This disk made me ponder whether “New Generation” was a worse catchphrase than “WWE Universe.”
-WWF Championship: Bret Hart (champion) vs. 1-2-3 Kid (July 11, 1994)
This is a smart mark’s wet dream here, and we even get Jim Ross on commentary. Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart come out before the match to heckle the champion from the apron. Referees escort them away from ringside. Kid gets an armdrag. Hart raises an eye. Nice subtle touch there. Kid gets an armbar, but Hart bodyslams his way out of it. Kid with a hammerlock. Hart tries a snapmare, but Kid maintains the hold. Hart with a reverse elbow. Snapmare into a chinlock. Hart with a shoulder block. Kid takes Hart up and over. Hart catches the leg, but Kid gets a reverse thrust kick. Spin kick sends Hart over the top. Kid is working the arm after a commercial break. Irish whip and Hart catches Kid in the knee. Kick to the midsection. Scoop slam and a legdrop. Into the corner with a series of European uppercuts. Some awfully stiff shots. Knee to the hed. Elbows to the back of the head. Swinging neckbreaker for two. Chinlock. Elbow to the top of the head. Kid is sent into the turnbuckle. Uppercut . Hart sends Kid across the ring hard. Kid ducks an elbow and gets a crossbody for two. Hart regains the advantage. Into the buckle, but a charge misses. Hart works his way into a two count. Hart counters a crucifix into another two count. Kid gets his foot on the rope, but the referee counts three. Another referee comes out straightens the first referee out. Match continues after the commercial break. Kid got a roll-up during the commercial break for two. Hart applies a chinlock to slow the pace down. Kid with elbows and a backslide for two. Elbow by Hart. Legdrop. DDT by Hart gets two. Bodyslam. Hart comes off the second rope and gets hit with a boot to the face. Hart with a kick to the ribs. Miss of the clothesline and a spin kick by Kid. Series of kicks to various parts of the body. Running dropkick in the corner. Kid climbs up for the crossbody. 1-2-NO! Kid gets a powerbomb? To the top rope and a legdrop. 1-2-NO! Kid clotheslines Hart over the top rope. Kid hits a cannonball. Hart appears to deflect most of it. Back in the ring. Kid misses another cannonball. Hart goes for the sharpshooter. Kid grabs the ropes before it’s applied. European uppercut again. Hart puts Kid on the top rope. Superplex countered! 1-2-NO! Kid sends Hart into the buckle and misses another dropkick. Hart gets a bulldog and goes to the top rope. Kid slams him down. Kid to the top rope, but he gets caught. Sharpshooter. Kid submits.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL WWF Champion- Bret Hart/17:32 shown/***3/4
-Ross and Savage call it one of the greatest matches they’ve ever seen. That’s certainly living in a world of hyperbole, but this was an awesome match. Both guys played their roles to perfection. Kid just took one chance too many and got caught. Hart wrestled slightly heel and included a few offensive moves he rarely used in his career because he was actually the bigger wrestler.
-Intercontinental Championship: Diesel (champion)(w/Shawn Michaels) vs. Lex Luger (July 18, 1994)
Time for Luger to choke another title opportunity away. Lock-up a couple times but neither man gets an advantage. Diesel paws at Luger’s face and even knocks Luger out of the ring. Headbutt to the midsection. Luger struggles to get a sunset flip. Yes, a sunset flip in this match. Diesel with a knee to the midsection and an elbow. Series of forearms and elbows on Luger. Irish whip reversed. Luger gets a powerslam. Series of right hands send Diesel outside to meet with Shawn Michaels. Luger tries to send their heads together, but Diesel drags him outside. Luger rams Diesel’s head into the side of the ring. Luger puts his head down and nearly gets powerbombed. Luger with a backdrop. He charges but flops outside. Diesel slams Luger on the floor. Michaels decks Luger outside the ring. Ted Dibiase is shown watching the action as we have a commercial break. Dibiase was apparently chasing Luger to be a part of his group. It turned out to be a swerve at Summerslam as it was Tatanka who joined Dibiase’s group. Diesel gets snake eyes for two. Reverse chinlock. Luger with elbows and a clothesline. Diesel comes back with a boot and a big elbow drop. Sleeperhold. Luger charges the corner, but Diesel sends the challenger into the corner. Back to the sleeper. Luger hangs in the match. Elbows into a back suplex by Luger. Right hands and forearms. Luger ducks a foot and gets a DDT. To the second rope and a flying clothesline. 1-2-NO! Diesel gets a boot in on a charging Luger. Luger sends Diesel into the referee. Torture rack. Michaels superkicks Luger in the back of the head. One of the rare times I can remember that happening. Diesel gets 1-2-NO! Razor Ramon comes to ringside as Luger punches away at Diesel. Luger hits Michaels. Razor fights Diesel as the referee throws the match out.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: No-contest (Diesel retains the Intercontinental championship.)/14:05 shown/***1/4
-Considering the two guys involved, this was a really good match. Diesel actually got to a really good point as a worker when he was in the WWF, and Luger could still have good matches when he felt like it. Nice work by both men.
