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Random RumblingsThe biggest event of the summer has arrived for the WWF in ’93. On this night, WWF World Champion Bret Hart defends against the 1993 King of the Ring winner, Lex Luger. The Undertaker squares off against Bam-Bam Bigelow in a Last Man Standing match. Plus, Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect collide inside a steel cage. All this and more!

World Wrestling Federation presents SummerSlam 
Date: 8/30/1993
From: Auburn Hills, MI
Arena: The Palace of Auburn Hills
Announcers: Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan
Attendance: 22,853

Dark Match: 
The Quebecers defeated the Nasty Boys in 6:15 when Pierre pinned Saggs after a top rope senton splash.

Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan welcome everyone to the summer spectacular, SummerSlam! McMahon hypes up the show as being the biggest show of the summer and hypes up the top three matches of the night, Taker/Bigelow, Luger/Hart and the main event Flair/Perfect in the cage! Heenan talks about the main event saying that tonight will be the night that Flair crushes Perfect’s hopes and dreams of ever proving to the world and himself that he is the man. McMahon doubts Heenan saying that tonight feels like it is the perfect night for Mr. Perfect to get the biggest win of his career. McMahon sends it over to the Fink as the opening contest is for the WWF Intercontinental Championship!

Opening Contest: WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Savage for the the title: Savage chases Michaels around the ring until Michaels slides into the ring and stomps away on Savage to gain the advantage. Michaels jabs Savage several times in the corner but Savage turns the tables with several jabs and a right hand to knock Michaels down to the mat. Savage sends Michaels into the ropes and nails the champ with a high knee lift. Savage grabs Michaels before he can roll to the floor and mounts him delivering right hands and biting his forehead. Savage sends Michaels into the ropes and connects with a clothesline for a two count. Savage rams Michaels head first into the top turnbuckle several times and ends up tossing Michaels over the top to the floor. Savage climbs to the top turnbuckle and leaps off looking for a double axe handle but Michaels moves out of the way and Savage hits the guard railing chest first. Michaels leaps off the apron to hit Savage with a double axe handle attack of his own. Michaels tosses Savage back into the ring and leaps off the top rope to deliver a big splash but only gets a two count. Michaels sets Savage up and connects with a delayed vertical suplex for another near fall. Michaels sends Savage into a corner but runs into a big boot. Savage comes out of the corner and slams Michaels to the mat head first with a hair pull face buster. Savage sends Michaels into a corner where Michaels tries for a springboard cross body but Savage side steps it and Michaels crashes to the mat. Savage leaps off the middle rope to hit a double axe handle but only gets a two count on the cover. Michaels gets out of a scoop slam and pokes Savage in the eyes. Michaels tosses Savage shoulder first into the ring post through the middle turnbuckle and signals for the super kick. Savage struggles out of the corner holding his shoulder, so Michaels instead decides to deliver a shoulder breaker, which severely affects Savage but Michaels only gets a two count. Michaels connects with an arm breaker causing Savage to scream in agony. Michaels signals for the super kick and waits for Savage to pull himself up. Savage turns around holding his injured shoulder and is met with a super kick square on the chin. Michaels covers Savage, even using the tights for extra leverage, to get the three count. (13:41, ***)
After the match, Shawn Michaels plays to the camera saying that he is indeed the greatest WWF Intercontinental Champion of all time.

Backstage, Mean Gene conducted an interview with Tatanka. Tatanka talked about the brawls he has had with Diesel leading into the event and how Diesel cost him the WWF Intercontinental Championship at the King of the Ring. Tatanka makes it clear that tonight he is coming to collect his payback!

