October 5, 1995
From the Fleet Center in Boston, MA. This is the first show held in what’s known today as the TD Garden.
It is a fan-cam recording of the show thus no commentary.
Sir Mo vs. Barry Horowitz
This is joined in progress here with Mo working over Horowitz. Mo clotheslines Horowitz after he was rolled up for a two count then yells at the ref when admonished for choking out Horowitz in the ropes. Horowitz tries to work a hold on the mat but Mo breaks that up with an eye rake then uses a thrust kick for a two count. Mo complains to the ref and Horowitz uses a pair of rollups but then Mo goes right back on offense. Horowitz fights back after Mo misses an elbow drop then hits a dropkick for a two count. Horowitz uses a back drop then a high knee but runs into a spinning heel kick and Mo covers for two. Mo hits a leg drop then heads up top and drops an elbow for two but Horowitz immediately cradles him and gets the win (4:50).
Thoughts: Not much to this at all. The crowd was into the finish as Horowitz is firmly a cult favorite at this point. Mo losing could be considered a bit of a surprise given he is part of the King Mabel act but its not like Mo was over or anything.
Bob Backlund vs. 1-2-3 Kid
Before the match, we get “Backlund sucks” chants and he runs around angry and has words with the fans after they settle down and it lasted for far too long. Stalling from Backlund to start as he runs out to yell at fans after the bell rings. He then offers a handshake but again remains focused on the crowd and stares at them while Kid remains in his pose in the middle of the ring. Backlund avoids Kid and dances around then we finally get a lockup just before the two minute mark where Kid uses an arm drag. Backlund then takes Kid down and runs around and after that we get a hammerlock reversal sequence. The crowd boos Backlund as he stares them down then they trade go-behinds until Kid uses a takedown. Backlund breaks a waist hold by grabbing the ropes then tries to sneak up on Kid with the crossface chicken wing but Kid slips out. Backlund tries a leg dive then we go back to trading go-behinds until Backlund reaches the ropes. Kid takes Backlund off of the apron then Backlund returns and Kid uses a pair of hip tosses before sending Backlund through the ropes after a few kicks. Backlund stays on the outside and yells at the crowd before snapping Kid’s arm over the top rope. Backlund sneaks back in for the crossface chicken wing then blocks a reverse rollup. However, Kid pretends he is hurt on the mat then surprises Backlund with a cradle for the win (7:23) 1/4*. After the match, Backlund attacks Kid and puts on the crossface chicken wing until a few officials run out. Kid dropkicks Backlund into the corner but Backlund runs over and puts the chicken wing back on and eventually the officials get him to stop.
Thoughts: Probably the best you were going to get from Backlund at this point as he is unwilling to adapt to a style that fits this era. Better than the fan-cam classics we’ve seen from Backlund with the likes of Man Mountain Rock and Aldo Montoya at least, which isnt saying much at all but we broke the negative star rating scale so……..progress!
WWF Women’s Title Match: Bertha Faye (c) vs. Alundra Blayze
Blayze has a young female fan accompany her to the ring. Faye yells at the fans then Blayze takes her over with a crucifix. Faye runs over Blayze a few times then poses before yanking her down to the mat. Faye slams Blayze then hits a pair of leg drops and after some hair-pulling applies a rear chin lock. Faye switches to a surfboard then a bodyscissors but Blayze escapes and uses a victory roll for a two count. The camera goes black for a few seconds then returns to see Faye ground Blayze once again. Faye avalanches Blayze then uses some shoulder thrusts in the corner. Faye misses an attack in the corner and Blayze runs wild then decides to try a piledriver but Faye counters with a back drop. Blayze comes back with a hurricarana for a nearfall then hits a missile dropkick. Blayze misses an attack from the middle rope and heads up top but Blayze cuts her off. Faye then shoves Blayze off and gets down to hit a sit-out powerbomb for the win (6:43) *1/2.
