WWF 1993

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

*click*

Another stupid RAW in the books. More of the utter crap that is Eugene being force-fed down my throat. More of that horrible Lita/Matt Hardy/Kane love triangle and the demon-infested womb. And don't even get me started on SmackDown. The cruiserweights could be so much more...Bradshaw should be so much less...and so on. Where did the WWE go wrong? It was with the Invasion, I think. They could have done it SO much better. But they didn't. Why? Because they had to bury WCW talents as revenge for WCW winning the Monday Night Wars. Would that have happened if the WWF had been the number one promotion throughout the 90s? No! When did they begin to slip? It was around 1994/1995. So, if I could travel back in time to, say, 1993, I could warn Vince McMahon about what was to happen.

Luckily, I had recently picked up a time machine for ten bucks at a flea market. I jumped in, and set the dial to October 6th, 1992 (I was hoping for January 1, 1993, but I didn't feel like calibrating the dial further.)

As planned, I arrived right in Vince's office, and he was there. He noticed me materializing, raised an eyebrow, and then muttered a phrase I didn't think I'd hear.

Vince: Oh, great, another time traveller.

Another one? What did that mean?

Ryan (that's me): Another one? You mean there's been other time travellers visiting you?

Vince: Oh, yes. Strange. They usually come on New Year's Day, though. Not in the middle of October. I wonder why.

Those "other ones" must be other EWBers, writing their EWR diaries. Always wondered how they got back in time like that.

Vince: And I'm proud to say I never used any ideas from any of them! One of those who visited me this year had this huge plan in mind...I should give The Mountie the world title...push The Berzerker...it was terrible!

Ryan: Well, you'll be glad to know that the advice I'm here to offer you does NOT contain any of those bizarre plans. In fact, I just have a couple of generalities to give you.

Vince: Good. What are they?

Ryan: For one, you should book your stars against your other stars ON TV.

Vince: But then nobody will buy the pay-per-views!

Ryan: No, because you tease them. You don't give clean finishes to the matches everyone wants to see. Title matches end in DQs. Interference. Cheating. It will work well.

Vince: Okay, fine. What's your other big idea?

Ryan: Do not hire a man named Paul Levesque. He will manipulate you backstage into believing that he should be champ, even though it will turn off fans. He will sleep with your daughter.

Vince: Are you kidding? I would NEVER allow Stephanie to date a wrestler!

Ryan: Oh, you will. Just don't hire him.

Vince: Well, I have a plane to catch. Go back to your own time now.

Ryan: Okay.

I turn to the time machine.

Ryan: SHIT!

Vince: What is it?

Ryan: This stupid time machine only goes backwards! Not forwards! I'm stuck in 1992!

Vince: Looks like you got yourself a crappy time machine, kid.

I thought it was pretty good that I had a time machine at all. But since Javert and other EWBers had them too, maybe not. Either way, I'm stuck in late 1992, and Vince McMahon's probably not to help me out! What will I do?

Edited July 15, 2004 by ryan_the_canuck

[Benji]

LoL, that was one heck of a backstory, I hope your shows are as amusing as that man, if so you got a reader ^_^

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

It felt like an eternity had passed, but it had really just been five seconds.

Ryan: Well?

Vince: Well what?

Ryan: Aren't you going to offer me a booking job?

Vince: Why would I do that?

Ryan: Well, the other time-travellers all seemed to end up with them...

Vince: Okay. We'll play it your way. Do you have any writing experience?

Ryan: Not professionally, no.

Vince: Any experience with wrestling other than watching it from the perspective of a fan?

Ryan: No.

Vince: Does the name Chris Klucsaritis mean anything to you?

Ryan: Uh, no.

Vince: Well, you have no television experience, no writing experience, no wrestling experience, and you don't know who Chris Klucsaritis is. And I'm supposed to make you part of the booking team?

Ryan: All right, all right, it was a dumb idea. But still...hey, who is Chris Klucsaritis anyhow?

Vince: He's an indy wrestler. I'm thinking of hiring him. But if you don't know who he is, he's not going to be that much of a success.

Ryan: I guess not. I know you're busy...but I'm in a different decade here. Is there anything AT ALL you can do for me?

Vince: I have to catch a flight to Calgary in two hours. But before I leave, I want to make some phone calls. Sit outside, and I'll talk to you when I'm done.

Ryan: Sure thing.

So Vince might be able to help me after all. But he won't give me a writing job, and I can't wrestle, so what am I going to do? And why the fuck did he want to know who Chris Klucsaritis is? (I just figured it out, it's Kanyon.)

Edited July 16, 2004 by ryan_the_canuck

[Nick Adams]

This borders on Showtime's level of hilarity...

Oh, wait, this is EWB...nobody's heard of Showtime, have they?

Anyway, it's definitely a good background story. It makes the entire time travel thing more logical, and far more hilarious.

Still, I can see it now...

Chris: "Who betta' than Klucsaritis?"

Opponent: "Who?"

Chris: "Nobody!"

Opponent: "No, who are you?"

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

So I'm sitting outside in Mr. McMahon's office. I'm staring somewhat at Sophie, his secretary. There's a few posters around, nothing too special. Sophie's intercom cracks.

Vince on intercom: Sophie, send him in.

Sophie: Okay, Mr. McMahon.

Sophie turned to me.

Sophie: You can go in now.

I figure that Donald Trump isn't exactly a household name right now, so I let that pass without comment. I walk into the room.

Vince: Well, Ryan, I've got some good news.

Ryan: I've never told you my name, Vince. How'd you know it?

Vince: Look down.

I look down. Apparently I'm wearing one of those "Hello, my name is ____" nametags. Sheepishly, I take it off, before deciding to leave it on.

Ryan: So what did you say about good news?

Vince: Well, I can't offer you a job. But I do leave in two hours for Calgary, with the entire roster.

Ryan: Calgary?

Vince: We have a house show there. I was going to invite two local wrestlers to fly with us and wrestle some tryout matches, but one of them - Nelson Knight - has come down with the flu. Dale Torborg, however, is coming with us. But because Nelson has the flu, I can give you his ticket. I don't know if it'll help, but at least it'll get you some food, and maybe we can work something out there.

Ryan: Thanks a lot!

Vince: Don't sweat it. Now get out of here before I change my mind.

Well, things might be looking up. I can go to Calgary...I've got some relatives out there. If I can convince them that I'm really me, maybe I can get some help. But best of all...I'm on a plane fight with the WWF superstars of late 1992! Randy Savage! Bret Hart! Hulk Hogan! The Berzerker!

Edited July 16, 2004 by ryan_the_canuck

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

So, here I am on the plane. Being the new guy, I get a middle seat. Iron Mike Sharpe, not exactly a big name in the biz, is on my left. Ross Greenberg, also a jobber, is on my left.

Mike: So, I hear you're getting a tryout.

I don't want to let more people than necessary in on my story, so I decide to play a long.

Ryan: Yeah, I've done a few indies.

Ross: What's your name?

Ryan: Ry--ring name or real name?

Ross: Ring.

Ryan: Usually I go by Ryan Ramjet, the American Patriot.

Mike: You realize that you'll have to change your gimmick for the tryout, right?

Ryan: What do you mean?

Ross: Well, you're wrestling as a heel.

Ryan: Vince didn't tell me much. Who am I wrestling against?

Mike: It's the two of you, you and that Torborg guy, doing the job to High Energy.

Shit. Not only do I now have to find some lame excuse for not wrestling, but I'm supposed to wrestle Owen Hart in his hometown! But I'm not a wrestler! What am I going to do? Just then, the plane intercom crackles.

