WWF Coliseum Video Collection: WrestleFest ‘93 (1993)

WWF Coliseum Video Collection: WrestleFest ‘93 (1993)

Coliseum Video compilation – hosted by Gene Okerlund and Bobby Heenan on a road trip, as they encounter car trouble. The cover of the tape features the Big Bossman, and promises car maintenance tips from Heenan – which alone sounds like it’ll be worth a purchase for.


WWF Tag Team Title Match: Money Inc v The Nasty Boys: From a TV taping, December 1992. IRS pisses the Nasties off by accusing them of being tax cheats, but the Nasties don't know the meaning of the word, and attack before the bell. The dust settles on Ted DiBiase and Jerry Sags, and DiBiase quickly takes the pep out of Sags' step - working the arm. He misses an elbowdrop to allow the tag to Brian Knobs, who goes right for a hammerlock. The Nasties take turns working the $95,000 Arm (if he's worth a million, I'd say the left arm is worth no more than ninety-five), but Ted manages to get over to IRS. The Nasties keep going for hammerlocks, but a cheap shot allows Money Inc to sway the momentum, and they cut the ring in half on Sags. Jerry manages to clothesline both champions and make the tag – triggering a four-way brawl, and the champs decide to bail to save the titles. The referee (in a bit I love) rules that if they don't return they lose the titles (did any team ever have to deal with that more than Money Inc?), and it's right back into a brawl when they return, and DiBiase manages to get Sags in the Million Dollar Dream - only for Knobs to break it up. Sags blocks a backdrop to allow both men to tag, and this time Knobs is an outhouse of fire! Another four-way brawl is dominated by the challengers, but this time DiBiase whacks Sags with one of the title belts, and IRS crawls for a cover to retain at 13:23. I love Money Inc, but the Nasties are rarely ever much fun outside of Tornado matches, and watching them trade hammerlocks wasn't much of an exception. ¼*

Crush v Papa Shango: From a TV taping, October 1992. Shango goes right for Crush with a sneak attack, and he unloads headbutts and chokeholds. Turnbuckle smashes and an avalanche hit, but Crush reverses him going into the ropes, and hits a backbreaker. Superkick knocks Shango out to the floor to consult with his shrunken heads, and he comes back in calling for a test-of-strength. Crush agrees, and takes a cheap shot as they lock hands, but manages to get off a monkeyflip and a clothesline. A charge into the corner doesn't go well though, and Shango gets back to hammering on him with forearms. Bodyslam sets up a legdrop, but Crush rolls out of the way, and hits a slam of his own, followed by a successful legdrop. 2^nd rope clothesline gets two, and an enzuigiri ends with Shango falling back out to the floor. Annoyed, Shango grabs his voodoo stick, and shoots fire into Crush's eyes for a disqualification at 6:44. God, Shango was boring. He scared me as a kid, but watching him plod around twenty years later in an entirely different kind of terror. DUD

Big Bossman v Rick Martel: From a TV taping, September 1992. Bossman uses his size advantage to overpower Martel in the early going, so Martel bitches about hairpulling to try and break the momentum. Martel with a kneelift, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Bossman hiptosses him right out of the ring. Bossman drags him back in for an armbar, but gets reversed going into the corner, and Martel starts firing kicks off at the ribs. To the top rope, but Bossman crotches him on the turnbuckle, and unloads a backelbow before a series of turnbuckle smashes. Desperate, Martel grabs his can of cologne, but Bossman grabs his nightstick in response, and it's a cheap double DQ at 6:00. Bossman looked to be going in slow-motion here - this was just house show level stuff with a house show ending. DUD

Earthquake v Repo Man: From a TV taping, November 1992. Repo stupidly tries to match power with the big man early on, but gets quickly swatted away. He manages to block a backdrop and hit a 2^nd rope clothesline, but Earthquake powers out if a headvise. Repo tries choking him, but Earthquake blocks a flying clothesline with a powerslam, and the Earthquake-buttsplash finishes things up at 4:21. This was probably a bathroom break match for half the crowd, and I'm surprised they picked it out for inclusion - nothing notable. DUD

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels v Virgil: From a TV taping in October 1992 - actually the night after won the title from Davey Boy Smith, though the change hadn't aired yet when this took place. Shawn shares a joke with referee Earl Hebner before the bell, though we wouldn't hear the punch line until about five years later, unfortunately. Shawn uses his speed to take Virgil down with a droptoe-hold early on, and they trade hammerlocks until Virgil fires off a backelbow. Inverted atomic drop sets up a dropkick for two, and a 2nd rope bodypress gets two. Criss cross ends in a superkick from Michaels, but it's still 1992, so it doesn't even warrant a cover. Standing dropkick and a snapmare set up a chinlock, but a hiptoss is countered by Virgil with a backslide for two. Shawn fires back with a vertical suplex and a series of jabs, but a backdrop is blocked by the challenger, and he clotheslines Shawn from behind. Virgil with a Golden Gloves routine for two, and a 2nd rope clothesline gets two. Cross corner kneelift misses, however, and Shawn hits the Teardrop Suplex (a modified side suplex) to retain at 7:09. Yep. ¼*

