The Year in PPV- 1998, Part III

The year 1998 comes to an end with an electrifying shakeup to the main event scene...


9. Breakdown: In Your House

Following SummerSlam, the WWF headed to Canada for a show full of filler (see the pattern yet?) and a handful of memorable matches with big name superstars. The opening match is a short but sweet encounter between two of Canada's greatest wrestlers, Edge (in his first PPV singles match) and Owen Hart. Not only do they open the show to a warm reception, full of back and forth momentum, but we also get a surprise performance from a certain superstar that would become very integral in Edge's career.

The show boasts TWO Triple Threat main events between 6 of the biggest names of the year. The show's actual main event saw Stone Cold Steve Austin defend the WWF Championship against Kane and the Undertaker. The match is alright, with a lot of focus on how Kane and Taker were both working for Mr. McMahon and were not going to allow Austin to walk away with the title. If you are looking for something a little more unbiased though, check out the Triple Threat cage match between The Rock, Mankind, and Ken Shamrock. The match was to determine the number one contender for the WWF Championship, and I find it fascinating how the crowd can alter the course of history. On this night, it seemed as if fan favorite Ken Shamrock was being booed for his efforts, the underappreciated Mankind was being cheered for putting his body on the line, and mega-heel The Rock was being cheered as the favorite to win the match and a sign that the People wanted him as their champ.

Recommendation


10. Judgment Day: In Your House

After having his WWF Championship taken away from him, Stone Cold Steve Austin found himself in a tense situation by being the guest referee in the match to crown the new champion. Austin not only had to ref the match between Kane and the Undertaker, but if he did not crown a new champion, he would be fired. I will say that of the Kane/Taker matches from this year, this is their worst. Something about adding the title to it and putting Austin at the side felt wrong. Their other matches capitalized on their lengthy feud, but this had Austin/McMahon written all over it with the Brothers of Destruction acting as pawns or puppets for that feud to add something "fresh" to the feud.

This night also featured Christian's PPV match debut, a bizarre feud where Val Venis (the babyface) is having an open affair with Goldust's wife Terri (I have no idea how the crowd could cheer for that garbage), and an Intercontinental Championship match between Ken Shamrock and Mankind that is memorable thanks to its ending. Honestly, the matches on this show aren't bad, but the entire show just feels like a HUGE transitional PPV between the events of Breakdown and Survivor Series that it has a tough time standing out on its own.

Recommendation


11. Survivor Series

Now we're coming to something REALLY good: the Deadly Game tournament. After all the shenanigans revolving around the WWF Championship, Mr. McMahon vacated the belt and put it on the line at the Survivor Series in a 14 man elimination tournament. The tournament was centered on some of Mr. McMahon's darlings (Mankind, Ken Shamrock, Big Boss Man, Kane, and the Undertaker) getting as much help as possible, while keeping the fan favorites (Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock) as down and out as possible.

There are two other matches on the card, a Women's Championship match of Jacqueline vs. Sable, and a Triple Threat match for the WWF Tag Team Championships with the New Age Outlaws, the Headbangers, and D'Lo Brown and Mark Henry, but really who cared about those on this night? The tournament final tells the perfect story of a McMahon favorite against a fan favorite, and thanks to a throwback to the previous year's Survivor Series, an incredible double turn takes place to close the night: with a new sentimental fan favorite and an absolutely detestable Corporate Champion.

Recommendation


12. Capital Carnage

Once you make it past some of the random matches, this show is actually pretty solid for a UK event. Of course, NO match is of historical significance, but at least they keep the show entertaining and it goes by pretty quickly. One match that's worth mentioning is a mixed tag between Sable and Christian against Marc Mero and Jacqueline. This was Mero's last PPV match with the company, and I would just like to take this time to acknowledge him as a character during this time. The feud between him and Sable lasted for most of the year and Mero isn't a bad in-ring performer, which would certainly label him as an underrated performer of the era.

In a match for....well, nothing...Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mankind, Kane, and the Undertaker gave the UK fans a fun Fatal 4-Way to end the night. Since summer booking surrounded these four, I'm surprised we never got this match on a bigger stage. Naturally, these guys aren't the most technically sound in the world so prepare for 15 minutes of fists and slams. Also, because they're in the UK, they throw British celebrity Vinnie Jones into the mix...because...Britain.

