After an unintended hiatus, it's time once again to delve into the New Generation era of Monday Night Raw. Welcome once again to Taste of The New Generation. When last we met we experienced the 1994 Royal Rumble. And there were certainly many big events coming out of the show. The Undertaker was assaulted by multiple heels and "ascended to heaven", Razor Ramon held on to his Intercontinental Championship despite the attempted assault by Shawn Michaels.
But the biggest stories out of the Royal Rumble both involve Bret Hart. After not being able to capture the WWF Tag Team Titles from the Quebecers, Owen Hart took the shot heard around the world and kicked the injured leg of his brother. Bret's night would see some serendipity as he would technically win the 1994 Rumble, however by tying with Lex Luger. With the future of the Wrestlemania X main event in disarray, it's time to start that bumpy road to the grandest stage of them all.
It's January 24th, 1994 and Raw is finishing up its three show tapings from Richmond, Virginia's Smelling Moon Coliseum. It's Vince McMahon and Jim Ross (in one of his last appearances prior to his firing mentioned in a previous edition of TOTNG. Opening action this week is one half of the Royal Rumble Winners himself. "Mr. U.S.A" Lex Luger taking on Austin Steele. The reaction for Luger is still very strong, although not quite as explosive as his run in the Summer. Vince crows about Raw being #1 in the ratings last week as Jim Ross tries to get to the point of the controversy of the Rumble's ending.
Hammerlock by Luger starts things up. Luger is already having trouble keeping his trunks up as he puts in a headlock to Steele. Luger breaks and gets in a series of hiptosses. Back into the headlock goes Lex. After almost a minute, Steele makes the break and gains control with some strikes. Luger dodges a charge in the corner and lands a back suplex. He follows with a very nice vertical suplex and a powerslam. Superplex off the 2nd rope by Luger gets the three count in a very blase squash match. Nothing botchy or wrong, just very by the numbers for Lex Luger.
Vince shills the card which will feature Men on a Mission, Doink, Shawn Michaels, Jeff Jarrett, Adam Bomb and more.
It's Todd Pettengill with the Rumble Report. Mainly nothing new coming out of what we knew from the show. The biggest thing Todd brings up is that by this weekend, WWF President Jack Tunney should have some sort of solution to the co-winner controversy of the Royal Rumble.
It's J-E-Double F, J-A-Double R-E-Double T in action. Vince plugs the encore of the Rumble by saying it's better than watching the state of the union address from President Clinton. It's been a while since Vince has taken a jab at the demmycrats. Jarrett is up against John Paul, which may be the topper for blandest jobber name yet. Nice clothesline by Jarrett early on. John Paul gets an inside cradle for two. Jarrett gets some strikes, but once again is almost upset by a sunset flip by John Paul for two. Whip and an elbow from Jarrett, who flexes to the crowd and jaw jacks the ref.
Hard whip to the buckle and a headlock takedown by Jarrett. He lands a poor fist drop to John Paul. Jarrett lands a nice slingshot suplex and rams Paul head first into the buckle. Unlike Tatanka however, he does not no sell. Big back body drop by Jarrett, but he misses the elbow drop. John Paul gets a roll up for two. Jarrett misses an elbow in the corner as Paul gets some strikes, but Jarrett gets a roll up with a handful of tights for the three. Not a bad squash match, though nothing special. Post-match, Jeff Jarrett hits a running DDT on John Paul. We end the segment learning that next week Johnny Polo will take on the 1-2-3 Kid.
It's Men on a Mission up next against the Headshrinkers. Originally this was the Headshrinkers against Bret and Owen, but with what went down at the Rumble, the reason behind this is obvious. Mo and Fatu start as Mo lands a clothesline and plays to the crowd. After some stalling, Mo takes down Fatu once again. More stalling and playing to the crowd as the Shrinkers converse with Afa. Facebuster to Fatu, but it has no effect as Fatu gets in a kick to the face. Mo manages a tag to Mabel. Fatu is unable to slam the massive Mabel, but Mabel gets in some slams and boots to the Shrinkers. Fatu hits several kicks to the face of Mabel, but the big man lands a massive suplex nonetheless.
Tag to Mo who lands a clothesline complete with the Fatu spinning sell, but only gets a two count. Kick to the back of Mo by Samu as Fatu slams Mo hard as we go to break. When we return, it's a double clothesline from the Shrinkers on Mo. Diving headbutt by Fatu for a two. The crowd chants "Let's go Mo" while the chinlock is applied. Mo gets tossed through the ropes. While Mable confronts Fatu, Samu smashes Mo into the steel steps. Mo tries a slam to the steps, but the hard head of Samu no sells it. Samu gets the tag and lands a leg drop for two. He reapplies the chinlock as the crowd gets behind Mo. Mo gets a sunset flip, but Fatu attacks Mo. Roll up by Mo only gets a two.
