Survivor Series - 1994

Summer Slam is here.

Survivor Series – 1994 San Antonio

One more Gorilla/Cornette.

(Dark – Bob Holly d. PJ Walker)

1. Smoking Gunns d. Heavenly Bodies
Hey, the Bodies got back together. Billy! Bart!! The Smoking Gunns! They make the sign for the belts! When will the Smoking Gunns finally get a title shot? When? When? When?

2. Undertaker d. Adam Bomb
-And that will do it for the Bomb. Thanks Undertaker!

3. Backlund d. Jerry Lawler
“You are not the King! The United States of America threw off its monarchical yoke in 1776 – Read Your History, Jerry Lawler! Sam Adams wore a headdress and painted his genitalia red! He dumped your tea into the Harbor, Jerry Lawler! No Taxation Without Representation! I Before E Except After C! You Must Learn About the Fox and the Grapes, Jerry Lawler! You are not the King – You are at best a Maid in Waiting Thrice Removed! And You Must Learn About the Fox and the Grapes!”

4. Jeff Jarrett (w/Road Dogg) d. Savio Vega
Jarrett remains undefeated.

5. Diesel d. Davey Boy Smith
Diesel gets a lot of cheers here, and plays up to them – it’s San Antonio and it’s a highly partisan Clique crowd. They play up heavily the Clique v. Harts nature of the matchup, and they show Michaels in his locker room watching the match – and Owen in his watching the match. It’s a big man brawl, they take it outside – topple over the retaining barrier and fight into the crowd – it’s Davey Boy’s first WWF singles match in over 2 years – since he lost his title shot to Bret in London, so this is a big match for him – and a big win for Diesel.

6. Tags: Hart Foundation d. Luger/Bigelow
This is a nice little show. Bret and Anvil get good heel heat with the Canadian flag – all of the pro Clique feeling in the crowd can coalesce against the Hart Foundation. And we are in Texas after all – any non US flag is gonna draw some heat. Bret wins his second tag strap to go with his two IC titles and his world title – Anvil is very excited with his first ever strap – Bret treats it more matter of factly, shrugging his shoulders like, “of course I won, I’m the Hit Man, haven’t you ever seen me wrestle?” Luger and Bigelow have words after the match.

7. IC: Ladder: Razor Ramon d. Sean Waltman
Razor runs through the entire Clique as 1994 belongs to the Bad Guy. Waltman’s bumping all over the place as we add a ladder match to the official WWF history. Waltman’s job was to take the punishment, and he has to take a lot of it here – we’ll have Razor set up a table in the ring – he and Waltman are battling at the top of the ladder – Edge through the table for the finish.

(Highlight package of Owen v. Shawn. The dark match from Summer Slam ’88 – Owen’s return after 3 years gone, losing to Michaels at Rumble ’92 – the epic Owen/Bret v. Shawn/Flair tag match from the last Saturday Night’s Main Event on FOX – Owen beating Shawn at VIII – Shawn putting Owen through the announce table at Summer Slam ’92 – Owen making a shocking return during Survivor Series ’92, taking away Shawn’s IC title minutes after he had just won it from Savage – Michaels regaining the title at Rumble ’93 in the 5 star Iron Man match -- )

8. WWF Title: Shawn Michaels (w/Diesel) d. Owen Hart (w/ Bulldog)
Diesel and the Bulldog brawl early in the match and fight their way away from ringside and to the back. Michaels is cheered throughout – the crowd doesn’t boo Owen, Owen never gets booed – but the combination of Michaels’s years of excellence, his heel charisma, the numerous humanizing taped pieces, his being gone for months, and it being his hometown, make the crowd highly partisan – and Shawn plays up to it. It’s a clean match and an all time great match – this is a feud building for years and years – a feud over who is the real future of the WWF – Shawn jealous of Owen’s hype – Shawn getting the early glory – Owen coming back and being the first to win the WWF Title – Owen beating Bret – which Shawn has yet to do –

This one belongs to Shawn. Fights out of the sharpshooter – a superkick out of nowhere – a pinfall. Crowd goes nuts – Shawn does the real world WM XIII celebration
dropping to his knees and weeping, clutching the title – Diesel runs in - grabbing
Shawn and lifting him high into the air – Michaels holding the belt high as the Clique stands atop the wrestling world –

--and then Diesel lifts up Michaels’s legs – and jackknifes him to the mat.

The shocked crowd boos lustily – Diesel picking up Michaels again – and again jackknifing him to the canvas.

Nash flips his hair, smirks to the booing crowd – takes Shawn’s newly won world title belt and throws it over his shoulder, “Thanks for the strap, Heart Break. See ya at the party.”

Diesel laughs his way up the aisle as the show ends.

The NWA run of great shows ends as Hogan and his boys hit town. Duggan, Beefcake, Earthquake – all on the show. Hogan beats a heel Mr T. – then turns heel, no face run in the NWA – they’re gonna boo him anyway – Hogan gives the “you fans can kiss my butt” turn speech and will now be Hollywood Hogan. A young heel named Jean Paul Leveques picks up a PPV loss – we’ll see him soon in New York. Harlem Heat wins the tag straps. Arn keeps the US, beating Mero, and Vader keeps the big strap, going over Sting.

