Coliseum Video Presents: Razor Ramon
by Scrooge McSuck
Released in October 1994, Gorilla Monsoon and Stan Lane are our hosts, with words from the Bad Guy himself spliced in from time to time. I've never watched this one before, so I don't know what we're getting, but can probably expect a little bit of PPV recycling, especially considering the time period when this was in production.
Razor Ramon vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Luna Vachon):
Taped on May 23rd, 1994 from Youngstown, OH, a dark match from a Monday Night Raw taping. Monsoon and Lane talk about Luna and Bigelow getting married, with Lane joking that he's buying them a gift certificate to "Tattoos ‘R' Us." I'm sure Bruce Prichard loved that one. Bigelow counters a side headlock with a back suplex and immediately goes for the finish, but Ramon avoids the headbutt. Crisscross and Razor with a diving clothesline for two. He tries working the arm, but Bigelow cuts him off. Ramon avoids an avalanche and unloads with roundhouse rights. He bounces off the ropes for momentum and Bigelow side steps, sending Razor over the top. Bigelow follows, introducing Razor into the steel steps. Luna gets a cheap shot, serving more as a distraction than physically threatening. Bigelow sends Ramon back in the ring and puts the boots to the Bad Guy. Razor fights out of a chin-lock but runs into a knee. Bigelow lays down with another chin-lock and holds it for quite a while. Bigelow mocks Razor and teases hitting the Razor's Edge but Ramon counters with a back suplex. Razor throws more rights and plants Bigelow with a slam. Now he's signaling for the finish, but a distraction from Luna allows Bigelow to hit an enzuigiri. Bigelow climbs the ropes for a moonsault but Razor slams him off and stacks him up for three at 8:51. Perfectly fine when you cut out the lengthy chin-lock. **¼Highlights of a 20-Man Battle Royal to determine the two men fighting for the vacant Intercontinental Champions leads us to the next match...
WWF Intercontinental Championship Match:
Razor Ramon vs. "The Model" Rick Martel:
Taped on September 27th, 1993 from New Haven, CT, and featured on the /wrestling/flashback_reviews/wwe/raw/raw_101p"pOctober 11th episode of Monday Night Raw. Martel was absent for most of 1993, but came back in time to get a reheat so Razor can get a decisive victory over someone with a little bit of name value. Whoops, SPOILERS. I'm surprised the original commentary is still intact, with Bobby Heenan having left for WCW at the start of 1994. Vince desperately draws comparison between Razor and CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS. A shoving match leads into a slap from Martel. They fight over a wrist-lock until Martel takes Razor down with a drop toe hold. Whip to the corner and Martel pounds away. Ramon catches him coming off the ropes with a fallaway slam, sending him to the floor in the process. Back inside, Martel works the midsection and grabs a headlock. Ramon sends him to the apron and brings him back in with a sling-shot. We come back from the commercial, with Martel in control of the action, outside the ring. Back inside, he sends Razor to the corner and takes him over with a back suplex. He rolls Razor up with feet on the ropes, but Hebner sees the blatant cheating. Martel works the back and slaps on a Boston Crab, but Ramon manages to get to the ropes. Martel catches him coming off the ropes with a side slam and goes back to the hold, but Razor powers out. Martel blocks a sunset flip for two. Dropkick for two. Razor rolls through a flying body press for two. Martel with a clothesline for two. Whip to the ropes, Razor boots Martel setting up for a back-drop and finishes with the Razor's Edge at 10:45 (shown) to become the NEW Intercontinental Champion. Nothing too exciting, but the finish was a solid sequence of near-falls and at no point was the match a chore. **½
WWF Intercontinental Championship Match:
