1993 Royal Rumble Review
Next up in my ppv review series is this, the 1993 Royal Rumble. This was probably the first time in Rumble history where the midcard was better than the Rumble itself. Another thing of note is that this would be the last ppv where Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby The Brain Heenan covered commentary. Also this would be the last time Ric Flair would wrestle at a WWF ppv until the 2002 Royal Rumble.
Match #1
Tag Team Match
The Steiner Brothers Vs The Beverly Brothers
Booked as a brother team vs brother team, well the Steiners are legit brothers anyway. Pretty much a standard tag match. Heenan gets on Monsoons case asking why Rick wears ear muffs. Both teams getting their offense but Steiners control the first part pretty much, Scott gets cheers with a belly to belly suplex. Bo takes control of Scott and works over his back area. Blake tags in and Bo uses the tag rope to choke Scott. Cheating pricks. Blake with a double arm hook suplex and a arrogant 2 count pin. Blake with an abdominal stretch but Scott shakes it off quick. Scott is the good guy in trouble and as Bo ducks his head for a backdrop attempt Scott double arm hook powerbombs him and hottags Rick who cleans house. Clotheslines all around!!! Beverlies go for a doomsday device on Scott but he victory rolls Blake for a 2 count, then he catches Blake with a frankensteiner off the ropes and plants him and gets the pin at 10:23. Good opener even though pretty much standard tag. 2 1/2 stars.
Alfred Hayes interviews Sherri backstage asking who's corner she will be in. Sherri gets pissed at the dirty ol limey for wanting to watch her change her nylons. Hah!!
Match #2
Intercontinental Title Match
Shawn Michaels Vs Marty Jannetty
Jannetty made a suprise return back in Oct 92 and gave Shawn a s*** kicking, he was gonna slam the big mirror that Shawn had Sherri drag around to all their matches accross Shawns head, but Marty paused long enough for Shawn to pull Sherri in the way and she got ko'd with the mirror. Sherri makes her way to ringside and stays in a neutral corner. Shawn comes down to ringside and invites her into the ring only to get a look of distain Shawn tries punking out Jannetty who decks him than they do the runaround with Jannetty getting the upper hand. Jannetty knocks Shawn out of the ring twice and on the second incident he suicide dives through the ropes onto Shawn. Shawn getting knocked around pretty good. Jannetty goes up top and dives off but eats a fist on the way down. Shawn picks up Jannetty and runs him RIGHT shoulder first into the steel post. So Jannetty starts selling the LEFT shoulder as injured.....ugh. Shawn pummels Jannetty mostly the shoulder area and gets a little cocky after a few minutes. He blind charges as Jannetty gets out of the way and runs his own shoulder into the steel post. Jannetty builds momentum but Shawn uses a leverage move to throw him outside. Shawn tries suplexing Marty inside but Jannetty suplexes him outside. Sherri comes around making like she's gonna help Shawn but instead slaps the snot out of him. Crowd goes nuts!!! Heenan goes nuts!! Marty knocks Shawn outside again and goes after him. Back inside Marty catches Shawn off the ropes with a powerslam for 2. Jannetty up top for a fist drop but Shawn pops up and Marty lands on his feet and instead plants Shawn with a ddt for another close 2. Out of desperation Shawn tries a crescent kick but Jannetty ducks and drops him with a kick then another close 2!! Marty slingshots Shawn into the buckle and tries a sunset flip pin maneuver for another 2!! Crowd is in to it!! The ref gets blasted and he's down and out. Marty holds Shawn and waves Sherri into the ring and she tries nailing Shawn with her shoe but knocks Marty cold. Shawn gives her a brow beating then decks Marty with a crescent kick and Marty does that Jannetty overselling flip and Shawn pins Jannetty at 14:58. Sherri is histerical backstage and Mean Gene says dammit on camera which was pretty serious stuff back then. Marty attacks Shawn and they brawl and an.....orange??? Attacks the cameraman. This SHOULD of been a continuing feud until Mania 9 with Marty winning the belt but Marty's "personal demons" came back and he was canned AGAIN. I take away points for the goofy ending and the blown spot early in the match. Im going with a solid 3.
Match #3
Singles Match
Big Boss Man Vs Bam Bam Bigelow
Bossman making his last WWF ppv appearance until 1998 and Bigelow making his WWF ppv return tonight.
