Written By: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents RAW
Date: 10/31/1994
From: Burlington, VT
A video promoting Bob Backlund as a “monster” is shown to kick off the program.
Opening Contest: Lex Luger defeated Bob Backlund by disqualification: Luger is able to get the upper hand early on by simply using his size advantage. Backlund manages to control Luger by working on his arm for several moments. Backlund also connects with a overhead suplex for a two count. Backlund continues to work on Luger’s arm with a hammerlock scoop slam. We see Tatanka looking from behind the curtain as RAW goes to commercial. Luger reaches the ropes quickly as Backlund went for the chicken wing submission. Luger battles out of a bear hug and is able to nail Backlund with a knee lift followed by a power slam! Tatanka has come down to ringside to distract Luger. Backlund puts the chicken wing submission on Luger! Tatanka enters the ring to stomp away on Luger to cause the disqualification. *1/2
After the match, Tatanka continues to beat down Luger for a few moments. Backlund lets go of the hold only to put the chicken wing on Luger again. Randy Savage leaves the commentary table to attack Backlund! Backlund runs to the backstage area. Savage is interviewed by McMahon and says that Backlund was out of line.
Second Contest: 1-2-3 Kid defeated Tony DeVito: Kid picks up the squash win with the following a top rope leg drop.
Survivor Series Report 1994 with Todd Pettengill is up next. Pettengill just announces that a new elimination match has been added to the event. He runs down the complete card.
– WWF World Champion Bret Hart vs. Bob Backlund for the title. Backlund demanded that Hart accept his challenge to make the match a submission match.
– The Undertaker vs. Yokozuna in a casket match. Chuck Norris will be the special enforcer.
– Lex Luger, Adam Bomb, Mable and Smoking Gunns vs. Tatanka, King Kong Bundy, Bam-Bam Bigelow and the Heavenly Bodies.
– Razor Ramon, 1-2-3 Kid, Davey Boy Smith and the New Headshrinkers vs. Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart and Jeff Jarrett.
– Clowns R Us vs. the Royal Family. If you couldn’t guess, it is Doink vs. Lawler with midgets as their partners.
Third Contest: King Kong Bundy defeated Bert Centeno: Bundy gets a five count after dropping a knee to the jobbers chest.
Footage of IRS talking to a grave is shown. IRS says that the dead person is a tax cheat and that he will have to take the fresh flowers as a way to pay off the debt. Remember, even dead people have to pay their taxes.
On this week’s King’s Court, Jerry Lawler is joined by the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. Lawler brings up what happened to Undertaker back in January when in the same type of match, a casket match, Yokozuna put Taker on the shelf. Bearer notes that Taker has gotten rid of people as well. Lawler doesn’t understand why they need Chuck Norris to be a special enforcer. Bearer tells Lawler that Yoko will not have ten of his friends to help him this time around. Taker chimes in saying that everyone must pay for their actions and Yoko’s time to pay has come. Yoko’s time has also come to Rest In Peace!
Main Event: Jim Neidhart defeated Tony Roy: Neidhart earns a submission win with the Camel Clutch.
My Take: Backlund/Luger wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, honestly. Luger looked kind of foolish getting beaten up by a smaller Backlund, but whatever he is stuck in a position lower than Backlund so I guess it makes sense to make Backlund look strong. The aftermath was done nicely as the fans liked seeing Savage make the save. Every time Savage gets physically involved the fans eat it all up, but yet he continues to sit at the commentary table.
King’s Court this week featured a decent promo by the Undertaker and Paul Bearer to promote the casket match with Yokozuna. It was really just a standard promo they usually deliver.
Overall, this week’s RAW not a bad episode of RAW but still not a good episode. Aside from the aftermath of the featured bout, nothing all that entertaining really occurred.
Thanks for reading.