Blake

Here’s my WCW Fall Brawl 1995 review, which features an interesting War Games main event.

• Event: WCW Fall Brawl 1995
• Date: September 17, 1995
• Location: Asheville, NC

– Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan hype the action, including The Giant destroying Hulk Hogan’s motorcycle before the show.

Flyin’ Brian vs. Johnny B. Badd – No. 1 Contender for WCW US Title

Michael Buffer in prime form from the start. The winner of this one gets a shot at Sting in two weeks on WCW Saturday Night. Feeling out process early on, with Tony and Heenan focusing on War Games. Lots of technical counters and reversals, and the crowd doesn’t particularly seem pleased. Just as the action picks up, Badd goes back to the headlock. Badd gets busted open near his eye at some point, the aggressiveness builds from there. Tony plays up both of these men being able to go the 20 minutes, so that’s a hint of what direction they’re heading in. Pillman uses some heel tendencies to get the crowd going, and the action ramps up from there.

Pillman in control, then Badd in control. Great spot with Badd coming off the top but Pillman hitting him with a dropkick. Several near falls after that, and that trend continues to the one-minute mark. Badd thinks he got the pin, but Pillman’s in the ropes. Buffer counts it all the way down for the draw. But since Nick Patrick does what he wants, he says the match must continue with sudden death overtime.

These two keep working their asses off, and there’s a great spot with Badd throwing Pillman into the guardrail before flipping onto him. Pillman with a flying cross body of his own onto Badd on the outside. Man, these dudes are putting on a wrestling showcase. They work to a double cross body, and it’s Badd who uses his momentum to get the pin for the win. This match took up nearly the first 40 minutes of the pay-per-view, and it was worth it. (Highly Recommended)

– Mean Gene Okerlund with Ric Flair. He talks about the bond with him and Arn Anderson and how they’re now on the opposite side. Gene wants to know if Flair hates Arn. Flair says the problem is he loves him, but there’s only one king of the hill. WOOO!

Cobra vs. Sgt. Craig Pittman

Pittman sneaks in by rappelling from the rafters and attacking Cobra from behind. Not gonna lie, I don’t recall much of anything about Cobra. I know it’s Jeff Farmer (fake Sting), but this Cobra character didn’t do much. This is essentially a squash match, with Pittman making quick work to force Cobra to submit. Maybe that’s why the Cobra character didn’t work!

– Recap of Paul Orndorff losing his shit in the locker room and questioning himself. PSYCHIC GARY SPIVEY gives him a long motivational speech and Orndorff is back. He even kisses the mirror. What did I just watch? I’m not sure, but Orndorff is a national treasure.

Diamond Dallas Page (w/Diamond Doll and Maxx Muscle) vs. (c) The Renegade (w/Jimmy Hart) – WCW Television Title

This was certainly an interesting period in the careers of both men. Of course, I’m specifically talking about Page’s gear. Heenan makes a joke about Gary Spivey having better hair than Kimberly, and I’m not sure I agree. I know Renegade’s history is what it is, but this is not a terrible match. Maybe it’s Page’s selling, or maybe they just had chemistry. Either way, the crowd was into it, especially when Renegade dove onto Muscle on the outside. That allowed Page to hit the Diamond Cutter on Renegade to win the title.

Harlem Heat (w/Sister Sherri) vs. (c) Bunkhouse Buck and Dirty Dick Slater (w/Col. Rob Parker)

Tony hints that Mike Tenay has the SCOOP of a top wrestling start defecting to another promotion. Just call the hotline, folks! An interesting mix of styles here, as when you think about it, they’re somewhat similar. Buck and Slater are brawlers, and Booker T and Stevie Ray are ass-kickers. I always enjoyed the Sherri pairing with Harlem Heat. Then again, she was great in pretty much every role throughout her career. There is indeed some ass-kicking in this match, but there’s a lot more methodical holds from Buck and Slater. Meanwhile, Sherri crawls on her knees into ring No. 1 and Parker approaches her and they start kissing. The Nasty Boys run in and use Slater’s boot on him, and Booker gets the pin to win the titles. There wasn’t much to this one.

– Buck is pissed at Parker and Gene wants answers. Parker says he’ll get them another tag title match. Gene thinks he’s in love and calls him disgusting. Gene was truly the best. Parker says he has to have Sherri, and he’ll get the titles back for Buck and Slater.

– Promo for Halloween Havoc, including the suggestion to watch for it on videocassette. Does anyone still have the Halloween Havoc 1995 VHS?

– Gene with Arn Anderson. Gene keeps stirring the pot with a video package of Arn and Flair’s bond and the backstory that led to their match. Awesome job from the production team to sell the feud. Arn says all a man can do is stand up to his word. No surprise, but a tremendous promo from Arn.

Arn Anderson vs. Ric Flair

Give WCW credit. If you were gonna do a match like this, it had to be in North Carolina. Quite a crew ringside, with Pillman, Parker, Big Bubba Rogers, and the American Males all watching. Technical masterclass between these two friends turned foes. They focused on working the crowd and taking them for a ride. Just when you thought Arn may finish Flair off, Flair locks in the Figure Four. But then Arn reverses it to force Flair to get the break. That leads to Flair becoming the dirtiest player in the game with a shot to Arn’s knee. Great selling from Arn on the knee, and that’s when Pillman hops on the apron and kicks Flair in the back of the head, allowing Arn to hit the DDT for the win. (Recommended)

– We get a ridiculous video package with Kevin Sullivan hyping the War Games match. This is 1995 pro wrestling right here. 

– Tony and Heenan show us the video of The Giant destroying Hogan’s motorcycle before the show. 

– Another video package with the events leading to the War Games match, including Luger joining the team.

– Mean Gene with Hogan, Savage, Sting, and Luger. They all talk and they’re ready.

The Dungeon of Doom vs. Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Sting, and Lex Luger – War Games Match

Buffer informs us that a special stipulation has been added: If Hogan’s team wins, it’ll be Hogan vs. Sullivan one-on-one after the match. Joy. Sting and Shark start things off. John Tenta really is one of the most underrated wrestlers ever. He could do some pretty incredible work for his size. Zodiac in next, then it’s Savage. Next up is Kamala, then Luger. The usual brawling all over the place, with both teams getting the upper hand at various points. Meng makes his way into the mix, and he does what Meng does. He kicks ass. Hogan comes in and immediately turns to his heel tactics by throwing powder in the heels’ eyes. His team keeps the momentum going from there, and Hogan forces Zodiac to submit to earn the victory. This was probably the worst War Games match in history.

– After the match, Sullivan tries to hit the road, but they force him to get in the ring with Hogan. Of course, Hogan squashes him, and then Giant comes out and seemingly breaks Hogan’s neck. All of Hogan’s teammates return to make the save. Buffer says over the microphone that paramedics are needed at ringside to attend to Hogan.

Blake’s Take On WCW Fall Brawl 1995

• Best Match: Flyin’ Brian vs. Johnny B. Badd
• Show MVP: Johnny B. Badd
• Overall Rating: 4.0/10
• Thoughts: The main event was brutal, and so was much of the rest of the card. However, the opener and Flair vs. Arn were both excellent. This show at least had that going for it.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WrestleMania III review, Hulk Hogan squares off with Andre the Giant in the main event, Randy Savage and Ricky Steamboat put on a classic, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WWF WrestleMania III
• Date: March 29, 1987
• Location: Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, MI

IN THE RING: Vince McMahon welcomes us to the Silverdome as the crowd of 18.4 billion people goes wild. Aretha Franklin then does the best rendition of America The Beautiful in WrestleMania history.

RINGSIDE: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura are with Bob Uecker and Mary Hart. They kick off the festivities.

The Can-Am Connection vs. Don Muraco and Cowboy Bob Orton

The crowd is loving Rick Martel and Tom Zenk as they control the action early. Always love when the babyfaces get off to a great start in the first match because it’s a good way to gauge where the crowd is at right off the bat. Huge pop for the hot tag to Martel, and the babyfaces are on a roll. The double team action continues, and the crossbody does the job to give the Connection the win. An exciting way to start the show.

VIDEO: We see the events leading to Billy Jack Haynes vs. Hercules.

BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene Okerlund with Hercules and Bobby Heenan. Herc is here to kick Billy Jack’s ass.

Billy Jack Haynes vs. The Mighty Hercules (w/Bobby Heenan)

The entrance carts make their official debut, and those were just the best. This is being pushed as the battle of the Full Nelson. Haynes goes for it early, but Herc manages to reverse. Most of the match is Herc wearing down Haynes’ back, and there’s really not a whole lot more to it. You would think that would lead to a big babyface comeback for the win or the heel eventually being too strong to overcome. Instead, after Haynes battles out of the Full Nelson, he gets a series of offense going before locking in his own Full Nelson. Then Hercules breaks it by going through the middle rope, and Haynes continues to hold on the Full Nelson which causes both men to get counted out. All about power in this match, but the finish wasn’t my favorite.

Things pick up after the match, as Herc takes the chain and busts Haynes wide open. You clearly see Haynes blading, and he’s bleeding profusely by the time Herc and Heenan leave the ring.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord Littlebrook. Quite a fall for Bundy from the WrestleMania II main event to this match.

BACKSTAGE: And now Gene is with Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver. Jim is gonna look out for his partners.

King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo, and Lord Littlebrook vs. Hillbilly Jim, Haiti Kid, and Little Beaver

Uecker joining commentary for this match makes it even better. The big spot they work to is Bundy teasing squashing Kid and Beaver, but Jim gets the tag and takes Bundy down. They go for the pile pin and that doesn’t work. Eventually, Bundy has had enough and he slams Beaver and drops an elbow as the ref calls for the DQ. This was what it was.

BACKSTAGE: Mary is with Randy Savage and Elizabeth. Mary wants to talk to Elizabeth, and Savage doesn’t like that at all.

VIDEO: We recap the events leading to “King” Harley Race vs. The Junkyard Dog.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Harley, Heenan, and Fabulous Moolah. Lots of royalty talk. Uecker wants a date with Moolah, so that’s a development. We transition to Gene with JYD, who says he’s gonna be wearing the crown.

