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Jeff Harris

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WRESTLE MANIA X

  • This is my first ever viewing of this show. I was unable to see it 6 years ago, and my brother taped over it before he could send it to me. I bought it for 15 dollars at a tower records store in my local mall.
  • March 20, 1994. Live from the Madison Square Garden.

  • show opens.

  • Vince McMahon is in the ring. He introduces Little Richard to sing the National Anthem.

  • Commentary is by Jerry "the King" Lawler and Vince McMahon. Lawler speculates if that was Little Richard's real voice or if his underwear was too tight.

  • Recap of the Owen/Bret Hart fued. It starts at Survivor Series '93, when Owen accidentally knocks Bret to the guardrail. Shawn rolls up Owen for his elimination. After the Harts win, Owen comes in and gets in a shoving match with Bret. Owen challenges Bret to a 1 on 1 match on TV. Bret refuses to ever fight his brother under any circumstances. At Royal Rumble '94, Owen and Bret have worked out their differences. Bret says he is happy they worked things out, and they are ready to beat the Quebeckers for the tag team titles. Due to injury in Bret's leg, the match ends and the Harts lose. Out of anger Owen kicks the leg of Bret. Owen says he will beat Bret at Wrestlemania.

  • Bret "the Hitman" Hart vs the "Rocket" Owen Hart. Owen enters the ring first. Bret enters to a huge pop. Bret hands his shades to a youngster at ringside. Lawler says that was an Owen fan because he stuck his tongue out. Bell rings, match starts.

    CAN YOU SMELL THE WORKRATE?! I AM SERIOUS!!!!! THE WORKRATE IS BUSTING OUT THE WAZOO HERE!!!!!!!!!!

    Double-lockup and a break. Owen does an Angle-esque celebration pose. Double-lockup, firman carry takedown by Owen, but Bret gets a leg scissor hold. Owen kicks out of it. Double-lockup into a waistlock takedown by Bret. Owen grabs the ropes to break the waistlock. Double-lockup into a waistlock take down by Owen, but Bret is able to toss Owen out. Owen gets back in the ring and slaps the taste out of Bret's mouth. Hammerlock by Owen, reversed by Bret, and Owen with a drop toe hold and a side-headlock. Bret reverses it into a hammerlock and starts kneedropping the arm. Full arm dragon twist and an arm wrench by Bret. Owen flips out and reverses the hold, and he nails a back hair slam takedown. Wristlock by owen, but Bret flips and reverses it into an arm wrench. Irish whip to the corner by Bret is reversed, but he jumps over owen and gets a waistlock rollup for 2. Armdrag takedown into an armbar by Bret. Hammerlock by Bret, Owen elbows out, gets a shoulderblock, leapfrog by Bret, followed by a monkey flip on Owen. Clothesline to the outside by Bret. Owen tries to leave, but Bret drags him back in.

    Back in the ring. Shove by both. Bret slaps Owen and gets a schoolboy rollup for 2. Armbar by Bret. Irish whip by Owen, but Bret gets a crucifix for 2. Another armbar by Bret. Irish whip by Owen, followed by a leapfrog and a leg lariat on the Hitman. Owen stomps Bret out of the ring. Owen rams the back of Bret on the steel ringpost. Back in. Whip to the buckle sends down Bret, and Owen stomps. Backbreaker and a steiner recliner on Bret. Bret is able to get out, runs over Owen, but Owen nails a belly to belly suplex for 2. Headbutt and an irish whip to the corner, Bret reverses, but Owen sprinboards off and nails a crossbody. Bret rolls it over for 2!

