Coliseum Corner: RAW’s Anniversary! Prime Cuts of the Inaugural Year

Welcome once again to Coliseum Corner, where everyone gets their weekly fix of WWF nostalgia.

 
In light of the 1000th episode of RAW coming up on July 23rd, this week’s column is dedicated to the 1994 release of: Monday Night RAW ‘Prime Cuts’. This Coliseum release featured matches from 1993 and highlighted some of the most important moments in the television show’s (then) short history.

The two hour tape, hosted by Vince McMahon and Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan begins with the Intercontinental Championship match between Shawn Michaels and his former tag team partner Marty Jannetty.

Originally broadcast on May 17th 1993, this match was setup when the Heartbreak Kid was in the ring being interviewed by Vince.  Marty, who had not been seen for some time jumped the guardrail disguised as a fan and challenged his former partner to a championship match.  The rest as they say is history.

On the same episode of Raw and featured on ‘Prime Cuts’, is the Razor Ramon and 1-2-3 Kid saga.  Virtually unknown to WWF fans, the Kid would face Superstars each week and lose.  That is until he met ‘The Bad Guy’ Razor Ramon.

Razors’s loss to the Kid made him the laughing stock of the WWF.  Money Incorporated took great delight teasing Ramon, causing the hated Bad Guy to gain support from audiences across America.  During this feud with Money Inc, Razor Ramon defeated Ted DiBiase at Summerslam before moving on to IRS.  See how this feud heats up when IRS takes on unknown jobber PJ walker.

During 1993, Lex Luger was chosen by Vince McMahon to become the new Hulk Hogan of the World Wrestling Federation.  From the August 9^th Broadcast, Lex appears on Raw to sign his contract for his title match against Yokozuna at Summerslam.

In other offerings on RAW ‘Prime Cuts’; Mr Perfect and Doink battle in a qualifying match for the 1^st annual King of the Ring Pay-Per-View. 

After two previous draws, these two had a something to prove and who knew what would happen when there were more than one Doinks hanging about the WWF. Crush challenged Yokozuna for the WWF Championship, the Steiner Brothers defend their tag team titles against the Quebecers in a Quebecer’s Rules match and Crush returns from a three month hiatus to confront Randy Savage. Only, Crush has Yokozuna’s manager Mr Fuji with him.

Finally, on this CHV release, the Intercontinental Championship is highlighted again. Shawn Michaels had been stripped of his title and suspended for not defending his belt, thus making the championship vacant. In order to crown a new champion, a twenty man battle royal would be held with two survivors facing each other in a match the following week with the title on the line. ‘Prime Cuts’ features this match, along with the battle royal.

For more Coliseum tapes featuring matches from Monday Night RAW, see: RAW Hits, Invasion of the Bodyslammers and Grudges Gripes and Grunts.

 
In the meantime let us know in the comments section some of your favourite RAW moments, but more importantly, watch this CHV release. If you don’t own it…buy it!

See you next week for more Coliseum Corner.