Recommendation


13. Rock Bottom: In Your House

It's a good thing the crowd was invested, because this feels like a pretty poor way to end the year. Most of the show is full of filler matches, and of course because it's an Attitude Era crowd, they make every wrestler feel like a main eventer. There's a "Strip Tease" match that's worth mentioning between Goldust and Jeff Jarrett, which is made memorable thanks to Debra and Shawn Michaels (gotta love anything involving Commissioner Michaels, proof that you should never give a D-Generate power...eh Triple H?), a WWF Tag Team Championship match between the New Age Outlaws and Ken Shamrock and Big Boss Man, and a WWF Championship match between The Rock and Mankind.

Surprisingly, a PPV that's named after The Rock doesn't have him in the main event. Instead, we have Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. the Undertaker in a Buried Alive match. The winner would be able to compete in the 1999 Royal Rumble match. I've never been a big fan of the match gimmick myself, but Austin and Taker are able to do a fine job of making the fans go home happy, so I guess that's where it counts right?

Recommendation


Final Thoughts: Simply put, the Attitude Era is all style and very little substance. The audience was more focused on the character gimmicks and the strength of the feuds, they didn't care if they couldn't put on 5-star classics. A lot of the main event matches also have a specific outline (which I highlighted in my Over the Edge review) and have the most overbooked moments of the nights, but those are what get the loudest receptions. So, if you are judging shows on match quality, you should probably pay attention to my recommendations. But, if you are all about crowd reactions and gimmicky characters, you're probably going to enjoy the year as a whole...which is a perfect summary of how I feel about this overrated Era. I'm more of a Ruthless Aggression guy myself.


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The Year in PPV- 1998, Part II

1998 continues with some of the most definitive matches of the Attitude Era...


5. Over the Edge: In Your House

The match for the WWF Championship between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Dude Love is often looked at as the prototype for how many Attitude Era matches were executed in match structure, pacing, and of course being overbooked. This match is near perfection in storytelling. We have Mr. McMahon serving as guest referee, Pat Patterson ringside as guest ring announcer, and Gerald Brisco ringside as guest timekeeper, all there to make sure Austin did not walk away with the belt. Austin had an equalizer in the Undertaker who made his way to the ring before the match began to serve as the guest enforcer. From there, it's an all out war between Austin and Dude Love to see who would leave the arena with the strap. There's blood, there's brawling around the arena, there's bodies going through the announcers' tables. It's a thrilling main event that had fans on the edge of their seats and is one of the most defining matches of the year and of the era.

Outside of the Austin/Dude Love match, the rest of the show is pretty forgettable. There are a few matches that have a solid concept behind them, like D-Generation X (Triple H, Billy Gunn, and the Road Dog) facing off against the Nation of Domination (Owen Hart, D'Lo Brown, and Kama Mustafa), or The Rock defending his Intercontinental Championship against Faarooq in a match that could bring closure to their rivalry, yet even these matches don't stay in the annals of WWE history among fans. Is the problem with the Austin/Dude Love match that it was so anticipated and remembered that it completely overshadows the card? That's a consequence I'm willing to accept as long as it means I can continue to watch that epic match as many times as I'd like.

Mild Recommendation


6. King of the Ring

After seeing some great King of the Ring PPVs that focused on the actual tournament, I'm not the biggest fan of how the show was formatted these last few years where only the semi-final and final round matches are featured. 1998 serves as a minor exception but not because of the actual King of the Ring tournament. Sure the semi-finals give us two MMA style fighters (Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn) and two superstars that would be considered entertainers (Jeff Jarrett and The Rock) to give two distinct types of a potential winner. Looking at the names, it's pretty obvious which two were going to make it to the finals, which I actually find disappointing because I like a few surprises thrown my way, which would further my statement of why I enjoy having more of the tournament on the card.

The show has two very memorable main events, with the show's actual main event being Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Kane in a First Blood match for the WWF Championship. That match itself is just alright, mainly remembered for some historical importance and of course the continuing rivalry between Austin and Mr. McMahon, but there's one match on this card that changed the history of wrestling forever. The Hell in a Cell match with Mankind and the Undertaker is a match that every wrestling fan should see once, but don't be expecting a five star classic. Admittedly, this match is pretty sloppy towards the second half, but it's those two really big spots (you'll know them when you see them) and Mick Foley's never say die attitude that make this match the classic it is.

