WWF King of the Ring 1993 (Version II)

Original Airdate: June 13, 1993

From Dayton, Ohio; Your Hosts are Jim Ross, Randy Savage, and Bobby Heenan

Opening King of the Ring Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Bret Hart v Razor Ramon: The crowd is pumped up for this. Like at the Rumble a few months prior, Razor throws this toothpick at the kid Bret gives his glasses to. And I love it here, too! They feel each other out to start, with Bret dominating as he works the arm. Razor starts punching him and hits a backelbow for two, but an attempt at a chinlock is swiftly countered to a hammerlock by the Hitman. Razor throws another elbow to escape, but gets reversed into the corner, so he punishes Hart by throwing him into the post. Bret falls to the outside, and Ramon is right on him - putting the boots to the Hitman out there. Back in, Razor keeps hammering, as the crowd taunts him with '1-2-3' chants. Ramon with a fallaway slam for two, and a running powerslam follows for two. Don't see that one from him too often. Sidewalk slam hits, but Hart dodges a series of elbowdrops, and starts firing rights. Inverted atomic drop and a clothesline get two, and a Russian legsweep is worth two. Backbreaker for two, and the 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop gets two. Rollup for two, but Ramon shoves him chest-first into the corner to block a bulldog. Razor's Edge time, but Hart counters to a backslide. Ramon fights to reverse it, so Bret back flips off the turnbuckles into a small package for a dramatic two count! Great near fall there! He questions the referee's count and gets clobbered, allowing Ramon to try for a side superplex - only for Bret to topple him on the way down to advance at 10:27. Those last few minutes were tremendous. Fine and dandy like sweet cotton candy, though not as good as their Royal Rumble match, as this was a) much lower on the card, b) had much less time, and c) had Hart working hurt, ahead of having to work two more matches. ** ¼ (Original rating: * ¾)

King of the Ring Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Mr. Perfect v Mr. Hughes: Think their favorite band is Mr. Mister? Hughes overpowers him to start, allowing Perfect to bounce around. Criss cross goes badly for Hughes when he misses a jumping shoulderblock, however, and Perfect throws a dropkick at him - which Hughes shrugs off. Perfect bumps over the top to the floor off of a simple right hand in the corner, and nearly gives a headbutt the same treatment. It's like Hogan/Michaels at SummerSlam '05, or something. Hughes grounds him with a headvice, but Perfect escapes, so Hughes big boots him back down, and goes to the hold again. Perfect slugs free again, so Hughes cross corner whips him - Perfect flying all the way across the ring to sell it. They have an ugly miscommunication that looks like Perfect thought Hughes was going for a spinebuster, but Hughes was apparently trying something totally different, and they just kind of crash in heap. Hughes misses a straddling ropechoke, and Perfect starts coming back with a backdrop and a somersault necksnap. Hughes is in trouble, so he grabs Undertaker's urn (which he had stolen on Superstars over the weekend), and bashes Perfect with it for the cheap DQ at 5:59. Perfect's selling was fun, the rest not so much. ½* (Original rating: DUD)

King of the Ring Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Jim Duggan v Bam Bam Bigelow: They size each other up at the bell, and Duggan actually gets the better of an exchange with a clothesline that sends Bam Bam to the outside. Back in, Bigelow tries raking the eyes, but Hacksaw no-sells. Cross corner whip is reversed, however, and Duggan hurts his ribs, which prevent him from executing a bodyslam. Bigelow pounds the ribs with headbutts, and grabs a bearhug to work the part. Jim pounds free, so Bam Bam tries a headbutt drop, but Duggan dodges. Slam, but again the ribs act up, and Bigelow topples him for two. Back to the bearhug, but Jim escapes, and musters the strength for a bodyslam - only to knock himself silly on the turnbuckle while trying a 3-point stance, and the Beast from the East finishes with the flying headbutt at 5:00. Not good, but better than I remembered it being. * (Original rating: DUD)