Bigelow attacks Bossman before the bell and dominates. Bossman rallies for a few moments but just destroys his lower back when he gets dumped over the top rope and wrenches it on the apron on the way down. Bigelow works the back and slaps on a bearhug but Bossman won't quit. Bossman fights out of it and hits a really weak vertical suplex (due to his bad back) but Bigelow catches Bossman on a blind charge with a boot then a clothesline and finishes with a diving headbutt off the top rope and gets the pin at 9:59. 2 1/2 stars. I don't remember Bossman being on TV after this ppv so this might of been his swan song.
We take a look back in time where Razor absolutely trashed Owen Hart in an interview.
Match #4
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Bret The Hitman Hart Vs Razor Ramon
It's strange seeing Razor in the world title picture, as he would become the glue that held the IC title division together throughout the mid 90s. Razor throws his toothpick at the kid who got Bret's sunglasses (what a dick) and Bret makes him pay for it. For about 3 seconds and Razor fires Bret into the corner , then goes for a dumass running knee and hits it on the turnbuckle, Bret attacks the knee and slaps on a figure four. Razor scoots over to the ropes to break it. Bret works on Razor's knee for awhile until Razor irish whips Bret into the corner and Bret slides along the mat and crashes ribs to post. Razor posts Bret back first then goes with an abdominal stretch. That doesn't work and Bret suprises Razor with a sunset flip for 2 but can't get anything going just yet. Razor goes with a reverse chinlock then a bearhug. Bret's hand drops twice but not the third time. Bret bites Razor to break it then sends him out of the ring and dives through the ropes onto Razor. Back inside Bret hits an inverted atomic drop then a clothesline, he tries a pin but Razor is by the ropes. Bret nails a bulldog for another close 2 count. Bret follows up with a neckbreakerthen goes for teh sharpshooter but Razor crawls for the ropes again. Bretpulls hm off and tries it again but the dumass ref is standing to close and he falls on both guys. Razor thumbs Bret in the eyes. Razor goes for his belly to back suplex off the second rope but Bret knocks him off then backflips over Razor and hits his own belly to back suplex. Bret goes for his patent second rope elbow drop but MISSES? When Razor gives him a boot to eat on the way down. Razor follows up and goes for the razors edge. BUT BRET SLIPS OUT OF IT AND GETS A BACKSLIDE FOR 2 1/2!! So close!!! Razor with a greco roman knuckle lock at this point in the match??? Razor sends Bret to the corner and he works in his corner bump. Razor puts on another knuckle lock but Bret counters it in a way that has to be seen because the hell if I can explain it he flips Razor over into a sunset flip position and the ref hesitates because he never expected something like that and Bret gets another close 2. Fortunatley Bret is in prime position for a sharpshooter and gets Razor over and Ramon gives it up at 17:50. Still world champ Bret The Hitman Hart. Great match. 4 stars.
Raymond Rougeau interviews Macho Man backstage who is ready for the Rumble
Bobby Heenan is down at ringside and unveils the Narcissist who is Lex Luger. Heenan is almost orgasmic over Lugers physique. Alot of women squealing over his bod. Yes boys and girls you too can look this good.....if you don't mind suffering a spinal stroke and being a quadriplegic for the rest of your life. That's assuming massive coronary failure doesn't get you by age 35. Luger is Heenans new goon to go after Perfect.
Raymond Rougeau interviews Razor who is not too happy about an interview.