Intercom: Could passengers Sharpe, Greenberg, Riggins, Gill, Ruth, and Hardy please report to the first-class cabin?

Hardy? Oh, right. I was looking for Matt or Jeff. It's just Barry. I wonder what Vince wants with his favourite jobbers. Just then, I notice that I'm not sitting alone for long, my scheduled opponent, Owen Hart, has joined me.

Owen: I hear we're supposed to be working together.

Ryan: Yeah, we're supposed to be.

Owen: So, what's your gimmick? What moves do you like to use? I want this to be a great match, since it's my hometown!

Great. How do I get out of this jam, now?

(Backstory is ALMOST over.)

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

So, to recap. I've travelled back in time to the year 1993, and am stuck in the past, with no hope of getting back to the present. Vince McMahon is aware of this, and has provided me with a free plane trip to Calgary, where I'll hopefully be able to convince some relatives of who I am. Unfortunately, I'm supposedly taking on Owen Hart at the WWF house show, but I have no wrestling training!

Ryan: Well, Owen...I'm not really a wrestler. I don't know any better way to put this...I'm a time traveller from the year 2004.

Owen: A time traveller? Hey, great!

Ryan: Great? What do you mean, Great?

Owen: I talked to another one back in August. He told me to make sure I didn't walk to the ring at a show in 1999 called Over the Edge...apparently a hole will open up in the floor, and I'll plummet to my death...but now that I know that, and DON'T walk to the ring, everything's fine, right?

Shit.

Ryan: Well...Owen...let me put it...this way...whenever someone in the mainstream media thinks of wrestling, your name is one of the first to come up.

Owen: Oh, that's a relief. I'm glad I'll be okay.

Ryan: Other problem...I'm not a wrestler.

Owen: Hmm. That is a problem. Does anyone else know that you're a time traveller?

Ryan: Vince does. I'm hoping I don't have to tell too many people.

Owen: Okay...it's scheduled to be a tag match, right? Let me talk to Vince...I'll see what I can do.

Ryan: Boy, I'd really appreciate it.

Owen: Hey, no problem. Now, from what you told me, you're stuck here in 1993, right?

Ryan: Yeah.

Owen: And you're a big wrestling fan?

Ryan: Yep. Why?

Owen: I might be able to help you at least get on your feet in this era...I'll have to talk to some people in Calgary, but I'll see what I can do.

Ryan: Thanks a lot. Really.

Owen: I'm sure you'd do the same for me if the roles were reversed.

Well, things are looking up. Not only is Owen Hart going to try and get me out of the match, he's going to get me a job...or something...

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

After we arrived in Calgary, I met with Owen and Vince in Vince's hotel suite. We spent nearly four hours in there, discussing possible scenarios. At the end, though, there was only one option that would:

i) protect my lack of wrestling ability, since everyone assumed I was a wrestler

ii) not shake up the card too much, and

iii) give the fans their money's worth

What was that option? No, I'm not going to spoil it for you. You're the guys who are to blame for Vince not being more impressed with my travels through time. Besides, you'll find out later in this post.

Also, I asked Vince, out of curiosity, what he wanted with the jobbers during that flight. He responded by saying, without hesitation, that he was firing all of them, effective December 31st. Afa, too.

Good for me. I had just found ANOTHER way to screw up the space-time continuum. It almost makes me hope I never get back to 2004, just so I never see the changes that have occurred because of me. So far, I've pointed the WWF in a new direction, and caused job losses for six talented wrestlers, plus Iron Mike Sharpe.

That night was the WWF house show in Calgary. The opener was supposed to be me and Dale Torborg teaming up to take on High Energy. With our changes, though, which we never fully explained to either Dale or Koko, it was changed to Koko B. Ware vs. Dale Torborg, with me in Dale's corner. Koko got the win cleanly, but Dale and I double-teamed him afterwards, leading to an Owen Hart run-in (to a huge pop, I might add), and an 'impromptu match' between us.

Obviously, the match wasn't a classic, but Owen worked really hard and made it work. I wouldn't even call it ONE OF the worst matches of his career. I couldn't take any big bumps, so there were a lot of submissions, kicks and punches, but Owen picked up the win in 2:14.

After the show, Owen waved me over.

Owen: Ryan, come here. I'd like you to meet my brother Bruce.

Ryan: Pleased to meet you, Bruce.

Bruce Hart: Same here, Ryan. That was quite the match you had.

Ryan: Thanks.

At that, someone yelled 'Bruce!', and Bruce quickly ran over to talk to him for a minute. I was glad for this interruption, as it enabled me to ask Owen how much he had told Bruce.

Ryan: Hey, Owen, how much have you told Bruce?

Owen: You're an unsuccessful indy wrestler. You don't have that much talent, and you realize it, but you're looking for a way to stay close to the business.

Hmm. Not even that far from the truth. Owen couldn't say any more, as Bruce was back.

Bruce: So, Owen here tells me that you're looking for a job in wrestling, but not actually wrestling. Is that true?

Ryan: Yeah, that just about sums it up. Why are you so interested?

Bruce: Well, Ryan, I'm interested in putting together a wrestling magazine. Not the normal magazine, where you see puff pieces on what Nick Bockwinkel's up to these days. Are you familiar at all with Dave Meltzer's Wrestling Observer?

Ryan: Some of my friends have shown me a couple copies of it.

Bruce: Well, I want a magazine like that. Give away the inside secrets from pro wrestling. But not a subscription-based magazine like the Observer. We are going to sell this in bookstores.

Ryan: Well, that's quite the plan. I hope you'll excuse me if you say I have me doubts.

Bruce: No, that's the beauty of it. I just needed one more reporter...everything else is set. Michael Landsberg of TSN is looking after the WCW end of things, one of Stu's former students, Chris Irvine, is doing a column about life working the independents, I'm editing, we've got a young reporter named Terry Donaldson looking after independent results, and all I need is someone to handle WWF news and rumours. Interested?

Ryan: Yeah, I am.

And that's how it happened. The Stampede Wrestling Digest will start publishing at the beginning of 1993, and I'll be there, covering the new-look WWF!

Edited July 21, 2004 by ryan_the_canuck

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

Stampede Wrestling Digest - WWF News and Rumors

January 8, 1993

Hello, readers of this, the inaugaral SWD! Normally in this space, you'd find a recap of WWF Monday Night Raw, and a much quicker recap of WWF Superstars, but we've decided to hold off of that until the next issue, because WWF Monday Night Raw debuts this coming Monday on the USA Network! According to SWD inside sources, Monday Night Raw will revolutionize the entire concept of televised wrestling, as for the first time, your favourite stars will face each other on television! So, anyhow, we had all this empty space and all, and nothing to do with it...so here is a quick overview of the WWF roster, with your writer's opinions of each wrestler.

Bam Bam Bigelow - (Midcard heel) - Bigelow is a big man. A really big man, and surprisingly agile for his size. That said, he still isn't all that great at moving around, and will not put on classics in the ring. According to SWD inside sources, there are no plans for a major push for Bam Bam.

Big Bossman - (Midcard face) - The Bossman is very similar to Bam Bam Bigelow, in that he is a big man of limited ring skills, and is not in line for a major push. However, things could change, and the Bossman definitely has the fans behind him if the WWF changes their minds.

Bob Backlund - (Midcard face) - Like the previous two wrestlers, Backlund is stuck in that midcard spot, where he's too good to job, but not a huge star. Unlike them, Backlund is an excellent ring technician, and our inside sources say that Backlund will at least have a match at an upcoming Pay Per View.

