WWE Vintage Collection Report: February 6th 2011
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund

This week, a selection of bouts from years 1992/93, taken from the “Grudge matches” Coliseum Video release. Let’s begin.

Kamala w/Harvey Wippleman & Kim Chee vs Typhoon
This match was taped November 24th 1992 (the day before Survivor Series) and is a Coliseum Video Exclusive! Typhoon busts out a standing dropkick to send Kamala to the corner. Kamala avoids an avalanche splash and takes Typhoon down with a crescent kick. Kamala isolates Typhoon in the ropes and in the corner. Kamala lands a running splash, but Typhoon avoids a second and clotheslines the Ugandan Giant. Typhoon gives Kim Chee a throttling. Kamala rushes across, but inadvertently knocks his handler off the apron. Typhoon rolls up Kamala for the 1-2-3. After the bell, Kamala tires of Kim Chee’s physical abuse, shoving his handler down and chasing Wippleman to the back. This would lead to Reverend Slick saving Kamala in the coming weeks and a babyface turn.

El Matador (Tito Santana) vs Terrific Terry Taylor
This match aired on the October 26th 1992 episode of Prime Time Wrestling. No longer a Rooster, Terry Taylor was now “Terrific.” Both exchange shoves until Santana delivers a hard slap. The two trade side headlocks. Santana outwrestles Taylor on the mat for the first few minutes. Taylor sends off the ropes, Santana ducks a couple of clotheslines and lands a cross body for two. Taylor begs off, suckering Santana in close enough to pull him face first to the corner. Taylor attacks the throat with knees, before giving Santana a jawbreaker and backbreaker. Taylor wears down Santana with several restholds. Santana comes back with a tackle, and sunset flip for two. Taylor quickly clotheslines. Santana reverses into the ropes, puts his head down too early and pays for it with a swinging neckbreaker. A small “Terry” chant breaks out as Santana gets his knees up to thwart a Vader bomb. Santana softens Taylor up with a couple of atomic drops, then connects with El Paso De Muerte (forearm to the back of the head) but the bell goes to signify a ten minute DRAW. Match started off slow, but was starting to build into something good until the copout finish, which the crowd quite rightly crap all over. Santana isn’t too happy with the decision either.

Papa Shango vs Marty Jannetty
Staying with Prime Time Wrestling (December 21st 1992) Jannetty had just returned to resume his feud with former partner Shawn Michaels, after Michaels threw him through the Barber Shop window at the start of the year. In reality he’d been suspended/fired. This was the first of many Jannetty returns. Shango pretty much stays in control for a few minutes. As soon as Jannetty makes a comeback, Michaels – the reigning Intercontinental Champion comes out to watch the match from a distance. With Shango back in control, Michaels turns his back to mug for the camera. Jannetty clears Shango out of the ring with a clothesline, lands a missile dropkick on the floor then aborts the match to go after his former partner. Michaels turns around too late to stop Jannetty taking him down with a Frankensteiner and unloading with a series of punches. While a swarm of referees break up and separate the brawl, Shango wins the match via countout, but nobody cares. Match was used just as a backdrop to give the Michaels/Jannetty feud some extra juice.

Big Boss Man & Virgil vs The Beverly Brothers w/The Genius
This match is from the March 9th 1992 edition of Prime Time Wrestling. We join the match with the Boss Man in control of both Beverlys. Virgil goes for a rollup on Beau off the ropes, but Beau counters with a clothesline and drops a leg. Blake delivers a neckbreaker, then the Beverlys follow up with a leapfrog body guillotine in the ropes. Beau gives Virgil a double underhook suplex, then distracts the referee so Blake can choke Virgil with a tag rope. Blake delivers a powerslam, but Boss Man breaks up a pin. Blake holds Virgil for Beau to hit a flying sledge across the back. A headbutt from Beau sends both men loopy and allows Boss Man to get the hot tag. Boss Man makes Blake his bitch as he gives him a backelbow, wind-up punch, running spike in the ropes, and an uppercut from the floor. After scaring the Genius away, Boss Man lands on top of Blake with a splash, then gives him a big boot. On both occasions, Beau makes the save. Virgil comes in to help Boss Man irish whip the Beverlys into one another. The Genius throws Boss Man’s nightstick in towards Beau, but Boss Man intercepts and unleashes some hard time as the bell rings. Amazingly, after bashing both Beverlys and the Genius with the nightstick, Boss Man and Virgil are awarded the bout, as Genius was the one who threw the object into the ring. That defies all logic. Yet another good match ruined by a shitty finish. I’m beginning to see a pattern here. The Beverlys were criminally underused during their near two year stay and were always seemingly putting other teams over. They deserved better.

Intercontinental Title: Shawn Michaels vs Bob Backlund
Our Main Event was taped on January 5th 1993, and is another Coliseum Video Exclusive. Backlund had just returned to the WWF for another run. Michaels uses basic wrestling (armdrag, hiptoss, slam) to gain the upper hand at the start. Refusing to take Backlund seriously, Michaels uses the top rope as a hammock while mugging for the camera. Predictably, Backlund comes back to give Michaels the same three moves and Michaels retreats outside to pitch a fit. Back inside, after some stalling and Backlund’s refusal of a handshake, Michaels traps him in a full nelson. Backlund reverses, thwarts counter roll attempts and keeps Michaels away from the ropes. Michaels drills Backlund with an elbow to the face to escape, then wears Backlund down with a couple of front facelocks.

Backlund gets back to his feet and, with Michaels on his shoulders, perches him onto the second rope so he can rile him with a slap. Michaels charges into a backbodydrop. Backlund follows up with a dropkick, swinging neckbreaker and double underhook suplex. Backlund stops Michaels from escaping, goes for a piledriver, but Michaels reverses it into a backbodydrop. Michaels then simply rolls outside, grabs his belt and gets counted out to give us our fourth copout finish in a row. Backlund throws Michaels back in, gives him an atomic drop and counts his own pin. What a buffoon! Backlund refuses to hand the Intercontinental Title over to referee Mike Chioda, as he thinks he’s the new champion. When Backlund finally gets the message, he sends the fallen Michaels out of the ring with a belt shot. Michaels quickly grabs his title and heads to the back. This was a terrible match and unflattering display from both. Backlund would regain some credibility when he lasted over an hour in the forthcoming Royal Rumble match. However, Backlund’s bland character meant he was lost in the shuffle until turning Psycho on Bret Hart some 18 months later.

This week’s show had its moments, but was severely hampered with all of the non-finishes. Of the 13 bouts in total on the video, eight of them are non-finishes. That’s Russo-riffic.

For those that are curious, the other results from the video are:
Macho Man b Papa Shango: Bret Hart b Repo Man: Natural Disasters & High Energy b Beverly Brothers & Money Inc: Crush b Rick Martel via c/o: El Matador b Berzerker via DQ: Virgil b IRS via DQ: Tatanka b Blake Beverly: Undertaker b Ric Flair via DQ

There’s also the Repo Cam, which is an in-depth look at Repo Man and how he operates. I wouldn’t have minded seeing that again, just for laughs.

For those needing their Blake Beverly fix, then I recommend the video. I used to own a copy, but sold it at a Car Boot sale a few years ago. I think I used the money to buy an ice cream. See you next week!

Any comments or discussion points drop me a line at [email protected].