The Fan-Cam Files: WWF @ Madison Square Garden – 11.26.1994

It’s time for another dive into the Fan-Cam Files. I’ve hit a few of the “major” shows that have been captured by dedicated fans in the audience, but held off on this one for a bit for whatever reason (probably because I dipped into 1994 a little too much at one point), but time to cash this one in as the What the World Was Watching series has hit this part of the WWF timeline.

The WWF ran their B-Tour at the London Gardens in London, Ontario, with the following results… Duke Droese defeated The Brooklyn Brawler, The 1-2-3 Kid and Bob Holly went to a Draw, the Smoking Gunns defeated the Heavenly Bodies, Women’s Champion Bull Nakano defeated Alundra Blayze, Jim Neidhart defeated Doink, Owen Hart defeated Adam Bomb, and Lex Luger defeated Tatanka. Not the strongest star power, but I’d be happy to check out half this card, so not too bad for quality wrestling. As for the card at Madison Square Garden, it looks like we won’t get to enjoy The Bushwhackers vs. Well Dunn. Oh darn.

The Fink introduces the crowd to the NEW WWF Champion, Mr. Bob Backlund. He pauses repeatedly to bask in the negative reception. Crowd starts chanting “We Want Bret”, which has Backlund exasperated. He calls everyone rude and rubs the result of Survivor Series in their faces. It’s difficult to hear everything he’s saying, but we can rest assured that this is definitely fast-forward material. This eats up almost 10-minutes.

Aldo Montoya vs. Kwang (w/ Harvey Wippleman):
Aldo Montoya (formerly working as P.J. Walker, enhancement talent to the stars), a.k.a. The Portuguese “Man-o-War”, is making his MSG debut, and only recently started making appearances on WWF programming. Kwang is running on fumes already, with a summer house show program with Adam Bomb behind him. He’ll hang around for a few more months before being repackaged.

The disdain in Fink’s voice when introducing Wippleman will never get old. This is one of those matches you can just look at a screenshot of and go “New Generation”. Or Wrestlecrap. Kwang starts hot with his arsenal of martial arts kicks and uppercuts to the throat. Whip is reversed and Aldo gets the better of the International, sending Kwang out of the ring with a clothesline and following with a plancha. Back inside, Kwang controls a test-of-strength and quickly cuts off the counter, turning Aldo inside-out with a clothesline. We show off the green mist before settling down with a nerve hold. Aldo escapes, but Kwang shuts him down again. The Mysterious Ninja from the Orient misses an elbow, opening the door for the true comeback. Aldo with the diving forearm and a twisting cross body press for a pair of near-falls. Kwang whiffs the spinning heel kick and Aldo with the leg-hook hurricanrana for three at 7:04. A little too much resting for a short match, but when they were moving around, it looked good. **

Fink addresses the crowd that “as you’ve heard on WWF Superstars”, former-Champion Bret Hart is injured and unable to compete tonight. GOOD NEWS: Bret will return “very, very soon” when they return to MSG on Monday Night, January 16th. We have a suitable replacement lined up, as Bob Backlund will wrestle Diesel in a Non-Title Match. Crowd boos. WAIT A MINUTE! Rene Goulet waves Fink over to deliver a message. GOOD NEWS EVERYONE; The match tonight WILL BE FOR THE WWF CHAMPIONSHIP! Bob Backlund storms out, looking like a lunatic and yelling unintelligibly into the microphone.

WWF Intercontinental Championship Match:
Razor Ramon (c) vs. “Double J” Jeff Jarrett:
Razor’s finally moving on from the rivalry with Shawn Michaels and Diesel that took up most of 1994 as he remains at the IC level while Shawn and Diesel are elevated at the same time to the top of the card. Double J has had quite the 1994, feuding with Doink and Dink, but also having a short TV program with the 1-2-3 Kid, and BOTH were wiped away with Jarrett working with Mabel at SummerSlam in such an awful thrown-together match that was based purely on “this guy is a Country singer! This guy raps! NOW FIGHT!”. Razor is wearing his red trunks, and Jarrett has the red gear with white trim, for those interested in that stuff.

