Classic Review: 1994-01-23 Wrestling Challenge

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening...whenever it is you have found this entry.  Today, 2020-02-28, we are going back to 1994 and the January 23rd edition of Wrestling Challenge.   We have Owen Hart, IRS, The Smoking Gunns and more in action.  Let us go to the ring because the future King of Harts is in action and that is a good thing!

• Interesting that this is taking airing after the Royal Rumble but the commentary does not fit that
• I hated Shawn Michaels hair at this point, it is weird that he is bald now but a better look for sure
• One of Shawn's many finishers.  Weird he hit both the superkick and the piledriver but I do like that
• Here comes one of my favourites of all time, the Rocket King as Gorilla will soon be calling him
• Is that Scotty Too Hotty?  IT IS!
• Wow, they are talking a lot about the Hitman during the Rockets match.  No wonder Owen hated him!
• Did anyone do a better belly to belly then Owen?
• Billy and Bart coming out but more importantly Barry Horowitz!  I love me som bad Barry
• Neither Gunns should EVER talk....Billy only got slightly better in the future
• How stupid did those fans look!  No one actually bought those stupid foam hats
• Damn it, Raymond, do not say the "c" word!  YOU KNOW THAT!
• Bam Bam was so big at this point
• Uggg, and then we have good guy Doink....worst gimmick ever?
• Good grief that was a killer Stun Gun by Triple B
• Do you think Razor is going to come out and screw IRS again against Walker...and no because it is already over!
• Here comes Flexy Lexy!  Never really bought him as anything but a cocky heel
• I literally bought the Sega CD just for that Rage in the Cage game....and I do not remember it at all

Not the best show this week.  It was obviously just a throwaway show because of the Rumble the night before.  I did like the IRS and Owen match as both are amazing.  Plus is there anyone better than Corny on the mic?  However, at the end of the day, this was a forgettable show, unfortunately. 

RESULTS

• Shawn Michaels def. Tony Roy
• Owen Hart def. Scott Taylor via Submission
• Face to Face:  Crush & Mr. Fuji/Randy Savage
• Bart Gunn/Billy Gunn def. Barry Horowitz/Bert Centeno
• Interview:  Yokozuna (WWF Champion) & Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji
• Segment:  Paul Bearer & Undertaker
• Bam Bam Bigelow def. Phil Apollo
• IRS def. PJ Walker
• Music Video:  Royal Rumble
• Face to Face:  Jacques & Pierre (WWF Tag Team Champions) & Johnny Polo
• Lex Luger def. Chris Duffy

Classic Wrestling Review: 1994-01-22 Royal Rumble

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening....whenever it is you have found this entry.  Today, 2020-02-08, we are going back to 1994-01-22 and the Royal Rumble.  Maybe my favourite pay per view each year.  The Harts are in tag action, we get a casket match and of course, the Rumble itself so let us get to the ring!

