Coliseum Corner: WrestleMania’s Forgotten Matches (Part 2)

Welcome to the second part of WrestleMania’s Forgotten Matches. We are only hours away from the opening bell at the MetLife Stadium and to celebrate, we are bringing you seven more Mania matches that have been left to gather dust.

So here goes…

 
The Legion of Doom vs Power & Glory – WrestleMania VII – March 24 1991, Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena – Los Angeles, California. Attendance – 16, 158

For years The Legion of Doom (Road Warriors) had been the biggest attraction in tag team wrestling. They had dominated the AWA, NWA and eventually made their way to the World Wrestling Federation in the summer of 1990. Hawk and Animal were so popular that surely they would have been a major attraction. However, it wasn’t to be. LOD were placed in a last minute feud with Hercules and Paul Roma due to the latter costing them a Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania.

The match began with Power & Glory nailing the warriors from behind, knocking Animal to the floor outside. Hercules and Roma proceeded to double team Hawk, but Hawk ducked a double clothesline and countered with one of his own. Animal re-entered the ring and fought with Roma whilst Hawk and Herc took to the outside, trading shots. Meanwhile, in the ring Roma leapt from the top rope only to be met with a powerslam. Animal hoisted him onto his shoulders as Hawk came in, flew from the top rope and connected with the Doomsday Device. Power & Glory were beaten in 59 seconds.

 
Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Sgt Slaughter, The Big Bossman & Virgil vs The Mountie, The Nasty Boys & Repo Man – WrestleMania VIII – April 5 1992, Hoosier Dome – Indianapolis, Indiana. Attendance – 62, 167

The fourth match of the night was an eight-man tag team affair. Prior to the match, guest ring announcer and host of Family Feud Ray Combs, insulted the heels before being chased out of the ring. The match began with both teams brawling inside the ring and stayed that way for much of the match. A few minutes into the bout, the referee managed to gain control of the participants and was able to have one member from each team in the ring at once. Virgil dropkicked Repo Man before hitting a cross body block from the top rope. As he went for the pin, Brian Knobs made the save. The Mountie also entered and attacked Virgil much to the dismay of Duggan and Slaughter who had charged into the ring. Repo, back in control had his team intercept before tagging Sags in to continue the assault. Sags hit Virgil with the fall-away slam only getting a two count. The Mountie came in next and climbed to the second rope. As he jumped he didn’t see the Bossman enter and was caught on the receiving end of a spinebuster.

All 8 men soon found themselves in a gigantic brawl. The Bossman and Hacksaw put a beating on Repo Man while the Mountie (who had recovered by this time) dominated Slaughter on the outside. In the ring, Knobs held Virgil for his partner to strike. Virgil ducked the blow and Sags laid out Knobs. Duggan came in and clotheslined the mobile Nasty Boy out of the ring giving Virgil the opportunity to pin Brian Knobs for the victory.

 
Razor Ramon vs Bob Backlund – WrestleMania IX – April 4 1993, Caesars Palace – Las Vegas, Nevada. Attendance – 16,891

Cool heel Razor Ramon made his way down the aisle to the cheers of fans unlike his opponent who followed. Former WWF Champion and 2013 Hall of Famer Bob Backlund received a polite reception however. Backlund used his amateur background to take Razor off his feet, using his hands and feet to send Razor flying. Razor fell victim to hip tosses and a butterfly suplex, he was slow to catch the ‘All American’ although he did dominate much of the match. His advantage was his power.

The end came when Razor rolled Backlund into a small package for the one, two, three before rolling out of the ring where he was met with more cheers.

 
Crush vs ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage (Falls Count Anywhere) – WrestleMania X – March 20 1994, Madison Square Garden – New York, New York. Attendance – 18,065

Macho Man had a huge score to settle with his sworn enemy. Once great friends, Crush had turned his back on his friend, his fans and his country. Now aligned with Mr. Fuji, he was one of the most hated men in the World Wrestling Federation and Savage was gunning for him. It began with Randy attacking Crush before he had reached the ring. Savage soon had the tables turned on him though. In the same way the feud had begun, Crush picked up Macho and Press Slammed his face onto the guard rail. When the action finally made it to the ring, these two Superstars displayed their utter hate for one another.

