It's time for another edition of the Taste of the New Generation, and holy crap. Raw's officially reached double digits. It's the tenth episode of Monday Night Raw, and we're once again in the Manhattan Center. Commentary team is the real Vince McMahon, Macho Man Randy Savage, and Rob Bartlett as Rob Bartlett. I'm assuming after the hack job of being Vince McMahon last week, Vince is hopefully going to bring the end of Bartlett's impersonations.
Our opening contest this week features Luke and Butch, the now Hall of Fame bound Bushwhackers. Their opponents this week are Damien Demento and the Repo Man. We have an uncomfortably long time waiting for the Bushwhackers, only to discover they're up on the balcony. Sadly we won't see some New Jack-esque dive, but we go to break as it still takes several minutes for them to finally arrive to the ring.
After having some fun with one of the sign ladies (thankfully a lot less fat jokes this week), we finally get some action. Vince tells us that next week there will be a special called "The March to Wrestlemania" which will feature six-man tag action, which fill feature the whackers and midgets. Ah, the less PC 1993, how I miss thee.
Demento starts with offense, but Butch gets in a bite to the ass, while Luke gets Repo with one. Collision with both opponents is lef with a double clothesline by the Bushwhackers. Demento looks to the clouds as Repo gets cheap shots in on Luke. More distractions from the ref which are met with double team offense from the heels.
Demento continues offense with a whip to the corner, a shoulder block, and a leg drop to the lower extremities. Heels get in quick tags, but both Demento and Luke collide with each other. Tag to Repo and tag to Butch, who gets in several shots to knock down both Repo and Demento. He follows with a double noggin knocker. A double clothesline is met with a trip, giving Demento time to lay shots on both men. A body slam is met with a tackle and a near pin. But the ref's distracted. But the Bushwhackers still get in their battering ram for the three in a fun opener. While I wouldn't call the Bushwhackers good in any capacity in-ring, this at least had some action and never felt too slow.
No, we'll save that boringness for a squash match with Tatanka next against Reno Riggins. Riggins gets early offense, but Tatanka turns it around by leapfrogging after an Irish whip, and laying in chops and a big body drop. Riggins turns things around by grinding Tatanka into the ropes and getting a sleeper that Tatanka breaks out of quick. Atomic drop, leapfrog, a flip, and a chop from the Native American. And then we go into a dull armbar. Riggins breaks out and lays in his chops, only to get harder ones from Tatanka. Irish whip, which Tatanka turns into a springboard cross body, but misses.
And then we get the same old spot. Riggins rams Tatanka into the buckle, which he no sells and does his war dance. Hard chops follow, along with a power slam, and his Samoan drop for the three. While Tatanka put in more variety in this match than his previous jobber matches, this was still a bland match with a bland worker in Tatanka.
We then get a video package of the late Andre the Giant as he is announced as the first ever inductee to the WWF Hall of Fame. While there really wouldn't be a more fitting choice for the first person to go in, it's weird to see the WWF toy with the concept of a hall of fame all the way back in 1993. It would pop up every now and again in the 90's, it actually woudn't become an annual pre-Wrestlemania tradition until eleven years later in 2004.
Still, it's really cool to think this oft-considered frivolous honor was first conceived to pay tribute to the late, great Andre. The video package is also top notch, showing Adre's most legendary moments with the company up until his final Wrestlemania appearance at Wrestlemania VI. It's set to a sombre little tune, which does its job of being emotional, and fits well with the footage being used.
Raw returns to action with the WWF tag team champions Money Inc. taking on Scott Rich and Jeff Armstrong. Since they really didn't tell me which one is Armstrong, and which one is Rich, I'll just go with hair jobber and bald jobber. Pre-match, IRS reminds us, as he always does, that tax day is approaching, and you better not be caught being a dirty tax cheat. Rob Bartlett likes that IRS wears a tie. Rob definitely sounds subdued this week. Thank god.
