Austin101

Austin101's "WWF Wrestlemania 7- Superstars and Stripes Forever" Review:


- Jesse The Body isn't with us for the first time in Wrestlemania history, but it's ok because The Brain is there to team with Monsoon. He can always make you laugh and is one of the best color guys in history, my personal favourite manager ever. However, as far as broadcasting goes I'll always stick with Jesse color wise. It should be noted that Monsoon was joined on the commentary by "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan (during the opening match as Heenan was managing), and later "Lord" Alfred Hayes (during the IC Title bout). In addition, Regis Philbin helped with commentary on the main event as an extra voice.


-Live on PPV from LA, California at the LA Sports Arena.

WrestleMania VII was originally supposed to be held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, however, it was decided to move the event to the adjacent Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. The World Wrestling Federation's reason for the venue change was because a threat had been issued towards the company on the day of WrestleMania VII. However I think the "REAL" reason was because of poor ticket sales.

-American flags were hung all over the arena and the ring apron and banners were colored red, white, and blue, which was the basis for the entire event. It's "Theme" so to speak. The "Stripes" in the tag line was for the patriotic angle during the main event and The "Superstars" was for Warrior-Savage as it was a "Career Match."

-Willie Nelson sang a rendition of "America the Beautiful" before the show.

-The logo for this WrestleMania was slightly changed during the event. The alternate logo[1] had a red, white, and blue color scheme and it was straight instead of curved.

-Celebrity guests in attendance for WrestleMania VII included Regis Philbin, Alex Trebek, Marla Maples, George Steinbrenner, Paul Maguire, Macaulay Culkin, Donald Trump, Lou Ferrigno, Chuck Norris, and Henry Winkler.


Onto the matches.....






1) The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) vs The Barbarian and Haku (w/Bobby "The Brain" Heenan)

The Rockers cut an 80's style promo in the back before the match. Don't they know it's 1991? I mean get with the times for crying out loud. Nah, it wasn't that bad. Infact there are a ton of guys on this show who had waaay, waaaay worse pre-match interviews then this one which wasn't even bad at all in all honesty. It just looks funny to see HBK with that kind of hair I guess as it's been awhile.

The Brain gets his annual "Boo Birds" and "Weasel" chants when first announced as he was the manager to this opening tag match.

Barbarian and Haku were no doubt carried by Shawn and Jannetty in this match. However both those guys weren't terrible in the ring so that made it a lot easier on The Rockers.

Like most tag matches that start a show, the pace was great, good back and forth strategic wrestling with a lively crowd.

In the end it was The Heart Break Kid Shawn Michaels that pinned Haku with a Flying Crossbody at 10:41 to give his team the win.

Great tag team opener to start the show, better then anyone would have expected overall!

Such a hot crowd also! That of course ALWAYS helps start the night off very well.....


*** 1/4





2) "The Texas Tornado" Kerry Von Erich vs "Canada's Strongest Man" Dino Bravo (w/Jimmy Hart)

Both these guys would die just a few short years later. Bravo got shot down in his home in Montreal while Von Erich killed himself I believe.

This match was kept short and because of that never really picked up and wasn't exactly exciting. (Especially in comparison to the match before it.)

Tornado pinned Bravo following a Discus Punch at 3:11 for the win.


1/2*





3) Davey Boy Smith "The British Bulldog" vs The Warlord (w/Slick)

Remember I was saying "1980's like Interview's." This one by the Warlord was so bad that even Slick looked bad here. Sure it was Slick's character but they both made you embarassed to be a wrestling fan if you were caught watching this with anyone else. So be prepared to either skip it or watch it alone if you don't want to be harassed.

It was billed as being a power on power match and that's exactly what this was.

Bulldog pinned The Warlord finally after a longer match with a Running Powerslam at 8:15 to win.




* 1/2





4) The Nasty Boys (Jerry Sags and Brian Knobbs) (c) (w/Jimmy Hart) vs The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) for the WWF Tag Team Championship

We all knew we'd get a good match from The Hart Foundation as they rarely dissapoint. (Especially when Bret uses the word "SCUM" in his pre-match promo)

Great pace to this one like the opener but this one meant more of course as it was for the tag belts.

