WWF Monday Night Raw March 15, 1993. Shown live on USA from the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, New York.


Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan and Rob Bartlett (dressed as Vince McMahon) welcome us. This is the first Raw to not take place
 at the Manhattan Center. We see footage from the blizzard outside (which could be a reason why Raw is not at the Manhattan Center tonight).
 Bartlett sends us to the intro video talking like McMahon (and would continue to do so the entire night).


Raw intro video.


Match: Razor Ramon vs. Russ Greenberg.
Gorilla mentions that Ramon will face Bob Backlund at Wrestle Mania 9. Total squash. Razor does all his trademarks, the fall away slam,
the abdominal stretch, before finally putting Greenberg away with the Razor’s edge.


Up next, Typhoon.


Commercial break.


We go to a pre-tape of Randy Savage and Reverend Jesse Jackson talking about Headlock On Hunger.
 We also see clips of starving children in the world (sad).


Match: Typhoon vs. LA Gore.
Monsoon and Heenan are hilarious together, as always. Add Bartlett in acting like Vince and its even better. I would had preferred this
 broadcast team at the time (no offense to Vince and Randy). To the match, Gore is a pretty big guy, he looks a little like Diamond Dallas Page.
 The only offense he really gets in are some shoulder thrusts before Typhoon pins him with a big splash.


Up next, a special interview with Giant Gonzalez.


Commercial break.


We are back, Bobby Heenan is in the ring complaining about the camera man not giving him the signal to introduce Gonzalez.
 Out comes Giant Gonzalez and Harvey Whippleman. Harvey says he promised everyone a big surprise at the Royal Rumble and he delivered.
 Harvey says he is upset that he cannot show the giant’s true power because all the WWF superstars are afraid of him. Heenan and Whippleman
 start talking about how Gonzalez will destroy the Undertaker at Wrestle Mania 9. Harvey says he may knock out Paul Bearer.
 Gonzalez says he has a giant surprise for the Undertaker. Harvey is almost evenly half the size of Giant Gonzalez, wow!


Promo airs for Wrestle Mania 9, focusing on the return of Hulk Hogan.


Commercial break.


Match: Papa Shango vs. Bob Backlund.
Backlund outsmarting Shango early on with mat wrestling. Shango takes the former WWF Champion down with the test of strength.
 Papa now takes Backlund down with a backbreaker as Bartlett continues to scream “its Monday Night Rawwwwww”.
Shango wearing Backlund down with a chokehold and using the ropes for leverage.
Backlund comes back out of nowhere with an inside cradle for the win.


Its time for the Wrestle Mania 9 report with Gene Okerlund. Mania is now 3 weeks away. Gene says that at Wrestle Mania, the WWF
 will have the world’s largest toga party. All WWF staff will be wearing togas. In the main event, Bret Hart defends the WWF Title against Yokozuna.
 We go to Superstars from over the weekend where Yokozuna destroyed his opponent after the match was already over after being instructed
 to do so by Mr. Fuji. Also at Mania, Money Inc defend the WWF Tag Team Titles against the Mega Maniacs. We go to Money Inc.
 IRS and Dibiase say they have a special briefcase in store for Hogan and Beefcake. In addition, the Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez.
 We go to the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. Bearer talks some BS in his creepy tone. Taker says that Giant Gonzalez’ nightmare will soon
 become a reality. Also at Mania, Mr. Perfect vs. Lex Luger. Gene sends us back to the announcers and refers to Rob Bartlett as Bob Barker.
Bobby says he is not wearing a toga at Mania.


Up next, the Nasty Boys vs. the Headshrinkers.


Commercial break.


The Nasty Boys (Brian Knobs & Jerry Sags) vs. The Headshrinkers (Fatu & Samu).
The Nasty’s kiss the overweight Raw girl before the match. Afa is not at ringside with the Headshrinkers. The announcers wonder where he is.
 Heenan says he saw him in the back earlier. The Nasty Boys take the early lead, a lot of double teaming. Monsoon thinks the Headshrinkers
 are lost without Afa. Sags just got nailed with a super kick as we go to break.


Commercial break.


We are back and Fatu is wearing Sags down. The announcers say that all 4 men brawled on the floor during the break but we get no footage.
 Samu tags in and goes up top for a head butt and misses. Knobs is tagged in and cleans house on both Headshrinkers. All 4 men are now
brawling by the entrance area. They hit the catering table and this has turned into a food fight! Fatu is covered in mustard. The bell rings
but no official decision is announced. The match is a no contest.


We go to a video narrated by Sean Mooney of various WWF wrestlers visiting with sick and mentally challenged children. We see Tatanka,
 the Nasty Boys and Randy Savage telling a group not to do drugs.


Commercial break.


We are back. Monsoon says tickets are still available for the March 22 Raw, where Raw will return to the Manhattan Center.
Also next week, Typhoon vs. Doink The Clown and Tatanka vs. Repo Man. In addition, Money Inc and the Bushwackers.
Gorilla also says that Vince and Savage will be back next week.


Reviewed by Jim Bryan, jbryan21408@yahoo.com.