WWF Monday Night RAW – December 5th, 1994

December 5, 1994

From the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie, NY

Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels

Tonight’s featured match is British Bulldog vs. Jeff Jarrett

Shawn comes out to his music and takes the microphone from Vince.

Jeff Jarrett vs. British Bulldog

We see someone trailing behind Jarrett as Vince calls out the cameraman for doing shoddy work by picking up a “cable puller.” This puller is wearing a RAW hat and some sort of sticker on his shirt to indicate he is part of the production crew. Jarrett is also now billed from Las Vegas, NV. Bulldog gets these “rockets” for his entrance as Shawn complains about not getting anything that fancy for himself. Jarrett struts after using an arm drag then he trips up Bulldog and walks on top of him before celebrating in the corner. Jarrett cheap shots Bulldog in the corner now but Bulldog blocks a hip toss and takes him halfway across the ring. Jarrett bails as the crowd cheers as Vince taunts Shawn about bailing after Survivor Series to avoid Diesel as Shawn says he had to leave for a date. The camera shows the cable puller again as Jarrett gets shoved into the corner then the two start shoving each other after a reversal sequence as the puller is now encouraging Jarrett as Vince now believes the man is not a puller after all and possibly a bodyguard for Jarrett. Bulldog uses a delayed vertical suplex then Jarrett rolls outside as Vince says Jarrett probably got himself a bodyguard after getting embarrassed by Chuck Norris at Survivor Series. Jarrett trips up Bulldog but Bulldog fights back and uses ten turnbuckle smashes. Bulldog heads up top but Jarrett cuts him off and hits a superplex for two. Jarrett now applies a chin lock as Shawn tells “Vin Man” that Bulldog is too big for high-risk maneuvers. Jarrett catches Bulldog with a knee smash for two then goes back to the chin lock. Bulldog misses a charge in the corner then Jarrett uses a flying double axe handle for two right before the break. We return with Jarrett missing a flying fist drop then both men collide after an Irish whip sequence. Bulldog uses a small package for two then Jarrett jumps on top of his back and applies a sleeper. Jarrett takes Bulldog on the mat with the sleeper as the “corner man” is playing with stuff underneath the ring. Bulldog backs Jarrett into the corner but Jarrett comes back with a bulldog for two as Shawn points out the irony if Bulldog was beat with a “bulldog.” Bulldog fights back and busts out a fisherman’s suplex for two as Shawn says that move “never beats anybody.” Interesting comments by Shawn. Jarrett is able to re-apply a chin lock but Bulldog is soon able to catch him with an inverted atomic drop. Bulldog now runs wild until Jarrett bails. Jarrett heads up the aisle and Bulldog heads after him and presses him over his head and tosses Jarrett back into the ring. Bulldog then tries to get back into the ring but someone was grabbing his ankle from underneath the ring and Bulldog ends up getting counted out (12:07 shown) **1/2. The corner man raises Jarrett’s hand in victory as Vince goes off about him costing Bulldog the match. Vince then wants an investigation on this corner man as Shawn says he is a little helper who gave Jarrett a “holiday wish.”

Thoughts: Match was fairly solid with some slow points in between. The big news, however, is this person who debuted with Jarrett. And it was Brian Armstrong of WCW, who just two days prior was pinned by Bunkhouse Buck on an episode of “WCW Saturday Night.” In fact, Armstrong would be seen a few more times on WCW TV. (There was an incorrect correspondence report in the “Wrestling Observer Newsletter stating it was Brian Lee but with the gear Armstrong was wearing it made it tough to make out the person’s identity). Speaking of Armstrong, in his shoot interview with RF Video, he talked about being part of a band called “Living Insanity.” This band also featured Maxx Payne, Nick Patrick, and an independent wrestler named Dr. Squash. In WCW, Armstrong said that Eric Bischoff never seemed to like him and really did not care for Payne but listened in the band and thought they had something with the wrestling tie-in. However, Payne got a WWF tryout and they all tagged along. They tried out in front of Vince, Shane McMahon, and Bruce Prichard. They ended up doing acoustics and Payne got hired on the spot and he then got hired to be paired with Jarrett but they did not want their band or Nick Patrick, either. Armstrong said at that time it was the “Diesel & Shawn” regime and they wanted good looking talent on-screen. And lastly, they took a shot at the fisherman’s suplex (Mr. Perfect’s finishing move) since Perfect, along with Rick Rude, appeared during the 11/28 WCW tapings at Center Stage. Although, the segments never made it to air as according to the Observer, Perfect and WCW never came to terms for a deal. Appearently, the plan for Perfect in WCW was to be Ric Flair’s mystery masked man to face Hulk Hogan at Starrcade. With Savage leaving to go to WCW, Vince was pissed off at the company and there was even reports of anyone found talking to WCW would be fired. In fact, in his 1994 WWE Timeline with Kayfabe Commentaries, Sean Waltman said that Jack Lanza stopped talking to his longtime friend Bobby Heenan as a result of this.

Todd Pettengill lists off the dates of the “Holiday Wish” tour.

A clip of the 10th Annual American Sportscasters Association Dinner is shown.

1-2-3 Kid vs. Barry Horowitz

Shawn says Diesel was sucking up to the big wigs at that dinner but Vince says Diesel was invited, unlike Shawn. Vince puts over Kid teaming with Aldo Montoya to beat the Heavenly Bodies as Shawn even says that Kid & Montoya make a good tag team. Kid lands several kicks in the corner before getting a two count with a suplex. Vince says that Jerry Lawler will have the “most special edition” of “King’s Court” ever and speculates the guest is Diesel. Horowitz takes control as Shawn calls himself the real leader of the New Generation. Kid fights back and catches Horowitz with a few spinning heel kicks then uses a cradle for the win (2:54). Vince also says we will see The Bushwhackers vs. Well Dunn later on tonight.

