WWE Vintage Collection Report: January 23rd 2011
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund
In our penultimate look at the new beginnings of past superstars, this week’s show is dedicated to the careers of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash (sans TNA for obvious reasons).
In an unflattering start, we head back to September 1996 where J.R rants about Vince McMahon letting Hall and Nash leave for WCW. To solve the problem, J.R brings in fakes to portray Hall and Nash’s former characters Razor Ramon and Diesel.
Raw: September 30th 1996
“Fake” Razor Ramon vs Savio Vega
Rick Bogner had the unenviable task of filling Scott Hall’s shoes. While Bogner utilises restholds and puts the crowd to sleep, Dok Hendrix hypes a backstage interview with Diesel, only to find his dressing room empty. As Savio comes back with kicks, Big Daddy Fake Diesel, played by Glen Jacobs (aka the former Isaac Yankem and current Kane) pulls down the top rope for the DQ. After the bell, the fakes give Savio a Razor’s Edge and jackknife powerbomb. While the nWo took WCW by storm, this angle went over like a fart in church and was completely rejected.
WCW Main Event: August 25th 1991
Big Josh & “The Z-Man” Tom Zenk vs The Diamond Studd & Oz
What an odd mix. On one side we have the future Doink portraying a lumberjack and on the other, DDP’s lackey sporting a big crystal on his trunks and a magician in lime green pants and a bleach blonde haircut similar to Sting’s. This is the first time Hall and Nash were paired together. Zenk has Studd beaten after a superkick. Oz throws Zenk from the top rope and works him over. Zenk ducks Studd’s clotheslines to land a cross body. Zenk and Oz collide enabling Zenk to make the hot tag. Josh takes the fight to both, but is overwhelmed. Josh ducks a double clothesline. Zenk pulls Studd to the outside, but Studd posts him. Studd grabs Josh’s stick and uses it on the lumberjack to cause the DQ. Studd and Oz immediately bail. So far it’s 2/2 in terms of crappy matches. Nash would be repackaged as the thuggish Vinnie Vegas, before he followed Hall to the WWF.
It’s time to say hello to the bad guy, as we are introduced to Razor Ramon on the June 13th 1992 edition of Superstars. Pulling up in a custom made Cadillac, dripping in gold and wearing a white suit, Ramon (playing off the Tony Montana character from Scarface) says no-one is going to stop him or tell him what to do when he gets to the WWF. In closing, Ramon refers to himself as El Jefe (the boss) as he flicks his toothpick at the camera.
WWF Superstars: August 8th 1992
Razor Ramon vs Paul Van Dow
This is Razor’s in-ring debut. Razor dominates Van Dow with a tree slam, one-armed chokeslam, a series of slaps and a back superplex from the second rope. The Razor’s Edge finishes things. This was a great way to debut a new act. As we all know, Razor caught on pretty quick and was elevated into the Main Event picture, before settling in the upper midcard for the rest of his WWF tenure.
Shawn Michaels introduces us to his “insurance policy” and “bodyguard” on the June 7th 1993 edition of Raw, to mark the first on-air appearance of Diesel. Decked out in dark shades, jeans and a shell suit top, Diesel’s first actual appearance came at a prior house show as he helped Michaels regain the Intercontinental Title from Marty Jannetty.
Raw: July 18th 1994 - Intercontinental Title
Diesel w/Shawn Michaels vs Lex Luger
Diesel paws Luger in the ropes then shoves him to the floor. Luger comes back with a sunset flip. Diesel mauls Luger in the corner. Luger retaliates once more with a powerslam and right hands to send Diesel outside. Luger goes to bang Michaels and Diesel’s heads together, but Diesel pulls Luger out. Back inside, Luger counters a jackknife into a backbodydrop. Diesel sidesteps a charge and Luger sails over the top rope to the floor. Diesel slams Luger on the outside before Michaels runs round to clothesline. Ted DiBiase (scouting Luger for his Million $ Corporation) is seen watching from the rafters.
Luger escapes a sleeper with a back suplex. Right hands and clotheslines rock Diesel. Luger ducks under a big boot to land a DDT for two. A flying clothesline gets Luger another nearfall. Diesel accidentally bumps referee Joey Marella. Luger gets Diesel in the torture rack. Michaels wipes Luger out from behind with Sweet Chin Music. Luger kicks out of a pin. Razor Ramon comes out to chase Michaels around ringside. Both inevitably get involved and the result is a double DQ. Luger saves Razor from a spike piledriver to clear the ring. All parties, including DiBiase, not to mention the fans are disappointed with the outcome. Apart from the non-finish, the match was surprisingly decent.
Quick clips air of the Outsiders debuting in WCW. Scott Hall comes through the crowd, declares war on WCW then brings out Kevin Nash a few weeks later. Nash gives Eric Bischoff (who was still an announcer at this point) a jackknife off the stage and through a table at the 1996 Great American Bash, after Bischoff refuses to name their first opponents.
WCW World War III: November 24th 1996
WCW Tag Team Titles: Outsiders vs Nasty Boys vs Meng & Barbarian w/Jimmy Hart
The bizarre rules in this triple threat meant that partners could be tagged in and be forced to face-off. After antagonising and playing their foes off against one another, the Outsiders are caught off-guard when Meng and Knobbs tag them in. Realising they’ll stay champions, Nash lies down for Hall, but the Nastys stop the pin and the action breaks down. The Nastys clear the ring of Meng and Barbarian, then knock Hart off the apron. Hall drills Knobbs with Hart’s megaphone and one jackknife later, the Outsiders retain their titles.
Apart from Diesel’s better-than-expected match with Luger, along with Razor’s introductory vignette and debut match, this was an awful retrospective, which showcased shitty wrestling and seemed to drag. Our “new beginnings in the new year” theme concludes next week.
Any comments or discussion points drop me a line at shaunmb1@hotmail.com.
