WWF Madison Square Garden 1/17/1994

WWF Madison Square Garden 1/17/1994

This is a fairly notable house show as it had a tag title match referenced on Raw, the last WWF match of Ludvig Borga and a Royal Rumble right before the actual Royal Rumble. 

Ludvig Borga vs Rick Steiner

LB misses lunges at Rick. Rick side headlocks him then LB backdrops him out of it. Rick goes out and LB poses. LB pulls Rick in over the top and side headlocks him. Rick backdrops LB. Rick top rope diving bulldogs LB and LB kicks out at 1. 

Rick armlocks LB. LB hits knees to the gut in the corner then Rick hits a big clothesline for 2. LB drops Rick with an uppercut to the gut. LB drops him with punches then headbutts him. LB lariats him. LB top rope diving lariats him for 2. Rick powerslams LB for 2 then armlocks him.

Rick back elbows him then elbow drops him for 2. Rick running lariats him for 2. LB flying lariats him for 2. LB hits punches on him outside of the ring. Rick fights back and chairs him in front of the ref. The ref doesn't care and counts both guys out.

Thoughts: The finish sucked as Rick nailed LB with a chair right in front of the ref and the ref didn't care. It wasn't a bad heavyweight bout otherwise. Borga outstiffed Rick which you don't see a lot and Rick took it easier on him than he does jobbers. As stated above, this was Ludvig Borga's final WWF match. He had a weird run as he was pushed hard from the start and on TV, you never really got that big singles match nor did he really put anyone over before leaving. I thought he was a underrated talent as he had a good look, was a believable heavweight and was low key funny on promos.

Borga slams him and legdrops him outside. Rick hits punches then they fight up the aisle to the back.

WWF Intercontinental Title Match - Razor Ramon (c) vs. Jeff Jarrett

RR was feuding with IRS at the time, so it's odd to see him defending against JJ here. JJ takes the title before the match and poses with it. 

JJ stalls a bit and is shoved down on the lock-up twice. JJ then goes out. JJ stalls out there, pulls RR out and sends him into the post. He then drops him throat first on the rail. RR's head is banged off the steps. JJ sends him into the post. JJ flying back elbows him then stomps him. JJ 2nd rope fist drops him for 2. 

JJ snapmares him then chinlocks him. RR throws him off and JJ bangs RR's face off the mat. JJ chokes him on the ropes then dropkicks him for 2. JJ argues with the ref and is rolled up for 2. JJ lariats him down. JJ hits a punch off the buckles twice. JJ tries again and is hit in the gut. 

JJ sleepers him and gets on his back. The ref checks RR's arm 3 times and RR gets his arms up. JJ eye rakes him. RR blocks a hiptoss, Jeff flips off of him and is caught with a chokeslam in an athletic spot. RR gets a 2 count on him. 

RR hits punches and drops JJ. RR then fires up. JJ begs off. JJ goes for the crossbody, RR ducks and JJ hits the ref with it. RR goes for the razor's egde. Shawn Michaels comes out and saves JJ. RR punches Shawn off the apron. RR then hits a razor's edge on JJ. The ref counts 2 and Shawn pulls RR off of JJ for the DQ.

Thoughts: It was a slower but decent bout with JJ controlling him with rest holds and RR making his comeback before the interference. Shawn made it known he had issues with RR during this time period so him coming out makes sense. Neither guy needed the loss here and this protected both.

Shawn superkicks Razor outside after and helps JJ up. RR comes in and sends Jeff out. He tries to hit Shawn with the belt but Shawn escapes. Shawn teases squaring off with RR but leaves.

Harvey Wippleman comes out and mouths off at Howard Finkel. He says he's like everyone in NYC - nothing but a loser. He calls the local sports teams losers. He says he doesn't know how people can live in a nasty place like NYC and calls Memphis a better place. 

Harv puts over Adam Bomb and says no one has a chance to win tonight but him. He says Adam doesn't have a title as no one has the guts to face Adam. Fink tells him his time has run out.

WWF World Heavyweight Title Match - Yokozuna (c) vs. Tatanka

Tat runs in and hits chops on Yoko sending him out. Yoko hits him outside and bangs Tat's head off the steps. Tat hits mounted punches inside then hits headchops. Yoko back elbows him. Tat misses a dropkick, Yoko misses an elbow drop and Tat top rope crossbodies him for 2. Tat side headlocks him.

