WWF Mania (June 19, 1993)

Original Airdate: June 19, 1993 

Your Host is Todd Pettengill in the studio

Todd opens by recapping King of the Ring, announcing that Yokozuna has defeated Hulk Hogan to win the WWF Title, and that Bret Hart has won the tournament

Jim Ross is aboard the USS Intrepid with a report on Mr. Fuji’s promise that Yokozuna would celebrate his new title at an American landmark on July 4th, and apparently it will take place on this aircraft carrier, and will include a bodyslam open challenge to any American athlete to attempt to slam Yokozuna. “Even Hulk Hogan couldn’t do it,” Jim is quick to note

The Headshrinkers v Bob Backlund and Tito Santana: From Sydney Nova Scotia Canada on May 25 1993. Gorilla is already inflating Yokozuna’s weight to 600 pounds, in between shots at Hogan. Fatu starts with Tito, and takes a bodypress for two right away. Tito armbars him for a bit before tagging out, but Samu tags in before Bob can get hold of Fatu. Bob schools Samu, but gets trapped in the wrong corner, and clobbered. Bob manages to slip away long enough to tag, and they work Fatu’s arm, as the announcers go over the back-and-forth tag title switches between Money Inc and the Steiner Brothers over the last week. Backlund ends up getting clobbered again, and this time the Headshrinkers take control. They work him over, until Bob slips away from Samu long enough for the tag. Tito nails Samu with the jumping forearm, but Fatu saves at two, and makes an illegal switch. That allows Fatu a superkick for the pin at 6:21. Afterwards, the Steiner Brothers come out to alert the official of the illegal switch like a couple of snitches, and the referee awards the bout to Backlund and Santana by DQ. ¼*

Todd goes over the tag title situation, which stands at Money Inc as the current champions - though the Steiner’s would win the gold back later that same day

King of the Ring Encore ad

Men on a Mission vignette. Complete with Todd rapping an introduction. Shut it down, nothing’s topping that today

This past Monday on Monday Night RAW, Vince McMahon brought Razor Ramon out for an in-ring interview, and the Bad Guy has got an entire bag full of cash for the 1-2-3 Kid ($10,000 worth) if he accepts the challenge for a re-match

Todd notes that Kid has accepted Ramon’s challenge, and the match will take place this Monday on RAW

USS Intrepid Bodyslam Challenge ad

Marty Jannetty v Doink the Clown: From Monday Night RAW, June 14 1993 (taped June 7) in New York City. Doink refuses to allow Marty into the ring, so they brawl on the floor to start, and inside, Doink chops him. Marty dodges a cross corner charge and hits a sloppy 2nd rope bulldog for two, then armdrags the clown into an armbar. Criss cross ends in Doink leveling him with a shoulderblock, but Marty blocks a turnbuckle smash, and sweeps Doink for two. Back to the armbar, but Doink manages to toss him out to the floor to break the hold, so Marty comes in with a flying bodypress for two. Doink reverses an Irish whip into a powerslam, and he slaps on a crossface chickenwing to ground Jannetty. Side suplex, and Doink hooks an armbar of his own, then stomps the shoulder of the prone Jannetty. Bodyslam sets up the Whoopee Cushion for two, and he gets sadistic with a hangman's neckbreaker submission. 2nd rope axehandle, and Doink fires off a couple more boots to the shoulder, but gets slammed when he tries to go back to the top. Jumping backelbow and a dropkick set up a suplex for two, followed by a clothesline for two. Facebuster is worth two, but a bodyblock ends up sending both men tumbling out over the top, and it's a double countout at 10:50. Good stuff, right up until the ending. **

Todd announces that Doink and Marty will meet again this Monday in a ⅔ Falls Match

King of the Ring Encore ad

Lex Luger v Mike Davis: From Wrestling Challenge on June 13 1993 (taped May 25) in Sydney Nova Scotia Canada. Monsoon is very excited about 1-2-3 Kid taking Razor up on his challenge, but wonders why Luger needs to use the metal plate, since he’s such a great athlete without it. “Must have been something from his childhood,” posits Ross. Lex with the forearm smash at 1:50. Gorilla notes that it’s ‘just a matter of time’ until Lex has some gold around his waist, which you’d think would be the one thing he’d be absolutely right about in the pile of all the B.S. he spouts, yet Luger would never win any title in his entire two and a half year+ WWF run. DUD

Randy Savage brings Sensational Sherri out for an in-ring interview, taped May 31 1993 in New York City. Sherri challenges Luna Vachon to a ‘catfight,’ in between shredding her vocal chords. She also seems to be making a play at getting Savage back, which actually would have been pretty cool. I’ve been appreciating that pairing more and more every time I’ve seen them together recently, though I’m not sure it would have translated as a babyface act

We take a look back to the June 12 episode of Superstars, where Harvey Wippleman lead Giant Gonzalez and Mr. Hughes out to attack Undertaker and Paul Bearer, and steal Undertaker’s urn

BUExperience: Decent episode this week, as Todd continues to do a good job of playing ringmaster to all the going ons in the promotion.