-The brawl continues until the babyfaces clear the ring. Ted Dibiase has a look of disgust on his face.
-$10,000 Dollar Challenge: Nikolai Volkoff (w/Ted Dibiase) vs. Tatanka (July 25, 1994)
Volkoff sucked in the 80s, so my expectations are monumentally low. Announcers refer to Volkoff as deliberate. That’s announcer speak for boring everyone. Really blah match between these two. Volkoff is barely mobile, and Tatanka needs to be carried in order for him to have a good match. Dibiase yells at Volkoff outside the ring. Tatanka fires himself up because Volkoff’s offense sucks that badly. Series of chops. Tatanka gets one more off the top for a two count. Irish whip but Volkoff gets boots up. Tatanka rolls Volkoff up for three.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Tatanka/6:14/*
-Really wish we could have seen the Summerslam blow-off because I think the last two matches would have made infinitely more sense. Dibiase is impressed with Tatanka and eventually gives him the money.
-Alundra Blaze (WWF Women’s champion) vs. Bull Nakano (w/Luna Vachon)(August 1, 1994)
This is the debut of Nakano. These two had a number of really good matches in the states and Japan. Nakano tosses Blaze by the hair across the ring. Irish whip and Blaze gets a hurancanrana. Spinning kick. Spinning kick misses and Nakano chokes away. Series of clothesline along the ropes. Nakano tosses Blaze down to the mat a number of times. Chinlock. Blaze tries to come back with slaps, but Nakano will have none of that. Piledriver gets two. Blaze gets her foot on the ropes. Nakano gets a Ligerbomb for two. Another powerbomb attempt. Blaze gets a flash pin for two. To the second rope but Blaze misses a dropkick. Scoop slam by Nakano. Legdrop misses. Blaze hits a German suplex for two. Blaze gets a roll-up for two. Blaze to the top, but Nakano slams her off. Blaze dropkicks Nakano to the outside of the ring. Blaze hits a dive to the outside. In 1994. Wow. Nakano sends Blaze into the post. Blaze backdrops her. Referee counts to ten and we have a no-contest.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Double count-out/5:28/**1/2
-Vachon tries to come from behind but Blaze slaps her around and sends Vachon into Nakano. Sadly, I was enjoying the match until the non-finish. Not sure why Nakano didn’t go over here since it was non-title and they would meet at Summerslam for the championship.
-Razor Ramon vs. Shawn Michaels (w/Diesel) (August 1,1994)
In an era of truncated feuds and angles, it might be hard to process the following sentence. This is the first time Ramon and Michaels have met on television since their match of the year ladder match from Wrestlemania 10. Pretty amazing, ain’t it? Fast start climaxes with a huge right hand from Ramon. Ramon sends Michaels over the top turnbuckle and to the outside. More right hands, but Michaels can’t get in the ring. Thumb to eye by Michaels. He comes off the top but gets punched in the midsection. Michaels regains the offensive advantage briefly but gets hit with an overhead slam. This match is being executed at a breakneck pace. Armbar by Ramon. Michaels with a right hand and a stomp. Irish whip and a dropkick. The phrase “New generation” was clearly WWF’s catchphrase at this point because McMahon says it about 100 times. Roundhouse right by Michaels and choking against the ropes. Diesel joins in on the fun. Standing chinlock by Michaels. Ramon backslides for two. Michaels clotheslines for two of his own. Another chinlock. Ramon catches Michaels and slingshots him all the way outside the ring. Commercial break. Michaels sends Ramon into the middle turnbuckle. Ramon slams Michaels off the top rope. Abdominal stretch. Michaels pokes the eye. Series of elbows. Head down and Michaels is sent face first into the mat. Back drop. Stomps by Ramon. Bearhug. Michaels and Ramon go back and forth with pinfall attempts. Big clothesline by Ramon. Off the ropes and Michaels sends Ramon FLYING over the top rope. Diesel clotheslines Ramon on the outside. After a commercial break, Diesel sends Ramon in back in the ring. Double axehandle to the face of Ramon on the apron. Michaels with a series of right hands in the corner. Irish whip and a reverse elbow gets two. Choking. Ramon with right hands. Irish whip and Michaels gets a sleeper. Ramon won’t die though and gets a back suplex. 1-2-NO! Ramon with a field goal kick on Michaels. Irish whip and they just plain collide with each other. Referee counts both men, and both men only get up at nine. Ramon with a huge series of right hands again. Into the buckle end over end. Another punch leads to a two count. Ramon places Michaels on the top rope. Elbow by Michaels. Crossbody that gets reversed by Ramon into a two count. Michaels gets a superkick for two. Jesus Christ. Michaels goes for a Razor’s Edge but he gets backdropped. Ramon calls for the finisher now. Diesel on the apron and Ramon punches away. Michaels takes the belt but misses hitting Ramon. Ramon is sent into the boot of Diesel. Michaels gets a simple roll-up for three.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Shawn Michaels/18:00 shown/***3/4
-In an odd way, I think this particular match holds up more than their ladder match. We’ve seen what the Dudleys and Hardys have done with the ladder match, but nothing can ever replace great wrestling. That’s what this was to be certain. A fantastic match between these two.