    Owen comes back with a camel clutch. Scoopslam by Owen is reversed into a lateral press for 2 by Bret. Bret rolls outside. Owen goes for a suplex back in, reversed by Bret into a waistlock, but Owen turns it into a bridged german suplex for 2. Legdrop by Owen gets 2. Headbutts by Owen. Bret blocks a vertical and gets an inside cradle for 2. European uppercut by Owen. Bret reverses an irish whip and goes for a tiltawhirl, but Owen counters with a tombstone! Owen goes up top. Kamikaze headbutt by Owen misses. Manhatten drop and a running clothesline by Bret gets 2. Bret with an irish whip and an abdomen punch. Side-Russian legsweep by Bret gets 2. Backbreaker sets up an elbow drop off the second rope for 2. Owen is able to nail an enziguri. He goes for the sharpshooter. Bret gets an eyepoke and goes for the shooter, but Owen blocks it. Punch by Owen, and a leg scissor rollup on Bret gets 2. Owen rolls out of the ring.

    Pescado by Bret! Back in the ring. Owen works on Bret's bad leg. Dragon screw leg whip and leg grapevine by Owen. Owen lets go. Dragon screw leg whip sets up the figure 4! Bret is eventually able to roll it over, and Owen grabs the ropes to break it. Bret comes back with an enziguri on Owen. Punch and headbutt by Bret. Owen gets an whip to the corner face fisr and goes down. Legdrop by Bret gets 2. Sideheadlock into the Bulldog by Bret gets 2. Piledriver on Owen gets another 2. Bret crotches Owen up top. Top rope superplex!!!! Bret barely turns it over for the cover and only gets 2! 2 European ppercuts and a sleeper hold by Bret. Owen witha lowblow to break it. Owen applies the sharp shooter! Bret is able to reverse it into his sharp shooter!!! Owen is very close to the ropes and grabs them. Bret to the corner, Owen charges, but gets a dropkick. He clims on Owen's shoulders and goes for a victory roll. Owen blocks it and holds on to Bret's legs and covers for 3!!!!! at 20:21!

    ****1/2. Spectacular match. Great pyschology and great wrestling. Here Owen gets his first and only victory against his brother. This was only the icing of the cake for their fued. Their world title cage match at Summerslam later was even better than this. It was also in my opinion, the best match in the history of the WWF.

  • Todd Pettingail gets an interview with owen. He says he wants recognition and how Bret won't be able to win the title tonight.

  • Wrestlemania 2 flashback.

  • Bam Bam Bigelow and Luna vs Doink and Dink. Bam Bam and his skank Luna enter. Here come the clowns. This is going to take a lot of strength for me. This isn't fair. I went through crap like this in the first recap. Bell rings and match starts.

    Doink and Bigelow start. Bigelow gets some shoulderblocks and a drop kick. Scoopslam and a legdrop misses. Doink with an armbar. Bam Bam misses an elbow drop, and Dink is tagged in. NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Luna has to tag in. Dink gets a spank on Luna. Luna chokes him. Crappy offense exchange. Luna misses a big splash. Bammer and Doink get tagged in. Drop toe hold horribly done by Doink. Bammer clotheslines him out. Back in. Bammer sitsdown on a sunset flip by Doink. Big DDT out of mid-air by Doink. Gulliotine legdrop misses. Diving headbutt off the top by Bammer finishes it for 3 at 6:09.

  • ***. That was even giving it a little.

  • after the match Doink saves Dink from a Bigelow and Luna beatdown.

  • We go to the President's box for Todd to get a word with President Clinton.

  • Wrestle Mania III flashback. We get a shot of the famous Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant staredown.

  • Falls count anywhere match: Macho man vs Crush w/ Mr. Fuiji. Savage attacks Crush while he is making his entrance. The rules are that you have to pin your opponent anywhere outside the ring. The man who is pinned has 60 seconds to get back to the ring or the match is over. Bell rings and match starts.