Second Contest: Crush/Owen Hart/Jim Neidhart/Marty Jannetty/The Kamikaze Kid vs.  Jerry Lawler/Jeff Jarrett/Doink the Clown/Razor Ramon/Rick Martel: All ten men brawl in the ring to open the bout until Neidhart and Jarrett are left in the ring to officially start the bout. Jarrett gets the upper hand following a swinging neck breaker but Neidhart quickly recover sot hit Jarrett with numerous clotheslines and tags out to Jannetty who leaps off the top to deliver a double axe handle. Jannetty comes off the ropes with a head scissors take down but misses a dropkick attempt after Jarrett hung onto the ropes. Martel gets tagged in and delivers a series of back breakers before putting a camel clutch submission on Jannetty but isn’t able to get the win because the Kamikaze Kid comes off the top rope to dropkick Martel! Jannetty plants Martel with a tornado DDT and tags in Owen Hart who takes Martel over with a few hip tosses and a backdrop! Owen delivers numerous right hands to Martel in the corner but is stopped by Martel after being dropped throat first across the top turnbuckle. Martel connects with a back suplex and tags in Doink. Doink displays his excellent wrestling by connecting with several German suplexs and a overhead belly to belly suplex on Owen. Doink tries for the Whoopee Cushion but gets crotched by Crush from the apron, which allows Owen to get up and hit a top rope superplex! Owen and Doink both make tags to Crush and Ramon. Ramon doesn’t back down from Crush and they trade right hands. Crush gets the advantage and delivers a big boot to Ramon as he comes off the ropes. Ramon ducks under a clothesline and power slams Crush. Ramon proceeds to taunt the fans and continues with a modified choke slam. Ramon wants to go for the Razors Edge, but Lawler decides to tag himself in telling Ramon to leave the ring. Lawler tries for a pile driver but Crush backdrops out of it. Ramon hasn’t left and tries to attack Crush but is power slammed. This leads to everyone getting involved but they all go to the floor a short time later. Doink tries to toss Lawler a crutch but over shoots him and Crush winds up getting it. The referee is distracted by the brawling on the floor as Crush whacks Lawler over the back with the crutch and knocks Doink off the apron as well. Lawler avoids any further punishment by tagging in Ramon who low blows Crush and holds Crush so that Martel could jab him with the crutch. However, Crush breaks free and Martel hits Ramon on accident! Crush dumps Martel to the floor and puts the Kona Vice on Ramon to win the bout! (7:47, **½) 
After the match, Crush and his teammates celebrate as they make their way to the backstage area. Back in the ring, Martel argues with Ramon telling him that he is weak. Martel ends up slapping Ramon, who doesn’t take kindly to that and hammers away on Martel. Ramon ends up driving Martel down to the mat with the Razors Edge and leaves his former partners in the ring as the fans start a small Razor chant!

Backstage, Mean Gene conducted an interview with WWF World Champion Bret Hart. Hart has been looking forward to this night since June as he wants to be the guy to make Lex Luger face reality that he isn’t good enough to beat him for the championship. Hart is going to prove that having the perfect body doesn’t mean you are the perfect wrestler.

Third Contest: Tatanka vs, Diesel: As soon as the bell sounds, they exchange several right hands until Diesel knee lifts Tatanka and works on him in the corner with several more knee lifts and right hands. Tatanka is sent across the ring to another corner where Diesel connects with a running clothesline followed by a series of side elbow strikes and chokes Tatanka for a few moments. Diesel brings Tatanka out of the corner by connecting with a side slam for a two count. Diesel maintains control by putting a chin lock on Tatanka but that doesn’t last long. Tatanka gets up and rams Diesel back first into a corner. Tatanka manages to hit a belly to belly suplex for a two count. Tatanka leaps off the middle rope to hit Diesel with a shoulder for another near fall. Tatanka blocks a backdrop attempt by planting Diesel with a DDT but doesn’t go for the cover! Instead, Tatanka heads to the top looking for his overhand chop but in midair, he is met with a big boot from Diesel! Diesel grabs Tatanka shortly after to connect with a power bomb and wins the bout. (8:36, **¼) 

A video promoting the last man standing match is aired. It was narrated by Vince McMahon. The video is the same video that has been aired during the weekly television shows.

