WWF Survivor Series 1993 Review (All-Americans Vs. Foreign Fanatics)

November 24, 1993 Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA (Boston Garden) Announced attendance: 15,509 PPV buys: 180,000 (down 28% from WWF SummerSlam 1993’s 250,000 buys; down 28% from WWF Survivor Series 1992’s 250,000 buys; up 227.3% from WCW’s last PPV – Battlebowl – 55,000 buys)

Welcome everyone to my WWF Survivor Series 1993 review. The concept of traditional Survivor Series elimination tag team matches is back after a short break in 1992. The Hart Brothers team up to face Shawn Michaels and his Knights. In the main event, The Foreign Fanatics led by WWF Champion Yokozuna battle The All-Americans team led by Lex Luger. The only non-traditional Survivor Series elimination tag team match of the night sees The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express defending the Smoky Mountain Wrestling Tag Team Championship against The Heavenly Bodies.

Here is the list of WWF’s champions heading into Survivor Series 1993: (h/t The SmackDown Hotel)

• WWF Champion: Yokozuna [164th day of his 2nd reign] – previous champion: Hulk Hogan

• WWF Intercontinental Champion: Razor Ramon [58th day of his 1st reign] – previous champion: Shawn Michaels, before it was vacated

• WWF World Tag Team Champions: The Quebecers (Jacques & Pierre) [72nd day of their 1st reign; Jacques’ 1st individual reign & Pierre’s 1st individual reign]

Note: in title matches, the defending champions are underlined

Enjoy the review!

Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Bobby Heenan

Lex Luger and his family wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving to start the show.

Next, we hear the American National Anthem.

The announcers McMahon & Heenan welcome us to the show. Jim Ross & Gorilla Monsoon are also sitting next to them, doing commentary for Radio WWF.

The wrestlers come down for our first match. Team Razor only has three members since Mr. Perfect was out injured. Razor Ramon grabs the microphone and introduces a new partner that also oozes machismo!

Team IRS vs. Team Razor

8-Man Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match

• Team IRS: Irwin R. Schyster, Diesel, Rick Martel & Adam Bomb (w/ Harvey Wippleman)

• Team Razor: Razor Ramon, Marty Jannetty, The 1-2-3 Kid & Randy Savage

Razor and Martel start fighting over a wristlock. Martel elbows Razor in the face, but gets too cocky and Razor slaps him. High crossbody by Martel, Razor rolls through for two. The fallaway slam gets two. Martel gets caught in the wrong corner and Savage adds a punch of his own, before Martel tags out. Adam Bomb comes in and shoves Razor a couple of times. Bomb continues to overpower Razor as the crowd starts chanting Razor’s name. Bomb wins a test of strength until Razor finally explodes with a suplex. Martel elbows Adam Bomb as he was trying to break up the pin, and Martel ends up punching Harvey Wippleman who came in to confront him. The heels all want to fight each other which the crowd loves to see. However, IRS calms everyone down and we have Adam Bomb up against 1-2-3 Kid.

Bomb catches Kid going for a sunset flip, which he turns into a two-handed chokeslam. Diesel comes in and literally throws Kid from one corner to another. Badass gutwrench powerbomb by Diesel is followed by the big boot. Kid manages to reverse another power move with a flying headscissors, though, and he immediately makes the hot tag to Savage. Macho Man cleans house on everyone until Adam Bomb jumps him. Savage rams Bomb into Diesel to get rid of the former, leaving only Diesel in the ring. A slam sets up the Macho Elbow and Diesel hits the showers at 10:20.

