WWF March to Wrestlemania IX 3/28/1993

WWF March to Wrestlemania IX 3/28/1993

They show clips of the contract signing between Bret Hart and Yokozuna from Wrestling Challenge. Yoko rams the table edge into Bret. He splashes him then hits a banzai drop. Bobby Heenan says if Bret is hurt, the match is off and Yoko may have made a mistake. Refs and Sgt. Slaughter try to stop Yoko. Bret gets back up eventually.

Bobby Heenan and Vince McMahon are our hosts. Vince says we will march to Wrestlemania in one week. Vince says Bret has to defend against Yoko regardless of how healthy he is. Heenan says Yoko was sending a message - he can break Bret's ribs, but he has to wait until Wrestlemania. The commentators then run down the line-up for today's show.

Yokozuna vs "Macho Man" Randy Savage

Heenan says Bret paid Macho off to hurt Yoko ahead of the Mania match. 

They stall and take a bit to go at it. Macho ducks a lock-up then Yoko pushes him down. Macho side headlocks Yoko then Yoko shoulders him over. Yoko headbutts Macho then throws him over the top. Macho is sent into the post.

Yoko punches Macho down then bangs his head off the steps. Yoko clubs him and punches him. Macho hits some punches. Yoko uppercuts him. Yoko slams Macho then hits a legdrop. Yoko punches Macho down.

Yoko misses a corner charge. Macho top rope double axe handles him from behind. Macho goes up top again and Fuji pokes him with his flag, knocking him off the top. Yoko belly to belly suplexes Macho and wins.

Thoughts: It's the show before Mania and Yoko is in the Mania main. This was not going to be some long drawn out battle and there was obviously no way Macho was winning, which hurt it for me. What we got was about average as it was a short TV match. I thought it was a waste of Macho/Yoko which hadn't been done before and could have been a big draw.

Yoko goes for a banzai drop on Macho after but misses. Macho flying knees him out of the ring. Yoko wants to go back in but refs, Fuji and officials stop him.

We see a video on Lex Luger's WWF run so far.

Mr. Perfect vs Skinner

Perfect poses on the ropes and gets hit. Skin boots and eye rakes him. Skin bangs Perfect's head off the buckles then throws him out. Skin bites hims outside and bangs Perfect's head off the steps. Perfect hits shots on Skin and sends him into the post.

Skin clotheslines Perfect with his belt then whips him with it in front of the ref. Skin then chokes him with it. Perfect hits him then takes a back elbow. Skin bites Perfect and chokes him on the ropes. Skin chokes him. Perfect hits shots to the gut and is eye raked.

Perfect's eyes are raked across the top rope. Skin misses a corner move. Perfect atomic drops him then chops him. Perfect hits mounted corner punches. Perfect hits him in the gut and hits a kneelift. Perfect pulls Skin's neck forward.

Perfect clubs him down then foot chokes him. Skin puts his alligator claw in Perfect's eye. Skin bends over and is caught with a back body drop. Perfect then gets the pin.

Thoughts: Skinner did mostly basic heel tactics here before Perfect put him down. Skinner should have been DQ'd for using the belt. It was average and Skinner got more offense in than I expected.

Reverend Slick comes out. He asks how people are doing and asks if they are happy. Slick says he's happy and excited as Mania is around the corner. He says Kamala is ready to take Bam Bam Bigelow down. He says they got Kamala walking to the straight and narrow. He says when you try to do good, evil is always present. He says evil is present in Kim Chee. He says Kim Chee wants Kamala to walk back into darkness. Slick asks the crowd for an amen and brings out Kamala.

Kamala vs Kim Chee

Kamala's music hits but Slick has to guide him to the ring as he doesn't come out. Kim comes out alone.

Kim yells at Kam and pushes him in the corner. Kim hits shots to the gut then hits mounted corner punches. Kim grabs him by the beard then slaps him. Kim slaps and punches him more. Kam chops him and kicks him. Kim ducks a chop and is put in a bearhug.

Kim punches his way out. Kam double throat thrusts him then superkicks him. Kam slams him then splashes his back. Kam tries to pin his back like usual. Slick gets on the mic to try and get Kam to turn Kim over. Kam then does and gets the pin.

Thoughts: It was what it should have been with Kamala beating Kim with ease.

Kamala then hits Kim with his hat after. Slick puts on Kim's hat and dances. Kamala tries to chop Slick. Slick tries to give Kamala Kim's hat and eventually he gets it on. Kam then does a strut and slaps his belly with Kim's hat on.

