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Volume 3

The New Generation Era:
Part 1 – 1993-1996

Place To Be Nation Publications

Copyright © 2016 Place To Be Nation Publications. All Rights Reserved.

Published by Place To Be Nation Publications

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### Book Disclaimer:

We, like you, are wrestling fans. As such, we have our own opinions about what we like and what we don't like, and we don't mind sharing our opinions. The reviews in this book and in future volumes are OUR opinions. You may agree or you may disagree. That is one of the things that makes professional wrestling great. It caters to different tastes and there will be differences of opinion on what makes a particular match or segment "great".

JT and Scott began writing their PPV reviews back in 2007. In 2014, a refresh of those reviews began where each would rewatch and rewrite their reviews of the events. Along the way, Jeff came in to refresh and add new Fun Facts for the events. We re-released those refresh reviews and facts into our first volume ebook. This book is the second in the series as we look at the special events that came in between PPV events.

In our reviews, unless it is something very blatant, we will not tell you to definitely watch something or definitely not to watch something. Our opinions may sway you in one direction or another, but we want you to watch and be the judge for yourself.

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We hope you enjoy our reviews.

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Table of Contents

###

  * Royal Rumble 1993: The Calm Before the Storm

  * WrestleMania IX: Panic at the Palace

  * King of the Ring 1993: Crowning of the Hitman

  * SummerSlam 1993: Lex Luger Defends Freedom!

  * Survivor Series 1993: God Bless America, Lex Luger and Santa Claus!

###

  * Royal Rumble 1994: Featuring LIVE notes from the Civic Center

  * WrestleMania X: Ten Years in the Making

  * King of the Ring 1994: All Hail the King of Harts!

  * SummerSlam 1994: Hart Family Reunion

  * Survivor Series 1994: That's MISTER Backlund

###

  * Royal Rumble 1995: The Era of Diesel Power Begins

  * WrestleMania XI: A Giant Main Event

  * In Your House #1: Welcome to Hell...I Mean Syracuse

  * King of the Ring 1995: Hear Thee...Hear Thee...

  * In Your House #2: Main Event Misery in Music City

  * SummerSlam 1995: All Hail King Mabel

  * In Your House #3: Triple Header!

  * In Your House #4: It's the End of the World As We Know It...

  * Survivor Series 1995: A Breath of Fresh Air

  * In Your House #5: Hershey Highway to Hell

###

  * Royal Rumble 1996: The Heartbreak Kid Repeats

  * In Your House #6: From the Depths of Hell

  * WrestleMania XII: Iron Man

Appendix A: All Time PPV Active Wrestler Roster

Appendix B: PPV Rest in Peace List

Thank You

Connect With Us

  Royal Rumble 1993: The Calm Before the Storm

  WrestleMania IX: Panic at the Palace

  King of the Ring 1993: Crowning of the Hitman

  SummerSlam 1993: Lex Luger Defends Freedom!

  Survivor Series 1993: God Bless America, Lex Luger and Santa Claus!

# Royal Rumble 1993: The Calm Before the Storm

January 24, 1993

Arco Arena

Sacramento, California

Attendance: 16,000

Buy Rate: 1.25

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Dark Match:

### 1) Doink beat Jim Powers in 5:57

Fun Fact: This would be the first PPV since the landscape of TV wrestling had changed. Two weeks earlier on Monday, January 11, 1993, the WWF would replace Prime Time Wrestling with a new program, Monday Night Raw. The program broke new ground in wrestling as it was shot and aired in front of a live audience allowing angles to unfold as they happened. In the past, shows had been shot in a studio or at large arena shows with studio voiceovers. Raw was the first of its kind wrestling program where top of the card wrestlers competed against each other on TV. Initially, Raw aired live from the Manhattan Center in New York City each week with Vince McMahon, Randy Savage and Rob Bartlett, a comedian with no prior wrestling background, serving as the announcers. Producing live episodes every week proved to be a financial drain over time. Later in the spring of 1993, the WWF would move to taping several weeks of matches in advance after a live episode had aired.

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) The Steiner Brothers defeat the Beverly Brothers when Scott Steiner pins Blake Beverly with a Frankensteiner at 10:43

Fun Fact I: A big debut here as the much-heralded brothers from Michigan make their debuts. Scott Steiner and his brother Rick started in WCW in 1989 and quickly moved up the tag team ranks, winning their first of three WCW Tag Team titles in November of that year over the Freebirds. Even though both men were talented grapplers, promoters seemed to think Scott had what it took to be a solo star, but he was hesitant to leave his brother behind, something that would happen more than once during his career. Scott won the WCW Television Title in late-1992, but vacated it when both he and Rick left for the WWF.

Fun Fact II: This will be the last PPV appearance for the Beverly Brothers as Beau would leave in the spring while Blake would remain with the Federation until the end of the year in a jobber role. Their final PPV record as a tag team was 2-3, including 1-1 at Royal Rumble, 0-1 at SummerSlam, and 1-1 at Survivor Series. They did have one pre-show match at WrestleMania VIII which they lost to the Bushwackers.

### Scott:

We open a new era in the WWF with a big debut by an established southern tag team. Rick and Scott set themselves apart in the NWA/WCW, first when Rick was the TV Champion and then when they started the team itself and were multiple time champions. Then money came calling and they headed north. This was a fine opening opportunity for them by facing a solid heel team. After consecutive shows with Vince in the big seat we have the more familiar combo of Gorilla and Bobby back in the chairs. The Sacramento crowd is a little flat to start but when the match picks up they start to make some noise. I was never the biggest fan of the Steiners anyway, so their debut didn't totally blow me away, but it was nice that the company was trying to freshen up the tag division and add new popular babyfaces for the fans. It seems off the bat that Gorilla and Bobby didn't have that usual swagger that they did in late 91-early 92. It was still incredibly entertaining and Gorilla was better than Vince at this point, but it just seemed to not have the same sizzle it had before. Scott Steiner finishes the team off with his patented Frankensteiner, but clearly this isn't 1989 and with Scott's added bulk he can't flip as high as he used to and he almost piledrives Beau instead of flipping him over. The Steiners win their PPV debut, but as for Scott's finisher? Well it gets worse.

### JT:

We enter another new year, which means it is time for another Royal Rumble to launch on the Road to WrestleMania. WWF hits the west coast this time around, with a PPV outing in Sacramento for the first time ever. Gorilla Monsoon is back in the booth alongside Bobby Heenan and our opener features the debut of a brand new tag team, longtime WCW stalwarts, the Steiner Brothers. Rick and Scott had defected north back in December and immediately started destroying ever jobber in their path. Their first true challenge came here with the quickly fading Beverly Brothers. The Bevs had a very nice 1992 but as the new year dawned, it was clear their star was dulling as the division was turning over once again. Grabbing the Steiners was a pretty big coup at the time as they looked and felt like big time stars and immediately felt above the division in some ways. The fans were definitely into them here and they got a hot start that the Bevs quickly countered. In a nice trade-off of spots, both Blake and Rick hit belly-to-belly suplexes with Rick's doing more damage and putting the Steiners back in control. Scott would follow with one of his own, but a double team attack by Beau put this on his back. Good showing by the Bevs here, not backing down and bringing the fight right to the more powerful Steiners. From there, the Bevs worked the heel formula to perfection, quickly tagging in and out, using the tag rope to choke Scott, double teaming where they could, etc. The fans got into it as well, really fighting to rally Scott as Blake turned him into a Boston Crab. Beau would make a mistake by putting his head down, allowing Scott to spike him down with a butterfly suplex and make the hot tag. Rick destroyed both Beverlys upon hitting the ring, chucking them around with suplexes and hammering them with clotheslines. This is some stiff stuff, and one of my favorite spots is Scott just violently shoving Beau into the corner and slugging him in the chest. The Bevs would whiff on a Doomsday Device attempt, allowing Scott to nearly kill Blake with the Frankensteiner for the win. Wow, what a fight that was. And that finish was tough to watch as Blake landed rough on the top of his head. This is definitely an overlooked match when it comes to the Steiners' WWF canon, but I really dug it as they all let loose and just pasted each other with strikes and suplexes in front of a heated up crowd.

### 2) Shawn Michaels defeats Marty Jannetty with a Superkick at 14:20 to retain WWF Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact: Marty Jannetty made his big surprise return on the October 31, 1992 edition of Superstars when he jumped out of the crowd, grabbed Shawn Michaels' mirror from Sherri and lined up to whack Shawn with it. However, when Michaels turned around, he pulled Sherri in front as Marty swung the mirror, and Jannetty ended up crushing Sherri in the face and knocking her out cold. Sherri would be off TV for a month and a half, and her return was teased for the Rumble, with the question of whose side she would be on. Jannetty would leave again right after the match due to personal issues, not returning until later in the year.

### Scott:

The match we've been waiting for since over one year ago. It was December 1991 in the Barber Shop where one of the most infamous heel turns ever happened. Now after establishing himself as a solid heel worker and now IC Champion, the damaged tag team partner returns to extract revenge. This begins a four-PPV stretch where Michaels defends the IC Title against different styles of opponents with mixed results. The crowd is still a little flat for a Rumble crowd, but fortunately the match doesn't reflect that. It's a solid title match with both men working their butts off and when you include the drama over Sensational Sherri, the total package is pretty good. Michaels dictates the action but Jannetty keeps making comebacks and gets some close calls. Once Sherri reveals her new disdain for Michaels after throwing her in front of a wielding mirror shot a few weeks earlier, the match reaches its climax when Sherri hits Marty by accident and Shawn finishes the match with a thrust kick. Backstage Sherri and Michaels are yelling at each other when Jannetty attacks Michaels and they have to be broken up. The entire package was very entertaining and Michaels is 1 for 1 on PPV IC Title matches.

### JT:

After years of debating which of the Rockers was better, Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty were finally set to tussle on a major PPV stage. Their split occurred over a year ago, and after taking time to really establish Michaels as a high level heel, we are set up for the explosion. Thanks to that patience and build, this match feels much bigger than it would have a year earlier. Plus, we also get the IC title on the line this way. Also adding to the hype was the fact that Sensational Sherri would be at ringside and it was unknown whose side she would be on. She had been off TV since she ate the mirror on Superstars back in October. The hype heading into this was pretty high and many fans and critics were expecting an instant classic. I still don't know what Jannetty was attempting with these shredded coconut tights. Marty was all over Shawn off the bell, sending him crashing into the corner and then flying over the top rope with a big running kneelift. As Gorilla and Bobby debated Sherri's allegiance, Jannetty flew threw the ropes and smashed into Michaels with a dive. Marty kept pouring it on, not allowing Shawn to recover and make it back in he ring. That strategy eventually backfired as he tried to leap off the top rope with a strike, but Michaels decked him in the face on the way down. And then the match turned for Marty when Michaels hoisted him up and rammed him into the post shoulder-first. From that point on, Michaels targeted the shoulder with laser focus. The action stayed on the floor a bit longer as Shawn made trips to the outside to levy damage before rolling in to catch a breather and regroup. Back inside, Shawn wrenched the shoulder hard, not giving Marty any shot at an opening or break. However, Shawn did start to get a little brash and took too long to attempt a leap off the top rope, which allowed Jannetty to rock him with a boot to the grill. Shawn would compound that by missing a change and slamming his shoulder into the post, drawing the injured appendages even. Shawn recovered to dump Marty to the floor, but Marty came back and suplexed Shawn over the top and to the floor. It was then that Sherri finally tipped her allegiance by smacking Shawn across the face. Marty would take Shawn back in with a back suplex but could only get a near fall. Back outside, Marty smashed Shawn into the steps and then rocked him with a powerslam back in the ring. He followed with a DDT but again Shawn kicked out. After being a little quiet for most of the match, the crowd was really rocking now. Marty would duck a superkick but hit one of his own for another close near fall. As Shawn tried to punch his way back in, he accidentally caught the referee, wiping him out. That drew Sherri into the ring, but due to some miscommunication she bashed Marty with her shoe by accident. A moment later, he cracked Marty with his superkick and picked up the win. That finish totally shocked me at the time as I thought for sure Marty was winning. Bobby calling Sherri a "harlot" also shocked me. Sherri sprinted to the back in tears as Shawn celebrated, their association finally shattered. I thought they were going to swerve things a bit at the end with Sherri's shoe hit on Marty having been planned, but they played the split straight to get Shawn on his own. Backstage, Gene tried to calm Sherri down, but Shawn burst in and told Sherri that he "brought her from the gutter". Marty followed and the two brawled until Shawn escaped. So, the match definitely didn't live up to expectations but it was still pretty good. For years I thought it was just decent but probably because of the hype and assumption they could coast over **** at the time. The Sherri pathos didn't even get in the way until the very end, so you can't lay much blame there. The match was unique in that there was a lot of action on the outside of the ring, as it had to be more than half the match with them out there fighting. The shoulder work was good and the crowd got hot for a very strong sequence of near falls at the end. The finish was a necessary evil and in retrospect keeping the strap on Shawn was the right move, especially since Marty would be shitcanned right after the show for personal issues. For now, the Rocker issue is put to bed.

### 3) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Big Boss Man with a Flying Headbutt at 9:09

Fun Fact: This was a real transition match, as Bam Bam Bigelow makes his first PPV appearance since WrestleMania IV and Boss Man makes his last for almost six years. In his time off, he competed in the NWA as well as Japan. In an odd note, these two man passed in the night a couple of times from 1988 on. Bigelow left WWF in the summer of 1988, right when Boss Man made his debut. Bigelow then returned to the WWF in 1993 right as the Boss Man was leaving for WCW. It would happen again later in the decade. This is Boss Man's last PPV, as he would be gone just weeks after this match. His final match was on Superstars against Doink in late February. The match happened because back in December, Doink had set up a trip wire in the aisle sending Boss Man flying into the aisle. Needless to say, Boss Man was pissed and he remembered the incident when the match was made. Doink would lose by DQ when he sprayed ink in the Boss Man's eyes, causing him to be blinded and sidelined. He would hang around on the house show circuit into March. On TV, after a few weeks, the health updates stopped coming, Doink started feuding with Crush and Boss Man would eventually show up in Atlanta by the end of 1993 after a short stay in AJPW.

### Scott:

We have a returning superstar taking on one who we are bidding farewell. We last saw Bigelow on PPV back at WrestleMania IV when he lost by countout to One Man Gang. Gorilla is of course acting as if we've never seen him before, but in this instance many fans may have been too young to remember Bigelow in 1987-88. Since leaving he went south to Crockett and had some success but again untapped potential there led him to leave. As for his opponent, this will end up being the final PPV match for this incarnation of the Big Boss Man. He will take time off and head to WCW in 1994 with the rest of the "exodus". More on that in a couple shows. Boss Man came in as a hated heel corrections officer with Slick in 1988 and then would spend 1989 as one half of the awesome heel team the Twin Towers. The crowd seemed to slowly be clamoring for a Boss Man face turn and we'd get that in early 1990. For the next couple of years he would be one of the top three babyfaces in the company. However the time has come for the roster to get a little younger and with perhaps greener pastures down south (as well as a change in philosophy with their roster) Boss Man says farewell here. Honestly the match is pretty bad, as its painfully slow and the crowd is again dead. Bigelow works Boss Man's back over for most of the match and then finishes it off with his patented flying headbutt. Bigelow makes his return, Boss Man will be gone from the WWF for the next five-plus years but the match is not good.

### JT:

In an attempt to continue to bolster the heel side of the ledger, a familiar face has returned to the company in a new role. We last saw Bam Bam Bigelow close out a disappointing stint back at WrestleMania IV. Since then, he has spent time in the NWA and Japan and gained some maturity along the way. He returned as a heel in late 1992 and it was quite clear they had big plans for him based on commentary and booking in his early months. On the flip side, Big Boss Man is clearly a man on his last legs. After exhausting the Nailz feud the previous year, he was starting to feel a bit dated. They could have attempted to switch his gimmick a bit, but he was so ingrained in that look and name that would have been difficult to do. Also, the fans still really loved him, so a heel turn may have been tricky. After having been around for over four and a half years, it was probably time for him to take off for a while. That said, on paper this seemed like another really good match. Both guys were about the same size and both were agile for big men, so it wasn't hard to imagine them dealing a sneaky good tilt. Bigelow jumped Boss Man as the bell rang, manhandling him in the corner and then smashing him with a running charge across the ring. Bigelow kept the heat on until Boss Man caught him with a clothesline and then hammered him with some right hands. Boss Man tried to hook a side headlock, but Bigelow used his raw power to take him over with a back suplex. A missed Bigelow headbutt gave Boss Man the momentum back, and he capitalized by spiking Bigelow into the mat face first. A bad decision cost Boss Man seconds later when he wildly charged, allowing Bigelow to dump him hard over the top and to the floor, with Boss Man wrenching his back on the apron on the way over. Boss Man would eventually make it back inside, but Bigelow pounced and went to work on the back, hooking in a reverse bear hug, which allowed him to jam his giant head into the small of the back. Boss Man broke free and again tried to charge, but Bigelow caught him and dropped him across the top with a stun gun. That allowed Bigelow to go back to the bear hug, slowing the match down. Boss Man fought to his feet and took Bigelow over with a suplex, but he couldn't get enough mustard on it, which let Bigelow go right back into working the back. Boss Man would get a quick flurry in but Bigelow cut it off and finished the match with a top rope headbutt. That was a decent power match but a bit more sluggish than I hoped for. Boss Man gave it a go, but Bigelow ate most of the match, as he should, and the bear hug segments just ground things down from a decent start. It was a nice passing of the torch moment from one big man to the other and Bigelow is set for big days ahead. Boss Man has been fun to watch as we move through these shows, taking part in very memorable matches and feuds and I will miss his energy for sure. He will be back though. They always come back.

### 4) Bret Hart defeats Razor Ramon with the Sharpshooter at 17:56 to retain WWF World Title

Fun Fact I: In late 1992, Razor Ramon had formed an alliance with Ric Flair. On the December 12, 1992 episode of WWF Superstars the match between Bret Hart and Ramon was announced. During an interview segment on that same show, Flair and Ramon attacked Hart.

Fun Fact II: As part of the build to this title bout, Razor Ramon ambushed Owen Hart on one of the first episodes of WWF Mania. The footage of Razor clotheslining Owen out of his chair was replayed numerous times heading into the match, and was even put into the opening credits of Mania.

### Scott:

Back in October, Bret Hart shocked the world when he made Ric Flair submit to become WWF Champion. Then he wins a successful, hard fought title defense at Survivor Series against Shawn Michaels. Now as the new year dawns, the Hitman is clearly becoming the face of the WWF. It's a position he has long earned and probably all the WWF braintrust and not just Vince thought he was ready for. You can even hear the extra pep in Gorilla's voice when he talks about Bret as World Champion. His role is different from Hulk Hogan's runs as champion. Hogan mostly fought on PPV and rarely defended the title (or even had non-title matches) on free TV. However, the landscape changed with the debut of Monday Night Raw two weeks earlier, so the champion needed to be more visible with there being more weekly TV. Bret was on Raw, weekend TV, all over the place. Razor Ramon moved up the ladder very quickly. He also was featured prominently at Survivor Series, being in the tag team co-main event. Now he gets the Rumble title shot, then adds some juice to the match when he attacked Bret's brother Owen in a TV interview. The match was typical Bret Hart: He gets his licks in early, particularly to the legs to set up the Sharpshooter later in the match. Then Bret takes a good lengthy beating from Razor, including a decent length abdominal stretch. Bret makes his usual comebacks, then Razor almost hits the Razor's Edge but Bret slithers out and almost wins with a backslide. The battle continues but Bret survives with his Sharpshooter to retain his championship. The match was really good and the crowd, who I thought was pretty dead, finally woke up and got excited when the fighting champion won. This is a snapshot of the WWF for the next few years of main events. Who will Bret defend the title against in Las Vegas? We shall see.

### JT:

After having just debuted about seven months ago, Razor Ramon takes a big leap forward into a premier PPV title match. With a dearth of high level heels, Ramon was linked to Ric Flair and Bobby Heenan out of the gate and played a role in helping Flair win his second WWF Title back in September and then was in the co-main event at Survivor Series. Even with those credentials and momentum, it was still a bit surprising when Ramon was granted the title match here. There wasn't too much build up, just promo work, but Razor did land a big strike when he blindsided and crushed Owen Hart with a clothesline on Mania two weeks before the show. He also cut a fun promo from a Sacramento Kings game the night before that we see before the match. Bret Hart is still being built as a fighting Champion, taking on all comers, and really that was the impetus for this bout, just a great Champion battling a top contender with the gold on the line. Hart also vowed to get revenge for his family. I love the way they portrayed Hart as the beloved fighting Champion of the fans, starting with Gene's interview before the match, continuing with showing him prep behind the curtain, waiting for his cue and then capped with him bursting through the entrance way as the crowd goes nuts. For the first time since SummerSlam 1991, we also see his parents Stu and Helen at ringside, rooting their son on. The match opened with a big slugfest between the two, a fight that Razor won thanks to his size and power. Bret used his speed to bounce back and frantically went to work on Razor's leg to break him down to the mat. He even busted out a figure four just moments into the bout. As Bret kept beating on the leg, Heenan stated that Hart would never lock in the Sharpshooter thanks to the length of Ramon. Razor put an end to that when he found a way to send Bret flying across the ring, under the bottom buckle and ribs first across the ring post. Ramon took advantage, sliding outside and running Hart into the post and then dropping elbow on the sore midsection back in the ring as well. He would continue to punish the ribs and back, utilizing strikes, a fallaway slam, a vicious Irish whip to the corner and then hooking in an abdominal stretch. We even got a shot of Helen Hart cringing as Ramon laid the wood to her son. Razor was especially vicious in his actions, spiking Hart to the mat and laying in some tough kicks. Bret got a quick flurry and a pair of near falls, but Razor would stomp the back and ribs any time he had the chance, ensuring Hart wouldn't be able to gain any momentum. Razor would lock in a bear hug but Bret wriggled free and shoved him to the floor. Bret knew he needed a big strike so he took to the air and launched himself into Razor with a suicide dive. Back inside, Bret hammered away on Ramon and Razor broke out his great staggered, weak legged selling, It was really effective because while he looked wobbled, it also made him look like he was seconds away from regrouping and landing a shot thanks to his size and power. Hart went into his usual offense, rattling Ramon and grabbing some close two counts. Hart would go for the Sharpshooter but Ramon shrewdly tripped up the ref which broke up the hold. Ramon would go for a kill strike with a top rope back suplex, but Bret elbowed him off, floated over the top and hit a textbook back suplex of his own. However, instead of covering, Hart tried to come off the top rope but came up empty. Ramon took advantage and went for the Razor's Edge, but Hart slithered free and got a backslide for two. Again, Ramon landed a kick to the ribs to slow Hart's momentum. In a great move, Bret turned a test of strength into a bow-and-arrow and flipped Ramon into a sunset flip for a near fall. Ramon pushed out, but with both men prone, Hart quickly grapevined their legs and twisted the Bad Guy into the Sharpshooter for the submission win. What a great finish to a rock solid title bout. I really enjoyed this one. Both men have top notch selling and the offense from Ramon was really targeted and effective in his assault. I always love how Bret takes a beating off and on towards the end of his matches because it leads to some neat, logical finishes that show up out of nowhere. This was a very solid showing from the Bad Guy and a nice title defense for the Hitman, who is now headed towards Las Vegas with the gold around his waist.

*** Bobby Heenan leaves the broadcast area to unveil his debuting "Narcissus" that he had been raving about for weeks. When the curtain raised up, former WCW World Champion Lex Luger was standing beneath it. After Heenan removed Luger's cape, some funky music fired up and he narrated as Luger went through a full posedown routine in front of a trifold mirror. After he finished, Luger issued a warning to the rest of the locker room that he was the greatest physical specimen in the WWF and also issued a challenge to Mr. Perfect, Heenan's arch nemesis. Heenan even works in a reference to the Elvis Presley stamp as the curtain comes back down on them. Luger had left WCW in early 1992 and hooked up with Vince McMahon's WBF shortly after. He never competed for the ill fated bodybuilding promotion thanks to a motorcycle accident that left him injured. He took his time rehabbing and prepping himself to step into a WWF ring as 1993 dawned. ***

### 5) Yokozuna wins the Royal Rumble at 66:35

ORDER OF ENTRY (Followed by Elimination)

1) Ric Flair: Mr. Perfect

2) Bob Backlund: Yokozuna

3) Papa Shango: Ric Flair

4) Ted DiBiase: Undertaker

5) Brian Knobbs: Ted DiBiase

6) Virgil: Berzerker

7) Jerry Lawler: Mr. Perfect

8) Max Moon: Jerry Lawler

9) Tenryu: Undertaker

10) Mr. Perfect: Ted DiBiase, Koko B. Ware & Jerry Lawler

11) Skinner: Mr. Perfect

12) Koko B. Ware: Ted DiBiase

13) Samu: Undertaker

14) Berzerker: Undertaker

15) Undertaker: Giant Gonzalez

16) Terry Taylor: Ted DiBiase

17) Damien Demento: Carlos Colon

18) IRS: Earthquake

19) Tatanka: Yokozuna

20) Jerry Sags: Owen Hart

21) Typhoon: Earthquake

22) Fatu: Bob Backlund

23) Earthquake: Yokozuna

24) Carlos Colon: Yokozuna

25) Tito Santana: Yokozuna

26) Rick Martel: Bob Backlund

27) Yokozuna: Winner

28) Owen Hart: Yokozuna

29) Repo Man: Randy Savage

30) Randy Savage: Yokozuna

Longest Time: Bob Backlund (61:10)

Shortest Time: Terry Taylor (:24)

Most Eliminated: Yokozuna (8)

Fun Fact I: This is the first Royal Rumble where the winner got a World Title shot at WrestleMania, adding some excitement and meaning to the match that had been lacking from 1988-1991.

Fun Fact II: Yokozuna tied the record for latest entry in the Rumble to win (#27). He tied Big John Studd, who entered #27 and won the 1989 Rumble.

Fun Fact III: It took just one year for Ric Flair's longevity record of 59:26 to be broken. Bob Backlund outlasted Flair, starting at number 2 and lasting 61:10. The record has since been broken twice (Chris Benoit in 2004 and Rey Mysterio in 2006).

Fun Fact IV: This show marks the first WWF PPV match for Jerry Lawler, otherwise known as "The King." Lawler cut his wrestling teeth in Memphis in the early 1970s, training with the great Jackie Fargo. By the late 70s Lawler was the man in Memphis, winning its top title numerous times. He also wrestled Ric Flair for the NWA World Title, and won the AWA World Title from Curt Hennig in 1987. He was involved in a convoluted merger of titles involving the USWA, World Class and the AWA in 1988, which included Lawler holding all three of those world titles at once. His most high-profile feud was with comedian Andy Kaufman in 1982, which also included a memorable profanity-laced episode of "Late Night with David Letterman." It was revealed in Kaufman's bio-pic "Man on the Moon" that Lawler and Kaufman had pre-planned the entire feud. Lawler debuted on Prime Time Wrestling as Bobby Heenan's replacement anchor for Mr. Perfect. Lawler would take up commentary duties on Superstars and also dabble in the ring from time to time. He also continued to book and wrestle in the Memphis-based USWA, which he owned.

Fun Fact V: Let's just take a moment to mention some other new faces in this match. Max Moon debuted on Superstars in October of 1992 and was basically supposed to be some sort of spaceman. Originally dubbed the Comet Kid, he had a funky blue suit and wore a jet pack on his back. He would compete on the first episode of Monday Night Raw, as he battled Shawn Michaels for the Intercontinental Title. The role was originally supposed to be played by Konnan, who was part of the Mexican AAA promotion, but he bailed on the gimmick before he ever wore the costume. Instead, perennial jobber Paul Diamond donned the costume and played Max Moon until he disappeared back to outer space in late March. Also back on the scene is Terry Taylor, who we last saw clucking his way into the 1990 Royal Rumble as the Red Rooster. This time he is back under his real name, with the "Terrific" moniker. He wouldn't make much progress as an active competitor, and would be relegated to interviewing duties by the summer while still popping up on house shows through August. One more debut is Carlos Colon, the Puerto Rican legend who was brought in as a one time shot to participate in the Rumble. He was a big deal in his home land, but doesn't get to much of a pop here, and is actually called "youngster" by Gorilla Monsoon. A final debut is the insane Damien Demento, who makes his one and only PPV appearance here. He, like Max Moon, also wrestled on the first Monday Night Raw, as he battled the Undertaker in the Main Event of that show. Demento was best known as Mondo Kleen in Memphis, and would stick around as a jobber to the stars until September.

Fun Fact VI: In addition to some new faces, we had one face who was returning to the WWF after an eight year absence. In July 1992, Bob Backlund returned to the WWF, wrestling only in house shows before making his TV return late in the year. Backlund originally joined the WWWF in 1977 when Vincent J. McMahon was still in charge of the promotion. Backlund had a clean cut look and had a very technical style of wrestling. Prior to joining the WWWF, he had started his career in the AWA before working through several NWA territories. Once in the WWWF, Backlund was paired with "The Golden Boy" Arnold Skaaland as his manager. Backlund was elevated to the top of the card quickly and within four months of starting with the promotion he was in the main event picture, wrestling "Superstar" Billy Graham for the title. But it wasn't until February, 1978 when Backlund finally defeated Graham via pinfall to win the championship despite Graham's leg being on the rope. This was the beginning of a long title reign for the squeaky clean face that would last until 1983 when The Iron Sheik defeated Backlund when Skaaland threw in the towel when Backlund was in the Sheik's Camel Clutch. Backlund remained with the WWF after Vincent K. McMahon took over and he hung on until August 1984. He would wrestle for a couple of smaller promotions before going into a semi-retirement where he coached amateur wrestling at a high school in Connecticut. In the fall of 1992, vignettes began running promoting the return of Backlund, who stated his goal was to become WWF champion again.

Fun Fact VII: Well, we had some debuts, but we also have some farewells. This would be the last time we see Ric Flair on a WWF PPV for the next nine years, as he would lose a Loser Leaves Town to Mr. Perfect match the next night on Raw. He would return home to WCW and stay there until they closed up shop in 2001. This also marks the end of Papa Shango's run. He had been around for a year or so, but this is the first, and only, time he officially appears on PPV. Don't fret, however, for he would be back soon under a whole new persona. This is also the end of the road for Skinner who put on some solid performances over the past year. Also making a quiet exit into the night is Koko B. Ware. Koko debuted in 1987 and has been a PPV mainstay throughout his career. We mentioned his record in our last review, but I thought he warranted a mention here. Another mid-carder who debuted in late 1991 will make his final appearance in this Rumble as well, and that is the Berzerker. Best known for his brief feud with the Undertaker, where he tried to impale him with a sword, the Berzerker would disappear back to the Indies and wouldn't be seen until the late 1990s, when he popped back up in WCW as a jobber under his real name, John Nord. Also, on a more high profile level, this the final PPV appearance of Knobbs and Sags, the Nasty Boys. The Nasties debuted in late 1990 and had a pretty damn good run with the WWF, picking up a Tag Title reign along the way. Their final record was 3-5 with wins coming at WrestleMania VII, Survivor Series 1991 and 1992. They would debut in WCW later in the year, where they remained until they hung up the boots. Finally, also making his final PPV appearance is the Repo Man, otherwise known as Barry Darsow or Smash of Demolition. Repo would hang on a little bit longer and actually have a brief feud with Randy Savage, culminating with a match on the 1/25 Raw. His final appearance was on March 28 and he would also be in WCW by the end of the year, where he would spend the rest of career under a variety of gimmicks.

### Scott:

So who will face Bret Hart April 4 at Caesars Palace? Thirty men will battle for that spot right now. One year earlier we had one of the most star-studded Rumble matches of all time. In that instance the WWF Championship was on the line. This time (and from here on out) the winner of the Battle Royal will get a title shot at WrestleMania. So at least with a prize that important, we won't have a complete collection of slugs and also-rans that really have no chance to win at all. Well, not entirely. As the years progress there will be a huge amount of bums, but this year there are some viable candidates to the prize. Our first competitor is the man who came in at #3 last year and won the whole thing. Ric Flair comes in but Bobby, although upset, is not as exasperated as he was the year before when his guy won the World Title, and our #2 guy is a returning star. We haven't seen Bob Backlund since early-1984 when he ushered Hulk Hogan in to help against an attack by the Wild Samoans. Nine years later he has returned. I'm a little perplexed at that, since Vince is trying to inject youth into the roster. 15 years ago a match between these two would have sold out any arena in the country. Papa Shango comes in at #3 to give Flair a hand pummeling Backlund. Flair then eliminates Shango. Every man for himself. Gorilla does point out that Backlund is a former WWF Champion who has great feats of strength ability. Gorilla and Bobby's repartee has gotten a little nasty, as instead of having him tossed out Gorilla says he's going to flat out punch Bobby, while Heenan keeps calling him a monkey. Ted DiBiase, half of the tag team champions, is next. DiBiase is starting to look his age and is not as toned as he normally is. Next is Brian Knobbs and then Virgil, both filler. Virgil is now known for the daunting predictions of Yokozuna at Survivor Series. Our next possible contender is up next, as Jerry Lawler makes his long awaited WWF PPV debut here in Sacramento. A bastion of Memphis wrestling throughout the 1980s, he finally looks to cash in, and with WWF having a relationship with Jerry Jarrett now in place, the timing was finally right. I don't know if Lawler is a legit contender here, or if he's just a body but maybe a few years earlier he could be a contender for the title. Next is the mysterious Max Moon. I never thought much of him, but I guess he was another fun gimmick for the kids. Eventually Mr. Perfect came in and I and some others I knew thought he was the ideal favorite because of his history with Bret and the knowledge that they would put on a stellar match in Las Vegas. My money at that point was on him. I honestly didn't pay attention to any of the other filler, although when the Berzerker, came in the chaos factor actually got ramped up. Berzerker attacked Backlund outside and even pulled the padding off the floor. Terry Taylor comes in, and I realized that almost half of the guys in this match so far are wearing red tights. Meanwhile, Undertaker (another favorite) comes in and lays waste to everyone. Then all of a sudden, some weird looking guy comes into the ring in a bizarre, furry man-suit. Almost seven feet tall, he attacks Taker and in essence eliminates him. Wrestling fans know that its El Gigante from WCW. Furry suit? Maybe the first sign it was time to leave the "Rock n Wrestling" era and move on to something a little more grounded. The match continues until we get guys like Randy Savage and the now favorite, Yokozuna. I really didn't think Yoko was going to win, honestly. He had just debuted so I didn't think he was ready. He was that kind of Federation Era heel, yet now with Perfect gone I was think a Macho Man/Hitman title match would be completely awesome. Yoko came in with his alternate white/black combo and laid waste to everyone around him. So even though my thought was he was a newcomer, he made himself look like a contender immediately. Oh and on a side note, why they added "newcomer" Carlos Colon to this match made no sense whatsoever. Yokozuna lasts to the end and after Savage foolishly goes for a pin. Why he did that, I have no idea. The Rumble match actually aged better than when I last watched it, but it's not 1992 by any stretch. So Mr. Fuji's big heel gets the shot in Las Vegas against the Hitman. Will that sell tickets? Depends on the undercard.

### JT:

As we set up for the Rumble, Julius Caeser and Cleopatra came out to read a special proclamation, really playing up the impending Roman Empire theme for WrestleMania. The tie in there is because for the first time since the Rumble was born, the winner would earn a World Title match at Mania, a much needed touch to increase the stakes of the bout. In the first sign that some of the excitement of 1992's edition would not be replicated, when Ric Flair enters at #1, Bobby Heenan seems at peace with the poor luck of the draw. In fact, he almost seems confident, crowing about how Flair did it last year and could do it again. The returning Bob Backlund enters second and this pairing was a nice nod to historians and fans from the early 80s. I liked the Backlund signing as he really filled the role of "gutty veteran giving it one last shot" quite well. He stated his goal of becoming Champion again and it made perfect sense given his age and pedigree. Papa Shango would show up at #3 for his final WWF PPV appearance. He would be gone as quickly as he appeared and I just felt bad that he spent so much time painting his face for such a short amount of screen time. Flair and Backlund took turns decking each other as we awaited the next entrant. Ted DiBiase was #4, continuing his poor Rumble luck that all started in 1990, so I consider it karma for buying #30 in 1989. Having him, Flair and Backlund was a really nice reminder of territory days of yore for sure. Brian Knobbs charged out at #5 to a nice pop and immediately went at DiBiase to carry on their tag title feud. Of course, Knobbs and Sags were still pissed at Money, Inc.'s manager Jimmy Hart for his double cross of them back in late 92. Another DiBiase nemesis showed up at #6, Virgil, as they reignited their dormant feud. Virgil laid some licks in, getting a modicum of revenge on his former boss since DiBiase had gotten the last laugh in that one. History is made at #7 as the legendary King of Memphis, Jerry Lawler, makes his WWF PPV debut. Lawler had debuted in late 1992 and taken over commentary duties from Mr. Perfect but was also set to compete part time in the ring. It is pretty overlooked how stacked the early part of this Rumble match was with legends of the 80s. The mysterious Max Moon was in at #8 and laid in some dropkicks. That ring gear is so fucking weird. The legends tour continued at #9 with Japanese star Tenryu. We last saw him in a WWF ring back at WrestleMania VII and he returned for a one off appearance here. The action was fairly basic and the top stars prevailed as Moon was dumped in fairly short order. At #10, the crowd went nuts as Mr. Perfect charged to the ring and made a beeline for Flair, hammering him in the corner with reckless abandon. This may be the strongest third of a Rumble field to date when you factor in non-WWF legacies. I feel like if this show was in an area steeped in a richer territorial tradition, some of these guys would have gotten a much better reaction.

As Perfect continued to batter Flair, we were reminded that these two men were set to battle in a Loser Leaves the WWF match the next night on Monday Night Raw. And for the first time on the night, Heenan started to become exasperated and worried about Flair's future in this match. Skinner came in at #11 and right as he entered, Perfect shockingly clotheslined Flair out of the ring, ensuring we would have a new Rumble winner and that the Nature Boy would not repeat. As Flair flipped out and stormed off, Lawler took advantage and started working over Perfect. At #12 was Koko B. Ware, who high stepped to the ring while jacking up his absurd baggy pants. Between him and Skinner, we get an even further taste of Memphis. It was a brief flash as Perfect sent Skinner packing, closing his WWF PPV career out as well. Headshrinker Samu was #13 as the match and crowd both settled down from the Flair stuff. Lawler had a nice showing here as he really became one of the focal points of the bout, laying in a decent amount of offense, including a DDT on Perfect and getting quite a bit of face time overall. At #14 was the wild Berzerker, another man making his final WWF PPV appearance. Backlund was also having a really strong showing, surprisingly closing in on 30 minutes here. The crowd woke up again as Perfect sent Lawler flying. However, he got caught from behind and dumped to the apron. As he tried to fight his way back in, DiBiase and Koko hammered on him as Lawler pulled him from the outside. He finally had nothing left and was eliminated. I was shocked and pissed when that happened at the time, as I thought for sure he was a strong candidate to win. I also question them eliminating him when they did as it was a pretty big hit to the star power. Although, you could argue that was offset at #15 when the Undertaker slowly marched to the ring. The crowd was fired up for that. I always love how Lawler was ambling to the back, flips off some dude in the crowd and then staggers backwards when Taker passes by him. Taker came in hot, tossing Samu and Tenryu immediately. Berzerker and Backlund ended up on the floor, having gone through the middle rope, and Berzerker wiped the old man out, leaving him for dead. Back inside, Taker continued his rampage as Terry Taylor popped in at #16. This is Taylor's first PPV appearance since the 1990 Rumble match. He had returned to WCW and had a decent run there before returning to the WWF in the fall of 92. His showing was not impressive by any means as DiBiase chucked him and Koko together right after he entered. Taker would strike again, dumping DiBiase, ending a pretty strong run for him, his best showing since his 1990 run. As Taker and Berzerker battled, a mysterious giant ambled down the aisle, led by a cleaned up Harvey Wippleman and decked out in an odd hairy bodysuit. In the weeks leading to this show, Harvey had promised a big surprise to exact revenge on Undertaker for ruining Kamala's psyche. The big man led out is former WCW competitor El Gigante. As the big climbed in the ring, Taker dumped Berzerker to clear the ring. The crowd alternated between stunned silence and a confused buzz as he stomped towards Taker. Just before they came to blows, Damien Demento entered at #17. They really made sure to play up Gigante's size by having him stand next to and tower over Taker. He leveled Taker with one blow and knocked him over the top rope, eliminating him from the match to the despair of the crowd. It was kind of tough that they took out another heavy fan favorite at this point in the match. The manhandling continued, including a chokeslam, and Taker was left laying, completely devastated like we had never really seen before. He finally left as IRS emerged at #18. Well, that was quite the debut. IRS, Demento and Backlund all got back in the ring as Taker struggled to sit up and finally hobble off once Paul Bearer came out with the urn to assist. If anything, that was a nice breather for Bob. The buzzer sounded again and Tatanka charged to the ring at #19. With Taker and Perfect gone, the field had lost some heavy hitters and all of a sudden things felt a bit flat. Sags came in at #20 and I will say the Nasty Boys were pretty damn over if this crowd was anything to measure by.

The lower end of the card continued to fill the ring as Typhoon entered at #21. Heenan fucked up and called him Tugboat but covered nicely. Other than that, there wasn't much else going on at this point. As Backlund passed the 42 minute mark, Fatu showed up at #22. This match has really ground to halt, with some aimless brawling and a lo less crowd excitement. Two minutes later, Earthquake came in at #23 and while you would think the Natural Disasters would immediately become favorites to team up and dominate, Quake attacks Typhoon for some confusing reason. The two behemoths would trade shots until Quake dumped his buddy to the floor. That was a neat battle but still really confusing. Another territorial legend Carlos Colon popped up at #24 and Gorilla called him a "youngster" in a classic commentary moment. Colon made his mark, tossing out Demento. At #25, Tito Santana entered, making his seventh and final Rumble appearance. It has been a hell of a run for El Matador for sure. He has been on almost all of these PPVs since we started this project so it will definitely be weird not seeing him anymore. Fatu got chucked out but again, this was just normal battle royal stuff. Tito almost eliminated Backlund but IRS made the save. And at #26, Santana's long time enemy Rick Martel strutted out and the two reigned their old Strike Force feud immediately. I love it. I love that that feud just never died and lasted for eternity. The crowd popped for that and popped again when Quake sent IRS flying to the floor. With such a weak field remaining, once Yokozuna entered at #27, the big man winning seemed inevitable. Yoko got right to business, eliminating Tatanka and Colon before having a fun showdown with Quake that got the crowd riled up. The two big men slammed into each other in the center of the ring with Quake landing a few shots but unable to knock Yoko off his feet. After shaking those blows off, Yoko would impressively toss Quake out with a belly-to-belly over the top. While that was going on, Owen Hart entered at #28, followed by Repo Man at #29. Yoko continued to be a force in there as nobody even came close to tossing him. The crowd woke up again as everyone in the ring teamed up and tried their best to push Yoko out, but he just picked hem all off one at a time and fought his way back into the middle of the ring. Randy Savage entered to a huge pop at #30 to close out the field and it was painfully clear either he or Yoko would be the winner. Santana, Sags, Owen and Repo would all get tossed in succession, with Owen's elimination as the nastiest as it looked like he blew his knee out. Nice touch here having former longevity record holder Martel in the final four, trying to end Backlund's night. Backlund would fight him off and eliminate Martel right as he eclipsed Flair's record to become the new all time Rumble Iron Man. By this point, the crowd was really behind Bob, something that didn't seem possible an hour ago. Backlund didn't lay back and went right at Yoko. That was a mistake, as Yoko shrugged him off and ended his record setting night in the blink of an eye. The crowd came to their feet to rally Savage, but things looked bleak for Macho as Yoko unleashed his power offense. Savage would hang on though, land a few shots and eventually dodged an avalanche charge leading to Yoko hitting the mat for the first time in his WWF career. The seemingly delirious Savage pounced onto Yoko with his big elbow and went for a pin cover, which allowed Yoko to easily press slam him up and over the top rope. I get what they were going for, but it made a crafty veteran in Savage look kind of stupid there. Either way, Yoko grabs the win and celebrates with Mr. Fuji as Heenan sang his praises.

This was definitely a tale of two halves. The first half of the Rumble was really fun, loaded with legends and top level competitors. We had some hot moments with Flair, Perfect, Lawler and Taker but once Taker got wiped out, the match fell off a cliff until the finish. The back end was filled with mid carders that you knew had no chance, basically leaving us with only two true options to win. Similar to 1989, I think the Rumble could have finished a bit strong if they left Perfect and Flair in there until the end and then had them go out in a flurry right into the finish. Instead, it was just Yoko chucking fodder through the finish with Savage. Yoko winning was probably the right choice, but the booking to lead to it definitely could have been stronger. For now, our WrestleMania main event is set up with Yokozuna set to challenge Bret Hart for the World Title. I won't go much lower than *** for a Rumble match and while this had its moments, it is certainly one of the weaker editions of the match.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The first PPV of 1993 was a solid, fun show. The undercard had some unique matchups and it was fun watching a fresh crop on the roster showing off to the WWF crowd. Sure the heavy hand of the Federation Era is still there, with gimmicks like Doink and this furry man-suit guy attacking Undertaker. But with your two top singles champions (Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels) being expert workers in the ring there are signs of a turn in creative direction. So Bret Hart vs. Yokozuna is our main event for Wrestlemania IX. Will that be enough to sell tickets? Of course we don't really have an undercard yet, but between now and April 4 a lot of creative discussions would continue on and eventually Vince would panic. What level of panic? Wait till April 4. Watch this show again and it will be better than you remember.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Another Royal Rumble is in the books and for the first time since its creation, we have an officially clear view of what our WrestleMania main event is going to be as the show closed. This was an interesting show roster wise and we had a strong mix of new faces, old friends returning and a lot of farewells to some longtime stalwarts and successful competitors. The housecleaning has continued from late 1992 and it has helped add some fresh air to the promotion, especially with its strong, workrate and psychology driven World Champion on top of the card. On paper, this was a strong undercard, one of the strongest in Rumble history really, and while they all met expectations, nothing really popped and exceeded its potential. The Rumble match itself was uneven, with a really strong first half giving way to a tepid home stretch. Yokozuna is a strong winner but the match would have been more exciting if the big guns were out there closer to the finish, especially Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair. There was just way too much fodder out there down the stretch and it hurt the anticipation of who could win the bout. As a whole, the show was an entertaining watch, the crowd was pretty good despite some lulls and the roster is rounding into shape as we hit WrestleMania. The only question lingering is whether or not all of the talent will be properly used come Caeser's Palace.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #65

# WrestleMania IX: Panic at the Palace

April 4, 1993

Caesar's Palace

Las Vegas, Nevada

Attendance: 15,045

Buy Rate: 2.0

Announcers: Jim Ross, Randy Savage, and Bobby Heenan

Dark Match:

### 1) Tito Santana pinned Papa Shango in 8:00

Fun Fact I: At this show we get the debut of a new announcer that in time will become the voice of the WWF during its heyday. While in college, Jim Ross spent time commentating on college radio. With this experience he was given his first job in wrestling as a sideline commentator when an announcer wasn't able to show up for the night. He began his in-ring work as a referee in the Mid-South territory in 1974. When Bill Watts bought the territory in 1982, this would become Ross' home, where he became their lead commentator as well as the VP of Marketing. Ross joined on with Jim Crockett Promotions when the territory (then renamed the Universal Wrestling Federation) was bought out in April, 1987. He worked his way up the ladder in JCP, starting out as a color commentator and working his way up to head of broadcasting after the promotion left the NWA and became World Championship Wrestling or WCW. In 1992 he began having issues with WCW's newest commentator, Eric Bischoff, who reported to Ross initially. When Bischoff was promoted to Executive Producer in early 1993, Ross asked for and was granted his release from WCW. He was under a three-year contract with WCW, but took an immediate buyout so he could find a broadcasting position elsewhere. The WWF hired Ross and he makes his broadcasting debut here at WrestleMania IX.

Fun Fact II: Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Kamala was originally scheduled for this card but did not occur due to time constraints.

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) Tatanka defeats Shawn Michaels by count-out at 18:13; Michaels retains the Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact I: This the first time WrestleMania opened up with a title match of any kind. Also, this is Shawn Michaels' third straight Wrestlemania opener. He teamed with Marty Jannetty to knock off Haku and Barbarian at WrestleMania VII and defeated Tito Santana at WrestleMania VIII.

Fun Fact II: This will be Sensational Sherri's final WWF PPV appearance. She would remain with the company into the summer and was embroiled in a vicious feud with newcomer Luna Vachon. She would go on to WCW in 1994, first acting as a manager for Ric Flair and then moving on to Harlem Heat, who she'd lead to multiple Tag Team Titles as Sister Sherri. She was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006, but sadly passed away on June 15, 2007 at the much too young age of 49.

Fun Fact III: Leading up to this match, Tatanka was riding an undefeated streak coming into WrestleMania. Shawn was still in the midst of the lover's feud with Sensational Sherri, where she would come out in the corner of whoever was wrestling Shawn. Tatanka had already pinned Michaels twice prior to this match, once in a non-title affair on 1/25, which led to the announcement of this title match, and once in a six-man tag match on 2/22.

Fun Fact IV: This match includes the debut of a new female wrestler, Luna Vachon, who accompanies Shawn Michaels to the ring. Luna is the daughter of Paul "Butcher" Vachon. Luna began her wrestling career in the mid 80s in Moolah's all-women wrestling promotion before moving on to Florida Championship Wrestling. Her trademark persona was formed while in Florida. She came into the promotion as a reporter named Trudy Herd who was there to given Kendall Windham an award. A fight broke out during the interview where she was knocked unconscious by Kevin Sullivan. She was driven mad by Sullivan's treatment of her and she would join his Army of Darkness stable under the new name Luna Vachon.

Fun Fact V: This is the PPV debut of Shawn Michaels singing his theme song, "Sexy Boy".

### Scott:

Before we begin with the match, let's take note of a historic entrance theme moment. Shawn Michaels comes out to his theme "Sexy Boy", but instead of Sherri singing it like she had before he's singing it this time. This theme would be used by Shawn for the rest of his career and beyond. Michaels' first PPV title defense was a fun match against his former tag team partner. Now here he opens the biggest show of the year against the undefeated up and coming Native American. The build has been good, as Tatanka has beaten Michaels in a non-title singles match and pinned the champ in a six-man tag match as well. The job for this match is to get the crowd fired up immediately. Tatanka definitely gets his shots in as Michaels takes a pretty good beating early but recovers to dictate things in the middle of the match. The fact that this is over 18 minutes means the bookers really counted on these guys to get things going and highlight the first half of the show. The other half of the story is what's going on outside the ring. Sensational Sherri comes back to corner Tatanka vs. her former Sexy Boy, while Michaels has the debuting Luna Vachon in his corner. Bobby Heenan is getting all the history in about Vachon and her wrestling relatives. The latter portion of the match sees a series of close finishes that get the crowd crazy. Finally Michaels is counted out, and after Tatanka hits his finisher the referee calls for the bell. The title stays with Michaels, and he's also 2 for 2 in PPV title matches. We get some after match fun when Luna and Sherri go at it. That feud continues after this show. This match was a lot of fun and the crowd really got into it.

### JT:

My, my how time flies as we have already arrived at our ninth WrestleMania. We have had some unique looking shows, but this may be the most innovative and cool looking to date. Set outside at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, the WWF went all out in making this a full on Roman Empire theme. All ringside personnel were donning togas and the entire set fit the ancient theme. It was a really neat concept and was executed perfectly, right down to the extravagant entrances of Caeser & Cleopatra and the announce team. And speaking of our announcers, we have a brand new play-by-play man in longtime voice of the UWF and WCW, Jim Ross. Ross made a surprise debut here and is joined by Bobby Heenan and Randy Savage, who was also making his PPV commentary debut. Right out of the gate we have gold on the line as Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels is set for another tough challenge in Tatanka. The Native American is still undefeated with a streak edging ever thirteen months now. He also had picked up two non title wins on the champ heading in, so he had momentum. Michaels is accompanied by newcomer Luna Vachon but he barely acknowledges her and it almost seems like she just randomly wandered out with him. She is countered by Sensational Sherri, who is in Tatanka's corner as she still is looking for revenge on her former boy toy. The arena and ring really looked awesome here, the ring was bathed in sun with not a cloud in the sky and buttressed by giant yellow columns that blended well with the black and yellow ropes. We would get some feeling out early on with each man working holds and trading reversals. Tatanka hit the first big blow with a back suplex and controlled the action off that. After being dumped to the floor, Michaels really had to battle to fight his way back in, but once he got there he started to land some sustained offense for the first time in the match, but it was short lived. Tatanka would continue to work the shoulder, thwarting every Michaels comeback attempt and continuously wrenching in an armbar to keep the pressure on. Tatanka took to the air and hit a nice chop off the top tope, but he tried a second and ate a Michaels boot as a result. Michaels was pretty methodical on offense, taking his time as he tried to regain his strength while also grounding his challenger. The pace picked up as Tatanka made a comeback but ran himself out of it by whiffing on an elbow drop. Michaels started to lay the wood, but Tatanka was feeling it and started his war dance, rallying the crowd up as he landed some chops and a high cross body for a close near fall. He would pick up another two count on a really good powerslam but ended up on the floor thanks to Luna opening the ropes on him. Michaels took an unnecessary risk by leaping out to the floor and coming up empty. Before heading back in the ring, Michaels blatantly shoved down the referee. Inside, Tatanka hit the Papoose to Go but the ref called for the DQ due to Michaels' actions on the floor. Bah, a weak finish just when the match was really getting hot and the crowd being sucked in. I mean, I get it, Tatanka had to remain undefeated and they didn't want Michaels to lose yet, but it was a tough one to swallow based on how nicely the match built to the finish. After the bell, Luna kicked the shit out of Sherri before scampering off to the back, kicking off their feud. I liked the match overall, it was nothing spectacular but it was well worked and made sense with good psychology and limb work. Tatanka looked strong and really had Michaels off balance throughout and did a nice job heating up the crowd down the stretch. Good stuff until the finish, but Michaels escapes with his gold once again.

### 2) The Steiners Brothers defeat The Headshrinkers when Scott Steiner pins Samu with a Frankensteiner at 14:21

Fun Fact: This is both teams' only WrestleMania appearance. The only wrestler in the ring who would appear at another WrestleMania is Fatu.

### Scott:

This match could be considered a #1 contenders match for the tag team titles. The Steiners have been hot on Raw with their squashes and their definitely over with the crowd. Their match at the Royal Rumble was a little choppy and not that great. Here they take on a different kind of brawling team that may fit with their style a little more. I loved Samu and Fatu when they were the Samoan Swat Team, but in this instance I can understand Vince changing their name. That's probably a little too hardcore for this audience, plus they didn't change their style in the ring. Sure they added one of the Wild Samoans as their manager, but it still doesn't take away that they're a good heel team that is moving up the company's ranks. This match though, doesn't show that solid heel brawling style as Rick and Scott don't engage them as much and there was a lot of slow plodding action outside the ring. These guys were given a lot of time here but unlike the previous match the pace made it seem so much longer. The announcing team of Jim Ross (making his PPV debut), Randy Savage and Bobby Heenan has a certain amount of chemistry but there are times it sounds forced, Savage in particular. The psychology in this match is terrible, as the Steiners keep trying to perform moves to the Headshrinkers' heads, like headbutts. That's pretty dumb and the Shrinkers take control back. The Steiners recover late, and for the second PPV in a row Scott Steiner almost kills his opponent by hitting a sloppy Frankensteiner on Samu. Someone needs to tell him that move isn't smart anymore. The match is average and could have been better.

### JT:

I find it fitting that Jim Ross makes his PPV debut on a show featuring this match, as it was set up to be a stiff smashmouth war, which is right in his wheelhouse. Both teams have been rolling in 1993 and were heavily featured on TV leading in, even though there was no real angle or build to it. Scott and Fatu kicked things off with a pretty standard series of holds, but even those were delivered with extra mustard, including a stiff Scott shoulderblock. The Headshrinkers would turn things around thanks to Afa getting involved, but the Steiners quickly recovered and hit stereo top rope clotheslines to both Samu and Fatu, sending them careening to the floor. Scott worked over Samu some more, taking him over with a nice double underhook suplex, but things turned very quickly when Samu caught a changing Scott, stumbled back and just sent him flying over the top to the floor. That looked like a botched stun gun but Fatu did hook the rope so maybe it was by design; either way it was a nasty bump. Scott would catch a beating from there thanks to an array of headbutts and double team strikes. Samu pushed things a bit and tried a top rope dive, but Scott dodged it and was able to tag out. And business picked up. Rick tossed slams and clotheslines out left and right but made a mistake by trying to ram their heads together. That never works, Rick! The Shrinkers would land their double facebuster on Rick and tried for a Doomsday Device but Rick caught Samu in midair and turned it into a belly-to-belly off Fatu's shoulders. Great spot, albeit scary and sloppy. Scott would regain his composure and hit Fatu with a belly-to-belly before eating a Samu thrust kick. Scott fought that off and hit an ugly Frankensteiner for the win. Samu basically slipped out on the way over and crash landed in a heap. He may have to give that one up soon. I can't say the match was as hard hitting or crisp as I was anticipating, but it was still fun at times. The heat segment was a bit long and plodding until it picked up in the final minutes.

### 3) Doink pins Crush after interference from Doink II at 8:24

Fun Fact I: This is Doink's first pay-per view match. For months, Doink had been hanging around in the aisles at WWF events, entertaining kids and playing practical jokes on wrestlers. Eventually, though, his jokes got malicious, and he ended up blinding the Big Boss Man. Well, on one Superstars in January 1993, Doink was messing around with Crush, and when they shook hands, Crush twisted Doink's arm extremely hard sending the clown scurrying to the dressing room. The next week, Doink showed up again, this time with his arm in a cast. When Crush came out, Doink shook his hand and laughed off the previous week's encounter. However, when Crush turned around, Doink ripped off the arm in the sling and started pounding Crush with it. When the scene cleared, Doink was gone, Crush was unconscious and the arm was torn open and it was discovered to be filled with batteries. Crush left to sell the injury angle, and his first match back was this one, his first WrestleMania bout as a singles competitor.

Fun Fact II: Since losing to Ricky Steamboat at the first WrestleMania, Matt Borne spent some time in World Class and then toiled around WCW as Big Josh before being called up to take on this very interesting role in late 1992.

### Scott:

This is one of those feuds you take with a grain of salt. Doink, originally just a goofy castoff character, is one of my favorite heels of all time. A sadistic, evil clown is a fantastic character that borders between goofy and innovative. Crush is another babyface that the WWF wants to push to the forefront. That's why I thought it was a forgone conclusion that Crush was winning this match and maybe was on the fast track to a title match with Shawn Michaels down the line. The match is a basic plodding strike-based match. Crush dominates most of it with his power and countering Doink's moves. Then the silly ending. Crush clotheslines Doink to the outside, then comes back into the ring and Crush is about hit the head vise. Doink gets to the ropes, then "accidentally" knocks out the referee. Crush then gets the vise on Doink, when out of nowhere a second Doink comes from under the ring and smacks Crush with the loaded arm cast. Doink awakens the referee and gets the victory. I'm kind of stumped here. I'm not sure where this character was going, but the result pretty much stunts Crush's momentum. The match isn't much, and the ending was a surprise.

### JT:

After weeks and weeks of lurking in the aisles, Doink finally struck with a big blow in January when he bashed Crush with a battery stocked cast, putting him on the shelf for a couple of months. This is Crush's first match back and it seemed like a no-brainer that he would squish the Clown and move on to bigger things. He really did have a great look and the fans loved the big man, so it seemed certain he would be elevated sooner than later. Doink's entrance was pretty good, mainly thanks to his badass music. On the surface, this was a goof character, but once you saw what it was about you fell in love right away. An evil clown that wreaked havoc on everyone and could tear it up in the ring? Gold. Crush was out for pure revenge early, pounding on Doink on the floor, using the post and ring apron. Doink tried to fire back but it was useless as Crush just marched through it and kept pouring it on. Doink was finally able to snap Crush's neck across the top rope and he quickly pounced from there, scaling the top rope multiple times and slamming into Crush with right hands. That was followed by a nice piledriver. I loved when the face paint would start to come off as it made him look even more demented. Doink shrugged off a boot to the face but another trip to the buckles was a mistake as Crush caught him with a powerslam. Crush followed with a clothesline to the floor and Doink tried to escape under the ring but the big man dragged him back in the ring. A moment later, Crush spiked him with a military press and locked in the cranium crunch, but Doink got to the ropes and it led to a ref bump. Back outside, Doink again tried to get under the ring but Crush blocked him a second time. Back in the ring they went and Crush attempted to hook the crunch again, but as he did, a second Doink came in and bashed Crush with a loaded cast. A few cast shots later and Doink picked up the big upset WrestleMania to win to a surprising pop. The image of the two Doinks mimicking each other is a great Mania moment. Heenan was awesome here, saying the whole thing was an illusion and there was only one Doink the whole time. A second referee came out and they searched under the ring but no double Doink could be found. I was really shocked by this at the time, as I didn't see the mileage in Doink and figured Crush was owed a win, but this was really well booked and made a lot of sense. Doink could be hot as a heel and having him bust out these sinister tricks was a good direction to head. The match was slow and didn't have much to offer but the finish and illusion were really good.

### 4) Razor Ramon pins Bob Backlund with a small package in 3:45

Fun Fact: This is Bob Backlund's first ever PPV singles match.

### Scott:

This is a very unusual combination for a WrestleMania. First off, I know we saw Backlund at the Royal Rumble but I didn't think that he was sticking around for any kind of push. Backlund still had a lot of credibility in the ring but even this crowd is probably puzzled. Razor is a red hot heel right now and you'd think he would have a more credible and relevant opponent than a guy who hadn't been in the WWF in almost nine years. Then the match is barely four minutes, which also is puzzling. Other than a chance to get Razor Ramon on the show, there's really no other reason for this match to be booked. Is there anybody else on the roster that Razor could have had a good match with? How about Owen Hart? Owen was attacked by Razor to boost the Razor/Bret match at the Rumble, so why not Owen looking to get revenge here on the big stage? Instead we get a Raw/Superstars quality match and four minutes of fill. Very strange.

### JT:

After failing to win the WWF Title back in January, Razor Ramon has slipped down the card a bit, tossed into a throwaway match here that had zero build. Bob Backlund also had a strong showing in Sacramento and had slowly been working his way up the ladder. In retrospect, the finish here seems pretty obvious, but at the time it was a toss up as both men seemed in line for a push. The crowd has turned a bit here, first by rooting on Doink and now by clearly and loudly being behind the Bad Guy. Backlund tripped up Razor a few times, but power took over and Razor slammed Backlund down hard to the mat before laying in some stiff slaps to the face. Backlund came back with a perfect double underhook float over suplex and an atomic drop. He would go for a scoop slam, but Ramon dropped down and locked in a small package to steal the win. Man, these guys had a lot more left in the tank. That was a compressed version of what could have been a really fun match. The crowd sure liked the finish though, potentially a sign of things to come? Backlund takes the tough loss and as Heenan said, "he beat the wrestler with wrestling!"

### 5) Money Inc. defeats the Mega-Maniacs to retain WWF Tag Team Titles by disqualification at 18:36

Fun Fact I: In early February, Brutus Beefcake announced that he was returning to the ring after a three year layoff due to a parasailing injury. The only problem was that Beefcake's face was still a little fragile, so he had wear a big metal mask on his face as protection. Beefcake announced that in his first match back, he would take on any competitor. The first man to step up to the plate was Ted DiBiase. The two men argued face to face on Raw, and the match was signed for two weeks later. Over those next two weeks of programming, Jimmy Hart kept expressing his concern to DiBiase that this was a bad idea due to Beefcake's facial injuries. DiBiase blew him off, and the match was on. Beefcake held his own throughout the match, and eventually won by DQ when IRS interfered. After the match, DiBiase and Schyster began brutalizing Beefcake with IRS' Halliburton. Jimmy Hart tried to help Beefcake, but IRS shoved him out of the ring. Finally, IRS drilled Beefcake in his face with the briefcase, sending the Barber down in excruciating pain. That Raw ended with a shot of the bloody mat where Beefcake had been writhing in pain. The next week on WWF Challenge, cryptic messages about Hulk Hogan's imminent return were made, and the next night on Raw, there he was. Hulk Hogan returned after one year off and he and Beefcake challenged Money, Inc. for the titles at WrestleMania, giving us a second straight WrestleMania with an advertised double main event.

Fun Fact II: This match was originally supposed to be the blow-off to the Money, Inc/Nasty Boys feud, but Knobbs and Sags were taken off the show for Hogan and Beefcake. The Nasty Boys would leave by May and would return to WCW, where they would spend the rest of their careers. The whole thing is sort of ironic, as it was just two years earlier that the Nasties jumped from WCW and reportedly screwed up the scheduled push of Power and Glory heading in WrestleMania VI.

Fun Fact III: This is Brutus Beefcake's final PPV appearance. He would stick around until the summer, where he would wrestle on the tour of Europe. His final WWF match was on August 6, defeating Terry Taylor. He resurfaced in WCW in 1994 alongside Hogan. He would eventually turn on Hogan, and compete in a number of gimmicks, including the Butcher, the Man with No Name, the Zodiac, and the Booty Man. He would join the nWo for a little while as the Disciple, and was the only other member of the One Warrior Nation before his departure from WCW in late 1998. He later appeared on Hulk Hogan's Celebrity Championship Wrestling as a trainer. He would relocate to the Boston area and manage of a Planet Fitness club. His final record is 7-3-3, going 3-0 at Survivor Series, 1-0 at SummerSlam, 0-1-1 at the Rumble, and 3-2-2 at WrestleMania.

Fun Fact IV: Hulk Hogan showed up to this match with a very badly damaged black eye. There are multiple rumors floating around, ranging from Hogan getting banged up in an accident while working out to the Hulkster getting into a fight with Randy Savage that ended with Macho Man decking him in the face. The storyline explanation was that Money, Inc. jumped him while working out, damaging his eye in the process.

### Scott:

The first half of our double main event pits our tag team champions against the returning hero of the Federation Era. Hulk Hogan comes out with a black eye and to this day the speculation continues how he got it. Some say it was a water skiing accident, others say he and Randy Savage got into a fight at the Caesars gym. Regardless he comes out to face his old nemesis Ted DiBiase, only this time the Million Dollar Man is the one with the gold. This centered on Hogan's buddy Brutus Beefcake getting assaulted by Money Inc, which included a Halliburton shot to Beefer's reconstructed face. At the time I thought this was a one shot deal, as the main event scene seemed to be filled with the newcomers on the roster. To be put in the mid-show main event, and a tag team match no doubt, made me think Hogan was a temporary thing to spike the buyrates for this show. It was really weird seeing Jimmy Hart as the babyface manager here, wearing a jacket with Hogan painted on the back of it. As for the match itself, I used to not like it at all. It seemed to be dated for the freshness of the rest of the show, but watching it again the crowd is indeed into it and after a few slow moments and after Money Inc tried to walk out of the match but were threatened with losing the titles anyway the match picked up. Heenan's "face-off" comments when referring to Beefcake's face always makes me chuckle. The match has a crazed, frenetic feel to it, but it ends with a disqualification win for Money Inc? That's bizarre. I maybe wasn't expecting the Mega-Maniacs to win the titles but at least win it by countout or disqualification. The ending aside, I like this match much more than I used to. It's not five stars, but it's entertaining and it keeps the crowd really geeked through the middle of this show. Hogan leaves, perhaps for good. At the time we weren't sure of his future, but it was smart for he and Beefcake not to win the titles. There were plenty of tag teams that deserve to be in the #1 contenders slot, and Hogan & Beefcake was not one of them.

### JT:

A year after what was setup as Hulk Hogan's final WrestleMania match, he returns to the card in an interesting spot. After Money, Inc tried to wreck Brutus Beefcake's face again, Hogan decided it was time to come back and help his buddy get some payback. During the fracas, Jimmy Hart saw the light and decided to finally renounce his evil ways and take his place at Hogan's lap as his hypeman and manager. This was a pretty good use of the tag titles, as Money, Inc were legit enough to make the leap up to this spot without feeling like they were in over their heads. As soon as this match was announced, it slid into "Co-Main Event" status and many wondered if Hogan would close the show. The fact that this match was in the middle probably should have sounded some sort of alarm bell that something was up. The Vegas fans were certainly into Hogan and Beefcake as they marched down the aisle and fought off an immediate Money, Inc attack. Beefcake's facemask is a bit absurd here, but I would expect nothing less. As noted above, Hogan had a bad black eye here and it is played up that the tag champs jumped him while working out and dinged him up. The champs went to work on Beefcake, but DiBiase tried to drop an axe handle on Beefer's face and it backfired thanks to the steel mask. Beefcake went to town before tagging in Hogan, who stepped foot into a WWF ring for active televised competition for the first time since his tussle with Sid a year ago. The champs could not get on track as the Mega-Maniacs kept the pressure on, looking quite unbeatable. After a few frustrating minutes, DiBiase and IRS started to walk away but the referee revealed that he decided a deliberate countout would mean new champions, forcing the champs to charge back into the ring. A shot to Hogan's throat would slow the challengers down and DiBiase and IRS would dig deep into their bag of heel tricks to maintain control. DiBiase would hook in the Million Dollar Dream but thanks to IRS inadvertently tying up the ref, Beefcake snuck in and put DiBiase to sleep as well. That was really hokey. Hogan would make the tag and Beefcake cleaned house until DiBiase bashed Beefcake in the back with the briefcase. From there, we entered our second heat segment, with the champs grinding the match back down to a halt. As the beating went on, the steel mask was yanked off, and the champs started to target the restructured face, adding some drama to the match for the first time.

Beefcake would land a double clothesline but instead of tagging out, Beefcake hooked the sleeper on IRS. That allowed DiBiase to crank him from behind, wiping the ref out in the process. A moment later, both men tagged out, leading to Hogan hammering on DiBiase. Hogan and Beefcake would put both men down with the briefcase and cover, leading to Jimmy Hart hopping in the ring and turning his jacket inside out to reveal referee stripes. He counted three and handed his men the belts, but this clearly wasn't going to fly. A second referee came out and raised the hands of the champions, calling the match a DQ. Well, that was weak. And a surprise in a night filled with them. The champs would take off as Hogan and Beefcake threatened the referee, capped by Hart slinging him to the floor. Hogan and Beefcake would celebrate their loss, by posing for a while and emptying the briefcase to expose a brick and some cash, leaving a bad taste in everyone's mouths. And again, alarm bells should have been sounding that Hogan probably wasn't finished after such a pedestrian match and...loss, just his second in Mania history. The match really just wasn't good and was filled with goofy comedy spots that felt dated even in 1993. If anything it felt like an extended Saturday Night's Main Event tag match. I am glad the titles didn't switch, as that rub should go to a tag team that would be sticking around. Because as we soon find out, this one wasn't going to be.

### 6) Lex Luger pins Mr. Perfect with a backslide at 10:56

Fun Fact I: This is Mr. Perfect's final WrestleMania match.

Fun Fact II: Lex Luger was brought in by Bobby Heenan to take out Mr. Perfect after Perfect had turned his back on Heenan. Perfect would also rub salt in the wounds of the Brain by beating Ric Flair in a "Loser Leaves WWF match" the night after the Royal Rumble. Flair would stick around and fulfill house show agreements into February before heading back to WCW, where he would return to TV less than a month after his Raw loss.

Fun Fact III: Lex Luger was trained by Hiro Matsuda and cut his teeth in Florida. He was a heel under Kevin Sullivan and won his first title on November 19, 1985 when he defeated Wahoo McDaniel for the Southern Heavyweight Title. After feuding with Jesse Barr and Bad News Allen, as well as winning PWI's Rookie of the Year in 1986 he went to the Mid-Atlantic region in 1987 and was immediately placed as a member of the vaunted Four Horsemen with Ric Flair, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. His career blossomed there, winning the US Heavyweight Title as well as engaging in a high profile World Title feud with Flair. Luger eventually won the WCW World Title in 1991 when it was vacated after Ric Flair left for the WWF. He held it until February 1992, when he dropped it to Sting. Vince McMahon scooped Luger shortly after and held him in the doomed World Bodybuilding Federation until his no-compete clause ran out. He made an appearance at the Royal Rumble in January and made his in-ring debut on the February 1 RAW, defeating Jason Knight.

### Scott:

Our next encounter pits a WWF mainstay against the new heel superstar on the block. Luger debuted his "Narcissist" character at the Royal Rumble, and from there took on jobbers to set up this battle with the other "perfect" character. 1993 could have been a big year for Curt Hennig, and it could have started by winning the Rumble in January. A Bret Hart/Mr. Perfect rematch would have been a bankable main event, and for the WWF Title no less. Well that didn't happen, and Perfect has to carry this million dollar body, twenty bucks of talent superstar. Luger works Perfect over with shots to the back, which is solid psychology considering why Perfect didn't wrestle throughout late-91 and all of 1992. They consistently used Luger's forearm of steel as a heel weapon, which includes an incident the announcers keep mentioning that Luger attacked Bret Hart at the "Biceps & Bagels" brunch that morning. The match isn't too bad, but with some Luger chicanery he steals the victory. Then he knocks Perfect out with his loaded forearm. A cheap win for the heel Luger. That doesn't stop though, as Perfect chases Luger to the back where Perfect ends up being ambushed by Shawn Michaels. Interesting. The match is average, but storyline advancement is the more important aspect.

### JT:

Back at the Royal Rumble, Lex Luger made his PPV debut and immediately issued a threat to Mr. Perfect on behalf of his associate Bobby Heenan. The two did not have much interaction on television, but their match was set for here and had a lot of hype and anticipation for it. They seemingly matched up well and it seemed like a natural fit. And...hache mache! Luger is accompanied by a few scantily clad women, each of whom holds up a mirror for Lex to pose in. It was definitely one of the best entrances of the show. The crowd was red hot for Mr. Perfect, giving him arguably the biggest welcome so far. After some feeling out, Perfect struck first, rattling Luger with knee lifts and a dropkick. Perfect would break him down and start working over the knee and leg. Luger would overpower Perfect eventually, sending him flying into the corner and setting him up to target the lower back, both in and out of the ring. Perfect snuck in a couple of near falls, but each time Luger just powered out of them. Perfect started to punch and chop Lex, stopping him short anytime he came near. Perfect sent him into the buckles with a slingshot and topped that off with a big right hand, but there didn't seem to be any sense of urgency to this one, by either man. A sloppy Perfect missile dropkick would get another near fall, but moments later, Luger blocked a Perfect backslide and hit one of his own to grab the win, despite Perfect's feet being in the ropes. This one just never got going and felt like it was perpetually in first gear, which is surprising given the caliber talent out there in a big spot. After the bell, Luger drilled Perfect with his loaded forearm, leaving him out cold. It made sense for Luger to grab the win and stay undefeated, but it has become a theme here tonight with a lot of heels going over. Another disappointing outing in a series of them on this show.

*** Perfect follows Luger backstage and finds him talking to Shawn Michaels. As Perfect goes at Luger, Michaels attacked him from behind and dumped a trash can full of lumber directly on his head. He landed some more stomps in until officials pulled them apart. ***

### 7) Undertaker defeats Giant Gonzalez by disqualification at 7:30

Fun Fact: Jorge Gonzales was an Argentinean basketball player who was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 1988, a team that at the time was owned by WCW owner Ted Turner. Gonzales knees were too wrecked for the physical NBA style of basketball, but Turner wanted to help him out, so taking advantage of his size he moved him over to his wrestling company and dubbed him El Gigante. He was a babyface in some mid-to higher mid card feuds. Gigante would hang around in WCW into 1992 and also had a run in New Japan. Eventually, Vince McMahon came calling and signed him up. Gonzales debuted at the Royal Rumble, where he attacked and eliminated the Undertaker as revenge for his new manager Harvey Wippleman. There wouldn't be much interaction between the two otherwise, but Gonzalez did make his presence known on TV by wiping out jobbers and cleaning house during a Raw battle royal that he wasn't invited to participate in.

### Scott:

I was really trying to wrap my head around this match, and I...just can't. The almost four-year stretch of Taker having to face big imposing guys (talent not required) continues as he takes on the former Atlanta Hawks draft pick, complete with furry man-suit. Well the fur was just painted on here. Going into this match I couldn't even imagine how this match was going to be worked. Gonzalez spends most of this match simply throwing Taker across the ring over and over and some awful chinlock submission holds. The Deadman really doesn't throw much in the way of offense in this match, as it seems like the psychology is that the bigger Gonzalez can't defeat the Deadman with sustained offense, even if the pounding is constant. Sadly, the heel that's supposed to dictate the match is horrendous in the ring so the match is sloppy and unwatchable. We then get the absurd disqualification when Gonzalez knocks Undertaker out with chloroform. Chloroform? What the hell? Easily one of the stupidest endings of a match I've ever seen. Gonzalez mangles officials while they try to drag the unconscious Taker out of the ring. This segment is going on entirely too long, with the crowd even chanting for Hogan during the conclusion. Taker finally gets up and we're finished. Of course this feud isn't finished, and that's...unfortunate. Poor Deadman.

### JT:

In another feud that was kicked off at the Rumble, the Undertaker looks to conquer the newest monster thrown in front of him and he also looks to once again destroy Harvey Wippleman's dreams and hopes. The newly dubbed Giant Gonzalez stalks to the ring and his body suit no longer has actual fur on it, but instead it is just drawn on. Randy Savage really lost it at this point, flipping out about Luger knocking out both Perfect and Bret Hart in the same day and threatening to beat the shit out of Heenan. This show marks Undertaker's first special Mania entrance as he rides to the ring on a chariot, flanked by a vulture. Pretty badass. As clunky and awkward as Gonzalez was, this was a pretty cool visual and actually seemed like a potentially legit threat to Taker, especially after the beating he laid down in Sac-Town. The crowd was super fired up as Taker blocked Gonzalez and rocked him with right hands. The giant would block a choke attempt and levy one of his own, leading to Taker scaling the corner and returning the favor. A Gonzalez low blow would break that up but Taker shook it off and hit his rope walk axe handle. Gonzalez would land a big kick before tossing Taker across the ring with ease. After that fun start, the match hit a wall when Gonzalez hooked in a lazy headlock. Taker broke the hold but got dumped outside, where Gonzalez met him and rammed him into the steps. I will say this, Gonzalez is moving decently and Taker is busting his ass to bump around for him. Back inside, Taker kept fighting off the giant and landing blows wherever he could. He would get his hands on Harvey, but in the kerfuffle, Harvey tossed a rag into the ring. Gonzalez grabbed the rag, knocked Paul Bearer to the floor and then started to smother the Deadman with it. Somehow, amateur chemist Randy Savage identifies that it is chloroform right away. As Taker crumbled to the mat, the ref called for the DQ. I cannot believe that I enjoyed that match on this viewing. It is not nearly as bad as legend portrays it as. Both guys worked pretty hard and Taker was busting his ass bumping all around. The crowd loved it too. Gonzalez stood tall as Taker was barely moving, eventually grabbing a referee and chokslamming him viciously to the mat. The crowd heat for Gonzalez was pretty good here too. Man, if you watched this thing in a vacuum you would think he may be set for a huge heel run. Taker would get stretchered out but would fight off it to his feet and charge back to the ring. He hammered the giant with a series of clotheslines, finally knocking him to his feet to a monster pop. This whole package was way more fun than I ever, ever gave it credit for. And it was one of the few matches on the card that had some damn energy behind it. Good for them.

*** Gene Okerlund interviews Hulk Hogan about the upcoming WWF Title match. He says he and the Hulkamaniacs all support the Hitman and also confirms that Money, Inc did jump him and mess his eye up at the gym the night before. He gives advice to Hart on how to win the match and tells us the Hitman had a look in his eyes that made him question his own greatness. He issues an official challenge to either Hart or "the Jap" Yokozuna for the next WWF Title match. ***

### 8) Yokozuna pinned Bret Hart to win WWF Heavyweight Title after Mr. Fuji threw salt in Hart's eyes at 8:53

Fun Fact I: Bret Hart was at a disadvantage coming in to the match as he had been knocked out by Lex Luger's bionic forearm at the WrestleMania Brunch earlier in the day.

Fun Fact II: Yokozuna earned this title match by winning the 1993 Royal Rumble. On the 3/28 Wrestling Challenge, Yoko attacked Hart during their contract signing, laying him out with the Banzai Drop. Hart would eventually struggle to his feet but it was made clear that he may not be 100% for the match.

### Scott:

Our main event pits the fighting champion of the fans against the massive Royal Rumble winner. At the time, I thought it was Bret's coronation as the face of the WWF by defeating this very young superstar who just debuted barely six months ago. Bret has had a couple of great PPV title matches with Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon, but this match will be considerably different than those. Yokozuna is very big, but very agile so Bret will have to attack this opponent from a different angle. The Hitman actually takes the early advantage with quick strikes and the challenger is reeling. Bret is very aggressive in this match early on but Yoko's size takes hold with some vicious clotheslines and then the vile nerve pinch. Eventually Bret fights back and hits a sweet bulldog off the top rope. I'm thinking this is the climax and Bret will celebrate the end of WrestleMania with the championship. Indeed when Bret hits Yoko with a metal turnbuckle and slaps the Sharpshooter on, I seriously thought the match was over. Then Mr. Fuji, in the only time he legitimately helps his guy win, throws salt in Bret's eyes when the referee wasn't looking. Bret is blinded by the salt and Yoko casually walks over and covers Bret for the three count. I was stunned. Yokozuna is the new champion, and I'm thinking what the hell is going on. Hulk Hogan runs down to the ring and tries to help his "friend" the Hitman. Then out of nowhere Mr. Fuji challenges Hogan to a World Title match? Bret's telling Hogan go ahead...huh? This match is ok, but what happens next defies reality.

### JT:

Coming off arguably the hottest match of the night, it is time for our Main Event with the WWF Title on the line. We were in an interesting spot at the start of this one, as Mania had never ended with a heel standing tall but it was hard to believe Yokozuna would lose this match with the way he was being built up. That is why at the time it surprised me that Hogan went on in the middle of the show, as I assumed he would send everyone home happy after Yoko won the title in the undercard. Yoko's entrance was draped in a cloudy sky, as noted by Heenan, and which felt very fitting. As Hart entered, Ross again reminded us that he had been pelted by Luger's forearm at that morning's brunch. The story heading into this show was about how Hart craved respect and was doing what he could to build a legacy, which did lead to some thinking he may win and boost his resume, leading to an eventual match with Hulk Hogan. Hart wasted no time taking the attack to Yoko, charging in and leveling him with a dropkick before rocking him with right hands. I love the psychology there that Hart felt like he had to come hot out of the gate and be aggressive. That was short lived as Yoko pancaked Hart with a shoulderblock that sent him to the floor. In a nice spot, Hart hooked Yoko's foot in between the ropes and flew into him with a dive, landing more right hands. With Yoko tied up, Hart kept landing blows until Earl Hebner unhooked the big man. This has been some brilliant work by Hart so far. He landed a couple of clothesline before Yoko planted him with one of his own. He followed with a big legdrop and things were now not looking good for the champ. The suddenly hot crowd chanted "USA" loudly as Mr. Fuji egged them on. Yoko would hook in his nervehold but a moment later he ate a Hart boot on a charge. Hart took advantage by leaping on Yoko's back and riding him to the mat for a near fall. I love how Ross made a big deal about Hart getting that two count, showing there may be hope. Yoko cut him off with a thrust kick and reset himself by going back to the nervehold. Yoko would make a mistake with another charge as Hart dove out of the way and followed with a bulldog off the middle rope for a second near fall. Hart started to build some momentum, putting Yoko back down with a running clothesline. Hart hammered Yoko in the corner but Yoko just pushed forward and pulled both Hart and the turnbuckle pad with him. That backfired as Yoko ate the steel corner a moment later, allowing Hart to actually hook the sharpshooter in. As Yoko tried to find a way out, Fuji struck and tossed a handful of salt in the champ's eyes. Hart would crumble backwards, allowing Yoko to cover and steal the WWF Title. That was a shifty finish but I appreciate them giving Hart an out. That was a really smart well worked match by both men. I loved how Hart picked him apart and landed shots wherever he could, slowly gaining confidence and building on his previous attack. His urgency any time he had a hole was tremendous and Yoko staying confident and calm until the finish was well done too. It was a sneaky good main event, something that was quite unexpected. Hart's upstart title reign is over, but the way he was protected here made you confident it wouldn't be his last. For now, the monster Yokozuna reigns supreme.

### 9) Hogan pins Yokozuna to win WWF Heavyweight Title with the legdrop at :28

Fun Fact: As Hart writhed in the mat, trying to wipe the salt out of his eyes and come to grips with what had happened, Hulk Hogan showed up to check on and shield him from further attack. Feeling ballsy after the big win, Mr. Fuji levied a challenge to the "yellow belly" Hogan to come meet a similar fate. With the blessing of Hart and the crowd rooting him on, Hogan accepted the challenge and slid into the ring to give us our second World Title match of the evening.

### Scott:

So wait, there's actually a real World Title match? Fuji tries the salt trick he used to beat Bret Hart with, but this time Hogan ducks. Clothesline, leg drop and...he's CHAMPION? What the hell did I just watch? Now the first time I watched this on PPV my cable went out right as the salt went in Bret's eyes, so I knew nothing until my buddy called me that night and said "So he's champion again!" Again? Then the next night on Raw the reality was there. Hulk Hogan was now a five-time WWF Champion. Sure in the heat of the moment everybody was going crazy and loving life. However the real long term problems began that night and continued throughout the spring. Where was Hogan? He didn't show up on TV ONCE after this show. Plus he apparently reneged on dropping the title back to Bret Hart. Utter bullshit right there. Vince totally screwed this whole thing up. I would have just had either Bret retain the title here and get a confident thumbs up from the bookers and the company that he can carry things, or have Yokozuna just win under nefarious means. If you didn't want Yokozuna to job this soon, then maybe have either Mr. Perfect or Randy Savage win the Royal Rumble and have an epic main event with outstanding workers that Bret could go over with. Instead Vince panicked that this new crop of stars at the top of the card won't lead to success, so he fell for Hogan's spell and not only being at WrestleMania, but shoe horning him into the main event and somehow winning the World Title. Then all the promises Hogan made he completely reneged on, so really Vince fell for the Red and Yellow hypnosis. That sends the company back a year and then Vince compounds the problem in the summertime but we will get there. This ending was an atrocious miscarriage of justice for Bret Hart and all the hard work he did from October to now.

### JT:

Yokozuna barely had time to celebrate as Hulk Hogan charged to the ring to dispute the finish and tend to his new best buddy. The crowd started to get a little excited, sensing something special could be coming. As Hogan helped Hart to the floor, Mr. Fuji grabbed a mic and proved why he is a useless manager, issuing an on the spot challenge to the greatest WWF superstar of all time after his grossly overweight star just wrestled a nine minute match. Between this and the Demolition fiasco, you have to assume he is allergic to managing champions. With the crowd and Hart urging him to accept the challenge, Hogan went for it. He hit the ring, ducked another salt throw, knocked Yoko down, dropped the leg and...we have a brand new WWF Champion. The Vegas crowd went batshit. Hell, I went batshit at the time too. It was a real swerve and shock, as I assumed Hogan would challenge at the new King of the Ring PPV but not here and now. Both Hart and Yoko vanished as Hogan celebrated his shocking win. Now, this decision has been skewered many times over by many critics and fans, yours truly included. However, I get what they were thinking. Business was sagging, Hart's run was good, but he was not yet the top star they needed to carry the show. Yokozuna looked strong since he debuted and a loss like this wouldn't hurt him in any way as he could argue he wasn't prepared and that Fuji made a brainfart. After tepid crowd reactions in late 1991 and early 1992, the fans had been into Hogan since his Raw return and I can see why Vince McMahon thought it was worth a roll of the dice to see if he could reclaim the magic. At the very least, Hogan could later properly put over Yoko or Hart and reset things. But why not give it a go? The problem here wasn't this decision, it was the fallout and (lack of) follow up, which we will cover next time.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

It's very easy to hate this show for so many reasons. The substandard undercard and that brutal final match and swerve. However there are some bright spots. The IC Title match was very entertaining, the crowd was really hot, and even the Mega-Maniacs/Money, Inc title match was more entertaining than I remember. If Hogan had just been in that match I think we would have been fine. Hell I would have accepted the Mega-Maniacs as tag team champions. At least it avoids what happens at the end of the night. The Taker/Gonzalez match was horrendous, and the ending indicates the feud is sadly not over. No disrespect to Bob Backlund, but I think a Razor Ramon/Owen Hart match would have really lifted the quality of this show tenfold. There was a backstory and it would have been a much better match. So now we have an absent WWF Champion, Bret Hart goes from a battling champion to a complete chump, and Yokozuna looks like a total idiot. The crowd was so excited when the show ended, it's a tragedy what happened for the next few months. There's really nothing redeeming about this show except maybe for the opening match. Even Jim Ross' commentary is a little shaky as he attempts to work with more animated color commentators than he's used to. This may be a show you watch once if you've never seen it, and then perhaps never put it on again.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Ok, where to start. This WrestleMania is often lumped in at the bottom as one of the worst installments. And nothing in this rewatch made me think otherwise. It is clearly a bottom tier show. The atmosphere is pretty great and the commentary is a lot of fun. The matches were all pretty well set up and the card looked strong enough on paper, but something was just missing. Up until the last two matches, nothing felt urgent in any way. Most of the matches just felt like the competitors were going through the motions and an up and down crowd didn't help. Also, a lot of heels (Doink, Ramon, Money, Inc. and Luger) went over and neither mid card title changed hands, so the undercard didn't really standout much. Even Tatanka basically got hosed. The card did feel freshened up a bit with a weird WCW feel to it, thanks to Ross, Luger and the Steiners all playing featured roles in the card. As I said before, I don't blame the booking heading in, but I do blame a combination of the booking of the show itself combined with lackluster in ring performances for making this show a dog. Small changes here or there could have made this feel like the end of storylines, but in many ways it just felt like another bump in the road, with some angles continuing on or some champions moseying along. Even something as small as Crush squashing Doink could helped the undercard a bit, but I guess the figured the massive face win at the end would make up for everything. The last two matches were the most fun of the night, with Taker/Gonzalez shocking the shit out of me and delivering a surprisingly fun little brawl and Hart and Yoko delivering a well worked and laid out main event. We will see if this new Hogan era leads to good times or bad, but for better or worse, the WWF is once again bathed in red and yellow.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #67

# King of the Ring 1993: Crowning of the Hitman

June 13, 1993

Nutter Center

Dayton, Ohio

Attendance: 6,500

Buy Rate: 1.1

Announcers: Jim Ross, Randy Savage, and Bobby Heenan

Dark Match:

### 1) Papa Shango defeated Owen Hart to retain USWA Unified Title

Pay-Per-View:

Fun Fact: Between 1985 and 1991, the WWF held six King of the Ring Tournaments that occurred at house shows in Foxborough, MA (1985-86) and Providence, RI (1987-89, 1991). The winners are as follows: Don Muraco, Harley Race, Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase, Tito Santana and Bret Hart.

Quarterfinals:

### 1) Bret Hart defeats Razor Ramon with a reverse superplex at 10:26

Qualifying Matches:

Bret Hart received a bye

_Razor Ramon defeated Tito_ Santana

Fun Fact: This match was a few weeks after Ramon was upset by jobber The Kid on Monday Night Raw. At this point, Razor kept challenging the now dubbed 1-2-3 Kid to a rematch by offering him a large amount of money, an amount that increased with every week. Finally, Ramon offered $10,000 and the Kid accepted. As the match wound down. the Kid knocked down Ramon, grabbed the money and ran off to his getaway car.

### Scott:

Our first tournament match for this fresh PPV concept is a rematch from the Royal Rumble. No World Title on the line, but just as big a match here for this tournament. We have the same commentary team as we had at WrestleMania IX, but I feel in the three months since the chemistry between them got much better. Razor, wearing green, was being heckled by the Dayton fans for losing to the 1-2-3 Kid on Raw about a month earlier. He had been chasing the Kid since and as the summer begins it leads to a change in attitude for the Bad Guy. As for the Hitman, well after getting the creative shaft at WrestleMania he embarks on what will be one of the most historic nights of his career. I definitely believe the purpose of this PPV was threefold. First off, we definitely needed a show to bridge the long gap between WrestleMania and SummerSlam. That's been needed since SummerSlam debuted in 1988. Second, a creative cleansing needs to occur. More on that later in the show. Third, it's a chance for Vince to showcase the athleticism and talent of his entire roster of smaller guys. That's to distract from the growing steroids scandal in the business. The match is great, a shorter snapshot from their match at the Rumble but still really good. Razor is deliberate in his beating of Bret, but the Hitman recovers late to get the victory and move on to the Semifinals. This is a solid opener and a great way to start the show.

### JT:

Since 1988, the large summer gap between pay-per-views had led to some bland stretches for the company. It also led to some hot feuds tapering off and never making it to a big stage blowoff. By 1993, the brass was ready to mix things up and add a bridge show into fill in that gaping hole. The decision was made to import a yearly gimmick from a house show and stick it on PPV. Plus, everyone loves a tournament! So, here we have King of the Ring. Sandwiched around a pair of title matches and an eight man tag, we have a robust eight man tournament set up to determine the King of the WWF. After a round of qualifiers on TV, the field was looking pretty good heading into the PPV itself. It is also fitting that Jim Ross had arrived just in time to call this event, as it is very sports based and he was perfect to call that type of show. Razor Ramon saunters out first and he had been mired in a real embarrassingly rough stretch after he had been upset by the 1-2-3 Kid on Raw a few weeks before this show. The crowd is all over him right away here and Razor was doing everything he could to lure Kid back into the ring. After being screwed out of the WWF Title at WrestleMania, Bret Hart was positioned as the number one seed of the tournament, despite there being no seeding, and did not have to wrestle in a qualifying match as a result. He was clearly one of the heavy favorites as this show kicked off. Hart worked Razor over on the mat early on, focusing on the arm, knowing that he has to grind him down or else Razor will overpower him like he did for most of their Royal Rumble tilt. This commentary team has really gelled nicely and is doing a good job establishing the goals of the match as well as the importance of paying attention to the time limits in place. Hart made his first mistake of the match with a wild charge to the corner, which allowed Razor to catch him in his face with a kneelift. Ramon followed by swiftly shooting Bret shoulder first into the ringpost. Ramon really whipped him in there with some velocity. As Ramon went to work on Hart, viciously stomping his hands, the crowd get really revved up with the "1-2-3" chants. Hart survived a fallaway slam and a big running powerslam but Razor booted him in the face and chest to keep him grounded while he came up with his next point of attack. Hart was able to block him and forge a comeback, flashing through a flurry of near falls that ended violently when he crashed chest first into the corner. After a battle over a backslide, Hart grabbed a hot near fall on a small package. That definitely felt like the end. A minute later, Razor went for a superplex, but Bret shifted his weight and collapsed on top of the Bad Guy to pick up the win and advance. That was a really fun opener for sure. A notch below their Rumble title tussle, but still well worked and kept a crisp pace. Ramon is in a really weird spot right now and is clearly in need of a change because he is working hard and getting over but is forced to job in these spots due to his allegiances. The Hitman moves on.

### 2) Mr. Perfect beats Mr. Hughes by disqualification at 6:00

Qualifying Matches:

Mr. Perfect defeated Doink

Mr. Hughes defeated Kamala

Fun Fact I: A little background information on Mr. Hughes. Curtis Hughes began his wrestling career training under Sonny Myers and Bob Geigel and debuting in 1987 in Central States Wrestling. He moved on to the AWA where he wrestled under the name Curtis "the Cat" Hughes. He signed on with WCW in late 1990 where he became a heel enforcer, dressed in a suit with a constant frown on his face. He came to the WWF in early 1993 after a brief stint in the USWA. The highlight of his short stay in the Federation was the above mentioned altercation with the Undertaker.

Fun Fact II: Prior to this show, Mr. Hughes and Giant Gonzalez attacked the Undertaker and Paul Bearer on Superstars. they stole the urn and put both men out of action for a few weeks. To keep the feud simmering, ominous black wreaths were delivered to ringside during Hughes' matches. The Hughes/Undertaker feud would end abruptly as Hughes left the company late in the summer. He would debut in ECW in October.

### Scott:

Is this the first match in WWF history to have both guys named Mister? You can tell this match wasn't going to be as good as our first match or any of the others in the tournament. At one point during this match, Jim Ross talks about Mr. Hughes' background in college football at Kansas State. As great as that information is, the WWF fans aren't programmed to know (or care) about characters' backgrounds. That's Ross' expertise and in the old NWA/WCW that was fun, but it seemed not to fit here. This match is utter crap sadly, which wasn't fair to Perfect. He wins by disqualification, and we get the dream rematch that everybody wanted. Hughes is more involved in another storyline with Undertaker so really he was just filler here to get Perfect a win. Not a great match, but we are in line for a possible classic in the next round.

### JT:

Our second opening round bout features the PPV debut of the giant Mr. Hughes, flanked by Harvey Wippleman, he was brought in to assist Giant Gonzalez in their war with the Undertaker. On Superstars, Hughes and Gonzalez beat down Taker and Paul Bearer, which is why he is in possession of the urn here. Hughes was an interesting dude, having had a tepid run in WCW prior to this, but also had a very different look to him, mainly that he wrestled with sunglasses on. His opponent is the beloved Mr. Perfect, who has been looking to break through since his return to the ring but hasn't quite found a way to do so. He ran Ric Flair off but took a tough loss to Lex Luger at WrestleMania. He looks to get back on track by becoming King here. I always enjoyed that both of these guys were named Curt and went by "Mister" in the ring. As the match kicks off, Savage confirms that he is picking Perfect to win the tournament. Hughes sent a message immediately by chucking Perfect into the corner but Perfect retaliated with a big armdrag followed by a dropkick that rocked Hughes into the ropes. Hughes leaned on Perfect to slow him down and started to go to work on the neck, hooking in a standing vise. He kept on it with clubs and a clothesline and really took his time twisting and torquing the neck. As Hughes worked Perfect over in the corner, we had an inset promo from Hart who said he would rather Perfect win because he prefers a wrestling match over a brawl. Interesting take. Perfect absorbed the abuse and battled back with another armdrag that led to a neck snap and some right hands in the corner. Just as Perfect had Hughes on the run a bit, the big man grabbed the urn and decked Perfect in the head with it for the DQ. Well, that didn't make a whole lot of sense for Hughes. I mean, Perfect got like zero offense in and Hughes takes some punches and goes for the obvious DQ? Not bright. Perfect wins without having to exhaust much offense, but we will see if the urn shot hampers him at all in the next round. The match was really no good at all.

### 3) Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Jim Duggan at 4:58 with the diving headbutt

Qualifying Matches:

Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Typhoon

Jim Duggan defeated Papa Shango.

Fun Fact: This is Jim Duggan's final PPV match of his initial run. He would hang around through the summer, continuing his feud with Yokozuna, before leaving the company. He popped up on WCW TV in the summer of 1994 and became an active competitor there that fall. Duggan would remain with the company through its demise in 2001. During his stint there, he successfully battled kidney cancer. He will eventually return to WWE in 2005. Duggan's final WWF PPV Record of this run, including dark matches, Rumbles and Survivor Series matches, was: 9-8-1. Not counting Rumbles or Survivor matches, his straight up match record was 7-2. He was undefeated at SummerSlam and won one Royal Rumble match. Also, most of his losses were by count-out or DQ, as he was only pinned twice on PPV: once by Ted DiBiase at WrestleMania IV and by Bigelow in this match.

### Scott:

Maybe the most anticipated matchup in this entire show. Ok, maybe for just me. This, just like his match with Big Boss Man at the Royal Rumble, is a chance for Bigelow to vanquish another of the Federation Era stalwarts. Duggan has clearly been lapped by the rest of the roster and it was time for him to go off into the sunset. Bigelow is slowly being built into a monster heel, even though he was left off WrestleMania due to time reasons. The match is a glorified squash to kick Duggan out the door and set Bigelow up for later in the evening. So long Hacksaw. Millions of fans will miss you, but I won't.

### JT:

The first round rolls on with a pretty big mismatch on paper. Bam Bam Bigelow has been pretty hot since his return to the company and definitely had to be looked at as a favorite in this end of the bracket. He battles the always marching Jim Duggan, who is still stomping around the promotion waving the American flag. Duggan had missed a couple of months of action thanks to Yokozuna but came back and was active on weekly TV heading in here. Still, it was pretty obvious that just like at the Rumble, this was looking to be a real passing of the torch situation. Duggan rocked Bammer with heavy right hands and a clothesline to open the match up. The crowd really got fired up here, rocking for Duggan and rallying him the whole way through. After missing a charge into the corner, Duggan started to favor his still healing ribs. He also tried a bodyslam but that didn't work and allowed Bigelow to lay more blows into the midsection before hooking in a bear hug. Duggan fired back with right hands but again tried to slam Bigelow and again he collapsed backwards. After working out of another bear hug, Duggan finally did hit that slam. He tried to capitalize with his three point stance, but Bigelow ducked him and he crashed into the corner. Bigelow quickly scooted up to the top rope and hit his diving headbutt for the victory. That was a fine little power match that told a decent story with Duggan's ribs. This is it for Duggan as far as PPV goes. He will hang around on TV for a bit, but by the summer he was toast. He has certainly been interesting to follow throughout these reviews, as his matches always had a ton of crowd heat if nothing else. We will see Hacksaw again eventually, but not for a long time. Bigelow looks good as he marches to the second round.

### 4) Lex Luger and Tatanka wrestle to a time limit draw at 15:00; Both men are eliminated from the tournament

Qualifying Matches:

Lex Luger defeated Bob Backlund

Tatanka defeated Giant Gonzales

Fun Fact: Tatanka is still undefeated at this point, with his streak reaching sixteen months. Luger's record also remains unblemished since his debut in January.

### Scott:

Our last quarterfinal bout pits two superstars moving up the ranks here. Now I'm harkening back to the World Title tournament at WrestleMania IV for why this match is placed here. With Bigelow facing the winner in the semifinals and these two guys in the midst of well-documented undefeated streaks, Tatanka in particular, there's a good chance this match won't have a definitive winner. Luger had a decent match at WrestleMania with Mr. Perfect and was looking to stay hot with a win. The match is pretty good considering they had to fill the full 15 minutes and long restholds weren't going to fly based on the philosophy of the match. Luger was getting quick pin attempts, while Tatanka was wasting time early on long grapple holds. At the 11 minute mark Jim Ross mentions the time and now the pace really picks up and it's a much better last four minutes than anybody expected. The match ends in a draw, but Luger actually wants five more minutes. The crowd goes crazy, but Luger exposes his bionic forearm and knocks the Native American out. So Bigelow moves on to the finals, and both men are still undefeated. Bigelow now sits back and waits for the winner of the REAL most anticipated match of the night. Regardless of the outcome, this was a much better match than anybody probably expected.

### JT:

The first round closes out with a battle of undefeated stars. Tatanka has been without blemish on his record for a really long time now and that has always opened some logic gaps with me, as you would assume he would be some sort of legit WWF Title contender at this point. Anyway, he is still very over with the crowd and positioned as a strong upper mid card star. The man across the ring is in the same boat but is clearly being fast tracked for something more. Lex Luger continues his run as narcissistic asshole and it fits him so well. On paper, this looked like the most interesting opening round matchup heading in because you really wondered if they had have one of these guys actually lose and end their streak or if we would get a screwy finish. Before the bell, the referee forced Luger to put a pad over his loaded forearm. The forearm gimmick was such a good one and was easy heat and worked so well. Tatanka hit the ring and couldn't care less about posing so he shoved the mirror on top of Luger and then chopped him right out of the ring. As Heenan went into his usual racist Native American jokes, Tatanka worked the arm over. Savage tops Heenan's absurdity by proclaiming the KOTR crown to be equally prestigious to the WWF Title. At least he is putting it over, I guess. As Luger starts to turn the tide, we hear from Bigelow who claims "I want to get my hands on the Indian" in the next round. Luger would go to work on the midsection, using a pretty straightforward attack at a fairly slow pace. Any time Tatanka started to fight back, Luger hammered him down and went to a reverse chinlock to eat some more time up. Ross was gushing about Luger's attack but really it was quite bland. As we hit the eleven-minute mark, Luger was just slowly lining up kicks and booting Tatanka in the ribs over and over. With time winding down, Tatanka went to his war dance and came back hot, laying in some chops and grabbing a pair of near falls. His roll came to a halt when he came up empty on a top rope chop attempt, drawing things even with less than two minutes to go. Luger would slam Tatanka down but took way too long to cover and time expired as he went for the cover. Well, that was especially bland. Looks like they didn't want those streaks to end after all. Luger is pissed and demands five more minutes and then cracks Tatanka with his now-exposed forearm, ensuring it then wouldn't happen. Luger leaves, both men are out and Bigelow is into the finals with a bye. These two just never got going and the way they wrestled totally telegraphed a draw. The match was really just boring outside of the start and finish and it is too bad because I was hoping for something a bit hotter from them.

Semifinals:

### 5) Bret Hart pins Mr. Perfect with a Small Package at 18:54

Fun Fact: This match is preceded by an interview segment where Mean Gene interviews both guys before they head to the ring. The interviews starts amicably, but Gene stirs it up by saying that Bret said earlier that he would rather face Mr. Perfect than Mr. Hughes, which Gene twists as meaning Bret thinks Perfect is an easier opponent. As they start to argue, Gene yells at them to calm down. He then asks if their fathers, Stu Hart and Larry "the Ax" Hennig, ever fought, which leads to an exchange of "my father beat you father," "your father could never beat my father." To further increase the tension, Perfect references their previous PPV match, telling Bret that he "owes him from SummerSlam."

### Scott:

So here we are. The long awaited rematch from SummerSlam 1991. Except this time Perfect is healthy, unlike two years earlier when he still put on a five-star match with a debilitating back injury. The interview before this match is awesome, as the little weasel Mean Gene stirs come classic shit about Bret saying he wanted to face Perfect over Mr. Hughes earlier in the show but then tells them to calm down. Then right before the interview ends, Perfect says "You owe me from SummerSlam". That is tremendous psychology and storytelling leading into this rematch. Early on they focus on grappling moves to establish position. Savage made good points saying as great technicians as both men are, wanting to win this match very badly may lead both men to possibly throw the rulebook out the window. Almost a lesser example of what Jesse Ventura was thinking during the Hogan/Warrior match at WrestleMania VI. After a few minutes the match gets crazy with both men pulling out all the stops. They even attempt a suplex over the top rope, and usually when it's attempted by someone, it is reversed to avoid injury. This time the reverse doesn't happen and both men flop down to the floor in a giant heap. The brawling continues, and then when Perfect goes for a small package the Hitman reverses it and gets the three count. What a fantastic match of great storytelling and psychology. The fact that Perfect wanted revenge for SummerSlam, and that Bret Hart needed to prove once and for all he is the better wrestler. After the match the frustrated Perfect gets in the ring, and the possibility that he was going to sucker punch Bret and turn heel again was definitely there. Instead he begrudgingly shakes Bret Hart's hand and acknowledges on this day he was the better man.Some may think the SummerSlam '91 match is five stars, and if that is so, then I think this one is five and a half. A healthy Perfect makes this a much better match for me. Bret moves on to the final to face the Beast from the East.

### JT:

We get to the second round immediately and are certainly set up for a real treat with this SummerSlam 1991 rematch. Only this time, Hart is more seasoned and Perfect is healthy. Buckle up. Before they locked up, Bret was caught shaking his taped up hand and the commentators discuss the possibility of him having some busted fingers thanks to Ramon stomping on them earlier. As you would expect, we got a balanced start with each man trading off during a rapid fire exchange that ended in a Hart side headlock. As Hart worked the hold, Savage and Heenan discussed Bigelow's big advantage thanks to the bye. The pace was great here, as they would transition and dance around the ring but it kept leading back to the Hart side headlock takeover. Perfect turned the tide by getting a little dirty and catching Hart coming in the ring by kicking the ropes into his groin. That turned the crowd on him a bit, but Savage and Heenan both backed the decision as Perfect gave the warning in the interview. Hart would favor the hand as Perfect mauled him around the ring, using the ring apron as a weapon. Hart would stagger on to the apron but Perfect capitalized and shoved him hard, sending him flying into the barricade in a great looking bump. Hart eventually made it back in but Perfect kept pouring it on, hitting a big missile dropkick that made even the announcers pop big. He tried to go to the well again, but Bret pounced up and slugged him in the face and took him down with a big superplex for a near fall. The crowd is really into this and the announcers are completely locked in too. In a callback to SummerSlam, Hart started to attack the legs of Perfect, kicking them viciously before hooking in a figure four. In funny bit, Heenan sounded exasperated that he found himself rooting for Perfect, even offering to manage him again if he were to win the crown. Perfect battled right back, shoving Hart into the corner and then bealing him out by the hair followed by a tight sleeper in the middle of the ring. Hart got to his feet, but perfect gave him no room to breathe, leveling him with a big chop and going back to the sleeper. As Perfect wrenched it tighter, Ross noted that we were halfway through the time limit, which was a nice touch to plant that seed again. Hart used a last gasp to run hard Perfect into the corner to break the hold. Hart rocked Perfect with a big forearm and then chucked Perfect across the ring, leading to Perfect crotching himself against the ringpost. From there, the Hitman dove into his standard bag of offensive tricks to pick up a couple of near falls. Hart went for the sharpshooter, but Perfect went to the fingers, twisting them around to bust up the hold. Perfect would go for the perfectplex, but Hart blocked in and suplexed Perfect to the floor, but the momentum brought Bret out as well, leading to both landing hard on the floor. Both made it back inside, where Perfect hooked an inside cradle, but Bret rolled it back over and grabbed the win to advance to the finals. Man, what a sprint that was. An instant classic. Both men went balls out, non stop, bell to bell and beat the crap out of each other. It was hard fought with some memorable spots and some nice psychology too. The commentary was great too, as was the crowd. After the bell, Perfect would tease some dissension but ended up shaking hands with the Hitman, endorsing him to win it all.

***At this point, we have the greatest crowd interview of all time, as Terry Taylor interviews a very excited family about their attendance at the show. First up is Dad, who shows his loyalty in backing "Hulk Hogan all the way!" Up next is mom, who exposes her legitimate lust for Bret Hart. After we get a view of the young daughter, who is barefoot in the arena, we close with the pumped up son Wesley, who expresses his excitement with a wild "YEAH!". Decades later, we would catch up with the extremely fun and laid back Mayle family to talk about their experiences that night. ***

### 6) Yokozuna pinned Hulk Hogan with a legdrop to win the WWF Title at 13:09

Fun Fact I: This is Hulk Hogan's last PPV match in the WWFuntil March 2002. Including Rumble and Survivor matches, his record was: 17-7-1. He was only pinned on PPV three times: Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VI, Undertaker at Survivor Series 1991 and Yokozuna here. He was only pinned cleanly once, at WrestleMania VI. He would remain with the company for their European summer tour before severing ties with the company to focus on his Hollywood career. While working on his TV show Thunder in Paradise, he was lured back to the ring by Eric Bischoff. After negotiations with both Bischoff and Vince McMahon, Hogan signed with WCW in the spring of 1994.

Fun Fact II: According to legend, this match happened because Hogan would not agree to drop the title to Bret Hart at SummerSlam.

Fun Fact III: This would also be Jimmy Hart's final PPV appearance. He would accompany Hogan for the European tour in July, and then disappear. He would join WCW with Hogan in 1994 and manage him until October 1995, when he would turn on him at the Halloween Havoc PPV. He would then manage the Dungeon of Doom until its demise. Hart would create the First Family, which consisted of Brian Knobbs, the Barbarian, Hugh Morrus, and Jerry Flynn. After the Family disbanded, Hart would take a backstage job with WCW, and would stick around until its demise in 2001. Hart then joined with a group of investors and created the short lived XWF promotion. He would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005. Hart then joined TNA later in the year, managing the Naturals and even the Nasty Boyz for a short time before their release. He would eventually return to WWE in an ambassador role.

### Scott:

So before we get into the match, right off the bat Randy Savage says (probably not authorized to) that Bret Hart should have gotten the first title shot against Hulk Hogan. That's interesting, considering the rumored fight Savage and Hogan had in Las Vegas on WrestleMania weekend. Hogan was told that he would hold the championship until SummerSlam and lose it to Bret Hart, putting him over on his way out. Well Hogan apparently didn't like the idea. I guess he also didn't like the idea of having to actually come on TV and conduct interviews, or perhaps work while he's champion? So Vince, probably realizing he made a big mistake at WrestleMania, decides enough is enough and has Hogan drop it here. After a stellar eight year run (1984-1992) as the face of the WWF and one of the icons of professional wrestling, the business was changing and fans were enjoying more mat-based matches and smaller athletic superstars. Hogan had indicated he wanted to walk away from wrestling and get into TV and movies full time. So he was willing to come back and get involved in the tag feud with Money Inc. to spike buyrates for WrestleMania. But the ego wasn't being stroked enough, so after that horrendous ending to Mania and the title is shoe-horned to him, he doesn't show up for months on TV and won't drop the strap to the proper guy. So here in Dayton we see possibly the final match of Hulk Hogan's WWF career. The match is about what you'd expect it to be. Yoko beats Hogan down and the champ makes his big comeback, however a strange guy with a camera comes up to the apron and shoots a fireball in Hogan's face. Yokozuna recovers for the pinfall and is once again WWF Champion. To really hammer the point home, Yokozuna Bonzai Drops the former champion right out of the company. We are supposed to get medical updates on Hogan's condition, but they never come. Hogan is gone from the WWF for almost a decade. Frankly it needed to happen. Hogan was the face of the company during the very lucrative "Federation Era". However times were changing and Hogan was a bigger liability than an asset. Not passing the torch to the very deserving Bret Hart pretty much showed how much Hogan's grip on the company was slipping and he didn't want to let it go. So Vince made him let it go. Yoko is once again champion, and the Rock n Wrestling era is over. What does Vince do now? Does he go back to his plan from late-1992? Sadly, no he doesn't.

### JT:

Well, after two and a half months of no title defenses or TV appearances, Hulk Hogan is back on our screens, ready to defend his WWF Title against the giant former champion. Before the match, Hogan vowed to slam Yoko and have Brutus Beefcake cut his hair afterward. I bought it and assumed this would be a standard title defense for sure. As Yoko made his solemn entrance, Heenan discussed Hogan's strategy to slim down so he could outwork Yoko but also noted that Yoko was now fresh this time around. Of course, he says Yoko and Hart went thirty minutes at Mania a couple times, which was not even close to true, but I appreciate the effort. The Dayton crowd was quite into Hogan here, chanting his name during Yoko's prematch ceremony and then blowing up when the champ marched to the ring. I thought it was cool looking that Hogan had a red shirt here, something a little different to mark this run. Also of note, there are a bunch of photographers around the ring, adding to the big match feel here. Also adding to that feel is Ross talking about how Hogan requested this match so he could beat Yoko in the "Heartland of America" to defend the honor of his country. Savage notes that many felt Bret Hart should have gotten this title shot, but Jack Tunney went with Yoko instead. After some feeling out, we finally got the first lockup and that was won by the challenger, who Savage thinks looks 100 pounds heavier since Mania. Yoko won another lockup and Hogan looked a bit perplexed about how to go after the big man. Yoko methodically hammered on the champion, not giving Hogan any chance to even get to his feet or reestablish any position. Yoko slammed Hogan to the mat and then shot him hard into the corner followed by another whip, but this time Yoko came up empty on a charge. Hogan unleashed some right hands and finally had the challenger rocking for the first time. The booking of Yoko has been so good thus far that he really has a strong mystique around him, which makes any offense he takes feel like a big deal. Hogan landed a clothesline and tried for a slam but had no chance as Yoko clubbed him to the mat. Hogan followed up with more right hands and tried another slam, but could only get Yoko's leg slightly off the mat. That didn't look promising, but we have seen Hogan pull it off before. Hogan came back again with some clotheslines but Yoko blocked a third one and spiked Hogan back to the mat. However, Hulk dodged a big splash and Yoko was down and hurt for the first time.