Diesel eliminated (by Randy Savage)

Savage goes after Martel and he wants some of IRS. He obliges, only to run into a crossbody from Savage for two. Savage adds a series of clotheslines before making the tag to Razor. A cheapshot from Martel puts the heels in control, and Martel himself comes in to wear Razor down. It’s off to Adam Bomb as they continue to exchange quick tags and cut the ring in half. An elbowdrop and legdrop from IRS get two. Martel and IRS both apply chinlocks on Razor, who eventually escapes and tags in Savage. The high knee drives IRS face first into the buckle. He slams IRS and goes up for yet another elimination with the Macho Elbow… but here comes Crush. He challenges Savage for a fight, who leaves the ring before he’s stopped by his teammates. Savage re-enters the ring and goes after IRS again, but he can’t take his eyes off Crush, who’s on the ramp. That eventually allows IRS to roll him up with a handful of tights at 16:47.

Randy Savage eliminated (by IRS)

Savage leaves the ring immediately and goes after Crush, who’s nowhere to be found now. Meanwhile, IRS battles Marty Jannetty, who enters the match for the first time. Jannetty gets two with a quick dropkick, and Martel comes back in. Martel drives a knee to the gut to turn things around, and Adam Bomb comes in to hit a backdrop suplex. Bomb chokes away on the top rope before unloading on Jannetty in the corner. Marty gets caught in the heel corner and Martel applies an abdominal stretch with some assistance from Bomb. However, Martel ends up missing a blind charge and Jannetty tags out. Ramon is in, as is IRS. Razor slugs away on IRS, hits a chokeslam and the Razor’s Edge finishes IRS at 20:32.

IRS eliminated (by Razor Ramon)

Razor and Martel go at it until everyone suddenly enters the ring and we have a good ol’ DONNYBROOK. Razor goes for the Razor’s Edge on Martel in the middle of the confusion, but IRS comes back in and hits him with the briefcase. Razor’s knocked out on the outside and ref counts him out at 21:43.

Razor Ramon eliminated (by count-out)

It’s down to Jannetty & Kid vs. Martel & Bomb, a regular tag team match. The crowd chants “1-2-3” who comes in to face Martel. The Kid wants to pick up the pace, but Martel does a cartwheel to cut him off. Kid remains in control with an armdrag anyway. He goes after the arm viciously, forcing Martel to cheapshot him to escape the hold. Tag to Adam Bomb, who’s surprised by The Kid after he slides between Bomb’s legs. A dropkick sends Bomb all the way to the outside. Kid wants to meet him there with a dive, only to get caught in mid air and slammed by Bomb on the floor. Adam Bomb throws The Kid back inside the ring and delivers a slingshot clothesline. Bomb ends up missing a blind charge and eating the turnbuckle, though, and The Kid rolls him up for two. The Kid kicks Bomb down but Martel is there to cut him off. Gutwrench suplex by Martel gets two. Martel misses something off the top rope and Kid makes the hot tag. Jannetty rams Martel’s head into the buckle repeatedly, with the crowd counting along. The Kid’s back in for a double-team elbow smash that gets two. Martel reverses a whip into the buckle, but The Kid sunset flips Martel to send him packing at 25:49.

Rick Martel eliminated (by The 1-2-3 Kid)

The Kid immediately makes the tag to Jannetty, who comes in with a quick sunset flip of his own on Adam Bomb to win the match at 26:58.

Adam Bomb eliminated (by Marty Jannetty)

Winners: Team Razor (survivors: Jannetty & Kid)

• Rating: A very exciting opener with a lot of great talent involved and a loud crowd to boot. There were a lot of good moments here and overall it was very enjoyable. ***3/4

Todd Pettengill is in the back with Shawn Michaels, who reminds us he’s still the Intercontinental Champion and talks trash about The Harts; The Hart Family are also backstage, with Ray Combs of The Family Feud, and they promise to make Michaels pay.

Ray Combs is the special ring announcer and commentator for this match.

