Raw #36 - October 18th, 1993

Forget Brian Pillman. Randy Savage was shooting on Raw back in 1993. 

The thirty-sixth episode of Raw is one for the history books. Like such important meetings as Reagan and Gorbachev or Kennedy and Krushchev (Not Crusher, but Nikita. Not Koloff, but Krushchev), the Crush-Savage Summit will change the course of history. The confrontation will take place after "months of speculation and accusation" (actually less than one month). The opening montage of Americans and Soviets highlight the fact that wrestling feuds have really been running out of fuel ever since the Cold War ended.

Raw #22 - June 21st, 1993

The twenty-second episode of Raw is live from Poughkeepsie, New York, meaning that it's another night of second-rate graphics because the regular Raw graphics are on a computer at the Manhattan Center. We start off the show with a replay of The Kid's upset of Razor Ramon "six" (four) weeks ago. After the Raw intro, Vince runs down tonight's card, including the long-awaited rematch between Razor and the Kid, as well as a 2/3 falls match between Doink and Jannetty.
 

Flesh-toned tights are a bad choice
made worse as VHS tape degrades.

The Steiner Brothers make their entrance with the tag team titles in hand and are introduced as the new tag team champions. Care to explain, Vince? Their opponents are Barry Hardy and Reno Riggins. Vince goes on to explain that there has been not one, but three title changes in the past week, with the Steiners trading the belts with Money Inc. twice since Monday's house show in Columbus. That's four non-televised title changes so far this year. Scott lands a double-leg takedown on Hardy for a Nice Maneuver (#1) and a tag to Rick, who is wearing tights full of upside-down numbers. Leave the numbers to Scott, please. Rick picks up Hardy over his shoulder like a dominator and runs him gut-first into the top turnbuckle for a Maneuver (#2). Perhaps, Vince wonders, Rick Steiner can slam Yokozuna like that at the Stars and Stripes Challenge on July 4th. Scott tags in and hits a lightning-quick belly-to-belly on Barry Hardy. Steiner throws Hardy to his own corner and dares Reno Riggins to tag in. Steiner hits a Frankensteiner on Riggins, who lands head-first onto Steiner, for the victory.

Raw #13 - April 19th, 1993

We open the thirteenth episode of Raw with short promos of Money Inc. and the Beverly Brothers hyping their match tonight. I know the Beverlys are supposed to be from Shaker Heights, Ohio, but their Minnesota accents contradict that pretty conclusively.

Razor Ramon comes down the Mid-Hudson Civic Center's aisle to the regular Monday Night Raw graphics. I guess the WWF did the post-production of this taped episode on their computer at the Manhattan Center. I'm not even kidding anymore. There is something about live shows in Poughkeepsie that prevents Raw from having its regular graphics. Virgil, wrestling superstar, is The Bad Guy's opponent tonight. Virgil makes his way to the ring in his barber-pole pants with his rarely-heard entrance music playing. It sounds like someone playing Jake Roberts's theme music with a cheap synthesizer's trumpet voice. The two exchange hammerlocks and go-behinds, with Razor breaking the holds by grabbing the ropes. I can't blame Razor for taking the safe route here, and if there's anyone known for their safe and responsible decision-making, it's Scott Hall. Razor puts the abdominal stretch on Virgil, but does not grab his far leg. If Gorilla Monsoon were here, Ramon would get an earful about this. 

Raw #12 - April 12th, 1993

Not pictured: sack with a dollar sign on it.

The twelfth episode of Raw opens up with Money Inc. very loudly smacking stacks of dollar bills into the Beverly Brothers' hands in exchange for inside information on the Steiners. Blake says that the Steiners' suplexes are devastating, which reveals a great deal: Vince McMahon is publishing his own thesaurus, and the Beverlys have been reading the manuscript.

Raw #9 - March 15th, 1993

It's the ninth episode of Raw and... what's this? We're at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York? And that's not Vince McMahon's voice, that's Gorilla Monsoon's. And look who's standing next to him! None other than Bobby "The Brain" Heenan. Monsoon and Heenan are on commentary? The only thing better would be if Macho Man were here. And guess who's standing to Monsoon's left.... Crap, it's Rob Bartlett. Doing a Vince McMahon impersonation. Tonight, Vince and Randy are at the Michael Landis Leukemia Awards dinner. They give out awards for that now?