
Place To Be Nation Vintage Vault Refresh

Volume 1

WWF 1985-1992:

The Federation Years

Place To Be Nation Publications

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### Book Disclaimer:

We, like you, are wrestling fans. As such, we have our own opinions about what we like and what we don't like, and we don't mind sharing our opinions. The reviews in this book and in future volumes are OUR opinions. You may agree or you may disagree. That is one of the things that makes professional wrestling great. It caters to different tastes and there will be differences of opinion on what makes a particular match or segment "great".

Justin and Scott began writing their PPV reviews back in 2007. In 2014, a refresh of those reviews began where each would rewatch and rewrite their reviews of the events. Along the way, Jeff came in to refresh and add new Fun Facts for the events. This book is a compilation of those refresh reviews and facts.

In our reviews, unless it is something very blatant, we will not tell you to definitely watch something or definitely not to watch something. Our opinions may sway you in one direction or another, but we want you to watch and be the judge for yourself.

We love reading everyone's feedback, which you can give on our Place To Be Nation Facebook page. At the end of each event, we have listed the podcast episode for the event. We encourage you to visit the Place To Be Nation website at placetobenation.com and listen to these podcasts as well as the array of other pop culture podcasts we produce.

We hope you enjoy our reviews.

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### Table of Contents

###

WrestleMania I: The Grand-Daddy of Them All

The Wrestling Classic: Macho Madness is Launched

###

WrestleMania II: Three Times the Fun

The Big Event: Throwdown in Toronto

###

WrestleMania III: The Slam Heard Around the World

Survivor Series 1987: Hogan Whines & Andre Shines

###

Royal Rumble 1988: The Stage is Set

WrestleMania IV: Savage Stands Alone...Sort Of

SummerSlam 1988: A Mega Event!

Survivor Series 1988: The Mega Powers Have Issues

###

Royal Rumble 1989: Mega Powers on the Brink

WrestleMania V: The Mega Powers Explode

SummerSlam 1989: Ultimate Revenge

Survivor Series 1989: Hogan Runs Wild

###

Royal Rumble 1990: The Perfect Politician

WrestleMania VI: The Ultimate Challenge

SummerSlam 1990: Where Do We Go Now?

Survivor Series 1990: Which Comes First? The Taker or the Egg?

###

Royal Rumble 1991: Listen Up Maggots

WrestleMania VII: Stars and Stripes Forever!!!

SummerSlam 1991: Match Made in Hell For Sure

Survivor Series 1991: Hogan Meet Chair

This Tuesday in Texas: Tick Tock...Tick Tock

###

Royal Rumble 1992: To Be the Man...

WrestleMania VIII: Win, Lose or Draw...

SummerSlam 1992: Hart Family Drama; Part 1

Survivor Series 1992: The Winds of Change

Appendix A: All Time PPV Active Wrestler Roster

Appendix B: PPV Rest in Peace List

Thank You and Connect with Us

  Wrestlemania I – The Grand-Daddy of Them All

  The Wrestling Classic – Macho Madness is Launched

#  WrestleMania I: The Grand-Daddy of Them All

March 31, 1985

Madison Square Garden

New York, New York

Attendance: 22,000

PPV Buy Rate: 1.1

Closed-Circuit Attendance: 380,000

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

### Match #1: Tito Santana defeats The Executioner with a Figure Four at 4:49

Fun Fact I: The first ever Wrestlemania match features a man who would go on to become a PPV Iron Man, Tito Santana. Tito will be featured in tons of PPV matches between now and his departure in 1993. He also will go to wrestle in the first 9 Wrestlemanias, something only he and Hulk Hogan would do. Buddy Rose, on the other hand, makes his one and only WWF PPV appearance. He would stick around on and off through 1990, but would be nothing more than an entertaining jobber to the stars.

Fun Fact II: "Playboy" Buddy Rose was born Paul Perschmann on November 15, 1952. He was trained by Verne Gagne and Billy Robinson in the early 1970s and made his debut under his own name in December 1973 against Bob Remus, who would later be known by the character name Sgt. Slaughter. Throughout his career, Rose would work in the AWA, WWF and for Pacific Northwest wrestling, where he would have an infamous feud with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. In 1982 he would begin working for Vince Sr. in the WWF where he feuded with Bob Backlund for the World Heavyweight title. Back in the AWA in the mid 80s, he would team with Doug Somers to feud with an up-and-coming tag team, the Midnight Rockers, who would become The Rockers in the WWF (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty). Rose gained a large amount of weight in his later years, which he actually used as part of his wrestling gimmick. On April 28, 2009, Rose was found dead of natural causes in his Washington home by his wife.

### Scott:

The one that started it all begins with an elementary opener. Tito was on fire the previous year as Intercontinental Champion. Considering this was such a big moment and a huge event for the McMahon family, they couldn't get somebody with real singing talent to sing the National Anthem? At least that gets huge upgrade by the next WrestleMania. Santana was on a mission and it was evident here. He lost the title to Greg Valentine in September and had just wrestled him in a big Lumberjack match just two weeks before in this same Garden ring. Here he defeats The Executioner, who is really "Playboy" Buddy Rose with a mask on. Not much more to say, except this is the last time you will see a wrestler called The Executioner on PPV until the 1996 Survivor Series, coincidentally in Madison Square Garden as well. Tito stays on fire and will recapture the IC Title from Valentine in July inside a steel cage in Baltimore. I still wonder to this day why they didn't do the Santana/Valentine match here. One more note, and that's our broadcast team. The two guys who built my fandom, Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura. They are a little rough here, but by their next WrestleMania in Pontiac, they are pure gold.

### Justin:

A basic match to help get the crowd worked up and to put a very popular face over in the first match of the first WrestleMania. Oh, and help them recover from Mean Gene singing the National Anthem. The soundtrack for a WWF generation is set here as Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura run commentary for us right out of the gate. Buddy Rose is looking quite svelte here, compared to what he would transform into by 1990. He even gets to cut a promo before the match! This card is very clearly kept in line with how house shows were booked in the day, which makes sense since you can argue it is a glorified version of one. Tito got off to a hot start, but Executioner is able to find a window and go right to the leg, as he promised to do in his pre-match promo. The crowd was really into this one, as Executioner got caught up top but was able to get his knees up for a Tito big splash just when it looked like he may be cooked. Tito shook that off, nailed the flying forearm and cinched in the figure four to win the first match in WrestleMania history. This was a feisty little sprint and got things off on the right foot. Despite the solid grade, I do feel like Santana could have been used better elsewhere on this show, which I will get to in a bit.

### Match #2: King Kong Bundy defeats S.D. Jones with an Avalanche Splash at :24

Fun Fact I: The original Wrestlemania served one purpose: feature a bunch of wrestlers who will never see the light of day on another WWF PPV ever again. "Special Delivery" Jones is well known in the wrestling world, but never rose above jobber-to-the-stars status. SD had a decent run in Mid-Atlantic, teaming with Rufus R. Jones in a feud with the Andersons and also with Porkchop Cash for a brief NWA Americas Tag title run. He migrated to the WWF in the early 80s, and ended up playing a big role as a recognizable enhancement talent as Vince Jr. started to make his push towards national stardom. Jones would hang around as a jobber until December of 1988. Despite his lackluster career, "Special Delivery" gets to be a part of history here, on the first WrestleMania.

Fun Fact II: World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas was the birthplace of the ring character King Kong Bundy, Known in real life as Chris Pallies, Bundy at the time was using the ring name Big Daddy Bundy, a combination of "Big Daddy" from English wrestler Shirley Crabtree and the last name of serial killer, Ted Bundy. After a dispute with the Von Erich family, Bundy was brought into the stable of manager Gary Hart and reintroduced to the world as King Kong Bundy. While in Mid-South Wrestling, the AWA and the NWA, he would regularly demand a 5 count instead of the standard 3 count for a pinfall as he squashed his competition. Bundy joined the WWF in 1985 and was immediately pushed as a dominant heel. After crushing SD Jones at Wrestlemania I with his signature Avalanche Splash, Bundy was pushed to the top of the card over the next year and would headline Wrestlemania II against Hulk Hogan in a steel cage match. After leaving the WWF in 1988, he would make a return to the Federation in 1994 as part of the Million Dollar Corporation. He would become the fourth victim of the Undertaker's Streak at Wrestlemania XI. Bundy would leave the WWF in the fall of 1995 and would continue to work the independent wrestling circuit until retiring in 2006.

### Scott:

Now, that is the realistic length of this match. Remember when everyone said it was :09? I always find that hilarious that back in the day kayfabe was running wild and we just accepted it. This was a chance to begin the slow one-year burn of Bundy as a big main eventer. I don't think he was groomed for WrestleMania II just yet, but definitely for a main event run. SD Jones was just fodder for the "Condominium with Legs". Bundy was managed by Jimmy Hart at that point, but in a year it would be Bobby Heenan.

### Justin:

This is just a match to get Bundy over as a monster. SD Jones knew his role, and he plays it well, selling Bundy's splashes like death and doing the job in less than 30 seconds. Jesse and Gorilla play up how dangerous Bundy is, and the mission is accomplished. This would kick off a strong, year long push for Bundy. This was a quick and harmless match and would become instantly infamous for WrestleMania trivia fiends for years to come.

### Match #3: Ricky Steamboat defeats Matt Borne with a High Cross Body at 4:36

Fun Fact I: Matt Borne is a second generation star who is best known for some of the outrageous characters he has played throughout his career. After having some success in Mid-South Wrestling, where he formed the "Rat Pack" with Jim Duggan and Ted DiBiase, Borne arrived in the WWF just in time for the first Wrestlemania, as he made his first appearance at a house show in Boston on March 2, 1985, going to a draw with Rick McGraw. Borne would hang in the WWF until mid-1986. He would pop up in WCW in 1991, portraying bad-ass lumberjack, Big Josh. After mild success in the lower-mid-card, Borne would jump back to the WWF and take on the most well-known persona of his career: Doink the Clown.

Fun Fact II: Ricky Steamboat had built up quite the resume during his 6 years in NWA Mid-Atlantic, and be well known for his brutal feud with Ric Flair and his famed partnership with Jay Youngblood. The 1977 PWI Rookie of the Year won 9 championships during his years in Mid-Atlantic, but in late 1984, he decided a change of scenery was needed, and made the jump to Vince McMahon's burgeoning WWF. Ricky Steamboat made his WWF debut on March 5, 1985 (3 days after Borne) on a Championship Wrestling TV Taping in Poughkeepsie, NY, defeating Steve Lombardi. Steamboat will hang around for the next 3 years, and will go on to provide tons of memorable matches and moments.

### Scott:

The man who would be part of some of the greatest matches over the next 10 years defeats a grizzled veteran in Matt Borne, who had been around for the block, but was new to the WWF, which was similar to Steamboat, who had just left NWA Mid-Atlantic. He actually still had his NWA white tights on. Both guys are exceptional workers and I wish they could have been given much more time for this one. One year earlier Steamboat was working one hour draws with NWA World Champion Ric Flair. The match is definitely a cruel tease to what may be a great 15 minute typical house show match. Steamboat's arsenal is definitely something not real prevalent in the promotion at that time so for some fans it was indeed a breath of fresh air. Bourne is no slouch either as he worked Steamboat over with some exemplary workrate and not typical punches, kicks and posturing that the usual WWF heels did. Steamboat wins and sets himself up for a successful first run in Vince McMahon's Kingdom.

### Justin:

Another undercard match that serves the same purpose as the opener: put over the popular face in a quick, but solid bout. I love how Bourne has his shades on for his prematch interview, a true symbol of a cool cat in the mid-80s. Steamboat was clearly looking to make an early statement here, having just joined the promotion just weeks beforehand. Borne was always a great worker and I am kind of sad we don't get to see more of him on PPV over the coming years. Steamboat showed off his crisp offense right out of the gate, snapping off chops and wrenching in a tight side headlock. Once he took over, Bourne hit a nice belly-to-belly suplex, followed by a snap suplex for a near fall. Bourne's selling was also really good as well. Steamboat came back with more chops and even worked in a swinging neckbreaker as both guys are showing some decently vast movesets considering the year and promotion. Steamboat would ascend the ropes and polish Bourne off with a graceful high cross body, picking up a nice signature win just one month into his New York run. It is no surprise that he and Steamboat put on a good match, despite the tight time restraints, but I really enjoyed this one. The "Dragon" was on his way, and things would only get better for him as we move along.

### Match #4: Brutus Beefcake and David Sammartino wrestle to a double countout at 11:42

Fun Fact I: WWF mega-legend Bruno Sammartino used his pull with Vince McMahon to land his son David a gig. David never really caught a fair shake, and always had his last name held against him. Add in the fact that he sucked, and this thing had disaster written all over it. He would last a little over a year in the big leagues, before vanishing in July of 1986, with his last being a bout with Hercules on July 10th. After a brief stay in the AWA, Sammartino would bounce around the Indy world for the next 10 years, and eventually found himself on WCW Nitro on December 16th, 1996, where he faced Dean Malenko for the Cruiserweight Championship and lost.

Fun Fact II: If there is anyone in the wrestling business that benefited from the rise of Hulkamania it is Ed Leslie, aka Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake. Leslie began his wrestling career side by side with Terry Bollea (Hulk Hogan) in 1977, where they were advertised as brothers, Ed and Terry Boulder. He wrestled short stints in the WWF and Mid-South territories in the early 80s before joining the WWF full time in 1984 as the heel Brutus Beefcake managed by "Luscious" Johnny Valiant. He later started teaming with Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, making up The Dream Team. Beefcake and Valentine won the Tag Team titles from the US Express in August 1985 and held the titles for 8 months before losing them to The British Bulldogs at Wrestlemania II. After another year together, The Dream Team broke up at Wrestlemania III and Beefcake began his run as a face after being left in the ring by Valentine and Valiant after the team lost to The Rougeau Brothers. Later in the night when Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis, Beefcake was there to cut the hair of Adonis, payback for Adonis cutting his hair after a 6 man tag team match just weeks before Wrestlemania. Beefcake became "The Barber" and used that gimmick for the remainder of his time in the WWF.

Beefcake suffered a serious injury in 1990 which put him out of the ring for 2 years. He was helping a parasailing friend prepare for takeoff when the the driver of the boat mistakenly took off, causing the friend's bare feet to slam hard into Beefcake's face, crushing his facial skeleton. Over 100 metal plates were used to repair his face. He returned to the ring in 1993 where his injury was used as part of a storyline with Money, Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster). He would wrestle with the WWF until Wrestlemania IX. He would wrestling in WCW as part of Kevin Sullivan's Dungeon of Doom as The Zodiac, as The Booty Man (a character infatuated with his own buttocks) and The Disciple (a body guard of Hollywood Hogan).

### Scott:

This match was between Hulk Hogan's buddy and the Living Legend's kid. It was way too long, and really pointless. This match should have been at the "War to Settle the Score" show in February, and this should have been a tag team match with the Sammartinos against Beefcake and Luscious Johnny Valiant, Beefcake's manager. The problem with this match is that Beefcake isn't as established a worker yet as we would be, so with his role being to dictate the pace, it was a struggle to really get the match going. This was too big a stage for two fairly inexperienced guys to work alone. I'm actually stunned that they didn't have Valiant and Sammartino in this match to really sizzle the card up. Sadly the match was a lot of punches and kicks, a far cry from the work we saw in the previous match. The match would end with the expected chicanery from Luscious John and the "Living Legend". They would brawl in the ring and the referee would throw the whole thing out. I think this was probably as much as everybody was expecting, but it would have fit better at the February set-up show and have a tag team match here.

### Justin:

David Sammartino. Where do we start? He looks like he should be doing news flashes on sports talk radio, not wrestling on the biggest show in WWF history. His dad even cuts him off mid-promo to talk down Johnny V, his counterpart on the outside of the ring in the one. Although, David at least go to talk. Brutus Beefcake stood quietly stoic as V ranted and raved. I take back what I said earlier. David looks like a guy that groomed and bred dogs from a home kennel, still not a pro wrestler. Beefcake was quite trim here and he and V stalled things off the bell, slowly disrobing and milking the crowd. Jesse works in my favorite talking point as he mentions that a loss here would set one of these guys back by a year or so. David looks like a real mess in his granny panty tights, short frame and wide ass. But, he showed some energy early, really bouncing around and working presentable mat offense. Things would stay on the mat as both men alternated control and focused on different body parts. Gorilla put over David's amateur wrestling skill as it relates to his moveset exhibited here. I put over his ability to sell mobile phones at a kiosk in the mall, still not a wrestler. You can't kill this crowd at all as they are cheering on David during his big comeback, filled with right hands and kicks. As David looked to start wrapping things up, Beefcake headbutted him in the stomach and chucked him to the floor, where V slammed him, triggering a huge pier six brawl in the ring that blew the Garden apart. The match ended in a schmozz but wow that was a hot thirty second explosion once Bruno started wailing on V. This match wasn't nearly as bad as I always thought it was, as David showed good fire and Beefcake bumped and sold for him. The finish was pretty fun too. Nice job, David. Now get back on the lot and sell me an affordable, used car.

### Match #5: Junkyard Dog defeats Greg Valentine by countout at 7:03; Valentine retains WWF Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact I: Greg Valentine was a big time heel in NWA-Mid-Atlantic. His resume includes the US Heavyweight Championship, a tag team title with Ric Flair, and a legendary dog collar match with Roddy Piper at the first Starrcade. He jumped ship to the WWF and defeated Tito Santana for the Intercontinental Title on September 24, 1984 in London, Ontario. Tito had won the Intercontinental Title from Don Muraco on February 11th, ending Muraco's 13 month reign.

Fun Fact II: From the small town of Wadesboro, NC comes one of the perennial fan favorites from the Rock 'N Wrestling era. Sylvester Ritter was a star football player at Fayetteville State University, twice earning honorable mention All-American status. After graduating, Ritter began his wrestling career in Tennessee working for promoters Jerry Jarrett and Nick Gulas. He later moved on to Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Calgary before joining Mid-South wrestling in 1981 under Bill Watts. This is where Ritter would get the name and gimmick that would stick with him for the remainder of his career. He was given the name Junkyard Dog and would wear a neck collar and chain to the ring before his matches. Early on in his new gimmick, JYD would come out to the ring pushing a cart filled with junk called the "Junk Wagon". He was predominantly a jobber early on until his gimmick caught on with crowds. Over time he because the top face of Mid-South where he feuded with the likes of the Fabulous Freebirds, Ted DiBiase, King Kong Bundy, Butch Reed and Kamala.

In 1984, JYD moved to the WWF where he was still over as one of the top faces in the company. Often after his matches, he would invite children to the ring to dance and made sure to interact the the young audience that was attending wrestling events. He would record a new theme song that he would come out to the ring to called "Grab Them Cakes", which appeared on the WWF's first music compilation, The Wrestling Album. JYD would win the tournament during the WWF's first official PPV event, The Wrestling Classic, and would have numerous memorable feuds, including one with King Harley Race which would culminate at Wrestlemania III. JYD would continue wrestling with the WWF until 1988. He would wrestle short stints in WCW until 1993 and would stay active in wrestling until his death.

On June 2, 1998 on his way from Mississippi to see his daughter's high school graduation in Wadesboro, NC, Ritter fell asleep at the wheel and was killed in a single car accident. JYD was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2004 the night before Wrestlemania XX in New York City. Accepting the award was his daughter LaToya Ritter and his sister Christine Woodburn.

### Scott:

The current Intercontinental champ detours from his vicious feud with Tito Santana, to take on Santana's pal, the JYD. Dog was a big time babyface in Louisiana, and in Memphis. He arrived in the WWF in 1984, and immediately became a fan favorite. This stems from a Lumberjack match Santana and Valentine had 2 weeks prior at MSG. JYD was one of the lumberjacks and a skirmish broke out between the two. Here, Valentine apparently won with a roll-up that included his feet on the ropes. Tito Santana came out to dispute with the ref that Valentine's feet were on the ropes. The ref agreed, and counted Valentine out as he was leaving the arena. This would be JYD's only WrestleMania win. Just like the previous match, I was surprised that we didn't see the actual #1 contender for the IC Title getting a title shot here. Maybe it was to set Santana up to the TV audience as a legit contender with a warm-up match earlier in the show. You obviously can't leave the very over JYD off the card so this is fine. The Hammer was one of my brother's favorite guys back in the day because of his love of good heels and because he's a great worker. Valentine and Santana would continue their feud for a few more months, and Santana would regain the IC Title in a classic cage match on July 7, 1985.

### Justin:

In our first title match of the evening, Greg Valentine puts his prized Intercontinental Title on the line against the always popular, if not completely regressing Junkyard Dog. Earlier, I reference that I had a better spot in mind for Tito Santana, and this was it. Why not do a hot blowoff between the two bitter rivals that had been warring over the gold prior to this show? JYD felt a bit shoehorned in. Plus, he didn't have a lot left in the tank when it came to in-ring work. Early on, it felt like Valentine wanted to wrestle in this one, but JYD derailed him with headbutts and strikes. Valentine fought through it and went right to the knee, trying to weaken the limb for the figure four. Dog was moving so slow here and did nothing more than throw punches. I mean, sure the crowd eats it up, but shit what a waste of Valentine on this show. The Hammer would roll JYD up and use the ropes as leverage to get the pin and retain his title. And then in a really stupid spot, Santana shows up and tells the ref that Valentine cheated, so he decides to restart the match and count Valentine out while he has a big stupid grin on his face. Jesse is pissed off and I can't disagree. What a sham. Valentine deserved better than this for sure.

### Match #6: Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff defeat US Express to win WWF Tag Team Titles when Volkoff pinned Barry Windham after Iron Sheik hit him with Freddie Blassie's cane at 5:00

Fun Fact I: The song "Real American" was originally for the US Express, not Hulk Hogan.

Fun Fact II: In early 1985, Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo were the fair haired golden boys of the WWF. On January 21st, they defeated Adrian Adonis and Dick Murdoch for the straps, but their reign would be short-lived, as Vince wanted to pull a shocker on PPV. They would regain the belts from Sheik and Volkoff on June 17th, but would quickly lose them again to the upstart Dream Team (Brutus Beefcake and Greg Valentine) on August 24th. Following the loss, Barry Windham got into an argument with Vince and decided to bail to the NWA. Rotundo, never one to burn bridges, decided to go with his partner, but he made sure to leave on amicable terms with Vince to ensure he would have a future with him. Rotundo's foresight definitely paid off six years later, when he was looking for a job and Vince gave him one, along with a solid long-term push and a solid character: Irwin R. Shyster. Windham's careless bailing stuck in Vince's mind, and even though he rehired him a couple of times, he never gave him a good push again.

Fun Fact III: Josip Nikolai Peruzović was born in 1947 in the Socialist Republic of Croatia, which was part of Yugoslavia. Peruzović was part of the Yugoslavian weightlifting team until 1967 when he defected to Canada. He was trained by Stu Hart in Calgary before coming to the United States in 1970 where he began wrestling for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). He was given the character name Bepo Mongol and was paired with Geto Mongol, both managed by Captain Lou Albano. The team captured the WWWF International Tag Team titles on June 15, 1970 before losing them to Luke Graham and Tarzan Tyler in a match that unified the International and World Tag Team titles.

During the Cold War, Russian characters were easy heel characters in wrestling. Peruzović broke away from his tag team partner and was repackaged as a singles wrestler with the new name Nikolai Volkoff, billed from Moscow, Russia. Volkoff would go on to make numerous runs at the WWWF title early on in his singles career.

In late 1974, Volkoff moved on to the AWA where he maintained the Russian gimmick, but took on a new name, Boris Breznikoff, managed by Bobby 'The Brain" Heenan. He returned to the WWWF in 1976 and went back to his Nikolai Volkoff name, which he would hold until his retirement. In the early 80s, Volkoff wrestled a brief stint in Mid-South Wrestling until Bill Watts.

With Vincent K. McMahon now in charge in the northeast, Volkoff came back to what was now the WWF where we was teamed with The Iron Sheik to form a formidable foreign tag team. Volkoff would come to the ring and ask that the audience rise for his singing of the Soviet national anthem, which caused the crowd to boo like mad before their match ever began. The duo would win the WWF Tag Team titles at Wrestlemania I, but would lose them back to the US Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) just 3 months later. After losing the tag titles, Volkoff would wrestle in singles competition in addition to tag team, chasing the World title held by Hogan.

In late 1987, Volkoff would team with another Russian character, Boris Zukhov (who was actually American wrestler James Harrell), to form the tag team, The Bolsheviks. They feuded with The Power of Pain (The Barbarian and The Warlord), wrestling them at the first SummerSlam event in 1988. The team never gain as much traction with crowds as the Volkoff/Sheik team did. Over time the team was relegated to comedy matches with The Bushwackers. The team dissolved in 1990 after Volkoff confronted Zukhov prior to a match and began singing "The Star Spangled Banner", garnering huge cheers from the crowd. Volkoff became a fan favorite following the turn and fall of the Soviet Union. He would leave the WWF in 1990, but would make a brief return in 1992 for the Royal Rumble match. In 1994, he would return again as a lackey in the Million Dollar Corporation before going into semi-retirement. Volkoff was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2005.

Fun Fact IV: From 1978 until 1983, the world title in the WWWF/WWF territory was held by Bob Backlund, a straight-laced babyface champion. When Vince Jr. took over the business from his father, he had bigger plans and want to put the title on the more charismatic character Hulk Hogan. In order to do so, he needed the right heel to beat Backlund and then lose to Hogan. The Iron Sheik fit this bill.

Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, later known as The Iron Sheik, was born in Tehran, Iran. Vaziri made a name as an amateur wrestler and served on the Iranian Greco Roman wrestling team for the 1968 Summer Olympic games in Mexico City. He later moved to the United States and became an assistant coach for 2 US Olympic teams.

Vaziri started his professional career in 1972 under Verne Gagne. After wrestling as a face early on in the AWA, his character was changed to what he would use for the rest of his career. Vaziri shaved his head, grew a buffo style mustache and began wearing curl toed boots. Due to the politics of the day, the new character, originally named The Great Hossein Arab and later The Iron Sheik, drew a lot of attention. The Iron Sheik had a brief stint in the 1979 and a run in the NWA territories in 1980-82. He returned to the WWF in 1983 where he was brought into a feud with Bob Backlund for the World title. On the day after Christmas, 1983 in Madison Square Garden, the world was stunned as the 6 year champion Backlund was defeated for the title. Backlund never submitted to the Camel Clutch finisher, but Backlund's manager, Arnold Skaalund, threw in the towel causing the title change. Sheik held the title for a little less than 1 month before dropping the title to Hogan in MSG on January 23, 1984, sparking the beginning of Hulkamania.

He would later team with Nikolai Volkoff with manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie where they would win the WWF World Tag Team titles from the US Express at Wrestlemania I, the first title change ever at the megashow.

Later in his career, The Iron Sheik would take on the role of Colonel Mustafa who was aligned with Iraqi sympathizer Sgt. Slaughter during his WWF title run around the time of the Gulf War in 1991. The Iron Sheik made his final Wrestlemania in-ring appearance at Wrestlemania X-7 in Houston, Texas where he won the gimmick battle royal. In 2005, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by Sgt. Slaughter.

### Scott:

The first title change in WWF PPV history came as quite a shock. Barry Windham and Mike Rotundo had been on a roll since winning the titles a few months before. They were also quite popular with the fans. Their opponents had been put together only recently before this, but since both Iran and the Soviet Union were on the country's collective shit list, Vince figured why not. This match/package is the worst example of these pre-shot interviews as both Windham and Rotundo say they're heading straight to the ring right now, even though they still have their jeans and polo shirts on. The match is a basic tag formula match, and with four fairly good workers in the ring it makes it very entertaining. Sure Nikolai doesn't have the quickness that the other three guys do, but he is a solid power guy who can fit himself into the match in his own way. The match gets really hot at the end when Windham gets the hot tag and that's when I thought we have a successful title defense. However, in what would be one of many heel screwjobs in PPV history, the Eastern Bloc heels gain a win thanks to Freddie Blassie's cane. It's a great example of the old school manager we don't see in current day wrestling anymore. Sheik and Volkoff would hold the titles for a couple of months, and then the Express gets it back. Not a bad match.

### Justin:

The big matches are stacked up fast and furious now, as this bout has the tag team titles on the line. The US Express were good fan favorites and worthy champions for sure. Unfortunately they have allowed that pie eating slob Lou Albano to glom onto their heat, as he does every other tag team that is worth anything. In the prematch promo, Albano is sipping from a can of soda with his gut hanging out, rambling on about effort or some such. Their opponents were led by a real manager, the Ayatollah Freddie Blassie. I loved that shit. Sheik & Volkoff were a great heat seeking missile of a tag team and it was shrewd to put them together as they just had a great evil foreigner look that worked perfectly here in 1985. The fans were rocking from the entrance of the champs right through Rotundo's early flurry, which included a great slam of Sheik where he chucked him down with real force. The champs quick tagged their way into a really nice pace until the foreigners used some chicanery to slow them up. They would really rough up Rotundo, yanking him around with some true anger. Windham would get the hot tag and was all fired up, working Nikolai over with vigor before dropping him with the bulldog. Unfortunately, as the referee was tied up with Rotundo, Sheik blasted Windham with Blassie's cane to steal the win and the titles. This was smart because you needed at least one memorable title change on this show, and this was a layup decision to build heat and deliver that moment. These four worked well together here, and when you blend in the stiffness of Sheik & Volkoff with the fire and selling of Rotundo & Windham, you get a nice finished product.

### Match #7: André the Giant defeats Big John Studd in a $15,000 Bodyslam match when he slams Studd at 5:49

Fun Fact I: There were two huge stipulations in this match: if André the Giant wins he gets $15,000 of Studd's money, but if Studd wins, André would be forced to retire.

The feud between Studd and André had been brewing for 2 years at this point. Big John Studd and his manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie had issued a "Bodyslam Challenge", offering $10,000 (which later grew to $15,000) to anyone that could slam Studd. Studd had boasted that no one could slam the big man. After several unsuccessful competitors, André took up the challenge. In their first encounter, André was about to slam Studd before Blassie interfered and attacked André from behind. Their feud continued throughout 1983 with André slamming Studd several times, once so hard that the ring collapsed. In spite of being slammed, Studd continued to bill himself as the "True Giant of Wrestling" and claiming that he had never been slammed. Studd was later paired with Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, which took the feud to a new level. The heat in the feud was turned up after a televised tag team match match where Studd and Ken Patera teamed against André and S.D. Jones. After the match, Studd and Patera attacked André and cut his hair. Afterward, André accepted Studd's "$15,000 Bodyslam Challenge" that would be held at the inaugural Wrestlemania.

Fun Fact II: André René Roussimoff, better known to the world as André the Giant, was born in Grenoble, France in 1946. Early in his childhood he began showing symptoms of gigantism, a condition which results in excessive growth and height. By the age of 12, André was already 240 lbs. at a height of 6'3". André began his professional wrestling career at the age of 17 after he moved to Paris. He wrestled under the name Géant Ferré, which was a mythical French giant. He began making a name for himself over parts of Europe, Australia and Africa.

André premiered in Japan in 1970 where he was billed as the Monster Roussimoff. During his time in Japan, doctors diagnosed him with acromegaly, which develops when the anterior pituitary gland produces an excess amount of growth hormone. André moved on to wrestling in Montreal and for Verne Gagne's AWA. After the novelty of André's size would wear off, ticket gates would drop. André's business manager, Frank Valois, contacted Vince McMahon, Sr. for advice and he offered several suggestions. They put together a strategy to bill André as an immovable giant and changed his name to André the Giant. He was loaned out to promotions around the world for short periods of time to keep from overexposing him and was given guaranteed money as well as a billing fee paid to McMahon.

André debuted in the WWWF in 1973 and quickly became a fan favorite as well as in other territories. When Vince Jr. purchased the business from his Dad, he required wrestlers to work under exclusive contracts which he required of André as well, although he did allow André to appear for NJPW as well. The largest and most well known feud of his career was the one in the last 1980s with Hulk Hogan which would result in the headline match at Wrestlemania III.

As his career neared an end, André's health issues started becoming more noticeable in matches. On January 27, 1993, André passed away in his sleep from congestive heart failure. Later that year, McMahon would form the WWF Hall of Fame and André the Giant was the sole inaugural inductee.

Fun Fact III: Big John Studd, born John Milton, was trained by Killer Kowalski and made his pro wrestling debut in 1972 under the name Chuck O' Connor. He would jump around the various territories in the early part of his career, where he achieved success as a tag team wrestler. Studd and Kowalski teamed to win the WWWF tag team titles in 1976 and Studd teamed with Ken Pattera to win the NWA Mid-Atlantic tag team titles in 1978.

When Studd returned to the WWF in 1982, he was paired with manager "Classy" Freddie Blassie and later with Bobby "the Brain" Heenan. He wrestled as the top challenger for Bob Backlund's WWF championship, but never defeated him for the title. He is best known for his ongoing feud with André the Giant. Later in his run with the WWF, we would team with King Kong Bundy to continue to feud with André and other faces in the company.

Studd retired from the WWF for a couple of years in the mid-80s before returning to the promotion in 1988 as a face. He feuded with members of the Heenan family, who he had turned his back on when he returned. In 1989 Studd won the first PPV edition of the Royal Rumble.

Studd died of liver cancer and Hodgkin's disease on March 20, 1995. He was inducted posthumously into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1995 and into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 prior to Wrestlemania XX.

### Scott:

Two of the biggest (literally) legends of the ring clash in a match that had been brewing for some time. This stems from a feud that started in late-1984 that saw Ken Patera and Studd shave off André's famous afro. Many considered this match at main event level when the card was released. The match itself is not great, as André was already showing his age and the effects of his condition that made him as big as he was. The match is a lumbering affair as both men work each other over with simple strikes and posturing. The feud and the promos were incredible, but it was evident we were not going to get Ricky Steamboat-type offense here. Still the crowd was rabid for this match and would have definitely been crestfallen if Andre lost the match and had to retire. In the days of kayfabe that would have been a pretty devastating loss. Add to the fact that apparently André and Studd legitimately didn't like each other and it adds so much to the match. The big pop comes as he slams Studd, takes the duffel bag with the cash, and tossed it into the crowd before Bobby Heenan swiped the bag and ran away. A big win for the legend. On a side note, I always wanted that WWF duffel bag.

### Justin:

We are seven matches in and I think this is the first match that had any true level of buildup behind it. These guys had been battling for a while and a big part of that story was the Heenan Family shaving André's vintage afro. So, here we get André's career on the line up against a whole bag full of cash. I like the slam stipulation too as it mixes things up and helps this bout stand out as the very top of the undercard. The NY crowd was hot for André as you would expect. He quickly put Studd on the defensive, kicking him in the head and knocking him to the floor to regroup. André was already moving a lot slower and was much heavier by this point here. It is too bad he couldn't have made it to the PPV era in the shape he was in just a couple of years before. Studd couldn't find any opening at all as André beat him around in the corner before hooking in a bear hug. Studd would get virtually no offense in here as André just kept pouring it on him before slamming him for the win. Wow, that was essentially a squash. André grabbed the bag and got to toss some of the cash to the crowd before Heenan snuck in and took the bag back before quickly escaping. This was more of a moment than a match, per se, but that was good for a show like this that needed as many memorable moments as it could get. Despite the actual match being nothing, it gets a little bump due to the big spot and the crowd pop that resulted.

### Match #8: Wendi Richter defeats Leilani Kai to win WWF Women's Title when Richter reversed a High Cross Body at 6:12

Fun Fact I: Richter shocked the wrestling world when she defeated The Fabulous Moolah for the title on July 23, 1984 at MSG, after Moolah dominated the title since 1956, only losing for a few days here and there. Moolah then took on Lelani Kai as her charge, and Kai (with the help of Moolah) took the title from Richter on February 18, 1985 at "The War to Settle the Score".

Fun Fact II: The Rock 'N' Wrestling Connection began in 1983 as a cross-promotional endeavour between the WWF and different groups in the music agency. The idea came from WWF manager Captain Lou Albano, who met Cyndi Lauper on a plane to Puerto Rico. Lauper invited Albano to appear in her music video for her hit song, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun", where he would play the role of her father. Lauper later appeared in a Piper's Pit segment with Albano. Lauper was called a "broad" during the segment by Albano, which led to a challenge by Lauper. Each would choose a female wrestler and the two would wrestle each other. Wendi Richter was Lauper's choice, with Albano selecting The Fabulous Moolah. On July 23, 1984, "The Brawl to End It All" match was broadcast live on MTV. Richter defeated Moolah for the WWF women's title after Lauper hit Moolah with her purse, ending Moolah's WWF promoted 28 year reign as champion.

On December 28, 1984, Lauper would kick off another angle for the WWF. On this date she presented an award to Captain Lou. During the event, Rowdy Roddy Piper came out, insulted Lauper's music and then smashed the framed award over Albano's head. Lauper was knocked over and her manager David Wolfe was bodyslammed by Piper before Hulk Hogan hit the ring and Piper retreated. This led to a match between Hogan and Piper at "The War to Settle the Score" event at Madison Square Garden on February 18, 1985 with Albano and Lauper both in Hogan's corner.

Lauper would be involved in another event on that same show regarding the Women's title. Moolah, still upset after her earlier loss to Richter, would challenge her to a match on behalf of another women's wrestler, Leilani Kai. The match was set for "The War to Settle the Score", with Lauper in Richter's corner and Moolah in Leilani Kai's corner, with Kai winning the title. A rematch was set for the inaugural WrestleMania event with Lauper again managing Richter and appearing in her corner.

### Scott:

One of the highlights of the show has the very popular Texan defeating Moolah's girl from Hawaii. The match is a little sloppy, and even the ending with Richter reversing the High Cross Body was not quite smooth. This match was all about Richter's "manager" for the night, Cyndi Lauper. She was part of the big "War to Settle the Score" card in February. This also included heel manager Captain Lou Albano, but he was a face by now. I love in the pre-match promo that Lauper called Kai "LANNY KAI". So funny with that Queens accent. This match (aside from the main event) may have been the most hyped match on the entire card. It really was the lynch pin of this entire show and of the environment that the WWF became. Rock and Wrestling was this match, let's not deny it. Obviously the main event was the selling point of the show but without Cyndi Lauper's involvement, this show (and the War to Settle the Score) wouldn't have had the mainstream attention that this first WrestleMania needed to succeed. Both women worked their tails off in this match as Richter was a good worker but I think Lelani Kai deserves some credit here for working the heel role to perfection Moolah kept the heat going outside, Lauper did a nice job of taking that out of the equation too. Richter reversed a high cross body for the three count and the place went crazy when Richter won the belt, but she was on borrowed time. She would be screwed years before Montreal was ever on our minds. Still, a fun match and a very memorable moment in WWF history.

### Justin:

You may not expect it, but the excitement of the Garden is off the charts for this next match. The main reason, you ask? Cyndi Lauper. The pop star was hot as ever at this point, and her albums were flying off the charts. Luckily, Vince McMahon ignored the old school purists who told him his Rock 'n' Wrestling idea would never work. Vince had the vision and long term planning to hook up with MTV early on and jump on the music bandwagon. Thus, once Lauper hit it big, it was all worked out to have her and her manager, David Wolfe, get involved in storylines, including a classic moment where Roddy Piper kicked her in the head. The heat was out of control for the whole thing, and it spills over to the culmination at this show. Her snappy accent and fast paced talking style was perfect and she did a nice job building the match on TV and in the prematch promo. I thought it was smart to add Moolah in the mix here too to add some legitimacy to the match. It would be hard to see them having a women's match on this show and not have Moolah involved somehow. MSG was bananas for Lauper and her and Richter jogging to the ring like rock stars is one of WrestleMania's most memorable entrances of all time. Gorilla Monsoon may have said it constantly, but this really was a happening. The match itself is a clusterfuck of blown spots, sloppy wrestling and the usual women's fare, but it really didn't matter. When Richter gets the three, the roof nearly blows off, and causes this to be the absolute peak of women's wrestling during this era, as it was placed on an important part of the card and overshadowed everything before it. It was just a fun moment that sees a lot of chaos and a hot ending that popped MSG big time. To me the whole package was much more important than the wrestling for this one and my grade reflects it.

### Match #9: Hulk Hogan and Mr. T defeat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff when Hogan pins Orndorff after Bob Orton accidentally hit Orndorff with his cast at 13:22

Fun Fact I: This also stemmed from the "War to Settle the Score" show at MSG on February 18, 1985. The show was televised on MTV, and it included a World Title match between Hogan and Piper. The match ends in a messy schmozz, including security and police officers, and we come to this. Over the coming weeks, lots of workout vignettes from both sides aired to pump up the match. Then, in the days leading up to this match, Mr. T began to get a little weird about the whole thing, and even ended up disappearing for a while the DAY of the show. Hogan and Vince were freaking out, but T finally surfaced and the match went off without a hitch.

Fun Fact II: Terry Bollea was a lifelong wrestling fan that was discovered in a gym by the Briscos and eventually trained by Hiro Matsuda. He made his pro debut in Florida, but quickly burnt out thanks to Matsuda's strict training regimen. After some time away, Bollea craved to return to the business, and along with friend Ed Leslie, he got back into the game in the Alabama territory. After a run as the Boulder Brothers, Bollea & Leslie were offered more money to jump to Memphis by Jerry Jarrett, and they quickly accepted. After a local TV appearance where he dwarfed Lou Ferrigno, Jarrett dubbed him Terry "The Hulk" Boulder. In late 1979. Bollea was lured to New York by Vince McMahon, Sr. and was given the in ring name of Hulk Hogan. After a successful heel run and spending some time honing his skills in Japan, Bollea was offered a role in Rocky III. McMahon refused to let him participate in the movie, so Hogan quite the WWF and joined AWA instead. An early heel run turned into a red-hot face turn and the birth of Hulkamania. As 1983 ticked away, Hogan saw the writing on the wall and where AWA was headed, so he decided to return to New York. On 12/27, Hogan returned to WWF TV and solidified his New York face persona by saving Bob Backlund from an attack a few weeks later. On 1/23, Hogan shocked the WWF fans by knocking off the Iron Sheik to win the WWF Championship. His star would explode as the year went on, and along with Vince McMahon, he was the man that would help lead the promotion from a strong territory into a multimillion dollar national wrestling company.

Fun Fact III: Canadian Roderick Toombs left home as a young teenager, travelling the country and eventually make his pro wrestling debut at the age of fifteen. In 1973, he hit the United States, beginning a stretch where the newly named Roddy Piper competed as an enhancement talent in Kansas City, Texas and with the AWA. Eventually he landed in California and it was there that he received his first sustained push. By late 1975, he was a top heel in NWA's San Francisco and Los Angeles territories. In 1980, he moved across the country and joined NWA's Mid-Atlantic territory, igniting a heated feud with Ric Flair. He also spent time in Georgia as a heel color announcer. Piper would eventually turn face and become embroiled in tremendous feuds with Flair, Sgt. Slaughter and Greg Valentine, the latter with whom he had a memorable, bloody dog collar match with at the inaugural Starrcade. In late 1983, he turned heel once again and fulfilled his final NWA dates because in 1984, he would be heading to New York. After joining the promotion as a manager for Paul Orndorff and David Schultz, Piper would step back into the ring full time as a top flight feel. Later that year, he created his infamous talk show segment, Piper's Pit. Much of 1984 was centered around his brutal feud with Jimmy Snuka but by 1985, he was elevated to the main event and entered into a feud with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan.

Fun Fact IV: After a brief run in professional football, Paul Orndorff focused his sights on pro wrestling in 1976, when he hooked up with the Mid-South territory in Memphis. After leaving Memphis, Orndorff continued to win gold across various NWA territories, before settling in Alabama in 1979. He returned to Mid-South in late 1980, working various opponents until early 1982, when he moved on to Georgia. After a brief run in Japan, Orndorff signed with the WWF in late 1983. By early 1984, he was aligned with Roddy Piper and was becoming one of the hottest heels in the territory. Now dubbed "Mr. Wonderful", Orndorff worked with Piper and manager Bobby Heenan to terrorize WWF faces, eventually leading them into a mega-feud with Hulk Hogan as 1984 was coming to a close. Orndorff teamed with Piper to battle Hogan & Mr. T at the first Wrestlemania. After some miscommunication, Orndorff ate the pin and would become the scapegoat for the loss. After Piper officially turned on him, Orndorff became a hot face, dumping Heenan, and aligning with Hogan. A bitter Heenan would then place a $25,000 bounty on anyone that could put Orndorff on the shelf. The bounty would eventually be increased to $50,000 as the weeks went on.

### Scott:

The first main event in WrestleMania history is an entertaining affair between the three hottest wrestlers in the promotion at that time, and one of TV's hottest stars. This match, just like the show in general, was reaching national mainstream attention. That was highlighted by Hogan and T hosting Saturday Night Live the night before. With all the celebrities, from Muhammad Ali, to Liberace, to Jimmy Snuka and Cowboy Bob Orton on the outside, MSG was at a fever pitch. The match was a frenetic horse race, with constant movement in the ring and quick tags in and out. I remember as a kid watching Hogan and T on that SNL and really getting into the mood. My dad was a fan along with me and was excited simply because of Billy Martin (who was probably down the street at either Foley's or Jack Dempsey's before the show) as he was a former Yankee. I at the time was in full blown Hulkamania mode and was very pro-babyface here. In the climax, Orndorff has Hogan held from behind, and Orton goes to the top rope, set to drop the cast. Hogan moves out of the way and Orton whacks Orndorff. Hogan gets the pin, and MSG explodes. Piper and Orton, blaming his partner for the loss, walks out with Orndorff was still on dream street. This leads to a few things: 1) Orndorff turning face, 2) The Piper/Mr. T boxing match at WrestleMania II, and 3) The beginning of many great Hulkamania moments in WrestleMania history, and a perfect main event to cap what will become a pro wrestling institution as just as much a rite of spring as the NCAA Tournament and MLB Spring Training.

### Justin:

It is Main Event time, and you knew the company would go all out to make this a big time match and moment. They loaded up the celebrities and hyped this match to no end, including the SNL appearance the night before. Guest ring announcer Billy Martin was about to start his third stint as Yankee manager right after this show and gets a nice welcome from the NY fans. He is followed by guest timekeeper Liberace, who dances with the Rockettes and special enforcer referee, Muhammad Ali, who gets arguably the biggest pop to this point in the show. Piper, Orndorff and Orton were played to the ring by live bagpipers which just brought about a fantastic aura and atmosphere. The really felt like major stars here and there was no better heel on the planet than Piper that would have fit better in this spot at this moment in time. The only entrance that topped that one was the one that followed, as MSG splits apart for Hogan, Mr. T and Jimmy Snuka. All four of these guys were in fantastic shape and ready to make history. As Piper and T stand nose to nose in one of the most famous pictures in Mania history, Gorilla lands ones his most famous lines: "Mr. T has been living on tuna fish and water" to describe his ripped physique. Things break down early as all the seconds and competitors spill into the ring, drawing Ali in to take swipes at Piper and Orton. This was good booking to get the crowd really fired up and show how combustible things could be. After another flurry by Hogan, Team Piper was able to wrest control after a skirmish on the floor. They would work over Hogan until the Champion was able to tag in T, who came in hot but was quickly busted down to the ground by Orndorff. Piper switched in and the plan was clear: keep T grounded and wear him out. That plan never came to fruition as T escaped and tagged Hogan in. Normally you would think chaos would help Piper & Crew but here it backfired. They were in full control, working over both Hogan and T, but once Orton hopped on the apron and drew in Snuka in retaliation, things crumbled. Orton got involved again but his attempt backfired and he clocked Orndorff with his cast, leading to the finish and one last big pop from the fans. Piper & Orton bailed, leaving a confused Orndorff to try to piece together what went down. This was about as perfectly booked as this match could have been, using T to his strengths without overexposing him and letting the pros do the heavy lifting. The celebrities were all also used well too. The first Mania Main Event is in the books and a true legacy has firmly been established.

### FINAL ANALYSIS:

### Scott:

This is the first one, the one that started the greatest extravaganza in wrestling history. OK, as a card it was average. It was pretty much a glorified MSG house show. Who cares, this is WrestleMania. The reason we're all wrestling fans today. There's urban legend that AWA promoter Verne Gagne offered Bruiser Brody $100,000 to jump from the crowd and break Mr. T's leg. This wasn't the first time Gagne, who despised Vince McMahon, threatened something like this. The Iron Sheik says in the Greatest Wrestling Stars of the 80s DVD that Gagne offered him money to injure Hogan in the January 23, 1984 title match. Gagne's fault was not realizing soon enough that wrestling was evolving, and he wasn't. That's why in 1990, the AWA went out of business. Alas, none of it happened, and history was made. There were some shocks (Sheik/Volkoff), some disappointments (Beefcake/Sammartino), and a great main event. As a show, there were better WrestleManias, heck better house shows. It was the first wrestling tape I ever rented, and even though I had been a fan for about a year and a half at that point, I was hooked forever.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

Well, the grandfather of all future PPVs was in the books and Vince McMahon was a successful man. It has been stated many times that Vince invested so much in this show, that if it bombed or failed, he may have gone out of business. Everyone was nervous, right down to Jesse Ventura, who had to be held up from behind by Gorilla Monsoon at the beginning of the show. Thankfully, the show was a mega-hit and WrestleMania is still the main force in wrestling today. In 1984, Vince McMahon had a vision, and many of his confidants followed his lead, and those are the men that helped revolutionize the sport. The men who thought Vince was stupid and didn't jump on the bandwagon would quickly fall to the wayside. His long-term vision of what he wanted the WWF to be came to life with WrestleMania. The show was a perfect blend of wrestling and pageantry and was a prime example of the newest fad in the sport: Rock 'n' Wrestling. WrestleMania was a mega-hit, and because of it, Scott and I have plenty more PPVs to review. The show itself flew by with great pacing and no wasted time. The MSG crowd was insane all night long and everyone worked hard to deliver. This show was much better than I have given it credit for in the past with solid work up and down and tons of memorable moments that live to to this day. It is hard to give this anything but a perfect grade just based on historical significance but the wrestlers and fans held up their end of the bargain as well.

Final Grade:

Place to Be Podcast: Episode #3

#  The Wrestling Classic: Macho Madness is Launched

November 7, 1985

Rosemont Horizon

Chicago, IL

Attendance: 14,000

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon & Jesse Ventura

Fun Fact: This show is the first official WWF pay-per-view event. The concept was to hold a sixteen-man bragging rights tournament to surround a championship showdown between Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper. The company also gave away a Rolls Royce to fan Michael Hamley in a contest giveaway that saw over 250,000 fans enter for a chance to win the luxury car.

### First Round:

### Match #1: Adrian Adonis defeats Corporal Kirchner with a DDT at 2:35

Fun Fact I: After a stint with the US military, Mike Kirchner made his pro wrestling debut in 1980. He joined WWF as an enhancement wrestler but was given a gimmick overhaul and push after Vince McMahon realized he had a legitimate military past. The first Corporal Kirchner vignette aired on August 3 and he made his in ring debut as the character on 8/18.

Fun Fact II: Keith Franke made his pro debut in 1974, eventually adopting the ring name Adrian Adonis and a biker gimmick later in the decade. Around the same time, he hooked up with the AWA, where he formed a successful team with Jesse Ventura. Known as the East-West Connection, they would have a yearlong reign as tag team champions beginning in June 1980. In late 1981, both Ventura and Adonis left AWA for the WWF, where they competed as a team as well as singles competitors. With Ventura forced to the sidelines due to blood clot issues, Adonis formed a new team with Dick Murdoch in 1983. On April 17, 1984 they won the tag team titles, which they held until January 1985. During this time, Adonis also began to bulk up, putting on a gross amount of weight as the months rolled along. After he split with Murdoch, he took on Bobby Heenan as a manager for a brief stretch before switching to Jimmy Hart and meandering through the mid-card for the rest of 1985.

### Scott:

Putting my tape in, I forgot how awesome the old school WWF Home Video open was with the rolling text and the old school footage. Hulk Hogan dropping the elbow on Johnny Rodz in the blue tights. I like how Vince says that this "Wrestlevision" was going to have multi-volumes and the like. There were so many ideas rolling around in that head of his. Our tournament begins with Adrian Adonis, former co-holder of the tag straps and still in his leather outfit before he found his "feminine side" against a clear poser of Sergeant Slaughter, who had bolted for the AWA. Vince tried so hard to put this guy over as the American hero but that just didn't work. The match wasn't much and Adonis wins with his finisher. Jimmy Hart seemed to be managing about fifteen guys at this point. The match wasn't much. Justin must like that Adonis had the Yankees' "NY" on his boots.

### Justin:

Our opening tournament bout pits the rugged, directionless heel Adrian Adonis against the current All-American flag bearer, Corporal Kirchner. Kirchner would grind early, trying to keep the heavier Adonis on the mat so the weight disadvantage wouldn't come into play. Adonis would snap off a nice back suplex to turn the tide of the match. Despite the added weight, Adonis was still a great bumper that used crisp strikes when on offense. I have always enjoyed his work in the ring thanks to his selling and mannerisms. His arsenal was solid too as he blocks a suplex and drops Kirchner with a nice DDT for the win. Adonis had some good heat here and our short but decent opener is in the books.

### Match #2: Dynamite Kid defeats Nikolai Volkoff with a missile dropkick at :06

Fun Fact: The Dynamite Kid, real name Tom Billington, made his debut in Britain in 1975. He was brought over to Calgary in 1978 by Bruce Hart and was instrumental in the training of Bret Hart. Following a stint with Stampede, Dynamite wrestled in Japan from 1980-1984, including a legendary feud with Tiger Mask. Dynamite made his WWF debut on August 29th, 1984 by teaming with Bret to defeat Iron Mike Sharpe and Troy Alexander. One he joined WWF, he continued to also team with his cousin Davey Boy Smith and the team would be dubbed the British Bulldogs.

### Scott:

This was nothing. Volkoff was singing his national anthem and the Kid caught him for the victory.

### Justin:

The high-flying, high-energy Dynamite Kid gets a nice pop for his PPV debut and he had to be looked at as an early favorite in the tourney. The crowd stayed hot as Volkoff started singing the Russian National Anthem and that vociferous heat turned to wild cheers, as Kid leapt up to the top rope like cat and pounced off with a missile dropkick that connected with the back of Nikolai's head. Dynamite fell on top of Volkoff and picked up the quick win to advance. The crowd was great here and I liked Kid take advantage of Volkoff, but the match is nothing. Oh, and I am always sad to see a Russian take the loss in a wrestling ring.

### Match #3: Randy Savage defeats Ivan Putski with a roll up at 2:45

Fun Fact I: Randy Savage needs no introduction to wrestling fans. He made his much-anticipated WWF debut in the fall of 1985. A former standout minor league baseball player, Savage cut his teeth in Memphis with his father Angelo Poffo in a renegade promotion that the family ran, where he wrestled mostly as a heel, but he did have a face run also. He would move on to Mid-South eventually, where his feud with Jerry Lawler in 1984 was well documented, including a memorable steel cage match. He would jump to New York, and after watching all of the WWF's managers vie for him week after week, he introduced the world to his valet, and real-life wife, Miss Elizabeth.

Fun Fact II: Jozef Bednarski was a Polish immigrant that migrated to Texas at a young age and eventually joined the pro wrestling circuit in 1968 as Ivan Putski. Putski would work across the Midwest, Texas and eventually in the AWA, using various gimmicks, including runs as a lucky dimwit and a concentration camo survivor, along the way. He would sign on with Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWWF in 1974 and would become embroiled in memorable feuds with Bruiser Brody, Ivan Koloff and Stan Hansen. In October 1979, Putski teamed with Tito Santana to win the WWF Tag Team titles. He would bounce around the country, still competing with WWF as a lower midcard name talent as the 80s rolled on.

### Scott:

We have the PPV debut of truly one of the greatest superstars of all time. No I'm not talking about Ivan Putski. Although he is a Hall of a Famer, there's no one greater that the Macho Man. He wouldn't be in the workrate groove just yet, as coming fresh from Memphis, Savage did he best stalling and posturing around the ring. Putski was still jacked in his mid-40s as the sauce was flowing all over the place during this time. Putski used punches and forearms to get through this match but Macho Man would get the cheap roll up for the victory. Savage moves on to the next round.

### Justin:

Late 1985 was an interesting time for the WWF as lots of big name talent was starting to filter into the promotion from around the country. Of all the talent that would find its way to New York, Randy Savage had the greatest ceiling of them all. There was no doubt that he had all the tools to become a megastar, all he needed was the opportunity, and that starts here. He really stood out amongst the field of competitors and just had a star presence about him. He also had a major supporter backing him in the commentary booth as Jesse Ventura gushed over Macho Man from bell to bell in every match of his that he called. Here, he talks about how he had helped prep and train Savage for the tournament and even hinted that they may be a tag team someday soon. Savage stalled early and Putski did his best to unnerve him, even spitting in his face at one point. Once he got his hands on Savage, Putski used his power to punch and toss him around the ring. Despite Putski dominating the action, Savage was able to roll him up and steal a win in a match that he got no offense in. Regardless, he moves on to the next round and Polish Power heads home without a win.

### Match #4: Ricky Steamboat defeats Davey Boy Smith by referee stoppage at 2:53

Fun Fact: Davey Boy Smith got his start in Britain at the age of 15. He debuted in 1978 and won a match against Bernie Wright. Despite some resistance from his cousin, the Dynamite Kid, Smith made his way over to Calgary around the same time Dynamite did, and both men would feud over the Stampede British Commonwealth Title in 1982. Smith would also have a brief stint in Japan before making his WWF debut in late 1984 as one half of the British Bulldogs.

### Scott:

This was definitely the most anticipated match of the first round. Two fan favorites and two guys that could really work in the ring. I love how Jesse likes to stir the shit by saying two goodie-goodies will cheat to win anything. This was the best three minutes of the first round as Davey used his size and power to work the smaller Steamboat with a power slam and a headlock but Steamboat with a nice suplex reversal. The match ends when Davey Boy crotches himself on the top rope when missing a cross body. Steamboat looks over to him to show the "competitive babyface" side of the match. This match deserved about five more minutes.

### Justin:

Next up is the most anticipated matchup of the first round, as the luck of the draw delivers us an even matchup with two young studs. We got some early chain work early and that would evolve into a fast paced, crisp, stiff battle. Davey turned the tide and wore Steamboat down by utilizing the press slam, which was a neat weapon here. Steamboat answered with a tremendous delayed suplex, really hoisting Davey up for a while before crashing to the mat. Just as things were really starting to get cooking, Davey went for a dive and ended up crotching himself in the ropes. He collapsed to the mat, writhing in pain and the referee called for the bell. I am not sure if the injury was legit or just a way to move Steamboat along without jobbing Davey Boy. If it was a worked injury, it was a lame finish to what could have been a classic match. I would have loved to see these two get more time to really deliver a classic. Steamboat advances on and Davey heads to the locker room to ice his twig and giggleberries.

### Match #5: Junkyard Dog defeats Iron Sheik with a headbutt at 3:26

### Scott:

Man, the tape cuts off JYD's awesome entrance to "Another One Bites the Dust". Next to Hogan, Junkyard Dog was probably the most popular guys in the whole promotion. Sheik had a great moment in March when he won the Tag Straps with Nikolai Volkoff at WrestleMania, but the US Express won them back in June. Sure the match was pretty sloppy, but back then the fans weren't looking for stuff like that. The Dog fights out of the Camel Clutch, well actually Sheik gave up on the hold and he eventually loses with a simple head butt. Pretty lame ending but the fans get what they want, the Dog wins to move on.

### Justin:

Two longtime wrestling stalwarts square off here as the former champion Iron Sheik looks to get back on the wining path against the always over JYD. Sheik jumped Dog off the bell to gain an early advantage, but JYD made a hot early comeback. JYD would slip up, allowing Sheik to hook in the Camel Clutch. After a good battle, JYD was able to sneak out and break loose. Sheik started jawing with the referee, allowing JYD to crack him with a headbutt and win the match. This was solid and short and the crowd was really into JYD.

### 6) Moondog Spot (Larry Booker) defeats Terry Funk by countout at :25

Fun Fact I: Larry Booker started his career in the southern US in 1979, eventually settling in Memphis, where he teamed with Wayne Ferris as the Blond Bombers. Managed by Danny Davis, they competed in the legendary Tupelo Concession Stand Brawl against Jerry Lawler & Bill Dundee. After splitting with Ferris, Latham resurfaced with a new gimmick and as part of a team under the name Moondog Spot. The Moondogs worked Memphis for a while before hooking up with the WWF as the decade turned. In May 1981, Spot and Rex won the tag team titles from Rick Martel & Tony Garea. The Moondogs would remain as WWF enhancement talent throughout the majority of the 80s before heading back to Memphis.

Fun Fact II: The iconic Terry Funk began his wrestling career in 1965, working for his father's promotion in Amarillo, TX. In 1975, Terry won the NWA Heavyweight Title, defeating Jack Brisco. The reign lasted fourteen months and came to a close at the hands of Harley Race. After the loss, he started teaming with his brother Dory, Jr. and began to tour the country and eventually Japan as well. After really building a name for himself overseas, the Funks finally hit the WWF in 1985, picking up Jimmy Hart as a manager on the way in.

Fun Fact III: Moondog Spot is subbing for the Missing Link.

### Scott:

I was hoping to see crazy Funk beat the hell out of Spot, but instead we get some silly antics with draws and handshakes and Spottie gets the countout win. Why the hell do you put this tournament together if two of these matches were barely thirty seconds? This is so ridiculous. We could have had a simple five-seven minute match instead of all this crap.

### Justin:

The wily veteran Terry Funk heads to the ring for our next opening round match. His opponent is the dimwitted Moondog and Funk and Jimmy Hart figured they could dupe him into an easy loss. So, he strikes a deal with Spot where they would both forfeit the match in lieu of having to fight each other. As Spot was leaving the ring, Funk ambushed him and then battled to the floor. Things backfired, as Spot was able to yank Funk off the apron and slide into the ring in time to win the match and garner the major upset. This was funny and harmless, but it would have been cool to see Funk advance.

### 7) Tito Santana (Merced Solis) defeats Magnificent Muraco with a cradle at 4:13

Fun Fact: Don Muraco is a former Hawaii state amateur wrestling champion that jumped into the pro game in 1970. He trained up and down the pacific coast before accepting an offer to join the AWA, where he remained until 1973, which is when he left for San Francisco. A year later, he ventured south to Florida, where his star began to glow a bit brighter. In 1975, he returned to San Francisco, continuing to collect gold along the way. It was during this run that he first worked as a heel, a role that would suit him quite well as his career rolled on. Over the next four years, Muraco bounced around from California to Florida to Hawaii, honing his craft. In 1981, Muraco finally headed back north, this time signing on with the WWF. He would defeat Pedro Morales for the IC title, which he held for five months. He briefly left the promotion for a stint in Mid-Atlantic, but returned to New York in late 1982 and debuted alongside new manager Captain Lou Albano. On January 22, Muraco defeated Morales to once again become IC champion. After a legendary feud with Jimmy Snuka, Muraco would begin to develop into a tremendous arrogant, pompous, disrespectful heel. He would drop the belt to Tito Santana in February 1984 and would switch managers, this time hooking up with the nefarious Mr. Fuji. Muraco & Fuji would deliver a tremendous mix of villainous mischief and campy humor while developing into one of the most memorable duos in WWF history.

### Scott:

We have a rematch of a pretty awesome feud for the Intercontinental Title from 1983-84. Muraco was an awesome heel in the early-80s but by the time the PPV era starts here he's kind of lost in the shuffle. Tito is very popular and the Intercontinental Champion. Jesse makes a great point when he says Tito was dumb for being in this tournament because if he's hurt and can't defend the title in thirty days he'd have to forfeit the title. That's why he's the greatest color commentator of all time. The match is pretty good but we have a silly schmozz at the end where Muraco gets the three count, but the ref saw Tito's leg on the rope and Tito hits the surprise cradle for the victory. Jesse has a point though, as the ref didn't tell Muraco his three count didn't count. What a booking mess. They make this tournament, and then book it as they go along.

### Justin:

On paper, this was easily in the running for most evenly matched bout of the opening round, as it comprised of two great veterans with history between them, ready to smack each other around. Muraco got off to the hot start, using a good mix of strikes and a power assault. Tito fired back with his aggressive offense, rallying the crowd and keeping Muraco on his heels. Once Muraco turned things back around, I was reminded just how much I loved his power offense, which was different than many on the roster at the time. As the match wound down, it looked like Muraco was going to advance after pinning Santana. However, Tito had gotten his foot on the rope and just popped up, cradled Muraco and the referee counted to three, giving Tito the win. I am fine with the Dusty finish, but I hated that they didn't really explain it or officially restart the match. Instead, Tito just recovered, cradled and won and the ref went along with it. This was a fun match with a lame finish that was just a little too short, something that is quickly becoming a trend on this show.

### Match #8: Paul Orndorff defeats Cowboy Bob Orton via disqualification when Orton uses his arm cast at 6:29

Fun Fact: The son of a pro wrestler, Bob Orton, Jr. began his career in Florida and Georgia in 1972. After a brief stop in New York, Orton would head to Mid-Atlantic as the decade turned. He would be involved in a memorable angle where he and Dick Slater attempted to end Ric Flair's career to earn a bounty set up by Harley Race. After that run, Orton returned to WWF in 1984, taking on a role as Roddy Piper's bodyguard. In early 1985, Orton's forearm was broken during a match with Jimmy Snuka. From that point forward, Orton would wear a cast on his arm, long after his injury had healed, often using it as a weapon.

### Scott:

We actually have a match that's stemmed from a storyline. Orndorff was left in the ring after his team lost at WrestleMania and became a sympathetic babyface. Here he takes on Ace, the henchman of one Roddy Piper, who was Orndorff's partner at MSG in March and walked out on him even though it was Orton's fault when he hit Mr. Wonderful with the cast instead of Hulk Hogan. This was the longest match of the first round and it had the most heat based solely on the facts I presented. That made it pretty entertaining until Orton used the cast to knock Orndorff out and got disqualified. The new hot face wins and moves on to the next round.

### Justin:

The final match of the opening round brings us another battle of great veteran workers that could deliver a solid match in any setting. After some early chain work, Orndorff took control, working Orton's arm and grinding him to the mat as the crowd cheered him on. After being such a tremendous heel, Orndorff's face turn was working well here, thanks to his friendship with Hulk Hogan. Orton would wrest control away and put on a nice little clinic of heel offense. Monsoon and Ventura were good on commentary here, putting over the bounty angle and wondering if anyone would cash in tonight. As the match wore on, I really felt like Orton should get the win and I thought it was coming when he clocked Orndorff with the cast. However, the referee caught him in the act and called for the DQ. I really enjoyed this match and the heel work by Orton was great and helped further his character as well. Orndorff moves on, but I thought Orton should have gotten the duke here.

### Quarterfinals:

### Match #9: Dynamite Kid defeats Adrian Adonis after Adonis collided with Jimmy Hart at 5:23

### Scott:

We move on to the next round here where the time limit goes up five minutes and the matchups are more interesting. Adonis still had some good moves in the ring considering he beefed up a bit from his tag team days. He hadn't really porked out yet but Gorilla did mention the weight gain. Here we begin to see Jesse involve himself in something as he leaves the table mid-match to talk to Macho Man about the next bout in the tournament. Adonis starts to wear down Kid with a headlock and some strikes but eventually Kid hits a gutwrench suplex to get out of the headlock but Adonis regains control and works the leg over. Adonis puts Kid in a pretty bad Scorpion Deathlock but continues to work the leg. Dynamite would get out of it and then both guys go back and forth. We can see the bookers made these later matches better than the throwaway first round matches. Some heel miscommunication leads to Kid getting the win and moving on to the semifinals.

### Justin:

After a quick win in the opening round, Kid wouldn't be able to sneak attack Adonis the way he did Nikolai earlier in the night. Kid would try to use his speed early, but Adonis worked to ground and slow him down a bit, zeroing in on Kid's leg to keep him on the mat. In a really good spot, Adonis snapped Kid over and hooked him in to a tight Scorpion Deathlock. Dynamite fought out of it and forged a nice comeback leading to the win after Adonis collided with Jimmy Hart on the apron. In a weird twist, Adonis had his foot on the rope during the pin, but it goes unnoticed by everyone. This was a fine match that saw great bumping from two of the best bumpers in the promotion.

### Match #10: Randy Savage defeated Ricky Steamboat after using a foreign object at 3:22

### Scott:

Over a year and a half before the epic war in Pontiac, The Macho Man and the Steamer go heads up in this quarterfinal match. These two actually know each other well as they had some memorable house show matches during the summer of 1985. There's a great one at Boston Garden where both men are busted open and the match is almost twenty minutes. There's no room to give them that kind of time here, but heck why not give them a few more minutes. Steamboat has the advantage with a couple of really nice moves but Savage wins with nefarious means, using a foreign object in his tights. The war between these two will continue to brew, but Savage moves on.

### Justin:

As this tournament unfolds, we are really getting treated to some hidden gems, and this may be the greatest of them all on paper. Savage jumps Steamboat before the bell but Ricky would fight back, leading to a brawl on the floor. Both men were so damn fast, crisp and graceful in the ring, it was just so enjoyable to watch. For the second straight match, Ventura really pushes his relationship with Savage. That Jesse training is clear in the finish as Savage pops Steamboat with a foreign object to steal the win. This was just a glimpse of what these two greats could do in a match, but as is this was just criminally short and never got into the groove you knew they could deliver. Savage's run continues and the Dragon packs his bags and heads home.

### Match #11: Junkyard Dog defeats Moondog Spot at :27

### Scott:

A pure throwaway match to get the JYD through to the next round. This is so unorganized that there's no referee in the ring and the Dog had to count himself. So ridiculous.

### Justin:

As great as our last sprint was, this disaster was equally as sloppy. There was no referee in the ring to start the match, so Spot just decides to attack Dog and the bell rings. JYD smacked Spot down, covered him and counted his own pinfall. And for some reason, the bell rings and the fall counted! This was stupid and confusing and the announcers had no idea what was going on either. I guess the referee was late coming out to the ring and they wanted to keep the show rolling along briskly. The match was never going to be any good, so it doesn't matter in the end but it was confusing as hell. Spot's miracle run ends here at the hands of his canine counterpart.

### Match #12: Tito Santana and Paul Orndorff wrestle to a double countout at 8:03

### Scott:

Another unique encounter in the tournament with two babyfaces going at it. Once again Jesse stirs the shit by says the "old" Orndorff is ready to erupt. I really enjoyed this match as both men grappled in the ring with submission wear down moves, and then it really picked up when they both brawled outside the ring and were counted out. Cheesy ending with both men out, but that was a good decision because Dynamite Kid and Randy Savage will be a better match than anybody Junkyard Dog would face. It's unfortunate because this was a fun match to watch had it had a better ending.

### Justin:

The quarterfinals wrap up with an unexpected battle between upper mid card face studs. The bounty storyline was brought up once again by Ventura, as he wondered whether Tito had it in him to try to injure Orndorff and cash in. Another storyline woven into the bout centered around Tito's taped up thigh. They both worked on the mat early, with Tito trying to grind Orndorff down as much as possible. They would trade off control and countermoves as the match wore on. Jesse kept waiting for heel antics from one of the two men, but his requests went unanswered as Orndorff kept things clean and worked over Tito's leg with precision. Tito's selling was very good as well, as he really put over the severity of the leg injury. The two would eventually tumble to the floor and business picked up a bit out there, as they started to slug it out. Unfortunately, neither man would make it back inside and the match ended in a double countout, with both men eliminated from the tournament. This was a fun match with some good storyline meat, but as is the trend tonight, it was just too short to really ever get going.

### Match #13: Hulk Hogan defeats Roddy Piper by disqualification when Bob Orton interferes at 7:15; Hogan retains WWF Championship

Fun Fact: This feud was still raging on after they had faced off on separate sides at WrestleMania. Hogan had been fending off Piper and Bob Orton throughout 1985, and the big one-on-one title match was set up to the showcase of this PPV.

### Scott:

I loved when Piper came into the ring with the bagpipers, such pomp and arrogance from one of the greatest heels of all time. This is the second time this year that Hogan and Piper met for the World Title. In February at "War to Settle the Score" their match ended in a crazy chaotic schmozz that led to the Wrestlemania match. This match was entertaining with a lot of action and the crowd was hot. Piper never seemed to want the title, he just wanted to beat Hogan down and take him out. Hogan incidentally was still using "Eye of the Tiger" at this point. Hogan wins in an entertaining match, but again Piper doesn't job.

### Justin:

The top heel in the promotion, Roddy Piper, marches to the ring here, heat raining down on him as he looks to finally wrest away his coveted gold. For as hated as Piper was, Hulk Hogan was equally as over with the fans, garnering a thunderous pop for his arrival. The match got off to a wild start, with both men spilling to the floor and brawling around the ring. Hogan dominated early, but Piper would brawl his way into control, eventually hooking in a sleeperhold. Hogan started to fade, but tumbled out to the floor to break the hold. After a ref bump, Piper grabbed a chair but Hogan was able to dodge the assault and fight Piper off. Seeing his man in trouble, Bob Orton hopped into the ring, leading to a DQ finish. After the bell, Orton and Piper laid a nice beating down on Hogan until Orndorff made the save. The match was just OK and a basic brawl for these two, but the heat was off the charts. Piper's heat remains as he isn't defeated, but Hogan still has the gold around his waist.

### Semifinals:

### Match #14: Randy Savage defeats Dynamite Kid with a cradle at 4:50

### Scott:

This is a great matchup of two risk takers and athletic workers. Savage still hasn't peaked as I mentioned earlier, but we see some glimpses in this tournament. Here he goes move for move with the Kid, and I can honestly say that I would have loved like seven or eight more minutes for these guys. And why not? There's no semifinal match involving Junkyard Dog so give some more time to this match. The best moment of the whole show came at the end of this match, where Dynamite Kid hits a crazy superplex off the top rope, but Savage hooks the legs for a sweet cradle to steal the win. This was such an entertaining match that deserved more time.

### Justin:

Another tournament match is upon us, and with it we are given another workrate treat. As this show has unfolded, it was becoming clear that the tournament was being used to showcase Randy Savage as a legitimate player in the promotion. The two would work to an early stalemate, and just like in Savage's last match, the speed on display here was just off the charts. It was obvious that Savage was starting to wear down a bit in his third match as he was just a step slower than Dynamite, who would take advantage by unleashing a tremendously stiff top rope superplex. Savage would recover just long enough to hook Dynamite's legs into a cradle to steal the crafty win. Once again, we are robbed of a classic thanks to time constraints, but this was wild and hella fun while it lasted.

*** Junkyard Dog earns a bye. Between these matches, the Rolls Royce was presented to contest winner Michael Hamley. ***

### Finals:

### Match #15: Junkyard Dog defeats Randy Savage by countout at 9:42

### Scott:

Our main event and tournament final pits the new hot heel in the company against, next to Hogan, the most popular babyface. Even though on paper this match is a workrate disaster it probably was the best combination to get the fans really going. Savage goes back to his Memphis ways by walking all around the ring and frustrating JYD. Once the match got going it was all punches and head butts as Savage is selling the fact this is his fourth match of the night. At least they pimped this as the last match of the night instead of the title match, not that it matters since both matches ended in schmozzes. This is not a knock on Savage, but how can the finals of a tournament end in a countout? They should have had JYD go over clean, as it doesn't hurt Savage at all and legitimizes a tournament that's been full of schmozz finishes and lousy two minute crap matches. Maybe with this being Savage's first real showcase with the company they didn't want him to lose clean. Wrestling four times in the night and JYD being a legit superstar to me doesn't hurt anything and make JYD look stronger. The Dog hits the pinnacle of his WWF career here and Savage shows he's got the conditioning to battle anybody anytime.

### Justin:

Macho Man's great run was set to come to end here, regardless of result. The only question would be whether he would reign supreme or go home a tough luck loser, coming up just short. The fans were solidly behind JYD as Savage stalled off the bell, trying to dodge the Dog, who was much fresher at this point. JYD would toss Savage around the ring before hooking on a bear hug to try to wear Savage down for good. As JYD continued to control, Ventura ranted and raved about how unfair this was to Savage, with JYD receiving a bye and getting to rest during the previous round. Savage was clearly hurting and worn out as he tried to battle back, and eventually he turned the tide by taking the match to the floor. He would beat on Dog relentlessly out of the ring, including two stiff top rope axehandle drops and a chair shot. I liked the strategy Savage showed here, taking the fight to the floor and assaulting Dog, preventing him from getting into the ring to recover. They would finally make it back inside, but that was short-lived as Savage took a sick over the top rope bump back to the floor. That would prove to be too much as Savage could not return to the ring, as JYD would win the match by count out and take home the tournament crown as well. The finish was kind of weird, but it kept Savage strong and made him look like a gutty warrior who just took one too many stiff blows to make it back inside. After the match, Ventura got into JYD's face, defending his boy and threatening revenge. This was a good brawl and I liked the story of the match, I just thought Savage should have won the tournament as he clearly was the star from the start.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

The official first ever WWF PPV is a mess. The tournament is the focus but it's full of short comedy second matches and non-finishes like countouts. The Chicago crowd was pretty hot throughout, and back in those days workrate was secondary to seeing the good guys win and the bad guys lose. So in that aspect the tournament worked out fine, but in modern day thinking the show was a wreck. They didn't make this an annual thing that's probably a good thing. The two top faces, Hogan and JYD, get big victories and the new hot heel, Savage, has a good showing as well. It's honestly a tough show to watch but it is only two hours so if you have a copy, I guess it doesn't hurt to throw it in for a time killer.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

To me, this entire show was one giant tease. It was filled with matches that had so much potential and could have been loaded with, excuse the pun, wrestling classics. I guess it works as an appetizer to get the characters over on a national level to help draw crowds to local houses, but man, what could have been. Savage was clearly the best positioned competitor here and looked like a star from his first entrance of the night. JYD gets the win to send the fans home happy, but Savage was the true winner on the night. Hogan and Piper have another brawl, ending in a schmozz and their feud rolls on another day. Outside of missed potential, there isn't much else going on here as it's just one short match after another, but heading back to the early Federation Era years is always a treat.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #116

  Wrestlemania II – Three Times the Fun!

  The Big Event: Throwdown in Toronto

#  WrestleMania II: Three Times the Fun

April 7, 1986

Buy Rate: 7.0

Closed Circuit Attendance: 320,000

Nassau Coliseum

Uniondale, New York

Attendance: 16,585

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Susan Saint James

### Match #1: Magnificent Muraco and Paul Orndorff wrestle to a double countout at 4:33

Fun Fact: Muraco was one of the stronger heels in the WWF during the first half of the 80s. He held the Intercontinental Title on two occasions, including one reign that lasted 13 months! He was involved in a brutal feud with Jimmy Snuka that culminated in a legendary cage match at MSG on October 17, 1983 but he's now kind of lost in the shuffle, including being left off the first WrestleMania card. Orndorff was of course in the main event at MSG, but was turned face when Roddy Piper and Bob Orton left him in the ring after they lost.

### Scott:

Not much in this opener, just a lot of punching, kicking, and posturing. You can tell the WWF was just getting their production off the ground, because the audio for the closed circuit feed was low, and some of the camera angles were a little off. I was always confused as to why Muraco, who from 1980-1984 was one of the company's top heels and a dominant Intercontinental Champion, was left off the inaugural Mania card last year and then is given a throwaway match here. It seems that some of the stronger characters in the "pre-PPV era" were tossed aside in favor of the newer guys that Vince poached from the other promotions (AWA, World Class, NWA). The weak ending made no sense unless this feud was continuing, and I don't remember it continuing, so why not have a decisive winner? Orndorff doesn't stay face for long, as he will begin a memorable feud with Hulk Hogan in a few months.

### Justin:

We kick off WrestleMania II with one of the main event stars from a year earlier. We are back in New York City, but this time it is only for a portion of the card, which has now been split up across three cities. Vince McMahon has the call here, alongside TV star Susan St. James. I always wondered why Don Muraco was left off WrestleMania I when you consider he was a pretty big star for the company since 1983. It was a really odd oversight. Here, he draws the goat from a year ago, Orndorff, who has since turned face after he took the heat from Roddy Piper and Bob Orton. I don't necessarily disagree with these two going at it, but when you examine the rest of the card, they were seemingly wasted in a curtain jerker that goes nowhere. St. James adds nothing almost immediately, trying to analyze, but getting stomped on by Vince, who was still using his old "solo WWWF" commentary style. She also impressed by wondering if the Japanese Fuji is impressing "ancient Chinese secrets" upon his charge. Got to love mid-80s racism. Just when this thing was getting cooking, both men spilled out to the floor and brawled to a double countout. What a disappointment. If you are going to waste them, at least let them go 10-12 and give us a hot opener. This was nothing and helped nobody.

### Match #2: Randy Savage defeats George Steele to retain WWF Intercontinental Title when he rolls up Steele with his feet on the ropes at 7:06

Fun Fact I: The Animal, George Steele has been around the WWF for a few years. He was a vicious heel under the tutelage of Captain Lou Albano. He turned face in 1985 at the first SNME after being attacked by Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff after a loss, and has kind of floated around the mid-card for a while.

Fun Fact II: On the January 4, 1986 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event (recorded December 19, 1985), George Steele developed a crush on Miss Elizabeth. Over the next few weeks, Steele would begin giving gifts to Miss Elizabeth, infuriating the Macho Man, which would lead to this match at WrestleMania II.

### Scott:

The second Intercontinental Title match in WrestleMania history is, as expected, a huge disappointment. A lot of Memphis stalling by Savage, who hadn't quite gotten it out of his system yet. It really was dull, and with a guy like Steele, it was worse. Steele doesn't exactly have a Ric Flair-type repertoire of moves, so he just ran around flailing his arms. Every time he'd go up to Elizabeth, Savage would hit him from behind. Randy Savage made immediate dividends a few months earlier at the Wrestling Classic when he got to the finals and lost to Junkyard Dog (without getting pinned). Then to prove that he was a guy that the company wanted to hang their hat on as a foundation for this era, he wins the Intercontinental Title over the popular Tito Santana. Steele was definitely one of those "pre-PPV" guys that Vince was probably starting to phase out when he saw that the TV audience was looking to younger, fresher babyfaces. The match is really nothing more.

### Justin:

And things somehow get worse, despite including the fantastic Randy Savage. Savage had just missed the cut for WrestleMania I, having debuted a few months later, but had an impressive showing at the Wrestling Classic and followed that up by capturing the Intercontinental title in February. As the new year had dawned, George Steele became obsessed with Elizabeth in his own innocent way. Savage, being a jealous asshole, did not take kindly to it and began fighting Steele off while also berating his manager at the same time. Susan was all in on this feud, spitting out history and psychology and rooting on Steele. As you would expect, this is one giant stall-fest, with Steele dancing around, teasing Macho, who spent most of his time leaping in and out of the ring to avoid contact. Savage finally engaged and was able to trip Steele up in the ropes and work him over. Whenever Steele did get some momentum, he would distract himself with Liz and allow Savage to catch him from behind. The rest of this was just comedy gags with the flowers and turnbuckle foam, basically your usual George Steele debacle. I mean, it worked fine as a blowoff for this and fit the storyline. The issue is this wasn't really the best place for it. This show screamed for a Savage/Tito Santana IC Title rematch. I nearly shit myself when Steele kicked out of the big elbow! What the hell? Savage continued to take advantage of the Liz distraction and got a cheap rollup for the win. Just weird booking that made Savage look like a bit of a loser early into his reign. I will be happy to never watch a face George Steele match again.

### Match #3: Jake Roberts defeats George Wells with a DDT at 3:05

Fun Fact I: The man forever known as "The Snake" cut his wrestling teeth down in Florida as Kevin Sullivan's right hand man. He had some success in NWA, capturing the National Championship and Tag Team titles. He perfected his craft in Florida and Georgia until coming to the WWF in March 1986. It was also in Georgia in 1984 that he was an original member of Paul Ellering's Legion of Doom alongside King Kong Bundy, Hawk, Animal, Buzz Sawyer, Iron Sheik, Luke Graham, the Original Sheik and Killer Karl Krup. He was a star in Mid-South Wrestling, winning the Television Title in his waning days there. Upon his jump to the WWF he began as a heel, but would eventually be one of the WWF's most popular superstars.

Fun Fact II: George Wells started out his professional career playing eight years in the Canadian Football League with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Saskatchewan Roughriders, winning one Grey Cup championship. During the offseason in 1974, Wells began wrestling professionally in the San Francisco area where he would wrestle for three years before moving on to Stampede Wrestling in 1978. He retired from football in 1980 and concentrated on his pro wrestling career in the Central States and Mid Atlantic territories. He debuted in the WWF in 1985 and was used primarily as a preliminary wrestler on Prime Time Wrestling, but also wrestled on several supercards. After leaving the WWF he spent time in Memphis and in World Class where he would feud with the Dingo Warrior (later to become the Ultimate Warrior in the WWF). Wells retired in 1992 and began serving as a drug counselor in the San Francisco area.

### Scott:

This match alone for me shows the early rough production and format that WrestleMania had. The crowd seems uninterested, and lighting is dark and dingy and we have a bona fide jobber in a WrestleMania match. This match was obviously a showcase for the new acquisition for the company. Jake Roberts was a solid worker throughout the southeast, from Mid-South to Georgia to the Mid-Atlantic region. The highlight of this match certainly isn't the work inside the ring but the hilarious commentary of Vince and Susan Saint James. Vince still didn't have a total grasp of actual moves when he couldn't name the DDT when Jake executed it on the former Oakland Raider. Dick Ebersol's wife hopefully did this for free because she certainly didn't earn her check for this hour-plus of work. After Roberts dispatched of Wells, we see the PPV debut of Damien. Elizabeth is the first lady of professional wrestling, then Damien is the first "pet" of professional wrestling. Roberts hadn't really showed the real strengths of his character yet and that would be his classic promos and use of psychology. Here he really didn't need it, but as 1986 progressed and he'd be on TV more his feuds would require more than just the in-ring work. Not much of a match overall but memorable for a debut of the Federation Era's best characters.

### Justin:

The highlight of this show so far may be the nice soft plush chairs that Vince & Susan are doing commentary from. Jake Roberts had recently debuted, heading north from the deep south, where he had developed his Snake character. He looks fantastic in this match, svelte and moving quickly around the ring. Vince references Wells's CFL career and he does look built like a football player for sure. He uses a lot of power early, chucking Roberts from corner to corner, allowing Jake to work in some nice heel mannerisms as he begs off and tries to avoid further damage. Wells gets a nice powerslam for a near fall and isn't a bad power wrestler by any means. Jake would out-hustle the bigger Wells, forcing him into a chase scenario and then catching him with a quick DDT for the win. Roberts got no offense in but between his selling and the way he snuck in the win, I thought it worked really well. Jake unleashes his snake on Wells after the bell to the shock and disgust of Vince and Susan. This was a solid debut for Roberts and a good little showing for Wells.

### Match #4: Mr. T defeats Roddy Piper in a boxing match by disqualification in the fourth round

Fun Fact: This stems from the residual effects of last year's WrestleMania. In early 1986, Piper's bodyguard, Cowboy Bob Orton had taken up boxing. He had knocked out a few jobbers on Superstars, and eventually accepted a challenge from Mr. T. It took place on a Saturday Night's Main Event in Phoenix on February 15. Eventually, Piper came in and the two heels beat the snot out of T, including whipping him with a weightlifting belt. The heat for this match reached a fever pitch when on an episode of Piper's Pit Piper and Orton shaved Mr T's midget friend The Haiti Kid's head into a Mohawk.

### Scott:

New York's main event culminates a lackluster first 1/3 of this show. This is the culmination of a yearlong feud that started at last year's WrestleMania when T and his partner Hulk Hogan beat Piper and Paul Orndorff in the main event. Piper tossed Orndorff aside and as 1986 started, helped his man Bob Orton into the boxing ring. Well that was an easy segue to get Mr. T into the mix and back onto television. When I was a kid I remember that February episode of Saturday Night's Main Event as one of the most memorable because it started both this issue and the Hogan/Bundy feud. I was too young to understand the controversy surrounding T getting whipped with a belt, for me it was just a heel beating a face. Now I was in full Mike Tyson fan mode at this time so I knew what a real punch was and what a pulled punch looked like. The first round of this fight seemed legit, as both guys really threw some realistic haymakers. However by the second round you can tell this was mostly dancing and feigned punches. Like a wrestling match, Piper would take control with a couple of knockdowns and severe taunting. So by the third round I knew that this wasn't going ten rounds and it could end here. After T knocks Piper down a couple of times, including a horrendous knockdown where T barely paintbrushes him, Piper ends the whole thing in round four by shoving the ref and bodyslamming T. We get chaos in the ring and it ends pretty much unresolved. Sure T won by disqualification (or whatever the boxing equivalent of it is) but really Piper should have eaten the knockout clean. Of course Piper hated T in real life and wasn't about to let him get the upper hand. It's also interesting to note that T was nowhere near the shape he was in a year earlier at the Garden. He was winded by round two, and it made the entire package slow and plodding. Thankfully the NY chapter of WrestleMania II is over and no one is impressed.

### Justin:

After three shaky matches, the NY portion of the card wraps up with a very hyped up boxing match. Piper and Mr. T have had serious issue for over a year now and things got pretty ugly at times. Piper cut an awesome promo earlier in the show, talking about all the things he would give up if he lost (women!) and giving one last hard sell as only Hot Rod could. Part of the hype also included the great boxing trainer Lou Duva acting as Piper's second in attempt to add a shred of legitimacy to his chances. In response, T had legend pugilist Joe Frazier in his corner. The angle heading in was really well done and I can see why this would be considered a main event level match for NY. Round one was a bit slow, with some feeling out, tie ups and attempted body shots and jabs. Piper's trunks were pretty badass, they should sell those as retro wear. T came out hot for round two and came right at Piper, leading to a bit more action from both men this time around. In fact, Piper catches T in the side of the head with a couple of good blows and actually rattled and knocked T down. That surprised me, as did T showing so much vulnerability as Piper lands a cheap shot after the bell. They really played up that T was hurting badly during the rest period, and even better was when that dick Orton chucked water on him to rub salt in the wound. T opened round three with a big comeback, shaking the cobwebs and beating Piper around the ring, even knocking him to the floor. Both men were gassed at the bell and it was starting to feel like the guy that could stay on his feet longer would win this battle. Round four had the best action, as both guys just stood toe to toe and tossed bombs at each other to the delight of the crowd. Finally, a desperate Piper knocked down the official and bodyslammed T to draw a DQ. This was fairly entertaining and could have been better if it was a bit tighter, but it definitely looked cool and felt like a big spectacle, which was the goal I would assume. The finish was expected as neither man was likely to lay down here. That wraps up the NY portion of the card and thankfully gets us the hell away from Susan St. James for good.

Rosemont Horizon

Chicago, Illinois

Attendance: 9,000

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Gene Okerlund, and Kathy Lee Crosby

### Match #5: The Fabulous Moolah defeats Velvet McIntyre to retain WWF Women's Title with a splash at :53

Fun Fact I: On November 25, 1985, Women's Champion Wendi Richter faced off with the masked Spider Lady and was scheduled to retain her title. Well, a few minutes into the match, Spider Lady rolled Richter up, held her down and the ref counted three, giving the Spider Lady the championship. After the match ended, the Spider Lady ripped her mask off and revealed herself to be the Fabulous Moolah. Richter was shocked and pissed and immediately quit the WWF. It was later revealed that Vince wanted Richter to sign a new contract that she felt wasn't fair, so she refused. Vince got pissed and had Moolah shoot on her to get the title back, thus ending the women's portion of the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection.

Fun Fact II: Mary Lillian Ellison was born in 1923 in Tookiedoo, South Carolina to an Irish mother and part Cherokee father. After her mother's death when she was 8, her father began taking her to the local wrestling matches to cheer her up, which is where she saw Mildred Burke, the Women's Champion at the time. At age 14 she got married to a 21 year old named Walter Carroll. They would have a child soon after, but would divorce a year later. At age 15, Ellison left her child with a friend and headed out to begin her wrestling career.

Ellison's career began under Mildred Burke's husband, promoter Billy Wolfe with her first match in May, 1949. She was later introduced to Jack Pfefer who would give her the name "Slave Girl Moolah". In the 1950s, Moolah became a valet for "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, providing the female sex appeal for his matches. In 1956, she moved to the northeast and began working for Vince McMahon Sr.'s Capitol Wrestling Corporation.

In September, 1956, Moolah won a 13 woman battle royal for the vacant World Women's Championship, a title that had a lineage linked to the NWA World Women's Championship. After the match, Moolah was given a new name by Vince Sr. which she would keep for the remainder of her career: The Fabulous Moolah. Her first title reign lasted over 10 years and during that time she was also recognized as the NWA champion, thus becoming the undisputed World Women's Champion. She held the title until September 1966 where she lost it to Bette Boucher before winning it back a few weeks later. In 1972, Moolah became the first woman to wrestle in Madison Square Garden, which had previously banned women's wrestling. In the late 1970s, Moolah would purchase the legal rights to women's championship, which she later sold to Vince Jr. in 1983. Moolah continued to wrestle exclusively for the WWF and became their first women's champion.

During the Rock 'N' Wrestling Connection in the mid 1980s, Moolah would lose her title to Wendi Richter with Cyndi Lauper in her corner at The Brawl to End It All event, which was broadcast live on MTV. Moolah later helped Leilani Kai defeat Richter for the belt in February, 1985, setting up the Richter/Kai rematch for the first WrestleMania. Richter would regain the title at that event, but when thing between Richter and the WWF soured, Moolah stepped back in.

### Scott:

This was a colossal waste of time. Moolah worked with Vince to get the title off of the disgruntled Wendi Richter, and clearly past her prime she's here to add a title match to the card. Seriously they shouldn't have bothered, the whole thing was a mess. First off, the moves are nothing more than hair pulling and posturing. Second, McIntyre had her feet on the ropes and the referee didn't see it, but was worse was that the camera angle switched so you couldn't see it and the announcers didn't mention it. No point in wasting further words on this one.

### Justin:

I guess we had to have a women's title match just to fill out the card as a true catchall of what the WWF was. Moolah was a house of fire here, bashing Velvet off the bell and keeping her staggering until Velvet came back with a series of kicks. She would miss a splash off the middle rope, allowing Moolah to smother her for the quick win. This was fairly pointless and I guess just here to give Moolah her moment in the sun.

### Match #6: Corporal Kirschner defeats Nikolai Volkoff in a Flag Match after hitting Volkoff with Freddie Blassie's cane at 1:34

Fun Fact: Michael Penzel, who would later wrestle under the character name Corporal Kirschner, was born in 1957. As a teen, Kirschner would enlist in the United States Army and would become a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. Following his Army career, Kirschner met Hulk Hogan while working in Minnesota. Hogan introduced Kirschner to Verne Gagne who enrolled him in his wrestling school. After training, Kirschner began working as talent enhancement for the WWF under the name RT Reynolds. After Vince McMahon discovered his paratrooper experience, he was given the military hero character Corporal Kirschner. He was known for being very stiff in the ring and many wrestlers were reluctant to work with him for this reason. In 1987 he tested positive for drugs and was suspended by the WWF. After the suspension, Kirschner refused to come back to work for the company. He would briefly wrestle in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling promotion under the name Col. Kirschner. He would create a new character, Leatherface, in Japan and would wrestle there for the majority of the remainder of his career.

### Scott:

Here was a ready-made feud between an old dog of the promotion and a guy created to fill a gap. Sergeant Slaughter had recently left for the AWA and so Vince needed an "American Hero" to add to the show and give Nikolai someone to work with. I don't understand why Vince made these matches and then gave them literally no time. This match could have gone for at least four or five minutes instead of the express match we do get. As this show progresses clearly it was booked for four matches and the rest was slapped-together junk (like a house show). Thankfully creative would ditch that concept and create what WrestleMania would eventually become: a real supershow. This match isn't what I think of when "supershow" comes to mind.

### Justin:

Next up is a flag match that has a bit of heat behind it, although it seems as if the Chicago fans are just desperate for something to cheer for at this point. Nikolai's singing is always worth a chuckle and that is about all we have to laugh about so far in the Windy City. Kirchner had a solid look about him but I think he was seen as a Sgt. Slaughter knockoff and got treated as such. He was also reportedly pretty nuts, so I am sure that didn't help. Nikolai was really aggressive to start, kicking the Corporal to the floor and battering him around, even stiffly bashing his forehead into the ring post which busted him open. Back inside, Kirchner made a quick comeback and used Blassie's cane to crack Nikolai and pick up the layup win. Well, another quick stinker but these fans don't seem to care they are getting a giant bowl of nothing. At least it was energetic? I guess.

### Match #7: André the Giant wins a battle royal

**Wrestlers:** Ted Arcidi, Tony Atlas, Brian Blair, Jim Brunzell, Bret Hart, Hillbilly Jim, Iron Sheik, King Tonga, Pedro Morales, Jim Neidhart, Bruno Sammartino, Danny Spivey, & John Studd. NFL players: Jimbo Covert, Bill Fralic, Russ Francis, Ernie Holmes, Harvey Martin, and William Perry Referees: Dick Butkus and Ed "Too Tall" Jones (Ed Jones was originally supposed to participate, but an injury kept him to ref status)

Fun Fact I: Five men in this match are making their PPV debuts, but the most notable is the PPV debut for Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart, the Hart Foundation. Bret made his wrestling debut in Stampede in 1976. He was originally brought in as a referee, but when a wrestler was unable to perform at a event in Saskatoon, Bret's father, Stu Hart, asked him to step in and compete. Bret would be trained by his father, along with many others, most notably Harley Race and the Dynamite Kid. During his tenure, Bret would win the Stampede tag titles with his brother Keith four times, and overall would win 17 titles during his tenure in Stampede. Bret would also compete in Japan for a short time, and remained in Stampede until 1984. Jim Neidhart also compete in Stampede for many years, and became a member of the Hart family when he married Ellie Hart, Bret's sister. In 1984, Vince McMahon purchased Stampede Wrestling and brought over Bret, Jim, and Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid, otherwise known as the British Bulldogs. Bret made his WWF debut on August 29th, 1984 by teaming with Dynamite to defeat Iron Mike Sharpe and Troy Alexander. Originally, both Bret and Jim would be singles wrestlers, but Bret suggested they team up instead under the tutelage of Jimmy Hart, and thus became the Hart Foundation.

Fun Fact II: This is also the PPV debut for B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell, known as the Killer Bees. Blair was trained by Hiro Matsuda and began his career in Florida in 1977. He would move to the NWA in 1978 and began making a name for himself in a feud with Jesse Ventura in 1979. He would wrestle for World Class before coming to the WWF in 1981. After a short stint, Blair returned to Florida, eventually winning the NWA Florida Championship from Jimmy Garvin. Blair would have a second short stint with the WWF and stints with Georgia and Florida before returning to the WWF for good in early 1984. Brunzell began his career in 1973 in the AWA, winning the AWA tag titles with Greg Gagne in 1977. Brunzell would also have a short stint in the NWA in the late 1970s, even winning the Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight title. By the 1980s, he returned to the AWA and won the tag titles with Gagne on two separate occasions. Brunzell signed with the WWF in early 1985.

Fun Fact III: Our final PPV debut in this match is Jim Morris, otherwise known as Hillbilly Jim. Morris made his wrestling debut in 1984 in Memphis, donning a biker gimmick and going by the name Harley Davidson. After a short stint there, Morris would head up north and in early 1985, a series of vignettes showing Morris being trained by Hulk Hogan. We were then introduced to Hillbilly Jim, a simple-minded, shaggy-bearded Appalachian hillbilly dressed in overalls and hailing from Mud Luck, Kentucky. After a few tag matches with Hogan, Hillbilly Jim got his first big win over Rene Goulet at The War to Settle The Score. Unfortunately, a short time later, Jim would be sidelined by an injury. At a house show in San Diego, Jim was in the corner of Hogan during a match against Brutus Beefcake. As Jim was chasing Johnny V around ringside, he slipped on a wet spot and injured his leg. Since Jim was pretty popular with the fans, Vince wanted to keep him on TV, and in doing so, introduced a slew of "family members", including Uncle Elmer, Cousin Luke, and Cousin Junior, so Jim could be at ringside during their matches. Hillbilly Jim would back in action by the end of the year.

### Scott:

This was clearly the biggest example of the WWF hitting not only mainstream but sports mainstream too, which was just as important to really gain the young male demographic. The wrestling half of the group consisted of a solid mix of jobbers, legendary big names like Bruno Sammartino and Pedro Morales, and the newcomers like the Hart Foundation. Funny, I think I was rooting for Harvey Martin to win because he played for the Cowboys. I was actually disappointed that Ed Jones wasn't in the ring for I would have definitely wanted him to win as he was a current (at the time) Cowboy. Jim Covert was taking this a little too seriously as when he was eliminated he wouldn't leave the ring and almost picked a fight with King Tonga. That wouldn't have ended well. I'm surprised they allowed Dan Spivey to wear yellow boots and tights, since some other blonde guy in the promotion had the same color combination. It was funny with the Hart Foundation wearing blue instead of their customary pink. I wonder what the tension in the back was like between all these jacked up dudes from different walks of life. André was probably always the pick to win, so nobody else could really complain. Speaking of André, he has the yellow tights/boots combo too. Well, no one's going to argue with "The Boss" about that. The bookers knew there was a future with the Anvil and the Hitman as they were the only ones left with André. Backtracking slightly, I can't believe Studd went along with getting hoodwinked by the Fridge. Obviously the pro-Bears crowd was loving that. They had just won the Super Bowl three months earlier. Overall a fun battle royal and another notch in the belt of André the Giant.

### Justin:

The cavalcade of stars continues on with our next match, as even the ancient Claire Peller is involved and gets a special introduction. Of course, I guess it fit since this whole match was centered around mainstream acceptance. This battle royal featured a mix of WWF stars and NFL players, many of whom were actually well known at the time. It did lead to a pretty impressive visual in the ring, I will say that. Honestly, the concept itself isn't all bad either, its just that it took place on a card that was already bloated with non-wrestler involvement, so it felt like overkill. On its own, this would have been a rock solid addition to a loaded card. The WWF contingent is solid enough, mainly lower card guys but a few big stars, including Bruno Sammartino, John Studd and André the Giant. It also featured some new talent that would carry the promotion into the future, so that was cool to see. Russ Francis and William "Refrigerator" Perry (in Chicago, natch) were clearly set up as the key names on the NFL side and that would play out throughout the match. Perry got a huge pop, only rivaled by André. You hear it so often it has become hyperbole mainly, but the ring really looked tiny with all these big dudes piled in. It was pretty cool to see Bruno get a Mania match in under his belt, as his career was just about across the finish line here. The eliminations were all very standard and mixed across the genres in the first half of the match. Studd would eliminate Bruno after a brief showdown between the two big men. That was a neat matchup. Fridge really got in gear now and the crowd went nuts as he clashed with Studd, but Studd was able to chuck him over the top in the best spot of the match to this point. Fridge was then an asshole and pulled Studd out of the ring. Come on Fridge! I forgot to mention Dick Butkus at ringside, taking a break from tending bar for My Two Dads. The Harts had a great showing here, making it down to the final three after dumping Russ Francis. However, not even their teamwork could overtake the King of the Battle Royals. André manhandled both men and eliminated them in memorable faction as he kicked the Anvil to the floor and then threw Bret down on top of him. This was a fitting win and made all the sense in the world for André to win this. We don't grade battle royals, but I enjoyed this one from a hoss and uniqueness perspective and as I said earlier, it was fitting of a WrestleMania. If only this one was less bloated.

### Match #8: The British Bulldogs defeat The Dream Team to win WWF Tag Team Titles when Davey Boy Smith pinned Greg Valentine after a Dynamite Kid headbutt at 12:02

Fun Fact: This marks the PPV debut of the British Bulldogs, Davey Boy Smith and the Dynamite Kid. The Dynamite Kid, real name Tom Billington, made his debut in Britain in 1975. He would be brought over to Calgary in 1978 by Bruce Hart and was instrumental in the training of Bret Hart. Following a stint with Stampede, Dynamite would wrestle in Japan from 1980-1984, including a legendary feud with Tiger Mask. Dynamite made his WWF debut on August 29th, 1984 by teaming with Bret to defeat Iron Mike Sharpe and Troy Alexander. His cousin, Davey Boy Smith, also got his start in Britain at the age of 15. He debuted in 1978 and won a match against Bernie Wright. Smith made his way over to Calgary around the same time Dynamite did, and both men would feud over the Stampede British Commonwealth Title in 1982. Smith would also have a brief stint in Japan before making his WWF debut in late 1984. The Bulldogs would begin their tenure in the WWF together by reigniting their Stampede feud with the Hart Foundation, who came over around the same time.

### Scott:

This was the match I was most looking forward to, almost as much as the main event. My brother was a huge Dream Team fan and my dad and I loved the Bulldogs. It was smart to put this match in Chicago where the best broadcast team was. Easily the best match of the night, two teams who were likely battling on the house show circuit with lots of countouts and DQs knew each other very well. There's a great contrast of styles here as the slow, methodical Dream Team taking on the faster, quicker Bulldogs. Beefcake was growing as a worker with the more experienced Valentine and Valiant as his mouthpiece, and he got an extended heat segment in the ring. The climax comes when Valentine ditches a clear three count after a shoulderbreaker and instead gets Irish whipped into Dynamite's headbutt. Dynamite hits the deck to the floor but Davey Boy Smith gets the three count and we have new Tag Team Champions. I was stoked and the New Haven Coliseum came unglued watching on closed circuit. The Bulldogs were groomed for this moment and they would spend the rest of 1986 defending the titles all over the country. The Dream Team would slowly fade and in 1987 a change was imminent. This was easily the match of the night.

### Justin:

And it is now main event time for Chi-Town. I dug this slotting because it really made the tag belts and the champions seem elevated. I haven't mentioned Cathy Lee Crosby much, but she has been tolerable, not nearly as bad as St. James was back in NY. She at least knows when to lay out and adds some genuine awe instead of trying to fake knowing what is going on. I have always liked the Dream Team and it was cool to see them get into such a big spot here. Working with Greg Valentine was big for Brutus Beefcake and was the first true step in his development as a performer. Of course that slob Lou Albano is out with the Bulldogs, always having to glom his way into managing more tag team champions. What a scrub. In a celebrity placement that made some sense, Ozzy Osbourne is also with the Bulldogs, here to root on his fellow countrymen. The stiff strikes were unloaded directly out of the gate, with Valentine trading blows with both Bulldogs. This is my kind of match. Dynamite was so crisp at this point, delivering a crackling snap suplex on the Hammer. The champs got a brief window of offense, but the Bulldogs took right back over, this time punishing Beefcake with an array of suplexes, slams and forearm blows. Every time the champs would gain control, it seemed to be short lived as the Bulldogs were just too strong and would power their way out of everything. The one move Dynamite couldn't block was a great inverted Tombstone by Valentine. That was super stiff. Even that didn't gain them much momentum, as the challengers again got right back into the match with a relentless assault, including a nice Davey Boy powerslam that got some great hang time upon impact. It was neat seeing Valentine direct traffic out there as you could tell he was training Beefcake on the job, constantly pointing things out to him like a shrew point guard while on offense. And just when the champs had firm control thanks to working Smith's arm, things went all wrong when Valentine got shoved into Dynamite, who was perched on the top rope. They clanged heads and Davey covered Hammer to take the titles. You could tell both men were rattled as Dynamite was down on the floor for a while and Valentine was groggy in the ring. It was a pretty gnarly finish to a fantastic tag match. The downside is we had to hear Albano take all the credit after the match. This never slowed down and had tons of back and forth action and stiff offense. A forgotten gem hidden on a rough card.

LA Sports Arena

Los Angeles, California

Attendance: 14, 500

Announcers: Jesse Ventura, Lord Alfred Hayes, Elvira

### Match #9: Ricky Steamboat defeats Hercules Hernandez with a High Cross Body at 7:33

Fun Fact: Prior to hooking up with the WWF, Hercules had some varied success in Mid South wrestling and WCCW, where he won the Television title. He wore a mask in both territories, but when he arrived in the WWF, his face was visible and he was sporting a Roman Centurion type garb.

### Scott:

We begin our West Coast part with a solid undercard battle of contrasting styles. Hercules makes his WWF debut here against a master of the ring at this time. Steamboat is now in his more familiar martial arts-type tights and the Asian-style boots. The audio for this part was pretty bad as Jesse sounds like he's in a tunnel. Maybe it's the braids replacing his lack of hair. Elvira is speaking when spoken to and letting Jesse and Lord Alfred actually call the action. I agree with Justin that the announcing guests got progressively better, from Susan St. James who went rogue in NY and talked every five seconds, to Cathy Lee Crosby in Chicago who for the most part knew her role, to Elvira here who barely talked and let the wrestling guys do the match. Speaking of the match it was pretty good as Steamboat bumped for all of Hercules' offense and made the big comeback leading to the cross body and the victory. Incidentally, LEE MARSHALL SIGHTING! His only WWF appearance of his career. You can tell he was going over the top on purpose to get a permanent gig. A solid start to the LA end of the show.

### Justin:

And it is officially time for the final leg of the show, out in LA. This is our most eclectic announce team, and not necessarily for the better. We have Jesse Ventura doing play-by-play alongside Lord Al Hayes and...Elvira. The celebrity overload continues. We also get a rare WWF appearance by Lee Marshall, who is doing the ring announcing. Steamboat has had a very solid first year in the promotion, but wasn't quite involved in any sort of substantial feud at this point, so he is tossed in with the newcomer Hercules. Herc is a guy that can have a good match with the right opponent, so that may bode well here. Steamboat went right into his traditional offense to the delight of the crowd, keeping Herc all off balance and working the arm in the middle of it all. When Herc did take over, he was really vicious, ramming his knee into the side of Steamboat's head before draping him across the top rope with a stun gun. The spot of the match for me was Herc ducking a third chop attempt and clobbering Steamboat with a clothesline. The turning point came when Herc went against his usual game plan and ascended the top rope. Steamboat got his knees up and Herc crashed and burned. Steamer followed with a high cross body to pick up the every hard fought win. This was a damn good match with both guys working hard and it was an impressive showing for Herc, who definitely carried his end of the bargain.

### Match #10: Adrian Adonis defeats Uncle Elmer with an elbow off the top rope at 3:06

Fun Fact I: Keith Franke, aka Adrian Adonis, started his wrestling career in 1974 under his real name. He didn't take on the name Adiran Adonis until the late 70s when he joined the AWA where he changed his character to a leather jacket-wearing biker. He formed the East-West Connection with Jesse Ventura and won the AWA World Tag Team Championships in July, 1980. Both Adonis and Ventura joined the WWF in 1981, wrestling as a tag team as well as in singles action. When Ventura had to stop wrestling due to injuries, Adonis formed another Connection tag team, this time forming the North-South Connection with Dick Murdoch in late 1983. In April 1984, the team won the WWF World Tag Team titles which they held until January 1985. The team broke up shortly after losing the titles.

Throughout his time in the WWF, Adonis started gaining a lot of weight, peaking around 350 lbs. After the split from Murdoch, his character began a transformation into a more effeminate one, creating the "Adorable" Adrian Adonis character. He dropped the leather jacket, bleached his hair blonde and started wearing pink ring attire paired with scarves, makeup and leg warmers. When Roddy Piper took a hiatus from the company, Adonis took over the Piper's Pit talk segments, transforming them into "The Flower Shop". When Piper returned, the feud was on as the two talk segments competed with each other. Adonis attacked Piper on the set of Piper's Pit, injuring Piper's leg and drawing lipstick on him. A week later, Piper attacked Adonis and destroyed the Flower Shop set with a baseball bat. The feud continued all the way to WrestleMania III where they wrestled in a hair vs. hair match. Adonis left the WWF shortly after WM III and returned to the AWA where he maintained his "Adorable" character and was managed by Paul E. Dangerously.

Fun Fact II: The trademark leather jacket worn that Roddy Piper has worn for years is the same jacket shed by Adrian Adonis on Piper's Pit when he made his transformation into the Adorable One.

Fun Fact III: Stanley Fraizer started his wrestling career in 1960 in the Gulf Coast region. He wrestled under the name Pascagoula Plowboy and was a local favorite. Jerry Jarrett and Jerry Lawler saw some of his early work and brought him into the Mid-South territory as well as the AWA. He used a variety of names while working in Tennessee, including wearing a large loincloth and going under the name Kamala II. He won several tag team championships during his career under his own name and Plowboy Frazier. When he joined the WWF in 1985, he was added to the group of Hillbillies and was known as Uncle Elmer. On the October 5, 1985 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event (which was recorded on October 3), he was legitimately married to Joyce Stazko. Jesse Ventura mocked the wedding from the announce position and later read a poem at the reception criticizing the wedding which led to a feud between the two. During that year, the Wrestling Observer newsletter voted him as the worst wrestler of 1985 and part of the worst tag with Cousin Junior. He left the WWF in 1986 and went back to Tennessee and then to the Continental Wrestling Association. He suffered from diabetes and poor health due to his weight. He died of kidney failure on July 1, 1992.

### Scott:

Well, this card took a turn after our last match. Fat crossdresser vs. fat hillbilly. Adrian Adonis used to be a badass former tag team champion with, coincidentally, Jesse Ventura. I'm sure Jesse is stunned with what has happened with his partner here. Hillbillies were the rage in the WWF at this time and this family would grow by two more members. The match is a mess as expected as Adonis has to carry the big Uncle to a serviceable little mid-card affair. There's honestly not much more to say here. Elmer would never be seen on PPV again and Adonis would be given a storyline with a little more teeth. I love Elvira's line about never seeing this much cellulite in one place before. To Adonis' credit, if being a crossdresser was a punishment for getting too fat he did take it seriously and work the thing as best as he could. I think we'll just move on from this now.

### Justin:

And just when this show was picking up some momentum, we run into this hot mess. Adrian Adonis used to be fantastic, but he let himself go and was saddled with the flamboyant gimmick and turned into a bit of a goof. He did his best to own it and despite the increased girth, he could still bump around with the best of them, but his days as a legit contender were now gone. The less said about Uncle Elmer, the better. I hate hillbilly characters. Especially this one. Elmer flutters his hand to intimate that Adonis is a fairy, but instead he should realize he is about as useless as it gets. I can't stand the over demonstrative ways of him and his cronies at this point, making a big over-dramatic gesture for everything. At one point, he throws a punch and falls on his ass because of it. He smacks Adonis around early, not even allowing him to get his moomoo off. This match was all Adonis, as he bumps around and sells Elmer's weak ass assault. I don't know why they didn't use Hillbilly Jim here, at least he was spry and could move around the ring. Elmer hits a running splash in the corner but misses a slow motion legdrop. That allowed Adonis to go up top and hit a big splash for the win. Thankfully. Get Elmer and his coolats off my screen for good, thank you. Nothing doing here, the word sloppiness about sums it all up on many levels.

### Match #11: The Funk Brothers defeat the Junkyard Dog & Tito Santana when Hoss Funk pins JYD after Terry Funk hit JYD with Jimmy Hart's megaphone at 11:42

Fun Fact: Terry Funk and his brother Dory Funk, Jr., who is also known by his nickname "Hoss", are real life brothers, both born in the early 40s. They both started in the NWA promotion in Amarillo, Texas under their father, Dory Funk, Sr. Both were talented wrestlers that quickly moved up the ranks in the NWA. Dory Funk won the NWA World Heavyweight title in 1969 from Gene Kiniski and held the title for 4 ½ years, the second longest uninterrupted NWA title run in history. His brother Terry would follow suit, defeating Jack Brisco for the NWA World Heavyweight title in 1975 and holding the title for 14 months before dropping it to Harley Race. The duo travelled around the country to different territories and also made a name for themselves in Japan.

In 1985, the pair joined the WWF and an additional member was added, Jimmy Jack Funk (Jesse Barr). The trio were managed by Jimmy Hart and had a rivalry with the Junkyard Dog which led to the match at WrestleMania II. Terry left the WWF shortly after this, but Dory and Jimmy Jack continued to team together and he made an appearance in the 1996 Royal Rumble.

Terry would continue to wrestle in singles in NWA territories, WCW and ECW as well as in Japan where he would have a memorable appearance in 1995 in the IWA King of the Death Match tournament. In the final match, Funk would go against Mick Foley as Cactus Jack in an exploding ring, C4 explosive, barbed wire match. He also made a return to the WWF in 1998 as the character Chainsaw Charley, a mad-man wearing pantyhose on his head and brandishing a chainsaw. He was paired with Cactus Jack for a memorable feud with the New Age Outlaws. Terry continues to wrestle on the independent circuit.

Dory would establish the Funking Conservatory, a wrestling school teaching the Funk Method of Professional Wrestling. Notable graduates of the school include The Hardy Boyz, Lita, Kurt Angle, Edge and Christian, and Mickie James.

### Scott:

Los Angeles definitely got the best of this show as this crowd got the best matches, ones with actual feuds attached to them. This one was red hot as Terry Funk is a virtual heat magnet. This match is exciting from beginning to end as all four guys battle around the ring and outside the ring. Terry Funk was an NWA mainstay and a former World Heavyweight Champion and now makes his PPV debut in the big leagues up north. I have to say, Hoss (Dory) Funk has always looked sixty years old. Even in pictures from the late 60s, he looked old. Still a great worker and it shows here. Terry Funk not only brings heel heat but he's actually a great seller of babyface offense. After both being involved in the Intercontinental Title picture at last year's Wrestlemania to a lesser role but a great matchup with good workers. Great heel work late as Jimmy Hart tosses the megaphone to a limping Terry Funk with the referee distracted. He cracks JYD in the head and gets the three count. Overall a really fun match and a big win for the heel Funks.

### Justin:

I was glad to see Terry Funk make it to a WrestleMania, especially considering his run was just about coming to an end. He had a neat little title feud with Hulk Hogan in the fall, but since has been putting around in this tag team with his brother. I still am not sure why Dory Funk had to become Hoss, but such is life in Stamford. He has a pretty badass ten gallon hat on, I will give him that. A Santana/JYD team just seemed to make sense for some reason. They just fit well together. That said, I still think Santana belonged in the IC Title match with Savage in NY, but this is a fine fallback option. Things were pretty basic to start with Tito & JYD controlling the pace while the Funks kept trying to find time and air to regroup and slow things down. JYD seemed to be much more engaged, in a bit better shape and moving easier than he was a year ago, which is a plus since he looked terrible at MSG. Dory would tag in and go right to work on Tito, burying a tight knee before Tito landed a flying forearm to shake things back up. The Funks got it together with a little chicanery as Terry drilled Tito with a knee from the ring apron as he was draped on the ropes. Elvira has been brutal here, having no clue what she was talking about and mumbling whenever she did speak. Jesse was doing a nice job on PBP but really didn't have much to work with. Dory was so smooth in there, taking Tito over with a textbook floating double underhook suplex and then cracking him with a perfect uppercut. JYD would finally get the hot tag and run through both brothers until everything spilled to the floor, where the Dog slammed Terry on a pile of chairs in a great spot. Back inside, JYD stayed hot, wiping out Jimmy Hart as well. However, as the referee was tied up with Tito, Hart tossed Terry the megaphone, which he used to crack Dog and pick up the win. That was a hella fun brawl with good teamwork on both ends and a hot crowd. LA has definitely won the luck of the draw thus far here tonight. I wish the Funks stuck around longer and had a feud with the Bulldogs over the titles, that could have been a lot of fun.

### Match #12: Hulk Hogan defeats King Kong Bundy in a Steel Cage match to retain WWF World Title when he climbs out of the cage at 10:16

Fun Fact: On that same February 15 Saturday Night's Main Event card that the Piper/T feud started, Hulk Hogan defended the Title against Magnificent Muraco. While Hogan was attacking Bobby Heenan, Bundy came in and laid out Hogan with two Avalanches and three splashes. Hogan was taken out on a stretcher with injured ribs. Every week there would be workout updates with Hogan lifting with taped ribs, preparing for the big match. Bundy had officially joined the Heenan Family on September 10, 1985.

### Scott:

The first World Title match in WrestleMania history was a steel cage match featuring two very slow, methodical men. Bundy was being built as a big time monster heel. Hogan continued his run as the top dog in wrestling, and wins the match after 10 minutes of power moves, and even a blade job by Bundy. I think Bundy gets unfairly ripped for this slot and this match as well. It's definitely not the worst main event in Mania history and the cage definitely added the extra juice to the match that probably a straight up match wouldn't have had. The crowd was excited for this one, and they see the first of many Hogan PPV "formulas"; Hogan starts fast, gets the crap beat out of him, gets hit with the finisher, comes back, big boot, leg drop, and pin. In this case, it was climbing the cage instead of going for the pin. A big win for the champ, and the first of many monster heels vanquished at WrestleMania. If the rest of the show was fairly terrible or at beat average, the LA portion of this show had the best overall quality, and it was capped by a solid main event and a good feeling for the crowd as their hero is victorious again.

### Justin:

Our official main event of the night had some damn good build behind it and saw the WWF Title defended at WrestleMania for the first time. Before the match, we got a really cool vignette of Hogan working out and showing that he was fighting through the back injury against advisement of his doctor. That segment alone sold me on this match. It was also a good idea to toss this inside the cage to add to the intrigue and also make this feel like a really big deal to close out the show. Before the match, we have to unload the rest of the celebrities with Tommy Lasorda (announcer), Ricky Schroeder (timekeeper) and Robert Conrad (referee). These celebs don't quite have the cache that we saw on display a year ago. Bundy, now led by Bobby Heenan, was very impressive here, especially during his entrance, as he stomped toward the ring, looking massive. Hogan came in hot, tossing heavy blows to Bundy's head, rocking him back into the cage. You can tell how truly thick Bundy is by the smacking sound and lack of give you get on Hogan's clotheslines. Bundy took over by targeting the taped up ribs that he had injured back in Phoenix. Jesse pushes the story that Hogan came back too early to really sell the angle and put over Bundy's chances. In a shrewd move, Bundy tied Hogan to the ropes by his medical tape but Hulk busted free and stopped Bundy from escaping. From there, Hogan started using the cage as a weapon, busting Bundy's forehead open, giving us our first blood in Mania history. Hogan almost blew his momentum by trying to slam Bundy, but his ribs gave way and he collapsed. Luckily for him, Bundy was too wiped out to make a quick move out the door, allowing Hogan to drag him back inside the ring. Bundy would get one last gasp, dropping the big splash on Hogan but again, he couldn't get out of the cage in time. In my favorite spot of the match, Hogan caught Bundy coming off the ropes and snapped him over with a huge powerslam. He followed up with the legdrop and eventually scaled and escaped the cage as Bundy tried his best to race him by going out the door. A very fun main event that saw both men work hard and tell the very simple story that was drawn up for them. The blood and powerslam were the icing on the cake, and the crowd seemed to agree. After the match, Hogan abused Heenan in the cage to put the feud to bed. A very up and down Mania wraps up with Hogan celebrating once again, title still firmly around his waist.

### FINAL ANALYSIS:

### Scott:

The second installment of the big show is much bigger, much more glamorous, and has many more celebrities. The problem was with the three sites, the card suffered with bad, dull mid-card matches and quick squashes. If you compare the three venues, there's no doubt New York got stiffed. Their matches were awful, and the boxing match a disappointment. Chicago wasn't much better, but at least they had André and the great tag title match. Los Angeles had the most balance, and the main event. All in all, it was an improvement slightly from the year before. However the three venues idea didn't really work, and wouldn't be used again. As a 12-year old seeing the show live with my dad at the New Haven Coliseum, I was marking out at everything. Now, looking at it more analytically, it wasn't that great a show. Expanding to three venues when there wasn't really a deep core roster led to some unneeded fluff. The announcing girls got progressively better, from obnoxious Susan Saint James to hilariously bad Elvira the annoucing was fairly solid. We also got to hear a rare Jesse Ventura play-by-play opportunity. This may not be a show you throw in when you're bored but there are a few hidden gems and a feel-good title change to not totally make it a stinker.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

Well, here we are a year later and Vince McMahon & Crew took everything that worked in MSG a year ago and amped it way the hell up. As a result we end up with an overproduced, overmodulated mess. Emanating from three locations and bloated with matches and celebrities, this ended up being way too ambitious, and the flow suffered as a result. There was some good sprinkled in here, but it gets a bit lost due to so much crap being jammed in around it. A major issue is that they needed to provide enough action for each location, so they were forced to pad with extra meaningless matches. If this card took place in one arena (Chicago, which had the hottest crowd) and had the fat trimmed off and a small configuration or two, it could have been a winner. LA ended up being the best leg of the three but Chicago may have been the hottest, while being quite top heavy. Shed most of the celebrities, (Claire Peller? Rick Schroeder? G. Gordon Liddy? What is this, Hollywood Squares?) and a few matches but keep the couple spectacles that made sense (battle royal, boxing match) and this show may have been remembered a bit more fondly.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #5

#  The Big Event: Throwdown in Toronto

August 28, 1986

Exhibition Stadium

Toronto, Ontario, CN

Attendance: 61,470

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Johnny Valiant & Ernie Ladd

### Match #1: Killer Bees defeat Jimmy Jack Funk & Hoss Funk when Jim Brunzell pinned Jimmy Jack with an inside cradle at 6:53

Fun Fact I: Coming from a successful wrestling family, Jesse Barr began wrestling in Florida in the early 1980s. After a stint in Puerto Rico, he showed up in WWF in April 1986 as the storyline brother of Terry & Hoss Funk. He would remain in the role until June 1987, when he left the promotion. He would head south to Texas and eventually on to Portland before calling it a career.

Fun Fact II: The legendary Dory Funk, Jr. made his wrestling debut in 1963. He would join the NWA in 1968 and won the Heavyweight Title in February 1969, defeating Gene Kiniski. He would hold the title until dropping it to Harley Race in May 1973. He would compete across the multitude of NWA territories throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, before joining the WWF January 1986 alongside his brother Terry. Renamed Hoss, the Funks wreaked havoc in early in 1986, competing at WrestleMania II and defeating Tito Santana and Junkyard Dog. He would hang around through 1986 before leaving the promotion and winding down his in ring career.

### Scott:

Our opener pits one of the most exciting teams in the WWF against the repackaged Funks. Terry is not on the scene, but kayfabe brother Jimmy Jack Funk is there instead. Jesse Barr is a former Florida Heavyweight Champion who moved around the south before coming in to help out Terry and Hoss. The real peak of the tag team division wouldn't be for another year or so, but there was still plenty of talent to put some good teams together and work solid matches. Both teams really brought the goods and this massive crowd enjoyed every minute of it. Killer Bees seemed like they were in line for a title run at some point, however as we'd see through time, the tag team crunch just lost them in the shuffle. They do get the win here with some reverse chicanery against Jimmy Hart. A fairly solid match to get the show started.

### Justin:

Our opener in front of this impressive Toronto crowd is an interesting tag team affair. Even though his brother Terry is gone, the legendary Dory Funk is still hanging around, teaming with the wannabe Funk, Jimmy Jack. The Bees get a nice little pop and were just starting to gain some momentum as a unit. The tag division was really starting to fill up at this point and the quality teams were pouring in and lining up to challenge the champion British Bulldogs. The Bees ran off the Funks early, but Dory was able to turn things a bit. Dory was looking quite like Louis CK at this point in his career. Any time it looked like the Funks may grab control, the Bees shook them off and continued to use quick tags to stay on offense. The announce team was interesting as Gorilla handled the play-by-play with Johnny V doing color and Ernie Ladd just sort of piping in with insight here and there. I was never a big Johnny V fan, but Ladd has been solid so far with his brief contributions. The Funks finally got on track and began working over Brunzell. The Funk offense was pretty basic and old school as they just pounded Brunzell into the mat with clubbing strikes. With the bout on the line, both Bees ended up on the floor and were able to pull their masks on. In a clear switcharoo, it was now Blair that got back in the ring and knock the Funks around. They would quickly switch again, allowing Brunzell to cradle Jimmy Jack for the win. I never got how the mask gimmick was assigned to a white bread face team, but what can you do. The Bees steal a win in a fairly pedestrian tag team opener.

### Match #2: Magnificent Muraco and King Tonga wrestle to a time limit draw at 20:00

Fun Fact I: Don Muraco began his illustrious career in 1970, working and learning across the country, including stops in Vancouver, Portland, Florida & Los Angeles. After a run with AWA, Muraco moved to San Francisco in 1973. A year later, he headed back to Florida where he officially became a star. Muraco would win his first title in San Francisco in 1975 and he would continue to tour the country until joining the WWF in 1981. In June of that year, Muraco defeated Pedro Morales for the IC Title, which he would hold for five months before losing it back to Morales. After feuding with Bob Backlund, Muraco defeated Morales for the gold once again in January 1983. During his second reign, Muraco had his infamous feud with Jimmy Snuka that culminated in a bloody steel cage match in Madison Square Garden. Muraco dropped the title to Tito Santana in February 1984. He would eventually take on Mr. Fuji as a manager and continue to work as a heel throughout 1985 and 1986.

Fun Fact II: Tonga Fifita started competing professionally at a very young age when, at the age of ten, he was among of group of children sent to Japan to study sumo wrestling. In 1974, he moved to Japan permanently and started his sumo career. After some controversy, Fifita retired from the sport in 1976. Shortly after, he began wrestling professionally for All Japan Pro Wrestling. In the early 80s, he adopted the ring name of King Tonga and moved to Canada to continue his career in Montreal. He remained there until joining the WWF in early 1986.

### Scott:

A fascinating matchup between two powerhouse guys. Muraco was a star in the WWF in the early 80s, being a two time Intercontinental Champion and being involved in big time feuds and matches around the Northeast. However, once the PPV era began he seems to have lost his luster. He wasn't at the first WrestleMania, and then was in a throwaway crap match a year later. He has been involved in a pretty hot feud with Ricky Steamboat, but unless you're in the know the feud largely wasn't seen too much on television. As for King Tonga, he's a relative newcomer who's making a big splash here in front of thousands in Toronto. Speaking of, the visual of this big stadium is immense, with every angle showing people far and wide. You could probably say this was a precursor to what would be SummerSlam, as it took place in late-August. Muraco dominated the early action, including wrapping Tonga's leg around the ring post. Normally it doesn't look too bad, but when the man's leg is open and barefoot, it look nastier. Muraco actually slaps on a rare Figure Four as well. I'm enjoying the commentary between straight men Gorilla and the Big Cat Ernie Ladd, and the heel Johnny Valiant. I was a big Luscious John fan as a kid, both as a manager and sometimes commentator. Tonga took the match over with a slam off the top rope. However I can tell by the pace of this match it was going to end in a draw, and sure enough it did. Entertaining enough match, but draws kill crowds.

