Forgotten Goodness 07.11.06: The New Foundation vs. The Orient Express
Posted by on 07.11.2006
Once again, Owen Hart brings the Goodness. In a tag team match, with two real tag teams, that is given almost 20 minutes to develop. What is this? 1992? Oh wait...it is 1992.
Quick Note: Thanks to everyone who e-mailed me after my column last week on WrestleMania IX. I was impressed with the deep division, with some people admitting they liked the show with others ripping me to shreds for liking it. That's why I'm here, right? To produce opinions that spark debate? Well I hope so. This piece of Forgotten Goodness is for everybody who e-mailed me after I reviewed the Owen Hart/Savio Vega match from 1996's SummerSlam and begged for more Owen. So here ya go…
One other thing - I've received numerous requests for the Test/Eddie Guerrero match from WrestleMania X7. I have to be honest, I was going to review that match soon but when that many people - okay, maybe a dozen but still - ask for it I don't know how Forgotten it is. I try to keep these matches to ones people have truly Forgotten about and this one fills the bill. Like the way I capitalize Forgotten? Isn't that neat?
The New Foundation vs. The Orient Express
1992 Royal Rumble
Markout Memories: There are few shows as revered and remembered as the 1992 Royal Rumble, which of course featured Ric Flair winning the WWF Title in the Rumble match as well as Rowdy Roddy Piper winning his first title EVER in the WWF by beating the Mountie for the Intercontinental Title. Just from the opening of the show, you quickly learn that the crowd is super mega molten hot for this show and, in my opinion, 1992 was one of the best years ever for the WWF (each pay-per-view is a classic) and this is proof. The Rumble match itself is easily, to me, the best Rumble ever and the starpower in that match is staggering. Former champions Sgt. Slaughter and the Iron Sheik (as Col. Mustafa). A freshly turned Shawn Michaels who just threw Marty Janetty through a window. Piper's in there too and they play up him trying to win two titles. Oh, and there's budding singles star Davey Boy Smith. Jake Roberts in the prime of his heeldom, feuding with Randy Savage. The Undertaker, weeks before his big face turn. Who else? Oh yeah that Flair guy. And Sid Justice. And Hulk Hogan. Just an unbelievable 30-man roster. But, alas, with all the big stars in there, how would the WWF kill the other two hours of the show? Yes, the Bushwhackers get a lot of time…but so does a young talented Hart kid. Oh baby.
The Build: I doubt there's a feud here and if there is, the impeccable announcing duo of Bobby Heenan, already flipping out about Ric Flair, and Gorilla Monsoon, don't mention it. The New Foundation is Jim 'the Anvil' Neidhart teamed up with the 'Rocket' Owen Hart. Basically, Anvil had nothing to do when Bret went solo and Owen was too good of a talent to leave lingering. So the plan was to put Owen in a team and see what happened. The team has two things going against them - the word 'new' in their team is the kiss of death and their outfits are ridiculous. If you remember Owen when he teamed with Koko B. Ware with checkered boots and parachute pants, that's the look. Now picture those on Jim Neidhart. Yikes. The Orient Express had the opener in the 1991 Royal Rumble against the Rockers that was ***** in my book and maybe the best tag team match in WWF history. So these guys have a tough act to follow, don't you think?
The Match: Before the match, we get a shot of the Knickerbocker Arena in Albany, N.Y. and it is filled to rafters. This Orient Express is Tanaka and Kato, who is Paul Diamond under mask, and these guys teamed in the AWA as Badd Company. The New Foundation gets a ridiculous mega pop, probably because it's the opener but it's still a good sign, no? Did I mention yet how ridiculous Neidhart looks in this outfit? Owen and Anvil do some nWo-esque pointing at each other before the match…I like. Gorilla says the New Foundation is undefeated…they were teaming for about two weeks at this point. Heenan says the Foundation must have "just woke up" because they're "wearing their pajamas." I love the Brain.