“King” Harley Race (w/Bobby Heenan and Fabulous Moolah) vs. The Junkyard Dog – Loser Must Kneel And Bow Match

Quite a stipulation there. It’s all JYD at the start, with Harley bumping for him all over the place. I’ll never not love the JYD headbutts. The crowd seems to agree. Then, out of nowhere, a Heenan distraction allows Harley to hit a simple belly-to-belly suplex and he pins JYD for the win. Well, that was an abrupt finish. Of course, JYD won’t bow and he destroys Harley after the match.

BACKSTAGE: Vince with Hulk Hogan. He calls out the critics in the gym who think it’s his last ride, then rips his shirt off. ALL IN THE VITAMINS, BROTHER. He says the Hulkamaniacs don’t take any shortcuts, and Andre has to beat all of them to beat him.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with The Dream Team of Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake, plus Johnny Valiant and Dino Bravo. They yell about some stuff.

The Rougeau Brothers vs. The Dream Team (w/Johnny Valiant and Dino Bravo)

Two fun teams, though the Rougeaus don’t yet have their legendary theme music. Heenan makes his way to the commentary booth, and this has to be the best trio in commentary history. He runs down Haynes’ antics, then proceeds to say he “doesn’t deal with widgets.” The Brain was one of a kind. The finish sees a hell of a double team move from the Rougeaus, which allows Bravo to sneak in while the referee is distracted and nail a Rougeau. That leads to Valentine getting the pin for the victory and after the match, Beefcake questions the interference. So his partners just leave him in the ring. Thus begins one of many character transformations for Beefcake.

VIDEO: Hype for the Roddy Piper vs. Adrian Adonis match.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Adonis and Hart. They’re gonna clip Piper’s hair.

Adrian Adonis (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Roddy Piper – Loser Gets His Head Shaved Match

Gorilla and Jesse remind us that Piper is leaving wrestling after the match, and I’d like to boldly predict that he’ll be back. Piper brings Hart in for the DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER with Adonis. Gorilla’s call of that move never gets old. Then Piper wants more and throws Hart from the top onto Adonis. But Hart regroups and scoops Piper’s leg as Adonis goes on the attack. More shenanigans from the heels to keep the upper hand and Adonis locks in the sleeper. Adonis thinks he has the match won, but here comes Beefcake to hand Piper the clippers. Piper locks in the sleeper and that’ll do it for the win. So there’s your official turn for Beefcake, and he shaves some of Adonis’ hair. Entertaining work from all parties in this one. (Recommended)

IN THE RING: Fink introduces Jesse as Gorilla pushes that he simply wanted to be announced to the crowd.

BACKSTAGE: Hart rants to Gene about his hatred for the British Bulldogs.

The Hart Foundation and Danny Davis (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. The British Bulldogs and Tito Santana

Matilda unleashes some frustration on Jimmy Hart before the bell rings, and Jimmy has been bumping like a wild man on this show. Even Uecker finds it obvious. Gorilla puts over Bret as the next big thing, so as usual, Gorilla was spot-on with his analysis. Mary Hart wants Dynamite to make a tag and can’t figure out why he’s not doing so. He’s getting his ass kicked, Mary! That’s why. Davis with the cocky spot of coming in for a few quick shots on defenseless Dynamite before tagging back out. He tries to do it again but hot tag to Tito, and he runs wild. Bulldog hits a Tombstone on Davis like it’s a transitional move, which is pretty funny to think about given what that move would signify once The Undertaker made his mark. We’ve got a BROUHAHA as the action breaks down, and somehow it’s Davis that scurries over and pins Bulldog for the win. Good action here as you would expect from these six.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Andre and Heenan. Andre’s stoic stare in this segment is legendary. Heenan explains why Andre is gonna beat Hogan. This is a short but awesome way to build the importance of the main event.

Butch Reed (w/Slick) vs. Koko B. Ware

What a pop for Koko. Birds are over, brother. Jesse wants Jack Tunney to look into Koko’s taped hand, and once again, Jesse is the greatest. Reed controls most of the action until Koko fights back with a few near falls. But another near fall attempt on a cross body leads to Reed reversing it, and he grabs a handful of tights to score the win. After the match, the heels try to continue the onslaught, but Tito runs out and makes the save.

VIDEO: A recap of the events leading to Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat. OHHH YEAH!

BACKSTAGE: Savage taunts Steamboat and says he’s gonna embarrass him and put him out of wrestling. Then it’s Gene with Steamboat, who says it’s gonna be a clash of titans.

Ricky Steamboat (w/George “The Animal” Steele) vs. (c) Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth) – WWF Intercontinental Title

Strap in because HERE WE GO. It’s been several years since I’ve rewatched this match, and it’s always a fun one to revisit. What quickly stands out every time I watch it is that every move feels important. The psychology is just tremendous, and they work a back-and-forth style that sends the crowd on an emotional roller coaster. Just when you think Savage has all the momentum, Steamboat mounts a comeback with a cross body into a near fall. Another thing that many people remember from this match is all the pinfall attempts which, again, only add to the drama and suspense. I love Savage trying to get Steamboat counted out by sending him into the front row. Yet another small detail that works wonders for the story.

Savage hits a pair of double axe handles, but Steamboat kicks out again. And he keeps kicking out after every big move. The babyface that gets knocked down time and time again and keeps getting up is foolproof storytelling. It just works. The fans are biting on every pin, and they think Steamboat has it won but Savage sneaks the foot on the ropes at the last second. Another awesome series of pin attempts, and my goodness is this terrific. The crowd is trying everything they can to will Steamboat to victory.

Ref bump allows Savage to take control, and he hits the flying elbow but there’s no referee to count it. This also sends the crowd into a frenzy. Savage grabs the ring bell as Steele tries to take it away from him, and Steele manages to finally do it to send Savage flying. And that’s when Savage tries a body slam, but it’s Steamboat who reverses it into a small package to win the title.

It simply does not get much better than this in pro wrestling. The build to it made it seem like the most important match to date in both men’s careers, and they sold it to perfection. All the near fall attempts pushed the idea that both men were desperate (in a good way) to win the title and finally vanquish their rival.

I think that sometimes there is a tendency to believe that a match can only be perfect if it’s long. Savage vs. Steamboat was only 14 minutes and 35 seconds, but they managed to bring out so many emotions that fans were an emotional mess by the time it was over. Another tidbit that I loved: The post-match visual of watching a broken Savage riding on the cart with his head down. THAT is how you tell the story without saying a word.

I don’t rate matches based on what I think they should be to someone else. I rate matches based on what they are to me. And to me, this is still one of the best pieces of business I’ve even seen in wrestling. It’s a masterpiece. (Legendary)

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Jake Roberts and Alice Cooper. They look back at Honky Tonky Man beating Jake with a guitar. Then it’s Gene with Honky and Jimmy Hart, and they’re as obnoxious as ever.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts (w/Alice Cooper) vs. The Honky Tonk Man (/Jimmy Hart)

Give the crowd credit. They just saw a classic, and they’re still as hot as they were when this show started. Two great WWF characters in this match, and that’s why this is such a memorable show. It’s not that all the matches are classic, but they all feature a blistering crowd and clearly-defined babyface and heel character that play well off of each other. That’s what you had throughout this match. Eventually, Jimmy gets involved, and that’s where Honky takes advantage and uses the ropes for leverage to notch the pin for the win. The real payoff comes after the match, where Jake holds Jimmy, and he and Alice throw the snake on him.

IN THE RING: Fink invites Gene into the ring, and he gets a HUGE pop and fans start chanting his name. Give me this crowd forever. Gene announces the indoor attendance record of 93,173. Little did Gene know how much this announcement would be debated by people around the world for decades to come.

The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (w/Slick) vs. The Killer Bees 

The greatest part about this is Slick comes out wearing his torn shirt after getting it ripped by Tito. That’s true dedication to the character! There is trash all over the ring before the match starts due to Volkoff singing the Russian national anthem. Here comes Hacksaw Jim Duggan to save America and my goodness does the man get a pop. This was pretty much your typical letdown match before a much-anticipated main event. These four worked hard and put together a solid tag team match. Sheik locks in the Camel Clutch, so Hacksaw figures he’ll just come in and hit him with a 2×4 to cost the Bees the match. Jesse loves giving Hacksaw shit after he does stuff like that. It’s hilarious.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Andre and Heenan. Andre is gonna take the title from Hogan.

VIDEO: We recap the events leading to Hogan vs. Andre, including the brotherly love between Hogan and Andre before Andre turns to the dark side. Hogan’s dramatic “YESSSSS” when Piper asks him about facing Andre at WrestleMania is never not funny.

BACKSTAGE: Gene with Hogan. He’s as hulked up as ever.

IN THE RING: Fink introduces Uecker as the special ring announcer, and he brings in Mary Hart as the special timekeeper.

Andre the Giant (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. (c) Hulk Hogan – WWF Title

It’s a small thing, but I love Hogan walking down the aisle like he would for any other entrance. HULKAMANIA doesn’t need a cart, brother! The Irresistible Force meets The Immovable Object. Let’s get it on. This is one of those defining matches in wrestling history, and I still think it’s the biggest match WWE has ever done. Hogan immediately going for the bodyslam and his back giving out was a nice touch, since that allows Andre to work on the back for the entire match. Listen, by no means is this a technical masterpiece. But anyone rating it like it should be is doing it wrong. This is all about star power and story, which is perfectly acceptable when it’s a match involving two of the biggest attractions in the history of the sport.

There’s no doubt that Andre was extremely limited in what he could do physically, but I thought he still managed to pull off the most important spots in the match. Would a long bearhug work by today’s standards? No. But does it work for Andre, whose primary goal was to crush Hogan and destroy his back? Sure it does. Every time Hogan tries to thwart Andre, it’s Andre who uses his size and power to stop Hogan’s offense. And then comes the climax, where Hogan finally knocks Andre to his feet and the crowd fucking loves it. From there, Hogan slams Andre and hits the big boot to earn the victory.

