Review: WWF/WWE Survivor Series 1995 DVD

 

 

 

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“Diesel….the truck stops here!” -Bret “Hitman” Hart

 

 

–WWF “Survivor Series 1995” took place on November 19th, 1995 at the USAir Arena in Landover, Maryland in front of 14,5000 fans.

-Coming into this event Diesel had almost held the main prize for almost one full year.

-This was the first Survivor Series program not to take place on either Thanksgiving Eve or Thanksgiving night.

-This was the 9th Annual Survivor Series event.

-The Smoking Gunns (Billy and Bart) defeated The Public Enemy (Rocco Rock and Johnny Grunge) in a dark match before the event.

-Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Mr. Perfect did commentary for the event.

-Now onto the PPV……………

 

 

 

 

 

1) Opening Contest- The BodyDonnas (Skip, Rad Radford, Tom Prichard, and The 1-2-3 Kid) (with Sunny and Ted DiBiase) vs The Underdogs (Marty Jannetty, Hakushi, Barry Horowitz, and Bob Holly) in a 4 on 4 Survivor Series Elimination Match

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Sunny introduced the 123 Kid coming out with DiBiase’s stable-man.
Kid had turned heel.

Jannetty trash-talked him a lot on the way to the ring.

Razor Ramon came out after the Kid just as he would at the 96 Rumble a coiple of months later.

The bell rings and now it looks as if Marty Jannetty and Prichard were to begin in the ring.
Marty Jannetty and Prichard both quick workers so the opening to this was fast paced just an openers should be.

Holly comes in and now frequent tags occur, a hurricanrana by the Spark Plug. A shoulder blocker and a leapfrog. Holly planted the opposition to the mat twice and thn held him in an armbar. Radford in trouble. 123 Kid and Hakushi both in the ring going at it some more.

Skip and Hakushi going at it. Skip up top but Hakushi reversed a crossbody and then Bob Holly came back in. Holly too quick for Skip dropping him with a clothesline.

Pritchard tagged in. A powerbomb into a pinning combo and a nearfall. A high risk moonsault by Pritchard misses, and Holly rolls him up.

Bob Holly eliminated Tom Pritchard at 5:17 after a flying crossbody.

Almost immediately after that Skip beat Holly by a roll-up at 5:23.

Hakushi and Skip go at it as it’ss now three on three.

Hakushi comes off the top and Skip gets the knees up. Hakushi in trouble an Skip hits a hurricanrana. He lands on his head but both men are down.

The Kid recieved a flyign elbow and dropkick.

Hakushi from the top takes out the Kid but got a nearfall.

Kid tagged in Radford.

At 8:10 Rad Radford scored the pinfall on Hakushi to eliminate him after a spinning heel kick from 1-2-3 Kid after pulling the tights.

Barry Horrowitz and the crowd had the “Barry” chant out.
The 123 Kid tagged in and got some shots before tagging back in Rad Radford. Horrowitz caught him with a jawbreaker. A clothesline by Radford takes him down but he took his time with it.

Barrry eliminated Radford via a small package at 11:26.

The fans go crazy.

Barry now had to face Skip. Skip tried to run but Barry hit a hiplock then a reverse elbow. Barry misses a shot, Skip tags in The 123 kid and hit a thrust kick.

At 12:25 Kid put out Barry via a snap legdrop.

2 on 1.

Marty all alone having the fans chanting his name as the 123 Kid and Skip are on the other side with Sunny and DiBiase on the out.

Skip misses Marty at the corner and then Marty hit a snapmare. Skip caught Jannetty with a kick as he bent down. JANNETY got a powerbomb into a sunset flip but a nearfall.
Jannetty dropped Skip and then went to the top but Sunny pushed the official. Marty hits a powerbomb off the top.

Jannetty eliminatred Skip at 15:02 via a a Superbomb.
One on One.

The Kid hit a heel kick on Marty.

The 123 Kid hit a legdrop from the top and got a two. The Kid hit a dropkick to the jaw of Marty Jannetty. The Kid fired back with some offense.

In the end at 18:45 Kid scored the Pinfall on Marty Jannetty after interference from Sid.

The remaining survivor is the 1-2-3 Kid.

This match is quite a good opener. Never dull, not very long and full of quality. Nice work.

