If you try to go back and watch the early days of Monday Night Raw, you’re basically entering a different universe. We aren’t talking about the three-hour marathons or the high-definition LED screens of the modern era. No. WWE Raw Episode 18, which aired on May 24, 1993, was a gritty, experimental hour of television recorded at the Manhattan Center. It felt alive. It felt like anything could happen.
Most people think of the early 90s as a "down period" for Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation. They aren't entirely wrong. The steroid scandal was looming, and the cartoonish characters like Doink the Clown were in full swing. But Episode 18 is a fascinating time capsule. It captures a company caught between two worlds. One foot was stuck in the 1980s "Hulkamania" era, while the other was desperately trying to find the "New Generation."
What Actually Happened on WWE Raw Episode 18?
Let’s be real. Not every episode of Raw in 1993 was a masterpiece. Sometimes it was just 45 minutes of squash matches and Bobby Heenan making jokes about the audience. But May 24th was a bit different because it focused on the build-up to King of the Ring.
Mr. Perfect was a massive part of this show. Honestly, Curt Hennig might be the most underrated performer of that decade. In this specific episode, he faced off against Doink the Clown in a King of the Ring Qualifying Match. This wasn't the "fun" Doink either; it was the original, creepy Matt Borne version. If you haven't seen Borne's work as the clown, you're missing out on some of the best heel psychology in history. He wasn't just a guy in makeup; he was a sociopath who happened to juggle.
The match ended up being a draw because of a time limit. A time limit draw on Raw! You don't see that anymore. It forced a restart, and eventually, Mr. Perfect secured the win. This helped cement Hennig as the workhorse of the brand. While the main event scene was often clunky, the mid-card guys like Perfect, Shawn Michaels, and Marty Jannetty were the ones actually keeping the lights on in terms of match quality.
The Weirdness of the Manhattan Center
You can’t talk about WWE Raw Episode 18 without mentioning the venue. The Manhattan Center was tiny. It held maybe 1,000 people if you packed them in like sardines.
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This created an atmosphere that modern wrestling lacks. It was loud. It was smoky. It felt like a bar fight was about to break out at any second. On this specific night, the commentary team featured Vince McMahon, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, and Randy "Macho Man" Savage. Think about that lineup for a second. It's legendary. Savage was clearly itching to get back in the ring, and Heenan was at the peak of his comedic timing. Their banter is probably the best part of the whole episode.
Why the 1-2-3 Kid Changed Everything
Just one week before Episode 18, one of the biggest upsets in history happened. The 1-2-3 Kid (Sean Waltman) pinned Razor Ramon. This shook the foundation of the show. In Episode 18, the fallout was palpable. Razor was absolutely livid. He was offering thousands of dollars for a rematch.
This storyline was revolutionary for the time. Before this, "jobbers" were just there to lose. They didn't have names most of the time. But Waltman’s victory proved that Monday Night Raw was a place where the status quo could be shattered. It’s the reason people started tuning in every week. If a scrawny kid could beat "The Bad Guy," then anything was possible. Episode 18 dealt with the shockwaves of that moment, proving that WWE was finally moving toward long-term, episodic storytelling rather than just weekly exhibitions.
Under-the-Radar Stars and Missed Opportunities
Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and IRS) also made an appearance on this episode. They were the tag team champions at the time. Seeing DiBiase in 1993 is a bit bittersweet. He was still the "Million Dollar Man," but you could tell his career was winding down. He was transitionining more into a managerial/talking role, yet his technical prowess was still leagues ahead of the younger talent.
Then you had guys like Crush. Remember Crush? He was being pushed as this powerhouse from Hawaii. In hindsight, the "Kona Crush" gimmick was pretty ridiculous. He spent a lot of time on this show feuding with Doink the Clown, which led to the infamous "two Doinks" spot later on. It’s moments like these that remind you why people call this the "New Generation" era—it was weird, it was colorful, and sometimes it was just plain confusing.