It’s a match that’s built around a few big moments, but what I always enjoy about it is it didn’t try to be something it shouldn’t be. Throw out any debate for the star ratings on this one because they don’t matter. Just an incredible spectacle that went way beyond a wrestling match, and it led to the biggest primetime audience in wrestling history for the rematch in 1988. (Legendary)

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WRESTLEMANIA III

Recommended Matches: Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat (*****), Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant (***** spectacle), Adrian Adonis vs. Roddy Piper (***)

Overall Rating: 9.0/10

Thoughts: The thing about a great wrestling show is that it’s all about fan expectations. As a fan, I don’t expect every match on the card to be a 5-star classic. It’s all about the ebb and flow, in addition to the nostalgia, the characters, and the storylines. This show gave me everything I wanted as a fan. You had a wrestling classic, a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, and a host of memorable characters. For my money, WrestleMania III is one of the best WrestleManias of all time.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF Royal Rumble 1994 review, 30 competitors square off in the Rumble match, Yokozuna defends the WWF title against The Undertaker in a Casket Match, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WWF Royal Rumble 1994
• Date: January 22, 1994
• Location: Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, RI

RINGSIDE: Vince McMahon is EXCITED and hypes all the big matches. Then it’s Ted DiBiase making his way out to join Vince on commentary. I just went from watching DiBiase lose the North American title in Mid-South to fast-forwarding 12 years to see him on commentary with Vince.

Tatanka vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Luna Vachon)

Vince explains that Ludvig Borga suffered a recent injury and couldn’t face Tatanka, which was actually legit. I enjoyed both Tatanka and Bam Bam during this era, but I enjoyed the Bam Bam and Luna pairing even more. DiBiase reveals both men will be in the Rumble right after Tatanka gets squashed in the corner by Bam Bam. Not the best timing, Ted!

This was a nice showcase for Bam Bam’s strength and Tatanka’s resiliency (with the ICO PRO banners hanging in the background). The crowd bites on a near fall when Tatanka counters into a bodyslam, and they are really behind Tatanka in this one. I love DiBiase pointing out he’d never dance around like Tatanka so he could preserve his energy for the Rumble match.

Bam Bam was so talented, and his versatility was on full display playing the heel role. But it was Tatanka coming off the top with the flying cross body to score the pin. (***, Recommended)

VIDEO: Highlights of the events leading to Bret Hart and Owen Hart against The Quebecers. Bret and Owen were both so awesome playing up the tension between them.

BACKSTAGE: Todd Pettengill with Bret and Owen. They really push their togetherness, and Owen is so over the top with his facial expressions that you know what he has in store. Love it.

Bret Hart and Owen Hart vs. (c) The Quebecers (w/Johnny Polo)

Polo is, of course, the future Raven. They tell the story of Bret and Owen being on the same page in the early going, and their technical skill is always a thing of beauty. These two were just so, so good in the ring. One example is Bret using a variety of pin attempts on Jacques Rougeau, which sends the crowd into a frenzy.

The heels work over Bret to set up the desire for the hot tag to Owen. Eventually, Owen gets the tag, and he locks in the Sharpshooter on Jacques. But it’s Pierre who hits him from behind. Another hot tag spot to Bret, and he manhandles both Jacques and Pierre.

Then comes a big sequence with Polo pulling down the rope as Bret attempts offense. From there, the heels do damage on Bret’s knee, and the onslaught continues with Jacques using a chair and cane on it. I like the small tidbit of Owen throwing Bret back into the ring to get destroyed some more which, on the surface, seems innocent enough.

Bret somehow reverses the momentum and locks in the Sharpshooter, with DiBiase noting that it’s a selfish move given how injured he is. Another small story tidbit there. However, Bret can’t keep the hold on and once again sells the knee injury, and referee Tim White calls for the bell to signal Bret can’t continue.

After the match, DiBiase does a great job pushing Bret’s selfishness, and Owen is pissed at Bret. And then it happens. Just when Bret gets to his feet, Owen kicks his leg out from under him. Owen walks down the aisle and calls Bret selfish, while officials tend to Bret in the ring. Raymond Rougeau comes down with a microphone and pushes Bret likely being unable to compete in the Rumble match as he does a stretcher job.

Though a different setting and storyline, there were shades of a format similar to the Mega Powers exploding in terms of the story detail involved. The finish was a little anticlimactic, but I loved everything about this with Bret, Owen, The Quebecers, Vince, and DiBiase all excelling in their roles. (Highly Recommended)

BACKSTAGE: Pettengill with Owen. Why Owen, why? He goes off on Bret, who is watching as he gets rolled down the aisle on the stretcher. AWESOME presentation there. Owen doesn’t care if Bret is in the Rumble, and he’s gonna win the WWF title himself.

RINGSIDE: DiBiase is applauding Owen and Vince is pissed. DiBiase explains what it takes to be at the top of the WWF. Seriously, bravo to everyone involved in the last 30 minutes of this show.

IRS vs. (c) Razor Ramon – Intercontinental Title

Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon are on commentary for this match. I’d say that’s a legendary duo, though both are used to being the main play-by-play guy. One of the real highlights of this match is Razor’s gear, as it resembles an aqua color. It looks great. Razor tries to make it a brawl early on, but IRS takes control and slows things down by using the ground game.

A ref bump allows IRS to grab his briefcase, but it’s Razor who uses it. The ref is still down, so no count. Then Razor goes for the Razor’s Edge, but here comes Shawn Michaels. He uses the bogus IC title to clock Razor from behind. Everyone is down, and IRS crawls his way to Razor to get the pin to win the title….or so we think.

One of the Hebners comes out to inform Joey Marella about the bogus belt shot. Rather than restart the match, Razor just hits the Razor’s Edge and Marella counts the three to allow Razor to retain. The crowd was hot, but I didn’t find the match all that engaging.

VIDEO: Paul Bearer is in a creepy warehouse, where The Undertaker is carving a casket for Yokozuna. We also see highlights of Yokozuna being terrified at Taker’s antics. Excellent vignette to push Yokozuna’s fear entering the match.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) vs. (c) Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette) – Casket Match for the WWF Title

This is an infamous match in WWF history, specifically due to it having one of the most unique finishes ever. I can remember watching this back in the day and being mesmerized by the wild finish, but I can’t say I remember much about the actual match that led to it. Turns out it’s pretty much a brawl with a lot of weapons involved, whether it be chairs, powder, or other wrestling-related items. But as I always note, you can’t deny the spectacle of these kinds of matches when the crowd is as invested as this one is in this match.

Crush preventing Taker from closing the casket on Yokozuna starts a flurry of heel interference. The Great Kabuki, Tenryu, and Bam Bam all join in as Fuji steals the urn. But Bearer gets in back and nails both Fuji and Cornette with it. They tell the story of the power of the turn bringing Taker back, and he fights off all the heels. Adam Bomb and Jeff Jarrett join the mix, and so do Samu and Fatu. That’s a 9-on-1 advantage for those keeping count. Make it 10-on-1 as Diesel enters. They try to close the casket, but Taker fights out until Yokozuna steals the urn and hits Bearer with it.

Then things get strange. Green smoke flies out of the urn as the beatdown continues until they successfully lock Taker in the casket. And then things get really strange. The green smoke is back, and Taker’s music hits. We see him on the video screen from inside the casket. He refuses to rest in peace, and we get 90s video effects until Taker levitates from the casket. Bearer places the urn on the casket as Vince pushes the supernatural of Taker.

This has to be seen to be believed, as there is no possible way to describe it accurately. I did love the psychology of Fuji and Cornette enlisting the help of all the heels since it was legal to do so given the match stipulation. That was clever. For old-school wrestling fans, it’s undoubtedly one of the worst matches in history. For people who enjoy a nice acid trip, it may be one of the best matches in history. You decide! (Noteworthy)

VIDEO: Randy Savage, Jeff Jarrett, Tatanka, Diesel, Doink, Dink, Shawn Michaels, and Lex Luger hype the Rumble match.

The 1994 Royal Rumble Match

Scott Steiner is No. 1 and Samu is No. 2. And it’s Rick Steiner at No. 3 to push the randomness of the draw. Samu gets his head hung in the ropes, which doesn’t look pleasant. Scott nonchalantly throws him out as Kwang enters at No. 4. Owen Hart is in at No. 5 as Rick continues to play up being blinded by Kwang’s mist. That allows Owen to eliminate Rick in an easy fashion.

Bart Gunn is No. 6. Vince alerts us something is going on backstage with the cameras headed in that direction. Here comes Diesel at No. 7. He dumps out at Bart and Scott, then tosses Owen and Kwang. There goes Owen’s shot. Perhaps he’ll get another! Bob Backlund runs in at No. 8, and he had quite a run in the 1993 Rumble match. Not so much in this one as Diesel tosses him too.

Billy Gunn enters the mix at No. 9, and if you thought he was gonna eliminate Diesel, you’re wrong. Diesel sends him packing right away. We see backstage footage of Tenryu and Kabuki beating down Luger, so now he’s questionable to enter. I like his chances though. Virgil is No. 10, and DiBiase’s reaction is great. Vince reveals Virgil is the alternate for Kamala.

Virgil tries to eliminate Diesel, and that was a mistake as Diesel tosses him. Randy Savage is No. 11, so business has picked up. Jeff Jarrett runs out at No. 12, and he gets some shine on Savage before Savage eliminates him. Crush joins at No. 13 to continue his feud with Savage. Diesel and Crush double team Savage, and Savage is tossed as Doink arrives at No. 14.

Doink watches Diesel and Crush beat each other up until the latter two turn their attention to him. Bam Bam Bigelow is No. 15, and Vince notes “the ring is starting to fill up with some beef.” Lots of beef! Bam Bam gorilla press slams Doink out of there, and here comes Mabel at No. 16. BEEF EVERYWHERE. He immediately goes after Diesel, and it’s wild to think these two would be main eventing a pay-per-view about a year and a half later.