Back to their feet, Yoko was able to catch Hogan on a charge and lock him in a long bear hug. The crowd was heated up here, really rooting on Hogan to break the hold, which he eventually did with a series of right hands. Hogan's back was clearly in rough shape though and he couldn't follow up, leading to a Yoko back elbow that pasted him in the mush. Yoko followed that with a huge belly-to-belly but Hogan blew out of the cover and Hulked Up, like we have seen so many times before. The fan confidence level was now high, as we all waited for Hogan to finish off and vanquish yet another challenger. Yoko looked at a loss as Hogan charged up and rocked him with right hands and a big boot. Yoko stayed on his feet, so Hogan continued to unload with fists and boots until he finally tumbled backwards. Hulk would drop the leg...but Yoko kicked out at two! The crowd was shocked there. Hogan would knock Fuji off the apron and started to prep for a slam, but a photographer hopped on the apron. Hogan went to confront him, but his camera blew a fireball in Hogan's face. The champion crumbled to the mat as Yoko dropped a leg on him to win the match and the title. I was shocked at the time. Hogan never slammed him and couldn't beat him and the title was back with the monster sumo warrior. As Hogan writhed on the mat, rubbing his eye, Yoko pounced and finished him off with a Banzai Drop. That was a statement and a passing of the torch, not from Hogan to Yoko but from Hogan to the future state of the WWF. His time has come and has now gone, and that is hammered home by Heenan yelling "Hulkamania is Dead!" As children looked on sadly, Hogan was carried to the back while Yoko celebrated his win. So, how do we wrap this all up? The match was pretty solid, a good battle of psychology with Hogan trying to figure out how to wrestle a different style while also trying to slam the monster challenger. Yoko's goal was to survive the big comeback and find a way to outlast the now svelte champion, which he eventually did. The crowd was fantastic here, as were the announcers yet again. Between the hype, the build and the delivery, this definitely had a big match feel and felt like a huge deal when Yoko finished him off and took the belt. Hogan had a pretty useless fifth reign and was shitty to not show up on TV at all, but he did what he had to do here, laying down and letting Yoko look strong in the win before riding off into the sunset. The fuck finish doesn't bother me much, since Yoko never got slammer and also pasted him with the Banzai Drop after the bell. After a brief detour in April, we are now back on track to get the future of the company in place. Yoko has the gold and Hogan is once again gone, nothing more but a memory going forward. He barely even gets mentioned in the aftermath of this show. He and Jimmy Hart have been longtime mainstays on these shows, so it will take some adjusting to both being gone for good, but the time has come for the company to finally break off the Hulkamania relationship and move on.

*** Gene Okerlund promises an update on condition of Hulk Hogan as soon as it is available. That update never comes. ***

### 7) Steiner Brothers & Smoking Gunns defeat Money, Inc & Headshrinkers when Billy Gunn pinned Ted DiBiase with an inside cradle at 7:00

Fun Fact: The Smoking Gunns were a tag team made up of Billy Gunn (Monty Sopp) and Bart Gunn (Mike Polchlopek). The duo began teaming with each other in the International Wrestling Federation where they became two-time IWF World Tag Team Champions before signing with the WWF. They made their debut at a Wrestling Challenge taping on April 5, 1993 in Phoenix, Arizona. The duo would have a long run with the WWF, staying as a team from 1993 until the fall of 1996. As part of their entrance, the Gunns would fire guns containing blanks on their way to the ring. After complaints from parents that the gunfire was frightening their children, this part of their entrance was removed in January, 1994.

### Scott:

After the drama and tension of the last two matches, we get a respite with an eight-man tag match involving the top four teams in the WWF. Money, Inc has survived all comers to this point, but there's no doubt the Steiners are being prepped to be the top team in the company and win the straps. The Smoking Gunns are fresh on the block but have been prepped with many vignettes on Raw. The match ends abruptly when Ted DiBiase lazily lets go of the Million Dollar Dream, which allows Billy Gunn to surprise DiBiase with a small package and the win. We get some jawjacking with all four teams afterwards, which continues the build to who will dethrone Money, Inc. We get that answer the next night on Raw. Nothing more here, just a filler to get the tag teams on the show.

### JT:

Next up we have a rather innocuous eight man tag that empties out the current top level of the tag team division. The Steiner Brothers had easily usurped the top slot on the face side of the ledger while Money, Inc. are still our champions. The Headshrinkers align with the champs despite some recent issues between the teams on Raw, but money speaks regardless of perceived intellect I guess. Teaming with the Steiners is a new duo, the Smoking Gunns. It has been quite a while since we have had a cowboy gimmick in the company, and these two go all out with the look, catchphrases and style. They were pretty good as a team though, working a quicker style and using some nice double team moves. In a way, this match seems to exist solely to give the announcers time to continue digesting what happened in the World Title match. DiBiase and Scott opened things up with some basic back and forth ending with a Steinerline to send Ted out to the floor. After Rick pitched him back in, Scott sent him crashing right back out and Rick sent him right back in. Bart and Fatu were next up and again, it was just a quick tradeoff to show off some offense. And for the first time on PPV, Ross mentions that Bart Gunn went to school on a rodeo scholarship, which leads to some good Heenan lines. The Shrinkers tagged in and out and worked over Bart, setting up for IRS to beat him up a bit. We got more talk about Yokozuna's huge win as the champs punished Bart, including a nice DiBiase vertical suplex. Bart was in some real trouble as all four men tagged in and out fluidly to stay fresh. He would eventually tag Billy, who also fell to the same fate. DiBiase would eventually lock in the Million Dollar Dream as Heenan sang "Happy Trails" to him. That made me chuckle. For some reason, DiBiase let go of the hold just as Billy was fading. That was a bad idea, as Billy hooked a desperation small package on him and took the win. That was a pretty odd match and since they only got seven minutes, I am not sure why they bothered with having all eight men out there. I mean, Rick doesn't even get in the ring at all. I get why they didn't want to do any type of title switch here, but they have just done Gunns/Headshrinkers to get the Gunns a win. I guess if nothing else it shows all the top contenders in play for the titles. Ah well, it was a nothing match across the board.

*** Gene Okerlund interviews Yokozuna. Jack Tunney is on hand and congratulates the new champion and Mr. Fuji vows to celebrate the big win on the Fourth of July. Jim Ross then gives the final update on Hulk Hogan we would hear for a long time. ***

### 8) Shawn Michaels pins Crush with a superkick at 11:12 to retain WWF Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact I: Shawn Michaels had actually lost the Intercontinental Title on May 17, when Marty Jannetty made his surprise return on Raw and defeated Michaels for the title. On June 6, Michaels regained the strap at a house show in Albany with the help of his debuting bodyguard who was unnamed for one week. Michaels officially names him Diesel in the pre-match interview here.

Fun Fact II: This match was signed originally as a non-title match because they fought to a double disqualification in their KOTR Qualifier, thus eliminating both men from the competition. When Michaels won the belt back from Jannetty, it was changed to an Intercontinental Title Match.

Fun Fact III: Diesel is portrayed by Kevin Nash. Nash played basketball in college, and was highly rated as a hoops player during high school. After some issues at the University of Tennessee, Nash gave it a go in Europe, but eventually he tore his ACL and had to retire from the game. He would spend some time working at a NATO facility, a Ford Motor Company assembly line and a strip club before taking a shot at a wrestling career. After toiling in the independents, he spent time in WCW under the forgotten cult characters of Master Blaster Steel, Oz and Vinnie Vegas before Shawn Michaels noticed him on TV and mentioned his name to Vince McMahon. He would make his debut on the Albany house show where he assisted his new charge in regained his prized gold.

### Scott:

The stability in the company's mid-card continues as our IC Champion spends his third straight PPV defending his white strapped gold against the Hawaiian powerhouse. Michaels is two for two in title defenses, with solid matches against Marty Jannetty at the Rumble and Tatanka at WrestleMania. Now for the first time he faces a bigger opponent. I thought at the time that Crush was going to win the title for sure. He had to lose to Doink at Mania, but I felt that was a red herring to set you up for Crush winning here. A big addition to Michaels' character is the big bodyguard. Diesel is Kevin Nash, who spent his early years in WCW toiling as atrocious characters like Oz and Master Blaster. He comes up to the Northeast and is at the IC champ's side helping him out. The match started with a lot of cheating by Michaels, including bashing Crush's head into the post. Michaels seems to be moving a little slower than his previous title matches. Crush started to recover and maybe was about to get the win when the two Doinks come out to ringside. The distraction was just enough to allow Michaels to hit the superkick and retain the title. This match isn't as good as the others as Michaels seems sluggish and Crush can only go so far. Michaels keeps the title, but the question is who is next on the list of contenders?

### JT:

After a shaky showing back at WrestleMania, Crush has been doing his best to ignore his clown problem so he can focus on winning gold and getting his career back on track here. Shawn Michaels had a very interesting spring, warring with both Jim Duggan and Marty Jannetty on Raw as well as Crush in a King of the Ring qualifier. Michaels had lost and won back his belt, regaining it with an assist from his new bodyguard, Diesel. It was a great idea to add some muscle to Shawn's act as it allowed him to amp up his arrogance as he knew he had a big ass dude watching his back at all times. For the third time in three PPVs, I was very confident that Michaels was going to lose his strap. Crush seemed to be back on a roll and set for a run, and what better way to do it than win some gold? The big man controlled early, working a side headlock until Michaels slipped free and peppered him with a right hand. Crush showed off some quickness of his own, leap frogging Michaels twice before ducking a superkick and sending Michaels to the floor with a dropkick. Crush continued to manhandle the champ, bouncing him around the ring before showing off his power with a big military press slam. That show of strength prompted Savage to proclaim that Crush could slam Yokozuna. We shall see. After a Crush tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, Diesel yanked his charge out of the ring to allow him a chance to recover. That set up a cool staredown between the two big men and it also allowed Michaels to nail his challenger from behind. Diesel followed by shoving Crush into the post and then Michaels slid out and repeatedly slammed the back of Crush's head into the post as well. Instead of taking a countout victory, Michaels slid outside and impressively hoisted Crush back into the ring. Shawn kept targeting the head and neck, locking in a front facelock and trying to render Crush unconscious. Crush found the strength to power out of it and chuck Michaels across the ring and eventually over the top to the floor. Back inside, Crush hit another backbreaker for a near fall and it was starting to look like Shawn's time was up. Crush would clothesline Shawn to the floor, but after he did, he worst nightmare appeared in the aisle as two Doinks marched down to the ring, puffing on stogies. As they distracted the big man, Shawn snuck in and nailed Crush with a superkick to the back of the head to steal the win. I was digging the psychology of that match and the work was fine but the end really ruined it. It was a bit annoying that Crush still had to deal with Doink but the choppy finish cut short a match that was building to a good finish. Michaels escapes yet again and lives to see another day. Crush still has a major clown problem on his hands.

Finals:

### 9) Bret Hart pins Bam Bam Bigelow with a Victory Roll at 18:17 to win King of the Ring

Fun Fact: Bret Hart becomes the first man to become a repeat King of the Ring winner.

### Scott:

Our finals match pits a man who's been rested for quite a while, facing a guy who's wrestled twice totaling almost half an hour. Bret Hart was hosed out of the title match on this evening (a fact Randy Savage mentioned earlier) but now can stake claim to being pretty much the best wrestler in the company. He has a third match against a third different type of opponent. We had Razor Ramon, who's a power guy with mobility, then Mr. Perfect who's an expert technician, and now Bret faces a pure power guy who simply leans on you with his girth. Although Bigelow is pretty nimble, it's all about power and size. The match is really good; even with the Dusty finish midway through. Out came Shawn Michaels' old valet Luna Vachon, who pasted Bret with a chair and Bigelow got the three count out of it. A second referee came out and revealed the chicanery. So the match was restarted and Bigelow was relentless with his attack, including a long and draining backbreaker. Bret gets a second wind and hits move after move, including a very crisp bulldog off the second rope. Bret does struggle trying to ratchet the Sharpshooter on the big man, so he keeps trying to hit big strikes to weaken him. For the third straight PPV, Bret comes up with an ingenious way to win a match when he turns the big man up in a victory oll to win the inaugural PPV KOTR tournament. What a performance by the Hitman, wrestling almost 47 minutes on this night and proving he is a guy who can carry this promotion. However, just when you thought he would get in Yokozuna's face and we have his return title match at SummerSlam, out comes Jerry Lawler to protest this phony coronation and then attack Bret before we go off the air. That proved to me that Bret was not going to be in Yokozuna's crosshairs and he was going to be preoccupied. Was Hogan getting the rematch? Didn't know at the time, but someone would step up. Rev up the bus!

### JT:

With a long night of action behind us, it was finally time to crown the first PPV King of the Ring. And we had a very cool final lined up as Bret Hart now has to wrestle his third distinct opponent on the night. Bigelow dispatched Jim Duggan fairly easily and was set up nicely to earn the crown. Bammer wasted no time beating on Hart off the bell, clubbing him with heavy blows. A Bam Bam press slam went awry as Hart shifted his way and collapsed on top of him. Hart would go to work on the arm but you could tell he was still hurting from his previous bouts. Bigelow easily broke an armbar before press slamming Hart to the floor. Bigelow kept on the back, shooting Hart hard into the corners and using his giant head as a weapon. That was followed by a big bear hug, and it looked like Hart may just be too beat up to fight through it at this point. In a great spot, Bigelow broke the hold and creamed Hart with a high angle back suplex for a close near fall. The two ended up back outside, where Hart swung momentum and used the steel barricade to his advantage. For the first time in the match, Bigelow was vulnerable but a mistake by Hart gave him new life. With Bigelow staggered on the floor, the Hitman dove off the apron, but Bammer caught him and drove him into the apron. Bigelow followed that with a big bodyslam on the aisle floor. Bigelow slid back in and distracted the referee which allowed Luna Vachon to sneak out and bash Hart with a chair to the back. Bigelow pitched Hart back inside, slammed him hard to the mat and dropped his top rope headbutt for the dominant and shocking win. Or so we thought. Earl Hebner charged out and filled in Joey Marella as to what happened, leading to Marella restarting the match. That was pretty unnecessary, and that mainly hinges on my issues with that occasional booking mechanism. Why can referees randomly get involved like that? Why didn't it happen in the Hogan/Yoko match earlier? It didn't really add anything to the match here at all.

Anyway, the match restarted and Bigelow picked up where he left off, going right back to his bear hug. He followed that up with an old school hanging backbreaker. Hart was eventually able to wiggle his way down and then took Bigelow over hard with a back sulplex. Bigelow recovered and went to the back yet again, really wearing down the already worn out Hitman. Bigelow went for another hanging backbreaker, but Hart broke it by going to the eyes and hooking a sleeper on. In a smart spot, Hart caught Bigelow near the ropes and dumped him to the floor. I thought maybe he did that to catch his breath, but instead he flew over the top with a plancha to rock the big man. Back inside, Hart hit a clothesline and bulldog, both off the middle rope. He tried for the sharpshooter but Bigelow powered out. Bam Bam also used his size to shift momentum on a Hart back suplex, crashing on to the Hitman for a two count. A moment later, Hart would end up on Bigelow's shoulders and rolled forward, hooking Bigelow in a victory roll for the victory. That was a damn good match and Bigelow worked his ass off throughout. Hart's selling was on point and you could feel how drained he was the whole time through. I also like how Hart won all three matches in different ways, none with the sharpshooter. It showed how resourceful he was and how he was always thinking in the ring. It was a banner night for the Hitman, a night nobody could take away from him. It was the night he proved he was the company workhorse and deserved a prominent role in its future. Of course, Jerry Lawler would try to take it away from him, and after a stiff scepter shot to the back, a brand new feud is launched. For now, though, we honor Hart's career night.

*** After the match, Bret Hart was escorted over to the podium, where he received his crown and cape. As he celebrated, Jerry Lawler showed up to assert himself as the only King of Wrestling. After some arguing, Lawler clubbed Hart with his scepter, knocking him to the ground in agony. Lawler followed that up by slamming the throne down onto Hart and choking him with the scepter. Lawler would stand tall over the Hitman and then kick him down the podium steps as the show faded out. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

An idea that was finally executed came off extremely well. A PPV to bridge the WrestleMania-SummerSlam gap is filled with expert wrestling and big moments. Yokozuna cleans up Hogan and Vince's Las Vegas mess by splatting the Hulkster and sending him off to Paradise. The tournament was fun, with Bret Hart wrestling over 45 minutes through three different types of competitors to show he is the face of the company, even if he isn't the WWF Champion. Including the fantastic Mayle family appearance, this may be one of the most enjoyable PPVs I've ever watched. There may not be a KOTR show as good as this one but it's still a great watch. Enjoy a night where Bret Hart proved to everyone he can be the face of the company and where a clearly out of place Hulk Hogan exits stage left.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this was certainly quite the interesting show. Thanks to Bret Hart, it was filled up with some real damn good wrestling that ate up over 45 minutes of action, meaning a third of this show was Bret Hart wrestling. And that is fine by me. We also had some strong historical significance with Yokozuna ending the initial run of Hulkamania and driving Hulk Hogan from the promotion with a tough loss. The rest of the card was just OK, but when you had it sandwiched with three very strong tournament matches and a major World Title tilt, it is hard not to look at this as a thumbs up. Tack on the finish, and this show really hit all the major points it set out to nail. Also, I want to give props to the announce team and crowd, as both were great the whole night through and it really added to the overall presentation of the show. In many ways, this was a major night of transition and after a couple of false starts, it was finally the one that would stick.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #69

# SummerSlam 1993: Lex Luger Defends Our Freedom!

August 30, 1993

The Palace

Auburn Hills, Michigan

Attendance: 23,954

Buy Rate: 1.3

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan

Dark Match:

### Owen Hart defeated Barry Horowitz in 8:32

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) Razor Ramon defeats Ted DiBiase with a Razor's Edge at 7:28

Fun Fact I: This is Ted DiBiase's final PPV match. His record including Survivor Series and Royal Rumble matches: 9-14-1. Not counting Survivor and Rumble matches, his record was: 7-6-1. His best winning percentage was WrestleMania, where his record was 5-2-1. With his marriage suffering due to the busy road lifestyle of the WWF, DiBiase decided to take some time off from the company. While competing in All Japan Pro Wrestling, DiBiase injured his back and was forced into permanent in ring retirement.

Fun Fact II: This is Razor Ramon's first PPV match as a full fledged face. Over the summer, after Razor lost two matches to the 1-2-3 Kid, DiBiase started coming out and heckling Ramon about the embarrassing losses and claiming he would never lose to an upstart like the Kid. In a memorable interview, DiBiase offered Razor a job cleaning his house, specifically his toilets, since he was no longer a credible wrestler, and offered to fight the Kid on Superstars to prove he was better than Ramon. Well, during the match Ramon came out and distracted DiBiase and the Kid got the fluke pin on him, thus solidifying Ramon's face turn. A few weeks later, Ramon also cost DiBiase's partner IRS a match against perennial jobber P.J. Walker.

### Scott:

We have a sad moment to begin the biggest event of the summer. First off, Ted DiBiase curtain jerking a SummerSlam for the second year in a row makes me frown. One of the cornerstone heels of the Federation Era, time has certainly passed him by. An injury ended his career by 1994, but really there was no room for him anymore anyway. As for the Bad Guy, thanks to DiBiase he has turned full-fledged face and the crowd loves him. Wearing the alternate pink tights and boots on this night Razor comes out to a big pop and DiBiase is the perfect guy to put him over here and energize his push. The Palace is adorned in red, white and blue for the main event's theme. It actually looked pretty cool. The match is pretty standard as DiBiase dictates tempo as he always does. It's funny how Bobby Heenan loved Razor throughout his heel run, but he turns face and the Brain calls him "Desi Arnaz wannabe". Razor makes the big comeback and hits the Razor's Edge for the victory. Not realizing at the time that the Million Dollar Man's career as a worker is over, he puts over the hot babyface and by the time we see Razor at our next PPV he's taken a huge step forward in his push.

### JT:

As we arrive in the Motor City for the sixth annual SummerSlam, the winds of change continue to gust through the WWF. The old guard continues to fade into the background and a new crop of stars is being elevated up the card throughout 1993. And that dynamic is no more evident than the opener of the show here. Despite a solid run as a heel since his debut, Razor Ramon was really starting to connect with the fans, and the cheers he received weekly on Raw and at the last two PPV outings have become too loud to ignore. So, with him suffering multiple upset losses to the upstart 1-2-3 Kid, Ted DiBiase and IRS started mocking the Bad Guy for his bad fortune. That easily allowed fans to empathize with Razor and finally turn him face outright. Looking for payback from DiBiase's barbs, he gets to face off with the Million Dollar Man in his final WWF PPV match. DiBiase's marriage had been to suffer due to his road lifestyle, so he was hoping to fix things up by leaving the grueling WWF schedule for a while. In the meantime, he would head to All Japan to work some shows and during that time he badly injured discs in his back that would force him to hang up the trunks. After two shows with a three man booth, we are back to last year's SummerSlam duo of Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan here. I was happy to see DiBiase rock the white and gold suit one last time here, even though he went with the classic black trunks underneath. This is DiBiase's first PPV singles match since losing to Virgil two years earlier at Madison Square Garden. Ramon gets a big pop and it was clear he was on his way to a really strong and steady face run. DiBiase jumped Ramon off the bell and started laying in some tight chops before the Bad Guy could even get his vest off. Razor rebounded with a back drop and fallaway slam that sent DiBiase to the floor clutching his back. Razor kept bringing the fight but DiBiase begged off and suckered him in before yanking him hard into the turnbuckle. DiBiase worked a very basic attack, using clotheslines and stomps before clutching a rear chinlock in. It was pretty cool seeing DiBase work a big singles match after a two year break, watching him methodically and confidently work through his offense, focusing on the neck to set up his finisher. Oh, and snapping up his textbook vertical suplex as always. Razor avoided the first Dream attempt but DiBiase stayed on the offensive, knocking Ramon to the floor and removing the turnbuckle pad in one of the corners. It would backfire, though, as Ramon rammed him into the corner and polished him off with the Razor's Edge to a raucous pop. Nice win for the Bad Guy in a very solid, standard match to kick off the show. So, again we are forced to say farewell to a longtime PPV stalwart. DiBiase would return soon enough, but would never step foot in the ring as an active competitor again.

### 2) The Steiners defeat The Heavenly Bodies to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Scott pins Jimmy Del Ray with the Frankensteiner at 9:25

Fun Fact I: This match marks the debut of the Heavenly Bodies and Jim Cornette. However, it is big because it is the first time Vince openly talks about and promotes another promotion; in this case Smoky Mountain Wrestling, as the Bodies were the SMW Champs at the time. It is also the first PPV match between two sets of champions.

Fun Fact II: Jim Cornette started his career in Mid-South in 1984, managing a team called the Galaxians. Of course his real claim to fame was managing the legendary Midnight Express. Bobby Eaton was a mainstay on that team, and whether it was Dennis Condrey or Stan Lane as his partner they were multi-time tag team champions in Mid-South and the NWA. They were involved in legendary feuds with the Rock n Roll Express and the Road Warriors. In 1991 he started up his own promotion, Smoky Mountain Wrestling. He putted around in WCW for a little bit in 1993 before he inked a deal with Vince to jump to the WWF while being able to promote and utilize WWF talent for Smokey Mountain.

Fun Fact III: The Steiner Brothers defeated Money, Inc to win the tag team titles at a house show in Columbus, OH on June 14. Two days later, DIBiase and IRS regained the gold in Rockford, IL. On June 19, the Steiners bounced back and won the straps in St. Louis, MO.

Fun Fact IV: The team of the Heavenly Bodies was formed in 1992 and was made up of the duo of Tom Prichard and Stan Lane. Prichard began his wrestling career in Los Angeles in 1979. He spent time in the NWA territories during the early 80s and the CWA and USWA in the late 80s before coming onboard in Cornette's Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1992. Stan Lane began his training under Ric Flair in 1974 in the Florida territory. He became a tag team specialist in the southern territories during the 80s, first in Mid-Southern Wrestling as part of the Fabulous Ones with Steve Keirn and then in Mid-Atlantic/Jim Crockett Promotions as one half of the Midnight Express with Bobby Eaton. Lane moved to Smoky Mountain in late 1991. The Heavenly Bodies had long running feuds in SMW with The Fantastics and the Rock 'n' Roll Express. The team was the first ever SMW tag team champions. In 1993, Lane left the group and was replaced by Jimmy Del Ray, who began wrestling in 1985, primarily in Florida Championship Wrestling. Cornette set up a cross-promotional deal with Vince and the WWF in 1993 to allow the Bodies to appear on WWF programming. Between 1993 and 1995, the Heavenly Bodies wrestled on SMW, WWF, ECW and USWA programming.

### Scott:

The Steiners return to their home state to defend their tag team gold against a fresh team from another promotion. Dr. Tom Prichard and "Gigolo" Jimmy Del Ray come in with their manager, also making his PPV debut. I've been watching Jim Cornette all the way back to 1985 on TBS Saturday nights in JCP. Cornette managed one of the greatest teams ever, the Midnight Express. He's got a neck brace on but is leading his new charges to the ring, a team he's been working with in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Vince and Bobby would allude to this promotion here but many weren't sure at the time what they were talking about. I had to actually check the Pro Wrestling Illustrated from the summer to figure out what the territory was. Based in Tennessee its Jim Cornette's pet project and the WWF helped them out with the business side of it at the time. Scott and Rick, dressed in their Michigan colors, get taken apart early by the Bodies using expert double teaming and Corny's tennis racket shot. The Bodies had multiple opportunities to steal the tag titles but the hometown favorites battled back and via heel miscommunication when Del Ray accidentally hit Prichard with a moonsault, Scott hit a not-too-bad Frankensteiner for the victory. That was actually a fun match with a southern territory feel that perhaps Vince isn't totally a fan of but I liked a lot.

### JT:

This Todd Pettengill interview with the Steiner family, man. The mother has no interest in anything he is saying and the sister uses Rick's shoot name. Anyway, I digress. Our next bout is a pretty cool tag team title match that Jim Ross was probably jabbing needles into a Vince McMahon voodoo doll back at home because he wasn't able to call it. Over the summer, a major managerial force debuted in the WWF in Jim Cornette. A longtime NWA stalwart, Cornette had severed off and started his own promotion in the Smokey Mountains. Brought in to help steer the Yokozuna ship, Cornette also brought his SMW charges the Heavenly Bodies up north with him. And it was a great addition to a sagging tag division. With Money, Inc and the Beverly Brothers done, the heel side needed some fresh talent, and Jimmy Del Ray and Tom Prichard were a great fit. Back in June, the Steiners finally knocked off Money, Inc to win the tag straps and wear them proudly into their hometown here. They just looked right with those belts and are arguably the strongest pair of tag champs in nearly two years, since the Legion of Doom last held them. The Bodies attacked off the bell, keeping Scott on the floor while they battered Rick, who was still decked out in his letterman jacket. Scott finally made it back inside and the beating was on. The whipped the challengers around, including a Scott hitting a belly-to-belly on Dr. Tom and a tilt-a-whirl on the Gigolo to reset the match. The image of Cornette in a neck collar is what pro wrestling is really all about. The Steiners continued to manhandle the Bodies, taking turns keeping them grounded and off balance. As the crowd chanted "Let's Go Blue", Scott rattled both Bodies with atomic drops, but the tide turned during some quick deception that led to a Prichard bulldog. Prichard would dump Scott to the floor, where Del Ray met him with a somersault senton off the apron. As he hit the move, Heenan shouted "moonsault!" because I am guessing they had told him at one point that they use a moonsault and Bobby had never seen one. The Bodies had some really good offense and a very smooth flow to their teamwork. It was so different than what had normally been in the WWF that it really popped and stood out. Del Ray grabbed a near fall on a superkick as the Bodies kept quick tagging in and out with ease. Scott finally got a chance to make the hot tag after hitting a butterfly suplex on Prichard and Rick came in tossing clotheslines and slams left and right. Cornette would toss his racket in, which Del Ray used on Rick for a close near fall. I thought that may be it. As Prichard held Rick from behind, Del Ray went for his moonsault but Scott pulled his brother out of the way and the Bodies collided. A second later, Scott snapped Del Ray over with the Frankensteiner for the hard fought win. I always enjoy that match because it stands out from the usual WWF tag match, mainly thanks to the varied offense on display from both teams. Thankfully, the Bodies are here to stay for a while. The Steiners stay hot and complete their trip home with a nice win.

*** Joe Fowler of Coach semi-fame debuts as a backstage interviewer. ***

### 3) Shawn Michaels defeats Mr. Perfect by countout at 11:25 to retain WWF Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact I: Mr. Perfect's PPV Record from 1988-1993, including Rumble and Survivor Matches is: 6-12. He had a good run in 1988-1989, but after WrestleMania VI, it was all downhill. His best winning percentage was at Survivor Series where he went 3-1.

Fun Fact II: The battle between Perfect and Michaels began at WrestleMania IX when Michaels attacked Perfect during a backstage altercation with Lex Lugar following their match. On the May 17 episode of Monday Night Raw, Perfect exacted a small amount of revenge by distracting Michaels and allowing Marty Jannetty to win the Intercontinental Championship. Michaels won the belt back a month later with the assistance of his new bodyguard, Diesel.

### Scott:

While Perfect was coming to the ring, we had Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Ross way up in the arena doing the matches for "Radio WWF". That was a concept that was maybe revolutionary for its time, a concept mostly for the troops overseas on Armed Forces Radio. Now let's take a look at this matchup, which on paper seems like a match made in heaven. The current Intercontinental Champion taking on one of the greatest IC Champs of all time. They were billing it the greatest title match of all time, before it even happened. That's sometimes a sign you may be disappointed. Then I see Shawn come to the ring and something's different about him compared with his previous title matches this year. He seemed...fatter? I mean not grotesque fat but he seems more bloated than his PPV outings earlier in the year. That might not be a good sign either considering who his opponent is. Perfect looks to be in the best condition he's ever looked to be in. In terms of what to expect in ring, we have easily one of the greatest technicians facing one of the top young high flyers. As the match begins and progresses, something's just not right. The pace seems very slow (not deliberate, but actually slow). We have things like arm bars and posturing which from these two guys I never would have expected. It almost seems like Shawn was working like a power guy, with things like submission moves and kicks. Not good submission moves but things like backbreakers which are more suited to power guys and not smaller high flyers. Then when Perfect is making comebacks he's moving in slow motion. Let's go back to Perfect's match with Bret Hart at King of the Ring. That match seemed so fluid with no wasted motion and both guys really working their strengths. This match both guys seemed to be moving away from what they do best and tried to experiment or something. With all the hype that surrounded this as a possible co-main event match, Shawn looking bloated and both guys not working to their strengths made what could have been an historic match very ordinary. Ordinary for these two is disappointing. Diesel, Shawn's bodyguard gets involved and Perfect gets counted out, which doesn't help anything for this match. Shawn retains his IC Title, but the title matches on PPV for 1993 seems to have gotten worse as the year progressed. Soon Shawn has internal company problems and his autumn is convoluted, which opens the door for someone else to "take his slot". If you've never seen this match, don't get your hopes up.

### JT:

Heading in this may have been the most hyped up Intercontinental Title match in quite some time. Hell, the company was basically saying "this match is going to be awesome because both of these guys are fantastic in the ring" leading into it. Despite lots of tough challengers, Michaels is 3-3 in retaining his title in PPV matches here in 1993. With those all behind him, it seemed to be all building to Perfect finally being the guy to end his run and regain his once prized title. And the match really was positioned as a way to determine if either of these guys were the greatest IC Champ of all time. Since KOTR, Michaels and Diesel have really gotten comfortable with each other and it has led to some smooth chemistry in the act. In the prematch interview, it is played up how Perfect cost Michaels the title back in May, which was a strong callback since that was a while ago now. They started a little sloppy, including a weird collision where they kind of both kept in the air, twisted around and helicoptered to the mat. Perfect reset things by going to the arm, which led to a series of reversals. Perfect shoved Shawn into the corner and landed some chops but ate a back elbow a moment later. However, he was able to avoid a moonsault and hit a clothesline for a near fall before going back to the arm. I like that they are working a lot of momentum reversals, but both seem hesitant and a step off. The crowd didn't seem to mind though as they erupted when Perfect tossed Michaels to the floor, however things swung quickly when Diesel distracted Perfect long enough for Shawn to crack him with a superkick. Shawn would go to work on Perfect's oft-attacked lower back, hammering it with stomps and a backbreaker, which turned into a submission hold. Perfect broke free and cracked the champ with a big running dropkick, followed by a back drop and kneelift. Perfect was working at a crisp pace during the comeback but couldn't keep Michaels down beyond a near fall. After a battle over a backslide, Perfect got the Perfectplex, but Diesel reached in and pulled him to the floor. Perfect was pissed and started slugging away at the big man, but Diesel would end up running him into the post, leading to a really disappointing countout loss for the challenger. Again, I know they wanted Michaels to hold onto the strap, but they should have stopped putting him in there with guys they didn't want to lose. He has had four PPV title matches in 1993 and won none cleanly and only half had pinfall finishes. For all the hype that went behind this match, I am surprised they had such a soft finish close it out. Why pump it up so much and only have them go eleven minutes to a count out? Odd decision. The match itself was fine and was just really starting to pick up in the final minutes after a sloppy start. Michaels is in an interesting spot as he has the character and ability down but is really lacking the credibility to take the next step. Perfect blows his shot and seems to be lined up for a feud with Diesel coming out of this show.

### 4) IRS defeats 1-2-3 Kid with the Write-Off at 5:46

### Scott:

After back to back title matches, we have what seems like a glorified squash. The Kid made huge strides by upsetting Razor Ramon on that historic May 17 episode of Raw, and the plucky underdog role worked perfectly for him. IRS is pretty much floating around after Money, Inc disbanded. So we might as well have the Tax Man bully the Kid for a few minutes to fill some time on this show. The match really isn't much, as Kid works his big spots to work the veteran over but eventually IRS settles down and wears down Kid with a ropes-aided abdominal stretch. The Kid hit a sweet moonsault but IRS kicked out of the pin and hit his Write Off for the victory. There's really not much more to say here other than the Kid continues to be plucky, and IRS gets a random PPV win.

### JT:

After months of upsets, the 1-2-3 Kid steps into a PPV ring for the first time, matching up with former tag team champ IRS. Ted DiBiase was one of Kid's victims, so his partner here is a bit weary but also looking for revenge. It was an interesting matchup because you could see them going either way as far as a winner. It was looking as if Money, Inc was about done, so you would assume they want to rehab IRS a bit. On the other hand, Kid had been stealing wins left and right and a victory over IRS would keep him hot. I remember being surprised at the time that they didn't run a tag match with Ramon and Kid battling Money, Inc rather than splitting them up. Kid started with a spinning heel kick, but IRS quickly used his size to splatter him with a flapjack toss. Kid is so young and so scrawny here, it is really unique to see on WWF show. IRS would start to play with him a bit, tossing him to the floor and mocking the crowd a bit as Kid recovered. This show marks the two year anniversary of Irwin's PPV debut and he has had quite the run in the time when you think about it. Good on him. Kid landed a shot here and there, but IRS really dominated, eventually hooking in an abdominal stretch followed by a rear chinlock. The crowd rallied the Kid and the youngster fought to his feet and broke the hold by running IRS into the corner. He would follow with a moonsault, which was called correctly by Vince, for a near fall. Kid kept the pressure on, grabbing another two could on an enziguri, but Kid started going a bit too fast and ate a Write-Off clothesline on a wild charge off the ropes. That would finish him off and give IRS a tidy little victory. Kid has had a strong run but was due for a loss and rehabbing IRS with one was a smart move. The match was fine but in ways was a bit of extended squash.

*** Todd Pettengil interviews Bruce and Owen Hart, who are seated ringside. They discuss that Stu and Helen Hart are not present because Stu injured his knee after being berated by Jerry Lawler on an episode of Raw. ***

*** Jerry Lawler hobbles down the aisle on crutches and claims to have injured his knee after getting into a fiery car accident due to his crappy rental car and elderly driver. ***

### 5) Bret Hart defeats Doink with the Sharpshooter at 8:58

Fun Fact I: This match stems from the beatdown that ended King of the Ring. Throughout the summer, Lawler tore into Bret and the entire Hart Family, marking the first time Stu, Helen, Bruce and Keith are actually brought into a storyline. On one memorable Raw, Lawler verbally assaulted Stu and Helen, who were in the arena as invited guests, during Bret's match with Bam Bam Bigelow.

Fun Fact II: This is Matt Borne's last PPV appearance as Doink; as the character was turned face during the fall and Borne was booted from the Federation for repeated drug offenses. He was replaced by numerous people, but Ray Liachelli would play Face Doink the most over the next two years.

### Scott:

The King of the Ring vs. the King. Bret comes out to a huge pop ready to take out the slimy Jerry Lawler after what happened at the end of our last PPV in Dayton. Bret gets in the ring, but Lawler comes out on crutches with an ice bag on his knee. Welcome to the world of old school Memphis Wrestling. Lawler spends the next few minutes bad mouthing Detroit, then says one of the city's terrible car makers made a faulty unit which led to the knee injury. The place is pissed. However Lawler says he has a special guest that will fill in for him. Out comes Doink, the still evil clown. The crowd is not happy, but I loved the thought of Bret Hart and Matt Borne working a match. Lawler stays at ringside with his crutches while Bret and Doink work a great nine minute sprint. Bret wins the match when Doink can't hit the Whoopie Cushion and he was able to twist him into the Shapshooter. That prompts Lawler to come in the ring and crack Bret with his crutch. Obviously the whole ruse was so Lawler wouldn't have to wrestle Bret and get a cheap shot on him. Well that prompts WWF President Jack Tunney to come out and force Lawler to wrestle Bret on this night or he will be banned from the WWF for life.

### JT:

Well, leading in, Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler was a really highly anticipated match. It had a great build that kicked off at King of the Ring and fans that knew how great Lawler was knew this could be a classic. However, it looked like we weren't going to get it thanks to some shenanigans from the King. And they were damn great shenanigans, as Lawler ripped into the Hart Family while weaving a crazy tale about injuring his knee while getting into a car accident caused by an old woman earlier in the day. Tremendous character and mic work by the King and it was a great heel twist to have Doink replace him in the bout, pissing off lots of people. And to take things up a notch, Doink douses Bruce and Owen with a bucket of water on his way out. What a pair of tremendous heels. Bret jumped Doink on the floor and started beating the piss out of him in and out of the ring, letting out all his anger on the poor clown as Lawler hobbled around ringside. Heenan was great here too, telling more Lawler's story and embellishing it to great lengths. This is really a pretty high profile spot for Doink, which is pretty cool. He has certainly earned it with his character and in-ring work. Bret would continue to dominate, but he made the mistake of confronting Lawler, which allowed Doink to deck him from behind. It is really too bad that Matt Bourne bolted after this, because a heel King's Court stable than included Doink the jester could have been tremendous. Doink targeted the leg, wrapping it around the ring post and slowly picking apart the Hitman before locking in a sweet STF! And he followed that up with a great stump puller too. Doink ruled in 1993. What a great worker and a heel he was. Bret is really hurting here and Doink has completely taken the crowd out of the match with his assault. Thankfully they woke back up as Bret quickly made a come back, running through an abridged version of his usual offense before locking in the Sharpshooter on Doink. However, before Doink could submit, the King hopped in the ring and cracked Hart with his crutch. He would continue to batter the Hitman with it as officials at ringside kept Owen and Bruce from getting involved. As Hart writhed on the mat, Lawler and Doink walked off arm-in-arm.

*** As Lawler and Doink head to the locker room, Jack Tunney showed up and got in Lawler's face. Tunney would demand that Lawler now face Hart since he proved he was not truly injured. ***

### 6) Jerry Lawler defeats Bret Hart by disqualification at 6:32

### Scott:

So Bret goes after Lawler and the match then really begins. We see six and a half minutes of Bret mercilessly punishing Lawler with everything in his arsenal. Finally Bret clamps on the Sharpshooter and Lawler submits. That ends that right? Well Bret is so pissed at Lawler harassing Bret and his family since June that he won't release the Sharpshooter. So the officials reverse the decision and Lawler wins by disqualification. Bret doesn't care and continues to go after Lawler with all the officials coming to the back to break it up. There was a lot of stalling but I actually didn't mind the entire package because Bret took this feud very personally and wins and losses didn't matter to him. So regardless that he lost the match he made the King suffer. This feud is just getting started, which is fine with me because if it brings out Bret's vicious side, I can definitely go with that. Sure he hasn't gotten his title match yet, but that's another argument that doesn't apply here. This a fun, sloppy mess that gets a big feud really going.

### JT:

The jig is up! After teasing the audience that this match may not happen. they delivered after all and the crowd goes batshit as Hart jumps Lawler in he aisle and starts to hammer away at him. Inside the ring, Hart enjoyed ripping through the King as his brothers rooted him on. The beating spilled to the floor where King somehow found a way to reverse his fortune and began choking Hart with his crutch while also taunting Bruce and Owen. King landed a big blow by crotching Hart against the ring post, but the crowd stayed hot, doing their best to help the Hitman. Lawler completely emptied his heel bag of tricks here, egging on the brothers Hart, which would distract the referee and allow the King to keep using the crutch. A true master of psychology. Hart made his second comeback of the night, rattling Lawler with a backbreaker and stuffing him with a big piledriver before cracking him with an elbow off the middle rope. He followed that up by wrenching in the Sharpshooter, forcing Lawler to submit to a big pop. The match didn't end there, though, as Hart refused to break the hold and was eventually disqualified as a result. I love seeing Hart snap here as he has always remained cool and calm since he started this solo run. Seeing him finally driven to this point by a real piece of shit like Lawler was great and this elongated Sharpshooter payoff worked really well. Bret would finally be dragged off Lawler after a long while, but still did his best to attack him, as did Bruce and Owen. Lawler was finally dumped on a stretch and wheeled off, but he was sure to hold up his hand victoriously as he was scooted backstage. That was a tremendous piece of work right there. All of it. From the moment Lawler hobbled out to the moment he was stretchered off, it may have been the best half hour of WWF PPV this year. And the best part is that this feud is clearly set to continue.

### 7) Ludvig Borga defeats Marty Jannetty with a Torture Rack at 5:14

Fun Fact: Tony Halme was from Helsinki, Finland and began his professional wrestling career in the late 80s, training under Verne Gagne. He debuted in the UWF in October 1990 before moving to Japan and wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling from late 1990 until 1993. Halme made his WWF debut at the July 6, 1993 Superstars taping, which aired on July 10. He took on the personal of Ludvig Borga, a Finnish heel who looked down on Americans due to their stances on education and environmental issues.

### Scott:

The evil bully from Helsinki makes his WWF PPV debut here against the floating Rocker. After his feud with Shawn Michaels died out, Marty became in essence a JTTS, taking on the up and coming heels and Borga was certainly one of them. Vince was running out of evil countries to create bad guys for, so now we have to feud with Finland. Do they even have a military? Anyway the match is a glorified squash as Borga wins with his backbreaker and sets his sights on the top of the card. The vignettes ripping the USA and all its cities set up Borga's character nicely and this match, although truly nothing more than fill, does establish Borga as a character not to be messed with. My PIC JT's beloved Helsinki Warrior gets the big win to keep his push going.

### JT:

American polluters watch out because Ludvig Borga has arrived and he is not pleased with your wasteful ways. Straight of Helsinki, Borga showed up and really talked some shit to Americans, thrashing them for the way they were ruining the planet and not caring about education and other important issues. So, in his quest to defeat all that is wrong with America, Borga first decided to target the true picture of excess, Marty Jannetty. After returning to the company as a surprise on Raw back in May, Jannetty had actually managed to hang around in the mid card as opposed to getting fired again. Borga's tights were a sight to behold and his Finnish national anthem theme music was a treat for the ears. Borga wasted no time in laying the wood to Jannety, burying knees into his midsection and dropping bombs across his back. In a nice spot, Borga hoisted Jannetty high into the air and cracked him with an uppercut to the gut on his way down. Borga kept attacking the ribs and lower midsection, making it tough for Jannetty to catch his breath and get any offense in. Marty did come back with right hands, but Borga sent him spiraling with a big clothesline. Marty recovered again and drilled Borga with two superkicks, but Borga caught him on a cross body attempt and spiked him down with a powerslam. A moment later, Borga hoisted Jannetty in the torture rack backbreaker to pick up the win. Nice squash by Borga to set him up for some bigger things. This was a good role for Marty at this point as his name value made him competitive and his selling makes him perfect to put big dudes like Borga over.

### 8) Undertaker defeats Giant Gonzalez in a Rest In Peace match with a Flying Clothesline at 8:02

Fun Fact I: This is Giant Gonzalez's final PPV appearance. He would appear in the IC title battle royal on the 10/4 RAW, and his final WWF appearance took place on the 10/24 Superstars. He would disappear from wrestling, only to resurface in New Japan as his own WCW moniker El Gigante. He retired after his match with Great Muta in February 1995, and resided in his native Argentina until his death in September 2010. Gonzalez had suffered from health problems related to his massive size, and had been confined to a wheelchair up until his death.

Fun Fact II: At the May 24 TV tapings, Undertaker and Paul Bearer were attacked by Gonzalez and Mr. Hughes and the urn was stolen. Paul Bearer would remain out of action until the SummerSlam match. The Rest In Peace match was set for SummerSlam, with announcers stating that only the Undertaker knew the rules of the match. Leading up to SummerSlam, Undertaker and Gonzalez would have a ridiculous number of matches at house shows resulting in disqualifications.

### Scott:

Why for the love of God did they have to do a rematch to this feud? The WrestleMania match was hideous, truly putrid. However the chloroform disqualification led everyone to know for sure there will be a rematch. So what is a Rest in Peace match? I really have no idea. There's no weapons and it's not no-disqualification. So what is the point? No idea. The urn was stolen during the build to this feud so Harvey Wippleman comes out with it, complete in his purple suit. The match is once again fairly terrible, with the highlight being Paul Bearer coming out mid-match with a black wreath and clotheslining Wippleman to get the urn back. Taker mercifully ends this mess with a clothesline off the top rope. I believe now the feud is over, but to give us an added swerve nobody cared about, Gonzalez turns face by chokeslamming Wippleman after the match. This may go down in the annals of professional wrestling as Undertaker's worst feud on so many levels. Gonzalez's terrible outfit, lack of workrate and overall blasé matches. Gonzalez wouldn't last too much longer in the company and fortunately Taker's such a popular character that he survives this mess and moves on. Sadly his run of lousy opponents continues to plague him for the next couple of years.

### JT:

Well, they shocked me back at WrestleMania with how much i ended up enjoying their energetic brawl, but something tells me lightning won't strike twice. Giant Gonzalez and Mr. Hughes had beaten the piss out of Undertaker and Paul Bearer back in May. Taker had since returned but Bearer was still on the shelf. With Hughes now gone from the promotion, Taker was granted a rematch with Gonzalez under some sort of mysterious rules that only he knew about. Wipplman still had the urn with him, stolen when his charges wiped out the Deadman. Taker's entrance was pretty good here as the arena was cloaked in darkness until he reached the ring and raised them up with a simple motion. Taker landed some right hands early but Gonzalez wobbled through and smashed him with overhead chops. Taker fired back but walked into a clubbing hand to knock him to the mat. Gonzalez chucked the Deadman to the floor where the two would trade off punches until the Giant ran him into the steps and bashed him with a chair to the gut and back. As he did, Vince announced that there were no rules in this one, so I guess that is what the stipulation entails. Those were actually pretty decent chair shots by Gonzalez. Back inside, Taker kept trying to crawl to the urn but Gonzalez cut him off and kept using his basic strikes to control. This match has had its moments but is way slower than its predecessor and doesn't have anywhere near the fun atmosphere that Vegas had brought. As Gonzalez choked Taker, the gong echoed in the arena and Paul Bearer made his return, carrying a black wreath along with him. He would deck Wippleman and take back his urn. And as he did, Taker started to make his comeback. After a real awkward slam, Taker sat up and started a clothesline based assault that finally dropped Gonzales to a knee. Taker would ascend the top rope an collide into Gonzalez with a flying clothesline to pick up the win. Well, that feud should finally be done. Again, this wasn't awful but it really wasn't very good at all either. They showed some energy in certain spots and the finish was cool, but otherwise it was plodding and pedantic. It was for the best that Taker could move on away from this feud for a while. After the match, Gonzalez turned on his manager and chokeslammed Harvey to the mat before dumping the wreath on his chest and hobbling off into the sunset.

### 9) Smoking Gunns & Tatanka defeat Headshrinkers & Bam Bam Bigelow when Tatanka pins Samu with a roll-up at 11:13

Fun Fact: This match was originally set to be a mixed tag match between Tatanka and Sherri Martel against Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon. But when Martel left the WWF in July 1993, the match had to be reworked. The Gunns and Headshrinkers competed against each other in the tag team division, but there was no real rivalry or storyline going into this match. During the May 1 Superstars taping, Bigelow had attacked and cut Tatanka's hair, which the Native American star had dyed red as a tribute to his Lumbee tribe.

### Scott:

Our final tune up match before the main event is a six-man tag match with two hot mid-carders and two burgeoning tag teams. Bigelow is coming off a great performance at the King of the Ring, wrestling two big matches and losing in the finals. Since then he's been floating around, as has Tatanka who wrestled that 15-minute draw with Lex Luger at KOTR. The two tag teams are trying to jockey for position in the ranks and are aiming to be the next team to face the Steiners for those tag team championships. The match is a straightforward fun affair that saw the Shrinkers work well in a double team atmosphere, being really vicious and harkening to their Samoan Swat Team days in NWA/WCW. Tatanka continues his hot streak by ducking out of the way of simultaneous headbutts off the top rope by all three heels and pinning Samu for the victory. The crowd is happy with the faces winning and we move on to our main event.

### JT:

One more match to go before our main event features six pretty good workers that is centered around one main feud. Tatanka and Bigelow have been at odds since the spring when Bigelow cut some of Tatanka's red tinted hair, which was an affront to his roots. Tatanka has been aiming for revenge since. He teams with the newcomer Smoking Gunns and Bigelow's backup is the always dangerous Headshrinkers. The Gunns have had a solid start to their run, but have yet to been embroiled in any sort of feud. The heels opened with a nice triple clothesline that led to Bigelow punishing Tatanka with size advantage. It was cool that they went right into that matchup off the bell. Tatanka came back with a flurry of right hands and a backdrop to rattle the Bammer. Both men wiped out on a stiff midair collision and that led to both tagging out and the match resetting with Billy and Fatu going at it. Billy would shake off a thrust kick and hit a DDT followed by a bulldog off the top rope. Fatu's size would be a bit too much and soon Billy was caught in a Headshrinker double team that ended with him being spiked across the top rope. Bart would eventually tag in but it was just more of the same, this time with Bigelow included in the action. Vince mentions how Bigelow and the Headshrinkers were functioning well as a team and I agree, they look cool as a unit and could be fun with a loose association. Bart tried to run Fatu's head to the mat, but he shrugged it right off and wiped the cowboy out with a big clothesline. The heat segment chugged along with Bart really taking a shit kicking, finally getting the chance to tag in Tatanka after Bigelow missed a big charge in the corner. Tatanka came in on fire, smacking Bigelow with a pair of chops before slamming him to the mat. He would grab a near fall after a DDT and a chop off the top, but Bigelow survived and slugged his way back into it. Tatanka would go into his war dane, but Bigelow cut that short with a nice enziguri. Things would break down with both Gunns getting dumped to the floor and the heels triple teaming Tatanka. After a Bigelow splash in the corner and a triple headbutt, all three ascended the top rope but crashed and burned on headbutt attempts when Tatanka dodged them. A moment later, Tatanka rolled up Samu for the win. That was pretty damn fun. Nothing can cleanse the palette like a good old fast paced six man tag. Even with the long heat segment, the match never really slowed down and there was enough meat left on the Tatanka/Bigelow bone to keep that feud rolling on.

*** Joe Fowler interviews Hank Carter, Lex Luger's Lex Express driver. ***

### 10) Lex Luger defeats Yokozuna by countout at 17:56; Yokozuna retains WWF World Title

Fun Fact: After defeating Hulk Hogan for the WWF Title, Yokozuna decided to spit in the face of America by holding a bodyslam contest on the deck of the USS Intrepid on the Fourth of July. Sports stars and wrestlers all tried to slam the giant Champion, but one after another failed. Just as all hope was lost, a helicopter landed and out came Lex Luger in a red, white and blue shirt. Luger marched to the ring, stared down Yoko and then slammed him, popping the crowd and turning himself face. After Luger slammed Yoko he demanded a World Title shot, a request that was denied by Yokozuna through his new American Spokesman, Jim Cornette. Luger pleaded with Jack Tunney for a title match, and even went as far as to drive around the country in a red, white and blue bus known as the Lex Express. He stopped in town after town, greeting fans and getting them to sign his petition. It was a cool idea that made the fans seem important, but Luger came off as a big, desperate dork as a result. Tunney and Cornette gave him the shot, on the condition his loaded forearm had a protective pad on it and that this would be his only World Title shot.

### Scott:

I felt like leading into this match, up to Randy Savage coming to the ring with singer Aaron Neville, who sang the National Anthem, the WWF was trying to recapture the magic from WrestleMania VII. That was evil Sergeant Slaughter holding the WWF Championship hostage during the Gulf War when he was vanquished by All-American hero Hulk Hogan. All the flags and red, white and blue entrance was and bunting set the theme. The problem is back in 1991 patriotism was at a real life all-time high. Nothing was really going on in the world back in 1993 that got the country fired up patriotically. The company tried their best to really get Luger over as the next Hulk Hogan, after Vince kicked the real one out of the company. Both men come down the aisle to their appropriate heat. Yokozuna is the hottest heel around and it shows with the raining down of boos while he's walking down the aisle. After eliminating the aforementioned Hogan at KOTR, he was really garnering the heat a great heel WWF Champion should. He comes to the ring with Mr. Fuji and his American representative Jim Cornette. I will give Lex Luger this, he got a crazy pop from the crowd at the Palace on this night. As for the match, it certainly isn't the greatest one on the planet, but never pretended to be. It was definitely laid out like an old school Hulk Hogan match. Luger got some early offense in but eventually the massive WWF Champion spent the majority of the match just leaning on Luger with power moves and his usual nerve pinch hold. Vince and Bobby were great in this match and the crowd was getting more and more invested as it went along. Luger makes the big comeback and then the ending that befuddles many to this day. Or maybe just me. Luger Irish whips the Champion into the ropes and drills him with the Bionic Forearm. Yoko goes flying to the floor, knocked out cold. The referee counts while Luger takes out Jim Cornette on the apron. Eventually Yoko is counted out and Luger wins the match. Suddenly the place goes crazy, balloons fall from the ceiling and all the babyfaces come out to celebrate. There's just one problem. Luger DIDN'T WIN THE TITLE. The WWF Champion lays out on the floor for the rest of the broadcast but is still WWF Champion. I've never seen anybody get excited over a COUNTOUT. What I think should have happened is that Luger should have drilled Yoko with the forearm, but PINNED him and won the WWF Title. Then have the crazy celebrations and all that. Then the next night on Raw, Jim Cornette protests that Luger used the forearm uncovered or something, and either give the title back to Yoko, or they have a big Raw match a few weeks after and Yoko wins (maybe with interference from Ludvig Borga, since they were face to face after the show). Getting all giddy and crazy over a countout win just makes no sense whatsoever. I did like the match, more than I have the past few times I watched it, but the ending is still so bizarre.

### JT:

They couldn't let poor Hank Carter in the building? He had to watch the show on a tiny monitor in his bus? Poor guy. Anyway, it is main event time. After shocking the WWF on Independence Day by turning face and slamming the mammoth World Champion, Lex Luger criss-crossed the nation to campaign for a SummerSlam title match. It was finally granted, but Jim Cornette ensured it would be his only one and that his loaded forearm had to be protected with a pad. Cornette being added as Yoko's spokesperson was a great touch and added some additional heat to the whole package. Americana was running wild throughout this whole show, but it was kicked up a notch when the show's host Randy Savage led out the legendary Aaron Neville to sing the National Anthem before the bell. Of course, we also got treated to the Japanese anthem prior to that, and those two combined made this feel like a big time matchup. The crowd here bought right in as they showered the champ with jeers while rallying the red, white and blue trimmed challenger. The match was also kicked up a notch in that it was Luger's first televised bout since the big bodyslam. Since he was on the bus, all of the build happened via promos. Luger got off to a quick start, using fists at first before turning to kick at the legs of Yoko, eventually taking him down with it. Vince notes that Lex has slimmed down for this, but as we saw back in June, that may not be the best strategy to take out the massive champion. Luger would control for a few more minutes until Yoko got his footing and clubbed the challenger down. Lex would have enough wherewithal to stop a Fuji salt attack but a bodyslam attempt backfired and allowed Yoko to plant him with a side kick. Yoko would dominate on the floor but came up empty with a chair strike that allowed Lex the chance to punch his way back into it. Lex would drill Yoko with a series of top rope axe handles for a near fall but a double clothesline would stunt his momentum. With Cornette tying up the referee, Fuji tossed in the salt bucket, which Yoko used to paste Luger. The champion followed with a big belly-to-belly for a near fall that the dejected Vince assumed was going to finish the match off. Yoko would start to lean on Lex with his weight, but the challenger wouldn't stay down and the crowd kept rallying him. Eventually, the champ would grab his nerve hold and what had been a pretty well paced match ground to a halt. Lex fought up out of the hold but again a bodyslam attempt failed and he collapsed under the weight. Yoko took advantage and dragged Luger to the corner, but in a last ditch effort to save his chances, Lex avoided the Banzai Splash, allowing the champion to land hard on the mat. Moments later, Yoko missed on a corner charge and Luger finally hit the slam. After slugging down Fuji, Luger pelted Yoko with his exposed forearm behind the referee's back. Yoko tumbled to the floor and as the ref counted, Luger just paced around the ring before getting distracted by Cornette, who he also cracked in the head. And with that, Yoko was counted out and Luger celebrated like he won the Super Bowl. I mean, he didn't show any anger on any level that he didn't win the title. As Vince shouted about Luger doing the unthinkable, Savage, Tatanka and the Steiners came in to the ring to celebrate their hero. Vince finally admits that Luger didn't win the title but quickly moves on. Thankfully Heenan poured it on, shitting on Luger blowing his only chance. As balloons fell from the sky, Luger got paraded around the ring on the shoulders of his friends. The whole thing was just so hollow. While I loved Luger's heel gimmick I can't totally fault the company for giving it a go with him on top. The key was...they had to pull the damn trigger! I know they were probably hesitant to have Yoko lose again so quickly and that they were eyeing WrestleMania, but Luger was hot and the crowd would have went bananas if he pulled it off. They risked making Luger the choker he tended to be in WCW for a later payoff, but they were in a tough spot and needed someone to catch fire and this could have been it. Just go for it. The match was much better than anyone could have expected but the ending just leaves you feeling empty and a bit duped. There was zero reason Luger should have celebrated the way did. Maybe if there was something else on the line for that type of win, I could see it. But this was just nonsense, and it ruined a decent match with a strong build and made your new top face look kind of stupid.

*** In a Coliseum Video exclusive, Ludvig Borga confronts Lex Luger in his locker room. Borga would run down America and Luger and vow to crush Lex if they ever met in the ring. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is a fascinating show. It has that old school Federation Era feel to it, although the roster is drastically changed then even from one year earlier at Wembley Stadium. Gone is Bulldog, the LOD, Money Inc, and Big Boss Man. Bret Hart may have actually stepped back but Shawn Michaels is more high profile. It had an electric atmosphere surrounding it, mostly due to the patriotic main event and the hometown return of the Steiners as Tag Team Champions. The Gonzalez/Taker stuff was trash as expected but otherwise this wasn't as bad a show as many people think it is on paper. The combination of Gonzalez/Taker, Luger's weird win and the disappointing Michaels/Perfect match sticks in people's minds. However, there's a perverse entertainment value to this show that harkens back to the Federation Era. This will probably be the last time during the New Generation Era that a show with average talent survives fan blasting due to the nostalgia feel. I think if you watch this show you may get a feeling of "Even though there was utter crap at points, I really enjoyed this." It's overall a middle of the road show, but an entertaining one.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, what could have been the launching point of a new era with either the crowning of Bret Hart (in theory) or Lex Luger (pull the trigger) ends with a really boneheaded decision. If Luger is going to win by countout and not take the title here, why not at least have him act upset? The celebration killed it much more than the actual decision. The undercard was a bit disappointing on a whole as well outside of the tag title match and the Bret Hart/Jerry Lawler saga. I said my piece on Perfect/Michaels above but them not delivering really hurt this card. That all said, I do believe if Luger takes the title to close the show, this event would be looked at a bit more fondly and not as incredulously. For as much guff as they get for swerving off Hart for Luger, Lex was pretty hot after the turn and nobody would have blamed them if they took the title back off Yoko this quickly again. As is, this is a card that carries nostalgia value and is worth a check just for the Hart/Lawler stuff but it was definitely disappointing after the hype and build.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #71

# Survivor Series 1993 Review: God Bless America, Lex Luger and Santa Claus!

November 24, 1993

Boston Garden

Boston, Massachusetts

Attendance: 15,509

Buy Rate: 0.82

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan

Dark Match:

### Billy Gunn pinned Brooklyn Brawler in 7:46

Pay-Per-View:

Fun Fact I: This would be Bobby Heenan's final WWF PPV. Heenan would be around for a few more weeks until the 12/6 RAW where a memorable moment in WWF history took place. Since the fall, Heenan had been really snipping back and forth with Gorilla Monsoon, including a near scuffle on this PPV. As RAW came to a close, Vince was discussing next week's RAW with Heenan, and Gorilla Monsoon walked down to ringside and offered Heenan a free trip...out of the arena and out of the WWF. Gorilla then escorted Heenan and unceremoniously tossed him out, literally. Heenan scrambled his belongings together and waved a tearful goodbye. There were two reasons for Heenan's departure. The first is Vince asked him to take a significant pay cut, which Heenan refused and instead opted to run out his contract. The second reason is with his neck problems continuing and the long road schedule catching up to him, Heenan decided to retire. Heenan would enjoy retired life for a short time before WCW came calling in the beginning of 1994 with the offer of a lighter work schedule and health insurance. Never fear, though. This would not be the last time we see Bobby "The Brain" Heenan on a WWF PPV.

Fun Fact II: Despite being a very supportive hub for WWF house shows and TV tapings, this is the very first WWF PPV to emanate from the legendary Boston Garden.

### 1) 1-2-3 Kid, Marty Jannetty, Razor Ramon & Randy Savage defeat IRS, Diesel, Rick Martel & Adam Bomb

Survivors:

1-2-3 Kid

Marty Jannetty

Eliminations:

Randy Savage pins Diesel at 10:18 with the Flying Elbow

IRS pins Randy Savage at 16:46 with a roll-up

Razor Ramon pins IRS at 20:32 with a Razor's Edge

Razor Ramon is counted out at 21:40

1-2-3 Kid pins Rick Martel at 25:49 with a Sunset Flip

Marty Jannetty pins Adam Bomb at 25:59 with a Sunset Flip

Fun Fact I: Mr. Perfect was originally scheduled to be on the face team, but he left the WWF the week before the event due to his old back injuries starting to nag him again. WWF did not even announce that he wasn't going to be there until the match began. Ramon got on the mic and said that Mr. Perfect wasn't the "Perfect Partner" because he "tagged out before the match even began." Instead, Ramon brings out Randy Savage to be the fourth member of his team. Savage was inserted into the match so they could continue the Savage/Crush feud on a PPV stage.

Fun Fact II: Adam Bomb debuted alongside his manager Johnny Polo on the May 22, 1993 Superstars. Johnny Polo was played by WCW mid carder Scotty Flamingo, real name Scott Levy. Levy cut his teeth in the Portland promotion before heading south to Atlanta. He was a mainstay in the Light Heavyweight division throughout 1992 before heading to the WWF as a manager. Adam Bomb was portrayed by Bryan Clarke who was known as the Nightstalker in Memphis as well as WCW. Before this show, Polo sold the contract of Bomb to Harvey Wippleman, who accompanies him here.

Fun Fact III: Razor Ramon won the vacated Intercontinental Title on the 10/11 Raw by defeating Rick Martel. The two men had been the last two standing in a battle royal the week before. Martel had made his return to WWF TV on the 9/27 Raw, wrestling Tatanka to a double countout. Martel had still been under contract but outside of a handful of house show matches, he was mostly inactive since the spring.

Fun Fact IV: The Savage/Crush feud dates back to the July 4, 1993 Stars and Stripes Challenge, an event set up to see who, if anyone, could bodyslam the 580 lb. Yokozuna. Savage had encouraged Crush to take part, but Crush injured his back during the event. On the July 12 episode of RAW, Crush was defeated by Yokozuna in a WWF Championship match and was given several Banzai Drops following the match. Savage left the announce booth to help pull Crush out of the ring, but the damage had been done. Crush would be out of action for several months. When he returned on the October 18 episode of RAW, he came out with Mr. Fuji and stated that Savage had betrayed him by not coming to his aid earlier during the Yokozuna attack and not contacting him during his recuperation. Savage came to the ring and tried to talk Crush out of making a big mistake. The two shook hands and left the ring. On the way to the back, Crush turned on Savage, clotheslining him and dropping him in the guardrail before taking him back to the ring to get a Banzai Drop from Yokozuna. Leading up to the Survivor Series, Savage attacked Crush on the November 6 RAW which resulted in Savage being suspended from his broadcast duties.

### Scott:

The crowd goes insane when the Macho Man is introduced as the replacement for Mr. Perfect, as we enter venerable Boston Garden for the first time in PPV history. I am proud to say I was at the New Haven Coliseum when Razor won the vacant Intercontinental Title. It was my first "technical" title change, although the title was vacant it was still a great moment. Vince and Bobby are funny on commentary, but it does seem like the Brain is a little out of sorts with the product. Maybe (although he will be terribly missed) he was better off leaving for WCW when he did. This begins a four-PPV stretch where the company, which may feel is in a bit of business limbo, stays very close to their wheelhouse part of the country. All the shows between now and June are in the Northeast. The Boston crowd is hot for the opener here, particularly since we are seeing Savage in a PPV ring for the first time since being tossed by Yokozuna at the Royal Rumble back in January. Big Daddy Cool, without his guy Shawn Michaels for this match, is eliminated by Savage. The Model got back into the swing of things in New Haven when he and Razor finished tied in the Battle Royal for the IC Title, but then lost the match to Razor. I was a big Adam Bomb fan the moment he arrived in the WWF. Something about his size and the way he worked in the ring, and the look. He is Harvey Whippleman's charge in this match. Savage loses his cool when Crush starts walking up the aisle, but he does get back in the ring. More on the Crush stuff later on. Savage gets pinned but he doesn't care, he runs down the ramp to go after Crush. The faces regain the lead when Razor hits the Edge on IRS for the pin. Razor has become maybe the #2 or #3 babyface in the company, so the turn was a definite necessity. He gets counted out after a Halliburton shot to the gut by IRS. That feud continues. The Kid is being pushed by Vince as the plucky underdog, where Bobby discredits him as a "little boy who wants cookies and milk". He gets a big pin on Rick Martel, followed by Jannetty pinning Adam Bomb and the babyfaces are triumphant. I was pleasantly surprised that the two least thought of guys on the team actually got the final two pins. That was a fun opener and it really got the crowd going.

### JT:

Another holiday season has arrived and that means it is time for another edition of Survivor Series. After a year off from the traditional show concept, we are back at it here. Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan are in the booth once again, but sadly this is the final show for Heenan, who would leave a few weeks later. Times really are changing, sadly. The Brain has done a tremendous job stepping into Jesse Ventura's mammoth shoes since 1991 and he will sorely be missed, especially after the clinic he put on for most of 1992. Our opener features quite the blend of new and old and it sets up for a nice mix. On the heel side, we get our first PPV look at Adam Bomb, who had debuted back in the spring. Originally managed by Johnny Polo, he was sold to Harvey Wippleman shortly before this show. He is teaming with Diesel, who has really been floating around since Shawn Michaels had been suspended in September. His feud with Mr. Perfect fizzled and it was looking like he may not have much time left in the company at this point. Also on the team is Rick Martel, who we last saw on PPV back at the Royal Rumble. After taking some time off, he returned in September, back in his baby blue tights and with his hair grown back out, looking more like the Model of old. And finally, the team captain is IRS, forging ahead in his solo career with an eye on the Intercontinental Title. Across the ring is the IC champ, having finished his face turn and rise up the card by grabbing the vacated title after surviving a battle royal and knocking off Martel. On his team are steady mid carders Marty Jannetty and 1-2-3 Kid as well as Randy Savage, who is stepping in for the departed Mr. Perfect. Perfect had an awesome one year run, but his back started to give out again so he was forced back to the sidelines. Savage was added in at the last minute to cover the departure. Kid has definitely solidified himself as a regular competitor now as opposed to a young upstart that shocked the world with wins. Ramon's rise in popularity has been astounding as the cheers kept pouring in after he turned and now he feels like a near-top guy on the face side thanks to the fans and his presence in the ring. We would open with a rematch of that IC finals with Ramon picking up where he left off on Raw. After getting beaten around, Martel finally tagged out and in entered Adam Bomb for a cool showdown with the champ. With both men being about equal size, they really matched up well and the fans got into it as they traded some lockups. Bomb would overpower Razor and take control through a test of strength but Razor eventually took him over with a suplex. Martel tried to make the save but accidentally nailed Bomb and that led to a big pull apart between the members of the heel team that included Martel shoving down Wippleman. Things would finally settle down and we reset with Bomb beating on the Kid with some cool looking power offense. Diesel would pick up where Bomb left off, battering the Kid until the youngster caught him with a headscissors takedown. He quickly tagged in Savage, who cleaned house on the whole team before polishing off Diesel with the big elbow to give his team a 4-3 advantage.

After Savage and IRS battled for a moment, Ramon made his way back in and immediately got caught and cornered, leading to a lengthy get segment with lots of tagging by the heels. He would survive and tag in Savage, who stayed red hot and looked ready to put away IRS. However, just as he was ascending the top rope, Crush wandered down the aisle to draw his attention away. Showing his obsession over revenge, Savage couldn't focus at all and just kept jawing at the big man until IRS rolled him up to eliminate him. That feud has been red hot on TV thanks to Crush's memorable heel turn and would continue to heat up as we move along. With the odds back at even, Jannetty came in and tried to regain composure and the advantage for his team. After a brief flurry, he got caught in the corner and taken down by Martel and Bomb. Despite taking some stiff offense, Jannetty was able to tag in Ramon. Heenan was really into the Desi Arnez jokes for him here, right down to calling one of his right hands the "Babaloo Punch". Razor fended off IRS and was able to eliminate him after a Razor's Edge. I was a bit surprised by that as they were building IRS up as a top challenger for the Bad Guy, so to see him taken out clean was an upset in some ways. However, Razor got caught celebrating by Martel and a second later, IRS pelted the champ with his Halliburton, causing him to get counted out. That was also surprising, especially when you consider the four men that now remained, which I would say seemed quite unlikely when this match kicked off. As we settled in for what is now basically a tag team match, Kid and Martel really started to go at it at a quick pace. Even when Bomb tagged in, things kept chugging along. Kid would knock Bomb to the floor and tried a dive over the top, but Bomb caught him and slammed him hard to the ground. He followed with a slingshot clothesline for a near fall as the crowd really worked to rally the youngster. Martel would come in and work him over until he whiffed on an axehandle off the top, allowing Kid to tag out. After some back and forth, Kid tagged back in and caught Martel with a sunset flip to eliminate the Model. And in the blink of an eye, Kid tagged Jannetty back in and he came flying over the top with a sunset flip on Adam Bomb to win the match. That was a great finish and very reminiscent of 1987 when the Killer Bees and Young Stallions surprisingly survived with a fast flurry to close the match. Kid and Jannetty surviving opened the show on a really fun note and also established them as a feisty team to move forward with. The match itself was solid, with a few high spots to carry it, mostly centered around Savage, who looked great during his brief stints in the ring. I thought everyone looked pretty good, except maybe Diesel who was quickly eliminated and didn't get much offense in. The IRS elimination was also surprising but he got some revenge and it looks like he will remain a thorn in the side of the Bad Guy.

### 2) Keith Hart, Bruce Hart, Owen Hart & Bret Hart defeat Shawn Michaels, Black Knight, Blue Knight & Red Knight

Survivors:

Keith Hart

Bruce Hart

Bret Hart

Eliminations:

Owen Hart pins the Black Knight with a dropkick off the top rope at 10:46

Bret Hart makes the Red Knight submit with the Sharpshooter at 18:03

Owen Hart makes the Blue Knight submit with the Sharpshooter at 23:43

Shawn Michaels pins Owen Hart at 27:11 with a roll-up

Shawn Michaels in counted-out at 30:52

Fun Fact I: This match was supposed to be a continuation of the Lawler/Hart Family feud that began at KOTR, however, just one week before this PPV, Lawler was accused of rape by a young girl, thus Vince pulled him from the show and the WWF until he could sort out the mess. So, let us backtrack a little bit. In early-September, Vince and Shawn Michaels had a falling out. Shawn mentions in his book that he failed a drug test, but he disputed it and took the suspension instead of arguing it. As a result of the suspension, Michaels was stripped of the Intercontinental Title and taken off of TV for three months. During that time, Razor Ramon won the title on the 10/11 Raw. When Vince found Lawler was in trouble and wouldn't be wrestling, he brought back Michaels to try and salvage the match as well as having somewhat of a back story. Also, when Michaels returned, he brought HIS IC Belt with him, thus igniting a feud between him and Ramon over who was the "Real Intercontinental Champion." Lawler was acquitted of all allegations when the girl admitted she had lied and he was brought back to the WWF in time for WrestleMania X.

Fun Fact II: The Red Knight is portrayed by longtime jobber Barry Horowitz, the Blue Knight is portrayed by the legendary Greg Valentine and the Black Knight is portrayed by longtime Texas and Memphis competitor Jeff Gaylord. The identity of the three is never revealed and there was no reasoning behind why they were chosen to don the hoods.

Fun Fact III: This would be the debut of a couple of new Harts in the WWF. Bruce and Keith Hart both received their professional wrestling training from their father, Stu, in the infamous Hart Dungeon. Bruce debuted in his father's Stampede Wrestling in 1972 and quickly became a headliner for the promotion. He suffered a serious shoulder injury in June 1973 which put him out of action for almost a year and nearly ended his career. By the late 70s, Bruce was in charge of matchmaking and talent development for Stampede.

Keith began wrestling for Stampede in June 1973. Most of his career was spent as a tag team wrestler. He teamed with his brother Bret to win the Stampede International Tag Team titles on four separate occasions. In the late 70s, Keith's career went in a different direction as he became a member of the Calgary Fire Department, greatly reducing his wrestling engagements. In the 90s he served as a trainer at the Hart Dungeon.

Fun Fact IV: Ray Combs, host of Family Feud, is the ring announcer and guest commentator for this match as they play off the feuding families theme. Before the match, he recognizes members of the Hart family that are seated at ringside, including Helen.

### Scott:

I know my PIC is going to kill me, but the Ray Combs introductions (and bad jokes) was just overkill. I do like that the Hart patriarch Stu came out with a Bruins Starter jacket on. Of course the lack of logic with this exists because Jerry Lawler was supposed to be the captain of this team but he was back in Memphis challenging sexual assault allegations. The juice would have been off the chain for this match if the King was there. Oh man I forgot Combs stays for commentary, and he for me is way too corny. I don't know if these knights were supposed to work as much as they did but they were not very good. I know two of the three knights were Greg Valentine and Barry Horowitz but they were not on their game. On the other side we have two fresh, currently working guys (Bret & Owen) but Bruce & Keith haven't worked in years. Needless to say there are a lot of rusty wrestlers in the ring. That leads to a lot of sloppy segments and running around. It seems Shawn took the Jerry Lawler rulebook because he spends most of the beginning of this match running around. The match goes at a very deliberate pace but the knights are slowly eliminated one by one. Shawn isn't really doing much in this match, except take a decent beating from the Pink & Black family. I like that Bret eschewed his usual wrestling gear and is wearing a singlet, like a collegiate wrestler. The match continues at its sluggish pace and the Harts look dominant, until the moment from which we begin an epic storyline. Owen is working with Shawn in the ring, while a disoriented Bret is on the apron. Bret lingers too far down the apron and when Owen gets whipped into the ropes he runs into Bret, who goes flying into the barricade. Owen is then rolled up by Shawn and is the first Hart eliminated. Shawn is the last one on his team and he battles as best as he can but eventually he just quits and walks out on the match. The Harts win, but Owen is none too pleased that Bret got in his way and was the only Hart pinned. He comes back out after the bell and starts shoving big brother. There's plenty of words exchanged but in the end cooler heads prevail. The Hart Family is victorious in a boring match, but little brother is still ticked.

### JT:

Well, this match has taken quite a turn. When we left SummerSlam, Bret Hart put a beating on Jerry Lawler but the King was wheeled out with his finger high in the air, crowned the only King of the WWF. Since that time, Lawler ran into some legal trouble and had to be removed from the match just weeks before the show. Considering the magnitude of the feud, it was a pretty big loss. So, insert the suspended Shawn Michaels. They did they best to heat this up, playing off their past issues and having Michaels quickly start to bash the Hart Family and even do a fake interview where he and Reo Rogers went to the Hart House and encountered a fake Stu and Helen. Still, it wasn't the same. And it also made it seem pretty silly to have Michaels team with masked knights. However, one cool touch is that Michaels returned with his IC title around his waist, claiming he was still the champion as he had never been defeated. The identity of the Knights remained a mystery with the announcers and they would never be revealed on TV. To make up for the King not being here, we do get the great Ray Combs back for another PPV run. We last saw him at WrestleMania VIII but his appearance here makes way more sense when you take the family stuff into consideration. He does his usual banter before the match, reading survey results that take shots at the heels and also introduces some of the Hart family members at ringside, something that has become a tradition here in 1993. After the introductions, Combs would hop into the booth with Vince and Bobby, a true treat for me! In a funny, but random, note, Stu Hart was wearing a Pistons jacket during his prematch interview but has a Bruins one on when he makes his way to ringside with his sons. Bobby even notes that he "waxed another jacket from the souvenir shop". Vince also notes that he last wrestled in the Garden in 1945. In a nice touch, all of the Hart brothers have matching singlets on, even Bret, which was a bit weird to see. Bruce would be the first Hart brother in, and Vince mentions that he last wrestled in 1991 and is currently teaching school. We will see what he has left in the tank. He started well, matching Michaels and landing shots in on the Knights as well before tagging in Keith. Combs tells us Keith is a fireman and Vince says he last competed in 1989. Bobby is great here, really riding the Harts and Combs. Keith kept pace with Michaels and took control on the Red Knight, who was Barry Horowitz. He tagged in Owen, who really went to work, finally sending him into the corner with a dropkick. Black Knight, Jeff Gaylord, was in next and he met the same fate. Owen would tag in Bret as Blue Knight tagged in and this was actually a match we have seen many times before, including at this very show back in 1990 as it is Greg Valentine under the hood. The Knights finally got their shit together and went into attack mode on Bruce as Bobby kept the antics up, yelling at Stu to wake up at ringside.

The Knights and Michaels tagged in and out as they slowly worked over Bruce with really basic offense. He eventually escaped and made the tag to Bret, who immediately picked apart the Black Knight with his standard assault. Things would break down right after, with all eight men battling in the ring, ending with Owen eliminating Black with a missile dropkick. I'll say this, he isn't saying much of consequence, but Combs is really into this and putting it all over strongly. Red Knight caught a beating next, with the Hart brothers tagging in and out and working their dungeon offense on him. Keith would get tripped up as Blue Knight came in and the match slowed way back down as the crowd turned on them as well, firing up a "boring" chant. Michaels and the Knights would alternate bashing and wrenching Keith's shoulder until Shawn missed a dive off the top and gave Keith the chance to tag in Bret. The Hitman quickly pounced and turned the Red Knight into the Sharpshooter to eliminate him and give his family a two man advantage. As Blue Knight took over on Bret, we got a great shot of Stu massaging Keith's shoulder. Once Blue really got into his offense you could tell it was obviously Valentine. I love that he didn't even give a shit to try to hide his identity at all, right down to his trademark boots. Despite the sustained offense, Shawn and Blue still couldn't pick up an elimination as Bret escaped and tagged in Owen. Michaels would bail to the floor where he walked into a Stu punch followed by a wild Owen dive over the top. An eye blink later saw Owen force Blue to submit to a Sharpshooter. Left alone, the Harts were ready to really punish poor Shawn as Helen and the Harts celebrated at ringside. They alternated pelting Shawn around until Bret took a stiff shot that left him rattled on the apron. Owen would come in but things went sour as he accidentally collided with Bret and sent him flying into the guardrail. In the confusion, Michaels rolled up and eliminated Owen, who had really been a dominant force in the match until that point. Owen was pissed as he stomped to the locker room. In the ring, the Harts took back control of the match. Bret would eventually try for the Sharpshooter, but Michaels finally had enough and sprinted to the back, eating the count out loss and giving the match to the Harts. Well, that was anticlimactic. But, I don't blame them at all for protecting Shawn from taking a pin in this one. As the family celebrated, Owen came back to the ring, but he was clearly pissed off as he yanked Bret off the ropes and shoved him. Bruce and Keith tried to keep the peace but the seeds have been planted for some possible jealousy based dissension going forward, especially as Owen bitched to Stu about not getting any recognition. The match was really nothing special and was also much longer than it needed to be. It never really kicked into the next gear and almost felt like an exhibition at times. Shawn not really being involved in the feud didn't help things either as a lot of the heat was now missing. Plus, the Knights being nameless and faceless didn't help us care much at all as we just had no reason to be angry at any of them. Despite it all, Owen came across as the clear star, gliding around the ring and picking up two eliminations before getting knocked out of the match. We will see how it affects Bret as 1993 comes to a close. On the other side of the coin, Michaels is on to bigger business but for the second year in a row, he takes a loss to the Hitman.

***Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon take over for Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan to call the next match for TV. They had been calling the show for Radio WWF, which is where Vince and Bobby now shift to.***

### 3) The Heavenly Bodies defeat the Rock 'n' Roll Express to win the Smokey Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Titles when Tom Prichard pins Robert Gibson after Jimmy Del Ray hits Gibson with the racket at 13:41

Fun Fact I: The Rock 'n' Roll Express, made up of Ricky Morton and Robert Gibson, were a tag team that began working together in Memphis in 1983. The team fit into the trend and had a similar look to the rock bands of the times. They were one of the first high flyer teams and found success in the Mid South territory and later in Jim Crockett's Mid Atlantic territory. Their primary rivals in both territories was Jim Cornette's Midnight Express. The two teams would become tag team staples in the south throughout the 80s. The RnR Express would hold the NWA World Tag Team titles 4 different times. In the early 90s, the team would join up with Cornette in his Smokey Mountain Wrestling promotion where they began their long feud with the Heavenly Bodies.

Fun Fact II: As part of the WWF/SMW relationship, this match was added to the card to help showcase one of Smokey Mountain's top, and at times most violent, rivalries.

### Scott:

For the first time in WWE PPV history, another promotions' title will be on the line. Sure back in the Vince, Sr. years Bob Backlund and Harley Race or Ric Flair would have WWF/NWA Champion vs. Champion matches on supercards and house showa, but definitely NOT in the PPV era run by Vince, Jr. It was a tremendous choice here to swap out Vince and Bobby for Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon for the most technically sound match on the card. The Bodies had a solid showing at SummerSlam in losing to the Steiner Brothers, but now they head into the ring against their current rivals, and former NWA stalwarts the Rock n Roll Express. I was never a big fan of Ricky & Robert, I preferred the great heel teams in JCP, like the Midnight Express and the Russians. Of course once the Road Warriors went south my loyalties changed. Anyway this was a great match for Ross to settle into because really the WWF style didn't totally suit him at this moment but here the Southern tag team style was right in his wheel house. Gorilla seemed really rankled in his commentary, as I think he's feeling out of touch with the TV product. He's really upping the feud with Bobby Heenan, because now he wants to actually beat him up where for years he somewhat tolerated and mocked him. The match is pretty good, with a lot of expert double team moves and endless movement in the ring, but some good old cheating got the job done. With the referee distracted, Jimmy Del Ray drilled Ricky Morton in the back with Jim Cornette's tennis racket and Dr. Tom gets the pinfall and the victory, for new SMW tag team champions. They change up the rules and use WWF regulations, which was mentioned often, as you get disqualified in SMW for using the top rope. Very WCW I must say. In what is one of the best matches of the evening, another promotion gets a huge title change.

### JT:

When the company brought in Jim Cornette, they also agreed to start promoting Cornette's Smokey Mountain Wrestling promotion as well. We already saw the Heavenly Bodies back at SummerSlam and now we see their top rivals, the legendary Rock 'n' Roll Express. The RNRs were longtime NWA and Memphis competitors and it was pretty cool seeing them pop up here, even if it was a bit buried in a somewhat forgotten show. To kick things to an even weirder spot, the SMW tag team titles are on the line as well. This is all so different than what we had come to expect from the WWF when it came to outside companies. It was a good idea to switch Ross and Monsoon to the booth for this one as he could help get both teams over better than anyone else outside of Cornette himself. And of course he wasted no time putting over SMW and the resume of the Bodies as well as the RNRs. The Bodies caught the champs off the bell, dumping them outside and parading around confidently. The Express fought their way into the ring and the match started proper with Gibson and Del Ray tussling. The crowd was definitely having a hard time getting into this one without being overly familiar with the storyline or characters. Things degenerated a bit, which allowed the champs to work some double teams that included a fun double rowboat. They continued to quick tag in and out, working the leg of Prichard until the Doctor went to the eyes and made the tag, but not even that worked as a moment later they were on the floor regrouping again. Prichard finally did turn the tide by hitting a powerbomb on Morton, leading to a heat segment that focused on Ricky's back. The crowd finally woke up a bit when Del Ray hit a springboard moonsault from the middle rope to the floor, but they quieted right back down when the match got back into the ring. The Bodies would get their closest near fall on a Trash Compacter, which prompted a nice Midnight Express name drop from Ross. Morton would eventually drop both with a DDT and then made the hot tag. Things broke down and Prichard played to their newly found home field advantage by chucking Morton over the top to the floor, a move that would be a DQ in SMW but was allowed here. After some confusion, the RNRs hit their double dropkick but Prichard kicked out. Right after, the Gigolo bashed Gibson with Cornette's racket and rolled the Doctor on top for the win and the titles. Well, that was certainly very well worked and fun to watch, but the crowd just did not care sadly and it really hurt things, as it felt like they were running through the motions as a result. Also, I liked the touch of knowledge of the rules difference between the two teams but that led to some confusion and then the match just sped into the finish. In front of a Southern crowd, this may have popped more, but as is it was just a really good match in front of a very dead crowd.

### 4) Luke, Butch, Mabel & Mo defeats Bam Bam Bigelow, Bastion Booger, Fatu & Samu

Survivors:

Luke

Butch

Mo

Mabel

Eliminations:

Luke pins Samu with a roll-up at 3:04

Mabel pins Bastion Booger after the Battering Ram and a legdrop at 6:00

Butch pins Fatu with a roll-up after Fatu slipped on a banana peel at 8:31

Butch, Luke, Mabel and Mo pin Bam Bam Bigelow after a Mabel splash at 10:57

Fun Fact I: Doink turned face on Raw in September when he tossed his bucket of water on an unsuspecting Bobby Heenan. Shortly after the turn, he ambushed Bigelow with a pie to the face on an episode of Superstars, and an Survivor Match was eventually made to help settle the burgeoning feud. Bigelow assembled his team and Doink said his team would be made up of three other Doinks, playing off of the appearances from Doink II since WrestleMania. So, the official match was Doink, Doink, Doink and Doink vs. Bigelow, Bastion Booger and the Headshrinkers. At the show, everyone learned that the Doinks were being played by the Bushwhackers and Men on a Mission. After the show, Jack Tunney decreed that there would be no more double, triple or quadruple Doinks, so Doink was very upset. Until Christmas that is, when Doink was given Dink, a little person clown, as a present from Santa Claus. The Doink/Bigelow feud would burn on into the New Year.

Fun Fact II: This match is the PPV debut for Mabel (Nelson Frazier) and Mo (Bobby Horne), or Men on a Mission. The team originally began in the Pro Wrestling Federation and USWA as the Harlem Knights. The two were billed as brothers, Nelson & Bobby Knight. Their work in the USWA got them noticed by the WWF and they were signed to a contract in mid 1993. They made their WWF debut on the July 4 episode of Wrestling Challenge.

Fun Fact III: This is also the PPV debut for Bastion Booger (Mike Shaw). Shaw was trained by Killer Kowalski and began his career in western Canada, first wrestling in Vancouver in 1981 and then in 1982 in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary. It was in Stampede where he had a great run under the name Makhan Singh, which included a tremendous series of matches with Owen Hart. He later gained popularity when he moved to WCW in 1989 and became Norman the Lunatic, a character who had previously been locked in an insane asylum. He was managed by Theodore Long, who carried around a key, signifying Long's ability to have Norman recommitted to the asylum if he didn't follow orders. In 1993, Shaw came to the WWF and briefly wrestled as Friar Ferguson, the "mad monk". The WWF received negative feedback from the Catholic Church of New York, so the character was dropped. Shaw took on the Bastion Booger character, a fat slob who wrestled in dirty singlets. His run in the WWF was primarily as a jobber.

### Scott:

When the match starts with the crowd chanting "WE WANT DOINK" at the top of their lungs, then you pretty much know where this match is going. We have a team of Doinks, and none of them are Doink. The new team Men on a Mission are dressed as clowns, and then, well two guys who would look great in makeup to cover their faces. The Bushwhackers are part of that old Federation Era that can still somewhat fit in that new generation of wrestlers. Bastion Booger, is well...Booger. I feel so bad for Bam Bam Bigelow here. He wants to be taken seriously as a big time heel and instead continues to get stuck in these bizarre feuds with goofy cartoon characters. Not actually having Doink in this match really loses it for me, because otherwise why are we supposed to care that these guys are dressed as clowns when the top clown isn't here? I'm upset that they turned Doink face anyway because Matt Borne as heel Doink was absolutely awesome. Borne left WWF and whoever replaced him would probably not be as devious and cool as Borne was in the role. The match is a complete mess with turkey carcasses everywhere and cheap parlor tricks as well. Bigelow eats the last pin (sadly) and then Doink comes up on the screen (with one of the worst Doink wigs ever) and heckles Bigelow down the ramp. God just end this mess.

### JT:

Before the match, we had a fun throwback to 1989, as Bigelow's team was getting interviewed by Todd Pettengil while they all devoured turkey carcasses like maniacs. I love that stuff. Back in the arena, Vince and Bobby were back in the booth as Bigelow led his merry band of slobs to the ring. We saw Bammer team with the Headshrinkers back at SummerSlam and I was happy to see their relationship continue. Booger was a decent...ahem, pick...to round out the team as he in well with their general presentation. As stupid as the gimmick was, the man under the gargoyle outfit was a pretty rock solid wrestler that would be sorely under utilized in the role. And after weeks of speculation of just who would show up in the Doink costumes, we ended up being all very underwhelmed. This seemed like a good chance to freshen Doink up a bit now that he was sadly a face, and even having four guys out there looking the same would add a bit of mystery if there was a reveal at the end. Alas, they go for the real obvious humor and roll out the stale Bushwhackers and the recently arrived Men on a Mission. I liked the MOM gimmick and the fans really seemed to connect with them, but there were also some fatal flaws that ensured they never really got far up the card. First off, Mo looks like he is really old thanks to the shaky blonde dye job. Secondly, Mabel has a bit of a freak show look to him thanks to an interestingly shaped body and when you dress him in purple, he just ended up looking really goofy. Finally, Oscar was a shitty rapper and never really evolved his rhymes. That said, the beat under the rap was really catchy and the fans ate it up. For as lame as a choice as the Bushwhackers were here, I won't kill them for pushing MOM and getting them a PPV slot. I wonder if they should have just had Doink and Doink II team with MOM straight up? Oh well, it doesn't matter. Booger and Samu would lay an early beating on Luke but the fun and games quickly started. The guys on the apron kept handing Samu balloons, and he kept eating them, until something exploded from the last one,which allowed Luke to roll him up and eliminate him. I do like the idea that Doink trained these guys in clown based trickery. Adds some psychology anyway. Butch was next to get pulverized, including eating a big Booger legdrop. Things looked bleak when the Bastion slammed down hard onto Butch's chest, but he got distracted by a bunch of bananas in his teams' corner, so he got up and grabbed one. After shoving it in his mouth, he again tried to slam down, but Butch avoided it this time. Luke then popped in and they hammered Booger with the battering ram, followed by a Mabel legdrop to take him out of the match. It is nothing to be proud of, but the fans were about 10x more into this than the SMW match, sadly. The antics continued as Mo rode around the ring on a scooter until Bigelow grabbed it and chucked it to the floor. Fatu would hit his top rope splash on Mo, but got memorized by a banana peel and didn't cover. That led to Butch coming in with a bucket and faking Fatu out, leading to the Headshrinker...yes, slipping on the banana peel and getting pinned. The pissed off Bigelow came in and started murdering clowns until we got a hot face-to-face with Mabel. That was the best part of the match. Bigelow dominated the showdown and almost had Luke eliminated but got distracted when Butch dumped a bunch of garbage on Luna. In the blink of an eye, Bigelow got squashed by Mabel and piled on by the whole team to end the nonsense. After the match, the real Doink showed up on the big screen and mocked Bammer for the loss. Well, on a pure comedy scale, I have seen a whole lot worse out of this company. It was at least campy, fairly quick and the crowd was into it. Sadly, it turned Bigelow into a bit of a joke, even though he looked the best out of anyone in there. Also, it sucks to see what Doink has become after his great heel run. This was a far cry from his trickery back at SummerSlam. I think we should have gotten the comedy spots but had Bigelow run through all four guys and survive at the end. Oh well. I suddenly have a craving for turkey.

### 5) Undertaker, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner & Lex Luger defeat Ludvig Borga, Jacques Rougeau, Crush & Yokozuna

Survivor:

Lex Luger

Eliminations:

Ludvig Borga pins Rick Steiner with a powerslam as Rick came off the top rope at 5:02

Crush is counted out of the ring at 11:52

Lex Luger pins Jacques with an elbow drop off the second rope in 14:01

Yokozuna pins Scott Steiner with a leg drop in 16:52

Yokozuna and the Undertaker are counted out at 23:02

Lex Luger pins Ludvig Borga in 27:54 with a flying forearm

Fun Fact I: There were actually two replacements in this match, as the Undertaker is subbing for Tatanka and Crush is filling in for Pierre. Tatanka was taken out of the match due to a storyline injury after he was destroyed by Borga and Yokozuna on the 10/30 Superstars after Borga ended Tatanka's win streak at 19 months. As the match wound down, Mr. Fuji came down to ringside and distraced the referee, allowing Borga the chance to smash Tatanka with a steel chair. Then Borga rolled Tatanka into the ring and pinned him in the ring with one finger to end his long running streak. After the match, Yoko came into the ring and proceeded to Banzai Drop Tatanka right out of the PPV. Luger evened the odds by knocking Pierre out cold with his metallic forearm on Raw a couple of weeks before the show. So, due to his ties with Mr. Fuji, Crush was added to the heel team, and Undertaker joined forces with the faces in a memorable Superstars moment when he opened his black robe to reveal an American flag after joining an interview with the All Americans.

Fun Fact II: Jacques Rougeau and Pierre (Carl Ouellet) make their WWF PPV debut as the Quebecers. The pair made their WWF debut on the July 24 episode of WWF Superstars and were immediately pushed to the top of the tag division. The team's red and black uniforms were a play off of Jacques' old Mountie character. They used the old Mountie theme song, except substituting the phase "We're Not the Mounties."

Fun Fact III: On the September 13 Raw, the Quebecers faced off against the Steiners in a "Province de Quebec Rules" match. One of the rules was that the titles could change hands on a DQ. Halfway through the match, Johnny Polo wandered to ringside (he had not yet been revealed as the Quebecers manager). As the match was coming to a peak, Polo jumped on the apron and dropped a hockey stick in the ring. Jacques picked it up and was going to use it, but Scott Steiner stole it away and drilled him in the gut, causing a DQ and a huge upset and title change.

### Scott:

Our main event is dripping with patriotism as the top faces in the company (other than Bret Hart) face all the top heels in the company. Yokozuna captains the team of dastardly heels, which includes the returning Jacques Rougeau, half of the new tag team champions the Quebecers and their manager Johnny Polo. Polo was a former light heavyweight in WCW and now is a manager here. Luger is still red hot even after not winning the World Title at SummerSlam, but I think that most of Luger's heat is reverse psychology from hating Yokozuna that much. He has settled in very nicely as the top bad guy in the company and being WWF Champion makes it that much better for him. Rick Steiner is eliminated first by Ludvig Borga, but as Crush is working Scott Steiner over, out comes Randy Savage again to go after Crush but he is being held down by all the backstage officials and sent back to the locker room. Savage returns and this time Crush joins him down the ramp. They brawl and Crush is disqualified. That feud is just getting going. Luger then pins Jacques, so it comes down to Luger/Scott/Taker vs. Borga/Yoko. Borga and Luger seemed like the feud they were really pushing for at this time. I don't know if that meant Luger was being depushed somewhat, but right from the start of this match it seemed like Yoko was gravitating towards Undertaker. Taker was replacing Tatanka and frankly it was a smart move. The Deadman brings more juice to the match than Tatanka would have. The crowd is going insane when Taker and Yoko finally do hook up and the Deadman hits a big DDT and Yoko sold it like he was shot. The crowd in Boston is going insane. This main event is much better than I remember, thanks to this crowd. Of course neither Yoko nor Taker can be pinned so both men brawl on the outside and get counted out. I'm not crazy about that but it makes perfect sense. I feel a PPV main event coming between these two. So the final two men are Lex Luger and Ludvig Borga. This feud really never got going and now they're going to possibly blow it off here? They battle and when both men are down Mr. Fuji throws the salt bucket to Borga who decks Luger with it. We think its over, but Luger kicks out and the two continue to war with the crowd out of its skin. Borga continues to battle from almost defeat but eventually Luger throws the forearm out and wins the match. I really enjoyed that match with so much back and forth and you can see the big feuds to start 1994 developing in the ring. If you've never seen this match, it's a typical early-WWF Survivor style match with lots of characters and great crowd energy.

### JT:

Well, this has certainly been an interesting night. And it all leads us here to a pretty stacked main event that had a lot of rivalries circling it. Ludvig Borga has gained steam since SummerSlam and has kept his promise of gunning for Lex Luger. He wiped out Tatanka, ending his undefeated streak, and looked primed for a big run. He is joined by Quebecer Jacques, who is now one half of the tag team champions. And he is awesome. As is Johnny Polo. The third member is Crush, who we saw cause Randy Savage to be eliminated earlier this evening. Crush had angrily turned heel back in October and having felt betrayed by Savage. It was a memorable night and he really laid a beating on Macho to complete his change in attitude. And of course, the captain of the team is WWF Champion Yokozuna, now entering his seventh month with the title. Undertaker, who was subbing for Tatanka, enters first for the All Americans and he was still ungodly over with the fans, garnering a huge pop as he glided to the ring. On his team is the former tag team champion Steiner Brothers and captain Lex Luger, who was still heavily draped in Americana. Speaking of, the Steiner's red, white and blue trunks were pretty swank looking. The tag title feud was reignited to start the match as Scott and Jacques kicked things off. Scott wanted no part of Jacques' antics and went right into wrecking him with strikes and suplexes. As Rick tagged in, so did Yokozuna and Bobby wondered if he would be able to suplex the big man. This is a pretty cool looking matchup. Yoko would control as expected but Rick was able to rock the champ and actually knocked him to the floor. The good feelings were brief as Rick got trapped in the corner and mauled a bit. Borga would dump him to the floor, but Rick came back in with a shoulderblock off the top rope for a near fall. Steiner would again attempt to come off the top, but this time Borga caught him with a powerslam to eliminate him. That was a big first strike and it took the wind from the crowd a bit. I like how each side reset a bit, with Scott checking on his brother while the Fanatics all celebrated, including Jacques taunting the Gremlin and yelling at him to leave. Jacques continued to be great, as Crush caught him after a Scott toss. When the big man placed him down, Jacques patted him gently on the shoulder and mocked Scott's misfortune. What a heel. As Scott worked over Crush, Vince revealed that he got word Savage was back into the arena after having been tossed out earlier. Crush caught Scott with a clothesline, but as he did Savage emerged, trying to push through pile of officials that were blocking his way. As he was driven to the locker room, Crush continued to overpower Scott, really putting his team in the driver's seat. Savage would emerge again, making another strong push to the ring, and this time he got close enough to draw Crush out. Crush would hammer his nemesis in the aisle, leading to a brawl that would end with the big man getting counted out. And that was a big blow for the Fanatics, who went from having a strong advantage to now being back at even.

Steiner's woes continued as he ate a Jacques piledriver, but he willed himself to a comeback, capped by a press slam and hot tag to Luger. Lex made quick work of the Quebecer, finishing him with a forearm shot out of the corner. As Undertaker continued to look on from the apron, Scott and Borga locked up. Ludvig was aggressive, pounding Scott before cracking him with a stiff clothesline. He made a mistake by heading up top, though, where Scott caught him and took him over with a big superplex. That was really cool looking and popped the crowd big. Yoko made his way in and avoided a Frankensteiner before polishing Scotty off with a legdrop to draw the match even. Yoko stayed hot, smothering Luger until Lex avoided a big splash. Luger was unable to capitalize and was put right back into trouble by Borga. Yoko tagged back in and missed a charge in the corner, allowing Taker to enter the match for the first time. The Deaman dropped Yoko with a DDT as the Garden started to rock. Taker would get caught up with Borga, allowing Yoko to hit a belly-to-belly, but Taker sat right up. Yoko pasted him back down and hit a Banzai Drop but he whiffed on a second one when Taker sat up This showdown is doing a great job of setting Taker up for a run at the gold. The champ bailed to the floor after a Taker clothesline, but Deadman followed him out and the two started to brawl, leading to a double countout. The crowd wasn't digging that, but it made a lot of sense as they wanted to transition Yoko from Luger to Taker, and this did a hell of a job of getting that across. Back inside, Borga caught Luger and went right to work. He was unable to put Luger down for the count and eventually the two collided with a big double clothesline. Lex would survive a bucket shot and started to hulk up and rock Borga with right hands and a powerslam. He would follow with a forearm shot to put Borga down for good and win the match. This was a really damn fun match that the crowd was super into. Everyone out there had some personality and strong looking offense and it played well. They also were able to make all eight guys look pretty strong at once, as they all got shine and nobody really got sent packing via a weak elimination. The Scott Steiner/Borga segment was hard hitting and that superplex was great. I also loved the Taker/Yoko segment, as Taker camped on the apron until the crowd went nuts while they battled. They teased it just enough to make us want to see more. The final segment was pretty pedestrian but it got Luger a needed win and clearly transitioned him into a full blown feud with Borga. Thanks to the build, aggression and overall strengths of the competitors involved, this match easily overachieved and closed a dull show on a high note.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The Boston crowd really carried this show and that's why I think Vince booked this and the next few shows right in his Northeast enclave. The matches had some fun entertainment value, and even the bad Hart Family/Knights match had some drama that will lead to an epic feud in 1994. Lex Luger is still crazy over but it's evident he's being transitioned out of the main events for the time being as Undertaker/Yokozuna seems to be the hot feud at the top. Razor Ramon is crazy over, but he begins a feud that will also make history in front of and behind the camera. The WWF survived the wonky booking in 1993 (including the Hulk Hogan fiasco) and things seem to be somewhat stable. The older Federation Era stalwarts are slowly being filtered out in favor of younger talent. Sure some of the characters are pretty dumb but it would take the bookers a while to figure that out. For now, 1994 looks to be set with mostly young talent in the right spots but possibly lacking true star power, but that changes with the next few shows. This show is a 50/50 proposition, some fun stuff but some real junk as well.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This show always held a special place in my heart as I had a group of friends over to watch it as 13th birthday present from my parents. There is no better night as a kid than a great evening of watching PPV wrestling with your friends and having no school and Thanksgiving at your house the next day. Nostalgia aside, this is a pretty shaky outing from the WWF. The opener was fun and the SMW tag match was a good clinic despite the dead crowd, but the Hart Family match was a real snoozer outside of some Heenan quips and the Owen stuff. The Doink fiasco was nothing but comedy filler and made Bigelow look goofy. However, I have to say the main event surprised me with its energy and the crowd was really into it, so that saved the show for me. I think we can firmly say we are really past the old days and into the new generation now, especially with Bobby Heenan and Mr. Perfect leaving now as well. The Hogan Era is firmly buried and when you look up and down this card, the landscape has dramatically changed. It certainly sets us up for a very interesting 1994 and we look to have a new top face lined up to make a run at what is becoming a dominant heel champion. 1993 was a year that started with a lot of promise and outside of a detour here or there, the company continues to forge ahead in reinventing itself on the fly.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #73

  Royal Rumble 1994: Featuring LIVE notes from the Civic Center

  WrestleMania X: Ten Years in the Making

  King of the Ring 1994: All Hail the King of Harts!

  SummerSlam 1994: Hart Family Reunion

  Survivor Series 1994: That's MISTER Backlund

# Royal Rumble 1994: Featuring LIVE notes from the Civic Center

*** Note from JT – As a precaution, I will probably be overly optimistic and biased towards this show, as I was there live, and it was the first major show I was in attendance for, so it holds a special place in the wrestling section of my heart. I will try to be somewhat objective, but being there live has skewed my view of it, and I will whole-heartedly admit that. Even though it was 10 years ago, I will try to remember what was going on live in the arena, and will add those tidbits marked off by *** as we go***

*** Also, be sure to check out Josh Richer & JT Rozzero's We Miss the 90s that was centered around attending this event. ***

January 22, 1994

Providence Civic Center

Providence, Rhode Island

Attendance: 14,500

Buy Rate: 0.9

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Ted DiBiase

*** Around this time, JT, Josh Richer, his cousin Matt, his father Tony, his sister Jenna and his Uncle Dominic were making their way to their seats and anxiously awaiting the big show. Their excitement level is already through the roof, as they had just been standing in the outer part of the arena chanting "WWF!" with the rest of the jacked-up crowd. Providence was ready for their first PPV. Josh, Matt and JT wonder who will be the color commentator, as Bobby Heenan was gone and Jerry Lawler was on trial***

Dark Match:

### Brooklyn Brawler beat Jim Powers

*** Josh, Matt and JT go nuts for the return of Ted DiBiase, and realize already that they are in for a special night***

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) Tatanka pins Bam Bam Bigelow with a cross-body block in 8:09

Fun Fact: This was originally supposed to Tatanka vs. Ludvig Borga, but Borga was out with an injured ankle, and Bigelow was announced as his replacement on WWF Mania that very morning. It fact the Coliseum Video box still had Tatanka vs. Borga on it. Borga was still mentioned on WWF TV through WrestleMania, but due to injuries he was never seen again on WWF TV. Tony Halme would compete for the Catch Wrestling Association and dabbled in MMA before beginning a career in politics. After a stint in Finland's Parliament, Halme would spiral into drug and alcohol addition that eventually led to suicide in January 2010.

### Scott:

We open 1994 with a straight up singles match that had a replacement heel. Tatanka was supposed to be facing Ludvig Borga to try to get revenge for being handed his only loss. Borga has an ankle injury, and because of it we never see him again. So in comes capable heel Bam Bam with his main squeeze Luna Vachon. The Providence crowd was geeked for this show (I know someone who went, but his name escapes me). This continues the four-PPV stretch where the WWF wanted to keep things in its backyard. After having Survivor Series in Boston, we head slightly south to Rhode Island's capital for the Royal Rumble. This match is probably booked differently than if Borga was here. Bigelow works the Native American over with power moves and a lengthy bear hug. The pace picks up as Bigelow is no ordinary big man, and at one point they attempt cross body moves on each other. Bigelow shaved his beard here, so he looks kind of strange. DiBiase is working clear heel in the booth, but he is adding a lot of great analysis to the match. Clearly he was a solid choice to be on commentary here. Tatanka recovers and hits a cross body from the second rope (getting Bigelow up in the Papoose to Go would have been difficult) to get the victory. He was probably going to beat Borga anyway. For the second time in three years, some workers are doing double duty and that at least includes Tatanka, which is why DiBiase kept saying that he should have tapped out to the bear hug and "look at the big picture". A solid enough opener to get the crowd going but now we get to the meat and potatoes of the undercard.

*** Josh and JT have mixed emotions as this match starts, as they were huge Tatanka marks, but even bigger Ludvig Borga fan. However, they quickly got over Borga's absence and rooted enthusiastically for the Native American. ***

### JT:

As another new year dawns in the WWF, it is once again time to Rumble! But this wasn't just any Royal Rumble, because yours truly was there to experience his first ever PPV live! And I was jacked. And so was Providence, a real WWF hotbed. With Jerry Lawler still battling legal issues and Bobby Heenan sadly departed, we have the return of the now retired Ted DiBiase to join Vince McMahon in the booth. Since leaving the company back in August, DiBiase badly injured his back and forced to hang up his boots. His return here was a surprise and got us even more cranked up for the show. However, that excitement did take a hit when it was revealed Ludvig Borga had injured his ankle and would be forced to miss the show. It was announced earlier that day on Mania, so in his spot steps Bam Bam Bigelow, who will now do double duty on the night. It was a good choice as it reignited what had been a pretty good feud in 1993. I was looking forward to Tatanka getting some revenge on Borga for ending his streak, but what can you do. Tatanka wasted no time ducking Bammer and attacking back as he entered the ring. He used his speed and launched a hot assault, including a near fall on a cross body block. Of note is that Tatanka no longer has the red streak in his hair. Tatanka hit a nice DDT but crashed to the mat after whiffing on a high cross body, finally giving Bigelow a chance to catch his breath. DiBiase mentioned that both men would be in the Rumble later, and this does mark the first time WWF had multiple guys pull double duty on the night. And really, it makes sense. Why should guys be prevented from taking a crack at the title shot just because they have a grudge match earlier in the show? It was a positive change. Bigelow fought through multiple Tatanka comeback attempts, ending one with a big dropkick to the chest. Bigelow would latch on a bear hug, and DiBiase made a good point, stating Tatanka should give up and save himself for the Rumble. He would eventually break it and come back, but in a callback to SummerSlam, Bigelow stopped the war dance short with an enziguri. From there, Bammer went for the big blow but came up empty on a top rope moonsault attempt. Tatanka would pounce up, scale the top rope and crash into Bigelow with a cross body block to grab the win. That was a real solid opener and really got the crowd going. Even with the bearhug mixed in, they cut a good pace and I liked how Tatanka made a lot of comeback attempts too. Tatanka puts this feud to bed and now looks toward the Rumble match.

### 2) The Quebecers defeat Bret & Owen Hart to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when the match is stopped due to Bret's knee injury at 16:48

Fun Fact I: The Quebecers regained the tag team titles from 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty just a week before at a 1/17 house show at Madison Square Garden. The Quebecers had lost the titles to the upstart duo two weeks prior on the 1/10 Raw in what was considered a huge upset at the time.

Fun Fact II: Trouble had been brewing between the Hart brothers since Survivor Series '93. The week after the event, Owen began wearing Bret's signature sunglasses to the ring for his matches and began using Bret's Sharpshooter as his finishing move, just to provoke his brother. Owen continued to challenge his brother, with Bret refusing each time. Over the holidays, as their parents were asking for peace, the brothers made amends and the two began teaming together again. Bret was able to secure a tag title match for them here.

### Scott:

First off, I love seeing all the Boston Bruins jerseys in the crowd for the second PPV in a row. After some tension stemming from the Survivor Series through the end of the year, it seems Bret and Owen Hart had made amends and now have their minds firmly on getting some gold for the family. The Quebecers with their iconic manager Johnny Polo had just regained the straps at an MSG house show from the upset team of Marty Jannetty & 1-2-3 Kid. They pulled off the upset the week before. Incidentally on that episode of Raw, Randy Savage had a swank jacket complete with tassles and the "Monday Night Raw" logo in sequins. Quite awesome. Take away all of the storyline stuff, we are looking and four pretty great workers in the ring so this match was going to be at least *** regardless of who wins or how the match ends. Indeed that is exactly what it is. The pace is crisp with moves going back and forth and constant interference from Polo really didn't hurt things. The turning point of the match comes when Polo interrupts an Irish whip and Bret ends up falling on the floor and his knee goes into the steel barricade. From there the match changes, and the injured Hitman is getting pummeled by the Tag Team Champions while Owen is pleading to be tagged into the match but the referee keeps getting distracted and the Quebecers keep pounding away. Bret suddenly gets some adrenaline and attempts to hook the Sharpshooter on one of the Quebecers (even though DiBiase kept saying he had an opportunity to tag Owen into the match). Bret collapses and the referee stops the match due to the knee injury. The champions celebrate and Owen is livid. He starts kicking the ropes and yelling at the referee. Then he turns and starts berating his big brother for not tagging in and not trusting him to help win the match. As Bret tries to get up with his knee injured, Owen kicked Bret's leg out and walked out of the ring. The Owen Hart heel turn is complete and I think it's definitely for the better. Owen needed to leave the anonymity of the babyface mid-card and stand out on his own. This was the best way to go about it. Bret is now injured for the Rumble match later on and Owen feels he was screwed by his selfish brother. The Quebecers remain Tag Team Champions and the Hart Family has a serious problem. I love this match the more I watch it and with four great workers and expert psychology and storytelling.

*** Josh, Matt and JT enthusiastically belt out "We're not the Mounties," as the trio of fans' favorite trio makes their way to ring. As much as they all liked the Harts, they were humungous Quebecer and Johnny Polo fans***

### JT:

Oh man, I do not know where to start with this one. The Hart family feud that kicked up at Survivor Series has been tamped down a bit, with Owen cooling off over the holidays and Bret vowing to help his brother earn his first taste of WWF gold by entering into the tag division. It was really well done between the shows, as initially Owen demanded a match but Bret refused, and it was nice to see the brothers reunited and refocused here. That brings us to their opponents, the Quebecers, who were still dominating as tag team champs, outside of a brief blip at the hands of Marty Jannetty and the 1-2-3 Kid. Their act, along with Johnny Polo, was really infectious as they were such assholes, but they did in a way where they were constantly laughing and dicking around. They really just looked like they were having fun at all times. And they could really go in the ring as well. It all set up a pretty big time matchup here. Could Bret & Owen put their simmering issues to bed and become the aces of the tag division? Or would the Quebecers successfully break them for good? Before the match, we get a strong promo from the brothers and Bret gives a glimpse into what could have been if they did win: title matches with the Steiners and Kid & Jannetty, both of which could have been fantastic TV and PPV title bouts, as we would find out thanks to the Coliseum Home Video match between the brother teams. The Harts got a tremendously warm welcome from the fans, as Bret has always been a big time Providence favorite. Owen would outwork both champs in the early going, but Jacques still found ways to talk shit to him and the crowd. What a true heel. Owen really looked great here, crisply moving around the ring, snapping over suplexes and tossing dropkicks with ease. Bret kept the match chugging along but that ended when things broke down into a four man brawl that saw the champs bail to the floor to regroup. Back in, Bret stayed in control until Pierre hit a powerslam, giving the Quebecers the chance to play to their strengths; double teaming and outright breaking the rules. After a few minutes, Bret made the tag and Owen came flying and cleaned house again, taking on both champions on his own and doing so with energy and confidence. He would hit a nice belly-to-belly and follow by hooking in the sharpshooter on Jacques, but Pierre was able to break it up. They followed up with a big double stun gun and now Owen was in trouble. Despite that, he was able to wriggle free and tag his brother, who started to work over Jacques with his standard attack. Everything fell apart, however, when Bret went to hit the ropes, but Polo pulled them apart and the Hitman crashed to the floor, slamming his knee into the guardrail.

The Quebecers pounced, slamming the knee into the steps, using a chair and then picking it apart at will back in the ring. Bret was really hurting, and Owen did all he could to help him at ringside after he was dumped to the floor again. Back inside, Jacques worked a single leg crab that set Bret up to take a tough legdrop off the ropes by Pierre. DiBiase kept repeating how badly Bret needed to tag and he seemingly had a chance after he dodged Le Bomb de Quebec. However, instead of tagging, Bret tried for the Sharpshooter. As DiBiase yelled at him for being selfish, Bret collapsed in pain, gripping his knee in agony. And that was enough for the referee, who elected to stop the match and give the win to the Quebecers. Most of the fans didn't like that one. I did though. As the champs marched off victoriously, Owen screamed at the referee, pouted in the ring and then started to bitch out his brother. And then, it happened. As Bret pulled himself up, Owen snapped and kicked Bret's leg before storming off in anger. DiBiase was loving it, saying it was the smartest thing the youngest Hart had ever done. As Owen stomped to the back, he ranted to the camera, calling his brother selfish and claiming that he just needed the tag and they could have won. A gaggle of officials would tend to Bret and eventually cart him off on a stretcher. However, as Bret was in the aisle on the gurney, Owen was interviewed by Todd Pettengil on the big screen and it was such a tremendous feel of craziness as Owen as just screaming, letting it all out, bitching Bret out for not helping him win gold and instead being selfish, which he is going to be now. The crowd was all over him immediately, as they assumed Bret would now be out of the Rumble as well. This whole package was fantastic. The build was great, the match was really well worked and the heel turn and subsequent promo, famous slip up aside, was really well executed by Owen. It was a star making moment, and DiBiase's hard sell afterwards puts a nice bow on everything.

