Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation presents Rampage ‘92
Release Date: October 1992
As a kid, I rented this tape numerous times from my local Wegmans video store. It’s easily been over 20 years since I’ve watched any of this footage. Lets see how it holds up.
The Undertaker vs. Razor Ramon (9/1/1992, Hershey, PA)
Ramon decides it’s a good idea to shove Taker from behind. Taker responds with right hands in the corner and chokes Ramon for a few moments. Ramon boots Taker in the corner followed by a few more strikes. Ramon knocks Taker down with a right arm shot, which looks like it wasn’t supposed to knock Taker down. Taker gets up and chokes Ramon in the corner some more. Ramon bails to the floor to regroup, but Taker follows to the floor. Taker rams Ramon face first into the ring steps. Taker does it again this time on the timekeepers table. Taker scoop slams Ramon and comes off the ropes missing an elbow drop. Ramon fights back with right hands and clotheslines Taker to the floor. Taker lands on his feet and is pulled back up to the apron. Taker drops Ramon throat first across the top rope and Ramon crashes to the canvas. They trade a few strikes with Ramon getting more strikes in. Taker doesn’t seem overly impacted by them and gets control of Ramon’s wrist. Taker tries to walk the top rope but Ramon yanks him down to the mat. Ramon hammers away on Taker sending him to the floor. Ramon follows to the floor sending Taker into the ring steps. Ramon whacks Taker over the back a few times but the bell hasn’t sounded, so the referee must have missed it. Taker counters a choke slam attempt with a clothesline. Ramon puts an abdominal stretch on Taker and uses the ropes for leverage, but doesn’t get a submission. Taker gets out of it with a hip toss but misses a leg drop attempt. Ramon controls the match with right hands and an eye poke. Ramon snap mares Taker to the canvas and controls him with a sleeper hold. Ramon is bleeding from his left eye, it appears. Taker gets to his feet and elbows his way out of the sleeper hold. Taker comes off the ropes hitting a leaping clothesline. Taker goes for the tombstone piledriver, but Ramon wiggles to the floor and decides to bail to the backstage area. Paul Bearer leads Taker after Ramon to end the match a double count out. (*1/4. Well, I seemed to vaguely remember this being a boring match because of Ramon’s lack of offense. They tried to get something going with the floor brawling, but it was really sloppy and didn’t look good. This also happened really early into Ramon’s WWF career, so the crowd didn’t seem overly interested in the action.)
WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels (6/2/1992, Ottawa, Ontario)
Michaels takes Hart down with an arm drag at the start of the match. Michaels taunts the fans and Hart by doing Bret’s taunt. Michaels yanks Hart down to the canvas by his hair to keep control of the champion. They trade a couple of hammerlocks until Hart is able to send Michaels to the floor. Hart pulls Michaels back into the ring and controls his left arm with a top wrist lock. Michaels hammers away on Hart in the corner. Hart comes out of the corner with a running clothesline for a two count. Hart goes back to a top wrist lock to keep Michaels on the canvas. Hart runs the ropes and catches Michaels with a catapult into the corner for a two count. Hart shoulder blocks Michaels but is met with a knee lift to the midsection. Michaels stomps on Hart to maintain control of the contest. Michaels gets rammed into the corner but Michaels is able to send Hart hard back first into the corner to gain regain momentum. Michaels chokes Hart and Sherri delivers a strike from the floor. Michaels humps onto Hart as he was across the middle rope. Michaels connects with a leaping high knee strike for a two count. Hart elbows out of the hold but Michaels cuts him off with a back elbow blow for a near fall. Hart tries to get out of a top wrist lock and is met with a knee to the midsection. Hart comes off the ropes and nearly wins with an inside cradle.
Michaels quickly gets up and eye rakes Hart. Michaels jabs Hart several times to drop the champ to the canvas. Michaels goes for a cover but Hart kicks out at two. Michaels keeps Hart on the mat with a sleeper hold but Hart isn’t going to pass out. Hart battles out of the hold and they trade strikes. Michaels puts a sleeper on Hart until he’s rammed into the corner back first. Michaels recovers first to hit a dropkick for a near fall. Michaels sends Hart into the corner but runs into a big boot. Hart leaps off the middle rope to clothesline Michaels. Hart atomic drops Michaels with delivers several strikes in the corner. Michaels is sent to the corner and kicked off the top rope. Hart continues with a clothesline from behind for a near fall. Hart drives Michaels down with a backbreaker and follows up with a middle rope forearm drop for a near fall. Michaels counters an uppercut with a backslide for a near win. Hart almost wins with a school boy attempt. Hart comes off the ropes and they collide heads. Sherri Martel is slamming down on the mat trying to wakeup Michaels. Hart staggers up and walks right into a super kick! Michaels takes his time picking Hart up and attempts the teardrop suplex, but Hart countered with a rollup for a near fall! Hart rolls through a rollup and nearly collides with Sherri. Michaels misses Hart and knocks Sherri off the apron! Hart rolls Michaels up and wins the match! (***. The ending sequence was pretty good, but the whole match was quite solid and probably one of the better coliseum video exclusive matches I’ve ever watched.)