Starrcade – 1994 Nashville
NWA Title: Vader d. Sting
US Title: Arn Anderson d. Marc Mero
Tags: Harlem Heat d. Nastys
Alex Wright d. HHH

Hulk Hogan d. Mr. T
Earthquake d. Brutus Beefcake
Kevin Sullivan d. Jim Duggan
Harlem Heat d. Armstrongs


The organizing force as we drive to the Rumble in Tampa is a tag team tournament, the winners to face the Hart Foundation at the Rumble. Bret/Anvil will promo at the top of RAW after Survivor Series, basically calling out the entire company, Bret says the WWF has got an IC champ who has never beaten him – and now a World Champ who has never beaten him – and doesn’t his family feel dumb now for siding with Owen -- and he challenges anyone in the back to take his tag straps.

The entire locker room (outside of the top guys) spills out, surrounding the ring – after ten years – is the entire locker room going to challenge the Hit Man???

Money, Money, Money, Money, Money.

DiBiase’s music plays, Ted makes his way to the ring. Hey, Ted's back! Ted says as he’s proven time and time again, everybody’s got a price for the Million Dollar Man – and he’s made a new financial acquisition – the WWF tag team division.

So, there’s gonna be a tournament – and he’s gonna pick the teams, the only rule is, no one who has ever teamed together before is eligible.

Ted names the first round matchups, whomever he calls comes to the ring, if he doesn’t call you – you ain’t in the tournament. The tourney plays out over multiple weeks, here be the results:

Bigelow/Chris Candido d. Luger/Rotundo
-Candido is doing the straight kid babyface. Luger and Bigelow have words again as they meet in the ring. In the match, Candido will get the fall on Rotundo – pissing Luger off, he starts to put the boots to Candido – Bigelow tries to calm his former partner down – Luger re-turns heel by blasting Bigelow – and the two men brawl to the back. Years later, Bigelow and Candido team up in ECW. Candido has a girlfriend, of course. We don’t even call her a manager or a valet – she’s a girlfriend. Tammy does the whole co-ed thing, she’s sweet and peppy and shows a little stomach, but she’s a nice girl and we emphasize the nice girl aspect of her – she gives Candido a little peck on the cheek before he wrestles. It’s sweet. She’s very, very, sweet. Fresh – that’s the word. Tammy is fresh.

Hakushi/Savio Vega d. Alabama Bob Holly/PJ Walker
-Yeah, Bob and PJ just worked dark, so they’ve already tagged together – but that’s why they call it dark. Hakushi brings a new level of aerial spots to the WWF (flying space tiger drop!) and is clearly a cut above here. We sell him as special. Crowd enjoys seeing the fast paced action. Announce speculates if any of these young stars will one day hold WWF gold. Bob and PJ brawl after their loss – they’ll work a singles at the Rumble.

Jarrett/Bart d. Road Dogg/Billy
-All four guys upset as they’re obviously getting broken up. We tease tension between both existing teams – Jarrett keeps his run going with the fall over Billy – but in the end, the sides switch – and postmatch, Jarrett and the Dogg brawl with the Gunns. Announce notes a good chemistry between the Road Dogg and Billy, and somehow I think we’ll see them again down the road.

Davey Boy/Backlund d. Fatu/Crush
-“I Respect the British Bulldog! Like Queen Victoria colonized India – the British Bulldog and Mr. Backlund will plant their flag at the Royal Rumble! The sun never sets on the British Empire – and that will be our name! Davey Boy Smith – we will call ourselves the British Empire – and you will plant your flag into Mr. Backlund! Plant your flag, Davey Boy Smith! Plant your flag deep inside of me! Claim your territory for the Crown and split me open in the name of the Empire!”

Backlund's way into the made up team. Bulldog's a little creeped out.

Davey Boy and Backlund then go over Jarrett and Bart. Bart gets pinned, he and Jarrett brawl – Road Dogg and Billy run in – and we’re set up for the Rumble. Hey, the Gunns have a program!

Hakushi and Savio go over Candido and Bigelow. Luger attacks Bigelow in the aisle – they brawl again – and there’s that match.

Davey Boy and Backlund go over Savio and Hakushi – and they will go to the Rumble to face Bret and the Anvil. The greatest tag team in WWF history, the Original Hart Foundation – now on opposite sides, will meet at the Rumble. And Bob Backlund, 11 years after losing the WWF title, and 13 years since he held the WWF tag titles with Pedro Morales, will be wrestling for the straps. Not a bad deal.

In fact, that’s what made him crazy. This works – see, Backlund not only never got a rematch for the WWF title – but he didn’t really lose it, as Skaaland threw in the towel when he was in the camel clutch – more than that – he didn’t really lose the tag straps either – he and Pedro abdicated the straps because they were the two singles champions at the time – Bob never lost – and the trauma of it all pushed him over the edge. Gives us a chance to talk history, and we love talking history.

