We open Raw with a video package building up the upcoming Bret Hart/1-2-3 Kid WWF title match. The most interesting thing about it is that the narrator is good old J.R.
Yes, Jim Ross has been rehired after his unfair firing earlier in 1994. He'll be joining Randy Savage at the table for tonight's event, which means that unlike Monsoon, he will actually know what the moves in the ring are.
Our opening match is 1-2-3 Kid vs Bret Hart for the WWF Championship. The kid earned this title win strangely enough in a match against Nikolai Volkoff two weeks prior. A great reaction for the Kid, but a thunderous pop for Bret. However, before the match can even start, Owen and Anvil are on the ring apron jaw jacking at Bret. Remember that a couple weeks ago on the King's Court, Owen appointed himself the next in line for a championship match. Despite their arguments, the officials remove the two from ringside. They call Bret a scaredy cat as they leave.
With no more interruptions, we begin the match with a handshake. The kid gets in an arm drag early on. The kid gets in a wrist lock to Bret, turning it into an arm bar, but Bret turns it into a body slam, which the kid kips up quickly on. Bret tries to snapmare out of a hammerlock, but the kid keeps the lock in. Bret manages to escape and hit a big elbow to the jaw, turning the tide with a chinlock. the kid breaks up, but Bret gets a shoulder block, only to be monkey flipped. Bret grabs the leg, but the Kid gets a spin kick, with a second sending Bret out of the ring as we go to break.
When we return, the Kid continues to work the arm of Bret with an arm bar. Bret escapes and gets a big knee to the abdomen. He gets a boot to the abdomen and follows with a scoop slam and leg drop. He works the kid in the corner with some hard European uppercuts following with a knee to the face and a series of elbows to the back of the head. Swinging neckbreaker by Bret for a two count. He follows with a chinlock and an elbow to the top of the head. More stomps and uppercuts in the corner and a massive irish whip that rattles the bones of the Kid.
The kid ducks an elbow and gets a cross body for two. Bret whips the Kid in the corner, who tries a sunset flip, but Bret puts his weight down in a spot somewhat similar to Bret and Owen at Mania. It gets a two count. The kid tries a crucifix pin, but again Bret uses his weight advantage to drop on the Kid. He covers for three, but the Kid has his foot on the rope. Bret is not happy at all about the outcome and explains to referee Earl Hebner about the issue. Something that I honestly love about Bret's character. He's the consumate babyface who doesn't want easy wins or an unfair advantage. He saw the foot on the rope and feels it's wrong to just take the win like that. Is it the smartest decision? No. Is it one that a real babyface with integrity would do? yes. Referee Tim White shows up to inform Hebner about the foot on the rope, and Hebner allows the match to restart.
We return from another commercial as Bret tries a pin for two. He reapplies the chinlock to the Kid, who gets his arm up on the third arm drop spot. He escapes and gets a backslide for two. Bret lands a hard elbow to the back of the head and another leg drop for two. The crowd is energetic, split between both men. Bret lands a body slam and a tries a second buckle elbow, only to eat a boot to the face from the Kid. Bret recovers first and whips, but the Kid hits another hard spin kick. More kicks from the Kid in the corner and a massive dropkick in the corner. He ascends the turnbuckle and hits the flipping cross body for two. He lands a sitout powerbomb and goes up for a leg drop for two.
He clotheslines Bret over the top rope. The Kid goes up and lands a flip, but only gets a bit of Bret. But the Kid goes up once again in the ring and misses another flip. Bret sets up the sharpshooter, but the Kid gets the ropes. This time Hebner saw it. Bret sets the Kid on the buckle and goes for a superplex, but the Kid turns it into a cross body for two. The kid tries a second dropkick in the corner, but misses. Bret hits a bulldog out of hte corner. Bret goes up to the top turnbuckle, but the Kid tosses him off. He goes up once more, but Bret catches him and locks in the sharpshooter for the win.
An amazing match indeed. Both men put in a hell of an effort with lots of great ring psychology and plenty of exciting near falls. It was long, but never felt boring, which is what you want out of a championship match. It never made the Kid look weak and played well to his underdog character with how many counters he was able to pull off. I will say he may have pulled a bit too many flippy moves off the top by the end, but they still added a lot to the match. And having Jim Ross call the action made this match feel even more special with how much drama he put into his commentary. You would have never gotten anything close to that with Vince or Gorilla. This was definitely a must-watch match.
It's Todd Pettengill with the first Summerslam report for 1994. The only match announced so far is the Undertaker taking on... The Undertaker. Ted Dibiase's Undertaker will battle the real deal managed by Paul Bearer.
Up next is Crush taking on Matt Hardy. Crush gets a boot early on. Matt dodges Crush twice, but eats a big boot to the face (The act of which has Savage constantly screaming "GOAL!") . Press slam by Crush followed by a big backbreaker for three.
Razor Ramon is up next against Barry Horowitz. Razor gets a shove early on. He then works the arm with wringers, arm bars and more. Horowitz works Razor in the corner, but gets several big right hands.He locks in an STF for about 30 seconds and paintbrushes the back of Barry's head. He does it a second time. Ross and Savage are more focused on Leon Spinks and who will be the detective out to find the Undertaker. Who is that detective? We'll talk about that in the next episode. Fallaway slam from Razor and a cradle for three. Odd to end this without the Razor's Edge.
We go to one of the many offices of Ted Dibiase for this edition of the King's Court. Lawler brings up Dibiase's history in the past couple months. Buying Volkoff, Undertaker and Bam Bam Bigelow. And now he's trying to purchase Lex Luger. Dibiase claims outright that he's bought and paid for the Million Dollar Man. Well Luger hasn't signed a contract, but Dibiase claims that he's given an offer that Luger simply cannot refuse.
Our last match of the night is IRS vs Ray Hudson. And as usual, IRS tells the people that they're a bunch of tax cheats. Ross and Savage are still picking detectives as Irwin gets an elbow in the corner followed by a leg drop. He tosses Hudson out and back in. USA Network shill of the week: It's Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Irwin works the leg for a while as the crowd chants "Irwin" to antagonise the tax man. He then hits a clothesline and an elbow drop. He covers, but picks up Hudson. Underhook suplex and the Penalty lock by IRS for the win in a dull squash.
We end Raw with a drippy Bret Hart backstage. He praises the kid for the match, but on to Owen, he calls him a fluke. He promises that he'll bring one of his brothers back in his corner whenever the two Hart brothers finally square off one more time.
A great episode of Raw. The WWF title match was sensational with two of the best workers at this period of time. I like the build to Summerslam involving Undertaker vs Undertaker, even if the whole thing is goofy as hell. And most importantly, it's great to hear Jim Ross again. He adds so much to the show that it's amazing to think they ever fired him (and spoiler, will fire again). But that praise aside, the squash matches were really dull and in the case of Razor Ramon's match, underwhelming. That said, this is a must watch episode for the title match alone and gets an A- for its efforts.
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