WWE Vintage Collection Report: 6th December 2009
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund
Welcome aboard. This week we have four, full, rare matches from early 90s video releases, with some unexpected results.
RIP Eddie “Umaga” Fatu. Yet another talent taken far too soon. My thoughts and condolences go out to the Anoai family.
Today’s opener is between Sid Justice and The Undertaker from the 1992 European Rampage show in Sheffield, England.
In pre-recorded comments backstage, Sid cites fear at facing Sid Justice and being next on the list to be finished is behind Undertaker’s pale face.
Paul Bearer retorts that big or small, young or old, there isn’t any Justice in death. Assuming death will come knocking at the door, it’s a call you must answer. Undertaker finishes by saying he’s followed Sid across the great sea to present him with a gift that must be hand delivered. The gift is a tombstone. Rest in peace Sid Justice.
Very eerie comments considering this past weekend’s events.
April 19th 1992
Sid Justice w/Harvey Wippleman vs The Undertaker w/Paul Bearer
The announcers for this match are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan. Both allude to Taker running Jake Roberts out of the WWF at the recent WrestleMania VIII. Sid jumps Taker from behind. Taker retaliates with a slam, then misses an elbow drop. Sid works over Taker on the apron, until Taker snaps Sid’s throat across the top rope. Taker delivers old school and a flying clothesline. Wippleman gets on the apron to stop Taker delivering the tombstone. Taker narrowly avoids a clothesline, but gets caught with a one handed chokeslam, then a sidewalk slam. Wippleman claims Sid Justice rules the world. Sid works over Taker in the ropes, as Bearer pleads with him to rise up. Sid reverses an Irish whip, Taker rebounds with a clothesline to send Sid outside. Taker follows and stops Sid from leaving over the guardrail. Sid sends Taker into the ringpost. The Deadman staggers around as Sid beats the referee’s count back in. After the bell, Sid cracks a chair across Taker’s back then delivers a neckbreaker by tugging at Taker’s hair. The power of the urn finally works as Taker rises up to deliver a tombstone, which Sid no-sells by immediately rolling outside. Winner by Countout: SID JUSTICE. Weak finish. A DQ would have made more sense than a countout. The protection of Sid was a moot point as he upped and left after this denying us all of the awesomeness of a feud with the Ultimate Warrior.
January 12th 1994
The Model Rick Martel vs Macho Man Randy Savage
This match is lifted from the "WrestleFest 1994" release, with Stan Lane and Gorilla Monsoon announcing. Two wrestlers that were staples of the 1980s were now treated as afterthoughts, with Savage mainly commentating, and Martel jobbing in the midcard. Savage was involved in an on-off feud with Crush, when he wasn’t announcing. Martel slaps Savage, then leads him a merry dance outside the ring. Martel produces a nasty cut under Savage’s eye with a kick. Savage shakes it off to send Martel outside after a hiptoss and clothesline. Back inside, Savage frustrates the Model by grounding him with a lengthy side headlock. Savage sustains an atomic drop to keep the hold applied as Martel pounds the mat in frustration. Martel manages to send Savage off the ropes, but Savage counters a hiptoss into a backslide, then clotheslines Martel to the floor once more. Martel pulls the referee in between he and Savage to sucker punch the eye, then toss Savage over the top rope. Martel goes out to deliver a slam, before suplexing Savage back in and punishing the back with two hard Irish whips. After sitting on a chinlock, Martel delivers a backbreaker. Savage counters a second backbreaker with a cradle then prevents a backbodydrop with a boot to the head. A knee to the back drives Martel to the floor. Savage follows up with a top rope double axehandle. Vintage Savage, or “patented Savage” in Lane’s case. Back inside, Martel knees Savage in the back, sends him to the corner, but posts his own shoulder on a charge. Savage slams, delivers the top rope elbow and picks up the win. Oooohh Yeahhh!!! Good match from two veterans who knew what they were doing. Winner: MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE. I remember WWF magazine attributing Savage’s gashed eye to an off-camera Crush sneak attack in the parking lot to give their feud more steam.