Mild Recommendation


7. Fully Loaded: In Your House

Once again we have a show where the first half is all filler and the strength of the main events carry it forward. For sheer shock value, they have an infamous bikini contest involving Sable and Jacqueline, complete with Jerry Lawler on epic perverted commentary as the master of ceremonies. We have some mystery surrounding the main event for the WWF Tag Team Championships on whether or not the Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin will be able to function as a team and take the belts from Kane and Mankind. And for a unique match type, we have Ken Shamrock face Owen Hart in the infamous Hart family Dungeon with Dan Severn as guest referee. All of these are fun matches but there's an overall spark that's lacking on making this show stand out.

The best match on the card is the 2 out of 3 falls match for the Intercontinental Championship. Before they were clashing over the WWF title in 2000, The Rock and Triple H were young leaders in the middle of an epic gang war between the Nation of Domination and D-Generation X. This match is not their greatest encounter in this feud (we'll save that for the next show), but it is certainly worth a look to see the efforts these future megastars to break through the glass ceiling. The match has excellent storytelling over how much they wanted to defeat the other and win the Intercontinental Championship. The only downside to the match is that it should have been for both the Intercontinental and European Championships. On the build up to this show, Triple H lost the European title to D'Lo Brown thanks to The Rock. This match could've been much more epic had it been a unification match.

Mild Recommendation


8. SummerSlam

During a big boom in the Attitude Era like this, the WWF needed to delivery with a great SummerSlam, and that's just what they did. No surprise, it's in Madison Square Garden, and once you look at the card it's pretty easy to see why so many enjoy this show. This show has a lot of variety, from a European Championship match (D'Lo Brown vs. Val Venis), to a 4-on-3 handicap match (Kaientai vs. the Oddities), to a hair vs hair match (X-Pac vs. Jeff Jarrett), to Edge's PPV debut (teaming with Sable against Marc Mero and Jacqueline), to a UFC inspired Lion's Den match (Ken Shamrock vs. Owen Hart), and a handicap no disqualification match for the Tag Team Championships (Mankind vs. the New Age Outlaws).

Then things really start to heat up with a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship. This is referred to as the match that launched The Rock and Triple H as the future of the company and it's easy to see why. These guys go above and beyond to keep the crowd entertained and it's a fitting way to bring their rivalry to a close (at least for the time being). Then, it was time for an epic main event, where all you needed to sell the match was to say: Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. the Undertaker for the WWF Championship. While it is no technical masterpiece, the crowd is invested all the way through, and the match actually puts the underlying connections to the Austin/McMahon feud to the side. It wasn't about that on this evening. It was just about two of sports entertainment's biggest icons clashing for the richest prize in the business, and they did not disappoint.

Highly Recommended


Thoughts: I'm surprised to say this, but the MVP of this section of PPVs is Mick Foley. He found himself involved in epic matches with Austin, Taker, and teaming with Kane that all showed him put his body on the line to make the fans happy. Also, Rock and Triple H put on solid performances in their feud, and of course, the Austin and McMahon rivalry was the most must-see moments during this time, so it's easy to see where the appeal was with the main event players. However, majority of the shows are crammed with forgettable midcard filler. The crowd is still fully invested in the midcard wrestlers, but it can't cover up the fact that those matches haven't aged the greatest in long-term history. But did the WWF have to rely on solely the main eventers to finish off the year strong.

Concluded in Part III...


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The Year in PPV- 1998, Part I

Here we have a year that I'm sure many of you have been waiting to hear my thoughts about: 1998. This is one of the most popular years during arguably the most popular era in wrestling history. Look at the stars: you've got Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Kane, the Undertaker, Mick Foley, Goldust, Ken Shamrock, and so many more all competing on one roster at a time. That's a big plus for this time period. Are there any drawbacks? Surprisingly, there is one pretty big gripe I have with this era that would put it in the "overrated" category and that's in actual match quality. While there are tons of iconic matches during this era, they are very formulaic and are far from technical masterpieces. But we will get to that when we get to it.

Let's not waste any more time, let's begin looking at the year 1998...


