Written By: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation House Show
Date: 1/29/1993
From: New York, NY
NOTE: This show is a handheld and is NOT the complete show. There were three matches not recorded. They were the following:
Tito Santana defeating Skinner
Steiner Brothers defeating the Beverly Brothers (Steiner Brothers MSG debut)
Bob Backlund defeating WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels via count-out
This was also a benefit show for the Headlock on Hunger cause. Before the beginning of the show all the wrestlers came out to ringside and presented the Red Cross with a check for $10,000. There was also a ten bell salute for the recently deceased Andre the Giant.
Opening Contest: Randy Savage defeated Ted DiBiase: They lock up until the referee pulls them apart as they get tangled into the ropes. They trade a couple of shoves but just go back to a lockup. DiBiase yanks Savage down by the hair and cowards underneath the top rope to avoid any punishment. DiBiase continues with a cheap shot in the corner and again cowards away from Savage by bailing to the floor. Savage leaps to the floor but DiBiase quickly re-enters the ring. DiBiase backs Savage into a corner again and delivers a right hand to the midsection. DiBiase bails to the floor but Savage follows and hammers away on DiBiase briefly. Savage with a flurry of jabs back in the ring and backdrops DiBiase followed by a clothesline for a near fall. Savage takes DiBiase over with a side headlock and keeps it on even with DiBiase getting a couple near falls by rolling over. Savage hip tosses DiBiase and delivers a clothesline for a two count. Savage goes back to a side headlock on the mat to slow the contest down some more. DiBiase backs Savage into a corner to break the hold and begins to chop away on Savage. Savage sends DiBiase back first into a corner and chokes DiBiase for a few moments. Savage goes after Jimmy Hart and allows DiBiase to get a cheap shot in and tosses Savage over the top to the floor. DiBiase works on Savage with a few right hands and ramming Savage face first into the ring steps. DiBiase controls Savage with several right hands back in the ring and works on Savage in the corner. DiBiase drives his elbow across Savage’s upper body but Savage comes back with a sunset flip and almost manages a win! Savage blocks a backdrop with a backslide and gets a two count. DiBiase hammers away on Savage with a few right hands to regain the advantage and chokes Savage briefly. DiBiase connects with a vertical suplex but Savage kicks out at two. DiBiase controls Savage with a sleeper hold in the middle of the ring but Savage manages to get to his feet after a few moments. Savage elbows his way out of the hold and drives DiBiase face first into the mat. Savage sends DiBiase to the floor with a running knee to the back and rams DiBiase face first into the ring steps. Savage goes up top and leaps to the floor connecting with a double axe handle! Savage scoop slams DiBiase back in the ring and heads to the top rope. Savage leaps off but misses a flying elbow drop! Savage rolls DiBiase up for a quick two count. DiBiase recovers and has the Million Dollar Dream locked in! Savage backs DiBiase into a corner to break the hold but isn’t able to follow up. DiBiase leaps off the middle rope but is punched in the gut by Savage. DiBiase blocks a rollup but planted with a DDT and Savage picks up the win! **½
Second Contest: Tatanka defeated Damien Demento: A quick inside cradle by Tatanka to open the match but Demento was able to kick out. A brief hammerlock by Tatanka until Demento reaches the ropes to break the hold. Tatanka gets out of a sleeper hold but is yanked to the mat by Demento. Tatanka quickly gets up and goes after Demento who cowards to the ropes. Demento does the hair pull again and rolls to the floor to avoid Tatanka completely. Demento has a headlock on Tatanka for what seems like forever until Tatanka breaks free and clotheslines Demento to the floor. Tatanka with a flurry of offense that featured a scoop slam until Demento got the upper hand in the corner with right hands and elbows. Demento follows up with a leg drop to the lower midsection of Tatanka. Demento covers but Tatanka kicks out at two. Tatanka goes on a War Path after getting out of a nerve hold and is able to hit a Samoan Drop to win the match. ½*
Third Contest: WWF World Champion Bret Hart defeated Bam-Bam Bigelow to retain the title: Hart uses his quickness to avoid Bigelow in the early stages of the contest. They lockup and Bigelow shoves Hart to the floor quickly. Hart comes back into the ring but is shoulder blocked to the floor by Bigelow. Bigelow continues with an eye rake and beats down Hart with a few overhand blows to keep the advantage. Bigelow misses a clothesline and is dropkicked by Hart. Bigelow bounces off the ropes and misses an elbow drop attempt. Hart with a flurry of right hands and controls Bigelow with a wristlock. Bigelow misses a splash in the corner and Hart goes back to a wristlock. Bigelow attempts a gorilla press slam but Hart lands on top and gets a near fall. Hart with a few right hands and is able to knock Bigelow through the middle rope to the floor. Hart leaps off the