Tuesday 8 September 2020

WWF Survivor Series 1993 Review

Survivor Series (1993) - Wikipedia


Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that contains more rambling than a Val Venis Twitter Post! It’s WWF Survivor Series 1993, where the biggest and best superstars of the World Wrestling Federation come together for a series of spectacular Elimination Tag Team Matches. The concept has been wearing me down after watching so many tag matches back to back with the same formula but things have been changing with Survivor Series 1991 having a WWF Championship as well as last year’s edition so hopefully, WWF Survivor Series 1993 continues that trend! And look at me with my big mouth, I could not be more wrong. Tag matches galore, well let’s see if I can stomach all of this card in less than 3 sittings.

 

Team IRS (IRS/Diesel/Rick Martel/Adam Bomb) W/ Harvey Whippleman vs Team Razor Ramon (Razor Ramon/123-Kid/Marty Jannetty/Macho Man Randy Savage)


Well it seems that the WWF learned from their last pay per view and have Randy Savage competing, too old to compete Vince? Are you mad? Anyways, IRS is without Ted Dibiase who was sent packing by Razor Ramon so IRS has a team and Ramon has a team. Jannetty and The Kid really though? This era will be the death of me I swear, it’s so hard to get into the WWF during this time. I haven’t see Martel in ages, always enjoyed his work.

 

 

Ramon and Martel to start, Martel works the arm before Ramon reverses the hold into a hammerlock. Martel counters, Ramon counters. Drop toehold from Martel, Ramon squeaks out before eating an elbow. Martel eats a slap, knee and forearm shot by Martel. Ramon reverses the Irish whip, Martel slides over Ramon and tries a middle rope crossbody but Ramon rolls through for two. Fallaway Slam from Ramon for a close two, Martel gains control briefly before walking into an atomic drop. Right hand from Savage, inverted atomic drop and clotheslines from Ramon. Martel tags in the big man, Adam Bomb.

 

 

Stand-off as Adam Bomb talks trash, lock-up. Adam Bomb pushes back Ramon with ease, Ramon loses the power test to Adam Bomb once more. Side headlock from Bomb, Ramon elbows his way out of the hold. Shoulder block from Bomb, Ramon is taken back by Bomb’s power. Test of strength, Bomb outpowers Ramon once more with Ramon falling to a knee. Ramon uses his strength to come up to his feet before Bomb goes low with the boot. Ramon kicks back at Bomb, big suplex with Martel trying to save Bomb. Bomb and Martel have words, Bomb decks Martel. IRS tries to calm down his team, it works for now.

 

 

Bomb and Kid reset the match, shoulder block by Bomb. Massive two-handed throat toss from Bomb, tag to Diesel. Diesel hammers Kid with a forearm, huge toss out of the corner. Forearm shot to the spine, gut-wrench powerbomb from Diesel. Diesel toys with Kid, kicks to the head. Massive big boot from Diesel, Diesel whips Kid. Kid counters for a headscissors, tag to Savage. Diving Double Axe Handle to Diesel, Team IRS is getting decimated by Savage. Martel and IRS are down, Bomb is whipped into Diesel. Savage knees Bomb to the floor, scoop slam to Diesel from Savage. Diving Elbow Drop from Savage, Diesel has been eliminated from Team IRS!

 

Diesel Has Been Eliminated by Randy Savage!

 

Martel comes right in, Savage sends Martel to the buckle. Back body-drop, Martel scrambles back to his corner. IRS and Savage reset, big knee to the gut and attacks from IRS. Whip to the ropes, Savage ducks and lands a crossbody for two. Series of clotheslines, tag to Ramon. Ramon works the arm with shoulder blocks, arm-bar from The Bad Guy. IRS escapes a headlock, it allows for Martel to knee Ramon from the apron. IRS tags Martel, middle rope axe handle from Martel. Back-breaker from Martel, knees and elbows to the back. Bomb comes into the ring, whip and back elbow to the face. To the buckle, Ramon is being worn down. Tag to Martel, another middle rope axe handle.

