WWF Mania (July 24, 1993)

Original Airdate: July 24, 1993

Your Hosts are Todd Pettengill and Randy Savage from the studio. This week, Todd is very, very, extremely excited about WrestleMania: The Album. Coming to Kmart! 

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The Steiner Brothers v Money Inc: From Superstars on July 17 1993 (taped June 15) in Huntington West Virginia. This is a pretty huge match for this show, actually! When was the last time we saw a title defended on Superstars? Scott Steiner and Irwin R Schyster start, and they feel each other out. Scott dominates, but IRS catches him with a leg-feed enzuigiri to turn the tide. Irish whip, but Scott reverses, and delivers a powerslam, so Irwin bails. Tag to Ted DiBiase, and he tries a wristlock, but Scott reverses. Ted counters to a standing headlock, but Scott forces a criss cross, and nails him with a dropkick for two. Tag to Rick Steiner, and he takes DiBiase to the mat in a side-headlock of his own. Ted forces a criss cross, but Rick catches him with a belly-to-belly suplex for two, and the champs take turns working DiBiase’s arm. DiBiase manages to catch Scott with a knee to allow the tag out, but Irwin immediately misses an elbowdrop, and the Brothers start working his arm to pick up where they left off. Criss cross sees IRS bail, so Scott drags him back in by the necktie, and he snaps his throat across the top rope for one. A cheap shot from DiBiase allows IRS to dump Scott to the outside, however, and Ted is right there to send Scott into the steps! Inside, the challengers take control, and they go to work cutting the ring in half on Scott. Scott manages to fight Ted off with a vertical suplex, but IRS cuts off the tag. Scott tries a sunset flip on Irwin, but DiBiase is right there with a distraction, delaying the referee from counting. That allows Irwin to keep Scott cut off with a chinlock, but Scott fights to a vertical base, and forces a criss cross - ending in both guys colliding for a double knockout. Both men tag, and Rick comes in hot, Roseanne Barr the door! DiBiase tries a piledriver on Rick, but Scott dives off the middle to save, and Rick covers for two. Powerslam follows, and Scott tags back in to drop DiBiase with the Frankensteiner. Cover, but IRS blasts him with the briefcase to save, and puts DiBiase on top. Cover, count, and we have new champions at 16:07. The referee is ready to award the belts to Money Inc, but another official runs out, and informs him of the cheating, resulting in a reversed decision - the Brothers winning by DQ. Weak finish aside, this was a good match, getting plenty of time to tell an interesting story, and keeping a good pace. Afterwards, Money Inc is refusing to leave the ring, so Boni Blackstone comes out to see what their beef is, and they want a rematch next week. Boni is not holding that microphone up high enough for someone so short, causing both guys to hunch down in a pretty comical looking way. Just hold it up, Boni! Do your best Statue of Liberty impression! ***

Doink the Clown v Ken Hamilton: From the July 18 1993 (taped June 14) episode of Wrestling Challenge in Columbus Ohio. This version of Doink was so incredibly creepy and interesting, and it’s a shame it didn’t last longer than it did. Doink casually dismantles Hamilton, before finishing with the Whoopie Cushion at 2:45. DUD

Gene Okerlund is in the studio with the SummerSlam Report. The WWF was incredible with the pay per view show theme songs in this era. Just hearing those little snippets makes me want to fire up the show and watch it right now

Todd finds Savage in the Control Center, watching videos of himself, while talking to… himself, like Howard Hughes

From the July 19 1993 episode of Monday Night RAW in New York City, Vince McMahon brings Money Inc out for an in-ring interview. They pick up an angle from a couple of weeks back, again taunting Razor Ramon for losing to the 1-2-3 Kid. DiBiase, kind hearted man that he is, offers Ramon a job as a pool cleaner to help him recoup his $10,000 loss. Though, really, Ramon's character was that of a Scarface-like drug dealer. I doubt ten grand meant all that much to him. Anyway, Razor comes down to reject their offer in person, and of course it ends up in a brawl to cement Ramon's face turn

1-2-3 Kid v Chris Duffy: Also from the July 19 RAW. Kid catches him with a quick takedown for two, as Money Inc come back down - looking to get their hands on Kid to show Ramon what a jobber he really is. Meanwhile, Kid unloads lightning kicks on the actual jobber, but gets hiptossed as Razor Ramon makes his way out to keep on eye on DiBiase and IRS. Kid comes back with a sliding legdrop, but misses a blind charge, and gets shoulderblocked. Kid returns fire with a spinheel kick, and a dropkick sets up a flying legdrop at 2:10. Afterwards, Kid notices Money Inc and Razor hanging out, and opts to leave through the crowd. Guess he didn't get the memo on Ramon's face turn there. Fun quickie with an angle in the background. ¼*

Todd updates us on the Lex Express Call to Action tour, complete with clips of Lex Luger looking disinterested in various towns

From the July 18 episode of Wrestling Challenge, it’s the King’s Court, with guest Owen Hart. Owen has his classic theme at this point, which I didn’t realize he’d started to use prior to the heel turn. Anyway, it’s the usual great Jerry Lawler bit, with him taking shots at the Hart family, feeling confident since Owen has promised them that he won’t touch Lawler. So, the King pokes and pokes and pokes, but Owen doesn’t take the bait - instead challenging Jerry to a match on next week’s show

Mr. Hughes v Sonny Rogers: From the July 17 Superstars. Rogers looks like the type of guy who sells vitamins and supplements out of the trunk of his car. Meanwhile, a wreath is delivered to ringside as a taunt to Hughes, who is still walking around with Undertaker’s urn at this point. Hughes with a scrapbuster at 1:34. DUD

Merchandise Catalog ad

Back in the Control Center, Savage is directing like David O Russell 

SummerSlam Jam music video

BUExperience: The tag title match is good stuff, everything else felt pretty skippable this week.