Bret Hart - (Main Event face) - Bret Hart is the current WWF Champion, and a good one at that. He won the belt from Ric Flair at WWF Survivor Series in November. According to our inside source, the WWF wants to legitimize Hart as one of the top stars in the business, and to do that, are planning on keeping the title on him until at least late 1993.

Brian Knobbs - (Midcard face) - Knobbs is one half of the Nasty Boys, teaming with longtime friend Jerry Saggs. The Nasty Boys are not very high in the tag team hierarchy, and will probably be jobbed out for a few months to more experience tag teams.

Butch - (Lower Midcard face) - Butch teams with his 'cousin' Luke to form the Bushwhackers, a fan-favorite yet undistinguised tag team. This is the one regular WWF tag team that is lower on the ladder than the Nasty Boys. Look for them to pick up wins on Superstars, and lose to the likes of Money Inc. on Monday Night Raw.

Crush - (Lower Midcard face) - Crush was formerly a member of Demolition, but has had an unspectacular career since its breakup. Although Crush is virtually a clone of Bam Bam Bigelow, WWF management is said to be high on him, and might be positioning him for a big push. Rumor has it that Crush is being looked at as a possible WrestleMania IX opponent for Shawn Michaels.

Earthquake - (Midcard face) - Earthquake teams with Typhoon as the Natural Disasters, yet another case of the WWF putting two terrible workers together in a good tag team. The Disasters are probably number two on the face tag team ladder, behind only the Steiner Brothers, and this could lead to some big wins.

Fatu - (Lower Midcard Heel) - Fatu teams with Samu to form The Headshrinkers. The Headshrinkers will have a lot of matches, mainly because they are the ONLY heel tag team other than the champions at the moment. Because of this, they will get some token wins, as well as doing the job to up-and-coming face teams. Although neither Headshrinker is that talented in the ring, Fatu probably has the least downside.

Harvey Wippleman - (Heel Manager) - Up until Survivor Series, Wippleman was the manager of Kamala, but Kamala was defeated by The Undertaker. Since then, the two have parted ways. Although Harvey has no current clients, he is a strong heel manager, and don't be surprised if he lands someone very soon...

Hulk Hogan - (Main Event Face) - Say what you will about this guy, he's still the top draw and biggest name in North American professional wrestling. His ring skills are, unfortunately, mediocre at best, but his natural charisma and presence more than makes up for it. Look for the WWF to put him in high-profile matches, but out of the title picture.

IRS - (Main Event Face) - Irwin R. Schyster is one half of the tag team champions, Money Inc., teaming with Ted DiBiase. IRS is definitely the lesser half of the team, but SWD's inside source tells us that that situation is about to change. IRS, while not at Bret Hart-like standards, is definitely competent in the ring.

Jack Tunney - (Non-Wrestling Face) - Tunney portrays the 'President of the WWF'. He is not anything special, but does not need to be, as he adequately performs his role of making occasional appearances. According to our inside source, Tunney's role will not change.

Jerry Lawler - (Midcard Heel) - Lawler, the former star of Memphis, is a solid performer in the WWF midcard ranks. Although not quite what he once was in the ring, he can still put on a decent show. His mic work remains exceptional, and the WWF plans to use it, according to our inside source, to help elevate new babyface stars.

Jerry Saggs - (Midcard Face) - Saggs is one half of the Nasty Boys, teaming with longtime friend Brian Knobbs. The Nasty Boys are not very high in the tag team hierarchy, and will probably be jobbed out for a few months to more experience tag teams.

Jim Duggan - (Upper Midcard Face) - Duggan might be the least talented wrestler on the WWF roster. Despite that, the WWF seems committed to trying to build him up as a legitimate star, and will probably keep trying at least until WrestleMania. One idea would be for the WWF to make use of Duggan's charisma as an announcer.

Jimmy Hart - (Heel Manager) - "The Mouth from the South" is probably the best manager in the WWF right now. Currently, he manages Money Inc. (the WWF Tag Team Champions) as well as The Mountie. The WWF does realize Hart's managerial brilliance, and supposedly has 'surprising plans' as far as new clients for him.

Kamala - (Midcard Heel) - The Ugandan Giant has parted ways with Harvey Wippleman, and it looks like that could spell doom for his career. The big man with the face-paint is not extremely gifted in the ring or on the mic, and will probably become just another jobber. Look for him in a bowling alley near you. Oh, wait, nobody gets that joke.

Lex Luger - (Main Event Heel) - The WWF is banking on this big, muscular, oaf to become the new top heel in the company. He does look impressive, and isn't that bad on the mic, but he cannot sell worth a damn, and isn't that skilled. Despite those problems, though, look for him to have a high-profile opponent, such as Hogan or Savage, at WrestleMania. He might even win the Royal Rumble and face off with Bret Hart for the WWF Championship.

Luke - (Lower Midcard Face) - Luke teams with his 'cousin' Butch to form the Bushwhackers, a fan-favorite yet undistinguised tag team. This is the one regular WWF tag team that is lower on the ladder than the Nasty Boys. Look for them to pick up wins on Superstars, and lose to the likes of Money Inc. on Monday Night Raw.

Marty Jannetty - (Midcard Face) - SDW's WWF inside source has revealed that the WWF is discontinuing the feud between Jannetty and Shawn Michaels. We will go over this in greater detail later on in this magazine. Jannetty is not quite up to par with his former partner in ring skills, although he is definitely in the top batch of WWF stars in-ring. Jannetty can also carry himself on the mic when necessary.

Mr. Fuji - (Heel Manager) - Mr. Fuji is the manager of Yokozuna. He is decent on the mic, and interferes when necessary, but is nothing spectacular.

Mr. Perfect - (Upper Midcard Face) - Mr. Perfect, despite the hype, is roughly as good in the ring as the current Jerry Lawler, or Ric Flair a few years from now, and not as charismatic as either. Still, the WWF has big plans for him, and he could be a force to be reckoned with as early as this summer.

Owen Hart - (Lower Midcard Face) - With the tag team of High Energy broken up (see our rumor department for the reason why), the WWF has no real use for Owen. Look for him to put over other talent, but get in a fair bit of offense, so that a push is believable when the time comes (it's soon).

Papa Shango - (Midcard Heel) - Shango is another barely talented type who would be better served in a tag team (obviously with a different gimmick). The difference is that the WWF is waiting for someone else who is as good on the mic, and they could become big players in the tag division.

Paul Bearer - (Face Manager) - Bearer manages the Undertaker, as only he can. For such a strange character, he does a good job.

Randy Savage - (Main Event Face) - Savage is one of the biggest names in wrestling right now, and the WWF is hoping for him to remain so for a long time, as he is somewhat talented in the ring. Even at his age, Savage is still a delight to watch, and one of the bright spots in the WWF.

Razor Ramon - (Upper Midcard Heel) - Razor is a star in the making, and the WWF realizes it. This man has some amazing technical ability, and the presence to back it up. Look for a huge push soon.

Repo Man - (Opener Heel) - The Repo Man is a victim of circumstance, really. He's stuck with a terrible gimmick - and he is trying to make it work - but it just simply cannot possibly succeed. He is not very talented on the mic, but can do a decent job in the ring.

Ric Flair - (Main Event Heel) - What can you say about this guy? He is possibly the best technical wrestler in the world, and also one of the most charasmatic. He is really a delight to watch. Look for him to continue at his current main event level for years to come.

Rick Martel - (Lower Midcard Heel) - Martel is a strong all-around wrestler, and works hard. He deserves a push, and the WWF has plans to push him, possibly in the very near future. His one drawback is a lack of mic skills, but a solid manager would definitely propel his rise to the top.