Sparky Plugg is No. 17 to replace the 1-2-3 Kid. Vince pontificates Sparky could win this thing, and I’m not sure I agree. Shawn Michaels seems like a better choice at No. 18, and Diesel teases going at him before they shake hands. But then everyone gangs up on Diesel as Michaels sneaks up to lend a push, which eliminates Diesel. He gets a good ovation from the crowd and even some Diesel chants, so they bought the dominant performance.

Mo is No. 19, and for some reason, Michaels tries to bodyslam Mabel. Greg Valentine in at No. 20 as Vince notes his 50-minute performance in the 1991 Rumble match. Tatanka joins the mix at No. 21, and Michaels goes wild selling for him. And it’s The Great Kabuki coming out at No. 22 as the ring is filling up. But then everyone gangs up on Mabel to eliminate him.

Lex Luger does indeed make it in at No. 23. Boy does he sprint out there, so apparently that Tenryu and Kabuki attack was nothing. Luger quickly eliminates Kabuki to get his revenge. Speaking of Tenryu, he’s in at No. 24. The horn hits for No. 25 and no one comes out, so Vince assumes that means Bret can’t make it.

Rick Martel enters the mix at No. 26, and he’s another who had a long run in the 1991 Rumble. And it’s Bret Hart limping out at No. 27 to a huge pop from the crowd. Fatu doesn’t quite get the same pop at No. 28, but he adds to a loaded ring at this point. Luger and company eliminate Crush as Marty Jannetty runs in at No. 29, and he and Michaels square off to a big ovation.

Adam Bomb rounds out the group at No. 30 and Vince immediately declares him the winner. Vince’s commentary was hilarious at times. Michaels eliminates Plugg, and Vince reveals Bastion Booger got sick and didn’t enter at No. 25. So there’s your mystery entrant.

Still 11 men left, and it stays that way for a while until Martel eliminates Valentine, then Tatanka eliminates Martel. Bomb is out after Luger ducks, and Mo is also sent packing. Luger eliminates Bam Bam, while Michaels eliminates Jannetty. Luger and Bret join forces to eliminate Tenryu, and the final four is Luger, Bret, Michaels, and Fatu.

Luger runs wild, then Luger and Bret simultaneously eliminate Michaels and Fatu at the same time. And in a memorable finish, it’s both men tumbling over the top to create confusion as to the actual winner. Luger’s music initially plays to declare him the winner, but it stops and Bret’s music hits to declare him the winner. There’s zero doubt that the fans were way more excited about Bret winning.

Jack Tunney strolls down as we see multiple replays of the finish, which smartly never show a camera angle of their feet hitting the floor. Finkel then milks the announcement of the winner before declaring that Luger and Bret are co-winners.

Your mileage will vary on the finish, but aside from things getting bogged down with the lackluster stretch late, I enjoyed this Rumble and think it’s one of the more underrated ones in history. I can remember rooting for Luger at the time (though more fans were clearly behind Bret) and convincing myself Bret’s feet hit first. In actuality, it was the opposite, but credit to both men for pulling off a difficult task. I thought it was creative, and while you could have easily restarted the match to crown a winner, the cliffhanger made it work.

Elsewhere, you had a dominant run to establish Diesel as a top star, a few more storylines being advanced, and much more. Owen being randomly eliminated seemed odd given the role he played in the heel turn on Bret, but it’s almost forgettable by the end of the match (which may be a good thing). As always, a fan’s enjoyment is subjective, and I found this very entertaining. (Highly Recommended)

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF ROYAL RUMBLE 1994

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Thoughts: I know a lot of people will hate on this show for Taker/Yokozuna and the co-winner Rumble finish, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The opener was solid, the Bret/Owen stuff was fantastic across the board, and the Rumble match had a lot of fun spots. And yes, even the ridiculous Casket Match has value in a “what the hell did I just watch” kind of way. Some good 1994 nostalgia.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WCW Nitro 9/18/95 review, Ric Flair goes one-on-one with Brian Pillman, Randy Savage and Lex Luger have choice words, and much more.

Let’s get to it.

• Event: WCW Monday Nitro
• Date: September 18, 1995
• Location: Freedom Hall in Johnson City, TN

ON THE STAGE: Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, Steve McMichael, and PEPE hype the action. We then hear sirens and Bischoff says there’s an emergency in the back.

BACKSTAGE: Gene Okerlund is standing outside of an ambulance, and The Taskmaster and The Giant hop out. Giant says he’s the true immortal and not Hulk Hogan. Gene says Giant’s father would be disappointed in him. Yes, this was when they were pushing that Andre the Giant was his actual father. Giant says his father would be helping him destroy Hogan.

ON THE RAMP: Earl Robert Eaton goes to make his entrance, but he’s jumped by Harlem Heat. They walk down with Sherri, who is carrying the Tag Team titles that Booker T and Stevie Ray won at Fall Brawl. Booker says they’re gonna turn up the heat on Nitro and defend the titles right now.

The American Males vs. (c) Harlem Heat- WCW Tag Team Titles

Gotta appreciate an impromptu title match. I also like the consistency of Harlem Heat’s approach. They’re just dudes who want to beat the shit out of everyone. If you wanted to know why Booker was seen as a future top star of the company, his incredible offense in this match made it very clear. His athleticism and star potential was on another level.

Colonel Robert Parker makes his way out and grabs Sherri off the apron, which of course leads to them making out on their way to the back. Meanwhile, Bagwell takes advantage and counters Booker and pins him to win the titles. Keep in mind that commentary was noting throughout the match that they weren’t sure if this title defense was official since Nick Bockwinkel wasn’t in attendance.

Blake’s Take: Since I’m watching this many years later, I didn’t remember the title switch here which made it entertaining. I figured something was up with commentary starting the match questioning whether it was an official defense, so I’m sure Harlem Heat will get their belts back soon enough.

VIDEO: Call the WCW Hotline at 1-900-909-9900! And kids, get your parents’ permission!

IN THE RING: Gene welcomes Ric Flair. Gene brings up Flair’s match later on with Brian Pillman. Flair addresses his issues with Arn Anderson and says he broke the code by bringing an outsider into it. Flair is gonna chop Pillman back to Cincinnati and then kick Anderson’s ass. Woooooo!

COMMENTARY: It’s gonna be Sting vs. Lord Steven Regal, Cobra vs. Craig Pittman, a special interview with Dusty Rhodes, and an update on Hulk Hogan’s status on WCW Saturday Night.

Paul Orndorff vs. Johnny B. Badd

Orndorff’s entrance music is TREMENDOUS. I mean, it’s terrible, but it’s great for his Mr. Wonderful character. Orndorff with a dropkick to start the match and he goes after Badd in the corner, then gets in referee Nick Patrick’s face. Bischoff plays up Badd’s grueling 30-minute match against Pillman at Fall Brawl and how it could slow him down in this one. Badd comes off the top rope, but Orndorff gets the knees up. Back from commercial and Badd is in control after throwing Orndorff to the outside. Badd with a couple of aerial moves for a near fall. Orndorff goes for the piledriver, but Badd counters in a flurry of offense. However, Badd goes for another counter and Orndorff sits on him and hooks the legs for the victory.

Blake’s Take: They worked hard and the story was Badd perhaps being fatigued, and it’s Orndorff stealing the win with the flash pinfall. 

ON THE BEACH: Randy Savage is doing BENCH PRESSES on the beach in front of a bunch of Baywatch lifeguards. As if that wasn’t normal enough, here comes Taskmaster to throw the bar on Savage before attacking him. Flair, dressed in his ring gear, runs off Taskmaster. Wild stuff.

IN THE RING: Gene welcomes Savage. He says thanks but no thanks to Flair saving him. Savage is gonna destroy Taskmaster, and he adds that no one is stronger than Hogan. He then says Hogan is a horrible judge of character because he picked Lex Luger for the team. Gene pushes that what Luger did was unintentional, but Savage isn’t buying it. Savage predicts that Lex Luger, Sting, and Jimmy Hart are gonna join the Dungeon of Doom at some point. That brings out Luger, who thinks Savage is jealous because he also wants to be the WCW World Heavyweight Champion. Savage tells Luger that he hit him with a cheap shot. Savage wants to throw down right now and slaps Luger in the face as we go to commercial. Speaking of which, I’m watching the original broadcast from 1995, and every commercial break features the movie trailer for SHOWGIRLS, which of course had Elizabeth Berkley (aka Jessie Spano from Saved By The Bell) in the starring role.

ON THE STAGE: Bischoff says security cleared the ring to stop Savage and Luger from going at it.

VIDEO: We look back at Giant driving a monster truck and running over Hogan’s motorcycle on the Fall Brawl pre-show. Then it’s the replay of Giant breaking into the cage and twisting Hogan’s head like a bottle top.

COMMENTARY: Coming up next on TNT, it’s American Kickboxer II!

Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair

These two go right after each other, and Flair throws Pillman to the outside and delivers a flying axe handle. They go back and forth, and it’s Pillman with a huge dropkick on Flair as he jumps off the top. Of course, Pillman tries to use the ropes for leverage, and Bischoff is pissed at his change in attitude. It’s CHOP TIME as they exchange some brutal ones outside, then Flair throws Pillman on the guardrail.

Flair beats down Pillman in the ring, and he goes back up top. That doesn’t work as Pillman throws him off. Pillman misses his own top rope move, and Flair goes for a pin but Pillman counters into a near fall. Flair goes to the Figure Four and Pillman has no choice to tap to give Flair the win.

Blake’s Take: These two can obviously go in the ring, but this was pretty short and straightforward with Flair handling his business.

IN THE RING: Flair looks into the camera and tells Arn he’s waiting for him. Flair then says he’s gonna kick Arn’s ass next week.

ON THE STAGE: Mongo hypes the feud between Savage and Luger, and Heenan thinks Arn is gonna kick Flair’s ass. Bischoff also says Bockwinkel might do something about the tag title situation. Heenan then points at his headset and says something is going on in the back. That’s your cliffhanger.