Some more double teaming by the Shrinkers ensues including a wishbone. Another headbutt by Fatu who then ascends the ropes, but Mo pulls the rope, causing Fatu to drop. Mo manages the tag to Mabel who clotheslines both Shrinkers. Big charghe in the corner and a front bulldog of some sort. Double noggin knocker to Samu and Afa as Mabel is a house of fire. Spinning wheel kick by Mabel only gets a two. Double elbow by Mo, but the ref never saw the tag. Samu sends Mabel tumbling out and tags in Fatu who lands the splash for three. Mabel clotheslines both men to end the segment.
Not the worst tag team match, but very by the book. A lot of heel work and the hot tag by Mabel, while decent wasn't all that good either. Still, this was the best effort of the M.O.M so far, and as always the Headshrinkers never cease to impress.
It's "Ol' Kool-Aid Tongue" Adam Bomb up next against Tommy Angel. Headlock by Angel is met with a shoulder block from Adam Bomb. Angel dodges a clothesline and lands several dropkicks. But Adam Bomb gets a blow to the back to regain momentum. Stomps in the corner and a hiptoss followed by a clothesline. Vince shills this week's USA movie "Invasion of Privacy", while Adam Bomb hits a dropkick. In this week's edition of "Boy, isn't this dated?" Jim Ross talks about Sally Perdue. Dam Bomb ascends the turnbuckle and lands a flying clothesline. He finishes it with the Atom Smasher for three. Another decent squash from Adam Bomb, but he still feels like he's lacking something.
After another vignette for Sparky Plugg, we enter my own personal hell. It's Face Doink with Dink in action. Dink is walking an invisible dog to the ring, because of course. It's Joey Stallings up next. Dink walks his dog in the ring as Doink pets it. They lure Stallings to pet it, who then trips over it. Jim Ross kills the illusion by saying "There's nothing to pet!" Hammerlock by Doink is met with a shoulder by Stallings. Doink then lands a belly to belly and a roll into a three. Knee to the arm as Doink applies pressure. At least his time around he's actually wrestling much more. Nice sidewalk slam landed by Stallings for a two. But he misses a dropkick to as Doink laughs on. He laughs as he hits a nice dropkick. Side suplex from the clown with the giggle fits. Powerslam and the Whoopee Cushion off the top for the three count. Overall, the least obnoxious appearance of face Doink so far.
It's our main event of the evening with "The Real Intercontintal Champion" Shawn Michaels in action against Tyrone Knox. Lots of focus on Diesel by the commentary team as Ross brings up how impressive Diesel's showing at the Rumble was. Headlock and shoulder block by Knox, but Michaels gets back some offense. Hard whip to the corner by Michaels, who then misses a splash. Knox works on the arm of Michaels with the wringer as commentary brings up how Michaels was just as much a culprit in Diesel's elimination as everyone else.
Michaels throws Knox out of the ring and distracts Earl Hebner. Diesel just tosses Knox back in as Michaels lands a stomp to the face. Great elevation off the dropkick by Michaels. Chinlock applied by Michaels as Vince crows about CBS losing the NFL package, and then tries to say negotiations are in place to get the WWF on CBS. Yes Vince, and I'm guessing you'll finally get John Madden as lead commentator. Tyrone Knox goes to the school of Tatanka and no sells the buckle bumps, but ends up getting a Sweet Chin Music to the face. Michaels then drops a piledriver for the three in a messy squash.
We end Raw with Vince and J.R shilling the 1-2-3 Kid vs Johnny Polo match. Also, Kwang will be in action. Owen Hart will be in action and an interview with the dual Royal Rumble winners. IRS will also be on commentary. Oh boy, get ready for an hour of tax comments.
Overall, this was one of the duller editions of Raw in a while, consisting mainly in forgettable enhancement matches. Even the big match of Men on a Mission vs. The Headshrinkers wasn't anything worth getting too excited about. But at least the show moved at a brisk pace and never felt like it dragged. I also thought Vince and J.R had good chemistry together on commentary. Makes it even more a shame that Ross will be fired soon after. And I like the constant focus on the controversy of the Rumble and that it's the most important story going forward right now. In the end though, this episode was a definite skip. It's a C- for this one.