Fourth Contest: Bam-Bam Bigelow vs. The Undertaker in a Last Man Standing match: Bigelow stalls on the floor and goes after Bearer until the Undertaker comes running off the apron to hit a leaping clothesline. Taker pulls Bigelow up and sends him back first into the guard railing several times. Taker stalks towards Bigelow until Bigelow jabs Taker in the midsection with a chair and whacks Taker over the head with the chair. Bigelow regains composure as Taker is on the floor. The referee gets to a six count until Taker sits up. Bigelow sends Taker into the ring steps, causing Taker to flip over the steps and onto the floor. Bigelow continues to beat down Taker with a chair by whacking the chair over Taker’s back. Taker sits up again at six and is rolled into the ring by Bigelow. Bigelow connects with a vertical suplex, but Taker sits up quickly. Bigelow plants Taker with a DDT before heading to the top rope, but Taker gets up and grabs Bigelow by the throat to bring Bigelow back to mat with a huge choke slam! Bigelow staggers to his feet at the count of seven in a corner but is quickly met with a running big boot attack by Taker. Bigelow drops to the floor as he tries to recover. Taker follows but Bigelow tosses powder into Taker’s eyes to blind him! Bigelow goes under the ring to find a shovel and ends up breaking the shovel over Taker’s back! Bigelow mocks Taker by pretending to shovel dirt onto Taker’s body while the referee counts. Taker sits up at the count of eight as Bigelow had his back turned. Taker gets up and drops a charging Bigelow throat first across the guard railing. Taker ends up sending Bigelow into the crowd with a big clothesline but doesn’t follow him. Instead, Taker grabs Bigelow and connects with a vertical suplex on the floor. Bearer directs Taker towards the announcers table and Taker rips out the televisions as Bearer continues to give direction. Bigelow recovers to ram Taker back first into the ring apron and they return to the ring. Bigelow ducks under a clothesline and low blows Taker. Bigelow grabs a kneeling Taker and hit’s a power bomb which shocks everyone! Bigelow grabs a chair and puts the chair on Taker’s head as he goes to the top signaling for the diving head butt. Bigelow leaps off and hit’s the diving head butt, but knocks himself out as well since he hit he chair head first! They both struggle to their feet at the count of seven and Bigelow clotheslines himself and Taker over the top to the floor, but Taker lands on his feet while Bigelow crashes to the floor. Bigelow gets up with a chair but gets the chair kicked back into his face! Taker grabs Bigelow by the throat and choke slams Bigelow through the announcers table! Bigelow is out cold as the referee counts and ends up reaching a ten count giving Taker the win! (13:28, ***)
After the match, the Undertaker celebrates the win with Paul Bearer in the ring as he kneels in front of his manager who holds urn while Bigelow is laid out on broken pieces of the announcers table.

Backstage, Mean Gene conducts an interview with Jim Cornette and Yokozuna. Cornette tells Gene that tonight they are going to have the pleasure of seeing over 22,000 people’s heart rip and their dreams turn into nightmares because Yokozuna is going to squash their American hero, Ron Simmons tonight!

Fifth Contest: WWF World Tag Team Champions Steiner Brothers vs the Natural Disasters for the titles: Rick and Typhoon start off the title match with Typhoon showing his strength by casually tossing Rick to the mat a couple of times. Rick ends up having enough of that and hammers away on Typhoon in a corner. Rick sends Typhoon into the ropes and looks for a clothesline but Typhoon doesn’t budge. Rick tries for another one but is stopped by Typhoon with a clothesline of his own. Typhoon comes off the ropes to hit an elbow drop for a two count. Typhoon continues his offense by splashing Rick in a corner and connecting with a vertical suplex before tagging in Earthquake who quickly scoop slams Rick for a two count. Earthquake delivers several shoulder rams in the corner and brings to the middle of the ring to put a bear hug on him. Rick nearly passes out but ends up biting his way out of the hold and delivers a jaw breaker! Rick comes off the ropes a few times and on the third attempt knocks Earthquake off his feet with a clothesline! Rick tags in Scott who delivers several right hands on Earthquake and sends him stumbling into a corner following a dropkick. Scott knocks Typhoon off the apron with another dropkick. Scott looks for a spear in the corner but Earthquake moves out of the way sending Scott shoulder first into the ring post. Earthquake also managed to clothesline Rick on the apron. Earthquake works on Scott with several splashes before heading to an opposite corner to get momentum. Earthquake charges towards the corner but misses a back splash. Scott quickly lunges to tag in Rick who enters and leaps off the middle rope to bulldog Earthquake to the mat! Rick covers and picks up the win. (7:08, *) 
After the match, the Steiner Brothers celebrate the win with their mother and sister who were sitting in the front row.