Blake’s Nitro Awards

• Best Match: Brian Pillman vs. Ric Flair
• Best Angle: Savage and Luger
• Nitro MVP: Ric Flair
• Overall Nitro Rating: 5.0/10
• Thoughts: Not the most noteworthy edition of Nitro, but it forwarded several big feuds with Flair vs. Arn, Savage vs. Luger, and of course, Giant’s monster truck vs. Hogan’s monster truck.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

The WCW Nitro 9/11/95 review features the go-home show for the big War Games Match at Fall Brawl, with Hulk Hogan leading the way.

Will there be shenanigans? I think there will be shenanigans.

Let’s get to the WCW Nitro 9/11/95 review.

• Event: WCW Monday Nitro
• Date: September 11, 1995
• Location: Knight Center in Miami, FL

– Eric Bischoff, Bobby Heenan, and Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael welcome us and recap Lex Luger’s big debut on the first episode of Nitro. Bischoff tells us Vader won’t be in War Games, so Hogan needs a replacement for his team.

Sabu vs. Alex Wright

This is undoubtedly one of the most random matchups in WCW history. I don’t think Sabu and Alex Wright are used in the same sentence a lot. They pushed Sabu’s crazy style on the debut Nitro, and he followed through on it, folks. Lots of wild offense from Sabu, and he got the win after a top rope maneuver. However, it turns out that actually wasn’t true? After the match, Sabu basically uses himself as a missile and comes off the top to drive Wright through a table. Somehow, this allows Nick Patrick to reverse his decision, and he awards the match to Wright. I’m not sure that’s legal.

• Blake’s Rating: ** (-***** for Patrick’s decision)

– Mean Gene Okerlund welcomes Ric Flair to the ring. Flair runs down Arn Anderson, and HERE COMES LEX LUGER. Flair loses his shit over Luger’s physique and says “tonight, the package takes control.” How many women did Flair say that to in the 80s?! What a line. Luger says Flair never changes, and then leaves. Not sure what the point of Luger coming out was.

VK Wallstreet vs. Sting

MAN CALLED STING. MAN CALLED STING. The theme never gets old. Wallstreet’s singlet sure is something. Lots of back and forth in this one, which you would expect from these two stars. Of course, when you debut a new character like Wallstreet, I figure you probably want him to win. That wasn’t gonna happen against Sting, as he hit the flying cross body for the win.

• Blake’s Rating: **1/2

– The Disco Inferno is debuting on WCW Saturday Night. Can’t miss that spectacle!

Scott Norton vs. Randy Savage

Great work having Norton destroy Savage before the bell rings. Norton takes no shit from anyone, and that’s the way to prove it. Bischoff doing a good job putting over Norton on commentary, so give him credit for that. They play up Savage potentially having a broken back, and that’s not ideal. Bischoff says as such considering Savage is on Hogan’s War Games’ team. Norton countering every attempted comeback by Savage, including hitting a brutal hanging DDT. Savage finally gains control, but the Dungeon of Doom hit the ring. That leads to Avalanche falling on Norton’s knees, allowing Savage to hit the elbow drop for the victory. One match after a guy loses a match for putting his opponent through a table after the match, another wins while his opponent gets held down by someone not in the match. RULES! After the match, Norton gets physical with Avalanche.

• Blake’s Rating: **1/2

Lex Luger vs. Hulk Hogan – WCW World Title

To this point, every debuting character they pushed on the Nitro debut has lost. Let’s see if Luger can change that. Hogan with a DROP TOEHOLD TAKEDOWN early in the match. Technical masterclass, brother. Both no-sell each other’s offense early, so we’re off to an interesting start. Luger eventually puts on the Torture Rack and for some reason thinks he’s won the match. Hogan hulks up and hits the boot and leg drop, but the Dungeon of Doom is back again to force the DQ.

• Blake’s Rating: **

– Hogan, Sting, and Savage clear the ring, then we get a shoving match with Hogan and Luger. Bet you can’t guess where this is heading!  Hogan suggests Luger is with the Dungeon of Doom. Sting is the voice of reason and wants Luger on the team. Savage and Hogan don’t want him. Savage now pushes Sting and Jimmy Hart as turncoats. Hogan finally agrees and asks Luger to join them. 

Blake’s Nitro Awards

• Best Match: VK Wallstreet vs. Sting
• Best Angle: Hogan needs a War Games partner
• Nitro MVP: Sting
• Overall Nitro Rating: 6.0
• Thoughts: They pushed Hogan needing a replacement partner from Vader at the very beginning, and that led to a show-long angle with an obvious conclusion. Still, it worked fine to promote a War Games match. The Dungeon of Doom interference in the Sting and Savage matches had a reason behind it. Also, Norton looked fantastic in his debut.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

The 1995 Monday Night RAW season premiere has arrived with the RAW 9/11/95 review! And Vince McMahon’s commentary will make sure you know all about it.

Here’s the review.

• Event: WWE RAW
• Date: September 11, 1995
• Location: Canton Civic Center in Canton, OH

– Vince McMahon narrates the highlight package from SummerSlam, including Shawn Michaels winning the Ladder Match against Razor Ramon. Tonight, it’s Shawn vs. Sid, and Razor vs. The British Bulldog. IS THE DOG’S BARK BIGGER THAN HIS BITE? Vince’s promos were so great. He pushed this as the new fall season of RAW and even made a Cal Ripken streak reference.

– Not gonna lie, this “I Like It Rough” RAW intro video is the one I remember least. It sure was something.

– We see the recap of Razor slapping the taste out of Dean Douglas’ mouth. 

Razor Ramon vs. The British Bulldog (w/Jim Cornette)

Before the match, Jerry Lawler claimed Cornette was gonna bring a POOPER SCOOPER for Razor. Naturally, Vince calls Lawler out of on it when said pooper scooper is not ringside. Then, of course, Lawler calls a woman in the crowd the pooper scooper.  Vince nearly gets orgasmic when Bulldog hits a vertical suplex on Razor, then does it again after a press slam that sends things to commercial.

Bulldog with all the momentum early and the Vinceisms kick in with him thinking every pin attempt is a three count. You’ve gotta love it. Tim White takes the ref bump, with Razor hitting the Razor’s Edge. Dean Douglas attacks Razor, 1-2-3 Kid tries to make the save, but Douglas kicks his ass too. Bulldog hits the Running Powerslam, but Kid back up and he accidentally flies onto Razor, leading to the DQ.

• Blake’s Rating: **

– Bulldog destroys Kid and Razor after the match, then Cornette gets in on the action. 

– Back from break, and Lawler lets us know that “McMahon has gone up in the ring with those two losers, so now we’ve got three losers in the ring.” Absolutely hilarious. There’s dissension between Kid and Razor, with Vince serving as the shit-stirrer. Kid wants a match with Razor next week, and Razor accepts.

– The GOAT Todd Pettingill hypes Owen Hart and Yokozuna vs. Men on a Mission for next week.

Smoking Gunns vs. Rad Radford and The Brooklyn Brawler

Radford and Brawler. What a duo. Vince’s “what a maneuver” line will never get old. Something I’ve often wondered is how does anyone wrestle in jeans? I mean, Brawler’s jeans were more rugged, but Billy and Bart are out there wearing slim fits. The jean fit did not matter in this one, as Billy and Bart hit their finisher for the easy win.

• Blake’s Rating: SQUASH

– Goldust is dressed in all gold to absolutely no one’s surprise. He wants a piece of The Undertaker. 

Dr. Issac Yankem vs. Scott Taylor

It’s gotta be, it’s gotta be, it’s gotta be…..ISSAC YANKEM! It’s also gotta be Scotty 2 Hotty. I doubt anyone expected these two to be popular figures in the Attitude Era, but wrestling is strange like that. As Vince noted, Yankem is drilling his way to the top in the WWF, and he added another quick victory by destroying Taylor.

• Blake’s Rating: SQUASH

– Pettingill is inside the Events Center. We get hype for the big Shawn Michaels and Diesel vs. Owen Hart and Yokozuna match at the next In Your House. We’re also getting Razor Ramon vs. Dean Douglas, Bret Hart vs. Jean Pierre Lafitte, Bam Bam Bigelow vs. The British Bulldog, and Savio Vega vs. Waylon Mercy. What an interesting card.

Sycho Sid (w/Ted DiBiase) vs. (c) Shawn Michaels – WWF Intercontinental Title

Vince is all about some Shawn Michaels at this point. THE MODERN-DAY EVEL KNIEVEL, FOLKS.  Seriously, Vince’s commentary is so over the top that it’s hilarious. DiBiase with some shenanigans on the outside after Sid sends Michaels to the floor. Something that really stands out when you go back and watch Michaels in this era is his athleticism. The man could move. Sid controlled most of the match, but Michaels took advantage late and hit the Sweet Chin Music to retain the title.

• Blake’s Rating: **1/2

– After the match, Michaels teases a strip show in the ring and Vince is ALL FOR IT. How will we counter Nitro? By showing Michaels’ bare ass, pal!

– Doc Hendrix with Michaels and Diesel backstage. Doc asks about the triple title match at In Your House. Michaels says they’re gonna make history.

– Teaser highlights for next week, including Owen and Yokozuna vs. Men on a Mission, and Razor Ramon vs. 1-2-3 Kid.

Blake’s RAW Awards

• Best Match: Sycho Sid vs. Shawn Michaels
• Best Angle: Build to Razor/1-2-3 Kid
• RAW MVP: Shawn Michaels
• Overall RAW Rating: 5.5/10
• Thoughts: There were a couple of squash matches and a solid main event on this season premiere edition of RAW, but not much else. Well, there was Vince screaming like a wild man about Michaels nearly going full nude. You can’t forget that. Michaels was certainly the star of show, and they promoted him as such.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF Monday Night RAW 2/1/93 review, there’s the return of a popular star and Mr. Perfect being perfect.

Let’s dive right in.

