The Year in PPV- 1991

I'm not going to sugar code anything with an elaborate introduction paragraph, so let's just get right to it. 1991 is FUN to watch. It's got the roster, some great match quality, and is the first time where it felt that a majority of the shows were held together by consistent momentum (all except one). This was a very enjoyable year to binge watch and it went by very quickly. I wish more shows from the Hogan era of wrestling were like this one, especially since the next year was going to be that transitional year to the Next Generation. Do I have some gripes about the year? Sure, it's what I do (Mark Henry joke not intended), but nonetheless, it was still a great year of wrestling worth talking about, while also pointing out some of the flaws along the way.

So let's have some fun with the year 1991 by heading to the Royal Rumble...


1. Royal Rumble

There's a couple of hurdles to go over when watching this one (a few boring matches, but nothing too offensive to watch), but overall this Rumble is full of memorable PPV moments. Let's begin with the opening contest between the Rockers and the Orient Express. This tag match felt really special thanks to the fast paced energy from both teams and is usually finds its way on the list when fans discuss the greatest opening matches in PPV history. On top of that tag team match, we have another tag team match that saw Ted DiBiase and Virgil challenge Dusty Rhodes and his son Dustin (a young Goldust sighting is always enjoyable). This wasn't about the match though, it was all about the tension between DiBiase and Virgil. With Rowdy Roddy Piper trying to be the voice in his ear, fans waited eagerly to see if Virgil would get his revenge on the Million Dollar Man for all the years of bullying and abuse. Then, we have a controversial WWF Championship match that saw the Ultimate Warrior defend the title against Sgt. Slaughter. The match is fine, but again, it's all about the moment and this moment certainly had fans talking for a while.

Admittedly, the actual Royal Rumble match is a pretty average, cookie cutter type of Rumble match, but it's still entertaining. It's got plenty of star power, so it should be able to hold the interest of even the most casual of wrestling fans, and I think everyone should especially pay attention to the performance of Rick Martel. Had there been more push behind the Model over the years, this moment could have easily been what put him on the map as a big time player, since no one was expecting him to last in the match as long as he did.

Recommended


2. WrestleMania VII

Here we have, in my opinion, the first WrestleMania where a majority of the matches were given a fair amount of buildup and payoff to create a show with phenomenal momentum throughout. Most previous Manias were centered only on the main event, but there's a lot here that makes the main event look like an afterthought. The opening match saw the Rockers face the Barbarian and Haku, and it's always great to see the early days of Shawn Michaels before he was Mr. WrestleMania. This event also marked the WrestleMania debut of the Undertaker as he made mincemeat out of Jimmy Superfly Snuka. Heck, there was even a match where both opponents were blindfolded (Jake Roberts and Rick Martel). And the crowd gathered in anticipation to see if Virgil could defeat his former employer Ted DiBiase on the grandest stage of them all.

Let's not forget the intrigue surrounding the championship matches. From Big Boss Man trying to win the Intercontinental Championship from Mr. Perfect, to the WWF Tag Team Championship match between the Hart Foundation and the Nasty Boys. And a lot of the show's attention was on the main event that saw the WWF Champion Sgt. Slaughter put the belt on the line against Hulk Hogan, in a contest that could be declared the ultimate battle of patriotism, as the world hated Slaughter for turning his back on the U.S. and siding with Iraq. You wanna talk about a recipe for cheap heat: burning a Hulkamania shirt during your WrestleMania feud, as well as turning your back on your country. Brilliant booking for a main event villain.

But the moment that shined the brightest on this show was the Retirement match between the Ultimate Warrior vs. Randy Savage. At that time, Warrior was not known for his masterful technical wrestling, but the Macho King was. These guys tore it up and stole the show in a match full of action and suspense. Then to make matters even greater, an element of romance and elation is thrown into the mix (I won't spoil, if you haven't seen it...you MUST), so much so that it had the entire building (and probably millions watching around the world) in tears of joy. Now THAT is the epitome of a truly great WrestleMania moment.

Highly Recommended


3. SummerSlam

The biggest party of the summer this year was full of a variety of memorable moments. From an excellent 6-man tag team opener (Power and Glory and the Warlord vs. Ricky Steamboat, the British Bulldog, and the Texas Tornado), to a match where the loser must spend the night in jail (Big Boss Man vs. the Mountie), to a Street Fight for the WWF Tag Team Championships (the Nasty Boys vs. the Legion of Doom), to a WrestleMania rematch for the Million Dollar Championship (Ted DiBiase vs. Virgil). Every match felt like something different, which lets the night feel like something special to enjoy. And of course, the most famous match on the card is the Intercontinental Championship match between Mr. Perfect and Bret Hart. It was the match that launched Bret as the next midcard babyface, and it was Perfect's last match for a while due to back injuries and they made sure to give the crowd in Madison Square Garden something to remember.

