It's Monday, March 21st, 1994. One night after Wrestlemania X. A landmark event that saw ladders ascended, brothers clash and champions ascend. We're continuing our run through the six tapings in Poughkeepsie, New York. It's Vince McMahon at the table with "Macho Man" Randy Savage, as both are crowing about Wrestlemania as well as Bret Hart's WWF Title win.
Opening action tonight is a non-title match between the Quebecers and... sigh... The Bushwhackers. I still get "four Doinks" vibes. Luke and Butch get a sneak attack on the Quebecers and then turn their focus on Johnny Polo, who is saved by Jacques and Pierre. The Bushwhackers, being the morons they are, turn around and continue their arm raising, when they get attacked by Jacques and Pierre. They whip the Whackers, only to get reversed, criss crossed and then struck. Double butt bit by Luke and Butch who march around and double clothesline the champs for two.
They grab Jacques, but one Whacker hits the other in the head. Polo grabs one of them, but gets hit by Jacques. This match is a damn mess. It's so much of a mess, the damn feed dies out as if even Kevin Dunn in the truck doesn't want to see this. The Quebecers regroup as we finally get one member of each team in the ring. It's Butch who lands a shoulder block to Pierre. Tag to Luke as he locks in a headlock and also does a shoulder block spot. More quick tags from both men as Luke locks in another headlock.
Jacques gets a body slam and a tag to Pierre, only to be back into the double teaming of Luke and Butch. Hard whip to the buckle and a fist drop by Butch as we go to break. When we return, it's the Quebecers finally in control. Pierre drops some fists on Luke as he tags in Jacques. An assisted body slam on Luke gets a two count thanks to Butch. Elbow drop by Pierre for a two count. He follows with a hip dropp and a tag to Jacques. More quick tags as a double team back drop lands on Luke, but gets a mere two count.
Double team into a clothesline by the Quebecers only gets a two as Luke gets his foot on the rope. Tag to Pierre who jumps off the buckle, but eats a boot to the face from Luke, who finally tags in Butch. He lays strikes on both men and follows with a back body drop to Jacques. The Bushwhackers hit both men with the battering ram. While the ref's distracted, Johnny Polo ges in a cheap shot on Butch. Luke gives chase to Johnny Polo, who gets caught, only to get a big knee to the back by Pierre for the three.
Awful match. The Bushwhackers are terrible in their comedy shtick, the action was kinda dull and it was way too long. But as usual it's the Quebecers who shine once more with some great double team work.
Post-match, Vince interviews an injured Johnny Polo who says that they'll take on any team. Suddenly, Captain Lou Albano wanders by. I'd like to believe he just got lost for a while then randomly found his way there. He says that he'll put together a tag combo if they accept the challenge to the tag title. Polo accepts. So I guess we're getting some closure to the whole plan for Albano they were starting last year.
Since this Raw aired close to tax time, we get a vignette for IRS' tax tips. Reason #49 to pay your tax: Because it's a privilege. Reason #16 that people are tax cheats: Because they love to watch the national debt rise and rise. Reason #38 why you shouldn't cheat on your taxes: Because he'll make you work weekends and holidays. This is just a brilliantly odd little segment, even if it's just an extended version of every single promo he's ever given.
But that little silver lining has now passed us by, because it's time for a Tatanka match. It's Native American Tatanka, fancy new headdress and all taking on Chris Hammrick, complete with bitchin' ponytail. Vince tries to clear the air on the whole fake Clinton thing from Wrestlemania claiming there must be an impostor somewhere if there was a Clinton in Miami and at Madison Square garden last night. Bill Clintons are like Santa Clauses, there are multiple ones, and they all know a thing or two about using a cigar.
Atomic drop by Tatanka to start. Hammrick ducks some clotheslines, but gets a knee to the gut for his troubles. Chop and a big back body drop follow. Whip to the buckle and a back suplex on to Hammrick as we focus on Howard Finkel's chrome dome. I guess he wasn't too fond of the work of Mr. Sy Sperling.
Hammrick counters a whip, and goes for an attack on Tatanka, only to end up diving out of the ring. Apparently this is a regular bump of his we'll see in future appearances. It looks really goofy. Mainly the elevation and how not only his head smacking the rope, but how he falls with little to no protection to his head on the ground.
