Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation House Show
Date: 3/21/1993
From: New York, NY
There were three matches that weren’t recorded…
Terry Taylor defeated Jim Brunzell
Virgil defeated Repo Man
Tatanka defeated Reno Riggins
Doink attacks Randy Savage with a steel chair on the outside during Randy’s entrance and the MSG crowd boos Doink loudly for doing something so dastardly. Doink goes to the ring and laughs while Savage is getting checked on the floor. Savage is helped toward the backstage area but Doink attacks him a second time before returning to the ring. It looks like we’ll get the Savage vs. Doink match later on in the show.
Jerry Lawler insults the fans and tells Tito Santana to bow down and kiss his feet, but Tito isn’t going to do that.
Opening Contest: Jerry Lawler vs. Tito Santana: Tito hip tosses Lawler across the ring a couple of times causing Lawler to get frustrated. Lawler gets control of the bout working over the arm of Santana but Tito hits a clothesline to break the hold. Santana surprises Lawler with a rollup but only gets a near fall. Lawler is stalling quite a bit during the match. Lawler avoids a backdrop delivering a right hand to knock Santana down. Lawler continues spiking Santana with a piledriver. Santana avoids being rammed groin first into the ring post and sends Lawler face first into the post. Santana backdrops Lawler and knocks Lawler to the floor following a forearm smash. Santana attempts a slingshot sunset flip but Lawler hangs onto the ropes after sitting down and gets the cheap victory. (*1/4. Lawler stalling didn’t help the match, but Santana had a nice burst at the end of the match to make it not a complete waste of time.) After the match, Lawler knee lifts Santana from behind sending him to the floor. Santana returns to the ring and hammers away on Lawler knocking him over the top to the floor. Tito punches Lawler into the crowd and they brawl backstage through the crowd.
Rob Bartlett makes his way down to there ing for an interview segment. Bartlett introduces Harvey Whippleman and Giant Gonzalez for an interview. Whippleman is out there to promote the WrestleMania IX match with the Undertaker on April 4th. Bartlett wants to know when we will see Gonzalez in MSG. Harvey reveals that Gonzalez will compete at the next MSG show against any opponent. Harvey insults the New York crowd and Bartlett defends them. Harvey slaps Bartlett and Gonzalez puts his hands on Bartlett to stop him. They just talk about ending the Undertaker at Mania some more.
Second Contest: WWF Tag Team Champion IRS vs. Rick Steiner: Steiner starts the match with an arm drag and the fans start to chant Irwin at IRS to get under his skin. Steiner power slams IRS followed by a hip toss and a leaping clothesline sending IRS to the floor. The referee sends Scott Steiner to the backstage area for some reason. Rick counters a suplex attempt with a vertical suplex of his own. IRS blocks a kick attempt but Rick grabs IRS by his tie and drops him across the top rope. IRS avoids a dropkick by hanging onto the ropes and sends Steiner to the floor. IRS controls Steiner with a sleeper and goes for a big splash but Steiner gets his knees up. Steiner hammers away on IRS in the corner and avoids a splash attempt by IRS. Steiner atomic drops IRS and goes for a clothesline but misses and goes over the top to the floor. IRS tosses a chair into the ring but Scott Steiner runs into the ring to prevent the usage of it and Rick rolls IRS up from behind for the victory. (*1/2. That was rather dull when IRS had the control with the sleeper for a majority of the match. Scott entering the ring should have been a DQ for Rick, but thats nitpicking, I guess.)
Third Contest: Doink the Clown vs. Randy Savage: Savage runs to the ring and pulls Doink out sending him into the ring steps. Savage sends Doink into the ring and Doink is begging off into the corner. Savage stomps on Doink before choking him in the corner. Doink rolls to the floor as Savage grabbed the referee. Savage chases after Doink hitting a high knee from behind and Doink goes chest first into the railing. Doink tosses Savage to the floor where he sends Savage into the ring post shoulder first a couple of times. Doink rams Savage head first into the ring steps and taunts the fans. Doink trips Savage and wraps his arm around the ring post. Doink comes off the top rope to deliver a double axe handle. Doink comes off the middle rope but is met with boots to the face. Savage sends Doink into the corner chest first. Savage heads to the top to hit his trademark axe handle. Doink sprays something into Randy’s face and that causes a disqualification. After the match, Savage clotheslines Doink to the floor but is held back by officials. Savage still gets through them and gets a few more strikes in. Doink recovers and trades strikes with Savage until he heads to the backstage area. (**1/2. I enjoyed the match since there was a lot of crowd heat for it and they kept a good pace. The brawling at the start set the tempo for the action and the crowd enjoyed everything they did. This was a good match to have on the show and the earlier segment enhanced it.)