 

 

Tag to IRS, snap-mare and elbow drop. A leg drop too for good measure, reverse chin-lock from IRS. Martel switches with IRS behind the referee’s back, whip from Martel. Martel lowers his head which allows a knee-lift from Ramon. In comes IRS, Ramon boots IRS and tags Savage. IRS cuts off Savage, Savage knees IRS off the buckle. Stun-gun like manoeuvre from Savage, massive scoop slam. Here comes Crush, Crush has turned heel no longer with blond hair and neon tights. Savage wants Crush, IRS rolls-up Savage with a handful of tights.

 

Randy Savage has been Eliminated by IRS!

 

IRS and Jannetty in the ring, side headlock from Jannetty. Hip-toss and dropkick from Jannetty for two, Martel tags into the match. Shoulder blocks from Martel, eye poke and knees in the corner. Tag to Bomb, Jannetty is in trouble. Belly to back suplex from Bomb, tag to Martel. Abdominal stretch, Bomb allows Martel to use leverage to injure Jannetty further. Martel charges into the corner, Jannetty dodges and Martel is down. Tag to Ramon, Martel tags IRS. Whips to the buckles, chokeslam from Ramon. Razor’s Edge, IRS is gone!

 

IRS has been Eliminated by Razor Ramon!

 

Match breaks down, everyone is in the ring. Ramon picks up Martel, IRS cracks Ramon with his briefcase. Ramon is down on the floor, IRS walks off with a smug look on his face, Ramon has no idea where he is and the referee counts out Razor Ramon.

 

Razor Ramon has been Eliminated via Count-Out!

 

Kid and Martel, both men show great speed. Martel cartwheels out of danger, feeling himself at that moment. Leapfrogs before a Japanese arm-drag from Kid, Martel escapes the hold. Tag to Bomb, Kid trips up Bomb. Dropkick from Kid, suicide dive from Kid goes wrong as Bomb catches Kid for a scoop slam. Slingshot clothesline from Bomb, hard whip to the buckle. Whip to the buckle, Kid dodges and rolls-up Bomb for two. Spin-kicks from Kid, tag to Jannetty is stopped by Bomb. Tag to Martel, gut-wrench suplex from Martel for two. Martel lands a shot to the ribs, Kid reverses the middle rope axe handle with a right hand.

 

 

Tag to Janetty, flying reverse elbow. Knee-lift on Martel, whip to the buckle. Jannetty bounces Martel off the buckle, snap-mare for two. Tag to Kid, double elbows. Martel sends Kid to the buckle, Kid sunset flips Martel out of the corner for the elimination. Bomb chases in on Kid who tags Jannetty who apron sunset flips Bomb for the win!

 

 

Well I am pretty sure this is the most surprising match of all-time, everything that I thought could have happened did not happen in this match. Savage takes out Diesel with the elbow? Savage rolled-up by IRS? Ramon and Savage eliminated on their team, not the sole-survivors? Kid and Jannetty as winners? What am I watching? Truly crazy stuff. Anyways, watching Kid bump around for monsters is fun, little wrestling of substance here though. The most interesting thing angle-wise is that it looks like we will see IRS vs Ramon at the Rumble. Not really looking forward to that either, that was an interesting experience for sure.

 

Winners: 123 Kid & Marty Jannetty over Adam Bomb via Sunset Flip!

 

Team Shawn Michaels (Shawn Michaels & His Knights) vs Team Hart Family (Bret Hart/Owen Hart/Bruce Hart/Keith Hart)


Bret in a singlet like that? This night is a wild one indeed. So, this is confusing as Lawler was feuding with Bret but allegations put that to bed with Lawler leaving the WWF for the time being and Shawn Michaels being inserted into the feud. Michaels has three masked partners too which bodes well for HBK, Owen Hart looks to start the match. Owen and Michaels to start, Michaels talks massive amount of shit to the face of Team Hart. Bruce Hart will start, Michaels has the side headlock. Into a hammerlock, tag to the Black Knight. Bruce dodges both, Michaels and Black Knight bang heads.

 

 

Bruce is sent to the buckle but takes out all nights, Michaels nails the black knight by mistake. Bruce tags Keith, Keith elbows Michaels before Michaels gets caught in a small package for two. Drop toehold from Keith, Michaels is caught in the arm-bar. Michaels escapes and tags the Red Knight. In comes Owen Hart who makes a fool of The Red Knight before an eye poke from Red Knight. Owen lands a hip-toss, Japanese arm-drags and a big dropkick sends Red Knight down. Black Knight eats arm-drags before Bret, Bruce and Keith punch Black Knight. Now, it’s Blue Knight vs Bret Hart. Eye poke by Blue Knight, Bret catches the foot and lands an inverted atomic drop. Clothesline for two, Bret tags in Keith who tags in Bruce, they work the arm of The Blue Knight.

