WWF Sunday Night Slam (June 25, 1995)

 

Original Airdate: June 25, 1995

Your Hosts are Todd Pettengill and Stephanie Wiand from inside the CoreStates Spectrum in Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Todd opens things up outside, where fans have gathered around the Rocky Balboa statue. He also announces that, due to Razor Ramon’s injury, he’s out of the tournament, and there will be a last minute King of the Ring qualifying match right here. Shouldn’t Jacob Blu just have gotten the spot, then? I mean, obviously I get why they didn’t, you know, do that… but they don’t even give some bullshit reasoning

Inside, Stephanie runs down the brackets 

Bret Hart/Jerry Lawler feud review video

Backstage, Stephanie catches up with Lawler, whose feet are in full disgust mode

Todd heads into the building, running the steps while humming the Rocky theme

Bruce Prichard is in the crowd advertising official King of the Ring merchandise. If you close your eyes you can almost hear him pushing BlueChew

Diesel/Bam Bam Bigelow v Sycho Sid/Tatanka hype video. This has to be one of the lamest main events they ever promoted 

King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: Irwin R. Schyster v Savio Vega: Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix are out to do commentary for this. Savio has Razor in his corner here, to endorse the switch. Savio with a small package for two, and a cradle for another two right away, so IRS corner whip him. Charge in, but Vega dodges, and schoolboys for two. That allows Savio to put on a mat-based side-headlock, but Schyster fights into some pin attempts before escaping. Vega with a hiptoss and a dropkick for two, and he gets the headlock back on. IRS escapes, and delivers a bodyslam to set up a dive, but Savio gets a boot up to block. That allows Vega to throw a series of rights, and he whips Schyster into the ropes for a backelbow. A vertical suplex gets Savio two, but Schyster bails to dodge a big boot. Dok is all about stalling as a strategy, shockingly. Vega drags him back in, and quickly finishes with a spinheel kick at 3:54. Todd is out right away, congratulating Savio, but reminding him that he has to get through Yokozuna in just a few minutes. ¾* (Original rating: ½*)

Backstage, Stan Lane is manning the Superstar Line, with last year’s King of the Ring Owen Hart on to offer expert analysis 

Todd brings Shawn Michaels out to do some hard selling. I was certain he was winning this thing back in 1995, and while I understand why they wanted to make a new heel star for Diesel to fight (you always need top monster challengers for your babyface territory champion to slay), I still wish they would have gone with Shawn here

King of the Ring ad

BUExperience: I can never get enough of these.