WWF RAW 1/3/1994

Written By: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 1/3/1994
From:

Paul Bearer is with the Undertaker who cut a brief promo on Yokozuna involving their upcoming Casket Match at the Royal Rumble. Footage from the Wrestling Challenge where Jim Cornette is saying that people are trying to cause issues between Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji. Cornette proclaims that Yokozuna is not afraid of the Undertaker. Stan Lane, who is conducting the interview, says casket and that word appears to have some sort of affect on Yokozuna.

RAW Opening Video

Vince McMahon and Johnny Polo welcome everyone to RAW. Vince McMahon goes over what will be on tonight’s show.

Opening Contest: WWF World Champion Yokozuna defeated Dan Dubiel: Yokozuna connects with a belly to belly suplex and the Bonzai Drop to pick up the quick and easy win.

After the commercial, McMahon and Polo introduce footage from WWF Superstars. The footage is the Lex Luger/Quebecer Jacque match. Quebecers did a switch where Pierre came in for Jacque but couldn’t get the job done. Luger would connect with the illegal forearm and picks up the win. Jacque comes back in and tells the referee about what happened. Jacque is also pinned. Johnny Polo gets attacked as well.

A sit down interview with Lex Luger who is being interviewed by Vince McMahon. McMahon brings up how Luger isn’t allowed to be in the Royal Rumble. Jack Tunney will be making his decision this coming weekend. Luger thanks the fans for their support and says he just wants to compete. Luger says that it is a poor assumption that Yokozuna would even still be the WWF World Champion come Wrestle Mania. Luger likes to think positively and not negatively.

Second Contest: The Smoking Gunns defeated Bam-Bam Bigelow/Bastion Booger via count-out:
Billy dropkicks Bigelow through the middle rope to the floor. Bart gets the tag and works on the arm of Bigelow, but Bigelow takes him down with a back elbow. Booger gets the tag and takes Bart down with a back splash in the corner and clotheslines Bart. Booger sends Bart to the floor and this allows Bigelow to send Bart into the ring post. Bigelow with a snap suplex and a standing head butt for a near fall. Booger comes in and plants Bart with a leg drop for a near fall. Billy gets the hot tag and takes Bigelow down with a high knee lift and dropkick. Double backdrop on Bigelow. Booger was being rubbed by Luna and Booger kisses Luna. Luna proceeds to punch Booger. Billy with a DDT on Bigelow inside the ring, Billy misses a middle dropkick. Booger is hugging Luna. Bigelow notices this and goes to the floor to brawl with Booger and they are counted out. *1/2

Time for the WWF Royal Rumble 1994 Report with Todd Pettengill. Todd goes over the rules to the Royal Rumble match itself, again. Apparently their has been twenty seven men named for the match. Also on the pay per view:
WWF World Champion Yokozuna defends against Undertaker in a Casket Match
WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon defends against IRS
WWF World Tag Team Champions Quebecers defend against Bret and Owen Hart
Tatanka will battle Ludvig Borga as well.

Third Contest: Jeff Jarrett defeated John Crystal: Jarrett with the early offense with several right hands and knees. Crystal actually manages to scoop slam Jarrett. Jarrett still plants Crystal with a jumping DDT for the win.

Footage of Marty Jannetty/Johnny Polo from last week on RAW is shown. After the footage is shown, Marty Jannetty and 1-2-3 Kid come down to ringside. Marty Jannetty challenges Johnny Polo to put the WWF World Tag Team Championships on the line next week. Polo agrees to the match, but not the titles being on the match. Jannetty insults Polo, thus Polo agrees to put the titles on the line.

Razor Ramon with the ever so kind message “Smokers are Losers”.

Main Event: Shawn Michaels defeated Brian Walsh: Michaels comes down to the ring with his version of the WWF Intercontinental Championship. Jacques calls in hyping up the WWF Tag Team Championship match next week. Michaels sends the squash with a nice pile driver to pick up the win.

Vince McMahon goes over what will be on the show next week.

My Take: The tag team match wasn’t that bad actually. Royal Rumble card looks to be a solid event. I’m quite surprised that the WWF has kept the angle of Lex Luger being unable to be involved in the Royal Rumble match going for so long. It has been so obvious that Lex Luger would be involved in the match. Jeff Jarrett clearly does not have any sort of opponent set up for him to have a program with.