Monday Night Raw
May 3, 1993
New York City
Manhattan 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)

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Bobby Heenan.

• WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan
  

They kick off the program with a bang here with the first IC title match ever on RAW. I actually enjoyed Jim Duggan in this brief period more than I did at any other point in the WWF. He just seemed like he cared for the first time since he left Mid-South, which shown through in some of his matches. Crowd is SUPER behind Duggan. Shawn can’t concentrate with all this noise and takes a while to lock up. He sells big for Duggan’s clotheslines and punches. Shawn tries to leave, but Duggan carries him back inside as we go to break. When we come back, Shawn takes over on Duggan with heel offense. He works a chinlock, too. HBK wards off a couple comebacks, but eventually Duggan gets the better of him. Ten-count corner punch staggers Shawn into a big slam. THREE-POINT STANCE sends Shawn flying out of the ring. He tries to leave once more, but again Duggan has to stop him in order to win the belt. Instead of taking him back inside the ring like any smart person would do, Duggan knocks Michaels over the guardrail into the crowd, which gives Shawn the separation that he wanted. While he leaves through the crowd to save his IC title, Duggan hops back in the ring to win via countout. (11:08 shown) Not as fun as the upcoming lumberjack match. Shawn’s overselling was a bit annoying as well. I do miss the days where a match logically sets up a reason for a gimmick match instead of just having a gimmick match for the sake of doing something different. *½

Afterwards, Duggan thinks it stinks that the WWF has the rule that you can’t retain your title if you lose by countout. Well, of course *now* you would say that. He stages a sit-in until he gets to finish what he started with Shawn. The crowd tells him to just “take the belt”. He’s listening and reacting to what they are saying, but he’s not acting on it. Commercials!

After the break, Duggan is still sweating in the ring waiting for Shawn Michaels to return. He ain’t coming back, pal.

• Doink the Clown vs. The Kamikaze Kid
  

This is the Kid’s RAW debut. Although he’s the Kamikaze Kid, his tights still have lightning bolts and says “L. Kid” on the back. As for Doink, I just love the rough style of Matt Borne. Vince discusses Doink’s chances of qualifying for the King of the Ring. He took Mr. Perfect to two time-limit draws on the weekend syndies before squaring off in their third deciding match on May 24. May 1993 is one of my favorite months of Monday Night Raw just because everything felt episodic and as though they really had a plan for these shows. Every segment so far on the program meant something and was built upon for the next few shows. Even this reasonably regular squash turns out to be significant. Due to the Kid’s amazing dexterity, Doink finishes with a nasty STUMP PULLER at 2:07.

• Bob Backlund vs. Dwayne Gil
  

Looks like the on-screen graphic left off a letter there at the end. While discussing Luna Vachon’s appearance on WWF Mania, Bobby admits that he finds her attractive because he loves it when you can see a woman’s scalp. HA! Only one Bobby Heenan. Vince announces the Shawn/Duggan rematch next week will be a lumberjack match where the IC title is on the line. Savage immediately predicts a title change for next week. This is the longest squash of the night (OLD SCHOOL). Backlund powers out of a short-arm scissors to take us back to the 1970s. He gives us the double thumbs up and bridging cradles Gill for the win at 3:40.

After some commercials, Vince brings out Hacksaw Jim Duggan to get his reaction concerning his IC title rematch. He tells us what Vince had already announced during the last match, but at least now the crowd knows what’s going on. Basically from here, Duggan and Vince explain the rules and the psychology of the lumberjack match for the people who either have forgotten or never seen one before.

• The Headshrinkers (w/Afa) vs. Jay Sledge & Jim Bell
  

Captain Lou Albano comes out to do guest commentary. He and Bobby Heenan don’t seem to get along. Not sure what that’s about. They throw around Sledge for a while. In comes Bell, he takes a spike piledriver. As the former manager of the Wild Samoans, Albano speaks in complete gibberish to Afa telling him to play by the rules and just end this match. Nobody listens to Albano though. Double-team Stroke to Bell leads to the Flying Splash from Fatu over Samu’s shoulders for the win at 5:44.

To advertise the latest Coliseum Home Video release, “Smack ‘Em Whack ‘Em”, they show the Bushwhackers doing some home improvement stuff with Lord Alfred Hayes. Hilarity ensues.

• Kamala vs. Rich Myers
  

It is announced that Yokozuna – who put Jim Duggan on the shelf back in February – will be one of the lumberjacks next week. To be a thorn in Shawn’s side, Mr. Perfect has been chosen to be a lumberjack as well. YOU GOTTA TUNE IN! Poor Kamala is out here all by himself without a handler. Kamala splashes the back and does that thing where he bends the leg thinking he’s pinning the guy because he’s such a savage! Where’s Kim Chee when you need him? Finally, Kamala gets it right and turns Myers over for the win at 2:30.

And now they cut to a lady in the crowd eating a Mr. Perfect ice cream bar. Fantastic.

Before we go, Bobby Heenan grabs a quick word with the IC champ Shawn Michaels. Neither one of them think Jack Tunney’s decision is very fair. Not one bit, actually. When Bobby asks Shawn what he has planned, he takes the mic away and once he hears Shawn’s strategy, he advises Duggan to just stay home. I like it!

Next week on RAW: Jim Duggan gets a lumberjack match with Shawn Michaels over the IC title! Plus, Bam Bam Bigelow meets Typhoon to see who advances towards the King of the Ring. I think we all know who wins that one.