Ceasaar and Cleopatra come to ringside to make a proclomation about the winner of the Rumble getting a world title shot at Mania 9
Match #5
1993 Royal Rumble
#1 is Ric Flair which Heenan doesn't like but he isn't too upset. He's got faith. #2 is Bob Backlund and they do a little match until #3 Papa Shango comes out and attacks Backlund. Flair dumps him from behind which upset my friends way back in 93, Shango was popular with the kids around here. #4 is Ted Dibiasie and he helps Flair double team Backlund, now that would of made a great tag team! #5 is Nasty Boy Brian Knobbs who acts like he ate a bag of sugar before coming out and he goes nuts on both Flair and Dibiasie. Knobbs throws Flair over the top but he gets back in. #6 is Virgil and he goes after Dibiasie with an inverted atomic drop. Knobbs makes a dumass charge on Dibiasie who low bridges and pulls the rope down and Knobbs flies out. Flair chopping away at Backlund who is teetering on the second rope, just shove em out Flair! #7 is...Jerry The King Lawler. Flair goes after Lawler and King out punches Flair?! Lawler's still new to the WWF and he hadn't turned into super pu$$Y heel yet, Flair ducks outside to get away. Lawler attacking Flair and Virgil tries dumping Jerry only to get a finger in the eye. #8 is the wrestlecrap alumni Max Moon, I confesse I kinda liked the character back in the day. Max Moon backdrops Flair then must take a second to fix his mask. Flair throws Moon over the ropes but he skins the cat and gets back in. Max goes after Lawler in the corner and hits a back kick, but Lawler ducks the second attempt and Moon falls outside. #9 is Tenryu who wins a chopfest on Flair. Dibiasie attacks Tenryu and Flair works on Virgil. Backlund and Lawler at it aswell. #10 is MR PERFECT!!! Heenan has a coniption and Perfect is right after Flair and Perfect wins the punchfest. Flair fingers him in the eye then goes up top but gets slammed off. Crowd going nuts!! Perfect gets the neck snap aswell. Flair is up and he chops Perfect in the corner then Perfect turns it around and lays into Flair. #11 is Skinner and as he comes in Flair misses a clothesline on Perfect and Hennig answers with a clothesline of his own to eliminate Flair!!! Biggest pop of the night I think and Heenan is distraught to say the least, takes him a few minutes to get over it. Flair would go on to loose the loser leaves WWF match on RAW the following night. #12 is Koko B Ware, he attacks Tenryu first. Perfect tosses Skinner over the ropes but Skinner skins the cat and comes back in only to eat a dropkick from Hennig and get eliminated. Virgil working over Backlund in the corner, Koko and Dibiasie in the corner. #13 is Headshrinker Samu. Afa just shoves him in the ring. King and Perfect at it, Dibiasie attacks Virgil and Perfect chops King which makes the crowd woaahh. #14 is the Berzerker. King working on Perfect and Perfect backdrops him on another dump charge and eliminates him. Perfect gets knockd over the ropes then Dibiasie and Koko try to kick him out and then that prick Lawler helps by pulling Perfect from the outside. During this scuffle The Berzerker dumps Virgil. This SHOULD of been the start of a feud but nothing became of Lawler eliminating Perfect. #15 is The Undertaker!!! Deep s*** for everybody in there. Backlund and Berzerker on the outside and Berzerker slams Backlund on the floor. Taker chokeslams Samu out of the ring who takes a nasty spill then he gets an enziguri from Tenryu but backdrops Tenryu outta there. Berzerker konks Backlund with a chair and he lays outside. Berzerker working on Koko and Dibiasie attacking Taker. #16 is Terry Taylor, nobody gives a s*** and he and Koko go out thanks to Dibiasie. Taker chokeslams Dibiasie then clotheslines Ted outta there who made a nice showing then Harvey Whippleman comes to ringside with some monster in a sasquatch suit. Taker backdrops Berzerker out of the ring then stands off with this 8 foot freak. Taker gets chopped out of the ring then pummeled for a few minutes, Taker was just eliminated by somebody who isn't in the Rumble. This guy would be called the Giant Gonzalez who Whippleman brought in to take out the Undertaker after what Taker did to Kamala at the Survivor Series. #17 is Damion Demento who hides outside the ring. #18 is IRS and he helps Demento attack Backlund who is hurting at this point. Paul Bearer comes down to ringside to get the Undertaker who limps to the back looking for Gonzalez. #19 is Tatanka and he helps Backlund by attacking IRS and Demento. The four of them pair off and #20 is Nasty Boy Sags. Sags goes after IRS and Backlund attacks Irwin too. Tatanka and Demento going at it. #21 is Typhoon who runs to ringside without tripping. Typhoon smothers