1. Royal Rumble

With the exception of a very bizarre tag team match featuring lucha libre midgets, the Royal Rumble not only kicks off the Road to WrestleMania properly, but also sets the status quo of many aspects of the Attitude Era. A rivalry between Vader and the newly dubbed Artist Formerly Known As Goldust which started near the tail end of '97 came to an end through a thoroughly entertaining opening contest, the Legion of Doom challenge the New Age Outlaws for the Tag Team Championships in what many could consider a dream feud in tag team wrestling, and The Rock defends his Intercontinental Championship against Ken Shamrock. All these matches have a big fight feel and draw great responses from the crowd, but the match many fans were looking forward to was Shawn Michaels vs. the Undertaker in a Casket match for the WWF Championship. This match is memorable for two reasons. The first is how it ends and the second is that Shawn Michaels suffers his (at the time) career ending back injury by landing on the casket during the match.

Do you remember the gang warfare stables in 1997? Well a lot of that carries into the Royal Rumble match, leaving the match feeling cluttered with too many spots given to the Nation of Domination and the Disciples of Apocalypse. There are a ton of stars in this Rumble though, including Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, Owen Hart, Ken Shamrock, Vader, Goldust, Mankind, Cactus Jack, Dude Love (you read those last three correctly), and many more. Also keep notice of Mike Tyson in the audience, as he will be an integral part in the Road to WrestleMania. He's such a good fan, who cares if he thinks Austin's name is "Cold Stone?" He's having a fun time, and it shows all over the Rumble match in keeping the fans entertained.

Recommended


2. No Way Out of Texas: In Your House

There was usually a filler show sandwiched between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania PPVs for many years called No Way Out. There were tons of occasions where No Way Out surpassed expectations and actually made the show seem crucial to the Road to WrestleMania. This...is not one of those times. I'm not even entirely sure how this could come after a solid Royal Rumble and before one of the most memorable Manias of all-time but it does. No Way Out of Texas really feels like the booking scraps on 1997 because of some of the gimmicks that are used (not sure if the WWF had the Godwinns and the Quebeckers in mind when they were developing the Attitude Era) and it's really off putting when you know what changes will be happening within the year.

The only few matches that matter are the last three. If you're gonna watch any of this show start with the 10-man War of Attrition match, which saw Ken Shamrock, Ahmed Johnson, and the Disciples of Apocalypse (Chainz, Skull, and 8-Ball to be specific) go against the entire Nation of Domination. Then there's the match between Kane and Vader, which is definitely no technical masterpiece but is certainly enjoyable if you appreciate the ring-work of both big men. In what could have saved the entire show, the non-sanctioned 8-man tag team ends up being another misfire on the card. Thanks to his back injury suffered at the Royal Rumble, Shawn Michaels was pulled out of the team of Triple H and the New Age Outlaws (in what would've been an amazing tie-in to the next incarnation of D-Generation X) and replaced by Savio Vega (what a waste of a mystery partner). Then they had this team face Stone Cold Steve Austin, Owen Hart, Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie. This match isn't actually bad, but it's sorely missing the presence of a great in-ring performance from the Heartbreak Kid.

Skip It


3. WrestleMania XIV

Here we have what many consider to be the quintessential WrestleMania for the Attitude Era. What is it about this show is able to resonate with the fans all these years later? Well, I think it's obviously in a lot of the performers used and some of the long-term effects of the matches, but there's also something to be said about the pacing and structure of the show. The show begins with a tag team battle royal What could have originally been a pre-show match is boosted with energy with the arrival (and return) of one of the greatest tag teams in wrestling history. Then, this Mania hooks you in with high quality, fast paced action courtesy of the Light Heavyweight Championship match between Taka Michinoku and Aguila.

Once the audience is warmed up, they are sent tons of midcard main events with some of the top tier superstars. Triple H defends the European Championship against Owen Hart in a true gem of a WrestleMania match, a mixed-tag team match sees Sable and Marc Mero battle Luna and the Artist Formerly Known as Goldust, The Rock puts his Intercontinental Championship on the line against a very motivated Ken Shamrock (don't expect this one to be too long), and Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie hope to get revenge on the New Age Outlaws (for pushing them off the RAW stage in a dumpster) by taking their WWF Tag Team Championships in a dumpster match (oh, the irony).

The entire night has been building towards two blockbuster main events. The first one was between the Undertaker and Kane. It was their first time facing each other in a match, which is incredible since the feud had started all the way in the summer of 1997. Nearly 9 months of buildup and the fans FINALLY got to see the pay off and the match actually lives up to the hype. Add onto the fact that we have an iconic celebrity WrestleMania moment involving Pete Rose and Kane. But if we want to talk important celebrity moments, look no further than the main event. The two biggest attitudes in the WWF fought for the company's top prize when Shawn Michaels defended the WWF Championship against Stone Cold Steve Austin. And to make matters even more interesting, Mike Tyson, who aligned himself with D-Generation X, was named the special outside enforcer. The match is not the greatest since Michaels was suffering from his back injury and Austin was still showing signs of his reconstructed neck surgery, but it's still an important match to watch for the passing of the torch moment. Shawn would spend the next four years away from the ring and Stone Cold would reign supreme as "the man," in one of the Attitude Era's top defining moments.