We get the Wrestlemania music video with them saying, "Who will survive?". I always wonder what happened here as this was clearly for Survivor Series.

We go back to Vince and Bobby. Vince says Hulk and Brutus could become tag champs. Heenan says Dibiase told him the money's in the bank. We then see clips of Hulk and Brutus forming their team.

Money Inc. (Ted Dibiase and Irwin R. Schyster) Jerry Sabin and Reno Riggins

IRS says it's time for The Mega Maniacs to put their money where their mouth is and says in Vegas, the odds won't be too good. 

JS shoulders over IRS and hiptosses him. IRS throws him out. Ted bangs JS' head off the steps and chops him. JS tags out then Reno's head is banged off the buckles. Reno takes a double back elbow. Ted chops Reno in the corner then back body drops him. 

IRS boots and back elbows Reno. Ted punches Reno in the gut then suplexes him. IRS suplexes Reno then elbow drops him. IRS stomps Reno. Ted million dollar dreams Reno and Reno is out.

Thoughts: It was all squash as expected here with Money Inc. winning easily. There wasn't much of note here and there were just a bunch of simple strikes.

Mean Gene Okerlund interviews The Mega Maniacs on the stage. Hulk says he's aware of how destiny will take its course. Hulk talks about Money Inc hitting Brutus in the face with their briefcase. He said he took Brutus' bike after he saw it and said he buried his ear in the sands of Venice Beach. He says he heard the fans pray for Brutus. He said he kicked in The Ramada Inn's door and found Brutus watching The Three Stooges with an ice pack on his nose. He thanks God for that.

Brutus says the sound of the suitcase hitting him in the face still is in his head. He said Hulk was dropping rockets on his face to test Brutus' face. He said he knew it would be bankruptcy court for Money Inc. Jimmy Hart says he has a tip for everyone - don't invest in stock for Money Inc as they are going bankrup. He says the future is looking so bright for The Mega Maniacs. He says they will have brand new merchandise and says they will leave Mania as the new tag champs. 

Hulk says Brutus is real mad. Brutus said he spent time in K-Mart getting the right hair color and dye but says Money Inc aren't worth the effort. He says he was in the desert chopping down cactuses and mountains. He says he will throw the scissors away and yank the hair out of Money Inc's heads. 

Hulk said he dug up two hammerhead sharks. He says he put sea urchins and nasty mermaids in the pool in Las Vegas. He says the sharks will have lockjaw when he puts the title belts in their mouths. He says then they can't touch the Hulkamaniacs in the pool. Hulk says after they celebrate, the only thing left for Brutus to do is put sun tan lotion on the beautiful female Hulkamaniac's so they have an even tan. He then does his whatcha gonna do line.

Thoughts: This was another heavy coke induced promo. This was pretty wild with them talking about putting sharks in pools and cutting down cactuses in the desert. 

We see clips of Tatanka beating Shawn Michaels twice in singles action. Shawn Michaels does a promo. Shawn says he makes a living playing people for suckers like casino's. He says he's walking out of Mania with his IC Title and Tatanka's scalp.

Tatanka vs George South

They lock up and Tat pushes him down backwards twice. South pounds on him in the corner. Tat leapfrogs him and hits a chop and hiptoss. Tat hits more chops then he slams him. South rakes his back and hits uppercuts. 

Tat chops him down. GS eye rakes him and hits some chops. Tat does his war dance and fires up. Tat hits head chops then chest chops him. Tat samoan drops him for the win.

Thoughts: It wasn't that interesting. Tatanka did little but chops here and South did his own chops back. Tatanka won as expected here.

Shawn Michaels comes down the aisle after. Shawn asks if Tat thinks he has a chance of beating him at Mania. Shawn says she doesn't think so. Shawn says he can promise that there is no way he will beat him for the IC Title.  

Tatanka gets on the mic. He says let's not wait until Mania and tells him to put his title on the line tonight. Shawn heads towards the ring and almost gets in but then leaves.

Wrestlemania Report

Mean Gene Okerlund hypes up Mania. Bret Hart does a promo. he says he's sick and tired of how everyone is saying Yoko will walk all over him and how he's the underdog. Bret says Yoko might lose more than face as he's up against the best there was, is and ever will be. He says he will be 100% at Mania.

