WWF Coliseum Video Collection: UK Fan Favorites (1993)

 

WWF Coliseum Video Collection: UK Fan Favorites (1993)

Coliseum Video compilation. The front cover of the tape warns us that we ‘asked for it’

Gene Okerlund and Bobby Heenan host from the studio, with the gimmick here being that they're opening fan mail to get match requests

WWF Title Match: Bret Hart v Fatu: From Monday Night RAW, March 1 1993 in New York City. This was requested by Daniel Webster, who wrote asking for a match between Bret Hart and "one of the Headshrinkers, preferably Fatu." Guy knows what he wants. Hart is cautious tying up, and tries a standing side-headlock, but gets whipped into the ropes, and slammed. He manages to catch Fatu with an armdrag into an armbar as he tries to follow-up, and holds onto it through another bodyslam attempt. Facebuster, but Fatu's Samoan, and pops up with a savate kick for two. Come on, Bret! You should know better. Short-clothesline for two, and Fatu slaps on a nervehold. Criss cross ends in Hart hitting a bodypress for two, but the kickout leaves him on the floor, where Samu slams him. He adds a falling headbutt and a shot into the steps for good measure, and Fatu drags him back in for a headbutt of his own. Cross corner whip and a backbreaker get two, and a pair of falling headbutts is worth two. Piledriver for two, and another cross corner whip gets two. Sidewalk slam and a 2^nd rope headbutt for two, so Fatu goes to the top for a flying splash, but Hart crotches him on the top turnbuckle, and superplexes him down for two. Bret with a bulldog for two, and a backbreaker sets up the 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two. Sharpshooter, but Afa pops up onto the apron to distract the referee, and Samu breaks it up with a lariat. He switches places with Fatu and covers Hart for two, then switches back to let the legal man finish. Fatu goes for the kill, but a heel miscommunication leaves Samu tied in the ropes, and Bret finishes Fatu with the Sharpshooter at 15:06. Better than I expected. Bret guided him through a nice match for Fatu (and sold well for him), and it was given enough time to properly develop. **

Mr. Perfect v Terry Taylor: From Monday Night RAW, January 18 1993 in NYC. They jaw at each other to start, and I can only imagine what Taylor might have to say. Perfect outwrestles him in the early going, and catches him with a hiptoss coming out of the corner. Dropkick knocks Taylor to the outside, and he tries to sucker Perfect into a chase, but nearly walks into the Perfect-Plex, and hides on the floor for a bit. Back in, Perfect gets a standing side-headlock, and takes him to the mat in it for two. Taylor whips him into the ropes to break, but takes a shoulderblock, and an armdrag puts Terry in an armbar. Into the corner, Perfect unloads chops, but gets knocked to the floor, and Taylor rams him into the guardrail. Inside, Taylor hits a chincrusher and a backbreaker for two. Chinlock, but Perfect gets uppity, so Terry gives him a spinebuster for two. Gutwrench powerbomb is worth two, but Taylor gets cocky, and takes an earringer. Perfect with an inverted atomic drop and a somersault necksnap, and he goes for the kill - but here's Ric Flair! Flair's distraction allows Taylor to dropkick Perfect to the floor, and Ric beats the shit out of him, then rolls him back in for Taylor to finish. Suplex, but Perfect quickly counters into the Perfect-Plex for the pin at 9:28 - and takes off after Flair. Not total garbage, but they never really got going, and just weren't clicking. *

Back at the studio, Heenan is nearly overwhelmed with letters, but like a pimp says to his ho, "keep 'em coming"

Undertaker v Bam Bam Bigelow: From March to WrestleMania IX, taped March 7 1993 in Fayetteville North Carolina. Bigelow slugs away at the bell, so Undertaker uses a drop-toehold to take him down, and Bam Bam bails. Undertaker chases, but loses the high ground in the process, and Bigelow is able to take control with headbutts, but he walks into a DDT. Undertaker chokes him in the corner ahead of the ropewalk forearm, but a clothesline fails to take Bigelow off of his feet. Undertaker tries a jumping version, but Bam Bam ducks, and 'Taker ends up on the outside. Bigelow follows for a bodyslam on the floor, and the Dead man eats the steps a few times, before going back in to take a side suplex. Bigelow with a cross corner whip to set up a powerslam, but Undertaker just keeps sitting the fuck up, and Bam Bam is getting flustered. He hammers away, and another bodyslam sets up a headbutt drop, but Undertaker aggravates him up sitting up again. Bigelow with another pair of headbutt drops to try and keep him down long enough for the flying version, but Undertaker sits up, and starts making a comeback. Chokeslam hits, so Bigelow bails, and decides to take the countout at 8:05. Pretty standard Undertaker match from the period. He ran this same basic match with Razor Ramon all over the place around this time, too. Afterwards, Giant Gonzalez makes an appearance, but is held back by WWF Officials. Really? He's, like, eight feet tall, and a couple of tiny referees are suddenly stopping him? What a monster! *

