It's May 2nd, 1994. Ray Liotta showed there was No Escape from a #1 spot at the box office, while R. Kelly was bumping and grinding throughout the Billboard hot 100. And Monday Nigh Raw is setting up its next set of tapings in Burlington, Vermont. The first time Raw has taped in the Green Mountain State Arena. When we last left Raw, Captain Lou Albano was finally able to ensure a tag title match for the Headshrinkers for the May 2nd edition, much to the rage of the Quebecers and Johnny Polo.
Also as previously mentioned, Diesel would defeat Razor Ramon on that weekend's Superstars (Taped weeks in advance) and become the new Intercontinental champion. In celebration of his recent victory, Diesel is the guest on tonight's edition of the King's Court. Hopefully this one isn't as long and dragged out as the previous three. Commentators tonight are Vince McMahon and Randy Savage as usual.
Speaking of the tag team titles, we open with The Quebecers (With Johnny Polo) against The Headshrinkers (With Afa and Captain Louis Albano). Some stalling to start as neither Pierre nor Fatu can take either down. Fatu breaks a headlock and lands a huge shoulder block. Pierre gets a strike to the head, but gets a headbutt for his troubles. Fatu only gets a two count off a cover. Jacques and Samu get in, as Jacques get a thumb to the eye. He leapfrogs Samu, but gets a headbutt for his troubles as well. He covers, but Pierre tries to break it, only to hit Jacques. The Shrinkers clean house tossing both Quebecers out of the ring.
Both Quebecers walk off to the dressing room to get themselves counted out to the anger of Albano. Hebner however changes the script by making it that if the Quebecers do not return to the ring, they will lose the match and the tag team titles, so they haul ass to the ring to break the count. After a break, it's Fatu and Pierre back in as Fatu gets a body slam for two. Tag to Samu who headbutts the hand of Pierre, followed with a leg drop to the arm. Side slam for a two count.
Fatu is tagged as both Shrinkers hit a double chop. Jacques gets a cheap knee to the back of Fatu as Pierre hits a massive clothesline. Jacques rams Fatu into the steps. Pierre throws him in as Jacques gets an elbow to the face off a whip. Tag to Pierre as they hit their double team body slam. Tag to Jacues as they hit a massive double clothesline. Jacques chokes Fatu and covers for a two. Big body slam from Jacques and a double team back drop from the Quebcers for two.
When we return from commercial break Fatu back body drops Pierre out of the ring as Fatu manages to finally tag in Samu. He lays fists and headbutts to both Quebecers followed by a double noggin knocker, a body slam and a big back body drop. Samu's momentum however sees his neck caught in the ropes. He eventually breaks free. Jacques hits a stalling piledriver and tags in for the tower splash. Samu manages to escape in time. Albano grabs Polo as Afa gets a strike in. Tag to Pierre, but Fatu is unable to get in due to the ref not seeing the tag. Jacques goes for an elbow to Samu, but hits Pierre by mistake. Pierre is none too happy and knocks out Jacques, only to eat a foot to the face from Samu. Double face buster and a splash from Fatu gets the three. The Headshrinkers are the new tag team champions.
I really enjoyed the match. As usual, lots of action from both teams with really very little slow down. The drama was all well put together, especially the added stipulation of the Quebecers possibly losing the titles if they were counted out. It had good pacing, never felt like it went too long or two short. A very action packed match to begin a new reign for the Headshrinkers as tag team champions.
So that's the good news. The bad news is that this is the end of the Quebecers on this blog. At a Montreal house show not long after, both Jacques and Pierre would officially split up. This angle was mostly kept to house show appearances with Polo managing Pierre. It would culminate in October of 1994 in Monteral with Jacques getting the win in his retirement match. Due to this, there are no more major appearances for either man on Monday Night Raw and thus, it's the end.
And it's a shame because I've loved the hell out of the Quebecers. Before this blog, I thought they were just some goofy team not to take too seriously. I guess that has to do with the theme song. But week after week, I was constantly impressed with their efforts in the ring with some excellent double team work, great heeling from both men and the ability to keep matches fast and exciting without too much slow down. It's going to definitely feel a bit emptier without them. We will see Pierre in the future, but he'll be switching his Quebecois flag for a Jolly Roger. You'll see when we get to 1995. As for Johnny Polo, he'll still appear a bit on television from here until the end of his run in October, but transitioning more to a backstage and play by play character and less the managerial sense. So I guess that's still something.
