WWF Mania (February 20, 1993)

Original Airdate: February 20, 1993

 

Your Host is Todd Pettengill, and he's on the phone with the Psychic Friends Network when Randy Savage twirls in to give him a pair of his crazy Macho Man sunglasses. And then he leaves because he's 'got a date'

 

The Beverly Brothers v Tito Santana and Virgil: From Long Beach California on February 15 1993. That's a pretty quick turnaround time for this era. Blake Beverly starts with Virgil, and hooks an armdrag right away, stopping to gloat. Blake continues to dominate him, but Virgil wins a criss cross with a crucifix for two, and a dropkick follows. Virgil works a headlock, but Blake side suplexes his way out of it, and passes to Beau Beverly. Beau with a corner whip, but Virgil rebounds with a springboard bodypress for two, and he passes to Tito to crank on the arm. The JTTS super team use quick tags to work Beau over, but a bodyslam on Tito allows the tag to Blake... who promptly walks into an armdrag. Tag to Virgil for a stereo backelbow, so Beau throws a cheap shot from the apron, and the Brothers pound Virgil down to turn the tide. They cut the ring in half on him, but Beau misses a dive, and Tito gets the hot tag - Roseanne Barr the door! Great timing on that tag, with Blake just missing the save by inches. El Paso knocks Blake silly, but Beau breaks up the pin. He tries a backdrop, but Santana counters with a cradle at 8:43. This went on for a bit too long, but it wasn't bad. ¾*

 

Back in the studio, Todd is playing basketball... without a basket

 

Gorilla Monsoon swings by the studio on his way to the party with the Macho Man, but manages to escape before Todd can make any bad jokes

 

Shawn Michaels v Tatanka: From the February 13 Superstars (taped January 25) in San Jose California. Shawn's WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line here. Michaels gets an armdrag out of the initial lockup, and he's feeling cocky. Headlock, but Tatanka whips him into the ropes to force a criss cross, so Shawn slaps him around. Michaels was the master of the cocky smirk. He makes Tatanka chases him, but keeps control, only to have a hiptoss blocked, and Tatanka returns the favor with a slap of his own. Clothesline sends Michaels over the top, and he's begging off now, no smirk. He suckers Tatanka into a cheap shot, but a wristlock gets reversed on him, and he loses a criss cross when Tatanka hits an inverted atomic drop for two. Pair of shoulderblocks gets two, but a charge gets sidestepped, and Tatanka goes flying over the top. Shawn drags him in for some right hands, and a snapmare sets up a trio of elbowdrops. Chinlock, but Tatanka slugs free, so Shawn throws a knee to put him back down for two. Standing dropkick and a snapmare end in Tatanka back in the chinlock, but he escapes again, and uses a sunset flip. Small package gets two, so Shawn takes him into the corner with a turnbuckle smash to try and cut the comeback off, but Tatanka starts no-selling. End of the Trail, but Shawn goes to the eyes to block. Superkick, but Tatanka dodges, so Shawn tries recovering with the Teardrop Suplex - only to have Tatanka counter to the End of the Trail at 7:31. This was about on par with the WrestleMania match quality wise (and maybe even better), especially since they didn't have as many botches and awkward exchanges as they did on the big stage. Another five minutes and this could have been something pretty great, and it's a shame that the rematch (where they got eighteen minutes to work with) failed to be just that. ** ¼

 

Back in the studio, Todd is doing another offensive voice, but gets distracted by Jerry Lawler passing through to go to the party

 

Gene Okerlund announces that Shawn will defend his title against Tatanka at WrestleMania, which is news so big that it distracts Todd from sexually harassing some poor production chick. That may be the only time in history a woman in the workplace was happy to see Gene Okerlund

 

Handicap Match: Giant Gonzalez v Louie Spicolli, Scott Bazo, and Dan Farren: Also from the February 13 Superstars. I like how the jobbers run in fear from him, despite the fact that he looks like he'd lose a footrace to a snail. They try to avoid the match, but Gonzalez drags them into the ring, and let the squashing begin! He hits Louie with a chokeslam, so all three jobbers run away like the midgets at Survivor Series '94, and it's a countout win for Giant at 1:12. This was definitely a better way to get him over than watching him eat loads of broccoli. DUD

 

Vince McMahon stops by to tease Todd about the party that he's still not invited to. I get that no one likes feeling left out, but honestly, how much could you possibly be missing at a party taking place at 10am on a Saturday morning?

 

Crush is on a beach on Hawaii, preparing for WrestleMania by crushing a pineapple. No wonder he didn't pick up the W

 

Todd starts wearing sunglasses, hoping to look cool enough to get an invite to this crazy pre-noon rager

 

Ted DiBiase v Brutus Beefcake: From the February 15 Monday Night RAW (taped February 1) in New York City. This is Beefcake's first match since 1990, and hopefully frequent opponent DiBiase can get something out of him. Brutus (who is noticeably pudgy, and muffin-topping out of his tights) is keen to strut instead of lockup, but that jerk DiBiase insists. Beefcake overpowers him, but takes a kneelift, and Ted unloads forearms. Whip into the ropes, but Brutus ducks a punch, and knocks DiBiase out to the floor with a pair of his own. Back inside, Beefcake hooks a standing side-headlock, and knocks Ted back out to the floor with more right hands when he tries to escape. In again, DiBiase goes for the face with a turnbuckle smash, but Beefcake reverses, and goes back to the headlock. That draws IRS out, and he whacks Brutus with his briefcase when Ted whips him into the ropes - drawing a disqualification at 4:26. He rolls in and quickly double-teams Beefcake with DiBiase - as manager Jimmy Hart pleads for them to stop. Instead, they send a message: DiBiase holding Beefcake for IRS to bash in the face with the metal briefcase. Brutus goes down like a ton of bricks (and does a bladejob off of it – the mat stained in his blood), but Money Inc think it's fucking hilarious. Jimmy Hart doesn’t, and berates Money Inc as he tries to help Beefcake – WWF Officials carrying him out. Match was all angle, but it was a good angle, and everyone played their parts well to get it over. DUD

 

Todd notes that Beefcake suffered a broken nose as a result of the attack on RAW. And you know it's serious because he doesn't even mention the stupid party once. Shit just got real

 

Typhoon v Ed Moretti: From San Jose California on January 25 1993. We're joined in progress here, since even two minutes of Typhoon is two minutes too much. I like it! Typhoon with a splash at 1:06 shown (of 2:28). I think we can safely call this one a DUD

 

Bobby Heenan swings by, and Todd is clearly new around here, because he actually thinks THIS GUY will get him in

 

Todd snoops around and finds the party, but the door is locked, and no one will let him in. Again, dude, it's 10am on a Saturday morning, and it's a party in what appears to be a janitors closest. I think you can safely sit this one out

 

BUExperience: Like Todd, you can safely sit this one out