What else…two veterans make appearances on the road to the Rumble. One is Rick Martel, doing a babyface veteran thing. Martel says he is ready to come back to the WWF and he’s ready to do it at the Rumble. He’s interrupted by Waltman, doing a “you’re a thousand years old, I am the Kid, if you don’t like it you can suck this thing…”

You know, Waltman. They’ll meet at the Rumble.

And it’s time for another veteran to come in and challenge the Undertaker as the legend of professional wrestling. This time it’s Dirty Dick Murdoch, doing a “I’m the best brawler who ever lived, y’all are a bunch of pussies.”

Razor’s defending the IC against Owen. They’re doing a face v. face thing, doing a Harts v. Clique thing – Owen wanted a rematch for the World Title – but that spot is taken, as we’ll see – Owen cut a promo saying he and his brother Bret don’t agree on much, but the one thing they agree on is that the Harts will always be better than the Clique – and there is no way that the Clique should have both singles titles in the WWF.

Razor’s Clique all the way so he takes that challenge. Says not only is he from the Clique – but he has spent the last year proving that he is the top member of the Clique. Hey beat Michaels, he beat Diesel, he beat Waltman – he has run through the entire Clique – and now he is ready to run through the entire Hart Family.

In the main, of course, it’s Shawn/Diesel.

Diesel promos at the end of the RAW after the Survivor Series – still holding Shawn’s belt. He says, “All day long, people have been coming up to me, saying, ‘why, Big Daddy Cool, why?’ and I’ve been saying, well, first of all, thanks for selling the gimmick, there are t-shirts available in the lobby, Christmas is around the corner, they make excellent stocking stuffers --- and second, the reason I jackknifed Shawn Michaels’s ass through the ring is pretty damn simple ---

I’m a bad guy.

See, sports fans, let me smarten you up a little bit – in the business that I’m in, there are two kinds of guys, there are the babyfaces – you know, the Ricky Steamboats, the Owen Harts, the Stings…yeah, I watch the NWA, you never know when they’ll come calling with a better offer – and Big Daddy Cool needs to watch his stories, oh yes he does, oh yes he does….

……and those are the guys who like the fans and care what you people think and sit up all night trying to figure out how they can work the words prayer, training, and vitamins into their promos…

…and then there are the heels. You know who the heels are? The Dynamite Kid was a heel. Randy Savage was a heel – until he lost his balls. Ric Flair, Whoooooo, is a heel. And whether you like it, or whether you don’t like it, you got to learn to love it – because it’s the best thing going today – Big Daddy Cool Diesel is a heel.

The Harts – they’re faces. I know you’re all booing Bret Hart right now – but that’s because you’re marks – the Harts – they’re faces.

And the Clique – we’re the heels. We make all the mo-ney. We have all the po-wer. We take all the wo-men . And we win all the gold, Chico.

I love Shawn Michaels. I have three friends in the world and Shawn Michaels is one of them. But Shawn Michaels forgot who he was. Shawn Michaels heard all of those people in San Antonio cheering for him – and he forgot that he was, is, and always will be – a bad guy.

So, Shawn, if you want your belt back – get your ass down here – hold up the fingers with me – tell these people to kiss your ass and lets go out and bang some fat chicks!”

Michaels enters. Says Diesel’s right about one thing – he is a member of the Clique – 4 Life – and he’ll hold up the fingers any time – but he’s wrong about something else – see, Shawn Michaels isn’t a bad guy…and Shawn Michaels isn’t a good guy…Shawn Michaels is the Heart Break Kid – Shawn Michaels is the Showstopper – Shawn Michaels is the Main Event – Shawn Michaels is the best wrestler alive – and Shawn Michaels is taking his property back – right now – crowd screams, Michaels and Diesel brawl – and we set up a No DQ match for the WWF Title at the Rumble.

It's Rumble '95. Michaels/Diesel for the big belt. Razor and Owen for the IC. How about Bret and the Anvil against DBS and Backlund. Waltman/Martel, Luger/Bigelow, Alabama Bob meets the not yet Justin Credible, Undertaker/Murdoch, and the Gunns meet Jarrett and the Dogg - winners go to XI to wrestle for the straps! Rumble! Call your thing!

Summer Slam 1994

X is here.

Summer Slam -1994 ChicagoGorilla and Cornette continue on the announce.

(Dark – Sean Waltman d. Bob Holly)

1. Headshrinkers d. Rougeaus (countout)
-Winners of the match to get a title shot against Lex/Bam Bam later tonight, but the Rougeaus don’t show and get counted out. We go to the back and see they’ve been laid out in the locker room, including Levy, and the only evidence as to the perpetrator is a pink and black Hart Foundation jacket. Huh.

2. Savio Vega d. Mike Rotundo
-The new Tito! Arriba! In fact, if Tito’s on the payroll at this point, they make him Savio’s manager. If not Tito, they dig up Pedro Morales.

3. Adam Bomb d. Prime Time Brian Lee
-The Bomb continues. He’s a beast, he can’t be stopped – he’s ADAM BOMB! He calls out the Taker (who hasn't been in a WWF ring in 10 months, but his match is next) saying he hasn't come back 'cause he's ascared.