apron but Bigelow catches him and rams Hart back first into the ring post. Bigelow grabs Hart a second time and rams Hart back first again into the ring post. Bigelow rolls into the ring to taunt the fans as Hart slowly gets to his feet on the floor. Bigelow kicks Hart back down to the floor and taunts the fans again. Hart is backed into a corner and Bigelow head butts the lower back of Hart. Bigelow takes Hart over with a back suplex and waits for Hart to get to his feet. Bigelow with a few shots to Hart’s lower back to keep control of the champion. Bigelow sends Hart back first into a corner and follows up with a couple overhand shots. Bigelow has a bear hug locked in with Hart draped over Bigelow’s shoulder. Bigelow drops down to his knees to have a more traditional bear hug. Hart gets out of it but is elbowed by Bigelow and met with a right hand. Bigelow almost has Hart set up for a Razors Edge but Hart kicks off the top turnbuckle to flip out of it. Bigelow still manages to slam Hart and nearly wins the match! The match is clipped as Hart hit’s a running bulldog for a near fall. Hart comes off the middle rope and connects with a second bulldog but isn’t able to get the win. Hart goes for the Sharpshooter but Bigelow kicks Hart away. Hart goes for a running clothesline but is caught by Bigelow. Hart bites out of a bear hug and goes for a back suplex but Bigelow spins around and lands on top of Hart and gets a two count! Bigelow runs into a big boot in the corner and Hart takes Bigelow over with a victory roll to win the match! ***¼
Fourth Contest: The Headshrinkers defeated Virgil & Jim Powers: After a few moments of wrestling, Powers is pinned following a big splash by Fatu off the top rope. DUD
Fifth Contest: Mr. Perfect defeated Ric Flair: Flair shoulder blocks Perfect but is taken down with a drop toe hold by Perfect moments later. Perfect follows up with a slap but Flair just backs off. Perfect counters a hammerlock with one of his own until Flair trips Perfect. Perfect counters with a hammerlock on the mat and has a wristlock on Flair until Flair backs Perfect into a corner. Flair works on Perfect with a right hands and a chop. Perfect reverses the roles and chops Flair followed by a series of jabs knocking Flair down with each shot. Flair is able to toss Perfect over the top to the floor but doesn’t go to the floor. Flair sends Perfect into a corner but Perfect flips over the ropes and crashes to the floor. Snap mare by Flair back in the ring and connects with a knee drop for a two count. Flair heads to the top rope but is cut off by Perfect and is slammed to the mat. Perfect has the figure four locked in but Flair refuses to give up! Flair’s shoulders are down on the mat a few times but reaches the bottom rope until the referee kicks Flair’s arms away?! Perfect continues his offense with a few right hands until the referee backs him away. Bobby Heenan hands Flair a pair of brass knuckles or something. Perfect with a few shots in the corner as Heenan is dragged to the back by Gorilla Monsoon! Perfect with ten punches in the corner and a chop. Perfect backdrops Flair as he comes out of the corner and gets a two count. Flair with a knee to the gut and tosses Perfect to the floor. Flair continues to work on Perfect with several chops and rams Perfect face first into the top turnbuckle. Flair locks in a sleeper hold right in the middle of the ring! Perfect isn’t able to reach the ropes as Flair positions his body so he can use the ropes for leverage. Perfect is able to break free by sending Flair head first into the top turnbuckle. Flair recovers first and stomps away on Perfect near the corner. Perfect is able to get a sleeper hold on Flair until Flair connects with a knee breaker and has the figure four on Perfect! Flair uses the ropes for leverage a couple of times but Perfect doesn’t give up! Perfect manages to pop his shoulders up each time they drop to the mat and the referee sees Flair cheating. Flair kicks Perfect on the leg and stomps away on Perfect in the corner. Flair chops and punches Flair to keep the upper hand for a few moments. Flair goes for another figure four but is rolled up by Perfect who gets a two count. Flair with chops but Perfect comes back with slaps and right hands. Perfect clotheslines Flair over the top to the floor but Flair drags Perfect to the floor as well. Perfect rams Flair face first into the ring post. Perfect blocks a hip toss and takes Flair down with a backslide after a struggle but only gets a two count. Flair chops Perfect but Perfect isn’t affected. Backdrop by Perfect and follows up with a few right hands. Flair flips in the corner and leaps off the top but is met with a right hand to the gut. Perfect with a clothesline and gets a near fall. Flair nails Perfect with a shot of brass knuckles but isn’t able to get the three count. Perfect slams Flair from the apron back into the ring and gets two count of his own. Flair avoids a backdrop by nailing Perfect with an elbow to the neck. Perfect blocks a backdrop by hitting the Perfect Plex! Razor Ramon runs down to the ring and attacks Perfect to cause the disqualification. **½
After the match, Ramon sends Perfect into the ring steps, guard railing and ring post.
