Sunday, January 19th, 1992
Knickerbocker Arena
Albany, New York
Follow me on Twitter: @WorkTheNetwork2
Off The Grid, Volume 7:
For some reason when I started this blog, I started with WrestleMania VIII instead of this bad boy. So I am correcting that here today by going back for the 29th anniversary. Vince McMahon gives us one of his legendary intros to the show and we're off to the races.
Orient Express vs. New Foundation
It's the Royal Rumble, so time to call up Pat Tanaka. They announce Nikolai Volkoff and Haku as the subs for Marty Jannetty and Brian Knobbs tonight. Meanwhile, Owen and Kato start things off and Owen's going to work on the arm. Owen shows off his skills with a hurricanrana and then tags in the Anvil. He knocks down Tanaka a few times before hitting a spinebuster and Owen follows up with a top rope elbow. Owen again steals the show with a backflip off the top rope and then an enzuigiri. Anvil hits a double noggin knocker and Owen hits a double top rope crossbody. Chaos ensues and Mr. Fuji hits Owen in the face with his cane. Owen gives us Bret's signature run into the turnbuckle chest-first. The Express continue their attack and give the referee a workout with multiple 2 counts. Owen finally makes a tag, but Kato distracts the referee and doesn't see the tag. Owen hits an overhead belly-to-belly suplex, but again the Express gets around letting him get a tag. Owen hits a double dropkick and this time he is able to tag Neidhart and he hits a double shoulder tackle. He then throws Owen through the ropes for a dive on Kato. They hit the Rocket Launcher and get the victory. This was a good tag team match that followed the formula that has worked for years. Owen was a breath of fresh air back in '92, so of course they really did nothing with him.
Match Rating: ***1/2 (out of 5)
Lord Alfred Hayes is here to recap the Intercontinental Championship story. The Mountie defeated Bret Hart at a house show in Springfield, Massachusetts where Hart had a high fever. After the match, Mountie attacked Hart until Piper came to the save. When Piper is checking on Hart, Mountie attacks him from behind with the title. Piper then gets in a right hand before Mountie retreats.
Sean Mooney is with Jimmy Hart and Mountie. Jimmy says that Bret wasn't sick, just sick from losing. Mountie says that he should win the match tonight by forfeit, but being the champion he is, he's going to face Piper on short notice.
Mean Gene is with Piper, who calls Mountie one of the original Village People. Piper says that he came here tonight to win two titles and he can't do that without beating the Mountie first.
Intercontinental Championship Match
The Mountie vs. Roddy Piper
Mountie threatens Piper a little bit with the cattle prod before the match starts. Piper throws his kilt in his face and starts attacking. Mountie escapes out the ring, but Piper runs around with a big right hand. Mountie uses Hart to his advantage and goes to work on Piper. After two leapfrogs, Mountie lays down for a monkey flip, but Piper drops a fist. Piper hits the bulldog. Hart again gets involved and Mountie hits him with a double ax handle. Piper misses with a dropkick and Mountie gets a 2 count. Mountie hits a nice leaping reverse elbow and dumps Piper out of the ring. Piper hits a sunset flip on his way back in for a close call. An atomic drop sends Mountie over the top rope, but Mountie skins the cat. Mountie misses Piper and hits Hart instead. Piper slaps on the sleeper hold and that is all. Hart comes in with the cattle prod, but Piper throws him to the side and takes it away. Piper shocks the Mountie to the crowds delight and Fink announces him as the new Intercontinental Champion, Piper's first title with the WWF. The match was quick and it kind of felt like Piper maybe changed things up there in the last minute or two. Regardless, it was fun enough and provided a great moment.
Match Rating: *3/4
Lord Alfred walks into Hulk Hogan's locker room. He gives a pretty jokey type promo saying he won't have many friends after he wins the Royal Rumble.
Mean Gene is with the Bushwhackers and Jamison, who are going to beat the Beverly Sisters.
