WELCOME TO ROCK STAR GARY REFLECTIONS!

Live from Dayton, OH

Airdate: June 13, 1993

Attendance: 6,500

Vince McMahon welcomes us to the King of the Ring and gives us the tournament bracket:

  1. Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon
  2. Mr. Perfect vs. Mr. Hughes
  3. Bam Bam Bigelow vs. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan
  4. Tatanka vs. Lex Luger

Jim Ross, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan represent the broadcast team. Ross mentions the WWF title match between Hulk Hogan and Yokozuna, and Savage places his support firmly behind Hulk Hogan. Next they discuss the Intercontinental title match between Shawn Michaels and Crush.

Match 1 for the KOTR Quarterfinal: Bret “Hitman” Hart versus Razor Ramon

Highlights:

Rating: ***1/2

Summary: Seemingly at every turn Bret outsmarted and outwrestled Ramon. While Ramon brought power to the match Bret had his wrestling boots on and countered Ramon quite often.

We look back at Superstars from over the weekend where Mr. Hughes and Giant Gonzalez manhandle the Undertaker and Paul Bearer.  Harvey Wippleman steals the urn and gives it to Mr. Hughes. Hughes then wallops UT in the back with it. Continuing the assault he lays out both UT and Bearer with the urn as his new prized possession.

Match 2 for the KOTR Quarterfinal: Mr. Perfect versus Mr. Hughes (w/ Harvey Wippleman)

Highlights:

Rating: *

Summary: This has to be one of Perfect’s worst matches completely due to the ineptitude of Mr. Hughes.

Mean Gene interviews Mr. Fuji and Yokozuna. Gene reminds them of the disastrous finish to WrestleMania IX. I concur, Gene.

Match 3 for the KOTR Quarterfinal: Bam Bam Bigelow versus “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan

Highlights:

Rating: **

Summary: This was the pure definition of a 1993 RAW main event.

Terry Taylor interviews the Smoking Gunns and the Steiner brothers. Both teams are excited for the eight man tag team match.

Match 4 for the KOTR Quarterfinal: “The Narcissist” Lex Luger versus Tatanka

Highlights:

Rating: **

Summary:In good conscience I cannot rate this match any higher. Luger’s S-L-O-W pace not only telegraphed the time-limit draw a mile away but also made the match rather boring. The pin attempts at the end made the match somewhat entertaining, but it didn’t gel as well as it could have. In addition it wasn’t Finkel who was announcing the time left in the match. It was Ross; therefore, the live crowd more than likely had no idea what happened when the bell rang. Both men maintain their undefeated streaks in the WWF.

Mean Gene interviews both Mr. Perfect and Bret Hart. Gene insinuates from Bret’s preference that Perfect is an easier opponent. Immediately Mr. Perfect takes offense. They bicker over whose dad beat the other. Bret brings up the match from Summerslam ’91 where he beat Mr. Perfect for the Intercontinental title. Perfect fakes out Bret on a handshake. After Bret leaves Perfect cuts a promo on Bret stating “all you Canadians are alike.” Yikes! I’m not Canadian, but I’m offended.

Match 5 for the KOTR Semifinal: Bret “Hitman” Hart versus Mr. Perfect

Highlights:

Rating: ****

Summary: Excellent fast-paced wrestling match! Perfect’s unique counter to the Sharpshooter was a great nod to their previous match at Summerslam where Perfect submitted. Considering he was a face Perfect’s “saltiness” during the match added flavor to a face versus face matchup. Additionally Bret’s feigning injury proved wisely for him and costly for his opponent. On Bret’s DVD Bret mentions the catapult into the barricade spot. He said the crate “almost blew my knee out…almost broke my leg.” He refers to the match as “the best match we (Perfect & Bret) ever had.”

Mean Gene interviews the five-time WWF champion Hulk Hogan with manager Jimmy Hart. In the beginning Hulk points to the airbrushed design of his face on Jimmy’s jacket then flexes his triceps. Very patriotic if not jingoistic promo.

