Welcome to the latest edition of our WrestleMania Rewind series, written by yours truly, exclusively for everyone here at SLTD Wrestling. The aim of WrestleMania Rewind is to review every WrestleMania in roughly 2,000 words. Click here to read the series so far.
WrestleMania 7 took place in Los Angeles, California on March 24, 1991 in front of a crowd of just over 16,000 people, but it looked, and felt, like there was more in there. With no Jesse Ventura, for most of the show, Gorilla Monsoon teamed with Bobby Heenan for commentary. Let’s get into it!
Match 1: Haku & Barbarian vs The Rockers
Haku has the best of the early going, but the Rockers get back into it with some double-team moves, using their quickness to their advantage. Jannetty gets a 2-count off a hurricanrana, before being isolated by the heels. He makes the hot-tag to Michaels, who gets a 2-count off a neckbreaker before getting the win thanks to a top-rope crossbody.
Opinion: Hey! An opening match with relatively no shenanigans and a hot crowd! The crowd loved the Rockers and the heels did a great job of playing the crowd too. A really good opening match.
Match 2: Dino Bravo (w/Jimmy Hart) vs Texas Tornado
Bravo’s on the attack early to get the advantage, and gets a 2-count off an elbow drop, as well as a side suplex. Bravo comes off the second rope into the Claw and Tornado wins with the Spinning Tornado.
Opinion: Little more than a squash match to be honest. Tornado didn’t get a whole hell of a lot of offense in, but what he did manage was effective.
Match 3: Warlord (w/Slick) vs British Bulldog
It’s an even start. Warlord counters a crucifix into a Samoan Drop, and gets a 2-count off 3 elbow drops. Warlord establishes control with a bearhug, and slingshots Bulldog into the top rope for another 2-count. Bulldog fights out of a chinlock and gets a 2-count off a crossbody. They exchange 2-counts off bridge pins. Bulldog fights out of a Full Nelson and lands his powerslam for the win.
Opinion: It’s a total joy to watch Bulldog work. Everything he does looks so incredibly natural. He was ridiculously over in the late 80s/early 90s. It told a good story, and that’s what wrestling’s supposed to do.
Match 4: WWF Tag-Team Championship Match – Hart Foundation (c) vs The Nasty Boys (w/Jimmy Hart)
Bret with a lot of early pressure and tags Anvil. The Nasty Boys can’t get into it. Bret’s back in, and in control, until a sneak attack from Knobbs sends him outside. The heels isolate Bret. Knobbs stops Bret making the hot-tag to Anvil.
There’s a ref distraction. Knobbs hits Saggs with the megaphone by mistake. Bret makes the hot-tag to Anvil, who cleans house and gets a 2-count off a powerslam. There’s ANOTHER ref distraction. This time, Saggs hits Anvil with the megaphone and Knobbs covers him for the win.
Opinion: What did I say a few days ago about managers and interference? Here’s a prime example of that. Too much shenanigans outside took away from what, actually, was a really good match.
Match 5: Blindfold Match – Jake Roberts vs Rick Martel
Little to no action here. Jake wins with a DDT.
Opinion: These 2 guys deserved more than this. However…at least this gimmick match made sense in terms of the psychology of their feud. The highlight package pre-match was better than this. It’s a shame cos they were two great workers.
Match 6: Jimmy Snuka vs The Undertaker
Undertaker dominates early with plenty of chokes and a flying clothesline. Snuka never really gets started and Undertaker wins with the Tombstone.
Opinion: This is where it all started. “The Streak” began with this (essentially) squash victory over a well-established performer like Snuka. Highlighted all of Undertaker’s strengths.
Match 7: Retirement Match – Ultimate Warrior vs Randy Savage (w/Sensational Sherri)
Savage is on the attack early, but it has no effect. Warrior misses a splash in the corner to give Savage the advantage. Warrior gets a 2-count off a backslide. Warrior misses a splash, which gives Savage a 2-count. Both men go down after a double clothesline.
There’s a ref bump. Sherri comes off the top rope and misses Warrior, blasting Savage with her shoe instead. Savage gets a 2-count off a slam. Savage goes on to hit five, yes FIVE, top rope elbows, but Warrior kicks out at 2. Warrior “hulks” up with right hands, clotheslines, a press slam and a splash, but Savage kicks out at 2! Savage crashes and burns off the top rope into the barricade.
Warrior hits 2 shoulderblocks that send Savage outside. Warrior drags him back in, and pins Savage with a boot on his chest to get the win.