A video hyping up the feud between Ron Simmons and Yokozuna is aired.

Sixth Contest: Yokozuna vs. Ron Simmons: The match starts off with a test of strength but that doesn’t last long as Yokozuna delivers a throat thrust to get the cheap advantage. Yoko chops Simmons in the corner several times and manages to power slam Simmons but misses a leg drop after he comes off the ropes. Simmons backs Yoko into a corner where he delivers several forearm shots and a running spear in the corner. Yoko stumbles out of the corner and drops down to his knee. Simmons leaps off the middle rope to fully knock Yoko on his back with a clothesline! Simmons goes for the cover but only gets a one count. Simmons comes off the ropes again but is stopped by Yoko who hit’s a side belly to belly suplex. Simmons counters a vertical suplex by hitting a reverse neck breaker. Simmons heads to the top rope and kicks Cornette off the apron after he tried to grab Simmons. Yoko catches Simmons in midair to connect with a power slam for a two count. Yoko drags Simmons to a corner looking for the Bonsai Drop after taunting the fans, but Simmons pops up to his feet and slams Yoko off the middle rope and pins Yoko for the huge win! (7:51, *½)
After the match, Simmons tosses Cornette over the top rope as he tried to hit Simmons with his tennis racket! Simmons waves the American Flag proudly as the fans chant “USA”!

A video promoting the WWF World Championship match is aired.

Seventh Contest: WWF World Champion Bret Hart vs. Lex Luger for the title: Luger decides to flex his muscles while having a stare down with Hart. Hart responds by getting the early advantage with right hands and a clothesline after sending Luger into the ropes. Luger rolls to the floor to prevent any further punishment. However, Hart comes off the ropes and takes Luger out with a suicide dive! Hart rolls Luger back into the ring but is stopped on the apron by Luger with a right had. Luger sets Hart up and connects with a vertical suplex back into the ring from the apron. Luger goes for the cover but Hart pops his shoulder up at two. Luger sends Hart hard chest first into a corner and ends up hitting a back suplex. Luger goes for another cover but Hart kicks out. Luger continues his offense with a gut buster and transitions into a back breaker for another near fall, which causes Luger to argue with the referee. Luger goes back to Hart delivering several forearm shots in the corner before attempting a superplex but Hart shoves Luger off and leaps off the middle rope to hit a forearm drop for a two count. Hart ducks a wild clothesline attempt and takes Luger down with a side Russian leg sweep for another two count. Hart looks for a running bulldog and connects! Hart signals for the Sharpshooter but Luger kicks Hart away. Luger gets to his feet and snap power slams Hart. Luger hits a swinging neck breaker after several knee lifts for a two count. Luger atomic drops Hart and comes off the ropes to deliver a running forearm smash but Hart ducks under it and gets a near fall on Luger following a bridging German suplex! Hart goes for the Sharpshooter again but Luger kicks Hart away and Hart is sent to the floor. Luger hits Hart from behind with a running forearm smash which sends Hart head first into the ring steps as well. Luger begins to work on Hart’s back by ramming Hart back first into the ring apron. Luger sets up for a pile driver on the floor and manages to deliver it after clubbing Hart over the back as Hart tried to block it. Luger covers Hart back in the ring but Hart gets his foot on the bottom rope at two. Luger picks up a lifeless Hart who can hardly stand from the pile driver on the floor and puts Hart in the Torture Rack. After a few seconds, the referee checks on Hart who is out cold and calls for the bell giving Luger the win and the championship! (14:19, **¾) 
After the match, Luger is awarded the championship and holds the belt in the air with cocky grin. Luger forces the referee to put the championship on him and poses as the crowd boos loudly.