    Manhatten drop and a tiltawhirlbackbreaker by Crush. Military press and Savage is dropped on the guard rail for a 3 count. Crush goes to the ring. Savage tries to get back in the ring, but Fuiji decks him with a flag. Randy is able to make it in at 2 seconds left. Crush hammers Savage. Crush gets some powder, but Savage knocks it into Crush's face. Running elbow smash off the ropes by Savage. Savage goes to the top and nails a top rope elbow smash. Scoop slam on Crush sets up the big elbow. Savage rolls Crush outside and pins him for 3.

    Crush is able to answer the 60 seconds in time. Savage gets backdropped outside. Randy is able to slam Crush's head to the ringpost. Clothesline over the guard rail by Savage. Randy follows over. Superkick by Crush. Crush attempts a piledriver, but Savage gets a backdrop. They battle outside of the arena area. Savage gets a 3 count on Crush. Macho ties up Crush's legs so Crush can't go back to the ring. Crush is unable to answer the 60 seconds while Macho is in the ring. So Savage wins his last Wrestle Mania match ever at 9:49.

    **1/4. Pretty decent contest here.

  • We go back to the President's box. IRS congratulates the President for raising taxes.

  • WWF Fan Fest recap.

  • Wrestle Mania IX flash back. We see Savage win the tournament and his first ever WWF world title.

  • Alundra Blayze (c) vs Leilani Kai for the Women's title. Kai is already in the ring. Blayze makes her entrance. Bell rings and match starts.

    Kai gets a takedown and gets Blayze in the corner. Blayze gets a sunset flip out of the corner for 2. Kai gets a double-chokeslam and a scoopslam for 2. Blayzer reverses a powerbomb into a hurricarana for 2. Two hair beals by Kai and Blayze gets tossed out. Back in. kai gets a double underhook suplex for 2. Clothesline and roundhouse kick by Blayze. Snap suplex gets 2. Two hair beals by Blayze get a 2-count. Blayze ducks a clothesline and gets a bridged german suplex for 3 at 3:20.

    1/2*. Once again, I am not a big fan of Women's matches. Couple cool moves in here, but it didn't click with me.

  • shot of Mae Young, Moolah, and Nikilai Volkoff in the audience.

  • Wrestle Mania V flashback. Piper sprays Morton Downey Jr. with a fire extinguisher.

  • Men on a Mission vs the Quebeckers with Johnny Polo(c) for the Tag-Team titles. The Men on a Mission enter the ring. This is worse than Too Cool. In the back But Reynolds takes away HBK's spotlight with that ho Rhonda Shear. She hosted the Up All Night movie show on USA for a while. Back in the ring, the Quebeckers are out with their horrible music. They should have used All American Boys again that was funny as hell. Bell rings and match starts.

    Mo and Jacques start. Cross-body by Mo gets 2. Mabel tagged in. Drop toe hold by Mo and a legdrop by Mabel. Mo tagged in. Double-elbow drop. Scoopslam by Pierre on Mo. Is he legal? he didn't tag in. Tag to Jacques. Pierre backdrops Jacques on Mo for 2. Tag to Pierre. Jacques backdrops Pierre outside on Mo.

    Back in the ring. Pierre gets a 2 count. Double hotshot for Mo gets 2. Tag to Jacques. Mo rolls on Jacques. Tag to Pierre. Pierre misses a gulliotine legdrop. Tag to Mabel and a tag to Jacques. Clothesline to both Mounties. Backdrop to Pierre, and an STO for Jacques. The Mounties get a double suplex on Mabel. Tag to Pierre who goes up top. Cannonball gets 2 for Pierre. Mabel takes down the Quebeckers. Tag to Mo. Double team splash. Polo distracts the ref. Mabel splashes Pierre outside. The artist currently known as Raven pulls Jacques out of the ring so the Quebeckers can be counted out at 6:06. The Quebeckers retain the titles.

    *. Nothing really that good here. The Men on a Mission were a horrible tag team. I still don't know why Vince liked these guys.

  • Wrestlemania VI flashback. We see Warrior get his big world title win over Hogan proving no man is unbeatable.

