- Doink The Clown vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley:
And we right off the bat start with the creme de la crap. Helmsley would continue sucking for another two years, and the crowd just hates the Doink gimmick by now. Lockup and Helmsley with a side headlock. Danny Davis is still a referee here...yeah, I got nothing to say than notice who the referee is. Doink grabs the nose of Helmsley and slams him down. Doink with a head herk between the legs but Helmsley recovers and clotheslines Doink down and stomps a mudhole in him. Clips of Nitro and DDP is beating Johnny B. Badd down. Back to Raw and Helmsley whips Doink to the corner, but eats boot on the way. Doink with a side suplex but misses an elbow drop. Helmsley with a knee drop for a two count. Helmsley with a nice vertical suplex for another two count. Reverse chinlock by Helmsley. Irish whip and Doink surprises HHH with a small package for two. A Backslide by Doink gets another two. Irish whip to the corner is reversed but Doink misses a blind cross body press. Pedigree by Helmsley finishes this at 3:49. 3/4* Surprisingly short match.
- WWF-Tag Team Championship Match:
The Smoking Gunns (c) vs. PG-13:
If my mind isn't playing tricks on me, J.C Ice & Wolfie D are the members of PG-13. Wolfie most recently has participated in NWA as Slash of the New Church. I have no clue why PG-13 are even on RAW. Billy starts the match with Wolfie with a lockup into the corner. Billy blocks a hip toss and scores with one of his own. Criss cross and Billy with a roundhouse right to both men. Wolfie with a side headlock and Vince says they are from the USWA. Criss cross again and Wolfie runs into Ice. Bart tags in to face JC Ice who cartwheels into a stiff clothesline. Irish whip and Bart with a back body drop, but Ice lands on his feet and mocks Akeem. Bart with clotheslines to everyone and Bart press slams Ice onto Wolfie D. Lockup and Bart with an armbar on Wolfie. Billy in with a side headlock and a arm drag reversal leads to JC Ice tripping Billy up and Wolfie sending him to the outside. Back in the ring and Wolfie tags in with a snapmare and reverse chinlock to Billy Gunn. Gunn fights free but JC puts him back down and double teaming on Billy by PG-13. Irish whip and a double back elbow to Billy followed by a double elbow drop for two. Irish whip and Billy slingshots JC Ice into Wolfie D. Bart in with a series of clotheslines and slams followed by a dropkick to Wolfie. Billy tags in and comes off the top rope woith the side winder leg drop for three at 4:59. * OK Match, but just a bland match overall.
- #1 Contenders Steel Cage Match:
Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Issac Yankem D.D.S:
Winner here faces the winner of the World Title Match at IYH 4 at Survivor Series in November. There's a small shark cage at ringside for Jerry Lawler to be placed in if he attempts to interfere in this match. Yankem is better known today as Kane. Lockup and Yankem hammers Hart in the corner with brutal forearm blows. Yankem rams Bret into the turnbuckle and whips him across the ring. A charge to the corner misses and Hart with blows to the midsection followed by an inverted atomic drop and clothesline. Hart with a headbutt to the midsection and rams Yankem to the corner. Scoop slam by Hart followed by an elbow drop. Hart attempts escaping the cage but Yankem pulls him back down and hammers away on the back. Yankem rams Harts face into the canvas and drops an elbow across the chest. Yankem attempts an escape now but Hart knocks him off with kidney blows. Hart tries for the second time but Yankem pulls him back down by using the tights. Yankem sends Bret face first into the steel bars of the cage and kicks him in the back of the head for good measure. Yankem makes his second attempt but Bret holds onto the leg and yanks him down on his face (ouch). Hart chokes Yankem with his foot and stomps away at the kidney area of Yankem. Bret attempts escaping through the door, but the referee can't unlock it, allowing Yankem to nail a clothesline to the back of the neck, and ramming Bret into the cage at the same time. Yankem hammers away as we find out Lawler is hiding another padlock in his crown. Bret pummels Yankem as we go to commercial. We come back as Yankem boots Bret in the face and goes to climb out again. Bret is back on his feet and pulls Yankem down again and comes off the top rope with a clothesline. (over on Nitro, Flair is fighting Anderson/Pillman) Bret applies the sharpshooter, probably hoping to take Yankems legs out of it. Bret is almost out but Lawler climbs up the outside and knocks Hart back inside. Lawler is now dragged into the cage at ringside...eventually while both men are out of it inside the ring. Bret helps the cause by knocking Lawler off the cage with a series of roundhouse rights and a boot to the face. Yankem crotches Bret on the top of the cage as we see Lawler being raised above the ring. Bret hammers away on Yankem from the