A lengthy video promoting the steel cage match is aired. The announcers hype up the match as well as the cage is being set up.

Main Event: Ric Flair vs. Mr. Perfect in a steel cage match: Flair tries to quickly escape the cage by climbing over the top but Perfect stops Flair with several shots to his lower back. Perfect rams Flair head first into the cage several times until Flair crotches himself on the top rope. Perfect works on Flair with several right hands before tossing Flair into the side of the cage. Perfect dropkicks Flair as he comes off the ropes and Flair rolls to the side of the ring hoping to bail from the ring but is stopped by the cage! Perfect sends Flair into a corner where Flair does a flip but falls to the mat instead of the apron. Perfect works on Flair with several chops before hip tossing Flair across the ring. Flair backs into a corner and begs Perfect to back off but ends up suckering Perfect into an eye poke. Flair drops down to a knee and low blows Perfect to gain the advantage. Flair puts Perfect in a headlock and delivers several right hands. Flair connects with a vertical suplex and follows up with a knee drop for a one count. Flair grabs Perfect and tosses him head first into the cage a couple of times. Flair begins to work on Perfect’s left knee with several stomps and elbow drops. Flair looks for the figure four but Perfect rolls him up and nearly steals a victory. Perfect gets up in a corner and trades right hands with Flair, getting the upper hand by knocking Flair off his feet. Perfect grabs Flair by the legs and catapults him face first into the cage. Perfect gets up and rubs Flair’s head into the cage, effectively busting Flair wide open! Perfect snap suplexs Flair for a two count. Flair rolls to a corner and tries to chop Perfect, but they don’t have any real affect. Flair is sent into the ropes but blocks a backdrop attempt with a kick to Perfect’s chest and connects with a shin breaker on Perfect’s left leg. Flair quickly transitions into the figure four leg lock right in the middle of the ring! Perfect refuses to give up to Flair and after having his shoulders nearly counted down for a three, Perfect sits up staring at Flair with determination as he rolls over to put the pressure on Flair. Flair is forced to let go of the hold after a few seconds. The camera ends up catching Flair going into his tights to put brass knuckles on his first, just as he did back in February to defeat Perfect. Flair nails Perfect right in the face with brass knuckles but isn’t able to make the immediate cover as he is hurting as well. Flair drapes one arm over Perfect but only gets a two count! Flair struggles to a corner as begins to climb up the cage as Perfect is still struggling to get up. Perfect manages to get up and stop Flair on the top of the cage and delivers right hands as he has gained a footing on the bars. Perfect gains enough of an advantage that he attempts to hook Flair up for a superplex off the near top of the cage. Flair tries to prevent it but Perfect rams him face first into the top of the cage. Perfect hooks Flair up for another superplex and connects as both men crash down to the mat and aren’t moving after such an impact move! Perfect slowly sits up after nearly two minutes of laying on the mat lifeless with Flair. Perfect pulls himself up with helps from the ropes and spins around looking at the fans as they chant him on. Perfect struggles to pull Flair up and when he does he looks at his bloody opponent in the face and spits at him. Perfect sets Flair up and connects with the Perfect Plex right in the middle of the ring and that is good enough for the three! (18:16, ***½)

After the match, an emotional Mr. Perfect sits up as the crowd erupts for the man who fought so hard to beat his former friend. Perfect celebrates his win as Vince McMahon proudly proclaims him as “the man” to end the show.

Read more of Bob’s work at http://wrestlingrecaps.com.