-Diesel and Michaels continue beating Ramon down after the match is over. Referees eventually break the madness up.
-Owen Hart (w/Jim Neidhart) vs. 1-2-3 Kid (August 15, 1994)
Speaking of breakneck pace, we now have this match. Action too fast to call as Hart tries to sneak up from behind on Kid. Spin kick and we get a series of flash pins. Action slows down as each man tries to work the arm. Kid gets another spin kick for two. Headlock by Kid. Hart headscissors Kid, but Kid once again gets the headlock. Another headscissors by Hart. Exchange of pins. Kid with the headlock again, and Hart pulls the hair. Back suplex. Legdrop to the back of the head. Headbutt. Hart with an enziguri. The sound that move made was disgusting. Hart with a chinlock. Both men kip up and Kid gets another dropkick. Baseball dropkick takes Hart and Neidhart down. Dive off the top. Neidhart goes on the apron, and Kid dropkicks him. Hart suplexes Kid from the inside to the floor. Good God. Pescado. Hart works over Kid’s back on the outside of the ring. Headbutt to the midsection in the corner. Kid hard into the corner. Hart with a backbreaker and follows up with a knee to the back. European uppercut and hard into the buckle again. Elbow off the second rope on the back. Back drop. Kid almost hits the ropes. Irish whip and Kid gets a sunset flip. Hart gets a knee in the back and a chinlock. Neckbreaker. Hart off the top but he misses the double knees. Kid stays on the knees. Hart misses an enziguri. Half crab by Kid. Neidhart comes in to clothesline the Kid, and the referee throws the match out.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: 1-2-3 Kid/9:57/***1/4
-Not sure why Owen didn’t go over clean here since he was challenging for the WWF title in just a couple weeks. Would seem to make sense. Kid is one of those guys who can lose but still keep his heat.
-Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) vs. Kwang (Harvey Whippleman) (September 12, 1994)
After the last two matches, I’m not expecting much from these two. ‘Taker no sells a bunch of offense and hits what we now call Old School off the ropes. Kwang is better known as Savio Vega under a mask. Gotta live when WWF calls someone a martial arts expert. That usually means kicking, chopping, and misting. Clothesline over the top rope, but Taker is still standing. He grabs the throat. Mist to the face. No sold. Taker spits it back in the face of Kwang. Chokeslam. 1-2-3. Man, Kwang got beaten with a B finisher. Wouldn’t bode well for his career.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Undertaker/5:18/*
-The only thing this match did was kill time until Taker could get his revenge on Yokozuna.
-Bob Backlund went crazy the previous week after being defeated in a WWF title match against Bret Hart. It was supposed to lead to the triumphant return of Papa Shango, but Backlund proved so great as a crazy heel that they just had him beat Hart for the title at Survivor Series 1994. Sadly, his title reign would last for just days as he was beaten by Diesel in nine seconds. Backlund challenges anyone to break his patented chickenwing. A WWF magazine writer is chosen by Backlund. He of course applies the chickenwing, and the writer can’t break the hold.
-Intercontinental Championship: Razor Ramon (champion) vs. Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji)(October 24, 1994
Yoko attacks the champion before the bell rings. Big headbutt takes him down. Irish whip and a series of right hands by Ramon. Clothesline off the ropes. Another punch. A flying clothesline and Yoko goes down. One more punch and Yoko is on the outside. Ramon works the arm but Yoko gets a bodyslam. He misses an elbow. Ramon back to the arm. Yoko reverses an Irish whip. He sends him into the corner and finally gets a legdrop. Headbutt and Ramon is sent flailing outside the ring. Ramon quickly goes back in the ring. Block of the right hand, but Yoko gets him down again. Nervehold leads to a commercial break. The nervehold is still on after the break is over. Headbutt. Series of shots in the corner. Snapmare into the nervehold again. He holds on to it forever before sending him in the corner. Big running splash misses. Ramon comes off with a bulldog. 1-2-NO! Kick to the midsection and more punches. Yoko is punched to the outside of the ring where a casket is seen. He runs back to the locker room and is counted out.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: STILL Intercontinental Champion- Razor Ramon/9:28 shown/*1/4
-Typical boring Yokozuna match actually. Ramon couldn’t do much with him since he does a lot of power moves such as slams.