Highly Recommended


4. Unforgiven: In Your House

Off the heels of an amazing WrestleMania, transition into the Attitude Era became much smoother. By the time Unforgiven rolled around, there was so much audience investment in all the acts and makes each match feel important. That's one of the things I really love about the Attitude Era is the fan participation. Not every match was great and not every gimmick was a home run, but the fans made it feel that way. Why do I bring this up? It is through this show that we get the first major PPV appearance of the legendary rivalry between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mr. McMahon. McMahon hated that a man like Austin was walking around with the WWF Championship and representing the company he owns in such a poor way, that he was determined to have anyone else hold the title. Even Dude Love, who returned and turned his back on his former partner Austin all because McMahon is the man who signs his checks. Austin wanted revenge, Dude Love and McMahon wanted the title. What more needs to be said about storytelling?

This show will best be remembered for hosting the first ever Inferno match, a match where the ring is surrounded by fire and in order to win you must set your opponent on fire. What sick superstars would go to such extreme lengths to win a match and actually set someone on fire? You guessed it: Kane and the Undertaker in an attempt to bring their bitter and personal feud (would I dare call their rivalry...heated) to a close. Unforgiven feels a lot like a precursor to Backlash by having many matches be the results of the fallout of WrestleMania, which isn't bad, but a lot of feuds also carry over to the next PPV which in hindsight makes this show feel more transitional than you'd expect.

Mild Recommendation


Initial Thoughts: So the year is off to a pretty good start thanks to some good minor shows and one of the best Manias of all-time. The star power is definitely there and there have been plenty of memorable feuds on display, but I personally haven't been wowed by many matches at this point. Even some of the main events at WrestleMania are good solely on storytelling. The cookie cutter formula of Attitude Era matches will definitely be discussed within the next 2 parts, as for right now the era was just getting established and the types of matches were not the usual yet.

Continued in Part II...


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The Year in PPV- 1993

1993 really could be considered the first full year of the New Generation because of its focus on building the new talent roster. The Ultimate Warrior had parted ways with the company (again), Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair were both on their way out, and Randy Savage was mainly being used on commentary. It was time for new stars to emerge. Superstars like Bret Hart, Yokozuna, the Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, Lex Luger, and even a tag team like the Steiner Brothers all had opportunities in 1993 to break through the glass ceiling and define themselves as the pioneers of the next era. So why do many fans not look fondly at a year like 1993 and consider it one of the worst years in WWE history?

Let's start by seeing how the momentum of 1993 is established at the Royal Rumble...


1. Royal Rumble

The midcard for the Royal Rumble this year is highlighted by an Intercontinental Championship match featuring Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty. The heated feud between the former Rockers is one of the strongest moments of the year and it's great to see one of their matches featured on a PPV, especially when you bring Shawn's former manager Sensational Sherri into the picture. Another great match on the card was the WWF Championship match between Bret Hart and Razor Ramon. At this point in history, it's refreshing to see a PPV title match contested between two young stars of the era. There's no Hogan, Savage, Warrior or Flair in this match, just an opportunity for Hart and Ramon to go out there and prove they were the future of the company, and two of the New Generation's defining characters.

The Royal Rumble match is hit or miss. The 66 minute match length definitely feels accurate, but not in a good way. There are many times where the match is lacking star quality to carry the time between entrants, so the match tends to drag. There are still a handful of superstars that have a chance to shine, including Bob Backlund defying the odds and lasting for over an hour of the match, Mr. Perfect and Ric Flair bringing their feud into the match, Randy Savage entering at number 30, and of course, Yokozuna entering at number 27 and laying waste to everything in his path. This Royal Rumble match is historically significant because it is the first Rumble match where the winner would challenge the WWF Champion in the main event of WrestleMania.