*** Josh, Matt and JT keep repeating Owen's flubbed "I kicked your leg" line as the crowd boos the shit out of Owen. ***

*** Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon take over for the next match as Vince McMahon and Ted DiBiase switch to WWF Radio. ***

### 3) Razor Ramon defeats IRS to retain WWF Intercontinental Title with a Razor's Edge at 11:48

Fun Fact: During the fall of 1993, Shawn Michaels was stripped of the Intercontinental Title for not defending it within a 30 day period. Razor Ramon won a battle royal to become the new IC champ on the October 4, 1993 episode of RAW. At Survivor Series 1993, IRS caused Ramon to be eliminated from the match by hitting him with his briefcase. Around this same time, Ramon and a returning Michaels were in a feud over who the real IC champion was. On the 12/6/93 episode of RAW, Ramon came out to the ring to save the 1-2-3 Kid from an attack by Michaels. Michels slapped Ramon which caused Ramon to throw down his gold chains and chase Michaels. The following week on the 12/13/93 RAW, prior to his match with Todd Mata, the WWF camera got a glimpse inside of IRS's briefcase, which showed Razor's gold necklaces inside the case. Jack Tunney signed the match for the '94 Royal Rumble for Ramon to defend the IC title against IRS as the #1 contender to the belt.

### Scott:

Our next title match is another storyline that is slowly weaving into something bigger. Razor continues to be one of the most popular guys in the entire company, and his pop at the PCC is off the charts. IRS has stolen the IC champ's gold chains and hid them in his Halliburton. However this is a subplot to a bigger story. When Shawn Michaels came back to the company after his "suspension", he claimed to be the undisputed IC Champion. He was stripped of the title and Razor won that battle royal and the match with Rick Martel to win the title. There has been jawjacking between both men up to this point. Well after solid back and forth between the two competitors, the referee is knocked out after IRS failed to use the Halliburton to clock Razor both men brawl and Razor almost gets the Razor's Edge on IRS to finish him off. However, running down the aisle is the aforementioned Shawn Michaels, who comes in to crack Razor with his bogus IC Title belt. Everyone is out, until IRS stirs and crawls over to the prone champion. The referee is awake and counts the three. So IRS pulls off the upset and is the new Intercontinental Champion. I was pretty shocked when this first happened, thinking that someone floating aimlessly like IRS wouldn't become IC Champion. Perhaps Razor would win it back on Raw at some point, but still this was a shocker. Then out comes Earl Hebner to tell the referee what actually happened. He sees that Michaels left his bogus IC Title belt in the ring and Joey Marella restarts the match. Razor hits the Edge and wins the match. He walks out with both title belts, and to me that meant that was that with Razor and Michaels pertaining to who was truly the undisputed IC Champion. Thank goodness that doesn't happen and a slow build begins to an epic, history-making match March 20 at the Garden. More on that in our next review. This match is fun enough, even with the wonky Dusty Finish.

***JT looks around for Jim with his binoculars, he can't find him, probably because he has the worst seats in the place: directly behind the Titantron. Nothing personal, but JT is glad he had his Uncle get the tickets, and not Jim. ***

### JT:

In our second title match of the evening, the long running feud between Razor Ramon and IRS finally looks to be wrapping up. This all started way back in the summer when Money, Inc mocked Ramon's loss to the 1-2-3 Kid. Ramon took care of Ted DiBiase at SummerSlam, but his issues with IRS continued, including a tussle at Survivor Series. After that, IRS stole Ramon's gold chains in an attempt to bait him into a title match. It worked. Decked out in some pretty swank light blue tights, Ramon waltzed to the ring to a hot pop. Since winning the IC gold, Ramon has easily become a high level face player for the company, carrying legitimacy and a charisma that was hard to hate. Ramon peppered IRS with right hands, driving him to the floor, as Ross notes IRS' game plan of trying to get Ramon to lose his cool. Ramon stood tall, hooking a side headlock and powering IRS down with a shoulderblock. What also helped Razor pop in the ring was his great combo of speed bursts and power. He ever moved slowly out there and it made it seem like he was everywhere in the ring at once. IRS would avoid a charge and send Ramon careening over the top to the floor, putting him in the driver's seat for the first time. IRS would go to work with some really basic offense, using strikes to put Ramon on the mat and then working a chinlock to wear him down. Monsoon had some good basic insight here, talking about how key it was for IRS to keep the champ on the mat and take away the size advantage. I like when Ross and Monsoon get this one match on the card as they really hustle with their commentary to make it count. They pack a lot in to their one shot. Razor fired back with more right hands and hit a fallaway slam for a near fall. After a ref bump, IRS grabbed his briefcase but Ramon fought through it and bashed the challenger with it instead. He followed with a back suplex off the top rope and set Irwin up for the Razor's Edge, however, with the referee still down, Shawn Michaels showed up and popped Ramon with his original IC title belt. Adding Michaels back into the mix was a huge boost to the mid-card and it was great that his suspension ended and set up a natural feud with Ramon. As Michaels skipped off, IRS crawled over and covered Ramon...for the win and the title! Well, we didn't see that one coming. As the crowd rained down boos, Earl Hebner came out and woke up Joey Marella, letting him know of the chicanery that took place and used the presence of the two titles to make his case. With IRS still celebrating on the ropes, Ramon staggered over and took him down with the Razor's Edge to officially win the match and keep his strap. That didn't seem very fair to IRS. He didn't cheat intentionally, Michaels just set him up for a win. Poor Irwin. Razor winning made much more sense and sets up a big time feud with the man claiming to have never lost his gold. The match was as basic as it gets, but wass worked well and the crowd dug it. The Michaels stuff was good too, right through the finishes.

*** Josh, Matt and JT are deflated by the ending of the match, as they thought they had seen their first title change at a live event. JT and Josh were thrilled, however, to see one of their favorites, Shawn Michaels, interject in the match. Josh and Matt would never see a live title change. JT and Jim would witness their first live title change on December 29, 1998 when Mick Foley beat the Rock at the Worcester Centrum Centre. JT is glad he didn't pop his title change cherry on IRS and that he saved himself for Foley. ***

### 4) Yokozuna defeats Undertaker in a casket match to retain WWF World Title when he puts Undertaker in the casket at 14:24

Fun Fact I: Undertaker "dies" here in order to have a long (and much needed) vacation. He would return at SummerSlam in August.

Fun Fact II: The feud between the Dead Man and Yokozuna started at Survivor Series '93 as the two faced off on opposite teams. During the elimination match, Yokozuna gave the Undertaker his Bonzai Drop finishing moves. As he went up the ropes to give him a second, Taker sat up, becoming the first person to get up from the move. Both men were counted out, leaving the score unsettled. The Undertaker was granted a title match, but Yokozuna's American mouthpiece had one stipulation for the match. If the Undertaker lost the match he would not be granted another title shot. Paul Bearer had a stipulation in mind as well, that the match would be a casket match. As it turned out, Yokozuna had a fear of caskets, which the Undertaker used to gain a psychological advantage leading up to the match.

### Scott:

Our undercard main event stems from the Survivor Series when Taker really laid into the WWF Champion during the main event. The Deadman dominated the build to this match by showing vignettes of him building a double-wide casket for the champion to be dumped into when the match is over. So conventional wisdom would tell you that Yokozuna would escape with the title and move on to WrestleMania. However, Undertaker spent fourteen minutes dominating the champion and coming back from Yokozuna's attacks to always be one step away from being the WWF Champion. The match is very slow and very plodding, but it's the post match that this is most remembered for. Undertaker dumps Yokozuna into the casket (after a very poor chokeslam that both men probably should have avoided attempting) and is about to close the door and win his second WWF Championship. Suddenly down the ramp comes Crush, followed by practically every heel on the roster. Guys like Adam Bomb, Bam Bam Bigelow and the Headshrinkers spend the next several minutes beating the snot out of Taker with one move after another. Finally, they throw the practically unconscious Taker into the casket and slam the door. While that's happening the urn is tipped over and this green smoke comes billowing out of it. The casket is slammed shut and the champion retains his title. As the heels wheel the casket down the aisle, it starts billowing green smoke. Then on the screen, we get a shot of inside the casket, where Taker is out cold. Suddenly he opens his eyes, and tells everyone he will NOT rest in peace. All of a sudden, in the greatest example of cheesy mid-90s effects, the Deadman is being raised from behind the screens into the rafters. The lights are still out and the smoke is still billowing. This body rises all the way to the rafters as Paul Bearer cackles with the urn on the runway. As average as the match was, is as bizarre and entertaining as the post-match entertainment was. Yokozuna is still WWF Champion and Taker is gone for a while. This may tip the scales as to who wins our next match to face the Champion at MSG.

*** Matt keeps distracting JT and Josh by acting like the Undertaker and raising his arms as Taker does it to bring up the lights in the arena. Josh is pissed because he missed Taker do it as he watched Matt do his version instead. JT knew better and just ignored Matt's antics. ***

### JT:

Back at Survivor Series, these two men battled for the first time and both ended up being counted out. After spending nearly two years out of the title picture, Undertaker was done battling monsters and wanted a piece of the gold once again. So, he set out to get it. He tormented Yokozuna through mind games and vignettes, building a huge double deep, double wide casket that he vowed to bury the enormous champion in. It was the perfect winter feud: dark, brooding and angry. And of course, the great Christmas week promo of Taker working on the casket, his breath visibly cutting through the cold air, capped with a haunting "ho, ho, ho". It certainly seemed as if Yoko's time was up, as he was clearly spooked by his challenger. I will say that Yoko definitely had the presence of a champion. With the slow, drawn out entrance, calm and confident demeanor, his entourage and the way he would unveil the title from under his robe, it was all there. Undertaker's entrance was as chilling as ever, and the face-to-face staredown got the crowd revved up. Yoko would miss an early charge and Taker started tossing blows, rocking the champ with a series of clothesline before planting him with a leaping one. The match would spill to the floor, where Taker rattled Yoko with a pair of chairshots, which Vince reminded us were legal due to the stipulation. Yoko finally stemmed Taker's momentum with a handful of salt to the eyes. Back in the ring, Yoko planted Taker with a clothesline and was the first to attempt to end the match by pushing Taker into the casket. The Deadman stood tall and fought his way out, coming back with a series of thrusts that ended with a Yoko belly-to-belly. Taker battled back again, hitting a chokeslam and DDT and asking for the casket to be pried open. He rolled Yoko in but before he could slam the door shut, Crush showed up and fought Taker back into the ring. Taker fended him off, but the Great Kabuki arrived to help as well. He had been brought in from Japan by Mr. Fuji to help stave off Lex Luger in the Rumble, but was used here as well. Our old friend Tenryu was also on loan to help Fuji out and he showed up too, as did Bam Bam Bigelow. As Yoko continued to recover in the casket, Fuji stole the urn from Paul Bearer. However, Bearer recovered and took it back and once he did, Taker fought to his fight and battled off all his assailants. Adam Bomb and Jeff Jarrett popped in as well, just as Bigelow pelted Taker with the salt bucket. However, Taker continued to fight them all off until the Headshrinkers showed up and planted him with a double thrust kick. Diesel showed up just as Taker was finally taken back down and rolled into the casket. But he wasn't dead yet, as he battled back to his feet and kept smacking everyone in his way to the delight of the crowd.

Finally, Yoko had enough and slugged Bearer, knocking the urn to the ground and causing it to bust open and spew a boatload of green smoke into the air. As it did, Vince wondered if the power of the Undertaker was vanishing to the sky. It sure seemed that way as all of Fuji's assassins alternating pummeling the Deadman with their finishers and other heavy shots. Yoko would finally kick Taker in and close the door, retaining his title and shocking the crowd that just witnessed a very surreal match. As Yoko celebrated, the heel brigade wheeled the casket down the aisle, The stopped suddenly as the green smoke also began to billow out of the casket. The lights would dim and the gong would sound and suddenly we could see video of Taker inside the casket on the video wall. He would ramble on through an...interesting promo, talking about his eternal flame and how the spirit of the Undertaker will live on and be reborn in the future. When he finished, a lightning bolt struck the casket and Taker's body rose up through the video wall and up to the Heavens above as the crowd shrieked in awe. In the aisle, Bearer had regained the urn and stood tall with it, paying tribute to his fallen friend. Well, this was certainly something. The match was fine as we didn't have to sit through the usual Yoko nerve hold and they kept things moving quickly enough. It was good that they could mix in some weapons stuff too. The crowd was into most of it, but there are some obvious questions with much of this. First of all, while it makes sense that the group of heels would help Yoko, or at least be paid to, why did nobody come help Taker out? I guess you could say they didn't want to risk a beating to affect their Rumble chances? Still, they could have had someone come assist to make the attempt. Also, I get that they wanted to write off Taker, but they could have just done an injury angle without all of the madness and histrionics. It almost kind of works, just because it is Undertaker and you can somewhat buy into it, but the execution was just too much to really grasp. The fact that we could see him in the casket and he rose through the video wall was a step too far. An audio promo of his voice echoing and the casket just being enveloped in smoke and then him no longer being inside when it was opened would have been more than enough and not been nearly as goofy. Still, being there live, this really was quite the scene to behold. Yokozuna lives to see another day as champ and his biggest threat to date has been vanquished. And who knows when we will see the Deadman again.

*** Josh, Matt and JT revel in the fact that they just witnessed history. JT glances over and notices Jenna is kneeling on the floor, head on the seat and is asleep. He thinks to himself "what a waste of a ticket." ***

### 5) Bret Hart and Lex Luger win the Royal Rumble (55:00)

Order of Entry and who eliminated them:

*** JT announces that he predicts Scott Steiner will be Number 1.***

1) Scott Steiner: Diesel

*** JT screams about how he called Steiner being Number 1 to the annoyance of Josh and Matt***

2) Samu: Scott Steiner

3) Rick Steiner: Owen Hart

4) Kwang: Diesel

5) Owen Hart: Diesel

6) Bart Gunn: Diesel

7) Diesel: Shawn Michaels

*** Josh and JT cheer loudly and vociferously for their favorite singles wrestler, Diesel***

*** The crowd goes apeshit when Diesel pitches Owen***

8) Bob Backlund: Diesel

*** Diesel! Diesel! ***

9) Billy Gunn: Diesel

*** Diesel! Diesel! ***

10) Virgil: Diesel

*** Diesel! Diesel! ***

11) Randy Savage: Crush

12) Jeff Jarrett: Randy Savage

*** Matt cheers for his favorite singles wrestler, Jeff Jarrett. ***

13) Crush: Lex Luger

14) Doink: Bam Bam Bigelow

15) Bam Bam Bigelow: Lex Luger

16) Mabel: Multiple Wrestlers

17) Thurman "Sparky" Plugg: Shawn Michaels

*** JT is excited that Sparky Plugg was added at the last minute, as he was a huge fan of him from his vignettes. ***

18) Shawn Michaels: Lex Luger

*** JT and Josh lead the crowd in a standing ovation for Diesel, thus saving his WWF job and indirectly leading to the resurgence of the Wrestling World as: instead of being fired, Diesel gets a push, wins the WWF World Title, signs a lucrative deal with WCW, starts the New World Order leading WCW to huge ratings thus pushing Vince to change his product and take it in the direction of Attitude, which led directly to the huge record breaking crowds and profits of 1999 and 2000. ***

19) Mo: Fatu

20) Greg Valentine: Martel

21) Tatanka: Bam Bam Bigelow

22) Kabuki: Lex Luger

23) Lex Luger: Bret Hart – Co-Winner

24) Tenryu: Bret Hart & Lex Luger

25) No Entrant (Supposed to be Bastian Booger)

*** Josh, Matt and JT immediately try and figure out who the missing entrant was supposed be. They settle on Bret Hart, due to the knee injury, and just assume Luger is winning this thing. ***

26) Rick Martel: Tatanka

27) Bret Hart: Lex Luger – Co-Winner

*** Josh, Matt and JT cheer like crazy for the injured Bret while trying to figure out who the hell no-showed. ***

28) Fatu: Bret Hart

29) Marty Jannetty: Shawn Michaels

30) Adam Bomb: Lex Luger

*** Josh, Matt and JT come to two conclusions: Bastion Booger was the missing entrant and Virgil replaced Kamala, much to the dismay of our heroic trio. ***

Longest Time: Bam Bam Bigelow (30:12)

Shortest Time: Billy Gunn (:14)

Most eliminated: Diesel (7)

Fun Fact I: Vince wasn't sure who he wanted to go to the WrestleMania Main Event, so he booked this double finish and figured he would judge by crowd reaction. He was banking on the crowd being behind Luger, but he couldn't have been more wrong. See, the Providence crowd has always been loyal to three Superstars: Tim White, Randy Savage and Bret Hart. The crowd was overwhelmingly cheering for Bret and half of were booing Luger, thus forcing Vince's hand on who should leave Mania with the Title. Also, from other reports people sitting ringside said Luger definitely hit first. While this was a shrewd idea, he did manage to piss off the crowd with the non-finish.

Fun Fact II: This show marks the debut for three wrestlers. The first is Thurman "Sparky" Plugg, a/k/a Bob Holly, who is subbing for the 1-2-3 Kid, who was out with a knee injury. Bob Howard was a welder, and did race for a short time, before being brought into Jim Cornette's Smoky Mountain promotion in 1992. With a long NASCAR mullet and auto racing singlet, he was ready to cross over to the ring. Sparky would make his WWF debut on the multiple RAW taping on 1/10, but makes his PPV debut here, and the long journey of his career starts here in Providence.

Fun Fact III: Our second debut is Kwang, portrayed by a little known wrestler named Juan Rivera. Rivera started his career in Puerto Rico in 1987 wrestling for Carlos Colon's World Wrestling Council. He would portray the character of TNT for four years, and would make his way to the WWF in early 1994. He made his debut as Kwang on the multiple RAW taping on January 1994, but this would be his PPV debut.

Fun Fact IV: This also marks the PPV debut for Double J, Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett is the son of the legendary Memphis promoter Jerry Jarrett. Jeff would begin work for his father in the Continential Wrestling Association in 1986 as a referee. He would become a wrestler a short time into his tenure. The CWA would then become the United States Wrestling Association. Jarrett would win the USWA southern heavyweight title ten times and the USWA tag titles 15 times over a four year period. Jeff would then make his way to the WWF in 1993, and following several weeks of vignettes, Jeff made his debut on the 10/20 RAW, defeating PJ Walker.

Fun Fact V: Not only is this the PPV debut for three wrestlers, but we also bid farewell to Virgil, as this is his final PPV appearance. Virgil was a late substitute for Kamala, who was advertised to appear but supposedly no-showed. Virgil would stick around through August competing mainly on Superstars as a JTTS. He suffered an injury at a house show in August, and left the company shortly after, although he did return for a short stint in May 1995. Virgil would join WCW in 1996 as Vincent, the head of security for the NWO. The name was a clear mockery of Vince McMahon. His role would be similar, as he would suffer the brunt of beatdowns while his fellow members left him behind. He would see a hint of success with a few low profile wins on Saturday Night and even had a few PPV appearances. Virgil would see other personas, including being called Shane, another mockery of Shane McMahon, and one as Mr. Jones. Virgil would wrestle under his own name, Mike Jones, in 2000 before retiring. Jones would return to wrestling sporadically over the years and even returned to the WWE as the bodyguard for Ted DiBiase on the May 17th, 2010 edition of Monday Night RAW. Virgil's final PPV record is 4-6.

Fun Fact VI: We bid farewell to the Rick & Scott Steiner on WWF PPV. The two would continue to make appearances with the promotion for a few months before leaving in mid 1994. As a team they leave the WWF with an unblemished 5-0 record, recording wins in 1993 at the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania IX, King of the Ring 93, SummerSlam 93 and Survivor Series 93.

Fun Fact VII: Lex Luger wanted to participate in the Royal Rumble for the chance to face the WWF Champion at WrestleMania X. However, there was a hitch. When Luger signed his contract for his title shot at SummerSlam 1993, it stated that he would not receive another title shot if he lost the match, which he did. A compromise was reached to allow Luger to be in the match. Mr. Fuji was allowed to bring in two wrestlers to try to prevent Luger from winning. The two wrestlers that were brought in were Genichiro Tenryu (Genichiro Shimada) and The Great Kabuki (Akihisa Mera). Tenryu had wrestled before in the WWF at WrestleMania VII and Royal Rumble 1993. Mera began his wrestling career in 1964 in Japan and moved to the US in the 1970s. Gary Hart gave him The Great Kabuki personal while in World Class Championship Wrestling. He would become famous as the first wrestler to blow Asian mist into his opponent's face.

### Scott:

So who will face Yokozuna on March 20 at Madison Square Garden? There are a few legitimate contenders here but many (including me) expected Bret Hart to get his rematch back that he never received from that Vegas disaster the year before. Or would it be Lex Luger, who defeated Yokozuna at SummerSlam but was told he wouldn't be handed another title shot? Or maybe a dark horse like Randy Savage? The early portions of the match were littered with tag team wrestlers and some definite non-contenders like the mysterious Kwang. Then at #7 came Big Daddy Cool. Diesel was rumored to be on the verge of getting the boot from the company. The bodyguard for Shawn Michaels wasn't getting over and the gleam from Shawn wasn't getting the job done either. However once he got in the ring, everything changed. Diesel started chucking guys out left and right and soon he was all alone in the ring. Surprisingly he was getting big face pops from the Civic Center crowd. The entrances would see one stiff after another, from former WWF Champion Bob Backlund to tag team specialist Billy Gunn, to "he still works here?" Virgil. Diesel is pitching guys left and right and the crowd is going crazy. Is Diesel saving his job here? The list of bums ends as out comes Randy Savage, who will NOT be pitched out summarily like the others. I think the match needed to slow down since Vince announced before it started that the time between picks went from 2:00 to 1:30 per Jack Tunney. But it seems like the match is flying along. Crush enters and now we get some juice on the subplot storyline between former friends Crush and Savage. Crush eliminates him but Savage couldn't care less. They continue to brawl until Savage is escorted out. That war isn't over. In comes Bam Bam Bigelow and there is some real beef in the ring at this point. Doink enters the match and I continue to be upset that the awesome heel Doink was gone. That face turn was the catalyst, in my opinion, of what became Vince's creative problems over the next few years. Fans grew up and stopped caring about characters like a goofy clown. On a side note, as much as I wasn't the biggest Vince McMahon fan as an announcer, he and DiBiase had good chemistry and were very entertaining. In comes Mabel from MOM. Now he's likely not going to win this but its more big beef in that ring. Eventually Diesel's run comes to an end as he is finally eliminated by multiple guys. Coincidentally it comes as Shawn Michaels enters the match. Diesel gets an ovation and his name chanted throughout the Civic Center. That seemingly changed his work status. I totally forgot that Greg Valentine was in this match. When Tatanka entered I thought that maybe, JUST MAYBE, Vince pulls a crazy booking card and has the popular Native American steal this one and face Yokozuna at WrestleMania. My childhood flashed before my eyes when Great Kabuki came into the match, as he scared the crap out of me as a kid when he was in both Florida and World Class. I like how Kabuki wasn't here to win the Rumble, but paid by Fuji and Cornette to keep Luger from winning. Lex Luger comes in at #23 and at this point it seemed like Luger was going to win, assuming Bret Hart wasn't going to make the match due to the knee injury earlier. The fact Vince continues to hammer the point about Fuji's cronies jumping Luger before the match makes this possibility greater. #25 didn't come out and Vince assumed it was Bret Hart with the injury but it was actually Bastion Booger, who was still at the cotton candy stand. Rick Martel makes his annual appearance in the match as he was the original iron man of this match, consistently getting lengthy runs yearly. When Bret Hart came out at #27, the Civic Center crowd went crazy, which at that point may have been the moment when the bookers realized that perhaps they found their Rumble winner, and the fans must have realized it as well. The ring is really full with over ten guys in there, still a few favorites mixed in. Luger and Bret in the ring together is fascinating because they are definitely the two crowd favorites remaining here. One of my favorite moments is when Marty Jannetty comes in and he and Shawn Michaels just start going off on each other and the place goes nuts. I love when Adam Bomb came in at #30 Vince immediately says he's winning the match hands down. I was a big Adam Bomb fan but I just couldn't see that happening. With all thirty men now entered, it was still anybody's match. Bret and Luger seemed to be the favorites as both have history with Yokozuna and it's pretty clear at this point Yokozuna will head to MSG as the WWF Champion. The only outside chance was Shawn Michaels, if they felt a babyface turn was needed. That was definitely a crazy theory, but it's fun to think outside the box. The final four is Bret, Luger, Shawn and Fatu. So maybe the Shawn theory isn't far-fetched. Maybe Bret and Luger eliminate each other? Nah, I still couldn't see it. Bret and Luger were too over with the crowd to not win this. Luger and Bret eliminate the heels, and then we get that Warrior/Hogan moment from 1990. Both babyfaces are in the ring, and they battle for a few seconds. Luger tries to throw Bret out, then Bret pushes Luger out and then both men go over the top rope. Well we've never seen that before. Both men get announced as the winners separately and both men's entrance themes are played. Luger gets a decent pop with some boos, while Bret gets an over the top babyface pop from the crowd. Were the bookers really that torn on who deserved the title shot March 20? Referees are talking with Jack Tunney, and of course with all the terrible camera angles we can't see either guy's feet hit the ground. The crowd is actually restless as Finkel does about three false announcements before announcing BOTH men as the winners. We then get the WrestleMania theme blasting and it's good night Providence! The crowd is not happy because we STILL don't have a winner. Will we have all three men in a match at WrestleMania? Stuff like that was unheard of in 1994 WWF. Who the hell knows. It was a fun enough Rumble but a confusing ending.

*** Josh, Matt and JT cheer wildly for Bret and pray that the Fink will announce him as the winner. ***

*** The crowd boos Jack Tunney as he makes his way to the ring. ***

### JT:

One of the best matches of the wrestling year is back around again and we are officially ready to Rumble in Providence! For the second year in a row, a WWF Title shot at WrestleMania is on the line and all signs pointed to Lex Luger winning the bout and making up for his SummerSlam miss. Up first is Scott Steiner, and the status of his team is in limbo. Since losing the tag straps to the upstart Quebecers, they have really faded from the scene a bit. Rumors were swirling that they had contract issues and wanted to spend more time in Japan, and those would prove to be true as they hang around sporadically through the summer before vanishing. His opponent to start is Headshrinker Samu, rekindling a long standing issue from 1993. As the match opened up, McMahon notes that Jack Tunney is in he house and has changed the time frame between entrants to 90 seconds to make the match faster paced. The two would trade a few power strikes and as Samu had Scott on the ropes, Rick Steiner entered next, giving the brothers from Michigan an early advantage. They worked over Samu for the full time slot before shoving him to the floor after he got himself caught in the ropes. At #4 was newcomer Kwang, led out by Harvey Wippleman. He immediately made an impact by spewing green mist into the face of Rick, rendering him useless. Scott fought him off while Rick recovered but when Owen Hart entered to a shower of boos at #5, he took advantage of the weakened Rick and dumped him to the floor. Tough break for the Gremlin in his final WWF PPV appearance. At #6 was Bart Gunn and he went right to work on Owen, helping save Scott in the process. Nothing much happened until Diesel marched to the ring at #7. Since the initial Michaels' suspension, the big guy had really been rudderless. With Shawn back, he had some direction again but still needed something to get the fans invested. He would make an immediate impact upon arriving, chucking Bart, Scott and Owen right away. He followed by sending Kwang to the floor as the crowd started to get behind him. When he tossed Owen, everyone popped huge. I am surprised they didn't have Owen last longer coming off his big heel turn, but I guess this gave him another thing to bitch about. Bob Backlund was in at #8 and he was also in need of some direction, as he has become nothing more than mid-card fodder over the last nine months. He wouldn't get that direction here as Diesel pitched him out after an initial scare. The crowd began to buzz a bit as Diesel roared and Billy Gunn ran out at #9. And ten seconds later, Gunn was gone too. DiBiase was loving it, as was the crowd. As Diesel awaited his next victim, we cut backstage to footage of Tenryu and Kabuki putting a beating on Luger in a hallway. With Bret Hart already questionable, it seems the other heavy favorite may be too. Virgil entered at #10 as an alternate for Kamala, who was supposed to be making his return after a brief absence, and DiBiase gloated that he was going to enjoy the impending beating. Virgil landed a few shots but Diesel made short order as DiBiase made fun of his former bodyguard for being an alternate and getting chucked with ease.

And the parade of easy eliminations finally ended at #11 as Randy Savage made his way out to a very warm welcome from the Providence crowd that always showered him with love. Macho went right on the attack, peppering away and trying his best to shove the big man out. Former USWA star Jeff Jarrett made his WWF PPV at #12 and he went right after Savage. Jarrett had debut late in 1993 and was an aspiring country music star in addition to his wrestling career. Jarrett thought he had Savage out and got a bit cocky but Macho hung on and sent Double J to the showers. Crush was out at #13 and Savage went right at him, finally getting his hands on the man who stabbed him in the back in October. The feud had been boiling since then so it was fun to see Savage get to work him over. After putting Crush down, Savage tangled with Diesel again, which allowed Crush to catch him from behind and crank him over with a title-a-whirl backbreaker. Savage was in trouble as Doink and Dink paraded out at #14, and before the Clown could hit the ring, Crush hoisted Savage up, walked to the ropes and just dumped him out with ease. That was another surprise, just like Owen, but again, it made sense to keep the feud burning without them fighting too much here. Doink did a few parlor tricks, spraying water, but that ended quickly and he caught a beating. Things got worse for the Doinkster when Bam Bam Bigelow showed up at #15. In a nice touch, Crush and Diesel held the ropes open and invited Bammer to come in and finish Doink off, which he did by press slamming him to the floor. So far, this Rumble has been marked by heels dominating. With the three remaining heels going at it, the enormous Mabel headed out at #16 and as DiBiase stated, there was some serious beef in that ring. Say what you want about the gimmick, but these crowds always got fired up and launched into the "Whoomp, There It Is" chants when MOM showed up. Sparky Plugg charged out at #17, making his PPV debut as a replacement for the banged up 1-2-3 Kid. Plugg was a race car driver turned wrestler and had a decent look despite the goofy name. As the ring finally started to fill up again, we started to get some tease spots, notably Crush fighting off everyone to barely hang on. There was also a lot of standing around thanks to the big guys all needing to catch their breath. The endurance was sure to pick up a bit as Shawn Michaels came out at #18. Diesel teased attacking his buddy, but Shawn begged off. That momentary slip up allowed everyone to team up and shove the big man out, with a subtle assist from Michaels. DiBiase wondered if that would be a mistake by Shawn, taking out a potential ally. And as Diesel walks to the back, the Providence fans gave him a standing ovation and chanted his name and to obvious enough that Vince mentioned it and put him over one last time. If only we knew. Mo came in at #19, going right after Bigelow and helping his partner out. Greg Valentine made a surprise showing at #20, but those in the know were aware that this was actually his second straight PPV as he was the Blue Knight back at Survivor Series.

The match slowed down quite a bit with the bodies piling up in the ring but we did get a decent tease with Crush attempting to press slam Michaels out. Tatanka hustled out at #21 as we got a cool exchange between Michaels and Valentine. Crush was having a pretty good showing here, continuing his push and making him look like a force. Mr. Fuji's mercenary, the Great Kabuki was #22 and DiBiase reminds us he isn't being paid to win, but rather to ensure Luger doesn't. As he showed up, everyone teamed up on Mabel and tossed him while Mo was staggered across the ring. I like those spots where everyone pauses and forces out a major threat. The crowd burst into cheers at #23 as Lex Luger entered, proving the attack in the locker room wasn't enough to keep him out. Luger came in hot, attacking everyone before chucking Kabuki to the floor. Fuji's other import, Tenryu was out next at #24 and he targeted Luger, like was hired to do. There would be no #25 and that was really shrewd booking as the live crowd assumed that was Bret Hart's spot, and Vince pushed the same theory to the fans at home. After what happened earlier, it would be no surprise that the Hitman was done for the night. Rick Martel entered at #26 and the ring was really filling up now as we haven't had many eliminations over the last fifteen minutes or so. And everyone was treated to a great surprise at #27 as Bret Hart hobbled out with DiBiase ripping him the whole way for being stupid and risking further injury. And the move didn't look very prudent at all as Crush went right to work on his knee as soon as he entered. Fatu was out at #28 and we still haven't had an elimination in a while. Crush and Bigelow were the most impressive at this point, continuing lengthy runs and still putting beatings on guys. Just before Marty Jannetty showed up at #29, Luger finally dumped Crush, ending his impressive night. In an awesome spot, as soon as Jannetty hit the ring, he and Michaels got into a huge fist fight with the crowd eating it all up. What a great moment and I love that their feud just never ends. Adam Bomb would close out the field at #30 and we officially have 13 guys still left in there, which is pretty crazy to think about. That is nearly half the field left. Vince was pretty sure Bomb was going to win this as he was fresh and a big dude. As Sparky was tossed, Vince told us Bastion Booger was the missing entrant as he was sick from eating too much and couldn't make it out. After another few minutes of nothing, we finally got a flurry with Martel tossing Valentine, Tatanka dumping Martel, Luger ducking Bomb (who DiBiase ripped for wasting the #30 spot and going out so quickly) and Bigelow getting revenge and dumping Tatanka. As Bammer eclipsed 30 minutes before being shoved out by Luger, Hart continued to get his knee targeted and brutalized in the corner. Michaels would win the Rocker war by tossing Jannetty and Hart and Luger would team to chuck Tenryu to give us our final four.

The four remaining would regroup and then all dive into battle when Hart and Michaels tussling while Luger and Fatu traded blows. Michaels and Fatu would get dumped simultaneously, leaving the top two face stars in the match to trade blows with the crowd going wild. They would back into the ropes and both tumble back over the ropes and to the floor at the same time, leaving everybody confused, including the referees at ringside. With n decisive view we would get dueling ring announcements, with each man being declared victor depending on which ref was talking to the Fink. Despite the confusion, it was very clear that the live crowd wanted Hart to win and were pissed whenever Luger was named as the winner. That was quite telling. After more discussion and an appearance by Jack Tunney, it was finally ruled that both men would be declared the winner, meaning we had our first ever tie. And I get it. I can see why the did what they did since they seemed unsure how to get to Mania and eventually wanted both men there in big matches, but if they really wanted Luger to be the guy, they did him no favors at all by pitting him against the beloved Hitman. At the least, they should have pulled the trigger on one of these guys and then reversed the decision on Raw and switched it to a tie. It would have been better than forcing both the live and home audiences to go home with the taste of a draw in their mouths. The Rumble itself was fun and had a few memorable spots, but it also had a lot of downtime mixed in and having the ring fill up with everyone meandering so much at the end really slowed things down until the finish. Regardless, another Rumble is in the books but we now have a whole lot of confusion as we head towards the tenth WrestleMania.

*** Josh, Matt and JT try and figure out just what the fuck happened in that ring tonight as they leave the arena. The show even has a great ending, as they play the original WrestleMania theme to close the show. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Well we know my PIC has fonder memories of this show being there live and that's awesome. Watching on TV, I was entertained by a undercard that may not have had a myriad of five star matches, but everything had backstory, psychology and good storytelling. The Providence crowd was off the charts for their first PPV, but perplexed and not happy over the strange ending of the show. The Bret/Owen storyline kicks into high gear as Owen Hart's chance for the rocket launch into the main events has arrived. The Razor Ramon/Shawn Michaels feud over the real IC Champion continues and that will come to a head March 20. This was a fun show with a great crowd and for the second time in three years, we have some foggy roads on the way to WrestleMania. What's the main event? Where does Owen Hart fit? Will the Randy Savage/Crush feud come to a head? Time will tell, but even though the end of the show was lame, overall it was a fun three hours.

Final Grade:

### JT:

In my heart, this is an all time classic. I had an awesome time at this show and it was so memorable on many levels. The excitement was high and the crowd was hyped and a whole lot happened. In fairness, there was a lot wrong here as well. The tag title match was superb and the Rumble was very fun, despite being on the lower end quality wise, but we had some odd booking decisions in the casket match as well as the end of the Rumble. The opener and IC title matches were solid but nothing standout. However, as I mentioned, there were a handful of very memorable moments and the show also launched some feuds into Mania hyperdrive, specifically Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart and Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels. Toss in the ambiguity of the title match and Undertaker's future, and we left with a lot on our plate. While the show may not be great in the technical sense, it is a real fun watch and with stuff happening the whole through, it is a pretty good way to spend a few hours.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #75

# WrestleMania X: Ten Years in the Making

March 20, 1994

Madison Square Garden

New York, New York

Attendance: 18,065

Buy Rate: 1.68

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Dark Match:

### The Heavenly Bodies beat the Bushwhackers when Jimmy Del Ray pinned Butch

Pay-Per-View:

Fun Fact: Jerry Lawler makes his surprise return to the company, joining Vince McMahon in the announce booth. His legal charges were dismissed after his accuser was deemed to have been lying. With those issues behind him, the WWF welcomed the King back with open arms.

### 1) Owen Hart defeated Bret Hart with a roll-up reversal at 20:19

Fun Fact: After both Bret Hart and Lex Luger were declared co-winners at the Royal Rumble, Jack Tunney announced that both men should receive title shots at WrestleMania, but to make it fair to the winner of the first championship match, Tunney declared that the opponent in the second title match had to wrestle earlier in the night against a "suitable opponent." It was then decided that there would be a coin flip on Raw. If Luger won the flip, he would face Yoko first and Bret would face Owen, however, if Bret won, he would face Yoko first and Luger would face Crush. The outcome was pretty obvious, as everyone knew Randy Savage would be facing Crush, so the coin flip was kind of anticlimactic.

### Scott:

First off, there is an electric feel at MSG on this Sunday in an era where supposedly the product is sagging. I've hit this point in our previous two reviews, but what great planning by the WWF to hit the Northeast wheelhouse for their three biggest shows. Having the past three shows in Boston, Providence and New York City in front of the WWF's most loyal fans was a huge boon to keep the product hot. Now, let's talk about this opener. The feud started back at Survivor Series when Owen was the only Hart brother pinned in the match, thanks apparently to Bret being in the way on the apron. Owen was steaming that once again he's pushed to the side for big brother. They apparently made amends over Christmas and at the Royal Rumble the brothers went after the Quebecers for the Tag Team Titles. We know what happened after that match and that leads us to here. Another great addition is that Jerry Lawler, who was thrilled that Owen broke free from the Hart clan and struck out on his own. So he adds extra energy to the commentary that was not lacking per se, but maybe didn't have that personal touch to it since Lawler had been feuding with Bret in 1993. This match was a snapshot of what Stu Hart's teaching methods were down in the Dungeon, with plenty of submission moves and chain grappling, but all connected to the story. Add to that the great psychology of Owen continuously getting frustrated when Bret would counter him on every move. The stories being told in the ring were fantastic and mix in Vince and Lawler's commentary and you had a captivating match that started getting the Garden crowd at the edge of their seat. Owen was going back and forth with Bret, including the awesome dueling Sharpshooters moment late in the match. The ending, however, is what makes this match a classic. Bret goes for a victory roll in the corner, but Owen stops the roll in mid-stream and gets the three count. WHAT? Yes indeed, in what may have been WrestleMania's first real upset, Owen Hart stuns big brother to start the show off on an historic note. Top to bottom this is easily the greatest PPV opener in WWF history and kicks off a fun storyline for the rest of the calendar year.

### JT:

As we are set to celebrate the tenth installment of WrestleMania, we return home to Madison Square Garden for the first time on PPV since August 1991. The hype and build for this show was really well done and as we will discuss, many of the matches were well setup and made sense. They also do a nice job blending in celebrities and memories while also focusing on the future of the company, putting the spotlight on its new generation of stars throughout the night. When we last left off, Bret Hart was a Royal Rumble co-winner and it was later determined that both he and Lex Luger would receive WWF Title matches at this show. Since Luger won the coin flip and received the first crack at the gold, it was announced that Hart would also have to wrestle a match earlier in the night to make things even for the main event. And it was then revealed that his match would be a true test as he had to battle his angry, estranged brother Owen. We saw the brothers torn apart at the seams in Providence and ever since, Owen has been gunning to take out his sibling and finally make a name for himself on his own merit. So, here we are. Brother vs. brother, a super hyped battle set to open this mega show. I will also note that Jerry Lawler is back in the booth here, his legal issues cleaned up. He joins Vince McMahon, setting up our announce team for the New Generation Era that was set to unfold. Lawler went hard into the story here right out of the gate, pushing Owen's agenda along. The fact that both Harts were similar build and wore the same tights and wrestled a close style made this match pop even more. The build was so well done too and it dates back years to when the Hart Family started to be sprinkled into the mix. The fact that we know the family and its background so well makes this feud mean so much more. Both men worked on the mat early, trading holds until Bret ran Owen to the floor to escape a go behind. Owen didn't like that and responded with a slap across the face. Owen continued to bend the rules a bit where he could, going to the hair to gain leverage. The crowd was fully behind Bret as he regained control of his brother, continuously frustrating him by fighting through any of Owen's cheap tactics and eventually clotheslining him hard out to the floor. Owen would eventually swing momentum by cracking Bret with a spin wheel kick. As Vince wondered if Bret had the killer instinct to really take it to his brother, Owen dumped Bret to the floor and ran him into the ring post.

As Owen started to go to work, you could really feel Owen dumping all his long standing frustration out on the Hitman. He started to focus on the back, hooking in a camel clutch and talking smack while wrenching it in. He followed that with a great belly-to-belly for a near fall. Owen kept pouring it on, constantly going for covers, doing all he can to prove he can beat Bret in the middle of the ring. That is what this feud is built on: Owen proving he was better than Bret. And that is the story Owen masterfully told here through his quick hit offense and constant pin covers. Owen would hit a jumping Tombstone but instead of covering this time, he went up to the top. That would backfire, though, as he whiffed on a splash and landed hard on the mat. That gave Bret the chance to land a clothesline and mount his comeback through his standard attack. However, as King noted, Owen was prepared for what was coming and was able to hit an enziguri to cut it short. After they traded attempts at the Sharpshooter, Owen grabbed a near fall on a roll up but was forced to the floor when the Hitman kicked out. Bret took a risk and hit a dive over the top but seemingly dinged up his knee on the landing. When they got back inside, Owen mercilessly attacked the banged up limb. As Owen worked it over, Lawler started to wonder if the younger Hart suddenly had a change of plan and would look to cripple Bret instead of just beat him, especially when you consider what was still to come for Bret. Owen's focus was laser sharp, only stunted when Bret hit an enziguri of his own. Bret would shoot Owen viciously into the corner and follow with a bulldog and a huge top rope superplex that popped the crowd big time. After trading big right hands, Owen drilled Bret low with a mule kick and then pounced with the Sharpshooter, hooking it in the center of the ring. Bret would power out of it and the two ended up tangled and eventually separated. After Bret dodged an Owen charge in the corner, he hopped up on Owen's shoulders and rolled through with a victory roll, a move he had used successfully countless times before. However, instead of rolling with the momentum, Owen dropped to his knees and wrenched Bret to the mat to pick up the huge mammoth upset victory. That was a career making win for the Rocket. And it was a tremendous, Hall of Fame level match. It was worked to perfection by both men and told a fantastic story simply and effectively. I also really enjoyed the commentary too, as it enhanced the issue rather than beat us over the head with it. The match never slowed down or had any wasted movements and when you factor in the gravity of the feud plus Bret having to continue on despite the loss, it really carried a lot of weight behind it. This is easily the greatest WWF PPV opener to date and arguably the best WrestleMania match to date as well. And it was only the opener!

*** Hair Club for Men's Sy Sperling brings out Howard Finkel, who shows off a full head of hair. The Fink takes over for Bill Dunn to announce the next six matches. ***

### 2) Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna Vachon defeat Doink & Dink when Bigelow pinned Doink with a splash at 6:08

Fun Fact I: This is the big blowoff to the Doink/Bigelow feud that started in the fall of '93 when Doink tossed a pie into Bigelow's face on Superstars. Doink played other tricks on Bigelow where he threw water and confetti on him and then tripped him with a broom. The two were expected to confront each other at Survivor Series '93, but Doink did not participate. Instead, the team that Bigelow competed against were the Bushwackers and Men on a Mission, all dressed up as Doink lookalikes. Bigelow did get a small measure of revenge on Doink by eliminating him from the '94 Royal Rumble. It was announced on the 2/20 episode of Wrestling Challenge that a mixed tag match would take place with the two clowns facing Bigelow and his on-screen girlfriend, Luna Vachon.

Fun Fact II: Claude Giroux was born in Quebec, Canada in 1956. He began his wrestling career in the late 70s after being trained by Little Brutus and Sky Low Low. His initially wrestled under the name Tiger Jackson and travelled through the NWA territories, Puerto Rico and Germany as a midget wrestler. He also wrestled in the WWF in the early 80s, sometimes teaming with his brother Lionel Giroux, who wrestled under the name Little Beaver.

In 1992, Giroux joined the WWF and was teamed with the Bushwackers in their feud with the Beverly Brothers. He soon began imitating full size wrestlers, a practice that was common for midget wrestlers in Mexico. His first imitation was that of the Macho Midget. During a match between Doink the Clown and Macho Man Randy Savage, Giroux came out from under the ring dressed as the Macho Man. This distracted Doink enough to allow Savage to roll him up for the pin. The character he is most known for came from pairing him with Doink. On the 11/23/93 episode of Superstars of Wrestling, Santa Claus gave Doink an early Christmas present, which turned out to be his new sidekick, Dink the Clown. He would remain with Doink into 1995 before the character was slowly phased out.

Fun Fact III: This is the second mixed tag team match in WrestleMania history. The first occurred at WrestleMania VI when Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire defeated Randy Savage & Sensational Queen Sherri.

### Scott:

So we go from a match that is revolutionary for that time in WWF history to a match that shows one of the WWF's glaring weaknesses. Bam Bam Bigelow could be considered a great heel that is challenging for titles, and instead continues an insipid multi-PPV feud with a full grown clown, and his little midget buddy. It is completely evident that professional wrestling needed to get away from the silly, cartoony gimmicks that everybody loved in the Federation Era. Sure in 1987 it was fun, but we were also in our adolescent years. By 1994, the core fanbase were teenagers and had no patience for wrestlers dressed as clowns. Heel Doink was different because that was more of a counterculture clown and something fun and evil at the same time. Turn Doink babyface and add an annoying midget clown to the mix, and you have a recipe for disaster. This match is perfect to spell the crowd after the awesome opener, but as a standalone match there HAS to be something better for Bigelow and his main squeeze. Fortunately Bigelow didn't have to lay down for either of the goofy clowns, and he gets the win. I'd like to think that Bigelow had more for himself on the horizon but of course Dink needed to get some heat back but Luna and Bigelow rough him up after. If Bigelow had smashed Dink with a splash, I would have smiled. Oh well.

### JT:

After months of torture, Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna Vachon finally look to put their clown problems to bed. Doink started messing with the couple back in the summer and even though Bigelow has gotten some payback here and there, Doink would not go away. Toss in Dink and things got even more annoying for the Bammer. So, a mixed tag match was signed to put things to bed. Bigelow went right to work off the bell, wasting no time in violently punishing his clown nemesis. Doink avoided a senton splash and started to duck and dive until he was able to tag in Dink, forcing Bigelow to also have to tag. Dink would play some games as well, landing a shot here and there, but that ended when Luna kicked him in the chest. Dink wriggled free again but missed a dive off the top rope. Lawler was pretty funny here, begging for Bigelow to get his hands on Doink. Luna would come up empty on a splash off the top, leading to the big boys tagging back in. Bammer would send Doink to the floor, leading to Dink playing hide and seek with both his enemies. Back inside, Doink tried a sunset flip but Bigelow blocked and sat down hard on his chest. Doink recovered and went for a slam, but Bigelow twisted his weight and collapsed onto the clown. He followed that with his headbutt off the top to finish Doink off for good. That was a much needed clean win for Bigelow. After the match, Dink got Bigelow's face but Luna grabbed him and slammed him to the mat. Dink avoided danger by avoiding a Bigelow splash and Doink ensured his buddy was safe from there. The match was fine with an OK mix of hijinks and wrestling but it was worth it just to see Bigelow put Doink down cleanly to end the feud and clearly assert himself as somebody that deserved much better than this.

*** We take a quick trip to the Presidential box, where a Bill Clinton impersonator is sitting with Jack Tunney and IRS. ***

### 3) Randy Savage defeats Crush in a Falls Count Anywhere match when Savage beat Crush by hogtying him in the backstage area at 9:40

Fun Fact I: Counting Rumbles and Survivor Series matches, Randy Savage's final WWF PPV record is: 13-12. If you take out the Rumbles (he participated in five and never won one) he is 13-7.

Fun Fact II: This feud started over the summer of 1993, during a World Title match on Raw between Yokozuna and Crush with Randy Savage on commentary. Recently, President Tunney had declared that Savage had been interfering too much in matches while he was commentating, so he gave Mach an ultimatum: stop interfering or lose the commentating gig. So, Crush, who was good friends with Savage, gave Yoko a good match, but ultimately fell short. After the match, Yoko attacked Crush from behind and squashed him with three Banzai Drops, all while Savage looked on from ringside, unable to assist his buddy. The vicious attack kept Crush out of action for about three months. During his off months, Crush would occasionally give an interview via phone on Raw and each time he would blow off Savage and only talk to Vince McMahon or Bobby Heenan. Finally, Savage arranged a meeting with Crush on Raw that would be called the "Savage/Crush Summit." Strangely, when Crush came out, he was sporting a goatee and was escorted by Mr. Fuji. Savage and Crush talked things over, and Savage explained why he couldn't help, and by the end they had shaken hands, hugged and made up. Of course, when Savage turned his back, Crush leveled him and proceeded to beat the shit out of him, including a vicious hot shot type move on the guard railing. The attack left Savage on the shelf for about one month. Savage returned and the two feuded until this match, including tangling at Survivor Series and Royal Rumble.

### Scott:

On the 10th Anniversary of WrestleMania, one of the show's greatest performers has what will turn out to be his final WWF PPV match against the man who turned on him and had been avoiding him at every turn. We also debut a new gimmick match so of course it's clunky and takes away from the match itself. Similar to the casket match concept at Survivor Series 1992, there were too many steps involved and it takes away from the action in the ring. After a successful pin, you have 60 seconds to get back to the ring. Really they should have just brawled all over the place and have a definitive fall. Considering how great Savage can be when there are no restrictions on a match, this one could have been a higher grade and maybe makes this show even more historic than it already is. Imagine this match going all over the place, into the concessions and the backstage area with weapons all over the place. But after the pinfalls you have 60 seconds to get back in the ring. That totally destroys any flow this brawl could have had. Instead there's fighting and waiting, fighting and waiting. Finally Savage gets the pinfall on Crush, and then hog ties him to some kind of small scaffold or something. He can't make it back to the ring and Savage wins his final WWF PPV match. What an awesome career from a Hall of Famer. He had five-star house show matches that many of us have never seen. I don't know if anyone thought that at the time, but in hindsight it did feel like the epilogue of his WWF career. It was still a fun match, but it could have been better if the gimmick wasn't so clunky.

### JT:

Well, this is a sad moment as we have reached the legendary Randy Savage's final WWF PPV match. He has had a storied career and some fantastic Mania matches, and it was cool to see him suit up for the Granddaddy one last time. His final WWF feud has been a good one, as Crush stabbed Macho in the back in October and the two had been warring ever since. For the first time in Mania history, we have a Falls Count Anywhere match, but there is also a weird stipulation added that allows the competitors a minute to get back to the ring once they are pinned outside of it. I have no idea what would occur if a pinfall happened inside? Or maybe it wasn't even permitted. Savage wasted no time, charging at Crush during his entrance, but Crush made him pay by slamming him hard to the floor. He followed that up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker and a hot shot across the guardrail for the first pinfall. That was a great callback to the October summit attack. Savage was badly hurt but was able to pull himself up and head to the ring, but Mr. Fuji smacked him with the flagpole, knocking him to the floor. Savage would recover again, sliding back inside with just two seconds remaining. As the match restarted, Crush methodically started to work over Savage, tying him in the Tree of Woe. As Macho was knotted up, Fuji handed Crush some salt, but that backfired as Savage tossed back into his eyes instead. Savage would slam Crush down and hit one last big elbow in a Mania ring. Realizing he had to pin him outside, Savage kicked him to the floor and covered him for a three count. Even though Crush was right next to the ring, it still took Fuji dousing him with water and 59 seconds for him to get back inside. Savage stayed in control but tried to charge Crush and got dumped over the top to the floor instead. The fight would spill into the fans, with Crush landing a stiff kick near the loading dock area. Savage would block a piledriver and whip Crush into the wall before running through a set of doors into a back room. The crowd was really heating up as Savage pinned Crush for a second time. Before leaving, Macho tied Crush up and hung him from a scaffolding to ensure he couldn't make it back in time, thus ending the match. Well, the match was just ok with some nice spots and decent brawling, but this was all about giving Savage a moment in the Mania sun and the crowd loved it. Crush was game to put his buddy over and Savage wrestled his usual gusto and ferocity. This feud has been a really good one to get Macho back in the mix and show that he could still go at an elevated pace. The 60 second stipulation hampered things a bit, leading to some dead spots instead of anticipation, which was probably the idea behind it. Still, there was enough here to make this a worthwhile entry into Macho Man's WrestleMania canon even if it was a tad disappointing.

*** Todd Pettengil visits with Bill Clinton and IRS, who congratulates the President on raising taxes and doing a nice job running the country. ***

### 4) Alundra Blaze defeats Lelani Kai to retain WWF Women's Title when Blayze pinned Leilani Kai with a German Suplex at 3:23

Fun Fact I: Deborah Ann Miceli was trained in 1984 by Eddie Sharkey and began working indie matches for $5 per match. Her career began to blossom in 1986 when she joined the AWA and began feuding with Sherri Martel, wrestling under the name Madusa Miceli. During her time in the AWA she also managed the AWA World Heavyweight Champion Curt Hennig and in 1987 won the AWA World Women's Championship. In 1989 she performed a six week tour of Japan, winning and then quickly losing the IWA Women's title during the tour. After the tour she stayed and began training in Japan, learning the Japanese style as well as other Muay Thai, boxing and kickboxing. She joined WCW in 1991 and was part of the Dangerous Alliance with Paul E. Dangerously. She mainly served as a valet for Rick Rude. She was brought in by the WWF in 1993 to revive the women's division. The Women's Championship had been vacant since 1990 when Rockin' Robin last held it. Miceli, now wrestling under the name Alundra Blayze, won the vacant title in a six woman tournament with the final held against Heidi Lee Morgan on December 13, 1993. The match occurred on an episode of All-American Wrestling and was the only televised match of the tournament.

Fun Fact II: Leilani Kai is the only wrestler to compete on both WrestleMania I and WrestleMania X.

Fun Fact III: This is the first WWF Women's Title match on PPV since Royal Rumble 1989, when Rockin' Robin defeated Judy Martin.

### Scott:

Besides "The Fink", we have the third of five people who were at WrestleMania I that is also here ten years later. The former Women's Champ who lost to Wendi Richter way back in 1985 is back here to try and get the title back from one of the country's best female workers. The former Madusa cut her teeth in the AWA and NWA and to this point was most known as part of the awesome Dangerous Alliance. Vince brings her in as they revive the Women's Championship that was dormant the past few years and perhaps will add a little extra workrate to a company that needs more of it. The match isn't much as Leilani had some standard 80s ladies' offense but nothing much as Blayze gets the victory and moves on. A nice little placeholder and some history sprinkled in too.

### JT:

It has been quite a while since we have had a Women's Title match on WWF PPV and while some things have changed, some others have stayed the same. The change occurred at the top of the division, where newcomer Alundra Blayze is holding the gold as the new torchbearer for the company. Her opponent, however, is a familiar face. Leilani Kai competed in this very arena ten years earlier, losing the gold to Wendi Richter. She returns here to once again challenge for the gold. Blayze made her way to the WWF after a long run in WCW as Madusa and was a pretty big get for the company as they looked to relaunch the division. There very few North American women, if any, that were higher profile than her at the time. Kai looked to be in cement for parts of this as Blayze ran circles around her. She did show off some decent power with a stiff tree slam on the champ. She also looked really pissed off, especially in her Brenda Walsh "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" outfit. Kai dominated the action with slams and hair tosses, busting out her 1987 playbook, capped by violently chucking Alundra over the top to the floor. Blaze came back with a suplex and snap mare, followed by a German suplex into a bridge for the win. Well, that was spirited and Kai was pretty nasty in her mannerisms and attack. If she were a little younger, she may have had another run in her as a heel in this rebooted division. Alas, she was old. Alundra wins and moves on to her next challenge.

### 5) Men on a Mission defeat the Quebecers by countout at 7:42; Quebecers retain WWF Tag Team Titles

Fun Fact: MOM and Quebecers would go on to trade the tag titles two weeks later in England. MOM would win the belts on March 29 in London, but would drop them right back on March 31 in Sheffield. That would be the MOM's only tag title reign. According to internet legend, the title switch was an accident, as MOM wasn't supposed to win the titles in that match, but Mabel fell on Pierre and the pin was unintentionally counted.

### Scott:

Our second title match of the evening pits the heels with a cult following against three guys with some following but no workrate. I was never a MOM fan simply because they were hideous wrestlers and their manager Oscar may be one of the worst rappers in history. Jacques and Pierre are a great tag team with an equally great heel manager in Johnny Polo, and after regaining the titles in January they have been pretty solid as champions, but MOM are their toughest challenge. The match here is ok, as the Quebecers do the best they can bouncing around and putting MOM over as a credible team. They win the match by countout and we hear more terrible rapping from Oscar afterwards. The Quebecers keep the titles but lose the match. There really isn't much more to say on this one, as the better team lost the match but kept the titles.

### JT:

Up next is our second title match of the evening as the tag team gold is on the line. The Quebecers are still hanging on to their gold, finding all sorts of ways to escape tough challenges. Across the ring are the up and coming Men on a Mission and as usual, the crowd was quite into their entrance. I remember the Quebecers and Johnny Polo had an awesome promo leading up to this show where they did their own rap mocking MOM. Classic stuff. It was also surprising that we didn't get the Steiners challenging here, but we would learn they were on the outs with the company due to payoffs and spending time in Japan. So, MOM gets the shot instead. Polo had a hell of a suit on here and he bails to the floor as his charges jump the challengers before the bell. They would chuck Mo to the floor and actually get Mabel down to a knee, but the big man came back with a clothesline that wiped out both champions. I have to say that watching how into MOM these crowds have been, if they had better looking gear and Mo didn't look so old thanks to that dye job, they would have had a better run overall. They had a unique look and the rap gimmick really got people fired up. Mo grabbed a near fall on a cross body and then tagged in Mabel, who dropped a big leg on the back of Pierre. A quick double team behind the ref's back would put he champs in control of Mo. They would use some effective double teams, including Jacques back dropping Pierre into a senton for a near fall. That was followed by Jacques propelling Pierre over the top rope and into Mo, who was recovering on the floor. As Oscar rallied the crowd, Mo ducked a clothesline and tossed his body into Pierre with a cannonball, but he wasn't able to tag out thanks to the champs distracting the referee. Pierre would whiff on a top rope legdrop, now allowing for Mo to make a tepid tag. The big man cleaned house, but slammed into the corner when Jacques dodged a charge. The Quebecers tried a double suplex and actually got the big man over on the second try. That was a pretty cool spot that Polo celebrated accordingly. Pierre would head up top and connect with Le Bomb de Quebec, but Mabel actually kicked out. That should have been the finish. Pierre and Mabel would trade right hands but that led to some miscommunication with the champs. Mo would use his momentum to ride Mabel onto Jacques, but the referee was tied up and couldn't count. The challengers repeated the move onto Pierre, but he was on the floor this time. Polo would pull Jacques outside as well and the champs ate the countout loss to keep their titles. Bah, didn't care for the finish at all. I know MOM were fairly over, but there is no reason they couldn't have laid down to give the Quebecers a solid win here. The match was just OK with some nice double team spots out of both teams, but otherwise the crowd was quiet and there wasn't much heat behind MOM in this one.

*** USA Up All Night's Rhonda Sheer (timekeeper) and NKOTB's Donny Wahlberg (announcer) head to the ring as the guest celebrities for this match. Mr. Perfect is revealed as the special guest referee. ***

### 6) Yokozuna defeats Lex Luger by disqualification at 14:42 to retain WWF World Title

Fun Fact I: President Jack Tunney announced that both WWF Title matches would feature surprise special guest referees. Mr. Perfect is revealed as the referee for this match prior to the bout starting.

Fun Fact II: After the cheap ending, the crowd was pissed at the decision and was loudly chanting "bullshit," giving Mr. Perfect huge heel heat, and Luger and Perfect were headed into a big feud. However, Perfect got cold feet and backed out at the last minute, because if he started wrestling again, he would lose his huge insurance payout on his back, and he wasn't ready to give up free loot just yet. Crush replaced Perfect on the house show circuit, and Curt Hennig vanished from WWF TV just a few weeks after this show. He would return as a commentator late in 1995.

### Scott:

Our first World Title match of the night pits the WWF Champion against one half of the Royal Rumble winners. Based on the cheers from Providence, Luger was definitely #2 behind Bret Hart in the popularity department. So that could lead to little doubt whether Luger actually wins the title here and we have a face vs. face match later or Yoko gets his win back from SummerSlam. The fact that Mr. Perfect is the referee does indeed show that some shenanigans could go down at some point. Perfect is a babyface but based on his past he isn't adverse to heel tactics. The SummerSlam match was based on Luger getting off to a quick start but Yoko spent the middle of the match really using his weight to lean on the challenger. With this match being only a few minutes shorter than that one, the layout of it changed slightly. Luger really got off to a fast start and went for numerous quick pins here; clearly knowing the winner of this match has to wrestle a second match about an hour from now. Bret Hart, even though he lost a grueling 20 minute match to his brother, is in the back resting and will have a decent time of preparation. That fact alone correlates with the fact that when Yokozuna takes control he dives right into the nerve pinch submission hold to preserve energy. It's probably a good three minutes of that hold, but at least Vince and Lawler keep the commentary going and the cameras shoot to the crowd and to Jim Cornette on the sidelines to try and hide the fact the move is hooked in for so long. Luger fights through it and eventually drills the champion with an exposed turnbuckle from earlier in the match. Luger keeps hitting clotheslines and then a bodyslam. He hits the bionic forearm that nobody talks about now (except Lawler) since Luger is a babyface. Then the shenanigans. Luger had the pin attempt and the three count, but instead of Perfect counting, he's trying to get Mr. Fuji and Cornette out of the ring. Luger shoves Perfect, and our special referee disqualifies him. The ending is a big mess but it does keep Luger from getting pinned and Yoko keeps the title for later in the evening. The crowd is chanting "BULLSHIT", which is very unlike a mid-90s WWF crowd. That brings me back to an earlier point about the wrestling fanbase changing. So we are set for our main event at the end of the evening. The match was ok, not as good as the SummerSlam match but serviceable for the moment.

### JT:

As we reach the halfway point of our show, it is time for our first WWF Title match. Jack Tunney had announced that each bout would have a special guest referee and this time out it is the returning Mr. Perfect, who gets a very warm welcome. Lex Luger had won a coin toss on Raw to get the first match here and he celebrated like it was a big victory, but honestly I think he got hosed. If he did win the belt here, he still had to defend it. I would rather only have to wrestle one bout with the gold on the line, and also have it be with a softened champion. Bret had a grueling match, but it opened the show and it was somewhat low pressure, as a loss didn't affect anything. If Luger had lost the toss, he would have had a meaningless match with Crush and then be set up for one crack at the gold. Hart was the real winner on Raw. Yokozuna's reign was now on month nine and he was starting to build an air of invincibility. If he were somehow able to escape this night as champion, then you had to wonder if anyone could beat him. As Lex Luger emerged with his new theme music, we can flashback to SummerSlam and that questionable match finish and wonder if it was worth it. The whole plan was to establish him for a strong win here, to finally cash in at WrestleMania, but based on the reaction here, it is clear the fans had cooled despite Vince gushing loudly and putting him over big time. While I think Luger's new theme is fine in a vacuum, it was a bit too slow and quiet and added to his "laid back, whatever choker" vibe he already gave off. It didn't inspire you, he needed something fast and upbeat. Luger laid into Yoko with fists and clotheslines immediately, rocking the big man, but Yoko planted him with a clothesline of his own. Luger dodged an elbow and popped Yoko again, leading to a battle on the floor that saw Yoko eat the steps. I would be remiss if I didn't mention Perfect's referee jumpsuit. Perhaps it was an homage to Donny Wahlberg? Lex kept firing away until Yoko stopped him dead with a thrust. The champ worked Lex over a bit, yanking the turnbuckle pad off in the midst of the attack. The champ slowed things way down with his nerve hold, killing any momentum the match had and quieting the crowd. During one close up it looked like Luger was laughing while laying on his back, trapped in the hold, and then I realized Perfect was probably trying to crack him up as he checked in. Lex finally battled to his feet but Yoko put him right back down on the mat and then jawed with Perfect before going right back to the nerve hold. I am not sure they could have found a lazier way to both apply and sell this hold and it has just really killed the match. Luger got free again, but was dumped to the floor and smacked by Fuji. When he got back inside, they went right back to the nerve hold. And Lex would fight free once more, but yet again Yoko went to the nerve hold for a fourth time and now the crowd started to turn on them audibly.

Luger made one last comeback attempt but was cut short by a belly-to-belly. Before we got another nerve hold, Lex got to his feet and landed a few blows in, rocking Yoko and eventually knocking him down with a series of clotheslines. Yoko popped up but Luger slammed him and then clocked him with his forearm in the most exciting sequence of the match. Before Luger could cover, Cornette and Fuji hopped on the apron, but Lex slugged them both down. He would finally cover the champ but before counting, Perfect went over and tried to to clear the managers' bodies from the ring. An angry Luger popped to his feet and lightly shoved Perfect to get his attention. Perfect didn't take kindly to that and called for the bell and the DQ. Welp. The crowd really didn't like that one, especially after the fourteen minutes of boredom they just sat through. Perfect stormed off as the crowd chanted "bullshit" while Luger stood dumbfounded in the ring, screwed again. Todd Pettengil caught up to Perfect backstage and that led to Luger arriving and the two arguing over the outcome. The match sucked. The finish sucked. Luger chokes again and you have to think this was a major blow to any credibility he may have had. To think they went the way they did back in August and this is where things ended up, all that promise of the summer of 1993 is gone in a puff of smoke. The Lex Express has officially been derailed.

### 7) Earthquake defeats Adam Bomb with a splash at :33

Fun Fact: This match was supposed to feature the recently returning Earthquake facing off against Ludvig Borga, who had been off TV since January due to an injury. The WWF kept plugging Borga's presence until about one week before the show, which is when they finally realized he would not be ready in time and thus slipped Adam Bomb into his spot. Earthquake had returned to the WWF on the 1/31 Raw. His stay would be brief with the highlight being his Sumo Match against Yokozuna on the 5/16 Raw. Earthquake was then written out of storylines in an angle where he was crushed by Yoko on a 5/14 house show, made to seem like it happened after the Sumo Match. John Tenta would head to WCW in the fall under the name Avalanche.

### Scott:

This had to have been an audible in the back to have this match go so short. Harvey Whippleman comes out to belittle Finkel and his bad toupee. Finkel shoved him and out comes Adam Bomb to defend his manager. Earthquake comes out, and :35 seconds later the match is over. Nice quick win for Earthquake but this was clearly supposed to go longer.

### JT:

As the crowd is still buzzing from our last match, we rush right along to our next contest, where Harvey Wippleman is in the ring and gets into a shoving match with his rival Howard Finkel after Harvey had berated him. Things degenerate and Fink shoves Harvey around until Adam Bomb comes out for the save. As Bomb grabbed Fink, Earthquake came out and drilled him from behind. Quake would drop Bomb with a powerslam and polish him off with the Earthquake Splash to pick up the quick win. Well, you could tell they were pressed for time after that quickie. Quake had returned to the promotion earlier in January and was set up for a match with Ludvig Borga, but Borga's ankle never properly healed and he left the promotion. Bomb stepped in but gets splattered here. Quake would hang around until May but left just as quickly as he arrived. This was reminiscent of a Mania match from the early years, squash city to keep the train moving.

### 8) Razor Ramon defeats Shawn Michaels in a Ladder Match to retain WWF Intercontinental Title when he climbed the ladder and retrieved the belts at 18:46

Fun Fact I: In the fall of 1993, President Jack Tunney stripped Shawn Michaels of the Intercontinental title for failing to defend it. Razor Ramon won the vacant title by winning a battle royal for the belt. Michaels did not recognize the title change and continued to promote himself as the real Intercontinental champion. This match was made to unify the real Intercontinental Title (Ramon's) and the fake Intercontinental Title (Michaels').

These two had been engaged in a brutal feud since Michaels returned in November and were on a collision course at this point. The feud also featured the 1-2-3 Kid and Diesel in prominent roles and helped those two guys get over as a result as well. After the match, Shawn was given five months off to heal up and recharge his batteries, and from late-March to July he stayed on TV as Diesel's manager, even guiding him to an Intercontinental Title win in April. Michaels wrestled his return match against Razor on the August 1st edition of Raw and the rest is history.

Fun Fact II: This is the first televised ladder match in WWF history. Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels competed in one in Portland, ME on July 21, 1992 that later aired on the Coliseum Video release Smack 'Em, Whack 'Em.

### Scott:

We have another debut gimmick here. Well on PPV anyway. If you either of the Ladder Match DVDs, you know that the gimmick started back in the early 1980s in Stampede Wrestling. The main companies (WWF, NWA, AWA) never used it in their 80s heyday. In 1992, Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart had a ladder match at a house show for the Intercontinental Title. But now to clear up the feud over who is the true Intercontinental Champion, both belts are hung over the ring. With it being in essence a no disqualification match, and a ladder being used as a tool and a weapon we have unlimited possibilities. They do some regular wrestling for the first few minutes, including Diesel with a cheap shot on Razor from the outside. The referee tosses him from ringside as a result, and then Shawn grabs the ladder. From here we are in fun, unchartered territory. Shawn and Razor use the ladder in different ways. Razor used it as a bludgeoning tool to hit Michaels in the face and the gut, while Michaels uses it to hit high flying moves, such as a memorable splash onto Razor that is forever been put in one video montage after another for anything. The creativity that both men use gives this match such a fresh composition never seen before in WWF history. The best thing here is that Diesel was kicked out of the match so that these two can focus on each other and climbing the ladder and grabbing BOTH belts. Both men go up the ladder numerous times to grab the titles but the other tips the ladder over, or in one memorable moment Razor yanks Shawn's tights and we get a full moon at the Garden. The crowd is bonkers with every attempt by someone to climb up. At one point both men climb up and Razor does a crazy suplex off the ladder, bending the ladder in the process. We do see at one point perhaps the start of Michaels officially using the superkick as his finishing maneuver. He smacks Razor with it, and then rides the ladder over the Bad Guy's prone body and at this point you think that after a haphazard 1993 and the suspension that Shawn was being rewarded with an IC Title run. However just as his fingers are grasping the belts, Razor tips the ladder over and Shawn is tangled in the ropes. Razor, beaten and slowed, puts the ladder up and slowly, slowly, slowly climbs up the ladder and grabs the titles just before collapsing to the canvas. We have our second five star match of the night because the innovation of a new gimmick along with two guys who went in wanting to steal the show after the first five star match of the night. The match by which every ladder match from here on out will be measured (at least the next decade). This PPV just went from really good to a classic.

### JT:

After a hell of a build since Shawn Michaels returned to the promotion, it was time to finally decide the one, true Intercontinental Champion. For the first time on WWF TV, we have a ladder match gimmick and they couldn't have picked a better match to utilize it for when you factor in the angle and the competitors. MSG looked fantastic with the black and gold bunting and the two beautiful IC titles dangling from the ceiling. Michaels looked as locked in and cocky as ever as he strutted out to the ring, flanked by Diesel, ready to finally cash in and steal a PPV, something that had been expected of him for well over a year now. When Ramon entered, he tempted fate by waltzing under the ladder and cruising into the ring. The match had a fairly basic start but you could tell they were just laying the base down and getting things established. Ramon would get dumped outside, where he was met by a big Diesel clothesline. That didn't stand well with Earl Hebner and he decided to toss the big man before he could levy any more damage. During that arguing, Ramon recovered and came back in hot, smacking Michaels around and knocking him back to the floor where he exposed the concrete but was stopped by Michaels before anything could happen. Back inside, Michaels blocked a Razor's Edge attempt and sent the Bad Guy onto that exposed concrete with a back drop. That gave Shawn the first opening to go grab the ladder, which he successfully did. Razor met him and fought him off and tried to push the ladder in the ring, but Shawn caught him off guard with a baseball slide that crammed the ladder back into Ramon's gut. Shawn would continue to use the ladder as a weapon, ramming it into Ramon's ribs and then slamming it on his back before finally just throwing it at him, each time with authority. Michaels would be the first to chase the gold, but Razor yanked him down. Michaels remained in control, slamming the Bad Guy down and then ascending the ladder and crashing off it with a beautiful big splash. Razor would stop Shawn from grabbing the gold again, leading to both men colliding and wiping out. Shawn was the first to his feet and set up the ladder in the corner, but his plan backfired as Ramon reversed an Irish whip and sent Michaels careening into the steel and then up and over to the floor. Instead of going for the strap, Ramon slid outside and sandwiched Shawn between the ladder and post. Ramon followed that up by setting the ladder against the apron and slingshotting Michaels into it. The innovation and aggression here is top notch with each ladder attack resonating thoroughly thanks to the pacing.

They would battle back into the ring but Ramon sent Shawn right back out by smacking him with the ladder. Razor made his first attempt to grab the title, but Shawn scurried up to the top rope and dove into Ramon with an ax handle blow. After a few seconds, both men tried to climb at the same time, but it ended ugly when Razor tossed Shawn off and then collapsed to the mat with the ladder bending awkwardly, turning it into an unsafe teetering device. As both men recovered, Shawn ducked a clothesline and caught Ramon with a superkick. With the Bad Guy down and in trouble, Shawn grabbed the ladder, climbed the top rope and rode the steel down onto Razor. Again, so creative and violent. This was remarkably fresh and new for this company, making it a monumental match and one that you knew was an instant classic as it was happening. Shawn made another slow climb, but Razor popped up and tipped the ladder, causing Shawn to crotch himself on the top rope and get tied up on the way down. With Shawn frantically trying to free himself, Razor slowly climbed up, grabbed the gold and officially cemented himself as the only Intercontinental Champion. That was a fantastic battle with tons of unique and vicious shots. Sure, they may seem tame to the modern eye from a spot perspective, but the impact and violence of each blow was something to see. There were no lags and everything built and made sense, with Michaels really busting out some creative attacks and Ramon taking a bitch of a beating and still surviving to win. To me, due to the action, the build, the innovation, the violence and the historical significance, I have to dole out my second perfect match rating of the night.

*** There was supposed be a ten-man tag match here, but due to time constraints, the match was cut out. They quickly showed the heel team in the back arguing over who was the team captain, and since they couldn't decide, Vince McMahon announces that the match has been canceled. The match was supposed to be: Jeff Jarrett, Rick Martel, IRS and the Headshrinkers vs. Tatanka, Sparky Plugg, Smoking Gunns and the 1-2-3 Kid. The match ended up taking place on the April 4th edition of Raw. ***

*** Todd Pettengil checks back in with Bill Clinton, who is also chatted up by Ted DiBiase, who attempts to talk business and ends up getting blown off by Bill. ***

*** The legendary actor Burt Reynolds (announcer) and Beverly Hills, 90210's Jennie Garth (timekeeper) are introduced as the guest celebrities for the Main Event. Roddy Piper is then revealed as the guest referee. ***

### 9) Bret Hart defeats Yokozuna to win WWF World Title when Yokozuna falls off the ropes attempting a Bonzai Drop at 10:30

Fun Fact I: This was the first time that the same match headlined two WrestlemMnias, and the only time the same match headlined back-to-back WrestleManias until 2012 & 2013. Andre the Giant and Hogan Hogan main evented at WrestleMania III, but fought in the mid card at WrestleMaania IV.

Fun Fact II: Roddy Piper is revealed as the special guest referee prior to the match. This is Piper's first PPV appearance since playing the bagpipes at SummerSlam 1992.

Fun Fact III: Leilani Kai, Howard Finkel, Roddy Piper, Gorilla Monsoon and Mike Rotundo are the only five people to appear at WrestleMania I and X on camera.

### Scott:

One year after he left Las Vegas without the WWF Title and forgotten in the hoopla of shoehorned Hulkamania, Bret Hart gets his long-awaited crack at the WWF Title he was screwed out of at WrestleMania IX. First off we have a special referee for this match too. It is the fourth person tonight that was also at WrestleMania I: THE HOT ROD! Roddy Piper makes his return to the WWF after losing to Bret Hart two years earlier at the Hoosier Dome for the Intercontinental Title. Maybe they were trying to cast some doubt into Piper's neutrality like Perfect had in the first match? I couldn't see Yokozuna somehow winning two matches tonight and leaving Champion, nor could I see another weird screwjob like last year in Vegas. They wouldn't pull that off two years in a row. So conventional wisdom would tell you that Bret would finally be rewarded for being pushed to the side the past year in favor of both Hulkamania and the Lex Express project. As for the champion, well since we haven't had a long-term heel champion since probably Superstar Billy Graham. So kudos to Yokozuna for being a solid World Champion who put over his character and his gimmick, as well as Jim Cornette for being able to do what Mr. Fuji really couldn't do anymore which is act as an effective mouthpiece. The match is about as good as their match at WrestleMania IX was, with Bret selling a knee injury from the earlier match and Yokozuna dominating the action and trying to put the match away quickly. Piper decks Cornette to establish whose side he is on. I couldn't see Piper turning heel here and costing Bret the match, as that would have been such a downer for this great NY crowd who's been given a fantastic show here. Bret, other than some occasional punches, is in peril for pretty much the entire match. That's odd considering he's been in the back for almost an hour and a half while Yokozuna just wrestled like 45 minutes ago. Then, we get one of the oddest endings to a match ever. Yokozuna is about to Banzai Drop Bret to finish it, but he loses his balance and falls. Bret then just rolls over and pins him. That was very strange, but regardless the Garden goes bonkers and the heels chase Piper down the ramp. Bret raises the title up in the air, and then Lex Luger comes out. Luger lost a heartbreaker earlier but he does the right thing and congratulates the Hitman on his victory. All the babyfaces come out to celebrate, including probably Bret's two biggest fans backstage: Randy Savage and Gorilla Monsoon. Gorilla knew Stu Hart back in the day and must be filled with emotion seeing Stu's son in his biggest moment. Savage and Bret came into their own in 1986 and have been contemporaries through the Federation Era. One of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history is subtle but awesome. As Bret is on the shoulders of his peers, Owen Hart slowly stalks up the ramp. His look of rage and jealousy at watching his brother be champion after beating him three hours earlier is fantastic. Great setup for the next few months of storylines. The match is average but the moment is historic.

### JT:

Well, here we are. It has been a very long twelve months since Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart for the WWF Title at WrestleMania IX. Hulk Hogan has come and gone, the New Generation is being launched, and the Hitman is still standing tall, thirsty to regain his beloved gold. The only question that remained was whether or not the Hitman could shake off the tough loss from earlier in the evening and get his mind right to hang with the monster champion. Also, you had to wonder how winded Yoko was from his previous bout. Roddy Piper is our second guest referee of the night, making his first appearance since SummerSlam 1992. It was a nice touch to bring out the Hot Rod and it was fitting to have him back in MSG here considering the role he played in kicking it all off. The crowd was psyched to see Piper and that ovation carried right over to the Hitman's entrance as well. Hart was still hobbled after having banged his knee up in the opener. As he entered the ring, Yoko went right at him, not even waiting for the bell. Bret tried to slug his way out of the corner, but Yoko crumbled him with a right hand of his own. Yoko was moving pretty well, not giving Bret any sort of breather, a real 180 from his last bout. Bret hit a desperation dropkick, but Yoko swatted away a second way and went right back on the attack. Bret's selling was great here and Piper did his best to help a bit by chasing Cornette off the apron. Hart found what may be his last opening by avoiding a big splash, but Yoko was first to his feet. Hart met him with some strong punches to the jaw and then rocked both himself and the champ with a headbutt. In a nice spot, the two tired men traded blows while on the mat, ending with Yoko going to the eyes. Bret shook it off and again laid in a series of blows before putting the champ down with an axe blow to the back. Cornette would break up the count by yanking Piper out of the ring, leading to Roddy decking him to a big pop. Yoko went back on the offensive as the crowd did whatever they could to rally Hart. After nearly avoiding a countout loss, Hart looked to be cooked as Yoko wore him down in the corner. Then, things finally turned when Hart dodged a Yoko splash in the corner. With the champ staggered, Hart hit him with a bulldog off the middle rope for a near fall. He followed with a sharp elbow off the ropes for another two count and then really caught Yoko good with a running clothesline. All that momentum was quick evaporated as Yoko caught Bret coming off the topes and squashed him with a belly-to-belly. Yoko dragged Hart to the corner and climbed the ropes as he had done hundreds of times before. However, as he steadied himself for the Banzai Drop, the toll of a long night of action finally wore thin and Yoko collapsed backwards. Hart covered the stunned champion and picked up the win to earn his second WWF Title. What a great moment. I am not sure what to think about the finish, but they would play it off that Yoko was still woozy from Luger's forearm earlier in the night. As the crowd went wild, a gaggle of Bret's peers, officials, celebrity guests and friends paraded into the ring to celebrate with the new champion, the standard bearer of the New Generation, which Vince all but coins to close the match. And then, i a great touch, Owen Hart walks out into the aisle and stares his brother down angrily before walking off. It was a classic, fantastic, memorable close to what has been a really fun show. The match was pretty well worked, not as good as the year before, but still pretty solid, especially when you consider it was their second match of the night. But regardless, it was the final moments and the aftermath that really mattered.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Considering that the WWF was ripped through history for how they handled the booking in 1993, from aging Hulkamania to the lukewarm Lex Express, they started to really bounce back here. So in 1994 things had to go back to...1992? Well yes. The most over guy in the company was easily Bret Hart, and he was shoved to the backburner when Vince was given paranoid delusions by the Yellow and Red. As 1994 started, the Royal Rumble showed management that Bret was still the guy everybody loved. So on this night at Madison Square Garden, all the mistakes made in 1993 were rectified. Bret Hart wrestled one of the best matches of his career against his brother, and he had no problems putting Owen over to further the storyline. Then three hours later, he once again regained the WWF Title that was shamelessly taken away from him. His match with Owen may still be considered the greatest PPV opener of all time (until 2014 perhaps). On top of that you have a SECOND five star match between two guys who tried to (and might have) stolen the show from Bret and Owen. Shawn Michaels proved he could be trusted as a top flight performer and Razor Ramon may be the #2 babyface in the company after his ladder match win that made history. The rest of the show was entertaining and supplied fun (if not slightly dated) entertainment. What makes this show so classic is that is literally came from out of nowhere. WrestleMania III and WrestleMania VI had such crazy hype that they almost had no choice but to be classics. But in an era of history where there was no expectations anywhere, this show shattered the mid-90s glass ceiling and proved that anything is possible if you have faith in your product and book things that make sense. Taking risks doesn't hurt either. As depressing as 1993 looked after WrestleMania IX, is as promising as the rest of 1994 looked after this show.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, we certainly have a very different show from the last time the WWF delivered a WrestleMania. With a red hot crowd jammed into Madison Square Garden, the company paid off some long burning storylines, unraveled some simmering storylines and officially kicked off their New Generation with a show chock full of memorable moments and sandwiched inside a pair of ***** matches. While the rest of the action outside of the big two was certainly lacking, the storytelling was really good, feuds were blown off, the pacing was crisp and the classic moments littered the show. In addition to the two classics, we also had Owen Hart's ascension, Randy Savage's farewell, the returns of Mr. Perfect and Roddy Piper, the cementing of Lex Luger as a choker and the crowning of the Once and Future King. This was an apology and a thank you to the Hitman, a coronation of the future of the company, something that should have happened a year earlier. They did a great job making this show feel special, between the classic Mania moments and the way they paid respect to the past while looking to the future tied everything together. On paper, this may not always seem like a classic WrestleMania, but the show was loaded with fun moments and characters and two of the greatest and most historic matches in company history.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #77

# King of the Ring 1994: All Hail the King of Harts!

June 19, 1994

Baltimore Arena

Baltimore, Maryland

Attendance: 12,000

Buy Rate: 0.85

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Randy Savage, Art Donovan

Dark Match:

### Thurman "Sparky" Plugg pinned Kwang

Pay-Per-View:

Fun Fact I: Outside of the squared circle, the fate of the WWF was about to play out in a Long Island Federal courtroom. Back in early 1990, Dr. George Zahorian was arrested and later convicted of selling and distributing steroids for non-therapeutic use. The raid of Dr. Zahorian's operation included distribution to WWF wrestlers and to WWF owner Vince McMahon. After Zahorian's conviction, McMahon instituted a steroid testing program for the WWF. Following this trial, stories from former wrestlers began to come out about Hulk Hogan's use and abuse of steroids. These revelations in connection with Zahorian got things rolling on a federal grand jury investigation of the WWF. In November 1993, McMahon was indicted on steroid trafficking and conspiracy charges. The trial was set to begin on July 5, just a few weeks after this King of the Ring PPV. One week prior to the show, Vince had neck surgery to repair an injury he had been dealing with for a while. Many speculate that McMahon timed the surgery for just prior to the trial as a ploy to sway the jury. Due to the surgery, he would have to wear a neck brace and would therefore look more sympathetic to the jury. As a result of the surgery, McMahon would miss the King of the Ring PPV and a replacement would be at the broadcast table, which we will cover in the next Fun Fact. During the trial, the prosecution was not able to directly pin McMahon to a coordinated effort of illegal steroid trafficking. On July 22, 1994, the jury came back with a not guilty verdict, acquitting McMahon on all charges. With McMahon busy preparing and participating in the trial, Memphis promotor Jerry Jarrett took over booking duties and Vince's wife Linda was given control of the company from a business standpoint. According to legend, if McMahon was convicted and sent to prison, Jarrett would have taken the reigns on a full time basis.

Fun Fact II: In the booth for the PPV are Gorilla Monsoon, Randy Savage and a local sports hero, Art Donovan. Donovan began playing professional football in the NFL as a defensive tackle in 1950 with the Baltimore Colts. He became one of the stars of a solid defensive team. During his career he was named to the Pro Bowl five times, won two world championships in 1958 and 1959, was named to the NFL 50th anniversary All-Time team and was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1968. While he was a local favorite in Baltimore, the WWF fans would soon learn that Art Donovan knew nothing about pro wrestling.

Fun Fact III: This show marks the final PPV appearance for referee Joey Marella, who is the son of Gorilla Monsoon. Marella tragically passed away two weeks later on July 4th when he fell asleep at the wheel and crashed. Harvey Whippleman was in the car with him and was seriously injured in the crash.

Quarterfinals:

### 1) Razor Ramon defeats Bam Bam Bigelow with a reverse slam off the top rope at 8:24

Qualifying Matches:

Razor Ramon defeated Kwang

Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Sparky Plugg

Fun Fact: This is second straight year Razor Ramon is in the opening KOTR match.

### Scott:

We begin our second annual tournament with a battle of favorites. Razor is coming off the epic ladder match victory over Shawn Michaels, then a loss a month later to Shawn's bodyguard Diesel. Now he may be moving up in the world with a tournament win and a possible main event slot. Bigelow was top notch in last year's tournament, getting to the final and losing to Bret Hart in a classic match. This match is ok, with lots of power moves and typical Bigelow deliberate offense. Bigelow gets a Razor in a backbreaker to attempt to finish him off but instead he heads to the top rope to try his moonsault. What he doesn't see is Razor gets up and goes underneath Bigelow to powerbomb him off the top for the victory. That was a pretty cool ending to a standard match, and Razor moves on to the semifinals, perhaps an early favorite.

### JT:

As we arrive in Baltimore for the second annual King of the Ring, the New Generation of the WWF has officially taken over the company. With Hulk Hogan now just a distant memory, Vince McMahon decided to focus on a new batch of younger stars to lead him into the second half of the decade. And speaking of McMahon, he is out of the booth here for the first time since last year's tournament as he was currently battling the US Government over steroid distribution. With McMahon out, Gorilla Monsoon is back in and he is joined by Randy Savage and NFL legend Art Donovan. It was a neat idea to have a local legend in the booth and he would certainly add some color to the broadcast. Our opening match features one of the heavy favorites in Razor Ramon taking on the man who nearly won the crown a year ago in Bam Bam Bigelow. After unifying the Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania, Ramon surprisingly lost the title to Diesel on Superstars, leaving him naked around the waist as he enters the ring. Bigelow is accompanied by Luna Vachon as always and finally has the Doink nonsense well in his rear view mirror as he looks to get things back on track. Despite the title loss, the Bad Guy was still wildly over with the fans and he has really established himself as a key player in the future of the company. Just like a year ago, Savage was all over the time limits here, issuing a reminder right away. Bammer would deck Razor off the bell as the Bad Guy was distracted by Luna. Bigelow worked swiftly, mixing in some trash talk as he worked Ramon over with a slam, a headbutt and a legdrop. In our first awkward interaction of the night, Savage instructs Art to hold his hand and he will help him get through the night. Bigelow would miss a dive off the top, giving Razor an opening to lay in some right hands. He followed it by crotching Bammer against the ring post and hitting a bulldog off the middle rope for a near fall. I am really digging the pace here as they are squeezing a lot into a short amount of time. Bigelow would try to come back with an enziguri, but Razor ducked it and laid in a stiff clothesline, but momentum swung again as Bammer propelled him over the top on a charge attempt. The crowd really tried to rally Razor as Bigelow laid in more headbutts and finally hit the enziguri for a two count. He would go for the kill by hoisting Razor into a torture rack, a move so vicious that Art wondered if Razor was dead, but alas Ramon held on. He would slip down and take Bigelow over with a back suplex and then pepper the big man with right hands. Razor has gotten damn good at showing babyface fire, especially after an aggressive bodyslam that popped the crowd. Bigelow would block a top rope back suplex attempt with a stiff back elbow and then headed up top for the moonsault, but Razor popped up and powerbombed him down to the mat for the win. That was a really hot finish with a great bump and the crowd loved it. I dug that whole match as it only slowed down once and that was even a well worked and unique spot. These guys has good chemistry for sure. Razor advances and Bigelow heads home.

### 2) IRS defeats Mabel after a missed splash at 5:34

Qualifying Matches:

IRS defeated Scott Steiner

Mabel defeated Pierre

Fun Fact I: This is Mabel's first PPV singles match as Mo was currently out of action due to an injury.

Fun Fact II: Scott Steiner's qualifying match against IRS would be the final appearance of both Steiner Brothers.

### Scott:

I didn't like the prospects of this match one bit. IRS is a top flight worker in the ring, but I couldn't stand Men on a Mission as a tag team. Now I have to watch the biggest and least talented guy of the bunch wrestle in singles matches? The commentary of this show is absolutely unlistenable. I know Art Donovan is funny and some of the one-liners are quite hilarious but to watch the show from beginning to end it's terrible. Gorilla eventually starts ignoring him and talks directly to Savage. In Gorilla's defense, without Vince around the pre-production seems very haphazard. Art keeps asking who people are in mid-match and completely disrupts the commentary flow as they are trying to call the match. The match goes at a snail's pace as IRS really can't do much to Mabel in terms of moves so the entire match is choppy and slow. Fortunately we get the right finish when Mabel tries to go to the second rope for something, a splash I guess. IRS shakes the ropes and Mabel falls. IRS just pins him (hooking the second rope with his arm too) and gets the win. That match was utter trash but at least the right person advanced to the next round.

### JT:

With his partner on the shelf, Mabel gets a crack at a singles run. It is clear the company saw more in him than Mo, so this was a decent chance at a test run for the big man, if nothing else. IRS is still doing his thing, running down the crowd and Mabel, lobbing his accusations of tax evasion. Since losing to Razor Ramon at the Rumble, he really hasn't been doing much of note at all. I still can't believe how much I have enjoyed these MOM entrances since they debuted. The crowds really dig them and the beat is insanely catchy. Even though it seemed like they wanted to push Mabel a bit, the result here seemed pretty straightforward based on Razor advancing earlier. Mabel started hot, running IRS into the corner and then slamming him as Art fretted over the weight differential between the two. Gorilla also showed his age by saying "Oops, there it is!" This may be the most out of touch commentary team in WWF PPV history. Art would then proceed to mistake Oscar for a doctor. After a quiet start, he is really getting heated up. IRS finally found a hole with a flying clothesline. With Mabel down, IRS went on the attack with some elbows but then seemed a bit stuck on how to proceed. His dawdling almost cost him as Mabel somehow hooked an inside cradle for a near fall! IRS caught him after kicking out and locked in a rear chinlock to grind things to a halt. Mabel would eventually fight to his feet and break the hold, followed by a flurry of offense. The big guy has really dominated this one, picking up a couple more near falls along the way. Mabel would slam IRS down hard but took too long posing on the second rope. IRS recovered and shook the ropes, causing Mabel to fall to the mat. Irwin would hook the ropes and cover with the worst looking pin cover in history, as he basically just laid next to him, but it was enough to steal the win. That really wasn't as bad as you would think, especially considering Mabel took 85% of the offense, but that doesn't mean it approached any sort of good. It was short enough too, but the finish was pretty weak and honestly this is one case where a countout or something would have been welcome. IRS moves ahead to a Royal Rumble rematch.

### 3) Owen Hart defeats Tatanka with a reverse sunset flip at 8:18

Qualifying Matches:

Owen Hart defeated Doink

Tatanka defeated Crush

Fun Fact I: This was Tatanka's first pinfall loss on PPV. His first loss altogether happened on Superstars in October 1993 at the hands of Ludvig Borga.

Fun Fact II: Owen Hart was supposed to face Earthquake in his Qualifying Match, but it was reported Earthquake had been injured by Yokozuna at a house show. Quake would not appear on TV again for a long time, as he would pop in WCW as Avalanche at Halloween Havoc.

### Scott:

Now this is a quarterfinal match I can get into. Two solid workers who both can be construed as favorites will battle for a slot in the semifinals. It would seem this was tailor made right now for Owen to win this tournament considering the events of WrestleMania, but it is interesting to see the path he takes. Tatanka doesn't have Owen's wrestling chops but he does his best to counter the heel pace as best he can. They don't get a ton of time to tell a story but just enough to keep the Baltimore crowd entertained. The commentary is getting worse, particularly when it sounds like Savage is really trying his hardest to put the matches and the talent over, and Art Donovan is just butting in with nonsense while Gorilla is doing his best to just rattle off the play-by-play like he always did. It's obvious that Gorilla isn't connecting to the product like he did in the 80s and even just a couple of years before. It makes this show very hard to listen to and watch. In any event, Owen wins clean when he wraps Tatanka up while reversing a Sunset Flip attempt. Owen moves on to the semifinals in a fun match and expectedly moves on to the next round.

### JT:

After a long undefeated streak that didn't really go very far as far as title success, he is now starting to live the life as a normal mid card star, meaning he would trade wins for losses on a regular basis. Here he feels like just another guy in many ways, a far cry from a year ago when you wondered how he could be eliminated from the tournament without suffering that loss. He squares off here against the red hot Owen Hart in the opening round. The Rocket is still living the good life after upsetting his brother at WrestleMania and is now obsessed with equaling Bret's accomplishments, starting with the King of the Ring. It was a good hook for him heading into the tournament and added a nice story to the show. Tatanka went right at Owen, rocking him into the corner and hitting a snap suplex for some near falls. Not sure if this was the intent, but it would make sense that Tatanka was working fast against the time limit after his experience a year ago. As Owen grabbed a side headlock, Art questioned Tatanka's weight. Just listen to the announcer during his introductions, Arto! Owen tried to grab control but Tatanka kept outworking him at every turn, landing on his feet when Owen chucked him to the floor and then dragging the Rocket outside and hammering away. Owen finally blocked a right hand and shoved the Native American into the post to stop him cold. Owen kept on top of Tatanka, landing his biggest blow with a nice missile dropkick for a two count. Art is really impressed with this one. Gorilla was starting to get into a groove too, breaking down an Owen chinlock in a way that made it seem pretty effective. He would then blow off an Art question as Owen hooked in a sleeper. The Rocket couldn't find a way to put Tatanka down for three and it was looking like he had run out of time as Tatanka went into his war dance to set up his comeback. As he danced around the ring, Tatanka unloaded with a series of chops and nailed a DDT and a top rope chop for a pair of close near falls. That was followed by a big powerslam but just when it looked like Hart was cooked, he sat down on a sunset flip attempt and cradled Tatanka down for the win. That was another great finish. Tatanka had this thing won, but Owen sneaks out a win, similar to how he did it at Mania, and similar to how his brother would always sneak out wins at the darkest times. This was a perfectly acceptable wrestling match, which I guess you could also say is a bit disappointing in some ways. Owen's quest rolls on.

### 4) 1-2-3 Kid defeats Jeff Jarrett with a small package at 4:39

Qualifying Matches:

1-2-3 Kid defeated Adam Bomb

Jeff Jarrett defeated Lex Luger

### Scott:

Our last quarterfinal match pits two guys I wasn't a fan of at all. The Kid was a solid underdog but I didn't see his allure even as a mid-card guy. Being an underdog can only take you so far before you're not taken seriously anymore. I like Jeff Jarrett overall but this original country singer gimmick really did nothing for me. I think it took away from him being a solid worker with a gimmick that didn't scream "lower mid-card". The match is super short with a spot-by-spot assembly line, but the worst part is the predictability. We are still clearly in the era of kayfabe, so heels must wrestle babyfaces and since Owen Hart won the previous match, the Kid had to win, and indeed he hooks Jarrett into a small package for the "upset" victory. Jarrett was more deserving of the win because he's a more bankable guy (even with the crappy gimmick) but we couldn't have heels facing heels. So Owen Hart takes on the "upset-minded" 1-2-3 Kid, who took a post-match beating from Jarrett, in the semifinals.

### JT:

For the first time in his WWF career, Jeff Jarrett gets a singles match on PPV. Heading into the show he felt like a potential favorite to advance a round or two, but as the dominos fell, it started to seem iffy for Double J. The 1-2-3 Kid has been a nice steadying force in the midcard, growing more and more confidence and seeming like much less of an underdog since a year ago at this time. Art was sure to comment on Jarrett's strong tan during his entrance and Gorilla followed that by ripping Jarrett for guaranteeing victory. Jarrett looked to make good on that promise as he jumped Kid and viciously sent him careening into the turnbuckles. Kid was able to float over a charge and get a near fall but Jarrett clubbed him right back down. I love Gorilla, but Savage is really holding this announce team together, which shows how far he has come. As Jarrett continued to work over the Kid you could feel his confidence brimming, well at least until Kid dodged a dropkick and got another near fall. Jarrett steadied the ship and hit a suplex but Kid came back with a spin kick and slam. He quickly scurried to the top but came up empty on a senton splash attempt. Kid again came back and again headed up top, but this time Jarrett caught him right a right hand. Kid would avoid a superplex and hit a high cross body for two and suddenly Jarrett was reeling. Kid tried another high risk maneuver, but Jarrett dodged his leaping dropkick and sent him flying into the corner. As a result, Art lets us know that Double J is a "cutie". Jarrett regained his balance and started to work the leg but as he went for the figure four, Kid reached up and cradled him for the upset win. And speaking of upset, a pissed off Jarrett wrecked Kid with three stiff piledrivers after the bell. That was a pretty fun sprint of a match with good heat and Kid's comebacks were well done. I also enjoyed how Jarrett's arrogance ebbed and flowed and finally caught up with him. Kid rounds out the semifinals but it is now up in the air whether or not he will make it back out.

### 5) Diesel defeats Bret Hart by disqualification at 22:51; Bret Hart retains WWF World Title; Diesel's Intercontinental Title was not on the line

Fun Fact I: On the 5/30 Raw, Shawn Michaels, Diesel & Bret Hart all appeared on the King's Court. Diesel & Michaels jumped the Hitman and laid him out with a Jackknife to set the stage for this match. To help thwart Shawn's antics at ringside, Bret promised that he would have a family member in his corner at the PPV. Rumors swirled from Stu to Bruce to the British Bulldog. It ended up being quite the surprise, however, as Bret's former Tag Team partner Jim Neidhart came out to second him during the match. This is Neidhart's first PPV appearance since the 1992 Royal Rumble.

Fun Fact II: Diesel defeated Razor Ramon for the Intercontinental Championship on April 13 in Rochester, NY. The match would air on the 4/30 Superstars.

Fun Fact III: Bret Hart's new theme music debuts here. It would be the song he uses for the remainder of his WWF career.

### Scott:

Our mid-show main event is the first of what will be a four match series between two guys who would be the face of the company for the next couple of years. What normally was just put in to fill a PPV Title match slot became a really fun match between two guys of differing styles. Diesel was an imposing presence but obviously didn't have the in-ring acumen a guy like Bret Hart has. So on paper you assume this is going to be a dull, sloppy match. Well after some beginning work by Bret, Diesel would begin to work the champion over. The commentary was still abysmal, although "Arto Dono" didn't butt in as much as the later matches. I still feel like Gorilla is not totally in tune with the guys and the product right now, but he does call this match pretty well. He is also a well documented Bret Hart guy, so he's personally invested in this one. Now as I'm watching I see a change in this match from a typical formulaic match. It's Bret that's dictating, even as a face and Diesel is getting worked over. More than a face champion would normally dictate tempo. Diesel would switch momentum with a knee to the gut and then a cranking of the neck. Jim Neidhart, who made his return in the pink and black, is shadowing Shawn Michaels in the corner outside. Bret then regains the momentum with a sleeperhold. Bret is doing an excellent job of using moves that would paralyze a bigger opponent. Bret takes a good beating from Diesel's power moves, and the crowd maybe sensed that an upset could have happened at any time. Diesel puts over his cache of power moves, and goes with Bret's match flow and it really makes what could have been a mess into a really fun championship match. Could Diesel have won? Eh, probably not. He's already IC Champion and there were more dogs in that fight. At one point Diesel stands over a prone Hitman, and Bret grabs Diesel's legs and on his back sets up the Sharpshooter. Shawn hits Bret with the title belt with the ref not looking and when Diesel goes for the pin Bret kicks out. Eventually Neidhart just randomly runs in and beats on Diesel, causing Bret's disqualification. Clearly a very bizarre ending because Neidhart just runs off and doesn't come back to help out Bret when he's getting lathered by Michaels and Diesel. The ending is kind of crappy, but there's a method to that madness later on in the show. Bret retains the title, but loses the battle.

### JT:

The Era of the Hitman is finally upon us and his first major challenge is against a suddenly hot star on the rise. Just as recently as January, Diesel looked like a bit player for life. A guy that would always be locked in as nothing more than a heavy for smaller competitors. But, something clicked after the Royal Rumble and Big Daddy Cool started to gain some momentum. Things crested after Mania when he upset Razor Ramon for the Intercontinental Title on Superstars. With Shawn Michaels taking time off to rest his body, the roles would be reversed and he would be backing up his bodyguard as the big man was lined up for a shot at the big gold. The build was well done as Diesel pasted Hart with a Jackknife on Raw. Knowing that Michaels would be in the corner of his challenger, Hart vowed to have a family member in his corner to help counter the Heartbreak Kid. Rumors brought up some pretty interesting names, but it ended up being the Hitman's former tag team partner Jim Niedhart, which was a nice surprise and a fine choice for storyline purposes. Diesel was calm and collected as the match got underway and there definitely was some curiosity surrounding the finish of this one. Diesel was red hot and him winning more gold didn't seem that far fetched. The two men started with trading big blows in the corner, showing the crowd that this would be an aggressive battle. After some hard shots, Diesel would miss a charge and allow Bret to go right to work, cracking him with an elbow and going to work on the lower body. Diesel survived the onslaught and caught Hart with a bodyslam but whiffed an elbow, letting Bret go right back on the attack. As Gorilla made a great point about this being a no-lose situation for Diesel, the big man found an opening abut again his offense was short-lived as he missed another charge. Bret went right back to the legs again, prepping for the Sharpshooter. The crowd popped big as Hart wrenched in a figure four in the dead center of the ring, but thanks to Diesel's size he was able to reach the ropes for the break. I should also note how active Michaels has been at ringside, jumping like crazy after every big move. Diesel was able to buy some time by kicking Bret to the floor, but the Hitman expertly baited him to the ropes and then yanked him down and rattled his leg into the post. Great psychology. However, Bret got caught with his head down, which allowed Michaels to drill him with a hard clothesline. Neidhart would chase Michaels around but Shawn was too quick and avoided being caught.

Back inside, Diesel's power finally came into play as he just hoisted Bret into a bear hug and rammed him hard to the corner. He would go back to the bear hug, trying to both wear down Bret while also catching his breath. However, Bret slithered free and knocked Diesel to the floor with a dropkick from behind. The crowd is super into this and I don't blame them as it has been a lot of fun. Bret would make his first big mistake of the bout when he celebrated for a moment and then came up empty on a slingshot dive to the floor. That allowed Diesel to run him into the post and go right to work on the back again, playing up the injuries from the Raw attack. The challenger was very focused in the attack, really wearing the champ down, staying as targeted as possible. With Diesel hoisting Bret into a hanging backbreaker, Michaels snuck up and stripped off the turnbuckle pad as the referee was tied up with Neidhart. Bret would escape and slide onto Diesel's back, hooking on a sleeper, but the staggered challenger broke the hold. The chicanery would then backfire as Bret rammed Diesel into the exposed buckle and then started to slug away with big right hands, rocking the big man. This feels like a big time fight, just as Savage said. Bret started into his standard attack and finally went for the Sharpshooter after a bulldog from the middle rope. Before he could hook it, Michaels hopped on the apron, but Hart sent him flying back into the guardrail. Hart would grab near falls on a clothesline out of the corner and a small package and it was clear that Diesel was really out on his feet. Bret wriggled free from a Snake Eyes attempt but ate a boot a moment later and it was time to wonder if the Hitman missed his opening as Diesel now had his wind back. However, the challenger made a rookie mistake, posing over the Hitman, who used his positioning to take Diesel down and hook the Sharpshooter. After a rope break, Bret knocked Diesel back to the floor, but with Earl Hebner yelling at him, Michaels snuck in from behind and decked Hart with the title. Bret kicked out of that and looked done after a Jackknife, but Neidhart hit the ring and clotheslined Diesel to draw the DQ and save Hart's title. Well, it tough to take that finish after such a fun match but it was their best out. Diesel was so hot, you couldn't beat him and the belt needed to stay on Hart. Plus, there will be more to this than meets the eye. And that starts right away as Neidhart storms off angrily while Michaels and Diesel pummeled Bret in the ring. That was a fantastic match from start to finish, with really smart work, great selling, well timed comebacks and a rocking crowd. Michaels and Neidhart were good additions at ringside and Savage and Gorilla were tremendous in calling it. Diesel really showed he could go if he had the right guy out there with him and these two clicked immediately. Bret takes the loss and a beating, but he still has his gold.

Semifinals:

### 6) Razor Ramon defeats IRS with the Razor's Edge at 5:11

### Scott:

We head back into the tournament for our first semifinal match. If it was the feeling that Owen Hart was going to win this, then it was quite predictable for Razor to win this Royal Rumble rematch. After the drawn out, protracted story of Bret/Diesel this match wasn't going to be very long and sure enough Razor takes less time to take IRS out than in their first encounter in January. I also love how whenever they go in back for a Todd Pettingill interview, Todd acknowledges Savage and Gorilla, but not poor Arto Dono. Incidentally this show can be called the "reverse chinlock" PPV, as there's seemingly two or three moments per match where one is being executed. Razor gets the win and moves on to the final.

### JT:

And we are in to the semifinals now as Razor Ramon struts to the ring, ready to face his arch rival IRS for a chance to advance to the finals. IRS took control right away, hammering Razor in the corner and taking him down with a backbreaker. He would try a charge but Razor ducked and Irwin flew over the top rope and to the floor. Ramon followed him out and spiked him into the steps. As useless as Art has been, he has helped put over the big spots by yelling wildly in excitement and/or shock when they happen. IRS would take back over in the ring, landing a back elbow and hooking in a reverse chinlock. As the hold wore on, the announcers debated whether or not 1-2-3 Kid would show up for his match and Art was adamant that he wouldn't. Razor fought through the hold and made a quick comeback, tossing IRS around the ring by his tie. Irwin came back with a clothesline, but Ramon battled back and hit a quick Razor's Edge to win the match and reach the finals. Totally paint by numbers here and about as bland as you can be.

*** Backstage, Bret Hart angrily searches from Jim Neidhart but can't locate him. Elsewhere, Todd Pettengil lets us know he cannot locate the 1-2-3 Kid for a prematch interview. ***

### 7) Owen Hart defeats 1-2-3 Kid with the Sharpshooter in 3:34

### Scott:

The storyline here is whether the Kid can come back from the beatdown he suffered at the hands of Jeff Jarrett after his win in the previous round. Sure enough he comes out very slowly and Owen attacks him quickly with a baseball slide to the floor. They spend the next scant few minutes throwing spots at each other, and immediately you think they should have been given at least another three minutes to really tell a decent story. Instead Kid hits spots to give the fans hope but Owen kicks out of a last second roll up and steals his brother's finisher, the Sharpshooter, to get the victory and move on to face Razor Ramon in the finals. Too short to really grade it one way or another, but with some more time it could have been a show stealer.

### JT:

As Owen Hart made his way out, questions continued to swirl whether the Kid would make it out to the ring after the beating Jarrett gave him earlier. Art outdoes himself by asking how much Owen weighs even though we already saw him and discussed weights earlier. After a long delay, the Kid does indeed emerged, limping and looking a bit disoriented. Owen showed that he was not fucking around at all here as he wrecks Kid with a baseball slide dropkick before he can even get in the ring. He followed that with a dive into him and then pitched him back inside for a near fall after a splash off the top. Kid reversed a whip and tried actually hit a moonsault but Owen slipped out of the pin. Kid stayed hot, peppering the shocked Owen with kicks but a Hart enziguri ended the good feelings. Kid came back again and got a Nothern Lights suplex into a bridge for a super close near fall that was broken by Owen getting his foot in the ropes. Hart would bail to the floor but Kid slammed into him with a somersault senton. Back inside, Owen blocked a spin kick with a German suplex, followed by a belly-to-belly. Kid continued to push the pace but he was cut short by a powerbomb. Owen followed with the Sharpshooter and that was all she wrote. What a match. They only had three and a half minutes but they never stopped at all. That is a spring. Kid was game and had a great showing in there but Owen was a step ahead and averted a bad loss to move one step closer to his goal.

### 8) Headshrinkers defeat Crush & Yokozuna to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Samu pins Crush with a superkick at 9:30

Fun Fact I: The Headshrinkers defeated the Quebecers for the titles on the May 2 episode of Raw. The Quebecers then disappeared, only to show back up for one last rematch with the Samoans on the KOTR "Countdown to the Coronation" show on June 12th. The Shrinkers had turned face right after WrestleMania and took on Capt. Lou Albano as a co-manager in another nice bit of continuity, as Albano had managed the original Wild Samoans to the tag titles in the 80s.

Fun Fact II: We say farewell to the Quebecers. Their final PPV was at WrestleMania X, but the tag team stayed with the WWF until mid 1994. The team would defeat the tag team champions, the Headshrinkers, at a show in Hull, Quebec on June 24, and 24 hours later would get a title shot in Montreal, which they lost. Following the match, the pair argued about the loss and Pierre turned on Jacques. This would lead to a retirement match for Jacques that would be held on October 21 in Montreal. The Quebecers finish with a 1-2 PPV record with a win at Royal Rumble 1994 and losses at Survivor Series 1993 and WrestleMania X

### Scott:

With our tournament final set, we have our second title match of the night as the new babyfaces and champions take on Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette's dangerous combo. Of course the first thing anybody probably said was that Yokozuna was being pushed down the card after losing the WWF Title at WrestleMania. Frankly I still think he's a top flight heel, but this is a great tag team put together. I was never a fan of babyface Headshrinkers, and on top of it back comes the ancient Captain Lou Albano to glom onto another tag team to pad his stats as manager of 500 tag team champions. It might be my NWA bias in this case because this team was awesome as the Samoan Swat Team. The match is standard tag team fare and when Yoko hit a leg drop on Fatu I thought the titles were about to change hands. However out comes Lex Luger, conspicuous by his absence on this show, to distract the evil foreigners and leading to the Headshrinkers retaining their championships. I was honestly expecting a change here and that Yoko would have gold around his waist again. Maybe he was being shunted down the card and that's a shame. Perhaps he should have got his rematch with Bret Hart here in some kind of stipulation match and Bret could have ended the feud for good. Two final things come from this: Luger's absence from the card, and NEVER do I want to see Lou Albano dressed like an Islander, complete with skirt.

### JT:

We have had quite the change in the tag division since our last PPV outing. Over the spring, the Quebecers were sad toppled and they subsequently would leave the promotion, shattering my heart in the process. The Headshrinkers were the team that took the gold and they turned face in the process, picking up legendary manager Capt. Lou Albano along the way. Albano had been scouting teams (or in my eyes, seeing who he could glom on to for another title line on his resume) and helped his former charge Afa guide the savages to the straps. Their challengers here is the tandem of Yokozuna and Crush, two stablemates led by Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji. Yoko is out of the WWF Title picture for the first time since he debuted and this was a solid enough slot to drop him into. The Headshrinkers did get popular pretty quickly and they certainly deserved a run with the gold, as they worked a fun style and had been entertaining us with hard hitting squashes since their debut. Crush had some pretty sharp looking tights here with the red dominating the fabric. All four men brawled early and we got some headbutt battles hat eventually drove Yoko and Crush to the floor. Things settled back down with Samu taking the fight to Yoko. He would try a slam, that didn't quite work, but Samu kept bringing the fight until knocking Yoko to the floor once again. The match would reset with Fatu and Crush squaring off, but again Crush targeted the head, which backfired, leading to a Fatu piledriver. The Samoan followed with a headbutt off the middle rope but the tide swung when Fuji smacked him with his flag. Man, if you add Frenchy Martin to the mix of Fuji and Albano at ringside, I may just turn the TV off and call it a day. Art marveled at Yoko's size as he tagged in and crushed Fatu with a legdrop. The challengers started to take their time, tagging in and out and laying in power moves to keep Fatu grounded. Fatu would slip free of Crush and finally make the hot tag, leading to a big Samu clothesline that actually put Yoko on his back. A brawl would ensue with both Shrinkers sending Yoko to the floor with superkicks. Things fell apart when Yoko ran Fatu into the ring post, causing Samu to lose his balance and crotch himself on the top. Crush took him over with a superplex and Yoko followed with a legdrop but before Crush could cover, Lex Luger showed up and started to jaw with the bug Hawaiian. Luger had been feuding with Crush and it was Crush that caused him to lose his KOTR qualifying match. While Crush was distracted and the crowd chanted "USA", Fatu caught Crush with a superkick to win the match. After the bell, Crush and Luger tussled, leading to a big brawl in the ring. This was a decent enough brawl with a few power nice spots and some good double team offense from both sides. The Shrinkers really had the crowd behind them here too, which was good to see. The Luger/Crush war wages on while Yoko now has to regroup and move on to something else. The Samoans keep their hold on the gold.

Finals:

### 9) Owen Hart defeats Razor Ramon with a top rope elbowdrop at 6:34

### Scott:

Even though kayfabe ruled, this was a great finals match to put together. One year earlier the workers were reversed, as it seems like so long ago that Razor attacked Owen during an interview before the 1993 Royal Rumble when Razor faced Bret for the World Title. Here things are very different. Both men wear close to the same color as Razor continues to rock the odd lavender tights/boots combo. By this time Gorilla is totally ignoring Donovan, making poor Randy Savage to not be the asshole by letting Arto Dono to twist in the wind. For the first of two straight PPVs, the penultimate match on the card probably should have been the main event, regardless if a face or heel wins. This match is cruelly short and once again didn't get a chance to really tell a story. The match wasn't bad, and then we see the logic of what Jim Neidhart did earlier in the show by getting Bret Hart disqualified in their championship match. He comes out and helps Owen Hart defeat the Bad Guy and become the second King of the Ring. So Neidhart wanted to make sure Bret remained WWF Champion so little brother Owen can get his opportunity. Owen is awesome in the post-match coronation, yelling at Pettingill to get on his knees while he puts his robe and crown on his head. Razor really didn't need this tournament win anyway so having him in was really just to legitimize Owen as a top flight guy. Owen taking the moniker "King of Harts" is classic and he will ride it for the next couple of years. The match is good, not great, but the choice for King is perfect.

