In an era when the weekend was pro wrestling's timeslot, WWE's current flagship show, Monday Night Raw, started with a whimper 20 years ago today on January 11, 1993. The first show was considered mediocre with The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and The Steiners slotted in mid-level matches. The second show was considered an improvement, with Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect in action setting up Flair's departure from WWF.

The following are excerpts from Pro Wrestling Torch #210, cover-dated January 18, 1993, covering the first and second episodes of Raw...

-Monday Night Raw debuted on Jan. 11, 1993 from the Manhattan Center in New York. The first program was considered mediocre, in part because New York radio personality Rob Bartlett co-hosted the show with Vince McMahon and Randy Savage, and was considered overbearing by most reviewers.

The results of the first show were as follows: Yokozuna beat Koko B. Ware, The Steiners beat The Executioners, Shawn Michaels beat Max Moon, and Undertaker beat Damien Demento in the show's main event. None of the matches were considered above mid-level status.

-The second Raw was considered an improvement over the first. The following matches were taped after the live show for Raw's second week: "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig beat Terry Taylor, Marty Jannetty beat Glen Ruth (later of the Headbangers), and Ric Flair fought "El Matador" Tito Santana to a no-contest when Hennig interfered.

After the main event, Hennig and Flair brawled back to the locker room and then back to ringside again. After security separated the wrestlers, Flair took the mic and said: "The WWF isn't big enough for me and Mr. Perfect. So right here live in front of God and the whole world, here next week I want Perfect. One of us stays, one of us goes. Not out of the building, but out of the WWF." Perfect accepted the match, which set up Flair's departure from the company. The match was taped on Jan. 18 and Hennig pinned Flair with the PerfectPlex in roughly 20 minutes.

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[Torch art credit Grant Gould (c) PWTorch.com]

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