Hart was not only one of the best in ring workers of all time but it amazes me how well he crafted the tag style also. But I guess his first real work in Puerto Rico was tag wrestling so he did start out that way after all.

In the end Knobbs pinned Neidhart after The Anvil was hit with Jimmy Hart's motorcycle helmet at 12:10 to become the new tag champs. A pretty big upset that left the fans unhappy after a very exciting tag match.

Good match though and I can see why Bret decided to include it on his DVD. Sure I could think up 25-30 off the top of my head I could of rather seen but obvioussly it shares a soft spot for him and ultimately that is his decision.



*** 1/4




5) Jake "The Snake" Roberts vs "The Model" Rick Martel in a Blindfold Match

Very unique.

Very fun/funny to watch.

But if anyone actually believed it they need there head examined. A pretty personal feud for a gimmick match but this one is always good to go back and watch.

Roberts pinned Martel following a DDT at 8:34.

Great crowd participation in this match helped it's overall rating.


**





6) The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) vs Jimmy Snuka

Taker comes out and the kids in the crowd are scared. Don't they know the other guy in the match is the murderer? What gives?

Undertaker pinned Snuka following a Tombstone Piledriver at 4:20 in a fairly short match.

Taker goes 1-0.



*






7) The Ultimate Warrior vs "The Macho King" Randy Savage (w/Sensational Queen Sherri) in a Retirement Match

Huge anticipation for this match in a great rivalry. The first of two real main events on the card and it takes place in the perfect spot for a match like this...."The Middle Of The Show."

Warrior DOESEN'T run to the ring for some reason.

Savage comes out before him on his thrown so to speak. This was the last we'd see of the heel "macho king" character. I never was a big fan of it to begin with so I'm glad they went back.

A lot of in the ring and out of the ring sequences during this match, as it was inredibally booked. (Sherri also got involved a lot)

Oh and did I mention how great the crowd was for this contest? Amazing. A crowd can really add to a match, make one or break one. Would Goldberg-Lesnar from Wrestlemania 20 be the same without the crowd? No. Infact I believe if they hadn't of gotten those chants the two would have performed way better without all the distraction.

This match however had little to no disctractions (entertainment wise) and is a personal favourite of mine.

Savage hit his finisher five times consecutively but still could not hold the Warrior down for the count.

Warrior pinned Savage after a series of Diving Shoulder Blocks at 20:48. This would go on to be the longest match of the entire show and that's ok because it was one of the best in ring stories ever told. This match will be remembered forever. In my opinion it's The Ultimate Warrior's best match of all time and it's even up there on Savage's list also..... (and that takes a lot.) The Warrior gets back to back wins over Hogan and Savage in two Straight Mania's.....must be special.

Following the bout though Randy Savage and Queen Sherri had a falling out, setting up his on-screen reunion with Miss Elizabeth. Elizabeth ran from the crowd and the two hugged to his theme song. Some fans cried....a little silly in a way, but not so much when you consider they just were telling a story and that's all "films" do yet people cry there.

And as far as stories go this is a moment that will be remembered forever. One of the best Wrestlemania moments of all time most definately.


**** 1/2






8) Tenryu and Kitao vs "The New" Demolition (Crush and Smash) (w/Mr. Fuji)

Kind of a set back entertainment wise (well pretty hard for it not to be) so good booking here.

What's funny is there are so many empty red seats during this match (probably because there was a long gap between the liz-savage ruinion and this contest so it was an unofficial intermission.) Even Trump left his front row seat....

This match could have been a lot better but was still decent.

Tenryu pinned Smash after a Powerbomb at 4:44. This marked the last time "Demolition" or the name anyway would compete at a Wrestlemania.



* 1/4





9) The Big Boss Man (w/André the Giant) vs Mr. Perfect (w/Bobby Heenan) for the WWF Intercontinental Championship

This was another good match on the card.

Perfect played his role so great as he always did and what I loved most about Hennig was his transition outside the ring to inside the ring during the match was so accurate.

The Bossman was the "Babyface" in this match and while he did a godo job in the early 90's with that role, I always thought he suited a heel better.

Perfect was disqualified after Barbarian and Haku interfered; Perfect retained the Intercontinental Championship because of this at 10:47.

Excellent match.....may they both rest in piece. Infact may Andre RIP as well, this marked his 7th and final WM appearance.