The gimmick used throughout the night was that there was going to be a match made in Heaven (the wedding of Macho Man and Miss Elizabeth) and the match made in Hell (Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior vs. Col. Mustafa, General Adnan, and Sgt. Slaughter). The match made in Hell is mired in controversy thanks to Warrior holding Vince McMahon up for more money before going out (and being immediately fired after the match), and other than that, it's pretty forgettable. But the night was all about the match made in Heaven, a wonderful and heartwarming moment for all fans of wrestling to see. Very rarely do weddings in wrestling go correctly, and admittedly their reception gets spoiled by Jake Roberts, but in the context of the PPV, the wedding ended the way it should have: perfectly.

Highly Recommended


4. Survivor Series

Wow, talk about a show that could completely kill the momentum of good PPVs dead in its tracks. Speaking of dead, that's primarily the reason why this show is remembered: the Undertaker challenging Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship. Their match is anything but spectacular and I wish I could say they kept it short to hide their in-ring shortcomings, but then I'd be lying. Still, this match results in one of the biggest moments in the career of the Deadman, I just wish it could've been a better match to make the moment that much greater.

The Survivor Series elimination tag matches are fine as well, but none seemed to wow me as much as I'd like. We had Team Piper (Rowdy Roddy Piper, Bret Hart, the British Bulldog, and Virgil) against Team Flair (Ric Flair, the Warlord, the Mountie, and Ted DiBiase), Team Slaughter (Sgt. Slaughter, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, the Texas Tornado, and Tito Santana) facing Team Mustafa (Col. Mustafa, Hercules, Skinner, and the Berzerker), the team of the Rockers and the Bushwhackers squaring off against the Beverly Brothers, and the Nasty Boys, and a main event that saw the Legion of Doom and Big Boss Man challenge Irwin R. Schyster and the Natural Disasters. Originally, Randy Savage and Jake Roberts were to be a part of their respective teams, but due to storyline injuries and suspensions, their time to finally clash would come at the next appropriate date. Meaning that a lot of what the fans were waiting to see and had probably ordered Survivor Series for was being pushed aside for the next PPV. What a waste of money and time for fans who were prepared to enjoy this show to see the culmination of the Savage/Roberts feud. I'm thankful that I have the WWE Network and didn't have to experience the total disappointment fans had during this edition of the Thanksgiving tradition.

Skip It


5. This Tuesday in Texas

So this is the show WWF thought was worth wasting a quality Survivor Series for. The undercard is actually fairly solid, but people weren't there to see Bret Hart vs. Skinner, the Warlord vs. the British Bulldog, or a random tag team match (Ted DiBiase and Repo Man vs. Virgil and El Matador). Heck, there was a dark match that featured Ric Flair taking on Roddy Piper. How was THAT not on the PPV?!?!?! They actually had a feud with a lot of buzz surrounding it, so why wouldn't they capitalize on it and exploit the crap out of it by broadcasting it? I mean, isn't the purpose of this show to exploit the fans' money by announcing this show less than a week after the last one, and ending that show with so many disappointments that you buy this one hoping those problems were resolved?

Moving on, the main event saw Hulk Hogan challenge the Undertaker to get his WWF Championship back. The match, like their last one, ended in controversy, and thanks to the historical impact, you'll discover this match was completely POINTLESS. Not to mention the fact that I don't think these two have ever put on a solid match together (either here or in 2002). But if there was one saving grace on this show, it's the short but sweet match featuring Jake Roberts and Randy Savage. There was so much buildup to their clash, and this match created a moment that bettered both men by showing Savage's determination to get revenge for himself and Elizabeth and Robert's ability to get under the skin of every fan in the building and watching at home. There's a reason he's one of the best promo men in the history of the business...trust me. This moment could have easily been added to the Survivor Series as a main event, and probably would've made that show worth watching as a whole.

Mild Recommendation


Thoughts: With the exception of Survivor Series, there's a lot of fun and entertaining stuff in 1991. I'm not sure the casual wrestling fan would expect that, but this year as a whole is really worth checking out. Not only is there the star power from the late '80s, but now more focus is being placed on match quality and newer stars are beginning to come to the forefront as the next evolution in sports entertainment was on the horizon. Imagine this, a year when the main eventers were Hogan, Savage, and Warrior, Undertaker was within his rookie years, Bret Hart was the new midcard babyface, and Shawn Michaels was close to splitting from Marty Jannetty and becoming the Heartbreak Kid. Simply put, this year is a blast to watch.


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