It's Todd Pettengill up next for the King of the Ring report. Nothing really big to report just yet, just the basics of the tournament. It's an eight man tournament where the winner becomes the king. Qualifyers begin on Superstars with Scott Steiner (in his last appearance) taking on IRS. Next week on Raw, it'll be Razor Ramon against Kwang. Pettengill mentions that there will be a special guest analyst. Baltimore football legend Art Donovan. Oh no.
Oh no.
OH NO!
Chief Jay Strongbow is interviewed by Vince, who claims that Tatanka is on the war path, which Strongbow says "Yeah, he is I guess". Speaking of nightmares, it's my nightmare. A Tatanka match. He's taking on Derek Domino, who goes for a cheap shot, but Tatanka instead starts ramming him into the buckle. Back suplex from Tatanka follows. Domino chops Tatanka, but Tatanka's like "screw you, here's some hard chops and an arm drag for his troubles. IRS is on the phone and his explanation for destroying the headdress is that he simply got his property tax payment.
More hard chops from Tatanka. He follows with a clothesline off the second rope. Another hard whip to the buckle followed by another. Hard body slam and an elbow drop from the Native American. Plenty more offense from Tatanka including an arm wringer to Domino. He works the arm for another good minute until Domino tries to regain offense with some clubbing blows and a big clothesline for a two count. And then, guess what he does?
Just guess.
Why, it's what
EVERY
SINGLE
PERSON
HAS
DONE
IN
A
FRIGGING
TATANKA
MATCH
He rams Tatanka into the buckle and Tatanka does his war dance. Clubbing chops and the end of the trail for the three. Long match with barely anything interesting about it. Tatanka's more aggressive, but an aggressive Tatanka is just an aggressively boring Tatanka.
It's time for this week's edition of the King's Court. Lawler says it's certainly not the relic from Jurassic Park "Piper's Pit". This gets a "Roddy" chant. When Piper was born, his father wanted a boy and his mother wanted a girl, so they were both satisfied (big groaner on that one). Lawler then calls Razor Ramon a has been for becoming the ex-Intercontinental champion. He's not living life in the fast lane, he's living in the past lane. Lawler then introduces the new Intercontinental champ, Diesel.
Lawler botches calling Diesel "Big Daddy Cool" by calling him "Cool Daddy". Shawn isn't with Diesel because he sacrificed himself in the Intercontinental title match to help Diesel win the title. Diesel says that Shawn will be back pretty soon. He says that he gives Razor his due, but it doesn't seem to big daddy cool that he was bad enough. What is next for Diesel? While the IC gold is nice, but he's seeking the WWF Title. Lawler calls Bret a gutless wonder, he's seen more guts on a skeleton than on Bret. Bret can run, but he can't hide. Diesel wants the belt around Bret's waist. Overall, a much better King's Court than the last three as it was shorter and more on point.
It's time for another Undertaker claim. Auto workers, firemen, kindergartners, jewelers. All claiming to have seen the dead man. So, we know Taker has stolen some deli meat, but apparently he was also wanting to get his tires checked, starting fires, getting his urn polished and I dunno, spying on children. Busy, busy man indeed.
It's time for the last match of the show as it's Yokozuna in action against two men. Scott Taylor and Mike Davis. They go for an attack, but gets a double clothesline. Savage shills this week's movie, "Survive the Night" with Stephanie Powers. A big urinage to Taylor from Yoko as both men are already laid out. He tosses Taylor out hard and slaps around Davis. Both men keeps trying to fight, but get smacked around some more. Back suplex to Taylor. He lays both men onto each other and lands a Banzai drop for the three in a very decisive squash. Post-match he hits more Banzai drops to both men. Earthquake finally comes in to send the former champ in retreat.
We end Raw with Vince interviewing Earthquake. He wants a match with Yokozuna. One on one, man to man. Simply put a grueling grudge match of girthy proportions. Next week, it's Razor vs Kwang in the KOTR qualifiers.
Overall, this was an okay edition of Raw. The tag title match was excellent and a good way to end the era of the Quebecers. The Yokozuna squash was also very brutal and effective, and for once the King's Court wasn't too long and overbearing. However, there was still the Tatanka match, so it can't all be a bed of roses. Overall, a solid show that begins the road to the King of the Ring on some relatively high notes. A B rating.