Coliseum Video Presents: WWF Rampage 1992
by Scrooge McSuck
Sean Mooney is our host, on location at your typical Western-themed filming location. I wonder if this is the same place where they taped that one episode of Prime-Time where Heenan talked his way into being used on the production and was humiliated several times. This tape was released in October of 1992, so we should expect a lot of stuff taped from the Spring and Summer of that year.
The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. Razor Ramon:
Taped on September 1st from Hershey, PA. I know the name value is there, but these two were featured against each other quite a few times on Coliseum Video. I'm sure one match was double-dipped, but they all feel the same either way. Monsoon and Lord Alfred are on the call. Razor taunts Taker, showing no fear. Taker blocks a right hand and backs Ramon into the corner with a choke. THAT'S NOT BABYFACE OFFENSE! Whip across the ring, Razor brings up a boot and lays Taker out with a clothesline. Taker no-sells and grabs another choke. The action spills to the outside, with Ramon being introduced to the ring steps and timekeeper's table. Back inside, Taker plants Razor with a slam, but misses the big elbow drop. Razor with a clothesline, knocking Taker over the top rope. He pulls Taker to the apron and gets hung up across the top rope for his troubles. Back inside, Taker wraps up the arm and goes to the top, but Ramon throws him down and dumps him to the outside. Now it's Taker's turn to taste the steps. Razor steels a chair from the crowd and whacks Taker repeatedly, and somehow the referee doesn't see any of it. Back inside, Taker counters a chokeslam with a short clothesline. Razor cuts him off again, hooking an abdominal stretch, and using the ropes for leverage. Taker counters with a hip toss and misses a leg drop. Razor with a snap mare into a chin-lock. Taker fights free with blows to the body and comes off the ropes with a diving lariat. Razor hooks the ropes to avoid the Tombstone, falling to the floor in the process. He takes a walk, with Taker in pursuit, giving us a double count-out at 8:51. I HATE THAT FINISH. This was surprisingly decent until the dumb finish. *¾WWF Intercontinental Championship Match:
Bret "Hitman" Hart (c) vs. Shawn Michaels (w/ Sensational Sherri):
Taped on June 2nd from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Speaking of people who worked a ton of matches together, these two, like the previous pair, were also featured regularly on Coliseum Video. Mooney and Alfred calling this one. Lockup and Michaels with a snap arm drag. Hart's boots are black and pink, like they are from his heel-period Hart Foundation days (Fall of ‘86 to be exact). Shawn yanks the hair to control an arm bar. Bret races around the ring, using his momentum to send Shawn through the ropes. Bret yanks Shawn over the ropes and goes to work on the left arm. Shawn forces a break in the corner and unloads with right hands. Whip across the ring and Bret pops out of the corner with a clothesline for a two-count. Bret catches Shawn in midair and sends him face-first into the post for two. Crisscross and Shawn with a knee to the midsection. Whip to the corner with Bret taking the usual spine-rattling bump. Sherri with her customary cheap shot while Michaels distracts the referee. Whip and Shawn with a running high knee for two. Bret fights out of a chin-lock, only to run into an elbow. Whip and Bret surprises Shawn with an inside cradle for two. Shawn pops up immediately and unloads with a series of rights. Bret fights out of another chin-lock, back peddling to the corner. Shawn comes right back with a dropkick for two. Whip to the corner, Bret brings up the boot and dives off the second rope with a clothesline. Bret with an inverted atomic drop and clothesline to the back of the head for two. Back breaker and second rope elbow for two. Shawn counters a forearm uppercut with a back-slide for two. Bret ducks a right hand and rolls Shawn up for two. Whip to the ropes and they smack heads for a double-down. Both men up at the same time and Shawn connects with the Super-Kick. Bret counters the tear drop suplex with a sunset flip for two. They go through a series of counters until Shawn accidentally nails Sherri on the apron, allowing Bret to roll him up for three at 13:32. Surprisingly dull period in the middle with the endless chin-locks, but the first few and last few minutes were the greatness the two were capable of. ***¼
Coliseum Exclusive: Makeup Tips with Sensational Sherri! This is the usual 5-minutes of cornball antics that no one in their right mind would watch. Fast forward material all the way, but if you must know, Sherri takes a plain Jane looking woman and gives her the "Sherri" look, which horrifies the woman.