Sixth Contest: Typhoon defeated the Berzerker: A fairly quick match that sees Berzerker get very little offense in. Typhoon wins following a couple splashes in the corner. DUD
Seventh Contest: Razor Ramon defeated Big Bossman: They taunt each other to start the match until they lockup and Bossman backs Ramon up against the ropes and slaps the Bad Guy! Ramon with a side headlock and attempts a shoulder block but Bossman doesn’t budge. Bossman nails Ramon with a back elbow and rolls Ramon up for a near fall. Bossman knocks Ramon to the mat and Ramon bails to the floor where he is limping. Ramon pokes Bossman in the eyes and has a modified bow and arrow locked in. Ramon keeps the hold on Bossman for several moments to the point where fans get restless that nothing is happening. Bossman starts to get up and turns the move around on Ramon. Ramon is able to break the hold after sneaking a low blow. Ramon leg drops Bossman across the lower midsection and kicks Bossman to the floor. Ramon continues to work on Bossman back in the ring with several right hands and sends Bossman hard back first into the corner for a near fall after Bossman flops to the canvas. Bossman tries to fight back with right hands but Ramon stops him with a boot to the chest. Bossman comes off the ropes and uppercuts Ramon. Atomic drop and a running clothesline by Bossman followed by a scoop slam. Bossman with ten punches in the corner but misses a splash in the corner and Ramon rolls Bossman up for the win. *
Main Event: The Undertaker defeated I.R.S.: IRS stomps away on Taker as he slides back into the ring after stalking IRS on the floor. IRS with a few right hands but they do not affect Taker. Taker chokes IRS in the corner and kicks IRS in the face as he charged the corner. Taker walks the ropes and jumps down across IRS shoulder. IRS kicks Taker in the face to avoid a backdrop but Taker scoop slams IRS. Taker misses an elbow drop and IRS clotheslines Taker to the floor. Taker grabs Jimmy Hart on the floor but IRS nails Taker on the back with his tag team championship. IRS works on Taker back in the ring with several right hands but Taker comes back with a few throat thrusts. Taker misses a splash in the corner and IRS connects with a running clothesline. IRS scoop slams Taker and follows up with several elbow drops. IRS heads to the top rope and leaps off but Taker punches IRS in the face. Taker sets IRS up and hits the tombstone pile driver to win a rather quick match. *¼
End of show
My Take: Savage/DiBiase wasn’t a bad way to kick off the show. It was a rather slow contest but it had a few moments where they managed to put together an entertaining sequence of moves. I was actually rather surprised that Savage didn’t win the match with the elbow drop, but oh well.
The very little offense that occurred in the Tatanka/Demento match prevented the match from being a DUD for me. I didn’t like the match at all as Demento is a horrible worker and didn’t have any actual moves.
Yes, the WWF World Championship match went on third. I would hate on that decision but I actually don’t mind it for house shows. Besides, it doesn’t hurt to get the show back on the right foot after a horrible match previously. Bigelow could clearly hang with the elite wrestlers of the WWF. He and Bret Hart put on a good match and the fans were really into everything they did for the most part. If only Bigelow and Hart had been given a top program in 1993 it would have been great from a match standpoint.
Makes sense for the jobber tag team match to go on after the world championship match. Still plenty of show to go so the crowd needs to be calmed down and dead, right? Since it was really a squash match, I didn’t give it much detail as you can tell. The fans had really turned on Virgil by this point. Just figured I throw that out there.
Perfect/Flair was alright but it didn’t surpass or even come close to their RAW match. Which, if you remember was where Flair lost a Loser Leaves WWF match. Yet, almost a week after that match Flair is still wrestling. I wonder if Ramon and Perfect were supposed to feud into Wrestle Mania because the aftermath seemed like a feud was brewing.
Bossman/Ramon was a fairly boring contest as they didn’t do much for the time they were out there. Seemed like just a way to fill out the time on the show or something.
Taker/IRS seemed like an odd main event to me. Hart/Bigelow or Perfect/Flair would have been good matches to stick in the main event. The match was rather simple and had an expected outcome. I suppose Taker may have been the biggest draw WWF had to offer at the time.
Overall, Savage/DiBiase, Flair/Perfect and a very good Hart/Bigelow are the stand out matches for this show. The other matches seemed to be regulated to jobber type matches or were simply uninteresting. Not a bad MSG show but certainly not WWF’s best effort.
Thanks for reading.