Written By: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 7/5/1993
From: Manhattan Center, New York City
Highlights from the slam contest to see if anyone could slam Yokozuna. Rick Steiner attempted a belly to belly suplex, not a regular slam. The football player mentioned last week, attempt but didn’t even know how to attempt a scoop slam.
RAW Opening Video
Vince McMahon, Randy Savage and Bobby Heenan hype up what happened on the USS Intrepid. Highlights from the event are shown. Bob Backlund attempts to slam Yokozuna but fails miserably. Lee Rouson of the New York Giant attempted a double leg slam which didn’t work at all. Scott Burrell of the Charlotte Hornets didn’t even bother with the attempt. Scott Steiner slapped Yokozuna but couldn’t slam him. Yokozuna asks for a timeout and eats some rice. Tatanka comes down and softens Yokozuna with a few chops and event a chop from the top turnbuckle. However, Tatanka was unable to get the job down as well. Yokozuna drops a leg drop on Tatanka. Bill Fralic of the Detroit Lions couldn’t slam Yokozuna , though he did get one of Yokozuna’s legs off the ground. Crush comes down and gets both of Yokozuna’s legs off the ground but was unable to slam him. Randy Savage attempts a slam but isn’t close. Then all of a sudden, there is a helicopter and coming out of the helicopter is… Lex Luger. Luger doesn’t get a reaction, at least not a big baby face one. A “Lex” chant starts up. Luger calls both Fuji and Yokozuna “cancers in the WWF”. Luger calls both men a disgrace of the WWF. Luger sends Fuji to the floor. Luger hits Yokozuna with the six rods in his forearm and slams Yokozuna down. The fans go wild for Luger.
Vince McMahon announces that Lex Luger challenged Yokozuna to a title shot, but Mr. Fuji quickly refused the challenge. Randy Savage says everyone is proud of Lex Luger. Bobby Heenan calls it a hip toss and not a slam.
Opening Contest: 1-2-3 Kid defeated Blake Beverly: Kid with the control in the early stages of the contest. Blake lifts Kid into the air and on the way down, Kid dropkicks Blake. Blake comes back with a power slam and a neck breaker. Blake with a vertical suplex sending Kid onto the top turnbuckle and he falls to the floor. Kid with a nice somersault splash onto the floor! Blake battles back with a back suplex and when Kid tries to leapfrog over, Blake misses a diving head butt. Kid wins following a top rope leg drop after eight minutes of action.
Men on a Mission promo is shown. This three man group are rappers coming to the WWF.
Luna Vachon and Bam-Bam Bigelow cut a promo. It’s more of Luna just saying that Bam-Bam Bigelow will be competing next.
Second Contest: Bam-Bam Bigelow defeated Joey Maggs: Following literally only three big splashes in the corner, Bigelow picks up the win. Throughout the contest, Heenan mentions that Tatanka has been putting the moves on Luna Vachon.
Third Contest: The Undertaker defeated Samu: Taker botches a leg drop early on by not leaping high enough. Taker walks the ropes and drops across Samu’s arm. Samu ducks a clothesline and Taker falls to the floor where Afa attacks Taker but doesn’t have any real affect. Samu continues his attack by sending Taker into the ring steps and post. Samu connects with a power slam and when Taker comes running off the ropes Samu continues his attack but Taker continues to get up. Samu clotheslines Taker to the floor but Taker lands on his feet. Taker sends Samu over the turnbuckle and Samu falls to the floor. Samu manages to deliver a few head butts and a flying head butt from the top, and Taker can’t get up. Samu slaps Taker. Samu attempts another flying head butt but Taker moves. Taker with a choke slam and tombstone to pick up the win in seven and half minutes.
Vince McMahon calls out WWF World Heavyweight Champion Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji. Fuji says that Luger is a cheater because he used the steel rods in his forearm. Fuji calls the move a hip toss and not a slam. Just like Bobby Heenan had said earlier. Fuji says he refused Luger’s challenge because Luger is a cheater. Fuji says Yokozuna will face anyone at anytime. Crush makes his way down to the ring. Crush says he wants to thanks Luger for slamming Yokozuna. Crush continues by wanting saying he wants a title shot. Fuji says that he never issued a open contract. Yokozuna accepts the challenge, and will face Crush next week for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.
Randy Savage believes that Crush will win the WWF World Heavyweight Championship next week.
Main Event: Mr. Perfect defeated Brian Costello: Perfect finishes Costello with the Perfect Plex to win the squash.
Vince McMahon hypes up Crush versus Yokozuna for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.
Footage of Lex Luger slamming Yokozuna again is shown.
End of show
My Take: Both the 1-2-3 Kid/Blake Beverly and Undertaker/Samu matches were decent by television standards. 1-2-3 Kid clearly works better with bigger opponents. Taker/Samu styles worked well, and Samu getting a decent amount of offense in made the match bearable. Not a fan of Lex Luger turning baby face, as I see him as being a natural heel. Obviously the WWF are going in a USA versus Japan type of deal. Crush getting a title shot is another thing I’m not too excited to see.