WWF Mania (January 22, 1994)

Original Airdate: January 22, 1994

Your Host is Todd Pettengill at the Providence Civic Center in Providence Rhode Island, ahead of tonight’s Royal Rumble. Specifically outside of it, in what looks like miserably cold weather 

Lex Luger music video to open things up. Going right from zero to midnight I see

Handicap Match: Yokozuna v Scott Taylor and Bert Centeno: From the January 8 episode of Superstars (taped December 14) in Lowell Massachusetts. Kind of odd that they're jumping back two weeks, usually they don't go back beyond the last aired episode. Yoko’s WWF Title is not on the line here. Fuji splits screens to gloat about his two designated hitters for the Rumble, as Lane fantasizes about a Yokozuna/Andre the Giant match. Okay, but only if it’s 1995 Yoko v 1989 Andre, just so we can get a textbook definition of a negative five-star match. Yokozuna stacks them up for a double banzai drop at 2:51. Yoko looked to be having fun out there, if nothing else. Afterwards, Undertaker appears on the video wall to show off his casket, and give him his due, Yokozuna is incredible at selling his terror here. ¼*

Luckily for Todd, they actually let him host the rest of the show from inside the building, so no need to unionize, relax

Raymond Rougeau brings Randy Savage out for an interview (taped December 14 1993 in Lowell), and as usual during this period, he’s doing a brilliant job playing the old gunslinger who still has something to prove. His character became a lot less interesting once he jumped to WCW

From the October 18 1993 episode of Monday Night RAW in Poughkeepsie New York, Bobby Heenan brings Crush out to the ring to host the Savage/Crush Summit! Crush brings Mr. Fuji with him, and starts tearing into Savage with accusations that Randy set him up to get injured by Yokozuna, and waited way too long to save him from further damage. Instead, he sat at the commentary table while Crush took Banzai Drop after Banzai Drop. Guy actually has a point, but the fans are behind Savage all the way with this. Putting Crush with Fuji right away was a smart move, because otherwise, people might have actually started cheering him. Anyway, Randy doesn't apologize or admit fault, but says he's willing to shake Crush's hand, and move on. After some consideration, Crush shakes his hand (to a huge pop), but of course, Crush blasts him with a clothesline as they walk out together, and delivers a beat down - even dropping Savage across the railing. Jim Cornette quickly leads Yokozuna down (well, as quickly as Yoko moves, anyway), and it's Banzai Drop time for Savage! This was a great, long segment, with both Savage and Crush playing their roles perfectly, and Heenan, Yoko, and Fuji providing great support - the crowd buying it all, big time

Back in the arena, Randy Savage makes an entrance (complete with music), and it’s really odd seeing him do his usual routine in an empty building. He must have had WCW in mind already

Stan Lane is in the Royal Rumble drawing room, where Bret Hart and Owen Hart pull their numbers. Both play their parts perfectly, especially Owen getting a little bratty when he doesn’t like his number (which ended up being #5)

Video review of the Hart brothers storyline since Survivor Series, including the announcement that the Quebecers have won the WWF Tag Team title back from Marty Jannetty and 1-2-3 Kid, so the Harts are getting a title shot tonight

Todd announces another change, as Ludvig Borga has gotten injured, so Bam Bam Bigelow is taking his place against Tatanka at the Rumble, which Savage quickly helps get over by reminding us of their issue from a few months back. I know he was miserable in the role, but I can see why management wanted Randy doing it, he was a great hype guy. Not the best commentator, but like Pettengill, he could make pretty much anything sound interesting

Back in the drawing room, Bastion Booger pulls #28, but because he announces it, President Jack Tunney makes him draw again. That one ended up going to Fatu, though Booger ended up with #25, so it wasn’t such a big loss. But then, he ended up no showing the match altogether, so the whole thing was moot

Back in the arena, Todd and Randy talk to Steve Taylor, who is in charge of building the set. I love stuff like that, but there isn’t much to this particular one. I did see a great one on Youtube a while back that had an extensive look on how they used to do this in the 80s and 90s, and it was fascinating 

Todd goes out to the production truck to harass those poor people who are just trying to do their jobs and feed their families. I’m starting to think everyone else needs to unionize just to put a governor on Todd

Video review of Lex Luger’s road to the Rumble, starting with the bodyslam on July 4

Back in the truck, Todd tries making Kerwin White and Kevin Dunn get him coffee

In the arena, Todd and Randy check out the ring, which is starting to go up

In the drawing room, as Doink the Clown and Men on a Mission draw, who all seem pretty happy with their numbers

Out in the arena, Todd asks Randy what he’ll do if it gets down to him and Lex Luger tonight, and Savage is quick to let him know that it would be a sad night for Lex

From the January 15 Superstars Raymond Rougeau is in the heel locker room trying to get an interview with Shawn Michaels, but all the other heels take exception, and throw their two cents in as well. This was a different and efficient way of getting a bunch of pre-Rumble sound bites in

Video review of the Yokozuna/Undertaker feud

Back in the arena, Vince McMahon shows up to help Todd and Randy with some OSHA violations

BUExperience: Not much in the way of actual wrestling, but I’m a total sucker for these hype shows, so it worked for me.