WWF WrestleMania XI

Facing stiff competition from a now Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage led WCW, and shrinking profits across the board, the WWF changed directions in late 1994 – taking the title off of Bret Hart, and putting it on the still unseasoned (but popular) Diesel. With the move back to a ‘big man’ champion, the WWF hoped to recapture the glory of Hulkamania, but in the process, neutered everything the fans loved so much about Diesel to begin with – turning him into a bouncing babyface, rather than an unstoppable monster.

Not sure how the untested Diesel would draw against an equally untested Shawn Michaels as the main event for the biggest show of the year, McMahon went back to the basics that made the WWF a mainstream phenomenon during the Golden Era, and packed the show with celebrities – even having NFL great Lawrence Taylor scheduled to step into the ring and main event. While Taylor’s involvement did give the WWF a short term boost, unlike Rock ‘n’ Wrestling, it didn’t do much for the flailing promotion in the long run, and the WWF continued to struggle to compete with a reinvigorated WCW.

From Hartford, Connecticut; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler. Kathy Huey sings America the Beautiful to kick things off.


Opening Match: The Allied Powers v The Blu Brothers: Though they didn't last long, I loved the Powers as a kid - and it was the perfect way to keep Davey Boy Smith and Lex Luger relevant, since neither was doing anything as a single. The Blu's try to jump them before the bell, but get caught with stereo powerslams, and Davey gives Jacob Blu a hanging vertical suplex for two. Tag to Eli Blu (they're identical twins, I'm guessing which is which - not like the announcers know, anyway, referring to them as 'Blu' or 'the other twin'), and the Blu's double-team to cut the ring in half early. Jacob eventually misses a 2^nd rope elbowdrop, and Luger tags in (for the first time) to start a house of fire, so the Blu's pull some twin magic - only for Eli to get caught with a flying sunset flip from Davey Boy for the pin at 6:36. Pretty rushed stuff here - cutting to the heat segment a mere minute into the match, and all punch-kick from there. ¼*

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Jeff Jarrett v Razor Ramon: Jarrett cheated his way to Ramon's Intercontinental Title at the Royal Rumble to set this up - and Razor's good and pissed, rushing the ring to go after him. Ramon spends a good while beating him, but Jarrett's Roadie pulls him out of harms way as he goes for the Razor's Edge. Jarrett tries to bail with the title, but the 1-2-3 Kid (there with Ramon, to ensure Roadie doesn't get involved again) forces him back into the ring, where Razor pitches him over the top. Back inside, Jarrett catches him with a swinging neckbreaker and a dropkick, but misses an enzuigiri. Ramon fails to capitalize, however, and Jarrett sits him down in a chinlock - but gets caught in a backslide for two. Again, Ramon can't capitalize, and Jarrett levels him with a lariat for two. Sleeper, but Razor suplexes out for a double knockout. Ramon recovers first with a blockbuster for two, but misses a 2^nd rope bulldog - allowing Jarrett to finally go after the knee with a kneebreaker. Figure Four, but Razor reverses, and hits a side-superplex. Razor's Edge, but Roadie runs in and clips the knee, and there's the disqualification at 13:32 - which was shocking at to me at the time, as even as a mark I didn't see Jarrett at Ramon's level (that gimmick didn't do him any favors), and expected Razor to destroy him on his way back to the title. These two had a fun match at the Rumble, but this one was all over the place (not to mention, taking forever to go after the bad knee - to the point where even Jerry Lawler was screaming about it on commentary), and came off as really disjointed. *

The Undertaker v King Kong Bundy: Larry Young is the special referee - this match set up when Bundy helped steal the all powerful urn away from the Undertaker and Paul Bearer back at the Royal Rumble. Bundy tries to break his speed record from the first WrestleMania by charging 'Taker with an Avalanche at the bell, but misses (when 90s Undertaker is outrunning you, you're too slow, bub), and gets hit with the ropewalk forearm. Clothesline takes Bundy down, and 'Taker steals the urn back from Ted DiBiase in the meantime. The honeymoon doesn't last long, however, as that draws fellow Million Dollar Corporation member Kama down to re-steal it (Oh, lord...), as Bundy hammers 'Taker in the ring. Splash gets two, and he hooks a chinlock on the mat. Avalanche, but 'Taker no sells, and bodyslams (looked like a botched Tombstone attempt there) him before hitting the jumping clothesline for the pin at 6:40. Luckily, the urn is still with Kama, so as not to rob us of more awesome blowoffs. DUD - but thankfully pretty short.

