Host - Todd Pettengill
Happy New Year everyone! As the calendar turned to 1994 the kids tuned in on this day for the recap of last week's events. You would have had to be a masochist in order to get up at 10 AM to watch this show as an adult after drinking the night before. Anyway the show opens with Todd singing the New Year's song and saying Randy Savage isn't here yet. Todd says Shawn Michaels, Lex Luger and Razor Ramon will be in action plus an interview with Crush. Also, an Undertaker workshop vignette along with Johnny Polo's in ring debut. Jeff Jarrett will also be featured as Todd brings up the circumstances around Johnny Polo's debut. Todd sends us to our first match, which was the Polo vs Marty Jannetty match from last week's Raw.
Match 1
Johnny Polo vs Marty Jannetty
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Quebecer Pierre, Quebecer Jacques
This will be a repost from last week's Raw. Jannetty enters wearing the green and black bodysuit with Polo in polo pants and striped singlet. Jacques and Pierre speak French to annoy Vince as the bell rings. Johnny backs off before getting in a go-behind to start. He hiptosses Marty as Jacques says he's the man. Marty and Johnny exchange wristlocks before running into an armdrag by Polo. Jacques says Marty is over the hill and did nothing since he split with Shawn Michaels....ouch. Marty tricks Polo into diving into the corner. Polo hops over the top rope onto the apron but Jannetty slingshots him back in. Marty delivers an atomic drop, ducks under a right hand and delivers a back suplex. Marty covers for a deuce as Jacques says Marty is good but Johnny was in Honolulu recently. Marty tilt-a-whirls into a sunset flip for a 1 count. Marty armdrags Johnny and works an armbar as Jacques says Marty has a black eye courtesy of Johnny. Marty goes for a bodypress but Polo ducks and Marty goes crashing over the top rope. Polo hits a plancha as Jacques claps for him. Polo looks at the camera and says "Polo fever...CATCH IT!"
TAPE EDIT
Marty goes upstairs but Polo crotches him and goes for a superplex. Marty counters and front suplexes Marty down before hitting a bodypress for 1..2....NOOOOO. Jacques "Don't count your apples before they grow." Marty leapfrogs Polo and rolls him up for a two count and Jacques continues to annoy Vince with French. Polo kicks Marty in the head as Pierre gets up from the table. Jacques tells Vince to mind his business as Marty dropkicks Polo over the top rope to the floor. Pierre picks up Johnny and Marty baseball slides both men down. Jacques "That'll make him mad, shouldn't have done that." Jacques "Ou es Pierre?" He's right there you idiot! Pierre trips up Marty and he turns his attention to him. Polo goes to attack but Marty goes to counter with the superkick but Polo is too close so he grazes him in the stomach. Marty sidesteps and hits the real superkick and goes upstairs. Pierre pulls Johnny outside and Marty flies on top of Pierre and punches him. Polo goes back in the ring and Marty gets on the apron. Marty shoulderblocks Polo and goes for the sunset flip but Pierre assists Polo by grabbing on to him during the counter for 1...2....3 and its over. Johnny Polo needed a lot of help from Pierre but makes good on his pre-match prediction by beating Marty Jannetty. Jacques says they are the greatest and laughs about it. Vince says he's never seen anything like this as Polo walks away victorious as Pierre rejoins Jacques at the announce table. After the match, Marty complains to referee Joey Marella and goes to attack The Quebecers. Joey says the result is final but throws Pierre out of the arena. Marty grabs a chair and Vince tells him to take it easy. Marty and Jacques look to square off as Marella tells Pierre to hit the bricks. I don't think I've ever seen a referee throw out an announcer before or since.
Time of match: Edited
Winner: Johnny Polo by pinfall
Back to Todd who says The Quebecers should have known not to get involved since Randy Savage was thrown off the commentary team after getting involved. Todd segues by saying Randy "got involved with this guy." We go to a WWF Mania exclusive interview with Crush flanked by Mr. Fuji conducted by....Howard Finkel? Fink says Crush is one of the 30 participants in the Royal Rumble and Randy Savage will also be in it as well. Fink asks Crush what his plans are, Crush says Randy should call himself the Macho Crybaby. Crush says Fuji has been pulling knives out of his back from day one and Savage was using him as a stepping stone. Crush says he hopes Savage is in the ring when he gets there and will make the Rumble his worst nightmare.
Back to Todd who gets cut off by none other than Randy Savage himself. Randy is blowing streamers and Todd yells at him to stop it. He asks where Randy has been and Randy says he's been up 19 hours partying. Knowing him, I wouldn't doubt it. Todd shows Randy the Crush interview we just saw and Randy cuts a promo on the video monitor saying he's going to take care of business. He tells Todd he's out of there as we go to the next match.
