WWF 1994 Review

JANUARY

1994 starts off with a shocking win. The underdog team of 1-2-3 Kid and Marty Jannetty defeated the tag team champions The Quebecers to win the titles. After the huge win, their were questions if the Hart Brothers would get a title shot at the Rumble. However, their wouldn’t be need to worry as the Quebecers would regain the titles a week later at a MSG house show.

Also at this time, Spark Plugg, a racecar driver debuted on WWF television. He was your typical baby face.

The Royal Rumble consisted of the a few notable events. IRS won the IC Title from Razor Ramon, only to have the decision voided and the match restarted following interference from Shawn Michaels. Ramon would go on to win. The Quebecers retained the tag team titles defeating Bret and Owen Hart when Owen turned on the injured Bret Hart. Yokozuna and a handful of wrestlers defeated The Undertaker in a casket match to retain the WWF Championship. Lex Luger and the injured Bret Hart co-won the Royal Rumble. Let the controversy begin.

FEBUARY

With Owen turning on Bret Hart, many people were wondering as to why he would do it to his own brother. Owen would make sure to clear everything up. He hated Bret. He was always in Bret’s shadow. Owen wanted to prove to everyone that he is better than his brother. Owen wants to prove to the world who the better Hart truly is.

At the Royal Rumble Lex Luger and Bret Hart won the Royal Rumble. Jack Tunney had to think of a great way to turn this into a good thing. Tunney decided that at Wrestle Mania X their will be two title matches. Luger would go on to win the coin toss and get the first match with Yokozuna. With Luger winning the coin toss, Bret had to compete against Owen Hart.

Randy Savage’s hatred for Crush is at a all time high at this point. Savage would finally get his hands on Crush, next month, at Wrestle Mania in a Falls Count Anywhere match. Can Savage still compete?

MARCH

Owen Hart proved to the world that he is better than his brother Bret by defeating him at Wrestle Mania X. Razor Ramon defeated Shawn Michaels is a famous ladder match to become the real IC Champion. Lex Luger was unable to win the WWF Championship from Yokozuna, thanks to Mr. Perfect screwing Lex over. Randy Savage defeated Crush in a match that went all over the arena. Bret Hart shocked Yokozuna and won the WWF Championship in the main event.

At this time, Lex Luger’s popularity was beginning to dwindle. Once in the main event scene, Luger’s push would diminish into a midcard wrestler. The baby face turn by Luger, was a failure.

At Wrestle Mania X Mr. Perfect returned and prevented Luger from winning the title. Perfect wouldn’t be seen for over a year after this event.

APRIL

Back in January, The Undertaker was put out of action by Yokozuna. Video clips began to air about a search for the Undertaker. These clips would be shown over the course of several months with no one knowing if the Undertaker would be found or not.

Duke the Dumpster debuted on WWF television. The friendly trash man got over well with the crowd, early on.

The Steiner Brothers run in the WWF would come to an end just over a year after they debuted. Rumor has it that the Steiner Brothers refused to fight each other in the Royal Rumble match which would lead to some negative feelings by WWF officials.

MAY

The Headshrinkers finally managed to win tag team gold by defeating the Quebecers on RAW.  Headshrinkers were baby face at this point in time. Quebecers wouldn’t win the tag team titles, again.

Diesel, Shawn Michaels bodyguard, earned a World Title shot against Bret Hart at the King of the Ring. This would be the beginning of a series of matches that would last for over a year.

Earthquake was put into a storyline with Yokozuna. Earthquake has had a sumo wrestling background challenged Yokozuna to a sumo match on a edition of RAW. Shockingly, Earthquake would go on to defeat Yokozuna. However, Earthquakw wouldn’t be pushed after the win. He’d actually be gone from the WWF later in the year.

Ted DiBiase clamed to have bought the Undertaker. Paul Bearer didn’t believe Ted, and soon it was realized that Ted’s Undertaker was indeed a fake. Paul Bearer said that the real Undertaker would come back to the WWF and bury the fake Undertaker.

JUNE

Jerry Lawler and Rowdy Piper began a “war of words” feud during this time. Lawler would even bring out a skinny young man to impersonate Piper on a edition of the Kings Court. Piper would respond and a match for the King of the Ring would be made.