King of the Ring Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Lex Luger v Tatanka: Tatanka slides in and jumps Luger before the bell, but gets tossed over the top. Lex stops to pose some more with his giant mirror, but Tatanka rushes in and tips it over on him, then sends him over the top with chops. He follows out for a bodyslam on the floor, and Lex is begging off as they head back in. Tatanka cross corner whips him to setup a backdrop, and a clothesline follows for two. Tatanka works an armbar, but Luger escapes, so Tatanka throws a bodypress for two. Back to the arm, but Lex counters to a hammerlock this time, so Tatanka reverses. Luger makes the ropes, then throws a cheap elbow during the break, and pounds Tatanka in the corner. Pointed elbowdrop gets two, and an elbowdrop gets two, but Luger argues the count, and Tatanka schoolboys him for two. That whole sequence of moves took about a minute and a half, as Luger is plodding along now. Chinlock wears Tatanka down for another pointed elbowdrop for two, but a bodyslam is countered with an inside cradle for two. Sunset flip gets two, but Luger cuts off the comeback, and punts him in the ribs. Lex is sucking wind like crazy here, and it's becoming very obvious what the finish is going to be. Lex tries a turnbuckle smash, but Tatanka starts dancing around, no-selling. He mounts his comeback, and a knife edge chop gets two. Powerslam for two, and a bodyslam sets up a flying tomahawk chop for two. I've always loved the way Luger took those from Tatanka. Flying bodypress, but Lex sidesteps, and Tatanka wipes out. Makes sense - what business does a dude named for a buffalo have trying to fly. Lex with a clothesline for two, with less than two minutes left on the clock. Powerslam is worth two, and Lex delivers a backdrop. Vertical suplex hits for two, and a backbreaker gets two - as time expires at 15:00. Kind of a weird variation on the finish there, as it's usually the babyface who makes the big comeback right when time expires. Afterwards, Lex takes out his frustrations by knocking Tatanka out with the loaded forearm. The length really hurt this one. This totally would have played as a peppy seven minute match, but stretching it out to a full fifteen was problematic. And, it's not like they had to go for the time limit draw - they could have just as easily done a double countout to achieve the same result. Bret/Razor could have used an extra few minutes anyway. Much as with WrestleMania IX, Tatanka's undefeated streak leads to a bad ending on pay per view. * ¼ (Original rating: ½*)

King of the Ring Tournament Semifinal Match: Bret Hart v Mr. Perfect: Perfect means business, and tries to take him down right away, but Hart has the ropes to avoid leaving his feet. Feeling out process, with both guys going through tons of counters on the mat, as the crowd gets distracted by something going on in the stands. Poor Bret - same thing happened to him at the Rumble earlier that year too. Hart dominates as they feel each other out, and a crucifix gets two. Bodypress gets two, but Bret falls out of the ring on the kickout, so he hustles up with a slingshot sunset flip for two. He grounds Perfect in a side-headlock, and this time Perfect is sick of wrestling for a counter, and just blatantly pulls the hair instead, then throws a knee to escape. Standing dropkick sends Hart back to the outside, and Perfect is happy to let the referee count. Bret picks himself up, so Perfect holds the ropes open for him - only to swipe with a cheap shot as the Hitman climbs in! He's feelin' the heelin'! Perfect pounds him in the corner and delivers a swinging kneelift for two, then sends the Hitman back to the outside. This time, Perfect follows to abuse him out there rather than let him catch a breather, but Bret is still up to beat the count. Perfect responds by sending him flying off the apron into the guardrail instead, and Bret's knee gets messed up. It's interesting that today you'll see guys drive each other through the barricade or take bumps off ladders through tables, but this bump feels more realistic, and in turn, you identify better with it as a non-wrestler fan. Hart makes it in, so Perfect punishes him with another kneelift for two, and he heads upstairs with a missile dropkick for two. Hart's foot is in the ropes, so Perfect hooks the leg for another two count, then cross corner whips him for two. Loving the aggression here! Perfect goes up again, but this time Bret is able to crotch him on the top, and bring him down with a vertical superplex for two. Bret's execution is again ultra realistic, and it seems more brutal than a lot of the more eye-popping suplexes we see today. Like, Seth Rollins' superplex into a falcon arrow is an awesome spot, but it also seems super choreographed. Hart starts hammering the knee and slaps on a figure four, but Perfect makes the ropes. Bret keeps after him with a leglock, and Perfect isn't shy about throwing a knee to engineer his escape. He throws Bret across the ring by the hair, and slaps on a sleeper, and even Bret tries using the hair to escape. Perfect keeps it latched on, but Hart manages the ropes - Perfect keeping the hold applied for the extent of the five count. Back to the sleeper, and Perfect continues to flirt with the dark side by briefly using the ropes for leverage! Bret is able to ram him into the top turnbuckle to facilitate an escape, and he pairs Perfect back by whipping him across the ring by the hair - Perfect crotching himself on the post in the process. Bret capitalizes with an inverted atomic drop and a Russian legsweep for two, then delivers a legdrop and a backbreaker. 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop gets two, but Perfect blocks the Sharpshooter by gripping Bret's injured fingers (from the earlier match). Nice - I was waiting for that to come into play, and they saved it for the, ahem, perfect moment. PerfectPlex, but Bret counters by vertical suplexing him over the top - though that takes a lot out of him as well. Back in, Perfect tries a flash pin with an inside cradle to fight off an approaching Hitman, but Bret reverses at 18:55! Great match - well paced, loaded with subtle heel work by Perfect, some wild bumps, and very dramatic. The psychology was off the charts here too - building its thrills in simple yet effective ways, rather than leaning on high spots. **** ¼ (Original rating: ****)