 

 

Bruce eats an illegal knee from Michaels on the apron, scoop slam by Blue Knight. Rib-breaker from Michaels with a series of elbows, Red Knight suplexes Bruce with ease. Two for Red Knight, Bruce begins fighting back but in comes Black Knight. Bruce counters for a backslide, Black Knight kicks out. Michaels tags in, stomps to the chest. Michaels is sent into the buckle by Bruce but Red Knight cheapshots down Bruce. Michaels eats a massive clothesline from Bruce, tag to Black Knight. Bruce tags Bret, Bret tees off with right hands. Gut shot, O’Connor roll for two. Small package for two, back-breaker from Bret. Bret’s Rope Elbow Drop, Michaels makes the save for Black Knight. Tag to Owen, massive spinning heel kick. Match breaks down, The Harts send Team Micheals into one another, Black Knight is clotheslined by Bruce and eats a missile dropkick from Owen for the elimination.

 

Black Knight has been Eliminated by Owen Hart!

 

Red Knight comes in, Owen takes him down with ease. Stretching the leg, we have a tag to Bret. Wishbone-split from Bret & Owen, Keith comes in and works the leg too. Knees to the leg before Red Knight goes low and takes down Keith. Keith wrenches the leg some more, tag to Bruce. Keith is back in, Red Knight misses a knee drop. Keith applies a Figure Four Leglock, Michaels makes the save for a second time. Red tags in Blue, Keith fights back. Keith is whipped off the ropes, Red trips up Keith. Micheals lands a slingshot headbutt before Blue Knight regains control. Huge arm-bar from Blue, tag to Michaels. Top rope diving axe handle, hammerlock throw into the corner. Keith is in serious trouble, another hammerlock throw.

 

 

Michaels wrenches the arm in the ropes before tagging Red, Keith tries ripping at the mask but Red is in full control. Keith has his arm stretched against the ring-post before Bret lands a big kick. Bottom rope guillotine from Red, another tag to Blue. Blue drops a leg on the arm, hammerlock scoop slam from Blue. Leg drop, tag to Michaels again. Michaels misses a top rope splash, tag to Bret. Michaels tags in Red, Bret lands huge punches. Reverse whip from Red, Bret catches Red for a spinebuster. Sharpshooter and Red is gone!

 

Red Knight has been Eliminated by Bret Hart!

 

Blue Knight attacks Bret after the elimination, Bret is thrown to the floor. Suplex in the ring from Blue for two, massive elbow. Blue tags in Michaels, hard Irish whip to the buckle. Flying reverse elbow from HBK for two, reverse chin-lock in the middle of the ring. Bret survives the hold though, his hand not dropping for the three-count. Bret elbows his way out before a well-planted knee takes down The Hitman. In comes Blue, low headbutt for two. Blue lands big shoulders in the corner and a chop. Bret kicks away Blue after an Irish whip, middle rope clothesline.

 

 

Blue cannot stop the tag, in comes Owen Hart. Dropkick from Owen, ten punches in the corner from The Rocket. Scoop slam, middle rope elbow drop. Michaels comes in, Owen sees it coming. Blue and Michaels bang heads, Michaels eats a massive right hand from Stu Hart on the floor. Owen lands a massive plancha, Blue and Michaels are whipped into one another. Diving Crossbody from Owen on Blue, Michaels elbows Blue by mistake. Bruce knocks Michaels to the floor, Owen lands a bulldog on Blue and applies The Sharpshooter for the elimination.

 

Blue Knight has been Eliminated by Owen Hart!

 

Michaels is begging for mercy, atomic drop from Owen. The Harts pound Michaels for two as Bruce comes in with a knee drop. Whip to the buckle, Bruce runs into an elbow from Michaels. Michaels chokes the life out of Bruce, Sweet Chin Music from Michaels for two. Bruce escapes Michaels, Bret gets the tag. Catapult into the buckle and elbow for two, Russian leg-sweep from Bret for two again. Back-breaker is countered by an eye rake from Michaels, tag to Owen. Owen lands a big belly to belly suplex for two, Michaels whips Owen into Bret who is knocked off the apron and onto the guardrail. Michaels takes control and rolls-up Owen for the elimination.