Double J snatches the belt from referee Tim White and poses with it. Wow, imagine this geek winning the title! They play to the crowd a bit before locking up. Jarrett with the early advantage, snapping off a few arm drags and strutting to show off his superiority. He escalates with a leg-sweep and paint-brush action. Razor finally nails Double J coming off the ropes and the crowd explodes as Jarrett powders. Back inside, Razor catches a body press and hits the fallaway slam for a two-count. Razor with a receipt for earlier as he works the arm. Double J escapes and hits a series of dropkicks, followed by an enzuigiri.

Razor fights out of a chin-lock, taking Jarrett to the canvas with a back-slide for two. Jarrett with a quick cut-off clothesline and back to the chin-lock, this time using the ropes for added leverage. Razor to his feet and an extended sequence on the ropes leads to Jarrett hitting a swinging neck breaker for a near-fall. Razor teases another comeback, but he sets up near the ropes for the Razor’s Edge and gets dumped. Back inside, Ramon rolls through a flying body press for two. Another cut-off clothesline from Jarrett. His third attempt at a chin-lock is quickly countered with a back suplex and it’s time for the comeback. The fight spills to the floor, with Ramon being sent to the post and Jarrett beating the count for the weak victory at 16:21.

BUT WAIT! Jarrett didn’t come here for Razor to tuck his tail and leave with the belt like a yellow belly and demand the match continue so he can win the Intercontinental Title. Razor obliges and Jarrett jumps on him, throwing a series of right hands. Whip to the ropes, Razor catches Jarrett with his head down, and the Razor’s Edge finishes at 20:12 (timed from the original bell) to retain. They really loved that finish with Jarrett wanting matches ending in CO/DQ to continue and him getting his comeuppance. A little too long for my tastes, but a solid performance with a steady pace (maybe cut out the first chin-lock) and much better than I expect from babyface Razor on a live event. ***¼

Mabel (w/ Oscar) vs. Pierre:
We haven’t gotten a look at Pierre on WWF TV (outside of Montreal exclusive content) in about 4-months, so there should be no doubt in the result here. He’s still got the Quebecer pants and boots, but traded in the shirt for a red singlet. I always found it odd (at the time) to see him advertised in the Live Event News bumpers despite his television absence. Mabel’s solo run is coming to an end as Mo would return to TV in a few weeks to reform Men on a Mission. Interesting that the WWE Vault YouTube channel dumped this in a New Generation Live Event compilation sometime last year, so you can watch this in much better, professional quality. Maybe this entire show will be available some day in that same quality, considering Vault’s recent drops.

Mabel with the early advantage, countering a side headlock with a back suplex, and easily turning over a test-of-strength despite Pierre’s best efforts for an unfair advantage. Mabel with a pair of slams and a clothesline that sends Pierre over the top rope. Pierre blocks a suplex attempt and hangs the big man up on the top rope to take control. Back inside, Pierre with a seated splash in the ropes. Mabel attempts to create separation, but Pierre catches him with a missile dropkick for two (and crowd appreciation). Mabel reverses a whip but chugs into the corner and misses the avalanche. Pierre comes off the top with the leg drop, but poses instead of attempting a cover. Mabel rolls to the floor and Pierre follows with a tope con hilo. That seemed superfluous to how the match was playing out. Back inside, Mabel has regained control and hits the rolling heel kick for two. He crushes Pierre in the corner with an avalanche and finishes with a second-rope flying body press at 10:00. Babyface Mabel has some fun offense and is decent at looking vulnerable, but he definitely gives too much for a man his size. **½

WWF Championship Match:
Mr. Bob Backlund (c) vs. Diesel:
This was originally scheduled as Bret Hart defending the WWF Championship against Bob Backlund with Randy Savage serving as the guest referee, but then Savage jumped to WCW, so the special referee stipulation was dropped, and as we found out earlier in the night, Bret Hart is selling an injury sustained at Survivor Series, so he’s out, and Diesel is taking his spot. Diesel officially (but unofficially) turned babyface at that same PPV, fed up by another accident at the hands of Shawn Michaels, and the meltdown ends up getting the entire team counted-out. Now that I type that all out, it doesn’t sound like a babyface turn, but the crowd in San Antonio definitely reacted to it as such, so we’re all good.