Mild Recommendation


2. WrestleMania IX

If you know any of the controversy surrounding how bad this show is, you might be disappointed that I'm actually going to talk about what's worth watching on the show. Not every match on the show is as bad or poorly booked as everyone says. The show opens with a fantastic Intercontinental Championship match between Shawn Michaels and Tatanka, followed by a fun tag team match with the Steiner Brothers and the Headshrinkers. And, considering the size difference in the two competitors, Bret Hart and Yokozuna actually have a really good match for the WWF Championship. Had that been the match that ended the night, everything would have been fine, but history proves that even in 1993, fans were left upset when a surprise challenger made his presence felt to close the night.

Add an abysmal match between the Undertaker and Giant Gonzalez (easily Taker's worst match at Mania), an underwhelming clash with Lex Luger and Mr. Perfect, a lengthy Tag Team Championship match between Money Inc. and the Mega-Maniacs (Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake) with a cheap ending, a thrown together match between Razor Ramon and Bob Backlund, and a match with Doink the Clown and Crush that has one of the goofiest endings to a WrestleMania match that I've ever seen, and you can start to see where fans have problems with the show. In many ways, this show is considered an absolute disaster and is usually near the top of the list when people discuss the WORST WrestleMania of all-time. For me, there have been worse ones that have bored me and astounded me with its mediocrity. But I get a kick out of WrestleMania IX in a train wreck sort of way. I know majority of the show sucks and the toga party gimmick is ridiculous, but I can appreciate some of the gems on the card and the WWF's ambition to create an aesthetically unique show for Caesar's Palace, with the WWF superstars serving as modern day gladiators.

Mild Recommendation


3. King of the Ring

King of the Ring became the WWF's fifth annual PPV and lasted from 1993 to 2002. The inaugural King of the Ring show is actually pretty positive, but that's only based on the gimmick of the King of the Ring tournament itself. Like the Royal Rumble PPV, the show is a make or break depending on how the titular match gimmick is handled. So, even though Hulk Hogan defends the WWF Championship against Yokozuna, Shawn Michaels defends his Intercontinental Championship against Crush, or the Smoking Gunns and the Steiner Brothers face the Headshrinkers and Money Inc., they aren't what majority of the crowd tuned in to see.

The King of the Ring Tournament featured 8 competitors, with the intended goal that the winner of the tournament would have wrestled 3 matches in one night to be declared King of the Ring. The picture used should give a good idea of who makes it to the finals. Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan very quickly to advance and thanks to two competitors reaching a time limit draw, received a BYE in the semifinals and went straight to the final match. Bret Hart, on the other hand, would have to defeat Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, AND Bam Bam Bigelow if he wanted the crown. Each match is wrestled differently and this night is a testament to why Bret was the Excellence of Execution, to have three great matches, with three different wrestling styles, against three unique competitors.

Recommended


4. SummerSlam

Very rarely do I see a SummerSlam that offers absolutely nothing in terms of historical importance. But that is the case with the 1993 SummerSlam, which is one of the worst SummerSlam PPVs I've seen since starting this blog. Most of the matches are too short to  mean anything and some (particularly the Rest in Peace match between the Undertaker and Giant Gonzalez) can't even rely on match quality to compensate for the match length.

The biggest bonehead move of the night was the booking around the WWF Championship match. After bodyslamming the champion Yokozuna on the USS Intrepid, Lex Luger shed his Narcissist ways and become a patriotic hero for the fans. Complete with a countrywide tour on the Lex Express (yes...that's the name of his tour bus), the man who could've potentially been the next Hulk Hogan for the WWF should have been primed to win the WWF Championship. Without spoiling too much, history shows that Luger never won the belt in his time with the WWF. Winning the belt at SummerSlam could've been a career defining moment for Luger, but with how the actual match turned out, they missed a HUGE opportunity to create an amazing moment.

Skip It


5. Survivor Series

Ignoring the atrocious match of the Four Doinks (Men on a Mission and the Bushwhackers) vs. the Headshrinkers, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Bastion Booger, the rest of Survivor Series is actually very good. The elimination matches are reduced to four-on-four to make up for a lack of quality characters and it works well in favor by producing quicker paced matches. The main event saw the All-Americans (Lex Luger, the Undertaker, and the Steiner Brothers) take on the Foreign Fanatics (Yokozuna, Ludvig Borga, Crush, and Quebecker Jacques), and one of the greatest feuds of the New Generation was ignited in a match that saw the Hart Family (Bret, Owen, Bruce, and Keith) face Shawn Michaels and His Knights (Blue, Red, and Black). By the way, if any of you think I'm referring to the Bret Hart/Shawn Michaels rivalry, boy are you in for a surprise.