40-Man Battle Royal:
(Participants: Ted Dibiase, I.R.S., Virgil, Barry Horowitz, The British Bulldog, Glen Ruth, Blake and Beau Beverly, Jim Powers, Duane Gill, Repo Man, Brian Knobbs, Jerry Sags, Sgt. Slaughter, The Texas Tornado, Bob Bradley, Owen Hart, Koko B. Ware, Bret Hart, Kato, Jim Brunzell, Skinner, Rick Martel, El Matador, and Tatanka)Taped on June 1st from the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. I remember reading the advertisements for these tapes, and thinking "wow, FORTY MEN!?" and then a moment later going "Wait, does the WWF have that many people to fill the match." Yes and No. Half the participants are "WWF Superstars", and the other half are enhancement talent, including some low-level guys that you couldn't identify if you tried hard. Fink's expression while doing introductions makes me feel like this was a rib on him to name all 40 men without a card. I'm not bothering with the bottom-feeder scrubs, sorry. There's ZERO room to do anything but punch and hug. Skinner and Martel are both out at 1:30, off camera of course. Sags is gone at 2:30, because the camera only seems to catch the geeks being tossed, but not the names of the match. Virgil dumps Kato at 2:51. Most of the geeks are gone in under 4:00. Powers gets tossed at 4:15. Did Alfred say he sees JIM DUGGAN IN THERE? Repo Man is gone at 5:09, followed immediately by Horowitz. Dibiase sends the Tornado packing at 5:29. Santana back-drops I.R.S. out at 5:44. Slaughter sends Bradley to Battle Kat Camp at 6:16. Beau Beverly eliminates Owen at 6:18. Blake tosses Santana at 6:31. Ruth, Gill, and Brunzell are still in there! Slaughter sends Dibiase to the floor at 7:11. Koko finally tosses Gill at 7:30. Tatanka misses a charge and gets dumped at 7:35. Glen Ruth is gone at 7:47. Brunzell gets thrown out at 8:02. Slaughter practically throws himself out at 8:09. Bret eliminates Knobbs at 8:15. Beau tosses Virgil at 8:18, and Blake dumps Koko at 8:25. We're down to Bret, Bulldog, and the Beverly Brothers. Blake whips the Bulldog into Bret and Beau, somehow knocking Bret over and out at 9:15. Bulldog survives the 2-on-1, dumping Blake at 9:59, and finally Beau at 10:21 to win this thing. Paint-by-numbers battle royal. I'm sure this was fun to watch if you've never seen a Battle Royal, but this wasn't fun for me.
Coliseum Video Trivia! "Who was the British Bulldog's tag team partner when first entering the WWF, and what was the name of the team?"
Tatanka vs. "The Model" Rick Martel:
Taped on June 2nd from Ottawa. After that last snoozer, I don't think this one is going to lift my spirits much. Martel has the feathers he stole from Tatanka, an angle that wouldn't wrap until SURVIVOR SERIES. 30 years later, and Tatanka still rocks the mullet. Kudos for commitment, I guess. Tatanka rushes the ring and chases Martel to the outside. Martel cuts him off rolling back in, stomping away. Tatanka blocks the turnbuckle and hits Martel with a pair of clotheslines. He brings Martel in from the apron, hits an atomic drop, and knocks him through the ropes with another clothesline. Martel drags Tatanka to the floor, only to get sent to the post. Back inside, Martel cuts Tatanka off again on entry, grabbing a choke. Whip to the corner and Martel meets the post. Tatanka misses his own charge into the corner and Martel takes him down with a back suplex. Martel with a gut-wrench suplex for two. Tatanka fights out of a seated chin-lock but runs into a knee. Martel with a back breaker. He goes to the apron and a slingshot splash meets the knees. Tatanka nails Martel coming off the middle ropes and unloads with chops. He plants Martel with a slam and comes off the top with a big chop. Whip is reversed and Martel catches him with the Hot Shot. He wastes time playing the crowd, allowing Tatanka time to recover. Tatanka with a surprise roll-up, and that's three at 7:12. Weak finish to an otherwise decent match. **Coliseum Video Trivia! Ric Flair has "How did I become the WWF Champion for the first time?"