Razor Ramon (c) vs. Crush (w/ Mr. Fuji):
Taped on December 15th, 1993 from Augusta, ME. Crush's ring gear is all over the place as far as color scheme and pattern is concerned. I don't think he wore this version too much, otherwise I might not be impressed by how ugly it is. Monsoon and Johnny Polo comedy to start, with one of my favorite lines. "If Conway Twitty married Kitty Carlisle, she would be Kitty Twitty." Lockup and Crush sends Razor to the canvas. Polo mentions Crush's time in Demolition, where he was first managed by Fuji. Razor goes for the arm, but Crush yanks the hair to counter. Crush pops Razor on the chin with an elbow, followed by a headbutt. Snap mare out of the corner and Crush rakes the eyes. Crush starts to punish the back with his usual arsenal of punching and more punching. Crush slows things down (ha!) with body-scissors. I'm surprised anyone at this Wrestling Challenge taping is into this (they were hot early, but have cooled a bit since). Crush connects with a back breaker and holds Razor across the knee for good measure. Whip to the ropes, Razor ducks a clothesline, nails Crush with a knee lift, and slams him face-first to the canvas. Razor signals for the finish, but Crush cuts him off with a shot to the throat. Crush with a back breaker and flying knee drop, but Razor gets a foot on the ropes. Crush celebrates prematurely, allowing Razor to roll him up for three at 7:09. This one stunk. ZERO STARS
Non-Title Match: Razor Ramon (IC Champion) vs. Adam Bomb (w/ Harvey Wippleman):
Taped on March 22nd, 1994 from Lowell, MA, and featured on the April 23rd episode of Superstars. Bomb attacks Razor from behind and unloads with right hands "to the mush." He sends Razor across the ring with a hip throw and plants him with a double choke-lift and slam. Bomb with a delayed power-slam, but no cover. Ramon rolls away from an elbow drop, unloads with rights of his own, and knocks Bomb over the top rope with a clothesline. Bomb pulls Razor to the outside and lays him out with a short-clothesline. Back inside, Bomb connects with the slingshot clothesline for two. He argues the count, allowing Razor to school-boy him for two. Bomb sends Razor from corner-to-corner and takes him down with a back suplex for two. Razor counters a back-drop with a knee lift and finishes with the Razor's Edge at 3:36. That was impressive. We don't see the post-match stuff, for obvious reasons. Decent considering the short amount of time.WWF Intercontinental Championship Match:
Razor Ramon (c) vs. Shawn Michaels (w/ Diesel):
From WrestleMania X, and the entire match is featured on this tape, to my surprise. Both Razor's Championship and Michaels' disputed Championship are hanging above the ring. First man to climb the ladder and retrieve them is the undisputed Intercontinental Champion. Razor casually walks under the ladder in the aisle, shrugging off the idea of bad-luck. Diesel has new gear that I don't recall him ever wearing again. BECAUSE IT'S WRESTLEMANIA! They start with a lockup and a chain-wrestling sequence. Crisscross into a pair of counters, ending with Razor planting Shawn with a choke-slam. Crisscross again, this time with Shawn coming off the ropes with a swinging neck breaker. Razor's next offensive flurry is cut short, with Shawn sending him to the floor. Diesel greets him with a clothesline and gets ejected at 2:30 by referee Earl Hebner! There's your WrestleMania Moment, Diesel. Razor decks Shawn from the floor with a right-hand, sending him bumping across the ring. Shawn gets flipped upside down on a whip to the corner and sent to the floor with a running clothesline. Razor pulls back the padding on the floor, but Shawn thumbs the eye and sends him back in the ring. Whip to the ropes and Razor knocks the spit out of him with a right hand. He sets up for the Razor's Edge, but they're near the ropes and Shawn back-drops him onto the exposed concrete! Karma meet Razor Ramon.