second rope and boots him in the face a few times. Bret is tripped up and crotched across the top rope now. Yankem stomps a mudhole in Bret and chokes him in the corner with his foot. Yankem tries a piledriver but Bret escapes wih a back body drop and goes climbing again. Bret is almost out but Yankem has Bret by the hair and pulls him back over. Brawling on the top rope and Yankem with a slam from the top rope. Yankem goes over the cage again, but Bret is back up and they continue brawling at the top. Bret bites Yankem off the top rope and once again lands on the top rope as we cut to Lawler having a nose bleed. Commercial break again and we come back with Bret and Yankem trading blows in the corner. Bret blocks being rammed into the cage and sends Yankem in for a taste and unloads on him in the corner with rights. Side suplex by Hart and he goes to escape again. Yankem is back to his feet and is able to drag Bret in by the hair again. Yankem drags Hart into the middle rope and connects with the DDS (aka DDT). Bret again prevents Yankem from escaping the cage and crotches him on the top rope. Yanekm is served some turnbuckle and Hart mounted punches in the corner. Irish whip is reversed and Bret takes the monster corner bump. Lawler drops Yankem the key to the padlock and he actually gets it off. Bret rolls Yankem up for no reason and continues pummeling him. Running bulldog headlock out of the corner by Hart followed by a back breaker. Bret goes to the second rope and connects with an elbow drop. Hart climbs the cage and finally is able to escape for the win and the #1 Contenders slot at 15:06. ** Not one of the best cage matches ever, but it was good enough for regular television. Back then, this usually meant Bulldog would win the title at IYH, but thankfully someone had enough brains not to do that.
- 20 Man Battle Royale for #1 Contendership to Intercontinental Title:
(Participants: Bam Bam Bigelow, Barry Horowitz, Aldo Montoya, Rad Radford, Skip, Hakushi, 1-2-3 Kid, Owen Hart, Duke Droese, King Kong Bundy, Savio Vega, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Kama, Henry Godwinn, Fatu, Bob Holly, Jean Pierre-Lafitte, Marty Jannetty, Psycho Sid, Issac Yankem DDS)
I'm not gonna bother with the PBP until it's down to a few men, unless something interesting happens. The first thing that comes to mind is WHY is King Kong Bundy in this? He hasn't been on TV since June, and wouldn't be on TV again afterwards. We find out why, because Bundy is dumped by about eight people at 0:14. Not much happens for a little while, but Skip dumps Aldo Montoya at 1:31 as I say that. Bob Holly is dumped out by Psycho Sid at 3:53. Duke Droese is Sid's next victim bia a big boot to the face at 4:28. Hakushi is dumped out next via Skip at 5:01 after a meaningless double teaming with Horowitz. Fatu is gone seconds later via...someone. Terrible camera angle so I couldn't see, but Kama is the closest to him. Instant Replay confirms that guess. Horowitz dumps a charging Skip out of the ring at 5:57. We come back from Commercial and half the ring is empty. So let's catch up on the Elimiantions: Henry Godwinn by multiple people, Horowitz apparently by Kama, Rad Radford by Bam Bam Bigelow, and Kama by Bigelow as well. The 1-2-3 Kid and Hunter Hearst Helmsley are also eliminated, but replays weren't shown for them. Sid is able to back dorp Yankem out of the ring at 7:00 to a nice face pop. Jannetty runs into a Sid big boot while Bigelow hammers away on Lafitte in the corner. Owen fireman carries Jannetty to the corner, but Jannetty slides out and rolls him up for no reason. Sid chokes Bigelow across the top rope while Owen takes Jannetty to the corner. Bigelow with a shoulder block eliminates Sid at 8:13. Savio Vega bounces off the ropes and connects with a heel kick to Lafitte. Jannetty rams Owen to the buckle while Savio connects with a reverse crescent kick to Lafitte in the corner. Commercial Break and Bam Bam Bigelow has been eliminated by a Jean Pierre Lafitte clothesline. Owen is almost gone by Vega, but is able to hold onto the ropes. Lafitte pounds on Savio in the corner as Jannetty has a sleeper applied on Owen. Owen tries the firemans carry again but Jannetty bounces off the top rope with a clothesline takedown. Another attempt and Jannetty is able to block. Jannetty with mounted punches in the corner. At the same time Savio connects with a DDT on JPL. Both faces almost dump the heels, but everyone is still safe. Owen with a series of blows to the leg of Savio but Savio is able to connect with an enziguri. JPL comes back and dumps Savio over, but he hangs onto the bottom rope. Irish whip by Owen and Savio ducks a heel kick and nails his own. Savio with a headbutt to Jannettyand tosses him ove,r but jannetty holds on and pulls Savio over with his legs at 12:16. Lafitte is also out by Jannetty at 12:24 and it's down to two. Irish whip and Owen flair flips into the ropes. Jannetty dumps him onto the apron again with a