Post by hbkjason on Jun 9, 2020 4:53:38 GMT -5
Wrestling Memories: King of the Ring 1993
Today I am talking about an event that was a big deal back in 1993 and that was the first-ever King of the Ring PPV. While we have more PPV events than we can count these days, back in 1993 adding a fifth event to the annual line up was something that had most wrestling fans very excited. The time between WrestleMania and SummerSlam could sometimes be the better part of five months so having this event in June did break things up. As a kid, I loved it when Randy Savage had the Macho King gimmick, but when he stopped this, I never gave the King of the Ring a second thought.
That was until on episodes of SuperStars and Mania the WWF started hyping this event up big time. Most of the hype was done on WWF RAW, but here in the UK at this time we did not get RAW, we had to make do with highlights on WWF Mania. I thought it was really cool how the WWF would have these qualifying matches before the event, it made it seem that much more important to me as a kid.
There were two things that I was really looking forward to at the first King of the Ring. Of course, the actual tournament itself was something I was all-in with. As a kid, I loved any movie such as Bloodsport that had a tournament in it so I was very excited by the format of this show. I was and still am a huge Bret Hart fan so I was sure he was going to win, especially after what happened at WrestleMania IX. I was not the biggest Hogan fan as a kid, to begin with, so I was always mad as hell that he got to wrestle Yokozuna and take Bret’s belt.
The other match I was very excited about was Shawn Michaels vs Crush. Even back then I loved HBK, but I must admit Crush was a real favorite of mine in 1992-1993. I really thought that Crush was going to be a big deal. He looked like a badass, had an awesome entrance, and looking back now he had one of the best damn mullets the world had ever seen. I really thought that he was going to win the IC title here, who knows if he had maybe that would have been just what he needed to put him on that next level.
I watched this event back recently and I think that it holds up really well. Bret Hart put on one of the best one-night performances I have ever seen during this event and actually I cannot think of another performer who put on three great matches in one night like he did here. Against Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and Bam Bam Bigelow he had three awesome matches and each one was different. I thought him winning the tournament was great, but when Jerry Lawler attacked him I was so pissed! Out of the three matches that he had this night my favorite is the one he had with Mr. Perfect, but I do like all three. I have read over the years that giving Bret the King of the Ring was a way of keeping him happy after they gave Hogan the title.
1993 for Bret Hart could have turned out so differently. I think that Bret Hart had a fantastic 1993, but just imagine if he had gone through The Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, and Hulk Hogan in 1993 and what it would have done for him? He was already a top guy and fans really got behind what he was doing, no matter what the WWF threw him into he sure as hell made the best of it. Out of these three “theoretical” matches, the one with Warrior interests me the most. As good as Bret Hart was, I just cannot see the Warrior giving him an inch in a match.
In the King of the Ring tournament, there was another match that I was interested in and that was Lex Luger vs Tatanka. I thought Tatanka was pretty awesome and while I wanted Bret Hart to win the tournament I really wanted to see Bret Hart go against Tatanka. He and Lex Luger had a 15-minute draw which I hated at the time, but looking back now it was a way to keep both guys undefeated. Kind of fun to think that these two would also be working together the following year.
The Hulk Hogan vs Yokozuna match was garbage to me. Back in 1993 when this event happened, I would have been 11 or 12 and I thought it was stupid then and I still do now. As I said I was never a huge Hogan fan. I liked him, but he was never one of my favorites. This run in 1993 did not make me fully hate him, but it sure did not make me like him anymore I can tell you that for sure. I was one of those fans that were not exactly sad when Hulk Hogan went away from the WWF.
The other match I really want to talk about is Shawn Michaels vs Crush. I thought this could be the match that would steal the show, but it never quite clicked for me. I really wish that the match could have taken place without the interference from Doink the Clown. By the way now that I think about it, did Crush ever get his revenge on Doink? I say this because I am trying my best to think and I do not actually recall Crush ever coming out on top during this feud. Shawn Michaels was doing great at this time so I get why they would not want to take the Intercontinental title of him just yet, but this defeat really hurt Crush in my opinion and any chance of him becoming a top guy seemed to die with this match.
Overall, I think the 1993 King of the Ring holds up as a solid PPV event. I watched it again over the last weekend and had a fun time. I never understood why they took the event away. I liked it in 2002 when the winner got a title shot at SummerSlam and thought this was a great way to keep the event going, but it was not meant to be. None of the King of the Ring tournaments that they have tried to bring back on TV have done anything for me at all. I hope that one day we will get a one-night tournament once again.
What are you guys' thoughts on the 1993 King of the Ring and specifically the performance of Bret Hart on this night? Also do you feel if they had Crush beat HBK it would have taken him to that next level?