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The Smoking Gunns v Owen Hart and Yokozuna: Yoko is Owen's much hyped mystery partner - making his return for the first time in 1995. Billy Gunn starts with Owen, and Gunn paintbrushes him out of a criss cross before tagging Bart Gunn in for a flying axehandle. Wristlock, but Owen flips out, and tags Yokozuna to slam him - then tag right back out, since he has less than zero stamina. Bart gets back to Billy to nail Owen with a double-team Russian legsweep, and a side suplex/neckbreaker combo gets Billy a two count. The Gunns work quick tags to cut the ring in half, and the Sidewinder looks to finish - but Yoko distracts the referee, and a delays the count. That allows Owen to tag, and Yoko blasts Billy with a legdrop. He's already out of gas (you'd think he'd have plenty of gas...), and goes to a nervehold. He finally brings Owen in with a missile dropkick, but the massage reinvigorated Gunn, and he sidesteps, sending Hart crashing into his partner. Tag to Bart, and he's a barn of fire, but Billy walks into a belly-to-belly from Yokozuna during a double-team, and the Banzi Drop allows Owen to get the pin at 9:43 - putting him one step closer to his goal of matching brother Bret for WWF titles. Putting Yoko in a team with Owen was good thinking - allowing him to rest on the apron for the bulk of bouts, instead of his usual resthold exhibitions. This match generally worked in that vein - allowing Hart and the Gunns to work a well paced match, though even when Yoko briefly tagged in, he looked horribly out of shape. *

I Quit Match: Bret Hart v Bob Backlund: After Backlund beat Hart for the WWF Title by having Bret's brother Owen coerce his mother into throwing in a towel at Survivor Series, Hart came back for revenge - this time, a verbal submission required to ring the bell. While the angle was hot in 1994, the bloom was well off the rose by this point - and even as a ten year old mark, I wasn't particularly into this blowoff. Roddy Piper acts as the guest referee - spending the match obnoxiously shoving the microphone into either guys face to check for submissions. Bret goes right at him, unloading closed fists and headbutts, and they spill to the floor - Piper actually laying in a count, despite the fact that it's submission only rules. Well, Piper never understood the rules while he was wrestling, no point in starting now! Inside, Hart with a figure four out of nowhere, and not surprisingly, Backlund won't submit. Backlund reverses, but Hart quickly breaks, and keeps after the knee with a leglock. Backlund manages to break, and starts going after the shoulder, but Hart dodges the dreaded Crossface Chickenwing. Backlund keeps after the shoulder, but Bret shrugs him off, and hits the 2^nd rope elbow. Sharpshooter, but Backlund dives into the ropes, and dodges a Hart blind charge - sending him into the post, shoulder first. Chickenwing, but Bret reverses it before Backlund can get the bodyscissors on, and gets the submission at 9:34. Not nearly as good as either of their two earlier matches, and marred by Piper's shitty officiating - turning the Magnum/Tully microphone bits into a game show. Not that it would have been much better without him - dime-store psychology throughout, and no intensity. No effort here - easily one of Bret Hart's worst major matches. ½*