4. Undertaker d. Mabel
-Undertaker’s first appearance since his Rumble title loss to Bret. Since he tapped out, he’s no longer undead. He makes the turn to the current version of the Taker – ‘cept he’s younger. So, he’s basically badass biker Undertaker, who actually is a better worker than the undead caveman undertaker. So, now he brawls, no longer impervious to pain. He’s a real boy. He wipes out Mabel – the Bomb comes down to the ring – and they brawl after the match.

5. Jeff Jarrett (w/Road Dogg) d. Tatanka
This is not a good show. Think of Jarrett and Savio as getting similar undercard pushes.

6. Tags: Luger/Bigelow d. Headshrinkers
Why did you buy this show, seriously?

7. IC: No DQ: Razor Ramon d. Diesel (w/Waltman)
Okay, this is better. We’ll cover up their weaknesses with lots of garbage, chairshots – Waltman’s bringing out the ladder and bumping – everyone bleeds – we’ll have a shot of all three men brawling heavy in the middle of the ring, the Clique Explodes! Razor keeps and has now beaten Michaels and Diesel back to back. Razor points to a fallen Waltman afterward – “Hey, Chico, Hey porn star – you next – you next for the Bad Guy.”

(As we near the beginning of the title match, the video wall flashes the letters…H….B…..K……and we see a shot of San Antonio, Texas – – home of Shawn Michaels. Cactus. Dust. Michaels in a cowboy hat. He says hello, WWF, hello Chi-town, did ya miss me?

Huge mixed pop for Michaels.

Michaels says he’s enjoyed his time off since X, he’s been on the road winning titles in the WWF for 6 years without a break – and it’s been good to go home. And he’s not quite ready to come back to the grind. I mean, how many times can a man beat Marty Jannetty before he starts to get a little bored?

So, he’s decided, with great regret --- that he is not coming back to the WWF.

Boos, many, many boos.

But Shawn says – no, no, I’m not leaving the World Wrestling Federation – I just said I’m not coming back – I am the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels, the best wrestler on the planet – and I don’t come back to the WWF…

…the WWF is going to come to me. At Survivor Series – right here in my hometown of San Antonio Texas – I will be wrestling….

..for the WWF Championship.

That’s right. And I don’t care who climbs out of that cage first tonight – Owen Hart, Bret Hart – Corey Hart – it doesn’t matter to me, boys. Just come on down to San Antonio in November for Survivor Series – and shine up my belt real nice before you get here.

He's Shawn Michaels, after all.

8. WWF Title: Cage Match: Owen Hart d. Bret Hart
They did this match, best cage match I ever saw, so we’ll do it the same way. Just flip some stuff. With Owen about to win by escaping the cage (it's pinfall or escape) Neidhart runs in to slam the door on him.

Neidhart laughs. Strokes the beard. Yells to the camera “Hey Rougeaus – make sure you clean the blood of my jacket before you send it back.” Recall, Neidhart turned on the Harts to join the Rougeaus many, many years before. It all comes full circle.

So, that mystery is solved.

Neidhart goes inside the cage – he and Bret double team Owen – Neidhart eventually attacking Owen while Bret climbs, climbs, trying to get out of the cage – and he’s stopped by Davey Boy. All the Harts ARE BACK!

Davey Boy climbs from the outside – knocking Bret back into the cage – Davey Boy climbs in – and it’s the four Harts brawling in the ring – Owen and Davey Boy the faces – Bret and the Anvil the heels –

Eventually, Owen and Bret each climb, climb, climb – Anvil and Davey Boy each trying to stop them --- Owen kicks Anvil away just a second before Bret can shed Davey Boy – and Owen falls to the floor and keeps the belt.

The NWA show….Dusty and Dustin team up for the first time in the NWA for a win. Regal loses to Bobby Eaton. We say goodbye to Mick Foley as Cactus Jack loses to Sting in a Loser Leaves Town…I wonder what will become of him…the Nasty Boys regain the tag straps…Austin loses his US to Arn – and Vader regains the World strap, going over Terry.

Fall Brawl – 1994 Roanoke
NWA Title: Vader d. Terry Funk
US Title: Arn Anderson d. Steve Austin
Tags: Nasty Boys d. Mero/Orndorff
Sting d. Cactus Jack

Bobby Eaton d. Steve Regal
Kevin Sullivan d. Paul Roma
The Patriot d. Mark Bagwell
Dusty/Dustin Rhodes d. Armstrongs

ECW returns in November – it is now Extreme Championship Wrestling – I’m uncertain, if I don’t shed the NWA from WCW – how we get to the ECW creation story, since the birth of ECW is one of wrestling’s more infamous moments. Dunno. Regardless, Dreamer gets a win, as does Stevie Richards. Taz beats Cactus Jack in a tremendous, outstanding brawl that involves Taz suplexing Foley through a flaming table..

…it’s ECW after all. Flaming table, daddy.

Dean Malenko, over from Japan with a couple of his friends, Eddy and Benoit, beats Brian Pillman, on sabbatical from the NWA. Public Enemy keeps the tags, 2 Cold Scorpio has left the NWA and wins the TV title, and Sabu keeps the World title, beating Shane Douglas.

