Written by: Bob Colling
World Wrestling Federation House Show
Date: 6/25/1993
From: Oakland, CA
Opening Contest: 1-2-3 Kid vs. Terry Taylor: Kid wants to shake hands, but Taylor isn’t interested in that nonsense. Taylor arm drags Kid and taunts the fans. Kid battles back with a few arm drags and a spinning heel kick for a two count. Taylor bails to the floor to regroup. Kid shoves Taylor through the ropes to the floor after a lockup. Taylor decides he’s going to head backstage after being embarrassed. Kid puts a headlock on Taylor for several moments. Taylor drives Kid down to the mat with a backbreaker. Taylor tries for another backbreaker, but Kid hits a head scissors and dropkick. Taylor plants Kid with a back suplex followed by stomps and choking Kid on the mat. Taylor connects with a double under hook suplex for a near fall. Taylor keeps Kid on the mat with a headlock. Taylor comes off the ropes to deliver a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Kid drops Taylor with a kick and hammers away on Taylor. Kid backdrops Taylor and Taylor tried to leave but was stopped. Kid nails Taylor with a kick in the corner and a running dropkick for a two count. Kid heads to the top rope hitting a crossbody, but Taylor rolls through for a near fall. Taylor knee lifts Kid in the corner and tries to use the ropes for leverage, but the referee saw that. Kid almost pins Taylor with a rollup after Taylor argued with the referee. Taylor plants Kid with a gut wrench powerbomb for a two count. Kid countered the cocky pin with a crucifix pin for the win. (**. It’s not too bad of an opener with Taylor not stalling for too long, which was a pleasant surprise. I was hoping for a bigger finish instead of the quick pin. Regardless, it wasn’t a bad start to the show.)
Second Contest: Kamala vs. Papa Shango: There is quite a bit of stalling before trying a test of strength. Shango fakes out Kamala with strikes in the corner. Kamala splashes Shango in the corner causing Shango to roll to the floor. Shango returns and attacks Kamala from behind. Shango beats on Kamala in the corner with headbutts and strikes. Shango misses a splash and Kamala scoop slams Shango before missing an overhand chop attempt. Shango puts a headlock on Kamala and uses the ropes for leverage. Kamala gets up and savant kicks Shango. Kamala splashes Shango but doesn’t know what side to pin Shango on. Shango takes advantage of Kamala talking to the referee and picks up the win with a rollup. (DUD. That was just all sorts of awful. The stalling and the lack of pace made this just an awful match.)
Third Contest: The Headshrinkers vs. The Smoking Gunns: Headshrinkers attack before the bell but the Gunns fight back with dropkicks to send Samu and Fatu to the floor. Billy and Samu start the match off, but Samu stalls for a bit. Billy drop toe holds Samu followed by an arm drag and Samu stumbles into the corner only to be decked by Bart on the apron. Bart tags in and works over Samu’s left arm. Bart drop toe holds Samu and follows up with a fist drop after running the ropes. Billy tags in but Samu bails to his corner. Fatu enters the match and wants to do a test of strength with Billy. Billy thinks about it and keeps backing off on the idea. Bart arm drags Samu and Fatu before keeping Fatu on the mat with an arm lock. Bart yanks Fatu down to the mat by his hair for a two count. Bart gets shoved to the floor, but Bart comes off the top to hit a dropkick for a two count. Samu enters to break the count and dumps Bart over the top to the floor while Billy distracted the referee. Samu crotches Bart groin first over the guard railing. Samu rams Bart face first onto the ring steps.