Thoughts: With the way they talked up the Kid & Montoya team you figure they would be getting a push, especially considering the state of the Tag Division at the time. While we will see them team again, it wouldn’t last.

We get a hype video for next week’s Bob Backlund vs. Doink match. Its voiced over with a female voice that we will be seeing soon enough. And the tone of the voice nearly put me to sleep.

We see clips of Shawn Michaels vs. 1-2-3 Kid as played on the WWF RAW video game. Shawn plays as himself and busts out a spinning dropkick and tells us to wait and see it live. Vince puts over the game’s 4-player option and ability to choose from 12 different superstars.

Kwang w/ Harvey Whippleman vs. Scott Taylor

The announcers joke about Whippleman and Howard Finkel being in Heidi Fleiss’s black book. Shawn hopes Fleiss is only sentenced to “community service” as we go split screen to see Whippleman berate Finkel and make fun of his looks. Kwang takes Taylor down with a mat slam then lands a thrust kick. Kwang spits his mist into the air as we once again hear Whippleman yell at Finkle as Shawn calls Finkle a “wimp” while Vince brings up “Fink” ripping up Whippleman’s tuxedo at this past WrestleMania. Kwang works a nerve hold as Vince says we will hear a memo soon from WWF President Jack Tunney regarding the Tag Team Title Tournament. Shawn talks about not caring about the belts as Vince calls him out for not getting along with anyone. Kwang ducks a crossbody then lands a spinning heel kick for the win (2:56).

Thoughts: The match was a backdrop to resume the conflict between Whippleman and Finkel from WrestleMania X as it appears they are going to do a feud between the two.

We then see a hype video for Owen Hart vs. Lex Luger on the “Action Zone. Its billed as “Patriot vs. Traitor.”

King’s Court is up next. The announcers speculate about the guest. Lawler runs down the crowd for being ugly before announcing his guest, Shawn Michaels. Shawn pretends that he is stunned then heads into the ring. Lawler wants Shawn to tell us how he brought up Diesel from the gutter then calls Diesel out for being stupid. Lawler gives us some bad jokes as the camera shows some goofball fan wearing a Burger King crown and a smile. Shawn then says he has a few questions, such as ever hearing of Diesel before plucking him from obscurity. Shawn then tells Diesel he is the “Heartbreak Kid” and no one disses him, including a seven-foot Diesel. Shawn also says he put the “Cool” in Big Daddy and even put the Intercontinental and Tag Team Titles around his waist. Shawn then says everyone hates to admit this but he even put the World Title around Diesel’s waist. Shawn then says he is not here to talk trash but rather state facts and as quickly as he made him, he can disassemble him just as fast. We get Diesel chants from the crowd as Shawn doesn’t care then tells Diesel he is not hard to find. The promo itself was fine and it made sense given their history but it was not a blowaway performance by Shawn on the mic or anything.

We get a video package of Bob Holly at the Snowball Derby. Vince says Holly “hit a wall” but will return next season as part of the WWF Racing Team. I’d expect more of a push for Holly going forward.

An ad for the 100th episode of “WWF Mania.”

We get another vignette hyping the debut of Hakushi. Vince says he is on his way from Japan.

Before the tag match, Whippleman once again berates Finkle then takes over the announcing duties of his team, referring to himself as “Handsome” Harvey Whippleman.

Well Dunn w/ Harvey Whippleman vs. The Bushwhackers

The Bushwhackers use double clotheslines to take down Well Dunn in a truly pathetic sequence as Vince mentions that the Rossetti Sisters are at ringside. Well takes Luke down as Well Dunn is now in control of the match. Vince now reads off Tunney’s memo regarding the Tag Team Title Tournament and it will take place exclusively on “Superstars.” Well Dunn runs interference to beat on Luke as we will have the brackets unveiled this weekend and the Finals will be held at the Royal Rumble. Well Dunn use a few nifty double-team moves. Luke finally tags out as Butch runs wild on Well Dunn in slow motion. The Bushwhackers take Well outside with the Battering Ram. The ref now orders Luke onto the apron then Whippleman trips up Butch and after that Dunn hits a high knee to the back and gets the win (5:05) 1/2*. We now see Finkel tell the ref what happened and the ref questions Whippleman. We now see Whippleman go out to yell at Finkel then Finkel gets in Whippleman’s face and they start screaming.

Thoughts: This match was garbage but once again it was another segment designed to create more conflict between Finkel and Whippleman.

We now see the Backlund standing with the hosts. Backlund tells us he ever clowned around in his life and even hated clowns as a kid. Backlund says that clowns do not have a place in society or the WWF then tells us how he will bring our morality up by becoming the champion once again and if he has to destroy a clown for that to happen it should on Monday night. Shawn was funny here in the background.

Final Thoughts: We saw the debut of Brian Armstrong’s yet to be named character and got a lot of the Whippleman/Finkel feud. Plus, Shawn’s appearance on King’s Court to add more fuel to his feud with Diesel. And speaking of Shawn, he was amusing at times on commentary. Some of this show was fine but there was a whole lot of stuff that wasn’t, including this Whippleman/Finkel stuff. It took up most of the show. And man does this venue look sad. It was fine for “Championship Wrestling” tapings when the building was mostly dark but not for this era. However, things would not be improving anytime soon.