SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 16:38 Min.
This Survivor Series 1992 tag-team slugfest occurs on November 25, 1992, at the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. Replacing the Ultimate Warrior, “Mr. Perfect Curt Hennig comes out of a 15-month forced retirement to form a makeshift ‘Perfect Team’ with ex-rival “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Opposing them are “Nature Boy” Ric Flair and his then-ally, Scott “Razor Ramon” Hall, who are incensed over Hennig’s recent ‘betrayal.’ At ringside are announcers Vince McMahon and a raging Bobby “The Brain” Heenan.
Afterwards, Savage’s nearly year-long feud with Flair (spanning three WWF World Title changes) shifts to “The Macho Man” vs. Ramon and Flair’s short run vs. Hennig prior to his 1993 return to WCW.
Note: Additional DVD segments include footage of Savage’s offer to Hennig to WWF’s Prime Time Wrestling and his eventual acceptance; pre-match comments by both teams; Savage & Hennig’s post-match locker room celebration; and Flair & Ramon’s post-match meltdown.
REVIEW:
Overshadowed by Bret Hart’s WWF World Title defense against Shawn Michaels that same night, this entertaining tag team brawl still delivers the necessary goods. With Curt Hennig not yet fully recuperated, it’s up to two-time WWF World Champion Savage to take the vast majority of his team’s bumps. Though not nearly as nimble as he previously was at 1991’s WrestleMania VII, a 40-year-old “Macho Man” reliably succeeds Hulk Hogan as the WWF’s super-hero, in terms of scoring fan support.
Between mercilessly pounding Savage and taking Hennig’s best shots, Flair & Ramon risk overplaying their villainous roles, but their effort works as is. More so, with help from his three in-ring cohorts, Hennig’s return serves up surefire entertainment. As clichéd as it looks, Hennig’s decision to solidify his new friendship with a battered Savage vs. abandoning him comes off remarkably well.
The match’s only off-note is an inconclusively cheap finish. Even so, fans at least get their money’s worth seeing a ‘Perfect Team’ no one would have expected.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars
