WWF King of the Ring 1994 (Version II)

Original Airdate: June 19, 1994

From Baltimore, Maryland; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon, Randy Savage, and Art Donovan

Opening King of the Ring Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Razor Ramon v Bam Bam Bigelow: Bigelow attacks from behind to start, and he pounds the Bad Guy down. Bam Bam with a pair of shoulderblocks and a bodyslam to set up a headbutt drop, followed by a legdrop. High off of the success of the blitz, Bigelow goes up to finish early with the flying headbutt, but Razor dodges. Ramon corner whips him, then slides to the outside to crotch Bigelow on the post! Razor comes back in with a 2^nd rope flying bulldog for two, and he starts working Bigelow's leg. Leglock is applied, but Bam Bam fights free. He tries a leg-feed enzuigiri, but Ramon ducks it, and starts throwing clotheslines. He charges with a running version to try and send Bigelow to the outside, but Bam Bam sidesteps, and the Bad Guy takes an over the top bump. Bigelow with a pair of headbutts for two on the way back in, and an enzuigiri gets two. Torture rack wears Ramon down, and that's actually an impressive spot, considering Razor is hardy a cruiserweight. Like, it's hard to consider it a resthold. Ramon escapes with a side suplex, and he starts to mount his comeback. Bodyslam works, but Bigelow blocks a side superplex, and hits a bodyslam of his own. He goes up for the moonsault, but Razor slams him down off the top rope, and holds onto him in a cradle at 8:24. Nothing special, but totally solid, and a good choice to open. ** (Original Rating: *)

King of the Ring Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Irwin R. Schyster v Mabel: Irwin tries to take a page out of Bigelow's book with his own sneak attack, but Mabel sees him coming, and unloads turnbuckle smashes. Bodyslam follows, and Mabel adds a vertical suplex, followed by a northern lights version. Elbowdrop connects, but an avalanche doesn't, and Irwin sends him to the outside with a high knee. Mabel beats the count in, so IRS is quick to find the mark with the Write Off, but it only gets two. He stupidly tries a bodyslam from there, but you can guess how that goes. In case you can't, Mabel counters with a small package for two. Don't you feel stupid now? IRS quickly cuts him off with a chinlock, and Irwin is already absolutely drenched in sweat. I get that his outfit isn't the most comfortable sporting wear, but it's been two minutes, and he looks like someone at the end of an Iron Man match. Mabel escapes the hold, and hits a backdrop, followed by a backelbow. Scrapbuster gets two, and a bodyslam sets up a 2^nd rope flying splash, but IRS shakes the ropes to knock him off, and he gets a leveraged pin out of the deal at 5:34. That has to rank as the absolute worst cover I've ever seen. Like, in no way was it believable that Mabel wouldn't have been able to kick out there. Looked like Irwin was going for a cradle, but then remembered that he was supposed to use the ropes, but the only way to position himself left him covering less than an eighth of Mabel's body. Looked horrible. ¾* (Original Rating: ¾*)

King of the Ring Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Owen Hart v Tatanka: This time it's the babyface who doesn't wait for the bell, as Tatanka attacks. Backdrop quickly gets two, and a vertical suplex is worth two, so Owen goes to the eyes. Hart works a standing headlock, but Tatanka whips him into the ropes to escape, and wins the resulting criss cross with a hiptoss. Overhead armdrag follows, and Tatanka works a headlock of his own. Owen forces another criss cross to escape, and he tosses Tatanka over the top, but the Native American lands on his feet! He sweeps Owen to the floor for a flurry of chops, so Hart goes to the eyes again, and he whips Tatanka into the post out there. Meanwhile, Ramon and IRS get into an altercation backstage, ahead of their semifinal match. Tatanka beats the count in, so Owen welcomes him with a ropechoke, and he lands a straddling version. Gutwrench suplex sets up a missile dropkick for two, and Owen works a chinlock. Tatanka escapes, so Hart tries a sleeper instead, but Tatanka slugs free, and starts mounting his comeback. Series of tomahawk chops get two, and a DDT is worth two. Bodyslam leads to a flying tomahawk chop for two, and a running powerslam is worth two. Sunset flip, but Owen drops down and cradles the legs to advance at 8:18. A little to heavy on the restholds, but solid action. * ½ (Original Rating: * ½)