### JT:

And here we are, time for the finals, time to determine the second official PPV King of the Ring winner. Can The Bad Guy bounce back from his tough spring? Or can Owen fulfill his goal and match the accomplishments of his brother? The two locked up off the bell with Razor landing the first blow with a right hand. Ramon kept the pressure on, dominating the action. He swatted an Owen dropkick and hit a slingshot into the corner for a near fall. He continued to work Owen over, mixing in near falls while also wearing down Hart with a side headlock. Owen broke free and landed a pair of uppercuts before hooking in a robe aided abdominal stretch. Razor eventually worked out of it and countered a hip toss with a chokeslam for a near fall. He followed that with a fallaway slam but Owen used his agility to flip free and hit a Russian leg sweep. Owen would get caught up top and Razor took him over with a back superplex. As he teased the Razor's Edge, Owen blocked it and backflipped him to the floor. With Owen tying up the referee, Jim Neidhart came out, feigned checking on Ramon and then planted him with a stiff clothesline. He would chuck Razor into the post and pitch him into the ring, allowing Owen to hit an elbow drop from the top for the win and the crown. After the match, Owen and Neidhart wiped out Ramon, planting him with a Hart Attack. That was some tremendous story weaving, as Anvil had been tied in with Owen the whole time. Razor was game and had this thing in control, but Owen fittingly steals the win and has achieved his goal of matching another notch from his brother's legacy. The coronation was really good too and the King gimmick was made for a sniveling heel like Owen, who would know be known as the King of Harts. Tack on an angry Macho Man ranting in the booth while simultaneously freezing out Arto, and we cap off a really fun tournament in style.

*** Owen Hart is crowned King in a coronation on the podium with Jack Tunney and Todd Pettengil hosting the ceremony. Hart refuses to let Tunney present the cape and crown, instead demanding that his buddy and family member Neidhart do so. Owen would then coin himself the "King of Harts" as Savage wonders if Neidhart and Owen set Bret up, having Neidhart ensure Bret kept the title so Owen could win it from him. Time will tell. ***

### 10) Roddy Piper defeats Jerry Lawler with a Roll Up at 12:14

Fun Fact I: This build for this match began at WrestleMania X where Piper served as the guest referee in the WWF championship match and Lawler was on commentary. Following WrestleMania, Piper began an interview segment on WWF TV called The Bottom Line, similar in nature to Lawler's King's Court. Lawler took offense to this new segment and began ridiculing Piper whenever on TV. On the June 6th episode of RAW, Lawler brought out a scrawny kid dressed like Piper to the King's Court. During the segment, the kid did a dead-on impersonation of Piper, where he begged the King not to fight him in the ring and the drop the match. The segment ended with the kid getting down on his knees and kissing Lawler's feet. Heading into the match, Piper stated he would donate his end of the purse to a Toronto hospital for sick children. In true heel fashion, Lawler made it his goal to win and prevent the money from being donated.

Fun Fact II: This is Roddy Piper's first PPV match since losing the Intercontinental Title to Bret Hart at Wrestlemania VIII. This is also the first time since the first Wrestlemania that Piper is led to the ring with a real band of bagpipe players.

### Scott:

Like I said a moment ago, the PPV should have ended with Owen's coronation and we are out. Sadly, we aren't. Why this feud was even thought of I can't understand. Then again Jerry Jarrett was running things while Vince McMahon was on trial, so I can understand. This is a typical Jerry Lawler feud during a good hunk of his days in Memphis. Not that Lawler was a bad wrestler but he was way past his prime here and although Piper was in pretty good shape he hadn't really wrestled in over two years. The buildup was pretty much Lawler on his "King's Court" segments ripping Piper with an impersonator, and Piper cutting promos from his home in Canada. They meet here and as expected the prematch is Lawler on the mike degrading the Baltimore crowd and Piper. Then Hot Rod comes in and this match is twelve and a half minutes of punches, eye pokes and walking around. This should never have been put in the main event slot. I love both these guys, but at this stage this has no juice whatsoever. I have no issues with this feud being put together if they really wanted to use Piper in any kind of role but it could have easily been in the middle of the show. I believe if Vince was here, Owen's coronation would have ended the show. This match is a boring mess with not much in the way of action in the ring and the crowd (which loves Piper) is keeping the minimal energy up for that reason. In the climax, Lawler hits the piledriver but Piper kicks out. I don't think Piper would have come back to job to a part time wrestler. The two men continue to throw punches at each other, and then a ref bump. Because that's exactly what this match needed was a ref bump. Sure Lawler used a foreign object but he could have done that without a ref bump to stretch this match out further than it needed to be. He goes for the pin with his feet on the ropes but the Piper impersonator pushes Lawler's feet off the ropes. Piper hits a sloppy back suplex and an even sloppier pin attempt while the referee takes what seems like an hour counting to three. The match is an utter mess and although it has a happy ending, did not need to finish this show.

### JT:

After a hot show with a well built tournament and a damn good WWF Title match that were built on the backs of the New Generation, we hit our Main Event featuring a pair of stars from the past. I don't disagree with running this match on this show, but looking at the card and the future of the company, slotting this in the middle of the show may have made more sense. The build was decent enough and featured lots of talking from both men, with much of Piper's being done from random trailers and movie sets. There was some pretty good heat on Lawler, as he wanted to make sure no money goes to the sick kids' hospital, something Piper had vowed to do with his winnings. Lawler also featured and humiliated a young Hot Rod impersonator on an edition of the King's Court. Piper, who escorted by a live pipe and drum band, would bring the kid out with him here, landing a perceived mental blow to the King. Piper did look pretty great here and you know King could always work a match regardless of age, so as the bell rung there was some optimism that they could pull out a decent match to close the show. Piper was all over the King to start, choking him with his kilt and chucking him around the ring. Lawler would escape and head down the aisle, but Piper dragged him back and allowed his little buddy to poke the King in the eye. Piper didn't let up and as the minutes ticked away, Lawler still had zero offense to his credit. After a fun, nostalgia fueled start, things tapered off a bit and started to feel a bit like overkill as Piper just kept ducking, diving and punishing Lawler, who spent more time attacking the kid than the Hot Rod. I guess it was his gameplan though, as he finally caught Piper with some kicks when he tried to defend his doppelgänger. Lawler emptied his usual offensive bag of tricks, slowly picking Piper apart as the crowd started to fade a bit for the first time on the night. The King would hook a sleeper and Piper buckled down over the course of a minute or so. Lawler would release the hold and bury Piper with a piledriver, but the Hot Rod slipped out at two. Piper started to make his comeback by punching his way back into it and then riding Lawler down with a pair of bulldogs. A ref bump later, Lawler went to his tights and popped Piper with a foreign object, but the kid again got involved and helped save Piper from the loss. As Lawler jawed with him, Piper took Lawler over with a back suplex and got a weak pinfall for the win. Piper looked very gassed by the end of that one, but you can't blame him. This was exactly what you would expect it to be. I just can't be sure it happened at the right time when you consider the direction of the promotion. It was certainly a flat ending to what had been a very hot show. Piper would say farewell again, but will return soon enough. The King just keeps doing King things.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is an interesting show to grade because there are a few positives but there's also negatives that can't be ignored. Owen Hart's tournament victory was expected but still deserved and his speech with Pettingill having to kneel in front of him was tremendous. The big shocker was this WWF Title match between two very different workers that turned out to be such a fun match. Bret Hart made Diesel look like a million bucks and Diesel to his credit adapted and rolled with the punches. There are plenty of negatives, such as the abhorrent commentary and the fact that a Mr. Perfect/Lex Luger feud that started at WrestleMania didn't happen and Luger wasn't even on the show. Lou Albano and a babyface Headshrinkers was disappointing and the main event was a terrible booking decision that should not have ended the show. So you can highlight the positives and give this show a B+ or highlight the negatives and give it a D. We will grade this one right down the middle and prepare for a hot summer of Bret/Owen and the return of a superstar.

Final Grade:

### JT:

I really enjoyed reliving this show. The tournament was really well booked, with a few different threads weaving throughout it. There were no long matches like last year, but that was probably for the best at times. Still, we had a really classic sprint in Owen/Kid and a fun big battle in the opener. The World Title match was a great piece of business that featured really good wrestling and some fun storyline stuff too. The ongoing Hart Family saga wove right through this show and it was very well executed. The tag match was fine as well. I really dug the crowd here, as they were hot for just about everything. The commentary was also pretty good, for multiple reasons of course. I thought this was one of Randy Savage's best outings and he completely carried the team. You can tell the time he spent with Jim Ross had paid off. Gorilla was fine at times, if not a bit dated. And Art Donovan is Art Donovan. He was a mess at times but added a lot of laughs to the show. There really isn't much more to say about the main event, but again, it would have been better served to have taken place in the middle of the show and let Owen close things out with his fantastic coronation ceremony. The King of Harts has been crowned and the Hart Family war rages on!

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #79

# SummerSlam 1994: Hart Family Reunion

August 29, 1994

United Center

Chicago, Illinois

Attendance: 23,000

Buy Rate: 1.3

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Host: Randy Savage

Dark Match:

### Adam Bomb defeated Kwang

*** This is Randy Savage's last WWF PPV appearance. In October, he decided to not re-sign with the WWF, as Vince McMahon wanted him to stay in the commentary booth, while Savage felt like he still had plenty left in the tank as a wrestler. Vince gave Savage a nice send off on an October Raw, wishing him the best. Savage would show up on WCW Saturday Night in December, and remain there until 2000. He would have some good feuds and matches in WCW during his six year run, but watching this show you feel that his career is effectively over, since he was such a vital part of the WWF landscape since his debut in 1985. Savage had not appeared on live WWF/E TV since October of 1994. Savage would make a few appearances in TNA in 2004 before disappearing from wrestling altogether. His fractured relationship with WWE was on the mend as WWE released a DVD retrospective of his matches and Savage would appear as an action figure and in the WWE All Stars game. Sadly Savage's life came to an end in May 2011 when he suffered a heart attack while driving his car and crashed into a tree. It was a devastating blow to the business as one of its great icons was taken away from us far too soon. In 2015, Savage was finally inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. The Macho Man will never ever be forgotten as one of the true legends of this business. OHHHH YEAHHHH! ***

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) IRS and Bam Bam Bigelow defeat the Headshrinkers by disqualification at 7:18

Fun Fact I: This was originally for the tag team titles, but the Headshrinkers lost the titles to Shawn Michaels and Diesel on the August 28 house show in Indianapolis. The title change was mentioned for the first time on Live! With Regis and Kathy Lee, as Shawn and Diesel were guests on the show the morning of SummerSlam. Jerry Lawler mentions the title change at the top of the broadcast.

Fun Fact II: This is the first PPV appearance of the heel faction that was formed back in April, the Million Dollar Corporation. Ted DiBiase was brought back into the WWF as a manager in early 1994 after he had suffered a career ending injury in Japan in late '93. His initial recruits were Nikolai Volkoff and Bam Bam Bigelow. They were soon joined with DiBiase's old tag team partner, Irwin R. Schyster. DiBiase also began claiming that he would bring The Undertaker back after an absence from the company. On the June 11 episode of Superstars, DiBiase brought out his Undertaker (Brian Lee) during a segment of Heartbreak Hotel. The faction would continue to grow over the next few months, so stay tuned...

### Scott:

We open up this beautiful new building in the Windy City with a tag team match that was supposed to be a title match. The previous night at Market Square Arena the Headshrinkers lost the tag straps to Shawn Michaels & Diesel. On the other side of the ledger Ted DiBiase is starting a new heel faction called the Million Dollar Corporation. His first two guys are his former tag team championship partner IRS, and floating aimlessly heel Bam Bam Bigelow. Together they can help charge up the heel side of the ledger. Already with big time personalities like Owen Hart, Shawn Michaels and Diesel adding a faction to the mix can really boost what seems like a flat babyface side other that Bret Hart and Razor Ramon. DiBiase ditched his old removable tuxedo and now has this strange sequined cardigan sweater. I always thought that looked so strange. The match is typical tag team fare but this crowd is really jacked up. One sad moment to note, although at the moment we didn't know it; Out came Randy Savage to get the crowd pumped up before the show, but after that we never see him on PPV again. He would emerge in WCW a few months later. I thought the heels should have gone over clean to add some juice to this new group but instead we get a lame disqualification and random brawling in the ring. The heels do win, but a clean (or dirty) pinfall would have worked better.

### JT:

We open our seventh SummerSlam with our Master of Ceremonies Randy Savage making what would be his final WWF PPV appearance. Sad times for sure, but also a sign that we really are finally moving into a new era, led by a new generation of stars. Our opening bout was originally scheduled to have the tag team titles on the line, but the Headshrinkers dropped the straps to Shawn Michaels and Diesel two nights before this show. It ended a fairly inauspicious reign by the Samoans, and here they battle the foundation of the brand new Million Dollar Corporation. Since returning in January, Ted DiBiase has putted around the announce booth on various shows before eventually deciding to get into the managerial game. The whole thing started a sway to mock Nikolai Volkoff and torture Paul Bearer but soon enough, the Corporation expanded. Picking up IRS was a no brainer, as they are former tag team champions and running buddies. Bigelow was a nice grab as well, as he had a been a bit aimless lately. With Bammer hooking up with DiBiase, his main squeeze no longer accompanied him to the ring. Even though they lost their belts, that golddigger Lou Albano is still with the Headshrinkers here. I never really understood why DiBiase started wearing this odd velour tuxedo track suit mess instead of a legitimate suit or tux of some sort. Made him look a bit low rent. The Shrinkers are still presented as a top act here, even without their belts, as they get some dimmed lights during their entrance and are wearing giant headdresses as well. Bigelow and Fatu opened things up, tussling at SummerSlam for the second straight year. They would trade some heavy blows, with Bigelow landing the biggest ones, including an enziguri. Bammer went for the kill strike quickly but came up empty on his top rope headbutt. Samu would tag in and Bigelow would escape him long enough to tag in IRS, but that went poorly as Samu ran right through him. After avoiding a cross body, IRS charged wildly and ended up sailing over the top rope when Samu ducked. Irwin was a mess as the Samoans pinballed him back and forth, looking sharp and focused. Bigelow would turn the tide by yanking down the top rope, causing Fatu to crash hard to the floor but things were evened up right after when the two beasts collided in the middle of the ring. The crowd did their best to rally the Shrinkers as both men tagged out. Samu was on fire, running through both of DiBiase's charges with ease. After a double facebuster, Fatu hit a splash off the top on Fatu but the referee was tied up with DiBiase and couldn't count. Albano would get on the apron but Bigelow slugged him, drawing in Afa to start hammering away, drawing a DQ in the process. The Samoans would run off the Corporation and they would all brawl to the back as the crowd got riled up. I have never cared for that finish as I think the Shrinkers taking a loss here would have been fine. They could have played off the title change hangover and given Bigelow & IRS a strong victory to kick off their partnership. Either way, it was a fine match and the crowd was into it. Bigelow looked great as always and the Shrinkers stayed hot too. The question now is...which team will step up to the new champs?

### 2) Alundra Blaze defeats Bull Nakano to retain WWF Women's Title with a German Suplex at 8:15

Fun Fact I: This is the first time the Women's Title was contested at a SummerSlam.

Fun Fact II: This is the first, and sadly, last WWF PPV appearance for Bull Nakano. Bull would actually win the WWF Women's title from Blayze on November 27th, 1994 at the Egg Dome in Tokyo, and was interviewed at the Survivor Series. Originally, the plan was for her to feud with Bertha Faye while Blayze was out getting surgery, but she would be released in April 1995 after she was found with cocaine. Bull dropped the title back to Blayze on the 4/3 RAW. Bull would wrestle in Japan over the summer before joining WCW in the fall of 1995. She would stick around there for some time, reuniting with Madusa and had another solid feud with a great match at Hog Wild 1996. Bull stepped away from the ring in 1997 after a brief stint in Japan and became a professional golfer the following year. She would sporadically wrestle over the next few years, and would eventually make the LPGA tour in 2006. In January 2012, Bull officially retired from professional wrestling at the age of 44. Nakano had made her WWF TV debut by wrestling Blayze to a double count-out on the 8/1 Raw.

### Scott:

Our first title match of the evening is much more than just a placeholder match. These two have a burgeoning rivalry that has been going on domestically and eventually overseas as well. It may not be a large division but these two wrestle with some extra intensity that in 1994 you didn't see from women's wrestling in any division and certainly not in the WWF. Nakano is a beast who can really hit her power moves and then ties up Blayze with that awesome Sharpshooter-type submission move. Blayze battles back from it and eventually dodges a diving leg drop for the victory and retains the Women's Title. I actually was hoping the match was going to be a little longer because there was definitely a story to keep telling in this match. The feud doesn't end and the matches get better but on this night the champion retains.

### JT:

Up next is our first title match of the evening and for the first time since WrestleMania, the Women's Title is up for grabs. Alundra Blazye has really controlled the division but over the summer, Luna Vachon imported Japanese star Bull Nakano to take a run at the gold. Nakano actually had a brief run with the WWF in the late 80s, but that wasn't mentioned at all here. Bull had a great heel look and of course the vintage Orient Express theme music. They really worked to make Blayze look like a star as they rebuild this division, giving her a big cape and a somewhat dramatic introduction. Importing Bull was a good call with what was proven to be a dearth of American based talent available to bring in. The challenger wasted no time going at the champ, but Blayze came back with a dropkick, trying to work a fast pace. After dodging a second dropkick, Bull violently went to work, spiking Alundra hard to the mat by her head and then crushing her with a legdrop for a near fall. Blayze would survive a rear chinlock, but Bull kept the pressure coming, leaning on Blayze and just smashing her into the mat with abandon. The champ started to rally with a headscissors takeover but Bull caught her in a choke and then drilled her with a tree slam before hooking in a one armed Boston Crab. Bull continued to work the back, including an awesome looking surfboard style submission hold that bent the champ in half. The challenger continued to empty the playbook, but Blayze wouldn't give in and eventually came back with a flurry that again was cut short almost immediately. After a vicious clothesline, Alundra avoided a charge and tried another headscissors, but Bull countered to a powerbomb for a near fall. Bull would take her time heading up top, allowing Alundra to avoid a legdrop. After smacking Luna, Blayze took Bull over with the German suplex to grab the win to a huge pop. What a great match and the Chicago crowd seemed to agree. Blayze took a shit kicking but hung on until she found her opening, taking advantage of Bull's big error. This iteration of the women's division is a pretty far cry from the previous installment, at least to this point anyway. Bull looks to regroup but Alundra blazes on.

### 3) Razor Ramon defeats Diesel to win WWF Intercontinental Title after Shawn Michaels accidentally superkicks Diesel at 15:00

Fun Fact: Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels had been locked in a major feud over the IC title dating back to late 1993. Razor's ladder match win at WrestleMania X solidified him as the champ, until Shawn's bodyguard Diesel stepped into the picture. On the April 13 episode of Superstars, Ramon lost the championship to Diesel. The feud rolled through the summer with a rematch for the belt set for SummerSlam. To even the odds at ringside, Ramon enlisted the services of a notable Chicago star, Walter Payton, for the match.

### Scott:

Well with two Kliq members in the ring you know this will be a solid match. Big Daddy Cool was on the verge of being fired when 1994 began. A tremendous Rumble performance, a World Title shot and now he walks into Chicago with two belts around his waist. Razor has also had a great 1994. Successful title defenses throughout the first half of the year and even with the title loss he got to the finals of KOTR and now gets his rematch here. The only thing that gets a thumbs down involving the Bad Guy are those hideous yellow t-shirts the WWF made. My buddy Gary had one of those and they are truly horrendous. Razor comes out with a sequined tights and powder blue boots. I miss the heel red he wore in 1993. The crowd is crazy as Razor is seconded by former Bears great Walter Payton, wearing that aforementioned hideous t-shirt. The early part of the match is Diesel & Michaels double teaming Razor in different ways and a loose turnbuckle pad that's being bantered about by Vince and Lawler. Diesel then works in an abdominal stretch while Shawn helps with some extra leverage. Razor Ramon is a big guy but seeing him in peril against the bigger Diesel was a unique dynamic that actually worked. I don't know why because visually it's not that much a disparagement. I thought the Michaels' interference was a bit much and took away from what could have been a more highly rated match. Diesel has things in control, but Shawn for some reason wants to add his own exclamation point and goes for Sweet Chin Music but instead he boots Diesel in the face and Razor regains the IC Title. I really loved the match and from here we see the cracks in Diesel and Michaels' relationship. More on that in our next review but for now, the Bad Guy wins his third IC Championship.

### JT:

With Diesel and Shawn Michaels piling up gold, it was clear that big things were in store for both men. This feud has pretty much been raging since December and now Razor looks t finally regain the gold that was stolen from him back in April. Michaels had returned to action a few weeks before this show, but was kept in the cornerman role here anyway. Razor Ramon has Chicago Bear legend Walter Payton in his corner to help negate Michaels and also rally even more crowd support. Diesel looked pretty bad ass as he strutted out with two title belts held high up above his head. Sadly, not even Sweetness could make the awful yellow Razor shirt look bad ass. This felt like a big time match thanks to the lengthy build, the presence and importance of the gold and Payton being involved. Razor had some pretty snazzy tights here as they were a bit of a zebra pattern as opposed to the usual solid color. Razor brought the heat early, knocking Diesel outside to the delight of the fans. Diesel has really come a long way with his presence and attitude, a complete 180 from even WrestleMania. The confidence is really oozing from him now. The big man would get back in the ring and lay into Razor with tight strikes that focused on the lower back. Razor tried to battle back twice, but Diesel stopped him short with a clothesline and a back elbow. Shawn was really active at ringside as usual and you had to wonder if he could outwork Sweetness like he did Jim Neidhart back at King of the Ring. Diesel would cut off another comeback with a sleeperhold but the crowd rallied Razor to break it with a back suplex. However, the Bad Guy would make a mistake, trying a wild charge that ended with Diesel chucking him to the floor. As the referee was tied up with Diesel, Michaels tore off the turnbuckle pad, just as he had done many times before, including in the Superstars title change. As Michaels tried to stalk the challenger, Payton stepped in between and backed him off. However, Michaels used a ref diversion to fly around the ring and crack Ramon with a leaping clothesline. That was some great heel work. Just as Diesel was about to use the exposed buckle, Payton pointed it out to Earl Hebner, leading to the ref blocking the corner. However, after a Shawn distraction, Diesel flung Razor into the steel hard and then crunched him with a sidewalk slam and snake eyes. The dynamic between the tag champs is fantastic and has grown so much since Shawn took his sabbatical. Razor would escape another wear down hold but ate a big boot on another wild charge. Diesel would slow things down with an abdominal stretch, but Razor turned couldn't muster up much offense after reversing it. The cham would try another snake eyes, but Razor slipped free and shove Diesel into the exposed buckle. Ramon finally caught fire, tossing some heavy blows at Diesel. Everything hays been heavy handed and well delivered in this one. The crowd erupted as Razor hit a bulldog off this middle ope, but Diesel barely stayed alive. Razor would try for his back superplex, but Diesel elbowed his way out of it. The challenger would block a Jackknife but a Shawn distraction led to a Diesel flying shoulderblock. Michaels tried to strike again, grabbing the title belt, but Sweetness tied him up and yanked the belt away. With the referee tied up with Payton, Michaels snuck in the ring and tried to superkick Ramon, but Razor ducked and Shawn drilled his partner instead. As Payton neutralized Michaels, Razor covered and regained his gold as the crowd exploded. Man, that match is so good and the crowd again added to the atmosphere. Ramon did his best to hang on and having Payton in his back pocket paid off. Diesel would wake up and stalk after Michaels, screaming at him the whole way to the back. In the ring, Razor celebrated with Payton and his son Jarrett, future professional running back. That was really hard hitting and well put together, with good hope spots and a strong finish. Razor needed this win and gets his gold back in the process.

*** Backstage, Todd Pettengil interviews both Lex Luger and Tatanka, who continue to argue about who sold out. Per the fan opinion poll, 54% of voters believe Luger cashed in on DiBiase's offer. ***

### 4) Tatanka defeats Lex Luger with a roll up at 6:00

Fun Fact: This feud started when Ted DiBiase appeared on Monday Night Raw and announced that he had signed Lex Luger to be in his new Million Dollar Corporation. Luger's friend Tatanka went on record and announced he believed DiBiase. Over the next few weeks, Tatanka kept catching Luger in compromising situations, but Luger kept denying it. The two decided to square off here at the PPV to settle their issues. In a one of those classic unintentionally funny moments, Todd Pettingill is manning the WWF Superstar Line on this night and is asking fans if they thought Luger had sold out or not. Well, one astute young fan claimed he thought "Tatanka sold out," the phone was immediately cut off and the segment ended right away. Nice call screening. This is the second time this happened, as on the call-in portion of the Sunday Night Slam show the week before, a fan said Tatanka sold out.

### Scott:

Did he or didn't he? That was the crux of this storyline, whether Lex Luger has turned heel and joined Ted DiBiase's Corporation. It was such a believable storyline that the WWF Hotline polls all had fans thinking he did indeed switch sides. I was never sure either, but obviously there was a swerve in the works. It just had that feeling to it. Luger was still over as a face and even though I think he was awesome as the Narcissist there really wasn't any room on the heel side for a main eventer. However as I mentioned earlier there was room for a prominent member of the Corporation. The match is quick with Tatanka being the aggressor and going at the All-American. During the match out came Ted DiBiase with a bag of money, which distracts Luger and allows Tatanka to roll him up for the victory. But that's not the end of the story. DiBiase walks up to Luger with the bag of money but Luger knocks it out of his hand. Then Tatanka jumps Luger from behind and beats Luger down. It turns out it was indeed Tatanka who sold out and joined the Corporation. It made sense as Tatanka had become a pretty bland babyface. I think the best touch of them all was Tatanka slapping on the Million Dollar Dream as the final insult. That and shoving money in Luger's mouth. Maybe this was a chance to rebuild Luger's heat or was he just a foil for Tatanka's heel turn. Time will tell. The match was nothing but the aftermath is the real story.

### JT:

After weeks of build, it was finally time for good friends Tatanka and Lex Luger to go to war and settle their differences. Over the summer, Ted DiBiase had begun crowing about how he had signed Lex Luger, getting him to sell out. Tatanka spoke out against his friend, criticizing him and saying he believed DiBiase. Luger denied it and the match was set here. Even though his star power was very obviously dimming, Luger still got his fair share of cheers. Still, it is jarring to think about where he stands on the card this year vs. where he was twelve months earlier. It has been a quick descent down the card. It was kind of weird watching Tatanka go from the quiet, focused warrior to someone that is now so vocal and outspoken. After some feeling out, Luger landed the first solid blow with a shoulderblock that planted the Native American. Lawler was really churning the storyline here, pushing that Luger was a sell out. After getting a near fall on a cross body, Tatanka popped up and cracked Luger with a big chop to the chest, seemingly a warning shot of sorts. Luger came back with a flurry but missed an elbow drop. The crowd is a bit confused here, as called out by Vince, seemingly not knowing who to get behind. Tatanka really took over from there, grabbing a near fall off a tomahawk chop from the top rope. His run would end with a thud as he missed a dive off the top, but as Luger rallied, DiBiase made his presence known. Eschewing a torture rack attempt, Luger marched over and yelled at DiBiase as Ted pulled a handful of cash out of a duffle bag and waved it in front of him. With Lex distracted, Tatanka rolled him up and stole the win. After a brief argument, Tatanka jumped his buddy from behind, revealing that he had been the one to sell out from the start. The jig, it was up. Tatanka put a beating on Luger and then embraced his new manager before pounding Lex some more, hooking the Million Dollar Dream on, stuffing some cash in his former friend's mouth and eventually walking off a rich man. That post match beatdown was multiple times better than the match, which was short and aimless. While the fit seemed a bit off initially, Tatanka desperately needed to be freshened up. Once his streak ended, his shine dimmed a bit and he was clearly just meandering around the card. This gives him a new attitude and angle to work with. You could also argue the turn may have helped Luger just as much though. Anyway, the turn was pretty obvious to many, even though this 13 year old was pretty caught off guard, and even got tipped accidentally a few times as noted above.

### 5) Jeff Jarrett defeats Mabel after Mabel misses a butt drop at 5:54

### Scott:

I honestly have no idea why this match was put together. Jarrett is the Tatanka of the heel side going into tonight. A solid in-ring worker with a goofy gimmick that I think takes away from Jarrett's talent. Why for the love of all that is holy do we have to keep having Mabel in singles matches. I understand that Vince like big dudes, particularly ones that can become heels, but Mabel is pretty much just fat. Oscar has zero talent as a rapper so he brings nothing to the table. There's really not much more to say here, as the action is dreadful but mercifully short. Jarrett does get the win which is definitely the right move here. Let's just move on, there's honestly nothing more to see here.

### JT:

With Mo still on the shelf, the singles push for Mabel continues here. He hasn't been too successful, but they clearly liked him enough to give him PPV slots like this. Jeff Jarrett was really in an interesting spot too as he has potential and it seemed like they wanted to get him track, but he just hadn't found anything substantial to sink his teeth into yet. He really hasn't even had any sort of feud yet. This feud was billed as battle of different musical lifestyles, and that is illustrated by their entrances alone. After some theatrics from Jarrett, the match kicked off with Double J using his speed to dodge Mabel's attack. His hide and seek game quickly ended when Mabel dropped a big elbow on his back. Mabel would clothesline Jarrett to the floor, but as he came back in, he tripped Mabel up, taking him to the mat. With the big guy rattled, Double J kept taking to the air, hammering him with blows off the turnbuckles. However, he tried one time too many as Mabel caught him in a bear hug. Jarrett worked free and was able to leap on Mabel's back for a sleeper, eventually wearing him down. Jarrett is pretty good at working in some offense against a man so much bigger than him. Mabel came back with a spin kick for a near fall as we saw Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz patrolling the crowd and continuing to march on strike. Thing spilled outside, where Oscar slapped Jarrett and Mabel smashed into him. Back inside, Mabel tried a splash off the middle rope but Jarrett avoided doom. Jarrett would try for a sunset flip, but Mabel blocked it and tried to splash down on him. However, Jarrett outsmarted him and rolled away, causing Mabel to land hard on his ass. Jarrett would cradle him over and steal the win. I actually really dug the psychology here as Jarrett was clearly a step ahead of Mabel the whole time, using his speed advantage to avoid the big blows. Eventually, he found just enough of an opening to steal the much needed win.

### 6) Bret Hart defeats Owen Hart in a cage match to retain WWF World Title when he escapes the cage at 32:05

Fun Fact I: This show marked the return of the British Bulldog, who had spent all of 1993 in WCW.

Fun Fact II: This is the first cage match on PPV since the Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude title match at SummerSlam 1990.

Fun Fact III: Following Owen Hart's win at King of the Ring, it was announced on the July 16 episode of Superstars that the two Hart brothers would meet again, this time in a steel cage match. The barbs continued between the brothers and boiled over to other Hart family members leading up to the match. During a King's Court interview, Bruce Hart came to the ring and told Owen that he was a disgrace to the Hart family.

### Scott:

In what has been the best feud of the post Hogan-era, the battle of brothers has had its ebbs and flows dating all the way back to November at Survivor Series, and through all the PPVs and Raws and syndicated shows both men had their ups and downs. Bret is still WWF Champion and Owen won the King of the Ring, which pretty much pushes him to the top of the card and the expected title shot. After Owen's upset win over his big brother at WrestleMania, and the fact that this match isn't last on the card I'm sure there was some doubt as to whether the Hitman would retain the title. Man I was never a fan of the blue barred cage but since we weren't in the "blood" era of the WWF, the mesh cage probably wasn't appropriate at the time. That's fine here because the premise in storyline isn't to maim the other guy, it's both to be the champion and to keep the myriad of Hart family members out of the ring. That's what the psychology of the match is based on. Sure you see maneuvers and faces being thrown into the cage walls, but if you look closely instead of consistent maiming, it's one move and then off to either the door or climbing the cage wall. Vince and Lawler really brought the energy to the match and everyone was expecting the family to start going bonkers. One sequence has Owen being grabbed by the leg as Bret pulls him away from the cage door. They roll around and Owen punches Bret numerous times, then jumps for the door. Sure, punching is not a Hart workrate staple but that is the impetus of the match: Owen has beaten Bret already, he's not looking to pin him, just to escape the cage and be the WWF Champion. Bret is trying to keep his beloved title and teach little brother a lesson. No interference in this match makes it even better, and talking about trust: Giving these men over half an hour to work with. That's unheard of in early 90s WWF. The match is a fantastic lesson in psychology, but the end is almost better. Bret finally makes it over the cage to retain his title, but then Jim Neidhart attacks Davey Boy Smith (his on-camera return after spending 1993 in WCW) then he and Owen lock Bret in the cage with a chain and beat the snot out of the champion while the other family members are scaling the walls of the cage. It was such an awesome NWA-style moment that I was waiting for the Horsemen to come down the aisle. Put this match at the Calgary Saddledome and the roof would have been blown sky high. Owen and Anvil walk off as if they were victorious while the WWF Champion is in a crumpled heap in the ring. This would have been a great ending to this PPV and we'd be fine. However just like King of the Ring, we have one more match to go that probably could have been skipped.

### JT:

The family feud continues to rage on here, as Owen Hart finally gets his WWF Title match against his brother Bret, whom he pinned cleanly back at WrestleMania. After Jim Neidhart turned on his former partner to side with his other former partner, Bret was weary of the intentions of other family members. In an attempt to keep Neidhart and anyone else out of the action, the bout was set to take place inside a steel cage. Before the match, we see Neidhart, and a whole slew of Hart family members, including Stu, Hellen, Bruce and the returning Davey Boy Smith in the crowd. We even get some intense promos out of them as well. The British Bulldog was last seen on WWF PPV exactly two years before this show, when he defeated Bret in Wembley Stadium, and that is called out by Lawler, who eggs him on, hoping to swing him against Bret. As the cage continued to be constructed, Bret cut a great, impassioned promo backstage, talking about how the whole family wants this to finally end but Bret vows he will not lose again before stating he hopes it is over afterward. Owen's entrance was pretty well done as he slowly emerged from the entrance door, taking his time walking to the ring for the biggest match of his life. Of course, the crowd was completely behind Bret and as the steel cage door closed, we were set for our first PPV cage match it exactly four years. Owen wasted no time, going right at Bret and hammering away at him with strong right hands and an uppercut. Bret came back with an atomic drop and clothesline and it already evident that these two would execute their offense at a crisp pace and level just as they did in March. Bret landed a DDT and I really enjoyed the punches that both men were unloading, really cracking them in there. Owen made his first attempt at escaping after landing an enziguri but Bret made the save and took him to the mat with a back suplex. The added sound of the cage rattling added to the match quite a bit just because of how both guys snapped their offense and bumped while selling. The escape attempts would really start to pick up, with each guy taking turns lunging for the door and Owen almost pulling it off. They would trade more attempts with Owen again almost making it out by scaling over the top. After Bret dragged him back in, the two traded heavy blows atop the cage. Owen would knock Bret to the mat and follow with a great missile dropkick before wildly lunging into the cage.

The crowd was really into each escape attempt, popping like crazy for anything Bret did and freaking out when Owen would get close. The war ebbed back and forth, with dives for the door blended with big offensive moves off the cage. Both men were quite worn down but would always find a way to make a save when needed. I love Anvil being the only one popping for Owen and he did it so excitedly. Bret would thwart another really close call by slamming Owen hard to the mat off the cage. In a great moment, we got a split screen that showed Neidhart yelling at Bruce to sit down. Owen would come back a couple minutes later by rattling Bret with a piledriver, perhaps setting him up for his best chance yet, however he couldn't quite capitalize. That was followed by a wild sequence with both men just about out the door, capped by Bret actually getting his hands on the floor. A moment later, Bret was again super close, but Owen had to make a huge dive and splash to stop his brother from escaping. The trade offs continued and the deeper we got into the match, the more the two would take the fight to the cage walls, alternating big right hands and hard bumps to the mat. And speaking of bumps, the biggest came when Bret took Owen to the mat with a huge superplex off the top of the cage. What a great spot. Owen would stop Bret from crawling out and managed to lock in the Sharpshooter, but Bret broke free and reversed it into his version of the hold. Both men would start to scale the wall and make it to the other side. As they descended, Bret spiked Owen into the cage causing him to get caught and hung up in the bars. With Owen helpless, Bret dropped down to win the match. After the bell, all hell would break loose as Neidhart clotheslined Bulldog and his wife Diana over the railing, chucked Bret back inside, hopped in the cage with Owen and locked the door with a chain. As he and Owen assaulted Bret, the rest of the brothers, including the Bulldog, hurriedly tried to scale the cage for the save. Eventually they made it in and ran Owen and the Anvil off, but the damage was done. That was a wild scene and the crowd ate it all up. It also pretty much sealed that the Bulldog was back with the company.

Much has been made about the strategy in this one, and the biggest criticism is often around how it is a battle of escape attempts over anything else. And I am OK with that because it made sense on both ends. Owen had already beaten Bret and just wanted to take his brother's gold as quickly as he could. Bret was champion and just wanted to retain his title and end this war, nothing more. Neither were out to maim, so the escape attempts fit the idea behind the match. It also worked because it really felt like two brothers scuffling in the basement. That said, with that style being so dominant in the match, it did feel like it last a bit longer than maybe it should have. They mixed in enough big bumps to keep it exciting but after a while, the same climb and save spots started to get long in the tooth. Regardless, the match was a lot of fun and the crowd was super into it the whole through. Mix in the family drama and all the camera cuts to the Hart clan at ringside and you had a real nice blowoff to a big time feud. Looking at where Owen was a year ago it is amazing to think he was a fairly credible challenger to the World Title here. They did a hell of a job of putting him on the map and giving him enough cred to live off for however long his run with the company would be. Bret's reign rolls on but based on the war that erupted after the match, it seems our family feud is anything but over.

### 7) Paul Bearer's Undertaker defeats Ted DiBiase's Undertaker with three Tombstones at 9:09

Fun Fact: Following WrestleMania X, rumors began swirling that there had been Undertaker sightings around the country. Every week, the WWF would air little vignettes with locals across America claiming they saw the Undertaker in their town. Taker was spotted at delis, construction sites and supermarkets, but no one could grab hold of him. Soon after this, Ted DiBiase claimed that he had bought the Undertaker's services, and that he had an in with the Deadman because he has originally brought him into the WWF. DiBiase's Undertaker began wrestling on WWF shows, and was close enough to the real thing that most rubes in the audience bought into it. For die-hard fans, though, it was obviously not the real Taker, as the new one was noticeably shorter. Paul Bearer then showed up on the scene denying that DiBiase had bought Taker's services, claiming that he was still in contact with the Deadman. Well, the WWF then hired detective Leslie Nielsen to clear up the mess, and he, of course, accomplished nothing in a series of about five skits leading up to SummerSlam. So, Bearer claimed that his Undertaker would show up at SummerSlam to take out DiBiase's Undertaker.

### Scott:

I get the feeling that in theory, in a production room back in say early April, that the bookers thought "What about a storyline where a fake Undertaker comes to steal the real Undertaker's spot?" Perhaps on paper that sounded really cool. On top of that we have funny skits throughout the summer with Leslie Neilsen performing "Police Squad" type gags trying to find the Undertaker, like looking for Elvis. Eventually Ted DiBiase brings out his Undertaker and on his own, he does look and move like the Deadman. We of course won't see the actual Deadman until this night in Chicago. Then both guys are in the ring, and all the fun of the storyline goes right out the window. Brian Lee is a decent worker, but because both men have to mirror each other the workrate is dreadfully slow. They have to wrestle with their hair over their face so no one can see what they look like. That also makes life miserable for the camera crew because they have to make sure the angles don't reveal their faces either. You wanted a reason why Bret and Owen got so much time in their match (besides the fact they're awesome)? Here it is. This match hits double digits and the Bulls or Blackhawks would have had to exorcise the crap demon in their new building. The boring walkthrough ends with three Tombstones and that's that. So the Deadman has returned but he's pretty much in the same spot he was when he left: A babyface with no direction. Damn shame because he's so over. This was a miserable ending to this PPV and the feud and match are never mentioned again in WWF/E lore.

### JT:

Well, this has been quite the feud. The Undertaker had been off TV since he ascended into the heavens of the Providence Civic Center back in January. Since then, various everyday folks claimed they had seen the Deadman, but only one man produced him: Ted DiBiase. Yes, DiBiase has been all over the place on the show and on WWF TV in the summer of 1994. However, it was quite clear from the jump that DiBiase's Taker was a fake. It was a valiant effort but not many were fooled. After some sleuthing from Leslie Nielson, in the final weeks, it was all but proven that the real Undertaker would return with Paul Bearer and that DiBiase was peddling a fake out there. I did like how they dipped into history and called back to how DiBiase had originally introduced Taker to the WWF back in 1990. Other than that, there wasn't else much to like, other than Taker finally getting back into action after his layoff. You could almost feel the regret from the company as this match got started, regret about going this route, regret about having it close the show, regret all around. The entrance of the real Undertaker was pretty well done, as Paul had some druids wheel out the casket from the Rumble, but inside was just a giant urn. Paul would pop it open and a giant light would shine out, causing lightning to crackle across the arena, finally bringing Taker out of his purgatory and back into the WWF. Sure it was cheesy, but the crowd loved it and it paid off the way he had vanished. In a nice touch, the real Taker now had purple accented instead of the classic gray and also had a new version of his entrance music. If only things had ended there. Once you could see the clear size difference and the robotic, stiff movements of the fake Undertaker, it looked like Taker was battling some dude cosplaying him at a convention. After all of the theatrics, the crowd completely died off as Taker slowly picked apart his doppleganger. Fake Undertaker would get some offense, but it was oscillating between brutally bland and very sloppy. At one point he completely butchers a stun gun attempt, forcing Taker to sell the awkward fall and look like a goof in the process. The two meandered around ringside, with Fake Undertaker landing tepid blows in front of the decaying remains of a once red hot crowd. Taker would finally come back with a chokeslam and three Tombstones to polish off the imposter for good. I really get what they wanted to pull off here, but it was just the wrong call. Undertaker is a big deal, absolutely, but this easily could have gone in the middle of the show as a midpoint main event. Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart deserved the main event slot, no doubt about it. And the crowd reacted accordingly. This match was a sloppy mess and the storyline would be completely buried as soon as the show ends. Undertaker is back and the Fake Undertaker is not mentioned on WWF TV for a long, long time.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is a very up and down show, but to me the ups outweigh the downs. Bret and Owen's rematch in the cage is a masterpiece of psychology, even more than workrate. For some reason as time has gone one I've enjoyed Tatanka's heel turn more. The Corporation needed some legit new blood and become established if they're going to be a heel force in the company. The Women's Title match is the best we've seen on PPV in years and even the opening tag match is solid enough. The real blotches are the hideous main event and the unwatchable, unnecessary Jarrett/Mabel match. 1994 continues to be pretty solid and Bret Hart continues to establish himself as the face of the WWF, with the mid-card firmly set of stars and a growing tag team division. This is a much more fun show than you may think, just stop watching after Bret/Owen.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this show was pretty damn solid until it died a cold, hard death in the main event. The Chicago crowd came to play and was fantastic right up until the opening bell of the final match. The three title matches were very good and paid off long burning angles. The focus of the company is now squarely on the shoulders of the Hart Family, Undertaker Shawn Michaels, Diesel and Razor Ramon. Others are in the mix, but those are the stars, that is clear. Lex Luger's stock is in the toilet and he is now embroiled with a freshly minted heel Tatanka. Ted DiBiase is running rampant over the promotion as the new lead heel manager, however things are off to a bit of a rocky start from him. The Leslie Nielson & George Kennedy stuff wove throughout this show and was about as cheesy as it got and added very little value outside of a laugh here and there. There was certainly some filler on the card, but there was also lots to like and even though the star power was lacking, the workrate quality and energy of the new top guys is high level. This show was a great illustration of a company in flux, still a bit unsure how to proceed, but more confident in the map they are crafting. The question is, will they continue to forge ahead or will they take a step back as the growing pains continue. Sadly, it is fitting in some ways that the last WWF personality we see on this show is Randy Savage as we continue to transition out of the Federation Era.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #81

# Survivor Series 1994: That's MISTER Backlund

November 23, 1994

Freeman Coliseum

San Antonio, Texas

Attendance: 10,000

Buyrate: 0.9

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Vince McMahon

Dark Match:

### Bob Holly defeated Kwang

*** This is the final PPV Gorilla Monsoon would call from the broadcast booth. ***

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) The Bad Guys: Razor Ramon, Fatu, Sionne, 1-2-3 Kid & British Bulldog defeat The Teamsters: Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Jeff Jarrett, Jim Neidhart & Owen Hart

Survivor:

Razor Ramon

Eliminations:

Diesel pinned Fatu at 13:29 with a Jackknife

Diesel pinned 1-2-3 Kid at 14:11 with a Jackknife

Diesel pinned Sionne at 14:43 with a Jackknife

British Bulldog is counted out at 15:58

Diesel, Shawn Michaels, Jeff Jarrett, Jim Neidhart and Owen Hart are counted out of the ring at 21:45

Fun Fact I: This match actually marked the third time Shawn Michaels accidentally superkicked Diesel within a four month span. The first time was at SummerSlam, which cost Diesel his Intercontinental Title. The second was in a tag match against 1-2-3 Kid and Ramon on the 10/30 Action Zone. The screw-up didn't cost the Tag Team Champs the match, but Shawn wrestled the match alone after knocking Diesel cold. The duo was pretty much on a collision course, and they would finally explode here.

Fun Fact II: The Headshrinkers saw a change in personnel following their tag team title loss on August 28 to Shawn Michaels and Diesel. Samu left the team to heal up from injuries and was replaced by Sione (aka The Barbarian). The change marked the first time that half of the tag team was not from Anoa'i family. Sione was also from Tonga and not a Samoan. Also, since Sionne had debuted, both he and the team's handlers had been trying to talk Fatu into wearing boots, something he has had difficulty adapting to. This would mark the only time this combination would be seen on PPV in a tag match setting.

Fun Fact III: This is Jim Neidhart's first WWF PPV match since Royal Rumble 1992. It is the British Bulldog's first WWF PPV match since SummerSlam 1992.

Fun Fact IV: There are lots of feuds going on in this matchup. Razor Ramon had been entangled in battles with Shawn Michaels and Diesel over the Intercontinental Championship dating back to the fall of 1993. Ramon and Jeff Jarrett had also feuded over the title. The 1-2-3 Kid had teamed up with Ramon in the past in these feuds. The Headshrinkers had lost their tag titles to Michaels and Diesel back in August. The British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith was wrapped up in a family feud with brother-in-law Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart after Owen turned on his brother back at Royal Rumble 1994. So lots of bad blood just waiting to boil over in this first Survivor Series match.

### Scott:

We begin the final PPV of 1994 with a survivor match steeped in Kliq participation. The tension between Shawn Michaels and Diesel started at SummerSlam when Shawn Michaels accidentally superkicked Big Daddy Cool to help Razor Ramon regain the IC Title. Then a second accidental superkick occurred on an October Action Zone in a tag match. For now the détente leads to this survivor match with a myriad of feuds intertwined. 1-2-3 Kid is helping Razor Ramon out with his battle against Jeff Jarrett, who is gunning for the Intercontinental Title. The Owen/Bret feud was subsiding slightly, after Owen lost both the cage match at SummerSlam and another World Title match to his bigger brother in September. Now he's working with the Anvil against fellow family member Davey Boy Smith, who's getting back into the WWF swing of things after spending a year in WCW. The action is solid but the commentary is really struggling. Vince McMahon always does the best he can, but Gorilla Monsoon clearly doesn't have his heart into it. He did the King of the Ring in June and was average that night. In July his stepson Joey Marella died in a car accident and he really was never the same. He blows an easy one by saying it was Diesel and not Shawn Michaels that faced Razor at WrestleMania X. At one point Shawn is barking orders and direction to Diesel while a brawl is breaking out on the outside. Diesel is a beast here, clearing out all the babyfaces and leaving Razor by himself against the entire heel team. Then Shawn's ego and lack of timing ruined it again. Diesel is beating the tar out of Razor while Shawn is yelling and freaking out on the apron. Diesel finally jackknifes Razor and is about to pin him but Shawn finally wants to get into the match. He asks Diesel to hold Razor up for the superkick, but for the THIRD time Shawn hits Diesel instead. Shawn is pissed but Diesel has finally had enough of Shawn screwing stuff up and the entire heel team is trying to hold Diesel off of Shawn, while Owen screams that they will all lose. So the beaten down Razor Ramon, three seconds from defeat survives the 5-on-1 battle all alone. Meanwhile, another war is brewing.

### JT:

Our eighth annual Survivor Series is an interesting blend of old school and new school in more ways than one. We start in the announce booth where, for the first time ever, Vince McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon will call the show together. With Jerry Lawler in action and Ted DiBiase heavily involved in the managerial game, the color commentator pool was shallow, so we put this play-by-play dream team together for one time only. In a nod to the original installments of the event, our survivor matches here features teams of five (striving to survive) instead of four, as it has been since 1989. Also, with the show emanating from San Antonio, the show has a very heavy southwestern feel to it all, which adds a unique and memorable flavor to it. Our opener features a tremendous batch of heels battling an equally strong face team. Led by tag team champions Diesel and Shawn Michaels, the Teamsters are also comprised of Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart and Jeff Jarrett. Across the ring are Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon, his buddy 1-2-3 Kid, the recently returned British Bulldog and the former tag champs, the Headshrinkers. However, as noted above, the Shrinkers have changed a bit since our last outing as Samu left the promotion and was replaced by Sionne, the former Barbarian. Bulldog and Owen compete here but they have a much bigger job later in the show as well. As Diesel made his way to the ring, I thought back to a year ago and continue to marvel at just how far Big Daddy Cool has come. And I don't even mean just from a push or status perspective, but even from a confidence and swagger point of view as well. The way he saunters to the ring and stalks around it here screams "star". The crowd was pretty hyped here, chanting for the Kid as he was set for a rematch of his red hot King of the Ring tussle with Owen Hart. Sadly, we didn't see it as Owen quickly tagged out to the Anvil. As they locked up, Fatu sat on the floor, trying to put his boots on. It is kind of crappy how quickly the Shrinks plummeted after they were the top team over the summer. After some tags and trading of control, Sionne entered the ring for his first WWF PPV action since the 1992 Royal Rumble. He showed off his power early, pressing and slamming Jarrett before landing some strikes in the corner. Eventually Owen would end up in the ring and Sionne made sure to immediately tag in the Bulldog to a huge pop. The Hart Family members would run through a series of reversals that ended with Bulldog sending Owen careening into the Bad Guy corner with a slingshot and was capped by a Bulldog press slam. Owen would eventually nail an enziguri to stop the Bulldog in his tracks and give control back to the Teamsters. However, it was short lived and before long, Fatu dropped a big headbutt on Neidhart, but his issues with his boots stunted his momentum and prevented him from covering.

We would get some teases between Ramon and Jarrett here as well as they were clearly setting Double J up for an IC Title feud, showing plans of elevation for the first time since he debuted. They would briefly tussle here with no man gaining much of an advantage. We have actually gotten a little deep into this bout without any eliminations and also without an appearance from Diesel or Michaels, who was busy barking orders from the apron. Gorilla has been pretty solid in his color commentary role so far here, adding some insights and calling out things happening on the apron where needed. So far, it is much stronger than his KOTR debacle. The action continued to chug along until Diesel finally tagged in, striking hard and fast by crushing Fatu with a big boot and Jackknife to send him to the showers. Kid gave it a go next, but Diesel shrugged off some brief offense before crushing him with a tree slam and Jackknife to take him out as well. Sionne would meet the same fate less than a minute later and the tone has changed dramatically here as Diesel is mirroring the start to his year back in Providence. Bulldog came in next and landed some blows until Diesel kicked him to the floor. He would get detained on the floor by Jarrett, Owen and Anvil and was eventually counted out. Makes sense that they would protect him there since he had just returned. And in the blink of an eye, this match went from tied to way out of hand for Ramon, who now had to go five on one, which I believe was happening for the first time in the show's history. He landed a few blows in on Diesel but the numbers caught up to him quickly. As Michaels barked orders at his buddy, Diesel continued to blast the champ, and after a few comeback attempts from the Bad Guy, Diesel eventually planted him with the Jackknife. However, as soon as he was planted, Michaels demanded the tag, entering the ring for the first time. Before Diesel could leave the ring, Michaels ordered him to hold Razor up so he could hit the super kicked. That backfired. Again. Razor ducked and Michaels cracked Diesel for the third time since SummerSlam. And Diesel had finally had enough. He chucked his other teammates out of the way and stalked Michaels all the way to the locker room. And during the madness, the entire Teamsters team was counted out, giving Ramon the improbable win. Well, that was pretty fun stuff. We got to see pretty much everyone showcased early on, with them all getting a good amount of offense in. Then, Project Diesel took over as he destroyed everything in his path, only slowed by his egomaniac partner. The match had a really nice blend of storyline and action and the crowd was super into everyone in the bout, which added to the action as well. Even though the company is in a weird state of flux, this group of midcarders was really well developed and fleshed out and were all intertwined in an interesting way. However, the spotlight was very obvious: Diesel and Michaels have finally split up and it seems that Big Daddy Cool is prepped for some big things.

*** Shawn Michaels runs out of the building to escape Diesel, and proceeds to dump his half of the Tag Team Titles in the trash on the way out, thus officially vacating the titles. He calls Diesel a loser and drives off in an SUV. ***

### 2) The King's Court: Jerry Lawler, Cheesy, Sleazy and Queasy) defeats Clowns R Us: Doink, Dink, Wink and Pink

Survivors:

Jerry Lawler

Cheesy

Sleazy

Queasy

_Eliminations_ _:_

Jerry Lawler pinned Doink at 10:32

Cheesy pinned Wink at 13:10

Cheesy pinned Pink at 14:28

Sleazy pinned Dink at 16:45

Fun Fact: The "feud" between Jerry Lawler and Doink dated back to right after SummerSlam 1993 when Doink turned face and eventually dumped a bucket of water on him. However, this rivalry was rarely ever mentioned (and perhaps it should have stayed that way). The build up for this match was like living a recurring nightmare. You knew where they were headed in the early weeks, but you just couldn't stop it. First, Lawler and Doink fought with Dink interfering, so Lawler brought out a midget to counter Dink. Of course, the next week Doink brought out Wink, which prompted Lawler to produce another midget, and so on. Thankfully, the other five midgets were never really mentioned again following this show.

### Scott:

Yes, PTB fans, the moment has finally arrived. The match I have dreaded rewatching and writing up for years. Instead of Doink vs. Jerry Lawler we have to have six annoying (and horribly ugly) midgets to give us SEVENTEEN minutes of gags and parlor tricks. The match takes way too long to set up each section of the match with continuous gags over and over. Even the San Antonio crowd is losing interest as the match progresses. This could have been about 13 less minutes and had equally the number of gags and the crowd would have been spelled in between the two big tension-filled matches. Seeing Lawler berate his bunch of midgets is maybe the only highlight here. Earlier in the fall in Japan, Bull Nakano defeated Alundra Blayze for the Women's Title in a really great match. Why not make this match about four minutes and give the rest to a rematch from SummerSlam. After Lawler pulls the tights and Doink is out, the rest is midget fun and games, including all the midgets turning on Lawler when he berated them and bragged about doing all the work. Let's just move on from this.

### JT:

And here we are. Jerry Lawler and Doink reignited their lingering issues seemingly out of nowhere and before we knew it, we were in the depths of hell. It had been rough enough watching Doink and Dink joke their way through the year, tarnishing the once proud legacy of the maniacal clown we loved in 1993. But now, we have two handfuls of midgets in the mix set to deliver a match that very few people not named Rotella wanted to see. To go from the red hot opener with super high stakes to this was really a depressing step down. One of King's midgets was super hairy with horseshoe pattern hair and he may have the best looking of the bunch. Doink and Lawler opened the contest and it was as you would expect: some comedy, some basic strikes, some stalling, not as many laughs as they hoped for. The frustrated King was sure to bitch out his court as they got all mixed up thanks to shenanigans from the clowns. I got nothing else to say here. Really. I mean, the crowd was pretty hot on Lawler's case with the "Burger King" chant, so there is that anyway. But, otherwise it was really bland, really hokey comedy that just dragged on much too long. Last year's Doink fiasco was at least entertaining and kept moving along. This just became pedantic after a while. The most interesting here was the talk of the WWF float set to take part in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, meaning a bunch of these guys had to red eye back to New York after this show. Lawler would dig out a foreign object and crack Doink to finally take over the match, but more midget miscommunication screwed him all up. As the six little men battled on the apron, Doink hit a body press off the middle rope, but Lawler rolled through and hooked the tights to gain the elimination. And now Dink, Wink and Pink were in trouble. From there we were graced with six minutes of antics and hullabaloo, with the only highlight coming when Lawler would be an asshole and screw with the clowns from the apron, leading to them being picked off one by one. Dink would be the last to go, mercifully bringing this disaster to a close. After the bell, Lawler turned on his court and after all the midgets ganged u upon him and ran him off, Doink snuck up from behind and slammed a pie in his face. The crowd really died off by the end, showing that maybe this could have been alright if it was kept short enough, but it was much too long and really did nothing for anyone. In the end, it was easily was one of the worst WWF PPV matches to date.

*** Todd Pettengill interviews new WWF Women's Champion Bull Nakano, who had defeated Alundra Blayze for the title on November 20 in Tokyo. ***

### 3) Bob Backlund defeats Bret Hart in a submission match to win WWF Title when Helen Hart threw in the towel at 35:15

Fun Fact I: This feud actually started way back in July, when Bob Backlund, who was still a face, lost a title match to Bret Hart on the 7/30 edition of Superstars. After the match, Backlund snapped and attacked Bret, and locked him into the Crossface Chicken Wing, thus solidifying the first heel run of Backlund's career. The turn was a big shock, as Backlund had never been heel before. After he finally released the CFCW, he began staring at his hands and went into a strange trance. Internet legend claims that the actual storyline was supposed to be that Backlund was under the voodoo spell of the returning Papa Shango. However, Backlund ended up just being a crazy old man, and it worked. He stuck around the upper-mid card for about four months, before being reinserted into the main event to continue his feud with Hart over the title. The continuity here is that Backlund snapped because he claimed the title was actually his since 1983, and that he never officially lost it. Back in 1983, Backlund had lost the title to the Iron Sheik when his manager, Arnold Skaaland, threw in the towel while the Sheik had Bob in the Camel Clutch. Backlund claimed he never gave up, and therefore the title was still his. In another great touch of continuity, Backlund challenged Bret to a submission match, where the only way to win was to have your second throw in the towel on your behalf. Bret had the British Bulldog in his corner and Backlund had Owen Hart. Also, Stu and Helen Hart were in the crowd, and they play a huge role in the match. In the time between his heel turn and this match, Backlund went on a rampage, even hooking the CFCW on WWF magazine writer Lou Gianfriddo, to help push his maniacal old man personality.

Fun Fact II: On the 10/23 premier edition of Action Zone, Owen Hart received one final title shot against his brother. Bret Hart would win the bout and Owen now had to find another way to get the strap off of the Hitman.

### Scott:

So after all this crap we just walked through, we get back to business with a World Title match that had an interesting twist. Back in 1983, Bob Backlund's six year reign as World Champ ended because Arnie Skaaland threw in the towel, giving the World Title to the Iron Sheik. After lingering through mid-1984 and realizing Hulk Hogan was the man of the hour, Backlund left. Fast forward 11 years and Backlund snapped in July on Bret Hart after losing a World Title match. Backlund stated the entire time that he never lost it as he didn't submit back then. Bret is enjoying his best year as a professional wrestler with consecutive World Title defenses on both TV and PPV and is the face of the company all over the world. I think at face value many thought this would be just another entertaining title defense for Bret and he'd move on to something else at the start of 1995. The match is a lot of fun but you have to have a certain philosophy with it. It's long (35 minutes) and the pacing is deliberate because the key is to get your opponent in a submission move and see if your corner man will throw in the towel. Backlund had Owen Hart in his corner to continue the feud, while Bret had his brother-in-law British Bulldog in his corner. As great as both guys are in the ring, some may find this slow and plodding, but from a psychology perspective it works perfectly. Then we have the climax, which really goes long but it was laid out perfectly. Bulldog and Owen are running around the ring when Bulldog slips and whacks his head on the steel steps, getting knocked out. A few moments later Backlund locks Bret in the Crossface Chicken Wing. From that moment the tension builds, and without a corner man Bret is in big trouble. Bret is trying to get out of the move but Backlund has himself grapevined while wrenching on Bret's left shoulder. Suddenly, Owen has a "change of Hart". He starts pleading that Bret's towel needs to be thrown in for his big brother's safety. Bulldog is out cold, so he walks over and pleads with his mother Helen to throw it in for her son, who's getting tortured in the ring. He gives the towel to Helen to throw it in and end the match. Stu of course has been around the block more than enough times (hell he invented the block) so he grabs the towel from his wife and refuses to let Owen execute this rouse. Eventually, Helen has had enough and grabs the towel and throws it in the ring. Sure enough, Owen grabs the towel and yells triumphantly down the ramp while the referee hand the World Title over to Bob Backlund. WWF's New Generation is in the hands of a crazed 40-something year old. Bret is helped out of the ring with his injured shoulder. This was a fantastic combination of in ring and out of ring psychology. Again the workrate is an acquired taste and some may find it dull but really try to understand story being told and it will be more enjoyable. So Bret Hart's second World Title reign is over and in a huge upset a man who defeated Billy Graham in 1978 for his first WWF Title is back on top again.

### JT:

Well, what do we have here. After 18 months of a pretty milquetoast run, Bob Backlund finally snapped and kicked off a heel run that was originally scheduled to happen back in 1984. After a great WWF Title match on Superstars back in July, Backlund jumped Bret Hart and left him laying with his cross face chicken wing submission hold. After that, he went on a rampage, attacking wrestlers officials, photographers and more, all while ranting maniacally about cleaning up the WWF and America. It was tremendous heel work and it was surprisingly effective, as Backlund got himself over as a top level heel, even garnering himself a title match here. In a nice twist, this is a submission match, with British Bulldog and Owen Hart at ringside with towels. This was all a callback to how Backlund lost the title to the Iron Sheik in 1983 as he claimed to have never submitted and only lost when his manager Arnold Skaaland threw a towel in on his behalf. It was great booking and an interesting setup and I love Backlund being obsessed with having never officially lost his title on the up and up, claiming he was still the rightful champ. We also have the Hart Family drama inserted in here still too, as Owen continues to be a thorn in Bret's side. And as is the norm now, members of the Hart Family were interspersed throughout the crowd. And speaking of Bret, he is still crazy over here as we enter month eight of his title reign, a reign that has seen him take the mantle as official top dog of the WWF. And honestly, that reign did not really seem be in danger here as it was hard to suddenly see Backlund as a true title contender at this point. It was all Bret early as he rattled Backlund with elbows before cranking in a side headlock. Backlund would break that with a back suplex but Bret kept pouring it on with stiff punches and an uppercut and continuously going back to that headlock. Backlund would briefly escape and almost hook the CFCW but Bret wriggled free and went back to the headlock. We are less than ten minutes in and this already has a great old school feel to it. Backlund would again get an opening for the CFCW but Bret blocked it with a belly-to-belly and after a failed Sharpshooter attempt, went to a front chancery. Backlund would finally land a shot and take over on offense, targeting the arm to soften him up for his finisher. Gorilla was really good here, adding in comments about Backlund's goals and also pointing out that Owen had blown his final shot at the title over the fall, using that as reasoning as to why he has such stake in a Backlund win here.

Owen would run some interference outside, allowing Backlund to continue to dominate the offense. He would crack Bret with a headbutt before going right back to the arm, taking his time in wearing the champ down. His assault was really focused and he made even simple holds look really rough with the way he wrenched them in. Hart found an opening and went for the Sharpshooter but Backlund kicked free. However, the challenger wasn't able to prevent a figure four, giving Hart the first real chance at winning the bout. Bret kept the hold cinched in as Backlund did his best to fight through the pain while Owen was refusing to even touch the towel, let alone throw it in. The challenger would finally reverse the hold before breaking it all together. Bret continued to work the legs until the match devolved into a slugfest and Backlund wrested control, cramming Bret into the mat with a nice pildriver. He would follow with the CFCW but Bret reached the ropes to bust it up. Backlund went back to work on the arm but momentum seemed to shift when he whiffed on a charge to the corner and slammed into the ring post. Backlund bounced back with a sleeper but Bret broke it up by running him to the corner. Gorilla nicely analyzed the hold, which was followed by both men colliding in the middle of the ring, effectively resetting the bout. Bret was first to his feet and went right to his finishing offense, landing it all with crispness and seemingly taking us towards a Sharpshooter fueled victory. And Hart would hook in the hold, but Owen duped Bulldog into chasing him around the ring and disaster struck. First, Owen was able to plant Bret with a bulldog to break the hold and then a moment later, he ducked a Bulldog charge, causing his brother-in-law to slam into the ring steps head first, knocking himself unconscious. With Bret checking on his cornerman, Backlund snuck up from behind and cinched in the CFCW. As Backlund forced Hart to the mat, Owen seemingly had a change in heart as he started to look concerned about the state of the Bulldog. Gorilla assumed it was because he was worried nobody would be able to throw in Bret's towel, but as things unfolded, he really started to seem remorseful. Backlund really wrenched the hold in and Bret's selling told a fantastic story of pain and courage as he refused to show any inkling of wanting to give in. As Stu and Helen fretted at ringside, Owen continued to pace nervously in between checking on the Bulldog. Bret would get to his feet, but Backlund took him back down hard and hooked in body scissors as well. The desperate Owen started to plead and beg with his parents to help him out, asking for forgiveness and claiming he never wanted things to go this far. Finally having had enough, Helen came out of her seat and wanted to throw the towel in, but grizzled old Stu refused. Owen continued to cry and plead and eventually Helen yanked the towel from her husband and flung it into the ring. After a beat of shock, reality set in: Bob Backlund was the new WWF Champion. The switch flipped immediately for Owen as he changed his tune to one of joy, sprinting to the back while celebrating. And inside the ring, as Bret laid wasted in pain, Mr. Backlund held his prized WWF Title snug around his waist with pride. He had done it. And he soaked it all in.

I love this match. And it felt nowhere near thirty five minutes, especially when you consider how basic it all was. But, it was really well executed with both guys landing crisp offense and blending in just enough submission attempts to make things move along at a good pace. By the time we got to the CFCW, everyone was hooked in deep and then the Owen Hart pathos play took over and took us to another level. He was fantastic at ringside, especially as he cried and begged his parents for remorse and mercy. And then the celebration after? Magnificent. Plus, Bob F'n Backlund was the WWF World Champion in 1994. And it made sense! And his character was fantastic. The commentary was really good too, especially Gorilla, who did a nice job weaving in the storyline with some psychology. This is a great piece of business that still holds up 20 years later. It is sad to see Bret's signature reign come to an end, but Backlund has earned this one and it will be fun to see where it goes.

### 4) Million Dollar Team: Tatanka, Bam Bam Bigelow, King Kong Bundy & the Heavenly Bodies defeat Guts and Glory: Lex Luger, Mabel, Adam Bomb, & the Smoking Gunns

Survivors:

King Kong Bundy

Bam Bam Bigelow

Eliminations:

Mabel pinned Tom Pritchard at 3:55 with a cross body

Mabel is counted out at 7:55

Bam Bam Bigelow pinned Adam Bomb in 9:05 with a moonsault

Lex Luger pinned Jimmy Del Ray in 10:51 with a Flying Forearm

Tatanka pinned Bart Gunn in 14:24 after the End of the Trail

King Kong Bundy pinned Billy Gunn in 17:10 with an Avalanche and an elbow drop

Lex Luger pinned Tatanka at 23:09 with a Small Package

King Kong Bundy pinned Lex Luger at 23:17 with a Big Splash

Fun Fact I: On the October 1, 1994 edition of Superstars, a promo aired announcing the imminent return of King Kong Bundy. Bundy had last been seen on WWF on the March 7, 1988 Prime Time Wrestling when he and Butch Reed lost to the Ultimate Warrior and Don Muraco. On the 10/8 Superstars, Bundy returned with Ted DiBiase by his side and squashed Mitch Bishop in 1:24.

Fun Fact II: The feud between Luger and DiBiase & the Million Dollar Corporation dated back to events throughout 1994. During the year, DiBiase had been to buy up contracts and build his stable. Building up to SummerSlam, DiBiase made the claim that Luger had been added to the group. Luger strongly denied this. Tatanka, Luger's friend at the time, claimed that Luger had "sold out" to the Corporation and that he had proof. At the end of their SummerSlam match, Tatanka swerved Luger, turning on him and joining the Corporation.

Fun Fact III: On 5/28, Kwang accidentally cost Adam Bomb his King of the Ring Qualifying Match. As a result, Bomb would turn on manager Harvey Wippleman and give it a go on his own.

### Scott:

Back to a Survivor match and the heel Corporation is starting to gain in members. The problem here is that it's sadly full of has-beens and mid-carders. The addition of former Federation Era stalwart King Kong Bundy did nothing in my opinion to gain anything. Yes, I loved the Tatanka heel turn at SummerSlam as it was sorely needed but he hasn't been established as a big time player yet and if you're going to put a heel stable together you need at least one main event face to give it credibility. That would indeed come in time. Although they could have booked Bigelow better to give the Corporation a main event face. Elsewhere on that team the Heavenly Bodies had been forgotten about for a lot of the year but are legitimate contenders for a pair of tag straps that (after what happened earlier in the evening) are certainly in limbo. On the other side, Lex Luger wants payback after what happened at SummerSlam, and he has Mabel on his team along with forgotten babyface Adam Bomb and the up and coming Smoking Gunns. They are probably the best looking in terms of future stock on this team. The match is pretty average and just like our first match the babyface captain is the lone survivor against the heels. He takes a systematic beating but does get a quick pinfall win over Tatanka to get some of the shine back from SummerSlam, but Bundy gets the quick splash and three count for the Corporation victory. Bundy needed the win to get over (if you can feel the sarcasm in that statement) and I didn't understand why Luger had to job out again here. Maybe the wheels have fallen off the Lex Express and his run as a main eventer has come to an end. This feud is over, and the Corporation moves on to another target of the WWF fanbase.

### JT:

The Million Dollar Man's issues with Lex Luger continue to rage on here. Since SummerSlam, Tatanka has become a premier player in the Corporation, which has continued to grow in size. And most of that size has come from the returning King Kong Bundy. Last seen in the promotion in 1988, Bundy returned out of nowhere, giving DiBiase another top level heel to his credit. Of course, in a nice piece of trivia, it was Bam Bam Bigelow that eliminated Bundy in the main event of Survivor Series 1987. Luger has packaged up a group of friends to help him battle the Corporation here, including Adam Bomb, who had turned face over the summer. Tatanka had changed his accenting and tights to black and red, but it always surprised me they didn't really overhaul his look and put him in a suit to really push the sell out stuff. Instead, he just kind of looks the same. It was nice to see DiBiase at least back in a real suit here instead of his odd velour leisure suit. We waste no time in getting a glimpse of our main feud with Tatanka and Luger opening things up. Tatanka actually landed most of the offense but Luger swatted it all off and eventually hit a bulldog and, somewhat sloppy, clothesline to send Tatanka flying to the floor. Luger would wipe out the whole Corporation until Bundy stepped in the ring, but in a cool moment, Mabel stepped in to back up his buddy and stare down the big man. As Mabel worked over Tom Prichard, Gorilla wondered why IRS wasn't part of DiBiase's team. That is a good question. The fans are still super into Mabel via the "Whoomp" chant. What a missed opportunity that I never realized at the time. Mabel dominated the proceedings and hit a pretty good splash off the middle ropes to give Guts and Glory the advantage. Del Ray would give it a go as well, but he didn't stand a chance and quickly tagged in Bundy. The two beasts would collide in the middle of the ring, with Mabel driving Bundy back to his corner, where he tagged in Bigelow. Mabel would dominate the Bammer as well, but made the mistake of heading to the top. Bigelow would slam him off and try for a sunset flip off the top but Mabel crashed down on his chest instead. When they both got back up, Mabel would lunge into Bigelow with a clothesline and both men tumbled hard to the floor. Bigelow would beat the count back in but Mabel would not, drawing the sides even. That may have been Mabel's best outing to date as he really moved well and worked hard. Bigelow continued to be stuck in trouble, eating some offense from both Billy Gunn and Adam Bomb. However, an assist from Bundy on the apron rattled Bomb and allowed Bigelow to hit a top rope moonsault for the elimination. Bomb was looking decent there but it is another disappointing outing for the big man.

Del Ray would work over Luger for a minute or so until Lex came back with the forearm to even the match at three on three. The next few minutes would see a series of tags, mainly with the Gunns taking it to Tatanka. Billy would get a close near fall but Bart would eventually get caught on Tatanka's back and the Native American hit the End of the Trail to send Bart packing. The interesting part of this match has been how Luger's team has dominated all the offense but choked in the big moments (hmm...) and DIBiase's team is able to grab the falls. I mean, it really feels like the Corporation has had no offense in here to this point. And case in point, Billy had a great flurry of offense, but he let Tatanka off the hook and he was able to tag in Bundy, who polished Gunn off with an Avalanche and elbow drop. And then there was Luger. Lex did his best to fight the odds, but the Corporation did a good job tagging in and out and keeping their offense fresh. Even despite some good power moves from Bigelow and Bundy, Luger kept kicking out, refusing to give in. This is a pretty spirited attempt at rebuilding Lex considering how far he has fallen over the past nine months. And just when Tatanka got a little cocky, Luger rolled him up for the elimination. However, before Lex could even catch his breath, Bundy splashed him to win the bout. After the bout, Luger caught more of a beating, with Tatanka hitting the End of the Trail and the big men dropping the heavy artillery until the rest of Guts and Glory came to make the save.. Luger won the battle, but the Corporation wins the war. And it was probably the right call as Luger is going nowhere fast while the Corporation seemingly has some upside in Bigelow and Bundy. This match was about as solid and average as it gets, nothing terrible but really nothing that stood out. Until the last five minutes or so, Guts and Glory really dominated the match, but just like an allegory for Luger himself, they fell apart when it mattered.

*** Bob Backlund calls an impromptu press conference to announce his future plans for the WWF title and for the company and its fans as well. ***

### 5) Undertaker defeats Yokozuna in a casket match when he puts Yoko in the casket at 15:22

Fun Fact: The Undertaker and Yokozuna feud had been raging for a year, dating back to their first confrontation at Survivor Series 93. During their casket match at Royal Rumble, nine other wrestlers would gang up on the Undertaker, putting him out of action for several months. When the casket rematch was signed for Survivor Series, a special referee was signed to prevent the same interference that was seen at the Rumble. This special referee was Church Norris, who was popular at the time for his show, "Walker, Texas Ranger". With the event taking place in San Antonio, it was a good pairing for the crowd reaction.

### Scott:

After 11 months, the Deadman finally gets his rematch from January's Royal Rumble. Every heel on the roster helped the then-WWF Champion stuff the Deadman in a casket and retain the title. After eight months off and vanquishing an imposter at SummerSlam, Undertaker wants revenge here. Sure there is no more WWF Title at stake but regardless Yokozuna must meet his maker here. This time, to stop any of Yoko's pals from coming to the ring, special enforcer Chuck Norris is manning the slot at the end of the aisle. The match at the Royal Rumble was ok, nothing to write home about and was only memorable due to the histrionics at the end of the match. This was pretty predictable as Yokozuna has also been shunted down the ladder a bit after losing his title at WrestleMania and Undertaker is ready to take back his spot as one of the most popular characters in the company. There was a decent mix of power moves and the crowd, who's been up and down all night, is keeping with the match. Clearly they wouldn't have Chuck Norris there if heels weren't going to come down the ramp and try to repeat their Rumble performance. Towards the end of the match down the ramp comes some of the Corporate beef (Bigelow and Bundy) but Norris was right there waiting for any challenge. The big guys are hesitant but in a brilliant heel move, while everybody is at the ramp, IRS comes in from the crowd and attacks Undertaker. He gets dumped in the casket after being put in IRS' sleeper. A recovered Yoko could make it two for two against the Deadman but Taker comes out at Yoko's throat, while Chuck Norris knocks out Jeff Jarrett with a thrust kick. Taker recovers and really starts laying into Yoko with the "heavy artillery". That was a homage to Gorilla as he is calling his final PPV match as an announcer. Taker rolls Yoko into the casket and slams the door shut, finishing the former WWF Champion off. The match was average, no worse than the Rumble title match. Yokozuna takes a well-deserved break but what will Undertaker do about IRS and the rest of the Million Dollar Corporation? Plenty as we will see in 1995. Probably too much. A better ending for Taker than at SummerSlam, and his future is bright (we think) heading into 1995.

### JT:

And we are now set to close the PPV year in the same way we opened it: Undertaker vs. Yokozuna in a casket match. Back at the Royal Rumble, Yoko successfully defended his title with a little help from his friends. They buried the Deadman and sent him into a supernatural vacation. Taker returned at SummerSlam and after defeating his doppleganger, he turned his attention back to the man that put him on the shelf. To ensure we didn't have the same antics as we saw in Providence, Jack Tunney named Chuck Norris as the special ringside enforcer. Two years after his PPV debut, Yokozuna still remains a main event level talent, but some of that mystique is gone as he has been marginalized since WrestleMania. The crowd was hot as always for Taker and his entrance is drawn out here, but still as ominous as ever. We pick up where we left off in January with Yoko being afraid of both Taker and the casket. Taker landed blows early on, and any time Yoko ended up near or even on the casket, he freaked out big time. Taker stalked Yoko on the floor, running him into the steps and eventually into the ring. Yoko fought through his fears and got a little offense in before Taker cracked him again. Yoko dodged an elbow drop and hit a urinage and legdrop as he began to build some confidence. Yoko would get Taker in the casket, but the Deadman popped up and dragged his adversary inside as well. The two men traded big blows while standing in the casket and thanks to some interference from Mr. Fuji, Taker got distracted and gave Yoko the chance to catch his breath. Taker would paste Jim Cornette but when he got back inside, Yoko planted him with a splash. He would meander through some more offense until Taker finally caught him with his head down and snapped him back to the mat. As Taker started rolling Yoko toward the casket, we looked to be getting a repeat of the Rumble. As the crowd started to buzz, King Kong Bundy and Bam Bam Bigelow showed up at ringside, but Chuck Norris stood tall, blocking them from the casket. Just as Taker was about to shove Yoko in, IRS attacked taker from behind, kicking him low and then beating him all around the ring. Irwin would put him to sleep and dump him into the casket and take off, but by the time Yoko woke up and went to close the casket lid, Taker shot up and blocked him. As Taker choked the big man, Jeff Jarrett showed up at ringside and ate a Norris kick to the chest to pop the crowd. From there it was academic as Taker polished off Yoko and chucked him and the Japanese flag in the casket to end the feud for good. Well, the match itself was absolutely nothing special, but the crowd really dug it and Chuck Norris was pretty fun in his one spot. We also get the kickoff of a feud between Taker and IRS. Yoko has been buried alive and we will see where he goes from here as well. For now, 1994 is closed and the Undertaker is officially back in business.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The final PPV of 1994 has its ups and downs but once again was very entertaining and quite a bit of storyline development. We finally get the Diesel/Shawn Michaels blow-up that's been building since SummerSlam. We will see how that develops as the new year dawns. Bret Hart is no longer WWF Champion but the story told in that match is top notch. Bob Backlund as the new champion was a bit perplexing at first, but he may have just been the lucky recipient of a gift in the continuing Owen/Bret storyline. From here that storyline cools and Backlund becomes a transition to something bigger. In my opinion the shine has definitely dulled on Lex Luger's push, and 1995 proves that. It is very sad to see the great Gorilla Monsoon leave the broadcast table considering all the great moments he's given us. But times have changed and he's now out of his element. The WWF is on a good roll right now with a surprisingly great year of PPV's. Will 1995 dictate the same? Stay tuned.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Like some of our other recent outings, this show is a bit of an anomaly. It was really fun to watch but I can't sit here and say it was very good as a whole. The opener was very spirited and told a great story and was really effective in its goals. After that, outside the WWF Title match, there really wasn't much else to get excited about. The clown fiasco was a real mess and a big PPV black eye. The Luger/DiBiase match was fine, but not enough to bump this show in any way. And the casket match was about what you would expect, really. Without all of theatrics and title implications, it felt quite flat on a whole but the crowd was into parts of it and Chuck Norris' presence was a fine addition. And for the third straight show, we end on a bland main event. Backlund's title win was pretty awesome and the match was great. At 35 minutes of bell to bell action and some post match stuff, it ate up a good portion of the show, so some credit due there. I also dug the McMahon/Monsoon combo much more than I remember. Gorilla really bounced back nicely after KOTR and closes out his PPV commentary career in good form. It is weird knowing we will not hear him call another PPV after this one. 1994 has been an interesting year to revisit as it is a true year of change. We are firmly out of the Hulk Hogan Era and with the Lex Luger Experiment seemingly broken down for good and Bret Hart no longer toting the gold, we will look to be entering 1995 with more questions than answers. As far as this show goes, we end up with a pretty blasé finish to what has been an exciting year of PPV. That said, there is entertainment value in rewatching this one thanks to the opener and WWF title match.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #86

  Royal Rumble 1995: The Era of Diesel Power Begins

  WrestleMania VI: A Giant Main Event

  In Your House #1: Welcome to Hell...I Mean Syracuse

  King of the Ring 1995: Hear Thee...Hear Thee...

  In Your House #2: Main Event Misery in Music City

  SummerSlam 1995: All Hail King Mabel

  In Your House #3: Triple Header!

  In Your House #4: It's the End of the World As We Know It...

  Survivor Series 1995: A Breath of Fresh Air

  In Your House #5: Hershey Highway to Hell

# Royal Rumble 1995: The Era of Diesel Power Begins

January 22, 1995

Sun Dome

Tampa, Florida

Attendance: 10,000

Buy Rate: 1.0

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Dark Match:

### 1) Buck Quartermaine defeated the Brooklyn Brawler

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) Jeff Jarrett defeats Razor Ramon to win WWF Intercontinental Title with a small package at 20:55

Fun Fact I: The Roadie is Brian Armstrong, youngest son of "Bullet" Bob Armstrong. Brian began his wrestling career in late 1986 in NWA Southeast Championship Wrestling, but he put his wrestling career on hold in 1987 to enlist in the US Marine Corp, where he served three tours of duty and served in Desert Storm. After his service, he restarted his wrestling career in Smoky Mountain Wrestling where he donned a mask and debuted as "The Dark Secret". Armstrong also wrestling in the USWA and WCW under his real name. He debuted as "The Roadie" on the 12/5/94 edition of Raw, costing the British Bulldog a match against his charge, Jeff Jarrett. Armstrong's primary role during his first run in the WWF was accompanying Jarrett to the ring and interfering in his matches.

Fun Fact II: The feud between Jeff Jarrett and Razor Ramon had been simmering since the fall of 1994. The two were on opposing teams in the '94 Survivor Series and their rivalry continued into the holiday season, with Jarrett periodically interfering in Ramon matches. On the Christmas Eve Superstars episode, it was announced that Jarrett and Ramon would battle for the IC title at the Royal Rumble. On the January 21 episode of Superstars (taped on 12/14/94), Jarrett came to ringside during following a Ramon match. Ramon grabbed the mic to respond to Jarrett, but the Roadie, located in the control room, cut Ramon's mic.

### Scott:

We open the first PPV of 1995 with a new feud brewing for the "Bad Guy". Razor Ramon started last year also as IC Champion, then made history at WrestleMania against Shawn Michaels to confirm his status as champion. He lost the title to Diesel, then won it back at SummerSlam and starts this year as the titleholder. Jeff Jarrett had an ambiguous 1994, being in the King of the Ring tournament against the 1-2-3 Kid, then pretty much floated around with the rest of the heels protecting Owen Hart and Yokozuna. Now he gets his first high profile title shot since Razor's 1994 opponents have moved on to bigger things. Jarrett now has his "Roadie" as the gimmick has refocused on him being in the WWF as nothing more than a stepping stone to a music career. The match is fun and standard, with Jarrett working Razor's legs over to hit the figure four, while Razor does his usual power moves. Jarrett does borrow some of his old Memphis tactics by stalling and drinking water in between moves. The crowd is a little flat and the announcing has no real juice to it. It almost seems like Vince and Lawler are too subdued, and need some more energy. At one point Roadie clips Razor's knee while the referee isn't looking after he falls out of the ring. Razor can't get back in and the match ends in a countout. I thought that was kind of a flat finish, but we aren't finished. As Razor limps back to the locker room, Jarrett starts baiting Razor with typical heel tactics of calling Razor a coward and taking the easy way out. Well the Bad Guy won't be called a coward so he gets back in the ring and the match is restarted. Jarrett goes all into the knee and even leaves the figure four on for a few minutes, mimicking Bob Backlund's five minute chicken wing on Bret Hart back at Survivor Series. Razor fights out of it and continues to battle as hard as he can but the knee just can't handle it and we have a new IC Champion. This is good for both guys, as Jarrett is due for a run as a champion, and sometimes Razor is better chasing than being the chased. The match was fun and the win was a shock. These two stay connected for the next six months.

### JT:

Another new year and another edition of the Royal Rumble. A lot has changed since November, and we will cover off on that as we move along through the show. With the show emanating from Tampa and involving megastar Pam Anderson, there was a fun beach party feel surrounding it all. Also, the King is back in the booth alongside Vince McMahon for this one, bringing some balance back to commentary. Our opener features Razor Ramon defending his Intercontinental Title against the new top contender, Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett had been chasing the gold since the fall, and with the addition of his Roadie, was primed to finally be elevated up the card. Just adding that second to his corner made him feel a bit bigger overall, based on the usual roadie/star relationship. And Brian James was really good in the role, doing all the stuff a roadie would do, pouring every ounce of energy into protecting his man. 1994 was a big year for the Bad Guy as well. It was the year that he really transitioned from very good mid carder to a guy that felt like a main eventer. He was super over and, while he always carried himself like a top star, he was really presented as one by this point. Ramon came firing out of the gate with right hands and sent Jarrett flying to the floor after a fallaway slam and chokeslam. The Roadie did all the little things so well immediately, always tending to Double J at the slightest bit of trouble. When he returned to the ring, Jarrett regained some confidence, landing a few moves and starting to strut a bit. That was short lived as Razor violently clotheslined Jarrett back to the floor to a big pop. After the reset, Razor kept pouring on the heat, really landing his offense with crispness, rattling the challenger with each blow. Jarrett came back with a flurry of dropkicks and started to work the upper back a bit, fighting through Ramon comebacks and working a chinlock in to slow the champ down. Razor would land a shot here and there, but Jarrett stayed aggressive, which I liked. He never slowed down or sat back, really showing urgency in knowing this may be his one shot at the title.

In another great touch, Jarrett also kept going for pin covers, trying whenever he could to put he match away. Ramon held strong and eventually tripped Jarrett up and crotched him before drilling him with a flying clothesline. As he looked to put away the challenger, Jarrett dodged a charged and sent Ramon flying over the top and to the floor. As Ramon go tot his feet, it was clear he hurt his knee and while he hobbled to shake it off, Roadie flew in and clipped him from behind. As Ramon writhed in the aisle, the referee hit ten and called for the bell to give Jarrett the countout win. However, like a good heel, Jarrett wasn't done. Instead of accepting his fate, he goaded Ramon back into the ring, preying on his machismo. Razor went against better judgment and allowed the referee to restart the match. Again, Jarrett's aggression paid off. Ramon valiantly tried to hang in, but Jarrett began to really pick apart the knee, taking his time and making each shot count before hooking in the figure four. The crowd rallied hard behind the Bad Guy and after a lengthy stay in the hold, Razor finally broke free with a pair of right hands. Vince was really good here too, wondering if and when the referee may decide to step in and call the match. Ramon kept slugging away, limping the whole time. He would hoist Jarrett to the top rope and spike him to the mat with a back suplex. The champ would hoist Jarrett up for the Razor's Edge, but before he could drop him, his knee buckled and he collapsed. Jarrett pounced, tucked Ramon into a small package and won the title. That was a great finish to a really good match. I loved the psychology here throughout, with Jarrett staying aggressive and using his advantage in the Roadie to land a lethal blow. Then he stay on point, baited Ramon back into the match and used the injured knee as a path to victory. Really fun stuff and a strong to start to Jarrett's reign.

### 2) Undertaker defeats IRS with a chokeslam at 12:19

Fun Fact I: The Druids here are portrayed by Jimmy Del Ray and one of the Blu Twins.

Fun Fact II: This would be IRS' final PPV match. He would stick around through July, with a Qualifying Match on the King of the Ring pre-show in which he lost to Savio Vega, as well as an appearance as a lumberjack in the WWF title match at In Your House 2. He returned to WCW in September, reprising his role of Michael Wallstreet and appearing on the first Monday Nitro. He would also go under the names of V.K. Wallstreet and Mister Wallstreet. He would join the NWO in late 1996, but was kicked out by JJ Dillon for having an invalid NWO contract. In 1999, he reformed the Varsity Club with Kevin Sullivan, but due to nagging injuries to Rotunda, it would be short-lived and would not reach the success that the group had in the early 1990s. Rotunda would return to the WWE in 2006 as a road agent, and would reprise his role as IRS for several segments over the years, the most memorable being the winner of the 15 legend battle royal at RAW's 15th anniversary show, only to be paid off by Ted DiBiase to eliminate himself and give DiBiase the win, and the September 7, 2009 RAW where he appeared as a contestant on The Price is Right, hosted by Bob Barker, the guest host of RAW that night. His final PPV record is 5-11, going 0-4 at the Rumble, 1-1 at WrestleMania, 1-2 at KOTR, 3-1 at SummerSlam, and 0-3 at Survivor Series.

Fun Fact III: At the Survivor Series 94 match between The Undertaker and Yokozuna, IRS attacked The Undertaker, starting the feud between the two. To taunt the Undertaker, IRS appeared in a series of vignettes where he repossessed tombstones and burial plots from people that had not paid their taxes before dying. Leading up to the Royal Rumble, hooded druids would escort IRS to the ring and would interfere in the matches.

### Scott:

We now begin easily the worst year creatively for the Undertaker. Starting at the Survivor Series when he vanquished Yokozuna in the casket match, the Deadman is almost hitting his own glass ceiling. With the main event and IC feuds covered, the Deadman has to tackle Ted DiBiase's Corporation. The problem overall is that the faction is full of mediocre characters and has-beens. IRS has been an all-time great worker but after five years with the company he's a little stale. Now in a bubble this can be a great match with two really good workers. Taker still worked that very stiff, methodic style so it's slow at times and once the entrance is finished the crowd is pretty quiet. Lawler does have some nice barbs to Vince which breaks up what seems like monotonous commentary. Vince had a great 1994 as PBP guy, but so far tonight he's back to his boring vanilla style. It's cool to see Money Inc. back together of sorts but so far neither announcer has acknowledged them as former tag team champions. About halfway through the match DiBiase brings out his own set of druids in an attempt to rattle the Deadman. The match is almost going too slowly at this point to focus too much on the outside stuff. I don't know who the ring crew was that night, but the ring seems very loose, like something is unscrewed under the ring. Taker eventually vanquishes IRS with a Tombstone but then the druids and then King Kong Bundy comes out to help beat Taker down and continue the feud. The Deadman can't shake this muck off for a while, but he does take one member out here.

### JT:

On paper, this is a weird one. Mainly because it seems like such a mismatch. IRS attacked Undertaker at Survivor Series as Ted DiBiase continues to look to eradicate the Deadman. Taker wants to put IRS down and move on from this battle with the Corporation. There was a nice thread woven in here with the "Death and Taxes" stuff, I will give them that. Taker's entrance was eery as usual, and the crowd ate it all up. IRS ducked and dodged early, using his speed advantage to avoid the Deadman's heavy blows. As IRS regrouped on the floor, Lawler wondered why he didn't have the druids out there backing him up. IRS tried to land a couple of punches, but Taker shrugged him off and landed a big boot and took over from there. He even used Irwin's tie to whip him across the ring, something we didn't see nearly enough. After avoiding a near collision, IRS has his back to Taker and got clotheslined hard to the floor as a result. As he regrouped, DiBiase brought out the druids for assistance, greatly pleasing Irwin. The move would pay dividends immediately, as one of them shook the ropes, causing Taker to fall to the mat from the perch he ascended to. Taker would go out and attack them, but that gave Irwin the opening to catch him from behind with an axehandle. He went to work from there, exhausting his basic catalogue of offense. That would end after a mid ring collision, leading to Taker coming back fighting off the druids and IRS, but after a failed Tombstone attempt, IRS hit his flying clothesline. Taker came back again, hitting a chokeslam for the win. As Taker celebrated in the ring, the druids pounced on him and landed some shots. As Taker fought them off, King Kong Bundy arrived and went toe to toe with the Deadman. As Bundy laid a stiff beating down, IRS knocked down Paul Bearer and stole the urn before taking off to the back. There wasn't much here at all, but they worked hard and tossed enough shenanigans out there to keep it energetic and interesting. It wasn't nearly as bland as you may fear given who was involved. IRS may have bene put down, but it is clear that Taker's feud with DiBiase is far from over.

### 3) Bret Hart and Diesel wrestle to a no-contest at 27:18; Diesel retains WWF World Title

Fun Fact I: Three days after winning the world title, Bob Backlund was scheduled to face Bret Hart in a rematch at the November 26, 1994 house show at Madison Square Garden. At the event, Howard Finkel announced to the crowd that Bret Hart was not there and that Diesel would be facing Backlund in a non-title match. An official came to ringside and corrected Finkel that the match would be for the title, causing Backlund to protest the match. Later in the evening, Big Daddy Cool defeated Backlund in a nine second match to win the World Title in a shocking turn of events.

Fun Fact II: Diesel becomes the first wrestler to win all three major WWF Titles within a calendar year.

### Scott:

The Hitman has cashed in his rematch from losing to Bob Backlund at Survivor Series, but he's not facing Backlund. Just four days after winning the title, Backlund lays down for Big Daddy Cool at Madison Square Garden. So the guy who a year earlier was about to be fired, is now at the top of the WWF mountain. His first title defense is right here against the former champion. Back in June they had a pretty solid match at King of the Ring, and Diesel has now become a babyface so the dynamic of the match is very different, which makes it very intriguing. Both men go at it with big time intensity so at first it seemed like Diesel was going to wrestle the same kind of match, and not soften up because he's a babyface. Bret did the right thing and started working the big guy's legs and keeping him grounded on the mat while Diesel focused on power moves and strikes. Both guys worked to their strengths and for the first several minutes really put on a great World Title match...until the run-ins happen. First Shawn Michaels comes out and beats down his former bodyguard, as that feud has really heated up since their official breakup at Survivor Series. It would have been a terrible ending but the referee decides to keep the match going. So they go at it again and the crowd really starts to get going, and they even start booing Bret when he continues to work Diesel's knee over. All of a sudden out comes Owen Hart to beat down on Bret. Officially we thought this feud was over when Bret beat Owen in a title match in September on TV. Then Owen helped Backlund win at Survivor Series, but after that it seemed the feud cooled. But he comes in to beat Bret down and then he leaves the ring. That would have been another terrible ending, but for the second time the referee keeps the match going. They battle for a few more minutes and then the floodgates opened and for the second year in a row a gaggle of heels come in to ruin a World Title match. Last year it was Undertaker being shoved in a casket. This time Michaels, Owen, Jeff Jarrett (why?) and Bob Backlund come in to continue the beatdowns. Finally the referee had enough and called the match a draw. THAT is as awful an ending as the previous two would have been. They didn't want either guy to lay down to the other, so the only way to book itself out of it is have a car crash ending where nobody wins or loses. It stinks but I guess there's no other way to do it. The match was trying to be really good and at times it was but otherwise the run-ins ruined the flow and the ending is crap. Diesel stays champion and really still looks credible while Bret won't sniff a title shot for a while and like Undertaker will have to pick scraps when he can.

### JT:

Well, I told you a lot had changed. After Bob Backlund's fantastic title win at Survivor Series, I thought we were in a for a fun heel title reign. I couldn't have been more wrong. Looking for his next company ace, Vince McMahon decided to pull the trigger on the red hot Diesel and give him the gold in an MSG shocker. It was an interesting decision that came with high risk and the potential for high reward. Was Diesel ready? We will see. If he was, there is a good chance for a big time payoff. Diesel had a great vibe about him here still. He had a cool swagger that you couldn't teach and the crowds were still hot for him for sure. Here, his first PPV title defense is against the former champion, the man that was hosed back in San Antonio, Bret Hart. This was a real test for Diesel and of course is a rematch from their fun King of the Ring tussle. There was definitely a feeling heading in here that Hart could quickly regain the gold from Diesel, just because he was such an unknown to so many, but just based on the way he squashed Backlund, it should have been obvious that they envisioned a long reign for him. Before the match, Diesel sauntered over to football great Lawrence Taylor to give a quick handshake and hug. I like that touch, makes Diesel seem like a big deal and a well known star. Even the champ's handshakes were cool, as him and Hart dap fists before the bell. Hart was real feisty early on, refusing to break in the ropes and even shoving Diesel a bit, maybe trying to show that the size wouldn't matter and that he was there for a fight. The champ would send Hart to floor twice, but Bret stayed out there the second time, tripped up Diesel and wrapped his knee around the ring post. As Bret went to town on the knee, Vince talked about how Bret had amped up his aggression, leading some to wonder if he had changed since his title loss. Bret would hook a figure four, using it as a weardown hold, which is a unique touch. Diesel would break it, but Bret went right back to it, sticking to his strategy. The champ again forced a break with the ropes, but Bret pushed the envelope before releasing. He would angrily stomp Diesel's knee, driving him to the floor and following with a dive. Angry, aggressive Bret is a lot of fun.

That aggression backfired, though, as Diesel reversed a whip and sent the Hitman careening into the steps. Diesel's power took over from there, as he levied big elbows to the face, followed by a rattling sidewalk slam for a near fall. He started to work the back, prepping Hart for the Jackknife, but also attempting covers along the way. Hart peppered blows in where he could, but Diesel eventually hoisted him up into an old school hanging backbreaker. Hart wriggled free but ate a big boot on a charge. He would get flung to the floor, but as Hart regrouped, he unwrapped his wrist tape. As he baited Diesel over his way, he reached in and tripped up the champ, tying his legs together around the post with the tape. Hart would viciously lay some blows in until the referee freed Diesel. A Hart kept up the aggression, Lawler made a good point, stating if Hart could win the gold, then the Hitman would feel like his change in attitude was worth it. He would run through his usual offense, but definitely hit each move with extra juice behind it. Momentum sung again when Diesel got sent outside, but caught a leaping Hitman and ran him into the post. Back inside, Diesel hit the Jackknife, but just before the referee counted to three, Shawn Michaels slid into the ring and broke up the pin. He would viciously stomp his old bodyguard's knee before being forced out by officials. Instead of calling for a DQ, Earl Hebner decided the match deserved to continue, to the delight of the fans. Hart would recover first and went back at the knee that Michaels had further damaged for him, eventually going back to the figure four. Diesel would battle back by attacking the lower back again, even busting out a gutwrench suplex. I am really digging the focus and psychology here, with both men going at the injured body part to swing the tide whenever they get deep into trouble. And that is what Hart did when he again rattled Diesel's leg against the post before bashing it with a chair. The crowd turned on the Hitman a bit for that one. But it didn't matter, as back inside he locked the Sharpshooter in and seemed set to regain his gold. However, before Diesel could tap, Owen Hart showed up and broke the hold. He removed the turnbuckle pad and sent Bret crashing into it chest first. Again, Hebner kept the match alive. After they both got to their feet, the two would trade offense against the other's weakened appendage. Diesel finally stepped up to match Bret's anger as he laid in some really stiff forearm shivers to the face before grabbing a chair and stalking the Hitman, who was able to avoid the attack. Back inside, Hart played possum, faking a knee injury long enough to roll the champ up for a near fall. After a ref bump, all hell broke loose as Michaels, Owen, Bob Backlund, Jeff Jarrett and Roadie all showed up jumped the competitors. Hebner finally had enough and called for the bell, leaving us with a draw. And it is hard to blame the booking here as Diesel needed to keep the gold and Hart couldn't take another big match loss.

I really enjoyed this match. The psychology was on point by both men and I loved Hart's change in attitude and aggressive offense style, not wasting any movement at all. It also helped ensure the crowd would stick behind Diesel as well. And speaking of Diesel, his reign is off to a very good start, with a great match and showing here. He feels like a star and is being presented as such and now he hung with the Hitman for the second time in eight months. This definitely came off as a war between two equals, neither of whom could gain that ultimate advantage. Great stuff here, despite the shaky finish.

### 4) Bob Holly & 1-2-3 Kid defeat Tatanka & Bam Bam Bigelow to win WWF Tag Team Titles when Kid pins Bigelow after Tatanka collided with him at 15:43

Fun Fact I: Here are the Tag Title Tournament results: First Round: Bigelow & Tatanka over Men on a Mission, Headshrinkers over Jim Neidhart & Owen Hart, Heavenly Bodies over Bushwhackers, Kid & Holly over Well Dunn; Second Round: Bigelow & Tatanka over Headshrinkers, Kid & Holly over the Bodies. Kid and Holly were replacing the injured Smoking Gunns.

Fun Fact II: 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Holly would lose the titles the next night on Monday Night Raw to the Smoking Gunns, who missed the tournament due to injury to Bart.

Fun Fact III: This was the second January in a row that the Kid won a Tag Title in an upset and lost it right back. In January 1994, he and Marty Jannetty won the straps from the Quebecers, but lost them right back the next week. Also, this was Holly's first title and first PPV appearance since the 1994 Royal Rumble, where he debuted.

Fun Fact IV: This tournament occurred because Shawn Michaels tossed his half of the Tag Titles in the trash and officially vacated them at Survivor Series.

Fun Fact V: Thurman "Sparky" Plugg has been rechristened Bob "Spark Plug" Holly since we last saw him on PPV.

### Scott:

Our final undercard match pits more of Ted DiBiase's Corporation against a couple of upstarts in the tag division. If the company wanted to legitimize the Corporation as a force on TV, then Bigelow and Tatanka should have won this match. It makes perfect sense, because since Survivor Series nothing has really happened of consequence. Earlier tonight IRS was a sacrificial lamb of the Undertaker, so you figure that they need a little boost and start getting hot as a heel faction leading into WrestleMania. The match was pretty standard with the heels dictating the tempo. I chuckle whenever Vince says that Holly needs to stay healthy because racing season starts soon. Another reason I wanted the heels to win was because Tatanka was due for a title just like Jarrett was earlier in the show. I would have thought Razor and Tatanka would have had a great feud and that Tatanka could have been one of the faces of the faction if he had been a champion in some way. The ending is terrible, as Tatanka accidentally shook the corner and Bigelow fell to the mat. He and Kid were not moving for what seemed like an hour, until Kid rolled over SOOO SLOWWWWLY and got the three count. I was pretty stunned at that one when I first watched it, and again the Corporation looked like chumps. Now to continue the storyline, DiBiase and Tatanka leave Bigelow in the ring (even though it was Tatanka's fault, good heel work). Bigelow leaves the ring disgusted and at ringside is retired NFL legend Lawrence Taylor. He's heckling Bigelow for losing to the underdogs. Bigelow then shoves LT to the ground and walks away. That was pretty shocking. LT is not happy, but this story is just beginning. The match is blah, but the post-match story is more important.

### JT:

When Shawn Michaels tossed his half of the tag team strap in a San Antonio trash can, the championships were forfeited and rendered vacant. They remained that way until this match, which is the finals of a tournament to crown new champs. The Smoking Gunns were pegged as the early favorites but due to an injury to Bart, they were kept out of the tournament. However, they were healed up by this point and were slated to take on the new titleholders the next night on Raw. But, let's start with this bout. On one side of the ring are Ted DiBiase's charges, Tatanka and Bam Bam Bigelow. They were easily the heavy favorites over the upstart Bob Holly and 1-2-3 Kid, who were actually subbed in when the Gunns went down. It was a unique team and reminiscent of Kid's team with Marty Jannetty a year ago. In a nice touch in the prematch promo, Kid and Holly compare themselves to the San Diego Chargers, who had upset the Pittsburgh Steelers and were headed to Super Bowl a week after this show. Of course, they ended up getting massacred by the 49ers, but it was a cool comparison nonetheless. Tatanka took control of Holly right off the bell, using the size advantage that had been so talked about leading into this one. Holly and Kid would double team a bit, with Kid even popping up to block a Bigelow powerbomb and taking the big man over with a Frankensteiner. Bigelow quickly recovered and lair the Kid out, swinging momentum back to the favorites. Tatanka kept the pressure on and for the first time I felt like Tatanka really had some nice heel swagger going. I would assume teaming with Bigelow and being positioned as power favorites would trigger that, but it was nice to see. Bigelow would tag back in but make a mistake by missing a charge and was sent careening to the floor. Some more double teaming would put Holly on offense against the Native American. That was short lived, though, as Bigelow hooked the top rope as Holly was whipped in, causing Sparky to tumble hard to the floor.

The heat segment built, with Bigelow and Tatanka leaning heavily on Holly, not giving him much room to breathe. But, miscommunication bit them as Tatanka came off the top and cracked Bigelow with a chop when Holly dove away. They lucked out though as Kid was down the apron yelling instead of being in his corner, preventing Holly from tagging out. Lawler was on point, calling out how inexperience burnt them on that occasion. Holly was basically out on his feet as he crawled and stumbled around the ring, eating right hands from both opponents. He tried to fire back and came close once, but Tatanka cut him short and pasted him with a chop across the chest. Kid would finally get the hot tag and took the air to rattle both Bigelow and Tatanka, picking up a near fall on Bammer with a high cross body. Bigelow bounded up and sent Kid crashing outside with a military press slam and at this point it definitely seemed like the end of the road for the underdogs. And them, a miracle happened. Bigelow climbed the top tope for the moonsault, but Tatanka didn't see him and ht the ropes. However, when he bounced off, Bigelow lost his balance and crashed to the mat and was knocked unconscious. Holly knocked Tatanka to the floor and Kid crawled over to steal the upset win. DiBiase couldn't believe it and flipped out at ringside as the underdog champs celebrated to the cheers of the crowd. That was a really cool moment and a well booked story and match. Holly and Kid had a jobber type comeback that was smartly orchestrated to make it seem like the match was done, right before disaster struck for the Corporation. That was a great payoff to the tournament as a whole and set up a cool match for the next night on Raw. The Corporation comes up short and we have unlikely tag team champions.

*** After the bout, a wobbly Bam Bam Bigelow recovers and then heads to the floor where he gets into it with some rowdy fans at ringside. As he stalks around the ring, he notices Lawrence Taylor laughing in his seat. Bigelow starts jawing at him and when LT gets up to offer a handshake, Bigelow shoves him hard to the floor in anger. LT popped up and wanted to brawl, but his crew and officials held him back. The crowd chanted "LT" as Bigelow stormed off and order was restored. Vince McMahon would later apologize to viewers and LT for what occurred. ***

### 5) Shawn Michaels wins the Royal Rumble

Order of Entry, and who eliminated them

1) Shawn Michaels: Winner

2) British Bulldog: Shawn Michaels

3) Eli Blu: Sionne

4) Duke Droese: Shawn Michaels

5) Jimmy Del Ray: Shawn Michaels

6) Sionne: Jacob Blu

7) Tom Pritchard: Shawn Michaels

8) Doink: Kwang

9) Kwang: Sionne

10) Rick Martel: Sionne

11) Owen Hart: British Bulldog

12) Timothy Well: British Bulldog

13) Luke: Shawn Michaels

14) Jacob Blu: Shawn Michaels

15) King Kong Bundy: Mabel

16) Mo: King Kong Bundy

17) Mabel: Lex Luger

18) Butch: Shawn Michaels

19) Lex Luger: Shawn Michaels & Crush

20) Mantaur: Shawn Michaels

21) Aldo Montoya: Shawn Michaels

22) Henry Godwinn: Lex Luger

23) Billy Gunn: Dick Murdoch & Crush

24) Bart Gunn: Dick Murdoch & Crush

25) Bob Backlund: Lex Luger

26) Steven Dunn: Aldo Montoya

27) Dick Murdoch: Henry Godwinn

28) Adam Bomb: Crush

29) Fatu: Crush

30) Crush: British Bulldog

Longest Competitor: Shawn Michaels & British Bulldog: 38:51

Shortest Competitor: Mo :03

Most Thrown Out: Shawn Michaels: 9

Fun Fact I: Shawn Michaels was the first wrestler to go from number one to win the match. Michaels also set the record up to that point for most wrestlers thrown out with nine. It is a rare time that the first two wrestlers in were the last two left at the end.

Fun Fact II: A few debuts to note in the Rumble. First we have Mike Droese, otherwise known as Duke "the Dumpster." He broke into the business in Florida while attending the University of Miami. He was mildly famous for being ranked 500 in the PWI 500 when he wrestled as the Garbage Man on the Indy circuit. The Blu Brothers are better known as the Harris Brothers, who started in the Portland area and moved on to both Smoky Mountain and WCW before coming to the WWF at the start of the year. The tag team of Well Dunn, comprised of Timothy Well and Stephen Dunn, started in the WWC before coming to Stamford. They were also known as Rex King and Steve Doll. Mantaur is Mike Hallick and after his brief run here, he would head to ECW. Even though we all know who the all time great Dick Murdoch is, this is actually his WWF PPV debut. He last appeared in the WWF in 1984, when he was half of the Tag Team Champions with the late Adrian Adonis. He also was one half of a great heel team in the AWA in the early 70s known as the Outlaws. His tag team partner was a very young Dusty Rhodes. We also see the debut of Aldo Montoya, dubbed the "Portuguese Man of War." Montoya was perennial jobber P.J. Walker repackaged as a...well we aren't sure, but he wore yellow and had a jock strap on his head. Walker was best known for upsetting IRS on an episode of Raw in the fall of 1993. Finally, we have the first appearance of the pissed off hog farmer Henry O. Godwinn. Godwinn was formerly Shanghai Pierce in WCW, where he formed a team with Tex Slazenger.

Fun Fact III: Sadly, this is Doink's final PPV appearance. His record is 2-5. He was 0-2 in Royal Rumbles, 1-1 at Wrestlemania, 0-1 at SummerSlam and 1-1 at Survivor Series.

Fun Fact IV: This is also Rick Martel's final PPV appearance. His final WWF appearance was exactly eleven days later at a house show in Montreal when he clotheslined Shawn Michaels out of the ring following an altercation. He would wrestle on the Indy circuit and formed a team with Don Callis, calling themselves "The Super Models." The two were in talks with the WWF about a possible run, but it never panned out. Martel would resurface in WCW in 1998 and had a mildly successful run, even winning the TV title from Booker T on an episode of Nitro in February, only to lose it back to Booker six days later at SuperBrawl VIII. Martel would then suffer a back injury, and would be sidelined for five months. When he returned to the ring, he suffered a neck injury, and ended up retiring from wrestling. Martel is now involved in real estate in Canada. He made an appearance at the Night of Champions PPV in 2007, being showcased with Tony Garea as former Tag Team Champions, and got physically involved by saving Sgt. Slaughter and Jimmy Snuka from an altercation with Deuce and Domino. His all-time PPV record is 5-15-1. He went 0-7 at the Royal Rumble (appearing in every one from 1989-1995!), 2-4 at WrestleMania, 1-0-1 at SummerSlam, and 2-4 at the Survivor Series.

Fun Fact V: This is also the final PPV appearance for Headshrinker Sionne, aka The Barbarian. His final WWF appearance came on an European tour in June shortly before the King of the Ring. He would return to WCW before the end of the year, reuniting with former POP partner The Warlord under masks as the short-lived tag team, "The Super Assassins." He would then reunite with Meng as the Faces of Fear, teaming together frequently for the remainder of the decade. Barbarian would be released in late 1999 as a cost cutting measure, but would be rehired in mid-2000. Barbarian is also credited for being the final WCW Hardcore Champion when the title was given to him by Meng on the final episode of WCW Thunder. Barbarian held the title until WCW was purchased by the WWF. Barbarian still wrestles in the indy circuit to this day. His final PPV record is 5-8.

Fun Fact VI: This is Crush's final WWF PPV appearance until late 1996. Shortly after this show, he was arrested in Hawaii for possession of an illegal hand gun and the purchase of steroids. He was fired and jailed.

Fun Fact VII: For this match, Baywatch star Pamela Anderson was seated at ringside. It was announced that she would accompany the winner of the Royal Rumble to the ring at WrestleMania XI.

Fun Fact VIII: This is the first Royal Rumble where the rule that "both feet must touch the floor" comes into play. It is also the only Rumble in history to feature one minute intervals between entrants.

### Scott:

So who will face Diesel at WrestleMania in Hartford? When you look at the roster of guys for this match, there aren't many legitimate options. Two of those options start the match with the first two slots. I think it was evident that Shawn Michaels was going to win this thing, considering Diesel was the Champion at the moment and their feud was just getting going. Bulldog could be a legitimate option as well, but maybe not a face/face match for the title at WrestleMania. This year they shortened the time between guys to 60 seconds, which means this is going to be a very quick match. After the first two we get some real dogs in here like Eli Blu (one of many incarnations for the Harris Brothers), Duke "The Dumpster" Droese, and both Heavenly Bodies. It's becoming clear early on that Shawn is the favorite as his "almost" eliminations are highlighted by the cameras and the announcers. When Kwang comes in Vince has this serious "Oh it's Kwang" voice, which makes me laugh out loud. Rick Martel, who we haven't seen on PPV in ages, comes into the match, presumably to eat up time as he was the Federation Era's stalwart in Rumble matches, based on length of time. We get what I think is an awesome moment, as Owen Hart is coming to the ring for the Rumble he's attacked from behind by his brother Bret, retribution for what happened during the WWF Title match earlier in the evening. It's not like Bret to be that way but it was pretty cool. Bushwhacker Luke is in, as I forgot they were still with the company.

Eventually it's back to just Bulldog and Michaels for a few moments, until the other Harr-I mean Blu brother Jacob comes in. It's pretty evident as this Rumble is going on that the roster is pretty thin. Tag team guys and laughable mid-card characters dominate the slots so far. King Kong Bundy comes in, trying to get his second World Title shot in nine years. Bulldog eliminates Owen, who may have been a legitimate option here. Mabel comes in and we get a poor attempt at remaking Warrior/Hogan in 1990 when Mabel and Bundy are in the ring together. Lex Luger comes in but that rose has literally no bloom left. I don't think anyone thought Luger/Diesel could be a viable WrestleMania main event. Although if Luger turned heel? Perhaps, but he realistically had as much chance as the next guy that came in: Mantaur. This roster is clearly terrible but hey what did Vince have to work with? The main cog of this match is Pamela Anderson at ringside. She will be escorting the winner of this match to the ring at WrestleMania. Bob Backlund (another possible favorite) comes to the ring but again out comes Bret Hart to attack him. I liked this Bret because it was unlike him to interfere and get in anybody's way, even heels. The stunned Backlund is eliminated by Luger's forearm. Bret attacks Backlund again after the elimination, clearly leading to what both will be doing April 2 in Hartford. Dick Murdoch? I'll leave it at that. Vince did acknowledge that Murdoch and Adrian Adonis were former WWF Tag Team Champions. Adam Bomb got a decent pop when heading to the ring but he was not a guy you'd see main eventing WrestleMania. That's what made this Rumble so weak: Probably 22 or 23 guys were easily not going to win this, whereas most years it's maybe 16 or 17. And there's usually some tweeners that could go either way. This year it's either definitely or definitely not. Pamela Anderson would point to the ring every time the camera would be on her. It was cold in the Sun Dome, just look at Pamela. Crush wraps up the 30 guys in this Rumble, and now that I think about it if the WWF's idea was NOT having the World Title match last then perhaps there were more options since it didn't really need to carry the show. Having said that there were probably four legit options when all guys had entered: Michaels, Bulldog, Luger and Crush. Depending if the bookers wanted to have a face/face WWF Title match that wasn't going to carry WrestleMania, then maybe a Luger/Diesel match would be possible. But honestly as I keep talking about other options it was probably going to be Shawn Michaels winning this. Alas the four guys I mentioned were the last four in the match. Luger is eliminated, and then it looks like maybe Bulldog could win as Shawn and Crush double team him. Then Crush turned on Shawn and almost eliminated him and the crowd was actually going crazy. Shawn avoids it, then ducks a Bulldog clothesline and he eliminates Crush. So we are back to square one. Bulldog works over Michaels and then eliminates him. Bulldog's music plays and the crowd goes nuts. Then...Shawn Michaels comes back into the ring and throws Bulldog over the top rope. So what happened? Well apparently Bulldog did clothesline Michaels over the top rope but Shawn's second foot NEVER hit the floor. So Shawn Michaels goes wire to wire, the first time in WWF history, and will face former bodyguard Diesel at Wrestlemania. Pamela Anderson gets in the ring as Michaels celebrates. Overall it was a fast-paced but ho-hum Rumble with so many guys that clearly weren't going to win.