Match 2
Men on a Mission (Mabel and Mo with Oscar) vs "Iron" Mike Sharpe and Mike Bell
Commentators: Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon
Its the tag match from last week's Superstars only with Ross and Monsoon on the overdub. Mabel starts with Sharpe and Mike does a hilarious double charge off the ropes only to bounce off Mabel. Sharpe does another Yosemite Sam charge only to eat a drop-toe-hold. Mabel does the Viscera roll on top of Sharpe as Mike gets up frustrated and flexes his muscle. Ross asks Monsoon what it would be like on a long car ride with Sharpe and Monsoon responds he'd rather take a long walk off a short pier. Mike wants a test of strength that Mabel wins easily before the big man drops an elbow on the neck of Sharpe. Mabel hits a scoop slam and a suplex before Mo tags in. Mo hops off the top with an axehandle to the back. Mo wrenches the arm and executes a northern lights suplex but Mike rakes the eyes. Sharpe brings Mo into his corner where Mike Bell finally tags in. Monsoon hasn't heard the Royal Rumble rap yet as Bell slugs away at Mo. Mo fights out of it with right hands but Bell gets in a rake to the eyes. Bell runs into a back elbow smash and Mo tags in Mabel. Mabel whips Mo who does a clothesline to Bell then whips him into a spinning wheel kick by Mabel. Mabel covers for 1.....2....3 that's it. This show cuts out right here so that's it for the Mania edition. You can see why Vince would later put his faith in Mabel because he showed flashes of brilliance as a 22 year old.
Time of match: 3:00
Winners: M.O.M.
We get a commercial for the upcoming Royal Rumble, Saturday the 22nd. Then we get the same Undertaker workshop vignette from this past Monday with him and Paul Bearer making Christmas puns. Then inexplicably we go to the next match with no warning already in progress.
Match 3
Scott Taylor vs "Double J" Jeff Jarrett
Commentators: Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon
We're joined in progress from last week's Wrestling Challenge. Taylor hiptosses Jarrett and says to come on. Taylor armdrags Jarrett and chops him in the throat. He whips Jeff into the corner who does an up and over to punch Scott in the face. Jeff rams Scott's head into the other buckle and chokes him on the top rope in front of the camera guy to talk trash. Monsoon asks what kind of western getup Jarrett is wearing as Ross claims they're not western, they're from Oklahoma and Tennessee. Taylor tries an up and over himself but Jarrett catches him and hits a running powerslam. Jeff drops an elbow and calls for the finish. Jarrett whips Scott off but puts his head down, Taylor responds with a right hand to the face. Taylor continues to rock Jarrett with right hands but eats a right hand to the mid-section. Jarrett hits a jumping DDT and hooks the tights for 1...2....3..and its over. That was actually a hell of a sell job by Jeff to give Taylor that much offense and to have to hook the tights at the end. It definitely didn't go unnoticed as Taylor would eventually get full-time status 3 years later. As for now, Jarrett gets the duke. Jarrett does the Fargo strut after the match and grabs a mic to spell his name.
Time of match: Joined in progress
Winner: Jeff Jarrett by pinfall
Back to Todd and the Macho Man. Todd hypes up the Rumble three weeks from that day with Randy pulling silly string out of nowhere while explaining what you have to do to survive the Rumble. I'm not taking advice from the guy who tried to pin someone in the Rumble the previous year but that's just me. Todd runs down the 18 guys currently in the Rumble match and the theme plays impromptu. Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Mabel, Shawn Michaels, Diesel, Crush, Kamala, Doink, Scott Steiner, Adam Bomb, Bam Bam Bigelow, 123 Kid, Bob Backlund, Rick Steiner, Samu, Fatu and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Kamala hadn't been seen in about 6 months and Valentine had left nearly two years earlier. Still got 12 slots to go and one of them may or may not be Lex Luger. Speaking of which, he's in the next match.
Match 4
Barry Horrowitz vs Lex Luger
Commentators: Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon
This also was from last week's Raw only we got Ross and Monsoon on the overdub. Monsoons ays the fan poll has overwhelming stats that favor Luger going in to the Rumble match. Lex gets in a go-behind then an armdrag on Barry. Lex poses for the crowd and Barry just lets him before Lex does an arm-ringer. Monsoon calls the 34 year old Horrowitz a "youngster" but Barry gets the upperhand with a boot to the midsection then a knee lift. Barry kicks away in the corner, but Luger whips him into a chest bump in the corner and rolls him up for a deuce. Barry gets a thumb to the eye, a back rake and a European uppercut. Barry gets a jawbreaker in before forearming Lex in the side of the head. Barry taunts the crowd and punches Lex in the face. Barry rams Lex's head into his boot and goes to work in the corner. Monsoon says Yokozuna may not make it to Wrestlemania 10 as the champiomn as Barry chokes Lex in the corner with his foot. Ross says The Undertaker has never lost a casket match as Barry does a series of shoulderblocks in the corner. Lex roars out of the corner with a clothesline before powerslamming Barry. Lex looks out at the crowd then sets up Barry for a superplex. Lex hits the superplex and covers for 1...2...3 to end the match. Ross sends it back to Todd and Savage directly after.