Rick Steiner - (Midcard Face) - Rick Steiner and his brother Scott team to form the Steiner Brothers, the current top babyface tag team in the WWF. Rick is overall the least talented of the two Steiners, although he is still better than much of the WWF's roster, both in the ring and on the mic.

Samu - (Lower Midcard Heel) - Samu teams with Fatu to form The Headshrinkers. The Headshrinkers will have a lot of matches, mainly because they are the ONLY heel tag team other than the champions at the moment. Because of this, they will get some token wins, as well as doing the job to up-and-coming face teams.

Scott Steiner - (Midcard Face) - Scott Steiner and his brother Rick team to form the Steiner Brothers, the current top babyface tag team in the WWF. Scott is overall the more talented of the two Steiners, bringing an excellent look, above-average mic skills, and some surprisingly good wrestling skills into the ring with him every night.

Shawn Michaels - (Upper Midcard Heel) - Shawn Michaels is the current WWF Intercontinental Champion, and his cocky gimmick fits him well. Possibly one of the best wrestlers ever, Michaels has it all...charisma...wrestling skill...and a loyal fanbase. A couple years from now, we could be calling this guy a legend.

Tatanka - (Upper Midcard Face) - Tatanka entered the WWF in late 1992, and promptly began an undefeated streak that continues to this day. The mystery here is why the WWF is pushing this guy as their undefeated superstar, as opposed to Rick Martel, or even Owen Hart. Tatanka is above-average in the ring, but nothing special, and cannot talk to save his life.

Ted DiBiase - (Midcard Heel) - Ted DiBiase is one half of the tag team champions, Money Inc., teaming with IRS. DiBiase is another wrestler cast in the Jerry Lawler/Ric Flair mold, with solid technical skills and charisma. According to SWD's inside source, DiBiase could soon be in line for another huge push.

The Mountie - (Midcard Heel) - The Mountie is right up there with Repo Man for strangest character on the WWF roster. That said, Jacques Rogueau plays him very will, his extraordinary ring skills make this character almost believable. Almost. Look for him to be repackaged soon.

The Undertaker - (Main Event Face) - The Deadman has followed a path far different than Hulk Hogan, but the two have similar matches and great followings. The difference being the Hogan is the 'symbol of purity' babyface, and Taker has a much darker side to him.

Typhoon - (Midcard Face) - Typhoon teams with Earthquake as the Natural Disasters, yet another case of the WWF putting two terrible workers together in a good tag team. The Disasters are probably number two on the face tag team ladder, behind only the Steiner Brothers, and this could lead to some big wins.

Virgil - (Lower Midcard Face) - Virgil is essentially the 'doormat' of the WWF, as he will rarely, if ever, win. He has fairly good ring skills, which makes his jobs more convincing, but his lack of charisma negates and hope he has for every being pushed.

Yokozuna - (Main Event Heel) - Yokozuna has not been knocked off his feet since joining the WWF, and the WWF wants to continue his 'Japanese sumo monster' role. Look for this huge man with a limited skillset to be in the world title picture very soon.

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

Stampede Wrestling Digest - WWF News and Rumors

January 8, 1993

And now, here are some big news stories and rumors from WWF land.

First off, you may have noticed several WWF wrestlers absent from our roster outlook. The reason for this is that they are no longer part of the main World Wrestling Federation. In a shocking move, the WWF announced earlier this week that they were debut WWF: New England, a brand new wrestling promotion based out of Stamford, CT. The press release issued by the WWF states that WWF: NE will feature 'some of the greatest stars of today, and the greatest stars of tomorrow'.

What wrestlers were sent to WWF: NE? How about this list:

-Barry Horowitz

-Beau Beverly

-Blake Beverly

-Damien Demento

-Doink the Clown

-Jim Powers

-Koko B. Ware

-Max Moon

-PJ Walker

-Red Rooster

-Skinner

-The Berzerker

-The Genius

-The Kamikaze Kid

In addition, the WWF signed the following independant wrestlers for WWF: NE

-Adam Copeland

-Billy Gunn

-Chris Kanyon

-Craig Pittman

-Dale Torborg

-Johnny Swinger

In other news...

-Monday Night Raw makes its debut on the USA Network this Monday night! WWF Chairman Vince McMahon has already described the new show as 'revolutionary', as it will pit, for the first time, bonafide WWF superstars against each other on television! Already announced for the debut show...

-The debut of a new WWF superstar!

-A main event putting Jim Duggan up against Lex Luger!

-Shawn Michaels putting his Intercontinental Championship on the line against Crush!

-A special live interview with WWF Champion Bret Hart!

-Plus appearances by Marty Jannetty, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, and many more!

The WWF has also announced the signing of two major superstars, one of whom could be debuting as early as this week! Vince McMahon recently gave wrestling fans something to chew on, noting that one of the two 'is a former Intercontinental Champion and Tag Team Champion'...

Look for Papa Shango to be repackaged soon, probably in a more uniform gimmick.

Unfortunately, that's all the news we have for you this week.

[Hewey]

Damn I'm looking forward to this one. The backstory was very good in my opinion and it'll be interesting to see what else happens. MRN looks good I think the two mystery men will be Roddy Piper and British Bulldog. Keep it up man.

BTW Bret didn't win the title at Survivor Series, He won it in October. Hopefully you'll keep Flair too unlike the WWF at the time. Flair/Hogan would have been huge in the WWF.

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

WWF Monday Night Raw Report

January 15, 1993

SHOW SYNOPSIS: It's Monday, January 11, 1993...I turn on my TV...a nifty little video package plays, and we are now live in...some arena, somewhere...shouldn't they tell us where? Anyhow, our announce team of Gorilla Monsoon and Vince McMahon welcomes us to the show...Vince and Gorilla? That's odd. Guess we'll get a whole bunch of compliments to the babyface, and no real humor. And as they prattle on about the 'marquee main event' pitting Jim Duggan against Lex Luger, Owen Hart makes a stealthy entrance to the ring...which means the other guy's going to get a good entrance...and thus win the match. Unfamiliar music hits...that's never a good sign...Howard Finkel introduces us to...'Chilling' Charles Wright??? Papa Shango without the ridiculous gimmick, and making faces at Owen. This oughta be interesting. Wright played the heel in this match...story was that Owen would try to stay away and hit the big power move, but Wright tried to keep it in close...Wright with a Death Valley Driver for the win at 4:19. Blah. I'd hardly call this revolutionary.

CUT BACKSTAGE! There's Randy Savage! And he's talking to Mr. Fuji! Savage wants a match with Yokozuna at the Royal Rumble! Why? I don't know! "Mr. Savage-san, I cannot give you that match...I must keep Yokozuna for the Royal Rumble". That's funny. Unless it was meant to be. Then it's just sad. So we might be seeing Randy Savage vs. Yokozuna, but Mr. Fuji doesn't want us to? Maybe I should take his advice and start worshipping him, for not having to subject us to both Duggan/Luger AND Savage/Yokozuna.

Now we get a very special interview with Hulk Hogan, conducted by Sean Mooney. Hogan talks about how he's already entered himself in the Royal Rumble, but he wants a tune-up match before that...so he issues an open challenge for a match at the Royal Rumble. What are the odds that 'Chilling' Charles Wright accepts? Boy, I wish you could gamble on pro wrestling.

Now we go to the ring for our second crappy match of the evening...a genuine snorefest putting the Bushwhackers against the Headshrinkers in a tag match nobody cares about. With the possible, but barely possible, exception of Fatu, none of these four even come close to being a decent worker. Match goes back and forth...both teams get their spots...Battering Ram finish. The Bushwhackers pick up the win after 3:52 of terrible wrestling. After the match, they celebrate, licking each other's heads and dancing.

