WWE Survivor Series 1994

WWE Survivor Series 1994

November 23, 1994

Freeman Coliseum

San Antonio, Texas

The 1994 Survivor Series emanated from deep in the heart of Texas in San Antonio. And really, Survivor Series is sort of an extension of SummerSlam in a lot of ways. Razor Ramon was still feuding with Diesel and Shawn Michaels, although that feud was winding down. Bret Hart was still fighting with younger brother Owen, but that feud was also winding down. The Undertaker’s feud with Ted Dibiase’s Million Dollar Corporation was still simmering and set to explode here. For the second year in a row, the Survivor Series looks to blow off feuds and start others, as it did the year prior. One notable loss is of course Randy Savage, who left WWE not long before this show.

Commentators: Vince McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon

10 Man Survivor Series Match

Teamsters (Diesel (captain), Shawn Michaels, Owen Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Jeff Jarrett) vs. The Bad Guys (Razor Ramon (captain), 123 Kid, Davey Boy Smith, and the Headshrinkers)

For the second year in a row we get a great opening match. Interesting pairing for commentators. This is notable because it is Gorilla’s final PPV broadcast. For my money he is the best play by play guy of all time. He had a special way of articulating exactly what the fans at home needed to know about storylines and angles. Gorilla takes a more heelish role on announcing duty tonight, although he doesn’t go Jesse Ventura but is interesting to listen to. Also interesting to note that Samu is no longer part of the Headshrinkers. He had since been replaced by Sione. Sione is better known to most fans as the Barbarian. Teamsters come out first and this is the first WWE PPV that really started to use pyro for ring entrances. During the entrance Shawn Michaels is walking right behind Diesel. As he gets introduced by Howard Finkel, he steps right in front of Diesel. He did this at SummerSlam too, but it just sets the tone, and you realize that based on the storyline progression that something was likely to go down tonight. Diesel and Shawn had won the tag titles right before SummerSlam, but at SummerSlam we remember Shawn cost Diesel the IC Title against Razor Ramon. Then on a new WWE Program called the Action Zone, Shawn and Diesel defended the tag titles against their good buddies (in real life) Razor Ramon and 123 Kid and had a wonderful tag team match. During the match however, Shawn caught Diesel with sweet chin music again. Once again though they made up and reconciled, but the payoff was inevitable. I love the match up here because there are so many storyline arcs and feuds within this match that it reminds me a lot of the 1987 opener. Davey Boy obviously has issues with Owen and Anvil from what they did to Bret at SummerSlam. Headshrinkers were still chasing Shawn and Diesel, and a Razor-Jarrett feud was brewing. The match is great too. The first several minutes everyone but Shawn and Diesel go at it and we get some really solid wrestling from everyone involved. Then Diesel gets tagged in and jackknife power bombs everyone. Fatu, Kid, and Sione all get jackknifed and pinned in the span of about 2 or 3 minutes. Then Bulldog gets counted out thanks to Owen and Jarrett keeping him from getting back in. Diesel then is selling the fact that he’s probably tuckered out a little and tries to tag Shawn. Shawn says, no he’s not ready yet yelling at Diesel to finish Razor. Diesel then jackknifes Razor, and in classic heel fashion, Shawn now wants the tag. But Shawn wants Diesel to hold Razor up so he can clock him with sweet chin music. Take a wild guess as to what happens next. Shawn misses and nails Big Daddy Cool with some sweet chin music once again. Three strikes and you’re out, and Diesel chases Shawn back to the dressing room, and somehow all 5 members of the Teamsters got counted out and Razor is the sole survivor. Crappy ending to what was a wonderful match. I feel they should’ve had Razor pin Diesel and then Diesel chase Shawn to get counted out. Then maybe have Razor pin Neidhart, then have Jarrett and Owen beat Razor and be the sole survivors. I think you build Owen up, and continue Jarrett’s push. Instead we got a ridiculous finish. After the match Shawn cuts a promo running down Diesel and throws his half of the tag title down on the ground and leaves. The match is very good, the ending leaves a lot to be desired, but it did accomplish its primary objective; push Diesel as a monster and set up their WrestleMania main event. *** ¾

8 Man Mixed Survivor Series Match

Royal Family (Jerry Lawler (captain), Queasy, Weezy, and Cheesy) vs. Clowns ‘r us (Doink (captain), Dink, Wink, and Pink)

Total comedy match for the kids here. I have nothing really to add. It’s about as bad as you would think. Lawler’s team wins, heel midgets join up with face midgets and turn on Lawler, Doink puts a pie in Lawler’s face. DUD

WWE Championship

Submission Match

Bret “The Hitman” Hart (champion) w/ Davey Boy Smith vs. Bob Backlund w/ Owen Hart