Thoughts: Short match but it was okay and faster paced towards the end. However, these matches are a far cry from the Blayze/Nakano matches that were highlights among house shows in this era. Plus, this division has been practically non-existent on TV for months until they decided to toss them on SummerSlam.
WWF Tag Team Title Match: Jacob & Eli Blu vs. Smoking Gunns (c)
The crowd seems into the Gunns at little or at the least the females in attendance anyway. Jacob and Billy start off with a lockup that ends in the corner. Jacob then rams Billy a few times and catches him with a back elbow smash after whiffing on a clothesline. Jacob drops an elbow after a scoop slam then tags out as Eli hammers away. Billy gets a sunset flip for two after a reversal sequence then is able to work the arm. Bart tags in and stays to work on the arm of Eli until he is rammed into the corner. Jacob is back in but Bart takes him down. The Gunns use quick tags to work the arm of Jacob and stay in control of the match until Eli trips up Bart from the outside, allowing Jacob to attack from behind. The ref is on the floor yelling at Billy as Jacob knocks Bart off of the apron with a knee smash. Bart crawls back inside and Jacob whips him into the corner. Eli tags and puts Bart in the tree-of-woe and stomps away as the crowd is getting restless over the lack of action. Jacob & Eli continue to cut the ring in half until they accidentally collide. Bart clothesline Eli as both men are down but Jacob tags in and knocks Billy off of the apron to prevent a tag. Jacob prevents another tag then tags out as Eli puts Bart in a front facelock. Bart reaches out for a tag but Eli pulls him away in lazy fashion then catches Bart with a back elbow smash for a two count. Side slam gets two. Jacob tags in and puts on a front facelock as Bart again tries to reach out to Billy for a tag. Eli distracts the ref to not see Bart making the tag then Billy is ordered back on the apron. Bart comes back with a mat slam on Jacob as both men are down and tag out. Billy runs wild on both of Jacob & Eli until he gets caught in the H-Bomb. Jacob then holds up Billy for Eli and accidentally clotheslines him and that allows the Gunns to hit the Sidewinder for the win (10:45) *.
Thoughts: Jacob & Eli definitely wrestling like a team that gave notice here as they were completely going through the motions and not showing any signs of urgency. Despite all of this, The Gunns were still over a bit at least which is nice since they now have the belts again and on top of the struggling Tag Team Division. Speaking of Jacob & Eli, they had a confrontation with Shawn at the 10/8 show in Nova Scotia. According to Sid Vicious in his shoot interview with Hannibal TV, Shawn was yelling at Jacob & Eli for quitting, calling them “pussies” at one point and that lead to them pinning Shawn up against the wall and slapping him across the face. Diesel, who was on tour in Europe, said that he heard about the incident and Shawn deserved what happened but would have retaliated if he was there as Shawn was his friend.
Kama vs. Savio Vega
Savio dances with the young fan who got to be the special guest ring announcer. Kama shoves Savio to start. He backs Savio into the corner and tries a cheap shot but Savio ducks and lands a punch of his own. The ref steps between the two and then Savio works a side headlock. Savio dropkicks Kama after he rolled away to avoid an elbow drop attempt then uses a snapmare and slaps Kama off the back of the head. Kama boots Savio in the gut then picks him up and rams him into the corner, Kama clotheslines Savio before applying a reverse chin lock. The chin lock remains as the crowd is starting a “boring” chant. Kama now puts on an abdominal stretch that Savio eventually reverses but Kama breaks that up with a hip toss. Kama hammers away but ducks his head for a back drop and Savio counters with a mat slam. Savio fires away then chops Kama in the corner. Crossbody gets two then Savio avoids a charge in the corner and rolls up Kama for two. Kama rakes the eyes then grabs Savio’s arm and kicks him a few times in the ribs. Kama tries a pin with his feet on the ropes as the boring chants continue. Kama now taunts the crowd before trying a Vader Bomb but Savio got his knees up then Savio hits a spinning heel kick for the win (8:25) 1/2*.