King of the Ring Tournament Quarterfinal Match: 1-2-3 Kid v Jeff Jarrett: Kid scares him out of the ring by threatening kicks, but Jarrett is able to sweep her down from the floor, then come in with a cross corner whip - nicely sold by Kid. Jarrett with a turnbuckle smash, but a second corner whip fails, and Kid rolls him up for two. Jeff puts the boots to him to keep control, and a backelbow is followed by a clothesline. Dropkick misses, however, and Kid hooks a standing victory roll for two, before Jarrett cuts him off again. Jeff with a slingshot suplex to set up a 2^nd rope flying fistdrop, but Kid ducks a clothesline, and spinkicks Jarrett down. Bodyslam sets up a flying somersault senton splash, but Jeff rolls out of the way. Straddling ropechoke, but now it's Kid's turn to roll out of the way, and he goes up - only to get crotched on the top turnbuckle! Jarrett tries superplexing him down, but Kid is able to block, and a flying bodypress gets him two. Cross corner dropkick misses, and Jeff looks to capitalize with the Figure Four, but Kid counters with a small package at 4:39! Jarrett doesn't take it well, however, flipping out and dropping Kid with three piledrivers - leaving Kid's participation in the next round in jeopardy. Kid was bumping around like crazy here, and it was the best match of the round. ** ¾ (Original Rating: *)

WWF Title Match: Bret Hart v Diesel: Diesel is the WWF Intercontinental Champion here, but only Bret's title is on the line. Hart has Jim Neidhart in his corner here, in hopes of warding off interference from Shawn Michaels. Bret tries to wrestle him early on, but Diesel wouldn't know the meaning of the word, and settles for pounding him instead. Hart tries to hang in there through a slugfest, but that ends badly, and Diesel works a bootchoke against the turnbuckles. Big boot on the corner misses, however, and Hart is quick to capitalize - pounding the leg, and sweeping the challenger down for a headbutt to the groin. Rollup gets two, but a bodypress is countered with a bodyslam - only for Diesel to miss an elbowdrop. Bret stays on him with some turnbuckle smashes, so Diesel goes to the eyes, and he chokes the Hitman in the corner. Cross corner whip hits, but a kneesmash doesn't, and Bret administers some more abuse at the leg. Figure four is applied, but Diesel's height advantage allows him to reach the ropes in no time. Hart lets off, but keeps pounding on the leg, and works a spinning-toehold - only for Diesel to shove him to the outside with his free leg to escape. Bret thinks fast, sweeping Diesel from the floor in the corner, and bashing the big man's leg into the post a few times. That cues Shawn over with a clothesline, with Neidhart hot on his tail. He chases HBK away, but the damage is done, and Diesel has plenty of time to recover. Bret tries to go to the top rope on the way back in, but a flying Thesz-press is caught in a bearhug. Unfortunately, Diesel looses his balance on the catch, but they do a good job of saving it. Hart quickly escapes, and a dropkick sends the challenger over the top, so Bret tries diving with a plancha - Diesel sidestepping. Diesel rams him into the post out there, then back in for a pair of corner whips. Sidewalk slam gets two, and a backbreaker is held into a submission version by the challenger. Elbowdrop gets two, and a straddling ropechoke follows. Shawn acting like a complete little shit with cheap shots from the outside is a wonderful touch. Diesel with a corner whip for two, but he wastes time arguing the count, and Bret schoolboys him for two. Diesel cuts him off with a short-clothesline for two, and he grounds the champion is a headvice. Backbreaker gets two, and Diesel applied an overhead backbreaker, while Shawn undoes a turnbuckle pad behind the referee's back. Bret counters the hold into a sleeper, but gets dropped into the corner to break, so Diesel throws him into the referee to buy a few seconds. Over to the exposed buckle, but Hart reverses a smash into it, and starts lobbing right hands at the seven footer. Ten-punch count in the corner leads to a hangman's clothesline for two, and a Russian legsweep sets up a 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two. 2^nd rope flying bulldog is enough to set up the Sharpshooter, but Michaels is on the apron, and Bret has to let off to deal with him. Lazy fucking Neidhart. That allows Diesel to recover, so Bret throws a 2^nd rope flying clothesline for two. Backslide, but Diesel is too big, so Hart runs the ropes into a backflip to turn it into a small package instead, for two. Diesel turns things around with a big boot, but wastes time calling for the Jackknife, and Bret sweeps him down into a modified Sharpshooter. Diesel has the ropes, so Bret runs at him with a dropkick to send his challenger over the top, where Diesel decides to post Neidhart. That allows Michaels to sneak in and bash Bret with the title belt, and Diesel comes in with an elbowdrop for a dramatic two! Jackknife connects, but Neidhart runs in to hit Diesel before he can cover, and that's a DQ at 22:51. Bret did a tremendous job of carrying Diesel to the longest major match of his career at that point, and Diesel was game to hang with the Hitman throughout. They always had some great chemistry, and this was no exception. *** ¾ (Original Rating: *** ½)