Demento in the corner. Sags working over Tatanka by the ropes. Typhoon drops Demento then gets eye poked by IRS. #22 is...Fatu, who gets slapped around by Afa and thrown into the ring. Fatu kicks Typhoon right in the chops then attacks Sags, and tries biting the nose off Tatanka. Backlund helps Typhoon by getting Demento off him. #23 is.....Earthquake!! And he goes after Typhoon??!!! They have a little match and Typhoon splashes him in the corner. Typhoon goes for another but Quake shoulder lifts him out over the corner post. Dammit they could of controlled things to the very end! So of course they attack eachother. What happened to continuity I thought Typhoon was scared of Quake? #24 is Carlos Calone the father of Carlito Carribbean Cool. Carlos backdrops Demento outta there. Quake trying to get Backlund out but Bob fights him off, he gets some cheers for it. #25 is....Tito Santana. Santana attacks Backlund then goes after Quake. Fatu just went for a doofus charge on Backlund and got backdropped out. #26 is...Rick Martel, Martel attacks Tito then Tito turns it around, now that's continuity theyve been going at it since 89!! IRS runs at Quake who drops low and IRS flies out. #27 is.......uh oh.....Yokozuna!! The dude looks like a giant samoan marshmellow in those tights. Tatanka takes a shot at it and gets stopped short and tossed out by Yoko, Carlos attacks Yoko next then gets thrown over the top and hangs on but a chop to the forehead takes him out of the game and then? The showdown!! Yokozuna and Earthquake!!! Crowd is in to it. Quake tries knocking him down as #28 Owen Hart runs in. Quake avalanches him in the corner but misses the follow up and Yoko belly to bellies Quake over the top rope and out!!! Aww!! #29 is Repo Man who attacks Yoko and gets dropped with a headbutt. Tito,Martel,Backlund,Sags,Owen, and Repo all gang up on Yoko near the ropes and try to get him out but he just fights his way out of it. Here comes #30 it's....MACHO MAN RANDY SAVAGE!!! Savage right after Repo. Yoko just pitched Tito to the floor. Owen tries a dropkick on Martel but he ducks and Sags gets blasted out of the ring. Savage tosses Repo, and Yoko throws Owen out who wrecks his knee which might have been legit. There dissapearing fast. We are down to the final four. Yokozuna, Macho, Martel and Backlund. Matrel tries inching Backlund out but Bob stays in, then they fight for a vertical suplex but Backlund powers Martel up onto the top rope and punches Martel outta there!!!! Crowd is standing for Bob Backlund!!! Yoko is just smothering Savage in the corner. Bob attacks Yoko and tries some weak ass dropkicks that doesn't work so Bob basically says fk it and makes the lamest blind charge attempt ive ever seen and Yoko basically say's what is this s*** and sidesteps Bob tossing him out. We are down to two. Fuji is at ringside waving the Japanese flag. Yoko choking out Savage in the corner. Savage fights back and staggers Yoko with a clothesline then goes up top and hits a double axe handle and Yoko is groggy. He goes up again and this time Yoko goes down to one knee. Savage runs the ropes and gets a reverse thrust kick that stops Macho cold. Yoko hits a sick belly to belly suplex then drops a huge turkey leg accross Savages mouth who might be choking on his teeth at this point. Yoko has been in there 6 minutes longer than Savage and is dominating. Yoko props up Savage in the corner then hits the banzai charge avalanche and Savage is practically dead. Yoko goes for another but Savage ducks out of the way!!! Yoko is staggering...he's down!!! Savage is up top, he hits the big elbow!!! Pinfalls don't count!! Yoko presses Savage off and eliminates him to win the 1993 Royal Rumble. Caesar and Celopatra come out to congratulate Yokozuna who will now face the world Champion at Mania 9. Mediocre rumble really. I give it my lowest score for Rumbles, 2 1/2 stars. Alot of people argue about Savage's elimination, I think they did it this way to show that he had no clue what was going on and was running on instinct.
Overall opinion: This was somewhat of a transitional ppv. Flair was gone the following night, the Nasty boys dissapeared after this ppv along with the Disasters, Bossman was gone and Marty Jannetty aswell. I don't know the exact dates when they left but I was watching the WWF live at this time and I remember all these guys dissapearing after this ppv. The undercard was good but the Rumble suffered after Taker left. Just felt like the dregs were coming out at that point and got boring with the exception of Quake/Yoko and Savage/Yoko which back in the day I found boring as Savage got squashed then eliminated in a dopey fashion.
Final Score: On a scale of 0.1 to 10.0? Im going with a 5.1