SummerSlam 95 Review

Summerslam 95 took place from Pittsburgh PA on August 27th 1995 and the WWF was definately into the low point of the year with Diesel was champ and the complete brainfart of having Mabel winning the 95 KOTR and setting him up for a big singles push for the world title. Vince was still thinking in freakshow appeal at this time, and the fans simply did not care. The fans were in awe of a guy like Hackushi's wrestling style, but would sit on their hands with a tub of goo like King Mabel. Vince didn't take the hint until the October IYH to pull the trigger on Diesel's title reign after a mediocre at best title match against the British Bulldog. Vince even berated Diesel at ringside after the cameras stopped rolling. Anyway, 1995 sucked donky balls for both of the big two promotions. But I think overall, the WWF had better ppvs than theyre weekly Raw shows while WCW was doing better Nitros but theyre ppvs sucked pretty bad. Your hosts tonight are Vince McMahon and Jerry The King Lawler.



Dean Douglas is conducting Summerschool tonight and will be grading the matches and just generally bitching about stuff.


Match #1

Singles Match

The 1-2-3 Kid Vs Hackushi


Hackushi is starting to move into face territory after Bodydonna Skip cost him a loss to Barry Freaking Horowitz. This story would evolve more later on in the ppv. Things start out with Kid doing a flip out of a wristlock while using the ropes which impresses the crowd. They do the counter and flip flop around to a stalemate which solves nothing but show both guys aren't slugs. Criss cross doesn't do anything so Hackushi gives Kid a cheapshot to take over and he controls most of this match. Kid flips out of a powerbomb, only to get caught by a backbreaker. Hakushi hits a handspring elbow and kid falls down in the corner and Hackushi gives him the bronco buster!! Maybe that's where Pac got the idea from? Hakushi attacks the leg with martial arts kicks and even gives Kid some of those stiff Ultimo Dragon style kicks to the back of the head. He's being methodical and the crowd oohs with each shot, but booe's him when he seeks approval. Pump splash in the corner gets 2 and the crowd liked that one aswell (according to the CV video release). Hakushi kicks the Kid out of the
ring, then scores with the space flying tiger drop on the Kid on the floor outside. Possibly the only time ive seen that move in the US (or the WWF atleast). Basically you run from one side of the ring, do the handspring elbow spot then moonsault over the top rope onto the oponent outside. Nicely done. He tosses the Kid back in and nails a shoulderblock off the top
for 2. Diving headbutt misses (he missed that one alot in his matches) Kid takes advantage and sends Hackushi out then does the run to the second turnbuckle and crossbody on the guy outside. Kid sends him in and a slingshot legdrop for 2. Splash off the top for 2. Then Kid tries a leg lariat but Hackushi catches him midair and brings him straight down with a rockbottom style move for the pin at 9:13. The match felt like 2 1/2 stars, but the big spot by Hackushi nudges it up to 3 stars even. Good opening match.


Dok Hendrix backstage and he tries to get some info out of King Mabel on the master plan. Gotta be honest Mabel didn't sound THAT bad on the mic. He was smug and had a decent evil laugh. But a fat tag team wrestler just doesn't work as King, sorry Mabel.


Match #2

Bob Sparkplug Holly VS Hunter Hearst Helmsley


Hunters debute ppv in the WWF and he's only been around for a few weeks at this point. His pysique in 95 when compared to 2002-2003ish is night and day. Also his hair went to crap once he got his big world title push. Not a whole lot going on. Punching and kicking, Hunter takes over and drops the Harley Race like knee. They jock for an abdominal stretch and Hunter hiptosses Holly out but he's up quick and nails Hunter on the way in. They run the ropes and Holly scores a dropkick. Hunter runs into a manhantten drop then Holly sends him to the corner for another dropkick on the way out. Holly sends him back into the corner and sets up for a backdrop but Hunter gives him the pedigree and a loss at about 7 minutes even. 2 stars.


Match #3

Tag Team Match

The Smoking Gunns Vs The Blu Brothers w Zebakia (sp? Who cares?)


I always hated twin tag teams, so ive got no real desire to watch them, the Harris Boys for that matter. Billy hits a fameasser early on a Blu for a 2 count, that's my main beef with the twin gimmick, not being able to tell who the **** is who most of the time and clones hurt eachothers individual ability/appeal I think. Billy gets caught by the both Blus and dropped Dudley style and some fans applaud that. Billy gets beat up for a few then Bart hottags and it breaks down. Gunns get the sidewinder for the victory 6 minutes in. Didn't care for it. 1 1/2 star.