Samu backdrops Bart and the Headshrinkers double team Bart in the corner while Billy is distracting the referee. Fatu controls Bart with a nerve hold in the middle of the ring. Bart drives Fatu face first to the mat, but Fatu no sells it and nails Bart with a savant kick. Fatu delivers a headbutt to Bart’s lower midsection. Bart ducks a double clothesline and clotheslines the Headshrinkers. Billy gets tagged in and cleans house hitting backdrop on both Fatu and Samu. Billy dropkicks the Headshrinkers and pummels Fatu with right hands in the corner. Billy leaps off the middle rope to hit a twisting clothesline on Samu. Samu is sent shoulder first into the ring post. Fatu knees Billy on the apron allowing Samu to hit a savant kick and pins Billy for the win. After the match, the Gunns send the Headshrinkers into each other and connect with clotheslines. (**1/2. I thought it was a decent tag match with some good energy. The crowd seemed to be interested and invested in the action. Which, is kind of surprising since the match really doesn’t have an angle behind it. These two teams work really well together.)
Fourth Contest: Giant Gonzalez vs. Undertaker: Gonzalez hammers away on Taker to start the match, but Taker strikes back to get control in the corner. Taker stalks towards the referee, but runs into a big boot in the corner. Gonzalez sends Taker into the corner and strikes Taker down to the mat with a strike to his chest. Gonzalez locks in a sleeper hold, and keeps the hold on for several moments. Taker elbows out of a sleeper hold, but gets tossed over the top to the floor. Taker didn’t land on his feet. Gonzalez works over Taker with overhand strikes on the outside. Gonzalez sends Taker legs first into the ring steps. Gonzalez delivers an awful clothesline to send Taker over the top, but Taker lands on his feet this time. Taker strikes Gonzalez several times to drop Gonzalez to a knee. Taker grabs Harvey Wippleman on the apron, which allows Gonzalez to whack Taker over the back with a steel chair. Gonzalez has been disqualified. After the match, Taker sits up and delivers a few clotheslines to drop Gonzalez. Taker has a rag of ether and lets go when Wippleman delivers a strike. Wippleman escapes and Gonzalez bails to the floor, as well. (DUD. It really shouldn’t be a surprise just how awful this match was.)
Bam-Bam Bigelow comes out and says he’s going to scalp Tatanka one more time.
Fifth Contest: Bam-Bam Bigelow vs. Tatanka: Tatanka rolls into the ring and appears to have a weapon in his hands causing Bigelow to bail to the floor. Tatanka takes Bigelow out with a suicide dive to the floor. Tatanka rolls back into the ring and Bigelow beats on Tatanka with strikes. Bigelow shoulder blocks Tatanka a few times to keep control of the match. Tatanka ducks a clothesline and shoulder blocks Bigelow followed by a dropkick. Tatanka comes off the ropes with a crossbody for a two count. Bigelow sends Tatanka chest first into the corner Tatanka fights back with a few clotheslines for a two count. Bigelow works over Tatanka with headbutts. Tatanka plants Bigelow with a DDT. Tatanka heads to the top rope but misses a crossbody. Bigelow delivers a few falling headbutts to keep Tatanka on the mat. Bigelow chokes Tatanka over the middle rope. Tatanka battles back with strikes but Bigelow headbutts Tatanka to drop Tatanka to a knee. Bigelow dropkicks Tatanka for a two count. Bigelow splashes Tatanka in the corner and taunts the crowd. Tatanka big boots Bigelow to avoid another splash.
Tatanka counters a Samoan Drop with a rollup attempt, but Bigelow sits down onto Tatanka’s chest. Bigelow stomps on Tatanka to keep control of the match. Bigelow puts a sleeper hold on Tatanka, but isn’t able to win the match with it. Tatanka fights to his feet with overhand strikes. Tatanka gets rammed into the corner and goes on the War Dance. Bigelow stops Tatanka with a leaping kick to Tatanka’s head. Tatanka gets to his feet and nails Bigelow with a few overhand chops. Tatanka knocks Bigelow through the ropes to the floor. They begin to trade strikes on the floor. Tatanka plants Bigelow with the End of the Trail on the floor! Tatanka rolls into the ring, but the referee has counted both men out. After the match, Bigelow clotheslines Tatanka from behind. Bigelow tries to cut Tatanka’s hair again, but officials prevent Bigelow from doing so. Tatanka fights back with overhand strikes and gets the scissors causing Bigelow to bail to the floor and runs backstage. (*1/2. Judging by the finish and the aftermath, it’s safe to say they plan on running this match again in the area. The action wasn’t all that enjoyable and I’d consider it a disappointing match.)