The Legion of Doom & Paul Ellering vs. The Beverly Brothers & The Genius:
Taped on June 29th from Glens Falls, NY. I guess the graphics department didn't get the memo this is a six-man, only listing this as LOD vs. The Beverly Brothers. To my knowledge, this is the only time Ellering suited up for a match during the 1992 run (for a television audience. He worked a handful of live events too). Genius has some goofy Riddler-like full bodysuit. Ellering wants to start, and Genius obliges by doing a cartwheel and posing. They do a sloppy sequence with Ellering hooking a back-slide for two. Whip and Ellering catches Genius with his head down, hitting him with a hangman's neck breaker. Ellering gets whipped into the corner of the Beverly Brothers and gets worked over. Blake unwisely whips him too close to the LOD corner and Animal can get the tag. He plants Blake with a slam. Beau with a shot from behind, allowing Blake to hit a powerslam. Animal pops up and hits a powerslam of his own. Mooney is OBSESSED with Genius' gear. Hawk in, scaring the bejesus out of Beau. Hawk controls with some off-day offense. Hawk no-sells being dropped across the top rope and pounds away on Blake. Whip to the corner and Hawk meets the post on the charge. Beau grabs a chair but tosses it aside in favor of the Genius' metal scroll. Back inside, Blake with a hangman's neck breaker, followed by a jumping headbutt across the chest. Beau with a takeover and rolling snap mare. Blake misses a diving headbutt, allowing Animal to get the hot tag. He runs wild with a dropkick on Blake and diving shoulder tackle to Beau for a two-count. He takes both Beverly Brothers down with a double DDT as heck breaks loose. Animal with the powerslam and Hawk finishes with a rocket launcher splash at 10:06. NO DOOMSDAY DEVICE? I FEEL RIPPED OFF. Match was the drizzling snits. ½*Coliseum Trivia! Bret Hart wants us to know a bunch of stuff. "Can you name the man I won the Intercontinental Title from, where it took place and why was there a special significance for me on that occasion?" That last one is subject to opinion, but I'm assuming because he had his parents in the audience.
Virgil & "El Matador" Tito Santana vs. Money Inc. (w/ Jimmy Hart):
Taped on September 2nd from the Capital Centre in Landover, ME, and recycled from the September 28th episode of Prime-Time Wrestling. Santana and Virgil get separate entrances, how can I take them seriously as a tag team?! Dibiase is rocking the white gear, so that's an automatic boost in the rating. Santana and I.R.S. start. Lockup and Irwin plants Tito with a slam, followed by a hip toss. THAT'LL TEACH HIM FOR GETTING THE CROWD EXCITED! Lockup to the ropes, Santana blocks a right hand and throws a series of rights of his own. He gives I.R.S. a slam and hip toss, followed by a dropkick, sending I.R.S. to the floor for a strategy session. Back inside, Santana works the arm, and Virgil makes the illegal switch while the referee isn't looking. Dibiase gets the tag and he's surprised to see Virgil in the ring. He plants a boot to the body to take control, but Virgil comes back with a back body-drop and atomic drop. Dibiase plays ping-pong ball between Virgil and Santana. I.R.S. with a knee to the back of Santana to turn things around. Now Money Inc. Does the illegal switch as I.R.S. drops a pair of elbows. Santana surprises Dibiase with a sunset flip, but that's not enough to turn the tide. Dibiase and I.R.S. take turns with the chin-lock. Santana fights to his feet but is yanked down with a handful of hair. He fights out of the corner with rights, but Dibiase cuts off the tag attempt. Santana counters the piledriver with a back body-drop and now I.R.S. cuts him off. They do the front face-lock spot where the referee misses the tag. Santana surprises Dibiase with a swinging neck breaker and finally makes the tag to Virgil. He runs wild on I.R.S. with right hands and clotheslines. Whip to the ropes and Virgil with a spinning elbow, followed by a Russian leg sweep for two. Heck breaks loose with all four men in the ring. Virgil knocks I.R.S. to the apron with a dropkick. He attempts a suplex, but we get a sloppy execution where I.R.S. "lands on top" and Dibiase holds Virgil's foot down from outside the ring for three at 10:01. Perfectly fine action, though the finish was a little messed up. **¼Coliseum Trivia! Big Boss Man standing by with this one: "Awhile back, I was involved in a feud with the Mountie. What was my crowning achievement in settling the score?"