Tito Santana v Rick Martel: From Prime Time Wrestling on April 27 1992 (taped March 9) in Mobile Alabama. Both guys are sporting the same shade of pink here, perhaps they were thinking of getting the team back together?!?! Why are you teasing me like this, WWF?! Martel dominates in the early going, but he gets his face stomped while trying a monkeyflip, and he bails to the outside. Martel milks it, but Tito forces him back in, and grabs an armbar. Their timing is all over the place here. They fight over a backslide, won by Santana for two, so Martel clobbers him with a clothesline for two. Rick works him over, but Santana uses a gut-punch to block a 2^nd rope axehandle, and he makes the comeback. Tito hits El Paso, but Martel falls out of the ring, and he stalls out there. Santana tries dragging him in, so Martel whacks him with the Arrogance canister, and that's a DQ at 6:56. Their timing was really messed up here, and the match didn't click at all. ½*

Back in the studio, Heenan sneezes on some of the mail, and since I'm watching this amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he is now the biggest heel in the world

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels v Jim Duggan: From Monday Night RAW, May 3 1993 in New York. Shawn bails to the floor right away to avoid Duggan, but Jim realizes he can't win the title that way (the Manhattan Center may look like a trashcan, but it isn't actually one), but then forgets, and scares Shawn back to the floor with a 'USA!' chant. Commie! He's even wearing red tights! Get him! Inside, Duggan unloads a series of clotheslines (sold with Michaels' usual brilliance), and the champ ends up back on the floor. He goes for Duggan's 2x4, but the referee stops him short, and forces him back in. Shawn cowers in the corner, but Duggan shows no mercy as he unloads a series of closed fists (Shawn spiraling out of the ring), and this time he decides to take a walk. Duggan drags him back, but Shawn snaps his neck across the top rope on the way in, and immediately capitalizes - punching and kicking his challenger. Ten-punch count and a flying axehandle set up a chinlock, but Duggan powers up, so Michaels drops a series of elbows for  two. Criss cross goes Shawn's way with a kneelift, and he dumps Duggan out to the floor for an axehandle off of the apron. Inside, Shawn hits a snapmare to set up another chinlock, but a slugfest goes Duggan's way, and he unloads a ten-punch of his own. Helicopter slam sets up the 3-Point Stance, but it knocks Michaels to the floor. He decides to take a walk again, but this time when Duggan gives chase he can't get there fast enough, and Michaels loses the match (but not the title) at 11:17. Afterwards, Duggan demands a rematch, and refuses to leave the ring until he gets one, while the fans chant 'take the belt' - one of the more famous bits from the early days of RAW. Very little actual contact, but Shawn's selling was brilliant whenever there was, and anyway this was more about setting up a Lumberjack Match for the next week than anything else - and it did that well. I’m surprised they didn't throw that in on this tape as well, considering they showed the whole post-match angle, and everything. ½*

Virgil v Berzerker: From Prime Time on December 28 1992 (taped December 15) in Madison Wisconsin. It really was a simpler time when shit like THIS was making the compilation tapes. And people were actually BUYING these things a la carte, not just something they dumped onto a subscription service, or whatever. Berzerker powers him around to start, but Virgil uses speed to knock him down, and he works an armbar. Berzerker fights him off on the ropes, and uses a clothesline for two, then dumps Virgil to the outside. That's his big move! Virgil beats the count since he isn't a jobber (well, not AS MUCH of a jobber, anyway), but Berzerker fights off a slingshot sunset flip, and he headbutts Virgil in the gut. Virgil fights back with an awkward looking takedown, so Berzerker just rakes his goof's eyes, and bodyslams him. Kneedrop gets two, so Berzerker tries a reverse chinlock, but Virgil escapes, on the comeback trail now. He dives off the middle with a clothesline for two, and a jumping shoulderblock knocks Berzerker to the outside. Berzerker beats the count to the apron, but Virgil greets him with a series of jabs to knock him back down. Berzerker loses his shit over that, however, and he grabs his sword for the immediate DQ at 6:04. Hey, that's just some shitty refereeing. He hadn't even used it yet! And it's not like the simple presence of the sword is so offensive - he brings it to the ring with him every match! Maybe he just wanted to show it to Virgil? That's not only terrible officiating, but it's prejudiced against Vikings. ¼*

Back in the studio, Bobby has a hard time differentiating 'Fuji' and 'Fiji.' I'm man enough to admit that that tripped me up a few times as a kid, too