### Justin:

Based on Gorilla's comments here, it sounds like they were slowly starting the transition from King Tonga to Haku. Muraco was still pretty juiced up here, but he was also letting himself go a bit and was looking a bit on the hefty side. No surprise that it seemed to coincide with his diminishing push. Valiant is trying to sell that Muraco has lost weight, but I think not. Muraco stalls a bit to start, playing his usual mind games. Tonga showed off his unique mix of speed and power early on, keeping Muraco off balance before slamming him around the ring and forcing him out to the floor. The Haku discussion carries on throughout the match as Tonga continued to control the action in the ring, working over Muraco's arm. Muraco could not shake Tonga off, as the arm work continued on no matter what the Magnificent One tried to do. Eventually, he swung momentum and even gotten an assist from Fuji at ringside. Muraco continued to break down Tonga as this one slowly edged along. I have always been a big Muraco fan, but he could be as basic and bland as they come when he wanted to. He finally kicked things up a notch when he wrenched in a figure four on Tonga, who was able to eventually force a break by grabbing the ropes. The arrogance started to seep through, as Muraco began stalling and meandering around, allowing a Tonga comeback. Just when it looked like he could pick up the win, the bell sounded and we hit the time limit, leaving this one with an unsatisfactory finish. The match itself was technically fine but was much too long and didn't help push Tonga along during his repackaging. Both men roll along, seemingly headed in different directions on the totem pole.

### Match #3: Ted Arcidi defeats Tony Garea with a bear hug at 2:41

Fun Fact I: Tony Garea began his pro career in his native New Zealand in 1971. He would eventually make his way to San Francisco, where he became co-holder of the tag team titles with Pat Patterson. In 1972, he signed with the WWWF where he would win the tag team titles on five separate occasions with four different partners. In 1982, he began working singles and became a fairly prolific jobber to the stars. He would remain in that role until late 1986, when he retired from the ring. Upon retiring, he took a road agent job with WWF, a role in which he remains in to this day.

Fun Fact II: After training as a weightlifter for years, establishing a world record by lifting 705 pounds, Ted Arcidi was recruited by Vince McMahon and signed to the WWF in late 1985. He competed in the battle royal at WrestleMania II, but did not make it out of 1986, as he was released when fellow strongman Ken Patera returned to the promotion, as Vince did not want two men with similar gimmicks on the roster. Arcidi would work Calgary and Texas before retiring in 1990. Since his career ended, Arcidi has maintained a gym and supplement company in New England.

### Scott:

This match was going to be a disaster from the start, simply because Arcidi just has no talent or wrestling ability whatsoever. Rumors were Arcidi was a big time cocaine user and here he's actually working heel, or the announcers are trying to get him to work heel but in reality the crowd could care less. Arcidi slaps on the bear hug, Garea gives up, but really the crowd gave up well before this.

### Justin:

Our next match looks pretty great on paper...ah, I can't even sell it with a straight face. Arcidi was lined up for a big push, but his in ring presence wasn't exactly setting the world on fire. Garea had his day in the sun, but he was low card cannon fodder by this point. Garea tried to match power with Arcidi early on, but that was a losing proposition for sure. This one was short lived as Arcidi locked Garea in the Bear Hug and quickly put him away for the win. The Arcidi Train rolls on, but unfortunately it was a ride that was heading absolutely nowhere.

### Match #4: Junkyard Dog defeats Adrian Adonis by countout at 4:15

Fun Fact: On the 8/2 Championship Wrestling, Junkyard Dog was a guest on the Flower Shop. After Jimmy Hart tried to attack JYD, he grabbed a flower pot and cracked Adrian Adonis in the head with it.

### Scott:

Adrian Adonis really got his character going after defeating Uncle Elmer a WrestleMania II in April. The common story is that Adonis was still a good worker, but became grotesquely overweight so Vince punished him by turning him from a tough leather-clad New Yorker, into an effeminate blob. Here he's working with still one of the most popular guys on the roster in the JYD. Adonis actually got busted open early in this match but then the match totally took a strange booking turn. While Adonis was being worked over, the referee was trying to break them up near the ropes and JYD of all people shoved the ref to the canvas. While that happened, Jimmy Hart sprayed the atomizer into Dog's face. That was just so strange, but the match ended up continuing. Even though JYD was still a popular guy with the fans, he was starting to lose some of his stature in the company with his growing weight and the addition of some fresher blood on the roster. The match is choppy and full of shenanigans until JYD wins by count out with more Jimmy Hart junk mixed in. Overall not a great effort by either guy, and neither is affected by the decision.

### Justin:

The sad transformation of Adrian Adonis is about complete here as he is completely engulfed in the Adorable gimmick and the weight gain continues to get out of control. The gimmick was working though as he gets some good heat during his preening entrance. Despite slipping down the card, his opponent, JYD, gets a very warm welcome from the Toronto crowd. JYD looked to be in decent shape here and started bashing Adonis with his chain before the bell. Adonis was woozy and beaten as JYD headbutted him around the ring and then sent him flying out to the floor. I don't recall ever seeing JYD this focused during his WWF days, but he was locked in here as he just beat the tar out of Adrian. In the midst of it, he shoved the referee down, allowing Jimmy Hart to hop up and spray JYD with Adrian's perfume. Adonis started to use his bulk to wear JYD down, slamming him down and splashing down for near falls. After a melee on the floor, JYD was able to sneak in at the last second, beating the referee's count and winning this surprisingly energetic bout. There wasn't much else going on here, but I will give them credit for busting it in the ring.

### Match #5: Dick Slater defeats Iron Mike Sharpe with an elbow off the top rope at 6:24

Fun Fact I: Dick Slater grew up in Tampa and in the early 70s, he turned down a chance to play for the Miami Dolphins to get into wrestling instead. He was trained in Tampa and started his career with Eddie Graham's CWF. After leaving Florida, Slater spent time in California and Nevada before heading to Georgia, which is where he would finally break out. After spending a successful eight years in Georgia, Slater headed to the Carolinas and began working with JCP. He would remain there until jumping to WWF in 1986. Slater remained in New York until early 1987. He would return to JCP and remained with the company during the transition to WCW. He competed in Atlanta until a back injury ended his career in 1996.

Fun Fact II: Coming from a wrestling family, Mike Sharpe made his pro debut in Calgary in 1977. He remained in Canada until joining the WWF in early 1983. Along with his trademark black forearm brace, he would receive a considerable push upon debuting, but by 1984 he was relegated to lower mid-card and eventually jobber status. Sharpe will remain in the role with WWF until 1995. He also ran a wrestling training school out of New Jersey.

### Scott:

One of the WWF's classic jobbers to the stars takes center stage here. I was actually a big Mike Sharpe fan, as he's to me what some of the 90s jobbers are to Justin. Here he takes on another of my favorites, Dick Slater. My first memories of Slater are in the Carolinas when he and Bob Orton tried to cash in on Harley Race's bounty and take out Ric Flair in 1983. That of course led to the awesome Starrcade 1983 cage match. That's another discussion for another day. This match was surprisingly short as Slater gets the pin on a roll-up/school boy combo. Slater gets the win and Sharpe does his job. Incidentally I love when Gorilla "unintentionally" gets Johnny Valiant all fired up and yelling for absolutely no reason. Great entertainment.

### Justin:

Despite being in his home country, poor Mike Sharpe doesn't get much support from Toronto. And they would also not show much love for Slater either, so it looked like we were in for an interesting one here as far as crowd support goes. Sharpe looked good early, actually landing a few blows in before Slater hammered him down to the mat. The two traded off strikes for most of this one and Sharpe got a decent amount of offense in on Slater, who was considering a rising star at this point. Slater fought back with a nice suplex for a near fall. I wasn't expecting match here but it was pretty lively and fluid right through to the end. Slater was able to crack Sharpe with an elbow to the head from the top and pick up the win, which brought out some loud boos from the crowd. Slater grabs the win but Sharpe had a nice showing here on the big stage.

### Match #6: Bobby Heenan, Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy defeat Lou Albano, Super Machine & Big Machine by disqualification when Giant Machine interferes at 7:49

Fun Fact I: In April 1986, Jack Tunney suspended André the Giant for failing to compete in a tag team match against John Studd & King Kong Bundy at the petitioning of Bobby Heenan. In reality, André was competing in Japan and finishing filming of the Princess Bride. Two months later, vignettes began airing promising the debut of a new tag team known as the Machines, managed by Lou Albano. In their promos, they vowed to prove they were the greatest tag team in the world. It was obvious that Giant Machine was André under the hood, but announcers intimated that it could be others, including Japan's Giant Baba. Heenan began campaigning and claiming that André was under the mask and trying to circumvent his suspension. Tunney vowed that if it were indeed André, then he would be permanently suspended. On 8/23, the Machines made their TV debut, with Super Machine wrestling a singles match while Giant watched from outside with Bobby Heenan sneaking around and taking photos to prove his point. Shortly after, injuries forced André to the sidelines so Albano introduced Big Machine, a third member of the group, portrayed by Blackjack Mulligan.

Fun Fact II: Bill Eadie began wrestling back in 1973 in the Detroit territory. Shortly after beginning his career, Eadie donned a hood and became known as the Masked Superstar. He would begin touring the country, with successful stops in the NWA, Georgia and WWF through 1986, when he signed an official contract with New York. He would maintain his infamous mask but was now known as Super Machine.

Fun Fact III: Robert Windham was a standout college football star that decided to get into wrestling after a cup of coffee with the NFL. He began training in Texas before making his debut in 1967. Over the next two decades, he would compete across the country, with stints in AWA, NWA and WWF, which is where he donned the heel persona of Blackjack Mulligan. He won gold wherever he went and became a viable star. He would settle in with the WWF in the mid 1980s and was used as Big Machine when André the Giant was sidelined with injuries.

Fun Fact IV: Trained by the legendary Killer Kowalski, John Minton made his pro debut in 1976. The two won WWWF tag team gold as the Masked Executioners. After leaving New York, Minton traveled the globe and competed under a variety of ring names. In late 1982, he returned to the WWF and adopted a heel persona of Big John Studd, managed by Classy Freddie Blassie. He received a substantial push, feuding with Champions Bob Backlund and Hulk Hogan as well as André the Giant, leading to a marquee match at the first WrestleMania. By that time he was now being managed by Bobby Heenan and was aligned with fellow stablemate King Kong Bundy. His feud with André was unrelenting and carried over into 1986.

Fun Fact V: A lifelong fan, Bobby Heenan finally broke into the wrestling business as a manager and competitor in Chicago in 1965. In 1969, he joined the AWA and began to gain momentum as a manager dubbed The Brain, occasionally competing in the ring when it fit the storyline. In 1984, Heenan was lured to the WWF by Vince McMahon and was set to manage Jesse Ventura. Once Ventura was forced into early retirement, Heenan was assigned to Big John Studd and his stable began to grow from there.

Fun Fact VI: Lou Albano made his pro wrestling debut in 1953, and had little impact on the wrestling scene before joining up in a tag team known as the Sicilians in the Midwest. In 1967, the Sicilians had a brief run as WWWF Tag Team Champions and by 1969, Albano hung up the tights to become a brash, quick-witted, annoying heel manager known as Captain Lou Albano. He would reign supreme as a heel manager until 1984, when he turned face by siding with pop star Cyndi Lauper in her feud with Roddy Piper. Albano even appeared in Lauper's music video for the hit song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". In mid-1986, he was assigned to the Machines to work as a mouthpiece for the mysterious team from the Orient.

### Scott:

As you can tell from the bevy of fun facts, this is one of the bigger matches on the card. The Machines were supposed to be this mysterious team from the Orient, when in reality none of them were Asian. Stealing the old Dusty Rhodes/Midnight Rider gimmick, everyone and their mother knew that André was the Giant Machine, but of course we were supposed to be in on the joke. Wow there was a lot of beef in the ring, easily almost 2,000 pounds. Studd was one of the few heels I was a fan of in the early days of my fandom, even though I enjoyed seeing him get slammed by André at the first WrestleMania. The first "Hulkamania" tape has a great WWF Title match in a cage between Studd and Hogan that is much better than it actually sounds. Based on the participants, this match is pretty slow and methodical with lots of punches, strikes and posturing. We get another unclean finish as everyone just started brawling around the ring and the referee called for the bell. I was pretty burnt out on Lou Albano by this point as he was a sign of the old guard and the WWF needed to more show off the new faces. Surprisingly the heels get the win as the Machines were triple teaming Bundy and the ref called for the bell. Considering there wasn't a PPV scheduled until the following year, I expected the faces to win the match. Oh well, it was entertaining enough.

### Justin:

For the first time tonight, we have a match that derived from a heated feud. I have always been a Heenan Family fan, and the Studd & Bundy team is one of my guilty pleasure hoss units of this time period. Here, Heenan steps in the ring with his charges to battle the mysterious Machines and the big, fat, sloppy pig himself, Lou Albano. As much as I loved Heenan, I hated Albano and wasn't shocked to see him glom onto another dominant team. We get a surprise off the bat as a third Machine makes his way out along with the rest of the team. Once all the beef was in the ring, it was a pretty impressive sight to say the least. I kind of dug the Machines gimmick with these mysterious monsters coming from Japan to dominate the promotion. The third, gigantic Machine made his way out to the floor as the bell rang and things slowly got underway. Studd was frustrated early as the Machines battered him around and almost slammed him on a couple of occasions. During this match, the sun has pretty much set and the night sky backdrop looked fantastic, adding a really special look to this show now. The Machines continued to dominate early, not allowing Studd nor Bundy to gain any sort of control. Once his Family finally turned the tide, Bobby actually tagged in, but it was short lived as he got swatted away and quickly tagged out. Bobby's main goal was to unmask the Machines to prove André was lurking under one of the hoods, but he has been unsuccessful so far. As Studd and Bundy worked over one of the Machines, Valiant won my heart over by calling Albano a fat slob for standing around on the apron. And right on cue, he tagged in and the crowd popped big time as he faced off with Heenan. Albano stomped away, but Bobby went to the eyes and tagged in Studd. As Albano was being triple teamed, the Giant Machine climbed into the ring and cleaned house, drawing the DQ in the process. He clubbed on Heenan a bit before he was able to escape with his charges. While the in ring action was nothing special, the heat and excitement here was tremendous and it was kept short enough to never get slow or boring at all. Fun stuff as the Machine angle rolls along, continuing to frustrate Heenan.

### Match #7: Ricky Steamboat defeats Jake Roberts in a Snake Pit Match with a sunset flip at 10:17

Fun Fact: On the 5/3 Saturday Night's Main Event, a match between these two men ended in a no contest, when Roberts viciously DDT'd Steamboat on the exposed concrete floor. Jake then unleashed Damien on Steamboat before officials could come and break things up, eventually wheeling Steamboat out on a stretcher. On the 5/3 Championship Wrestling, Steamboat assaulted Roberts after a match. The two would continue to battle across the country throughout the summer, with neither man gaining much of an advantage. On the 7/16 All Star Wrestling, Steamboat again attacked Jake, preventing him from using his snake on his prone opponent. On the 7/27 Maple Leaf Gardens house show, Roberts refused to compete in his match against Sivi Afi and instead claimed that he would not wrestle in Toronto again until it was against Ricky Steamboat in his own type of match.

### Scott:

Another high profile match sees two expert workers get together in a fancy way of saying a no-disqualification match. Steamboat finally dropped the white NWA tights and settled into his martial arts role nicely. This has been a vicious feud that has raged around the country throughout the year, starting with the nasty DDT on the Providence Civic Center floor. Jake says on his DVD that Steamboat wanted Jake to hit him flush on the concrete. Jake had Damien, but Steamboat had his Komodo Dragon, but that was really just to give the feud some pizzazz. In reality these two guys could put on excellent matches without really needing anything else on top of it. This, like the JYD/Adonis match, was just a crazy brawl that went all over the place. Steamboat was busted open and Jake was really giving him the business. Jake was busting the good stuff out, like stomach breakers and fancy pin attempts, until Steamboat snuck out the back door and got a sunset flip for the victory. For what was a shorter match than I anticipated, it was very entertaining and I wanted more.

### Justin:

And speaking of matches derived from hot feuds, we have another one here as Ricky Steamboat is looking for revenge on the man that drove him into unconsciousness with a vicious DDT on the concrete months earlier. Steamboat gets a huge pop as he hits the ring, but Roberts attacks him before the bell even rings. This was a true blowoff, with a gimmick in place that allowed for everything and confirmed the match must end by pin or submission. Steamboat quickly recovered and started to work over Jake, focusing on his arm. Things would spill outside, where they traded blows until Jake slammed Steamboat to turn momentum. It was brief, though, as Steamboat fought right back and took it to Roberts back inside the ring. These two seemed like such a natural fit to feud on paper, but that doesn't always guarantee chemistry in the ring. Thankfully, it worked out for them and they had a great feud and set of matches. Roberts would duck a Steamboat charge and Ricky took a nasty bump over the top rope and landed hard on the floor. Jake followed him out and ran him into the post with a slingshot, busting the Dragon open. The crowd is red hot here, really into this feud and rallying behind Steamboat. Smelling victory, Jake peppered the hell out of Steamboat's face with right hands before cracking him with a short clothesline. Just when Roberts looked like he had it wrapped up, he got lazy with a pin attempt and Steamboat rolled him up for the win. This was really good stuff and with even more time and a bit more violence, this could have been a true classic. Steamboat gets his revenge and the crowd is happy to see the Dragon take out the Snake.

### Match #8: Billy Jack Haynes defeats Hercules with a backslide at 6:08

Fun Fact: These two men had begun feuding on the house show circuit in early August.

### Scott:

In a feud that would culminate the following March in Pontiac, two big powerhouses get together to see who truly is the biggest and strongest. This is a Coliseum Video copy we're watching and suddenly we get Gorilla doing the commentary alone and clearly in a sound room over the video as Ladd and Johnny V mysteriously disappeared. As expected this match is slow, chemistry-less and flat. Incidentally for those that aren't sure, Billy Jack Haynes did not always wear the colors of the Oregon Ducks. That was only when he was here in New York. After those last two crazy matches, this was the time filler while 65,000 Canadians went to the bathroom or the Molson stand. Maybe that's where the Luscious One and the Cat went. Gorilla mentions that Slick has officially purchased half the contracts of all of Freddie Blassie's guys. This feud would pick up throughout the end of the year and into 1987 when they would focus on the Full Nelson finisher. Haynes wins the match with a surprising backslide and thankfully this boring affair is over.

### Justin:

Hercules was looking fairly lean here, but still had his wild man barbarian look, with his long locks flowing in the night air. Billy Jack looked...jacked up. Gorilla mentions that Ladd and Valiant have temporarily left the booth to get some libations and groceries. He also informs us that Slick has assumed all of Freddie Blassie's charges, including Hercules. We get off to a slow start, but things pick up a bit after Hercules dropped Jack with a clothesline. We are now warned of audio difficulties as things go silent, so perhaps libations were not being had by the color commentators as Gorilla had promised us. Haynes came back with some strikes and a dropkick before wearing down Hercules with a side headlock. With no commentary here, you can really hear the crowd riding these guys as they lumbered around the ring. They spilled to the floor, where Hercules slugged away at Haynes, drawing some decent heat. I still can't get over how lithe Hercules looked here. I am not crazy about his hair though. Finally, Gorilla is back to call the rest of this bout. The plodding strike war edged along, with neither man really gaining any type of advantage. Haynes finally went for the full nelson, but Hercules blocked it and again tossed Haynes to the floor. Hercules would suplex him back in and that may have been the best move of the match. Haynes was able to get an opening, block a neckbreaker and hook a backslide for the flash pin. This one just never clicked and was full of slow offense and a fairly flat crowd. That six minutes felt like twenty.

### Match #9: Fabulous Rougeau Brothers defeat the Dream Team when Ray Rougeau pins Greg Valentine with a sunset flip at 14:51

Fun Fact: The offspring of legendary Canadian wrestler and promoter Jacques Rougeau, Sr., Jacques, Jr. & Raymond Rougeau began teaming up in Montreal in the late 1970s. After a memorable and successful run in their home promotion, the two headed to the States and signed a WWF contract in February 1986.

### Scott:

Two of the top teams in the company square off here, obviously for the #1 contenders slot to face my dad's favorite team at the time, the British Bulldogs. My brother was a big Dream Team fan, mostly because he was a big Greg Valentine fan for years. The Dream Team's run with the straps ended back at WrestleMania in Chicago and now they're trying to get back their spot. Jacques and Raymond are relative newcomers and is another signing for Vince to beef up the tag division which saw many teams either break up into solo careers or move on to other promotions. Of course two of the hottest teams in the company aren't at this show: the Bulldogs and Hart Foundation. I'm actually surprised we didn't get a Dream Team/Bulldogs rematch here. Valentine & Beefcake worked the action well and to me this is the best example of how working with Valentine has really helped Beefcake develop into a solid worker. Still today, watching the David Sammartino/Beefcake match from the first WrestleMania is torture, as Beefer was so clueless in the ring. After a lot of seasoning working with the Hammer, Beefcake really knows his way around the ring now. Now the action goes back and forth and the crowd is really into it. I love how Gorilla is egging Valiant on as to why he's commentating and not at ringside with his charges. I wonder why the announcers weren't at ringside and instead were all the way at the top of the stadium in the press box. In what I thought was an upset, Raymond gets Valentine in a Sunset Flip and gets the victory. Although Raymond wasn't the legal man in the ring. It's great how Gorilla throws logic and rules out the window when the babyfaces win. If the wrong heel was in the ring it would be highway robbery. I was pretty stunned, as I thought the more experienced team would get the win and prepare for their return match with the Bulldogs. I guess not. I enjoyed this match as the commentary and crowd helped it out.

### Justin:

We have some tag action up next with the former champions facing off with the home country boys. The Rougeaus are even waving a giant Canadian flag to really hammer the point home. All four brawled off the bell with the Rougeaus using their speed to gain the advantage. They continued to double team Valentine, keeping him grounded. Kind of weird that Valiant stayed in the booth here and didn't join his boys at ringside. Beefcake turned the tide on Ray and the Dream Team slowed things down quite a bit as they started wrestling their type of wear down match. Even after Ray tagged Jacques in, the brothers couldn't gain the momentum. They did have a brief glimmer of hope and landed a great double team aided senton for a near fall, but the Dream Team cut them off again. I am digging all of the hope spots and turns in momentum in this one, as it is bucking the standard formula. The Dream Team was a solid unit that was well put together, specifically to help hide Beefcake's deficiencies by putting him with a workhorse like Valentine. I think they are a bit underrated historically. The team also helped Beefcake develop as a wrestler, as you can see improvement here, about a year removed from his singles run. In any event, they continued to wear down the Rougeaus, leading to a Valentine bear hug on Ray. Ray was finally able to dodge a Valentine elbow drop to make the hot tag. Jacques cleaned house but whiffed on a leap from the second rope. Valentine pounced and went right for his leg, hooking in the figure four. It would get broken up and a melee ensued, leading to a Ray sunset flip for the surprising win. This was a good little tag match that featured solid work and a unique non-formula format. It was also a nice lwin for the Rougeaus.

### Match #10: Harley Race defeats Pedro Morales with a roll up at 3:25

Fun Fact I: The legendary Harley Race began his career in 1960, working out of Memphis. As Race's star was on the rise, he was involved in a terrible car accident that took the life of his pregnant wife and nearly cost Race his leg. He defied doctors and returned to the ring in Texas before heading up to the AWA where he formed a team with Larry Hennig. After winning tag team gold and experiencing a great deal of success, Race decided to strike out on his own and moved onto the NWA as the 70s dawned. Race moved from territory to territory, defeating Dory Funk, Jr. for the NWA Heavyweight Title in 1973 but the reign was short lived. He won the gold again in 1977, defeating Terry Funk and would hold the strap until Dusty Rhodes defeated him in 1981. During that reign, Race traded the belt back and forth but it never left his grasp for a substantial amount of time. In 1983, he defeated Ric Flair for his record breaking seventh title reign, but would drop the title back to Flair at Starrcade of that year. During this time, Race had purchased into the Kansas City territory but was quickly losing money as Vince McMahon's WWF expansion began to infiltrate the area. Race was angered and even threatened WWF wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan, but eventually the losses piled up and he was forced to continue wrestling and eventually signed on with the WWF in May 1986, taking on Bobby Heenan as a manager. Initially known as "Handsome" Harley Race, he would undergo a gimmick transformation after winning the annual King of the Ring tournament that summer. He began wearing his robe and crown to the ring and was now known as "King" Harley Race.

Fun Fact II: Pedro Morales began his career on the west coast in 1959, competing against the major regional stars of that era, eventually winning the WWA Heavyweight Title. He moved on to the WWF in 1970, winning the Heavyweight Title from Ivan Koloff in 1971. He would have a successful reign, catching on with the heavy Puerto Rican fanbase in New York City. In 1972, he had an epic showdown with Bruno Sammartino in Shea Stadium, marking the first WWF Title match between top level faces. The match ended in a seventy-five minute draw. Morales dropped the title to Stan Stasiak in December 1973 before fading from the promotion. He began traveling to various territories, throughout the US and Puerto Rico before returning to the WWF in May 1980. After winning tag team gold with Bob Backlund, Morales set his sights on the only title he was yet to win, the Intercontinental strap. He accomplished his goal on December 8, 1980, defeating champion Ken Patera. With the win, Morales became the first WWF Triple Crown winner. He would briefly lose the title to Don Muraco but when he won it back, he became the first two-time Intercontinental Champion and also went on to have a record setting fourteen month reign as champ. Muraco would end that reign in early 1983. Over the next two years, Morales split his time between Puerto Rico's WWC and the WWF, eventually settling in the lower mid card and putting over rising stars for McMahon through the end of 1987. Morales would eventually retire and become a Spanish language announcer for WWF and would be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

### Scott:

This match was probably at the top of many cards in the early 1970s when both men were the respective World Champions of their promotion. So from a fundamentals perspective this should be a match any young workers should watch back then when learning how to work matches. In fact I'd like to dig through the archives to see if these two did meet in a big match when Morales was WWWF Champion and Race was NWA Champion. After watching this match, all three and a half minutes of it, I wouldn't show this match to students. Maybe one of their earlier matches. Race wins with his feet on the ropes after three and half non-descript minutes. This was a good filler match to prep for the main event, but that's about it.

### Justin:

Before we get to the main event, we have a battle between fading stars and champions. Although they are in very different positions on the card here as Pedro Morales was mainly being used for job duty while Harley Race was set for a good push in the upper mid card. Race attacks off the bell and knocks Pedro to the floor, showing some nice aggression. Gorilla puts over Pedro's resume, which is pretty damn impressive. Johnny said he is pretty good for a guy that speaks broken English. Once Pedro fought back, the two started trading heavy blows until Race finally bailed to catch his breath. Pedro followed him out, but Race just chucked him into the timekeeper's table in a funny spot. He followed with a headbutt and I can't believe how into this match I am getting. Johnny's imitation of a Puerto Rican lion doesn't hurt things either. Pedro got it back together again and picked up a near fall after a suplex and sunset flip. The slugfest continued until Race was able to cradle Pedro in the corner, slip his feet on the ropes and cheat to win like the great heel he is. I dug this, OK. It was two veterans that know how to work and the crowd was pretty into it as well. It was short, but it was energetic and hard-hitting.

### Match #11: Hulk Hogan defeats Paul Orndorff to retain WWF Championship by disqualification at 11:05

Fun Fact: Shortly after WrestleMania I, Paul Orndorff turned face and was locked into a heated feud with former ally Roddy Piper. During this time, he aligned with Hulk Hogan and the two became close friends and often tag team partners. As time wore on, Orndorff's ego started to get the best of him, especially once Adrian Adonis began to slowly mess with his mind. He would call Orndorff "Hulk, Jr." and warned Paul that Hogan wasn't really his friend, even daring him to prove as much. So, in a test, Orndorff tried to call Hogan, but a representative told Paul that Hogan was too busy training to speak with him, angering Orndorff greatly. In their first tag match since the incident, Orndorff & Hogan defeated the Moondogs, but Orndorff wrestled the majority of the bout and picked up the pin, trying to upstage Hogan. A week later, the two men collided during a bout against King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd. Orndorff writhed on the floor as Bundy & Studd worked over Hogan. He finally got back in the ring and ran Bundy & Studd off. As he helped Hogan to his feet, Orndorff struck him with a clothesline and then dropped him with a piledriver, shocking fans and kicking off a red hot heel run and feud. Orndorff hired on Bobby Heenan as his manager and chased Hogan all around the country, even going as far as to wear Hulkamania t-shirts and enter arenas to "Real American".

### Scott:

Our main event is the first big match in what was a hot blood feud between the champion and the arrogant challenger. My brother hated Hogan with a passion, so he was loving the arrogance of Mr. Wonderful. Orndorff started showing up on Superstars and Prime Time Wrestling with Hulkamania shirts and would come to the ring with "Real American" blasting. As much as Hogan's four year run as World Champion was needed to really beef the product and make it a worldwide phenomenon, there were so many heels that were more than worthy of being a great heel WWF Champion, but Vince couldn't take that chance until he was sure the product was cooking, so Hogan had to keep the title around his waist. Nevertheless both men had a great feud going and the crowd was red hot for this match. In reality this was a four year feud between Hulk Hogan and Bobby Heenan, as The Brain tried to throw everyone including the kitchen sink at Hogan to take his precious World Title. Orndorff worked Hogan over for a while but the Champ avoided the piledriver a few times. We would then get a ref bump as Hogan hits Orndorff from behind and Paul went into the referee. Hogan was in control and was about to hit Orndorff with a piledriver but Bobby Heenan whacked Hogan with a wood stool. Orndorff had Hogan pinned but the referee was stunned. He crawled over and tapped Orndorff on the shoulder. He thinks he won and in fact Bobby grabbed the belt and put it on Orndorff. Of course Hogan won by DQ as the referee saw Bobby hit Hogan with the stool, or when Orndorff hit the referee earlier, but I think it's the stool shot that did it. Hogan chases Orndorff off and does his usual posturing to finish the show off.

### Justin:

After a long and winding undercard, it is finally time for our hot main event. In a great heel touch, Paul Orndorff enters to Real American, really taking a crap on Hulkamania. Bobby Heenan had cut a great promo earlier and you could see the desire in his eyes as he wanted Hogan to go down in flames. Hogan was just as fired up and the crowd was ready for this one. Orndorff catches Hogan with a clothesline before the bell, another nice touch in line with his character. Hogan battled back, leading to a great slugfest standoff in the middle of the ring. The battle spilled to the floor where they continued to just beat on each other. Hogan was working pretty stiff here, and you could tell he was delivering some receipts to the notoriously tight working Orndorff. Heenan tried to get involved, but Hogan fought him off and kept Orndorff grounded as well. The Brain wouldn't give up and finally helped his man take over. In the first great spot of the match, Orndorff cracked Hogan with a nice suplex on the floor. Orndorff kept up his precision assault as the crowd tried to get Hogan going. I loved watching Orndorff on offense as he was crisp and efficient. Hogan narrowly dodged a piledriver, but Orndorff maintained control. Hogan finally hulked up and nailed Orndorff with a nice high knee, which also wiped out the official in the process. In a nice piece of revenge, Hogan lifted Orndorff's arm, clotheslined him and spun around with his arms spread open, mocking the exact way Orndorff had turned heel on him. Hogan then tried to piledrive Orndorff, but Heenan hopped in the ring and cracked Hulk with a stool. Unfortunately for Brain, the referee saw the interference and called for the DQ. This was a fun main event and a great feud overall. I am fine with the non-finish because this feud had to carry WWF through the houses for a while longer and Orndorff needed to remain strong. Still, these two had great chemistry and heat and it was oozing here.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Overall the crowd and the commentary made this show much more entertaining that it probably was. The undercard had a lot of flat, crappy matches including talentless sloths like Ted Arcidi. How do you have all this undercard junk and not have your other two champions, British Bulldogs and Randy Savage, on the card? It makes absolutely no sense at all. This is a four match show with the six-man tag, Dream Team/Rougeaus, Steamboat/Roberts and Hogan/Orndorff carrying the load. I love the idea of a big outdoor summer show with a big crowd and a hot card. Except the card really isn't that balanced. They would figure that out over time and the outdoor cards would get better. Even the first SummerSlam would be a little rough but by 1989 the summer shows would really be hot. I'd watch this show from a nostalgia viewpoint to see some of 1986's hottest feuds, but as an overall show, it doesn't really hold up.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

Well, if you love 1986 WWF this show is definitely for you. It was loaded with pretty much all of the major stars of the time and could be viewed as a superior show to WrestleMania II. As Scott mentioned, there were some names conspicuous by their absence, but so it goes. The crowd and atmosphere were great and the commentary was also way better than I was expecting it to be. The matches are all sorts of middling with a handful of the bouts carrying the load for the most part. Still, it was a good showcase of stars and characters and I can't complain much about the results. The main event was hot and well worked and capped off a fun little night of old school wrestling. This show is all about nostalgia and heat, but that sums up 1980s WWF for the most part anyway.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #208

  Wrestlemania III – The Slam Heard Around the World

  Survivor Series 1987 – Hogan Whines and Andre Shines

#  WrestleMania III: The Slam Heard Around the World

March 29, 1987

Pontiac Silverdome

Pontiac, Michigan

Attendance: Somewhere between 78,000 and 93,000

Closed Circuit Attendance: 441,000

Buy Rate: 8.0

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

### Match #1: The Can-Am Connection defeat Magnificent Muraco and Bob Orton when Rick Martel pins Muraco with a Flying Cross Body at 5:36

Fun Fact I: The Can-Am Connection is Tom Zenk and Rick Martel, both from the AWA (more reasons Verne Gagne hates Vince McMahon). Zenk was a tag team specialist mostly, but Martel has a bigger line on his resume. Martel actually held the AWA World Heavyweight Title for a time in 1984, defeating Jumbo Tsuruta. He held the title until he was defeated by Stan Hansen in East Rutherford, New Jersey in early 1985. Now he makes his WWF re-debut. He had actually held the WWF Tag Team titles in the early 80s with Tony Garea.

Fun Fact II: "Cowboy" Bob Orton, Jr. was born on November 10, 1950 and is the son of Bob Orton, Sr., who was also a professional wrestler. Orton, Jr. dropped out of college and at the age of 22 began his professional wrestling training under Hiro Matsuda. He debuted in the territory his father was in, Championship Wrestling from Florida, as Young Mr. Wrestling. He and Bob, Sr. won the tag team championships together in this promotion in April, 1976. Orton moved on to other NWA territories in 1980-81 using a cowboy gimmick. He moved around between the NWA and WWF through the early 80s before sticking with the WWF in 1984 where his work is best known. In his second run with the WWF, he became "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's bodyguard. During "The War to Settle the Score" event in 1985, Orton legitimately broke his arm in a match with Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. The injury would lead to a new gimmick which he would be remembered for. Even though his arm had healed in real life, he would continue wearing the arm cast, claiming that it was on doctor's orders that he do so. He used the cast to his advantage, hitting opponents while the referees back was turned, resulting in numerous wins. Orton took part in the main event of the inaugural Wrestlemania event in Madison Square Garden, where he cost his team the victory after he accidentally hit Paul Orndorff with the cast. Orton remained as Piper's bodyguard through WrestleMania II before the pair went separate ways when Piper took a hiatus.

Orton continued on as the bodyguard for the successor to Piper's Pit, "Adorable" Adrian Adonis. In "The Flower Shop", Adonis had Orton wearing a pink cowboy hat. When Piper returned to action in 1986, Orton turned on his friend, which led to a series of matches through that year. Orton also formed a tag team with Don Muraco, managed by Mr. Fuji. During the summer of 1987, the team would begin arguing during and after matches, resulting in the team dissolving and a feud between the pair. Late in 1987, Orton left the WWF and took a hiatus from wrestling until later in 1988.

He reappeared in All Japan Pro Wrestling, teaming with his brother, Barry Orton. They would form a team called the Gaspar Brothers, which Bob taking on the name Billy Gaspar. After his run with his brother and with friend Dick Murdoch in AJPW, he returned to the US in 1989 to join World Championship Wrestling. Orton bounced around to various territories over the next few years, including Smoky Mountain Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation and the American Wrestling Federation. In 2005, Orton was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

### Scott:

First off, that is definitely 93,173. I will go to my grave believing the kayfabe number. We see a crossing of generations in our opener to the third installment of WrestleMania. Orton and Muraco seem like old dogs in that ring taking on two young newcomers. Martel is of course a former AWA World Champion and Zenk also an AWA alumnus. Since his break from Roddy Piper, Orton seems very dated and out of sorts. I will say though that I liked this team of he and Muraco. As out of date as they seemed, I think they could have had a decent run as a solid heel tag team. The match is very formulaic as Orton & Muraco would dominate the action with a mix of power and technique. However some expert double teaming would lead to a Muraco pin and the new team on the block comes away with the win. A solid opener to get a memorable show going.

### Justin:

Our third WrestleMania is officially under way with what should be a pretty hot tag team opener. Looking at the jam packed Silverdome was intense and awe-inspiring. It makes you realize just how far this company has come in two years time. The Can-Ams were a good team, had a great look and seemed prime for a solid run. They face off with a couple of veterans that seemed to be nearing the end of the runs. They feel a bit like relics from the past here, making this match seem like a transitional one. The Can-Ams worked a crisp pace, keeping their opponents off kilter completely, giving them no chance to get any momentum at all. Muraco and Orton were really working hard out there, bumping all over and showing ass left and right. They got basically no offense in at all, making this quite the squash. It was stunning to see two guys of this pedigree get nothing in at all on a big stage. Any brief offense they had was cut short immediately due to stooging. It was a great showing for the Can-Ams and a nice way to open this massive supershow up. There wasn't much to it, but it had loads of energy and the Can-Am teamwork was fun to watch.

### Match #2: Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules wrestle to a double count out in a "Full Nelson" match at 7:54

Fun Fact I: Billy Jack Haynes is an Oregon native who as recently as 1985 was US Tag Team Champions with Wahoo McDaniel in Mid-Atlantic. He arrived in mid-1986 and lasted as long as early 1988, but this was his only PPV appearance. He would show up in WCW in 1990 and wrestle as the masked Black Blood, but other than that he never resurfaced in the big time.

Fun Fact II: Ever wonder who had the best full nelson in wrestling? Well, in the 1987 WWF, there were two superstars who claimed to have the best. The feud between Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules started in 1986 when Hercules began using Haynes' signature finishing move, the full nelson, as his finishing submission move as well. Hercules' manager, Bobby Heenan, called out Haynes during an episode of WWF Challenge, challenging Haynes to get out of his client's hold. When Haynes agreed to take up the challenge and was waiting for Hercules to apply the hold, Heenan reconsidered the challenge. Haynes got tired of waiting and shoved Heenan, which led to a clothesline by Hercules followed by the application of the full nelson until Haynes passed out. This set the stage for their full nelson match at WrestleMania III.

### Scott:

A fascinating matchup here of two big power hosses. Hercules is now under the tutelage of Bobby Heenan, which means he was instantly moved up the card. This match was all about who could execute the Full Nelson first and get the submission. In his previous employments Haynes had normal colored tights. However Vince wanted Haynes to show his heritage so he's wearing the colors of his beloved Oregon. The match is a typical plodding power affair that sees a lot of slow maneuvering and Heenan posturing. Both men were unable to lock in the Full Nelson because they couldn't lock their fingers through the others hair. They eventually fall out of the ring and it ends in a double countout. Then for some reason Hercules gets his heat back by beating Haynes down with his steel chain. Haynes was left in the ring busted wide open. I didn't understand this, as the feud ends up not really continuing and Haynes just quietly leaves the promotion. The match really isn't much and the post-match beatdown didn't really make much sense.

### Justin:

After a sprint tag team opener, we turn to the power game with two very similar competitors spilling their feud into the Silverdome. Since last year, Hercules has cut his hair short and dropped the Hernandez surname along with picking up Bobby Heenan as a manager. Billy Jack also had a good look and was decked out in the colors representing his home state of Oregon. This match was centered around the full nelson, a move both men showcased. Gorilla referenced that Hercules never used the hold until Billy Jack arrived, basically saying he flat out stole it. Haynes would withstand an early assault and sent Herc flying a with a nice press slam. When Herc did take over, he worked a very slow pace. In a shocking spot, he hit a suplex and then picked Haynes up at two. I am not sure who looked weaker on that one. Herc would maintain control and be the first to hook the full nelson, but as Gorilla pointed out, he did not have the fingers locked, which allowed Haynes to break it. Haynes would come back and eventually get the full nelson as well, but as he worked the hold, they tumbled to the floor. He would keep it locked in, leading to a double countout. After the match, Haynes got tied up chasing down Heenan, allowing Herc to bash him with his chain, leading to a gushing blade job for Billy, and locking in another full nelson. The post match assault was much better than the match, which was slow and plodding outside of a few spots. I can't say either guy came out looking well here, but Herc left with his hand raised and Billy was left laying in his own blood.

### Match #3: Hillbilly Jim, Little Beaver & Haiti Kid defeat King Kong Bundy, Lord Littlebrook & Little Tokyo by disqualification at 4:26

### Scott:

I'm going to try and get through my comments without openly stating that I'm not a big fan of midget wrestling. Boy how low has King Kong Bundy sunk? He goes from main eventing WrestleMania II for the World Title in a steel cage, to being in a forgettable match with a bunch of midgets. Hillbilly has actually moved up from not being at I, to being lost in the battle royal at II, to being in an actual match here. I love Bob Uecker's line about "Wow there's a lot of beaver in this place." We get the usual midget parlor tricks but I was waiting for Bundy to squish one of those little guys. Eventually Bundy actually catches Little Beaver after Beaver was giving him grief throughout the whole match. Bundy eventually slams Beaver and then drops a 458 pound elbow on him, forcing a disqualification. Slowly but surely WrestleMania would weed out these real bad gimmick matches. This match wasn't much other than having midgets almost get killed. Incidentally Hillbilly Jim has said that Bundy wasn't supposed to drop the elbow on Little Beaver, just slam him. Maybe that led to Bundy's leaving by the end of the year.

### Justin:

Welp. Here we go. I will never understand this decision here and why they didn't just run a solo match between Hillbilly and Bundy, which could have been a OK big man battle. Instead, we get this mixed tag mess. Poor Bundy has really fallen quite far down the card since he faced Hulk Hogan in the cage a year earlier. He does look like he has slimmed down a bit though, so good on him for that. These are four veteran midgets and their age shows as they are looking quite a bit haggard at this point. The only positive here is that Bob Uecker joined the booth and got some good liners in. Jesse was great here as well. Little Tokyo is one ugly little person. I think Matt Rotella owns Haiti Kid's slippers. The crowd dug this but it wasn't much beyond the usual midget comedy spots except for when Jim and Bundy tussled. After Little Beaver kept getting in Bundy's grill, annoying him, Bundy finally snapped, slammed him and dropped a big elbow on his tiny chest. That moment made this all worth it. Bundy's little friends turn on him and protect their own as Bundy storms off, angry he couldn't levy more damage. The second highlight of this match was angry agent Jack Lanza yelling at the midgets to get out of the ring so they could move along with the show. Yeah, not much.

### 4) Harley Race defeats Junkyard Dog with a belly-to-belly suplex at 3:23

Fun Fact I: Harley Race was a world renowned wrestler who had been an eight time NWA Champion. He had dominated the NWA region and, in 1983, graciously passed the torch to his successor, Ric Flair. In late 1986, he decided to finally make the jump to the WWF. He handed over the NWA Missouri Championship and packed his bags to head north.

Fun Fact II: In 1986 when Race joined the WWF, it was a time when the promotion did not acknowledge or recognize achievements made by wrestlers in other promotions. In order to indicate Race's wrestling achievements, they had him win the King of the Ring tournament. After this, he began referring to himself as "King" Harley Race, began wearing a king's crown and cape to the ring and made his defeated opponents bow before him. Typically the opponent would not oblige willingly, so Race's manager, Bobby Heenan, would grab their hair and assist them in bowing before their king.

In January 1987 on Saturday Night's Main Event, during a match with JYD, Race headbutted the Dog, causing more injury to himself than his opponent. While he was rolled out of the ring and was talking to Heenan, JYD put on the crown and cape of the King. Heenan entered the ring and hit JYD from behind, doing little damage and leading to a retaliatory punch from the Dog. Race reentered the ring, continually hitting JYD even after the bell rang disqualifying Race. Heenan and Race attempted to get the Dog to bow to the King, but instead he did everything in his power to keep his head upright and not bow. This leads to their WrestleMania III confrontation where the loser must bow to the winner.

### Scott:

This is a fascinating matchup for me because I really knew nothing about Harley Race until he arrived in the WWF in 1986. I mean I read the old Pro Wrestling Illustrated magazines and I knew that he was a former NWA World Champion. However in the Northeast he wasn't on TV much, so until I saw the Race/Flair match from Starrcade 1983 a couple years later I hadn't seen much from the ring of Race. JYD was crazy over still but his workrate had really slid once he arrived in the WWF a couple years earlier. The match was a lot of posturing and tossing of Race outside the ring, In fact it was for the most part a Dog squash until a Bobby Heenan outside maneuver led to Harley's belly-to-belly suplex and a shocking victory for The King. That totally took me by surprise as at the time I thought the babyfaces won all the matches at WrestleMania. My buddy Tom was a huge JYD fan and he was devastated. Then to add insult to injury the Dog had to bow down before the King. To get his face heat back he drills Race with a chair and leaves with his robe. The match wasn't much to write home about but seeing a different kind of guy like Harley Race was pretty cool.

### Justin:

The parade of middling matches rolls on. This would have been fantastic in the Superdome five years earlier, but now Dog is a shell of his former self and Race, while still decent enough, wasn't much in the position to carry him. Uecker leaves the booth to chase after Fabulous Moolah, who is the "Keeper of the Crown" here. I am guessing that is just a reason to get her a payday. Bobby would run some early interference to get Harley an opening, but Dog fought through it and hammered away. Dog is really moving in slow motion here. Race delivered the spot of the match with an attempted headbutt off the ring apron. Dog moved and the King came up empty, making it even uglier. Harley took some wild bumps here, giving it his best shot to make this thing work. In our racist moment of the match, Race headbutts Dog but only hurts himself, natch. Heenan again distracts Dog, allowing Race to hit a fairly week belly-to-belly for the win...barely, as Dog basically kicks out just at three. Dog basically crapped on the stipulation by giving Harley a shit bow and then cracking him with a chair. Another nothing match to open this show, but hell the crowd loved it, so what do I know.

### Match #5: The Dream Team defeats The Rougeau Brothers when Greg Valentine pins Jacques after Dino Bravo interfered at 4:02

### Scott:

What was supposed to be just a typical face-heel match between two random teams ended up being the birth of one of the Federation Era's most popular babyfaces. The Rougeaus were making their WWF PPV debut here and we were expecting a pretty normal match and that's what we got. The Rougeaus were an exciting team that could move very quickly in the ring. Add that to the Bulldogs and the Killer Bees, along with the tag team Champion Hart Foundation and the tag division was slowly becoming a strength of the company. The match is pretty straightforward until we saw some heel miscommunication when Beefcake attempted to break up a Rougeau grapple hold on Valentine but he accidentally hits the Hammer instead. Thinking the match was over, we have our second straight heel swerve when Dino Bravo interfered. He comes in and when the referee wasn't looking he drills Raymond, which allowed Valentine to get the pin and win it for the Dream Team. However the heels leave the ring except for Beefcake who was left high and dry in the ring. Thus we may have a new babyface perhaps? The match is pretty standard but is more remembered for the swerve at the end.

### Justin:

Our second tag match of the evening features former WWF tag team champs squaring off with a team making their WrestleMania debut. Since losing the straps in Chicago a year earlier, the Dream Team have had an up and down ride. Most recently, they have added a second corner man in strongman Dino Bravo. The Rougeaus were pretty fantastic in the ring and were a prototypical face tag team of the late 80s. Beefcake's hair is looking a bit screwy here as he had it cut accidentally by Adrian Adonis just before this show. It is basically an aborted mullet. Valentine would steady things for the Dream Team, pounding Jacques to the mat and setting up some nice double team moves to wear the brothers down. Bobby Heenan hops in the booth here to brag about his evening and set up his biggest match to come. He also shit talks the midgets. The Rougeaus made a quick comeback and also got an assist from a Beefcake miscue that allowed them to hit the Le Bomb. However, the referee was tied up, which gave Bravo a chance to get involved and Valentine to cover for the win. After the match, Johnny V celebrates with Valentine and Bravo, leaving Beefcake jilted as the fourth wheel. It certainly looked as if change was now in the air for the Dream Team. The match was fine and actually I wished we got a longer outing here between the two teams, as it could have been a hidden classic.

### Match #6: Roddy Piper defeats Adrian Adonis in a Retirement Haircut match when he knocks Adonis out with The Sleeper at 6:55

Fun Fact I: This feud started in October 1986, when Piper, then a heel, went on vacation (on-screen and off). He trusted his good friend Adrian Adonis to keep Piper's Pit going until he got back. Well, Adonis changed the whole set from plaid to petunias. Piper's Pit became The Flower Shop. When Piper came back from vacation he was not amused. He returned to find his bodyguard Cowboy Bob Orton wearing a pink cowboy hat. Piper would be beat down by Adonis, Orton and Magnificent Muraco. The feud simmered throughout the weeks, including Piper destroying the Flower Shop with a baseball bat. A haircut stipulation was added and Piper also announced this would be his retirement match. Also, the week before this PPV, Adrian Adonis accidentally shaved Brutus Beefcake's head, which would come back to haunt him.

Fun Fact II: Adonis was killed on July 4, 1988 in Newfoundland when the van he was in with a group of fellow wrestlers crashed. The van allegedly swerved to avoid a moose and ended up driving into a lake after being blinded by the sun.

### Scott:

We come to one of the highlight matches of the card, since it is the "final match" for one of the foundation members of this era. So hated was Roddy Piper just a year earlier at WrestleMania II, here he is absolutely loved by the fans. Adonis stole Piper's pit in the fall and turned it into a "flower shop". Piper returned and he was attacked by Adonis, Magnificent Muraco and his former bodyguard Bob Orton. From there the turn continued until the early part of 1987 when he became a full-blown favorite. Now we see his farewell here. This is definitely an upgrade from Uncle Elmer a year earlier. The match really isn't much as Adonis muddled his way through the match and then foolishly lets go of the sleeper on Piper before the arm dropped the third time. Out of nowhere comes new babyface Brutus Beefcake who wakes Hot Rod up, allowing Piper to get his own sleeper on Adonis and gets the victory. Then to add insult to injury Beefcake helps Piper shave the Adorable One's head. Well half of it anyway. Piper then leaves to the bagpipes and the adulation of 93,000 fans. Was this it? Who knew, but if it was there was no better way to end it. Sure the match wasn't much but the moment is one of the greatest in wrestling history.

### Justin:

After a two year heel run, the WWF finally gave us permission to cheer for Roddy Piper. While on sabbatical, Adrian Adonis turned Piper's Pit into the Flower Shop and began taking as many shots as possible at the Hot Rod, even stealing his buddy Bob Orton away. Piper returned and we got some memorable brawls to set up this highly anticipated match. It would be Piper's "retirement" match as he was ready to hang up the tights and head off to Hollywood for good. There was also a haircut stipulation on the line here as well. The crowd was red hot for Piper as he came down to the ring and to me this was the first time the overwhelming attendance really made a moment feel extra special. They wasted no time getting nasty, using a leather strap on each other right off the bell. Piper was on fire, keeping both Adonis and Jimmy Hart all out of synch. Despite the increased girth, Adonis' bumping was always so great to watch. Adonis found an opening with an assist from Hart and started his assault. Just when Piper started to fend him off and make a comeback, Hart sprayed him in the eyes with the atomizer. That allowed Adonis to hook in his sleeperhold, but Piper kept fighting. Eventually, Adonis decided to just break the hold to celebrate and maybe start clipping a bit prematurely. Instead, Brutus Beefcake, who was looking for revenge for Adonis accidentally cutting his hair, showed up to help awaken Piper and that is when chaos ensued. Both Adonis and Hart got wiped out in the ensuing mess, followed by Piper locking Adonis in a sleeper for the win and massive pop from the fans. After the bout, Beefcake got his revenge by shaving Adonis bald, officially stamping his face turn in the process. This was a really fun and energetic match with a quick pace and lots of bumping around by both men. The atmosphere for Piper's final match was fitting of one of WrestleMania's earliest stars, a man that was key to the entire concept. It will be weird going forward without him for now.

### Match #7: The Hart Foundation & Danny Davis defeat The British Bulldogs & Tito Santana when Davis pinned Davey Boy Smith after he used Jimmy Hart's megaphone at 8:52

Fun Fact: This feud, believe it or not, started way back on February 8, 1986. That night at Boston Garden, Tito Santana lost the Intercontinental Title to Randy Savage. Savage was trapped in a back suplex, and in mid-air he whacked Tito in the face with a foreign object. Davis didn't see it and Savage was the new IC champ. Though they didn't know it at the time, the WWF had a ready-made storyline. In late-1986, Davis would start blowing matches, messing things up, such as slowing counts. Of course, it was always the face that got screwed. Finally in January 1987 he screwed the British Bulldogs in a Tag Team Title match in Rochester, and the Hart Foundation were the new champs. Davis was a full-blown heel and President Jack Tunney stripped him of his refereeing duties. To set up the match, they went back to the archives and found Davis refereed the Santana/Savage match. So, might as well use it to get Tito in the match.

### Scott:

This is one of the first great cases of continuity in WWF history. This storyline started way back in February 1986 when Randy Savage beat Tito Santana in Boston to win the IC Title. Danny Davis was the referee but at the time that meant nothing. However, it was clear Davis had the chops to be a pretty solid heel. So he helps the Harts beat the Bulldogs for the straps and then was suspended for life. So why not use the IC title match from over a year earlier and slot great worker Tito into the mix? The previous chemistry between both these tag teams from their Stampede Wrestling days made this match so much better than you thought. Danny Davis was there for no other reason than evil comedy purposes but he was carrying serious heel heat. This is the first match on the card after the sun went down so we get the dusk match right here. Also different is that Uecker and Mary Hart are in the booth with Gorilla since Jesse was introduced at ringside before skulking off with Matilda. Great systematic double team work by the pink and black attack but Tito gets a hot tag and cleans the ring out to a red hot response. I thought he should have pinned Davis after the flying burrito forearm but Tito keeps beating on Davis and the match moves on. Davey Boy drills Davis with a piledriver but the point of the match was to have the evil referee who screwed our heroes over get the payback he deserves. Then there was chaos in the ring but somehow Davis pinned Dynamite with the megaphone. Very strange ending and another shocking heel win.

### Justin:

As dusk started to take over Pontiac, we move into the back half of our card with a pretty intriguing six-man affair. Former referee Danny Davis had wreaked havoc on the title runs of both the British Bulldogs and Tito Santana over the past year or so, and now he has been converted into a wrestler by Jimmy Hart. He steps in alongside stablemates, the Hart Foundation to face off with the men he screwed over. The Bulldogs have also picked up a new mascot, an actual bulldog named Matilda. We have Mary Hart and Uecker in the booth for this one, as Jesse went down to ringside to be recognized for being awesome. The Bulldogs and Tito dominated early on, quick tagging and working over the Anvil. I know they wanted to get Davis involved here, but I am surprised they didn't want to have the tag titles on the line on a show like this. Davis would pop in here and there to land a quick shot, but the champs were wise to leave him camped on the apron, tucked away from danger. Dynamite was gutting his way through this, but his back was in pretty rough shape at this point, severely limiting what he could do. Davis would finally get caught and got smacked around by Santana, who had pure hate in his eyes. Things wouldn't get easier when Davey Boy tagged in, as he got Tombstoned to oblivion. That was nasty. Davis was getting all his comeuppance here as he gets racked with a powerslam as well. However, the Harts ran some interference, used Hart's megaphone and put Davis on top of Davey Boy to pick up the win. Well, that is certainly how you build some heat. That was a really good match and gave you just enough of Davis getting murdered to justify him stealing the win.

### Match #8: Butch Reed defeats Koko B. Ware with a roll-up while holding the tights at 3:39

Fun Fact I: In the summer of 1986, Butch Reed, alongside manager Slick, was banished from the NWA: Central States territory when he lost a loser-leaves-town match to Bruiser Brody. Then, in the fall of '86, both men signed on with the WWF. Slick took part of in an angle where he agreed to take over managing half of the ailing Freddie Blassie's stable. After a few weeks, however, it was clear that Blassie had to call it quits, so Slick took over the whole operation, specifically the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff. A month or so later, Slick debuted the "Natural" Butch Reed as a prized acquisition.

Fun Fact II: James Ware, better known by his in-ring persona, Koko B. Ware, was born on June 20, 1957. Ware made his pro wrestling debut at the age of 21. He spent much of his early career floundering in the Mid-South, Georgia and other NWA territories. Koko's fortune began to change when he won a battle royal and became the Mid-American Television Champion. His reign was a short one as Dutch Mantel defeated him when he returned to the promotion. Ware saw tag team success with Bobby Eaton, winning the AWA Southern Tag Team championship. He also saw tag team gold as part of the PYT Express (Pretty Young Things) with Norvell Austin in the AWA and NWA Florida.

In 1986, Ware joined the WWF and was repacked as the "Birdman" Koko B. Ware. He would come to the ring flapping his arms with his macaw mascot "Frankie". He was a fan favorite with his colorful outfits and constant smile, especially with the young audiences that were now attending WWF events. Ware was mainly confined to the midcard, developing and putting over new talent. During the early 1990s, the WWF teamed with the USWA to exchange talent. In this time, Koko made appearances in the USWA and won their World Title twice and tag team championships once with Rex Hargrove. Ware remained in the USWA until his semi-retirement in 1995. Ware was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009.

### Scott:

We get three PPV debuts in one match here, and we also have a historic match as two black wrestlers go head to head on a big PPV stage. I remember Butch Reed from the mags so I was familiar with him but I had never seen Koko B. Ware before. We also had the debut of a new manager: Slick, the Doctor of Style. So we have a match where all major participants are African-Americans, a historic moment for the company. The match isn't too much as Butch Reed dominates the action but Koko gets a late comeback that's thwarted by some heel chicanery and Reed gets the win. Tito Santana comes out to strip Slick to his underwear and then he and Koko double team Reed out of the ring. There's not much more to say here as other than the historical significance of the match, there's nothing to it.

### Justin:

And we have a slew of debuts here, with the most iconic being the manager on the outside: Slick. The Doctor of Style and Butch Reed arrived from Missouri as a package deal and settled nicely into the midcard. Koko came out of Memphis and had a bit of a switch in gimmick, as he now portrays a happy, Gospel singing, dancing, bird loving high flyer that rallies the fans. Reed dominated Koko here, using his size advantage to control. I thought Reed was a perfect fit for the WWF landscape, thanks to his look and size. He was a prototypical heel for the company during this time. Koko had a very brief comeback, but Reed would roll him up, hook the tights and steal a less than impressive win. After the match, Koko wiped out Reed, but Slick jumped him with his cane. That drew out Tito Santana, who beat up Slick, ripped his clothes off and then ran off Reed. This was nothing special due to time, but could have been solid enough if they had a few more minutes.

### Match #9: Ricky Steamboat defeats Randy Savage to win WWF Intercontinental Title with a small package at 14:33

Fun Fact: This legendary feud started in November of 1986. Savage was defending the IC Title against Steamboat, when he draped Steamboat over the railing and dropped a double axe-handle on the back of his neck, driving his throat into the railing. He then put Steamboat into the ring, and was DQ'd when he came off the top rope with the ring bell and drove it into Steamboat's throat. This was one of the most awesome angles at that time, and put Savage over as a big time heel. Steamboat sold it like he was shot, and was out of action for a few weeks. He came back on December 14 in Hartford (a show Scott was at) to protect his friend George Steele from the same fate. From there, the slow burn grew and grew until the title match was announced for WrestleMania.

### Scott:

What can you say? If you are a WWE fan, this has to be in your top three in the WrestleMania greatest matches list. Both these men put everything on the table for 93,000 in the Silverdome and millions watching on PPV at home. Steamboat was already established as one of wrestling's best mat technicians, but it was Savage that everyone was surprised at. Savage was a solid performer in Memphis, but so far in his WWF tenure he used stalling tactics and dirty tricks to get through his matches. On a big stage like this, Macho Man would have to do a little more than that to keep his title, and keep the fans jacked. Well, Savage crossed the line from heel asshole, to bona fide WWF superstar. My brother and I were on the edge of our seats watching this match, wondering who would get the three-count. There were a total of 23 two-counts, 16 by Savage. Every possible combination of moves and roll-ups could not keep Steamboat down. In the climax, with referee Dave Hebner down, Savage went outside to get the ring bell and injure Steamboat again. George "The Animal" Steele would take the bell from him, but a boot to the head would get Savage the bell back. As he went to the top rope to hit Steamboat with the bell, Steele would push Savage off the ropes and the bell goes flying. Savage gets up, and lifts Steamboat up for a bodyslam. As he does, Steamboat hooks his leg, and rolls him into a small package as the revived Dave Hebner counted three. Steamboat was the new Intercontinental Champion, but Savage also established himself as a force in the WWF landscape. The commentating of Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura also reached the levels we're used to, as both were on their respective sides in the match. This was one of many examples of how Jesse Ventura spun his story so well, you almost were rooting for the heel. Regardless, it's the first perfect match of the modern PPV era, and #1 on my list, even after almost three decades.

### Justin:

And here we go with the culmination of a red hot feud with gold on the line. In a year's time, Savage and Elizabeth have developed real aura around them. He has now reigned as IC champion for over a year and is presented and viewed as a superstar. These guys were tailor made for each other and Steamboat was tremendous is conveying his anger and desperation for revenge. He has long time Savage nemesis George Steele in he is corner, in the role he should be in. They wasted no time diving right into things, working at an accelerated pace until Savage bailed out to the floor. Even that was brief, as Steamboat went right after him. The crowd rallied the Dragon on as he worked over the champ's arm with a series of wringers and strikes to the limb. Savage would eventually dump Steamboat to the floor to buy a minute to regroup and then followed that up by attacking Steamboat's rehabbed throat. He wrestled a possessed style, locked in and efficient in every step he took. As Steamboat first attempted to come back, we kicked off a flurry of near falls that would continue throughout the match. Jesse was great in this match in his unabashed backing of Savage and ripping Steamboat, Steele and the referee for any misstep the entire time. Savage was so quick here, snapping off moves and quickly drifting from spot to spot effortlessly. The hottest near fall came when Steamboat hit a chop off the top rope but Savage got his foot on the rope to break the pin. The crowd was ready to blow on that one. The two counts kept flowing and by this point it was clear that this was going to end up being a classic. Savage would find himself back in control and even cash in with his big elbow, but the referee was down and out and couldn't make the count. This would lead to Savage's downfall as he got frustrated and grabbed the ringbell, which drew Steele into the action. The Animal would shove Savage off the top rope and rattle him enough to basically walk into a small package that would end the match. The Savage visual pin was a good one because it gave Savage an instant bitch for a rematch. As much as I dislike Steele, he was fine here and it made sense for him to factor in. This still holds up as a classic and is easily the first ***** star WWF PPV match in the company's history. Savage's reign has finally ended and the Dragon now stands strong atop the division.

### Match #10: Honky Tonk Man defeats Jake Roberts with a roll-up using the ropes as leverage at 7:16

Fun Fact I: Honky Tonk Man's heel turn is one of the most interesting of all time. After his brief run as a face, the WWF asked fans to write in and vote whether or not they like HTM. The fans answered with a resounding NO, so the bookers revamped his character and gave him the legendary Elvis impersonator gimmick that he carries to this day.

Fun Fact II: On the February 21, 1987 episode of WWF Superstars, Jake Roberts' guest on the Snake Pit was the Honky Tonk Man with manager Jimmy Hart. Roberts was going through a face turn at the time and was becoming popular with crowds, with more and more "DDT" chants coming during matches. During the interview, HTM hit Roberts in the back with a guitar, injuring him and starting him on a dependence of prescription pain medication. The guitar was supposed to be a gimmicked balsa wood guitar, but was instead a real guitar. The attack led to the feud between the two and their match at WrestleMania III.

### Scott:

Another entertaining match, but not too much that the crowd would be burnt out by the main event. Roberts was a heel when he entered the WWF about a year ago, but the fans (like with Piper) took to him so much he was eventually turned face. Alice Cooper would second him to the ring, one of only a few celebrities involved this year. His opponent is a man who came in as a tweener friend of The Junkyard Dog but the fans never warmed up to, so now Honky was being showcased as another heel newcomer (there were a lot of them at this WrestleMania). It seemed as 1986 was progressing that Jake Roberts was gaining the support of the crowd after the Ricky Steamboat feud and then was getting pops a house shows that were matching Hogan. Honky cracked Roberts with the guitar about a month earlier to set this match up. The match was entertaining, as Roberts was pinned by nefarious means. Roberts was tossing Honky around the ring and I thought this was an easy win for the Snake. However Honky rolled Jake up and held the top rope for leverage to get the win. It didn't spare Jimmy Hart from Roberts' partner, Damien. The big python chased Hart and Honky down the aisle. So the match served two purposes successfully: It got a cheap win for Honky, and it ended with the fans happy Damien was out of the bag, and Roberts face heat returned. There were many heels on this show that totally shocked me they won, from Harley Race to the Dream Team to the Harts/Davis and even Butch Reed. This match is maybe the biggest shock of them all.

### Justin:

In another one of the most anticipated matches on the card, the newly minted face Jake Roberts looks for revenge on the Honky Tonk Man, the man who nearly crippled him with a guitar. As great as Jake was as a smarmy heel, it was tough to keep him on that side of the ledger because the fans wouldn't allow it. Honky was the exact opposite case, as he was brought in as a face but was quickly booed into being a chickenshit heel. Jake has metal legend Alice Cooper with him and gets a very hot reception from the massive crowd. Having Cooper back him up definitely made Jake feel like an even bigger deal in his new role, so that was a good move. This definitely seemed like it was going to be a fairly quick squash for Roberts to get his heat back and move on. Roberts attacked right off the bell, not even allowing Honky to disrobe. He would keep the heat on Honky, hitting his standard move set right up until Honky was able to slither out of a DDT attempt. Honky finally turned things around on the floor, where Cooper would do what he could to get Jake back in the ring. Honky had really built up the cocky aspects of his character quite quickly after his heel turn. He already seemed really natural in the role by this point. Jake slowly stalked his way back into control and was looking ripe for the win until Jimmy Hart got into the mix, allowing Honky to roll Jake up and hook the ropes to steal a big upset victory. This was pretty shocking as it seemed obvious Jake would blow off the feud, but I guess they had bigger plans set for Honky after this. Jake gets his heat back after the match when he and Cooper tease him with Damien the snake. This was a solid match that had some good heat and intrigue behind it.

*** Mean Gene Okerlund announces the new indoor attendance record of 93,173 ***

### 11) Nikolai Volkoff & Iron Sheik defeat the Killer Bees by disqualification when Jim Duggan interferes at 5:41

Fun Fact: Jim Duggan was a huge star in the UWF and Mid-South regions during the early 80s. He won numerous titles, including the Louisiana Heavyweight Title, the Mid-South Tag Titles and the North American Title. He had big feuds with Ted DiBiase, Krusher Khrushchev and Dick Slater. He was a huge raw in the South and regularly brought big houses to the Louisiana Superdome. But, as was the case in the late 80s, when Vince called for him, Duggan made the jump to the big time.

### Scott:

Match placement was absolutely perfect for this show. They had the right slots for the big matches, the mid-level matches of importance and the filler matches. After the crowd was disappointed their guy Jake Roberts lost, and knowing the biggest main event ever was on deck, a mere filler match was needed here. Nothing too long was necessary, just a chance to showcase another young great tag team in the Bees and let the crowd go get one last beer or hit the head before the main event. Two years earlier Sheik and Volkoff shocked the world at Madison Square Garden by winning the Tag Titles, and now they are filler. Sadly they are being passed over for younger talent and newly signed guys from other promotions, but Vince was loyal and gave these guys a big time payday by fitting them in. The heels controlled the action with big clubbing moves and strikes. There's a myriad of trash around the ring from Nikolai's Russian National Anthem and its still in the ring when they wrestle. Then there's another debut: Hacksaw Jim Duggan from Mid-South. Incidentally it's our second "Hacksaw" of the night. What boggles my mind is that he comes in and causes the Bees to get disqualified. This would be the first of many times where Duggan is booked ass-backwards to cost himself or other guys a match. So we get ANOTHER shocking heel win, although this one probably makes the least sense.

### Justin:

The darlings of WrestleMania I are right back at it once again, this time tussling with the underdog team of the Killer Bees. Volkoff & Sheik are now repped by Slick, who is still in his shredded clothes, courtesy Tito Santana. As Volkoff sings the Russian anthem, Hacksaw Jim Duggan makes his PPV debut, crashing the ring and running Slick's boys out to the floor. Well, that is one way to make a debut. He tells Volkoff that he can't sing the Russian anthem, because "this is the land of the free and the home of the brave"...welp. Sheik was still pretty fit here, as were both Bees. Duggan continued to pace around ringside, patrolling the area. The match is a bit messy as all four men brawl right off the bell and keep it going. Sheik would be the victim of some double team action as the Bees began to dominate. Sheik & Volkoff were completely out of synch as the referee had zero control at all in this one. Once the former champs did take over, they went right to the power game, wearing Brunzell down with a bearhug and a series of suplexes. And just when thinks were really cooking, Duggan got involved and used his 2×4 to club the Sheik and cost the Bees a win. Damn, give that another seven or so minutes and we could have really had a nice little classic. Ah, well. As is, it was still fun.

### 12) Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea) defeats André the Giant (André Rousimoff) to retain WWF World Title with a legdrop at 11:58

Fun Fact I: This all started on the 1/17 edition of Piper's Pit, when Hulk Hogan was awarded with a trophy for being World Champ for three years. The following week, Tunney awarded a similar trophy to André the Giant for being undefeated throughout his career. The trophy was quite smaller than Hogan's, and when Hogan came out to support his friend, André walked out without saying anything. The next week, Jesse Ventura and Piper promised they would bring out each man the following week to iron out their differences. Then, on the memorable February 7, 1987 edition of the Pit on Wrestling Challenge, André came out with Bobby Heenan, turned heel, and demanded a title match for WrestleMania. Hogan pleaded with André, but André then ripped off Hogan's shirt, but more importantly, his cross. Holy shit, this was fucking huge. A week later, Hogan accepted the challenge. We were off and running.

Fun Fact II: In 1986 after WrestleMania II, André's health was beginning to take a downturn. His weight was putting a lot of pressure on his bones and joints, with his back taking the brunt of the abuse. He took a leave of absence from the WWF where he returned to his home country of France to have back surgery. After the surgery, André would wear a back brace for the remainder of his life, which he also wore under his wrestling singlet.

### Scott:

This is without question the biggest main event in professional wrestling history, and may still be so. André the Giant, the biggest superstar ever (size-wise), is in his first PPV main event. Hulk Hogan is the WWF Champion and the biggest superstar at that moment. There was only one main event that could put 93,173 in the Silverdome, and this was it. Jesse says on-air this is the biggest match in the history of professional wrestling, and he wasn't lying. I can most definitely tell you that I was absolutely speechless on my living room floor that February 7th morning when Andre ripped the cross and the shirt off of Hogan and walked out with Bobby Heenan. I had only been a fan for about four years at that point but I knew the world-wide babyface that Andre was, so seeing this was crazy. There isn't many heel turns over the coming years that would come even close to this. I love Bobby's white tuxedo for his huge moment, and Andre was smugly still waving to the crowd like he was still a favorite. I also loved that Hogan walked down the ramp, like Piper earlier in the day. The darkness of the arena with all the flashbulbs and the gleaming silver aprons, there wasn't a better sight to see as a wrestling fan. This was it for anybody there at the Silverdome or at home like me, my brother and my dad. I was an unabashed Hulkamaniac while my brother was actually rooting for Andre. I felt he was like a Communist in the era of Reagan for rooting against Hogan. The match itself was about what you'd expect. André was in pretty bad shape at this point, as the disease that made him the size he was also not stopping, and kept breaking him down. On top of the fact that Hogan, as good a superstar as he was, couldn't carry a napkin, so this was no Steamboat/Savage. It was full of drama and psychology, including the phantom three-count in the first 15 seconds of the match. Hogan went for a slam, and André fell on him. Referee Joey Marella counted three, even though Hogan barely got his shoulders up. It was a source of storyline controversy throughout the year. Andre would rough Hogan up for a majority of the match, even forcing Hogan to try a piledriver on the wood floor. He recovers from the beating and after the bodyslam of all time, Hogan won the match, and was on top of the professional wrestling world. This feud with André would continue, but in terms of heat it doesn't get much better than this.

### Justin:

After a long, winding road we have finally arrived at the match that filled the Silverdome with a record crowd. For years, these two stood atop the promotion as the two alpha dog living legends. Thanks to the help of Bobby Heenan, André had a change in personality and turned on his buddy, citing a strong desire for the World Title as the reason. And thus, the biggest match in WWF history was officially signed. Even André's entrance here is epic, with his imposing figure dominating the motorized cart and waving to the crowd, ignoring the cascade of boos and trash that flew around him. What a presence. Hogan's pop was massive as always and as he hit the ring, we were witness to one of the most iconic images in wrestling history as Hogan and André stood face-to-face in the center of the ring. As soon as the bell sounded, Hogan tried to slam André immediately, but his back gave out and André nearly picked up a quick win. In fact, it was so close that André and Bobby were shocked it was only a two count. That would play a key point later in the year. With Hogan's back reeling, André went to town, tossing Hogan around with ease and standing tall, feeling as if it were only a matter of moments. The booking here was really smart, putting André immediately on the offensive where he could lumber around, looking impressive and letting Hogan really sell the back to build the sympathy and curiosity up. The crowd started to come unglued as Hogan fired back at André with a series of right hands and chops. Hogan made a big mistake, running into an André boot, allowing the Giant to hook in a massive, lengthy bear hug. Hogan would survive and punch his way free as the Silverdome began to really rock. However, any time Hogan had any momentum, the Giant clocked him and kept him grounded and hurting. The two would spill outside and in an act of desperation, Hogan pulled away the mats and tried for a piledriver, but he had no chance as André reversed it into a back drop. Back inside, Hogan finally landed a big blow, knocking André down, proving he was mortal. He followed that with the bodyslam heard around the world and the most memorable legdrop in WWF history to retain his title. Man, that is a tough loss for André as he nearly dominated bell to bell, but Hogan got in the big blow when it mattered the most. Sure, there wasn't a ton here in the way of workrate, but shit you didn't need it. The atmosphere was fantastic and it was very smartly booked to keep André in control and looking like a very likely threat to possibly take the gold. In the end, Hogan prevails and he completes his third WrestleMania as WWF Champion.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was the big one. After watching the first two WrestleManias and being impressed but not blown away, this was it. It had everything: A hot crowd, a good balance of matches, a few celebrities, a five-star wrestling classic, and an unforgettable main event. There's been plenty of WrestleManias since, and other big time shows. This one is still the standard bearer. There is a lot of debate over which one is the best. Justin and I will certainly get to them, and you can make your own decisions. This one is certainly one of my favorites, because it clinched it for me as a fan. You can't get wrestling out of my blood now. The match that hooked me was Snuka/Muraco in the cage in 1983. The show that sealed it was this one. After the clusterfuck of WrestleMania II, Vince got this one perfectly right.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This is the perfect definition of a major wrestling super show. It had everything you could want: pageantry, storylines, celebrities, workrate and epic confrontations. The crowd is massive and hot the whole time, never once dying down. It is just an amazing show to watch and be in awe of. This was the absolute peak of wrestling in the 80s as far as popularity and mainstream recognition go, and is the predecessor to the huge Wrestlemania events of today. Sure, the match quality is lacking throughout the card, but there is just enough good in ring action to fill in the gaps between the legendary moments that carry the show. With a molten hot crowd, big time moments, an iconic IC title match and arguably the biggest match in North American pro wrestling history, it is hard to grant WrestleMania III anything besides a perfect grade.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #10

#  Survivor Series 1987: Hogan Whines & André Shines

November 26, 1987

Richfield Coliseum

Richfield, Ohio

Attendance: 21,300

Buy Rate: 7.0

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

Fun Fact: In 1987, the NWA and Jim Crockett Promotions were beginning to stretch into more areas of the country. Their biggest event of the year was always held on Thanksgiving night and had become a tradition for the Southern wrestling company. For the 1987 event, they had booked Starrcade in Chicago, outside of its normal Southern stronghold. With the emerging PPV market, this was going to be the NWA's first PPV event. All major NWA events prior to this one had been on closed circuit television. In order to compete with this event, Vince McMachon created the Survivor Series, which would focus on tag team wrestling. McMahon scheduled his event for the same night as Starrcade. Vince also turned up the pressure on the pay-per-view providers by telling them they would not get to air Wreslemania IV if they did not air Survivor Series exclusively. Most of the providers went with the WWF event, strongly cutting into Starrcade's viewership. The PPV companies were not pleased with the tactics used and having to choose between the two. Crockett would move Starrcade to December in 1988, where it would stay until the company folded in 2001.

### Match #1: Randy Savage, Brutus Beefcake, Jim Duggan, Jake Roberts & Ricky Steamboat defeat Honky Tonk Man, Harley Race, Danny Davis, Hercules & Ron Bass

Survivors:

Randy Savage, Jake Roberts & Ricky Steamboat

Eliminations:

Harley Race and Jim Duggan are counted out at 4:21

Brutus Beefcake pins Ron Bass at 5:27

Honky Tonk Man pins Brutus Beefcake at 7:01

Jake Roberts pins Danny Davis at 11:20

Randy Savage pins Hercules at 16:27

Honky Tonk Man is counted out at 19:11

Fun Fact I: The legacy of the Honky Tonk Man takes shape on June 2, 1987. It was on that date that he pulled off one of the biggest upsets in WWF history when he defeated Ricky Steamboat to win the Intercontinental Title. There is an interesting back story as to why Vince took the belt of Steamboat so quickly. Steamboat's wife, Bonnie, was preparing to give birth to their first son, and Steamboat asked Vince for six weeks off to be with her. Well, Vince didn't much care for the idea of taking his Intercontinental Champion off the road for a month and a half, so he decided to oblige Steamboat, but he would be forced to drop the title first. So, on that fateful June 2, legend has it that Steamboat was scheduled to lose the title to the "Natural" Butch Reed and then head off on vacation. However, another wrench was thrown into these plans, as Butch Reed no-showed the event. Vince scrambled and decided to put Honky Tonk Man, who to this point was pretty much a joke, in the spot instead. He held that title much longer than he was supposed to, and the feud he starts with Randy Savage was to culminate with Savage winning the title he lost at Wrestlemania back from Honky. Savage had turned face over the summer and was ready to take back his Intercontinental Title. More on why that didn't happen at the next WrestleMania review.

Fun Fact II: The seeds of Randy Savage's face turn began on the 8/29 Superstars, which featured comments from the Honky Tonk Man, where he stated he was the greatest IC Champion of all time and to forget about past champions such as Ricky Steamboat, Tito Santana, and Randy Savage. On 8/27 Randy Savage pinned Omar Atlas. The match was taped to air on Challenge but was re-taped the following day due to Atlas playing a babyface when he was supposed to be heel. On the 9/5 Superstars, Honky Tonk Man showed up and mentioned how Randy Savage was upset over the comments Honky had made the previous week. Honky then added that he could sing, dance and wrestle much better than Savage. The next week on the 9/12 Superstars, they aired unseen footage following Randy Savage's match the previous week. The footage saw Savage threatening Jimmy Hart in his dressing room, telling Hart to tell the Honky Tonk Man to stop talking about him. By September's house shows Savage was fighting Hercules and One Man Gang, and even subbing for Hogan on a few shows. Finally, on the 9/26 Superstars, Craig DeGeorge conducted an interview with Honky & Jimmy Hart where Honky listed the 10 reasons why he was the greatest IC champion of all time. Savage interrupted and went to the ring to challenge Honky but the champion declined the offer, saying he wasn't dressed to wrestle. By October all of Savage's house show matches were against heels. On the October 3rd 1987 Saturday Night's Main Event, Randy Savage challenged Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Championship. Towards the end of the match, fellow Jimmy Hart wrestlers the Hart Foundation interfered and cost Savage the match. After the DQ, the Harts and Savage mercilessly pounded on Savage and Honky even shoved down Elizabeth to the gasps of the crowd. Elizabeth went scurrying to the back, during which time the Harts held Savage up and Honky smashed his guitar over Savage's head. Elizabeth then returned with Hulk Hogan in tow. Hogan chased off the Hart Family and shook hands with Savage, establishing the relationship that would dominate the storylines for the next year and a half.

Fun Fact III: Ronald Herd began wrestling under the name Ron Bass in 1975. He wrestled through the NWA territories where different nicknames followed him depending on what territory he was in, including "Outlaw" Ron Bass, "Cowboy" Ron Bass and Oliver Bass. In the early 80's, Bass primarily wrestled in Florida Championship Wrestling and for Jim Crockett Promotions in the Mid-Atlantic region. Bass joined the WWF in 1987 where a feud with Blackjack Mulligan was in the works. Before the feud got off the ground, Mulligan got mad at WWF management and left the promotion to go back to Florida. This left Bass in the midcard. He took part in the inaugural Survivor Series in 1987 as well as the 1988 Royal Rumble and was part of the 20 man Battle Royal at Wrestlemania IV. Bass retired from pro wrestling in 1991.

### Scott:

A lot has changed since late March in the Silverdome. The Honky Tonk Man is your Intercontinental Champion, pretty much by accident. If true, I don't understand in terms of who could replace Butch Reed on that infamous TV taping why they picked Honky. I still don't, but he does captain this team of misfit heels against a team of guys who, when the year started, you never would have expected to be on the same team. Three of the five guys on the team were heels in January (Roberts, Savage and Beefcake). A lot has changed as the roster was getting shaken up, because clearly the bookers knew which characters would connect with the audience. They needed a solid base of babyfaces to help support Hulkamania and the crowd can have multiple guys to root for. The biggest change in terms of popularity was Jake Roberts. The Snake received a huge push of popularity when he turned face and eventually you saw a myriad of Jake signs and t-shirts. At one point he may have been the #2 face in the company. But, right now the Macho Man is clearly being positioned as the #2 babyface behind Hogan, as you can tell by being the captain of the #2 face team on this show. As for how this show is structured, there's one survivor match for every division in the company: A main event match, a mid-card match, a women's match and a tag team match. The action was solid considering it was a new concept to have this many guys in one match on teams. In the end Honky was the last heel left and he just begged off. Of course the top mid-card babyfaces remained in the end, as Macho Man, the Snake and the Barber stand tall.

### Justin:

Our first new concept PPV that would stick on the schedule has officially arrived. It is also the first time WWF is running a major PPV supercard on a holiday. With a loaded roster filled with great talent, tossing competitors onto different teams and letting them go to war made a ton of sense. As we will see, each match on the card features the wrestlers within each division of the roster. In our opener, we have the upper mid-card/IC Title division going at it. With the champion Honky Tonk Man leading one team, the other is made up of all the guys that seem to hate his guts...and Jim Duggan, who was out for revenge on Harley Race, with whom he was embroiled in a tense feud with. Randy Savage has completed his face turn, one that was much needed thanks to fan groundswell. In fact, it was very similar to the forced turn of his parter Jake Roberts from earlier in the year. It was surreal to see Ricky Steamboat teaming with two of his most heated rivals, Savage and Roberts, but a common enemy and goal will do that for you. Savage and Liz get a fantastic pop and his star power has officially gone off the charts. It is clear he was set up to be a big money player for the company in the coming years. This was a nice spot for Brutus Beefcake as well, elevated alongside some high ranking face peers. Beefcake would open things up with Hercules and almost grabbed a quick win with the sleeper, but Herc was able to wriggle free and make a tag. I thought maybe they would try to put over the concept with a really quick elimination there. The crowd was red hot for Savage's team as they began to dismantle poor Danny Davis, who was clearly there to be the early guinea pig. After getting his ass handed to him by the entire team he somehow escaped to safety, tagging in the King, who was still going strong in the promotion. He gets a short sequence with Steamboat, a tease of what could have been a really cool extended match. Duggan would head in next and he and Race quickly tumbled to the floor while brawling, leading to a double count out and the first eliminations in Survivor Series history. It was not a surprise that they wanted to keep that feud hot for the house show circuit. This match also brings us the debut of Ron Bass, a former Florida and JCP competitor. He was a prototypical cowboy wrestler: stiff, rough and tumble and brandishing a bullwhip. He gets a nice little quickie battle with Savage, landing some solid offense in a back and forth. Unfortunately for him, it was a quick night as Savage slapped a blind tag to Beefcake, who came in and crunched Bass with a high knee for the elimination.

The remainder of Team Honky finally slowed the pace down and began working over the Barber, trying to gain some semblance of control in this one. Beefacke had an opening to tag out, but instead stuck in the ring and ended up eating a Shake, Rattle & Roll from the champ, ending his night. Savage came back in and kept gunning for Honky on the apron, something Jesse called out, citing that Savage was so obsessed with Honky that it could cost him. Jesse's analysis was so fantastic, noting that he was shocked Savage would follow Beefcake's mistake with one of his own. He also noted that Honky is just as lucky as he was good, which was quite true. It is amazing how far Roberts has come as a face as the Coliseum comes unglued for him wrecking Davis and knocking him out of the match with a DDT. Davis had a longer run than I expected. At this point, it was 3-2 for Team Savage, but Hercules started working Roberts over, continuing his really nice showing. In rewatching these shows, I have really become impressed with Herc as a heel. He has had some nice showings and was way more energetic than I remembered. Honky couldn't put Roberts away after a long heat segment and that pretty much sealed his fate, as Herc was eliminated by Savage shortly later. And with that, it was HTM against the three men that hated him most. And they took joy in torturing him, avoiding pin attempts and instead tagging in and out and pulverizing him until HTM just bailed and ran away, accepting the count out loss. That was fine booking, no point in beating HTM just yet and the faces got more than enough shine on him to satisfy the fans. Jesse also points out that it was smart for him to avoid injury and bail. That was a hella fun opener, with great energy and pacing and a red hot crowd that was super into the face team. The Savage Train has left the building, hop on while there is still room.

### Match #2: Velvet McIntyre, Rockin' Robin, Fabulous Moolah & the Jumping Bomb Angels defeat Lelani Kai, Judi Martin, Dawn Marie, Donna Christanello & Sensational Sherri

Survivors:

Jumping Bomb Angels

Eliminations:

Velvet McIntyre pins Donna Christanello at 1:57

Rockin Robin pins Dawn Marie at 4:10

Sensational Sherri pins Rockin Robin at 6:49

Judy Martin pins Fabulous Moolah at 10:53

Velvet McIntyre pins Sensational Sherri at 14:54

Lelani Kai pins Velvet McIntyre at 17:20

Noriyo Tateno pins Lelani Kai at 18:35

Itsuki Yamazaki pins Judy Martin at 20:14

Fun Fact I: Sherri Russell was introduced to professional wrestling by her mother as she would take Sherri and her sister to matches when they were children. In 1974, Sharri approached Grizzley Smith about getting involved in wrestling, Smith questioned her passion for the business and told her to come back in five years when she was an adult. She later sought training from "Mr. Personality" Butch Moore in Memphis. She started her career under the name Sherri Martine, but felt that she needed more training. She continued her wrestling journey at the Fabulous Moolah's wrestling school, where Moolah changed her name to the one she would be best known for, Sherri Martel. Larry Zbyszko helped her get into the AWA and in September 1985 she won the AWA World Women's Championship. In addition to wrestling, she started her managerial role, where she was part of the team with "Playboy" Buddy Rogers and "Pretty Boy" Doug Somers, helping them win the AWA World Tag Team Championship.

Martel was referred to the WWF by former AWA talent Jesse "the Body" Ventura. She debuted on July 24, 1987 where she defeated Moolah for the WWF Women's Championship. She changed her name to Sensational Sherri while holding the title for 15 months before dropping it to Rockin' Robin. In 1990, the WWF phased out the Women's title, so Sherri turned her attention to managing. After Randy Savage's heel turn in 1989, she began managing the former champion before turning on Savage after his loss as WrestleMania VII. Later than evening, she returned to the ring with Ted DiBiase, whom she managed until 1992.

Martel was paired with Shawn Michaels in 1992 after his breakup with tag team partner Marty Jannetty. She helped lead Michaels to his first Intercontinental title. She also sang on the original release of Michaels' entrance theme, "Sexy Boy". Sherri left the WWF in 1993 and had a brief stint in ECW where she managed Shane Douglas. Martel moved on to the WCW in 1994 where she is best remembered for managing the tag team Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray) to 7 WCW World Tag Team Championships. She was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006 by Ted DiBiase. On June 15, 2007, Sharri Martel died in her mother's home in McCalla, Alabama from a drug overdose. Sherri was 49 years old.

Fun Fact II: The Jumping Bomb Angels were a Japanese women's tag team formed by Noriyo Tateno and Itsuki Yamazaki. They were a well known Japanese team who captured the World Women's Wrestling Association (WWWA) Tag Team Championship in January, 1986. The Angels would enter the WWF in mid-1987 and wrestle in the women's tag team Survivor Series match in 1987. In January 1988, they would capture the WWF Women's Tag Team titles at the inaugural Royal Rumble event.

### Scott:

Well this was an interesting train wreck. Sherri Martel was the showcase piece of the heel team, but Vince was still trying to establish some type of women's division. Moolah was now a babyface which was probably unthinkable if you were an old school wrestling fan from the 1950's. She could have been one of wrestling's greatest heels for decades but now she is too be cheered. That was kind of odd. The other showcase piece was the Jumping Bomb Angels, this innovative Japanese team which was nothing that WWF fans had ever seen before. Vince even created a women's tag titles just for them, and to make them look better he put two singles heels together and had Jimmy Hart manage them. The rest of the teams were put together by leftovers like Donna Christenello, Dawn Marie and the overrated Velvet McIntyre. The action is the usual lady wrestlers' moves of the 80s: lots of airplane spins and hair pulling. The Angels come away the winners and are clearly positioned for a big push.

### Justin:

The next division up for showcase is the women's. It is pretty impressive that they dug up ten ladies to fill the sides of this match, but really the focus was just on a handful. The heel team is...well, to put it kindly, quite aged. Dawn Marie and Donna Christanello were better suited as extras on the Golden Girls at this point. I am pretty sure they were pulled out of a canasta game and flown to Richfield, which was probably the big city for them. Christanello was especially ripe. Even Scott thinks she is too old. The bathing suits don't help either. The Glamour Girls are also on this team and they are currently the women's tag champs and are led by Jimmy Hart, who adds some credibility to the unit. They are also old. The centerpiece of the team is the newly acquired Sensational Sherri, who had jumped over from the AWA. It was clear they saw big things for her as she almost immediately took the gold and became the division honcho. Over on the face side, we still have Fabulous Moolah trucking along as the (great) grandmother of the division. Gorilla and Jesse joke about her being announced at 160 pounds, which Jesse proclaims is "beefy for her". She is flanked by our old friend Velvet McIntyre, who jobbed out quick to Moolah back at WrestleMania II, budding "star" Rockin' Robin and Japanese imports, the Jumping Bomb Angels. Outside of Sherri, and maybe Robin, it was clear that the Bomb Angels were set to be the focus of this match and the division. Christanello is so damn old and beaten down looking. I am pretty sure she used to work with me at Stop & Shop. Velvet gets the most shine early on, working a majority of the match and sending Christanello back to register seven. She followed that with a flurry on the Glamour Girls before tagging in Robin. Judy Martin looks a bit lost without her cribbage partner by her side. Robin was really awkward out there and I am not sure what they saw in her. I think Velvet came across as much more of a possible star than she did by any stretch. She would get a very awkward high cross body in on Dawn Marie to send her back to bag for Donna, putting the bout tally at 5-3. Finally we got to see the Angels in action and they impressed immediately, gracefully floating around the ring at a crisp pace and putting their older counterparts to shame. The fans seemed to buy right in as well, which was cool to see. They were even given some offense in on Sherri, rattling her with a double underhook suplex. That ended when Robin returned to clod her way through a segment with the champ. Thankfully Sherri would make quick work of her, saving us from anymore scintillating offense. That also allowed us to get more JBA action, which was much preferred.

While Velvet was a drop off, Moolah was on a whole different plane from the JBA and the match was so much noticeably slower and choppier when the JBA tagged out. Despite the disadvantage, the GG controlled the match for a bit until Moolah found her way back in. The fans did not seem to dig Moolah at all here, or perhaps they just wanted more JBA instead. The GG would take her out with a double clothesline, officially passing the torch and ending Moolah's run as any sort of legit competitor. With the flotsam cleared out, the best six ladies remained and things started to pick up. Velvet continued to surprise me, wrestling with some intensity and clearly trying to stay relevant and hang with her partners. The GG were some nasty old bitches as they just started chucking their opponents around the ring by their hair with some true anger. Velvet would tag back in and slung Sherri around with a Giant Swing! She would take advantage and pin the champion, clearly setting her up as the top contender. You go Velvet! In a really nice power spot, one of the JBA's had a struggle with Judy Martin, trying to lift her over with a double underhook, but Judy wouldn't give until she got powered up and over against her will. The Velvet Beast finally fell to Leilani, but she had a heck of a showing here tonight. And with that, the GG and JBA remained to wow the crowd, putting the true emphasis on the tag division as opposed to big gold. The JBA would make quick work of the champs, and Jimmy Hart, to reign supreme over the division. Well, this was an odd mix of fun and...old? The times where Sherri, Velvet or the tag teams were in there were pretty good. Otherwise, it was slow and bland and ugly. Either way, the point was made: Moolah is done and the JBA are the future.

### 3) British Bulldogs, Young Stallions, Killer Bees, Strike Force & the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers defeat Bolsheviks, Hart Foundation, Demolition, New Dream Team & the Islanders

Survivors:

Killer Bees & Young Stallions

Eliminations:

Tito Santana pins Boris Zhukov at 1:44 (Bolsheviks eliminated)

Ax pins Jacque Rougeau at 5:48 (Rougeau Brothers eliminated)

Ax and Smash are disqualified at 9:13 (Demolition eliminated)

Jim Neidhart pins Tito Santana at 12:14 (Strike Force eliminated)

Haku pins The Dynamite Kid at 15:15 (Bulldogs eliminated)

Paul Roma pins Greg Valentine at 17:08 (New Dream Team eliminated)

Jim Brunzell pins Bret Hart at 23:59 (Hart Foundation eliminated)

B. Brian Blair pins Tama at 30:44 (Islanders eliminated)

Fun Fact: A few debuts here. First the champs: Strike Force. The Can-Am Connection broke up during the summer when Tom Zenk had a falling out with Vince (a grudge he still holds to this day). Martel hooked up with an aimless Tito and they upset The Hart Foundation the previous month in Syracuse to win the tag straps. It was both men's second go-around with the tag titles. Tito had won them with Ivan Putski in 1979 and Martel with Tony Garea in 1980. The Young Stallions were two good looking jobbers, Paul Roma and Jim Powers. They would hang around for a while, but never make too much of an impact. On the heel side, Nikolai Volkoff needed a new tag team partner to replace The Iron Sheik, so Vince snagged Boris Zhukov from the AWA to form the Bolsheviks, a team that would last for nearly three more years. The former crowd favorite, King Tonga changed his name to Haku and hooked up with the former Tonga Kid to form The Islanders. The big debut is a team that would dominate the tag team ranks over the next three years. Bill Eadie (Ax) and Barry Darsow (Smash) are Demolition, a team many fans in other areas of the country thought were cheap Road Warriors knock-offs, but would win the tag team titles three times over the next two and a half years. Eadie was the former Masked Superstar and Darsow was Krusher Khrushchev in Mid-Atlantic. Darsow was from the same gym in Minnesota, coincidentally, that Animal and Hawk actually worked out in.

### Scott:

This is the pure workrate match of the show. You have all of the top tag teams in the promotion going at each other, including the lower card teams that may not belong with some of these top flight teams. I'm more talking about the Young Stallions, but to their credit they worked their butts off in this match. On the face side the showcase team is Strike Force, who recently upset the Hart Foundation to become Tag Team Champions. The showcase heel team is the powerful Demolition. Many feel they were Vince's answer to the Road Warriors, which may be the case. I've always contended that another team that comes to the WWF in 1988 more copied them than Demolition did. The action is fast and furious here with teams like the Bulldogs and the Killer Bees flying around the ring both hitting moves and bumping for the bigger teams like Demolition and the Bolsheviks. As the match progresses we see the real athletic teams like the Islanders and the Harts keeping the pace going for over 37 minutes. The late 80s was the golden age of tag team wrestling, in both the WWF and the NWA. I was a little surprised that the final two teams were teams that were far down on the pecking order in the Stallions and the Killer Bees. From this moment until say 1991, the WWF may have some of the best tag teams in the history of the promotion.

### Justin:

We have seen the mid-card and women's division showcased so far, so now it was time for the tag teams to do their thing. In a really cool booking decision, there are five teams on each side, meaning the ring is packed with a lot of great talent. The heel team is a very interesting mix of talent as we get the debut of some new units as well. First, we see Demolition, a team that had debuted early in 1987 but underwent an early change as Randy Culley was replaced by Barry Darsow to team with Bill Eadie. They had slowly been working their way up the card and by this point were becoming a top level team for the promotion. Also debuting here on the heel side is the team of the Islanders, comprised of Haku and Tama, managed by Bobby Heenan. Haku has been around for a couple of years now, but he hooked up with Heenan to team with a fellow island native in Tama. Finally on this side of ledger we have the Bolsheviks. With Iron Sheik kicked to the curb, Nikolai Volkoff stayed in the tag ranks by joining up with AWA import Boris Zhukov. Over on the face side, we see that Rick Martel now has a new tag team partner in Tito Santana. After Tom Zenk walked out of the promotion, Martel hooked up with Santana to form Strike Force and they were able to wrest away the tag titles from the Harts in the fall. We also see the Young Stallions for the first time, a unit comprised of handsome, lower card wrestlers Paul Roma and Jim Powers. And speaking of handsome, Jesse had some great logic for picking the heels: the face team is too pretty and will be too worried about their looks. The Bulldogs still feel like the, excuse the pun, alpha dogs out there even though Dynamite's back was quickly deteriorating. Strike Force are the champs and captains, but it seemed the Bulldogs would be right back in the picture sooner than later. The crowd was very hot for the champs...or they just dig Girls in Cars. Seeing this mass of humanity around the ring was really cool and showed off the great division depth beautifully. It also allowed for a super fast pace and quick tags as nobody should ever need to rest in the ring.

The Bolsheviks were the first team sent packing, courtesy Strike Force. In an early glimpse of a bit of a dream match, the Bulldogs and Demolition tussled for brief moments on and off. That would have been a really fun match when Dynamite was at his best. The heel team really used their power advantage, alternating between Haku, Smash and Dino Bravo just chucking dudes around. Jesse & Gorilla did a nice job of putting everyone over here as soon as they entered. It made every team feel like a legit challenger for the titles. That said, Demolition was getting the hardest sell, eliminating the Rougeaus and getting a "Demolition has looked awesome" from The Body. It was interesting that early on, the Harts weren't showcased at all and it seems like they have already become a bit of old news. With Bravo in for Beefcake, the New Dream Team has really petered out and they completely feel like afterthoughts here. In fact it felt more like a vehicle to just push Bravo for an eventual singles run. Demolition were next to go, but it was via DQ for being a bit too aggressive, the key sign of protecting someone for an impending push. They clearly got the most shine to this point, so it was coming. These fans really loved Strike Force...big time, just popping for every move. And I take back what I said about the Harts as they eliminate the champs when Neidhart pins Santana. Jesse notes that the win will shoot them back into contention, so maybe they aren't done just yet. The ring has really thinned out but there was plenty of legit talent left in there. As things settled down, Roma became the piñata for the remainder of the heel team, building up a nice heat segment with lots of tags and strikes. Roma would finally tag out but for some reason Dynamite tagged him right back in. That was odd. Even Jesse called it out. The Bees stayed pretty fresh to this point, barely working the match at all. The longer this match edged on without the champs, I really started to question why they had to go down so early. It was an odd decision when you consider the teams still left. The Islanders picked up a big win for their resume when Haku pinned Dynamite to send the Bulldogs packing. It was pretty neat too, as Dynamite tried for his headbutt off the ropes, but it hurt him more than it did Haku, natch. A superkick later and the Bulldogs were cooked.

Things looked bad for the Stallions and Bees, but a really nice top rope sunset flip from Roma knocked the Dream Team out and evened the odds. At this point, it seemed the match was the Harts' to lose. All added up, I think the Stallions had the most ring time in this one and they certainly made the most of it looking to make a name for themselves. Islander interference would lead to the Bees eliminating the Harts in a really big win for them. The Harts weren't hurt too much there as it was clear miscommunication that did them in. This match was been really long. Good, but really long, especially once the Bulldogs went out. The pace would pick up down the stretch and after some nifty teamwork and a little bit of Bee MagiC, the most unlikely of sole survivors good tall in the Stallions and the Bees. I really enjoyed this match, both as a novelty and for the actual workrate, however I do this could have been a bit tighter by shaving some time off. As is, it was still really good right down to a pretty hot finish with a nice showcase for many of the teams involved.

*** We check out a vignette of Ted DiBiase celebrating Thanksgiving by driving around town in the back of one of his many cars, sitting in his library and eating a gourmet meal. He calls out the rest of the WWF and all of the working stiffs for not having the one thing really needed to survive: money. There are also clips of all his recent promo segments where he is humiliating fans blended in. The best line of the bunch: "Listen, I pay more in taxes than these people make in a year." The filler continued with a long segment featuring Monsoon and Ventura breaking down the evening and previewing the main event. After that, Craig DeGeorge interviewed Honky Tonk Man and Jimmy Hart on the podium. Honky was his delusional self, bragging about surviving earlier in the night and calling out Hulk Hogan for being jealous of him. ***

### Match #4: André the Giant, Butch Reed, One Man Gang, King Kong Bundy & Rick Rude defeat Hulk Hogan, Ken Patera, Don Muraco, Bam Bam Bigelow & Paul Orndorff

Survivor:

André the Giant

Eliminations:

Hulk Hogan pins Butch Reed at 3:08

One Man Gang pins Ken Patera at 8:00

Rick Rude pins Paul Orndorff at 9:39

Don Muraco pins Rick Rude at 10:26

One Man Gang pins Don Muraco at 12:10

Hulk Hogan is counted out at 16:45

Bam Bam Bigelow pins King Kong Bundy at 19:18

Bam Bam Bigelow pins One Man Gang at 21:38

André the Giant pins Bam Bam Bigelow at 22:53

Fun Fact I: A couple of big debuts in this match. Former Olympian, Ken Patera, who was also a former Intercontinental Champ, had just gotten out of prison after he and Mr. Saito roughed up some cops at a McDonalds late one night in 1984. He'd feud with the Heenan family, but that would be it. One Man Gang had been in a couple of territories in the southeast for close to 10 years. In fact he was part a trade between Jim Crockett in North Carolina and Jim Barnett in Georgia in the late 70's. One Man Gang was traded to Georgia, and a young, extremely talented kid was sent to Mid-Atlantic. That kid? Ricky Steamboat. He started a feud with Ric Flair, and the rest is beautiful wrestling history. The next big debut was the "Smooth Operator." Rick Rude had been in Memphis with Jerry Lawler starting in 1984, and then headed to Mid-Atlantic and the AWA. He had used Sade's "Smooth Operator" as his entrance music, which was pretty swank. He obviously would get his own music here in the WWF, and would become a vital mid-card heel for the next three years. Many feel he was a lost gem that could have been a great heel world champion. Finally, we have the debut of a man who could have been a major force in the late 80s WWF: Bam Bam Bigelow. Bigelow started wrestling on house shows around the country in the spring. Then, starting on the 7/5 Challenge, various managers began announcing that they would be the one to sign Bam Bam Bigelow. Week after week each manager claimed they would sign the Bammer, but week by week announcements were made that certain managers were out of the running. On the 8/29 Superstars, Bobby Heenan was officially eliminated from the sweepstakes, leaving only Slick as a possibility. Finally, on the 9/5 Superstars, Craig DeGeorge interviewed Slick & Nikolai Volkoff, with Slick then introducing Bam Bam Bigelow, assuming he had won the Battle for Bam Bam. As soon as Slick made the announcement, Sir Oliver Humperdink appeared instead and introduced Bigelow, who came out, made it clear that Slick would never be his manager, punched out Volkoff, and announced Humperdink was his new manager.

Fun Fact II: Don Muraco is subbing for Superstar Billy Graham, who was supposed to make a triumphant return to the ring as a face. Graham, however, would have serious complications from hip surgery and would never wrestle again. He does return in 1988 to manage Muraco and then disappears from WWF TV for the next 15 years.

In 1986, Don Muraco had allied himself with Adrian Adonis and "Cowboy" Bob Orton against Roddy Piper. Orton and Muraco became a tag team during this time period. From May-July 1987, the team had gone through a losing streak that saw the pair arguing and shoving each other after matches. In late July after a loss to Tito Santana, Muroco shook Santana's hand for being the better man in their match, leading to more arguing with Orton and signifying the beginning of Muraco's face turn. On the 8/8/87 episode of Superstars, after losing a six-man tag match against Tito Santana, Hillbilly Jim and the Junkyard Dog, Orton and Muraco fought into the crowd, splitting the team apart. In November, Muraco would come to the rescue of Superstar Billy Graham as he was getting attacked by Butch Reed. Muraco would take on Graham as his managre and would start wearing tie-dye clothing and changed his moniker to "The Rock" Don Muraco.

Fun Fact III: This match is the final appearance of Mr. Wonderful in a WWF ring. He would go into semi-retirement in 1988 until his signing with WCW in 1990. He was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005 and made an appearance at Wrestlemania XXX during an interview segment with the men who made up the main event at the first WrestleMania.

### Scott:

Our main event has not only the two biggest stars in the promotion right now, but a few debuts and returns that will shape the company for the next couple of years. The "phantom count" at WrestleMania III has lingered throughout the summertime and we have the next chapter of the saga here. I like that Jesse thinks Joey Marella is "Hogan's personal referee", on top of the fact it's Gorilla's real life stepson. We see some guys switching sides here, as Don Muraco sheds the "Magnificent" moniker and he is "The Rock". He also looks like he's bulked up again, and probably not the natural way either. He replaces Superstar Billy Graham here and eventually they hook up as manager and protégé. We see Butch Reed get punished for allegedly no-showing that house show back in June as he gets pinned pretty quickly. How 1980s was it that Marella acknowledged a high-five from Hogan to Patera as a "tag". Jesse wigs out over that. Patera is back after being in the pokey for a couple of years, and he's selling an injury with that old school arm brace that looks like some sort of torture mechanism. I love the heel team, as other than Rude they are loaded with big time heel hosses like Gang, Bundy and of course Andre. The shocking turn of events here is when Hogan is counted out and leaves the match. That blew me away as we expected Hogan winning and giving his post-match posedown. Well he'd do that anyway, after Andre's team wins when the newcomer Bam Bam Bigelow almost comes back from a 3-1 deficit late. Yet Hogan had to come back and stroke his ego by tossing Andre out and still doing his posing. That (in hindsight) was pretty low but then again during the height of drinking the "red & yellow kool-aid" nobody really noticed. This was a fun main event and Andre gets some heat back after WrestleMania by getting the win here, even if we don't really remember that.

### Justin:

It is main event time, and we continue the biggest feud of 1987 as Hulk Hogan leads a team in against André the Giant. André had back surgery over the summer and had not been in a ring since he lost his World Title match at WrestleMania. Both teams were well stocked and loaded, especially André's, which was filled with some big time beef in King Kong Bundy and the One Man Gang. The team also featured hot newcomer Rick Rude, an import from the NWA that had WWF written all over him, meaning both gimmick and body. Butch Reed rounded out the squad, still just meandering around but getting a pretty good slot here. I almost passed out from excitement seeing Slick lead Reed and Gang out together to Jive Soul Bro. That could have been a pretty bad ass team. André was a man on a mission as he stalked to the ring, stoic and ready to exact revenge on Hogan. We have seen lots of newcomers on this show, but one that was really hyped and positioned for a big time run was Bam Bam Bigelow. He had a very unique look and the fans here loved him. Hogan gets the pop of the night, natch, and his feud with André still seems really fresh and big time. In a great call back, Ventura questions why Joey Marella always gets to referee Hogan's matches, harkening back to the phantom three count at Mania. Don Muraco opens things up for the faces as he has switched allegiances over the summer, aligning himself with Superstar Billy Graham in an attempt to revive his fluttering WWF run. Rude would get the early tap from André, but he did not get off to a very hot start as he just gets mollywhomped by all of Hogan's team, beaten from post to post by every member until that idiot Ken Patera knocked him back into his corner so he could tag out. Patera had returned to action in May after a stint in jail and subsequently sucked up hours of TV time in a rather pointless feud with Bobby Heenan. Paul Orndorff looked pretty energized here, back to being a face after his red hot run with Hogan in 1986. Speaking of Hogan, he picked up the first fall, eliminating Reed with a legdrop. That was followed with the much anticipated showdown between Hogan and André, but Hogan had inadvertently tagged out while celebrating in his corner before he noticed André. Jesse was phenomenal here, ripping Marella for always saving Hogan.

Rude's bad night continued as he just had zero offense in between getting hammered by his opponents. He would survive and tag out once again though. The size advantage of André's team finally took hold as the Gang knocked Patera out of the bout to even thing up. Bigelow would make his first entrance and the crowd ate it up as he went toe to toe with the Gang. Despite his rough going, Rude would get the last laugh on Orndorff, the man he was brought in to replace, by rolling him up for an elimination. That would be it for Mr. Wonderful in the WWF, another mainstay of the early PPV family expunged. Rude quickly fell after that, pinned by Muraco. And right after that and a quick flurry, Muraco also went down, pinned by Gang after an assist from André. It was obvious that André was still recovering as he has had just about no ring time, letting his team do all the dirty work. Bundy and Gang would take a few minutes to pound on Bigelow and it looked like we may get Hogan stuck against some extreme odds. Once André did come in, Bigelow was able to swiftly escape and tag Hogan, leading us to our red hot Mania rematch. Hogan had André rocked and on the verge of going down until he got yanked to the floor by Bundy, where he got tied up into a fight and eventually counted out. During the melee, Hogan slammed both Bundy and Gang on the floor in a pair of impressive spots that has been forgotten over time. Hogan and the fans were not happy with that decision and it was pretty shocking at that time, as Hogan had always stood tall at these shows. This was a lot of faith and shine for Bigelow, having him man up and go right at these three monster opponents. He kept trucking and would mow through Bundy and Gang despite barely being able to stand. André would come in immediately and despite a gutty effort from Bigelow, the Giant would hit his double underhook suplex to leave Richfield as the sole survivor. I really loved this match as it featured some fantastic characters, a ton of energy and really good booking down the stretch. It also helped rebuild André for his eventual rematch. Unfortunately for André, the bell had barely rung before Hogan sprinted to the ring to knock him to the floor and celebrate instead. Jesse was rightfully pissed about it and this is the first time we are given a real reason to give Hogan some backlash for being a real asshole. It was awesome seeing André get his moment, but it sucked that he barely got to celebrate it. They could have had Hogan come out after the PPV went off the air to pose for the live crowd, but I think you could argue this attack damaged him for than it helped.

### FINAL ANALYSIS:

### Scott:

This was a fun show and a huge need for the WWF to get an end of year show on the calendar, if for nothing else than to compete with the NWA's Starrcade. The show also gave the fans a chance to see the entire roster at once. We see some new faces as well as new allegiances from heel to face. Randy Savage, Jake Roberts and Bam Bam Bigelow were the big winners here for the faces, as well as Andre getting some revenge on Hogan (if only for a few minutes). This also showed the company's tag team division was loaded and would only get better throughout 1988. Overall a decent show that kept the big feuds going, while setting the stage for what's to come in the new year.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

What a gem of a show for sure. This PPV is surprisingly fun to watch, as it features all the top stars of 1987 in long, fast paced matches. The opener is a great showcase for all the upper-mid-card talent and helps establish some fresh I-C contenders. The women's match is a big change of pace, and watching the Angels is always fun, as they were so different than anything else at the time. The big tag team survivor match is impressive because of the depth of the division. We also see some new teams surface, ones that would dominate the tag ranks for years. The Main Event features a nice array of talent as well, but was mainly a showcase for the hot Bigelow and a nice way to give André a big PPV win. A lot of the talent at this show makes a quick exit shortly after it, so it's also a nice chance to see some fading stars and teams as well as tons of debuting faces that would be around for a while. There is also a whole lot of fantastic commentary and character building blended in here. I won't say this show has any real historical significance, but it is definitely worth watching if you have some time to kill, follow some some solid character development and want to see some good old school WWF wrestling.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #15

  Royal Rumble 1988 – The Stage is Set

  Wrestlemania IV – Savage Stands Alone...Kinda

  SummerSlam 1988 – A Mega Event!

  Survivor Series 1988 – The Mega Powers Have Issues

#  Royal Rumble 1988: The Stage is Set

January 24, 1988

Copps Coliseum

Hamilton, Ontario

Attendance: 18,000

TV Rating: USA Network: 8.2

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura

Fun Fact: After the Thanksgiving '87 PPV showdown between Jim Crockett Promotions and the WWF, cable companies told the promotions to not try that nonsense again. So Crockett believed that it would be safe to enter the PPV waters with the Bunkhouse Stampede in January 1988. The show was set to run in Vince's home territory in Uniondale, NY. While Vince didn't counter with a competing PPV, with the help of Pat Patterson he created a new concept event and aired it at the same time as Crockett's event for free on the USA network. Crockett's event had a weak card and there was confusion regarding the time of the event (tickets were printed with three different times on them, the PPV was announced for 6pm, actual start time was 7pm). With Vince's free Royal Rumble event going head to head with the PPV, the audience was split again and Bunkhouse Stampede was another failure for Crockett. Jim Crockett Promotions was later sold to Ted Turner during the summer of 1988.

### Match #1: Ricky Steamboat defeats Rick Rude by disqualification at 17:40

### Scott:

Since this was on cable TV, which means there were commercial breaks, they didn't need that many matches. You can tell that the WWF was slowly starting to get out of the dark ages when it came to television production and presentation. The graphics are a little bit better and the arena seems more lightly lit than say back at Wrestlemania II when the crowds were really darkened out. I thought when I first watched this match that it had a lot of restholds but Steamboat's selling adds the psychology. Watching it again, my thoughts don't change that much but I do now catch more strikes and a lot of Rude's posturing that adds even more psychology to the match. Rude would definitely improve in the ring over the years, but he's not bad for now and he would feud with Steamboat later in his career which would lead to some really spectacular matches. Rude keeps using those slowdown restholds like chinlocks and such, but since Steamboat is such a great seller of heel offense you don't feel like the match is slowing down. Rude would almost win this match when he bumps the referee and then gets Steamboat in a backbreaker. Rude's music even plays and you wonder what is going on. Instead Rude is disqualified for bumping the referee. This was a fun opener that the Canadian crowd gets into. It's a great showcase for the newcomer Rude and anytime the Dragon gets through the ropes you know a pretty great match is upon us.

### Justin:

Our next stop brings us to yet another debut supercard concept: the Royal Rumble. However, this one was not on PPV, but rather on free TV, airing live on USA up against NWA's Bunkhouse Stampede, which was taking place in the WWF's home territory of New York. The show was pretty jacked up with some major developments, but here we open with a very intriguing matchup between two superstars passing each other on the WWF ladder. Ricky Steamboat was the toast of the WWF a year ago, but his star has quickly faded and he seems to be without much of a purpose at this point. His opponent was a fresh face in the company, having just debuted in the fall, and was already queued up for a big push based on his look, ability and being tied to top manager Bobby Heenan. This was set up as a big match for Rude, as if he could get by Steamboat he could quickly elevate up the mid card ladder. The match opened with a lot of feeling out leading to Steamboat starting to work the arm. Jesse Ventura had some fantastic insight here, noting that it was established off the bell that Rude was stronger, so Steamboat switched his game plan and focused on his quickness and technique to gain an edge. Fantastic stuff. Steamboat would keep working the arm until Rude started using his power and wrestling a rougher style to wrest away control. Even though the pace was slower here, you could really feel each man calculating the way to go about their offense, and that was aided by Jesse's comments as well. Rude did a great job selling the arm each time he went on offense, even having his posing hindered by the injury. In return, he started to work over the lower back, including turning the tide with a slick knee to Steamboat's side as he came careening off the ropes. As Rude worked over Steamboat, everything felt believable and logical as he moved around the ring, using his arsenal to beat down the back. Steamboat would get his opening and pick up a real flurry of near falls to get the crowd heated back up. As Steamboat looked for the final strike, coming off the top for a cross body, Rude yanked the referee in front, leading to a ref bump. Rude would hoist Steamboat up into his backbreaker and the recovering ref called for the bell, leaving us to assume that Rude won by submission, even to the point that his music played. However, once the official announcement came, it was revealed that Steamboat won by DQ. Man, what a whacky finish to such a well worked bout. Rude could have used a great win like that, especially one that established his finisher. I really dug this match and it is a bit of a hidden gem buried at the open of a lost show.

*** In a rather lengthy segment, Dino Bravo "unofficially" sets the weightlifting record with 715 pounds, breaking the existing record of 705 pounds after a lot of warmup lifts. It is apparent that Jesse Ventura, who was spotting Bravo, helped him lift the bar for the last record-breaking push. It is a source of comedic tension between Ventura and McMahon throughout the rest of show. This would also complete Bravo's gimmick change to the Canadian Strongman, and this moment would be talked about in all Bravo's matches for the next three years. He also debuts his new manager Frenchy Martin, having severed ties with Greg Valentine and Johnny V. ***

### Match #2: The Jumping Bomb Angels defeat the Glamour Girls in a Two of Three Falls match to win WWF Women's Tag Team Titles

Falls:

Judi Martin pins Itsuki Yamazaki at 6:10

Itsuki Yamazaki pins Leilani Kai at 8:33

Noriyo Tateno pins Judy Martin at 15:41

Fun Fact: The Women's Tag Titles were basically created for this feud. The Glamour Girls won them in a fictitious tournament in Egypt and then make a big defense here against the darlings of the Women's Division. After the Glamour Girls regained them in the summer, the belts would be dropped shortly after and never seen again on WWF TV.

### Scott:

After rocking the house in Richfield at the Survivor Series, the exciting Jumping Bomb Angels finally get their shot at the heel Glamour Girls for the tag straps. This is one of those matches where the titles don't really matter. It comes down to being entertained. These long durations are uncommon for 1980s WWF. However since there weren't many matches, time needed to be filled. This match was definitely expected after the Angels' tremendous performance at Survivor Series. Judy Martin and Lelani Kai weren't exactly centerfold models but they worked together as good solid heels that would be great foils for this innovative, crazy aerial pair from the Far East. How embarrassing is it that Vince couldn't give the names of the two Angels because "he doesn't speak Japanese"? Could there be any more of a ridiculous excuse for not doing your homework? I also love how the WWF invented the fictitious tournament to create these titles, but even worse is what exotic locales they came up with. Where the hell in Egypt is there an arena to have wrestling matches? Were they at the base of the Pyramids? This match was a lot of fun, as the Angels were mangled during the first fall, leading to Judy Martin getting the first fall after a crazy flapjack. The next two falls show the Angels use every facet of the ring to get the tying and eventually winning fall. Tateno and Yamazaki really showed the WWF audience something they had never seen before on US television. Sadly Vince didn't jump completely in the waters and bring male Japanese wrestlers over to the states. At the time there were both experienced and young Japanese wrestlers that would have really opened things up in terms of both workrate and international flair. Vince became very insulated after his national takeover in 1983-84. The NWA was heavily involved in the booking of guys from All Japan and New Japan at the time and I'm sure Vince wasn't one of their favorite people at that time in history. As for this match, whether or not they were going to create more ladies' teams to get some competition for the titles or if this was just for these two teams it led to fifteen fun minutes of wrestling. The highlight of the night has the JBA win the tag titles and pushing the roof off Copps Coliseum.

### Justin:

After their showcase at Survivor Series, the Jumping Bomb Angels were back in the spotlight, this time challenging the women's tag team champions, the Glamour Girls, managed by Jimmy Hart. I am kind of surprised they didn't drag Lou Albano out of whatever deli he was camped out in to manage these fine old lasses to pad his tag title reigns. The JBA took the fight right to the GG off the bell, taking to the air immediately. They were moving at a pace not quite seen in the WWF at this time, a point Ventura also makes. Neither Vince nor Jesse could pronounce the JBA names so they refer to them as "pink" and "red" based off their tights. Despite that they really put them over strong throughout the match. The JBA kept working an efficient quick tag offense, grounding the champions and keeping them completely rattled as the fans rallied them on. The GG would rally late in the fall to get a pin and go up 1-0. Not a huge fan of that as I thought this should have been a sweep to keep the JBA aura strong after they both survived at Survivor Series. The second fall moved a really crisp pace, with both teams landing some offense until the Itsuki grabbed a sunset flip victory to even the match. The crowd was really into this, which is pretty cool to see. I will give the GG credit for hanging with the JBA and delivering a solid match, but I really wonder what we could have seen here if a team more up to the JBAs level was imported in as well. In my favorite spot of the match, Noreyo snapped off a really nice bridging Northern Lights suplex for a near fall. In the end, the quickness of the JBA proved to be too much and they used a double dropkick to end the bout and capture the titles. That was a hella fun match to watch and the formatting was perfect with super short heat segments and tons of switching back and forth for offensive control. It is too bad the company didn't commit and load up on Japanese imports to really invest in the division because the crowd has been into both JBA PPV matches thus far. Alas, the tag division peters out shortly after this.

*** A lengthy video package recaps the journey of Hulk Hogan, André the Giant and Ted DiBiase since WrestleMania III. DiBiase has vowed to purchase the WWF Heavyweight Title. After that, the contract is officially signed between WWF World Champion Hogan and André for the long awaited rematch. The match is February 5 at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. It would be broadcast on a special edition of "Saturday Night's Main Event" on a Friday, simply called "The Main Event". It would be the first prime time network broadcast of professional wrestling in decades. The crowd was red hot as both men inked the contract in a meeting presided over by Jack Tunney. André was really chill here, taking his time and playing mind games with Hogan the entire time. After the signing, André pushes the wood table over onto Hogan. Also in attendance is the new manager of André, the aforementioned Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. He debuted on camera in early December 1987. ***

### Match #3: Jim Duggan wins the inaugural Royal Rumble at 33:23

Order of entrants followed by who eliminated them:

1: Tito Santana: Hart Foundation

2: Bret Hart: Don Muraco

3: Butch Reed: Jake Roberts

4: Jim Neidhart: Hillbilly Jim

5: Jake Roberts: One Man Gang

6: Harley Race: Don Muraco

7: Jim Brunzell: Nikolai Volkoff

8: Sam Houston: Ron Bass

9: Danny Davis: Jim Duggan

10: Boris Zhukov: Brunzell/Roberts

11: Don Muraco: Dino Bravo

12: Nikolai Volkoff: Jim Duggan

13: Jim Duggan: WINNER

14: Ron Bass: Don Muraco

15: B. Brian Blair: One Man Gang

16: Hillbilly Jim: Gang

17: Dino Bravo: One Man Gang

18: Ultimate Warrior: Ron Bass

19: One Man Gang: Jim Duggan

20: Junkyard Dog: Dino Bravo

Longest Time: Bret Hart (25:42)

Shortest Time: Junkyard Dog (2:08)

Most Eliminations: One Man Gang (4)

*** Royal Rumble matches will be graded on a dedicated scale. All Rumble match grades should only be compared to each other. A five star Rumble does not necessarily equate a five star match. ***

Fun Fact I: James Hellwig began training with weights when he was 11 years old and was an amateur bodybuilder early in his career. In 1984, he won the NPC Mr. Georgia bodybuilding title. In 1985 while in California training for another event, he was invited to join a group of bodybuilders that were looking to cross over into professional wrestling. Of note, one of the other bodybuilders in this group was Steve Borden, who went on to become Sting in WCW. The bodybuilding group began wrestling under the name Powerteam USA, with Hellwig as Jim "Justice" Hellwig. He later teamed with Borden in CWA as The Freedom Fighters with Hellwig as Justice and Borden as Flash with Dutch Mantel as their manager. The team later moved on to Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling (soon to be renamed Universal Wrestling Federation), where they were renamed The Blade Runners, with Hellwig being renamed to Rock and Borden to Sting. After only a 6 month run with Watts, the team broke up with Hellwig moving on to World Class Championship Wrestling in Texas under the new name The Dingo Warrior. He had a brief run with the WCWA Texas Heavyweight Championship in early 1987 before moving to the WWF. He wrestled house shows in June 1987 and was billed under his WCCW name, Dingo Warrior. His name was soon changed to the name he is best known under. There is some dispute as to who created the name, The Ultimate Warrior. Bruce Prichard stated in an interview that Vince McMahon didn't know what a "Dingo" Warrior was, but since there were the Road Warriors and Kevin von Erich, the Modern Day Warrior, there shouldn't be just another warrior. There should be an Ultimate Warrior. The Ultimate Warrior was known for his energetic entrance music, his fast entrances to the ring where he would violently shake the ropes and his face paint.

Fun Fact II: Michael Maurice Smith started his wrestling career under the name Sam Houston in 1983 in Championship Wrestling of Florida. In 1985 he moved on to Jim Crockett Promotions where he began working with Dusty Rhodes and Magnum T.A. in their feud with the Four Horsemen. In early 1986 he won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Heavyweight Championship from Krusher Khruschev before losing it to Black Bart a few months later. He had brief runs in the Central States territory and the Universal Wrestling Federation before moving on to the WWF in the summer of 1987. Houston's run in the WWF is mainly known for him being an enhancement talent. Houston's father is former wrestler and promoter Grizzly Smith, his half-brother is Jake "the Snake" Roberts and his younger sister is former WWF Women's Champion Rockin' Robin.

### Scott:

What Pat Patterson created as simply something fun to back up the contract signing will become a staple of the WWF landscape forever. A creative way to adjust a boring battle royal match has twenty WWF superstars battling it out for pride, and perhaps fortune? Vince McMahon would get better as a PBP guy, but he is so ridiculous here. Jesse tells him that there will be natural alliances when the ring fills up and Vince says "That would never happen, never!" Jesse tells him that if the Hart Foundation were in the ring together "wouldn't they try to clear the ring together?" No wonder the rest of the wrestling promotions ripped the WWF. Not only were they pissed Vince was buying guys up left and right, but his announcing is dreadful! The action starts fast and furious as eventually the Hart Foundation did indeed get together and they are working Strike Force member Tito Santana for a good chunk of the early going. Some other observations: Jake Roberts is crazy over with the crowd, and if Randy Savage wasn't there, Jake would have easily been the #2 guy in the company and may have been the guy to fill the slot in 1988 for the absent Hulk Hogan. He gets a huge pop when his number is called. Obviously in the elementary stages of this concept, there's no clock up nor is there a buzzer or bell to let fans know that a competitor is coming into the ring. Immediately you understood that this concept was one that opened up so many creative booking possibilities. You can start or end feuds in this match, single out young guys for future pushes and other ideas. One early struggle of the guys is how to eliminate opponents. Old school battle royals had guys trying to grind opponents over the top rope. Later on in years we would see smarter guys clothesline competitors over the top rope, or even just toss them over. Jesse is really laying into Vince for being bias and terrible. It's tremendous. The action continues to be fast and furious, as guys start getting chucked but the bigger guys linger and throw their weight around. Bret Hart (in an early indication of what he can accomplish) started first and lasted the longest. One Man Gang seemed to be the favorite based on size and that he was the biggest guy left. However, you figure after the Hogan/Andre stuff, the crowd needed something to cheer so they went with the fan favorite here. The line of the night when Duggan wins is from Jesse: "Of all the guys to win this thing, HIM?" I agree Jesse, I agree.

### Justin:

And it has officially arrived: the debut of the Royal Rumble match. Vince & Jesse run through the rules for us, as does the Fink. Absolutely no mystery around entrants #1 or #2 as Bret Hart and Tito Santana are waiting in the ring as Fink runs through the rules. They certainly made a great choice with these two, as they had some history together and could both work a great match for a long duration if needed. Vince tried to play up the "every man for himself" but Butch Reed come in at #3 and ignores that initiative, targeting Tito immediately. Things got uglier two minutes later when Jim Neidhart entered and a triple team assault was on. The crowd really erupted for the first time when Jake Roberts came out and started to clean house. In a note for your trivia book, Butch Reed was the first man eliminated in Rumble history. As the ring started to pile up and anticipation of the next entrant built, you could immediately see that this concept was a winner. There was a nice blend of hot strike exchanges and teases, enough to really keep the crowd engaged through the first half of the battle. Bret Hart won the longevity war to this point as the Harts dumped Santana from the ring. In a bit of confusion, Don Muraco and Nikolai Volkoff both emerge at #11, brawling their way out until officials separate them and hold Nikolai back until #12. Neidhart and Harley Race also had good showings in the first half, as they were really active and participated in constant elimination attempts. Jim Duggan showed up at #13 and livened up the crowd which had lulled a bit. He got into a quick skirmish with the recently eliminated Race on his way in, but runs through him and hits the ring ready to go. The biggest pops throughout the match continued to be for Roberts and any attempted DDT that he tried to snap off. By the time Dino Bravo entered at #17, the ring had really become bloated and the action steadied with just a few big teases here and there. Ultimate Warrior quietly makes his debut here, entering at #18 to a modest reaction from the fans. Bret's run came to an end here as well, but not before cementing himself as the first Rumble iron man. In a little nod to Mid South, One Man Gang entered at #19 and dumped Roberts, leaving the crowd with just a few real favorites to root on in the final field once JYD finished out the entrances. As the field whittled down, Duggan really started to pick up steam and seemed to the pick of the fans. The final four would feature Gang, Muraco, Bravo and Duggan, but Hacksaw quickly found himself in trouble once Muraco got shipped out. He would overcome those odds to last eliminate Gang and become the first Rumble winner. He was a fine choice, the crowd loved him and put over how strength and power was a strong quality in this type of match. This was a fun Rumble and a nice way to introduce the gimmick. Sure, nothing major went down, but he action was constant and there was some good talent blended in that kept the crowd into it pretty much the whole way through. This match pretty much provided us the baseline of Rumble matches for years to come.

*** Hulk Hogan joins Craig DeGeorge for an interview to give a hard sell for his upcoming Main Event showdown with André the Giant. ***

### Match #4: The Islanders defeat the Young Stallions in a Two of Three Falls match at 14:10

Falls:

Paul Roma is counted out at 7:52

Haku makes Roma submit at 14:10

### Scott:

We finish the show with two of the best teams in the company. I'm surprised that we didn't see the hot heel team Demolition on this show. No knock on the Islanders here as any team managed by Bobby Heenan is OK in my book. Heenan isn't here tonight as Jesse says he's in Barbados watching, courtesy of Ted DiBiase. Jesse is really getting into Vince's grill about the Dino Bravo stuff which is pretty funny. This match is very hard hitting with a fast pace and lots of strikes. If there was a US Tag Title in the WWF, no doubt the Islanders would have had at least one reign as champions. The Islanders win the first fall when Roma took a nasty fall to the floor and it looks like he blew out his left knee. Credit to Paul Roma for selling like he did because I thought he legitimately hurt himself. For some weird reason we get a break as the Stallions go to the back and we get another replay of the Hogan/Andre signing, then a live interview with DiBiase and Andre. After another commercial Roma comes back out with his knee heavily taped. That made me think the injury was legit, but then why would they come back out? The Islanders work the knee over and that tells me it was a work to give the Stallions some sympathy in the match. For a rarity, the heels win the match in two straight falls. Hell it's weird to see any team win in two straight falls. This was a decent enough match to fill the back end of the show and get us out.