The stipulation for this match was not just falls count anywhere, the Superstar who was pinned had sixty seconds to make it back to the ring before suffering a loss. Both Crush and savage had near misses but were able to make it back. Crush, so beaten was revived by Fuji when he poured water over his face. The two eventually fought in the crowd and then backstage where Macho Man tied his nemesis’ feet with cable and elevated him in a headstand position on scaffold. Crush was unable to make it back to the ring within sixty seconds and Macho Man Randy Savage took the victory in his final appearance at WrestleMania to end the feud.

 
Razor Ramon vs Jeff Jarrett – WrestleMania XI – April 2 1995, Hartford Civic Center – Hartford, Connecticut. Attendance – 16,305

In a rematch from the Royal Rumble, Razor Ramon was determined to regain his Intercontinental Championship. Accompanied by the 1-2-3 Kid, he had protection from Jarrett’s Roadie who had cost him his title three months previous. This title bout was an evenly matched encounter where both Superstars used their skills to compete in a competitive match.

Jarrett at one point had ‘The Bad Guy’ in his signature figure four leg lock but Ramon would not quit. Likewise, Razor used his usual sequence to weaken his opponent, but he too could not get the win. The ‘Bad Guy’ executed his back suplex from the second rope and prepared to finish Jarrett with his Razor’s Edge until the Roadie came in on the attack, which sounded the bell for a disqualification victory for Ramon. Although he won he couldn’t take the Intercontinental title via disqualification. The Kid came in to aid his friend who had been attacked by Jeff and the Roadie but eventually fell victim also. Razor Ramon recovered and in turn saved The Kid. A moral yet unsavoury win for Mr. Machismo.

 
Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts, Ahmed Johnson & Yokozuna vs Owen Hart, The British Bulldog & Vader – WrestleMania XII – March 31 1996, Arrowhead Pond – Anaheim, California. Attendance – 18,853

In the opening match Yokozuna’s former friends Bulldog and Owen had sided with Vader feeling that Yokozuna had disrespected Jim Cornette, their manager. However, it was Cornette who had over stepped over the line. For the first time, Mr. Fuji came to ringside carrying the American flag. Jake and Ahmed had a score to settle with Camp Cornette also, which set this six man tag up. For twelve minutes, this match was a back and forth confrontation. The bad blood that ensued from newcomer Vader and the mighty Yokozuna had boiled over. The two big men started the match with heavy shots and blows to the head. Yoko knocked Vader outside where Jake and Owen soon followed. Ahmed dominated all members of Camp Cornette until they were able to regain composure and take down the Pearl River Powerhouse.

Eventually, the snake was tagged in and went to work on Owen Hart hitting him with a series of jabs that sent the King of Harts flying. The Bulldog tagged in and isolated Jake from his team. Owen and Davey took turns wearing him down as the Bulldog placed him in a front facelock. There was still fire inside the snake, much to the dismay of Smith. Vader comes back in and splashes Roberts, only managing a two count. Back inside comes The Bulldog. Missing an elbow drop from the ropes Jake was able to make his way back to tag in Yoko. He exchanged rights with Vader who came back in. He hit the Mastodon with a splash to the corner. Jake returned and beat the Bulldog and Owen down. He signaled for the DDT but Smith blocked him. Jim Cornette walloped Roberts and his plans for revenge were cut short. Vader re-entered the ring and took down Roberts, dropping the Vader Bomb on him for the pin while the other four men fought outside.

 
The New Blacksjacks vs Doug Furnas & Phil Lafon vs The Godwinns vs The Headbangers – WrestleMania 13 – March 23 1997, Rosemont Horizon, Rosemont Illinois. Attendance – 16,187

These four teams were to compete for number one contender for the Tag Team Championship. Each team could tag a member of another team. Occasionally partners fought against each other. Blackjack Windham and Lafon fought outside the ring, Windham struck the referee which caused him to be disqualified. Doug Furnas was soon counted out which left the Headbangers and the Godwinns. After five minutes Mosh hit Phineas with a Cannonball Senton Splash for the win. The Headbangers had earned a future Tag Team title shot.

 
That’s it for WrestleMania’s Forgotten Matches! Remember to follow @ColiseumCorner. Hope you all enjoy WrestleMania. In the words of Gorilla Monsoon, “It’s gonna be a happening”.