So, is there anything remotely good about this show? Well, here's HARVEY WIPPLEMAN! He's always good! As long as he doesn't introduce a South American in a jumpsuit as his new protegé...oh, wait, another joke you won't get. As it turns out, he DOES have a new protegé, but it's someone we already know very well...Rick Martel?!?! I'd have preferred the South American in the jumpsuit. This segment was flat. Still, I'll admit that this pairing could be interesting, particularly for Martel.

Cut back to the ring, and here's our "featured match" for tonight...now what's the difference between a "featured match" and a "main event"? Does anyone know? Anyhow, this match showcases WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels putting his title on the line against Crush. This was probably the best match of the night, as, despite Crush's lack of skill, Michaels was able to carry him almost effortlessly, and even gave him a bit of offense. Vince and Gorilla really hyped up that Michaels didn't have any big challengers at the moment...not exactly the best thing to be saying, that you can't build babyfaces. Finish came when Michaels hit a back suplex and got the three count at 7:14. After the match, Crush made his way to the back, and Michaels made some mocking gestures toward him.

CUT BACKSTAGE! There's Bret Hart! He's the WWF Champion, you know. And the first thing he does in this backstage promo is remind us of that fact. Well, you never know, someone might have forgot. Bret talks about him being the champion, and thus being exempt from the Royal Rumble...but he still wants to wrestle that night! HEY, BRET! LOOK OVER THERE! Ric Flair, the man who Bret won the title from, has just walked in on this promo! Flair and Hart stare at each other for a few moments, before Hart leaves.

Flair immediately grabs a mic and cuts his own promo. "Bret, I've just talked to Jack Tunney...remember, to be the man, you gotta beat the man...but in your case, you gotta beat the man TWICE, because Bret, you WILL be at the Royal Rumble...you WILL be defending the WWF Heavyweight Championship, and I WILL be your opponent!" Bret Hart vs. Ric Flair, again? This could be good...already, the show might be saved with that last match and then these backstage shenanigans.

We head back to the ring, and we get set for the night's second tag match. Marty Jannetty is teaming with the Big Bossman to take on the Natural Disasters. What the--? Four faces, no heels? Someone's gotta be turning...I call Bossman. This match is nothing special at all...the only saving grace is when Jannetty's in the ring. Guess I was wrong about the Bossman turn...nobody's quite turned, but the Disasters are staying in the ring longer than the allotted time after tags...Disasters pick up the win with a double clothesline at 5:51.

Vince McMahon introduces a video package, showcasing some of the stars that will be in action at the Royal Rumble...Bob Backlund! Jerry Lawler! Rick Martel! Mr. Perfect! Well, if all the entrants are up to this caliber, this could be one of the better Rumbles!

Finally, it's time for the MAIN EVENT...Jim Duggan vs. Lex Luger. Well, at least the fans are into it, because this is one terrible match. I mean, I've seen some crappy matches in my life, but this...this...this is the pinnacle of crappiness. If you put two guys in the ring, knowing that neither of them can work, you're going to get a terrible match. For what it's worth, Luger won it by locking in the Torture Rack after 6:03 of torture. After the match, Luger took a mic and announced that he was better than Jim Duggan...and that he was accepting Hulk Hogan's challenge!

THE GOOD: Very little. The opening video and the Rumble video were both very well produced...the Hart/Flair stuff was good, but you have to expect it from those two. 'Chilling' Charles Wright could be a good character, if given time to develop...ditto for the Wippleman/Martel pairing.

THE BAD: A lot. The Natural Disasters teasing a heel turn after just turning babyface the other month...the Bushwhackers wrestling...despite the potential upside, the Wippleman/Martel segment this time was just atrocious.

THE UGLY: Jim Duggan vs. Lex Luger. Whoever came up with that should be fired.

GRADE: C+

Edited July 25, 2004 by ryan_the_canuck

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

WWF News and Rumors

January 15, 1993

The big talk around WWF offices this week centered on two fronts: the debut of Monday Night Raw and the two new superstars. Although MNR, in this author's opinion, failed to live anywhere near up to expectations, word is going around that Vince McMahon was extremely pleased with it. Three matches have already been announced for the second edition of MNR, and they are:

A match between last week's two victorius tag teams as the Natural Disasters take on the Bushwhackers!

The undefeated Tatanka squares off with the Repo Man, in a rematch from WWF Superstars!

And a huge six-man tag patch pitting Mr. Perfect and the Steiner Brothers against The Mountie and WWF Tag Team Champions Money Inc.!

Also, appearances by Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels, and many more!

Here is a quick recap of WWF Superstars...

Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan welcomed us to the show...first match was Virgil vs. Kamala...Kamala won it in 4:13 with a giant splash...highlights of the Bret Hart/Ric Flair fiasco from MNR...IRS squashed Jim Powers in 3:59, winning with the Writeoff...the Nasty Boys cut a promo on the Beverly brothers, hyping up their match later on...more highlights from MNR, we saw Harvey Wippleman introduce Rick Martel as his new client, and the Natural Disasters defeat the team of Marty Jannetty and the Big Bossman...Nasty Boys vs. Beverlys was up next...Nasty Boys won it in 7:29 after a double DDT...Jerry Saggs pinned Blake Beverly...yet more MNR highlights...showcasing Mr. Fuji refusing to give Randy Savage a match with Yokozuna...main event put Tatanka up against the Repo Man...Tatanka hit a Fallaway Slam for the win at 6:38...Repo Man protested the loss, saying that Tatanka was using a foreign substance...Jack Tunney came out and made a rematch for Monday Night Raw.

On to some smaller news items...

Although Mr. Fuji said he wouldn't give Randy Savage a match with Yokozuna at the Royal Rumble, that is probably just cover, and the match is likely to take place. Other rumored matches include the Nasty Boys challenging for the WWF Tag Team Championships, while one of the returning superstars is rumored to be booked against Tatanka.

Speaking of the returning superstars, 'Chilling' Charles Wright is not one of them, so don't worry there. The character is meant to be similar to 'Mean' Mark Calloway a couple years back, and the WWF wants to give Wright a fairly sizable push with it.

Unfortunately, the plan is to have at least one, if not both, of the Natural Disasters turn heel very soon...the WWF doesn't want to keep the Headshrinkers as their #2 heel team.

The WWF recently announced that they will now hold Pay Per View events monthly...and put out a new PPV calendar, which looks like this...

January: Royal Rumble

February: In Your House

March: WrestleMania

April: In Your House

May: King of the Ring

June: In Your House

July: Summerslam

August: In Your House

September: ?

October: In Your House

November: Survivor Series

December: In Your House

The current plan is for the In Your House events to be available at roughly half the price of the 'marquee' Pay-Per-Views.

Finally, WWF officials have been 'blown away' by the work of recent signee Adam Copeland in New England, and he will receive a huge push when he is brought into the main company.

{OOC NOTE: I will be away until Saturday the 31st, and unable to continue this diary during that time}

Edited July 25, 2004 by ryan_the_canuck

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

WWF Monday Night Raw Report

January 22, 1993

Well, it's January 18th, and I turn on my TV, eagerly awaiting the second edition of Monday Night Raw. Can Tatanka prove that his win against the Repo Man on Superstars was no fluke? Who will win the huge six-man tag match? Vince McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon ask the same questions...and for the second week in a row, Owen Hart sneaks out to the ring while they do so.

Yokozuna is out to be his opponent, with Mr. Fuji in tow....we are reminded that last week, Fuji declined to offer Randy Savage a match at the Royal Rumble with Yokozuna...but Gorilla informs us that Jack Tunney has overruled Fuji, and the match WILL take place! This match is nothing special...Owen bumps like crazy...Yokozuna wins it with a Banzai drop at 4:25.

