From Madison Square Garden in New York, NY on February 23, 1992
Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan & Lord Alfred Hayes
Championship’s roll call: WWF Champion: Ric Flair Intercontinental Champion: Roddy Piper… Tag Team Champions: Money, Inc.
This is from WWE Old School and I used to have this on VHS tape, recorded it when it first aired.
“Jumping” Jim Brunzell vs. The Berzerker: Mr. Fuji is missing from the Berzerker’s corner; Brunzell nails Berzerker with a monkey flip at the bell. For those of you newcomers to pro wrestling, the Berzerker was the Viking gimmick of John Nord, who had a helmet, shield and sword. I believe one of the Undertaker’s first babyface feuds was against the Berzerker when he tries to skewer him with his sword on WWF Wrestling Challenge. Brunzell hits an atomic drop but runs into a big boot in the corner. Berzerker “husses” at the crowd; Brunzell drags Berzerker to the floor and wraps his legs around the ringpost. Back in the ring, Berzerker hits a low head-butt and boots Brunzell back to the floor and tosses him into the steel steps. It is amazing Brunzell hung on in the WWF for so long. Back in the ring, Berzerker applies a front facelock; Jumping Jim frees himself and slaps on a sleeper hold. Berzerker rams him in the corner backwards and applies a reverse chinlock. Brunzell fights out but runs into an elbow and gets stomped. Brunzell starts to kick at the legs causing the Berzerker to land in splits. Gorilla Monsoon segues into the Rockettes and then reminisces about WrestleMania I (full review, click here), where the Rockettes danced with Liberace. Berzerker tosses Brunzell to the floor, again; he drags him back into the ring and hits a flying shoulder block. He clubbers on Brunzell but misses a big boot and Jim connects with a high knee. Brunzell continues with his eighties offense, ringing the bell, and then connects with his dropkick. He tries a crossbody but the Berzerker catches him with a falling powerslam for three. 2/10 Berzerker’s matches were always totally disorganized by design, which does not make it any better on the score.
Bushwhackers vs. Nasty Boys (w/Jimmy Hart): Oy, this is not going to be good. Everyone stalls try to get reactions from the crowd, which goes on FOREVER. Finally the Whackers bite the Nastys on their asses and hit double stomps. They clear the ring and Bushwhacker Bounce around; they even grab some kid’s sign and parade it around the ring. Knobbs finally starts off the match proper, five minutes in, and peppers Butch in the corner. He comes back with a bulldog and then Luke comes in and they double team both Nasty Boys. Saggs tags and Luke hammers on him. Knobbs trips up Luke from the floor and they work him over on the floor. Knobbs undoes the tag rope and chokes Luke with it on the floor. Luke finally reenters the ring and Saggs drops forearms onto him; Knobbs tags and they hit an assisted elbow drop for two. Knobbs misses a splash in the corner but Saggs cuts off the tag; Butch distracts the referee whilst the Nastys double choke Luke in their corner. Luke actually hits a sunset flip but only gets two; more Butch referee distracting leads to more double teaming. Saggs comes in and gets a nearfall and then applies a chinlock. Luke fights back and a false tag spot occurs; more double teaming, it’s just punching though. Knobbs gets another nearfall and applies a chinlock. This is a boring match. Saggs returns and hits a legdrop. They continue to draw Butch into the ring and yadda yadda yadda happens. Knobbs misses a second-rope move and FINALLY the tag is made. Butch levels them with elbows, Luke, who has had a sufficient ten seconds to recover, is back in there, and they ram the Nastys together. They hit double double-clotheslines and then the Battering Ram to Knobbs. Jimmy Hart tosses the bell to Saggs who waffles Butch with it and gets the three count. 1.5/10 Oy, just as bad as I figured it would be.
