Original Airdate: Sunday, March 28th, 1993
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Follow me on Twitter: @WorkTheNetwork2
We instantly get the classic WrestleMania theme song, so bonus points already. We then get a highlight package of the contract signing between Bret Hart and Yokozuna. Yokozuna pushed the table into Bret and then hit him with the Banzai Drop.
Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan now introduce us to the show just one week before unquestionably the greatest WrestleMania of all time. Fingers crossed.
Yokozuna vs. Randy Savage
Man, do I miss the days where the announcers are driving home the fact that Yokozuna is taking on someone like Savage so close to WrestleMania. This was taped three weeks before it aired. I know it has been said that Savage had wanted to slow down and work in the office and announce, but imagine having Savage on your roster and not having him wrestle at WrestleMania. Especially when your roster is the worst it has been in years and possibly ever. Keep in mind he won the WWF Championship just one year prior at WrestleMania VIII. Yokozuna gets the early advantage, but Savage fights back with some right hands. However, all it takes is one blow from Yoko and Savage is down. Yokozuna hits the big leg drop, but misses the splash in the corner. Savage goes up top and hits the double ax handle. He goes up again, but this time Mr. Fuji uses the Japanese flag to push Savage off. Yokozuna hits a belly-to-belly suplex and that is all. These guys accomplished more with about six moves than so many matches do with 100. The hot crowd ate it all up too, which is always a bonus. After the match, Yokozuna sets him up for the Banzai Drop, but Savage is able to move out of the way. Savage then hits him with a knee to the back and it sends Yoko to the floor. Officials come out to hold him back from getting back in the ring.
Match Rating: ** (out of 5)
They show a recap of The Narcissist's debut at Royal Rumble along with some clips of him hitting his loaded forearm on jobbers.
Skinner vs. Mr. Perfect
Skinner attacks Perfect from behind and then slams him into the steel steps. Perfect returns the favor and then throws him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Skinner uses his belt on Perfect and for some reason it is not a disqualification. Mr. McMahon makes the mistake of saying Skinner "could care less". This is the man who gets mad when people have to sneeze. Perfect battles back and hits an atomic drop and then we get 10 right hands in the corner. Skinner now uses his alligator nail into Perfect, but it doesn't matter as Perfect hits the Perfect Plex for the victory. This was obviously a competitive squash, but it was good to see Skinner again on TV. He would have a bigger role at WrestleMania than most people would have ever imagined.
Match Rating: *1/2
Kamala vs. Kim Chee
Reverend Slick introduces Kamala and he tells us that he is going to take Bam Bam Bigelow down at WrestleMania. I bet he doesn't. Slick has to go to the back to help Kamala find his way to the ring. Kim Chee of course is Steve Lombardi. He immediately goes after Kamala. After a slap, Kamala wakes up and puts him in a bear hug. He hits a thrust kick and follows it up with the splash. Slick gets the crowd to try and help Kamala on getting Kim Chee in pinning position. Half of the match is him trying to figure that out. After the match, he attacks Kim Chee with his deadly hat. I can't imagine why this didn't get over.
Match Rating: 1/4*
We get the most 1990's music video ever here with the newer WrestleMania theme song along with some clips of Superstars talking through it. Ironically, a lot of the guys featured weren't around much longer. The Nasty Boys, Big Boss Man and Hacksaw Jim Duggan.
We now get the highlights leading up to the Money, Inc./Mega Maniacs match. I would have to think that for any Hulk Hogan fan that this has to be pretty close to rock bottom, at least for his WWF run.
Money, Inc. vs. Jerry Sabin & Reno Riggins
IRS knocks one of the jobbers out of the ring, allowing DiBiase to attack him while the referee isn't looking. They follow it up with a double elbow and then DiBiase hits a back body drop. DiBiase puts on the Million Dollar Dream and that's it. When it comes to Money, Inc., keep it short and it's watchable. I have a hunch that won't be t he case at WrestleMania.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Mean Gene is here and he introduces the Mega Maniacs with Jimmy Hart. Hogan tells a story so boring, that it seems as if he's even boring himself. Good grief, this is terrible. They are all trying to one up each other here. I love Jimmy Hart, but he has no business being anything but a heel. This interview ended in 1994.
