week, though not by much. We did have more angle development this week, and the tag match is pretty good. We got the debut of Diesel, a Yoko promo, and Ramon continues his feud with the 123 Kid. Middling show.
Final Score:  6.5   [ Average ]