### JT:

So, as of now, we know Diesel is headed to Hartford with the WWF Title around his waist. And it is time to determine who his opponent will be. There were a couple of potential favorites in the field, but as we will see, it is't the strongest crowd in Rumble history. To help compensate for the soft roster, the periods between entrants were whittled down to just one minute, and the concept of this being the fastest Rumble in history was pushed heavily. To this fan, it was a bit of a disappointment and I knew it would mess up the record books a bit as well. Before the bout kicked off, Pamela Anderson sauntered down to the ring, poured into a skin tight dress and welcomed by catcalls from the horny Tampa fans. Once she settled in, Shawn Michaels strutted out to the ring, having drawn #1. Across the ring at #2 was one of the other heavier favorites in the field, Davey Boy Smith. Smith is making his first Rumble appearance since 1992, where he was the first entrant to the ring. Neither man gained much of an advantage and before we knew it, Eli Blu showed up to silence at #3. The Blu Brothers had a pretty good look and solid enough gimmick to make you think they had a shot to be successful here. Bulldog and Michaels teamed up and worked over Eli as Duke Droese entered at #4. Droese had debuted early in 1994 but this is first PPV outing. He was most infamous for having been #500 in the PWI 500 a couple of years earlier. He went to work on Michaels, hooking in a bear hug, as Eli stomped on Davey Boy. Heavenly Body Jimmy Del Ray charged to the ring at #5 and Headshrinker Sionne was #6. As everyone paired off, Michaels tossed out Del Ray to pick up the first elimination. And as Del Ray left, his partner Dr. Tom Prichard ran out at #7. Sionne would hoist Michaels up but Shawn went to the eyes and saved himself from being press slammed out. The quick intervals do indeed keep this thing humming along. Doink and Dink danced to the ring at #8 as the clown duo are making their final PPV appearance. It has been quite the run for the Doinkster since his debut in late 1992. He has had some great times and some really frustrating times, and there is an obvious, clear delineation of the two. Either way, I guess he will be missed. Not Dink, though. The bodies continued to fill up at a crisp pace as Kwang jobbed out at #9. And man, is this a soft field and there is really nothing of note going on just yet, with everyone pairing off and battling near the ropes. And the first third ends with Rick Martel showing up at #10. Vince notes that this is Martel's seventh Rumble, which is a neat fact. He also has some new tights on as they are a rose color, offset by purple kneepads.

And our first big name since Bulldog enters at #11 when Owen Hart arrogantly struts out. However, before he can even get to the ring, his brother Bret jumped him in the aisle and beat the snot out of him as revenge for earlier. Owen would eventually make it to the ring but was immediately eliminated by Bulldog. That is sad. This match needs as much star power as it can get. I know they wanted to work the story with Bret, but he could have just come out later and cost him. Owen was needed here more than anything else. As he was chucked, newcomer Timothy Well entered at #12. And as Well showed up, the Dumpster was chucked out by Michaels. Well is one half of Well Dunn, a new team under the tutelage of Harvey Wippleman. And with that bodies started flying as Well, Martel and Prichard all went out in immediate succession. Doink followed right after, courtesy a Kwang kick to the face. That was much needed as the ring was really filling up. Bushwhacker Luke marched out at #13 as Sionne and Eli tumbled to the floor. Michaels made quick work of Luke, leaving he and Bulldog as the only two remaining. Luke at least lasted a nit longer here than he did back in 1991, but not by much. Shawn worked Bulldog over, but ate a vertical suplex as Jacob Blue ran out at #14. Jacob would mow Michaels down with a clothesline but missed a charge when Shawn ducked and dumped him out. Bulldog hoisted Michaels up and had him teetering when King Kong Bundy waddled out to bring us halfway home at #15. Mo came out at #16 but was immediately tossed by Bundy, apparently setting a new elimination record at right around one second. Lawler loved that one. Mo had returned from injury in December, bringing Mabel's solo run to a close for now. And speaking of Mabel, he powerwalked to the ring at #17 and immediately had a big shoving match with Bundy that got the crowd all fired up. Mabel was able to shove Bundy out as Bushwhacker Butch entered at #18. And that was a bit surprising as Bundy was seemingly set for some big things judging by his appearance earlier. Another odd decision. Michaels chucked Butch as Lex Luger bolted to the ring at #19 and showed off his power by dumping Mabel. At this point our three biggest favorites were left alone as based on the remaining entrants, you had to assume one of these three were most likely to win. The crowd was pretty into Luger here, which was good to see. Newcomer Mantaur showed up at #20 and he had a rather interesting look. Half man, half moose. All fun.

Another new face, Aldo Montoya, came out at #21. Aldo was former jobber PJ Walker with an interesting getup on. At least they were churning the roster a bit? I don't know. And that churn continued to show itself as #22 was Henry Godwinn, a pissed off hog farmer. This Rumble may feature the highest number of debuts since the early editions. Godwinn was once known as Shanghai Pierce in WCW and was a solid enough pickup for the mid card. Billy Gunn entered at #23 and Bart followed at #24, showing that they were now healthy and ready for their big tag title match the next night. The ring was starting to fill back up for the final push as we started to reach the home stretch. At #25, former WWF Champion Bob Backlund confidently headed out, however just like earlier, Bret Hart showed up and beat the snot out of his rival as receipt for the attack earlier. And Baclund met the same fate as Owen, getting immediately clotheslined to the floor as soon as he entered. And as that happened, Steven Dunn showed up at #26 just like his buddy Well entered as Owen was chucked before. That is some...well done symmetry. And it was also pretty stupid yet again, as this match was starved for star power. The legendary Dick Murdoch got a token slot at #27 and Vince praises him for his legacy, reminding us he was once WWF Tag Team Champion alongside the late Adrian Adonis. Adam Bomb entered at #28, late again like last year. We will see if his run is equally as disappointing as that was. Godwinn almost was able to pitch out Michaels as Fatu ran in at #29. Mantaur was dumped out, ending a decent enough run. And we say farewell to the big moose as this is his only PPV appearance. Crush entered at #30, popping back up after some time off to close out 1994.

Crush and Murdoch would shove both Gunns out to the floor as the field trimmed down for the final stretch. Dunn would follow. We haven't noted it in a while, but both Bulldog and Michaels are still going strong after being the first two in. Murdoch had Michaels teetering but Luger made the save for some unknown reason. Lawler even questioned that one. And with disappointment in his voice, McMahon called the elimination of "one of the favorites" Adam Bomb. Another sad showing for the big man. Montoya got flung out by Michaels, who again got saved by Luger after Murdoch nearly shoved him out. After a nice showing by Dick, Godwinn was able to push him to the floor, narrowly avoiding elimination himself and leading us to the final five. Michaels would charge at Bulldog and Luger, nearly getting himself eliminated in the same fashion as a year ago when he did the same thing at the end. Luger would dump Godwin, leaving himself, Bulldog, Michaels and Crush as the final four. Michaels and Crush would team up to toss Luger, ending his chance at rehabbing his image a bit and still now maintaining the choker label. The two worked over Bulldog, until Crush turned on Shawn and tried to slam him out. Shawn held on until Bulldog charged and clotheslined the big man out, leaving us with our first two entrants as the last for the first time ever. Bulldog ran right through Michaels, beating him around the ring before clotheslining him out to the floor...to win the match? Michaels hung on to the ropes but Bulldog's music played and Vince proclaimed him the winner. However, as he celebrated, Michaels came in and knocked him to the floor to officially win the bout. Video replay would show that Shawn hung on to the top rope and only had one foot touch the floor, meaning he was never eliminated. That was a cool finish that didn't linger too long. I am glad it wrapped quickly and lasted just long enough to make you wonder what was going on. So, the big time push for Shawn Michaels is finally here after three years of build and promise. This Rumble was clearly his to win and he got the job done, setting himself up to clash with his former buddy Diesel at WrestleMania. As Michaels celebrated, Pam Anderson made weird faces and rolled her eyes before running out of the ring quickly. She will be back. As will Shawn. This was a fun Rumble that was only hampered by its supremely weak field. The pacing, action and crowd were all pretty good and if there had been a few more legit contenders in there, it could have rated pretty highly overall.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

History dictates that this is going to be a very rough year in PPV history. On the other hand this is also what you call a "cherry picking" year. There may not be one show that you sit back and go "Wow that show was awesome" but more like "That show was mostly crap, but there was a gem or two." This show had a gem or two but not much else. The opener was fun and told a good story of how being a tough guy cost Razor Ramon his IC Title. It's a big win for Jeff Jarrett and one that was definitely needed. The WWF Title match had the potential to be something really good but all the outside booking in the last few minutes ruined it. The Rumble itself was a showcase for Shawn Michaels, nothing more. Does Bigelow shoving Lawrence Taylor mean anything? Stay tuned to find out. Overall it's a pretty 50/50 show that might be closer to the down side of the middle.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This really is a surprisingly good PPV. I know this year has a stigma as does this show, mainly thanks to the weak Rumble field and shortened intervals, but there was a lot here to enjoy. The undercard was very good, with three really good title matches. Taker/IRS was shaky, but not bad enough to drag down the rest of the show. I really liked the Ramon/Jarrett bout and the title switch was well done. Bret Hart and Diesel delivered another really strong WWF Title match, kicking off Diesel's reign in a positive way. The tag match was a lot of fun too, capped by the big showdown between Bigelow and LT. The Rumble is littered with low level jobbers that had no chance, but it at least moved at a really quick and crisp pace with really no wasted time. There were some booking mixups, specifically around Owen and Backlund, but they went by the book and had Michaels win, which was absolutely the right choice. No shenanigans, no swerves, just smart, logical booking. And it went a long way towards making this a strong PPV outing to open up the year. Everyone worked hard, everything made sense, and we got progression towards WrestleMania. Can't ask for much more as we head towards Hartford.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #88

# WrestleMania XI: A Giant Main Event

April 2, 1995

Hartford Civic Center

Hartford, Connecticut

Attendance: 16,305

Buyrate: 1.3

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Fun Fact I: The band Fishbone was supposed to perform the National Anthem but they were replaced by a representative from the Special Olympics with no reason given. It was later revealed that they no showed the event and Olympian Kathy Huey stepped in at the last minute. The WWF and Special Olympics had a strong relationship at the time and Connecticut was home to both companies.

Fun Fact II: The attendance at this event is the second lowest attended WrestleMania in history. Only WrestleMania VII in Los Angeles had a lower attendance.

### 1) The Allied Powers defeat the Blu Brothers when the British Bulldog pins Jacob Blu with a sunset flip at 6:33

Fun Fact I: The Blu Brothers are the first of the three names the Harris Brothers would go under in WWF. The Harris' plied their trade in Portland, where they wrestled as the Bruise Brothers and held the PNW Tag Titles on six occasions. Ron Harris was also PNW World Champion on two occasions having defeated Brian Adams (Crush) and Steve Doll (Steven Dunn). In mid 1993, the Bruise Brothers made their way down South where they spent time in Smokey Mountain Wrestling. They continued to bounce around the Indies, even making a stop in ECW, before getting the call to come up North to Stamford.

Fun Fact II: The Allied Powers were made up of Lex Luger and Davey Boy Smith. The tag team was born on the January 2 edition of Monday Night Raw, although they were not given the Allied Powers name until a couple of months later. That evening they defeated Bam Bam Bigelow and Tatanka, two members of the Million Dollar Corporation that Luger had been feuding with. The name was to symbolize the USA (Luger) and UK (Smith) being brought together.

### Scott:

We open the 11th edition of WrestleMania with a tag match that pairs two babyfaces with no real direction. Lex Luger started 1994 strong with a co-win at the Rumble, but then it was one disappointment after another, leading to him being jobbed out at Survivor Series against the Corporation. In fact if it wasn't for Luger, the Corporation would be a bunch of loser jobbers as they can't really win anything else. Bulldog just got back in the WWF groove in the fall, so now he's back in the tag team division. In fact, Vince actually acknowledges his title run with Dynamite Kid, as well as him being a former Intercontinental Champion. They open the show against the twins we will get to know for many, many years in different promotions around North America. The Harris Brothers are two long-haired bruisers managed by one of my favorite guys ever, Dutch Mantell. In this incarnation he is Uncle Zebekiah. The match is pretty dull, standard tag team fare that brings some charge from the fans but otherwise really not much. Luger looks so pathetic being a curtain jerker in a show that one year earlier he was the co-main eventer for. At least he gets the win here and maybe it will be a boost of his sagging push in the tag team division. Otherwise our show starts off pretty flat.

### JT:

For the eleventh time in this review series, it is time for WrestleMania. After celebrating the tenth installment in its birthplace a year ago, we head a quick ride up 95 North to beautiful...Hartford, CT? I get that business was a bit shaky during this time and they couldn't run any sort of massive arena or anything, but surely there had to be a better option out there. Unless it was just a loyalty thing for Northeast fans, but even then there had to be better locations to choose from. As a result, this is one of the few Manias to really look like just another generic arena show as a result, despite their efforts to dress it up in celebrities, much of which we will cover as we go along. And it starts right with the opening video package, which recaps the celebrities from every past WrestleMania and then runs down all the ones in attendance tonight. It was an interesting direction to go, and one not all fans were too thrilled about. Anyway, our opener is a tag match featuring the Blu Brothers, who had debuted a few months earlier, facing off against the superpower team of Lex Luger and British Bulldog. It has been a pretty quick trip back down the card for Lex since a year ago, when he blew his big title match with Yokozuna. Since then, he has slipped to the mid card and now is opening the show in a throwaway tag match. In some ways, it feels like Bulldog is carrying him, which something you would not have thought possible for quite a while. I will say their mashup theme is pretty fantastic though and their coordinated look was a nice touch as well. The Blu Brothers were a pair of hosses, flanked by Uncle Zebekiah, portrayed by the legendary Dutch Mantell. I liked their look and thought they had some promise as a big man heel team, a needed role on the roster. Bulldog & Luger started hot, mowing through both twins with clotheslines and then settling into control as the match reset. Bulldog would hit a really impressive delayed suplex on one of them and kept the heat on until he got clubbed from behind. The Blus picked up a couple of near falls as Vince McMahon actually discussed some of Bulldog's past teaming with Dynamite Kid. Bulldog would finally avoid a splash and make the tag, with Luger entering the match for the first time. He would land a powerslam but not tag, earning some snide remarks from both announcers. He would follow with his forearm blow but things broke down from there with Zeb running some interference, allowing for the twins to switch in and out, surpassing Lex by kicking out of the forearm. A moment later, Bulldog tagged in and came off the top with a sunset flip for the victory. Well, this was fine, albeit fairly sloppy, but definitely a very far cry from last year's opener. Luger and Bulldog make for a good team and it isn't the worst idea by any means. I think their debut here could have meant more if they had faced off with bigger names as part of a legit feud instead of a throwaway like this.

### 2) Razor Ramon defeats Jeff Jarrett by disqualification at 13:30; Jarrett retains WWF Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact: This match is a continuation of the feud between Razor Ramon and Jeff Jarrett that saw the IC title change hands at the Royal Rumble due to interference by the Roadie. To counter this threat of interference again, Ramon is accompanied to the ring by the 1-2-3- Kid.

### Scott:

For the second year in a row, Razor Ramon will be involved in a quest for the Intercontinental Title. You can tell right off the bat that things are going to be rough as we have audio problems during a 1-2-3 Kid and Razor interview from the back. Just a few minutes earlier the audio on the replay for the first match was non-existent. Not a good thing, as the WWF prides itself on its technical performance. After letting his "machismo" get in the way of common sense at the Royal Rumble, Razor tries to get back his title against Double J. Adding the Roadie to the situation gives this feud, and Jarrett in particular, more juice as he indirectly cost Razor the title with the chop block at the Rumble. Early on the match goes that route as Jarrett tries to jump on the legs but instead Razor really gets aggressive and hits punches and power moves to win the battle. He tries to hit a fast Razor's Edge but Roadie grabs Jarrett's legs and pulls him out of the ring. As the match progresses I notice that even though there's no real flow to it and both guys keep going back and forth (Razor rocking the aqua tights/boots here), it fits the way the match should be worked as both men really don't care about beating each other up. They just want to be IC Champion, which is why Razor going for the quick Edge made perfect sense. Jarrett finally gets to the leg and ratchets up the figure four. Great commentary by Lawler here as he's been consistently saying Jarrett isn't going after the leg until he does. Razor continues to battle until he gets out of it. The knee is in really bad shape, but Razor gets enough strength to attempt a Razor's Edge. Would we get the same result as at the Royal Rumble, where Razor's leg collapses and he loses? Well we won't get to see it as Roadie hits another chop block and Jarrett gets disqualified. That was a surprise to me originally because I was sure Razor was going to win the title back. We have post match chaos as 1-2-3 Kid and Roadie get involved, leading to Kid getting put in the figure four and officials filling up the ring. The match was fun but the ending was disappointing.

### JT:

Up next is a rematch from January with the Intercontinental Title on the line. Jeff Jarrett has really started to hone his character and act and also be positioned as a much stronger and legitimate threat since he won the gold. The Roadie is with him as always, and this seemed like an obvious spot of Razor Ramon to regain his strap, leaving Jarrett with a brief run to his resume and the feud in their rearview mirrors. Razor got a huge pop as always and also has the 1-2-3 Kid in his corner to help balance out the Roadie. Kid is wearing his ninja pajamas which was an interesting choice. Razor has has some bad ass blue tights on though. He mowed through Jarrett to start the match, picking up a near fall before sending him to regroup on the floor. One thing I haven't mentioned yet is the absurd number of photographers at ringside. It is cool to see and makes the show feel really important but it also kind of distracting. Ramon would hoist the champ up for the Razor's Edge, but Jarrett's feet were dangling near the ropes and Roadie pulled him to safety. Double J would tease walking out, but Kid chased him back to the ring where Razor went right back to work. After another near fall, Razor chucked Jarrett over the top rope where he crashed right into the Roadie. Jarrett slid in and caught the challenger with a swinging neckbreaker to bust his momentum and gain control. The champ honed in on the neck of the Bad Guy, working a chinlock and fending off a comeback attempt to hook in a sleeper hold. Razor kept breaking out of the holds, but they were collectively taking their toll on his neck, slowing his comebacks quite a bit.

After the two smacked heads and were both down, Razor got hot with a flurry but that crashed hard when Kid tried to get involved but got shoved into the guard rail instead. Razor then tried a bulldog off the middle rope but he came up empty, giving Jarrett the chance to go right at the knee once again. After a shinbreaker, Jarrett locked in the figure four and things looked grim. Razor battled hard in the hold and eventually turned it around to break the hold and followed with a super back suplex, however he was too dinged up to cover. He quickly lifted Jarrett up and went for the Razor's Edge again, but Roadie came in and clipped the challenger, drawing the obvious DQ. Kid immediately crashed into the ring as well and started landing spin kicks until Jarrett pancaked him and locked him the figure four. Razor broke that up and a quick brawl triggered that was eventually broken up by officials. Well, that was pretty fun once again, even though it was a notch below their Rumble match as it didn't have nearly the psychology that one did. Plus, this one had a much worse finish, but I get it. They clearly thought Jarrett still needed the strap and didn't want to beat Ramon again. I let it slide as well because the Roadie has been such a key part of Jarrett's success that hm making the save made sense. Jarrett's reign rolls on and the Bad Guy has to regroup yet again.

*** Nicholas Tuturro of NYPD Blue visits the green room where he stumbles upon the Million Dollar Corporation, Jenny McCarthy, Shawn Michaels and Sid. Tuturro first mentions the notion that Pamela Anderson can't be found. Also, everyone in the room is in a jovial mood except Sid, who screams about Diesel's impending nightmare. ***

### 3) Undertaker defeats King Kong Bundy with a clothesline at 6:37

Fun Fact I: This is King Kong Bundy's first WrestleMania appearance since 1987. It is also his last. Bundy's all time PPV record is 2-4. He was 1-3 at WrestleMania, 1-0 at Survivor Series and 0-1 at the Royal Rumble. Bundy does stick around on TV until the end of 1995, but does not appear on PPV.

Fun Fact II: Major League Baseball umpire Larry Young was refereeing this match.

Fun Fact III: Undertaker is still seeking to regain his urn from the Million Dollar Corporation, which was stolen from him at the Royal Rumble. Bundy became the target of Taker following the Rumble since he interfered in the match, allowing IRS to steal the urn. At the WrestleMania Public Workout, Bundy and Undertaker faced off with Taker vowing that he would be taking back the urn and would take Bundy's soul at WrestleMania.

Fun Fact IV: According to the book Titan Sinking, Razor Ramon was supposed to turn heel and face the Undertaker in this match.

### Scott:

We continue the historical continuity by acknowledging that Bundy holds the WrestleMania record for shortest match with the kayfabe :09 against SD Jones. It's very strange that Vince mentions the Deadman is undefeated at WrestleMania. It's only 3-0, but it's worth noting that Vince says something about it. We continue the "urn stealing" storyline as DiBiase is holding onto it after IRS took it back at the Rumble. Bundy hasn't been relevant since squishing Little Beaver at the Silverdome eight years earlier, but again the simple booking philosophy in the mid-90s was "Just throw all big dudes at Taker and let him defy the odds." That would be fine if the guys he's facing were formidable heels people care about. Bundy isn't that at all. Early on Taker just swipes the urn back from DiBiase and hands it to Paul Bearer but then Kama takes it back and leaves with it. The match then ho-hums along with boring offense and little heat from the crowd. Fortunately the Undertaker is a crowd favorite so the denizens at the Hartford Civic Center (no I wasn't at this show) are moderately invested. Bundy leans on a boring headlock, but then out of nowhere Taker comes back, slams him and gets the win. The match seemed like something you'd watch on free TV. So Taker is 4-0 at WrestleMania, the urn is still stolen but we do get cool effects at the end. Otherwise this was a waste of Taker's time; get used to that.

### JT:

Back at the Royal Rumble, King King Bundy attacked the Undertaker after his match with IRS, allowing IRS to steal the urn from Paul Bearer. Ted DiBiase would have the urn in his clutches as he led Bundy down to the ring for his first WrestleMania matchup since he squashed the shit out of Little Beaver at the Pontiac Silverdome. Undertaker's entrance was chilling as always, bringing the fans to their feet. MLB umpire Larry Young referees this one for some random reason, but why the hell not. Taker hammered away to start and then hit the axehandle off the top rope to rattle the big man. He followed with three clotheslines to finally put Bundy on his back. Bundy struggled to his feet but clotheslined Taker over the top, however even that backfired as the Deadman landed on his feet and yanked the urn away from DiBiase. He would raise it high and then hand it back to Bearer and it looked like this feud may finally be winding to a close. A desperate DiBiase then waved toward the locker room and his newest charge, Kama, jogged out and yanked the urn back from Bearer and then bolted to the locker room with it. But first he stopped in the aisle to chat with Jim Ross and promised to melt the urn down and wear it as a chain around his neck. So, the feud is not over. Taker would hammer Bundy a bit more until he got clotheslined to the floor again. Bundy would slow this match down even more by slapping on a rear chinlock, which was really the last thing we needed here. Just when Bundy thought he had things in hand, Taker came back with a bodyslam and leaping clothesline to win the match and move to 4-0 all time at WrestleMania. This was a real mess. Taker worked hard as always, but Bundy had nothing in the tank besides his name and look by this point. Kama taking the urn was the key here as the Taker/DiBiase feud continues on once again.

*** Nicholas Tuturro continues to look for Pamela Anderson, who he hears had a big fight with Shawn Michaels and went missing. He then runs into LT's All Pro team, who each call out members of the Corporation. He then walks into a locker room where Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Bob Backlund are playing chess. Backlund, who doesn't know who Pam Anderson is, tries to stump JTT with history trivia but fails and snaps. ***

### 4) Owen Hart & Yokozuna defeat Smoking Gunns to win WWF Tag Team Titles when Owen pins Billy after Yoko's Banzai Drop at 9:38

Fun Fact: After losing in the Tag Team tournament and following Jim Neidhart leaving the WWF, Owen Hart claimed he was going to find a mystery partner to take on the Smoking Gunns. He also claimed he would be bringing in one of Bret's biggest enemies to help him win his first ever WWF gold.

### Scott:

One year after the greatest match of his career, Owen Hart arrives in Hartford with another chance at his first championship. The Gunns won the titles the night after the Royal Rumble but coming in they have no idea who Owen's partner was. What a huge shock it was when the former WWF Champion came down the aisle. After two straight years of WWF Title matches at WrestleMania, Yokozuna returns for another shot at gold. The last time we saw Yoko was at Survivor Series when he was shoved into a casket by Undertaker. Yoko comes out in a beard and with new determination, and this new tandem quickly becomes a favorite of mine. The tag division has been sagging of late and needed a boost, so we already saw one new tag team earlier in the night so why not have another team put together, this time comprised of heels. Lawler was on top of his game here, really putting over this new alliance. Most of the jokes are corny, but he is putting over this group. Yoko's big return may have tipped off that a title change was going to take place. The match is standard tag team fare but Lawler's commentary really helps carry it. While Owen had one Gunn in the Sharpshooter, Yokozuna drops the Banzai on the other and we indeed have new Tag Team Champions. Owen Hart looks so elated. After an unbelievable performance at last year's WrestleMania, Owen is rewarded for a great 1994 with his first championship. I loved Yoko's quiet confidence after the match, acting like he's done it before. This was my favorite moment of the night so far, as we have new tag team champions and a huge moment for Owen Hart.

### JT:

We continue to hum along with our second title match on the night. Owen Hart was still on a quest to match everything his brother Bret had accomplished. After winning King of the Ring, he wanted to garner his first taste of gold and set out to win the tag team titles. After Jim Neidhart left the promotion at the very end of 1994, Owen issued a challenge to the new champion Smoking Gunns to battle himself and a mystery partner at Mania. Rumors flew and one guy mentioned as a possibility was Chris Benoit, a rising star that had been competing in Japan and had a brief stint in WCW in 1993. Benoit would eventually have a few dark match tryouts after this show. However, when Owen made his big announcement, it was the massive former champion Yokozuna that appeared. It was a good call because it reestablished Yoko as a major threat and legit beast after a soft back end of 1994. The night after the Royal Rumble, the Smoking Gunns defeated the upstart champions Bob Holly and the 1-2-3 Kid to win the titles for the first time and be positioned as the top dogs of the division. It was a good leap for them after blending into the background since their debut in mid-1993. Jerry Lawler was delivering some strong facts and notes throughout the show and here informs us that Owen had made his WrestleMania debut six years to the day in Trump Plaza as the Blue Blazer. Vince notes how much bigger Yoko looks and he wasn't lying. Yoko definitely wasn't dieting during his sabbatical. He also grew a beard, which looked kind of cool. Billy outsmarted Owen early and he and Bart worked the arm briefly until Owen went to the eyes and then tagged in Yoko. The former champ spiked Bart hard to the mat and landed a chop before tagging Owen back in. I really dig the concept of this team as Yoko was virtually unbeatable, making it a really shrewd move for Owen to give him a strong chance to finally win a strap. The Gunns worked some double teams to regain control, even sending Yoko to the floor with a double dropkick. They kept working the arm and tagging in and out but Owen wouldn't give in, even after the champs with their Sidewinder finish. Momentum swung with a thud when Owen snuck a tag into Yoko and set up the big man to drop a massif leg across the back of Billy's head. After getting rammed into the post by Owen, Billy got locked into a classic Yoko nerve hold to slow things down.

The Gunns got a glimmer of hope when Owen accidentally dropkicked Yoko from the top rope, the first mistake they made as a team, as noted by Vince. Billy made the tag and Bart went to work on the weaker link in Hart, a sound strategy. Then he went at Yoko and did alright there as well, but the good feelings ended quickly with a Yoko belly-to-belly to Billy. He then squashed the shit out of him with a vicious Banzai Drop. Yoko would tag in Owen, who teased a Sharpshooter, but instead just covered Billy to win the match and the titles. And his celebration was epic and one of the highlights of the show. He marked out big time, leaping around the ring and hugging his new best buddy. This was a fun little tag match with hard work all around and it is pretty clear the dynamic and chemistry between Owen Hart and Yokozuna is going to be fun to watch.

### 5) Bret Hart defeats Bob Backlund in an I Quit match when Backlund submits as Hart has him in the Crossface Chicken Wing at 9:32

Fun Fact I: This is the second straight year that Roddy Piper would be the special referee for a Bret Hart WrestleMania match. He would not remain with the promotion after this surprise appearance.

Fun Fact II: This will be Bob Backlund's final PPV singles match. His final record (including eventual appearances at the 1996 and 2000 Royal Rumbles) is 1-7. His only victory was defeating Bret Hart for the WWF Title at Survivor Series 1994.

Fun Fact III: This match is a rematch of the Bret Hart/Bob Backlund match from Survivor Series 1994, where Hart was caught in Backlund's Crossface Chicken Wing hold and Bret's mother threw in the towel at the advice of Owen Hart.

### Scott:

This is a match I was looking most forward to, because they are two expert workers in the ring and they had a great match back at Survivor Series. Backlund has been an awesome heel since turning last summer and after having a cup of coffee reign as champion, reignites his run with the man who he took the title from. For the second consecutive year Bret Hart brings his own personal referee as Roddy Piper calls the shots in the ring. Piper beat Jerry Lawler at King of the Ring last year and vanished but he's returned briefly here. Lawler mentions Bret and Piper's match at WrestleMania VIII but he also did that the previous year so that angle hook lost its luster. The match consists mostly of both men going at each other's legs to try and submit with figure fours and other leg submissions, with Piper asking if either man wants to quit. The annoying part of the match is that we know there is a cordless mike somewhere around the building, we saw Owen Hart use it earlier, so why does Piper have to walk around with a mike that has a cord and trying to avoid screwing the match up with it. The bout was about two thirds shorter than their Survivor Series match but the premise was still the same. It has a different feel to it because unlike the first match, which had the WWF Title attached to it, this one was just about quitting. It was ok, but not as good as the previous match. I had a good feeling that Bret Hart was going to get his win back and indeed Backlund tried to get the Hitman to quit with the chicken wing. He didn't do it in November but the situation was different, as it wasn't in Bret's control. Bret actually reverses the move and hooks the chicken wing on Backlund and somehow (amongst a lot of squirming and yelling) told Piper he quit and the happy Hartford crowd goes crazy. It might be a forgettable match for Bret but it got one of the hottest pops from the crowd all night. Still, it was a big moment for Bret and another feud vanquished.

### JT:

These two have been embroiled in hatred since last July, when Bob Backlund snapped after losing a WWF Title match and leaving Bret Hart laid out in pain. In November, Backlund ended Hart's dream title reign thanks to an assist from Owen Hart. His reign was brief, but the bad blood lingered into January when Backlund got involved in Hart's title match with Diesel and the Hitman got revenge by roughing up Backlund and leading to his quick elimination in the Royal Rumble. So, that leads us here, to an I Quit match to play off their Submission Match at Survivor Series. Roddy Piper is announced as the special guest referee before the match, the second year in a row he is officiating a Bret Hart WrestleMania match. This go around definitely is lacking the juice from November but the beloved Hart gets a very warm welcome as always. And even though he isn't in the title picture, Hart is still slotted in a strong position on this card and the match makes sense from a storyline perspective. Hart took Backlund to the mat off the bell, popping him with elbows to the skull. Piper wasted no time in jamming a microphone into Backlund's face, asking him if he wanted to quit. And he would do it over and over, really breaking the flow of the proceedings. Backlund would avoid the Sharpshooter, but Hart hooked in a figure four instead. Backlund refused to submit and eventually reversed the hold to break it. Bret kept working the leg and Piper kept yelling "Whattaya Say" and not much else was going on. Backlund took over after smashing Hart with a leg across the face and then started softening the neck and arm to set up the CFCW. Bret came back with a backbreaker, leading to a Sharpshooter attempt that Backlund wiggled free from. A shot to the shoulder of Hart followed, leading to the CFCW. However, Backlund was unable to hook the legs and take Bret to the mat like he did in November, which allowed Hart to reverse the hold and hook in his own version of it. The Hitman was able to drag Backlund to the mat and after struggling for a minute, Backlund yelled "YAAAAH" to signal that he quit. Bah, that was disappointing. I mean, I know there was no way to match the intensity of Survivor Series, but this felt really paint by numbers. Backlund got very little offense in and there wasn't nearly as much psychology as their previous bouts. This is easily Hart's worst WrestleMania match since 1990 and it is sad to see Backlund's epic renaissance end such with a thud. Hart is definitely starting to feel a little lost in the shuffle so it will be interesting to see where he heads next.

*** Nicholas Tuturro still can't find Pamela Anderson and informs Vince that there have been changes to the celebrity assignments as a result. ***

### 6) Diesel defeats Shawn Michaels to retain WWF World Title with a Jackknife at 20:31

Fun Fact I: Pamela Anderson was supposed to accompany Michaels to the ring, as part of the Royal Rumble prize, but she was nowhere to be found leading up to the match, allegedly due to a disagreement or argument with Michaels, at least according to Todd Pettingill. So, Michaels instead walks down with MTV star Jenny McCarthy, only to see Pam come out with Diesel instead. Also, Home Improvement's Jonathan Taylor Thomas is the guest timekeeper and NYPD Blue's Nicholas Tuturro is the guest ring announcer.

Fun Fact II: After the Rumble, Shawn Michaels claimed he needed a bodyguard to protect him from all the superstars that were gunning for him. On the 2/20 Raw Shawn brought "the big, the bad, the vicious" Sid back to the WWF for protection. This is his first PPV appearance since his DQ loss to Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania VIII. Sid, of course, spent all of 1993 in WCW where he was set to win the World Championship, but he ended up being fired for stabbing Arn Anderson with a pair of scissors. Sid putted around the USWA in 1994, even winning the USWA Heavyweight Title from Jerry Lawler, before being brought back by Michaels in February.

Fun Fact III: Going into Survivor Series 1994, Shawn Michaels and Diesel were tag team champions. Following a misplaced superkick to Diesel's chin, Shawn dropped his belt in the trash, vacating the titles. Three nights later at MSG, Diesel would win the World Championship from Bob Backlund in eight seconds. The plot thickened with Michaels winning the Royal Rumble (by one foot), setting up this match between former friends for the title.

### Scott:

The first half of our co-main event pits former friends, or I guess at this point business associates, facing each other for the top prize in the business. Shawn Michaels was really starting to get big time face pops from the crowd, but to obviously keep him heel for the duration of this build we get the return of Sid to the WWF as Diesel's replacement. We last saw Sid in that bizarre mess of a main event at WrestleMania VIII with Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and all that. He was set to become WCW Champion in 1993 but then the infamous scissors fight with Arn Anderson occurred and Sid went into exile for a bit but Vince brings him back here with two purposes: Keep the heel heat on Shawn for this match, and have a future opponent for Diesel to feud for the Title with. We started getting a Sid chant early on in the match, but I think it was more to get the referee's attention on some heel chicanery going on at that moment. The matchup could work out great because they are both Kliq buddies so they will work great together and Michaels is just a great bumper of big man offense. Early on he takes some big bumps, but then Diesel takes a shot to the ring post, softening up the rib area. There's a multitude of photographers around ringside, not kayfabe photographers like during Yokozuna's WWF Title run, but actual sports photographers that are there for our last match. After the shot to the ribs, Shawn spends the next several minutes working Diesel over with quick strikes and eventually a sleeper, hoping the painful ribs will hinder Diesel's breathing. Big Daddy Cool continues to battle back and forth and eventually referee Earl Hebner hurt his leg stopping Sid on the outside. A tipping point of the match comes when Michaels actually hits the Superkick on Diesel and had the three count but Sid tries to throw the ref back in the ring and Hebner takes forever to go for the count and Diesel kicked out. Both guys continue to battle in what has been the match of the night. A few minutes earlier Sid took one of the turnbuckle pads off, and a few seconds later Diesel slingshots Michaels into that corner, but he was too far away from the corner and Shawn missed it, hitting the second turnbuckle instead. After a big boot and a Jackknife, Diesel retains his WWF Title. Both Jenny McCarthy and Pamela Anderson come in to celebrate with the champion. On a side note, this is probably the worst collection of celebrities in WrestleMania history (although II had their share of stiff, if you remember Herb from Burger King). PWI voted this Match of the Year and although I thought it was a fantastic match I wouldn't consider it match of the year. Perhaps it won because there weren't many other choices but as top notch as the match was, it wasn't perfect.

### JT:

And we have arrived. In June 1993, Diesel quietly debuted along Shawn Michaels as his bodyguard. In early 1994, he broke out and started to gain steam as he built confidence and a resume. He won Intercontinental gold, Tag Team gold and eventually the WWF Title. Along the way, he and Michaels had issues and went separate ways but you knew they were destined to meet up sooner than later. With Michaels winning the Royal Rumble, the big title match was official. After all the celebrities take their spots at ringside, Michaels skipped down to the ring with his new bodyguard, Sid. Sid was last seen at WrestleMania VIII and since had spent time in WCW and on the softball field. It was a cool return and a great role for the big man, whose charisma was still off the charts. Of course, WrestleMania VIII was also an important one for Michaels, as it was his first singles Mania match. And in three years, he has come a long way, finally fulfilling the promise everyone saw in him at that time. He spent much of 1993 in sluggish matches before bottoming out in September. He returned later that year refocused and worked himself into great shape. Throughout 1994, he seemed poised for a break out and as 1995 dawned, many were ready to claim him as one of the best in the business. This would be a major test for him and a big chance to legitimize what has been a strong reign. Diesel has been red hot and has had great matches with Bret Hart and Razor Ramon, but a WrestleMania WWF Title match was a whole different bag of grapefruits. And speaking of grapefruits Pamela Anderson in that pleather dress, hache mache! She accompanies Diesel here after sandbagging Michaels. I will say this, they did a great job of making Diesel seem like a big deal thanks to shipping him around to various celebrity sporting events and TV shows. They showed him as a peer and friend to many athletes and celebs and that helped him seem like a megastar in his own right, even if he was not quite there yet.

Shawn would try to jump Diesel before the bell with some help from Sid, but Diesel turned in time and sent him flying to the floor before bringing Pam back in to parade around the ring. Things settled back down as the match officially began and Michaels aggressively went on the attack, targeting the arm. The champ fended him off by using his power, at one point flinging Michaels high into the air with ah huge back drop. He followed by chucking the challenger over the top rope, but Shawn landed right on a cameraman, who he then dragged out of the way by his collar. He certainly did not look pleased at all after the collision. Things remained a bit sloppy as you could tell both guys were just amped to be in this spot and were almost moving too fast at times. Sid started to run interference, buying Shawn time to regroup. Back inside, Diesel blocked a sunset flip by deadlifting Shawn up into a choke, but Michaels regained his balance and clotheslined Diesel over the top and to the floor. He brought the heavy artillery from there, launching himself off the top with a cross body outside. Michaels stayed aggressive, shoving the champ into the post while using a dopey looking photographer as a shield. With Diesel flat on the floor, Michaels dove off the apron onto him with a splash, levying damage to the champ's ribs. Shawn kept the pressure on, using splashes and strikes to target the ribs some more and picking up his first near fall off a bulldog. As Vince wondered if the referee would stop the match, Michaels crashed into Diesel's side with a beautiful flying elbow. Vince also points out that Diesel is an underdog, despite being WWF Champion, really pushing the experience factor. The champ kept using his power to shrug Michaels off, but was too injured to build any momentum. The fans would rally Big Daddy Cool out of a sleeper hold, and the big fought to his feet and ran Shawn back into the corner.

Diesel would land a pair of still charging clotheslines before connecting on Snake Eyes. He started to weaken Shawn with right hands and that battle spilled to the floor, where they continued to battle. As Sid stalked near, Earl Hebner hopped off the apron to stop him, but twisted his ankle and fell to the floor. Back inside, Michaels cracked Diesel with the superkick and had the match won but there was no ref to count. By the time Sid tossed him back in the ring, Diesel kicked out. Tough break there. Sid would then pull out a knife and cut the turnbuckle pad off, but that backfired too as Diesel blocked it and hit a back suplex instead. Michaels would try to leap off the middle rope, but Diesel caught him and spiked him down with a sidewalk slam. Another sloppy spot happened here as Diesel sent Shawn flying to the exposed buckle with a slingshot, but they undershot it a bit and he instead smacked the middle buckle. Diesel got the crowd fired up from there, including Pam and Jenny, and then planted Michaels with an awkward looking Jackknife for the win. It was really awkward, in that Shawn almost spun around and landed on his feet. Michaels has since said that he worked his ass off in an attempt to both push Diesel and outshine him, and he did in some ways. But, in others he almost came off as pushing too fast and it made it look like Diesel was more in control. Regardless, it was a very good showing from both and a fun match that did not slow down at all. It was a strong win for Diesel too, despite the visual pinfall he ate, especially since he was positioned as the underdog. Sid played a vital role and the fallout from his missteps would lead to major changes. After the match, Diesel and the celebrities hung in the ring to party, proving that the company was banking on diesel power to push them ahead through 1995.

### 7) Lawrence Taylor defeats Bam Bam Bigelow with a forearm off the second rope at 11:43

Fun Fact I: There was a lot of interaction between Bam Bam Bigelow and Lawrence Taylor leading into the big match. A couple of weeks after the Rumble, Bigelow was forced to publicly apologize and the incident was seemingly behind him. However, a week or so later, Bigelow retracted his apology and said he wanted LT in the ring and that LT had no right coming to the Rumble, despite being as an invited guest of Diesel, and laughing at Bigelow on his home turf. Bigelow kept insulting and challenging LT week after week. And, week after week, LT's manager and lawyer kept showing up on TV to tell Bigelow to stop defaming LT and challenging him, as nothing was going to come of it. Eventually, after a month of goading, LT caved and accepted the Mania match. It was revealed that Diesel was working with LT and prepping him for the match. LT and Bigelow had a big showdown at the WrestleMania Press Conference and had a physical altercation at the public workout in Times Square the week before the big match. This was actually some pretty good press for the WWF, as coverage of the LT/Bigelow feud was everywhere, for better or for worse.

Fun Fact II: Bam Bam Bigelow was reportedly promised a huge face run if he went through with this and lost to a football player.

Fun Fact III: Obviously this is Lawrence Taylor's only PPV match, so his final record is 1-0.

Fun Fact IV: Part of the pageantry of this match were the entourages at ringside. After rap band Salt-n-Peppa sing a tribute to LT set to the tune of Whatta Man, each team was introduced member by member by Vince McMahon. First up was the Million Dollar Team (with Ted DiBiase's music), comprised of Tatanka, Nikolai Volkoff, Kama, King Kong Bundy, IRS and Ted DiBiase. They are followed by LT's All Star Team (with Monday Night Football theme music), comprised of Steve "Mongo" McMichael, Ken Norton Jr., Chris Speilman, Ricky Jackson, Carl Banks and Reggie White. Both teams would surround ringside and root on their man throughout the match. Also, the special referee for this match was WWF Hall of Famer Pat Patterson.

### Scott:

We shall first ask ourselves if this should have been the main event. Sure it was the highlight of the public workout in Times Square leading up the show, but couldn't Diesel/Shawn Michaels bring enough juice to be the main event? Maybe due to the mainstream press with the NFL players and such, it had to be the main event. The next question to ask is was LT ready? I mean we've had plenty of celebrities dating back to Muhammad Ali in the late 1970s tangling with wrestlers in big matches but boxers at least are close to wrestlers in specific abilities. We are talking about one of the greatest players in NFL history. Will he be able to pull this off without it being a complete disaster? With it being the main event, the WWF put itself in a position where it can't be a disaster. Bigelow had a tall order ahead of him to keep this match legit without getting hurt. I'm sure LT was taught some basic maneuvers and indeed he doesn't look totally uncomfortable while Bigelow works LT over with basic power moves. It looked like some of his punches were kind of stiff but Bigelow's the kind of guy who can take shots like that. The crowd seems 50/50 during the match in terms of energy. They all definitely wanted LT to win, but for a true WrestleMania main event it just didn't have that real electricity. Bigelow worked him over but when LT took control and hit some crazy moves like a Jackknife (the storyline being Diesel was training him) and a couple of suplexes. Finally LT goes to the second turnbuckle and belts Bigelow with a forearm to the jaw. Three seconds later the place goes nuts, for about thirty seconds. We do get an LT chant but the end of the show just seemed so flat. LT gets the win, but of course he's gone now and Bigelow is left to clean up his dignity. DiBiase bitches Bigelow out for losing and that looks to be leading to some character changes. Was this a serviceable wrestler/celebrity match? Yes it was good, but should it have ended the show? Probably not.

### JT:

And it is finally main event time, and for the first time since WrestleMania VIII (yet again) and third time overall, we have a non-World Title match closing out the show. Back in Tampa, an angry and embarrassed Bam Bam Bigelow shoved NFL legend Lawrence Taylor. After weeks of discussion and teases, the two finally agreed to throw down here. There was tons of hype by the company and the match earned a good deal of mainstream coverage, both good and bad. Sticking with the concept of over pushing celebrities and pageantry, we are loaded with bodies around the ring here as Bigelow is flanked by his Corporation teammates and LT has a gaggle of former football stars backing him. They all get individual entrances, highlighted by Nikolai Volkoff jogging to the ring while shadow boxing. With ringside completely tricked out with the stables and photographers, this certainly carried a big time feel around it. The crowd was really into LT and the football players as well, which makes sense since a good chunk of Connecticut is New York Giants country. Since the roster was fairly soft at this point, I can't blame them for going the super celebrity main event route, and it did work as it brought eyes to the product. You can make the argument that this shouldn't close the show, but I always felt differently. It was a big time marquee match and at a time like this, where the company was struggling, it made sense to go crazy with the promotion and positioning of it to see if it clicked and brought in new eyeballs. The fireworks started early as Mongo McMichael shoved Kama to the floor, triggering a mini skirmish that finally ended when Bigelow made his way out. Pat Patterson is the referee here as his job was to help keep LT moving through the match with little incident. And LT did look good as he hit the ring, decked out in customized football jersey and tights. After the big staredown, Bigelow shoved LT, making one last statement before the match officially kicked off. LT responded with a smack across the face, a big shoulder tackle and a clothesline to light up the crowd and send Bigelow reeling to the floor. When Bammer made it back inside, LT hit a big bulldog takedown for the first near fall of the match before rattling Bigelow with strikes and a hiptoss that sent him back to the floor. LT's offense has looked good and much crisper than you would expect.

LT would hop over the top and confront the whole Corporation, bringing the All Pro Team around for a fun showdown. Bigelow would finally take over back inside, hammering LT with heavy blows to the back. Bigelow followed with some stomps and a big bodyslam but LT dodged a splash and hit a big forearm smash to the face. Bammer weathered the storm and went back to work on the midsection, burying heavy shoulder thrusts into LT's gut. He would follow that up with a single crab, turned really basic leglock, broken when LT got the ropes. Taylor was clearly gassed here, but he did a good job of hanging in there and keeping up with Bigelow. LT would hit a desperation back suplex but couldn't take advantage, allowing Bigelow to hammer the ribs some more. He would then hit the big top rope moonsault, but was unable to cover due to slamming his knee hard on the mat when he landed. LT lived to fight on. In an impressive show of strength from someone completely on E, LT floated Bigelow over with a gutwrench suplex that was sold by Vince as a Jackknife. Either way, good on LT to pull that off at this point. Bigelow came back with an enziguri and hit his top rope headbutt but LT actually kicked out. I am not a fan of that spot, they should have used All Pro Team interference to bust that pin up. LT bounded up and emptied his tank, burying shoulders into Bigelow's abdomen and cracking him with a pair of running forearms. He would then head to the middle rope and blast Bigelow with one last forearm smash to steal the big upset win. In the aisle after the match, DiBiase berated Bigelow as they all headed to the back. LT and his crew celebrated in the ring as we closed out the show. I have always enjoyed this match as it is a lot of fun and LT does a hell of a job in it. And so does Bigelow for carrying him. My only gripe is how they buried Bigelow's finisher. There was really no need for that spot. Also, we never got the big brawl between the teams at ringside. Otherwise, it was as good of a celebrity match as you could ever hope for. From all reports, LT was very respectful of the business and worked his ass off to be ready to go, and it showed. Good on Bigelow for being a company man and he got the match that would define his career. The question now is...where does he go from here?

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

I know that I'm on a much "higher high" for the mid-1990s than I used to be. 1994 is easy to love because almost every show is solid. We started 1995 with a decent Royal Rumble, even if the result was mildly predicable. So I went into this show that I historically hated wanting to like it more. And...I do, but just a little. A lot of this show is still crap, but as I've mentioned before a lot of 1995 is cherry picking. Beside the MOTY of Diesel/Michaels, Hart/Backlund is a fun little match that's more of a track meet than their Survivor Series meeting. The Razor/Jarrett stuff was fun even though the ending was trash. The main event was a fun carnival match but it shouldn't have ended the show. Diesel/Michaels would have been a fine main event that ended the show and you could argue the pop at the end of both matches was pretty equal. On the other hand, that tag opener was boring and the Bundy/Taker stuff was utter garbage. And as the year progresses you will see that it really doesn't get much better for him. So the reality of this show is that it may not be the worst WrestleMania ever, and if you watch it piece by piece there are some gems. However, those who say this show saved the company in a dark time needs to stop drinking Gorilla Monsoon's "joy juice."

Final Grade:

### JT:

Man, this WrestleMania. It holds a special place in my heart just because of how super hard into the product I was at this time. I really liked the show live and will always defend it, mainly because the roster was thinned out and everyone worked hard throughout the night. That said, for a WrestleMania it doesn't quite make the grade. I mean, just look at the lack of snowflakes and it is clear the show was lacking in marquee action. The WWF Title match was the best of the night but even that checked in at under four stars. There were enough pieces here that this show could have popped a bit more if they were arranged differently. For everything that went right back at the Rumble, it all seemed to just miss on this night. Even the audio was a mess, with tons of technical issues plaguing things to the point that the announcers called it out on commentary. It was clear they knew the card was weak, which is why they heavily overcompensated with the celebrities and presentation, which included the photographers, media and in aisle interviews, all attempting to give the show a legitimate feel to it. As I said above, I am fine with Bigelow/LT closing the show and I am even fine with LT winning, I just think they could have protected Bigelow a bit more in it all. Overall, this is clearly a bottom tier WrestleMania, from the basic arena, to the lack of quality workrate to the soft undercard, it was lacking across the board.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #91

# In Your House #1: Welcome to Hell...I mean Syracuse

May 14, 1995

On Center

Syracuse, New York

Attendance: 7,000

Buyrate: 0.83

Announcer: Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix

Dark Matches:

### 1) Jean-Pierre Lafitte defeated Bob Holly

### 2) British Bulldog and Owen Hart fought to a Draw in a King of the Ring Qualifying Match

Coliseum Video Exclusives:

### 1) Undertaker defeats Kama in 13:05

### 2) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Tatanka in 8:49

Fun Fact I: This is the dawning of a new era in WWF PPVs. In response to WCW increasing the number of yearly PPVs they were holding (from seven in '94 to nine in '95), the WWF countered with a less expensive two-hour B-show PPV that would run in the months that didn't have major PPVs. Initially, the In Your House PPV would cost $14.95, in comparison to the $29.95 retail price for the Big Five PPVs. This would last until the end of '95 when the price would increase to $19.95. The shows in the beginning did not have names other than In Your House. They were later given taglines when they were sold on VHS tapes.

For the inaugural event, the WWF held a contest to give away a brand new home in Orlando, Florida. Viewers could send a postcard to enter the contest and a winner would be chosen at random during the show. There will be more about this contest when we reach that point in the show.

Fun Fact II: This is the PPV debut for Dok Hendrix, otherwise known as Michael Seitz or his stage name, Michael Hayes. He, of course, is a member of the famed Freebirds group, mostly teaming with Terry Gordy and Buddy Roberts. Hayes was in World Class Championship Wrestling as a fan favorite in 1981 until he and Gordy screwed over Kerry Von Erich in a Christmas Day NWA Title match against Ric Flair. The blood feud between the Freebirds and Von Erichs was one of wrestling's best, and it lasted for almost three years. The Freebirds wrestled in the WWF in the summer of 1984 being managed by Cyndi Lauper's manager/husband David Wolfe. After being in New York they moved on to the AWA and wars with the Road Warriors, then back to World Class. After that it was off to the NWA where they won the World, US Tag and Six-Man Tag Team Titles. Hayes also upset Lex Luger to win the US Heavyweight Title in 1989. After managing Arn Anderson and Bobby Eaton for a short time, he left WCW and came back to Stamford.

Pay Per View:

### 1) Bret Hart defeats Hakushi with a reverse roll-up at 14:20

Fun Fact: Hakushi had started in Michinoku Pro Wrestling in 1993. He was known for doing the "praying walk", similar to Undertaker's top rope walk. A vignette aired on the December 10, 1994 Superstars that Hakushi was debuting in the WWF. His actual first match was at a Poughkeepsie house show on November 29. He made his TV debut on the December 18 Wrestling Challenge, defeating Gary Scott. Hakushi attacked Bret Hart on the March 25 episode of Superstars while Bret was receiving an award from the Japanese media for being the most Popular American Wrestler in Japan. He hit a beautiful Asai Moonsault on Bret from the interview podium. Also, Hakushi's manager Shinja is former Orient Express member Sato.

### Scott:

The WWF's historic first "secondary" PPV begins with pure workrate. Knowing that our main event will likely be devoid of any real great in-ring work and Shawn Michaels being absent, Bret Hart gets to wrestle twice. It won't be the last time he'll be doing that this year. Hakushi is a guy that seemed to be ahead of his time in the WWF. Immense workrate and almost no promos needed. His manager is Shinja, otherwise known as Sato from the Orient Express. If Hakushi had arrived in say, 1989 or 1990 I think he would have been a revolutionary move for Vince McMahon to counter when guys like Great Muta were in NWA/WCW feuding with Sting. Alas Vince wasn't in that mode during the Federation Era so we never got to see real Japanese studs like Muta and Fujinami in their prime. Now was different because of the thin roster, Vince needed to take some risks but with a foundation guy like Bret he could throw Hakushi in there and really throw the kitchen sink at each other. This match was so much fun and a great opening to a show that really needed to succeed. They spend over 14 minutes really laying into each other with kicks and strikes while having a few solid chain wrestling sequences. Adding Dok Hendrix (an absolutely silly name) brings a different announcing dynamic and makes Vince much better than he normally is. They go back and forth and really throw each other around. Bret wins with one of his classic school boy rolls and the crowd loves it. The length of the match somewhat throws the rest of the show off and I'll explain that as we progress. Bret tweaks his knee with leads to a plot point later in the show. One of the best openers in WWF history and a great start to this new show.

### JT:

With WCW making the push to just about monthly PPV offerings, it was time for the WWF to do the same. But, there is a hook. These off-month shows would be at a discounted rate and would last just two hours long. That was a great little touch, as it gives us checkpoint shows for feuds to burn through, but at he reduced pricing and length, they felt like mini-specials and not full blown extravaganzas. To help promote this first edition of In Your House, the hook was that the company was literally giving away a house in Florida. It also took place on Mother's Day, so it made a really great gift for those special ladies in your life! Also, since Jerry Lawler will be wrestling later, we have the PPV debut of Dok Hendrix alongside Vince McMahon. It was clear that a new color commentator was needed to help back up the King as the depth chart had gotten very shallow over the last year, so Michael Hayes was brought in to help fill the gap a bit. And now, for our opener. Bret Hart is settling into his new role of established veteran mid-carder, taking a step back after a year at the top of the promotion. And right away, he is pushed into double duty to help ensure a high quality offering out of the gate. First up, he is battling newcomer Hakushi, a Japanese import that immediately caught fire thanks to a style unlike anything else in the WWF at the time. He was smooth and graceful as he flew around the ring and it was clear he would be set up for a decent push. After taking issue with Hart's popularity overseas, he attacked the Hitman and a match was set up for this show. And having it open the card was a great move. Heading into this match, I thought it was most likely that Hakushi would get the win here and Hart would rebound by beating Lawler later in the night, very similar to WrestleMania X. I immediately took to Hakushi and was really hyped for this battle, which seemed like a perfect fit for the Hitman's talents. Hendrix brought the analysis right away, calling out how Hart has to focus on grounding Hakushi and keeping him out of the air to avoid a loss in his first match tonight. Vince then wondered if Hart would hold anything back in reserve but Dok said he shouldn't because it would cost him.

The two would feel each other out early on, resetting after a quick trade off of holds. Hakushi would grab control first, working the arm a bit. Hart turned the tables and sent Hakushi to regroup with Shinja after a series of armdrags. While Lawler has been good in the booth, Hendrix is a nice change of pace with more focus on analysis and some jokes sprinkled in on top. Hakushi would turn the tide and slowly wear down Hart, building some nice heat with the fans as well. He would shoot Bret hard into the corner and when the Hitman slumped down, Hakushi charged and slammed down hard into his chest. He was so smooth and graceful, it is a pleasure to watch him. He did stop to celebrate a bit, though, and it seemingly gave Bret enough of a breather to float over on a slam attempt, but Hakushi reversed momentum and dumped the Hitman hard to the floor. Shinja stomped him a few times and then Hakushi pounced as soon as he rolled in. He constantly looks like he is stalking on offense, which I love. Shinja would continue to work alongside Hakushi, as the two took turns distracting the referee, which allowed for some choking. The crowd started to rally the Hitman but he could't avoid a beautiful handspring elbow. Hart continuously tried to find an opening but Hakushi countered every attempt, planting him hard with a big tilt-a-whirl suplex before heading up top and drilling Hart with a flying headbutt for a near fall. I really like how Hakushi is a step ahead here, blocking every offensive spot by Hart. However, he went to the well again and this time came up empty on a dive off the top. Hart popped up and went to town, running through his usual offense and picking up a near fall after a bulldog. He would set up for the Sharpshooter but Shinja hopped up and distracted him. It didn't slow Bret down otherwise, though, as he mowed through Hakushi with a big clothesline that left him completely dazed. With Hakushi slumped into the ropes, Hart turned and launched into Shinja with a suicide dive, bringing a big pop from the crowd. It cost Hart as Hakushi drilled him with a dropkick as he came back inside. The two would block suplex attempts, ending with Hart supplying Hakushi over the top and to the floor in a great bump. As Shinja and Bret tussled a bit, Hakushi came off the middle rope with a gorgeous springboard moonsault into the Hitman. This guy is so great. Back inside, Hakushi tucked and rolled Bret up, but Hart rolled through into his patented Victory Roll and snuck out the win, just as he has done dozens of times before. What a fantastic opener! It was really fluid and saw no slow spots at all. Hakushi's offense is a joy and Hart went toe-to-toe with him. They worked the mat, they took to the air, we had some basic heel work, some fighting from underneath...we had it all. And the finish was done perfectly too, as either man could have won, but Bret rolled through and held it for that one extra second. In an interesting note after the match, Hart seemingly twisted his knee hopping off the apron to the floor. As he hops away, he heads to the back to prep for his next bout.

*** Backstage, Jerry Lawler wants to wrestle Bret Hart immediately as Todd Pettengil informs him that Hart injured himself leaving the ring. ***

### 2) Razor Ramon defeats Jeff Jarrett & Roadie when Ramon pins Jarrett with the Razor's Edge at 12:37

Fun Fact I: This was supposed to be a tag match featuring the Kid on Ramon's team, but Kid messed up his neck a few weeks before this, so it was changed to a handicapped match. Ramon even has Kid's name written on his boots.

Fun Fact II: Savio Vega, who we get to meet for the first time at the end of this match, is Juan Rivera from Puerto Rico. After graduating from high school, Rivera took a trip to Miami, FL in 1986 to try out for the WWF. The WWF liked what they saw, but sent Rivera back to Puerto Rico to get some experience in the World Wrestling Council. While there, Rivera wrestled under the name TNT and won numerous titles in the organization. In early 1994, Rivera was brought back to the WWF where he started his Federation career under the name Kwang, a role he would hold until mid 1995. At this time the Kwang character had lost steam and had become stale. Rievera was repacked under the new name, Savio Vega.

### Scott:

This feud has been raging since January and it's all about the Intercontinental Championship. Jarrett and Ramon battled at the Rumble and WrestleMania, passing the belt back and forth a couple of times. For this special show we need a little variety, plus the Roadie needs to start getting involved in-ring. Razor, in banana yellow, and Jarrett brought their working boots as the pacing here is pretty fast paced with quick tags by the heel team and Razor crisply throwing these guys all over the place. I remembered liking the opener, but this match is really opening my eyes. I've said all along that all Jarrett needed was some sort of direction and he can easily get motivated. The Roadie, in his first PPV performance in-ring really worked his butt off to keep the tempo fast paced and push Razor to the limits. I thought Roadie would eat the pin to avoid Jarrett having to job. However Jarrett indeed takes the Razor's Edge and Ramon gets the victory. The IC Title isn't on the line but Razor does indeed stay in the hunt with the win. Watching this 1994-95 run again I'm starting to wonder: Could Razor Ramon have gone in the Diesel slot and been World Champion? The crowd was really into him, more than they were perhaps anybody besides Bret. Something to think about as the year progresses. This match was surprisingly better than I remember it being.

### JT:

Up next continues one of 1995's hottest feuds, but this time around there is no gold on the line. Originally this was slated to be a big tag team match to play off the brawl during WrestleMania, however, weeks before this show the 1-2-3 Kid injured his neck and was forced to sit things out. Ramon vowed to go it alone as he had basically been fighting both of these guys off since January anyway. Hendrix says he expects Jarrett and Roadie to finish off Ramon's knee for good here, calling back to the attacks during both of their previous bouts. Keeping the title on Jarrett has done wonders for him, as has this prolonged program with the always red hot Ramon. Dok does wonder how Jarrett will do with a new tag partner after excelling as a singles competitor for so long now. He does think their goal may be to finish the knee and not win, though. I am a big fan of Dok Hendrix, that I know. Jarrett started things off but Razor just wrecked him with right hands until he bailed to regroup, very similarly to the start of their previous two bouts. Vince notes that this is the Roadie's first official match so we still aren't sure what he brings in the ring. Razor kept on top of Jarrett, but fell pray to the numbers game on he floor when Roadie clubbed him from behind. Jarrett kept him off balance back in the ring before finally tagging in Roadie for the first time. And he did a fine enough job of barreling the Bad Guy with a barrage of elbows after spiking him back to the mat. Jarrett and Roadie would trade tags and also use double teams when needed to ensure Ramon couldn't come back. And Vince was all over referee Mike Chioda for allowing it all to go down. Razor made a brief comeback but tried for a Razor's Edge near the ropes, allowing Jarrett to back drop him outside. Roadie followed that up with a clothesline off the middle ropes to the floor. Back inside, Double J hit a flying body press but Razor rolled through for a near fall. This has been some really good heat building and that continued with a Jarrett dropkick and swinging neckbreaker to stunt Ramon's burgeoning momentum. After both men slammed heads, it gave Razor the opening to land some big blows, including a nice suplex. Dok lands a funny joke here, noting that Razor should have "Kid" taped under his boot and not on the side of it. And playing up the lopsided stipulation here, Jarrett is able to tag in Roadie, who pasted the Bad Guy and reestablished control. That didn't long though as Razor made one last gasp at a comeback, rattling both men and smacking them into each other. With Jarrett down, Razor took Roadie off the top with a back suplex but Jarrett drilled his knee to slow him up. Razor fought through a figure four attempt and was able to wipe out Roadie, which gave him the chance to hit the Edge on Jarrett and finally pick up a pinfall over his nemesis.

After the match, Ramon loaded Roadie up for the Edge, but Jarrett clipped his knee and they went right back to work on it, including a figure four. With the Kid out of the picture, Aldo Montoya tried to make the save, but he was made quick work of by Jarrett. With him and his "athletic supporter on his head" (according to Dok) out on the floor, some random guy jumped into the ring and wiped both Jarrett and Roadie out to save Ramon. He would eventually be taken out by police, but he was able to save the Bad Guy from further damage. That was a lot of fun too, as these guys have some great chemistry in the ring. At first glance you would think the handicap format may hinder them, but they did a hell of a job with it. The crowd was red hot behind Razor and Jarrett & Roadie worked together seamlessly in building some tremendous heat. The finish was well done too with Razor finally getting Jarrett alone and polishing him off. Now the question that remains: can the Bad Guy get his gold back eventually as well?

*** Backstage, Jerry Lawler is yelling at Jack Tunney, demanding to have his match occur next, but Tunney won't back down. ***

### 3) Mabel defeats Adam Bomb with a Powerbomb at 1:52

Fun Fact I: This was the first televised King of the Ring Qualifying Match for the 1995 event.

Fun Fact II: On the 3/12 Action Zone, Men on a Mission lost a tag title match to the Smoking Gunns. After the match, MOM snapped and brutally beat down the Gunns to the shock of the crowd. Then, on the 3/26 Wrestling Challenge, Men on a Mission defeated Ken Raper & Gary Sabaugh in a squash match. After the match, MOM apologized for their attack on the Gunns and invited them to shake their hands. Once the Gunns came out, however, MOM once again attacked the Gunns and then turned their attention on their manager Oscar. They beat Oscar down and Mabel crushed him with a huge Legdrop. MOM were officially heels and Oscar would never be seen again.

Fun Fact III: This is Adam Bomb's last PPV match. His final record is 0-6. He was 0-2 at the Royal Rumble, 0-1 at WrestleMania, 0-2 at Survivor Series and 0-1 at other PPV events. He would hang around into August before leaving the promotion.

### Scott:

Now, we begin the experiment that sunk 1995. Already with a wealth of decent heels, was there a need to turn a mid-card tag team gag? Even more so give them a limited edition spot on a short PPV? If you wanted to grab a heel to challenge Diesel, why not turn Lex Luger heel instead of this goof? We can discuss this more as time moves on, but for now we get a throwaway two minute dumpster fire against a guy who's leaving anyway. Sadly, I liked Adam Bomb as a character but he never really went anywhere. Mabel gets into the KOTR tournament, and we gulp at the thought.

### JT:

Up next is our first KOTR Qualifying Match of the year, featuring two big men in interesting positions. Men on a Mission shook things up and turned heel back in March. They ditched Oscar and transitioned to having Mabel mainly be a singles wrestler with Mo managing him. It was a good switch as they had run their course as faces. There is no more rapping or pandering, just a subtle beat and sirens as Mabel angrily stalked to the ring. This was a chance to ditch the purple, but they stuck with it for some reason, at least adding some black and gold in to balance it out. Bomb had really taken well to the face role as he had good charisma and seemed to connect well enough with the fans. It was still surprising that he wasn't getting more of a push, but this seemed like a strong spot for it to start. I am not sure how many people expected Mabel to win this one and advance in the tournament but I sure did not. Mabel jumped Bomb before the bell, putting him in a big hole immediately. Bomb would survive a splash in the corner and knock Mabel to the floor where he met him with a dive over the top rope. He shoved Mabel back in and hit a slingshot clothesline for a one count. Bomb followed that with a flying clothesline off the top but again could only get a one count. Bomb has looked pretty damn good here, flying all around. However, Mabel would catch him with a heavy spin kick and then catch him with a falling powerslam for the victory. I know they had some faith in Mabel as a potential top heel, but how can you watch this match and not see something more in Bomb? He had the look, some charisma and could really move in the ring. Odd missed opportunity for a time that they were devoid of stars. Mabel moves on as the legitimizing continues.

*** Backstage, Razor Ramon introduces his longtime friend Savio Vega, a legend from the Caribbean. He was in attendance and couldn't stand watching Jeff Jarrett and Roadie attack his friend. Ramon is happy to have Savio on his side as they have wrestled in the past. ***

*** As the Smoking Gunns make their entrance. Jerry Lawler comes down to ringside demanding to have his match with Bret Hart now, but Jack Tunney continues to shout him down. ***

### 4) Owen Hart & Yokozuna defeat the Smoking Gunns to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Hart pins Bart Gunn after Yokozuna leg drops him on the outside at 5:44

Fun Fact I: The Smoking Gunns had won the tag titles back on the January 23 episode of RAW, defeating Bob Holly and the 1-2-3 Kid. Following the match, Vince McMahon interviewed the former champions and they made a rematch challenge. The following week, the Gunns won the rematch when the referee stopped the match due to an injury to the 1-2-3 Kid.

Fun Fact II: This is a rematch of their tag team encounter at WrestleMania XI. On the 4/23 episode of Action Zone, the Blu Brothers were facing the New Headshrinkers when Owen Hart and Yokozuna came to the ring and attacked the Headshrinkers. The Gunns came from the back to break up the attack and celebrated with the Headshrinkers holding the tag team belts. The following night on RAW it was announced that the Smoking Gunns would get a rematch for the titles here at In Your House. Bart Gunn would defeat Owen Hart on Raw leading up to the show.

### Scott:

With the first two matches adding up to close to 30 minutes, other matches that probably deserved more time got severely cut. After the shocking return and tag title switch at WrestleMania, we get a rematch between the top babyfaces and (now) the top heels and the champions. The Gunns have great continuity while Owen spent most of the match in the ring as Yoko was selling a post shot to the head. The crowd was getting fairly pumped up until Yoko recovers and hits a legdrop on the floor to retain the titles. The match could have gone on longer with time permitting, as it was it seemed like a Raw match and not a special PPV match. I think the next match could have been skipped and the time been given to this one, but I'll get into that shortly. This was a solid affair but with more time it could have been better.

### JT:

Time for a WrestleMania rematch as the Smoking Gunns are angling to take back their tag team titles. This time, they are more prepared and won't be surprised by a mystery opponent, but we will see if that makes a difference. Owen and Yokozuna already had great presence as a team and their entrance felt like a big deal thanks to the gold and their entourage. Yoko has sadly shaved his beard, though, and I do miss Owen's theme, but those are minor quibbles. Yoko would use his size to plant Billy early on but Gunn used his speed to rock the big man with a pair of dropkicks. The challengers tried to quick tag and work a double team, but Yoko hammered Bart and tagged in Owen. The Gunns took advantage of the evening in size and worked over Owen with another double team. Owen escaped and tagged in Yoko, who punished Billy with right hands before going to his nerve hold. Billy stole a near fall but Owen cracked him with a spinning heel kick to knock him to the floor. Billy would avoid disaster by slipping away from a Yoko splash and then back inside he dodged an Owen charge and made the tag. Bart came in hot, hitting a back suplex and then had Billy come in for the Sidewinder. However, they didn't cover right away and it allowed Owen to kick out, much to the anger of Dok, who really ripped them for it. Bart tumbled to the floor by missing a cross body and Yoko dropped his hug leg across his chest. He pitched him back inside and Owen covered for the win. That was tidy! Not as good as their match at Mania because it was lacking the spectacle feel and the moment of Owen finally winning gold, but it was still good enough to get the point across. This puts the Gunns out of the title picture for a bit as Owen and Yoko continue to build their championship legacy as a tandem.

### 5) Jerry Lawler defeats Bret Hart after Hakushi interferes at 5:01

Fun Fact I: Bret Hart pretended to have injured his ankle coming out of the ring after the first match so Lawler would think he was hurt. Bret let everyone know he was fine during a pre-match interview and the King found out as he walked to ring bouncing back and forth on his "injured" ankle.

Fun Fact II: Bret Hart's feud with Jerry Lawler dates all the way back to King of the Ring '93, but intensified early in 1995. The match and feud Bret had at the beginning of the night was a result to Jerry Lawler stirring the pot. After Bret had won the "Award of the People", on the February 20 episode of RAW, Lawler mentioned that the Japanese votes had been excluded from the count and that Hart was a racist. He was able to persuade Hakushi of this, which resulted in his attack on Bret. On the May 1 episode of RAW, Bret offered to not only wrestle Hakushi at In Your House, but also to wrestle Lawler. He stated that he would dedicate the match to his mother since it would be held on Mother's Day. To one-up Hart, Lawler stated one week later that his mother would be at ringside for the match.

### Scott:

We haven't seen the long awaited rematch to what happened way back at SummerSlam 1993, but it didn't need to happen here. After Bret wrestled a great opening match against Hakushi, Lawler and the Kamikaze could have beaten Bret down to keep their heat and set up the Lawler/Bret match for the bigger show the following month. The time from this match could have gone to the tag title match and made it that much better. Instead of a well told story and extended main event-type match we get five minutes of decent action but Shinja interferes and eventually Hakushi comes in to hit two diving headbutts while the referee is hanging upside down on the outside of the ring. By the time the referee is back in the ring, Lawler has the cover and the three count. This could have been done at the end of the earlier match, instead of having to do a separate bout that had been over a year and a half in the making. I don't agree with the choice here since we get a rematch next month anyway. I still love Hakushi as a solid heel but this match on this night was unnecessary.

### JT:

And after a lengthy wait, the King finally gets his chance to battle Bret Hart, as their feud from two years ago has been reignited. In a funny bit, Lawler brings out a young hottie that he claims is his mother. He dedicates the match to get for Mother's Day and she says she wants to challenge Helen after Lawler knocks off the Hitman. In another nice touch, Hart reveals that he was faking the knee injury in a backstage interview with Pettengil. How can you not love that? It is interesting that they went back to this feud, but it never really ended due to Lawler having to take his hiatus in late 1993. I guess it gives the Hitman something to do at least. Hart showed off that he was not injured and goes right at the stunned Lawler off the bell, clubbing him with right hands and knocking him to the floor. Hart worked over the King back inside the ring but Lawler caught a break when Hart ducked his head, allowing Lawler to hit a piledriver. It had no effect though, as Hart popped right up and rammed Lawler to the mat with a bulldog. Dok attributed it all to adrenaline. Hart hit a piledriver of his own but didn't bother covering as he still wanted to put the boots to the King. Lawler would go to the eyes out of desperation, allowing him to land a shot in but for some reason he went to the top, which backfired badly. Lawler's mom is a real smokeshow. As Hart pounded away, Shinja showed up and distracted the referee, which caused him to get tangled in the ropes when Bret whipped Lawler into them. As he hung upside down, Hakushi charged out and smashed into Hart with an axehandle off the top rope. He followed that with a pair of diving headbutts, allowing King to roll over Hart and steal the upset win. I definitely wasn't expecting that, but there you go. The feud will continue. Both of them. After the bell, they tried to work over Bret more, but he fought through it and ran them all off before beating on Shinja. The match was nothing and effectively a squash, but the King's antics and Bret's fire were enough to make it passable as a tool for some angle progression.

*** Todd Pettingill and his Mania co-host, Stephanie Wiand, give away the house to a lucky winner. That winner was Matt Pompacilli of Henderson, Nevada. Vince had this contest as a way to get people to watch his new PPV venture. Since he obviously wasn't making money hand over fist like in the past, he didn't try this gimmick again. Years later, WWE would follow up with Pompacilli to find out what happened to the house. The house was sold six months after the event. The family had just moved from New York to Nevada, so turning around and moving again to Florida wasn't really an option. The sale of the house, which was over $175,000, created a college fund for Matt. ***

### 6) Diesel defeats Sid by disqualification at 11:28 to retain WWF World Title

Fun Fact: The night after WrestleMania, Vince McMahon interviewed Shawn Michaels and Sid in the ring on Monday Night Raw at the end of the show. After Shawn challenged Diesel to a rematch, he told Sid that he reviewed the tape of the WrestleMania match and saw that Sid was the reason the ref was knocked out and couldn't count his pinfall. Shawn told Sid that when he faced Diesel again (presumably at this PPV) that Sid could have the night off. Well, that didn't sit well with Sid, and he snapped on Shawn, telling him "you don't give me the night off...you don't give me nothing but respect!" Sid then dropped Michaels with some nasty looking powerbombs. As the show was going off the air, Diesel rushed to the ring to fend off Sid and come to his former friend's aid. Shawn was now the face as the fans had been calling for, but was sidelined from the powerbomb attack. Diesel challenged Sid for a PPV match to get some revenge for Shawn. On the 4/16 Challenge, Ted DiBiase cut a promo where he unveiled his new look Corporation, which featured a new centerpiece: Psycho Sid. Sid had his first WWF match in three years on 4/29, when he destroyed Aldo Montoya on Superstars in a squash reminiscent of his 1992 run of terror. Finally, things really boiled over on the 5/1 Raw. Sid was set to face Razor Ramon, but while Razor was posing in front of his pyro, Sid charged through the pyro and drilled Razor from behind. He dropped Ramon with two powerbombs before Diesel came out and ran Sid off again.

### Scott:

Our main event pits two men of similar styles. Sid was the "can't miss" guy for years, and now he gets the long awaited WWF Title shot he didn't get during his first run. Diesel is coming off his WWF MOTYC against Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania, but for the first time in his title reign he's facing someone who's equal to him in not only size but in wrestling ability. You can interpret that statement any way you choose, but let's just say wrestling purists weren't looking forward to this one. And after the first few minutes, we all understand why. We loved when Diesel fought Bret and Shawn because those guys are awesome workers who will bounce around the ring and sell, while at the same time build crowd emotion in a big guy/small guy way. Now we have a completely different dynamic and it's just not working. The pace is dreadfully slow, as Sid takes about 30 seconds between moves and does nothing but punches, double axe handles and other dreadfully simple maneuvers. Diesel selling for this guy seems so unnatural that the crowd isn't sure what to make of it. Sid's working the lower back and even uses a camel clutch, but it pretty much looks like he's resting on Diesel's back and is barely pulling on the maneuver. The match continues to slog along at a snail's pace when it mercifully ends with Tatanka interfering and Diesel winning by disqualification. This match has opened up Big Daddy Cool's biggest weakness: He can't sell against bigger guys and guys who clearly shouldn't be dictating the pace of a match. Sid needs guys like Shawn and Bret to help them out, just as much as Diesel does. The heat stays on the feud and is added when exiled Corporation member Bam Bam Bigelow comes out to help Diesel from the beatdown. Not having Shawn Michaels at this show left a gaping hole that this main event couldn't plug up. The other unfortunate thing: This feud is obviously not over and we will get more of it.

### JT:

So, some stuff has changed since WrestleMania. Shawn Michaels finally turned face but is laid up on the shelf thanks to a punishing attack by his former bodyguard Sid. To his defense came his former buddy Diesel, and this battle of the big men was inked for the PPV. Sid went on a run of terror leading up to this show, murdering some lower card wrestlers and jobbers and wiping out Razor Ramon amidst a hailstorm of pyro on Raw. The match was pretty well built and had some decent hype and anticipation. But there is a strong argument to be made that this is the beginning of the descent for Big Daddy Cool. As always, Sid had star presence and swagger and a buzz surrounded him as he slowly prowled to the ring flanked by Ted DiBiase. Dok keeps pushing how DiBiase had this scheme hatched for a long time, finally launching it at WrestleMania. Diesel gets a strong welcome from the fans and as he swaggered down the aisle, Sid went to the outside and just glared stoically at Vince as he put over the champ. Diesel opened with a series of forearms to the face and followed with two heavy charges into the corner that really shook Sid up. The challenger slid outside to consult with DiBiase as Diesel paced inside. This repeated itself a moment later, with Sid again bailing to the floor. This time he pulled Diesel out but the champ clubbed him with right hands. The crowd chanted behind the champ but a distraction from DiBiase allowed Sid to drill Diesel with a knee from behind to drive him to the floor. Sid followed him out and pounded on the champ's balky back, ramming him into the post and then kicking him in the head. Back in the ring, Sid hammered away on the back, softening him up for the powerbomb. The crowd is buzzing a bit here and booing Sid heavily as he hammers on Big Daddy Cool's back. Things slowed down when Sid locked in a camel clutch, continuing to pressure the champ's injured area. He would release the hold and dole out more punishment before going back to the hold. And it is too bad, because the match was pretty solid and moving at a good pace until this. Diesel would battle back but Sid planted him with a big chokeslam to cu that short. He followed that with his powerbomb but wasted time celebrating before finally covering, which gave Diesel the chance to kick up. The champ made a quick comeback from there, landing a big boot and the Jackknife but Tatanka hit the ring and broke up the pin to draw the DQ. Blah finish, but I get protecting Sid. As DiBiase, Sid and Tatanka hammered Diesel, Bam Bam Bigelow showed up and made the save for the champ.

Well, that match started well but went off the rails during the long camel clutch spots and then capped with a shaky finish. I mean, I can't say it should have been shorter because eleven minutes is pretty brief for a WWF Title match, but we didn't need the lazy resthold spot twice to slow it up. That said, Diesel really worked hard here trying to keep this together and the crowd was really into the match, both cheering the champ and booing Sid. So maybe there is some juice here after all? We will see. But for now, the reign of Diesel rolls on.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

WCW joined the monthly PPV game around this time, so the WWF knew it needed to as well. Having a shorter card was a smart move to test the waters in this endeavor, and considering how shallow the roster was it also made sense. Timing out a shorter card was a bit of a hassle, as they took over half an hour for the first two matches. No complaints here as watching Bret Hart and Hakushi go all out for 14 minutes is fine with me. However, the rest of the card seemed to be rushed a bit, as well as having Bret wrestle a second match against Jerry Lawler that wasn't really needed. That could have been added to the tag title match. The main event was a slow, plodding affair that exposed the weaknesses of Diesel because he didn't have an opponent that emphasized his strengths. The disqualification was merciful, but also meant that a rematch was in the offing. No Shawn Michaels and no Undertaker also took a lot of sparkle out of this show. Shawn was selling the injuries from the Raw after WrestleMania XI, but Taker? He was on the dreaded "Coliseum Video Exclusive". So they wanted to make sure there were sparkling matches, on the video? That was indeed a terrible decision as they should have loaded this show as much as they could. Why not have Shawn second Diesel to the ring, maybe take a crazy bump or two? That would have added some much-needed energy to the match. The next few months of PPV's have "missed opportunities" titled all over them. This is the first one.

Final Grade:

### JT:

I rather enjoyed this show as it cruised along at a brisk pace with the good matches getting time and the softer offerings going fairly short. There was very little fluff and at under two hours, the show flew by. Vince and Dok were really fun in the booth and they had good chemistry and did a strong job pushing the angles and selling the stories of the matches. Bret Hart and Hakushi had a great opener, one of my favorites of all time. That was followed by a really good handicap match. From there, things were up and down but nothing on here was bad enough to really sink the show. Even the main event wasn't terrible, it just got a little boring. So far the two hour IYH experiment seems to be a positive one. We will see if that continues throughout 1995.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #95

# King of the Ring 1995: Hear Thee...Hear Thee...

June 25, 1995

Corestates Spectrum

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Attendance: 16,590

Buyrate: 0.65

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix

Dark Match:

### Savio Vega defeats IRS in 3:58 in a Qualifying Match

Fun Fact: This is the first WWF PPV without a championship match of any kind on the card since Survivor Series 1990.

Pay-Per-View:

Quarterfinals:

### 1) Savio Vega defeats Yokozuna by countout at 7:35

Qualifying Matches:

Savio Vega defeated IRS

Yokozuna defeated Lex Luger

Fun Fact I: After helping come to the aid of Razor Ramon at In Your House, and wrestling a couple of tag matches with Razor, Savio Vega's first solo match was on the 5/28 Action Zone, defeating Eli Blu.

Fun Fact II: The winner of the IRS/Savio Vega match is taking Razor Ramon's spot in the tournament. Ramon was injured at a house show on June 9 in a ladder match with Jeff Jarrett. Ramon acts as Savio's manager throughout the night.

Fun Fact III: British Bulldog and Owen Hart had a qualifying match on Raw that went to a draw. So, on the 6/12 Raw, Lex Luger and Yokozuna got a chance to fill the last KOTR slot. Just before the finish, Yoko attacked Luger's guest flag bearer on the floor. Lex came to his rescue and ended up getting counted out. Luger's flag bearer that night was actually Scotty Anton, who would be better known as Scotty Riggs in WCW.

### Scott:

So we begin this very...interesting evening of wrestling with the underdog against a prohibitive favorite. Razor Ramon is out of this tournament with a rib injury, so that's one guy that could easily have won this tournament and the crowd would have been thrilled. On the heel side, perhaps to rebuild him after losing the WWF Title at last year's WrestleMania and then being shoved in the casket at Survivor Series, is Yokozuna. He is one half of the Tag Team Champions with Owen Hart but clearly he's a guy that could possibly give Diesel a run for his money in a World Title feud. Besides, Savio had debuted on TV the previous month at In Your House helping Razor Ramon from a Jeff Jarrett/Roadie beatdown. Owen Hart is backstage on the hotline doing PBP for the match. I think I'd have rather listened to him than Vince, who will struggle putting this over more and more as the evening progresses. The match is standard, with Yokozuna taking a lot of punishment from a rookie who had just wrestled about five minutes earlier. Savio Vega wins the match in an upset, and I'm slightly stunned. Another prohibitive favorite is out. Now if you didn't have Yoko winning this, and Owen is sitting out the show backstage in a tuxedo, why not have a tag team title match? As we see there's no other title matches scheduled, which is rare for PPV at this time in history. This seems like some kind of a reach to have a guy no one is invested in yet to begin some epic underdog run to the KOTR Title. Sadly, this won't be the only head scratching result of this tournament.

### JT:

As we head into the summer, it is time for our third annual King of the Ring tournament. For the first time in the brief history of the event we have no title matches on the card and just two bouts outside of the tournament. Looking at the card on paper, it seemed like the tournament would get a lot of time and be the heavy focus with some big matches. We shall see if that plays out. Opening the show, we have the PPV in ring debut of Savio Vega. Vega had debuted last month at In Your House #1, saving Razor Ramon from a post match attack by Jeff Jarrett and the Roadie. Vega was simply supposed to be backing up his buddy on this show, but Ramon went down with an injury and Vega stepped into his slot. Well, sort of. First he had to qualify, which he did by beating IRS on the pre-show. He faces tag team champion Yokozuna here. Yoko had qualified by beating his old nemesis Lex Luger on Raw, leaving Lex off KOTR for the second straight year. In a nice touch, Vince McMahon notes that Ramon was cleared for competition but not tournament action, so he was forced to sit. Also, I love that Dok Hendrix is back for a second straight show. Right away he points out that Vega would have to win four matches in less that three hours to win the crown and puts those odds at unlikely. Vega had some good presence and energy and did connect with the fans right away, so he is off to a strong start in his WWF career. Yoko's size was too much early and Savio couldn't avoid it at first, but eventually dodged an elbow. He went for the quick finish but Yoko ducked his spin kick, putting the big man back in control. Yoko would hammer Vega before going to the nerve hold, slowing things way down. As Ramon looked on from ringside, Savio fought out of the hold but Yoko dodged another charge and chucked him over the top rope. As things began to look bleak, Vega avoided a Yoko legdrop and made his big comeback, unloading right hands and clotheslines before finally knocking the big man down with the spin kick. Things would spill to the floor when Owen Hart showed up and clubbed Ramon from behind. Savio and Yoko traded blows out there but Yoko would miss a charge and careen into the post. Vega slid inside and stole the win via countout to advance and keep he underdog story alive. The crowd dug that. The match was fairly interesting, and really it was more about dodging offense than connecting. Both men avoided some big moves but Vega ducked the biggest and got him the victory. Vince compares him to Rocky Balboa as he and Ramon head to the back to prep for round two.

### 2) The Roadie defeats Bob Holly with a boot to the face at 7:31

Qualifying Matches:

Roadie defeated Doink

Bob Holly defeated Mantaur

### Scott:

So the Roadie takes on the forgotten Bob Holly in another quarterfinal. Holly beat Mantaur in the qualifying match. Man, they should have put that beast in this tournament. Just kidding. This actually is a positive because the Roadie needs some in-ring seasoning if they had future plans for him to be a regular superstar. His man Jeff Jarrett, IC Title around his waist, seconds him to the ring. Now here was a case where there wasn't a need to put Jarrett in the tournament because storyline wise, he's already a champion so he doesn't need a crown and cape. I'm fine with that. This is the first time after three years that these quarterfinal matches are just filler to get to the more high profile semifinals and finals. Although I can't say that it was intentional by Vince and the bookers, maybe just because the roster is so thin. Let's keep that fact in mind as we're going through this PPV. The match itself is uneventful but the Roadie holds his own and gets the win. That one's predictable as no one cares about Bob Holly. Our first two semifinalists are somewhat underwhelming but we have bigger stars later on that will really jazz things up. We hope.

### JT:

For the second straight match, we have a top level competitor at ringside instead of in the tournament. Some really curious decisions out of the gate on this show. I mean, I get that Ramon was hurt, so fine. But having Jarrett not involved was odd too, outside of just wanting to showcase the Roadie a bit, I guess? Bob Holly is back on PPV for the first time since his big tag title win at the Royal Rumble and while I enjoy him, he is really starting to feel goofy with his really long thinning hair and bright orange tights with the big WWF logo plastered on his ass. Holly got a quick flurry of two counts right off the bell, but Roadie kept kicking out until he could escape and regroup with Double J outside. The quick summit didn't help at all as Holly kept the aggression up, whipping Roadie around the ring and constantly going for covers, which was really strong psychology. Roadie finally caught a break when he blocked a hurricanrana attempt with a powerbomb, rattling Holly's bones. Roadie would start to work on the back, whipping Holly hard to the corner and clubbing away before hooking a chinlock with his knee buried into the spine. Roadie would release the hold and dance a bit, which led to some chastising by Dok. In fact, he flat out said Holly would come back to win because he is resourceful and Roadie wasn't taking advantage of his chances. Roadie would load Holly up for the piledriver, but Holly backdropped out of it. A dropkick later and Holly was suddenly in control. He followed with a powerslam for a near fall and then headed to the top rope. However, as he came off, Roadie got his boot up and smashed Holly in the face. He rolled over and covered and got the win, but for some reason Holly kicked up at two but the referee didn't catch it. No idea if that was planned or not, but it was weird. There was some good energy here, mainly thanks to Holly's aggression and selling. Roadie was fine too, but Holly really kept things moving. Roadie moves on to face Savio Vega, meaning we are guaranteed at least one big time underdog in the finals.

### 3) Kama and Shawn Michaels wrestle to a draw at 15:00

Qualifying Matches:

Kama beat Duke Droese

Shawn Michaels beat King Kong Bundy

Fun Fact I: This is Shawn Michaels' only KOTR tournament match ever. Michaels made his return to the ring on the 5/22 Raw in his KOTR Qualifier against King Kong Bundy. Upon his return, he was now set up as a face. This is his first PPV match as a face since Survivor Series 1991.

Fun Fact II: Charles Wright's wrestling career began in Memphis in 1989 with Jerry Lawler in the USWA as The Soultaker, which was a character derived from one of the tattoos he had on his arm. Despite being new to the business and having a limited move set, Wright won the USWA World Heavyweight championship in October of his first year in the business, a reign that would last about two weeks. After some time in New Japan in 1990, Wright signed with the WWF at the suggestion of his friend, The Undertaker. In 1992 he was packaged as a voodoo practicing character, Papa Shango. Shango was pushed to main event status almost immediately, getting involved in the main event feud between Hulk Hogan and Sid Justice and later in a feud with the Ultimate Warrior. Fans didn't gravitate to the character and Papa Shango was named the Most Embarrassing Wrestler and the Worst Gimmick in the 1992 Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards. For most of 1993, Wright spent time in the USWA as Shango, even picking up the USWA Heavyweight Championship for a second time. Towards the end of 1994, vignettes began airing touting the debut of a "Supreme Fighting Machine." Wright was repacked as Kama and made his in ring debut on the 1/28 Superstars when he defeated Matt Hardy.

### Scott:

Now we are getting down to business. Newly minted babyface Shawn Michaels comes out to a raucous ovation and right now it seems pretty evident that (looking at the rest of the brackets) he is the favorite to win the tournament. Historically when someone makes a big turn (either way), they are highlighted at the next big event. Kama is one of DiBiase's guys, in the midst of the dreadful "Stealing Undertaker's Urn" storyline that's pretty much hit the two-year mark. Kama dominates the match early with power moves and Shawn is selling as best as he can. Shawn Michaels is showing a different look for a babyface. He's unshaven, and he's got this unusual swagger, still heelish, but getting big pops from the crowd. Perhaps Michaels has tapped into something different in the way a babyface character is built. He actually was clean shaven during the end of his heel run and now looks more heelish with the stubble. Anyway off the facial hair tangent. The match has been fairly one sided throughout the majority of the match, perhaps still selling the beating Sid gave him after WrestleMania. Vince and Dok are talking the match up as if Shawn is going to make a big comeback. Then, the dreaded topic that comes up during commentary. Whenever a match has a time limit, and KOTR matches always do, commentators will start talking about how much time is left in the match. Whenever they start counting down the clock, that usually means a time-limit draw is in our future. That can't possibly happen here, as Michaels should be winning this match and moving on to the next round. Sure enough when the ring announcer says there are two minutes, left he starts making a big comeback and I'm feeling confident that he will win and we move on. The only way I could see Michaels losing is if Kama wins through nefarious means and faces Undertaker in the next round to keep that storyline going. Kama keeps kicking out of Shawn's pin attempts and the ring announcer is counting down from 20 seconds and eventually...the time ran out. We have a time limit draw. So does that mean we have overtime? No, both men are eliminated. What the hell? That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. So another favorite to win is eliminated and the winner of the next match moves on the finals without wrestling a semifinal. I'm completely perplexed at what is going on here. The next match may make clearer sense involving another big favorite to win. This match was fun but the result is stunning.

### JT:

Up next we are set for the first Shawn Michaels face match since Survivor Series 1991. It has been a while. Across the ring from him is Kama, who has been around for a bit but is competing in his first PPV match. We did see him at WrestleMania, where he stole the Undertaker's urn and eventually melted it down into a chain. He also ditched the Hanes t-shirt that he wore under his tights early on. In a weird piece of foreshadowing, Michaels stops by the coronation stage to visit pitchman Barry Didinski. He would try the crown on, but it was too big for his head. Big time red flag there for the man many assumed was the favorite to win the tournament. I dug his black tights here as they offset his kind of lame red tinted sunglasses and awful hat. He is also rocking a five o'clock shadow for the first time too, which I guess is a little odd to grow for a face turn and not vice versa. Michaels was fast and crisp right away, avoiding Kama's attack and landing a few shots in where he could. The Philly fans were super into Michaels here, cheering every bit of offense through the opening minutes. The tide turned when Kama dumped Michaels to the floor and then followed him out and rammed him into the post. As Kama worked the rehabbed back of Shawn in the ring, we got a glimpse of Smokin' Joe Frazier at ringside. One of the many "luminaries" that Vince mentioned were in the house. Kama pounded the back with precise, stiff strikes and also kicked away when he could as well. With Michaels in pain, Kama went for the kill by hoisting him up into an old school hanging backbreaker. Michaels wriggled free and picked up a new fall but Kama went right back on the assault, whipping Shawn hard into the corner, causing him to flip out to the floor. DiBiase would lay in some kicks but Shawn barely beat the count to keep the match alive. Back inside, Kama rocked Michaels with three backbreakers and then pressed him over his knee in a submission hold. Kama started to get a little cocky and blindly charged into the corner, but Michaels rocked him with a boot. As Michaels started to make a strong comeback, the announcer let everyone know there were just two minutes remaining. After cracking Kama with a flying forearm, Michaels hammered away with right hands and hit an axehandle smash off the top for a near fall. As the clock ticked under :40, Kama rolled through a cross body and almost stole the match. Shawn would grab a near fall with a small package but just as Shawn hooked a sunset flip, time expired and both men were eliminated. And that was a kick to the nuts for the crowd. Everyone was frothing for a Michaels tournament win on this night, and out he goes in round one. Tough decision there. Michaels would hit the superkick after the match, but the finish here stung. And stunk. The match itself was fine enough, with good focused work by Kama, but after a while you could tell where it was headed, especially when they started flashing the clock. And all of a sudden things were looking very barren for the rest of the night.

*** As Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix talk at ringside, two young fans are decked out in King of the Ring shirts and hats and are carrying a "Philly + WWF = Winning Tag Team" sign. Plant? We also see footage of Bob Backlund campaigning around Philadelphia. Shortly after his WrestleMania loss, Backlund announced that he would be running for President of the United States. ***

### 4) Mabel defeats the Undertaker with a leg drop after Kama interferes at 10:44

Qualifying Matches: Mabel beat Adam Bomb; Undertaker beat Jeff Jarrett

Fun Fact: As with Shawn Michaels, this was the only time Undertaker participated in the actual KOTR Tournament. It is also his first KOTR appearance. In 1993 he was out selling the injuries he received from Mr. Hughes, and in 1994 he was on sabbatical.

### Scott:

This match should be an even stronger foregone conclusion than the previous one. I guess I could understand not having a Shawn Michaels/Undertaker semifinal, but hell why not? Oh because face/face matchups weren't on anybody's radar in 1995. Undertaker winning KOTR would be a nice reward for this trash storyline with the Corporation he's had to live through. I mean, Mabel is a mid-card tag team guy. Sure, he and Mo turned heel but please, that's not on the level of Shawn Michaels turning babyface. Then again, you look at the layout of these brackets and nothing is making sense. Undertaker advances and faces either Roadie or Savio Vega? Ok I can see him facing Roadie and having to deal with a boatload of Jeff Jarrett/Corporation interference and still come out on top. The draw between Kama and Michaels still is puzzling me because even if Shawn lost by countout or DQ or maybe gets pinned due to outside interference, Taker wins here and then has an obvious storyline match with Kama, who's got the urn around his neck as a chain. While this match is going on (including a long Mabel chin lock) there's a guy with a Hawaiian shirt and a straw hat in the front row. Man that guy looks familiar, along with some of the other guys sitting around him. Where have I seen him before? I'll remember it at some point later in this review. Just like the previous match, Mabel is dictating the pace, which is very, very, very slow. This seems to be setting up for Taker to make a huge comeback and win the match. Maybe we will have Roadie/Taker in the finals. Sure it's a little strange but hell most of 1995 has been a little strange. Kama comes out and interferes, leading to a....Mabel win? A MABEL WIN? Wait a minute, so Mabel is in the finals? The crowd in Philadelphia is stunned, and frankly a little irritated. All the favorites, the ones actually deserving of winning this thing are out. No Razor, no Owen, no Michaels and no Undertaker. Where the hell is Lex Luger? Or British Bulldog? Either of the Bushwhackers for Pete Sakes. There are so many more deserving candidates of this honor then what we are seeing here. So Mabel sits for an extra round to face the Savio/Roadie winner. This tournament officially hit the toilet, and the Philly fans just flushed it.

### JT:

And with our previous finish, this opening round match all of a sudden becomes a semifinal encounter. The surprising push of Mabel continues here and if he wants it to move further, he has quite the challenge ahead of him. The Undertaker is competing at his first KOTR and as such, is involved in the tournament for the first time. At this point, he is the massive, overwhelming favorite when you analyze the remaining field. If Mabel were to pull the upset, he would then become the favorite as well. And you could feel the angst amongst all the fans in the Spectrum. And I was definitely feeling it watching at home. As Undertaker's chill enveloped the arena and the wind blew and echoed out, the fans went crazy, hoping that the Deadman would be their savior on this night. Taker took the fight right at Mabel, rocking the big man with clotheslines, finally taking him off his feet with third one. I will say this match is aesthetically pleasing with all the black and purple on both guys. Mabel would drive Taker to the mat with a slam and clothesline the Deadman to the floor, but Taker landed on his feet and came right back. However, as he was getting back into the ring, Mabel tripped him up and he got his foot locked between the ropes, giving the big man a chance to hammer him unabated. Back inside, Mabel hit a pretty nice belly-to-belly and then put all his weigh on Taker's back with a seated rear chinlock. That had to hurt. Things would spill outside, where Mabel ran Taker into the steps. Mabel continued to work the back, standing on it and then shooting Taker hard to the corner. He followed with a suplex but Taker snuck out the back door. Mabel would try to put the finishing touches on Taker with a big charge to the corner, but Taker got his boot up and stopped the big man in his tracks. For some reason, Taker went for a backdrop, but Mabel blocked it and rocked him with a really nice piledriver. That one shocked me. Taker survived and a moment later the two collided in the ring. Taker rallied and slammed into Mabel with a leaping clothesline in the corner but Mabel would reverse an Irish whip, sending the Deadman right in the official, knocking him out. Taker would hit a flying clothesline and chokeslam, but the ref was still down. As Taker covered, Kama snuck in and kicked Taker in the head. Mabel would land a big legdrop as the referee came to...and won the match. Mabel pinned the Undertaker. And Philadelphia wept. What a massive upset and the final three KOTR competitors inspire very low levels of confidence. The match itself was actually OK, with Mabel's piledriver as the spot of the bout. Mabel looked fine out there, but nobody was ready for this push at all. Especially when you consider who was on top of the mountain. Taker's feud with Kama rages on and Mabel inexplicably moves ahead.

*** We review footage of the WWF Hall of Fame ceremony from the previous evening. The 1995 inductees were Antonino Rocca, Ernie Ladd, George Steele, Ivan Putski, Fabulous Moolah, Grand Wizard and Pedro Morales. ***

Semifinals:

### 5) Savio Vega defeats the Roadie with a roll-up at 6:22

### Scott:

So, um...here we are. The winner of this match makes the finals of the tournament against Mabel. One month ago we had no idea who Savio Vega was, and now he's wrestling his third match of the night. This isn't exactly Randy Savage at WrestleMania IV, as the crowd really couldn't care less. I'm not sure what we are going to get in this match since the fans haven't seen either guy that much. This match feels like something you'd watch on Superstars. Having Razor Ramon at ringside is doing nothing for the fans, or this match. You can really hear a pin drop as Roadie is calling himself the "Road Dog". Hmmmm, interesting. Roadie is trying to antagonize the crowd, and they honestly don't care. Heel miscommunication leads to Savio Vega winning the match and moving on to the finals against Mabel. I wouldn't call it an upset per se since Roadie is about as green as he is. Razor Ramon comes in to congratulate his friend and again the crowd doesn't care. Savio's music is so loud because there's no crowd noise to quell it. This PPV was booked during a heavy night of drinking, I'm convinced. The highlight is Dok Hendrix saying Savio steals hubcaps in the South Bronx. Mabel vs. Savio Vega for King of the Ring 1995. Feel the juice.

### JT:

In our only semifinal match, Savio Vega is looking for third win in ninety minutes to be an unlikely participant in the KOTR finals. Vince even notes that Savio probably can't believe where he is at as they continue to push the hell out of the underdog angle. And as Vega and Roadie opened up the match, we look to the floor, where Jeff Jarrett and Razor Ramon stand as cornermen. Savio stayed hot, shooting Roadie into the corner and then hip tossing him across the ring, sending Roadie out to regroup. Once he slid back inside, Savio grabbed hold of the arm and started to work it over. Roadie stopped the momentum with a knee to the gut and a sloppy swinging neckbreaker for a near fall. Roadie followed up with some very pedestrian offense and you could tell he was struggling a bit to connect the dots and progress things. Savio eventually got to his feet and punched his way back as the crowd started to turn on everything, audibly booing and chanting for anything but what was happening in the ring. Eventually, Savio would shove Roadie into Jarrett, who was on the apron, and roll him up to win and advance to the finals. The match was pretty bad as Roadie looked lost and the crowd dumped all over the whole thing. I mean, the story here is fine. The underdog keeps sneaking out wins and advancing on, sure. But it wasn't really too inspired just based on the guys being used in this tournament, especially when you look at the cache of talent on the sidelines. But, we can touch on that later. First, we have Dok translating an interviewed between Savio and Spanish announcer Carlos Cabrera. It was amazing...and racist. Dok is the man, though. And on we march.

### 6) Bret Hart defeats Jerry Lawler in a "Kiss My Foot" match when Lawler submits to the Sharpshooter at 9:15

Fun Fact: This feud was still boiling after Jerry Lawler picked up the cheap win at In Your House. On the 5/22 Raw, Bret Hart came to ringside and got in Lawler's face. Bret slapped his headset off and requested a rematch. Lawler granted the Hitman his rematch but with the weird stipulation that the loser must kiss the winner's feet. To prepare, Lawler did not wash his feet for about a month heading into this match. Every week on TV he was shown walking through mud and horse shit and all sorts of fun stuff. On the 6/10 Superstars, Lawler beat Aldo Montoya and then stuffed his disgusting foot in poor Aldo's mouth.

### Scott:

We will give Bret Hart a pass as to not being in the tournament since he already won it two years ago, plus this feud NEEDED TO END. It actually started two years ago at this PPV and except for Bret's World Title run in 1994, has gone on non-stop. Incidentally the Philly crowd does forget how awful the night has been so far and goes crazy for the Hitman. The stipulation is actually quite stupid and for the crowd in Philly they should have done a street fight or a no-DQ match or something with a little juice to it. Kissing one's feet? That is another example of how Vince's booking strategies of the 1980s are finally starting to feel outdated and bland. Now that I think about it, this match should have had no-DQ rules to it if it had a stipulation on it. I feel attention to detail was largely ignored when booking this show, that is definitely evident. Lawler dominates the action but Lawler's stalling is killing the flow. At least the crowd is into it, which if they weren't would have really murdered this show. Lawler hits Bret with his boot, revealing his gross sock and dirty foot. Lawler has to hide the boot, which again is so dumb. A stipulation match shouldn't have countouts or DQs. Hakushi comes out (Hell HE could have been in the tournament) and distracts Bret but it didn't work. Both men are in the ring and eventually the Hitman cranks up the Sharpshooter, and mercifully Lawler taps out. Bret finally puts this feud to bed (or so we thought) and he unlaces his boot and puts his foot in Lawler's face. Then Lawler, Hakushi and Shinja try to get their heat back but thankfully Bret cleans them out. To finish it off and make things even worse for the King, Bret makes Lawler kiss his own disgusting, manure-filled foot. The Philly crowd gets their last real fun moment of the night as the Hitman gets his final revenge (Vince even mentions it's their final match) on the King. The match is easily one of the best two of the night, which doesn't say much.

### JT:

We finally deviate from this tournament but things don't really get much better. Well, they do, but not as good as they could have been. The Bret Hart/Jerry Lawler feud was reignited a month ago and saw the King pick up an unexpected win over the Hitman at In Your House #1. They tussle here again, but this time we have a stipulation in place as the loser must kiss the foot of the winner. Many assume this was a rib on noted foot enthusiast Jerry Lawler, but it also made some sense when you look at the feud as a whole. It was still goofy and feels like such a step back for Hart when you consider what he was doing during the previous two KOTR events. To amp up the heat for the match, Lawler had been basting his feet in trash, manure, dirt and whatever else he could find along the way. We got to look at his mangy, torn up sock earlier in the night, really adding to the anticipation here. The depressed and angered Philly fans get it together to cheer on Hart, temporarily allowing us to forget the nonsense that preceded this bout. Hart was aggressive early, looking for revenge, but Lawler staved him off and ran him into the stairs. Dok wondered if Hakushi and Shinja would make their presence known again and I just shake my head remembering he is another guy left off this mess of a show. Hart slid back in and Lawler went to work, slowly laying the boots in before spiking the Hitman with a piledriver. The King would play to the fans a bit before hitting a second piledriver to a cascade of boos. However, again, he didn't cover and continued to jaw with the fans at ringside. King would then hit a third piledriver and again didn't cover right away. He finally would, but Hart kicked out. That would be a felony in Memphis. Lawler stayed on Hart, continuing to argue with the fans the whole time. After dumping Hart to the floor, Lawler removed his boot, exposing his rancid foot. The Hitman climbed back inside, but Lawler pelted him with his boot for another near fall. Lawler would try to jam his foot in Bret's face but the Hitman blocked it and started beating on the King. Lawler used his boot as a weapon but Bret yanked him into the post a moment later, taking control and slugging away. As he did, Hakushi and Shinja did indeed show up. With Shinja tying up the referee, the interference backfired as Hakushi cracked Lawler with a right hand by accident. A moment later, Hart locked in the Sharpshooter and picked up the win, assumedly putting this feud to bed. Bret would unlace his boot but Hakushi showed up again. And again, he failed. Hart ran him off and then stuck his foot in Lawler's mouth. He also shoved the King's very own grotesque foot into his own mouth to cap things off. I love both of these guys, but man were they just sloshing through a paint-by-numbers version of what they were both capable of. We got some Lawler cheating and some strong Bret execution, but both of those strong points swam amidst a pool of blah. Even the crowd wasn't too into it, which tells you how burnt out they were. King dominated most of the action here, but Hart gets the win and humiliates the King in the end. Hart deserves better. Especially when you look at what is going on around him.

Finals:

### 7) Mabel defeats Savio Vega to win the 1995 King of the Ring with a big splash at 8:09

### Scott:

Any excitement and fun this crowd had during the last match is completely gone. For those who are long-time wrestling fans, there are certain WWE hotbeds that know wrestling and will let you know if something is good or bad. I'm talking the New England/Tri-State area and Chicago in particular. But Philadelphia definitely belongs in that conversation as well. If you give them a hot product and a great show, they will be very loud and into everything you give them. Tonight was probably the WRONG night to do any kind of roster or booking experiments because Philly wants the best and when you don't give it to them, well let's just say they're not like the West Coast where they sip their lattes and leave early. This honestly feels like a house show match with bonus commentary. Where the crowd is half paying attention and the wrestlers are going through the motions. Vince and Dok are doing their absolute best but they're cooked and they know it. The crowd is dead silent; you can hear the beer guys selling in the upper deck. Mabel puts Savio into a bear hug and the crowd is...well doing nothing. This may be one of the worst matches I have ever seen in PPV history. Fat Mabel, a tag team mid-card joke and a guy, who to his credit, is working but Savio Vega just debuted in the company LAST MONTH. I understand wanting to showcase new stars but considering the dearth of star power on the roster you may want focus on the guys that already have credibility with the crowd, like Michaels, Undertaker, Bulldog, or Luger. Any of those guys would have been a fine move, but instead after a lazy fat splash, Mabel joins the Hart brothers as WWF King of the Ring. The crowd is beyond quiet, they are absolutely livid right now. Now to gain more heel heat, Mabel and Mo beat down the injured Razor Ramon and the crowd STILL doesn't care. Vince should have called an audible and just let this go, but instead they're trying way too hard to put Mabel over here and even with the run in of 1-2-3 Kid (who also gets beaten down) it doesn't help. Finally Mabel and Mo get to the stage with the throne and props. Now the crowd starts chanting, and what are they chanting? You got it, "ECW...ECW...ECW". Now I remember where the guy with the Hawaiian shirt and straw hat and his other misfit friends are from. They are regulars at the ECW Arena, and after all the great stuff ECW was doing in 1995, they show up on this night and get this pile of crap. Suddenly cups, batteries and trash are being thrown at the stage while Mo attempts (and fails miserably) to read the scroll. Vince says the fans are so angry at what's transpired. Well no shit, but not exactly the way Vince wanted it to go. This is definitely the nadir for the WWF. You really can't sink any lower in terms of booking than you have on this night. From the entrance to the terrible proclamation, this is utter garbage.

### JT:

Welp. Pick your poison. At the time, I really bit on the underdog story and thought Savio may win this and cap off his miracle night. Perhaps that was just wishful thinking. Fresh off burying the Deadman, Mabel had a bit more swagger to him and he was clearly the heavy favorite heading into this. A loss to Vega would be brutal, making this a must win. And as Vega and Ramon entered for the fourth time on the night, we faded to the front of the Spectrum, where the statue of Rocky Balboa stood. Can Savio live up to the Stallion's legacy? We will find out. Savio laid in some chops off the bell and then mounted Mabel in the corner and slugged away. Mabel came back but missed a legdrop and Savio followed by clotheslining him to the floor. Mabel would yank Savio outside but Vega rammed him into the steps, perhaps looking for a replay of his opener with Yokozuna. Not happening. Mabel sent him into the steps as well and slid inside, with Razor then shoving Vega in ahead of the ten count. The action really picked up with a Mabel bear hug that really sucked the final drops of excitement out of the crowd. Vega worked out of the hold but Mabel slugged him back down and then hit some sort of jumping clothesline into a uranage type slam. He followed that with a rear chinlock, which is not what we needed. Even if it made sense from a psychology point of view, and God bless Dok, he tries to explain it as such, it just wasn't happening for these two. As Savio snuck in a roll up off a missed charge, the crowd came to life...chanting "ECW" loudly. Not good. Savio would hit his spin kick for a near fall, actually getting the crowd back into it for a minute. He would follow with a body press, but Mabel caught him and hit a slam for a close two count. The big man popped up and hit a big splash to finally end Savio's dream and win the crown. Sigh. The match picked up in that final minute, but really had nothing else going on for the rest of it. Ramon would come in to check on his buddy, but Mo got in his face, triggering a brawl that ended with MOM laying the Bad Guy out alongside Vega. That beating was better than the match. What a mess. The 1-2-3 Kid would try to help out and actually landed some offense in, but he got beat down as well. These men certainly are on a mission. Officials finally busted things up and MOM headed to the podium for the coronation. I will give them this. They showed conviction with this push. They identified Mabel as their guy and didn't look back. That doesn't mean it was the right choice or the right path to this point. It wasn't. All hail King Mabel? I guess now we know why that crown was so damn big.

*** Mabel is officially crowned King and Mo is dubbed Sir Mo by his friend. Mo would then butcher his way through a royal proclamation as fans pelted the two of them with trash. Very fitting. ***

*** Backstage. Jerry Lawler is brushing his teeth and rinsing with mouthwash in between bouts of vomiting. ***

### 8) Diesel & Bam Bam Bigelow defeat Tatanka & Psycho Sid when Diesel pins Tatanka with an elbow drop at 17:33

Fun Fact: On the 4/24 Raw, Bam Bam Bigelow lost a World Title match to Diesel after Tatanka accidentally tripped him. After the match, DiBiase fired Bigelow from the Corporation. However, Bigelow said it was too late to fire him, as he had already quit. The Corporation jumped Bigelow and Sid came out and dropped him with a powerbomb. Diesel came back and made the save, solidifying Bigelow's face turn. On the 5/8 Raw, Bigelow spoke candidly about the Rumble incident, Lawrence Taylor, Diesel and DiBiase. He claimed he was going to take apart the Corporation one by one. On the 5/7 Action Zone, Bigelow debuted his new music, pyro and flame shooting costume. The main event here was announced on the 5/15 Raw, with DiBiase laying down the challenge. Later on the show, Bigelow continued his mission of destroying the Corporation by beating IRS. Bigelow continued on his warpath, destroying jobbers on his run up to the PPV. Finally, in a memorable moment and show of unity, after Shawn Michaels beat King Kong Bundy in his return match, Diesel and Bigelow came out to congratulate Shawn and pose in the ring.

### Scott:

I have a really bad feeling about this. The crowd is already rankled and pissed off at everything given them so far, but now we get our main event. Sure the fans did like most of the guys in this match but not only have we had bad booking decisions but we've also had some pretty terrible matches preceding this as well. If the In Your House #1 main event hadn't happened already, I think fans would be kind of looking forward to this main event, but since we already knew that Diesel vs. Sid by themselves is a stinker, well I'm not sure there's much hope that this match will be any better. The crowd is a little better than before but not much better. Wait, how about replacing Michaels with Bigelow in the tournament and have him team with Diesel in this match? Wow there's a great idea. You avoid that awful time limit draw and Bigelow can win the tournament, getting rewarded for jobbing to a football player at WrestleMania. You keep the juice in the match with the Michaels/Sid stuff still percolating. Tatanka is a game worker in the ring and Diesel can be protected a little bit if he is injured. This match feels like we are on Raw, and the crowd knows it. The other option is have a Diesel World Title match against somebody, since we had ZERO title matches on this show. That's another bone of contention for me and others: No Tag, IC or World Title matches on this show. Yokozuna's in the tourney and Owen doesn't even wrestle; Jarrett is seconding Roadie to the ring for the KOTR, and Diesel is in this mess. This is 17 minutes of boring rest holds and complete lack of energy. What could Vince possibly be thinking right now? This entire night has been a disappointment and his main event isn't saving it. Tatanka and Bigelow do the yeoman's work of the match, which may have been the saving grace of the match as both guys did the best they could. Diesel gets tagged in and jackknifes (poorly) Tatanka but instead of pinning him and ending this terrible night, he pulls Tatanka up and wants Sid in the ring. Well Sid, who used to be a great heel in other promotions, begs off like a WWF coward heel. That pretty much caps off the night. Diesel drops a pitiful elbow and finally ends this horrendous night. Sid was booked so horribly in 1995 compared to his other incarnations. The fireworks and music go off and we can mercifully say this night of wrestling is over.

