Raw is "Live" from Richmond, Virginia with our hosts for the evening, Vince McMahon and Crush. Crush is on the table due mainly to Randy Savage competing tonight aganst I.R.S. Vince brings up that later in the night we'll cut to Stan Lane who is actually live at Madison Square Garden. He'll be giving us the results of the Kid and Marty vs The Quebecers rematch for the tag team championships.
Opening action tonight is Owen Hart taking on Terry Austin. Bret accompanies Owen to ringside as it appears that finally this issue between the brothers has patched itself up. Owen even pulls a Bret and gives some shades to a young fan in attendance. Pot belly, light blue pads and boots, plus a face like Large Marge.
Terry Austin is a looker indeed. Owen works the arm of Austin while hitting some chops. Leapfrog by Austin, but a catapult is met with a knee drop by Owen. Headlock from Owen is shoved off, but Owen gets in a shoulder block and hiptoss. Arm drag takedown from Owen and more work on the arm.
As Owen works on the arm of Austin some more we get our first report from Stan Lane who pretty much tells us that The 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Janetty are ready for action tonight. Whip from Austin is turned into a BIIIIIIIIG back body drop. Crush's accent makes it sound like he's calling Vince "Bitch". Owen hits a nice diving elbow off the top and follows with a standing dropkick. Snap suplex from the Rocket and a top rope missile dropkick. Owen finishes off with a sharpshooter for the win in a serviceable squash.
Vince interviews the brothers Hart and implies that more than likely the tag title match is as good as back on. Owen complains a bit that the Kid and Marty have taken the titles and hopes the Quebecers regain the gold. Bret however is fine with it as he would never find reason to cheer the Quebecers.
Tatanka is in action next. He's got George South to take on. Chops back and forth early on and a hiptoss by Tatanka follows. Chop to the back of South followed by a whip and a clothesline. South gets a jumping clothesline of his own and attempts a cover for two. South body slams Tatanka as Stan Lane reports that the tag title match is currently on. Back body drop by Tatanka. South gets a shot to the gut of Tatanka and then does what
EVERY
SINGLE
PERSON
HAS
DONE
IN
A
FRIGGING
TATANKA
MATCH
And that is of course ram Tatanka into the buckle. He no-sells and begins his war dance. More chops from Tatanka, taking South down. A flying chop gets the three in a really forgettable squash, even for Tatanka.
We get a video package for WWF Women's Champion Alundra Blayze. We see her lifting weights, boxing, riding motorcycles. You know, essentially just being Madusa.
Vince is in the ring with WWF Champion Yokozuna. Sadly we are without Jim Cornette as he's involved in a "press conference in Japan" to celebrate Yokozuna's victory over the Undertaker at the Royal Rumble. Vince mentions the casket match, which frightens the champ. This is made no better as the lights go out...
Undertaker's music hits as we see Paul Bearer wheeling the "double wide, double deep" casket to ringside. It's so large that one kid almost manages to snatch the urn wobbling atop it. Yokozuna is petrified to go close to the casket that Vince gloats is "especially built for him. Fuji moves close to it and is quite proud of the big handles. He assures Yokozuna to not be afraid of the casket, which causes the champ to slowly overcome his fear. Yokozuna decides he wants to squash the casket, but when he opens the lid...
The Undertaker pops out like an undead jack-in-the-box. Yokozuna recoils in fear and rolls out of the ring, constantly falling over in fright as he escapes. Overall, a great segment that really helps make the casket match important. I also applaud the acting of Yokozuna, who really did a great job in playing up his casket fear.
Diesel is in action next against Scott Powers. Elbows from Diesel start things off. He follows with hard whips to the buckles. Sidewalk slam connects as Crush brings up Tonya Harding. Diesel tosses Powers out of the ring as Shawn Michaels gets in a cheap shot. Knee to the hip of Powers and a hard punch to the jaw. Stan Lane is back as he announces that The Quebecers have regained the tag team titles, therefore making the Harts match at the Rumble once again for the tag team titles.A shame to see the Kid and Jannetty lose the gold already, but it was still a great moment nonetheless.
Back in the ring, Diesel gets a gutwrench slam on Powers. He goes for a punch, but instead slaps around Powers. Vince shills the movie Gross Anatomy as Diesel nails a big boot. Jumping elbow drop gets the three in what has been Diesel's best squash so far. He's still really dull to me currently, but he's improving.
Todd Pettengill is back for the Royal Rumble Report. The card is pretty much finalized at this point, especially now that the tag team championship match is back on.
Up next is our main event. It's "Macho Man" Randy Savage taking on I.R.S. Savage has downgraded his awesome Raw jacket from last week for a nowhere as cool, yet still neat WWF Mania jacket. Savage invites Crush to get into the ring. He tries to dive on Crush, only for the ref to put a stop to him.
We return from break right at the end of I.R.S's "tax cheat" promo. He starts strong with some offense on Savage. Irish whip and an elbow to the face of Savage by Irwin. Savage tries a boot but gets taken down, and gets a leg to the groin by Irwin. I.R.S throws Savage over the top rope, almost symbolic of the Royal Rumble. I.R.S smashes Savage into the steps and enjoys his wrong doings. Savage grabs a chair, but gets stopped by Hebner, leading to a cheap shot by I.R.S
Irwin goes for a boot, only to get caught by Savage who turns it into an interted atomic drop. Savage gets two clotheslines as we go to break. When we return, I.R.S throws Savage face first into the barricade as Crush reminds us of what he did to Savage on the same barricade. Suplex over the ropes by Irwin for two after a delayed cover. He follows with a chinlock on Savage. Savage breaks it, but gets taken down quickly. Leg drop only gets a two count.
Savage gets a small package for two. Irwin tries to reapply the chinlock, but Savage breaks it. He misses a charge to the buckle, and gets rolled up for two. Back into the choke hold by Irwin as Savage breaks it by sending Irwin through the ropes. He then gets an axe handle to the back off the apron.
Savage goes for the attack on Crush but Irwin gets a shot in as we go to yet another break. When we return, I.R.S is locking in an abdominal stretch and using the ropes for leverege. Savage gets back momentum and heades up top, only to get a shot to the sternum for two. Irwin goes up top, but gets a boot to the face by Savage for two. He then drops Irwin throat first over the rope. Savage sets Irwin up for the elbow drop...
But Crush shoves him off the rope, leading to a disqualification. Crush beats down on Savage and shoves the referee. I.R.S joins in on the assault. Tatanka tries to make the save, but gets taken out. They continue their assault as Yokozuna comes down to ringside. Tatanka continues to try to make a save, but gets worked on.
Luger comes in for the save to an admittedly tepid reaction. However Diesel and Michaels also come in to cause mayhem. Bret Hart comes into the fray. Everyone brawls as Raw comes to a close.
Overall, this Raw started pretty slow, with two forgettable squashes. Once we got to the Yokozuna/Undertaker segment, it got much better. And while the Savage/I.R.S match was okay at best, the big scuffle at the end was awesome, giving us a great sense of the "every man for himself" chaos that only the Royal Rumble can provide. For a final show leading into the event, it was decent. Though no Razor Ramon/I.R.S confrontation was weird. Hell, no Borga/Tatanka stuff either. But if you can be fine with that, this Raw was still a solid B- affair.
But next up is the 1994 Royal Rumble. Can Yokozuna make it out alive, or will he be stuffed in that double wide, double deep casket? Will Bret and Owen coexist to become tag team champions? And who will win the Royal Rumble and earn a shot at the championship at Wrestlemania? Find out next time.