Sixth Contest: WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs. Mr. Perfect: Perfect tosses a towel at Michaels and clotheslines Michaels with the towel. Perfect wraps the towel around Michaels neck and tosses the champ across the ring a couple of times. Michaels bails to the floor to regroup with Diesel. Michaels cheap shots Perfect in the corner when the referee is out of position. Michaels works over Perfect with several strikes. Perfect dropkicks Michaels through the ropes to the floor. Perfect decks Michaels with a right hand on the floor as Michales tried to attack Perfect from behind. They return to the ring where Perfect continues to pummel Michaels. Perfect holds Michaels up by his tights, but lets go and Michaels crashes to the mat. Perfect yanks down Michaels tights to expose Michaels butt. Perfect hammers away on Michaels and Michaels spins in midair. Michaels tosses Perfect over the top rope and catapults Perfect’s throat first into the bottom rope. Michaels comes off the apron to deliver an elbow strike onto Perfect’s throat. Michaels attacks Perfect on the floor with a strike before returning to the ring.
Michaels leaps off the top to nail Perfect with a double axe handle. Perfect gets stopped by an eye rake and is sent hard back first into the corner. Michaels sends Perfect hard into the corner again. Michaels keeps a sleeper hold on Perfect for a few moments. Michaels stops Perfect with a knee lift to the midsection for a two count. Michaels puts a sleeper hold on Perfect again. They run the ropes and collide heads. Perfect drives Michales down to the mat by his hair. Perfect connects with a running knee lift and chops in the corner. Perfect keeps control with a rolling neck snap. Perfect works over Michaels in the corner with chops followed by another knee lift. Perfect nails Michaels with a forearm smash. Perfect signals for the Perfect Plex. Michaels tries to get free, but Perfect hits the move. Diesel pulls Michaels out of the ring and carries Michaels over his shoulder backstage. Perfect leaves the ring and rams Michaels face first onto the ring steps. Perfect sends Michaels upside down into the corner followed by a forearm smash for a two count. Perfect catapults Michaels face first into the ring post for a two count. Diesel strikes Perfect from the floor and that allows Michaels to hit a superkick and pins Perfect to retain the title! After the match, Tatanka comes down and confronts the heels. Tatanka is telling the referee what happened. Bam-Bam Bigelow tosses Tatanka to the floor. Perfect gets clotheslined by Diesel. Diesel holds Perfect to allow Michaels and Bigelow to get several strikes in on Perfect. Bigelow dives off the top to headbutt Perfect. (**. The crowd was invested in the action and the match wasn’t too bad, really. Sure the finish wasn’t clean, but I was still surprised to see Perfect take the pin here. The aftermath was done rather well for the six man tag match that would take place the next time they were in California.)
Main Event: Razor Ramon vs. Lex Luger: Fans are literally leaving the arena before the match even starts considering it is still a heel vs. heel match. The camera guy cuts ahead of some stalling as Ramon hit a fallaway slam. Ramon boots a charging Luger followed by a middle rope bulldog for a two count. Ramon locks in an abdominal stretch, but Luger isn’t going to give up. Late in the match, the referee has been knocked down and Ramon hits the Razors Edge. However, there isn’t a referee to make the count. Ramon checks on the referee and gets decked with the running forearm giving Luger the victory. (NR. Considering the camera cut most of the match out, I can’t give this a proper rating. However, it is safe to say that nobody wanted to see this match. By the following weekend, Luger would become the pro-USA, pro-fan Lex Express savior. A rather lackluster main event to finish the live event.)
Final Thoughts:
There were a couple of mildly entertaining matches on this live event, but certainly nothing to go out of your way to see. I’ve seen a lot worse shows, so that’s a positive from this, I guess.
Thanks for reading.