Beverly Brothers vs. Bushwhackers
The Genius reads us a poem, as per usual. The Bushwhackers are pretty incredibly over considering they have been doing the same act for over 4 years. I think someone forgot to tell Butch and Luke that this isn't a dark match, as they stall and play to the crowd forever. Keep in mind that Butch is 47 and Luke is 45 here. We finally get some action in the form of butt biting. The Bushwhackers clear the ring and do some more marching. Butch hits a bulldog and then they throw both Beverly Brothers into each other and then clothesline both over the top rope. They then do a spot where both Beverly Brothers try to attack from behind separately, but the Bushwhackers keep catching them. Beau finally gets the best of Luke and we kind of have a normal tag team match. Luke gets a sneaky pinfall attempt in, but then gets dumped out of the ring. Meanwhile, the Genius slaps Jamison and knocks him to the floor. Beau hits a second rope ax handle. Luke then hits a clothesline and makes the tag to Butch and he hits a Battering Ram with a Beverly on a Beverly. Thanks break down and Blake trips up Butch as he's running the ropes. Beau hits a double ax handle of the top rope and that's enough. This was a really bad match. Who in their right mind thought that giving this 15 minutes was a good idea? The Bushwhackers attack both Beverly Brothers and then go after the Genius. Jamison comes in the ring while they hold him down and he hits a kick to the shin and then kicks him out of the ring.
Match Rating: 1/4*
Legion of Doom are with Mean Gene. Hawk says that when they're done with the Natural Disasters, they're tongues will be hanging out of their mouths like dead deer. Got it?
WWF Tag Team Championship Match
Natural Disasters vs. Legion Of Doom
Earthquake goes for a dropkick, but Hawk sidesteps it and tags in Animal. They start duking it out and Animal goes for a body slam, but Quake crushes him and then tosses Typhoon into him in the corner. He tries it again and Animal gets the boot up and hits a clothesline. Hawk gets tagged in and they hit some clothelines that have little effect. Typhoon catches Hawk's crossbody and he hits a backbreaker and now they're singling out Hawk. Quake misses in the corner and Hawk hits a chop to the head to knock the big guy down. Hawk makes the tag and Animal hits the flying shoulder block and then a double clothesline on both members. Hawk hits a flying clothesline off the apron on Typhoon and they are all brawling out of the ring. Typhoon sneaks back into the ring and the Disasters win by countout. Jimmy Hart brings the belts in the ring and so Hawk taps them on the back with a chair. Animal gets the one good shot in on Earthquake and Fink announces that the belts can't change hands. Whatever they were paying Jimmy, it certainly was too much. This was a big man battle with a crappy ending.
Match Rating: *1/2
Sean Mooney is explaining what happened and the Disasters and Hart are livid. Like, dudes, everyone knows that rule.
Roddy Piper quotes Martin Luther King about winning both championships tonight.
Back to Sean Mooney and he's with Shawn Michaels. They recap us on Michaels throwing Marty Jannetty through the Barber Shop window.
Lord Alfred is with Ric Flair and he announces that he drew #3. This is a Coliseum Home Video exclusive.
We now get the quick random interviews featuring Randy Savage, Sid Justice, Repo Man, British Bulldog, Jake Roberts, Ric Flair with Mr. Perfect, Undertaker and of course Hulk Hogan.
Royal Rumble Match
The Fink announces Jack Tunney to the ring and he reminds us of how terrible he was on the mic. Our first two competitors are British Bulldog and Ted DiBiase and they instantly go at it. DiBiase is working the fastest pace that I can remember seeing him work in WWF, suplexing Bulldog and then getting a near elimination. DiBiase thinks he has him, but Bulldog comes from behind and clotheslines him over the top and he is the first one gone. Here comes #3. I can't wait to see who it is! Oh, it's just Ric Flair. Even though I didn't see this show for a long time after it aired, I still went to school the next day gloating that I told everyone that you don't have to have huge muscles to be the best. Flair was born to be the iron man in a Royal Rumble match. Jerry Sags is #4 and it really is a shame that this Rumble doesn't have the entrance music for each person entering. That was a big oversight that you would think they would have corrected quickly. Bulldog fights off the double team and then eliminates Sags with a dropkick. Haku is #5 and he goes right after Bulldog. Haku doesn't take long to go after Flair though, which is always fun. Haku should have had a better run during this era. Haku hits a piledriver and then Flair grabs Haku by the eyes. Bulldog uneventfully eliminates Haku and out comes Shawn Michaels at #6. He hits a big back