WWF Royal Rumble 1993

1993 saw the WWF add – after four previous Royal Rumble pay per views – the stipulation that continues to make the match famous today: that the winner would go on to face the WWF Champion at WrestleMania. It was certainly a welcome change, as the card wasn’t particularly intriguing going in, and long gone were the days when Vince McMahon could count on Hulk Hogan’s devoted fan base to draw buyrates or ratings. This was, in fact, the first Rumble not to feature Hogan at all – and with The Ultimate Warrior bailing on the company in November, and Ric Flair on the way out – the lack of star power started becoming more and more noticeable.

From Sacramento, California; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan.


Opening Match: The Steiner Brothers v The Beverly Brothers: The Steiners had just made their WWF debut a month prior, so you can guess how this is going to go. Scott Steiner and Beau Beverly start, with Scott immediately shooting at the leg. Beau hides in the ropes, and tries again - but gets caught in an armbar. Scott with a tilt-a-whirl slam, so Beau bails to the floor to regroup before tagging Blake Beverly. Scott responds by tagging to Rick, and he throws a powerslam before tagging back to Scott. Overhead suplex, and he tries a butterfly version, but walks into a cheap shot from Beau. Blake with a backbreaker, and the Beverly's cut the ring in half, but a Beau backdrop ends with Scott finishing the butterfly powerbomb from earlier. Tag to Rick, and he's a house of arson - throwing suplexes. The Beverly's force a tag back to Scott, but that ends in a Frankensteiner at 10:34. This was, mercifully, the last major WWF appearance for the Beverly's, as an influx of new teams made them obsolete. Decent match, though - almost entirely due to the Steiners' suplexing everything in sight. *

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels v Marty Jannetty: This was the delayed blowoff to the Rockers breakup - which was originally planned more appropriately for 1992 - but Marty's literal house arrest prevented it. Michaels manager Sensational Sherri is in a neutral corner, after Shawn dodged an attack from Marty by using her as a human shield. Shawn tries to slap him around to start, but Marty doesn't have a sense of humor about it, and beats him from post to post. To the floor, Jannetty hits a tope, and follows with a flying punch. He tries it again, but Michaels decks him on the way down. Well, fire with fire, and all that. Shawn posts him for good measure, and follows up with a shoulderbreaker back inside. Shawn keeps after the part - hammering it, and working an armbar. Single-arm DDT gets two, but a blind charge misses - injuring Shawn's shoulder. Slugfest goes Marty's way (he's been really 'fist-oriented' in his offense tonight), and he suplexes the champ to the floor. Sherri lays in a slap to kick (with her palm!) him while he's down, and Marty hits a powerslam. DDT gets two, and a superkick for two. Backdrop, but Shawn counters with a sunset flip, only to get countered into a slingshot for two. Referee gets bumped off of another slugfest, so Marty hooks him in a full-nelson, and calls for Sherri to come in and get her licks. It backfires, and Shawn finishes with a superkick (sold with a nice 360 from Jannetty) at 14:20. I'd have appreciated Shawn finishing with his 'Teardrop Suplex' to follow up on the shoulder work, but this worked fine. Shawn worked hard and looked good, but Marty's definitely had better nights. He would be released from the WWF again shortly after this - for showing up stoned to the match - though he'd return again in the spring to continue feuding with Shawn on that new 'Monday Night Raw' program. Match was disappointing given the buildup and general 'dream match' aura around The Rockers feud, but was still a completely decent, well paced match - even if something felt 'off.' To be clear, that 'something' was drugs. Lots and lots of drugs. **

Big Bossman v Bam Bam Bigelow: Bigelow jumps him from behind - laying him out with an avalanche - but Bossman throws a shoulderblock to come back. Ten-punch count, but a blind charge gets him backdropped to the outside. Inside, Bigelow with a stungun for two, and he hooks a reverse bearhug - which basically looks like he's trying to force Bossman to shit. Well, that would certainly be an undisputed victory - pinfalls be damned. Suplex gets poorly reversed, so Bam Bam decides to no-sell, and drop a headbutt to the lower back. Bossman throws a backdrop to takeover, but a blind charge misses, and Bigelow finishes with his always visually impressive flying headbutt at 10:10. Much like a lot of other people on this card (and the promotion in general) Bossman was on the way out, so this went as expected - though both guys worked hard, and kept a good pace. ½*