### Justin:

And since we are airing this on live TV, we have a little filler match to close out the show, SNME style. And for the second time tonight, we have Best of Three falls. The Islanders were in the thick of an interesting angle, where they had kidnapped Matilda, the mascot of the British Bulldogs. I find it funny that the Stallions use a theme song clearly sung by Jimmy Hart. After a very impressive showing at Survivor Series, the Stallions were looking to keep the momentum rolling and this was as good a spot as any to do so. Jesse put over the Islanders strong, explaining the balance they have based on what each partner brings to the table. The match is pretty solid with both teams exchanged heat segments and coming off as fairly evenly matched. The first fall ended with Paul Roma getting counted out after injuring his leg badly on a tumble to the floor, to the point that he couldn't even stand and was writhing in pain. He was either really hurt or that was some hella good selling. In a weird twist to eat some time, the Stallions returned to the locker room to regroup while we revisited the contract signing and a DeGeorge interview with DiBiase and André. When the Stallions returned, Roma's knee was taped up and he was really hobbled. The Islanders would target and assault it so I can't imagine it is legit. If not, I give big kudos to Roma for the selling. Powers would make a match of it, nearly stealing the second fall a few times, but in the end the Islanders were just too much, picking up the victory in two straight falls by viciously wrecking Roma's taped up limb. This was fairly by the numbers with the real highlight being Roma's selling and the Islanders vicious focus on the injury and overall, just a chance to continue to build Haku & Tama.

### FINAL ANALYSIS:

### Scott:

This show was done for one reason. NWA was having their "Bunkhouse Stampede" show on PPV the same night. So Vince decided to counter it, just like he countered Starrcade in November with the first Survivor Series. Vince didn't need to do this show to take viewers away, as Crockett's show on Long Island was unbelievably bad. This little USA Network special would lead to the creation of one of the most important PPVs in history. The precursor to WrestleMania would lead to so many great moments, and start up so many careers. Except for the Hogan/André contract signing, there isn't much that's historically significant. There were also some pretty glaring omissions to this show, like Randy Savage and Demolition. Still, it was a fun show with a great Canadian crowd and some awesome build to a huge Network Television main event match.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This show has aged much better than I would have expected. The opener was really good, the women's match was well worked and the Rumble was very fun. We also got a big storyline development with the contract signing. The Bravo segment lagged but that was the only really down spot of the show. I was always curious why some bigger names were left off this show, specifically Demolition, Randy Savage and Honky Tonk Man. It seemed like they would have wanted to leverage their bigger names to really push this show strongly. As is, it was a good time killer, a window into the transition period the Federation was about to embark on, a hard sell the Main Event and helped set up the initial road to WrestleMania IV and beyond.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #20

#  WrestleMania IV: Savage Stands Alone...Sort Of

March 27, 1988

Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Attendance: 18,165

Closed-Circuit Attendance: 175,000

Buy Rate: 6.5

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

Fun Fact: Before we get into the show itself, let's get into the reasons why WrestleMania was set up the way it was. On February 5, 1988 NBC held a special prime time edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. This was on a Friday night, and it was called "The Main Event". It was the first time in over three decades that professional wrestling was on prime time network television. The big match was a WWF World Title match between Hulk Hogan and André the Giant. This was the long awaited rematch from the huge main event at WrestleMania III. It was announced prior to the show that Ted DiBiase had purchased the contract of André from Bobby Heenan. In the match, Hogan had his opponent ready to be pinned. At ringside were The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase and his bodyguard Virgil. Virgil jumped on the apron to distract referee Dave Hebner. Hogan hit Virgil, but André caught him with a couple of reverse headbutts. He then turned him over with the "André Suplex", and went for the pin. At the one count, Hogan clearly had his left shoulder up, but Hebner continued to count, and counted three. That's right kids. Hulk Hogan's four year reign as WWF Champion was over. Hebner handed the title to André, who held it for exactly 127 seconds. André handed it to DiBiase, who had been unsuccessfully trying to buy the title from Hogan for weeks. Then, the swerve: Another referee came out looking exactly like Dave Hebner. Well, it was Dave Hebner. The original referee was his real-life twin brother Earl. Earl had been working down in Mid-Atlantic for Jim Crockett. It is revealed that DiBiase paid someone to get plastic surgery to look like Dave. DiBiase held the belt for a week. In fact there were pictures of DiBiase at house shows wearing the strap. The following week on Superstars, President Jack Tunney stripped DiBiase of the title (he isn't officially recognized as a champion), and declared the title vacant. A 14-man single elimination tournament was slated for Wrestlemania to officially crown an undisputed WWF World Champion, with Hogan and André receiving first round byes for being the last two World Champions.

### Match #1: Bad News Brown wins a 20-man Battle Royal at 9:43.

Participants:

Ron Bass, Brian Blair, Jim Brunzell, Danny Davis, Bret Hart, Hillbilly Jim, Sam Houston, Junkyard Dog, Jim Neidhart, Ken Patera, Jim Powers, Harley Race, Paul Roma, Jacques Rougeau, Raymond Rougeau, Sika, George Steele, Nikolai Volkoff, and Boris Zhukov.

Fun Fact: Bad News Brown was a pupil of Stu Hart's dungeon. He was known as Bad News Allen and Bad News Allen Coage. Brown wrestled in Stampede, Japan, and in Florida. He was actually Florida Heavyweight Champ, and had a pretty good feud with a very young Lex Luger.

### Scott:

We open up this massive event with the second battle royal in Wrestlemania history. This was pretty much the chance for everybody on the roster that wasn't either in a title match or the tournament to get a WrestleMania payday. I love early on that Bob Uecker pulled open the curtain and said "When I got the call from Vince McMahon to come back..." We see some newcomers here in the bunch, like Bad News Brown. I've always said that Brown was a revolutionary character for 1988 WWF. He was mean, surly and pretty much liked nobody. That's different for the era of kayfabe. Sam Houston just never seemed to fit in this company. He obviously got a good word from relative Jake Roberts, but he still seemed like an NWA-type wrestler. Another major plot point here is the switching of the Hart Foundation. Even though he's still a heel, they were getting some cheers from the fans and there were a lot of signs in the crowd for the Pink and Black Attack. It more happens over the spring/summer, but the ending of this match clearly shows they're trying to push them as fan favorites. Sadly on the other side of the coin, guys like the Junkyard Dog are starting to show they're falling behind the new crop of superstars added to the roster over the past couple of years. He is one of the final three guys left with the newcomer Bad News and Bret Hart. They work JYD over and finally get him out, but just as the two heels are about to split the money and the trophy, Bad News hits his swank finisher, the Ghettoblaster. He works Bret over and dumps him over the top. Then, maybe a harbinger of things to come in about a decade, the Hitman gets in the ring and throws a tantrum. He destroys Bad News' trophy and chucks it down the aisle. Overall a much better battle royal then two WrestleManias earlier when we had a bunch of football players flailing around. Bad News Brown makes a big push in the WWF, but the Hitman gets the last word.

### Justin:

As WrestleMania's successes kept piling up, the WWF decided to really up the ante and roll out a very deep, long show for its fourth installment. With a giant tournament, a few undercard matches and a big battle royal, this was easily the biggest PPV card to date for the company. The highlight of this one is easily my man Bob Uecker joining Jesse Ventura and Gorilla Monsoon in the booth. This match is pretty much filled with the lowest end of the talent pool except for a few select entries. Even old George Steele is in this one, camped out on the floor, never entering the ring for some odd reason. There is an interesting mix of talent here, with a bunch of guys that have hung around for a couple years but were being phased out and some others that were ready for a push. The announcers pretty much ignore the majority of the action, as they spent most of the time cracking jokes with Uecker. Steele was being an asshole, standing on the floor and then yanking Jim Neidhart out and somehow eliminating him. That wasn't quite right. Bodies started to fly at a pretty good pace as this card would be bloated enough, we didn't need this laboring on too long. Paul Roma's leg seems to have healed up nicely as he actually makes the final four here, along with Bad News Brown, Junkyard Dog and Bret Hart. He would be the first to go, leaving us with Bad News and Hart left to double up on JYD, who valiantly hangs in and takes it to both guys. Bad News was a really nice addition to the midcard, a true nasty heel that was just a dick to everyone. This a great showing for Hart too, even though it is an opening match battle royal, he gets a lot of shine in it. After a pact and a lengthy attack, Bad News and Hart finally dumped JYD. That would lead to a classic WrestleMania moment as the two shook hands and seemingly agreed to be co-winners until Bad News turned him on and dumped him to the floor. Great character building for Bad News there and also sewed some seeds of sympathy for Hart, who had some changes on the way. Although, it was odd that they then had him turn around and be a crybaby that destroyed the giant trophy. Oh well. This was fine for what it was, no twists or turns outside of the Bad News double cross.

### FIRST ROUND:

### Match #2: Ted DiBiase defeats Jim Duggan after a fist drop at 5:01

Fun Fact: Now a little background on The Million Dollar Man. Ted DiBiase grew up in Texas and went to the same college (West Texas State) as many other stars. DiBiase wrestled mostly in the Midwest, but did spend some time in the WWWF in the late 70s. In fact, in a coincidental piece of trivia, Hulk Hogan's first ever WWWF match in 1979 was against DiBiase. From there DiBiase returned to Mid-South and then shifted to the UWF. There he feuded with Terry Gordy and Jim Duggan amongst others. In 1985, DiBiase received a huge NWA World Title match against Ric Flair, but lost the match after interference from Dick Murdoch. He came to the WWF in December 1987 amidst promises of a killer gimmick and huge push and was immediately pushed into the Main Event picture once he was inked.

### Scott:

So we begin this tournament with a favorite and...filler. Clearly when this fourteen man tournament started, there are favorites and there are filler guys depending on what the prize is. Of course when it was something like a check or a trophy, anybody is open to win. However with the WWF Championship on the line there's a very small sliver of people who you know could clearly be the favorite to win it, and others who are there to put over the favorites. Due to the enormous number of matches during this show, these early battles were quick and to the point. Duggan has been around for about a year and although he has been a top flight babyface for the crowds, he's not a guy ever taken seriously for a championship. André was still under DiBiase's care, and would make his presence felt. Andre ends up tripping Duggan as he was in his three-point stance. Duggan's distracted enough to be caught in a suplex, and DiBiase moves on. Gorilla seems surprised when Andre came down with DiBiase. Plenty of advance plot points in this PPV that will be used later on. Gorilla pointing out that DiBiase has Andre in his corner. The other big plot point is that Jesse went over the rules for the fans, including the fact that 1) Draws eliminate both men, and 2) Double DQs eliminate both men. Jesse Ventura never does anything by accident. That's why he's great. DiBiase tackles this match the same he handles every match tonight: With cheating and underhanded tricks. I love that Jesse rips Duggan for not being a legit wrestler and dummying down the match for his benefit. DiBiase expectedly moves on to the next round.

### Justin:

We officially kick off the first title tournament in WWF PPV history with the renewal of a red hot UWF feud from a couple of years prior. Ted DiBiase is the reason this entire tournament even had to happen, so here he is in the opener, seeded up against the winner of the Royal Rumble, Jim Duggan. DiBiase has André the Giant and Virgil flanking him and is wearing his swank silver and purple suit. I love me some tournaments and always get excited for the opening round matches. Jesse and Gorilla do a splendid job putting over the concept, importance and possibilities right out the gate. Jesse predicted that Duggan would force DiBiase to brawl instead of wrestle and he was accurate early on as Duggan slugged away with big right hands, knocking DiBiase to the floor to regroup. DiBiase would work in some of his usual strikes, but Duggan was impressive in his comeback, surprising Jesse with some variance in his attack, even busting out a nice sunset flip and vertical suplex. Duggan looked to be in position to advance until André got involved, tripping Duggan up and allowing DiBiase to pick up the win and move on. This was a fine opener and I wish they had more time to give it a go and really build some heat, but this really wasn't the setting for it.

### Match #3: Don Muraco defeats Dino Bravo by Disqualification at 4:54

### Scott:

In the "Totally Jacked Steroid" match of the night, the repackaged Magnificent Muraco takes on the Canadian Strongman. Now called "The Rock", Muraco is joined by his manager Superstar Billy Graham. Maybe it's his enabler too, because 1988 Muraco looks nothing like even 1986 Muraco. There really isn't much to say here, as this match is a train wreck. Both men spend most of the match clubbing each other with strikes and sloppy center turnbuckle moves. After his "questionable" record-setting performance weightlifting at the Royal Rumble, many thought Bravo would advance to the next round against the tired Muraco. Ah, but in the era of heels vs. faces, Muraco wins due to a shady move by Bravo. Muraco went off the ropes for a shoulderblock, but Bravo pulls the ref in front of him. The ref hits the deck, and Bravo hits his side suplex. The ref calls for the bell, and Bravo thinks he won. The referee calls for the DQ and the Atlantic City crowd actually goes crazy when "The Rock" wins the match. It's a shame that these matches were so short because we have a lot of psychology guys that could use a few more minutes to tell a better story but with a crazy 16 matches on the card things needed to sped along. Muraco moves on to face DiBiase to the next round.

### Justin:

Next up we continue the tournament with a battle of two muscled up power wrestlers. Muraco has just gotten ridiculously huge by this point and it was pretty fitting that Billy Graham becomes his mentor, in more ways than one. Dino Bravo is firmly ensconced in his new solo run, with Frenchy Martin in tow and the world weightlifting record in his back pocket. Bravo tries to show off his power early but Muraco shrugged him off and went to town. Jesse credits Frenchy for bringing the aggressiveness out of Bravo but I find that to be dubious considering how lazy and useless Frenchy is. Bravo busts out a nice gutwrench suplex but misses a running knee in the corner to give Muraco an opening to start working the leg a bit. That came to a halt when Muraco got himself hung in the ropes and Bravo pounced right away, snapping off a piledriver for a near fall. Muraco avoided a second piledriver and I must say these guys are working pretty hard. I expected this to be a real dog but it wasn't bad. As Muraco turned up the heat, Bravo got desperate and yanked the referee in front of him as the Rock charged his way. With the ref down, Bravo hit a side suplex but the referee called for the bell and disqualified Bravo for putting his hands on him. Muraco advances and this was a bit better than I remembered.

### Match #4: Greg Valentine defeats Ricky Steamboat when Valentine rolls through a Steamboat crossbody at 9:09

Fun Fact: This is Ricky Steamboat's final WWF PPV appearance for over three years.

### Scott:

The most entertaining match of the first round sees the loyal Hammer take one from the "dis-loyal" (depending on your point of view) Ricky Steamboat. We will get to that in a minute. If you were looking at a snapshot of two of the greatest and contrasting workers of the 1980s, these two guys were it. Valentine was a methodical worker who hit stiff strikes and worked his guy over for a long period of time before slapping on the Figure Four. Steamboat was all over the ring, with no wasted motion and expert fast technical maneuvers. Giving these two guys over nine minutes for the first round was a very smart move as these two can definitely entertain for at least that long. I most certainly would not have given say the previous match that much time. Jesse always mentions Barry Blaustein, who was his agent. Gorilla and Jesse are beginning to put in the fans' heads that Hogan is the clear favorite to win the tournament, and they never used to be that confident about stuff like that. In one of the best matches we will see all night, two former Intercontinental Champions go all out, but the evil Valentine used Steamboat's momentum against him when he was spun over on a cross body and with a handful of tights moves on to the next round. We won't see Steamboat in the WWF again until 1991 because he and the company had a very strained relationship. After his epic win over Randy Savage at WrestleMania III, he asked to take a leave of absence to care for his pregnant wife. Vince was a little miffed that he put the title on a guy who wanted to leave. So he dropped the title to Honky Tonk Man and then spent the next year practically forgotten. In any event, the Hammer moves on in a great match.

### Justin:

In our third opening round contest we get a visit from the star of last year's show battling another WrestleMania veteran as Ricky Steamboat takes on Greg Valentine. Steamboat's stock has fallen quickly and he was in his waning WWF days here. Although, when you looked at the brackets it seemed very possible we may get a WrestleMania III rematch with Savage getting his win back over the Dragon, which would have been a great way to send the Dragon away. Steamboat enters with his baby son and despite the words of Gorilla, it makes him look like a bit of a pussy and quite arrogant as he paraded him around like Simba. After spending the last couple of years in the tag division, Valentine is back to being a steadying force on the singles side of the midcard and he now has Jimmy Hart by his side. Steamboat worked at his usual early pace as Gorilla continues the tradition of telling us how long it takes the Hammer to get revved up in the ring. As Greg starts to work his methodical offense, Jesse name drops his pal Barry Blaustein, a name many wrestling fans should be familiar with. This is a pretty good matchup as Valentine excels at slowly punishing opponents and Steamboat is the king of selling, so they build some nice heat together. Valentine even cut off a good Steamboat comeback and dropped him with a nice shoulderbreaker as he went right back to work without missing a beat. Steamboat would make another comeback but this just wasn't his night as Hammer rolled through a high cross body and stole the quick pin to advance on, robbing us of a potentially glorious rematch. I get why the WWF didn't want Steamboat to win as he was heading out the door, but him putting over Savage in a strong second round match could have been fantastic. Part of it may be that they didn't want to split Savage's fan base as well, so maybe Valentine was the safer pick. Alas, this was a very solid match that kept the crowd engaged and made sense the whole way through.

### Match #5: Randy Savage defeats Butch Reed with the Elbow Drop at 4:07

Fun Fact I: This is Butch Reed's final WWF PPV appearance. His final record is 1-3. After this he would jump to the NWA and hook up with Ron Simmons as the masked tag team Doom.

Fun Fact II: On the October 3rd 1987 Saturday Night's Main Event, Randy Savage challenged Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Championship. Towards the end of the match, fellow Jimmy Hart wrestlers, the Hart Foundation interfered and cost Savage the match. After the DQ, the Harts and Savage mercilessly pounded on Savage and Honky even shoved down Elizabeth to the gasps of the crowd. Elizabeth went scurrying to the back, during which time the Harts held Savage up and Honky smashed his guitar over Savage's head. Elizabeth then returned with Hulk Hogan in tow. Hogan chased off the Hart Family and shook hands with Savage, establishing the relationship that would dominate the storylines for the next year and a half. Honky and Savage were slated for a rematch on the Main Event in February 1988, but we will get to that later in the show.

### Scott:

Our next first round match pits Slick's star (and the guy who allegedly got Honky Tonk Man the IC Title) against a dark horse favorite in the tournament. Savage really grabbed the fans' hearts over the last four months of 1987 while feuding with Honky over the IC Title and could be a guy some fans think could slide in there in the tournament. The match is a quickie, and pretty much shows what a lumbering oaf Butch Reed is. Reed has Savage down, but takes what seems like an hour to get to the top rope while showing Elizabeth some machismo. Savage recovers, dumps Reed off the top rope and drops the elbow for the victory. With Jesse emphasizing that the guy who wins this tournament has to win four matches to get there, it also lends itself to the possibility somebody besides Hulk Hogan COULD win this thing. Couldn't they? There's not much more to say here, as Macho Man moves on to a date with the Hammer.

### Justin:

We progress through the brackets with another big time crowd favorite that was beginning to gain some serious momentum with the fans in Randy Savage. The crowds had been dying to cheer him and Elizabeth for most of 1987 and by the end of the year, the WWF obliged and here we stand as Macho is one of the favorites as the tournament got under way. In the opener he is set to battle Butch Reed, who has been around a little over a year but accomplished very little. This is his last PPV match as well and he would be in WCW soon enough. After a brief spurt of Savage offense, Macho went right into his trusted formula: get the shit kicked out of you and really gain some sympathy. And he did it just about as well as anybody else in the promotion. Reed used his weight and power advantage but spent a little too much time jawing at Liz and also tried to ascend the top rope, which made no sense. Savage would catch and slam him to the mat and quickly climbed to the top and dropped the elbow for the win. The crowd began to buzz as soon as Savage looked to the top and popped when he hit the move, and that was awesome. This match was all Reed but Savage hit the one move he needed to hit.

### Match #6: One Man Gang defeats Bam Bam Bigelow by Countout at 3:00

Fun Fact: This is Bam Bam Bigelow's final WWF PPV match until the 1993 Royal Rumble.

### Scott:

Wow we get quite a bit of beef in this match as two guys of similar sizes and styles battle in our next tournament match. Bigelow was a pretty hot babyface in late-1987 and had a great showing at the Survivor Series and could have been another dark horse to win it, or at least make it to the semifinals against DiBiase or another heel. Bigelow was in control for most of this match but Slick pulled the top rope and Bigelow hit the deck to the floor. In a quick three minutes a huge upset, in my opinion, occurred. I really don't understand why this needed to be a countout though. I think One Man Gang winning with some chicanery would have been perfectly fine. Sadly we don't see Bigelow again for quite a while, so it could have been a lost opportunity for a huge babyface in this company to make big money and draw house shows. Rumors are Hogan wasn't willing to share the top with more than one person, and Bigelow got "nudged" out the door. Bigelow will be back in a few years, but he won't be back tonight.

### Justin:

Even though his push has dimmed quite a bit since late 1987, Bam Bam Bigelow still feels like a big deal as he aggressively marches to the ring alongside Sir Oliver Humperdink. Maybe it was the swank saxophone theme music that helped him stand out? Here he reignites a battle from Survivor Series against One Man Gang, giving us our biggest battle of the tournament so far. Gang wasted no time going right at Bammer, slugging away and working him over in the corner. Bigelow came right back and got a near fall with a splash, followed by another after a cross body. It was pretty neat watching these two hosses just bounce off each other and bump around. Bigelow gained control and dropped a headbutt on Gang, but as he hit the ropes, Slick yanked down the top strand, sending Bammer toppling to the floor. Gang met him on the apron and held him up just long enough to get Bigelow counted out. Man, I was really getting into that one too before the shit finish. They were just chucking bombs. Bigelow got a raw deal here and would jet from the promotion right after this show. Gang moves on and I somehow am left sitting here wanting more, shockingly enough.

### Match #7: Rick Rude and Jake Roberts wrestle to a time-limit draw at 15:15

### Scott:

For the first time in this tournament we have a matchup that has some history to it. Rude began his gimmick of dropping the "Rude Awakening" on a gorgeous fan in the audience. Well he tried to drop one on Jake's wife Cheryl and she cracked him with a slap to the face. That rankled Rude and Jake came down to protect his wife and to fire this feud up. Jake was maybe the #2 or #3 babyface in this company and since his arrival in late 1987 Rude's moved swiftly up the heel ladder. If you're paying attention to the brackets here, you'd think Jake would win so he'd face the heel One Man Gang in the next round. The match was booked very strangely in that instead of swift strikes and quick pinfall attempts, we are getting long headlocks and lots of posturing. Gorilla and Jesse point this out many times that there is a 15 minute time limit in this round but none of the matches so far came close to that. Valentine/Steamboat reached over nine minutes but didn't get to double digits. Rude locks Roberts in a sleeper late in the match which makes this match even stranger from a booking decision. When you really listen to them, you can tell Gorilla and Jesse had such great chemistry and really enjoyed working together. Both men would soften their stances and really have solid neutral rapport when talking about certain guys. I was completely perplexed when there was a draw. Why take these two guys out of the mix? This one made no sense and begins what many consider "Non Finish-Mania".

### Justin:

And the first round is finally wrapping up here with an intriguing matchup between two very similar wrestlers as Rick Rude and Jake Roberts are set to tussle. Rude's swagger was fantastic by this point and he had gotten really comfortable, which made him just a top notch heel. On the flip side, Jake's face turn has clearly been a tremendous decision as the fans were hot from him every time he walked the aisle. They wrestled to a stalemate early on, alternating offense by slamming each other stiffly over and over. Jake would go to the arm for a bit before trying for his first DDT attempt but Rude quickly slipped to the floor as he tried to hook it. Jesse jumped right on that point, noting that Heenan had schooled Rude on the move and how to avoid it. Great psychology there. The praise turned to criticism, however, as both Jesse and Gorilla got on Rude's case for wasting precious time taunting the crowd after finally putting Jake down. They also questioned his decision to clamp on a chinlock when there was such a short time limit in place. This is Jesse & Gorilla at their best for sure. Rude would continue to grind the chinlock before planting Jake with a flapjack and following with a fist off the top rope. Rude kept being lax during pin attempts, earning even more rage from the commentators, and trying to just wear Jake down. Just as Jake was coming back around, Rude caught him with a really nice back suplex for a near fall. That would prove to be quite the blow for both men as it slowed them up a bit and about a minute later, the bell sounded for a time limit draw, eliminating both men from the tournament. With so many entrants, it was clear we would have some double eliminations along the way and with both men in the same position on the card it made sense to happen here. Despite being fifteen minutes and featuring a lot of restholds, this was pretty well worked and featured some interesting psychology mixed throughout, with an assist from the announcers.

*** Gene Okerlund and Vanna White review the tournament brackets and make round two predictions. ***

### END OF FIRST ROUND

### Match #8: The Ultimate Warrior defeats Hercules with a Bridge Suplex at 4:36

Fun Fact: On January 27, 1988, the Ultimate Warrior and Hercules were set to square off, but before the match, the two got into a tug of war with Hercules' massive steel chain and they managed to snap the chain in half. The match ended in a DQ after Hercules beat the Warrior with the remaining piece of the chain, setting up the blowoff here.

### Scott:

We dive out of the tournament and see a straight up power battle between two jacked heavyweights. Warrior was slowly gaining a following as a big time fan favorite but starting with this match and through the end of 1988 he becomes a major player on the WWF landscape. Hercules cut his hair and is still in the Heenan Family, but slowly is being forgotten on the heel landscape. This match was ridiculously short and there's not much in the way of workrate, similar to the vein of Muraco/Bravo. However they probably could have afforded to get a few more minutes in this match, but otherwise it's a lot of power stuff and then a bridge suplex out of nowhere gets the victory. Hercules tries to strike him with the chain but Warrior gets it and whips it around the ring, cleaning house. It was probably smart not to put the Warrior in the tournament, because that would put too many guys you wouldn't want to job out. You also don't want to split the babyfaces too much and have them focus on one or two guys. Many fans may not think so now, but Ultimate Warrior will indeed put his stamp on wrestling history very soon.

### Justin:

In our second non-tournament match we have a power grudge match on tap with newcomer the Ultimate Warrior squaring off with WrestleMania veteran Hercules. In the build to this match, they had a tug of war over Hercules' chain and it snapped in half. That set up the story here: power vs. power. Warrior had tons of energy out of the gate and the crowd popped big for his entrance. We were treated to some basic power stuff here with a test of strength and series of clothesline to see how many it would take to knock each man down. The rest of the match basically saw them trading strikes and alternating between no-selling and stumbling around. The climax of the match came when Hercules hooked the full nelson, but Warrior propelled himself backwards by kicking off the turnbuckles and landed on top of Herc. Warrior got his shoulder up at the last second and won the match cleanly. After the bell, Herc tried to choke Warrior with his chain, but Warrior fought him off and celebrated his first WrestleMania victory. There really wasn't much here at all but it was a platform to showcase Warrior against a solid mid-carder.

### QUARTERFINALS:

### Match #9: Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant wrestle to a Double-Disqualification at 5:32

### Scott:

We begin the quarterfinal round with the match that everyone was waiting for. After the epic, earth-shaking main event one year earlier in Pontiac, followed by the match on national TV that made all Hulkamaniacs cry, we have the linchpin match of the tournament. With DiBiase sitting there in the next match and a possible battle with him in the semifinals, was it clear that Hogan gets another clean win over the Giant and move on? Looking back at the bracket, the bottom half really didn't have any top flight heels that would make for a sexy final match of the tournament for Hogan. Of course Savage was sitting there, but with all the fresh babyface cheers he was getting having Hogan/Savage in the final really didn't make much sense. Well, in the days before the internet and the dirt sheets, regular fans didn't know he was taking time off to film "No Holds Barred". After a match that wasn't exactly top notch (and maybe not better than either of their first two matches), both men whacked each other with a chair and referee Joey Marella called for the bell. There was a very long pause where everybody was on pins and needles. Frankly Hogan used the chair first, so he should have been disqualified alone. Maybe Joey Marella is Hogan's boy because both guys were disqualified instead. I was personally shocked and disappointed. I hadn't quite jumped on anyone else's bandwagon at this point, so I was reserved to thinking Ted DiBiase was going to win this tournament. I was really devastated that Hogan didn't win the match. Sure he whacked Andre with the chair and posed for everyone after the match. However, that didn't take away from the fact he wasn't moving on. Jesse says Andre purposely got double DQ'd so DiBiase got a free ride to the finals if he could beat Muraco in the next match. This was clearly a stunning development and even with "Real American" blasting and Hogan posing, it doesn't take away from the fact he will NOT be WWF Champion when this night is over.

### Justin:

It has been a long and winding road since Pontiac, MI a year ago, but here we are and Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant are set up for their rubber match. Twelve months ago, Hogan slammed Andre to retain his title but as 1988 began, Andre and Ted DiBiase cheated their way to victory, taking the belt off of Hogan in a shocking moment. After DiBiase failed to buy the gold, the title was vacated and put up for grabs here, so it was only natural that the two previous champions would receive a bye through round one but be forced to square off one last time. This match was the key to the tournament and would likely tip off who would be going through to the finals. If Andre won, the victor looked to be a bit of a mystery. If Hogan won, the result was fairly clear. Andre was accompanied by DiBiase and Virgil, as expected, and it was heavily intimated that the Giant was solely in the tourney just to take Hogan out and not necessarily to advance on. Andre didn't even give Hogan a chance to get his shirt off, pouncing off the bell and slugging away. Hogan quickly rebounded, even landing a shot on DiBiase. Hogan rallied, knocking Andre to the mat and laying in a quick series of elbows as the fans really buzzed. Andre definitely seems a bit more vulnerable than he did a year ago and perhaps that is because we know Hogan can now beat him. When Andre took over, he went to his token nerve hold to slow things down but the heat only crested from there as Hogan rattled him with right hands to break it up. As Virgil was running interference, DiBiase came in with a chair but Hogan chased him off. With the referee turned back around, both men used the chair on each other, leading to a double DQ. Of course, that finish made no sense as Hogan used the chair first but you take what you can. Hogan would floor Andre and chase off DiBiase and Virgil as the official decision came in. DiBiase would sacrifice his bodyguard, who eats a suplex in the aisle. Well, sort of a suplex as Hogan just let him go. Back in the ring, Hogan slammed Andre and then posed for a while to give the fans their fill. This match was nothing special but was fairly short and the crowd was into it. Hogan and Andre are done for the night and the field has just gotten a bit more interesting.

### Match #10: Ted DiBiase defeats Don Muraco with a Stun Gun at 5:33

### Scott:

Sadly, you can't book a foolproof tournament without some obvious decisions. Don Muraco wasn't going to make it to the finals of this tournament, so clearly DiBiase was heading to the championship bout. This was nothing more than a clear fill match now, eats up some time before we moved on. Muraco was ridiculously jacked here. He got a little flabby in 1987 and knowing a repackaging was in order, he probably looked for a "medicinal edge" to look even better. I'm sure we're not talking about rumors or conjecture here, just look at Muraco one year earlier in that tag team match with Bob Orton. He was big, but not cut and developed like he is at this show. Color commentators today should take notes from Jesse Ventura from this show. He constantly reminded everyone of the logistics of the match, like the winner here moves on all the way to the finals. The match goes back and forth, until DiBiase hits The Rock with a Stun Gun and grabs a victory. So DiBiase sits back and waits for a while to see who his opponent in the finals is. This decision, combined with who's left in the bracket may give smarter fans an idea of who is left.

### Justin:

The second round rolls on with a matchup that features one of our more obvious outcomes heading into the opening bell as Don Muraco locks horns with Ted DiBiase. Thanks to our previous match, the winner of this heads right to the finals and there was zero chance we were going to see Muraco in the championship match. DiBiase is flying solo for this one as Virgil is still reeling from Hogan's attack and Andre is cooling down from his match. Muraco was hot early, taking the fight right to DiBiase, knowing what was on the line if he could pull out the win. Thanks to Billy Graham blocking his path, DiBiase couldn't even slither to the floor to regroup. Only a desperation sling into the post saved DiBiase from a quick demise and allowed him to start choking Muraco vigorously. Jesse and Gorilla really did a nice job explaining the brackets throughout this show, highlighting who had an advantage and who the favorites should be as we trekked along. DiBiase kept wearing down Muraco, looking for any opening he could to put the Rock away. No matter how times I watch 1988 Don Muraco, I am always surprised at just how juiced up he is. He is just massive. Just as the Rock was mounting a comeback, DiBiase caught a charging Muraco and slung him across the top rope with a stun gun, putting him down for the three count. That was a really good finishing spot to cap off a solid match. Ted DiBiase couldn't buy the belt back in February, but now he is just one victory away from winning it on his own in ring merit.

### Match #11: Randy Savage defeats Greg Valentine with a Small Package at 6:07

### Scott:

This is a match that my brother would salivate over. There are two of his favorite guys who are expert in-ring workers in a match that means so much. Isn't "Pomp and Circumstance" such an awesome entrance theme? Sadly this is a match that definitely should be longer than six minutes, but we needed to hustle along here. Savage wrestles a lot like Ricky Steamboat so this match was worked similar to Valentine's first match. As expected, Savage was the face in peril, taking a pretty substantial beating from a solid opponent and with the 400-pound One Man Gang next the winner can't be too gassed. Valentine's deliberate pace is exactly what was needed philosophically. Hearing Jesse actually criticize Savage for "not being on his game" is very rare in the late-1980s. Every time he would get a big comeback going, Valentine would drop a shot to the breadbasket and take the starch out of him. Then, in classic babyface Savage fashion, Macho Man snagged victory from the jaws of defeat by reversing a Figure Four attempt into a small package for the clutch victory. Savage took some beating in that match, and now must face the rested OMG in the semifinals.

### Justin:

Our final second round match will send one man on to face the One Man Gang in the sole semifinal bout. Gang advanced thanks to the Roberts/Rude draw earlier and was in a very good position to hit the finals, but with DiBiase already there, his opponent was fairly obvious. In fact, as I said earlier, as soon as Hogan and Andre were both eliminated, the finals became fairly clear, even if the ultimate winner was not. Wrestling in his second match on the night, Randy Savage has switched up his robe and Liz has made a corresponding move with her dress. Nice touch. Valentine would go right on the assault, clubbing Savage with some heavy forearms. Outside of a very brief flurry, Valentine began to dominate the offense, dropping elbows and slugging away at Macho. He would eventually turn his attention to the leg, trying his best to grab the figure four. Savage would fend him off, but Valentine would quietly regain control and crack Savage with a move to quell any type of comeback attempt. Jesse made a good point about how Savage seemed out of it and was wrestling on instinct and it certainly did seem that way. However, those words had barely touched our eardrums before Savage made a lightning quick comeback that was stop dead cold as Hammer cracked him in ribs during a top rope ax handle attempt. Valentine would again go for the figure four, but Savage countered to a small package to sneak out the win. That is a tough loss for the Hammer, who completely controlled the match but got caught in one moment of bad positioning and it cost him. Another good match that was well worked and made sense to close out the second round. Savage moves on.

### END OF QUARTERFINALS

### Match #12: Brutus Beefcake defeats Honky Tonk Man by Disqualification at 6:43; Honky retains WWF Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact: The feud between Beefcake and Honky Tonk Man had been building for a couple of months up to their first confrontation here in Atlantic City. Beefcake had vowed that he would not only win the title from HTM, but he would put him to sleep and cut his hair. After their DQ finish here, they continued to feud into the summer before Beefcake was taken out of the feud by an attack from "Outlaw" Ron Bass.

### Scott:

We leave the tournament for our first singles title match of the evening, as the Honky Tonk Man takes on the popular Barber for the IC Title. I totally forgot how many guys didn't have entrance themes at this point in their careers. I was expecting a title change here as Honky was a comedy gimmick heel who probably had no business being Intercontinental Champion. Not that we knew anything about what was going on behind the scenes until later, but this was a clear setup for Beefcake to become the next IC Champion. However, Honky's bobbing and weaving succeeds again as Honky gets himself disqualified and regardless of the "loser's purse", retains his championship. The match was pretty solid as when Honky needed to both dictate offense and sell comebacks he wasn't too bad. I have to admit I was pretty surprised that we didn't get a title change here, but why did we need another disqualification? Were there that many guys on this roster that needed to be protected and not lay down? I think Honky could have gotten a cheap win and then rebuilt Beefcake for a rematch later in the year. Instead we get a crutch DQ (one of many on this night) and Honky escapes, again.

### Justin:

One year earlier I am not sure anybody would have believed Honky Tonk Man would be the Intercontinental Champion, let alone riding a nine month reign a year later, but here we are. Brutus Beefcake has been hot on the heels of the champ, gunning for both the title and Honky's hair. Honky dances his way to the ring, flanked by Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue and he at least feels like he has built up some legitimacy for the past few months. Beefcake gets a nice reception but is really over the top with his mannerisms and bug eyes, trying to play up his crazy side. We start off with a lot of stalling as you would expect but once the bell rang, Beefcake would go right at the champ. Beefcake is in an interesting spot here as he probably needed the win to close out this feud and advance further up the card as a legit player but you also wonder just how ready he was for that kind of run. Beefcake would punish the champ physically as well as emotionally when he tried to muss up Honky's prized hair. Any time Honky seemed to get his feet set, Beefcake was all over him, knocking him around the ring with ease and outsmarting anything Honky tried. Honky would wrest away control when Beefcake whiffed on an elbow drop and he would spend the next few minutes roughing the challenger up while trying to measure when to go for the Shake, Rattle & Roll. After a few teases and false starts, Honky finally went for the SR&R, but Beefcake hooked the ropes to bust the move up. That led to a fiery Beefcake comeback that led to a sleeper dead in the center of the ring and was only thwarted when Jimmy Hart bashed the referee with his megaphone. Honky would pass out cold, but with the referee down as well, Beefcake turned his attention to the Mouth, chasing him around on the floor, but not before Jimmy grabbed the haircutting bag. Brutus would catch up to Jimmy, drag him to the stairs, pin him down and cut parts of Hart's prized mullet for revenge. Beefcake really seemed at ease gliding someone to a set of stairs and pinning them down with his knee, so that is a bit scary. Peggy Sue would wake Honky up with some water but that was just to save him from further damage as the match ended by DQ thanks to Jimmy's interference. Beefcake celebrated a bit too much but I stand by my statement from earlier that he was doing the weird crazy man gimmick and probably wasn't quite ready to take some gold. The match was nothing special, filled with kicks and punches, but the end salvaged it a bit.

### Match #13: The Islanders & Bobby Heenan defeat the British Bulldogs & Koko B Ware when Bobby pins Koko after a Splash at 7:28

Fun Fact: This match stems from Haku and Tama stealing the Bulldog's mascot Matilda on December 8, 1987. After threats of suspension from Jack Tunney and thousands of get well letters from WWF fans, Matilda was returned to the Bulldogs and this match was set up.

### Scott:

We get another fairly hot feud that burned through the winter time, but this time it was involving an animal. The Islanders were easily one of the most underrated teams in the WWF, and here they take on a team that seems to be slowly sliding down the card. An influx of great teams later in the year really pushes the Bulldogs to the backburner, but for now they are still one of the more popular teams in the promotion. The whole crux of the storyline is that the Islanders stole Matilda, the Bulldogs' mascot. Heenan, who apparently hasn't wrestled in over a year, comes to the ring in an attack dog suit. That was great thinking by the world's best manager. Jesse says Heenan looks like a "Chinaman". That comment wouldn't go over in 2014 WWE programming. In 1988, who cared? The crowd is silent during this match, probably because we reached almost the three hour mark and it might be gassed a bit. This is probably where many head to the concession stands or the bathroom. Heenan takes a pretty good beating from Koko, complete with tights that says "WWF" on the back. The heels get a surprise win when they splash Heenan on a prone Koko while the referee wasn't looking. Of course we get some comedy as Matilda gets her hands on Bobby and the dog goes to town on the attack suit. Probably an expected result as the Islanders are the team with more shine but Bobby getting the actual pin was a surprise. It's a fun match that gives the crowd a spell.

### Justin:

We stay outside the tournament as up next is a grudge six man tag team match. Since they are pretty big assholes, Bobby Heenan and the Islanders had dognapped Matilda, leading to months of fretting by the British Bulldogs and their fans. Heenan was finally forced to return the pooch and is pushed into facing his comeuppance here as he has to step inside the ring for the first time in WWF PPV history. However, always one to have a plan, Bobby is dressed in a heavily padded dog trainer outfit, hoping to stay away from Matilda's wrath. The Bulldogs have enlisted always do-gooder Koko B. Ware to back them up in this one and at first glance they easily had the advantage in this one. Dynamite looks to be back in decent enough health as he is moving well around the ring and beating on Tama to open things up. Davey Boy was looking great too as he had bulked up but wasn't overly bloated, which led to him moving around the ring at a good pace while also using his arsenal of power moves. He would use that strength to outwork the Islanders, who got brief spurts of offense in where they could. The tide turned when Dynamite got caught by Haku and beat down in the corner. That even led to a brief appearance by Heenan, who stomped away emphatically on Dynamite. Jesse lands the Most Racist Comment of the Night when he noted that Heenan "looks like a Chinaman" in his garb. Gorilla agreed, so there you go. Dynamite was able to tag out to Koko, who cleaned some house. He has looked pretty sharp in this one. Bobby tagged in again and took it to Koko, even choking him out at one point, so props to him for not hiding on the apron. I do enjoy how Koko always has "WWF" on his tights, he really is a company man. Things would break down, triggering a quick brawl, and the match would end when the Islanders spiked Heenan down hard onto Koko, giving the Brain the win. Wow, that was kind of a shitty feud for the Bulldogs, who looked weak throughout. You could tell they were pretty much an afterthought in the division by this point. Matilda would get a little revenge, running Heenan down in the aisle, but she couldn't get too much action in thanks to Bobby's outfit. This was decent enough but nothing that would really stand out. The Islanders were crisp as usual and Bobby did some great heel work, but outside of that, really basic stuff.

### SEMIFINALS:

### Match #14: Randy Savage defeats One Man Gang by Disqualification at 4:11

### Scott:

We get one more match to fill the empty slot with Ted DiBiase in the finals. This match started to change the mood of the show. After the Andre/Hogan double DQ, it seemed a foregone conclusion that Ted DiBiase was going to win the tournament. The crowd was a bit down after that and was trying to get into the excitement of the tournament. However, the master psychologist Jesse Ventura is skeptical that the Macho Man could actually win this tournament after two grueling matches and now taking on a rested 400-pound monster. Savage actually opens the match with a flurry of offense, a change from his first two matches when he took a significant beating in the early going. Slick continues to be his awesome smarmy self, stalking the beautiful Elizabeth around the ring. After only four minutes of action, the Gang takes the cane from Slick and tries to get Savage with it. However Savage keeps ducking the shots and the referee sees it. Gang is DQ'd and Savage makes it to the final match. Why couldn't Savage get a win here? Did we really need yet ANOTHER disqualification? Who booked these finishes? I'm stunned by that. Did the One Man Gang have to be protected too? Absolutely nuts.

### Justin:

Back to tournament action and it is semifinal time. This is our only third round bout as Ted DiBiase is already into the finals thanks to Hogan, Andre and a chair. Onto his third match, Savage and Liz are now decked out in black which is a really cool look for them. This is heady stuff for the Gang, just one match away from the final and very well rested after his bye through round two. I wonder how else they could have booked this tournament to add a bit more intrigue in this slot. Jesse firmly was on Team Gang here thanks to the bye and weight advantage and the fact that Savage has probably been through the two most grueling matches of the night so far. For the first time on the evening, Savage actually opens things up on offense and lands a few shots in first. Gang would slam Savage into the corner and began wearing him down, pretty much using his weight to dominate. Savage found an opening when Gang missed a splash and started to stick and move, even knocking Gang to the floor where Macho met him with a double ax handle off the top. That was a neat flurry for Savage and you could tell he was feeling how close he was to the gold. Unfortunately he got a bit too excited and tried to slam the Gang, which swung momentum back towards the 747. With the referee tied up with Liz, Slick tossed his cane into the Gang, who kept trying to pelt Savage with it but kept missing. The referee eventually saw what happened and called for the bell, putting Savage in the finals. Gang would get one cane shot in finally, but Savage got the last laugh when he smashed Gang from behind, knocking him on to Slick, who he was hugging. I actually liked the structure of this one but the finish was really stupid. Savage could have used a good clean win heading to the final and Gang looked really stupid getting himself DQ'd in such a big spot. Regardless, our final is now set up with the gold on the line.

### END OF SEMIFINALS

### Match #15: Demolition defeats Strike Force to win WWF Tag Team Titles when Smash pins Rick Martel after Ax hits him with Mr. Fuji's cane at 8:00

Fun Fact I: These two teams faced off in a rematch on the July 11, 1988 edition of Prime Time Wrestling. Strike Force lost by countout after a Decapitation Elbow on Martel on the floor. The move left Martel with a severely hurt neck and put him on the shelf for eight months.

Fun Fact II: Leading up to WrestleMania, Demolition had put together a string of victories over the rest of the WWF tag team division, including The Killer Bees, The Rougeaus Brothers, The British Bulldogs and The Young Stallions.

### Scott:

This may have been the most transparent title change of the era on PPV. Demolition was the badass tag team in the WWF, whether heel or face. The crowd started to really cheer them as these were cool guys with spikes and face paint. Do they remind anyone of another team in professional wrestling? Some say yes, some say no. The momentum was growing and the cheers were getting a little louder, but Demolition were still heels with Mr. Fuji as their manager. Strike Force was the prototypical babyface tag team, and they had a good cache of fans. Demolition had the awesome entrance music. I always had the feeling that Strike Force was a transitional team and Demolition was not one of those random heel tag teams that was filling a PPV slot. Tito Santana will always be the face of the WWF's conscience in the Federation era. I love when Jesse makes fun of him and calls him "Chico", saying he has a taco stand in Tijuana. Demolition isn't a complicated team to watch in terms of workrate. They just bludgeon you until you surrender or get pinned. Some fans love that power work, others find it lazy. They dominated a good chunk of this match, until a late hot tag by Tito to Martel and the French-Canadian goes crazy. Martel gets Smash in the Boston Crab and perhaps we get what I think would be an upset, but alas Mr. Fuji gets the cane to Ax who crushes Martel with the cane and we have new tag team champions. There was a significant cheer amongst the crowd, so not only was it the right choice to switch the titles but a change in attitude would likely be coming or Ax and Smash.

### Justin:

We have one last stop before the tournament finals and that is our tag team championship bout. Strike Force has reigned atop the division since October but Demolition has been red hot and lined themselves up for this title match. They have also dumped Johnny V and linked up with Mr. Fuji since we last saw then. I guess that is an upgrade, but I am not so sure. Strike Force jog down to the ring and sadly for them this crowd is seeming a bit burnt out after such a long night of wrestling. Those fans did wake up as Smash started wrecking Martel with a series of blows to the back, showing that Strike Force may be in serious trouble both in the match and with fan support. The champs double teamed their way back in control, which pissed off Jesse greatly. He pointed out that they may as well do it because it was their best chance and the referee seemed OK with allowing it. They kept quick tagging and pelting Smash with strikes while working over the arm but the challengers did some double teaming themselves to take over. With Santana caught in a bear hug, Smash backed into the ropes and Ax clubbed him with a nice clothesline to a pop from the crowd. The challengers took advantage and worked Tito over hard in the corner. Jesse follows up with another racist comment noting "Chico probably wishes he was back selling tacos in Tijuana". He ain't got time to bleed, baby. Tito really took a beating in this one as Demolition were like a well oiled machine on offense, and he was only able to make the hot tag after cracking Ax with a desperation flying forearm (learned in the Mexican Football League, per Jesse). Martel came in hot, running through the challengers with a series of dropkicks that lead into a Boston Crab on Smash. The referee got tied up with Tito, who kept running in and working over Ax and Fuji, but that distraction allowed Ax to grab Fuji's cane and bash Martel in the neck with it. Smash would cover and we have brand new tag team champions to the delight of the Atlantic City fans. That was a much needed title change as they couldn't hold Demolition back any longer. It was even evident here with a fairly wishy washy crowd getting into their offense throughout. The match was well worked and built heat nicely heading into the finish. The Era of Demolition is upon us.

### FINALS:

### Match #16: Randy Savage defeats Ted DiBiase to win tournament for WWF World Title with the Elbow Drop at 9:17

Fun Fact I: According to legend, Ted DiBiase was slated to win this match and the title before the year started. Savage was to regain the IC Title from Honky Tonk Man at the Main Event show. Honky's contract was up, however, and threatened Vince that he would leave for the NWA with the title if he wasn't allowed to keep it. Vince was pissed, but had to cave, as he couldn't afford to have Honky show up on NWA TV with his IC belt in tow. Honky was allowed to keep the belt and Savage was still promised gold. So, he wins the World Title here instead. Nice upgrade. Savage would have passed the IC Title to someone else and fought DiBiase for the title at SummerSlam. This is the closest Ted DiBiase would get to the World Championship for the rest of his illustrious career.

Fun Fact II: The seeds for the Mega Powers were planted in October 1987 at the Saturday Night's Main Event taping. During the event, Randy Savage was facing the Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental title. Savage hit his finishing elbow from the top rope and as he went for the pin, the Hart Foundation entered the ring and began attacking Savage, disqualifying Honky but keeping the belt in the Hart camp. During the attack, Honky shoved Miss Elizabeth, who then ran to the back for help. Honky and the Hart Foundation continued their assault on Savage, breaking a guitar over his head. Elizabeth returned with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, who cleared the ring. Afterward, Savage extended his hand to Hogan and the initial alliance was formed. Nothing more was mentioned about the two until this match, where the Mega Powers were formed.

### Scott:

We finally get to the end of this long evening with the match to determine the undisputed WWF Champion. It's possible that the fans may not have figured out yet what was going to happen here. In the kayfabe days, if it's not Hulk Hogan, than the world crumbles and the apocalypse is upon us. Savage had worked his butt off on this night and wrestled three very different workers and very different lengths and took a pretty good beating throughout the night to get to this point. So there was really no thinking that Savage was going to win this match, as DiBiase had Andre at ringside constantly interfering and getting in the way. So when Savage whispered something to Elizabeth and she ran up the ramp it was intriguing to say the least. Sure there was some chants for Hulk Hogan during the early portion of the match but when she walked out with Hulkster at her side, the dynamic of the match changed completely. That one move showed that Savage may actually win this thing. Then, we see an unprecedented first in the Federation PPV era. While DiBiase had the Million Dollar Dream slapped on, Hogan actually performed a nefarious deed. While the referee was busy with Andre, Hogan came in with a chair and whacked DiBiase in the back with it. Savage regained his bearings, got to the top rope, and drilled the elbow. Three seconds later, we had a new WWF World Champion. In one of the greatest tests of endurance and guts, Savage wrestles four matches against four tough sons of bitches and wins them all for the championship. Hogan and Elizabeth celebrate with the new champion as we go off the air. This was very different at the time, because let's be honest, any young, kayfabe Hulkamaniac never really thought that anyone else would win the title. We were relieved to see Hulk in the ring, but someone else with the title was really strange. I, today, am still out of my mind seeing Hogan actually cheating with a chair shot to help Savage win the title. Hogan should have left the ring and let Savage bask in his greatest moment. He handed some shine to Savage there, he didn't need to hang in there. In any event, we have a new champion not wearing red and yellow, and this long PPV marathon is finally over.

### Justin:

After a long trek from February's Main Event through this winding tournament in Atlantic City, it was finally time to crown a new WWF Champion. The man who started this whole mess stands just one pinfall or submission away from finally grabbing the gold. Robin Leach saunters down to the ring with some angelic music accompanying him and the vacated title in tow. The belt did look pretty beautiful, glistening in the lights. Bob Uecker comes out as the guest ring announcer, followed by Vanna White, the guest timekeeper. There had been a show long angle of Uecker trying to track Vanna down and he finally does here, even landing a kiss on the cheek. Unlike his previous match, DiBiase isn't alone this time as Andre is back with him. Jesse again was leaning against Macho here, thinking DiBiase was more rested and also had the managerial advantage from a physicality point of view. Savage & Liz had white on for this one, which was very fitting for a match of this magnitude. Regardless of who wins this one, either man would be a worthy champion, however it really felt like Savage's night. He wrestled four times and it seemed like he was ready to finally take that next leap to a main event star. Andre wastes no time making his presence felt, tripping Savage up, causing Macho to be distracted and whipping the crowd up into a "Hogan" chant on the process. He would do it a second time and Savage was now all out of sorts thanks to his trickery. The match was pretty balanced early despite Savage's weariness over the Giant. This was actually the most offense Savage got in on the entire night as he spent the large majority of the first three matches getting his ass kicked. Macho would knock DiBiase to the floor but before he could fly off the top rope on to him, Andre stepped in between and dared him to jump. Finally fed up, Savage sent Liz to the back and the crowd began to really buzz, assuming what was coming next. DiBiase slugged Savage after the conference and began to work Macho over. The crowd's anticipation was paid off as Liz indeed brought Hulk Hogan out to ringside to even the score. Hulkster grabbed a chair and parked it at ringside, ready to protect his buddy. He got a very quick opportunity to do so when Andre landed a shot in on Savage, drawing Hogan over to crack him with a forearm and knock the Giant to the floor. Then, with the referee distracted by Andre, DiBiase hooked on the Million Dollar Dream, but that gave Hogan an opening to slug DiBiase with a chair to break the hold. Savage quickly scampered up to the top and flew off with a picture perfect big elbow to win the gold. Jesse was not happy, calling it a tainted victory and was shocked that Hogan would do that. DiBiase and Andre were pissed at ringside as Savage, Hogan and Liz celebrated in the middle of the ring. As much as I want to complain about Hogan getting involved here, it did pay off the build perfectly and also we saw Savage run through four tough matches, so it doesn't marginalize this too much. Hogan celebrating with him does elevate him in the fans of the eyes, putting the two as equals, but I do think Hogan should have left after a minute to leave Savage to celebrate alone for at least a few minutes to close the show. The match was a fun sprint and probably the best of the tournament but still not more than a glimpse of what these two were really capable of. A new WWF Champion is on top of the mountain for the first time in the PPV era.

### FINAL ANALYSIS:

### Scott:

This show definitely had its slow points, as an unbelievable 16 matches on the card took a lot of time, and some of the tourney matches were dull but short. This was the biggest moment in Randy Savage's career at this point, and it led to a nice ending of a very long night. The tournament idea was innovative, and added immense drama to the show. Again, Gorilla and Jesse's commentary was right on. They pumped up the tournament like it was the biggest thing in wrestling history. Coming from the Silverdome to a convention hall was an obvious downgrade. From here Vince would utilize time management when putting so many matches on. For a long time I was not a big fan of this show, due to the long, dull matches. Plus being a big Hulkamaniac, I always held a grudge he didn't win the title. The Honky schmozz was frustrating, but it was sweet to see Demolition win the straps. Does the show stand the test of time? Sort of. There's individual moments that are fun to watch: Demolition, Savage and Matilda attacking Bobby Heenan. On the other hand, it is an unwieldy show to sit through, with a myriad of disqualifications and non-finishes. Future WrestleManias are over three hours, but this one doesn't have that flow and polish that says Manias in the 2000s have. It's a solid watch and its a legendary moment for Randy Savage. His career would never be the same. Hogan? He's off to "LET IT RIP!"

Final Grade:

### Justin:

Our longest PPV to date is in the books and a new WWF Champion has been crowned. This can be a tough show to watch at times as there are no real standout matches, with the highest grade clocking in at ***, but the show long storyline and tournament format make it entertaining to sit through for fans of this era. This is definitely an installment where nostalgia, moments and booking carry the workload but it is really important historically which helps buoy the grade as well. It can also be looked at as a real transitional show from the old PPV Rock 'n' Wrestling era to the next phase in company history. A lot of the talent that competed in those early PPV shows have been phased out and a new crop was being worked into the mix. Between those new faces and a new set of champions on top of the company in Savage and Demolition it is clear times were changing. Definitely check this show out for a dose of nostalgia and for the great booking, but don't be expecting a high level of workrate this time around.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #24

#  SummerSlam 1988: A Mega Event!

August 29, 1988

Madison Square Garden

New York, New York

Attendance: 20,000

Buy Rate: 4.5

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and "Superstar" Billy Graham

### Match #1: The Fabulous Rougeaus and the British Bulldogs wrestle to a time limit draw at 11:19

Fun Fact I: According to the Dynamite Kid's book, there was real heat between him and Jacques Rougeau. In fact, there was a skirmish at a live event backstage, where Jacques sucker punched Dynamite in the face, fucking up his teeth. Dynamite wanted revenge and it was evident if it wasn't for agents stepping in, it would have been real ugly. This match took place after that incident, and it's rumored not to piss anyone off, Vince had it end in a draw. Still, many feared that Dynamite would take out revenge during the match, but he was a professional and didn't take any liberties.

Fun Fact II: The Rougeau Brothers turned heel in May 1988, and kicked off a heated feud with the Killer Bees. Shortly after the turn, the Rougeaus began claiming that they were pro-American and would soon be relocating. This became a long running joke, as the Rougeaus began carrying little American flags to the ring and soon after this PPV, they added Jimmy Hart as their manage, and along with Hart came the classic theme song "All American Boys" and promises of a move from Canada to Memphis, TN. The storyline was really fun, and the Rougeaus drew some strong heat because of it.

Fun Fact III: This is the British Bulldogs' final PPV tag match (they are at Survivor Series, but this is their final two-on-two tag match). Their final PPV record as a team is 1-4-1. Their lone win was at WrestleMania II and the one draw occurs here. The four losses occurred at WrestleMania III, Survivor Series 1987, WrestleMania IV and Survivor Series 1988.

### Scott:

We open the show with a strong battle between two expert technical teams. Sadly you can tell that the Bulldogs are slowly starting to get pushed out by the newer and fresher imports. Boy was it awesome to have a big summer show to bridge that long gap between April and November. That may have been why the Hogan/Andre feud got a bit stagnant in 1987 when there wasn't a huge show in between and instead we relied on Prime Time Wrestling and the weekend shows. We will get to that battle later on. Here we see freshly turned heels against the stalwart babyfaces of the division. Jacques and Raymond came into the company as top flight technical guys and fan favorites. However when the Hart Foundation turned babyface since WrestleMania, there had to be a balance so the French Canadians flipped and became arrogant geeks who are moving to America. Memphis, Tennessee to be exact. Jimmy Hart actually precipitated this double turn of the teams. More on that in our Tag Title match later on. The Bulldogs dominated the early action and worked the heels over but then Jacques gained the advantage and worked Davey Boy's legs over for a good portion of the match. We finally get the hot tag to Dynamite Kid and the action really picks up. This is our first visit to "The World's Most Famous Arena" since our inaugural WrestleMania and the crowd is jacked as usual. Then there is surprisingly a second long heat segment where Jacques is again in control. I never expected a draw here, but then again after WrestleMania's bevy of draws and disqualifications, I shouldn't be surprised. The Bulldogs' swan song in a straight up tag team match is a good opener. Clearly with the backstage issues these two teams had, a draw is probably a safe bet.

### Justin:

As the company's success continued to grow, it was time to add another PPV into the mix, a show to fill the very long gap between WrestleMania and Survivor Series. Since there were already two gimmick shows on the calendar, SummerSlam would be booked like the WrestleMania of the summer. Our first ever summer spectacular match is a tag team affair between two teams that had some legitimate backstage issues with each other. The British Bulldogs were once of the premier teams in the WWF but by this point that were sadly pretty low down the totem pole and not really in any sort of contention for the titles. Their opponents had been sputtering along as faces but over the summer they got a jolt of awesome heel adrenaline. They would add Jimmy Hart as a manager and revealed they would be moving from Canada to America; Memphis, TN to be exact. It led to some great promos and an enjoyable shtick as the weeks went on. Davey Boy was huge here, bigger than he was at Mania when he looked big but was a bit slimmer. The Bulldogs dominated the action early, tossing the Rougeaus around the ring until starting to work over Ray's arm. With Jesse Ventura involved in the main event, we have Billy Graham in the booth alongside Gorilla Monsoon and there is already a noticeable drop off in quality. Graham was a great talker in his day but it didn't quite carry over into the booth. The cocky brothers took over and began to punish Davey's knee while playing to the crowd and building some heat. It didn't take long for the Rougeaus to develop a great heel presence and as great as they were in the face-in-peril role for the last couple of years, this gimmick was definitely their calling. The MSG crowd was a bit quiet during the heat segment but got really rowdy when Dynamite tagged in and started cracking Ray with headbutts and suplexes. Davey hit a nice running powerslam on Ray, getting some air and really spiking him down. Momentum flowed back when Dynamite was up on the buckles and got slammed back to the mat with a back suplex, rattling his back and neck. After that, the match twisted back into a second, and long, heat segment, this time on Dynamite. As the Bulldogs came back and had Jacques cold-cocked in the middle of the ring, the bell rang to signify a time limit draw. This was really a solid, classic formula tag team match and a nice choice to open the show. Both teams worked hard and showed no signs of letting their personal issues seep into the ring. I wasn't crazy about the finish as you hate to open a major show like this with a tepid time limit draw. The Rougeaus probably should have stolen a sneaky win but maybe the bookers were afraid to ask the Bulldogs to job. Either way, it was a fine outing and they played the crowd well throughout the bout.

*** We see footage from Superstars of Ron Bass massacring Brutus Beefcake with his boot spur, slicing his face up and knocking him out of his SummerSlam match. ***

### Match #2: Bad News Brown defeats Ken Patera with the Ghettoblaster at 6:35

### Scott:

After his big debut at WrestleMania where he won the battle royal, stabbing former heel Bret Hart in the back in the process, we get the singles PPV debut of Bad News Brown. Bad News was a character unlike any in the 80s at that time in any promotion. Sure he was a nasty mean character, but usually heels always worked together. Yet we will see on the free TV shows and at our next PPV outing that Brown doesn't even like his fellow villains. His opponent is the quickly phased out former Intercontinental Champion. Ken Patera came back in with a big organic storyline detailing his time in prison and how Bobby Heenan hung him out to dry and that he was coming back for revenge. Sadly that storyline fizzled and Heenan's family pretty much got the upper hand. Patera now is this misshapen goof with a swank USA track jacket, a women's bouffant hair and those odd creamy hairless legs. Brown was clearly the stronger character, and Patera was drafted here to put him over. Gorilla is doing the yeoman's work here alongside a clearly inexperienced Billy Graham at commentary. Admittedly Superstar is not nearly as bad watching again as he was during those dreadful house shows in 1988 with Dick Graham or Lord Alfred Hayes. After some decent back and forth action where Patera eventually cranks the full nelson, Brown recovers and hits the awesome Ghettoblaster for the victory.

### Justin:

Fresh off his big double cross battle royal win at WrestleMania, Bad News Brown is looking to stay on a PPV roll in a singles match with Ken Patera. Patera was once pretty great, when he was a nasty heel managed by Bobby Heenan. Then came jail and a change of attitude and it all went downhill. He returned over the summer of 1987 and sucked the life out of what could have been a good feud with Heenan thanks to his shaky promo skills and bland face persona. By this point, he was nothing more than a JTTS whose most redeeming quality was his swank USA track jacket and his oddly colored afroperm. Oh, and those odd hairless legs of his. Perhaps he was moonlighting on the US National Swim Team? Bad News jumped Patera off the bell but Ken made an inspired comeback that ended with the thud of a missed elbow drop. Bad News really started to batter Patera to the point that Graham began to wonder if he was going to suffer a concussion. I think his brain is well protected with that perm, so shouldn't be much concern of that. Patera came back with a quick flurry and went to a bear hug which is kind of a weird mid-match spot for a face to do. Either way I am enjoying this match way more than I ever should. Patera kept slugging away, trying to soften BNB up for his full nelson but Bad News stopped him short any time he got close. Just when it looked like he may pull it out, Patera slammed his shoulder into the post when Bad News dodged a charge and after that it was academic as BNB hit the Ghetto Blaster for the win. OK, I give up, I enjoyed that. There was an odd flow to it and felt like an actual fight with each man grappling for control throughout and then slugging away when they had it. I liked the closing parts too when Patera was working towards the full nelson before making the one critical mistake that cost him. Good win for Bad News.

### Match #3: Rick Rude defeats the Junkyard Dog by disqualification at 3:55

Fun Fact I: This is Junkyard Dog's final WWF PPV appearance. His final record is 1-5. His lone win was by count out at WrestleMania I. His losses came at WrestleMania II, WrestleMania III, Royal Rumble 1988, WrestleMania IV and SummerSlam 1988. JYD would bounce around WCW and various independents before his tragic death in 1998.

Fun Fact II: The feud between Jake Roberts and Rick Rude began shortly after WrestleMania IV. After a match on the April 23, 1988 edition of Superstars of Wrestling, Rude picked a woman out of the crowd to kiss. He chose Cheryl Roberts, the real-life wife of Jake Roberts. After she refused the kiss, Rude began insulting her, leading to her slapping Rude. Jake ran out after the slap to save his wife from the angered Rude.

### Scott:

So this is the glaring example of how the bookers didn't totally factor current feuds into this show. The Rick Rude/Jake Roberts feud was one of the hottest in the company at the time, so why not just have the match here instead of trying to extend the feud by having them face other guys? Rude was catching some serious heel heat here calling everybody "inner city sweathogs". What a great line. Sadly the Junkyard Dog is in the same slot on the card as Ken Patera. He's not a jobber by any stretch, but nothing more than a guide post for two other guys to have a bigger feud. Upper midcard filler, for a guy who five-six years earlier was selling out the Superdome in New Orleans for Bill Watts' Mid-South Wrestling. Rude continued the tradition of swank air-brushed tights with having JYD on the front and back. The match is a decent back and forth affair as Rude takes a pretty good beating from babyfaces but one dastardly maneuver gives him the advantage. Of course we won't see an true ending as Rude pulls down his tights to show tights with Cheryl Roberts' face on them. That enrages the Snake and brings him to the ring forcing the disqualification. This was better suited as a Saturday Night's Main Event match to set up Rude/Roberts tonight. No matter, it was an entertaining enough affair and continues the Rude/Roberts feud, and the next chapter is later in the show.

### Justin:

Embroiled in a feud with Jake Roberts that indirectly started at WrestleMania, Rick Rude takes a bit of a detour here to take on the rapidly declining Junkyard Dog. JYD is still quite beloved by the crowd here, but he is pretty bloated and in his final days in the promotion by the time this show came around. Rude tries to jump him off the bell but JYD turns it around quickly via headbutts to send Rude to the floor to regroup. When Rude took over he tried to make things interesting but JYD's bumping is about non existent so he could only rely on stomps and eye rakes before going to a rear chinlock. Throughout the whole match, Graham really harped on how hard JYD's head was and how Rude could do zero damage when targeting it. You have to love 80s racism. And JYD even seemed to embrace it as he used his noggin to rattle Rude until Bobby Heenan interference swung the tide back to his charge. Rude upped the ante when he ascended the top rope by yanking down his tights to reveal a second pair underneath that was air brushed with the image of Cheryl Roberts, Jake's wife. In less than a minute, Jake hit the ring and chased Rude off, leading to a DQ win for the Ravishing One. The storyline advancement at the end was fine but woof, this match was not very good at all. JYD is toast. Rude looked fine but he only had so much to work with. I wonder why we didn't get Roberts/Rude here? I guess they really wanted to keep it alive on the house circuit. Either way, we roll on.

### Match #4: The Powers of Pain defeat the Bolsheviks when the Barbarian pins Boris Zhukov with a head butt off the top rope at 4:43

Fun Fact: The Powers of Pain were big time heels in the NWA throughout 1987, where they mainly feuded with the Road Warriors. They jumped ship in mid-1988 and were given a manager in Baron Von Raschke and a good face push as foils for Demolition. The face run would end abruptly, however, as we will see in our next review.

### Scott:

We debut another new team that jumped from JCP in the Carolinas to greener pastures up north. Now everybody wants to rip Demolition as the "Road Warriors rip-offs", but in my opinion these guys are pretty much it right here. So Vince now has two tag teams that are very similar in look. As for their opponents, well with the Iron Sheik gone, Nikolai needed a new partner so in comes Boris Zhukov fresh from the sinking ship that is the AWA. They were clearly fodder here to give the POP a dominating performance to introduce the fans to this powerful combo. The face pops weren't quite what the bookers probably expected from them, so something needed to happen, as a heel tag team was getting more love than expected. I wasn't expecting this match to be as long and as back and forth as it was. Maybe that's why they were getting lukewarm responses from the crowd. Everyone was expecting a hot squash and didn't get it. So that ups the grade a bit more than I expected. A solid power affair that debuts a new team but the response causes a creative audible later in the year.

### Justin:

Up next is another tag team affair featuring a new team that had jumped ship from Crockett Promotions, the Powers of Pain. Warlord and Barbarian were jacked up and had been locked in a feud with the Road Warriors for much of the year but based on their look and size, they were clearly a WWF team. Here they battle the stalwart Bolsheviks, led by the dapper Slick. As always, Nikolai's Russian National Anthem performance was sliced short, but he squeezed in more than usual. Baron Von Raschke is managing the POP here and he fits the look and the team fine enough. The POP really dominated as soon as the match started, basically just pounding the Russians before easily dumping them to the floor. This was a showcase for the hosses and nothing more. Gorilla & Graham had a decent little sidebar on manager psychology as Barbarian beat on Nikolai, talking about how they have to fully prepare for all types of attacks, including ambushes. The Bolsheviks got a little offense in, working some double teams and choking Warlord before hooking in a chinlock, but the big man just powered his way out without breaking much of a sweat. The Baron stared down Slick on the floor, preventing any interference, as his boys made a quick comeback and picked up their first WWF PPV win. This was perfectly fine for what it was intended to be and the POP get a nice reaction from the crowd for the victory.

Fun Fact: "I LOOOOVVE YOOOUU!" From mid 1988 until 1991, these words along with hymn-like organ music would echo through WWF arenas, signifying the start of The Brother Love Show. Brother Love was created and performed by Bruce Prichard, who had mainly been a referee and ring announcer in wrestling up to that point. Brother Love was a preacher-like character, well known for his bright red face, slicked back hair, white suit with red shirt and his boisterous nature. Love's show was largely like Piper's Pit, where wrestlers would be interviewed and storylines would progress.

*** We now get a special Brother Love Show with Jim Duggan. Love tries to goat Duggan into a fight, talking about how much Dino Bravo loves his country and is more patriotic than Duggan. This was just a chance to set up Duggan's issue with Bravo and put over his character. ***

### Match #5: The Ultimate Warrior defeats the Honky Tonk Man to win WWF Intercontinental Title with a splash at :30

Fun Fact: This was originally supposed to be Brutus Beefcake's second shot at Honky's title, and he was supposed to win it. There are two reasons for the change: The first, and most plausible, reason is Vince decided to go in another direction, and instead had Beefcake suffer a storyline injury at the hands of Ron Bass on an episode of Superstars. The injury was quite gruesome, as Bass ripped his spurs across Beefcake's face, bloodying him up pretty badly. The second reason came from an interview with Beefcake in 2005. Beefcake claimed that the Warrior threatened to leave the WWF if he didn't get the shot, and so Beefcake stepped aside and made the best of it, which resulted in the storyline injury. In any event, Honky came into the ring awaiting an opponent and issuing an open challenge. The Warrior, who was slowly growing a fan base of his own, answers the call and makes history.

### Scott:

The minute the heart-racing entrance theme started, you knew the longest Intercontinental Title reign in history was about to end. After bobbing and weaving through opponent after opponent. Now on this night at the Garden, to replace the injured Brutus Beefcake out comes really the fastest growing character in the entire company. I think a lot of people (me included) were tired of Honky's antics and wanted a fresh face as IC Champion. This guy was certainly it. Honky held the belt hostage for so long that the day would come when the devil would get his due. The place went absolutely crazy and the Ultimate Warrior immediately moved up the ladder. Honky? Well from the garbage man to the caterer, it was time for some dues to be paid.

### Justin:

Well, with Brutus Beefcake knocked out of action thanks to Ron Bass, our WrestleMania rematch is out the window and the champion now has an open challenge on his hands. Honky was still pretty confident out there, both in his prematch backstage promo and in the ring, not seeming to worry who his opponent may be and even welcoming the mystery. After a few beats of anticipation, a familiar guitar riff fired up and the crowd exploded as the Ultimate Warrior charged to the ring to officially kickstart his hyper-push. Warrior destroyed Honky, paying off fourteen months worth of heat that had been building throughout Honky's reign. Honky got zero offense in as Warrior wrecked him and took his title. And with that, one of wrestling's most unlikely champions was dethroned and one of wrestling's most memorable careers officially began. The match is nothing but the moment...it was everything. And it put SummerSlam on the map as a memorable show.

### Match #6: Dino Bravo defeated Don Muraco with a side suplex at 1:16

Fun Fact: Like many others on this show, this is Don Muraco's final PPV appearance. His final record is 1-5-1. His only PPV win came in the first round of the Title Tournament at WrestleMania IV. His one draw was at WrestleMania II. His five losses came at WrestleMania III, Survivor Series 1987, Royal Rumble 1988, WrestleMania IV and SummerSlam 1988. Muraco would leave shortly after this show and would not be seen again in the WWF until he is inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

### Scott:

We continue the cleansing of the roster with this matchup. Sadly those who only know Muraco from his PPV run starting in 1985 really never got the full arsenal of heel greatness this guy had. From when he won the IC Title in 1981 until his loss with Bob Orton to the Can-Am Connection at WrestleMania III, Muraco was one of the best heels in the company. He was a solid worker in the ring and cut a pretty solid promo. His run from 1981-83 is pretty much the best you'll ever see from a great mid-card champion. Now he's here to cap off a feud that started at WrestleMania during the World Title tournament. Bobby Heenan joins the commentary table here which of course upgrades things immensely. We are looking at a typical slow man power battle here as we get tests of strength and lots of kicks and punches. Bravo stalls a lot and his manager Frenchy Martin keeps advising him. Lord knows why, he really knows nothing. Since Superstar was Muraco's advisor/manager he was hyping him to the moon. The match is a slow plodding mess as Bravo wins it and the Magnificent One is showed the door.

### Justin:

Our next match actually is a rematch delivered from WrestleMania. In the tournament on that night in March, Dino Bravo cost himself a chance to advance when he he yanked the referee in front of a charging Don Muraco, drawing a DQ. Here, he has a chance for revenge against the juiced up Rock. Bobby Heenan thankfully hopped in the booth for this one, jabbing Graham for having to miss being in Muraco's corner. I wish Bobby could have done the whole show. Frenchy cuts a prematch promo in French and Gorilla tells him to go back to France. I don't care where he goes, as long as he is off my TV. Bobby was on point here, defending freedom of speech as Graham was rambling on about Bravo. Muraco was all over the Canadian Strongman, but unfortunately both seemed to be moving in slow motion. Graham basically just served as Muraco's hype man, going on about his strength and how he saved Graham from an attack nine months ago. Bravo turned the tide but the fight in the booth was much better than anything going on in the ring. Frenchy would find his way to the apron and tied Muraco up long enough for Bravo to assault him and hit the side suplex for the win. I am fine not watching any more rematches between these two guys.

### Match #7: Demolition defeats the Hart Foundation to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Smash pins Bret Hart after Ax hits him with Jimmy Hart's megaphone at 8:11

Fun Fact: Over the summer, the Hart Foundation got fed up with Jimmy Hart and turned face by beating the shit out of him. However, Hart still technically owned the Harts contracts, so he was able to be at ringside with them during this match, against their wishes. During the weeks leading up, Jimmy Hart began allegedly giving all his secrets to Mr. Fuji on how to beat the Harts, and even stands with Fuji at ringside during the match. A few weeks after the show, Hart sold the contracts to the Rougeaus, and officially became their manager.

### Scott:

Our first title match of the evening involves the new champions against the freshly minted babyfaces who get a huge pop from the crowd. The Pink and Black Attack have been great heels for the past couple of years but the crowd has gotten behind Bret Hart during his few singles matches on the TV shows and Anvil rides that popularity wave. Demolition is still solid heels here but of course with the jaded, open-minded NY crowd there are smatterings of babyface cheers for the leather-studded champions. This is a fun dynamic because unlike Strike Force at WrestleMania the Demos have to deal with a guy who is right about at their level in terms of power and they can't throw Anvil around with ease. Bret is the face-in-peril being the smallest in the ring and Ax & Smash use numerous double-team tactics to work the Hitman over for a good chunk of this match. I loved the dynamic of Jimmy Hart being the Harts' manager even though he's ditched them for the Rougeaus and are opening rooting against them. The big guys work Bret's shoulder over for most of the heat portion of this match. We get the phantom tag sequence where Anvil is tagged in when the referee wasn't looking. Incidentally the Harts have new tights combos, which usually means a change in face/heel alignment. Anvil finally gets tagged and the match really starts to pick up. Then Jimmy Hart give the champs the megaphone and the Harts are screwed. Boos for Demolition here but that will change shortly. This was a typical tag team formula match and the champions retain.

### Justin:

The tag team titles are up for grabs next and we have quite the radical shift in the division as heel stalwarts the Hart Foundation have swung over to the face side after issues with manager Jimmy Hart over the summer. Hart actually accompanies the champions and Mr. Fuji to the ring as he was doing all he could to leverage his inside knowledge of the challengers against them in this big time bout. Demolition were still rolling through the competition as champions but this is likely their stiffest challenge since taking the gold in Atlantic City. I thought it was a good move to shake the division up a bit and move the Harts across the party line as they were only going to be second bananas to Demolition for the foreseeable future. After a quick flurry by Ax, the Harts took over and started to double team Smash. I should also note that the Harts have black pants on with their pink tops, something I am not sure had been seen on them as heels. In an interesting choice, Neidhart played face-in-peril but it was very short lived as he crunched Smash with a right hand and made the quick hot tag. However, after a hot start from Hart, the Hitman got rammed into the ring post, allowing the champs to target the shoulder. As part of that attack, Smash hit a really nice shoulderbreaker. It happened to coincide with one of Superstar's more coherent stretches, discussing how you look for the wobble in a man's legs to know if he is starting to wear down at all. By the time the Anvil got the hot tag, the crowd was really heated up and went bananas as the big guy cleaned house. In one of the best spots of the night, Hitman used the ropes to slingshot Anvil over the top and into Smash on the floor! Wow, that was a really cool spot and not one you would expect from the Anvil. Back in the ring, he got a really close near fall on Smash with a powerslam. The Harts kept the pressure on fending off Ax as well but the numbers game swiftly became too much. With Fuji on the apron tying up Neidhart, Jimmy Hart tossed the megaphone to Ax, who bashed Bret in the head, allowing Smash to cover for the victory and title retention. That was a really solid tag formula match with just enough storyline blended in things along as well. The crowd got really amped and finishing sequence with Anvil going ballistic was great. Fun stuff and it will be cool tracking the development of both teams as we move along.

### Match #8: Big Boss Man defeats Koko B. Ware with a sidewalk slam at 5:55

Fun Fact: The man that would be law and order made his big wrestling mark as Big Bubba Rogers, former bodyguard in the UWF. Bubba made the jump to the NWA, where he was Jim Cornette's bodyguard for a bit, but in mid-1988, Vince came calling and scooped him up. He played off Traylor's past as a prison guard and dubbed him the Big Boss Man.

### Scott:

We have another match with a new heel debut. Slick brings in the former corrections officer from Cobb County to face the Birdman. Boss Man was the former Big Bubba Rogers in the NWA, the bodyguard of Jim Cornette. Boss Man was grossly overweight in his debut but over time that would change. Koko is a big time fan favorite even if he doesn't really win any big time matches. Gorilla and Graham are bent out of shape that Boss Man is allowed to bring his nightstick and handcuffs to the ring. Gorilla says everyone wants the job of WWF President. Well anyone was probably better than Jack Tunney. Graham calls Ware "Little Koko Man." I laughed out loud when I heard that. Boss Man was dominating the action, but not without some terrible miscommunication in the ring. Boss Man goes for a second turnbuckle splash, and Koko moves but Boss Man "kind of" falls on him so he sells it like he hit it when he really didn't. Koko hits his finishing missile drop kick but Boss Man kicks out with force. Boss Man hits the sidewalk slam and gets his PPV debut victory in a glorified squash. Koko was game, but the Boss Man waved his flab everywhere and got the victory. We get the obligatory handcuffs and nightstick beatdown after the match. It's a decent match that's putting over another new heel and a guy who's a memorable face in this era.

### Justin:

Slick has returned and here he is managing a brand new talent making his PPV debut: Big Boss Man. Boss Man had hopped over from JCP, where he was known as Big Bubba Rogers, bodyguard to Jim Cornette. He is a big dude, both height and weight wise and putting him in here against Koko was a good call to show off just how huge he was. Plus Koko could be trusted to really put the new guy over. Slick lent some distraction right off the bell, meaning Koko had zero opening for offense before Boss Man started hammering away. It didn't take long for Boss Man to show he had some deceiving speed and bumping ability for a guy of his size. In a nice spot, Boss Man ended up tied in the ropes and Koko just charged and splashed him with all his weight. Boss Man would battle back and use his girth to lean on Koko, even beating him to where he had him pinned but picked him up to keep the beating going. Koko had zero daylight until Boss Man gave him a gift by going to the top rope and wildly diving off, allowing Koko to roll out of the way and only take a glancing blow. Koko peppered Boss Man and careened into him with a fantastic missile dropkick but Boss Man was able shrug off a pin attempt and send Koko flying. Boss Man would eventually overpower Koko again and finish him off with a sidewalk slam. That is how you put over a big monster heel. It was an entertaining little squash with just the right amount of hope spots from Koko and a good pace to keep things humming along.

### Match #9: Jake Roberts defeats Hercules with a DDT at 10:08

### Scott:

The other half of the Jake Roberts/Rick Rude feud comes here. We've already seen Jake tonight, interfering and costing his buddy the Junkyard Dog a match against Rude. I just don't understand why creative didn't just do Jake vs. Rude here. I don't get it. Junkyard Dog vs. Hercules would have been a fine filler match on this card, regardless who wins. Gorilla and Graham says multiple times that Jake wishes it was Rude in the ring right now. Jake works a headlock over and even with Hercules hitting a couple of back suplexes he won't unlock it. Getting back to the Rude/Roberts feud, this particular issue involving Jake's wife Cheryl definitely doesn't seem like a WWF-type feud. It feels like a NWA-style feud with very real life elements. The WWF never really thought that way and kept the elements of a feud to the kayfabe pieces on camera and (other than when Ricky Steamboat brought his kid to the ring) you never saw real life elements of the worker and their families. That's why this Rude/Roberts feud was so great and the bookers kind of dropped the ball on that one. Eventually Hercules works out of the headlock and delivered his own front face lock. Hercules was a pretty solid power guy and he probably could have stayed a heel for his entire run in the WWF. He doesn't but we will get there. Hercules keeps working the neck over and Jake keeps trying to fight out of it. Jake hits his short clothesline but Hercules reverses the DDT attempt to avoid the loss. Jake does duck out of a punch and hits the DDT for the victory. This was a better match than I remember and shows Jake is one of the better psychologists in the ring on top of the mike. Jake unleashes Damien to the fallen Hercules, but we don't see Rick Rude come out, which makes me scratch my head again.

### Justin:

One more match to go before our main event and it is a battle of veterans as Hercules battles Jake Roberts, who we are seeing for the second time tonight. Graham points out that Jake has to focus here and not look ahead to Rude, which was a good point based on what we saw earlier. Gorilla also noted that Bobby Heenan wasn't at ringside, wondering why he would miss a match of this magnitude. Herc seemed to be doing fine initially, jabbing Jake with some stiff right hands. Jake curbed those and went for an early DDT but Herc quickly slithered out and bailed to the floor to reset. When he did take control of the match, Herc went right to his power offense, busting Jake down with a chinlock, grinding him on the mat. He also hit a stiff clothesline, a move I always enjoy seeing Herc deliver. Herc would go back the chinlock, really milking the move quite a bit in this one. Jake finally worked out of the hold and then quickly tried to put the match to bed but Herc slipped out of a DDT and then dodged a kneelift to rattle Jake and regain momentum. However, the Snake would finally gain an opening, slipped behind Herc and caught him with the DDT for the win. Jake's facial expressions and selling were top notch as always here and the way he won the match was perfect, as he spent the whole time looking for that one opening, as it was likely his only chance, and he delivered. The middle of the match dragged quite a bit but the last two minutes was well done and crested into a good finish. Roberts can now refocus on the Ravishing One.

### Match #10: The Mega Powers defeat the Mega Bucks when Hulk Hogan pinned Ted DiBiase with the leg drop at 14:48

Fun Fact I: After WrestleMania IV, Hulk Hogan left the stage for a few months to film No Holds Barred. This gave Randy Savage a chance to run alone as WWF Champion, which he did a fabulous job at. During this time, he continued to feud with Andre the Giant and Ted DiBiase. During an episode of Superstars, Savage was being interviewed on the platform when Andre and Bobby Heenan came out to jaw with him. As Savage had his back turned, DiBiase and Virgil came from behind and attacked him. The visual of Elizabeth shaking as she's being held by Virgil while DiBiase and Andre beat the snot out of Savage is priceless. The next week, Craig DeGeorge reported that Savage had challenged DiBiase and Andre to a tag team match. When the match was set for SummerSlam, Savage hadn't revealed his partner yet. On an episode of Superstars, DeGeorge announced that Jesse Ventura was the guest referee. All the heels just laughed. The following week, Savage announced his partner, none other than Hulk Hogan. In the weeks preceding the match, DiBiase was trying to pay Ventura off by putting money in his pocket at any chance. During this time, Ted DiBiase resold Andre the Giant's contract back to Bobby Heenan (at a $900,000 profit when you do the math).

Fun Fact II: According to Ric Flair's book, Flair and McMahon were in heavy negotiations over the summer of 1988. Flair was very unhappy with NWA, and Vince was pulling the right strings. McMahon even promised the Main Event slot at SummerSlam, which would have been a World Title match with Randy Savage. In the end, however, Flair decided to stay with the NWA out of loyalty to the company.

### Scott:

We get to our epic main event of this inaugural SummerSlam as the two biggest fan favorites in the promotion take on the top heels, the Mega Bucks. Adding Jesse Ventura to the storyline was pure genius because being the best color commentator in the business makes things much more legitimate. Now even as, for the most part, a heel, he legitimately played the role somewhat down the middle. Thus the annoying commentary that commences from here. Incidentally Ted DiBiase has the swank alternate green tuxedo outfit on for this match. I remember watching this show and thinking that it was pretty cool that not only did the Mega Powers come out together, but they came out to the WWF Champion's theme and not "Real American". That kind of shocked me, but my brother was thrilled that for once Hogan was riding someone else's coattail. Jesse is trying to do the right thing early on by adjusting the tag ropes and already Gorilla and Graham are giving him the business. That becomes an annoying theme throughout this match. Andre starting the match surprised me as he's usually in second to do the working over after the smaller DiBiase would get them started. Bobby and Virgil are on the apron and Jesse is reprimanding them to get to the floor. That is the right thing to do but Gorilla and Graham are breaking his stones over it. Here is the problem in the world of kayfabe. Commentators were supposed to stay face/heel so even though Jesse was doing a top flight job as a neutral referee, they can't complement him because it's not "in the kayfabe rules." For instance Elizabeth gets on the apron, and Jesse reprimands her while Virgil and Bobby confront her. So Gorilla and Graham are yelling at Jesse to "ignore" Elizabeth and focus on the other guys. Well in reality she's not supposed to be on the apron either, but because it's Elizabeth she should be left alone. They sound like complete morons throughout this entire match, and I very rarely criticize Gorilla during his peak as PBP announcer. Graham is bitching that DiBiase is choking Hogan on a headlock but clearly his arm is on Hogan's chin. Graham is obviously being told by Vince backstage to really give Jesse the business even if it's not warranted. This flim-flam commentary is kind of ruining the match for me. However the climax of the match threw everybody off. With the Mega Powers on the floor and in big trouble, out comes Elizabeth to the apron moving around back and forth. Then out of nowhere she rips her skirt off to reveal a bikini bottom. Everybody is stunned (well the heels anyway). We get the awesome Mega Powers handshake and then the big comeback and a Hogan legdrop wins it. Awful commentating aside, this was a fun main event to wrap up the first SummerSlam.

### Justin:

Our main event is extremely logical if you followed the path from WrestleMania to this very point. These were the four major players in the mix at Mania and in the months since, Hogan and Andre have continued to war while Savage has been keeping DiBiase at bay and away from his gold at every turn. Jesse Ventura would be named special guest referee and it was heavily implied that he was on the take thanks to DiBiase's cash flow. As far as star power goes, this is arguably the second biggest main event match in company PPV history to this point. It was awesome seeing Jesse involved in big time storylines, bringing his legitimacy to the proceedings and making the match feel even bigger. Bobby Heenan is back with Andre here, having repurchased his contract back from DiBiase at a wonderful profit. That was great too, because tossing Bobby in the ringside mix adds to the chaotic feeling that something big was going down. There has always been debate whether they should have run these as separate matches on top of this show, but we had seen that at Mania and a titanic tag team match was different and felt just as important. Seing Hogan enter to Macho's theme was neat and their matching tights gave that strong feeling of continuity that was needed at this point in the story.

In a bit of a head game, Andre surprisingly started the match, smacking Savage and then quickly tagging out. Savage would then tag Hogan and after a lot of theatrics, things finally got underway. DiBiase stood no chance early as the Mega Powers worked some double teams and punished him from corner to corner. Once DiBiase was able to tag in the Giant, momentum shifted and the biggest feud of the last two years was reignited as Andre punished the Hulkster. Jesse called things pretty fairly to this point and in looking at his referee attire, I do wonder if Jerry Seinfeld watched this event before his show launched. DiBiase clamped on a tight chinlock but the crowd never wavered, rallying Hogan and riding Heenan alternately. Hogan would get the tag and Savage came in red hot, running through DiBiase but Andre again regained control for his team. The way they used Andre here was perfect as he was the one true X factor that could swing the match in the blink of an eye. It would again be DiBiase that fed the momentum right back, missing his back elbow off the middle rope that never, ever hit. Hogan would be the first in the match to finally knock Andre down but that backfired when he got his huge boot up and crushed Savage in the face as he came off the top rope. Andre would chuck Hogan to floor after him and that is when boys became men. Elizabeth hopped on the apron, circled around...and tore off her skirt to reveal bikini bottoms. Liz as a sex symbol was mind-blowing at the time and as she pranced down the apron, Andre, DiBiase, Virgil, Heenan and Jesse all stood there gawking, mouths wide open. On the floor, we get the legendary Mega Powers handshake before both men crash the ring and clean house. Savage would drop the elbow on DiBiase, with Hogan following the leg. However, Jesse would hesitate in his three count before Savage forced his hand to the mat to count three. This was a wonderfully booked match and perfect end to the DiBiase/Andre assault on Savage's title. The Liz payoff was a cherry on the sundae. SummerSlam wraps with a great, memorable and classic main event.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This wasn't the perfect first SummerSlam, just like the first WrestleMania was far from perfect. We had some great moments, like the beginning of Ultimate Warrior's megapush and Elizabeth actually using her feminine wiles to help win a match. Even though WrestleMania is the granddaddy of them all, SummerSlam is without question my favorite PPV brand of all time. A typically awesome MSG crowd livens up an otherwise lackluster undercard. The Mega Powers are on top of the world as the face of the WWF, and I was happy to see that Randy Savage was still proudly carrying the WWF Title. Urban legend is that Vince was trying to bring Ric Flair in to face Savage in the main event and let Hogan have an extended vacation. Wow what a main event that would have been. I'm not upset that didn't happen, as this main event was perfectly fine. All in all, it's ranked pretty low in the pantheon of MSG PPVs, because of the undercard. Still, the main event is awesome, and the show is special, because it's the first. We gave the first WrestleMania a pass, and that show is worse than this one. I'm giving this one a pass. Thankfully the WWF created something that could fill the large gap between WrestleMania and the Survivor Series.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

A pretty good show, excitement wise, but as far as the actual wrestling goes, only the opener and Main Event are above average. The rest of the show is quite middling with very little standing out as bad but it really felt like a jacked up house show due to the company wanting to keep some key feuds hot for the house show tours. Although, I will say the crowd stays hot all the way through, and every match had a purpose, which is always good as well. This is also a major transition shows, as many of the old guard are phased out, such as Don Muraco, Ken Patera and the British Bulldogs, and many new faces are pushed hard, like Bad News Brown, Big Boss Man and Powers of Pain. The main event was a whole lot of fun and was tremendously booked, both in story and match structure, and was a key component in the story of the Mega Powers. It is certainly a show worth checking out just to see the transition of the company and a classic main event, but check your snowflakes at the door.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #27

#  Survivor Series 1988: The Mega Powers Have Issues

November 24, 1988

Richfield Coliseum

Richfield, Ohio

Attendance: 13,500

Buy Rate: 2.8

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

### Match #1: Brutus Beefcake, Blue Blazer, Sam Houston, Jim Brunzell and the Ultimate Warrior defeat Honky Tonk Man, Danny Davis, Greg Valentine, Ron Bass, and Bad News Brown in 17:50

Survivor:

Ultimate Warrior

Eliminations:

Beefcake pins Davis at 1:17

Brown pins Brunzell at 5:12

Brown is counted out at 7:50

Bass pins Houston at 10:09

Valentine pins Blazer at 12:29

Honky and Beefcake are both counted out at 15:44

Warrior pins Bass at 17:30

Warrior pins Valentine at 17:50

Fun Fact I: The only real debut of note is the masked Blue Blazer. Under the mask is Owen Hart, little brother of Bret Hart. Trained in the Dungeon, and with a successful career in Stampede, he makes his masked WWF debut here. He'll pop in and out from time to time from now until 1992, when he becomes a regular on the roster.

Fun Fact II: Jim Brunzell was subbing for Don Muraco, who was originally scheduled to be in the match but left shortly before hand.

### Scott:

We start with the mid-card battle with a bevy of top flight characters and guys who are primed for big pushes. Next to the Mega Powers, there's probably no two hotter babyfaces right now that the Barber and the Ultimate Warrior. It was no accident that Warrior was picked to end the Honky Tonk Man's record Intercontinental Title reign, as he was getting crazy face pops around the house show circuit. The Fink called both Warrior and Beefcake "co-captains". The rest of this team has mostly filler as Sam Houston is a pin eater, along with Jim Brunzell. As for the mysterious masked Blue Blazer, that was of course Owen Hart, youngest son of legend Stu Hart and little brother of Bret Hart. It was a perfect mix of red-hot characters and up and comers. Honky's team is full of grizzled veterans and newcomer Bad News Brown. Brown in fact shows his type of character perfectly, as he eliminates Brunzell with his ghettoblaster, then disagrees with his team and walks out, as a loner would. His character is fascinating because in the days of kayfabe heels stuck together and didn't argue with other heels. As for the heel captain, well it's time for him to pay the piper. After holding the IC Title hostage, it's time to pay back all the screwjob wins he got over the past year and a half. Back to him in a second, first nice continuity by the bookers for putting both Greg Valentine and Ron Bass in this match as they have history with Beefcake. As the pinfalls occur you can see where they are going as eventually the current IC Champion is all alone on the babyface team. Honky didn't have to job here, but he is quickly forgotten and Warrior is the showcase piece in this match. Gorilla is so funny when he dispels actual facts to make the babyface look better, like when Warrior actually pins the wrong guy and Jesse tries to point it out. No matter anyway, as Warrior cleans out the last two guys to be the sole survivor. The build of this unique and incredible character continues to grow and the Richfield Coliseum goes crazy. What a fun opener and the right guy goes over.

### Justin:

We are back in Richfield for the second annual Survivor Series and the card is once again stacked with big tag team matches across the various divisions of the promotion. This year we have co-captains for each team and we open with a pretty eclectic mix of talent in our first match. Ultimate Warrior and Brutus Beefcake had both chased the IC title throughout 1988 with the former taking the gold at our last show. Here they co-captain a team against the former champion Honky Tonk Man. Each team is a little top heavy with a weak back end, so things match up pretty evenly. Immediately Gorilla wonders if a loner like Bad News Brown can hang in a tag team situation. We will see. Greg Valentine has his rarely seen power blue trunks/yellow boots combo on and it pops tremendously. Beefcake has slowly morphed into the Barber we would grow up knowing as his hair has fully grown out into a full blown flowing mullet. And the Barber gets the first elimination of the night in very quick fashion when he puts Danny Davis to sleep and out of the bout. Davis was just about at the end of his in ring run here and goes out with a whimper. That is quite the fall from getting the pinfall at WrestleMania III. When Beefcake finally tagged out, the Blue Blazer made his PPV debut. The man under the mask is Owen Hart, brother of Bret, and he had been wowing crowds with his crisp, aerial style. He would tag out to Jim Brunzell, who was filling in for the departed Don Muraco in this one. The Killer Bees were no more as Brian Blair had also left in the purge of late-1988, so Brunzell is out of the yellow and black trunks and on his own. Bad News would even up the sides by polishing Brunzell off with the always swank Ghetto Blaster. Sam Houston would make his first appearance in the match here, and it would also be his final PPV bout as he departed in early 1989 after a fairly quiet run. Bad News looked the strongest by far early on, running through Brunzell and punishing Houston with easy arrogance. Those good feelings quickly crumbled when Valentine accidentally clocked Bad News, leading to an argument and Bad News walking out of the match. With Bad News counted out, the odds were back to Team Warrior Beefcake. I love that character development for Brown and it paid off the commentary that wove throughout the match to this point. The destruction of Houston continued as Ron Bass slipped right in and picked up where Brown had left off. Bass has Bob Golic's haircut circa Saved by the Bell, The College Years at this point so I can see why Brutus had him in his crosshairs, no pun intended. Bass would even things up by eliminating Houston but that finally brought in Warrior to wake things right up. He started wiping everyone out, including Honky, to a huge pop. After planting Bass, he assisted in propelling the Blazer into a top rope splash that Bass actually kicked out of. Wow, that surprised me. The crowd was really revved up here as Blazer was cruising around the ring, taking the fight right to Honky. Honky would sneak away to tag out to the Hammer who ate a picture perfect gutwrench suplex. The pacing has been great since the Houston elimination. Blazer went up top, but Honky shoved him to the mat where Hammer hooked the figure four for the submission elimination. I think this could have been a really good opportunity to establish the Blazer by making him a survivor. He looked awesome when in there and the crowd was into him. It is weird that Hammer and Beefcake go at it as they look so different than they did as tag team champions over two years earlier. Mainly Beefcake, but Valentine has beefed up too. Honky's team would expertly triple team Beefcake as Warrior stood helpless. There was nice continuity with this as Beefcake is fighting off the three men he has spent most of the last 18 months feuding with. He would come back and hook a sleeper on Honky but both men tumbled to the floor where they were both counted out of the match. That would leave the Warrior against two men, but he would fight them off and eliminate both to win the match in less than two minutes. I dug this opener and it really did its job in putting over Warrior as a true rising star. Beefcake, Bad News and Blazer all came off looking great as well and the only guys that got nothing were Brunzell and Davis, but they were fodder at this point anyway. The crowd was hot for this as well, especially the finish. The Warrior meteor continues to gain steam.

### Match #2: Powers of Pain, Hart Foundation, Young Stallions, British Bulldogs & the Rockers defeat Demolition, Conquistadors, Brainbusters, Bolsheviks & the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers in 41:35

Survivors:

Powers of Pain

Eliminations:

Bret Hart pins Raymond Rougeau at 4:51 (Rougeaus eliminated)

Boris Zhukov pins Jim Powers at 14:49 (Young Stallions eliminated)

Marty Jannetty pins Boris Zhukov at 17:32 (Bolsheviks eliminated)

Tully Blanchard pins Bret Hart at 26:22 (Hart Foundation eliminated)

Brainbusters and Rockers are both disqualified at 27:37

Smash pins The Dynamite Kid at 35:30 (British Bulldogs eliminated)

Demolition is counted out at 39:00

Barbarian pins Conquistador #1 at 41:35 (Conquistadors eliminated)

Fun Fact I: There are a few legendary debuts in this match, as four men make their WWF debuts. On the heel side, we have The Brainbusters, Tully Blanchard and Arn Anderson. Blanchard is from San Antonio, and was trained by his father Joe. After spending some time in Texas, he went to NWA Georgia, then to Mid-Atlantic where he became an excellent upper mid-card heel, winning the National Heavyweight, US Heavyweight, and World Television Championships. Arn Anderson grew up in Georgia, and started his career there also. He migrated to the Carolinas. Blanchard and Anderson hooked up with Ole Anderson and Ric Flair. From there, the greatest heel faction in the history of professional wrestling was born: the Four Horsemen. They raised havoc for over two years. Now, half of them are in the WWF.

Fun Fact II: The other debut is on the face side, as the Rockers came from the AWA, where they had some bloody matches with Buddy Rose and Doug Somers, winning the AWA Tag titles twice. Marty Jannetty would be a solid tag team performer with a mildly successful singles career. Shawn Michaels, well let's just say goes a little further than that. For now, they're just a hot exciting new team.

Fun Fact III: After Survivor Series, Dynamite would not be seen on WWF TV ever again (other than vintage footage). After leaving the WWF in December, the Bulldogs returned to Stampede, where they won another tag title, but they eventually split and had a vicious feud. In 1990, they finally went their own ways, with Davey Boy going overseas for a brief run before returning as a solo act to the WWF. Dynamite wrestled for Stampede and in England, even forming a tag team called the British Bruisers with Johnny Smith, but the duo would be short-lived. Dynamite announced his retirement on December 6, 1991 after a tag bout in Japan as the years of steroid and cocaine abuse, along with his high impact style of wrestling, finally caught up to him. He would attempt a failed comeback in 1993, and his final match was for Michinoku Pro on October 10, 1996. He obtained a victory in a six man tag match, but it was clear his best days were behind him (his body had clearly degenerated to the point he was skin and bones). In 1997, Dynamite would be confined to a wheelchair after being told by a specialist that he could no longer walk. Davey Boy will be back shortly in our review world, but sadly we will no longer have the pleasure of watching the Dynamite Kid ply his trade on a major PPV setting.

### Scott:

I'm gonna say right now that I instantly mark out every time this match comes on. Never in history will there ever be a match where there is so much talent together at the same time. You have five or six teams in this match that are bona fide top 15 tag teams of all time. This match proves that the tag division in the WWF was absolutely stacked, and it made the Tag Title straps that much more special because so many teams deserved to be #1 in the promotion. The visual of guys literally around the entire length of the ring is pretty awesome. Right from the get-go you see all these expert tag teams just going right at each other, wanting to make an impression to the audience and move up the ladder. Let's talk about the two new teams on the block, one on each side. On the babyface side you have the Rockers, two young aerial high-flyers who had briefly been with the company once but their behavior got them turfed. After more seasoning in the AWA they return to the WWF and instantly up the talent quotient in the company. On the heel side is one of my favorite teams of all time, the Brainbusters. First off they are former Horsemen, so you've piqued my interest immediately. Second, both Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard are flat out great wrestlers and third they're managed by Bobby Heenan, who's always been "the fifth Horseman". It's a treat to see them in the WWF, a non-cartoony tag team that's just aces in the ring. These two teams would eliminate each other by brawling out to the aisle and out of the arena. This feud would lead to some tremendous house show matches between the two teams through early-1989. The real problem here is that Demolition was really getting face pops full bore now and being the captain of the heel team was really strange but that was rectified later in the match when we have the infamous "double swerve". Fuji screws his team over by pulling the ropes on an Irish Whip and his team gets counted out, then when Demolition leaves (after working Fuji over) the Powers of Pain help Fuji and he starts to manage them. I understand switching teams but why would Fuji want to dump his tag champions? There's no real logical reason to do that and (even though it needed to be done) it still makes no sense. The pace of this match is so fast and furious, more than probably a normal Survivor Series match because there are so many guys in the ring that energy can be expended at a more frenetic pace. In the end the (now heel) Powers of Pain win the match and are the sole survivors but the war with Demolition has just begun. One of the greatest Survivor Series matches ever and the highlight match of this show.

### Justin:

For the second straight year, we are assembling all of the company's tag teams and letting them do what they do best. 1987's installment was a great match chock full of talent but you could easily argue that the talent level has somehow improved a year later. And that was mainly due to the influx of a couple of new teams and the elevation and reshuffling of others. A year earlier, Demolition were hidden in the crowd and here they are the division aces. We also have four world class talents added into the mix now in Shawn Michaels, Marty Jannetty, Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard, so that was bound to improve the quality regardless of anything else. The only team that has stepped back and feels a bit lost is the Hart Foundation, who are no longer the top face or heel team. It almost makes you wonder if they should have been split up earlier in 1988 when it was first considered. Another team that is just about done is the British Bulldogs. They would finish up with the company shortly after this show, ending the mercurial run of Dynamite Kid on the main stage in the wrestling world as he would slowly fade into bitterness and obscurity, his body destroyed and ravaged by injury. He does finish strong with a prime mustache/mullet combo on top of a heavily juiced frame. Another cool benefit of this match is seeing all the heel managers crowded around ringside, huddled up and talking strategy. Early on we would get a SummerSlam feud revisited as the Bulldogs and Rougeaus briefly tussled before tagging out. The match would reset multiple times early on as they tried to work everyone in and keep things humming along. Shawn Michaels officially kicks off his WWF PPV career and in a nice piece of trivia, his first official opponent was Boris Zhukov. Scoring the Brainbusters from WCW was a big get for the WWF as they struck a serious blow to WCW's talent base and brought a stud team into an already loaded division. Same goes for the Rockers and the AWA. Quick tags and fast offense continued to rule this one as we go just about a full five minutes before our first elimination. And that came when Bret Hart caught Ray Rougeau with a small package to send the brothers packing and gain a little revenge on Jimmy Hart in the process. The crowd liked that one. And right off of that we got our first tease between the POP and Demolition as Barbarian and Smash briefly traded bombs before Smash tagged out. That was followed by a nice little treat as Hart and Tully Blanchard dueled, but again it was just a really quick morsel of what was potentially to come. Moments later, we were treated to our first AA PPV spinebuster as Arn snapped Shawn Michaels down with authority. One of the match long stories was that any time the Conquistadors tagged in, they tended to screw things up and allow their opponent to tag out but were always able to tag out themselves just before they could be eliminated.

The pace was great and frenetic here, never stopping or slowing down at all. The two hoss powerhouse teams would tangle again, sucking the crowd in further into a potential feud, as Warlord and Ax slugged it out this time. In a snippet of what could have been a dream match just a year earlier, Dynamite and AA had a short tussle before AA tagged out. That would have been just an awesome tag war if the Bulldogs were at full health. The Stallions were the first casualty on the face side as Boris rolled through a cross body block and pinned Jimmy Powers. The Russians would follow them right to the locker room as Marty Jannetty picked up a pinfall to send them packing. With the mix of talent in there, I think you could argue that this one match could have taken the whole three hour PPV up and still felt fresh throughout. We got to see a lot of great combinations and spots but some of these guys could have went twenty minutes with each other on their own. The Bulldogs and POP would start to wreck one of the Conquistadors, beating the crap out of him until he was able to stumble backwards and tag out to again remain in the bout. After Neidhart softened up Blanchard a bit, we were again treated to Tully and Bret going at it. It ended when Bret took Tully over with a German suplex into a bridge, but Tully got his shoulder up and eliminated the Harts. Dynamite tried to make him pay immediately with a crisp Tombstone piledriver, but Tully kicked out. That was followed by a big brawl between the Busters and Rockers that ended up with both teams being disqualified, continuing a feud that had been raging on the house show circuit. It was shrewd not to beat either of those teams and to keep the both strong in the eyes of their new fans. It was interesting that the Bulldogs got this much shine as they were the last team standing alongside the POP. Across the ring, it was quite shocking that the Conquistadors stood tall next to the champions. The Bulldogs would commit a crucial error when they had the Conquistadors dead to rights but didn't bother to pin them, leading to another escape and tag out. For as fantastic as most of this match was, I thought the segment with the last four teams went on a bit longer than needed as it was just the Conquistadors getting beaten around and barely tagging out in time. It felt a bit like filling time. Finally, Dynamite missed a headbutt off the top and was rolled up by Smash to give the champs the advantage. In a bit of weirdness, Mr. Fuji decided to hop on the apron and start barking orders as his team was working he POP over. Things came to a head when Fuji held the ropes open as Smash was running them, causing his charge to tumble to the floor and eventually be counted out. Ax confronted Fuji, who retaliated by bashing him with his cane. The split was official as Smash grabbed Fuji and slammed him hard to the floor before walking out. Moments later, the POP went over to check on Fuji, dusted him and brought him to their corner for the rest of the match. They would quickly polish off the Cinderella Conquistadors to win the match and seal the shocking double turn. I was all for swapping the allegiances of these two teams as fan reaction had been dictating it, but I don't understand Fuji's thinking. Why would he dump the champs? And if he was hell bent on doing so, why wait until the end of the match? Why not do it right away. Fuji will always confound me. The match was fantastic throughout until the last five minutes or so but the double turn at the end was very memorable and launches Demolition's epic face run. I wasn't sure last year's super tag match could be topped, but they managed to do it here.

*** Backstage, Bad New Brown demands a WWF Title match with Randy Savage. Also, Mr. Fuji defends his actions by claiming he made Demolition and they got too big for their own good so he jumped ship. ***

### Match #3: Dino Bravo, Harley Race, Mr. Perfect, Rick Rude and André the Giant defeat Ken Patera, Tito Santana, Jake Roberts, Scott Casey & Jim Duggan in 30:03

Survivors:

Dino Bravo and Mr. Perfect

Eliminations:

Rude pins Patera at 8:18

Bravo pins Casey at 9:27

Santana pins Race at 13:19

André pins Santana at 14:40

Duggan is disqualified at 21:22

Roberts pins Rude at 28:45

André is disqualified at 29:39

Hennig pins Roberts at 30:03

Fun Fact I: The one big debut here is another top of the line Grade A heel. Curt Hennig is the son of legendary heel Larry "The Ax" Hennig. From Minnesota, he cut his teeth in the AWA, winning the tag titles with Greg Gagne, and the World Heavyweight Title. He was brought in by Vince, but legend has it that the real big decision that was made was who would get the "Mr. Perfect" gimmick; Hennig or Terry Taylor. Both are very respected and capable athletes. Hennig is Mr. Perfect. We'll see the gimmick Taylor got in our next match. The first of the many vaunted "Mr. Perfect" vignettes aired on 10/1/88 and featured Hennig playing basketball...perfectly.

Fun Fact II: Uber-jobber Scott Casey is replacing Brian Blair, who had been replacing Junkyard Dog in this match. JYD was part of Jake's team originally to play off the ending of the JYD/Rude SummerSlam match, but JYD left the WWF shortly before the match. It was then decided that Brian Blair would replace him, but he was miffed that the Killer Bees were broken up, and saw the jobber writing on the wall and quit before the show. Scott Casey was the lucky jobber to be drafted onto the PPV.

Fun Fact III: As of October 2014, Harley Race, the first to retire of the group, is the only surviving member of the heel team.

Fun Fact IV: The Survivor Series match will be the last of the Jake Roberts/Rick Rude feud. Roberts would move on to feud with Andre the Giant while Rude would begin contending for the Intercontinental Title, both of which we will get to in later reviews. This rivalry was ahead of its time by blurring the line between wrestling and reality and pushing the envelope years before the Attitude era.

### Scott:

The first thing I have to say is that it's very sad that Harley Race was the oldest member of this heel team, and he (as of 2014) is the only one still alive. What's also sad is that Jake Roberts and Tito Santana were saddled with three of the worst stiffs in WWF history. We have the over but thoroughly annoying Hacksaw Jim Duggan, the career jobber Scott Casey, and the has-been creamy-legged hump Ken Patera. Perhaps the saddest Survivor Series team of all time. I mean there wasn't anybody in the locker room with any more credibility than Scott Casey? The heel team is a who's who of the 80's greatest heels. We have Andre, who is slowly being siphoned off the main events and into some creative upper mid-card feuds. Rick Rude has settled into a nice groove as a top flight heel and is about to embark on the greatest year of his WWF run. Dino Bravo is a solid enough heel and then there's the newcomer. Curt Hennig, former AWA Champion and one of the best in the world. He arrives in the WWF to great fanfare and is given the name "Mr. Perfect". No gimmick fit anybody better in history. The match itself is pretty standard as the lowly face team lost their two biggest stiffs first (Patera and Casey) because they didn't belong in there anyway. Race was coming off an abdominal injury suffered earlier in the year, thus the reason someone else is "King". More on that person in our next match. With Tito eliminated, the real workhorse guy left on the team is Jake. Duggan executes the first of many stupid things he'd do during his tenure in WWF. He gets himself disqualified by hitting Bravo with the 2×4, which means he doesn't get pinned. I'd really like to see what was in Duggan's contract that allows him to not have to ever eat any pins or put anybody over in his five-year run. Was he really that over? Perhaps, but not ever having to eat a pin is like Hogan-level creative license. He's not THAT over. On a side note, I love that Jesse calls Hacksaw "Doogan". So awesome. What's not awesome is that Gorilla has acknowledged that Duggan had a right to use the 2×4. That's why Duggan pissed me off all those years. Gorilla used to vilify heels for foreign objects, except Duggan who was "defending himself". Ridiculous. Just like Ultimate Warrior in the first match, Jake was being showcased here as one of the most popular guys in the company, but unlike Warrior, Jake couldn't clean house and survive in the end. The difference there is that Jake is better when being the recipient of sympathy and it builds the next feud for Jake to cash in on it, as Andre here is disqualified but the point is that Jake was overpowered. Earlier than that Jake pinned Rude to end that feud. Bravo picks the bones after Andre choked Jake out to get the win for the heels. This was a decent enough match but nothing outstanding.

### Justin:

We head to the upper mid card for our next match and as a gift we get to witness one of the greatest heel units of all time. The face side was a bit hit or miss but co-captains Andre the Giant and Dino Bravo had assembled an all star crew. And that crew included newcomer Mr. Perfect, portrayed by great AWA stalwart Curt Hennig. Also on the team is Harley Race, who is no longer King after some time off rehabbing an injury, but is still an old school badass in the ring. Rick Rude and Dino Bravo are still climbing the ranks and establishing themselves and both were ready for new feuds to sink their teeth into. Andre, apart from Hulk Hogan for the first time in nearly two years, had been warring with both Jim Duggan and Jake Roberts across the country, so he had his sights set on both here. Duggan had knocked him unconscious with his 2×4 on TV and Roberts had been torturing the Giant with his snake, Damien. The story was that Andre was deathly afraid of snakes and once an evil mastermind like Jake had that intel, he was nonstop in doing his best to scare the Giant to death whenever he could. With his partner on the shelf due to injury, Tito Santana has been back to going it alone and it clear he would be the workhorse in this one. After a surprisingly fun slugfest at SummerSlam, we will see if Ken Patera can stay on any sort of a PPV hot streak, although my money would be on "probably not". Scott Casey is just filling in for the recently departed Brian Blair, and I won't argue anyone that says that was probably a wash at this point in the context of this match. The crowd was hot on Bravo to start the match, revving up a hearty "USA" chant as he tussled with Patera and his rust-tinted afro. I love that Jesse and Gorilla are still arguing over Bravo's bench press record from nearly a year ago. Seeing Perfect in there with this crew of talent was awesome and immediately hammered home what a great signing that was for the WWF. He has a fun sprint with Tito Santana, starting a long running on-and-off feud that would entertain many times over. Casey was clearly "training" with Bravo around this time as they have a similar...ahem, look. He was also rocking quite the mustache/mullet combo. It didn't do much for him in the ring, though, as the heel team took their turns beating him around like a rag doll. He would survive the onslaught and make the tag, giving momentum back to the bruisers on his team. Duggan would see his first action and overpowered Perfect, including a really good right hand to the side of the head that sent Perfect crumbling to the mat. Casey came back in but, in a swank move, Perfect slid through, hooked the ankle and yanked Casey to the mat before tagging in Rude, who dropped a hammer blow down. There were some really interesting pairings sprinkled in here and Santana battling Rude was one of them. More than once I found myself wanting to see extended singles matches between some of these guys. Rude would end up striking and getting the first pin when he snapped Patera down with a Rude Awakening to pick up the win and end the Olympian's WWF stint for good. Farewell, Ken, and thanks for the interesting and stylish memories. Harley is still rocking his purple king tights, probably because nobody bothered to tell him otherwise. Bravo piled on Rude's work by finishing off Casey right after, putting the face team in a tough 5-3 hole by targeting their weakest links. Andre hung on the apron for a while, but was still able to do some damage from there, swiping at Duggan and rattling him a bit with some right hands. Race and Santana also gave us a tiny tease of what could have been an awesome long form match. The crowd here continued to be red hot and you could tell the wrestlers were feeding off it because the pacing has been great and non stop. It didn't take long but you could tell the competitors all understood that with so many guys involved, things should never slow down. Ventura was also great, explaining how the heels were set up so well with the advantage because they could rotate guys much easier. Santana was a force in the ring here and wrestled with the urgency of a man who knew his team was down by two. After a flurry of offense, he pinned Race with a flying forearm.

Andre decided to put an end to that bullshit himself as he stepped in the ring and just battered Tito before sitting on his chest and then choking him out. Tito would try an ill advised sunset flip, but Andre just sat on him to give his team another two man advantage. Duggan quickly pounced and knocked Andre into the ropes, where he ended up tied up. The crowd went bananas as Duggan and Roberts took turns working him over and fending off his teammates. What heat. Things were not easy though, as anytime Roberts or Duggan gained any momentum, the numbers game quickly caught up to them. Unfortunately for Roberts, Duggan lost his cool and senses after Frenchy Martin tripped him up, leading to Duggan grabbing his 2×4 and bashing Bravo before being DQ'd. That means the Snake was left with some really steep odds. The match finally slowed down a bit here as the heels started to punish Roberts, tagging in and out and working him over with some fine heel swagger. And then in the blink of an eye, Jake landed a huge blow for both this match and a long running feud when he caught a cocky Rude with a snap DDT for the elimination. It was good to see that feud get some closure on PPV. And then in one of my favorite Andre moments ever, he stormed in the ring with fire in his eyes and just started wrecking Jake in the corner, maiming him with right hands, biting him and then choking him out until the referee was forced into calling for a DQ. Andre was wild eyed and looked phenomenal as he was destroying Roberts for revenge. And then, to cap it off, Perfect hopped in the ring, cradled Jake and easily won the match, followed by a great celebratory bounce with Bravo. That was a really fun match and I liked that it was booked differently than any other Survivor Series match to date. The segment with Jake and Duggan fighting the odds was a lot of fun and the finish was fantastic, bumping the grade up slightly in my eyes. It also did a great job of establishing Bravo and Perfect and pushing feuds forward as well. Good stuff.

### Match #4: Randy Savage, Koko B. Ware, Hillbilly Jim, Hercules and Hulk Hogan defeat Akeem, Red Rooster, Haku, Ted DiBiase and the Big Boss Man in 29:08

Survivors:

Randy Savage & Hulk Hogan

Eliminations:

Savage pins Rooster at 6:09

Akeem pins Hillbilly at 9:53

Boss Man pins Koko at 11:44

DiBiase pins Hercules at 16:33

Savage pins DiBiase at 16:55

Boss Man is counted out at 23:32

Akeem is disqualified at 24:58

Hogan pins Haku at 29:08

Fun Fact I: So, Curt Hennig gets Mr. Perfect, and Terry Taylor gets...the Red Rooster, the bizarre gimmick that would hang over him for the rest of his career. He starts off as a heel under Bobby Heenan's tutelage, but Heenan always is pissed off at him for losing and never doing anything right. Even after he is eliminated here, Bobby is shown apologizing to the rest of the team for Rooster's quick exit. Rooster would turn face, grow a red Mohawk, adopt some rooster-esque music and effectively scar his career.

Fun Fact II: After his DQ loss to Randy Savage at WrestleMania IV, the One Man Gang was taken off TV, grew his hair out and returned as the "African Dream" Akeem, a jive talking, dancing fat white man who acted like he was black. On the 9/24/88 All-American Wrestling, Mean Gene was invited to "Deepest Darkest Africa" to see the Gang officially transform into Akeem. The piece looks like it was shot in some back alley in Harlem, which is probably where it happened. Regardless, the Gang was dead, and the Dream was alive and would begin teaming up with Big Boss Man as the Twin Towers.

Fun Fact III: On the 10/1/88 Superstars, Bobby Heenan and Ted DiBiase were interviewed by Mean Gene, and they announced that DiBiase had officially purchased Hercules from Heenan to become his "personal slave." Hercules, quite offended, jumped Heenan but was then beaten down by DiBiase and Virgil, officially turning him face. Man, wrestling roosters, fat dancing white men who thought they were black and indentured servitude...the creative team was on a hell of a roll in late 1988.

Fun Fact IV: While Tonga Fifita had been known as King Tonga in Canada, when he came to the WWF he was renamed Haku, without the royal moniker. He was part of the Heenan Family when King Harley Race suffered a legitimate hernia at the hands of Hulk Hogan. During Race's time off, manager Bobby Heenan vowed to name a new king of the WWF. On June 21, 1988, a coronation ceremony was held to christen King Haku as that new king. He would successfully retain the crown when Race returned to the ring in January 1989.

### Scott:

We have reached our star-studded main event, as the World Champion and the Hulkster team with newly turned face Hercules, Koko B. Ware and Hillbilly Jim. Did Hogan really have to come in to his OWN MUSIC? Savage and the others came in during Savage's entrance. That pretty much tells everyone "Yeah Savage is the champ, but he's not me." Even watching this for the 10th or 11th time, I constantly forget that Hillbilly was still with the company at this time let alone even in this match. He's Hogan's original buddy from 1984-85. On the heel side we have the new "KING", Haku. The Islanders have broken up and Haku replaced Harley Race in Bobby Heenan's family to be royalty after Race's injury. Something does come from that, and it will be happening early in 1989. Hercules turned face when Bobby Heenan attempted to "sell" him to Ted DiBiase. That was an interesting turn because I thought Hercules was a fine heel. Koko's on this team probably because he's earned a main event slot for jobbing to some bigger opponents on the house show circuit. Even though he's been in the WWF for a short time, Big Boss Man has moved up the heel ladder very quickly to earn this shot. Gone was the stale One Man Gang gimmick and from "Deepest, Darkest Africa" comes Akeem. Combined they created a very formidable duo that would antagonize the Mega Powers for the next few months. One of the best moments of the match is when DiBiase pins Hercules, but as he's paying attention to the outside Savage slides in and rolls DiBiase up for the pin. The match has great back and forth action, which combined with the hot crowd and our HOF commentators' back and forth, makes this a very engaging main event. When it comes down to just Hogan and Savage the storyline chicanery begins. Hogan is handcuffed to the bottom rope, and after both Twin Towers are out of the match they really lay a beating down on the WWF Champion in the ring. That leaves Haku and Savage to battle in the ring while Hogan is beaten down outside. Eventually heel miscommunication leads to Hogan getting unlocked and after Savage tags in (he's actually thrust kicked into the corner, a point Gorilla makes clear as if Savage really didn't fight to "tag"), Hogan wins it for his team with a legdrop. Hogan and Elizabeth celebrate while Savage is all crumpled and beat down in the corner. Elizabeth tries to check on him but Hogan is too busy celebrating, and Savage looks a bit peeved. I would be too. Now we begin the slow burn to April 2 in Atlantic City. As you can see from the start, its clear Hogan cared about himself and Savage was the poor bastard who got the crap kicked out of him and "accidentally" got no help. Stay tuned.

### Justin:

Time for our main event match and it features some really heavy hitters across the board. A lot has gone down with the guys in this match since August and it has freshened up the top of the card a bit. On the heel side, Ted DiBiase is still in the main event mix but is no longer he top foil for the champion and his buddy. Instead, he was embroiled in an...odd feud with Hercules, who he tried to purchase as a slave from Bobby Heenan. Hercules did not like that all too much so he quickly put an end to it and turned on both his current and future manager/owner. Also on the team is Haku, who is now the King of the WWF after Bobby Heenan chose him to step in for the injured Harley Race. It was cool seeing Haku up here with the big boys. Joining them is the Red Rooster, portrayed by NWA import Terry Taylor. The gimmick name didn't make much sense here and he portrayed as a dope that Bobby Heenan was embarrassed by and the gag was that Heenan was trying to prove he could even take a guy like the Rooster and make him a winner. Finally, the co-captains are the Twin Towers, one of the most fun and engaging tag teams in WWF history, at least in my opinion. Akeem is the transformed One Man Gang, and is just a fun loving monster that likes to dance and speak jive. The Boss Man has quickly moved up the ladder and went from the lower mid-card into the main event picture in the blink of an eye. The Mega Powers captained the other team and had an interesting mix of talent in the angry, vengeful Hercules and a couple of low-card JTTS in Koko B. Ware and Hillbilly Jim. On paper, this may be the weirdest mix of talent to ever main event a PPV. As Savage and DiBiase started things off, Jesse did his best to justify slavery, comparing it to the stock market. Savage and Hogan had their matching tights from SummerSlam on here, which is a nice touch. DiBiase wanted no part of Hercules, however, and quickly made an exit when the Mighty One tagged in. In a dream moment for me, we got a nice little segment of Akeem beating Koko. I could watch that match all day. In what is likely one of the peak moments of his career, Hillbilly Jim makes the most of it, aggressively attacking Haku until Akeem stops him short. Jesse gets some funny digs in on Jim, wondering how often he washes his overalls. The Rooster got tagged in and things swiftly went downhill as he was beaten from pillar to post until Savage finished him with the big elbow to a huge pop. Jesse was great here, acting surprised that Hogan didn't cheap shot Rooster when he had the opening. To add further embarrassment, Heenan berated the Rooster and kept apologizing to his other team members as the Rooster pathetically limped away.

Akeem would even the sides a few moments later, dropping the big splash on Hillbilly to end his main event career. The face team then all took cracks at knocking down Akeem, landing a flurry of shots, but nobody could do it. They are really making Akeem look strong here. Boss Man would step in for his partner and polish him off with a sidewalk slam to give his team the lead. Hogan would then slip into the ring and as he and Boss Man squared off, the crowd started to really buzz. The WWF backed right into a red hot, and very unexpected, feud. Boss Man's bumping was so good as he was able to flop and contort his body around in some pretty weird ways. The pops continued as Hogan slammed Boss Man but things quieted down when Boss Man rattled him with a spinebuster. These two guys have some damn good chemistry. After Hogan was able to turn the tide on DiBiase, he tagged in Hercules, who finally got his hands on the man who tried to buy him. He would get some revenge in, but after Virgil tripped him up, DiBiase got the roll up for the pin, leaving just enough time for a couple more slave jokes by the Body. And again on this night we stood at 4-2, with the Mega Powers left alone. I do wonder if they shouldn't have done so many big heel team leads throughout the night because they had one planned here for the biggest match on the card. The crowd didn't seem to care. And I guess they were right as that lead was quickly shorn when Savage rolled up a distracted DiBiase to bring his side within one. Hogan would get trapped from there, worked over by the larger Towers before Haku wore him down with a nerve hold. At one point, Hogan barely kicked up out of a Boss Man cover, gently rolling his shoulder up and barely beating the count. The company really did a nice job of building up their heels on this show and you could tell they were lining things up for both the coming house show run and WrestleMania season. Boss Man got a bit too excited as he climbed the top rope but came up empty with a splash, which allowed Savage to tag in. Savage was quickly in trouble as well when Slick tripped him and allowed the Towers to regain control. And then, Slick got a little crazy as he started berating Liz, grabbing her wrist and dragging her down the aisle. Hogan chased after them, leading to the Towers following. Boss Man would cuff Hogan to the bottom rope but was counted out in the process. Before leaving, Boss Man brutally beat on and choked Hulk with his nightstick. As great as that was, Boss Man stupidly got in the ring and hammered Savage with the stick, causing Akeem to get DQ'd for being part of the double team. It was great that they wanted to protect the Towers, but it felt a bit cheap to whittle the odds that way. Still, it showed they were more focused on eradicating the Megapowers than they cared about winning the bout. So, poor Haku was left along but both his opponents were in very bad shape. Any time Savage was able to wriggle free, he would try to head to his corner to tag but Hogan was missing, still cuffed to the ropes. In a stroke of luck, Haku accidentally nailed Slick, which gave Liz the chance to procure the keys and unlock Hogan. Hulk would tag himself in and make quick work of Haku to give his team the victory. After the bell, the winners celebrated, but Hogan got a bit too chummy with Liz, a point that wasn't lost on Macho.Well, there wasn't much to this one as far as in ring work, but the story was all about establishing the Twin Towers and starting to sow some seeds of trouble for Savage and Hogan and it accomplished both of those goals with great success. The crowd was bananas the whole way through, especially when Hogan got the win. The Megapowers are victorious once again but there seems to be a small dark cloud creeping in.

### FINAL ANALYSIS:

### Scott:

The second installment of the Thanksgiving night tradition did not have the same drama that the first one did, but there were some amazing moments and much more talent than the first one. That 10-team tag match was better than last year's, with an unbelievable amount of talent that would shape the tag team division throughout 1989. The opening match and the third match were great showcases for the mid-card, although it may have exposed that the roster was a little thin, if Scott Casey was needed and Hillbilly Jim came out of moth balls then clearly more guys needed to be signed. The main event was a little slow, but did tell a good story. Randy Savage's visuals tell all you need to know about where this storyline is heading. Visually pissed his partner and woman are celebrating while he's recovering from an ass-kicking he got no help from is priceless. From there things continue to get dicey, but it's not for a few months that it comes to a head. Some memorable debuts come from this show, including Mr. Perfect and the Blue Blazer, plus those aforementioned tag teams. The company's roster was getting more athletic in the mid-card, even if the main events had some bigger dudes on top. It seems the memorable roster of stars we all remember as kids really reached its peak of debuts with this show. Jesse Ventura again brings that special credibility to the show by stirring the pot with Savage after the show, something he does at the next PPV also. The show really defined what a roster of characters the WWF had but now had a great cache of truly talented workers, if they were only in the mid-card or the tag division. That's not to say Randy Savage isn't a great worker and WWF Champion, but he's surrounded by some bigger guys. 1988 ends and a storm is brewing between the Mega Powers.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This PPV was an entertaining way to further a ton of storylines and debut a lot of new talent, talent that would carry the WWF for the next several years. The major storyline advancement comes in the Main Event, but advancement is ripe in every match. Warrior, Bravo and Perfect receive big wins to further their pushes, Demolition becomes the face team the fans have been clamoring for since WrestleMania and the Powers of Pain are turned into the number one heel team within one five minute stretch. We say goodbye to some guys as well, as Harley Race, the British Bulldogs, Danny Davis, Ken Patera and Sam Houston all leave the WWF. Two mainstay tag teams of the past two years also dissolve, as the Young Stallions and Killer Bees are broken up to make room for an influx of new teams, such as the Rockers, Brainbusters and Twin Towers. Lost in the mix of storylines is also the debut of Shawn Michaels, who would become a major player in the WWF as the years creep on. It will be fun to track his career as we continue through these PPVs. Anyway, outside of the tag team match and some stretches in the third bout, there isn't much here wrestling wise, but the storyline development is heavy and the influx of major stars is huge, so it is a big show historically speaking.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #29

  Royal Rumble 1989 – Mega Powers on the Brink

  Wrestlemania V – The Mega Powers Explod

  SummerSlam 1989 – Ultimate Revenge

  Survivor Series 1989 – Hogan Runs Wild

#  Royal Rumble 1989: Mega Powers on the Brink

January 15, 1989

The Summit

Houston, Texas

Attendance: 19,000

Buy Rate: 1.5

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

Dark Matches:

1) Jim Powers defeated Barry Horowitz

2) Sam Houston defeated Steve Lombardi

Actual Show:

### Match #1: The Hart Foundation & Jim Duggan defeat the Rougeau Brothers & Dino Bravo in a two-of-three falls match

Raymond Rougeau pins Bret Hart at 4:22

Jim Duggan pins Raymond Rougeau at 11:46

Bret Hart pins Dino Bravo at 15:42

Fun Fact: Since entering the WWF, Jim Duggan had been the proud American, waving the American flag as he made his way to the ring. His patriotic gimmick set him up for numerous feuds with non-American wrestlers. Early in 1989, Duggan was feuding with Dino Bravo and the Rougeau Brothers.