-The British Bulldog vs. Jeff Jarrett (w/The Roadie) (December 5, 1994)
This is the debut of The Roadie, and he would ironically go on to become (arguably) as big a star in WWE as Jarrett did. Armdrag by Jarrett and we strut. Takedown and Jarrett literally walks over Bulldog. He gets a little cocky in the corner. In the corner with a series of knees to the midsection. He tries to hiptoss him, but the Bulldog reverses. Jarrett heads out. Irish whip. Jarrett can’t knock Bulldog down with a shoulder block. Works fine for Davey Boy though. Jarrett keeps applying a headlock, and Bulldog keeps escaping. Roadie coaches Jarrett. Irish whip Irish whip. Bulldog gets a stalling vertical suplex. Jarrett pulls Bulldog outside before sending him back inside. Irish whip but Bulldog gets two boots up. Bulldog sends Jarrett into the turnbuckle ten times. Bulldog gets crotched on the top rope. Snap superplex gets two for Jarrett. Chinlock. Series of elbows but Jarrett gets a knee. Back to the chinlock. Bulldog sends Jarrett to the other corner. He misses a charge. Dropkick from the top gets two. He misses a fistdrop from the top rope after a commercial break Collision and both men are down. Bulldog small package gets two. Irish whip leads to a Jarrett sleeper. Ugh. So tired of that move at this point. Bulldog lifts him and rams him back first into the corner. Bulldog by Jarrett gets two. Irish whip. Bulldog gets a crucifix. Bulldog with a fisherman’s suplex. 1-2-NO! Jarrett with a right hand. Choke into a chinlock. Atomic drop by Bulldog. Back drop. Irish whip and a clothesline. A series of them. Jarrett flees. Bulldog goes after him and presses him back into the ring. Bulldog tries going back in the ring, but Roadie grabs the foot. Count-out city.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Jeff Jarrett/9:09/**1/4
-Pretty alright match.
-Bob Backlund vs. Doink (w/Dink) (December 12, 1994)
The pre-match interviews involving both men are much more entertaining than the match is likely to be. Doink sends his midget out to fake Backlund out. Gotta love the WWF in 1994. New generation my ass. Meanwhile, WCW was having Hogan and Friends reunion. No wonder people embraced ECW so much. Can’t say I blame them. This is a rather mundane and boring match really. Backlund works the arm for about six hours until he gets the chickenwing and the submission win.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: Bob Backlund/13:27 shown/*
-The British Bulldog vs. Tatanka (December 26, 1994)
A slightly better match than the previous one. Not a lot of boring limb work leading to a mundane collision at least. Dibiase pulls the top rope and Bulldog is lying on the floor. Lex Luger comes out since he’s had an issue with both Tatanka and Dibiase going back to Summerslam Bell rings.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: British Bulldog/7:01/*
-Bam Bam Bigalow joins Tatanka. All four men fight. Faces clean house. These are some of the worst endings I’ve ever seen in professional wrestling. No booker in his or her right mind should ever mimic them. Sadly, I think I’ve seen a few on recent Raws, Impacts, and other shows as well.
-The King’s Court with Diesel. These things are just an excuse to have Lawler get some one-liners at the crowd. Lawler berates the WWF champion for a long time while Shawn Michaels sits at ringside being his usual jackass self. A really great promo actually from Lawler as he runs Diesel down. Michaels certainly played a great prick before finding Jesus.
-The Undertaker vs. The Brooklyn Brawler (December 26, 1994)
A running gag continues. Brooklyn Brawler has seemingly found himself on every WWE DVD ever produced. We were in some real danger of that streak being ended. Thankfully, we get a squash involving Brawler in the last match of this four disk collection. Taker of course squashes him in relatively expedient fashion with the tombstone. I believe his entrance was longer than the match. Brawler doesn’t get a single offensive maneuver in.
-Winner (s)/Time/Rating: The Undertaker/2:30/1/2*
Final Thoughts: This was one of the easiest sets I’ve ever reviewed. I burned through 12 hours in one weekend. Loved this collection a lot. It’s a great look back at what Raw used to look like. Sure, it’s not perfect, but no wrestling company ever is. I highly recommend everyone check this collection out to find out what the WWF used to before the days of IPOs, the WWE Universe, and the Cenation. Big thumbs up for the best of the first two seasons of Raw.
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