The Hart Family vs. Shawn Michaels & His Knights

8-Man Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match

• Team Hart Family: Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Keith Hart & Bruce Hart (w/ Stu Hart)

• Team HBK & Knights: Shawn Michaels, The Black Knight, The Red Knight & The Blue Knight

Note: The Black Knight is Jeff Gaylord, The Red Knight is Barry Horowitz and The Blue Knight is Greg Valentine

Michaels and Bruce start us off. Bruce rams Shawn into The Red Knight and armdrags Shawn. Tag to Keith, who goes after the arm. Keith reverses a Michaels suplex into a small package for two. He keeps attacking the arm until Shawn slams him down. Red Knight comes in but Keith turns things around easily and tags Owen in. Owen takes over with a series of armdrags and a dropkick. The Black Knight is legal and he also runs into a series of armdrags. He goes for the tag in the wrong corner, earning him a punch from all the brothers on the apron. Owen throws him around and now it’s The Blue Knight’s turn. Meanwhile, Bret Hart also gets tagged in for the first time in this match. Bret with an atomic drop followed by a running clothesline for two. The Harts are in control until Shawn cheapshots Bruce as he was running the ropes. That allows Blue Knight to slam Bruce, and Shawn comes in to work on the back. Red Knight hits a butterfly suplex for two. The heels work over Bruce, but he manages to backslide Black Knight and gets two. Bruce clotheslines Shawn and makes the hot tag to Bret. He picks up the pace with several nearfalls on Black Knight and starts making the comeback. Shawn breaks up the count after the middle rope elbow which leads to a MELEE. The brothers whip all the heels into each other before Owen finishes Black Knight with a missile dropkick at 10:49.

The Black Knight eliminated (by Owen Hart)

The Red Knight’s in next. All Harts target his leg as the obvious setup for a Sharpshooter, until Red Knight manages to ram Keith into the turnbuckle. He tries to run wild on Keith but his leg is destroyed, and he ends up missing a kneedrop and landing on the bad leg. Keith applies a figure four, but Shawn is right there to break it up. It’s off to Blue Knight who hammers away on Keith! Shawn splashes Keith’s arm and Blue Knight keeps up the arm work. The heat spot lasts long with Shawn and the knights slamming Keith on his arm and ramming him into the post arm-first. Shawn misses a flying splash and Keith finally makes the hot tag to Bret. And just like that, Bret catches Red Knight going for a leapfrog and takes him down into the Sharpshooter at 18:06.

The Red Knight eliminated (by Bret Hart)

Blue Knight jumps Bret immediately and they work him over while Stu massages Keith’s injured arm. Shawn remains in control as this starts to drag. Shawn hits a flying back elbow smash for two before applying a chinlock on Bret. Blue Knight comes in with a low headbutt for two. Bret comes back with a flying clothesline and tags in Owen. Dropkick and a flying elbowdrop gets two, with Shawn making the save. That earns him a punch from Stu Hart himself and the fans go crazy for that. Owen follows it up with a big dive to the outside. Back in, a high crossbody hits Blue Knight instead of Shawn, and Shawn accidentally drops an elbow on his partner. Shawn gets the floor, which gives Owen enough time to get ride of the final Knight with the Sharpshooter in 23:55.

The Blue Knight eliminated (by Owen Hart)

That leaves Shawn Michaels all alone against the four brothers. Shawn wants no part of this fight, but Bret is there to stop him from running away and throws Shawn into the ring. Shawn begs off but they all take turns beating him up. Bruce drops a knee for two but eventually misses a blind charge in the corner. Shawn superkicks Bruce (before it was a big deal) and it only gets a nearfall here. Bruce makes the hot tag to Bret, who catapults Shawn into the buckle for two. Russian legsweep gets two. Shawn rakes the eyes as Bret was going for his classic backbreaker, but Owen is there immediately with an overhead belly to belly suplex for two. Owen collides with a still blinded Bret while running the ropes, knocking his brother into the railing. Shawn rolls up Owen for his first elimination at 27:36.