The story here is that there was a match shortly before SummerSlam between Bret and Backlund. Bret won, but shortly after the match, Backlund snapped and put Bret in the cross face chicken wing. After Bret successfully defended the title against Owen at SummerSlam, this match was signed. Backlund was playing the crazy old man heel and doing it really well. I didn’t appreciate his character as much then as I do now. Backlund was playing off of the fact that when he lost the WWE title to the Iron Sheik in 1983 that he had never given up. This match is a submission match. Instead of a regular submission match however, this match would be determined by which corner man throws in the towel. Backlund chose Owen, and Bret chose Davey. I must caution you; this match isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. I love it, but you cannot have an attention span of a fly to enjoy this match. It’s over 30 minutes and it is total old school. The psychology is both guys going for their submission moves. Sharpshooter vs. Cross face chicken wing. The crowd really doesn’t know what to do here, but they get into it as it builds, and especially when Bret is on offense which keeps them interested. Things get really interesting when Bret gets Backlund into the sharpshooter and Owen comes in and saves Bret. Davey then chases Owen around then ring and dives at him and goes headfirst into the steps and gets knocked out. Backlund then gets a distracted Bret into the chicken wing. Then one of the best illustrations of heel work of all time takes place as Owen pleads with Stu and Helen Hart at ringside to take the towel and throw it in as surrogates for the knocked out British Bulldog. Owen is brilliant as he makes himself cry saying things like “That’s my brother in there, I’m sorry, that’s your son, its Thanksgiving.” Helen begins to start falling for Owens antics. Stu isn’t having any of it and it is clear that Helen is the one that is going to show mercy. Watching this smarmy dirt bag Owen sucker his own parents into ending Bret’s title reign is legendary. Finally Helen does give in and takes the towel from Stu and throws it in making Backlund the new WWE Champion. Owen then leaps into the ring in joy, grabs the pink and black towel, and runs off in jubilation. Two of my favorite heel moments ever transpire. The first is Backlund’s reaction to being the new champion is phenomenal. His celebration is so awesome. He acts so surprised at first and then he acts like he is on top of the world. Then Owen Hart delivers one of if not the best heel promos of all time, just gloating about how Bret is a loser and how he tricked his own mom and dad into costing Bret the title. Unfortunately all of the heat from this match for all involved was quickly gone because literally days after this Diesel would beat Bob Backlund in about 10 seconds and become the new WWE Champion in Madison Square Garden making all of this meaningless. The match is much underrated, but like I said, a lot of fans who aren’t into more of a 70’s or 80’s style may not be into it. ****

10 Man Survivor Series Match

Million $ Team (Tatanka (captain), King Kong Bundy, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Heavenly Bodies) vs. Guts and Glory (Lex Luger (captain), Mabel, Adam Bomb, and Smoking Gunns)

Here are the rest of the midcarders at the time. This is the continuation of Tatanka-Luger feud that began at SummerSlam, and that turned into Luger vs. the Million Dollar Corporation. Match is ok but heatless compared to the opening match. The match served its purpose, but no one cared about any of the feuds after this, and it’s unfortunately sort of a microcosm of what you would get in 1995. Match gets down to Tatanka, Bundy, and Bam Bam vs. Luger. Luger pins Tatanka, but then gets beat himself by Bundy and Bam Bam. Whatever. ** ½

Main Event

Casket Match – Troubleshooting Referee Chuck Norris

Yokozuna w/ Mr. Fuji and Jim Cornette vs. Undertaker w/ Paul Bearer

The blow off from the Royal Rumble debacle. The rematch is awful. Chuck Norris is hired on to be the ref on the outside to make sure that 9 guys don’t show up and attack the Undertaker to help Yoko win. I like Yokozuna selling of how scared he is of caskets but that’s about the only redeeming quality of the match. Bam Bam and Bundy come out and distract Norris and allows Million $ Corporation member IRS to come in and attack Undertaker. Taker makes the comeback and wins the match. Crowd gets the big pop for Norris kicking Jeff Jarrett. Undertaker gets his revenge. Everyone is happy. Match isn’t good. ¾*

Final Analysis: No big complaints about the show. As a standalone show it has a little of everything. A lot of people didn’t like the Backlund stuff that much and admittedly at the time I didn’t either. Looking back I found it very creative, and wish he would have gotten a longer run than he got, but the clique had to get their way. Diesel would take 1995 into the toilet but that is another story. The fans were sent home happy with the Undertaker, but unfortunately he would spend 1995 stuck with horrible feuds over his stolen urn. Bret Hart would also be stuck in feuds with dentists and pirates. Again, that is for another day. I like Survivor Series ’94 though.