Bulldog is shown arriving at the ppv, but he doesn't do ANYTHING for the rest of the night.


Match #4

Singles Match


Skip w Sunny Vs Barry Horowitz


Horowitz scored a HUGE upset win over Skip when he was too busy acting like Simon Dean to pay attention to the match and got pinned. In a rematch, Horowitz went the full 10 minutes without getting pinned or giving up. Skip's last chance to save face. Sunny is relatively new to the WWF so she hasn't reached her monster sex appeal fame yet. Now nobody gives a crap in 2011, so she is a good example of a reality check for Diva's and their fanbase. You love them now, but after shelf date expires, nobody cares anymore and they go on to the next one. Maybe that's why I always FF through Diva stuff, it's all crap and they all look the same........anyway, possibly the best angle the WWF had at this moment in time, a lifelong loser Barry Horowitz finding success and the fans were solidly behind it. But Vince is the genius and that's just gay, so nothing was done to push him further past Sept 95. Barry runs in and takes it to Skip. A jawbreaker and a dragonscrew legwhip, then he clotheslines him to the floor. Barry misses a blind charge but manages a quick rollup for 2. Barry gets knocked through the ropes and they fight for a suplex with Horowitz taking Skip to the floor in a pretty good bump. Sunny freaks out at this point and throws in the towel to save Skip losing by pinfall or countout but Hebner calls Bull**** on that and the match must continue. Throwing in the towel only works in pro wrestling when it helps or advances the story. It's kind of like cops telling the truth in court only if it helps the states case. Sunny trips
Horowitz, allowing Skip take advantage. Skip mocks him and Barry fights back with shoulderblocks for 2 counts but charges into a clothesline. Skip resorts to kicking and stomping while the fans chant "Barry" Horowitz with a thez press for 2 and Skip with a quick powerslam for 2. Skip wastes alot of time in this match playing to the fans. He hits some quick legdrops then they punch it out in the corner. Both try a dropkick and it's a double KO spot. They fight up top but Skip knocks Barry off then gets a weak diving headbutt but like an idiot picks Barry up at 2. Horowitz rallies and climps up top where Sunny crotches him and Skip follows with a superplex. THEN the storyline takes over as Hackushi makes his way to ringside and leapfrogs both competitors so Horowitz can small package a distracted Skip for the 3 count at 11:23 and the crowd goes bat**** 2 1/2 stars. Horowitz was good but Skip was bland and the cheap win didn't do a whole lot for Horowitz, his push died soon after this ppv.


Match #5

Womens Championship Match

Alundra Blayze Vs Bertha Faye w Harvey Whippleman


The WWF had the same idea for the womens division as the mens. Push freakishly huge monsters. They brought in Bertha Faye who was good in Japan, dressed her up in a gross outfit and neutralized most of her power stuff. Her gimmick was big fat gross trailer park trash. Blayze bounces off her fat and Bertha knocks her around for a bit until she misses a splash out of the corner. Alundra gets a victory roll for 2. Blayze goes for a pin and Harvey distracts the ref. Alundra chases him around outside then she heads back in and gets a 2 off a rollup on Bertha. Blayze pulls out a huricinrana pin and gets 2 on Faye then scores two dropkicks off the second rope. She misses the third and the dreaded sitdown powerbomb finishes this thing at 4:28. Typical short womens match that actually had decent workers in there. It wasn't like the 5 minute diva matches from 1999-2005 that made you consider sunburn peeling as more entertaining. Im giving it 1 1/2 star. Im tough on womens matches.


Match #6

Casket Match

The Undertaker w Paul Bearer Vs Kama w Ted Dibiase


Kama stole the Undertakers Urn (Version 2.0 that looked like a big spitoon) and had it melted down into a gold chain. Taker dumps Kama on the casket to start
and Kama almost ****'s himself in the process. Kama runs back in and Taker hits a splash in the corner. OLDSCHOOL!!! Taker pitches Kama into the casket and he scrambles to get out of it. Dibiase discrats Taker so Kama can recover and take over. Kama hits a clothesline off the top, but Taker doesn't show much damage and he tries another splash in the corner but gets caught and slammed by Kama. Kama uses martial arts kicks and they brawl outside where Dibiase gets some cheapshots on Taker and Bearer freaks out like a pissed off Wendies manager and wants a piece of Dibiase. Continued brawling as Taker eats steps then gets suplexed by Kama onto the casket top. Nice one! Kama goes inside and hits a baseball slide then he tries a piledriver on the casket but gets backdropped into the ring. Taker rallies but gets powerslammed and Kama tries for a pin like a dolt. Kama with a chinlock. Taker escapes and hits the flying clothesline. Both go into the box and the refs close the lid. Kama tries to escape first but Taker stops him then climbs out but Kama keeps him from shutting the lid. Back into the ring, a chokeslam and a tombestone end it decisively as Kama gets rolled into the casket at 16:26. Ive never been one for casket matches, but this wasn't horrible or anything. 2 1/2 stars.