** 3/4



10) Earthquake (w/Jimmy Hart) vs Greg "The Hammer" Valentine

Earthquake actually was a pretty big star in this time period so I guess it's "acceptable" that he was allowed to squash a great veteran hall of famer like Greg Valentine.

Earthquake pinned Greg "The Hammer" Valentine after an "Earthquake" at 3:14. (followed by his after shock.)


Valentine can put on a pretty reasonable contest with anyone though. Even if the match is only just over 3 minutes in length and you're jobbing to Earthquake.


*





11) The Legion of Doom (Hawk and Animal) vs Power and Glory (Paul Roma and Hercules) (w/Slick)

Very short, nothing really interesting to note.

Animal pinned Roma following a Doomsday Device at 0:59. Just under the minute mark, and was decent enough to get the next to lowest rating (other then a dud) since I don't like giving them out unless it's truely, truely deserved.

It's to bad the LOD (for how great of a tag team they were, and in many minds the best ever) didn't have many great matches at Wrestlemania's over the years.


1/4*





12) Virgil (w/ "Rowdy" Roddy Piper) vs "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase

Virgil turned on Dibiase at the rumble.

Lot of hype here.

DiBiase was counted out after attacking Piper outside the ring at 7:41.






* 1/4




13) The Mountie (w/Jimmy Hart) vs Tito Santana



Mountie pinned Santana after stunning him with a shock stick at 1:21.

Again, another one of those cases where it was extremely close to being a DUD, but I'm in a kind mood today.

Also it did kind of let people get charged up for the main event that followed.


1/4*





14) Main Event- Hulk Hogan vs Sgt. Slaughter (c) (w/General Adnan) for the WWF Championship

Here we go.

It's Main-Event time at Wrestlemania, meaning it's time for the Celebs and the yearly Hogan match.

This time around it was during a very patriotic time in the Federation and Slaughter was clearly only given the belt so Hogan could be the hero and take it off of him at this event.

I don't think this match was one the Wrestling world was looking forward to watching like they made it seem but it was actually better then it looks on paper.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you should expect Slaughter to be some kind of terrible worker as I realize he is anything but in the 80's, but that was then and this is now. (Or 1991 anyway)

Hogan gets control and the pace goes back and forth. Throughout most of the bout though it's Slaughter that's the one in control as he busts open Hogan.

He applied the camel clutch while Hogan was in the vulnerable position and it looked like he may of quit. (Yeah, right....it's Hogan!)

In the end, Slaughter tried to beat down on Hogan after attempting at pinning him while he was covered with the Iraqi flag. A bloodied Hogan said no and ripped the flag apart. The Hulkster then hulked up during this Slaughter beat down attempt like always. Same old formula and Hogan pinned Slaughter following a Leg Drop at 20: 26 to become the NEW WWF Champion. Regis calls it "A great come back!" from the booth. Trump at ringside claps as does the rest of America and what's weird is Heenan sounds face like by yelling out "HE DID IT FOR THE UNITED STATES!" as if he was proud or something....oh well.


These two did though about as good as they probably could have done when it was all said and done but that's not saying a whole lot. At the end of the day Hogan is Hogan, and Slaughter of 1991 is Slaughter of 1991....so the sloppiness and less then stellar in ring skills were overshadowed by a great story told in the ring with the hero coming out on top in the main event of Wrestlemania 7.


***





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Final PPV Rating for Wrestlemania 7 = 7.5/10


One of the most underrated Wrestlemania's of all time. This event had a collection of memorable, unique, great, and flat out fun matches. It rarely ever gets considered when people talk up the greatest Mania's and I don't think that's fair. At the same time it isn't one of the best but it's definately a top 10 and should always at least be acknowledged. The Main event was a good story and there was of course the classic Savage-Warrior match with the post match angle w/ Elizabeth. There was a very good tag title match and another solid tag bout as well, a blindfold match, Dibiase finally going at it with Virgil, Taker's start of the streak, among many other things. Sure it had it's filler here and there like all Mania's do, but this will definately go down in the top 10 for me, at least as of right now. A very fun show to just pop in when you want to re-watch some old school "Wrestlemania."



Feedback appreciated as always......




Up Next from Austin101: "WWF Wrestlemania 8!"




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