Owen Hart eliminated (by Shawn Michaels)

An eliminated Owen snaps in the ring while everyone checks on Bret in a first sign of his eventual heel turn. Meanwhile, Bruce walks in with a clothesline and an elbowdrop for two. Sleeper by Bruce, but he gets rammed into the corner. They collide for a double KO spot and Keith gets tagged in. Abdominal stretch is blocked by Shawn with a hiptoss, and now Bret’s in the ring. He throws Shawn around from one corner to another and eventually sets him up for the Sharpshooter. However, Shawn has had enough and he actually runs away for the lame count-out ending at 30:57.

Shawn Michaels eliminated (by count-out)

Winners: The Hart Family (survivors: Bret, Bruce & Keith)

• Rating: Let’s be honest, this was doomed from the moment they announced Jerry Lawler wouldn’t be competing due to legal problems. Shawn had no real heat with the Hart Family, so it wasn’t as exciting as seeing all the brothers finally getting their hands on Lawler. Therefore, the match naturally dragged at over 30 minutes, but the action and psychology weren’t bad at all. The finish was lame, but the post-match angle and issues between Bret and Owen make up for it. **1/4

Owen Hart comes back to the ring after the match. He gets in Bret’s face and actually shoves him a number of times, leaving the ring after everyone else. The post-match angle was much better than the match itself.

Meanwhile, the commentators switch places and Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan nearly go at it.

WrestleMania 10 ad – it’s 10 years in the making.

A video package airs to hype up tonight’s main event.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express (Ricky Morton & Robert Gibson) vs. The Heavenly Bodies (Jimmy Del Ray & Tom Prichard) (w/ Jim Cornette)

SMW Tag Team Championship

This is a one of a kind match for so many reasons. Believe it or not, this is actually a rematch from that year’s WCW SuperBrawl. The Heavenly Bodies cheapshot The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express early on, but Morton cuts them off with a dive to the outside. Gibson takes over with a nice flying headscissors to Del Ray. Prichard slugs away on Morton, who comes back with several hiptosses to both Bodies. He avoids a superkick from Del Ray, who ends up hitting his partner. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express deliver double monkey flips for both heels followed by a double atomic drop that results in a collision. They go after Prichard’s leg and the heels’ heads collide with a double noggin knocker. Prichard comes back with a sitout powerbomb as we finally get to see Ricky Morton playing Ricky Morton in the WWF!

Prichard slams Del Ray into a moonsault on Morton for two. Prichard dumps Morton to the floor and distracts the referee as Del Ray moonsaults him. Prichard gets two back inside. Powerslam gets two. Del Ray cheapshots Gibson to prevent Morton from making the tag, and The Bodies hit a double-team slam/bulldog move for two. They follow it up with a double-team legdrop that gets two. A powerbomb by Del Ray is reversed by Morton into a hurricanrana for two. Morton cradles Prichard from out of nowhere for two. Del Ray cuts him off with a standing moonsault, but Gibson is there to break up the pin. The Bodies try to double-team Morton, who fights back with a double DDT before finally making the hot tag to Gibson. It gets no reaction from WWF fans, which is sad to see. Morton gets dumped over the top rope, but the match continues since this is not Smoky Mountain. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Express hit a double dropkick on Prichard for two and Morton punches Cornette off the apron. However, Corny tosses the racket over to Del Ray who hits Gibson in the back of the head. Prichard steals the pin and win the belts at 13:41.

Winners & new champions: The Heavenly Bodies

• Rating: This had everything to be a great match. Sadly, the WWF fans didn’t give a crap and that ended up hurting the overall quality. Their SuperBrawl match was better, but this was still a pretty good Southern style tag team match in front of a dead crowd. ***1/4

Bam Bam Bigelow cut a promo in the back while his teammates are eating turkey in their own unique way.

8-Man Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match

Team Doink vs. Team Bigelow

• Team Doink: The Bushwhackers (Luke & Butch) & Men on a Mission (Mabel & Mo) (w/ Oscar)

• Team Bigelow: Bam Bam Bigelow, The Headshrinkers (Samu & Fatu) & Bastion Booger (w/ Luna Vachon & Afa)

The Bushwhackers and Men on a Mission are all dressed like clowns. In other words, it’s bad comedy time. Bastion Booger splashes Luke to start, but Luke bites his ass. The Headshrinkers turns things around but a water balloon leads to a roll-up to eliminate Samu at 3:02.

