Written By: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 5/16/1994
From: Burlington, VT
Video package hyping up a Yokozuna/Earthquake sumo match. Earthquake’s history of sumo wrestling is brought up. Tonight, Earthquake will take on Yokozuna in a sumo match.
RAW Opening Video
Vince McMahon and Randy Savage are on commentary. They hype up the sumo wrestling match between Yokozuna and Earthquake.
Opening Contest: Bam-Bam Bigelow defeated Sparky Plugg to qualify for the 1994 King of the Ring: Bigelow shoves Plugg through the middle rope to the floor early on. Plugg with a clothesline and a dropkick to send Bigelow to the floor. Bigelow misses a head butt coming off the ropes. Bigelow catches Plugg in midair and slams Plugg for a near fall. Bigelow runs into a big boot in the corner and Plugg delivers several right hand until Bigelow stops Plugg with a kick to the back of the head for a near fall. Bigelow with a falling head butt for a near fall. Bigelow with a scoop slam and connects with another head butt coming off the ropes. Bigelow misses a running attack in the corner. Plugg with a running bulldog and a DDT. Plugg goes to the top rope and connects with a flying cross body for a near fall. Luna trips Plugg as he comes off the ropes which allows Bigelow to clothesline Plugg and connect with a slingshot head butt from the apron back into the ring for a the win. *1/4
King of the Ring Report with Todd Pettengill. Pettengill mentions that Bret Hart has accepted Diesel’s challenge. So, here is the card thus far for the King of the Ring.
Bret Hart will defend the WWF World Championship against WWF Intercontinental Champion Diesel
Roddy Piper will take on Jerry Lawler
Lawler apparently insulted children who are in a Canadian hospital is the reasoning as to why Piper is coming out of retirement. Here is how the King of the Ring is shaping up.
Irwin R. Schyster will take on Mabel at the event in first round action
Razor Ramon will take on Bam-Bam Bigelow in first round action
Lex Luger will be taking on Jeff Jarrett on WWF Superstars in another King of the Ring qualifying match.
Commercial Break
Second Contest: WWF Intercontinental Champion Diesel defeated Mike Moraldo: Diesel tosses Moraldo down to the mat and over the top to the floor with one hand. Diesel with a big boot in the ring and is man handling Moraldo. Diesel with a bear hug and simply tosses Moraldo down to the ring. Diesel with a side walk slam and chokes Moraldo in the corner. Diesel plants Moraldo with the Jackknife power bomb and picks up the easy win.
Video of some guy pumping gas saying that he saw the Undertaker while pumping gas.
The King’s Court with Jerry Lawler is next. Lawler is disgusted by all fans in attendance. Lawler says that when he gets his hands on Roddy Piper, it will be the greatest day. Lawler did some research as to why Piper started wearing a dress. Lawler says that Piper was drafted to go into the army but showed up in a dress with high heels and wasn’t accepted. Back from commercial, Ted DiBiase and Nikolai Volkoff are in the ring. DiBiase is with his newest purchase of Nikolai Volkoff. Volkoff now works for Ted DiBiase, though Volkoff doesn’t like DiBiase. Volkoff tells DiBiase that he hates him. DiBiase doesn’t approve of Volkoff’s appearance. DiBiase rips Volkoff’s hat off and gives Volkoff tights to put on that says “property of the million dollar man”. DiBiase tells Volkoff to take off the jacket he is wearing. Volkoff begins to cry as DiBiase mentions feeding his kids. DiBiase gives Volkoff a tuxedo shirt. The shirt has two cents signs and also says “property of the million dollar man”. Volkoff holds the ropes for DiBiase as the segment ends.
Commercial Break
Third Contest: Owen Hart defeated Tony Roy: Hart with a short arm clothesline to control Roy. Hart with a fist drop off the middle rope and a gut wrench suplex. Roy rams Hart head first into the turnbuckle but misses a dropkick and Hart locks in the Sharpshooter for the win.
After the match, Own Hart says that he is going to beat Bret Hart, again. Hart attacks Roy with a spinning heel kick.
Video promo from Duke Droese who is sleeping in a garbage truck. Droese is ready to clean up the WWF and get rid of the trash.
Commercial Break
The ring crew is taking down the ropes, getting ready for the first ever sumo wrestling match.
Commercial Break
Hype for a King of the Ring qualifying match between Owen Hart and Earthquake next week on RAW.
Main Event: Earthquake defeated Yokozuna in a sumo match: They stand in the middle of the ring squatting down awaiting for the other man to make a move. They stall for a few moments. Well, they have gone back to their corners twice without even touching each other. Earthquake with a few shoulder blocks but Yokozuna goes behind Earthquake, but Earthquake reverses and goes behind Yokozuna. Yokozuna with a back elbow and they grab each other tights in the middle of the ring. Yokozuna has Earthquake by the edge of the ring, but Earthquake pushes Yokozuna backwards. Earthquake tries to shove Yokozuna out of the ring, but is unable to do so. Earthquake breaks free of Yokozuna’s grip and shoves Yokozuna down to win the match.
After the match, Randy Savage enters the ring and raises the arm of Earthquake.
Commercial Break
Vince McMahon and Randy Savage hype up what they just witnessed with Earthquake beating Yokozuna. Next wee on RAW, Earthquake takes on Owen Hart in a King of the Ring Qualifying match.
End of show
My Take: Thankfully Bam-Bam Bigelow qualified for the King of the Ring instead of Bob Holly. Bigelow should get a good showing in the tournament and get a better push leading into the summer. Bigelow has been misused so far in 1994. Hopefully things will turn around for him following KOTR.
So, DiBiase is using his money to control Volkoff. If you remember, JBL/Michaels did the same storyline in 2009. Proves that the WWE recycles their angles every ten years or sooner. Volkoff getting air time is something i am not looking forward to at all. This is the New Generation of the WWF and Volkoff is getting a major angle. Doesn’t make much sense to me.
Earthquake defeating Yokozuna just shows how far Yokozuna has dropped down the cardin just under two months. He goes from being World Champion to losing to fucking Earthquake. What makes this even worse, is that Quake would be in WCW a couple months later.
Thanks for reading.