Another pair had been feuding with the Rougeaus for quite a while as well, the Hart Foundation. The teams had been competing against each other since 1987, with the Rougeau Brothers unsuccessfully challenging for the WWF Tag Team Championships several times in the summer of '87. However their feud really kicked into gear in the summer of 1988 when Jimmy Hart signed the rival Rougeaus and, in the storyline, was giving them 25% of the Foundation's payment. This wrongdoing caused the fans to get behind the Hart Foundation, turning them into fan favorites. At the Saturday Night's Main Event show on October 29, 1988, the Rougeaus interfered in the Foundation's tag team title match against Demolition, causing the Harts to lose. Duggan approached the Hart Foundation to be his partners against the French-Canadians in this 2 out of 3 falls match. This six-man tag was the end of the feud between the Hart Foundation and the Rougeaus.

### Scott:

We open the first big show of 1989 with a six-man tag match of varying styles. You have two of the top tag teams in the WWF in the Rougeaus and the Hart Foundation, who can work circles around anybody around the world in terms of workrate and expert tag wrestling. Then you add the two meatheads, Bravo and Duggan. I've always thought that these two should have been put in the Rumble, and the two awesome teams should have just gone all out for these sixteen minutes. That way if it was two out of three falls for just the two teams that would have been fantastic. One stipulation I always thought they should have done was have the defending Rumble winner automatically get a slot in the following year's Rumble. The action in the ring is top notch as everyone works hard in the opening fall, with the Rougeaus winning the it after hitting their finisher on the Hitman. Bravo continues to work the Hitman over with a bear hug as the hot Houston crowd is cheering them on. Jacques works Bret over with a Boston Crab, followed by Raymond working Bret with an Abdominal Stretch. I think heel wear down moves are a lost art in today's wrestling. The WWE has molded the fans to find that stuff boring. Bret makes a big reversal on a monkey flip and hits a reverse atomic drop. Bret finally hot tags Duggan and he cleans house, tying the match at one fall apiece. I always liked the Rougeaus' tights that said "Fableaux" on the back. Duggan gets caught in the corner during the third fall and Jesse says he has a "peanut" for a brain. I concur, Jesse. The third fall is loaded with run-ins and constant chaos, until the thing that always pissed me off. Duggan comes out of nowhere to hit Dino Bravo with the 2×4 to get the third fall for the win. Gorilla calls it "ingenuity" but it's no different than any heel using anything to get a win and that is bad. It's so funny back in the kayfabe days how the announcers skewed things to give the fans what "direction" the commentary was supposed to go. The match was a lot of fun but that ending was dreadful. Again, take Bravo and Duggan out of the equation and we would have had a great, clean tag match.

### Justin:

We kick off a new year with the official debut of a new PPV title. A year ago the Royal Rumble was on USA. The concept was a success so it moved to a PPV format here in 1989 and would be used to really get things revved up for WrestleMania season. As we saw in late 1988, the fabric of the company was changing with a large influx of talent washing away much of the locker room that had been present since the early days of PPV. Our opener has a little international flavor mixed in with a heavy Canadian/American blend leading to the contest being under "intercontinental rules" which apparently means Best of Three falls. The Rougeaus are Canadian but now reside in Memphis officially, with Jimmy Hart in their corner. Dino Bravo is still slumming around with the useless piece of garbage Frenchy Martin. Jesse does think that unit will have an advantage as they can speak in French, which may confuse their opponents. And considering a couple of the the members of the other team, he may have a point. The Hart Foundation are now solidly faces, trying to work their way back up the ladder into contention and they are teaming with the heartbeat of America himself, Jim Duggan. Duggan does his usual USA rallying call, even though a couple of his opponents moved to the USA and one of his teammates is Canadian. But the crowd seems to enjoy it anyway. Jesse points out the obvious early on, noting that he believes the first fall is the most important of the match. And here we are, a year later, and Gorilla is still on Jesse's case for helping Bravo break that weightlifting record. Duggan and Neidhart would dominate the action early for their team and the crowd was really hot for it. In a fun early spot, all six men ended up in the ring with the heel piled in the corner as Neidhart kept slamming his shoulder into them like a battering ram. It is hard to top a six man with veterans with solid workrate that know how to also work a crowd. After dominating the first fall, the faces ended up in 1-0 hole after the Rougeaus hit Le Bomb to pin the Hitman. That is a tough loss to shake for a team, easily dominating the fall but losing it. With a fall in the bank, the heel side started to really work over and methodically punish Hart, not rushing or looking for flash pins, but instead just wearing down and playing it safe thanks to the advantage. Jesse finally calls out the "USA" chants rolling in as support for Hart. Bravo has blended in nicely here, working tight and smart and a differently than the heavy-footed slugging and brawling we are used to seeing. After a lengthy heat segment, Hart found an opening by blocking a monkey flip and crawling over to tag in Duggan as the Summit exploded. Duggan ran through the whole team and finished off Raymond with a pair of slingshot splashes by the Harts and a stiff elbow drop. With the match even up, the teams regrouped and prepared for the stretch run. The last fall was a blend of the first two, with the heels working over Duggan before he tagged in Hart, who had a good little brisk segment with Bravo. As things broke down, the referee got tied up with some brawling on the floor, allowing Duggan to bash Bravo with his 2×4 and Bret to cover for the win. Gorilla trying to defend the 2×4 as "ingenuity" is so laughable. Of course, Jesse doesn't agree either and calls for fines and suspensions. That was a really strong opener with no fluff or wasted time. Everyone worked hard and smart and had the crowd hooked in the whole way through. It was good to see the Harts grab a needed win too and it should put their issues with the Rougeaus to bed for a while.

*** We get footage of various superstars drawing their Rumble entry numbers, including Ted DiBiase, who doesn't seem thrilled with his pull. So, he calls over Slick, who was overjoyed, and starts to work out a potential deal. ***

### Match #2: Rockin Robin defeats Judy Martin to retain WWF Women's Title with a high cross body at 6:24

### Scott:

This may possibly be the biggest waste of seven minutes in PPV history. First off, as great as she will eventually be as a manager/valet, Sensational Sherri is absolutely unlistenable on commentary. She almost sounds drunk. Second, this match is a disaster. Judy Martin is dreadful here, and Rockin' Robin is really no workrate marvel either. Gorilla gets caught fumbling over his words as to why Sherri didn't get an automatic title shot after losing to Robin in Paris, France. Sometimes Gorilla tried too hard to make the heel look like a bad guy that he gets caught in rhetoric that makes absolutely no sense. He says that Sherri doesn't have enough wins to qualify for a title shot, even though she just lost the title a few weeks prior. This match has been nothing but hair pulling and endless small packages, poorly executed I might add. Robin wins by faking Martin out on a cross body attempt, then hit one seconds later. It was clear the Women's division was flat and unnecessary. Sherri's future gets brighter and it doesn't involve working in the ring.

### Justin:

Welp, those good feelings from the opener may quickly dissipate with the Women's Title on the line here in what has to be looked at as a step down from where this division was a year ago. After Sensational Sherri bested Fabulous Moolah back in 1987, she had a fairly dominant reign that was surprisingly ended by Rockin Robin. Before this match tips off, Sherri shows up and issue a challenge to the winner. Robin's opponent is a stalwart of the WWF women's division, Judy Martin, who has seemingly aged a decade since her and Leilani Kai lost to the Jumping Bomb Angels. Sherri was a great ace heel of the division but she just had absolutely nothing to work with at this point. If the WWF wanted to have any sense of legitimacy here, they should have imported some talents from Japan again and got behind things a bit. Robin was awful in the ring and the highlight of things was Gorilla wondering why she was using Sam Houston's theme song, like anyone would notice or care. Robin throws a worse dropkick than PN News. Sherri calls them both overrated but I don't think either are rated highly by anybody, anywhere. Sherri also calls Robin a "termite" which is an odd insult. After getting battered around for a couple of minutes, Robin hooked a semi-decent Boston Crab but Judy rolled out of it. The crowd has completely died off here. Perhaps in an homage to her brother, Robin tries for a DDT but even botches that as Gorilla tries to cover for her. Thankfully Jesse and Sherri are pretty funny bagging on Robin and Gorilla here because the match is really bad. Robin would finally get a cross body block for the win to let us all move on. Gorilla notes that Sherri has indeed officially been named number one contender and that rematch story would build towards WrestleMania, including the two going face-to-face on a pre-Mania Prime Time Wrestling special but nothing would come of it and the division would be dead by the summer.

*** Sean Mooney chats with Slick and the Twin Towers and asks the Doctor about his chat with DiBiase. In a great line, Slick says he hasn't seen DiBiase in over a month. Mooney then lets Slick know that his little chat was indeed on tape and shows the footage to him. Back to the interview, Slick said he misunderstood and thought Mooney asked about Ted the Shoe Shiner, not DiBiase. Great stuff. ***

### Match #3: Ultimate Warrior and Rick Rude compete in a Super Posedown Challenge

Fun Fact: After ending a bitter feud with Jake "the Snake" Roberts, Rick Rude's cocky attitude kicked into a new gear. He extended an open challenge for a flexing competition, with the belief that no one could match his muscular physique. The Ultimate Warrior accepted the challenge, to the shock of Rude. This would begin a feud that would carry through much of 1989.

### Scott:

This was a tremendous opportunity for both men here to reach that next level. Rude had enjoyed 1988 in a solid mid-card feud with Jake Roberts and now is onto the next stage. Ultimate Warrior is moving up the babyface ladder after his big win at SummerSlam and being the sole survivor at Survivor Series. Everything about this segment is awesome. From Bobby Heenan kissing the fan's butts to Rude needing time after each pose to Jesse getting pissed that Mean Gene is skewing the crowd in Warrior's favor. Jesse saying that Gorilla was watching bodybuilders back in the 1930s always makes me laugh out loud. Clearly Rude being the smaller stature had more definition in his physique than Warrior, but the crowd doesn't care. They were clearly in the Warrior's corner on every pose which is pissing off Rude and Bobby to no end. I love when, after the final posing medley, Jesse says the cheers for Rude are deafening and you can hear a pin drop. Clearly you know where this is going as it progresses. While Warrior is doing his final posing medley he turns his back on Rude, and the Ravishing one drills Warrior in the head with the bullworker and then chokes him out with it. I love when Jesse says "Rude just took the decision out of these idiots' hands!" Warrior starts throwing referees and officials around the ring then chases after Rude. What a tremendous segment that I think wasn't too long and the commentary carried this from beginning to end. A new hot feud has started, and it will only get better from here.

### Justin:

We take a break from in ring action for a special Super Posedown Challenge between Rick Rude and Ultimate Warrior. Rude had issued the challenge here, tired of hearing about Warrior having the best body in the WWF. Gene Okerlund emceed the event and Bobby Heenan accompanied Rude to the ring. It was interesting that they left two big stars, including the IC champion, out of matches, but they had bigger things planned for these two in 1989 and this segment was a big key to that story. Since his debut, Rude has been all about his physique and even was the winner of the Jesse the Body Award, so it irked him to see Warrior fawned over as well. Heenan was irritable here, demanding that Gene find a way to keep Warrior in control. Rude is on point, introducing the name, description and goal of each pose before doing them, each time with his theme playing. I love how serious he is taking it in contrast to Warrior just yelling and stomping his way through his routine. Great dichotomy between the two that help illustrate their core issues. Heenan demanding that the fans be fair in their applause voting is great too. It gets even better when Rude oils up before the Best Abs pose as Jesse states that "everyone poses to music today" when Gorilla questions it. Rude keeps flexing a bullworker in between poses and then Heenan tops himself by telling Gene he needs 15 minutes to prepare for his next pose. Lots of great material here. Warrior would continue to win the fan voting but it was clear Rude was outclassing him with every pose. Rude's dedication to the medley finale was tremendous as he worked his way through all the poses with a confident, determined look in his eyes, eating all of it up as if this were legitimate. As Warrior went through his medley, Rude finally struck, attacking him from behind with the bullworker, which he used to choke the Warrior out. That was some great character work and really got this feud off to a hot start, much more than a match probably would have. Good stuff all around.

### Match #4: King Haku defeats Harley Race with a thrust kick at 9:01 to retain his Crown

Fun Fact I: King Harley Race suffered an abdominal injury in early 1988 while wrestling Hulk Hogan. He suffered a hernia while trying to hit Hogan with a swandive headbutt while Hogan was on a table at ringside. When Hogan moved out of the way, Race hit the table with the metal edge forcing its way up into Race's abdomen. Following the injury, Race was forced to take time off for recovery. During this time, the WWF ran an angle where manager Bobby Heenan vowed to crown a new king of wrestling, which was Haku. When Race returned in late 1988, he felt betrayed by the Heenan Family and turned his back on them. His match here was an attempt to regain the crown he lost due to his injury.

Fun Fact II: Race's match at Royal Rumble 1989 would be his goodbye match in the WWF. Race completed his career as an eight time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, but surprisingly never held a WWF championship. During the 90s, Race performed many backstage roles with the WWF. Race was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 before WrestleMania XX in New York City.

### Scott:

One of the hidden gems in WWF PPV history. Unless you got the live PPV back in 1989, you probably have never seen this match until the WWE Network launched. The Coliseum Video version of this show has this match cut out, most likely because Race would leave the company shortly after this show. This is also a rarity because Race rarely worked as a babyface in his career and when he dumped Haku off his throne when he got to the ring he got a crazy pop from the Houston crowd. Gorilla is irate that Bobby Heenan is cheering for both guys since they are both under his tutelage. I was really looking forward to this match because I love watching both guys work in the ring. Haku has a great hybrid combination of aerial and strikes, whereas Race is one of those old school guys who simply grind you into the canvas while occasionally drilling that knee into your head. Race and Haku are two of the legitimate tough guys in the history of wrestling. In other words I wouldn't challenge either of these guys to a bar fight. This was a fun deliberate match that saw both guys going at a moderate pace. It seems that Haku worked at Harley's pace and it was slightly slower than the matches he usually works. They should have dumped that awful ladies match and given these guys like 17 or 18 minutes. Both are masters of psychology and could have easily told a great story with that much time. Hearing Bobby cheering for both guys and switching sides every 30 seconds is sheer hilarity and adds even more to this match. I also love that both men are wearing purple and both men are wearing crowns on their tights. Haku wins this match literally with the snap of the fingers as he drills Harley with the reverse thrust kick after Harley missed the headbutt off the top rope. Haku's crowning moment in his singles career and thanks to the WWE Network it can be enjoyed by everyone...for $9.99 of course. Haku is now the undisputed King of the WWF after this one, and as great as the match was I could have taken an extra five or six minutes.

### Justin:

When Harley Race went down to an injury in mid-1988, Bobby Heenan decided to strip him of his crown and grant it upon the head of Haku. With Race back in action, he was looking to take his throne back, so Heenan had his two charges square off here to decide which one would remain royalty. In a nice touch before the match, Jesse goes to sit in the throne and put over the stakes of the match. Heenan accompanies Haku to the ring but it is played up that he is really managing both men and will come out a winner either way. Harley obviously felt no loyalty to his stablemate, stalking to ring and dumping Haku off his platform throne. When you strip away all the gimmicks, this is a really neat little matchup. Harley pounded on Haku until they tumbled to the floor where Race ate the ringpost and Haku took over. Heenan keeps oscillating between rooting for the two depending on who was winning at that time. That is why he is The Brain. Haku fended off a Harley flurry with a series of chops and strikes. In a neat moment, both men stood toe to toe and kept trading headbutts and punches, a war won by Harley. He would follow up with a picture perfect piledriver but Haku kicked out. Unable to put Haku away, Harley took it back to the floor where he tried another piledriver, but Haku was able to block that attempt. Harley kept at it and actually would hit one on the floor but it was fairly week as they kind of just rolled through it. Back inside, Haku survived a neckbreaker thanks to Harley again not hooking the leg, a point that Jesse and Gorilla keep taking the veteran to task on. Gorilla even thinks Harley doesn't have the weight for just a press cover and may need to hook to a submission. Good stuff on commentary all around in this one. Haku again withstood another onslaught and was able to catch Harley with a thrust kick to put him down for good and keep his crown. That was a tidy little brawl with Harley unloading all his offense and Haku surviving it all until he found his opening. It really felt like a true passing of the torch, with Harley just unable to get the win and putting the new King over as a result. I can't say it was any great shakes, but I liked the structure and it sure got the point across. This is it for Harley, another face of the early PPV years disappearing as the new guard takes over.

*** As part of a series of promos by the Rumble entrants, Ted DiBiase insinuates that you can be as lucky as you want to be when you have money. ***

### Match #5: Big John Studd wins the Royal Rumble

Order of Entrance (Followed by who eliminated them):

1. Demolition Ax: Mr. Perfect

2. Demolition Smash: André the Giant

3. André the Giant: Himself

4. Mr. Perfect: Hulk Hogan

5. Ronnie Garvin: André the Giant

6. Greg Valentine: Randy Savage

7. Jake Roberts: André the Giant

8. Ron Bass: Rockers

9. Shawn Michaels: Arn Anderson & Randy Savage

10. Bushwhacker Butch: Bad News Brown

11. Honky Tonk Man: Butch & Tito Santana

12. Tito Santana: Arn Anderson & Randy Savage

13. Bad News Brown: Hulk Hogan

14. Marty Jannetty: Brainbusters

15. Randy Savage: Hulk Hogan

16. Arn Anderson: Hulk Hogan

17. Tully Blanchard: Hulk Hogan

18. Hulk Hogan: Big Boss Man & Akeem

19. Bushwhacker Luke: Hulk Hogan

20. Koko B. Ware: Hulk Hogan

21. Warlord: Hulk Hogan

22. Big Boss Man: Hulk Hogan

23. Akeem: Big John Studd

24. Brutus Beefcake: Ted DiBiase & Barbarian

25. Red Rooster: Ted DiBiase

26. Barbarian: Rick Martel

27. Big John Studd: WINNER

28. Hercules: Ted DiBiase & Barbarian

29. Rick Martel: Akeem

30. Ted DiBiase: Big John Studd

Longest Time In: Mr. Perfect (27:58)

Shortest Time In: The Warlord (:03)

Most Eliminated: Hulk Hogan (9)

Fun Fact I: Two debuts of note. First: Rugged Ronnie Garvin. From Montreal, but always announced from Charlotte, he is a former NWA World Champion who just needed a change of scenery. He was supposed to be the babyface in a feud with Ric Flair, but it backfired when he won the title and when Flair won it back at Starrcade 87, the crowd was decidedly against Garvin. The other debut is The Bushwhackers. Luke and Butch are from New Zealand, but their goofy personas are nothing like they've been in other promotions. Normally called the Sheepherders, they've been nasty heels with barbed wire wrapped around the New Zealand flag. Awesome heels who dominated the Midwest territories, mostly St. Louis. Since there were so many heel teams in the WWF at that time, Vince decided to change them to goofy, face licking babyfaces.

Fun Fact II: Two notable returns to PPV action in this Royal Rumble match. First is Big John Studd. After a two year retirement from wrestling, Studd made his return to the WWF in late 1988 on the Brother Love Show. Bobby Heenan came on the show to welcome Studd back to the Family, but Studd rejected the offer and turned face. The other return is Rick Martel. In mid 1988, the WWF ran a storyline where Martel was injured due to a chair shot and Decapitation finishing move by Demolition. In reality, Martel took six months off to care for his ailing wife.

Fun Fact III: One wrestler made his final WWF PPV appearance in the Royal Rumble Match. Just prior to the Royal Rumble at the January 7, 1989 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, Ron Bass lost a hair vs. hair match against Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake. The feud between Beefcake and Bass was scrapped shortly after and the Rumble would be Bass' final PPV match. Bass wrestled on the independent circuit until his retirement in 1991.

### Scott:

First off, this show is loaded with fluff interviews, but the most interesting one is Hogan who told Randy Savage "My Hulkamaniacs still know I'm the Champion." We were supposed to think he wasn't only out for himself? Ugh, I will complain more about this feud in our next review. Now time to RUMBLE! First off, I thought it was awesome to see Ax and Smash battle against each other in the beginning. Not only because you'd never see babyfaces going nose to nose, but because we got to hear Demolition's awesome entrance theme twice. Easily a top five entrance theme of all time. They battle for a couple minutes, then in comes the big guy, the Boss. Andre the Giant, who sadly never won a Rumble comes in and the Demos immediately team up to try and eliminate him. At #4 is Curt Henning, officially now called "Mr. Perfect", and he will be in this for quite a while. Right now as 1989 starts, you clearly see the company structuring their mid-card to have more than just cartoony, low workrate big men. Guys like Rude and Perfect are tightening up the product with great gimmicks, great in-ring work and awesome work on the stick. In comes WWF stalwart Greg Valentine as well as NWA import Ronnie Garvin. I was never a big fan of Garvin, but he will have some comedic value later in the year. In comes Jake Roberts to keep the hot feud with Andre going. Later on after Andre eliminates Jake, the Snake brings Damien in and Andre eliminates himself. There is a rare reverse moment from Ax and Smash earlier when Perfect and Honky Tonk Man are battling in the corner. Two faces, then two heels. We flash back to one of 1985's awesome feuds when Greg Valentine and Tito Santana are brawling in the corner. That's what I love about the Rumble, we get to see so many different combinations of guys that either we've never seen or haven't seen in a couple of years. Bad News Brown comes in and what a character that's tailor-made for this match. No friends, only enemies. Exactly halfway through, the crowd goes nuts when in comes the WWF Champion, Randy Savage. Savage goes right after Bad News Brown, as they've had a feud going on the house show circuit. Savage actually goes after Michaels and he and Arn Anderson eliminate him. Savage continuously goes after Brown, and I'm trying to jog my memory of those early 1989 house shows in New Haven when these two battled. At #18 in comes Hulk Hogan and now things start to get interesting. Hogan starts cleaning everybody out (because he had to). The commentators are trying to make the point that Hogan "saved" Savage from elimination a few times. However a few moments later, Hogan is in trouble with Brown, and Gorilla points out Savage didn't go out of his way to help him. How transparent was this? Were we as fans that blind to it? The brawling is hot and heavy; in fact I would say this is one of the more athletic Rumbles of the early years. Hogan eliminated Koko B. Ware, and why didn't Gorilla trash him for that? Hogan takes out some of the fluff in the ring. Then, it happens. Hogan goes to eliminate Bad News Brown, but, as "collateral damage," Savage is eliminated. Macho comes back in and gets right in Hogan's face for stabbing him in the back. Gorilla is of course saying Hogan did it by accident but based on what we've heard and seen from Hogan the past few months, can we blame Savage for being a little ticked? Eventually the Twin Towers come in back to back and eventually eliminate Hogan. Hogan pulls Boss Man out of the ring and they brawl to the back. Jesse is beside himself, and Gorilla just can't defend any of this. In fact when Jesse makes valid points about what Hogan is doing, Gorilla is practically ignoring him. If this situation aggravates you, wait till WrestleMania. After Hogan leaves, the energy of the match starts to wane as we're down to some mid-carders although Brutus Beefcake brings some excitement to the crowd and the match but after all the Hogan/Savage/Twin Towers stuff the crowd is a bit gassed. Big John Studd, returning after a couple years off, comes in at #27 and frankly nobody cares. By the time Hercules comes in at #28 the match has really lost all of its sizzle. From here the booking of the match allows for more major players to be at the end of the match to spread out the star power. Ted DiBiase (who bought this slot at #30 from Slick in exchange for the Twin Towers to come in back to back) is the final sacrificial lamb for Big John Studd to win the Rumble. I have no idea why they had a guy who hasn't been around for a couple years and was clearly not going to be pushed for anything substantial win this match. It really made no sense at all. They should have had DiBiase win and put over that he bought the win. In any event, this was actually a fun Rumble for a majority of the time and some seeds of doubt, and a "victim of circumstance" leads to a big falling out.

### Justin:

With the success of last year's Royal Rumble match, the WWF decided to make it an annual event. They also looked to beef up the match, so they added ten additional entrants to round out the field at 30. Heading into this one, they really pushed the "Every Man for Himself" mantra, with all of the stablemates and tag team members hinting that they didn't care if they had to battle friends to win the match. That point was hammered home out of the gate when the tag team champions, Ax and Smash, drew the first two slots and were forced to go at it. Demolition would be quickly reunited when the next two men to enter were Andre the Giant and Mr. Perfect. Although, Perfect even went at Andre, which is kind of cool. Smash would be the first man dumped in this year's edition, tossed to the floor by Andre. Ronnie Garvin would make his WWF PPV debut next, fresh off his NWA run where he was a one time World Champion and had become a heel in a feud with Dusty Rhodes and a quick stop in AWA, where he was also a heel. Upon arriving in Stamford, he reverted back to his more familiar face roll. Andre was the dominant force early here, even though he was taking a lot of offense, he was able to fend it off and stay in overall control of the match. Things remained a bit slow as the Hammer was out next, but business picked right up when Jake Roberts sprinted to the ring and went right at his arch nemesis Andre. The Giant clobbered Roberts and went right to work, choking at him viciously and constantly, despite a few attempts to stop him by others. Gorilla has been on fire tonight, blaming Andre for having a heart attack when Jake threw his snake on him. Bald Ron Bass was out next, head shaved courtesy Brutus Beefcake. Jake's run came to a very quick end as Andre just chucked him outside after dominating him the whole time. Shawn Michaels was out next and that coincided with Perfect tossing Ax out. Perfect was having a very strong outing here, building on his Survivor Series performance and setting himself up for a big 1989. Butch entered at #10 but right on his heels was Jake Roberts, who chucked his snake into the ring, driving Andre over the top rope and to the dressing room. The crowd popped hard for that and the angle development was perfect a Andre had a great run and looked dominant and was only eliminated by his own fear. It also gave Jake some revenge after being dominated early. With one big favorite down, the field has now opened up a bit.

The ring continued to fill up as Honky Tonk Man and Tito Santana entered before any other eliminations occurred.In a clear sign of how far Honky's stock has fallen, Santana and Butch just nonchalantly dump him to the ring without much fanfare. Bad News Brown entered here and unlike Survivor Series, this is much more his sort of match. The Rockers would be reunited at #14 and immediately started their double team attack on the field. It was also cool seeing Santana and Valentine renew their classic rivalry with a solo segment. The crowd got rowdy at #15 when the World Champion Randy Savage sprinted to the ring and went right after Bad News Brown, who he had been feuding with over the winter. It was interesting that they had the champion in this match, but helped add some gravity here in its early development stages. The Rocker run was ended when Arn Anderson was out at #16 and worked with Savage to dump Michaels. Right after that, Tully Blanchard made his way out and they focused right in on eliminating Jannetty too. As the Rocker run ended, the Mega Power run started as Hulk Hogan charged out at #18 and immediately began cleaning house, saving Savage from elimination along the way.

I do like how there were a lot of tag teams and many in the ring at the same time, as it led to some interesting segments of dominance. Hogan was the immediate force you would expect and now that we had some star power out there, things picked up greatly. In a somewhat reckless spot, Hogan pressed Tully and slung him across the top rope, throat first. That looked like it stung. The Megapowers seemed to be in trouble as the Busters, Bad News and Luke (!) all worked them over as a unit. Bad News looked really strong throughout, dominating Savage outside of just a few seconds here and there. Koko B. Ware was out and tried to help his Main Event buddies, but the numbers still outweighed them as Luke really seemed to be enjoying the return to his heel roots. That ungrateful Hogan dumped Koko for no reason and then followed that by sending Luke packing. Looking at the five standing here, it really felt like this pairing should have been closer to the end when you consider the talent. As Warlord lumbered to the ring, Hogan dumped both Busters and then immediately clotheslined Warlord out as he entered. Hogan would then storm across the ring and dump Bad News from behind, but in the process, he also eliminated Savage. Within a beat, Savage pounced back in the ring and shoved Hogan from behind before getting in his face and calling him out. This was some heavy stuff and Savage had every right to be pissed off. Elizabeth would hit the ring and play mediator but Savage was not happy at all. Gorilla kept pouring it on, blaming Savage for not holding on to the ropes as Hogan shoved him out. The two would shake hands and hug and Savage and Liz would head to the back as Big Boss Man made his way to the ring. Boss Man looked great out there, spiking Hogan with a piledriver as Gorilla proclaimed Hogan had been in the ring for a half hour to the exasperation of Jesse. And things went from bad to worse for Hogan as Akeem hit the ring next. Immediately, Jesse realized that this was all a byproduct of Slick's chat with DiBiase. Hogan did his best to fend off the Towers but the size was just too much. In a shocking turn of events, the Towers were actually able to dump Hogan out, eliminating another major favorite. Boss Man and Akeem would head outside and the Towers worked Hogan over on the floor. Brutus Beefcake was the next entrant, but had been just seconds too late to help his bud. Hogan blatantly tells the refs that he is going back in and then angrily pulls out Boss Man, eliminating him. Jesse was pissed and Gorilla admits the illegality but just says "so what". He has been a real piece of work tonight. Hogan's hypocrisy is on full display here in Houston, as he eliminated his friend and shook it off but when he is cleanly eliminated, he tries to fight his way back into the match and then breaks the rules and eliminates a guy from the floor. Poor form.

With all that excitement now simmered down, you look at the field and thinks do not look nearly as interesting down the home stretch, especially when it comes to pegging a winner. Akeem was a force, working over Beefcake and the Red Rooster. Barbarian and John Studd were the next two out as the beef started to overtake the ring quickly. We last saw Studd on PPV at WrestleMania II but he has returned for another run. He goes right after Akeem here, showing his allegiance to the face side in this renewed push. Hercules, Rick Martel and Ted DiBiase would round out the field, with it being obvious now that DiBiase had purchased #30 for Slick, along with guaranteeing the Towers could come out back to back. Looking at the remaining field, DiBiase was starting to look like the clear victor. Hercules would get some revenge on his would-be owner, but outside of that there wasn't a ton of heat left at this point and things slowed back down. DiBiase's biggest strike would come by dumping both Hercules and Beefcake with an assist from Barbarian, leaving Martel and Studd as the only fan favorites in the match. Martel would catch some fire, but that ended thanks to Akeem, leaving Studd to battle two on one. However, the numbers game didn't matter as Studd tossed out Akeem, leaving him and DiBiase, one on one. DiBiase tried to buy him off, but that didn't work, and Studd would make quick work of Ted to win the first ever PPV Rumble match.

I will never really understand some of the decisions here. I get that they wanted to reintroduce Studd to the company and line him up for a push but they had to know he wasn't going to be around long. There were a few good heel choices in there (Boss Man, DiBiase) but they seemed to want a face to win it all. They could have had Warrior in the match and had him win it to build even more heat to his run. That aside, my bigger issue is that the Mega Powers stuff happened mid-match instead of at the end and it killed the heat of the match down the stretch. They should have had the same thing happen, but all occur right at the end to show how close Savage and Hogan were to winning. You can have the Mega Powers, Busters, Twin Towers, DiBiase, Beefcake and Studd out there and do all the same stuff but make the finish really hot instead of the tepid finish we got. In the end, DiBiase spends more cash but still can't win the big one. The Rumble match was solid but nothing spectacular, which is fine for the first PPV outing. It had some really memorable moments and angles mixed in and a really good field, but they lacked that one major face outside of Hogan and Savage that could have won it.

### FINAL ANALYSIS:

### Scott:

The inaugural PPV Rumble has its high points and its low points. The Harley Race/Haku match is a lost gem that now with the WWE Network you can enjoy, after years of not seeing it due to the clipping on the Coliseum Video release. The ladies' title match clearly showed the division needed to be shelved, at least for the time being. I still think Sensational Sherri was drunk or on something when she commentated during that match but it did create some unintentional comedy. The Rumble match itself was real fun for the first 45 minutes or so, as we saw lots of feuds be created or enhanced. After Survivor Series, you may have gotten the feeling that the Mega Powers were starting to show some cracks. Well it really happened here when Savage was "accidentally" eliminated by his partner Hogan. Sure they shook hands after a few minutes, but it was clear something was brewing. The formatics of the Rumble were a little off as after the Hogan/Savage stuff ended, the rest of the match was fairly flat as even the Studd/DiBiase drama at the end of the match did nothing for the fans and the buzz was quietly killed. That will change over time as Rumbles continue to be booked. Overall this probably isn't a show you'll probably pull out at any time to watch, except maybe for the posedown stuff and Jesse's hysterical commentary during it.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

1989 starts off with a pretty good PPV offering that had a lot of WrestleMania angle development interspersed. The roster is really refreshed and loaded across the board, from the main event right through the lower mid card and tag divisions. We saw a little more passing of the torch here, but mostly it was the new era on display. The Warrior/Rude posedown was a ton of fun and sets the stage for one of 1989's best feuds. The Rumble was very good as well, as most are, mainly thanks to the handful of memorable moments tossed into it. The Mega Powers are having more issues here as ego and jealousy are starting to rip this super team apart at the seams. Here, those issues cost them both a big win. John Studd takes home the Rumble title but we are already starting to see that this match could mean a bit more with some sort of prize attached. Finally, the crowd and announcing were fantastic as always, with Gorilla at his troll best tweaking Jesse throughout while the Body was exasperated trying to shoot down all of his points. An enjoyable show is in the books and it is now time for another WrestleMania.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #30

#  WrestleMania V: The Mega Powers Explode

April 2, 1989

Trump Plaza Hotel & Casino

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Attendance: 18,946

Closed Circuit Attendance: 175,000

Buy Rate: 5.9

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

Fun Fact: A young Lance Storm and Chris Kanyon were in attendance at this event.

### Match #1: Hercules defeats King Haku with a Bridge Suplex at 6:57

### Scott:

This is a pretty rudimentary opener. Hercules has a limited repertoire, but Haku was able to carry Herc to a pretty good match. Herc also interacted with Heenan very well, which added to the story. Haku begins a pretty good run as a singles competitor, and will be a loyal Vince employee for the next couple of years. Hercules wins with a back suplex, and even remembers to lift one of his shoulders so as to leave no doubt who wins. Not much more to say, except it's the start of a very long night.

### Justin:

It is WrestleMania time once again and for the second straight year, we are back inside the Trump Plaza casino ballroom. Even though these crowds can be a bit rough, as we will see, it real is a cool look and with the way 1988 and 1989 weave together for many storylines, it was fitting to have both shows in the same home Before we can get to our opener, we have to suffer through Rockin' Robin warbling through the National Anthem. Jesse Ventura can't resist taking a potshot at the performance, setting his acerbic tone for the rest of the night. As we saw at the Rumble, Haku is now the King of the WWF, having dispatched Harley Race and sent him packing back south. I enjoyed how Bobby Heenan is also decked out in purple to help match the regal regalia of his charge. Hercules has been completely revamped now, brandishing powder blue tights and entering to some great Greek God themed horn music. This is a nice little opener as both men match up up well size-wise. Haku sets the tone for the night, jumping Hercules as he was jawing with Heenan while the bell rang. Herc fought him off and went right into a flurry of offense to fire up the fans. Jesse notes he is surprised how easily Herc was handling the King, and it was true as he was really dominant in the early minutes. The King finally turned the tide thanks to a timely distraction from the Brain and a thrust kick to the chest. The slave storyline is really pretty nuts when you think about it and the fact that Gorilla nonchalantly discusses Hercules being traded like a slave really makes you wonder what they were thinking. Haku snaps off two really crisp backbreakers, never letting go in between and then went to a bear hug to keep the focus on the back. Herc would land a move or two, but Haku would go back to his martial arts bag of tricks to cut him off at every turn. Jesse discusses the difficulty of being in the opening match of a show like this. Herc used his power to finally make a comeback and I must say these two built a tidy little match. Herc abandoned his game plan and went up top but ate a thrust kick on his way down. Not learning from history, Haku tried a headbutt from the middle rope but he came up empty and then walked into a Herc back suplex. Instead of releasing, Herc slightly bridged and rolled his shoulder up to grab the hard fought win. I liked that finish as it made Hercules look wily and Haku not weak in any way as both men were essentially pinned. Jesse notes that it is a big win for "The Slave" and indeed, Herc finally gets some revenge on Heenan. This was a solid way to kick off a long night, with a tight, quick match and a good win for the Mighty One.

### Match #2: The Twin Towers defeat the Rockers when Akeem pins Shawn Michaels with a splash at 8:02

### Scott:

I wasn't crazy about this match when I first watched it again a couple of years ago. I thought it was slow, plodding and dull. I watch it again, and I definitely changed my opinion of it. The Rockers were ingenious, creative, and exciting. The Twin Towers were two big, badass heels. Slick was now putting together a pretty impressive stable. Boss Man was very slowly losing the weight he had been carrying around for months. Akeem's not losing his weight any time soon. This was of course the first WrestleMania for Shawn Michaels, and although we didn't know it at the time, this was the first of many matches for ol' HBK on the big stage. The match is solid, but the Rockers have to pay their dues, and the Towers have the heat from the feud with The Mega Powers. So Michaels does the job (can't say that much as time progresses), but both teams put on a good show.

### Justin:

Next up on deck is our first tag team match of the evening and it's one that features quite the dichotomy in size and style. The Twin Towers were pretty much at their peak here, coming off their long feud with the Mega Powers in which they played a pivotal role in their explosion. The Rockers are still climbing the ladder and making their WrestleMania debut here in Atlantic City. Jesse gives a lesson in tag psychology, using his own experiences, to set the stage. For the second time tonight, we get a quick attack off the bell, this time with the Rockers peppering the big men with right hands to knock them to the floor. Shawn Michaels opened things up for his side and kept the quick strikes coming, even landing a jab to Akeem, who was "daydreaming" on the apron as Gorilla noted. The good times ended quickly for the Rockers when Marty Jannetty got caught in no mans land and was squished by the Boss Man. The punishment built from there, with the Towers alternating between heavy blows and using their weight to lean and press on the smaller Jannetty. The pace slowed but there was a cool buzz in the crowd because you could tell there was some sort impending doom on the way with this size mismatch. Marty would finally escape and tag in Michaels and the double team attack was on. As things broke down, Boss Man gave the Rockers a golden opportunity to steal this as he ascended the top rope and ate the mat on a splash. He would recover and catch Michaels with a great powerbomb as Shawn was leaping off the top rope. An Akeem 747 splash later and this one was in the books. Man, I love that damn match. For two teams with polar opposite looks and styles, they blended perfectly and paced the match so well. Even when it slowed down, it felt dramatic because you were just waiting for that big splash or blow from the big men. The Rockers had a couple of believable glimmers of hope but they couldn't overcome the size difference in this one. Great storytelling and a fun match overall.

### Match #3: Ted DiBiase and Brutus Beefcake wrestle to a double countout at 10:01

Fun Fact: This is the debut of the Million Dollar Belt. DiBiase had the belt made after his failed 1988 attempt to win the WWF World Title. In a 2004 interview, DiBiase said that the belt was $25,000, and he had to carry it around in a gold Halliburton. He said one time he lost the Halliburton at the Atlanta airport. He realized it going back to the airport from the hotel that he had forgotten it.

Scott:

There's no question that Ted DiBiase is one of the most technically sound wrestlers of all time, and one of the greatest heels. For some reason, though, his WrestleMania performances leave a lot to be desired. His matches in the tournament at IV are pretty solid, but this is the first of five straight WrestleManias that he puts a sub-par performance on. Beefcake was one of the hottest faces on the roster, but he also didn't bring his best here. The pace is slow, and there's too much outside posturing. There's not enough action in the ring. Then there's the lame double countout ending, which doesn't help matters. I don't remember the back-story on why this match happened, but if there was, why was there no decisive ending? It's not like this feud went through the summertime. This was a sub-standard match with a lame ending.

### Justin:

Well, it has been an interesting, but inevitable, slide down the card for Ted DiBiase over the course of the last year. After being a fixture of the main event scene since his late 1987 debut, he was due for a reshuffling. After failing to wrest away the WWF Title, DiBiase simply went out and purchased his own Million Dollar Title belt, a gorgeous diamond encrusted strap that he would proudly wear around his waist. His opponent is Brutus Beefcake, who had a strong breakout 1988 but seemed ready for elevation in 1989. This almost feels like these two are passing each other going different directions on the ladder. Beefcake continues the trend of the night, popping a smack talking DiBiase in the mouth off the bell. Brutus had some interesting tights on here and I don't believe he wore them much, if it all, again after this. In a nice touch, DiBiase had stopped to see Donald Trump on his way to the ring. I like to think they hang out in the Hamptons on the weekends. Beefcake kept DiBiase rocking, sending him whistling to the floor with a clothesline. Beefcake's assault only came to an end when Virgil reached in and tripped him up, allowing DiBiase to deck him with a forearm to the jaw. The crowd has really started to flatten out here, showing very little emotion for Beefcake's turn in fortune. DiBiase's offense was targeted and well done, but it was nothing beyond basic leg work until a Beefcake small package finally got the fans out of their coma. Beefcake couldn't take advantage of a double clothesline as DiBiase recovered first and hooked in the Million Dollar Dream. Beefcake fought his way out and followed a quick assault with a sleeper of his own. Virgil would run interference again, leading to DiBiase dumping Beefer to the floor, where he tussled with Virgil for a moment. DiBiase followed them out and the two started brawling in front of Trump until the bell rang to signify a double countout. Blah. As DiBiase recovered on the floor, Beefcake got some heat back by whooping on Virgil back in the ring. This was pretty disappointing and it felt like they were just playing things a bit safe to protect both guys, not wanting to hurt Beefcake's momentum or further kill DiBiase. The finish is what it is, but even the lead up didn't feel crisp. DiBiase meandered quite a bit and Beefcake's spotty selling didn't help matters. Factor in a dull fan response and this one just didn't click. Luckily for both men, they were established enough to shake it off and move on.

### Match #4: The Bushwhackers defeat the Rougeau Brothers when Butch pins Jacques with a double stomach-breaker at 9:10

Fun Fact: This was the first significant tag team feud for The Bushwhackers since debuting with the WWF in late 1988.

### Scott:

This was another match that made no sense. First off, The Bushwhackers just annoy me in general. That's probably due to the fact they were awesome heels in other promotions, and now they're face-licking buffoons. Second, The Rougeaus seem off their game here. They're doing much more posturing and jawing than they were wrestling. There is a funny spot where Ray lifts Luke up for a slam, and Luke starts massaging his balls while he's holding him up. I don't know if it was meant for a rib, or something else. It was disturbing, like this whole match. I don't understand why the Rougeaus were never meant for at least a PPV win, much less the titles. They job here to the double stomach breaker, not the last time they'd job to these two jokers on PPV.

### Justin:

We are back to tag action up next with another interesting contrast in styles. The Rougeau Brothers are led out by Jimmy Hart and accompanied by their fantastic new theme music, "All American Boys". That song is hard to top. Their opponents are the Bushwhackers, a team that had debuted towards the back end of 1988. Formerly a nasty, bloodthirsty duo around the world, the Bushwhackers had settled into kid friendly, fan licking, arm waving goofballs upon their arrival. Jesse gets off a couple of great lines early on, claiming he saw Gorilla marching around the casino like the Bushwhackers the evening before. He thinks the big guy may have been hitting the joy juice to get him to that point. He also thinks Luke & Butch may have imbibed some as well. That is followed by Jesse denying he was competing at the same time as Gorilla back in the day. Their chemistry is top notch at this point. More aggressive attacks to start matches here as the Bushwhackers try to tear up Jimmy Hart's coat until he Rougeaus jump in and make the save. Hart didn't completely get away scot-free, as he gets squashed by his charges while trying to grab his coat. More great commentary as Gorilla basically tells the Rougeaus to go screw and leave the country and Jesse retorts with "so in your opinion, we should tear down the Statue of Liberty...or only let your friends in, anybody you don't care for can stay out?" Amazing. The Bushwhackers continue to double team here, clocking Jacques with a battering ram. Once the Rougeaus did take over, they started to punish the back of Luke, quick tagging and really laying it in. In one of WrestleMania's greatest moments, we get an odd moment with Luke ribbing (or sexually assaulting) Raymond by rubbing his dick and balls during a bodyslam. That moment has made me laugh for 25 years and counting. Luke would finally make the tag and for some reason the Rougeaus decided to turn their backs and celebrate, allowing Luke and Butch to smash Raymond with a battering ram and double stomach breaker for the upset win. This was a pretty sloppy match that again had the crowd on their hands. The Rougeaus tried but even they seemed a bit off throughout. The Bushwhackers get the win, which was a bit pointless as I think the Rougeaus had more to gain with a win. Whoa? Yay.

### Match #5: Mr. Perfect defeats the Blue Blazer with the Perfectplex at 5:38

Fun Fact I: This would be the final appearance of the Blue Blazer character until October 1998.

Fun Fact II: This match would be the debut of the signature wrestling singlet for Mr. Perfect.

### Scott:

Now this match was a definite hidden gem. Perfect debuts his now familiar neon singlet in this match, and his opponent shows us a sign of great things to come. Owen Hart makes his PPV singles debut here, and he makes the most of it. He and Perfect go move-for-move for close to six minutes. They should have hacked two minutes off that Rougeaus/Bushwhackers fiasco and put it on here. Perfect is just getting started. His character is just starting to grow. There was actually one moment where Perfect came up almost a millisecond before the three-count. You knew that Perfect realistically wasn't going to lose this match, but at that moment you really didn't know. The Blazer won't be back for a while, as Owen goes back and forth on TV for the next couple of years. Solid, but it was too short a match.

### Justin:

The matches keep on rolling as we head back to the singles ranks for a battle of perceived up and coming stars. Curt Hennig is officially just Mr. Perfect now and he has upgraded from his simple short trunks into the more familiar amateur style neon singlet. Jesse immediately pumps him up, talking about his perfect record and skill in the ring. His opponent is the masked Blue Blazer, a high flyer crowd favorite that had been bumping around the midcard since the summer of 1988. I said perceived up and coming stars above because Blazer certainly seemed like one, but in reality he would soon be gone from the promotion. Jesse comments that this match has sleeper potential to steal the show and I would agree that the elements are there. Perfect smacks Blazer around off the bell, but Blazer retaliates with a shot to the face of his own. Blazer would work the arm a bit, keeping the pace moving and Perfect on his heels. Jesse wonders if Perfect was prepared for Blazer because he has just gotten overwhelmed throughout. Blazer gets a nice Northern Lights suplex but, as we have seen many times tonight, he made a major mistake in heading to the top rope. As he came off with a splash, Perfect got his knees up and buried them deep into Blazer's gut to turn the tide. As Perfect worked the back, Jesse takes a moment to do his usual hello to Terry, Tyrel, Jade and Jeremiah in Minneapolis. A true WrestleMania tradition. Blazer would catch Perfect with a shot to the mush on a missed charge and the high flyer followed up with a great overhead belly-to-belly suplex followed by a crucifix pin for a near fall. As Blazer argued over the count with the referee, Perfect decked him square in the mouth with a great right hand. He would quickly pounce, drag Blazer up and snap over the Perfectplex for the win. Ah, this needed more time but this just wasn't the card to allow it. As is, it was a very fun and the last couple of minutes were great. The Blazer's star is sputtering but Perfect is clearly on the rise as his record remains unblemished.

*** We kill some time as Jesse Ventura is introduced to the crowd so he can pose and bask in their love for a minute. Following that, we head back to yesterday morning, where Lord Alfred Hayes filed a report from the WrestleMania 5K Boardwalk Run. Mr. Fuji participated, in full suit and hat, to prove that he was in proper condition for his big match on Sunday's card. Amazingly enough, we flash forward to the end of the race where Fuji completes the run in under twenty minutes, suit pretty much in tact. Amazing stamina by the Fuj. After that spectacle, we head back inside the ballroom, where a DJ table accompanied rap legends Run DMC as they performed the "WrestleMania Rap" which basically was them rambling a bit and asking the crowd to alternate between yelling "WrestleMania and "Ohhhh". The acoustics did not come across well at all and it was really hard to make out anything they were saying for the most part. They then transitioned into a slower beat which was a bit easier to follow despite the bad audio setup. ***

### Match #6: Demolition defeats the Powers of Pain & Mr. Fuji in a Handicap Match to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Ax pins Fuji after the Decapitation Device at 8:20

Fun Fact: This feud began back at the Survivor Series 1988 when Mr. Fuji turned on Demolition and picked up his latest acquisitions, the Powers of Pain. They would continue to battle on TV, competing in singles matches and launching attacks on each other wherever they could.

### Scott:

The first big show for the tag champs as faces is a rousing success against their former manager and his new team. This was originally slated for a straight up tag match, but Fuji was added at the last minute. Typical match for two big power teams: big power moves, but with added psychology, as POP tries to only tag Fuji in when they have the advantage. Gorilla and Jesse debate this point, as Jesse says it's an advantage for the wily veteran to be in there, whereas Gorilla says he is useless dead weight. It seemed a foregone conclusion that Demolition was going to win, but the POP were worthy challengers. Fuji gets caught trying to cheat with salt, but the Demos get the advantage and finish Fuji off to win the match. Nice little tag title match, as Demolition's popularity continues to grow.

### Justin:

And we are back to the tag ranks for our first title bout of the evening as Demolition face off with their arch nemesis Powers of Pain, led by their former manager Mr. Fuji. This is the first match on the show with a real story behind it, and a good story at that. We have talked quite a bit about Demolition's face turn, one that was much needed thanks to crowd sentiment. Now, they finally get their hands on Fuji and the POP. With the deck stacked, it seemed like the stars were aligned for a title change, one that would finally pay off Fuji's bizarre scheme that he hatched back in November. Besides the baked in story, the tale of the match would be this: is Fuji a better asset on the outside of the ring or on the inside? Time would tell. My take: He sucks regardless of where he is. The champs worked Warlord over to start, busting out their great double team hammer blows to the back. Man, this crowd is great at popping for the big moments, but they just go straight into silence for the meat of the matches. Gorilla thinks the POP and Fuji are a "mongrel team". Well then. Barbarian would fare no better as the power blows continued, including a nice stiff scoop slam by Ax. The numbers game finally added up as Ax got caught in the POP corner and was overpowered to the mat. Fuji even tagged in for a moment, landing some thrusts and a falling headbutt to the gut before tagging right back out. Barbarian would keep the pressure on but the challengers made quite the error by tagging Fuji back in. Their mentor would miss a dive of the top rope (running theme of the night rolls on) but they got lucky as Ax was unable to make the tag. The tag would be made moments later and Smash arrived to clean house. I always loved Smash's attacks after hot tags as he just tosses clotheslines and scoop slams with abandon. Fuji would get involved again...and screw up again as he breaks out a bag of salt but it backfires and he tosses it into the eyes of the Warlord. Demolition would take advantage, scooping up Fuji and polishing him off with the Decapitation Device to retain their gold to a nice pop. Gorilla puts the bow on this one by wrapping the story, talking about how Fuji made the wrong call and should have stayed on the floor instead of trying to be in the match. I would agree. He fucked up. The match was just OK, some good power stuff cloaked in the silence of the crowd.

*** Before the next match starts, Superfly Jimmy Snuka makes his WWF return. He is brought out and introduced to the fans. He then leaves the ring. Snuka had been gone since 1985. ***

### Match #7: Dino Bravo defeats Ron Garvin with a side suplex at 3:06

### Scott:

A little filler match between two singles competitors. Bravo is just Bravo, there's not much more to say about him anymore. Garvin is just an annoying babyface who must play the foil here. The big point here is the unusually timed return of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka. They announce him right after the intros of this match, before the bell rings. This is Snuka's first PPV appearance since WrestleMania I. As for the match, it is quick and inoffensive. Bravo wins, and rightfully so.

### Justin:

And as one useless manager leaves, the Patron Saint of Shitty Seconds, Frenchy Martin, makes his way out, wobbling his way down the aisle with his charge Dino Bravo alongside with him and the Quebec flag in hand. Bravo has been a steady force in the midcard and is still living off his weightlifting record as he squares off against relative newcomer Ronnie Garvin. Gorilla is pumped for this one, expecting quite the powerhouse tussle. And then, in one of the most random PPV moments to date, we pick now, after the entrances and before the bell, to introduce the return of "Superfly" Jimmy Snuka to the WWF. Snuka comes all the way down the long aisle, arrives in the ring, poses and then leaves. Really bizarre. He leaves and we are right back to the aggressive match starts as Bravo bashes Garvin from behind as he is tossing his towel to the crowd. The start really messed Garvin up as he couldn't shake it off at all with Bravo just working him over right hands and a bear hug. Garvin started to use his slight athletic advantage to find an opening and turn momentum around. Garvin would lay in a tight punch and a series of chops around a near fall from a splash. Garvin throws some awesome punches, but I am not telling you anything you don't already know. I don't think Garvin's Bart Simpson haircut helped his image much to newer fans that didn't know his legacy. The pace is much quicker than you would expect with Garvin picking up a handful of near falls with unique pin attempts. With Bravo in the corner, Garvin ascended on top of him to lay in some punches, but Bravo caught him and landed an inverted atomic drop and side suplex for the win. Well, that was more fun than expected. It moved right along and featured some solid strikes throughout. After the bell, Garvin knocked Bravo to the floor and slugged that dope Frenchy in the face. He polished Frenchy off with the Garvin Stomp as Bravo just bails.

### Match #8: The Brainbusters defeat Strike Force when Arn Anderson pinned Tito Santana after a spike piledriver at 9:17

Fun Fact I: Shortly after losing the tag team championships to Demolition at WrestleMania IV, Rick Martel suffered an injury (in storyline), splitting up the team for several months. In reality, Martel was taking time off to care for his ailing wife. The tag team reunites here at WrestleMania V.

Fun Fact II: This would be the only WrestleMania appearance for the team of Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard.

### Scott:

The first real swerve of WrestleMania came with a major push of ½ of the greatest heel faction in wrestling history. Strike Force, the former tag team champions, came back together to face Bobby Heenan's prized tag team. Unfortunately, the chemistry from 1987 just isn't there. Tito goes for his flying forearm, and whacks Rick Martel accidentally. Martel falls out of the ring, and it takes him what seems like hours to get back to the apron. Meanwhile, Santana's getting the shit kicked out of him by Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. When Tito finally gets to his corner, Martel blows him off, then leaves. He walks out on him, officially turning heel. The rest of the match is Tito being systematic dissected by Anderson and Blanchard. Beaten down, shall I say...Horsemen-style? Allow me to say that again. Santana is systematically dissected Horsemen-style. A smile purses my lips as I type that sentence. All that's needed is Ric Flair breaking Tito's leg with the Figure-Four while Ole Anderson stomps on his head, and all is right in the world. Sorry, went on a tangent there. Martel's interview after the match is priceless, as he calls Tito a loser, and claims that he had been carrying his sorry ass for a while. He does a complete makeover from happy-go-lucky face, to arrogant pretty-boy heel. Good swerve, an even better heel beatdown.

### Justin:

Following the pattern of the show so far, it is yet again time for a tag team match. The company's ability to have this many tag bouts on the show is proof of their fantastic division depth here in early 1989. A year ago, Strike Force reigned atop the promotion as champions, but were unseated by upstart Demolition. The last twelve months have been quite the roller coaster ride for them. In mid-1988, Rick Martel injured his neck and was sidelined. He returned for the Royal Rumble and shortly after, he and Tito Santana decided to reunite the band for another run the straps. Here, they face the Brainbusters, a team still running strong since they jumped ship from the NWA later last year. This one really had a lot of potential to be an NWA style sprint with four superior in ring warriors going at it in a match that could steal the show. Right out of the gate, Jesse wonders if Strike Force were ready for this after missing so much time, something that could really affect their timing and teamwork. The Busters tried to double team Martel to start, but he showed great fire fighting off both men. That led to a breakdown and brawl capped by a double dropkick from SF to send the Busters to the floor. In a nice spot, Martel locked Arn into a Boston Crab, but it was too close to the opposite corner, so Tully was able to break it up with a thumb to the eye from the apron. Things would breakdown again, leading to a SF double figure four in the middle of the ring. The tags from both teams were great here, sneaking them in when their opponents can't see or realize what happened. It feels like the Busters were brought in just for Strike Force, they mesh so well. The Strike Force momentum vanished swiftly when Santana accidentally smashed Martel with his flying forearm, sending his partner crashing to the floor. As the Busters went right at Santana like sharks, Martel stomped around ringside, nursing his head and smacking the ring apron in anger. Arn was so awesome at the little things. I love how he fights off a sunset flip, flailing his hands around, begging for a tag even if he is too far away. More sneaky quick tags would keep the Busters in control as Santana did his best just to survive until Martel was healed. Jesse and Gorilla would debate how long Santana could wait before tagging out and if allowing Martel time to heal would cost them the match. Martel kept shaking off the cobwebs as Tito found an opening by slamming Arn off the top rope. Tito would crawl over and go for the tag but Martel refused to tag and decided to bail on the match and his team. Martel would march up the ramp to a cascade of loud boos as Santana continued to be punished, including eating a vintage AA spinebuster. Tito showed some great guts, finding a small opening here or there, but the numbers were just too much as the Busters could stay fresh and double team at will, including a great spot where Arn hooked Tully during a monkey flip attempt, causing Tito to smash back to the mat. The end would come right after that thanks to a picture perfect spike piledriver by the Busters. They did a tremendous job weaving the breakup story into the match without it feeling overwhelming. It allowed them to still work an aggressive, well paced match despite the pathos at ringside. They even got to squeeze in some really fun double teams early on before the miscommunication. After the match, Martel buries the knife in deeper, calling Santana a loser that begged him to team back up and that Tito got off lucky. This was a great match and a great angle.

*** As we edge towards the midpont of the show, the casino fans were treated to a special edition of Piper's Pit, starring the returning Roddy Piper. Before Hot Rod comes out, Brother Love arrives, dressed as Piper. Love does a funny job hosting the segment for a few minutes, portraying both himself and Piper in an interview segment. After that lengthy bit, the official Pit guest, Morton Downey, Jr. arrived on the scene. Downey was a controversial TV talk show host at the time, known for his big mouth and cigarette smoking. After some sparring and homophobia, the real Roddy Piper finally showed up to a huge pop from the crowd. Piper would run off Love and then debate Downey until Downey kept blowing smoke in his face, pissing him off to the point that Piper sprayed him with a fire extinguisher to close things out. Piper had been off WWF TV since WrestleMania III. ***

*** We get a special sneak preview of Hulk Hogan's new feature film, No Holds Barred. Afterwards, an angry Jesse Ventura cuts a bitter promo about Hogan overstepping his bounds into Hollywood. Sean Mooney also chats with Donald Trump about hosting the show for two straight years. ***

### Match #9: Jake Roberts defeats Andre the Giant by disqualification at 9:44

Fun Fact: On the November 26, 1988 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event, Jake Roberts attempted to unleash his snake, Damien, on Andre following a match. Andre's fear of snakes was exposed, which was something Roberts took advantage of for the next few weeks by walking to ringside during Andre's matches, causing him to run from the ring in fright. Their match here at WrestleMania V is the culmination of their feud.

### Scott:

This feud has reached its zenith. After Andre pounded the hell out of Jake at the Survivor Series, Jake got revenge by driving him from of the ring out of fear at the Royal Rumble. However, Jake does have the wild card. That wild card is Damien, who Andre is deathly afraid of. Our guest referee is Big John Studd, who won the Royal Rumble. I don't know why that makes him the ref here, but OK. The heat between Studd and Andre hasn't been fresh for four years. You can tell it doesn't add anything to the match. Speaking of the match, it's not that great. Andre is losing his physical battle every day, and he just can't get around the ring anymore. Jake for some reason can't do much to make this match better. His quickness and basic offense doesn't plug into an Andre match. Studd is calling it down the middle. In the end, Andre and Studd get into a skirmish which ends the match, and Jake goes to get Damien. Suddenly Ted DiBiase comes from out of nowhere and takes Damien. Jake chases him, grabs the snake and tosses it in the ring. This chases Andre off. I really think Andre should have turned face here. The whole year was a mess for him, as he really couldn't do much. Now he's afraid of snakes? That made no sense whatsoever to me. By the end of the year, they had to write matches around Andre not being able to move around. As for Jake, he wins this feud and moves on. This first shot over the bow by the Million Dollar Man begins a year-long feud.

### Justin:

After an intermission to break the show up, we are back up with the culmination of a pretty hot feud. Jake Roberts has been torturing Andre the Giant since 1988, tossing his snake Damien on the big man whenever he had the opportunity. Here, they finally square off one-on-one, but because of the hate in this feud, Jack Tunney assigned Royal Rumble winner Big John Studd as the special referee. Andre was looking massive as always as Bobby Heenan led him down to the ring. As Jake made his way out, Studd and Andre got face-to-face and really got into it verbally, with Studd basically saying he won't take any shit. As the bell rings, Andre smashes Jake into the corner and we immediately discover that the Giant had disposed of the turnbuckle pad. Studd is oblivious to it, which pisses off Gorilla. This always felt like such a mismatch on paper thanks to the size difference. Jake looked even tinier with Studd in there too. Andre started to choke Jake out and use his girth to dominate, swatting off any of the Snake's comeback attempts. Jesse puts over the game plan of the Brain and praises Andre for executing it. Jake would find his opening with a series of punches and really got a boost when Andre fell backwards and got trapped in the ropes, which was some cool booking. In some nice selling, Jake had to stop punching Andre because he messed up his hand. That slight delay cost him, as Andre busted free and started taking the fight right back to the Snake. Jake would stay alive, peppering Andre with rights and then knocking him into the exposed buckle. As Andre knocked Jake to the floor and used headbutts to keep him there, Studd kept getting in the Giant's face, giving him the business. Fed up, Jake grabbed Damien but while he was making his way to the ring, Andre decked Studd from behind. Before Jake could get in the ring, Virgil and Ted DiBiase showed up and clobbered the Snake from behind. They grabbed Damien's bag and took off but Jake caught up to them and got Damien back. While that was happening, Andre started to choke out Studd, refusing to release the hold until Jake unleashed Damien in the ring. Jake would take the DQ win and this was fine what it was, with solid heat and a good storyline. Neither man was going to job, so at least this way they kicked off two new feuds as this one wound down.

*** Backstage, Sensational Sherri mocks Rockin' Robin's singing and then vows to regain her gold. She also dumps on Miss Elizabeth and the explosion of the Mega Powers. ***

### Match #10 The Hart Foundation defeat Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine when Bret Hart pinned Honky Tonk Man after a megaphone shot at 7:40

Fun Fact: After turning face in 1988, the Hart Foundation had been feuding with the Fabulous Rougeaus, managed by Jimmy Hart. The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine, had come together as a tag team in early 1989 to defend Hart, leading to this match.

### Scott:

This was just a filler tag match to give all four guys a paycheck. The pink and black attack continues to just float along one show at a time. The next year will have success and failure. As for Honky and the Hammer, this would be a test match for what would be a very cheesy gimmick in early 1990. Not a bad match, as the Hart Foundation always bring their 'A' game, Valentine's always a solid worker, and Honky's just, well there. This time, Honky can't avoid the pin, as he ends up looking at the lights after heel miscommunication and a megaphone shot. The Foundation's feud with Jimmy Hart has now reached almost eight months.

### Justin:

Next up, we continue to alternate through our card with another tag match on deck. Two of Jimmy Hart's singles stalwarts team up to battle his former charges. The Hart Foundation had severed ties with Jimmy back in the summer of 1988 but that bad blood still lingered and the sides were constantly at war. Bret Hart and Honky Tonk Man would open things up and I think it was a shrewd move to team Honky with Valentine as both were a bit lost in the mid-card and were best suited for this sort team at this point. It wouldn't last, but it was a good template to keep in mind. The Harts kept the pressure on, using some nice double teams to keep the Hart Family off balance. Once again here in Trump Plaza, a competitor makes a mistake by ascending the ropes. Here, Bret came up empty with a second rope elbow, which allowed Hammer and Honky the chance to catch a breather and start to control the action. Honky actually busted out a few nice moves here but I always wondered why he dropped elbow with his body facing the same direction as the man prone on the ground. I mean, in theory it is fine but it looks weird since nobody else ever did it. Honky would hit the Shake, Rattle & Roll but he didn't go for the pin and instead tagged Hammer to set up the figure four, but Hart fought out of it. Gorilla was not impressed that Honky passed up a potential win. Anvil would get the hot tag and go right to work, overpowering both men. As things broke down, Anvil grabbed Jimmy's megaphone and lobbed it to Bret, who decked Honky with it for the win. That was a solid little tag match and it was great to see the Harts get revenge but I feel they should have gotten their hands on Jimmy to really wrap things up. This was meaningless filler but well worked.

### Match #11: Rick Rude (Richard Rood) defeats the Ultimate Warrior (Warrior) to win WWF Intercontinental Title after Bobby Heenan (Ray Heenan) trips Warrior and holds his foot during a suplex attempt at 9:36

Fun Fact: The battle between these two superstars began when Rick Rude challenged the Ultimate Warrior to a "Super Posedown" at the 1989 Royal Rumble to see who had the better body. During their posedown, Rude attacked Warrior with a metal pose bar, igniting the feud.

### Scott:

The crowd is rabid for this match, as this has been brewing since the pose down competition at the Rumble. Rude was reaching top notch heel status, and with Bobby Heenan as his manager he's garnering even more heat. The Ultimate Warrior has captured the fans attention with his crazed entrance music and energetic way he enters the ring. This was his first real feud, and everyone expected Warrior to mow through Rude easily. Jesse was pumping up the possibility of an upset. He was also pumping up the chance that Heenan would finally win WWF gold. Alas, after Warrior pretty much dominated most of the match, Heenan makes his move. Warrior puts Rude up for a suplex, but Heenan trips him and Rude falls on him. Heenan holds the leg down, and the ref counts three. Rude is the new IC champ and the crowd is stunned. I was sure stunned when I saw it. Obviously most fans know this isn't Heenan's first title. He managed AWA World Champion Nick Bockwinkel in the 70s. This is his first WWF gold. Warrior is outsmarted, but this feud only gets better as time progresses. Solid match between two guys you'd least expect to see be solid.

### Justin:

Our second title bout of the evening sees the Intercontinental Title up for grabs as the Ultimate Warrior and Rick Rude continue their feud that kicked off to start the year. Warrior has held the title since August and nobody has come close to dethroning him, and while Rude certainly seemed like a threat, Warrior was still the heavy favorite. The other storyline crafted here centers around Bobby Heenan, a top flight manager that had never managed a champion at any level in the WWF. Rude made a major mistake early when he trying to bury a knee to Warrior's gut but instead clanged it off the belt that was still on the champ's waist. From there, Warrior just manhandled Rude, chucking him into the corner repeatedly as the crowd cheered him on. As Warrior clamped on a bear hug, Jesse discussed his confidence that Rude could survive the hold due to his superior abdominal development. Great analysis, Bod. Rude would do his best to stave off the champ but he had no chance as Warrior kept powering right through him while pounding the Ravishing One's back repeatedly. Just when it looked like it could be a Warrior squash, the champ ate knees on a splash attempt and finally gave Rude the opening he needed. Once Rude took over, he slowly started to set himself up for victory. One of the best spots of the match was a super stiff Rude piledriver for a near fall. Jesse is completely pro-Rude here and it is great. He is legitimately just coaching and rooting him on. Rude's offensive control was really short lived as the crowd rallied Warrior right back into match. Even after Warrior careened into the buckle and got trapped in the Rude Awakening, he was able to break the hold before Rude could snap it off. But before Warrior could polish Rude off, things all came crumbling down with one suplex attempt. As Warrior tried to bring Rude up and over the ropes and back into the ring from the apron, Heenan hooked the champ's leg, causing Rude to collapse on him and pick up the three count. Bobby gets his gold! He also catches a shit kicking by Warrior as Rude bailed to the back. But still, Bobby gets his gold! This was an interesting match as Warrior really dominated almost all of the match but in the end, Bobby and Rude were able to cheat their way to victory. It was a fitting way for Rude to win since he just wasn't positioned believable enough yet to pick up a clean win over someone like the Warrior. Plus, I liked how Bobby was directly involved in finally getting himself some gold. Good stuff here and the feud clearly will roll on.

### Match #12: Bad News Brown (Allen Coage) and Jim Duggan wrestle to a double disqualification at 3:49

### Scott:

I can't imagine what the bookers were thinking when they put this one together. Bad News is part of the quartet of non-finishes (along with Ted DiBiase, Jake Roberts and Roddy Piper), something we will track as we move along. Brown was settling into his role nicely as a loner and a mean motherfucker. Duggan continues to be a very popular character, except of course with me. The match is sloppy and rough to watch, and both men come into the ring with weapons to end with a double-DQ. Oh joy. Duggan chases Bad News off, and then one of many tirades of the night from Jesse. Duggan turns to the camera, and he has a gigantic snot hanging out of his nose. Jesse just rips into him, saying he's a low class bum with snots hanging out of his nose. Absolutely awesome. Thank god the match was only about four minutes.

### Justin:

By this point in the card, the crowd just desperately wanted to get to the main event, and so did I. This card is so bloated and matches like this weren't really needed to fill things out. Neither of these brawlers had much going on, so they get paired off here to batter each other on the big stage. Bad News jumps Duggan as he enters the ring (trend continues!) and hammers away until Duggan punches his way back into the match. Jesse and Gorilla speculate on Bobby's potential injuries as he still has a match to come on this card. Bad News tried to work over the head of Duggan, but Jesse was all over that one, bashing Duggan's intelligence and basically saying there was no point in targeting his dome. This was a straight up brawl with zero wrestling. They just alternated clubbing away until Duggan ate the post on the floor. Back inside, Bad News went for the Ghettoblaster, but Duggan dodged it and followed with his three point stance clothesline. The impact knocked Bad News to the floor and he emerged back in the ring with a chair in hand. Never above using a weapon, Duggan grabbed his 2×4 and the two clashed weapons to draw a DQ. This was the definition of nothing when it comes to wrestling. Duggan would swat Brown with the board after the bell and caps it off by sitting in the chair in the center of the ring with a huge snot hanging from his nose. Jesse mocking that snot was the highlight of this one.

### Match #13: The Red Rooster (Terry Taylor) defeats Bobby Heenan (Ray Heenan) when Heenan goes shoulder-first into the ring post at :32

Fun Fact I: The Red Rooster lost to Tito Santana on the January 7, 1989 episode of Saturday Night's Main Event. Following the match, Rooster's manager Bobby Heenan slapped him, resulting in a face turn for the Rooster. Following the face turn, Terry Taylor went all out to add to the Rooster gimmick, adding a chicken strut, spiking the center of his hair and coloring it red like a rooster comb, and crowing like a rooster during promos (yes, a grown man as part of his gimmick actually made rooster crowing sounds on TV...sometimes you can't make this stuff up).

Fun Fact II: The Brooklyn Brawler was portrayed by perennial jobber Steve Lombardi. Lombardi was repackaged into the Brawler and hired by Bobby Heenan to take out the freshly turned Red Rooster. On one memorable Prime Time Wrestling, the Brawler assaulted the set and nailed Gorilla Monsoon with a chair, causing chaos to break out.

### Scott:

Just a quick filler before the main event, but even this match had a back story. Heenan berated Rooster at the Survivor Series after Rooster was the first man eliminated. He continued the berating on Superstars over the next couple of months until Rooster bolted. Heenan comes out with his one jobber family member, the Brooklyn Brawler. Bobby was a little sore after the Ultimate Warrior knocked him around earlier in the night. So in quick order the Rooster wins the match, but the Brawler beat the hell out of him afterwards. This is probably the biggest moment of Terry Taylor's WWF career. How much of a raise did he get to have that red Mohawk anyway?

### Justin:

So, since our last PPV outing, the Red Rooster transitioned into being...an actual rooster? Who the hell knows. He has a red mohawk and clucked his way around, seemingly believing himself to be an actual barnyard animal. The Brooklyn Brawler accompanies a severely banged up Heenan to the ring. The build here was actually pretty good, with Rooster being fed up with Heenan berating him and Heenan picking a random jobber to prove to Rooster that he could turn anyone into a star, topped by the great Brawler attack on Prime Time. Rooster would make really quick work of Heenan, who was nursing those damaged ribs from earlier. I get why they wanted to blow this off here, but it was just another waste of a few minutes on an already bloated card. The highlight here is Brawler's great clothesline after the bell, almost wiping Rooster's head off his body.

### Match #14: Hulk Hogan (Terry Bollea) defeats Randy Savage (Randy Poffo) to win WWF World Title with the Leg Drop at 17:54

Fun Fact: After what happened at the Royal Rumble, everything finally comes to a head on February 3 in Milwaukee. It was the second edition of the Main Event, and the big match was the Mega Powers against the Twin Towers. At one point, Savage is tossed over the ropes and lands on Elizabeth. Elizabeth is down and Savage gets back in the ring and gets the crap kicked out of him. Hogan leaves the apron and picks Elizabeth up and takes her to the back, leaving Savage in the ring alone. When Hogan comes back to the apron, Savage is ready to tag him. He does tag him, by pimp-slapping him right across the face and walking out on him. Hogan eventually wins the match. He goes backstage to check on Elizabeth and Savage berates him, saying if he wanted a shot at the title he should have asked, but "that would have been too easy." As Hogan tells Elizabeth to reason with him, Savage pastes him with the title belt.

### Scott:

After months of teasing and posturing and question dodging, the Mega Powers finally explode. The commentary here is top notch as Jesse is slamming Hogan, calling him two-faced and "Lust Hogan" for going after Savage's woman instead of asking man-to-man for a title shot. Gorilla does everything he can as the babyface announcer to try and defend Hogan. When you're a kid and a full-blooded Hulkamaniac like I was, you fall for it. Now that I'm older and wiser, well, sorry Gorilla, but it doesn't fly. This angle was written very poorly, as Hogan definitely looks like the greedy, selfish, and horny bastard. Unfortunately, it's Savage that will forever look like the chump. He lays down in what is a pretty good match, as Hogan sells for most of Savage's offense. Gorilla and Jesse continue to defend their guys. As for Elizabeth, it depends on your point of view. On the one hand, she's a harmless manager torn between the two guys she represents. On the other hand, you can see her as a quiet, devious, goldigging slut as Jesse makes her out to be. The fact that she doesn't go back to Savage in the long run proves some people's point that she was made out to be a goldigger. If she wasn't "Elizabeth", with her beautiful gowns and squeaky clean image, the fans may have turned on her. In any event she really becomes an albatross in this match, and Dave Hebner finally gets rid of her midway through. The end is typical, as Savage hits his elbow, Hogan kicks out at two, finger wave, three punches, yadda yadda yadda, and Hogan is champ for the second time. This is where the more intelligent fans may see the holes in Hogan's persona, and how it's tough to write storylines for him without making him look like a wimp. As for Savage, he begins one of the worst 18 months of his career. He main events the next show, but it quickly shunted down the card and further embarrassed. Solid title match with a predictable ending.

### Justin:

After a long and winding road since one year earlier, we arrive back in Trump Plaza for the explosion of the once united Mega Powers. Twelve months earlier saw Randy Savage reach the pinnacle of his career, besting four men to win the WWF Title, with an assist from his best buddy Hulk Hogan. As we have chronicled, things have eroded between the two and the feud was at a fever pitch here. Miss Elizabeth was squarely in the center of this feud and she even gets her own entrance as she was set to be in a neutral corner as the former friends went to battle. Savage enters first, a point that does not go unnoticed by an angry Ventura. Jesse also laid it in hard on Hogan, calling him "Lust" for going after Savage's woman in order to get a title shot. It was an interesting position to take. And it wasn't wrong. It is very easy to have watched this feud and assumed it was Hogan that should have turned heel after everything that went down. Alas, Savage slowly went crazy and was so paranoid that he severed the friendship, seemingly for good. We would get some feeling out and back and forth early on with Savage bailing to the floor anytime Hogan took control. Jesse was really at his best here, goading Gorilla into a fight and unabashedly rooting for Savage. He also advocates Liz getting punched in the nose, but nobody bats .1000. Savage would turn a Hogan headlock into a nice back suplex and from there he started to work the arm. The AC crowd was at its best for this one, rallying Hogan throughout the match. Hogan would make a brief comeback but it wasn't long before Savage hit a perfect running clothesline to slow him back down. As Savage wrenched him to the mat, it became clear that Hogan was busted open above his eye, putting his chances in jeopardy. Savage would keep targeting the eye whenever he had a clean shot at it and as things moved along you really got the feeling that Savage was wrestling the perfect match with Hogan struggling to generate any offense. When Hogan did finally get on track, he struck hard by chucking Savage down to the floor with a body slam over the top rope. Outside, Liz tried to help Savage, but he shoved her away and instead went right back to pelting Hogan's eye with strikes. The fight would continue on the floor, with Liz causing more issues as she blocked Hogan from running Savage into the post, allowing Savage to wriggle free and post Hulk instead. By this point even Gorilla was agreeing that Liz had become a distraction at ringside. And the referee agreed as he decided to just toss her from ringside so things could even back out. Savage kept pouring it on, draping Hogan across the guardrail and slamming into his back from the top rope. He was feeling it by that point, working Hogan over with aggressiveness and confidence. By the time Savage ascended the top rope and crashed off with his big elbow, Jesse was about ready to wrap things up. To that point, Savage was booked like a real machine. And then it snowballed quickly as Hogan kicked out of the elbow, punched Savage a few times and dropped the leg for the win. And like that, in the blink of an eye, Savage's one year run was over. And to be honest, it kind of seemed like a fluke as Hogan got virtually no offense in and his comeback was lightning quick and over before you realized it. It kind of sucked to see Hogan blow out of Savage's finisher, but it was WrestleMania so we will let it slide. The match was really good and well worked thanks to Savage's pacing and Hogan's selling plus the built in story lent a good deal of heat to the proceedings. Hogan is back on top of the mountain for the first time in fourteen months and Savage has to head back to regroup.

### FINAL ANALYSIS:

### Scott:

I feel this show is longer than Wrestlemania IV, and that I believe had more matches with shorter durations. The show had its share of forgettable fillers and we have a huge upset title change but in the end Hulkamania was back on top as everyone probably predicted. When we look back now on all the PPVs and live shows that have ever been executed, Jesse Ventura's performance here could go down as one of the greatest in color commentary history. His sniping with Gorilla and subtle jabs at everybody is classic. Does the show stand the test of time? Well the main event is a classic as two icons go one on one, a huge upset has Rick Rude win the IC Title, and the epic heel turn of Rick Martel with his great "He's a loser" in his French-Canadian accent. Otherwise, the undercard was average. It is a long show, so maybe pick out specific matches but otherwise sit back and maybe the Twin Towers strikes your fancy.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This is a weird show to grade, as it is jam packed with matches and is fairly entertaining to watch and had phenomenal commentary, thanks to the Jesse Ventura Odyssey. However, when you step back and look at it, there are a ton of longish filler matches and time wasters, pushing this show pretty close to four hours. It was nice to see the depth of the tag team division showcased, but they could have easily had Hart Foundation vs. Rougeaus (finally polish off that feud) and scrapped the two matches they had instead. They also could have lost Bad News vs. Duggan and no one would have cried. The show definitely has its fair share of memorable moments, but also has many parts that are flat out forgettable. The Mega Powers story ends the only way it realistically could and we are now left to hope Savage wouldn't be shunted down into mediocrity following the match, similar to the way DiBiase was after Wrestlemania IV. This was a fun show to go back and watch and had all the heavy hitters of the era, but when you factor in a fairly blase crowd, the bloated card and the aimless segments blended in, you are left with a pretty down the middle, average Mania. The grade gets bumped due to nostalgia, so your mileage may vary, but the main event was really good and there were enough solid matches for me to justify where it landed.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #34

#  SummerSlam 1989: Ultimate Revenge

August 28, 1989

Meadowlands Arena

East Rutherford, New Jersey

Attendance: 20,000

Buy Rate: 4.8

Announcers: Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura

### Match #1: The Brain Busters defeat The Hart Foundation in a non-title match when Arn Anderson pins Bret Hart with a double axe-handle at 15:55

Fun Fact: The Brain Busters defeated Demolition on the July 29 (taped 7/18) edition of Saturday Night's Main Event in Worcester, Massachusetts in a 2-of-3 falls match to win the tag straps. After years of not having any gold, going into this night Bobby Heenan had both the Intercontinental Title and the Tag Team Titles. This match is non-title, with the reasoning being that the match was signed before the Busters won the tag titles, so Bobby did not have to make it a title match if he didn't want to.

### Scott:

Wow what an opening match for the biggest show of the summer. Two of the best tag teams in the company show clearly that in 1989 the tag division was so loaded that you can have four of the best workers in the company and not even need the tag titles on the line. Tully & Arn upset Demolition earlier in the summer and ended their epic tag title reign that lasted over a year. Right from the first minute when Tully Blanchard and Bret Hart chain wrestled you can tell these four were set on setting the tempo and making this show very different from past WWF PPVs. They want to show the world that the promotion is more than just big cartoon characters and very bland matches. Tully & Arn coming to the company was a breath of fresh air for both them and the WWF. The company needed some more athletic workers and the guys deserved a pay bump they weren't getting down with Crockett. This match is just continuous motion with no wasted moves by anybody; even the Anvil brought his boots in this one. Tony Schiavone is in with Jesse in place of Gorilla Monsoon and you can tell he's not completely in tune with the WWF product or the pace of the matches. After dominating the early part, a missed charge by the Anvil put him in trouble. This is where we see the expert chemistry and sweet NWA-style bullying by the two former Horsemen. Eventually the chaos reigns all around the ring, and that's what I like about Arn and Tully. They can control the chaos meter of a match without really looking disorganized. With the referee distracted, the Brain-Horsemen executed some double teaming to steal the win. One of the best opening matches in PPV history.

### Justin:

Our second edition of SummerSlam opens with a brand new voice in the broadcast booth as Tony Schiavone had jumped ship from WCW in early 1989 and hooked on with Titan to basically be the third string announcer and occasional interviewer backstage. However, he gets the call here alongside the ever present Jesse Ventura, who is also making his SummerSlam announce booth debut. Our first bout is a tag team match that looked about as fantastic as it gets on paper and seemed like a lock to deliver in the ring as well. Originally signed prior to the Brain Busters winning the tag titles, the match remained non-title since the Harts hadn't earned the shot quite yet and the Busters weren't required to put them up. Ah, the little things. Jesse makes a great point about it being kind of a no-win for the Harts as a win could just net them a future title match and a loss could bury them in the division. We got some very good mat and limb work blended with a bit of stooging early as the Harts traded off controlling both Double A and Tully. The Jersey crowd was really amped up out of the gate, getting into every Foundation move and tag. Jesse has really been on fire in the both over the last eighteen months and I love here how he breaks down the benefits of having a strong neck in both amateur and professional wrestling. The tide finally seemed to turn when Bret got duped into chasing Tully around the ring before getting decked from behind by Arn. The Busters were so damn good at those heel tricks and setups, always seeming to be a step ahead to gain any sort of advantage. Unfortunately for them, it didn't last as the Harts ran them right back to the floor to regroup. A couple of minutes later, the champs would sneak the advantage again when Arn hid behind Tully and yanked him away as Anvil crashed into the corner on a charge. After a fairly quick heat segment, Hart came back in and took right over, running Arn to the floor, which allowed the challengers to double team Tully a bit. After Anvil slammed Hart onto Tully, Arn came off the buckles and smashed Hart from behind, covered him and, being the illegal man, hid his head from the referee to pick up the win. What a great finish. Everything that was awesome about the Busters was on full display here. They did so many little things throughout the match to make it feel more real and it showed how they were always thinking in the ring. This was a really good opener and the crowd was hooked in the whole way. Jesse stands by his earlier prediction again at the end here as he notes "The Harts are in trouble" for losing a non-title opportunity. The Busters have been a big pickup for the WWF and are now the standard bearers of the tag division. It is also great to see the overall shift in athleticism and style since a year ago, when SummerSlam was peppered with aging retreads plodding through some heatless matches.

### Match #2: Dusty Rhodes defeats the Honky Tonk Man with the Bionic Elbow at 9:40

Fun Fact: "The American Dream is funky like a monkey...if you wheel!!!" Dusty Rhodes makes his PPV debut here. Rhodes was in the WWWF in the late-70s, feuding with Superstar Billy Graham. His big time days were in the NWA, where Rhodes was a three-time World Heavyweight Champion, as well as six-man tag champ, and a TV champ. He was the biggest victim of Four Horsemen beat downs, and even had his ankle broken in a steel cage by Ric Flair and the Andersons. After booking NWA for a couple of years, he was fired for seriously blading on TV when WTBS specifically told him not to. So, he left to take bigger money with Vince McMahon.

### Scott:

Now this match probably won't come close to the grade of our previous match. However we do get a hot PPV debut as NWA stalwart Dusty Rhodes has made his WWF return. Now for you younger fans you're wondering when he was there previously. Well, he actually had a hot run back in the late-70s. He had a great blood feud with Superstar Billy Graham in 1977-78, culminating with a bloody bullrope match at the Garden. Spending most of the 1980s in the Carolinas, he was booted for blading on TBS without permission in 1988. So he comes here for one last in-ring run and to make some scratch. A lot of old school fans hated the whole polka dots goofy gimmick and wanted the old school Florida/NWA Dusty. That wasn't going to happen and Vince was going to have some fun here. As for his opponent, let the jobbing continue. He's still a good heel, but instead of feeding him established faces to steal wins from when he was IC Champ, it's the new babyface and Honky is now putting him over. This is a standard mid-card back and forth affair where Honky wore Big Dust down with holds while Rhodes makes herculean comebacks. Eventually Dusty makes the final comeback and hits the Bionic Elbow for the victory. Incidentally, say what you want with the polka dots but Dusty's entrance theme is classic.

### Justin:

The freshening up of the promotion continues here as another long time NWA mainstay popped up over the summer in the form of black and yellow polka dots. The legendary Dusty Rhodes had dominated Florida and the Carolinas both in and out of the ring but eventually he wore out his welcome and after a gory blade job on TV, he was turfed. He checked his pride at the Titan Tower door and happily took on whatever the WWF booking team heaped on him, doing it all with a smile. Here, he is wearing the Big Boss Man's hat and carrying his nightstick, as they had begun a feud shortly before this show. It has now been a year since Honky Tonk Man jobbed his beloved Intercontinental Title and he has become quite the afterthought since, eating pin after pin and making up for his lengthy run with the gold. Dusty would use his patented elbow to rattle Honky early on, sending him to the floor to chat with Jimmy Hart at one point. Jimmy would hop in the ring to run some interference and allow HTM to jam the megaphone into Dusty's ample gut. Honky slowed things way down, going to a chinlock as his submission hold of choice. Dusty would have a couple of comeback attempts, but Honky dodged each of them and both times he went right back to the chinlock. Just when it looked like Honky may take this one, Jimmy again got involved but this time it backfired as he smashed Honky with the guitar, allowing Dusty to hit the bionic elbow for the win. That is a tough loss for HTM, who really controlled the match and worked to wear Dusty down while slowing the pace up. But, in one swing of some balsa wood, it all came crashing down. He did get to give a funny interview to Sean Mooney in the aisle, rambling incoherently as he stumbled to the back. Dusty picks up a win in his first PPV appearance and refocuses himself on the Boss Man.

### Match #3: Mr. Perfect defeats the Red Rooster with the PerfectPlex at 3:21

### Scott:

I'm not sure if these guys ever wrestled in other promotions, but honestly this would be a great wrestling match with two talented guys. Sadly who can take somebody with a red Mohawk clucking around the ring seriously? This of course is the match between the rumored finalists for the Mr. Perfect gimmick. It's sad what happened to Terry Taylor because in the mid-80s he was a stalwart in both Mid-South and the NWA and here he's fodder for the mid-card. No disrespect to Curt Hennig at all, but it's a shame that Taylor will never be really respected like that again. Even when he leaves for WCW he still will have that stigma for the rest of his career. It's a quick, harmless match that puts Perfect over as a great worker and one of the company's best heels.

### Justin:

We discussed the paths these two men took upon arriving in WWF in our 1988 reviews, but it really is on display for all to see just how jarringly divergent those roads were when you see them stand across each other in the ring. In one corner you have the cocky, smarmy undefeated heel in some sharp looking amateur style tights. In the other you have a dope clucking like a chicken with a red mohawk atop his blonde mullet. Perfect dominates right away with some strikes and slams but Rooster actually slapped his way back into it for just a moment before Perfect buried a knee to the gut and then cracked him in the face with a great standing dropkick. Jesse was salty during this one, calling out Rooster for instigating the brawling and shortcuts while Perfect was trying to wrestle. At some point in here it looks like Rooster tweaked his knee as he starts to limp a bit. After a quick tussle on the floor, Perfect hooks the PerfectPlex and picks up the easy win to stay undefeated. I have really enjoyed watching Perfect ascend up the ladder, picking up win after win while clearly being prepared for bigger things. It has been a nice organic build for him. The match was nothing but watching Perfect smack Rooster around before effectively squashing him was fun to see.

### Match #4: The Rougeau Brothers & Rick Martel defeat the Rockers & Tito Santana when Rick Martel pins Marty Jannetty after a punch in the face at 14:57

Fun Fact: Rick Martel was managed by Slick here, and has not yet morphed into the "Model." On the 9/23 Superstars, Martel had an interview where he claimed he should become a model due to his enormous sex appeal. The transformation would be complete by Survivor Series, and Slick would no longer manage him.

### Scott:

Wow do we have another gem on our hands. Once again we dip into the very deep tag team pool for two more expert technical teams with high-flying abilities. Add in a blood feud that started at WrestleMania and we have maybe one of the greatest six-man tag team matches in history. Martel is a tremendous worker dating back to the late 70s and now that he is an arrogant heel he can expand his personality even more. I like that Jesse stated that all three workers are French-Canadian so they can talk in French and the other team would be clueless. Little statements like that make Jesse great. The bob and weave show that Martel is playing on Santana is great and once again Jesse is pointing these things out. The lost art of announcing today, particularly color commentating. Martel finally gets in the ring with Tito when he has the advantage and then gets frustrated when the crowd is booing him vociferously. The heel work in this match is tremendous as Tito (like at Mania V) is playing face-in-peril perfectly while the French-Canadian trio works him over. Finally Tito gets the hot tag to Shawn Michaels, in his first SummerSlam match, and goes off on everybody in the ring. Eventually all six men start brawling and the Jersey crowd is going crazy. What a perfect arena for this show as the old school WWF northeast crowd is going bonkers all night long. The heels use the chaos to their advantage and maybe the wrong guys were in the ring allowing Martel to steal the pin and get the victory. The workrate in this match cannot be matched in many combinations but we have yet another high rated gem. Watch it and you'll understand.

### Justin:

Up next is a very interesting looking six-man tag featuring six tremendous athletes. The Rockers and Rougeaus had been battling on the house show circuit and they are set to lock horns while each teaming with a former Strike Force member. After walking out on Tito Santana at WrestleMania, Rick Martel officially cemented his heel turn by picking up Slick as a manger. He also switched up his tights from the classic white to a powder blue. Tito and Jacques opened things up but the match immediately broke down into a big brawl that ended with the French Canadians on the floor regrouping with their managers. Shawn's hair was extra permafluffed for this one, must be his summer look. Jannetty and Jacques would tussle after the reset and despite some sharps strikes from the Rocker, a quick distraction by Ray turned the tide to the heel side. Martel really took the heel role almost immediately, ratcheting up the smarmy arrogance, facial expressions and showboating whenever he had any control. He also was sure to play mind games with Santana, diving out of the ring whenever he crossed paths with his former partner. Some more chicanery led to Santana now getting caught up and trapped in the heel corner. Martel and the Rougeaus worked really together when on offense, quick tagging constantly while really laying it into Tito. One of the best parts of the assault was a crisp Jacques dropkick to Santana's mush. The crowd was really hooked into the heat segment, getting rowdy anytime the heel corner got involved and cheering loudly when Tito made his comeback attempts. The attack was focused as Martel snapped Santana down with a backbreaker that transitioned right into a Ray Boston Crab. They continued to double and triple team behind the referee's back, working brilliantly as a heel team, sneaking in and out of the ring to target the back and stop Tito from tagging out. Man, Tito is awesome at building heat on himself with his selling and timing. Jesse kept his foot on the gas too, claiming that "Chico nearly pulled one out of his Mexican hat there" when he snuck in a pin attempt. The window finally opened after some Rougeau miscommunication, allowing Tito to tag in Michaels to a huge pop. Shawn cleaned house, mainly tossing Martel all around the ring before cracking him with a dropkick and a textbook suplex. Things would quickly break down again with all six men battling. In the chaos, Tito drilled Martel with his flying forearm, sending his former partner crashing to the floor. Back inside, Jacques was able to use interference from Jimmy Hart to gain an advantage and roll up Marty, but Marty used the momentum to roll through and end up on top. Before the referee could arrive to count, Martel snuck in and punished Jannetty with a really stiff clothesline and stole the win. Man, what a sprint that was! I really dug that match a lot and was not ready for it to end but it was perfectly worked across the board. The crowd loved it and stayed hot for it, everyone worked hard and we even got a little dose of revenge by Santana before Martel got to look strong in grabbed victory for his team. This is a great hidden gem that should be sought out if you haven't seen it before.

### Match #5: The Ultimate Warrior defeats Rick Rude to win WWF Intercontinental Title with a splash at 16:00

Fun Fact: This feud raged over the summer after Rude won the title from Warrior at WrestleMania. They have been fighting back and forth from show to show. On the July 24 Superstars, Rude was ready to give the Rude Awakening (a kiss, not the finisher) to a lovely lady in the audience, Warrior came into the ring while Rude's eyes were closed and pounded on him. Another Superstars episode had Warrior defeat fellow Heenan family member Haku, then get jumped by Rude after the match. Finally on an episode of Wrestling Challenge the Saturday before the match, Heenan gets Andre the Giant to jump Warrior after a match and choke him out.

### Scott:

In my opinion, it's the match that this show will always be remembered for. What could be 1989's Feud of the Year culminates with an epic rematch from the upset at WrestleMania when Bobby Heenan held the leg and Rude became the IC Champion out of nowhere. Next to the main event, this feud received the most TV time on the syndicated shows as Rude and Heenan dangled the carrot that was the Intercontinental Championship and Warrior kept chasing it. The crowd here is salivating for this one, booing Rude and blowing the roof off when Warrior comes running down to the ring. Warrior absolutely dominates the action early on, including throwing Rude outside the ring and actually hitting him with the title belt and not getting disqualified by Joey Marella and Jesse absolutely going out of his skin. That is followed by Jesse tearing Schiavone to shreds when Tony says anything outside the ring is allowed. "So you can shoot somebody outside the ring!" Classic Jesse. Rude battles through and survives the early attack from the challenger until Rude crotches Warrior on the top rope. However Warrior cranks out of the Rude Awakening and battles out of the sleeper. Then the first big moment of the match is when a double shoulderblock knocks both men and the referee out to the floor. I love when Jesse cackles that this is when Bobby Heenan is most valuable. He tries to rustle Rude awake and then Warrior almost gets a three count but Rude put his foot on the rope. Rude takes the match over and hits some big moves but Warrior won't be pinned. Then the climax occurs when the crowd is going crazy over something off camera, which we see when the camera switches to see Roddy Piper sauntering up the ramp. Rude and Piper had some words earlier in the summer, and Piper comes out here. Rude gives Piper a little shimmy, and Piper responds by mooning him. Rude flips out, which gives the Warrior a chance to take control, hit his finishers and become a two-time IC Champion. The crowd goes bonkers and it concludes one of my favorite matches of all time. Is the workrate top notch? Well not exactly, but when you take the entire package with the backstory, the crowd and the charisma of the workers in the ring, it is one of the more memorable matches of the decade and definitely on the list of greatest Intercontinental Title matches of all time.

### Justin:

One of 1989's hottest feuds rages to a climax here in the Meadowlands as the Ultimate Warrior gets his crack at revenge and regaining the title stolen from him by Rick Rude back in Atlantic City. They have spent the summer attacking each other and stirring the pot all over WWF TV. Just before this show, Bobby Heenan had Andre the Giant choke Warrior out to soften him up a bit before this big match. The crowd was apeshit for Warrior as he sprinted down the aisle and shook the ring ropes vigorously in his infamous lime green tights. As the match started up, Jesse bragged about how he was the only person to give Rude a chance at Mania and he thinks the champ and the Brain could outsmart the Warrior yet again. The challenger started off red hot, press slamming Rude to the floor from the ring, which sent Jesse off on an epic rant about how he hates Warrior because he makes his own rules. Things get amped up even more when Warrior smashes Rude with the belt on the floor and doesn't get DQ'd. Jesse gloriously loses his mind as Schiavone tries to defend it, calling Tony "dumber than Monsoon" and calling for the head of Joey Marella. Warrior dumps Rude to the floor again, driving Jesse further off the deep end. This is some high level stuff across the board as Jesse is watching the wrestler he hates most destroy his favorite competitor. He even advocates that Rude just eat a count out loss due to the way Warrior was brawling and bending the rules. Back inside, things calmed down a bit but Warrior just kept manhandling Rude, using slams, strikes and suplexes to wear the champ down. It was very reminiscent of the early parts of their WrestleMania match. At one point, Warrior just lifted Rude up from behind and dropped him on his ass with abandon. However, the challenger gave Rude an opening by heading to the top rope, allowing the champ to trip him up and slam him down. Rude would work the back, taking his time in wearing Warrior down, but the challenger kept kicking out of pin attempts with authority. He also had enough strength left to break up the Rude Awakening before Rude could snap it off. Warrior would fight out of a sleeperhold but both men would collide on a charge attempt, wiping out the referee in the process. Warrior was next level fired up and the crowd was right with him as he brought the heavy artillery out in hammering on Rude. He had the champ beat, but Marella was still out cold and couldn't count. Warrior took the opportunity to crunch Rude with a piledriver, but by the time Marella crawled over to count, Rude got his foot on the rope. Rude would get his knees up on a Warrior splash and went back to work, but before he could finish the job, the crowd burst into excitement as Roddy Piper sauntered down the aisle to ringside. After Warrior survived a piledriver, Rude took a break to taunt Piper. Piper retaliated by lifting his kilt and mooning Rude. As Rude flipped out, Warrior caught him with a back suplex, a shoulderblock, press slam and big splash to regain his title and end the feud. This whole thing was pretty fucking amazing, from the action, to the crowd heat to the tremendous commentary. The feud has been a great one throughout 1989 and it received a worthy blowoff. Jesse was fantastic throughout this whole match as well, really adding to the importance of the whole thing. Warrior takes back his gold and Rude now has a new issue to deal with.

### Match #6: Demolition & Jim Duggan defeat the Twin Towers & Andre the Giant when Smash pins Akeem after Duggan whacks him with the 2×4 at 7:24

Fun Fact: Jim Duggan defeated King Haku at a Superstars taping in Davenport, Iowa in May to win the title of "King."

### Scott:

We begin the post-intermission half of SummerSlam with our second six-man tag match of the night. However this one is VERY different than our first encounter earlier on. Instead of six high flying technicians this time we have six massive power guys. I agree with Jesse that it's disrespectful that the American flag is on Jim Duggan's hideous mug. He is now "King Duggan" after beating Haku earlier in the year. This match is obviously going to be much slower and probably shorter than the other match. Sure enough we get lots of double teaming by both sides and the pace is very slow but the crowd is indeed just as hot as earlier. Tony Schiavone clearly never worked with a color guy like Jesse. In the NWA he usually worked with babyfaces like David Crockett. Jesse is calling Tony out on every stupid thing he says, and it seems to rattle Tony at times because he stops talking for a few seconds. During this match Jesse yells at Tony when he says you can't use the ropes to break a hold. How do you not know that? So dumb. Smash was the face-in-peril for most of the match until Duggan does what he always does, which is cheat to win. He uses his 2×4 to knock Akeem out and get the pin. Jesse is absolutely irate and I don't blame him. How did the babyface announcers justify Duggan being allowed to use that? I never knew the goody-goody announcers discarded the whole "two wrongs don't make a right". Damn it makes me so angry.

### Justin:

After a smartly timed intermission we have more six man tag action, but this time instead of featuring fast paced workers, we are treated to the hossiets of all hoss battles. Slick leading out Big Boss Man, Akeem and Andre the Giant with Jive Soul Bro blasting may be my favorite ring entrance of all time. Akeem and Slick dancing just never gets old. Andre has also switched over to his alternate navy blue singlet here. On the face side, we have the former tag team champions teaming with Hacksaw Jim Duggan, who also has his face painted and adorned with a Demolition style mask during his entrance. Duggan is now the King of the WWF, having defeated Haku for the crown shortly after WrestleMania. It was an interesting decision that I thought was pretty funny, having this dope walking around as royalty. The King would open things up with Akeem, rocking the big man with heavy right hands before tagging in Ax, who took a very similar approach. Demolition are really at the peak of their powers here, working with tons of confidence and crowd support and just owning their characters. They also had a lot of energy in this one, feeding off that crowd support and just taking the fight right to the Towers. The only way the momentum could be stopped was by the Giant, who tagged in and immediately slowed down Ax, pretty much just by sitting on him and then choking him out. Ax would tag his partner in and that led to the best part of the match as Smash bodyslammed both Boss Man and Akeem to a big pop. That was some impressive power and a really cool moment. Akeem and Andre would manage to bust Smash down and Akeem smushed him with a splash from the middle rope, but as the referee was tied up with Andre, Duggan grabbed his 2×4 and smacked the Dream to give his team the win. Oh, Duggan, always cheating your way into the hearts of your fans. Akeem was screwed...hard. He had it won! Anyway, this was a fun big man brawl with some good power spots and it was great that they never slowed things down despite their size. They also did a really nice job keeping Andre looking strong as he was the only one that could ever maintain any offense for his team. Duggan and Demolition pick up the big win and roll right on. Now, Demolition look towards regaining their gold.

### Match #7: Greg Valentine defeats Hercules with a roll-up with his feet on the ropes at 2:53

Fun Fact: The feud between Ron Garvin and Greg Valentine started on the 4/22 Superstars when after Garvin won a match between the two, Valentine challenged Garvin to a career vs. career match. The next week, Valentine won that match, so Garvin was forced to "retire". He still wrestled house show matches, but was retired on camera. Garvin started refereeing matches, including a non-title match in June between Demolition and Valentine & Honky Tonk Man where Garvin came into the match late and called for a disqualification. After altercations with various heels as ref, most notably Dino Bravo, President Jack Tunney suspended Garvin as a referee on the August 5 Superstars. Garvin was reinstated as a wrestler on August 27.

### Scott:

This match is highlighted by the memorably bad ring announcing by Rugged Ronnie Garvin. Garvin massacres his ring announcing of Valentine, which may be better than if he did it right. The match isn't much as Valentine cheats to win with some feet on the ropes, but Garvin says Valentine lost by disqualification. Valentine and Garvin have been battling all year and Garvin was banned as a wrestler and referee but was allowed to be a ring announcer. The post-match is better than the match itself as Valentine cheap shots Garvin then battles Hercules. Garvin gets back in the ring and lays out Valentine with one punch. The match is trash but the horrendous ring announcing and post-match is what's remembered.

### Justin:

Over the summer, Greg Valentine and Ronnie Garvin became embroiled in a feud that saw Garvin lose a match that forced him to retire. Garvin would pull some trickery and converted himself into a referee. After he made sure to screw Valentine as an official, he was fired from that gig. Here, he is given duties as a ring announcer and it leads to some...interesting results. He gives Hercules a straight forward introduction but just buries Valentine with a series of jokes about him and Jimmy Hart. The problem is he stumbled through most of it. Still, it was creative and a cool way to keep the feud simmering here. Herc took advantage of Valentine's anger at Garvin by hammering him from behind and slugging his way to a quick advantage. The Hammer could barely get any offense in until he was able to catch Herc coming back into the ring. Herc would kick out of a figure four and then catch Valentine coming off the top rope. The Hammer came back and rolled Herc up, tossed his feet on the ropes for leverage and snuck out a win. Garvin would hop in the ring and proceed to announce Hercules as the winner, multiple times, pissing off his nemesis in the process. An angry Hammer would deck Garvin and tussle with Herc until Ronnie snuck back in and pelted Valentine with a right hand to end the skirmish. Well, Hercules was just background fodder here, filling a slot to ensure the Garvin/Valentine feud could continue to run hot. I was going to ague that they could have found somebody besides Herc to sacrifice here, but it seems like he has already shrunk down to a fairly basic mid card role by this point.

### Match #8: Ted DiBiase defeats Jimmy Snuka by countout at 6:24

Fun Fact I: Since this is his first PPV match, here is some background on the Superfly. Born on the Fiji Islands, he moved up the wrestling ranks though the Pacific Northwest and eventually into the NWA Mid-Atlantic region. He actually defeated Ric Flair in a US Heavyweight Title match in 1979, as well as holding the NWA Tag straps with Ray Stevens. He arrived in the WWF in 1981 as a heel managed by Captain Lou Albano. He had a brutal, bloody feud with then-WWF Champ Bob Backlund which included a great steel cage match at MSG. He turned face in late-1982 and feuded with Albano. He then moved on to Intercontinental Champ Magnificent Muraco, which culminated in the legendary October 17, 1983 IC Title match in the steel cage at MSG. Even though Muraco won the match, Snuka forever left a mark on many wrestling fans (including Mick Foley and Bubba Ray Dudley) by jumping off the cage and hitting the Superfly Splash on Muraco after the match. Although he was one of the most popular superstars on the roster, he was never given gold in the promotion (mainly due to a clouded social life, as rumors abound that he killed his girlfriend while he was high on coke). He left the WWF in 1985 and went to the AWA, where he had brutal feuds with Bruiser Brody and Col. DeBeers. The WWF started playing vignettes in early 1989 hinting his return, and he came back at WrestleMania V before the Dino Bravo/Ron Garvin match.

Fun Fact II: On the 5/6/89 Superstars (taped 4/4), Jake Roberts faced and beat Virgil in just over a minute. After the match, Jake pulled a wad of cash out of Virgil's tights and passed it out to the crowd. This action prompted DiBiase to jump Jake from behind and put him out with the Million Dollar Dream. The incident seemed harmless, but would actually be used as a major plot point later in the summer. On 5/8, after a house show match in Orlando, FL, Jake was arrested on assault charges, stemming from an incident with a fan in December of 1988. So, on the 6/24 Superstars, DiBiase went on the Brother Love Show and announced that he put Jake in the hospital with the Million Dollar Dream (referencing the attack from the 5/6 show), claiming that Jake needed to have discs removed from his neck. On the 7/16 Challenge, DiBiase showed off a special golden neck brace he had crafted as a present for Jake. Jake remained out of action while handling the legal matters, but returned on the 9/24 Superstars where he went on the Brother Love Show and claimed that if he could unleash one final DDT, it would be on DiBiase. Jake had his first TV match since his return in October, and the DiBiase/Roberts feud was launched into overdrive.

### Scott:

This is nothing more than a filler match for the future Hall of Famer Superfly and to forward the DiBiase/Jake Roberts storyline that started shortly after WrestleMania. Snuka was one of the biggest stars in the WWF earlier in the decade, but it's sad that Jesse has to talk about him like a dopey jobber. The match itself isn't bad with some decent back and forth as Snuka, even at this age, can still work pretty well around the ring. DiBiase is still an in-ring presence even though some of the off-camera demons were slowly sneaking into his life. Speaking of Jake, we don't see him on this show as he's selling a DiBiase beatdown from earlier in the summer. Snuka loses by countout, which I find kind of strange. DiBiase is then blindsided and Snuka splashes Virgil to end the segment. A weird situation here as I'm surprised he didn't win clean but in any event DiBiase wins and Snuka gets the last word.

### Justin:

After a really hot 1988, Ted DiBiase has meandered through 1989 without a whole lot of direction. Coming out of WrestleMania, he tangled with Jake Roberts, eventually putting the Snake on the sidelines with a neck injury. He gets this match here just to keep him in the minds of fans. He even focuses on Roberts in a prematch promo, ignoring Jimmy Snuka, who is making his official in ring PPV debut. I dig Snuka's black and white jungle tights here as he rarely showed up in those. Snuka was a good mid-card add by the WWF, bringing his name value back into the fold as someone they could use to put over other stars and have it mean something. Sunk would frustrate DiBiase early, driving him to the floor to regroup on multiple occasions. Superfly's timing seemed a bit off as he tried a double leapfrog, but on the second one, he jumped too early and landed right on DiBiase's back. Jesse would debate strategy vs. instinct in the case of Snuka, arguing that he has zero thought behind what he does. DiBiase would get a flash or two of offense but this was mainly the Snuka show until DiBiase was able to catch him on a charge and drop him across the top rope with a stun gun. DiBiase would make a big mistake when he tried a blind back elbow drop off the middle rope. Snuka dodged it and took right back over, ascending the top rope for the Superfly Splash but Virgil was there to trip him up. Snuka assaulted Virgil out of retaliation, but that allowed DiBiase to sneak outside and club him from behind. Snuka couldn't pick himself up and ended up with a countout loss. After the match, Snuka beat down Virgil, smashing him with the Superfly Splash. DiBiase picks up a win, but the match really was nothing special.

### Match #9: Hulk Hogan & Brutus Beefcake defeat Randy Savage & Zeus when Hogan pins Zeus after the Leg Drop at 15:09

Fun Fact: Zeus was actor Tom "Tiny" Lister, who played Zeus in the movie "No Holds Barred." Vince McMahon decided to take his big screen confrontation to the small screen. Everything kicked off on the 4/22 Superstars, as Brutus Beefcake was on the Brother Love show, but was interrupted by Savage and Sherri, whom Savage had named his manager on Superstars the week before. Brutus kept calling her "Scary Sherri," causing Savage to attack him and cut his hair. The involvement of Zeus started on the May 27 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event in Des Moines, Iowa. Hogan was slated to face Big Boss Man in a steel cage match but as Hogan was coming to the ring, Zeus was blocking the entrance. Hogan attempted to move him and was beaten down. On a side note, the Boss Man/Hogan cage match was awesome. On the July 8 Superstars, Savage and Zeus laid down the challenge to Beefcake and Hogan for SummerSlam and on the July 18 SNME, Savage faced Beefcake in a singles match. As Beefcake had the sleeper on the Macho Man, Zeus came in and started pounding on him. Hogan came in, but his blows did nothing. Hogan even wailed Zeus with a chair and Zeus only turned around and smiled at him in a great visual that really kicked the feud into high gear.

### Scott:

This is the real life epilogue to "No Holds Barred". In 1988 Hogan (as "Rip") took on the mighty Zeus and defeated him. Fast forward to May 1989 and Zeus wants a little real life retribution. This continues the Hogan/Savage feud that has been running since February but we've added some pieces to the mix. This was a great way to keep the feud fresh by adding the invincible Zeus to counter Hulkamania, which is back at its peak after Hogan won his second World Title at WrestleMania. The crowd really goes nuts when the lovely Elizabeth is introduced. This is one of the hottest main events in WWF history to this point, as the crowd is totally invested in what's happening and what a job by the bookers to showcase Zeus as completely invincible. The match for the first few minutes is red hot as Zeus (other than eye pokes) is completely impervious to anything, while Savage, Hogan and Beefcake really do 90% of the legwork. You can tell Tiny Lister has never been in a ring, as Savage always tells him what to do and where to go. Mid-match, Beefcake has Zeus in a sleeper but Savage decks Beefer with Sensational Sherri's purse, which appears to be loaded. Remember that, it's a big deal later on. The action continues to go back and forth at a furious pace, faster than you might think. Finally Hogan had gotten Zeus vulnerable and when Sherri tried to interfere Liz threw her in the ring and the purse goes flying. Hogan picks the loaded purse up, cracks Zeus in the face with it and after a slam and a legdrop our heroes come away victorious. This is one of my favorite main events of all time from start to finish, simply because it once again did what the Rude/Warrior match did. It took a match that in terms of workrate is OK but not stellar, and added an intense storyline, an invincible heel and a very hot crowd and you have one of the WWF's stellar main events.

### Justin:

For the second straight year, we close out SummerSlam with a big main event tag team match. A year ago, Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage were victorious teammates, but here they are on opposite sides, their feud still raging hotly. Hogan's buddy Brutus Beefcake has quickly ascended up the card over the summer, establishing himself as a junior main eventer thanks to his association with the champ as well as his burgeoning feud with Savage. Savage had dumped Elizabeth as a valet and hired on former women's champion Sensational Sherri as a manager. The two were pretty whacked out and made a pretty good pair of psychos. Zeus was imported from Hogan's movie No Holds Barred and transitioned into the ring to feud during the back half of 1989. It was an interesting idea that carried quite a few plot holes, but he had a good look, so there is that. Hogan and Beefcake give a great, classic promo before the match, teasing a special surprise and ranting about...headlights. We also get a Genius poem before the match starts. The Genius is former job boy Lanny Poffo, given the gimmick of a know-it-all douchebag, a persona Poffo took to right away. As usual, the crowd was bonkers for Hogan, and Beefcake by proxy. It was cool seeing these four lined up in the ring before the bell, both because of look and color scheme, specially Savage's awesome silver-white tights. Before the match got underway, Hogan and Beefcake revealed their surprise by bringing Elizabeth out to be in their corner. It was cool to keep her involved and also to see the dichotomy with the whacked out Sherri, who had really gone off the deep end when she stepped out of the ring as an active wrestler. Jesse would waste no time bagging on Liz, calling her a golddigger and a "hat swinger from down the Shore". After thwarting an early attack, Hogan went to work on Zeus but things swung right away when he failed to slam the big man. That allowed Savage to start punishing his former pal with gusto, picking up where he left off at Mania, where he dominated the entire match before eating the pin. Zeus would eventually get the tag and go right to a bear hug to wear the champ down. The Jersey fans were molten hot here, cheering on Hogan nonstop. Zeus would have the hold clamped on for a while, but it never deterred their energy. Hogan would finally duck a Savage charge and find his way to Beefcake for the hot tag. The Barber would go right to his sleeper, locking it on Savage, who started to fade until he ran Beefcake into the corner to bust it up. Jesse kept claiming Beefcake was the weak link of the team, acting surprise when he got any offense in. He would try the sleeper on Zeus as well, but Savage made the save by smacking Beefcake in the back of the head with Sherri's purse. That led to our second heat segment of the match, with Savage and Zeus both working over Beefer, the latter mainly using chokes to do his damage. A second hot tag brought us to the climax of the match as Hogan started to clean house, playing a bit dirty out of necessity. We also got to see Hogan wreck Savage's finisher once again, as he pops right up after a big elbow. That seemed unnecessary. After that we finally got the Hogan/Zeus straight up showdown. Hogan rocked the big man with right hands and finally got him to fall to a knee. Sherri tried to get involved, but Liz tripped her up and Beefcake followed suit by blocking Savage from using the purse. Hogan was able to grab the bag and bash Zeus with it before slamming him and finishing him off with the legrdrop, much to Schiavone's excitement. I am surprised they had Zeus take the pin here considering he was sticking around for more from here. I guess they could use the purse excuse to keep him strong. The crowd was nuts as Hogan and Liz smacked Sherri around, setting her up for a Beefcake haircut. This was a really fun main event, mindless popcorn flick type stuff. You knew the ending coming in, but the ride was quick and fun and the red hot crowd added to the atmosphere. Zeus was decent enough and anytime you have Savage doing the heavy lifting, you will be OK. It also helped elevate Beefcake to a true main event player if needed. Hogan picks up another PPV win and his storyline with Savage is just about over.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

For many years this was my favorite SummerSlam of all time. The crowd was great, Jesse's constant berating of Schiavone is great, and the card is really good. Since then another SummerSlam has replaced it at the top of the list but it is a solid #2. The WWF was cooking with serious gas in 1989. The main event situation was great, the mid-card had solid characters and the tag division was never better. As great as NWA 1989 was with Flair, Steamboat, Muta, Funk and others you can definitely argue that the WWF roster was just as good at this point. Clearly the showcase piece of the show is Ultimate Warrior, as he gets the big mid-show main event win and is destined for bigger things. Hogan/Savage chugs along but you wonder since it took a foreign object to take him out if we've seen the last of Zeus. Overall one of the best PPVs in history and one I can watch anytime, anywhere.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

What a great PPV outing this was. It was a breezy watch, just cruising right along with very little bullshit slowing it down. The characters are great, there was some really good in ring action for a 1980s WWF show and fans were so hot throughout that it gave everything a bump. I really enjoyed Schiavone and Ventura as well, as they had pretty good chemistry and it was a nice change of pace in the booth. Tony carried himself well in his first WWF PPV outing. As I mentioned before, there was some high quality wrestling, something you didn't always get from the WWF at this point. There were four matches that were at least three stars and anything that wasn't was kept short and had pretty good pacing. This year's installment easily laps the inaugural edition as the roster has improved both character and in ring ability wise. It is easily a top three PPV to this point in company history.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #36

#  Survivor Series 1989: Hogan Runs Wild

November 23, 1989

Rosemont Horizon

Chicago, Illinois

Attendance: 15,924

Buy Rate: 3.3

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

### Match #1: The Dream Team: Dusty Rhodes, Brutus Beefcake, Tito Santana, & Red Rooster defeat The Enforcers: Big Boss Man, Bad News Brown, Rick Martel, & Honky Tonk Man

Survivors:

Dusty Rhodes and Brutus Beefcake

Eliminations:

Rick Martel pins Tito Santana at 9:14

Bad News Brown is counted out at 15:26

Brutus Beefcake pins Honky Tonk Man at 17:21

Brutus Beefcake pins Rick Martel at 20:12

Big Boss Man pins Red Rooster at 20:56

Dusty Rhodes pins Big Boss Man at 21:58

Fun Fact I: Bad News Brown is replacing Akeem, who couldn't make the show.

Fun Fact II: On the 7/22 Superstars, Dusty Rhodes came down and stole the Boss Man's nightstick from Slick to prevent Boss Man from beating up his opponent with it after the match. Boss Man tried to get it back, but Rhodes then beat him up with the stick and took off with it.

Fun Fact III: During the match, an enthusiastic Dusty Rhodes fan is showed in the crowd, and mentioned by Gorilla. The fan was a plant, and would eventually be introduced as Sapphire and would be named Dusty's manager in December.

### Scott:

We fire up the Thanksgiving Night tradition with a battle of solid mid-card teams. I love Jesse's pilgrim hat to be festive, but that was mean calling Gorilla an old, fat turkey. I actually think Gorilla got a little pissed at that one as he tells Jesse after the open "You're lucky I'm in a festive mood." This match focuses on two feuds: Dusty Rhodes vs. Big Boss Man and Tito Santana vs. Rick Martel. Rhodes and Boss Man have been running the house show circuit with Rhodes taking Boss Man's hat and nightstick. Big Dust has been one of the hottest babyfaces in the company since debuting. Boss Man continues to be full blown heel but there are smatterings of face pops here and there, and that causes a big change in 1990. Tito and Martel continue their war from WrestleMania and it always seemed Martel was one step ahead of his former tag team partner. The rest of the Dream Team is the always popular Brutus Beefcake and filler Red Rooster. On the heel side we have Bad News Brown, who walked out on his team last year after heel miscommunication. Martel eliminates Tito with a small package and a handful of tights; again Martel gets one up on his former partner. Early on in the match we get a look ringside at a fired up Dusty fan. Bad News Brown finally is tagged in and he starts working Rooster over, until the inevitable heel miscommunication and Bad News walks out for the second year in a row. That ties the match at 3-3. Brutus then eliminates Honky Tonk Man, who continues his downward slide to irrelevance. That's the price you pay for pissing Vince McMahon off. After Martel and Rooster are eliminated Boss Man is all alone with the Dream and the Barber. The numbers game catches up with Boss Man and he gets pinned, but Slick starts the post-match party by tossing Boss Man's nightstick in and he works both Beefcake and, in particular, Dusty Rhodes over. Beefcake chases Boss Man off with the clippers. This was a fun match that sees Dusty's team win but Boss Man gets the last word and this feud is far from over. Rhodes actually gets busted open by Boss Man, but since Dusty's forehead is looseleaf paper it doesn't take much. A good opener that gets the show off to a fast start.

### Justin:

The final PPV outing of the decade is our third annual Survivor Series. For the first time, the show is outside of Richfield as we will be spending Thanksgiving Night in the Windy City. Also a change from the previous two installments, we now have five matches with teams of four as opposed to four matches with teams of five. We also have awesome team names this time around. One constant is our announce team as Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura are back together again to call this one. I loved the opening video packages, first starting with all the superstars talking about what they are thankful for before transitioning into Vince McMahon narrating all the teams and matches.

Our opening contest features an interesting mix of mid-card talent, many of whom are passing each other on the opposite sides of the ladder. The heel team is led by Big Boss Man who was still being booked quite strongly off of his big spring feud with Hulk Hogan. He is joined by the fading Honky Tonk Man, the rising Rick Martel and the enigmatic Bad News Brown. Brown is replacing Akeem (tear), who had to miss the show. I will already be subtracting stars for that. On the face side of the docket, red hot Dusty Rhodes is flanked by the equally as hot Brutus Beefcake, the steady Tito Santana and the dead in the water Red Rooster. Rhodes and Boss Man had been feuding since the summer, including an instance where Dusty stole Boss Man's gear. I do like Honky's black and yellow tights here, but they do him no good as Tito manhandles him to start. In some nice continuity, as soon as Honky had control, he ran over and tagged in Martel so the Strike Force explosion could rage on. Martel would win that battle briefly until Santana rallied and rattled him with an atomic drop for a near fall. I should also mention that Slick and Jimmy Hart are mulling around ringside and that is one of my favorite parts of these matches, the manager unions. The crowd would really explode when things reset with Dusty and Boss Man trading blows. Dusty had some great energy here, really moving around the ring quickly. Beefcake has come so far from even one year ago, feeling like a bigger star and being treated like one as well. It was clear his stock was high. The teams would swap competitors and control over the ensuing moments and Boss Man's team would gain momentum once Rooster got caught and smacked by Martel and then bullied around by Boss Man. Jesse make his first great point of the night, noting that Brown had yet to enter and wondering if he can coexist with teammates. It was just a year ago that he walked out on his partners. I could watch Martel and Santana battle all day, they work at such a crisp non-stop pace that is so fun to enjoy. Martel would best his former partner her, hooking the tights on a roll up and sending Tito to the showers. As Dusty entered, we pan to the crowd and see a very enthusiastic polka dotted fan...one that we will see again in the near future. Rooster would again be the weak link, getting trapped and mauled by Boss Man, only to escape after biting the big man. Boss Man would tag a very reluctant Brown who decides he would now be in for the duration, beating on Rooster, who didn't bother to tag to the consternation of the announcers, and looking at his partners with disdain. He would finally tag but it backfired as Boss Man decked him by accident. A pissed off Bad News shoved the big man and then walked off for the second year in a row, proving he is best left alone and not being forced to mesh with others. We would get a few more mix-and-match combos, including Honky and Beefcake refreshing their 1988 feud. Despite dominating the Barber, Honky would eat a high knee and look at the lights once again, giving Dusty's team the advantage.

Despite the victory, Beefcake was unable to tag and was still a weak target for further assault. However, he once again was able to sneak in a move and a pin, taking Martel over with a sunset flip to give the Dream Team a 3-1 advantage. Rooster would tag in, dueling with Boss Man for a third time but this go around ended poorly as Boss Man snapped the chicken down with a sidewalk slam to draw closer. Ventura was all over Rooster for not quick tagging and using their advantage. His teammates would take heed, tagging in and out as they worked Boss Man over. After one of the tags, Dusty would hit the ropes and dive into Boss Man with a cross body to win the match for his squad. After the bell Boss Man beat the piss out of Dusty with his nightstick after cuffing him to the ropes. This was a really fun match and Beefcake and Dusty were booked to look really strong, as was Boss Man. Everyone played their roles well and all the quick tags and pacing kept the fans revved up throughout. After the match, we get an epic interview just inside the entrance curtain where Slick tells Dusty he just got the " worst beating in your big fat life". Awesome.

### Match #2: The King's Court: Randy Savage, Greg Valentine, Dino Bravo, & Canadian Earthquake defeat The 4X4's: Jim Duggan, Ron Garvin, Bret Hart & Hercules

Survivors:

Randy Savage, Dino Bravo, and Canadian Earthquake

Eliminations:

Canadian Earthquake pins Hercules at 3:55

Jim Duggan pins Greg Valentine at 7:30

Dino Bravo pins Ron Garvin at 11:16

Randy Savage pins Bret Hart at 19:04

Jim Duggan is counted out at 23:20

Fun Fact I: On the 11/11 Superstars, Dino Bravo wanted to have a feats of strength show and he held a pushup contest in the ring. The deal was to choose a fan from the crowd to sit on his back while he did push-ups. They chose a very large man, named John who weighed 460 pounds. Bravo actually managed to do some push-ups with John on his back. The Ultimate Warrior them came out to also participate. As Warrior prepared, John proceeded to slam down on the Warrior's back and squash him. Bravo and John then decimated Warrior and left the ring. John was dubbed "Canadian Earthquake" and joined up with Bravo in the Hart Family. He was not originally scheduled for this match, but was added at the last minute to replace the "Widow Maker" Barry Windham who was out having surgery. Windham had a short run in late 1989, but never made a PPV appearance.

Fun Fact II: On the 9/25 Superstars, Randy Savage defeated Jim Duggan to become the "King" of the WWF. After the match, which was won via the loaded purse, Savage nailed Duggan three times with the Flying Elbow, and that was followed by two splashes of the top from Sherri. Duggan was taken out on a stretcher as Savage celebrated. Savage would retain the "King" title until WrestleMania VII.

### Scott:

It still breaks my heart that the ultra-talented Bret Hart got stuck with this team of losers. Incidentally, the King's Court may be one of the most awesome teams in Survivor Series history. Savage becomes King after rightfully defeating that drooling boob Jim Duggan, and tonight has the uber-swank purple "Macho King" tights, complete with crown logo. They are reminiscent of Harley Race's tights during his run as King. We have this mysterious Canadian Earthquake get the first pin by taking out Hercules. Earthquake is a massive force that will be a lasting influence on the landscape when it's all said and done. The brewing feud between Ronnie Garvin and Greg Valentine continues during this match as well. Incidentally I know this sounds silly but I'm surprised Garvin was allowed to wear a red and yellow ensemble for matches. I thought only ONE man can wear that combination. Duggan evens the match by taking out Valentine with his finisher, and then Savage (who Jesse continues to gush over) works over Duggan and then tags to Earthquake. You can tell this guy is built for a big push somewhere down the line and this is just a warm-up to get his character over. However the real juicy part of the match was when Bret Hart gets tagged in to face Savage. We look back 25 years from this writing and think "Give these guys 20 minutes and you'll get five stars." This was the first test of the Bret Hart singles push, as he and Anvil were put on different teams. That also means we weren't going to get a full tag Survivor match like last year. Garvin is taken out by Bravo and the Court is up 3-2, but we want another shot at Bret/Savage! We were about to get a Savage/Bret showdown and that asshole Duggan ruins it by grabbing Savage from the outside and lay some shots in. Duggan only wished he had a 1/8th of the talent both of those guys did. Eventually Bret becomes face-in-peril by getting worked over by Bravo with a bear hug. At this point I wish we get rid of all the loser fluff and just have Savage/Bret for ten minutes. Ah, dare to dream. The three Canadians are in the ring together and Bravo and Earthquake beat Bret down and a Savage elbow eliminates him. That leaves Duggan with Savage, Bravo and Earthquake. Duggan fights so hard but you know, since God forbid Duggan can't get pinned, we're waiting for the inevitable countout or him to miraculously pin all three guys but with Earthquake a fresh heel that's not going to happen. Sure enough Duggan gets counted out to save himself from getting pinned. Overall it was a fun match but my disdain for Duggan makes it slightly worse considering we could have had Bret/Savage for at least a few minutes and it never happened.

### Justin:

On to our next match and this one features a blend of upper and lower mid card stars and a few guys that are entering into newer roles on the card. The newly christening Macho King's purple tights are one of my favorite wrestling looks of all time. So regal, so fantastic, so swank. Savage is joined by Survivor Series stalwart Greg Valentine, the ever-present Dino Bravo and a brand new monster heel, the Canadian Earthquake. Quake is replacing the Widow Maker on this team and it is played up that Jimmy Hart had to spend some cash and pull some strings to make this switch-a-roo happen. Quake is a huge dude and had a memorable debut when he attacked Ultimate Warrior during a pushup contest. He was a big boon to the upper mid card almost immediately. On the opposite side of the ledger, we have Jim Duggan, who had been Savage's nemesis since Macho had stolen his crown about a month before this show. He is teaming with the aimless Ronnie Garvin, the declining Hercules and the newly solo Bret Hart. Well, kind of. Just like in mid-1988, WWF bookers were again trying to give the Hart Foundation a little solo run to see if they had the juice for a split yet. Hart gets put in against a couple of strong workers so he could show off his wares in a spotlight setting. The managers at ringside for this one are Jimmy Hart and the now Sensational Queen Sherri. Even though the crown was never really pushed as a heavy gimmick and could be construed as goofy, I thought Savage and Sherri really elevated it and made it part of their fabric. They pulled off the look and the aura perfectly. The crowd was super into the 4x4s as they marched to the ring, each carrying a board in hand to show unity. Herc kicked things off for his team, laying the wood in on both Savage and Valentine. From there, the 4x4s all took turns beating on Valentine, including our first look at Hart and the continuing burning of the Hammer's feud with Garvin. I will say Herc looked pretty good in this one, showing lots of energy and really tossing some bombs around. Sadly, he doesn't last very long as Bravo tags in Quake, who makes quick work of the Mighty One with an Earthquake Splash. That was a great PPV debut showing for the big man. Garvin and Herc would actually find a way to trip him up and get him off his feet but Quake tagged out before any damage could be inflicted. Garvin would get caught in the corner and worked over a bit, really putting the 4x4s in a tough spot. Garvin's wobbly jelly legged sell is one of the best out there. Despite looking ripe for elimination, Garvin was able to tag in Duggan, who cracked Valentine with a clothesline to even up the sides at three. Garvin would be right back in the mix and I must say he really is getting a strong push here, eating up a lot of in ring time and getting tons of shine. The crowd was really into the Garvin Stomp on Bravo but he Strongman was able to block the Scorpion Deathlock. From there...the dream match was granted upon us as Bret Hart and Randy Savage squared off. The crowd was buzzing as Bret worked Macho over, but sadly we only got a quick morsel as Savage abruptly tagged Bravo back in. The move would pay off as Garvin headed back in but got caught with a side suplex to give Bravo the elimination and another win over the Rugged One. We would get another taste of Hart vs. Savage and this lasted a bit longer and featured more offense but still left our balls blue as Savage staved the Hitman off and tagged out.