WWF Title Match: Randy Savage v Ric Flair: From a TV taping, June 2 1992 in Ottawa Ontario Canada. They criss cross right away, with Savage hitting a shoulderblock, and going right at him with mounted punches. Into the corner for a ten-punch count, so Mr. Perfect intervenes, and Macho takes the bait like an idiot. That allows Flair to jump him, but a cross corner whip backfires when Randy rebounds with a clothesline. Ric tries chops, but Randy responds with jabs, and an overhead elbowsmash puts the Nature Boy down. Slick Ric goes to the eyes to shake him off, and now the chops are getting some mileage. He tosses Savage over the top, but Macho decides to chase after Perfect out there, so Flair goes to the eyes again to save. Ric with a big chop for two, and he tosses the champ over the top a second time, this time following. Ric grabs a chair out there, but the referee sees it, and takes it away from him before he can use it. Also terrible officiating! Don't get physically involved! Let him use the chair, and call for the bell! Ric gets in the referee's face over the piss poor job he's doing, allowing Savage to sneak in with a schoolboy, but the official busts him holding the tights. Both guys collide during another criss cross for a double knockout spot, and it's slugfest time. Macho wins that one, so Flair tries a leveraged pin in the corner, but gets busted by the official. As the referee chews him out, Perfect springs to action - bashing Savage's leg into the post. Flair goes to work on the part, and a kneebreaker sets up the Figure Four - ropes used for additional leverage. He can't coax a submission, so Flair goes back to work on the leg some more. Hiptoss, but Randy counters with a backslide for two, as the announcers float the idea that this one could run out the sixty minute time limit. We’re not even ten minutes in, cool your jets! Savage makes a comeback, and a clothesline sends Flair over the top. The champ follows, but runs into Perfect out there, and Flair steals the high ground. That allows Ric a snapmare on the way back inside, but a trip to the top rope ends in Macho slamming him off. Savage goes up with a flying axehandle, and a pair of clotheslines sets up another flying axe for two - Perfect putting Flair's foot on the ropes to save him. Ric pokes the eyes to buy more time, and he palms a weapon, popping Macho with it before passing it back to Perfect. One of the ring techs is getting a kick out of the cheating, and it's great. Those guys are usually so stoic. Unfortunately for the challenger, it's only worth a two count. Bodyslam, but Savage counters with a schoolboy for two, so Flair tries chops, but Macho is fired up! Bodyslam sets up the Flying Elbowdrop, but that shit only gets two! Wow! I was expecting a miss, or a run-in, but not a kickout! And here comes Perfect now, swinging the title belt at Savage, but Randy gets it away from him - only to bump the referee in the process. That allows Flair to attack, and the heels try a double team, but the referee recovers in time to see what's going on, and Flair is disqualified at 12:49. This was actually one hell of a match, filled with action, and much better than I thought it would be. Offhand, I'd even go as far as to say this is the second best Savage/Flair match I've ever seen, behind only the WrestleMania one. *** ½

Lex Luger v Tito Santana: From WWF Mania, March 20 1993 (taped March 9) in Augusta Georgia. Tito's making bank with this tape. Lex powers him around to start, seemingly more interested in flexing than wrestling. Kinda par for the course with him. Luger's also so tan here that he makes Tito looked washed out by comparison. Think about that for a second. Lex works a wristlock, but Tito counters to a hammerlock, but Lex is in the ropes. He pops Tito with an elbow on the break, and then pounces. Clothesline, but Santana ducks, and he comes out of the ropes with a bodypress for two. Armdrag takes Luger down for an armbar, so Lex corner whips him to escape, but misses a charge. That allows Tito to go back to the armbar, so Lex tries a bodyslam to escape, but Santana hangs on. Lex finally manages to shake him off in the corner, and he puts the boots to Santana, before dropping him across the top rope. Backdrop, but Tito counters with a sunset flip for two, so Luger clobbers him with a clothesline. Lex with a pair of pointed elbowdrops, and he's looking blown up out there. Backdrop, but again Santana counters, this time with a small package for two. Schoolboy gets two, so Luger throws a knee, and he drives Tito into the corner with a turnbuckle smash. Again, but Santana reverses this time, and he starts making his comeback. El Paso connects, but only gets two, and the crowd was totally buying him pulling it off there. Cross corner whip, but Santana has lost focus after El Paso failed, and Luger is able to block the follow-up charge - barreling out of the corner with a running forearm smash at 8:42. This was actually a lot better and more competitive than I was expecting. Especially the competitive part. * ½

Back in the studio, Heenan doesn't want to read any letters from Scotland since 'all the men wear skirts.' Okerlund threatens to tell Roddy Piper, but he was long gone by this point, so fuck off, baldie