Forget I said anything, because we see Rob is changing channels while we have a wrestling match going on. Good to know the mentality of the commentators not giving a damn about what goes on in-ring can be traced back to the early days of Monday Night Raw. Also, Vince maybe should keep his mouth shut of having no competition on Monday Nights. That's gonna bite him in two years.
Shoulder block and a clothesline from Dibiase starts the match off. He then sends someone else over the top rope. Tag to Irwin who works over Rich. Tag back to Dibiase who lays chops on bald jobber. After that, Money Inc. hit a double clothesline on bald jobber. Powerslam by Dibiase, who quickly tags in IRS to hit the Write-off on bald jobber for the three. A by-the-books jobber squash, but made a mess with more of Rob Bartlett's shtick at ringside. This is one half of one of the main events to Wrestlemania. Why are we doing a stupid channel changing bit.
It's our weekly Wrestlemania report with Gene Okerlund, who appears to have allowed his tie to be the field trip for the magic school bus this week. We learn that the contract signing for Bret Hart vs Yokozuna will take place on either Superstars or All-American Wrestling. Because lord knows that wouldn't be good tv for Raw or nothing. Get those episodes on the network, Vince!
Gene also reminds us about Wrestlemania IX being the world's largest toga party, and is especially excited over the vestal virgins. Gene just can't stop talking about the vestal virgins. We also learn that Randy Savage will come to ringside on a sedan, and may or may not have some of said vestal virgins alongside him. You know, given those rumors about him and Stephanie, Macho Man seems a bit too excited about being around virgins.
It's main event time this week as Doink the Clown will face off against The Ugandan Giant Kamala. Doink's sporting a shorter green fro this week, which definitely is off putting when you consider how Doink usually looks. He's also carrying another box to ringside. Hopefully it's another pie for Rob Bartlett.
Doink offers his present to Kamala, but chooses not to give him it, and instead locks in some holds on the Ugandan Giant. He spends a lot of time on the arm until Kamala lays in some chops, but an eye rake from Doink brings us back into the rest holds. And I think that's my issue with Doink in-ring. As a character, you're bound to get some wacky shenanigans, but when he actually wrestles, it's mostly slow, methodical rest holds with barely any amazing offense. It's not a major issue, but when you get it in matches like the one with Koko a couple weeks back, it just becomes boring and forgettable.
Kamala escapes, and gets a big charge in the corner, as he lays in offense as we go to break. But when we return it's Doink back in control momentarily. Rob suggests that Doink could go one on one with "that guy from the Burger King commercials." Ah yes, that memorable clown from the Burger King. I think his name is Donald Rick Monald. For god's sake Bartlett if you're gonna make a reference, at least get it right. Kamala gives chase until Doink gives him the present. This distracts him long enough to get counted out. And inside the box is the blackest present of them all...
NOTHING!!
Okay, that made me laugh harder than I should have. Gotta admit, I railed on Doink in the ring, and then he immediately validates himself with more amazing shenanigans. I totally fell for the phony present trick, and it made for a unique ending.
Kamala's pissed and continues chase. Doink dives under the ring and escapes out the other side. He grabs a chair and bonks Kamala as he tries to exit. Like a big Ugandan whack-a-mole. But eventually Kamala learns from his mistakes, and goes out the other side, and sneak attacks Doink. He grabs the chair, and continues chase.
Okay, the match was nothing, but damn was the post-match stuff just great. The fake present, the whack a mole, and the final chase of Doink. Just pure gold, and the kind of fun stuff this show really has been missing since it started.
This Raw was a much better show on all fronts. The opener with the Bushwhackers was pretty fun, the Money Inc. Match was okay despite being muddled with Rob Bartlett's crap, and I loved everything about Doink vs Kamala, with the exception of the actual match. The only dull point was the Tatanka match. In the end, for the final Raw before Wrestlemania, it did its job well enough in being entertaining. So, this Raw gets an A-, if not entirely for the ending of Doink/Kamala.
And with that, we've finished every Raw prior to Wrestlemania IX, That means it's time to head straight to the big event itself. Join us next time as we look at what is considered by many as the worst Wrestlemania of them all. Does it live up to that? We'll see.