 

 

** 3/4

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2) Bertha Faye, Aja Kong, Tomoko Watanabe, and Lioness Asuka (with Harvey Wippleman) vs Alundra Blayze, Kyoko Inoue, Sakie Hasegawa, and Chaparita Asari

Time for a Ladies Surviror Series match.

The match begins and we are treated to an airplane spin right away. Asuka couldn’t make a tag and in came Blayze.

A Skytwister by Asari, nicely applied.

Alundra came in and hit Asari.

Lioness Asuka is put out by Blayze after a release German Suplex at 1:41.

Alundra goes up top and drops dowm on Tomoko anddrags the air.

A series of gutwrench suplexes and Tomkoko goes up top gettinga neafall. In comes Aja Kong. Kong with a big shot to the gut. She caught a kick high. A tremendous suplex.

At 3:58 Aja Kong put out Sakie Hasegawa after a solid Back Suplex.

Great moving match, very fast and full of action.

Aja King came in and slams Asari down and then splashed her for from up top.

It just took Kong a flying splash to put out Chaparita Asari at 4:28.

Alundra tags in Kyoko Inoue and she attempts a sunset flip but Kong drops her weight on her.

At 5:02 of the match-up, is eliminated by Kong the MVP of the match, clearly by a Bonzai Drop.

Three on one.

Blayze had the support of the Federation crowd. Bertha Faye yet to get in the match. Alundra waited for just one when all three attacks Alundra. Bertha hit a snapmare.

Blayze with a piledriver.

2 on 1.

Faye comes in and drills Alundra in the corner.

After a piledriver at 6:30 Tomoko Watanabe is eliminated by Aludra Blayze to a great reaction.

Blayze doesen’t stop there. She takes apart Big Bertha Faye after an impressive Bridge German suplex at 7:11 to a lady of her size.

Now it comes down to one on one.

Kong and Blayze.

Alundra with the odds stacked against her from the beginning down three on one had fought back and now had to go for Kong as the last Lady.

In the end at 10:01 it is a Pinfall after a Uraken Punch by Aja Kong to Alundra Blayze that gets the heels the victory.

Team Faye were the Survivor’s, only Aja Kong being the lone Survivor.

As you’d expect the crowd wasn’t very loud here which ultimately took away from the match but it was still great.

Some good action in parts.

Overall it wasn’t overly long and very fast. Great job ladies.

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** 3/4

 

 

 

 

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3) Goldust vs Bam Bam Bigelow

This is either the last appearance of Bam Bam in the Federation or one of them. He didn’t last much longer over there but left on good terms.

McMahon even payed for his Funeral Services when he passed around 2005 which was a nice gesture.

Goldust was a New character here so he was shocking too many and his tactics as strange as the were made this match here.

Still, Dustin the man behind the Gold and Bam Bam as agile as he was for a big man they could deliver something here.

The match began with Bam Bam Bigelow looking at Goldust and shaking his head. Bam Bam tossed Goldust to the corner but he dragged him out of the ring and delivered a hard shot to Bam Bam.

Goldust took Bam Bam to the floor with a clothesline.

Goldust recieved headbutt’s but then he lifted his knee and ran into Bam Bam. Goldust using the leverage advantage for a front facelock. Goldust with a sharp righthand.

Goldust tosses Bam Bam to the floor. All Goldust delivering more kicks until Bam Bam hit a fall away slam and then got a two. Goldust with unique pinning combinations on Bam Bam.

Goldust with a reverse chinlock.

Goldust wearking down the big man.

Bam Bam had the support of the fans. Both men slugging it out from there feet. Goldust off the ropes hit a clothesline into a reverse chinlock.

Bigelow out of desperation hit a series of clothesline’s to Goldust. Into the buckle he crashed hard back-first. Goldust hit a running bulldog on Bam Bam.

In the end at 8:18 Goldust won the match. This put him higher up the ranks in the IC title division heading into the Rumble where he’d inevitably win the title from Razor Ramon.

This was a “credibility victory.”

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** 1/2

 

 

 

 

4) The Darkside (The Undertaker, Savio Vega, Fatu and Henry Godwinn) (with Paul Bearer) vs The Royals (King Mabel, Jerry Lawler, Isaac Yankem and Hunter Hearst Helmsley) (with Sir Mo)

 

 

Interesting they’d be the Rikishi-Triple H alliance who ran down Austin at this event just four years later.

Fatu dominating early.

