1994-01-08 Mania

 

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening....whenever it is you have found this entry.  Today, 2021-05-29, I am going back to 1994 to check out Mania.  It is mostly clip show but a fun show so let's go check it out!

• I do love me some IRS.  One of the best technicians in the ring
• That is a write-off right there!
• Randomly finishes him off with a belly to back suplex, I like that
• Was there a better big man than Yoko?
• The answer is no
• Good night, what a sight
• I believe Yoko killed Dubiel there.  I think it is the one time that you see Yoko slip doing the Bonzai Drop
• Gotta do what you gotta do at the time you're doing it - Randy Savage
• I miss Percy and characters like him
• I miss shows like Mania, fun, and get chemistry with Todd and Randy
• Luger should not have been in the rumble!
• Luger was never a great interview
• YOU CANNOT CONTROL DESTINY!!
• I said Flexy Lexy was not a great promo but this was pretty good.  Straight forward but well done
• I love that the Quebecers try the switch when they look nothing alike!
• Poor Mike Shaw could not get a break outside of Calgary
• ENTER THE BATCAVE!!
• MOM was impressive because of their size but is so mid 90's gimmick wise
• Randy did not have much musical ability!
• Marty looks like he is homeless standing on the off-ramp

Nothing groundbreaking on this show but it is fun.  Todd and Savage seemed to actually be having fun.  Not much else to say here but another fun Mania show!

RESULTS

• IRS def. Mike Corey
• Interview:  Razor Ramon (Intercontinental Champion)
• Yokozuna (WWF Champion) def. Dan Dubiel
• Segment:  Undertaker & Paul Bearer
• Ludvig Borga def. John Crystal via Submission
• Interview:  Lex Luger
• JIP:  Lex Luger def. Jacques (WWF Tag Team Champion)
• Recap:  Raw
• Bastion Bogger def. Tony Roy
• Mo/Mabel def. Reno Riggins/Chris Duffy
• Recap:  Raw

1994-01-30 Wrestling Challenge

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening....whenever it is you have found this entry.  Today, 2020-03-29, we are going back to the last WWF Challenge of January 1994.  We have Kwang, Sparky Plugg, the Bushwackers and more!

• Bob Holly and Bad Barry Horowitz!  Yes, please!
• Two very underrated wrestlers in my opinion.  
• Barry with some long hair at this point!
• Sparky had a great dropkick, maybe he still does!
• Sparky did not really do a great top rope splash
• Lord Alfred had such a unique delivery at this point in his career
• Man Lex and Bret did such a great job at this rumble
• Adam Bomb sure was a big man
• Is this the first time Gary was on WWF TV?
• Gary, of course, was a mainstay in WCW/NWA as the Italian Stallion
• Dear lord look at that dropkick!
• I always forget how southern Adam Bomb was
• Interesting finish with that slingshot clothesline
• I do love the Bushwhackers in a guilty pleasure way
• Borga was just rough looking all around
• Samu sure was an ugly man!
• They are just abusing Stryker
• That was almost clubbering!!
• Was Kwang always Savio Vega?

A decent show but nothing special.  The Debuts of Kwang and Sparky Plugg but honestly a completely pointless show otherwise.  None of the matches were great.  Unless you like one of these guys I would skip this show.  

RESULTS

• Sparky Plugg def. Barry Horowitz
• Special Report:  Jack Tunney/Yokozuna (WWF Champion) & Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji
• Adam Bomb def. Gary Sabaugh
• Vidoe:  Alundra Blayze (WWF Womens Champoin)
• Face to Face:  Jacques & Pierre (WWF Tag Team Champions) & Johnny Polo
• Luke/Butch def. Scott Powers/Mark Thorn
• Ludvig Borga def. Larry Crow 
• Wrestlemania Report
• Video:  Earthquake
• Samu/Fatu def. JD Stryker/David Clements
• Segment:  Undertaker & Paul Bearer
• Kwang def. Ray Hudson
• Face to Face:  Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji
• Segment:  Bam Bam Bigelow & Luna Vachon/Doink

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 Review: 1994-01-16 Challenge

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening...whenever it is you have found this entry.  We are a week away from the 1994 Royal Rumble as we check out the January 16th Wrestling Challenge.  We have JR and Gorilla as our hosts so lets get to the ring!

• That bonza drop in the open looks brutal!
• Uggg, Dink is here, I hate little people, they creep me out
• Mike Bell was a nice enhancement talent.  I think they should have given him a few wins to make him a threat
• Walsh looks huge compared to Marko Stunt
• Walsh's head is HUGE!
• How great was Lord Alfreds delivery!  I also liked that he gave jabs at times
• Uggg, I hated good guy Doink, he was a great character with Matt Bourne playing him
• That was one creepy Doink poster....both of them!
• One of my favourite submissions that you just do not see very often
• Boogers music is still better than Shockmasters!
• Poor Mike Shaw and this gimmick
• Enter the Batcave!
• I hope Cory talked to his family before this because Yoko is going to squash him!
• How was Yoko so agile?
• Yoko did not even use the Bonza drop
• Look how young and different Scotty looks
• The Steiners are not long for the world in the WWF I do not think.  They do not make many more appearance or Wrestlemania 10
• This bulldog will break your neck!
• I bought the Sega CD just for Rage in the Cage!
• BEAT THE REDSKIN!  WOW!

A solid show but it shows the difference between WWF and WCW shows.  WWF had mostly squash matches while WCW shows always had good matches, at least one "Star vs. Star" match.  While I loved the squash matches it shows why WCW ended up overtaking WWF in my opinion.

RESULTS

• Razor Ramon (Intercontinental Champion) def. Mike Bell
• Jeff Jarrett def. Brian Walsh
• Special Report:  Jacques & Pierre & Johnny Polo/Marty Jannetty & 1-2-3 Kid (Tag Team Champions)
• Doink def. Rich Meyers via Submission
• Face to Face:  Jacques & Pierre & Johnny Polo/Marty Jannetty & 1-2-3 Kid (Tag Team Champions)
• Bastion Booger def. John Crystal
• Interview:  Randy Savage
• Segment:  Undertaker & Paul Bearer
• Yokozuna (WWF Champion) def. Cory Student
• Segment:  Undertaker & Paul Bearer
• Royal Rumble Report:  Bret Hart & Owen Hart/Ludvig Borga/Tatanka/Lex Luger
• Rick Steiner/Scott Steiner def. Steve Smith/Jim Massenger
• Face to Face:  Jim Cornette & Mr. Fuji/Tatanka
• Segment:  Tatanka
• 
  

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