Now we turn our attention to the video screen, where we learn that Jake Roberts is returning to the WWF! And he'll be at Monday Night Raw next week! Interesting that he's one of the returning stars...probably was owed a favour...although there were far worse choices out there.

CUT BACKSTAGE! There's Bret Hart! He's the WWF Champion, and Ric Flair interrupted his mic time last week, so he wants to make sure he gets his interview in this week. He tells Sean Mooney, in no uncertain terms, that he has no problem with facing Flair at the Royal Rumble, and that he's actually looking forward to the match, because he's looking forward to the chance to expose Flair for the phony he is! Eleven and a half years from now, people will be laughing at this...

We now go to the ring for our second match of the evening...the Bushwhackers taking on the Natural Disasters...I didn't think it was possible, but the WWF has found possibly the only two tag teams out there who are worse than the Headshrinkers...yes, this match was slightly worse than the Whackers/Shrinkers yawn-fest last week...although it got the point across...Typhoon ignored the ref's instructions to leave the ring, and the Disasters Double DDTed Butch at 5:16 for the win.

Back from commercials, we go to the ring...Shawn Michaels, the WWF Intercontinental Champion, comes out...he has a top hat with him...he mentions that he has no opponent for the Royal Rumble yet...but he's a fair man...in the hat, he has the names of the entire WWF roster written down on slips of paper...he will pull one out, and that man will be his opponent...my money's on the Brooklyn Brawler...nope, it's Bob Backlund. So Shawn Michaels vs. Bob Backlund is set for the Royal Rumble, with the Intercontinental Championship on the line! I guess they really ARE drawing matches out of a hat. We go to another commercial break...boy, that was short.

Back from the break....it's the rematch we've been waiting for, Tatanka against the Repo Man...it was what it was...the Repo Man gets a cheap shot at the beginning, but Tatanka dominates from there on out...End of the Trail for the win at 2:41. Short match, but not that bad. Tatanka's undefeated streak is now apparently at 53-0. Somehow, that number doesn't seem right.

CUT BACKSTAGE! We're in the WWF President's Office! And there's Jack Tunney! He tells us that he has several announcements to make...boy, between this, his overruling of Mr. Fuji, and his booking of the Tatanka/Repo Man match, Tunney's been busy so far in 1993. His first announcement is that NO match is official until he has ratified it...as such, he can overrule the match between Backlund and Michaels...but he can't think of anyone more deserving of an Intercontinental Championship shot than this former world champion, and so he's making it official. Well, that was pointless...Tunney then grabs a paper off his desk and reads off some more names for the Royal Rumble...which he reads in alphabetical order. Nice touch. 'Chilling' Charles Wright. Ted DiBiase. Jim Duggan. Owen Hart. IRS. Lex Luger. Shawn Michaels. Razor Ramon. The returning Jake Roberts. Rick and Scott Steiner. The Undertaker. By my count, that leaves twelve spots still open. But now, Hulk Hogan walks into Tunney's office! Hogan reminds us all that last week, he issued an open challenge, and that Lex Luger accepted it. Hogan wants to give Luger a warmup, one-on-one, tonight! But good ol' Tunney says that it's not possible...Luger is not in the building...HOWEVER...he will give Hulk Hogan a match with someone of a similar stature...Bam Bam Bigelow! Against Hulk Hogan! Tonight!

We take you now to BRET HART'S LOCKER ROOM, where he is watching tape of Ric Flair, preparing himself for the World Title match in less than two weeks. Not a great way to fill time.

Let's head back to the ring, as Mr. Perfect teams with the Steiner Brothers to take on all three of Jimmy Hart's clients...Money Inc. and The Mountie. Vince tells us that all six of these men are in the Royal Rumble...we already knew about all of them except for The Mountie. This is actually a nice little match, probably match of the night. Story was that both Steiners wanted to get their hands on DiBiase, but he would only tag in when his opponent was Mr. Perfect. Gorilla mentions in passing that the Steiner Brothers will be taking on Money Inc. for the WWF Tag Team Championships at the Royal Rumble. Scott Steiner eventually hits IRS with the Steiner Cradle for the win at 8:52.

CUT BACKSTAGE! It's The Undertaker! And he's walking! But as he walks...we notice a man in a ski mask following him...and then we fade out. Boy, there are so many better ways to start a Undertaker/Rick Martel feud, aren't there? Since that's gotta be what this is...

And now...we go to the main event...Hulk Hogan against Bam Bam Bigelow. And, uh, yeah. Slow-paced, with a few big power moves from Bigelow, who put in a surprisingly good showing here. Hogan still maintained his advantage throughout the match, however, and eventually knocked Bigelow down to the mat at 3:51. He went up to the top rope, and, as the fans were cheering him on, set up for the Big Legdrop...but Lex Luger appeared on the ramp, challenging Hogan. The Hulkster accepted, and charged straight for Luger...but Luger got Hogan into a sleeper hold...ref Dave Hebner had no choice but to count Hogan out...so thanks to Lex Luger's interference, Bam Bam Bigelow defeated Hulk Hogan by count-out at 4:01! As the show went off the air, we were treated to seeing Hogan struggle to try and break out of the hold, but fail.

THE GOOD: The six-man tag match was hot...the Royal Rumble (show, not match) is being set up nicely...not much else.

THE BAD: Natural Disasters vs. The Bushwhackers and Hogan vs. Bigelow on the same card.

THE UGLY: The WWF's treatment of the Royal Rumble match. Does anybody give a crap about it? Will Yokozuna win? Lex Luger? Someone else? Does it really matter?

GRADE: C+

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

WWF News and Rumors

January 22, 1993

Not much in the way of big news this week, unfortunately.

Here is your report from WWF Superstars...show starts, we go directly to the opening match...The Headshrinkers squashed Adam Copeland (WWF: NE talent) and Rick Titan (Independent) in 5:04...highlights of Jack Tunney booking Bigelow/Hogan and then the match itself...Crush took down Kamala in 6:42 after a Full Nelson finisher...nothing much to it...more MNR highlights...we see Shawn Michaels pick Bob Backlund's name out of a hat...man, what an angle THAT was...we see the same video that aired at MNR, promoting Jake Roberts' return to the WWF...Razor Ramon took down Barry Horowitz with a Razor's Edge at 4:55...we get a recap of the Natural Disasters/Bushwhackers match from MNR...main event puts Marty Jannetty against Rick Martel (w/ Harvey Wippleman)...not a bad match...this one goes 8:17...Martel locks in a Boston Crab for the win...show ends.

Another note from Superstars: The viewing audience is informed that many of that night's participants are in the Royal Rumble. Specifically, Marty Jannetty, Crush, Kamala, and the Headshrinkers! This leaves six spots still open.

Here is the preview for Monday Night Raw...

A hot main event has Ric Flair team up with 'Chilling' Charles Wright to take on The Hart Brothers!

As revealed last week, we will witness the WWF return of Jake Roberts!

Earthquake will square off with Brian Knobbs!

As well as appearances by Hulk Hogan, Razor Ramon, and many more!

Yes, Jake Roberts is one of the 'two major superstars' returning to the WWF. Look for a midcard worker such as Razor Ramon to be put in a match with him at the Royal Rumble.

No word on the identity of the other one, although names being rumored include Roddy Piper, Davey Boy Smith, and the Ultimate Warrior.

