Welcome to another installment of Main Event Match Reviews. В This time I am looking at the double main event from WrestleMania XI, which featured the then WWF Title being defended by Diesel against Shawn Michaels, and a special attraction match where NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor faced off against Bam Bam Bigelow.
WrestleMania XI
4/2/1995
Hartford, ConnecticutВ
- Howard Finkel announces the special celebrity guest time keeper, star of ABC’s Home Improvement Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and the celebrity guest ring announcer from ABC’s NYPD Blue Nicholas Turturro.
- “The Heart Break Kid” Shawn Michaels is the first one on the way to the ring, and he is escorted by Jenny McCarthy and Psycho Sid. Shawn parades Jenny around the ring and shows her to her seat near JTT. В Sid waits in the ring, as Shawn enters and does his stripper deal and plays it up for the crowd and ladies. В Sid and Shawn get ready, and talk strategy.
Out next comes the WWF World Heavyweight Champion “Big Daddy Cool” Diesel. В Diesel walks out towards the ring but stops, he turns and motions towards the back, and out walks Pamela Anderson. В She accompanies Diesel, and escorts him to the ring. В He also parades her around the ring, and shows her to her seat next to Jenny McCarthy. В Diesel gets in the ring, and immediately charges for Sid. В Sid jumps off the apron, and this gives HBK a chance to try and attack Diesel from behind. But Diesel see’s him coming, and back body drops him over the top rope onto Sid
Diesel motions for Pamela Anderson to enter the ring, and he shows her off to the crowd, and to Shawn Michaels (whom she was originally scheduled to valet to the ring). В All the pre-match hype is over, and the bell rings.
WWF Title Match
“The Heart Break Kid” Shawn Michaels В vs. В “Big Daddy Cool” В Diesel (c)
Shawn starts off hot with righs and lefts. В Off the ropes now, showing his speed, as HBK ducks all the strikes and attacks from Diesel, before finally Big Daddy Cool catches Shawn, and levels him with a huge shot. В Nice start to the match, real fast and hot. Got the crowd into it from the start. В Diesel now on the attack, showing his power, as he flings Michaels all over the ring, and over the turnbuckle and to the floor.
Sid and Shawn talk over some strategy on the floor. В Sid tries to distract Diesel, but that doesn’t work. В Michaels eventually gets the upper hand, but that doesn’t last long as the power of Diesel comes into play. В HBK attempts a suplex, but its blocked, and countered by a huge verticle suplex from Big Daddy Cool. В HBK rolls to the outside, and Sid comes over to check on him. В Sid yells at the ref, which gives Michaels a chance to recover. В Sid now up on the apron and yelling at Diesel and the ref, while Michaels rests. В Diesel goes and picks HBK up, but Michaels with a thumb to the eye gives him a chance to get into the ring. В Michaels continues to try and use his speed to get the best of Diesel, but the power game keeps cutting him off.
Wow both men flip and tumble over the top rope to the floor, but Michaels seems to have hung on to the ropes, and now makes his way to the top. В Nice spot there. В Now Shawn runs and connects with a nice baseball slide boot to the face of the champ. В He tries a second one but Diesel see’s it coming, and pulls Shawn to the floor. В Michaels and Diesel fight on the outside, and HBK uses the steel as he attacks the ribs of the champ. В Diesel on the floor holding his ribs, and Michaels runs off the apron and connects with a huge body splash to the outside. В Michaels back in the ring, and taunts and celebrates while the ref begins to count. В Michaels stops the count, and distracts the ref, and Sid creeps over towards Diesel. В The ref see’s this, and stops Sid before any harm is done.