Opinion: An unbelievable match that drew pure emotion from the crowd. The post-match beatdown from Sherri, and subsequent reunion with Elizabeth, that turned Savage face, was as emotional a thing as we’ve ever seen. You’d have to be dead inside not to shed a tear at that. Captivating stuff.
Match 8: Demolition vs Kitao & Tenryu
Demolition use some double-team moves early and isolate Kitao. There’s a hot-tag to Tenryu, who misses a top-rope elbow. Demoliton are set for their finisher, but Kitao pushes Crush off the top-rope. Tenryu lands a powerbomb to get the win.
Opinion: This wasn’t the original Demolition. Crush took Ax’s place I think. They were still ridiculously over with the crowd and did a great job of putting the Japanese talents over.
Match 9: WWF Intercontinental Championship Match – Mr Perfect (c) vs Big Boss Man
Boss Man’s on fire early, where it’s more of a fight than a wrestling match. Perfect cinches in an abdominal stretch, and gets a 2-count off a dropkick. Boss Man counters a PerfectPlex into a suplex of his own to get a 2-count. Perfect comes off the top-rope into a boot.
Boss Man comes back with some power moves until Perfect rams him into the steel steps. Perfect exposes the turnbuckle. Andre comes out and wallops Perfect with the IC belt. Both men are down. The Heenan Family come out, which earns a DQ win for Boss Man.
Opinion: Obviously the finish was done to protect Boss Man and Perfect. I’m not a huge fan of this sort of thing, but it made sense. Perfect’s selling for Boss Man was awesome too.
Match 10: Earthquake vs Greg Valentine
Aside from a few flurries here and there, Earthquake largely dominates proceedings, and picks up the win thanks to a distraction from Jimmy Hart.
Opinion: The quest to establish ‘Quake as a dominant force continued here. The match lasted for about three minutes, if that.
Match 11: Legion of Doom vs Power & Glory (Paul Roma & Hercules)
Heels land a couple of early cheap shots on Hawk, who retaliates with a double clothesline. There’s a brawl. Roma comes off the top rope and Animal powerslams him in mid-air. L.O.D hit their finisher to get the win.
Opinion: A quick match, but the crowd seemed to enjoy it. Probably done to build the Doom as challengers for the tag-team championships, and they definitely looked strong here.
Match 12: Virgil vs Ted DiBiase
Virgil peppers Ted with right hands early, and gets a 2-count off an elbow. Ted gets back into it, and gets a 2-count off a piledriver. Ted gets distracted by Roddy Piper on the outside and gets counted out.
Opinion: Wrestling was different in 1991. There were loud chants for Virgil! Describing him as limited would be an understatement. The focus here was on Piper and DiBiase, as it should’ve been.
Match 13: The Mountie vs Tito Santana
Santana lands a flying forearm, atomic drop and a right hand early. With the ref’s back turned, The Mountie jabs Tito in the stomach with a cattle prod and picks up the win.
Opinion: Another squash loss for Santana. 3 of the last 4 matches have ended this way. Feels like they’re short-changing the fans a bit, but the crowd were into Tito.
Match 14: WWF Championship Match – Sgt Slaugher (c) (w/General Adnan) vs Hulk Hogan
Nuclear heat on Slaughter, and an immense pop for Hogan. Sarge gets the upper hand having weathered the early storm. Hogan comes back and gets a couple of 2-counts from an atomic drop and a clothesline. Hogan’s all over him til Adnan distracts him, allowing Sarge to slam Hogan off the top rope.
Sarge works over Hogan’s back, and gets a 2-count off a backbreaker. They go outside where Sarge lands a couple of chair shots and chokes Hogan. He locks in the Boston Crab, but Hogan makes it to the ropes. Sarge lands a boot from the top rope for another 2, and gets another nearfall off a chair shot. Hogan powers out of the Camel Clutch, makes his inevitable comeback and picks up the win with his legdrop.
Opinion: Cheap heat at its best. America vs the World, and America wins. The crowd were so into this, it was insane. Hulkamania at its peak? It’d be difficult to argue otherwise.
Summary: Aside from the Savage/Warrior and Hogan/Slaughter matches, nothing else really stood out. They were the only 2 matches to get anywhere near a decent amount of time. Too many count-out/DQ finishes for me to make this event must-see. For the most part, it was enjoyable though.
Hopefully you enjoyed that quick look back at WrestleMania 7. Leave your comments/feedback via the usual channels, and join me again tomorrow to revisit WrestleMania 8!
SLTD Wrestling's resident Scottish Nightmare. Some of my content may not be suitable for younger readers or those who are easily offended!
Recent Comments