body drop on Flair, but then gets powerslammed by Bulldog. Bulldog almost eliminates him, but Michaels catches himself on the apron and then hits the superkick on Bulldog. Bulldog's hair in this match is definitely a thing that existed. El Matador Tito Santana is #7 and the crowd gives him a really nice reaction. Dude was a legend. Flair hits a low blow on Bulldog and Heenan lets us know that he would do that to his grandma if he had to. Out at #8 is Barbarian, as we start getting a little crowded in there. Out comes Texas Tornado at #9 and he and Flair start things off, which is fun. It's Repo Man time, as he sneaks his way in at #10. Oh boy, it's Greg Valentine at #11. Hammer chops away on Flair, who is taking a beating. Nikolai Volkoff is #12 and he just looks so out of place here. Valentine is able to get the Figure Four on Flair, while Volkoff gets eliminated. Big Boss Man is out at 13 and he starts swinging right hands at everyone. Valentine was eliminated somehow in there. Flair is able to eliminate Bulldog. Michaels and Santana eliminate each other, setting up their WrestleMania match and Hercules enters in at #14. He's my pick here. Barbarian is trying to dump Flair, but Hercules tips Barbarian and Flair hangs on. Hercules then gets dumped by Boss Man. Flair and Boss Man go at it, but Flair ducks under a crossbody and Boss Man is gone. Out at #15 is Roddy Piper to a huge pop and he takes it to Flair. Piper puts him in an airplane spin and then locks in the sleeper hold. Jake Roberts is #16 and he breaks up the hold. Hacksaw Jim Duggan it out next at 17 and gets a huge pop. IRS is out at #18 and battles with Duggan. Oh boy, Jimmy Snuka is 19. The star power begins to tick up, as Undertaker draws #20. Taker eliminates Snuka to remind him who won at WrestleMania. Out runs Randy Savage at #21 and tries to go after Jake, but Undertaker attacks him first. Jake misses a short arm clothesline on Savage and he hits him with a double ax handle and then eliminates him. Savage then eliminates himself and then Undertaker tries to throw him back in, but he goes right back after Jake. They claim that you have to be thrown over the rope, so Savage isn't eliminated. Flair hits a big low blow on Undertaker as the clock ticks down to 22 and it's Berzerker. Piper and Taker team up to choke Flair in a weird pairing. #23 is Virgil and he is my pick now to win this thing. We're kind of in the spot in the match where nothing is really happening and we are waiting for a big entrant, but instead we get Col. Mustafa. Rick Martel, the current record holder for longest time in the Rumble, is out next. Hulk Hogan is finally out next at 26 to inject some life into this match. There are so many people left in the match and it feels like they don't really have a plan. Hogan then runs and clothesline Undertaker over the top rope and then Berzerker is out next. Hogan, being the hero that he is, chokes Martel with his shirt. Virgil and Duggan eliminate each other and Skinner is out next. IRS saves Flair from Hogan while wearing the Hulkster's shirt around his neck. Sgt. Slaughter draws 28 and Sid Justice finally enters at 29. I know so many people consider this the best Rumble match, but there are just so many dead spots in this match. Warlord at 30 is also a pretty uninspiring choice. Hogan and Flair are brawling outside the ring and then Sid gets probably the best elimination of the night by hitting an Irish whip on Sarge and it sends him over the top. Piper is able to eliminate IRS and Warlord also gets eliminated. We are down to Flair, Hogan, Sid, Martel, Piper and Savage. Sid comes up to Piper and Martel and dumps both of them at the same time. Sid has Savage up and Flair hits him with a knee from behind and Savage goes sailing over the ropes and to the floor. Hogan is stomping Flair and in comes Sid to dump him out to a big pop. Hogan, being the loser that he is, grabs Sid's arm and it allows Flair to dump Sid and win the WWF Championship. Hogan, who lost fairly, is livid. He and Sid are back in the ring while a whole handful of officials try to keep them apart. I have a pretty unpopular opinion and that's that this Rumble is not my favorite ever. I'm not sure it's even in my top 3. It's good, the right guy won and the final angle was good, but there was just too much of the "bunch of guys in the ring doing nothing" for this one to be great.
Match Rating: ***1/2
We go back to Mean Gene, Ric Flair, Mr. Perfect, Bobby Heenan and Jack Tunney to present Flair with the WWF Championship. This was a fun ending to the show.
Like I said, I do not like this Rumble nearly as much as the majority. The undercard had one good match in the opener, but also featured one of the worst major matches of the year with the Bushwhackers/Beverly Brothers. Overall, it's a good show, but not a great one.
Overall Rating: 75%
No comments:
Post a Comment