Diesel makes his way back into the ring, and Shawn is all over him with fists and boots. В So far this match is telling a good underdog story for HBK. В Lawler and McMahon on commentary are also doing a good job playing up that angle. В Diesel is in bad shape now, as Michaels is poised and waiting on the top rope. В He leaps and connects and the champ goes down again. В Michaels stays on the attack continuing to connect with rights and lefts. В Michaels takes Diesel to the corner but its reversed, but Michaels able to counter the counter, and takes the champ down hard to the mat again. В Michaels doesn’t give him an inch as he continues to work over the injured ribs of Diesel. В Michaels now back to the top, as Diesel lays motionless in the middle of the ring face down. В HBK leaps and connects with a huge elbow drop from the top to the ribs of Big Daddy Cool. В Michaels keeps on the offensive, but Diesel fights and powers out of two attempted DDT’s.
Michaels locks in a sleeper hold, and wears down Diesel. В Looks like a nice place for some rest holds. В Both guys were looking pretty blown up. Shawn has the hold in deep now and both men are laying on the mat. В The ref lifts the arm of Diesel, drops once… twice, and no he comes alive! Finally both me back up, HBK is in the corner and Diesel connects with an elbow. He throws HBK to the other corner and nails a big running boot. В Diesel on the attack, he throws Shawn around and into ropes, up and over again to the floor. В Diesel follows, he chases him around the ring and back in. В Shawn begs for mercy, and tries to escape. В Diesel holds onto the tights, showing Shawns ass to the crowd. В Diesel nails forearm shot after shot on Michaels. В Both men now back to the outside again. В They fight all over the floor. В Eventually back inside, but some how the referee seems to be hurt. В Shawn connects with Sweet Chin Music. В He has Diesel covered, but there is no ref. Sid throws Earl Hebner back inside, and finally makes the count, but Diesel kicks out at 2. В Sid exposes the turnbuckle, and Shawn tries to thrown Big Daddy Cool into the metal, but is countered and dropped with a huge Side suplex. В HBK leaps off the top again, but is caught in mid air by Diesel, and dropped with a huge sidewalk slam. В Diesel can’t follow up however and make the cover.
Michaels is up on his feet first, but Diesel grabs the legs with a double leg take down. He slingshots Michaels head first into the exposed turnbuckle. В Michaels being set up now and throw into the ropes, and leveled with a HUGE boot to the face. В Diesel signals to the crowd, calls for the jack knife. В He lifts HBK up, and drives him hard to the mat with a VICIOUS Jack Knife Powerbomb. В Diesel makes the cover…1….2…and 3! В The Champ retains.
Winner: В DieselВ
- My Rating: В I give his match a 3.9 out of 5.
- After the match Jim Ross interviews Sid and HBK in the aisle, Sid screams that this isn’t over.
- Diesel calls the women and the other special celebrity guests into the ring. В He celebrates with the championship and the ladies, and some actors as Lawler and McMahon sing his praises.
- Backstage interview with Shawn Michaels and Sid. В HBK points out he could have counted to 20. Says he is the uncrowned champion.
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- The Million Dollar Man’s music plays and out comes the Million Dollar Corporation. В First out is King Kong Bundy, then Tatanka, followed by Nikoli Volkoff, “The Supreme Fighting Machine” Kama, Irwin R. Schiester (IRS), and then The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase.
- Monday Night Football Music plays, and the veterans of Lawrence Taylors team are introduced. В First out is Ken Norton Jr., then followed by Chris Spielman, next out is Ricky Jackson, and Carl Banks, and finally Steve “Mongo” McMichael, and Captain of the team Reggie White.
- Kama and Tatanka try to get in the ring and attack the NFL pros, but are quickly knocked back down to the floor. В DiBiase, gathers his troops and they regroup.
- Bam Bam Bigelow’s music hits and Howard Finkel introduces the “Beast From the East”. В He stops and yells and taunts Salt N’ Pepa who were the musical guests set up by the entry way before making his way into the ring.
- Lawrence Taylor makes his way out, he stops and dances with Salt N’ Pepa. В Lawrence Taylor makes it to the ring, and the match is underway.
