WWF Royal Rumble 1993 – January 1993

WWF Royal Rumble 1993 – January 24th 1993 – Sacramento, California

Matches
The Steiner Brothers defeated The Beverly Brothers (5/10)
Shawn Michaels defeated Marty Janetty {WWF Intercontinental Title} (7/10)
Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Big Bossman (5/10)
Bret Hart defeated Razor Ramon {WWF World Heavyweight Title} (7/10)
Yokozuna won the Royal Rumble (8/10)

Moments – Positives

A pretty solid WWF Royal Rumble which started off the Yokozuna year that was 1993. Razor Ramon got his automatic push to a World title race as the WWF re-iterated their focus on the new WWF Generation. A classic feud between HBK and Janetty also ended at the Rumble which was pretty well done.

Moments – Negatives

The opening match was pretty poor as was the Bam Bam vs Bossman match. I personally didnt feel the Rumble itself had as much of a buzz about it as in previous years. Also the World Title match was at best ok which let the PPV down slightly.

Overall Summary
A solid Rumble PPV but not as good as it has been in recent years. WWF focused on the New Generation and perhaps at the time were not ready to quite unleash the wrestlers to the main event scene and it showed.

SCORE = 7.0

WWF Survivor Series 1992 – November 1992

WWF Survivor Series 1992 – November 25th 1992 – Richfield, Ohio

Matches
The Headshrinkers defeated High Energy (5/10)
Big Bossman defeated Nailz (7/10)
Tatanka defeated Rick Martel (6/10)
Randy Savage & Mr Perfect defeated Ric Flair & Razor Ramon (7/10)
Yokozuna defeated Virgil (6/10)

Nasty Boys & Natural Disasters defeated Money Inc & Beverly Brothers (6/10)

The Undertaker defeated Kamala {Casket Match} (7/10)

Bret Hart defeated Shawn Michaels {WWF World Heavyweight Title} (8/10)

Moments – Positives

The debut of Razor Ramon, Bret Hart as the World Champion and Shawn Michaels as the true Heart Break Kid. This PPV was almost the start of the New WWF Generation with Hart as the World Champion for the first time and a fitting PPV main event between HBK and Hart which would happen many more times in the years to come!

Moments – Negatives

A few poor matches but overall this has very few negatives. Even the Bossman / Nailz match was really well done.

Overall Summary
This was a very solid PPV. None of the matches were amazing but then again noneof them were poor which was very good for that period of time! I really enjoyed the beginning of HBK/Hart feud and it was also good to see the likes of Razor Ramon debut!

SCORE = 7.0

WWF Summerslam 1992 – August 1992

WWF Summerslam 1992 – August 31st 1992 – London (Wembley Stadium), England

Matches
The Legion of Doom defeated Money Inc (7/10)
Nailz defeated Virgil (4/10)
Shawn Michaels drew with Rick Martel {No Face Hitting Allowed} (6/10)
The Natural Disasters defeated Beverly Brothers {WWF Tag Team Titles} (6/10)
Crush defeated Repo Man (5/10)

Ultimate Warrior defeated Randy Savage {WWF World Heavyweight Title} (9/10)

The Undertaker defeated Kamala

British Bulldog defeated Bret Hart {WWF Intercontinental Title} (8/10)

Moments – Positives

The biggest thing to remember about this classic show is the setting. It was live from Wembley Stadium in England and the atmosphere really showed. British Bulldog beating Bret Hart for the IC title in the main event will always live in memory as one of the greatest moments for any British wrestling fan. Ultimate Warrior/Savage match was also a classic with Flair and Perfect on the outside and the crowd not knowing who would turn heel and sell out. It turned out none of them were working with Flair and the match ended in a DQ.

Moments – Negatives

Some truly poor matches sandwiched between decent fights. The Crush/Repo Man fight was poor as was the Tag Team title fight. Nailz vs Virgil had to be one of the worst matches to date too.