Samu eliminated (by Luke)

Fatu jumps Butch immediately and Booger hits a legdrop. Bigelow comes in and chokes away on the ropes. Bastin Booger slams Butch and hits the assdrop, but he stops to eat a banana… he misses a second assdrop, The Bushwhackers hit the Battering Ram and Mabel legdrops him at 6:02.

Bastion Booger eliminated (by Mabel)

Fatu offers Luke some turkey and cheapshots him. However, Mo gets inside the ring with the scooter and that distracts Fatu. What is going on here… Bigelow dropkicks Mo and gets rid of the scooter. Fatu delivers his flying splash, but he also stops because of the banana. Butch teases hitting him with a bucket, and Fatu literally slips on a banana peel for the elimination at 8:33.

Fatu eliminated (by Butch)

Bam Bam is all alone. He cleans house but Mabel comes in for the showdown. Mabel no-sells a couple of shoulderblocks and knocks Bam Bam down with his own shoulderblock. Mabel misses a blind charge in the corner, though, and Bigelow finally takes him down. More comedy nonsense ensues to put Bigelow down and they all get on top of him to win the match in 10:58.

Bam Bam Bigelow eliminated (by Mabel)

Winners: Team Doink (survivors: Men on a Mission & The Bushwhackers)

• Rating: Bad cartoon/comedy nonsense. DUD

Doink the Clown appears on the titantron afterwards to mock Bam Bam & Luna.

Main Event

The All-Americans vs. The Foreign Fanatics

8-Man Survivor Series Elimination Tag Team Match

• The All-Americans: Lex Luger, The Undertaker & The Steiners (Rick & Scott) (w/ Paul Bearer)

• The Foreign Fanatics: Yokozuna, Crush, Ludvig Borga & Quebecer Jacques (w/ Mr. Fuji, Jim Cornette & Johnny Polo)

Jacques wants to shake Scott’s hand early on. Scott responds in Steiner fashion – a belly to belly suplex! The Steiners go for the double-team but Jacques runs away and tags in Yoko. Rick actually dumps Yoko to the outside with a series of running shoulderblocks. Back in, the heels isolate Rick in their corner, but Rick comes back with a flying clothesline to Ludvig Borga for two. Borga slams Rick, misses an elbowdrop and Rick comes off the top rope with a crossbody. Borga was supposed to powerslam him in mid air for the elimination, but totally missed it. Rick’s gone anyway at 5:05.

Rick Steiner eliminated (by Ludvig Borga)

That was so awkward. They should’ve called an audible and come up with a different finish. Anyway, the match resumes with Scott and Jacques. Scott gorilla press slams Jacques onto Crush, who catches Jacques rather easily. Jacques mocks Scott for that and goes back to the apron immediately. Crush slugs away on Steiner until the latter explodes with the butterfly powerbomb. He follows it up with the Steinerline for two. Meanwhile, McMahon announces Randy Savage has been spotted backstage. In other words, expect a run-in at any second. Crush leapfrogs over Steiner and hits a nice superkick. And just like that, Randy Savage shows up with several WWF wrestlers and personnel stopping him from interfering. Crush gorilla press slams Steiner to the outside with Savage looking on, and the beating continues inside the ring. Crush starts going after Steiner’s leg… and Savage is back. Crush turns his back to the action and Steiner dropkicks him to the floor. He goes after Savage and gets counted-out after 11:36.

Crush eliminated (by count-out)

Jacques comes in with a running back elbow smash to Steiner for two. A piledriver gets two as well. Steiner comes back with a slam before finally making the tag. Lex Luger comes in with a slam to Jacques followed by a flying forearm to get rid of him at 14:04.