In comes Henry O Godwin. Hunter not happy due to theire rivalry together that would lead to that slop match, or Helmsley’s punishment, depending on how you look at it. King tagged in and he tags out.

In comes Kane, I mean Yankem. Hey, it’s Kane versus Taker here before the introduction of Kane.

Henry takes apart Yankem.

Hunter despite the embarassment had never been defeated in single’s action to this point. Perfect puts over on commentary he wants to be known as Triple H. It’d take a good two years for that to fully settle in.

Godwin teases throwing Helmsley over the top to the floor but then drops him on the mat.

Savio Vega and Lawler go at it.

King Mabel is tagged in and this match was going good until I am reminded by the KOTR 95 final seeing Savio and Mabel go at it together.

Yankem worked over Savio. Helmsley worked on Vega in the corner until he ran into a clothesline by Mabel.

King came in and “Burger King” is chanted. King piledrive’s Vega and he waited too long to pin him. Yankem and Helmsley rough Vega up in the corner. Hunter caught a Rock Bottom of sorts (It wouldn’t be the first time in his career) by Vega.

Vega got a piledriver by King tagged in.

Now Taker is in to a huge pop. King wants to tag out and no one wants to tag in. Undertaker scooped up King and dropped him.

The Undertaker gave the King the Tombstone Piledriver and he is the first person eliminated at 12:19.

Undertaker takes his down Yankem his soon to brother Kane.

The match began with Fatu dropping Helmsley. 

Taker puts away Yankem the same way at 12:50.

Now, Hunter is in. How could anyone predict these guys fifteen years later would still be in the Federation as the top dogs at this time.

Hunter is put away by Taker not long after his chokeslam at 13:35.
Now, Taker had his team and Mabel is to intimidated to face up to Taker and is gone.

In the end at 14:21 Mabel is counted out.

The Survivor’s were Undertaker, Savio Vega, Fatu, Henry Godwinn (The Darkside).

This match is pretty good in parts, it didn’t stretch out which could of been its biggest assett. Not bad at all.

 

 

** 1/4

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5) Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, The British Bulldog, and Sycho Sid (with Ted DiBiase and Jim Cornette) vs Yokozuna, Owen Hart, Razor Ramon, and Dean Douglas (with Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette)

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Here’s a Survivor Series match that featured better all around talent for the most part.

Ahmed’s debut.

A lot of people debut at this event. Taker, Angle, Kane (match-wise), The Rock, Ahmed, etc.

The match began with Michales and Owen.

Great material whenever they get together.

Michaels got a few good shots on Owen with his aerial offense.

Dean Douglas, Ahmed everyone got a bit of early action here. Ahmed hit a powerslam on Douglas and Michaels is elevated up by his own partner on Dean Douglas and he leaves the ring. Douglas runs into a shot by Razor outside the ring.

Ramon hit Douglas then Michaels rolled him up.

So Michaels eliminated Douglas by Pinfall by roll-up after being attacked by Razor Ramon at 7:30 of the match.

Brother in Law’s going at it now just as they did the year before in this match type. The next year in 96 they’d be partners.

Owen leapfrogged by the Bulldog and kicked away. Owen caught Davey Boy with a spinning heel kick by Owen.

Owen tagged in Ramon.

Ramon and Michaels had seven IC title’s between them says Ross. Yeah, it was amazing in the days the title had prestige.

Fans knewof the classic’s between Shawn and Razor so the anticipation was high. Ramon came in though and dropped Michaels, he blocked a hiptoss, ducked a clothesline and hit

Ramon with a forearm and Michaels nipped up. Michaels goes for a backdrop but Razor tried the Razor’s Edge. He got it.

Ahmed broke it up.

Perfect is irate on commentary.

Razor lifted a high knee into the head of Michaels.

Sid is tagged in by Michaels.Michaels hits SID with a version of his own Sweet Chin Music.

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Sid is then eliminated by pinfall after Shawn Michaels hit Sid with the superkick at 16:18 as Ramon eliminated Sid to a big pop.

Now, Bulldog and Michaels run into one another after Sid powerbombs Michaels after that whole ordeal. Michaels pinned Ramon but he got up.

Owen Hart tagged in stomping on Shawn Michaels and hit a backdrop and a backbreaker. Yoko tagged in stomping on HBK who twists and turns up.

Yoko slapped on a trapezius hold to weardown Michaels. YOKO hit a reverse elbow then went upstairs missing with a headbutt.

