WWE SummerSlam 93'
Auburn Hills, Michigan - August 1993
CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this show, the WWE Champion was Yokozuna, the Intercontinental Champion was Shawn Michaels, and the World Tag Team Champions were The Steiner Brothers.
The WWE Tag Team Champion Steiner Brothers defend the straps against The Heavenly Bodies next. Considering the Steiners are hometown heroes, I'm surprised this match occurs so early in the card. The crowd loves the Steiners' offense and there is no reason they shouldn't - its all sick and impressive. A loud "Let's Go Blue" chant breaks out as the Steiners dominate their opponents (in respect for their University of Michigan roots). The Bodies take a beating, but when they do finally get the upperhand, it draws get great heat. There's a funny moment when Del Ray hits a front-flip senton and Heenan calls it a moonsault, a clear indicator of the level of innovative high-flying that was going on in the WWE in 1993. Scott Steiner plays the face-in-peril for awhile but eventually makes the hot tag to Rick, who comes in and cleans house, eventually connecting with a bulldog from the top on Del Ray for a nearfall. He hits a high angle suplex but the ref misses the count, distracted in the corner. Cornette tosses his racket into the ring and Prichard waffles the Dog-Faced Gremlin...but only gets 2! Del Ray attempts an actual moonsault (Heenan calls it a "reverse moonsault") but hits his partner. Scott Steiner nails the Frankensteiner and this one is over with the babyfaces retaining. Another perfectly acceptable match with the added bonus of a crowd that was very into the action. (3/5)
Backstage, Shawn Michaels (with Deisel) cuts a promo about his challenger tonight, "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig. He's interviewed by Joe Fowler, a guy I do not remember at all. How long did he last? A couple weeks maybe?
Shawn Michaels defends the Intercontinental Championship against the aforementioned Mr. Perfect next. The storyline here is that Michaels and Perfect are competing for not only the title, but the claim of "Greatest Intercontinental Champion Ever." The match starts off with some nice exchanges and a quality headlock from Shawn, but they botch something and even Heenan notes it. From here, though, the work is solid and the crowd seems mostly engaged, popping for Perfect's armdrags. There's a great catapult spot that sends Michaels to the floor and Shawn then follows it up with a devastating superkick on the floor and a double-axehandle off the apron. While they don't quite have the chemistry that they each had with Bret Hart, its not far off. Hennig takes a nasty bump into the corner - particularly devastating considering Perfect's well-known back injury that forced him to take extensive time from the ring multiple times. It's a shame that the commentators don't play it up. Perfect's selling of the pain is great, but when he takes back over on offense, his offense is as crisp as ever. Perfect gets a couple of nearfalls, Michaels barely kicking out. Perfect manages to hit him with the Perfect-Plex, but Diesel pulls Curt's legs out to break up the pin! All sorts of hijinks ensue from here, including Michaels rolling back into the ring (and onto Earl Hebner for example), leading to a count-out ending. A better ending and maybe 3-4 more minutes of hard-fought action would've made this a classic, but that's why its a match that nobody ever talks about. I still think if you're a fan of Perfect, its worth checking out. (3.5/5)
The 1-2-3 Kid takes on Irwin R. Schyster in the next contest. The Kid had been on a roll coming into this match, not only defeating Razor Ramon but also (with help from Ramon), getting a big W over Ted Dibiase (IRS's tag partner). Because of Waltman's energy, the match starts off fairly hot - or at least hotter than most Rotunda matches. The crowd bites on The Kid's attempts to sneak a victory early while IRS works to slow the pace via an abdominal stretch and a headlock on the mat. Waltman fights back and not only hits Schyster with some awesome kicks in the corner, but also a moonsault from the top rope. He tries for his patended heel kick, but IRS blocks it - only to eat the other foot. IRS cuts him off with a nasty clothesline and gets a clean, deflating victory. That was a really unexpected finish and because The Kid kicks out at 3.1, the audience is completely stunned. I guess that was the point? That was just a weird finish to a match that actually had the crowd going and desperately wanting to see The Kid get the W. (2.5/5)
