WWF UK Rampage (April 1991)

After previous televised on non-televised appearances in the UK since 1989, UK Rampage became the WWF’s first attempt at a UK only pay per view – essentially a glorified house show that kicked off their post-WrestleMania VII European tour.

From London England; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper.


Opening Match: The Warlord v Jim Neidhart: The Hart Foundation quietly broke up after dropping the tag titles to the Nasty Boys at WrestleMania, with the intention to push Bret Hart as a single, with Neidhart getting a less significant singles push as well. Power-stalemate to start, until Neidhart manages to hook a standing side-headlock on the significantly taller Warlord. More power-stalemate stuff, so Neidhart starts throwing shoulderblocks, and puts the big man on the floor. Warlord regroups, and heads in to formally request a test-of-strength. Neidhart obliges, and dodges the expected cheap shot with a legsweep into a falling headbutt. Back to the headlock, but Warlord powers out with an inverted atomic drop, and puts Neidhart on the floor for a shot into the stairs. Warlord plods around with some forearm shots, to set up a bearhug, but Neidhart escapes with a sunset flip - only to get decked on the way down. Slugfest goes Neidhart's way, but he misses a blind charge, and Warlord hooks a chinlock for a while. Backdrop, but Neidhart counters with a faceslam, and starts throwing clotheslines. Ten-punch count, but a splash hits the knees, so Warlord starts plodding again - only to have Neidhart schoolboy him at 13:31. Incredibly dull, and far too long - they were moving like bad Claymation figures out there. Bad opener. –½*

Ted DiBiase v The Texas Tornado: DiBiase powers him into the corner out of the initial lockup - then fires off a cheap shot during the break, and hides in the ropes to avoid retribution. He tries it again, but Tornado (Kerry Von Erich) chases him to the floor, and unloads a series of turnbuckle smashes on the way back in for two. Atomic drop sends DiBiase over the top rope to regroup, while newly acquired manager Sherri trips Tornado up. Ted wastes no time capitalizing, and levels him with a lariat before dumping him to the floor for Sherri to post. Inside, DiBiase with a backelbow for two, and a fistdrop for two. Tornado tries a desperation Discus Punch, but DiBiase casually sidesteps, and chokes him on the ropes. Suplex for two, and he works a chinlock, so Tornado powers up with fists of fury - only to run into a kneelift. 2^nd rope falling backelbow misses, however, and Tornado with another series of right hands, and a backdrop. Clawhold, but DiBiase rakes the eyes, so Tornado fires off clotheslines - only for Sherri to hook him coming out of the ropes. That triggers a chase, and Tornado gets counted out in the process at 14:05. Really solid heel work from DiBiase here - gelling quite well with new manager Sherri in no time. *

Haku v Greg Valentine: Haku tries a wristlock right away, but Valentine counters into a hammerlock, and has Haku running for the ropes.  Side-headlock and an atomic drop put Haku on the outside, but he comes in firing chops to turn the tide, and hits a pair of backbreakers for two. Reverse chinlock triggers a seizure power up from Valentine (which is almost indescribably odd to see Greg doing), but Haku clobbers him with a side suplex for two. Greg tries turnbuckle smashes to come back (which Haku actually sells!), and a backelbow hits. Series of jabs put Haku on the mat, and Valentine goes for the figure four - but gets his eyes raked. Haku can't turn the tide, however, and Valentine with another elbow before he tries again - this time getting shoved into the corner. Haku makes one last effort at capitalizing, but Greg catches him with a sunset flip coming out of the ropes for the pin at 8:41. Total TV match, but watching Greg Valentine doing clichéd babyface spots, and Haku selling head shots is entertaining. ¾*

The Rockers v The Orient Express:  Orient manager Mr. Fuji whacks Marty Jannetty with his cane before they even get started, so the Rockers head to the back for backup, in the form of Andre the Giant. Andre had recently been forced to retire (his body was rapidly breaking down), and this was his new role, as the occasional babyface enforcer - though he's really there more for intimidation ('that's the guy that lost to Hogan all those times!!') because he can barely walk to the ring, let alone chase heels around. Shawn Michaels starts with Kato, and they trade criss crosses - ending with all four men getting involved, and the Rockers cleaning house with stereo atomic drops. The dusts settles on Marty and Kato, and they trade hammerlocks until Kato slams him. Tag to Tanaka, but he misses a splash, and the Rockers hit a double-team backelbow. The Rockers trade off working on Tanaka's arm, so he tags Kato - but he gets more of the same. A cheap shot turns the tide (with zero response from enforcer Andre), and the Express cut the ring in half on Michaels, until he dodges a double clothesline, and gets the tag off to Jannetty. Crackhouse of fire, so Fuji gets involved again, and we get the obligatory Andre save - which acts as enough distraction for the Rockers to put Kato away with stereo flying fistdrops at 15:46. These four had a brilliant match to open the Royal Rumble three months prior, but this was a CliffsNotes version - with some of the fancy double-teams, some of the crisp spots, but plenty of restholds. *