• Unfortunately, the copy I have is the edited version after WWF changed names and lost to the panda.  I wish it was the original PPV version
• DiBiase was not the best announcer but what a great voice and of course the laugh
• Bam Bam filling in for Borga tonight
• I remember watching this PPV live actually, one of my favorite moments in wrestling.  I will bring it up when it happens
• What was that move that Bam Bam just did?
• An impressive powerslam by Ta-ta-ta-Tanka as Heenan would call him
• When did Tatanka stop putting the red in his hair, I just noticed it is not there
• Bret screwed Owen....just like he always did!
• Bret was always afraid of Owen, I knew it back then and I know it now!
• Damn I miss Owen
• They are not the mounties!
• I love The Quebecers music.  One of my favourites
• It is weird to think that Pierre is having a better year now then he did back in 1994
• That hiptoss right into a pinfall was awesome by Owen, obviously the best Hart!
• The ref is my favourite ref of all time Timmy White!
• Demolition's finisher!  I think my favourite finisher
• Listen to the crowd! 
• I am sitting here humming the Quebecers theme song damn it
• Bret took a great buckle shot
• Did Vince get a bonus every time he said Tremdous manoeuvre?
• This is a great match!
• That double hotshot/stun gun looked brutal on Owen!
• The Finisher on the Knee?  Thank goodness Bret Moved!
• Wait...is Bret going for the Sharpshooter?  JUST TAKE YOU SELFISH MORON!!
• I loved Raven as Johnny Polo, he was so great and annoying in that character
• It was that moment!  When Owen kicked Brets leg.  I literally jumped to my feet in my friends living room watching it live.  I have never been a bigger fan then that moment!
• Kicked your leg out of your leg, oh Owen
• Why JR?  Why should Owen be ashamed?  Because he finally gave his brother what he deserved?
• Stolen?  They were taken because Razor is a tax cheat JR!
• These two had great chemistry 
• IRS might be the only person in the world who sweats more than I do!
• IRS accidentally got tied up in the ropes Gorilla, of course he has an innocent look on his face!
• Montana will handle the Bills I am sure
• RAZOR CHEATED!  HE CHEATED!
• It is the real IC Champ Shawn Michaels!
• IRS does not know what happened because Razor hit him with an illegal foreign object!
• What is Earl doing in the ring?
• What a sore loser Ramon is
• What?  THERE WAS NO BELL!  IRS WAS ROBBED!
• Has there ever been a better ring announcer than Howard Finkel?
• Yoko had great facial expressions
• Is Yoko the best big man in history?  He is right there for sure!
• You have Jim Cornette on your show and you do not have him do a promo that is just wrong
• You do not see shots like that with a chair anymore!
• I miss chair shots like these
• Yoko did not get up for the chokeslam
• Taker rolling Yoko looks like me rolling out bed...and that is not a good thing!
• At this point, I remember realizing they were going to screw Taker
• It is also amazing they had Taker fight off a dozen men
• Did Taker just headbutt Bam Bam....he is undead!
• This is where Pro Wrestling meets entertainment, I do not hate or love it when done right/hokey.  But done wrong and it is just horrible
• I actually thought this was the end of the Undertaker back in the day
• Not early today Howard, we watched it on Mania
• I do not think drawing number one is what made Scotty upset
• 90 seconds this year at the Royal Rumble due to "time constraints"
• Why would they fight Ted?  They would just wait for the next man and beat them up
• Kwang pulling a Great Muta, brilliant
• Listen to the boos for Owen!
• This is before Bob went nuts, which is my favourite Backlund character
• Billy is a big man, I think people forget that.  But up next to Diesel he is not overshadowed
• Virgil is the man to eliminate Diesel obviously!
• Strangely enough, Virgil is my Grandpa's favourite wrestler!  Him and Hulk Hogan
• Listen to the fans!  Macho was always over
• I always like Jeff Jarrett.  I cannot say why but always has been one of the guys I enjoyed watching
• Brian Adams was and is underrated.  Too bad he passed young
• I loved that gut-wrench Tilt-A-Whirl backbreaker
• The fans are cheering everyone even Doink!
• I really liked the Matt Bourne Doink, this guy not so much
• Crush, Bigelow and Diesel, a lot of beef in that ring!
• And now Mabel comes in!  DEAR LORD!
• It is weird to think Nash is the only guy in the ring right now still with us
• Hardcore Holly is out and another of those guys I liked to watch because he never had a bad match
• Aside from the eye Shawn has not aged much has he
• The fans giving Big Daddy Cool a great ovation
• Does anyone really remember Mo?  They do Mabel/Viscera but Mo?  I think not
• The Hammer is a guy how never had a bad match either.  And has never aged and always looked the same
• Not everyone Vince, Mo is down and out
• Luger in the ring after the beating he took, he is an all American!  USA USA USA!
• I feel like Tenryu was usually a babyface
• Martel was an iron man at one point and another guy we do not hear about much anymore
• Here comes the selfish Hitman
• Does not care about his family or his brother.  Should have given Owen his spot
• Fatu was always a respected guy you could tell.  Always put into great positions 
• The Rockers explode once more!!!
• I remember being disappointed with the Rockers break up in 1992 even as a casual unsmart fan
• Did Vince really think Adam Bomb was going to win the Rumble?
• I am surprised Bomb/Clark did not have a better career.  Do you think it was his accent?
• Listen to the fans pop for Lex's music!  They are pissed that they stopped his music
• Okay that is a real pop for Bret's music
• Bret and Lex did such a great job of making sure you could not tell who won 