Ahmed got a hot tag from Razor and then hit the Peal River Plunge on Owen to a great pop after defeating him.

Ahmed Johnson eliminated Owen Hart after sit-down double underhook powerbomb 21:49.

Ramon drives Ahmed with a knee to Ahmed. Razor runs into a devastating spinebuster by Ahmed.

Johnson caught Ahmed posing on the top turnbuckle into a Razor’s Edge, the Bulldog broke up the count and dropped shots to Ramon.

Davey Boy Smith in control as Sid, the Kid and DiBiase walk to the ring.

Razor hit a fall-away slam on Bulldog but he kicked out. Razor dropped the kid off the apron but it distracted him. Bulldog with a running powerslam to Ramon.

Bulldog eliminating Ramon from his last Survivor Series comes at 24:08.

Yokozuna is the only man against Michaels, Ahmed Johnson and the Bulldog.

HBK who they were preparing to push all the way unloaded on the man he’d eliminate in the 96 Rumble (along with Vader at the same time) took it to Yoko until he turned the tide slamminghim to the canvas.

That famous Owen-Shawn match with Michaels’s concussion took place the night after this event.

Yokozuna going for a Bonzai drop but Michaels moved out of the way.

Ahmed tags in and goes to work on the big man slamming him. Bulldog stopped the count. Ahmed and HBK double-team Bulldog with a right then a clothesline to the team’s traitor the Bulldog.

Strange booking.

HBK hit Yoko with a superkick.

In the end at 27:24 Ahmed Johnson pinned Yokozuna after a splash.

The company loved Ahmed and pushed him to the moon at the time (until 1997), the fans seemed happy after the result.

The Survivor’s were Shawn Michaels, Ahmed Johnson, British Bulldog (Team Michaels)

This match is very exciting if all over the place.

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*** 1/2

 

 

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6) Main Event- Bret “Hitman” Hart vs “Big Daddy Cool” Diesel (c) in a No Disqualification match for the WWF Championship

 

 

Diesel had been Champion a year.

Bret Hart was arguably the best wrestler in the world at the tike. Misawa, Kobashi, Liger, Benoit, Guerrero, Michaels are the only other guys I could of seen in Bret’s league during this time.

This is a magnificent match.

Infact I rank it among the elite matches I’ve ever seen.

If you can get past the first ten minutes of Diesel domination and no pinfalls then the story that breaks through is absolutely breathtaking.

Hart has always played such a good seller, a respectable character that would just never die.

Diesel was the opposite, he ran over everybody in his path and was Champion a year. Now in a rough environment being a NO DQ match the two would meet for the title.

The Hitman last wore the gold at this very event the year before.

This is one of my favourite matches of all time.

It’s in my top 15 list for best of all time, and you can bet there is a very good reason for that.

I can’t stand people not giving matches a chance just because they begin slow. Usually they’re conditioning thimselves for some amazing work and here is no exception.

Don’t let the slower pace in the beginning fool or distract you. That’s there just to set the stage for the real work. Think of the people putting props up before “CATS” is being shown.

Putting the pieces together to unfold a masterpiece.

Nash and Bret’s chemistry was always terrific looking back on it, I’ve got the followig:
Nash-Bret KOTR 94 **** 1/4
Nash-Bret RR 95 **** 1/2
Nash-Bret Cage IYH *** 1/4
This- *****

Big Daddy Cool had been honking his horns a litttle too long for some’s liking, technically speaking, his reign-uear on top of the Federation drew it’s lowest number so a change was needed.

The Pink and Black attack was back to take out the legs of the bigger Champion, always a mastered psychologist, Bret wouldn’t just do the right thigngs, he’d do them at the right time and excellently excecuted hence the nickname the late Gorilla Monsoon made fmous.
Even when it came down to Mind Games.

Diesel takes off the top-rope turnbuckle padding realizing foot that it’s no DQ.
Perfect on commentary says he had been elluded the world title all these ears so it made him uncomfortable.

Bret matches Nash and shows the 7 foot monster confidence taking off of one his own on the other side.

Bret never backed off, infact he took Diesel to the corner driving him with full force but Big Daddy Cool hit this well scouted from previous meetings betwn the two.
Nash knew if an EASY task ahead of him then just to leave at home. This wasn’t Sid,

Kama or King Mabel anymore. This was the man who had been meaking headline’s all over the globe for more then a decade, and hands down one of the finest pro-wrestlers to tell a story scientifically.

