Posted in: The Classroom The Classroom - History Of: WrestleMania Part 11
By Sean Taylor
Feb 11, 2009 - 4:31:21 AM
Git to class! Y’all need to git learned up.
Welcome back to the Classroom. If you live in an area where it snows like I do, you’re probably feeling those two annual feelings we get at this time every year. First, excitement that the snow is starting to melt and fear that there will be that one last big snowstorm before spring finally comes. I may be optimistic but I’m also a realist. I know it’s coming and it’s usually the day after I start cleaning my golf clubs.
I just wanted to quickly talk about the Jericho Fan Attack incident. If you watch the video, I think it’s pretty clear that Jericho was in the right. The woman charged Jericho and he did what he had to in order to protect himself. I definitely do not condone violence against women but I think this is a separate issue. Think about it this way, what would you do if someone half-tackled you while trying to get into your car?
Anyway, today’s lesson surrounds the events and happenings of WrestleMania XI. Let’s get right to it.
WrestleMania XI:
Date: April 2, 1995
Venue: Hartford Civic Center (Hartford, Connecticut)
Commentators: Vince McMahon & Jerry “The King” Lawler
Attendance: 16,305
In 1995, the WWE was still the number one promotion in North America. With the newer, younger stars putting on quicker paced matches, McMahon was successfully keeping the audience’s attention. The question was, though, for how long?
By the spring of 1995, the WWE’s New Generation had firmly planted its feet into the industry. But WCW was starting to gain momentum. Ted Turner had recently appointed a young advertising executive by the name of Eric Bischoff as the new WCW Executive Producer. Bischoff was beginning to make drastic changes to WCW. He had already signed Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage away from the WWE and with them came announcers Gene Okerlund and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. WCW was quickly becoming a viable alternative to fans that were growing tired of the WWE’s circus like gimmicks and kid-oriented storylines.
But WCW wasn’t the only alternative in North America. In 1993, Paul Heyman had recently been given the reigns of a small wrestling promotion called Eastern Championship Wrestling based mainly out of Philadelphia. With its penchant for hardcore or “extreme” wrestling, ECW was developing a cult following of rabid fans, who were tired of the family friendly programming that both the WWE and WCW put on.
United We Stand
After Special Olympian Kathy Huey sang her rendition of “America the Beautiful”, WrestleMania XI opened with The Allied Powers (Lex Luger/British Bulldog) squaring off against identical twins Jacob and Eli Blu (with Uncle Zebekiah). Luger and Bulldog quickly defeated the Blu Twins when Bulldog pinned Eli.
More Gold For The Bad Guy
Jeff Jarrett, son of USWA co-promoter Jerry Jarrett, signed with the WWE and debuted as a country music singer who was using professional wrestling to boost his singing career. Flashing lights donned his ring jacket, cowboy hat, and oversized sunglasses. In 1994, Jarrett began a feud with WWE Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon. At the 1995 Royal Rumble where he challenged Ramon for the title, Jarrett introduced his new cornerman, The Roadie (aka BG James). The Roadie interfered helping Jarrett win the Intercontinental title. Soon after, a rematch was scheduled for WrestleMania XI.
In order to counter The Roadie’s presence at ringside, Ramon was cornered by the 1-2-3 Kid. Ramon and the 1-2-3 Kid had been bitter rivals after the Kid upset Ramon for his first win. But since Ramon’s babyface turn prior to WrestleMania X, the two had become friends. During the match at WrestleMania XI, Ramon was eventually able to execute his Razor’s Edge finishing move on Jarrett prompting The Roadie to jump into the ring and attack Ramon. Jarrett was disqualified but retained the title and their feud would continue into the early summer.
Urn-ing Revenge
At the 1994 Royal Rumble, WWE Champion Yokozuna defeated The Undertaker in a casket match with help from ten other heels. After the match, a video coming from the inside of the casket showed The Undertaker promising that he would soon be reborn before a shadowy, Undertaker-like figure rose into the rafters. The Undertaker then disappeared from WWE television until the summer of 1994 when “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase announced that The Undertaker had joined him and his Million Dollar Corporation stable. Paul Bearer denounced DiBiase’s Undertaker (played by Brian Lee) as a fake and promised that the real Undertaker would be returning soon. This led to an Undertaker vs Undertaker match at SummerSlam 1994.