Match #7

Singles Match

Bret The Hit Man Hart Vs Isaac Yankum DDS


THROUGH HELLFIRE AND TOOTHPASTE!! HE WILL BRING THE NOVICANE!!!


I think the evil dentist angle is the moment in 1995 where I went cold turkey until the 96 Rumble rolled around, because an evil dentist is just begging for a wrestling fan to be mocked on. "You watch fake fighting between evil taxmen/garbagemen/race car drivers and evil dentists?" It's tough to be a fan with stuff like this going on. Pretty obvious at this time in the companies history that they had scraped the gimmick barrel dry and were now breaking up the wood for fuel. Bret embarrassed Lawler in that awful kiss my foot match at the KOTR and now Lawler has enlisted the help of his evil royal dentist who has bad teeth even though he's a dentist. I don't know what was dumber, Vince and his goons thinking theyre dentist turned wrestler should have makeup to show off how bad his teeth are, or the idiot (I think it was Russo) who wrote in one of the WWF magazines that Isaac would take novicane to school for lunch as a kid........anyway, Isaac misses a blind charge and Bret hits an inverted atomic drop and three clotheslines, the third of which sends Isassc to the floor. Bret
follows with a pescado. Back in and Bret goes for the sharpshooter early, but Yankem blocks. Rollup gets 2 for Bret but he runs into a press slam. Isaac shows off his bad teeth. The fans are supposed to hate the guy because he's a sadistic dentist who doesn't take care of his own oral hygene. Whatever. Isaac tries a hangmans neckbreaker and Bret gets free of that and gets a small package
for 2, but gets clotheslined to the floor. Yankem rams Bret to the
post and hits him with Harvey Whippelmans old physician bag. Hit Man gets propped on the top rope and Isaac legdrops him knocking him off. Yankum pounds on Bret then heads outside where Bret does the top suicida or vaulting body press. They brawl outside for a bit, then back in where Bret gets a bulldog for 2. Bret goes to the five moves of doom then he hooks in the sharpshooter but Lawler helps Isaac get to the ropes. Action outside as Bret gets sent into the steps hard then Isaac rolls him back inside and Yankum goes up top but Bret is playing possum and slams him off. Bret sends him to the corner and hogties his legs with a tv cable around the ringpost then goes over and beats the crap out of Lawler. Yankum makes the save and tosses Bret back in but Hit Man gets a flying forearm then Lawler stops the momentum by tripping him up. Isaac ties Bret up in the ropes and he's hooked by his head as the heels double team and try to choke out Hart in the ropes. The ref calls for a DQ on the heels at 16:02. Better than I thought it would be. 2 1/2 stars.