This match is not only the perfect big man versus little man but it becomes innovative with the memorable table spot. Bret dished out shots in the corner and Diesel easily reversed it with some high knee shots of his own before vicious righthands.

Diesel’s dominance over Bret was one of the strong points to this match, from one perspective you could say he dominated the entire first half. Infact a pinfall isn’t at least attempted until well after the ten minute mark.

Big Daddy Cool’s clubbing blows took it right out of the Hitman. Strategically Diesel used his bodyweight on Bret who took a walk.

The stipuation called for no Count Ount and that’s exactly what happened. The story here is that they made t evdident Bret didn’t have a chance.

Diesel rammed Bret into the post. Now for some payback he grabbed a chair and layed out the Hitman, All legal and since Hart did it to Nash in January, Diesel returns the favor in November.

Diesel irish-whipped Bret hard ino the corner bunping spinefirst. Bret is levelled with a clothesline. Diesel goes for a Jacknife but the ropes disallow it. The Hitman choke Diesel and rakes the face out of desperation.

The first time the Hitman goes go the offense he goes right to the leg. Ross does his best Michael Cole impression a decade earlier sayingit was vintage Bret Hart. Methodically disecting Diesel swinging his legs over. Bret dropped all his bodyweight on Diesel over ther ropes.

This would be effective but Big Daddy Cool kicked off the Hitman directly into the corer where the turnbuckle was exposed but Bret had a plan!

The Hitman slithered under the bottom rope and unhooked a cord taping it around Diesel in a leg-grapevine.

Hart then wraps it around the corner doing more damage to the big man taking him off his vertical base, always a sound stategy when taking on a bigger man, but also softening up for the Sharpshooter. Diesel fought back with his long reah and free leg,

Diesel blocked two chairshots and then eventually hammered the mid-section and legs of Diesel ever and ove.

Hennig said he never saw Hart do vicious. All the offense in on corner because Diesel was tied up. The Hitman tried a high risk move and goes to fly ogg but Diesel tosses him apart. Diesel remembers to sell the legs before giving Hart a back-breaker and sending him to the buckle.

In November 95 Ross says this is Bret’s 41st PPV and Perfect says he’s been at EVERY Series event. Diesel contiinued to torture Bret trying to get that bloodflow to the body. Hart fights back.

Pefrfectcalls it one of the best he’s seen in a long time, he wasn’t kidding. Bret with a big elbow and a signature side russian legsweep. Hart went for a high risk plunge to Dieel but he had that work scouted,

Diesel pulled the ropes and he fell to the floor.

Now Nash is apart of the first big table spot in history for the WWF. Randy Savage piledrived Ricky Morton through a table in the early 80s in Memphis making that sort of thing famous, then Funk and Flair after Wrestlewar 89 in the NWA.

Diesel with ton of momentum had slmmmed Bret through a table.

It had to be over but Bret collapses as Diesel doesen’t jacknife a down and out Bret who plaed with Diesel’s mind.

On the second try Bret reverses it!

In the end the Hitman reversed a Jakcknife into an inside cradle to become the Champion

to a huge roar in the middle of the ring at 25:06.

The crowd went wild! A new champion…finally, and no one more desering then Bret, especially how they mde him win in Diesel’s type-environment. Tremendous booking.
It’s the very reason it remains a favourite too many, even Kevin Nash himself (according to Hart’s book) that he said it was his best match ever. Bret Hart also consdiders this match five stars. I’ve never had it any lower but time and time again I feel the urge to change it back up.

There’s a perfect match, the perfect story.

An ending that gives me chills.

Beautiful.

So in the end at 24:54 Bret Hart countered a Jacknife attempt into a small package to win the title to a huge pop!

The Hitman is the Champion!!! Textbook ending, the best moment from 1995 quite easily from this company.

Completely logical as a cocky Diesel buckled down and didn’t see it coming!

Hart’s work payed off and he won in incredible, underdog fashion.

Easily the best match in the history of Survivor Series…that is…until the next year.

A top 5 Bret Hart match.

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*****

 

 

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Final Rating for WWF Survivor Series 1995 = 8/10

 

 

After an an event features one of the greatest matches of all time you need to give it around five points based on that alone. There was enough to push it further and make this a solid event. This was probably the only PPV in 1995 the Federation could be proud of outside the Rumble. Pick this one up for sure.