### JT:

And it is time for our main event. The match everyone just wants to be done so they can all go home. Poor Tatanka. Finally gets into the main event scene after a solid heel turn, but it all feels so flat. He really needed to change his look. Sid is still pretty awesome but it is clear he is losing steam after being booked as a bit of a pussy as opposed to the wrecking ball he was set up as back in May. The big story here is the injured elbow of Diesel, as it is heavily taped up after a rough bump back at IYH#1. Diesel still had great presence and swagger but things are falling apart around him and this feud isn't quite lighting the world on fire. It was cool seeing Bam Bam Bigelow getting such a strong push as Diesel's right hand man, one that he has easily earned. The fans even give the big man a little love. Diesel and Bammer ran the Corporation to the floor, resetting things before the bell. That was followed by a lengthy bout of stalling as Sid jawed with fans and plotted his next steps. Diesel dominated Tatanka once things got going, but Sid reach in from the apron and wrenched the champ's arm, radiating pain through his injured elbow. Tatanka took it from there, dancing around the ring and attacking the elbow. The fans actually chanted for Diesel as Sid and Tatanka worked him over in the corner. Sid would eventually miss a legdrop, allowing Diesel to make the tag. Bammer came in hot, running through both men, knocking Tatanka to the floor and planting Sid with DDT. Bigelow is flashing some real energy and it is good to see. He deserved the spotlight. Bigelow dropped his top rope headbutt, but DiBiase had the referee tied up and there was no count. Sid battled back and took Bigelow off the top rope with a chokeslam in a nice spot. Tatanka would come in and as he put the boots to Bammer, Dok pointed out that Tatanka is still angry about Bigelow costing them the tag straps back at the Royal Rumble. Sid and Tatanka meandered through more offense, kicking and pounding on Bigelow at a leisurely pace. We would get a lukewarm tag, but Diesel whiffed on an elbow drop, leading to further injury and forcing a quick tag out. Tatanka grabbed a near fall with a body press on Bigelow before going to a chinlock. The story here works a bit, as Diesel is so injured, Bigelow is forced to do yeoman's work and it is costing them. Tatanka would land a leaping DDT and I guess it is a nice touch to have these two spend so much time battling, considering their history feuding since 1993. Bammer came back with a DDT and tagged in Diesel, who hit Tatanka with a Jackknife. However, he pulled up the Native American at the two count because he wanted another crack at Sid. But Sid wouldn't comply. Instead, like a pussy, he walks off and leaves ringside while the fans tossed trash at him. Weak. Diesel would drop an elbow (which doesn't make sense, all things considered) and grabs the win for his team. Well, that was a match. Bigelow and Tatanka did work hard and Diesel gave it a go, despite the injury. Some of the psychology was on point, but there just wasn't much heat here. Sid is being booked like a bitch and it is killing his heat. Plus the crowd was already wiped out. OK match but we needed a classic to save this disaster.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

It's been very easy to trash this PPV as the worst in WWF history. Before I tell you whether I think that, let's discuss why people feel this way. There were a decent number of stars on the roster left off this show, including British Bulldog, Lex Luger and Owen Hart. Owen is easily one of the best workers on the roster, and he spent the show in a tuxedo ON THE HOTLINE! Now decisions like that are why this PPV failed. No disrespect to Savio Vega, who worked his butt off from the dark match to the end. However it took Randy Savage, a future hall of famer, three years to get set up for WrestleMania IV and his epic effort for the crowd to care. We were getting a month to get invested in Savio Vega. As much as the crowd tried, it wasn't worth an entire PPV. Then there's Mabel. This was a guy who was nothing more than a mid-card tag team joke; a goofy guy who rapped with a big ugly outfit and once dressed as a clown. Now suddenly he's being thrust upon the crowd as a legit heel monster. Absolutely not. By the time the Savio/Mabel match started the crowd totally gave up and started chanting for ECW. We had zero title matches, and a main event tag team match that was slow, boring and lacking any energy. Shawn Michaels was wasted in a draw, and the Undertaker was sacrificed in the tournament for storyline reasons. Bret Hart finally ended his feud with Jerry Lawler, or so we thought. I may be more mature in my criticisms of this show than I used to be, but I'm giving this show the same grade I gave when I first wrote it.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This was real bad. Easily the worst PPV we have watched to date. The whole thing was botched from the start. First off, know your audience. The show is in Philadelphia during the rise of ECW. Why assume they would eat this stuff up without dumping on it? Secondly, you have an all star crew sitting on the sidelines. Even if Mabel HAS to win the tournament, why not stock up the tournament accordingly? Give us Owen Hart, Lex Luger, Hakushi, Jeff Jarrett and Razor Ramon. Or if Ramon really is too injured to go, slide in the British Bulldog. Then add in Shawn Michaels, Kama and Mabel and now we are talking. Have Mabel survive THAT with a hard fought win over Luger or Bulldog to close it out. Easy choices with guys on the roster and very little other shuffling needed. Instead, we got this. Add on the weak non-tournament offerings and there was nothing left to save this show. Bret Hart is wasted again. A meaningless tag main event that was set to go nowhere good. Just run Diesel/Sid II here and get it done. Then maybe Bigelow could even be in the tournament! Tatanka main eventing a PPV as a heel in 1995? On top of this. Again, real bad. Irredeemably bad. It was clear that the WWF was due for some sort of shakeup and it is amazing how quickly things have fell apart, both from a holistic point of view and with their once promising WWF Champion.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #97

# In Your House #2: Main Event Misery in Music City

July 23, 1995

Municipal Auditorium

Nashville, Tennessee

Attendance: 6,482

Buyrate: 0.7

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Dark Matches:

### Skip defeats Aldo Montoya

Coliseum Video Exclusives:

### Bret Hart defeats Jean Pierre Lafitte

### Undertaker defeats Kama in a Casket Match

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) The Roadie defeats the 1-2-3 Kid with a top-rope piledriver at 7:25

Fun Fact I: This is Roadie's last PPV match until Survivor Series 1996.

Fun Fact II: This match is a continuation of the feud between the 1-2-3 Kid and Razor Ramon against Jeff Jarrett and the Roadie. At IYH #1, the 4\four were supposed to be involved in a tag team match. However, the 1-2-3 Kid suffered a legitimate neck injury at a house show against the Roadie, setting up the revenge matchup here.

### Scott:

Can the WWF follow up their worst PPV effort in its company's history with something, anything better? Well we open this show with a KOTR semifinalist against another superstar left off that June debacle. The Kid has been nothing more than Razor Ramon's lackey for most of the year but this is a good showcase for him to get back into the swing of things, against Jeff Jarrett's lackey per se, who is continuing to get seasoning in the ring. Well early on as Roadie is outside the ring Kid attempts a kick over the top rope, and he pretty much misses Roadie by a mile. I don't know who's fault that is but it's pretty glaring from every angle. The match was pretty standard, but what surprised me was the result. The Kid hits a frog splash from the top rope but Roadie kicks out of it. Then a few seconds later Roadie hits a piledriver from the top rope and gets the pin. I wouldn't have thought the Roadie would actually get the victory here, and that he was allowed to perform such a dangerous move. A piledriver off the top rope is definitely something you don't take lightly. So the Roadie wins and the Kid eats another tough luck loss.

### JT:

Welcome to July! For the first time in WWF PPV history, we have a PPV offering in the seventh month of the year, a bridge show between King of the Ring and SummerSlam. Once again, this is a short two hour affair at a discounted price and it certainly adds a little bit of urgency to the promotion and also moves us through feuds much more quickly. They are also really tailoring these shows with different themes and since we are in Nashville, this one has a very country vibe to it, right down to the intro theme. Sadly, since he isn't involved in the ring this time around, the King is back in the booth with Vince McMahon, meaning we don't get to enjoy the awesome Dok Hendrix this go around. Since getting involved in the ring back in May, the Roadie has now become a regular competitor. He had a solid run through the KOTR tournament and now is looking to put the recently returned 1-2-3 Kid back on the shelf. The Kid had banged his neck up after WrestleMania and had to miss some time, but is rehabbed and ready to rock here, still looking for revenge on behalf of his buddy Razor Ramon. This is also a big night for the Roadie for another reason as Jeff Jarrett will finally perform live here in Nashville and it is his job to make sure everything is prepared and ready to go. Kid would jump Roadie on the floor as he entered but Roadie fought him off and sed his rare weight advantage to overpower a bit. Kid was moving really here though, buzzing around the ring and landing kicks and a flying headscissors to send the Road Dog out to the floor. The Kid kept the pressure on but Roadie stopped him short by blocking a charge with a powerslam. As Roadie took control, we saw Jarrett backstage prepping for his performance and ignoring the match. Roadie took the fight outside, where he hoisted Kid up and ran him crotch first into the ring post. Ouch. Back inside, Roadie pancaked Kid and dropped a few legs and his offense is looking much better here than even a month ago at KOTR. The Dog went to work on the Kid's neck as we again saw Jarrett paying no attention the match. Roadie went against his effective gameplan and took to the air, but Kid made him pay by dodging him. Kid followed with a spin kick for a near fall and the crowd was really getting behind him. Roadie would survive a splash from the Kid and then countered a huricanrana attempt with a powerbomb. Kid would avoid a charge and head up top, but Roadie slugged him and then followed him up. He hoisted Kid up and hit him with a piledriver off the top to win the match! Wow, what a great finish and really plays up the Kid's rehabbed neck. That was a nasty bump for him to take. And it is a big win for Roadie and clearly indicating they had some decent sized stuff in mind for him going forward. As the Dog left, he stopped and checked out the concert area to ensure everything was good to go for Jarrett. A true professional. And a very good opener with some unique spots blended in to Roadie working the rehabbed neck.

### 2) King Mabel & Sir Mo defeat Razor Ramon & Savio Vega when Mabel pins Razor with a belly-to-belly suplex at 10:09

Fun Fact: This match was made after MOM decimated Razor Ramon and Savio Vega at the end of the King of the Ring finals match. Savio and Mabel battled around the country at house shows leading up to this show.

### Scott:

This match certainly reminds us of the mess that went down in Philadelphia, and that it wasn't a bad dream. Now the question is going into this match: Will Mabel go along the same path as Bret Hart in 1993 where he has added a line to his resume and we move on from it? Or will he go the route of Owen Hart in 1994 and the tournament win is a catapult to something more? We are hoping it's the former, and the result of this match would tell that. Since being distanced from the IC Title picture over the past couple of months, Razor has been used primarily to lend some shine to Savio, who was in essence shoved down the fans' throats at King of the Ring. A guy no one really knew was put in the Randy Savage/WrestleMania IV role and tried to gain sympathy in one night. Vega could have been a real good character if he had debuted earlier in the year and then by KOTR the crowd would have been invested. On another note, after two straight PPVs of great commentary by Dok Hendrix, we are back to Jerry Lawler. Now I liked Lawler on commentary during this stretch but he's just not as cool as Dok was. Razor's charisma and love by the crowd gives this match more energy than it probably had any business having. Incidentally Mabel can get away with not being a good wrestler since he's almost 500 pounds, but Mo really has no excuse for being this terrible. Men on a Mission win due to Razor's rib issues, and that right there proves that Mabel is indeed being set up for future things. That alone makes me want to gulp. Man 1995 was the year Razor was putting everybody over, faces and heels, at the expense of himself.

### JT:

After missing a few weeks with the rib injury that kept him from King of the Ring, Razor Ramon is back in action alongside his pal Savio Vega as the two look for some payback from June. Of course, the payback is owed from the beating Men on a Mission laid on both of them after Mabel defeated Vega to win the crown. And this is a perfectly good feud for heel Mabel. No super push needed! This worked fine. I like how Razor has a little mid card posse backing him up with Vega, Kid and Aldo Montoya. It is a nice touch for him to have backup. The story heading in here again focused on Razor's ribs, which were all taped up, leading Vince to ponder if they were still banged up. But, whether it was mind games or the injury had healed, Ramon ripped off the bandages and acted like he was good to go. Ramon opened with Mo and controlled him until tagging in Savio, who also laid in some strikes. Mo would land a kick to stop him and then tag in the King. However, a double team backfired and Savio went to town with right hands until the King spiked him with a sidewalk slam. Mabel slowed the pace and picked Vega apart with impact offense, including a spin kick to the back of the head. Mo would tag in and pick up where Mabel left off, and I will say he has some nice arrogance going on. I like that he knows he has Mabel backing him up, so he can be a real piece of shit now. Mabel tagged back in and worked a nerve hold but Vega fought up and actually tried to slam the King for some reason. That did not end well at all. The crowd started to chant for Razor and the Bad Guy would make a save after a big Mabel legdrop to the back of Savio. Mo would make the first big mistake for MOM, missing a top rope moonsault and allowing Vega to crawl over and make the desperation tag. The crowd popped as Ramon went to town on Mo, rocking him with a back superplex. He would set up for the Edge, but Mabel broke that up and actually headed to the top rope. Predictably, he struggled on his way up, allowing Razor to slam him off for a near fall. Ramon laid in a few right hands but Mo kicked him from behind, opening up for a Mabel DDT. This match has really picked up. Things broke down as everyone got involved, allowing Mabel to splash Razor in the corner, hammering those ribs. He followed with a belly-to-belly and picked up the win. Ok, sue me, I liked this match. It was well worked and Savio sold his ass off during the heat segment. I liked some of Mabel's high impact offense but this bout highlights the issue with this push: Mabel is better suited to be able to tag out and come in to land the heavy blows, not work the entire match. A strong tag push may have made more sense. Regardless, a win over Razor clean was good for his resume and keeps him rolling along. I liked that the ribs came into play here as well. Again, if they are deadset on pushing Mabel, I can't complain with how they are going about it. They are going all in hard for the big guy.

*** After teasing a live performance for well over a year, Jeff Jarrett successfully sings his hit single "With My Baby Tonight" live, continuing his huge push on this, his last show for five months. ***

### 3) Bam Bam Bigelow defeats Henry Godwinn with a roll-up at 5:41

Fun Fact: Since debuting in January as a lower-mid card heel, Henry Godwinn was trying to gain acceptance into the Million Dollar Corporation at this point, so DiBiase told him if he could beat Bigelow, he would consider it. After the loss, Godwinn was told he had no chance, and eventually ended up slopping DiBiase on the 9/15 Superstars, officially solidifying his face turn.

### Scott:

We revisit a new character here, an evil pig farmer with a slop bucket. Man Vince isn't learning is he? Another example of a character that is so goofy that fans will not relate to. Bigelow needs to clean up his image, as after the WrestleMania loss he's been nothing more than Diesel's second and hasn't really gotten back at the Corporation that kicked him to the curb. This match is a simple power affair that shows both men throw haymakers and power moves at each other. Bigelow wins the match but really there's nothing more to say here. The crowd has checked out on the Beast from the East and one of our newer heels is already jobbing out. This match did nothing for either guy, so let's just move on.

### JT:

Henry Godwinn has been around the company since late 1994 but this is the first time we see him in a PPV singles match. Over the past few weeks he had been rumored to be on the take from Ted DiBiase and the fact that he is targeting former Corporation member Bam Bam Bigelow seems to hint that it is true. Godwinn is a solid hand and drew decent heat as a mid card heel. Bigelow continues to be over and visually presented as a star, but this slot on the card seems to say otherwise. Still, his feud with DiBiase is rolling along as he is making it his mission to eradicate the Corporation. Bigelow brought the power early, taking Godwinn over with a pair of back suplexes and a shoulder tackle to knock him to the floor. Bigelow brought him back in but that gave Henry a chance to land a few right hands. He slipped up and ducked his head, though, giving Bammer an opening to hit a DDT. Bigelow then slipped up with a wild charge, which backfired when Godwinn yanked the top rope down and sent him flying to the floor. Bigelow moved so smoothly and well for a big guy, this push really could have been so much more. Henry slammed him on the floor and then slapped on a chinlock back in the ring. Bigelow broke free and got a body press for a near fall but Godwinn planted him with a clothesline. Bigelow shook off some strikes and headbutted his way back into it, but missed the big headbutt off the top. Godwinn then headed to the buckles but he missed a big knee drop. Bigelow rolled him up and picked up the win as Godwinn held his knee in pain. Bah. That was a decent little power match, especially with Bigelow's bumping around, but the end was pretty stupid. Sure, Godwinn hurt his knee, but there was no knee work at all to at least set up why it would debilitate him so much. Bigelow should have at least hit a splash or something after the miss. Bigelow gets the win and continues to work his way through DiBiase's cronies. Godwinn fails to deliver for the Million Dollar Man.

### 4) Shawn Michaels defeats Jeff Jarrett to win WWF Intercontinental Title with a Superkick at 19:59

Fun Fact I: On the June 26 episode of RAW, Savio Vega was battling Jeff Jarrett for the IC title. During the match, the Roadie pushed Vega into Shawn Michaels, who was sitting at the commentary table. After the match, which ended in a DQ, Vega and Michaels attacked Jarrett and Roadie as RAW went off the air. Jarrett attempted to return to the ring, but Michaels superkicked him.

Fun Fact II: After the match, Jarrett and Roadie are heard arguing behind closed doors and eventually storm out of the arena, as Double J was pissed that the Road Dogg ruined his big night. Unfortunately the story was dropped immediately, as both Jarrett and Roadie quit the WWF the very next day. Jarrett would reappear for a brief run in December and Roadie would be missing until the fall of 1996.

Fun Fact III: There has been a lot of speculation as to why Jarrett and Roadie left the promotion so abruptly. According to the book "Titan Sinking" by James Dixon, Jarrett was frustrated with the upcoming storylines for his character along with low payoffs and rarely winning on TV and PPV, despite being the IC champion. He was scheduled to not only lose the IC title in his hometown, but to also be exposed as a singing fraud all in the same night. He felt like this would irreparably damage his character. Roadie left the promotion as well, partially out of loyalty to Jarrett and partially out of fear of an upcoming drug test, which he would have failed due to marijuana use.

### Scott:

After that horrendous lip-synching earlier on, Jarrett defends his Intercontinental Title against the Heartbreak Kid. After the booker's poor use of Michaels at King of the Ring, they put him in the more familiar role of challenger in a championship match. He fell short against his former now once against best friend Diesel at WrestleMania and now will reclaim the belt he really never lost back in 1993. After battling Razor Ramon for a major portion of the year, he takes on somebody that is very different from that. Michaels is (with Bret) the best worker in the company and someone that could challenge Jarrett to bring his best to the ring. Immediately you can tell how special this match is going to be. Shawn is bouncing all over the place, and Jarrett isn't fawning and stalling with the fans like he normally does. He is intently focused on actually defeating Michaels and retaining his IC Title. The crowd is all over this match, more than any match in the past few months on PPV. The battle goes back and forth and (except for a long headlock segment) the pacing is non-stop. Jarrett has Shawn in a figure four but Michaels kicks out and we have a ref bump. Michaels goes for SCM but Roadie comes in and clips him. A few seconds later, on an Irish whip, Roadie trips Jarrett up, but he isn't looking in the ring, meaning there was miscommunication. Three seconds after SCM, and Michaels is a three-time IC Champion. Whether this is influence or not, having Michaels as champion is a smart move because the crowd needs to get invested in someone other than Diesel again. Jarrett's future in the WWF is apparent the next night (as is Roadie). Many consider this the match of the year, but as awesome as it is, it's not better than Michaels/Diesel. It is top three but not #1. Shawn Michaels gets back the belt he never lost during his second reign and moves along.

### JT:

With Shawn Michaels back in action full time, he decided to target some gold. And with the WWF Title around the waist of his rekindled friend Diesel, he instead heads after his old beloved IC strap. Jeff Jarrett is having a massive night. The Roadie won in the opener and Double J delivered big time with the world premier of his single. Now, he just had to knock off the Heartbreak Kid and leave Nashville on cloud nine. Since the Razor Ramon feud kicked off in late 1994, Jarrett's stock and performance has really skyrocketed. He feels much more legit now and a match like this almost feels very even. In fact, I thought Jarrett may retain, even if it was via DQ. I just didn't view Michaels as on this level any more and that he wasn't someone who would be interested in the IC title at this point. It really felt like a time filler to keep both guys busy before moving ahead elsewhere. In a nice touch, Double J is played down to the ring by his backup band. He certainly is being positioned as a star. Alas there was no hometown advantage for Double J, as the crowd went bonkers for Michaels as he strutted down to the ring. Early on we got some histrionics from both, with some pandering and stalling and trading of basic holds. Jarrett had some success early but Michaels turned on the jets and capped a flurry with a hard clothesline to the floor. It was pretty fun seeing Shawn play to the crowd after such a long run as a heel, even if it did veer a bit too far into goofy comedy here and there. Jarrett took a while to regroup on the floor, teasing leaving but slipping into the ring and dodging a . Jarrett made it back in but Michaels beat him around and sent him flying to the floor yet again. This time, Shawn took to the air and followed after with a high cross body off the top on to both men. The crowd was eating this all up. Back inside, the tide turned severely when Jarrett ducked a charge and sent Michaels up and over the ring post and down hard to the floor below. That was a hell of a bump. Jarrett would hook in an abdominal stretch, going after Michaels' back, which had kept him out of action after the Sid attack in April.

Shawn would gain some daylight when Jarrett and Roadie collided and Michaels grabbed a near fall off a roll up. Jarrett quelled the flare up by chucking Shawn over the top and to the floor again. Roadie got involved out there, hitting Shawn with a running clothesline off the apron. Jarrett would try for a high cross body off the top but Shawn rolled through and picked up a near fall. Double J again cut off the comeback, this time with a nice standing dropkick that rocked Michaels. Jarrett would lock in a sleeper but Michaels fought out with a back suplex and the crowd continued to rally behind him. All the momentum was behind Shawn now as he landed his flying forearm and an axehandle off the middle rope. Roadie gave his boy a quick reprieve by tripping Shawn up on the top rope and allowing Jarrett to hit a tight superplex. Jarrett would signal for the figure four, but Shawn cradled him for a close near fall. After a ref bump, Roadie struck again, clipping Shawn's knee and then awakening the ref as Jarrett came off the top with flying body press into a near fall. And one last time, the Roadie would strike...but this time it all fell apart. Michaels reversed an Irish whip and the Dog wasn't paying attention and accidentally tripped up Jarrett, who had called for the assist. When Jarrett popped up dazed, Michaels plastered him with the superkick for the win and the title. That really shocked me at the time but it was a great finish to an awesome match. It also pays off the entire Roadie/Jarrett relationship and story. Jarrett's success since January has all hinged on Roadie's interference and assistance. And on his biggest and most successful night, that interference ends up costing him his prized IC title. Great booking. And Shawn taking the title continues to elevate it as well. This match was fantastic and the crowd loved every minute of it. It was a great blend of old school matwork and high flying, by both men. Jarrett certainly held up his end of the bargain and it was easily his best WWF match to date. Sadly, it is also his last for a bit. Just as he had finally built up legitimacy and broken through, Jarrett disappears until the end of the year, killing all of his momentum.

*** Dok Hendrix is freaking out backstage as he reports that Jeff Jarrett and Roadie had a major argument and came to blows. ***

### 5) Owen Hart & Yokozuna defeat Allied Powers to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Yoko pins Lex Luger after a legdrop at 10:54

Fun Fact I: This is Lex Luger's final WWF PPV match. His final record is 5-5-1. He was 1-1 in Rumble matches, 2-1 at WrestleManias, 0-0-1 at KOTR, 1-1 at SummerSlam, 0-1 at In Your Houses and 1-1 in Survivor Series matches. Luger will be at SummerSlam, and we will cover his departure there.

Fun Fact II: On the July 1 episode of WWF Superstars it was announced that the Allied Powers would face the tag team champions at IYH #2. The two teams battled on the house show circuit leading up to the PPV.

### Scott:

After being booked horribly at KOTR, the tag team champions are back in the ring to defend the titles against on paper, the #1 contenders. Lex Luger and British Bulldog (also absent from KOTR) wrestled a stinker at WrestleMania against the Blu Brothers. However, if the bookers had any sense to rehabilitate Luger's character and give Bulldog a reward for returning to the company, it may come here. The crowd is energized from the previous match and it follows here as well. I'd like to think that Luger and Bulldog would have been a good choice to have another title change, to reward the fanbase for the KOTR mess and to put a fresh babyface team on top. The match is about as good as it can be, with an expert worker like Owen going along with three slow power guys. Luger actually body slams Yoko at one point and looks like the titles are changing hands, but with the referee distracted Owen double axe handles Luger, leading to a Yoko leg drop and a retaining of the titles. At this point Luger is dead in the water. Owen and Yoko keep the straps and it feels like the Lex Express has driven far, far away.

### JT:

Since WrestleMania, Lex Luger and British Bulldog have remained a team under the Allied Powers moniker and a tag title feud with the foreigners Yokozuna and Owen Hart seemed like a natural fit. Plus, with four big names battling for the gold, it elevated the straps nicely and also gets Luger back in the spotlight a bit. Owen & Yoko's reign has been good so far and was glad to see them hanging on to the gold for a lengthy reign. At the time, though, I was certain the Powers were taking the gold. They seemed due for a big win. Yoko and Luger would reignite their longtime rivalry to open things up with Yoko controlling as usual. Lex was looking even more ripped than previously here. Luger punched his way back in and then dodged an elbow drop and took over on offense. He would knock the big man to his ass, but when he fell he landed on Owen's foot, sending him hopping into the aisle. That led to a little dissension, including Yoko shoving Owen to the mat. Jim Cornette would calm things down and the champs embraced and reset the match. Luger stayed in control, now on Owen, and eventually tagged in Bulldog. The brothers-in-law traded counters with fluidity, ending when Bulldog threw Owen high in the air with Hart falling awkwardly on his shoulder when he landed. The Powers kept using their power, pelting Owen with clotheslines until Bulldog grabbed a chinlock. Owen broke free and caught Bulldog in his corner to turn the tide. Yoko made his way in and started to lean on the Bulldog, wearing him down with his ever present nerve hold. Bulldog fought out but ate a clothesline that kept him grounded. Owen tagged in and kept the pressure on, landing a spin wheel kick for a near fall. He picked up another one with an enziguri but would miss a charge in the corner, allowing Bulldog to make the tag. Luger came in hot, catching Owen on the top rope and slamming him off and then pressing the Rocket and chucking him into Yoko. A couple of clotheslines followed but Lex couldn't finish off Yoko. The Powers then collaborated and hit a cool double back suplex to a huge pop, but when Lex went for the cover, the referee was tie up. That gave Owen the chance to fly in and clock Luger from behind off the top. Yoko followed with the legdrop and picked up the win. Man, that was just getting into gear. And also, the crowd was ready to burst for the Powers. I think they should have pulled the trigger here and finally gave Lex some gold. Instead, he chokes again and is dragging Bulldog down with him. The match was pretty bland overall outside of a few spots and the final minute.

### 6) Diesel defeats Sid in a Lumberjack Match to retain WWF World Title with a boot to the face at 10:03

Fun Fact I: This is a rematch of their initial battle at IYH #1. In that event, Diesel prevailed via DQ when Tatanka interfered. This set up a tag team contest at the King of the Ring PPV with Bam Bam Bigelow joining Diesel. On the June 26 episode of RAW it was announced that the singles rematch would take place at IYH #2 in a lumberjack match.

Fun Fact II: The lumberjacks at ringside are as follows: Eli Blu, King Mabel, Sir Mo, Irwin R. Schyster, Kama, King Kong Bundy, Tatanka, Henry O. Godwinn, Rad Radford, Skip, Tom Prichard, Jimmy Del Ray, Jacob Blu, Jean-Pierre Lafitte, Mantaur, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Bam Bam Bigelow, Razor Ramon, Savio Vega, The 1–2–3 Kid, Man Mountain Rock, Adam Bomb, Bob Holly, Duke Droese, Fatu, Billy Gunn, Bart Gunn, Chad Fortune, Erik Watts, and Shawn Michaels.

Fun Fact III: IRS, King Kong Bundy, Mantaur, Adam Bomb and Jimmy Del Ray make their final WWF PPV appearances as lumberjacks in this match. Rad Radford, Skip, Jean-Pierre Lafitte and Hunter Hearst Helmsley make their debuts. Tekno Team 2000 and Man Mountain Rock make their one and only PPV appearances.

### Scott:

Ok, how can I put this politely? There was NO way they should have put a rematch together between these two. Their chemistry at IYH #1 was dreadful, and any other gimmicks or stipulations wasn't going to help it at all. The number of lumberjacks is pretty insane: Thirty guys, fifteen faces and fifteen heels. Some heels you may not recognize if you weren't watching the free shows: We will document them in our next review. The problem I had with this entire feud was that even as a heel in NWA/WCW, Sid was a bad ass who may have accepted defeat but at least didn't back down from a fight. But in the WWF world of heels, bad guys are inherent cowards. Sid doesn't work well that way, and a guy equally as big as the WWF Champion shouldn't be cowering that much. It's just not natural. As the match progresses, the lumberjacks brawl outside when one or both men are thrown out. Remember earlier in the card when I was talking about whether Mabel is being groomed for bigger things? Well he got a solo opportunity to take out Diesel outside by slamming him into the steel post and bodyslamming. That right there pretty much gives away that a feud is brewing. SummerSlam? I shudder to think of it. After Diesel kicked out of Sid's powerbomb, Sid foolishly goes into the crowd and starts attacking the babyface lumberjacks, literally for no reason whatsoever. Then to cap off this colossal mess, Diesel wins the match with a boot to the face that's clearly about a foot off the mark, and Sid sells it anyway. The entertainment of the lumberjacks maybe ups the grade a bit from their IYH #1 encounter, but hopefully this disaster of a feud is over. Perhaps Diesel can move on to an opponent that can work better with him and sell his limited power offense better. Diesel is still the WWF Champion, but the shine after WrestleMania has clearly dulled. Can he be saved? We're about to find out.

### JT:

Our main event is a rematch from In Your House #1 and another chapter in the wilting Diesel/Sid feud. Diesel got the DQ win in May and then he and Bigelow knocked off Sid and Tatanka at King of the Ring, but Sid had walked out and didn't take the pin. To limit the interference and finally get a decisive victory here, we have a bunch of lumberjacks around the ring. I don't mind that idea. We have never had a lumberjack match on WWF PPV and it seemed like the right feud to do it. The mix of lumberjacks is pretty interesting, with a mish mash forgotten gimmicks and newcomers that we will get to know and (kind of) love. The big story here centered around Sid's cowardice. He has attacked people from behind and constantly ran from Diesel bit now he had nowhere to go. I hate that approach because Sid should never be a pussy, but here we are. Diesel wasted no time going right at Sid and knocking him to the floor, getting the gimmick established right away. Sid would head outside a third time, but this go around he landed with his friends, where he got consoled and prepped for battle. A moment later, Diesel got trapped on the heel side and beat up until his lumberjacks made the save. Sid pelted Diesel with some strikes, occasionally pitching him near his buddies, who take as many shots at the champ as they can. Diesel fired back and dropped a few elbows, showing that he once injured elbow was healed. He also showed he could fly, as he dove over the top rope and into the gaggle of lumberjacks on the floor. As up and down as this reign has been, you can't accuse Diesel of not trying. He always works hard in these matches. The champ nailed Sid with snake eyes, but as he inched near the ropes, King Mabel reached in and dragged him outside. He then squashed him against the ringpost and slammed him hard to the floor before dropping a leg on him. And folks, it looks like he have our next big feud. Even at age 14, I was aware of the blaring alarms going off. The crowd worked to rally the champ as Sid dropped some boots and used his knee to choke him. Sid landed his biggest blow by dropping Diesel with the powerbomb but instead of covering, he decided to high five all his lumberjacks. And when he did cover, it was really lazy, allowing Diesel to easily kick out. Sid tried for a second one, but Diesel back dropped him out of it. All of the lumberjacks banging on the mat and the crowd actually being into this has added some much needed energy to the affair. Sid finally snapped and leapt outside, where he started brawling with all of Diesel's lumberjacks. Michaels then sprinted to the top rope and drilled Sid with an axehandle. Before Diesel could load the powerbomb, a few lumberjacks jumped in the ring and broke it up. However, a moment later Diesel hit a real weak kick to Sid for the win. I mean, he barely touched him. Diesel would yell at Mabel a bit, angry about the attack. With that clean win, it looks like Sid's main event time is about up and Diesel would be moving on. For all the promise that was there the night after WrestleMania, Sid's championship chase ended up being really tepid and forgettable. The match was weird, as I think their May match was a bit better but this had more energy thanks to the gimmick and crowd. Sadly it wasn't enough to draw things even. Which really isn't a good thing.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Obviously you can't drop much further than a complete failing grade, so something positive had to come from this show. Well unlike the previous month all titles were on the line, and from that we had a fantastic match that reminded us how great Shawn Michaels is and, when pushed, Jeff Jarrett can have a great match. The tag title match was solid but it also showed how low Lex Luger had fallen that he couldn't even wrest the belts away from Yokozuna, after failing twice to win the WWF Title from him. The World Title match was a big mess as predicted, but the lumberjacks did provide some future insight into our next PPV outing and who would be the major players. The singing performance is forgettable as is a decent amount of this show, but the IC Title match is a hidden gem to some and should be watched if never viewed. We are coming to the second biggest show of the year and things are still down overall, and we aren't sure if an upswing is in the future.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, it was better than King of the Ring, by a decent margin actually. The opener was a lot of fun and I thought the tag match was well worked. Bigelow/Godwinn was quick and to the point as well. The ongoing Jarrett saga was interesting and the title switch with Michaels was great, a real shining star in the sea of mediocrity we have been wallowing in since WrestleMania. The last two title matches were bland, but not awful, per se. It sucks that Diesel's reign is crumbling so quickly because it started so well. These matches with Sid have really killed his momentum dead and he is starting to be outshone by Michaels yet again. The card is quick enough and has some nice energy behind it, so it isn't a total throwaway. Plus, the Jarrett stuff is worthwhile. The company as a whole is really stagnant though and when you look at the talent they are importing and how guys are being used, things don't seem to be getting better just yet.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #99

# SummerSlam 1995: All Hail King Mabel

August 27, 1995

Pittsburgh Civic Arena (The Igloo)

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Attendance: 18,062

Buyrate: 0.9

Announcer: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler; Dok Hendrix takes over for the last two matches

*** Dean Douglas has a mobile classroom backstage with a monitor and chalkboard. Throughout the night, he will dole out grades to the performers. ***

### 1) Hakushi defeats 1-2-3 Kid after a modified powerbomb at 9:24

### Scott:

We open SummerSlam with a singles battle between two expert workers. This was a great booking decision, as the roster was devoid of honest in-ring technicians. So taking two of them and putting them in the opener is a great way to get the show off to a good start. The overall card doesn't have much to offer in terms of workrate, so you have to take it where you can get it. The Kid's babyface run is starting to get very stale and the crowd's not really into him as much as they were earlier in the year. Even leaning on Razor Ramon's shine is not working like it should. As for Hakushi, besides being Jerry Lawler's muscle, he has been something of a waste. In an era where the roster was really depleted of star talent, he could have been a great asset pushed to the upper mid-card and maybe be a lower main eventer. Instead he's wasted in the Lawler feud with Bret Hart where he wrestles one great PPV match and then really does nothing on PPV after that. This match is fun with a lot of back and forth work and the best Kid has looked in a while. Again it seems like a throwaway match but considering what the rest of this show offers, this is really solid. Hakushi wins with a nice reversal, but sadly we won't see much of the enigma again. Kid meanwhile really needs a makeover.

### JT:

Just a scant eight years ago, SummerSlam was a godsend, filling a desolate gap in major WWF PPV events. Now, here we are in a world of monthly PPVs and the allure of SummerSlam takes a slight hit. That said, it was still heavily hyped and set up to be a major show. Over the summer, there has continued to been legitimate and deep change throughout the promotion. New faces are popping up left and right, competitors are switching allegiances and the overall style of the promotion is changing as well. We also have a brand new President as beloved announcer Gorilla Monsoon takes over for longtime stalwart Jack Tunney. Tunney had been in the role since the late 80s and had been involved in many major moments and angles. However, the time for change had come and with Tunney's promotion in Canada tailing off, the company decided to shuffle him out of the role for someone that would be more active. Our opener features two high fliers that have been steady presences in the middle of 1995. Hakushi debuted in late 1994 and has mainly been mixed up in the Bret Hart/Jerry Lawler feud, with him really costing the King some dignity back in June. The Kid has rebounded nicely from his neck issues and is back in the game full time. This easily had the potential to be one of the best openers in company history to date. The White Angel is flying solo here as Shinja was injured and gone from his side at this point. The two would trade holds off the bell, ending in a stand off and a round of applause from the fans. Things continued to simmer with each avoiding the other's best shots and resetting a couple of more times. Hakushi finally struck first, hitting a tilt-a-whirl slam and then laying in some kicks. He would even pick up some cheers thanks to his impressive offense, including a handspring elbow. Hakushi would target the legs, which was a smart move as he attempted to keep the high flier grounded. He would hit a nice splash out of the corner for a near fall as well before landing a stiff spin kick to the jaw that knocked the Kid to the floor. He then followed onto Kid with a handspring moonsault that cleared the ropes. That was a great spot. Hakushi continued to fly but it caught up to him when he missed a splash off the top rope. Kid would knock the Angel to the floor and follow with a dive. Back inside, he hit a slingshot legdrop and top rope splash for near falls. He would try for a jumping spin kick but Hakushi blocked it and spiked him with a powerbomb to win the match. That was a really fun opener, way ahead of 90% of what WWE was doling out at this point. Kid continues to absorb losses, but Hakushi needed this win much more. Definitely lived up to its promise of being one of the best openers in company history to this point.

### 2) Hunter Hearst-Helmsley defeats Bob Holly with the Pedigree at 7:08

Fun Fact: Paul Levesque is from New Hampshire, and began training in Massachusetts in Killer Kowalski's training school. He made his debut in the IWF in 1992, winning that heavyweight title. He moved on to WCW as lower mid-carder Terra Ryzin, and then changed his name to Jean-Paul Levesque and took on a more snobby blueblood attitude. He toiled with Lord Steven Regal for a while, losing to Alex Wright at Starrcade 1994. He left WCW and was picked up by the WWF in early-1995. He kept his snobby blueblood attitude but his name was changed to something that flowed off the tongue a little better: Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. A vignette aired on the May 1 Raw announcing his debut. His first TV match was on the April 30 Wrestling Challenge when he defeated Buck Zumhoff with a jaw breaker-type move that ironically would become the Stone Cold Stunner. His RAW debut was on May 22 when he defeated John Crystal with what would become his signature move: the Pedigree. His first PPV appearance was at last month's In Your House as one of the lumberjacks in the Diesel/Sid title match.

### Scott:

We have a debut here that, little did anyone realize, would be an integral part of the WWF landscape to this day. The Greenwich Blueblood makes his PPV debut against the race car driver with the huge mullet. As 1995 continues, we slowly start to see the roster grow and create some new stars to freshen up what's become incredibly stale. Helmsley was at IYH #2 as one of the lumberjacks but otherwise has been cutting his teeth on Raw in jobber matches. This is his first TV/PPV match against real competition and it's a relatively solid affair. There's decent back and forth action, as both men have pretty simple offenses. As Helmsley's run continues his offense grows and becomes more creative but for now it's typical mid-card heel stuff. You can tell Helmsley has the charisma to be something, although many probably didn't know it at the time. Holly was the poster boy for corny stupid WWF gimmicks in the mid-90s and it was great for him to lay down to the guy with the bigger upside.

### JT:

This very interesting lineup of matches rolls along with the debut of a brand new heel. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley formerly competed in WCW and was imported earlier in the year, working a very similar blueblood gimmick. He did come in with a bit of hype as a potential high level player that needed some polish and overall enhancement. You can tell he already has some presence and general ring awareness right away here though. His opponent is the ever-present Bob Holly, who is looking to end the snob's tidy undefeated streak. It has been a good year for Holly overall as he has popped up on PPV multiple times now and is looked at as more than just low mid card fodder. Him getting a slot at SummerSlam is neat to see too and it is good that the company is starting to use the little depth it has to set up solid matches, workrate wise. Helmsley worked over Holly early on, landing some chops, but Holly slugged his way back into things. That ended quickly, though, when Helmsley caught him on a charge and dropped him across the top rope with a stun gun. Helmsley is showing good aggression as well, pouring on the strikes and not waiting for the match to come to him. Holly's selling has been on point in 1995 as well, and he is doing a nice job putting over the newcomer's attack, including a vicious Irish whip into the corner. Helmsley rocked Holly with a backbreaker and followed with a knee to the head before he honed in on the back some more. It was a focused assault that included an abdominal stretch and a hiptoss to the floor. Holly would slide back in and snap off a nice DDT and the avoid a tilt-a-whirl before pasting Helmsley with a dropkick to the face. These guys are really snapping their moves, leading to some good bumps and crowd pops. Holly kept pouring it on, rattling the blueblood with a series of strikes that was capped with another dropkick. However, he made one fatal mistake when he went for a back body drop that Helmsley blocked. A second later, Helmsley smashed Holly with the Pedigree to pick up the hard fought win. That was a really solid match with both guys working hard and smart. Nice showing for Helmsley in his first WWF PPV bout and great job by Holly holding up his end of the bargain and putting the new guy over strong.

### 3) The Smokin' Gunns defeat The Blu Brothers when Billy Gunn pins Jacob Blu after a sidewinder slam at 6:09

### Scott:

The tag team division in 1995 continues to be pretty awful, as the Gunns are really the lone stars on the babyface side, with the champions the top heel team. Otherwise it's the same corny gimmicks we talked about in the previous match. Just like the mid-card part of the roster the tag division was in need of serious help and they would slowly get some help in the fall and into 1996. The Blu Brothers could have been a great heel team, but at WrestleMania were dispatched by a babyface team of singles guys that went nowhere (Allied Powers). They also were likely jobbed out on Raw and syndicated TV shows, so really nobody cared about them. This match has no sizzle to it at all, as it feels like a TV match. The Gunns have (even at the top of the face food chain) felt stale and bland. The crowd was really into them but their matches were so dull and average. The Gunns get the win which they deserved but otherwise this brought nothing to the table, as the tag division continues to plug along at a listless pace.

### JT:

As I mentioned earlier, this was a weird little card with some matches that had no real feud featuring competitors that weren't often on PPV. Even weirder is that the tag team champions are left off the show with this being our only tag bout of the evening. The Blu Twins are still mulling around, filling the void as the muscle men heel team while the Gunns are trying to work their way back into title contention. Jacob and Billy started things off and the mountain man used his power advantage to control the match right away. The Blus would tag in and out but Billy made a quick comeback on Jacob, hitting a Rocker Dropper before tagging Bart in. Bart was looking good until Eli struck from the floor and snapped his neck across the top rope. Bart shrugged it off and he and Billy double teamed Eli into a near fall. However, with the referee tied up with Bart, both Blus teamed up and slammed Billy with a double powerbomb for a near fall. There has been good pacing throughout all of these matches tonight. The Blus continued to double team, baiting in Bart and working behind the ref's back. Billy would eat a slam and almost loss on a very close two count that even McMahon called out as a potential blown call. Billy took advantage and spiked Eli to the mat, allowing him to make the hot tag. Bart came in and cleaned house and after a Blu Brother collision, the Gunns hit the sidewinder for the win. That was another really nice match with great effort and never slowing down. Tack on another few minutes to the heat segment and this could easily nudged up, but as is it was a well worked short tag battle.

### 4) Barry Horowitz defeats Skip with a Small Package at 11:17

Fun Fact I: Both competitors in this match are making their PPV debuts. Barry Horowitz is the true example of a wrestling journeyman. He started here in the WWWF in the late 1970s. From there he went to Mid-Atlantic, then to Florida where he was managed by Percy Pringle, a/k/a Paul Bearer, and then on to Memphis as "Stretcher" Jack Hart, then back to the WWF in 1988 as one of the more well-known jobbers on TV. From there he headed to Texas with the Von Erichs and then moved along to the fledgling Global Wrestling Federation. After that he had a brief stint in WCW teaming with Moondog Spot. Finally, he returned to the WWF in late-1993 as one of the masked Knights on Shawn Michaels' team at Survivor Series, so technically this is his second PPV match, but first as himself.

Fun Fact II: Horowitz' opponent is also a journeyman of sorts. Chris Candido and his girlfriend, Tammy Sytch, started in IWCCW with a faction called "Heart Throb 4" with Tom Brandi, Flex Lavender and Darren Wyse. From there he'd head to WWA and then to Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1993. He'd do well there, winning the US and Television titles there before both headed to the WWF in 1995. Skip's first match was on the 5/5/95 Raw, defeating Horowitz. Sytch started her career with Candido in Smoky Mountain where she became a very effective heel manager. They enter the WWF as stuck up fitness gurus who would spend most of their time making fun everyone else for being out of shape.

Fun Fact III: This match came about after Horowitz had upset Skip twice in the weeks leading up to the show. The first time was on Action Zone when Skip was doing pushups and Horowitz rolled him up by surprise getting first career win. The match is very memorable for Jim Ross' call: "Horowitz wins! Horowitz wins! Horowitz wins!" A couple weeks later, Skip challenged Horowitz to go ten minutes with him on Superstars. Of course, the Jewish Phenom went the full ten and beat Skip again. The next week, Horowitz was facing Hakushi and Skip came out to get a look at the action. In the chaos, Skip accidentally cost Hakushi the match and Horowitz was now 3-0 in his last three TV matches. Hakushi was pissed, which explains why he interferes here. Horowitz got a nice little run, and would remain in the mid-card into the next year.

### Scott:

One of the more unusual matches on this card is also one of the most entertaining. Horowitz is one of the WWF's most memorable jobbers, going all the way back to 1989 during the Federation Era. He bounced around on and off camera but returned in 1995 but this time he wins his first TV match "ever", kayfabe anyway. The guy he defeated is a career indies guy with a very unforgettable valet. Tammy Sytch was always in the Apter Mags as one of the hottest women in wrestling and now had her chance in the big time. Totally amped down as fitness junkie Sunny, she brings with her real life boyfriend Chris Candido, with the name Skip. Skip? Once again Vince had to keep his Federation Era attitude and change the character to some goofy fitness geek. Regardless of the weird storyline and characters, the build to this led to a fun match here with great storytelling. Considering Skip couldn't beat Horowitz twice on free TV, it almost seemed like a foregone conclusion that Skip was going to win here and start to build some "new heel" momentum. Sure it would be a straight up match that would go for a decent length but in the end Skip would finally put the underdog away and move on. But alas, every time he tries Horowitz kicks out! Then Skip seemingly had the win in his pocket, but he pulled Horowitz off the mat. You knew something was up, and sure enough Horowitz steals the win with another small package. That was a better match that it probably had any business being, but it was anyway.

### JT:

Well, this match really came out of nowhere. Career WWF jobber Barry Horowitz steps into the spotlight for an unlikely feud against newcomer Skip, the Body Donna. Skip is Smokey Mountain mainstay Chris Candido and he is accompanied by his gorgeous manager Sunny, who in real life was his girlfriend Tammy Sytch. Tammy had a great reputation for her wrestling mind and intelligence and was seen as a nice pickup by the Federation. Skip's run got off to a fairly quiet start until he was shocked by Horowitz in a match on Action Zone. It was a great moment with Jim Ross going bananas. Horowitz got hot and the crowd got behind him and before you knew it, this was a PPV match. I fully expected Skip to win this heading in, to put the Horowitz stuff to bed and reestablish himself, because he seemed like someone that may get a stronger push. I certainly was expecting Horowitz's run of relevance to continue. Barry would start fast, jumping Skip off the bell and flying around the ring as he rattled the fitness guru with every move in his arsenal. Skip took control after regrouping on the floor, but Barry came right back and grabbed a near fall. I love that ever near fall by Barry felt like life or death as Skip couldn't take another loss to this guy a third time. In a great spot, Barry suplexed Skip over the top and too the floor. Sunny would hop in the ring and try to get the match stopped, but that was futile. She was super active at ringside, which was cool to see. She would also help her man turn the tide as she tripped Barry up when he hit the ropes. Vince kept pushing Skip as the favorite here, and now that he had control, most probably would have agreed. Skip started to work the neck and pick up momentum as the fans tried to rally Horowitz. Of course, Skip learned nothing from his past transgressions and continued to showboat a bit as he worked Barry over. That is what cost him the first time. Barry had a few comeback attempts but couldn't get over the hump. After a near fall from a powerslam, Skip played to the crowd with some jumping jacks and you could see disaster nearing. Barry worked in some strikes, mixing in right hands and headbutts and a moment later, both tried to dropkick each other, in essence resetting the match. Skip fended off Barry when they got up and hit a splash off the top but picked Horowitz up during the cover, for some stupid reason. Barry would block a piledriver and head up top, but Sunny tripped him up. That allowed Skip to snap him off with a superplex but before he covered, Hakushi powerwalked to the ring. The Angel was at odds with Skip after he cost him a match with Horowitz earlier in the weekend. He would springboard off the top rope and jump over Skip, disorienting him enough to give Horowitz the opening to lock in an inside cradle for the win. Horowitz wins! Skip...loses! Another upset in the books and the crowd was loving it as they popped big for Barry. That was a pretty cool moment and a really fun match with good teases and psychology. Skip is in a tough position as he tries to recover but the WWF may have actually found a new underdog star in Horowitz.

### 5) Bertha Faye defeats Alundra Blayze to win WWF Women's Title with a powerbomb at 4:38

Fun Fact I: Bertha Faye debuted on the 4/3/95 when she attacked Alundra Blayze right after Alundra has regained the title from Bull Nakano. The beating broke Blayze's nose and she was forced to the sideline to have reconstructive surgery. After losing the belt here, Blayze would regain the title from Faye on October 23rd, and then, in the first holy shit moment of the Monday Night Wars, walked onto Nitro in December of 1995 and tossed the WWF Women's Title into the trash. Eric Bischoff eventually said that she was very reluctant to do it, and that she probably regretted it. The title would remain vacant until September of 1998. After an appearance at Survivor Series, Faye would disappear shortly after, and would show up in WCW in 1999, under the Russo regime. She would stick around there for a bit and then kind of disappeared until her untimely death on July 27, 2001.

Fun Fact II: Rhonda Sing was born on February 21, 1961 and grew up in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She aspired to be a pro wrestler from a very early age and as a teenager approached the Hart family to train. However she was turned away because the Harts did not train women at that time. She later joined Mildred Burke's school in California and was trained there. After only a few weeks of training she was sought out by All Japan Women and signed with them where she wrestled under the name Monster Ripper. While in Japan she won the AJW title and the WWWA World Heavyweight Championship twice. After her time in Japan she travelled back to Calgary where she joined Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling and became their first Women's champion. During the late 80s into the early 90s she wrestled around the world, including in Puerto Rico where she was part of the World Wrestling Council, holding their women's championship on five different occasions.

### Scott:

Our first title match of the evening to me looked like a mismatch from the start. Blayze was at the top of her game and Bertha Faye looked like a total joke of a character and this was simply a title defense for maybe more matches with Bull Nakano, which would be pretty cool. The match is awful, and Blayze is forced to go at half speed because Bertha moves like a '68 Cadillac. Then out of nowhere the match ends and Bertha Faye is your new Women's Champion. I am completely stunned at this. She seemed like a complete joke, yet now she is the champion. I'm not sure if Blayze was in the doghouse or if they wanted a title change since perhaps we wouldn't see any others on this night. It was an awful match and a bizarre outcome, but we do have a new Women's Champion.

### JT:

For the second straight SummerSlam, Alundra Blayze is defending her title against stiff competition. Bertha Faye had debuted back in April and busted up Blayze's nose with a sneak attack. Faye is accompanied by her main squeeze, Harvey Wippleman and was quite the unique package overall. Of course, she had a great rep in Japan and was a solid pickup for the WWF, but the women's division is still sagging overall. Blayze was at a significant size disadvantage and she used her speed early, avoiding Bertha and landing a kick to the back of the head. She kept laying in the kicks until Bertha pancaked her with big body blocks. Bertha worked her over but missed a splash out of the corner. Alundra would come back with a victory roll for a near fall, followed by a series of knees that seemed to work until Bertha just tripped her up and spiked her down. Harvey ran some interference, but Blayze still picked up a near fall on a crucifix. Bertha pancaked her but Alundra hit a hurricanrana for a near fall. She followed up with two dropkicks off the middle rope but missed a third. Bertha scooped her up and hit a powerslam for the win and the title. Well that was quite the little sprint. Bertha and Harvey's celebration was pretty funny too. Blayze gave it a go but Bertha's size edges it out in the end. It is too bad there was no depth in this division, because these two could work and if they had more talent to mix in, the division could have finally meant something. As is, we have a new champ and Alundra is back on the hunt.

### 6) Undertaker defeats Kama in a casket match when Kama is pushed in the casket at 16:54

Fun Fact: These two had this match numerous times on the house show circuit over the summer, and it was a Coliseum Video Exclusive at In Your House #2 in July. Undertaker is seeking revenge after Kama stole his urn at WrestleMania and made good on his threat of melting it into a chain. For the past month or so, there would be gothic looking fans in the crowd during Kama's matches, and a black wreath would be delivered ringside when ever he wrestled. The week before this show, Kama attacked one of Undertaker's Creature of the Night fans. As a result of that beating, Gorilla Monsoon added the casket match stipulation to this bout.

### Scott:

You could consider this one of the main event matches of the card, and for Undertaker it's certainly an upgrade from what we saw from him a year ago at SummerSlam. The only similarity is that it's STILL the Million Dollar Corporation and the damn urn. It's been a complete mess of a year for the Deadman, since he's either wrestled a talentless hack on PPV or he's not even been on PPV and wrestles the infamous "Coliseum Video Exclusives", which is the leftover matches from the IYH PPVs so the crowd doesn't feel ripped off that they spent their money on only two hours of wrestling. So the TV audience doesn't get to see one of the most popular guys in the entire company. The last vestige of the group is the Supreme Fighting Machine, who melted the urn down into a chain after stealing it (again) at WrestleMania. In fact they've wrestled this exact match (gimmick and all) off camera at these IYH shows. However with limited internet coverage in 1995, not many really knew they existed until the VHS tape of the show came out. Does that make the match better? Well going in you knew there would be a myriad of power moves and lots of strikes. So if there's enough selling and storytelling then perhaps they can pull off something decent. For once Ted DiBiase on the outside is adding some drama by giving Taker some cheap shots here and there and even drawing the ire of Paul Bearer, who throws his jacket off and goes after DiBiase but is held back by the referees. The match otherwise is as good as it will get from two guys with lots of slow, power-based offense. Taker finally drops the Tombstone and slowly pushes Kama into the casket and then slams the lid shut. The crowd goes crazy but Taker continues to deal with insipid storylines and slow, plodding matches. At least he's winning them.

### JT:

This feud has been rolling on since WrestleMania, when Kama stole Undertaker's urn and melted it down into a chain. At King of the Ring, Kama cost Undertaker his opening round match. After that, Kama attacked an Undertaker fan, so Gorilla Monsoon made this a casket match, the first on PPV since Survivor Series. Of course, Taker's feud with Ted DiBiase has actually been going on for a full year now, as it was a year ago that he returned and ran off his doppleganger. This is a good spot for Kama and a strong showing here could set him up for a nice fall. An angry Taker hammered away at Kama as the bell rang, looking to finish the Supreme Fighting Machine off quickly. The crowd buzzed as Taker planted him with a tree slam but then chucked him over the top rope and onto the casket. A freaked out Kama continued to be kept off balance, and it looked like it may be a quick outing as Taker pelted him with his top rope axe handle and dumped Kama into the casket twice. Kama finally broke the momentum by yanking Taker's neck across the top rope and drilling him with a flying clothesline off the top. The crowd really rallied behind Taker as the two slugged it out inside the casket. As Kama pounded Taker in the corner, Vince noted how he seemed to show no respect or fear for the Deadman. That certainly is one way to beat him. With Taker on the floor, DiBiase sauntered over and laid in a shot while holding the chain. In a cool moment, Paul Bearer tossed his jacket off and stormed after DiBiase like a mad man but officials pulled him back. The crowd loved that. The brawl continued on the floor, with Kama surviving a comeback and running Taker into the post spine first. He followed with a stiff suplex on top of the casket, splitting the wooden lid. Taker made another brief comeback and the crowd was really fired up, but Kama mowed him down and went for a cover before realizing that was a dead end. After keeping a strong pace, Kama slowed things down with a chinlock, but it didn't kill the crowd as they kept rooting on the Deadman. Kama's attack has been decent here, focusing on the neck and back and clearly just trying to do whatever he could to get Taker worn down enough to put him in the casket. Taker recovered and clotheslined Kama over the top but his momentum carried him forward and both men tumbled into the casket, which was now a broken mess.

After they both escaped, Kama hit a swinging neckbreaker out of desperation but both men were pretty out of gas. Taker sat up, nailed Kama with a chokeslam and then buried him with a tombstone to a monster pop. He would roll him the casket, slam it shut and that was that. That was surprisingly fun and well executed and the hot crowd really added to it as well. Both men worked hard and had solid chemistry and a decent storyline backing them up. Vince and King were feeling it too, feeding off the crowd and really getting into it as it went along. For as rough as this whole Taker/DiBiase saga has been over the past year, this was definitely one of the higher peaks amongst a valley of very low lows. Hopefully Taker can finally now move on past this.

### 7) Bret Hart defeats Isaac Yankem by disqualification at 16:05

Fun Fact I: Jerry Lawler was so distraught over having, not only Bret Hart's, but his own foot jammed in his mouth at King of the Ring, that he had to see his dentist to get the taste out. Of course, his dentist happened to be evil and never used any novocain, so Lawler decided to use this huge monster to dispatch of his hated rival.

Fun Fact II: Glenn Jacobs started his career in Memphis in 1993 as Doomsday, and eventually moved on to become the Unibomber in Smoky Mountain Wrestling. He and Al Snow actually defeated the legendary Rock 'n' Roll Express to win the SMW Tag Team Titles. They lost the titles and a "Loser Leaves SMW" match to Tracy Smothers and Dirty White Boy, which led one to ECW, and the other to the big time to become an evil dentist.

### Scott:

We thought that this two year old feud was finally coming to an end with that silly match at King of the Ring. Bret is in the same place as Taker is; A long boring feud that needed to end, against opponents that were stunting growth. Unlike Taker, Bret was the top workers in the company and could have had matches with tremendous guys. The problem is there weren't many tremendous guys with which to feud with. In any event another feud could have started but instead Lawler gets his...DENTIST? Glenn Jacobs could have come in as the Unibomber (his character in Memphis) and the WWF could have made something interesting with it. But an evil DENTIST? I can't fathom who of the bookers thought an evil dentist was anything that was a good idea. Fortunately Bret is still maybe the most popular (next to Taker) in the company and facing anybody would make the crowd go crazy. The problem is he's facing an inexperienced big man and that always leads to sub-standard matches. This match is just like that. With Lawler's bias commentary and Yankem's plodding offense the match is a colossal mess. Loads of Lawler interference leads to a disqualification, which means we will get more matches from this feud. Why must it continue? Well in hindsight this is what apparently the Kliq was doing backstage: Their guys were getting all the great matches and opponents (each other) while everybody else gets slim pickings. This match should have just been a one off match and Bret just MOVES ON. Instead more bad quality lingers and both Taker and Bret are stuck in a forgotten mid-card with slugs all around them. Something had to change in the WWF, as this transition from the Federation Era to...whatever this is. If this is the New Generation, well then we are in for a world of hurt.

### JT:

After the nasty ending to their King of the Ring match, Jerry Lawler's anger continued to simmer. Claiming damage to his mouth and unfixable breath issues from the fallout, Lawler sought the help of his dentist Isaac Yankem. Yes, Yankem. The good doctor also happened to moonlight as a pro wrestler, so the King brought him on board to take out the Hitman. He certainly looked the part of a psychotic madman, nasty teeth and all. I mean, it's not the worst gimmick idea in the world but the name (and hometown of Decatur, IL) made it much goofier than it needed to be for sure. Also, his theme music was just drilling noises over muzak which was really annoying. Hart is just chugging along, mowing through mid card feud after mid car feud, all of which have been tangentially related to Lawler. And it was fine through King of the Ring, but it probably should have ended there. Although, I guess this is a way to really push Yankem out of the gate if they saw big things in him. Yankem used his power early but Bret slugged him right back. I do enjoy Isaac's scrubs, that is nice attention to detail. Yankem missed an elbow drop but he didn't back down and again used clubbing blows to wear down the Hitman. Lawler was all fired up here, ripping the Hart family and putting over his man. Hart avoided a charge and finally got an extended stream of offense, capped by clotheslining Isaac to the floor and following after him with a tope. Back inside, Bret started to prep for the Sharpshooter, attacking the legs and lower mid section and picking up a couple of near falls along the way. Yankem was able to sidestep Hart and drop him across the top rope with a hot shot that ended with Hart's hand tangled in the ropes. A moment later, Yankem slung Bret across the ring viciously into the corner. Yankem went to work on the chest and throat from there, turning Bret into a cool reverse hanging neckbreaker, but Bret rolled through and grabbed a near fall with an inside cradle. Yankem was up first and went back to work on the neck, this time working the mouth a bit as well, which is a cool touch. He followed by knocking Bret to the floor and then ramming him hard into the ring post as Lawler taunted him from the announce table.

Early on, Yankem looked hesitant and a bit shaky but he has really settled in now and is moving with more ease and delivering his offense with better execution. With Bret slung over the top rope on his way back inside, Yankem climbed to the top rope and came flying off with a decent legdrop to the back of the Hitman. He kept the pressure on, delivering a strong clothesline to the back of the neck and grabbing a near fall as the crowd started to rally Hart. They would end up on the floor, where Yankem ate the steps, giving Bret momentum back in the ring. After running through his moves, Hart hooked the Sharpshooter, but Lawler scampered over and pulled Yankem's hand to the ropes, forcing a break. Again, the match ended up on the floor and this time it was Hart that was rammed into the stairs. Lawler stayed active at ringside as Yankem went back up top, but this time Hart caught him and slammed him to the mat. Bret kept on the attack, dragging Yankem to the corner and then tieing his legs together with a cable around the ring post. Hart laid in a series of kicks as the crowd was going nuts. The referee would free Isaac, but while that was going on, Hart jumped the King on the floor and slugged him to a big pop. While he was doing that, Yankem came off the top rope and clobbered Hart from behind. That was a cool spot and the crowd was amped. Lawler kept interfering and eventually he and Yankem hung Bret in between the top and middle rope and clubbed away at him while trying to also add pressure and cut off his air supply. That was finally enough for the referee, who called for the DQ. The officials finally freed Bret and ran off Yankem and Lawler. That was much better than I expected it to be. Bret was great in leading Yankem through the match and Isaac held up his end of the bargain just fine, not really losing his composure at all and hitting some unique moves. Hart's selling was fantastic as always and the crowd was super into him. I also really liked all the Lawler stuff at the end. Once he started getting involved, the heat really picked up and things degenerated into madness. I am even fine with the DQ as you don't want to beat Yankem out of the gate. Also, Lawler getting involved makes sense because deep down he probably doubts this big, green rookie can take out the Hitman on his own. Even though Hart is stuck in this endless feud, he is working hard and keeping his fans engaged and bought in.

### 8) Shawn Michaels defeats Razor Ramon in a ladder match to retain WWF Intercontinental Title when Michaels grabs the title at 25:00

Fun Fact I: From the 1950s through the early 80s, Jack Tunney worked for the wrestling promotion that his father had helped establish in Ontario, Maple Leaf Wrestling. When his father passed away in 1983, Jack took over the reigns of MLW and aligned himself with the WWF. A year later, he would transfer controlling interest to the WWF. Tunney was made the chief WWF promoter for Canadian tours and continued to control the bookings for Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto. In the summer of 1984, Tunney was given the figurehead position of President of the WWF. This was done in part to give those in the new WWF Canadian market someone they were familiar with. While the position was largely ceremonial, he was brought in when major decisions were to be announced. Tunney served in this role until June 15, 1995. At that time, McMahon made the decision to begin running Toronto shows without the assistance of Tunney. He was forced out of the WWF and would retire from wrestling.

Following this change, Gorilla Monsoon was named the new President of the WWF. His first act as President was to announce the ladder rematch between Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels for SummerSlam.

Fun Fact II: This match was originally supposed be Shawn Michaels vs. Sid, so Shawn could finally get revenge from the attack in May. However, as his first decision as WWF President (Jack Tunney had resigned in July, and Gorilla was named "Interim" President), Gorilla Monsoon decided that the "fans wanted the ladder rematch" and that Sid would get his title shot against the winner on a future Raw. Sid would face Shawn a few weeks later, which is also memorable, as it is the night Eric Bischoff gave away the full results to the taped Raw on his live Nitro.

### Scott:

Apparently this was added late in the booking process because everyone thought this show on paper was a complete pile of crap. Well.they were correct. Overall this card was pretty dreadful even back then, so a match that could have real sizzle to it. So the bookers manufactured a rematch from one of the greatest matches of all time to guarantee a real gem that can be remembered. The dynamic of the match is different: At WrestleMania X Shawn Michaels was a smarmy heel and Razor Ramon was the crazy over babyface. One and a half years later and both men are over with the fans. Perhaps this was leading to a Razor heel turn, which could lead to future opportunites on the card for him. Instead pretty much every base member of the Kliq is a babyface. In fact most of the big stars right now are all babyfaces, leading to a dearth of heels (See: main event), and the reason why we have two babyfaces here. As for the ladder match itself, you know that if both guys go balls to the wall we can get at least three stars. But with the character dynamic different, then perhaps the psychology would change. The ladder is used a little less and both guys went out and actually wrestled more than they did at MSG. There the ladder came into play and was almost exclusively a lynchpin for the match. There were a couple of homages to the first match. Shawn Michaels went for the splash off the top of the ladder like he did before, except this time Razor ducked out of the way and Shawn crashed and burned. Razor was backdropped to the floor on a failed Razor's Edge. The last five minutes is pure magic as both guys go outside the playbook with the ladder, and come up with some ugly failures off the ladder. Then at the end of the match, we see something we will see much more of in the future. Shawn looks to be set up to win the match. Razor is outside the ring and Shawn is on top of the ladder. But the ladder he's on is warped and falls, as does Michaels. Well Shawn looks like he throws a bit of a tantrum and kicks the other ladder out of the way. He defiantly climbs up the ladder and grabs the title belt. Afterwards we get the Hogan/Warrior routine of two babyfaces congratulating each other on a job well done. The match was sparkling, and it looks even better compared to what's around it, which makes this one seem like a better match than the first ladder match. I think they are very close to equal, but this one is not quite as historic as the first one was. Michaels retains his title, but what is the future of the Bad Guy?

### JT:

With interim President Gorilla Monsoon looking to make a splash and win over the fans, he decided to mix things up and pulled Sid out of the SummerSlam Intercontinental Title match just weeks before the show. Instead, he granted us all a rematch from WrestleMania X, giving Razor Ramon a crack at his beloved gold, which would hang high above the ring. And with that announcement, the interest for this show shot through the roof. In fact, you could argue this was the true main event of the night. Some questioned if they could repeat the magic, but others noted that both were even more seasoned workers, which could lead to great things. Another difference this time around was that both were now faces, which would assuredly lead to a different dynamic as well. With the King having scampered off with Yankem, Dok Hendrix hops in the booth, which was a nice bonus. As the two traded fists and then took to the ropes, you had to marvel at the speed of Shawn Michaels. He was in such great shape at this point, he just buzzed around the ring. Razor would make the first move for the ladder but Shawn jumped him and dragged him back to the ring. That backfired on the champ, who got taken back to the floor with a vicious suplex off the apron. That was a nasty bump to take this early on. Razor went to work on the back, but Shawn was able to avoid a Razor's Edge, leading to a double clothesline. Razor was up first and landed another big blow with a fallaway slam off the middle rope. I love that they threw these bombs early, setting the stage for a really brutal match. Razor dragged the ladder inside, but that gave Shawn a chance to recover and he ended up wresting the ladder away and smacking the challenger with it. He would ascend the ladder but Ramon yanked him off, causing Shawn's leg to get twisted in the rungs in gnarly fashion. Razor went right back to work, mashing Shawn's leg with the ladder in a few different ways. I loved Razor's aggression and anger here, not holding back from wrecking the leg and not ashamed to use the ladder, which was wedged between the turnbuckles, for brutality.

Shawn tried to comeback but his knee was too banged up and Razor hoisted him up and spiked him onto the ladder with a shinbreaker. Ramon even followed up with a nice Indian Death Lock, snapping Shawn's leg back hard to the mat. Shawn landed a few shots to slow the Bad Guy up, but again his knee hindering him from taking advantage. He did muster up enough energy to take Razor off the ladder with a back suplex, giving him the chance to hobble over and prop the ladder up in the corner, which he then slung Ramon into. He followed that with a moonsault off the ladder and the crowd was getting fired up but things turned again when he missed a big splash off the top of the steel. The two would slowly recover and climb towards the gold, leading to a slugfest at the very top and ending with both toppling off into the ropes and eventually out to the floor. Both made it back inside and Shawn tried to scale the ladder again, but Ramon caught him and brought him down with a stiff Razor's Edge. Ramon had dragged a second ladder in the ring and both men climbed up their respective steps, lunging for the gold. In a great spot, Michaels drilled Razor with a superkick, knocking him to the mat. Shawn would try to reach for the gold, but his ladder was too far away and he took a nasty spill to the mat. Razor popped up and tried for another Edge but Shawn dumped him to the floor, climbed the ladder and after missing again, he scaled up angrily and grabbed his gold to retain. What a fantastic match. They really beat the piss out of each other and upped the ante from MSG. Both took nasty bumps throughout and the crowd ate it all up. It was also good to see Michaels get the win back and fully establish his title reign, beating the last dominant champ. This was easily just as good as their Mania bout.

*** Razor Ramon attacks Dean Douglas, who gave Ramon a bad grade following his loss. ***

### 9) Diesel defeats King Mabel to retain WWF World Title with a flying shoulderblock at 9:14

Fun Fact: In the week before this show, British Bulldog turned on Diesel during a tag team match with MOM. In the following days, rumors were swirling that Lex Luger would also be turning heel to join his partner in assaulting Diesel. The question here is whether or not Luger would attack Diesel. When Luger runs out during the match, Diesel attacks him because he assumes he is out to get him. Luger eventually helps Diesel ward off the heels. Rumor has it that he was set to have a big feud with the Bulldog, But, before we could find out, he decided to jump to WCW instead, and ended up firing the first shot of the Monday Night Wars. Luger had been wrestling without a contract and his buddy Sting had been trying to convince Eric Bischoff to sign him away. Bischoff was hesitant but eventually caved. Luger wrestled on a house show in St. John's, New Brunswick, Canada on Sunday September 3, where he teamed up with Shawn Michaels to defeated Owen Hart and Yokozuna. That would be last time he ever stepped foot in a WWF ring as, without any notice, he jumped to WCW and appeared on the debut episode of Monday Nitro the next night.

### Scott:

So, what could we possibly expect out of this? I mean seriously, Diesel struggled with a big guy who could moderately move around and have some semblance of a move set. I'm talking about Sid, who was also over as a heel with the crowd. Plus, Diesel is facing guys the same size as him. Now I know it worked during the Hogan years, but Mabel and Andre the Giant shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence. Diesel just looks so awful when having to sell for bigger guys. Plus, NO ONE CARES ABOUT MABEL. I don't want to keep harping on the King of the Ring debacle but simply winning that doesn't bring you instant heel credibility. When Owen Hart (once again the tag champions NOT ON THIS SHOW) won the tournament last year he was catapulted to the main event of SummerSlam. However he was facing his brother Bret and it was in a cage and people actually gave a damn about the feud. The crowd here is cooked for the most part except for the occasional DIESEL chants from the usually vocal Pittsburgh crowd. The back and forth between both men is truly awful. Diesel is holding back his forearm shots and they look abysmal. Mabel's offense is pretty much nothing but punches and shots to the back. Vince and Dok Hendrix (replacing Lawler after that other mess) are doing their best but the crowd has really tanked. Even when the cooked Lex Luger runs in nobody truly cares. He takes care of Mo but deep down we know where Luger's future endeavors lie. The only real drama of the match was the slow Earl Hebner count after Mabel's Belly-to-BIG BELLY suplex that perhaps the unthinkable would happen. Thankfully it doesn't and (since Diesel can't Jackknife a 500 pound guy) after a dreadful clothesline and a VERY SLOW count, Diesel retains the title and this piece of trash comes to an end. Sadly, Diesel's title run is circling the bowl faster and faster with each crappy main event title match.

### JT:

And coming off that red hot ladder match, it is now time for our main event. Diesel's once promising and entertaining title reign has completely fallen apart after a heatless feud with Sid that has now spiraled into a useless mess with King Mabel. We have covered Mabel in much detail, talked about his ceiling and how he is clearly far above it. There were far better choices that could have been utilized here, such as Yokozuna, Bam Bam Bigelow or even the freshly turned British Bulldog. Or Lex Luger? He isn't even on the show! Mabel has been executing his royal plan, part of which included the aforementioned Bulldog heel turn. Leading into the show, many wondered if Luger would also follow suit. This feud lacked any heat mainly because nobody believed Mabel would actually win the gold. It was completely pointless and really sandbagged Diesel's reign. Mabel started in control, using his size to rough up the champ and pelting him with chops. Diesel came back with a pair of running clotheslines to the corner and dealt some elbows as well. He would try to slam Mabel, but that failed, so he went back to dishing out clotheslines and a flying shoulderblock that knocked the King to the floor. He followed with the spot of the match as he dove over the top and careened into Mabel. The crowd cheered him on but Mabel reversed a whip and sent the champ hard into the post. Mabel charged but ate a boot before sliding back inside. Diesel laid in some soft strikes as Mabel wobbled around before running Diesel into an exposed turnbuckle and planting him with a sidewalk slam. He then decided to drop all his weight on Diesel's back with a sit-down splash. That had to hurt and reckless for no reason. Mabel looked lost from there, ambling around before missing an elbow drop. Vince was doing his best to sell the match but it was starting to feel like the mess of a main event from the year before. With the referee down, Sir Mo came in the ring and the two worked Diesel over. That brought out Luger, but Diesel hammered him as he entered, assuming he was there to help Mabel. He even clotheslined him out of the ring. Luger can't even run in and help a friend right anymore. What a fall from grace. On the floor, Mabel squashed Diesel with a legdrop Lex would recover and chase Mo to the back but back inside, Mabel hit a belly-to-belly for a near fall. The crowd was actually into this down the stretch. The King would miss a big splash off the middle rope and Diesel capitalized with a shoulderblock off the middle rope for the win. What a blah finish. And where was Bulldog? No heat at all except for a few spots. Luger's run-in was weird and made little sense as well. There were a couple of decent spot that save this from being a dud, but as a main event title match, it was pretty sad. Mabel looked lost by the middle of the bout and Diesel could only do so much. It is amazing to see this reign hit the skids so much. It seems like Diesel was just hanging with athletes and celebrities and having great matches. Now he is a dead champ walking. A fun SummerSlam ends with a thud for the second straight year.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

I thought I'd really like this show again when I watched it, but I didn't. There were a couple of pleasant surprises, including a great opener and a surprisingly good Barry Horowitz/Skip match. I also liked the Undertaker/Kama match, as that lumbering powerfest was more entertaining than I remember it being. On the other hand, the Bret Hart/Isaac Yankem hasn't stood the test of time in my opinion as even Bret couldn't carry the relative newcomer to a decent match. I was stunned and disappointed at Alundra Blayze's loss. The ladder match speaks for itself, one of the greatest in history, but in my final analysis of them I still think their first encounter at WrestleMania X is just a little better. The main event was a disaster as predicted which really killed what buzz the ladder match preceding it had. This is one of those shows that honestly changes with the mood of the viewer. One person may think it's a hidden gem, others a dumpster fire. I will always think it's a little of both, but I can't get myself to give it a higher grade than below average. Maybe another day it will go up, but not this time. The mid-card in the company is showing some promise (including the PPV debut of Hunter Hearst-Helmsley) but the main events are still a big mess.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this show was surprisingly fun and pretty entertaining up until that last match. The undercard featured some fresh faces and interesting matchups and everyone was working really hard across the board. The fans were really into much of the show as well. The ladder match was a stellar classic and if the show ended there, we have a nice offering during a rough stretch. In fact, it was very similar to 1994 in that way. But, the main event happened and we can't ignore it. It was clearly an issue for the promotion that their champion had to be protected in matches with great workers to even deliver a passable match. He has been stuck with an unmotivated Sid, a heatless Tatanka and an overpushed Mabel while Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Razor Ramon, Hakushi and others worked circles around him in the midcard. For years, I always questioned having guys like Hart and Taker in the midcard but i see the value now as they worked hard and kept the crowd hot and invested throughout the show. It added a feeling of depth to things if they were used correctly. It was enough to help Diesel, though, and his title reign is clearly on life support. The Luger run-in was meant to set up a feud with Bulldog and an alignment with the champ, but he wasn't going to stick around any longer and I can't blame him. His run started so hot back in 1993 and he was wasting away just two and a half years later. His trek at SummerSlam alone tells the story. In 1993 he was the top face of the promotion, in 1994 he was in the midcard but still in a pretty well pushed angle and now in 1995 he isn't even on the card. For the third time in seven shows, I should add. There is some promise on the roster and we see glimpses of it here, but the company still needs to purge a good number of toxins before it could take full advantage and grow.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #104

# In Your House #3: Triple Header!

September 24, 1995

Saginaw Civic Center

Saginaw, Michigan

Attendance: 5,146

Buyrate: 0.7

Announcer: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler & Jim Ross

Dark Matches:

### 1) Fatu defeated Hunter Hearst-Helmsley

### 2) Goldust defeated Bob Holly

### 3) Ahmed Johnson pinned Skip

### 4) Undertaker pinned Mabel

Pay-Per-View:

Fun Fact: A new three-man team takes over the broadcast duties at In Your House 3, Vince McMahon is joined by the King and the return of Jim Ross. This is the first WWF pay-per-view commentator role for Jim Ross since Royal Rumble 1994, where he teamed with Gorilla Monsoon to call the Razor Ramon/IRS match. It is also his first full call of a WWF PPV since King of the RIng 1993.

### 1) Savio Vega defeats Waylon Mercy with a spin kick at 7:05

Fun Fact I: Dan Spivey and Scott Hall were trained in Florida, primarily by Dusty Rhodes with some additional work with Barry Windham and Rick Martel. Rhodes made a deal with Jim Crockett to bring the pair into the Carolinas when they were ready to debut, which took place in 1984. The team were called American Starship, a masked duo made up of Eagle (Spivey) and Coyote (Hall). After working with Crockett and some other NWA territories, Spivey went on his own and signed with the WWF in late 1985. He teamed with Mike Rotunda to replace Windham in the US Express. After Rotunda left the WWF, Spivey started a short and unsuccessful singles run as "Golden Boy" Danny Spivey. He stayed with the WWF until the spring of 1988, mainly paired with others in tag team action. Spivey left and started touring with All Japan Pro Wrestling, which he would do on and off until his return here. He also spent time in WCW starting in 1989, where he became a member of the Varsity Club. There he teamed with Sid Vicious to form The Skyscrapers, a pair that would feud with the Road Warriors. In 1995, Spivey returned to the WWF under the new character, Waylon Mercy, based on a character from the movie "Cape Fear". This is Spivey's first WWF PPV appearance since WrestleMania II, where he appeared in the Battle Royal.

Fun Fact II: Waylon Mercy was a very deep character, deeper than you would have expected from 1995 WWF standards. He was a happy go lucky, yet kind of creepy, guy who acts like a face but wrestles like a crazed heel. He was set for a big push, but injuries began to plague him and he was forced to the sidelines, thus bringing an aborted end to one of the more intriguing gimmicks of the mid-90s. Mercy made his TV debut on the 7/3 Raw when he defeated Jeff Hardy.

### Scott:

Savio has been out of the loop since his epic (almost) run at King of the Ring, and now faces a very unusual character. The last time we saw Dan Spivey in the WWF he was replacing Barry Windham in the US Express way back in late-1985. He was part of the Skyscrapers in WCW but now in a completely different character. Perhaps a character that was maybe over the heads of 1995 wrestling fans. A guy who acted like a babyface and high fiving fans but working like a nasty heel in the ring. The problem was that it's evident Mercy's got leg and knee issues as he's moving very gingerly around the ring. We get a news break from Dok Hendrix that Owen Hart is not in the building. Could that affect our main event? This match isn't that bad actually, even with the painfully slow pace of Mercy because of his health. Savio is big time dead weight and wasn't helping Mercy much with some power moves. Mercy gets caught with the spinning heel kick and Savio gets the victory. This was simply an opener to get the show started but Mercy was a great character that may have been way ahead of his time. Spivey's health didn't help matters with his company status either. Savio wins and we move on.

### JT:

Our calendar of new PPV entries continues with our first official WWF September offering, the third In Your House installment. It also continues the trend of these shows being held in smaller venues as we venture up to Saginaw, MI for the night. Our opener seemed like a match with a foregone conclusion on paper, at least to me anyway. Waylon Mercy burst on the scene over the summer with a unique character and effective look. He had been rolling and it seemed like Savio Vega was slotted in here to give him a fairly marquee win. The Mercy character was pretty nuanced and Dan Spivey played it to perfection, really coming across as an unstable lunatic with an uncomfortably calm demeanor. We also have a new addition to the broadcast booth as Jim Ross is calling his first full show since King of the Ring 1993, but this time he is in the color commentator role which is an interesting touch. Savio got a nice welcome from the crowd and he has really carved himself out a nice little niche in the midcard. Even Vince notes that Savio is the underdog here due to Waylon's hot streak. Vega started off in control, dodging a pair of charges from Mercy and then going to work on the arm. For as great as his character is, Mercy was clearly hurting a bit physically as his movements were herky jerky and he really just looked old. Mercy turned the the tide and dumped Savio to the floor where he rattled him with chops and slammed him to the ground. Back inside, Mercy tried for a hot shot but he couldn't handle Vega's weight and momentum and stumbled back into the move. It was bad enough that Vince had to cover for it. As Waylon hit a sidewalk slam, Dok Hendrix cut in and informed us all that Owen Hart was not in the building, which could cause issues for the main event. Mercy would hook his sleeperhold finisher and looked to be it, but Vega hung in and yanked Waylon into the corner to break the hold. Mercy recovered and grabbed hold again but this time Savio broke it right away with a back suplex and then rallied with some strikes and a kick to the chin. He followed with another spinning heel kick and bulldog for a pair of near falls. Mercy came back with a solid brainbuster, which again I figured was the finish, but Vega kicked out. He also kicked out of a nice back suplex by Mercy, countering into a German suplex into a bridge for two. Where the hell did all this come from? Both men ambled up but a moment later, Vega cracked Mercy with his spin wheel kick for the upset win. Boo! Mercy was hosed! I was legitimately surprised by this at the time as Mercy seemed to be getting a strong push, but it must have been right around this point that they realized Spivey wasn't going to hold up much longer. Vega gets the win and continues to build an impressive resume in his rookie year. The early parts of this were messy but they really picked things up down the stretch with a nice series into the finish.

*** Backstage, Gorilla Monsoon grills Jim Cornette about the location of Owen Hart and promises the main event will go down as planned. ***

### 2) Sid defeats Henry Godwinn with a powerbomb at 7:20

### Scott:

Wow do we have power guy vs. power guy here. Sid has fallen way down the card after his two atrocious PPV title matches earlier in the year. Sid will still be one of my favorite characters of all time but I never said he was a workrate marvel. So this is one of those matches where you know what you're going to get and you just roll with it. Sid needs to be a tougher, ass-kicker heel like his Horsemen days and stop being the typical chickenshit WWF heel. That's what ruined those matches with Diesel. If both those guys acted like the characters they needed to be and not typical cookie-cutter WWF characters then those matches could have been a lot better and more physical. Godwinn was a heel for most of the year but the slop bucket dump is a clear babyface maneuver so it was easy to slide him to the other side. It's this show where the on-air relationship on PPV between Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler begins. Sid actually looks motivated in this match, really dropping his power moves on a durable Godwinn and taking the shots flush. I really enjoyed this quick power match with Sid getting the win after the powerbomb. We get the after match fun as the Corporation was going to slop Bam Bam Bigelow until Godwinn came from behind and Ted DiBiase took the Arkansas Goulash. The segment was fun and the crowd was into it. This is one of those matches where you take what you can get and end up really enjoying it.

### JT:

That breeze you just felt was Sid flying down the WWF ladder. After occupying a main event role since his February return, Sid quickly tumbled down the roster after his July Lumberjack Match loss to Diesel. He was pulled off SummerSlam and lost his big IC Title match on Raw, relegating him to the role of the Corporation's muscle. Henry Godwinn had been acting as a mercenary for Ted DiBiase but after the Million Dollar Man refused to sign him, he slopped him twice. However, in the final build to this battle, Sid dropped Henry with a stiff powerbomb on the floor to ding up his back. Godwinn had been a solid enough heel, but the face turn seemed to be taking out of the gate. He used his beef early on to withstand a Sid attack and then hammer him to the apron before clotheslining him to the floor. Despite what it looked like on paper, this was probably a fine spot for Sid to rehab a bit with a stiff brawl. Godwinn would take Sid back in with a suplex but it was clear his back was bugging him from the aforementioned powerbomb. Sid would kick him to the floor and catch his breath as DiBiase laid some kicks in. Sid would work the back over with some pretty basic offense, whipping him hard into the corner and stomping away. Things slowed down when Sid hooked in a modified camel clutch in between axe handle blows to the lower back. The big man made a mistake by taking to the air as Godwinn caught him with a right hand on the way down. He followed with a big shoulderblock and the Slop Drop but DiBiase busted up the pin by yanking him to the floor. Sid caught him coming back in, dropped a leg and then planted him with a powerbomb for the much needed win. After the bout, Sid and DiBiase argued over who would get to slop Godwinn, but as they debated, Bam Bam Bigelow came out and nailed Sid. That drew Kama out and the two worked Bammer over until Godwinn snuck up and grabbed the slop bucket, which he then dumped on Ted's head yet again. Well, the match was about what you would expect but the crowd was actually quite into it, especially the post both action, which was cool. There were some stiff shots in here and Sid going over was definitely the right call.

*** In the locker room, Gorilla Monsoon gives Jim Cornette two options for the main event: Yokozuna goes it alone or Cornette can find a replacement that will be sanctioned as one half of the tag team champions for just the night. After Cornette verifies that all of the same stipulations remain, he heads off to search for a new partner. ***

### 3) British Bulldog defeats Bam Bam Bigelow with a powerslam at 12:00

Fun Fact: British Bulldog turned heel before SummerSlam, when he jumped Diesel on the 8/21 Raw during a tag match against Men on a Mission. Bulldog had joined Camp Cornette shortly before this show, starting an on-air relationship with James E. that would last for the next year. This is also Bulldog's first heel run in the WWF, and was a much needed turn that helped rejuvenate his career.

### Scott:

Our next match kind of fits the same mold as the previous offering. Two power guys who won't give you crazy workrate but can entertain you anyway if executed properly. Bulldog was in dire need of a heel turn and now with Allied Powers mate Lex Luger down south this was the perfect move for him. He really had never been a heel before but I think his smarmy English attitude (somewhat like Steven Regal at that time) works perfectly with Jim Cornette's crew. Bigelow has sadly been totally lost in the shuffle since his loss to LT back in April. Apparently promised many things as a babyface, he became Diesel's little buddy and then the Corporation's enemy. Sadly we didn't see any of this on PPV. Now he takes on the new hot heel and again feels lost in the shuffle. Bigelow is still over with the fans and was an absolutely wasted asset to the company. As much as we all fondly love the Clique and all the guys in it, sadly Bigelow was one of the odd men out in that power struggle. However he gave his all in this match and in return Bulldog was really in a groove in ring after the heel turn. Thus this match was much more fun than it probably had any business being. Bulldog wins, but his evening isn't over.

### JT:

At our last show, we discussed the heel turn of the British Bulldog and it was one that was very much needed. With the Allied Powers stuttering to a halt in July, Bulldog was starting to feel overlooked in a suddenly stacked sea of faces. With the heel side of the ledger lacking top level talent, a turn made perfect sense. It was also a great move to cut his hair short and switch over to long tights to really hammer home the change in attitude. It immediately gave him more of a main event level feel. His opponent is Bam Bam Bigelow, who is also quickly starting to fade after receiving the push of a lifetime for half of the year. With the Clique ascending to power and Bigelow clashing with them behind the scenes, the writing was on the wall. Which is too bad because he was working hard and really connecting with the fans. Jim Cornette is not with Bulldog here as he was backstage still searching for Owen Hart's replacement. The two would feel each other out a bit early on with neither gaining an advantage. As Bulldog laid in some blows, we peaked backstage to see Cornette trying to sign up Sid for the main event. Bigelow came back with a slam but missed an elbow drop, allowing Bulldog to wrench in a chinlock. Bigelow broke free and levied some more right hands but he missed a charge when Bulldog ducked, causing Bammer to crash land on the floor. I haven't mentioned Jim Ross much yet, but he has been a nice addition to the booth, talking about the British Bulldogs and how beloved they once were as a team. Bulldog would try to suplex Bammer back in, but the big man blocked it and crotched Bulldog on the top rope instead. Bigelow would scamper up top and land a headbutt but only got a near fall. When they got back to their feet, Bulldog clipped Bigelow's knee and went right to work on the injured joint. Throughout the match, the announcers hyped Bulldog's big match with Undertaker the next night on Raw. That is some nice promotion and something that they have barely done since Raw began. After some more leg work and another chop block by Bulldog, Bigelow hit a desperation enziguri but could not capitalize. Bulldog went to a half crab in between pelting the knee with kicks, but Bigelow decked him with stiff right hands to slow him up. Bulldog went back to the chinlock as the fans tried to rally the big man. They have really been into this whole match. Bigelow battled back again and was able to shift his weight on a Bulldog slam, collapsing on him for a near fall. Bulldog would try a sunset flip, but Bigelow also blocked that, this time by sitting down hard on Bulldog's chest. Bigelow went for the kill with his moonsault off the top but Bulldog dodged it and then followed with his own headbutt of the top for a near fall. This has been a really well worked power match that has kept the crowd invested. A moment later, Bulldog caught a charging Bigelow and hit a powerslam to finally pick up the really hard fought win. I dug that match. They both worked hard and kept things moving. Even though there were restholds sprinkled in, they were kept short and aggressive. The finish was good too as Bulldog needed a nice win like this to continue to solidify his standing as a top heel.

*** Bob Backlund comes out to introduce Dean Douglas. ***

### 4) Dean Douglas defeats Razor Ramon with a roll-up at 14:50

Fun Fact I: Shane Douglas (real name, Troy Allan Martin) began wrestling professionally in 1982, but later got training from Dominic DeNucci along with Mick Foley in the Pittsburgh area in the mid-80s. He wrestled some television matches under his real name for the WWF in 1986 as a jobber to Randy Savage and Paul Orndorff before moving on to work for the Universal Wrestling Federation and taking on the Shande Douglas persona. He was mainly locked into the mid-card where he had a one month run with the World Television Championship. He later moved on to WCW where he teamed with Johnny Ace as the Dynamic Dudes, a skateboarder tag team that crowds did not buy into since neither actually knew how to skateboard.

Shane Douglas had of course been in the WWF in the early 90s as a temporary member of the Rockers when Shawn Michaels was recovering from a knee injury. During that run with the WWF, he also recorded the 7th longest time in the first four years of the Royal Rumble in his 1991 performance. Since then, Douglas won the WCW Tag Titles with Ricky Steamboat in 1992, and then meandered to Eastern Championship Wrestling. On August 27, 1994, Douglas won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. During his post match speech, Douglas threw down the belt and claimed that he didn't want to be the champion of a dead promotion. He prolaimed himself to be the ECW World Champion and ushered in the era of EXTREME. He also openly bad-mouthed the WWF for being "cartoon characters," which is ironic considering one year later he is a "cartoon character" of sorts.

Fun Fact II: This storyline feud stems from SummerSlam, where Dean Douglas critiqued Razor Ramon's loss and Razor attacked him in the back. Douglas also cost Ramon a match against the Kid on the 9/18 Raw, throwing more gas on the fire.

### Scott:

Speaking of the the Clique, here a guy who was the most affected by them. Shane Douglas, former ECW Champion and the guy who infamously dumped the NWA Title a year earlier is a sneaky intellectual seconded to the ring by Bob Backlund. Douglas has spent the last couple of weeks on Raw antagonizing Razor and causing a rift in his friendship with the 1-2-3 Kid. Razor is clearly one of the most over guys in the company. His pops and crowd energy possibly competes with Diesel and Shawn Michaels, fellow Kliq members. The match is really good and a rare time during this run where a Kliq member has a great match with a non-Kliq member not named Bret Hart. The crowd gets really hot and the action goes back and forth. Razor has probably a 20-30 pound weight advantage on Douglas but the Dean utilized his speed and worked the match so well. Then the storyline continues with the Kid. Razor seems to have the match won, but the referee was down. The Kid comes in and actually counts the three count for some weird reason. Razor tells Kid to get out of the ring but then Dean Douglas rolls up Razor (with a handful of tights) and gets the upset victory. I was pretty shocked that Razor laid down here but to establish Douglas he needed to win this match. This continues the storyline and sets up the following month on PPV.

### JT:

President Backlund! Any match that starts with that type of promo and introduction gets a thumbs up from me. It was a nice pairing to have him associated with Dean Douglas, added a little credibility to the newcomer. Of course, this stems from SummerSlam when Douglas gave Razor Ramon a failing grade for his performance, leading to the Bad Guy decking him with a right hand. Douglas was a good pickup as he was pretty hot in ECW and the company needed more heels. I do wonder if this gimmick was the best choice, but he was never going to be allowed to use his ECW promo style here, so I guess it was worth a shot. After the mutual admiration between Douglas and Backlund ended, Ramon rushed the ring and peppered the Dean with right hands, driving him to the floor to regroup. After another flurry, Douglas again went outside to chat strategy with Backlund, who was apparently citing the dictionary during the meeting. While that was going on, we saw Cornette and Yokozuna chatting with King Mabel about the open main event slot. Back inside, they traded some holds as Lawler made jokes about Ramon's intelligence. Douglas would try to charge at Ramon, but the Bad Guy caught him and hit a fallaway slam for a near fall. Douglas again bailed outside but left his arm too close to the ropes, allowing Ramon to snap it across the ropes and then hoist the Dean back into the ring with it. The Dean could get zero momentum going as Razor slugged him down at every turn, countering every attempt at offense and going right back to an armbar to neutralize Douglas. He finally caught a break when he sidestepped a charging Ramon and sent him flying outside. The Dean didn't sit back, instead leaping off the apron and crashing into Ramon with an axehandle blow. He really poured on out there, slamming Ramon on the floor and then running him into the post a pair of times. I liked that acute attack from Douglas and how he didn't sit back at all once Ramon was dinged up. Back in the ring, Douglas assaulted the back with knees and forearms, grabbing near falls in between the strikes. As Douglas hooked on a modified surfboard, Ross noted that Ramon has been battling lots of rib injuries all year long. Nice touch. After fending off a brief comeback, Douglas hit a nice springboard splash to the lower back before hooking in a seated chinlock.

Ramon would power up and spike Douglas back with an electric chair, leading to a long double count that both Dean finally broke at nine by going for a pin cover. From there, Razor mounted his comeback but Dean elbowed his way out of a super fallaway slam and hit a high cross body that Razor rolled through for a near fall. The ref would get bumped thanks to some shadiness from the Dean but Ramon fought him off and hit the Razor's Edge. When he covered, the 1-2-3 Kid appeared and slid in the ring and counted three. Ramon assumed it was the referee and popped up to celebrate but when he realized what happened he shoved the Kid to the floor. While they argued, Douglas rolled up Ramon and picked up the win while hooking the tights. After the bell, Razor dragged Kid back in the ring and smacked him in the face, leading to a pull apart brawl. Ross opined that Douglas has destroyed their friendship. This was pretty good with both guys focusing on a body part and sticking with it the whole way through, building some good heat along the way. The finish was a bit clunky but advances the story of Ramon and Kid continuing to have issues in their friendship and gave Douglas a good heel win. I enjoyed the Dean's cheating as he really excelled at the little sneaky spots without being super obvious or over the top with them. They worked tight too, making everything count and mixing in some good near falls along the way too. The feud between Ramon and Douglas looks to be continuing and the issues with Ramon and the Kid are reaching a boil as well.

### 5) Bret Hart defeats Jean-Pierre Lafitte with the Sharpshooter at 16:37

Fun Fact I: This match stems from Jean-Pierre Lafitte stealing Bret Hart's prized ring jacket.

Fun Fact II: Carl Ouellet began his wrestling career on the independent circuit in 1987 and continued there until he met up with Jacques Rougeau in Puerto Rico in 1993. Rougeau convinced him to be his tag partner and joined the WWF as the Quebecers. Ouellet took on the name Pierre and the duo dressed as Canadian Mounties. The run of the tag team saw them gain the WWF World Tag Team titles three times. The team remained together until 1994 when Rougeau retired from wrestling. Ouellet was repackaged as pirate Jean-Pierre Lafitte, the descendant of real life pirate Jean Lafitte, in 1995.

### Scott:

The leather jacket storyline. So the former Quebecer steals Bret's jacket, because...he's a pirate. Bret Hart was definitely a victim of the way the Clique was working backstage, but it is Bret Hart so he always will have the crowd reaction. Even with silly storylines like this Bret comes off looking like a champ. I wasn't kind to Bret on our last show because as hard as he tried he could help Isaac Yankem and the match at SummerSlam was a dud. Lafitte is a much better worker and as dopey as the feud was this match is really good. Jerry Lawler amps up his commentary as his business with Bret isn't over. I mean at this point it's dying down after SummerSlam but not completely. What made the match great was that Lafitte took a lot of risks in this match and in return took some crazy bumps, like the somersault over the ropes flush to the floor. He also put over all of Bret's offense, and throws himself all over the place. Back in this era, guys could work house show matches and these short PPV shows and just be added to the VHS releases. So these two worked this match many times over the past couple of months and when it hit the cameras here they are in complete symmetry. Bret's always Bret but again Lafitte really needs to be commended as a career tag team guy he really showcased himself as a solid worker, even if the gimmick is somewhat corny. Bret takes a pretty good beating and comes back to win this match, and Lawler snaps his pencil in anger. At least Lawler keeps putting over his hatred of Bret and it makes the psychology of the match better. Once again if you really pore over these 1995 PPVs and not just summarily check them aside as garbage, you will see some entertaining gems. This show has actually been more entertaining than I remember. And we still have our main event.

### JT:

Bret Hart's midcard tour continues as he battles another newcomer with an interesting gimmick. After dispatching of the dentist at SummerSlam, Hart now has to go toe-to-toe with a pirate. A pirate that stole his prized jacket! While the premise is silly, there was some anticipation heading in here that they could deliver a strong in ring bout. Jean-Pierre Lafitte is former Quebecer Pierre and as we saw throughout his tag team run, he was a really solid worker. Putting him in there with one of the best the WWF had to offer, in a sort-of rematch from the awesome Royal Rumble 1994 tussle, had me pretty excited. I was always impressed that JPL could wrestle with that heavy eyepatch on as it must really limit his peripheral vision. Hart wasted no time getting this kicked off as he dove through the ropes and slammed into JPL on the floor with a tope. After smacking the pirate around, Hart yanked his jacket off and chucked him back into the ring. Hart was aggressive, hammering JPL with angry right hands and spiking him into the turnbuckles. This was a great start as it was fast, hot and hard hitting. JPL came back with some ax blows but Bret eventually twisted him into a crucifix pin attempt for a two count. Hart would go for a hip toss but JPL blocked it with a nice stiff clothesline. The pirate targeted the midsection of Bret, slowing the pace down and jawing with fans while doling out blows. Hart took advantage of his lax pace and grabbed a near fall before going to work with more right hands. However, he made the mistake of ducking his head, allowing JPL to crack him with a punch before sending him into the post shoulder first. Bret was able to dump JPL to the floor, but JPL bounced back and sent Bret hard into the steel steps. Bret briefly gained control back in the ring but JPL caught him on a charge and slammed with a spinebuster before hooking in a chinlock. Hart continually found openings and sneaking in near falls, but JPL was always quick to rebound and plant the Hitman down with a hard blow. After a JPL backbreaker, he nailed a big legdrop off the top for a good near fall. He then tried for the big cannonball, but Bret was able to avoid that one, avoiding peril.

Hart started to rally, landing a clothesline and going for the Sharpshooter, but JPL kicked him to the floor to block it. With Hart recovering, JPL took to the air with a big somersalt plancha over the top rope, but Bret dodged it and he splatted hard on the mat. Ouch. What a bump. Hart pitched him backside and went back to work, but JPL was able t kick him in the head as he came off the middle rope. Hart went back to the well and tried for another crucifix, but JPL stayed on his feet and then slammed Bret to the mat with a running somersault slam. He shook off a dropkick and turned a bulldog attempt around by shoving Hart off hard into the corner. I love this second heat segment here as the match certainly seemed over after the missed plancha, but we are back to JPL doling out offense. Ross was great here, pointing out how Hart was going away from his characteristic offense and it was coming him. Case in point, Hart went for a wild cross body and ended up flying into the ropes and falling back hard to the mat. JPL missed another high risk maneuver and after both men ended up prone on the mat, Hart was able to twist JPL's legs around and lock him into the Sharpshooter for the win. What a great match! That was superbly booked and smartly worked with twists and turns all over the place. The teases kept piling up throughout the match and every time it looked like we were headed towards a finish, we headed back into some more offense by JPL. Hart worked his ass off and JPL hung right with him and despite the somewhat goofy gimmick, he looked like he could hang with the big boys if presented in such a way. Hart's midcard run is starting to come to an end, but I am glad he got to have some really good matches with Hakushi and JPL during it.

*** Jim Cornette reveals that the British Bulldog will be doing double duty as he will replace Owen Hart in the main event. Gorilla Monsoon officially names him as one of half of the tag team champions for the evening. ***

### 6) Shawn Michaels & Diesel defeat British Bulldog & Yokozuna to win WWF Tag Team Titles when Diesel pins Owen Hart with a Jackknife at 15:43; Michaels' Intercontinental Title and Diesel's World Title were also on the line

Fun Fact I: Leading up to the match, it was announced that if any of participants in the triple header match tried to get themselves intentionally disqualified they would lose their championship belt. Shortly after the PPV begins, Dok Hendrix announced that Owen Hart could not be found and was not at the arena. This results in vignettes throughout the show with Gorilla Monsoon telling Jim Cornette to find a replacement for Hart. Cornette finally chose the British Bulldog as the replacement. Once Bulldog is chosen, Cornette emphasizes that for one night only, the tag team champions are Yokozuna and Bulldog. This important point sets up the reversal of the match result the next night on RAW.

Fun Fact II: Since Owen Hart was not officially in the match and took the pin, Gorilla Monsoon then overturned the decision the next night on Raw. However, he did force Yoko and Owen to defend the titles against the Smoking Gunns, and the Gunns won, finally getting revenge for their WrestleMania XI and In Your House #1 losses and bringing an end to Yoko & Owen's reign of terror on the tag division.

### Scott:

Our main event is the epitome of the Kliq at this time in history. We have all the titles on the line in one match, which is unprecedented in WWF history. Other than Ultimate Warrior at the end of WrestleMania VI, we haven't seen anybody hold more than one title at the same time. It's going to happen tonight, unless we get some screwy ending. I'm sure Diesel isn't going to lose the WWF Title in a gimmicky mess like this, but I could see Shawn Michaels dropping the IC Title to say British Bulldog. Clearly this is set up so the "Dudes with Attitudes" can walk out with all the gold and look like incredible conquering heroes. Shawn bumps like a lunatic in this match, taking all of both Yoko and the Bulldog's offense. To reiterate my point from earlier, seeing Bulldog as a heel is so refreshing and it creates matchups that you otherwise probably wouldn't have seen. This is also clearly the best Diesel has looked since WrestleMania. Gee, I wonder why? On right, because he's with Shawn and being in a tag team match he's even more protected and is used for the hot tag and to hit all his big power moves against the slightly smaller Bulldog. The crowd is crazy for this match because everyone is working hard and they are all over with the crowd as faces or heels. Yokozuna projects this awesome heel confidence that neither Mabel nor Sid showed, which makes me think perhaps he was the one that should have been Diesel's next opponent after WrestleMania, and maybe someone like Sid could have been a great tag partner for Owen Hart. Mabel? Eh, who cares. The match has bodies flying everywhere, until the FIFTH body starts to fly around. In comes Owen Hart to try and help his team win a singles title. However, Owen is caught in a Diesel Jackknife and three seconds later the Dudes with Attitudes hold all the titles. Of course this is absolutely silly and the result is simply the Kliq executing its power on the company. It was unnecessary to have these guys hold all the titles at the same time, even for a day. Having said that, this was a fun main event with all the major players in the company working hard at the same time.

### JT:

It is main event time and I was a big fan of this concept and pretty hyped for the match. We have been soft on star power at the top of the card for much of the year, but here we have a match filled with gold and top dogs throwing down over all the company's championships. The Owen Hart disappearance storyline was odd at the time but would make much sense eventually. Bulldog slotting in made sense here due to his ties with Cornette and also to easily get him into the title mix. The Diesel/Shawn Michaels alliance has both helped and hurt Diesel here. It helps because everyone loves Michaels and having them aligned helped transition the love a bit. However, it hurts because everyone loves Michaels and they want him to be the top dog. Regardless, it was a good pairing and in many ways they felt above most of the roster, outside of Undertaker, Razor Ramon and Bret Hart, both from a workrate and presence point of view. Although, watching Shawn's entrance here, he may very well be the most over competitor in the company as the crowd just went batshit for him. Diesel got a nice welcome from his hometown fans and overall the crowd seemed hyped for this one. Ross makes a neat point here, calling out how Michaels had wrestled 31 of the last 35 days and wondered what toll that may take. Ir didn't seem to effect him to start as he walloped Bulldog before clotheslining him to the floor. Yoko came in to even things up, but that backfired as Diesel met him with a right hand to drive him outside too. As the match reset, Yoko and Shawn went at it and big man won the first skirmish by clubbing the IC champ hard to the mat. Diesel would get back in the ring and take the fight right to Yoko yet again. Only some interference from Bulldog stopped his momentum. Bulldog would hoist Diesel high in the air and send him crashing back with a delayed vertical suplex, followed by grabbing a rear chinlock. The champ mounted a comeback and pasted Bulldog with a pair of clotheslines before tagging in Michaels, who launched himself off his buddy's shoulders and hit a splash for a near fall. The crowd is still really revved up, rooting on the Dudes vociferously. Bulldog would hoist Michaels up for a press slam but instead of sending him to the mat, he crotched him on the top rope and shoved him to the floor. Once Michaels was back inside, Yoko was waiting for him with his power attack. Shawn would get pinballed back and forth, in and out of the ring, and he was assaulted wherever he was. Bulldog methodically worked him over and also cut off a comeback with a vicious clothesline.

Bulldog and Yoko worked well together, tagging seamlessly as they alternated beating on Michaels. Yoko even broke out his patented nerve hold. When he thought he had Shawn worn down enough, Yoko dragged Michaels to the corner but came up empty on a Banzai Drop. The crowd was red hot as Michaels slowly crawled to his corner and tagged in Diesel just as Bulldog came in as well. The champ was all over Bulldog, planting him with a clothesline and then dropping him with Snake Eyes. The Dudes continued to clean house on both challengers and just when Diesel was loading Bulldog up for the Jackknife, Jim Cornette tied up the referee and allowed Yoko to hit the champ with a Samoan drop. Michaels snuck in and knocked Yoko to the floor with SCM and then busted up a Bulldog pin cover. As everything was falling apart, Owen Hart showed up out of nowhere and dove into the ring but he was met by a Diesel right hand. Big Daddy Cool then planted Owen with the Jackknife and covered to win the match and the belts. Well, that was quite the finish. And I liked the way it was handled. Of course, it was a bait and switch, but preserving Bulldog from eating the fall while also allowing the Dudes to not have to really be tag champs was the way to go. I also thought Yoko looked really good here and agree with Scott that he could have been better utilized as a contender for the WWF Title during this stretch, specifically at SummerSlam. The match was pretty good and the crowd heat certainly added quite a bit to it. All four men really busted it out there and closed out a solid night of wrestling with a fun well worked affair.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

After a substandard show at SummerSlam, I was expecting another ho-hum IYH, similar to July's show. Perhaps Bret Hart's match and the main event would be good but the rest would be junk. However, once again there's proof that people shouldn't just dump all over 1995 as a collective and perhaps maybe there are some hidden jewels that can be appreciated. I think this show is one of them. It's not WrestleMania III or Great American Bash 1989 but in the context of the year it occurred, it's certainly better than some of the other shows. Matches like Bigelow/Bulldog and even Sid/Godwinn were fun power matches that may not be workrate marvels, but both guys worked hard and gave what they could in a small snapshot. The show still doesn't help the overall grade of Diesel's WWF Title run, but it does snap his multi-PPV stinker streak. Give the show a shot, and perhaps watching the individual matches you'll agree what maybe this show isn't as bad as it seemed overall because it's in between some real lousy shows.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well, this is a bit of a forgotten show but it ended being a pretty entertaining two hours. Everyone up and down the card worked hard and the crowd was digging it the whole way through. Sid/Godwinn was the only below average match and even that was solid enough. The rest were all good to very good, with nothing truly standing out. The main event was well worked but they clearly booked themselves into a corner with the stipulation and had to bait and switch their way out of it. But still, that match on top of the card made the show feel like a big deal. I also liked the running storyline of Owen Hart's replacement that was mixed in throughout. I think this was a slight step back from SummerSlam but was very solid outing during a time of real upheaval in the promotion, as evidenced by all the new faces that keep pouring in across the card. For now, Diesel's reign feels a bit better, thanks to being propped up by Shawn Michaels. Will it last? Time will tell.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #106

# In Your House #4: It's the End of the World As We Know It...

October 22, 1995

Winnipeg Arena

Winnipeg, Manitoba

Attendance: 10,339

Buyrate: 0.4

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler, and Jim Ross

Dark Matches:

### 1) Bob Holly beat Rad Radford

### 2) Henry Godwinn beat Sid

### 3) Bret Hart beat Isaac Yankem

### 4) Owen Hart & Yokozuna beat Savio Vega & Bam Bam Bigelow

Pay Per View:

*** Gorilla Monsoon regretfully informs the audience that due to Shawn Michaels' injuries, he will not be able to compete on tonight's show. As a result, Michaels will be forced to forfeit the Intercontinental Title to Dean Douglas. However, Douglas will have to defend the title against Razor Ramon tonight instead. ***

### 1) Hunter Hearst-Helmsley defeats Fatu with the Pedigree at 8:00

Fun Fact: Solofa Fatu Jr., a member of the famous Anoa'i Samoan wrestling family, began his wrestling career in 1985 as part of the International Wrestling promotion in Montreal. He began under the name Prince Alofa. He later was joined by his cousin Samula Anoa'i in Puerto Rico and formed the Samoan Swat Team (Samu & Fatu). The duo made their way through WCCW, the AWA and then into WCW by the late 80s, winning numerous tag team championships along the way. The team left WCW in 1990 and worked the independent scene in the US and Europe, Puerto Rico and Japan for the next couple of years. During this period, the SST would also team up with their cousin, Kokina Maximus, who would later sign with the WWF and would be sold to fans as the Japanese sumo wrestler, Yokozuna. In 1992, the team signed with the WWF and was rebranded as The Headshrinkers. From 92-94, the team would be challengers in the WWF tag team title hunt, winning the belts once. After SummerSlam in 94, Samu left the WWF to heal from injuries and Fatu was joined by the Barbarian (renamed Sione during this run) to form the New Headshrinkers, a team that only lasted until the end of 94. Fatu began a singles run in 1995, changing from the savage character he had portrayed in the SST and Headshrinkers to one that spoke English and told of his real-life growing up in the ghetto and being shot in a drive-by. During this period of time, Fatu's gimmick was one of giving back to the community and making a difference. Fatu would undergo further character changes during his run in WWF/E, so stay tuned to see the many faces of Fatu.

### Scott:

Our opener pits a worker with a new persona against an up and coming rookie. Fatu was a former Headshrinker who needed to "make a difference". It seemed like a very generic gimmick to add a babyface to the mix. I've been saying that the mid-card was in desperate need of some fresh bodies, and both these guys seem to be it. Helmsley has really worked hard throughout the summer on Raw and Superstars working his craft and slowly moving up the ladder. Western Canada is a wrestling hotbed thanks to Stu Hart's legacy so we have another crowd that will know when you're handing them a solid product or a piece of junk. We have a solid, basic opener with Helmsley using his basic heel offense to dictate the tempo. Helmsley's offense at this point in his career is pretty nondescript but with the right babyface it can be good enough to engage the audience. Helmsley does have pretty good heel heat from the crowd and his curtsies and posturing does infuriate the crowd. Fatu is a sympathetic babyface, battling back from various attacks and kicking out of the pinfall attempts. Fatu was making a big comeback and went for the super Samoa Splash, but Helmsley ducked out of the way and hit the Pedigree for the win. During the post-match interview with Lawler, Henry Godwinn chases Helmsley off with the slop bucket. That feud continues. Helmsley and Fatu worked pretty hard and it was a solid enough opener to our evening.

### JT:

And for the first time in company history we have back to back In Your House offerings with multiple months to fill between major PPVs. Coming out of September's show, we seemingly had a little shakeup at the top of the card, but as we will see shortly things ended up taking a different twist in the month leading to this show. For this outing, we head to the Great White North, visiting Manitoba for the first time in PPV history. We can also say that we are coming off two solid offerings and the WWF seemed to have bounced back a little bit with a little harder edged booking, a resharpened focus on in ring action and an influx of younger talent. We will see if that carries over into this outing. And right out of the gate, we feature one of those young talents in Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. After debuting in July, Helmsley has been rolling along, picking up wins left and right in the lower end of the card while remaining undefeated. His opponent is the recently returned Fatu, working a pretty different gimmick than when we last saw him as one half of the Headshrinkers. He now speaks English and dresses like a background dancer from New Edition and his main focus is cleaning up the streets and making a difference in downtrodden communities. It was a noble effort, I will give him that. I also though Fatu was good enough in the ring to give him a singles run like this, so I am glad they made the effort. On a recent Superstars, the prim Helmsley sprayed Fatu with some cologne, which triggered their issues. Helmsley would try to spray Fatu again here but the Samoan slugged him and beat him around the ring off the bell, not even giving the Blueblood a moment to take his coat and shirt off. The crowd was fired up and counting along with Fatu as he clubbed away and knocked Helmsley to the floor. Back inside, Helmsley tried to fire back but when he attacked Fatu's head, it backfired, natch. I mean, Vince did note that Fatu "has a really hard head" so there you go. Helmsley would finally duck a charge, causing Fatu to get tangled and hung in between the ropes. Helmsley was aggressive and hammered away at him and then dumped Fatu with a piledriver. He kept pouring on the offense, burying a knee to the midsection and continuously going for pin covers, which was a nice touch. Helmsley worked a chinlock for a bit before clocking Fatu with a clothesline for another near fall. Fatu rebounded and was able to whip Helmsley into the ropes but he ducked and gave the Blueblood an opening for the Pedigree, which he was then able to counter. The crowd was rallying as Fatu cracked Helmsley with a side kick and planted him with a backbreaker, capped with a headbutt off the middle rope for a two count. These guys are putting together a decent little match. Basic, but effective. Fatu crunched Helmsley with a bulldog and then headed to the top rope but Helmsley avoided his splash and drilled the Pedigree for the victory. That was perfectly acceptable wrestling and some fans in the front few rows were really pumped that Helmsley grabbed that win. This is a good role for Fatu because he is good at selling and has enough offense to make strong comebacks. Having him put over guys on their way up made perfect sense. Helmsley remains undefeated and then rips Fatu's hygiene in a post match chat with the King. Unfortunately for him, Henry Godwinn showed up and tried to slop him, but he was able to hide behind Lawler and then scoot off unscathed.

### 2) Smokin' Gunns defeat 1-2-3 Kid & Razor Ramon to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Billy Gunn pins Kid with a roll-up at 12:44

Fun Fact: Leading into this match, the Kid and Razor were definitely not on the same page as a team. On the 10/2 episode of Action Zone, the two faced off on each other. Razor won the match, but Kid demanded that the match continue. Ramon won a second time, but again Kid wanted the match to continue. A third time Kid was pinned. The team finally walked away from ringside together after working out their differences...or did they?

### Scott:

This match is more about continuing the Kid/Razor storyline that an actual title defense. The Gunns were chasing Owen Hart and Yokozuna all summer, and then after the shenanigans at last month's PPV they won the titles on Raw and are back at the top of the mountain. This storyline mirrors the Bret Hart/Owen Hart storyline of late 1993/early 1994. Some jealousy between the two as Kid's tired of being Razor's "little buddy" and wants to be treated like an equal to him. After some matches and tension during Raw, and miscommunication that led to Razor's loss to Dean Douglas at last month's PPV both guys seemed to have worked out their differences and (like Owen & Bret against the Quebecers at the 1994 Royal Rumble) the best friends get a shot at the tag straps. Maybe the only difference is that the Gunns are babyfaces and the Quebecers were heels. Lawler wasn't totally defending anybody here and instead of egging Kid on to turn heel on Razor (like he did with Owen), he's just making fun of all four good guys. However, as the match is progressing Kid is doing some subtle heel maneuvers a tag match would show, like pulling the top rope down and hitting a cheap shot on the opponent on the apron. Jim Ross has joined Vince and Lawler on commentary and although he still uses his southern-style of dishing stats and histories of wrestlers (like the fact the Gunns went to college on a rodeo scholarship), his detail-oriented commentary adds a lot to this match. The match was full of energy on both sides and the crowd was really into it (mostly because of Razor's chance to win two titles on this night). In the climax, Razor hits the Razor's Edge on Billy Gunn, but Kid wants to get in the match and get the coveted pin, but instead Billy Gunn reverses the pin attempt and gets the victory. You probably could see that coming but it needed to be done. The Kid then throws a temper tantrum, attacks Billy Gunn after the match and then steals the belts. Cooler heads prevailed and everyone leaves, but you can slowly see the turn that's happening to the 1-2-3 Kid.

