WWF Mania (August 7, 1993)

 

Original Airdate: August 7, 1993 

Your Hosts are Todd Pettengill and Randy Savage from the studio

Ted DiBiase v 1-2-3 Kid: From the August 1 episode of Wrestling Challenge (taped July 7) in Salisbury Maryland. Ted suckers him into a handshake, and DiBiase hammers. He plants a backelbow, then cross corner whips Kid, rattling the ring. Clothesline, but Kid ducks, and rebounds with a spinheel kick for two. A backslide gets another two, so DiBiase cuts him off, and delivers another corner whip. The charge in misses, however, and Kid dives with a flying moonsault press for two. A criss cross allows DiBiase to cream him with a hotshot, however, and Ted adds a piledriver for two - pulling Kid up. Ted with a vertical suplex, but he breaks his own pin at two again. A powerslam leads to the cobra clutch, but here’s Razor Ramon at ringside. That distracts Ted, and while he’s jawing at the Bad Guy, Kid is catching his breath. DiBiase decides to mock Ramon by casually laying across Kid in a pin attempt, but Kid flashes into a crucifix cradle at 3:35. This was short, but effectively booked, and well worked. *

Back in the studio, Todd is very excited about the new Global Warfare video from Coliseum, which apparently features Crush matches from all over the world! Yeah, I’d be excited, too. Savage then sneaks up on and startles him, prompting a funny exchange where Pettengill shouts “where did you come from?!” to which Macho casually replies “my mama”

From Monday Night RAW, Jim Cornette comes down (in his WWF debut), and before he can even get a word out, Bobby Heenan starts freaking out with excitement, and abandons the broadcast table to go personally welcome him to the WWF. He gets Cornette heat right away by establishing that he's someone Heenan admires, and as he represents Smoky Mountain Wrestling, he's here on behalf of The Heavenly Bodies to accept The Steiner Brothers' open challenge for a tag title match at SummerSlam. He also sweats profusely. Not a bad segment, but this might have worked a bit better had they done it in SMW territory - upstate New York is a long way from Tennessee. Heenan and Cornette interacting feels so odd, like a crazy TV crossover 

Mr. Perfect v Barry Hardy: From RAW on August 2 (taped July 25) in Alexandria Bay New York. Cornette joins McMahon and Heenan on commentary for this one. Hardy manages a hiptoss right away, but gets cocky, and Perfect headlocks him, then hits a shoulderblock. Dropkick and a side suplex hit, and Perfect tears his tights to expose the chest for some chops. Somersault necksnap, and the Perfect-Plex finishes things at a brisk 2:40. Here's what bugs me: we're only weeks from SummerSlam, and they couldn't find something better for Perfect to do ahead of his title match with Shawn Michaels? Forget how that feud disappointed in the ring at SummerSlam, the big problem with it was how hot it started in the spring, but then Shawn got busy feuding with Crush and Marty Jannetty, and by the time he got around to defending against Perfect, the angle had cooled significantly - with little/no support from the WWF. DUD

Bastion Booger v Scott Vito: From the August 1 episode of Challenge. Booger quickly wraps this up with a sitdown splash at 1:06. DUD 

Gene Okerlund is in the studio for the SummerSlam Report

This week’s Mania Trivia question: who were the Mega Powers at SummerSlam 1988?

Savage is in the archives, putting together a compilation of SummerSlam highlights. Also known as: my dream job

Mr. Hughes v Jason Headings: From Superstars on July 31 (taped July 6) in Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania. Some kid gives us some great unintentional comedy with the perplexed look he gives Hughes. As I noted last week, this building looks good, but they need much smaller overhead banners, because the regular ones look almost comically oversized. Hughes works him over, as another wreath is delivered to ringside as a taunt from Undertaker. Hughes with a scrapbuster at 1:43. Hughes looked energetic out there. ¼*

From Challenge, as Jerry Lawler hosts the King’s Court, with guest Undertaker. Jerry thinks he can play the tough guy because Undertaker doesn’t have his urn, but Undertaker isn’t playing that shit. Undertaker uses this platform to warn Mr. Hughes: return the urn, and it will all be over quickly. But, if Undertaker has to come looking for him, he’ll suffer  

Adam Bomb v Tony Roy: From RAW on August 2. I liked Adam Bomb, but Johnny Polo was just such a weird choice as a manager for the character. He fit the Quebecers perfectly, but he looked way too goofy for anyone to take Bomb seriously with him in the corner. Roy begs to differ, however, as Bomb destroys him with power stuff, and finishes with the Atom Smasher at 2:18. DUD

The Lex Express continues to criss cross America 

Men on a Mission v Brooklyn Brawler and Brian Costello: From Superstars on July 31. Lawler cuts a great promo on Bret Hart here, as this feud continues to be the best thing going on in the promotion at the moment. It’s too bad they didn’t get around to the proper payoff when Lawler had to pull out of Survivor Series. Mabel with a spinheel kick at 2:10. That one almost looked like he busted out a koppou kick, but don’t get confused and/or impressed: it was just a poorly executed spinheel. DUD

Back in the studio, Macho unveils his pick for the best SummerSlam match of all time: Mr. Perfect v Bret Hart from 1991. Obviously, they were limited to choices with guys currently in the company, so we’re lucky Perfect is still around, or else he might have had to sell us on some Bushwhackers match with a straight face

BUExperience: Savage and Pettengill have incredible energy and chemistry together. These are a breeze to watch.