WWE SummerSlam 1993 (1993)

Just perfect...

Crappy film

An action-packed slog

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

In terms of overall drama and pacing, SummerSlam 1993 is actually a pretty successful event. It has it's share of stinkers, but also a good deal of entertainment.The Good: -Razor Ramon as an established superstar (taking on Ted DiBiase). - Intercontinental Title Match: Shawn Michaels (budding star) vs. Mr. Perfect (on the way out) - The 1-2-3 Kid gimmick is actually kind of cool...taking a "jobber" and flipping the script. -Bret Hart vs. Doink the Clown. Once you get past all the Jerry Lawler crutches nonsense, the match is actually pretty good.The Bad: -WWF couldn't buy a good tag team at this point. Smokin' Guns? Heavenly Bodies? Headshrinkers? Yikes. -With the knowledge that the Hulk Hogan era was finally over, Vince McMahon tries to replace him with...a clone of himself (in Lex Luger). Unforgivable. Can't just have another cut guy to wave the flag. -Fat guys (like Yokozuna) just don't make good headliners. They just can't move well enough to carry a match.The Ugly: -Undertaker (always a good performance) vs. Giant Gonzalez (maybe the worst "wrestler" I've ever seen. The guy could hardly walk!)So, overall I was basically entertained by SummerSlam 1993. Besides some clunkiness and awkwardness, there are some really fun moments. It's too bad that Vince McMahon was still so enamored by the roided-up guys and Hogan clones that he couldn't adapt as fast as happened later. However, with WCW still a little ways off from mounting a challenge, the WWF could pretty much put any level of talent on the air and get eyeballs.

We start with "Hero" compilation of Lex Luger. That's so embarrassing beginning.1. Ted DiBiase Vs. Razor Ramon - Razor:fan favorite from heel, nice. 6/10 2. Tag Team Championship: Heavenly Boddies Vs. Champs-Steiner Brothers - Outstanding match. These suplexes from Scotty are legendary 8/10 3. Intercontinental Championship: Champ-Shawn Michaels Vs. Mr. Perfect - I like, how asshole Nash stands in the shadow of Shawn. At all good match, but another screwing with Mr. Perfect makes me sick. 7/10 4. 1-2-3 Kid Vs. I.R.S. - Decent match. I'm surprised, that they let Rorunda won. 6/10 5. Bret Hart Vs. Doink the Clown - Nothing special 6/10 6. Bret Hart Vs. Jerry Lawler - Better match than previous, Jerry is still the King by title. 7/10 7. Marty Jannetty Vs. Ludvig Borga - Marty again lose with totally idiotic Borga, that cannot wrestle much (maybe boxing is his domena) Jannetty laid again, pff, get him outta my face, he's like Iaukea in WCW, useless... 5/10 8. Giant "Stiff" Gonzáles Vs. The Undertaker - This is one of the worst feuds I've ever seen and it's mostly because of doll Gonzáles. I give 5* only for defeated that non-wrestler. 5/10 9. Smoking Guns/Tatanka Vs. Headshrinkers/Bam Bam Bigelow - I laughed hard when Tatanka start his idiotic dance across the ring like always and BBB took him down with head-kick :D This was the brightest moment, next that Yipee Indian won again. Blah... 5.5/10 10. WWF Championship: Lex Luger Vs. Champ-Yokozuna - We started with pathetic American disrespect for everything from Japan because of Yoko. Signing Japanese anthem accompanied with boos. Next on program was clumsy match, and Luger won by count out. 5/10

*SPOILERS*This is only the second pay-per-view I've given a perfect 10, the first being the 1991 Royal Rumble. It was full of exciting matches that weren't memorable, just disposable fun. And that's why I love it.The opening match between Razor and DiBiase, as well as Ludvig Borga vs. Marty Jannetty were the only low points. They were OK matches, but DiBiase deserved better in his final pay per view match. These days, a match like this would have run-ins and a bigger climax for Razor's first major babyface push. And Jannetty, fresh off a Intercontinental title run, could have had a better match with Borga. But I don't think anyone really cared. They just needed a Borga push on pay per view television.IRS and The Kid were great, as were Michaels and Perfect. I wish Perfect could have won, but Michaels lies down for no one. Notice how right after this, he left the WWF so he wouldn't have to job to Razor. Bret Hart had two great brawls with Doink (notice how everyone's best match is against the Hit-man) and then Lawler. Their rivalry was a classic; that's why that year's Feud of the Year was a no-brainer. How often do you see two legends win Feud of the Year this late in their careers?The Steiners-Heavenly Bodies match was one of the best of the year. Who knew the Bodies could hold their own against one of the best teams ever?Many say that the Undertaker-Giant Gonzalez match was a waste of time. But I loved it. Remember, what made the old WWF (as in, pre-WWE) great was the mix of athleticism and freak show. Is there a soul out there who didn't like Akeem?The main event wasn't bad, although nowhere near match of the year status. They put Lex Luger over well, but made a wise choice in having Yokozuna keep the belt. He was the first heel since Superstar Graham to hold the belt for more than two months. Nowadays, heels are champions all the time. But from the beginning of the WWWF through the WWF of the 90s, if you blinked, you missed a heel title reign.As an old school wrestling fan, this one and SummerSlam '88 are my favorites.

On July 4, 1993, aboard the USS Intrepid, Yokozuna was making a mockery out of America by issuing a challenge to any American strong enough to bodyslam the 500-pound behemoth. The American efforts were futile, until Lex Luger made a dramatic entrance from a helicopter to the Intrepid, and proceeded to bodyslam Yokozuna! The events aboard the Intrepid earned Luger a shot for Yokozuna's WWE Championship at SummerSlam 1993. Touring the country via the `Lex Express,' Luger generated the support of an entire country, but he also knew the odds were against him. Not only did Luger have to pin the champion or make him submit, Yokozuna's manager, Jim Cornette, added a clause in the contract that this would be the one and only shot Luger would ever receive at Yokozuna's championship. Luger defeated Yokozuna - and celebrated with the rest of America - but the win was by countout. Therefore, Yokozuna was still WWE Champion. Only thanks an unusual set of circumstances heading into WrestleMania X did Luger receive a second shot at Yokozuna and the WWE Championship.Razor Ramon pinned Ted DiBiase Tag Team Champions the Steiner Brothers defeated the Heavenly Bodies Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeated Mr. Perfect by countout Irwin R. Shyster pinned 1-2-3 Kid Bret Hart defeated Doink the Clown by DQ Jerry Lawler defeated Bret Hart by reverse decision Ludvig Borga defeated Marty Janetty by submission The Undertaker pinned Giant Gonzalez in a Rest in Peace Match Tatanka & the Smoking Gunns defeated the Headshrinkers & Bam Bam Bigelow Lex Luger defeated WWE Champion Yokozuna by countoutOverall Mark: B