WWF Live Report Flashback - 20 yrs. ago
Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter Ringside Beat
February 20, 1993
Minneapolis, Minn.
Report by Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

(1) Terry Taylor pirmed Jim Powers in 10:00. They began slowly, but Taylor soon picked up on crowd psychology, threatening at one point to walk back to the dressing room. Taylor got tremendous negative heat from the fans. Taylor also continued to show why he is underutilized, as he added subtleties to the match that no one else on the card, from top to bottom, either knows how to do or cares to bother doing. Powers prevented this from being anything special. (**)

(2) Tatanka pinned Skinner in 8:00. Skinner had a face-to-face conversation with virtually every member of the front row before entering the ring. Tatanka got an impressive pop and definitely has the ring dance down well. The bout, though, was slow and Skinner did not bother to try anything to get the crowd back into the match. Tatanka shows his limitations and not taking control of this match and the crowd, something he is going to need to do before he gets to main events. The fans did pop for Tatanka’s big comeback, but overall did not seem impressed. (*)

(3) Mr. Perfect pinned Razor Ramon with the perfectplex at 13:00. This was a good match, although with Hennig as a babyface, he is having to adapt to a style with fewer outrageous bumps and more offensive rallies. He succeeded tonight, although he still does not appear completely comfortable with the babyface role. He came to the ring wearing a North Stars hockey jersey with number “1" on the back along with the name “Mr. Perfect." Ramon attacked him before the bell.
This match had the intensity of a grudge mach at times, but at other times slowed too much for two men who hate each other according to the WWF storyline. Ramon carried his end, but did nothing to establish himself as a strong heel to the fans. After he was pinned, he protested in the ring several minutes as fans threw garbage at him. (***)

(4) The Headshrinkers defeated High Energy (Owen Hart & Koko B. Ware) at 11:00. Owen Hart flew off the top rope and landed on one of the Headshrinkers for an apparent pin, but as the referee escorted Koko B. Ware out of the ring, the other Headshrinker hit Hart and rolled him onto his back for the pin. Nothing wrong with this one, but nothing especially great either. (**1/4)

(5) Doink pinned Tugboat in 7:00. Doink sprayed fans in the front row with water on each side of the ring before he wrestled. Many fans were not sure what to think of him, although by the time Doink had established his character, they were behind Tugboat and popping for the traditional spots. Doink's character is interesting, but Tugboat was subpar as usual. Doink won after a weak-looking splash. He needs a stronger finisher. (3/4*)

(6) WWF champion Bret Hart pinned Bam Bam Bigelow with a victory roll at 18:00. The first 12 minutes were methodical and at times casual. There was no sense of intensity on either man's part or a deep desire by Bigelow to "win the title." Some out-of-ring brawling helped carry the first two-thirds. The final minutes contained the best action of the night. There were approximately eight false finishes split between the two, with four of them getting fans to rise to their feet. It appeared to be over when Hart applied the Sharpshooter and the fans popped - at this point I was telling myself how predictable it is going to get if Hart always wins with the Sharpshooter - at which point Bigelow powered out, surprised everyone in the building, and went on the offense. Bigelow missed a flying headbutt from the top rope, but he kicked out after Hart covered him. The victory roll was a perfect finish to an above average WWF event. (***1/4)

After the match, the majority of the fans stayed as Hart’s music played and he held up the WWF belt in all four corners of the ring.

Pro Wrestling Torch Weekly - Febuary 22, 1993 Live Event Reports

[Torch photo credit Wade Keller (c) PWTorch.com]

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