With best in show going to "the beast incarnate" Chidley Willum the Conqueror.
In some fun trivia, the WWF actually botched a live event in Fredricton, New Brunswick on February 3rd due to of all things, sending the ring to Moncton instead. Sheesh, it's no wonder they don't do the Maritimes much anymore.
This is the first of six shows in Poughkeepsie, New York, which will handle our Raw programming from here and a little after Wrestlemania. Vince McMahon is at the table for tonight's action, and thank god, there is no Bastion Booger in sight.
Ooh yeah! It's Macho Man back at the announce position for tonight's show. A two-match show interestingly enough. No jobber matches, no squashes. Two very interesting matches indeed. Macho Man introduces the president of the Macho Man fan club... himself! In action tonight will be co-#1 contender Bret Hart taking on Heavenly Body Dr. Tom Pritchard.
We start Raw with a WWF Tag Team Championship match between champion Quebecers against Razor Ramon and the 1-2-3 Kid. This was originally going to be Razor and Marty Jannetty, but take a wild guess what happened to Marty Janetty? Yep. He's fired once again from the WWF. However, this wasn't as much a case of Marty on drugs as it had likely more to do with a pending court case between Jannetty and a former wrestler named Charles Austin, who in 1991, Jannetty had paralyzed due to a botched Rocker Dropper.
So if you're keeping score, this is the fourth firing of Marty Janetty, and the third consecutive firing three years in a row, all interestingly in February right before Wrestlemania. If it weren't for no luck, Marty would have no luck at all. He'll bounce around in the indys and eventually ECW for the remainder of the year. We'll see Marty once again in 1995.
Vince brings up the fact that the 1-2-3 Kid has beaten the Quebecers for the tag titles before with Marty Janetty, while Macho Man does bring up that the Kid was on crutches when last we saw him, meaning that maybe he's not 100%. Cheap shots by Jacques and Pierre who double team on the Kid, but the kid manages to hold his own, despite a weak knee.
Razor and the Kid execute a nice fallaway slam into a cross body double team for a two count. The Quebecers exit the ring to gather their bearings. This is a good two minutes of stalling. After a hug from both Jacques and Pierre, we finally restart action. Vince brings up how Razor could leave tonight as a double champion, while Savage (who appears to be suffering from some laryngitis) brings up the nearly year long history between Razor Ramon and the 1-2-3 Kid. Crazy to think it's been ten months since the upset of the century at this point.
The Kid gets some momentum in with a headlock to Pierre, followed by a tag to Razor. He twists the arm or Pierre like a pretzel with some tight wrist locks. Razor's momentum is stopped by a trip from Polo. Both Quebecers stomp down Razor, but he comes back with a double clothesline. Razor manages to get a hold of Polo and lands a Razor's Edge to the outside, laying out the manager. Polo takes a really decent bump as well and sells the move like death, which after that spill, it's not too hard to believe. Officials drag out Polo as we go to break.
Razor and the kid continue work on the arm of Pierre for a while. Razor gets in an atomic drop and a big back body drop to Pierre for two. Razor and the Kid knock out Jacques as the Kid follows with a spinning heel kick for two. The Kid applies an indian death lock. Tag to Razor who locks in a heel hold to the foot of Pierre. Very weird in these kind of early matches to see so much dominance from the face team.
Jacques is tagged, but Razor and the Kid maintain control, working the legs of the ex-Mountie. Diesel is on the entrance way and manages to distract Razor, giving the heels their first bit of advantage in this match. Double teaming and cheating from Jacques and Pierre as we go to break.
We return from break and get a really cool shot of the ring from the reflection of Diesel's shades. I very rarely give Kevin Dunn a lot of credit, but if that was his call, that was actually pretty sick. The Quebecers continue to work Razor in the corner, but a miscommunication leads to a tag to the Kid. Spinning heel kick to Jacques. But a second attempt at a high risk maneuver leads to the Kid falling on his injured leg. Big double team throw from the Quebecers sending the Kid face first into the ropes. A double hairpull takedown, and their double team body slam for a two count.
Clothesline from Pierre only gets a two count. A clothesline and sweep from both Quebecers gets a two count. The Kid tries to fight back, but so far it's to no avail. Hard whip to the buckle and a double team clothesline in the corner from Pierre. Another fast tag, but their double team back drop gets nothing. Tag to Razor who slams both Quebecers and hits some big back body drops for good measure. Double noggin knocker to the tag champs. Razor sets Pierre on the top rope and lands a back body drop off the middle rope. He signals for the Razor's Edge. He lands the Edge...
But Shawn Michaels breaks the three for a DQ. The Kid chases off Michaels, but the damage has been done. Despite the win for Razor and the Kid, the Quebecers retain their titles. The road to Razor and Shawn's ladder match is getting intense as Michaels taunts Razor and the Kid further. But with Diesel in Shawn's corner, it's a little tough for Razor to get some revenge.