### JT:

In an effort to appease his little buddy and held mend some fences, Razor Ramon agreed to team up with the 1-2-3 Kid in an attempt to pick up some gold. The Smoking Gunns regained their tag team titles the night after IYH3 and are back on top of the division after some time meandering around. In a prematch promo, Ramon and Kid vow that they are on the same page, right down to their color coordinated tights. As they enter, Jim Ross ponders if Ramon is truly now focused on this match now that he has that IC Title match looming for later in the night. Kid and Billy kicked things off with a basic back and forth, with neither man gaining an advantage before both tagging out. The crowd was super hot for Ramon as he and Bart tangled up with a similar trade off of holds. The match finally got going when Kid yanked the top rope down as Bart was whipped in, sending him crashing to the floor to a rowdy reaction. That was cool, like the fans were surprised Ramon & Kid would get a little dirty first. Ramon stomped away before tagging in Kid, who cracked Bart with a jump kick and a spin wheel kick before smacking Billy on the apron. I like this angry, aggressive Kid as it plays into the story perfectly. The challengers quick tagged (Ross noted six tags at this point) and worked in a nice double team spot when Ramon hoisted Kid up and threw him into Bart with a fallaway slam. They continued to work this way, really pounding on Bart with a mix of effective strikes until Ramon ducked his head and got spiked back to the mat. As Bart mounted a comeback, we saw Dean Douglas backstage, studying the action. Both men would make tags, but Billy was more aggressive and ran right through id and Ramon. He slammed Kid hard to the mat and dropped a big leaping elbow for a near fall. Vince noted here how both teams have been aggressive and bent the rules a bit and the ref has allowed it. I agree and it has made for a really fun match. Bart hit a series of backbreakers for a near fall and after a double team, Billy missed a charge to give Kid new life. After some shenanigans behind the ref's back by Ramon and Bart, the match was effectively reset and on an even level. Ramon got the tag and pegged both champs with right hands and then dropped Billy with the Razor's Edge. Before Ramon could cover, Kid begged him for the tag and the Bad Guy obliged. Kid confidently came over and laid on top of Gunn, but Billy quickly ruled him into a crucifix pin and got the victory to retain. I really enjoyed that match. It was hard hitting, aggressive, well worked and had a strong story woven in. The crowd loved it too. After the match, Kid snapped and took out both Gunns, leading to staredown between all four men. Vince really laid into Kid here, saying he blew his chance and shouldn't be angry at the Gunns. The champs retain and Kid's frustration continues to grow while Ramon has other business to now focus on.

### 3) Goldust defeats Marty Jannetty with a gourdbuster at 11:14

Fun Fact I: Dustin Runnels' wrestling career began in September 1988 in Championship Wrestling of Florida, based out of Tampa. In just over eight months, Dustin captured the Florida Heavyweight Championship for his first title reign, which lasted one month. He also moved around to WCW and Memphis in the first couple of years of his career. In late 1990, Dustin signed on with the WWF where he wrestled under the name Dustin Rhodes. His father, Dusty, was in the Federation as well and the two tagged together at the 1991 Royal Rumble. Dustin's run in the WWF was short as he and his father both left the promotion shortly after this event. Dustin moved back to wrestling with the WCW where he had a four year run into 1995. During his time in WCW, he held the World Tag Team Championship with Barry Windham and the US title, however he was still in the shadow of his father, who was also with the company. In early 1995, he was fired from WCW because he and Blacktop Bully (Barry Darsow a/k/a Smash) both bladed during their "King of the Road" match at Uncensored (wrestling in the back of a moving flatbed truck). At this time, both WCW and WWF were trying to avoid blood on camera. Blading was against company policy, so they were both fired. When Dustin signed back on with the WWF, he was presented with a new character that was vastly different from what he has portrayed in the past. In fact, it was different from any character anyone had portrayed before. McMahon presented Dustin with the role of an androgynous character who dressed in a gold body suit and gold face paint, similar to an Academy award statue. He intentionally played mind games with other wrestlers through blatant sexual advances. The character was quite edgy for the time. The first Goldust vignette was on the July 24 edition of Raw. He wrestled a dark match at the IYH 3 PPV with Bob Holly, but this would be his debut television match. Shortly afterward, he would begin a program with Razor Ramon as his first feud in the Federation.

Fun Fact II: Marty Jannetty had just made yet another return to the company, as he had been gone since early 1994. He would stay a singles competitor until January before picking up a new tag team partner.

### Scott:

We have one of the most anticipated debuts in quite some time. Mostly because everyone knows who the person playing the character is, it's just a question of how this person executes the gimmick and if he puts it over. Dustin Rhodes, for the majority of his career, worked as "The Natural" and wrestled like his dad, Dusty Rhodes. Lots of elbows and clotheslines and cowboy boots. Now he has to bring a special something to this character or else it will go the way of Phantasio earlier in the year. Remember Phantasio? You're not the only one who doesn't. His opponent has bounced around the business since his feud with former tag team partner Shawn Michaels in 1993, then briefly being tag team champions in 1994. Ross actually acknowledges his "personal demons" on commentary as Marty comes to the ring. Goldust's entrance has incredible pomp and circumstance to it, concluding with gold confetti coming from the rafters. The "Ziggy Stardust" aspect of the character really doesn't come out here until Vince says this Goldust is "androgynous". I'm perplexed why Vince would say that since Dustin doesn't take the character down that road for a few months. I mentioned cowboy boots earlier, and looking closer Goldust's boots actually look close to gold cowboy boots. I never noticed that before. The match itself is pretty basic and Goldust's offense is Dustin Rhodes with face paint. That's fine with me as I always thought Dustin was a great worker who could go with anybody in any type of match. Jannetty tries to make the big comeback but in the end Marty is cut off by a boot to the face after trying a fist drop for the second time. Goldust hits what looks like a modified gourdbuster for the win. The match itself was pretty average but the character is fascinating and one that Vince can really push the envelope with, which during this creative time probably isn't a bad thing.

### JT:

So, we have some stuff to discuss here. Marty Jannetty is back on the scene after having been turfed in early 1994. He was (relatively) cleaned back up and ready for another run through the midcard. And I liked the move a lot, just like Fatu, he was worth slotting into a role like this. His opponent is...interesting. Back in March, Dustin Rhodes was fired from WCW for blading without permission. The WWF scooped him up and decided to give him a whole new look to sever the ties to his family name, giving him a chance to make it out on his own. The gimmick was very, very unique and different than you would usually see in the company. An avid and obsessive movie lover and Hollywood star, Goldust was decked out in golden tights, facepaint, robe and a long, flowing wig. He moved methodically, constantly spoke in movie quotes and acted ambiguously and early reports about the gimmick assumed he wrestled with the wig on, which would have been interesting to say the least. He really took his time as he shimmied to the ring and out of his robe and wig while gold glitter fell all around him. His infamous thumping theme song echoed throughout the arena as the crowd sat in stunned silence. As soon as the lights came up, his charged Jannetty but the Rocker dodged him and hammered away. Jannetty knocked him to the floor as Ross noted Marty's best offense is the hit and run style. Goldust started stalling a bit, avoiding all contact and meandering around on the floor to boos. Marty continued to keep Goldust off balance, taking him over with a head scissors, but each time Goldust popped up and shoved or smacked Marty, trying to bait him into losing his cool. After more of that hit and run offense, Goldust finally stopped Marty cold with a big clothesline. The crowd still seemed a bit unsure as Goldust went to work, dropping a forearm to the chest before hooking a chinlock. It is interesting that they went this route instead of a squash for Goldust's first big match. A slow match with restholds and equal offense made him look a bit weaker than he should have out of the gate. Goldust continued to use his punches before dumping Marty outside, where he followed and rammed the Rocker into the steps. Marty turned the ride out there, using the steps as well but Goldust shoved him hard into the ring post to cut that short.

Goldust would take Marty back into the ring with a suplex and go back to the chinlock as Vince notes that there is a 100 year old woman in attendance tonight. After surviving multiple near falls, Jannetty was able to catch the bizarre one with a Rocker Dropper but Goldust avoided the top rope fist drop. Jannetty maintained control and again tried to come off the top rope, but this time Goldust caught him with a boot to the face and then finished him off with a gourdbuster. So, Goldust wins his first match and it was hard fought and worked fine, but it dragged on too long and Marty got far too much offense in while Goldust's mainly consisted of chinlocks. The presence and aura is there but the rest of the package is still a bit rough around the edges. Goldust saunters to the back and for now we say...welp, see you later (Dumb & Dumber, 1994).

### 4) Mabel and Yokozuna wrestle to a double countout at 5:12

Fun Fact: Gorilla Monsoon forced these two to fight after they crushed the Undertaker's face on the 10/9 Raw. In the match, Davey Boy Smith, Owen Hart, & Yokozuna defeated Diesel, Shawn Michaels, & the Undertaker. After the match, Diesel, Michaels, and Taker suffered a brutal beat down by their opponents, as well as King Mabel and Dean Douglas who joined in. As the brawl continued, the Undertaker sustained a broken eye socket at the hands of King Mabel which took him out of action for two months. The heat here also stems back to a Raw in September where MOM and Yoko & Owen battled over the tag belts on back to back weeks. Undertaker and Mabel were slated to battle here before the injury occurred.

### Scott:

This was an audible called by Gorilla Monsoon after Undertaker's orbital bone was broken during the heel beatdown on RAW a couple weeks ago. So two big time heels (and we mean BIG time) meet here to fill the PPV slot. I really don't know what you can really make of this match. Two big mammoth guys with almost no workrate, but I will always give the nod to Yoko because of his experience and that he is a former two-time WWF Champion. The announcers do their best with a combination of historical facts about past WWF big men to humorous quips about eating at buffets. Otherwise it's a very slow, plodding mess. The five minutes go by very slowly as both men miss move after move and the crowd is pretty quiet watching two heels battle in an unwatchable mess. Honestly it's more Mabel as he is just a trainwreck in the ring. Both men end up brawling around the ring and mercifully get counted out. This experiment (or place holder) failed and we can move on. Nothing more to see here.

### JT:

In what was originally supposed to be a King of the Ring rematch between King Mabel and Undertaker, we now have a battle of the very big men on tap. On Raw a couple weeks before this, there was a massive massacre of Diesel, Shawn Michaels and Undertaker and as part of that, Mabel accidentally busted Taker's orbital bone with a legdrop, knocking him out of action. In his place is Yokozuna and conspiracy theorist extraordinaire Jim Cornette opined that Gorilla Monsoon was hoping these two would wipe each other out to help out the fan favorites. It wasn't the worst idea in the world from a visual point of view. King Mabel's suave swaying and dancing while being carried on his sedan made me laugh, I'll admit it. We got the requisite staredown before the two behemoths started trading big right hands. After some regrouping, Mabel struck first with a big shoulder tackle that rocked the ring and got the crowd to gasp. Yoko would get knocked to the floor as Mabel has really dominating the early action. Back inside, Yoko was able to splash Mabel but missed a legdrop, followed by Mabel missing an elbow. Watching the ring shake each time they land has been cool and the crowd is buying into the spectacle as well. After a really badly missed bulldog by Mabel, Yoko again tumbled outside. This time Mabel followed him outside and all hell broke loose. Sir Mo would shove down Cornette and a moment later, Yoko lost his balance and fell on top of manager. With Yoko down and Mabel trying to catch his breath, the bell sounded to signify a double countout. Whatever. After the match, the beasts embraced in the ring, reigniting their partnership and metaphorically sticking the finger up at Monsoon. This...was...well, just about what you expected it to be.

*** Shawn Michaels had been beaten down by a group of Marines in Syracuse. There are many conflicting stories as to what happened, but here is some of the background. On October 13, Michaels, Davey Boy Smith and Sean Waltman made the trip from a house show in Binghamton, NY to Syracuse where their next live show would be the next day. The three went to Club 37 and got drunk, at which point Michaels started hitting on a girl at the club. At this point the details start getting sketchy from the numerous stories. Michaels is approached by a group of Marines, with numbers ranging from two to double digits. Regardless of which version you choose to believe, the end result is the same. Michaels ends up getting the shit kicked out of him, putting out of action and resulting in him having to forfeit the IC title. Many people claim that if Shawn was healthy enough to walk to the ring and forfeit his title, he was healthy enough to job it out. This was not the first time Shawn gave up a title, and it would not be the last. ***

*** Dok Hendrix and Gorilla Monsoon are in the ring for our next segment. Dean Douglas comes out to the ring first, arrogantly smirking and ready to become a champion. Shawn Michaels made his way out next, decked out in some abhorrent street clothes and looking much more subdued than normal. As he slowly and sadly climbed in the ring, Ross notes that Michaels was advised by the Dallas Cowboys team doctor not to compete tonight due to his concussion and other injuries sustained during the Syracuse attack. Michaels was very slow in relinquishing, so the Dean finally walked over and yanked the title away, officially making him champion. As Douglas celebrated, Michaels walked off, forlorn and dejected, his title reign officially over. ***

### 5) Razor Ramon defeats Dean Douglas to win WWF Intercontinental Title with a back suplex at 10:59

Fun Fact: This win added fuel to the 1-2-3 Kid/Razor Ramon fire. Kid was pissed that Ramon didn't care about losing the tag title match because he won the I-C Title later in the night. Kid claimed Ramon was selfish and didn't care about him.

### Scott:

Well this match ties up a myriad of loose ends. First, after the beatdown in Syracuse (or whatever happened), Shawn Michaels had to forfeit the IC title to the Dean instead of being able to properly defend it. Now many consider this a Clique tactic so that A) Shawn gets the night off, and B) doesn't actually have to job to a guy he didn't like. So Dean Douglas is the new IC champion for about eleven minutes. It would be the last time Michaels would be the IC Champion and you could say on this night his true ascent to the top begins. Now Dean must defend the title against a man trying to make history. Earlier in the night Razor Ramon failed (thanks to his partner) to win his first Tag Team Championship but now can accomplish two things: First get revenge on Douglas for the loss at IYH #3, but also to become the first four-time IC Champion. They had good chemistry in their first encounter and here it was just as solid, with Douglas adapting to being a heel champion trying to avoid any of Razor's big moves. Razor changed up the way he worked too, being more deliberate in the match with headlocks and other grappling holds. The match isn't spectacular since they were probably winging it and it definitely should have been better than it was. We do get some controversy at the end where both men's shoulders were down as well as each other's arms on their chest, but Dean's leg was underneath the rope during the count. Razor wins his fourth IC title, but Dean Douglas gets cheated. The match was fun but that ending kind of made no sense. Why would they hose a heel like Douglas? Well the title gets transferred from one Clique member to the next with Dean as nothing more than a conduit in a match. I am honestly perplexed why the match ended like that. Was that a backstage deal so the Clique could make Douglas (a vocal Clique detractor backstage) look like a schmuck? We will never know I guess. Razor Ramon is IC Champion again and we may have seen the last of a credible Dean Douglas character.

### JT:

With our new champion officially crowned, he gets very little time to celebrate the moment as Razor Ramon saunters to the ring for his second attempt at winning some gold tonight. I actually didn't mind Douglas getting handed the strap as it built up some good heat for him and he was the exact type of heel that could make it work. I think him sneaking out a cheap win here would build it up even more so, but we will see. Razor slid in the ring and went right at the Dean, smacking him with right hands and knocking the Dean to the floor to regroup. Back inside, Razor worked the arm a bit as Lawler went right to the "Ramon is an idiot" jokes in support of the Dean. Douglas was completely trapped as Ramon continued to hook the arm and wrist, in no rush to pick up the pace at all. Vince even notes that Ramon seems to not want to make any mistakes while King just assumes he is tired from his earlier bout. Douglas wriggled free but wildly charged at the challenger, who caught him and sent him flying with a fallaway slam. Ramon would clothesline the Dean to floor as the crowd erupted for the Bad Guy. Razor kept working the back now, setting up for the Edge as Douglas has gotten zero offense in at all. Weird booking for your new champion, essentially squashing him to this point, including Razor dumping water all over his head on the floor, Dean finally found an opening buy blocking an Edge with a backdrop to the floor. After a brief spurt on the floor, Dean tossed Razor inside and tried to come off the top rope, but Ramon caught him and dropped him with a chokeslam. Douglas again rebounded and tried a blind cross body but Razor rolled through for a near fall. The champ got a close two count off a dropkick, but Razor saved himself with the ropes. Ramon was definitely a bit gassed as Dean shot him into the corner. However, a moment later, Dean whiffed on a right hand and Razor took him over with a back suplex. With both men down, Ramon draped his arm over Dean. As the referee counted, Dean slid his leg under the ropes, but the ref missed it and counted to three. After some confusion, Ramon was announced as the new champion. What a debacle. The match was really sluggish and I have no clue why they thought this helped either guy. Douglas looked like a clown that couldn't land any offense in on a guy that was wrestling his second match of the night. Ramon completely dominated him and then we get the stupid finish that just adds more cloudiness to an already shaky title picture that was coming off a forfeiture. It also hurt Ramon's pop when he won as the crowd didn't seem to understand what went down. Last month's match was better and I still believe Dean should have just retained here and had a tight little run over the next month or so.

*** Bret Hart chases off Jerry Lawler and takes over on commentary for the final match, as he had already been named #1 Contender for Survivor Series. ***

### 6) British Bulldog defeats Diesel by disqualification at 18:13; Diesel retains WWF World Title

Fun Fact: Bulldog received this title match as a result of attacking and turning his back on Diesel way back in August, when he solidified his heel turn.

### Scott:

I had high hopes for this match, for a few reasons. After some real stinkers during the summer, the WWF Champion seemed rejuvenated in the ring at the previous month's PPV. The tag team main event preserved his energy and made him look cool and dominant again. Also, Bulldog is an experienced worker who could perhaps keep Diesel at bay and work to his strengths. Thirdly, it was announced that Bret Hart would face the winner of this match at Survivor Series, and Diesel has had a couple of his best matches against Bret, and we can't forget SummerSlam 1992 either, in case Bulldog happened to win this match. In fact Hart mentions the 1992 match (and the family connection) at the announce table as he chased Lawler off and sat with Ross and Vince. Early on, Bulldog tries to lower Diesel down by working on the leg. Jim Cornette involves himself often by attacking Diesel's leg on the outside of the ring. The match seems to lose its way about a third of the way in and turns into a slow, boring battle of restholds. Bulldog tries a Boston Crab as he tries to still work the legs over. Bret's doing his best to analyze the match but his dry delivery is not helping the stagnant energy the match has. I understood the strategy of the more experienced Bulldog keeping Diesel grounded but it's just not projecting to an exciting match. There's no real story being told in the ring, other than Diesel lying around and not doing much of anything. Diesel's character has always been the kind of guy who can't survive a match with long rest segments, giving or receiving. He needs to continue to make great comebacks and then get caught in a cheating predicament. Instead Bulldog's long, dull restholds and Diesel selling them like he's taking a nap just killed the crowd. Perhaps this is finally the end of the line for Diesel as champion and they are prepping for Bret to take the mantle back as champion, something he hasn't even sniffed since January. The worst thing is when Bulldog tries to put the Sharpshooter on Diesel but he fails miserably and it becomes a sloppy mess, falling all over the place. We get some shenanigans with Cornette late in the match, but Diesel's pronounced limping from the leg work earlier slows things to a crawl again. Then out of nowhere while Bulldog is outside he slaps Bret in the face. Bret throws Bulldog into the ring and starts beating on him, which leads to a merciful disqualification. This entire match is a mess and the crowd couldn't care less. Diesel and Bret start brawling as Diesel is pissed he lost the match. The crowd honestly doesn't care, and they shouldn't. We have another botched, messy main event and Vince finally realized it. Officials and babyfaces start trying to break the fight up. Bulldog is forgotten but apparently Vince didn't forget. After the match Vince allegedly lambasted Diesel at the announce table for another stinker of a main event. He should have, because it was.

### JT:

For the first time in his extensive career, the British Bulldog is slated for a WWF Title match. After turning heel on Diesel back in August, Bulldog has really gained steam and reestablished himself as a player in the company. Diesel's reign is limping along but he did get some juice back since IYH3 thanks to a stronger alignment of faces and heel at the top of the card. If he had this mix of talent back in May, maybe things would have gone differently. Bret Hart comes out to join on commentary as he would be facing the winner at Survivor Series, which was another positive development as it signaled the Hitman was finally moving out of the midcard and back into the main event scene. Again, more bolstering around the title. But was it too late? On paper, this was a good matchup and you would expect Diesel to get further back on track with it as he inches upon his one year anniversary as Champion. As Bulldog shouted at the crowd, Ross notes that some Native Canadians were bussed in from 1,000 miles away to watch the show. Poor bastards. Diesel was all over the Bulldog to start, rattling the challenger, who had attempted to attack the legs of the champ. Bulldog was able to land his first big shot in, a dropkick that sent Diesel crashing to the floor. When he landed, Diesel stumbled into the announce table, where Hart tried to assist but Diesel got pissed and pie faced the Hitman instead. As they jawed, Bulldog slid outside and cranked Diesel's knee with a chop block, severely twisting momentum for the challenger. Back inside, Bulldog locked in a leg lace, which earned Bret's approval as the Hitman noted the only way to beat the champ was to bust him down. The crowd burst into a loud "Diesel" chant as Bulldog slammed down on Diesel's knee. Bulldog shrugged off a punch and kicked Diesel to the floor, where Cornette dropped an elbow and stomped on the champ's knee, angering Hart. Back in the ring, Bulldog went right back to the same attack, mixing submission attempts with targeted strikes. That was bland, but Hart breaking down his family dynamics on commentary was interesting. Diesel would eventually hook a Boston Crab but Diesel powered out after a lengthy battle. Bulldog went right back to work though, stomping away and hooking the leg lace back on. Diesel started to figure ways out, clocking Bulldog across the head with a stiff leg, doing whatever he could to break the control. He would fend off the challenger but Bulldog booted him back down and locked in the Sharpshooter. It was a weak attempt and Hart calls him out for the sloppy application right away. Bulldog tried for a bodyslam but Diesel shifted his weight for a near fall. Bulldog then went for a powerslam but Diesel slipped out and caught him with a big boot. As Diesel rallied, the crowd heated up. Cornette ended up in the ring but he and Bulldog collided, leading to Diesel hobbling his way to slamming on Bulldog's back, knocking him to the floor. Outside the ring, Bulldog spiked Diesel into the ring post and then smacked the headset off Hart. That drew Bret into the ring, triggering a DQ finish. Eh, I guess they had to do it. Bulldog couldn't take the loss just yet and Diesel obviously wasn't going to job the strap here. Still, another non finish to a Diesel title match doesn't exactly give you warm and fuzzy feelings. It does set Bulldog up to have a claim to the title though. Diesel and Bret would brawl in the ring in a big pull apart fiasco as the show came to a fairly hot close. This was a frustrating match. It wasn't actively bad and both guys kept working and didn't get lazy despite the submission based work. The problem is the company, show and Diesel all needed something much hotter. This show was screaming for a wild main event and not a match based around leg work for 20 minutes. That was the real issue. Diesel's reign was on life support and instead of a hot, wild match, we got this. A match that was just there and completely unmemorable. If this happened earlier in the year, it may not have hurt as badly. But happening now? Not good. Bulldog's stock takes a bit of a hit but not enough to derail him. Diesel needs a miracle though. The product was picking up some steam, but like I mentioned above, was it too little, too late?

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was another show that when I started watching it I wanted to really like it, like I did with last month's show. The undercard is fun but nothing overwhelming. The matches were solid and much more hard hitting than earlier in the year, which shows Bill Watts' influence during his short tenure booking. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley keeps his heat building with another PPV win. We had a fun tag title match that was probably better than it should have been. The entire Shawn/Dean/Razor situation was a mess, and it led to a slapped together Clique squash that effectively led Shane Douglas to leave the WWE and head back to the land of Extreme. Our main event could have saved the show and given Diesel his first great main event since April, but instead we get another slow, plodding affair with interference and a strange ending with Bret Hart interfering and costing Diesel the match, leading to a brawl at the end of the show. Bulldog felt forgotten at the end, making this match feel like a placeholder more than anything else. That's kind of a raw deal for Bulldog, but he could have delivered something better and he didn't. Diesel has been champion for just under a year and it's had its highs, and most definitely its lows. Vince McMahon may feel it's time for a change and looks to an established veteran to stem the bad tides. This show is not memorable and other than the surprisingly fun tag title match, there's not much to see here.

Final Grade:

### JT:

This show started off pretty well. The opener was solid and the tag title match was really good. And then the cliff came. And then we fell off it. Goldust/Jannetty was ok on the surface but nothing worth writing home about. Mabel/Yokozuna was nothing. Ramon/Douglas was a major disappointment and exercise in poor booking. The main event was fine in a vacuum but from a big picture point of view, it was a real letdown. If they had worked a different style and had a wild brawling type war, I think we all feel a bit differently about Diesel's reign in these last few months. Since SummerSlam, it has been better and with stronger booking and talent in the main event scene, things could have been salvaged. Instead, we get a plodding, limb work based outing with a non finish. The crowd was great on this night, cheering for everything and even fighting through the slow spots to stay invested. They likely deserved more. Especially those poor natives that travelled the 1,000 miles. With the on screen product experiencing a little bounce back, we head into Survivor Series with a strong main event already locked in. Will Diesel's reign finally come to an end? Or will the Hitman once again be shuttled out of the title picture heading into 1996? See you in DC.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #108

# Survivor Series 1995: A Breath of Fresh Air

November 19, 1995

US Air Arena

Landover, Maryland

Attendance: 14,500

Buyrate: 0.57

Announcers: Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Mr. Perfect

Fun Fact I: This is the first Survivor Series to take place on a Sunday night instead of Thanksgiving eve or Thanksgiving night.

Fun Fact II: This is the last time the original Survivor Series logo would be used.

Fun Fact III: Curt Hennig, aka Mr. Perfect, was last seen in the WWF in the spring of 1994. After WrestleMania X, there were plans for a feud with Lex Luger, but Mr. Perfect's back problems ended that idea. Perfect took off a year to heal his back and collected on a large Lloyd's of London insurance policy due to the injury. This kept Perfect out of the ring, but led to him being brought back here in the role of a commentator.

Dark Match:

### The Smoking Gunns defeated the Public Enemy

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) The Body Donnas: Skip, Rad Radford, Tom Pritchard & 1-2-3 Kid defeat The Underdogs: Marty Jannetty, Hakushi, Barry Horowitz & Bob Holly

Survivor:

1-2-3 Kid

Eliminations:

Bob Holly pins Tom Pritchard with a body press in 5:39

Skip pins Bob Holly with a roll-up in 5:43

Rad Radford pins Hakushi after a kick from Kid at 8:31

Barry Horowitz pins Rad Radford with a inside cradle at 11:47

1-2-3 Kid pins Barry Horowitz after a Snap Legdrop in 12:46

Marty Jannetty pins Skip with a Top Rope Powerbomb at 15:23

1-2-3 Kid pins Marty Jannetty after Sid interferes at 19:06

Fun Fact I: 1-2-3 Kid turned heel on Razor and joined the Million Dollar Corporation on Raw the week before this show. As special referee for a Ramon/Sid match on that show, he would help Sid win the match (by reversing the Razor's Edge and executing a fast count). Kid was added to this match a day or two before the show, replacing Jean-Pierre Lafitte. It was referenced as DiBiase having purchased Lafitte's slot.

Fun Fact II: Rad Radford was the "Body Donna in training" at this point, but because he kept losing, was not made an official part of the team. Radford would do a quick face turn, but would be gone by early 1996. After leaving the WWF, he headed to Philadelphia and ECW where was able to make a mark and build up his name and resume. He would eventually make his way to WCW where he would see his biggest mainstream wrestling success. Unfortunately, just as he was starting to get hot as a lackey to the NWO, Louie was founded dead on February 15, 1998. The death was officially ruled an overdose and would be right at the start of a run of well known wrestlers dying due to drug abuse.

### Scott:

The main showpiece of this match is the freshly turned heel 1-2-3 Kid. After months on posturing and false turns, the Kid saw the light (and the money) and joined the Corporation. He turned his back on Razor Ramon and went where the grass was greener. The turn was needed for Kid to freshen up and give Razor a fresh rivalry. As for the rest of the match, Skip and Sunny need to be rebooted a bit after a shaky last few months, losing multiple times to Barry Horowitz and being lost in the shuffle. Captaining this team may give Chris Candido a new start. That new start may include one of his partners in this match: Dr. Tom Pritchard of the Heavenly Bodies. More on that in future reviews. Rad Radford, harmless mid-card heel and Bodydonna in training works hard early in this match and battles Bob Holly back and forth early on. It's awesome to see Mr. Perfect working with Vince and Jim Ross on this night, his return after being off for almost a year and a half. We haven't seen Perfect since costing Lex Luger the World Title at WrestleMania X. Watching this match I am so depressed about what happened to Hakushi. He could have been a revolutionary worker for Vince and opened up his audience to a whole new sliver of the wrestling world. Let this guy work with a myriad of different workers and maybe some of the workrate snobs that ditched the WWF in the mid-90s could have come back and perhaps given the company a different dynamic. Alas he is pinned by Rad Radford and we really never see him in anything substantial again. Radford is doing lousy push-ups per Skip's orders, then gets rolled up by Horowitz. I thought that feud wasn't percolating anymore but the announcers are hard selling it anyway. Kid eventually pins Horowitz and the former Rocker Marty Jannetty is the last of the Underdogs. In the move of the night, Jannetty and Skip are brawling on the outside, and Marty hits a sweet top rope powerbomb for the victory. Down to Marty and the Kid, you knew where this was going. Marty battles, but Kid gets the final pin and is the sole survivor, with some help of Sid on the outside. Sid is a fellow Corporation member, as the bookers are trying to rebuild this failing heel faction. A bold booking move to make Kid look this strong, but he will need a legit Razor Ramon victory to really make the switch stick. The match is fun, with a lot of good psychology and Marty's top rope powerbomb was a fun shocker.

### JT:

As we move along towards the end of another calendar year, it is once again time for Survivor Series. It has been a very interesting twelve months since Bret Hart lost the WWF Title to Bob Backlund, with turbulence up and down the card. We open the show with a nice surprise in the form of the returning Mr. Perfect. He hops into the commentary booth to add a fresh voice to the mix, which was certainly welcome. Our opener is an interesting mix of younger stars, new faces and wily veterans. It was certainly a unique blend of talent and I liked seeing a lot of these lower mid carders get to show off their stuff here. On the face side we have the recently returned Marty Jannetty, the surprisingly pushed Barry Horowitz, the freshly turned Hakushi and the ever present Bob Holly. Holly has had a nice little year in 1995, popping in and out on PPV and picking up a brief tag team title reign. Opposite the ring are Bodydonna Skip, Bodydonna in Training Rad Radford, former Heavenly Body Tom Prichard and the newly minted heel 1-2-3 Kid. Kid had finally turned on his pal Razor Ramon after months of tension and hooked up with Ted DiBiase along the way. I think it would have been a shrewd time to change up his look and maybe even his name to legitimize him as more of a threat, but it doesn't happen by this show. Still, it was a good choice and needed as he had run his course as a face in that incarnation. Seeing Holly and Horowitz almost bowl over Hakushi as they charged through the entrance was pretty funny. Perfect claims the Kid is smart for selling out to DiBiase but based on Ted's managerial resume, you have to question the decision a bit. Before the match starts, Ramon tries to bully his way to the ring but officials push him back to the locker room.

We get a hot start with Jannetty cleaning house to a big pop, again showing that he had a great connection with the fans. If only he could stay clean. Rad Radford was an interesting character. He was a career jobber that certainly had talent and was worth pushing, but the name was awful and the Bodydonna in Training gimmick was never really going to work, especially since Skip has basically been set up as a loser after jobbing to Horowitz a few times. Hakushi is still great as he floats around the ring and shows off some good selling that we haven't gotten to see a lot of. After eating a nice spinebuster from Radford, Hakushi kicked out of a Kid pin cover after a big splash off the top. I enjoyed seeing Prichard get a chance to shine here as well. With Jimmy Del Ray gone, he was on his own and it was good to see him not get lost in the shuffle immediately. His outing here is very brief, though, as Holly eliminates him with a body press. And poor Holly didn't even get to celebrate as Skip rolls him right up for the elimination to even things up. Perfect already is bringing in some solid analysis, a welcome treat to the ears. Hakushi and Skip had some solid chemistry, putting on a smooth back and forth clinic. Skip's stooging act did grow old quickly though. Made him seem minor league at times and was counter productive when he would do it after a strong work sequence. Kid was aggressive every time he hit the ring and you could tell he was working to make the best of this opportunity. Hakushi made a strong comeback on the Kid and the crowd was all fired up during this SummerSlam rematch. As the Angel missed a top rope splash, we saw an angry Ramon watching the match in the back. Kid would trip up Hakushi from the apron, allowing Radford to cover and sadly eliminate him. Such wasted potential, he has deserved so much more than he has gotten here in 1995. Horowitz checked in next and the crowd was chanting his name, but Kid and Radford doubled up on him and immediately had him on the mat. Horowitz was still positioned as a lucky underdog, and I wonder how far he could have gotten if they started pushing him as a legit contender in some way. He had the skill and the crowds liked him a lot. The pounding continued and eventually Radford had him beat, but Skip kept telling his protege to pick him up and punish him some more. Skip really has been booked like an idiot. And just as Radford got too cocky, Horowitz rolled him up and eliminated him. For shame, Rad. Stop listening to Skip.

The Bodydonna hopped in the ring and tussled with his arch nemesis as we were down to two on two. Barry's good feelings came to quick close when Kid cracked him with a snap legdrop and eliminated him. The great DC crowd rallied hard behind Jannetty as he stepped in with Skip to kick off what was now a handicap match. Marty stayed hot, slamming Skip down with the Rocker Dropper, leading to the first great line of the night from Perfect when he said "that'll break your neck." Rough dig there. Skip would tangle with Marty up top, setting up for his hurricanrana, but Jannetty blocked it and spiked him with a powerbomb off the top to draw the sides even. That was a great spot. Kid immediately crashed into the ring and cut a great pace, taking the fight right to Jannetty with crisp offense. This heel turn has really lit a fire for him. The former tag team champions traded offense, with Kid whiffing on a top rope senton and Marty grabbed a near fall before Sid sauntered out to the ring to back up his new stablemate. Jannetty kept pouring it on, hitting the Rocker Dropper but was unable to put the Kid away. Dibbles would hop on the apron to distract the ref, allowing Sid to grab Jannetty and snap him across the top rope, handing Kid the victory. As Kid and Sid celebrated, we cut backstage to see Ramon tearing apart the locker room. I really enjoyed that match. The pacing was fantastic and non stop and we got to see a different mix of talent going at it. Kid as a heel was revelation and he looked great out there. Jannetty looked really good too and Skip had a nice showing when he wasn't doing stupid things. The rest of the field filled things out nicely with only Hakushi really having a disappointing outing, one that had nothing to do with him. Kid grabs the win as he continues along his renewed push.

### 2) Bertha Faye, Aja Kong, Tomoko Watanabe & Lioness Azuka defeat Alundra Blayze, Sakie Hasegawa, Kyoko Inoue & Chaparrita Asari

Survivor:

Aja Kong

Eliminations:

Alundra Blayze beat Lioness Azuka with a German Suplex at 1:42

Aja Kong beat Sakie Hasegawa with a Backdrop Suplex at 3:58

Aja Kong beat Chaparrita Asari with a Slam at 4:25

Aja Kong beat Kyoko Inoue with a Butt Drop at 5:02

Alundra Blayze beat Tomoko Watanabe with a Piledriver at 6:30

Alundra Blayze beat Bertha Faye with a Suplex at 7:11

Aja Kong beats Alundra Blayze with a Uraken at 10:01

Fun Fact I: Alundra Blayze defeated Bertha Faye on the 10/23 Raw to regain her WWF Women's Title.

Fun Fact II: Aja Kong was set to be the next heel contender to Blayze's title, as, according to WWF Magazine, they were scheduled to face off at the Royal Rumble.

Fun Fact III: Due to WWF financial problems in late 1995, Alundra Blayze was released from her contract in December. However, Blayze was still the Women's champion and still had the physical belt when she was released. She was quickly signed on by WCW and brought back in under her old character name, Madusa. When she told Eric Bischoff she still had the belt, he insisted that she bring it to Nitro on her first night. Against her better judgment, on December 18 she made her Nitro debut and dropped the title in a garbage can. The WWF would vacate the title and would suspend the women's division until 1998. Blayze was also blackballed from the WWE for nearly 20 years due to her involvement in the incident. Just recently, she was brought back into the WWE family and inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.

### Scott:

This match is bonkers from the get-go, as girls from both teams just start throwing their bodies all over the place. Chaparita Asari throws out a Sky Twister Press and what's funny is the crowd really doesn't know what to think of it. Later in the match Blayze hits a splash from the top rope to the floor on one of her opponents. Earlier in the review I talked about Vince not opening up to guys like Hakushi spreading his wings and gaining a new audience. He did do that with the women's division as this match is loaded. They bounced around like pinballs, except for the two powerhouses on the heel side. Former Women's Champion Bertha Faye, and the current Women's Champion Blayze's new rival: Aja Kong. Kong is similar to Bull Nakano except without the crazy hair. She's bigger than everyone in the ring except for Faye, but easily more skilled. Like the first match, the showcase face is alone against multiple heels but Blayze battles back to eliminate two heels (including Bertha), leaving the two big guns with Blayze and Kong. They go back and forth with some fun countermaneuvers, but in a shocking twist, Kong won the match. Perhaps the WWF was thinking about a title switch in this feud but as we see that doesn't happen. We don't see Blayze on WWF TV again until 2015 because of future events. This was one of the most entertaining Survivor matches in history because all the participants did everything possible to make it memorable. The Women's division goes on hiatus for a couple of years from here.

### JT:

Up next we harken back to the inaugural Survivor Series as we have our first women's elimination match since the surprisingly fun bout back in 1987. Here, Alundra Blayze and Bertha Faye captain teams of ladies imported from All Japan Women that were brought stateside to help flesh out the division a bit. And it was a really wise move. WCW had been starting to utilize worldwide talent, but building up a legitimate women's division was something WWF could do to set themselves apart a bit. And they really went about it the right way by bringing in some of the best competitors the world had to offer. Right away Ross was pushing Aja Kong and it was clear that she was the one of the bunch that they had some plans for. Azuka and Asari opened things up and we already got some unique action as Azuka spun her around with an giant swing, leading to a nice bridge out of the pin by Asari. Asari upped the ante right away with a great sky twister press, but Azuka stayed alive until Alundra snapped her over with a German suplex into a bridge for the elimination. Watanabe came in next but got tossed to the floor and Blayze followed with a dive off the buckles. Back inside, Hasegawa chucked Watanabe around with a series of double underhook suplexes. As the hot pace continued, Perfect got all sorts of sexist, pondering what happened to the All American woman that would cook for their husbands. Aja Kong finally made her entrance and smacked Hasegawa around until she got caught with a stiff back suplex. Hasegawa tried to come off the top but Kong kicked her in the gut on the way down and then finished her with a backdrop suplex. The young Asari came back in and Kong beat her around, squashing her with a splash off the middle rope for another elimination. Ross notes that Kong is a spokeswoman for orange juice in Japan as Inoue came in for the first time and took the fight right to the monster. Her stay was very brief as she tried a sunset flip but Kong slammed down hard on her chest to give her team a 3-on-1 advantage. Alundra showed off her strength by hoisting Watanabe up and spiking her with a piledriver to draw the odds closer. Bertha finally made her first entrance as Ross basically said she has gotten fatter by making a buffet joke. After some miscommunication, Blayze took Bertha over with a German into a bridge to even up the match at one-on-one. Blayze and Kong went back and forth and you could tell they were positioning this as their next big feud. As Kong gloated, Vince noted that she "is not the most handsome woman". That made me chuckle. Kong took control of the match and then smashed Alundra in the face with her Uraken to win the bout and establish herself as the top contender to Blayze's title. This was another really good match that hooked the crowd in thanks to the pacing and strong work. Blayze looked good hanging with the All Japan women and I liked the finish too. Sadly, the division ends here and we never get to see what this new direction could have brought us. Kong and Blayze were set to face off at the Royal Rumble but as we all know, we never get there.

*** Todd Pettengil interviews a Bill Clinton impersonator. When Bam Bam Bigelow's pyro goes off, the secret service pounces and covers the President. ***

### 3) Goldust defeats Bam Bam Bigelow with a bulldog at 8:18

Fun Fact I: This is the last match of Bam Bam Bigelow's WWF career, and his overall record 7-12. He was 1-3 at the Rumble, 1-2 at WrestleMania, 1-1 at In Your Houses, 2-2 at King of the Ring, 1-1 at SummerSlam and 1-3 at Survivor Series. Bigelow would bounce around ECW, where he would experience a career rebirth, and then he would wrestle in WCW until WCW's demise in 2001. One of his memorable feuds after this was with Taz in ECW in 1998, which included two matches where they fell through the ring and the entrance ramp. Bigelow's life would tragically end on January 19, 2007 when his body was found in his Florida home. An autopsy showed that his death was caused by toxic levels of cocaine & benzodiazepine, which is an anti-anxiety drug.

Fun Fact II: On the November 4 episode of Superstars, Bam Bam interrupted an interview of Goldust, setting up the match here.

### Scott:

After his win at IYH against Marty Jannetty, the mysterious Goldust takes on someone with a little more credibility as a singles worker. Although if you told me Bigelow would be glorified enhancement back in March, I'd think you were crazy. He main events WrestleMania and loses a stiff brawl to Lawrence Taylor, then turns babyface and could be set for a big time run. As we see that never happens and Bigelow is shunted lower down the card to forgettable. Goldust, weird getup as it may be, still wrestles like Dustin Rhodes, with lots of strikes and kicks and power moves. That psychology changes as Vince tries to experiment with the character further, which you notice as he continually calls Goldust "androgynous". That's a word probably 20% of the WWF fanbase doesn't even know but they will understand it over the coming months. The match was solid as both guys got their power shots in, with Bigelow selling a shot so much he flew uncontrollably over the top rope to the floor. Goldust doesn't hit is finisher here, probably because Bigelow is so big, so he hits his WCW standby: the bulldog for the victory. I really dug the hard hitting back and forth and kudos to Bigelow for doing the right thing and putting the new talent over. Like a few people on this show, Bigelow is gone from the WWF shortly after this show and we never see him on WWF TV again. He surfaces in ECW and his career re-blossoms again. Unfortunately, he never was able to grab the brass ring here.

### JT:

Our next matchup is a bittersweet one as it is the final WWF outing for Bam Bam Bigelow. Since his return in late 1992, Bigelow has been a solid mainstay on these PPVs and his matches always were on the higher end of the cards. He busted his ass and delivered some really fun bouts with a variety of opponents. After his big WrestleMania main event, he seemed set up for a really strong year but it just never materialized for him. Despite that, he remained quite over with the fans and always kept working hard regardless of his position. Here, he is tasked with putting over Goldust, who has already banked one PPV win over an established veteran in Marty Jannetty. The Golden One has continued to baffle fans with his bizarre persona and look and that trend occurs here during his entrance as well. And his entrance is a long one, very draw out and really built up as a bit of an event. As Goldust hammered away at Bammer, Ross mentions America OnLine, which I think is uttered for the first time on WWF PPV. A new era has arrived! Bigelow knocks Goldust to the floor, leading to some stalling as slowly makes his way back inside. Ross notes how Goldust always stays calm and collected and right on cue he cracks Bigelow with a boot to block a charge. However, Bigelow landed a dropkick to knock the enigma to the floor. This time, Goldust yanked him out and slugged away, but Bigelow sidestepped him and he punched the post. Goldust reset his control by clotheslining Bigelow out to the floor and regrouping a bit before Bammer crawled back inside. Goldust alternated a front facelock with some strikes until Bigelow cut him off with a back suplex to a pop from the crowd. However, Bigelow missed a headbutt, leading to Goldust to hook on a neck vice while Ross criticized Bigelow for being a step off. Goldust landed a big clothesline and went to a chinlock which Bigelow quickly powered out of with another back suplex. Bigelow would try for a charge but Goldust side stepped him and chucked him into the corner before hitting a bulldog for the win. Well, that was better than I remembered. If it wasn't for the multiple rest hold trips, I think this would have checked in even a tick higher. Bigelow's selling was pretty good and he worked hard to put the new guy over. Goldust also worked at a better pace than he did back in October. There was less meandering and more aggression and the bulldog finish was a good one. Goldust is working his way up the ladder and the unique character was a welcome addition for sure. We bid farewell to Bigelow as he will certainly be missed.

*** Bob Backlund shows up in the Presidential box and rants at Bill Clinton. ***

### 4) The Dead Men: Savio Vega, Henry Godwinn, Fatu & Undertaker beat The Royals: Jerry Lawler, Hunter-Hearst Helmsley, Isaac Yankem & King Mabel

Survivors:

Undertaker

Savio Vega

Henry Godwin

Fatu

Eliminations:

Undertaker beats Jerry Lawler with a Tombstone in 12:17

Undertaker beats Isaac Yankem with a Tombstone at 12:48

Undertaker beats Hunter-Hearst Helmsley with a Chokeslam at 13:33

Mabel is counted out at 14:24

Fun Fact I: Undertaker is making his return after having his face destroyed by Mabel and Yokozuna on the 10/9 Raw. He is wearing a face mask that resembles the Phantom of the Opera.

Fun Fact II: This is the third time a full team has survived in Survivor Series history. The Visionaries survived in tact in 1990 and the team of Jim Duggan, Sgt. Slaughter, El Matador & Texas Tornado pulled it off in 1991.

### Scott:

This match looks like it has a myriad of mid-card stiffs on it, but it was kind of meant to be. After Mabel crushed Undertaker's face a few weeks prior, Taker needed to recuperate a broken orbital bone, and to take advantage of that Taker comes back in a gothic and creepy "Phantom of the Opera"-type gray face mask. He's looking even more ominous than normal. This also gives him a chance to be on PPV while the rest of his team does all the heavy lifting. Across the ring, one also looks unusual but not for the right reasons. Jerry Lawler's mullet never looked worse here, more like a dead squirrel on his head. His gold tights are dreadfully tacky also. His team has a better cache of heels but they will simply be fodder for later in the match. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley continues to climb the ladder, in fact Mr. Perfect gives him a nickname during this match: Triple H. Hmmm, I think that nickname could stick. What do I know. Lawler showed off more of his wrestling skills in this match than in any of his previous PPV matches, mostly because he was working with mid-card guys that he could work over. Helmsley also worked a lot in this match to show off his skills further. Once the Deadman makes the tag, everything changes. Lawler is left in the ring, as his partners won't tag in, and one piledriver later the King is gone. Next in comes Isaac Yankem, someone Taker would be very familiar with over time. For now he's fodder and another tombstone, another elimination. Helmsley tries to run away but stuck with Henry Godwinn's slop bucket in front of him he's trapped. Taker grabs him, chokeslams him and he's gone. King Mabel is all that's left and after he hits the suplex and leg drop that crushed Taker's face originally, the Deadman sits up and the other King on the team runs off. That feud has one leg left then the Deadman needs to move on. Enough of Undertaker slogging through mid-card hell. Time to bring him back up to the main events and challenge the big guys instead of toiling with the stiffs. The match wasn't much except a great storyline advancer to show the Deadman is back and ready to kick ass.

### JT:

We continue to roll along with our next Survivor Series matchup. This entry sees the Undertaker make his return to the ring to lead his mishmashed team of midcarders as they battle King Mabel's royal court. Taker had been out of action since October when Mabel busted up his orbital bone on Raw. The Deadman is looking for payback from that attack as well as Mabel's win back at King of the Ring. The King is joined by another king, Jerry Lawler, continuing his active year on PPV. They are flanked by Isaac Yankem and Hunter Hearst-Helmsley. The rear camera view as Mabel was carried to the ring was pretty neat and imposing. Across the ring, the returning Deadman employed the services of the midcard, teaming with Savio Vega, Henry Godwinn and Fatu. In a nice touch, they were all wearing Undertaker t-shirts. In fact, there was a lot of black trim on everyone's gear and it made the match pop a bit. Taker's entrance was really cool here, with some added wind and effects escorting him out. He also has a Phantom of the Opera style mask on to protect his rehabbed orbital bone. Mabel's enormous mohawk was certainly a sight as well. Fatu and Hunter hooked back up in a rematch from October to kick the match off and Fatu got the upper hand to start. Godwinn would come in next and whip Hunter around until he tagged in Yankem. The two hosses traded blows as well as Perfect made fun of Jim Ross in a funny bit. Perfect also made history here, noting that Hunter prefers to be called "Triple H". The blueblood worked over Godwinn with precision but eventually made a mistake and got press slammed hard to the mat. A moment later, Lawler made his first entrance into the ring, looking to tussle with Savio. King's tights are abhorrent here. Fatu would tag in and thanks to a cheap shot from Yankem, he fell into a beating from the Royals. Mabel came in just as Fatu made the tag to Savio, giving us the King of the Ring rematch that nobody was clamoring for. Mabel would hit a nice overhead suplex and despite his sagging push, he still seemed to be working hard in there. I do like his baggy gold outfit, so that's something. Savio got worked over by the quick tagging Royals, even taking a piledriver from the King. Lawler hesitated before covering, allowing Vega to kick out. Hunter gave him the opening to land a shot and make the tag, but he couldn't get to the corner. Lawler came in again and hit another piledriver, but Savio bounced off the mat and desperately tagged in the Deadman to a monster pop. Lawler tried to tag out, but nobody was interested, leading to Taker destroying the King and eliminating him with a Tombstone. That was a great little sequence. Yankem came in next, but he too met the same fate. Helmsley gave it a go, but Taker wasn't interested in his act at all. The blueblood tried to escape, but Godwinn chased him back on to the apron, where Taker grabbed him and planted him with a chokeslam for the elimination. All on his own, Mabel charged into the ring and hit a belly-to-belly and legdrop, slowing the Deadman up. However, that was only momentary, as Mabel danced, Taker sat right up and freighted the King, who stumbled out of the ring and ran to the back. As Mabel was counted out, Taker chokeslammed Mo and then celebrated with his buddies. That was pure domination and perfect booking. There wasn't much action to write home about, but once Taker entered the ring, the crowd went bananas and the match was really fun. Taker is back with a vengeance but hasn't gotten to completely close the book on Mabel just yet.

### 5) British Bulldog, Sid, Ahmed Johnson & Shawn Michaels defeat Owen Hart, Yokozuna, Dean Douglas & Razor Ramon

Survivors:

British Bulldog

Ahmed Johnson

Shawn Michaels

Eliminations:

Shawn Michaels beats Dean Douglas with a roll-up at 7:29

Razor Ramon pins Sid after HBK's Superkick at 16:17

Ahmed Johnson pins Owen Hart after a Tiger Bomb at 21:47

British Bulldog pins Razor Ramon after a Powerslam at 24:06

Ahmed Johnson pins Yokozuna after Michaels' Superkick at 27:22

Fun Fact I: Shawn Michaels was making his triumphant return after being injured at the hands of some Marines a month earlier. However, he would be put on the shelf again the very next night when he collapsed after an Owen Hart Enziguri, playing off the concussion he received in the bar fight. It was a very good sell-job, and from what's been said, Michaels actually spent the night in the hospital to sell the injury. Michaels would stay out of action for another two months and make another triumphant return at the Royal Rumble.

Fun Fact II: Anthony Norris played football at the University of Tennessee and was later drafted by and played for the Dallas Cowboys during the early 90s. Following football, Norris started training to be a professional wrestler under Skandor Akbar, Scott Casey and Ivan Putski. He bounced around the independent circuit before joining on with the Global Wrestling Federation in 1993 as Moadib. Vince scooped him up and rebranded him as Ahmed Johnson.

### Scott:

WWF President Gorilla Monsoon invented a concept where in essence faces mix with heels in a Survivor Series match. In 1995 that's actually a revolutionary concept. Oh sure they'll be very kayfabe and not trust each other and stuff like that but in reality this could be fun seeing heels and faces working together to win the match. They should have done something like add a money prize to it so Monsoon forces these guys to work together. Shawn Michaels has clearly moved up to real main event status and is probably in line for a huge push in 1996, captaining one of these teams. His partner is a newcomer, powerhouse Ahmed Johnson. You can tell from his in-ring work he's quite limited in his ability but a power guy like that probably will be protected in some aspects to showcase quick hit power and back to the apron. There has been some fun dynamics like Bulldog and Owen in the ring and Razor and Shawn in the ring. Incidentally I'm glad Perfect stayed on commentary here and Lawler with his bad hair didn't replace him. Perfect has been on a roll all night. Michaels is all over this ring, being both face in peril and face in comeback. The crowd (which has been hot for most of the night) is into all the tags and weird combinations. At one point Michaels tags in Sid and he and Razor have a unique looking exchange of power moves and strikes. There was a weird moment where Sid was holding Razor for Shawn to superkick him, but Shawn hits Sid instead. Then when Razor goes for the pin, Bulldog misses Razor and legdrops Sid. Whether it was an accident or intentional isn't clear but Sid gets pinned. He then powerbombs Michaels, his own partner mind you, before leaving. We get a middle part of the match where Shawn takes a pretty good beating until the hot tag to Ahmed Johnson. Ahmed pins Owen, then battles Razor, where we get an awkward moment where Razor goes to the second rope, but Ahmed sells a punch and walks around the ring aimlessly and Razor has to hop down and hit an impromptu bulldog. That wasn't planned, which tells you how green Ahmed is in the ring. Razor gets eliminated via the expected 1-2-3 Kid interference. Razor decks Kid but the distraction is enough for Bulldog to hit his power slam and eliminate him. Yokozuna is alone with Michaels, Ahmed and Bulldog but Shawn gets bludgeoned for a little bit until the hot tag to Ahmed, who slams Yoko. That was such a big deal two years ago but nobody really cares now. Michaels and Ahmed blow through their heel partner, then takes out Yokozuna to win the match. This is somewhat expected for Shawn's continued elevation and for Ahmed to make a big splash on the WWF scene. The match had some unique moments that made it special that in the WWF canon it's one of those matches you sometimes forget about but really is one that stands the test of time because of its uniqueness at the time.

### JT:

Up next is our special Wild Card match, a bout Gorilla Monsoon put together as a treat for fans. The face/heel divide was non existent here and the gimmick was that the teams were chosen at random. On one side, we had Razor Ramon teaming with his nemesis Dean Douglas and the former tag team champions,Yokozuna and Owen Hart. On the other side was Shawn Michaels and his heated rival Sid, joined by British Bulldog and newcomer Ahmed Johnson. Johnson was hyped in the weeks leading up and him being tossed into the mix with the other upper mid carders was a sign of where on the card they viewed him slotting in. Outside of Taker, Bet and Diesel, this grouping really was the top guys just under that main event line, so tossing them into the mix in one match was a nice touch. Before the match, we got a little shit stirring by Todd Pettengil, hinting that Jim Cornette was playing both sides. However, Cornette vowed his allegiance to the Bulldog and he does accompany him here. It was a shrewd decision as it was already announced that the Bulldog would face the WWF Champion at the next IYH. Ahmed had a hell of a look and intensity to match and you can see why they liked him and saw dollar signs as soon as he marched out to the ring. In the least surprising moment of the night, Michaels gets a monster pop and screams "superstar" as he dances to the ring, much to the bitter anger of his old nemesis Mr. Perfect. Of course, this was Shawn's first match back since the Syracuse incident, so the crowd was extra hot for him. Michaels would open the bout, going at it with Owen Hart in what was a dream match on paper. The two would spill outside, where Michaels swatted Cornette with his tennis racket before chucking Owen back inside. Hart would hit a belly-to-belly and tag in Douglas, giving us the match we were robbed of in Winnipeg. In a good bit of psychology, Douglas targeted the head of Michaels, playing off the concussion. Michaels came back with a moonsault before tagging in Johnson for his in ring debut. He was on fire early, mowing through Douglas and Hart before failing to slam Yoko, leading to him falling into trouble. It was neat seeing Ramon get to heel it up a bit, landing shots in on Johnson from the apron. Ahmed would catch the Dean with a powerslam and tag Michaels back in, giving his team the advantage back. However, things got salty when Ramon and Douglas' bad blood seeped through and Ramon slugged him in the face, allowing Michaels to roll him up and eliminate him. Another weak showing for Douglas as he limps towards the end of his run.

Bulldog and Owen would reset things, putting on a fun few moments until Michaels and Ramon were both tagged in, setting up a SummerSlam rematch. They would trade some bombs with Michaels mainly controlling, but Ramon would catch him and drop him hard with the Edge, with Michaels only saved by Ahmed diving in the ring. I love that they had Razor struggle with the hold but still land it early on in the match like that. Made the stakes feel heavier. Michaels was rocked but still able to tag in Sid, who took his time laying some boots into Ramon, picking up where he left off on Raw. Ramon is getting a lot of ring time in the middle of this match and it enhanced things to allow for some heat to be built up. Sid looked pretty good here too, crunching Ramon with a one handed chokeslam. This may be the best he has looked in this whole run. In a funny spot, Michaels came in and accidentally superkicked Sid and then shrugged and walked off. Then, when Razor was covering, Bulldog ran in and tried to break up the cover with a legdrop, but Razor tucked his head and he drilled Sid instead. Then the ref counted again and Sid was eliminated. Odd sequence but it was entertaining. An angry Sid stuck around after the bell and powerbombed Michaels before stalking off. Owen sprinted in and picked apart Shawn, targeting the now injured back, thanks to Ramon and Sid. Yoko assisted as well, locking in his nerve hold, a move that somehow looks even lazier than it used to. Michaels would dodge a flying headbutt from Owen and tag in Ahmed, who cleaned house before planting Owen with a tigerbomb for the elimination. As Michaels tried to recover on the floor, Bulldog busted up a cover by Ramon after he hit Ahmed with the Edge. There have been some sloppy transitions in this match, including that one. As Ramon took Bulldog over with a fallaway slam, Kid, Sid and DiBiase marched down the aisle and parked at ringside. Kid would hook Ramon's leg as he hit the ropes and that momentary distraction allowed Bulldog to hit a powerslam for the pinfall, leaving Yoko all alone.

Michaels would end up back in the ring, but Yoko mauled him, dropping a big leg and then dragging him to the corner. Things went awry quickly when Shawn dodged the Banzai Drop and tagged in Ahmed, who promptly slammed Yoko. Bulldog would turn on his team and save Yoko, but after Ahmed and Shawn clotheslined him out of the ring, Yoko ate some sweet chin music. Ahmed then crashed onto the giant with a wild big splash, giving his team the win. And in a funny spot, Bulldog came back and celebrated the victory. This was a pretty fun match with lots of unique spots and a neat flow due to the mixing of sides. However, there was also some sloppy moments and transitions that made things awkward at times. There were also some slow spots, something that is unacceptable considering the multitude of talent available. I thought Razor actually looked the strongest and also enjoyed all the work on Michaels' back, who sold like a champ as always. All in all this was fun, but nothing long lasting or memorable, outside of Johnson's debut.

### 6) Bret Hart defeats Diesel to win WWF World Title with a small package at 24:49

Fun Fact I: This match features the first broken table spot in WWF PPV history.

Fun Fact II: One month earlier at In Your House 4, Bret was a guest commentator during Diesel's match with the British Bulldog. Bret interfered at the end of the match, attacking Bulldog and causing Diesel to be disqualified. This pissed Diesel off, leading to an argument with Hart and eventually the two brawling with each other. On the October 30 episode of RAW, Gorilla Monsoon made the match official between the two for Survivor Series. Also, the British Bulldog had already been slated to face the winner of this at In Your House 5 in December.

### Scott:

One of the most anticipated matches in the second half of 1995. Their first two encounters (1994 King of the Ring; 1995 Royal Rumble) had different dynamics than now. The Rumble in January was a "mutual respect" thing, and that ended in an epic schmozz where about 50 guys ran in to end it in a no contest. Now with the No DQ stipulation attached to it, it opens up a myriad of booking possibilities. First no crap finish, either Diesel retains or Bret wins his third WWF Championship. But the path to getting there could be a lot of fun. Now looking back at Diesel's title run, this match encapsulates the strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are this: Diesel, even as a babyface can work a smaller guy over with his limited but impressive looking power offense. It's hard to bounce around guys like Sid and Mabel when they're just too big to easily dominate. Plus you can't have Diesel be a face in peril for 80% of the match, then recovers hits the jackknife and we go home. A guy like Bret Hart can be the one dictating the pace as a babyface by working the moves and body parts that slow a big man like Diesel down. Working on the legs and knees and keeping Big Daddy Cool grounded. British Bulldog tried that at IYH #4 but instead of selling it Diesel looked like he was taking a nap. Here he's actually selling the wear down moves and putting Bret's offense over. With the No DQ stipulation there, Bret starts getting very inventive at working the leg, such as taking a mic cord and tying it to the post, then tying Diesel's leg with it. Diesel fights Bret off but can't move, and Bret hits a nice elbow off the second rope with Diesel tied to the post. Bret's not acting like a heel either; he's just working with the rules. He then brings a chair in the ring which is of questionable babyface character. But with the World Title on the line, you take no chances. Diesel stops him at first but Bret eventually uses the chair on Diesel's back and the tied down ankle. Diesel definitely is selling the leg injury better than he ever did in the previous matches. Not to stir the pot, but on the Kliq blu-ray Kevin Nash said that they wanted Bret to join the Kliq. So clearly there was respect there for him even though he wasn't in their crew. It's funny how much Vince wants Bret to quit after every big move that Diesel hits him with. Jim Ross says this is Bret's 41st WWF PPV. I didn't think there were that many PPVs to that point. There's a great sequence where Diesel, limping on the bad leg, methodically punishing Bret with one power spot after another, but doing it so deliberately and not in a lazy way. He just looked different in this match, maybe better than the match with Shawn in Hartford back in April. Bret makes a comeback but when he goes for a plancha Diesel ducks and Bret splats on the floor. Then a moment that will stand the test of time, and change the way no DQ matches (or any match) will be booked. Bret's on the apron, but when Diesel tries to slingshot him back into the ring, instead of going into the ring Bret goes back and smashes into the Spanish announcers table. Never in WWF PPV history had a table been smashed outside the ring. Now it's commonplace, but back then that was bonkers. Bret's in the ring, limp and practically gone. Diesel, taking his time wanting to jackknife him and finish him off, takes too long. Bret Hart, ever the best at playing opossum, rolls Diesel up into a small package and steals the WWF Championship in what some call an upset. Bret wins the WWF Title for the third time but then Diesel just snaps and plows through Bret and two officials before leaving in a scowl of anger. Diesel ends up becoming more entertaining and revolutionary with his character. As for Bret, he's brought in to save the day, but for how long? This match for me is just as much a MOTY candidate as the title match as WrestleMania is.

### JT:

It has been a long, interesting year for both of these men. A year ago, Bret Hart shockingly lost his beloved WWF Title to Bob Backlund and began a twelve month stretch of frustrating aimlessness. During a time where the company badly needed draws and stars, he languished in the midcard. A year ago, Diesel was peaking, his popularity off the charts as he turned face and finally severed ties with Shawn Michaels. Days later, he defeated Backlund and kicked off a year long title run that some highs and many lows. Finally looking to have some of that long last swagger back, he ambled to the ring here to face the former champ in a very long awaited rematch from January's Royal Rumble. Adding to the intensity was the fact that this would be No Holds Barred. Setting the tone right away, Hart and Diesel both yanked off turnbuckle covers before eventually locking up. Hart went to the legs immediately but Diesel landed some big blows to the midsection to block him. Things spilled to the floor, where Diesel dropped Hart throat first on the guard rail. Where has this anger and aggression been? I feel like we last saw it back at the Rumble before Diesel's character shifted direction. The champ continued to slug away and dominate the Hitman, whipping him hard into the steel steps and taking his time in wearing him down. He then upped the ante by smashing Hart with a chair. In a nice callback, Ross reminded us that Hart used a chair on the champ back in Tampa. I don't mention it enough, but since Ross was added to the booth in the fall, the commentary has improved greatly. Back inside, Diesel manhandled the challenger, cracking him with a clothesline and taunting the fans. Hart finally got a little dirty himself as he started a comeback, going to the eyes of the big man before locking in a sleeperhold. Hart followed by attacking the legs again, looking to chop the champ down and eventually locking in the figure four. Ross again jumps in and notes Hart hooked this on three times back in January but could never keep Diesel in the center of the ring with it. Diesel would force the break and then avoid the sharpshooter by kicking Hart back into the exposed corner. That was well executed and set up so well early on.

Hart recovered quickly and wrapped Diesel's leg around the post, continuing to execute his gameplan. Bret then got a little shady as he tied Diesel's leg to the ring post with a camera cable. With the champ tethered and unable to escape, Hart smashed him with a forearm off the middle rope. Hart again went to the chair and after Diesel fended him off briefly, the Hitman struck, jamming it hard into the knee. Hart is laser focused on his title and doing whatever he can to hammer on Diesel and put him down for good. Diesel would catch Hart on the top rope and slam him off, giving him the chance to unhook the cord. He followed with a big sidewalk slam and by shooting Hart into the exposed corner again, but his injured knee prevented him from fully taking advantage. Perfect and Ross brought the stats here as Perfect notes that Hart has been in every Survivor Series and Ross informs us that this is his 41st PPV. Great stuff. Diesel would hit a snake eyes but his leg wouldn't allow him to hit a second one on the exposed buckle. Hart landed a big clothesline and followed with a bulldog, picking up near falls as Vince noted that this was a pure fight. It sure is. Diesel would get knocked to the floor but dodged a Bret dive over the top, which Ross lauds as great scouting. As Hart pulled himself on to the apron, Diesel walked over and shoved him off, sending him crashing through the Spanish announce table in a great, historical bump. The crowd loved that one. As Hart slowly made his way up, Diesel started to show some hesitation and frustration, Perfect thought it was sympathy from the champ, who limped his way back into the ring. As he stood over Hart, he really took his time, showing a little compassion and wasting some time as Perfect called him out. He finally reached down and pulled Hart up, but this time the Hitman cradled him to grab the three count and win the title. The reign is over! New champion! Diesel was pissed at himself and the world and let all his frustrations out by dropping Hart with two powerbombs and destroying a few officials. As he sneered towards the crowd, the now former champ tossed the title onto Hart and walked off. That was an instant classic. A true war and a hell of a way for Diesel's reign to come to a close. There were some slow spots here and there, but Diesel's selling was on point throughout and I loved Bret's assault of the leg. The final stretch was well done, especially the table bump into the finish. The Hitman is back on top of the mountain and even though the year is still ongoing, the idea of "1995" suddenly feels very far in the rear view mirror.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

After a stretch of mediocre PPVs, this show seems so refreshing. The matches all have something different about them that the past few shows were sorely lacking. The main event may be the MOTY, as it shows Diesel snapping out of his slump on a night where his run ends as champion. Is it better than him against Shawn at Mania, or Shawn/Razor at SummerSlam? Maybe watch all three in a row and decide for yourself. The Wild Card match was a fun combination of matchups and weird face/face and heel/heel combos. Goldust's character continues to rise, but hasn't totally hit his ceiling. When he actually engages into a new feud he really brings the psychology. This is the moment where you start to see the evolution of the roster. Nitro is a couple of months old and already a threat, meaning it was time for Vince to make some changes. One more PPV and the ups and downs year of 1995 is over. This was a fun show and one you might want to throw in to remember. It's maybe the biggest example of having to cherry pick within a year many just blanket as terrible.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Hey now! This is what we have been missing for most of 1995. After months full of milquetoast offerings and a mixed up roster of misplaced stars, we are finally looking to be back on track. The midcard is looking more robust, the lower card has a nice cache of workers and the main event scene is kicked into another gear with Bret Hart back in control of the World Title. Diesel did all he could, but his time was up. And despite how rough his title run was at times, without it, we wouldn't have had this moment. Suffering through those matches with Sid, Tatanka, Mabel and Bulldog let the frustration build and spill over to this, where Hart winning felt like he had saved the entire company. It was a great payoff. The rest of the card was really fun too, with only Goldust/Bigelow sagging things down. The survivor matches were all well worked and had storylines flowing throughout them. The crowd was really good too, as was the commentary. Mr. Perfect was a welcome addition to the team and Jim Ross has been on fire. Having the two of them on point allows Vince to go into hype mode but not be completely overbearing. The air feels much fresher and we seem to be headed in the right direction. Will it continue, though? Or is it simply a blip on the radar of a sinking ship? Time will tell. For now, we celebrate. The champ is dead. Long live the champ.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #111

# In Your House #5: Hershey Highway to Hell

December 17, 1995

Hershey Park Arena

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Attendance: 7,289

Buyrate: 0.35

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Dark Matches:

### 1) Savio Vega beat Bob Backlund

### 2) Goldust beat Duke Droese

### 3) Smokin' Gunns, Hakushi and Barry Horowitz defeated the Body Donnas, Yokozuna and Isaac Yankem

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) Razor Ramon & Marty Jannetty defeat 1-2-3 Kid & Sid after Ramon pinned Sid with a second-rope bulldog at 12:20

Fun Fact: As rumor has it, Sid and the Kid were set to win the Tag Titles from the Smokin' Gunns at the Royal Rumble but Sid left the company a couple of weeks after this show. The match was announced in WWF Magazine. Sid would be back, but disappears early in the New Year. In a shoot interview with RF Video, Sid indicated that he injured his neck in a cage match months earlier by Kevin Nash which resulted in him leaving the company in what he thought was his retirement from wrestling.

### Scott:

This is the next chapter of the year long storyline between 1-2-3 Kid and Razor Ramon. Razor has the upper hand as the IC Champion but the Kid in his first PPV as a heel was the sole survivor in the match at Survivor Series, thanks to outside interference from fellow Corporation member Sycho Sid. Sid has really fallen down the ladder after the two abysmal title matches with Diesel at the first two IYH shows. Jannetty was the recipient of the Corporate interference, thus his teaming with Razor in this encounter. Good heel work early by Kid, begging off Razor (even though he had no problem facing him when they were both faces) but then the blind tag to Sid leads to a big clothesline. It's nice to see the "other" Rocker get into the swing of things and get a multi-month storyline. Sadly it's his own demons that keep him from consistent employment. The Hershey crowd is a little quiet during the match but for the TV crowd the distraction is with Todd who's interviewing Goldust, who let's say is "impressed" with the Bad Guy. Here is when Vince decides to take the next step in the Bizarre One's character development. This is fairly cutting edge for 1995 wrestling. Many alluded to Johnny B. Badd's character in WCW but there wasn't any overt storylines pertaining to it. This is very different and very unique. As the weeks progress it gets even more risqué and controversial. The match itself is ok and the crowd does spike at times but for an old school WWF hotbed it's fairly timid. The match picks up late, and Razor doesn't try the Edge on Sid, so he bulldogs him off the top rope for the victory. The battle between Kid and Razor still goes on but now a wild card has been thrown in: Goldust.

### JT:

For the second time in WWF PPV history, we are closing out the year with a December PPV. Coming off an exciting Survivor Series and with a new torchbearer atop the company, fans were starting to get a bit more fired up for the WWF product. The fall had seen a rougher edged product seep in as the weeks went on, as the tepid, milquetoast, friendlier product was seeing its lines blurred just a bit. The in ring action had become more athletic and hard hitting and it seemed like the tide was starting to turn. This show will be a good test of whether those changes were fleeting or here to stay. In our opener, Ted DiBiase walks out his lone, remaining members of his dwindling Corporation: 1-2-3 Kid and Sid. I still believe Kid needed more of a makeover to make this heel turn really effective, but it wasn't in the cards. Pairing him with Sid was a cool touch though, because it easily set Sid back into his effective bodyguard/muscle role and Kid could play the slimy, sneaky, diminutive heel douche. Jerry Lawler even notes that DiBiase is rebuilding his Corporation around these guys. They are squaring off with the perpetually over Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon and Marty Jannetty, who were both sporting leather jackets in a sign of some unity. I am surprised they didn't have Savio Vega here with Ramon, but I guess they had Jannetty in there to look for revenge on Kid and Sid from Survivor Series. As they made their way out, we saw Goldust prowling through the crowd, seemingly applauding the Bad Guy. He would have a seat on a golden couch alongside his usher as the match got underway. Jannetty got off to a hot start on the Kid but when he tried to tag in Ramon, the Kid squirmed away and regrouped in his corner, clearly wanting no part of his old friend. The former tag team champs kept churning away, with Jannetty continuously trying to get Razor in there while Kid kept wiggling free and preventing it. Jannetty was finally able to pull it off and Kid landed a smack across Ramon's face before quickly tagging out to Sid, who crushed the Bad Guy from behind. Kid would now come into the ring, picking his spots and landing a few shots, but left the heavy lifting to Sid. A double clothesline would leave both men wiped out and eventually both tagged to their partners. Jannetty picked up where he left off, landing a nice powerslam for a two count. As Jannetty ground Kid down, Todd Pettengil caught up with Goldust, who took some time to lust over Ramon, quoting The Graduate along the way. This is certainly an interesting direction. Marty's momentum was quelled when Sid cracked him from the apron and Kid slammed into him with a spin kick. Goldust would hand Todd a golden envelope to present to Ramon as we headed back to the ring. Marty made a brief comeback, but Sid caught him coming off the top rope and hit a powerslam for a near fall. Kid and Sid worked pretty well together, both slithering over and slapping Ramon to bait him in the ring so they could double team. They kept tagging in and out and did a solid job wearing down the Rocker. This was a shrewd idea to salvage Sid, as they could pair him with a superior worker, let him hang on the apron and come in for the heat segments and big power spots. It was certainly better than having him lumber around for long singles main events. The crowd popped for the hot tag and Ramon came in slugging away, nailing both men before sending Kid to the floor with a fallaway slam. Sid would block the Razor's Edge but missed a big legdrop, giving control right back to the Bad Guy. A moment later, Ramon hit a bulldog off the middle rope for the win. Well, that was an anticlimactic finish. After the bell, Ramon tried to load Kid up for the Edge, but Sid yanked him to safety. I am fine with keeping Kid strong for the singles match, but I can't believe how easily they had Sid lose. Ramon barely even had much of a comeback segment before just finishing it off. The match was just OK, but I expected more considering the talent involved. Ramon and Jannetty get the win, but we only got a taste of Ramon and Kid, a feud that is still boiling hot.

***Jeff Jarrett makes his surprise return to the promotion before our next match and discussed his "With My Baby Tonight" gold record with Jerry Lawler and stayed ringside during the bout. He was never scheduled to wrestle. The match was supposed to be Dean Douglas vs. Ahmed Johnson however, Douglas was injured and also on his way out the door, so he claimed that he had his "graduate student" Buddy Landel ready to take his place. Trying to take a shot at Ric Flair, Landel comes out with a Flair-esque robe and even has Flair's old WWF Entrance theme playing him to the ring. After the match, Jarrett attacks Ahmed for no reason but it sets up their upcoming Royal Rumble match. ***

### 2) Ahmed Johnson defeats Buddy Landel with the Pearl River Plunge at :41

Fun Fact I: This would be the swan song for Shane "Dean" Douglas in the WWF as he would leave the Federation after this match. His WWF PPV record was 1-2. The backstage politics of the Kliq prevented any upward mobility for the former NWA world champion and was a major reason for his departure. He would quickly be back in the title picture when he returned to ECW in early 1996.

Fun Fact II: A little more background on the "faux Nature Boy." Buddy Landel has been floating around from promotion to promotion since debuting against "Cowboy" Bob Orton in 1979. Among the federations he's been in are WWC, NWA Mid-American (TN), Mid-South, NWA Georgia, Continental, USWA, Smoky Mountain, IWA, and IPWA and those were only the promotions he won titles in! He also dabbled in AWA and WCW. With Smokey Mountain Wrestling going under, Landel was one of a handful of competitors drafted up to the WWF. After this show, he would wrestle a couple of RAW matches then leave after injuring his knee after slipping on ice after a show. He'd return to the WWF in 1999 and lose to the Godfather in a dark match. After losing to HHH on TV, he'd leave the WWF again. He retired from active competition in 2001 and would pass away in 2015. His final WWF PPV record is 0-1. For an in depth review of Landel's career, be sure to check out the Exile on Badstreet episode dedicated to his life.

### Scott:

This was supposed to be Dean Douglas' spot but he was nursing a sore back, although it really didn't matter since Douglas was on the way out anyway. So in comes career territory guy Buddy Landell, coming out to Ric Flair's 1992 music, which makes sense since Landell called himself "Nature Boy". The Pearl River Powerhouse is definitely on the way up since he immediately was attached to Shawn Michaels. Jeff Jarrett is at ringside with Lawler and Vince. Lawler's rat tail mullet is terrible. Ahmed wins this match in no time at all and afterwards tries to get into Lawler's face but Jarrett whacks him with his gold record that Lawler gave him earlier for "With my Baby Tonight". The rest of the segment was worth more than the nothing match and Buddy Landell toe dip in the WWF pool ends unceremoniously. Ahmed's promo skills are...let's just say a little rough. There's really not much more to say here, other than the feud continues after the post-match beatdown.

### JT:

Well this was a bit of a mess. First, ring announcer Manny Garcia announces "Buddy Rydell" to echoes of silence. Then Jerry Lawler hops in the ring and presents the returning Jeff Jarrett with a gold record for "With My Baby Tonight". Jarrett then heads to the announce booth and Dean Douglas is introduced. He would gingerly walk to the ring and after ranting a bit, he bows out of his match with Ahmed Johnson due to injury. Then we get the official introduction for his "graduate student" Buddy Landel. Landel was a long time veteran that had carved out a really good career across the country, in various territories as well as a run in JCP. He had been having a good year in SMW before they closed up shop, so on the surface it was a nice pickup by Vince as he had a quality hand to help bolster his midcard. Unfortunately, poor Buddy tore up his knee by slipping on ice and the injury effectively ended his WWF career before it even got started. So, back to where we started, Garcia introducing "Rydell" before this all went down was even more of a messy mixup. Just give us the Fink! Garcia has had his run and not really impressed much at all. Finally, Ahmed Johnson would power walk to the ring. After getting smacked by a quickly retreating Douglas, Ahmed went right to work chucking Landel around the ring before crushing him with a spinebuster and Pearl River Plunge for the quick win. Welcome to the WWF, Buddy. After the bout, Ahmed slid to the floor and smacked Douglas with his paddle, chasing the Dean to the back and out of the WWF forever. Lawler would then interview Johnson, but while they traded barbs, Jarrett jumped Johnson and smacked him with the gold record, triggering a feud for the New Year.

*** Todd Pettengil chats with Razor Ramon about his big match with Yokozuna the next night on Raw. As he leaves, Pettengil gives Ramon the golden envelope, which Ramon reads before walking away disgusted. ***

### 3) Hunter Hearst-Helmsley defeats Henry Godwinn in a Hog Pen Match when he backdrops Godwin into the pen at 9:32

Fun Fact I: Hillbilly Jim is the guest referee for this match and would end up staying around as Godwinn's manager. He would keep that role for the next year and a half.

Fun Fact II: Helmsley and Godwinn had been locked in a feud since late summer, with the aristocrat Helmsley being disgusted by Godwinn and the slop bucket he would bring to the ring. On house shows through November and December, the two would battle in "slop bucket" matches where the loser (more often than not, Godwinn) would get slopped by the winner. The feud culminates here in the hog pen.

### Scott:

Talk about paying dues. Helmsley has slowly moved up the ladder with a couple of PPV wins and storyline development on RAW, including this feud with the Arkansas hog farmer. I really feel sorry for those who paid tickets in Hershey for this show. Walking around Hershey the air smells like delectable chocolate. Come into the arena on this night and you smell some other brown stuff. Ugh, how horrid. The point of the match is to be the first dumped into the pen, but before that the match is a lot of fun, as both men brawl in the ring and on the floor which you don't see often in that time period of WWF history. Helmsley's back is cut from being whipped into the metal pen gate, but he backdrops Godwinn into the pen to win the match. Of course to send the fans home happy Godwinn and special referee Hillbilly Jim dumps the Greenwich Blueblood into the pen. Helmsley would need a tetanus shot for having infected cuts on his back from the slop. The entire package was fun and it served its two purposes: Give Helmsley another PPV win and give the crowd something to cheer about.

### JT:

Up next is a classic feud of snobbery vs. slop. The elite Hunter Hearst-Helmsley has had his issues with the hog farmer Henry Godwinn, so it was set up for them to clash in a gimmick match here. The stipulation stated that the first person tossed into the hog pen would be deemed the loser. In a nice touch, Hillbilly Jim was brought back into the fold as the special guest referee, which was quite fitting. Helmsley was clearly on the rise as he was given an actual feud here after spending his first six months working through the lower midcard. Before the match, Godwinn tried to slop Hunter but accidentally doused the timekeeper. Back inside, Godwinn took over with strikes and a back body drop that sent the Blueblood to the floor in pain. Godwinn would eventually get Hunter tangled in the ropes and then slammed a handful of slop in his face. Hunter broke free and went to work on the big HOG, hammering away in the corner with good aggression. The match would spill to the floor and the two traded control as they stumbled to the hog pen. They have worked pretty snugly here, which is always fun to see. Hunter would whip Godwinn hard into the pen gate as the crowd started to rally HOG. In a great tease, Hunter tried for the Pedigree, but Henry blocked and back dropped Hunter, who kept his balance and stayed on the fence. In the spot of the match, he shoved Godwinn down and hit a nice elbow drop off the fence. Good on these guys to work so hard in a a gimmick match that was so goofy. Back in the ring, Godwinn hit a nice inverted wheelbarrow powerbomb as Vince questioned whether Hillbilly was unbiased out there. Godwinn dragged Hunter back to the pen, where he snapped off the Slop Drop on the mat, but both men landed hard and HOG couldn't take advantage. As both men got back up, Henry charged hard, but Hunter ducked him and dumped Godwinn into the pen for the win. After the match, Hunter got into a shoving match with Hillbilly that ended with Godwinn press slamming Hunter into the slop. And the reason that was even nastier is that we saw that Hunter had a huge gash across his back, meaning that he was now rolling around in mud and pig shit. Infection city. Poor bastard. He sure stooged it up once he was in the slop, though, so again good on him. These two worked really hard and stiff here and hit a couple of big moves leading to the finish. They could have been lazy and mailed this one in, but they showed up and got it done. And I enjoyed it much more than I expected.

### 4) Owen Hart defeats Diesel by disqualification at 4:34

Fun Fact: Diesel wanted to take out Owen Hart because Owen put Shawn Michaels on the shelf with his Enzuigiri in November. The night after losing the title at Survivor Series, Diesel dropped the Mr. Nice Guy act and began playing the tweener role. He ripped on Vince McMahon, refused to apologize and told McMahon that he was tired of kissing babies and being the corporate champion that he was forced to be. Basically, he became a face with attitude and began to resemble the Diesel of 1994 that became an underground favorite. He also vowed to only support his fans that sported his trademark black gloves.

### Scott:

After his loss at Survivor Series, the former WWF Champion has had a bit of a chip on his shoulder and for many it's a welcome change. He's beaten up faces and heels but he's still technically a babyface. He takes on Owen Hart, who is taking credit for the head injury Shawn Michaels suffered on Raw. That situation is the continuing of the Syracuse bar fight that cost Michaels his Intercontinental Title. So Diesel is defending his best friend by literally bullying and beating Owen down for four and a half straight minutes. This new attitude of Diesel's is really the way he should have acted for all of 1995 during his World Title reign, instead of a leather-clad Hulk Hogan. He gets disqualified when he had the win in hand after a Jackknife. Not satisfied with one finisher, he drops a few more on Owen and gets disqualified for it. This new Diesel is such a breath of fresh air and continues a trend on this show of things we haven't seen in this era of professional wrestling. Brawls on the floor, angry babyfaces with attitude, androgynous wrestlers? The match was a glorified squash but it does show that maybe the WWF audience can handle babyfaces with a slight edge to them and not just giggling goofs like in the Federation Era.

### JT:

Following his year long reign coming to a crashing halt at Survivor Series, Diesel finally decided to let loose and unload all the feelings he had been burying since 1995 dawned. The next night on Raw, he spewed a good amount of venom and vowed to return to the ass kicker with attitude that he was prior to winning the strap. And his first target was Owen Hart. Hart had put his buddy Shawn Michaels on the shelf on that same Raw, smacking his recently concussed head with an enziguri that sent him to the hospital. With Michaels' future unknown, Diesel wanted revenge on his assailant. The angle was really well done and Michaels even took a trip to the hospital to sell it further. It also helped reheat Hart, who had been sagging since he and Yokozuna dropped the tag straps in September. Owen was cautious right away, knowing Diesel was out for blood. As I watch this I immediately wonder why this couldn't have been a feud during Diesel's reign instead, but I digress. With the pyro smoke billowing throughout the tiny arena, Diesel rattled Owen with a sidewalk slam and then shoved him hard to the mat when Owen tried to mount him in the corner. Big Daddy Cool would clothesline the Rocket to the floor and then fetch him and pitch him right back inside. Hart mounted a comeback with a kick to the face and a missile dropkick off the top rope. He would go to work on the legs, trying to keep Diesel grounded while setting him up for the Sharpshooter. Diesel fought back to his feet but Owen took him down with the enziguri for a near fall. Odd that they had him kick out of that move, but I guess there was no concussion to go with it, Diesel kicked Owen off into the corner and then dropped him with snake eyes before slamming hard on his back as he was draped across the middle rope. Diesel followed with a big boot as the partisan crowd got loud. A moment later, Owen ate a Jackknife but Diesel gave up his pin at two. After shoving the referee and drawing a DQ, he hit a second Jackknife and then gestured that he wanted his title back. This was really weirdly booked. I don't mind the revenge story, but with Diesel dispatching Owen so easily, it almost feels like it takes away the interest when Shawn would assumedly try for it. On the other hand, you can't have Diesel lose as he gets rebuilt as a badass wrecking ball. So, why not keep them apart? Keep Owen hot for Michaels and let Diesel squash someone else instead. It looked good on paper and was a fun beating, but in the end it kind of hurt both guys.

*** Ted DiBiase comes out and harasses Savio Vega during a segment where Santa Claus and Savio were handing out gifts at ringside. As Vega reaffirms his belief in Santa at the behest of DiBiase, Claus turns on his friend and beats Vega down. DiBiase and Santa would leave together and it was later revealed that he was actually an evil version of the jolly fat man named Xanta Klaus. Xanta was portrayed by John Rechner, a Smokey Mountain Wrestling mainstay that competed as Boo Bradley and the man who would eventually become Balls Mahoney in ECW. He would wrestle a few time on Superstars, but would be gone as quickly as he came. ***

### 5) Undertaker defeats Mabel in a casket match when Undertaker puts Mabel in the casket at 6:10

Fun Fact: During a post match attack by Mabel and Yokozuna in early October, the Undertaker suffered an injury to his orbital bone. This resulted in him wearing a Phantom of the Opera style mask for a few months to protect the injury. This also played up in storyline to this match.

### Scott:

This match stems from Mabel's legdrop that crushed Taker's face and broke his orbital bone. Of all the creative/booking failures that have taken place in the annals of the WWF, elevating Mabel is probably ranked near the top of the list. He is a career tag team wrestler whose lone attribute was being really fat and can rap a little. However needing big powerhouse heels to face WWF Champion Diesel, Mabel wins the worst King of the Ring tournament ever, and then gets a WWF Title shot at SummerSlam that is quite forgettable. So finally he's being shunted down the card and during this time the final nail in your push (no pun intended) is losing to the Deadman in a feud. In what has been a dreadful year for the Deadman, having to pick apart Ted DiBiase's Corporation AGAIN (just like in 1994) he finishes it off by taking on ANOTHER big sloth that he can barely get two stars out of. The match is all Mabel so far and Mo even dumps the Deadman into the casket. However he forgets to close the casket and instead hands Mabel his crown for extra insult. Well the extra time gives the Deadman the chance to escape and the match continues. Taker's Phantom of the Opera mask is extremely cool and does add to his costume, even if his feuds are not cool and quite terrible. Eventually Taker grabs that stupid chain that Kama melted the urn into earlier in the year, dumps Mabel into the casket and ends this debacle once and for all. I'm sure Undertaker was getting frustrated that he wasn't getting any real respect from the company and was nothing more than mid-card fill for all the talentless hacks on the heel side. Rumors were he was ready to quit the company if he wasn't saved from this creative black hole. The Deadman makes a gesture that he wants a WWF Title shot, and next month he gets a crumb thrown at him, so we will see what goes from there. This is (with most Mabel matches) quite forgettable.

### JT:

The feud that keeps on giving arrives just in time for the holidays. Of course, it was Mabel that defeated Undertaker at King of the Ring and also busted his eye socket in a massive beatdown on Raw. At Survivor Series, Taker's team picked up a clean sweep win when Mabel ran away. The King vowed he wasn't afraid but all the evidence pointed to the contrary. Mabel was still carried down on his sedan as Sir Mo wheeled a casket down out in front of him. Mabel was still rocking the massive mohawk and swank golden parachute pants but it didn't matter as he was about cooked. Undertaker's entrance was great as it chilled the Hershey Arena and got the fans fired up. The Phantom face mask absolutely helped add to the chilly feelings he brought with him as well. Mabel tried to jump Taker off the bell but the Deadman shrugged him off and poured it on in the corner. Mabel caught him with a sidewalk slam and clothesline but Taker sat right up both times. He also sat up right as Mabel came flying off the middle rope with a splash attempt. Taker landed a couple of clotheslines but Mabel squished him with a belly-to-belly and then dropped a leg across his chest. Taker tried to sit up, as he was willed by the fans, but he couldn't do it. Mabel followed with a splash and I am actually digging the heavy impact offense in this one. For some reason, Mabel's usual spots seem a lot rougher this go around. Mo would get involved, picking Taker up on his shoulder and dumping him in the casket, but instead of slamming the door, he instead brought Mabel his crown. Mabel finally strutted over but by the time he got there, Taker got his hand up and blocked the door. Weird that they basically gave Mabel a visual win there. Taker came right at Mabel, dropping him with a chokeslam and then chucking him in the casket. Mo made the save, but Taker ran right through him, dropping him with a chokeslam and tossing him into the box as well. He would then reach in and retrieve Mo's golden chain (which had been created from the remnants of his urn), slam the door, win the match and officially bury Mabel's push once and for all. The match actually had some energy behind it and Taker is undoubtedly ready for something much bigger after another year navigating the midcard waters. He was over and they needed another high level star at the top of the card. It was time to reestablish the Deadman.

### 6) Bret Hart defeats British Bulldog to retain WWF World Title with a La Magistral at 21:04

Fun Fact I: During the match Vince said he was handed a note stating that the Undertaker would face the winner of this match for the title at the Royal Rumble. After the match in the locker room, Gorilla Monsoon confirmed that it will indeed be Bret Hart defending the World Title against Undertaker. This would piss off Diesel and make him even angrier and out for more revenge.

Fun Fact II: Bret Hart purposely broke company policy by blading in this match. He would later convince Vince McMahon and others that it was accidental from when he hit the ring steps, but it was later revealed to be from a blade. It was the first blade job on WWF PPV since 1992.

### Scott:

Getting back to the bookers, anything involving the Hart Family is easy storytelling and we return to a feud dating back three years. At SummerSlam 1992, British Bulldog defeated Bret Hart to win the Intercontinental Title. Back then there was some tension involved but in the end there were hugs and kisses. Besides Bret would win the WWF Title a month and a half later anyway. Fast forward three years and things are very different. Bret is now WWF Champion after the epic win last month over Diesel but Bulldog is a full blown heel, managed by Jim Cornette, who feels he was screwed out of the title two months earlier at IYH #4 against Diesel. That was a tough match to watch but this time you know there will be great chemistry and energy it will be ten times better than most of Diesel's title defenses. The match is a basic formula that is executed perfectly; Bulldog delivers a combination of power moves (ones he couldn't do to Diesel) and grinding grappling moves like headlocks that Bret will sell and attempt to squirm out of. I like that Bulldog is wearing his SummerSlam 1992 tights, which was pointed out by rat tail Lawler. Bret is a fantastic seller and Bulldog is pummeling him throughout the first half of the match, and he even blades after a shot to the ring post. That apparently was not allowed but Bret wanted to make this a big time title match so he tells Vince it was a "hardway" bust. See, Bret can pull some cards when he needs to. Vince wants Bret to quit or for the referee to stop the match. These two guys know how to work well together and tell the story, as Bret just sells better than Diesel does which was one of Big Daddy Cool's liabilities during his title run. Bret's bloody face is selling this beating perfectly and the fact Bulldog isn't as jacked and bloated as he was in 1992 makes this to me better than that first match at Wembley. Many give that match five stars, but it's not better than this match. Bret had to do pretty much all the heavy lifting in that match, whereas Bulldog and Bret are doing pretty much equal work here. Bret's bleeding adds another aspect of the business we haven't seen in a while as the area around the ring is full of Bret's blood. Even with the No-DQ matches and cage matches we've had in the past few years we haven't had any blood in any of them. The last five minutes is a back and forth battle with strike after strike and blood staining everything, including a Bulldog powerslam on the floor, until Bret wins with a roll up after a boot to the face. This was an incredible back and forth battle with blood and great announcing by Vince and Lawler and the crowd was hot, after not being so for most of the show. Vince announces that Bret will face the Undertaker for the WWF Title at the Royal Rumble (going back to Taker's gesture in the previous match). After the match we go backstage with Todd interviewing Taker until Diesel comes in saying he's next in line for the title shot. The two big men go nose to nose as we go off the air. It looks like we have some fresh feuds brewing in the WWF as 1995 comes to an end.

### JT:

If you think of the last three months of 1995 as a round robin tournament, then the two undefeated members still remain here, facing off in one last battle for the WWF Title. The Bulldog beat Diesel by DQ at IYH4 and Bret Hart knocked off Big Daddy Cool for the strap at Survivor Series. Now, the two brothers-in-law square off to close things out. Before the match, we hear from Diana Smith, who makes it clear that she is not torn now like she was back in 1992. This time, she is firmly behind her husband in his quest to become champion. Hart was desperate to have a good match with Bulldog to prove the WWF brass made the right decision and also do something Diesel couldn't do back in October. Right away, Lawler notes that Bulldog is wearing the same trunks he wore in Wembley Stadium when he bested the Hitman for the IC title. They would trade holds early, with Hart going to work on the arm. Diana rooted her husband on from ringside as Bulldog buried a knee into Hart's gut and then hooked him in the Tree of Woe. After stomping away at him, Bulldog hooked in a chinlock to regroup before squashing Hart with a crucifx slam. The crowd actually started a brief "ECW" chant but it quickly died off. While Bulldog worked the hold a second time, McMahon informed the viewers that Gorilla Monsoon deemed the Undertaker would face the WWF Champion at the Royal Rumble. There ya go! Hart started to make a comeback but Bulldog shot him hard into the corner sternum-first for a near fall. Bulldog again went to a hold, this time the side headlock, as the crowd tried to rally the champ. Hart broke free and rallied, rapidly attacking the midsection of Smith before riding him down with a bulldog for a two count. He followed that with a super stiff piledriver for another near fall. That looked like it hurt. Ouch. Hart kept pouring it on and it looked like he was closing in on a successful title defense when he set up for a superplex, but Bulldog blocked it and crotched the Hitman hard across the top rope. Hart bounced to the floor and Smith followed him out, knocking him hard into the ring steps. And now, as the saying goes, business picked up. When Bulldog yanked Hart up, he was gushing blood from a cut atop his head, the first blade job since WrestleMania VIII.

And it was a nasty one. As the juice poured from Hart's skull, Bulldog rattled him with a headbut and slug him hard into the buckles again. Bulldog then dragged him and crumpled him with a nasty piledriver of his own. Stiff city. As Bulldog hit a suplex and slam for a pair of near falls, Vince implored the cameramen to stay away from any closeups and wondered if the match should be stopped. Bulldog flipped Hart into a surfboard, but Hart was almost able to reverse it to the Sharpshooter, leading to a compete break. A beat later, Bulldog shoulderblocked Hart hard to the floor but when he tried to suplex the Hitman back inside, Hart floated over and got a German suplex for a near fall. Diana continued to look on as the two men wrecked each other with simultaneous clotheslines. The crowd cheer Hart on as both men slowly climbed to their feet. Bulldog got up first and tried to charge, but Hart ducked him and sent him up and over to the floor hard. The champ followed with a place and then hammered away at his brother-in-law with hard right hands. He tried to follow up with a springboard splash, but Bulldog caught him and planted him hard on the floor with his powerslam. This match is so stiff, it is glorious. Bulldog would try a suplex on the exposed part of the floor, but Hart blocked it and crotched him on the guard rail. Back inside, where the mat was stained brownish-red, Hart drilled a backbreaker for a close two count. He topped that with a hard superplex that popped the crowd and led to another two count. Hart continued to dish out tight right hands and then kicked Bulldog hard on the face to block a charge. A moment later, he rolled Bulldog over with a La Magistral cradle and picked up the three count to win the bout and retain his strap. What a battle. While it lacked the raucous atmosphere from Wembley, this bout definitely matched its predecessor when it came to pure in-ring action. It was hard hitting, bloody and as stiff as it gets for this time period in the WWF. Both men went all out and from the first piledriver through the end of the bout, it really rocked and hooked the crowd in. It easily lapped the Diesel/Bulldog match and nearly rivaled Diesel/Hart. For this night at least, it looks like the WWF made the right move with the World Title.

*** We head backstage for the In Your House Extra, where Todd Pettengil talks to Undertaker and Paul Bearer about their Royal Rumble title match. Diesel interferes and is upset that he doesn't get the next shot and claims the champion is ducking him. The show ends with the two standing face-to-face. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is an interesting show because as much as most of the card was quite forgettable (except for the title match and maybe the hog pen match) there was certain changes in the booking and development of characters that made me think that the company seemed to be turning a corner in some ways. Small corners but corners. We have an androgynous wrestler (and that word was used by Vince more than once for Goldust) making overtures towards another male wrestler. We have a stipulation match that required both men to brawl on the floor, and even thought the hog pen was a bit silly the brawling was different. We have Diesel who now is angry but still acts like a babyface, bringing a cooler demeanor to him that he really could have used during his WWF Title run instead of acting like a leather clad Federation Era guy. Then in the main event we saw blood and brawling and a much different dynamic than Bret and Bulldog's first match three years earlier. Other than the main event this show is pretty forgettable, but there some interesting nuances that show the WWF was slowly turning the corner to updating the product. Vince wanted baby steps, but as 1996 will show another entity will step forward and make him have to jump into the deep end of the creative pool.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We close out the 1995 PPV year with a one match show. Sure, the undercard had some interest and fun mixed in, but match quality wise, it was sagging quite a bit. The main event, though, more than made up for it. We also saw the continuation of a more hard hitting, aggressive style in the ring and a more series presentation (at times, anyway). We still had some goofiness, but it was more balanced out than it had been in the past. Plus, with Hart on top of the card, we are more likely to receive a high quality main event than we were for most of 1995. The booking of Diesel/Owen was confounding and the opener was certainly disappointing, but the hog pen match exceeded expectations and even the casket match was more energetic than you would expect. You can tell the pieces are there more than they were just six months ago, the question surrounding the company was whether or not they could get them assembled in time. A year ago, Diesel stood atop the promotion with all the promise in the world. Twelve months later, he is arguably in that same spot thanks to his change in attitude, but the company as a whole is in a much worse position due to his soft title reign and the sagging midcard below it. A new year is upon us, and the promise of WrestleMania season is beginning. Can the WWF finally turn it around and sustain continuous momentum? Or will we continue to ebb and flow in frustration? Bring on 1996.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #114

  Royal Rumble 1996: The Heartbreak Kid Repeats

  In Your House #6: From the Depths of Hell

  WrestleMania XII: Iron Man

# Royal Rumble 1996: The Heartbreak Kid Repeats

January 21, 1996

Selland Arena

Fresno, California

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect

Attendance: 9,600

Buyrate: 1.1

Free For All Match:

### Duke Droese beat Hunter Hearst-Helmsley by disqualification at 6:25; As a result, Droese is #30 and Helmsley is #1 in the Royal Rumble match

Fun Fact I: This was the debut of the Free for All, which was a 30 minute program preceding the actual PPV. The FFA aired on all Cable Preview Channels in addition to the actual PPV channel, thus, the show was "free for all." It was an attempt to get any last minute viewers who may be on the fence about ordering the show.

Fun Fact II: The Monday Night War was only five months old at this point, but WCW had already fired several major shots at the WWF. Vince McMahon was feeling the pressure and decided to fire a shot of his own. Starting in the first week of 1996, RAW began running parody segments called "Billionaire Ted's Wrasslin' Warroom". Caricatures of Ted Turner (Billionaire Ted), Hulk Hogan (The Huckster), Randy Savage (The Nacho Man) and Gene Okerlund (Scheme Gene) were shown in the skits, each taking shots at WCW, their tactics to run the WWF out of business, WCW's steroid policy (or lack thereof), their stealing of WWF's former stars and Turner's bottomless checkbook. The segments did little if anything to turn the tide of the war in the WWF's favor. Turner and Bischoff were highly amused by the segments, but the WCW lawyers weren't amused and threatened legal action against the WWF. Ultimately, the USA Network president Kay Koplovitz put an end to the skits with the final one airing during the preshow of WrestleMania XII.

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) Ahmed Johnson defeats Jeff Jarrett by disqualification at 6:38

Fun Fact I: This feud resulted from actions by Jeff Jarrett at the last In Your House. During an interview segment following Ahmed Johnson's win over Buddy Landel in 42 seconds, Jarrett attacked Johnson.

Fun Fact II: After this match, Jarrett disappeared from WWF TV due to a contract dispute. He would sign a one year contract with WCW by mid-1996 and would come in as a wanna-be Horsemen and foil to the fledgling NWO. He would eventually return to the Federation after his stint down South was complete.

### Scott:

We open 1996 with a matchup that stems from the shenanigans with Buddy Landel at IYH #5 and the beatdown on the Pearl River Powerhouse. This is the first opportunity for Ahmed to showcase his stuff alone on a big stage. Ahmed looks like a guy who is destined for a big push, while Jarrett is pushed down the card. I knew this match wasn't going to be great shakes as I'm sure it was booked for Ahmed to look like a beast here and take Jarrett out easily. The Fresno crowd is really hot to start as it truly feels like we've turned the corner from the creative mess that was 1995 and moving in a new direction. The arena even looks refreshed and different, compared to the darker, cheaper looking venues in 1995. We have Mr. Perfect back at the announce table with Vince McMahon which will make for a different dynamic than what we have with Vince and Jerry Lawler. The match is pretty much straightforward with punches, kicks and Ahmed's power moves. This is the beginning of a seven month stretch where Ahmed Johnson looks like a bona fide star. The match ends in a bizarre disqualification when Jarrett clocks Ahmed with the guitar off the top rope after Ahmed doesn't cave to the figure four. I don't understand why Ahmed didn't win this match clean and move on. Perhaps Jarrett wasn't planning on leaving and this feud was continuing. That seems to be the thinking because I would have Ahmed destroy him and move on. The match is fairly average and Ahmed could have looked stronger but didn't.

### JT:

Another year has arrived and with it comes another Royal Rumble event. We are finally out of 1995 and as we saw late in the year, the company seemed to have figured some stuff out. There were fresh faces, a more aggressive style, a rougher presentation and transition up and down the card. Also, the roster was really thin as cost cutting measures were in full effect, and that would be evident on this night. Our opener features one of the rising stars in the promotion, Ahmed Johnson, battling one of its prodigal sons, Jeff Jarrett. Johnson has gotten pushed hard out of the gate and with his look and charisma, it was clear he was a potential top level player. Jarrett, on the other hand, felt a bit like a relic here. He had been hot in mid-1995, having a monster night at In Your House #2, but he walked out of the promotion right after and killed all his momentum. Now he just feels like a retread. And it must have been evident to him as well, as he would leave again right after this show. Ahmed showed his energy immediately, sprinting to the ring and going right at Jarrett, who bailed to the floor. Double J would bait him back in and go to work as Vince noted Ahmed's lack of experience. However, Johnson did have plenty of power and he used it to toss Jarrett hard out of the corner and then chuck him across the ring. Even though he was still sloppy at spots, Ahmed's presence was fantastic, and I always loved how he let out a primal scream when he landed a move, whether it be a big powerslam or jumping clothesline. However, he would miss a charge and fall to the floor but his momentum was stopped by his hand getting tangled in the ropes. Jarrett kicked him loose and then sent him hard into the steps at ringside. As Jarrett laid more shots into him, Ahmed started to hulk up and shake it off, jogging in place and then catching Jarrett in a bear hug as he leapt off the top rope. Ahmed crunched Jarrett with a spinebuster and was looking to finish the bout when Jarrett rolled to the floor. Johnson then landed the spot of the match when he flew up over the top rope and careened hard into Double J to pop the crowd. He pitched Jarrett back in and tried for a pretty impressive 360 splash but Jarrett slid away and he crashed to the mat, injuring his knee in the process. Jarrett pounced and locked in the figure four and things looked grim until Ahmed powered up and forced a break of the hold. He would break a second attempt by kicking Jarrett to the floor and that is when Double J decided he had enough. He grabbed his guitar and leapt off the top rope, smashing the wood over Ahmed's head for the DQ. That match was pretty solid up until that finish and I think the crowd would have been hot for Johnson to polish him off clean. I cam see why they didn't want Jarrett to job here, but a clean win for Ahmed would have been a really strong notch in his belt. As is, this was a short, spirited affair with a blah finish.

### 2) Smoking Gunns defeat the Bodydonnas to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Bart pins Skip with a roll-up at 11:12

Fun Fact I: Due to an injury to Billy, the Gunns were forced to forfeit the titles a few weeks after this show. A tournament would be held that culminated at WrestleMania.

Fun Fact II: During a match with Rad Radford on the 1/6 Superstars, a new wrestler debuted to help Skip pick up the win. The wrestler looked like he was Skip's twin brother, as he had the same trunks and short dyed blonde hair cut. Sunny soon let us know that the man was named Zip. Zip and Skip made their on air tag team debut on the 1/20 Superstars defeating Chaz Warrington and Glen Ruth. Zip was portrayed by veteran wrestler and former Heavenly Body, Dr. Tom Pritchard.

### Scott:

The tag team division in 1995 was pretty weak, with the champions being two singles workers (Owen and Yokozuna). Skip has added Zip to his group and he and Sunny now have a tag team title contender. The Gunns were the only real consistent team in the company during the past year and a half and now they proudly carry the tag titles. It's great that the undercard of this show will be stacked with all the titles on the line to reestablish things in 1996. A theme we will highlight with all the reviews throughout the year. A great line by Perfect while Bart is chopping Zip: "Well that will rearrange your nipple." Sunny is still the fitness junkie, but she is starting to show here feminine wiles at the beginning of the show when we get the iconic "Viewer Indiscretion" disclaimer with her in the bathtub with bubbles and champagne. As the year progresses, the WWF pushes the envelope more and more with Sunny's sexuality. The match is fun as both teams really go at each other with stiff strikes and plenty of tag team maneuvers. This is what the tag division in the WWF needed at this time: Some steady actual tag teams chasing for the championships instead of combining singles wrestlers for the sake of star power. Unfortunately we won't see a huge influx of tag teams, but a few will debut throughout the year. It's a small boost but a boost nonetheless. That certainly helps Skip who had an inauspicious debut in 1995, losing to a career jobber and being busted around backstage. The Gunns retained the the titles in a fun match with a chaotic roll up, solidifying them as the top team in the company. I was thinking of a title change at this point but maybe they're going to save it for when the Bodydonnas are more established. The match was fun but the result is a bit of a head scratcher.

### JT:

Even though they were one of the showcase tag teams of 1995, the Smoking Gunns never felt like they owned the division. However, as we enter 1996, the tag team pool suddenly seems a lot more shallow and suddenly they are being presented as the dominant top dogs. Opposite them are a new team, comprised of two aimless mid card workhorses in Skip and... Zip. Skip has been in a tailspin ever since those losses to Barry Horowitz and his issues backstage with the Clique weren't helping his cause. So, it was decided to slip him into a tag team as new units were badly needed. Enter Tom Prichard. With Jimmy Del Ray gone, bringing an end to the Heavenly Bodies, Prichard was given a makeover and a renewed push as one half of the Bodydonnas. Of course, we can't forget Sunny either. As 1995 wrapped up, it was clear the company realized they had their first true sex symbol on their hands and they started to deploy her as such. Gone were the workout spandex as she is now sporting very revealing mini skirts as he attire. She also was used for sultry "Graphic Nature" tags before PPVs, as this one opened with her in a bubble bath warning of potential violence to come. It was a very welcome change for us adolescents watching the product at the time. Skip and Billy opened things up with your standard trading of offense, worked at a pretty quick pace and ending with Billy spilling to the floor as Skip ducked a charge. Perfect noted the pace as well and he certainly seems more comfortable here than he did back in November. Bart turned the tide by slinging both Skip and Zip to the floor, followed by Billy diving over the top on to both men. Bart and Zip would reset the match and after a stiff chop from Bart, Perfect noted "that will rearrange your nipple" which made me chuckle. Bart would toss Zip with a big press slam but the Boddydonna was able to make the tag. That didn't change much as the Gunns landed a double team Hart Attack. However, Sunny would get involved by hopping on the apron and eventually getting accidentally knocked off by Billy. As she writhed in pain, Billy went out to check on her and she lured him in, allowing the Donnas to jump him from behind while she hopped around celebrating. Great use of Sunny there and a key point to remember when it comes to Billy. The aerial attacks continued as this time Skip flew over the top into Billy. That is one thing I have noticed as the ring work and overall style improves, more guys are utilizing dives to the floor to add energy to their matches.

The challengers started to quick tag and use some double teams to control Billy. I like that they builtin some unique spots as a team, showing they put some effort into their unit. And it is a great team, just saddled with a gimmick that will hinder them long term sadly. A few moments later, there was an awkward collision that took out both Donnas and Billy, leading to the hot tag to Bart, who peppered both challengers with left hands. We would get a close near fall when Skip came off the top and clobbered Bart, who had been covered Zip but the champs stayed alive. Zip pitched Billy to the floor and the double teams continued but Billy recovered and tacked Skip as Bart rolled up Zip to retain the titles. This one surprised me at the time as it seemed like they really wanted to get behind the Donnas and Sunny as they kicked off their run. However, as I mentioned earlier, the Gunns are being set up as the alpha dogs so a win here makes fine sense. The match had some fun spots and they hustled but the sloppier moments and awkward finish take it down a notch.

*** We see a montage of clips of "Billionaire Ted's Rasslin' War Room" as men dressed as parodies of Ted Turner, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and Mean Gene talk about the WWF New Generation. EXPLANATION ***

### 3) Goldust defeats Razor Ramon to win WWF Intercontinental Title after interference from the 1-2-3 Kid at 14:14

Fun Fact I: A little background on Terri Runnels, aka Marlena, the Director. Terri was a makeup artist for CNN during the late 80s and early 90s, working on the set of Larry King Live. On weekends, we would do makeup for the wrestlers with Jim Crockett Promotions / WCW where her husband Dustin was working at the time. Eventually she was brought into the promotion as the manager Alexandra York. With Dustin's move to the WWF, Terri followed suit and debuted here as his manager, Marlena, a character based on actress and singer Marlene Dietrich.

Fun Fact II: Goldust began stalking Razor Ramon late in 1995. At our last event, Goldust was in the audience and watch intently as Razor came to the ring. The golden one gave a card to Todd Pettengill to give to Razor after the match. When he got the card during an interview segment later, the IC champ stormed off, angry at its contents. Over the next few weeks, Goldust would continue to stalk Ramon, watching his matches from the entranceway, bringing gold roses to Ramon and the revealing of a heart shaped tattoo on Goldust's chest with "Razor" in the heart. The two would brawl backstage on RAW the week before the Rumble.

### Scott:

Goldust's entrance early on in his career was awesome, with the dramatic music, gold lights, and gold glitter falling from the ceiling. Since his debut, Vince would make a point to keep saying that Goldust was androgynous but he never totally took that aspect of the character. Until now. This angle with the IC Champion had controversial and provocative overtones all over the place. From the gifts Razor would receive, to the double entendre messages to the tattoo of the heart on Goldust's chest with the word "RAZOR" on it. Razor apparently wasn't crazy about this storyline and frankly I'm surprised he didn't use his Clique stroke (no pun intended) to put the keybosh on it. Frankly it was a very different type of storyline for the WWF to execute during the mid-1990s. Only ECW would go that far and even they really didn't until 1997. Perfect delivers another great line when he says "Is he checking for hernias?" See Lawler couldn't deliver a line like that without going over the top. Perfect just said it like it was regular conversation. Adding to Goldust's character is a manager of sorts. She doesn't have a name but she's a gorgeous blonde in a gold dress smoking a cigar. She had her own director's chair that she would sit in during his matches. We will learn more about her as time progresses. I love the psychology early on as Razor keeps beating on Goldust and throwing him out of the ring, but it's almost working in reverse and Razor looks rattled and uncomposed early on which is what the Bizarre One is looking for here. Goldust would eventually take control and work over Razor's back. So as much as Goldust has the psychology down, he still wrestles like Dustin Rhodes when he needs to. Great moment when Goldust brings Razor to the ropes, and the mysterious manager strokes Razor's face before blowing actual gold dust in his eyes. As basic as the in-ring work has been in this match the psychology is off the charts. Finally, after the weird mind games and back work, Razor looks to finish him off but out of nowhere, in a feud we thought was over, the 1-2-3 Kid comes through the crowd and spin kicks the champion off the top rope. Three seconds later and in a stunning upset Goldust is the new Intercontinental Champion. For the second year in a row Razor drops the title at the Royal Rumble. The match was a lot of fun, because as basic as the in-ring action was the psychology and story telling so great, and the upset caps it off.

### JT:

Well, that escalated quickly. After getting his feet wet and being established as a character, Goldust was shoved hard up the ladder into a controversial feud with Razor Ramon. Ramon was not a fan of the angle and direction it went, but they forged ahead regardless. Goldust had begun to up the amorous advances of the Bad Guy, showing interest in Ramon at a sexual level, sending him gifts and dousing him with affection. The hook was whether or not he actually meant it, though. Was it just mind games to prey on Ramon's clear homophobia and machismo so he could take his title? Or was he really looking for something more? It was a pretty intricate storyline and an edgier one than they have done in a long time. It certainly generated interest as well as plenty of blowback from various groups. The WWF didn't care though because as long as it didn't hurt their gates or ratings, publicity was publicity. And the game was about to change anyway, as Goldust is led out here by a mysterious woman, seemingly playing his Director. And they even... well, touch tongues. So is Goldust a straight man playing head games? Is he more? Ramon was clearly on edge as he made his way to the ring, looking to put this all behind him and move on. He had tried it on Raw too, as he unleashed a stiff, rough beating on Goldust that ended with the Golden One getting chucked out into the snow before he escaped in a car. The challenger continued to play things up, rubbing his body and caressing Ramon at any chance he had, continuing to unnerve Ramon. Goldust really has come along quickly since late in 1995, as he seems much smoother and more comfortable in the role and is starting to really play it up now. He was also getting good at the little things, like slowly stroking the middle rope while regrouping in the corner. It all enhanced the...ahem, package. Ramon did his best to stay focused, smacking Goldust around whenever he could get a hold of him, but the challenger kept slowing the pace and going through his machinations. Although, at one point he changed his tune and cracked Ramon hard with a slap to the face. The pissed off champion went to town, clubbing Goldust down and driving him to the floor. Once he got back inside, the two went to the mat, trading some holds until Ramon unloaded again. Goldust kept bailing and killing the pace, doing all he could to force the champion into a mistake. After they repeated that sequence a few times, it finally paid off as the director was able to distract Ramon just long enough for Goldust to smash him from behind and then slam him back into the edge of the apron.

The crowd started to rally the Bad Guy as Goldust tossed him back inside and hammered him with a sledge blow off the top rope. He picked up a near fall on a bulldog and then wrenched in a brief chinlock before executing a nice slingshot back suplex for another two count. Razor tried to strike his way back in but Goldust was all over him, spiking him hard to the mat and then latching on a sleeper. Perfect wondered what may happen if the Bad Guy went to sleep and Vince backed that up. Razor got dirty and hit a low blow mule kick to bust up the hold and began to mount a comeback. He would block a hiptoss and rock the challenger with a chokeslam and began to pick up near falls. Ramon would follow with a back suplex off the top rope but the Director hopped in the ring and tied up the referee by feigning that she twisted her ankle. With the ref distracted, 1-2-3 Kid hustled into the ring and drilled Ramon with a spin kick. Goldust quickly covered and stole the win and the strap. Kid really lands a major strike in his feud with Ramon with that one and we have a brand new Intercontinental Champion. I liked this title switch. Ramon is still super over but he wasn't going anywhere as IC champ at this point so why not use it to further put Goldust over as he ascends up the ladder? I am also fine with the finish as the Kid/Ramon feud is hot and Goldust dominated enough of the match and isn't really the type of guy to need clean wins anyway. The match itself was good and hard hitting and I really enjoyed the pacing as they eschewed lengthy rest holds and kept chugging along. This is the best Goldust has looked in the ring and the light switch has certainly turned on as continues to weld the character with the ring work. Adding the Director into the mix will help keep fans and wrestlers guessing as well.