Tat runs at him and is chopped down. Yoko headbutts him down. Yoko does a double trapezius hold. Tat hits shot to the head then Yoko lariats him down. Yoko does another trapezius hold. Tat escapes then is lariated down. Yoko chops him down then does another trapezius hold. Tat fights out and running lariats him.

Tat comes off the top and is hit in the gut. Yoko hits punches. Yoko misses a corner charge and goes down. Yoko does another trapezius hold. Tat tries to fight out and has his head banged off the buckles. Tat does his war dance and hits chops on him. Tat hits head chops. Tat top rope diving lariats him for 2. Tat hits shots in the corner. Yoko irish whips him and Tat goes into the ref. Fuji gives Yoko the salt bucket. Yoko gets blocked and Tat hits him with the bucket. Yoko kicks out at 2. Tat climbs the top rope, Fuji hits him with his flag then Yoko hits 2 legdrops to win.

Thoughts: This was very lazy with Yoko going to the trapezius hold spot THREE TIMES. I don't know if I've ever seen that before. Tat fired up on his comebacks at least but this was boring. 

Yoko banzai drops Tat twice after while refs come to break it up. Yoko stomps him and hits him with the flag. Tat is stretchered to the back and Yoko beats him up while he's on the stretcher. 

WWF World Tag Team Title Match - Marty Jannetty & The 1-2-3 Kid (c) vs. The Quebecers (Jacques & Pierre)

Stan Lane did some live reporting on this match from the 1/17/1994 episode of Raw. The champs just won the titles one week prior in an upset.

The teams compete for cheers. The faces are beaten up in the corners. Kid leapfrogs MJ then the heels are beaten up in the corners. MJ and Kid hit mounted corner punches. The heels dosey-do on an irish whip and take dropkicks. The heels take stereo lariats out.

MJ and Jac go at it. Jac boots him on the test of strength attempt. MJ ducks a lariat and hits punches. Jac takes a double hiptoss into a double elbow drop. Pierre double lariats the faces. The faces are sent out. They come back in and hit stereo superkicks on the heels. MJ's plancha is caught by the heels outside then Kid suicide dives, sending all 3 down.

Kid runs the ropes and Pierre pulls the top rope down on him, sending him out. Kid is sent into the rails and steps for 2. Kid takes a back elbow. Pierre chokes Kid with the tag rope. Jac slams Kid then Pierre knee drops Kid. Pierre suplexes Kid.

Pierre misses a 2nd rope legdrop. MJ hot tags in and flying back elbows Jac. He bangs Jac's head off the buckles and nails Johnny Polo on the apron. MJ is grabbed on the apron then Jac nails Pierre on a failed double team. Jac holds MJ and Pierre lariats MJ. Jac tries a backroll on MJ and Kid top rope crossbodies Jac.

MJ superkicks Pierre. Pierre takes a suplex + crossbody. Polo distracts the ref and is hit. Jac hits MJ with a polo stick for 2. Jac hits shots to the gut on MJ. MJ takes a double pop up drop throat first on the top rope for 2.

Jac snapmares and chinlocks MJ. Pierre knees MJ in the gut and flips him. MJ takes a double boot then Jac slams Pierre onto him for 2. Jac sits on MJ's back with a chinlock. Jac tries to butt drop MJ's back but MJ gets his knees up. Pierre tags in and knocks Kid off the apron. Pierre swinging neckbreakers MJ for 2. 

Pierre butt drops MJ's back on the ropes. Pierre then kind of falls over for no reason while holding his crotch. Jac flying back elbows MJ. Jac back body drops MJ for 2. MJ goes for the sunset flip, Jac blosk it and punches the mat when MJ moves. Jac lariats MJ.

Pierre bearhugs MJ. MJ fights out and hiptosses him. MJ then misses an elbow drop. MJ takes a lariat + legsweep combo for 2. Jac sits on MJ's back and chinlocks him. MJ fights out of the corner. MJ and Jac trade punches. MJ is back body dropped over the top to the floor. Jac piledrivers MJ. 

Jac tries to back body drop Pierre onto MJ but MJ moves. MJ rolls up Jac for 2. Pierre side slams MJ. Pierre comes off the 2nd rope and MJ put his boot up. Kid and Jac tag in. Kid springboard flying lariats Jac then spin kicks both heels. Kid then spinning heel kicks both. Kid goes up top and Polo crotches him. Pierre superplexes Kid. Kid is down and Jac flips Pierre onto Kidd off the top. Pierre then pins Kid to win.