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The Technical Reality of 1993 Television
Watching WWE Raw Episode 18 today on the WWE Network or Peacock is a lesson in how much technology has evolved. The lighting was yellow and dim. The microphones would sometimes cut out.
But there is a soul in that imperfection.
Modern wrestling is so polished that it feels like a movie. In 1993, Raw felt like a live event you weren't supposed to be watching. The cameras were closer to the ring. You could hear the mat thud. You could hear the wrestlers talking to each other. For a purist, this episode is a reminder that the "spectacle" of wrestling shouldn't overshadow the "sport" of it.
Breaking Down the Card
The show wasn't just the Mr. Perfect match. We also saw:
- Smoking Gunns vs. The Brooklyn Brawler and Damien Demento: This was the debut era for Billy and Bart Gunn. They had the cowboy gimmick that worked surprisingly well. Damien Demento, on the other hand, was one of those "what were they thinking?" characters. He supposedly heard voices in his head.
- The Adam Bomb Debut Promos: We were starting to see the arrival of Bryan Clark as Adam Bomb. The vignettes were pure 90s cheese, focusing on nuclear radiation and post-apocalyptic vibes.
- Lex Luger "The Narcissist": Luger was in his mirror-obsessed phase here. It’s wild to think that just a few months after this episode, he would be turned into a pro-USA hero on the USS Intrepid. Episode 18 shows the final stages of his heel run.
Why You Should Care About Episode 18 Now
You might be wondering why a random episode of television from over 30 years ago is worth your time. It’s about the DNA of the industry.
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If you look closely at WWE Raw Episode 18, you see the seeds of the Attitude Era. You see the fans starting to reject the boring "good guys." You see the wrestlers starting to push the boundaries of what a "match" looks like on TV. It’s the bridge between the Hogan era and the Austin era. Without the experimentation of 1993, we never get the chaos of 1998.
The Mr. Perfect vs. Doink match alone is a masterclass in how to make a gimmick match look like a legitimate struggle. Borne and Hennig were masters. They took a clown costume and a bright blue singlet and turned it into a high-stakes athletic competition.
Actionable Steps for Wrestling Historians
If you want to truly appreciate this era of professional wrestling, don't just watch the highlights. You have to immerse yourself in the context.
- Watch the episode in full: Don't skip the "jobber" matches. Look at how the crowd reacts to the Smoking Gunns. It tells you a lot about what the average fan wanted in 1993.
- Listen to "Something to Wrestle With" by Bruce Prichard: There is an episode specifically covering the spring of 1993. Prichard gives the "behind the curtain" look at why Vince McMahon was making these specific creative choices.
- Compare it to the modern product: Open up a 2024 or 2025 episode of Raw and watch them back-to-back. Notice the pacing. In 1993, the matches were slower but felt more impactful. Today, the athleticism is higher, but the "selling" is often lost.
- Track the King of the Ring bracket: Episode 18 was a vital piece of the puzzle for the 1993 King of the Ring, which is widely considered one of the best pay-per-views of the decade. Seeing how they built the tournament on free TV is a great lesson in booking.
Basically, WWE Raw Episode 18 isn't just a nostalgic trip. It’s a blue print. It shows a company struggling to find its identity and inadvertently creating the most successful wrestling show in history. It reminds us that sometimes, the best moments aren't the scripted ones—they’re the ones where the crowd in a tiny New York ballroom decides to lose their minds over a wrestler in a clown suit.
Next Steps for Your Wrestling Research:
Log into your streaming service and navigate to the "Raw Replays" section for 1993. Specifically, look for the May 24th date. Pay close attention to the commentary by Bobby Heenan; his ability to put over the talent while remaining a despicable heel is a lost art that every aspiring manager or commentator should study. Check the "King of the Ring 1993" tournament brackets immediately after to see how the winners of this episode were positioned for the legendary June 13th event.