Thoughts: This was awful with Kama barely doing anything at all on offense in a match where he dominated a majority of the time. Savio at least gave effort in his spots as another member of the Million Dollar Corporation loses. Kama is directionless since losing to Undertaker at SummerSlam and would not be around much longer as he was another wrestler who quit due to the lack of money they were making on the road. Savio is in need of direction, however.
Dr. Isaac Yankem DDS w/ Jerry “The King” Lawler vs. Bret “The Hitman” Hart w/ George “The Animal” Steele
Before the match, Lawler grabs the mic and insults the crowd, which respond by throwing trash into the ring. Bret then comes out with George Steele to attack Lawler then hammers away on Yankem. Bret hits Yankem with an inverted atomic drop then heads up to the middle rope but Lawler grabs his leg until Steele makes the save. The ref goes out to break up Steele and Yankem again then Steele drags Lawler up the aisle and backstage. Back in the ring its Bret working the leg of Yankem and tries for the Sharpshooter but fails as Yankem boots him away. Yankem stomps Bret in the corner then chokes him out with his boot. Yankem whips Bret hard into the corner a few times before applying a chin lock, something you might as well change to the “Fleet Center Lock” for this show. Good god. Bret escapes but gets caught in a bearhug. Bret escapes but Yankem clotheslines him then covers for two. Yankem once again chokes out Bret with his foot then breaks to cover and gets a two count. Bret fires away until Yankem cuts him off with a knee to the gut and Yankem now mixes it up with a reverse chin lock. Bret escapes and fights back until Yankem rakes his face. Yankem slams Bret then drops an elbow before going back to the chin lock. Bret escapes and takes Yankem outside then slugs it out until Yankem reverses an Irish whips and sends Bret into the steps. Yankem taunts the crowd after kicking Bret then we take the match back inside where Bret fights back. Bret gets two with a running bulldog then a small package. Bret hits his trademark moves and gets a nearfall with a flying elbow drop but Yankem catches him with a side slam. Yankem now decides to head up top and misses a flying knee drop then Bret puts on the Sharpshooter for the win (12:25) *1/2. After the match, Lawler runs back out to attack Bret and gets trash thrown at him too. Bret fights back then Steele comes back out and bites Yankem to the delight of the crowd. Lawler & Yankem bail as in the ring, Steele raises Bret’s arm. Steele then shoves the ref and rips open the turnbuckle pad with stuffing flying everywhere as the crowd goes nuts.
Thoughts: Easily the most heat out of anything on the show at this point. The crowd dug Steele and the beginning was fun but the match itself was dull and also based around chin locks, which as noted above has been the theme of the night. Even more than other house shows from the 80’s/90’s.
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: British Bulldog w/ Jim Cornette vs. Shawn Michaels (c)
Cornette trash talks the crowd before Shawn’s entrance. The crowd taunts Bulldog with USA chants. Shawn lays across the corner to also taunt Bulldog as we continue to get more playing to the crowd which is in fact slightly more exciting than chin locks but not enough to stop a smattering of boring chants. Shawn works a side headlock then gets run over by Bulldog. Shawn pokes Bulldog’s eye after an Irish whip sequence then hammers away after taking him down with a hurricarana. Crucifix gets two then Shawn skins-the-cat back into the ring after clotheslining Bulldog over the top rope. Bulldog councels with Cornette then returns and Shawn works a side headlock on the mat. Bulldog blocks a reverse rollup and that triggers a reversal sequence leading to Shawn hitting an enziguiri. Bulldog catches Shawn with a press slam then drops him on the ropes and Shawn flies outside. Bulldog taunts the crowd then heads out and presses Shawn back into the ring. Bulldog stomps away then hits Shawn with a pair of backbreakers before slamming him down and gets a two count. Bulldog uses a bodybreaker submission but Shawn flips out and takes Bulldog down. Bulldog punches Shawn in the corner then sends