  • We see a recap of the Luger/Yokozuna fued. The package includes the slam heard round the world, Luger's count out win over Yokozuna at Summerslam '93, and Bret and Luger both winning the Royal Rumble. Luger wins a cointoss on RAW to be the first one to get the world title shot at Wrestle Mania.

  • Lex Luger vs Yokozuna(c) w/ Mr. Fuiji and Jim Cornette for the WWF title. Rhonda Shear and Don Wahlberg enter. Rhonda is the guest bell ringer. Don is the guest ring announcer. Mr. Perfect enters as he is the special guest referee. Fatboy Yokozuna enters with his entourage. Here comes the Lex Express. Bell rings and match starts.

    Lugers gets a clothesline, but Yoko gives one as well. YOko misses an elbow drop and Luger punches him outside. Luger sends him back in. Luger gets a flying crossboybody for 2. Lex gets a jumping elbow drop for 2. Did Luger just do 2 of Sting's signature moves? Luger goes for a scoop slam, but Yokozuna falls on him for 2. Yoko exposes the turnbuckle bol.t Luger hammers back at him. Yoko regains control and a chop sends Luger down. Camel clutch by Yokozuna. Yokozuna then applies the neck pinch of death. Luger powers out, clothesline ducked, chop ducked. Luger then runs into Yokozuna and collapses down. Yoko punches at Luger and reapplies the neck pinch. Yokozuna lets go and dumps Luger outside. Luger gets back in, and Yokozuna chops him. Back to the neck pinch. Luger gets out and punches at Yokozuna, but Yoko punches him down. He does the damn neck pinch again. Yokozuna sucks.

    Luger powers out, ducks a clothesline, repeat, but he runs into a belly to belly suplex by Yokozuna. Yoko calls for the banzai drop. He tries to send Luger's head to the turnbuckle bolt. Luger blocks it and sends Yoko's head to the bolt. Fatty falls his ass down. Three consecutive clotheslines to Yokozuna. Luger scoop slams him Yokozuna and calls for the forearm. Lawler says that scoop slam was a hiptoss. Luger runs off the ropes and hits the forearm. Luger brings Fuiji and Cornette into the ring and pummels them. He covers Yokozuna. Henning checks on Cornette. Luger shoves Perfect to remind him to make the count. Perfect then checks on Fuiji. Luger shoves Perfect again. Perfect rings the bell to disqualify luger at 14:40.

    1/2*. Pretty much what I would expect from this match. Vince loved pushing the big wrestlers, so I guess thats why Yokozuna held the world title for so long. As for Henning screwing Luger, "WHAT A SWERVE!!!!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!!!!!!!!"

  • Todd asks Perfect why he did what he did. Perfect says he called it right down the middle, and that Luger should not have put his hands on the Perfect One. Lugers shows up. Lex wants to know why he got screwed. The officials try to break it up.

  • Back to Vince and King at ringside. King is glad there is finally some justice. Vince says Luger was robbed.

  • Wrestle Mania VII flashback. We get a look at that Rick Martel, Jake the Snake Roberts blindfold match. Boy that was a 5 star classic--NOT!

  • Adam Bomb w/ Harvey Wippleman vs Earthquake. Harvey is in the ring making fun of Finkel. Harvey rips off part of Fink's suit, and Fink pushes him down. Bomb comes out and grabs Fink. Quake runs out to get the backhit on Bomb. Bell rings and match starts.

    Belly to Belly suplex by Quake. Powerslam by Earthquake and he begins to dance around. he runs off the ropes and buttdrops Adam Bomb for 3 at 0:32.

    DUD. That is for keeping it short.

  • Todd is in the back to get a word with Yokozuna. Cornette and Yokozuna show up. Cornette starts quoting Ian Anderson. Fuiji shows up behind Yokozuna. Cornette says Perfect did a fine job and he was agreed to be the referee by both parties. Cornette starts talking trash about Bret. Cornette says Yokozuna is going to eat Bret. Yokozuna yells "BANZAI!!!!!"