November to Remember – 1994 Philadelphia
ECW Title: Sabu d. Shane Douglas
TV Title: 2 Cold Scorpio d. Sandman
Tags: Public Enemy d. Pitbulls
Dean Malenko d. Brian Pillman

Taz d. Cactus Jack
Stevie d. Ron Simmons
Tommy Dreamer d. Kevin Sullivan
Rottens d. Joe Malenko/Hack Meyers


The Survivor Series is coming – and it’s coming from San Antonio, hometown of the HeartBreak Kid, Shawn Michaels.

The Undertaker will wrestle at Survivor Series – and he and Adam Bomb feud on TV, once again, the Undertaker has to clear away the crap. Backlund's back, he still does the whole Mr. Backlund gimmick – but now he's feuding with a returning Lawler, so we sort of dig it. He’s our crazy old uncle – hasn’t had a new opinion since 1955, “This is not grappling! This is not grappling! Ladders and forks and long hair! Turn off your television sets, Mr. and Mrs. America! Pick up a copy of national geographic or an Atlas! Read an Atlas to your children! An Atlas! With topogo- logical maps! Learn some indeliginous rock formations! Learn Your Heritage! Learn Your Heritage! Young America has no appreciation of geology! I met her on a Monday and my heart stood still! Da-doo-ron-ron-ron-da-doo-ron-ron! Semper Fi, Tojos! Semper Fi!”

I love me some Counterfactual Backlund.

It’s time to do Jarrett/Savio. Whew. A nervous nation can only await the outcome.

Now for the top. Bret and the Anvil hit the ring the night after Summer Slam, wearing their Hart Foundation gear. Bret says he’s getting screwed. Owen’s gonna be wrestling Shawn Michaels, who Bret’s never lost to, at Survivor Series – and Razor, who Bret’s never lost to, will be wrestling Waltman for the IC That means the only belts that are still contestable at Survivor Series are the tag belts – and come on, Luger and Bigelow aren’t really much of a challenge.

But – Bret’s brother in law, the one Hart he can count on, his old manager the Anvil, came back last night – and Bret is challenging for the Tag titles on behalf of the Hart Foundation!

Hit Davey Boy’s music.

Face pop for the Bulldog, making another return to the WWF. Bulldog comes to the ring – says he’s disgusted with Bret, can’t believe he’s become this bitter person, how the whole family is just sad by how he’s treated his brother. And by the way – maybe he’s forgotten, but the Hart Foundation wasn’t just him – if the Hart Foundation’s gonna wrestle for the tag titles at Survivor Series – it’s gonna be the British Bulldog – and his partner…

Owen Hart.

Owen to the ring – the four guys in the ring – big brawl. Hart on Hart crime.

We do Harts v. Harts all the way to Survivor Series, we’re gonna do a best 3 of 5 series – winners get the Hart Foundation name – winners get to challenge for the tag straps.

Bret and the Anvil obviously are gonna go over. ‘Cause Owen’s busy that night. The only important finish to avoid (besides never having Neidhart pin Owen) is neither Bret or Owen ever submits.

It’s Razor/Waltman for the IC – in a ladder match, 'cause we're just gonna flog that shit – and we’ll do more Clique stuff – peeling off Diesel near the end, because we’re gonna do Diesel/Davey Boy to give us some Hart/Clique infusion.

See, ‘cause it’s Owen/HBK for the strap – more on Michaels in a second – so as part of the build for that we’ll have Diesel jump Owen, have Davey Boy save – and then there’s that – so we use a full build up of intrafamily fighting to set up two Clique v. Hart matches – and we still have Clique on Clique for the IC.

Shawn stays in San Antonio, doesn't come back, and they show taped pieces. We’re gonna learn about his life. Like we've done with the Harts, and then the Undertaker, and we also did it, recall, with Hennig and Rude, when we went back to Minnesota to talk about their growing up together. Now it’s time to learn about Shawn as a guy. So, we go to San Antonio and meet everyone.

Again, still no JR, so we're stuck. I'm up for suggestions as to whom would be good in that role. We get across how important the WWF Title is to him, how much he hates the Harts, how he hasn’t talked to any members of the Clique since he left, how proud he was of the IC run and of the ladder match – and the important other thing – the stakes are higher with the title match –

If Shawn wins, he’s a triple crown winner. ‘Member, that's the biggest deal there is. When Bret won, we brought back Pedro to give him the trophy – theirs are the only two names inscribed on it – if Shawn beats Owen – in his hometown – he not only becomes WWF Champion – he will take possession of the Triple Crown and step into immortality.

Hard to imagine it being a bigger match for Michaels.

It's Survivor Series '94. Owen and Michaels have come full circle and hook it up for the strap - Razor meets the Lightning Kid in an IC Ladder Match. Bret and the Anvil, wrestling as the Hart Foundation, take on Luger and Bigelow. How about Diesel/Davey Boy? Jarrett/Savio? Backlund/Lawler? Undertaker and the Bomb? It's a real show - it's Survivor Series '94!

X - 1994

The Rumble is here.