WWF Title Match: Bret Hart v Razor Ramon: There wasn't really a proper feud to set this up - Hart was being sold as the 'rookie' WWF champ, and needed a credible opponent - with Razor fitting in as the closest thing with the thinning roster, and lack of any true stars. In a nice bit, Razor responds to Bret passing out his sunglasses to a kid by throwing his toothpick at the youngster. Today, they'd probably have to issue a public apology for that kind of move - but I guarantee you that kid was psyched (Bret's glasses, and Razor's toothpick?!). Bret goes ballistic on him, but gets overpowered, so he shoots the leg, and gets a quick figure four He keeps after it - even posting it, which is something he didn't really start doing before his 'aggressive streak' angle in 1995. Razor reverses a cross corner whip, leaving Hart viciously wrapped around the post like a car crash victim, and then follows out for a series of unreleased backbreakers. He posts him again for good measure, and inside, goes to work on the back. Blockbuster gets two, and he hooks an abdominal stretch - but Hart wrestles out. Undeterred, Ramon continues to pound away, but gets caught with a desperation bodypress for two. Bret with a sunset flip for two, but Razor smacks him down, and hooks a reverse chinlock. Bearhug, but Bret backdrops him to the outside, and follows with his always impressive tope - knocking the challenger halfway up the aisle. Inside, Bret with a ten-punch count, and an inverted atomic drop for two. Backbreaker, and a 2^nd rope diving clothesline gets two. Bulldog for two, and the Russian legsweep gets two. Sharpshooter time, but Razor scrambles to the ropes. Bret drags him back to center ring to try again, but the referee gets bumped along the way, allowing Ramon a side-superplex, but Hart back flips off of the ropes to hit a standard version. Another 2^nd rope elbow, but Ramon nails him on the way down, and goes for the Razor's Edge - but Hart wiggles out into a backslide for two. Razor with a couple well placed kicks to keep him down, and he grabs a test-of-strength, but Hart counters into a nice cradle for two. Before Razor has a change to regroup from the surprise counter, Bret manages to hook the Sharpshooter on from the mat, and retains at 17:52. Wonderful match - well paced, and strengthened by Hart's always fantastic selling, and both men’s sound psychology. The numerous false finishes they worked throughout, building and building to Hart finally beating getting the Sharpshooter also came off well. One of those great matches where both guys look good after the bell - win lose or draw. *** ¾

Bobby Heenan is at the in-arena interview podium, and introduces Lex Luger - making his official WWF debut. Luger had actually signed with McMahon in early 1992 - as soon as he could high tail it out of WCW - but the nature of his WCW deal prevented him from properly working in the WWF until 1993, instead biding his time in Vince McMahon's failing bodybuilding promotion/TV program - the infamous WBF. He comes in as Heenan's hired gun - going for revenge on Mr. Perfect for the turn on Flair's team prior to Survivor Series.

