WWF Mania (October 2, 1993)

 

Original Airdate: October 2, 1993 

Your Host is Todd Pettengill from the studio

We start with big news, as WWF President Jack Tunney announces that WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels has been suspended, and the title is now vacant

Randy Savage is hanging out on a baseball field, promising an interview with Lex Luger later. About baseball?

Undertaker v Steve Moore: From the September 26 Wrestling Challenge (taped September 1) in Saginaw Michigan. Moore is the future Al Snow, and I have no idea where the name came from. Undertaker with a tombstone at 2:23. DUD

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The Quebecers v 1-2-3 Kid and Barry Horowitz: From Monday Night RAW on September 27 in New Haven Connecticut. This was scheduled as Horowitz and Reno Riggins, but Reno 'has the flu,' and Barry introduces Kid as his replacement, to the amusement of Johnny Polo and the tag champions - complete with evil laugh. The Quebecers are still laughing as the bell sounds, and Jacques starts off with Kid. Kid uses his speed advantage to catch him with some kicks, so Pierre comes in - and right into a dropkick from Horowitz! The challengers clean house, but Kid takes a cheap shot from Pierre, and Jacques pounds him. Pierre tags in to just level poor Kid with a clothesline, and he adds a hard bodyslam - Kid bouncing off the mat. Jacques slams Pierre onto Kid, then adds a press slam onto him for two. Double-team stungun hits twice, but Kid dodges a 2nd rope bodypress from Jacques, and spinkicks him right out of the ring. Polo smells trouble and calls for a medic, so they wheel a stretcher out, but the referee rules that the match will continue two-on-one. Pierre holds his own, and bodyslams Horowitz as Jacques is wheeled out, and a legdrop off the middle rope gets two. Vertical suplex sets up a 2nd rope headbutt, and he hits another bodyslam. Tag to Kid, but Pierre smacks him around, and flapjacks him. Kid comes back with lightning kicks and an enzuigiri, but a spinheel kick is ducked, and Kid flies out over the top rope. Polo rolls him back in, and Pierre gets the pin to retain at 11:30. Hmm, weird, I thought for sure Jacques was going to pop off that stretcher the moment they announced that the match must continue (‘IT’S A MIRACLE, IT’S A MIRACLE!’), but we didn’t see him again for the rest of the match. I don’t think he was actually injured here (and he wrestled later in the taping, so likely he wasn’t) – that was just weird booking then. Whatever, I'm a sucker for these underdog matches, and this was no exception. Love, love, love The Quebecers and their endless array of double-teams! * ¾

Adam Bomb v Kevin Kruger: From Superstars on September 25 (taped August 31) in Grand Rapids Michigan. Even after all these years, it’s hard for me to believe that Johnny Polo and Raven are the same person. Adam with the powerbomb at 2:29. DUD

The WWF apologizes to the NFL for hurting their TV ratings on Monday nights. That’s right, nothing will ever beat the WWF on Monday nights 

Tatanka v Rick Martel: From the September 27 episode of RAW. Funny how we haven't seen Martel on TV in months, yet he goes right back to wrestling Tatanka for the thousandth time upon his return. Feeling out process to start, and Rick manages to get him down for a leglock. Tatanka escapes and tries a monkeyflip, but Martel cartwheels to dodge, and hooks an overhead wristlock. Tatanka counters into a standing-hammerlock, and hits an atomic drop before clotheslining Martel out of the ring. Rick stalls him out there, and lures him into a chase to launch an attack, but ends up getting rammed into the turnbuckles. Tatanka badly botches a bodypress off the middle rope (he slipped, which could happen to anyone, but they handled it badly, as Martel had to stand there like an idiot while Tatanka tried it again - which was meant to miss anyway), and Martel side suplexes him. Abdominal stretch, but Tatanka reverses, so Rick rakes the eyes, and side suplexes him again for two. Backbreaker sets up a slingshot splash, but Tatanka lifts his knees to block, though he can't capitalize, and Martel slams him. Reverse chinlock, but Tatanka powers out, and bodypresses him for two. Martel tries to retain the momentum with some turnbuckle smashes, but it's too late, Tatanka's JIGGING UP! Chops! Bodyslam! Flying Tomahawk Chop! - oh, but Martel dodges the End of the Trail, and tosses him over the top. He follows, and we have a double-countout at 12:30. Decent match before the non-committal ending, but that was to be expected given that Tatanka was still being pushed, and they had plans for Martel, and needed him strong for the rest of these tapings, at least. *

Ludvig Borga v Rod Bell: From Wrestling Challenge on September 26. Ross clarifies that Borga ‘doesn’t hate America… just American people.’ He then starts talking about The Fugitive in a way that sounds like he’s trying to advertise it. Borga with a torture rack at 3:06. DUD

Back at the random baseball field, Savage catches up with Lex Luger, and I’m loving Macho’s accent every time he says ‘Ludvig Borga.’ Lex doesn’t appreciate Borga’s comments about America, and he’s going to stand up for us all. Meanwhile, he felt SummerSlam was ‘a satisfying feeling,’ and a ‘springboard in his career.’ So, not winning the title, and transitioning into a feud with a non-champion instead is what we’re calling ‘springboarding’ now? Okay

Razor Ramon v Brian Costello: From Superstars on September 25. Transitioning from feuding with DiBiase (which he won clean, by the way), to feuding with his lackey feels like a huge step down for Ramon. It was really a lucky break for him that Shawn Michaels ended up leaving the promotion, opening the door for him to pick up the Intercontinental title. Razor’s Edge puts this away at 3:07. The sound sweetening was really out of control here. DUD

Back out on the baseball field, Macho hypes his entry into the Intercontinental title battle royal. He’ll be swinging for the fences on RAW

BUExperience: Some solid wrestling, but not the most entertaining of these episodes.