Main Event: WWF World Champion Bret Hart & Mr. Perfect vs. Razor Ramon & Lex Luger: Ramon attacked Perfect from behind while Perfect was distracted by Luger on the apron. Perfect quickly sends Ramon to the floor following a hip toss. Perfect drop toe holds Ramon and drives his knee into the canvas. Ramon works over Perfect with several strikes knocking him into the corner. Luger gets tagged in as Perfect is weakened. Luger rams Perfect into the corner but Perfect comes back with a knee lift and a dropkick to send Luger to the floor. Hart gets tagged in works over the shoulder of Luger. Luger catches Hart but Bret bites Luger’s forehead to get out of a bear hug. Luger misses a splash in the corner and Hart controls the arm. Ramon gets tagged in but misses an elbow drop and gets double teamed as Perfect enters the match working over the knee of Ramon. Hart returns and locks in a figure four leg lock in the middle of the ring until Luger enters and drops a forearm on Hart. Lex legally enters the match and works over Bret in the corner with strikes. Hart rolls Luger up for a near fall and Perfect tags in hitting a few atomic drops and a clothesline on Luger. Perfect sends Luger chest first into the corner and catapults Lex face first into the corner. Perfect avoids an atomic drop and clotheslines Luger followed by a swinging neck breaker for a near fall.
Ramon pulls down the top rope and Perfect goes flying over the top to the floor. Ramon sends Perfect into the ring steps. Lex sends Perfect hard back first into the corner causing Perfect to flip out of the corner. Ramon gets the tag and stomps away on Perfect in the corner. Ramon catches Perfect hitting a fallaway slam and hits a side slam for a near fall. Luger tags back in and clubs Perfect over the back several times. Luger drives Perfect down with a back breaker for a near fall. Perfect is upside down on the apron and falls to the floor landing on his head. Ramon decks Perfect with a clothesline and gets a two count. Luger has a bear hug locked in on Perfect in the middle of the ring. Perfect nearly wins with a rollup and locks in a sleeper hold but is rammed into the corner by Luger to break the hold. Perfect tries to make the tag but Ramon distracts the referee causing the referee to not see the tag made to Bret. Luger misses Perfect and accidentally nails Ramon with a clothesline. Hart gets the hot tag and hammers away on Luger and Ramon. Hart leaps off the middle rope to cross body Ramon and atomic drops Luger. Hart clotheslines Luger and sends Ramon into Luger head first. Luger collides with Ramon again sending Razor to the floor. Hart with a side Russian leg sweep and a middle rope forearm drop on Luger. Hart locks in the Sharpshooter but Ramon clubs Hart from behind. Ramon gets the tag and delivers an elbow drop. Hart stops Razor with a back suplex. Ramon sends Hart into the referee. Hart has an inside cradle on Ramon but Luger enters and puts Ramon on top. Perfect rolls in and puts Hart on top and that’s good enough for the win. After the match, Giant Gonzalez comes out to attack Perfect and Hart but Randy Savage comes out to make the save only to be thrown over the top to the floor. (***. A good match but I’ve never liked that kind of finish. It takes too long and the guy taking pin looks like a fool especially when they aren’t trying to kick out during the process. The fans were into the action and the guys worked hard, so no complaints there.)
Final Thoughts:
For what was recorded, I thought it was a fine show. The Doink/Savage and the main event were worthwhile segments. It did feel weird for the heels to stand tall at the end of a house show, but it was a pleasant surprise. This show showed me that Doink should have been a much bigger heel than he would become.
Thanks for reading.