Overall Summary
A very good WWF Title match and a great IC contest with a classic ending truly made this Summerslam something special. I would recommend watching this just for the ending of the main event and the celebration of the crowd as Bulldog finally wins a singles title!

SCORE = 7.5

WWF Wrestlemania VIII – April 1992

WWF Wrestlemania VIII – April 5th 1992 – Indianapolis, Indiana

Matches
Shawn Michaels defeated El Matador (7/10)
The Undertaker defeated Jake Roberts (7/10)
Bret Hart defeated Roddy Piper {WWF Intercontinental Title} (8/10)
Big Bossman, Sgt Slaughter, Virgil and Jim Duggan defeated Nasty Boys, Repo Man and Mountie (5/10)
Randy Savage defeated Ric Flair {WWF World Heavyweight Title} (10/10)
Tatanka defeated Rick Martel (6/10)

Natural Disasters defeated Money Inc {WWF Tag Team Titles} (7/10)

Owen Hart defeated Skinner (5/10)

Hulk Hogan defeated Sid Justice (8/10)

Moments – Positives

This had many great moments, the staredown between Sid and Hogan, a classic bout between Flair and Savage for the World title and Miss Elizabeth’s choice at the very end of the match, Shawn Michaels true debut as the Heartbreak Kid, Owen Hart making a mark on the WWF, a great tag match for the WWF Tag team titles and the return of the Ultimate Warrior to help Hogan defeat Sid!

Moments – Negatives

The big tag team match in the middle was pretty poor and Owen Hart’s match with Skinner was too short and unnecessary. Apart from this no real negatives!

Overall Summary
This was one of my favourites Wrestlemania’s to date and it is the second PPV to date with a 10/10 match since Wrestlemania V’s Hogan/Savage main event. The Sid/Hogan match was well done but should have taken place before Savage/Flair although that is a very minor negative. Excellent.

SCORE = 9.5

WWF Royal Rumble 1992 – January 1992

WWF Royal Rumble 1992 – January 19th 1992 – Albany, New York

Matches
The New Foundation defeated the Orient Express (6/10)
Roddy Piper defeated The Mountie {WWF Intercontinental Title} (7/10)
The Beverly Brothers defeated the Bushwhackers (5/10)
The Natural Disasters defeated Legion of Doom {WWF Tag Team Titles} (7/10)
Ric Flair won the Royal Rumble {WWF World Heavyweight Title} (8/10)

Moments – Positives

There were a few positives about the whole PPV show. It began to look like more of a show of the new WWF generation. Shawn Michaels was officially a singles wrestler and managed by Sherri, Ric Flair mania was in full throttle as he won the WWF World title for the first time, the Royal Rumble match meant more as it was for the World title and the Roddy Piper/Mountie match was very entertaining!

Moments – Negatives

The Rumble match itself was not one of the best matches and the middle match between the Bushwhackers and Beverly Brothers really let the card down.

Overall Summary
A great PPV and a solid Rumble. Apart from the middle match, very few positives and by this time it was clear to see that the Rumble was one of the better produced events of the calendar year. It was a momentus Rumble as the World title was defended for the first time within the Rumble match up and Ric Flair’s first WWF title reign began!

SCORE = 8.5

WWF This Tuesday in Texas – December 1991

WWF This Tuesday in Texas 1991 – December 3rd 1991 – San Antonio, Texas

Matches
Bret Hart defeated Skinner {WWF Intercontinental Title} (6/10)
Randy Savage defeated Jake Roberts (8/10)
British Bulldog defeated The Warlord (5/10)
Ted DiBiase and Repo Man defeated Virgil and Tito Santana (5/10)
Hulk Hogan defeated The Undertaker {WWF World Heavyweight Title} (7/10)

Moments – Positives

A very watered down version of a PPV event. The clear highlight of the whole show was Hogan regaining the World Title off the Undertaker days after Taker’s victory over Hogan on Survivor Series. The other great highlight is Savage’s first official match since his loss to Warrior at Wrestlemania VII and Jake Roberts’ hitting Elizabeth.