We see Crush in a boat on the ocean. He says his greatest passions are diving and wrestling. He says him and a couple of good friends will have a good time diving. He says it won't be a good time for Doink at Mania and it will be payback time. He says Doink gave him a concussion. We then see clips of Crush going diving and catching something with his spear. He says he will crush Doink like the two octopus he has.

The Steiner Brothers do a promo. Rick says we will all find out where we stand in a week. Scott says if The Headshrinkers know any prayers, they better start saying them. 

The Beverly Brothers (Beau and Blake Beverly) and Little Louie vs The Bushwhackers (Luke and Butch) and Tiger Jackson

This is a random one. Tiger does The BW's taunt with them.

Heenan makes tons of jokes at Tiger's expense. Beau hits Luke then stomps on him. The Bev's choke Luke on the ropes. Luke boots him then bites his butt. Everyone then does the butt bite spot. The Bev's are sent into each other. Lou chases Tiger around, runs into Butch then is dropkicked by Tiger. Tiger then marches with The BW's.

Tiger hits punches on Lou then chops him down for 2. Lou tosses Tiger onto the ref then the ref tosses Tiger back onto Lou. Tiger chops Lou down then misses an elbow drop. Butch and Blake get in. Blake offers a handshake then nails Butch from behind.

Blake double axe handles Butch. Butch knees him in the butt and bulldogs him. Luke headbutts Blake's arm. He armbars him. Tiger walks on Blake's gut and Lou follows as he chases him, stepping on his own partners gut.

Blake goes out and is hit by Butch. Beau top rope double axe handles Luke. Butch is choked on the ropes. Beau double axe handles Luke off the top for 2. Beau hits punches on Luke then he backbreakers him. Beau top rope double axe handles Luke. Beau running lariats Luke.

Luke lariats Beau out of the corner. Butch comes in and hits shots on Blake. He lariats him then lariats Beau too. Tiger nails Lou. The Bev's take double lariats. Tiger elbow drops Lou. Tiger then top rope crossbodies Lou and wins.

Thoughts: We had your usual midget spots and Heenan had fun here making all kinds of short jokes. I think Beau set a record here for the most top rope double axe handles in one match with three. This was not that interesting and ran a bit long.

We see clips of the feud between The Undertaker and Giant Gonzalez. Harvey says they will go find Undertaker. Giant says he will bury Taker when he finds him.

Bam Bam Bigelow vs The Undertaker

Bam hits punches on Taker. Taker trips him and rips at his face. Bam clubs on Taker and hits headbutts. Bam bends over and is hit with a ddt. Taker chokes Bam in the corner. Taker uppercuts Bam. Taker rope walks and clubs on Bam.

Taker hits uppercuts on Bam. Taker bends over and is kicked. Taker lariats him and can't get him down. Bam ducks a flying lariat. We go to break and return. Bam headbutts Taker and slams him on the floor. Taker's head is banged off the apron and steps. 

Taker is whipped into the steps. Bam backdrops him inside. Taker then sits up. Bam powerslams Taker and Taker sits up again. Bam hits an uppercut then slams Taker. Bam headbutt drops Taker. 

Bam clubs on Taker then headbutt drops him. Taker sits up again. Bam does a flying headbutt drop. Bam misses a top rope diving headbutt. Taker flying lariats him. Taker chokeslams him. Bam slides out and walks down the aisle to leave. Taker then wins via countout.

Thoughts: The match wasn't that good and it had a countout finish. It had a slower pace and Taker had to do most of the selling here which isn't really something a slower guy like him should be doing. You gotta be explosive as the selling face and that's not him. I didn't like Bam Bam basically running away either as he's supposed to be this big tough guy.

Giant Gonzalez then appears in the entrance with Harvey Wippleman. Taker goes up the aisle then refs and officials get in the way.  They end up not fighting.

Vince and Heenan talk to close the show. Vince says we are a week away from Mania and says Heenan will wear a toga, which Heenan doesn't want to do.  

Overall thoughts: We had some star vs star matches here and the line-up wasn't bad but nothing was that good. Macho/Yoko was average and Taker/Bam Bam wasn't that good. Skinner did a lot of basic heel tactics vs Mr. Perfect and Kamala beat Kim Chee pretty easily. We also had the usual jobber matches, a trios match with midgets and nothing from Bret Hart (the current champ) outside of a quick promo. I thought it was just average and I would give this a 5 out of 10 total.