Raw Retrospective: Monday Night Raw 10.18.93

WWF RAW Episode Thirty-Six
October 18, 1993
Live from Poughkeepsie, New York
Hosts: Vince McMahon, Macho Man and Bobby Heenan

We kick things off with a video package detailing some of history’s great summits – Kennedy/Khrushchev, Nixon/Brezhnev, Reagan/Gorbachev, and as of last week – Ramon/Martel for the Intercontinental Championship and Luger/Borga for the Nation’s honor. TONIGHT we’ll be seeing the “most significant summit in WWF history” as Randy Savage meets Crush face to face! Effective, if corny, opening package.

Savage seems to think the summit between Crush and him will be peaceful, but Heenan is hoping for a brawl. In fact, he has a camera waiting in the back to capture the very second Crush gets at the arena.

The Steiner Brothers Vs PJ Walker and Tony DeVito
Scott hits a vicious looking full nelson slam on DeVito early on, and drags him over to tag in Walker. Rick gets the tag, barks like a dog, and hits his weird powerslam thing. Scott comes in and hits a dropkick and then dedicates a Steiner Driver to Macho Man. DeVito comes in and, to the surprise of everybody, gets hit with a tilt-a-whirl slam and an assisted bulldog for the three at 3:10. DUD. Steiners didn’t even feel like trying here.
Winners: The Steiner Brothers

I.R.S. Vs Scott Taylor
IRS starts us off with a sloppy suplex, but gets caught in a sunset flip attempt for two. IRS beats on Taylor in the corner before applying a headlock. IRS, about two minutes and thirty seconds in, is already drenched in sweat. IRS locks in a sloppy abdominal stretch, lets that go and finishes things with a flying clothesline at 3:30. DUD. Even for squashes these last two have been pretty boring.
Winners: I.R.S.

Vince talks about newcomer “Double J” Jeff Jarrett, who wants to use the WWF as a stepping stone to catapult himself in the “country and western field…imagine that.” Vince seems perturbed by the whole thing, while Savage looks like he just got the worst upset stomach in the world. Jarrett is in front of the Country Music Hall of Fame and talks about his family legacy in wrestling and how he’s already become the best. Unfortunately, his heart is in country music. Only thing of note is that he calls Garth Brooks fat.

Tatanka Vs Mike Sharpe
We’re shown a clip from Superstars where Tatanka and Borga get in an argument backstage, but there was no physical altercation. Both men trade standing submissions, with Sharpe getting to the ropes each time. Savage, who has been oddly quiet all episode, talks about friendships going down the drain, and calls Hogan a “primadonna, a backstabber, and a liar.” Far more interesting than the match going on in the ring. Anyways, Savage is afraid Crush has been talking to Hogan and that the summit tonight is going to end in a fight. Sharpe tries to smash Tatanka into the turnbuckle, which ends exactly how you’d expect it to end at 5:00. * Slightly better than the other squashes tonight since Sharpe was allowed some offense and there weren’t awkward pauses like the other two.
Winner: Tatanka

Heenan is in the backstage area talking with Crush, who has just arrived.

Bam Bam Bigelow Vs Dennis Diamond 2150
Bigelow tosses Diamond halfway across the ring twice. Heenan comes back to the announce table and tells Savage that Crush is angry and that he better watch his ass. Bigelow hits a side kick and suplex. Standing headbutts follow, and a splash finishes things at 3:10. DUD, but Bigelow looks vicious.
Winner: Bam Bam Bigelow

Bobby Heenan is in the ring and introduces the “man betrayed and stabbed in the back by Macho Man Randy Savage,” Crush! Crush comes out with Mr. Fuji, creating one of the most awesome teams of all time. Savage is great here, looking completely befuddled by this turn of events. Crush goes on about how Savage and him were best friends, brah, and that he listened to every word Savage said. At some point, Crush became Savage’s superior, but he didn’t realize it until people like Bobby Heenan and Fuji showed him the light. Savage told Crush to step in the ring with Yokozuna and that he’d have his back, but where was Savage when Yoko was crushing Crush? Six feet away on his butt! “Why didn’t he pull you out on the first one, or maybe even the second one!? There’s no excuse!” – Bobby Heenan. Crush is pissed that Savage only called twice and that was just to see how ‘bad’ he was doing. Savage looks like he’s crying right now, which makes Crush’s silly and angry promo all the more effective. “Stay out of my life, stay of my business, and most important of all you better stay out of my way!” – Crush. Savage steps into the ring and tells Crush he made a mistake, but Crush is making a bigger mistake. He calls Heenan and Fuji “nothing but garbage,” and that Crush and him can “pound it out.”

Crush wants nothing to do with it, saying it’s too late. Savage, undaunted, asks for a handshake. Heenan tries to fill Crush’s head with more lies, but gets pushed away to a pretty big reaction. Crush shakes and the place goes wild! They walk to the back but along the way Crush changes his mind and beats down Savage! Crush walks along ringside with Macho in a gorilla press and drops him on the railing. Jim Cornett and Yokozuna come out to…celebrate in the ring? For a second it looks like Yoko was dancing, which is always a good time. Crush continues the beating on the outside and eventually throws him to the wolves inside the ring. Yokozuna hits the banzai drop before officials finally get Savage out of the ring. Pretty awesome segment with a logical reason for the turn and the crowd was into it. Savage did a great job as well, looking like he truly lost his best friend.

Over the last week Vince has been plugging the Monday Night Raw Voteline, which asked the WWF fans whether or not President Jack Tunney should reinstate former Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels. Most said no, but the graphic they used is pretty awesome. Heenan feels the voting was rigged, making “44 calls” himself.

Next week we’ll see Crush, Diesel, Ludvig Borga, and the 1-2-3 Kid in action!

The 411: This show was all about the main event angle, and it delivered in that aspect. The in-ring action itself was pretty boring, though, with everyone simply walking through the paces. If you haven’t seen the Savage/Crush feud, however, it’s worth checking out as it’s kind of a forgotten angle.
Final Score:  6.0   [ Average ]