Wrestlemania X – 1994 MSG
(Dark – Diesel/Waltman d. Smoking Gunns)

Gorilla is back on the announce, JR gets fired after the Rumble, so Gorilla/Cornette become a peculiar and not necessarily appealing, team.

As with the actual X, most of the show is unwatchable. We keep the matches short, do clip packages of the first 9 WM.

Package: (we’ll play year appropriate music – say, Money for Nothing, for WM I – and we see clips of Bundy squashing Richter, Andre, the JYD, Orndorff pinning Hogan, Tito and Beefcake celebrating, Piper and Valentine, bloody, connected with the dog collar, Steamboat holding the title belt high in the air…and a hand held shot of the Bret/Dynamite dark match, focusing on the young, pre-pink and black, Bret Hart)

Intro Vince. Hey - it's Vince again! Vince welcomes the people, announces that X has been such a success that WM XI will return to the NY Metropolitan area next year – when it takes place in Atlantic City!

Vince also says he has a special surprise announcement, due to the importance of tonight’s world title match, the biggest match of all time, the WWF felt that it required a very special referee….so, ladies and gentlemen, making his first appearance in the World Wrestling Federation since WM IX – one of the greatest world champions of all time – Mr. Perfect!

Hennig enters, referee’s shirt on – says he’s had a long history with both Bret and Owen, and he’s here tonight to call it – right…down…the middle…

Package: (“Sledgehammer”. It’s II. Clips of the Bees, Andre pinning Bruno, Hogan beating up Mr. T, Jake covering Valentine with the Snake, Terry and Dory beating the hell out of each other, Savage throwing Elizabeth at Piper and then charging both of them with the title belt, the Dynamite Kid holding the world title belt aloft – and Bret and Davey Boy with the Hart Attack on Beefcake, getting the fall and winning the strap.

1. Yokozuna/Mabel d. Alundra Blayze/Lelani Kai
- Ten years later, they do the exact same match (see you at XX!) the fat guys squash the women. Mabel then turns heel on Yoko. Fat guy fight! Who doesn't love a fat guy fight? And bonus points for some cringy misogyny.

Package: (“The One I Love” It’s III. Andre. Martel and Tito each getting pinfalls. Hogan and Piper brawling outside the ring, Savage pinning Jake, Steamboat holding the world title aloft, and Bret and Davey Boy with the Hart Attack on Jacques, scoring another fall and retaining their titles)

2. Legend's Match: Texas Death Match: Randy Savage d. Demolition Crush
Same match they did at X, with the extra hardcore element, since Counterfactual Savage is Abdullah the Butcher by 1994. Fork. Fork. Fork. Savage and Adams are boys, so this is what Randy wanted to do to finish his run, it’s fine with me. RAW after X, we’ll do a Savage tribute show for the first hour – then have him lose a world title match to tonight's winner in the second – and that’s the last we’ll see Randy in the WWF.

Package: (“Hazy Shade of Winter” It’s IV. Demolition walking down the aisle. Andre bodyslamming Hogan, DiBiase with the million dollar dream, Davey Boy pinning Bigelow, Jacques and Ray hugging, Dynamite holding the world title belt aloft, Bret getting Savage to submit to the sharpshooter to win the IC title, and a hand held of Owen, winning his dark match. )

3. Earthquake no contest Doink
I have nothing to say about this match. Let’s not do it – let’s have Nash and Waltman beat them both down before it starts and cut a pro-Michaels promo instead. Let the Clique fans get their pop in.


Package: (“Cult of Personality” It’s V. Hogan kicks out of the Warrior's press slam pin attempt and then drops the leg. Terry Taylor brawling with Tito, DiBiase knocking out Jake, Rude with the Rude Awakening to beat Hennig, Rocker Shawn with a highspot to wipe out the Brainbusters, Savage holding the world title belt aloft, Bret – and then Owen, each dejected after a loss.)

4. Dr. Tom Pritchard d. Jimmy Del Ray
The Heavenly Bodies explode!

Package: (“Thunderstruck” It’s VI. Crush punking out Ax. Hogan dropping the leg on Dusty. Snuka splash. Tito getting the emotional win over Martel. Von Erich tornado punch. Rude Awakening on Jake to give Rude and Marty the straps, Hennig holding the world title belt aloft, multiple clips of Bret and Shawn, Bret hitting the legsweep, the mid rope elbow, and Shawn having to submit to the sharpshooter.)

5. Adam Bomb d. Bushwackers
The PPV debut (and only match) for Luke and Butch! The Bushwackers! All of these matches are like 2 minutes long. We sell the Bomb as a monster heel, winning a quick handicap match.

Package: (“Smells Like Teen Spirit” It’s VII. Hogan and Snuka embrace after their tag win, the Undertaker with the tombstone, Davey Boy with the press slam of Martel, Jacques pining Tito, the Road Warriors going nose to nose with Demolition, Hennig holding the world title aloft, Shawn dropping the elbow on Marty, and Bret getting Tenryu to submit in the sharpshooter, then holding the belt aloft)

6. Tags: Luger/Bigelow d. Rougeaus (w/Levy)
Pierre submits in Lex’s torture rack, Bigelow splashes Levy in the corner, they do whatever monster power double team move they use on Jacques – Lex and Bam Bam each win their first ever title belts – they are extra excited.