 

Owen Hart has been Eliminated by Shawn Michaels!

 

Michaels is taking a drink as a frustrated Owen Hart looks on at why nobody cared about him being eliminated. Bruce comes in against Michaels, jaw-breaker from Bruce. Whip into a sleeper from Bruce, Michaels sends Bruce face-first into the buckle. Both men bang heads off a side headlock, Bruce tags in Keith. Big right hand, abdominal stretch from Keith. Michaels counters with the hip-toss, in comes Bret. Michaels flips out of the corner like, Bret kicks Michaels who lands groin-first on the top rope. Michaels kicks away from Bret, Michaels runs out of the arena and this match is over.

 

 

Wow, that was one of the most torturous matches I had to ever sit through. I have voiced my displeasure at these kind of Survivor Series matches but this was brutal. I never want to see a Keith or Bruce Hart match ever again, they are awful. They were five men in this eight-man match that the audience and myself could not care about, the Owen angle does not justify that sloppy and boring affair that I sat through. Knights were horrendous, Keith & Bruce are terrible. All of Michaels’ selling and Bret’s efforts are for nothing because this match is awful.

 

Winners: Team Harts over Team Michaels via Count-Out!

 

(Smoky Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Championship Match) The Heavenly Bodies vs The Rock N Roll Express ©


A bit of co-promotion here with Cornette showing his premier tag teams of his company. I do love Jimmy Del Ray and Tom Prichard is great too, Rock N Roll Express are a little older here but still able to do what they need to do, should be entertaining. The Heavenly Bodies attack Gibson to start, Gibson is beaten down by Prichard. Morton hurls Prichard and Del Ray to the floor, suicide dive from Morton onto The Heavenly Bodies. Cornette is going mental, we have also switched commentators with Monsoon & JR taking over commentary duties.

 

 

Gibson and Del Ray wrestle to start, headscissors and bulldog from Gibson. Tag to Morton, double elbow. Del Ray tags Prichard, lock-up. Right hands from Prichard, Morton sends Prichard to the buckle. Leapfrogs from Morton before hip-tosses to both Heavenly Bodies. Del Ray superkicks Prichard by mistake, Del Ray is smashed by Prichard by accident. Double monkey flips and atomic drops from The Rock N Roll Express. Wishbone splits from the champions, Morton goes for the leg of Prichard, Gibson comes down with his knees on that leg. Tag to Morton, roll-through leg lock into a double punch to Del Ray. Another wishbone split for Prichard, Gibson takes the leg. Tag to Morton, knees driven into the leg once more. Prichard rakes the eyes, tagging in Del Ray.

 

 

Del Ray comes in for an arm-drag, Del Ray drives Morton to the corner. Big knees from Del Ray before Rock N Roll continue to smash The Heavenly Bodies inside of the ring. Prichard comes in, Morton sends Prichard to the buckle before Prichard lands a sit-out powerbomb. Tag to Del Ray, scoop slam and assisted moonsault combination for two. Back elbow from Del Ray, Prichard comes in and chokes Morton. Morton is sent to the floor, Cornette holds Morton while Del Ray lands an Asai Moonsault. Prichard lands big rights in the corner, Morton fires back. Whip is reversed, Prichard plants Morton with a powerslam for two. Tag to Del Ray, snap-suplex and knee drops from The Jiggolo. Gibson eats a right-hand, Heavenly Bodies land a sidewalk slam/neck-breaker drop combination.

 

 

Suplex from Prichard, tag to Del Ray. Trash Compactor as JR calls it, Del Ray wants the powerbomb. Morton counters with a hurricanrana for two, Del Ray tags Prichard. Prichard ducks the head off an Irish whip, small package from Morton for two. Tag to Del Ray, moonsault to Morton for a close two as Gibson saves the match. Heavenly Bodies want a double back body-drop, DDT by Morton. Morton tags Gibson, right hands and back-drop from Gibson. Morton and Del Ray are battling, O’Connor roll from Morton.

