WWF RAW 1/18/93:

We are back at the Manhattan Center and We are taped... From over 18 years ago.

WWF RAW 1/18/93

We are joined at ringside by Vince McMahon, Randy Savage and....Rob Bartlett who rips a picture of Ted Turner. He says, "Fight The Real Enemy". So let's recap. Instead of having Bobby Hennan start things with Billionaire Ted you have Rob Bartlett? Repo Man comes out of nowhere and steals Randy Savage's cowboy hat.

Terry Taylor vs. Mr. Perfect.

Ok this looks like it could be way better opener then last week. Simple take down to start. Lock up in the corner and punches are exchanged. Irish whip to the other and perfect hits a dropkick. Powder to the outside by Taylor. Bobby Hennan comes on the phone to tell us about Narcissist. Perfect and Taylor exchange hip tosses and seated drop kicks before getting back to a vertical base. Jaw breaker to perfect and a backbreaker lead to a subsequent two count. Spinebuster on perfect also leads to a two count. Taylor tries for a gut wretch power bowb and also gets a two count. Perfect literally 'hulks-up' and hits all of his babyface spots. The Head between the knees, the atomic drop, the seated head slingshot. Ric Flair comes to ringside and attacks Mr. Perfect with chops. Flair throws Perfect in, and Taylor attempts a suplex which is reversed into a perfectplex for the 3 count.
Winner: Mr. Perfect
**, 10:12, This match was better then last weeks opener. Started off with a basic wrestling match. Then turned into a brawl to the outside, and ended with interference that didn't work out. Taylor got a lot of offense in the middle, which made him look like a formidable opponent.

Bret Hart comes out to join us for an in ring interview to talk about his opponent at Royal Rumble, Razor Ramon. Bret says that he thinks Razor is the lowest scum of the earth, and when Royal Rumble comes the Hart Family name will redeem itself because he's the best there is , best there was and the best there ever will be.

Marty Jannetty vs. Graham Ruth

Handshake to start. Irishwhip to the corner, boot to the face and Jannetty goes upstairs to deliver the flying bulldog. Very well done to the jobber. The night of phone calls continues as Shawn Michaels calls in to tell us that he will roll Jannetty out of the WWF. Simultaneously Jannetty delivers a great series of arm drags. A series of hammerlocks follows before Ruth can throw Jannetty off the ropes but it's countered with the Rockerdropper and the cover for the 3 count.
Winner: Marty Jannetty
DUD, 05:04:00, This was supposed to make Marty Jannetty look really strong for when Jannetty faces Shawn Michaels at The Royal Rumble. However, the hammerlocks and the boring match just made Jannetty look way out of Shawn's league.

We go to WWF Mania on the weekend and footage of Doink the clown attempting to bury the hatchet with Crush by giving him a flower. When Crush gives the flower to a fan he gets attacked by Doink and the cast he was wearing. I couldn't be more ashamed to be a wrestling fan.

Back from the Commercial and we go to Sean Mooney outside who catches up with Repo Man who says that Randy Savage was late with payments for his cowboy hat. Don't Cowboy hats cost like 50 bucks? Maybe 100? Was Savage that low on money that he couldn't make a payment for one of his cowboy hats? Furthermore, don't you think his Slim Jim advertisements would cover any type of debts he would have? Whatever....Logic in wrestling, who am I kidding.

Mean Gene gives us the Royal Rumble report. We get a random interview from Razor Ramon and then Gene gives us a list of a majority of the people that will be competing in the Royal Rumble match. He closes the segment by telling us about the Intercontintental Title Match.

Sean Mooney is outside the Manhattan Center and Macho Man runs out trying to find the repo man. He runs from one side of 8th avenue and then back to say something to mooney and then back to the other side , and then comes back again asking where the Repo Man is. Really odd segment.

Main Event: Tito Santana vs. Nature Boy Ric Flair

Collar and Elbow tie up to start, shoulder tackle to Flair. Repeated spot again. Santana then delivers a bodyslam, and a hip toss in succession before applying a headlock to Flair on the ground. Clothesline and Dropkick follow to Flair. Flair throws El Matador from the turnbuckle and goes for the wheelbarrow pin, but only gets a two count. Flair drops two rolling knee drops on Tito Santana before pulling him up. Flair goes up top but naturally gets thrown off. Tito Santana nails a back body drop and flying forearm before Mr. Perfect comes out and pulls Ric Flair outside. Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair start brawling at ringside.
Winner: No Contest
* 1/2 , 09:12:00, Match was ok while it lasted. You knew that Mr. Perfect was going to come out and get retirubtion for what Ric Flair did in his opening bout. The post match brawl created some incredible heat between both guys. The match itself was ok, but the segment and what it produced was really good TV.

Perfect and Flair are still brawling, and Ric Flair comes out and tells us that the WWF isn't big enough for him and Perfect. So next week he wants Perfect in front of the world and God. WOW! That's a big match. One of them stays, and one of them goes. A retirement match.......In front of the world , and God.

Mr. Perfect then joins Vince and tells Vince that he will take that challenge in a heartbeat. He says that if this is what it takes to get Ric Flair out of the WWF, he will take that challenge.

We go outside where we see the Repo Man with Macho's Hat, and now with a SUV. Except it's not any ole' SUV. It's Rob Bartlett's. He's getting it towed and Repossessed. So he puts on Macho Man's Hat and drives off with the tow truck.

Final Thoughts: Completely different show from last week. Last weeks show felt forced in places , and didn't even have the wrestling dynamic that would keep people interested for a whole show. This show however (for the majority) was well thought out and had good match ups. It's also leading us to a really good match up between Flair and Perfect next week. Next weeks show should really be good. If it's not I'll be surprised.

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