The bell rings, Diesel puts a boot to the midsection and plants Backlund with the Jacknife Powerbomb for the three-count and the WWF Championship at 0:10. The crowd erupts as Diesel celebrates with a ton of pyro, and even has referee Earl Hebner strap the belt around his waist. The WWF is now fueled by DIESEL POWER! HOW SWEET IT IS. I have the timeline of the New Generation starting around WrestleMania X (not an official timeline!), but this moment is when things really took a turn into the new direction, as Vince tries to recapture the magic of Hulkamania with a shock title switch at their home base and playing it repeatedly on all WWF programming. Unfortunately, Diesel will not get the same level of protection, and his time on top in 1995 is still considered one of the weakest periods for the WWF (results may vary). N/R

The Headshrinkers (w/ Afa & Lou Albano) vs. The Executioners:
Oh GOOD GOD. It’s the unofficial NEW Headshrinkers (they were never called “New”, for the record) with Fatu and Sionne (formerly The Barbarian) making up the team with Samu’s departure after SummerSlam but with several weeks of TV still in the can, it was made a three-man squad in name only as they never appeared together, just an excuse to get those Samu matches out of the way. This was originally scheduled as the Headshrinkers vs Shawn and Diesel for the Tag Titles, but the split at Survivor Series left the future of the belts in doubt (they were officially held up over the weekend) and we’re getting Pain and Agony, a.k.a. Dwayne Gill and Barry Hardy as “suitable replacements.” If it wasn’t obvious enough this match is filler, it’s also the spot used for the guest ring announcer gimmick where a lucky fan gets to do the honors.

The bell rings and we waste THREE MINUTES as the Headshrinkers do their routine in the corner. Sionne starts with… eh, who cares. I guess it’s Agony, because they went through the trouble of getting custom tights. Sionne no-sells a double clothesline from the Executioners and tosses Pain into the arms of Agony, then has them both tumbling over the top rope. Now it’s Fatu’s turn to work them over, only stopping to sell FOR THE FOOTWEAR THAT BOTHERS HIM. Oh God, I forgot about that! I am NINE MINUTES INTO THE MATCH, and I’m not skimping on details. The few people making noise seem displeased by this performance. The Executioners get about 30-seconds of heat on Fatu before cutting them off. Sionne with a back breaker and Fatu finishes this turkey with the splash at 12:43. Yes, that time is legit. Yes, this was one of the worst Non-Backlund matches I’ve ever covered on Fan-Cams. -***

The Fink brings out the NEW WWF CHAMPION. This is feeling more like an episode of TV than your standard live event. It’s short and sweet, likely intended for the TV audience than for the live crowd, since they were splicing things together to sell the importance of the title switch.

The British Bulldog vs. King Kong Bundy:
I guess this can’t be as bad as sitting through that last match, but it’s 1994 King Kong Bundy, so I don’t have hopes it will be MUCH better. Bundy was an interesting name to bring back earlier in the Fall, immediately put in a spot to be a B-tier heel near the top of the card, but it was immediately clear he had nothing left in the tank or had no motivation to show any interest. The Bulldog also returned not too long before that, showing up at SummerSlam and put into the family feud storyline that also saw the return of Jim Neidhart at the start of the Summer. NEW GENERATION, BABY.