  • Wrestle Mania VIII flashback. We take a look at the Undertaker, walking, during his second Wrestle Mania appearance.

  • Ladder Match: Razor Ramon(c) vs the Heart Break Kid Shawn Michaels w/Diesel for the Intercontinental championship. The IC title belts are already on the hook. Razor's real one and Shawn's bogus one. HBK and Diesel make their entrances. HBK refuses to walk under the ladder. Razor comes out and walks under the ladder. Razor hands his chains to an official at ringside and tosses a toothpick at him. Bell rings and match starts.

  • The opponents pace around the ring. Double-lockup into a side-headlock, into a hammerlock by Shawn. Reversal by Razor, but Shawn pulls out the legs to send Razor down. Wasn't HHH trying to teach Trish that trick on Smackdown? Razor kicks off Shawn. Razor blocks a hiptoss, Shawn flips out, but Razor nails a chokeslam with a pinch of Machismo! Punch and an irish whip by Razor. Shawn ducks a clothesline and gets a swinging neckbreaker. Shawn kicks at Razor. Razor gets Shawn's head to the turnbuckle. Shoulderblock by Razor. Shawn tosses Razor out. Diesel clotheslines Razor. Earl sees it and ejects Diesel from ringside. Diesel leaves and Shawn is upset. Razor gets a punch on Shawn and gets back to the ring.

    Razor gets a punch in the corner, whip to opposite corner. Shawn flips up and crotches himself on the top rope and flips back down on his feet. Razor clotheslines Shawn out. Razor follows and lifts up the mats to expose concrete. Eye gouge by Shawn and both go back in. Punches and an irish whip by Shawn, reverse by Raor and a right hand. Razor goes for the edge, but Shawn backdrops him over the ropes to the exposed concrete!!! YOWZA! Shawn brings the ladder to ringside. Razor gives Shawn a right and gets him back in. He puts the ladder on the arpon, but Shawn baseball slide dropkicks it into Razor. Shawn sends Razor's head to the steel steps. Shawn puts Razor in the ring and follows with the Ladder.

    Shawn starts ramming the ladder to Razor's breadbasket, and then starts slamming it on Razor's back. HBK sets it up and climbs. Razor pulls down Shawn's tights, and Shawn kicks him off. With his ass sticking out Shawn nails the big elbow drop off the ladder and pulls his pants up. Vince says Shawn "has made a you know what of himself." Shawn puts the open ladder by the corner. Scoop slam to Razor in front of the ladder. Shanw climbs to the top rope, then to the top of the ladder. BIG SPLASH OFF THE TOP OF THE LADDER!!!!!! That was so good it would make Snuka jealous.

    Shawn attempts to get the belts, but Razor pushes the ladder down. Shawn boucnes off the ropes and is down. Shawn pushes off a side-headlock. Double-forearm shot signals a double-KO. Shanw gets up and puts the ladder in the corner. Razor reverses an irish whip into the ladder and Shawn flips over the ropes to the floor. Razor takes the ladder to the outside and starts slamming it into Shawn. Razor stands it in front of the arpon. Razor catapaults Shawn into the ladder. Shawn holds onto it and falls to the floor with the ladder. Razor sends Shawn in and follows with the ladder.

    Razor rams the ladder to Shawn's face to send him out. Razor sets the ladder up and climbs while Shawn climbs to the top rope. Shawn nails a flying forearm to Razor, and he falls off the ladder. The ladder falls down on top of Shawn. Shawn pushes the ladder up, and they both climb each side. They trade punches and Razor grabs Shawn and scoop slams him to the ring! Sick spot right there. The ladder topples down and Razor hits the ropes. Razor gets up and climbs, but Shawn dropkicks the ladder, and Razor falls off.

