Monday Night Raw
April 19, 1993
Poughkeepsie, NY
Mid-Hudson Civic Center

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (4/4/1993)
Intercontinental Champion: Shawn Michaels (10/27/1992)
World Tag Team Champions: Money Inc. (10/13/1992)

Tonight’s main event: Money Inc. takes on the Beverly Brothers! Very strange promo to advertise as both teams take turns standing around in darkness staring off into the nothingness of space as they each announce to the world that they are fairly confident that they will win. Feels like the inspiration came from some weak 1980s music video.

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Rob Bartlett.

• Razor Ramon vs. Virgil
  

Manhattan loves watching Virgil get eaten alive, but Poughkeepsie is a different story as they go somewhat nuts for him. Maybe it’s the candy cane tights that does it for these people. Razor tells Virgil that he’s going to tear him up and throw him out of the ring. If I were Vince, I would say that that remains to be seen. Feeling out process ensues. Virgil gets the best of Razor after eating a right hand and gets a quick inside cradle for two. Ugh, Virgil is just horrible. He works the arm, but then whiffs on a dropkick. Razor grabs the abdominal stretch, but of course Virgil hiptosses out. He can’t capitalize though as Razor puts the boots to him. Now Razor telegraphs a backdrop and Virgil mounts his comeback with a flying clothesline. Savage shakes his finger at Virgil for not going for the cover. He tries a crossbody out of the corner, but Razor ducks causing Virgil to crash and burn. Time to put him away. RAZOR’S EDGE and it’s all over. (6:58) Savage gives Virgil 1000 points for his effort though. ½*

Vince announces that Rob Bartlett will be conducting the interview with Bret Hart. The man has apparently ‘lost his smile’ though and refuses to do it because he’s too scared to get near the ring after getting beat up by two women last week. To be fair, those ladies were Luna Vachon and Sherri Martel. It’s not like he got beat up by a couple of fifth graders.

• Giant Gonzalez (w/Harvey Wippleman) vs. LA Gore
  

Once LA Gore sees just how tall Gonzalez is, he waves off the match. He turns his back standing by the apron though and gets pulled into the ring the hard way: by his hair. This one is over quickly as Gonzalez gives Gore the CHOKESLAM at 1:20.

Standing by in what is either an S&M parlor or Rob Bartlett’s basement, Luna Vachon provides voiceover recapping her recent run-in with Sensational Sherri. Oh look, they use this to also promote WrestleMania IX on VHS. Pretty sneaky, sis.

• Tatanka vs. Art Thomas
  

Now we know where Maxx Muscle gets his tights from: Art Thomas. OBSCURE WRESTLING REFERENCES FTW!!! Thomas pearl harbors poor Tatanka to start and follows up with turnbuckle smashes. This seems oddly familiar. Like this method doesn’t usually work for anybody ever. Not once. Hey, I was right. War dance, chops, and the PAPOOSE TO GO finishes off Thomas at 2:30. Now I guess it’s Maxx Muscle’s turn to use the tights.

• WWF Tag Team Champions Money Inc. vs. The Beverly Brothers
  

This is non-title, folks. I mean, c’mon. Get real. The Bevs clean house to start and once it gets serious, they control DiBiase for a good while. Nothing too interesting happening as they work the arm. Money Inc become the victims of a false tag spot. Eventually, Blake runs into an elbow in the corner from DiBiase and takes a slam to allow a tag to IRS. Irwin immediately misses an elbow drop as the Beverly boys concentrate on his arm as well. Let’s watch some commercials. AND WE’RE BACK! Now Money Inc. are cutting the ring in half applying a front headlock on the mat on Beau. There’s a few hope spots coming and the more he strings them together, the closer he gets to the hot tag to Blake! Lots of backdrops and back elbows for DiBiase. Blake holds DiBiase for a clothesline, but DiBiase moves and Blake gets nailed by Beau. As Blake falls out to the floor, DiBiase sneaks a schoolboy rollup on Beau for the 1-2-3. (10:57) Pretty standard stuff as the Beverly brothers start their decline into even lower-level JTTS. *½

Vince McMahon brings out Bret Hart for his *very* special interview. Although he’s lost the WWF title, Bret informs us all that he isn’t done just yet. Not by a long shot! But for now, Bret says the Narcissist Lex Luger is at the top of his hit list after he was attacked at the WrestleMania IX brunch and especially now that Lex is telling everybody that he is the reason Bret lost to Yokozuna. Vince brings up Lex’s “controversial” elbow. Hmm, I thought it was his forearm bone that had a steel plate attached, but anyways. Bret tells the world that he’s coming for Lex Luger, Yokozuna, and eventually the Immortal Hulk Hogan to take back what is rightfully his: the WWF world title. Good interview!

• Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Phil Apollo
  

Fairly slow squash as Doink makes his first appearance of the night. He carries a colorful umbrella with him and stares into the camera. Back to the match, Bigelow puts Apollo away with the FLYING HEADBUTT at 4:43. After the bell, Friar Ferguson heads out to get involved in Bigelow’s business. When Bam Bam turns his back on the monk, he takes a dropkick out to the floor. Needless to say, Bigelow is upset.

So long, Rob Bartlett. You won’t be missed.

NEXT WEEK: The Narcissist vs. Crush!