WWF January 1991 MSG Show

[Guest nWoScorpion]

In an attempt to keep my tape reviews alive, I have decided to turn back to my favorite times (late 80s-early 90s) for some fresh material.

 

(Thanks to Sydney Brown from 411mania.com for making a copy of this tape for me.)

 

World Wrestling Federation from MSG

Live! From New York City, NY

January 1991

 

- Your Hosts are Bobby Heenan & Sean Mooney:

 

- Opening Match:

Shane Douglas Vs. Paul Roma:

Lockup to start and Roma shoves him off. Roma with an armbar and pulls the hair to take Douglas down. Repeat that sequence. Roma with some bad mouthing in the corner and a shove, so Douglas wallops him with a hard right and continues the onslaught. BIG Drop-kick connects and a clothesline sends Roma to the outside. Heenan calls Roma a MAIN EVENTER. What was he on for this match? Roma takes FOREVER To return to the ring. Roma with a knee lift and some hard rights to the upper back. Arm drag takeover and arm ringer by Douglas. Camera man has a hard on for getting shots with the camera between either Douglas or Roma's legs. Repeat that sequence again. This just lasts a long time and it's boring me to DEATH. Douglas with a roll up is blocked and Douglas hits the canvas. Roma with douglas and he drops his throat across the top rope followed by some choking. Roma scream "He's not so pretty anymore is he?!" Oddly Roma's nickname in WCW later on was "pretty." Body Slam and top rope axhandle connects and he gets a cocky pin for a SLOW two count. Old Geezer referee needs to get faster. Roma continues the punishment and stomps the back. It must be Halloween, Roma is wearing all black tights, and Douglas has on all Orange. Wasupwitdat?! Roma with a BEARHUG, which makes no sense since Roma isn't that big or intimidating. Douglas fights out and baseball slides under a Roma drop-kick. Douglas unloads with some rights and a spinning elbow. Douglas slams Roma's head into the turnbuckle ten times and connects with a vertical suplex for one. Douglas with a cross-body but its reversed for...three. Douglas kicks out anyway and continues hitting Roma with the bell ringing repeatedly. Huh?! Backslide is fought over while everyone's confused. Sunset flip by Douglas....gets two?!! What the hell?!! Roma powerslams Douglas and wins AGAIN. First fall lasted 9:19, but if you count the second one its 10:01. Well, that was....retarded. 1/2* for a boring match, minus 1/4* because of the fucked up ending. So a total of 1/4*. Roma is pissed off at the referee, who I have never seen before, meaning he musta sucked to not get a job with WWF.

 

- Arm Wrestling Challenge:

British Bulldog Vs. The Warlord:

The Warlord takes forever to sit down at the table to start, which of course is the norm in this sort of contest. Warlord finally sits down, but breaks up the lock twice, which of course is normal. Bulldog does the funky chicken to mock the Warlord. He-he. Shove fight erupts and they finally lock up. Warlord seems to be winning at first, then Bulldog makes the comeback of course, then Warlord takes it back, then Bulldog has the advantage again and Warlord throws the table up in Bulldogs face and lays a shit kicking on him. He slams Bulldogs face into the table and it collapses, and Warlord with the full nelson. No rating for this garbage.

- Tito Santana Vs. Koko B. Ware:

What is up with this? Face versus Face? its the Ultimate Jobber Challenge. Heenan jokes on Frankie going on his "$1,200" shoes. Handshake by both men. Koko is the most over Jobber I've ever seen, and Tito is up their also. Arm drag by Tito. Hip toss by Koko. Go behind take over by Tito. Another handshake. Who no showed? Koko with his own ho behind takeover. Series of armbar reversals by both men. snap-mare by Tito. Side headlock by Santana and a shoulder block, hip toss by Koko, elbow misses and he runs into an arm drag by Tito. Slight Shove, now heavy ones. Heenan like sit. Koko plays heel from now on I guess. Heavy right and goes to work. Headbutt and clothesline. When was the last time you hear about winners and losers money for a match? Koko tosses Chico to the floor. Koko continues to beat on Santana. Heenan says they don't make enough rolaids to get you out of Tocula healthy. Series of roundhouse rights. Tito with a few forearms. Monkey flip blocked with an atomic drop and more right punches for 2. Koko with a nerve hold stalls some time. Modified neck snap by the birdman. He continues kicking down Tito. Koko is a cool heel, he should have been under Heenan. Eye Rake!!! Slap!! Koko's got spunk! Series of jabs. Crowd is not liking this. Tito with his own jabs and Koko makes him eat buckle. Scoop slam by birdman. Top rope fist drop misses. Series of roundhouse rights by Santana. Couple of slams by Tito follows. Atomic Drop and Flying Jalupeño gets the three at 10:10. Surprisingly good match. **1/2. Too bad Koko B. Ware never went anywhere with this heel turn.