 

 

Gibson is attacked by Prichard, Morton lands a crossbody from the top rope. Prichard saves the match. The Rock N Roll Express smash Prichard with their double dropkick, Cornette is smashed by Morton with a right hand. Gibson covers Prichard, Del Ray comes off the top rope with the tennis racquet and wham, Gibson is pinned and we have new champions!

 

 

I love good tag team wrestling and this match is chocked full of tag team wrestling, smart and enjoyable tag team wrestling. The problem is not a single person gave a damn in that arena. Cannot blame the fans tbh, Heavenly Bodies have appeared in the WWF before but not sure if The Rock N Roll Express were featured heavily on WWF television prior to this match. The lack of crowd reaction really took me out of this match, props to JR for providing as much context as possible. Nice catch from Del Ray for the racquet finish, wish the crowd was more into the match.

 

Winners: The Heavenly Bodies over The Rock N Roll Express via Racquet To The Head!

 

Team Bigelow (Bam Bam Bigelow/Bastion Booger/The Headshrinkers) W/ Luna Vachon vs Team Doink (The Bushwhackers/Men On A Mission)


Not sure what is more horrifying, The Bushwhackers still here in late 93 or the fact that I am going to have to sit through this match. Booger and Luke brawl, Booger hammers Luke before Luke bites the ass of Booger. Booger tags out, in comes Samu who stomps Luke. Headbutt from Samu, Samu stares down all Doinks before biting a balloon full of water which leads to a roll-up, Samu is eliminated.

 

Samu has been Eliminated by Doink Luke!

 

In comes Fatu, Butch tries a headbutt but hurts his own head. In comes Booger again, massive leg drop from Booger. Tag to Bigelow, headbutt to the ribs. Top rope choke from Bigelow, Fatu snaps the neck of Butch over the rope. Booger is legal, massive scoop slam and Booger splashes Luke. Booger picks up a banana and misses a splash as Mabel saves his partner. Battering Ram and Leg Drop from Mabel for the elimination.

 

Bastion Booger has been Eliminated by Mabel!

 

Fatu offer chickens to Luke, Luke takes the bait and Fatu hammers Luke with throat thrusts. Mo is riding a scooter around the ring, Fatu is perplexed y this madness. Bigelow wipes out Mo with an enzuigiri, throwing the scooter away. Fatu lands a back-breaker, Fatu climbs to the top rope. Beautiful Top Rope Splash, Fatu picks up a banana. Butch is in the ring, Fatu doesn’t want to get hit with the bucket so Fatu jumps down, Butch rolls him up.

 

Fatu has been Eliminated by Butch!

 

Bigelow destroys the three smaller Doinks before Mabel says “Come on big boy”. Bigelow tries a shoulder block, no effect. Same result on a second try, Mabel shoulder blocks Bigelow down. Clubbing blows from Mabel, Mabel misses the corner splash. Bigelow lands a flying shoulder block, in comes a Bushwhacker who is slammed. Luke throws bananas at Luna? Bigelow gets distracted and is pinned off a corner splash and all four Doinks cover Bigelow for the win.

 

 

I willingly chose to watch this…. I have many regrets to live with now because of it. Definitely a cool down match that would be needed at this point in this show but after not one of these matches delivering at all due to in-ring performance and lack of crowd reaction, this was the icing on the cake. The “comedy” was certainly something, just let’s finish this show already.

 

Winners: Team Doink over Team Bigelow via Dog-Pile!

 

Team Foreign Fanatics (Yokozuna/Ludvig Borga/The Mountie/Crush) W/ Jim Cornette/Mr. Fuji/Johnny Polo vs The All-Americans (Lex Luger/The Undertaker/The Steiner Brothers)


Are you telling me one of The Quebecers gets to be in the main event of Survivor Series? Sweet Jesus, one of these things is not like the other. Why not both Quebecers? I’d rather not see Crush sacrificed here. Anyways, there are elements here that could make this interesting and most of them surround one man: The Undertaker.