Chris Walker vs. The Warlord: Walker is a local jobber who looks like Tarzan; he is even wearing an animal print singlet. They lock up and the Warlord pushes him around; Walker tries a go-behind but the Warlord pries himself free. Walker tries a standing headlock and wrenches it; Warlord pushes him off so Walker tries a crossbody but he gets caught and dropped. Warlord misses an elbow drop and Walker clubbers away; he tries dome clotheslines and dropkicks and finally knocks the Warlord down and out. Warlord suckers him into a test of strength and boots him in the gut. Warlord yells at his forearm and then nails Walker with it. Walker slips over the back and tires an O’Connor roll but Warlord hangs onto the ropes; Walker charges and gets backdropped to the floor. The Warlord hits some clubbering forearms on the apron; Walker then finally tries a slingshot sunset flip but the Warlord punches him. Gorilla Monsoon complains about Walker’s strategy, which is getting his ass kicked. Warlord chokes him against the ropes and then decides to apply a chinlock? In a prelim squash match? The referee checks the arm and Walker gets a comeback… actually, he doesn’t, he just runs into a big boot. The Warlord has slowed the pace to boring speed and continues his exciting offense of forearms and rope chokes. ANOTHER CHINLOCK? The previous match was actually better and it had the Bushwhackers in it! Walker finally catches him with a boot in the corner and hits a trio of second-rope double axe handles and then a top-rope crossbody for two. Walker tries a hurracanrana but Warlord blocks and powerbombs him for three. 1/10 I’m surprised Walker did not receive more of a look in the WWF (although this match is not a good barometer), he has that Vince McMahon look, perhaps he was not motivated or something. Although he looks a lot like Kerry Von Erich so perhaps the WWF did not want people to confuse them. This match was terrible and a long boring squash.
Hercules vs. Sid Justice (w/Dr. Harvey Wippleman): This is a heel versus heel match, although they treat Herc as a babyface, even giving him his old babyface music. This match was signed before Sid turned on Hulk Hogan and want crazy, therefore Hercules would have been a heel. Sid cuts a pre-match promo complaining about “stinkin’ cowards”. He calls Herc a coward and then allows him to leave unharmed. Sid turns his back, but Herc attacks him, Sid heads to the floor. He immediately catches Hercules with a stacked powerbomb upon reentry and gets three. 3/10 I love Sid. The match was just there to get Sid over as a monster.
“Rowdy” Roddy Piper vs. Repo Man: Piper is the IC champion but I do not think it is on the line here, Howard Finkel did not announce it as such. Pre-match, Repo hugs some lady ringside and steals her watch; Piper comes out and the lady tells him that Repo stole her watch. Piper asks Gorilla Monsoon what’s going on here; he tells him that the watch was stolen. Piper sneaks up from behind and whips Repo Man with his belt and then clotheslines him with it. Repo tries an inverted atomic drop on Piper, which never works, and it doesn’t here as Piper pokes him in the eyes. Piper uses his Golden Gloves fisticuffs and knocks him to the floor. Repo was probably my favorite Wresltecrap gimmick of all time. Repo gets distracted on the floor by the lady he stole the watch from; Piper drops off the apron with a sledge. He finally gets the advantage and posts Piper on the floor; they continue to battle there. Repo gets a rope-assisted swinging neckbreaker and nails Piper off the ropes. Repo tries a backdrop but Piper floats over into the sleeper hold. Repo Man makes the ropes and tries to use his tow rope he brings to the ring with him. Referee Earl Hebner grabs it before he can use it. What follows next is classic. Hebner drops the half of the tow rope with the hook on it, Piper snags it, while Hebner isn’t looking, and nails Repo with it. How the referee did not notice or feel the tug on the rope is beyond me. Piper DROPS AN ELBOW and covers for three. Post-match, Piper checks Repo’s entrance trench coat and finds the watch and gives it back to the lady. 4/10 Classic Piper match, nothing special, I like the little storyline with the watch; just something extra for the fans in attendance and gives the match a little more fuel as opposed to “just another house show” match.
We are at intermission… Lord Alfred Hayes interviews Ric Flair about the upcoming battle royal. Flair says no sweat because he won the 1992 Royal Rumble and the WWF title (full review, click here). Woooo! Roddy Piper is up next and loves Alfred, as one of his heroes as a child. Piper complains about getting nothing for the battle royal and says he is “too legit to quit”. Hulk Hogan, who still calls him “Awful Alfred”, and says he is coming for Flair and the Charles Manson-like Sid Justice tonight, Hogan declares Flair is not in his league. O-kay.