WWF Title Match: Hulk Hogan v Yokozuna: Hogan really did look like a lean old walrus during this period. Hulk gets overpowered early on, and hammered by the massive challenger. Yokozuna with a bodyslam, but an avalanche misses, and Hulk slugs at him. Ten-punch count and a cross corner clothesline stagger Yokozuna, but a bodyslam fails, and Hogan gets hammered again. Something I've never noticed about this show before - it looks like the super fan who came dressed as Hogan actually got someone to switch seats with him for this match, as he's now sitting front and center instead of off to the side. That's some quality superfanning. That poor guy picked the worst shows to show up at too - I remember him at Survivor Series '91 as well. At least he had more luck when he'd go to WCW ones later. Yokozuna misses a splash, but Hogan can't string together a comeback, and ends up trapped in a bearhug. That drags on, but Hulk is a master of controlling the crowd, and keeps them invested throughout. Hogan finally slugs free of the hold, but immediately runs into a backelbow, and Yokozuna delivers a belly-to-belly suplex for two - triggering the HULK UP!! Fists of Fury! Big Boot! Big Boot! Big Boot! Legdrop! Two?!?! The crowd is shocked! Hogan calls for a bodyslam, but gets distracted when a photographer (in an obviously phony beard) hops onto the apron, and his camera shoots a fireball in Hulk's eyes to allow Yoko a legdrop for the title at 13:10. The crowd is shocked, but also not especially upset, if we're being honest. More than a few people outright cheering, in fact. Say what you will about Hogan, but you've got to give him credit here, he went out and did the right thing - getting dominated, pinned (relatively) clean, and even taking a post match beat down as well. The match itself sucked, but it was certainly historically significant. ¼* (Original rating: ¼*)

Eight-Man Tag Team Match: Money Inc and The Headshrinkers v The Steiner Brothers and The Smoking Gunns: Ted DiBiase starts with Scott Steiner, and he dominates the All American with armdrags, so Scott shoots at the leg. They trade hammerlocks, and a criss cross goes Scott's way with a dropkick, followed by a clothesline that sends DiBiase over the top. Rick Steiner helps him in, so Scott sends him right back over the top with another clothesline! Rick rolls DiBiase in a second time, but Ted is able to bail before Scott can clothesline him again, and tags are made to Fatu and Bart Gunn. Bart throws a dropkick and a drop-toehold to setup an armbar, but Fatu quickly escapes. Bart tries a facebuster, but Fatu no-sells, and superkicks him out of his cowboy boots. The heels cut the ring in half on Bart, until a criss cross results in a double knockout with Irwin R. Schyster (otherwise known as IRS), and Billy Gunn gets the hot tag. He comes in wild on DiBiase, but runs into a hotshot, and Ted slaps on the Million Dollar Dream! Billy's in trouble, but DiBiase stupidly releases the hold before the final arm drop, and gets cradled while trying a slam at 7:02. Rick Steiner never even tagged in here. The match was fine, but felt like total filler. Which it was. * ½ (Original rating: ¾*)

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels v Crush: Shawn wastes no time getting into oversell mode, bumping to the outside off a shoulderblock within the first thirty seconds. Back in, Crush works a headlock, so Shawn forces a criss cross, and pops him with a right hand. Crush no-sells, so Shawn tries a standing armbar - though it looks rather ridiculous given the size difference. Superkick misses, so Crush throws a pair of dropkicks to knock Michaels to the outside again, and the champion stalls out there. Inside, Shawn tries shooting at the leg, but Crush slugs him off, and hits a three pump press-slam. Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker follows, so Diesel does his job, and pulls Michaels out of the ring before Crush can follow-up. Michaels stalls out there again, until Crush gets annoyed and goes after him, but he runs into Diesel instead - allowing Shawn to dive off the apron with a flying axehandle from behind! Nice! Diesel sends Crush into the post for good measure, and then distracts the referee so Shawn can bounce his challenger's skull off said post a few more times! Crush is out cold, but Shawn decides to lug his dead weight in to cover, instead of taking the countout. Why? And it only gets two, rendering the decision even more perplexing. Shawn grabs a front-facelock, but Crush powers out, and dumps the champ over the top in dramatic fashion. The crowd gets distracted by something happening in the stands again, as Shawn misses a flying bodypress, and Crush mounts his comeback. Backdrop and a backbreaker get two, and a big boot sets up a legdrop for two. Press-slam, but Shawn counters with a rollup - only for Crush to block, and clothesline his ass over the top. Crush goes up to try a dive, when suddenly the two Doink's appear in the aisle, and he gets distracted. He shouts down at them, allowing Michaels to sneak up with a superkick to retain at 11:13. Pretty disappointing, as you'd think this would be an easy Flair/Luger formula match, but they just weren't clicking. And the finish sucked, on top of things. Some nice bumps from Shawn, though. * ¾ (Original rating: **)