This show holds a special place in my heart for the Owen Hart moment.  I am no exaggerating how excited I was when Owen kicked Bret.  There are not a lot of moments that I remember in my wrestling fandom.  When Hogan said he was returning from Earthquake crushing him, being caught up in a Hogan vs. Flair house show match and cheering for Hogan, cheering for Jim Duggan at a World War 3, having Triple H giving the 1-2-3 Kid 3 Pedigree by chanting one more time and this moment.  I will most likely never forget jumping to my feet so excited for Owen.  If you take that away from this rumble the big thing coming out of this is that it is obvious they are going to put the rocket on Diesel, and the Undertaker is gone....or is he?

RESULTS

• Tatanka def. Bam Bam Bigelow
• History:  Bret Hart & Owen Hart
• Interview:  Bret Hart & Owen Hart
• Jacques/Pierre (WWF Tag Team Champions) def. Bret Hart/Owen Hart via Stoppage for the Titles
• Interview:  Owen Hart
• Segment:  IRS
• Razor Ramon (Intercontinental Champion) def. IRS for the Title
• History:  Undertaker & Yokozuna (WWF Champion)
• Yokozuna (WWF Champion) def. Undertaker in a Casket Match for the Title
• Lex Luger & Bret Hart defeated Scott Steiner, Samu, Rick Steiner, Kwang, Owen Hart, Bart Gunn, Diesel, Bob Backlund, Billy Gunn, Virgil, Randy Savage, Jeff Jarrett, Crush, Doink, Bam Bam Bigelow, Mabel, Sparky Plugg, Shawn Michaels, Mo, Greg Valentine, Tatanka, Great Kabuki, Lex Luger, Tenryu, Rick Martel, Fatu, Marty Jannetty, Adam Bomb

Classic Review: 1994-01-17 Raw

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening....whenever it is you find this entry!  Today, 2020-02-07, we are going back into the time machine to check out the Raw from January 17 1994.  I know that from MSG it is the Quebecers challenging the tag team champs 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty.  Besides that who knows so lets get to the ring!

• I love how you can barely understand Vince at times when he gets too excited
• Man I miss the Raw girls at time
• Crush?  Why is here there?
• Oh that is right Savage is in action tonight against IRS
• OWEN!  Its the not quite king yet Owen Hart
• Man I miss seeing the Rocket King in action every time I see the old shows with him
• Terry here is not a great performer at all.  That monkey flip was ugly with two g's
• It is taking Owne way too long to beat Austin here but I love it because I get to watch Owen
• I love the slight heel tones, great foreshadowing
• George South, one of the best enhancement talent around
• Watching these old shows show that it used to be made to look like a fight.  It was not all perfect and that is a good thing yet it did not look sloppy
• DO NOT SAY THAT WORD VINCE!
• How great was "Scared" Yokozuna.  Another man who left us way too early!
• Good grief did you see that Raw girl!  I would take them over the Nitro girls any day!
• The build of Big Daddy Cool has begun
• Two of my favorites here.  IRS is one of the best ever that just does not get talked about enough
• Crush is actually doing pretty good on commentary
• What is wrong with Savage?  Going after Crush for no reason
• What did you expect having him at ringside Vince, it is your own fault!
• Yeah sending out Bill Alfonso is the best route to stop Crush and IRS
• YES!  Yoko is going to end Savage before he can get to the Rumble

A good show here building to the Rumble.  Hot finish with a good brawl.  The only complaint I can see is that the two squash matches went a little too long.  I would cut each of those matches and maybe put in another match or an interview with Razor or something like.  The big thing I noticed is that everything looked good and like a fight.  It does not look like they are working together!  Until next time....Abyssinia!

