WWF SummerSlam 1994 (Version II)

Original Airdate: August 29, 1994

From Chicago, Illinois; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Opening Match: The Headshrinkers v Irwin R. Schyster and Bam Bam Bigelow: This was originally scheduled to be over the WWF Tag Team Title, but Diesel and Shawn Michaels won them from the Headshrinkers the night before this at a house show. Fatu starts with Bigelow, and Bam Bam dominates with a pair of shoulderblocks, but misses an avalanche, and Fatu lands a superkick for two. Slam, but Bam Bam topples him for two, and he throws an enzuigiri to set up a flying headbutt, but Fatu rolls out of the way. He clobbers Bigelow with a clothesline, then passes over to Samu for stereo superkicks for two. Samu with a cross corner whip, but Bigelow rebounds at him with a backelbow, and IRS gets the tag. He comes in hot, but quickly walks into a superkick for two. Samu tries adding a bodypress, but Irwin ducks him. He tries one of his own, but now it's Samu's turn to duck, and IRS takes a nice bump to the outside! Back in, Samu headbutts him for two, and Fatu tags, but runs into a cheap shot from Bigelow - taking his own bump to the outside. Back in, the heels cut the ring in half on Fatu, but a double knockout spot allows the tag to Samu, and Roseanne Barr the door! Samu with a 2^nd rope flying headbutt on IRS, but Bigelow breaks the count up at two, so the Headshrinkers dump him. They isolate IRS for a tandem forward Russian legsweep, and Fatu comes off the top with a flying splash, but Ted DiBiase is distracting the referee to prevent a count! That draws protest from the Headshrinkers' management, but when Bigelow puts a hand on Lou Albano, he gets the wrath of Afa - just in time for the referee to turn around and see it, the official disqualifying the Headshrinkers at 7:19. Weak ending to an otherwise energetic opener. ** ½ (Original rating: ** ½)

WWF Women's Title Match: Alundra Blayze v Bull Nakano: Blayze wants a handshake at the bell, but gets blitzed for her naivete, and Nakano wastes no time in hairwhipping the champion around. Bull hits a legdrop for two, and she grounds Alundra in a chinlock, but Blayze makes the ropes. Nakano responds with a facebuster for two, but a pop-up powerbomb is countered with a rana for two, and Blayze throws a spinkick. Again, but Bull ducks this time, and drops her ass with a two-handed chokeslam. Bull works a crab hold, but Alundra gets the ropes - Nakano taunting her by releasing before she even grabs them. She punishes Blayze for not submitting by slapping on a surfboard sharpshooter, and the champion is in trouble. That allows Luna Vachon to get her licks in, but Blayze fires up a schoolgirl on Nakano for two. Bull responds with a cross-armbreaker, but Blayze rolls it into a cradle for two, and delivers a series of three jumping matslams for two. Powerbomb, but she can't hoist her up, and Nakano hits a backdrop to escape. Bodyslam and a splash only get two, so Bull thumps her with a clothesline. Whip into the corner, but Alundra dodges the follow-up, and hooks a backslide for two. Rana, but this time Bull counters with a powerbomb for two, and she hits another bodyslam. Nakano heads up to finish with a flying legdrop, but Blayze rolls out of the way, and the bridging German suplex retains at 8:20! They had some better matches in Japan that year, but this was way ahead of its time for the WWF in those days. *** (Original rating: *** ½)

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Diesel v Razor Ramon: Razor has Walter Payton in his corner to try and deter interference from Shawn Michaels. He hits Diesel with the toothpick to stun the champion at the bell, and a series of right hands knock Big Daddy Cool to the outside. He regroups with Michaels out there, and is able to drive a knee at Ramon as he comes back inside. Diesel hammers his challenger's back with forearm smashes, and a short-clothesline puts Razor down, but a big boot misses. That allows Razor a pair of clotheslines, but a charge in the corner is blocked with an elbow, and Diesel bootchokes him against the turnbuckles. Facebuster follows, and Diesel tries a sleeper, but Ramon manages a side suplex to escape. He tries another charge, but this time Diesel sidesteps him entirely, and the Bad Guy takes a bump over the top. Shawn immediately springs into action, taking advantage of the referee and Payton's distracted state to undo a top turnbuckle pad. He then taunts Payton to force the referee to the outside to step in, then rushes around the ring while they're busy dealing with each other to dive at Razor with a flying clothesline off of the steps! Damn! Ramon still beats the count in, so Diesel unloads with elbows and knees in the corner, but Payton alerts the referee to the exposed buckle before the champ can use it. That brings Shawn into play again, and a distraction allows Diesel to use the buckle, and then hit a sidewalk slam for two. Snake-eyes and a straddling ropechoke lead to an elbowdrop for two, so Diesel works a modified chinlock. Razor quickly slugs free, so Diesel bashes his brains in with a big boot, but Ramon is in the ropes at two. Razor's sonic blue boots (in the style of classic Fender guitars) are awesome tonight. Diesel works an abdominal stretch next, but gets caught using the ropes thanks to Payton, and Razor gets his own stretch on! Diesel quickly hiptosses out, but an attempt at a snake-eyes into the exposed buckle backfires, and Razor schoolboys the champion for two. Ramon mounts a comeback, crotching Diesel on the post, and hitting a 2^nd rope flying bulldog for two. Bodyslam gets two, so Shawn hops up onto the apron, but Ramon quickly knocks him right back off. That allows Diesel to sneak attack though, but Razor manages to backdrop out of the Jackknife, so Shawn distracts him again - allowing Diesel a jumping shoulderblock. Shawn grabs the title belt to finish Ramon off, but Payton takes it away from him, so Michaels goes to plan-B: the superkick. Unfortunately, the time wasted with Payton has allowed Razor to recover, and the kick ends up landing on Diesel instead! Payton takes Michaels out as a dazed Razor crawls for the cover, and we have a new champion at 15:02! This was a solid match, with lots of garnish in the form of exciting booking - something they used to really excel at. Amazing performance by Shawn on the outside too - he could have had a great career as a heel manager. *** ¼ (Original rating: ** ½)