When Bearer’s Undertaker stood victorious over DiBiase’s fraudulent Undertaker, he began to feud with DiBiase and his Corporation. During a Yokozuna/Undertaker match at Survivor Series 1994, Irwin R. Shyster (I.R.S.) interfered and began a feud between him and the Undertaker. In a series of televised vignettes, I.R.S. repossessed a number of gravestones and burial plots from people that he claimed hadn’t paid their taxes prior to their death. The Undertaker defeated I.R.S. but then DiBiase called for King Kong Bundy to come to the ring and steal the Undertaker’s urn, which was the supposed source of the Undertaker’s powers.
At WrestleMania XI, the Undertaker got his chance to regain possession of the urn as he faced King Kong Bundy. The special guest referee for this match was Major League Baseball umpire Larry Young, who was out of work thanks to the 1994-1995 baseball strike. The Undertaker got out to an early advantage but Bundy was able to clothesline him to the outside where he stalked DiBiase and took back the urn. With the urn back in the hands of Paul Bearer, Undertaker returned his attention to Bundy. Meanwhile DiBiase called out “The Supreme Fighting Machine” Kama (later known as The Godfather) who knocked out Bearer and took the urn to the back where he promised to melt it down into a gold necklace. Soon after, the Undertaker – drawing on power from the “Creatures of the Night” (fans) – fought back and pinned Bundy for the win.
Huge Surprise
The WWE Tag Team Championships were on the line at WrestleMania XI as the Smoking Gunns (Billy/Bart) defended against the 1994 King of the Ring “The King of Harts” Owen Hart and his surprise partner. For weeks, Owen touted his partner as “the best tag team partner anyone could have”. Owen took great pride in introducing the now 600 pound Yokozuna. Owen claimed he chose Yokozuna because he had defeated Owen’s brother Bret for the WWE Championship.
The Smoking Gunns controlled the match until Yokozuna was tagged in. Yokozuna caught Billy Gunn in a belly-to-belly suplex before dropping his patented Banzai Drop. Yokozuna tagged in Owen who faked going for the Sharpshooter before pinning Billy to win the tag titles. Owen and Yokozuna celebrated with their managers James E. Cornette and Mr. Fuji.
Say It. Saaay It!
The next match was the first “I Quit” Match in WWE history. Bret Hart lost the WWE Championship to Bob Backlund at the 1994 Survivor Series in a Towel Match – where the loser was the man whose cornerman threw a towel into the ring. With Bret’s parents, Stu and Helen, sitting at ringside and Davey Boy Smith (Bret’s cornerman) knocked out, Backlund put Bret into his Crossface-Chickenwing submission hold. Owen Hart (Backlund’s cornerman) feigned sincerity as he begged and pleaded for his parents to throw in Bret’s towel. Finally, Helen couldn’t take it anymore and threw Bret’s towel into the ring causing Backlund to become the new WWE Champion.
Bret and Backlund continued their feud that culminated in the “I Quit” match at WrestleMania XI. For the match, the WWE appointed “Rowdy” Roddy Piper as the special guest referee. At the end of the match, Bret reversed Backlund’s Crossface-Chickenwing into a version of his own and locked his legs around Backlund’s waist. Piper put the mic to Backlund’s mouth and Backlund made intelligible noises. Piper claimed that Backlund had said “I Quit” and called for the bell.
After the match, Jim Ross interviewed Backlund who claimed that he “saw the light” and then walked to the back with eyes wide open.
Running On Diesel Power
In June of 1993, Kevin Nash debuted in the WWE under the name Diesel and was assigned to be Shawn Michaels’ bodyguard. The two formed a friendship and eventually a tag team dubbed “Two Dudes With Attitude”. But in the summer of 1994, their friendship started to deteriorate after Michaels accidentally Superkicked Diesel on a number of occasions. At the 1994 Survivor Series, Michaels Superkicked Diesel again and Diesel saw red. Diesel stalked Michaels to the back and the ensuing argument ended their friendship and tag team as both men went their separate ways.
Three days after Survivor Series 1994, Diesel defeated Bob Backlund in a record eight second to become the new WWE Champion. The match still ranks as the quickest WWE Championship match ever. Shawn Michaels hired Sycho Sid (formerly Sid Justice) as his new bodyguard and went on to win the 1995 Royal Rumble match. By winning the Rumble, Shawn earned not just a title shot at WrestleMania XI but also the right to be escorted to the ring by Baywatch star Pamela Anderson for that title match.
