World Wrestling Federation presents RAW 1-25-1993
From: Manhattan Center, New York City

Sean Mooney is outside and is shortly joined by the Repo Man. Repo cuts a promo about repossessing Randy Savage’s career just like he did his hat.

RAW Opening Video

Vince McMahon welcomes everyone to RAW alongside Bobby Heenan and Bob Bartlett. They go over tonight’s show. Heenan of course sides with Flair beating Mr. Perfect later tonight.

Opening Contest: Randy “Macho Man” Savage versus Repo Man
The contest was really just a brawl that eventually killed the crowd. Repo surprisingly controls most of the contest. Savage comes back several times but Repo stops his momentum quickly. Savage manages to comeback and win the contest following a flying elbow drop after nearly nine minutes of action. *½

A promo by Bob Backlund talking about the “Headlock on Hunger”.

Commercials

There may have been a blooper as Heenan was talking to I believe Vince asking if they were on, but not in a typical goofy voice, but rather a serious tone.

Wrestle Mania video package/hype

Second Contest: Kamala versus The Brooklyn Brawler
Throughout the contest, Kamala attempts pin falls but continues to roll Brawler onto his stomach. Kamala eventually hit’s a big splash and correctly pins Brawler.
After the match, Vince goes over to Rev. Slick and Kamala. Slick credits the fans for helping Kamala’s conversion to goodness.

Gene goes over the results of the Royal Rumble. Bret Hart retained the WWF World Heavyweight Championship defeating Razor Ramon. Lex Luger ended up being Bobby Heenan’s surprise. Yokozuna won the Royal Rumble and will face Bret Hart at WWF Wrestle Mania IX. Also at the pay per view Shawn Michaels retained the WWF Intercontinental Championship defeating Marty Jannetty. Lastly, a man known as the Giant Gonzalez attacked the Undertaker during the Royal Rumble match.

Commercials

Main Event: Ric Flair versus Mr. Perfect (Career vs. Career)
McMahon really puts over how important this match is to both men. Perfect slaps Flair a few times as Flair tries to back Perfect into the corner. Perfect with a drop toe hold and another slap to knock Flair down. Mat wrestling by both men with Perfect getting the advantage with a hammerlock. Flair elbows Perfect in the corner and trade chops with Perfect. Flair with the Flair flop after one of the chops. Early on, Perfect is able to reverse everything that Flair does. Flair with a few closed fists in the corner but Perfect with several chops and jabs of his own. Flair with a eye rake and sends Perfect over the top to the floor. Flair grabs a chair and goes to hit Perfect, but the referee leaps off the apron to pull it away from Flair. Flair sends Perfect into the corner and Perfect flips over the corner and apparently hits his head on the ring post. Flair with several punches in the corner and Perfect has been busted wide open. Perfect staggers to his feet and trades slaps and chops with Flair. Perfect connects with a clothesline and gets a near fall. Perfect manages to backslide Flair down after a brief struggle for a near fall. Perfect with a big back body drop. Flair backs off in the corner but Perfect drags Flair to the center of the ring. Perfect works on Flair in the corner with several punches until Flair atomic drops Perfect. Flair with a roll up for a near fall. Perfect suplex’s Flair from the apron back into the ring for a near fall. Flair locks in a sleeper hold and Perfect is fading. Perfect prevents his arm from dropping three times and rams Flair’s head into the top turnbuckle. Perfect looked to leapfrog Flair but instead locks in a sleeper hold. Flair takes Perfect down with a back suplex. Flair goes for and locks in the Figure Four! Flair is using the ropes for leverage behind the referees back. The referee sees Flair using the ropes for leverage and breaks the hold. Flair works on the knees of Perfect with a few boots. Flair goes to the top rope but is slammed down to the mat by Perfect. Flair goes into his knee pad and nails Perfect with brass knuckles. Flair drops a elbow coming off the ropes and only gets a near fall as Perfect gets his foot on the bottom rope and kicks out on a second pin attempt. Flair with several right hands to open the cut on Perfect’s forehead. Perfect no sells some chops and Flair begs off. Perfect with chops of his own in the corner and backdrops Flair down. Flair flip in the corner and runs to the other corner leaping off but is met with a clothesline in midair which gets Perfect a near fall. Flair trips Perfect up and goes for a roll up using the ropes for leverage but Perfect rolls through with his own cover and gets a near fall. Flair sends Perfect into the ropes and drops his head too soon which allows Perfect to connect with the Perfect Plex and picks up the biggest win of his career after nearly nineteen minutes of action! Ric Flair is gone from the WWF! ****
After the match, Mr. Perfect celebrates the win as Ric Flair and Bobby Heenan are furious with the outcome.

End of Show

My Take: I was glad to see Repo Man control Randy Savage for a good portion of their match. Savage really should be used better than he was back in 1993. One of the bigger draws for the WWF, and he is stuck at the announcers table. As you can tell, and hopefully have seen, the Career match between Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair was a damn good contest. The fans were into the match from the beginning and exploded when Perfect got the biggest win of his career to the point. Flair is headed back to WCW and Mr. Perfect, you would think is on his way to main event status.. Or is he?