RESULTS

• Owen Hart def. Terry Austin via Submission
• Interview:  Owen Hart & Bret Hart
• Tatanka def. George South
• Segment:  Alundra Blayze (Women's Champion)
• Interview:  Yokozuna (WWF Champion) & Mr. Fuji/Undertaker & Paul Bearer
• Diesel def. Scott Powers
• Royal Rumble Report
• Randy Savage def. IRS via DQ
• Segment:  Brawl 

Classic Wrestling: 1994-01-15 Superstars

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening....whenever it is you have found this blog.  Once again we are going back to 1994 this time to January 15th and it is time for WWF Superstars.  Like most of these shows, I have no idea what I will be seeing so let us get to it!

• Starting off with Flexy Lexy!
• BOOGER!  I love booger!
• Seriously I love Bastion Booger/Mike Shaw
• Guys like Booger are what is missing in wrestling. Now we do not get massive guys like Booger we get midgets like Marko Stunt
• Vince McMahon and his YES...NO call on a near fall, I miss that
• I love that they keep teasing the body slam, such great old school stuff to make the slam mean something
• Wow Flexy did not move when Booger charged the post like you expect
• Is this the best version of Vince?  I think so
• How great was Gorilla Monsoons voice?  
• I cannot imagine having to face the Headshrinkers
• DEAR LORD WHAT A DOUBLE BACKDROP!
• Bad Barry Horowitz!  Best enhancement performer?
• Weird, that armdrag was from the wrong side by Tatanka or it looked really weird
• Loss 5 million for Bad Barry
• 1994, I get see Jim Cornette on two companies shows...and that is not a bad thing!
• Wait...Virgil is going to get a squash match?  In 1994?  Really?
• Stan Lane did not say a word during that match
• The fans hated IRS but what a great performer.  I wonder why he never did any training...well that I know of
• Rest in Peace Gillberg!

A fun show with lots of memories of this time.  It was weird to see Virgil in 1994 as I do not really remember him much on TV at this point.  I think he shows up at the rumble filling in for Booger but that was about it.  I also do not remember Luger vs. Booger but that was a fun old school TV match.  The interviews though, a cocky young Double J was great and seriously I said this recently on the SMW review but is there a better person on the mic than the leader of the Cult himself Jim Cornette?  Throw in classic Vince McMahon on commentary and I had fun!

Results

• Lex Luger def. Bastion Booger
• Update:  Bret Hart & Owen Hart/Johnny Polo & Jacques and Pierre/Marty Jannetty & 1-2-3 Kid (WWF Tag Team Titles)
• Samu/Fatu def. Chaz Storm/Tony DeVito
• Face to Face:  Jeff Jarrett/Razor Ramon (Intercontinental Champion)
• Tatanaka def. Barry Horowitz
• Segment:  Undertaker & Paul Bearer
• Face to Face:  Yokozuna & Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji
• Virgil def. Derec Domino via Submission
• Interview:  Shawn Michaels & Diesel/Bam Bam Bigelow/Jeff Jarrett/Crush/Adam Bomb/Rick Martel
• Royal Rumble Report:  Randy Savage/Billy Gunn & Bart Gunn//Marty Jannetty & 1-2-3 Kid (WWF Tag Team Titles)
• IRS def. Tony Roy
• Face to Face:  Crush/Randy Savage
• Undertaker def. Duane Gill

Classic Wrestling Review: Wrestling Challenge 1991-03-10

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening....whenever it is you have found this entry.  We are once again going back to 1991 and we are on the road to Wrestlemania 7 still.  Gorilla and the Brain are our hosts as we are two weeks before LA!  On the show today we will see an Ultimate Warrior interview, LOD, Mr. Perfect, Davey Boy Smith and the Viking...plus more!