The Undertaker v Berzerker: From a TV taping, June 1992. Berzerker tries a sneak attack before the bell, but 'Taker sees it coming, and muscles him into the corner with a chokehold. Berzerker manages to block a cross corner charge with his boot, and unloads a dropkick to knock 'Taker over the top - only for him to land on his feet. Undertaker pulls him out for a couple of shots into the ring steps, but misses a jumping clothesline on the way back in, and Berzerker hits a diving shoulderblock to knock him back outside. Berzerker follows to return the favor with a few shots into the ring steps, and he adds a couple of chairshots for good measure. Inside, 'Taker sidesteps a big boot, and hits a chokeslam - only to miss the leaping elbowdrop. Berzerker tosses him back out to the floor to choke him with a microphone cable, and he adds a slam on the concrete before rolling 'Taker back inside for a bulldog. Undertaker no-sells, so Berzerker ties him up in the ropes for a little abuse - only to get backdropped over the top as he charges. 'Taker follows for a few more shots into the steps, but Berzerker counters a backdrop with a piledriver on the way back in. 'Taker sits up, so Berzerker hits another - also no-sold. A third hits, and this time 'Taker can't sit up, and Berzerker drops a knee. Manager Mr. Fuji passes him a sword (!!) to finish things with, but 'Taker blocks, and Tombstones him for the pin at 7:30. I don't know where this came from, but I was expecting nothing (and I mean NOTHING), but it was actually really well paced, well worked, entertaining, and filled with hard work from both men. Certainly one of the better Undertaker matches from the period. *

Jim Duggan v IRS: From a TV taping, July 1991. Duggan tries to work a headlock right away, so IRS whips him into the ropes - only to walk into a shoulderblock. Another criss cross ends the same way, but Duggan shows off his move set by switching to a clothesline on the third try. Duggan with a bodyslam, but IRS rolls to the floor to avoid the 3-Point Stance, and works the count out there to break Jim's momentum. Back in, Duggan hits an atomic drop, and IRS is right back on the floor - only this time Duggan follows. The chase works in IRS' favor as he fires off a closed fist, and inside, IRS puts the boots to Hacksaw. IRS with a rope-assisted chinlock, but Duggan powers up, and unloads a ten-punch count - though he stops at three, 'cause math and stuff. Duggan hits the 3-Point Stance, but wastes time playing to the crowd, and IRS manages to roll out to the floor before he can cover. He lures Duggan out there with him again, but this time gets rammed into the post as he tries another sucker punch, and both guys end up getting counted out at 8:01. This match was a good two years old when the tape was released... I have no idea why they chose to showcase it. I mean, it wasn't offensively bad, or anything, but certainly not worth highlighting. ¼*

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Repo Man and The Nasty Boys v Tito Santana and High Energy: From a TV taping, July 1992. Brian Knobs jumps Koko B. Ware at the bell to get us started, but misses an avalanche in the corner, and tags a spinheel kick before passing to Repo. He charges right into a droptoe-hold, and Ware tags Santana to work the arm. The faces take turns working armbars, but Owen Hart ends up taking a thumb to the eye, and Jerry Sags tags in to start cutting the ring in half. Owen manages to reverse Knobs during a trip to Pitty City (in a goofy spot, that required so much suspension of disbelief that you'd need miles of reinforced cable), but Hart still can't make the tag, and the heels continue working him over. Repo fucks it up by missing a blind charge to allow the tag to Tito, and Santana is a casa of fire to trigger a six-way brawl. The faces play bowling with the heels' bodies, so Knobs brings Repo's towrope into the ring, and gets disqualified at 7:15. Just formula stuff, with the standard noncommittal ending. DUD

Randy Savage v Terry Taylor: From a TV taping, November 1992. Savage controls with armdrags and armbars in the early going, so a frustrated Taylor tries shoving the Macho Man - which gets him popped in the jaw. He stupidly tries to turn that into a slugfest with Savage, and ends up getting clotheslined to the floor - where Savage follows for more jabs. Randy with a flying axehandle to the floor, but Taylor catches him with a gutpunch on the way down, and adds a bodyslam on the floor. Back in, Taylor hits a jawbreaker and a backbreaker for two. Atomic drop gets two and a dropkick for two - but he argues the count with the Official, and get rolled up for two. Savage with a sunset flip for two, so Taylor jabs him in the throat, and locks on a sleeper at center ring. Savage backs into the corner to break, but stumbles right into a spinebuster for two. Savage sidesteps another dropkick, and fires off an inside cradle for two. Backslide gets two, but Terry levels him with a lariat when he tries to follow-up. Taylor with a bodyslam, but a Vaderbomb is blocked with Macho's knees, and he hits a hangman’s clothesline before snapping Taylor's neck across the top rope. To the top, Savage hits a flying axehandle for two, and an atomic drop sets up a side suplex for two. Taylor tries to make one last effort by reversing a cross corner whip, but takes a bodyslam, and Savage finishes with the Flying Elbowdrop at 9:44. Solid stuff. Taylor was strictly JTTS at this point, but Savage gave him a lot to work with, and sold for him - turning it into an exciting back-and-forth match instead of a dull squash. ***