Moments – Negatives
A very short PPV event which made it appear pretty wateredown and basic. The main event and the Savage match was great but the rest of the card was totally forgettable.

Overall Summary
Not a bad show considering the four or five matches which made up this very short PPV card. The title change obviously made this more memorable than expected and Hogan/Flair feud continue to develop during these months. Overall, I think all should give this one a go if not just to see Taker’s first WWF title defence.

SCORE = 7.0

WWF Survivor Series 1991 – November 1991

WWF Survivor Series 1991 – November 27th 1991 – Detroit, Michigan

Matches
Ric Flair, Mountie, Ted DiBiase and Warlord defeated Roddy Piper, Bret Hart, Virgil and British Bulldog (7/10)
Sgt Slaughter, Jim Duggan, Texas Tornado and Tito Santana def Coun Mustafa, Berzeker, Skinner and Hercules (4/10)
The Undertaker defeated Hulk Hogan {WWF World Heavyweight Title} (9/10)
Nasty Boys & Beverly Brothers defeated The Rockers & The Bushwhackers (6/10)
Legion of Doom and Big Bossman defeated IRS and Natural Disasters (6/10)

Moments – Positives
Not a bad pay-per-view at all. Firstly, it was the first proper PPV featuring Ric Flair which was a very significant moment. It was also the first WWF World title reign for the Undertaker as he defeated Hogan with interference from Flair. This was a memorable moment a year after Taker’s debut. Savage getting re-instated and the feud between Snake / Savage also showcased at this event.

Moments – Negatives
Some of the matches themselves were pretty poor, particularly the last two and the Sgt Slaughter tag match. The storylines stood out in this event as well as the World title match otherwise it would have most certainly been below average!

Overall Summary
As always with these Survivor Series events, the matches themselves were pretty poor but the storylines were actually solid. Seeing Hogan lose the title unexpectedly was most certainly the highlight and it is worth watching the show just to see Undertaker win t he gold for the very first time!

SCORE = 7.0

WWF Summerslam 1991 – August 1991

WWF Summerslam 1991 – August 26th 1991 – New York, NY

Matches
British Bulldog, Texas Tornado and Ricky Steamboat defeated Warlord and Power & Glory (6/10)
Bret Hart defeated Mr Perfect {WWF Intercontinental Title} (8/10)
The Natural Disasters defeated the Bushwhackers (5/10)
Virgil defeated Ted DiBiase {Million Dollar Belt} (7/10)
Big Bossman defeated the Mountie {Jailhouse match} (7/10)
Legion of Doom defeated Nasty Boys {Street fight for WWF Tag Team Titles} (7/10)
IRS defeated Greg Valentine (5/10)
Hulk Hogan & Ultimate Warrior defeated Sgt Slaughter, Gen Adnan and Counsel Mustafa {Ref: Sid Justice} (7/10)

Moments – Positives
This was the first pay-per-view in quite some time which had meaningful feuds and some truly decent storylines. The Mountie being jailed was a great moment in Summerslam history as was Bret Hart winning his first singles title which was truly the beginning of the new generation in the WWF. Sid Justice’s debut in the WWF was also memorable in the main event as was Virgil defeated Million Dollar Man for his own belt. The final moment which shows Savage / Elizabeth wedding and Jake the Snake spoiling the party is also well done.

Moments – Negatives
IRS vs Valentine was probably the weakest match of the card and there were a few others that did not live up to the expectations but not too much to fault on this card. The Elizabeth / Savage wedding was also a little bit too drawn out. The Sgt Slaughter / Iraq storyline was also getting very old by this point.

Overall Summary
This was probably one of the best Summerslams to date which says a lot about the event – in my opinion usually very average. The dissapointment of Wrestlemania VII is forgotten when watching this event and perhaps this is what Wrestlemania VII should have been.

SCORE = 7.5