Main Event: WWF King of the Ring Tournament Final Match: Bret Hart v Bam Bam Bigelow: Hart had apparently just stormed out of Hulk Hogan's dressing room after telling Hulk to go fuck himself before marching out here for this, so I'm sure he's in a great mood. Bigelow tries a charge at the bell, but Hart dodges. He throws rights, but Bam Bam easily wins a slugfest with the Hitman. He tries a press-slam, but Bret topples him for two, and is able to grab an armbar before Bigelow can respond. Bam Bam powers free and hits a shoulderblock, then punishes Bret for evading the last press-slam by press-dropping him over the top to the floor! U mad bro? Bigelow rolls him back in for a pair of headbutt drops, and a cross corner whip is sold as only Bret Hart can do it. Headbutt drop gets two, and Bam Bam hammers the lower back before absolutely PLANTING the Hitman with a hanging side suplex for two. There should be a Bret shaped hole in the ring after that move! Another cross corner whip rattles the ring, and another pair of headbutt drops is worth two. Maybe vary it up a little there, Bam Bam? Bearhug is applied, though Bigelow actually holds him up over his head in the hold, instead of the usual lazy version. Bret starts to escape, so Bam Bam deliver another side suplex for two, and he tosses the Hitman to the outside for a whip into the rail - only to get reversed! Some kid got smacked with the rail there, poor thing. No wonder they switched to the barricade later - that was just a lawsuit waiting to happen. Bret smashes his head into the rail to setup a flying forearm smash off the apron, but a flying Thesz-press off the apron ends badly when Bigelow catches him, and rams him into the post. He adds a bodyslam in the aisle, and suddenly Luna Vachon pops out to hit Hart with a chair as well! Bigelow rolls him in for the flying headbutt, and we have a king crowned at 9:24! Unfortunately for the Beast from the East, another referee shows up to alert the original official of the attack, and after some confusion, the match is restarted. Bam Bam takes out his frustrations by going right after him with a series of headbutts to the back, and he grabs another bearhug. Non-lazy version again, baby! Bret escapes, so Bigelow tries an overhead backbreaker to coax a submission out of the Hitman, but Hart manages to escape with his own side suplex! Bigelow is still up first, however, and he tries to squash him with a senton splash, but Bret rolls out of the way! Bam Bam is STILL up first, and he cross corner whips him before Bret can recover, then applies another overhead backbreaker. Bret is able to counter this one into a sleeper, but Bigelow manages to snapmare him before he goes down. He's dazed this time though, allowing Hart to send him over the top with a dropkick, and he adds a plancha out there! In, Bret throws a 2^nd rope flying clothesline for two, and a Russian legsweep sets up a 2^nd rope flying bulldog! Sharpshooter, but he fails to get it on, and ends up in another bearhug. He uses his teeth to escape, and tries another side suplex, but this time Bigelow is prepared - toppling him for two! Avalanche, but Hart counters by lifting his boot, and he hustles onto Bam Bam's shoulders for a victory roll at 18:18! Great finish to a great match! If this wasn't so overshadowed by the earlier Semifinal with Mr. Perfect, it would probably be a lot better remembered, too. *** ½ (Original rating: ***)

BUExperience: It’s not a knockout great show, but it is a lot of fun, and is nicely carried by Bret Hart’s three performances throughout the night. Hart put on the three best matches of the card (including the standout classic with Mr. Perfect), and it’s all the more impressive considering Bret was working on a legit injured ankle – as a result of a match with Bob Backlund the night before in New York.

Besides Bret’s performances, there is little else on the wrestling front – though nothing is bad. Much like many other WWF pay per views from this era, it’s entertaining beyond the sum of its star ratings. Add in the historical significance of Hulk Hogan’s last television appearance until 2002, and I’d say you have a winner.

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