Lockup and Bundy shows that his girth is enough to overpower Bulldog, sending him into the ropes. He goes to the well once too often and Bulldog knocks him off his feet following three shoulder blocks. Bulldog goes for a slam, but that’s easily blocked. Bundy puts Bulldog on the canvas, but misses a follow-up elbow, allowing Bulldog to work the arm. Bundy escapes with a Greco-Roman punch to the head, sending Davey Boy to the outside. Back inside, a second slam attempt results in Bundy landing on top for a two-count. Bulldog with repeated comeback attempts that go nowhere. Bundy misses the Avalanche and a dropkick sends him through the ropes. They brawl at ringside, with Bulldog slamming Bundy on the floor, and it’s a Double Count-Out at 6:54. Well, they gave the crowd the slam, so it’s good enough for me! The match wasn’t much, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected. Just a standard old-fat-guy match. *½

The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. I.R.S.:
Final match of the night (and definitely NOT the Main Event). Second time they’ve found themselves in this spot for an MSG fan-cam (also doing the honors for the Headlock on Hunger fundraiser from January 1993). In the weeks before Survivor Series, I.R.S. started cutting promos from the final resting place of *ahem* John Dough, saying the departed thought death would get them out of paying their fair share, only to end up having flowers AND THE HEADSTONE removed from the burial spot. Oh, and then I.R.S. attempted to cost Undertaker his match with Yokozuna at Survivor Series, but that’s not nearly as interesting as the vignettes produced.

Bell rings and Irwin immediately powders. THIS BETTER NOT BE THE STORY OF THE MATCH. I.R.S. plays keep away a little more, with Taker giving chase on the floor. Irwin with the jump upon re-entry, but Taker finally turns it around and lands a boot to the face. Irwin gets jerked around by his tie as Taker walks the ropes for his signature clothesline, then sent over the top rope. The fight continues on the floor, with Taker getting sent into the steps. Back inside, it’s Irwin’s patented abdominal stretch with extra leverage via rope grabbing. Taker escapes, but misses the elbow drop. Irwin with his signature diving clothesline (Write-Off?), but wastes time posing, allowing Taker to recover. I.R.S. takes too long climbing the ropes and gets slammed to the canvas. Taker with the whip and diving clothesline of his own. Irwin has one last push in him, but a body press backfired and Taker finishes with the Tombstone at 8:05. This was… surprisingly DECENT? It wasn’t a classic, but considering the limitations of Zombie Taker and Irwin’s ability to bore people to sleep, it was decent enough. **

Strength of Card: The top of the card is as close to as good as you’ll get, all things considered. We’ve got the WWF Championship and Intercontinental Championship defended, one of the top sideshow attractions working with his TV rival, and threw in the Bulldog and Bundy as well. The under-card is pretty dire, with TV jobbers, a guy who hasn’t been on TV in months, and the Bushwhackers vs. Well Dunn (footage not found, thank God). Grade: B

Highs: A balanced card all around, though only one match stands out above the rest, and that’s Razor vs. Double J. We have an extremely rare title change, even more rare with it being the top Championship under the WWF banner. While not a must-see, Mabel puts in another fun performance, and Taker/I.R.S. is as good as you’re getting out of that pair.

Lows: That Tag Match. Good God Almighty, I know they felt the need to stretch time with them doing that 10-second squash for Diesel/Backlund, but in no universe should anyone be subjected to nearly 13-minutes of what that match delivered (approximately 90-seconds worth of actual work). Bundy vs Bulldog wasn’t awful, but it was still a below-average quality match (and yet one of Bundy’s BETTER matches in this run, so take that as a warning if you come across other matches).

Final Thoughts: Mixing the matches around multiple spots that set us up for the match between Bob Backlund and Diesel gives this a little more flavor than your typical live event. There’s decent action across the board and MOST of what is featured is of reasonable length (except for the Executioners garbage), and as usual for something from Madison Square Garden, it’s decently shot, so you get a good look at everything without any distractions or obstructions to the action. If you’re into the New Generation era, it’s worth a look, even if for the historical purpose of establishing Diesel as “the man” (yet not good enough to put him over Bret at the upcoming Royal Rumble PPV).