40 Man Battle Royal (6/2/1992, Ottawa, Ontario)
This match featured quite a few jobbers who had no chance in winning the match, but I can appreciate a different approach to a battle royal. Howard Finkel announced all forty men involved in the match. So, that takes up a few minutes. They are all in the ring to start the match and it’s really full. All they can literally do is punch, choke and try to eliminate people for the first few moments since the ring is so crowded. The jobbers are mostly the first guys to get eliminated from the match. Texas Tornado gets eliminated relatively early into the match. As does IRS. One of the taller jobbers in the match seemed to be not interested in getting eliminated before he was forced out by some wrestlers. There’s about fourteen guys remaining in the match with two jobbers managing to make it this far. Duane Gill is one of the jobbers and I think it is Glen Ruth, too. Oddly enough, they both would have success in WWF. Ted DiBiase gets tossed out by Sgt. Slaughter! Tatanka is backdropped over the top to the floor by Blake Beverly, which doesn’t impact his undefeated streak, apparently. Brian Knobbs eliminates Koko B. Ware from the floor. The final four are Bret Hart, British Bulldog and the Beverly Brothers. The Beverly’s are sent into each other in the middle of the ring. Hart is trying to get Beau out of the ring but Blake sends Bulldog into Hart and Bret has been eliminated. That leaves British Bulldog with the Beverly Brothers. They toss Bulldog over the top but he lands on the apron. Bulldog clotheslines both men and tosses Blake over the top to the floor. Beau works over Bulldog with right hands. Bulldog press slams Blake over the top onto Beau on the floor to win the match. It’s not that bad of a battle royal and I enjoyed the final four.
Tatanka vs. Rick Martel (6/2/1993, Ottawa, Ontario)
Martel bails to the floor as Tatanka runs into the ring. Tatanka goes to the floor and chases Martel around ringside. Martel stomps on Tatanka upon entering the ring. Tatanka rams Martel face first into the corner and connects with a few clotheslines knocking Martel to the floor. Tatanka flips Martel back into the ring from the apron and Martel begs off. Tatanka doesn’t care and atomic drops him followed by a clothesline to the floor. Martel pulls Tatanka to the floor and chokes him followed by strikes. Tatanka is able to send Martel shoulder first into the ring post followed by overhand strikes. Tatanka rolls Martel back into the ring but is choked some more by Martel. Martel delivers a few knee strikes but misses a spear and hits the ring post shoulder first again. Tatanka works over the left shoulder to keep Martel on the canvas. Tatanka misses a splash in the corner and Martel hits a back suplex. Martel continues by driving his knee into the lower back of Tatanka followed by an elbow drop. Martel plants Tatanka with a gut wrench suplex for a two count. Martel puts a chin lock on Tatanka but he’s not going to get a submission here. Tatanka starts to get up and elbows his way out of the hold. Martel cuts Tatanka off with a knee lift to the midsection and a backbreaker. Martel goes to the apron attempting a splash back into the ring but Tatanka got his knees up to block it. Tatanka is met with a strike to the midsection and Martel comes off the middle rope getting met with a right hand to the gut. Tatanka gets a second wind delivering a few overhand strikes and a scoop slam. Tatanka goes to the top rope and hits another overhand strike. Martel stops Tatanka by dropping him throat first across the top rope. Tatanka comes up from behind and rolls Martel up for the win as Martel was taunting the fans. (*1/4. I was a big Tatanka fan back then and I’ve grown to appreciate Martel as I’ve gotten older. These two just don’t work very well and of course they’d go on to feud for most of ’92.)