Shawn goes for the ladder at 4:45, slowly dragging it until Razor knocks him silly, again. Razor grabs the ladder and Shawn knocks it into his midsection with a baseball slide. Shawn rolls Razor back in, along with the ladder, and repeatedly uses it as a battering ram to further damage the midsection. Then for the hell of it, he lifts it up and slams it across Razor's back. Shawn with the momentum of the ropes to throw it against Razor's back a few seconds later. Shawn with the first climbing attempt at 7:15, but Razor grabs the ankle. He pulls the tights down, exposing Shawn's buttocks. Shawn boots him down and connects with a flying elbow drop before adjusting his tights. He plants Razor with a slam, climbs the ladder, and connects with the iconic splash that would be featured in countless montages for the rest of the decade. Razor blocks another climb attempt, shoving the ladder over, causing Shawn to land across the top rope. Both men get to their feet, only to get knocked down on a mid-ring collision. Michaels gets to his feet first and sets the ladder in the corner. Razor reverses a whip, sending Shawn crashing into it before taking a tumble to the arena floor. Razor follows him out with the ladder and uses it as a weapon as retaliation for the last 5-minutes. He props the ladder against the ring and sling-shots Shawn into it, with Shawn coming back and taking a bump with the ladder on top of him.
Back inside, Razor rams the ladder into the face of Michaels, knocking him over the top rope. Razor climbs, but Shawn knocks him down by coming off the top rope with a double axe-handle. In what must've been a great coincidence, the ladder tipped over AND LANDS ON SHAWN'S BACK. Both men recover and trade blows at the top of the ladder. Razor gets the better of the exchange, slamming Shawn down, but falls into the ropes in the process. Razor climbs again but Shawn dropkicks the ladder to send Ramon crashing to the canvas, then casually dumps the ladder over to land on Razor's back. Whip to the ropes and Shawn connects with the Super-Kick. Instead of climbing, Shawn signals for the Razor's Edge, but audibles and connects with a piledriver. Shawn climbs the ropes and rides the ladder across the chest of Ramon. He sets the ladder over Razor before climbing. Razor shoulder tackles the ladder, straddling Shawn across the top rope and getting his leg trapped in the ropes. Razor wrestles the ladder from Shawn's grip, climbs, and grabs the belts for the victory at 18:48, just as Shawn escapes the ropes and makes a move for the ladder. Like the opening match of Mania X, this was a spectacular showcase that still holds the test of time as one of the best matches of the era, and possibly all-time, setting the standard for all ladder matches that followed with spectacular high-spots. Unlike the opener, it wasn't because of technical wrestling, but great use of the prop and building suspense around the ladder, almost like it was an extra person involved in the match. *****
WWF Intercontinental Championship Match:
Razor Ramon (c) vs. Irwin R. Schyster:
From the 1994 Royal Rumble, and another PPV match completely intact. I.R.S. stole Ramon's gold chains and called him a tax evading bum, so now we're all caught up. Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon are calling the action for WWF Radio. Razor unloads with rights, sending I.R.S. to the floor. Back inside, Razor picks up where he left off. Razor grabs a side headlock and comes off the ropes with a shoulder tackle. Razor with an atomic drop and clothesline for the first pin attempt of the match. Crisscross and I.R.S. tosses Razor over the top rope. Irwin follows him to the floor, sending Ramon into the steps and laying him out with a clothesline. Back inside, I.R.S. with a slam, but a dive from the top… AVOIDS THE BOOT AND HE DROPS AN ELBOW INSTEAD! OH MY GOD! SOMEONE HAD THE COUNTER SCOUTED! I.R.S. with a knee lift and leg drop across the "lower abdomen." Irwin hooks a chin-lock, using the ropes for leverage (and "perspiring heavily"). Razor fights back with right hands and tosses Irwin with the fallaway slam for two. Whip to the corner and referee Joey Marella gets sandwiched. Irwin grabs the briefcase, but Ramon knocks it away and uses it instead, but there's no referee to count the pin attempt. Razor with the back suplex from the top turnbuckle. He sets up for the Razor's Edge, but Shawn Michaels runs in and clobbers him with his Intercontinental Title. I.R.S. covers and Marella counts three at 10:45, BUT WAIT, referee Earl Hebner informs him of what transpired, and Ramon hits an unsuspecting I.R.S. with the Razor's Edge to retain at 11:46. Your standard match from I.R.S. with a lame finish. *½