Main Event: #1 Contenders Royal Rumble Match: Two minute intervals this time around. Ric Flair and Bob Backlund draws numbers one and two, as Heenan starts promising a repeat of last year. Unlike last year, though, Flair had already lost a Loser Leaves Town match to Mr. Perfect (which would air on tape delay the next night on RAW), so don't hold your breath. Backlund stupidly offers a handshake - trying to wrestle a match out of 1983 - but falls prey to a well timed Flair cheap shot. That gimmick got him about as over as a herpes outbreak in a strip club, though their slight modification of it in 1994 - playing the same character disgusted with the current state of wrestling - was brilliant. Imagine if they had run that during the height of the Attitude Era - though they sort of did with that RTC crap in the early 2000s. Papa Shango draws #3, and goes right for Backlund - but gets quickly dumped. $4 is Ted DiBiase, and he makes an alliance with Flair to unsuccessfully get rid of Backlund. Brian Knobs draws #5, and unloads on DiFlair, but gets quickly double-teamed. Virgil draws #6, and predictably goes right for DiBiase – though the bloom was so far off of that rose, that it had wilted. Still, nice to see them give even a token nod to it. DiBiase holds Virgil off long enough to dump Knobs, as WWF newcomer Jerry Lawler draws #7. He goes for Virgil, but Flair pulls him off, and demands a slugfest. Certainly not the Flair who won the thing the year before - who avoided confrontation at all costs to survive. #8 is Max Moon (Paul Diamond, at this point), and he, too, goes for the King - only to get dumped in short order. I guess Diamond must have been one ugly motherfucker, as he worked masked gimmick after masked gimmick - and he wasn't out to protect his heritage, like the Luchadores, or anything. Just an ugly. mother. fucker. Tenryu draws #9, and trades chops with DiBiase, as Mr. Perfect hits the ring at #10. Naturally, he goes right for Flair, and quickly hits the Hennig-necksnap. Ten-punch count, as Skinner enters at #11. He actually saves Flair (which is pretty stupid strategy, considering the guy won the thing last year), but it's Skinner - so Perfect swats him away, and properly dumps nemesis Flair. Skinner doesn't appreciate Perfect no-selling his shit, though, and goes after him, but gets quickly dumped - and rightly so, since he's a moron. Koko B. Ware draws #12, and gets into it with Lawler. Samu gets lucky #13, and headbutts everyone. Highlight: headbutt-fest against Koko, which attempts to forever settle the Blacks v Samoans hard head debate. Results were inconclusive, however, so we encourage at home testing. Please report back. Berzerker draws #14, as Perfect dumps Lawler. That triggers everyone ganging up to push him out second - with Lawler making an assist from the floor. See, when a heel does it, it's a fine way to build a program, or just generally establish his character. When Hulk Hogan - number one babyface in the company - does it, it only leads to his fans (like myself) getting sick of his hypocritical bullshit. Undertaker gets #15, and it's 'goodbye Samu.' Tenryu's next to go, and 'Taker gets into it with DiBiase. Terry Taylor draws #16, but gets dumped by DiBiase (along with Koko) before he can work up a sweat. 'Taker responds by clothesling tossing Ted, and Berzerker quickly follows. That leaves 'Taker alone, and suddenly Giant Gonzalez (making his WWF debut, and at this point unidentified) wanders into the ring to staredown (and I mean down) 'Taker. He dumps the deadman with ease, as #17 entry Damien Demento wisely hangs out on the floor. Gonzalez decimates 'Taker, properly setting up their horrible series of matches through 1993. IRS gets #18, but 'Taker and the Giant are still going at it - so he hangs out on the floor as well. With that over, IRS and Demento double-team Backlund (who was taking a breather on the floor), as Tatanka enters at #19. Jerry Sags draws #20, and gives everyone their fair share of lice. IRS objects (he didn't consider it a charitable donation), and beats the crap out of him to learn him good. Typhoon draws #21, and targets Demento. The match slows down significantly is the JTTS-crew out there bide time waiting for another star to properly clear of the ring. #22 is Fatu, and he follows Samu's lead by headbutting everything in sight. He must have been so dizzy, poor kid. Earthquake draws #23, and quickly tosses Typhoon. Odd booking there as, yes, it's 'every man for himself,' but why go immediately for your established tag partner, when the ring is filled with suitable targets? Carlos Colon gets #24, not exactly bringing the star power with him. He does manage to dump Demento, but hell, that wouldn't have even made SuperStars at this point - so no one gave a shit. Tito Santana gets #25, and intelligently goes for the worn Backlund. Bob asserts himself by dumping Fatu, as #26 entry Rick Martel continues his Royal Rumble tradition of going right for Santana. Jesus, it's been four years - get over it already. 'Quake dumps IRS, just as Yokozuna draws #27. Oh shit, JTTS. Oh shit. Bye Tatanka! Bye Carlos! Bye Earthquake! Owen Hart gets #28, and gets out of Yoko's way. Repo Man draws #29, and stupidly goes right for Yoko. Do they not have monitors in the Gorilla-Position? Or, like, common-sense among glorified jobbers? He unionizes, getting everyone to gang up to dump Yoko - but he manages to swat all five away with relative ease. Randy Savage rounds out the field at #30 - giving this thing a much needed shot of star power - and quickly dumps Repo as Yoko gets rid of Santana. Owen dropkicks Sags out, and then makes the mistake of pissing on Yoko's leg (not... literally), and gets brutally launched out. Down to Yoko, Savage, Martel, and Backlund - which isn't exactly a rousing final four. Backlund and Martel square off in a king of Rumble longevity battle, with Backlund emerging victorious. Meanwhile, Yoko is destroying Savage in the other corner, so Backlund runs over to make the save. Normally, I'd say smart psychology would be to hang back and rest while they duke it out, but in this case, Backlund knows he can't get rid of Yoko alone, and needs Savage - so it works. He still gets tossed, however - though he breaks the longevity record at 61:10. Yoko continues wrecking Savage, but runs into a series of jabs - as Savage tries a comeback. Flying axehandle staggers the big guy, and a second knocks him to his knees. He fires off a savate kick to stop the effort, and a belly to belly suplex, allows him to crush Savage with a legdrop. Avalanche, but a second misses, and Savage hits the Flying Elbowdrop. He instinctively goes for the pin, but Yoko impressively presses him out from flat on his back to become #1 Contender at WrestleMania IX at 66:35. Rumble really lacked star power this year (especially when compared to the one it followed), but the mostly JTTS-crew managed to keep it exciting enough, keeping the ring stocked for monsters like The Undertaker and Yokozuna to throw around. Backlund set the longevity record - and the crowd was getting quite into it towards the end - though, it should be noted his performance wasn't anywhere near on par with Ric Flair's from the year before - which was loaded with real drama and intrigue. The crowd also got pretty into the Savage comeback - completely deflating when Yoko took the victory. ***

BUExperience: Not a particularly well remembered show, though it’s absolutely solid top-to-bottom, including a fantastic Hart/Ramon title match. It always helps when it looks like everyone is honestly giving a good effort – possibly trying to impress wrestling legend Stu Hart, sitting in the front row. Like Sherri, I had neutral feelings on this one when I was a kid, but time has been somewhat kind to it – and I can tepidly recommend it now. The dead crowd that endured for most of the show didn’t do anyone any favors, but with the rapidly thinning roster presented for that Rumble (and really, most of the card – as Michaels was just barely finding credibility as Intercontinental Champion, and Ramon was not a contender at all) you can’t really blame them. **