• Date: February 1, 1993
• Location: Manhattan Center in New York, NY

Damian Demento vs. Tatanka

The UNCUT, UNCOOKED, and UNCENSORED theme is back from Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Rob Bartlett. Thank goodness. Tatanka with some slams early, and he sends Demento reeling to the outside. Back inside and it’s chop city on Demento. The big man turns the tide and gets a few two counts.

Chinlock time on Tatanka and the fans are chanting “we want Flair.” I’m sure Vince loved that. Tatanka eventually gets control and scores the win at 4:10.

VIDEO: We get a Headlock on Hunger video with Bret Hart carrying a $100,000 check and giving it to the American Red Cross.

IN THIS VERY RING: Vince welcomes back Brutus Beefcake, who is appearing for the first time since the parasailing accident in 1990. He announces that he’s returning to the ring and VINCE LOVES IT. But Vince is also concerned due to the face reconstruction. Beefcake discusses his mother and father passing away and his wife divorcing him. He also talks about Hulk Hogan being the only one there for him. Beefcake is desperate and will take on anyone.

High Energy vs. Iron Mike Sharpe and Von Krus

Von Krus is the future Big Vito. Owen and Koko’s pants really were tremendous. This is all High Energy as they make quick work of the jobbers at 1:31.

VIDEO: We get another look at Doink attacking Crush. Vince says Crush will be back in a few weeks.

Doink vs. Typhoon

Doink the evil clown was superior to Doink the good clown in my opinion. THE MANHATTAN CENTER IS CHEERING THE HEELS AND BOOING THE FACES. Great Doink chant going early on. Doink with some mat work and a camel clutch on Typhoon. The big man gets to his feet and lifts Doink into the corner.

Big bear bug from Typhoon but Doink gets things back on the mat. Slaps from Doink but Typhoon powerslams him. Typhoon misses a move in the corner and Doink comes off the top and uses the tights for the win at 3:10.

RINGSIDE: Vince and Todd Pettengill hype the WWF Mania show on Saturdays.

IN THE RING: We get the 10-bell salute for Andre the Giant along with photos from his career.

Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji) vs. Bobby DeVito

Bobby DeVito beating the No. 1 contender for the WWF title would certainly do wonders for his career. Let’s see how things work out for him. Yoko super kicks DeVito while Vince tries to get a phone connection to Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Hacksaw thinks he can knock Yoko off his feet and then mispronounces his name. Meanwhile, Banzai Drop to DeVito for the pin at 2:02.

RINGSIDE: Vince welcomes Ted DiBiase and IRS. They make fun of Beefcake and challenge him. DiBiase flips a coin and says he’ll be the one to take on Beefcake. Jimmy Hart comes out and he’s concerned with one member of the tag team getting hurt in a singles match. DiBiase calms him down and says no one is getting hurt but Beefcake. Jimmy is still upset as they leave.

‘The Narcissist’ Lex Luger vs. Jason Knight

Before the match starts, we get the classic video of Mr. Perfect throwing and catching his own pass. THAT IS PERFECT. Luger destroys the jobber and Savage announces that Beefcake has accepted DiBiase’s challenge. And then Vince announces that QUANTUM LEAP IS UP NEXT. I prefer Silk Stalkings. Total destruction here from Luger and he pinks Knight with his pinkie at 2:38.

RINGSIDE: Vince announces that the dog show will pre-empt next week’s show. But we’ve got a battle royal and Beefcake vs. DiBiase in two weeks.

SHOW SUMMARY

Beefcake’s return was the biggest development, and the rest was lots of SQUASHING JOBBERS. The characters were solid during this time period.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this WWF Wrestling Challenge 11/1/86 review, Randy Savage defends the Intercontinental title against Billy Jack Haynes, The British Bulldogs and The Dream Team exchange verbal jabs, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WWF Wrestling Challenge
• Date: November 1, 1986

RINGSIDE: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are back again, with Gorilla not letting Heenan get a word in.

Billy Jack Haynes vs. (c) Randy Savage (w/Elizabeth) – Intercontinental Title

A title match on Wrestling Challenge! That’s a first for this show. Danny Davis is the referee for this one, so shenanigans are always possible. At one point, Billy Jack falls out of the ring after some offense from Savage, then it’s Savage off the top with the flying axe handle. Quite a sequence there.

This was is back and forth, and the crowd is into Billy Jack getting the upper hand on the champ. They pop when Billy Jack locks in the Full Nelson, but Savage, like any smart heel, hits Davis in the face before his arm can go down. Davis calls for the DQ and gets on the microphone to announce that he’s disqualifying Billy Jack for throwing Savage into him. Davis strikes again. (**, Okay)

VIDEO: Wrestlers’ Rebuttal with Hulk Hogan. He takes aim at Paul Orndorff and Heenan and wants to eliminate them for good.

Terry Gibbs and Iron Mike Sharpe vs. The Islanders

Gibbs and Sharpe are a nice jobber pairing. Inset promo from The Dream Team, and they make fun of The Islanders. I vote for the return of these promos in the modern era of wrestling. This is all Islanders, and Haku and Tama use the double team for the win. (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Ken Resnick with The British Bulldogs. The British Bulldog introduces Matilda, and she has something in store for Jimmy Hart. That payoff will be worth it. The champs run down their competition, and Dynamite Kid says people confuse Matilda with Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake. Hilarious.

VIDEO: George “The Animal” Steele is at a FAST FOOD DRIVE-THRU. He just yells “eat” when they ask for his order. The driver decides to order every single item on the menu to satisfy George’s cravings. These 80s vignettes are everything.

Hercules Hernandez, The Iron Sheik, and Nikolai Volkoff (w/Slick) vs. Corporal Kirchner, Leaping Lanny Poffo, and SD Jones

Man does the crowd love them some America. Poffo reads a poem that gets a U-S-A chant going, and that sets the stage for a hot start. This heel trio of Herc, Sheik, and Volkoff is awesome. Slick notes in an inset promo that he’s gonna take Herc to the top to win the WWF title. It took 10 seconds to learn about a character’s motivation. Once again, good pro wrestling isn’t that complicated. Herc racks Kirchner and that’ll do it for the victory. (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Resnick with The Killer Bees. Jim Brunzell says they’ve busted out of their hive. Nice. Brian Blair hypes his second annual amateur wrestling tournament in Florida.

The Hart Foundation (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Tito Santana and Pedro Morales

I’m convinced Heenan loves making fun of Tito more than any other wrestler. Jimmy Hart trips Tito seconds into the match, and that sets the tone. He also does an inset promo about his megaphone. A fountain of misinformation! Short but enjoyable tag match here with the crowd really getting into Tito and Morales taking control. The action spills outside after Tito earns the hot tag, and both teams get counted out. (**, Okay)

RINGSIDE: The Snake Pit with Jake Roberts, and Roddy Piper is the guest. Piper isn’t a fan of snakes, which includes Jake, so he keeps his distance on the steps. Eventually, he kicks Jake in the ass which sends him flying into Damien.

Barry O and Tiger Chung Lee vs. The Rougeau Brothers

Barry O (aka Barry Orton) is as cocky as ever. Any time I watch a Rougeaus match, I quickly start humming their “All-American Boys” theme song, which is one of the best in wrestling history. Inset promo from Dino Bravo, who discredits the Rougeaus as the pride of Canada. Jacques and Raymond fight back and score the win. (SQUASH)

VIDEO: Jack Tunney is not taking any more shit from Danny Davis, so the WWF is investigating his credentials as a referee.

Moondog Rex vs. Ricky Steamboat

It’s incredible to rewatch Steamboat in this era and realize just how much the crowd was behind him. Sure, Hulk Hogan was clearly the top star, but Steamboat was rising. He showcased his technical skill in this one, and came off the top of Rex’s shoulders for the roll-up pin for the victory. (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Resnick with The Dream Team, who demanded interview time after the Bulldogs’ promo. Valentine and Beefcake are pissed. They’ve won me over during this rewatch series, and Valentine’s promo (with Beefcake just blocking Resnick and staring into the camera) is the best we’ve had on Wrestling Challenge to this point.

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF WRESTLING CHALLENGE 11/1/86

Best Match: The Hart Foundation vs. Tito Santana and Pedro Morales

Overall Rating: 7.0/10

Thoughts: Two decent matches on this edition, plus some solid storyline advancement makes this one of the better editions of Wrestling Challenge thus far. The Dream Team promo was also a pleasant surprise. Pretty entertaining stuff across the board.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF Monday Night RAW 1/25/93 review, they’ve already apparently scrapped the UNCUT, UNCOOKED, and UNCENSORED theme.

That’s too bad.

Let’s dive into this one, which features a noteworthy main event.

• Date: January 25, 1993
• Location: Manhattan Center in New York, NY

OUTSIDE THE ARENA: Sean Mooney interviews the Repo Man, who still has Randy Savage’s hat.

RINGSIDE: Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Rob Bartlett welcome us.

Repo Man vs. Randy Savage

Savage attacks from the beginning, and my goodness does Savage really want that hat back. Savage takes things outside the ring and then brings it back inside. Then things go to the aisle, and this is pretty much Savage SQUASHING JOBBERS at this point.

Back and forth on the outside now and Repo sends Savage’s shoulder into the post. Repo goes on offense for a bit and the crowd is completely silent before a Macho chant starts. Savage turns the tide just in time for the commercial break. Repo back on offense and the crowd is bored. It stays this way for a while, and Barlett and Heenan are debating the hotness of Hillary Clinton. Only in 1993.

Savage in control after catching Repo off the top. Savage goes up top himself and delivers the flying elbow for the victory at 13:30. MACHO HAS HIS HAT BACK. This wasn’t terrible, but it was lacking something.

VIDEO: WrestleMania IX hype. I bet that will be a great show.

Kamala (w/Slick) vs. The Brooklyn Brawler

Brawler goes for a slam right off the bat. I’ll give you one guess as to how that turned out for him. Kamala with the ass smash in the corner and then he dominates the rest of the match for the win at 3:32.

RINGSIDE: Vince interviews Slick, who credits the fans for converting Kamala.