• How great was LOD's music!  It fit them so well
• How bad were those foam shoulder pads?
• Do you thank Alan Reynolds is related to Dennis and Dee and Frank?
• Animal nearly dropped Shinji on his head with that powerslam!
• One of the rare matches back on the WWF shows that goes too long.  Especially against these two guys.  If this was the LOD against say the Orient Express or another "named' team maybe but way too long for these two
• How great was Bobby as an announcer?  
• Who thought a blindfold match was a good idea?
• You know that a guy has a chance when they do not even announce his name!
• Always liked that move especially when Davey did it
• So weird to hear Barbie and Haku talk!  
• Mr. Fuji is the Viking now!
• I could almost follow what Warrior was saying there!
• Again not saying who the star is facing, interesting
• Now you're going to see a Perfetplex!  I love it!
• Neither team gets an announcement here!  WOW!

I will be honest in that I did not care for this show.  It started off slow with that long LOD match and never really took off.  Aside from Perfect on this show it very much felt like a "B" show.  I feel like it was just there to get to Mania.  

RESULTS

• Hawk/Animal def. Shinji/Alan Reynolds
• Special Report:  History:  Jake Roberts & Rick Martel
• Davey Boy Smith def. Unannounced
• Event Center:  Barbarian & Haku & Bobby Heenan/Jimmy Snuka/Paul Bearer & Undertaker
• The Viking def. Brian Costello via Countout
• Superstars:  Brothers Love:  Ultimate Warrior
• Interview:  Ultimate Warrior
• Mr. Perfect (Intercontinental Champion) def. Unannounced
• Segment:  The Dragon
• Event Center:  Ted DiBiase/Ultimate Warrior
• Wrestlemania Report:  Randy Savage/Hulk Hogan/Sgt. Slaught (WWF Champion) & Gen. Adnan/"Queen of England"
• Kato/Tanaka def. Jim Powers/Unannounced
• Event Center:  Tito Santana/Mountie & Jimmy Hart/Jake Roberts/

1991-01-13 Challenge Review

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Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, whenever it is you have found this entry.  Today I am checking out the Jan 13th 1991 Wrestling Challenge with Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon.  We are on the road to the Royal Rumble!  Let us see who this show went shall we!

• These two had the best chemistry of any duo on wrestling ever
• Tom Stone was on just about every show at this point I think
• Duggan was in great shape at this point in his career
• I think Stone got a portato in there
• I am surprised the Powers of Pain never got a title run in either major company back in the day
• I forget that Warlord was quite agile for a man of his size
• I always liked Black Bart.  Remember watching him back in the GWF
• It is weird to see Shane as a good guy but he really did have the white meat babyface look as they say
• I like that they had guys like Bart and Barry Horowitz and Brooklyn Brawler back int he day.  You did not think they would win yet you always wondered
• Such a weird time with the Ball and Chain
• Bob Bradley is another of those usuals on TV
• I love that they had Heenan off commentary when BBM was out there
• It is amazing to think that BBM was well over 400 pounds at one point
• I wonder if Sgt. enjoyed this era of his career.  I think I would want to be a heel, seems like much more fun
• Spike Jones?  I thought that was a singer
• We need guys like Tugboat in wrestling.  Now everyone looks the same
• How drunk was that guy?!
• How great was Sherri!
• Quake dropkicking is always amazing

Another great show promoting the Royal Rumble.  Knowing what is coming it was a shock in a week back then!  I miss when it was only 4 PPV's a year and they built to them and it felt special.  Hell, I do not even know what the next big show is because they come as fast as the candy did at Lucy!  I like the old challenge betters because it had Heenan and Monsoon!

Results

• Jim Duggan def. Tom Stone
• Special Report:  Ultimate Warrior (WWF Champion)
• Warlord def. Terry Davis via Submission
• Shane Douglas def. Black Bart
• Event Center:  Rick Martel/Jim Neidhart (Tag Team Champion)/Hercules/Butch/Honky Tonk Man
• Big Boss Man def. Bob Bradley
• Interview:  Sgt. Slaughter/Gen. Adnan
• Tugboat def. Spike Jones
• Event Center:  Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels/Ted DiBiase & Virgil
• Royal Rumble Report:  Hulk Hogan/Jake Roberts/Smash/Hawk/Mr. Perfect (Intercontinental Champion)/Randy Savage & Sherri/Jim Neidhart & Bret Hart (Tag Team Champions)/Dusty Rhodes & Dustin Rhodes
• Earthquake def. Don Steel
• Event Center:  Bret Hart (Tag Team Champion)/Greg Valentine/Jimmy Snuka/Paul Roma/Hawk