clothesline, but Owen holds on. Jannetty with a series of rights, with Owen teasing falling off, but able to hold onto the top and middle ropes. Owen is able to slide back in under the bottom rope after dropping Jannetty neck first across the top rope. Enziguri by Owen connects and he tries the firemans carry again, but Jannetty is now 3 for 3 in blocking it with takeovers. Jannetty with a go behind but Owen takes the momentum to put Jannetty out THROUGH the ropes. Jannetty goes after Cornette, so Bulldog comes to ringside and hand Jannetty his ass on a silver platter. Owen hammers Jannetty in the ring and puts him down with a shoulder block. Jannetty wityh a shoulder block, but Owen side steps a charge and dumps Jannetty out at 15:43 to earn a shot at the Intercontinental Title next week. Sadly, I don't have it. *** This was a very good Battle Royale once it came down to a few men, but the first half was just bleh.
- WWF-Womens Championship Match:
Bertha Faye (c) (w/ Harvey Wippleman) vs. Alundra Blayze:
And the wave of Womens wrestling comes back, as the next tape features several women matches. At least though it's made up of good workers. I always had the theory, the uglier the chick, the better the wrestler. Too bad everyone in WWE doesn't follow that and thus the Women Division sucks. Faye attacks and knocks Alundra down with her fat. Press slam by Bertha and she drops a big leg across the throat of Blayze for one. Headbutt connects and Bertha rakes Alundras eyes across the top rope. Squashing in the corner and Blayze takes her down with a sunset flip for two. Bertha back up with a clothesline and sits down on Alundra for two. Bertha attempts a tiger suplex but opts to toss Alundra down by the hair instead. Snapmare out of the corner and Faye with a series of blows to the back. Commercial and we come back to Bertha breaking out of a boston crab. Irish whip to the corner and Blayze flair flips out and rams Bertha to the buckle several times and comes off the top rope with a monkey flip. Whip to the buckle and Blayze with an arm drag followed by a missile dropkick for two. Irish whip and Blayze with a spinning heel kick and rake of the eyes for a two count. Blayze hammers away on Faye and scores with several kicks to the legs. Irish whip and Blayze with a take down by the hair for another two count. Blayze with a snapmare and sits across the neck of Faye. Faye back drops out of a powerbomb attempt from Blayze. Scoop slam and heads upstairs, but Alundra hurricanrana's her off. Bertha and Wippleman collide on the apron and Blayze wins the match and title with a german suplex at 6:40. ** Pretty good womens match, and mucho better than their Summerslam encounter.
- Bret "Hitman" Hart vs. Psycho Sid (w/ Million Dollar Coporation):
Hart has members from the Saskatchewan Rough Riders from the CFL with him to counter the Corporation. Taped from an episode of Superstars, and this would actually main event a PPV a year later. Lockup and Sid shoves Bret across the ring. Lockup and repeat. Lockup #3 and Sid backs Bret into the corner and unloads with a series of rights to the midsection. Big boot to the face in the corner connects, but misses a second attempt. Hart hammers away with a series of blows to the midsection and a headbutt. A charging clothesline sends Sid outside, and the football players toss Sid back in, and Bret sends him back out. Sid is tossed back in again and Bret attempts the sharpshooter, but Sid grabs the ropes. Bret yanks him back to the middle of the ring and connects with a headbutt to the midsection. Bret with a headbutt, and Dibiase is able to trip him next to the ropes. Sid with a super high elevation leg drop and some slapping around. Back to the corner and Sid kicks Bret in the mouth. Irish whip to the corner and Bret sells it like death as usual. Sid continues to pummel Bret and boots him to the back of the head. Sid scoops Bret up and applies a bearhug followed by a clothesline. Sid with a snapmare and applies a reverse chinlock. Skip is with Dibiase for some reason and one of the CFL guys tackles him back into 1993. Back to action and Sid puts Hart down with a shoulder block. Sid tosses Bret outside and Dibiase's guys & Skip stomp on him like a cockroach. Back inside and Sid chokes Bret across the second rope. Back from commercial and Sid with choking in the corner. Bret is able to connect with a boot to the midsection followed by a second rope clothesline. Headbutt and a series of rights to the midsection. Russian leg sweep by Hart and he connects with an elbow drop for two. Bret with a small package for another two count and he goes for a cross body. Sid catches him, but Bret takes him down with extra momentum. Sid sends Bret outside and it's all out war between the cornermen. Bret's...somewhere, but sneaks back into the ring and school boys Sid for three at 8:22 after a little help from some crazy looking guy. *1/2 Best match you can hope to get out of Sid in a meaningless eight minute match.