British Bulldog vs. Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer): Here is another match with two babyfaces, but Taker had turned babyface about a week prior on Saturday Night’s Main Event, protecting Randy Savage and Elizabeth from a chairshot from Jake Roberts; so he was a heel “when the match was signed”. Undertaker attacks at the bell and chokes Davey Boy in the corner; Taker misses a corner charge so the Bulldog clotheslines him to the floor. He lands on his feet, as usual, and snaps Davey’s throat against the top rope. Taker nails Davey and chokes him against the bottom rope. Bulldog comes back with a kick to cut off a backdrop; he tries the vertical suplex but Taker shifts his weight and lands on top of Davey. Taker chokes some more, on the mat and in the corner, as the MSG crowd is silent. Bulldog tries to come back again with about six head-butts and a dropkick, no-sold, Taker reverses a whip and hammer-tosses him into the corner. Undertaker mounts the corner for punches but Davey Boy runs him into the other corner; Taker no-sells it and casually floors him with an uppercut. Taker misses a high elbow drop and the Bulldog fires back and finally hits the delayed Bulldog suplex but Taker sits up. Undertaker comes back with a sloppy Stungun and gets a three count. 3.5/10 Early Undertaker matches were terribly boring because all he did was choke, no-sell and Tombstone (but not here, for some reason).
Big Bossman vs. “The Model” Rick Martel: Martel sprays Gorilla Monsoon with his Arrogance cologne on his way into the ring and then grabs the microphone to tell the NYC crowd that they have no class. Martel backs him into the corner and slaps him off the clean break and runs away. Bossman chases him around the ring but Martel is too fast. Back in the ring, Martel applies a standing front facelock and switches to a choke hold when the referee turns away. Bossman lifts Martel onto the top rope and threatens to slap him but Earl Hebner stops him, I guess because Martel is in the ropes. Martel tries an O’Connor roll but Bossman holds the ropes; Bossman recovers with a bunch of bodyslams sending Martel to the floor again. Martel goads him to chase around the ring but it does not work because he catches him with a hiplock and armbar when they reenter the ring. Martel fires him off into the buckles but misses a running elbow and the Bossman reapplies an arm wringer. This goes on for a while, as the Bossman works the arm and fingers, bending them awkwardly. Bossman grabs a handful of Martel’s ass? That was uncomfortable. Martel fires him off into the ropes and leapfrogs but the Bossman quickly recovers and nails him with an uppercut. He tosses Martel into the buckles a few times. This is really tedious. Bossman finally misses an avalanche in the corner. Martel lands a nice back suplex for two; Martel puts the boots to the back and applies a double reverse chinlock. The crowd tries to rally the Bossman but Martel maintains the hold. Bossman eventually gets up with Martel on his back and rams him into the buckles; Martel recovers first and drops a second-rope sledge to the back. Bossman sneaks in an inside cradle for a quick two. Martel continues the back work with a backbreaker and then heads to the top, the Bossman shakes the ropes, crotching him in the corner. Bossman begins his comeback with a big backdrop and hits the slide-under-the-ropes uppercut. He almost wiped out Hebner but a nice vertical leap by the referee cleared the Bossman. Martel grabs his atomizer and tries to squirt the Bossman kicks it to the floor. The Bossman retrieves it and threatens to squirt the referee, meanwhile the Model grabs the nightstick and waffles the Bossman with it in the back for the neck, while the Bossman and referee are fighting over the atomizer; Martel gets a pinfall. 2/10 Long boring match that was all rest holds and a screwy finish.