### 4) Shawn Michaels wins the Royal Rumble (58:49)

Order of entrants (Who eliminated them)

1) Triple H: Diesel

2) Henry Godwinn: Jake Roberts

3) Bob Backlund: Yokozuna

4) Jerry Lawler: Shawn Michaels

5) Bob Holly: Ringmaster

6) Mabel: Yokozuna

7) Jake Roberts: Vader

8) Dory Funk: Savio Vega

9) Yokozuna: Shawn Michaels

10) 1-2-3 Kid: Shawn Michaels

11) Takao Omori: Jake Roberts

12) Savio Vega: Vader

13) Vader: Shawn Michaels

14) Doug Gilbert: Vader

15) Squat Team Member #1: Vader

16) Squat Team Member #2: Yokozuna

17) Owen Hart: Shawn Michaels

18) Shawn Michaels: Winner

19) Hakushi: Owen Hart

20) Tatanka: Diesel

21) Aldo Montoya: Tatanka

22) Diesel: Shawn Michaels

23) Kama: Diesel

24) Ringmaster: Fatu

25) Barry Horowitz: Owen Hart

26) Fatu: Isaac Yankem

27) Isaac Yankem: Shawn Michaels

28) Marty Jannetty: British Bulldog

29) British Bulldog: Shawn Michaels

30) Duke Droese: Diesel & Kama

Longest competitor: Hunter Hearst-Helmsley (48:02)

Shortest competitor: Squat Team #2 (:24)

Most eliminated: Shawn Michaels (8)

Fun Fact I: The big return here is of course Jake "The Snake" Roberts. We last saw Jake on WWF PPV getting Tombstoned on the floor of the Hoosier Dome by the Undertaker at WrestleMania VIII. He had an abbreviated stint in WCW, battling Sting in an infamous "Coal Miner's Glove" match at Halloween Havoc 1992. He'd then head to Smoky Mountain Wrestling and in 1994 defeated Tony Anthony to win the SMW Heavyweight Title. He also would wander to Mexico and face Konnan in a "hair vs. hair" match. His actual first on-air appearance back is during the Free for All when Todd Pettingill interviews him.

Fun Fact II: As was mentioned previously, Dory Funk Jr. is making his return here to the WWF. At this time, the WCW had brought in a number of Japanese stars from New Japan Pro Wrestling that were paying off. McMahon, despite mocking the WCW and their tactics, decided that he would follow suit. He struck a deal with NJPW's competitor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and Dory Funk was brought in to serve as the liaison between the organizations. Funk is making his first WWF PPV appearance since WrestleMania II. Takao Omori was also brought in here as part of the deal. Omori was a mainstay in AJPW from 1992 until 2000. Omori rejoined AJPW in 2011 and as of this writing continues to wrestle for the promotion.

Fun Fact III: A couple of minor debuts before we get to the two big ones. Doug Gilbert is the brother of the late Eddie Gilbert and cut his teeth as the Dark Patriot in the early days of ECW. He won a royal rumble match in the USWA on January 3 to earn a spot in the Rumble. Also, we see the mysterious Squat Team show up. The Squat Team is actually the Headhunters, a tag team that would be mainstays in Puerto Rico and Japan.

Fun Fact IV: Our first big debut at this show is the Mastodon, the man they call Vader. Leon White was a standout football player at the University of Colorado. He started his wrestling career overseas in the late 80s, winning titles in the CWA and New Japan Pro Wrestling. He would venture to WCW and instantly become a nasty overpowering heel managed by Harley Race. He had a fantastic feud with and defeated Sting on July 12, 1992 to win the WCW World Title, and would battle Sting, British Bulldog, Cactus Jack and Ron Simmons over the next year over the title. After losing the title to Ric Flair at Starrcade 1993, he'd battle such foes as the Boss and Jim Duggan. He would have a feud with Hulk Hogan in 1995 and then eventually turn face in the fall. He would eventually be dismissed from WCW in late-1995 after getting into an altercation backstage with Paul Orndorff. He was set to be on Hulk Hogan's team at the 1995 Fall Brawl, but left a week or two before the show. Vignettes building up his debut begin airing as 1996 began, and his in ring debut is at the Rumble.

Fun Fact V: Steve Austin was born Steve Williams in Victoria, Texas in 1964 and he began training in Dallas under Chris Adams. He would toil in World Class briefly, then head to Memphis where he got to the finals of a tournament for the vacant USWA Southern Heavyweight Title, losing to Jeff Jarrett. He would head to WCW as "Stunning" Steve Austin where he would put a solid resume together, winning the TV Title twice, the US Title twice, and the Tag Team Titles with Brian Pillman as part of the very popular Hollywood Blondes. With Ric Flair as booker, Austin wasin consideration to be eventually be WCW Champion. Then Hulk Hogan arrived and everything changed. Austin would eventually job the US Title to Jim Duggan in late-1994. He was fired over the phone by WCW in 1995 after tearing a triceps muscle in Japan. Pissed off and sitting home, he got a call from former Dangerous Alliance head Paul Heyman. Austin headed to ECW as "Superstar" Steve Austin, cutting hysterical and memorable promos against Eric Bischoff and WCW. This caught the eye of those behind the scenes in the WWF and after convincing Vince McMahon that he was potential star, Austin was signed. On the 1/8 Raw, Ted DiBiase appeared on the Brother Love Show and announced that he had found a superstar to be his "Million Dollar Champion". He then introduced the man formerly known as Steve Austin, but now known as the Ringmaster. He makes his RAW debut on January 15, defeating a young Matt Hardy.

Fun Fact VI: This match marks the return of Tatanka, who had been off TV since the fall. Even though it is understood that he didn't play a role, Tatanka had been present during a reportedly nasty situation between Jimmy Del Ray and a female fan. Del Ray was fired as a result and Tatanka was suspended until the air had cleared. This was his first match back.

Fun Fact VII: Shawn Michaels becomes the second man to win back-to-back Rumbles. Hulk Hogan had accomplished the feat in 1990 and 1991.

Fun Fact VIII: We say goodbye on PPV to a large number of wrestlers at this event. Some were pretty much done with the WWF in 1995, but were brought back here to fill the 30 person field. Bob Backlund ends his PPV run here with a record of 1-4, his only win being for the WWF Championship at Survivor Series 94. The character Mabel ends here at 3-9, including the King of the Ring title in 1995. He had already been in hot water after injuring both Diesel and Undertaker in late 1995 and when he injured Henry Godwinn here, it sealed his fate. Hakushi says goodbye with a 1-3 record. While we will see Tatanka again many years later in the WWF, his initial PPV tenure ends here above .500 at 8-6-1. Barry Horowitz says shalome to the WWF at 1-2 in PPVs. Several wrestlers will see character changes and will be see again as the Federation gains more attitude, including Fatu, Kama and Isaac Yankem, DDS.

Fun Fact IX: This is the first Royal Rumble match to feature every competitor entering to their theme music.

Fun Fact X: The following men were at one point on the WWF's list of entrants but deals either fell through or couldn't be agreed upon: Ultimate Warrior, Sabu, Peter McNeely, Mick Foley and Dan Severn.

### Scott:

For the first time in PPV history, the Royal Rumble match is not on last. I was pretty shocked at that, and that's no disrespect to our two participants in the WWF Title match, but it's just always the way it is. The Rumble match is last. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley has to be #1 because he lost a match on the new pre-show known as the Free For All to Duke Droese. His feud with Henry Godwinn pretty much is used here as Godwinn comes in at #2. Helmsley ended the feud by winning that hog pen match at last month's PPV even though he got dumped in the pig shit afterwards. Bob Backlund comes in at #3 and honestly I forgot he was still with the company at this point but he is still a serviceable worker. Jerry Lawler comes in at #4 and now it's a 3-on-1 beatdown that Godwinn is taking. I know that Lawler is still a decent in-ring worker but at this point couldn't he just stay at the commentary table? The feud with Bret Hart is over and there must be younger guys that could be put in that spot. Bob Holly comes in next and it reminds me that although the roster is not nearly as bad as last year's Rumble list of stiffs was, there was still some weak names here. Mabel comes in which technically means there's two "Kings" in the ring at the same time. We don't see Mabel much after this as he gets his pink slip shortly afterwards. The crowd is a little flat early on as there really isn't any of the major stars or anticipated debuts yet. Vince and Perfect actually have pretty good chemistry together and sound like they're legitimately having fun. What a pop from the crowd when Jake Roberts comes out, one of the Federation Era's most popular guys. Besides that when he left he was one of the company's most awesome heels when he left in 1992. He had hit the wrestling skids for the past couple of years but looked here like he was back on the straight and narrow. Dory Funk is next, making his first appearance on PPV since way back at WrestleMania II in the tag match. Back then he was Hoss Funk. This is the third time in four years a legend from another territory makes an appearance at the Royal Rumble (Carlos Colon in 1993; Dick Murdoch in 1995), although Murdoch was a former WWF Tag Team Champion. Funk's skullet is worse than Lawler's rat tail mullet. When Yokozuna comes in next we have quite a bit of girth in the ring with Mabel and even Godwinn. Lawler is hiding near the ring, as he escaped with Jake unleashed his new snake in the ring. Helmsley is still in the ring and battling with the aforementioned Godwinn. 1-2-3 Kid comes in next and as expected he is chased around the ring by Razor Ramon, still pissed the Kid cost him the Intercontinental Title earlier in the show. This unknown Omari comes in, an import from Japan who uses the most whored out entrance theme ever: The theme used by Orient Express, Hakushi and Bull Nakano. Any Asian wrestlers that walk through Titan Towers' doors gets to use it.

There's only been a few eliminations as the action stays hot and heavy in the ring. Savio Vega comes in next and again not too many eliminations early, and both Yokozuna and Mabel still in it until Mabel is eliminated. Next up, the first real appearance of one of my favorite guys ever. THE MASTODON. Vader makes his WWF debut and man I was marking out and I wanted him to win. I knew he wasn't going to, but it was so great to see WCW's former Champion in the WWF. Here's a guy who was the victim of Hulk Hogan's manipulating and cajoling to job Vader right out of the company. The WWF needed a new group of top flight heels that maybe would make a bigger impact than Sid did one year earlier. He comes in and just makes a mess in that ring, creaming guys all over the place. I had no clue who the Squat Team was but one of the members comes in, and wow he's a house. I was just giddy at this point because it was great to see Vader in the WWF. He was booked like an absolute beast here and just mangled guys left and right. Great moment in the match is when Bob Holly boots Vader and he just no sells it and walks right by him. Helmsley is still in the ring from #1. After the other Squat Team member comes in, Owen Hart enters and immediately Vince and Perfect talk about the kick that put Shawn Michaels on the shelf and (in kayfabe) threatened his career. Right now this portion of the Rumble is all about Vader just killing guys all over the ring. At #18 is the prohibitive favorite Shawn Michaels, who's pretty much being groomed to head to Anaheim on March 31 for his second straight WrestleMania title shot. One of my favorite moments is when Yokozuna and Vader are pummeling each other until Michaels eliminates Yoko. Yoko and Vader are brawling which starts another storyline between Cornette guys. Vader is also eliminated but he comes back in and throws Shawn Michaels out. He cleans the ring out and leaves. In comes President Gorilla Monsoon who tells Vader to leave, but man what an awesome debut. In past years it didn't matter whether someone was legal or not, if they were thrown out they were thrown out. But this is Shawn Michaels we're talking about so this time it doesn't count. Tatanka comes in after Hakushi, two 1995 stalwarts who have pretty much vanished from the WWF landscape it seemed like. Hearing Vince say "Helmsley is about to eliminate Shawn Michaels" makes me chuckle. Aldo Montoya comes in and we get Perfect's "He's got his jock strap on wrong." I totally forgot that Jerry Lawler was still under the ring when HBK pulls him out and beats on him outside. Next up is another favorite, Diesel. Although I can't see Diesel winning this just based on the fact that all storylines revolved around Shawn Michaels winning this. At this point there's really no other real favorites left in the group, perhaps one more guy. Helmsley is still in there over 45 minutes to this point, and that makes three Clique members in together. I'm sure that was discussed that Helmsley (if he had to be #1) would get a long run in there. Next up is a guy with a great future but a terrible gimmick. In comes the Ringmaster Steve Austin, still in his WCW tights and white boots with stars. Austin was one of my favorite guys in WCW in the early 1990s but another guy who was not part of the Hogan gravy train so he was booted. After a stint in ECW with hilarious (and gimmick-creating) promos, he arrives in the WWF. It's pretty non-descript here but we won't worry. His time will come. Barry Horowitz is next and he's probably just happy to be there. We are rounding out the roster with Fatu next, but this "Make a Difference" gimmick will definitely run its course soon, if it hasn't already. At this point it seems like we are waiting for Michaels/Diesel to be the last two and who will be 27-29 as we already know Duke Droese will be #30. Multiple times Perfect says if Barry "Horriblewitz" wins this he quits. I wonder if there's heat there. Owen Hart is eliminated, but not before he boots Michaels in the head again, continuing that storyline. Marty Jannetty is next and that's simply to pop the Rockers reunion. The last legit guy comes in at #29 and that's British Bulldog, fresh off that war with Bret Hart at IYH #5. Duke Droese comes in at #30 and now it's just a question of how the end of this match is executed. While Bulldog and Michaels are battling outside (Both fell through the middle of the rope) Owen returns and throws Shawn's head first into the barricade. There's definitely a match on the horizon between these two. The ending goes quick after Michaels tosses Bulldog and Diesel eliminates Kama, Shawn hits Sweet Chin Music on Diesel who goes over the rope, and for the second year in a row Michaels is the #1 contender for the WWF Title at WrestleMania. This was a fun Rumble highlighted by the PPV debuts of two of my favorite guys: Vader and Steve Austin.

### JT:

For the first time since 1988, the Royal Rumble match is not closing out the show. It was surprising at the time but as the years go on, it wouldn't be the last time. The field was interesting here as the roster was thin and new faces and visiting veterans were blended in to keep things interesting. Of course, nothing can compare to 1995 so we are guaranteed roster quality improvement at the very least. There is a heavy favorite as well as a few dark horses, but we will cover as we move along. Hunter Hearst-Helmsley enters at number one, an honor he earned by losing to Duke Droese in the Free For All before the show. I liked that gimmick as it gave you a legit reason to watch without damaging too much of the Rumble itself. Helmsley's bitter rival Henry Godwinn was out second, setting us up with an IYH5 rematch to open the bout. Another historical note is that this is the first Rumble to have the every competitor enter to their theme music which adds a lot more pop potential for the fans. Godwinn started hot but Helmsley eventually tripped him up and worked him over in the ropes. Perfect notes that Godwinn made it to the final five last year and wonders what the odds are of winning two years in a row. I guess 1 out of 30, right? Bob Backlund is in at #3 for his final in ring PPV appearance for quite a while. He helps out Helmsley and almost dumps Godwinn but is unable to finish him off. Of course, Backlund has had radically variant performances in Rumbles, lasting over an hour once and under a minute another time. Perfect dishes some more facts, showing he was a bit more prepared here than at Survivor Series. The regality continued with Jerry Lawler and his absurd mullet strutting out at #4, making his second career appearance. He immediately tried to partner with Helmsley as he sought out the slop bucket but the plan backfired and Godwinn ended up grabbing the bucket, clearing the ring and then slopping the trio of heels (and some fans) on the floor. Godwinn finally got slowed up as Bob Holly jogged out at #5. Nothing of note happened before King Mabel headed out at #6, his absurd mohawk finally gone. He went right at Godwinn as Vince wondered aloud who could eliminate the giant King. The crowd woke up big time when Jake Roberts made his WWF return at #7, lugging his sack to the ring, where he immediately emptied it and unleashed his snake on everyone. Lawler was caught in the ring and had the reptile tossed on his torso before he was able to escape. Even though he wasn't quite in shape and went in the face of the WWF's stance on aging wrestlers, I was happy to see Roberts back. He was a big enough name to draw in casual eyes but also not high enough up the ladder to be above using his name and legacy to put other guys over. #8 was another aging former star in Dory Funk, Jr. We last saw Hoss at WrestleMania II but he pops in here for a one time appearance. Vince notes that his brother Terry was invited too, but he was in Germany and unable to make it. Helmsley would block a DDT but to the point nobody had been eliminated. Well, maybe Lawler? He vanished after the snake attack and nobody seems to know where he went. Yokozuna ambled to the ring at #9 as Mr. Perfect predicted the big man would win the match. He struck immediately, eliminating Bob Backlund in a callback to 1993. After that he reignited his IYH4 issues with Mabel as they hammered away at each other. Poor Godwinn was caught in the brouhaha and got squashed by both behemoths in the corner and eventually tossed by Roberts. The first third of the Rumble closed with 1-2-3 Kid jogging out at #10, however hot on his heels was a pissed off Razor Ramon. Kid was able to avoid his former friend until officials dragged him away as the crowd chanted his name.

The highlight of AJPW competitor Omori's entrance at #11 was that he used the Orient Express theme. Was exciting to hear that gem again. Omori and Funk had both been representing All Japan and Giant Baba, who with the WWF had been establishing a working relationship. The crowd was all fired up as Roberts peppered Yokozuna with right hands, eventually flooring him. The Snake is easily the most over guy in the ring so far. As Funk unleashed some suplexes on the Kid, Savio Vega ran out at #12 and the ring was really starting to fill up. He got a little revenge for the King of the Ring final when he pelted Mabel with a spin kick and led to him getting shoved to the floor by Yoko. That elimination ends this run for Mabel and it has been most interesting for sure. His megapush feels like it was decades ago now, thankfully. Roberts would strike again, eliminating Omori as he continued to reestablish himself as a presence. And business picked up severely at #13 when Vader made his WWF, flanked by Jim Cornette. The former WCW Champion had inked a deal as 1996 dawned and was looking for retribution after being coldly dumped by Eric Bischoff following a backstage brawl with Paul Orndorff. Vega would dump Funk as Vader picked his spots, landing rabbit punches and stalking his prey. USWA's Doug Gilbert showed up at #14, having a won a battle royal in his territory to earn a slot here. The Snake's run ended with a thump when a thunderous Vader clothesline sent him careening towards the ropes, over the top and out to the floor. It was a fine run and based on the crowd reaction here, seems like it was a good idea to bring him back. There was a lot of red and black in the ring as things calmed down and reset a bit. At #15 entered Squat Team #1. This fat man was brought in from Puerto Rico, where he was one half of the tag team known as the Headhunters. Gilbert's night came to a quick close when Vader press slammed him to the floor. The Mastodon turned his attention to Squat #1, boxing his ears and then knocking him out of the match. Squat Team #2 was in at #16 and as he entered, his twin brother joined him in climbing into the ring. Vader fought them both off and then got an assist from Yoko as they clotheslined both right back to Puerto Rico. A Vader/Yoko team led by Cornette could have been pretty fun. Owen Hart emerged from a cloud of smoke to enter at #17. Perfect immediately reminded us that he was the man that put Shawn Michaels on the shelf and he certainly carried himself with an air of confidence of someone that had done such a deed. Even with a thinned roster, the quality of talent in this Rumble was quite a bit higher than 1995's installment and we were just over half over. Yoko and Vader continued to team up, this time destroying poor Savio, rattling him with splashes in the corner. They topped that with a Vader big splash followed by a Yoko legdrop. Ouch. The crowd popped big at #18 as Shawn Michaels danced his way down the aisle, looking to continue his comeback story. Vader chucked Vega as Michaels took shots at everyone in the ring, including his nemesis Hart. The Yoko/Vader alliance finally came to a loud conclusion as the two beasts started trading blows near the ropes. With Cornette freaking out at ringside, Michaels snuck over and dumped both giants to the floor. Perfect immediately screamed about how the odds have swung. I'll say. I like that as a way to eliminate Vader as it easily keeps him strong but gets him out of there with time to go. Michaels followed that up by pressing Kid to the floor as well. Vader smacked Yoko from behind on the floor and climbed back in the ring as Hakushi entered at #19. Vader pounded Shawn with right hands and then press slammed him to the floor. In other years that would have been an elimination, but as always, the rules change year to year there. Vader would also chuck Owen, Helmsley and Holly to the floor before a gaggle of officials, Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Cornette finally calmed him down and got him to leave. Great debut for Vader. Michaels landed a few shots in on Cornette as Tatanka slowly walked out at #20, closing out the first two thirds of the bout.

The match slowly got rolling again as the crowd calmed down a little. Helmsley continued to get some shine, still hanging in after entering at #1. Owen dumped Hakushi as Aldo Montoya ran out at #21 and Perfect immediately buried him with a jock strap joke. Poor bastard. Michaels would get knocked to the floor through the ropes and as he took a walk around the ring, he decided to crawl under it. A moment later he emerged...dragging Jerry Lawler with him. Apparently the King had been hiding under there ever since the snake attack. Heck of a plan. Tatanka knocked Montoya out as Michaels dumped the King. A moment later a focused Diesel emerged at #22, looking to get back on track. He wasted no time sending Tatanka flying to the floor, giving us even more closure from King of the Ring, a running theme here tonight. He also made a statement there would be no friendships here as he smashed Michaels with a forearm to the head. Kama jogged out at #23, and like Tatanka he had also been off TV since the fall and was only brought back as a warm body to eat up a slot. Along with Helmsley, Holly was also having a really good showing, hanging in after having entered at #5. Walking out at #24 was the Ringmaster Steve Austin, the second straight Corporation member to arrive. He was aggressive as soon as he slid in the ring, going right after Holly. I was so excited when they signed Austin, who was a favorite of mine from his WCW days. He racked up his first ever Rumble elimination by tossing Holly, closing out arguably a top three night in his WWF career to date. Michaels and Owen continued to go at it as Barry Horowitz sprinted out at #25. Perfect immediately vowed to get back in the ring if Horowitz won the match. Diesel hammered him as he entered, but he survived and actually landed some shots in on Michaels. And just as he was closing in on 50 minutes, Helmsley banner night came to end when Diesel pitched him out. That was a hell of a showing and makes two consecutive song PPV outings for the Blueblood. Fatu entered at #26 and he landed a little shot in on Helmsley before he climbed up the steps. Shawn and Owen both almost eliminated each other and as they battled, Isaac Yankem showed up at #27. As he slid in, Owen dumped Horowtiz, bringing an official end to Barry's push. Owen stayed hot by pasting Michaels with his enziguri, but before he could finish Shawn off, Diesel grabbed him and pitched him to the floor. That was followed by Austin pasting Michaels with a clothesline and then mocking his trademark pose in a funny spot. Marty Jannetty was in at #28 and amazingly enough he didn't go right at Michaels. I thought that was in their contracts. Fatu almost eliminated Michaels, but he hung on and stayed alive. Last year's runner up Davey Boy Smith entered at #29, instantly making him a favorite. He went right at Michaels and dumped Jannetty as his wife Diana watched from the crowd. Yankem sent Fatu packing with a clothesline, closing out his run as well. That seems to be another theme tonight as many 1995 faces say farewell after this show. Duke Droese was in at #30, per his win earlier, and he went right at Yankem.

Michaels and Bulldog would spill to the floor, which drew Owen back out for a quick double team, building even more sympathy heat for Shawn. After a save from Diesel, Michaels would recover to duck Yankem, sending him packing and out of the WWF for the time being. Diesel and Kama would knock Droese out as well, bringing us to our final four. And considering the overall strength of the field, this was a pretty strong grouping with three potential winners. Michaels would eliminate Bulldog and after Diesel clotheslined Kama out, Michaels came in from behind and caught his buddy with Sweet Chin Music to knock him to the floor, bringing a close to the bout. And for the second straight year, Shawn Michaels is headed to the WrestleMania main event. An angry Diesel stormed off, decking Bulldog on his way, as Michaels celebrated in the ring. He also told Dok Hendrix that Michaels is only breathing because he is allowing it. Big Daddy Cool would get back in the ring and give Michaels a high five before leaving his friend to continue his celebration. I really enjoyed this Rumble as even with the soft field and pretty obvious winner, there was a pretty good flow and plenty of entertaining moments. We also saw a changing of the guard in many ways, with plenty of stalwarts from the nadir of 1995 shipping off while some new building blocks arrived. Also, the Fresno fans were really good too, staying engaged throughout the match and backing the comeback story of Michaels. After a baseline 1995 entry, we comeback with a solid effort in 1996.

*** Diesel, still pissed about losing the Rumble, takes his time walking to the dressing room and ends up having a minor skirmish with Undertaker in the aisle. ***

### 5) Undertaker defeats Bret Hart by disqualification at 28:28; Hart retains WWF World Title

Fun Fact: On the January 8 episode of RAW it was announced that the Undertaker would challenge Bret Hart for the WWF title. It ticked Diesel off that he was not named the challenger to the title, so he interrupted an interview later that evening with the Undertaker and the two ended up face to face at the end of the show.

### Scott:

The question immediately is, will this match not only live up to the hype to two guys who have never met in the ring, but also forced the Rumble to not be on last at this show. Things get off to a fast start as during Undertaker's entrance he is blocked by Diesel and they have a little scrum down the aisle. Vince says this is Bret's 43rd PPV match. That's pretty impressive. I was looking forward to this match because as I mentioned we have never seen these men in the ring one on one. Perhaps when Bret was a face and Taker a heel in 1991 they may have had a forgettable match or something but I mean on a big stage. Who will face Shawn Michaels in Anaheim? The brawl in the aisle makes you think Bret will survive this match (and perhaps whoever he faces in February) and face Michaels at WrestleMania. Early on Taker was dictating the pace with slow, weird grapple holds, almost like a Von Erich Claw except it's almost like a suffocating choke. The crowd is flat (it is Fresno) and this is probably not the start this match needed. After the fast-paced fun Rumble, this match needed to have that kind of back and forth action as well. The pace picks up after a few minutes when they head outside and start throwing each other into the barricades. The issue here is that Taker hasn't faced a guy this good in the ring in who can remember how long. Honestly you can go all the way back to Jake Roberts at WrestleMania VIII to find a guy who wasn't either a 500 pound sloth or a big guy with power moves. Kamala, Giant Gonzalez, Yokozuna, Underfaker, King Kong Bundy, Kama, Mabel. Ok I guess IRS at last year's Rumble is about as close as it gets. So the problem here is that Taker needs to pick up the pace and not do that stalking, brooding type of psychology he can get away with against bigger dudes. After some decent action outside Bret puts Taker in a figure four, which is good psychology for small guy to get big guy down on the mat and lose the height advantage. Vince acknowledges this isn't a beauty contest, but I'm not sure what that means, whether it's that both men aren't good looking or this match is very bad. The middle part of this match pretty much is both men rolling around submission moves which is killing the crowd. There were rumors that because Bret knew he was a transition champion setting up for someone else's big Mania win he somewhat coasts through these two months of shows. I can't agree with that as Bret doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would dog a match. It's just the action is so slow and boring that it must be that Taker hasn't faced a guy who could carry him to a great match and instead wrestled Bret like he was Mabel or King Kong Bundy. The crowd is booing but I'm not sure who is the one getting booed. You can tell Perfect has a soft spot for Bret as he pretty much picks him to win the match, and flowers him with praise throughout. Taker's selling of his leg is the main storytelling point of this match and it's not a very exciting story. Bret seems to take control late and you think perhaps Bret will squeak out a pinfall victory here, perhaps a roll up or something out of the blue. Well at one point Bret undoes a turnbuckle pad and now I'm really perplexed. He's trying to take Taker's Phantom mask off and eventually does, then smashes Taker's face into the steel ring. The crowd boos Bret but Perfect defends him. Taker then rebounds and is about to win the title with a Tombstone when Diesel comes back down the ramp and gets Bret Hart disqualified, but Taker doesn't win the WWF Title. Diesel then defiantly give Taker the finger, something you NEVER saw on WWF TV. Once again with 1996 beginning there's some winds of change and things are getting just A BIT edgier. This match has always been slammed by fans for being too long and kind of boring. Frankly it is. It's not a dud or anything, but expectations were probably too high for it.

### JT:

With the Rumble match in the books, we know Shawn Michaels is headed to WrestleMania. It was now time to find out who he would be facing. After a pedantic three year stretch of middling in the midcard, Undertaker finally is back with the big boys in the main events. And it was a smart move as they needed all the star power they could get at the top of the card. As Taker slowly marched to the ring, still wearing his Phantom mask, he happened upon Diesel, who was still lingering around. The two had some words and then came to blows until referees separated them. It was a neat skirmish that added some unpredictability to the show, something that as becoming a bit of a trend for the company. With that over, Bret Hart headed to the ring, WWF Title strapped around his waist. After spending five years in the company together, this was the first real big time match these guys were having, and it was such a welcome breath of fresh air to the main event scene. Two big stars with little history finally locking horns for the title. Hart went right at Taker but got caught and tossed into the corner as the challenger started to choke away. Perfect called out the obvious, but it was worth mentioning: Hart has to wrestle and not brawl here. Taker kept hammering away and then locked in a claw hold, trying to take full advantage of this opportunity. Hart broke free but Taker went right back to the claw and slowly taking the crowd out of it with this methodical pace. The champ finally escaped and clotheslined Taker to the floor before diving out into him with a plancha. Bret would try to follow up by leaping off the apron, but Taker caught him and rammed him hard into the post. The fight on the floor continued as Hart shoved Taker into the post as well but then walked into a boot to the face. Taker ran him into the barricade but Hart reversed a whip and sent the challenger hard into the stairs before going to work on the leg. They finally got back in the ring, where Hart continued to attack the lower body, keeping the Deadman grounded. It is really interesting to watch Taker work this kind of match, as we really haven't seen it much at all since his debut. Watching him writhe and have to sell the leg was such a shift from his normal output. Hart would lock in a figure four and even after Taker forced the break, he kept the pressure on, wrapping it around the middle rope and kicking away. In between some aggressive work, we had Hart sitting on a leg lace which really led to a slow pacing. The crowd stayed with it best they could, but this was a tough match to follow something exciting like the Rumble. Taker would knock Hart to the floor and ram into the steps before choking him with the camera cable. I do like aggressive Taker, even though the crowd turned on him a bit with that one. Taker topped that by chucking Hart into the timekeeper table and jamming a chair into his gut as Paul Bearer tied up the referee. Taker dumped Hart back into the ring but the Hitman was able to kick his leg out and go back to work again.

Hart kept up with Taker when it came to pushing the limit, slamming his legs off the ring post and aggressively assaulting the limb before going back to his leg lace. Taker came back with a clothesline as the crowd booed him, as they fully seemed behind the Hitman now. The Deadman tried for the Tombstone but his leg buckled and Hart slipped free to the floor. Hart snapped Taker's neck across the top rope and got a near fall on a DDT, which I believe was the first of the bout. Taker sat up after both a Russian leg sweep and a bulldog and it was starting to feel like Hart had missed his chance for a win. Taker was able to block the Sharpshooter and the pace was picking up when both men collided with clotheslines for each other. Hart got desperate and started going after the mask, which he was eventually able to yank off. A pissed Taker limped around, stalking Hart but unable to gain an advantage. After running Taker into an exposed turnbuckle, the crowd booed, this time turning on the Hitman and backing the challenger. Taker fought back, caught Hart and planted him with the Tombstone. He covered, but as the referee started to count, Diesel showed up, yanked him to the floor and decked him, leading to Hart being disqualified. Bah. I mean, yeah I get it. But, bah. That was a lot to sit through for that finish. Diesel would flip off Taker, who then left the ring and stalked Big Daddy Cool to the back as Hart recovered in the ring. I liked the idea of the match, with Hart working the leg and busting Taker down, but it was about eight minutes too long. We didn't need all of the leg holds and could have just had the aggressive limb work blended with the brawling on the floor. Taker's selling was really good and it was unique watching this type of match, but there was a bit too much meandering at times. Kudos to the crowd again, though, as they hung in there, still popping late in the bout. Taker is starting to overhaul his style so we were bound to have some rough spots, but it is definitely a step in the right direction for what the company needed. Bret Hart retains and now is slated to face Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania. This match was floating around *** but the finish knocks it back down for me.

*** On the Royal Rumble Plus, Gorilla Monsoon announces that Bret Hart will battle Diesel at In Your House #6 in February. Undertaker would confront Monsoon and vow that Diesel would never wear the WWF Title again. As a result, Monsoon decrees that the Hart/Diesel match would now be a steel cage bout to ensure there would be no interference. Diesel then promises to take back his title and he doesn't care what Undertaker or anyone else thinks about him and states that he isn't afraid of the Deadman. Jim Cornette closes things out by reminding everyone that he now controls the biggest, baddest beast in the WWF. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

After the rough year of wrestling in 1995, it just seemed like with this show that 1996 was going to be different. The roster started to flesh out some of the low talent stiffs and elevated guys like Undertaker who had mired in the mid-card with fat sloths and gets his first WWF Title match on PPV in two years. Bret Hart was also mired in the mid-card but is now WWF Champion. It was an anticipated match but didn't deliver the goods like it could have. The Rumble match was a lot of fun even if the winner was very much pre-determined. It was Shawn Michaels' match to win, but all the other aspects of the Rumble made it entertaining, including the debut of Vader to WWF PPV as well as a future legend, "The Ringmaster" Steve Austin. Goldust amped up his mind games and won the Intercontinental Title because of it. His character is what has already made 1996 feel so different and fresh from 1995. Vince is starting to realize that some things creatively had to be pushed to the edge and with Goldust he experimented with that. This was a show that for a long time I thought was somewhat predictable and dull, but frankly I enjoyed it and even though the WWF Title match underwhelmed it was still a change of pace from what we saw in 1995. Will it be Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels March 31 in Anaheim? We still have a long road to go.

Final Grade:

### JT:

We start off 1996 with a pretty solid PPV outing. The first two matches were fine enough, but things really picked up with the Ramon/Goldust match, which I really enjoyed. Ramon's IC title reign is over and we see a shift in that division there. The Rumble match was fun too with some good booking throughout and a bunch of fresh faces popping in to mix things up. Shawn Michaels gets the predictable win but it was smart booking and the way to go. The fans were invested in his comeback story and it made all the sense in the world to see it through. The main event was fine, but the ending left a bad taste. Plus the Rumble should have been last, but with the way they booked the Diesel/Undertaker stuff, it had to be arranged this way. And while I love the long term planning and execution, it did lead to more bland close to the show. What I also love is the postgame stuff, with Gorilla Monsoon setting up matches for the next PPV and the top guys getting quick hit interviews. It was a shrewd way to keep everyone invested and hyped for the next show. Smart. The feel of the promotion has changed and things have definitely gotten rougher around the edges and feature more hard hitting, realistic action in the ring and also some edgier storylines. It is a good direction to be headed in for sure. While there was no real stand out in ring action here, I thought the majority of it was solid and I really dug the booking and overall direction of things heading into Mania. Toss in some fun commentary and a good crowd and I think the grade bumps up as a result.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #119

# In Your House #6: From the Depths of Hell

February 18, 1996

Louisville Gardens

Louisville, Kentucky

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Attendance: 5,500

Buy Rate: 0.77

Dark Matches:

### 1) Ahmed Johnson beat Isaac Yankem

### 2) The Godwinns beat The Bodydonnas

Coliseum Video Exclusive:

### Undertaker beat Goldust

Free For All Match:

### Jake Roberts beat Tatanka

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) Razor Ramon defeats 1-2-3 Kid in a Cry Baby match with the Razor's Edge at 12:01

Fun Fact I: This is the Kid's final WWF PPV match until 1998. He stuck around until late April, but once Diesel and Razor Ramon left, he became expendable and was cut loose. He made his last appearance on the May 20th Raw (taped 4/29) where he lost to Savio Vega. He would be in WCW as the Syxxth member of the NWO by August.

Fun Fact II: This match would be the finale of a feud that dates back to the summer of 1995. At the Rumble, 1-2-3 Kid had cost Razor Ramon the IC title. Following the event, Kid started calling Razor a crybaby. To go along with this, on the 2/3 episode of Superstars, he attacked Razor with a baby stroller during a match with Jeff Jarrett. Following the DQ, Kid and Jarrett continued to double team Razor until the save was made by Ahmed Johnson. The match with the cry baby stipulation was set where the loser would have to wear a diaper and drink from a baby bottle.

### Scott:

Our opener is clearly the finale of an angle that started way back in 1993. From the moment the Kid upset the heel Razor Ramon in May 1993 on Raw, these two have been linked together from one storyline to the next. Of course as founding members of the Clique that's really no surprise. By mid-1995 the writing was on the wall that a heel turn from Kid was coming. He defeated Ramon a second time on TV and then after turning heel would interfere in everything Ramon was involved in, including last month's Royal Rumble when he cost Razor the IC Title to Goldust. So now it was time to truly put this rivalry to rest. Did the alliance with Ted DiBiase help Kid at all? Maybe a little but really this was Razor's feud to win. The match was fun though as these two always had good chemistry and the Louisville crowd was pretty hot top to bottom. Kid delivered a great match and Razor is a great face in peril, taking all of Kid's offense and DiBiase's interference. This is the first time we actually have a bridge show to WrestleMania, and now all 12 months are covered. This match doesn't really affect WrestleMania because and we will get into that in our next review. The Kid doesn't last too much longer in the WWF and Razor takes a strange turn in his WWF career as well. The match is fun and finally ends what has been an almost two year connection between two guys.

### JT:

With our sixth In Your House installment, we have now officially had a WWF PPV in every month of the calendar. For the first time in company history, we have a true PPV offering to set us up directly for WrestleMania. Coming out of the Royal Rumble, the company continued to drive into a new, more realistic and edgier direction. The changes continue to seep in as well and we will cover those as we move along. Sadly, Jerry Lawler and his ever growing mullet is back in the booth in place of Mr. Perfect, but we will make due. Our opener brings us to the big blowoff a very long running feud. Back in the fall, the 1-2-3 Kid turned on his pal Razor Ramon, leading to lots of interference from both that eventually cost the Bad Guy his IC Title. Of course, this feud dates back even further, all the way back to May 1993 when the Kid upset Ramon on a memorable edition of Raw. Since Kid had been positioned as a baby and a whiner, the stipulation here called for the closer to be wrapped in a diaper and have a bottle shoved in their mouth. That pretty much telegraphed this one. Kid would wheel out a stroller and he and DiBiase did what they could to make him feel like a legit threat, but it really screamed mismatch, as much as it had back in 1993. Off the bell they traded slaps but Ramon took control, peppering Kid with right hands that drove him to the floor to regroup. Kid slung himself back in and caught Ramon with a clothesline, giving him the chance to drill the Bad Guy with fists, elbows and kicks. Ramon's power advantage kicked in, as he caught Kid and chucked him across the ring with ease before burying him with a clothesline in the corner followed by a fallaway slam. The Kid was rattled but able to avoid the Razor's Edge by bailing to the floor. On the outside, DiBiase ambled over and chucked a handful of baby power in Ramon's eyes, setting up Kid for a missile dropkick and control of the bout. He worked a quick pace, staying aggressive and getting a near fall on a big splash off the top rope. I like how Kid knows he has to stay right on Ramon, not giving the Bad Guy a chance to catch his breath at all. Ramon would break free of a sleeper attempt, leading to a sloppy reversal and eventually Kid climbing the Bad Guy's back for a second crack at the sleeper. After nearly fading, Ramon battled to his feet, hoisted Kid up and dumped him on to the top rope. Razor again punched his way back into control, including another seemingly botched spot where Kid sold a right hand that never connected. It may have been a comedy spot where Kid was faked out, but it wasn't portrayed that way. Kid stayed alive with a kick for a near fall but Razor responded with a top rope fallaway slam. DiBiase would run interference and Kid tried with the powder again, but Ramon turned and kicked it into his face and then hit a Razor's Edge. Ramon covered, but picked Kid up at two, looking to levy more damage for the months of torment. Ramon would hit another Edge before finally putting Kid out of his misery. After the bout, Ramon powdered and diapered Kid, shoved the bottle in his mouth and strutted off. Kid covered in powder and crying like a bitch with that saggy diaper on was kind of sad and gross in ways. The match was fine and pretty paint-by-numbers but the crowd dug it, mainly thanks to Ramon. Kid did all he could to come off as believable out there, but again he just never felt like a threat and between that and the stipulation, it sucked some drama from the affair.

*** Ray Rougeau and Sunny are running the Superstar Line interviews as the transition of Sunny from more than just a manager continues. ***

### 2) Hunter Hearst-Helmsley defeats Duke Droese after hitting him with a trash can lid at 9:37

Fun Fact I: This is Duke Droese's final PPV match. He would hang around the Federation until the summer, as his last match is against Leif Cassidy at a house show in Providence, RI on July 7. His last TV appearance was on the 7/13 Superstars (taped 6/25) when he suffered a loss to the wrestling plumber T.L. Hopper. Hopper rammed his plunger into Droese's throat after the match, putting him on the sidelines for good. Droese would bounce around the Indy scene in Florida before retiring altogether.

Fun Fact II: After Duke Droese handed Hunter Hearst-Helmsley a loss at the Royal Rumble resulting in Helmsley having to enter the Rumble at #1, the feud between the two intensified. On the January 27 episode of Superstars, Helmsley attacked Droese and cut his hair. This leads to our match here.

### Scott:

This stems from the Royal Rumble when Helmsley lost a match that stuck him at #1 in the Royal Rumble match while Droese got to be #30. Neither mattered in the outcome although Helmsley did last for over 40 minutes. Now we get a straight up PPV match to promptly finish this storyline off. Helmsley has been a solid mid-card heel who has great TV matches and has slowly but surely worked his way into monthly PPV appearances. Helmsley has been bringing gorgeous women to the ring but this time the beautiful blonde is at ringside for Lawler to ogle over and when she talks it's evident she's never been on TV before as she's very nervous and out of it. The match is good enough as Helmsley slowly is taking control of his matches as a solid heel and he works well with Droese. Droese actually looks better with his cut hair than before and not only that he's really not a horrible worker, at least in these few matches with Helmsley. The gimmick is pretty dumb and as the year progresses and the bookers start to stray away from the cheesy Federation Era gimmicks The Dumpster seems very much out of place but they maybe could have turned him heel and changed things up a bit. In any event Helmsley cheats to win and that's fine as his character is more important long term. I liked this match and the crowd was into it.

### JT:

As Hunter Hearst-Helmsley continues to hone his gimmick and climb the ladder, he has added a new weapon to his repertoire: being escorted to the ring by a different dolled up, attractive female before every match. They were always decked out in elegant dresses and meshed with Hunter's debonair piano entrance theme it added a nice air of regality to the proceedings. I also liked how Vince always knew the names of the ladies. This match came about because Hunter had attacked Duke Droese on Superstars, crunching him with the trash can and then shearing off his long locks. Droese actually cut a good fired up promo before the match and you could tell he knew this was possibly his only chance to earn a semblance of a push, something that had been severely lacking since his early 1994 debut. Droese hustled to the ring, jumping Hunter as the bell sounded and pummeling him in the corner. Duke definitely looked way better and more legit with the short hair. Toss a new look and name on him and maybe he could have been something. Droese fired Hunter hard into the corner and then spiked him with a press slam, sending the Blueblood cowering in the corner. Duke gave him a shot with his belt and pasted him with a big boot to the face and the propped him in the corner and smacked him hard. Droese is showing real nice fire here. As Hunter found a slight opening and landed a big kick to the gut, Lawler caught up with Hunter's valet, who didn't have much to say. Duke shook that attack off and planted Helmsley with a clothesline. And just when this looked like a rout, Duke charged wildly and got dumped hard to the floor. Hunter would run Duke into the steps and then pitch him back into the ring as Vince wondered if Droese would cut Hunter's hair if he won the match. Back inside, Hunter hit a high knee to the face as King kept harping on how dumb Duke is. Duke battled back and both guys wiped each other out with clotheslines . When they recovered, Duke snapped Hunter down with a spinebuster but was too tired to cover. Duke clubbed away, firing back up and hitting a nice powerslam and the trash compactor, but instead of covering he slid outside and grabbed his trash can. The referee grabbed it and argued with Duke, allowing Hunter to mash the Dumpster with the trash can lid for the win. Well I enjoyed that spirited little affair. Duke really controlled almost all of the match and I liked his fired up offense. Hunter sold well throughout before stealing the win late in a sneaky manner, which I love. It shows how resourceful he is a heel as he just has to stay alive until he can cheat his way to a victory. The more aggressive nature of 1996 and utilization of young, hungry competitors seeped through here as we took what would have been a middling mid card match in past years and had some hard hitting offense and good pacing and awareness twist it into a nice little card filler. Helmsley keeps rolling and Droese heads back to the dump.

### 3) Yokozuna defeats British Bulldog by disqualification at 5:02

Fun Fact I: Yokozuna speaks extensively for the first time in the pre-match interview.

Fun Fact II: Vader attacked Gorilla Monsoon the night after the Royal Rumble, putting him out of commission for three months. Roddy Piper was named interim President and Vader was suspended as a result of the assault. In reality, Vader needed time off for shoulder surgery, which was agreed upon prior to the WWF signing him.

Fun Fact III: On the 2/5 Raw, Shawn Michaels and Diesel faced Yokozuna and British Bulldog in a tag match. As Bulldog was about to break up a pin count, Michaels got out of the way and Bulldog accidentally leg dropped Yoko. Soon after that mishap occurred, Michaels superkicked Yoko out of the ring which knocked him cold. Bulldog and Owen couldn't get him back in the ring and he was counted out. The following week Cornette berated Yoko and chewed him out, and Yoko responded by shoving Cornette to the floor and beating on him, officially leaving Camp Cornette.

### Scott:

Yokozuna is a babyface for the first time in his career and before the match, he talks for the first time in his career. With Vader out due to a suspension (in reality due to to injury) the Bulldog takes his spot here to face the massive Samoan. With Vader in Camp Cornette there really wasn't any need to have to massive guys in the group at the same time, on top of the fact that Yoko was getting very unhealthy in his weight, topping out at well over 600 pounds by this point, so he needed to e put on the backburner. Yoko's win here was to strengthen his face turn for the eventual battle with the Mastodon when he returns from injury. The match is short and effective as it's really the aftermath that's important. After the disqualification, Yoko corners Cornette in the ring but in comes Vader in street clothes to attack his former stablemate. Then he and Bulldog handcuff Yoko to the ropes and do a 2-1 beatdown, including continuous shots to the back with the tennis racket. This is really meant to keep Vader strong while he can't actually wrestle in the ring and to build Yokozuna's face heat for the future. Otherwise this match wasn't much.

### JT:

Since the Royal Rumble, we have seen a major change in attitude from a longtime heel stalwart. The first cracks in the Yokozuna/Jim Cornette relationship came back at the Royal Rumble, when the former WWF Champion slugged it out with stablemate Vader, leading to both getting tossed form the match. In the weeks following, Cornette let his temper flare and he started to berate the suddenly out of favor sumo warrior. Yoko had enough of the browbeating and beat his longtime spokesman down, surprisingly turning face for the first time in his WWF career. It was certainly worth a stab to spin him this way and see if he got over as a respected former champion out to eliminate the hated Camp Cornette. His first draw in this role is a battle with now ex-stablemate British Bulldog, who was back to drifting after his dalliance in the main event picture to close 1995. He was still a well presented competitor, but was clearly without a defined role at this point. Yoko showed a lot of passion and excitement during his turn and Vince proclaimed that Cornette had awoken the monster, which was another cool way to go with it. It was also great how they had Yoko finally break his silence and speak aloud and made a big deal about it. Yoko just about power walked to the ring too, I mean as fast as he was able to. Bulldog looked punch early but Yoko slugged him down and racked him with clotheslines and a body slam. Yoko missed an elbow and Bulldog went to work, eventually putting the big man down with a clothesline. Yoko eventually shrugged it off and squished Bulldog in the corner, put him down with a clothesline and then dragged him to the corner to set up for the Banzai Drop. Before he could fully ascend, Cornette yanked Bulldog to the floor. Yoko followed him out and and slung him into the post but whiffed on a charge and ate the steel himself. Back inside, Bulldog hit a double sledge off the top rope for a near fall but Yoko caught him coming off a second time. Yoko fired up and shook off a series of clotheslines then dropped Bulldog with a Samoan drop to a big pop. This may be the hardest Yoko has worked in a while, considering he hasn't gone to any rest holds and has been on offense for much of the bout. The big man spiked Bulldog with a belly-to-belly but before he could set him up for the Banzai Drop, Cornette slipped in the ring and pelted Yoko with a few tennis racket shots. Yoko no sold them and cornered Cornette in the corner but Vader ran down and hammered Yoko from behind. Yoko tried to fire back but Bulldog got in the mix as well and the numbers were too much. They would eventually handcuff Yoko to the rope and work him over with right hands. Yoko fought back best he could but he absorbed a lot of punishment from Cornette's crew. Cornette even got some big shots in, cracking Yoko over and over with his racket. The officials finally broke things up with an assist from Cornette's lawyer Clarance Mason. Not too much of a match, but like I said, they kept chugging along and it never really dragged. Still, it was mainly strikes and clotheslines with a few big moves blended in. The finish was weak but expected as you didn't want Yoko to lose after the turn and while Bulldog could have lost, he needed to keep some momentum too. The post match beatdown was pretty good and adds good heat to a future Yoko/Vader match as well.

### 4) Shawn Michaels defeats Owen Hart with a Superkick at 15:55

Fun Fact: The night after Survivor Series 95, Owen Hart put Shawn Michaels on the shelf with an enziguri kick. There was even talk at the time that Michaels might have to retire. Owen was quite the braggart about putting Michaels out, so after Michaels came back and won the Rumble he was looking for a measure of revenge. However, Owen (though manager Jim Cornette) said he would only get in the ring with him if the WrestleMania title shot were on the line, which Michaels agreed to.

### Scott:

Our first of the co-main event finally uses the Royal Rumble win as an angle. With the birth of the February PPV this year, it makes sense to use Shawn Michaels' win in Fresno as an angle for a match here. To make it even easier, might as well give the opportunity to the guy he was in the ring with when he collapsed back in November, the King of Harts. Owen hasn't really sniffed anything involving the World Title since the fall of 1994 when the feud with his brother Bret cooled off. However this makes perfect sense considering what the other main event is tonight. Could there be a rematch of two years ago where Bret Hart and Owen Hart tangle at WrestleMania, this time for the WWF Title? Or if Michaels wins will we get a rematch from last year and have Shawn take on his best friends Big Daddy Cool Diesel? So really there is more drama to this match than expected. Of course it seems like Shawn Michaels' road to Anaheim and the much-coveted WWF Championship should really have no road blocks here. But if there is going to be a yearly PPV in February you need to create some kind of drama or else these buyrates could be pretty dreadful. One thing you can definitely expect from this match is that it's going to be great since both men are expert workers in the ring and sure enough it delivered as Owen really amped up the psychology of kicking Shawn in the head and ending his career with one move. Great work by Vince and Lawler on commentary splitting the face/heel dynamic with Lawler saying Owen was the true gem of the Hart Family. Vince pretty much is acknowledging that Shawn is his guy and once he hits Sweet Chin Music and gets the three count the win Vince puts the childhood dream story into overdrive and we will hear that for the next six weeks. What a great match with back and forth strikes and storytelling as well as a hot crowd and great commentary. A yeoman's job by Owen to put Shawn over and give a great match. Shawn Michaels is heading to WrestleMania but is it against his best friend, or his biggest rival?

### JT:

Shawn Michaels' quest for the WWF Championship is fully underway. He earned his title shot at the Royal Rumble but has one last roadblock to bust through before he gets to Anaheim. Back in November, Owen Hart put Michaels on the shelf with an enziguri on Raw. Michaels made it back into the ring and wanted revenge on his assailant. In order to get the match, he had to put his title shot on the line, meaning both his health and dream were hanging in the balance here in Louisville. Michaels had a pretty cool entrance here, swinging down off the house set on a rope and the crowd ate it all up. Michaels slid into the ring and hammered Owen, knocking him to the floor and then finishing his dancing and stripping until the match started proper. Michaels went comedy early, frustrating Owen and Cornette and playing to his fans, even kissing a fan at ringside. Owen would ape Michaels and slide outside looking for high fives but came up empty. As he sauntered back towards the ring, Michaels flew off the top rope with a moonsault to a huge pop. Back inside, Michaels grabbed a headlock and continued to mess and goof with Owen in between latching on the hold. Michaels had a counter for every attempt of offense by Owen until the Rocket was able to snap him over with a belly-to-belly and go to work on the back and neck. Owen landed a neckbreaker and hammered on the targeted area with strikes and submission holds, including a camel clutch. Shawn fought to his feet but Owen buried a knee in his gut and went to a chinlock as the crowd tried to rally Michaels. Shawn again battled up and tried to hit the ropes, but he ran right into a sharp spin heel kick that knocked him outside. Owen would try to supelx him back in, but Shawn blocked it and dumped Hart to the floor. Shawn tried to leap off the apron but Owen caught him and took him to the floor hard with a powerslam. Owen kept pouring it on in the ring cutting off another comeback with a hard whip into the buckles followed by a great leaping clothesline. With Shawn hurting, Owen turned him into the Sharpshooter to pay off the back work and trap Michaels in the middle of the ring. It also added some foreshadowing for Michaels' potential Mania match with Bret Hart. Shawn was able to crawl to the ropes and force the break but Owen didn't stop and went right to the back yet again.

Michaels stole a near fall with a roll up but as he popped back up, Owen nailed him with the enziguri, sending Shawn to floor, where he looked to be unconscious. Shrewd booking there as Owen can claim he took Michaels out but an unlucky bounce knocked him from the ring. Owen didn't take the countout and dragged Shawn back in, but Michaels kicked free and a moment later Owen missed a charge in the corner. Michaels mounted his comeback, running through his usual offense and drilling the top rope elbow before knocking Cornette to the floor. After one more enziguri tease, Michaels cracked Hart with Sweet Chin Music and picked up the win, solidifying his trip to Anaheim. That was a really damn good match. The opening portion was almost like an exhibition, slowly building through some comedy and playing to the crowd, almost like a house show. Once Owen took over, he zeroed in and and really picked apart the back well, with some top notch selling and comeback attempts from Michaels tossed in. I loved how Owen was protected with the enziguri and the second tease at the end was well done too. Michaels would dance and celebrate with a young fan and with his ticket officially punched for WrestleMania he seems to be hitting his peak.

*** Acting President Roddy Piper comes out to chat with Todd Pettengil. He would congratulate Shawn Michaels on his win, warns him to be ready and also emphasizes "There will be a winner" in the World Title match at WrestleMania. He then tells Yokozuna he doesn't feel bad about the beating he received earlier because he is a 600 pound beast and if he is going to be dumb, they have to work on his mindset. He is here to cure Vader's malfunctions and calls him inbred while mocking his mask. He says it was the Board of Directors that suspended Vader last time, but since he is in power, he won't make the same mistake. Instead, he announces that Yokozuna and Vader will face off at WrestleMania.That brought out Jim Cornette and Clarence Mason and after a back-and-forth, Cornette says that whatever happens at Mania is on Piper's head. Piper retaliates by saying Cornette may find himself cheeck-to-cheek with Yoko at Mania if Vader were to lose. ***

### 5) Bret Hart defeats Diesel in a steel cage match to retain WWF World Title when Bret climbs out of the cage at 19:11

Fun Fact I: This is the first World Title PPV cage match since Bret Hart beat Owen Hart at Summerslam 1994. It is also the fourth and last time Bret Hart and Diesel would square off on a WWF PPV. Bret won the series 2-1-1.

Fun Fact II: On RAW the night after the Royal Rumble, Bret issued the challenge to Diesel for his title rematch. In order to prevent interference like what happened at the Rumble, Bret wanted the match inside of a steel cage. Bret also let the Undertaker know he would get a rematch as well. That rematch was on the 2/5 RAW and Diesel interfered in that match.

### Scott:

The final match of the quadrilogy that is the Hitman vs. Big Daddy Cool. Varying levels of their career, varying stories to tell and levels of psychology but this is the last chapter. In 1994 Bret was the established Champion and Diesel the up and coming star. In 1995 both were on equal footing but this time there is a line drawn in the sand. Even with both as babyfaces, Diesel is definitely showing some heel tendencies. The connection between these two? The Undertaker. He wanted a WWF Title shot as well and he got two over a few weeks' span, both at the Royal Rumble and again on Raw a couple weeks later. Now Diesel gets his title shot he never received after losing to Bret back at Survivor Series. As much as I have been a mark for cage matches since I first became a fan, these mid-90s cage matches were hit or miss because the violence level was very much amped down from the 80s, including no blood. Now, at SummerSlam 1994, the psychology between Bret and Owen didn't need those gimmicks, but here it probably could have used some clean violence, particularly from Diesel who's coming into this match with a very different attitude than in either of the 1995 matches with Bret. The prevailing urban legend during this time was that Bret was unhappy being a transition champion to Shawn Michaels heading into WrestleMania so he apparently "dogs" these two matches at the beginning of 1996 with Taker and Diesel. The match with Taker was not as good as it could have been but that was more Taker not being accustomed to facing a smaller guy who could actually help him out in a match. However, it's clear in this match that the Hitman is really working his ass off with Diesel to make this cage match as good as it can be while sticking to the WWF's boundaries on blood and violence. The crowd is a bit disappointing as they are very quiet during most of this match. In the earlier bout I mentioned about drama at this show and the different possibilities of what the WWF Title match would be at WrestleMania. Well Shawn Michaels is locked in as the #1 contender on March 31 but before that there could have been an outside chance that Diesel/Undertaker could have been a possibility for a WWF Title match. I'm probably thinking way too far outside the box but if there was any way for the WWF to give this February PPV some drama to get some buyrates they're going to do it. The match is methodical which for Diesel is fine and in a cage fits the psychology but again the crowd seems to not be feeling it. There was a pretty strong "DIESEL" chant going out late in the match, perhaps the first example of fans somewhat digging a cool heel, or a babyface that has an edgier side to him. I wouldn't say the fans turned on Bret or anything but it definitely wasn't a definitive face/heel dynamic here. In the climax Diesel crotches Bret as the Hitman is trying to climb the cage, then both men are on the canvas. Diesel starts crawling towards the door and seems to have the match won when suddenly the canvas opens up and the Undertaker comes out and drags Diesel under the ring as Bret climbs the wall and escapes to retain his World Title. Diesel crawls back out completely stunned. So right now we probably have two matches booked: Bret vs. Shawn and Diesel vs. Undertaker. The match wasn't as bad as I remembered and the WrestleMania card may be taking shape.

### JT:

With Shawn Michaels ready to go, it was time to determine the second half of the WrestleMania main event equation. Diesel has been heavily involved in the world title picture since the end of 1994 and his quest to regain his gold brings him here, inside a steel cage with Bret Hart. He has been yearning for his rematch after being passed over by British Bulldog and Undertaker, but gets his crack here and it is set up to prevent all interference, specifically from the Deadman who may be looking for revenge from the Royal Rumble. Bret Hart was feeling a bit overlooked and was determined to do what he could to take the win here and look strong going into WrestleMania. Just like he did in all of their previous bouts, Hart went right for the knees but Diesel punched him off and had the champ reeling in the corner. An aggressive Diesel shouted in Bret's face that it was going to be a long night as he buried heavy knees in his gut. Hart stopped Big Daddy Cool cold by running him into the cage twice and as he did it seemed like the crowd may have actually been more behind the challenger, booing the Hitman as he took control. Hart tried to escape, but Diesel met him up top and buried some more knees in. The cage seemed a bit shoddily put together here, as it squeaked and really gave every time they banged into it. It actually added a cool feel to the match, almost like they were fight at a playground. Diesel hoisted Hart up and slammed him into the steel back first a number of times. He tried to exit via the door but Hart caught him and slugged away. The Hitman went right back to the leg, dragging Diesel from the door and stretching it out. Diesel fought up and landed a stiff clothesline followed by a sidewalk slam. Hart recovered and started to scale the cage but had to hop down and abort when Diesel neared the door. I like strategy of Hart here, breaking down Diesel's legs forces him to crawl for the door and eliminating escaping over the top as an option. Diesel pulled himself up to block a Hart climb, slamming him down to the mat off the ropes. The two traded offense and escape attempts from there, with neither able to pull away long enough to make it out.

Diesel landed the next big blow, taking Hart over with a back suplex but again he couldn't crawl out fast enough. The challenger missed a charge in the corner and Bret again started assaulting the leg but Diesel stopped that cold with a vicious Irish whip into the corner. Diesel punished the back, easily tossing Hart into the corner and hammering him with knees and elbows. The pace here certainly is more deliberate than any of their other encounters but it also makes a lot of sense given the story they have told. Hart escaped the corner and made a mad dash, actually getting over the top and to the outside, but Diesel caught him by the hair and dragged him back in. Diesel shot Hart hard into the corner again and debated going for the door, but he stopped short and decided to inflict a little more punishment. Just like Survivor Series, that hesitation cost him as Hart slipped out of a snake eyes and ran Diesel hard into the cage. The challenger blocked a Sharpshooter attempt but Hart rattled off his closing series of moves. He again tried to scale the cage but Diesel caught him with a solid low blow, leaving both men prone on the mat. Diesel used the ropes and dragged himself to the door but Hart made a lunging save. The challenger kicked Hart off again but before he could escape, the Undertaker tore a hole through the mat and yanked Diesel down under the ring as smoke billowed into the air. As that went down, Hart climbed out and escaped to retain. That was a great finish and really well executed and a nice way to have Taker pay Diesel back for the Rumble. It has been reported since that Hart was not a fan of the finish because it made him look weak, but watching it unfold here I disagree. It was a real back and forth contest and it wasn't exactly clear that Diesel definitely would have escaped before Taker showed up. I liked this much better this time around and while it doesn't hold up to their first three matches, it was really solid thanks to strong psychology and limb work mixed in with the escape attempts. They worked in a style that screamed they had battled multiple times before and knew each other well, both focusing on a specific region and doing their damnedest to incapacitate the other long enough to sneak out of the cage. It also sets up two big WrestleMania matches in one fell swoop. Also, any previous notions that Hart was mailing this in out of anger were disproved for me here as he worked hard and the match made perfect sense. The Hitman is headed to Mania to battle Shawn Michaels in one of the most anticipated Mania main events in quite some time.

*** After the match, Dok Hendrix interviews Roddy Piper, who announces Undertaker will face Diesel at WrestleMania. ***

### Final Analysis:

Scott:

The first WrestleMania bridge show in history and it did have it's strong points. Both a WWF Title match and Shawn Michaels' Mania title shot up for grabs made for some drama, even if the drama was transparent. Diesel continues his rogue babyface style while Michaels jumps his final hurdle towards a showdown at WrestleMania for the WWF Title. Bret Hart has a much better match with Diesel than he did with Undertaker at the Royal Rumble, dispelling the rumor that Bret tanked these "transition" title defenses and it was just Undertaker he struggled with. The undercard was alright as Razor Ramon finally dispatches the pesky Kid and Hunter Hearst-Helmsley continues his slow rise up the card. It's an average show with some bright spots, and we are heading non-stop to Anaheim.

Final Grade:

### JT:

For a two-hour filler PPV heading into WrestleMania, this was decent enough. We had some big ramifications on the line and they were executed well enough to make you wonder the outcomes even though going in they were fairly obvious. The undercard ranged from perfectly acceptable to disjointed, but like we have discussed since the fall, the air of change in the company is palpable. The paring down of the roster has led to the wrestlers working harder and bringing a more aggressive style to the table. There are significantly less restholds and much more brawling and aerial assaults than we saw in 1995. It is clear that these guys knew there were holes all over the card that needed to be filled and that the opportunities were right in front of them. The show finished strong with a really good Michaels/Hart battle and rock solid cage main event between Diesel and Bret Hart. The path to WrestleMania has become much more clear and it will be a pivotal show as the company continues to recover and set themselves up for longterm success with a new crop of top stars.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #122

# WrestleMania XII: Iron Man

March 31, 1996

Arrowhead Pond

Anaheim, California

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Attendance: 18,852

Buyrate: 1.2

Fun Fact: This is the first and only time in WWF PPV history that there were graphics on the ring canvas. The WrestleMania XII logo was in blue across the center of the mat.

Free For All Matches:

### 1) The Bodydonnas defeated the Godwinns to win WWF Tag Team Titles in 5:12

Fun Fact: This was the finals of a tournament because Billy Gunn was injured and the Smokin' Gunns were forced to forfeit the belts. Here are the results of the tournament: 1st Round: Bodydonnas defeated the Bushwhackers, Savio Vega & Razor Ramon defeated 1-2-3 Kid & Tatanka, Owen Hart & British Bulldog defeated Hakushi & Barry Horowitz and the Godwinns defeated the New Rockers. 2nd Round: Bodydonnas defeated Savio Vega & Steve Austin (substitute for Ramon) and the Godwinns defeated Hart & Bulldog.

### 2) The Huckster and the Nacho Man fought to a No Contest

Fun Fact: This would be the final Billionaire Ted skit for the WWF after USA President Kay Koplovitz asked Vince McMahon to put an end to the increasingly malicious offerings.

Pay-Per-View:

### 1) Vader, Owen Hart & British Bulldog defeat Yokozuna, Ahmed Johnson & Jake Roberts when Vader pinned Roberts with the Vaderbomb at 13:08

Fun Fact I: This was originally scheduled as a singles match between Vader and Yokozuna, but was changed to a six man on the 3/18 Raw when Jake Roberts laid down the challenge to Jim Cornette after a match with the British Bulldog. It was then revealed that the fine print read that if Yoko's team won, Yoko would get five minutes alone with Cornette.

Fun Fact II: This is the final WWF appearance for Mr. Fuji. Fuji decided to retire from wrestling prior to the show due to injuries that prevented him from traveling, but made a special appearance here at ringside with Yoko. Fuji retired to Knoxville, Tennessee, where he currently resides. In 1997, he sued the makers of the video game WCW vs. nWo World Tour, claiming that the character "Master Fuji" was based on him. Though the base of this character was actually Japanese wrestler Yoshiaki Fujiwara, it was actually close enough to Mr. Fuji that the lawsuit was settled in Fuji's favor. Fuji also operated two training dojos in Tennessee until 2001. In 2007, Fuji would get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his former charge and Fuji Vice co-star Don Muraco.

Fun Fact III: Vader was originally scheduled to miss this show while rehabbing from approved shoulder surgery. However, Vince McMahon pushed Vader to come back five months ahead of schedule to assist with the buy rate for this PPV and his TV ratings as he battled WCW week-to-week. Vader was not happy but his contract left him no choice but to gut it out.

### Scott:

This was originally supposed to be the battle of the beef between Vader and Yokozuna but since Vader's shoulder injury wasn't totally healed they needed to add some bodies to the match, and it made perfect sense. It's very strange that Vader was signed to a pretty decent contract with the WWF at the end of 1995 but was so injured he probably wasn't ready until July or August. With Ted DiBiase slowly falling to the background, Jim Cornette's faction of heels was gaining steam and would be a force throughout the rest of 1996. Jake Roberts has looked pretty strong since his return, as Vince has sprinkled some veterans on the roster to go along with the bevy of newcomers that are already here and will be arriving in 1996. Because our main event eats up a third of this show, the rest of the matches had to be judiciously timed out and this one got just the perfect length to keep the crowd invested and fired up for the rest of the show. The match was a lot of fun, with energy all over the ring and even the big guys like Ahmed and Bulldog were giving it their all and the action was hot and heavy. Jake had the match won when he DDT'd Owen but the referee wasn't looking and Vader got the win with the Vader Bomb. He's kept strong as is Camp Cornette but the singles match with Yokozuna is still on the horizon.

### JT:

For the twelfth year, we settle in for the WWF's biggest show of the year: WrestleMania. In 1995, the show was completely built and sold around celebrities and outsiders. A year later, we do a complete 180 and solely focus on the in house wrestlers that comprise the thin, overhauled roster. It partly went down this way because the previous strategy didn't pay off but also because when it came to the mainstream, pro wrestling was ice cold. Hollywood wanted nothing to do with it and many athletes saw how the football stars had been treated by the press in 1995 and decided it wasn't worth it. But, honestly it was for the best. They had a good group of burgeoning stars that were hungry to solidify themselves as top players and a pretty good slew of veterans that were working hard to help WWF battle WCW in the war as well. We open with an interesting six man battle that epitomizes the current makeup of the roster. It features a young rising star, solid veteran role players, a top new heel and an old school legend making one last loop around the horn. Camp Cornette's team is quite strong here and he was banking on a win to avoid being trapped in the ring with Yokozuna after the bout. Vader was working injured, having been rushed back from shoulder surgery to help fill out the card and continue his feud with the mammoth Yokozuna. British Bulldog was embarking on a feud with Ahmed Johnson as the two powerhouses seemed like a natural matchup. Owen Hart is along for the ride and Jake Roberts is just happy to be back. I actually loved that he was back here, as he had good name value but also had no issue putting others over. I should also mention that this is the final appearance of Mr. Fuji. He gets to show up once as a face, supporting his longtime charge, but would head into retirement after the show. It has been a hell of a run for a guy around with us throughout the entire PPV run. The faces would clean house to open the match and Ahmed struck the first big blow with a wild dive over the top rope into Vader. After a brawl on the floor, we got Yoko and Vader tussling immediately. Yoko got the best of it and also beat up his former partner Hart until Bulldog made the save for him. It was interesting seeing Yoko as the face-in-peril, but the three campers took turns smacking the big man around, including Vader rocking him with a series of punches that put him on his back. Yoko came back with a urinage and then tagged in Ahmed, who slugged away at everyone with right hands before taking Bulldog down with a powerslam. Ahmed would load him up for the plunge, but Owen drilled him from behind to break the hold up while also putting his team in control. Ahmed would fight through the quick tags and attack to tag in Jake Roberts, making his first in ring Mania appearance in four years. Owen blocked a DDT but Jake kept hammering away to the excitement of the fans. They have mixed everyone in nicely here, letting them all get some shine and pair off accordingly. Bulldog would eventually go to the arm before tagging in Vader, who peppered the Snake with hard punches and a snug clothesline. After getting trapped and beaten on, Jake still was able to survive a Bulldog powerslam and Vader big splash, putting out a hell of a gutsy showing in his big Mania return. He would finally make the hot tag to Yoko, who exploded with a flurry on Vader in the corner and then wiped out the remainder of his former stablemates to the roar of the crowd. Things broke down from there and Jake would hit the DDT on Owen, but with the referee tied up, Cornette leapt into the ring. Roberts fought him off but Vader made his way in and wiped out the Snake with a Vader Bomb for the win. No retribution for Yoko, but this was the right call. Let Roberts eat the pin and keep the heels strong, giving Vader a solid Mania win. This was a fun opener that cut a solid pace and got all six men some exposure throughout. Camp Cornette has some good chemistry going and are building themselves up into a strong stable. Plus, I will always mark out at Jake working through his old routine to the buzz of the crowd.

### 2) Roddy Piper vs. Goldust – Hollywood Back Lot Brawl Part I (4:08)

Fun Fact I: This match was supposed to be a Razor Ramon/Goldust Royal Rumble rematch, but Ramon had given his notice to the company and also failed a drug test within days of each other, so Vince McMahon decided to suspend him from this show to send a message that the drug tests were taken seriously and also to give the payday to somebody loyal to him instead.

Fun Fact II: With Ramon out, Roddy Piper was inserted into the feud in his place. Ramon and Goldust had actually had a great and memorable brawl on Raw in February to set up the street fight here, but in the end it was the last time Ramon appeared on Monday Night Raw. When Piper was named President, Goldust began coming onto him, saying he was attracted to power. Piper, of course, did not take this lying down and popped Goldust in the face after he told Roddy of his affection. Goldust even went so far as to do a fake "Piper's Pit" episode, mocking the Rowdy Scot.

Fun Fact III: This part of the match was prerecorded in the week leading up to the show, but was completed in one take.

### Scott:

As much as one of the top heels in the company was to be showcased here, I don't think this was a great idea. Sure having Razor Ramon work was not smart since he failed a piss test and gave his notice that he was leaving, but an Intercontinental Title match should have been placed here instead. There had to have been another top flight babyface to get a title match with, but instead there's a backlot brawl with Hot Rod, his first official PPV match since that snorefest with Jerry Lawler at the 1994 King of the Ring. Once the match started in the back lot of the Pond, I was immediately entertained. Both men really lay into each other with stiff punches and kicks, including a Piper punch that broke his hand. They throw each other into the catering table, and then they jump into cars: Goldust in his gold Cadillac, and Piper in a...WHITE BRONCO? Good grief, how stupid. In any event Piper gets hit with the car and Goldust speeds off. Piper goes off in the Bronco and we're...done? No not exactly, but now we will get to the point of the show that really torqued me off.

### JT:

With Razor Ramon suspended, Roddy Piper was solicited to step in and fill this slot agains the ever provocative Goldust. And with the combination of Piper's machismo and Goldust's mind games, the animosity between the two didn't take long to boil over. Goldust unleashed some...interesting attacks on the Hot Rod, claiming he was attracted to his new position of power. Thus, by the time the match came, Piper was frothing at the mouth for revenge and was brandishing a baseball bat when the IC Champion pulled up in his gold Cadillac. With a few dozen fans surrounding the back lot, Piper went right to work demolishing Goldust with various weapons that were hanging around the area. The fight was really stiff and you could feel the hate oozing from Piper as he laid in tight kicks and a legit hard punch to the face that actually ended up breaking the Hot Rod's hand. At one point, Piper even sprayed down the now bloody Goldust with a fire hose. Goldust somehow found a way to kick free and dove into his Caddy, which he quickly backed up and then shot forward, careening into Piper, who landed on the hood. Goldust dumped him off with a hard stop and then sped off quickly. Piper crawled to his feet, hopped in a white Bronco, natch, and drove off after him. And that brings an end to this one for now. It was certainly interesting and I think they were wise to keep it fairly short as it had the potential to really meander and possibly kill the crowd sitting in the arena. That one punch from Piper really was tough to watch. Either way, we return to this in a little while.

### 3) Steve Austin defeats Savio Vega with a sleeper at 10:07

Fun Fact I: Savio Vega and Razor Ramon were originally teammates in the tag title tournament, but when Ramon was suspended in late-February, WWF officials assigned Steve Austin to be Vega's partner after a random drawing. In their match against the Bodydonnas, Austin avoided being tagged in, and then would cost his team the match, triggering an interesting feud.

Fun Fact II: By this time Steve Austin had completely shaved his head, grew out the goatee, and was officially called "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. The official name change occurred on the 3/11 Raw before a match with Savio Vega. That match ended in a double count out, leading to the rematch here. This match is where he debuts his black boots, as up to this point he had his white boots with the star on them that he had in WCW. In February, Austin had gone to Vince McMahon and begged him to drop the Ringmaster name and take on the persona of an ice cold serial killer. After the creative services group came up with a number of inane suggestions for a nickname, it was Austin's wife that provided the inspiration for his new persona when she implored him to drink his tea before it became "stone cold".

### Scott:

Enough with the stupid Ringmaster name. Steve Austin is still with Ted DiBiase and he's carrying the Million Dollar Belt, but gone is the crew cut and clean shaven face. Now the black boots and black tights are in with the shaved head and full grown goatee. Vince had been using the adjective "Stone Cold" during his matches on Raw, but now it's part of his name now. That is a huge upgrade and now he can completely focus on changing his style in the ring to someone much more calculated. Savio Vega is a great complement to Austin, a solid worker who will bump and sell for him and make great comebacks to get the crowd going. The feud started when Austin turned on Savio during the Tag Team Title tournament and then it escalated on Raw. The match was a lot of fun, but sadly you couldn't really concentrate on it because of the nonsense car chase with Piper and Goldust, even going so far as to use stock footage of the OJ chase from two years earlier with a white Bronco being followed by all the cops. That and Piper on his "cellular phone" talking to Vince sucks all the life out of this match, at least for the viewers at home. It's hard to concentrate when Vince and Lawler aren't paying attention either. Austin wins with a sleeper after two shots with the Million Dollar Belt while the the referee is out. I really liked this match and the feud will continue through the next couple of months, but it never gets the true respect it deserves. Just imagine, he could have been "Ice Dagger" or "Chilly McFreeze" Steve Austin. I shudder to think.

### JT:

The last time we saw Steve Austin on PPV, he was known as the Ringmaster and sported short peach fuzz hair, white boots and arrogantly ran his mouth. Now, he has undergone some changes...for the better. Gone is the Ringmaster and in his place is Stone Cold Steve Austin. His head shaved bald and face bearing a goatee, the more focused, icy cold Austin was ready to start his ascent. His opponent on this night is the stalwart Savio Vega, whom Austin had betrayed in the tag team title tournament after a random draw forced them together. Austin is still the Million Dollar Champion and has Ted DiBiase with him, but his makeover was a godsend. Vega charged the ring, hellbent on revenge, but Austin caught him coming in and went right to work. Vega came back with a sidewalk slam before the two started rolling around trading wild haymakers. Great intensity right away being shown by these two and Vega would dominate on the floor, fight right through a DiBiase distraction. The tide turned when Vega missed a charge and slammed shoulder first into the post. This is a nice spot for Vega, a guy that can go and isn't afraid to get into a stiff fight with the right opponent. Austin started to work the arm but Vega worked free and landed a side kick to the jaw. As the match wore on, Piper called in from the road, said he was going to catch the "fruit" and continue their street fight. Austin regained control and went back to the arm as Piper's connection dropped. A moment later, Hot Rod was back and again called Goldust a "fruit" before getting cut off a second time. Vega would nab a near fall with a cross body and the two traded a flurry of near falls. We would go split screen for a moment with footage of the car chase, which was of course old stock film of the OJ Simpson chase, and when we returned Vega caught Austin with a big side kick. The crowd has flattened out quite a bit, which is a shame, because this has been pretty fun. They have battled back and forth with stiff strikes and sneaky near falls. Austin would take a shot by going to the middle rope, but it backfired when he ate a Vega boot on the way down. The two would get back to their feet and trade more right hands in a battle won by Vega, but a moment later things fell apart when Savio cracked the referee when Austin ducked a spin wheel kick. DiBiase would take the chance to hop on the apron and distract Vega, which gave Austin the chance to paste Savio with the Million Dollar Title a pair of times. He would then hook in the Dream as DiBiase rusted the referee, who crawled over and saw that Savio was unconscious, giving Austin his first Mania victory. This was certainly a more successful Mania than last year for DiBiase at the very least. Despite the Piper/Goldust stuff and a flat crowd, these guys worked hard out there and I liked the style they worked. It was snug and they mixed in all sorts of near falls with no real extended heat segment. The finish was OK but a bit too drawn out, but I guess that fit Austin's calculated manner at the time. Either way, he is officially in the books with a Mania win and Savio heads off to regroup.

### 4) Ultimate Warrior defeats Hunter Hearst-Helmsley with a splash at 1:36

Fun Fact I: When last we saw the Ultimate Warrior, he was leaving the WWF after his second firing from the company prior to Survivor Series 1992. Vince McMahon had initially reopened talks with the Warrior to rejoin the company prior to the Royal Rumble, but the two couldn't agree to terms. However, with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash both giving their notice to the company, Vince was desperate to add some known names to his roster. Thus he finally gave in and gave Warrior unprecedented rights to his character and image, leading to Warrior making his return to the company here.

Fun Fact II: Marc Merowitz grew up in New York where he began learning to box during his senior year in high school under Ray Rinaldi, a Golden Gloves coach. Mero would win four state titles including the NY Golden Gloves tournament. After a broken nose ended his boxing career, Mero began looking at wrestling as an alternative career. He was trained in Florida by the Malenko family. After a few months in the business he went to a WCW taping and was given a tryout. He was later signed on and given the Johnny B. Badd character, a Little Richard knock-off gimmick. After objecting to the direction of a program with Diamond Dallas Page's wife, he left WCW and signed on with the Federation for a big money deal that ended up angering many of the other midcard competitors. It was revealed afterwards that Vince McMahon didn't realize the Johnny B. Badd character couldn't come with Mero, as it had been one of the reasons he was so anxious to sign him.

Fun Fact III: Following closely in tow with Mero was his wife at the time, Rena Merowitz. Before her involvement in wrestling, Rena was a model for Pepsi, Guess? and L'Oréal. When Marc signed with the WWF, Vince saw Rena and wanted to bring her in as well, initially as the valet, Sable. But time will tell, she would become the more profitable of the Meros and overshadow her husband, as was predicted by Jim Cornette at the time of the signing.

### Scott:

In one of the most shocking comebacks in WWF history, The Ultimate Warrior returns after being out of the business proper for over three years. With guys leaving for greener pastures in the south, Vince needed some star power to fill this show up, considering he was taking a chance with the main event stipulation. Sadly there weren't any other real over mid-card heels to look at the lights here, as Helmsley had continued to go up the ladder and was more over than say anybody in DiBiase's Corporation and all the Camp Cornette guys were used in the earlier match. So Helmsley drew the short straw to eat the pin here. I hated that Warrior had to no sell the Pedigree but of course that's my personal opinion, I'm sure many loved that Helmsley got what he deserved (looking back now) but that's their opinion. Warrior is back but I'm curious how much of an impact he's going to make in the WWF. Will he challenge for the WWF Title? How welcomed is his creative freedom? Time will tell, but this was nothing more than a nostalgia pop to get the crowd fired up.

### JT:

I am not sure anybody expected this. After just over three years, the Ultimate Warrior was back in a WWF ring. It had been four years since his last surprise return at WrestleMania VIII and five since his last Mania match, which was his classic against Randy Savage. Desperate for stars, the company decided to bring him back and give it another go and off the bat it seemed like a good move since he was immediately super over, as always. There was a fun little running storyline going with Jerry Lawler teasing about rumors that Warrior was 400 pounds and bald, and he perpetuates it here as Hunter Hearst-Helmsley sauntered out to the ring. There was no issue here between Helmsley and Warrior, but Helmsley happened to be the mid carder chosen to put over the legend in his return match. As always, Helmsley is being accompanied by a stunning lass, who Vince informs us is named Sable and also claims is the most beautiful one has had with him to date. Warrior would arrive to a huge pop and the rumors were proven false as he looked the same as always: jacked up, full of energy and ready to clean house. Helmsley jumped him off the bell and actually hit the Pedigree, but Warrior no sold it, ran through him and finished him off with a big splash to successfully close out his return. Well, that was quite the scene. In later years it was revealed that Helmsley was told it would be more of a back-and-forth match, but Warrior flat out told him he wanted it to be a squash, similar to the SummerSlam 1988 whitewashing of the Honky Tonk Man that jumpstarted his run to stardom. Helmsley was hesitant to let Warrior wipe him out so easily, but was advised to take it in stride and due to his team first attitude, he was set to be rewarded with a big push. It was certainly a decision that paid off for him in the long term. Warrior is back and you would assume he would move into the main event picture sooner than later, but the real question is whether he would last long enough to see any big time feuds or matches.

*** Backstage, Todd Pettingil interviews new WWF signee "Wildman" Marc Mero. Mero is thrilled to have finally arrived in the company after five years and talks about the fire in his eyes. As he is continuing on, Hunter Hearst-Helmsley accidentally bumps into him and then shoves him off as he was in the middle of berating Sable about the loss. Mero would take offense to the shove and the yelling, grab Hunter and ram him into a garage door before taking him to the ground. The two exchanged blows on the cement as we cut back to the arena. ***

### 5) Undertaker defeats Diesel with a Tombstone at 16:43

Fun Fact: This feud started at the Royal Rumble when Diesel cost Undertaker his World Title match and continued at In Your House #6 when Taker returned the favor. The two would continue playing mind games in the weeks leading up to the show. On the 3/18 Raw, while Diesel was taking on Barry Horowitz, Paul Bearer, who had been beaten down by Big Daddy Cool the week before, wheeled a casket to ringside. After the match, Diesel opened the casket only to find a replica of himself laying there. Diesel was freaked out but tried to play it cool.

### Scott:

The secondary main event pits the two big monsters of the company head to head. Diesel has had an interesting stretch since losing the WWF Title back in November. His attitude has changed from happy leather-clad foundation to cool, slick and angry tweener. He pretty much cemented his full blown heel status when he smacked Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and Undertaker with a chair at an MSG House show earlier in the month. It was a ready made feud as neither had really faced each other in the past few years so it was a fresh matchup. Kevin Nash had also given his notice to Vince that he was leaving for WCW, but unlike Razor who flunked a drug test, Nash did the right thing for business and accepted Vince's requests to put some guys over. I was looking forward to this match because the Undertaker's last few Mania matches have been quite forgettable. Giant Gonzalez at IX and King Kong Bundy at XI were real stinkers, so if anything Taker (who wasn't real happy in the company at this point) was finally given someone he could work with. In 1995 Diesel struggled with big guys like Sid and Mabel but he knew Taker would be active and go power move for power move with him. They went back and forth and hit their big moves with incredible force, and even with the bear hug in the middle of the match the crowd was actually still into it. I'm probably complementing this crowd more than I should, since I always slam California fans but to their credit they stayed in it throughout. I wasn't sure who was going to win the match but then when Diesel hit the first of two Jackknife Powerbombs I thought perhaps it was over. However, when Diesel took too long to try a pin attempt I resigned myself that eventually the Deadman was going to win. The match went a little longer than I thought and Diesel even hit a second Jackknife but that still didn't keep the Deadman down. They would continue to battle back and forth but eventually Taker drilled the Tombstone and his Mania record is now 5-0. This was easily Taker's best match at Mania and Diesel's best match against someone not in the Clique or named Bret Hart.

### JT:

A year removed from his WrestleMania World Title match, Diesel is back at Mania in a feature role but a whole lot has changed in these twelve months. A year ago, he was the franchise player, carrying the World Title and hobnobbing with C-list celebrities and well known athletes. Eleven months later, he gave his notice that he was heading to WCW to accept a big money offer from the increasingly dangerous Eric Bischoff. It was a major blow to the WWF, but before he left Vince McMahon asked him to do a few favors and Big Daddy Cool obliged. On screen, his feud with Undertaker had been raging since the Royal Rumble where a skirmish in the aisle led to Diesel costing the Deadman the WWF Title. He did so again on Raw and Undertaker paid him back at IYH6, setting us for a clash of the big men here. It was also really good to see Taker get lined up with an opponent that could actually move and add some intrigue to a Mania match. His last two Mania battles have been hot messes and he was ready to prove he could deliver something better. And that was proven within minutes when the two titans clashed in the center of the ring, trading big blows and ebbing back and forth with aggressive strikes. Diesel would clothesline Taker to the floor, but the Deadman landed on his feet and yanked Big Daddy Cool to the floor, where the two continued to trade blows. Back inside, Diesel slipped out of a Tombstone but Taker caught him with a cross body for a near fall. That move showed that Taker was ready to open up the playbook and mix it up a bit. After hitting an ax handle off the top rope, Taker missed a leaping clothesline, but was able to maintain control by snapping Diesel's neck across the top rope before driving him to the outside where he ran him into the ring post. The suddenly aggressive Taker grabbed a chair but came up empty on the swing, drilling the ring post instead. Diesel shot him into the barricade and regrouped as he took control of the bout. He would start in on the back, beginning to set up Taker for the Jackknife and that would be his main focus over the next few minutes. As Big Daddy Cool methodiclaly worked Taker over, the crowd fired up a "Rest in Peace" chant, trying to rally the Deadman. Diesel unleashed a sidewalk slam and snake eyes before crunching Taker with a legdrop while he was draped across the middle rope. Diesel remained keyed in, slamming into Taker's skull with forearms but stumbled a bit when Taker caught him with a back elbow and right hand. That led to a double big boot that knocked both men to their backs. As they both got back to their feet, Diesel struck first, shooting Taker hard into the corner and then locking him in a bear hug. Taker eventually broke free and took to the air, heading up top and wiping Diesel out with a flying clothesline. Diesel kicked out of the cover and quickly struck with a Jackknife but instead of covering, he strutted around the ring and smugly posed for the fans while mocking Taker by kicking his prone body. As he did, Taker sat up as expected, so Diesel calmly cracked him with a right hand and hit a second Jackknife, again followed by some posing. Taker would again sit up, this time grabbing a choke as he did. Diesel didn't freak out or back down and just kept calmly pelting Taker with right hands. However, Taker sat up and grabbed the choke again but Diesel busted it with a back suplex. That was a nice tease and I love how Diesel is staying cool and fighting through this expected run from Taker. The Deadman again rose, but Diesel went right at him with a big knee to the gut. Taker would duck a clothesline and hit his flying version. He followed that up with a chokeslam and Tombstone to put Diesel away for good and remain undefeated at WrestleMania. That was a really solid power match between two well protected big men. They played their roles well with Taker mixing it up a bit and Diesel staying true to his character by remaining relaxed and focused, fighting through all of Taker's comebacks until the Tombstone finally got him in the end. Diesel has been a lot of fun since he broke free of his WWF Title shackles and I loved his attitude throughout this one. The way he played to the crowd and executed his gameplan worked well and he had been booked strongly enough to be a believable threat to the Deadman. Taker's renaissance continues as he delivers his best Mania bout to date and I was happy that this one ended up being as good as it was as it easily could have went south when you consider all the factors in play.

### 6) Roddy Piper defeats Goldust in the Hollywood Back Lot Brawl when he ripped off Goldust's clothes in 9:45 (Part II was 5:36)

Fun Fact: Following this match we say goodbye again to Roddy Piper until the end of the Monday Night War. As with many other former WWF brethren, he would travel down south and join WCW. He will reappear in the WWE in 2003.

### Scott:

After all that crap with the car chase and OJ innuendo, Goldust and Piper are back to the arena and we get some semblance of a wrestling match. Goldust takes advantage and really lays in the mind games but Piper rebuffs them. It's apparent they really didn't go over what to actually do in the match because it seemed like a lot of posturing and stalling. Goldust kisses Piper on the mouth and that's when all hell breaks loose. Piper goes bonkers and it concludes with Piper ripping Goldust's outfit off to reveal...well something. Something men generally wouldn't wear. The match, I guess, is over and the crowd does go crazy for the Hot Rod's win, which included a claw to the balls and more than a few nut shots. The whole thing was a real mess but the crowd loved it and it was pretty entertaining, but my only gripe is that this drama came at the expense of a really great match between Steve Austin and Savio Vega.

### JT:

Before we get to our main event, we had to wrap up business on our Back Lot Brawl. After a lengthy car chase through Orange County, Goldust and Piper arrived back at the arena where Hot Rod stalked the golden one back into the ring. Piper would wrap up his busted hand and then charge Goldust, leading to a quick punch and kick brawl. Goldust would finally take control and hammer and choke away at the President. He then continued his mind games by sliding onto Piper's prone body and teasing a kiss before smacking away at him. Goldust would head up top, but Piper shook the ropes and crotched him. Never one to be deterred, Goldust planted that kiss on Piper, which only served to fire up the Hot Rod, who then grabbed a testicular claw that drove Goldust to the mat. The crowd was all revved up as Piper dropped a knee to the groin and then yanked off Goldust's bodysuit, revealing black lingerie. Well, that was surely an interesting choice. Another low blow sent Goldust scrambling, officially ending the brawl and giving Piper the victory. Well, the crowd sure loved it. The brawling in the back lot was stiff and effective and while I could have lived without the constant cut-ins from the highway and the bizarre lingerie decision, the second half was fine too. Piper rides off into the sunset a victor and this marks the final time we would see him at WrestleMania for quite a while.

### 7) Shawn Michaels defeats Bret Hart in an Iron Man match to win WWF World Title with a Superkick at 61:53

Fun Fact I: This is the first ever Iron Man Match on WWF TV, and the first ever Sixty Minute Iron Man Match on PPV. WCW had done two Thirty Minute Iron Matches in the past: Rick Rude vs. Ricky Steamboat and Rick Rude vs. Dustin Rhodes. It is also the longest non-Royal Rumble match in WWF PPV history to this point.

Fun Fact II: This is the PPV debut of Jose Lothario, who would remain Michaels' manager until January of 1997. We first saw Lothario in the extensive training videos that were shown for both men during the build up of this match. Lothario had trained Michaels in San Antonio when he first broke into the business.

Fun Fact III: After winning their matches at IYH6, the stage was set for two of the best in-ring workers in wrestling history to meet each other for the WWF championship. Rocky-esque vignettes began airing on WWF programming after the Iron Man stipulation was added showing both Hart and Michaels in intense training sessions. Michaels' story was one of overcoming adversity, from having been defeated by Diesel one year earlier at WrestleMania XI to having to forfeit the Intercontinental title after sustaining injuries in a bar fight in Syracuse. The stage is now set for a boyhood dream to come true.

Fun Fact IV: Before the match, The Fink introduces Gorilla Monsoon, who is now officially reinstated as the President of the WWF after convalescing from the beatdown at the hands of Vader.

### Scott:

Besides the histrionics of Shawn Michaels rappelling down to the ring, I love how Earl Hebner went through all the rules that we as wrestling fans knew already. There were a pair of short Iron Man matches in WCW a few years earlier but for the WWF diehards this was completely foreign to them. This was a big risk for Vince because fans are used to good length PPV matches but that's probably 20 minutes, 25 tops. A full hour? That's a big risk and again we aren't in a big time wrestling hotbed either. So it had to be done right for the crowd to stay engaged. They do have the right two guys to do this with as they are both exceptionally talented and have the stamina to not look gassed 25 minutes in. Gorilla Monsoon was officially reinstated as WWF President following his injuries at the hands of Vader and now with Piper's storyline done he's off camera. That plays a big factor later on. Let's get into the match. Watching all the RAWs leading up to this show, it's definite that Shawn was going to win. He's the one with the boyhood dream, and he's the one who's battling back from losing in Hartford last year and getting beat up by Syracuse thugs. While Bret sits back with his shades on and the belt over his shoulder going "Well that's nice but I'm still gonna beat him up." The training vignettes also skewed a bit towards Shawn as his workouts are tough, cardio battles while Bret jogs lightly, swims like a porpoise and gets mangled by his 70-something year old father. So going in, Bret already looked like the dead Champion walking. But he was definitely going to get his pound of flesh. The first ten minutes are another example of how the entire storyline skewed in favor of Shawn as Michaels starts taking Bret down with grappling maneuvers, which is Bret's specialty. So Vince is saying that Shawn is outthinking the Hitman by using his moves on him, like Bret is some sort of idiot. They continue to go back and forth and clearly the early portion of the match favors Bret because HBK has to conserve his energy so all the "Mexican Flying Around" that Bret said Shawn does had to be put on the backburner for fear of making a mistake. So a good hunk of the first half hour is Shawn trying to outwrestle Bret while conserving his energy. Bret's philosophy is simple; regardless whether this has a finite time, if he survives the 60 minutes, it's a draw and he leaves as Champion. We will get more into how he was wrong on that a little later on. So in reality Bret's approach is to wear Shawn down and get him into grapple predicaments (submissions) that will eat up time on the clock. Michaels needs to stick and move while wearing Bret down as well. The first quarter of the match ends when both are on the outside and Michaels drills the timekeeper with Sweet Chin Music as Bret ducks out of the way. It's still a pretty sweet moment even after all these years. The next thirty minutes is both men going back and forth with a combination of grapples and the occasional outside maneuver. There's a couple of smart moments by Bret where Shawn goes outside the ring (including one where he knocks Jose Lothario down on the outside) and instead of going after him Bret sits back and waits for the countout, as it is considered a decision. Lawler had to take sides here somehow since both guys are babyfaces so believe it or not he was slightly siding with Bret, even after all they've gone through since 1993. With about ten minutes left Shawn starts pulling out the stops with his usual maneuvers while Bret spent time grinding Shawn to the mat with leg submissions to prepare for the Sharpshooter.

Vince and Lawler ditch the dopey jokes with ten minutes left and got down to business as Bret really started to ratchet up the submission moves but hasn't been able to get the Sharpshooter on. The other big storyline hook was that Shawn didn't take any crazy risks in the match, until there was about :50 left. Bret is on the mat and Shawn goes to the top rope, but Bret gets to his feet and is waiting and when Shawn flies, Bret moves and Shawn drops to his back. That gives Bret the chance to hook the legs and get the Sharpshooter on. Many think that Shawn would tap out, but Bret was thinking if he keeps Shawn in the move he can't lose. Well the clock hits zero, Shawn didn't tap out and Bret takes his belt and leaves. In his eyes, the match ended in a draw, Shawn fell just short and he's leaving with his title. Well in steps Gorilla Monsoon, who reminded everyone that one month earlier at In Your House #6, Roddy Piper said "There must be a winner." So we start sudden death, and Bret is pretty pissed off. Shawn is hurt and Bret really works the back over with angered vigor. Then Shawn hits a superkick out of nowhere, but he's too beat down to go for the pin. So he somehow gets up and hits a second superkick and gets the three count he's waited his entire career for. Now here's where the fun begins. There's an urban legend that after the match Shawn supposedly told Earl Hebner to get Bret "the fuck out of my ring." Bret takes his time like the spiteful prick he is and walked defiantly out of the arena. Shawn gets his four-five minutes of the spotlight ala Hulk Hogan in the first few Manias. Watching up close, you can definitely tell that Shawn told Earl something. Earl walks around the ring with the belt very awkwardly. On the Rivalries DVD, Shawn doesn't remember saying anything but I think either denial or drugs may have clouded his memory. Bret remembers it very well, as he has the memory of an elephant. The match is great, and even the middle part of the match which for years I always thought was dreadfully boring wasn't actually that bad on another watch. But it's evident that Shawn Michaels as WWF Champion is going to do things his way whether you like it or not. As for the Hitman? Maybe he's due for a long needed vacation, having pretty much worked non-stop since 1985. As for WWF vs. WCW? It's back and forth right now but in a few months some major shots across the bow put the WWF on the defensive for a while.

### JT:

This was a bold choice by all involved. The time had finally arrived for Shawn Michaels and he was in peak physical condition, as evidenced via the packages in the buildup. But, to finally cash in on his Boyhood Dream and win the WWF Title, he would have to wrestle an hour and outlast the stalwart Champion, Bret Hart. The Hitman was dinged up after a grueling overseas tour and a long stretch on the road without a break, but there was little doubt he would be up to the task. The question that really remained was whether they could engage the crowd for sixty minutes. I love that they went for this as they had the two perfect guys and a the optimal story to set it up. Also, with the thin roster, there was no better time to fill up a third of the show with one match. Michaels got the festivities started with an epic entrance, riding down from the roof on a zip line, where his mentor and trainer Jose Lothario awaited his arrival. The Hitman was the antithesis, stoic and focused as always, no fanfare needed. The way both made their way to the ring told the entire story of their styles and careers. After Earl Hebner read through the rules, we got underway with some mat work. Lawler and Vince both agreed that the first fall was crucial in determining who would win this one, a sound analysis that is hard to disagree with. Michaels started to work the arm a bit with Bret focusing more on grinding a headlock and it was clear that they were going to work a slow, paced build to ensure they lasted the full sixty. As we ticked close to the ten minute mark, the trading of holds continued. We also got to see Stu Hart and Freddie Blassie chilling in the crowd, watching the match unfold. As Vince wondered aloud if Bret was surprised at Shawn's wrestling acumen, Lawler noted that he thought he would be doing all that "Mexican flying around". Welp. Shawn picked up the pace first, clocking Hart with some forearms before dumping him to the floor with a headscissors takeover, which Vince classified as one of those "Mexican maneuvers". The Hitman tried to target the midsection in advance of the Sharpshooter, but Michaels grounded him again, going back to the arm.

As the clock hit 45:00, Hart almost nabbed the Sharpshooter out of nowhere and then clotheslined Michaels hard to the floor. Hart followed him out but Michaels shoved him into the post, with the Hitman bouncing off and landing in the lap of the timekeeper. Michaels took a chance and launched into Sweet Chin Music, but Hart dodged it and the poor timekeeper took it flush in the face. That was a great, random spot that popped the quieted crowd. Back inside, Hart went back to his chinlock as things settled back down. Twenty minutes in, Michaels made his comeback, slipping free and landing a flurry, capped by a dropkick and ending with the Hitman's arm trapped. Vince really harped on how Michaels was executing the basics so well, saying he would be ahead on points right now and that Hart was getting frustrated. The champion made a comeback but that ended swiftly when he crashed hard into the ring post, rattling his now tender shoulder. Michaels pounced, hitting a shoulderbreaker in front of what has become a very quiet crowd. As Shawn pounded the shoulder, Vince noted how Michaels won a load of Slammys the evening before. Lawler noted that he gifted one to Lothario and that it would be "in a Mexican pawn shop" very soon. Hart again made a comeback, but one shot to the shoulder put him back down. I am enjoying the role reversals here, with Michaels working as the technician and picking apart the shoulder while Hart made the big comeback attempts. Hart finally found daylight at the 32 minute mark, launching Michaels up into the ring post with a slingshot.

As we reached the halfway point, Hart was firmly in control, slamming Michaels to the mat with a bulldog. He would head up top and nearly get caught but Hart fended Shawn off and drove him to the mat with his knee pressed to the back of the challenger's head. On the way down, Hebner got bumped but he was back up in time to count the first near fall of the match: a Shawn Michaels powerslam over 30 minutes into the match. Hart came back with a piledriver for his first near fall and for the first time in over 15 minutes, the crowd popped big. The Hitman went up top again, but Michaels caught him this time and slammed him to the mat before landing a head scissors takeover. A moment later, Shawn went for SCM a second time, but Bret ducked it and bailed to the floor. As he took a minute to regain his bearings, Michaels flew off the top tope with a big cross body that wiped both men out. Back inside, Hart regained some momentum and the pacing is really picking back up and with it has come the crowd. Instead of trading off on limb work, the two stalwarts now started trading pin attempts, with each racking up near falls. Michaels busted out a perfectplex for a two count as he continued to mainly stay a step ahead of the champ. That included a sleeper, that Michaels locked on in the center of the ring, pushing Hart down to the mat but unable to score a fall off it. At the 23 minute mark, momentum shifted swiftly when Michaels charged hard but Hart ducked him and sent him flying high, over the ring post and out hard to the floor. The Hitman followed him out and after running him into the post, he pitched him back inside to work over the back some more. As the clocked ticked to 20, Hart landed a backbreaker before slinging Shawn into the corner and stomping stiffly on his lower spine. A big Hart back superplex grabbed another near fall but Shawn stayed alive. After a camel clutch, Hart went for a standard superplex but Michaels fought him off before coming up empty on a leap from the middle rope. Hart would shoot Michaels hard into the corner, causing him to tumble to the floor again, wiping out Lothario in the process. Hart followed and whipped Shawn into the steps, leading to Lothario getting bumped again. That was a cool looking stair bump.

With 15 minutes left, the match continued in the ring and the champion was solidly in control. It was starting to look like just one fall was all that would be needed. After eating a series of uppercuts, Michaels grabbed another near fall with a roll up but when Hart kicked out, he was launched back outside. Hart took advantage and as soon as he saw Michaels get to his feet, he dove into him with a suicide dive. Hart slid back inside and with Michaels badly damaged, it looked like the first fall may come as a countout. But it wasn't meant to be as Shawn barely slipped back inside just before ten. Hart blocked him from entering and tried for a suplex, but after a switch it led to a bridging German suplex for a close Hitman near fall. Shawn tried to land some shots but they were too soft to matter, which allowed Hart to just lay a series of stiff shots in, capped by a headbutt. Michaels looked defiant but Vince was certain he was just out on his knees. Hart took a minute to gather himself before going to a rear chinlock as we ticked under 10 minutes. I must say I have enjoyed Lawler throughout this match as he has really gotten into the analysis of the match, explaining here what Hart was doing with the hold and discussing the strategy of a potential deep freeze if a pin could be garnered. Michaels broke free but after he hit the ropes, both collided and collapsed in the ring. Hart went for the Sharpshooter with just over six minutes left, but Michaels kicked free before he could apply it. Shawn desperately tried to crawl away, knowing if Hart hooked that hold on, it would likely be the end game. Instead, Hart went to a half crab but Shawn eventually forced a rope break.

With less than five minutes to go, Michaels made his last ditch comeback, shoving Hart off and sending him flying hard into the corner sternum first. He followed with a flying forearm and after a gutty nip up, he went right to work, landing a back elbow and an ax handle smash from the second rope. After a suplex, Michaels headed to the top rope and crashed into Hart with his flying elbow for a near fall at 2:20. He would grab another close one with a moonsault press from the corner. Hart tried to slip away and gain some separation but Michaels was all over him. Shawn would kick Hart away, head to the middle rope and hit a hurricanrana into a roll up for a two count. As we dipped under a minute, Shawn headed to the top rope. He tried for a dropkick, but Hart caught him and twisted him into a Sharpshooter with 30 seconds to go. That had to be it, either Shawn survived and we end scoreless or Michaels gives out and then runs out of time. With the crowd going wild, Michaels would hold on, definitely refusing to quit as the clock hit zeroes and the bell sounded.

After the match, Hart started to leave, assuming he had retained with no falls being achieved. However, Gorilla Monsoon came out and decreed that the match would continue under sudden death rules. Vince reminded everyone at home that Roddy Piper had decreed that the match must have a winner and that both men agreed and Monsoon was upholding that. An angry Hart started right in on Michaels' back as the bell sounded, looking to end this quickly. The crowd quieted back down, unsure how long they may be here as Hart rocked the challenger with a backbreaker. However, Michaels avoided a charge, floated over and hit a superkick. It wasn't struck with full authority and Hart was actually the first to recover as Michaels was worn out. Both men would slowly pull themselves up and when they did, Michaels tuned the band and nailed the kick to win the bout and his first WWF Championship. A dejected Hart stormed off angrily as Michaels basked in the moment he had long dreamed of. After clearing the ring, he strapped the title around his waist and soaked it all in while McMahon decried that the boyhood dream had become a reality. Shawn Michaels was finally the top player in the WWF.

The match itself was much better than I have ever really appreciated it for. In fact, I think it got so overrated that it swung back around to being underrated. I liked how they split the match up with two dueling, lengthy heat segments to give each guy plenty of shine and also opportunities to build heat. They also structured it to ensure something major happened around every 1/6th checkpoint of the bout to keep the crowd from fully checking out. The psychology was on point and everything made sense with them slowly building to big spots and then whenever they pulled back, it led to a different style of control segment. Once they hit 30 minutes, things kicked into the next gear and went well into the closing moments. I also thought the commentary was really on point with both Vince and Lawler doing a solid job with the story and thought process being worked in front of them. It was a strong showing for the booth. Honestly, even though the lack of falls felt like a miss, it was really the sudden death that hurt things as it killed the hottest part of the match. Instead of a stop and restart, if the match flowed into the extra period seamlessly, the crowd would have stayed hot. Instead they cooled down because they didn't know how much longer things could go. I get why it went the way it did, to allow Hart a gripe, but it could been executed more crisply. As is, it was a good experiment and the two stars gave it their all in telling a well worked in ring story that was also dripping with real life tones as well. After a long wait, the era of Shawn Michaels is upon us. We will now see if the wait was all worth it as we move into another new era for the company.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Vince had the same problem in 1996 he had in 1995: A very thin roster of true bankable stars. Well instead of like at WrestleMania XI which relied on celebrities and fluff intertwined between some awful matches, he took his biggest stars and tightened the card to a neat group of matches, then took his main event and got as much mileage out of it as he can. I still don't get why the WWF went to such a vanilla site like Anaheim for his biggest show of the year. I know they were spreading to all over the country, but for your biggest show of the year you may want to pick a site with a more rabid fan base, and if it didn't want a second straight year in the Northeast perhaps to go to Texas or Kansas City. In any event, the show was much tighter than last year and every match had some significance. I liked the opener with six good workers, even the (at the time) reformed Jake Roberts but it was all about setting up the eventual Vader/Yokozuna match. I really liked Steve Austin vs. Savio Vega and still think it got screwed by all that car chase nonsense with Goldust and Piper. That should have been one neat tidy match with no long lag in the middle. That pretty much exposed that the show was light on talent and thus they had to wrestle in essence two matches. They could have had one backlot brawl that went 10-12 minutes and been perfectly fine instead of all the cheap OJ parlor tricks. The Ultimate Warrior return was nice but honestly I don't know where he's going to fit in this WWF landscape. I can't see him just filling mid-card feuds, as he was probably given carte blanche to return. You think he wasn't eyeballing that Winged Eagle belt? The Undertaker/Diesel match was better than anybody expected and I think broke Taker out of his in-ring slump that really breaks the next night on Raw and throughout 1996. Diesel is doing the right thing and doing favors out the door to the South for a payday. Unlike his buddy Razor Ramon who, even though he is one of the biggest stars in the company was left off the card for reasons that will plague Scott Hall for the rest of his career. The Iron Man match is really good but not perfect as some would lead you to believe. It's also not dreadfully boring as others would have you think either. It's a great match with two expert workers who did their best with a quiet crowd to keep things going. A big debut the next night and some other workers who take a big step will advance the year creatively and when a main eventer takes some much needed time off, it gives others a chance to shine. This show isn't spectacular but it's better than last year.

Final Grade:

### JT:

Well this WrestleMania was certainly quite the dichotomy from a year ago. This year's edition had no celebrities and very little time wasted as it cruised from match to match, with only the Back Lot Brawl spread throughout cutting its way into the proceedings. With the main event slated for over 1/3 of the show, it was an event that would be made or broken by its top match. Heading to the Iron Man bout, the show was about as average as it gets. There was nothing bad, but nothing truly stood out beyond some nice stiff action in the Vega/Austin match, some hard hitting brawling with Piper and Goldust and a surprisingly spirited Diesel/Undertaker battle. The rest was all sort of there, just doing its thing in front a fairly subdued Anaheim crowd. They popped time to time, but otherwise sat and watched quietly, bringing back memories of Atlantic City and Trump Plaza. Through this rewatch, I do feel the main event saved the show and buoys it up for the final score. It was a ballsy attempt and in front of a better crowd, I think it would be remembered more fondly. It was expertly worked and not nearly as boring as recent talk would lead you to believe. Both guys were on point and built to what would have been a red hot crescendo in the final moments. However, the overtime bit definitely dulled the crowd, they woke back up for Michaels' big finale. This isn't an all time classic Mania, but it also isn't one of the worst. It came at a crucial time for the company, a time where they were finally figuring out that big changes were needed. That more aggressive, faster paced and hard hitting style was on display throughout this card. The focus was on athleticism and desire and not on playing to low level celebrities and dying for newspaper coverage. The WWF has again spun around into a new direction and for better or worse, has attached itself to the back of Shawn Michaels.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #124

#  Appendix A: All Time PPV Active-Wrestler Roster

1-2-3 Kid

Adam Bomb

Adrian Adonis

Ahmed Johnson

Aja Kong

Akeem

Aldo Montoya

Alundra Blayze

Andre the Giant

Animal

Arn Anderson

Ax

Bad News Brown

Bam Bam Bigelow

Barbarian

Barry Horowitz

Barry Windham

Bart Gunn

Bastion Booger

Beau Beverly

Bertha Faye

Berzerker

Big Boss Man

Big John Studd

Bill Fralic

Billy Gunn

Billy Jack Haynes

Black Knight

Blake Beverly

Blue Blazer

Blue Knight

Bob Backlund

Bob Holly

Bob Orton

Bobby Heenan

Boris Zhukov

Bret Hart

Brian Blair

Brian Knobbs

Bruce Hart

Bruno Sammartino

Brutus Beefcake

Buddy Landel

Buddy Rose

Bull Nakano

Bushwhacker Butch

Bushwhacker Luke

Butch Reed

Carlos Colon

Chaparrita Asari

Cheesy

Conquistador Dos

Conquistador Uno

Corporal Kirchner

Crush

Danny Davis

Danny Spivey

Davey Boy Smith

David Sammartino

Dawn Marie

Dean Douglas

Dick Murdoch

Diesel

Dink

Dino Bravo

Doink

Don Muraco

Donna Christanello

Dory Funk, Jr.

Doug Gilbert

Duke Droese

Dustin Rhodes

Dusty Rhodes

Dynamite Kid

Earthquake

Eli Blu

Ernie Holmes

Fabulous Moolah

Fatu

General Adnan

Genichiro Tenryu

George Steele

George Wells

Giant Gonzalez

Goldust

Great Kabuki

Greg Valentine

Haiti Kid

Hakushi

Harley Race

Harvey Martin

Hawk

Henry Godwin

Hercules

Hillbilly Jim

Honky Tonk Man

Hulk Hogan

Hunter Hearst-Helmsley

Iron Sheik

Irwin R. Schyster

Isaac Yankem

Itsuki Yamazaki

Ivan Putski

Jacob Blu

Jacques Rougeau

Jake Roberts

Jerry Lawler

Jerry Sags

Jim Brunzell

Jim Covert

Jim Duggan

Jim Neidhart

Jim Powers

Jimmy Del Ray

Jimmy Snuka

Judy Martin

Junkyard Dog

Kama

Kamala

Kato

Keith Hart

Ken Patera

Kerry Von Erich (Texas Tornado)

King Kong Bundy

King Tonga (Haku)

Koji Kitao

Koko B. Ware

Kwang

Kyoko Inoue

Lawrence Taylor

Leilani Kai

Lex Luger

Lioness Asuka

Little Beaver

Little Tokyo

Lord Littlebrook

Ludvig Borga

Luna Vachon

Mabel

Mantaur

Marty Jannetty

Matt Borne

Max Moon

Mike Rotundo

Mo

Moondog Spot

Mountie

Mr. Fuji

Mr. Hughes

Mr. Perfect

Mr. T

Nailz

Nikolai Volkoff

Noriyo Tateno

One Man Gang

Owen Hart

Papa Shango

Paul Orndorff

Paul Roma

Pedro Morales

Pierre

Pink

Queasy

Rad Radford

Randy Savage

Raymond Rougeau

Razor Ramon

Red Knight

Red Rooster

Repo-Man

Ric Flair

Rick Martel

Rick Rude

Rick Steiner

Ricky Morton

Ricky Steamboat

Roadie

Robert Gibson

Rockin' Robin

Roddy Piper

Ron Bass

Ronnie Garvin

Russ Francis

Sakie Hasegawa

Sam Houston

Samu

Sapphire

Sato

Savio Vega

Scott Casey

Scott Steiner

SD "Special Delivery" Jones

Sgt. Slaughter

Shane Douglas

Shawn Michaels

Sherri Martel

Sika

Skinner

Skip

Sleazy

Smash

Squat Team #1

Squat Team #2

Stephen Dunn

Steve Austin

Takao Omori

Tama

Tanaka

Tatanka

Ted Arcidi

Ted DiBiase's Undertaker

Terry Funk

The Genius

Timothy Well

Tito Santana

Tom Pritchard

Tom Zenk

Tomoko Watanabe

Tony Atlas

Tugboat/Typhoon

Tully Blanchard

Ultimate Warrior

Uncle Elmer

Undertaker

Vader

Velvet McIntyre

Virgil

Warlord

Waylon Mercy

Wendi Richter

William Perry

Wink

Yokozuna

Zeus

#  Appendix B: PPV Rest in Peace List

Name - Last WWF/WWE PPV Appearance

"Playboy" Buddy Rose - WrestleMania I

SD "Special Delivery" Jones - WrestleMania I

Moondog Spot – The Wrestling Classic

Uncle Elmer - WrestleMania II

Ernie Holmes – WrestleMania II

Harvey Martin – WrestleMania II

Adrian Adonis - WrestleMania III

Haiti Kid - WrestleMania III

Little Beaver - WrestleMania III

Little Tokyo – WrestleMania III

Donna Christanello – Survivor Series 1987

Junkyard Dog - Summerslam 1988

Big John Studd - WrestleMania V

Sapphire - SummerSlam 1990

Bad News Brown – SummerSlam 1990

Rick Rude – SummerSlam 1990

Dino Bravo - WrestleMania VII

Lord Alfred Hayes – WrestleMania VII

Andre the Giant - SummerSlam 1991

Texas Tornado - Royal Rumble 1992

Hercules - Royal Rumble 1992

Miss Elizabeth - WrestleMania VIII

Sensational Sherri Martel - WrestleMania IX

Doink (Matt Borne) – SummerSlam 1993

Giant Gonzalez - SummerSlam 1993

Ludvig Borga - Survivor Series 1993

Randy Savage - SummerSlam 1994

Captain Lou Albano - Royal Rumble 1995

Dick Murdoch - Royal Rumble 1995

Steven Dunn – Royal Rumble 1995

Jimmy Del Ray – Royal Rumble 1995

Rad Radford - Survivor Series 1995

Bertha Faye - Survivor Series 1995

Bam Bam Bigelow - Survivor Series 1995

Buddy Landel – In Your House 5

###

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