- Marty Jannetty vs. The British Bulldog (w/ Jim Cornette):
The match is stemming off the interference of the Battle Royale and Jannetty's sneak attack of Bulldog on the RAW on Halloween, where Vince is dressed up in an OLD school Prison outfit. Bulldog with a standing side headlock followed by a shoulder block. Lockup and Jannetty with a side headlock followed by a poke to the eyes and a wristlock. Irish whip and Jannetty connects with an enziguri for two after a long criss cross sequence. Jannetty with an armbar and takes a shot at Cornette at ringside. Irish whip and Bulldog with a press slam across the top rope. Irish whip and Bulldog with a back body drop. Bulldog with the delayed vertical suplex and some hair pulling followed by a reverse chinlock. Jannetty fights free but runs into a knee lift. Bulldog with a headbutt and covers for two, and quickly goes into the chinlock. Jannetty fights free and catches Bulldog with a crucifix for two. Bulldog up quick and puts Jannetty down with a clothesline followed by a leg drop for two. Bulldog hammers on Jannetty and whips him to the corner. Commercial Break and we come back to another Bulldog chinlock. Criss cross sequence and a double shoulder block puts both men down. Another chinlock drops the match rating now. Jannetty is dumped outside where Cornette cheap shots him. Jannetty with a shoulder thrust through the middle ropes, but Bulldog blocks a sunset flip. Another chinlock and Jannetty again fights back in the corner. Jannetty misses SOMETHING in the corner and gets hung up by the leg. Bulldog with a snapmare and applies ANOTHER chinlock. Irish whip to the corner but Bulldog runs into a forearm. Jannetty with a sunset bulldog off the second rope and connects with a diving back elbow. Irish whip and Jannetty rams Bulldogs face into the turnbuckle. Jannetty goes upstairs for the fist drop, but Bulldog moves. Jannetty catches him with a DDT, but only for a two count. Irish whip to the corner, but he posts himself. Bulldog scoops Jannetty up and plants him with the powerslam to pick up the victory at 9:23. *1/2 A little too slow, with way too many rest-holds from Davey Boy. I expected better, but I forgot DBS hasn't been that good of a worker since the Bulldogs days.