Lex Luger v Tatanka: They jaw at each other for a while after the bell, and settle into a slow feeling out process from there. Tatanka with a bodypress for two, and a bodyslam is countered with a small package for two, and they slug it out. Lex gets the better of the exchange, and a corner whip leads to a hiptoss. Luger with a vertical suplex for two, but an elbowdrop misses, and Tatanka powerslams him for two. Pair of tomahawk chops for two, and Tatanka hits a vertical suplex of his own to set up a flying tomahawk chop for two. Bodyslam sets up a flying bodypress, but Luger sidesteps him, and starts throwing clotheslines, as Ted DiBiase makes his way down. Lex doesn't notice, and delivers a powerslam on Tatanka, but DiBiase catches his attention before he can put him away - the distraction allowing Tatanka to sneak up with a schoolboy at 6:02. And then, of course, Tatanka turns heel afterwards, revealing his alliance with DiBiase. The match itself was little more than filler to pass time until the angle could kick in, but the angle itself was okay. Of course, they totally messed up the follow-up, because the heel turn ended up being one of the worst ever, with Tatanka not even bothering to change his gear to go along with his new heel character. ¾* (Original rating: ¾*)

Jeff Jarrett v Mabel: Jarrett tries to use his speed to evade big Mabel in the early going, but he ends up getting clobbered every time. Mabel with a bodyslam and a clothesline to send Jeff over the top, but Jarrett sweeps him off of his feet from the floor, and dives with a 2^nd rope flying fistdrop on the way back in. Jarrett with a pair of 2^nd rope flying axehandles next, but a version off the very top gets him caught in a bearhug. Double J quickly slugs free, but Mabel starts no-selling him, so Jarrett tries a sleeper. Mabel drops into the corner to escape, and he throws a spinheel kick for two, as Abe Knuckleball Schwartz pickets in the crowd. Jarrett tries a bodypress, but gets caught in a slam for two, so he goes after Oscar on the outside. Mabel saves with an avalanche against the post, then back in for a 2^nd rope flying splash, but Jarrett dodges for two. Sunset flip, so Mabel tries a seated senton splash to block, but Jeff sees it coming (how could you not?), and rolls out of the way - quickly covering for the pin at 5:56. Not much, but energetic. ¾* (Original rating: ½*)