Owen starts with Kato and Owen busts out the sweet armbar reversal, where he flips off his head, that became an Owen standard. Then Owen flips over Kato into a rope sequence, leapfrog, armbar, the usual that the crowd really likes. Kind of a slow start as Owen works the arm - sign #1 these guys have been given some time. Brief test of strength which is just another excuse for Owen to show off his athleticism when he comes off the mat with the sick neck bridge that Benoit likes to do. Sick stuff from Owen as he jumps on the middle of the top rope, flips over and sets Kato up for a standing hurricanrana. Yeah, you didn't see that stuff from Hogan in 1992. A close TWO that gets the crowd really buzzing and Owen goes back to the arm. Follows up with a chop and tags in Anvil to another nice pop. Anvil works the arm and laughs psychotically.
Kato tries punching Anvil but Anvil comes back with a powerful hiptoss and lays into him in the corner. Another powerful hiptoss - get it, Anvil is strong? Tanaka gets tagged in as the crowd claps because Owen tells them to. Seriously, he started clapping and everyone else did. Remember when wrestling fans liked wrestling? Tanaka tries to slam Anvil and, well, that doesn't work out. Tanaka runs off the rope and WHAM Anvil does not move. So he tries it again, more pain for Tanaka. Flapjack to Tanaka is followed by a top rope elbow by Owen that gets TWO. Hot start from Owen, who follows with a backbreaker for TWO. Even Owen's headbutts are crisp tonight so Tanaka pokes him in the eye. Man, that was sweet. I love a good eyerake.
Tanaka whips Owen into the corner, but Owen jumps on the second turnbuckle, does a huge back flip then gives Tanaka a baaaaaaackbody drop. Owen is my hero. He follows that up with the HBK-killing enziguri and Tanaka is out on his feet. Nice tag team move as Owen whips Anvil into Tanaka for a shoulderblock. Kato has had enough, tries to cheat, but Anvil hits a double clothesline. Owen is back on the top rope, double noggin' knocker followed by Owen flying with a bodypress on both for a TWO on both. This is so swank. Owen with a spinning heel kick for yet another TWO and this match isn't seven minutes old yet. Owen slows it down with a chokehold but makes it interesting by trying to take of Kato's mask, but Kato bails. I think we all need a breather. Crowd is extremely hot for Owen and he's earned it so far.
In something you would never, ever, ever see today, Owen stands in the middle of the ring as the Express chat and starts clapping and stomping his feet like a moron. But the crowd follows suit! I miss old school wrestling sometimes. Crowd is still clapping as Owen is tossed off the rope and, there ya go, knee in the back by Tanaka. And WHAM Fuji with the cane in Owen's throat and boy oh boy the crowd did not like that one. Tanaka with a chokehold, that makes sense since Owen just got hit there, and he comes with the chops. Crowd wants the Owen comeback now but I fear he has much ass kicking to take. Unbelievable crescent kick by Kato and Owen is done. Big elbow and, seriously, I don't think Owen will ever, ever tag Anvil. Okay, I'll admit it, I'm getting excited for the hot tag. Express is double-teaming Owen into the mat and Owen is staggering around. Heenan says "It's not fair to Flair" for the first time tonight.
Crowd again is cheering for the comeback but Owen takes the Bret bump into the corner for a pop - the TWO count got a pop from the crowd, I think they thought Owen was done for. Good selling from Owen, who takes another crescent kick, this one from Tanaka, for another TWO. More heel double-teaming and the crowd, for the third time, cheers for the hot tag. Owen fights out of the headlock, gets a crucifix for a TWO that the crowd bought. See, it's been about 11 minutes so the crowd believes it could end at any time. Owen gets kicked in the face for the third time and then a MOTHERFUGGIN' headbutt to the groin by Tanaka. Oh yeah, that was cool. The heels are starting to win me over but, for the FOURTH time, the crowd cheers loudly for Owen to make the hot tag. The crowd is way into this one. For the record, this crowd was also hot for the entire Rumble match and Piper's win. Best crowd ever or a great show? You decide!