King of the Ring Tournament Semifinal Match: Razor Ramon v Irwin R. Schyster: Upping the ante with all the sneak attacks tonight, Razor doesn't even let Irwin get into the RING before jumping him, and sending him into the post. Man, even during the Attitude Era they waited for the bell more than they are tonight. Inside, IRS manages a snapmare and an elbowdrop for two, followed by a backbreaker. Schyster takes a nice bump over the top off of a missed charge, and they brawl on the outside for a bit - Irwin getting sent into the steps out there. Back in, Razor slugs at him, so IRS goes to the eyes, and he fires off kicks at the Bad Guy's leg. Backelbow grounds Ramon for a chinlock, as some older lady in the front row desperately tries to let the official know that he's using the ropes for leverage. I've always hoped to sit next to a fan like that at an event, but sadly I never got the chance, and those kind of fans aren't really around anymore today. IRS tries a turnbuckle smash, but Ramon reverses, and he cross corner whips Schyster. IRS tries to come back with the Write Off, but it doesn't even warrant a cover. Was that not his finisher at this point? Because both here and in the early match, it didn't seem to mean anything. And, apparently not to Ramon either, as he shrugs IRS off, and the Razor's Edge finishes up at 5:13. Pretty weak. ¼* (Original Rating: ¼*)

King of the Ring Tournament Semifinal Match: Owen Hart v 1-2-3 Kid: The parade of sneak attacks continue, as Owen blasts the battered Kid with a baseball slide on his way down to the ring. He follows up with a tope, then rolls Kid in for a flying splash for two. Cross corner whip, but Kid reverses, and he comes off the top with a flying twisting bodypress for two. Magistral cradle gets two, and a reversal sequence ends in Kid throwing a kick combo for two. Hart fires back with a leg-feed enzuigiri for two, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and Kid hooks a bridging northern lights suplex for two. Owen bails, so Kid dives with a somersault plancha, and he unloads with mounted blows on the floor. In, Kid tries a spinheel kick, but Owen counters with a bridging German suplex for two, and an overhead belly-to-belly is worth two. Vertical suplex, but Kid counters with a standing victory roll for two - reversed by Hart for two. Rana, but Owen counters with a powerbomb, and the Sharpshooter puts him away at 3:37. Mile a minute here. *** ½ (Original Rating: ***)