Legion of Doom & Paul Ellering vs. The Genius & Beverly Brothers (6/29/1992, Glens Falls, NY)
Ellering shoves Genius at the start but they don’t start a brawl amongst everyone. Ellering wants to start the match against Genius, and that appears to be happening. Ellering takes Genius down with a backslide for a two count within a minute of the match. Genius attempts a backdrop but Ellering counters with a neck breaker. Genius sends Ellering to his corner and Ellering gets triple teamed. Blake takes Ellering down with a backbreaker but Animal tags in and scoop slams Blake. Beau cheap shots Animal from behind and Blake hits a power slam. Animal comes back with a power slam of his own and ducks a clothesline attempt from Beau, who is instead punched by Hawk on the apron. Beau tags into the contest as does Hawk. Hawk fakes Beau out on a handshake and Beau taunts the fans before being scared to the floor. Beau hammers away on Hawk with right hands but is driven face first down to the canvas. Hawk continues to punch Beau in the corner. Hawk chops Blake off the apron and Beau bails to the floor. Blake tags in and knee lifts Hawk followed by strikes. Hawk blocks being dropped across the top rope throat first. Blake jumps to the apron to avoid Hawk, but taunts the fans and is promptly dropped face first to the mat. Hawk misses a spear in the corner hitting the ring post shoulder first, as per usual. Beau comes over and whacks Hawk over the back with a clipboard that Genius uses. Blake continues with a neck breaker and a jumping headbutt. Beau comes off the middle rope with a double axe handle to the back of Hawk. Beau continues with a rolling neck snap. Blake tags in and drives Hawk down with a backbreaker. Blake misses a diving headbutt. Hawk manages to tag in Animal. Animal backdrops Beau and dropkicks Blake. Animal connects with a leaping shoulder block for a two count. Blake enters but Animal hits them both with a DDT. Animal plants Beau with a power slam. Hawk is catapulted off the top by Animal and gets the three count on Beau. After the match, Genius is taken out with a Doomsday Device. (*. Well, this was a fairly one-sided match. I’ve always thought that the Beverly Brothers could have been pushed better.)
Ted DiBiase & IRS vs. Virgil & Tito Santana (9/2/1992, Landover, MD)
IRS and Santana start the match with IRS hitting a scoop slam and a hip toss. Santana fights back with right hands and a scoop slam. Santana hip tosses IRS and dropkicks both DiBiase and IRS to the floor to get the crowd riled up. Santana controls IRS with a wrist lock and Virgil tags in without a proper tag. DiBiase legally tags in and realizes it is Virgil causing him to beg off. DiBiase boots Virgil followed by an eye rake and several strikes in the corner. Virgil sends DiBiase into the corner followed by a backdrop and atomic drop. Santana decks DiBiase from the apron and Virgil nearly wins after a right hand. Santana tags in and comes off the middle rope to axe handle DiBiase over the left arm. IRS knee lifts Santana from the apron and DiBiase keeps control choking Tito. IRS tags in and delivers a couple of elbow drops for a two count. DiBiase controls Santana with strikes ramming him into the corner. Santana comes off the ropes and nearly wins with a rollup. DiBiase cuts him off with an elbow strike. DiBiase rams Santana into the boot of IRS. IRS comes off the top rope with a strike for a two count. Santana continues to be worked over as Virgil distracted the referee. DiBiase keeps Santana on the mat with a sleeper hold where IRS is providing an illegal leverage. Santana tries to fight out of the sleeper but is taken down to the canvas. Santana is sent back first into the corner and DiBiase works over Tito with strikes. Tito fights out of the corner with right hands and nearly makes the tag to Virgil but is stopped by DiBiase. DiBiase elbow strikes Santana and attempts a piledriver but Santana counters with a backdrop. Santana tries but can’t make the tag. IRS gets tagged in and stops Santana. Virgil is distracting the referee as Santana continues to get worked over by IRS. IRS has a front face lock on Santana and DiBiase distracted the referee to prevent the tag to Virgil. Santana stops DiBiase with a swinging neck breaker! IRS gets tagged in and Virgil finally gets the tag. Virgil hammers away on IRS hitting a clothesline on both IRS and DiBiase. Virgil nearly pins IRS with a side Russian leg sweep. All four men are in the ring as DiBiase and IRS are sent into each other. Virgil and Tito hit double dropkicks. Virgil tries to bring IRS into the ring with a suplex, but DiBiase trips Virgil from the floor and holds his foot down to allow IRS to get the win. (**1/4. I enjoyed this match as the crowd was heavily into it and Tito worked really well in his role as the babyface in peril. They had some good action and the tease for the hot tag was done nicely, too.)