Match 6 for the WWF championship: Hulk Hogan (champion w/ Jimmy Hart) versus Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji)

Highlights:

Rating:  *

Summary: This match would mark the last Hulk Hogan live appearance on WWF TV until 2002 when Hogan appeared at No Way Out in February. For all intents and purposes Hogan’s days as the all-American hero in the WWF are over. Good riddance. He shouldn’t have held the title in 1993 to begin with. Have fun making Thunder in Paradise, Hulkster!

Terry Taylor interviews Mr. Perfect. Perfect is obviously perturbed over his loss to Bret Hart.

Mean Gene interviews the Intercontinental champion Shawn Michaels and his new bodyguard. Shawn BURIES Hogan calling him a “dinosaur.” This predates his geriatric burial at Summerslam by twelve years! Gene then asks for the name of Shawn’s bodyguard. Shawn tells the whole world that his bodyguard’s name is Diesel. I’m not sure if being named after a type of gasoline is a step above Vinnie Vegas, but let’s see how it plays out.

Match 7: The Steiners and the Smoking Gunns versus Money, Inc. and the Headshrinkers

Highlights:

Rating: **

Summary: Standard tag-team formula stuff here. I would have loved to have seen Scott give someone the Steiner Screwdriver here.  Considering DiBiase’ pin here it telegraphed the end of Money, Inc.’s title reign.  Subsequently they lost the titles the next night at a house show.

Mean Gene interviews NEW WWF champion Yokozuna along with Mr. Fuji.  WWF President Jack Tunney congratulates the new champion. Mr. Fuji unintentionally quotes the chorus to Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m Goin’ Down” while commenting on the Hulkster.

Match 8 for the WWF Intercontinental championship: “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels (w/ Diesel) versus Crush

Highlights:

Rating: ***

Summary: Aside from the bad finish Shawn’s selling along with Crush’s moveset made this match very entertaining. I’m glad we didn’t get the Crush/Doink rematch here because it would have been a lot worse.

Mean Gene interviews Bam Bam Bigelow. He’s “fresh as a daisy” and fired up!

<>Match 9 for the KOTR Final: Bret “Hitman” Hart versus Bam Bam Bigelow

Highlights:

Rating: ***1/2

Summary: Great big man-little man match-up. Since it was Bret’s third match but only Bigelow’s second I can understand Bigelow’s getting the majority of the offense here. Though repetitive the psychology of working the back worked well for the Bammer. Certainly this is one of the highlights of Bret’s career along with his World title reigns.

Tony Garea leads Bret to the coronation stage. Mean Gene places the royal robe on Bret and hands him the scepter. Gene then bestows the crown upon Bret’s head. But before Bret can say a word Jerry “The King” Lawler interrupts the proceedings.  He refers to Bret as “the pretender to my throne.”  Lawler offers him the title of “Prince” if he will honor him by kissing Jerry’s feet.

Bret retorts by insulting Jerry’s integrity due to his lack of entry into the tournament. He then refers to Lawler as the “burger king.” As Bret chants “burger king” to incite the crowd Lawler nails Bret in the head and then the back with the scepter.

Afterwards Lawler stomps on the crown and throws the throne onto Bret’s back. OUCH! He then jabs Bret In the ribs with the remainder of the scepter. Next he chokes Bret with it then tosses the robe off the stage.  Lastly he drops the stool into Bret’s midsection.

Grabbing the microphone Lawler tells the befallen Bret to kiss his feet. He then kicks Bret in the face sending him off the stage.

Conclusion: Yokozuna may be the WWF champion, but Bret Hart cemented himself here as the true workhorse/top dog of the promotion. While not having the WWF title in his grasp Bret received a nice pat on the back here from the WWF along with earning a long-time rival in Lawler. We’ll see where this goes.

Additionally it should be noted that despite the title match being Hogan’s final televised match in the WWF (until 2002) he worked the house show circuit. His last appearance for the WWF was on August 6 in Sheffield, England. He defeated Yokozuna by disqualification.

I would be remiss if I didn’t proclaim that I truly enjoyed this show more than WrestleMania IX. If the combination of three great Bret matches and a good Shawn match is your cup of tea seek it out and enjoy!

Comments? Suggestions? Send them to me atrsg@rockstargary.com and follow me on Twitter (@rockstargary202).

Custom Search

 

web counter
web counter