Throughout the WrestleMania XI broadcast, Pamela Anderson could not be found so it was determined that Jenny McCarthy (1993 Playboy Playmate of the Year) would escort Michaels to the ring instead. Television actors Nick Turturro (NYPD Blue) and Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Home Improvement) pulled ring announcing and timekeeper duties respectively. When Diesel was introduced he paused at the entranceway and brought out his escortee, Pamela Anderson.
The match itself was the longest of the night with a time of just over twenty minutes. Shawn Michaels spent most of the match wearing down Diesel, focusing on his ribs. Diesel attempted a comeback but Michaels hit his Superkick. Michaels covered Diesel but Sid had already pulled the referee to the outside. Sid quickly threw the referee back into the ring but Diesel kicked out at two. Diesel recovered and ended up dropping Michaels with his Jackknife Powerbomb and covered Michaels for the winning three count. Sid pulled Michaels out of the ring while Diesel, Pamela Anderson, Jenny McCarthy Nick Turturro, and Jonathan Taylor Thomas all celebrated in the ring.
Are You Ready For Some Wrestling?
At the 1995 Royal Rumble, Bam Bam Bigelow and Tatanka faced Bob “Sparkplug” Holly and the 1-2-3 Kid for the WWE Tag Team Championships that had been vacated when the Michaels/Diesel team dissolved. Being the underdogs of the match, the fans were shocked when Holly and the Kid came out of the match victorious. The crowd started heckling Bigelow, who had remained at ringside. Bigelow noticed former New York Giant Lawrence Taylor laughing at him in the front the row. Bigelow confronted Taylor and Taylor attempted to apologize by offering a handshake. Bigelow took offense and shoved Taylor to the floor before leaving ringside. Bigelow then challenged Taylor to a wrestling match at WrestleMania XI.
To counter The Million Dollar Corporation, who was going to be at ringside in Bigelow’s corner, Taylor formed his All-Pro Team. Prior to the match, R&B group Salt-N-Pepa performed their hit sing “Whatta Man” in tribute to Taylor. The Million Dollar Corporation (King Kong Bundy, Tatanka, I.R.S., Kama, and Nikolai Volkoff) and the All-Pro Team (Ken Norton Jr., Chris Spielman, Rickey Jackson, Carl Banks, and “Maniac” Steve McMichael) were introduced individually and jogged to the ring as if they were football players before an NFL foot ball game.
After a pre-match skirmish between the outside teams Taylor got out to an early advantage with a series of forearms, punches, and clotheslines. But Bigelow soon turned the tide and began beating down Taylor. But in the end, Taylor leapt off the top rope with a flying forearm that knocked out Bigelow enough for Taylor to get the pinfall. After the match, DiBiase chastised Bigelow as they walked to the back while Taylor and his All Pro Team celebrated in the ring. WrestleMania XI went off the air with Taylor and crew leaving the ring to no music.
Another WrestleMania was in the books and for the twelfth edition the WWE would set out to do what they had never done before . . .
. . . An Iron Man Match.
Well that about wraps up Part 11. We’re almost half way through and we still have over a month left before this year’s WrestleMania. As always, I welcome your thoughts, opinions, and critiques. You can post them in the feedback forum or email them here. I hope you all enjoyed this column. This was a tough one to get through because frankly, WrestleMania XI was not the greatest of the events.
Pop Quiz
Yes, I have moved the winners of the previous quizzes to this section. It’s simpler, makes more sense, and I forgot to add it when I wrote the opening. Regardless congratulations to Meturtalo and Styxx for knowing that the impersonator was spoofing President Bill Clinton and Pat Patterson warned Burt Reynolds not to get too close to the crowd because he was worried the fans would pull Reynold’s toupee off. Here are the questions for this column: 1) Backstage, Jonathan Taylor Thomas defeated Bob Backlund at what game?
2) There had only been two other “I Quit” matches in recorded wrestling history prior to WrestleMania XI. Who won those matches?
Also don’t forget about the CSI Tournament. The Quarter-final Round columns should be getting posted soon. So check it out and vote for your favourites (well your second favourite behind mine lol)