Tatanka v Papa Shango: From Prime Time, November 30 1992 (taped October 28) in Louisville Kentucky. Shango attacks before the bell, but he misses a dropkick during a criss cross, and Tatanka unloads with chops. Cross corner whip works, but a charge doesn't, and Shango pounds him down. Shango works him over in dull fashion, but Tatanka escapes a nervehold, and goes on the comeback trail. Backdrop gets two, and a series of tomahawk chops set up a flying version for two. Clothesline knocks Papa over the top, so he grabs his voodoo stick (or 'voodoo paraphernalia,' per the announcers) for the DQ at 6:04. Really boring. DUD

Undertaker v Mountie: TV taping dark match from Cincinnati Ohio on May 18 1992. Lots of empty seats here. Mountie tries coming at him with rights, but Undertaker shrugs him off with a press-slam, and Mountie bails. A press-slam, wow. He didn't really vary it up too much in those days. Mountie stalls on the outside for a while, until Undertaker finally gets mad enough to chase, and Mountie steals the high ground. Mountie responds by bailing again for more stalling, before finally trying to attack, but it backfires, and Mountie takes a bump over the top to the floor. Inside, Undertaker tries a jumping clothesline, but Mountie hits the deck to dodge, and Undertaker ends up on the outside. Mountie goes after him with a chair out there, but Undertaker mostly ignores the shot, so Mountie bashes his head into the steps. That gets no-sold as well, so Mountie tries a piledriver on the way back in, but Undertaker sits right the fuck up. Another piledriver garners the same reaction, so Mountie tries a package version, and that finally gets some mileage. Mountie stop to gloat, but that backfires on him when Undertaker stalks after him with a choke, and the Dead Man adds a jumping clothesline. Mountie decides to walk out, but Sgt. Slaughter cuts him off in the aisle, corralling him back into the ring for Undertaker to Tombstone at 6:48. This was mostly boring. ½*

Randy Savage v Repo Man: From RAW, January 25 1993 in New York. WILL SAVAGE GET HIS HAT BACK?!?! Talk about high drama! And Randy is good and pissed, sneak attacking Repo, and pulling him out to the floor right away for a snapmare/kneedrop combo. Back in, Savage chokes the crap out of him, and hits a 2^nd rope kneedrop. High knee knocks Repo back out to the floor, but the referee stops Macho from diving after him with an axehandle. That allows Repo to try and bail, but Savage chases him up the aisle and drags him back to continue the beating - the poor referee looking to be near embolism trying to calm Savage down. Back out to the floor, Savage tries using the steps, but Repo reverses - Randy taking a really weak pair of bumps into them. He takes a better one into the post, and rolls him in for a cross corner whip. Bodyscissors slows the match down, and a legdrop gets two. Back to the bodyscissors, but Savage makes the ropes to break, so Repo levels him with a lariat. Repo taunts him with the hat ahead of hitting a side suplex for two, and he slaps on a chinlock. Backbreaker, but Savage blocks a 2^nd rope axehandle, and slams him to set up the Flying Elbowdrop at 12:00. What a waste of Randy Savage. ¼*

Back at the studio, Heenan has given up even reading the letters, and it just screening for checks hidden inside

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Bret Hart v Shawn Michaels: TV taping dark match, from Syracuse New York on April 29 1992. I wonder if anyone ever thought to create, like, a Facebook group for all those kids Bret gave his glasses to over the years to share stories? I'm still waiting for one of them to show up on Pawn Stars one week. Feeling out process to start, with Hart dominating, but running into a knee during a criss cross. Shawn with a corner whip so Sherri can get her licks in, and Michaels adds a straddling ropechoke, followed by a high knee for two. That one got shelved from the repertoire pretty quickly. Shawn holds a chinlock, but Bret slugs free, so Michaels plants a superkick on him. Teardrop Suplex looks to finish, but Bret blocks, and dives at his challenger with a 2nd rope flying clothesline. Inverted atomic drop and a clothesline get two, and a backbreaker sets up a 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two. Sleeper, but Shawn dives into the ropes to escape, and both men go tumbling out. Slugfest out there is controlled by Michaels, and Sherri gets involved to help her Boy Toy send Hart crashing off of the apron into the guardrail - Bret getting counted out at 8:50. Morons! Why actively cause him to get counted out when the title is on the line? I don't think these two ever had a bad match together, but I also can't remember a single one of their meetings that I wouldn't ultimately classify as 'disappointing.' **

Okerlund and Heenan sign off, but there's still more mail, so the poor assistant that Bobby's been harassing all day just chucks a brick of it in his face to end the tape. See, back then they used to even book the heels to get their comeuppance while hosting compilation videos. Different times

BUExperience: You can safely skip pretty much everything here, but definitely give that Savage/Flair match a look. It’s a real hidden gem.

Not a good additional to your Coliseum Collection.