MAIN EVENT
Bam Bam Bigelow vs Lawrence Taylor
Pat Patterson is the referee for this contest apparently. В Bam Bam and LT have a stare down in mid ring, as Pat gives both men instructions on the rules for this contest. В Bam Bam slaps LT. LT laughs and goes back to face off with Bam Bam. В LT reaches way back and slaps the hell out of Bam Bam. В Holy shit that was a stiff slap. В Bam Bam rolls to the outside and joins his stablemates on the floor as the regroup and figure out a battle plan.
Bam Bam rushes in and tries to catch LT napping, but LT ducks and sends Bam Bam crashing into the corner. В LT all over Bam Bam, and sinks a nice hip toss that sends Bigelow rolling to the outside. В Bam Bam joins his team and they talk over strategy, but LT follows and they fight on the floor. В Both men get back inside the ring, and Bam Bam now with the upper hand.
Bam Bam tosses LT into the corner, and is all over him with heavy rights and lefts. В LT is down now, and Bam Bam puts the foot on the throat of the NFL star and chokes away. В Bam Bam now tries a splash, but LT moves. В LT goes for a front headlock, but Bam Bam scoops him up and drives him into the turnbuckle. В Bam Bam stays on the attack grinding away at LT as he chokes him on the middle rope. В LT being dragged around the ring by Bam Bam, as Bigelow lays in stiff headbutts. В Bigelow stays on the attack, and looks to be attempting a boston crap, LT tries to fight it off, but Bam Bam rolls him over and sinks in the submission hold. В LT tries to reach for the ropes, but Bam Bam drags him to the center of the ring, and drops down on his back, and cranks in a leg lock. В LT eventually fights his way to the ropes, and Bigelow is ordered to break the hold..
Bam Bam is right back on him however, locking in the leg lock again, and continues to grind away on LT. В Bigelow yells and taunts LT, as the Million Dollar Team cheers him on. LT again fights his way to the ropes, and Bam Bam again releases the hold. В LT back up, but favoring the leg. В He catches Bam Bam in the gut, and then lifts Bigelow up in drops him with a huge Side Suplex. В But Bam Bam is back up, and takes LT down again. В Bigelow drives the head down into the chest of LT with mutliple diving headbutts. В LT is down on the mat towards the corner, and Bigelow climbs to the top and connects with a nice twisting moonsault. В Bigelow rolls off of LT and appears to be holding his leg now. В Both men and back up. В Bigelow throws LT into the ropes, but LT catches him and blocks the attempted back body drop. LT lifts Bigelow up like he is attempting a pile driver, but instead tosses Bigelow in a suplex throw of sorts that McMahon called a “jack knife” referencing LT training with Diesel for this match.
Bigelow fights his way back into the match, and again has LT down on the mat. В Bigelow works his way back upstairs to the top rope, and leaps off and connects with another diving headbutt this time from high above. В Bigelow makes the cover, and LT kicks out at 2.
LT is back up, and is hot! В He levels Bigelow in the corner with a huge forearm shot to the face. В LT now all over Bam Bam, connecting with shoulder tackles and big clotheslines. В Bam Bam is down and LT climbs to the top rope. В Bam Bam is up and LT leaps off the top and nails Bigelow with a diving shoulder block. В Bam Bam is down, and LT makes to cover….1…2…and 3! В The NFL players are in the ring to celebrate with LT. В They hoist him up on his shoulders and celebrate.
Winner: В Lawrence Taylor В
- My Rating: В I give this match a 2.7 out of 5
- Jim Ross catches up with The Million Dollar Man who is screaming at Bam Bam for embarrassing them, and being beaten by a football player. В It looks like he has tossed Bigelow out of the Corporation. В LT continues to celebrate in the ring as the show ends.
My Take: В Eh. В I feel the order of the matches was kinda off. В The WWF Championship match was actually very good, and should have closed the show. В The could have swapped the order of the double main event, and it would have flowed better in my opinion. В The action in the Bigelow/LT match was very sloppy and slow because LT had never worked in the ring before, especially on that stage. В Bigelow did a good job carrying the match, but it definitely showed the weaknesses after following HBK and Diesel for the belt. В Fun matches to watch all in all.