Package: (“Would” It’s VIII. Undertaker tombstoning Sid. Hogan dropping the leg on Jake. Jacques pinning Tatanka. Ted pinning Tito to keep the tag belts. Savage with the elbowdrop on Piper, Shawn and Owen trading fast multiple nearfalls, Bret getting Flair to submit to the sharpshooter, all of the Harts lifting Bret in the middle of the ring, Owen holding onto Bret as the Hit Man holds the world title aloft.)

7. IC: Ladder Match: Razor Ramon d. Shawn Michaels (w/ Diesel/Waltman)
 First good match of the night. But you know, it’s worth it. Don’t need the description, they did the match. Only two alterations. One, blood. They bleed in this WWF. It’s a gimmick match – people bleed. Two, bumps for the Clique – a simple, Raazor swings the ladder and hammers Nash in the legs will be enough for him – I like a bigger bump for Waltman, say, when both Michaels and Razor are down outside the ring, with the ladder on its side in the ring, Waltman pulls the ladder out to the floor, goes to the top for a legdrop on Razor who lies outside – and Razor moves, Waltman hits nothing but floor.

Other than that – it’s the ladder match. Crowd cheers both guys, just enjoying the crazy spots – sometimes chanting Ra-zor, sometimes chanting H-B-K…Razor ends Shawn’s run at a year and a half. No post match fight, everyone’s injured – Diesel lifts both Waltman and Michaels and carries them from ringside, taking a moment to look at Razor holding the belt in the middle of the ring, Diesel shaking his head with a small smile as the Bad Guy wins his first strap.

Package: (“Hey Jealousy” It’s IX. The Headshrinkers shrug off the noggin knocker, Undertaker tombstones Yoko, Hogan submits to Backlund’s cross face chicken wing, Luger poses in mid ring, the Steiners toss Money Inc around, Shawn rolls up Hennig for the fall to retain the IC strap, Bret rolls up Razor to get the fall, then holds the world title aloft)

8. WWF Title: Owen Hart d. Bret Hart (Perfect, guest referee)
 2 years later – we have a new world champion. And this is what it’s been building to. The face/heel thing flips, allowing Owen to do some crowd pleasing highspots, Bret goes closed fist first, Bret complains about the hair pulling, Bret looks to use the ropes for leverage. Perfect teases a heel turn, but calls it down the middle. Basically, it’s their match from X, just flip the roles – ‘cept, it’s the same winner, the same way – Bret goes victory roll and Owen sits down for the flash pin. Owen still shocked like he was – crowd crazy explodes – after all, Owen’s the favorite son of the WWF, we’ve positioned him as just the best guy who ever lived for years and years – we’ve had him survive surgery and Michaels and Savage – and we’ve had the subtle, slow heel turn for Bret to set up the contrast here – and it pays off with Owen winning the strap.

Locker room empties – as now we take the actual finish to X, with Bret going over Yoko – and use it here – the Hart Family hits the ring – the faces, including a jubilant Savage, hit the ring – Hennig, who did, actually, call it right down the middle, hands the belt to Owen…big crazy pop. Hennig and Savage, longtime, bitter rivals, finally shake hands as they each stand and applaud Owen Hart. If you're a longtime Counterfactual WWF fan - and you're seeing Perfect, now gone from the WWF - and Savage, whose WWF career is just ending, putting their years and years of feuding behind them - and all because of the pride in Owen Hart's winning the WWF Championship at Madison Square Garden - I'd suggest the tears would be rolling down your cheeks.

Bret walks to Owen, the tears welling up in Owen's eyes as the two brothers stand face to face.....

Bret looks at the ring, the wrestlers, the whole Hart family celebrating -- and Bret turns and walks away. No hug. No handshake. Bret leaves.

Hennig and Savage lift Owen high in the air, Bret walking up the aisle and not turning back to look, as the show ends.

NWA from Philly. Wins for Vader, Windham, Dustin, Sting beats his former partner Cactus in a terrific brawl, the mismatched face team of Mero and Orndorff win the tags (yeah, it’s the same angle as Lex/Bigelow, get over it) Austin keeps the US over Regal, and Terry Funk gives the Philly fans a thrill by going over Flair to win the NWA World Title.

Slamboree – 1994 Philadelphia
NWA Title: Terry Funk d. Ric Flair
US Title: Steve Austin d. Steve Regal
Tags: Mero/Orndorff d. Nastys
Sting d. Cactus Jack

Kevin Sullivan d. Paul Roma
Dustin Rhodes d. Tully Blanchard
Barry Windham d. Larry Zybysko
Vader d. Armstrongs

On the road to Summer Slam in Chicago…

Matt and Jeff begin doing their shots with the company during the North Carolina shows. Okay, here's what we're doing with them. They're going to be ring boys for the Clique. Sometimes with the faces, sometimes with the heels. So, they'll come to the ring, carry their towels and their gear. They won't really be referred to in these early days, each of them with short, short hair accentuating their youth (Jeff's 16), they wear WWF t-shirts that say Ring Boys, with their names on them. After X number of shots, they'll be incorporated into tv a little bit, the heel Clique will abuse them a little bit - "shoot" style programming will show them as trainees in the "WWF Dojo" where they work with faces and heels alike, you know, learning the wrestling. Eventually, they start to work as job guys, getting in some spots, largely just putting guys over - and at house shows, or dark on TV, they'll do some crazy high spots against each other - hopefully building a following as the young guys who will throw their bodies all over the building to entertain the people.