When he's back in the ring, Tatanka lands a big elbow and a suplex. He follows with a powerslam. Clothesline to Hammrick, who is pretty out of it. Another chop and a body slam. He then bashes the arm of Hammrickfor a bit. Big hiptoss by Tatanka. Hammrick finally gets some offense in with some strikes, but runs into the corner. Tatanka does his war dance, hits some chops and lands his Samoan Drop for the three. Not a bad squash, just way too long. Also, holy crap. He didn't do the corner spot. For once we didn't see someone do what
EVERY
SINGLE
PERSON
HAS
DONE
IN
A
FRIGGING
TATANKA
MATCH
It's Todd Pettengill recapping the Wrestlemania event. We get a quick interview with an excited Rhonda Shear, who's main notes is that Bret Hart was also wearing pink, and she got to meet Burt Reynolds.
It's Diesel in action up next against Ken Lucia. After a break, we return to see a nice shoulder block from Diesel on Lucia. He works the wrist and follows with a punch to the face and a kick to the gut. He locks in a headlock as the crowd chants for Diesel. He follows that up with a nice sidewalk slam. Snake eyes in the corner and a big boot from Diesel. As Vince shills Major League, Diesel hits the Jacknife Powerbomb for the three. Definitely a decent squash, as Diesel continues to improve.
Vince is in the ring to interview the new WWF Champion Bret Hart. Vince recaps the whole outcome of the main event to Bret like he probably forgot it. Bret says he didn't disappoint his fans despite his lost to Owen. He plans to take off right where he left off when last he was champ. He'll take on any challenger, including Yokozuna who is due his rematch. Vince then brings up Owen's defeat of Bret at Wrestlemania, which gets some boos from the crowd. Bret says he did the best he could, but it was one match Owen won fair and square. But things are different now since Bret is the champion. You can't get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need. Overall, not a bad little promo from Bret, which starts his 2nd title run on a decent little note.
In our last match of the night, it's Jeff Jarrett taking on Koko B. Ware. Yes, this is a night where I'm surprised that people are still on the payroll. The Bushwhackers, Koko B. Ware and Rick "The Model" Martel who will wrestle Lex Luger next week. But nevermind all that, there's Nikolai Volkoff again at ringside hanging out with Vladimir the Superfan.
As Vince and Savage give platitudes to Burt Reynolds, Jeff Jarrett lands an arm drag to Koko followed by a hip toss. He taunts as we get some stalling. Vince shills Lex Luger vs Rick Martel as Koko lands some shoulder blocks. Jarrett goes to retaliate, but Koko's at the ready. He grabs some har and ships Jarrett, but gets a face full of turnbuckle. Jarrett hits a nice elbow to the face and a dropkick. He rams Koko into the buckle, but on the second attempt, he gets a buckle to the mush, which he no-sells. Hey Jeff, you aren't Tatanka!
Hard whip to the buckle and a clothesline by Jarrett on Koko B. Ware. He follows with a couple body slams. He goes for a fist drop off the second rope, but misses. Though Koko was a little off on that recovery. Koko hits some tackles and a dropkick. He hits a body slam and a jumping elbow for two. Jeff ducks a clothesline and gets a running DDT for three. Overall, not a bad match, but nothing too exciting either. Jarrett's work has improved a bit too. Post-match, Jarrett jaw jacks Macho Man, who retaliates with some popcorn to the face.
Savage is spoiling for a fight as he takes his hat off and heads to the ring. Savage gets his hands on Jarrett and throws him to Koko B. Ware. Savage tosses Jarrett out of the ring and raises the hand of Koko.
Hey Kids! Vince wants your dollars again. Call the WWF "Greetings on Call" line. 9.95 a call, that's four cents shy of a subscription to the WWE Network. My god the irate parents who saw their phone bills that month. "But Mom, I really wanted Headshrinker Samu to wish me well on my Bar Mitzvah!"
We end Raw with Vince raising the hand of Macho Man as we run down the card as 1-2-3 Kid will be in action, Owen Hart will be here and Luger will take on Martel.
I guess I've become too conditioned to post-Mania Raws being exciting, because this one was pretty dry. No real decent matches to be seen. Though there were still some highlights. The IRS Vignette, the Bret interview, Macho Man still mixing it up, just the general top quality of the Quebecers. Too bad they were wrestling the Bushwhackers. And my god, no Tatanka spot! Has the world gone mad? Overall, a by the books episode of Raw that's fairly deserving of a C rating.