Next up we get some clips of the Shawn Michaels and Tatanka feud.
Tatanka vs. George South
Bobby Heenan reminds us that George South is not on Shawn Michaels' level. Tatanka hits a hip toss and some chops. South gets in his five seconds of offense, but Tatanka starts doing the war dance and hits a tomahawk chop. Tatanka hits the End of the Trail for the victory. Out comes Michaels to remind Tatanka that he has no chance of beating him at WrestleMania. Tatanka responds and tells Michaels that he doesn't want to wait until WrestleMania. He wants Michaels to put the title on the line right now. Michaels does the long tease, but ultimately heads to the back. Didn't see that one coming. The fans were definitely into it though.
Match Rating: 1/4*
We head to Mean Gene for a WrestleMania IX Report. Bret Hart is sick of hearing people talk about how Yokozuna is going to run him over at WrestleMania. Crush is ON A BOAT and then we get underwater footage of him killing an octopus. I am 100% serious. The Steiner Brothers tell the Headshrinkers to start saying their prayers.
The Beverly Brothers & Little Louie vs. The Bushwhackers & Tiger Jackson
After about three minutes of stalling, we finally get some action. I've seen some love for Mike Enos on Twitter lately and I'm 100% in favor of that. He is definitely an unsung hero of the early 90's. We get some butt biting, because of course we do. They follow that up by marching around for the twelfth time. Blake asks Butch to shake his hand and they somehow turn this into a two minute ordeal. Butch focuses on the crowd too much and Blake attacks him from behind. Butch hits a knee to the midsection and a modified bulldog. Beau comes off the top to attack Butch while the referee is distracted with the action outside the ring. Beau goes up top again and hits another double ax handle. Luke tags in Butch and now all six men are in the ring. The Bushwhackers lift Tiger Jackson to the top rope and he hits a crossbody for the victory. This was exactly what you would expect it to be.
Match Rating: 1/4*
They show the clips of Giant Gonzalez attacking Undertaker at the Royal Rumble.
Bam Bam Bigelow vs. The Undertaker
Bam Bam tries his luck with some right hands, but Taker gets him on the ground pretty quickly. Bam Bam lures him outside and attacks him on the way back in. He sends Taker off the ropes, but it backfires as Taker hits a DDT. Taker hits Old School and then a clothesline, but Bam Bam is still standing. He goes for another one, but Bam Bam ducks. Back from commercial break, Bam Bam hits a body slam outside the ring and then slams him into the steps. This is the quickest paced early 90s Undertaker match that I can think of. Bam Bam deserved better during this run and I would have loved to have seen these two have a proper feud. Bam Bam hits a back suplex, but Taker sits up. Bam Bam continues the assault, but Taker keeps sitting up. Bam Bam goes for the diving headbutt off the top rope, but Taker sits up and then follows it up with a chokeslam. Bam Bam decides to save himself for his huge match against Kamala and head for the shower. Undertaker wins by countout. Out comes Giant Gonzalez and Undertaker goes after him in the aisle. Paul Bearer keeps grabbing Taker by his hair, which is kind of weird. The match was actually a lot of fun and the aftermath was probably the best part of the entire feud.
Match Rating: **1/4
Vince and Heenan send us off with one last quick sell of WrestleMania.
As far as nostalgia trips go, this was quite the ride. The Yokozuna and Undertaker matches were fun for what they were and set the stage for their matches at WrestleMania. On the other hand the Mega Maniacs promo was one of the worst I can ever remember and did absolutely nothing for their pointless match at WrestleMania. The hot crowd helped make some of the action seem a little bit better than it was and that's always a bonus. It's not a strong recommendation, but if you like this era, I don't know why you wouldn't want to watch it.
Overall Rating: 57%
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