The King's Court would alternate making Hart and grinding him down but the Hitman stayed alive and eventually tagged out. For some stupid reason, Duggan tagged right back out, putting Hart right back into the hornets' nest. That was really stupid and I can't believe Jesse didn't jump all over Hacksaw. After Hart ran shoulder first into the post, Savage ascended the top and hit the big elbow to take the Hitman out of the match. Great to see Savage's finisher reestablished a bit after being buried by Hogan multiple times. Jesse would put over Hart and then mock Duggan for being stuck three on one, telling him not to be embarrassed to run away. Duggan would catch fire, clearing the ring of all three of his opponents as the crowd did their best to rally him. Just as Duggan was making more progress, he hit the ropes but Sherri pulled down the top rope and he crashed down to the floor, where he was counted out. APD, baby. Always Protect Duggan! I mean come on, he is down three to one and is against Quake and Savage. He could have taken a pin and still stayed strong. Quake could have used a nice final elimination over a guy like Duggan here. Blah ending but this was another fun match that put a nice spotlight on an emerging Bret Hart. His sequences with Savage were a lot of fun. Speaking of Savage, this match did a nice job reestablishing him as a threat after he spent a lot of 1989 as Hogan's job boy. Earthquake had a strong debut and Garvin had a good showing as well. This was well worked and had good heat and storytelling behind it.

### Match #3: The Hulkamaniacs: Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, Ax & Smash defeat The Million Dollar Team: Ted DiBiase, Zeus, Warlord & Barbarian

Survivor:

Hulk Hogan

Eliminations:

Zeus is disqualified at 3:21

Warlord pins Ax at 9:49

Barbarian pins Smash at 13:41

Warlord & Barbarian are disqualified at 19:44

Ted DiBiase pins Jake Roberts at 23:49

Hulk Hogan pins Ted DiBiase at 27:30

Fun Fact I: Demolition regained the WWF Tag Team Titles from the Brainbusters on the 11/4 Superstars. The match was actually recorded on 10/2.

Fun Fact II: The push for the No Holds Barred feud was still in high gear, even though the film was out of theatres by the time this show rolled around. Vince, however, was set on making one last payday off of the movie, thus he began promoting a special PPV package deal for December 27th. If you ordered No Holds Barred on PPV, you would receive a special tag team cage match between Hogan & Beefcake and Savage & Zeus. The package did an overall buy rate of 1.6 which was decent enough for the time period, but surely not as high as Vince had hoped. By the time 1990 rolled around, Zeus disappeared from WWF TV and became nothing more than a trivia question in WWF history.

Fun Fact III: Speaking of the No Holds Barred movie, the film had an estimated budget of $8 million and did over $16 million at the US box office. For those wanting that extra Zeus fix at home, the movie was released on DVD in July 2012 with a Blu-Ray release in April, 2014.

### Scott:

Well look at this! Hulk Hogan in the MID-SHOW main event. We know what that means. This is likely wrapping up the Hogan/Zeus rivalry, although we're not sure if these two one on one at WrestleMania was in the cards at that time. The crowd is red hot for this one as the team is loaded with the #1 guy (Hogan), the #1 mid-card babyface (Jake) and the #1 tag team (Demolition). The problem we have with this match is the completely ridiculous booking to protect the WWF Champion. First off Zeus gets disqualified early on for choking. I know Zeus has limited ability but all the sizzle in the match is gone in the first three minutes. Nothing against DiBiase and the POP but they're not feuding with Hogan, and if he's your big guy why not let that pair percolate during this match until the end? Absolutely makes no sense at all. The next sequence focuses on the tag feud and Ax is eliminated by the PoP followed by Smash getting worked over pretty good by the heels. Smash now gets pinned as well, so the PoP gets some retribution from losing back at WrestleMania by pinning both members of the tag team champions in this match. The PoP and DiBiase worked very well together here as the Barbarian spends time really taking it to Jake and I love how Jesse is salivating at the prospect of Hogan being in the ring alone in a 3 on 1 situation. Gorilla and Jesse are sniping more than normal on this night, and not comedic sniping but legit pissed off at each other sniping. I wonder if something was going on behind the scenes. Jake takes a real big time beating but eventually gets the hot tag to the WWF Champion and he does his heroic house-cleaning. Eventually Hogan gets overwhelmed but fights back with a double clothesline. The Jake/DiBiase story continues outside the ring but then the bullshit really is laid on thick when not one, but BOTH Powers of Pain are disqualified for attacking Hogan. Wow what was the booking deal backstage? Hogan probably said "Fine, I'll let Ultimate Warrior main event, but I want to vanquish four top flight heels without really working much and I get 35 minutes of posing after the match." Jesse is absolutely sick over this, and frankly so am I. Poor DiBiase can't even beat Hogan in a useless throwaway Survivor match. Jake of course has to take most of the beating in this match for Hogan. Jake gets pinned with a fist drop by DiBiase so we have a one on one encounter here and it's pretty much a forgone conclusion. DiBiase works Hogan over and slaps the Million Dollar Dream and then we get a double clothesline. Eventually Hogan pops up from a back suplex and after the usual boot/leg drop combo he gets his win. Then we get the usual endless posing crap, which felt like crap for the first time in my Hogan fandom. Hogan couldn't put over DiBiase in a throwaway Survivor match. There's this big cage match with Savage/Zeus set for December, why not have them come back out and cheap shot Hogan for DiBiase to get the win? Did he really have to do this? No he didn't. Hogan was realizing for the first time there's a guy on this roster that's challenging the throne of his WWF Kingdom. So he needs to scratch and claw for whatever he can get to remind everyone who is #1.

### Justin:

Up next is one of our giant main event matches, filled with some high level talent across the board. As Ted DiBiase led his team of monsters to the ring, the Genius blessed us with a poem about how Hulk Hogan's team would fail here tonight. Right on, Lanny. DiBiase's team was comprised of the Powers of Pain and Zeus, who is still trying to destroy Hulkamania despite his SummerSlam loss. I never quite understood why Savage and Beefcake weren't in this match instead of DiBiase and Jake Roberts. It would have made much more sense to set up the No Holds Barred cage match. Roberts and DiBiase could have been paired up in a separate match as their feud was still raging, with Roberts having just returned from his neck injury. Hogan is also flanked by Demolition, who had regained their tag titles from the Brain Busters back in October. Jesse is already fired up, bagging on Hogan and Company before the match even starts. I will say that Hogan's team is really a dream unit for any fan that was between ages six and twelve in 1989. Gorilla and Jesse would also debate why Zeus had the "Z" on his head, ending with Jesse just crapping on Gorilla for being purposely obtuse. Despite how we feel about the Human Wrecking Machine, the Chicago crowd still seemed really amped to see him and the Hulkster tussle. They would get their wish as Rip and Zeus kicked things off with Zeus shaking everything off before laying some hammer blows in. He would follow that up by choking Hogan out repeatedly, refusing to stop, until he was finally disqualified. Bah. If they REALLY wanted to sell No Holds Barred, have Zeus eliminate Hogan after a few minutes. As is, he still looks like a monster as he took barely any offense and walked out angrily unharmed while Hogan was a quivering mess. Jesse harps on the referee, saying he saved Hogan's ass here. Hogan would survive a DiBiase follow-up attack and tag out, allowing his strong and fresh partners to really punish the Million Dollar Man. Ax would get trapped, which allowed the PoP to reignite the feud from earlier in the year with both Warlord and Barbarian overpowering and punishing and eventually eliminating him with an assist from the normally useless Mr. Fuji. This was also some odd booking though, as PoP had really faded as the year went on, so it was kind of curious to get them back in the picture with the champs again and give them pinfall victories over them as well. After a brief spurt from Hogan, Smash would be captured and beaten down as well. This match is not helping the champions look very strong at all. Odd, again, coming off them regaining the straps and not really having legit contenders in the match with them.

In my favorite spot of the match, Smash snapped DiBiase across the top rope with a stiff stun gun but turned around and ate a nice Barbarian flying clothesline before being eliminated. That left Hogan and Roberts at a 3-2 disadvantage against a really strong trio of opponents. Jake would get worked over with vigor thanks to some quick tags and the PoP power advantage. He also was able to barely survive a stiff DiBiase piledriver thanks to the ropes. The crowd heat has been good throughout but was really ramping up here as they tried to stick with Roberts throughout the assault. Gorilla and Jesse continued to argue throughout this whole match, with Gorilla taking a much more antagonistic position than normal. Roberts tagged out but Hogan's offense was short lived as the PoP started to double team him into oblivion, including crushing him with a spike piledriver. As a result, Dave Hebner disqualified both Barbarian and Warlord! And that sent Jesse over the edge, who went right back into how Hogan was saved again, with three men having ben disqualified for beating up the Hulkster. He has a point. It was a shady move by a shady referee. The crowd rallied Hogan as DiBiase slapped the Dream on him. I will say, after a soft 1989, this match has done a lot to elevate DiBiase back up a bit, so maybe it did work out to stick him in this slot. Just as Hogan's arm was about to drop a third time, Roberts came in and busted up the hold. This is some more curious booking, almost adding sympathy to a very unsympathetic heel with the odds placed against him. I think they should have held off on the double DQ until Hogan was left alone on his side. Just as Jake had DiBiase in trouble, Virgil popped into the ring and ran some interference. Virgil ate a DDT but that allowed his boss to sneak in behind the Snake and pin him to even up the odds. Hogan has pretty much spent this entire match panting and quivering on the mat. DiBiase maintained control for a bit longer before Hogan eventually made his eventual comeback and finished off the game Million Dollar Champion with the usual big boot and legdrop combo. I really am not sure what to think with this one. It was really odd booking across the board. The heel team came out looking way strong for sure, but the cheap DQ eliminations rang a bit hollow, especially for the PoP, a team that really hadn't done much of anything since the spring. It was weird seeing them dominate the champs and be kept strong via the lame eliminations. Hogan looked like a bit of a dope as well, being saved left and right and only getting about six moves in to polish off DiBiase. In the past I have argued that Hogan should have laid down here, but I get why he couldn't considering what was coming in 1990. I think they should have had Hogan and Zeus both get counted out while brawling and had DiBiase win the match by last eliminating Roberts. It would accomplish quite a bit by adding even more heat to Hogan and Zeus' feud as well as giving DiBiase a needed marquee win. Instead, he continues to look like someone that just can't ever win a big match, no matter how much help he is given. The match was a bit bland with a few interesting spots and a hot crowd. I will bump the grade a bit due to the star power, the heat and how strong Zeus was made to look.

*** We get dueling promos to sell No Holds Barred. First, Zeus and Randy Savage fire each other up and predict victory inside the cage. In a locker room elsewhere, Hogan and Beefcake talk smack until Queen Sherri shows up and tosses powder in their faces, which allows Savage and Zeus to attack and put a beating on both until the rest of the locker room breaks things up. ***

### Match #4: Rude's Brood: Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, Jacques Rougeau & Raymond Rougeau defeat Roddy's Rowdies: Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, Bushwhacker Butch & Bushwhacker Luke

Survivor:

Mr. Perfect

Eliminations:

Jimmy Snuka pins Jacques Rougeau at 4:01

Roddy Piper pins Raymond Rougeau at 7:39

Mr. Perfect pins Bushwhacker Butch at 10:44

Rick Rude pins Bushwhacker Luke at 12:14

Roddy Piper and Rick Rude are counted out at 18:36

Mr. Perfect pins Jimmy Snuka at 21:26

Fun Fact: On the 4/8 Superstars, the world witnessed the transformation of long time jobber "Leaping" Lanny Poffo into a brand new gimmick: the Genius. The poetry and effeminate actions were still there, but he was now a heel and would start to focus on managing instead of wrestling. The 5/15 Prime Time would mark the Genius' in ring debut, but most of his appearances throughout the summer featured the Genius reading poetry about various current issues in the WWF, with his most prominent poem being read before the Main Event at SummerSlam. Then, on the 10/7 Brother Love Show, Genius appeared and announced that he found a new protégé to manage: Mr. Perfect. This announcement was accompanied by the debut of Perfect's theme music, a song that would become synonymous with him for the rest of his wrestling career.

### Scott:

This match has always made me laugh because you have two teams of completely different personalities. One side you have four expert technicians who are also great stick men, and on the other side you have a captain that may be the business' best stick man and three crazed lunatics. This may not have much in the way of workrate but I think we may get some fun back and forth comedy with the serious heels and the crazed, hilarious babyfaces. Within the first eight minutes the Rougeaus are eliminated by the Bushwhackers, continuing the feud from WrestleMania that keeps going through the end of the year into 1990. Booking-wise that has to have stunned the Chicago crowd and the PPV viewers at home to see the Brood down 4-2 early on. In fact the match is booked almost in reverse as Perfect is getting beat down for a good chunk of time by Piper and the Whackers. Eventually Perfect starts to outsmart the dopey Whackers as Butch is eliminated with a roll-up, and a few minutes later Rude takes out Luke with the Rude Awakening. With the match even at two, Perfect starts working Snuka over and also baiting Piper to get in the ring so he and Rude can double-team each other. I like this Rude/Perfect combo, as they would have been a pretty good tag team for a short stretch. I'm trying to remember if they worked the house shows together after this show. Probably not, but it would have been pretty cool to see. This match is a great example of not only how great a wrestler Perfect is but what a great seller he was too. He took a Snuka headbutt like he was hit in the head with Duggan's 2×4. I wonder if Rude was injured in this match because it seems like he didn't wrestle as much as the other guys and Perfect seemed to be doing a lot of the yeoman work in this match after the tag teams were eliminated. Piper and Rude, whose feud has been red hot since Piper cost Rude the IC Title at SummerSlam, brawl up the ramp to the back and get both get counted out. That decision shows that Perfect is indeed the sole survivor as they won't have Perfect lay down for a JTTS like Snuka was at this point in his career. That doesn't mean these two don't have a pretty decent exchange for the last three minutes of the match but eventually Perfect catches Snuka with his head down and cranks the Perfectplex for the victory. Snuka roughs Perfect up after the match and was going to hit his big splash on the Genius but Perfect saved his manager. However it is clear that Mr. Perfect is moving up the ladder on the heel side.

### Justin:

If the prematch interviews for this match don't get you pumped to be a wrestling fan, then you best check your heartbeat to ensure you are alive. The cocky arrogance of Rude Brood's offset by the absolute madness of Roddy's Rowdies was a thing of beauty and perfectly executed by all involved. I must say that Rude's Brood is one of my all time favorite Survivor Series teams, from the members to the attitude to Rude's tights to the team name, they exude heel like none other. Piper and Rude have been at war since SummerSlam when Hot Rod cost the Ravishing One his title. Perfect is still wandering aimlessly, picking off mid carders at will and the Bushwhackers and Rougeaus continue their never ending feud as well. It didn't take Jesse on at all to hit his racist barbs on Superfly, saying he is one step above cannibalism. There was some early controversy as Bobby Heenan is nowhere to be seen with Rude, confirming the rumors that Jesse had heard about turmoil in the Heenan Family.

The ace of the team, Mr. Perfect, gets the start and takes it right to Luke until all of the Rowdies take turns biting him all over his body. Animals. They would stay hot, working over the Rougeaus and quickly gaining the advantage when Snuka eliminated Jacques after a big Superfly Splash. That was definitely an upset out of the gate. We would get some issues out of that as Rude and Perfect collide on the apron, leading to a spat and a Snuka double headbutt. Despite the clear talent advantage, the Brood is completely out of synch in the early going, playing right into the chaotic clutches of the Rowdies. That dominance would continue until Piper got trapped in the corner and the Brood finally slowed things down a little bit. Well, that was until Piper snapped Ray down with a piledriver to give the Rowdies a 4-2 advantage, shocking Jesse and me! Poor, poor showing in a big spot for my boys from Queb...er, Memphis. Perfect would finally stop the bleeding a bit, and in a funny spot he gave Luke a random kick, sending him stumbling backwards as the Bushwhacker had him trapped in the corner. Things continued to look bleak until Perfect got a desperation sunset flip pin on Butch to finally give the Brood a victory. Rude would even things up moments later, snapping off a Rude Awakening on Luke to bring the sides even. Jesse notes that he predicted the Brood could win this with wrestling and this was proof. I am really digging the vibe of this match, as it feels like a football game or something, where one team has dominated the pacing and controlled the majority of the action but somehow it is tied as the more talented team got a couple of quick scores in. Fun stuff. From there, Snuka and Perfect had a nice extended segment, one that I would argue was one of Snuka's best showings since his return. As each man was wiped out and made tags, the crowd got all revved up for Piper and Rude to start trading bombs. That brawling would spill to the floor and eventually to the locker room, with both captains being counted out, meaning the feud would continue on. That left us back to Snuka and Perfect trading holds and pin attempts in a nice, quick sprint. These guys and really good chemistry. Perfect would avoid near disaster and catch Snuka with the Perfectplex to win the bout for his team. Perfect continues to mow through the midcard, winning another tough match. After the bout, Snuka continues his run of being a sore loser by wing out Perfect and teasing a Splash on the Genius before Perfect made the save. I really liked this match a lot, it told a cool story and it felt like the Rowdies could have stolen it but came up just short due to the talent differential. Fun stuff all around.

### Match #5: The Ultimate Warriors: Ultimate Warrior, Jim Neidhart, Marty Jannetty & Shawn Michaels defeat The Heenan Family: André the Giant, Haku, Arn Anderson & Bobby Heenan

Survivor:

Ultimate Warrior

Eliminations:

Andre the Giant is counted out at :27

Haku pins Jim Neidhart at 3:29

Bobby Heenan pins Marty Jannetty at 8:48

Shawn Michaels pins Haku at 12:54

Arn Anderson pins Shawn Michaels at 15:36

Ultimate Warrior pins Arn Anderson at 18:16

Ultimate Warrior pins Bobby Heenan at 20:26

Fun Fact: Bobby Heenan is replacing Tully Blanchard, who was fired by the WWF just a day before the show for failing a drug test. He was set to go back to NWA Mid-Atlantic alongside Anderson, but when Jim Crockett found out about the failed test, Blanchard was fired immediately, and Anderson returned as a solo act.

### Scott:

Immediately you see something is wrong, as Bobby Heenan is in tights and not the other half of the Brain Busters. As we know later on Tully Blanchard was partying too hard with Ted DiBiase and failed a day-of drug test. I would have put Rude in that slot so you can have another actual worker in there. Its clear Andre is on the tail end of his career as he was only in for 27 seconds and he was not moving very well at all. Haku and Arn Anderson will be doing a good chunk of the work here as Bobby can't carry anybody. Haku eliminates the Anvil and the teams are even, except Gorilla who says the Heenan Family is one man down because Heenan "doesn't count". I love how Gorilla is such a flip flopper when it came to tag teams double teaming. He was thrilled when the Powers of Pain were disqualified earlier in the night but when the Rockers do it here it's "a way to survive." As young kayfabe fans were we really that dumb? Warrior is getting some crazy pops from this Chicago crowd and its pretty clear why Hogan wanted so much in his match earlier in the night. Jesse is on cloud nine when Bobby actually pins Jannetty after Haku works him over. Haku gets eliminated after a Shawn Michaels cross body, and here is where the Heenan Family starts to crumble. Arn Anderson is pretty much told by Bobby to do all the work against Shawn Michaels and Ultimate Warrior. Arn starts getting really annoyed. I really do think that Rick Rude should have worked a second time here to up the grade of the match but from a storyline perspective it gives Gorilla and Jesse something to snipe about. Michaels is eliminated by Arn and the Intercontinental Champion is all alone. Bobby gets his kicks in but every time Warrior gains an advantage Bobby tags to Arn quick. It's pretty much Arn vs. Warrior at this point. Warrior eventually beats Arn with his press slam/splash combo, and that leaves poor Bobby all by himself. Jesse is out of his skin while the Brain takes a final beating and gets pinned. Ultimate Warrior finishes the show on the top and the crowd goes crazy. Perhaps the bookers did know what they were doing as 1989 turned into 1990. The main event overall lost something without Tully there, but the crowd did get what they want: The Ultimate Warrior on top.

### Justin:

Main event time here and we have a few important things to cover. First off, we really have a changing of the guard on top of the promotion as the Ultimate Warrior is slated to close the show instead of Hulk Hogan. Now, that partly could be because they wanted to push the NHB post match attack so Hogan had to go mid-show, but I also think it had to do with testing Warrior out to be the man. Second, we have Bobby Heenan back in the ring on PPV for the second time this year as Tully Blanchard is MIA. Behind the scenes, Tully had failed a drug test and was fired. Arn was playing out his contract so he stuck around for this match, but Bobby steps in as the fourth man. Finally, we have Jim Niedhart flying solo, just as his partner did earlier. This is a pretty big spot for the Anvil, in there with some heavy hitters. Same goes for the Rockers, a team that seems to be gaining some momentum as the year is wrapping up. Warrior and Andre had been feuding since SummerSlam, when the Giant had attacked Warrior just days before he won the IC title. The match would start before Warrior even got in the ring, and once he did arrive, he rocked Andre with a huge clothesline that sent the big man crumbling to the floor, out cold. His team had no chance to pick him up, meaning he was counted out and eliminated, which was a huge blow to Heenan's squad and really put them in a quick hole. Andre had really been suffering, so the company was doing all it could to tamp down his in-ring time but still use him as needed. Anvil and Arn would reset the match and after a spurt, the Heenan Family took over and started to wear the big rhino down. Anvil rocked Haku but a distraction from Arn on the apron allowed Haku to kick him in the back of the head and eliminate him. Not the best way to take advantage of that choice slot, Anvil. After that we got a nifty little tag match with the Rockers going toe-to-toe with Arn and Haku. And it was fun. Lots of double teams and quick tags with a little Warrior mixed in as well. In a great spot, after Arn and Haku really punished Jannetty, Bobby slipped in the ring, stomped on him a bit and covered for the elimination to swing the odds back to Heenan's favor. This is a nice spot for Michaels here, left to team and be visible alongside Warrior. In a really nice power spot, Haku charged at Warrior, but the IC champ just scooped him right up into a bear hug. Warrior would dominate both men and almost got Arn eliminated when he launched Shawn off the top rope and onto Double A with a splash for a two count. Michaels would get that impressive win just moments later by wiping out Haku with a cross body block. With that, Bobby actually had to get involved in the match a bit more to help out Arn, who did his best to control the action for his side. Shawn would do his best to hang with Arn, but he got caught coming off the rope and crunched with a textbook spinebuster to leave Warrior all on his own. The crowd was really into Warrior here, but Arn slowed him down by side stepping a charge and chucking him to the floor. Arn really wrestled valiantly here, working over Warrior while having had to completely carry his team. It was pretty cool to see him get a solid push even though he was heading out the door. Warrior quickly came back, and after Heenan was bumped to the floor, he polished off AA with a press slam and big splash. Heenan would scream for Arn, but AA took off and Warrior got to punishing the Brain, getting all his revenge after a year of dealing with the Brain's shenanigans. As Warrior splashed and eliminated Heenan, it really was a nice way to cap off a huge year in the growth of the Warrior. For all of 1989, Warrior started to build his portfolio and gain steam as a character and wrestler. All along the way, Heenan was there to torture him. So, to close out the year with Warrior putting the feud to bed and really elevating to that next level made a ton of sense. This was a good match but did feel a bit disjointed at times, with so many starts and stops it never really hit that next, smooth gear where things could cruise a bit. Despite that, it was a good mix of talent and Arn and Haku had a really good showing as did Warrior. It was also fun seeing Bobby in the ring one more time.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is one of the most memorable Survivor Series shows in history. When you mention the shows watched by anyone during the Federation era, this is one that many flock back to. The matches are memorable (if aggravating at times; we're talking to you Hogan) and the commentary of Gorilla and Jesse. One of the best years of wrestling in the US ends here as the NWA/WCW was really cooking that year as well. 1990 will be a year of promise to start, but flame out quickly in the end. Every match has a little bit of everything in it and I recommend it if its close to Thanksgiving time and you want something to get you in that spirit.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This is an interesting case study of a PPV. The match quality is just so-so with two matches sitting at *** and the rest slight under. Nothing was bad at all, but nothing stood out as great either. When it comes to intangibles, though, there was a lot to like here. As Scott mentioned, Gorilla and Jesse were fantastic as always, really digging in and going at it over the hot issues of each match. The crowd was really hot too, hanging in with each match and rooting on all the favorites. It was also the first real crowning moment for the Warrior, who gets the main event spotlight to himself for the first time. There are some weird decisions in here, especially with the team constructions. It was odd not to have Hogan teaming with Beefcake and Savage aligned with Zeus. I also thought the sudden push for the Powers of Pain, wiping out a suddenly vulnerable feeling Demolition, seemed shoehorned in. The main event took a hit on the surface with Heenan in for Tully Blanchard, but story wise this was a better fit as Warrior wrecking his arch-nemesis was the perfect ending to his year. I think nostalgia has to factor in here as well, as the roster of talents is a who's who of stars from that era that so many fans resonate with and love. Everyone on this show was pretty well known and had a unique character, look and style. It was a vibrant roster across the board and it was a really solid show to close out what has been a very good year for the company. Factoring in match quality, intangibles, importance and nostalgia, I think this grades out as a very good, but not great show. But sometimes a little taste of your childhood is all you need.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #37

  Royal Rumble 1990 – The Perfect Politician

  Wrestlemania VI – The Ultimate Challenge

  SummerSlam 1990 – Where Do We Go Now?

  Survivor Series 1990 – Which Comes First? The Taker or the Egg?

#  Royal Rumble 1990: The Perfect Politician

January 21, 1990

Orlando Arena

Orlando, Florida

Attendance: 16,000

Buy Rate: 2.0

Announcers: Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura

Fun Fact: This is Tony Schiavone's final PPV appearance with the WWF. He would head back to WCW before WrestleMania and remain there until the company folded in 2001. After a brief stop in TNA, Tony pretty much left the business for good and returned to calling sports in Atlanta.

### Match #1: The Bushwhackers defeat the Rougeau Brothers when Butch pins Jacques Rougeau with the Battering Ram at 13:34

Fun Fact: This is the Rougeau Brothers' final PPV match as a team. Their final PPV record is 3-6-1. They were 0-2 at the Royal Rumble, 0-3 at Wrestlemania, 1-0-1 at SummerSlam and 2-1 at Survivor Series. Raymond would retire shortly after this show due to back injuries while Jacques would take some time off before prepping for an eventual return.

### Scott:

We open a new decade with a WrestleMania rematch. The Rougeaus have been one of the best tag teams in the company but on this day they seemed a bit off. Rumors were they were leaving the promotion and mailed this one in but that doesn't seem like either of these guys' character (real life, not kayfabe). The Orlando crowd is off the hook for this match immediately and the wide camera shot of the sold out crowd makes this such a huge show and for the first time this PPV concept overall seems particularly special. The crowd carries most of this match since the in-ring work is good, but not great. We have two teams of varying degrees who do have some history, as nine months earlier in Atlantic City the Bushwhackers won that match as well. I was surprised Luke and Butch got the rematch win, so maybe there was something to those rumors in PWI of the Rougeaus leaving. The match is standard but the crowd is totally geeked and the energy level is sky high.

### Justin:

For the second time in three shows, Tony Schiavone steps in for Gorilla Monsoon to call this one alongside Jesse Ventura, who is decked out in Mickey garb to celebrate the company's trip to Orlando. Tony would head back south shortly after this, so we will see if he can match his SummerSlam showing or if he already has one foot out the door. Speaking of one foot out the door, our beloved Rougeau Brothers were about to wrap up their lengthy run in the company. They had been with WWF since 1986 but with Ray nursing injuries and looking to ease into retirement and the fact that they clearly weren't very high on the tag ladder any more, a departure made sense. Once again they are paired with the Bushwhackers, just as they were at WrestleMania V and this past Survivor Series. The Whackers have pretty much dominated their feud, sadly. Jacques is rocking a pretty swank beard for this one. The fans were really into Luke and Butch and their Three Stooges act, I will say that. I will also say it is sad to have seen the Rougeaus devolve into a comedy act over the last year. With the Whackers continuously biting in this one, Jesse goes off on a tangent about how they may have rabies that always makes me chuckle. After the Whackers got off to a really hot start, the Rougeaus took a break from stooging and double teamed their way into control. They would start to pick apart Luke's back with a nice mix of strikes and double teaming. Ray had definitely gotten a little pudgy, which I am sure had to do with his chronic back problems that would drive him to retirement. I love how much of a dick Jacques was, dropping to his back just so he could do a kip up and strut around. I am probably going to mention it a dozen more times here, but man this crowd was ridiculously hot. As Ray hooked in a camel clutch, Jesse was beaming with pride over the Rougeaus using wrestling to wear down the brawlers and then shouts down Tony when he complains of double teaming. Luke would make the hot tag to Butch, who started cleaning house on both opponents as well as Jimmy Hart, who got dragged into the ring and picked apart before his charges saved him. As the Rougeaus regrouped on one side of the ring, the Whackers loaded up the Battering Ram and slammed into both brothers, pinning Jacques off the ricochet for yet another win. The crowd loved the finish but I didn't! My poor Rougeaus. I will miss you guys. The match was nothing special, natch, and pretty similar to their tilt at WrestleMania V.

*** Backstage, Ted DiBiase is fuming and reveals that he picked #1. Gene Overland notes that Jack Tunney had extra security in place when he picked to ensure there were no shenanigans like the ones that occurred a year earlier. ***

### Match #2: The Genius and Brutus Beefcake wrestle to a double disqualification at 11:05

Fun Fact: On the 11/25/89 Saturday Night's Main Event, the Genius picked up the biggest win of his career, as he defeated World Champion Hulk Hogan by count-out, after Mr. Perfect nailed Hogan with the title belt. The heat from the Perfect/Hogan feud was transferred to Beefcake, leading to this match.

### Scott:

A growing feud between Hulk Hogan and Mr. Perfect extends to each mans friends as Lanny Poffo has his first PPV singles match ever against the very popular Beefcake. I remember the huge upset on Saturday Night's Main Event when Hogan actually lost a decision to the Genius. Sure it was by countout but even that didn't happen often when Hogan had a rare TV match. I am stunned at how hot this Orlando crowd is. The match isn't that great though, as Genius spends a majority of the match posturing around the ring. Clearly he (like his brother) learned to do that in Memphis. After some back and forth, we get an ill-advised referee bump. Did we really need a ref bump in this match? Well to really bring the confusion home, after Beefer puts Genius to sleep, he starts cutting his hair, but the match isn't over yet! Mr. Perfect comes in to start battling with Beefcake and then all of a sudden the bell just randomly rings. The referee is completely out, so who called for the bell? The match mercifully ends in a double disqualification, and I'm not sure why. How could the referee make any call on anything when he literally was just out cold? I don't even know what happened in the match to call for a double DQ. The Perfect/Hogan feud is siphoned to Beefcake and now this feud continues to our next supercard up north. Otherwise this match is a complete mess.

### Justin:

For the first time on PPV, we get a look at Mr. Perfect's manager, The Genius, in action. Perfect and Genius were set up for a big 1990 as late in 1989 they became embroiled in a feud with Hulk Hogan and his buddy Brutus Beefcake. With Perfect entered in the Rumble, Genius draws a singles slot against the Barber here. Beefcake is decked out in white and pink and is really quite over as his stock continues to rise. Genius was quite effeminate in his mannerisms, skipping, prancing and stretching seductively in the corner before busting out a cartwheel on the floor. Jesse even calls him light in the loafers. That leads to a very evolved reaction from Beefcake, who blows a kiss, demonstrates a limp wrist, skips across the ring and vogues in the corner. The match would quickly become a slugfest with Genius actually hanging in while trading blows. Beefcake would rattle him with an atomic drop as well as stomp on his hands before crotching him on the top rope and again mocking Genius' mannerisms as the crowd chanted a very derogatory slur. Genius would land a shot here and there but Beefcake would always quickly come back with a blow to rock him and kill his momentum. Even when Genius was on the offensive it never really felt like he had any sort of advantage. Beefcake would eventually hook the sleeper on but during a struggle, Genius slammed into the referee, sending him crashing to the floor. After a few more seconds of trading blows, Beefcake went back to the sleeper, but with no referee and the Genius out cold, Beefer released the hold. Sensing an opening, Beefcake grabbed his scissors and started to trim right from the top. I love how whenever Tony gets a bit too comfortable and jabs Jesse, Jesse snaps and puts him in his place. As the cutting continued, Perfect showed up on the scene and took it right to Beefcake, laying in some knees and forearms to draw a DQ. Perfect would grab a chair and bash Beefcake in the ribs with it a couple of times before officials broke things up. The match was just literally nothing but the heat for the characters and post match attack was fantastic. With that assault Beefcake and Perfect are far from finished but for now Perfect and Genius get the last laugh.

### Match #3: Ron Garvin defeats Greg Valentine in a Submission Match with the Scorpion Deathlock at 16:52

Fun Fact I: On the 12/23/89 Wrestling Spotlight, Ronnie Garvin came to ringside and stole Greg Valentine's "Heartbreaker" shin guard, which he had been using to apply extra pressure when he applied the Figure Four Leglock. This led to Garvin wearing his own shin guard, which called the "Hammer Jammer." The battle over the shin equipment would come in to play in the big PPV submission match.

Fun Fact II: This is Ronnie Garvin's final WWF PPV match. Garvin would remain on TV through the summer before leaving the promotion and heading out to the indie circuit where he would wrestle on and off over the next fifteen years. Garvin also owns multiple used car dealerships in North Carolina. His final WWF PPV record was 1-3, with his only win coming here.

### Scott:

I want to preface my comments by saying that those who know me well know who my least favorite wrestlers in history are: Jim Duggan, Bushwhackers, Jimmy Valiant, and yes Ronnie Garvin. He's a brutal promo guy and he really has no workrate. However, unlike those other three examples I have found a Ronnie Garvin match that I really like. Garvin's hard-hitting strike style works well with Valentine's strike/grapple hybrid style. I can't believe that technically this feud goes all the way back to the end of 1988 when these two had a series of high profile house show matches in the Northeast. There's a MSG match in December '88 that apparently is a lost classic. For many years I glowed over this match and proclaimed it as a five-star classic. Of course that was before Justin and I really honed our guidelines down and put some real thought into these reviews. Watching the match a few times since, it is still very good but there are holes in it. Both guys took some time to really figure the stipulation out as they kept getting into pinning predicaments, including Garvin putting Valentine into a small package. That was really stupid. After about six minutes both guys settled in and the match really took on a war of attrition. The psychology of the match was both guys having shin guards to try and either enhance or counter figure four leglocks and other leg submission maneuvers. After Jimmy Hart actually steals Garvin's "Heartbreaker" shin guard The Hammer really took control but Garvin battled back and got Valentine's shin guard off and now it's just a battle over who can really survive. Garvin clocks Valentine with his shinguard and then slaps the Scorpion on and eventually the Hammer taps out. Well submits, as "tap out" hadn't hit the wrestling lexicon yet. Jesse denies that a submission took place but in any event the crowd went crazy and Garvin gets his biggest WWF win. The match is still very good but not as awesome as I remember it the first couple of times I watched it.

### Justin:

One of our most unlikely hottest feuds of 1989 comes to a climax here as Ronnie Garvin and Greg Valentine go toe-to-toe to finally settle their issues. There have been mind games, physical assaults and firings since May, but now the two will battle in the first ever WWF PPV submission match. There was also some nice psychology mixed in here as both men are wearing shin guards that would affect the effectiveness of their respective finishing submission holds. Jesse notes that Valentine's guard is due to injury while Garvin is just being an asshole. And the guards had awesome names! The "Heartbreaker" and the "Hammer Jammer". As you would expect, we get some stiff right hands and chops to open things off and the crowd was buzzing a bit while watching it. It would evolve into a bit of a boxing match, with both squaring off and tossing jabs at each other until Hammer finally got an opening to drop Garvin and go right to work wearing him down. During the match, both men would try for pins to really get the stipulation across and show that both men were a bit out of their element. I love how neither guy could gain that true advantage and would almost reset the bout at times before stiffing the crap out of each other again. With Garvin shaking cobwebs on the mat, Hammer turned his shinguard around and then hooked in the figure four, but it was quickly evident that Garvin's guard was negating the hold as he just sat there and mocked Valentine until he released the hold. Hammer kept control and hoisted Garvin into a sweet hanging backbreaker, which popped Jesse hard. Garvin fought his way back with some gnarly chops and some picture perfect crisp right hands. Both men really dug deep into their bag of tricks as Garvin locked Valentine into an old school Indian Deathlock, but Hammer stayed alive by reaching the ropes. After a tussle on the floor, Jimmy Hart got involved and was able to slip the Hammer Jammer off Garvin's leg. Valentine would pounce and go right back to the figure four and this time Garvin could fully feel the effects. He would fight through the pain, though, and turn the hold over to bust it up. The fans have really stayed with this one, getting louder and louder as the match built. Garvin was able to lay Hammer out for a moment and it was just long enough to move the Heartbreaker to even the sides up. Garvin would fend off Jimmy and then bash Hammer with the shinguard before hooking in the Scorpion Deathlock for the win to a gigantic pop. What a win! This was such a non-WWF style match in so many ways and that made it really stand out as something different and fun. The two guys just beat the shit out each other for over fifteen minutes, never slowing down or lightening up. They would try a submission hold here and there, but the majority of the time was spent pelting each other with stinging chops and fists. It was pretty cool watching these guys turn the clock back a bit and just go to war, stringing the fans along with them. I was glad they got such a spotlight shined on them with this showcase match and they really took advantage and put on a memorable bout. Garvin gets one last moment in the sun before fading away, bringing this feud to a close.

*** We take a break in the action for a special in-ring edition of the Brother Love Show. While Love rambles, Tony makes a couple of fat jokes, wondering how many donuts the Brother had consumed that morning. Love then welcomes out his first guest, after laundering her with compliments of course: Sensational Queen Sherri. They would trade more gushing compliments before running down the other guest: Sweet Sapphire. Sapphire had gone from avid Dusty Rhodes fan to Dusty Rhodes' manager over the winter. She was enthusiastic if nothing else, but other than that, she had a...unique look. Love and Sherri really tore her up for having no class and for being fat and sloppy, as did Jesse who calls her "tons of fun", before she danced her way out to the ring. The commentary is pretty good as Tony actually debates which of the two he would rather date while Jesse is on the verge of vomiting at the thought of watching Sapphire. Love would pepper Sapphire with questions but never let her answer them as each time he and Sherri cut her off and shredded her more. This was real good heel work, especially when Love asked if Dusty just loads Sapphire in the back of his pickup truck when they travel. Sapphire finally snaps and smacks Sherri, which draws Macho King out to defend his woman. Before he can act, Dusty Rhodes is on his heels and all five brawl in and around the ring. After Savage and Sherri took off, Love decided to stile deride Dusty for some reason. Rhodes hopped back in the ring and chucked Love to the floor before dancing us out of the segment. ***

### Match #4: Jim Duggan defeats Big Boss Man by disqualification at 10:22

### Scott:

I saw that matchup and instantly I'm thinking a lot of punches and kicks. However, this match is where we really start to see the talent that Big Boss Man has in the ring. Once again, babyface announcers fail to justify why Duggan's allowed to have a 2×4 in the ring but no heel is allowed to bring anything at all. Tony is sniping about Boss Man's nightstick, but Duggan's 2×4 is ok because it's his "calling card." Did the announcers ever notice that they sound so stupid? Of course with this being a Duggan match we're also going to not have a definitive finish either, since God forbid he ever jobs. Boss Man's enhanced in-ring work makes this match much better than it probably had any business being. Duggan actually sells Boss Man's offense quite well when usually he sells for no one, but the crowd nevertheless is really into it. Tony was so dumb sometimes, as Jesse notes, Duggan shoved the referee and Tony goes "You sure about that?" Well we all just watched it you dope. Tony wouldn't be sticking around too much longer. Boss Man ends the match with a nightstick shot and a disqualification. Duggan grabs his 2×4 and we get the usual Duggan post-match crap. The match was better than I anticipated, but Duggan as usual can't have a match with a clean finish.

### Justin:

Any day that I get to hear Jive Soul Bro is a good one. Slick leads Big Boss Man out to the ring for what should be a stiff little tussle with Hacksaw, who has finally moved past his feud with Randy Savage. It also looks like the Twin Towers have really moved on to doing their own thing for a bit here, as they are separated. You can tell they have bigger things in mind for Boss Man as he was the one that got singles feuds throughout 1989 while Akeem just backed him up. I am guessing these guys watched the previous match backstage and decided to pick up where they left off as they immediately kick things off by trading big right hands at each other. In a nice spot, Duggan charged Boss Man and sent him tumbling out to he floor. Hacksaw followed him out and they kept the fight going outside. Back inside, Boss Man used his weight to his advantage, bullying Duggan into the corner and chopping away. He then reversed course and busted Duggan with an enziguri (!) which popped Jesse big time. Nice move for a big guy. As Scott mentioned, Duggan did do a nice job selling here, putting over the power behind Boss Man's strikes. Boss Man really laid them in too, as well as choking Duggan out with his boots and then just dropping his weight on Duggan's gut. Hacksaw wouldn't stay down, though, and kept coming right at Boss Man, making this feel like a big heavyweight fight. Sensing he had Duggan worn down, Boss Man hooked a bear hug but the crowd rallied him and Hacksaw busted it up with headbutts. He would drive Boss Man to the floor again after a series of clotheslines and I am really getting into this one now. The story has been well told, with Boss Man unloading everything as Duggan just stubbornly keeps coming at him. Towards the end, both men were down and out and had a dramatic climb to their feet and I totally believed it as they had really beaten the piss out of each other. It quickly fell apart from there as Boss Man accidentally slammed into Slick and then grabbed his nightstick and smashed Duggan for the DQ. Duggan retaliated by grabbing his 2×4 and bashing both Boss Man and Slick with it to drive them to the back. That was a really unexpectedly fun brawl with two guys unloading the chambers and chucking bombs left and right. There was a good story in there too and the DQ finish makes sense because Boss Man was exhausted and tired of trying to keep Duggan down.

### Match #5: Hulk Hogan wins the Royal Rumble

Order of entry, followed by who eliminated them:

Ted DiBiase: Ultimate Warrior

2. Koko B. Ware: Ted DiBiase

3. Marty Jannetty: Ted DiBiase

4. Jake Roberts: Randy Savage

5. Randy Savage: Dusty Rhodes

6. Roddy Piper: Bad News Brown

7. Warlord: Andre the Giant

8. Bret Hart: Dusty Rhodes

9. Bad News Brown: Roddy Piper

10. Dusty Rhodes: Earthquake

11. Andre the Giant: Demolition

12. Red Rooster: Andre the Giant

13. Ax: Earthquake

14. Haku: Hulk Hogan

15. Smash: Haku

16. Akeem: Jimmy Snuka

17. Jimmy Snuka: Hulk Hogan

18. Dino Bravo: Ultimate Warrior

19. Earthquake: Haku, Jimmy Snuka, Ted DiBiase, Smash, Dino Bravo & Jim Neidhart

20. Jim Neidhart: Rick Martel

21. Ultimate Warrior: Hulk Hogan

22. Rick Martel: Ultimate Warrior

23. Tito Santana: Ultimate Warrior

24. Honky Tonk Man: Hulk Hogan

25. Hulk Hogan: WINNER

26. Shawn Michaels: Ultimate Warrior

27. Barbarian: Hercules

28. Rick Rude: Hulk Hogan

29. Hercules: Rick Rude

30. Mr. Perfect: Hulk Hogan

Longest Time: Ted DiBiase (44:47)

Shortest Time: Shawn Michaels (00:12)

Most Eliminated: Hulk Hogan (6)

Fun Fact I: As of 2014, over 40% of the participants in the match are in the Hall of Fame.

Fun Fact II: The Colossal Connection had defeated Demolition to win the WWF Tag Team Titles on December 13 (aired December 30).

### Scott:

The rest of the roster jumps right into the fire for our third annual Rumble event. We start with Ted DiBiase, who bought #30 last year is now #1. He eliminates Koko and Marty Jannetty but then the place goes insane as in comes Jake Roberts at #4, continuing their red hot feud. Both men go all out and this Orlando crowd, who deserve ***** for their non-stop energy level tonight, goes nuts when Jake hits the short-arm clothesline. That's the pregame show for the DDT but DiBiase ducks away. At #5 is the Macho King Randy Savage, who has the oddest looking flower tights I've ever seen. He and DiBiase work Jake over until the next competitor, Hot Rod Roddy Piper, comes in to even the odds. We have awesome chaos in the ring right now as four future Hall of Famers go all out here. The mighty Warlord comes in to give the heels an edge but we have two great sellers in the ring in Jake and Savage, as both take any beating very well. Tony and Jesse work much better together than they did back at SummerSlam 1989. In comes Bret Hart and DiBiase is still in there after about 20 minutes. We don't have many eliminations early on, but a guy that I think should have won a Rumble in his career comes in next: Bad News Brown. This match suits him perfectly. Savage eliminates Jake, and due to the lack of closure with DiBiase, that blood feud continues. I'm still trying to figure out what the hell Savage is wearing. Looks like tights a Samoan wrestler would wear. Speaking of Savage, Dusty Rhodes is next and they start throwing haymakers. Rhodes quickly eliminates the Macho King shortly after getting into the ring but that feud is far from over.

Andre the Giant is next but it is evident there's not much left in his tank, walking VERY slowly to the ring. After pretty much no involvement at Survivor Series, he's in his twilight. Andre quickly eliminates Warlord and the Royal Rumble is even where heels fight, as Bobby Heenan and Mr. Fuji go nose-to-nose. Red Rooster is next and we've only had three eliminations so that means someone's coming in soon to make a big splash. I say that and Bad News Brown is eliminated, but after hitting the floor he eliminates Roddy Piper. Brown and Piper brawl to the back as another feud begins. Those are two guys that fit each other perfectly. Two loners who flat out love to fight. Next up is last year's #1, Demolition Ax. Rooster is quickly pitched. I've actually enjoyed the flow here even with all the guys in the ring, as this portion of the match is setting up (or enhancing) feuds that are being prepped for WrestleMania. The other half of the Colossal Connection, Haku, comes in to help his partner Andre out. Seeing Bret and DiBiase in the corner battling makes you wonder what a great match those two could have at that point. At the halfway point, #15 Demolition Smash comes in to further the Tag Title feud. Andre is really working here, maybe the last high profile match that he really brings everything he has left in his aching body. Next up is the African Dream Akeem, followed by Jimmy Snuka. Snuka eliminates Akeem as a matter of fact and what a job Tony and Jesse are doing telling the story. DiBiase continues to set the record for longest time in the Rumble, which for the first time is mentioned often. Earthquake comes in and makes an immediate impact by eliminating Rhodes. We may not have seen an actual favorite in the match yet but Earthquake is making a claim by taking Rhodes and then Ax out. Jim Neidhart comes in next and goes right after Earthquake to soften him up. Finally some other guys start working Earthquake over and eventually everybody eliminates him, even the other heels.

We now get a legit favorite as in comes the Intercontinental Champion the Ultimate Warrior and the O-Rena goes crazy. He starts eliminating guys, like Bravo. Former Strike Force members Rick Martel and Tito Santana come in back-to-back and they immediately battle even though that feud is dead for the most part. Honky Tonk Man comes in next and the bodies are starting to fill up again and we are about to see why. One more HEAVY favorite hasn't entered the Rumble yet. DiBiase is finally eliminated by Ultimate Warrior after 44:47, what an accomplishment. Next up is the WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, and like with Warrior the place goes nuts. Hogan and Warrior are going crazy as eliminations come at a pretty brisk clip. We get some more action and then, THE MOMENT. Guys start getting eliminated, until only two men are standing. The World Champion and the Intercontinental Champion. They start sizing each other up and Orlando is becoming nuclear. Oh yes, this was definitely no accident, as Vince backstage is trying to size up what his main event April 1 at SkyDome could possibly be. The Orlando crowd gave him his answer as they are blowing the roof off the place. They do some pushing, shoving and then they clothesline each other. As they are down in comes the Barbarian. Rick Rude was next but he came in early before the countdown clock winds down. Hogan eliminates Warrior, like Savage in 1989, but Warrior just leaves after taking some heels out. We finally get Mr. Perfect in at #30, and it seemed Perfect was positioned to win this thing straight out. However, the red and yellow cards were played and Hogan gets the victory. It wasn't needed, but overall this was a fun match that saw feuds started and continued. Most importantly we may have seen the beginnings of the journey that takes us to SkyDome on April 1.

### Justin:

It is time to Rumble! We are on to our third edition of this great showcase match and when you analyze the field, this certainly feels like the most important one to date. Last year's #30 is #1 as Ted DiBiase's cash couldn't save him this time around. He opens the bout focused to prove the haters wrong, but first he has to deal with #2 Koko B. Ware. And he does, quite easily. The Birdman gave it a go, but DiBiase dispatched him easily, just as he did #3 Marty Jannetty. I liked the aggressiveness from DiBiase and the way this started with him dumping a couple of guys so he had time to reset and catch his breath. He really was the perfect #1 entrant on many levels, from the heat he could generate, to the psychology he could use to the precision attacks he could utilize, he is definitely the best #1 we have had so far. Things slowed down a bit as Jake Roberts showed up next to a massive pop, playing up his feud with DiBiase that had been raging since May 1989. The anticipation that built as Jake stoically marched to the ring pointing at DiBiase was fantastic. As they warred and DiBiase avoided a DDT, Randy Savage showed up at #5 and we were able to sit back and admire the absurd talent level in the ring right now. The fans got even louder as Roddy Piper entered at #6 and Jake finally had some help after getting worked over for two minutes. Piper's energy level was awesome as he danced around and slugged away with reckless abandon. They really played up the friendship thing here too, having each side pair off and even have Jake and Roddy stop short of decking each other. Warlord would enter next, looking to make up for last year's fiasco and he went right to work on Piper. Bret Hart evened up the sides and the talent level continues to be mind blowing at this point. We will see how much Hart is showcased here as the rumblings of another solo run were still rampant. Things got a bit tougher when Bad News Brown walked out at #9 and as we discussed a year ago, this is much more his style than November's Survivor Series was. Jesse and Tony were very good here, really hitting the points well about what it takes to to win a match like this and how tired everyone can get early on. Our first big elimination comes here as Savage saves DiBiase from a DDT and chucks the Snake. That earned Savage a nice handshake and the intimation of a payoff to come. The excitement continued as we reach the 1/3 point with Dusty Rhodes charging out and assaulting Savage to pick up where they left off earlier.

The Dream did not take long to strike as he sent Savage flying to the back with a big back body drop. That feud is very far from over. Andre the Giant would be the first Heenan Family member, arriving at #11 and Tony raised concerns around issues within the Family about what their cause would be in here. He would make an immediate statement by tossing Warlord out and that led to a fun confrontation between Heenan and Mr. Fuji. Red Rooster clucked his way in and right out here, bringing an end to his WWF PPV stint as he would head back to WCW in the spring. We got some really cool pairings so far in this edition, with Andre working over Piper and Dusty in the corner while DiBiase and Bad News double teamed the Hitman. A minute later, Piper would eliminate Bad News, but a pissed off Brown reached back in and yanked Piper out as well. The two would brawl to the back, setting up an apparent feud between the two brawlers. Ax came out next and went right for the man that took his tag team title a month earlier, hammering on the Giant and driving him to the mat. Dusty would then help him out as they tied Andre in the ropes and double teamed him with huge elbows to the dome. Then they untied him and he slugged them both in the gut. I love that spot. Andre would get immediate help as Haku entered at #14. Smash was next and our two top tag teams went right to war. Jesse really put over DiBiase hard here as he was hanging in and standing strong after 30 minutes. The field would bloat to its max as Akeem hit the ring but room opened a bit as Demolition team up to clothesline Andre out, eliminating a major favorite in the process. Andre had a great run this time around and was a strong focal point during his run. While everyone celebrated Andre getting chucked, Bret Hart was also taken out ending a pretty pedestrian showing. Jimmy Snuka hit the ring and drove Akeem to the floor, making me quite sad in many ways. Jimmy Hart made his first appearance at #18, leading Dino Bravo into the fray and two minutes later, Earthquake joined him. With Andre and Akeem out of the way, Quake looked like a heavy favorite based on size alone. And by eliminating Dusty right away, he really was the largest man remaining in the field. Ax would feel his wrath as well. Dusty had a very good showing overall in this one, going at it for 18 minutes and being very active the whole time. The energetic Anvil would close out the second third the match and went right at Quake, trying to use his fresh energy to make a dent.

And that plan was a wise one as everybody in the ring except Bravo teamed up, hoisted the Quake up and out of the ring. That was some solid booking and a nice way to keep Quake strong and get him out of there before the heavy hitters showed up. The roof would explode at #21 as the Ultimate Warrior sprinted to the ring and started kicking ass and taking names. He dumped Bravo within seconds and then started flailing at anyone in his way. I love that he didn't care who he was fighting, going at it with both faces and heels with the same ferocity. The newly christened Model, Rick Martel was up next. He was already a cocky heel, but he amped that up even more with this new gimmick. Even though his partner was long gone, Haku would get the last laugh for the champs as he dumped Smash out of the match with a thrust kick. Martel's good feelings came to a quick halt as Tito Santana was in at #23 to reignite their always simmering feud. They went right at it in the center of the ring as Jesse gloated about DiBiase going strong for over 40 minutes. Honky Tonk was next and things settled down a bit but it felt like a real calm before the storm as the crowd buzzed. The Anvil would get pushed out but that buzz turned to a ecstatic pop as Warrior eliminates Iron Man DiBiase, who went a robust 44 minutes in a performance to be proud of. And that pop was topped less than a minute later when Hulk Hogan burst through the curtain at #25. Hogan is clearly looking to avenge what went down a year ago, and hopefully he is a bit more of a sportsman this time around. He and Warrior would start cleaning house and clearing out all the bodies. Goodbye Snuka. Farewell Haku. So long Tito. Have a good day, Honky. Bye bye Martel. Here comes Shawn Michaels. There goes Shawn Michaels. This was the moment we were all waiting for. It was here.

The crowd was going batshit as Hogan and Warrior waltzed around the ring, prepping for a showdown for the first time ever. 25 years later and it is still an electric moment. They would ram into each other like two proud bulls before both wiping out with a fitting double clothesline. Our dream match came to a quick end, but man did that whet the appetite. Barbarian was out at #27 and Rick Rude prematurely hit the ring at #28. They would feast on Hogan and Warrior, who were both still rattled from the big collision. With Hogan teetering on elimination, Warrior came over and saved him, earning the ire of The Body. Barbarian and Rude would then turn to Warrior and have him on the brink...and Hogan would come over...and knock Warrior out! Not cool, Hulk. Not at all. The man just saved you less than two minutes ago! For the second straight year, Hogan is booked like an asshole. In an odd decision, Warrior would hop in the ring, knock over Rude and Barbarian and then sprint off. Hercules was #29 and Mr. Perfect would enter at #30, the Perfect Number. The five would fight for a few minutes with Hercules and Hogan fighting as a unit. Herc would duck a clothesline and send Barbarian to the showers but Perfect tossed the Mighty One right after. That left a pretty great final three and it was cool seeing Perfect and Rude working together again, just like at Survivor Series. However, thanks to some miscommunication, Rude would get dumped when Perfect pulled down the top rope by accident. Again, a nice callback to November. We talked about it all throughout 1989 and now Mr. Perfect has arrived after spending twelve months torching the mid card. He would go toe-to-toe with Hogan, even taking him over with his finisher. But, Hogan is as Hogan does. He fired back up and ran through Perfect before sending him flying over the ring post to the floor to win his fist Royal Rumble to the delight of the fans.

This was a pretty fun Rumble that had fairly non stop action, big names, lots of talent and a red hot crowd. There were a few dead spots, but none that crippled the match in any way. The talent level at any given time was pretty amazing and just when it felt like there was a lull in the action, another big name would show to wake thing up. I do like how they learned from the year before and had their major angle close to the end of the match to avoid killing the match off completely. And this wasn't just any major angle. It was THE major angle. It was THE major moment. And the crowd loved it. And so did I. Also, I know the arguments that are out there about Hogan not needing to win this match. Hell, I lived the arguments for years. But I think I was wrong. Sure, a win could have been really big for Mr. Perfect or Rick Rude or Ted DiBiase. But only two men were putting 65,000+ fans into the Skydome: Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior. That is all. One of them needed to win this. And since Hogan was the Champion, I think it makes him look even stronger going into Mania. If Warrior beats him, he now wins the title and knocks off the Royal Rumble winner. Perfect still looked good and has had zero blemishes since his debut. This was Hogan's night for a reason.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

Our first PPV of the year was back and forth. The undercard was pretty flat other than the surprisingly good Valentine/Garvin match. The Rumble was actually a fun one, including the Hogan/Warrior moment that was the precursor to WrestleMania. We see a major character shift from heel to babyface and another heel start an epic climb up the ladder to a major storyline in the spring and summer. Tony and Jesse had much better chemistry than at SummerSlam but sadly Tony doesn't stick around. Overall a 50/50 show with a slumping undercard but an entertaining Rumble, and the road to WrestleMania begins to be paved.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

Nostalgia running wild here, brother. Big time. This is one of my favorite PPVs of all time. I rented it so often and watched it over and over. As Scott mentioned, the undercard is a bit bland but it paid off by leading us to a really stacked Rumble field. And even with a soft undercard on paper, I think it ended up overdelivering thanks to Garvin, Valentine, Boss Man and Duggan all stiffing the piss out of each other. I also really enjoyed the Brother Love Show segment too. The Rumble itself was like a life sized collection of all my favorite Hasbro action figures. The names, characters and feuds were all the most memorable ones from my sweet spot of fandom. The crowd was phenomenal through out and Tony and Jesse really had developed some solid chemistry with Tony getting ballsier and Jesse getting angrier. Fun stuff. And now, we are on to the second biggest WrestleMania match in history. I know I am overrating this a bit, but I can't bear to sit it any lower.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #39

#  WrestleMania VI: The Ultimate Challenge

April 1, 1990

SkyDome

Toronto, Ontario

Attendence: 67,287

Buyrate: 4.5

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

### Match #1: Rick Martel defeats Koko B. Ware with a Boston Crab at 5:30

Fun Fact: In the late part of 1989, Rick Martel took on the new narcissistic role of "The Model". He would come to the ring wearing a sweater or sports coat with a large button proclaiming, "Yes, I am a Model". He would also carry an atomizer with his fictional brand of cologne, "Arrogance", which he would spray in his opponents eyes to blind them during and after matches.

### Scott:

We fire up one of the most memorable shows ever with a standard opener involving two great workers. Koko is your typical Vince guy that worked his butt off, defeated jobbers but put the bigger guys over. Meanwhile Martel is cruising as one of the best heels on the roster. The opening of this show may be one of the greatest ever. From Vince talking about space and the main event, to Gorilla and Jesse all jacked up during their intros. This is a typical old school opener, as Gorilla and Jesse get their feet wet for the evening while Martel cheap shots Koko at the beginning before both men go back and forth. Early on our broadcast team is a little more civil than they were last year at WrestleMania V when the two of them wanted to strangle each other by the main event. It makes me sad knowing this is Jesse's last show, but he will have some great moments to go out with. Martel tries to get the Boston Crab on to finish it but Koko gets to the ropes. Koko recovers and hits some soft flying headbutts to gain control. Koko misses a blind cross body and Martel cranks the Boston Crab for the win. It's a sloppy opener but Martel gets the win and moves on.

### Justin:

I could watch the opening video of this show on an endless loop. What a masterpiece. And what an arena. The fairly new SkyDome looked glorious, decked out in a dark blue tone and jam packed with 67,000 rabid fans, you could tell immediately that this should would be something special. And I am not sure if there is a better way to kick off a show of this magnitude than with "Do the Bird" blaring through the stadium as Koko B. Ware and Frankie ride to the ring. And yes...ride, because the motorized carts are back as well! Somehow, Gorilla doesn't know who Axl Rose is and when Jesse clarifies he goes "Oh, that Axl!" Give me a break! Koko is squaring off with Rick Martel, who is really settling in nicely to his Model gimmick. He now carries an atomizer with his own personal cologne, Arrogance, and has permed his hair nicely as well. Just like a year ago, our first match starts with a lot of aggression as Martel jumps Koko off the bell and starts to hammer away. Koko would make a quick comeback and get the crowd fired up with some dropkicks and a nice blind cross body off the middle rope before sending Martel to the floor. The Model would recover and start to work over Koko's back, trying to soften him up for the Boston Crab. And a moment later he would go for it, but Koko did his best to block the hold until eventually reaching the ropes. After breaking that, Koko would rally and use some headbutts and right hands to rock Martel, even picking up a two count. Playing off the spot earlier in the match, Koko again tried the blind cross body, but this time Martel ducked it and then quickly pounced and turned Koko into the Crab for the win. The match was as basic as it gets with a couple of nice moments and some good psychology with the cross body at the end. Martel rolls on.

### Match #2: Demolition defeats the Colossal Connection to win WWF Tag Team Titles when Smash pins Haku after the Decapitation Device at 9:13

Fun Fact I: Haku and Andre the Giant defeated Demolition on 12/13 in Huntsville, Alabama to win the titles. It's the first known championship Andre has ever won in his illustrious career (not counting the 20 seconds he was WWF Champion in early 1988).

Fun Fact II: After a storied wrestling career, WrestleMania VI would be the final PPV match for Andre the Giant. He would continue to make sporadic appearances in WWF events in 1990 and 1991, including appearances at WrestleMania VII and SummerSlam '91, but would not appear as a wrestler in another PPV match for the WWF. Andre would spend the remainder of his in-ring career in All Japan Pro Wrestling in Japan and in the Universal Wrestling Association in Mexico. Andre would pass away on January 23, 1993 at the age of 46 in France. Andre's final PPV record was 4-8-1. He was 0-2 at Royal Rumble, 2-3-1 at WrestleMania, 0-2 at SummerSlam and 2-1 at Survivor Series.

Fun Fact III: According to some reports at the time, the Bushwhackers were penciled in to challenge the Colossal Connection in the months leading up to the event.

### Scott:

This match was a foregone conclusion here, but it's the total package here that makes it memorable. It's very clear by now that Andre the Giant is way past his prime and his body is breaking down. He barely moves now and after winning the titles it seemed like Haku did a majority of the work while Andre would throw some chops and kicks here and there. Demolition is trying to make history here as the first three-time tag team champions, but they're struggling early. Haku is doing yeoman's work while Andre would stick in a couple jabs from the apron and Bobby Heenan would snap off the occasional slap to the face from ringside. The wide shots of the arena during this match are something to behold, almost as insane as the Silverdome three years earlier. With newer technology this may not be as big but it looks much prettier. The heels are dominating most of the match while Andre in essence has worked entirely from the outside. Demolition tries to make the comebacks but the champions cut them off at the pass every time. Smash makes a comeback but the match overall is pretty sloppy. The climax comes when Andre has Smash held and Haku goes for the thrust kick but misses and hits Andre. The Giant gets tangled in the ropes and after the Decapitation Device the SkyDome roof is literally blown off the place. We have new, three-time Tag Team Champions as Ax and Smash head out of the arena. But then, the extra post-match fun. Bobby Heenan is chewing out Andre for costing the team the match and then he slaps the Giant. BIG MISTAKE. "The Boss" gives the Brain the business back and then takes out Haku. The crowd is going crazy as what I've been waiting for has finally happened. It was time for Andre to be a babyface again on his way out the door. Maybe one of my five favorite moments in WrestleMania history, from beginning to end. We had a tremendous Tag title match in terms of pomp and circumstance but the heart-warming babyface turn of Andre the Giant is a lasting moment for me.

### Justin:

Two years after winning the WWF Tag Titles for the first time, Demolition goes for the three-peat as they challenge the team that defeated them for the gold back in December. Andre & Haku had become quite the dominant team, with Haku carrying the workload and Andre finishing dudes off. The prematch promos were great here, with the classic Gene Okerlund "Colostomy Connection" line. This was a really cool feud just based on the look of each team alone. Despite his deteriorating condition, Andre was still really impressive as he stood towering in the ring. And Demolition looked quite badass as they rode to the ring in their full spiked leather, pointing ominously at the ring. We continue the early aggression as the champs come right at Demolition as the bell sounds. As things settled down, Smash would kick things off by punishing Haku. Demolition would quick tag, laying the wood early as the crowd got on Bobby Heenan's case. Haku would turn things around and began to punish the back of Ax, spiking him with a stiff backbreaker. This was a really nice spotlight moment for Haku, who had a fairly aimless 1989 after losing the crown. While Haku worked the whole match to this point, he would use Andre as a weapon, dragging Ax into the corner and letting the Giant get a shot or two in. The heat here built very organically, with some really simple tricks executed by the Connection and well timed comeback attempts by Ax. By the time Smash tagged in, the crowd was really rocking. He quickly beat the piss out of Haku and almost got the win until Andre came in for the save. He wasn't able to do much damage, though, as he got double teamed and hammered with a clothesline. He shook that off and grabbed Smash from behind, but things went haywire when Haku accidentally kicked Andre in the face and drove him into the ropes, where he got tied up. Heenan frantically tried to untie him and the crowd was going insane as Demolition dropped Haku across the top rope with a stun gun and then polished him off with the Decapitation Device to a monster pop. What a moment! This was easily Demolition's peak and their last great moment as a team. The match is fairly forgettable but the finish is what WrestleMania is all about. The build, the crowd and the pop for the win was tremendous. After the match, a pissed off Heenan stomps around the ring and gets in Andre's face, blaming him for the loss and then smacking him across the face. Andre didn't dig that at all, so he grabbed Bobby and paint bushed him around. He would then toss Haku aside and ride off into the sunset one last time. I love that the Toronto crowd gave him a hero's farewell too, erasing his three year heel run with just a few minutes of love and adoration. Andre has been a staple of these reviews and it will be weird to move on without him, but this was a great way for the big man to go out. I think the two big moments and the crowd heat outweigh the pedestrian work in this one, so the grade gets inflated a bit.

### Match #3: Earthquake defeats Hercules with the Earthquake Splash at 4:52

### Scott:

We begin a few matches that were meant strictly for character advancement. Hercules is a serviceable mid-card babyface and a perfect opponent for the big time heel from Canada. They took the "Canadian" off his name and took the Canadian flag off his tights, so as not to make all Canadians heels and so that Earthquake doesn't get cheered here or other Canadian venues. Hercules bobbed and weaved through the match using speed but made a big mistake trying to go for the backbreaker and Earthquake took him over, hit the butt drop and gets the victory. He adds another Aftershock for good measure. This is an effective squash for the victory, but not the last time we see Earthquake tonight.

### Justin:

I really like the pacing of this show early on, as we alternate between big matches with feuds built in and effective semi-squashes to help establish up and coming stars. Hercules has really been stuck in neutral for a while now, not even entering into any sort of real feud since his battles with Ted DiBiase over a year ago. He did get a nice spot in the Rumble, but otherwise he has been forgettable. Here, he gets a tough draw as he has to battle the unstoppable monster Earthquake. The big man has been marching through opponents since his debut and had recently been involved in an issue with the Ultimate Warrior, alongside his buddy Dino Bravo. Jesse notes that this will be Quake's toughest challenge to date, but we shall see. Another quick start as Quake comes right at Hercules, but the Mighty One ducked it and started to stick and move, rating Quake enough to send him to the floor to regroup. Quake had such a gnarly, nasty look and you could see why they had plans for him as a top heel. Quake would use his size to wear Herc down, starting with easily winning a test of strength. Herc does do a pretty good glazed eyed sell and it works well here when Quake is squishing him in the corner. Herc started to mount a comeback but for some asinine reason, he attempts his backbreaker and that backfires badly as Quake didn't budge before hammering Herc with an elbow. He would follow that with the Earthquake Splash to pick up the easy win. Oh, and a second one as well for good measure. Effective squash here to set Quake up for his big run.

*** Backstage, gossip reporter Rona Barrett interviews Miss Elizabeth, who has pretty much been off TV since SummerSlam 1989. She mentions that her involvement with the company has been in an advisory role and talks about how she always fears about hurting her fans. She is considering returning to ringside soon and promises to be more active than ever. ***

### Match #4: Brutus Beefcake defeats Mr. Perfect when Beefcake slingshots Mr. Perfect into the corner and his head bounces off the post at 7:48

Fun Fact: The feud between Brutus Beekcake and Mr. Perfect began at the 1990 Royal Rumble. Beekcake was wrestling The Genius, who was Mr. Perfect's manager. During the match, Beefcake was put into a headlock by The Genius which was countered by Beefcake who pushed The Genius into the referee and knocked him out. While the referee was out, Beefcake went to cut The Genius' hair, but was stopped when Mr. Perfect came out and attacked Beefcake. When the referee came to, he disqualified both Beefcake and The Genius. After the match, Mr. Perfect took a chair and hit Beefcake in the ribs. Both wrestlers were riding big pushes into this match. Mr. Perfect was also carrying a perfect record with him, dating back to his debut in the WWF in 1988.

### Scott:

After that debacle at the Royal Rumble, we see Mr. Cuttin' & Struttin' take on the Genius' friend, the undefeated superstar. Mr. Perfect was screwed backstage at the Royal Rumble, so now he has to put his undefeated TV streak on the line against Brutus. This feud was supposed to be for Perfect to face Hulk Hogan but that was siphoned off after the Royal Rumble and due to the main event, Hogan had bigger priorities. So Hogan's boy gets this feud, and Perfect is stuck in the mid-card. With the main event being two babyfaces, I wonder if the Warrior thing never happened would Perfect had won the World Title (maybe at the Rumble) and Hogan got it back here? That could have been a possibility. This match is OK with Perfect ducking and bobbing with the Genius outside, and Brutus trying to hook the sleeper on. At one point Genius leaves the metal scroll on the apron, and Perfect decks Brutus with it and he takes control. I thought he was going to win the match there but he continues to work Beefcake over. Gorilla and Jesse are in perfect comedic (and serious) symmetry during this match. Jesse keeps trying to trip Gorilla up and say he's not smarter than the Genius. Wow Beefcake steals his boy Hogan's tactic of holding on to his opponent's leg while he's down. Beefcake recovers and slingshots Mr. Perfect into the steel post, and out of nowhere Beefcake gets the victory from that. I remember being pretty shocked at that's how the match ended. I always thought that was kind of a cheap victory but Perfect was paying dues I guess. Perfect will recover soon enough. The match itself was average but the result was the shock. Genius takes the clippers before Perfect can get shorn.

### Justin:

The feud that kicked off in late 1989 comes to a head here as Brutus Beefcake finally gets his shot at revenge on Mr. Perfect. Of course, at the Rumble, Beefcake battled the Genius in a match that ended with Perfect pummeling him with a chair. Heading into this one, Beefcake vowed to shred Perfect's perfect record. You can already feel the difference for both of these guys, especially compared to a year ago. Both feel much more elevated and like bigger, more established stars which bodes well for their 1990. Jesse takes a moment to say hi to Terry, Tyrel and Jade as per he is annual Mania custom. Perfect would waste no time (natch) at all but Beefer catches him and rattles him with a series of fists to the gut. Gorilla and Jesse arguing over the Genius was great and Gorilla gets in one of my favorite lines of the night with "Yeah, nothing's easy for he Genius". The match would reset a bit as Perfect stalled to slow Beefcake down. It didn't quite work as Beefcake stayed hot and worked the lower back while mixing in some shots to the gut. Just when it looked like it may be a quick win for the Barber, the Genius tossed his scroll in the ring and distracted Joey Marella, which allowed Perfect to pick it up and smash Beefcake to finally cut down his momentum. "He's not an idiot, he's a genius!" I love how Perfect can go from getting his ass kicked to completely being cool and collected as he arrogantly stomps an opponent within seconds. The commentary gems continue as they argue about the difference between 180 and 360 degrees (Jesse was right, FWIW). Perfect would lay in a stiff chop and then start to play with Beefcake a bit, starting to take him lightly. He would start kicking him and slapping him around, taunting him as Beefcake pulled himself up by climbing up Perfect's legs. And just when it looked like all was lost, Beefcake mustered the energy to pop up, scoop Perfect down and slingshot him into he steel post to pick up the victory and tear up the perfect record. Beefcake did a nice job selling post match, showing that he got lucky and was still quite out of it at the end of the match. The crowd dug that finish and were into the post match as well as Beefcake pantomimed that Perfect was going to get a trim. Genius tried to escape with the scissors, but Beefcake caught him and dragged him back into the ring where he got his hair cut for the second straight PPV. Jesse flipping out made this even better. Again, the match was really basic, but the heat was great and it was a memorably fun finish and huge win for Beefcake.

### Match #5: Roddy Piper and Bad News Brown wrestle to a double countout at 6:38

Fun Fact: During Roddy Piper's entrance, Jesse Ventura makes some weird comment about he and Piper being tag team partners. Well, around the time of this show, Piper and Ventura had actually filmed a pilot for a TV show entitled "Tag Team," where they played two cops.

### Scott:

This entire mess begins with Piper's bizarre pre-match promo where he is half-painted in blackface. He then runs down Bad News' facial features. I have no idea if Piper was coked up or something, but that promo was at Ultimate Warrior's level of absurdity. I was getting excited at the fact that these two guys could put on one hell of a brawl and make this very entertaining. However when they start brawling, referee Danny Davis kept separating them. It happens three times in the first two minutes, and I honestly have no idea why it was booked like this. I think partially because it was the Federation era and the feud may have been ahead of its time. The match settles down and Bad News takes control with nerve holds and such but I think they should have just made this a stipulated Street Fight and went all out with weapons and what have you. Piper brings out a white glove that looks like something Michael Jackson wore in Billy Jean and the ref now seems to not care. We could have really had a special brawl here, but instead this was a dog and pony show that really never gets going and eventually they just brawl and gets counted out. I really don't understand who backstage thought this entire thing made any sense at all but it didn't.

### Justin:

After the powder keg was initially lit at the Royal Rumble, these two veteran brawls were set to explode here in Toronto. Before we even get to the ring though we get one of the most bizarre and questionable psychological tactics ever seen in wrestling. For some reason, Roddy Piper decided it was a shrewd idea to paint half of his body black and then mock all of Brown's facial features in a manic promo. He dubbed the painted half the Hot Scot and threatened to shut Brown's big mouth. All these years later and I still don't know what the hell they were thinking here. Despite that, Piper riding to the ring with the bagpipes blaring was a pretty great visual. Jesse calls Piper his tag team partner, referencing their ill fated sitcom pilot that never saw the light of day. The two would brawl right away, rolling around the ring and trading fists. For some reason Danny Davis is super annoying here as he keeps breaking them up and forcing them to reset, which even pisses of Gorilla. The crowd is super into Roddy here as he starts laying in a flurry of rights. Brown would get some offense in, but it was pretty much just right hands and a nervehold. After some more aimless brawling, Piper put on a white glove and started hammering Brown with more fists. Jesse and Gorilla mention that it is a Michael Jackson glove, but I still don't understand any of this. They would spill to the floor where chairs and the post got involved, eventually leading to a double countout. What a pointless affair that was. Outside of the crowd heat and the weird body paint, there was really nothing here.

*** In one of WrestleMania's finest moments of all time, Steve Allen and the Bolsheviks take part in a lounge act in the shower. The Russians want to hear their national anthem, but Allen plays other songs to piss them off until they explode over a toilet flushing. Classic greatness. ***

### Match #6: The Hart Foundation defeat the Bolsheviks when Bret Hart pins Boris Zhukov after the Hart Attack at :18

### Scott:

This match is nothing more than a squash to restrengthen the Harts' position in the tag team rankings. After a year of floating around the roster and having great matches, the Pink and Black Attack dispose of the Russians in nothing flat and are ready for a shot at Demolition.

### Justin:

The Hart Foundation are in a real weird place right now. They have really been very aimless for quite a while now, having shown very little progression over the last twelve months. And their match here seems like real pointless junk. But, it is a key one because it was the official launch of their climb back up the ladder. Before the bell, Jesse even notes that a win here would put the Harts right into title contention. The Bolsheviks start to sing their anthem but the Harts interrupt and beat them down before quickly finishing them off with the Hart Attack in just 18 seconds. Jesse isn't happy but it was just what was needed for the Harts as they start their ascent to the top of the mountain.

### Match #7: The Barbarian defeats Tito Santana with a Top Rope Clothesline at 4:32

Fun Fact: Just before WrestleMania, Mr. Fuji decided to split up the Powers of Pain and sell off their contracts. Fuji sold the Warlord to Slick and the Barbarian to Bobby Heenan. Both would receive makeovers, but Barbarian is still sporting his Powers of Pain look here.

### Scott:

Before this match we get a promo for WrestleMania VII next year in Los Angeles. So sad, because Jesse said he would be in Hollywood with his friends. We wish he was. Anyway, this is another character enhancing match. The Powers of Pain have been split up and Mr. Fuji has sold off both guys. Bobby Heenan buys the more talented guy in Barbarian and gets him a match here. The match is pretty standard TV fare but the funny part of this is Gorilla and Jesse making Mexican food jokes during the quiet part of the match. Also, the fact that after all this time Jesse still calls Santana "Chico" is pretty hilarious. The match ends with Barbarian hitting a vicious clothesline off the top rope to Chico for the victory. Barbarian becomes a new singles heel on the roster and an impressive showing by both men.

### Justin:

The Powers of Pain are officially no more as Mr. Fuji split them up and sold them off shortly before this show. Bobby Heenan purchased the Barbarian and rolls him out here. The big man is still in his PoP attire and face paint but will soon get a makeover. I like the prematch interview as Gene Okerlund asks Santana if Barbarian can make the same sort of transition to singles competition as Tito himself experienced. Cool question. Back in the arena, Jesse wastes no time lobbing racist insults "Chico's" way, talking about his trips to Mexico and Tito's gastrointestinal problem causing food. Tito got a quick flurry in as Jesse talked about how he needs to use his speed to have any chance here. He kept the offense coming, even leaping onto Barbarian's shoulders and forcing him to the mat with right hands. The tide changed, though, when Tito charged wildly and ate a big boot as a result. From there, Barbarian started to methodically work him over, planting him with a shoulderbreaker but whiffing on an elbow drop off the middle rope. That let Tito right back in the match and the former tag champ rocked the big man with a pair of dropkicks and his flying forearm, but his pin attempt was thwarted by The Brain. That was Tito's last chance to win it, as Barbarian hung him across the top rope and then followed with a great top rope clothesline that Tito sold beautifully. That was a quick match but pretty fun. I was surprised to see Tito take so much offense but both men looked good by the final bell.

### Match #8: Dusty Rhodes & Sapphire defeat Randy Savage & Sensational Sherri when Sapphire pins Sherri after a School-Boy Roll-Up at 7:27

Fun Fact: After losing the WWF title at WrestleMania V, Randy Savage replaced Miss Elizabeth as his manager with Sensational Shari. In September 1989, Randy Savage defeated Jim Duggan to become the new "King of the WWF" at which time he began calling himself the "Macho King" Randy Savage. The duo began a feud with the "Common Man" Dusty Rhodes and his manager Sapphire. After some verbal sparring on WWF television, the two teams were put together for the first WWF mixed-tag team match.

### Scott:

Other than the main event, this may be Jesse Ventura's finest moment on this night in Toronto. His commentating during this match couldn't have been better. We have our historic first mixed tag team match. Savage and Sherri look regal as the crowd boos but I am cheering because Savage's entrance will always be one of the greatest ever. Sadly Savage has been kind of lost in the roster shuffle since losing the tag main event at SummerSlam. Then the greatest Jesse moment, maybe ever, in his commentating history. When Finkel announces Rhodes & Sapphire as weighing 465 pounds, Jesse goes bonkers and says "Rhodes only weighs 200 pounds??? 565 pounds I might buy!" I literally laugh out loud every time. Then Rhodes pulls the trump card out and it's the lovely Miss Elizabeth, the First Lady of the WWF. Jesse absolutely can't stand Sapphire, and rips her lack of dieting. Lines like "Has she ever heard of Slimfast?" and "Maybe Sardines and Oatmeal..." are Hall of Famers that will forever be immortalized. You can definitely tell Savage is still one of his personal favorites as he is ripping the Polka Dot pair to pieces for all of their alleged rulebreaking. This show is a great example of when Jesse actually cares about the guys in the ring (love or hate) and when he hits the cruise control button on other matches. I don't know if he actually hates Rhodes and Sapphire or if he defends Savage that much no matter the opponent. After all the shenanigans, Sapphire rolls up Sherri for the victory. The match is average in-ring wise but the entire package, complete with Hall of Fame commentating, makes this "almost" five stars.

### Justin:

Back at the Rumble, we saw these four tussle on the set of the Brother Love Show so it was natural that it would spill over into the first ever PPV Mixed Tag Match. Even though it feels like such a step back for Randy Savage, this feud has always been a guilty pleasure of mine and I loved what assholes Savage and Sherri were throughout it. And their entrance is so grand, with the throne in the cart. In a fun prematch promo, Dusty and Sapphire promise they will have the crown jewel with them tonight, and that was revealed to be Miss Elizabeth, who rode out to a huge pop. As Team Rhodes rumbles to the ring, we get perhaps the greatest commentary in WWF history as Jesse just slaughters the rotund couple with vicious barb after vicious barb. The best is when he argues what their announced combined weight is, basically calling Sapphire a giant fat ass ("Because I know damn well Sapphire weighs two and a half!"). The pure hatred that Jesse has for Rhodes is off the chart, rivaled only by his hate of Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior. Dusty would take it to Savage early and they would tease the mixed tag aspect, having Sherri come in the ring but bail out. Jesse was set off even more when Rhodes put his hands on Sherri but tossing her in the ring after tagging in Sapphire. He talks about how he has read all the rules and Gorilla lands one of his best comebacks by explaining "but you never broke any of them?". He also talks about how Sapphire has perfect hips for smashing her ass into Sherri as part of her offense. Her weight would happen again when Sherri tried to slam her but collapsed. The torture of Ventura continued as Sapphire slapped around Savage and Rhodes shoved Sherri into the corner. Savage took advantage of Dusty being distracted by knocking him to the floor and working him over, including a double axe handle off the top rope. Sapphire would try to protect Dusty but that led to Savage chucking her down by the hair to boos, other than the delight from Jesse. The royal couple continued to cheat as Savage smacked Dusty in the head with his scepter. Things broke down from there as all four got in the ring and scuffled around leading to Sherri and Sapphire going back at it again. After some interference from Liz, Sapphire was able to trip up Sherri and roll her up for the win. Jesse Status: Pissed off. After the match, Dusty, Sapphire and Liz would dance while Jesse fumed. The match was absolutely nothing, but the crowd was into it and the commentary was top notch, which bumps things up for me.

### Match #9: The Orient Express defeat the Rockers when Marty Jannetty was counted out at 7:38

Fun Fact: In early 1990, Mr. Fuji broke up his team, the Powers of Pain, by selling off their individual contracts to Slick and Bobby Heenan. Mr. Fuji then brought in his newest team, The Orient Express, which was comprised of Pat Tanaka and Japanese import Akio Sato. Tanaka was a tag team specialist in the CWA and AWA, where he teamed with Paul Diamond in the team Badd Company. The duo won the AWA Tag Team Championship from The Midnight Rockers in March of 1988 before losing them one year later to the Olympians.

In the CWA, Akio Sato teamed with Tarzan Goto and won the CWA/AWA International Tag Team Championship five times. As a singles wrestler, Sato won and held the Central States heavyweight championship until the CWA closed its doors. He then went on to wrestle in the AWA, where he was nicknamed the "Asian Assassin" and wrestled as a heel. The newly formed Orient Express made their WWF debut on the 3/3 episode of Superstars (taped 2/13).

### Scott:

After a series of interviews, we debut a new tag team to reboot the division a bit. Mr. Fuji needs a new team after selling off the Powers of Pain, so he heads back to his homeland to grab a couple of expert technicians. Actually Pat Tanaka was in the AWA with Paul Diamond in the great team Bad Company. I had never seen Sato before this match but I was always curious when a new tag team debuted. The Rockers were moving up the tag team ladder but hadn't really sniffed any title shots yet and with the babyface Demolition the new champions, a title shot maybe a ways off. The match is very deliberate as the Orients surprisingly slowed the pace down here. Gorilla says the Rockers seem lethargic during the match and that may also be the reason the match is slower than it was expected to be. On the outside, Marty Jannetty goes after Fuji but Sato throws salt in the eyes and as he's flailing around he gets counted out. So this was meant to make neither side job but gives the newer heels a little boost. This was definitely a disappointment because based on the talent it should have been better.

### Justin:

As we mentioned earlier, Mr. Fuji broke up and sold off the Powers of Pain and to fill that void he brought in a new team: The Orient Express. Both Sato and Tanaka were AWA imports as that promotion was on its last legs. Of course, the early highlight of this unit was the fantastic theme music and pimp red robes and tights. On paper, this looked like a strong matchup as both teams were very good in the ring and matched up well. Jesse echoes those exact sentiments as I type them. Things started a bit slow with Jannetty and Sato feeling each other out before Sato caught him in the corner and Tanaka drilled him with a back elbow. The Rockers got it back together and started taking to the air and double teaming, playing to their strengths. Fuji stood useless at ringside as always, just pointing his cane weakly at his charges as they recovered on the floor. Fuji would get in action a moment later, yanking down the top rope and causing Jannetty to tumble to the outside. The Orients would began double teaming as Jesse and Gorilla discussed the benefits of the Express being able to communicate in Japanese. In one of the best spots of the night, Jannetty stuck an awesome landing after a Tanaka back body drop. He came over with some serious velocity and somehow still twisted around to his feet. Michaels would tag in but didn't fair much better as the Orients continued to look much sharper as a unit, including Tanaka connecting on a crisp forearm to a charging Michaels. Shawn found an opening with a big clothesline on Tanaka and was able to capitalize and make the tag off of that. Gorilla calls out the Rockers for looking lethargic and I used to agree but I actually think they looked better here than I used to give them credit for in the past. They would start to clean house, rattling Tanaka with a dropkick to knock him outside. As both Rockers ascended to the top rope, Fuji reached up and smacked Jannetty with his cane, causing him to come down for a confrontation. As Marty stalked The Fuj, Sato came from behind and hurled a ball of salt in his eyes, causing Jannetty to be counted out. Well, I will say this match held up much better for me this time around than in the past. I always thought it was sluggish and bland, but the Orients worked really well as a team and showed off some good offense while the Rockers timed their comebacks nicely and showed some good fire at the end. The Orients get a nice win as they get their feet set in the Federation.

### Match #10: Jim Duggan pins Dino Bravo after Duggan uses the 2×4 at 4:14

### Scott:

Well here is our second Earthquake sighting of the evening. We have a mid-card filler match here simply to set up what would go down after the match. Duggan has really not jobbed at all on TV since debuting almost three years ago and here he's working over the Canadian Strongman. Gorilla and Jesse are sniping about Gorilla being drunk and having mustard all over his tux. Jesse says he hates Duggan because he's ugly. And here I thought I was the only one. There really isn't much more to say about this match until the end. As usual, Duggan cheats with his 2X4 (which of course Gorilla justifies) to win the match but FINALLY some vindication for us Duggan haters. In comes Earthquake, who works Hacksaw over with some big elbows and then three big Earthquake splashes. This is the first time we've seen Duggan left lying in the ring after a match. I don't think I've ever been happier at the end of a nothing mid-card match.

### Justin:

We continue to truck along through the mid card with a match between two stalwarts of the division that have warred off and on for almost two years now. Jesse calls Duggan an idiot immediately for chanting "USA" to rally the Canadian fans. They do seem a bit apathetic to him, and you can even hear a smattering of boos in places. It is interesting that they matched him with a Canadian here in Toronto, they must have known it could dilute his pops a bit. Earthquake is back out for the second time tonight, as he is now backing up Bravo at ringside. Duggan wastes no time in unloading the heavy artillery as he pounds Bravo with big right hands before clotheslining him to the floor. Bravo would get owned until some distraction at ringside gave him a chance to wrest away control. Jesse is really starting to get testy with Gorilla, saying he is a mess from stuffing hot dogs in his face and missing the action. He then tells us how he hates Hacksaw because he is so ugly. Awesome. Bravo would pick up a couple of near falls before Duggan rallied with clotheslines. Before he could hit his finisher, Quake hooked his leg and broke it up. As the referee was distracted with them, Jimmy Hart dumped the 2×4 in the ring, but it would backfire when Duggan grabbed it first and pelted Bravo in the back to win the match. The Hart Family would get the last laugh as Quake jumped Duggan after the bell and beat him down with elbows and splashes. This was another big step in the development of Quake to set him up for a big summer run. The match was nothing, but this was all just a chance to get Quake more shine by laying out a second guy on the night.

### Match #11: Ted DiBiase defeats Jake Roberts by countout to win the Million Dollar Title at 11:52

Fun Fact I: This PPV marks the debut of one of the most beloved and recognizable wrestling theme songs of all time: Ted DiBiase's "It's All About the Money."

Fun Fact II: DiBiase and Roberts have been feuding since the spring of 1989 where Roberts was put out of action for several months with a neck injury. The injury was there to cover some legal issues Roberts was experiencing. Roberts returned prior to Survivor Series 1989 and was on the Hulkamaniacs team against the team captained by DiBiase. During the match, DiBiase pinned Roberts before being pinned himself by Hogan. After the Royal Rumble, Roberts stole the Million Dollar Belt and kept it in his bag where he dared DiBiase or Virgil to reach into the bag to retrieve it. This lead us to the match here where the Million Dollar Belt is on the line.

### Scott:

This feud goes back to WrestleMania V, when DiBiase stole Damien during the Roberts/Andre match in Atlantic City. The promo Jake fires off before this match may be the greatest promo ever, and one that young wrestlers should watch constantly if they want to learn the art of adding psychology to your promos. "Wallowing...in the muck...of averice." Man what good stuff. Now there are two expert workers in the ring that can work a great combination of brawling and technical knowhow but for some reason there seems to be a lack of chemistry. DiBiase was very deliberate in his work here, taking out Roberts' neck to prepare for the Million Dollar Dream. Jesse is commenting on the wave going around the SkyDome, and it's almost annoying Gorilla because it's acknowledging that this match is kind of boring. They are stumbling around the ring for a long time, until finally they get back in and DiBiase hooks the Dream on. Jake is fighting it and gets his foot on the ropes. Jake makes a comeback and the crowd is starting to stir a bit, without doing the wave. Jake hits the short clothesline, which is usually the set-up for the DDT. Virgil interferes and Jake leaves the ring. Both men brawl on the outside and DiBiase slides back in the ring and wins by countout. DiBiase's awesome theme (which debuts here) blasts in the SkyDome and the crowd is kind of stunned. This is a mild upset, because you'd think Jake should have won the climax on such a long feud. Very strange, and ends what wasn't a great match. DiBiase gets DDT'd as Virgil runs off with the title, then returns to take DiBiase.

### Justin:

This feud has been raging since last May and this match was one of the most hyped heading in, as you have two tremendous veterans throwing down in a big money match to cap a long feud. It was certainly set up to be a potential show stealer. Two things of note before the match starts: 1) Jake Roberts' fantastic promo with his "Wallowing in the muck of avarice" capping it off, and 2) The debut of DiBiase's iconic theme music. I also love Jake's awesome purple tights here, which we haven't yet seen on PPV. The Snake had stolen DiBiase's prized Million Dollar Title so it is on the line here, which was a cool plot device to use the belt that had been just a prop since its inception. Jake comes out of the gate hot and almost grabs an early DDT, but DiBiase slid out to the floor to avoid it. Jake would work the arm as Gorilla talked about the danger Virgil posed at ringside, which aids an already tough opponent. DiBiase was having a really hard time getting going as Jake kept him completely off balance. It took a really shrewd move by Ted to slow down the Snake. As Jake came in for his patented kneelift, DiBiase side stepped him and sent him careening into the corner and hard to the mat. Jesse is still harassing poor Gorilla over the hot dogs. DiBiase started to soften Jake up for the Million Dollar Dream, stomping away before hooking a front facelock. While he had that cinched in, the Skydome crowd started to do the wave. I can't decide whether I love or hate that it happened, but it did make for a pretty cool atmosphere. DiBiase landed a big blow by spiking Jake down with a nice piledriver, targeting that repaired neck. That directly set up DiBiase hooking in the Million Dollar Dream and the crowd starting to rally like crazy. There is an awesome camera shot here as Jake was fighting the Dream and we could see the hold on the big screen in the sky right over their heads. Jake reached the ropes but he was much too injured so DiBiase went right back at him. Unfortunately for the Million Dollar Man, he made that one crucial mistake he always tends to make in big matches as he stalled way to long and headed to the ropes. Thanks to the delay, Jake recovered and caught him with a shot to the gut. From there, Jake went into his usual repertoire, but he also took just a bit too long to go for the DDT, giving Ted a chance to recover. That gave Virgil an opening to pull Jake to the floor. Jake would slam Virgil, but DiBiase followed them out and hooked the Dream on. Roberts ran DiBiase into the post, but Virgil rolled him back inside as Roberts was counted out. Man, I don't know how to feel about that finish. I mean, get not wanting to beat Roberts and DiBiase needed to get his belt back and he badly needed a big win too, as he usually comes up short in these spots. I guess I can let it slide. After the bout, Jake attacks but Virgil escapes with the title. Roberts would finally top Ted with the DDT and then gave away his money to fans, and Mary Tyler Moore, at ringside. I enjoyed this match much more this time around than I have in the past. Expectations were really high initially and they didn't reach them, but if you go in with a clean slate, it is pretty solid affair. Both guys worked a good pace and a smart match and the crowd was super into everything. The psychology was really good, as you would expect, and that led to perfect timing to keep the fans engaged. DiBiase gets his diamond belt back but Jake gets the last laugh.

### Match #12: Big Boss Man defeats Akeem with the Boss Man Slam at 1:54

Fun Fact I: On the February 3rd Superstars (taped 1/2), Jake Roberts was facing Ted DiBiase (who had Virgil and Slick in his corner). A few minutes into the match, Big Boss Man came to ringside, beat Roberts down, handcuffed him to the ropes and stole back the Million Dollar Belt for DiBiase. Immediately after the match, Slick, DiBiase and Boss Man appeared on the Brother Love Show. Boss Man was about to present DiBiase with the belt, but he then realized DiBiase had paid Slick for Boss Man's services. Boss Man freaked out, informed the world that he stood for law and order and could never be bought. He took the belt, returned it to Jake and walked off a new man. The battle of the former Twin Towers was then set up for Wrestlemania, and would mark Boss Man's first PPV as a face.

Fun Fact II: Sadly, outside of his brief appearance at WrestleMania X-7, WrestleMania VI would be Akeem/One Man Gang's final PPV appearance. His final record is 3-8. He was 0-3 at the Royal Rumble, 2-3 at WrestleMania, 0-1 at SummerSlam and 1-1 at Survivor Series.

### Scott:

For my PIC Justin, this marks the sad end of the Twin Towers. Big Boss Man turns face after not accepting money for doing deeds. So the Towers split and face each other one on one here. This was as quick as the Hart Foundation match earlier in the night, and I assume the Akeem character had served its purpose because he lies down pretty quickly here. Boss Man is now a babyface but before the match Ted DiBiase, who was lingering around the ring after his match with Jake, clotheslines Boss Man out of nowhere and works him over before the match. Akeem has the momentum early but Boss Man turns it around quickly and eventually gets the win. This one was no shock and was done swiftly. Boss Man branches out to bigger and better things after this show.

### Justin:

My beating heart be still. A WrestleMania singles match for my main man Akeem. And he gets to speak in the prematch promo! And a lengthy twirl through Jive Soul Bro thanks to the long entrance way! So great. The Towers split up in February when Big Boss Man refused to do Slick's bidding when Ted DiBiase paid them to take back the Million Dollar Title from Jake Roberts. Once he found out the money was involved, he returned the belt to Roberts and walked out on his manager and partner. It also set up a ready made post-Mania feud with DiBiase that Boss Man brings up in his promo. Oh, it is also set in motion by DiBiase, who stayed hiding at ringside after his match just so he could level Boss Man with a clothesline as he got in the ring. Very cool booking there. Another iconic theme song debuts here as Boss Man has Hard Times to accompany him already. Akeem took immediate advantage, squashing Boss Man in the corner and using his weight to work him over, picking up a near fall. Ventura is really unloading on Gorilla now, just spewing all sorts of venom along with more hot dog jokes. Boss Man would come right back, lay in a big clothesline and quickly finish Akeem off with a sidewalk slam to crush my dreams and end the Dream's night and PPV career in the blink of an eye. Boss Man is now set up for his run with DiBiase, putting his past fully behind him. Fare thee well, Akeem. May you dance forever.

*** Rhythm & Blues, a new team comprised of Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine, Jimmy Hart and a couple of Honkettes ride down to the ring in a swank Pink Cadillac to debut their brand new single Hunka, Hunka, Hunka Honky Love. After they are done singing, they get annoyed by a couple of merchandise vendors at ringside. The vendors are exposed to be the Bushwhackers, who then run R&B off and smash their equipment, ruining their concert. As an aside, the Cadillac is driven by former AWA manager Diamond Dallas Page, who owned the car. ***

*** Howard Finkel announces the attendance of 67,678, which is a Skydome record. ***

### Match #13: Rick Rude defeats Jimmy Snuka with a Rude Awakening at 3:42

### Scott:

Steve Allen joins Gorilla & Jesse for this throwaway match to precede the PPV. Rude has really been floating aimlessly since losing the Intercontinental Title back at SummerSlam. He had a feud with Roddy Piper that (other than the team match at Survivor Series) didn't really pass the house show circuit. They had a cage match at MSG that's on Piper's DVD that isn't too bad. The banter with the announcers is the highlight of this quick and painless match. Rude wins but then prepares for some changes, but his run from his debut in 1987 to now has had its highlights and lowlights.

### Justin:

It has been quite the slide into aimlessness for the Ravishing One. After breaking out a year ago he was primed for a big 1989, and he delivered on that. However, since the calendar changed, he hasn't had much going on and that is evidenced here as he is sandwiched in before the main event with a random match against Jimmy Snuka, who now seems to solely exist to wrestle aimless heels on PPV. In a nice touch, Steve Allen hops in on commentary for this one and he is pretty funny throughout. Snuka outworked Rude early on but Rude bided his time until Snuka gave him an opening, which he took advantage of with a nice snap suplex. It was all pretty paint-by-numbers from there as they wrestled a compressed version of a match they would normally have. Rude finally finished him with a Rude Awakening, picking up a quiet win as he looks to reestablish himself on the roster.

### Match #14: WWF Intercontinental Champion the Ultimate Warrior defeats Hulk Hogan to win WWF World Title in a Title vs. Title Match with a Big Splash at 22:47

Fun Fact I: This started at the Royal Rumble on January 21, when at one point in the Rumble, Warrior and Hogan were in the ring alone. It was obviously a test to see how this would go over with the fans. Well, it went over big so the hype machine started. On the January 27 Saturday Night's Main Event (taped from January 3) Hogan and Warrior defeated Mr. Perfect and the Genius in a tag team match. Eventually, Hogan was out of the ring and Warrior was double teamed. Hogan came back in the ring to help, but when Hogan grabbed Warrior's shoulder to help, Warrior thought he was Perfect or Genius and clotheslined him. The miscommunication led to a nose-to-nose confrontation. On February 14 in Tucson on Wrestling Challenge, Hogan came in to save Warrior from an attack by Earthquake. On an edition of The Main Event February 23 in Detroit, Hogan again saved Warrior from Earthquake after a match against Dino Bravo. There was also an edition of Superstars when Warrior saved Hogan from Earthquake, including almost clotheslining him again. A show called Ultimate Challenge Special aired on March 26 (taped from March 7) which had the official WrestleMania VI contract signing for the biggest PPV match since Hogan squared off with Andre the Giant three years earlier.

Fun Fact II: According to wrestling lore, every move of this match was planned out in great detail, and they actually ran through the match several times before the big event.

### Scott:

Well after that average undercard with some memorable moments and several forgettable matches, we get to the main event that everyone is waiting for. The two most popular guys in the promotion going head to head with all the gold on the line. I was just assuming when I watched it live that Hogan was going to retain the title, but then again what the hell was he going to do with the Intercontinental Title? That may have been a clue as to what was happening here. They begin with some shoving and then they do Jesse's famed Greco-Roman Knuckle Lock. This goes on for a few minutes while each guy gets the advantage. You can definitely tell this match was meticulously planned out by both guys ahead of time. For Hogan, the emotions are different than three years ago against Andre. Hogan is the experienced champion and Warrior is the one trying to prove himself. Hogan was in that position in Pontiac. Then a moment that caused everyone to gasp. Warrior clotheslines Hogan over the top rope, and the next camera shot has Hogan clutching his left knee. Hogan's selling it pretty good, so much so that I thought he was really hurt. Boy that would have sucked. Thankfully Hogan's back to full strength a few minutes later. Hogan takes the reins of the match here and starts working Warrior over. In what would be Jesse Ventura's final PPV match, he and Gorilla are doing a fabulous job selling this thing to the hilt, just like Hogan/Andre in 1987. Jesse makes a good point that this is the first time Hogan gets frustrated with the referee over slow counts and such. Warrior fights back from a headlock but eventually they knock each other out on clotheslines, ala their moment at the Royal Rumble. Warrior then gets a flurry of moves and the crowd is going crazy, as I'm really not sure if anybody knew who was really going to win this. Warrior gets Hogan in a bear hug which I found interesting since Warrior is the smaller guy of the pair. This takes up a few minutes as Gorilla and Jesse calling it straight down the middle. Hogan's arm almost drops to three but he fights back and eventually breaks the hold, and then we have what I thought maybe the match didn't need: A ref bump. Hebner goes down when Warrior is inadvertently whipped into him. So Hogan and Warrior each get phantom three counts, but I honestly don't know why that was needed in this match. Maybe to add some drama or a few minutes to the match, but the referee woke up and we get back to business.

Both guys get some quick two counts, as this is turning into a MUCH better match than anybody probably thought. Both guys start brawling on the outside but then Warrior pitches Hogan into the ring. He looks like he's about to finish the match off with his Gorilla Press/Splash finisher but Hogan kicks out and we get the Hulking Up and what everyone expected to be the predictable finish. Hogan fights off the punches, the finger waving, the right hands, the boot to the face. He goes for the legdrop, and Warrior got out of the way. Warrior hits the splash and gets the three count. I remember staring at the TV screen, absolutely stunned. Stunned with my mouth wide open. My buddy Tom who was a die-hard Ultimate Warrior fan was going bonkers and I literally couldn't speak. Not only did Hogan lose the match and lose his title, he lost CLEAN. No shenanigans or anything. CLEAN. I handed my buddy the $5 on the bet we made and went home still dumbfounded at what I just watched. That visual of Warrior standing on the turnbuckles with the fireworks going off, while Hogan was in the dark riding away on the little ring is a visual that stands the test of time. This was an incredible match that PWI awarded Match of the Year in 1990. What a main event.

### Justin:

WrestleMania is known for mega main events and iconic moments featuring legendary superstars. And this is one of the biggest and best examples of why that is true. Three years since Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant packed the Silverdome with 93,000 fans, Hogan does it again here against the Ultimate Warrior. The Skydome is bursting at the seems and ready to explode during the entrances, ready to let loose for this mammoth Title vs. Title match between two true icons. Hogan vs. Savage was a big match a year ago, but the Trump Plaza atmosphere limited how memorable that match and moment could really be. Like the Silverdome, the Skydome adds an extra intangible to the affair. And the fans were fantastic, having sat through 13 matches, but just as hot as ever for this clash. The build up to this had been picture perfect, with minimal contact and tons of hype, including a really fun contract signing on Prime Time Wrestling. It was also tremendous that both major titles were on the line here, really giving up that feeling that the two bet in the company were about to throw down. Right off the bell we get an epic test of strength with each man winning a round to crazy pops. This is so simple and so effective already. The whole early part of the match is them trading moves, shaking them off, resetting and doing it again, just showing how equal they were. That is some great storytelling early on to help hammer home what a big match this was. Warrior gets the first real advantage, clothesline Hogan to the floor and the Hulkster would mess up his knee on the way down. Hogan would limp around before collapsing and to his credit, Warrior went right out and attacked the injury. I love how, even though he hates both men, Jesse respects the gravity of the match by bemoaning that it could end early due to injury. Hogan would make it back in and fight through it, rallying back and sending Warrior crashing into the corner, where he met him with a clothesline. Jesse would crack off another great line when Hogan hooked on a front facelock and Gorilla talked about how vicious the move could be and the Body retorted "sure, ask Richard Belzer!" Great stuff. Hogan pulled out all the stops here, even busting out a small package for a near fall as well a nice back suplex. He would continue to wear Warrior down, working a rear chinlock in and grinding him down. It is a bit jarring watching Hogan use holds and work in a heel role controlling the match, but it made for a fresh match.

Warrior would even things up when both men colliding on a double clothesline, which pretty much resets the match and evens things back up. And the crowd could sense it. Hogan would get a dose of his own medicine as Warrior Hulked Up right in his face, shrugging off the champion's blows while shaking the ropes. Warrior would hit a suplex and then lock in a tight bear hug. Hogan would bust loose but in the ensuing fracas, the referee got wiped out, leading to a real air of uncertainty. With Hebner still down, Hogan would get a visual pin after spiking Warrior to the mat on a missed shoulderblock. Warrior would get one as well, continuing the thread of equality that has been baked into this feud since the jump. They would spill to the floor, where Hogan ate the post, but quickly both slid back inside. Warrior would list Hogan up and hit his gorilla press into big splash combo but Hogan kicked out to a huge pop. And at that moment, as Hogan Hulked up and rattled Warrior with right hands, it totally seemed like he would dispatch of yet another challenger to continue reigning as champion. He followed with the big boot...but then whiffed on the legdrop! What? Warrior popped up, hit the splash and won the match in a fantastically memorable moment. The Skydome erupted as Gorilla and Jesse gushed over what we just saw. Warrior celebrated his magnificent win, the first man to cleanly pin Hulk Hogan on WWF TV since Hogan's 1983 return. Hogan would grab his title and hand it to Warrior before embracing him, officially passing the torch before walking off into the sunset. What a match. What a moment. What a WrestleMania Main Event. The Warrior Era has begun.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is easily one of the most memorable shows in WWF history. This is one of those shows that you always remember fondly because like WrestleMania III it had that special feel with the massive SkyDome crowd and the epic main event. There wasn't a Savage/Steamboat match to steal the show but there are some memorable moments on the undercard, like the comedic debacle of the mixed tag and Demolition's historic third tag title win. For the first time in the PPV era Hulk Hogan legitimately took a back seat for someone else to shine. Could the Ultimate Warrior grab the mantle of the company and take it to the 90s? Time will tell, but for now let's bask in the moment and smile on what is one of those PPVs that stands on its own in history.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

I see all my snowflakes above. I know how few of them there are across a robust 14 match card. Yet, I don't care. This show completely holds up as being really fun to watch. It is much more streamlined and better set up than previous years, with shorter bell-to-bell times and less fluff in between bouts. Everything flowed quickly from segment to segment, especially compared to a year earlier, which was stuffed from top to bottom with tons of stuff dragging throughout. Even the Rhythm & Blues segment here moved really quickly as opposed to the never ending Piper's Pit and Run DMC performance from Atlantic City. The fans were unreal all night, staying molten hot and buying into everything, right through the main event. The commentary is top notch and arguably the best for a WWF PPV to date. Gorilla and Jesse were locked in and dominant from the open to the close. It is really sad that this marks the end of Jesse's PPV run. The shows won't be the same without his intelligence, insight, humor, confidence and rage. We even got some big theme debuts for Rick Martel, Big Boss Man and Ted DiBiase, with songs that were legendary for wrestling fans of the era. The card was loaded with big moments, wild pops and memorable characters and feuds. The main event is the stuff of legend and the bout delivered on the hype and build. It was a true passing of the torch as the company now rests in the hands of the Ultimate Warrior. Sometimes, a supershow is about more than workrate and can deliver on the back of intangibles and moments. This is one of them.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #41

#  SummerSlam 1990: Where Do We Go Now?

August 27, 1990

Spectrum

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Attendence: 19,304

Buy Rate: 3.8

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper

### Match #1: Power & Glory defeat the Rockers when Paul Roma pins Marty Jannetty after the Power-Plex at 5:59

Fun Fact I: Power and Glory was formed in April of 1990 when Paul Roma had just lost a match to Dino Bravo and was being helped up by his "friends" the Rockers. Roma wanted no help and began arguing with Michaels & Jannetty. Hercules came out to apparently calm things down, but instead sided with Roma and the duo went after the Rockers. A week later they were heels named Power & Glory and debuted Slick as their manager.

Fun Fact II: Shawn Michaels was suffering from a knee injury that had kept out of action for multiple weeks and continue into the fall. Shane Douglas would fill in and team with Marty Jannetty on occasion during that time.

### Scott:

Wow we dive right into the biggest show of the summer with a crazy start as Hercules & Pretty Paul Roma attack Shawn & Marty on the outside. Shawn is pretty much down and out on the outside with an apparent knee injury. It was clear that Shawn Michaels was legitimately injured because Marty pretty much did all the work in this match while this fresh heel team is dominating. Hercules was getting stale as a babyface and Paul Roma was just...well stale in general. I have to really get accustomed to this broadcast team. Vince did Superstars sure, but this is a legit PPV with big time matches and not throwaway squashes where Vince gushes about Hogan the whole time. As for Piper, well with Jesse gone they needed to start grooming new commentators. Piper is a babyface but he's trying to be down the middle and credit the heels, more than "supporting" them like Jesse would do. This match is kind of a glorified squash as Marty can do all he can but P&G show they are a force in the tag team division. This wasn't the best of openers, much worse than last year's SummerSlam gem with the Harts against the Brainbusters.

### Justin:

It has been a weird summer here in the WWF. Since we left you at WrestleMania, the Ultimate Warrior has become the top dog in the promotion and under him, the roster has undergone an interesting amount of churn, with familiar faces fading, others switching roles and some new talent being blended into the card. Another major change is in the broadcast booth, as the great Jesse Ventura abruptly left the company in August after a dispute over video game licensing and he is replaced here by Roddy Piper, who is tapering back into a true part-time in ring role. Also, Gorilla Monsoon takes the summer off as usual, so Vince McMahon is in the play-by-play seat, calling his first PPV since WrestleMania II. Our opener pits a brand new heel team battling an entrenched face tandem. Power & Glory hooked up just after WrestleMania and is comprised of Hercules and Paul Roma. Both men had gotten fed up with spinning their wheels in the lower card so they decided to get angry about and team up instead. They brought Slick in as their manager and instantly kicked off a feud with the Rockers when they jumped Michaels and Jannetty at the same time they formed as a unit. P&G looked to make an immediate statement out of the gate, bashing Michaels in the knee with the chain as the Rockers were getting in the ring. As Michaels recuperated on the floor, Jannetty did his best to ward off both Herc and Roma. Putting P&G together was a good move as Hercules had really lost his way as a face and done pretty much anything he could do besides become a jobber to the stars. And that is the exact role Roma had been in since the Young Stallions had split up. Why not give them a shot to make something happen and refresh the tag division? P&G were ruthless here, stomping Jannetty around the ring and intermittently hopping down and kicking Michaels around to keep him on he floor as well. Any time Jannetty got an opening or reversed a hold, either Herc or Roma made a quick tag or interfered to maintain control. Very smart heel tag work here. Michaels continuously tried to climb on the apron, but Roddy kept wondering what good he would even be if he did make it in. Jannetty found daylight and hit a top rope fistdrop on Roma but Herc busted up the pin and that was followed by a stiff Herc clothesline from the apron to end all momentum. That would be Marty's last stand as P&G finished him off right after with their gorgeous Powerplex finisher. The crowd even had to pop for that one. After the bell, they chucked Michaels back in the ring and stomped the shit out of both Rockers. Man, what a statement. That was flawless booking of a new dominant heel team. Just an outright dissection and squash. I loved it. Good heat too.

### Match #2: The Texas Tornado defeats Mr. Perfect to win the WWF Intercontinental Title with the Tornado Punch at 5:13

Fun Fact I: When the Ultimate Warrior won the WWF World Title at Wrestlemania, he had to forfeit the Intercontinental Title. A tournament was held to crown a new champion. The final was on May 19, and Mr. Perfect defeated Tito Santana to win the title. Here are the full results: 1st Round: Mr. Perfect over Jimmy Snuka; Roddy Piper & Rick Martel fought to a Double DQ; Dino Bravo & Brutus Beefcake were both counted out; Tito Santana defeated Akeem; Santana and Perfect received byes to the Final Round.

Fun Fact II: This was originally supposed to be a rematch of Mr. Perfect and Brutus Beefcake from WrestleMania. Beefcake was locked in for the second time in three years to win the IC title. However this time the reason was much more serious than in 1988. On the Fourth of July, Beefcake was on a beach in Florida with former WWF superstar B. Brian Blair when an accident occurred. A female parasailer careened out of control and flew out of the water and towards the beach. She made contact with Beefcake, slamming her knees right into his face, causing severe fractures to his face, particularly around both orbital bones. He would be off camera for almost a year, and wouldn't compete in the ring again until 1993.

Fun Fact III: This is the WWF PPV debut of Kerry Von Erich. His name is royalty in professional wrestling. The Von Erich family ruled wrestling in the Dallas area for over 40 years. His father Fritz Von Erich was the head of World Class Championship Wrestling. Kerry was the golden boy of the family. He may not have had the talent of his late brother David, but he had the best physique. He even defeated the great Ric Flair for the NWA World Heavyweight Title on May 6, 1984 at Texas Stadium at a memorial show for his late brother. His last big match was a WCCW/AWA title unification match that he lost to Jerry Lawler on December 13, 1988 in Chicago. Von Erich made his TV debut on the 7/28 Saturday Night's Main Event where he defeated "Playboy" Buddy Rose. On the 8/11 Superstars, Von Erich came to the ring after Mr. Perfect defeated Randy Fox and challenged him to an IC Title match at SummerSlam. Perfect accepted the match on the 8/18 Superstars, just nine days before the PPV aired.

### Scott:

This was supposed to be Brutus Beefcake's title challenge after beating Perfect at WrestleMania, but he had that historically sad parasailing accident and his face was pretty much destroyed. So needing a quick replacement, in comes Kerry Von Erich. The face of World Class Championship Wrestling arrives in the WWF as his dad's promotion was sold to the Jarretts and started to crumble. Just ten days before this show, Perfect's opponent was named to replace Beefcake. Sad for the Bruti, as for the second time in three years he's hosed (by fate) out of the Intercontinental Championship. This Philly crowd is off the charts, as expected. Piper rips Bobby Heenan to shreds, creating the infamous "Boobsie" nickname. This match is shorter than I anticipated it to be, and I wonder if this was Beefcake's match whether it would have been longer. Tornado slaps the claw on and then drills Perfect with the Discus Punch, and three seconds later we have a new Intercontinental Champion. I was absolutely stunned. I wonder if they just wanted to give the crowd a cheap pop for Beefcake not being there. The match is average, but the surprise and the crowd pop pushes the grade up a bit.

### Justin:

Unbreak my heart. Say you'll love me again. Undo this hurt that you caused, when you walked out the door and walked out of my life! That is what I was saying at age nine when Brutus Beefcake was knocked out of action with a serious injury and screwed out of his big SummerSlam title win. Sure, the song wouldn't come out for another six years, but I know I felt it. My favorite wrestler, wrecked out of carelessness and taken away from me right before his crowning moment. Very harsh stuff. And I used to resent the shit out of the Texas Tornado because of it. Mr. Perfect captured the IC title shortly after WrestleMania. The Ultimate Warrior was forced to vacate it and Perfect outlast a field of eight to grab the gold that seemed to sit so...perfectly around his waist. He also added Bobby Heenan as a manager, moving on from the Genius. It was a good trade and was more fitting for a guy that was working his way up the card. Genius was fine, but Heenan was managerial royalty and he had a giant sized opening in his stable. Tornado gets a nice ovation from the Philly crowd, even though he is relatively new to WWF crowds, having only showed up just weeks before. Tornado would overpower the champion early as Piper wondered if Perfect prepped or took things for granted with a newcomer. Perfect tried to wrestle a bit but when he paused and used strikes, it backfired as Tornado chucked him around the ring and to the floor. Perfect would land a stiff forearm shot and immediately go right to work, rattling Tornado with his neck snap and then locking in a sleeper. But then it all came crashing down, as Perfect's Achilles heel, the steel post, was again his worst enemy Tornado would sling him into it, hook on a brief claw hold and then pelt Perfect with his discus punch for the upset win. And just like that, the perfect IC title run had ended. Perfect's selling of the discus punch was absurdly beautiful. It sucked to see Perfect's reign end so quickly but he was probably going to lose to Beefcake anyway, so putting the new guy over strong in his debut made sense. The match was quick and didn't have much to it, but the crowd loved it and popped big for the finish.

### Match #3: Sensational Queen Sherri defeats Sapphire by Forfeit

### Scott:

This was supposed to be the ending of this feud, with the women wrestling and the men (Savage and Rhodes) going at it later in the show. Instead Sapphire doesn't come out and Sherri wins by forfeit. A few minutes earlier Mean Gene was supposed to have an interview, but she no-showed. In the ring Rhodes' music plays twice but Sapphire never comes out. Sherri is wearing heels, so that may have given somebody a hint that a match actually wasn't happening. Now over the past few weeks Sapphire was getting lavish gifts from a mysterious suitor. So eventually Sherri wins the match by forfeit. Very strange, but the story continues as the night progresses.

### Justin:

One of 1990's biggest feuds was set to culminate here as the participants in the WrestleMania mixed tag team match were going to clash in singles bouts. Right before the match, Gene Okerlund notes that Sweet Sapphire hadn't been seen all day. We then head to the ring where Sherri makes her way out and awaits the match in the ring. However, the match never comes as Sapphire no shows and Sherri screams her way through a countout forfeit win. Just storyline advancement and nothing more. And it was probably for the best.

*** Backstage, Gene Okerlund chats with Dusty Rhodes, who doesn't know the whereabouts of Sapphire. She vanished when they got to the building and hasn't seen her since. Not even Jim Duggan was able to solve the crime, but he was on the case. Dusty references concern about the recent expensive and lavish gifts Sapphire had been receiving in recent weeks. ***

### Match #4: The Warlord defeats Tito Santana with a Running Powerslam at 5:28

Fun Fact I: This was originally booked to be Tito Santana battling Rick Martel in what would finally be their big PPV blow-off match, but Martel was pulled a few weeks before the show due to injury. The storyline reason was that he had a modeling obligation in France.

Fun Fact II: After the Powers of Pain were split up by Mr. Fuji, Slick purchased the contract of the Warlord.

### Scott:

So for the second time this year, Tito Santana takes on half of the former Powers of Pain. He went head to head with the Barbarian at WrestleMania and now takes on the former power guy for the POP. Piper does throw a dig at the departing Jesse Ventura by saying he won't make fun of Santana or call him strange names, referencing when Jesse called him "Chico". Both men go back and forth, and even Slick tries to get into it by hitting Tito outside with his shoe. Tito is settling right into his role as the veteran who puts on a great match but eventually puts over the up and coming heel. Tito does get off his flying forearm finisher, but Warlord's foot on the ropes breaks the count. So they didn't totally kill Tito's finisher, but Warlord does recover and hits the big powerslam for the victory. Tito may be 0-2 against the Powers of Pain, but he is 2-2 in putting on two good matches and putting over the bigger guys.

### Justin:

I was really excited for a potential Strike Force explosion when it was originally announced and I think that match really could have given this show a bump when it came to in ring action. Alas, it was not meant to be. Instead, Santana gets paired off with another former Power of Pain. He lost to Barbarian back in April but is looking to back on track against Warlord here. The big man had overhauled and streamlined his look, dumping the paint and long tights and wearing simple black trunks. Things would get a little weirder for him in the coming weeks though. Tito gets off to a hot start, peppering Warlord with strikes and a big dropkick that sent him crashing to the floor. Tito kept sticking and moving and even was able to leap onto Warlord's shoulders and drive him to the mat with right hands. That was about it for Tito, as Warlord shoved him to the floor and then scooped him up and rammed him into the post. Slick teased using his shoe as a weapon as Piper burst into a super racist impression of what he believes Slick would be saying. Back inside, Warlord continued to methodically hammer on Tito. Tito was surprisingly able to slug his way back and then even cracked Warlord with his flying forearm but for the second straight PPV, his opponent got his foot on the rope to bail himself out. Nice symmetry. Tito got a little too confident and tried a monkey flip but Warlord hooked the rope and Santana slammed back to the mat. Warlord pounced with a powerslam and finished things off. Simple squash with a couple of fun flashes sprinkled in the basic power strikes. Plus, Slick.

### Match #5: The Hart Foundation defeats Demolition in a Two of Three Falls match to win WWF Tag Team Titles

Falls:

Smash pins Bret Hart with the Decapitation Device at 6:20

Demolition is disqualified at 10:35

Bret Hart pins Crush with a roll-up at 15:47

Fun Fact I: After winning their third WWF Tag Team Title at WrestleMania, Demolition went through a change, adding a third member to the group. Crush is Brian Adams, a rookie from the Pacific Northwest. Bill Eadie (Ax) was having heart troubles and needed to tone back his activity. Crush debuted on 6/5 at a TV Taping, but first appeared on TV in an interview on the 7/8 Challenge. Knowing that adding a third member would disrupt the dynamic of the team and lose some popularity, Vince decided to turn them heel. The other reason was the arrival of a new face team. Since the Hart Foundation defeated the Bolsheviks in record time at WrestleMania, they have been re-pushed to the top of the division after a stagnant 1989.

Fun Fact II: The Road Warriors came into the WWF already with an impressive resume. Hawk (Mike Hegstrand) and Animal (Joe Laurinatis) are both from the Chicago suburbs, and both trained in Minneapolis. They steamrolled through Georgia, AWA, and then Mid-Atlantic and their tough, no-nonsense style in the ring built them a very loyal fan base, even if they were heels for part of their run. Along with manager Precious Paul Ellering, they won Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Tag Team of the Year four times (1983-85, 1988). They won the AWA Tag Team titles in 1984 and the NWA Tag Team Titles in 1988. This was their first jaunt into the WWF and they debuted on the 7/15 Challenge. Coincidentally, Barry Darsow (Demolition's Smash), worked out in the same gym as Hawk and Animal growing up.

### Scott:

So Jesse Ventura was correct one year earlier. When the Hart Foundation lost to the Brain Busters last year at SummerSlam, The Body said it would be one year before the Pink and Black would get another Tag Team Title shot, and indeed he was correct. After Demolition's huge win at WrestleMania VI over the Colossal Connection, Ax was having health problems so they decided a third member was needed to do the work in the ring. However it's tough to have the "Freebird Rule" when you're babyfaces. Then the signing of, at the time, the best tag team in the business changed things up. The Road Warriors finally made their WWF debut and now the two leather-studded teams were in the same company at the same time. So obviously Demolition was the more logical team to turn heel. With 2 of 3 falls matches, the heels usually get the first fall and of course Bret Hart is hit with the Decapitation Device and takes a 1-0 lead. Piper is a little off in his debut as commentator, but he is curtailing Vince's babyface whining about heels by being logical. He also steps over Vince while the action is being called. It happens often during this match, mostly because Piper is getting caught up in all the emotion and just verbally vomits sometimes.

The Harts tie the match when Crush breaks up a Foundation pin attempt by jumping on the referee. That was a strange way to do it but either way it ties the match up. As the third fall starts, Ax comes down the aisle and hides under the ring, which means chicanery is being planned here. The third fall continues with both teams going back and forth, and the Harts are so close to being new champions. Then the switcheroo happens as Smash, who was in the match, slides under the ring and Ax replaces him. So the fresh guy is in and no one seems the wiser. Well except everybody watching. Even Anvil isn't saying anything. In the climax, out comes the Legion of Doom and I'm marking out like crazy. Hawk and Animal destroy Ax and Smash on the outside, while Crush eats the Hart Attack and the Hart Foundation are now two-time Tag Team Champions. I was so stoked that my favorite tag team was in the WWF and cost Demolition the straps. This was a fun match with a lot of action and a great run-in.

### Justin:

It was a really sad summer for me. Between Beefcake getting wiped out and Demolition turning heel and being bastardized with a third member, all my early wrestling loves were breaking my heart. Even though the music was the same and the S&M outfits were the same and the pain was the same...it just wasn't the same. I remember being aghast that they would risk running Crush out there in such a big time match. He is a rookie! Stupid strategy! Bret Hart even agreed, per the prematch promo. And speaking of the Harts, Jesse Ventura was pretty spot on a year ago when he proclaimed that if the Harts lost to the Brain Busters it would be a year before they sniffed another title match. It was good to see them pushed back into a prominent position on the card after really doing a whole bunch of nothing for a while now. Bret would kick things off and control the action early as Vince tried to convince the audience about how hard it was to tell Demolition apart. After all these years? Crush would see his first action and would immediately piss away the offense for the champs, missing a knee drop. Both sides would tag in and out and get their licks in until the champs cheated to gain control. That was again short lived, though, and soon enough Bret was dissecting Smash with his usual offense. The fans have really been into this one and I loved the matchup because it felt like to veteran teams tussling that one last time on the big stage. Demolition would seize the first fall by polishing Bret off with the Decapitation Device. I liked that the champs won the first fall clean to help keep them looking strong.

Coming into the second fall, Bret continued to be a punching bag, including eating a nice chokeslam by Crush. Bret found an opening with a clothesline and was able to drag himself to the corner to tag out. Anvil came in to a raucous crowd and cleaned house. This match is so much fun. The Harts would land the Hart Attack but before the referee could count three, Crush jumped in the ring and smacked him to draw a DQ. That was an odd decision. Not sure why the Harts couldn't just get the pin to give each side a victory with the finisher. It also made Crush look real stupid that he dove over Bret and smacked the referee instead. Anyway, as the Harts regrouped on the floor, Ax snuck to down to ringside and hid under the ring. Vince calls him "The Ax". Has this man never seen a Demolition match? He and Piper discuss the violation of rules by the champs as it was supposed to be that only two members were allowed at ringside. With the referee distracted, the champs pulled the old switcharoo with Smash diving under the ring and Ax slipping inside to work over Bret. The champs continued their subterfuge and maintained control over the Hitman until a brand new tag team showed up to even the odds a bit. The crowd exploded as the Legion of Doom marched to ringside and dragged Ax out from under the apron. The distraction caused Crush to fall off the middle rope and then get smacked by an Anvil shoulderblock that led to a Hitman rollup for the win. And the crowd went apeshit. That match never slowed down and was really well booked for the most part. The Harts deserved another run with the gold and the Philly fans definitely agreed. I get why they did the heel turn and parlor tricks but it just felt like such a blemish on the legacy of Demolition. Watching them play games like the fucking Killer Bees just felt so beneath them. Crush also was pretty green and it just wasn't the same anymore. I hate that it happened so soon after their pinnacle moment at WrestleMania. Regardless, we have new champion and the Era of Demolition is effectively over. It is a new day in the WWF tag division with fresh blood seeping in and familiar faces back on top.

### Match #6: Jake Roberts defeats Bad News Brown by Disqualification at 4:45

Fun Fact I: This is Bad News Brown's final PPV match (and final match altogether). His final record was 2-5-2. He was 0-2 at the Royal Rumble, 1-0-2 at WrestleMania, 1-1 at SummerSlam and 0-2 at Survivor Series. After leaving the WWF due to issues with broken promises, Brown would hit the independent circuit for the remainder of the decade, including spending time in the Japanese shoot promotion UWFi. Brown retired in 1999 due to a knee injury and would pass away from a heart attack in 2007.

Fun Fact II: These two men battled each other on House Shows from May right up until this show. Bad News claimed he wasn't afraid of snakes, and that he would produce his very own Harlem Sewer Rats to combat Damien. To ensure that these two wouldn't get out of control, Jack Tunney named the Big Boss Man the special guest referee for the match. Sadly, we would never get to see the Sewer Rats.

### Scott:

Our first match after the intermission pits snakes versus sewer rats. A guy like Bad News just went around from babyface to babyface. Piper talks trash about Bad News, but doesn't reference their feud from earlier in the year. Maybe because their WrestleMania match is pretty bad. Big Boss Man is all over this show, first off as special referee for this match. You'd think this match would be pretty solid because both guys can mix technical wrestling and brawling, but it is barely five minutes and neither guy really gets a chance to get going before the match ends in a disqualification. We actually don't see any Harlem Sewer Rats either, as the cage they're supposedly in is covered by a blanket. Bad News leaves the WWF shortly after this match, supposedly because Vince went back on the promise of making Bad News the first black WWF Champion. Bad News Brown had such untapped potential as a great heel and a great champion. All the feuds he was in had good buildup but the matches never delivered. Jake wins, Piper actually calls the victory "cheap" but Bad News is out the door.

### Justin:

In one 1990's most bizarre feuds, Bad News Brown had vowed to prove he was not afraid of snakes by procuring some mutant sewer rats from Harlem to destroy Damien. Big Boss Man is the guest referee here, still getting his feet wet in his face role. I always thought it was a little weird that we didn't get Boss Man facing Ted DiBiase at this show since they been waring since DiBiase's sneak attack at WrestleMania. Brown tried to jump Jake early but was unable to connect and had to regroup outside. It is kind of funny seeing Boss Man referee while wearing his full wrestling gear. Bad News caught Jake as he came back in and started to work him over with some kicks and a legdrop. It also didn't take long for Bad News to start jawing with Boss Man, which almost led him to eating a DDT. Boss Man lost control as both men tumbled to the floor and Bad News based Jake in the ribs with a chair. One of the highlights here was Jake flipping Bad News off as he rebound out of the corner after a hard whip. Bad News started to really lay in some clotheslines and punches but he made a mistake by going to the middle rope as he whiffed on a fist drop. As Bad News kept slipping out of the DDT, Piper claimed that he thought Brown had oiled his head...and of course that was just to set up an Arab joke. Bad News continued to bend the rules until Boss Man simply disqualified him. Well, that was anticlimactic. Bad News tried to legdrop Damien, but Boss Man made the save. This whole thing really made Jake look like a pussy. He got dominated the whole time and then only lost when Bad News kept dumping him outside and bending the rules. Bad News would jump Boss Man as well, but Jake and Damien finally made the save and ran him off. Some really weird booking with only Brown looking strong, which is too bad since he left a couple of months later. Jake moves on to his next feud while Boss Man still has business to take care of tonight.