At the King of the Ring event, Owen Hart would win the King of the ring tournament, just a year after his older brother Bret had won the tournament. Diesel fought Bret Hart to a double disqualification for the WWF Championship, allowing Bret Hart to retain the title. In the main event, Rowdy Piper defeated Jerry Lawler in a less than memorable contest.

Owen Hart was on quite the roll at this point. After defeating his brother at Bret Hart at Wrestle Mania X and now winning the King of the Ring tournament, Owen Hart would be the number one contender for the World Title, which was held by his brother, Bret Hart. He would get his title shot, at Summer Slam in August.

JULY

Tatanka began to wonder about Lex Luger and how trustworthy he could be. When Ted DiBiase announced he signed Luger to join his Million Dollar Corporation. Which prompted Tatanka to continue to call out Luger and saying that he “sold out”. Luger insisted he had not sold out, but Tatanka was not believing him and challenged him to a match. Luger would agree to the match.

Ted DiBiase would also debut his Undertaker on a edition of RAW. DiBiase proclaimed that his Undertaker was the real one. However, Paul Bearer was not believing him, and eventually knew that his was a fake. Bearer said he would bring back the Undertaker to take out the fake one.

AUGUST

Tatanka would defeat Lex Luger at Summer Slam and show his true colors by tricking everyone as he was the man who took Ted DiBiase’s money and turned on the fans. Razor Ramon regained the WWF IC Championship by defeating Diesel after Shawn Michaels accidentally hit Diesel, this was the beginning of turmoil between HBK and Diesel. Owen Hart was unable to win the World Title as Bret Hart managed to pull out the win in a memorable steel cage match. Paul Bearer came back and came through on his promise as the returning Undertaker defeated the fake Undertaker in the main event.

Bob Backlund returned to the WWF at around this time. Backlund wasn’t the same as he was in 1993. Backlund would continue to talk to his hands as it they were talking to him. Backlund was a crazy man, who would choke people out with the chicken wing submission.

SEPTEMBER

Tatanka new attitude was not well received by the fans. Tatanka was more focused on money than caring about the fans. Tatanka would even team up with guys like Bam-Bam Bigelow and IRS, two men that he had issues with not even a year prior. Money Talks.

Owen Hart had Jim Neidhart on his side so Bret needed someone to have his back. The British Bulldog returned at Summer Slam, and would stay for quite some time. He and Bret would have a few battles with both Neidhart and Owen.

OCTOBER

The Hart family turmoil was still going strong. In the seemingly blow off match, British Bulldog and Bret Hart beat Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart on an edition of RAW. However, Owen Hart was still out to take the world title belt off of Bret, even if he couldn’t do it.

The Undertaker is out for revenge. After being taken out by Yokozuna at the Royal Rumble, Taker began to target Yokozuna. Taker would get his wish, as he would face Yokozuna at Survivor Series in a casket match.

NOVEMBER

Randy Savage would leave the WWF at this time. Rumored to have not liked his commentary position and wanting to compete, Savage would take more money, and a lesser schedule to wrestle for WCW. First Hogan, and now Savage. WWF is losing their stars.

At Survivor Series, Bob Backlund would win the WWF World Championship in a submission match when Owen Hart convinced his mother Helen to throw in the towel while Bret Hart was in the chicken wing submission. With Chuck Norris as a special enforcer, The Undertaker got revenge by beating Yokozuna in a casket match. Also at the event, Shawn Michaels and Diesel’s conflict hit a boiling point and Michaels dropped the tag team titles on the ground after leaving the building.

Bob Backlund’s title reign didn’t last long, at all. Diesel got a title shot at a MSG show later in the month and beat Backlund in a record eight seconds to win his first WWF World Championship. Diesel’s baby face run has begun.

DECEMBER

Jeff Jarrett brought in a manager of sorts when The Roadie debuted in the WWF helping Jarrett win matches. Roadie would be helping out Jarrett not only with winning matches, but also with his music career.

Diesel’s baby face run started off fairly well after winning the World Title in record time. Diesel’s first challenge would be a man he has faced before. It was announced that at the Royal Rumble Diesel would defend the world title against, Bret Hart.
IRS began to target the Undertaker and his urn. The Million Dollar Corporation were all about control and money. The urn is what controlled The Undertaker, and beating Taker meant money. IRS issued a challenge, which Taker would go to accept for the Royal Rumble.