Jimmy Snuka v The Barbarian: Well, this match was inevitable. No two guys can wear that much leopard print without eventually striking each other. Snuka hilariously takes the time to carefully fold his entrance gear before passing it off to the ring attendant. And they say he's a savage! Savage's don't work at the Gap! Barbarian tosses him around a bit in the early going, but misses an elbowdrop, and Snuka catches him with a diving forearm to put the big man on the outside. Inside, Snuka wins a criss cross with a knife edge chop, but gets caught with a big boot coming out of the ropes, and crashes to the floor off of it. Barbarian follows for a few shots into the ringpost, but Snuka beats the count back in, and gets suplexed for two. Barbarian with a pair of elbowdrops as some of the ring lights die - though unfortunately, not dim enough to kill this match. Barbarian backbreaker gets two, and a sidewalk slam for two. Bearhug, and the lights die completely as Snuka starts making his comeback. Unfortunately, this time some doofus shines a spotlight on them to keep it going - even though it seems that God is literally putting in an effort to stop to this match. Getting the message, Jimmy SNUKS UP!! Falling Headbutt! Jumping Clothesline! Chops! 2^nd Rope Bodypress! Sunset Flip! 15:56! These two had a lot of matches in the early 90s, some better than this, some worse - none good. ½*

Davey Boy Smith v Berzerker: The ring lights are still having issues, but the crowd is pumped to see the Bulldog and doesn't seem to care. He responds by immediately going into a bearhug, though, so Berzerker chokeslams him - which gets promptly no-sold. Berzerker responds by getting down on all fours and barking like a dog - which Davey actually responds to in kind instead of just blasting him with a kick to his stupid hussing face. Berzerker manages to win the... dog off... and drops a pair of knees and headbutts. Diving shoulderblock leaves Davey on the ropes trying to maintain a vertical base, and Berzerker hooks a headvice to slow down the insane pace they've been going at so far. Long one too - the lights dying and getting fixed before they break it up. Berzerker with a big boot, then he ties Smith up for another. A third, but Davey frees himself, and Berzerker goes crashing to the floor. Back in, Davey tries to capitalize, but Berzerker hooks the tights, and pulls him to the floor for manager Mr. Fuji to whack with his cane. Inside, Berzerker with a bearhug, but Davey gets uppity, so he drops him with a piledriver. 2^nd rope splash misses, however, and Davey starts firing clotheslines. Backdrop and a vertical suplex for two, and the Running Powerslam finishes at 16:03. The crowd wanted to see Davey Boy, but there was nothing here to warrant over fifteen minutes - really dull, restholdy match. ¼*

Jake Roberts v Earthquake: 'Quake spends a long time on the floor, refusing to get in unless Jake keeps his snake tucked away - which interestingly is the same problem Jim Neidhart had with Jake at Heroes of Wrestling eight years later. Earthquake tries to jump him once they finally get that settled, so Roberts tries to unload jabs, but gets powered into the corner, and choked. More jabs set up the DDT, but 'Quake hangs on to the top rope to block, and dumps Jake to the floor to allow him to go after the snake. Jake steps in before PETA has to get involved, and catches 'Quake with a short-clothesline coming back in. DDT, but 'Quake railroads him into the corner to block, and squashes Jake's knee to get him on the mat. Earthquake with a leglock, but Jake rolls out of the ring to avoid the buttsplash. That allows Earthquake to go for the snake again, but Jake saves it from a buttsplash, and whips it out for a disqualification at 11:11. Could have been worse - I've seen these two break negative stars like they were trying to. This was just 'plain bad' as opposed to 'offensively bad' - and Jake sold the knee well for his part. DUD

Main Event: WWF Title Match: Hulk Hogan v Sgt. Slaughter: Kind of a weird choice to headline an international show, considering the entire feud was American hero v Iraqi turncoat - Operation Granby notwithstanding. Hulk wisely leaves Old Glory at home for this one, and even hammers it home by grabbing a Union Jack out of the crowd and choking Slaughter with it as we get going. Backdrop and a cross corner whip leave Slaughter on his back, and Hulk fires him into the post with a slingshot. Hulk with turnbuckle smashes and mounted punches, but he gets kicked on a backdrop attempt, and Slaughter rakes the eyes to put him on the floor. Sarge bites and claws at Hogan's face to bust him open, then rams him into the guardrail for good measure. Back inside, Slaughter with a backbreaker for two, but Hulk slams him as he goes to the top rope - only for the Hulkster to miss an elbowdrop as he follows up. Slaughter with a rope-assisted abdominal stretch, but Hogan reverses - still selling the back as he does, in a nice touch. That allows Slaughter to slap on the Camel Clutch, but Hogan powers him into the post to break. He can't sway the momentum, however, and Slaughter keeps pounding the lower back - diving on to it with a flying kneedrop - but Hogan's HULKING UP!! Fists of Fury! Big Boot! - oh, but the referee goes down in the process. That allows Slaughter to grab a chair, but he misses, and Hogan blasts him with another big boot. General Adnan tries a bit of powder in the eyes to slow him down, but Hogan pulls a WrestleMania IX, and the Legdrop finishes at 16:01. Not that these two were known for their classics, but this felt like a warmed over version of the WrestleMania match a few weeks before. ¾*

BUExperience: Man, if this show is good for anything, it serves as proof of what a slug-filled roster they were working at this point. Lots of big lugs up and down the card, and without Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, or Randy Savage around – they weigh the show down badly.

Another thing that was ‘missing’ this time around was a unique atmosphere. Unlike past international shows, the WWF brought in all of their gear and top notch production values for this one – making the show come off like any other WWF taping from the period, as opposed to something unique. That isn’t really a negative – but it sort of is, especially when the wrestling was this bad. DUD