WWF World Champion Randy Savage vs. Repo Man (6/3/1992, Cornwall, Ontario)
Repo steals the WWF World Championship and tries to run backstage but is stopped by Savage with a clothesline from behind. Savage brings Repo back to the ringside area ramming him face first into the ring steps. Repo gets control in the ring with a few strikes and chokes Savage over the ropes. Repo sends Savage to the floor and follows to keep control of the match. Repo sends Savage shoulder first into the ring post. Repo slams Savage head first into the ring steps. Repo pulls Savage up to the apron delivering more strikes. Repo chokes Savage on the canvas. Savage ducks a clothesline and clotheslines Repo. Savage comes off the top with a cross body but Repo stops the champ with a quick clothesline for a two count. Repo rams Savage into the corner head first and chokes him. Repo yells at Savage that he is going to take the title. Repo delivers a shot to the midsection for a two count. Repo keeps Savage on the canvas with a chin lock. Savage elbows his way out and counters a slam attempt with a shoulder block. Savage elbows Repo into the corner and punches the challenger. Repo cuts the champ off with a knee lift. Savage staggers and gets his arms trapped in the ropes. Repo takes the top turnbuckle pad off to expose the steel. Repo delivers a few strikes as Savage is trapped in the ropes. The referee is distracted by the exposed turnbuckle and Repo hits Savage with his metal hook to knock Savage to the floor. Repo rolls Savage into the ring and gets a two count as Savage gets his boot on the bottom rope. Repo drives Savage down with a back suplex for a near fall. Repo tries for a submission with a chin lock but Savage gets to his feet after some punches and a hip toss. Savage heads to the top and attempts a double axe handle but Repo delivered a shot to the midsection instead. Repo sends Savage into the corner but runs into a big boot. Savage comes off the top and this time hits a double axe handle for a near fall as Repo got his boot on the bottom rope. Repo is choked but gets his metal hook. The referee prevents Repo from using it, but Savage uses it instead while the referee was distracted. Savage comes off the top to hit the elbow drop for the win. (*. Repo was in no way a serious contender for the title, obviously, and the action just wasn’t very good here.)
The Undertaker & Ultimate Warrior vs. Papa Shango & The Berzerker (6/3/1992, Cornwall, Ontario)
Warrior and Undertaker big boot their opponents at the start as they tease not getting along. Taker clotheslines Berzerker to the floor while Warrior does the same to Shango. Berzerker and Taker legally start the match trading right hands with Taker getting the better and chokes Berzerker in the corner. Taker misses a splash in the corner and Berzerker manages to dropkick Taker to the floor. Taker pulls Berzerker to the floor and rams him head first into the ring steps. They return to the ring with Taker tagging in Warrior. Warrior just runs in place awkwardly for ten-seconds before eventually slamming Berzerker. Warrior connects with a couple of clotheslines in the corner and a shoulder block. Shango hits Warrior from the apron and tags in shortly afterward. Shango hammers away on Berzerker with strikes in the corner. Shango clubs Warrior over the back to keep him on the canvas. Berzerker tags in and headbutts Warrior in the lower midsection in the corner. Warrior ducks a clothesline but is met with a big boot instead. Warrior fights out of the corner ramming Berzerker into Shango. Berzerker trips Warrior to keep him in the ring. Shango tags in and hammers away on Warrior in the corner. Berzerker clubs away on Warrior while the referee was distracted. Warrior tries to fight out of the corner but Shango beats him down again. Warrior misses a splash in the corner. Shango comes off the ropes to hit a leaping clothesline. Shango rams Warrior head first into Berzerker’s boot. Berzerker legally tags in and ties Warrior up in the ropes. Berzerker gets dumped over the top to the floor with a backdrop. Warrior crawls and tags in Taker. Taker thrusts Berzerker a few times and avoids a big boot to plant him with a choke slam. Shango enters and Taker drops him with a leaping clothesline. Berzerker gets up and along with Shango try a double team. Taker ducks their clothesline and allows Warrior to hit a double clothesline. Warrior hits a shoulder block and a big splash on Berzerker for the win. (1/2*. The heels didn’t have really anything exciting to give on offense and weren’t really made out to look like a major threat to Warrior and Undertaker. It was at least kept reasonably short.)
Final Thoughts:
I think I enjoyed this a lot more when I was seven years old compared to being twenty-eight years old (at the time of this review). There was two enjoyable matches and everything else just failed to entertain me all that much.
Thanks for reading.