Non-Title Match: Razor Ramon (IC Champion) vs. "Double J" Jeff Jarrett:
Taped on April 11th, 1994 from Utica, NY, and featured on the April 25th episode of Monday Night Raw. Jarrett gives Razor the business and gets a toothpick tossed in his face. They trade waist-locks until Jarrett takes Razor down and gives him a shove. Razor reverses a whip to the corner. Jarrett avoids the charge and takes Razor over with an arm drag into the arm-bar. Someone should've told Jarrett that's a babyface spot! Whip to the ropes and Razor catches Jarrett with the fallaway slam. Razor unloads with right hands, takes Jarrett over with a hip toss, and sends him to the floor after a clothesline. Jarrett pulls him out, rams him into the steps, and introduces him to the steps. Back inside, Double J with a whip and elbow for two. Snap mare out of the corner, followed by a flying fist drop for two. We come back from commercial with Razor taking Jarrett over with a sunset flip for two. Jarrett pops up first and puts Ramon back down with a clothesline. Whip and Jarrett hops on his back with a sleeper. Razor rallies, escaping with a back suplex. Whip and Razor with a punt to the midsection. He lays into Jarrett with more rights, including a discus punch. Jarrett grabs the tights to send Ramon to the floor. Meanwhile, Shawn Michaels makes his way to ringside. Ramon punches him in the face for being a loud mouth and sends Jarrett into the steps. Back inside, Ramon connects with an inverted atomic drop and knocks Jarrett over the top rope with a clothesline. Michaels hops on the apron and gets thrown into the ring. Ramon goes for the Razor's Edge, but suddenly, Diesel makes his presence felt, dropping Ramon with a big boot. Finally, the bell rings at 10:23 (shown). Post-match, Diesel gives Razor a pair of Jackknife Powerbombs. Match was OK but marred by a long sleeper spot. (This match, along with the match earlier vs Adam Bomb, were all used to set up Razor vs Diesel for the title on Superstars, but that match is absent for the obvious reasons) **¼Razor Ramon vs. Yokozuna (w/ Mr. Fuji & Jim Cornette):
Taped on May 24th, 1994 from Canton, OH. I actually opened by listing this as a Title Match out of habit thanks to the previous 90 minutes of content. Yoko takes advantage of a distracted Razor as Stan Lane asks how a 600 pound man can sneak up on someone. Whip to the ropes and Yoko with a clothesline. Razor ducks a second clothesline and unloads with right hands, knocking Yoko through the ropes. Razor gives chase and slams him face-first into the steps. Yokozuna cuts Razor off, whacking him with Cornette's tennis racket while the referee is preoccupied. Back inside, Yoko dumps Razor back out. Back inside, Yokozuna with a snap mare into the nerve hold. YAY. Razor fights free, but the comeback is short-lived. Yoko busts out a leg drop, sending Razor rolling out of the ring. Ignoring the name value, this is a combination that doesn't work, since Yoko can't take any of Razor's signature spots, and at this point, Yoko was a rest-hold machine. Yoko holds onto the nerve lock for a solid 2-minutes as Razor mounts another comeback. Razor avoids a big splash ("the Hindenburg went down again!") and covers for two. Yoko misses the corner avalanche. Razor punches and punches and punches some more. Three clotheslines finally take Yoko off his feet. He signals for the Edge (HA!) but Crush interferes for the DQ at 9:13. Lex Luger makes the save, and that's a wrap. Another stinker. ZERO STARSFinal Thoughts: If you were a big fan of Razor Ramon, and REALLY love the period of the final months of 1993 and first half of 1994, then this is YOUR tape. Outside of the WrestleMania X classic, it's a collection of mostly decent matches, with the occasional stinker. I'm not the biggest fan of Razor Ramon, but that's more a personal preference for his style and how it complimented his opponents (when applicable), and you could do worse for Superstar specific releases at the time.
Sound Off!
Comment about this article on Da' Wrestling Boards!