WWF Title Match: Diesel v Shawn Michaels: These two teamed since Diesel's WWF debut in 1993, but when Shawn cost Diesel one match too many at Survivor Series, the big man turned face on him - though, technically this was set up by Shawn winning the Royal Rumble match to get the title shot. Nicholas Turturro is the guest ring announcer, Jonathan Taylor Thomas the guest time keeper, and Pamela Anderson as Michaels' valet (a privilege he won along with the Royal Rumble) - though she goes AWOL before the match (happens – not like tampons were easy to find in a WWF locker room), so Shawn brings Jenny McCarthy with him instead. Of course, Diesel ends up coming out with Anderson, since he's the babyface, and all - though, really, I think Shawn got the better end of that deal. Shawn tries to jump him during his pyro bit, but ends up getting backdropped to the floor - taking out one of the dozens of media photographers that the WWF had surrounding the ring the whole night, in a futile effort to make the event seem more relevant. Shawn uses his speed to dodge the champ once they officially get underway - but runs right into a forearm out of a criss cross, and backs off into the corner to recover. He stupidly tries an armbar (guy's a foot taller than you - how about trying the leg?), but Diesel predictably shrugs him off, and backdrops him to the heavens. Into the corner, Shawn flies to the floor - taking out another hapless photographer in the process. Back in, Shawn dodges a blind charge into a ten-punch count, but Diesel shrugs him off again, and hits a suplex. Kneelift sends Shawn back to the floor, so he tries to sunset flip back in - only to get crotched on the ropes. Big boot misses for Diesel, however, and a Cactus clothesline sends the champ to the floor. Shawn follows out with a flying bodypress and a baseball slide, then rams Diesel into the post for good measure. Unfortunately, that leaves the WWF Champion down on the floor taking the count, and Shawn doesn't seem particularly concerned about the title - splashing him from the apron, and leaving him out there again. He beats the count on his own, and Shawn finally clues in and goes after the knee to get him on the mat. 2^nd rope flying bulldog gets two, and a 2^nd rope backelbow for two. Well executed flying elbowdrop to the small of the back (in what would become one of the more iconic images of Michaels' career), but he gets backdropped as he tries to follow-up. Diesel with the snake eyes, but Shawn counters by shoving him into the corner, and scales the big man with a sleeper - but Diesel powers (Diesel Power! The WWF runs on it!) into the corner to break. Cross corner clothesline by the champ, and the snake eyes leaves Shawn reeling - and Flair Flipping to the floor. Diesel drags him in, but Shawn blasts him with a Superkick on the way - only for the referee to get bumped. Shawn's bodyguard Sid rolls the ref in for a dramatic two count, so Sid cuts off the turnbuckle pad (actually cutting it off with a blade, in a nice touch) for him to finish - only for Michaels to get side suplexed in the process. Guess you should have just passed him the knife instead of leaving things to chance, Sid. Sidewalk slam, and a slingshot into the corner (missing the mark, and hitting the middle buckle instead of the exposed top turnbuckle), and Diesel starts TRUCKING UP!! Clotheslines! Big Boot! Powerbomb! 20:37! Match was all Shawn flying around, Diesel no more than his proverbial broomstick for the evening, which did nothing in the way of getting him over - Hulk Up and all. It wasn't that Shawn didn't sell (which he did), but more that he was foolishly booked to dominate the match, instead of playing a shit-heel that's terrified of the bigger man - like he did with Undertaker in 1997. Shawn blamed Sid for the loss the next night on RAW, and got himself powerbombed - turning face in the process, and setting up a horrible months-long series of matches between Sid and Diesel. **

Main Event: Bam Bam Bigelow v Lawrence Taylor: Salt 'n' Peppa play LT down to the ring live for his confrontation with Bam Bam, stemming from Bigelow attacking a front-row sitting Taylor at the Royal Rumble. Taylor blasts Bigelow with a slap to the face during the staredown, and a series of clotheslines sends Bam Bam over the top. Inside, Bigelow misses a blind charge, and LT bulldogs him for two. Hiptoss puts Bigelow back on the floor, and Taylor follows - triggering a confrontation between his All Pro Team (a bunch of NFL players) and Bigelow's Million Dollar Corporation pals. I've seen fewer people at ringside during Lumberjack matches, between both entourages, and all of the photographers Shawn didn't manage to kill in the last match. Inside, Bigelow slams Taylor, but misses a falling headbutt, and gets caught with a forearm smash. Into the corner, Bam Bam dominates, and he hooks a Boston crab - but can't quite execute it properly, so he switches to an anklelock. God, when the wrestler in a celebrity match isn't hitting his mark, you're in trouble. Taylor makes the ropes anyway, so Bam Bam flattens him with a flying moonsault - only to hurt his knee on the way down. That allows Taylor a sorta-gutwrench powerbomb, but he can't capitalize, and gets caught with an enzuigiri. Flying Headbutt to finish, but Taylor kicks out at two! Shocked and frustrated, Bigelow heads to the corner to strategize with Ted DiBiase (hint: hit Taylor more), allowing Lawrence to start firing off forearms, and a nice 2^nd rope flying version finishes Bam Bam at 11:44. Afterwards, all the football players hoist Taylor up on their shoulders - sort of a horribly unsatisfying version of the WrestleMania X finale. The match managed to get the WWF the mainstream media attention they desired, but as a general rule, Bam Bam Bigelow v Anybody as the main event for WrestleMania in 1995 wasn't particularly exciting to wrestling fans - though it's not like they didn't try. Good effort - especially from Taylor, who was surprisingly decent and actually worked spots instead of the punch-kick you'd expect - but dull overall. *

BUExperience: Sometimes bad shows can be fun, but shows like this one – which aren’t outright bad, so much as really boring – are the worst kind. Packed with endless celebrity focused backstage segments (Jonathan Taylor Thomas plays chess with Bob Backlund! Guys hit on Jenny McCarthy!) surrounding dull matches, this is easily one of the worst WrestleManias. While shows like WrestleMania IV were worse in terms of overall match quality, they felt like happenings, and worthy of the WrestleMania name – and most importantly, your attention. This just felt like three hours of desperate starfucking, with the occasional match thrown in for good measure. DUD