Before the next bout, we get some words from Owen Hart, who is at ringside with one of his brothers. Here we go - Bret "The Hitman" Hart taking on Jerry "The King" Lawler...or at least it's supposed to be Bret vs. Lawler. Instead, when The King makes his entrance, he does it on crutches, clearly faking a knee injury. Lawler explains to Todd Pettengill that he wishes he could snap Bret's neck tonight, but when he arrived in Detroit (making sure to bash the Motor City to get some extra heat), he was involved in a 10-car pile-up. Lawler claims that he could still beat Bret on one leg, but that the doctors backstage have ordered him not to compete. Lawler then unveils Bret's new opponent for tonight - Doink the Clown. Vince McMahon calls this "the biggest rip-off" in a long time, which is funny because he's the guy who booked this. In retrospect, though, its actually a bit of a relief because I was never too into the Lawler/Hart matches. After Doink dumps water all over Bruce Hart, Bret goes right after him. If I'm not mistaken, this was when Doink was still being played by Matt Borne, an experienced grappler who did a better-than-solid job with the gimmick (and was always played-up on commentary as being a more skilled technical wrestler than his appearance would dictate). Bret controls most of the match, as a former WWE Champion should, but Doink eventually takes control thanks to Lawler's distracting presence. Doink hits a devastating kneebreaker, rams Bret's knee into the post, and then applies an STF - a move you didn't see too often in the WWE at this time. Bret fights his way out by getting a vertical base but then gets cut off with a knee to the midsection off the ropes. Doink applies another submission, this one an awkward knee stretch (but not actually stretching the knee that Doink had been working on). Doink hits a scoop slam and then attempts what can only be described as a "butt drop" from the top rope, but Bret gets his knees up! Bret goes into his finishing sequence, hitting the russian leg sweep and then the elbow from the second rope. Bret applies the Sharpshooter, but his back is turned on Lawler - and Lawler comes into the ring and nails Bret with the crutch! For some reason, the bell is not immediately rung. Owen Hart tries to get into the ring, but is held back by the officials. Lawler continues his beatdown and then tries to exit with Doink, but Jack Tunney shows up and because The King has shown to no longer be injured, he forces Lawler to return to the ring! (3.5/5)
Bret attacks Lawler in the aisle and here we go - Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler for real this time. After beating down on Lawler for a little bit, Bret grabs Lawler's crutch and smashes him across the back - which Heenan notes should be a disqualificatio - on the outside. Lawler uses the top of the crutch to regain control and then starts jawing with Owen and Bruce at ringside. Lawler rams the crutch into Bret's throat, the referee (Bill Alfonso) too distracted by the Harts to do anything. Lawler eventually brings the crutch top into the ring and, with the ref still focused on the Harts, jams it right into Bret's throat again. Lawler preens for the live crowd, giving Bret enough time to make a comeback, leveling The King in the corner with a series of right hands. Bret hits his signature backbreaker for 2 and then a piledriver - Lawler's own finish! Bret hits the elbow drop and calls for the Sharpshooter, Lawler eventually saying "I Quit"! The bell rings, signalling the end of the match, but Bret refuses to break the hold, getting himself disqualified! As a way to end the feud, this would've been sufficient...but the Hart/Lawler feud would go on for months after this. This was fine for what it was, but not an all-time great Bret match and the referee's incompetence was almost too much - which is really saying something when you're talking about officiatiing in pro-wrestling. Some reviewers have called this one of the highlights of 95', praising Lawler's heel work and Bret's ability to transition from being a bit of a colorless "technician" in 91'-92' to a true asskicker in this feud, but I didn't watch this with the same nostalgia-tinged glasses that I believe they did. WouldI have enjoyed this better "in the moment," having followed the months-long feud that led to it? Probably...but I can't rate matches on hypotheticals. A video recap might have helped in terms of presentation. Better-than-average, for sure, but nothing I necessarily deserves as much praise as it does.(3/5)