 

 

Scott and Jacques to start, Jacques wants a handshake. Scott says go fuck yourself, leapfrog into a belly to belly from Scott for two. Scott tags in Rick, Jacques tags in the big man. Yokozuna is in the ring, the world champion is in the ring. Scott psyches up Rick, Yokozuna misses a clothesline and Rick lands one of his own. Shoulder blocks and Yokozuna is down on the floor, furious with this development. Yokozuna drags Rick to the corner, in comes Borga. Massive rights and lefts from the boxer, Borga is not paying attention. Rick lands a diving shoulder tackle for two. Rick grabs the arm, Borga boxes his way out of that. Scoop slam, Borga misses the elbow. Rick tries a diving crossbody but Borga counters for a huge powerslam. Looks ugly, Rick may be injured. Elimination though, Borga takes down one of The Americans.

 

Rick Steiner has been Eliminated by Ludvig Borga!

 

Jacques and Scott restart the action, military press slam from Scott. Crush catches Jacques, no fear in the eyes of Crush. Crush wants a test of strength, throat thrust from Crush. Scott ducks the clothesline, Crush lowers his head. Tiger-bomb from Scott, massive clothesline. Vince announces that Savage is in the building, wanting to get his hands on Crush. Crush leapfrogs Scott, savate kick from Crush. Randy Savage is trying to get ringside, everyone is trying to stop Savage coming to the ring. Crush military presses Scott to the floor, Crush has Scott in the ring. Repeated kicks to the head and one axe kick to the back of the neck. Leg drop to the back of the head, massive headbutt from Crush.

 

 

Leg-lock from Crush, Scott continues to survive but just barely. Leg drop to the inner thigh from Crush, more kicks to the ribs and hamstrings. Savage is here again, Savage wants Crush bad. Crush has his eyes fixed on Savage, Scott dropkicks Crush to the floor. Crush decides it’s time to hammer Savage, these two are brawling but Crush has forgotten about the match, Crush has been counted-out!

 

Crush has been Eliminated by Count-Out!

 

Borga and Yokozuna double-team Scott in the corner, Jacques hides behind the referee. Camel clutch from Jacques, flying reverse elbow from Jacques for two. Piledriver from Jacques for two, Jacques is furious. Scott reverses an Irish whip and lands a gut punch to Jacques, massive military press slam from Scott. Tag to Lex Luger, Luger scoop slams Jacques. Middle rope elbow drop for the elimination.

 

Jacques has been Eliminated by Lex Luger!

 

Talk about saving The Deadman, Taker is yet to enter the ring. They know who the fans want to see, Borga wants Luger. Scott wants Borga, here we go. Lock-up, rights from Borga take down Scott. Massive clothesline from Borga, Borga lands a corner crossbody and clothesline. Borga is slow to climb to the top rope, Scott catches him with a superplex. Yokozuna attacks Scott illegally, Yokozuna scoop slams Scott, Yokozuna misses an elbow drop. With off the ropes, Yokozuna sees the Frankensteiner coming and holds onto the ropes, Leg Drop from Yokozuna for the elimination.

 

Scott Steiner has been Eliminated by Yokozuna!

 

Luger comes in, Summerslam rematch time. Both men slap one another, chops and throat thrusts from Yokozuna. Luger is choked on the middle rope, scoop slam from Yokozuna. Luger dodges the splash, right hands from Luger. Clothesline by Luger, Yokozuna lands a clothesline of his own. Borga is in, delivering kicks of his own. In comes Yokozuna, Luger avoids the corner splash. Tag to Undertaker, the place explodes. Right hands from Taker, massive DDT from The Deadman. Taker sits-up, throat thrust and a clothesline from Taker. Borga nails Taker from the apron, Taker turns right around and clocks him to the floor.

 

 

Yokozuna nails a belly to belly suplex, Taker sits-up. Clothesline and leg drop from Yokozuna, Yokozuna wants The Banzai Drop. Yokozuna lands down on the chest of Taker, Taker sits-up avoiding the drop. Whip off the ropes, flying clothesline from Taker. Yokozuna rolls to the floor, Yokozuna sends Taker into the steps. Taker sits right back up, Yokozuna is rammed into the steel steps. Both Yokozuna and Taker are counted-out, not happy about that at all.

 

Yokozuna & The Undertaker have been Counted-Out!