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The Headshrinkers v Yokozuna and Crush: Both teams brawl to start, with some cute spots from the champions, on their way to cleaning house. The dust settles on Samu and Yokozuna to get things officially underway, and Samu slugs at him, but an attempt at a bodyslam doesn't end well. Were they passing out crack backstage, or something? Can't think of any other explanation for why guys keep trying that tonight. Tags all around, and Crush tries a facebuster, but Fatu no-sells, and delivers a piledriver. 2^nd rope flying headbutt gets two, so Mr. Fuji takes a cheap shot during a criss cross, and Crush clotheslines him to turn the tide. He hits his own piledriver for two, then over to Yoko for a drop-toehold/legdrop tandem combo for two. The challengers cut the ring in half on Fatu, but Yoko misses an avalanche, and Samu gets the tag. He comes in hot, and Roseanne Barr the door! Stereo superkicks sends Yoko to the outside, but as Samu isolates Crush with a flying splash, Fatu is sending Yoko into the post on the outside - the force causing Samu to get crotched. Crush capitalizes with a vertical superplex, followed by a legdrop. Yokozuna hustles back in with a legdrop to kill Samu dead, but before they can cover, Lex Luger makes his way down the aisle. He taunts Crush from ringside, allowing Fatu a superkick at 9:16. This could have been terrible, but actually turned out to be a pretty fun little match - though the finish sucked. * ½ (Original Rating: ½*)

WWF King of the Ring Tournament Final Match: Razor Ramon v Owen Hart: Feeling out process to start, with Owen avoiding a side suplex, but running into a bodyslam for two. Looked like they were going for a fallaway slam there, but they mistimed it. Owen tries a dropkick, but Razor dodges, and a catapult sends Hart into the corner to set up a schoolboy for two. Ramon grounds him in a headlock, but Owen counters to a headscissors, and a reversal sequence ends in Ramon reversing a backslide for two. Back to the headlock, but Hart escapes, and a criss cross ends in Owen hitting a mistimed spinheel kick. Uppercut sets up an abdominal stretch, but Ramon escapes, and a reversal sequence ends in the Bad Guy hitting a chokeslam for two. Fallaway slam gets two, but Owen counters a vertical suplex with a Russian legsweep. He goes up, but gets crotched on the top turnbuckle, and Razor brings him down with a side superplex. Razor's Edge looks to finish, but Owen backdrops him over the top to block, and here comes Jim Neidhart all of a sudden! He throws Razor into the post on the outside, then rolls him in for Owen to finish with a flying elbowdrop at 6:35 - revealing that he was on Owen's side in the family feud all along, and got Bret DQ'd earlier to make sure he keeps the title long enough for Owen to beat him for it. Kind of underwhelming as a final, aside from the well executed angle. It looked like they couldn't get on the same page, with lots of mistiming, and Ramon generally looking tired. ¾* (Original Rating: *)

Main Event: Jerry Lawler v Roddy Piper: The 'youth movement,' ladies and gentlemen! Piper blitzes him to start, and hammers Lawler until the King ends up on the outside. He tries to bail up the aisle, but Piper drags him back, and smacks him around with a series of jabs. Mounted punches follow, and Lawler is actively begging off. Roddy shows him little mercy, however, and keeps pounding on the poor King. Atomic drop sends Jerry back to the outside, and Piper follows - beating him all around ringside. Lawler tries to save face by beating up on the Piper impersonator that Roddy has in his corner, and he's able to use that to turn the tide on the Hot Rod. Fistdrop gets two, and Lawler tries to put him away with a sleeper, but Piper won't quit. Piledriver, but it only gets two, and Roddy fights back with a series of bulldogs. The referee gets bumped on the third one, allowing Lawler to pull a foreign object out of his tights, and he lays the Hot Rod out with it. Cover, and the dazed official doesn't notice that Jerry has his feet on the ropes, so the impersonator shoves them off! That allows Piper to sneak up with a side suplex, and that's three at 12:30. A little long for what it was, but Lawler was such a bigmouth jerk during this angle that it was fun to see him get what was coming to him. ½* (Original Rating: DUD)

BUExperience: As I noted in the V.I review, this one holds a lot of sentimental value for me, as it was the first pay per view event I ever got to see live. Sentimental value aside, it’s a good show. While there are only two matches worth going out of your way to see, pretty much everything is solid, and the storylines are entertaining – especially the continuing Hart family saga.

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