VIDEO: Gene Okerlund back with the Royal Rumble report, which took place the day before this show aired. Gene highlights Yokozuna winning the Rumble, Lex Luger debuting, and Giant Gonzalez attacking The Undertaker.

Ric Flair vs. Mr. Perfect – Loser Leaves WWF Match

Flair and Perfect exchange slaps and shoves to kick things off. Heenan consults with Flair after Perfect goes on the offensive. Flair back inside and technical back and forth before Perfect locks in the hammerlock. Chops from hell from Perfect to Flair. More back and forth and Perfect with round two of the chops.

Flair gets back on offense with the finger poke to the eye. Then he goes outside and grabs a chair but Earl Hebner takes it away. Flair shoves Hebner, but he will have none of that and shoves him back. Another commercial and we come back to Flair whipping Perfect over the post in the corner. PERFECT IS BLEEDING LIKE A STUCK PIG.

Reversals from both and Perfect gets a near fall. And then another. Perfect get Flair to the corner and it’s punch time, but Flair stops that with a knee the groin before getting a two count. Things escalate to Flair locking in the sleeper hold and Perfect is on SPAGHETTI LEGS. Perfect gets the arm up after two drops and then some miscommunication as he locks in the headlock on Flair.

Flair gets out of the headlock by delivering a suplex and both men are down. Flair goes for the Figure Four and locks it in with some help from the ropes. Hebner breaks the hold and Perfect hobbles around while Flair regains control. Flair goes up top but Perfect throws him off as we go to commercial.

Back from the break and Flair pulls out the brass knocks and destroys Perfect with Hebner’s back turned. Flair goes for the pin but Perfect gets the foot on the ropes and then kicks out of the next near fall. Flair with the chops in the corner but PERFECT IS HULKING UP, BROTHER. Perfect on a roll now and gets a two count. Flair goes for the pin with the ropes but no go. Perfect reverses into the Perfect Plex and that’ll do it at 23:00. Heenan goes ballistic. Very good given the participants and Bartlett not saying much.

SHOW SUMMARY

No surprise that the Flair/Perfect match delivered, but everything else was just there. Fast forward to the main event and you’ll be fine.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this WWF Wrestling Challenge 10/25/86 review, Ricky Steamboat takes aim at Randy Savage, Kamala is ready to squash the competition, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WWF Wrestling Challenge
• Date: October 25, 1986

RINGSIDE: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan hype the matches, and Heenan has a surprise for Hillbilly Jim on this episode.

Mike Kelly and Nick Kiniski vs. Bob Orton Jr. and Magnificent Muraco

Once again, Kelly is the future Shane Douglas. Orton and Muraco have stolen Paul Orndorff’s gimmick of mocking their rival’s entrance, as they come out to Roddy Piper’s bagpipes. Old school heels are the best heels. Inset promo from Mike Rotunda, who thanks the fans for supporting the U.S. Express with Danny Spivey on the sidelines with an injury. Muraco hits the Tombstone piledriver on Kelly for the easy win. Bearded badass Muraco was pretty awesome here. (SQUASH)

VIDEO: Wrestlers’ Rebuttal with “King” Harley Race and Heenan. They want Harley’s royalty appreciated by the fans.

Al Navarro vs. Hillbilly Jim

The crowd loves Hillbilly, and Heenan notes he has special footage of Hillbilly’s fan club. It’s a bunch of pigs running around. CLASSIC. As always, Gorilla notes that Danny Davis is the referee to continue to push his heel tendencies. Hillbilly dominates and locks in the bearhug for the victory. After the match, Hillbilly celebrates and kisses a WWF Magazine cover with Elizabeth on it. Slow down there, Hillbilly! (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Ken Resnick with Jake “The Snake” Roberts. He’s not afraid of anyone in the WWF and that includes George Steele, Tito Santana, Koko B. Ware, and more. He’s also interested in the Intercontinental title.

Butch Reed (w/Slick) vs. Don Driggers

Inset promo from The Junkyard Dog and he wants to take a bit out of Reed. Had to look up Driggers’ name since you can’t hear it announced. As you would expect, this was all about showcasing Reed’s power, and he controls the match from start to finish to score the win. (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Resnick with The Honky Tonk Man. It’s still strange to see him cut a babyface promo in the WWF. Resnick wants to know his favorite song, and it’s future WWE pay-per-view Great Balls of Fire.

VIDEO: The Machines are at a car dealership trying to buy a compact car. The salesperson wants $25,000 and watching Big Machine try to fit into the car is hilarious. These guys were all-in on this gimmick.

Dino Bravo (w/Johnny V) vs. Sivi Afi

Our first look at Bravo in his return to the WWF, and he still has the brown hair at this point. V hypes Bravo in an inset promo and says he’s headed to the top. Bravo uses his power for a few near falls, then he hits a big back suplex to earn the victory. (SQUASH)

RINGSIDE: The Snake Pit with Jake Roberts, and this week’s guest is The Honky Tonk Man. Jake takes a shot at Elvis and says he’s always been an innovator and not an imitator. Great line there. He thinks Honky should get with the times and they exchange verbal jabs.

Moondog Spot and Jimmy Jack Funk vs. The Killer Bees

Heenan pontificates on why the Bees wear masks only to remove them once the match starts. Good point from The Brain. Here’s an inset promo you didn’t think get: Dave Hebner. He thinks Davis should be up for review due to his referee tactics. It sounds like there’s a “boring” chant from a small part of the crowd, but maybe they’re buzzing like bees. The action eventually breaks down, and the double slingshot leads to the double team finisher by the Bees for the win. (*)

BACKSTAGE: Ricky Steamboat doesn’t mess with drugs. That’s the promo.

VIDEO: Highlights from Kamala on Tuesday Night Titans in 1984. Freddie Blassie explains his uniqueness as Kamala wants to eat a caged chicken. Vince McMahon begs for him to not do that on his show.

Tony Nardo vs. Kamala (w/The Wizard and Kim Chee)

There’s a fan who is just mesmerized by Kamala as he walks down the aisle for his entrance. That’s what you want. Kamala just destroys poor Nardo and chops and chokes him. Nardo tries for some offense, but Kamala counters with a big boot and splash for the victory. This is how you do a squash match. (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Resnick with Steamboat. He reminds everyone he defeated Jake on Saturday Night’s Main Event (REVIEW) and wants a shot at Randy Savage and the Intercontinental title. Steele pops up from behind them when Steamboat says Elizabeth’s name. He thinks Steamboat can beat Savage.

RINGSIDE: Gorilla announces Savage will defend the Intercontinental title next week against Billy Jack Haynes, with Hulk Hogan also advertised.

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF WRESTLING CHALLENGE 10/25/86

Best Match: Kamala vs. Tony Nardo (an elite squash)

Overall Rating: 5.5/10

Thoughts: Another fine episode of Wrestling Challenge. All of the squashes were somewhat entertaining, though Kamala’s performance topped the list. There was also solid storyline advancement with Steamboat setting his sights on Savage.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF Monday Night RAW 1/18/93 review, Ric Flair goes one-on-one with El Matador, Mr. Perfect takes on Terry Taylor, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Date: January 18, 1993
• Location: Manhattan Center in New York, NY

RINGSIDE: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Rob Bartlett welcome us. Barlett’s return makes the mute button one of the best inventions ever. He immediately rips up a photo of Bobby Heenan. And then from outta nowhere, the Repo Man attacks Savage and runs away.

Terrific Terry Taylor vs. Mr. Perfect

Bartlett makes a parking space joke that goes nowhere. Shocking. Taunting from both men early as Savage returns to the announce area. Perfect delivers a dropkick and chases Taylor outside. Headlock by Perfect with the Headlock on Hunger banner in the background, which is perfect marketing.

Heenan on the phone now and he’s ripping into Bartlett. More back and forth in the ring with Perfect working the arm before commercial. Back from commercial and Taylor introduces Perfect’s face to the steel railing on the outside. Taylor with the jawbreaker in the ring while Heenan makes a collect call joke. Taylor gets a near fall and that leads to Perfect making his comeback.

Ric Flair comes down the aisle and distract Perfect, which leads to Taylor knocking the latter outside the ring. Taylor then distracts the ref while Flair beats the hell out of Perfect before hitting the road. Taylor goes for a duplex, but Perfect reverses with the Perfect Plex for the win at 10:30. This was fine.

VIDEO: Bret Hart in a white ICOPRO shirt is certainly a sight to see.

IN THE RING: Vince welcomes Bret. Vince references Razor Ramon’s comments from last week. Bret is pissed about Razor jumping Owen Hart and talking about slapping Stu Hart. Bret promises excellence.

VIDEO: Paul Bearer and The Undertaker hype Headlock on Hunger.

Marty Jannetty vs. Glen Ruth

I don’t like Ruth’s chances. Ruth attacks Jannetty from behind and that’s enough for Jannetty to start kicking some ass. Now we’ve got Shawn Michaels on the phone. Michaels states facts and calls Jannetty the weak link of the Rockers and a simpleton. Michaels then talks about retaining the IC title at the Rumble and that he thinks Sensational Sherri will be on his side. The announce trio goes for the UNCUT, UNCOOKED, and UNCENSORED plug but fuck it up. Go figure.

This match is essentially Jannetty using an armlock with Ruth getting a little offense in. Jannetty finishes things at 5:10.

RINGSIDE: Vince says Crush probably won’t make it to the Rumble due to Doink’s attack. Bartlett sells it like you would expect Bartlett to sell it. We get the video of Doink delivering the attack and beating crush with a cast. That’s gotta hurt. Seriously though, Doink was great here.

OUTSIDE THE ARENA: Sean Mooney sees Repo Man outside with Savage’s hat. Savage is watching on the screen and challenges Repo TONIGHT IN THIS VERY STREET.

VIDEO: Gene Okerlund with the Rumble report. Gene’s tan is something else. We get an interview from Razor.

OUTSIDE THE ARENA: Savage running around in the parking lot while Mooney looks on.

El Matador vs. Ric Flair

Savage comes back to ringside before the match begins. Good technical action to start, which is no surprise given the awesomeness in the ring. Tito with great offense and the crowd loves it. Back from commercial and Flair gets the near fall.