Owen fights out again, this time with a shoulderblock but a flying elbow by Tanaka, for TWO, ends that. Owen is just getting tooled on right now but he keeps hitting a move, like a bulldog, that gets the crowd into it. Owen is about to make the tag, MAKES IT, oh but the ref didn't see it. And now we've got more double-teaming. Live camera missed it but Owen got tossed shoulder-first through Fuji's cane for a close TWO, but Owen got his foot on the rope. In 1992 WWF, shoulder-first through a cane means Owen's shoulder is broken in three places. I love when you hear a crowd gasp like "Oh my god, Owen's arm is broken!" An armbar slam from Kato, more sweet psychology as the heels go right after the body part they attacked. I love that too. I love everything about this match as the crowd, for the FIFTH time, cheers for the comeback. It works as Owen comes back with a leapfrog and a SWANK~! belly-to-belly throw that would make Kurt Angle jealous. And angry. It gets TWO~!
Anvil can't take it anymore and runs in but, alas, it just means more pain for Owen. Owen's been getting his ass-kicked for ten minutes now and the crowd, #6, wants the comeback. This is so old school, Ricky Morton would smile if he watched this. Yet another crescent kick from Tanaka, he could use another move, and the double team continues with a splash for a TWO. More double teaming but Owen comes back with a double dropkick to both. The crowd will absolutely explode if Owen makes this tag…and he does! Slingshot double shoulderblock from Anvil who just annihilates the Express. Baaackbody drops, clothesline, powerslams, you name until he gets Kato outside.
SPOT ALERT~ ! With Kato on the floor, Anvil whips Owen, who proceeds to dive through the ropes and over Kato. Crowd pops like mad. Bodyslam by Anvil, Rocket Launcher for Owen and Owen pins for the three The New Foundation win by pinfall at 17:18.
Gorilla says "this place goes crazy!" and he means it. We get a highlight of Owen going through the cane and the Rocket Launcher. You can tell Heenan's impressed - whenever a face impresses him on commentary he says "they showed me something!" Let's just say Heenan never said that about Hogan.
The 411 - (****1/2) Oh yeah! That's good stuff right here. Just an absolute perfect execution of the old-school tag team formula, with the faces dominating at the beginning, a face-in-peril sequence for a while then the faces clean it up after hot tag. Even though Owen got his ass kicked forever, it didn't feel like forever. There was just enough offense coming from Owen that you thought he could always pull through, as evident by the crowd never losing interest, and it forced the heels to cheat like crazy to keep their advantage. I cannot heap enough praise on Owen Hart, who literally carried this entire match on his back and I'm shocked they didn't push him to the moon in 1992 or 1993 as the plucky underdog face with the aerial attack. The reason I didn't rate this match higher was a couple of noticeable slow spots, needed to let Owen get his wind back, and not enough variety from the Express on offense. Yes, the kicks are nice but they lose their importance when you kick him over and over again. I give credit, though, to the Express for honing in on a body part after the cane shots, it's not a big thing and didn't factor into the finish, but it adds that realism to the match. And Anvil was used perfectly as the powerhouse in short sequences.
Why It Has Vanished: I have only one explanation - the Rockers/Orient Express match was so good from the year before and the Rumble match later on that evening was so good that this match just got lost in the shuffle. It wasn't as good as the Rockers match but it's still a ****+ tag team match. I think that match has earned such a reputation that this match is compared to it and it doesn't quite stack up. And, while this match is great, people left that night thinking about Piper and the Rumble. This was an excellent match, all the more reason to watch the 1992 Royal Rumble at every opportunity, but not a legendary match. I believe, however, if Owen DID get that big push in 1992, this would have been circled as the starting point. Instead, everyone looks at WrestleMania X as Owen's breakout. Owen's breakout match happened right here.