*** For the second time this year, we get a special edition of the Brother Love Show on PPV. This time his guest is a recently returned Sgt. Slaughter. Slaughter is appearing on his first WWF PPV as he had left the company back in 1984. Slaughter returned to the company as a heel and Vince pushed that hard here, talking about how he was kicked out of the service for being too mean and brutal. He would rant about how America had become weak and soft before looking at the WWF and finding Brother Love, the man he believes is the only choice to wear the Sgt. Slaghter Great American Award. Love was over the moon as Piper told Slaughter to check out Iraq if he had issues with America. Love compares his medal to the one Nikolai Volkoff had recently received. Sarge then declares war on Volkoff because America was too chicken to go to battle and rips the country for welcoming Volkoff into its arms. He also proclaims that Sadaam Hussein's troops would kick America's butt if war broke out in the Middle East due to how soft and weak the US had become. ***

*** Elsewhere, Gene Okerlund has located Sapphire, but she blows him off and ducks into a locker room. ***

### Match #7: Jim Duggan and Nikolai Volkoff defeat the Orient Express when Duggan pinned Tanaka after the Three Point Stance Clothesline at 3:21

Fun Fact: After their dismantling by the Hart Foundation at WrestleMania and the subsequent end of Communism in the East, the Bolsheviks were broken up and Nikolai Volkoff turned into a US sympathizer, teaming with the ultra-patriotic Duggan. Nikolai and Boris split up on the 5/19 Superstars after a loss to the Rockers.

### Scott:

First off, Piper agrees with me 100% when he talks about the combined IQ of this new babyface team. With the Cold War pretty much over, having heel Russians is pretty out of date. So Nikolai has apparently "seen the light" through Hacksaw Jim Duggan. They butcher "God Bless America" at the beginning, trying to honor Philadelphia icon Kate Smith. Of course the beginning of the long struggle with Iraq began earlier in the month when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait. So patriotism was starting to pique again. Piper doesn't trust Volkoff, claiming that he's a still a devious Communist. Piper is getting more heelish as this show has progressed. He's probably getting some hints from Vince to be slightly more antagonistic. The match isn't much as the heels try to work with the bigger guys but with the match only three minutes or so again not much to work with. The babyfaces win to juice up the ol' USA, but the match is nothing.

### Justin:

I will never quite understand the decision to attempt a patriotic face run by Nikolai Volkoff. I mean, I love my big, nasty Russians but he seemed so past expiration that this felt like a real waste of time. I guess they were trying to be topical? Who knows. Anyway, Volkoff teams with Jim Duggan to battle the evil foreigner Orient Express to help establish big Nik's loyalty. They even enter to Stars & Stripes Forever and sing God Bless America. Very poorly. Roddy goes heel here, talking about how he doesn't trust Volkoff at all and makes fun of the team's combined IQ. Duggan must have really been hitting the beach over the summer as he is super tan and his hair is quite blond. Duggan puts over the troops in the Middle East and then we finally get rolling. The Orients try to attack but Duggan and Nikolai team up to fend them off and rattle them, sending them out to Fuji as the crowd roared "USA". The Orients try to match power but that fails as Nikolai is just to big. So, when that failed they started to double team and cheat like a good heel team would. Nikolai fought through it and tagged in Duggan, who quickly mowed through the Express and polished off Tanaka with the three point stance clothesline. Well, that was effective. It sucks to see the Express already relegated to job duty, but I guess I shouldn't have expected much more. Nikolai gets his first big PPV win since WrestleMania I and the crowd was super into it thanks to Duggan and jingoism. Through the night with a light from above, indeed.

*** Dusty Rhodes joins Gene Okerlund and tries to convince Sapphire to come join him for his match but he is met with silence. Despite being very concerned and befuddled, he took off for the ring while vowing to return immediately after. ***

### Match #8: Randy Savage defeats Dusty Rhodes after using a loaded purse at 2:14

Fun Fact I: After a big win over Savage and Sensational Sherri at WrestleMania, Dusty Rhodes and Sapphire were on top of the world. Then Sapphire started receiving lavish gifts, from cash to furs to jewelry. Rhodes didn't know what was going on. Then throughout this show Sapphire was nowhere to be found, and Rhodes was upset. Sapphire would turn up when Dusty least expected it, in the midst of his big match with the Macho Man.

Fun Fact II: This is Sapphire's final WWF PPV appearance. She would show up on TV a few more times alongside DiBiase before leaving the company. In an issue of WWF Magazine, Virgil revealed that DiBiase had taken away all of Sapphire's gifts to drive her from the WWF. In reality, the bookers had decided it was time to split her and Rhodes up, a decision that reportedly devastated Sapphire, who was legitimately a big time Dusty Rhodes admirer. Juanita Wright would pass away from a heart attack in 1996 at age 61.

### Scott:

This is a damn shame. Two expert workers in the ring could have had a great match if it was given some time and psychology. Before the match even starts, out comes Ted DiBiase who says truly "everybody has a price." Out comes Sapphire in a new dress, a mink coat, jewelry and a bag full of money. This makes no sense whatsoever. Why would DiBiase want to buy Sapphire? It's kind of sad that Dusty had her in the first place. This would eventually lead to a deeper feud for the rest of the year, but sadly it comes at the expense of what could have been a great match. Instead Savage takes advantage of a distracted and downtrodden Rhodes, hits him with the infamous "loaded purse", and gets the victory. Even Piper says Sapphire did the right thing. Most of the backstage stuff on this show involved Sapphire and where she was and the payoff is a downer.

### Justin:

There have been some pretty fun interviews and promos before every match on this card, but I think my favorite is Sean Mooney interviewing Randy Savage while the King was sitting on his sedan and about to depart for the ring. Fun stuff. Poor Dusty is super distracted here, worried about the mysterious actions and disappearance of his beloved valet. This feud has really dominated much of the year, having kicked off way back in January, and I was looking forward to them finally having a big singles match. Savage riding to the ring on the sedan just always seemed so right. Just before the bell can ring, Ted DiBiase and Virgil showed up on the podium in the aisle. DiBiase called Dusty out and mocked him for being a common man and a peon. To prove that everybody has a price and that anyone can be bought, he purchased Dust's humiliation by buying off Sapphire. The Sweet One comes waddling out, decked out in all her gifts, and DiBiase talks about how he was the one that had been sending her everything over the past few weeks. You had to feel bad for Dusty here as he seemed heartbroken watching it unfold. You also have to laugh that DiBiase would waste money and time on someone as goofy as Sapphire. Rhodes would start to chase after them, but Savage jumped him in the aisle and brought him back to the ring. Savage would quickly bounce around the ring, working over the Dream but Dusty was able to chuck the King into the corner and go to work with elbows. Sherri would get involved and run some interference, which allowed Savage to bop Dusty with her loaded purse to pick up the win. What a humiliating night for Big Dust. He has had a pretty good run in the WWF so far, but things are not looking good for the Dream as we reach the fall. Sapphire is gone and he suffers a tough loss to his heated rival. I do like the idea that Savage and DiBiase were in cahoots on this subterfuge. This was pretty disappointing to see such a hot feud sputter out as fodder for another feud. Farewell Sweet Sapphire. May you dance forever.

*** After the match, Dusty bounds to the back but just as he arrives, DiBiase, Sapphire and Virgil speed off in a limousine. ***

### Match #9: Hulk Hogan defeats Earthquake by countout at 13:09

Fun Fact: On the 5/26 edition of Superstars, Hulk Hogan was a guest on the Brother Love Show. During the interview, he was confronted by the current monster heel on the block, Earthquake. After a brief altercation, Quake attacked Hogan and laid numerous Earthquake Splashes down onto Hogan's chest. For the first time in a long time, and possibly ever, Hulk Hogan looked mortal. He was wheeled off on a stretcher and it was later reported that he now had a broken sternum and would be on the shelf for a few months. In reality, Hogan needed time off to film his next blockbuster film, Suburban Commando, but the kayfabe reason worked like a million bucks, as Earthquake looked like a sadistic killer and Hogan gained some much needed sympathy heat while on the shelf. After weeks and weeks of video packages highlighting the attack (many of which were tear-inducing to us 10-year olds), Hogan's return was announced as imminent. On the 7/14 Superstars, his return was set officially; it would be Hogan vs. Earthquake at SummerSlam. Along with that announcement came another one: Hogan would have newcomer, and avid Hulkamaniac, Tugboat in his corner while Earthquake would have Dino Bravo in his. Those plans changed, however, on the 8/18 Superstars, where Quake attacked Tugboat 45 seconds into a match with Bravo, and laid him out with two vicious Earthquake Splashes. More damage could have been done, but the Big Boss Man ran out to ringside and broke things up. Tugboat was stretchered out, and it was soon revealed that he wouldn't be healthy in time for SummerSlam. Finally, on the 8/25 Superstars, Hogan returned to the Brother Love Show and announced that the Big Boss Man would be in his corner, replacing Tugboat.

### Scott:

It's time for the culmination of a very emotional storyline, one where young Hulkamaniacs cried and wept while their beloved hero was beaten down by the evil Earthquake. He was taken off TV for an extended period and there were fans sending cards and letters. Then there was that awesome vignette where we had Hogan in all his greatest moments, intertwined with the sad, evil music showing the Hulkster getting crushed on the Brother Love show by Earthquake. Piper is saying at the beginning that Hogan may be hesitant, that maybe he's afraid of the punishment that awaits him. The psychology here is unique, as instead of Hogan being all geeked up and starting fast, Earthquake starts the match off fast and hits with some big strikes to put doubt in Hogan's mind that he could win this match. In fact Hogan gets beat down pretty much the first 12 minutes of the bout. Hogan eats not one but two Earthquake splashes, but then it happens. The inevitable Hogan kick out, hulking up and coming back. He slams Quake and hits the legdrop but in straying from the usual formula, there's all this interference from Boss Man, Bravo and Jimmy Hart. More chicanery outside as Hart hits Quake by accident with the megaphone and Hogan wins by countout. Odd ending but maybe this feud would be continuing. After the match Hogan is getting choked out by Quake when Boss Man hits him with a steel stepladder, leaving memorable welts on Quake's back. Piper pretty much went full heel here as he says Hogan got a hollow victory. Piper's old 1985 hatred of Hogan is coming out there. Well maybe not. Hogan poses for everyone afterwards. I'm surprised this match was so close to the end instead of in the middle to spell the crowd between this and the title match. Kind of strange there. In any event, Hogan gets the win (not by pinfall) but this feud definitely isn't over.

### Justin:

And it is finally time for the first half of our big double main event. Back in April, the monster Earthquake crushed my heart and brought me to tears when he destroyed Hulk Hogan on the Brother Love Show. It was a fantastic way to push a new heel and immediately got fans revved up for a big time revenge match. After months of get well cards and prayers, Hogan returned late in the summer and the match was announced for Philly. Each man was supposed to have a cornerman as Dino Bravo would naturally be in Quake's corner while Tugboat would support his good buddy Hogan. However, Tugboat was beaten down and taken out of the equation, so in steps the Big Boss Man. It was clearly an attempt to solidify Boss Man as major face player, associated with the Hulkster, so I thought it was a shrewd move. This was really the first blood feud I saw from start to end as a wrestling fan so I was all in. Earthquake seemed unbeatable to me and they booked him super strong since his debut. With Hogan battling serious rib and back injuries, it seemed questionable if he could take the big man down. The crowd was amped for the Hulkster and this felt like the perfect role for him now, working right under the main event in big time feuds, away from the title. Bravo's slicked back dyed hair on top of his very boated head always makes laugh and cry at the same time. Quake overpowered Hogan out of the gate, but Hogan didn't get rattled and conferred with Boss Man as he regained his composure. And it worked, because moments later, Quake left his feet for the first time in the match courtesy a series of Hogan right hands. Al four men would end up in the ring with Boss Man and Hogan cracking both with double big boots. Piper is doing his best, but this is where we miss Jesse because he would have been blowing his lid after that. After working as a heel for parts of the show, Piper was rooting for Hogan here, which was odd. As the referee drove Boss Man to the floor, Quake and Bravo doubled up on Hogan to regain control.

In a pretty cool spot, Quake really tested Hulk's back with a giant Boston crab. It looked impressive with that much weight wrenched back, only to be broken when Hogan grabbed the rope. As Quake kept pounding the back, Vince started to wonder if Hogan came back a bit too soon for a match like this. Hogan rallied for a moment but went for a slam and collapsed under Quake's weight. Quake would lock in a bear hug and for some reason as Hogan was fighting out of it, he tore up poor Earl Hebner's shirt. Seems kind of mean. Hogan would break the hold and land a couple of shots, but Quake caught a flying body press (!) attempt and powerslammed Hulk to the mat. Man, such great comeback attempts and teases in this one. Piper lamented Hogan's decision to train for endurance instead of size, which was a good take. Quake would follow with his Earthquake Splash, but instead of covering he popped back up and hit a second one. And this time...Hogan kicked out and Hulked Up as the crowd went bananas. Hogan finally slammed the big man and dropped the leg, but Bravo and Jimmy Hart got involved to case things to break down. Boss Man would come in as well before everything spilled to the floor. Out there, Jimmy Hart accidentally pelted Quake with his megaphone, which allowed Hogan to slam Quake on a table! Quake would be counted out and Hogan got the victory. Quake hopped back in after the match and choked Hogan, but Boss Man grabbed a stool and smashed him repeatedly in the back with it, leaving some really nasty welts. As Boss Man stood tall over Hogan, Quake and his crew bailed and called it a day.

I used to really have issue with Hogan busting out of two Quake splashes, but in retrospect I think Hulk did more than enough to make up for it. He put Quake over big in April and then doesn't get a pinfall victory, with Quake only losing thanks to Hart's megaphone and the table. Hogan had to get some shine in his comeback match, so it worked well. It also made sense to not have Quake get pinned because they had yet to hit the house show circuit thanks to the structure of the feud. This way, the feud can stay simmering for the next tour. Also, Boss Man looked really good here and has been strongly elevated during the course of this show. I have always loved this match as the pace was good, the crowd was hot and it was smartly worked from bell to bell. Plus, those welts. Ouch.

### Match #10: The Ultimate Warrior defeats Rick Rude in a Steel Cage match to retain the WWF World Title when he escapes the cage at 10:02

Fun Fact I: Since the Federation was low on top level heels after WrestleMania, Vince decided to create one from the inside. So, he took perennial upper mid-carder Rick Rude and gave him a makeover. Rude cut off his trademark curly hair and sported a brand new, short, hair style. He also started being more aggressive in the ring and established a mean streak in his personality. The new attitude and look were meant to make Rude a more serious threat in the eyes of the fans. After that was established, the next step was to kick start the feud. Each week, Rick Rude training videos began airing. The various vignettes show Rude running on the beach and pumping iron, all the while making threats towards the Warrior and his World title. Finally, on the 7/28 Saturday Night's Main Event, Rude and Warrior faced off for the World Title, but the match ended in a DQ after Bobby Heenan interfered in the match. That same night, a rematch was announced for SummerSlam, but this time it would occur inside a steel cage to prevent Heenan from interfering.

Fun Fact II: This is Rick Rude's final WWF PPV match. His final record was 6-4-1. He was 0-2 at the Royal Rumble, 2-0-1 at WrestleMania, 1-2 at SummerSlam and 3-0 at Survivor Series. He will return to the company in late 1997 after a successful run in WCW and brief stint in ECW. During that WCW run, Rude would injure his back and be forced to retire from active competition.

### Scott:

So what will bear out to be Ultimate Warrior's biggest title defense comes against the man with whom he feuded with throughout all of 1989. Warrior and Rude had three great segments on PPV last year: The posedown at the Royal Rumble, Rude's upset win at WrestleMania, and the classic SummerSlam rematch where Warrior regained the Intercontinental Title. After WrestleMania, Warrior needed someone to feud with. So why not go back to the well and face a man who gave you a couple of great matches? The problem was that as 1990 dawned, Rude was somewhat shunted down the card. After the feud with Roddy Piper at the end of 1989 ended, he floated around aimlessly. He defeated Jimmy Snuka in a forgettable match at WrestleMania, and then left TV for a few months. He came back in early summer and suddenly was #1 contender for the WWF Title. That really made no sense. The only other heels that were over enough for a World Title shot were Earthquake and Mr. Perfect, but they were both in other feuds. You weren't going to have a rematch with Hogan (that was slated for WM VII at the time), and Perfect already had the other singles title. So sadly, Rude came back and instantly was moved up the ladder to the top based on history. Then to make things even stranger, these two fought on Saturday Night's Main Event for the title. See back then the WWF wasn't really into having matches stand alone on PPV. Since the two already had history, the bloom sort of fell off that rose. So to counter the Hogan/Quake match, Warrior defends the title here in a cage. The match is similarly booked to their match one year earlier in New Jersey. Warrior dominates early, then makes a mistake and shoulderblocks the cage wall. For the first time in the PPV era, a cage match also has the option of pinning your opponent to win the match too. It adds to the psychology, for at one point Rude had Warrior set for the pin and instead tries to hit moves at the top of the cage and then tries to get out through the door. In the climax Bobby Heenan and Warrior play tug of war with Rude at the door and the champ pulls them both in. Warrior hits his series of clotheslines and splash, while Piper annoyingly keeps asking what Warrior's doing when he raises his hands. Piper was at the end of the line here, as he's really bad in this match. Warrior climbs over the top and gets the victory. The match is short for a main event and it's not nearly as good as their 1989 matches, but it served its purpose to put Warrior over as a strong champion and Rude was game. Sadly this would be Warrior's peak as champion. By November it's pretty lukewarm.

### Justin:

After a delay while the cage was erected, it was finally time for the main event. For the first time, Ultimate Warrior is set to close a PPV as defending WWF Champion. He and Rick Rude had a great feud in 1989 so in many way it was logical to utilize Rude here again. The problem is that after Warrior overcame Hulk Hogan in the SkyDome, Rude just didn't feel like much of a challenge, even with Bobby Heenan and a cage in the mix. Cutting Rude's hair and having him become more aggressive in the ring was a good start, but there just was still something missing. Plus, having Warrior dominate him on SNME a month before the show didn't help things either. Problem is, outside Earthquake, I am not sure who else would have been a credible contender at this point. As great as things seemed for the company coming off of Mania, the company was definitely in a weird spot now as the card is just so top heavy on the face ledger. Rude tried to keep his aggressive streak going as he meets Warrior at the top oft he cage, but the champ swats him off and starts battering him immediately. I have always loved Warrior's tights here. It is a color scheme he didn't utilize nearly enough. Piper is back to his heel slant here, discussing how Rude should tie Warrior's tassels to the cage. Warrior tried a cross body but Rude ducked and he careened into the cage wall, giving Rude a chance to breathe. We would get some juice here as both men are busted open just minutes into the match, putting over the severity of the cage. Rude would use the steel to keep Warrior off balance, but the champ powered out of a Rude Awakening to break the momentum. Unfortunately, he couldn't take advantage as the challenger was able to snap off his finisher on the second attempt. However, Rude didn't go for the door or a pin and instead ascended to the top of the cage and came crashing off with a big blow to Warrior's head. He got lucky that time. The second time? He didn't and it cost him. Warrior caught Rude with a fist to the gut, seemingly costing the challenger his chance at victory. As Warrior crawled to the door, Heenan leapt into action and slammed the steel door on the champion's skull. Rude would get one last close call as he almost got out through the door with an assist from Heenan, but Warrior caught him time. The Brain ended up inside the cage but Warrior quickly dispatched of him. That gave Rude an opening to hit a stiff clothesline but Warrior came right back and finished Rude off for good with the Gorilla Press before escaping over the top. That match was certainly better than I remembered it being, with much more heat than I expected. I mean, it was obvious Rude never had much of a chance, but the fans seemed to buy in more than I thought. Both guys got some hard shots in and they used the cage enough to make it count. Warrior gets one last laugh in on Rude and Heenan and now looks to move on. The question is...what lies ahead now?

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This show was very back and forth, with some fun matches combined with some real lackluster efforts. As much as the Sapphire heel turn was supposed to be something big, it wasn't and ate up a whole lot of the show. The Tornado and Hart Foundation wins were big pops for the crowd but there were some real stinkers as well. The opener is pretty bad as well as the Jake/Bad News match with mysterious animals and such. The Hogan/Earthquake match was fun but with a strange finish. The image of stepladder welts on Earthquake's back is indelible. The main event was fun, but seemed very stale considering this was 1989's feud of the year. It's not a terrible show but definitely a step down from last year's SummerSlam as well as April's WrestleMania.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This is certainly a unique show, as it breezes by thanks to easy to digest feuds and a series of ten short matches. The longest bout on the evening clocked in at 15 minutes, with most coming in under 10. We got two big title changes, one of which entailed a major changing of the guard in the tag division. There was also some strong out-of-the-ring goings down, specifically surrounding Dusty Rhodes and Ted DiBiase. The card also didn't feature any truly standout matches, with just the tag title and Hogan/Quake matches cracking ***. The color commentary takes a step back too. Rowdy Piper was entertaining and has his own style, but man not hearing Jesse during some of these matches was glaring. On the flip side, the crowd was super into everything and all of the characters and feuds were well fleshed out. Motivations were clear and finishes made sense, so the booking was simply spot on. This is certainly a nostalgia fueled watch and its legacy is an interesting one. I think the fact that it never drags and that it is a memorable show does count towards something. Based on match quality, you may feel the show would be a thumbs down, but nothing is actively bad and everything made sense. Objectively speaking, with maybe a hint of nostalgia to help, it rates pretty much right down the middle.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #42

#  Survivor Series 1990: Which comes first? The Taker or the Egg?

November 22, 1990

Hartford Civic Center

Hartford, Connecticut

Attendance: 16,000

Buy Rate: 3.0

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Roddy Piper

### Match #1: The Ultimate Warriors: Ultimate Warrior, Texas Tornado & The Legion of Doom defeat The Perfect Team: Mr. Perfect & Demolition

Survivor:

Ultimate Warrior

Eliminations:

Ultimate Warrior pins Ax with a splash at 2:26

Hawk, Animal, Smash & Crush are all disqualified at 6:42

Mr. Perfect pins Texas Tornado with the Perfect Plex at 10:04

Ultimate Warrior pins Mr. Perfect with a splash at 13:23

Fun Fact I: This is Ax's last Pay-Per-View appearance. He had been in every one since Survivor Series 1987. Smash and Crush would carry on the Demolition name through WrestleMania VII. Also, Mr. Fuji is once again managing them, two years after he had double-crossed the team in Richfield.

Fun Fact II: Mr. Perfect had actually already won the Intercontinental Title back from the Texas Tornado on the November 19th Superstars taping. The match would not air until 12/15, so Tornado is still carrying the belt here.

### Scott:

Our final PPV of 1990 has an interesting twist. There is a match of survival at the end where all survivors meet in a final match. I'm slightly surprised that they never came up with that concept before this. That ending match is the reason our WWF Champion's match goes first. He's not being punished by any stretch. If anything he gets the longest rest before the main event match. Demolition has gone to wearing masks when they've been in tag team matches to try to cheat to win with the "extra" guy being fresh. At this point with the Legion of Doom in the WWF, the best team in company history through 1990 was getting phased out. The Intercontinental Title was hot-shotted to Tornado at SummerSlam but by this point Perfect had won the belt back. However, the match hadn't aired on TV yet so Tornado was still wearing the actual belt. A lot of power action early on, as really Perfect is only technical wrestler in this bunch. Hawk is playing his usual face in peril until we get chaos and both tag teams are disqualified. So it turns into a handicap match between Warrior & Tornado and Perfect, who is on his own. That kinda sucks for Perfect as the "Freebird" rule works against the heels in this case. However this spot proves Perfect is one of the top one or two heels in the company and he is getting the spotlight here on his own. We do get an nice extended segment with Perfect and Tornado, a segment that might be construed as better than their entire five minute SummerSlam match. Warrior eventually gets in after Perfect pins Tornado (a setup to the eventual title change airing on TV) and Perfect works him over. I'd like to think that if it wasn't for the Gulf War and all the stuff connected to that, then maybe Perfect could have been a heel champion heading into WrestleMania. Warrior recovers and gets the predicted pinfall. So Warrior is into the final match. The match was entertaining and the crowd was into those last three guys.

### Justin:

Our third annual Survivor Series PPV kicks off with an interesting opening bout. We finally got out of Richfield last year but after a stay in Chicago, we have not really upgraded cities from the original edition in any way as we now head to Hartford for this year's outing. Roddy Piper is back in the booth, this time flanked by Gorilla Monsoon, and the pro-Americana jingoism is at a fever pitch as Operation Desert Storm had just kicked off. Here in the opener, our World Champion hooks up with a pretty strong team but, in a rapidly growing trend, they are set to square off with a fairly tepid set of heels. Mr. Perfect is still awesome, but his squad is rounded out by the floundering Demolition. And it kills me to say that. Ax looks terrible here and you can tell he was about ready for retirement. Smash and Crush just didn't have the same feel at all. The magic was gone. Mr. Fuji is back with Demolition, which makes them look kind of stupid and desperate as well. Warrior's team is pretty stacked with beast goodness. He has IC Champion Texas Tornado and the badass LOD at his side and on paper this was quite the mismatch. It is also jarring to see the World Champ jerking the curtain, but for the first, and only, time, there is a Grand Match of Survival at the end of the night, so odds were we would see him again. Tornado's promo before that match is just...very Tornado. Warrior was still getting his pops, but some of his mystical feel had dissipated and I think it was because he was lacking that strong challenger to eradicate. I mean, since SummerSlam, he had been pretty much just teaming with LOD against Demolition. That is not really the way to handle the new face of the franchise. We get off to a quick start for the Warriors, with pure power dominating the show. As stale as Demolition had become, it was still pretty cool seeing them tussle with the LOD after all these years. There was one cool spot where the Warriors all worked together and wiped Perfect out as the crowd went crazy. Ax and his terrible hair would be the first to go, sent into the pasture by a Warrior splash. It's been a hell of a run, big guy. Crush would finally halt the wave of momentum by ground the Warrior. It was very brief, though, and in the blink of an eye Hawk was running through Perfect, who was jumping bumping like a pinball for all these guys. Hawk and Smash had a real fun brawl that erupted into a bigger fight when Animal and Crush also ended up in the ring. As they kept fighting and refused to be broke up, the referee just disqualified all of them instead, leaving Perfect alone with Warrior and Tornado. Tornado and Perfect picked up right where they left off in Philly back in August, including Tornado sending the former champ to the floor with a discus punch. They would go back and forth for a few minutes until Perfect got his revenge buy snapping Tornado over in the Perfectplex for the elimination. This was a big spot for Perfect and if he had a good showing with Warrior, it could have set him for a big 1991. He would hit another Perfectplex, but Warrior kicked out. Despite that, Perfect kept pouring it on with the crowd buzzing for Warrior, trying to rally him. Side note, Piper has ditched the Ventura, Jr. act and is just being himself and it is a big improvement from SummerSlam. Warrior made a quick comeback and polished Perfect off with the usual to advance to the Grand Survival Match. That was a fun, sloppy little opener that was never really in doubt. Warrior and Perfect both looked pretty good, but it never really felt like Perfect was a threat at all, and as I mentioned earlier, that was starting to become a major issue for the company. Warrior moves on.

### Match #2: The Million Dollar Team: Ted DiBiase, Greg Valentine, Honky Tonk Man & Undertaker defeat The Dream Team: Dusty Rhodes, Koko B. Ware & the Hart Foundation

Survivor:

Ted DiBiase

Eliminations:

Undertaker pins Koko B. Ware with a Tombstone at 1:38

Jim Neidhart pins Honky Tonk Man with a power slam at 4:16

Ted DiBiase pins Jim Neidhart with a clothesline at 5:50

Undertaker pins Dusty Rhodes with a double axehandle at 8:26

Undertaker is counted out at 9:19

Bret Hart pins Greg Valentine with a small package at 9:55

Ted DiBiase pins Bret Hart with a cross-body reversal at 13:54

Fun Fact I: Obviously the first thing we need to discuss is that debut on the heel team. One of the most enduring and influential characters in WWF, and wrestling, history is the man they would eventually call the Phenom: The Undertaker. Mark Calloway is from Houston, Texas and after working in World Class and Memphis (where at times he wrestled under a mask and named Texas Red), his first big break comes in WCW when he replaced Sid Vicious as a member of the Skyscrapers tag team. He teamed with Danny Spivey under the name "Mean" Mark Callous. After that team flopped, he toiled around as a solo act for a while until Vince came calling in 1990 and he debuts here as a surprise on the Million Dollar Man's team. He's led to the ring by Brother Love, but by 1991 his manager changes to a more familiar face.

Fun Fact II: Over the summer, a new face began popping up on the house show circuit: Dusty Rhodes' son Dustin. On the 10/13 Saturday Night's Main Event, Dustin was seated ringside to watch his dad take on Randy Savage. During the match, DiBiase and Virgil came to ringside and paid off all the fans sitting in the seats next to Dustin and sat next to the young Rhodes. As Dustin kept cheering his dad, DiBiase started getting in his face. Dusty jumped out to help, but was jumped by Savage and laid out. DiBiase and Virgil pounced and beat the crap out of Dustin, leaving him a bloody mess at ringside. On the 10/29 Prime Time, Dustin made his TV debut defeating Paul Diamond. On the 11/3 Superstars, Ted DiBiase laid down a challenge for the young "Natural." DiBiase proposed that if Dustin could last 10 minutes in the ring with him then he would win the match. Dustin accepted and lasted the 10, humiliating DiBiase. The feud would continue after this event, and was just heating up.

Fun Fact III: Not counting sporadic appearances over the upcoming years, this is Honky Tonk Man's final PPV appearance. His final record is 2-8. He was 0-2 at the Royal Rumbles 1-2 at WrestleMania, 0-2 at SummerSlam and 1-2 at Survivor Series. He would stick around as a color commentator through January before leaving.

Fun Fact IV: The first WWF superstar to take a Tombstone Piledriver from the Undertake was 2009 Hall of Famer Koko B. Ware.

Fun Fact V: According to recent publicity photos posted to WWE.com, Bad News Brown was originally slated for the Million Dollar Team.

### Scott:

This match will forever be remembered, but not for the bout itself. Right at the start, DiBiase introduces his mystery partner. "From Death Valley...I bring you, THE UNDERTAKER." And right when he walked down the aisle at the Civic Center, it was like no one ever seen before. The crowd (my brother was there) was hushed, not from a no-sell perspective but from a "Who in the hell is this guy?" And right there we begin a two-decade bona fide Hall of Fame career. He starts in the match and mangles Koko B. Ware like he's some bum. My brother always tells me people sitting around him couldn't speak. They were completely in awe of this new character that was like nothing ever seen anywhere before. Gorilla names his finisher, the iconic Tombstone piledriver. The real feud in the match between DiBiase and Rhodes is almost forgotten if Gorilla and Piper barely mentioned it. Right now it's all about Undertaker, this new character that has immediate charisma that no one anywhere expected. Now is he the sole survivor? Not yet, as he eventually gets counted out for beating up Dusty after he had already pinned him. So in his first WWF PPV match, Taker pins two guys and captivates the crowd. The rest of the match is solid, but what shouldn't be forgotten is some solid in-ring work between Bret Hart and Ted DiBiase. They go at it for a solid four minutes, until DiBiase wins with a cross body reversal. So DiBiase survives to make it one face and one heel. Gorilla announces that on NBC's Main Event the next night DiBiase would get a shot at Warrior's WWF Title. This match is pretty good with two memorable moments: A great segment with Bret and DiBiase, but more importantly the debut of the WWF's most enduring characters and a guy who would be on the forefront of the WWF's journey for the next two-plus decades.

### Justin:

Since SummerSlam, Dusty Rhodes has taken a bit of a darker turn. The happy-go-lucky Dream of days gone by has been crushed into a bitter ball of rage after Ted DiBiase stole side piece and then beat the piss out of his son. He has adjusted trunks thusly, the black signifying the dark place he has arrived at. In contrast, the pink-clad Koko B. Ware dances to the ring behind him, making his first PPV showing since losing in the WrestleMania opener. They are joined by the tag team champion Hart Foundation. Across the line from them are Ted DIBiase and Rhythm & Blues...and a mystery partner. R&B have really done nothing since joining together as a team, so this is a good spot for them. Before the bell, DiBiase reveals his secret partner: The Undertaker. He was a giant man, decked out like the profession he was named for and led to the ring by Brother Love. The fans were silent as he seemingly floated to the ring with funeral dirge ringing out though the arena. He was impressive immediately, easily swatting away both Hart and Neidhart before crushing Koko with a Tombstone piledriver for the immediate elimination. He really planted him with that one and it was very obvious that Koko only existed to put the new beast over. For some reason, Taker tags out to Greg Valentine, which seemed like questionable strategy. If I were the Million Dollar Team, I would have rode that horse into the ground. After some quick tagging by the Dream Team, Hammer was able to catch Bret with a nice knee as the HItman charged into the corner. Honky picked up where he left of until Anvil tagged in and crushed him with a powerslam to even up the sides. That wraps up Honky's run with the company, and it has certainly been an interesting one with some really variant highs and lows. Dusty would finally get his hands on DiBiase, rattling him with elbows before swapping with the Anvil. That was a bad decision though, as Virgil tripped up Anvil and DiBiase cracked him from behind to give his team the advantage back. DiBiase finally realized he should tag back in his monster partner, and he just ran right through both Dusty and Hart, showing very little vulnerability. Every time he would swap spots with DiBiase, the Dream Team came back. Then Taker would come back in and dominate. Finally, he ascended the top rope and hit a double ax handle to send Duty packing. They have booked him super strong out of the gate and it was already working. On the floor, Brother Love laid some kicks in on Dusty, leading to Rhodes going at him, which drew Taker out of the ring. Taker battered Dusty all the way down the aisle and as a result was counted out. While I like the decision to keep him strong and not get pinned, he was clearly not the legal man in any way, so it didn't make sense for him to get eliminated like that. Back in the ring, Hart cinched a small package and eliminated the Hammer to draw things even. And for at least the third time in three years, we are getting a little preview of a potential singles run for the Hitman. Hart got hot, tossing DiBiase to the floor and then squashing him with a slingshot splash over the top rope. Hart stayed on top until DiBiase reversed a whip and sent Bret careening into the buckle. Bret would sneak in a couple of near falls as the clinic rolled on. He even snuck in the old fake knee injury into pin attempt, but couldn't close it out. He got another close near fall after botched Virgil interference but a minute later, Bret came into DiBiase a little too hard with a cross body and Ted was able to reverse the momentum to steal the win. That was a great final segment and a nice harbinger of things to come from the Hitman. The rest of the match was hit or miss, but was certainly very historical, which helps the grade a bit. DiBiase moves on to the Grand Finale.

### Match #3: The Visionaries: Rick Martel, Warlord & Power & Glory defeat The Vipers: Jake Roberts, Jimmy Snuka & The Rockers

Survivors:

Rick Martel

Warlord

Power & Glory

Eliminations:

Warlord pins Marty Jannetty with a powerslam at 5:17

Rick Martel pins Jimmy Snuka with a roll-up at 9:40

Paul Roma pins Shawn Michaels with the Powerplex at 15:16

Jake Roberts is counted out at 18:03

Fun Fact: After returning from his big trip to Paris, Rick Martel began appearing as a special guest on the Brother Love Show on three straight episodes of Superstars. Finally, on the 10/6 Superstars, the shit hit the fan. Brother Love had another guest that week: Jake Roberts. As Jake was talking, Martel kept trying to spray Damien with his cologne, Arrogance. Finally, Jake had enough and tried to grab Martel, who managed to push him off and spray him in the eyes with the cologne. Jake dropped quickly and Martel fled the scene. Over the next few weeks, we were shown vignettes of Jake at the doctor, having surgery and trying to heal. On the 10/27 Superstars, Martel was once again on the Brother Love Show and was now teasing Jake. After a few minutes, Jake, wearing shades and carrying a cane, was led out by Tony Garea. Martel continued to mock Jake, and even slapped him in the face. After the slap, Martel was pushed back by various agents, but Jake was able to grab a laughing Brother Love and plant him with a DDT. The scene faded out on a close up of Jake's discolored eyes. Shortly after that, this match was signed, and throughout all the buildup, everyone kept questioning whether or not Jake should even be wrestling just yet.

### Scott:

Our next match features a very solid combination of guys, led by two great characters. Rick Martel is a tremendous heel on top of being a great worker. Jake of course is incredible, but I feel sometimes he gets the short end of the stick on TV and PPV wins. For instance, Warlord is being pushed by pinning Marty Jannetty in the first five minutes. I always said Warlord would have been a great feud for Warrior for the WWF Title, even on the house show circuit. Obviously Martel and Jake are in a feud and Jake is working with that creepy white contact lens, selling the Arrogance shot he took in the eye from Martel on the Brother Love Show. So if Jake gets pinned he has a handicap he's working with. As creepy as it was, I always thought that white contact lens was pretty cool and only Jake could sell that. Snuka was there as filler and he gets pinned as well. Power and Glory was a hot tag team that you could tell was on the rise as good heels that could be a future World Champion team. Sadly they'd get pushed to the side by a big debut in 1991. I did always like their PowerPlex finisher, which they use to eliminate Shawn Michaels. That leaves Jake (with one eye) all by himself against the full Visionaries team. The Civic Center crowd is getting crazy pumped up for Jake to try and push the huge upset. To avoid being pinned, they have Jake go after Martel and he gets counted. So for the first time in Survivor Series history, an entire team is untouched. That makes it five heels against one babyface in the finale match. That of course will change. The Jake/Martel feud is just getting warmed up. We need more babyfaces in our finale, and I believe the next match will bring us some.

### Justin:

Jake Roberts has had quite the interesting fall. After being blinded by Rick Martel, his vision was still dinged up and he was in here against doctor's orders. The contact lens they used to show Jake's blindness always freaked me out. I mean, it doesn't quite make sense that his eye would just be all white like that, but damn it was effective. Shawn Michaels is back in action after that knee injury, so he and Mart Jannetty join Jimmy Snuka to back up the Snake. Martel is flanked by Slick's trio of badasses and on paper, he has the stronger team for sure. I mention it before, but the WWF roster was in such a weird place right now with a death of top level heels but a bevy of them on the second tier. They had a very good group of bad guys, just nobody that was at that tip top level to take a run at the Warrior outside of one or two. Warlord and Martel are two glaring examples of that. Speaking of the big man, he starts things off by swatting Jannetty around like a fly, dodging his dropkick attempts until Marty made the tag and a quick double team broke him down. The first intense moment came when Michaels worked over Martel and then tagged in Jake, but the Model bailed before anything physical happened. The Vipers kept things moving fast as Power & Glory both gave it a go but couldn't find daylight. Jimmy Snuka was really juiced up here, to the point that he believably was trading shoulderblocks and blows with the Warlord. The big man would strike first, though, catching Jannetty coming off the middle rope and spiking with a really nice powerslam. Warlord got his bell run a bit afterwards but was able to make the tag to Roma, who delivered a beautiful jumping elbow drop to the back of Michaels' head. The power display continued when Hercules cranked Shawn with a stiff clothesline as the Visionaries continued to pour on the beatings. They really are a great heel unit here, based on look, crisp execution and power. Shawn escaped the assault by dodging a Martel charge in the corner and it was just in time because he was in some trouble. The tag was useless though, as Martel reversed a Snuka cross body and sent him to the locker room just seconds later. Jake came charging in, but Martel again escaped. After a quick heat segment on Jake, Michaels came in and worked over Roma, including a really nice suplex. However, his momentum was crushed thanks to a blind tag and a rough Hercules elbow that rattled his dome. And after some quick punishment, P&G finished him off for good with a picture perfect Powerplex to leave Roberts all on his own. The crowd tried to rally the Snake on, and he wasn't backing down at all. Jake fended them all off and even hit a DDT on Warlord, but the referee was distracted and Martel broke up the pin by trying spray Jake in the eyes again. Jake retaliated by grabbing Damien and chasing Martel back to the locker room, getting counted out in the process. And for the first time in Survivor Series history, we have a full team survive in tact. And I can't think of a better unit to fit that bill. What a team. The match was decent enough, with some good power spots, and didn't quite feel 18 minutes long, but there wasn't a whole lot here to really sink your teeth into.

### Match #4: The Hulkamaniacs: Hulk Hogan, Tugboat, Big Boss Man & Jim Duggan defeat The Natural Disasters: Earthquake, Dino Bravo, Barbarian & Haku

Survivor:

Hulk Hogan

Eliminations:

Big Boss Man pins Haku with a Sidewalk Slam at 1:56

Jim Duggan is disqualified at 4:52

Hulk Hogan pins Dino Bravo with a small package at 6:40

Earthquake pins Big Boss Man with an elbow drop at 7:49

Tugboat and Earthquake are counted out at 10:18

Hulk Hogan pins Barbarian with a leg drop at 13:30

Fun Fact: After his big Main Event loss at SummerSlam, Rick Rude took a big step backwards and was entered into a feud with the Big Boss Man. Now, the fact that he was feuding with Boss Man wasn't the bad part. The bad part was that the feud started because Rude and Bobby Heenan began making disparaging remarks about the Boss Man's mother. Yes, you read that correctly. On the 9/23 Wrestling Challenge, Boss Man defeated Paul Perez and then made his way to the commentary table. He confronted Heenan and then forced him to ringside where he ended up handcuffing him to the guardrail. Heenan remained there for the entire show, begging fans and wrestlers to unlock him. Finally, towards the end of the show, Rude made his way to ringside and started flipping out. Vince McMahon went down to interview the two, and Rude got so nasty in the interview, he ended up being censored on air. Heenan could not be freed and was still cuffed as the show ended. Despite his humiliation, the barrage of brutal comments continued from Rude and Heenan. Once this match was announced, it was revealed that the two men would finally face off, as Boss Man was on Hogan's team and Rude was signed on to be on Earthquake's. Well, in the weeks leading to the show, Rude and McMahon had a big falling out over Rude's contract and Rude ended up walking out on the WWF. On the 10/27 Superstars, Jack Tunney appeared and announced that due to his recent behavior, Rude would be suspended indefinitely and that Bobby Heenan would be forced to fulfill his contractual obligations (mainly house shows). Rude would be replaced by Haku in this match and would debut in WCW at Halloween Havoc 1991.

### Scott:

With the finale so one-sided, we knew we needed a match where we get more of a balance out of the result. However this (in my opinion) is one of Hogan's weakest teams. His 1989 team with the Demos and Jake was better than this one for sure. I will say I give Duggan credit for his 2×4 with the yellow ribbons, as patriotism was at an all-time high with Desert Shield in full force. After the non-cleanfinish at SummerSlam, the Hogan/Earthquake feud is indeed still raging. I still wasn't sure if there was going to be a definitive match again, or if perhaps Earthquake was going to be WWF Champion and face Hogan at WrestleMania. Still plenty of options out there for March in LA. Incidentally I haven't mentioned Roddy Piper much on commentary, but he's not doing too bad a job here with Gorilla. He certainly learned from his debut SummerSlam performance. The match goes on, including an awesome moment for me where Duggan FINALLY gets disqualified for using the 2×4, probably the first time that's ever happened on a big stage. Then a very strange thing happens, where Earthquake and Tugboat get counted out while brawling outside, leaving Hogan and Barbarian in the ring. What was that about? Why weren't Earthquake and Hogan left? Did they want to have the feud last longer? Of course the entire point was for Hogan to survive and be in the last match, I get that. Perhaps they truly weren't sure about the feud with Quake and whether it was supposed to have kept going. I was confused. It was good to see Barbarian get some face time with the Hulkster alone because he deserved it. Hogan is the predictable last survivor to join Warrior in the main event, but the booking with Earthquake makes me scratch my head.

### Justin:

As we roll on, it is time for Hulk Hogan and his friends to battle a pretty formidable heel lineup. Tugboat is back in action after his injury and he is also joined by Jim Duggan and the Big Boss Man, who continues to be viewed as a high level face. Across the ring stand Earthquake, Dino Bravo (natch), Barbarian and...Haku. Haku is sadly replacing Rick Rude, who left the promotion after an argument with Vince McMahon. He could have had a good little feud with Boss Man, regardless of premise, but alas he bolted and Haku, another Heenan Family member, is thrust in his place. Quake and Hogan had continued their battles on the house show circuit and after the countout finish at SummerSlam, they were due for another big showdown. Hogan gets a big pop as always, despite his odd short haircut. This is a pretty cool set of teams, thanks to the feuds, roles on the card, overall looks and color schemes blended in. Piper & Gorilla took a minute to explain the Grand Finale breakdown because as of right now it would be 5 vs. 1 and they agreed that this match could determine which side wins that one. The crowd ripped a loud "USA" chant as Duggan got worked over but he was able to stumble his way into tagging in the Boss Man. He would make an immediate impact, knocking Haku out of the bout with a Boss Man Slam. Good faith in Boss Man shown there. As Boss Man stayed hot in beating up Barbarian, Bobby Heenan hopped on the apron, which drew Boss Man over for revenge. That allowed Barbarian to take Boss Man over with a nice vertical suplex. Duggan mounted a comeback for his team after getting tagged in but once Quake made his way into he match, size took over. After Jimmy Hart tripped Hacksaw up, an angry Duggan grabbed his 2×4 and unloaded on Quake, drawing a DQ elimination like an idiot. Hogan finally got into action and beat up all three remaining opponents before slamming Quake to a big pop. I could watch Quake's powerslam all day long. After he rattled Hogan with it, Bravo came in to clean up the scraps as always. As Bravo traipsed around, whispering to his teammates, it gave Hogan daylight to grab a small package to give his team the advantage. Boss Man came in and had a good run on Quake, almost grabbing a pinfall, but Quake fought through it and hit a big elbow drop to draw the teams even. Quake really looks like a force here and easily sticks out as a star in there. Hogan tried for another slam but it backfired on him, just like at SummerSlam. Hogan would recover and tag in Tugboat finally, but he would barely be in the ring a minute before Hogan yanked Quake to the floor to brawl. Tugboat joined them, leading to the two big men being counted out. Luckily for Barbarian, Quake was able to run Hogan into the ringpost to soften him up. Tugboat was pretty useless in there, but I was glad Quake didn't eat a pin. I love the show in faith for Barbarian here and he really works Hogan over, including a piledriver and his great top rope clothesline. Hogan would kick up, Hulk up and finish up from there, but again it was cool to see Barbarian get that love. I really enjoyed this match as the pacing was quite good and saw a strong mix of characters that kept the crowd rocking. Hogan and Quake have some good chemistry too, which helped a lot. Fun stuff.

*** Gene Okerlund chats with Randy Savage, who was on the sidelines tonight. He declares his goal to become WWF Champion once again and issues a challenge to the Ultimate Warrior. Savage was nursing some nagging injuries which is why he did not compete here. ***

### Match #5: The Alliance: Nikolai Volkoff, Tito Santana & The Bushwhackers defeat The Mercenaries: Sergeant Slaughter, Boris Zhukov & The Orient Express

Survivor:

Tito Santana

Eliminations:

Tito Santana pins Boris Zhukov with a flying forearm at :51

Butch pins Sato with the Battering Ram at 1:49

Tito Santana pins Tanaka with a flying forearm at 2:12

Sgt. Slaughter pins Nikolai Volkoff with an elbow drop at 5:25

Sgt. Slaughter pins Luke with a gutbuster at 6:38

Sgt. Slaughter pins Butch with a clothesline at 6:54

Sgt. Slaughter is disqualified at 10:37 when General Adnan nailed Tito with the Iraqi flag

Fun Fact I: Akeem was originally on the Mercenaries, but left the company a few weeks before the show and was replaced by Boris Zhukov.

Fun Fact II: After being a heel for years, in 1984 Sgt. Slaughter turned face and became a defender of all things American. This face turn caused his career to skyrocket as he battled the evil Iron Sheik. But with the emergence of Hulk Hogan as the top babyface star of the WWF and a dispute with Vince McMahon over the use of Slaughter's character in the G.I. Joe toy line, Slaughter left the WWF for the AWA where he would stay until 1990.

After WrestleMania VI, Slaughter contacted McMahon about returning to the WWF. McMahon was open to the return, but wanted Slaughter to turn back heel. The company already had two hot faces in Hogan and the new champion, the Ultimate Warrior. McMahon wanted the heel turn to involve Slaughter turning his back on the United States and battling Nikolai Volkoff, who had recently seen the light and began embracing the American way. Slaughter returned during the summer of 1990, where he began calling the US "soft" for accepting Volkoff and expressing his disgust for his country. He aligned himself with Iraqi General Adnan (Adnan Al-Kaissie in AWA) and became an Iraqi sympathizer. As real life tensions in the Middle East were increasing, the fans' reactions to Slaughter's new role heightened. Slaughter entered into a feud with Volkoff which led to this match at Survivor Series.

### Scott:

Could these two teams have been any worse? Obviously Sgt. Slaughter is the new hot heel and needed to be showcased here, but the guys on his team are dreadful. Boris Zhukov is a slug, and the Orients are solid but nothing great. However the babyface team is much worse. Tito Santana is a WWF stalwart and it looks like he should be the captain, but instead it's that over the hill retread Nikolai Volkoff. Then there's the Bushwhackers, and we know how I feel about them. The booking makes sense from that theory, as all of Slaughter's bums are eliminated, leaving the Sarge alone. Instead of Jake being the babyface sympathy case example from earlier, Sarge is taking on a much less formidable bunch and easily takes out the Bushwhackers and Volkoff. That leaves Tito, which makes things interesting. If Tito is eliminated, it will be six against two in the Finale. But you don't job Slaughter out, so similar to Jake in the earlier match, Slaughter gets disqualified for General Adnan's interference. One of the WWF's old guard gets a long overdue moment in the sun here by being the sole survivor. This match isn't that great and it's merely to build up Slaughter's character. However, it is a sentimental win for Tito and he joins Hogan and Warrior in the finale.

### Justin:

Continuing his newfound support of America, Nikolai Volkoff has assembled the All American team of Tito Santana and The Bushwhackers to battle the evil foreigners led by Sgt. Slaughter! Sarge has recruited Nikolai's former partner Boris Zhukov and the Orient Express and all four are painted up in camo. That is one very AWA team right there. On the way to the ring, Sarge gives a long promo ranting on the Gulf War in the aisle while his endlessly repetitive drumroll entrance theme blares over him. Slaughter is now joined by General Adnan and has thrown his weight behind the Iraqis, officially turning his back on his country. This team needed the support of Akeem to truly be lethal. It is too bad he left the company and ripped my heart out right before the show. Piper just trashes Slaughter hard here, going heavy on the pro-Americana. I kind of liked the heel Sarge character from SummerSlam without the Iraq stuff mixed in, but you can't deny the heat he is building. Adnan was the key there too. Boris continues to be useless, eating a Santana flying forearm and heading to the showers in under a minute. Some Express miscommunication caused further issues as the Bushwhackers cracked Sato with the battering ram to send him packing as well. Tito kept things rolling by eliminating Tanaka as well. Tito is like the ringer who came down to play with the JV team just to help his buddies out. Or maybe more like Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez in The Sandlot. Nikolai finally gets his hands on Sarge and after he lays in some kicks, he eats a big clothesline, some punches and knees to the gut, a dropkick and a series of elbow drops to end his night. Way to defend your new country, Nikolai. Mother Russia is laughing at you! That pretty much ends his run and attempted push. Piper does make a good point about how Sarge really worked a slow pace because he knew he had four guys to work through. Butch and Luke decide to double team a bit, but Sarge shrugs it off and eliminates Luke's night with a gutbuster. A clothesline would knock Butch out of the bout less than a minute later. That left the two studs of the bout to go one-on-one and after a pretty tepid open, things got pretty good. Tito started to fly, drilling Sarge with a clothesline off the middle rope for a near fall. Unfortunately, Sarge blocked a monkey flip and Tito crashed hard to the mat. Just as Tito started to make a comeback, Sarge shoved him into the referee to break the momentum. With the referee down, Adnan snuck in the ring and pelted Tito in the back with the flagpole, allowing Sarge to hook in the camel clutch. However, the referee saw the chicanery and disqualified Sarge to a huge pop, sending Tito to the Grand Finale match. Arriba! Match really was a hot mess until the final few minutes.

*** After weeks of anticipation, it finally seemed time for the giant egg to hatch. The egg had been present at all WWF televised events throughout the month and many fans were getting excited about what could be housed inside of it. With one major debut already occurring, perhaps a second was on the way? In the shank of the evening, Gene Okerlund meandered over to the egg so he would have an up close seat for the big moment, and perhaps even garner an interview with whomever...or whatever was inside. As he ran through the potential options, the egg began to crack and eventually hatched. And out popped...a giant weird looking chicken. As Roddy Piper yukked it up and gushed over the reveal, the Hartford crowd booed loudly at this intensely poor decision. Gene tried to decipher the garbled clucking from the giant beast and dubbed it the Gobbledy Gooker. And then they danced, for a real long time. As "Turkey in the Straw" played, WrestleCrap was officially birthed that evening in Connecticut. It would later be revealed that wrestling legend Hector Guerrero was under the feathers, a true headline for a Hall of Fame resume. Piper continued to put over this mess as the dancing went on and on to a smattering of boos blended with pure disdain and apathy. Happy Thanksgiving, indeed. ***

### Match #6: Tito Santana, Hulk Hogan & Ultimate Warrior defeat Ted DiBiase, Rick Martel, Warlord & Power & Glory

Survivors:

Hulk Hogan and Ultimate Warrior

Eliminations:

Tito Santana pins Warlord with a Flying Forearm at 1:28

Ted DiBiase pins Tito Santana with a stun gun at 1:50

Hulk Hogan pins Paul Roma with a clothesline at 5:37

Rick Martel is counted out at 7:16

Hulk Hogan pins Ted DiBiase with a leg drop at 8:37

Ultimate Warrior pins Hercules with a splash at 9:07

### Scott:

We have arrived at our finale, and it almost seems like War Games without the cage. It was nice that Tito got the elimination on Warlord, making up for jobbing to him at SummerSlam. Sadly, we needed to get Tito out of the way so the match can focus on the two big guys so DiBiase gets his moment and pins Tito. We have a bevy of solid heels taking on the WWF Champion and the face of the company. So with the result being obvious, the question is: What order do the heels get eliminated, and are they going to re-do the Survivor Series 1988 ending, and have some doubt between Hogan and Warrior, possibly leading to a rematch at WrestleMania? I know I've mentioned what seems like four or five WrestleMania possibilities during the course of this show, but that's because there's really no plan that you can clearly see in front of you at this point. That, believe it or not, makes Hogan NOT being champion so great. Nor is it great to have a heel as champion, because that makes Hogan as #1 contender predictable too. So with another babyface as champion that opens up many possibilities, and that's why it seems like it's hard to peg who will be the main event (or the Champion) at WrestleMania. It's not hard to peg who wins this match, as Warrior and Hogan blow through the rest of the heels to win the match. Hogan and Warrior rough up Slick for kicks to end the show and our two conquering heroes move on. It was a fun main event, but it would have been nice to have the heels be vanquished so Tito could have gotten some shine. Otherwise it's a typical Federation Era main event.

### Justin:

And here we are. For the first time in the show's history, we collect all of the survivors and close out the night with a Grand Finale match. It is a pretty cool idea that I am surprised only lasts one year. It was fun jotting the names down on the little chart they provided in WWF Magazine. Anyway, the Visionaries all head out first and it is cool to see some of these dudes in the main event. DiBiase heads out last and this is a damn impressive group. In a good touch, Hogan and Santana enter first, leaving the Champion spotlight for the Ultimate Warrior, who I would argue actually got the biggest pop of the three. I love seeing Tito mix it up here. What a nice moment for a loyal soldier. Poor Warlord has an embarrassing showing as Hogan punches him and Tito cracks him with the flying forearm to send him to the showers. That couldn't have been Hercules or Roma there? Seems like a waste of the big man. In a matchup we should have seen more often, DiBiase and Santana had a crisp little scuffle that ended when DiBiase dodged the forearm and hit a stun gun to get his team back to a two man advantage. Well, it was cool that Tito even made it here. The whole match is refreshing, even getting to see Roma and Martel work Hogan over. I know the whole point of this match was to send everyone home happy but this could have been a chance to establish some new heels. What if Warlord or Martel snuck in a pin on Hogan? Warrior still could have won, but we could have had a hot new heel in the mix. And then, in the moment that ruined my Thanksgiving, Hulk Hogan felt the need to kick out of the PowerPlex. Why? Why was that needed? Such an awesome finisher pissed on in a fairly innocuous match. Hogan whacked Roma with a clothesline, sending him to the shower to further rub salt in the wounds. Jerk. He would lay the wood to Martel as well, eventually clotheslining him to the floor. Martel took a look back and said fuck it, running off to the back for the second time on the night. Good call to at least keep the Model strong for Roberts. And then, in an even stupider decision, Hogan pins DiBiase with the legdrop! Why? This guy is challenging the Warrior for the title the very next night! What good was this? It made zero sense. Warrior would kill off Hercules a minute later and then punch Slick for good measure. As cool as this concept was, it ended up doing more harm than good since it just became a squash exhibition for Hogan and Warrior. Well, mainly Hogan. He definitely got more shine throughout. The two mega stars would celebrate and watching it back, it does seem like they could be setting us for the Ultimate Challenge rematch in Los Angeles come March. Time will tell. As for the match, it was fine but the booking of it really stunk.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This show seemed very express-lane, meaning the matches are all short (for Survivor matches) but that was mostly so there can be a lot of guys left to put in the finale. There are memorable ups and downs on this show, from the unforgettable debut of the Undertaker, to the very forgettable (but sadly hard to) hatching of the egg and the awful Gobbledy Gooker. To this day I can't figure out whether Vince was on a bender, or someone actually thought that was a legitimately good idea. Regardless, other than those two polar opposite moments, the show was a pretty middling PPV that was entertaining. From here the November tradition adjusts to new ideas and new booking to coincide with the other shows during the year. The Royal Rumble will also add something to its card in January it never did before: A World Title match. This show is fun to watch, but other than Taker's debut and the dopey Gobbledy Gooker, it's nothing earth-shattering.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

Sigh. I guess I have to take off my nostalgia colored glasses on this one. I mean, it was still really fun to watch. And we got the Undertaker's debut, and a nice glimpse of Ted DiBiase vs. Bret Hart, and the dominance of the Visionaries, but on a whole the in ring action was just middling and some of the booking decisions were puzzling. Looking at it in the moment, you could argue the brutal Gobbledy Gooker reveal almost offsets the awesomeness of Taker's debut. Terrible. I liked Hogan's survivor match against Earthquake's team and that felt like a good use of him, but the Grand Finale booking was atrocious as he just mows through useful heels and then steps aside to let Warrior get a minute of offense and a pin on Hercules in. You could almost feel Warrior's title reign officially dying right there in the ring as Hogan stomped around him. 1990 is in the books and while a lot of things feel the same, there is also a whole lot more uncertainty in the air about the future direction of the company than there has been since the PPV era started.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #45

  Royal Rumble 1991 – Listen Up Maggots

  Wrestlemania VII – Stars and Stripes Forever!!!

  SummerSlam 1991 – Match Made in Hell For Sure

  Survivor Series 1991 – Hogan Meet Chair

  This Tuesday in Texas – Tick Tock...Tick Tock

#  Royal Rumble 1991: Listen Up Maggots

January 19, 1991

Miami Arena

Miami, Florida

Attendance: 16,000

Buy Rate: 2.4

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Roddy Piper

Dark Match:

Jerry Sags beat Sam Houston in 5:25

Actual Show:

### Match #1: The Rockers defeat the Orient Express when Marty Jannetty pins Pat Tanaka with a sunset flip at 19:14

Fun Fact: This Orient Express has changed slightly from the unit we last saw at Survivor Series. Sato has exited stage left, and Kato enters. The masked man isn't really named Kato, in fact he's not even Asian. It's Paul Diamond, who used to be Pat Tanaka's tag team partner in AWA, under a hood. Formerly named Badd Company, they were a formidable team in AWA, winning the tag team titles on multiple occasions, once defeating the Midnight Rockers for the straps. Kato appeared on various house shows throughout the summer, but first appeared alongside Tanaka on the 12/22 Superstars.

### Scott:

We open the 1991 PPV schedule with a tag team match between two hot teams. The Orients switched things up, getting rid of Sato and replacing him with Kato. Kato is actually Paul Diamond, who used to team with Pat Tanaka in the AWA as Bad Company. So the chemistry meter went up tenfold on that team. The Rockers are set for a very dramatic year and it begins with this one. They met back at WrestleMania VI in Toronto and it was not a great match, with injuries being sold and a lot of around the ring stalling. A few minutes into this match and you know it's going to be very different. The Rockers come out red hot and had the Orients on their heels. After a while, some miscommunication led to Kato hitting Shawn Michaels with a double axe handle while Tanaka was in a sleeper. Now we will see some excellent heel work from two guys who know each other very well. Roddy Piper is definitely doing a better job analyzing the action than he did way back at his debut at SummerSlam when all he did was yell and invent words. I love how Gorilla used to stretch out durations of matches than what they really are. Piper asked how long the match was going and Gorilla said about 15 minutes, but in reality it was like six minutes. After a few minutes the babyfaces regain the advantage. I think the reason this match is so great is because both teams had great extended heat segments. Similar to the way an NWA tag match was booked back in the day. In the WWF the heels did most of the work in the middle and the hot babyface tag ended it. Here both the faces and heels got extended heat segments on the other and it made the action so unique for the time in that company. Shawn is the face-in-peril but when the Orients try to cheat with the strap, Shawn jumps on it and the Orients knock noggins. The Miami Arena is going crazy and if they stay this hot we are in for a great show. Every time the Rockers were going to end the match the Orients would distract and cut off the move. I wasn't sure who was winning this match but the crowd was hot for the Rockers and I had a feeling the bookers wanted to get the show off to a hot start. Michaels has been thrown out of the ring but he recovers and hits a Sunset Flip on Kato for the victory. What a fantastic match and clearly the best opener in PPV history to this point.

### Justin:

As we open up another year, it is time for another Royal Rumble PPV and we are back in Florida for it once again. Gorilla Monsoon and Roddy Piper are back in the booth and the Americana is running hot as Desert Storm was in full effect and the entire country, and WWF, were wrapped up in taking down Saddam Hussein. For the third straight year, we open with a tag team match but this was set up to be the best of the three on paper. The Orient Express has gone under some changes as Sato was kicked to the curb and replaced by Kato, which definitely changes the style of the team a bit. Sato wrestled a fairly bland, basic heel style where Kato could take to the air a bit in addition to his well established double team chemistry with Tanaka. They also have baggier karate pants instead of the old tights. The Rockers limped through the end of 1990 and are looking for a fresh start here with the turn of the calendar. They are also looking to pick up their first PPV win...ever, which is cray to think about. Well, their teams won at consecutive Survivor Series but they were eliminated both times, so no dice. The OE attack at the bell, but the Rockers fend them off and double team them right to floor to regroup. The jacked up crowd busts into a "USA" chant, not waiting for the true enemies to show up later. The Rockers kept the OE grounded, wearing them down until Tanaka cracked Michaels with a forearm. Piper is giving some analysis here, which is nice to hear. He is definitely getting more comfortable by the week and has come a long way since SummerSlam. Shawn battled back and grabbed a sleeper but Kato snuck in and clobbered him from behind. The crowd is really into this one, as am I. Shawn made a really good comeback, including a moonsault to an interfering Kato. Things broke down from there with all four men throwing down, capped by a Rocker double dropkick and cross body blocks off the top rope to floor on both OE members. The only thing that kept the OE alive was Tanaka getting a desperation neck snap on Michaels, whipping his throat off the top rope. You really can immediately see the change in OE's style and energy as there is less plodding and a lot more fluid offense and selling. In a nice spot, Kato whipped Michaels hard to the corner and after Shawn flipped up and over onto the apron, Kato thrust kicked him back into the ring. Great timing and teamwork here. After a double team backfired, Michaels made the hot tag and the Miami Arena exploded as Jannetty came in on fire. Both teams would trade a flurry of double team attempts that ended in a fantastic sequence capped by a Jannetty sunset flip to pin Tanaka. Whew, what a great closing sequence. That was a tremendous opener and it was great to see the Rockers go over strong and pick up that first PPV win. Also, having the OE refreshed like this added more depth to the division. At first glance, this would be the best opener in WWF PPV history to this point.

*** Backstage, Randy Savage chats with Sean Mooney and reveals that Sgt. Slaughter has promised him a WWF Title shot if he wins the strap tonight. Savage then says that Sensational Queen Sherri was on the case to get Ultimate Warrior to make the same promise. Back in the arena, Sherri, decked out in a lovely evening gown, leads Mean Gene Okerlund to the podium and then calls the Warrior out to accept Savage's challenge. After some baiting by the Queen, the Champion made his way out to confront her face-to-face. I should take a moment to mention Warrior's pimp USA leather jacket that makes him look like an Olympic bobsledding coach. Warrior ignored Sherri's question, so she decided to sex things up. She started to compliment the champion, while seductively taking his jacket off and caressing his arms and chest. With Warrior still standing in silence, Sherri dropped to her knees, basically offering up a hummer as Warrior sneering and smiled. Warrior finally answers by yelling "Nooooo" in Sherri's face and walking off. Back in the locker room, Savage starts destroying things before charging out to the arena, but Warrior was long gone. ***

### Match #2: The Big Boss Man defeats The Barbarian with a reversal from a clothesline off the top rope at 10:04

Fun Fact: This match is part of the ongoing feud between the Big Boss Man and the Heenan Family which started in the fall of 1990. During this time, Bobby Heenan made repeated derogatory comments about the Boss Man's mother. As an act of revenge, the Big Boss Man vowed to take out every member of the Heenan family.

### Scott:

We continue the feud of Boss Man running through the Heenan Family for insulting Boss Man's mother. Barbarian had a solid end of 1990 since becoming a singles wrestler, but this match begins maybe his best year as a wrestler. He has consistently good matches and it starts here. Boss Man turned face last February and has been one of the most popular in the company since. It also led to Boss Man shedding some of that unnecessary girth and become a very swift worker for someone his size. Just like the opener, the babyface gets the early advantage but eventually Barbarian takes control and works Boss Man over. Barbarian has incredible strength as he lifted Boss Man up on the outside and rammed him into the steel post. Boss Man is getting beat down so bad his shirt comes loose. Then Barbarian works a bear hug in until Boss Man finally breaks it and both men are down but Boss Man had no wherewithal to get a leg hooked on a pin. After some pin attempts by Boss Man they Irish Whip and butt chins. Both guys are down and out. This match is so much better than I ever remember it being. Boss Man is throwing bombs but Barbarian puts his hand on the ropes two different times. Barbarian pulls a piledriver out of nowhere and this match is getting better and better. It ends when Barbarian goes for a cross body but the momentum pushes Boss Man over him and he gets the three count. Wow what a great match and we are two for two on this night. Boss Man will continue his war with the Heenan Family, with one member remaining: The Crown Jewel.

### Justin:

As the crowd cools down a bit from that erotic interview, we are set up for the continuation of a grudge feud between the Big Boss Man and the Heenan Family. Of course, this originally started with Rick Rude, but he is long gone, so Boss Man is instead trying to mow down the Family to get to both Heenan and Mr. Perfect's Intercontinental Title. After dispatching of Haku at Survivor Series, Heenan's enforcer The Barbarian stands in Boss Man's way next. Barbarian is coming off a nice showing at the November PPV before falling to Hulk Hogan at the end. As much as Boss Man deserved to be in the Rumble, continuing this feud here made a lot of sense, especially since Barbarian really as the gatekeeper to the Brain. After some feeling out, the two began to trade right hands until Boss Man cracked Barbarian with a nice big boot and reverse elbow combo. After regrouping, Barbarian tried to come back in off the top, but Boss Man caught him with a punch to the gut and then sent him flying back outside with a huge clothesline. Once he made it back in, Barbarian caught Boss Man and took him over with a perfect vertical suplex. Boss Man got in further trouble when he got his leg caught betwixt the ropes, allowing Barbarian to just hammer on hm. Both guys are working with some real urgency here, which makes every move seem so heavy. After ramming Boss Man into the post, Barbarian started to work the back, showing off his power while he did it. Boss Man fought his way out of a pair of energetic bear hug attempts, rocking Barbarian with headbutts followed by an enziguri! Both of these guys have their working boots on tonight. Barbarian would score a close near fall on a roll up but Boss Man kicked up and then snapped him off the top rope with a stun gun for another good two count. Things stayed hot as Barbarian hit his top rope clothesline, but Boss Man got his foot on the rope to prevent the loss. I love that because it keeps that finisher protected nicely. Boss Man struggled to his feet and caught Barbarian with his sidewalk slam, but Barbarian repaid the favor by grabbing the ropes as well. As if this match wasn't really good already, Barbarian spiked Boss Man with a jumping piledriver, rattling his spine. Barbarian again ascended to the top, this time coming off with a cross body, but the momentum was too much, which allowed Boss Man to roll through for the cover and win. After the bell, Heenan immediately ran to the back and out of harm's way. That was a hell of a match. The crowd was really into it and the storyline was there as well. It was worked very smartly and built to the perfect finish. Both guys looked like aces and busted their asses out there. Barbarian is on quite the surprising hot streak in the ring. Boss Man keeps picking off Family members with his eye on the ultimate prize.

### Match #3: Sergeant Slaughter defeats the Ultimate Warrior to win WWF World Title with an elbow drop after Randy Savage hits Warrior with the scepter at 12:46

Fun Fact: Over the past couple months, Sgt. Slaughter really amped up his Iraqi sympathizing ways, drawing strong heel heat week by week. After debuting his new manager, General Adnan, late in 1990, Sarge began receiving special gifts from Iraqi kingpin Saddam Hussein. The most important gift he received came on the 12/29 Superstars: a pair of point-tipped wrestling boots, as they helped draw some heat during matches, as they would always play up the boots being loaded. The World Title match against the Warrior was officially announced on the 12/15 Superstars.

### Scott:

I remember very well thinking at the time that this was just a holdover match for the WWF Champion and we were getting ready for Hogan-Warrior II at WrestleMania. However with Operation Desert Storm underway, something tells me they were going to ride the patriotic wave and call an audible. Warrior starts things off like gangbusters and throws Slaughter all over the place. Yet when Sensational Sherri comes out, you knew where this match was going. Sure enough Sherri pulls Warrior's leg and gets the Champion to chase her down the aisle. Then out of the shadows Randy Savage (who got pissed earlier when Warrior refused to give him a title shot) attacks Warrior and hits him with a light stand. Slaughter's got on the curl-tipped boots given to him by Saddam Hussein, which was a great heel touch. The crowd is at a fever pitch as Slaughter works Warrior over and we get our second bear hug of the night. I love Warrior's red, white and blue ensemble on this night, as even the crazy ones have patriotism. Slaughter hooks the Camel Clutch on but Warrior's legs are draped over the apron and the referee isn't even moving. Gorilla was always tough on referees (except his son of course). Warrior starts getting some momentum and energy and the Champion is making his big comeback. This is where I thought the match was over and we would see the Champion retain the title. However, again out comes Sherri to distract Warrior. He drags her in and as Savage runs down the ramp Warrior throws her out of the ring. Slaughter knees Warrior into the back and Warrior falls into the ropes. With the referee distracted Savage cracks Warrior in the head with the scepter that Sherri brought down. Then out of nowhere Slaughter drops an elbow and gets the pinfall. Gorilla and Piper clearly think the pin will be thrown out and a disqualification called. After some confusion, Slaughter is the new WWF Champion and Gorilla and Hot Rod are beside themselves. What a huge upset and great storytelling, but the Ultimate Warrior's title reign is over. The turncoat is the champion, and right now (besides him) there's no bigger heel in the company right now than Randy Savage. Awesome.

### Justin:

For the first time in his title reign, I feel like we can say the Ultimate Warrior finally has a real interesting challenger, even if that challenger was quite surprising and out of left field. Sgt. Slaughter was clearly getting lined up for a push but coming off that Survivor Series performance it was still jarring to all of a sudden have him announced as the top contender for a major PPV title match. Warrior would play up the Americana, charging to the ring decked out in red, white and blue tights and paint. During the build up to this match, Slaughter had really amped up the allegiance to Iraq, picking up a new manager in General Adnan and receiving a special gift of point-tipped boots from Saddam Hussein. Add in the growing tension over the war and suddenly Sarge was building some serious heat from fans...and Roddy Piper. Warrior got off to a red hot start, chucking Adnan on his ass, running Sarge off and then tearing up the Iraqi flag to a huge pop. He would then use the flag remnants to choke and clothesline the Sarge before just clubbing him from pillar to post and back to the floor. As the beating wore on, Sensational Sherri showed up at ringside and tripped the champion up, drawing him out of the ring. As Warrior chased her down the aisle, Randy Savage sprung from behind the guardrail near the entrance and waxed him, including an awesome shot with a light stand. As Warrior was laid out on the floor, Sarge kept stopping the count to allow him to get back in. That seems like spotty logic, but Piper seems to think it is a great tactic. Once he had control, Sarge started to methodically pick apart the Warrior, alternating between levying blows and playing to the crowd, a crowd that was quite rabid and buzzing with boos the whole time. Sarge's offense was as basic as it gets here, but thanks to the heat and stakes he really didn't need to do much more at all. Warrior would survive a lengthy bear hug but Sarge gave him no room to breathe, dropping elbows to the back to set up his Camel Clutch. Warrior would finally rally, hulking up and running through Sarge with clotheslines. It certainly looked like the road had come to an end for Team Iraq across the board. However, it was then that Sherri showed back up. Warrior dragged her in the ring and then press slammed her into the arms of Savage, who had just arrived on the scene as well. It was a pretty nasty toss. With his back turned, Sarge was able to bury a knee into the back of Warrior, driving him into the ropes. As the ref backed Sarge off, Savage pelted Warrior with a stiff scepter shot to the head and then bolted like a thief in the night. Warrior would crumple back, and Sarge pounced with an elbow drop and a cover for the win. Well, it seemed it anyway...as they delayed the announcement to build confusion around whether there would be a DQ, similar to at Survivor Series, so that was a nice touch. Warrior would recover and charge to the back as Fink announced that we had a NEW WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION CHAMPION in Sgt. Slaughter. Piper and Monsoon were livid as Sarge stomped around the ring with the purple belt held up high. I definitely remember watching this live and expecting Warrior to just squash Slaughter and run off the evil foreign sympathizer before heading to Mania as champion, so it was a major upset to me. I can't see I disagree with the decision, though. There was no way Warrior/Hogan II could have held up to the SkyDome clash and with Sarge building heat and capitalizing on the Iraq stuff, it was worth the roll of the dice to set him up for Hogan. The downside, however, is the thud of the door slamming on Warrior's disappointing reign. There was so much promise back in April, but here we are in early 1991 and the reign really accomplished nothing in the end. It is clear that Warrior may be even better off without the strap at this point. The match here was fine thanks to the heat and Savage stuff boosting it up, and really that was all they needed to make it work.

### Match #4: The Mountie defeats Koko B. Ware with a sidewalk slam at 9:12

Fun Fact I: This match was not included on the original Coliseum Home Video release, but is available on the WWE Network version.

Fun Fact II: This match is the first PPV match for a recently rebranded superstar. Jacques Rougeau, Jr. had been wrestling in the WWF with his brother Raymond as the Rougeau Brothers tag team since 1985. In 1990, Raymond retired from wrestling and Jacques left the Federation for about a year. Jacques debut was marked by vignettes depicting his new character, a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or..a Mountie. His character was known for carrying a cattle prod that he would use after matches to shock his opponents.

The character ended up causing a stir in Canada and was the subject of litigation. As a result, when Rougeau wrestled in Canada, he was not allowed to wrestle under the "Mountie" name, instead having to be called by his real name. Announcers would even go so far as to emphasize while in Canada that he did not represent the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

### Scott:

We need a match to give the crowd a spell after the emotion and drama of the last match. Continuing the trend of evil wrestlers representing other countries, we have a heel Canadian. The Mountie is clearly Jacques Rougeau, but no one is supposed to know that. This match is nothing more than for Koko to make the new heel look good and put him over. This match (before the WWE Network) is pretty rare because it was cut out of the Coliseum Home Video release. Similar to the Haku/Harley Race match two years earlier, it was a lost gem before 2014. The match itself isn't really much, just some character advancement while Gorilla and Piper still lament over the Ultimate Warrior's loss in the previous match. Mountie would become one of 1991's better heels and it starts here. Overall a decent enough match and it gets the Mountie on his way.

### Justin:

You know it is a good PPV when the Birdman is in the house! Koko has really gotten some decent run over the last year but he had an interesting challenge ahead of him with this one. Jacques Rougeau had been off TV since his brother Raymond hung up the trunks a year ago. After resting up, he came back retooled as The Mountie, an angry Canadian law enforcement officer that was more interested in zapping people with his cattle prod than just about anything else. He still has Jimmy Hart by his side, which is a nice touch. Both the crowd and the announcers were still in a state of shock, which won't make things much easier for these guys. Koko landed a few strikes early but Mountie was really looking to stall more than anything out of the gate. I will say those giant leather boots and the outfit overall make Jacques looks much taller and just bigger overall than he did previously. The fans are totally checked out here and the pacing of the bout is not helping at all. Mountie did try to mix in some control techniques into his repertoire, another nice touch to the character. The highlight of this one has to be Jimmy taunting Frankie as Koko is worked over. Mountie just pelted him, burying kicks and using those control holds to keep Koko tied up. The Birdman found some daylight with a neckbreaker to wake the crowd up a bit and followed with a missile dropkick but Jimmy ran some interference to prevent the pin. As he continued to rally, Mountie shut it down with a sidewalk slam off a charge to put Koko down for good and grab his first PPV win as a solo star. Match was nothing but the gimmick and man behind it definitely have some potential.

*** Randy Savage is interviewed by Gene Okerlund and gives his reasoning for his actions. During the interview, Ultimate Warrior starts banging on Savage's door, so the Macho King bolts. ***

### Match #5: Ted DiBiase & Virgil defeat Dusty Rhodes & Dustin Rhodes when DiBiase pins Dusty with a roll-up at 9:57

Fun Fact I: This is Dusty Rhodes' final WWF PPV appearance for nearly 16 years. His final record is 3-4. He was 0-2 at the Royal Rumble, 1-0 at Wrestlemania, 1-1 at SummerSlam and 1-1 at Survivor Series.

Fun Fact II: Over the winter, we began seeing the first hints of possible dissention between Virgil and Ted DiBiase. On the 12/8 Superstars, DiBiase, Virgil and Dustin Rhodes appeared on the Brother Love Show. DiBiase tried to pay off Dustin, claiming he could be bought, just like Virgil. DiBiase then began insulting Virgil, and forced his bodyguard to clean his and Brother Love's shoes, which he did. Dustin turned down the money and stormed off, but the seeds for a new storyline were now laid. Over the next few weeks, new vignettes began airing of DiBiase forcing Virgil into doing humiliating things, such as cleaning his toes, wiping cow manure off his boots and other demeaning actions. As the weeks passed, Virgil became slightly defiant each time, but DiBiase would mention a secret to Virgil, and Virgil would cave in. As the weeks passed, color commentator Roddy Piper began defending Virgil and started begging him to quit and leave DiBiase. A week or so before the Rumble, Piper admitted he took Virgil out to dinner and tried to get him to quit, but it seemingly did not work, as this match was signed and Virgil stood by his boss.

### Scott:

We go now to a match that seamlessly transitions from one feud to the next. It's the PPV debut of Dusty's son Dustin Rhodes, who begins a lucrative yet bumpy wrestling career here teaming with his dad against the Million Dollar Man and his bodyguard. Over the past few weeks, DiBiase has been particularly harsh to Virgil and for the first time Virgil seems to not be tolerating it anymore. In fact before the match while Gorilla and Piper were filling for time, Piper mentioned that he and Virgil had lunch and that Piper was "explaining" to Virgil about pride and dignity in yourself. DiBiase laid into Virgil a few times during the match, clearly saying they're not in the same league. DiBiase takes control of the lesser experienced Dustin early on as well. Speaking of Dustin, Dusty must be injured or something because he doesn't get into the match at all and Dustin pretty much takes the beating. However, Virgil accidentally hits DiBiase on a double team and the Million Dollar Man starts beating Virgil down, then rolls up Dustin and gets the victory. With the Rhodes Family out of the way (Dusty is worried about Dustin's injured knee) DiBiase orders Virgil to get back in the ring and put the Million Dollar Belt around his waist. Virgil is fighting the urge to deck him, but DiBiase reminds Virgil about his family and where all the money is going. Finally Virgil can take it no longer and while DiBiase is cutting a promo Virgil decks him with the belt and the place goes bonkers. This may be one of the most emotional PPVs in WWF history to this point with patriotism and pride and dignity everywhere, this storyline suits it to a tea. As for the Rhodes Family, we don't see Dusty back for quite a while and Dustin doesn't return for almost five years, in a very different gimmick.

### Justin:

Buried in the final slot on this undercard is a match with quite a bit of intrigue surrounding it. The Rhodes Family had really hit a wall in late 1990 as Dusty continued to be jobbed out in the mid card, seemingly losing yet another feud as he wept over the defection of Sapphire. He and his son had been beaten and abused by Ted DiBiase and it seemed like revenge could be in the cards here, especially when you factor in the tension between DiBiase and his bodyguard Virgil. Virgil had been a loyal soldier since the duos debut in 1987, but he was finally showing signs of cracking and he had been getting pressure from Roddy Piper to finally pull the trigger. The two stories running concurrently in this match were showed off immediately as the Rhodes Boys ruled the ring early, while DiBiase sniped at Virgil, barking orders in his direction constantly. Virgil got worked over and continuously tossed to the floor by Dustin, and as soon as he hit the deck, DiBiase was there to smack him around and berate him. Ted finally tagged himself in and started punishing Dustin while also taunting Dusty. Man, he really upped the prick quotient over the last couple of months. I love seeing the swagger back so strong. Dusty was able to catch the hot tag and he came in to rattle DiBiase with elbows and a sleeperhold. Dustin got in on the action as well, but Virgil was able to keep making the save where needed. And eventually, the young Rhodes got caught again and really struggled to shake off a targeted knee attack by DiBiase and Virgil, who were now starting to work pretty well together. And that ended quickly. Virgil accidentally decked DiBiase, causing his boss to snap and hammer him before dumping him to the floor. Piper began to sadly explain that he did all he could to save Virgil, but that this is what he gets for not standing up for himself. Dusty tagged back in, but DiBiase survived the flurry and rolled Big Dust up to win the match and send the Rhodes Family packing for Atlanta. It was such a sad, quiet departure, as they literally vanish as soon as the match ends and would be on WCW TV before the month was up.

Now, after the bell, DiBiase tossed a little more dirt on the Rhodes grave before demanding Virgil bring his Million Dollar Belt into the ring and strap it around his waist. Virgil hesitated and then threw it on the ground, but DiBiase hit hard with reminders about the hardships of his mother and family. Virgil crumbled at the thought, dropping to a knee and picking up the belt. But then...the man finally had enough as he popped up and smashed DiBiase in the face with it, delivering one of the most memorable moments of the early WWF PPV era. Piper and Monsoon celebrated along with the fans as Virgil finally broke through and stood up for himself. That match was really just a bunch of nothing but the storyline afterwards was wonderfully done thanks to years of build and built-in emotion.

### Match #6: Hulk Hogan wins the Royal Rumble

Order of entrance, followed by who eliminated them:

1) Bret Hart: Undertaker

2) Dino Bravo: Greg Valentine

3) Greg Valentine: Hulk Hogan

4) Paul Roma: Jake Roberts

5) Texas Tornado: Undertaker

6) Rick Martel: British Bulldog

7) Saba Simba: Rick Martel

8) Bushwhacker Butch: Undertaker

9) Jake Roberts: Rick Martel

10) Hercules: Brian Knobbs

11) Tito Santana: Earthquake

12) Undertaker: Hawk & Animal

13) Jimmy Snuka: Hawk

14) British Bulldog: Earthquake & Knobbs

15) Smash: Hulk Hogan

16) Hawk: Rick Martel

17) Shane Douglas: Brian Knobbs

18) No Entrant (Was supposed to be Randy Savage)

19) Animal: Earthquake

20) Crush: Hulk Hogan

21) Jim Duggan: Mr. Perfect

22) Earthquake: Hulk Hogan

23) Mr. Perfect: British Bulldog

24) Hulk Hogan: WINNER

25) Haku: British Bulldog

26) Jim Neidhart: Rick Martel

27) Bushwhacker Luke: Earthquake

28) Brian Knobbs: Hulk Hogan

29) Warlord: Hulk Hogan

30) Tugboat: Hulk Hogan

Longest Time: Rick Martel (52:17)

Shortest Time: Bushwhacker Luke (:04)

Most Eliminated: Hulk Hogan (7)

Fun Fact I: Some PPV debuts and returns of note in this Rumble. Saba Simba is Tony Atlas re-packaged. This is Atlas' first PPV appearance since the battle royal at WrestleMania II and his final PPV appearance for well over a decade. This is also the PPV return of the British Bulldog, who was wrestling in England and Canada with his partner the Dynamite Kid before breaking out on his own and returning to the WWF. If you read the Dynamite Kid's book, this move to a solo wrestler rankled Kid and ended their friendship. One man making his PPV debut is Shane Douglas. From Pittsburgh, a student of Domenic DeNucci, Douglas had been teaming with Marty Jannetty a bit as the "New Rockers" while Shawn Michaels was rehabbing a knee injury in the middle of 1990. The other debut is Brian Knobbs, one half of the new tag team known as the Nasty Boys with Jerry Sags, who jumped ship from WCW to Stamford along with the Legion of Doom. They had been embroiled in a feud with the Steiner Brothers but were working on a handshake deal and bolted at the chance for a contract in Stamford.

Fun Fact II: Hulk Hogan becomes the first winner of back-to-back Royal Rumbles.

Fun Fact III: Shane McMahon was one of the ringside referees for the Royal Rumble match.

### Scott:

So was this Rumble that clear cut? With the evil Iraqi sympathizer as WWF Champion, was Hulk Hogan the #1 choice? It definitely seemed like Warrior was on a collision course with the Macho King for WrestleMania. Then when Mean Gene mentioned to Hogan that Slaughter was defacing the American Flag that pretty much said where WrestleMania is going. We open the Rumble with two solid Canadians, the Hitman and the Strongman. At #3 is Greg Valentine so we open the match with three hard hitters. Valentine had surprisingly turned babyface recently and went right after Bravo. In comes the Glory in P&G, Paul Roma. The crowd is a little flat, other than rooting for Bret. 1991 will end up being the year that the rip cord is finally pulled on the big singles push. For now he is still co-holder of the Tag Team Titles. Texas Tornado comes in to even the odds but then Rick Martel comes in at #5 to give the heels the advantage. Then the equation goes out the window as Martel tries to eliminate Roma. Bret's actually chilling out on the corner while two faces battle and two heels battle. The battle really heats up when Jake Roberts comes in and he and Martel continue their blood feud and go crazy on each other. Hercules comes in and now P&G are working together. Tito Santana is next as Roma is eliminated. The eliminations are few early on, as it's more interesting to see the pairings that shook out. For instance, Santana and Martel renew their rivalry with some work in the ring.

At #12 is the Undertaker and once again he looks like the most imposing wrestler on the entire roster. The returning British Bulldog comes in and the battling in the ring continues. The crowd is stirring but we haven't had much star power other than Jake, which means this is pretty bottom heavy in terms of numbers. We get halfway through and some tag team wrestlers work their way in, from Demolition Smash to Hawk of the Legion of Doom. Again no real clear cut favorites yet, which means those still remaining must be some of the bigger players. Then in great continuity, Randy Savage was slated to come in at #18 but because he was running for his life from Ultimate Warrior he no-showed the slot. Undertaker is finally eliminated but we all know he will have more Rumble moments over the next 20 years. Rick Martel is still in the match as his reputation grows as a Rumble longevity stud. Earthquake comes in at #22 at there are 11 guys in the ring right now, most to this point. The crowd is at a fever pitch and again no babyface favorite, yet another heel favorite comes in, as Mr. Perfect comes down the aisle. He has a likely date with Big Boss Man at Mania but then at #24 comes the Hulkster and the crowd goes insane. Considering who is left and how the bookers seemingly hadn't really thought about heels winning the Rumble match yet, it's probably a matter of time before Earthquake and Hogan are the last two in the ring. The comedic moment of the match is when Bushwhacker Luke comes in, gets eliminated in :04 and walks out like nothing happened. Very funny. What's not funny, but rather is historic is the length that Rick Martel is still in there. Bulldog finally eliminates Martel after being in there for 52:17, a record to that point. The last three are Hogan, Quake and Knobbs, so as expected Hogan is getting worked over by the two heels. Hogan makes his comeback, and eliminates Knobbs before trying to vanquish his rival the Quake. Quake works Hogan over with some elbows but the Real American hulks up, tosses Quake and gets this second of back-to-back Rumble wins. This one is huge and expected, for the road to WrestleMania is paved with red, white and blue. Some notable moments in this rumble match and it's not a bad one to watch on its own.

### Justin:

The fourth annual Royal Rumble has arrived and we our #1 entrant is a choice that is maybe, finally a foreshadowing of things to come. We have talked multiple times about Bret Hart going solo, but each time the company pulled the reigns back and kept the Hart Foundation together. Here, he enters first, which could be construed as another test, so we will see how long he hangs in there. Dino Bravo was #2 and we get a few teases and strikes to fill the two minutes to #3, the recently turned face Greg Valentine. Gorilla really did not believe anyone that entered early had much of a shot and pretty much guarantees neither of these guys would win. Valentine's face turn seemed a bit odd considering where he was at in his career, but it was good to let him battle a former stablemate to really get it over. Bravo's time in the sun also was starting to come to an end here as he had been riding those Earthquake waves long enough without really contributing anything. Valentine would dump him fairly quickly and briefly get his hands on Jimmy before Bret got a hold of him. Paul Roma was next, still repping the great Power & Glory, and he was followed by the now former Intercontinental Champion Texas Tornado at #5. The four would go at it with Hammer playing a de facto heel role to fill the time. #6 was Rick Martel, who was still embroiled in his heated feud with Jake Roberts. Despite the real lack of action, the crowd was really amped here as they had woken back out of the brief coma since the Virgil turn. The depth of the roster is also on display here, as most of these guys were considered on the lower end of the mid card for the most part, but are all really good, solid veterans. Saba Simba jogged to the ring at #7 and took the fight right to Roma. Simba was portrayed by longtime star Tony Atlas and was a fairly racist tribesman gimmick by any definition. I do remember being really excited for a match between him and Akeem in late 1990 though. Butch was out at #8 and he literally marched in a circle, whacking his hands before touching anyone. While he did that, Martel dumped Simba, and he is not seen on PPV again for a long time. Business would finally pick up when Roberts charged out at #9 and made a beeline for Martel. Jake was relentless hammering the man who blinded him and the crowd was right with him, frantically calling for the DDT. Martel would escape and slide to the floor and was eventually saved by Valentine. They would get their hands on each other again in between getting interrupted by the other entrants. Hercules was out at #10, which gave us a complete Power & Glory and shifted the balance of power in the match. Unfortunately for them, it was short lived as Roma charged Jake, but the Snake ducked and Glory went flying to the floor.

More bad news for Martel came at #11 as Tito Santana jogged out and went right at his long time rival. The ring was pretty full here, but again, it was stocked with smart veteran workers that all elicited responses from the hot Miami fans. Things got a bit dark when Brother Love led Undertaker out at #12. Taker had been rolling since his November debut, mowing through jobbers and barely showing any semblance of pain. He struck immediately, dumping the gallant Hitman after a really strong 20 minute run. Maybe that push was coming after all? Taker kept rolling on here, just stalking and crushing anyone in his way. As Jimmy Snuka came out at #13, Taker chucked Butch to end his night. I like the balance here as whenever someone new comes in, somebody gets tossed. It keeps the ring looking full without getting it too bloated. Taker has just been punishing poor Tornado, but wasn't able to put him out just yet. At #14 was the returning British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith. And he was jacked up. It was good to see him back, though, to help keep the face/heel balance in the midcard heading into the new year. Smash would bring us to the halfway point at #15, looking flabby and somewhat uninterested. What has happened to my Demolition? In the longevity watch, Martel, Tornado and Valentine were still chugging along. And speaking of Martel, he was hanging out on the ring apron and was able to yank Roberts over the top and to the floor to continue to maintain the upper hand in that feud. Hawk was in at #16 and came in so hot that everyone stopped in their tracks and ganged up on him. I liked that both faces and heels stopped to beat up the fresh guy. That really helps the concept work. Youngster Shane Douglas came out at #17, just as Taker said goodbye to Tornado and Hawk pitched Snuka. Douglas had been around since mid 1990, working some tags with Marty Jannetty while Shawn Michaels was hurt. Otherwise, he was just low card fodder trying to work his way up the ladder. This was a good spot for him, though, as he is in the mix with the strong collection of veterans. #18 was...nobody? For the first time in Rumble history, we get an empty slot. More on that shortly as we whittle down the field. I think it was during this Rumble match that Gorilla and Piper really started to develop a strong chemistry. They have balanced each other out nicely here as Piper keeps improving. Animal was in at #19 and he stepped right in to help Hawk battle Taker. They hammered him with rights and then rattled him with a double clothesline to send him to the floor. That was a big elimination right there and a good spot for LOD to show their power while also keeping Taker strong. However, right after that, Martel snuck in and chucked Hawk, ending the LOD's run as a unit on this night. Crush hit the ring at #20 and for the third time tonight we had a complete tag team in the fray. They went right to work, clubbing Bulldog with forearm blows.

Jim Duggan opened up the final third of the match at #21 and the crowd just exploded as he marched down and dove right into the action. One of the major favorites stomped out at #22 as Jimmy Hart led Earthquake down the aisle. Quake was really lined up as a major force for this match and by drawing a late number, those odds went up. When he climbed inside, we hit 11 men in the ring at once, but that shrunk back to 10 when Quake ducked a charging Animal. Checking in on our iron men, Martel, Valentine and Hercules were holding things down out there, putting in really impressive showings. The Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect was #23 and I always enjoyed when he tosses the towel over his head and Bobby Heenan catches it behind his back before as the saunter out. Perfect got no chance to breathe, though, as Duggan met him with a huge right hand. Perfect got immediate revenge by dumping Hacksaw to the floor, though. Bulldog is also having a nice showing in his PPV return bout. The crowd would explode again at #24 when Hulk Hogan emerged and started working on cleaning house, starting with Smash. I do enjoy how some little kid saw that it was Hogan before he emerged and spoiled it a split second before the Hulkster burst his way through the curtain. By the time Haku entered at #25, poor Hogan didn't even have his shirt off yet. Hulkster would land a big blow here, tossing Valentine after a great run of 44:03. Tremendous showing for the Hammer. Hogan finally got his shirt off as the intensity started to pick up with everyone starting to sniff potential victory. Piper notes that while Valentine came up just short of the longevity record, Rick Martel was within striking distance. Jim Neidhart was #26 and being fresh, he was full of fire. A group of entrants tried to work together to eliminate Hogan but for some reason Douglas broke it up. Come on, Shane, you got a lot to learn! #27 was Bushwhacker Luke and he climbed in the ring, got grabbed by Quake and tossed right out the other side, nearing the record for shortest run set by Warlord in 1989. That was a nice moment of levity as we near the end. Brian Knobbs was in at #28, fresh off a jump from WCW. The Nasty Boys were really getting a strong push in Atlanta, but decided to head to the WWF for some stability and get off their handshake deal. They were immediately positioned as a top heel team. The action continued to rage on and it was pretty unique to see the ring be so full pretty much the whole way through this one. We never had that point where things filtered down since it started. Another iron man bit the dust here as Knobbs tossed out Hercules, ending his night after a 37:36 run. Good showing for him as well. Warlord kept Slick in business at #29 and with that entrance, Gorilla officially narrowed down the mystery #18 entrant to one of two possibilities. Hogan sent Crush to the shower as Gorilla noted that Martel has surpassed the longevity record officially by this point. Tugboat came out at #30, meaning it was Randy Savage that no showed earlier. That gave the quality of field a hit but made a lot of sense to help push his feud with the Warrior ahead. Gorilla assumed that Warrior ran him right out of the arena. So, with everyone having entered, we had a final field of nine battling for the victory.

Friends would become brief enemies as Tugboat tried to toss his buddy Hogan. He would actually get him over the top and to the apron but he turned his back without confirmation. That allowed Hogan to slide back in, charge right over to Tugger and dump him out as revenge. Perfect, Neidhart and Haku followed soon after as the field was whittled down to five. Quake and Knobbs formed a quick Jimmy Hart fueled alliance and targeted the Hulkster while Bulldog and Martel battled across the ring. However, after 52:17, Martel made a fatal error as he climbed the top rope. Bulldog was able to crotch him and shove him to the floor, ending his record breaking performance in disappointment. Quake and Knobbs quickly made a move and worked to force Bulldog out, leaving them to double team Hogan as the crowd chanting their hero on.Hogan would shake off a series of elbows and splashes before blowing out the Earthquake splash and Hulking Up. He sent Knobbs flying to the floor with a big boot but a slam attempt of Quake failed, giving the big man another opening to make a comeback. Hogan fought through another assault and this time, he made it count as he slammed the big man and then ran him right over the top to the floor to win his second consecutive Rumble match. He also effectively put a bow on his feud with Quake as well, leaving both men to move on. We may have debated last year's win a bit, but this time around there was no doubt that Hogan was the right choice to take the victory. He had an evil champion to now dethrone.

This was a really fun Rumble match with a lot of high level workers to carry the match. I loved how they mixed things up and had a full crowd in the ring for the entire match. The crowd was super hot as well and kept in the match right through the final elimination. Toss in the memorable longevity runs and there was a lot to dig about this installment.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is definitely the best Royal Rumble card to this point. Top to bottom there was a lot of good in-ring work and plenty of storyline advancement. The first title match in Rumble history wasn't much in the ring, but there was plenty of added storyline to it and it created a great feud that would percolate through the next couple of months, as well as being maybe the biggest upset in PPV history. Hulk Hogan becomes the first back-to-back Rumbles and it may be (although somewhat veiled) the first time the Rumble winner was given a World Title shot. The opener may be the best in PPV history to this point and even Boss Man/Barbarian was a forgotten classic. We are on the road to a very patriotic WrestleMania with a shocking WWF Champion in place. Overall I recommend this show to anyone. It is an entertaining PPV from all avenues and a great lead-in to Los Angeles in March.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

I have always had fond memories of this show as it was the first PPV I actually saw live. The undercard is really loaded up and when you factor in the red hot crowd, the memorable moments and a very good Rumble match, it could rank up there as one of the greatest Rumble PPV outings in company history. After a rather bland end to 1990, we have shaken things up and reset a bit with a brand new, and very unlikely, World Champion leading the way. It has been a really long time since we had a hated, evil Champion ruling the company and they would take full advantage of it. Warrior and Savage are also on a collision course after their brouhaha here. The WWF seems to be in great shape with a refreshed roster and a rabid fanbase as we open a new year. Time will tell if they can keep that momentum rolling.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #47

#  WrestleMania VII: Stars and Stripes Forever!!!

March 24, 1991

Los Angeles Sports Arena

Los Angeles, California

Attendance: 16,158

Buy Rate: 2.8

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan; Jim Duggan, Alfred Hayes & Regis Philbin sit in as well

*** Willie Nelson sings God Bless America, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan comes to ringside to commentate the first match with Gorilla. ***

Fun Fact: Since WrestleMania VI, WrestleMania VII had been announced to take place at the 100,000+ seat Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Ads ran into January 1991, but at the time of the Royal Rumble only around 16,000 tickets had been sold. The WWF made the decision to move the event to the smaller Los Angeles Sports Arena. The WWF claimed the reason for the venue change was because a bomb threat had been made against the event and they were moving the event due to security concerns. Sgt. Slaughter claims that during his time as an Iraqi sympathizer that he had numerous threats made on his life and he could not go anywhere in public without wearing a bulletproof vest and without having security personnel surrounding him.

Dark Match:

Koko B. Ware pinned the Brooklyn Brawler

Actual Show:

### Match #1: The Rockers defeat Haku & the Barbarian when Shawn Michaels pins Haku with a high cross body at 10:32

Fun Fact: This is Bobby Heenan's final PPV as a manager. Over the summer he would sell the contracts of Barbarian, Haku and Mr. Perfect to the Coach, who was portrayed by wrestling legend John Tolos.

### Scott:

We open our Stars 'N' Stripes WrestleMania with a swank tag team match with two teams of contrasting styles. However, I must protest to having this person commentating this match with Gorilla: JIM DUGGAN? He's a drooling idiot who's going to give analysis of TAG TEAM WRESTLING? Good grief. The Rockers are coming off a five star match against the Orient Express and now face two guys who would take their tag team chemistry to WCW in a few years. Rockers dominated the early action until some ref distraction led to Barbarian and Haku dropping a huge Stun Gun on the top rope to Jannetty. Marty becomes the face in peril as the bigger guys start really giving him the business. The crowd is jacked early, which is very rare for the notoriously late-coming California crowds. Finally we get the hot tag to Shawn and they hit their finisher and get the hot victory. After never winning PPV matches over their first three years, The Rockers are 2-0 for 1991 with two great matches.

### Justin:

Well, here we are yet again, time for another WrestleMania. The show was originally supposed to be held at the mammoth LA Coliseum, but with business sagging and ticket sales sluggish, we move into a much more intimate setting. And I would argue that was a fine move, because the tight setting and red, white and blue bunting fueling the Americana throughout the building made the show feel special and unique despite the basic arena setup. With Jesse Ventura long gone and Roddy Piper involved in a major storyline later, we get the PPV commentary debut of Bobby Heenan. Well, not quite yet, as he was still managing and was busy at ringside for the opener, so Hacksaw Jim Duggan steps in for him to call this one. Barbarian has been on a hot streak since the fall and Haku was always up for a fight so on paper this looked like a very shrewd choice for an opener. After a very weak 1990, the Rockers have come on strong, so a win here would really keep that momentum going. The story of the match was laid out early with Haku thwarting Michaels and using his power to work him over. Michaels would counter with his agility and start to run around a bit to keep Haku off balance, allowing him to sneak in some strikes. Barbarian would deliver the spot of the match early on as he crushed both Rockers with a great double clothesline, sending them both twisting through the air. They would regroup and crack the big man with a double superkick, leading to Heenan regrouping with his boys. Duggan is actually doing a pretty good job going over the strategy of the bout. The back and forth would continue, mixed with some Rocker double teams, which were keeping them in the match. Just when it looked like they had things really rolling in their favor, Barbarian snuck in and hung Jannetty neck-first across the top rope. Jannetty would bump around the ring, including selling a pair of Haku backbreakers like death. That was awesome. The crowd stayed with Marty as the big men just kept hammering on him. Jannetty found daylight and took to the air, but Barbarian caught him and spiked him with a big powerslam. He made a big mistake right after, though, when he came up empty on a diving headbutt off the top, which allowed Marty to make the hot tag. And hot it was, as the crowd was buzzing while Shawn ran right through both at a frenetic pace. The double teams would flow from there capped by Michaels pinning Haku with a high cross body for the big win. For the second straight PPV, we open things up with a hot Rockers match as they continue to reestablish themselves in the tag division.

### Match #2: Texas Tornado defeats Dino Bravo with the Discus Punch at 3:11

Fun Fact: This is Dino Bravo's final PPV appearance. He would float around the syndicated shows for the rest of the year before disappearing in early 1992. Unfortunately, he would be gunned down gang-land style in February 1993 due to some issues with the black market in Canada. His final PPV record is 4-9. He was 0-4 at the Royal Rumble, 1-3 at WrestleMania, 1-0 at SummerSlam and 2-2 at Survivor Series.

### Scott:

This is the quintessential "filler for a paycheck" match. Tornado looks so out of it coming to the ring and during this match it's embarrassing. Bravo has reached the end of the line here, as throughout 1991 we see a bit of a roster purge. A lot of the guys that were the backbone of the mid-card from 1988-91 start to get fleshed out here, and Bravo is a prime example of that. Tornado should have been fleshed out as well because he's a complete mess. Really not much more to see here, except Bravo eats the pin and sadly we never see him again. He will tragically die a couple of years later in a mafia smuggling mess. RIP, Canadian Strongman.

### Justin:

In one of the more depressing matches early on this show, we have a match featuring two superstars who no longer would be with us just two years later. Dino Bravo has been around the company since 1987 and just when it looked like he was cooked, Earthquake came around to extend his run. However, even that hourglass has now run out, leaving him to twist in the wind until leaving the company a year later. This is his first PPV singles bout since WrestleMania VI. Tornado's star has also dimmed quite a bit after his whirlwind debut back in August. It seemed the company knew he couldn't be trusted thanks to his volatile lifestyle and were content to just let him be a lower card name draw. That is pretty much evidenced by this throwaway match here. Bravo wasted no time here, jumping Tornado before he even got his robe off, with action spilling to the floor. Bravo's offense was short lived as Tornado came right back with a flurry. Bravo blocked the claw hold and then caught Tornado with a boot to the face on a charge. Bravo is actually looking pretty good here, showing some good energy and piling on Tornado hard. Tornado ducked a clothesline but Bravo cracked him with the side suplex. Hell, I would have let him win on that, he has won me over here. Tornado finally fought through it and grabbed the claw before cracking Dino with a discus punch for the win. Nice little showing for Bravo there and they packed some good energy into three minutes.

### Match #3: The British Bulldog defeats the Warlord with a Powerslam at 8:13

Fun Fact: This show marks the PPV debut of Davey Boy Smith's newest canine companion: Winston.

### Scott:

We have one of my favorite styles of match right here, with two big power hosses going at it. Bulldog came back in late-1990 after being gone for a couple of years and is ready for singles success. Slick's promo before this match is top of the line. Watch to understand. The match is one of those that vary in grade from fan base to fan base due to the style it consisted of. If you are a fan of expert workrate and high flying technical prowess, well this is match isn't for you. However if you like seeing two powerhouses going at a deliberate pace dropping bombs on each other, this is right up your alley. We hear Gorilla and Bobby on a big stage for the first time and the chemistry is undeniable. Sure they've been on house shows and of course the always awesome Prime Time Wrestling. They go back and forth until Bulldog gains the advantage and hits the big powerslam, or as Bulldog says it, "Puwer Slum". He also avoided Warlord's Full Nelson but that storyline will continue throughout the year. The match is fun and a perfect length for these two guys. This is the last Mania with a myriad of extraneous matches and payouts, but this one was a necessity to reintroduce Bulldog to the WWF audience.

### Justin:

Our next match up is a battle of power wrestlers that had been feuding over their finishers in recent weeks. Warlord had vowed he would bust up Bulldog's neck with the dreaded full nelson, while Bulldog promised to rock the ring with his powerslam. Bulldog even had Bobby Heenan test out the full nelson on him on an episode of Prime Time Wrestling, a show that also featured Heenan brandishing a fake Queen of England, that derided the Bulldog as a disgrace. As if that weren't enough we get two classic promos before the match, with Slick working his magic and Bulldog awkwardly talking to Winston. Bulldog gets a very warm welcome and I liked the way they were slowly working him up the card, because it was clear he had the look and cache to become a top player for them if handled right. We got some good power standoffs early, with both bulls colliding in the center of the ring before Bulldog was finally able to drive Warlord to the floor with a shoulderblock. Bulldog got a bit too excited and went for a crucifix, but Warlord kept his balance and then drove himself back, crushing Bulldog beneath him. The highlight there was Slick calling Bulldog a "big dummy" as a result. Warlord would crank on a bear hug, but the fans really got behind him, willing him to punch his way out. That spurt ended with a thud thanks to a Warlord stun gun. Bulldog took a really nice bump off of that one. Warlord kept pouring it on, including a belly-to-belly deadlift suplex! Warlord got really juiced after that, throwing his hands up to the crowd and eliciting some applause even. Awesome spot. He followed that with a reverse chinlock, which actually makes sense with Warlord targeting the neck. Bulldog's comeback had some nice variance, including a cool standing dropkick that rocked the big man and a cross body that took him down for a near fall. The back and forth went on with Bulldog failing to hit a piledriver but turning that into a sunset flip for a two count. Warlord bounced up and drilled Bulldog with a boot to the face to stop a charge and then finally hooked in the full nelson. However, Warlord failed to lock the fingers, which allowed Bulldog to dramatically power out. And not only did he power out, but he was able to twirl Warlord around and hoist him up onto his shoulder. After setting himself, Bulldog drove Warlord hard to the mat with a powerslam that sent them both bounding into the air from the force. As the crowd went nuts, Bulldog grabbed the win. Man, what a match these guys put on. They have some sweet chemistry and that may be Warlord's best ever singles match. Very fun power bout.

### Match #4: The Nasty Boys defeat the Hart Foundation to win the WWF Tag Team Titles when Knobbs pins Jim Neidhart after getting hit with Jimmy Hart's motorcycle helmet at 12:08

Fun Fact I: The Nasty Boys jumped to the WWF from WCW in early 1991. They had been wrestling in WCW without a contract and Vince decided to snatch them up just as they were getting popular.

Fun Fact II: Jim Neidhart was released shortly after this match, since Vince was set to push Bret, he saw the Anvil as expendable. Shortly after this, however, Vince locked up Bret's younger brother Owen to a deal and decided to rehire the Anvil to come and look after the youngest Hart and to form the New Foundation.

Fun Fact III: The Hart Foundation's final tag team PPV record is 5-6. They were 1-0 at the Royal Rumble, 3-2 at WrestleMania, 1-2 at SummerSlam and 0-2 at Survivor Series.

Fun Fact IV: The Nasty Boys earned this title match by winning a tag team battle royal on the 2/16 Superstars.

### Scott:

This is a bittersweet moment here for longtime WWF fans, because this is the end of the line for maybe the WWF's greatest homegrown tag team. The Pink and Black Attack was born in mid-1985 and since then were awesome babyfaces and heels and were two-time Tag Team Champions. Now it is evident that Bret Hart needs to break out on his own and the tag division needs some new teams. One of the more awkward highlights is when the camera before the match catches Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin, and Gorilla seems to reference him as a generic young fan. Then about 10 seconds later he makes a "Home Alone" reference, like someone just whispered in his ear who he actually was. The Nasty Boys were in WCW getting a push when they were scooped up by Vince. The match goes back and forth early until Bret turns face in peril and we can see what kind of offense the Nasties can deliver. It's the usual brawling and striking stuff, but with this incredibly hot crowd everything looks good right now. We get the hot tag to Anvil and the Hart Attack is delivered, but we have a shocker. The referee is distracted before the pin and Jimmy Hart's megaphone comes into play. Three seconds later, we have new Tag Team Champions and the Hart Foundation is no more. This was an exciting match with a shocking ending.

### Justin:

In our first title bout of the evening, the Hart Foundation defend their straps against the upstart Nasty Boys, making their PPV debut as a team here. They had shown up in January and less than a month later, became top contenders thanks to winning a battle royal on Superstars. The Harts have fought off all challengers, and heading in this seemed to be a bit of a mismatch tilting towards the champions. The Nasties have Jimmy Hart with them, and as usual the Mouth was looking to be a constant thorn in the sides of his former charges. Bret Hart and Jerry Sags opened things up and we were officially underway. The Nasties were pretty much straightforward brawlers, sloppy and clumsy, but in an endearing way. Sags took a beating from the Hitman and hobbled his way to the corner to tag out and regroup. Bret would honor his partner's request and tagged in the Anvil to square off with Knobbs. Anvil picked up where the Hitman left off, again driving the Nasties to regroup to the delight of the fans. The Nasties were completely thrown off and had no chance to grab any momentum as Hart and Sags ended up back in there with Hart dominating again. It took interference from Knobbs to slow him down and that was followed by Sags clotheslining him to the floor. The Nasties turned their focus to Bret's back with Sage wrenching in a rear seated chinlock. Bret wriggled free but the Nasties stayed focused and in control, leading right back to the chinlock again. Hart would again power out, but Knobbs was quick on his feet and busted up the Hitman's attempt to make his desperate tag. Hart picked up two more openings, each time with the Nasties cutting him off or playing the distraction game to keep the referee blinded from the tag. Even with those saves, the Nasties couldn't put it away, as miscommunication with Hart's megaphone allowed Neidhart to finally make his way into the ring to clean house. Things would break down from there and the champs nailed Knobbs with the Hart Attack, but with the referee tied up with Hart, Sags pelted Neidhart with the megaphone and then dragged Knobbs on top for the upset win. I definitely remember being shocked at this outcome as the Nasties weren't quite portrayed as legit contenders coming in. The Harts have had a great renewed run over the past year, but with that loss there it seems like the time has finally come to put a bow on their excellent run as a unit. The match was well worked with some great heat segments built in and a furious finish to cap it off. The Nasties have the gold and the end of an era is seemingly upon us.

### Match #5: Jake Roberts defeats Rick Martel in a "blindfold" match with the DDT at 8:33

Fun Fact: At the September 18, 1990 WWF Superstars taping in Toledo, Ohio, the Roberts/Martel feud began. The show that would be aired on October 6 had Roberts as the guest on the Brother Love Show. During the segment, Martel came on the show and was about to spray the bag containing Damien with his Arrogance cologne when Roberts stepped in and was sprayed in the eyes instead. This dastardly act by Martel blinded Roberts, taking him out of action for a brief period of time. When he returned, Roberts wore a white contact lens in one eye to indicate the blindness. The pair captained opposing teams in the 1990 Survivor Series, with Martel's Visionaries team making a clean sweep of Roberts' Vipers. Their feud heated up during the early part of 1991 as Martel eliminated Roberts from the '91 Royal Rumble. Their feud would culminate with this blindfold match.

### Scott:

When it comes to a match that needs genuine babyface sympathy, you give a storyline to one of two guys: Randy Savage or Jake Roberts. Since Savage is a heel (for now) we go to the Snake. The visual back in November of Jake's creepy white contact lens on his damaged eye was always one of my favorite Jake visuals. And now the feud is culminated with a match where both men must be blindfolded. I never liked this match for a long time because of the lack of action and the cheesiness of the stipulation. However as time has progressed, as much as I'm still not big on the match, I will say it added some audience participation that made for some fun dynamic with Jake and the crowd. This crowd hasn't let up since we started so they are really getting into helping Jake find the Model. Martel has developed over the past two years as one of the company's best heels and it showed throughout this entire storyline. The match is mostly both men stalking the ring blind with hoods on, with the occasional move here and there. Martel eventually gets the Boston Crab hooked on for a few seconds but Jake kicks out and a moment later hits the DDT. Then the drama of Jake looking for a prone Martel on the mat to pin him adds the final bit of drama until the pin is executed. Jake wins what will be his final PPV match as a babyface.

### Justin:

After plenty of teases over the past six months, we have finally arrived here, with Jake Roberts able to really get his hands on Rick Martel as he looks for revenge for being blinded back in October. At Survivor Series, Jake almost got to take the Model out, but things fell apart and Martel escaped. The same was true at the Rumble as well as on TV a few times. But here, both men would be blindfolded and forced to wrestle in the dark. Roberts vowed his revenge and claimed he had the advantage as snakes had the sixth sense and preferred the darkness. I always enjoyed the March to WrestleMania blindfold match the week before this show, where Martel defeated Koko B. Ware thanks to some cheating. That was to prep him for the encounter on the big stage here. We got crowd interaction right away, as Jake used the fans to help him attempt to locate Martel. Bobby Heenan was pretty funny here, begging to let Martel just close his eyes and work off the honor system. We got a couple of accidental touching to start but neither man could grab hold of the other, so things reset. Martel didn't exactly wrestle a smart match, as at one point he slammed Roberts and then tried to drop an elbow, assuming Roberts was still there, but the Snake had moved on. It would turn into a giant game of Marco Polo, with Jake doing whatever he could to bait Martel in, but he just couldn't grab hold for any length of time. The crowd was really into this, doing their best to will Jake on. Martel would find Damien and jolt backwards, barely dodging Jake's grasp in the process. Both men would eventually end up on the floor, where Martel was able to locate a chair. That backfired, though, as he ended up getting spooked by the post and hurting himself when he bashed steel on steel. Jake used the sound from that to drag Martel in the ring, but Martel reversed momentum and was able to hit a backbreaker and hook the Boston Crab. Jake powered out and ended up bumping right into Martel before hitting a snap DDT. In one last cool bit, Jake had to feel around the mat before finding and covering the Model for the win. I have seen this match dumped on time and time again, and while there really isn't much to it, it was a fun watch just for the psychology and the crowd participation that was used. The gimmick made sense and it was good revenge for the Snake. Roberts would smash the Arrogance atomizer and then dump Damien on Martel after the bell to cap off his victory.

*** Marla Maples is backstage celebrating with the new Tag Team Champions, the Nasty Boys, and the rest of the Hart Family. ***

### Match #6: The Undertaker defeats Jimmy Snuka with the Tombstone at 4:19

Fun Fact I: This is the PPV debut of Undertaker's new manager, Paul Bearer. His real name is William Moody, but he's more well-known by the name Percy Pringle. Pringle is well known in the World Class promotion managing heels like Al Perez and the Dark Patriot. Pringle also managed in Mid-South and a brief time in the AWA.

Fun Fact II: This is Jimmy Snuka's final PPV singles match. He will appear in the 1992 Royal Rumble (included in this record) and make one or two other appearances in the future, but for all intents and purposes this is his final showing. His final record is 0-8. He was 0-3 at the Royal Rumble, 0-2 at WrestleMania, 0-1 at SummerSlam and 0-2 at Survivor Series.

### Scott:

No one thought about it at the time, but on this night in Los Angeles, "The Streak" began. The former phenom of the WWF took on the future Phenom of the WWF. The crowd hushed during the entrance of the heel Undertaker. We also see the PPV debut of manager Paul Bearer, who walks Taker to the ring. Snuka has all-time credibility so he was a natural choice to be the first fed to the Deadman here. The match is pretty much a Superstars-esque squash, and the crowd is in total awe. If there was ever a character for this time that nobody could wrap their head around, this was it. There's nothing more to say here, except Taker's Mania record: 1-0. With more to come.

### Justin:

The parade of matches continues as we get a passing of the torch between eras. Jimmy Snuka has been the resident WWF phenom, and has been a mainstay on PPV over the past two years since his return. As he was set to start being phased out, he is lined up here to be the first WrestleMania victim of the Undertaker. Taker has been on a steady roll since his debut, mowing through his competition, but this was one of his first real challenges. Taker also now has Paul Bearer with him, and he was a much better fit than Brother Love. Many fans still didn't know what to make of Taker, sitting in hushed silence as he glided to the ring. Taker immediately took control, methodically working over the Superfly in between busting out some big moves, including a leaping clothesline. Snuka got an opening by reversing an Irish whip, but he caught a boot on a charge and tumbled to the floor. Gorilla repeatedly calling Bearer a "sick individual" made me laugh each time. Taker hoisted Snuka back into the ring with a perfect suplex but came up empty on an elbow drop. Snuka pissed away his opening by wildly diving at Taker. As the Deadman dodged him, Snuka bounced off the top rope and flopped to the floor. He tried to slingshot his way back inside, but Taker just caught him and eventually Tombstoned him for the dominant win. Good job by Snuka to put over the new monster heel and fine job by Taker to look impressive in doing so.

### Match #7: The Ultimate Warrior defeats Randy Savage in a Retirement Match with three shoulder blocks at 20:46

Fun Fact: One memorable moment leading into the match was the demise of Brother Love. On Superstars leading into the show, Brother Love pissed off the Warrior during an interview. Well, Warrior finally gave Brother Love what many had been wanting to since he debuted in 1988. He beats the shit out of him, drags him to the ring, lays him out with a Press Slam and Splash, then goes back to the Brother Love Show set and decimates it.

### Scott:

We have come to the first big match of this show, and one with so much emotion that the crowd is palpable. We go back to Miami in January when Savage's scepter cracked Warrior in the head and cost the WWF Champion his title to Sergeant Slaughter. Now we go well beyond titles, and talk about careers. Our first "Loser Leaves Town" match if you will occurs here. Savage (like Jake a couple of matches before) brought total emotional investment to a storyline, whether you loved him or hated him. You get a feeling where this entire story is going when Bobby catches Elizabeth sitting in the crowd, almost incognito. I'm not sure if Bobby was supposed to see her or not but it did bring something to the table and may have tipped the result here. I love that Warrior walked slowly to the ring instead of his usual running on full blast and spazzing out on the ropes. He would shake the ropes once he got on the apron but otherwise he was very deliberate. The match is fantastic, as the crowd is completely invested and both men go all out. Savage gets his shots in and takes over after an initial Warrior flurry and Macho King would wear Warrior down with a sleeper. Then we get some referee knockdowns and interference from Queen Sherri which gets Warrior distracted and saves Savage from a pin. The climax of this match may be the greatest storytelling ever. Savage has Warrior down, and then proceeds to drop five straight top rope elbows. Was the match over? Warrior is down...and it's 1...2...and Warrior kicked out. I was stunned, absolutely stunned. This crowd is off the chain right now, and already this match is going down in WrestleMania lore. Then Warrior takes over the match and hits his clotheslines, press slam and splash. Then Warrior goes for the pin, and he gets a 1...2...and Savage kicks out. Wow this is incredible. Warrior then hesitates and looks up to the stars, he then walks out of the ring. The place is becoming unglued. Warrior then gets the "sign" from above and then Warrior hits clotheslines, and a bevy of shoulderblocks that toss Macho King all over the ring. Then he puts his foot on Savage's chest, and gets the three count. Randy Savage's career is over and that was some of the best combination of workrate, psychology and crowd energy ever seen in wrestling. You put that all together and this is a five star package, no doubt. However, the story doesn't end with the pinfall. Warrior quietly walks out of the ring, but then Sherri chucks the referee out of the ring and starts berating the fallen Savage and kicking him in the chops. Elizabeth then runs from her seat and chucks Sherri out of the ring. Savage and Elizabeth are staring at each other. Elizabeth is crying, and then she and Savage hug. Fans are crying...Jesus Christ CRYING at their seats. There may not be a better overall package of a storyline/match in wrestling history. You actually forget Warrior won the match. Unbelievable, and this moment makes Savage a WWF legend.

### Justin:

As we reach the midpoint of the show, we reach arguably the biggest bout on the card. It was really hard to fathom that one of these men would be retired after this match as both have meant so much to the promotion over the past handful of years. The feud had been great all throughout the build, especially with the epic Savage assault at the Royal Rumble. Warrior had been screwed out of his title and wanted revenge by retiring the King. Before the bout, Heenan uses his fantastic vision to notice Miss Elizabeth a few rows back at ringside. He was great in ripping her, assuming she was there to see Macho lose. Savage and Sherri had their usual regal entrance, and it left you to wonder if it would be the final time we saw it. After a lot of starts and stops with the crown, Savage really took it to a new level, and made it seem cool instead of kind of goofy. Even Harley Race looked a little silly with the whole regalia, but with Savage it was bad ass. Warrior took the opposite of his usual entrance approach as instead of sprinting to the ring, he slowly walked out, conserving his energy for what lie ahead. Savage came out with a game plan, but even Sherri getting involved didn't help as Warrior started chucking him around the ring with abandon. Sherri would get bumped again and Savage took advantage, but the King got caught coming off the top rope. Instead of slamming Macho, Warrior just placed him down and slapped him across the face. Great booking already and we are just getting started. You can feel the tension and stakes in the air here and Gorilla and Bobby are assisting as well, really putting everything over as such a big deal. Warrior's dominance came to a screeching halt when he missed on a shoulderblock and popped up over the top turnbuckle and out to the floor. Sherri got a couple of licks in before Savage cracked him with a double axe handle off the top rope. Savage and Sherri would both work Warrior over on the floor and on the edge of the apron until Savage chucked him inside and started to focus on getting this win. Warrior made a brief comeback but again whiffed on a shoulderblock, which led to a near fall and a chinlock from Macho. Warrior again made a comeback and was set up for a win before Sherri again got involved, distracting the referee long enough for Savage to recover.

With the referee down, Sherri tried to use her shoe, but Warrior ducked and she clobbered Macho. Warrior couldn't take advantage as Savage again ducked a charge and yanked Warrior into the top buckle to rattle him. I love how whenever Savage was able to take control, it was always due to using Warrior's momentum against him. This time, Savage tried to make it count as he would drop five big elbows on the prone Warrior. Five! And Warrior would kick out, officially burying Macho's once lethal finisher. As much as it made Savage's finisher look weakened, I love that Savage went so crazy in trying to pile it on for the win here. Warrior came right back from that, running through Savage with clothesline after clothesline, followed by a press slam and big splash...of which Savage kicked out! This whole match has been insane. As Savage writhed on the mat, Warrior started staring at his hands and looking to the skies, asking his gods what he should do. Warrior would continue his trance and start to walk away and it began to look like his destiny was to end his own career and head off into the sunset. Before he could make that decision, Savage clobbered him from behind and knocked him to the floor. Savage tried to hit that same axe handle from the top, but Warrior dodged him and Savage crashed into the barricade. Warrior got a new message from his overlords, tossed Savage into the ring and mangled him with clotheslines, each one sending Macho crashing back to the floor. Finally, after one last flying shoulderblock and pitch back into the ring, Warrior placed one foot on Savage's chest and ended his career in the three seconds that followed. What a match. Warrior would put his robe back on, celebrate and then walk off victorious, having successfully gained revenge on his nemesis.

As Savage recovered in the ring, Sherri hopped in and started smacking him around, pissed that her posh gig was flushed down the toilet. After a minute of that abuse, Miss Elizabeth decided she finally had enough. She hopped the railing and charged to the ring, where she grabbed Sherri and pitched her to the floor. She would help Savage to his feet, but Savage almost decked her out of confusion. Once he pieced it together, we got the reunion that many had waited years for. As the first couple of the WWF embraced, the water works started to flow around the wrestling world. This was such a tremendous storyline and angle and brings their whole WWF career full circle, capping off what had started in 1985, when Savage was the maniacal, manipulative asshole, right through the Megapowers aligning and exploding and Savage's whole relationship with Sherri. As men and women in the crowd wept, the regal couple paraded around the ring for one last bask in the fans' adulation. In a beautiful capper to this whole saga, Savage would hold the ropes open for Liz to exit first instead of the other way around. Any match that elicits THAT level of emotion from fans has done its job and then some. What a match. What a story. What a perfect WrestleMania moment. One of the best segments and matches in company history from top to bottom.

### Match #8: Genichiro Tenryu & Koji Kitao defeat Demolition when Tenryu pins Smash with a powerbomb at 4:41

Fun Fact I: The bastard version of Demolition is now once again managed by Mr. Fuji, who last turned on the Demolition name in 1988. Gone are the big pops, awesome theme music and respect from the fans, as we now have generic evil heel music, cheap mask tricks and nothing more than a glorified job team masquerading as one of the greatest tag teams of all time. This would also sadly be the final PPV appearance for the team. Their final record is 6-5, including 3-1 at WrestleMania including 2 wins for the tag team titles, 1-3 at Survivor Series and 2-1 at SummerSlam. They never wrestled a tag match at a Royal Rumble but individuals were in the Rumble matches each time, winning none.

Fun Fact II: Koji Kitao became known in Japan initially as a sumo wrestler, a sport he started in at the age of 15. He won multiple championships during his sumo career. After disputes with the Sumo Federation, he was expelled and turned to professional wrestling. He was trained at the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo and debuted in February 1990. His stay in NJPW was short before moving on to Super World of Sports, where he began teaming with Genichiro Tenryu. Tenryu had also started his career in sumo wrestling before transitioning to pro wrestling at the age of 26. He was scouted by Giant Baba and was sent to train with Dory Funk, Jr. and Terry Funk in Texas. His biggest success was in a series of matches with Jumbo Tsuruta over the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, the highest wrestling title in All Japan Pro Wrestling, culminating in Tenryu winning the title in 1989 in a match considered by Japanese publications to be Match of the Year.

### Scott:

After the tension and drama of the previous match we hit some filler stuff. Demolition is cooked and here they job to a pair of Japanese imports. Gorilla and Bobby are hilarious as the Brain keeps butchering the Japanese names. "Fred Kitao?" makes me laugh every time. Bobby follows that up with "I smell Kikkoman", referring to the soy sauce brand. Demolition hits some heel offense but it's all for naught as the visitors from the Far East take the match. Tenryu ran the Super World of Sports promotion and he had a deal worked out with Vince to cross-promote. The WWF heads to Japan a few times throughout 1991. That was the real reason for this match. Oh and the final burial of Demolition. Three years earlier they were the #1 tag team in the company. No longer.

### Justin:

Where has my Demolition gone? Ax is persona non grata, Smash & Crush are with Fuji, the awesome theme music is gone. This is not my Demolition. And even more confusing is that we don't see them battle Legion of Doom here, in what would have been a great passing the torch moment. Instead, they battle a couple of stars from Japan's SWS promotion. The two companies had a working relationship going on and would co-promote a show in Japan later in the spring. So, this was basically just a chance to introduce them to the American fans and give the show a bit of a unique feel. Heenan wasted no time getting racist, butchering Kitao's name by calling him "Hand Towel" and claiming he was a "big fortune cookie". Smash and Crush attacked off the bell but Kitao fired right back and laid in some forearms on Crush. Fuji would get involved, smacking the big man with his cane, giving his boys control. Crush has improved a bit and really has the Demolition style down pat after struggling initially. The former champs double teamed a bit as they continued to work Kitao over. From there we get the epic back and forth between Gorilla and Bobby that ends with the Brain thinking Kitao's name was "Fred Kitowel". He also claimed to be smelling Kikkoman. Tenryu would get the tag and clear out both Smash and Crush but Smash caught him with a forearm to stop him in his tracks. Crush followed that with a backbreaker but before they could go for the Decapitation Device, Kitao broke things up and shoved Crush to the floor. The Japanese contingent worked together, allowing Kitao to kick Smash in the back of the head and then finish him off with a powerbomb for the win. Demolition got way more offense than you would have expected in that one. The match was nothing more than a curiosity and a sad farewell for Demolition. We will always have the SkyDome, my friends.

### Match #9: Big Boss Man defeats Mr. Perfect by disqualification at 10:26; Mr. Perfect retains WWF Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact: This is the final WrestleMania appearance for Andre the Giant. He had been initially announced as a Royal Rumble entrant back in January but injuries kept him from competing.

### Scott:

This feud goes all the way back to November when a former Heenan Family member (Rick Rude) ripped Boss Man's mother. Rude leaves the company so the rest of the Family incurs Boss Man's wrath. He's taken out Haku, he's taken out Barbarian, and now he faces the Crown Jewel of the promotion. With the tag straps already switched, and the likely switch in the main event, I didn't think Perfect was going to drop the strap here. He's been champion since November and has taken on all comers. Boss Man is like Jake Roberts in that he really doesn't need a title to get over and his character doesn't really match up with gold. Perfect dominated the action early, but Boss Man makes the heroic comeback until Bobby distracts him and Perfect throws him into the stairs. I'm not sure if Perfect's back injury that plagued him throughout the summer has happened yet but he's not moving as gingerly as he would. The crowd then goes crazy when one year after turning face in Toronto, Andre the Giant comes down to freak Bobby out to a big pop. Andre is moving very gingerly as his wrestling days are clearly over. Andre grabs the IC belt and cracks Perfect in the head with it and both men are down in the ring. The match ends when the rest of the Heenan Family comes down to attack Boss Man, leading to the disqualification. Chaos ensues but Perfect keeps his title even though he lost the match. That was a fun match and even though Perfect kept his title, Boss Man wins the war with the Heenan Family, which as it turns out is the last time we will say that. More in our next review.

### Justin:

After a long simmering feud, Big Boss Man finally gets his chance to stick the dagger through the heart of the Heenan Family. He has battled through Haku and Barbarian and was indirectly credited for driving Rick Rude from the promotion and now he can knock off the Family Kingpin and take his gold as well. In their prematch promo, Heenan and Perfect reference Rodney King, which was topical and actually made sense with the feud. Boss Man was really looking good here, having slimmed way down, especially compared to what he looked like just two years earlier in Trump Plaza. With the Brain at ringside, Lord Alfred Hayes steps into the WrestleMania booth for the first time since 1986. Perfect plays some mind games early, slapping Boss Man across the face and then bailing to the floor, but Boss Man didn't fall for anything and went right at Perfect, even whipping him around by his hair. Boss Man was moving at a manic pace, just mowing through the champ with abandon. The crowd was really amped, cheering on the challenger and chanting "Weasel" at Bobby as Perfect regrouped outside. This match and moment really feels like Perfect's peak in the company, entering into the ring with gold on his waist and portrayed as the king of the premier stable in the company. Perfect finally stops Boss Man's attack and begins targeting the back, even locking in a nice abdominal stretch. Boss Man wouldn't say die, landing a strike in wherever he could, but he didn't have enough gas to capitalize just yet. Perfect would land a beautiful neck snap but Boss Man blocked the Perfectplex with a small package for two. Perfect pounced up and hit a reverse neck snap (!) bending Boss Man at a nasty angle. The champ made a crucial error, though, as he took too long on the top rope and Boss Man was able to catch him coming off. It didn't matter much as Perfect chucked Boss Man to the floor and ran him into the steps. As Heenan stomped away on Boss Man, Andre the Giant emerged to a huge pop, coming out to even the odds as had been teased a week earlier on the March to WrestleMania special.

Andre would grab the IC title and stalk around the ring, distracting Perfect, who completely stopped paying attention to the Boss Man and couldn't stop bitching about the Giant. As Heenan was arguing with the referee, Perfect went to confront Andre, but got a face full of gold as a result. Boss Man would get a near fall, but before things could escalate further, Barbarian and Haku got involved, drawing the DQ. After the match, Andre and Boss Man wiped out the Family and stood tall. However, while Boss Man has won his battle, Perfect won the war as he still owns the gold. I really enjoyed the match but things fell apart when Andre showed up, with everything getting choppy as they tried to hit their spots. With this feud in the bag, we can look back and see that this was the feud to really establish Boss Man as a strong player in the upper mid card.

*** Gene Okerlund interviews Donald Trump, Chuck Norris, Henry Winkler and Lou Ferrigno in the crowd. Bobby Heenan wins the night by wondering how Ferrigno can talk with "fifteen pounds of crackers in his mouth. ***

### Match #10: Earthquake defeats Greg Valentine with the Earthquake at 3:16

### Scott:

Another filler match to reward an old school Vince stalwart with a nice paycheck. The Hammer has been here since 1984, and immediately was a top heel. He's endured many feuds and battles and now as a babyface takes on his former manager's big charge. Earthquake's lost a little steam since being eliminated by Hulk Hogan at the Rumble. Bobby's back in the seat after Lord Alfred covered during the last match and he's gloating over his man keeping the IC Title. This is the first show where Gorilla and Bobby really show their chemistry and how they are very different at the big shows than Gorilla was with Jesse Ventura. Imagine Jesse in the Savage/Warrior match? Totally different dynamic. In any event, Valentine tries but Quake wins to try and regain some heat.

### Justin:

The Hart Family has split at the seams a bit here, with Greg Valentine having ditched the Mouth of the South in January to kick off his first face run in his WWF career. In his first major singles PPV match on that side of the ledger he has a major test ahead of him, having to attempt to topple the still dominant Earthquake. Even though he ostensibly lost the feud with Hulk Hogan, Quake was still set up as a top flight star. Quake dominated right away, hitting a splash for a near fall. Hammer chopped his way back into things, and would rattle Quake quite a bit with clotheslines and elbows before finally getting him off his feet with an elbow hammer off the second rope. He immediately went for the figure four, but Hart hopped on the apron for the distraction. Hammer should know better after all these years. Quake caught him from behind and quickly polished him off from there. Nothing doing here, just a match to reestablish Quake with a strong win.

### Match #11: Legion of Doom defeats Power & Glory when Hawk pins Paul Roma with the Doomsday Device at :58

Fun Fact I: There actually was a story here, as Power and Glory cost the LOD a title shot by eliminating them from the Number One Contender Tag Team Battle Royal after they had already been tossed out.

Fun Fact II: Paul Roma has since revealed that he had suffered an arm injury the night before this match. You can see that his arm is heavily taped here. Also, he mentioned that Hercules was competing with a torn groin. If you watch the match, you can see Hercules grabbing the side of leg throughout the bout. It is possible that these injuries dictated the match length here.

### Scott:

Similar to the Hart Foundation crushing the Bolsheviks at WrestleMania VI, the LOD are here to stake their claim as the #1 contender to the Nasty Boys' tag straps. The difference is poor Power & Glory had to eat the squash here. The Bolsheviks were a dying loser unit, but P&G still had plenty of juice as a great tag team. This match isn't as definitive as the Harts' squash last year but the match is still finished in under a minute. The LOD has one thing in mind: Being the first team to win the tag titles in all three major North American promotions. They've already been NWA and AWA tag champs. One hurdle left to jump.

### Justin:

We couldn't have scrapped the poor injured Power & Glory and the SWS crew and just had LOD vs. Demolition? Or just let the SWS boys squash P&G if you need them out there. I don't get it. I love P&G so much, but this does nothing for them at all, so what's the point. However, I will say it does accomplish one thing well, and it harkens back to a year ago in SkyDome. It was then that the Hart Foundation laid a challenge out to Demolition before waxing the Bolsheviks in under a minute. Tonight, the LOD levied a challenge to the Nasty Boys and then made quick work of P&G. After a very brief brawl, Animal snapped Roma over with a powerslam before finishing him off with the Doomsday Device for the quick squash. LOD moves on, with gold in their crosshairs. I go cry myself to sleep.

### Match #12: Virgil defeats Ted DiBiase by countout at 7:35

Fun Fact: After Virgil broke free at the Royal Rumble, Roddy Piper began training him and preparing him for his big WrestleMania match. On the 2/17 Prime Time Wrestling, we saw the classic interview with Piper and Virgil, where Piper was screaming at him and then asked him how to spell "MAN." Virgil responded "V-I-R-G-I-L!" On the 2/23 Superstars, Virgil won a big singles match against Haku with help from Piper. Then Piper interviewed DiBiase on the Superstars and Stripes Forever special one week before the PPV. Piper made fun of DiBiase's tear away suit, and when DiBiase began threatening him, Virgil came out and got in DiBiase's face, driving him to the back. Finally, on Superstars the day before WrestleMania, Virgil came down during DiBiase's match with jobber Kevin Greeno, distracted DiBiase and got him counted out in an embarrassing loss.

### Scott:

The second of three emotion-based matches on our card pits a former employee against his evil employer. After almost two years of being Ted DiBiase's bitch, Roddy Piper was finally getting in Virgil's ear that he should be his own man. So at the Royal Rumble after putting up with enough crap he walked away and started spelling man VIR...GIL! So we get the match here. We never really knew what kind of ability in the ring Virgil had. While Virgil hits single moves to frustrate DiBiase, Bobby is talking about a big post-WrestleMania party in Las Vegas that following Tuesday on Prime Time Wrestling. If I remember correctly, this show was on Palm Sunday. The match was not long and DiBiase took Virgil to school for the end of the match. DiBiase gets distracted by Piper, who's outside on crutches (in kayfabe it was a motorcycle accident, in real life he had hip surgery) and Virgil wins by countout. Piper and Virgil are beaten down by DiBiase and his new manager, Sensational Sherri, who finds herself a new meal ticket. This feud continues with a big blow off in August at the Garden. The match wasn't much but the feud continues.

### Justin:

Well, things have certainly escalated since the Royal Rumble. All of a sudden, Virgil feels like a legit threat. He is standing up for himself, speaking out, training with Roddy Piper and outsmarting his former boss. It was a turn that needed to happen and they certainly were doing a nice job of making it count to this point. Piper was in Virgil's corner here, but was a bit hobbled as he had recently undergone hip surgery. They covered for it on air by saying he was in a motorcycle accident, but in reality his hips were just shot. Virgil gets a nice ovation and the crowd was whipped into a frenzy for him and Piper as we got underway. Virgil opened up with some strong right hands, driving his former boss to the floor to shake it off. With Piper seated in a chair at ringside, Virgil just mauled DiBiase, sending him over the top to the floor for a third time. He made a rookie mistake though, as he tossed Ted back in and then slowly came in behind him, allowing DiBiase to clobber him. After another Virgil flurry, DiBiase took back over, smashing Virgil's face into the mat and then working him over in the corner. DiBiase would taunt the gimpy Piper as he worked over Virgil, including a perfect piledriver, really adding fuel to the fire for the fans. DiBiase's offense was strong here and his dismissive attitude as he laid it in really added to everything. Things spilled to the floor for a moment, just long enough for DiBiase to shove Piper to the floor. Back inside, he turned over a great powerslam but Piper got revenge as he hooked the top rope when DiBiase charged them, causing Ted to tumble outside. DiBiase would slug Piper again, but as he was laying in a kick, the bell rang, signifying a Virgil countout win. After the bell, DiBiase hooked in the Dream, wearing Virgil down. Piper would drag himself into the ring and crack DiBiase with the crutch, but before he could do any more damage, Sensational Sherri charged to the ring and stopped him. With Piper on one leg, DiBiase and Sherri worked him over, punishing his leg. Virgil would finally recover and run them off, but the damage was done. Piper would refuse any help and would end up jamming his crutch into the sack of poor Danny Davis as a result. That seemed unnecessary. Virgil would repay the motivational favor for his mentor, demanding him to stand up like a man. The Hot Rod would and the two embraced and walked off as equals. That match was pretty damn good but the abrupt ending really killed it right when it was getting good. I also think they should have separated this from the IC title match a bit more due to the similar finishes. It was clear that things weren't quite done between them just yet.

### Match #13: The Mountie defeats Tito Santana after shocking him with the Cattle Prod at 1:20

Fun Fact: This is Tito Santana's seventh consecutive WrestleMania match, tying him with Hulk Hogan for most appearances to date.

### Scott:

We have another holdover match to get us ready for the main event. Tito is the quintessential Vince employee. He's always there when needed, win or lose. For the second WrestleMania in a row he's in charge of putting over a new heel. The Mountie took out fellow Vince guy Koko B. Ware at the Royal Rumble and now will get the win over the former IC and Tag Champion. Mountie cheats with the cattle prod and in less than 90 seconds Mountie gets the win. He will move up the ladder quickly from here.

### Justin:

The Mountie continues to slowly climb his way up the ladder, still a bit aimless as far as feuds go, but still picking up wins in the lower mid card. After knocking off Koko B. Ware at the Rumble, he steps up and gets the Mania veteran Tito Santana here. It's good to see Bobby picking up where Jesse Ventura left off as far as making Mexican jokes about poor Chico. He would strike first and fast, hammering Mountie with the flying forearm, but Mountie was able to roll outside to avoid defeat. Tito worked him over a bit more but thanks to some deception, Mountie was able to jab his cattle prod into the gut of Tito, shocking him long enough to steal the win. They were clearly crunched for time here, so this had to be an express line job. See you next year, Tito.

### Match #14: Hulk Hogan defeats Sergeant Slaughter to win WWF World Title with a leg drop at 20:22

Fun Fact I: This is Sgt. Slaughter's WrestleMania debut. He is the first wrestler to make his WrestleMania debut as World Champion since Hulk Hogan.

Fun Fact II: The heat for this match was hitting an all-time high, as Americana was in there air, and the American Hero Hulk Hogan was set to rescue the World Title from the evil Iraqi sympathizer. Slaughter did his best to weaken Hogan on the road to WrestleMania, as he would beat him down at any chance he had, with the biggest beat down occurring on the Superstars and Stripes Forever show. Hogan was facing General Adnan, when Slaughter interfered and beat Hogan down and locked him the Camel Clutch. Hulkamania was running hot and wild, and the crowds were rabid to see Hogan regain the gold that eluded him all year long.

### Scott:

Our main event is dripping with the colors Red, White and Blue. Although by this time Desert Storm was winding down and we kicked Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait, it didn't matter. Patriotism was at an all-time high and it shows here in Los Angeles. The heel heat for Slaughter may not quite match Andre's four years earlier, but the face pop for Hogan blows the roof off the place. Plenty of bobbing and weaving by Slaughter early on but Hogan really takes control for the beginning of this match and just drops bombs over and over. The chemistry between Bobby, Gorilla and Regis Philbin is great, with Bobby saying that Kathie Lee is married to Red Grange. Slaughter takes control due to Adnan's interference and Slaughter whacks Hogan with a plastic (although everybody says steel, it clearly isn't) chair. Bobby makes the good point that he's trying to get intentionally disqualified. Then we get some psychology as Slaughter starts working over Hogan's back from the beating he gave the Hulkster the week before. Slaughter slaps on a Boston Crab and this crowd hasn't gone quiet all show long. Hogan fights out but gets busted open and Slaughter cranks the Camel Clutch and blood is pouring out of Hogan's head. Normally we don't see that in the Federation Era, but getting busted open added so much to the match. Slaughter then drapes the Iraqi flag over the prone Hogan, but when he goes for the two count, guess what? You got it, big kick out. Then the hulking up, tearing of the flag, punches, big boot, leg drop and our first three time WWF Champion. The place went completely bonkers. Hogan, busted open and tired, wearing the World Title and waving Old Glory is a lasting visual. It is also probably the last truly great moment in Hulk Hogan's career during the Federation Era. I really liked this match as the psychology was solid, the battle was tough and the crowd was completely entrenched into it. I may be overgrading this match but I don't care. It capped off a fun show with a lot of energy and the unlikeliest of California crowds.

### Justin:

After months of Sgt. Slaughter terrorizing the company and our country with his wicked evil ways, it was time to pay the piper. Since winning the World Title at the Rumble, Slaughter really amped up the hate, playing by his rules and mangling Hogan whenever he could, especially a week earlier when Sarge viciously beat him down. Despite all the Warrior/Hogan II rumors, this really was the way to go. They did a fine job building Slaughter up as a major threat to us all, and definitely built up to the point where we all wanted Hogan to wreck him and take back the title. Before the match, the celebrity cohosts come out, with Marla Maples set to ring the bell, Alex Trebek to handle ring introductions and Regis Philbin to join in the commentary booth. Man, did Regis look young here. And he was pretty damn old already. Regardless of how you feel about the jingoism and leaching onto real world events, seeing Slaughter and Adnan march to the ring with the World Title and Iraqi flag in tow felt like a damn big deal. Sarge deserves full credit for dragging himself up to becoming a credible Champion after a shaky first few months back in the company. Hogan gets a mega pop, natch, and we were ready to rock and roll. The "USA" chants were deafening as the two locked up and Hogan sent Sarge flying to the mat. The match would spill outside, where Sarge tried to use a chair after a distraction from Adnan, but it was to no effect as Hogan shook it off and kept rolling. Sarge would land a shot here and there but he just could not get on track at all, as Hogan was just a man possessed out there. I liked Regis here, as he laid out for the most part but added an air of importance, like this was such a big match that this top celebrity needed to be involved in the call of it. Sarge was really bumping around like a madman for Hogan's offense, making the challenger look fat out dominant. It was great comeuppance after months of torture. In a desperate move, Adnan hooked Hogan's leg as he went up top, allowing Sarge to slam him to the mat and methodically take over the match with a clothesline to the floor. That was a hell of a start to this match, though, with Hogan straight up destroying the champ.

Outside, Sarge would finally get his chair shots in, right in front of the referee, who decided to push the envelope a bit, it seems. In the ring, Sarge worked the back to soften up Hogan for the Camel Clutch, hitting a backbreaker for a near fall. The fans chanting "Hogan" as their hero tried to fight through the pain, but Sarge kept laying in the boots before turning Hogan over into a Boston crab. In an odd decision, though, Sarge hooked the hold right next to the ropes. They were so close that it was comical that Hogan didn't reach for the ropes and instead tried to power out. Even Regis was asking why he didn't go for the rope and the cameramen were clearly trying to play the optical illusion game by making it look like they weren't that close. Hogan would finally grab the rope, but Sarge kept working the back with a big stomp to the kidney off the top rope. For some stupid reason, Adnan was distracting the referee while Sarge had Hogan covered for like seven seconds. Sarge would slither back outside and pelt Hogan in the head with another chair, but, while it did bust the challenger open, that still wasn't enough to finish him off. A moment later, Sarge hooked in the Camel Clutch and as the bloody Hogan suffered, it looked like the evil champion may retain. In a nice touch, Sarge broke the hold and stomped on Hogan's back a few times before going right back to the hold. The crowd started to buzz as Hogan's leg shook, driving him to his feet with Sarge on his back to break the hold. Sarge would shove Hogan into the corner and then make the mistake of draping the Iraqi flag over his prone body. That fueled Hogan's comeback and seconds later Sarge ate the big boot and legdrop, giving Hogan his third World Title. The crowd erupted as Hogan was handed back the gold he lost a year earlier. The reign of terror was over. This was a really well worked match with a red hot opening segment that transitioned into a solid heat segment capped but a good strong finish. It was probably way better than it had any right to be, but these were two old pros that knew exactly what needed to be done. Kudos to Slaughter for a surprisingly solid title run, but the Hulkster is back on top of the mountain. And it was such a decisive victory, that Gorilla felt the need to proclaim the war to officially be over.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a very entertaining WrestleMania top to bottom, with some real good matches, a classic mid-show story being told and a pretty solid main event. Would Warrior/Hogan II had made the show any better? I would say no, as they wouldn't have been able to match what they did last year in Toronto. No doubt the lasting image of this show will be the tearful reuniting of Randy Savage and Elizabeth and his almost immediate face turn. He will still act very heelish when he joins commentary over the next few months, but the "Macho King" days are over. The rest of the undercard was pretty good with a couple of flat squashes to fill the show and give some veterans a payday. Hulk Hogan is back on the top of the mountain, but the WWE landscape will change dramatically over the next 6-8 months. That change will be for the better, much better.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

Another long WrestleMania card is officially in the books and the Era of Hulkamania is ushered back in as the World Title is back around the Hulkster's waist. This was a pretty fun card top to bottom and despite the length of the show and the depth of the card, it mostly moved pretty quickly. Plus, the crowd was molten hot for everything, which added to the cool theme and look of the event providing a level of intangibles into the mix. Included in the fourteen matches were some really memorable moments, two titles changes and a five star, all time classic in the Retirement Match. There were a few questionable finishes, but mostly because they were booked into corners in them. As far as large supercards go though, it is hard to argue that this didn't deliver just about across the board. Even if the main event was pretty predictable, it was still really fun and it was the right way to go. If you are looking for a dash of Americana, a hot crowd, some really fun commentary, memorable sound bytes and moments and some fun early 90s wrestling, this is the show for you!

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #49

#  SummerSlam 1991: Match Made in Hell For Sure

August 26, 1991

Madison Square Garden

New York, New York

Attendance: 20,000

Buy Rate: 2.7

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, and Roddy Piper

### Match #1: The Dragon, Texas Tornado and British Bulldog defeat Power & Glory and The Warlord when Dragon pinned Paul Roma with the high cross body at 10:42

Fun Fact I: The Dragon is of course Ricky Steamboat, who's making his return to the WWF after spending the past two and a half years in the NWA/WCW and on the independent circuit. In that time he won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, defeating Ric Flair on February 20, 1989 in Chicago. This match and the two subsequent rematches are considered one of the greatest trilogies of matches in one feud in the modern era. Unfortunately because he left on bad terms in 1988, he's basically returned as a newcomer, as the announcers are acting like he was a rookie at times. Shortly after Ricky won the I-C Title at WrestleMania III, his wife became pregnant, so the Dragon asked for 4-6 weeks off to help her with their first child. Since he was the IC Champ, Vince did not want him off TV and house shows for that long. After a lengthy argument, Vince gave him the time off, but made him drop the title to The Honky Tonk Man. Vince never really seemed to forgive Steamboat for forcing his hand like that after he put faith in him, so he apparently took out his revenge three years later. In early 1991, Steamboat returned to the WWF. Vince reportedly instructed all of his announcers to act like he had never wrestled before and to not mention his real name, as they could only call him "the Dragon" and had to act like he was a "young up and coming rookie." He was also forced to dress like an actual Dragon, and even had to blow fire during his entrance.

Fun Fact II: This show marks the final PPV appearances of Paul Roma. Paul Roma's final record is 4-6. He was 0-2 at the Royal Rumble, 0-2 at WrestleMania, 1-1 at SummerSlam and 3-1 at Survivor Series.

Fun Fact III: This also marks the final appearance of the Slickster. Slick would stick around for a while, primarily as the manager of The Warlord until the 11/4 Prime Time Wrestling when he would get powerslammed by the Bulldog. Harvey Wippleman would replace Slick as manager of The Warlord after the incident. Slick would return a month later on the 12/16 Prime Time Wrestling as Reverend Slick, essentially turning face and renouncing his past. The Reverend character is a playoff of real life, as Slick is an ordained minister. He would be a mainstay on Prime Time throughout 1992, performing the preshow sermon at the 1992 Survivor Series. Slick would stick around through the early part of 1993, serving as the manager of Kamala as he attempted to reform him and show that he is not a beast and that he has a heart inside him. Slick made his return at WrestleMania 23 as he danced with various wrestlers. Slick would also appear at a later episode of Old School RAW, standing with Nikolai Volkoff and Iron Sheik in the ring.

### Scott:

We open the show with a pretty swank six-man tag opener. I love this heel team of Slick's guys, all big time powerhouses. The babyface team is a unique bunch, which includes the return of the former Intercontinental Champion Ricky Steamboat. Steamboat left on relatively bad terms in 1988 and then won the NWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1989. That was part of the epic feud with Ric Flair that included three of the greatest matches in wrestling history. The chemistry between Heenan, Gorilla and Piper is slightly off early as Piper just throws jabs at Bobby (a lot of them unprovoked) and it takes away from what is going on in the ring. The action is hot and heavy as both teams go all out here, and of course the awesome MSG crowd will keep the energy level up. The action is so back and forth that the announcers lose track at one point of who are the legal men in the ring. The faces win at the end and the crowd is red hot to get started.

### Justin:

For the first time since SummerSlam 1988, we are back inside Madison Square Garden for a PPV event. It has been a pretty interesting summer, with a lot of change within the roster, but a lot of the same up at the top since when we last left off in Los Angeles. Since he is now officially no longer a manager and has transitioned fully into the booth, Bobby Heenan is here as a color commentator, joining Gorilla Monsoon and Roddy Piper. Monsoon is announcing his first SummerSlam since that inaugural edition back in 1988. The crowd was hot as fire right out of the gate, and that was fitting considering one of the participants of the match. Ricky Steamboat was back after a trip down south, but he pretty much just called the Dragon now and is decked out as such, breathing fire on his way to the ring. Here, he teams up with a couple of very over midcard stars headed in opposite directions in Texas Tornado and British Bulldog. Tornado is just about done as anything useful but Bulldog's stock is clearly on the rise. Across the ring is Slick's fantastic trio of Warlord and Power & Glory. This unit is a strong one, if you harken back to Survivor Series, they were part of the Visionaries team that survived in tact. Heenan notes right away that Slick's tandem holds the advantage due to that experience. Dragon and Roma opened things up as the announcers hyped the rest of our card. I love the black and white color scheme for Slick's men. I am still undecided on Hercules' mustache though. Dragon mainly controlled things, working his usual array of armdrags and strikes. Both would tag out, allowing Hercules and Tornado to trade some power offense. Tornado was looking somewhat lucid here, so he must have been having a good day, which is nice to see. Herc would go to the eyes and quickly tag Warlord in, but Tornado was able to also tag, giving us a rematch of the WrestleMania VII slugfest. Bulldog struck first, planting Warlord with some clotheslines before taking him over with a great vertical suplex. Dragon was back in next and he kept the offense coming, but that ended with a botched monkey flip that left Steamboat in a deep hole. Slick's boys worked him over good, including a great clothesline from Warlord just when Dragon had an opening. They also used some good heel tactics to keep Dragon trapped, working like a true heel machine. The other positive about the heel team is their ability to make simple moves look devastating thanks to their power and snap. It also didn't hurt to have Dragon selling them. With Herc in, Dragon found another opening, but the Mighty One caught him in a charge and dropped him with a stun gun. With Warlord in full control, Dragon was able to miraculously stun him with boots to the face, allowing him to tag in Tornado, who cleaned house with a series of right hands. The face side almost grabbed a win when Tornado decked Warlord with a discus punch while he was holding Bulldog up. Moments later, Bulldog dropped Roma with a powerslam and then tagged in Dragon, who hit a cross body for the win. Whew, what an opener. That easily could have went another ten minutes with Steamboat's fantastic selling and the machine like heel offense of Slick's group. Dragon would be gone by our next show, sadly, but it was nice to see him one more time. Bulldog remains on the rise, picking up momentum off his team's win here. As one last final note, both teams always tagged in and out in the same order (Roma -> Hercules -> Warlord; Dragon -> Tornado -> Bulldog).

### Match #2: Bret Hart defeats Mr. Perfect to win WWF Intercontinental Title when Perfect submits to the Sharpshooter at 18:03

Fun Fact I: Mr. Perfect went into this match with a severe back injury, and was planning on taking time off after this match.

Fun Fact II: This would be the first, but certainly not the last, time Bret Hart's family members were in the crowd for a major match.

### Scott:

I remember my brother and I watching Superstars one Saturday morning when this match was announced, and instantly he marked out. Two exceptional in-ring performers battling it out for the richest mid-card prize in the business is exactly what this show needed. Perfect is on a big run since regaining the belt in November, and on the other side we finally see the rip cord pulled on the Bret Hart singles run. And the match delivered precisely as advertised. You can definitely tell that Perfect is in the midst of a back injury as he's walking very gingerly and looking a little stiff. His singlet is ripped right down the middle in the first few minutes as Bret is pulling out all the stops. Both men are telling a great story as Perfect dictates the action and tries to soften up the challenger for the Perfectplex. Perfect is moving very deliberately due to the back injury but when Bret kicked out of the Perfectplex you knew something special was going to happen. Bret and Perfect then go back and forth and the place is going crazy. Bret slapped on the Sharpshooter and Perfect quit out of nowhere. The crowd goes absolutely crazy as Bret Hart's HOF solo career begins right here with his first singles championship. We get his parents in the crowd and the hilarious moment of Lord Alfred Hayes cutting Stu Hart off in mid-sentence. We have a new IC Champion, and Perfect leaves active competition for a while. This goes down as one of the greatest IC Title matches of all time.

### Justin:

We have been talking about it for years now, but we have finally reached the promised land. The often rumored, many times teased solo run of Bret Hart has arrived! Shortly after WrestleMania, the Hart Foundation went separate ways, ready to embark on new journeys. Hart immediately made his presence felt, working his way up the ladder quickly and positioning himself for a shot at Mr. Perfect's prized Intercontinental Title. Perfect and his new manager Coach sauntered down the aisle, cocky as ever, but inside things weren't as composed as they looked as Perfect was nursing a serious back injury. We discussed how despite Boss Man taking the gold seemed logical back at Mania, there was a reason Perfect needed to keep hold of his strap, and this is what we meant. The hype by bell time was very high and many expected a classic from these two. With the Hart Family in the crowd cheering him on, Bret got off to a fast start, keeping Perfect off his feet and grinding him with a side headlock. I know Heenan was done at ringside, but Perfect should have just stayed on his own instead of hooking up with Coach. It was a really weird pairing that didn't seem to ever really click during their brief run together. Perfect seemed completely out of sorts and at a slower pace than the Hitman, as any time he got a glimpse of an opening, he was too slow to hit the hole, letting Bret pop up and slug him right back. As Bret kept wearing him down, Perfect even seemed to fall apart physically, with his singlet strap getting torn in half and his hair becoming a permed, bushy mess. He would finally use the referee as a distraction to land a cheap shot to stop Bret cold. The Hitman would end up on the floor and in a great touch, Perfect stepped on his back to vault himself back in the ring. As Bret climbed to the apron, Perfect met him and shoved him off into a cameraman that was near the barricade. Bret shook it off and got hot again, grabbing a near fall before Perfect just decked him in the face with an awesome right hand. Great spot there. Finally, Perfect started to look like himself, hitting his traditional spots, focusing on the neck and back of the Hitman. I really enjoyed Bret's comeback attempts here, always trying to punch his way back in, hoping to land a shot stiff enough to weaken Perfect and give him a minute to breathe. All well timed too. As the fans chanted "Let's Go Bret", Perfect wrenched in a tight sleeperhold, forcing the challenger to the mat. Bret survived a crucifix gone wrong but was too weak to mount another comeback, especially after he took a violent trip to the buckles.

It was then that the tide turned and we knew we had something special at hand. Perfect hooked the leg and took Bret over with the Perfectplex, but Hart kicked out clean to a huge pop. Bret got heated up, working in his offense, one move at a time, capped by a near fall off a stiff elbow to the face from the second turnbuckle. Both men spilled back to the floor where Perfect ate the post and back inside, Bret started to work Perfect's leg, kicking it viciously all over the ring. Just as he started to hook the Sharpshooter, Coach hopped on the apron, drawing the Hitman over. Perfect took advantage and crotched Bret with the middle rope. He would continue to work the groin, dropping a series of legdrops, but he tried one too many as on the third attempt, Bret blocked it, hooked the leg and twisted Perfect over into the Sharpshooter. Perfect would protect his back by quickly submitting, giving us a new Intercontinental Champion and a monstrous pop from the MSG faithful. What a fantastic match and a huge crowning moment for Hart. It was clearly a passing of the torch for the mid card and a sign of greatness to come. The match started just a little choppy but a few minutes in it really got cranked up right into a smart, well worked finish. Hart would celebrate with his family after the bout, something that will become a staple for years to come. Kudos to Perfect as well, selflessly putting Hart over strong, including letting him blow up his finisher, before taking time off to rest up.

### Match #3: The Natural Disasters defeat the Bushwhackers when Earthquake pinned Luke with the Earthquake at 6:26

Fun Fact I: This would be the last WWF PPV appearance for the great Andre the Giant. He would second the Bushwhackers to the ring. Andre would die of a heart attack on January 27, 1993 in his native France.

Fun Fact II: The Natural Disasters formed on the 6/5 Superstars. Tugboat was teaming up with the Bushwhackers in a six man tag match against Earthquake and the Nasty Boys. Midway through the match, Tugboat turned on his teammates and helped Earthquake pin Luke. Then on the 6/17 Prime Time Wrestling, Jimmy Hart introduced Earthquake's new teammate: Typhoon.

Fun Fact III: Earthquake had a very busy middle of 1991. On the 4/27 Superstars, Earthquake was facing off with Jake Roberts. Halfway through the match, Quake tied Jake in the ropes, dragged the bag with Damien into the middle of the ring and crushed him with a series of Earthquake splashes. Jake was devastated and that moment could be the main one to point to when Jake would have a change of heart later in the summer. Earthquake's destruction, however, did not end there. During the spring and early summer, rumors were swirling of an impending return for Andre the Giant, and Andre had been entertaining offers from various managers to manage him when he made his return to wrestling. On the 6/1 episode of Superstars, Jimmy Hart made his pitch to the Giant, but Andre rejected him. Earthquake then pounced, took Andre down and destroyed his knee with a series of elbow drops. As a result of both of these attacks, the original planned match for this show, according to WWF Magazine, was indeed Jake Roberts & Andre the Giant vs. the Natural Disasters. Whether or not that was the plan and it changed or it was just printed to mislead fans, it was a match that could have been intriguing on many levels. Alas, the match was changed to this one here, and Andre is in the corner of the Bushwhackers for his final moment in the WWF sun.

### Scott:

Our next match pits a freshly minted heel team of Earthquake and the heel-turning Tugboat (now called Typhoon) taking on the face-licking buffoons from New Zealand. This feud is more about Earthquake attacking the aging Andre the Giant on Superstars and the 8th Wonder of the World coming to ringside for revenge. The match really isn't much, and the Bushwhackers were merely just fodder for this new big heel team and Andre or no Andre it was the right call. The big heels then go after the crutched Andre, but the Legion of Doom come out and cut them off. That begins a feud for later in the year.

### Justin:

Well, on paper this match seems like a bit of a throwaway, but a lot was going on. Back at Mania, Earthquake seemed a bit lost in the shuffle, his big main event run was over but he was still hot enough to mean something. So, they decided to put him into a top heel tag team, which made complete sense. Enter the floundering Tugboat, who was serving zero purpose at all by the spring of 1991. He would turn heel, be dubbed Typhoon and the Natural Disasters immediately became a force in the WWF. They square off with the Bushwhackers here, as they were the team that Typhoon turned on to make his, ahem, splash. The Whackers have Andre the Giant in their corner, as he was looking for revenge after Quake messed up his knee over the summer. I always wonder what that rumored Andre & Jake Roberts vs. Natural Disasters match would have been like. Ah, to dream. We haven't seen the Whackers in a straight up PPV tag match since the 1990 Royal Rumble so we will see if they make the most of it. Andre really seemed happy here, something you didn't always see. He had a big smile on his face and was really playing things up. Heenan had a great line here when Piper asked him if he were the Whackers manager, how would he prep them here: "If I managed the Bushwhackers, I would commit suicide." Butch wasted no time with the trickery, biting Typhoon on the ass and peppering him with punches. Things broke down right away and the Whackers were able to completely overwhelm the big men, slinging them into each other and then using Quake as a battering ram on Typhoon. As the Disasters regrouped, the Whackers whacked, but things went sour when they got caught celebrating, allowing Quake to hammer Butch and take over. The Disasters tagged in and out, wearing down Butch with with various submissions, including an old school over-the-shoulder backbreaker and a bear hug. Butch was able to escape log enough to tag in Luke, and he actually gave Typhoon a little run for his money. Things broke down again and the Whackers hit battering rams on both Disasters before slamming them into each other and scoring a near fall on Typhoon. Outside, Quake busted Butch with a backbreaker and then slid back inside to squish Luke. He quickly followed with an Earthquake Splash to put a nail in the coffin. That was decent enough for a semi-squash, with the Whackers being over and feisty enough to give it a go. The Disasters had some great chemistry immediately and worked really well as a unit, with a great presence as well. After the bell, the Disasters teased attacking Andre, but the Legion of Doom made the save and ran them off.

*** During the last match, Bobby Heenan left the announce booth to go on a quick mission. Once he was backstage, he knocked on Hulk Hogan's dressing room. When the door opens (you don't actually see Hogan do it) Heenan held up a gold belt and proclaimed that Ric Flair would defeat Hogan one on one and Flair was the "Real World Heavyweight Champion". The door was slammed in Bobby's face and he was humiliated, but that wasn't the point. This was no random anonymous belt. This was the REAL NWA World Heavyweight Championship belt. It was official. Ric Flair was coming to the World Wrestling Federation. Heenan had shown the belt off on an episode of Prime Time Wrestling a couple of weeks before SummerSlam. We will have more on this situation and Flair himself in our next review. "Hurry up Hogan, I'm a busy man!" ***

### Match #4: Virgil defeats Ted DiBiase to win the Million Dollar Belt when he drills DiBiase's head into an exposed turnbuckle at 10:53

### Scott:

The sequel to the feud that started back at the Royal Rumble, and had a non-finish at WrestleMania will have a definitive ending here. One of the most emotionally driven storylines so far culminates with DiBiase officially putting his Million Dollar Belt on the line. Unlike the first match where it was a little more even and Virgil caught the Million Dollar Man off balance, here DiBiase dominates the action over the less experienced former bodyguard. Piper is particularly pushing Virgil as his friend and mentor harder than he did at WrestleMania. We thought we were getting another cheap ending when Sherri cracked Virgil with her purse when he had DiBiase in the Million Dollar Dream. But referee Earl Hebner knew the jig was up and both escorted her out and continued the match. Virgil then took the match over after the restart. They brawl and we get a referee knockdown as he was caught in the action. DiBiase starts to take control and is burying Virgil with suplexes while Bobby rips off a great line about Virgil not putting a boom box on layaway just yet. Piper is exasperated for Virgil but the referee is still down, DiBiase looks to finish Virgil off by undoing a turnbuckle pad, and after berating a half conscious Virgil tries to ram his head into the corner. Virgil reverses and drills DiBiase with the steel ring. After a long time on the ground, Virgil crawls over to the corner and gets the three count. The place goes bonkers and Virgil is the new Million Dollar Champion. The match itself is pretty standard but all the stuff that went with it bumps the grade up.

### Justin:

When we left Los Angeles, Virgil had defeated his former boss but it was a hollow countout win and him and his buddy Roddy Piper caught a beating after the bell. The feud raged over the summer and Virgil continued to hone his skills and pick up momentum heading to a rematch here. However, this time the stakes were much higher as DiBiase's prized Million Dollar Title was on the line. The very title that Virgil had protected so many times over the years. DiBiase still has Sherri with him here and I thought it was a good fit and they worked well together in a maniacal, evil way. The pop was pretty loud as Virgil jogged to the ring to his new theme music. Piper was clearly set to be biased here, rooting him on right away, even embracing him before the bell. And Virgil wasted no time, charging in the ring and going right at his former boss. You can already tell the improvement in confidence level here for Virgil since Mania. Virgil was relentless in hounding DiBiase, peppering him with right hands and clotheslines, sending Ted to the floor a couple times to regroup. As DiBiase pulled himself out on the floor, Virgil got a bit too aggressive and tried a wild dive over the top, but Ted moved and Virgil ate the mat. Back inside, DiBiase went to work with usual swagger, unloading his standard offense to rattle Virgil. DiBiase was so good at showing his disdain while beating someone up, it really adds to the heat of the match. Virgil would rally back and hook the Million Dollar Dream in, but that drew Sherri into the ring to hammer Virgil with her purse, seemingly drawing a DQ. However, just when it looked like Virgil was screwed, it was announced that the referee was allowing the bout to continue while also kicking Sherri out of ringside. Nice, welcome Dusty Finish there instead of the reverse that we usually get. Virgil came back with another flurry, but that ended when DiBiase reversed a whip and sent him flying into the referee. Piper continued to shout pep talks to his buddy as DiBiase worked him over with suplexes and a piledriver. With Hebner still down, DiBiase removed the turnbuckle pad, but it backfired when Virgil reversed momentum and ran Ted into it instead. After slowly gathering his bearings, Virgil crawled over, covered and scored the huge win to a great pop. Virgil's celebration was fantastic and the victory was a nice payoff to a long brewing angle. The match was super basic, but well worked and lots of fun and gave the show a guaranteed feel good moment.

### Match #5: Big Boss Man defeats the Mountie in a Jailhouse Match with a spinebuster at 8:38

Fun Fact: This feud began back in April when the Mountie claimed to be the only legitimate law enforcer in the WWF. At the 4/22/91 MSG show, the Mountie was questioned by Lord Alfred Hayes prior to his match with the Boss Man whether he had any lawful authority in the United States. The Mountie claimed that he had jurisdiction in the WWF and he was going to prove that the Big Boss Man was nothing more than a "hick cop". They would feud on TV and house shows for months leading to this match, including one incident where Mountie and the Nasty Boys handcuffed Boss Man to the ropes and zapped him with the shock stick.

### Scott:

The minute we saw the Mountie debut at the Royal Rumble, you knew this feud was going to happen. The two faces of law and order in the WWF collide here, with the loser spending the night in the Gotham Pokey. Boss Man has had easily the best year of his career in 1991 and after vanquishing the Heenan Family he tries to wipe out Canada's crooked Mountie. Spending the past few months stabbing jobbers with his shock stick, Mountie wants to eliminate the competition. Gorilla and Piper spout every terrible cliché during this match while Bobby keeps mentioning "bribing the screws with cigarettes". The match is common Federation fare as the Mountie dominates most of the action until Boss Man makes the big comeback and gets the victory. It continues Boss Man's great year and for the rest of the show we see Mountie getting abused and embarrassed by the NYPD. For the second straight match, the build and the surrounding storytelling bumps the grade up for a very standard match.

### Justin:

This was a super obvious feud from the moment Mountie debuted, so it was no surprise they went to it right after Mania. It was jumpstarted with a fun Superstars segment where Mountie and the Nasties zapped Boss Man after cuffing him to the ropes. Mountie's prematch promo was pretty good and he has really started to show some personality and getting more mouthy since his early days in the gimmick. I like it. Of course, the stipulation here is also very fitting as the loser would be spending the night in the hoosegow. Boss Man hit some big offense early, rocking Mountie with an uppercut and then dropping a big splash for a near fall. Boss Man's speed was on display as well as he quickly bounded around the ring to keep Mountie off balance. Mountie went to the eyes to stop Boss Man, but he got caught coming off the middle rope and planted with a spinebuster. Some Jimmy Hart distraction would finally give Mountie control, as he was able to shove Boss Man into the steel steps while he was stalking the Mouth. Mountie really didn't have much in the arsenal as he pretty much just slings Boss Man from corner and corner while mixing in basic moves like bodyslams and strikes. He would finally up the ante by spiking Boss Man with a solid piledriver, but he doesn't cover and went for the shock stick instead. Boss Man would dodge the zapping and rally to a comeback, smacking Mountie with another uppercut before hitting the Boss Man Slam for a really close near fall. Mountie caught Boss Man and went for another piledriver, but Boss Man blocked it, hoisted Mountie up and spiked him with a stiff Alabama Slam for the victory. That was a really good finish to a decent brawl, but really was nothing special until the closing moments. The NYPD would hustle down and cuff Mountie before dragging him off and tossing him into the paddy-wagon to set the stage for his night of fun.

*** After a series of interviews and an intermission, we head to the local precinct, where Mountie is dragged through the halls and booked in for the night, including getting his picture taken and his fingerprints stamped. ***

### Match #6: The Legion of Doom defeat the Nasty Boys in a No Disqualification match to win WWF Tag Team Titles when Animal pins Jerry Sags with the Doomsday Device at 7:46

Fun Fact: Just to reference the "trifecta", The Road Warriors defeated Baron Von Raschke & the Crusher to win the AWA Tag Team titles on August 25, 1984. They defeated the Midnight Express to win the NWA Tag Team Titles on October 29, 1988.

### Scott:

Our tag title match is a historical moment for one of the greatest tag teams of all time. The Nasty Boys ended the career of the Hart Foundation at WrestleMania, but truthfully they were just belt warmers for the team that many thought the WWF would never sign. After three years of Demolition dominating the tag team scene and being called "Road Warriors knock-offs" by some, Vince finally was able to sign the real thing. They won the AWA Tag Team Titles, then the NWA Tag Team Title, and now only one pair of straps left to be conquered. They were smart to make this match a No Disqualification stipulation because you won't find two better brawling teams in North America. I expected the match to be a little longer but maybe they didn't want to expose these guys more than they had to be. The other reason is that we have a huge chunk of this show to a non-match segment so all matches got cut down a bit (except for Bret/Perfect, but you wouldn't want to cut that). After some back and forth the LOD hit the Doomsday Device, my favorite tag team finisher ever, and the Triple Crown of Tag Titles is complete. One of my favorite moments as a wrestling fan, the LOD rock the Garden and make history in a fun tag team match.

### Justin:

In what has been a pretty foregone conclusion since they debuted the year before, the Legion of Doom were finally set up for a tag title match with the champions. The Nasties have had a solid little run over the summer, but they were entering into this defense as clear underdogs regardless of their momentum. The match has No DQ rules, so you would expect it to be a wild brawl heading in. And it looked like we were headed that way off the bell as the Nasties jumped the challengers before they could even get their spikes off. LOD would run them off and take the fight right back to them on the floor. Back in the ring, Animal smashed Knobbs with a powerbomb (!) for a near fall. I feel it was really around this time that the classic era of WWF tag teams came to an end. We have a whole new group of teams in the mix especially at the top of the division, and all of the old standbys have faded away or would be gone soon. It was a true new era in the division. All four men would brawl a bit in the ring before the referee gained some order and this turned into a standard tag setup. I always thought that was odd. It was No DQ, so why would either team adhere to the referee and head to the apron? The match spilled back outside, where Sags slammed a concession worker's drink tray on the back of Hawk. The Nasties continued to work him over, continuously baiting Animal into the ring so they could work over Hawk. Again, the No DQ thing. After Knobbs splashed Hawk in the corner, Sags came off the top with a big elbow, but Animal made the save. Knobbs would also try to come off the ropes, but he ate a Hawk boot, which was followed by the hot tag to Animal. Things broke down again, highlighted by the Nasties bashing Animal with Hart's motorcycle helmet for a near fall. Hawk would charge over and smack Jimmy, grab the helmet, bash Sags and then finish him off with the Doomsday Device for the title change. Well, most of that match was absolutely nothing but the last 30 seconds was pretty hot and the crowd loved it. I still don't get why they bothered with the stipulation and pretty much had a straight up match, but I digress. The LOD complete the Triple Crown and ascend to the top of the WWF mountain, which was absolutely the right decision for the division at this point. What a rush, indeed.

*** Back at the clink, Mountie is tossed in a cell, screaming and begging for freedom the entire time. ***

### Match #7: Irwin R. Schyster defeats Greg Valentine with a small package at 7:09

Fun Fact I: Irwin R. Schyster is a repackaged Mike Rotundo, who's making his first PPV appearance since the inaugural WrestleMania. Rotundo had been in NWA/WCW as a member of the Varsity Club and in other...interesting...roles.

Fun Fact II: This is Greg Valentine's final PPV singles match. His record is 4-16. He was 0-5 at the Royal Rumble, 2-5 at WrestleMania, 0-2 at SummerSlam and 2-2 at Survivor Series. He will appear in two more Royal Rumbles.

### Scott:

We slip in a debut on this loaded show with a returning superstar from the old days. Mike Rotundo is a former Tag Team Champion who left for the NWA and had a successful run in Kevin Sullivan's Varsity Club as World TV Champion. Unlike Barry Windham, who walked out with no notice in 1985 and never got a decent WWF gimmick again, Rotundo worked his dates and returned with a solid mid-card heel gimmick. The evil IRS, who wants all tax cheats to pay, even if you did. His opponent is a guy he knows well. We turn the clock back to 1985 and it was Valentine's Dream Team that defeated Rotundo's US Express to win the Tag Titles. Six years later and they meet in the ring again and of course no one mentions it. On a side note, we know the real life story that Piper was somewhat orphaned as a kid and Bobby keeps needling him about his parents never coming home. That's odd. Wonder if there was any heat there. The match ends when IRS reversed a Valentine Figure Four attempt into a small package for the victory. The match is forgettable, but the character of IRS never will be.

### Justin:

We have one more stop before our giant main event and it features the PPV debut of a very memorable character in IRS. Mike Rotundo last competed in PPV back in 1985, a show coincidentally also in Madison Square Garden. He jumped back to the company from WCW earlier in the year and adopted the IRS gimmick, immediately building heat with crowds thanks to his promos about tax collection. Greg Valentine continues his renaissance year with his second straight PPV singles bout. On paper, this one looked pretty good with two veterans locking horns. Valentine worked IRS over, but IRS kept bailing to the floor to regroup and frustrate the Hammer. During one of his trips to the floor, Gorilla notes that he heard rumors that Jake Roberts and Undertaker were spotted in the building. Hammer really took the fight to the Taxman here, finally following him outside and decking him with right hands. However, as they headed back in, IRS was able to wrest control away, going right to his abdominal stretch to wear the Hammer down. Hammer battled back but missed an elbow drop and ate a nice flying lariat. IRS would work the back a bit, hitting a backbreaker before getting caught up top and slammed to the mat. Hammer would get the figure four, but IRS would get the ropes to break it up. Hammer stayed focused on the leg, nailing a shinbreaker and winding himself up. However, as he started to hook it in, IRS reached up and pulled him into a small package to steal the win. This was decent stuff for the most part and a nice win for IRS in his PPV return. The Hammer continues to do the right thing in putting over all the new hot heels.

### Match #8: Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior defeat Sergeant Slaughter, General Adnan and Colonel Mustafa when Hogan pins Slaughter with a leg drop at 12:39

Fun Fact I: The special referee for this one is a big debut. Sid Justice is more well-known in wrestling circles as Sid Vicious. Named after the former bassist for the Sex Pistols, Vicious is a cult favorite among fans. He spent most of his early career in Alabama and Memphis as "Lord Humongous" in the House of Humperdink. He then went to NWA/WCW and was in a tag team called the Skyscrapers with Dan Spivey. His claim to fame at this point was almost breaking Brian Pillman's neck in a War Games match earlier in the year. The big storyline heading into the match was whose side Sid would be on.

Fun Fact II: The Iron Sheik returned over the summer as Colonel Mustafa and joined up with Slaughter and Adnan to form the Triangle of Terror.

Fun Fact III: This is Ultimate Warrior's final WWF match until April 1992. Earlier in the night, he reportedly asked Vince McMahon for more money or else he would refuse to wrestle. As the legend goes, Vince gave in to his demands but then fired him immediately after the match.

### Scott:

Our main event match is a feud that ended a LONG time ago with added players and another huge debut. The feud between Hogan and Slaughter effectively ended in June when Hogan won a huge Desert Storm match for the title at an MSG house show. So by the end of August, this feud had really crapped out. As for Warrior, he was embroiled in a feud with the freshly minted heel Jake Roberts and his new running buddy, the Undertaker. Jake was already a crazy over babyface but suddenly after those vignettes with Warrior and the snakes he's become a crazed, awesome heel. The master of psychology has taken it to a new level, so WHY ISN'T HE ON THIS SHOW? In fact the Undertaker isn't on this show either! Instead we get a tired feud that's already over and Warrior, who has no dog in the fight in this match either, is shoehorned into it. Everybody was saying that Warrior and Hogan didn't like each other, and where did that come from? That's because there was nothing else to this feud anymore. We will note that there is a big debut in this match and that's Sid Justice. A former Horseman who was one of the "can't miss" guys that was talked about is in the WWF along with the Legion of Doom. Another character note is Slaughter's partner Col. Mustafa, who we all know is the Iron Sheik. When Mustafa puts Hogan in the Camel Clutch, Piper says "I remember that happening back in 1983!" The announcers spend most of this match, which does have a Saturday Night's Main Event feel to it more than a PPV feel, talking about Sid's neutrality as a referee in the match. Piper is trying plant seeds of doubt along with Bobby into Gorilla's brain and Gorilla sounds like he's struggling to keep it down the middle. The match ends in kind of a weird way where Hogan throws powder in Slaughter's face for the three count. Warrior chases off the others and Justice comes back out to share the spotlight. What we didn't know is that Warrior was about to be canned by Vince for stiff-arming the boss for more money. We won't see him again for months. Oh and one small detail I want to mention. Earlier in the show Bobby Heenan had the NWA World Title belt with him and he knocked on Hogan's dressing room challenging him. Heenan challenging Hogan? Well, not really. The challenge was on behalf of someone else. That person? RIC FLAIR. More on that in the next review. The match is blah as was the feud but things in the WWF landscape are about to change, for the better.

### Justin:

I have never really got this match. I know the early SummerSlam shows were headlined by tag team matches, but I felt they unnecessarily went back to the well here. Warrior had two ready made feuds lined up with Jake Roberts and Undertaker and Hogan had battled Sarge on the house show circuit in some fun Desert Storm bouts. A double main event with Warrior vs. Roberts or Taker and the Desert Storm match would have been a much stronger finish than what we actually get here. One of the matches still could have had Sid as referee too. I guess they wanted Warrior to get some revenge on Sarge, but even with the odds in the Triangle's favor, nobody really thought they could pull off any sort of win here. The ancient Iron Sheik was dragged back to Stamford and rechristened Colonel Mustafa. And in no way does that make it seem any more likely that Sarge's team had any chance of winning. They also could have just said farewell to Sarge's run as a main evener over the summer and ran Hogan and Warrior vs. Jake and Taker, another match that would have had more meaning or curiosity around it. Sarge was pretty dead in the water as a heel threat and it is only red hot MSG crowd that makes them still see like a top heel faction. The rumor heading into the match was that Sarge was recruiting Sid hard and many wondered if he would sell out. Warrior and Hogan both get huge pops, as you would expect.

After some early stalling, Hogan and Sarge kicked things off, with the Champ dominating the action. It was pretty cool seeing Warrior and Hogan tag in and out and work in some double teams. Again, the problem is they are just too strong, making it less believable that they could maybe lose. After Sarge bumped around for a few minutes, Hogan got trapped and Adnan would get his shit offense in, raking Hogan's back and meekly kicking away at him. Mustafa came in next, reigniting early 1984's major feud. He would take Hogan over with a decent belly-to-belly before hooking in the Camel Clutch. Warrior would make the save, but the Triangle maintained control. Sarge would try to head up top, but Warrior shoved him off, leading to a hot tag. Warrior would run through Sarge, only getting slowed up when he bumped Sid and the two had a stare down. Mustafa would hit another belly-to-belly, carrying on the second heat segment of the match. I will say it is a testament to the veteran heel ability of all three Triangle members that they were able to build some heat with their teamwork and sneaking around. Warrior came back with a flying clothesline to wipe Sarge out and then crawled over to the make the tag. Everything broke down from there, leading to Warrior chasing off Mustafa and Adnan with a chair. Back in the ring, Hogan tossed powder in Sarge's face and then dropped the leg for the win. Well, there you go. Warrior vanishes and is gone until April. Hogan and Sid pose in the ring in an attempt to legitimize Sid as an equal Main Event player. The match was really quite bland with some decent heat building tossed in before the quick finish.

*** Back to the jail cell, where a biker inmate propositions Mountie, who is losing his mind more and more by the minute. ***

*** The storyline wedding of Randy Savage and Elizabeth takes place in the ring to close the show. In reality they've been married since 1985. It was quaint and cute. The real storyline came at the reception that took place after. Let's backtrack. Over the summer, the Ultimate Warrior was feuding with the Undertaker. Jake Roberts said he would train Warrior to not be afraid of Taker or caskets. So classic vignettes played of Warrior locked in a casket, digging a grave, and locked in a chamber of cobras. In the end it was revealed that Taker and Roberts were in cahoots all along, and Jake officially turned heel for the first time since he arrived in the WWF in 1986. Since Warrior just ran off into the sunset, Jake and Taker needed someone else to torture. The PPV itself ended with the wedding, but the antics from the reception would be shown the following week on WWF TV. While Elizabeth is opening wedding gifts, she takes the lid off a box and out popped a giant cobra. Elizabeth screams and mayhem ensues. All of a sudden, Taker and Roberts crash the party. Taker knocks Savage cold with the urn, and Elizabeth is tortured as Roberts waves the cobra right in front of her. Sid Justice eventually comes out to chase them off. In one fell swoop, Jake Roberts goes from a very over face, to an absolutely awesome psychotic heel. Taker's aura continues to grow. Maybe Savage's retirement is short-term after all. This feud only gets better. ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is one of my favorite PPVs of all time. We had endless title changes and some memorable moments, like the title win that skyrocketed Bret Hart's career and a historic win for Virgil. The LOD complete the trifecta by dispatching the Nasty Boys. The Mountie spends the night in the hoosegow and the MSG crowd, as always, was off the hook. Add all the Ric Flair hints and innuendo and you have one of the greatest PPVs in WWF history. Where did the Ultimate Warrior go? You'll forget in a month. Feuds ended and stars created, this show had a lot of everything and its one that I can watch over and over again.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This show was a whole lot of fun to revisit. There were really a lot of shorter matches on this card, similar to last year. Thankfully for this show, the build, heat and crowd was off the charts for this one, because those factors all covered for some shaky in ring action outside of the first two matches. I felt they left some really over, strong wrestles on the bench, namely Jake Roberts, Undertaker and the Rockers. If you add Roberts and Taker into the Main Event scene, either in singles matches or a giant tag and mix the Rockers in somewhere as well, you really strengthen the card overall. The Rockers had been red hot, so them being left off here was really questionable. Maybe they could have dumped Tornado, added the Rockers and found a fourth man for Team Slick and made that opener an eight man? Either way, the Rockers deserved a spot here. Anyway, that nitpicking aside, this show was a ton of fun to watch with high level blowoffs and a fantastic crowd that was into everything. You also have to factor in all of the historical moments sprinkled in throughout, right down to the Ric Flair stuff and Sid debut, as well as the Savage & Elizabeth wedding, something that was highly anticipated at the time. I can't say this is the best SummerSlam ever because the ring work was just good at best, but thanks to the IC Title classic and all of the smart booking decisions, historical significance and atmosphere, it ranks highly in the SummerSlam pantheon.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #51

#  Survivor Series 1991: Hogan Meet Chair

November 27, 1991

Joe Louis Arena

Detroit, Michigan

Attendance: 17,500

Buy Rate: 2.2

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Dark Match:

Tatanka defeated Kato in 7:41

Actual Show:

*** The show opens with clips from the 11/23 episode of Superstars, Jake Roberts baited Randy Savage (who couldn't be involved in a confrontation while under "retirement") into the ring after Roberts won a squash match. Savage chases him in, and Roberts eventually overpowers Savage and ties him in the ropes. He then takes out a cobra, which bears his fangs into Savage's arm. The blood oozing out of his arm was great for television. This was heavy duty stuff at the time because the big question was whether that Cobra was devenomized. Savage is unhooked, and is swinging wildly at Roberts, delirious. Piper leaves the broadcast table and Elizabeth comes out to help Savage, who is disoriented from the bite. As they fight to get Savage on the stretcher, there is an absolutely awesome visual of Roberts sitting in the corner laughing in heel delight as the cobra is standing to attention in front of him. On the heels of that, Savage would put a 900 number up for fans to call and ask the WWF to reinstate him. We then get a video message from Jack Tunney in which he announces that all reptiles are now barred from ringside and that Savage would be reinstated immediately and the Savage vs. Roberts match would be set for a show in Texas this coming Tuesday. He reveals that Roberts would be booted from his Survivor Series match as well. ***

### Match #1: Ted DiBiase, the Mountie, the Warlord, and Ric Flair defeat Bret Hart, Virgil, British Bulldog, and Roddy Piper

Survivor:

Ric Flair

Eliminations:

Ric Flair pins British Bulldog with a cheap shot to the head after Bulldog hit Mountie with the powerslam at 10:55

Roddy Piper pins Warlord after Bret Hart came off the top as Piper was caught in the full nelson at 16:59

Ted DiBiase, Mountie, Bret Hart, Virgil & Roddy Piper are disqualified at 22:47

Fun Fact I: Well, as you can see above, the moment has finally arrived. Ric Flair makes his WWF PPV debut in the opening match. Flair began his career in the AWA, training under Verne Gagne. After a brief stint in the AWA, he arrived in Jim Crockett Promotions (Mid-Atlantic) in 1974. Feuding with the likes of Bobo Brazil, Greg Valentine, and Jimmy Snuka, Flair captured numerous tag titles as well as the US Heavyweight Title. He also survived a terrible plane crash that killed the pilot and broke Flair's back. After being told his career was over, he returned just 10 months later, and had a cup of coffee with Vince Sr's WWWF in 1976. Then on September 17, 1981 Flair defeated Dusty Rhodes to win his first NWA World Heavyweight Championship. From there he cemented his legacy with numerous World Title reigns and many legendary feuds and matches. His promos are second to none, with one-of-a-kind catchphrases like "To be the man, you gotta beat the man", "Ric Flair is a 60-minute man", and "What's causin' all this?" From 1984-1989, it has been calculated that Ric Flair averaged 37 minutes a match. During a feud with Barry Windham in 1987, the two men wrestled 90-minute draws on house shows. Of course his legacy as an awesome heel was solidified when he collaborated with Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson and Tully Blanchard to form the greatest heel faction in professional wrestling history: the Four Horsemen, managed by J.J. Dillon. Their trail of championships, promos, and heel beatdowns knows no equal. Then there's the "trilogy", which is the three awesome televised matches he had with Ricky Steamboat in 1989, all five stars and all workrate clinics. By 1991, Flair was butting heads with WCW boss Jim Herd about Flair's future. Herd wanted him to cut his hair, don an earring, and be called Spartacus. Flair laughed and left for the WWF. He also took the World Heavyweight Championship belt with him, since he hadn't received his deposit for the belt back from WCW. When Herd balked at paying the deposit, Flair told Vince he had the WCW World Title and Vince told him to bring it with him. Eventually WCW sued and got the belt back, but since Flair had already been seen on WWF TV with it, Vince had him carry around one of the Tag Team belts and covered by having Jack Tunney claim he was distorting it on TV since it wasn't a recognized title. He made his TV debut on the 9/9 edition of Prime Time Wrestling, which includes a hysterical Bobby Heenan making fun of all the backstage workers as he prepares for Flair's arrival. Upon arriving, Flair added Mr. Perfect to his stable as his Executive Consultant while Heenan took on a role as his Financial Advisor.

Fun Fact II: On the 9/28 episode of Superstars, Ric Flair was on his way to the ring for a jobber squash match. As he's walking he sees announcers Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Roddy Piper at the table. Piper and Flair had been sniping at each other since Flair arrived. Well, rather than go to the ring, he goes to the broadcast table and baits Piper into a fight. While Flair jaws with McMahon, Piper turns his attention and Flair cracks him in the head with the title belt. Chaos ensues, and eventually Vince McMahon takes an accidental wooden chair shot from Piper. It was the first time McMahon was involved in an on-air dispute. This immediately made Flair the top heel in the WWF in one fell swoop, as the angle was red hot.

Fun Fact III: On the Sunday before this show at the Survivor Series Showdown, Ted DiBiase defeated Virgil to regain his Million Dollar Championship. As the match closed in on ten minutes, the new heel in town, Repo Man (formerly Smash of Demolition) came to ringside and smashed Virgil in the face with the belt, helping DiBiase gain the last laugh on his former bodyguard.

Fun Fact IV: Warlord is now managed by Dr. Harvey Wippleman as Slick stepped away from his managerial role. On air, his absence was created when he took a powerslam from the British Bulldog shortly before Survivor Series.

### Scott:

We start our fifth Survivor Series with maybe two of the coolest teams in the history of this PPV. Setting aside the heel team for now, let's talk about this great babyface squad. We have the Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart, the always crazy over Roddy Piper, tepid face Virgil and the increasingly over British Bulldog. As mentioned, the majority of this team is still really over and Virgil is still getting some pops even though the feud with DiBiase is about done. Speaking of the Million Dollar Man, this may very well be the greatest heel Survivor team in history. We have the hoss Warlord, the Mountie and Ted DiBiase as legendary heels, but it's that final guy that brings all the cache. Ric Flair is in the World Wrestling Federation, and honestly, I never thought the day would arrive. I remember that 9/9 Prime Time Wrestling like it was yesterday, with Bobby Heenan walking around frenetic and crazed that THE MAN was making his debut. He was ridiculing the staff with lines like "Get a Haircut" and "Who dressed you, the state?" Flair's first real feud was with his best friend Roddy Piper, which included a crazy segment on Superstars back in September when Vince McMahon took a wooden chair shot. It felt like the company was being refreshed with this top flight main eventer and the established WWF stars were getting in line for a crack at the REAL World Champion. Besides Flair, this match also shows the fresh solo Bret Hart standing side by side with the top faces in the promotion. I love the feud between Warlord and Bulldog, two big time hosses fighting for strength supremacy. The match itself is standard Survivor Series fare, with Flair ducking Piper until the inevitable confrontation and Piper going off on him. The ending is pretty stupid as a brawl breaks out and everyone except Flair is disqualified, but whatever. The fact that Flair is here, on top of the Jake Roberts heel turn and the arrival of Sid Justice, is adding such a fresh look to the promotion. Only one guy is suffering from the wealth of talent: the guy wearing Red and Yellow. More on that later on.

### Justin:

Yes, it is already that time again as we are in Detroit for the fifth Survivor Series. And for the second year in a row, we shake the format up a bit. Before we get to that, though, we have a very interesting and important opening bout. Back at SummerSlam, we discussed how Bobby Heenan was welcoming Ric Flair into the company very shortly. In September, it happened. The Nature Boy officially arrived. His first piece of business was a battle with old friend and foe Roddy Piper, who was taken out of the booth and put back into active competition. His team here is pretty bad ass, as he has drafted Ted DiBiase, Warlord and Mountie into action to battle Piper's team consisting of Bret Hart, British Bulldog and Virgil. Now those are Survivor Series teams, my friends. DiBiase and Virgil were still at odds as DiBiase had just regained his beloved Million Dollar Title the weekend before thanks to some outside interference from the recently debuted Repo Man. Bret Hart and Mountie were firing up the beginnings of a feud over the IC title after Mountie had tried to electrocute Hart with his shock stick. And of course the Bulldog and Warlord have been at odds throughout the year. I must say that Sherri's wardrobe choice on this night was rather interesting. I immediately loved the pairing of Flair and Mr. Perfect as it just made complete sense and gave Perfect something to do while rehabbing his back. Seeing Hart and Bulldog here was pretty cool as you could really feel the vibe of them making their way up the ladder at slightly different stages. It was also cool seeing Piper back in action for the first time in quite a while. The crowd certainly agreed. Piper wanted Flair to start but Naitch made him wait and camped out on the apron as DiBiase opened things up. Flair did strike with a quick cheap shot, but Piper shrugged it off and went to town on DiBiase, which is another unique matchup we haven't seen much of in the past. Bulldog has some interesting tights here and I don't think he has worn them much outside of this show. Piper's team would quickly tag in and out, taking turns picking apart DiBiase's arm. Hart and DiBiase would get a few minutes to reignite their matchup from a year before and they would trade holds until Hart was able to grab back hold of the arm. However, a DiBiase hiptoss later brought us Flair's official PPV match debut. It didn't go very well, as Hart dodged and elbow drop and started hammering Naitch. Bulldog was up next and he used his raw power to welcome Flair to the show before giving the fans the match they have been waiting for. Piper went right at Flair with reckless abandon, slugging him with crazed right and left hands until Flair bailed to the floor for some sanctuary. Piper followed him out there and kept the assault coming until Flair scampered back in and tagged the Warlord. That was hella fun.

After some back and forth and quick tags, we almost ended up with Hart and Mountie, but Mountie scampered to the floor and then tagged back out. Things broke down and a brawl triggered that ended with Bulldog dropping Mountie with the powerslam. However, as the referee broke up the brouhaha, Flair came off the top and clobbered Bulldog and covered him to give his team the advantage. Piper came in like a house afire and cleaned house until he eventually got caught in the corner and beaten down. Piper rallied back and gave Flair a dose of his own medicine by locking in the figure four until DiBiase busted it up. The pacing and action was really good here as the match never slows down and the quick tagging and flow of control keep things interesting. We also get all the various combinations of opponents on display too, right down to Virgil and Flair going at it. Virgil would also get a crack at DiBiase as he looked for payback from the loss the week before. Virgil would get trapped in the ring and eventually locked in the Warlord's full nelson, but in a great turnaround from earlier, Hart clubs Warlord from behind, allowing Piper to cover him for the elimination to draw things even. Despite that going down, it gave Virgil no respite, as he continued to get worked over hard by Flair, Mountie and DiBiase. With three heel masters at work and some good selling from Virgil, they did a really good job of building some heat up for the first time in the match. He would finally find an opening and make the hot tag to Piper, who destroyed Flair as the crowd exploded. Everything broke down again and all six started to brawl and toss bombs against their respective foes. Flair would get sent flying to the floor as everyone else kept brawling. Finally, the referee called for the bell and it was revealed that everyone except Flair, who was on the floor, was disqualified. Well, on one hand it was cool for Flair to survive while keeping everyone else strong. On the other, it was kind of a weak way to end a Survivor Series match. Piper, Hart and Virgil would clean house and bask in the cheers regardless, but a loss is a loss boys. Either way, it was a real fun match and an easy contender for best Survivor Series match to date. If it had a more definitive ending, it may be slotted in as the best. With that collection of talent, they easily could have gone another 20 minutes and not lost a drip of heat. The Nature Boy is here and he is officially on the board.

*** Randy Savage comes out to do an interview with Mean Gene Okerlund on the heels of his reinstatement by WWF President Jack Tunney. Bobby Heenan immediately starts pushing the Texas match on commentary as Savage arrives. Overland reveals that 97% of poll takers voted "Yes" for reinstatement. Savage vows revenge in Texas, on Tuesday and then brings out Elizabeth to join in on the chat as well. Liz thanks the fans for supporting Savage and announces that she will be in Texas on Tuesday as well. Heenan says "This Tuesday in Texas" four times as Monsoon reveals that officials are working on getting TV coverage for the show. ***

ORDER THIS TUESDAY IN TEXAS...RIGHT NOW!

### Match #2: Texas Tornado, El Matador, Jim Duggan & Sergeant Slaughter defeat Colonel Mustafa, Hercules, the Berzerker & Skinner

Survivors:

Sgt. Slaughter, El Matador, Jim Duggan & the Texas Tornado

Eliminations:

Sgt. Slaughter pins Col. Mustafa with a clothesline at 7:57

El Matador pins Hercules with El Paso del Muerte at 12:04

Sgt. Slaughter pins Skinner with a roll-up at 13:30

Jim Duggan pins Berzerker with the 3-point tackle at 14:17

Fun Fact I: A couple more debuts here in match number two. First we have the Berzerker, who is portrayed by John Nord, who's well known in the AWA as Nord the Barbarian. He originally came in with the name "The Viking." That changed after a month or so. The other debut is Skinner, the tobacco-spitting redneck from the Everglades, which is quite a change from this person's previous character. Steve Keirn used to be half of the former tag team The Fabulous Ones with Stan Lane. Decked out in white tights, white suspenders and a bow tie, The Fabulous Ones were a hot team in the AWA and Memphis, but Keirn has traded in his playboy look for a torn plaid shirt, a pair of khakis and a spittoon.

Fun Fact II: Tito Santana was off TV for a few months, and came back dressed as a matador complete with green jacket and pink hat. He claimed he went back to his homeland to refocus himself and that if he could learn how to avoid and defeat bulls, then he could do the same in the ring. Not much more to say here. He returns at this PPV and takes the place of the recently departed Ricky Steamboat, who was originally scheduled to be in this match.

Fun Fact III: Slaughter decided that being against his American fans went on long enough, so on the 9/28 Superstars there was a vignette of Slaughter apologizing for his affiliation with Iraq. On the 10/12, 10/26, and 11/9 Superstars Slaughter was filmed at various national monuments (Lincoln Memorial, statue of Paul Revere, and Statue of Liberty) asking his fans for forgiveness with the memorable quote "I want my country back!!!!!!" Slaughter was a last minute addition to this team, as he replaces Jim Neidhart, who was injured in an attack by Ric Flair after a match between the two. Then, as he was being carried back, Neidhart was assaulted and injured further by the Beverly Brothers. Neidhart would do color commentary for a while before returning to ring in late December.

Fun Fact IV: Hercules was a last minute replacement in this match, as he is filling the spot left open by the recently departed Big Bully Busick. Busick is nothing more than a footnote in WWF history, but he did have a brief mini-feud with the Macho Man that started when he showed up in the audience of Prime Time Wrestling and was picking on kids in the audience. The only thing Busick really contributed to the WWF was his manager, who would stick around for quite a few more years: Harvey Wippleman. This is also Hercules' final non Rumble PPV appearance. His final record is 5-14-1. He is 0-4 at the Royal Rumble, 1-4-1 at WrestleMania, 2-2 at SummerSlam and 2-4 at Survivor Series. He would spend some time in WCW and the Independent circuit before passing away from a heart attack in 2004.

Fun Fact V: This is also the final PPV appearance of Colonel Mustafa until WrestleMania 17, also known as the Iron Sheik, of course. He would show up for a cup of coffee in the 1992 Royal Rumble, but his final PPV record is 2-4: 0-1 at the Royal Rumble, 2-1 at WrestleMania, 0-1 at SummerSlam and 0-1 at Survivor Series.

Fun Fact VI: The hits keep on coming, as this is the Texas Tornado's final PPV match as well. He will be in the...you guessed it...1992 Royal Rumble, but that would be about it for Mr. Von Erich. He would hang around for some of 1992, but wouldn't see another PPV match. Sadly, about a year after he leaves the WWF, Von Erich would lose his long running and well publicized battle with his drug addiction and would end up shooting himself on the family ranch in February 1993, just adding another sad chapter to the cursed Von Erich legacy. His final PPV record is 5-2: 0-2 at the Royal Rumble, 1-0 at WrestleMania, 2-0 at SummerSlam and 2-0 at Survivor Series.

### Scott:

Our next tag match pits a myriad of heels against the man who "wanted his country back". When the Hogan/Slaughter storyline finally fizzled out, it was time to turn Slaughter back to the good ol' red, white and blue. Texas Tornado looks like a total mess here, mumbling to himself and almost falling off the apron. His window is closing fast. Santana was repackaged as El Matador, complete with green coat and hat. Duggan is Duggan, and Slaughter gets a big pop from the crowd who wants to envelop him back into their good graces. The GI Joe hero is back and all feels right in the world again. The Berzerker will go down as one of the more cult favorites in wrestling history. For a simple mid-card heel he was remembered fondly by many wrestling fans. Skinner is former Fabulous One Steve Keirn, a very different look from the guy who used to wear a tuxedo to the ring. The match is pretty standard fare, with Slaughter's team being the second in history to win with a clean sweep. There's not much more here, except for Slaughter being the good guy we like him to be again.

### Justin:

Holy JR jobber express! This is my kind of match. It was set to be a whole lot cooler when we had Ricky Steamboat and Big Bully Busick in there, but alas it wasn't meant to be. My man the Berzerker is in the house though, and really that is enough for me. We also have the PPV debut of Skinner, the alligator man from the swamp. On the face side we have familiar faces in new roles as Tito Santana rediscovered his roots and his now El Matador. Also returning home was Sgt. Slaughter, who bailed on his Iraqi sympathizing and begged his country to allow him back into the fold. US ambassador Jim Duggan stepped up on our behalf and welcomed the Sarge in with open arms. Rounding out that heel team is Col. Mustafa, who is looking for revenge on that turncoat Slaughter and Hercules, who is now flying solo after Paul Roma left the company and stuck a knife into the run of the once epic Power & Glory. Poor Texas Tornado looks strung out as he ambles down the aisle and paces on the apron and seemingly mumbles to himself, awaiting his teammates. I was happy to see Sarge flip sides again as the Iraq stuff was really dead in the water at this point and this gave him a breath of fresh air. Adnan and Mustafa were still working that agenda, though, so good on them anyway. Santana and Skinner kicked things off as Heenan gets all mixed up about Joe Louis, calling him "Jim Louis" and mentioning what a great hockey player he was. Tito's new tights are certainly something else. Berzerker came up empty on an elbow drop, allowing Tito to tag in Tornado, who just started flailing fists at anyone in sight. Duggan would make his way in but get trapped in the corner and worked over as Heenan discussed the stealth fighting methods practiced in the Middle East. That led to Gorilla calling them all cowards. Berzerker easily stands out as the ace of this heel team thanks to his size and presence. Sarge would finally get tagged in and he made super quick work of his buddy Mustafa, pinning him after a clothesline of all things. The heels regained control with Hercules finally getting some run as he overpowers Sarge. Berzerker would get pelted around by both Sarge and Duggan, with the latter sending him flying through the air and to the floor with a nice back body drop. Tornado got back in and continued bumbling around, as at one point he did a full body roll type dive over a bent over Hercules. It was like he was MacGyver or something. Santana would tag in and drop Herc with El Paso del Muerte to bring the match to 4-2. A minute later, Sarge rolled up Skinner to knock him out, leaving poor Berzerker alone. Barely a minute passed by before Duggan pasted him with a clothesline and completed the sweep. For the second year in a row, we have a full team survive. Berzerker looked really good here and I am being completely serious. He was the only heel to get any offense and got tons of ring time. He clearly was being built up a bit and he worked his ass off bumping around for everyone. Good showing. Better than Tornado, at least. The match was actually a little better than you may assume when you look at the participants and the way things ended up. Everyone worked hard and brought the energy, at least, and the crowd was into it too.

*** Jake Roberts comes out to reply to Randy Savage's interview and their upcoming match at This Tuesday in Texas. Roberts claims the snake attack was an accident and that the cobra had been devenomized. He wants to blame the voters, the WWF and Jack Tunney for what is about to go down this Tuesday, in Texas. He warns that he is the snake to be worried about, not what is in the bag. He closes by warning Elizabeth that she has a one-way ticket to Texas and vows that this is end of the beginning. ***

ORDER THIS TUESDAY IN TEXAS...RIGHT NOW!

### Match #3: The Undertaker defeats Hulk Hogan to win WWF World Title with a Tombstone on a steel chair at 12:43

Fun Fact: The big moment of this feud that led to this match was on the 11/16 Superstars, in the Funeral Parlor. Hulk Hogan came out to counter the claims of Ric Flair that he is the "Real WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION". Flair comes out to jaw with Hogan face to face. As this is happening the casket standing up behind Hogan opens and Undertaker comes out to blindside Hogan and beat him down. Roddy Piper and Randy Savage come from the broadcast table with chairs to protect Hogan. Taker rips the cross off Hogan (ala Andre before WrestleMania III) and drops it on him. Another awesome segment in what has become a red-hot second half of 1991.

### Scott:

In what most fans thought was just a random title defense for Hulk Hogan leading to the inevitable face-to-face with Ric Flair in April, the champ faces the man who hasn't lost a televised match in his first year in the company and was in cahoots with Jake Roberts for the summer against the departed Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage. The crowd goes nuts for Hogan, but unlike Slaughter at VII, Taker had his fans as well, even facing their beloved champion. I was curious as to how this match was going to go, because Taker has never sold anything and Hogan needs his big comeback. Hogan spent a good portion of the early match with punches, eye rakes and clotheslines that Taker didn't sell. When Taker was on offense, it was mostly chokes and pulling at Hogan's face. This PPV is Gorilla and Bobby's first full PPV alone and they were hysterical. Bobby says "Wanna know why that woman's at the edge of her seat? The 300 pound can behind her!" That's a killer. When Hogan sat up after the Tombstone, I thought the match was over and that this mysterious aura of the Undertaker was about to be vanquished. Hogan makes his comeback, but then out comes Ric Flair, and all hell breaks loose. Hogan is constantly distracted and then Flair slides a chair into the ring. Taker Tombstones Hogan on it and three seconds later, we have a new WWF Champion. I was absolutely stunned. I couldn't believe that Hogan just lost the title to a guy who has only been in the company for one year. So there must have been some kind of backstage nonsense going on here, because I thought we would be on course for Hogan/Flair at WrestleMania. Gorilla is beside himself berating Bobby for what happened. This may be more of an upset than 11 months earlier at the Royal Rumble when Warrior lost to Slaughter. Hogan is out on the canvas and that eats up a good deal of time. The WWF is in a dark place, because we have a dark WWF Champion. To this point, it's in my opinion, the biggest upset in WWF Title history.

### Justin:

For the first time in Survivor Series history, we have a singles match. And it isn't just any singles match, it is a WWF Heavyweight Title match. Since debuting one year earlier, Undertaker has been on a warpath, wrecking everything in his path and remaining undefeated on TV and PPV. Not only did Hulk Hogan have to deal with that menace, he now had Ric Flair messing with him as well. It was Flair's loose alliance with Taker that led to a stiff beatdown on the Funeral Parlor earlier in the month. Taker's entrance was as grim as always, with children hiding in terror and a thin layer of boos floating over hushed silence. Hogan's arrival woke them all up and he was still as over as ever. As he hit ringside, he flipped over the casket that was brought to ringside for some psychological warfare. While Heenan and Monsoon questioned if Taker could ever feel pain, Hogan grabbed a headlock to open the match. Things were a bit slow from there, with each man feeling out the other until Taker grabbed a choke and forced Hogan to the corner. The Deadman continued his methodical assault and even Paul Bearer got involved by choking the champ a bit when he landed near the edge of the apron. That led to Monsoon calling him a "piece of garbage" which I always enjoy. Hogan made a quick comeback but failed to slam Taker, wrenching his back in the process. Hogan again battled back, rattling Taker with strikes and then clotheslining him to the floor. That backfired on the Hulkster, though, as Taker rammed him into the post and then choked him with a camera cable. Back inside, Taker attempted to smother Hogan into submission with a lengthy claw hold. The match really slowed down here but from a strategy perspective, it made sense for Taker to slow Hulk down like this. Hulk broke the hold but Taker cracked him with a flying clothesline and then dropped him with the Tombstone...but Hogan popped right up, no selling it. I don't know about that. Hogan started to rock Taker with right hands before finally slamming him. As that was going on, Flair made his way out to ringside, but Hogan met him on the floor and dropped him with a right hand. He would slide back in and hit Taker with the big boot, but Bearer tripped Hogan up before the legdrop. With the referee tied up, Taker recovered and hoisted Hogan up for another Tombstone. However, this time Flair slid a chair in the ring and Taker dropped Hogan on it to pick up the monumental win and capture his first Word Title. And the crowd cheered, perhaps out of shock? It seemed that way since the cheers quickly turned to boos right after. The match was really a whole lot of nothing until the last minute. I don't get why Hogan had to completely no sell the Tombstone, especially if Taker was being set up as the World Champion and legit main eventer. It really wasn't needed at all. Once we got past that, the finish was pretty good with Flair screwing Hogan. As officials tended to Hogan, Gorilla ranted and Bobby celebrated the glorious occasion. Heading in here, I assumed Taker was just another monster heel set to be vanquished by the Hulkster en route to a match with Ric Flair. I was quite wrong. The Deadman is now on top of the WWF mountain and Hogan is left lying.

*** Backstage, Gene Okerlund interviews Jack Tunney, who confirms the referee's decision in the World Title match is final. However, he is ordering a rematch at the soonest possible date...this Tuesday...in Texas! Tunney states he will be at ringside to ensure a fair and just outcome. ***

### Match #4: The Beverly Brothers & the Nasty Boys defeat the Rockers & the Bushwhackers

Survivors:

Jerry Sags, Brian Knobbs and Blake Beverly

Eliminations:

Brian Knobbs pins Luke with a clothesline off the second turnbuckle at 5:21

Beau Beverly pins Butch with a double slam at 10:14

Shawn Michaels pins Beau Beverly with a backslide at 13:53

Blake Beverly pins Shawn Michaels after Michaels was knocked down by Beau's legs at 19:40

Jerry Sags pins Marty Jannetty with a Small Package at 23:04

Fun Fact I: Another PPV debut, and that's the Beverly Brothers, Beau and Blake. Their real names are Wayne Bloom and Mike Enos, who were a solid mid-card team in the AWA under the name Destruction Crew. They originally debuted with Coach as their manager, but he was eventually replaced by the Genius prior to this event.

Fun Fact II: As we entered the final months of 1991, an air of tension was starting to form around the Rockers. They seemingly argued during every match, and especially after big losses. Every time, though, they put their differences aside and made up. The rough waters would continue here, as Shawn is accidentally kicked by Sags, who was being slammed by Marty and pinned, leading to a face to face confrontation while the match was still going on. The two would patch things up again, but it was clear that the rift was getting worse.

### Scott:

We try to get back to normal here with a Survivor match involving four tag teams going in different directions. The Bushwhackers are a comedy act and not to really be taken seriously. The Nasty Boys are still top heels but have been de-pushed after their SummerSlam loss to the Legion of Doom. The Beverly Brothers are a new team on the scene, but it's simply the AWA team Destruction Crew repackaged. The big news before this match was that Hogan would get his WWF Title rematch at This Tuesday in Texas. That was like the 540th reference to December 3 in San Antonio on this show. That gets amplified here because the last two matches on this card really bring nothing to the table and are quite forgettable. The biggest storyline hook here is that the Rockers are on very shaky ground, and that compounds itself when Marty Jannetty accidentally gets Shawn Michaels pinned. You can tell the seeds were being planted when Gorilla complained that Shawn wasn't tagging his partner fast enough. Whenever Gorilla complained about a babyface, you knew a heel turn was not too far ahead. They argue and storm off, while the heels win the match. Maybe to keep the Nasties strong for a future shot against the LOD, and the Beverly Brothers are the new team, so it worked. I love how Gorilla said that Michaels cost his team the match, when he was the one hit with the leg and pinned! The next time we see either Rocker on PPV, things are very different.

### Justin:

As we cool down from the shocking World Title change, we are back to the survivor format with representatives from the tag team division. On the heel side we have the former champions Nasty Boys teaming with the newest heel team in the company, the Beverly Brothers. The Beverlys have the Genius, who has been out of the managerial game since April 1990, in their corner. Their opposition are division stalwarts the Bushwhackers and the Rockers. Long known for being tag team specialist and a close knit unit, the Rockers were starting to have some real issues and it was starting to cost them in the ring. Shawn had even changed his look a little bit, as his hair was less blown-out and he had built up his definition more in addition to having a bit of a snarl on his face. Change is seemingly a-coming for those boys. The Whackers and Nasties opened things with a brawl that ended with the Nasties bailing to the floor. That drew in the Beverlys and we got more brawling, this leading to a pair of battering rams and a Rockers double dropkick that cleaned house again. The match finally calmed down and got underway with Michaels and Blake tussling. By this point, Luke and Butch already had a better showing in the books than the year before. Well, as I was typing that, Knobbs pasted Luke with a clothesline off the middle rope and eliminated him. Shawn was able to fight through a Nasty Boy attack, giving way for his partner to take control of Sags with some arm work. It also gave Heenan and Monsoon time to push This Tuesday in Texas a bit more. Sags would escape and tag in Beau, who had a nice back and forth with Jannetty with the two trading offense. The Beverlys were really smooth in the ring and a nice veteran addition to the rebuilt division. Butch would get the hot tag and march his way through both Beverlys, but his hot streak quickly ended with the Shaker Heights Spike. That elimination left the Rockers to fly solo. Michaels would get trapped and worked over by all four men, in and out of the ring. To this point in the match I thought Jannetty and Beau looked the best. Beau has been really smooth in his offense, especially with a really crisp backbreaker on Michaels. And again, I am the jinx because as I typed that, Michaels caught Beau in a backslide to draw the score to 3-2.

Michaels started to heat up, running through his remaining opponents until Sags caught him coming back into the ring. Shawn fended him off and tagged Jannetty, who took the fight to Knobbs. The numbers game was again too much and we were right back to another slow paced attack to eat up some time. Marty would get his knees up to block a Sags splash, leading to things breaking down. Just when the Rockers made some progress, Jannetty went to slam Sags but the Nasty Boy's legs pelted Shawn in the face, leading to him getting pinned. The match stopped dead as Michaels berated Jannetty for screwing up, again showing their growing dissension. Shawn would finally back off and leave, but Marty was in some legit trouble. Jannetty would give it one last go, hitting a dive off the top rope to the floor, but once they made it back inside, Sags got an assist from Knobbs to hook a small package for the win. This was a perfectly acceptable Survivor Series style match with some intrigue mixed in. It was pretty long, but they kept the tags quick and had enough comebacks mixed in to keep things from getting boring. The crowd was up and down, but I can't blame them considering the lengthy heat segments on display. The Nasties get back on the winning track, but the big story here is the fracture of the Rockers.

ORDER THIS TUESDAY IN TEXAS...IT WILL BE ON PAY PER VIEW!

### Match #5: The Legion of Doom & Big Boss Man defeat IRS & the Natural Disasters

Survivors:

Hawk and Animal

Eliminations:

IRS pins Boss Man with a briefcase shot at 6:23

Hawk pins Typhoon when IRS accidentally hits Typhoon with a briefcase shot at 9:37

Earthquake is counted out when he walks out in anger

Animal pins IRS after a Hawk clothesline off the top rope at 15:21

Fun Fact: This match was originally scheduled to be Sid, Big Boss Man & LOD vs. Jake Roberts, IRS & Natural Disasters, but it was changed to a six-man tag just days before. Sid and Jake were the captains, stemming from the SummerSlam wedding incident, where Sid saved the Savages from Jake and Taker. However, just a few weeks before the match, Sid tore his biceps and had to be removed from the match. After they announced Sid being pulled, they kept teasing that the match would be a handicapped 4 on 3 situation (even as late as the Survivor Series Showdown, which aired three days before the show, as the heel team cut a promo on how they would kill the faces because it was 4 on 3.) However, speculation was running rampant that Randy Savage would be reinstated for the event to take Sid's place, as this was shortly after Jake had his cobra attack Savage on Superstars. On the SS Showdown, McMahon was even pimping a 1-800 vote line on whether fans thought Savage should be reinstated or not. Just before the show, Jack Tunney announced the match would be three on three, and that Savage WOULD be reinstated the following week for This Tuesday in Texas (ORDER NOW!).

### Scott:

ur final match is a heatless six-man tag team match with our Tag Team Champions and the current #1 contenders, along with another burgeoning feud. This match was supposed to potentially include Randy Savage as Jake Roberts was set to captain the heels, but due to their feud developments earlier in the show they were held off the match for, wait for it, THIS TUESDAY IN TEXAS! The more you watch this show, the more you realize this show really isn't a PPV, but a glorified preview show for this experimental PPV five days from now. The crowd is pretty gassed by this point and has lost all energy, particularly after their beloved Hulk Hogan lost the title in a huge upset. Savage and Jake would have saved this last match with all the heat they have in their feud. Sadly they weren't included and the crowd lost interest. Boss Man gets eliminated by IRS' Halliburton, furthering their feud. To save the night, the LOD takes out both IRS and the Natural Disasters to send the exasperated fans home happy. In fact, after Typhoon was accidentally cracked with the Halliburton, Earthquake walks off with his partner, leaving IRS in a lurch. Oh, and by the way there's a PPV Tuesday, IN TEXAS! So the WWF uses a $35 PPV to pimp a $20 PPV all night long. It's very strange, but that's exactly how this PPV was booked. The LOD ends the show but the crowd had very little energy left.

### Justin:

What started as a pretty hot show has really limped to the finish here. With Sid, Jake Roberts and Randy Savage all teased and eventually pulled, this main event had very little heat involved. Plus it feels hollow on paper with the three-on-three setup. The heel team members were all in similar positions as they were swiftly ascending the ladder of their respective divisions. The Disasters made their title aspirations very clear and are set to put a beating on the champions here. With the Mountie in his rearview mirror, the Big Boss Man now had to deal with IRS, who had been on his case about being quite unlawful when it comes to paying taxes. And those two wasted no time going at it as they kicked off the proceedings. Boss Man was usual manic self, sprinting around the ring and rattling the Taxman with straight fists to the face. The LOD would get in on the fun as well, completely keeping IRS on his heels. With the way this show has been so heel dominated, the face team here should have probably just gotten in a quick sweep. Earthquake would eventually make his way in and use his size to drive Hawk into their corner and tie him up, but IRS came back in and got worked over yet again. Not the best showing for Irwin so far. He made up for all that in less than ten seconds, as he was able to smack Boss Man with his briefcase and send him to the showers. The heel dominance continued with Typhoon suffocating Animal with a bear hug. He would make the hot tag, but Hawk got tied up with Typhoon as Quake grabbed the briefcase and handed it to IRS. Things broke down quick as IRS accidentally smacked Typhoon with the case, giving Hawk the easy elimination. That was followed by a pissed off Earthquake telling IRS to go screw and walking out with his partner. Now that is friendship. So, in the span of a minute, we went from 3-2 to 2-1 and IRS in deep shit. Irwin gave it a valiant go before trying to escape. The Boss Man would reemerge and drive him back to the ring where he finally succumbed to a Hawk top rope clothesline to close out the show. While it was good to see the faces close things out with a win, the match was quite bland and never really got going. Between all the big happenings going down early and the hype for Tuesday in Texas, the show was dead in the water by this point and only a really great match could have saved things. The LOD stand tall to end the show, but our PPV year is not quite over...see you This Tuesday...in Texas!

ORDER THIS TUESDAY IN TEXAS...SEAN MOONEY SAID SO!

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was truly a lengthy infomercial for the Tuesday in Texas PPV special the following week. Sure we did have the PPV debut of the great Ric Flair and the big WWF Title upset that saw Hulk Hogan lose to a guy who's been in the company less than a year. In fact anything NOT involving Flair was pretty bland. Not having Savage or Roberts on the card killed a lot of the buzz the show had beforehand. Sure they had stand up interviews pimping their match, IN TEXAS! However we still needed to have some energy for this PPV and after Hogan's loss we had none of it. I wouldn't say this is a forgettable show, but other than anything involving Ric Flair it doesn't stand the test of time and is pretty flat. So, just wait until five more days, IN TEXAS!

Final Grade:

### Justin:

Man, what a tale of two halves this show was. It started out really well with Ric Flair's debut and a red hot opener. The title match was nothing special in the ring but it was tremendously important and set up a wild close to 1991 in the main event scene. We also got dueling promos from Randy Savage and Jake Roberts and both were super and did a great job selling their upcoming match. In the back end, we had the Rockers tease and not much else. I know they probably didn't want to end the show on a sour note, but they really should have closed with the Title Match. But then again, I guess they wanted the time after to hype the shit out of the Tuesday rematch, so at least they had reasoning behind the decision. They just needed a stronger main event to help them out. It was also pretty shitty that they basically used this show to just push This Tuesday in Texas, which would be their test run for weekly PPVs. They could have pushed the crap out of that show without compromising this one as much as they did. 1991 has been a super year for PPV but it came to a crashing halt here when Hogan's head slammed off that steel chair. See you Tuesday! (In Texas).

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #53

#  This Tuesday in Texas: Tick Tock...Tick Tock

December 3, 1991

Freeman Coliseum

San Antonio, Texas

Attendance: 8,000

Buy Rate: 1.0

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Fun Fact I: This was the WWF's first attempt at setting up Tuesday as a secondary pay-per-view night and potentially to launch weekly PPV events. However the low buy rate and lukewarm reaction to the event caused them to shelve the idea until another Tuesday attempt was made in 2004.

Fun Fact II: There were a series of dark matches and matches taped for television on this night as well. The biggest match to occur that never made air was Ric Flair defeating Roddy Piper.

### Match #1: Bret Hart defeats Skinner to retain WWF Intercontinental Title with a Sharpshooter at 13:46

### Scott:

We open our experimental PPV with a solid title defense for the Intercontinental Champion against a very game Skinner. Steve Keirn has been an accomplished tag team wrestler for years as half of the Fabulous Ones in the 1980s. Now he's a chaw-spitting heel, but still an accomplished worker. This is the perfect title defense for Bret Hart. Rather than face big fat guys and other monster heels, Bret should be facing the more athletic workers. That helps the product become more of a hybrid of what the in-ring work should be and compete with WCW's more workrate-based product. Bret is the perfect guy for that. The only issue I have is that this should be the SECOND match of the show. One of the dark matches was Ric Flair vs. Roddy Piper. Why for the love of God was this a DARK MATCH? Seriously? The crowd must have been off the charts for that match. In any event, our actual opener is a solid in-ring affair as Skinner dictated the pace throughout most of the match and Bret sold like a champ. He locked on an Abdominal Stretch for quite a while. Bret recovers and cranks up the Sharpshooter and Skinner's undefeated stretch is over. This was a great opener and a harbinger of things to come from Bret Hart's singles career. We will get awesome workrate/psychology-driven matches that tell a great story and have a solid conclusion.

### Justin:

Well, we heard plenty about this show less than a week ago at Survivor Series and now we have officially arrived in Texas for a very special Tuesday night PPV outing. The card was pretty stacked for such a short show, but the company was going all out to test the potential for weekly PPV events or maybe even just opening Tuesday as an option for PPV in general. We open with Bret Hart's first PPV Intercontinental Title defense since he took the belt at SummerSlam and he has a pretty interesting challenger here in Skinner. While on the surface the alligator gimmick was a goofy, Steve Keirn was a respected and accomplished wrestler, so this was actually a pretty cool matchup on paper. Gorilla put over Bret strong here and this was a good showcase opportunity overall for the Hitman. Bret kept the undefeated Skinner off balance early mixing in arm drags, atomic drops and clotheslines, eventually sending the Alligator Man to the floor to catch his breath. Bret would work the arm a bit until Skinner was able to send Hart crashing into the ring post shoulder first. Skinner would target that shoulder and in between used a nice piece of heel work to distract the ref and jab his alligator claw into the throat of the Hitman. For some reason he then transitioned to Bret's leg, earning a good chastising from Gorilla for not being very bright in his attack. None of that seemed to matter as Skinner snapped off the Gatorbreaker but a lazy cover gave Hart the opening to kick out. Skinner seems to really be wasting a golden chance at the title here. He would take his time pontificating on the second rope, allowing Bret to catch him with a boot when he finally leapt. From there, it was academic as Hart went through his usual repertoire, fighting off one last bit of Skinner offense, before wrenching in the Sharpshooter and forcing Skinner to give up and take his first notch in the loss column. That was a solid opener and a good defense by Hart but Skinner really wrestled a dumb match as he often lost focus in between meandering around and giving Bret openings. Maybe next time, Alligator Man.

### Match #2: Randy Savage defeats Jake Roberts with the big elbow at 6:24

Fun Fact: This is Randy Savage's first televised match since his loss to Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania VII.

### Scott:

This one has been bubbling to the surface for months and months and now it's finally here. Going all the way back to SummerSlam and the wedding reception, Jake was handed Savage after Warrior bolted the WWF over money issues with Vince. Only these two men could go from being face/heel to heel/face and seamlessly have a fantastic feud. That Superstars episode when the cobra bit Savage and Jake was sitting in the corner cackling while the cobra stood at attention in front of him may be one of my favorite wrestling television moments of all time. Now, we can talk about one of the matches that helped sell this special PPV. The match itself isn't much as there's a lot of brawling and punching. Savage makes the comeback, complete with his bleeding arm bandage from the snake bite, and gets the victory. Then we see an example of how referees always fuck shit up. Savage was about to crush Roberts with the ring bell after the match, but Earl Hebner grabs it and in the distraction Jake recovers and DDTs Macho Man. The feud is over as Macho Man is out in the ring and Jake walks down the ramp. Or is it over? Jake stops, walks back and grabs a bag from under the ring. Jake promised WWF President Jack Tunney that he wouldn't have a snake in the corner. Well the match is over and he's about to get a lizard lunch. Suddenly Elizabeth runs in to stop the chaos. Jake is taunting her as he DDTs Savage two more times. This stuff is better than the match itself. Jake puts the protective glove on and is ready to bring out another poisonous snake to finish Savage off. Elizabeth is pleading while useless Earl is in the corner yelling and, well being useless. Seeing Jake forcing Elizabeth to beg for Savage is awesome psychology. He then grabs Elizabeth by the hair, and decks her. Wow, I never thought we would ever see that. That is what being a heel is all about. The match wasn't much, but the complete package is priceless.

### Justin:

This red hot feud has been simmering since SummerSlam when Jake Roberts and Undertaker crashed Savage's wedding reception. Since then Savage was bit by a snake and reinstated as an active wrestler and was ready to exact some much needed revenge here. Both men cut fantastic promos before the match, ratcheting up the heat and intrigue before they tussled. Adding Savage into the mix of a suddenly top notch main event talent pool was awesome and really made the division even deeper than it was already becoming. Elizabeth is with Savage backstage here as she has been a huge part of the storyline and the question immediately becomes whether or not it was a wise idea by Macho to have her in the arena. Jake didn't even get to make a full entrance as Savage sprinted down the aisle and hammered him from behind. Inside the ring, Savage was on fire, destroying the Snake with passion and aggression...and with his jacket and feathered hat on. Roberts would try to escape, but Savage had none of that, chasing him down and dumping him back inside. The ever opportunistic Roberts used an inadvertent deflection by the referee to spear Savage low and take control. Things spilled outside and Savage accidentally slammed his gnawed up arm into the post giving Roberts something to target. Jake would peel away the bandages, trying to expose the wound, while also hammering away at the flailing Macho Man. Savage had an opening for a charge but ate a Roberts knee, which led to a short clothesline. Jake seemed to be queuing up the DDT but in the blink of an eye Savage was able to strike, take him down and pounce to the top rope before crashing into the Snake with his big elbow for the win. The crowd liked that one. While the win was nice, Savage wasn't done as he was looking to really hurt Roberts. An official would block him from using a chair, so he instead grabbed the ring bell. However, that backfired as the referee grabbed the bell from him, which gave Jake the chance to rock Savage with the DDT. Jake would snap off a second one as well and now Macho was in some deep shit. Roberts would feign leaving before stooping by ringside and pulling out a bag from under the ring. He hinted that he kept his promise to Jack Tunney because the snake wasn't in the corner. Before Jake could strike, Elizabeth came out to cover Savage and beg to be left alone. And things got even more intense as Jake crept in and taunted Liz, ignoring the ref's pleas to back off. Jake ignored the begging and drilled a third DDT. As he teased releasing the cobra and berated the WWF's first couple, he demanded Liz beg some more. Finally, he snapped and pulled Liz to her feet before slapping her in the face! This was some epic level heel stuff. Gorilla and Bobby both agreed it was too much and officials and Tunney finally forced Roberts to leave. As Tunney yelled at him, he crossed his heart and said he did nothing wrong and that there was no snake in the bag. This was amazing heel work by Roberts, perhaps the best in company history to this point. It was intense, sick and really fucked up. And it worked so well because of how sympathetic and beloved Savage and Liz were. In the back afterwards, Jake gave a demented promo about how he prefers women that stand up instead of begging and then basically compares slapping Liz to sex. "I could cultivate her into someone even I would want." The match was nothing, but the angle after was everything. And it was amazing.

### Match #3: The British Bulldog defeats the Warlord with a Crucifix at 12:47

Fun Fact: This is the Warlord's final PPV match. He is in the 1992 Royal Rumble, but as far as regular matches go, he is done. His final record is 4-10. He was 0-4 at the Royal Rumble, 0-2 at WrestleMania, 2-1 at SummerSlam and 2-3 at Survivor Series.

### Scott:

We try to compose ourselves after that unbelievable storytelling, to head to a rematch from WrestleMania that definitely isn't for everyone. For Justin and I this is right up our alley, but for some others definitely not. We have two hosses here throwing powerhouse bombs at each other. Warlord had transferred managers from Slick to the newcomer Harvey Wippleman earlier in the month. He was Downtown Bruno in the indies, and honestly I think that's a better name. However in the Federation Era we're not supposed to know these guys came from anywhere else. Giving these two almost 13 minutes may be a risky proposition, but they actually did just fine. Bigger guys are supposed to be more deliberate in the ring and put over their big power moves. Maybe I'm going way out on a limb here, but this may be Warlord's best match in terms of how he's being booked. He's stalking Bulldog and putting his moves over and allowing Bulldog to gain sympathy from the Texas crowd. Gorilla and Bobby are in perfect symmetry here during this match, continuing to discuss the Jake/Savage stuff while this match has some slow spots. The match does slow down when Warlord slaps the full nelson on, but his hands are too far apart. Gorilla and Bobby argue this point throughout the duration of the match. Bulldog battles back and wins the match with a pretty sweet crucifix. That was a fun match for what it was, and Bulldog is about to embark on the biggest year of his career to date.

### Justin:

1991's hottest feud rages on! Ok, maybe not hottest, but it has been pretty good. Things between these two started way back in March when they argued over who had the better finisher. Bulldog prevailed at WrestleMania and then led his team to victory over Warlord's at SummerSlam as well. They also tussled at Survivor Series and are now set for their final war. The match would also signal the beginning of the end of Warlord's WWF run. He hangs around into early 1992 before heading out to pasture when the WWF would come under fire for steroid distribution and he was a clear example of exactly what they were trying to argue they didn't have going on. Gorilla and Bobby were rightfully distracted by what went down in the last match, spending a bit of time discussing that topic as the two hosses in the ring locked up. At this point, both men knew each other quite well so it would take some thinking to gain an advantage. Bulldog would try to mix things up by diving over the top rope and into Warlord after he clotheslined the big man to the floor. Unfortunately for him, Warlord caught him and ran him into the post, dinging up his back. Still, it was a risk worth taking. Bulldog battled through it and used his clotheslines to regain control, even causing Warlord to get tied into the ropes and allowing Bulldog to hammer away. However, Bulldog tried to recklessly dive into Warlord but crashed and burned when Harvey Wippleman helped free up his man. I do like how Bulldog is working a bit more of a risky style here instead of matching power with Warlord again. With Bulldog rattled, Warlord focused right back in on the back, hooking in a bear hug before snapping Bulldog down with a nice belly-to-belly suplex. Bulldog would get a near fall after blocking a piledriver but a Warlord clothesline put him right down on his back again. Warlord would pick this spot to strike and hook his full nelson, but just like at Mania, he couldn't fully lock the fingers, which allowed Bulldog to survive and eventually power to his feet off his knees but was unable bust up the hold this time. Warlord eventually grew tired and broke the hold himself, instead deciding to soften the Bulldog up some more. That was a mistake as Bulldog made a fierce comeback, which included a well executed delayed vertical suplex. He would follow with a powerslam attempt, but Warlord shifted his momentum and crashed onto Davey Boy for a near fall. Bulldog would reverse an Irish whip and hook a crucifix roll up for the win. These guys had some real strong chemistry. I enjoyed how after their previous matches were centered around hitting their finishers, this match ended outside of that because both failed at connecting. Nice stuff. Goodbye Warlord, the promotion has lost a true juiced up shining star.

*** Randy Savage cuts an intense promo vowing revenge on Jake Roberts and taking the blame for what happened to Elizabeth. ***

### Match #4: Ted DiBiase & Repo Man defeat Virgil & El Matador when DiBiase pins Virgil after a Repo Man knee to the kidney at 11:16

Fun Fact I: Repo Man is a repackaged Barry Darsow, formerly Smash of Demolition. He had some hilarious skits where he went around repossessing random objects from random people while cackling his now cult-like catchphrase "What's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine too!"

Fun Fact II: Ted DiBiase regained his Million Dollar Belt at the Survivor Series Showdown, about ten days before this, with the help of the recently debuted Repo Man, who smacked Virgil in the head with the belt. That set up this tag match.

### Scott:

To spell the crowd before our main event, we get four solid workers in a nice little mid-card tag match. The Virgil/DiBiase feud is pretty much over as by this point as DiBiase has won his Million Dollar Title back and now Virgil is just another mid-card babyface. Repo Man is of course the former Demolition Smash but at the time I wonder if people actually knew that? So really it's just four solid workers putting on a fun match. The match is pretty standard fare and as with any match involving Tito Santana we get solid workrate, but the heels escape with the victory.

### Justin:

For the second straight match, another long running 1991 feud is officially put to bed. Way back at the Royal Rumble, Virgil finally broke free from his boss Ted DiBiase to strike out on his own. With the support of Roddy Piper, Virgil picked up wins over DiBiase at WrestleMania and SummerSlam, and came out of the latter with DiBiase's Million Dollar Title around his waist. That would be his peak. Ten days before this show, the debuting Repo Man helped DiBiase regain his diamonds from Virgil, setting up a tag team showdown here. Repo Man was pretty damn fun right out of the gate, really hamming up the gimmick, creeping all around the ring and making you believe he may show up outside your house to steal your car some night. Virgil recruited El Matador to help even the sides, making this an intriguing little match on paper. Tito and Repo opened things up as Gorilla and Bobby set the stage for the Main Event. They wrestled fairly evenly as Sherri was very active on the outside shouting instructions, screaming at the fans and firing up her team. Repo would make the tag and Virgil begged Tito to let him in, to which he easily obliged. Bobby was pretty funny here, claiming Tito was using "poor, dumb Virgil" so he wouldn't have to wrestle DiBiase. Virgil would open with a flurry, picking up a near fall, before sending Ted to the floor with an atomic drop. Tito didn't give him a minute to breathe, chucking him back inside. The duo would repeat that again, battering DiBiase back and forth. Ted finally caught Virgil with a back elbow and tagged out to the refreshed Repo Man. Repo and DiBiase would tag in and out, working Virgil over and wearing him out. As much as Virgil had been elevated it did feel a bit funny seeing DiBiase in this match as he felt quite a bit above the other three by this point. Virgil would eventually find an opening by fending off DiBiase and making the hot tag. Tito came in on fire, rattling Repo with dropkicks and a flying forearm. He went for the El Paso de la Muerte but DiBiase tripped him up from the floor to break things up. That led to a second heat segment, with Tito getting hammered by both men, getting the crowd very fired up. A double clothesline with Repo gave Tito the chance to tag in Virgil. The crowd was hot as Virgil hammered away on DiBiase before things broke down and all four started brawling. Some interference from Sherri backfired as she accidentally smashed DiBiase with her high heel. However, as Virgil tangled with her, Repo drilled him with a knee to the back to allow DiBiase to roll over and pick up the win. That was a perfectly executed WWF style tag team match. The double heat segments were both well worked and the match quickly crested after the second comeback. The crowd was into it as well. Virgil and DiBiase have had a fun feud but it has more than run its course, time for both to move on.

### Match #5: Hulk Hogan defeats the Undertaker to win WWF World Title with a roll-up at 13:09

Fun Fact: To make sure no shenanigans go on in this match, WWF President Jack Tunney sat at ringside.

### Scott:

The match that this show was promoted around sees the Hulkster attempt to become an unprecedented four-time WWF Champion. He is taking on the Deadman, who is trying to stretch his first title reign longer than five days. For the first time in the Federation Era, WWF President Jack Tunney is actually sitting at ringside to assure there will be no shenanigans or tomfoolery during this match, unlike what happened at Survivor Series when Taker won the title thanks to Ric Flair. Both of these matches are actually tough to watch, as Taker was still going through his invincible phase where he was no-selling pretty much every move and his offense consisted mostly of face grabbing and chokes. Taker spent a big chunk of the middle portion of the match pretty much with his hand over Hogan's face. Hogan hulks out of the move, and then Taker looks to have tripped on an Irish Whip and fell into the ropes for no reason. Eventually Ric Flair comes to ringside and Tunney is trying to stop him from interfering in the match. Hogan grabs a chair and smacks Flair, but Tunney went down as well. Hogan keeps the momentum going in the ring, but then we get perhaps the most overbooked last two minutes of a match in the Federation Era. Flair is on the apron with a chair, but Hogan reverses the Irish Whip and Taker goes into the chair. That doesn't keep him down so Paul Bearer comes to the apron with the urn but Hogan ducks the blow and Taker gets hit, then Hogan grabs a handful of ashes from the urn and throws them in Taker's face. Hogan rolls Taker up for the 1-2-3, and he is now a four-time WWF Champion. However Flair had lifted Tunney up to the apron so he could see Hogan using the ashes to throw in Taker's eyes. While Hogan is celebrating we can see Tunney talking to the referee. So the show ends, and we're not sure what's going on at this point. The pro-Hogan Gorilla doesn't care and says Hogan's champ no matter what anybody saw. Overall the match isn't great, as there's no-selling and punching, but the storytelling is solid and leaves us in limbo heading into 1992.

### Justin:

At Survivor Series, we talked about how it seemed Undertaker was just a challenger du jour roadblock on the highway to Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair. We were all shocked as Taker took the title, but once this rematch was announced it seemed like the Thanksgiving Eve title switch solely occurred to draw interest to a quick rematch where Hogan would regain the strap and set course to battle Flair at WrestleMania. Taker's entrance was pretty cool here as he dragged the title behind him with Gorilla ominously warning that this could be one of the shortest WWF Title reigns of all time. The San Antonio fans were red hot for Hogan as he stomped to the ring, focused on regaining his gold. Taker got off to a quick start but Hogan fought through it and began pelting Taker with right hands. Jack Tunney finally showed up at ringside but not before Gorilla buried him for showing up late. Hogan kept on the offensive, only slowing down when he failed on a bodyslam attempt. Moments later he connected on the slam, but despite the smoldering start, Taker wouldn't stay down. Even when Hogan clotheslined him over the top rope, Taker landed on his feet on the floor. Hogan followed him out, which was a mistake, as Taker turned momentum around and use the post and some chokes to quiet Hogan down. The crowd, however, wasn't quieted down at all, loudly rallying the Hulkster the entire time. Taker methodically worked him over, cutting off a comeback attempt and following up by walking the top rope and crashing on Hogan with an ax handle. They would spill back outside where Taker sent Hogan hard into the post again, leading to a claw hold back in the ring. I will give these guys credit in that they found a way to work a somewhat different match at a better pace just six days after their boring slugfest in Detroit. Although I am sure the crowd here adds to it too, as they are just nonstop on fire for Hogan. Taker would go to the well one too many times as he again tried to scale the top rope, but this time Hogan yanked him down. As both men climbed to their feet an Hogan Hulked Up, Ric Flair showed up on the scene. Tunney tried to deter him but Flair shrugged him off and jawed with the president. The match spilled outside again, and there Hogan bashed Flair with a chair, wiping out Tunney in the process. Back inside, Hogan brought the heat. Flair would grab the chair and hop on the apron, but Taker got rammed into it instead. Before Hogan could finish things off, Paul Bearer hopped on the apron. Hogan ducked, though, and Bearer smashed Taker with the urn by accident. Hogan would grab handful of ashes from the toppled urn, chuck them in Taker's face and roll him up to regain the title for the fourth time. Tunney recovered in time to see the pin, but afterwards he had a heated discussion with Joey Marella about what went down. Hogan would celebrate as Flair and Taker vanished, sitting on top of the WWF Kingdom once again. I actually liked this match quite a bit thanks to the hot crowd and heavy stakes. It was worked and booked way better than their Detroit match and felt a lot more chaotic in a good way. As we head to 1992, the main event and title picture look pretty clear on the surface, but as we soon find out, it was quite murky underneath.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

So the mid-week experiment has some ups and downs. We needed a World Title rematch to create the eventual vacancy to set up the Royal Rumble, and the "sort of" blow off between Jake Roberts and Randy Savage. I still don't know why the feud wasn't blown off here and instead Savage wins the battle but Roberts kept the war going. Bret Hart gets a solid IC title defense and we get another great Warlord/Bulldog match. Sadly the buyrate tanked and the WWF wouldn't try the experiment again for 13 years. It's a fine filler show that has some good moments but otherwise is probably forgotten.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

What a difference six days can make. As we left Detroit, we felt very unsatisfied and were left with a fun taste in our mouths. The show kind of stunk, we had a mess in the main event scene and we were robbed of Randy Savage's return. Now, we got an awesome taste of violence from Savage and Jake Roberts, we had a fun main event with a more satisfying, albeit just as chaotic, finish and a solid undercard of matches featuring good workers. Even though I don't think this was a viable concept at the time, I did like the two hour show, as it led to a tight flow and a hot crowd that never burnt out. Everyone worked hard here and this really felt like the bow on a very interesting 1991. It has been a fun year full of hot PPVs and a bunch of title swaps and activity. The roster looks very different than it did a year earlier and for the first time in a while we have some real flux at the top. 1992, here we come!

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #56

  Royal Rumble 1992 – To Be the Man...

  Wrestlemania VIII – Win, Lose or Draw...

  SummerSlam 1992 – Hart Family Drama; Part 1

  Survivor Series 1992 – The Winds of Change

#  Royal Rumble 1992: To Be the Man...

January 19, 1992

Knickerbocker Arena

Albany, New York

Attendance: 17,000

Buy Rate: 1.8

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

### Match #1: The New Foundation defeats the Orient Express when Owen Hart pins Pat Tanaka with a splash off the top rope at 17:21

Fun Fact I: This would be the final PPV match for one tag team and the first for another. First for the exiting team, this would be the final match in the WWF for the Orient Express as Pat Tanaka would leave the WWF in February 1992.

Fun Fact II: This would be the first PPV match for the rebirth of the Hart Foundation...kind of. In late 1991 after the Hart Foundation had broken up and each team member had started a singles career, Jim Neidhart lost a singles match to Ric Flair via the figure four leglock. In kayfabe, the hold injured Neidhart and he had to be helped from the ring. As this was happening, the Beverly Brothers made their entrance for their tag team match. They took the opportunity to further injure Neidhart, who was out for a month. When he returned, he had backup in the form of Bret's brother, Owen, who had recently signed with the WWF. The two formed a new tag team and were dubbed the New Foundation.

### Scott:

We begin the year with maybe one of the most anticipated PPVs in recent memory. For the first time the Royal Rumble match is for the ultimate prize: The Undisputed WWF Championship. More on that later. We open the show with a PPV debut of sorts. I say "of sorts" because technically this isn't Owen Hart's PPV debut. He of course was the Blue Blazer three years earlier at WrestleMania V in a great five minute sprint with Mr. Perfect. He now debuts as himself with his brother-in-law against the technically expert Orient Express, who one year earlier had one of the greatest PPV matches of all time against the Rockers. Neidhart reportedly wasn't supposed to have a job right now, but he is the perfect tutor for the younger Owen. This Albany crowd is jacked up for the opener. The taxi cab-clad babyfaces were dictating things, until a Fuji cane shot to Owen's throat gave the heels the advantage. The Orients now can expertly execute double team moves on the less experienced Rocket. A majority of the Gorilla/Bobby byplay involved Ric Flair, but they would really get into this match. This is the apex of Gorilla and the Brain as a broadcast team. They just get better and better as the show progresses. This section of the match shows what an underrated team the Orient Express was and that maybe they could have had a run with the tag straps. Anvil finally tags in and the faces clean house, ending with Owen hitting the Rocket Launcher on Tanaka for the win. That was a really fun match with both teams bringing their all to this very game crowd.

### Justin:

We kick off a new calendar year of PPV outings with an interesting tag team opener. A year ago, the Orient Express stole the show alongside the Rockers and now find themselves in a similar spot twelve months later. The New Foundation was created to help bring along newcomer Owen Hart at a similar pace as his brother Bret had been for years. So, the idea was to put Owen with Jim Neidhart and let him work his way up the ladder. I liked the idea and it was the perfect use of Neidhart. I don't know if it was an illusion from the baggy pants but Neidhart looked to be in pretty decent shape here. Well, for him anyway. Owen would start thing off with Kato, frustrating the man from the Orient by working the arm amongst various reversals that showed off his smooth agility. The Anvil picked up where Owen left off, except he used his brute power to chuck Kato across the ring. Tanaka entered and ran into the same problems as his partner. In a nice double team spot, Anvil snapped Tanaka over with an Alabama Slam and Owen met him on the mat with an elbow off the middle rope. The OE have some odd gear on tonight as Kato looks to be wearing tight sweatpants and Jerry Seinfeld's sneakers while Tanaka has on some sort of baggy Bill Belichick cutoff sweatshirt. Fuji would get involved, jabbing his cane into the throat of Owen to give the OE control of the match. It was a good idea to let Owen play face-in-peril for many reason, top of the list is of course his selling and timing. In a nice spot, Owen whipped Tanaka to the corner, but Tanaka met him coming in with a crescent kick to the face. The OE were really damn good when in control, working fluid tags, sneaky double teams and effective cutoffs on comeback attempts. In possibly the best spot of the match, they baited Anvil in to distract he referee, allowing Fuji to hang his cane in the corner. They then shot Owen into the corner, with his shoulder snapping through the cane. That looked really cool and I am surprised they didn't do it more often. Owen would mount a comeback with a double dropkick to both men and then tagged in Anvil in while slingshotting him into both Kato and Tanaka. Kato would get dumped to the floor and then met with an Owen dive. Back inside, Owen scaled the top rope and Anvil launched him onto Tanaka for the win. What a really fun opener. Not quite on the par of 1991's installment but it was really good. Owen was great in peril and the OE is just fun to watch on offense. It was clear that Owen had the chops to hang, the question now is when does he get the chance.

### Match #2: Roddy Piper defeats the Mountie to win WWF Intercontinental Title with a sleeper at 5:18

Fun Fact I: This is Roddy Piper's first singles title in the WWF, and first singles title overall since holding the NWA US Heavyweight Title in 1983.

Fun Fact II: The Mountie defeated Bret Hart to win the IC Title two days before at a house show in Springfield, Massachusetts. Bret was sick with the flu and had a 102 degree fever, but said he would at least get in the ring and drop the title. The other reason for the switch that has been floating around is that Bret and the WWF were in the midst of contract negotiations, and the WWF wanted to make sure that if Bret did leave the company that the belt was protected. He obviously re-signed, and would soon be in the hunt to get the title back.

### Scott:

For old school fans, this was a historic moment in WWF history. Other than his epic feud with Hogan in 1985, Piper never really went after any championships during his WWF career. In Springfield two days earlier, Bret Hart lost the title to the Mountie in a house show upset. The kayfabe reason was due to a 102 degree fever, but in reality Bret was in contract negotiations and the company wanted to protect their title. Piper came out to protect Bret from a post-match beatdown and got a belt shot from the new champion. Thus we get our match here. I remember thinking this was a holdover title defense for the Mountie and Bret was going to get his rematch at WrestleMania. However when Piper ratcheted up the Sleeper, and suddenly the Mountie was out. Holy crap, Piper is the new Intercontinental Champion. My brother marked out, and frankly I did too. What a cool moment to see a guy who easily was one of the most popular in the company becomes a singles champion. The match really wasn't much but it didn't matter, the moment was pretty cool. So does that mean we will have a triple threat at Mania? Or will we get the unique Bret/Piper match? Stay tuned.

### Justin:

I still remember watching Superstars the morning of this show and finding out that Bret Hart had lost his IC title to the Mountie and wouldn't be competing at the Rumble. It was really quite shocking. But it kicks off a pretty great series of moments. It was cool seeing all the house show footage of the title change and post-match fracas inserted in here. Nice touch. The Mountie did have a pretty strong 1991 but it was still quite a surprise to him take the gold off the Hitman the way he did. And Piper being slotted in was weird too as he had only been mainly battling Ric Flair around the circuit and didn't seem lined up for any type of serious push or action. Piper's entrance is always so awesome. The beat of the bagpipes and his manic fast paced walk while leaning forward always felt so big and important. The hook during the entrances centered around Piper's golden chance to potentially win both the IC and World Titles here in Albany tonight. Piper jumped the champ off the bell, peppering him with a wild series of punches to drive him to the floor. Piper smothered Mountie, slugging away and poking eyes, until he made a mistake by whiffing on a dropkick. Mountie got in some of his disjointed offense until Piper made a quick comeback, capped by miscommunication between Mountie and Jimmy Hart that led to a sleeper hold. Mountie tried to fight it off before eventually succumbing to the hold, giving Piper the win, his first WWF singles title and a massive pop from the crowd. The match was a whole bucket of nothing but the historical value of the moment and win was pretty awesome and bumps the grade. After the bell, Piper zapped Mountie with the shock stick and raised the gold proudly above his head. This match was on zero radars just two days earlier, but here we are with Roddy Piper as IC Champion and a chance to win double gold still to come.

### Match #3: The Beverly Brothers defeat the Bushwhackers when Blake pins Butch following a double axe-handle off the top from Beau at 14:56

Fun Fact: After the Genius had interfered in and cost the Bushwhackers several matches against the Beverly Brothers, the Whackers brought in a manager of their own named Jamison Winger. Jamison was a socially-inept nerdy character that originally entered the WWF as a sidekick of Bobby Heenan's on Prime Time Wrestling before moving to ringside to second Butch and Luke.

### Scott:

We get a pure filler match here with a new swank heel tag team, and like the Orient Express they are AWA imports. Named "The Destruction Crew" in Verne's territory, Wayne Bloom and Mike Enos were an expert team and came here when the AWA folded. Luke and Butch were just floating around (like they always did) and attached themselves to the annoying character Jamison, an unsightly goof who was on "The Bobby Heenan Show". The match was an ungodly 15 minutes which was mostly saved by Bobby's great rips on Jamison, like about how he smelled like Sardines and his parents wrapped his lunch as a kid in a road map. The Beverlys win but Jamison gets a free shot on the Genius with a kick in the shin. This was mostly fluff to eat some time, so let's move on.

### Justin:

Similar to 1990, when you load up the Royal Rumble, it leaves the undercard to suffer a bit. And in this case, more than a bit. I love the Beverly Brothers, but this just screams "filler match" and almost feels like it exists just so Genius and Jamison would play off each other. Jamison was a good that had a decent run as Bobby Heenan's foil on Prime Time, but by this point he was fairly useless and had run his course. Heenan went right to work hammering Jamison as both teams stalled a bit. OK, more than a bit yet again. It was a lot of stalling, mainly thanks to the Bushwhackers stomping around aimlessly. Finally things got going with Beau jumping Luke and working over his back. The Bushwhackers would double team their way back into control, which led to another seemingly endless stalling segment. And rinse, repeat from there as the Beverlys again got knocked to the floor, allowing the Whackers to stomp around and play to the crowd. The comedy finally ended as the Beverlys started to work over Luke again. Even Gorilla and Bobby checked out of this match, ranting about anything outside of the action. Outside the ring, Genius sauntered over to Jamison and slapped him across the face. By this point, the match slid up the scale from bad to just kind of bland. Luke would catch Beau with a clothesline and tag in Butch, but he immediately got trapped as well. With Luke forced to his corner by the referee, Beau hit an axe handle blow from the top rope for the anticlimactic win. That was rough stuff and what a random, useless finish. Things got dumber when the Whackers beat up the Beverlys and then allowed Jamison to get some revenge by kicking Genius in the shin. This was a mess and the Beverlys deserved better.

### Match #4: The Natural Disasters defeat the Legion of Doom by countout at 9:23; Legion of Doom retains WWF Tag Team Titles

Fun Fact: This feud began back at SummerSlam 1991 when the LOD came out to save Andre the Giant from an attack at the hands of the Disasters.

### Scott:

Our second title match of the evening is the long anticipated match between the powerhouse tag team champions and their massive challengers for the gold. The LOD were red hot towards the end of 1991 but it seemed after this match their title reign cooled off, and eventually they dropped the titles. The Disasters were a welcome type of team in the mold of the Twin Towers, but not with that cool sense of awesomeness that Boss Man and Akeem had. Clearly the premise of the match was if Hawk and Animal had the strength to really work over the bigger Earthquake and Typhoon. With the Rumble match looming, it seemed like whatever match was before that was going to suffer as the crowd needed a second to get to the bathroom or concession stands. The match was average, but to see the Disasters win the match by countout was really strange, and also showed that Vince didn't have the love and affection for the LOD like the other promotions did. Otherwise LOD would have won this thing clean if it was supposed to be a one-shot match. So overall the LOD's pops dwindle as does their booking strength and the Disasters themselves are changed up before WrestleMania. This match isn't much, so let's head to what we are all waiting for.

### Justin:

This feud has been building for a while now, ever since the LOD got in the faces of the Disasters as SummerSlam. They clashed at Survivor Series but nothing was resolved and neither team left with much of an advantage. So, the Disasters get their desired title match here and the LOD are in for a long night with some stiff competition. LOD is still super over here, getting a monster pop from the Albany crowd. Hawk and Typhoon opened things up with some test of strength battles. That ended in a stalemate, so Quake tagged in and tried to up the ante with a dropkick (!) but came up quite empty. That even got a Sky Low Low reference from Gorilla. Animal would match that mistake by trying to slam Quake, which quickly backfired when the big crashed down on his body. The size advantage finally came into play now as the challengers started to lean on the champs, shifting their weight and using their power where they could. They worked over Hawk's back angrily, including a Typhoon bear hug. The challengers have really worked a focused match here, executing on their clear game plan and feeling like favorites in some ways. The crowd would rally Hawk through it until he finally escaped Quake and made the tag to Animal, who came in on fire. All four men would spill to the floor and beat the piss out of each other out there. As Quake rammed Hawk into the ring post, Typhoon slid in the ring and barely beat the ref's count to give the challengers the hollow victory. The Disasters would celebrate with the straps until LOD ran them off with chairs. Well, that was in interesting finish and a way to keep the Disasters strong and in the title hunt. The LOD stood tall and I enjoyed this match much more than I expected to, thanks to the crowd and the focused attack of the big men.

### Match #5: Ric Flair wins the Royal Rumble, and the WWF World Title

Order of entry, followed by who eliminated them:

1) British Bulldog: Ric Flair

2) Ted DiBiase: British Bulldog

3) Ric Flair: WINNER

4) Jerry Sags: British Bulldog

5) Haku: British Bulldog

6) Shawn Michaels: El Matador

7) El Matador: Shawn Michaels

8) Barbarian: Hercules

9) Texas Tornado: Ric Flair

10) Repo Man: Big Boss Man

11) Greg Valentine: Repo Man

12) Nikolai Volkoff: Repo Man

13) Big Boss Man: Ric Flair

14) Hercules: Big Boss Man

15) Roddy Piper: Sid Justice

16) Jake Roberts: Randy Savage

17) Hacksaw Jim Duggan: Virgil

18) IRS: Roddy Piper

19) Jimmy Snuka: Undertaker

20) Undertaker: Hulk Hogan

21) Randy Savage: Sid Justice

22) Berzerker: Hulk Hogan

23) Virgil: Jim Duggan

24) Col. Mustafa: Randy Savage

25) Rick Martel: Sid Justice

26) Hulk Hogan: Sid Justice

27) Skinner: Rick Martel

28) Sgt. Slaughter: Sid Justice

29) Sid Justice: Ric Flair

30) Warlord: Hulk Hogan & Sid Justice

Longest Competitor: Ric Flair (59:26)

Shortest Competitor: Hercules (:56)

Most eliminated: Sid Justice (6)

Fun Fact I: Due to the controversial finishes at Survivor Series 1991 and This Tuesday in Texas, on December 4, 1991 (announcement airing on the 12/7 episode of WWF Superstars), President Jack Tunney vacated the WWF Championship. He also announced that at the 1992 Royal Rumble, the winner of the match would be declared the undisputed WWF Champion. Due to the controversy with the Tuesday in Texas title match, Hulk Hogan and the Undertaker were allowed to choose between numbers 20-30.

Fun Fact II: This Royal Rumble match featured nine past or future NWA or WWF World Champions, which is just shy of 30% of the field.

Fun Fact III: As of 2015, 15 of the 30 participants are in the WWE Hall of Fame.

Fun Fact IV: This match is the final match in the WWF for Haku until the 2001 Royal Rumble where he was a surprise entrant. Haku's final PPV record is 2-10 (2-3 at Royal Rumble – both wins in tag team matches, 0-3 at WrestleMania and 0-4 at Survivor Series).

Fun Fact V: This is the first PPV for Shawn Michaels as a singles wrestler. After having teamed together since 1985, first as the Midnight Rockers in the AWA and as the Rockers in the WWF, Marty Jannetty and Shawn Michaels started having backstage disputes and decided to split in December 1991. In an infamous segment of The Barbershop, Michaels turns on Jannetty, first superkicking him in the face and then throwing him through the glass window of the set.