him up-and-over in the corner with an Irish whip. Bulldog goes back to the bodybreaker and this time Shawn counters with a sunset flip for a two count but then gets caught with a clothesline. Bulldog now works a chin lock and Shawn escapes then the two fight over a backslide and that ends with Shawn flipping over Bulldog and hitting him with a clothesline as both men are down. The crowd gets behind Shawn with USA chants as both men are down on the mat. Shawn ducks a wild swing and hits a back suplex as both men are down again. Cornette is yelling for Bulldog to get up and Bulldog is up first and heads over to Shawn, who kips up then runs wild. Shawn slams Bulldog then hits a flying elbow drop for a two count. Rollup gets two. Shawn then misses a charge in the corner and Bulldog picks him up for a running powerslam. Shawn then escapes and the two trade reverse rollups until Bulldog clotheslines Shawn for a two count. Cornette trips up Shawn but Shawn comes back to super kick Bulldog. Shawn covers and Cornette puts Bulldog’s foot on the ropes then Shawn drags Cornette into the ring. Bulldog charges at Shawn and accidentally runs over Cornette. Shawn then hammers on Bulldog in the corner until Cornette hits him with the tennis racket and the ref rings the bell for the DQ (17:35) **3/4. After the match, Bulldog hits Shawn with the running powerslam and leaves with Cornette as the ref checks on Shawn.
Thoughts: Took a while to get going but easily the best match of the night. Bulldog wasn’t going to lose clean as he was facing Diesel for the World Title at the PPV and they weren’t going to have Shawn lose either so the finish made sense.
King Mabel w/ Sir Mo vs. Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer
Undertaker immediately goes after Mabel as the crowd is not paying attention at all in the front as there appears to be someone getting ejected from the crowd. Mabel drags Undertaker outside but Undertaker kicks him down. Mabel fights back and rams Undertaker into the post then rolls back inside of the ring. Mo rolls Undertaker in the ring then hammers away as Mabel distracts the ref. Undertaker slips out of a running powerslam attempt and rams Mabel into the turnbuckle. Undertaker hits a clothesline but Mabel reverses an Irish whip to hit a clothesline of his own. Mabel tosses Undertaker then puts on a bearhug which looks like he is just holding Undertaker up. The crowd grows restless until Undertaker escapes then Mabel hits a clothesline. Mabel then misses an elbow drop and the two slug it out. Undertaker drops Mabel after a few clotheslines then hits his ropewalk attack. Mo distracts Undertaker and Mabel hits a belly-to-belly suplex and covers but only gets two. Mabel then picks up Undertaker and misses a clothesline then Undertaker uses a chokeslam for the win (8:19) *.
Thoughts: The first few minutes were inspired but after that it was generally a slog. Undertaker, however, would get legitimately injured on the 10/9 show in Newfoundland with a broken orbital bone due to an errant clothesline courtesy of Mabel, adding more heat to Mabel’s rep as a dangerous worker.
Final Thoughts: Just one good match here and the rest pretty bad as the Boston fans got the same old shit inside of the building that replaced the Boston Garden. Bill Watts was present here and made his presence known immediately as according to Bruce Prichard on his “Something to Wrestle With” podcast, he was playing gin rummy with Jerry Lawler and Watts wanted to talk with Lawler to go over his role in the Bret vs. Yankem match. Lawler then told Watts he would be right there after finishing his hand of cards and after a minute spoke with Watts but the fact it did not happen immediately angered Watts, leading to him banning cards from the locker room. I’m sure acting like this won himself over and wanted the guys to put on a great show. Anyway, Shawn/Bulldog was fun and the rest was not anything you need to see.
Here is my schedule for the next several days:
Thursday: WWF Superstars 10/7/95
Friday: WWF Monday Night RAW 10/9/95
Saturday: WWF Cologne, Germany 10/10/95
Sunday: WWF Superstars 10/14/95, WWF Action Zone 10/15/95
Monday: WWF Monday Night RAW 10/16/95
Tuesday: WWF Superstars 10/21/95
Wednesday: WWF In Your House 4