Thoughts: It was a big upset here with MJ/Kid losing the tag titles on a house show just days after winning them. It was a long bout with them doing two hot tag segments and kind of doing the same match twice in one bout. Kid and MJ as a team definitely brought some Rockers memories and I'd like to see them team more. Kid has absolutely been one of the WWF's best signings as he's having the best match on every show he is on. I liked this overall and thought it was good. I'd like to see a rematch.

Howard Finkel shills Wrestlemania X tickets.

Royal Rumble

Yep, they are doing a Royal Rumble here, less than a week before the actual Royal Rumble. 

Diesel and Mo of Men on a Mission are the first two in. Diesel knees him in the gut and elbows him in the back of the head. Diesel forearms him down. Mo hits shots in the corner and Diesel kneelifts him. Diesel short arm lariats him. Diesel punches him down and throws him over the top but Mo's foot is caught in the ropes. Diesel releases him and throws him out. Mo is eliminated.

Bushwhacker Luke is next in. Diesel boots and clubs him. Luke bites him in the butt. Diesel lariats him down then slams him. Diesel throws Luke out. Bushwhacker Luke is eliminated.

The 1-2-3 Kid is next in and he's hobbling to the ring. Diesel knee him in the gut and foot chokes him. Diesel throws him then side slams him. Kid flying headscissors him then hits kicks in the corner. Kid kicks him and ends up laying on the top rope. Diesel hits him and Kid goes out. The 1-2-3 Kid is eliminated.

Scott Steiner is next in. He runs out and is knee'd in the gut. Diesel walks over the top, clearly eliminating himself (but it doesn't count) and sends Scott into the post. Diesel forearms Scott down inside then running lariats him. Diesel misses a charge and is sent out under the bottom rope. Scott bangs Diesel's head off the post then chairs him outside. They get back in. Scott double underhook drops Diesel on his head.

"Iron" Mike Sharpe is next in. Mike nails Scott on the ropes then clubs on him. Scott throws Mike over the top. Mike Sharpe is eliminated.

Diesel knees Scott in the gut then hits a big boot on him. Scott hits a near brainbuster on Diesel as Diesel can't get over well for a suplex. Scott tries to dump Diesel over the top. Headshrinker Samu is next in. Scott is double teamed and is nearing elimination. Samu goes at Diesel and they square off. 

Diesel knees Samu in the gut in the corner. Diesel goes for the elimination and Scott joins in. Bob Backlund is next in. He goes for Samu and is headbutted and chopped. Bob atomic drops Samu and lays him up top. Diesel rakes Bob's eyes.

Diesel tries to throw Bob out. Scott drops Samu with a running shot. Scott suplexes Samu. Jeff Jarrett is next in. Jeff hits shots on Bob with Samu. Jeff then nails Samu and is hit by 3 people. Diesel short arm lariats Jeff. Samu gutwrench suplexes Jeff. Jeff tries to throw Scott out and shakes the ropes on him. 

Scott gorilla press slams JJ. Samu punches Scott and headbutts him down. Virgil comes in. He hits shots on JJ. JJ punches him off the buckles. Bob is triple teamed on the ropes and Diesel backbreakers Virg. Virg hits corner spears on JJ. Virg suplexes JJ.

Jeff hits corner punches on Scott. Bam Bam Bigelow is next in. Bam stomps Scott. Scott and JJ are facing elimination. Bob saves Scott for unknown reasons. Samu superkicks Virg. Virg takes a double headbutt from Bam and Samu.

Macho Man is next in. He comes in and fast and hits a bunch of people. Diesel foot chokes Macho then misse a corner facekicks. Macho dumps Diesel over the top rope. Diesel is eliminated.

Macho punches JJ and throws him out. Jeff Jarrett is eliminated. 

Scott hits corner spears on Macho then knees him in the gut. 

Virg stomps Samu's foot and punches him. Adam Bomb is next in. Adam hits punches on Bob and clubs Macho. Scott holds Adam for a 2nd rope Adam double axe handle. Virg headbutts Bam but hurts himself. Bam eye rakes Virg. Bam tries to gorilla press slam him but Virg falls on him. Adam is then held for shots from Macho as Virgil punches Bam several times.

Sgt. Slaughter is next in, making his return to the WWF. Adam Bomb is dumped over the top by Sarge, Scott and Bob. Adam Bomb is eliminated.