Before his match against Marty Jannetty, we get an on-location promo from Ludvig Borga. Borga has a resemblance to Brock Lesnar, but not nearly the same in-ring talent. Borga was an evil, anti-America foreigner from Helsinski whose diatribes would probably be Republican talking points today. Borga has one interesting move in his arsenal - including a pop-up uppercut to the stomach that blows Heenan's mind - but everything else is just punches and clotheslines (with Jannetty carrying the match with his bumping and selling). Borga eventually wraps things up with a Torture Rack, which is interesting because this was Lex Luger's finishing move (at least in WCW). Borga would not have much of a run in the WWE, but he wasn't all that terrible really. Nothing special, but a perfectly acceptable squash match. (2/5)
Its time now for the no DQ, no countout Rest In Peace match pitting The Giant Gonzalez against The Undertaker. These two had one of the most infamously terrible matches in WrestleMania history a few months prior, but Vince had likely invested quite a bit of money into Gonzalez - the former Atlanta Hawk and one-time WCW competitor. Gonzalez can't work a lick, but its still impressive to see someone tower over the Undertaker. The worst thing about his appearance is the ridiculous and bizarre bodysuit - are we supposed to believe that he's not wearing a body suit? Gonzalez may have appeared a bit thin in WCW in 1990, but here in 1993 he has clearly put on some bulk. How poor was his physique that Vince still thought it a good idea to cover him up entirely at this point? After bashing him with a chair on the outside, Gonzalez controls and Undertaker goes into selling mode. As Taker reaches for the urn (which was in the possession of Harvey Wippleman), a gong sound hits and Paul Bearer makes his way down the aisle (a black wreath in hand). Wippleman charges at Bearer, but Bearer knocks him down with a clothesline and then grabs the urn to a massive pop! With the urn now back in his control, The Undertaker gets a second life - sitting up from a big Gonzalez bodyslam and then striking him with a series of clotheslines (including a huge one from the top rope that gives him the pinfall victory). With the bells and whistles of Bearer's return and a runtime under 10 minutes, this wasn't good - but it also wasn't a complete disaster or ever really boring. (2/5)
To cool off the crowd we get a six-man tag match pitting Tatanka and the Smoking Gunns against Bam Bam Bigelow and the Headshrinkers. This is the definition of a "filler" match, the crowd not super enthralled in the early going, but the suspense level ramps up. The MVP is Bigelow as he makes Tatanka look like a million bucks by bumping and selling with his trademark unexpected agility. I also like how stiff the heels work this match - all three of them get some terrific-looking offense in on the Gunns. The Headshrinkers' thrust kicks are on point and some of the clotheslines they deliver look like they catch the babyfaces right in the teeth. By the time we get to the closing stretch, the crowd is amped up and we get some awesome interplay between Bigelow and the Samoans, their chemistry shining through as they hit a triple-headbutt on Tatanka and then attempt a synchronous splash from 3 separate corners of the ring. They miss it and the Gunns recover in time to even the odds back up, giving the crowd a feel good conclusion. This match delivered exactly what it needed to do - essentially a "hot opener"-style bout to help revive the crowd and get them in the mood for the main event. (3/5)
There is a ton of hoopla before we actually get to the main event and it is all awesome. First, Todd Pettengill interviews a fan who is decked out in a bizarre Old Glory-inspired outfit (that he admits his mother made him out of bedsheets) and then we get a purposefully-awful rendition of the Japanese National Anthem (which the live crowd nearly drowns out in xenophobic boos and "USA!" chants). This is followed by the reveal that "Macho Man" Randy Savage has been named the Master of Ceremonies for the main event - a role that has never existed before and would never exist again. He's accompanied by Aaron Neville, who sings the American National Anthem as only he can. All the pageantry really heightens the atmosphere. (+1)