There are actually some solid underrated gems on this card too. In terms of the elimination matches, I really enjoyed the opening match that saw Razor Ramon, Randy Savage, Marty Jannetty, and the 1-2-3 Kid fight Diesel, Rick Martel, Adam Bomb, and Irwin R. Schyster. It does a solid job of getting the crowd warmed up, plus I love the opportunity of seeing some future Kliq and nWo members in their younger years. There's also an odd match in the middle of the card featuring wrestlers from Jim Cornette's Smokey Mountain Wrestling. The SMW Tag Team Championships are on the line between the Rock n Roll Express and the Heavenly Bodies and it's just very strange to see this territory represented on a WWF PPV. Still, it's a fun bonus for an overall memorable Survivor Series.

Recommended


Thoughts: So what went wrong with 1993? It seemed to have all the star power it needed, and most of them can pull out good matches, so where was the issue? I think part of the problem was that a lot of the changes were happening rapidly and so I don't think the year and era were launched properly in terms of the booking, nor were they initially well received by the fans. By the time the era was ending in 1997, the WWF had their act together and were able to emphasize a lot of star power in each of the divisions. Many would probably say Bret Hart's booking was well-done, and I think that is only credible through his match quality, as his feud with Jerry Lawler actually removed him from his main event spot. In my opinion, Yokozuna was the best booked star of the year, thanks to his dominant win at the Royal Rumble, becoming a two-time WWF Championship by defeating Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan, and being a monster heel Champion to close out the rest of the year.


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The Year in PPV- 1990

In 1990, it came time for the WWF to realize the inevitable: that they couldn't bank on Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage to run the main event scene forever. Eventually, they will get older and not be able to dazzle and entertain fans in the ring like they used to (insert mid '90s WCW joke here). I bring this up because 1990 served as a year when many younger talents began climbing the ladder of success to be the potential future of the company.

In terms of the year, there are two superstars worth noting that made an impressive impact on history. The first is the Ultimate Warrior, whose legacy will mainly remain in this year as this was the year they attempted to label him "the man" by giving him the chance to be WWF Champion. The other is a superstar that debuted at Survivor Series, made a huge impact, and has had a 20+ year legacy on wrestling: The Undertaker.

So let's see if anyone else could rise to the occasion by analyzing the year 1990... 


1. Royal Rumble

If we were judging this show by the content of the undercard, we would have a very underwhelming show. Sure, there are some well wrestled matches, like the submissions match between Ronnie Garvin and Greg Valentine, but there's maybe too much shoot wrestling going on and not enough of the entertainment factor to keep casual fans invested. Not to mention there isn't a whole lot of memorability in the Bushwhackers vs. the Fabulous Rougeaus, Big Boss Man vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan, and Brutus Beefcake vs. The Genius. Would the Royal Rumble match be able to save this PPV from complete mediocrity?

The 1990 Royal Rumble match is one of the best early Rumble matches I have seen and is full of memorable characters from the era. I know a lot of people like to say 1992 had the most star studded Rumble, but I honestly think that distinction should go towards 1990. The highlights of the match include the alliance between Ravishing Rick Rude and Mr. Perfect (which would have been an AMAZING tag team to have in the division I might add) and the beginning of the tension between Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. Seeing these two titans in the ring, teasing that they could potentially go at it, had the crowd split and in a frenzy of excitement. In the canon of early epic Royal Rumble moments, this encounter between Hogan and the Warrior is certainly one of my favorites.

Mild Recommendation 


2. WrestleMania VI

The first WrestleMania outside of the United States (Toronto, so it's not THAT far out), you know the WWF wanted to put on something special. What we got instead was the basic format we had in years past of at least a dozen matches, mostly squash, a few midcard main events, and the big main event of the evening. While it wasn't bad, it was apparent that the style was getting a tad on the expected side and was therefore lacking that spark that earlier Manias had at the time. When it was new, all these customs were fresh, but by the sixth time they did it, it had become a routine. It's important to always be evolving with the times and WrestleMania VI proved that that change needed to happen within the next few years (and it did). Among the highlights on the lower part of the card include the chance to see Andre the Giant's last match, Roddy Piper's body half painted in black (he was apparently trying to be Michael Jackson and he even briefly starts singing Billie Jean....classic Hot Rod), the future Diamond Dallas Page driving Rhythm and Blues to the ring in his pink Cadillac, a warm Canadian homecoming for the Hart Foundation (in a very quick match against the Bolsheviks), and a few gem matches scattered on the card.