Quebecer Jacques eliminated (by Lex Luger)

Borga wants Luger, but for some reason Steiner is back in. Questionable strategy to say the least. Borga with a clothesline, a running avalanche in the corner and another clothesline. He goes up top, but Steiner meets him there and brings him down with a super belly to belly suplex. Yoko breaks up the pin, though. He misses an elbowdrop and Steiner’s thinking Frankensteiner, but Yoko holds on to the rop and hits the legdrop to end Steiner’s night at 16:57.

Scott Steiner eliminated (by Yokozuna)

Yoko and Luger go at it in a rematch from SummerSlam. The announcers mention the clause in the contract that prevents Luger from getting another WWF Title shot. Luger moves out of the way of a running splash and unloads on the champ. He ends up running into a clothesline, however. Yoko & Borga isolate Luger to prevent him from reaching Taker. Yokozuna misses a blind charge and eats buckle, allowing Luger to make the hot tag. Taker delivers a huge DDT to Yokozuna. That gets a much bigger reaction than anything Luger did up to this point. Borga gets a cheapshot from the apron, though, allowing Yoko to slam Taker. Yoko cuts off the zombie sit-up with a big legdrop, which was a good touch. Banzai Drop connects. Yoko goes up for a second one, but Taker blocks it with the zombie sit-up. The crowd loved that. Taker hits his running clothesline and Yoko bails. Taker follows him outside and no-sells Yokozuna’s offense, which Yoko sells perfectly with his facial expressions. They keep fighting until they’re both counted-out at 22:26.

The Undertaker & Yokozuna eliminated (by count-out)

It’s down to Luger against Borga in the ring. Borga takes over with a legdrop for two. A sideslam gets two. Suplex gets two. Powerslam gets two more. Borga hits a series of clotheslines for another nearfall. Luger finally blocks a suplex and turns it into his own suplex. A double clothesline results in a double KO spot. At this point, Cornette and Johnny Polo get up on the apron to distract the ref while Fuji gives Borga the bucket of salt. Borga hits Luger with it for two. Luger finally makes the comeback and takes Borga down with a DDT. He follows it up with a back elbow smash for two. Luger slams Borga for two but the loaded forearm gets the job done in 28:02.

Ludvig Borga eliminated (by Lex Luger)

Winners: The All-Americans (sole survivor: Lex Luger)

• Rating: It had its moments. Rick Steiner’s elimination looked awful, but thankfully things got better from there. Scott Steiner had a nice performance and looked like he belonged in there against the bigger singles stars. The Undertaker played a limited role in the match, but the crowd was into everything he did. Meanwhile, the reaction for Luger was nothing compared to SummerSlam. The Yoko/Taker double count-out elimination set up a future title match between them, which the crowd clearly wanted to see. Luger vs Borga was a decent finale to blow off their brief rivalry. **3/4

Santa Claus comes out to celebrate with Luger (in November…) to close the event.

END OF THE SHOW

Final thoughts: Weird PPV. While it wasn’t a bad pay-per-view, it was far from the best. The opener was really exciting and my favorite match on the whole show. I also liked the Smoky Mountain tag match, but the lack of crowd reaction hurt it and it felt weird to begin with. Although the match between the Hart Family and Shawn Michaels’ team dragged, the post-match angle featuring Owen Hart made it memorable. The main event was solid enough, and the only thing I’d call horrible would be the “comedy” match. Is it a bad show to watch from start to finish? Not really, but I don’t think I’d recommend it to anyone either. 5/10

WWF Survivor Series 1993 Full Results

Point System

Click here to know more about the point system.

Exceptionally, due to the different nature of this particular show, there is a small twist: wrestlers will earn an extra 0.5 points for each elimination scored in a traditional Survivor Series elimination tag team match. The survivors will get an extra point.

That’s all from me today. Make sure you don’t miss any of the upcoming WWF & WCW reviews here on the website. Take care, everyone!

Written by:

Tomás Cunha