In a funny note, the Shawn Michaels Intercontinental Draw was NOT rigged. The plan was that whoever was pulled out of the hat would come out and stare down Michaels...but Bob Backlund was the planned opponent all along. If the drawn superstar was a babyface, he would give Backlund 'one final shot at gold', while Jack Tunney would strip it from a heel and give it to Backlund.

WWF officials are suddenly extremely anxious to turn the Natural Disasters heel. Unless Ted DiBiase's contract is up, I can't figure out why.

Finally, there is not yet a winner decided on for the Royal Rumble match. Obviously, it will be a heel, but nobody has decided who yet. Some of the favorites would include Jake Roberts or the other returning superstar, Yokozuna or Lex Luger to provide a tough-looking challenger for Bret Hart (and you need one of those after Flair), or even Rick Martel or 'Chilling' Charles Wright, as WWF officials are serious about pushing these two.

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

WWF Monday Night Raw Report

January 29, 1993

It's January 25th...Gorilla and Vince welcome us to the show...hey, no Owen Hart in the opener this week...instead it's Kamala against Virgil. In a wise move, the announcers don't even talk about the match, opting instead to rundown the participants in the Royal Rumble match. They list Hulk Hogan, Mr. Perfect, Yokozuna, and Lex Luger as the 'favorites'...finally, they show a list of all thirty participants...the six unknowns are the Big Bossman, Randy Savage (???), Virgil, Brian Knobbs, Jerry Saggs, and a Mystery Superstar...as for the match itself, Kamala won with a Giant Splash at 3:49, actually pinning Virgil on his back.

CUT BACKSTAGE! There's Shawn Michaels, the Intercontinental Champion! He tells Sean Mooney that he rigged the draw last week so that he could face Bob Backlund (Yeah, sure, Shawn. Whatever you say.)...he wants the chance to humiliate the 'washed-up' Backlund on Pay Per View...the chance to prove that he, Shawn Michaels, is the real deal. That's the gist of it.

Quick commerical break, and we're back in the ring with Hulk Hogan. Hogan informs us that, although he did lose to Bam Bam Bigelow last week, he's not going to lose to Lex Luger in six days. Of course, he said 'brother' a lot more.

Match two of the night pitted Earthquake against Brian Knobbs. Considering who it was, they didn't do that badly...definitely better than Kamala against Virgil. Typhoon ran in at 5:31 and distracted the ref, allowing Earthquake to low-blow Knobbs and cover him. Afterwards, the Disasters assaulted Knobbs until Jerry Saggs made the save.

Jake Roberts was out next, making his return to the WWF. He got a mixed reaction coming out...fans didn't really know what to make of him. The mixed reaction turned to serious heat when he revealed that the reason for his return was to end Tatanka's undefeated streak (which shot up to 56-0, apparently). Roberts challenged Tatanka to a match at the Rumble...Tatanka walked out onto the entrance ramp and the two had a staredown. Good segment.

Time for the third match...Bam Bam Bigelow teaming with Razor Ramon to take on Marty Jannetty and Crush. I feel like there should be a joke here, but I can't quite get it. Something to do with turtles? This was a good match, best one of the show up to this point...really just a glorified squash, but a good one. Razor's Edge on Crush for the win at 7:26.

CUT BACKSTAGE! Bret Hart and Ric Flair are brawling in the back of the arena! Security and several babyface wrestlers move in to restrain them! Everyone is wondering what will happen when these two meet in the ring!

CUT, uh, TO ANOTHER ROOM BACKSTAGE! Harvey Wippleman and Rick Martel are standing by with Sean Mooney. Nothing much more than time filling here...Martel's in the Rumble...Martel's going to make a big impact...yada yada yada...at least someone gives a crap about the Rumble.

Back to ringside for Scott Steiner vs. IRS...both come out to the ring unaccompanied...of course, the Steiner Brothers are taking on Money Inc. for the Tag Team Championships at the Royal Rumble...not a bad match...not a bad match at all. Steiner kept using big power moves, but IRS would always sneak out...get in a hit and run away...eventually it caught up to him...Scott Steiner won with the Frankensteiner at 6:04...after the match, Rick Steiner and Ted DiBiase ran out and the two teams brawled a bit.

CUT BACKSTAGE! Sean Mooney is standing by with his THIRD interviewee of the night...Lex Luger! We heard from Hogan earlier...now we want to hear the other side of the story. We do? I don't. Well, I don't get a say in it...Luger tells us that he can't see what the problem is...Hulk Hogan issued an open challenge, and Luger accepted it. That's all there is to it. Luger has nothing personal against Hogan...but come Sunday night, he's going to tear him from limb to limb. And to prove the point, he flexes and points.

Finally, it's time for the main event...the Hart Brothers against Ric Flair and 'Chilling' Charles Wright. Vince McMahon informs us that this isn't just about Bret/Flair at the Rumble...two weeks ago, the first match in the history of Monday Night Raw saw Wright defeat Owen soundly. It's true. That did happen. This was, by far, the match of the night...but how couldn't it be, with three talented wrestlers and an adequte one? Owen was played up as the weakest of the four, not giving either opponent any difficuly...even Wright got a few moves in on the WWF Champion. Ended at 11:31, easily the longest match on MNR yet, when Flair locked Owen in the Figure Four...show ended with Flair running backstage, but still gesturing towards Bret.

THE GOOD: Main event was a great match...Tatanka/Roberts segment was gold...an interview with Shawn Michaels is always a treat...

THE BAD: Kamala vs. Virgil was the only truly bad thing, but obviously noone expected it to be good.

THE UGLY: Does this mean Natural Disasters vs. Nasty Boys on Sunday night?

GRADE: B-

[Guest ryan_the_canuck]

WWF News and Rumours

January 29, 1993

Obviously, the big news this week is the WWF Royal Rumble, which airs live on Pay-Per-View this Sunday night. Here's a rundown of the matches...

The Nasty Boys vs. Natural Disasters - The plan is for the Disasters to go all-out heel in this match, and presumably they would pick up the win...although it shouldn't be clean, because there's really no feud for them...PICK: Natural Disasters

Tatanka vs. Jake Roberts - Undefeated streak against returing superstar...if the WWF is serious about building up Tatanka as a huge star, this win will be huge. If not, it's still a good win for Roberts. PICK: Tatanka goes to 61-0 (Yes, you read that right.)

Bob Backlund vs. Shawn Michaels - If you don't know the outcome of this match, you shouldn't be reading this digest. PICK: Michaels retains.

The Steiner Brothers vs. Money Inc. - Not much buildup for this match...it'll be a good one...look for some type of DQ finish, and a blow-off match at Wrestlemania...PICK: Money Inc.

Randy Savage vs. Yokozuna - Despite absolutely no build-up this week, the match is still on. Look for Yokozuna to get the win, building his chances for the Rumble. PICK: Yokozuna

Hulk Hogan vs. Lex Luger - Neither of these guys can work...let's hope it doesn't go too long...keep in mind that one of these guys has a great build, the other one has Vince McMahon's ear. PICK: Hulk Hogan

Bret Hart vs. Ric Flair - This will be the match of the night, most likely...a Hart win is essential to making him a believable champion. PICK: Bret Hart

Royal Rumble Match - There's the usual assortment of guys with absolutely no chance...Kamala...the Headshrinkers...the Nasty Boys...Owen Hart...IRS...Marty Jannetty...the Steiner Brothers...Crush...The Mountie...Big Bossman...and Virgil. Assuming Bret Hart retains the title, then the Rumble will be won by a heel, so that eliminates the babyfaces. Jerry Lawler, Jake Roberts, and Ted DiBiase are veterans, and that's also not a good direction to go in right now...but you can't rush things and put in a young, unproven star such as Razor Ramon or Shawn Michaels. That leaves Rick Martel and 'Chilling' Charles Wright, the two dark horses, along with Lex Luger, Yokozuna, and the mystery superstar as possibilities. PICK: In a bad move, the Mystery Superstar.