Time of match: 4:25
Winner: Lex Luger by pinfall
Back to Todd and Randy and Todd asks Randy if Luger will be in the Rumble. Savaage says if its up to him, Lex will be because Randy will win the Rumble and he doesn't want the victory tainted if Lex isn't in it. Randy says he's got nothing against Lex Luger but he's got something against everyone in the Rumble including Lex and 29 other guys he's going to beat. Todd shills the upcoming Lex vs Jacques match later today on Superstars which was mentioned on last week's Raw. Todd goes to say something but Randy hits him in the head with a balloon before we get a vignette of slow motion action featuring various WWF stars. Then Bret Hart tells us not to drink and drive this holiday season. Randy says he doesn't drink or drive so he's all set, (HA!). Todd then says Bret and Owen are reunited and will face The Quebecers for the WWF tag belts at the Rumble. Savage says the Harts will win as it will be Owen's first title shot. Todd says he has something in common with Shawn Michaels and says he's a former IC champion as well. He lifts his shirt up and he's wearing the foam IC title belt kids can get at the merch stands. Savage gives him a double high five and says to tell Shawn that. Todd says no and we go to our next match.
Match 5
Phil Apollo vs "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels
Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Ross
Its the match from last week's Superstars only with Monsoon and Ross on the overdub. Shawn starts with a go-behind, full nelson and a snapmare as Ross talks about valet parking. Shawn gets in a chinlock but Apollo puts him in a head scisssors. Shawn nips out of it and drops Apollo with a clothesline. Shawn sends Phil off, misses a line and gets hiptossed by Apollo. Shawn recovers with a dropkick, arm-drag and arm-ringer. Shawn gets in a Fujiwara armbar and then drops a knee on it before turning it into a pin for a 1 count. Shawn continues to work the left arm before rolling over into a hammerlock. Shawn shouts he's the undisputed Intercontinental Champion as Monsoon scoffs. Apollo gets in a hard elbow to the face to break the hold then shoulderblocks HBK down. Shawn puts his head down and Phil gets a kneelift in. Phil kicks away at the mid-section but puts his own head down, Shawn countering with a Russian leg-sweep. Shawn hits Sweet Chin Music then hops up on the second rope before delivering a jumping, twisting fist-drop. Shawn covers for 1....2.....3 that's it. Shawn rolls Apollo out of the ring as we cut here. That was actually a good jobber match as HBK got down and wrestled and gave Apollo some shine.
Time of match: 2:59
Winner: Shawn Michaels by pinfall
Ross sends us to the vignette of Kwang shown from last week's Raw. Why Vince decided to have a Puerto Rican ninja I'll never know but at least he came to his senses a year later. Back to Todd and Randy, Todd brings up the upcoming tag-team match on Raw where Bam Bam Bigelow and Bastion Booger take on The Smoking Gunns. Randy then pops a balloon while saying the Gunns are a pistol. Todd says Johnny Polo will be the guest commentator as well but then shifts to Razor Ramon. Todd asks Randy since he's been in the locker room if IRS has Razor's gold. Randy says he heard a few guys talking but he's not Columbo. We go Todd who shows a camera angle of a recent match where they do a close-up on the open briefcase of IRS which shows he indeed has the gold. Randy raises Todd's hand in victory as we go to our final match.
Match 6
Derek Domino vs WWF Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon
Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jim Ross
Its the match from last week's Raw only with Monsoon and Ross on the overdub. Domino works over the left arm but Razor takes him down. Domino chops Razor in the corner and Razor counters with chops of his own before sending Domino flying across the ring. Domino ducks a clothesline but Razor catches Domino mid-air. Razor goes upstairs and hits a top rope fallaway slam. Ross talks about the upcoming college football bowl games as Razor does his STF slaparound. Ross talks about a potential IRS matchup with Razor drops Domino with a back elbow smash. Monsoon calls Irwin a crybaby and a wuss as Ramon locks in an abdominal stretch. Razor plants Domino on the top rope and hits the back suplex. Razor calls for the Razor's Edge and hits it, then covers for 1..2...3 to end the match. Ross says Razor is marked by Shawn Michaels and has a date with IRS soon. Standard jobber match, not much to say.
Time of match: 3:52
Winner: Razor Ramon by pinfall
We get a commercial for the upcoming Royal Rumble upcoming Saturday January 22nd. Back to Todd with Randy who brings up a special interview with Lex Luger next week on Mania. Randy says his New Year's Resolution is to win the Rumble and take Crush out then find different colors to wear. Todd says his resolution is to tag with Randy in a match, yeah that would have gone over well. Todd then thinks better off it and signs off with Randy trying to hilariously convince him to wrestle. All in all that was a standard Mania. It went with the holiday theme and showed matches already seen on television. The only thing new we learned was Crush and Savage are going after each other in the Royal Rumble. It was interesting to see Howard Finkel handle the interview and anytime the Fink is on TV is always a good thing. As for moving forward, we got Quebecer Jacques vs Lex Luger on Superstars later to day and The Smoking Gunns vs Bam Bam Bigelow and Bastion Booger coming up on Raw. See you later today for Superstars!
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