 

Borga and Luger remain, sidewalk slam from Borga. Suplex from Borga for two, powerslam from Borga for two. Luger blocks the suplex and lands one of his own, Luger ducks two clothesline attempts and both men collide in the middle of the ring. Cornette is trying to get in the ring, Fuji gives a bucket to Borga. Borga waffles Luger with the bucket, is Borga going to steal this? Luger powers out at two, Luger fires up and tees off with massive rights. Gut shot from Luger, DDT from Luger. Elbow from Luger, two for Luger. Luger whips Borga, powerslam from Luger for two. Borga goes low with a liver shot, Luger leapfrogs Borga who ducks his head off an Irish whip and lands his Flying Forearm for the win.

 

 

Is that the end of Borga’s push here and now? Maybe, do I care? Not really at this point. This match was building towards one moment, one confrontation and you took it away from me in a matter of minutes. Undertaker was not tagged in prior to battling Yokozuna, the place went nuts when Taker went after the champion and that DDT was beautiful. The steel steps no-sell and clocking Borga were also great spots but apart from that, I don’t know how to feel about this one. Luger gives everything in the babyface role and Yokozuna conserves himself to drop the big moves when appropriate but the elimination-style tag formula just sucks me out of the show at this point. I stand by my thinking that Survivor Series should never be comprised of only Survivor Series matches because it’s just the same thing over and over. The best part of this match was clearly Taker vs Yokozuna, shame it was being saved for the next pay per view.

 

Winner: Lex Luger over Ludvig Borga via Forearm!

 

That was WWF Survivor Series 1993, one of the worst pay per views I had to sit through for reviewing purposes. Nothing was offensively bad on this show, it was just so run of the mill that nothing sticks out in my mind when I think about this pay per view. Looking at the opening match, Savage is a welcome addition to a match that needs his star-power. IRS is not on the level of an intercontinental champion, his mic skills and in-ring work are nowhere near where they need to be to pull it off yet due to the roster, we have IRS going forward against Razor Ramon. Jannetty and Kid bumping for bigger wrestlers is a fun watch but it cannot save this match. Team Hart vs Team Michaels was a shit-show, not pulling any punches here. The Knights were horrendous and Keith & Bruce are not much better. Don’t care about Owen, Bret or Michaels when 85% is slop and plodding along. The beginnings of a great angle but that match was one of the poorest ways to kick it off.

 

Heavenly Bodies vs Rock N Roll Express was a fun tag team match but no reaction killed it, these two teams out-worked every WWF tag team on this night with this one match and they have the skills needed to make it fun with ease. However, nobody cared and it was there. Cannot be helped, it was the right match in the wrong place. Team Doink vs Team Bigelow was insulting, all around horrible. Why didn’t The Headshrinkers just murder the clowns? Why be defeated by water and nothing? Why are The Bushwhackers here in 1993? The main event was nothing special, I cared only for Taker vs Yokozuna and it lasted for a few minutes before being saved for the next show. Arguably, the easiest payday of Taker’s career. Avoid this show, this is the show they are talking about when they say The New Generation was tough to get through and the WWF were behind the times, lacking star-power and still stuck in the Saturday Morning Cartoon Era. This show was painful, end of story. Thanks for reading and remember: There’s always another night!


1 comment:

  1. As we now know, the Masked Knights were played by Barry Horowitz (Red), Jeff Gaylord (Black), and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (Blue). However, they weren't the first choices.

    First off, Terry Funk was originally going to play the Red Knight, but he backed out by leaving a note that read "My horse is sick. I think he's dying. I'll see you later."

    Secondly, "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka was slated to play the Black Knight after making up the numbers in the big Intercontinental Title battle royal one month earlier.

    Finally, Glen Jacobs a.k.a. the future Kane was also considered to play possibly the Blue Knight, but was far too green at the time.

    IMHO the Masked Knights gimmick could've worked better if they were played by people from Bret's past.

    For example, the first Knight gets eliminated and unmasked, and he could revealed to be Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, with Vince and Heenan saying "Oh my God, it's Jim Neidhart! He and Bret were in the Hart Foundation."

    Then, the second Knight gets eliminated and would be revealed to be someone Bret had previously feuded with.

    And finally, you have the third and final Knight unmasked and revealed to be Owen, who then cuts a big promo about how sick he is of being in Bret's shadow, and their feud would be off to the races.

    Also, Bret, Bruce, and Keith could easily tag with either Smith or Ross.

    ReplyDelete