Overall, this was a great tag title match. Lots of action in the ring and outside with plenty of great tag work and double teams. The Quebecers continue to impress me with just how well oiled a machine they are in the ring, and for a team of once rivals, Razor and the Kid come off almost perfectly in sync. It had plenty of time, never felt like it dragged too long, and the ending helped build towards the ladder match at Wrestlemania. Overall an enjoyable opener.
Next week on Raw, it's "Macho Man" Randy Savage against Yokozuna for the WWF title. That's a great opportunity Randy. Would be a shame if someone took that opportunity and Kona Crushed it. Jim Cornette heads to Ringside and tells Savage that Yoko will snap Savage like a slim jim. He then introduces "The Doctor of Desire" Tom Pritchard for our main event against Bret "The Hitman" Hart.
Great pop for Bret as he heads to the ring. After giving his shades to a fan at ringside, we kick off action with some great back and forth between both men early in. Vince brings up the Jackson family while Pritchard gets in a drop toe hold, only to be turned into a wristlock by Bret. Pritchard gets back control and attempts a hiptoss out of the corner, only to be turned around to a hard whip into the buckle and a back body drop. Dropkick by Bret sends Pritchard out of the ring.
Bret continues momentum in the ring by working the arm of Pritchard. Hard body slam by Pritchard, but he misses an elbow drop. Bret lays in multiple shots to the arm. Nikolai Volkoff in a suit is at ringside enjoying the action. Pritchard takes Bret to the corner with shots to the sternum, but Bret once against regains control and works the arm some more as we go to break. When we return, Pritchard rakes the eyes to finally get control. Vince shills that Donnie Wahlberg is going to be special ring announcer at Wrestlemania X. Is that a step up or down from Billy Martin from Wrestlemania 1? You be the judge.
While we have this technical match going on, Vince decides to talk to Donnie Wahlberg and shills his new album. Suplex and a cover for two by Pritchard. Vince talks about Marky Mark and tries to get Donnie to bring up any jealousy, while a great technical match is going on. Classic Vince. Bret gets in a backslide for two after a long headlock from Pritchard. More restholds from Pritchard. Bret tries to turn things around just to be worked down some more. Cornette tries to whack Bret with the tennis racket, but Savage makes the save by smacking him hard into the steel steps. So hard that I don't think that was planned.
Bret is back in control after the break as he hits a Russian leg sweep for two followed by an inside cradle for two. Bret lands a hard elbow off the second rope for only two. Bret counters a whip in the corner for a victory roll for a two count. A distraction from Cornette leads to a knee that sends Bret out of the ring. Owen heads to ringside to chastise his brother. He tosses Bret in the ring and yells how he always needs Owen's help. However, Bret gets in a suplex and the Sharpshooter while Owen gloats. Bret gets the win as Owen looks on shocked.
Bret challenges Owen to get in the ring, but the younger brother is hesitant while officials try to separate the two. Bret has reached the point beyond not wanting this fight to now being all in on this battle with his younger bro.
As for the match, it was pretty good. A bit slow in places, but as you'd expect from any Bret Hart match, it was a great technical affair that never really felt like it dragged too long. Could have gone without Donnie Wahlberg, but that's neither here or there. And as always this angle with Bret and Owen continues to deliver as the ending with Owen inadvertently helping Bret with the victory was very clever. Another solid match for this evening.
Todd Pettengill shills the Wrestlemania X card. He brings up the celebrities appearing, including Little Richard, Burt Reynolds, Donnie Wahlberg, Jennie Garth. And...
Bucky and Vinnie? I guess they were New York cabbies who gained some obscure popularity for being critics on Showtime. They'll be starring at Wrestlemania X as "Sirs Not Appearing at this Pay Per View".
Also, Sy Sperling from the Hair Club for Men.
Not since Herb at Wrestlemania 2 has the WWF been so hot on the pulse of popular culture.
Macho Man vs Crush in a falls count anywhere match
Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels in a Ladder Match to determine the real Intercontinental champion
Men on a Mission vs The Quebecers
Alundra Blayze defending the Women's title
Earthquake vs a still booked despite being injured Ludvig Borga
A mixed tag match between Doink & Dink and Bam Bam & Luna
Bret Hart vs Owen Hart
Lex Luger vs Yokozuna for the WWF Title
And Bret Hart vs the winner of Lex Luger vs Yokozuna for the WWF Title
Overall, it's a helluva better card than last year's Wrestlemania.
This week' edition of Raw was pretty solid from start to finish. We got two great matches involving some of the company's best workers right now. The tag title match was excellent work from all four men, while Bret Hart and Dr. Tom Pritchard was pretty good, but that's to be expected from Bret Hart. But most importantly, this show did a great job in building the headlining matches on the card, including adding this possible stirring of the pot involving this WWF title match between Randy Savage and Yokozuna. The build for Wrestlemania X is so far delivering and as for this Raw, this is definitely one worth giving a look back to. It gets an A-.