Main Event: WWF Title Cage Match: Bret Hart v Owen Hart: Owen jumps him as Bret enters the cage, and unloads in the corner. Bret fights him off with an inverted atomic drop and a clothesline, so Owen rakes the eyes to keep control, and he chokes his older brother with his own shoulder straps. Into the cage, but Bret manages to block, and he drops the Rocket with a DDT. Legdrop follows, and Bret decides to climb, but Owen pulls him down half way up, and fires off a leg-feed enzuigiri. Owen makes his own climb, but Bret side suplexes him down to stop the effort, and the Hitman crawls for the door. Owen grabs the ankle to stop him, so Bret bulldogs him, and tries for the door again. That leads to a fun game of leapfrog as both guys tease escapes through the door, and Owen ends up slamming him off the top rope as Bret tries another climb. He climbs, and even nearly makes it out this time, before Bret manages to pull him back over for a slugfest on the top rope. Owen gets the better of it, and dives at his brother with a flying dropkick, then immediately starts climbing again. He makes it over the top, but Bret pulls him back, and goes over the top himself! That leads to another slugfest, and Bret is able to bash him into the cage to knock the challenger to the mat - only to lose his footing in the process, and fall himself! That allows Owen to go for a piledriver, but Bret counters with a backdrop, and a criss cross ends in a double knockout spot. Owen recovers slightly ahead, and goes for the door, but Bret is able to stop him - Owen desperately holding onto the ring apron to try and pull himself out. Bret puts him down for a pointed elbowdrop, and he makes a climb, but Owen grabs a leg to pull him back as the Hitman straddles the top of the cage. Bret tries kicking him off, but Owen rips at the leg, and the Hitman ends up crotched across the top rope! Owen crawls for the door, but Bret pulls him back for a headbutt drop to the groin - only to miss a 2^nd rope flying elbowdrop. That allows Owen to climb, and he makes it over the top before Bret is able to grab him by the hair - Owen left literally dangling over the arena floor! Bret pulls him back over for a slam to the mat, and he tries to climb, but Owen stops him with a Samoan drop. He tries a toss into the cage, but Bret reverses, and that allows him to climb again, but Owen stops it with a side superplex. He adds a piledriver to try and subdue his big bro, and Bret is barely stirring as a worn Owen makes another climb. Bret manages to follow him up, but can't hold his own in a slugfest - saved only when Owen crotches himself on the top rope in the process. Bret crawls for the door, and very nearly gets out, but Owen is able to hold on to stop him! They're doing a fantastic job of teasing escapes here, with some real close calls, and lots of drama. Bret with a catapult into the cage, but he's so dazed that he crawls for the wrong corner to try for the door, and by the time he rights that ship, Owen is able to stop him. Owen punishes his brother with a cross corner whip, but a reversal sequence ends in Bret ramming his challenger into the cage. He climbs, and looks to have it locked up, when Owen manages to grab him through the bars, and pull him back in. That's one thing I loved about the blue bar cage compared to the mesh style ones: you could work spots where guys had to reach through the bars. Owen hammers him with a spinheel kick, and he gets very close on a climb attempt, but Bret pulls him back at the very last second! Again, great escape teases here - wonderful drama, and expert timing. Slugfest on the top rope is won by Bret with a swinging kneelift, but Owen is able to stop him from finishing his climb with a few European uppercuts. Criss cross ends in Owen hitting a clothesline, but both guys are battered, and both are left looking up at the lights. Owen recovers, and climbs, but Bret manages to save the title by vertical superplexing him off the top of the cage! Bret has no follow-up though, and he barely has enough left to crawl for the door. That allows Owen to put him in the Sharpshooter, and the King of Harts has it well applied, but Bret manages a reversal anyway! He holds it until he simply can't any longer, then makes a climb, but Owen is able to use the hair to pull him back over the top - both guys taking a bump back down to the canvas! Owen climbs, but Bret is hot on his tail, and both guys end up making it over the top to the outside of the cage. They trade blows out there, and Bret very nearly knocks Owen to the floor, but Owen ends up hanging from the bars, trapped! That allows Bret to hop down, and he retains at 32:08! This has been called the best bloodless cage match, or the best escape rules cage match, but I think I'd go as far as to say this is simply the best cage match ever, full stop. And one of the best matches ever, regardless of genre. It didn't have a lot of the high spots more modern versions had, or the blood some of the older versions had, but they built tremendous drama through brilliant timing, and it was all supported by a terrific angle. Both guys showed tremendous conditioning here as well, going thirty two minutes without a single real resthold, and little stoppage. Also lots of credit for being able to follow their all time classic WrestleMania match with something that managed to be completely different, but equally fantastic, which is no small feat. A masterpiece. ***** (Original rating: **** ¾)

Main Event: Undertaker v Undertaker: Entrances take forever here, as both Undertaker's and both respective managers get separate intros. Let the freak show begin! They slug it out to start, and Undertaker knocks Underfaker out of the ring with a big boot. That allows Underfaker to go after Paul Bearer on the floor, but Undertaker saves, and vertical suplexes Underfaker back inside. Underfaker sits up, so Undertaker tosses him over the top rope, then follows out for some abuse on the outside. He tries pulling Underfaker back in, but ends up getting his throat snapped across the top rope in the process. Underfaker goes for the ropewalk forearm, but gets slammed off the top rope before he can execute it, and Undertaker delivers the real thing, baby. Underfaker tries a hotshot, but they botch it, and settle for clotheslines instead. Elbowdrop misses, allowing Undertaker to hammer away, but a charge ends in him taking a spill over the top. Underfaker follows out to ram him into the post, then the steps. Back in, Underfaker hits a chokeslam, followed by the Tombstone, but Undertaker sits up before a cover. Underfaker tries the Tombstone again, but Undertaker reverses. He adds another two Tombstones to make sure, and we're done at 9:10. This was cartoony junk, but it could have been much worse as a match. Thankfully, it was kept short enough. -½* (Original rating: -**)

BUExperience: Yes, the last match is insultingly bad, but the show is actually quite good on the whole, with strong booking and solid action for the most part, and one of the best matches ever in the first half of the main event. Try as it might, the second half just can’t sour my feelings on this one. It still holds up as one of the better SummerSlam’s for my money, and one I have consistently enjoyed every time I’ve fired it up for over twenty years now.

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