Macho double axe handles Sarge. Sarge hits punches on him and bangs Macho's head off the buckles. Sarge's head is banged off the post by Macho. Macho running double axe handles Samu. Samu hits a dropkick on Macho. Crush is next in.

Crush clubs on Macho as expected and chokes him. Crush backbreakers him. Crush headbutts Scott down and throws him out. Scott Steiner is eliminated. Crush punches Macho in the ribs. Bob has multiple people trying to toss him. Macho eye rakes Crush. Sarge is thrown into the buckles chest first. Macho and Crush fight outside.

Macho's top rope dive is caught by Crush inside. Mabel is next in. Crush throws Macho out. "Macho Man" Randy Savage is eliminated.

Mabel clubs on Bam. Bam tries to throw Crush over the top but Crush rolls him and grabs the ropes. Bam goes out. Bam Bam Bigelow is eliminated.

Mabel clubs on Crush then eye rakes him. Virgil and Samu duke it out. Crush whips Sarge into the buckles chest first and Sarge goes out. Sgt. Slaughter is eliminated.

Jim Powers is next in. He hits shots on Mabel and hits boots to the gut. Mabel clubs him then holds him in the air for a choke. Mabel corner splashes Jim Powers and throws him out. Jim Powers is eliminated.

Crush chokes Bob. Mabel drops Virgil then legdrops him. Samu superkicks Mabel then spin kicks him in the face. Virg boots Mabel in the gut. Bastion Booger is next in. Booger clubs on Mabel and 5 people try to dump Mabel out. Virgil and Bob help and they go out too. Mabel, Virgil and Bob Backlund are eliminated.

Booger hits chest shots on Crush and headbutts him. Samu clubs Booger. Booger poses then Crush throws Booger out. Bastion Booger is eliminated.

Cruh and Samu are currently the only 2 men in the ring. They test strength. Bushwhacker Luke is next in. Samu headbutts Luke down. Samu charges at Luke, Luke ducks and Samu's head is stuck in the ropes. Luke sends Samu out. Samu is eliminated.

Crush lariats Luke. Luke eye pokes him. Crush superkicks Luke out. Bushwhacker Luke is eliminated.

Crush is by himself in the ring. Owen Hart is next in. He thesz presses Crush and clubs on him. Owen hits punches and a dropkick. Owen lariats him and spinning heel kicks him. Crush pop-up drops him. Crush legdrops him then backbreakers him.

Rick Martel is next in. He club on Owen and punches him. Crush nails Rick on a failed double team. Owen top rope dropkicks Crush and lariats Rick under the top rope. Crush atomic drops Owen. Owen takes a double lariat. Owen fights off a double team. 

Bret Hart is next in. The 4 pair off and fight. Owen hits corner spears on Rick. Crush's head is banged off the buckles. Bret hits elbow drops and punches on Crush. Rick tries to dump Owen over the top. Crush hits kicks to the body on Bret and elbows him in the back. 

Crush eye rakes Bret. Bret hits him in the gut. Crush thinks he has Bret out and turns around. Bret dropkicks him and sends him out. Crush is eliminated.

Irwin R. Schyster is next in. IRS bangs Bret's head off the buckles. Bret hits headbutts on IRS. Rick works Owen on the top rope. Bret blocks IRS' elimination. Bret then punches Rick. Owen sends Rick to the apron.

Johnny Polo is next in. Bret hits punches on Polo. Rick hits Owen off the buckles. Owen sends Polo gut first into the buckles then atomic drops him. Bret hangs on from being eliminated and Owen comes to save him.

Scott Putski is next in. He hits shots on IRS then hits corner spears. Bret hiptosses Polo. Polo hangs from the top rope. Putski punches Polo. Rick stomps Owen. Rick 2nd rope double axe handles Bret.

Headshrinker Fatu is next in. Fatu hits Bret in the gut and hedbutts him. Fatu chops Bret in the throat. Rick comes off the buckles and is hit by Owen. Owen saves Bret from elimination. Owen hits punches on Polo. Putski hits mounted corner punches on Rick. Fatu superkicks Owen down.

Marty Jannetty is next in. He hits shots on Polo then knee lifts him. Fatu catapults Bret's throat into the ropes. Bret hits Rick in the gut and head. Owen jumps off the top and hits IRS. Polo misses an elbow drop on Marty. Rick hangs off the bottom rope outside. 