WWF Championship Match:
"Macho Man" Randy Savage (c) vs. The Repo Man:
Taped on June 3rd from Cornwall, Ontario, Canada. Wow, the WWF taped A LOT in Canada in 1992. It looks like the entire date was a big taping for Prime-Time and Coliseum Video, with taping on June 1st and 2nd for Superstars and Challenge. A little boy has a played with action figure of Savage. No, not the Hasbro version, the LJN figure from yesteryear. Repo tries to steal the WWF Title and Savage chases him down. Maybe go for something a little more reasonable, like a hat. Repo cuts Savage off in the ring and chokes him across the top rope. This crowd is dead because no one takes Repo Man seriously. Repo tosses Savage over the top rope and sends him face-first to the post. Could you imagine REPO MAN as WWF Champion? I don't think anyone would do that, even with their Hasbro Wrestling Federation. Whip to the ropes, Savage ducks a clothesline and bounces back with one of his own. He climbs the ropes and hits a flying body press for two. Repo Man with a clothesline for two. Repo Smash with trash talking and choking in the corner. Savage fights out of a chin-lock and comes off the ropes with a shoulder block for two. Whip to the corner and Savage pops him with an elbow on the chin. Repo Man puts an end to the comeback, driving a knee to the midsection and trapping Savage in the Andre Special. Repo removes a turnbuckle, distracting the referee so he can whack Savage with his tow hook. Went a long way for that one, didn't he? Repo with a back suplex for two. Savage fights out of another chin-lock and takes Repo Man down with a hip toss. Repo recovers quickly, nailing Savage as he comes off the top rope. Repo meets a boot in the corner and Savage comes off the top with a double axe-handle for two. Repo grabs the tow hook again, but the referee blocks him from using it. Savage whacks him with it instead and finishes with the flying elbow at 8:46. Savage cheated to beat REPO MAN Standard babyface formula from Savage: take a butt whooping and make the quick comeback. *
The Ultimate Warrior & The Undertaker (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. Papa Shango & The Berzerker (w/ Mr. Fuji):
Also taped on June 3rd from Cornwall. This is one of those matches that is curious to see based on the names alone, but then you'll instantly regret because LOOK AT THE NAMES OF THE MEN INVOLVED. The rivalries at the time were Undertaker/Berzerker and Warrior/Shango, if you're unfamiliar with the era. THIS WILL SUCK. Just letting it be known now. Berzerker chews on a sign while Warrior and Taker make nice about the attempted murder from the year prior. Shango and Berzerker meet boots as they charge into the ring and are sent back to the floor with clotheslines. Things settle down with Berzerker and Taker in the ring. They trade blows, with Taker getting the better of the exchange. Whip to the corner and Taker misses the charge. Berzerker with a dropkick, knocking Taker over the top rope. He lands on his feet, pulls Berzerker out with him, and gives him a taste of the steps. Warrior with the tag, jogging in place while Berzerker stands around like an idiot. Warrior with a pair of clotheslines in the corner, followed by a shoulder block. Shango nails him from the apron with his voodoo stick to turn things around. Shango pounds away and asking Warrior to sell is always a recipe for disaster. Berzerker with headbutts to the midsection and a big boot. Warrior fights out of the corner with a DOUBLE NOGGIN KNOCKER, but Berzerker prevents the tag. Shango survives another comeback attempt and hits a diving clothesline. Berzerker traps Warrior in the Andre Special and puts the boots to him. Warrior escapes his prison and sends Berzerker over the top rope. Taker with the hot tag, running wild on Berzerker with right thrusts. Whip to the ropes, Taker side-steps a boot and plants Berzerker with a Chokeslam. Shango comes in and gets hit with a diving lariat. Warrior comes in to take out both men with clotheslines. Diving shoulder tackle and splash finishes Berzerker at 7:49. I stand corrected: THIS DIDN'T SUCK. It wasn't great, but it was perfectly fine. **Final Thoughts: I don't have fond memories of the year 1992, so looking at the lineup, only a couple of matches stood out, including the main event just for the names involved. To my surprise, there's a couple of decent matches on here, and there's little that I can say is unwatchable, so for a 2-hour home video release, this, like the ‘91 Rampage, does a good job of representing the roster of the Spring and Summer of 1992.
Sound Off!
Comment about this article on Da' Wrestling Boards!