 

- Wrestlemania VII Commercial! From the Memorial Coliseum!!!! In other news Homer Simpson is smarter then lead paint.

 

- "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka Vs. The Undertaker:

Snuka is in wacky mode right here, even sporting JUST a mustache! Undertaker is still managed by Brother Love, so its still not time for Paul Bearer to debut. This I think is Undertaker's MSG Debut, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Snuka chases Brother Love outside, and goes face to face with Undertaker. Undertaker is colder then a mother-in-laws kiss says Heenan. Undertaker jumps Snuka from behind and unloads on him, and chokes him across the second rope. Face lock by Undertaker and he continues the pounding. Snuka gets caught with a body press into a slam but Undertaker misses the elbow and eats a diving head-BUTT. Snuka with a headlock but some shoulder tackles don't work, Clothesline puts Snuka down and Undertaker with a HUGE thrust. More choking across the second rope. Heenan compares Undertaker to Andre The Giant. Snuka hammers Undertaker but runs into a knee lift. Big leg drop connects for two. Rear chin-lock (!) by The Undertaker and he turns it into a choke hold. Snuka actually fight back and scores a top rope head-BUTT. Snuka with a diving forearm puts down Undertaker for two!! Head-BUTT and chops by Snuka. Cross Body off the second rope is turned into the TOMBSTONE!!! BAM!!! 1-2-3! It's over at 7:08. Much better then their Wrestlemania VII match. *3/4. Snuka actually got some offense in this match.

 

- Legion of Doom Vs. Demolition:

This is Demolition Smash & Crush, and they have awful theme music here. Demolition jump LOD to start and a brawl erupts. Hawk with the mounted punches on Smash while Crush pounds on Animal. Hawk gets posted HARD and Crush nailed with a clothesline and big elbow drop for two, Smash hammers Animal as does Crush while Hawk is outside. Double clothesline by Demolition. Double Suplex connects, and Fuji nails Hawk. Smash continues killing Animal and Smash with a PLANCHA!!!! It missed Hawk but he did a PLANCHA! Animal fights off both members but not for long as Demolition take him to school. Back Suplex by Smash to Animal. Smash goes for a Piledriver, but Hawk comes off the top rope with a flying clothesline!! Animal covers for three at 2:58!! Not even one tag in the match, but it was decent. 1/4* LOD rip off Fuji's jacket after the match.

 

- Big Boss Man Vs. Hercules:

Boss Man chases Heenan from the commentary booth, and sadly, we're left with Mooney. Hercules shoves Boss Man and Boss Man blocks about 3 or 4 moves from Hercules before unloading a few rights and a clothesline spilling to the floor just like Mick Foley. Test of Strength is teased and they finally lockup. They exchange control until Hercules has Boss Man on his knees. Hercules with a knee to the midsection and Boss Man retaliates with a DROP-KICK and spinning back elbow! Hercules stuns Boss Man across the top rope and that's GOTTA hurt. Hercules with a clothesline on the outside and he;s back in the ring. Hercules with a foot choke and this match is going down hill really fast. Hercules with a snap-mare and elbow drop for two. Rear Chinlock is applied until Boss Man rolls him up for a two count. Boss Man slams Hercules' face into the canvas and nails an enziguri! Big Boot connects and the Sidewalk Slam!!! Roma out of nowhere with a missile drop-kick for the DQ at 7:16. Power and Glory throw out the referee and Hercules with the torture rack, and Roma follows it up with some elbows and a top rope splash. The massacre continues and Power and Glory rap the chain around Boss Mans waist. Heenan comes back to the ring and slaps around the Boss Man like he's his bitch. Legion of Doom clean house of Power & Glory to end the embarrassment of the Boss Man. Match was about *1/4, added 1/4* for the after match activities.