Bart Gunn is next in. Fatu drops him with an uppercut and bangs his head off the buckles. MJ 2nd rope punches IRS. Owen, Bret and Fatu are all in danger in different parts of the ring. Bart step up enzugiri's Polo. 

Shawn Michaels is next in. Marty and Shawn go at it and trade lots of shots. MJ flurries on him. Shawn atomic drops him and punches him. Shawn then eye rakes him. Shawn elbows Marty in the head. Marty superkicks Shawn and tries to dump him over the top. Fatu breaks it up.  Marty is held for shots from Shawn. 

Doink the Clown is next in. He fights Fatu. Polo pushes Owen from behind and ends up on the apron. Polo goes up top, gets hit and is out. Johnny Polo is eliminated.

A Headshrinker back body drops Putski over the top. Scott Putski is eliminated. 

Owen uppercuts Shawn. IRS back body drops Rick out. Rick Martel is eliminated.

Shanw sends Owen to the apron. Owen has Shawn hanging over the top. Owen stomps Shawn and tries to force him out with his boot. Doink suplexes Bart over the top. Bart Gunn is eliminated.

Shawn lariats Doink over the top. Doink the Clown is eliminated.

IRS forearms Bret down. Bret atomic drops IRS out. Irwin R. Schyster is eliminated.

The final four are Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Fatu and Owen Hart. Shawn ends up playing on the top and Owen kicks him. Shawn gets crotched up top and Owen makes him ride the ropes. Fatu superkicks Bret down. Shawn puts Owen in tree of woe and foot chokes him. Bret has Fatu upside down and Shawn throws Bret out. Bret Hart is eliminated.

Shawn tries to work with Fatu. Owen is double teamed in the corner. Owen flying double lariats the heels. Owen dropkicks Shawn. Owen bangs the heels heads together. Fatu eye rakes Owen. 

Owen takes a superkick into a spinebuster. Razor Ramon comes out and taunts Shawn from the aisle. Shawn gets on the 2nd rope. Owen spinning heel kicks Fatu, Fatu falls into Shawn and sends him out. Shawn Michaels is eliminated.

The last two are Owen Hart and Fatu. Razor and Shawn fight outside to the back. The 2nd rope has broken. Owen chokes Fatu with it. Samu comes back out to ringside. Fatu backbreakers Owen then headbutt drops him. Fatu throws Owen over the top and Owen lands on the apron. Fatu celebrates and Owen hits punches on him. Owen hits corner spears. Owen throws Fatu to the apron and Fatu slips back in.

Owen hits mounted corner punches on Fatu and Fatu hits him low. Bret Hart comes out. Fatu superkicks Owen. Fatu hits punches on Owen then running lariats him. Fatu headbutt drops him. Fatu misses a corner spear and goes into the buckles. Owen top rope diving headbutts Fatu. Fatu backbreakers Owen. 

Fatu goes up top and Owen crotches him up there. Fatu falls over and Owen lariats him. Fatu kind of throws himself out and Owen dropkicks him. Owen Hart wins the match. 

Thoughts: It was a long Royal Rumble at 70:06. Owen winning was a surprise especially since he had been having some troubles lately. I don't think it was the best booked Rumble. The big threats like Diesel and Adam Bomb were gone in the first half of this. It took a while for the ring to get filled up, it got emptied then it took a bit to fill it up again. I liked that they followed up on Marty/Shawn, Razor/Shawn and Crush/Macho. They did try to put Crush over some here. They also had a bit of filler here with Jim Powers, Sgt. Slaughter and Scott Putski being in this. It was an average Rumble. We mostly just got punches and boots and that was only so exciting. 

Overall thoughts: It was a longer show. The finish on Borga/Steiner sucked but it wasn't that bad otherwise. Jarrett/Razor was a slower and decent bout. Yoko/Tatanka was a lazy match. The tag title match had some good work in it and a rare surprise house show title change that was referenced on Raw. The main was a 70 minute long house show Royal Rumble. The match was average and Owen beating Fatu in the end wasn't exactly the finish I had in mind. 

The local fans got a treat here as they ended up seeing Borga's last WWF match, a rare house show title change and a Royal Rumble. You definitely have to give them an "A" for the card here. I would give this show a 6 out of 10 as it was a rare noteworthy house show and the gave out one of the biggest matches of the year on a show. I would say it was okay overall.