WWF Mania (March 20, 1993)

Original Airdate: March 20, 1993
 
Your Host is Todd Pettengill in the studio

Lex Luger v Tito Santana: From Augusta Georgia on March 9 1993. 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

Gene Okerlund is in the studio with the WrestleMania IX Report. With just two weeks to go, the card is pretty much fully formed at this point, and they’re not even pretending that the Hogan match isn’t the real main event. I mean, I get it, Hulk’s the biggest star in history, and his comeback is a big deal, but Bret’s your world champion. If you want to make Hulk the focus so badly, just put the belt on… oh, wait…

Poor Todd is super embarrassed after Gene implied that he wears diapers (and then cackled to himself in increasingly obnoxious fashion for a full thirty seconds). I think we were all embarrassed there, Toddster

Kamala v Tim Patterson: From Wrestling Challenge on March 14 1993 (taped February 16) in San Diego California. Kamala’s face turn continues to drive the crowd mild. I get what they were going for, but man, it wasn’t connecting, like, at all. But at least he was doing it pretty far down the card, as opposed to WCW bringing him in as a near main event level talent a couple of years later. Kamala with a splash at 3:11. He may not be getting over, but the crowd is playing along with the ‘roll him over’ bit for the finish, at least. And, really, that bit was designed for a babyface from the start, and never made sense for a heel character. DUD

The Nasty Boys v The Headshrinkers: From Monday Night RAW on March 15 1993 in Poughkeepsie New York. Brian Knobbs starts with Samu, and quickly ends up in the corner for a clothesline. Another one, but Knobbs dodges, and hits two of his own. Tag to Jerry Sags for a double-team backdrop for two, and back to Knobbs for a single-arm DDT. The Nasties take turns working Fatu's arm, but Sags walks into a superkick, and the Headshrinkers work him over. Samu goes for the kill with a flying headbutt, but Sags rolls out of the way, and gets the tag. Knobbs is an outhouse of fire, and the action quickly spills to the outside during the four-way brawl. They fight over to a prop concession stand (you know... the kind set up where fans aren't allowed to go), and it turns into a food fight brawl (with Samu getting covered in mustard and taking a crazy chair shot) for a double-countout at 8:26. Not a technical masterpiece by any means, but fun, didn't overstay its welcome, and the crowd was super hot for it. *

Back in the studio, the crew wants to recreate the food fight with Todd as their target, but he pulls in his stunt double to take the bump for him

WWF Superstars are not only great wrestlers, they’re charitable, too! Honestly, I don’t think making people watch the Nasty Boys is what I’d consider charitable. This clip outs Vince McMahon as the President and CEO who presided over all these great acts of charity, just in case you weren’t sure how to vote if you end up in his jury pool

Yokozuna v Casey Cleric: From the March 13 1993 Superstars (taped February 15) in Long Beach California. The announcers note that Mr. Fuji has never managed a WWF Champion before. Yeah, he really lucked out during this period by being the only Japanese guy. And even then, he ended up having to share the glory with Jim Cornette. Banzai Drop finishes at 1:53. Yoko was slowing down already by this point, and he hadn’t even won the title yet. Afterwards, Raymond Rougeau comes in to chat, noting that Cleric is not Bret Hart, as if anyone might be confused. And he thinks Yokozuna had better respect Bret Hart, which Yoko responds to by beating up Cleric again. Dude, Ray JUST SAID that he isn’t Bret Hart! Were you not listening? I also love how casually Rougeau protests Yokozuna’s attack, just kind of halfheartedly asking Fuji to stop it, while standing there like he’s in line at a pancake breakfast. DUD

Todd invades the Control Center, and hey, is that George of George & Adam fame?

BUExperience: Saturday Morning All-Star Hits ain’t got nothing on this!