Raw #86 - November 14th, 1994

Another Savage-less Raw is upon us, this time featuring Ted DiBiase on commentary. The 123 Kid is already in the ring as the show begins, waiting for opponent Bob Backlund to arrive. When the former WWWF champion does enter the ring, he is immediately backed into the corner and it with a series of kicks by the Kid, including the quickest Maneuver (#1 - roundhouse kick) in the history of Raw (delivered less than a minute into the program). Backlund sells in comical fashion.

Raw #59 - April 18th, 1994

Monday Night Raw comes at you taped from the Utica Memorial Auditorium. The show opens with a replay of Jerry Lawler's mishap from last week, perhaps in an effort to promote a new "Bloopers, Bleeps, and Blunders" tape from Coliseum Video, which Macho Man references. This week's King's Court features the WWF's female wrestler, Alundra Blayze, who sits atop the Federation's one-person women's division. Also, Bret Hart faces off against Kwang in a thankfully non-title match, which leads Savage to suggest that he himself get a title shot.

Raw #44 - December 20th, 1993

December 20th's Raw is already shaping up to be an historic one. We see the first ever non-white Raw girl in the ring, plus this episode is a "special holiday edition." Since this is pre-Attitude era, there will be no Santa's Helper bra and panties matches, just as there was no gravy bowl match around Thanksgiving or costume battle royal around Halloween. Instead, we're wasting time with "matches." Damn New Generation era. Shawn Michaels joins Vince to commentate matches including Owen Hart, Jeff Jarrett, and Ludvig Borga vs. Tatanka.

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 #32 - September 20th, 1993

Raw's 32nd episode, which will feature two future ECW World Champions, opens with a replay of last week's tag title change, wherein the Steiners lost the belts due to DQ to the Quebecers. We see clips of all the different points of the match in which the Steiners almost got disqualified, including a very awkward aerial attack by Rick that his opponent may or may not have countered with his knees (it's impossible to tell; I don't think either wrestler even knew). Finally, Scott hits a Quebecer with a hockey stick like an idiot, giving the French Canadians the championships on their first Raw match.
 

Tonight, Scott Steiner takes on Quebecer and future pirate Pierre, as future ECW valet Francine looks on in the audience. Bobby Heenan is sick tonight after having been doused in cold water by Doink, despite the prank taking place an entire week before, and despite the fact that you can't catch a cold from being cold. Maybe Doink tainted the water. Heenan mentions buying up as collectors' items a half dozen WWF Magazines with the Steiners on the cover with the titles, assuring us that we'd ever see the Steiner Brothers with those belts again. That's classic heel hyperbole, diminished slightly by the fact that he's right.

Raw #25 - July 10th, 1993

The twenty-fifth episode of Raw kicks off with Yokozuna taking on Crush, who challenged him for the title last week. Bobby Heenan complains that Lex Luger cheated by using his steel-plated elbow before executing "The Hiplock Heard 'Round the World." Macho Man is still wearing his American flag suit at ringside. Tonight's opening match is the first second WWF Title match in the history of Raw. The IC title has been defended several times, including on the first episode. Meanwhile, the tag team titles have yet to be put on the line on Raw.

Raw #23 - June 28th, 1993

The twenty-third edition of Monday Night Raw features Kamala challenging for the Intercontinental Title of Shawn Michaels, who has Diesel (formerly known as his "insurance policy") in his corner. There is just something strange about the Two Dudes with Attitudes sharing a ring with Kamala. Then again, Raw has been filled with weird generational overlaps since its inception (Damien Demento vs. Jim Brunzell, Koko B. Ware vs. anyone). Bastion Booger, the re-packaged Friar Ferguson (who lasted one TV taping) takes on Crush.
 

Pictured (left to right): The Raw girl, Themis Klarides;
fashion plate Diesel.

Diesel is obviously still easing into the leather-clad "Big Daddy Cool" persona, coming to the ring in a white rhinestone jacket and acid wash jeans. Kamala comes to the ring without Slick, forever depriving the wrestling world of a Slick/Diesel confrontation (I wonder which one's taller?). Kamala's gimmick is supposedly being made more sensitive suring this time, with him becoming less savage, more human, and a fan favorite, yet the announcers still have no problem pointing out how stupid he is and how he has no strategy. Michaels and Kamala have a staredown and tease a handshake until Michaels clocks Kamala. The Ugandan giant reverses an Irish whip to the buckle, catching Michaels with a Nice Maneuver (#1 - clothesline). Kamala then bites Shawn's hand, reflecting his "cannibalistic tendencies," says Heenan. Vince brings up Yokozuna's Stars & Stripes Challenge, held this coming Sunday in which he challenges any American athlete to slam him. Kamala, who has bodyslammed Andre the Giant in the past, is ineligible since he's from Uganda (and not, say Mississippi). Shawn jumps right into a Kamala bearhug as we cut to commercial.

Raw #16 - May 10th, 1993

The sixteenth episode of Raw opens with footage from earlier in the evening. A fight breaks out between Shawn Michaels and Mr. Perfect outside the Manhattan Center. Perfect tosses Michaels onto the hood of Perfect's car (actually, Howard Finkel's car). Federation officials try to pry the two apart as Michaels leaps at the restrained Mr. Perfect.
 

Raw #7 - March 1st, 1993

The seventh episode of Raw starts off with WWF champion Bret Hart making his way to the ring to defend his title against Fatu. Bret is WWF champion, after all, so it's only natural that he'd make lots of live appearances (remember this next month). For some reason, Rob Bartlett feels that he isn't annoying enough already, so he is dressed like Elvis tonight. Note that tonight's episode is in New York City, as usual, and not in Memphis, and that Elvis neither was born nor died any time near March 1st, the date of tonight's show.