- Bret "Hitman" Hart & Hakushi vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler & Issac Yankem D.D.S:
Well, if not for Lawler completely sucking the WWF, and Yankem being a mediocre wrestler, I won't expect any miracles here. Horowitz (dressed like he's the lost cast member from Revenge of the Nerds) is at ringside for the good guys. Hart & Yankem lockup and go to the corner, and Yankem pounds Hart with a series of forearms to the back of the head. Irish whip to the corner and Yankem comes in, missing the charge. Bret with a wrist lock and hammers away on the shoulder. Irish whip and Yankem catches Bret with a bearhug. Bret bites his way free and applies the wristlock. Hakushi tags in and comes off the top rope with a headbutt to the arm. Hakushi with a wristlock and jerks the arm. Yankem with a series of elbows in the corner. Hakushi reverses an irish whip and connects with the spring board elbow in the corner. Hakushi hammers Yankem in the corner and Bret actually hammers him behind the referees back. Hakushi with an early bronco buster and Bret tags in with a series of stomps to the chest. Inverted atomic drop and Hart with a clothesline. Headbutt to the midsection and Hart covers for two. Hart with an armbar and comes back with a cross body press for two. Bret with a sunset flip for another two count. Hakushi back in applies a wristlock. Irish whip and Yankem blocks the springboard elbow with a clothesline to the back of the head. Hakushi is dumped on the apron, but springboards off the top rope with a missile dropkick to Yankem followed by a plancha, but Yankem catches him and rams Hakushis back into the ring post. Yankem rams Hakushis back into the side of the ring as the referee is distracted with Hart. Irish whip and Yankem with a back breaker for a two count. Lawler finally tags in and hammers away on Hakushi, and connects with a piledriver. Lawler connects with a second piledriver, and Yankem comes in to choke him behind the referee's back. Yankem tags in again and whips Hakushi across the ring to the buckle. Commercial and we come back with Yankem putting Hakushi in a bearhug. Irish whip is reversed and Hakushi catches a big boot and sweeps the leg from under Yankem. Yankem blocks a dropkick and applies a boston crab, but Bret breaks it. Lawler in with a series of fist drops and goes upstairs. Hakushi catches him coming off with a chop to the throat and both men tag. Hart hammers away on Yankem and connects with a bulldog headlock. Lawler takes a beating now and it's a double noggin knocker. Irish whip and Hart with a fist to Yankems midsection followed by a russian leg sweep. To the second rope and Hart with an elbow drop. Hart applies the sharpshooter, and all hell breaks loose. Lawler comes in with a chair, so Horowitz takes it away from him. The referee sees the chair and DQ's Bret & Hakushi at 10:38. **1/4 Fun tag match but I hate screwy finishes like this.
- Henry O. Godwinn vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley:
Match never happens, as Helmsley sneak attacks Godwinn outside the ring. Godwinn came back in the ring to chase him around and grabs the slop bucket, and slops himself, causing Helmsley to run away from the disgusting pig. Oh well, WWF wasted 5:00 of television footage, so it's all good to them I guess.
- Ahmed Johnson vs. James Steel:
Squash City time. Johnson is making his in ring WWF Debut here, as he appeared a week or so earlier and slammed the 8000 pound Yokozuna. Lockup and Johnson with a handshake offer, but no deal. Cocky Cracker. Lockup, and a break in the corner. Steel hammers Ahmed and nails a weak clothesline. Ahmed no sells and kills Steel with a clothesline. Armbar is reversed with another clothesline. Irish whip and Ahmed with a NASTY spinebuster. Pearl River Plunge by Ahmed finishes this at 2:26. DUD
- Non-Title; Special Referee Match:
Razor Ramon (IC Champ) vs. Psycho Sid:
The 1-2-3 Kid is the special referee, and has been having problems with Ramon for the last few months. We get clips of Superstars the past weekend, where Razor Ramon got him and The Kid DQ'ed in another tag team title shot against the Smoking Gunns. I smell trouble. Lockup and Sid hammers away with blows to the midsection. Sid with some choking and an Irish whip. Ramon ducks a clothesline and connects with a series of roundhouse rights, sending Sid over the top rope to the floor. Irish whip and Sid connects with a big boot to the kisser. Sid with a stomp to the chest and covers for a two count. Sid with a super chokeslam and some posing. Sid continues to punish Ramon with chokes across the second rope, and Dibiase gets in a cheap shot. Sid stomps away at the chest and pounds the back of Ramon with axhandles. Ramon comes back with rights but Sid makes him eat the canvas. Razor catches Sid with a boot, but Sid is able to back drop Ramon out of the ring on a Razor's Edge attempt. Back inside the ring Sid with more forearms to the back followed by a back suplex for two. Long reverse chinlock spot by Sid, and Ramon finally comes back up with an eletric chair drop. Ramon catches Sid with a top rope bulldog for a two count. Razor's Edfe attempt, but The kid pulls Sid out of it. sid with a powerbomb to Ramon and The Kid with a SUPER FAST COUNT at 9:47 gives Sid the win! 1/2* Pretty bad match, but a half star for the finish. Dibiase stuffs a canadian $5 bill down Ramons throat, and The kid retrieves it and stuffs it in his pocket.
Final Thoughts: Overall, not a bad tape at all, thanks to a few good Hart matches and several other free TV clashes that weren't too shabby. The PPV kind of ruins everything, but who in their right mind would've paid for THAT show? Minus the PPV, a good three hours to kill, but the last thirty minutes can easily be avoided.
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