Monday Night Raw
July 18, 1994
Bushkill, PA
Fernwood Resort

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: Bret Hart (3/20/1994)
Intercontinental Champion: Diesel (4/30/1994)
World Tag Team Champions: The Headshrinkers (5/2/1994)

Your hosts are Jim Ross and Randy Savage.

• WWF Intercontinental Champion Diesel (w/Shawn Michaels) vs. Lex Luger
  

Thanks to Ted DiBiase, everyone is questioning whether or not he has “bought out” Lex Luger. While both men are incredibly strong, they take turns punching each other out to the floor. Luger tries a double-noggin knocker, but Diesel isn’t falling for that. Back inside, Luger telegraphs a backdrop and gets caught for a possible JACKKNIFE, but manages to backdrop Diesel after all. Luger could be looking for the BIONIC STEEL-PLATED RUNNING FOREARM SMASH, but Diesel hits the deck and Luger goes flying to the floor as HBK gets a chance to clothesline Lex down. Wait a minute, Ted DiBiase is watching on from the rafters of the Fernwood Resort! We’ll be right back after these messages. When we return, DiBiase has left his perch and Diesel maintains control of the match with the Snake Eyes for two. Bossman straddle gets two. Chinlocks and sleeper holds courtesy of Diesel. Finally, Luger escapes with a back suplex, hits a couple of clotheslines, and drops Diesel with a DDT for 1-2-NO! Flying clothesline by Luger! Lex runs into a boot in the corner, but counters a whip and sends Diesel right into the ref before lifting him up in the TORTURE RACK! Why is JR sounding almost afraid to call it the Torture Rack? Is there some sort of Turner trademark to the words “torture rack” when it pertains to wrestling? Who knows. Anyways since the ref is down, Shawn comes by and SUPERKICKS Luger to stop the hold. He then wakes up the ref who counts as Diesel covers for 1-2-NO! While Luger and Diesel trade blows, Razor Ramon shows up at ringside and chases Shawn into the ring for the double-DQ. (14:05 shown) I do like how together they accentuated Diesel’s bigness instead of just showing off Luger’s biceps like you see in a lot of other Luger matches. In the end, Lex saves Razor from a 2-on-1 beatdown while Ted DiBiase is standing in the aisleway disappointed that Luger did not win the IC title. *½

• Mabel (w/Oscar) vs. Austin Steele
  

Ross hopes to get a word from Ted DiBiase before the end of the show. Steele is a Buddy Landel-impersonator, which makes him an impersonation of an impersonation. ANGRY BLACKMAN SLAM ends Steele at 2:15.

Backstage, Owen Hart is doing some bicep curls while Jim Neidhart is yelling inspiration into his face.

• Owen Hart (w/Jim Neidhart) vs. Reno Riggins
  

Crowd wants Bret. Owen – “I WANT BRET, TOO!” Awesome. SHARPSHOOTER ends Riggins in 2:55.

• Sparky Plugg vs. George South
  

Pertaining to the Undertaker situation, Savage says he has all the confidence in the world in Leslie Nielsen. Have you not seen ‘Naked Gun’? Flying Bodypress wins Sparky another one at 2:41.

We get a concise video package narrated by Todd Pettingell that explains the Undertaker vs. Undertaker feud dating back to the Royal Rumble.

• Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Ted DiBiase) vs. Gary Sabaugh
  

More NWA jobbers! Savage tells us that he just heard that Lex Luger was talking to Ted DiBiase in the hallway just before this match. Of course, he doesn’t know what the conversation was about. What happened to not spreading rumors, Macho? Bigelow finishes Sabaugh with a Million Dollar Dream Bulldog at 2:56. Never seen that before or since.

After a break, Ted DiBiase joins Ross and Savage. Is there a deal with Lex? DiBiase dodges the question and hypes a big announcement that will be made this weekend. Out comes Tatanka. He wants DiBiase to admit that he’s bought and paid for Lex Luger. DiBiase thinks Tatanka is just jealous because he can’t beat Luger and puts up $10,000 that says Tatanka can’t beat Nikolai Volkoff next week either. Tatanka takes the bet and says he can’t wait to hear this announcement. Since he’s certain Luger has already took the devil’s deal, it won’t shock him one bit.

NEXT WEEK: Yokozuna takes on Adam Bomb! Tatanka battles Nikolai Volkoff!