 

- Greg "The Hammer" Valentine Vs. Dino Bravo:

Lockup and Bravo over powers the Hammer. Repeat that sequence again. Bravo with a knee lift and some hard rights, followed by a scoop slam. Elbow drop misses several times and Valentine chases Jimmy Hart. Hammer unloads on Bravo and scores a series of chops and clotheslines. Bravo wants a test of strength and I say "oy." Bravo OBVIOUSLY over powers Hammer with his steroid filled biceps and the crowd actually chants Hammer. Bravo boots Hammer and Hammer retaliates with his own and a kick to the shin. Elbow drops to the knee of Bravo and Hammer with some leg stretchers. Scoop Slam by Hammer, and a second rope elbow misses. Bravo throws Hammer outside and Hart mocks him from the ring steps. Bravo knocks Hammer to the outside again and Hart gets in some cheap shots because he felt like doing it. Bravo with a suplex brings Hammer back inside, and it only gets two. Bravo with a bearhug, and Hammer breaks free and nails an Atomic Drop. Kick to the leg of Bravo and an elbow drop by Valentine and he calls for the figure four! Hart distracts Valentine and Bravo with a knee to the back. He goes for the figure four, but Valentine small packages him for three at 8:53! * Nothing great here of course, lets hope for something better later.

 

- The Bushwhackers Vs. Nasty Boys:

This is the match the world could wait to see. Don't expect much from this match, because I'm not. Brother Love calls them the Marching Morons. The Bushwhackers rub and lick each others head for good luck I guess. Knobbs and Luke start for those three who give a damn. Knobbs with some rights and that's about it. Lather Rinse Repeat. Pier-six brawl erupts and The Bushwhackers double clothesline the Nasty Boys outside. Sags punches Butch, and I guess that's the matches motif. Luke takes down Sags for two, and a battering ram connects on both men. Sags takes Luke out sending him to the outside, and Knobbs nails him with a steel chair. Sags with forearms to the back and Luke no sells the shots to the head until Knobbs takes him out, and the Nasty Boys with several double elbow drops for two. Boston Crab and elbow drop combo gets another two count. Sags with a corner elbow misses HARD and Butch tags in and punches Knobbs. Clothesline to Knobbs gets two. Big Clothesline by Knobbs gets two. Match drags on and on from here. Sags nails Butch with an elbow drop across the back of the neck and Knobbs covers for three at 7:49. DUD, and a major one at that!

 

- Main Event: Steel Cage Match:

The Ultimate Warrior Vs. "Macho King" Randy Savage:

Savage enters the steel structure and quickly exits it, and Brother Love says Savage already one. Savage hides while Warrior makes his entrance and KA-POW! Savage blind sides him momentarily but Warrior beats the hell out of him. The Ultimate Moron, according to Love, slams Savage into a table. Warrior scales the cage to enter the match and he slams Savage down to the canvas. Inverted Atomic Drop by the Warrior. Warrior kills Savage with short arm clotheslines and Warrior shakes the cage. Warrior just beats the hell out of Savage is all I can think of, cause that's all that's happening. Warrior eats cage wall and I cheer. Savage with an eye rake and clotheslines Warrior in the back of the head. This is right after the Royal Rumble, so Warrior isn't even champion anymore. Double Clothesline puts both men down to the canvas and the match is only been going on for 5 minutes or so. Savage covers, but the referee only gets to two. Savage with a high knee smashes Warriors skull into the cage. Savage with a choke hold that doesn't let up for a good 30-40 seconds. Savage with a series of jabs in the corner and more choking. Knees to the chest of Warrior followed by a slam. Savage to the top rope and he comes down with a big elbow drop for two. Warrior Hulks-up and nails three big clotheslines and the big splash is nailed.....on Savage's KNEES! WOOO! Savage starts leaving and makes it to the outside, but Warrior grabs him and pulls him up one rung at a time until he brings Savage back up the cage but Sherri enters the ring and hammers Warrior until he throws down Sherri, dropping Savage to the floor, and Savage wins it at 10:32!! *1/2. After the match Warrior SNAPS, ripping off Sherri's clothes, (ugh), and beating the holy hell out of Savage. Three Referees and the Nasty Boys can't stop the insane Warrior and that's where it ends as the show comes to a close.

 

Final Analysis: Well, 1991 wasn't the best of times for the WWF, but this show is pretty enjoyable from a nostalgia point. Wrestling wise it's not a recommended show, but it's an enjoyable two hours on a rainy day.