Chops in the corner and Tito reverses into a backdrop. Bartlett calling a Flair match should be illegal. Flair up top and Santana throws him off. We get the Flair flip on the Irish whip and TITO WITH A CLOTHESLINE FROM HELL ON THE OUTSIDE. Back inside and another back body drop to Flair. Tito tries to keep it going but Flair pulls the rope down and Tito flies over the top.

Perfect comes running out and he’s here to beat Flair’s ass. They brawl on the outside and to the back, which gives us the no contest at 8:40. Good match.

RINGSIDE: Back from commercial and Flair and Perfect still brawling. Flair gets away and tells Vince he wants Perfect next week with the loser leaving the WWF. Flair exits and Perfect comes out to accept the challenge.

SHOW SUMMARY

Better than the first episode, and Flair vs. Tito was good stuff.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!

In this WWF Wrestling Challenge 10/18/86 review, Paul Orndorff heads to the salon, The British Bulldogs are in action, and much more.

Let’s jump in.

• Show: WWF Wrestling Challenge
• Date: October 18, 1986

RINGSIDE: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are once again on commentary.

Steve Lombardi vs. Koko B. Ware

A special inset promo from Koko features Frankie doing his thing. This match features one of the most bewildering sequences during this era in wrestling, and regular readers know what I’m gonna say. THE CRISS CROSS. The WrestleMania VI one with Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior is still my favorite. This one is all Koko and he hits the brainbuster for the win. (SQUASH)

VIDEO: Wrestlers’ Rebuttal with Roddy Piper. He sends a message to the trio of Adrian Adonis, Bob Orton Jr., and Magnificent Muraco.

VIDEO: Paul Orndorff is at the salon. Yes, we get to see Mr. Wonderful become wonderful. What a treat! He calls out the nail lady and wants a better buff. GET IT RIGHT, LADY. He gets pissed off that no one is shining his shoes. Orndorff gets the full treatment, and he’s handing out orders all over the place. This is 80s heel work at its finest. Give the man all the titles.

Tony Parks vs. Paul Orndorff (w/Bobby Heenan)

Yes, Orndorff is still coming out to Hogan’s music and doing the poses. This guy is absolutely tremendous. Orndorff just hauls off on Parks and reels the crowd in by mocking Hogan, then hits Parks with a picture-perfect piledriver for the victory. (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Ken Resnick with Tito Santana. Tito wants Piper’s enemies to get their due. He also wants a shot at Randy Savage.

Bob Bradley vs. Dick Slater

Danny Davis is the referee for this one, so you’ve always gotta be on guard for his shenanigans. Speaking of which, he calls out the fans in an inset promo for writing hateful fan mail about his refereeing. Poor Danny would’ve taken a beating on Twitter. Bradley gets a little offense, but Slater hits the flying elbow and scores the win. (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Resnick with The Rougeau Brothers. Raymond hypes their undefeated record thus far, and Jacques says they’re gonna earn their shot at the tag titles.

Jerry Allen and Rick Hunter vs. The Dream Team (w/Johnny V)

The Dream Team, like Orndorff, has impressed during my 80s WWF rewatch series. I appreciate them more now. Obviously, we know what Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake achieved individually, but their teamwork was great and they were a nice old school heel team. Valentine locks in the Figure Four on Hunter and that’ll do it for the victory. (SQUASH)

RINGSIDE: The Snake Pit with Jake Roberts. This set was well done. The Junkyard Dog comes out before Jake introduces him, then JYD says he brought a chain to use it on Damien. They trade verbal jabs and JYD walks off.

Sika (w/The Wizard) vs. Jose Luis Rivera

Sika’s facial expressions are gold. Rivera eventually becomes one half of The Conquistadors, but never mind that, because Wizard does an inset promo hyping Sika’s diet. Fascinating. Sika destroys Rivera and hits the diving headbutt for the easy win. (SQUASH)

VIDEO: The British Bulldogs are with Matilda, and Heenan walks up to make fun of her.

Rudy Diamond and Steve Regal vs. The British Bulldogs

A non-title match here, and once again, Steve Regal is not that Steve Regal. Heenan makes a joke about thinking Matilda had an ugly face until he saw the faces of Dynamite Kid and British Bulldog. Heenan was on another level, folks. Regal and Diamond are a fun jobber pairing. Bulldog powerslams Diamond, then it’s the double team finisher with Dynamite coming off the top for the victory. (SQUASH)

BACKSTAGE: Resnick with Slick, who is building quite a stable in the WWF. He hypes Butch Reed and in comes The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. They want a shot at the tag titles, and they flex their muscles to prove it.

BLAKE’S TAKE ON WWF WRESTLING CHALLENGE 10/18/86

Best Match: The British Bulldogs vs. Rudy Diamond and Steve Regal

Overall Rating: 6.0/10

Thoughts: Orndorff’s antics were the highlight of this episode. He was a true gem during his feud with Hogan, and this was another display of that. There was a lot of focus on the tag team title hunt, which featured a solid mix of teams at this point.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Pro Wrestling Reviews section!

In this WWF Monday Night RAW 1/11/93 review, it’s the first-ever edition of the show, and as you’ll find out approximately 8,742 times during the broadcast, it’s UNCUT, UNCOOKED, and UNCENSORED.

Let’s roll through the inaugural episode of the iconic show.

• Date: January 11, 1993
• Location: Manhattan Center in New York, NY

OUTSIDE THE ARENA: Sean Mooney welcomes us and Bobby Heenan storms through to try to get in. Mooney tells him there’s no tickets. Heenan is pissed.

RINGSIDE: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Rob Bartlett are your commentators. One of these is not like the others.

Koko B. Ware vs. Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji)

Savage calls Yoko the “world’s biggest egg roll.” That would go over well in 2018. Vince is laughing hysterically at everything Bartlett says, which should tell you all you need to know about the latter’s comedy. And there’s the joke about Koko being a clone of Gary Coleman. Not sure how this show is still going 25 years later.

Meanwhile, Koko gives Yoko a bunch of flying dropkicks, but that shit ain’t working. Yoko squashes him and delivers the Banzai Drop for the win at 3:45.

VIDEO: Royal Rumble video hyping the big match and Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon for the WWF title.

BACKSTAGE: Heenan hypes up “The Narcissist” and tells Mr. Perfect that he is inferior. Try to say “narcissist” 10 times fast.

The Steiner Brothers vs. The Executioners

Another Bartlett gem as he asks which Steiner is the one in the headgear. Savage is clearly getting impatient. The match starts and we see Doink causing chaos in the crowd. Executioner 1 completely botches an Irish whip and bounces his head off the top rope. So naturally Rick tries again and destroys him with a clothesline. More squashing from the Steiners and they hit the finisher at 3:00 for the victory.

OUTSIDE THE ARENA: Heenan is dressed up as a woman is tries to get in the arena. Mooney rips the hair off and Heenan is pissed again.

IN THE RING: Razor Ramon joins Vince. Razor says he’s ready for the title match at the Rumble. Vince asks why he jumped Owen Hart. We get the video of Razor attacking Owen, and Razor says there’s nothing Bret can do. Razor flicks the toothpick at Vince to wrap things up.

BACKSTAGE: Bartlett screws up the transition back to Tatanka, who pushes Headlock for Hunger.

Max Moon vs. (c) Shawn Michaels – WWF Intercontinental Title

Good back and forth action early as the ICOPRO sign looks on in the background. Hammerlock time from Moon as the crowd chants for Michaels. Bartlett makes another terrible joke before we go to commercial.

We come back and Bartlett says Michaels pulled a knife on Moon during the break. Vince quickly shuts that down. Michaels controlling things as Doink roams around in the aisle. Moon gets a near fall and the Bartlett/Doink show is clearly more important than the actual match. Bartlett gives a brutal Mike Tyson impression and Vince pushes this to the point where Bartlett keeps this going for nearly five minutes.

Michaels gets a couple of near falls and goes to the reverse chin lock while Bartlett is still doing the Tyson impressions. Moon reverses and catapults Michaels to the outside. Moon then dives from the apron and takes the champ out. Back inside and Moon gets another near fall. Then from outta nowhere, Michaels hits the future Sweet Chin Music and a suplex to retain the title at 10:30. Solid match that’s probably even better when watched on mute.

VIDEO: Gene Okerlund with the Royal Rumble report. Michaels hypes the IC title match with Marty Jannetty, and the latter says the Rumble will be held on MARTY JANNETTY DAY. SOMEONE TELL THAT TO RUSEV. Gene runs down the Rumble headliners, and Perfect hypes himself up. Fuji does the same with Yoko. And then Hacksaw Jim Duggan says he’s here to fuck shit up.

OUTSIDE THE ARENA: Mooney back again, and Heenan still trying to get in.

RINGSIDE: The announce trio still pushing the UNCUT, UNCOOKED, and UNCENSORED theme. We get a video of Kamala getting pushed around by Harvey Wippleman and Kim Chee, which leads to Slick intervening and getting beat up. Kamala then snaps and kicks Kim Chee’s ass.

Damian Demento vs. The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer)

A main event anywhere in the world right here. Demento’s character was actually entertaining, but I think we know how this is gonna go. Demento delivers some punches but then Taker goes to work. VINTAGE UNDERTAKER off the top rope.

Demento regains some momentum and knocks the big man to the mat, but Taker raises up and my guess is this one is about over. And then Taker hits the Tombstone Piledriver to pick up the victory at 2:26.

RINGSIDE: Vince with Doink. Apparently Doink is making kids cry, and Vince isn’t happy. Crush isn’t either as he comes out and warns the clown, BRAH. Crush chases and Doink laughs hysterically.

OUTSIDE THE ARENA: Mooney tells Heenan he can go in now.

SHOW SUMMARY

The Moon/Michaels match wasn’t half bad, but everything else was typical 1993. And then there was the debut of Barlett, which deserves its own category.

For more of my show reviews, visit the Reviews section!