1994 - The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

[hb2k]

So, I'm taping another podcast later this week, and the subject for discussion is looking at the wrestling landscape in 1994, and the good, bad and ugly elements that comprised it, a fun way to do a year in review and discuss different stuff.

The idea being that out of everything that happened on a worldwide basis in this year, what ONE thing epitomises each for you personally (if you had to choose a match, promo, angle, feud, theme or company that summed each up), and why?

For example, if we were talking 93, we could say:

The Good - Kobashi Vs. Hansen matches

The Bad - Hogan plunger raping Bret at Mania X

The Ugly - Big Sky, Charlie Norris, Shockmaster, Equaliser and others stinking up WCW.


Apply for 1994, and please go into as much depth on why things were the best or the worst as you'd like. As always I'll read the feedback and credit the fine folks who do.

[James Steele]

** Hogan plunger raping Bret at WrestleMania IX

[hb2k]

Nice catch ;-)

[James Steele]

While I was only 5 in 1994, but I was the kid who would rent old PPVs at Blockbuster and thanks to the interwebs and now the WWE Network, I'm a 'rassling expert (2nd only to Shisen KOTF). Here is my 1994 RUNDOWN:


The Good
WWF: WrestleMania X and the birth of "The New Generation"

WCW: The last months of Vader whooping ass with Harley Race as his manager and dominating WCW

The Bad
WWF: The Battle of 2 Takers

WCW: Fall Brawl 1994 -- The War Games match sucked, Steamboat/Austin was cancelled due to Steamboat's career ending injury, and Austin got to job to Hacksaw Jim Duggan instead. Show is pretty bad overall.

The Ugly
WWF: Lex Luger/Tatanka "Who Sold Out?" Feud

WCW: Hulk Hogan jobbing out Flair to win the title in his first match at Bash At The Beach 94, not even being on the next PPV, then beating Flair at Halloween Havoc in a Retirement match, and then beating Ed Leslie in the main event of Starrcade 94.


Honorable Mentions
WWF: Bob Backlund returning, Vintage Heel Lawler, Leslie Nielsen at SummerSlam, Chuck Norris at Survivor Series

WCW: Austin/Steamboat feud


Dishonorable Mentions
WWF: Team Lawler vs Deam Doink at Survivor Series

WCW: Rick Rude and Ricky Steamboat both getting career ending injuries this year.

[Sepholio]

Nash won the title from Bob Backlund in like a 8 second squash mash. That was the only thing that mattered in 94.

[Rollermacka]

The bad: WCW becoming the Hulk Hogan Soap Opera. Going from focusing on multiple talented athletes, to Hulk Hogan's arrival. Hulk Hogan's Pastamania, Hulk Hogan on other Turner shows, brining in his buddies Mr. T (who I don't think was in any way, shape for form relevant in any way) and Beefcake Bootyman main eventing Starrcade in 94 just for "turning on" Hulk Hogan

[Seth82]

The Good - All Japan was putting on awesome matches with guys like Misawa, Kobashi, Taue, Kawada, Akiyama, Dr Death, Johnny Ace & More.

The Good - Shane Douglas kicks off ECW's extreme era by throwing down the NWA World Title.

The Bad - WCW backs up the Brinks truck and brings in Hogan. Suddenly everything revolves around Chump Hogan.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

The Good: Bret Hart Vs. 123 Kid-July 11, 1994-a must see match. , Bret Vs. Owen feud for the title, WrestleMania 10.

The Bad: Hulk Hogan arrives and starts calling WCW "The WCW." - Always sounded really dumb when anybody said the WCW. I think Sting and Luger were also repeat offenders.

The Ugly: Bastion Booger was still around so him.

[hb2k]

lmao, I forgot about "The WCW". Definitely bringing that up on the show, Bret did that a lot too when he went.

[Bad News Gertner]

The Good: New names coming to the top in the WWE. Hogan comes to WCW

The Bad: Business was awful.

The Ugly: 1994 was plagued by the steroid scandal that threatened to take down the company.

[hb2k]

Out of curiosity BNG - why did you include Hogan comes to WCW in the good section? Just curious as I'd like a counterpoint since so many have him going to WCW as the major "Bad" of the year.

[rockman725]

Only was watching WWF at the time, so looking back, my thoughts include:

The Good - Royal Rumble 1994 ending that lead to the infamous "coin-toss," Bret vs. Owen feud, the introduction of the ladder match to a national audience at WM X, Walter Peyton & Leslie Nielsen at Summerslam (RIP for both)

The Bad - Diesel becoming WWF Champion, The Undertaker's disappearance for 10 months (was he injured?), Headshrinker Samu leaves and is replaced with Sione to which they eventually become faces (why would the Headshrinkers even entertain the idea of a face turn?)

The Ugly - Survivor Series 1994: Queezy, Sleezy, & Cheezy. And Bob Backlund's Chicken Wing

[Sixx]

Is your name JaymeFuture on http://prowrestlingonly.com or did you like totally copy that guy's thread?

[hb2k]

That is indeed my name on PWO, no plagarism here - just collecting different people's opinions to read them on the show and discuss, makes for an interesting dynamic.

[Sixx]

LIARRRRRR

[MVP]

Good: Bret vs. Owen feud, 1st HBK vs. Razor Ramon Ladder match

Bad: Starrcade '94 - Hogan vs... The Butcher? Should have been Hogan vs. Flair or Vader

Ugly: Undertaker vs. Underfaker

[Sepholio]

The Bad - Diesel becoming WWF Champion, The Undertaker's disappearance for 10 months (was he injured?), Headshrinker Samu leaves and is replaced with Sione to which they eventually become faces (why would the Headshrinkers even entertain the idea of a face turn?)

Eat a dick. Kevin Nash is the greatest thing since sliced bread.:fu:

[Bad News Gertner]

Out of curiosity BNG - why did you include Hogan comes to WCW in the good section? Just curious as I'd like a counterpoint since so many have him going to WCW as the major "Bad" of the year.

WCW was known as a hillbilly southern rasslin company. To us up North in Canada and the upper U.S, WCW wasn't even on the radar. Hogan changed that.

[MVP]

Eat a dick. Kevin Nash is the greatest thing since sliced bread.:fu:

I think the bad out of that comes from 1995 with Diesel being WWF Champion for almost the whole year.

[Sepholio]

I think the bad out of that comes from 1995 with Diesel being WWF Champion for almost the whole year.

This thread is about 1994, good sir. 1995 is completely off topic. Don't you go defending his besmirching of the greatness that is Kevin Nash.

[hb2k]

I just wanna thank everybody for the responses - we read and discussed a good bit from here, and the podcast is now up at the following link:

http://squaredcirclegazette.podbean.com/mf/web/hjbyi2/SCGRadio5-TheGoodBadandUglyof1994.mp3

Ended up talking Mania X, Hogan, Taker Vs. Taker, ECW, Japan, Mexico and a whole hell of a lot more. Give it a listen and let me know what you think, I appeciate all the feedback a hell of a lot.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Diesel was crazy over like nobody else leading up to his title run. Fuck that shit about him winning the title being bad.