The Berzerker, British Bulldog, “The Model” Rick Martel, Hercules, Bushwhacker Luke, Bushwhacker Butch, Skinner, Repo Man, The Warlord, Chris Walker, Kato, “Jumping” Jim Brunzell, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, Brian Knobbs, Jerry Saggs, Undertaker, Big Bossman, Sid Justice, Ric Flair & Hulk Hogan 20-man battle royal: Bushwhacker Butch has his ribs heavily taped. Repo argues with the lady he stole the watch from; nice continuity, there. Each wrestler gets his own entrance; Gorilla Monsoon complains about “parts unknown” on the Warlord’s entrance graphic, bringing up a few valid points, “you mean to tell me we don’t know where this guy is from? He doesn’t have a social security number or a passport?” He then complains, that we know who all of these guys are, why do all of these separate intros? Gorilla must be either double parked or incredibly bored. The bell finally rings and Hogan and Justice battle in the center of the ring. Flair decided to wear yellow trunks, which I guess as a big “fuck you” to Hogan at the Garden. Sid and Hogan battle on the floor. Taker chokes Saggs in the corner; Bossman and Martel continue their battle. Taker and Hogan have a stare down. No one eliminated, everyone just flailing around. Piper almost gets Sid out so he grabs Harvey Wippleman’s doctor’s bag and waffles him with it. Butch, the injured Bushwhacker, gets ELIMINATED off camera for the first elimination. Hogan winds up on the floor with the Nastys battling. Hogan and Flair fight in the corner. Berzerker misses a run across the ring charge (which never works in battle royals) and gets ELIMINATED by Hogan. Skinner is tossed by Piper and is ELIMINATED; Roddy then ELIMINATES Kato. Brunzell rams Repo Man and Martel together. Martel ELIMINATES Brunzell. Hogan backdrops Hercules out, ELIMINATING him; Bossman runs Martel across the ring to ELIMINATE him. Piper nearly eliminates the Undertaker; Hogan has Flair in a fireman’s carry but Saggs saves him. Hogan then ELIMINATES Saggs. Piper mounts Flair in the corner and ten-punches him; Taker ELIMINATES Luke. The Warlord ELIMINATES Chris Walker, or Johnny Walker, according to Bobby Heenan. Hogan and the Warlord have a test of strength; Sid misses a corner charge but recovers, falling on Knobbs, and ramming his face into the mat several times. The Bulldog and Hogan team up to nearly toss the Warlord. Piper, doing some damage in this battle royal, ELIMINATES both Flair and Repo Man, freaking Heenan out. Sid charges Piper from behind and ELIMINATES Roddy. Heenan over-counts the remaining guys in the ring and believes there are thirty-eight guys left. Funny. Bobby was great when he got bored during these MSG house shows. Knobbs tries to eliminate Hogan, that goes as well as you’d think, he does not get eliminated, but does spend months on Hulk’s couch. Sid lowers the boom on Hogan; Taker misses a clothesline and the Bossman takes advantage, ELIMINATING him. The Bossman bashes the crap out of the Warlord. Davey Boy nearly gets Sid out but he counters and ELIMINATES the Bulldog. Knobbs continues to try to toss Hogan so Hulk says, “enough of this shit,” and boots Knobbs out, ELIMINATING him. The final four in this battle royal are Hogan, Sid, the Bossman and the Warlord. Hogan ELIMINATES the Warlord, as Sid ELIMINATES the Bossman, leaving Hogan and Justice as the final two. The fans explode as Justice gets a knee into his gut and works over Hulk while simultaneously trying to quiet the crowd. Hogan begins his comeback off a missed charge. He mounts the buckles on Justice and pounds on him. Referee Earl Hebner, for some reason, is in the ring pulling Hogan off the turnbuckle. Justice nails Hogan and accidentally wipes out the referee. Sid then officially knocks out the referee. Gorilla just realizes that the referee is not supposed to be there. Hogan tosses Justice to the floor; the referee, the one referee for the battle royal (there are usually three) did not see Justice go out. Hogan tries to revive the referee; meanwhile, Sid nails him with the doctor’s bag from behind and rolls Hogan under the bottom to the floor. Sid wakes up the referee and tells him he ELIMINATED Hogan; the idiot referee BELIEVES him and declares him the winner. Post-match, Hogan complains to the Hebner about his idiotic decision. 5.5/10 Silly ending aside; it was a basic battle royal.
Gorilla Monsoon gets some words in with Hulk Hogan who calls Sid Justice (and Ric Flair) a coward, brother! Hogan wants a tag match with Justice and Flair and he feels that Roddy Piper should be his tag partner.
OVERALL 2.5/10 Nothing special show; I enjoyed it when it originally aired because I like battle royals. They had a bunch of good workers on the show like Flair, entertaining wrestlers like Hogan in the battle royal but are not even booked to wrestle singles matches. The in-ring part of the show sucked by the way.
