WWF Mania (June 26, 1993)

Original Airdate: June 26, 1993

Your Host is Todd Pettengill in the studio

Razor Ramon v 1-2-3 Kid: From Monday Night RAW, June 21 in Poughkeepsie New York. Razor's got the $10,000 he's offering the Kid for this match in a sack, set on the apron like Damian. Kid is less than eager to jump in, and stalls, but catches an incoming Razor with a turnbuckle smash, and a flying sunset flip for two. Kid with a spinheel kick for two, and lightning kicks sets up a bodypress, but Ramon catches him in a blockbuster. Now it's punishment time, and Razor gets his monies worth - smacking the Kid around like a prison bitch. He folds him up like an accordion with a chokeslam, and slaps on an abdominal stretch - not even trying to the submission, but rather just toying with the Kid. Running powerslam and a side superplex, but Razor's still not ready to cover, and calls for the Razors Edge. But, no no. Kid doesn't get off that easy. Razor tosses him out to the floor, and pulls up the mats to give it to him on the exposed concrete instead - only for Kid to backdrop out! Kid goes to the top for a dive, but gets overexcited, and slips - landing face first on the exposed concrete (his head BOUNCING) in a horrifying botch. Vince: 'well, a gallant effort by the 1-2-3 Kid.' What compassion! Razor rolls him in (after checking to make sure he's not, like, dead), but Kid still manages to dodge a blind charge, and hit a flying moonsault - but it only gets two this time. Kid decides 'fuck it,' and grabs the sack with the $10,000, and makes a run for it - Ramon on his tail right out into the streets for a double countout at 5:15. Kid’s selling carried this, but holy shit, that botch was just terrifying to watch. Even having seen it dozens of times over the years, I still can’t believe he was okay. ¾*

Back in the studio, Todd mocks Ramon, doing an impression of Razor calling the police to report a theft. Todd’s Razor Ramon impression leaves… a lot to be desired 

Lex Luger v Owen Hart: From Columbus Ohio on June 14. This is pretty much the last days on Luger's heel run as the Narcissist here. Feeling out process to start, with Owen controlling a reversal sequence. He frustrates Luger into charging, but is ready with a drop-toehold down into an armbar, which he hangs onto for a while. Lex gets the ropes to escape, so Owen tries a sleeper, but Luger falls into the corner to escape. Corner whip hits, but a charge doesn't, and Owen bulldogs him for two. Backdrop and a spinheel kick set up a flying bodypress for two, and a standing dropkick follows. Owen keeps hammering in the corner, but Luger exposes his loaded forearm, and blasts Hart with it for the pin at 4:39. Nothing to write mama about. ¾*

Todd explains the complexity that is the Stars and Stripes Challenge. It’s trying to lift a fat guy, not exactly rocket surgery

But, apparently it is! Because we follow that with a segment titled ‘The Art of the Bodyslam,’ which basically breaks down how a bodyslam works

Papa Shango v Tony Roy: From Wrestling Challenge on June 20 (taped May 25) in Sydney Nova Scotia Canada. For some reason, we’re getting redone commentary with Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Ross instead of whatever was on here originally. Papa with the inverted shoulderbreaker at 1:28. DUD

Back in the studio Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan get into a shouting match

The Steiner Brothers v Reno Riggins and Barry Hardy: From the June 21 RAW. The Steiners had just picked up the belts from Money Inc for the first time a few days prior at a house show, but were already two time champions, as they did a quickie back-and-forth house show switch with DiBiase and IRS between then and this. This is non-title, though. Scott Steiner starts with Riggins, and nearly tears his arm out of the socket with an armdrag. Scott shoots at the leg to take Riggins down into a spinning-toehold, but Reno makes the ropes. Scott responds with a head-and-arm suplex, and poor Riggins is keen to tag out. Hardy doesn't have much better luck, and catches an inverted atomic drop from Rick Steiner. Rick dumps him into the corner with an inverted powerslam, and tags back to Scott for an overhead suplex, but Scotty is sick of Hardy, and forces a tag to Riggins. He takes a belly-to-belly suplex right away, and Scott nearly breaks his neck with a Frankensteiner to finish at 3:51. You'd think, given that the Steiner's had just won the tag title for the first time, that this would have been a bit more lively, but you'd be wrong. DUD

Various professional athletes cut promos on WWF Champion Yokozuna ahead of the Stars and Stripes Challenge

Todd moves on from Razor Ramon to an Oscar from Men on a Mission impression. And it’s a definite step up! From the very bottom, but still!

Men on a Mission vignette

Adam Bomb v Jerry Seavey: From the June 19 episode of Superstars (taped May 24) in Halifax Nova Scotia Canada. Vince is very, very excited about Men on a Mission. So much so that he can’t remember the word ‘reactor.’ How did Johnny Polo end up in the WWF as a manager anyway? He was a worker in WCW, the WWF roster was thinning during this period, why in the world did they bring him in as a mouthpiece? Adam with a powerbomb at 2:16. Adam was showing some fire this week. He was never going to be a top level worker, but the guy had real presence, and some eye popping spots. He should have been a much bigger deal than he was. ¼*

Stars and Stripes Challenge ad. It’s kind of weird how hard they’re pushing it, considering it didn’t air on TV 

Ross and Heenan come back into the studio, with Heenan throwing leftover food at Todd. What a fitting ending for this episode

BUExperience: I like how effortless this show feels. I realize that sounds like a negative comment. It’s not.