1991-01-05 Superstars Review

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening...whenever it is you have found this entry!  Today I am checking out the Jan. 5th edition of WWF Superstars from 1991.  Its a new year, the Gulf War is going on.  You have the Warrior as the Champion, Sgt. Slaughter is the top heel along with Randy Savage.  Mr. Perfect has just won back his IC gold and you have the Hart Foundation carrying the tag belts.  I believe your announcers are Vince McMahon, Roddy Piper and The Honky Tonk Man.  Lets go to the tape!!

• Yes, I was right about the announcers!
• Hogan making an appearance on Brother Love
• Had Kerry been able to be clean he would have been one of the biggest stars both in wrestling and Hollywood I think.  
• They never really did do that feud with Tornado and DiBiase I do not think.  I sure do not remember
• I think this was the peak of Warrior.  He looked the best.  I think he was in the best shape.  Also his out of world interviews were almost understandable
• Warlord doing his best Phantom of the Opera impersonation with that random mask
• Too bad Honky did not get into the Royal Rumble.  Also liked him
• Do you think he, the Warlord, understood how strong he really was?
• That was the biggest gut-wrench suplex of all time!
• I love the Royal Rumble theme, one of my favourites!
• Duggan was always and will always be one of my favourites.  
• WWF loved to make people make random noises for characters.  Tugboat, Duggan, Red Rooster
• OH MY GOD LOOK HOW YOUNG DUSTIN IS!!!
• They talk about the "Road Warrior" pop in wrestling, if I was a wrestler I would want the Hogan pop from 89-91
• Half the people in the Royal Rumble hope they draw number 1 yet whoever gets it is always upset....strange
• LOVE THAT RUMBLE THEME!
• I love how Quake was always hopping around during his promos 
• Do you think Jake Roberts drank a bottle of piss before each match?  
• The Big Boss Man is also one of my favourites.  I love this time of wrestling I think because it was from my initial fandom.  
• Do your job Virgil!  Who is, strangely enough, my grandpa's favourite wrestler
• THE MULKYS!  Well one of them

I love these old shows for nostalgia purposes.  However, I also enjoy them because it was when wrestling was wrestling in my opinion.  Guys being shown as stars and you had to go to the shows to see them in action against other stars.  Once a month maybe you had a Rick Martel vs. Tito Santana.  It was about getting you to order the big four PPV and go to the house shows or rent their monthly VHS tapes like Supertape or Smack'em Whack'em.  It worked on me because I rented those SOB's over and over again!  I still love wrestling and watch as much as I can because as Roddy Piper put it once it is a sickness.  But these are the days I missed, up till like 1995 when Nitro and Raw became show as much as you can and go through everything quickly.  Oh well you can not put the genie back in the bottle now!

Results

• Texas Tornado def. Tom Stone
• Update:  Randy Savage/Ultimate Warrior (WWF Champion)
• Warlord def. Donny Steel via Submission
• Event Center:  Bret Hart (Tag Team Champion)/Paul Roma/Jimmy Snuka/Brother Love & Undertaker/Davey Boy Smith
• Jim Duggan def. JT Smith
• Event Center:  Tugboat/Barbarian & Bobby Heenan/Dusty Rhodes & Dustin Rhodes
• Brother Love Show:  Hulk Hogan
• Royal Rumble Report:  Smash/Earthquake/Jake Roberts/Big Boss Man/Ted DiBiase & Virgil
• Kato/Tanaka def. Bill Mulky/Tony Mulky
• Event Center:  Luke/Mr. Perfect (Intercontinental Champion) & Bobby Heenan/Dino Bravo/Rick Martel/Jim Neidhart (Tag Team Champion)/