And don't forget about our Royal Rumble prediction contest! Look for the ballot elsewhere in this magazine, and send in your picks for every match, as well as answers to the following tiebreaker questions...

1) Who will enter the Royal Rumble at #1?

2) Who will enter the Royal Rumble at #30?

3) Who is the Mystery Superstar?

4) Who will finish second in the Royal Rumble?

5) Who will eliminate the most superstars in the Royal Rumble?

Here is your report from WWF Superstars...before the opening credits, we saw highlights of the Bret Hart/Ric Flair brawl from before their match on Monday night...first match saw the Repo Man squash John Stallion (WWF: NE's Johnny Swinger) in 3:52...a recap of the Jake Roberts return promo and his staredown with Tatanka...that's gonna be a good match...The Headshrinkers are out next, and they beat the Bushwhackers (again!!!) at 6:14...we see an 'encore presentation' of Sean Mooney's interview with Hulk Hogan from Monday night...Tatanka took down The Berzerker at 5:42...apparently he's now 61-0...five bucks says that beating Jake Roberts is win number eighty...one final highlights package from MNR...the main event tag match...hey, Flair and Wright won it this time too!...main event put the Big Bossman against Jerry Lawler...fans were into this one quite a bit...Bossman Slam for the finisher at 7:52...thank you for watching.

With the outcome of the Royal Rumble still unknown, very little has been announced for Monday Night Raw this week...although we have been able to confirm appearances by Ric Flair, Tatanka, and Lex Luger.

In a move that hopefully has nothing to do with the 'mystery superstar' in the Royal Rumble match, the WWF has recalled the Brooklyn Brawler from New England. The Brawler was engaged in a program with Koko B. Ware, and I'm sure all of our readers in the New England are are sad to see that one disappear.

The WWF has apparently contacted several former superstars, including Jim Neidhart, but we have no idea why.

[Jam]

Dude, awesome diary. Even better cos you went back in time to me birthday

Me predictions:-

Royal Rumble Match - Featuring Yokozuna, Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund, Jerry Lawler, Mr. Perfect, Rick Martel, 'Chilling' Charles Wright, Ted DiBiase, Jim Duggan, Owen Hart, IRS, Lex Luger, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, The Mountie, Jake Roberts, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, The Undertaker, Marty Jannetty, Crush, Kamala, Fatu, Samu, Big Bossman, Randy Savage, Virgil, Jerry Saggs, Brian Knobbs, and a mystery superstar! - By you constantly suggesting a heel will win, I'm picking Hogan. He's the most over (I think) in the match and the mania match will be huge for the crowd

WWF Championship - Bret Hart© vs. Ric Flair! - I nearly picked Flair, for Hogan/Flair at Mania but just leaned in Brets favour

Hulk Hogan vs. Lex Luger! - Hogan jobbing twice in a month? Don't be silly

Randy Savage vs. Yokozuna!

WWF Tag Team Championships - The Steiner Brothers vs. Money Inc.©!

WWF Intercontinental Championship - Bob Backlund vs. Shawn Michaels©!

Tatanka vs. Jake Roberts!

The Nasty Boys vs. Natural Disasters!

[VA Finest 1]

Great start so far, I like your style in which the results are done, I hope that you give Bret a long title regin.

Me predictions:-

Royal Rumble Match - Featuring Yokozuna, Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund, Jerry Lawler, Mr. Perfect, Rick Martel, 'Chilling' Charles Wright, Ted DiBiase, Jim Duggan, Owen Hart, IRS, Lex Luger, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, The Mountie, Jake Roberts, Rick Steiner, Scott Steiner, The Undertaker, Marty Jannetty, Crush, Kamala, Fatu, Samu, Big Bossman, Randy Savage, Virgil, Jerry Saggs, Brian Knobbs, and a mystery superstar

Winner: Yokozuna, It's gonna take a whole lotta guys to get him out and I don't see that happening, plus winning the Rumble and defeating Savage in the same night makes him to be the biggest threat to Bret Hart.

WWF Championship - Bret Hart© vs. Ric Flair

Winner: Bret, A victory over the Nature Boy at a big time event should validate Bret as Champion.

Hulk Hogan vs. Lex Luger

Winner: Hogan, it probably would help the company more for Luger to go over just to establish another top level heel but Hogan ain't gonna let it happen. The match in terms of quality ain't gonna be good to start with but if Hogan has to lose to Luger it could get down right ugly.

Randy Savage vs. Yokozuna

Winner: Yoko, same as Bret, helps to validate him.

WWF Tag Team Championships - The Steiner Brothers vs. Money Inc.

Winners: Stenier Brothers, I feel one title will change hands and this is the one, plus with no other tag teams this sets up a Wrestlemania rematch.

WWF Intercontinental Championship - Bob Backlund vs. Shawn Michaels

Winner: Michaels, the match will be a good one and Backlund has the expierence but Michaels will out cheat him in the end.

Tatanka vs. Jake Roberts

Winner: Roberts, Tatanka is undeafeated but lets face it, he's not good in the ring or on the mic. Plus Roberts can be used down the line as another top heel and he's got the DDT.

The Nasty Boys vs. Natural Disasters

Winners: The Disasters, this will be the piss break of the night for the fans cause they ain't gonna miss anything.

1) Who will enter the Royal Rumble at #1? Rick Martel

2) Who will enter the Royal Rumble at #30? Yokozuna

3) Who is the Mystery Superstar? British Bulldog

4) Who will finish second in the Royal Rumble? The Undertaker

5) Who will eliminate the most superstars in the Royal Rumble? The Undertaker

[kaplanir]

Boy, am I glad my diary is a few months forward...I wouldn't like to compete with this! From the backstory to the shows before the Rumble, everything was great. I think your backstory was the funniest I've ever read.

To my predicitions:

Royal Rumble Match - I have a feeling Charles Wright could make it big. But I'm still going with Razor Ramon. If you rule out the obvious choice, which is the first thing to do in rumble predictions and take out guys who are busy with other stuff, he's my pick.

WWF Championship - Bret Hart© vs. Ric Flair

Winner: Bret, because I picked Razor for the rumble.

Hulk Hogan vs. Lex Luger

Winner: Hogan. Politic son of a...

Randy Savage vs. Yokozuna

Winner: Savage is more talented, but Yoko needs the over..I think the toughest match to predict...I'm going with Yoko.

WWF Tag Team Championships - The Steiner Brothers vs. Money Inc.

Winners: Money Inc. via cheating or Steiners via DQ....I'm going with Money Inc.

WWF Intercontinental Championship - Bob Backlund vs. Shawn Michaels

Winner: Michaels. I don't think I need to explain.

Tatanka vs. Jake Roberts

Winner: The great comeback vs. the great undefeated streak. I'm going with Roberts via cheating and a rematch because he broke Tatanka's streak.

The Nasty Boys vs. Natural Disasters

Winners: Natural Disasters. The turners should win at least the first match of the feud.

1) Who will enter the Royal Rumble at #1? Jim Duggan

2) Who will enter the Royal Rumble at #30? Kamala

3) Who is the Mystery Superstar? Jim Neidhart.

4) Who will finish second in the Royal Rumble? Hulk Hogan, with Luger taking him out leading to a rematch at Wrestlemania. I've always wanted to do that to Hogan again.

5) Who will eliminate the most superstars in the Royal Rumble? Yokozuna.