    Shawn pushes the ladder down on Razor. Irish whip by Shawn. Razor ducks, a clothesline, but Shawn gets the super kick! Shawn calls for the Razor's Edge, but instead nails a jumping piledriver. Shawn takes the ladder to the corner and climbs the top rope. He rides the ladder down and crushes Razor. Sick spot. Shawn sets the ladder up over Razor. King says "that's double-bad luck!" Shawn climbs, but Razor shoulderblocks the ladder down. Shawn's foot gets tied up in the ropes. Razor climbs the ladder while Shawn struggles to get his foot out. He get it out, but his arm gets caught in the ropes. Razor grabs the belts right as Shawn gets untied. Razor just falls down to the ring and wins the match at 18:47.

    *****. Great match! This match wasn't a suicide fest like recent ladder matches. It had fluidity and pyschology. A few weeks after this, Razor loses the IC title to Diesel. They have a rematch at Summerslam, in which Razor gets the title back. The match turned out to be one of Diesel's few good matches. After the match Razor poses on the ladder with the belts.

  • in the back we go. Jeff Jarrett, the Head Shrinkers, IRS argue about who the team captain will be. Vince says the match won't take place.

  • Todd talks to the Prez and Ted Dibiase.

  • Wrestle Mania IX flashback. We get shot of King and Macho Man celebrating. We also see Bret get the powder to the eyes right before he loses his first world title. Bret ultimately got held down for a whole year.

  • Yokozuna(c) vs Bret "the Hitman" Hart for the WWF Title. We start with a video package of Bret. It includes clips of his various Tag team title wins, Intercontinental title wins, and even his first world title victory over Ric Flair. Next is a video package of Yokozuna. We see various clips of Yokozuna doing some of his crappy moves. Pat Patterson escorts guest time keeper Jennie garth and guest ring announcer, Burt Reynolds to the ring. The guest referee is announced as Rowdy Roddy Piper. Yokozuna enters he ring with Fuiji and Cornette. Bret limps to the ring, still selling the knee injury. Bell rings and match starts.

    Headbutt by Yoko. Bret comes back to no avail. Chops and a scoop slam by Yokozuna. Bret punches Yokozuna and gets a dropkick but misses a second one. Yokozuna kicks at Bret then chokes him with the ropes. Back rake and back to the choke. Headbutt by Yokozuna and he misses a splash. Punches and a headbutt by Bret sends Yokozuna down. Bret slams Yoko's head to the mat. Ey gouge by Yoko. Bret ducks a clothesline and punches Yokozuna down. Bret covers, but Cornette pulls Piper out. Piper decks Cornette. Headbutt Drop by Yokozuna and a choke. Legdrop by Yokozuna, and Vince says "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Wow." Yokozuna tosses Bret outside.

    Bret makes it back in. Yoko pummels Bret in the corner, whip to opposite corner, and Yokozuna misses a big thump. Bret gets a bulldog off the second rope for 2. Elbow drop off the second rope gets 2 for Bret. Bret gets a neckbreaker drop for another 2. Bre comes off the second rope again, but Yokozuna catches him in a belly to belly suplex. Yokozuna calls for the Banzai Drop. He trips off the second rope topples down. Bret moves out of the way and covers Yokozuna for 3 at 10:38!

    *1/2. Not really a great match, but its great to see Bret finally win his well deserved second world title reign after being held down for a whole year. After the match all the faces come out to celebrate with Bret. Owen comes out to ringside, looking very irate. He just stands there as the show ends. Damn, the match Bret and Owen have at Summerslam needs to be seen to be believed.

    Overall: I highly recommend this show. Yeah, there is a lot of crap on it, but Owen/Bret and Shawn/Razor are so great that it is totally worth it. Plus moments such as Owen beating Bret, and Bret's world title win are priceless.

    UP NEXT: Sorry for the delay, but my next recaps will be Summerslam '89 and Summerslam 2000!

    Jeff Harris
    freelance

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