Match #8

Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match

Shawn Michaels Vs A Ladder


That's what the revisionists have been saying ever since Scott Hall left for WCW in 96 anyway. The guy never gets much credit and has been buried and sometimes even omitted from history since 2002. Whenever they talk about the ladder match at Mania 10, it's always "Shawn made the match famous" and they don't mention his opponent. Kurt Angle: It's True! It's True!! This was scheduled to be Shawn v. Sid for the title up to about a week before the show, but the brains of the WWF decided that the ppv looked ****ty and put Razor in and changed the match to a ladder match. Shawn/Sid had theyre match a few weeks later and it was an infamous match where Eric Bishoff used it as a spoiler on Nitro to show up the WWF by making the statement "he pins the big guy with three superkicks" Which was around the beginning of the Monday Night Wars and WCW's cheap gorilla tactics. Dok Hendrix joins us for commentary, replacing Lawler. Takes forever for get things started as Shawn (the premadonna) doesn't like the way the belt is hung and has them lower it and adjusts it himself.
Ramon ducks out of a superkick early. Ramon goes for the edge quick but Shawn wiggles out of that. Shawn gets sent into the corner and takes his crazy spill to the floor. They fight into the aisle but don't bother getting the ladder. Back to the ring and Shawn gets suplexed to the floor, full on. He didn't land on his feet to break the fall, no wonder the guy was crippled 3 years later. Razor goes for the edge but Shawn wiggles out again. Ramon ducks the superkick and they knock eachother out. Ramon recovers first and hits a
super blockbuster, and goes for the ladder. Shawn misses
the baseball slide he used at Mania 10 and Razor decks him good. Ramon goes for the belt, but Shawn dumps him off, then nails him with the ladder. Shawn climbs, but Ramon pant's Shawn almost and he falls off in a pretty ugly spot as he got his leg hooked up in the ladder and now his knee is all buggered. Ramon stomps it then smashes the knee into the ladder. Chopblock with the ladder. Then he slams Shawn on the ladder, right on his knee. Razor sets up the ladder as Shawn can't even stand. So Ramon beats on the knee again. Shawn kicks him into the ladder, but Razor just grabs him and drops him knee first on the ladder again. Razor bounces the bad knee off the apron then wraps it around the post. Razor breaks out an indian deathlock and the crowd winces about it. Razor grabs the ladder then drops it accross Shawns bad knee, and is starting to get heel heat here. He tries climbing for the belt but gets knocked off by Michaels with an air attack. Ramon climbs again, but is followed and suplexed off by Shawn. Shawn sets up the ladder in the corner and whips Ramon into it, then again in another corner, and a flying forearm. The crowd boo's Shawn? Shawn moonsaults off the ladder onto Ramon. Shawn to the top of the ladder, but misses the splash that he hit at Wrestlemania X. Both guys climbs the ladder center ring and they topple over with Razor going to the floor and Michaels getting crotched BIGTIME. Shawn charges with the ladder and misses, ending up on the floor himself. Razor grabs a spare ladder from under the ring and brings it in. Shawn is busy climbing the first ladder and gets edged off for his trouble. Ramon moves first, setting up his own ladder. Shawn sets up his, and we have a foot
race. Shawn superkicks Ramon off his ladder, but then falls off his own and takes another nasty spill. Ramon tries another edge, but gets backdropped over the top and it looks like he's out of it for good. Shawn climbs and blows the finish by leaping at the belt and swiping for it, he misses and crashes. Shawn has a mild hissy fit (mild for him anywa) dejectively climbs back up and grabs it for real at 25:01. I was shooting for my maximum 4 stars for a train wreck/spot fest match, but the blown spot at the end drags it down to 3 1/2. Shawn was the one who adjusted the belt in the first place, so he can blame himself. Also the knee injury dissapeared at the end there, so psychology takes a hit aswell.


Dean Douglas bitches about Ramon's performance, and Ramon comes in and they get into an arguement. Dean tries a sucker punch and gets laid out for his trouble, triggering their feud.


Match #9

World Championship Match

Diesel Vs King Mabel w Sir Oscar


Mabel powers Diesel around to start with the power of flab. Diesel can't slam him, but a shoulderblock puts Mabel outside. Diesel then shows some effort and does teh no hands pescado spot?! They fight outside the ring, with Diesel going
to the ringpost and Mabel charges but eats shoe on the way in. Back
in the ring, Mabel gets a scrapbuster and sits on Diesel and that's considered devastating enough for a replay. The ref gets wiped out and Fatties On A Mission double team Diesel then Luger runs in and gets clotheslined out in a WTF moment (kind of). Bulldog turned on Diesel and Diesel thought Luger was running with Bulldog. That's okay!! Luger doesn't mind getting beat up by Diesel, he helps out anyway and kicks Mo's ass to the back and collects his paycheck, then goes to cut a deal with Bishoff only days later. Back in the ring, Mabel gets the belly to belly for the dramatic groggy ref 2 1/2 count. He misses the shamu splash and Diesel goes to the second rope and hits a clothesline for the equally groggy ref 3 count at 9:11. That was a pretty sad Main Event. I wanna go 1/2 star, but ill bump it to 1 star for Diesel pulling out some arial stuff early on.


Overall Opinion: It was a sucky time for the WWF but actually sitting down and reviewing this ppv, it was more of an upper medicore show than a flat out crapfest. The ladder match is what you should be getting this tape for and the opening match was good, everything else was just filler. The main event gets honors of crappiest match of the ppv. Tough choice between this main event nad last years with the UnderFaker.


Final Score: This show pulls a 5.9 stars out of 10.0 from me.