As soon as possible, Edge (who we'll call Adam) and Christian will join them. And Matt, Jeff, Edge, Christian will grow up in front of the WWF fans as the Ring Boys.

Joey Marella dies in July.

There's no steroid trial; Vince, years ago (check previous posts) realized the danger of drug abuse, both prescription and steroids, and George Zahorian was never let anywhere near the buildings.

So...Michaels is gone this summer, he disappears after X. We meet Savio Vega, doing a low wattage babyface gimmick. No Razor/Vega “Hey, they’re Hispanic” tie in. Jarrett gets a valet – the Road Dogg. The Dogg is really a hype man, to use the rap lingo – he’s like Flava Flav or Ali’s old cornerman, Bundini Brown. White guy, dreadlocks, talking all the time – Road Dogg. The two monster heels – Adam Bomb and Mabel – continue their run – they are confronted by a new face, Prime Time Brian Lee. Lee says that he has a friend – a man by the name of the Undertaker, gone since the Royal Rumble, --- and at Summer Slam, the Dead Man will make his return to the WWF and help him bury the Bomb and Mabel once and for all.

It's now time to turn the Taker human. After you tap out, time to make the move. He does the shoot style taped interviews, unfortunately JR is gone, so he can't do them (Pettingill? Really?) he doesn't become Mark Calloway, that would be error - but he loses the trappings of the gimmick, talks about his interest in UFC ('cause shootfighter wanna be Undertaker is a better worker than zombie Undertaker) and talks about his long lost brother who he hasn't seen since he was 8 and his brother was 5 - he wouldn't even know where to start looking for him - except that they both share, right over their sternums, Woody Woodpecker tattoos that their mom got them when they were kids.

And Lex and Bigelow, babyface tag champs, dominate the division - Rougeaus and Headshrinkers feud over which team will get the title shot at Summer Slam, and that remains undecided all summer.

All that really matters is the top of the card. 2 weeks after X (‘member we did the special Savage RAW with Owen going over Savage one more time to send Savage on his way) the RAW main is Owen/Bret against Diesel and Waltman.

Owen and Bret are obviously strained – we see them in the back not talking before the match – Bret’s clearly pissed that he’s introduced first and the new champ, Owen, goes second. In the match, Bret wants to take the lead – wants to instruct Owen – tags himself in when he thinks Owen’s doing it wrong – generally plays big brother even though Owen is world champ –

Owen though is world champ, does it his way, is successful, get the fan pops, they treat Bret like a heel – to the point where when Owen gets in trouble in the face in peril segment in the tag match – Bret walks away and leaves his brother.

Owen still wins, giving him strength – he beats both Diesel and Waltman, pinning Waltman to get some revenge from their singles match earlier. Diesel and Waltman do the post match beat down of Owen…Bret doesn't return...

…save by Razor. Razor and Owen clean house – and we’re gonna do the back to back spot where the new faces who don’t like each other look like they’re gonna throw down…

They don’t – but they don’t make friends either. Hart/Clique, you know.

We’re gonna do Diesel/Razor at Summer Slam for the IC. So the run up to that will be Clique stuff. See, ‘cause they’re brothers but they’re fighting – and that’s what we sell. We’ll talk about them working together in NWA just starting out in the business, coming to the WWF together even, meeting Michaels, the three of them forming the Clique – all that kinda stuff.

Bret’s doing his bitter thing. All he’s done is given everything he has – and this is the thanks he gets. He hasn’t changed – everyone else has changed. He’s come out here every day for ten years and given everything he has – and they boo him? They cheer the Undertaker? They cheer Razor Ramon? He even heard them cheer that little bitch Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania…

What’s happened to the fans? And his family – his parents and his brothers and sisters – he’s been carrying the Stampede name all these years – he’s been carrying the Hart name all these years – and they celebrate when he loses his title? He’s the greatest WWF champion of all time – and his own family celebrates when he loses his title?

And what about his baby brother Owen. He’s spent his whole life looking out for Owen – he got Owen his job in the WWF – he looked out for him in the locker room and told everyone what a great wrestler he was – and when Owen was out three years with his ankle injury – Bret made sure that the WWF took care of him – and when Bret was here, fighting every day, beating Hennig, Savage, Michaels, Razor, Tenryu, Ricky Steamboat, Undertaker – he did it not just for himself – but for the fans, for his family, for his brother – and this is how they treat him??

That kinda thing.

Bret and Owen will do it again at Summer Slam, like they actually did – and like they actually did – they’ll do it in a steel cage – ‘cause we’ll have Bret and Owen constantly fight whenever they see each other now.

It’s brother against brother at SummerSlam '94. Call your thing!