WWF Mania (January 1, 1994)

Original Airdate: January 1, 1994

Your Hosts are Todd Pettengill and Randy Savage in the studio

Marty Jannetty v Johnny Polo: From Monday Night RAW on December 27 1993 (taped December 13) in Poughkeepsie New York. Polo's still got the Scotty Flamingo tights here, only he covers the lower half over with polo pants. Nice. They trade wristlocks to start, and Johnny takes him down with a hiptoss. Headlock reversed by Marty to trigger a criss cross - won by Polo with an armdrag. Another headlock, but Jannetty rams him into the corner, and hits a slingshot when Johnny tries to bail. Atomic drop and a side suplex get two, and Marty slaps on an armbar. Sunset flip gets two, but a bodypress is ducked, and Marty goes flying out to the floor. Johnny follows with a plancha, but Marty catches him with a slingshot bodypress on the way back in for two. Polo snapmares him into a chinlock to keep control, but Marty powers up, and both guys try a bodypress - crashing into each other for a double-knockout. Johnny is up first, but gets rammed into the corner, and caught with a jumping backelbow. Facebuster sets up a flying fistdrop, but Polo blocks with a superplex - blocked again by Marty with a flying bodypress for two. Schoolboy for two, and a dropkick knocks Johnny out to the floor. Pierre leaves the commentary table to help him back in, but Marty is on them both with a baseball slide. Inside, Jannetty hits a superkick, but Pierre pulls Polo out as Marty goes to the top to finish. Jannetty responds by diving onto Pierre, and goes back after Polo with a slingshot sunset flip, but Pierre helps his manager through a counter for the pin at 8:22. As a result, Pierre gets ejected from the building, but I'd say too little too late there. Good little match here, as both guys were game to work together, keeping it both fast paced and entertaining. ** ½

From Augusta Maine on December 15 1993, Howard Finkel plays podium interviewer, bringing Crush and Mr. Fuji out to talk about Randy Savage having been confirmed as an entry in the Royal Rumble match alongside Crush. Hearing Finkel’s voice asking questions is supremely odd

Back in the studio, Savage finally shows up with the party hats for the New Years party, and he’s really going to town on a kazoo. He kazoo’d right over the Crush interview, unfortunately, so Todd helpfully replays it for him

Men on a Mission v Iron Mike Sharpe and Mike Bell: From the December 25 1993 episode of Superstars (taped December 1) in Utica New York. Men on a Mission with a combo at 2:48. DUD

Royal Rumble ad

In his workshop, Undertaker continues to build the double deep, double wide casket for Yokozuna. These vignettes were really nicely done for the period

Jeff Jarrett v Scott Taylor: From the December 26 1993 episode of Wrestling Challenge (taped November 30) in Springfield Massachusetts. This is joined in progress with Taylor in control, but Jeff fights him off, and delivers a DDT at 1:50 shown. How much of this could possibly have been cut out? Afterwards, Jarrett tells the crowd that he ‘knows they want to hear (him) sing, and knows they want to hear (him) dance,’ and Gorilla Monsoon dives right on that one, of course. ¼*

Back in the studio, Todd and Randy run down the announced entrants for the Rumble match

Lex Luger v Barry Horowitz: From the December 27 RAW. Lex controls with a hammerlock early, so Horowitz goes for the ropes, and stalls. Luger with a wristlock, and he whips Horowitz into the corner, then schoolboys him for two. Barry pokes the eyes and hits a chincrusher, and shoves him into the corner for a bootchoke. You go, Barry! Headbutt, but Barry wastes too much time showboating, and gets clotheslined. Powerslam from Luger, and a superplex finishes at 4:22. What, was his bionic forearm broken, or something? Fun competitive squash. ½*

Bret Hart does a PSA against drunk driving

Shawn Michaels v Phil Apollo: From the December 25 Superstars. Shawn is still carting around that bogus Intercontinental title here. We’re at the end of 1993, and Michaels still hasn’t switched to the hearts from the cow splotches yet. He definitely had them by WrestleMania, so the switch must be coming soon. Shawn with a flying twisting fistdrop at 2:58. I think that may be the only time Michaels used a flying fistdrop in his post-Rockers run. ¼* 

Kwang vignette

Back in the studio, detectives Pettengill and Savage present their findings in the saga of Razor Ramon’s stolen gold. Back and to the left. Back and to the left

Razor Ramon v Derek Domino: From the December 27 RAW. Best. Jobber Name. Ever. For a finisher, he brings opponents to their knees? Domino tries a wristlock, but Ramon quickly escapes, and Domino botches taking a hiptoss. Razor gets annoyed and gives him a blockbuster superplex, and slaps on an STF. Abdominal stretch and a side superplex, before Razor puts him out of his misery with the Razor’s Edge at 3:50. Okay, so he had the greatest name ever, but he wasn't very good in the ring, unfortunately. ¼*

Royal Rumble ad

Randy Savage lists off his Crush themed new years resolutions. Meanwhile, Todd hopes to have a chance to be Randy’s tag partner sometime in 1994. I’m surprised they never tried that, seemed like a Vince thing

BUExperience: This show is nostalgia in a bowl.