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Bret Hart v Kamala: From a TV taping, August 1992. Hart struggles to figure out a strategy for engaging Kamala, and an attempt at a go-behind ends with Bret getting rammed into the corner. He manages to dodge a cross corner charge to get Kamala in an armbar, but has trouble taking him off of his feet. He tries a few dropkicks, but Kamala hides in the ropes, and maintains his vertical base. Kamala calls for a test-of-strength, but Bret wisely doesn't go for it, so Kamala offers to go it with one hand behind his back. Hart goes for it, but sees the cheap shot coming, and blocks - getting Kamala back in an armbar, but still unable to take him off of his feet. Kamala with a series of chops and a bearhug, but Hart bites to break, so Kamala smacks him with a savate kick, and applies a nervehold. A criss cross actually sees Kamala bust out a leapfrog before Hart hits a Russian legsweep for two, and Bret shoves him into the corner for a ten-punch count and a 2^nd rope clothesline for two. Hart with a monkeyflip and a 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop to set up the Sharpshooter, but Kamala handler Kim Chee runs in to trigger a DQ at 10:08. Both guys are experienced enough to know how to work a crowd (and did that well), but the actual action was pretty dull - particularly the long nervehold sequences. ¼*

Razor Ramon v Tito Santana: From a TV taping, October 1992. Razor toothpick toss pisses Santana off, and hits Ramon knocked to the floor with the diving forearm within seconds. Razor comes back in hot, but Tito takes him down out of a waistlock, and applies an armbar. Ramon with a pair of rights to break, but he misses a series of elbowdrops, and ends up right back in the armbar. Back up, Razor catches him with a stungun coming out of the ropes, and starts hammering the lower back. Ramon with an abdominal stretch, so Santana tries to reverse, but gets hiptossed. Ramon tries a bearhug, but Tito counters with a sunset flip for two, and unloads turnbuckle smashes. Monkeyflip is blocked, however, and the Razor's Edge finishes things at 4:42. Razor was on his way up the card, and Tito down - I kinda wish they got more time for this, because this was pretty much just a quickie squash. DUD

Loser Leaves Town Match: Ric Flair v Mr. Perfect: From Monday Night RAW, January 1993. Perfect is eager to get started, but Flair takes his time to lockup - Perfect getting frustrated. Criss cross goes Perfect's way with a droptoe-hold, and he slaps Flair in the face - Ric quickly bailing to the floor to chat with Bobby Heenan. Back in, they trade hammerlocks, but Flair gets in trouble, so he tries chops - only to flop to the mat when Perfect returns fire. Flair backs off and calls for another collar-and-elbow tie-up, but Perfect outwrestles him on the mat, so Ric pops him with a kneelift, and chops him in the corner. Perfect returns fire, and adds a series of jabs to knock Flair back into the corner - only for Flair to rake the eyes. He knocks Perfect out to the floor and grabs a chair, but the referee wrestles it away from him. Undeterred, they take it back inside, and Perfect brilliantly sells a cross corner whip with a fall to the floor. Inside again, Flair unloads in the corner with jabs to the body, and Perfect sells another cross corner whip with a somersault. Perfect's bleeding now as Flair tries to end his career with a couple of rope-assisted covers, but he can't put him away. A slugfest goes Perfect's way for a two count, and a backslide gets two. Perfect with a backdrop, and Flair begs off - but Perfect is right on him with a ten-punch count. Flair with an inverted atomic drop and a schoolboy for two, but Perfect keeps coming, so Ric rolls to the floor. Perfect suplexes him back in for two, so Flair tries a sleeper, and Perfect fades - but desperately drops Flair into the corner to break. Perfect slaps on his own sleeper, and takes it to the mat for a few two counts, but Flair powers up, and side suplexes his way free. Rope-assisted Figure Four has Perfect shouting in pain, but he won't quit. Flair lets off, but the damage to the knee is done, and Ric zeroes in on it in the corner. Chops and a snapmare hits, but Perfect slams him as he goes to the top rope, so Flair pulls a pair of knux out of his kneepad - blasting Perfect with them for a dramatic two count. Angry, Flair starts firing off closed fists to the cut on Perfect's forehead, but Perfect starts no-selling chops in the corner - both men with amazing facial expressions to get it over. Perfect with chops of his own, and a backdrop sets up a hard right hand. Flair flips into the corner and gets clotheslined coming back in for two, so he begs off, and tries a rope-assisted cradle for two. Backdrop, but Perfect counters with the Perfect-Plex, and sends Flair back to WCW at 17:50 shown of 23:00 (due to commercials on RAW). Really good (and rather famous) match here, a great payoff to their long building angle, and a great way to end Flair's first WWF run. Both guys worked an appropriately cautious match (careers on the line, after all), and watching Flair get increasingly desperate as it went on was great. *** ½

BUExperience: Pretty much just a long series of bullshit endings to dull matches, but a late rally towards the end with a fun Savage/Taylor match and the Loser Leave Town match save it – especially when you add the historical significance of Ric Flair’s last WWF appearance until after the end of WCW. A good addition to your Coliseum Collection.