Main event time - Lex Luger challenging Yokozuna for the WWE Championship. This is one of those matches, like Hart/Michaels at Survivor Series 97' or even Hogan/Warrior at WrestleMania VI, where so much of the conversation tends to revolve around the "booking" and the behind-the-curtain decision-making rather than what actually happened on-screen. Unlike those two matches, which hold up quite well as actual matches, this one is not as great. Yokozuna was a limited worker (though he does deliver a great back suplex at one point) and Luger wasn't a ring general either, but the crowd is hot enough to carry them alot of the way. Despite the match not featuring all that much in the way of technicality or even aggressive brawling, it does still feel like a competitive championship bout. They're given time to tell a story and they use every angle they can to build up the suspense and make it feel like a war - including an arguably gratuitous amount of nearfalls, the nagging interference of Mr. Fuji at ringside, and the teasing of various finishers. Luger gets sympathy, Yokozuna looks like a monster, and the audience is mostly engaged; this match is a success up until the closing minute, when it devolves into an historical career-killing angle. With the referee's back turned, Luger loosens up his elbow pad (which he was required to wear due to having a metal rod in his forearm from a previous surgery) and knocks Yoko silly, launching him out of the ring through the middle rope. Instead of immediately following Luger out, he gets caught up with Fuji and Cornette and the referee makes the 10 count, giving Luger the moral victory (but not the title). The finish is awful for multiple reasons - first, earlier in the match, Luger makes it a point to roll Yoko in the ring after doing some business on the outside (indicating that he is well aware of the importance of beating Yoko inside the squared circle). Second, as is mentioned countless times on commentary, one of the stipulations going into the match was that this was Luger's only title shot - further raising the importance of getting a win by pinfall or submission. Third, again, after Yoko is knocked out of the ring, Luger makes no effort to try to get him back inside or break the count (even after dealing with Cornette and Fuji). Finally, when the bell finally sounds, Luger's reaction is one of extreme joy, an overreaction that makes him look like an absolute geek. It doesn't help that he's hoisted onto the soldiers of the Steiner Brothers, Tatanka, and Randy Savage, who also go way overboard in celebrating what amounted to a win-by-technicality. Give this match a better ending - even some sort of screwy finish that allowed Yoko to hit his Bonsai Drop and get a tainted pin - and I'm calling this an above-average match, but the finish really detracts from what was a decent enough main event. (2/5)
Before the show ends, we inexplicably get a music video all about Lex Luger's road to SummerSlam. Why in the world would this air after the main event? Did they reach the end of the show and just have extra time? It doesn't make a lick a sense and its not hammy or cheesy enough to warrant an extra point.
I went into SummerSlam 93' expecting an all-around poor show. The bad reputation of the Yoko/Luger and Taker/Gonzalez matches had me expecting two plodding disasters. As I wasn't a regular WWE viewer in 93', I have no nostalgic feelings towards the Bret/Lawler feud or the Steiner Brothers' WWE run. But I must admit, this show won me over. While I wouldn't call any single match on this card a "must watch," nothing was an abject trainwreck. Even if neither Bret Hart match is something I'd consider great, you still get two very different and thoroughly watchable Bret Hart matches on this show. The main event has tremendous heat and enough twists-and-turns to make it feel like either man could get the win, only spoiled by a putrid finish. Taker and Giant Gonzalez don't overstay their welcome. I like the Michaels/Perfect match and the six-man is a pleasant surprise. You get a Ludvig Borga squash and an appearance by Aaron Neville. There's vareity and a good pacing to the card. With a Kwang Score of 2.8-out-of-5, SummerSlam 93' exceeded my expectations and makes a decent case for 1993 not being as bad a time for the company as it is often painted.
FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote In Hand
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