Despite having 14 matches, most still call WrestleMania VI a one-match show, but that one match is one of the most epic main events in WWE history: Hulk Hogan vs. the Ultimate Warrior in a match to unify the WWF and Intercontinental Championships. You would think that these two would absolutely stink up the joint given their reputation for wrestling mediocre matches at best, but surprisingly the chemistry is off the charts for this match. That might be thanks to the split crowd of over 67,000 screaming fans (including Edge, Christian, Lance Storm, and Renee Young), but it definitely fueled these two mega stars into putting on a memorable performance that will stand the test of time in WrestleMania folklore.

Mild Recommendation


3. SummerSlam

SummerSlam 1990 is a show with little quality on wrestling, but does make an effort through some short but sweet gems thanks to the star power of some of the performers. The show opens with the Rockers vs. Power and Glory and I'm able to have a good time because of the opportunity to see a young Shawn Michaels. The Intercontinental Championship match sees Mr. Perfect put the belt on the line against the "Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich, which is fun considering who the two participants are no matter the length of the match. The same could be said for the very short match between Randy Savage and Dusty Rhodes. If you were grading on quality of wrestling, it's a disaster, but add the nostalgia of the '80s and it's a freaking dream match to see the American Dream and the Macho Man (or rather, Macho King) fight on a big PPV.

Even the two main events feel like a letdown. The gargantuan encounter between Hulk Hogan and Earthquake felt more important than the actual main event. Part of the problem with the Warrior Experiment was that all they did was take Hogan out of the title picture, but they still built him as the focus of major storylines. See the problem? The actual main event, a steel cage match for the WWF Championship between the Ultimate Warrior and Ravishing Rick Rude, a rivalry and match that should scream INSTANT CLASSIC on this show ends up feeling way too rushed to be a meaningful encounter. In all honesty, the best match on the card is the 2 out of 3 falls match for the WWF Tag Team Championships between the Hart Foundation and Demolition. There's a general mesh of styles between a wrestling team and pair of brawlers and that's where the magic is to create an all-time SummerSlam classic. If only the main events could take note on how to do that on this night.

Mild Recommendation


4. Survivor Series

This edition of Survivor Series will always be remembered for two of the most memorable debuts in company history. One was one of the most ridiculous and laughable gimmicks in wrestling history, and the other is ironically the greatest character in wrestling history. By this point, even the most casual of fans should know I'm talking about the Gobbledy Gooker and the Undertaker respectively, but I don't think many make the connection of how both these polar opposite gimmicks arrived on the same night. As far as Taker's debut, he's a very green wrestler in his match but I think it helps show how dominating he is (those tombstones are some of the stiffest I've seen him deliver). It just goes to show you that an effective debut makes all the difference and if you can't wow the crowd, your chance to make history is gone forever (poor Hector Guerrero).

The Survivor Series elimination tag matches try something very different this year by having the sole survivors of each match square off in a main event match to determine the ultimate soul survivors. What worked well about this was the idea of some midcard faces and heels making it to the main event by winning their earlier matches and having an opportunity to shine alongside established main event talent like Hogan, Warrior and Ted DiBiase. Each of the tag matches are certainly entertaining around this time period thanks to the large roster of memorable characters. That, of course, means that not every one of these matches will have A+ wrestling quality, but they are definitely a lot of fun to watch and help made Survivor Series the November classic that it is.

Recommended


Thoughts: After the Ultimate Warrior passed away earlier this year, a depressing article was written acknowledging that an entire third of the WrestleMania VI roster has passed away and all at very young ages. While at first that might seem like a terrible thing to note, it does lead to a majority of the superstars at this time taking giant steps towards immortality. These performers were able to dedicate their lives to entertain the fans, and that's where a lot of the focus is placed on this year: the memorable characters. It's true that it's very rare to find a five-star PPV classic during this time, but if you can find a good sense of nostalgia in the characters, then it is definitely worth a look. And, while we are looking at it, it's very true that the Ultimate Warrior experiment wasn't a huge success, but like the Macho Man experiment in 1988, it was a good attempt in trying to take the weight of the WWF off of Hulk Hogan's shoulders.


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