July 27th 1993
Shawn Michaels & Diesel vs Marty Jannetty & Razor Ramon
This match is from the VHS release “Inside the WWF.” Stan Lane is joined by Ted DiBiase on commentary. Shawn and Marty had recently traded the Intercontinental title, Diesel had just debuted and Razor was a new found fan favourite following his feud with the 1-2-3 Kid. Okerlund makes a Rockers and Outsiders comparison before the match. Marty armdrags Shawn, who immediately tags Diesel. This sets the tone for the match. Diesel piefaces Marty twice then staggers Razor with several shots. An all too eager Shawn re-enters and gets caught coming off the top rope. Razor holds Shawn in a bearhug as Marty launches off the top rope with a clothesline. The crowd get behind Marty as he grounds his former partner with a side headlock. Diesel yanks Marty down by the hair as he runs the ropes. Diesel re-asserts his authority by using a gutwrench suplex, backbreaker across the knee and bearhug on Marty. Diesel demonstrates some rare agility by leapfrogging Marty before planting him with a big boot. Shawn re-enters, Marty gives him a couple of faceplants, avoids a couple of corner charges from Shawn and Diesel in between and makes the hot tag. Razor gives Shawn a fallaway slam. Marty staggers Diesel with a dropkick, allowing Razor to clothesline him to the floor. Shawn takes a crescent kick off Marty, before walking into a chokeslam by Razor. 1-2-3. Winners: MARTY JANNETTY & RAZOR RAMON. Razor and Marty quickly bail to the outside before an angry Diesel can attack. Wow! I’m shocked that Shawn was pinned. I was sure that Marty would do the job. The match told a nice story of Diesel being the dominant force, with Shawn being the weak link. This wouldn’t happen again. The fans were ready to accept Marty as a star, but for reasons unknown, his push was halted and he formed an underdog tag team with the 1-2-3 Kid.
October 19th 1993
WWF Title: Yokozuna w/Mr Fuji vs Mr Perfect
This week’s Main Event is another bout lifted from “WrestleFest 1994,” so once more, Stan Lane and Gorilla Monsoon are the announcers. Perfect sidesteps a sneak attack charge in the corner. Yoko turns a cross body attempt into a slam. Yoko misses an elbow drop, Perfect ducks under a clothesline and dropkicks Yoko through the ropes. A dazed Yoko clumsily walks into the ringpost and takes his time to get back in. Lane questions Yoko’s endurance past the five to ten minute mark. Monsoon says anything more than ten minutes and Yoko is gravy, but mentions his 25 + minute effort with Bret Hart at WrestleMania IX. Yoko leans his head outside for advice from Fuji, so Perfect pulls the rope up for a sumo wedgie. Yoko avoids a dropkick, turning Perfect inside out with a clothesline as Fuji laughs from the outside. Gasping for air, Yoko applies a nerve hold and choke to get some energy back, before tossing Perfect over the top rope. Perfect favours his back, but manages to reverse several head rams into the corner from the apron. Yoko knocks Perfect off the apron as Fuji calls for more punishment. Back inside, Perfect is sent back first into the corner. Perfect avoids a charge, and takes Yoko down with a clothesline from the second rope. Yoko reverses an Irish whip, but is too tired to follow up. Fuji hooks Perfect’s leg, Perfect turns around, allowing Yoko to crush him in the corner. One banzai drop later from the second rope and Yoko has retained his title. Winner: YOKOZUNA. Post match sees Perfect sell the effects of the banzai drop on the mat. A surprisingly clean finish for the second match in a row, which Perfect carried. Perfect would go on a brief sabbatical until WrestleMania X, where he re-emerged as a special referee in the Yokozuna vs Lex Luger title match.
Three clean finishes out of four matches isn’t bad. The tag match was a rare gem and Savage and Martel put on a good display. It’s always a pleasure to watch Mr Perfect, even if he is against Yokozuna. The only disappointment was the weak finish in the Sid and Undertaker match.
See you next week. Shaun.
Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.