### Scott:

In what is easily the most stacked Royal Rumble match to this point, we have the ultimate prize on the line. I love how Jack Tunney gets booed when he comes into the ring, probably because he had to strip Hulk Hogan of the belt after This Tuesday in Texas. An interesting point early on is that while Tunney is talking, we see some ANTI-HOGAN signs. What?? That's pretty unheard of, but it's clear the WWF landscape is starting to change and the fans have multiple babyfaces that they'd like to see on top. Bulldog and DiBiase start off hot, but the minute Ric Flair walks in at #3 the needling by Gorilla starts. No one has ever won this early, and he drives Bobby bonkers for the rest of this match, which makes the commentary pure gold. This is Bobby Heenan at his absolute best, begging, pleading, dying for Flair to win this match. Flair spends the early portion of this match bobbing and weaving competitors as they come down to ringside. The crowd is at a fever pitch as Gorilla says with every entry that they all hate Flair and they will go after him first. One of Gorilla's best lines: "Here comes the Barbarian, he doesn't like Flair!" Tremendous, and this clearly shows how modern day commentary is truly lacking everything that Federation Era commentary thrived on: PUTTING OVER THE TALENT. Now it's all about making sure you're the funniest guy in the room. Anyway I digress. What's great about the Flair angle is that some of these guys had feuds with Flair way back in the day. Texas Tornado comes out and I'm reminded of the World Title matches in World Class from 1982-84. We also have Greg Valentine, who both feuded with Flair and won NWA Tag gold with Flair back in the day. We get some fluff like Nikolai Volkoff, but also hot mid-card guys like Boss Man. Flair eliminates a couple guys in the middle, and Gorilla starts admitting Flair is battling his best in there. I love that everybody goes after Flair the minute they hit the ring, and Bobby keeps yelling at them, even the heels. When Piper, going for history himself, hits the ring the place gets unglued. Jake Roberts stays in and stays full heel, letting Flair relax and goes after Piper. Well, then Flair gets short arm clotheslined. The action continues hot and heavy while Bobby is having a heart attack. I love how Taker and Hogan, being the last two champions, got to choose between 20-30 and Taker gets 20. Taker's still a heel, but he goes right after Flair first. Savage finally comes in and he wants Jake and nobody else and then gets the ultimate bittersweet moment: He eliminates Jake but then eliminates himself to go after the Snake more. Savage gets re-inserted though because of "the rules". Rumble rules are like the wind, they change constantly. We will see that throughout the years.

Hogan comes in and the crowd goes crazy, as everyone expects him to win his third straight Rumble. However, the biggest example of culture change comes at #29 when Sid Justice comes out. The crowd goes crazy for him and suddenly Hogan is practically forgotten, or worse, just another guy in the ring. He starts laying guys out all over the place. Then our ending, which becomes one of the most convoluted booking decisions that WWF had ever executed, with mixed results. Sid Justice eliminates Hogan from behind. Now that's kind of crazy that Hogan was eliminated, but what's worse is that after doing this exact thing to Randy Savage and Ultimate Warrior in back to back years, Hogan has the nerve to get pissed off at Sid for eliminating him. On the original airing the crowd went crazy as many (like me) were pro-Sid at that time. So Hogan cries and bitches, then grabs Sid's arm to try and get him out. That allows Flair to sneak up behind and dump Sid over the ropes and win the improbable Rumble at #3 to win the WWF Title. For the first time in his run, Hogan looks terrible here and the crowd isn't falling for it anymore. So in the ensuing highlights on TV the boos would be edited out and cheers replace it. That is so pitiful. THE MAN is the undisputed WWF Champion and cuts a terrific promo at the end when Jack Tunney hands him the title. To this point (2015), this is still the greatest Rumble match ever.

### Justin:

For the first time in the history of this event and match, we have some really heavy stakes on the line for the Rumble winner. I loved this idea and concept that was put into place, and there has been no better year to do it thanks to all the controversy in the title picture. It also was the perfect stage for Ric Flair to attempt to prove he was the true marathon man and the Real World Champion. I thought the caveat of Taker and Hogan only choosing from the last ten numbers was a good one as well as it made sense with all the chaos that led to this moment. Jack Tunney opened the match with a proclamation but nobody seemed to give a shit about that. The match finally fired up with the British Bulldog drawing #1 and Ted DiBiase slotted in second. Gorilla and Bobby immediately referenced Bulldog's recent battle royal prowess in England. DiBiase had a strong showing back in 1990 and he will have to rival that if he wants a shot here. Unfortunately those dreams ended very quickly as Bulldog shockingly eliminated him before the next entrant even showed up. What an odd use of DiBiase here. And then business picked up. Ric Flair powerwalked to the ring at #3, flanked by Mr. Perfect and drowned in boos as Bobby Heenan freaked out in the booth. Gorilla immediately started prodding Heenan, reminding him that nobody that has drawn between one and five has made it to the end. And Bulldog could have ended his night out of the gate as he hoisted Flair up for a press slam but tossed him to the mat instead of over the top rope. Sags was in at #4 and he helped Flair work over Davey Boy. Sags would have a short night of work, getting tossed right as Haku entered at #5. Haku and Flair would also work together before Flair turned on him in an unwise move. And the trend continues as Shawn Michaels arrived at #6, Bulldog dumped Haku to put a nail in his WWF run. Haku has been around since 1986 and has been a stalwart of these PPVs and will definitely be missed. Michaels enters here as a new man, having recently split with longtime partner Marty Jannetty. We saw the hints of it back at Survivor Series and as 1992 dawned, the fracture finally occurred. Jannetty would hit the shelf for a while and Michaels was repackaged as a vein, obnoxious, cocky heel, a role he seemed perfectly suited for almost immediately. He came in with some good fire but Bulldog grabbed him with a press slam before again just slamming to the mat for whatever reason. Tito Santana was next at #7 and he went right at Flair as well. It was pretty cool seeing all these vets tussle with Natch here. In a great desperate move, Flair cranked Bulldog with a stiff low blow but wasn't able to take advantage and dump him. As Tito pelted Flair with his flying forearm, Barbarian showed up at #8, leading Gorilla to ominously proclaim "Barbarian doesn't like Flair". Also making his final WWF appearance is Texas Tornado, who entered at #9. He reignited his last feud with Flair, hammering him with wild punches almost immediately. Tornado's drug issues would finally catch up with him as WWF released shortly after this show and he would sadly commit suicide a year later. This has been a strong first third of the match with some high quality talent going at it, especially when you consider DiBiase and Haku had already been tossed out. Repo Man was in at #10 and the ring was really starting to fill up with lots of elimination teases but nobody able to finish the job. However, the action was pretty good and consistent without the usual meandering around that we tend to see.

Greg Valentine chugged out at #11 as Gorilla reminded us of his great run a year ago. He would go right at Flair as well, trading some old school NWA level chops in the corner. At #12 we have a random surprise entrant in good ol' Nikolai Volkoff, who is still pushing his Russia/US unity via his trunks. I like to think he has been over there brokering peace during his time off. He will have much more time to broker that peace since he got tossed out in under two minutes, ending his short comeback effort. Charging in at #13 was the Big Boss Man and the crowd erupted as he came in and started smacking anyone that got in his way. Valentine would get chucked next, followed by Repo and the ring was starting to thin slightly. Flair would get some air and get hot, dumping Bulldog and Tornado back-to-back. A moment later, Santana and Michaels tumbled over the top, eliminating each other. Bulldog had a nice run and looked strong, seemingly lining up a big 1992. Hercules entered at #14 and the ring has really emptied out now. I love how Flair couldn't help being a douchebag and kept turning on his allies even though it was a terrible decision every time. It almost cost him with Barbarian, but he survived yet again. Herc and Barabrian both got dumped in succession, leaving Boss Man to work over Flair. Just when things looked bleak, Boss Man charged at Natch but overshot his mark and careened off the top rope to the floor, snapping his neck off the bottom rope in a nasty bump. This is great booking, how all these guys have chances to toss Flair but keep making fatal flaws, allowing Natch to hang around. Flair would catch a breather while left alone but the arena roof blew off as Roddy Piper flew to the ring at #15. Piper mauled Flair, dodging any sort of Flair offense and beating him all around the ring with abandon. The field got stronger at #16 when Jake Roberts made his way out. In a great piece of psychology, Roberts just slunk into the corner and watched Piper wear out Flair, waiting for a clean opening to strike. Masterful booking and work here. Jake lined up a DDT on Flair but Piper saved him for some reason. He would then turn the tables by busting up a Flair figure four, causing Bobby to freak out, alternating between praising and hating on Piper. Jim Duggan was out at #17 and the crowd is just rabid at this point. Those four had a super fun exchange of offense leading to IRS slowly coming down the aisle at #18. He was followed by Jimmy Snuka at #19 as the ring started to fill back up for the final stretch. What a loaded field. It really is impressive to see the mix of Hall of Fame and strong veteran level entrants in this one. Undertaker came in at #20, meaning he got the worst possible draw he could have gotten.

In an homage to WrestleMania VII, Taker walked in and pitched Snuka to the floor before going right at Flair. Heenan was completely flabbergasted by this point, begging and praying and selling his soul to the devil to save Flair. Taker would land a strong low blow on Duggan as Gorilla notes that Flair has passed the 36 minute mark. Randy Savage sprinted down the aisle at #21, targeting Roberts with all the hate in his body. Roberts would bail to the floor as Taker stepped in front and smacked Savage down. Roberts would slither back in and land a few shots on his rival, but Macho turned the tide around right away and eliminated Jake after a flurry. In an odd decision, Savage leapt over the top and started choking Roberts on the floor until Taker made the save and pitched him back inside. Gorilla and Bobby were confident that Savage had eliminated himself but then they quickly correct themselves and say he wasn't thrown over so he can reenter. I am guessing Savage fucked that one up. The low blows continued as Flair cracked Taker with one, but it didn't seem to resonate much. Berzerker was in at #22 and Heenan reminded us all that he loves tossing guys over the top to the floor. We will see if they keep his strong push in tact from November. Flair was a real machine in there, never stopping and bringing the fight to guys repeatedly, much to the consternation of Heenan. In one cool spot, Piper and Taker teamed up to choke Flair but Taker then started choking Piper too. As Virgil showed up at #23, Gorilla notes that Ric Flair has surpassed Greg Valentine's time in the ring from 1991 as he continued to march towards the record. In an interesting touch, old friends Virgil and Piper really laid into each other with some tough strikes. No friends here! Running on fumes at #24 is Col. Mustafa, led by General Adnan. Amazing that these two dudes were still lingering way past their expiration date. Mustafa would go right for Duggan, but Hacksaw fought him off and stayed alive. The current longevity record holder Rick Martel charged out at #25, decked out in pink trunks and sporting short hair after a little layoff in the back end of 1991. Mustafa would get dumped but outside of that, the ring stayed packed with everyone paired off and hammering away at each other. The Albany crowd erupted as Hulk Hogan finally emerged at #26 and he wasted no time going right after Taker. Hogan fended off a double team by Taker and Berzerker before eliminating both back-to-back. Pretty interesting that they had Hogan just mow through Taker like that, but I guess they wanted to really put that feud to bed. Virgil would get eliminated just before Skinner showed up at #27. Hogan almost tossed Flair, but Natch hung on as Heenan continued to pray, beg, bargain and deal for his man. Sgt. Slaughter emerged at #28 as Skinner was pitched to the floor. Even though his days as a threat are about done, Sarge being in here does add some cool cache to the match. As he tried to force Flair to the floor, Monsoon officially announced that he had surpassed Martel's record and is the new gold standard in Rumble longevity. The crowd popped again big time at #29 as Sid Justice emerged, finally making his WWF PPV in ring debut. I love Sid's shiny bright blue trunks. There is some real strong star power in there right now, including the massive Warlord, who slowly sauntered out at #30 to close out the field.

As the big man slid into the ring, Hogan and Flair spilled through the ropes to the floor, where Hogan took Natch over with a suplex. Back inside, Sid sent Sarge crashing up and over the top turnbuckle and hard to the floor. It is rare in Royal Rumbles that you can be down to the final eight and have five legit possibilities to win. Piper would yank IRS out by his tie and Hogan and Sid teamed to dump Warlord as the contenders dwindled. Poor showing Warlord. Sid continued to stay hot, tossing both Piper and Martel and leaving us possibly our strongest Final Four of all time. Sid had Savage teetering and Flair came over to give him a final push, bringing us to our final three. As Hogan worked over Flair by the ropes, Sid picked his spot and dumped Hogan to the floor to the shock of everyone. Hogan freaked out, as he always does, and grabs Sid's hand, yanking him towards the ropes. Flair saw this, ran over and shoved Sid to the floor to do the unthinkable: win the Royal Rumble from the #3 slot, running through a stacked field to win the WWF Championship. Hogan continued to bitch and moan as Flair and Perfect escaped to the locker room. Sid and Hogan would have a shoving match in the ring, but the real star of the show was already celebrating. Woooo!

What more can you say about this Rumble match? It was loaded with great action, stayed constantly active, featured damn near perfect booking, was led by immaculate commentary and had multiple stories threading throughout it. It is the gold standard of Royal Rumble matches in every conceivable category. Even the finish was both predictable and shocking at the same time. This will be a hard one to top.

*** Jack Tunney presents Ric Flair the WWF Championship. Flair, Heenan and Perfect would gloat as the press looked on. Put that cigarette out!" ***

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a very fun show with a classic Rumble match and even a solid undercard. For years I thought the undercard was flat because all the big players were in the main event. However watching again, even those two tag matches had something entertaining about them. It was fun to see Roddy Piper get a long awaited singles title after years of periphery feuds. Hulk Hogan's kingdom is quickly crumbling and he's trying his best to keep it together. Ric Flair is the man, and Sid gets shunted to the side as well. We have a long road ahead between now and April 5 in Indianapolis. Let's see how this convoluted main event situation works itself out. Top to bottom, this is a show that can be watched at any time and still make you smile.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

What a fun show. Outside of the dull Bushwhackers/Beverlys mess, this card flowed right along with purpose and excitement. The rest of the undercard was just fine and did its job to set the stage for the main course. And when you factor in that the Rumble took up over a third of the PPV time, I weight the overall grade accordingly. The Rumble match was amazing and Flair's performance is easily one of the best on WWF PPV to date. The Road to WrestleMania is underway but things are quite murky. The one thing we do know is that the Man has officially arrived and is the new king of the WWF.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #58

#  WrestleMania VIII: Win, Lose or Draw...

April 5, 1992

Hoosier Dome

Indianapolis, Indiana

Attendance: 62,167

Buy Rate: 2.3

Announcers: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Dark Match:

Bushwhackers beat the Beverly Brothers in 10:00.

*** British Bulldog vs. Berzerker was originally scheduled but was cut due to time. ***

Actual Show:

### Match #1: Shawn Michaels defeats Tito Santana with a Bodyslam Reversal at 10:39

Fun Fact I: While this is Shawn Michaels' first PPV singles bout, it is also Tito Santana's last (not counting dark matches, as he sticks around until King of the Ring 1993). Santana's final PPV record, including Rumbles and Survivor Series matches was 3-19. He was 0-6 in Royal Rumbles (he was in every Rumble from 1988-1993), 1-7 at WrestleMania, 0-2 at SummerSlam and 2-4 at Survivor Series. Throw in his two dark matches and his record goes to 4-20, as he actually picks up his second WrestleMania win in the dark match at IX, meaning the only two Mania matches he won were his first and last.

Fun Fact II: On the 2/1/92 episode of WWF Superstar, Sensational Sherri was a guest on The Funeral Parlor, where she admitted that she had found the man of her dreams, Shawn Michaels. Two weeks later she made her first appearance with Shawn as his manager and love interest. Sherri also sang the original version of Shawn's theme music, "Sexy Boy".

### Scott:

We open the eighth edition of our biggest show of the year with the first solo match of what would be one of the most storied careers in professional wrestling. After throwing his former tag team partner through the Barber Shop window, Shawn Michaels has his coming out party here against one of the WWF's loyalists. Tito has been at every WrestleMania since its inception and now gets another payday by putting over one of the up and coming talent. Michaels had that look to be a breakout heel star, and as we see 1992 continue, the winds of change are blowing very strong. Michaels has his valet, Sensational Sherri, by his side to give him a little heat. Unlike being associated with Savage and DiBiase, which were simply business relationships, Sherri is enamored with the "Sexy Boy" and even sings his new entrance theme. The singer may change, but the melody will be one of the most enduring themes in WWF history. The match is solid enough as Tito dictates a bit, but Michaels keeps up as Bobby continues Jesse Ventura's tradition of the Mexican jokes to Tito. Michaels wins cheap to get his first of what would be many WrestleMania wins. A solid start to the show here in the bright Hoosier Dome.

### Justin:

And we have arrived at our eighth WrestleMania and on paper it is certainly one of the most interesting shows to date thanks to a lot of mystery around the Main Event scene. It is also a big changing of the guard type show too, as we will see. After a year off, we are back inside a dome setting and it looks pretty damn awesome. Thanks to the style of roof in the Hoosier Dome, the arena is lit up brightly and baked in sunshine. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are back in the booth and pick up right where they left off in Albany as Heenan mistakes Reba McIntyre for Tito Santana's sister "Arriba". Santana is making his eighth consecutive Mania appearance but hasn't notched a win since the inaugural outing in MSG. His opponent is someone that had been pegged as 1992's breakout star, Shawn Michaels. Michaels had gone heel hard back in January and over the past three months he has really cultivated his character into the purely arrogant Sexy Boy. He has also picked up Sensational Sherri as his MILF valet and they gave off a pretty great young stud/cougar vibe, gelling immediately. His iconic "Sexy Boy" theme song also makes its PPV debut here. He really went from bland heel to fantastic cocky dickhead overnight once Sherri got onboard. This was a prime spot for him to open Mania and get the show off and running, especially with a high quality opponent. Gorilla notes that Michaels has already challenged the winner of tonight's Intercontinental Title match, another sign that big things were in the plans. Bonus points for the very topical "I'm Too Sexy for This Crowd" quote engraved on his vest. Tito came out hot, rattling the cocky Michaels and drilling him to the floor with a clothesline. Tito would grind Shawn on the mat with a headlock until Michaels was able to fight to his feet and chuck the Matador down to the floor. After wearing down Tito a bit, Shawn cutoff a comeback with a nice crescent kick to the face. Tito would avoid Shawn's teardrop suplex and that is when business really picked up. After trading blows, Tito landed his flying forearm, sending Shawn tumbling outside. Tito was aggressive, working him over outside before pitching him back in and catching him with a slingshot shoulderblock. Tito would strike with El Paso de la Muerte, but again Michaels rolled to the floor. Tito would try to slam him back in from the apron, but Michaels hooked the top rope, shifted his weight and crashed down hard onto Tito to grab his first major singles win. That was a good match and a rock solid win over a veteran to get Shawn's career up and running. Tito sticks around for another year plus, but we won't see him on PPV again. I will really miss watching his matches as he has been a joy and a stalwart on all of these shows.

*** Gene Okerlund brings the Legion of Doom out for an interview. The LOD had been off TV since February, when they shockingly lost their Tag Team titles to the upstart Money, Inc. They are joined here by Paul Ellering, their longtime manager from their formative years in AWA and NWA. Ellering announces that he is back to manage his boys and Animal and Hawk both issue warnings to the champions that they are coming for their titles. ***

### Match #2: Undertaker defeats Jake Roberts after a tombstone on the floor in 6:36.

Fun Fact I: This is Jake Roberts' first singles WrestleMania match as a heel since WrestleMania II. It will also be his last match with the company for nearly four years. Roberts had been promised a position on the writing team previously by Vince McMahon, but became upset with him when he was not offered the job after Pat Patterson stepped down from the team due to a sexual harassment scandal. He threatened to no-show Mania if he was not given a release from his contract. Roberts would not return to the WWF until 1996 at the Royal Rumble.

Fun Fact II: This feud started on a Saturday Night's Main Event in February of 1992. Roberts had just lost a match with Savage and was waiting behind the curtain to ambush Savage and Elizabeth with a chair as they walked through. Just as he was about to hit them, Undertaker appeared and grabbed the chair from Roberts, solidifying the face turn that the crowd was begging for. A cool moment occurred a few weeks later on the Funeral Parlor, as Jake locked Taker's hand in the casket and laid him out with chair shots and then capped it off by DDT'ing Paul Bearer.

### Scott:

In what would end up being Jake Roberts' final WWF PPV match for almost four years, he goes one-on-one with his former protégé. The cheers for the Deadman couldn't be ignored, so he was turned face and the crowd can now totally be behind him. Jake has been on fire since turning heel back in early August. After Taker had his (very) brief run as WWF Champion, where he got babyface pops after beating Hulk Hogan, he cruised along but here is getting the respect from one of the old timers in the company. Jake was out the door soon due to some backstage issues. He apparently was promised a writing position, but instead of replacing Pat Patterson, Vince decided to keep the slot vacant. That pissed Jake off and he decided to walk out before Mania if he wasn't given his release afterwards. As a result, he came into this match with a bit of a chip on his shoulder. So to really bury Jake out the door, Taker no sold the DDT and ate a Tombstone on the outside. Taker ups his Mania record to 2-0. Meanwhile we say goodbye to one of the best characters in WWF history both as a face and a heel, as well as a master of psychology. The match really wasn't much, and that's a shame. Farewell Snake, and as for the Deadman, well they decide to hand him the "Hulk Hogan" feuds. More on that in our next review.

### Justin:

Even though he was starting to build a bit of a fanbase and it made sense, it was really unthinkable to me at the time that Undertaker could possibly turn face. He was a such a great, scary heel and the way he had been booked since his debut never led me to even consider a turn. So, if he had to turn, it made perfect sense to do it against the one man possibly more evil than he is in Jake Roberts. Roberts has been quite diabolical since turning in the summer of 1991, torturing Ultimate Warrior, Sid Justice, Randy Savage, Elizabeth and others. However, it seems he may have finally met his match in the Deadman. Taker did get a nice pop from the crowd as he marched to the ring, but it was still a little jarring to see. Jake's tights are interesting here, with a naked woman draped in a snake etched into the side of them. The build to this was quick and effective and made Jake look like he had a chance after his Funeral Parlor assault. After the bell, Taker shrugged off any and all Roberts offense before punishing him on the floor, slamming him face first into the post. Jake came back with a short flurry, but Taker again just sliced through it and began to pick the Snake apart. Roberts has had some interesting Mania matches in his tenure and this is kind of reminiscent of his battle with Andre the Giant at WrestleMania V just based on the size and style differential. Just when it seemed like Jake had no chance here, he was able to sneak in a DDT, his one true weapon. However, it was futile as Taker sat right up. A stunned Snake hit his short-arm clothesline and followed with a second DDT. Instead of covering Taker, Roberts rolled to the floor and went after Paul Bearer, looking to steal the urn. Taker would sit up, roll outside and drop Roberts with a Tombstone on the floor to a huge pop. Taker rolled Jake in and covered him for the win. The match was nothing but the build and psychology was very well executed and I liked how Jake's only chance was to hit the DDT and even that didn't work. Props to Roberts for selling out his finisher and putting the Deadman over so strong. This match eerily mirrors our opener as we have another longtime WWF stalwart hitting the road with Roberts leaving the company right after this show. On his way out, he puts over a potential major player entering into a new role. Like Santana, Roberts will also be missed around here, mainly thanks to his top notch promos and psychology. The changing of the guard in Indianapolis continues.

*** Backstage, Mean Gene Okerlund is with the Intercontinental Champion, Rowdy Roddy Piper, and his opponent, the #1 contender for the belt, Bret Hart. Piper talks about how much he respects the Hart family and how he has known Bret since he was little, going so far as to say he remembers him when he was in his "potty pants" and when Mrs. Hart made bologna sandwiches for them. Bret turns it serious after Piper pinches his cheek. In his classic Hitman style, he states that all he is interested in is the IC title, Piper has it, he wants it and he is going to take it back. We get some brief shoving and the two almost come to blows before Bret heads to the ring. ***

### Match #3: Bret Hart defeats Roddy Piper to win WWF Intercontinental Title after reversing a sleeperhold into a pin at 13:50

Fun Fact: This is Roddy Piper's only WWF PPV singles title defense.

### Scott:

In our first WrestleMania battle of babyfaces since Ultimate Warrior vs. Hulk Hogan two years earlier, we get our third straight match where there's a changing of the guard of sorts. Seeing Hot Rod wearing a belt around his waist is very strange, but definitely fitting. Here he takes on a man that he knows very well. Piper, a Canadian, knows Stu Hart and the family intimately. Now I'm sure when you first see this match you're thinking "Wow this is going to be a train wreck." There's an expert technical wrestler against a pure brawler. Let's go back to Piper's last WrestleMania match: That complete pile of trash against Bad News Brown in Toronto. However, I don't know whether it was putting Bret over or just proving he's not a puncher, kicker and talker, but something changed. The Roddy Piper I saw that day wrestled like a guy who was in his mid-20s working up to the ladder. He was working move for move with the Hitman and didn't just punch, kick and posture like he had done before. Maybe because he was a champion, or maybe it was because Bret was a babyface and there was nothing for Piper to make fun of. So he went in there and worked a great match instead of dancing his way through it. Bret even bladed here, which was a no-no back then. I never really knew there was a "no blood" policy in the Federation Era, even by their standards. Bret did it very covertly so he wasn't busted. Someone else DOES get busted later. We'll get there. Anyway this was just as much about Piper putting on one of the top flight performances of his career than about Piper passing the torch to the Hitman. We knew Bret was winning here, but to get a great match like that was somewhat surprising. Bret wins his second IC Title, and in what may seem like his final match the Hot Rod goes out with a bang.

### Justin:

The build to this one had been a lot of fun and the match was highly anticipated. Bret Hart felt like he had been screwed out of his Intercontinental Title and wanted it back. Roddy Piper finally had a taste of gold and didn't want to give it up. The two close friends began to feel the tension of the title looming over them and it led to a series of TV encounters where they kept trying to prove to the other that they could have taken a shot if they wanted to. It was rare to this point to have such a high level face vs. face title match, which helped it stand out as really special as well. Hart had settled his contract issues and was sticking around, so it seemed like a no brainer that he would take back his strap. But with Piper involved, you never know. Piper's focused walk to the ring was great and really set the tone for what should be a heated encounter, as was evidenced by the stoic staredown before the bell. Surprisingly, Piper tried to take the match to the mat to wrestle early, getting pissed and spitting at the Hitman after Hart dumped him to the floor. Bret would take control, working the arm for a moment before unleashing a dropkick. However, when he landed he seemingly dinged up his shoulder, however it was just a patented Hitman trick as he quickly rolled up Piper into an inside cradle when he came to check on him. That one really pissed Piper off and he smacked Hart in the face to let him know as much. Piper would up the ante by luring Hart back into the ring by holding the ropes open but then telling Hart to check his untied bootlace, which gave Piper the opening for a stiff, nasty uppercut to the eye. When Hart came up, he was gushing blood. What a great spot. Piper followed with a bulldog and near fall and business was really picking up now. Piper wasn't able to pick up a pin just yet, so he kept peppering the cut with short jabs. Bret valiantly battled back leading to a double clothesline that wiped both men out. Piper would make a mistake by going up top, allowing Hart to pop up and yank him down hard to the mat. Hart started running through his usual offense but Piper caught him with a stiff boot to the face as the Hitman came off the middle rope with an elbow drop. By this point, this felt like a real heavyweight slugfest, with both guys trading blows back and forth and neither wavering. The referee would get knocked down in the fracas, and Piper took advantage by grabbing the ring bell. However, as he stood over the bloodied Hart, he had a change of heart and couldn't bring himself to bash the challenger with it, fueled by the crowd begging him not to. Piper would toss the bell aside and instead hook on the sleeperhold, however Hart kicked his feet up to the turnbuckle and slung himself backwards, rolling up Piper and winning the bout and title. What a beautiful finish with Piper backing down from cheating and it costing him his gold. Piper would hand Hart the title and embrace his friend after the match, putting the perfect bow on this one. The booking here was just awesome and the story was flawless with both men playing to perfection. Also, because Piper had always been so protected over the years, this felt like a very heavy win for the Hitman, regaining his title and pinning Hot Rod clean. Great stuff.

*** We are joined live via satellite from Atlanta by Lex Luger, who had recently signed on with Vince's World Bodybuilding Federation. Luger had just left WCW, having lost their World Title to Sting at February's SuperBrawl II. This was a pure cross-promotional filler piece with Heenan fawning over Luger while Lex showed up his physique and chugged milk. Luger was scheduled to compete in the WBF PPV on June 13, 1992, but was involved in a motorcycle accident prior to the event and was only interviewed via satellite (much like this one) during the event. The PPV numbers were horrible for the PPV and McMahon disbanded the WBF on month later. We will hear more from Luger as we move into 1993...in the next volume in this series.***

### Match #4: Sgt. Slaughter, Virgil, Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Big Boss Man defeat the Mountie, the Nasty Boys and Repo Man when Virgil pinned Brian Knobbs at 5:22 after Jerry Sags accidentally nailed Knobbs with brass knucks

Fun Fact I: This is Sgt. Slaughter's last PPV match until December 1997.

Fun Fact II: The guest ring announcer for this match is the host of Family Feud, Ray Combs, who introduces the heels with corny jokes before being run out of the ring as the two teams begin brawling. Combs appeared to help promote the upcoming WWF vs. WBF battle on Family Feud in May.

Fun Fact III: Virgil is wearing a face guard because Sid Justice broke his nose during a televised match.

### Scott:

If there was any match that exemplifies the word "filler", this was it. A simple eight-man tag just to give these guys the big pay day and spell the crowd from the IC Title match to bridge to our next bout. These guys are really far down the roster in terms of usefulness, as indicated by our first three matches. Those were all examples of "passing the torch", while this match is pretty much "Ok guys throw each other around for seven minutes and then head to the pay windah" as Dusty Rhodes would say. In the next 18 months most of these guys would be gone anyway. Gorilla and Bobby don't even care who's the legal man and keep jabbing each other on other topics. Let's move on.

### Justin:

We need a bit of a buffer after our fantastic last match so we get a pretty random eight man battle featuring much of the mid card. On the heel side we have Jimmy Hart's stable of he Nasty Boys and the Mountie and they are joined by the always fun Repo Man. Across the ledger, Sgt. Slaughter makes his final WrestleMania in-ring appearance, teaming with buddy Jim Duggan, Virgil and the suddenly aimless Big Boss Man. Boss Man had been embroiled in pretty big feuds over the last 18 months but is now just meandering through the card. My boy Ray Combs is the special guest ring announcer here and he takes potshots at the heels, riling up the crowd a bit before the bell. The faces started hot, linking arms and bashing their opponents with a giant back elbow/clothesline combo to clear the ring. Once things reset, Duggan would dominate Sags but the heels would eventually trap Sarge and work him over but that would be short lived. While the face team effectively took batting practice in the ring, Gorilla and Bobby took the down time to hard sell the upcoming European tour, which was very important to the company's post-Mania success. Repo had some sweet shiny silver tights on here for the big occasion. The heels finally got some semblance of sustained offense by beating on Virgil, including a nice Sags pumphandle slam. Boss Man randomly came in the ring and hit Mountie with a spinebuster, triggering a giant brawl between all eight men. During the fracas, Virgil's face guard came off but due to some Nasty Boy miscommunication, Sags popped Knobbs with it, allowing Virgil to grab the win. Nice little time killer there and the crowd seemed to dig it due to the personalities involved. Boss Man needs something better to dig his teeth into though.

### Match #5: Randy Savage defeats Ric Flair with a roll-up at 17:59 to win WWF World Title

Fun Fact I: This is Ric Flair's only WWF PPV WWF Title defense, and Savage's first PPV title shot since WrestleMania IV.

Fun Fact II: In February, President Jack Tunney held a press conference to announce the #1 Contender to the World Title. The five candidates were Hulk Hogan, Sid, Undertaker, Roddy Piper and Randy Savage. Tunney then announced that Hulk Hogan would be the number one contender at WrestleMania. After some happenings over the following weeks (which we will detail later), Hogan stepped out of the World Title match, and Tunney went with his second choice: Randy Savage, who was still generating great heat since the Jake Roberts storyline. Leading into the show, Ric Flair started claiming that he had dated Elizabeth years before Savage, and even produced photos of the two of them together, with the best one, the centerfold, to be unveiled on the big screen after the match. Of course, Flair lost, so the picture was never shown, and a few weeks later, Savage released the real photos of him and Liz, proving Flair's to be doctored.

### Scott:

After that entire Hogan/Taker/Flair World Title debacle between November and January, followed by Flair's Title win at the Royal Rumble we have come to this. When Flair debuted in September, we were all expecting Hogan/Flair in the main event. A match that would sell this place out and spike PPV ratings, and have ALMOST as much anticipation as Hogan/Andre five years earlier. There's a myriad of reasons why the match never happened. It varies from bad house show gates when they met starting in October (which I think was a TERRIBLE idea), to the fact that Vince always wanted Hogan/Sid dating back to when Sid arrived the previous summer. I can't say, but I do know this. I understand that back in those days house shows were still a huge part of the creative and financial way of wrestling. However, Hogan/Flair dating back to 1984 when Hogan first won the title was the dream match of the universe. So they should have maybe teased them, or maybe had them in tag matches and never face each other. This place still would have sold out and the match would have had an epic feel. I used to say that Hogan didn't want to face Flair because he would have been exposed as a lousy wrestler but frankly that's irrelevant. Flair has faced less talented guys and gotten great matches out of them. Anyway enough of what didn't happen. Instead we've been getting a tremendous build and feud with Flair, an awesome heel, and Savage, a guy who tugs at all your heartstrings and was the perfect sympathetic babyface for this match. The doctored photos of Flair with Elizabeth are pure gold, and it continues with the typical psychology of getting at Savage through his woman. This match is tremendous, with Savage's insane brawling and Flair's calm, systematic dissecting of Savage. Flair is busted open, and HE got in trouble with Vince, getting fined a few thousand dollars. Elizabeth didn't come out with Savage but she does come out late in the match as Flair is pummeling Savage's knee and slapping on the Figure Four. Liz is battling WWF officials to head back to the locker room for her safety while Mr. Perfect (who was awesome in his consultant role here) is helping Flair cheat throughout the match. Flair tries the Figure Four one last time, but Savage rolls up Flair (grabbing tights for extra leverage) and wins his second WWF Title. Bobby is exasperated and leaves the broadcast area. The ultimate indignity is a bloodied Flair kissing Elizabeth before she starts slapping him continuously. The post match interviews are classic, with Perfect and Bobby whining that Savage cheated, while Flair quietly cuts a vicious promo that he will get his World Title back. Overall this is a tremendous package from top to bottom and maybe we didn't get Flair/Hogan, but this was probably even better.

### Justin:

Just when Randy Savage escapes one taxing, mentally exhausting, emotional feud he has to step right into another one. With Jake Roberts finally behind him, Savage was surprisingly granted the World Title shot here thanks to Hulk Hogan stepping down. In the weeks leading up, Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect started to play some serious mind games with Macho, as Flair claimed he gave Elizabeth a few rides on Space Mountain back in the day. Oh, and he had the photos to prove it. It was a hell of a fun storyline. And it was so good that you even overlook the glaring question hanging over this whole show: how did they not run Flair vs. Hogan? There are tons of rumors and reasons why but it was still confusing at the time and possibly even more head scratching in retrospect. I will say that Flair looked pretty awesome with that WWF Title strapped around his waist. Savage was decked out in gold, looking to capture the WWF Title for the first time since four years earlier at Trump Plaza. No question as to whose corner the fans were in for this one. Savage would tackle Flair in the aisle and Perfect wasted no time in getting involved, dragging Macho off and buying the champ time to recover. As Savage maniacally chased Flair all around the ring, Heenan wondered if Macho's mind was in the right place and if he was more obsessed with revenge than taking the strap. Savage was relentless until Flair managed to backdrop him over the top. And speaking of Heenan, he picked right up where he left off in Albany, as he was heavily rooting for Flair and immediately exasperated doing it. Flair took his time working over the challenger, picking up near falls along the way. As Flair dropped a stiff knee across Macho's head, Heenan wondered which of the two men Liz would go home with after the match. What an asshole. It was smart to have Flair take so much of this match, putting both guys into their best roles. Savage bought himself some time with a neckbreaker and followed with a slam off the top rope and a flurry of clotheslines for a very close near fall. Macho would send the champ flying to the floor with a clothesline and then drive him into the guardrail with a blow from the top rope. When Flair met the steel, his head was torn open and it seemed like Savage had a clear path to the gold. Back in the ring, he refused to cover the champ, instead hammering with right hands and a big axe handle off the top rope. Savage would follow with the big elbow but before the ref counted three, Perfect reached in and busted up the pin. The crowd was ready to explode there. Savage chased Perfect into the ring, but Perfect was able to slip the champ some brass knux in the confusion. As Flair decked Macho with them, it seemed like this one was over and that Savage's tank had been emptied. Especially with a potential Flair/Hogan feud still lingering, it seemed like Flair could retain here. But Savage kicked out.

Perfect continued to play a role, smashing Savage's knee with chair. And that brought Liz to the ring as she had enough of the interference. Flair started to viciously work the knee and hook in the figure four amongst all the chaos around him. Perfect tried to help Flair get some leverage, but the referee busted that up and broke the hold. Flair stayed on the leg and taunted Liz while doing so. But just when all was lost, Savage blocked a right hand, spun Flair around and rolled him up with a handful of trunks to beat his nemesis and take home the gold. The crowd loved it. I loved it. How could you not? Liz came in and checked on her man, but Flair was wild eyed and pissed off. He stormed over and planted a kiss on Liz, leading to her smacking him and Savage pouncing and hammering away. The officials finally cleared Flair and Perfect out after they laid in a few more shots, allowing Savage and Liz to bask in their glory. And for once they got to do it without Hulk Hogan looming over them. This was a fantastic match that was well structured and played right into the feud. The Perfect interference could have been overbearing but it was executed well enough to become really fucking annoying in a good way. After watching the full Macho Man & Elizabeth story unfold since 1986, it was hard to think of a better peak for them to experience. After reuniting a year ago, getting married and fending off the sick Jake Roberts, they outlasted the conniving Nature Boy to stand tall in the end. This is easily one of my favorite WrestleMania moments of all time.

### Match #6: Tatanka defeats Rick Martel with a high cross-body at 4:29

Fun Fact: Tatanka is Chris Chavis, who is a real member of the Lumbee Native American Tribe. Before this job in the WWF, Chavis received tryouts for the NFL; teams such as the Miami Dolphins, Detroit Lions, Washington Redskins, and Oakland Raiders, and from 1982-88 Chavis was a professional body builder. He had putted around the Indy scene for a while before getting picked up by Vince and given a solid character and push.

### Scott:

After the epic storytelling and workrate of our last match, we get some filler here to spell the crowd. This filler match is fairly important as we have another young newcomer to the WWF making his PPV debut against a veteran standout. Martel has been one of the most consistent heels on the roster and always puts on good feuds. Sadly right now he seems like another veteran that seems out of place in these winds of change that are getting stronger and stronger. The match is painfully short so there really isn't much to go on here. Tatanka is just getting started, while Martel will transfer to another up and coming young heel. A heel that is equally as vain as he is.

### Justin:

Another WrestleMania stalwart shows up here as Rick Martel battles the newcomer Tatanka. It had been quite a while since the WWF had a Native American character, so here we are. Before the match, we get Tatanka's Lumbee Indian tribe dancing in the ring and Martel cutting a promo filled with racist jokes. Quite the show here for this clash. Tatanka had good energy and a very sharp look and he was easy to latch onto as a young fan. As Tatanka dominated early, Bobby Heenan had a meltdown in the announce both, trying to explain away Flair's loss as Gorilla egged him on expertly. Martel took over and dumped Tatanka hard to the floor. The Model worked the back as Bobby turned to making Indian jokes to help sway his foul mood. Tatanka made the quick, hot comeback capped with a cross body block to put the veteran away. This was solid and by-the-book and good first PPV showing for Tatanka.

### Match #7: Natural Disasters defeat Money, Inc. by count-out at 8:37; Money, Inc. retains the WWF Tag Team Titles

Fun Fact I: The Natural Disasters turned face in February when Jimmy Hart sold their title shot to his new team, Money, Inc. Money, Inc. beat the Road Warriors for the titles at a house show on February 2, 1992 in Denver, Colorado.

Fun Fact II: According to WWF Magazine, Money Inc. was originally supposed to face off against Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Sgt. Slaughter at this show, but plans obviously changed as the Natural Disasters were turned face before the show.

### Scott:

This put-together match was an audible after the Legion of Doom dropped the titles when Hawk got suspended, most likely for drugs. So the Natural Disasters were hastily turned face to give the new heel champions an opponent here. Just like with the Rougeaus/Hart Foundation in 1988, Jimmy Hart was the linchpin of that switch. The LOD came out earlier in the show for a promo that included the WWF debut of their longtime manager Paul Ellering. The Disasters actually come off as decent enough babyfaces and the crowd was quiet but not totally out of it. Gorilla and Bobby continued to needle each other over Ric Flair's loss more than this match. Money Inc. is a pretty good heel team and keeping the titles on them was smart. They need to build sympathy for the Disasters and get them ready for future title shots down the line. So in typical Money Inc. fashion, they just walk out of the match and get counted out. A decent enough filler match to get the crowd ready for the main event.

### Justin:

So things have changed quite a bit in the tag division since our last PPV outing. In February, Jimmy Hart brought Ted DiBiase and IRS together and they were able to steal away the gold from the Legion of Doom. Burnt in the process were the Natural Disasters, who got sold down the river by Hart when he sold their title shot to his new team. I mentioned earlier how jarring it was to suddenly see Taker as a face and I put Earthquake in that same boat. After all the evil he has brought down on the WWF since he debuted, it was weird seeing him on the face side. I loved the pairing of DiBiase and IRS as it made all the sense in the world based on character and was also a needed boost in the arm for DiBiase, who had spent all of 1991 feuding with Virgil and now had nothing going on. It also gave IRS some cred too. There was a lot of staling off the bell, allowing both teams to feel each other out. Quake would eventually strike first and clear the ring of both men with some good fire. The big men pretty much dominated this one right through, using their power to overwhelm the champs. Their momentum only broke when DiBiase ducked a Typhoon charge and the big guy flopped to the floor. The champs would double team often, knowing that was their best chance to wear Typhoon down. Gorilla continued to prod Bobby about Flair as the match meandered along. Typhoon would make one of the quietest hot tags you may ever hear, bringing Quake in to clobber both champs. DiBiase would get slung to the floor and he and Hart would pull IRS out as well before Quake could splash him. The champs would grab their titles and walk off, eating the lame countout loss to save their titles. I don't know why the Disasters just stood there and watched as it all happened. The match was pretty blah and Money, Inc's reign is not off to the strongest start here. The crowd wasn't feeling this one and I don't blame them as we hadn't had much time to warm up to the Disasters and didn't have a big on screen turn to get behind them. Their turn just sort of happened behind the scenes. Either way, the tag division has been shaken up again and now the chase for the gold runs through Money, Inc.

### Match #8: Owen Hart defeats Skinner with a roll up at 1:09.

Fun Fact: This is Skinner's only WrestleMania appearance. The man behind Skinner, however, Steve Keirn, would appear at Wrestlemania IX in a completely different role.

### Scott:

This match should have been pulled off the card. Two really good workers get barely 90 seconds. I'm sure that they were supposed to get more time but the show may have been running long. Maybe they should have cut out that Luger/WBF promo and saved it for the syndication shows. Again, it's probably just to give these guys a payday. Time for the main event.

### Justin:

We are really on the express lane now. As time was ticking away, we weren't going to be given much time to enjoy this one. The New Foundation has already splintered apart as Jim Neidhart was sent packing, giving Owen Hart a chance to fly solo. Skinner would jump him off the bell and eventually hit the Gatorbreaker, but Owen kicked out. A blink of an eye later saw Owen roll up the Alligator Man to grab the really quick win. Skinner's woes with the Hart Family continues as he pisses away another winnable match.

### Match #9: Hulk Hogan defeats Sid Justice by disqualification at 12:27 when Harvey Wippleman and Papa Shango interfere.

Fun Fact I: This is the only WrestleMania Main Event to end in a Disqualification.

Fun Fact II: There are two stories floating around about the ending of this match and why Sid kicked out of Hogan's legdrop. As legend goes, Papa Shango was late running out to the ring, where he was supposed to break up the pin fall after the legdrop, so Harvey and Sid had to improvise, with Harvey jumping in the ring to cause the DQ. The first legdrop story is that Shango was not late, and it was indeed Harvey who was supposed to cause the DQ, but Sid and Harvey made a plan where Harvey would be late jumping in the ring to break up so Sid could kick out of it to make Hogan look bad. The other story is that Harvey and Shango were legitimately late getting to the ring and Sid HAD to kick out to avoid blowing the end of the match. There has never been a solid answer on this, so who knows what is right. Of course, there could have been no mistakes, and the match was booked just the way it happened, but the whole sequence does look weird and improvised.

Fun Fact III: As we mentioned earlier, Jack Tunney held a press conference to announce the number one contender for the World Title at WrestleMania. Just as Tunney was set to announce the contender, Sid Justice began to stand up, assuming it would be him since he was the runner up at the Royal Rumble. Now, Sid was relatively new at this point, and clearly wasn't filled in on the political nature of the WWF: Hulk Hogan is always the number one contender or World Champion unless he decides not to be for a few weeks here and there. In all seriousness, Sid was pissed off, as he slammed the table, crumpled some papers and cut a nasty promo after the announcement. Sid later apologized and offered to team up with Hogan against Undertaker and Ric Flair on the next Saturday Night's Main Event. As the match began to wind down, Hogan had been beaten down by Flair and Undertaker for most the match and was trying to tag Sid. Hogan was able to take both opponents down and make a last second lunge for Sid. However, Justice had other plans, as he mockingly dropped to the floor as Hogan came for the tag. The crowd went ballistic and Sid walked over to Brutus Beefcake who had been in his and Hogan's corner and threatened to punch him in the face. Sid walked out to a chorus of boos, and a new top heel was created. Sid then picked up Dr. Harvey Wippleman, who had been managing the iconic Big Bully Busick as well as Warlord, as his manager and started on a run of jobber destruction that was awe inspiring. Week after week Sid would murder some stiff and continue to build momentum heading into the biggest match of his life. A week or so before the event, Sid appeared on the Barber Shop and eventually flipped out and destroyed the entire set with a chair and the segment ended with the classic shot of Sid yelling into the camera with shaving cream on his face. Hogan was taking this match quite seriously and rumors began swirling that this would be his final match. He even had a sit down one on one interview with Vince McMahon on the Countdown to WrestleMania special, where it seemed awfully likely that the Hulkster would be leaving for good, win, lose or draw.

Fun Fact IV: In the weeks following this show, Sid was set to feud with the Ultimate Warrior, but ended up walking out on Vince less than a month after main eventing WrestleMania. Rumors abound over the truth of his departure: from failing a drug test to Sid being pissed over his WrestleMania payout.

Fun Fact V: Here is some information on why this feud may have come about per Dave Meltzer at Wrestling Classics: "Meltzer said the plan was always Sid/Hogan, and never was going to be Flair/Hogan: The plan was always Hogan/Sid, dating back a year. Business was very different then. House shows were advertised big. You didn't do 2-3 matches in every market on a house show and then the PPV. I knew Hogan/Sid as the main event maybe 10 months out. When they did the TV announcement of Hogan/Flair, it was just an angle as Flair already knew he was facing Savage by then. What people don't realize is that Hogan/Flair started off doing good business, but it had petered out by December, months before Mania. Vince was going to build to Hogan legdropping Flair at the house shows early in 1992, but after a terrible house in Florida, Vince felt it had run its course. He changed all the shows to Hogan & Piper vs. Flair & Sid, and it was Hogan/Sid drawing the money. The only Hogan/Flair Mania hint was in September of 91, when they started their house show run, and Flair wanted to do 30:00 matches and Hogan wanted 15:00, he told Flair they needed to save the 30:00 match for Mania. But when crowds for the program dropped, and second time in our market they only did 5,400 at the Cow Palace, and our market had it first, there was no Mania in their future. In hindsight people think it would have been a big deal, but it had already run its course months before Mania and WWE promoted the program ass backwards and Flair wasn't considered special by WWF fans. I'm a friend of Flair and have never had any interest in paying to see Sid, but that is how it was then."

Fun Fact VI: Prior to the show, newcomer Papa Shango placed a voodoo curse on Hulk Hogan.

### Scott:

For the first time in WrestleMania history, the scheduled WWF Title match was not the last match. The first thing that struck me was that Bobby said he heard Gorilla refer to Sid as "Psycho Sid". I never remember that, and of course when Sid returns three years later that's his moniker. I know they were trying to pump up this match by saying it could very well be Hogan's last match. So that was needed to bring up the drama and get over 60,000 to the Hoosier Dome. Sid was my favorite wrestler in the company at this point, and I remember being really pissed that he didn't win the Royal Rumble and the WWF Title. Then when he got hosed by Jack Tunney and didn't get the title shot here, I was really upset. I still loved Hogan and was still a loyal Red and Yellow follower but I really wanted Sid to be in the title match on either side. Alas we get this match between two powerhouses. Backstage it turns out the steroid scandal was reaching the public, so Vince needed to put some of his bigger guys on the shelf to get kill the heat a bit. That includes his meal ticket for the past eight years. So he takes on the guy who walked out on him on Saturday Night's Main Event. From there Sid went on one of the greatest jobber squashes in history. Every week leading to WrestleMania, Sid would destroy some poor stiff on Superstars and beat on him some more after the bell. The Barber Shop moment where he has powder and shaving cream all over him is a memorable moment in WWF history. As for the match itself, we can probably predict how this was going to go. Both guys have a limited repertoire of power moves and that's pretty much all that Sid does. Stiff chokeslams and clotheslines, followed by terrible nerve pinches, and Hogan sells it all. The crowd is still pretty hot, and of course it was a safe prediction to say that Hogan was going to win this match. I will say Sid hit his big moves (like a deadlift sidewalk slam) pretty impressively. Hogan kicks out of Sid's powerbomb and Hulks Up, does his moves and hits the legdrop. Then the real mess begins. Hogan hits the legdrop, but Sid kicks out. Huh? That was weird, but then Papa Shango comes out of nowhere and starts helping Sid attack the Hulkster. Our main event ends in a disqualification. Then, while the beatdown goes on we hear familiar music blasting throughout the dome. What follows is one of the first real crazy shockers I've seen in history as a fan. THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR??? What the hell? Forgotten after SummerSlam 1991, Warrior runs down like a bat out of hell and cleans the ring. One of the most bizarre endings in Mania history, and to cap it off Hogan grabs a sign from a fan at ringside that said "BRING BACK THE WARRIOR". How fitting and serendipitous. The match was average but this ending, as train wrecked as it was, made me mark out as a fan back then.

### Justin:

For the seventh time in eight years, WrestleMania closes with a Hulk Hogan match. However, it is the first time the show is closing without the World Champion involved in the final bout. In the weeks leading up to the show, rumors were swirling that Hogan was hanging up the tights to transition to a career in Hollywood. Of course, another reason was that the feds were bearing down on the company's steroid issues and Hogan was the poster boy for...ahem, vitamins, and figured it was a good time for a layoff. With the World Title busy elsewhere, Hogan was ready to take some time off and focused his energy on gaining revenge on Sid Justice before he left. The big man had turned on him during a tag match on Saturday Night's Main Event and it pissed Hulk off so much that he gave up a shot at the gold. The week before the show we got a very heavy-handed sit-down interview between Hogan and Vince McMahon where Hogan highly hinted that this could be it. Across the ring, there was a ton of hype for Sid when he debuted in the summer, but his run was pretty tepid until the Royal Rumble. Since then, he has been on a tear, turning heel and murdering jobbers left and right as he set up to eliminate Hulkamania for good. Even though he was originally slated to be the next Hogan, Sid was much more entertaining as a heel at this point in his career. And he had some tremendous presence as he strutted to the ring, head held high, his badass theme music throbbing through the arena. Hogan's pop was strong but was clearly not as robust as in years past. Sid jumped him off the bell but Hogan fired back and sent him flying to the floor with some right hands. In an odd bit of production, Hogan's music kept playing during the fighting. After he drilled Sid again, Hogan posed a bit and the music finally ended as the bell rang. Hogan fended off another Sid attack, again driving him to regroup on the floor. The crowd really got behind Hogan by this point, even louder than during his entrance and there was no questionable split like back in Albany. The two giants would lock into a lengthy test of strength that Hogan eventually came back to win after Sid broke him down. However, Harvey ran some brief interference that allowed Sid to slam Hogan hard to the mat with a one handed chokeslam. Sid would target the back from there before locking in a very bland nerve hold that killed the match dead. It went on way too damn long. Hogan refused to give in to that vicious hold, so Sid broke it and drilled a side suplex before gloating a bit. Sid has wasted a whole lot of time here, I can't believe Gorilla hasn't been blasting him for it. Sid would get a near fall off a powerbomb, but Hogan blew out of the cover and Hulked Up to the roar of the crowd. Hulk drilled the big boot, slammed Sid and dropped the leg but Sid kicked out at two just as Harvey Wippleman hopped in the ring. Harvey didn't even touch Hogan, but the referee called for the lame DQ anyway. I know we ran through the scenarios above, but something had to be botched up here because it is super awkward after the legdrop. It was cool seeing Sid kick out of vehemently though, which kind of made sense based on his planned push. As the two continued to brawl, newcomer Papa Shango ambled to the ring and helped Sid put the beatdown on Hogan. As the assault was on, a familiar guitar riff echoed through the arena and the Ultimate Warrior charged to ringside to clean house. His return here is easily one of the best WrestleMania surprises of all time. Hogan and Warrior would pose together to close the show, very similarly to two years earlier and in some ways it felt like yet another passing of the torch. With Hogan riding off into the sunset, he passes on his endorsement and the company also picks up a top level face to step into the void. As for the match, it really was not very good. It was really Hogan Template Match #4 out of his catalog and didn't do much to make Sid look great in any way, outside of him kicking out of the legdrop, but even that was basically forgotten about with all the post match kerfuffle. Either way, Hogan gets his big moment in the sun, Sid gets a chance to catch his breath and reboot and the Warrior is back in the house. Oh, and then Sid leaves a couple of weeks later. Making this all feel even a bit more useless in the end.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This was a very unique WrestleMania, at least for its time. We had more torch-passing matches than ever before, as Shawn Michaels, Undertaker and Bret Hart all got big wins from established veterans. We had an incredible World Title match, and even though the match was lackluster, the main event delivered on a shock factor with the return of the Ultimate Warrior. The feeling many must have got from this show was that definitely change was in the air. Even though Hogan was standing tall at the end, you didn't get the feeling he was sticking around anyway. With Savage as a huge babyface now, going after the title wasn't an option. So maybe he was leaving, and it was time to freshen things up. We see in August that change was indeed in the air. This is one of the more fun, if not unique WrestleManias in history and one that if you haven't watched in a while you may want to throw in again.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This is a really hard WrestleMania to break down and grade. There aren't really any terrible low points and the highs are really high, but there is a lot stuff that just doesn't totally click. As we mentioned throughout, there was a lot of change in the Hoosier Dome air, with a new era of WWF stars being pushed to the forefront and much of the old guard being slowly phased out. Similar to 1988, the company is going quite the overhaul as it sets itself up for a post-steroid scandal world. Piper/Hart and Flair/Savage was tremendous matches and angles and those two things plus Warrior's return, the commentary and the historical significance of the ascension of Hart, Shawn Michaels and Undertaker prop this up more than the grades doled out would lead to the believe. It feels like a real transition show and period and I think the company did a great job taking advantage of the opportunities laid out in front of them to get their new stars over. If the World Title match and Hogan/Sid match were flipped, I think this card comes off a bit stronger as you separate the two strongest matches a bit more but prop up the middle with Warrior's return and Hogan's sendoff. Either way, it is still a really fun installment and it was nice to take a step back from the super bloated Mania cards that we have seen over the four years.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #60

#  SummerSlam 1992: Hart Family Drama; Part 1

Taped August 29, 1992; Shown August 31 on PPV in the United States

Wembley Stadium

London, England

Attendance: 78,927

Buy Rate: 1.5

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan

Dark Matches:

1) Papa Shango (Charles Wright) pinned Tito Santana (Mercedes Solis) in 6:00.

2) Tatanka (Chris Chavis) pinned Berzerker (John Nord) in 5:46.

3) Bushwhackers and Jim Duggan beat the Nasty Boys and the Mountie when Duggan

pinned the Mountie (Jacques Rougeau) in 12:33

Fun Fact: Papa Shango/Tito Santana was the only legit dark match; the other matches had actually been announced as part of the card and were filmed at various times (Tatanka/Berzerker was right before the main event, as the sky is dark during that one match) but were cut out of the PPV airing due to time constraints. All three matches eventually aired on Prime Time Wrestling in the fall of 1992.

Actual Show:

### Match #1: The Legion of Doom defeat Money Inc. when Animal pinned Ted DiBiase with a power slam at 11:58

Fun Fact I: Over the spring of 1992, Vince felt, and rightly so, that the LOD was getting a bit stale, so he decided to bring back their long time manager, Paul Ellering. A few weeks later, WWF started airing vignettes of the LOD walking around their home turf in Chicago and talking about "losing their inspiration" while thinking of their childhood. During one of these skits in the junkyard they found their beloved ventriloquist dummy Rocco, which Paul Ellering decided they needed at ringside to help guide them through matches. Rocco didn't fare too well as the LOD was done by September, as Hawk was out with an injury and Animal briefly formed the New Legion of Doom with Crush before leaving for Japan.

Fun Fact II: This was originally scheduled to be a tag title rematch (Money Inc. won the straps from the LOD in February) but the Natural Disasters won the titles at a house show in Worcester, MA in July, so this just became a regular tag match.

### Scott:

Our opener of the first Hulk Hogan-less PPV ever breaks my heart to no end. I love both these teams and of course the LOD is my favorite team of all time. However, the team that I grew up watching destroying jobbers in Georgia, AWA and Mid-Atlantic, winning championships everywhere is no more. Sure Paul Ellering is back, which completes the triumvirate...well actually it's now a quartet. Because joining them is Rocco...a dummy. No I'm not back to insulting Jamison, I mean an actual dummy. The greatest tag team in wrestling history has turned into a joke. This may be one of Vince's biggest crimes. Most of this is me being a fan, because the team was a mess backstage, particularly Hawk. He was suspended before Mania, which is why they didn't have a match on the show. They float through the year as the Natural Disasters replace them as the top babyface team to battle with Money, Inc. Now they need to blow this feud off so the Disasters won the titles earlier in the summer and will face another heel team later in the show. Regardless of all the backstage shenanigans, this was a fun match. The crowd is red hot as this does have a very WrestleMania-type feel with the huge crowd, and they are all into this match. The back and forth is solid, and add in Ted DiBiase's awesome alternate white tights/boots and you've got a great opener. The LOD gets the hot win, but sadly we won't see them again for quite a long time and that is a shame. As great as this match was, what happened to them in 1992 broke this Road Warriors fan's heart.

### Justin:

Our fifth SummerSlam is a unique one as for the first time in WWF PPV history, the show emanates from across the pond in London, England. The show was actually taped two days before it aired, which is pretty crazy to think about for such a major PPV event. Wembley Stadium was pretty awesome looking and the massive crowd is rocking immediately out of the gate. Also of note is that Vince McMahon is calling his first PPV event since SummerSlam 1990. Since losing their tag titles and reuniting with Paul Ellering, the LOD has been lost in the shuffle. Add in their prized dummy Rocco and suddenly the team that seemed so badass and unbeatable a year ago feels like a bit of a comedy act here. Money, Inc. lost their gold a month earlier, making this a straight up revenge match for the Road Warriors, with them no longer having a shot at regaining their straps. The LOD entrance was pretty awesome, as all three ride down the long aisle on motorcycles. And I would be remiss not mentioning Ted DiBiase's swank white and gold tuxedo and tights. Hawk smoked DiBiase to open things up, revving up the crowd even more. Both guys would swap out but the results were the same as Animal slammed IRS hard with a gorilla press. IRS would quickly turn things around by hooking Hawk in a sleeperhold. Hawk would survive that both both IRS and DiBiase would rotate controlling him and keeping him as grounded as possible. Money, Inc. was really good at the little heel things, doing the non-tag gimmick when the referee was turned, hooking the ropes and using each other for leverage during submission holds, baiting the guy on the apron in to distract the ref, etc. They had all of those tactics on display here during the heat segment. They were really smart to work such a long, old school heat segment here too because this crowd was super into the LOD. Hawk would finally make the red hot tag to Animal, who came in and flew around, beating the piss out of both men. The LOD would set up for the Doomsday Device, but IRS busted it up. A moment later, Animal snapped DiBiase over with a powerslam and picked up the win to a mega pop. That was a nice little tag match. There was nothing out of the ordinary and I would think in front of a different crowd it would have felt a bit flat, but they did what they needed to do for this crowd. The LOD picks up their final WWF PPV win for nearly four and a half years as personal problems with Hawk would split the team apart for a while. It has been an interesting up and down two years for the Road Warriors in the WWF and for a while they were kings of the mountain, but since 1992 started, they quickly fell into a bit of irrelevancy. Money, Inc. takes the loss but have much bigger things ahead.

### Match #2: Nailz defeats Virgil with a chokehold at 3:16

Fun Fact: Nailz began cutting promos from prison in May of 1992 about how he used to be abused by the Big Boss Man in jail. As the promos reached into June, he claimed that he was nearing his release from prison and that he would be taking out his revenge on the Boss Man very soon (glad to see they STILL LET HIM OUT OF PRISON after he made death threats on national TV). On Superstars in late June, Nailz jumped through the crowd and completely decimated the Big Boss Man with his nightstick. The WWF even putting pictures of the battered Boss Man in WWF Magazine, and they did a good job of making him look fucked up. Nailz went on a mini reign of terror until Boss Man returned in late September, looking for revenge. In reality, Nailz was ex-AWA competitor Kevin Kelly (Kevin Wacholz).

### Scott:

We have a new character here as Virgil takes on a former prison inmate hell bent on revenge. He's already attacked the Big Boss Man earlier in the summer as payback for his incarceration, but now he tackles the tepid Virgil. Since losing the Million Dollar belt back in the fall, Virgil has slowly slipped down the ladder to become a Jobber to the Stars. Back to Nailz for a second. For those die-hard AWA fans from back in the 80s, Nailz was former heartthrob "Mr. Magnificent" Kevin Kelly. Remember that character and take a look at Nailz now. Yeah, that's really the same guy. This match isn't much as Virgil gets a move or two in but Nailz gets the predictable win and then works Virgil over after the match to keep his heat building and set up the inevitable Nailz/Big Boss Man blow-off, likely slated for Survivor Series. Filler match, but one that enhances a memorable but brief lasting character.

### Justin:

Our next bout features a menacing heel that showed up on the scene back in May. The ex-convict Nailz was released from jail and immediately showed up for revenge on the prison guard that abused him while in the clink. The beating he laid on the Boss Man was very ugly and knocked the big man out for most of 1992. Boss Man's buddy Virgil stepped up to the plate and was ready to take a hack at Nailz out of loyalty, but it certainly seemed like a fool's errand. Nailz had an interesting look and was certainly believable as a fucking psychopathic maniac. I still find it funny that they aired vignettes of Nailz threatening Boss Man from his prison cell, as if they wouldn't take that into consideration before letting him out. Virgil tried to stick and move early, even rattling Nailz with a stiff forearm and a dropkick, but the crazed ex-con stopped him short with a choke in the corner. Nailz would batter him a bit more until Virgil made a brief, spirited comeback. That ended abruptly as Nailz locked in his controversial choke sleeper that knocked him out cold. He would also lay in a couple of stiff shots after the bell for good measure. Nailz picks up a win in his first PPV outing, but he has a much tougher road ahead when Boss Man finally returns.

### Match #3: Rick Martel and Shawn Michaels wrestle to a double count out at 8:06

Fun Fact: During the weeks leading up to this match, both men began interfering in each other matches in order to win over the affections of Sensational Sherri. Michaels went to so far as to even cost Martel an IC title match with Bret Hart. When the two decided to fight it out at SummerSlam, Sherri made them promise not to hit each other in the face because they were both so good looking.

### Scott:

On paper, this could be an exemplary match between two similar but different workers. The Model is an established veteran who is an expert technician in the ring. Michaels has the "it" factor, but is still establishing his in-ring portfolio. That is to say that he's got the athleticism but he continues to work on the "in-between" stuff, the psychology/storytelling moves to lead into the big stuff. Martel isn't necessarily a high-flyer as he is a move-for-move worker and is a perfect guy for Michaels to work with right now. The crux of the storyline is that even though Sensational Sherri is Shawn's girl, she is quite smitten with the Model and he is with her as well. So she doesn't want either of them to touch their pretty faces, which unfortunately takes something away from the match. Sure we don't want to see endless punches from either of them, but the awkwardness of not punching to the face sometimes leads to awkward moments in the ring. After a few moments they settle into punching in the gut. The match meanders along until they're ready to deck each other, but Sherri faints. Both men want to take care of her and instead start brawling down the aisle and eventually both get counted out. Sherri pretends to stay fainted because she's enjoying the attention. Then both men battle over which one gets to take her to the back. The storyline makes perfect sense and was fun, but the stipulation takes away from the match and eventually it ended badly. Put these two in a better situation and they could have had a spectacular match, but instead we get an average match that relied almost too much on Sherri and not enough on the workrate.

### Justin:

This is a pretty interesting heel vs. heel feud that brewed over the summer. Rick Martel had taken a bit of a shine to Sensational Sherri and started to bust Shawn Michaels' balls as part of his courtship. Michaels would get some revenge by costing Martel an IC title match, leading to them inking a match for this show. However, because Sherri found both men to be so handsome, she requested that neither touch the other's face. It was a cool gimmick idea that I enjoyed and fit both characters perfectly. Martel had some pretty swanky tennis gear on here to play up the Wimbledon ties. However, it failed to even come close to comparing to Sherri's insane assless chaps. Hache mache! Listening to Vince comment on it without saying exactly what was going on was pretty fun. Martel really frustrated Michaels early, even busting out some jumping jacks to really rub it in. In a small piece of trivia, these two met at SummerSlam three years ago as part of that really fun six-man tag. Shawn would grab hold of Martel's arm and go to work a bit. I loved how they kept teasing the face shots but just holding back as it was nice, easy heat. Martel would dump Michaels to the floor and then follow him out, but stopped along the way to hug Sherri, which she seemed to enjoy quite a bit. I found it also interesting that Michaels slipped into the face role as it seemed like Martel would be a better fit there due to Michaels having just turned and started his push. Although I will say he still heeled it up quite a bit throughout. There were lots of near falls, leading to tempers finally flaring and things breaking down when Michaels slapped Martel across the face. Martel returned the favor, and just before everything broke loose, Sherri fainted on the apron. That stopped the match cold and the love triangle flared up hard. Michaels tried to check on his cougar, but Martel stopped him and the two started to brawl down the aisle, leading to a double countout. Sherri popped up to see what was going on and then laid back down, showing she faked passing out. Michaels would fight of Martel and then go pick up his woman and walk her to the back. However, before he could get there, Martel ran out and slugged him, sending Sherri tumbling hard to the floor. Martel would try to carry her back, but Shawn knocked them both down to stop that. Martel would get the final shot by dousing Sherri with water to wake her up. The two men would brawl to the back again, leaving a drenched Sherri crying all alone. This was a pretty fun match with some good psychology but it all came to screeching halt with the weak double countout and ensuing antics. I would have loved to see what they could have done with a straight laced match with Martel playing face, but alas. I am surprised they went double countout here and didn't have Michaels go over strong to set him up for the fall especially since Martel was on his last legs overall.

### Match #4: The Natural Disasters defeat the Beverly Brothers to retain WWF Tag Team Titles when Earthquake pins Beau in 10:21 after an Earthquake splash

Fun Fact: The Natural Disasters won their only tag titles at a house show in July. They held them until October, where they would drop them back to Money, Inc. at another house show, this time in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

### Scott:

When the year started, Earthquake and Typhoon were hated heels battling the LOD. Fast forward eight months and they are loved babyfaces and the Tag Team Champions. The LOD were practically out the door at this point, so the bookers reused the 1988 Harts/Rougeaus storyline of "Jimmy Hart maneuvering contracts" so the Disasters were hung out to dry in favor of Money, Inc. So to split the two tag team matches apart the Disasters won the titles and faced a fresh heel team here, while LOD can finish off their feud with DiBiase and IRS without the titles being involved. I wasn't a fan of the Disasters turning face, but if it meant that John Tenta got a taste of WWF gold, I was satisfied. The match isn't too bad, as Beau and Blake use their heel tactics and speed to dictate tempo against the bigger champions. Typhoon is the face-in-peril and the drama builds until the crazy hot tag to Earthquake and the Wembley crowd goes crazy when it happens. I reiterate that seeing Quake as a champion is a great thing for a career company guy. Quake finishes off the Beverlys with the Quake splash to retain the Tag Titles in a fun match with a very hot crowd. Their spot at the top of the card won't last but for now they bask in the glory of being the champions.

### Justin:

After nearly a year of chasing, the Natural Disasters finally grabbed the tag team gold at a house show in July. It was an interesting change since it wasn't televised and Money, Inc. had seemingly moved on past the Disasters, and also when you consider the other titles were around the waists of faces, it was an odd choice by the WWF. Either way, it was nice to see them get rewarded for being a pretty good team that was over with the fans. The Beverly Brothers had spent the summer feuding with the LOD so it was a bit surprising that they got this title match here and just based on size alone they seemed to be severe underdogs. It really would have paid the summer feuds off better if LOD battled the Bevs and the Disasters took on the former champs. It was such odd booking that it almost seemed obvious that the Bevs could win because why else suddenly enter them into the picture? I did enjoy the Disasters' happy go lucky, yet dangerously monstrous demeanors. As they have been all night, the Wembley fans gave the champs a very warm welcome. The Bevs attacked off the bell but that backfired severely thanks to the girth of the Disasters. In an impressive pot, Blake hoisted Typhoon up for a slam and actually held him up for a few seconds until the big man's weight became too much and they crashed back to the mat. However, a little slight of hand heel teamwork let to the Disasters colliding and the challengers given a golden opportunity to take advantage. They would double team and work quickly in beating on Typhoon, draping him over the middle rope and pounding his back. It was a very focused attack and it seemed like they may be able to overcome the size difference and pull this off. Just when they got a little lax and cocky, Typhoon cracked both brothers with a big double clothesline, however it wasn't enough to allow him to escape and make the tag. The closest near fall came when the Bevs used the Genius' scroll and nearly grabbed a win over Typhoon before Quake broke the cover up. The crowd bit on that one for sure. Quake would get the tag a moment later and it was over from there as he just pounded both Bevs before polishing off Beau with the Earthquake Splash to a monstrous pop. For having a fairly obvious ending and not much a feud behind it, this ended up being a fun little tag match. Again, the crowd heat really pushed it along and Typhoon did a nice job selling the Bevs' offense. The Disasters continue to reign as champs and look towards their next challenge.

### Match #5: Crush defeats Repo Man by submission with the Cranium Crunch Head Vice in 5:41

Fun Fact I: This would be Repo Man's final PPV match (not counting Rumble '93) as he would leave the federation in the summer of 1993. He would eventually pop up in WCW crowds in 1994, where he would heckle all of the wrestlers. Eventually he started to wrestle under the name Blacktop Bully and would have some decent success as a tag team with Bunkhouse Buck. Bully and Dustin Rhodes were fired in March of 1995 after blading in a match where they were told specifically not to. Bully was brought back eventually and went through a number of gimmicks, most notably Stewart Pain, a wrestling golfer. After his namesake Payne Stewart died, he changed his name to Barry "Hole in One" Darsow. He would close out his WCW career jobbing on WCW Saturday Night. Barry Darsow had a solid career that spanned two decades, but he never reached the popularity he had in the late 80s as Demolition Smash.

Fun Fact II: In the spring, we began seeing vignettes of former Demolition member Crush sporting a whole new look and attitude. Gone were the spikes and face paint, and replacing them were neon tights and lightened blonde hair. Crush was usually shown in a junkyard...crushing stuff. He made his TV in ring return on the 5/9 Superstars, defeating Kato in under two minutes.

### Scott:

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a Demolition reunion match. I wonder if this some kind of a fun rib as the former Crush and Smash battle in a filler match. Sure Crush kept his name but gone are the days of black leather and studs and now he's from Kona, Hawaii and wears bright orange and pink. Some fans may not even realize that Repo Man is Crush, but this match is still very fun to see happening. Crush is crazy over, and could be a guy that is at the forefront of the company over the next year. Halfway through this card and you can see change in the air. I don't know if this crowd misses Hulk Hogan or not, but so far they have been all over this show and full of energy. Crush wins it with his head vice finisher and the crowd is crazy. The matches so far may not have all been five-star classics but this London crowd has certainly made this show immensely entertaining so far. We now get to one of the centerpiece matches of this show, and everyone is ready.

### Justin:

The undercard chugs along as we have an unlikely explosion between former Demolition members. Repo Man of course is the former Smash and here he faces off with the new look Crush. Crush had taken some time off from WWF after WrestleMania VII and returned earlier in 1992 as a happy-go-lucky Hawaiian that enjoyed crushing coconuts on the beach. He was clearly being set up a top level face and he had a great look, despite the insane neon tights. Repo tried to sneak around and pepper a few shots in early, but Crush's power was just too much and it almost became a bit playful by the big man. Repo was a bit of a goofy gimmick but he has been a solid heel in the mid card since he showed up late in 1991. He was a good veteran hand and had enough substance in the ring to help get the younger faces over. Even when Repo did find some daylight, Crush was able to shrug off his blows with ease. Crush would catch a careening Repo with a powerslam before finishing him off with the Cranium Crunch for the easy win in his solo PPV debut. Nothing doing here but the novelty of the Demolition clash was cool and Crush getting a win on this stage set him up well for the rest of 1992.

### Match #6: Ultimate Warrior defeats Randy Savage by count-out at 26:15; Savage retains WWF World Title

Fun Fact I: According to legend, Ultimate Warrior was supposed to turn heel at the end of the match and win the World Title, which could explains why it is in the middle of the card, as Vince did not want to send the fans home upset. Right before the show, however, Warrior backed out and decided he did want to turn heel, so the whole match was rebooked. Warrior would be gone by November and would not return until 1996. Savage would end up losing the title to Ric Flair the very next night, September 1st, at a house show in Hershey, PA. After this match, Flair and Perfect destroy Savage's knee with a chair, and the following night, Flair takes advantage of that injured leg and forces Savage to pass out in the figure-four.

Fun Fact II: There was great intrigue and curiosity heading into this match, as for weeks, Flair and Perfect kept claiming that one of the participants could purchase Perfect's managerial services for the night. Heading into the show, they claimed that either Warrior or Savage had taken them up, but they wouldn't say which one. In Flair's classic pre-match interview, Mean Gene asks who's dressing room Perfect is in, and Flair replies, "of course, he is in the dressing room of...the winner...WHOO!" Halfway through the match, Perfect and Flair strut to ringside and interfere on behalf of both men, who begin to distrust each other even more than they did heading into the match. The match ends with Flair nailing Savage with a chair after he dove at him from the top rope, and the proceed to destroy Savage's knee and also brutalize Warrior, as all along, they were just playing head games and had never even talked to either guy about managing them.

### Scott:

Well this is a big main event, with a crazy backstory. This build has had its twists and turns throughout the summer, with multiple parties involved. Funny how we had a match with two heels (Martel/Michaels) earlier and now the first of two matches with two babyfaces. Obviously with this show not having Hulk Hogan involved, they really needed to craft this show right if they expected a big crowd and a huge buyrate. Remembering that these two put on a five-star classic the year before at WrestleMania, a rematch wouldn't be a problem at all. Then you have the mystery about Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect. Whose corner will Perfect be in? My first question is how is Flair not on this show? Did we know if he had an injury or not? We knew why Perfect hadn't wrestled: It's called a Lloyd's of London policy. But Flair? One of the hottest heels in the company coming in and out of Mania, plus with Sid Justice gone you'd think he'd get a bigger role on the show than just being a storyline hook. I've always found that really bizarre. We find out later that he had a form of Vertigo at the time and couldn't wrestle. Such a bummer. As for our participants, it's clear both guys were told to get off the steroids due to the pending legal issues. That's why Hogan is off camera and that's why both Warrior and Savage are wearing ring gear to hide their smaller physiques, particularly Savage. He's got long tights and a shirt top. Warrior is wearing a singlet with muscles painted on it. That's funny, but even funnier when a future superstar actually wears it again. The match is exceptional, as both men actually look more agile and faster than their previous encounter. That particularly holds true for Warrior, who is moving at a brisker (for him) pace than he normally did. They go back and forth until Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect come down to the ring and now the shit starts to stir. They skulk around ringside until Savage is tripped on an Irish whip. The crowd starts booing vociferously as Warrior comes to his feet and works Savage over. So did Warrior sell out? Later in the match while Savage is outside trying to get the knocked-down referee's attention, Perfect gets in the ring to rustle Warrior up, but then holds him while Flair cracks him with brass knuckles. So was it Savage who sold out? Well Savage drops the elbow and even pulls the tights but Warrior still kicks out. The battle continues but Savage looks to finish Warrior off with an elbow drop but instead he comes off the top rope to Flair on the outside. Flair cracks Savage's knee with a steel chair and Savage gets counted out. The post-match is even crazier and Flair and Perfect beating Savage down and, knowing his rematch for the World Title later that week, slaps the Figure Four on to weaken that knee. Warrior chases Flair and Perfect down the aisle and the two babyfaces in the ring together. Urban legend is that Warrior was going to turn heel in this match and win the World Title, but he didn't want to be a heel champion so he sacrificed being champion to stay a fan favorite. Warrior would eventually have issues with Vince backstage and vanish again. Savage would only be WWF Champion for a few more days, but this is one of the more memorable and deeply psychological title matches in WWF history. The crowd loved it and maybe, just maybe, the crowd isn't really missing Hulk Hogan.

### Justin:

The World Title is on the line in our next match and again it was a challenge that kind of came out of left field. All summer it seemed as if Randy Savage would be putting him gold back on the line in a WrestleMania rematch, however it was suddenly announced that the Ultimate Warrior would get the bout. So, still a WrestleMania rematch, but just from a different year. The build up was really good, with them starting off respecting and trusting each other but quickly devolving into each man losing that trust as the weeks went along. And then you add in Flair and Mr. Perfect stirring the pot, and things got even wilder. Flair and Perfect started to announce that they would lend their services to the highest bidder and started to play up both sides, sewing seeds of doubt in each man's mind as they wondered if the other had caved in and sold out. It was very unique and very well done by all involved. It was pretty great seeing Warrior and Savage on top of the promotion with Hulk Hogan in their rearview mirror as it was a long time coming. Toss Flair in the mix and the top of the card feels as fresh as ever despite featuring some tenured veterans. The anticipation built and built as the two men stared each other down before shaking hands and almost triggering a brawl off it. The atmosphere was tremendous, as the crowd was roaring and the airhorns were blaring with both men soaking it in. The majority of fans were solidly behind Warrior early, booing Savage when he landed strikes but popping like mad when Warrior started to rock the champ. Both men traded control on and off with the most basic of strikes, but thanks to the roaring of the London fans, it felt quite epic. Also adding to the feel was the fact that the sun began to set and the match now had a very cool looking twilight backdrop. Savage looked to be picking up momentum, but Warrior shook off a big axe handle blow and all of a sudden it felt like we were back in Los Angeles. However, Savage would land a second that put the Warrior down on his back. A third attempt came up short as Warrior caught him and snapped him down with a backbreaker for a near fall. Warrior started to focus on the back and trying to wear out Savage, at on point grabbing a brief bear hug and whipping him violently to the mat. The challenger would make a big mistake by dropping his head on an Irish whip too soon, allowing Macho to take him over with a swinging neckbreaker and putting the champ on the offense. Warrior would battle through it but the damage done to his neck started to slow him down as he focused on the back again. The tide ebbed again as Savage knocked Warrior to the floor and began to pound on him out there, slamming him hard into the steps. Heenan would really take Macho to task for not taking the countout and continuing to head back outside to work over his challenger. As Savage dragged Warrior into the ring and tried for a failed piledriver, Flair and Perfect finally made their presence felt as they strutted down the aisle to a cascade of boos. We would land back at the two trading offense until they collided with a big double clothesline, which wiped both out.

Perfect would finally strike, tripping up Savage as he hit the ropes, leading Heenan and McMahon to proclaim that Warrior had clearly sold out. As Savage jawed with them on the floor, Warrior came from behind and clubbed Savage in the head and was booed for the first time in the match as the crowd did not seem happy that he would sell his soul. Great booking and crown manipulation. After a ref bump, Warrior ascended the top rope and crashed into Savage with a double axe handle, but with no official, he couldn't grab the win. The ref would end up on the floor and Savage went to fetch him. As they were out there, Flair and Perfect came in the ring and put the heavy boots to Warrior, now leading the announcers to assume it was a rouse earlier and that Savage was really the won that paid the bounty. Savage would take advantage, hitting his big elbow drop but the referee was too slow to recover, allowing Warrior to kick out. Warrior rallied from there, running through Savage with clotheslines and a shoulderblock and the crowd was back firmly behind him now. Flair would get involved again, bashing Warrior with a chair as he was running the ropes and finally Savage started to show some signs that he wasn't involved in this. As he crept to his feet, he looked around and froze from bringing anymore offense as he tried to sort out what happened. The crowd started to pick up on things now too, realizing that the whole thing was a head game from the start. It was hammered home when Perfect reached in and tripped him up too. Savage shook it off and climbed up top but instead of dropping the elbow, he dove towards Flair on the floor, eating a chair to the leg on the way down. That was a very questionable decision. Savage was too injured to recover, giving Warrior the countout win but keeping his title. As soon as the bell rang, Perfect and Flair pounced and started to punish Macho on the floor, looking to destroy his ankle and knee. The beating continued until Warrior finally pulled himself up and made the save.

That was a hell of a package, from the red hot crowd, to the heavy drama to the intense psychology, it really was a whole lot of fun. Warrior and Savage have insanely great chemistry that was on display in the first 3/4 of the match and the back half was well executed with Flair and Perfect slowly unfolding their ingenious plan. Even though you hate to see a countout in a match like this, it worked fine in the setting because the whole goal of Flair was to damage Savage enough to injure him for a potential future title match. I can't say this was as good as their Retirement Match 18 months earlier, it really isn't as far off as you may think and you could argue there is almost as much drama in a different way. It was certainly a much more balanced match and I loved the constant back and forth that ran right the bout. Also, an angle like this worked so well because it was totally in line with Flair and Perfect's character and both Warrior and Savage were both beloved enough and driven enough to have believably sold out or not sold out. I mentioned it earlier that the main event scene had been refreshed and this match was a huge breath of fresh air on many levels.

### Match #7: Undertaker defeats Kamala by disqualification when Kim Chee interferes at 3:39

Fun Fact: James Harris was born on May 28, 1950 in Senatobia, Mississippi and grew up in Coldwater, Mississippi. He grew up in a poor family that collected welfare to pay bills after his father was killed during a dice game. As a teenager, Harris turned to burglary. Local police suggested to him that he should leave town, which he did, moving to Florida first and then to Michigan. There is where he met Bobo Brazil and began training as a wrestler. He wrestled under various names during his early days in wrestling, including "Big" Jim Harris, "Sugar Bear" Harris and "Ugly Bear Harris".

After a run in the UK where he was The Mississippi Mauler, Harris started up in Memphis. Jerry Lawler and Jerry Jarrett created a new character for Harris, one of a Ugandan cannibal who would wrestle barefooted in a loincloth with face and body paint. He was initially managed by Skandor Akbar and "Classy Freddy" Blassie before taking on the mysterious handler Kim Chee (who was normally played by Steve Lombardi during his runs in the WWF).

Kamala made several runs in the WWF, beginning in 1984. At this time, Kamala was returning to the Federation after a six year absence. In this run, Kim Chee was joined by Kamala's new manager Harvey Wippleman in the Ugandan's corner.

### Scott:

Well, after our epic storytelling, workrate and psychology of the main event we have this. We begin what turns into an almost four year run of the Deadman facing one big ugly sloth after another. Poor Undertaker had a five day run as WWF Champion less than one year ago. He's just as over as anybody in the company but during the Federation Era gimmicks take on gimmicks. So he takes on a character who was an awesome heel during the 1980s in multiple promotions, including World Class and the AWA. He had an epic feud with Andre the Giant that culminated in a steel cage match in Toronto. However now, Kamala has lost a lot of his sizzle and now is trying to be on the same level with the immensely over Undertaker. As expected, the match is absolutely terrible. There's a lot of no-selling, punches and other awful forms of posturing. After three and a half brutal minutes, Kamala's handler Kim Chee with a pith helmet to Taker's gut for a merciful disqualification. Kamala tries to get his heat back with a post-match beatdown but it's all really pretty dreadful. What makes it worse is that you know there will be a rematch on the horizon and it will likely be even worse. Poor Undertaker, we will get used to these dreadful feuds for the next few years.

### Justin:

In an odd, unlikely return, Kamala popped back u upon WWF TV over the summer and was immediately positioned as a monster heel opponent for the Undertaker. After Mania, Taker has been embroiled in a feud with maniacal Berzerker, but yet again the big summer feud fades by the time this show came around and Taker was transitioned to the Ugandan Giant instead. Kamala has both Kim Chee and Harvey Wippleman with him and even though he was portrayed as nasty monster, they oddly framed him as being afraid of Taker, which seemed to be a weird stance to take at the onset of a feud. Taker's entrance here is an all time great, as he rides to the ring on the back of an old school British hearse. I will say Harvey's track record has not been stellar thus far but they have stuck with the little guy. As against as I was at the time, it was clear that turning Taker was the right move as the fans just wanted to cheer a guy that was as unique, strong and well pushed as he was. Taker started off strong, smacking Kamala and then clubbing him with his top rope axe handle. He would try a second one, but Harvey hopped on the apron and rattled the ropes, causing the Deadman to crash to the mat. The fight spilled to the floor but pretty much just featured basic strikes from Kamala. They warbled around the ring before finally heading back inside. Taker fought him off and then planted him with a ring rattling chokeslam that even made Heenan pop. Taker would follow with a flying clothesline and went for the Tombstone but Kim Chee interfered for the weak DQ. Well, that was...unfulfilling. Kamala would attack after the bell, dropping a series of splashes on Taker, but the Deadman would sit up, frightening the Giant and sending him scurrying to the locker room. The booking here was pretty confusing as the match was nothing and really short. Kamala got saved from an obvious loss and then builds some heat after with a good beatdown...but Taker no sells it and Kamala runs away scared? How does that build any sort of rematch? The crowd loved it though and the chokeslam was cool, saving it from being absolute zero.

*** Roddy Piper makes a surprise return to a huge pop to play Scotland the Brave on his bagpipes. He would disappear again as this would be his last on screen appearance until early 1994. ***

### Match #8: British Bulldog defeats Bret Hart with a reverse sunset flip at 25:09 to win the Intercontinental Title

Fun Fact I: This was Bulldog's first WWF singles title. Heading into the match, they played up the family feud thing big time, saying the Hart family was torn over this match, especially Diana, who did not want to choose between her brother and husband. Bret played the heel role here, as he wanted to make sure Bulldog got over big in his home country. Bret made sure to whine about Bulldog being family, yet challenging him for the title, even calling him an ingrate at one point. Sadly, Bulldog would lose the title to Shawn Michaels in October, and would disappear to WCW during the steroid purge of late-92/early-93 and wouldn't return until the middle of 1994.

Fun Fact II: Before this show was moved to London, it was originally scheduled to originate from Landover, MD. As part of that original card, Hart would battle Shawn Michaels in an Intercontinental Title Ladder Match.

### Scott:

So our main event is clearly the easiest to slide into the card at the end. For the first time in WWF history, the IC Title is ALONE in a main event. It was of course involved in the WrestleMania VI main event, but the World Title was tagged in that one as well. Here it's more about the participants than the title itself. For the first time in his career, Bret Hart is in the main event of a big time PPV event. To be honest it's a first for both men. For Bret Hart, it's his time to take that step to the next level and be a player in the WWF landscape. The company is changing, the roster is changing and he will be one of many on the forefront. As for Davey Boy it's pretty clear: Put on the greatest match of his life in front of over 80,000 of his countrymen. His pop is off the charts as the Wembley crowd has been geeked for his moment all night long. Bret gets some boos but it's obvious it's for this night only. This storyline is predicated on what will be used many times over the next five years: The Hart Family. Bret's sister Diana is Davey Boy's wife. So we have brother-in-law vs. brother-in-law. Vince isn't Gorilla, but he tries to keep Bobby in line. Bobby's best line is when they show Diana on camera and he asks "Is that Mike McGuirk"? Classic Brain. It is clear that about five minutes into this match, Bulldog was pretty gassed and was going at a sluggish pace. It turns out that either Bulldog had a staph infection or was having drug issues all summer and that when Bulldog arrived at Wembley that day he told Bret he hadn't slept in 48 hours. So if Bret Hart was going to be tested for carrying a big time main event, on a show that needed to succeed, he was really behind the eight ball to start. So after Bulldog's quick start, Bret would be very methodical in taking his brother-in-law apart. Maybe that is the reason for the match being so good, because Bret turned a bad into a good. He allowed Bulldog to hit his spots and preserve his energy, while at the same time keeping the pace of the match going and not getting too sluggish. Frankly, plenty of credit for this match (and show) must go to the crazed Wembley crowd. The UK has always been a rabid wrestling hotbed, and this was the perfect place to put on a show that was missing a huge piece of the company's PPV history (Hogan) and needed to succeed by thinking outside the box. I really love watching Bret in this match because at times he even gets a little heelish by pulling Davey Boy's hair and throwing some cheap looking kicks in as well. Bulldog makes a great comeback late and when he hit his patented powerslam, I thought it was over. Bret kicks out and I was stunned. Bulldog gets his second wind and really starts throwing the champ around, including an impressive looking superplex. Bret still kicked out. Bret reverses a move into his Sharpshooter and I thought maybe they'd swerve the crowd and have Bret retain the title. The finish indeed comes out of nowhere, as Bret goes for a Sunset Flip and Davey Boy reverses into a school boy roll for the win and his first major singles championship. The crowd goes ballistic. Of course there's the obligatory tension to see what Bret would do. He was going to leave the ring in disgust, but he eventually hugs Davey and everybody goes home happy. I wouldn't say this was the best match of the year or the greatest IC Title match of all time but it was definitely better than I thought it would be and capped off a pretty great show.

### Justin:

Our main event is a very interesting and unique one. For the second time on the card we have another face vs. face title match. However, this time it is because of one very specific reason: location. Once it was decided to hold this card in London, the WWF's easiest layup was to put the British Bulldog in a marquee matchup. So, after treading water for most of 1992, he was suddenly shunted into an IC title feud with his brother-in-law Bret Hart. It was obvious that Bulldog would be the fan favorite, so Hart showed some heel shade heading into the bout, hinting that he would do whatever it took to keep his gold, family or no family. Diana Hart Smith was also dragged into the feud and she would be shown throughout the match, torn on choosing between her husband and brother. It was a really well built feud and the tension was high by the time we reached Wembley. I love that they chose to have this go on last as well, a move that showed they had the pulse of the event and knew how over Bulldog would be. It was also a huge show of faith in Hart, to put him in the main event slot of a megacard like this and trust him to carry Bulldog through a long match and ensure he look good. Bulldog would get a hero's welcome as he marched to the ring alongside boxing legend Lennox Lewis, Union Jack waving proudly and God Save the Queen blaring over the speakers. Hart was stoic, determined and focused in his entrance, and got a smattering of support amongst a seas of boos. The atmosphere before the bell was fantastic and the crowd was out of their mind right away, airhorns again blazing through the air as the fans buzzed. Bulldog struck first, as you would imagine, driving Hart to the floor with a shoulderblock. Hart would recover and take things to the mat from there, looking to calm his momentum and the crowd.Bret was really fluid here, mixing in near falls and weardown holds expertly, giving us bursts of action while also helping Bulldog conserve a little energy early on. I really dug Bulldog's tights in this one, as they are heavy on the blue instead of white. As the match went on, we would get a series of closeups on the concerned Diana. Bulldog would land his first big blow with a strong slingshot that sent hart careening off the buckles. Bulldog's confidence started to brim as he took control, working over Hart's arm with his power advantage. Bret would regain his momentum and really started to ooze his heel swagger now, sneering at the booing fans as he wrenched in a chinlock.

Vince landed a topical joke in here, comparing the beating Bulldog was taking to the recent downturn of the British pound. Bulldog would come back again but make two crucial mistakes, first charging hard into a waiting Hart boot and second taking an ill-advised dive off the top rope and coming up empty. Bulldog was really hurting at this point and was clearly gassed and sucking wind. In a super nasty spot, Bulldog ended up on the floor and Bret tried a tope over the top rope, but Bulldog was to close to the ring, causing Bret to lasso his neck and yank him hard to the floor, bending him backwards. He is lucky he didn't snap his neck or back on that one. Bret went right back to work once they got back in the ring, laying in stiff kicks, punches and uppercuts and grabbing near falls off a powerslam and snap suplex. I like how Bret keeps going to that chinlock or sleeper just to let Bulldog regroup, but he did it in ways that made sense each time and always felt like he was just trying to quiet the raucous crowd. Bulldog would power out of a sleeper and battle back again. Things almost got ugly again as Bulldog stumbled during a press slam and dropped Hart hard across the top rope crotch-first. The crowd got even more rabid as Bulldog hoisted Hart up for an extended vertical suplex and Bulldog followed that with a hard Irish whip to send Hart into the buckles. For the closest near fall of the match,Bulldog hit his running powerslam but Hart inched out of it, leading to the sewing of some doubt that maybe Hart would outlast his brother-in-law in a road game. Those doubts faded a bit after a great Bulldog superplex rattled the Hitman's body. With both men down and out, Hart looked back to his win a year ago and grapevined Davey's legs while prone on the mat, leading right into the Sharpshooter, which to date, nobody had broken. That held up here, but Bulldog grabbed the ropes to break it. Bret would try to take advantage of the weary Bulldog and go for a sunset flip, but Bulldog dropped to his knees, wrapped the legs and held Hart down for a three count. The crowd was in a frenzy as Bulldog and Lewis celebrated the huge win. After teasing more tension, Hart embraced Bulldog, congratulating him and and standing tall alongside the new champion and Diana. It was a tremendous moment capping off a fantastic match. The layout was beautiful here with Bret masterfully leading Bulldog through the whole thing, hitting high notes when needed and supplementing with some down time to help Bulldog regroup. It was definitely his coming out party as a wrestler that drag a great match out of anybody if given the chance. The crowd was phenomenal here too, in it the whole way. I can't say it was perfect as there is something in there lacking, but it was really, really good and a great way to cap off a fun show. It was also awesome to see the IC title held in such regard and put over as high level prize worthy of this slot.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is one of the most unique shows in WWF history. The first PPV that doesn't involve Federation Era icon Hulk Hogan needed compelling storylines and very solid main event matches. As I've said throughout this review, UK wrestling fans are usually rabid for most anything. So the energy level was pretty much top notch throughout this show. This show was originally slated for Washington, DC. I'm not sure what the main event would have been, because Bulldog was slated in the IC Title match only after the venue changed. Originally Shawn Michaels was to beat Bret Hart for the IC Title, but that wouldn't have been the last match. Savage/Warrior would have been a great main event but the convoluted ending would have been an awful show-ender. So I'm not sure what the original plan was supposed to be but no matter. This was such an entertaining show that except for one real dud every match was solid enough and the double main event served its purpose. We are still somewhat in no man's land with the company and what happens between now and our next PPV outing. This show was a great indicator of what the future holds, but with our next show we really see a churning of the roster as some new, important faces will make their presence felt.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

We continue our strong streak of PPV offerings here, but this is extremely similar to WrestleMania VIII in that it is completely a two match show. The rest of the card was fine, ranging from "just there" to "solid work" and really solely existed to fill out the time outside of the two heavy hitters. I gave that show a B. I think the two top matches rival the battles at that show and the undercard feels the same. I am going to give this show a bit of a bump though, as I liked the card structure much more and the two top bouts felt more important here rather than being a bit lost earlier in the card like at Mania. Also, the atmosphere here is amazing and that has to count for something. It was wholly unique, fresh and new. It was a great look and the fans were just rabid for everything, right through the final bell. I also enjoyed the chemistry of McMahon and Heenan here and didn't feel enough of a drop off in quality from the Monsoon/Heenan duo to negatively affect things. In many ways this show feels like a stand alone outlier as compared to the rest of the year, with many of the matches coming out of left field heading in, but those decisions certainly worked. All in all, this is a fun show that flew by and is always a really good watch.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #62

#  Survivor Series 1992: The Winds of Change

November 25, 1992

Richfield Coliseum

Richfield, Ohio

Attendance: 17,500

Buy Rate: 1.4

Announcers: Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan

Dark Match:

Crush defeats Brooklyn Brawler by submission

Actual Show:

Fun Fact: This show marks the final PPV appearance of Sean Mooney. He would stick around and make a few appearances on Monday Night RAW before leaving shortly after WrestleMania IX (his final appearance would be the 4/17 Superstars). He would be replaced by Todd Pettengill. Mooney would work for some news stations (including a year-long stint as a news anchor in Massachusetts on WBZ-TV) before settling in as a sideline reporter and correspondent for Fox Sports Net Arizona in 2000. He also owns a production company called Moonrise Productions. Mooney made an appearance at the prelude to the 2005 "Homecoming" show on USA, and also appeared on the RAW 15th anniversary DVD and sporadic appearances since.

*** Reverend Slick offers up a quick Thanksgiving sermon. ***

### Match #1: The Headshrinkers defeat High Energy when Fatu pins Owen Hart at 7:38 after a splash from the top rope.

Fun Fact I: This is Koko B. Ware's final PPV match (not counting Royal Rumble 1993). His final PPV record from 1987-1993, including Rumbles, tag matches and dark matches was 2-11, with his only two wins coming in dark matches at WrestleMania VII and SummerSlam 1991. His actual on-air PPV record is 0-11.

Fun Fact II: This is a big tag team debut, as the Headshrinkers make their PPV debut. While this is a new tag team name in the WWF, this unit had been around in other territories since 1985. Samu and Fatu are real life cousin from the lineage of the legendary Wild Samoans, Afa and Sika. As we see in future reviews (including later in this review) more professional wrestlers come from this family. Samu and Fatu both wrestled in the Montreal territory in the mid 80s, but didn't become a tag team until that territory closed up and the pair signed with the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico, where they became the Samoan Swat Team. The team moved through the World Class and Mid Atlantic territories, earning gold in each location. While in Mid Atlantic, they changed their name to the New Wild Samoans. The team left WCW in 1990 and worked on the indie circuit before signing on with the WWF with Samu's father, Afa, as their manager.

Fun Fact III: Shortly after WrestleMania IX, a new tag team was created, matching up Koko B. Ware with Owen Hart to form High Energy. The team was known for their bright baggy pants and checkered suspenders. The high flyers were mainly used as jobbers for the likes of The Nasty Boys, The Headshrinkers and Money, Inc. The team only had this one PPV match together and they was quietly disbanded in early 1993 as Owen began his singles career.

### Scott:

Jim Neidhart is gone, but our opener has some fun juice to it for a couple of reasons. First off we have a new team debut on PPV, that had a much better name in the NWA/WCW. The Samoan Swat Team, managed by Paul E. Dangerously, was a cool team that took guys out with reckless abandon. However, like it did with the Bushwhackers, the WWF took the entire "cool swagger" out of them and made them cartoon characters. In the past that was fine, but as the clock and the calendar turns we will see that this kind of silly character development will hinder and not help the WWF. However what can't be taken away is the great talent that is in the ring. It's pretty evident that Owen Hart is ready to be a breakout star and be in a consistent roster spot in the company. This tag team, as swank as they are, is merely another pit stop for Owen until he really jumps up the ladder. Vince and Bobby have another go as PPV broadcast partners and this is great if you're a Bobby Heenan fan as he chews Vince up with his barbs with no retorts. Vince doesn't get as impatient as Gorilla does and he also just doesn't have that respect in the booth to the fans like Gorilla does. The match was fun but I was a little surprised that Owen ate the pin here and not Koko, but regardless it's a big win for a new heel team as the company tries to re-establish the tag team division.

### Justin:

I'm coming home...I'm coming home. Yes, for our sixth annual Survivor Series, the show returns to where it originated, the Richfield Coliseum. A whole lot has changed since our last outing at SummerSlam, with new champions everywhere as well as lots of debuts and a handful of departures littering the roster. For the second straight show, Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan are back in the booth here, marking this the first November show that Gorilla Monsoon has not been part of. We are also back on Thanksgiving Eve, sticking with the change that started a year ago. Now, I mentioned we had new faces on the roster and we immediately see a couple of them here with the Headshrinkers. Fatu and Samu are part of the legendary wrestling Anoa'i family and had been working the Samoan gimmick for a while now. They are aligned with former WWF tag team champion and Samoan Afa as their manager and of course all three are portrayed as wild savages just out maim and maul anyone in their way. Their opponents are a new tag team that saw a couple of wayward souls hook up under the name High Energy. Blessed with superb theme music and some wild neon gear, Koko B. Ware and Owen Hart slotted in as the fun, plucky underdog face team. Owen hadn't much going on as a singles star so we go back to the original plan of letting him develop alongside a veteran. For Koko, this was a lifeline to relevancy. In fact, he was so excited, he even did a cartwheel in the aisle on the way out. Same and Owen opened things up with the Samoan showing his power off right away. Owen countered with his quickness, landing a cross body, two dropkicks and arm drag in the blink of an eye. Koko gave it a go next and he was rolling until Afa took a break from gnawing his turkey leg and smacked him from behind with his bamboo stick. The Headshrinkers would double team from there, landing some vicious shots as a unit in between alternating breaking the Birdman down. He would get a glimmer of hope on a couple of occasions, but didn't have enough energy to capitalize. He finally had the wherewithal to dodge a Samu dive into the corner and make the elusive tag. Owen took right to the air, getting a near fall with a high cross body but a Samu powerslam would stop him cold. Barely five seconds later, Fatu was diving off the top rope and slamming down hard onto Owen for the win. That was a tidy little debut for the Samoans and High Energy put them over strong, in fact it was pretty much just an extended squash. Owen looked good in flashes, but this was all about the Headshrinkers.

### Match #2: Big Boss Man defeats Nailz in a Nightstick Match after a Boss Man Slam in 5:43

Fun Fact: After this feud and show, Nailz was set for a big feud with the Undertaker that would lead to a Royal Rumble match. They even set the feud up on an episode of Superstars in December, and the face to face meeting even graced the cover of the January 1993 WWF Magazine. Here is the back story. In December 1992, Nailz confronted Vince McMahon backstage about money that was supposedly owed to him and possibly about a raise. When Vince blew him off, Nailz flipped and began choking McMahon out. He was eventually pulled off by WWF officials, but as you would expect he was immediately turfed from the Federation and essentially blackballed from wrestling. Nailz resurfaced very briefly (for only one night) in WCW as the "Prisoner," where he had one match with Sting at Slamboree 1993. Right after the PPV he was gone from WCW as well. Nailz popped up once more at the 1994 steroid trials where he tore into McMahon on the witness stand and made all sorts of wild accusations. Nailz' testimony was thrown out and seen as bullshit as many believed Nailz was lying just to try and screw McMahon. Nailz has not been seen on wrestling TV since.

### Scott:

The long awaited blow off to the type of feud we expected to happen involving Big Boss Man at some point: The jaded former inmate. On paper we knew this match would be a sloppy mess and indeed it was. The fact that the match was only about six minutes proves that theory. Big Boss Man was still fairly over but as has been the mood these past few months in WWF, the winds of change continue to blow. After some punching and kicking, Boss Man gets the stick and starts laying into Nailz until Boss Man dropped the stick. Nailz grabs it and starts laying the shots back in. At this point I thought we had a big upset brewing, but Boss Man gets the stick back and gets the victory. It was very smart to make this feud quick and the blow off even quicker. This is the last great moment for Big Boss Man in the Federation Era, but the match is pretty brutal.

### Justin:

The moment we have been waiting for throughout all of 1992 has finally arrived! Back in May, Nailz burst on the scene and laid waste to the Big Boss Man, leaving him bloodied and in the hospital. Since, he has run through the roster with nobody able to stop him. Boss Man finally returned and got his shot at revenge here, with a special stipulation in place: a nightstick would hang high above the ring on a pole. The first man to grab the weapon could use it freely. Nailz actually cut a pretty impassioned promo before the match, to the point that I am sad he is pretty much done after this. It may have been the promo of a lifetime for the big guy, it was that effective. Boss Man charged to the ring, not even waiting for his theme music, and jumped Nailz before he could prematurely grab the nightstick. Things devolved into a brawl very fast, with Nailz dragging Boss Man to the mat and choking away at him. Nailz jabbed Boss Man with some nice right hands but Boss Man came back with a shot to the grill of his own. Both men continuously tried to grab the stick but failed each time. The big blow came when Nailz yanked Boss Man off the top and he landed hard on his back on the mat. Nailz decided to wear him down a bit more this time before going right for the pole again. Boss Man made a labored comeback but he was a step too slow and came up empty on a splash. Nailz would go for the stick again, but Boss Man caught him and crotched him across the top rope. Boss Man would use the opening to grab the nightstick and pop Nailz with it. Nailz shrugged it off and was able to grab hold of the weapon, using it to batter Boss Man's back. Boss Man fought through it and hit the Boss Man Slam to pick up the win. After the bell, Boss Man got his final revenge, bashing Nailz in the face with the stick, driving him to the back. This actually wasn't as bad as you would expect as it mixed some stiff shots and focused brawling and was kept short enough to never meander. It also paid off a pretty good storyline. I will say that they could have used the stick a bit more or at least made things a little more violent considering the build. The stick doesn't come into play until the final minute of the match and barely gets used despite being the catalyst for the whole thing. Oh well. I think Nailz could have developed a bit more and been a decent asshole heel into 1993, but such is life. Boss Man looks to his next challenge.

### Match #3: Tatanka defeats Rick Martel after the Papoose to Go in 11:05

Fun Fact: This rematch from WrestleMania VIII came about because Rick Martel stole Tatanka's sacred eagle feathers in May.

### Scott:

This feud dates all the way back to WrestleMania, but really picked up when the Model stole the Native American's feathers. Tatanka won at the Hoosier Dome and now wanted his feathers back. The feud detoured during the summer so Martel could feud with Shawn Michaels. Tatanka was slated to be on camera at SummerSlam but his overflow match aired on Prime Time Wrestling instead. The rematch is given much more time and I think that's good for Tatanka because working with a seasoned veteran like Martel gives him credibility with the fans and keeps his hot streak going. This match continues the "winds of change" theme that the last two PPVs have. We go even further into the theme during the match when a strange clown comes up the ramp to giggle and make balloon animals. A clown? Indeed a clown. Sure we are probably a couple of years late on a character this ridiculous, however this particular clown has very different motives. We will see that as time progresses. After Vince and Bobby point him out they basically ignore him and go back to the match itself. Martel dictates pace and helps Tatanka through a pretty solid match. Tatanka gets the win and gets his feathers back. 1993 will be coming soon, and Tatanka becomes a major player in this transition.

### Justin:

Not too much has changed for the Native American since we saw this same match back at WrestleMania. Well, he has changed his look a bit, ditching the long white tights for some trunks and traditional native garb. He also remains undefeated. Martel gets another crack at him after stealing Tatanka's prized sacred eagle feathers and started using them as accessories. Tatanka was hellbent on taking the Model out and regaining his possessions. Tatanka shrugged off some early Martel slaps and started to run through him, eventually sending him crashing to the floor off an atomic drop. Martel's hair is so loaded with gel and slicked back even Rick Pitino is blushing. Martel would land a shot to the throat to take over, leading int a front chancery to grind down Tatanka. As the Model worked that hold, we pan to the aisle where a clown is tying up balloon animals and handing them to kids in the crowd. McMahon and Heenan chat a bit about him, noting that he has been showing up at events all around the country over the past few weeks. Tatanka powered out of the chancery but Martel went back to the throat and then snapped off a nice neckbreaker to maintain control and pick up a near fall. Tatanka came back and worked the arm for a moment but Martel shut that down by chucking him out to the floor. Back inside, Martel tried to come off the middle rope but Tatanka caught him then got hot, hitting the war path and running through the Model with a series of chops. After a chop off the top rope, he hit the Papoose to Go and picked up the win. He officially would put the feud to bed by grabbing his feathers and dancing off victoriously. Meanwhile, in the aisle, the clown popped all the balloon animals he had made and then ran away. The match was fine even though it was stretched a bit long to get the clown stuff some airtime. Tatanka now officially owns two PPV wins, both over Martel, and remains undefeated overall.

### Match #4: Randy Savage & Mr. Perfect defeat Ric Flair & Razor Ramon by Disqualification at 17:08.

Fun Fact I: Here is our second big debut of the show. Razor Ramon is Scott Hall, who started his career down in Florida feuding with Dusty Rhodes. He then moved on to the NWA where he was a mid-card act named Starship Coyote. Hall really cut his teeth in the AWA starting in 1985, winning the Tag Team Titles twice with, coincidentally, Curt Hennig. He then moved on to WCW in the spring of 1991, originally as his real name but eventually became the Diamond Studd, bodyguard and charge of Diamond Dallas Page. Being wasted in the lower mid-card, Vince McMahon signed Hall in the spring of 1992 and repackaged him as Razor Ramon. The first vignette aired on the June 13 episode of Superstars, with his first match on the August 8 Superstars, defeating Paul Van Dow with his patented finisher, the Razor's Edge.

Fun Fact II: Here's the reason for this match: Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage were feuding over the World title leading up to SummerSlam, and Ric Flair had both guys convinced that the other was working for Flair, when in fact neither was. Warrior beat Savage by count-out at SummerSlam, and injured him enough that Flair was able to cash in on the situation and win the World title himself a few days later. So Savage & Warrior decided to team up and challenge Flair and Razor Ramon, but Warrior threw a wrench in the mix by leaving the WWF ten days before Survivor Series. So Savage decided to play mind games with Flair in retaliation, asking his manager Mr. Perfect to be his new partner on Prime Time Wrestling, and Perfect actually accepted, causing Bobby Heenan to flip out and fire him. So Perfect turned face and we had this match. Also, this was Curt Hennig's first PPV appearance as a face in his WWF tenure and first in ring action since SummerSlam 1991. Ultimate Warrior would be gone from the company for over three years.

### Scott:

The first half of our double main event is an experiment in a big time babyface turn. Mr. Perfect has been one of the company's best heels over the past four years. But the "winds of change" mean that maybe a switch is in order. So, have Bobby Heenan piss him off and voila! A new babyface. Just like at WrestleMania VI with Andre the Giant, Bobby Heenan smacked Perfect across the face for even thinking about jumping at accepting Savage's offer and that was that. Of course Perfect wasn't even supposed to be in this match, but for the second year in a row the Ultimate Warrior vanished and he's gone from the WWF again. So far we've had pretty much zero big jacked up dudes on this show. Either they're big but not muscular (like a Boss Man physique) or smaller more agile and athletic workers. Maybe Razor Ramon is big, but he's not as cut as he was in his AWA days. After some heel miscommunication early on, Savage falls perfectly into his face-in-peril role and Flair and Ramon really take him to the woodshed. I thought Razor Ramon was a great, fresh character for this time, another new face for the new WWF. In fact this feud with Savage led to one of my favorite Pro Wrestling Illustrated headlines of all time: "QUIEN ES MAS MACHO?" The match was fun but after Flair hit Savage with a steel chair on the outside the ending degenerated into chaos and the match ends in a disqualification. I'm kind of perplexed why Flair didn't eat the pin here to get the win for the good guys and protect the newer heel. I would have given this match a very generous grade but the sloppy ending and result in general definitely takes away from it. I like Perfect as a babyface because it's a fresh dynamic for the New Year.

### Justin:

Hache mache! Now this was a twist I never saw coming. Just when the Ultimate Maniacs seemed unstoppable and on a big collision course with Ric Flair and newcomer Razor Ramon, the Ultimate Warrior got sent packing after issues surrounding steroid shipments. It was a last minute thing, so we got a hasty face turn from Mr. Perfect just ten days before the show. Perfect had been out of the ring since the previous SummerSlam but his back was feeling better and he was ready to give it a go. And this was the...perfect spot to trigger his return. In the prematch promo, Savage makes it clear that he doesn't like or trust Perfect but he he is aware that nobody knows Flair better, making him the right choice to fill the void. Razor Ramon had debuted back in the summer, coming off some fantastic vignettes, and was clearly set up for a mega push out of the gate, helping Flair defeat Savage for the WWF Title after SummerSlam and then getting a main event slot here. I also need to mention Perfect's awesome black starry tights, never to be seen again, except on the box of the Royal Rumble video game, there to tease us for all of eternity. Also of note is that this is the first time Perfect would compete as a face in the WWF. And it was clearly time for it because the fans loved him, cheering him on loudly here. We wouldn't have to wait long for the big return, as Perfect and Razor kick things off by trading offense, ending with Perfect frustrating Ramon and then bailing to the floor to tease him. Ramon would tag Flair and we would get the official split of the former friends and business partners. Perfect ran right through Flair as Heenan freaked out in the booth, bitching his old charge out left and right. Savage would come in and keep the attack on until Flair squeezed an opening and tagged in Ramon, who went to work on Savage's still tender lower leg. The big man also showed his power with a strong tree slam on Macho. I was glad that Savage was kept in the main event scene even though his title reign was over. It added to the overall fresh feeling of the promotion. Ramon abandoned the leg and went to an abdominal stretch to wear the former champ down a bit more. By the way, Ramon and Flair look pretty boss in the coordinated purple attire. Lots of cool looks on this night. Flair and Ramon kept tagging in and out, working over Savage's back and leg, putting Macho in the position he excels at: selling hard and building heat. As Ramon hooked in a single leg crab, Mr. Perfect suddenly dropped from the apron and started to walk to the back, leaving us all to wonder if this was another ploy to screw over Savage, just like at SummerSlam. Before that could even be fathomed, Perfect rethought things and returned to his post.

In a great piece of heel work, Ramon went over and drilled Perfect to draw him in and tie up the ref so a double team could go down. Tag team excellence for sure. Ramon showed his power again with a chokeslam for a near fall but Savage kept flailing and staying alive. This has been a really fun heat segment with no real let up. Flair would make his usual fatal flaw, ascending the top rope and getting caught. Savage would slam him off and make the tag to Perfect, bringing the crowd to their feet. He battered Ramon with some stiff offense, not wasting a moment. Savage and Flair would brawl on the floor, with Natch smashing Macho with a chair to wipe him out. That left Perfect to fight both men off and also led to a ref bump. Perfect would hook Ramon into the Perfectplex but by the time a new ref arrived, Flair broke it up. He would then catch Flair and take him over with the hold, but Ramon then broke this one up. From there, everything broke down with Flair and Ramon double teaming Perfect in between smacking the referees and that led to a DQ call. Flair would hook Perfect in the figure four but before Ramon could hammer him with a chair, Savage made the save. Perfect would get the chair and break the hold by jabbing Flair in the face with it. He would smash both men one more time, running them off for good. Man, that was a lot of fun and I think it had another handful of minutes left in the tank as they had only really scratched the surface. Ramon fit right in and felt like a top player out there. Perfect's turn was clearly a success as the crowd loved him and it added a nice dynamic to the top of the card, which is suddenly as fresh as it has been in years. The end left a little to be desired but I can't blame them for taking the easy way out when you consider who was involved. The post match interviews were really fun too as Flair and Ramon ranted and raved like insane maniacs and the Perfect Team celebrated with frozen turkeys. Fun stuff.

### Match #5: Yokozuna defeats Virgil with a Banzai Drop at 3:43

Fun Fact: Here is big debut #3 on this show. Rodney Anoia, a Samoan with bloodlines to the legendary Afa and Sika makes a splash (literally) as Yokozuna. The term "Yokozuna" stands for "Grand Champion" in Japanese. Anoia began his career in Japan in 1984, and would eventually flock to the AWA. He'd wrestle there as Kokina Maximus, but like most in the AWA they would be let go when the company went under in 1991. Vince scooped him up and he makes his TV debut on the October 31 edition of Superstars, squashing Bill Jordan in under two minutes. To give him even more heel heat, Yoko was given Mr. Fuji as his manager. There had been rumors of him being a third member of the Headshrinkers, but Vince went a different route and had him remain as a singles monster, a role he was perfectly suited for.

### Scott:

We've been talking about the changes in the WWF in terms of the roster, and no "bigger" change in the roster than this one. The massive 500 pound Yokozuna makes his PPV debut. The former Kokina Maxiumus is definitely a heel that the bookers are setting up for big things. Why hand a washed up Virgil here instead of someone that could legitimately beat him? This is more like a main event on Superstars or All American Wrestling. Mr. Fuji hasn't had a legitimate guy in his stable in quite a while, probably since Orient Express, but even that is pushing it. Fuji looks more traditional in his Japanese garb and with the geisha girls and the bucket of rice, they gave this new heel all the bells and whistles that someone who's planned on for big things receives. Virgil gets some token offense in, but in the end he gets squashed like any other good jobber. Yokozuna gets the win his big time push continues.

### Justin:

And the debuts just keep on coming as we get to check out another newcomer to the company, Yokozuna. The massive Samoan giant was brought in alongside his brethren, the Headshrinkers, but the company decided to split him off as they saw some main event star potential thanks to his size and style in the ring. He certainly had a hell of a presence and was very intimidating as he disrobed. It had been a long time since someone his size and ability to move well around the ring had competed in the company so it was a nice addition. Poor Virgil. He was the sacrificial lamb back at SummerSlam and gets the call to play the same role again here. He tried his best here, attempting to stick and move, but he had no chance as Yoko barely even moved when taking his offense. Yoko would survive a series of dropkicks before planting Virgil with a side kick to the mush. Vince really pushed the sumo stuff here to put over Yoko's skills. Yoko would squash Virgil with a belly-to-belly suplex, a huge legdrop and then fall hard on top of him to block an ill fated roll up attempt. He followed that with a running splash in the corner to set up a grisly Banzai Drop for the win. Well, that was a hell of a PPV debut. The crowd's audible gasp when Yoko smashed onto his chest was fantastic. Great stuff, a super fun squash and it immediately made Yoko look like an unstoppable killer. Kudos, Virgil, you did good. Virg also cuts a great promo backstage, ominously warning Bret Hart and the rest of the WWF of this potential menace. Yoko notches his win but is just getting started.

### Match #6: Natural Disasters & Nasty Boys defeat Beverly Brothers & Money Inc. in 16:01

Eliminations:

Earthquake pinned Beau Beverly with a Quake Splash at 9:30

IRS pinned Typhoon while Ted DiBiase holds his leg at 15:54

Jerry Sags pins IRS with a roll up at 16:01

Fun Fact I: The Nasty Boys were actually replacing the Bushwhackers, as they turned face just weeks before this match. The Nasties had been complaining to Jimmy Hart that they were being ignored in favor of Money, Inc. and that they wanted a tag title shot. Hart refused and Money, Inc. beat down Sags and Knobbs, essentially turning them face. The Nasties would actually get a shot of their own medicine, as they were in line for title shots heading into to 1993 (even scheduled to fight Money, Inc. at Wrestlemania IX). However, right in the midst of their feud, a couple of hot, new face teams would debut, thus busting the Nasties down to the third ranked face team in the federation, and they were gone by April. The Disasters would also be gone by February, as they were shoved even further down the face tag team food chain. The ironic thing is how eerily similar this was to late 1990-early 1991, when the Nasties and Road Warriors jumped and screwed up the push of Power and Glory. I guess what goes around comes around. The Nasty Boys would return to WCW where they would stay for the rest of their careers, never appearing in the WWF again.

Fun Fact II: This would also mark the final PPV appearance of The Genius, Lanny Poffo. This was technically his final WWF appearance as well, but Poffo appeared on the 12/7 edition of Prime Time Wrestling (it was taped the day before the PPV) competing in a six man tag with the Beverlys against High Energy and Max Moon. Poffo would disappear from wrestling until 1995 when he signed a contract with WCW. There are a few stories regarding his WCW tenure, which include Chris Jericho saying in his book that he saw Poffo once and then never again, and probably collected the same amount of money as Chris, who worked 22 dates a month. However, Poffo clarified his tenure with WCW in a shoot interview, saying that his brother Randy Savage contacted him about doing the Gorgeous George gimmick, as Savage had purchased the rights to the character. Savage felt that his brother could generate some major heat with the character, so Poffo began a strict training regimen and even bleached his hair blonde. Unfortunately, he waited for that phone call that never came. He also called the WCW offices, but his calls went unanswered, and the role eventually went to Savage's then-girlfriend and valet Stephanie Bellars. Poffo has since written several poems and limericks for children, and competed in the indys on occasion. Poffo even wrote a poem for WWE.com in 2007 highlighting The Battle of the Billionaires. Poffo was also seen trying out for a talk show that would be paid for by Oprah Winfrey, as well as an endorser for Tony Little's Gazelle Exercise Machine. He most recently appeared at the 2015 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony to induct his late brother.

### Scott:

One note that needs to be made is that 1992 is the first time that the Survivor format clearly was on the backburner. The company decided to start using this show to further specific feuds rather than just throw guys on teams and work it that way. Since there are some tag feuds to be worked out, this was a good chance to get at least one Survivor match in somewhere. So we get the top four tag teams in one match. The tag division seems a little light after LOD has left and they had to put two singles guys together to anchor it. Money, Inc. is probably one of the greatest "put-together" teams in WWF history as DiBiase's and IRS' characters fit like a glove. They're actually given the tag titles to really help bolster the division. The Disasters became de facto top faces after LOD left and had a successful title defense at SummerSlam. They lose the straps and here try to earn another shot. The match isn't bad and the crowd is hot for it. The faces make everyone happy and get the win. But Money, Inc will continue to be tremendous tag team that will be a foundation for the transition that 1993 becomes. New teams (including a big import from WCW) will freshen things up and the first half of the year will be solid for the tag division. This match is fun, but forgettable.

### Justin:

Up next is our one traditional Survivor Series match...well kind of, anyway, as it isn't completely true to the format. Here, is a member of a tag team is eliminated, the whole team is gone. On the heel side we have the Beverly Brothers hooking up with the tag team champions, Money Inc. They would battle two teams that were solidly heels a year ago but are both now on the opposite side of the ledger in the Natural Disasters and the Nasty Boys. The Nasties had just recently switched allegiances when they felt Jimmy Hart was ignoring their thirst for gold to help benefit DiBiase & IRS instead. The Bushwhackers were originally in the slot, but after the Nasties dumped Hart, they stepped aside so Knobbs and Sags could exact some revenge. I do like the ties here with both the Disasters and Nasties both having suffered the same fate thanks to Hart's focus on Money, Inc. The Disasters seemed to be fading a bit as they don't get much of a pop at all here, especially compared to the Nasties, who get a very warm welcome. For the second straight PPV, DiBiase has his swank white trunks on. Those things never get old. The Beverlys outquicked the Disasters momentarily but that ended quickly once Typhoon used his power to overwhelm Blake. The big men would work together, double teaming both Beverlys with their bulk. It was looking to be squash city for Beau, as he was pulverized until Knobbs came in and gave him a chance to come back by jawing with Money, Inc. Blake would eventually tag in Beau but it was just more of the same with Sags working him over, including a big pumphandle slam. The champs would finally get involved, taking the fight to their former stablemates. When Sags forged a comeback, Hart ran some interference, which allowed IRS to deck him from behind and Blake to catch him in a nice powerslam. The heel foursome showed some pretty solid teamwork across the board, with all four seamlessly tagging in and out and keeping the pressure on Sags. Quake would get the hot tag as the match closed in on ten minutes and he promptly squashed Beau with his splash to send the Beverlys packing. And that brought us to Money, Inc's nightmare scenario, left alone against four men that really hated them. Heenan was funny here, advocating that the champs just take a walk and eat the countout loss since no gold was on the line. They didn't take that advice though, and really kept bringing the fight, including both men hitting a nice double suplex on Quake for a near fall. The champs would bust him down, picking him apart with a modified sleeper sandwiched by quick strikes to keep him grounded. DiBiase got a little too cute with one too many attempts off the buckles as he ate a big Quake boot, allowing the big man to tag out. Typhoon came in hot, mowing through the champs with clotheslines and dropping a big splash on IRS for a near fall that saw DIBiase save his partner. DiBiase would get dumped to the floor and as Typhoon hit the ropes, Ted tripped him out. IRS would drop an elbow and grab the elimination. However, as IRS gloated, Sags snuck in and rolled him up to win the match. Well, that was quite the flurry finish. It also sets up the Nasties as the next top challengers to the titles. That was a fine tag match with pretty basic heat building and saw eight veterans work a smart bout into a quick finish. I liked the setup of the four Jimmy Hart haters left with the champs and it paid off well with the Nasties grabbing the win.

### Match #7: Undertaker defeats Kamala in a Coffin Match when he nails the coffin shut at 5:26

Fun Fact: This is the first casket match in WWF PPV history. The rules of this one were very different than what they would evolve to, as you had to first pin your opponent, then roll him in the casket and nail the door shut. After the match, Kamala was an emotional mess and was berated endlessly by Kim Chee for the next month or so. Finally, in late January, Reverend Slick came to the rescue, saving Kamala from the Kim Chee's abuse and teaching him to be more humane. Kamala would stay around as a face until the summer of 1993, but this is his last PPV appearance. One of his final matches on TV was an IC Title match with Shawn Michaels on Raw in July. He was also scheduled to be at Wrestlemania IX, but his match with Bam Bam Bigelow was canceled due to time constraints.

### Scott:

Let the bad feuds and worse matches continue. Kamala and Taker's tilt at SummerSlam was truly brutal, and to make it worse they had to get Kamala's heat back so we could have a rematch. We now know the gimmick as a casket match but technically they were calling it a "coffin match". In the days when the syndicated shows were all we had, it took a LONG time for this feud to really regain steam and I remember caring nothing about it. Kamala was a great heel from say 1978-1987 throughout different promotions, but by this point he was a shell of his former self and in the Federation Era you really couldn't be that evil and scary for the little kids. Seeing as this is a new gimmick match, it had its growing pains. To win the match you had to first defeat your opponent, you also had to roll him into a casket, but then get a hammer and nails and seal it shut. That, even in theory, is completely ridiculous. The match is horrible, with Kamala doing basic blah offense and Taker selling none of it. Then everyone starts fumbling around with the urn until Taker cracks him with it, pins him and rolls him into the casket for the win. The bell rings once he's rolled into it, but they waste time hammering it shut. I don't know if that was for dramatic effect or not but it made this segment go on way too long. Thankfully this feud is over, but sadly for Taker the quality of opponent gets worse.

### Justin:

In our first SummerSlam rematch, Undertaker once again gets a chance to get his hands on the Ugandan Giant. We also saw Kamala give Taker his best in Wembley, and it wasn't enough as Taker survived the beating, spooked the giant and ran him off. Now, they go at it again with a brand new stipulation in place: to win the match, you must pin your opponent and then lock him in a coffin at ringside. It was a match tailor made for Taker and was also Kamala's worst nightmare, as he was scared shitless of all these shenanigans. Thankfully the build was decent because if SummerSlam was any sign, the match was probably going to stink. It has been an interesting year for Taker, as we are now twelve months removed from his shocking WWF Title victory over Hulk Hogan in Detroit. He turned fadein February and never looked back, as the fans continue to root him on while he battles a variety of nutjobs and monsters. As soon as Kamala saw the coffin, he tried to run away, only coaxed to stay by Harvey Wippleman and Kim Chee. After the bell, Kamala tried to run again but was trapped between his handlers and the Deadman. Back inside, Kamala laid in some chops, but Taker just shrugged them off and worked over the giant with some right hands before scaling the top rope and crashing off with an axe handle blow. It was all Taker until he made the mistake of dipping his head, allowing Kamala to catch him with a thrust and then dump him to the floor. Kamala dominated out there, even pelting Taker with a chair shot to the back. Once they got back in, Kamala hit a side kick and slammed Taker to the mat, but the Deadman rose right up. Kamala slammed him twice more and dropped a trio of big splashes and Taker looked like he may actually be cooked. Paul Bearer hopped on the apron, but Kim Chee tripped him and he fumbled the urn. However, Kamala wouldn't take advantage as he was too afraid to touch the urn. That allowed Taker to recover, crack the Giant with the urn and cover him for the three count. From there, he rolled Kamala into the coffin and nailed it shut to seal the victory. Well, that was better than SummerSlam, at least. That is all I have to say really. Kamala's effectiveness as a heel threat is pretty much shot and it seems they never intended to utilize him in that role past this feud, anyway. With Kamala now in his rearview mirror, many fans wondered what now laid ahead for the Deadman.

### Match #8: Bret Hart defeats Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels with the Sharpshooter at 26:42 to retain WWF World Title

Fun Fact I: This match is a first on many levels. It is Bret Hart's first World Title defense on PPV, Shawn Michaels's first PPV World Title shot and first Main Event match, and is the first time these two men would meet on PPV.

Fun Fact II: This match was originally booked as just a straight up bout with no title on the line. After the big title change below, Shawn Michaels defeated British Bulldog on October 27, 1992 in Terre Haute, Indiana (on the final Saturday Night's Main Event until March 2006) to win his first singles title.

Fun Fact III: In one of the final instances of the World Title changing hands on a non-televised event, Bret Hart defeated Ric Flair on October 12, 1992 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to win the WWF World Title. The long standing rumor was that Bret Hart was not supposed to win the Title, but, on a whim Vince decided to switch it to Bret, as he decided he was the true future of the Federation. However, Vince had to do it quickly before the move could attempted to be blocked by certain advisors and wrestlers, so he did it at a random Canadian House Show. It later came out that Flair was battling a severe equilibrium issue and needed to drop the strap and Hart's name was chosen from a short list of possibilities.

Fun Fact IV: This match was originally booked as just a straight up match with no title on the line, because neither man was champion when the match was booked. The original IC Title match booked for this show was British Bulldog (then champ) vs. the Mountie, but when Bulldog lost the IC Title to Michaels on the last Saturday Night's Main Event in October, the match was scrapped, as Bulldog was sent packing during the steroid purge and the Mountie disappeared until summer of 1993. However, before that, Hart had won the world title from Ric Flair at a house show in Saskatoon, Canada. So, this match was then changed to a World Title Match, with the IC Belt not on the line.

### Scott:

This match encapsulates everything this show is about. Gone are Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior, British Bulldog and other huge, muscular champions with minimal in-ring work. The Feds were breathing down Vince's neck as the steroid issues were really starting to be pushed to the forefront. So the roster in general just needed to get smaller and more athletic, and we're not just talking the mid-card. These smaller competitors needed to be the face of the company and on the top of the card. Thus we have our two top singles wrestlers of this new era. This match also begins what would be the 1990's most enduring (and eventually very personal) rivalry. Two men who see an opening and both want the brass ring. Bret has the ring, Shawn wants it. The fact that Vince and the bookers put this match last and gave them almost 27 minutes is indicative of what they are trying to accomplish in the company. The match is fantastic, as both guys go all out and the crowd really is invested in it, more than anyone probably expected. Vince and Bobby tell a great story here, with Vince beginning his "Bret Bromance". The match goes back and forth as even though Bret is slightly more accomplished in singles matches, Shawn doesn't look like a guy who is being carried. Both men take it to the limit with several close falls and even a half-ref bump. Earl Hebner wasn't totally out but dazed. In an ending you'll see a few years later, Shawn comes off the top rope but Bret grabs his legs and ratchets up the Sharpshooter. Shawn taps out and Bret retains the World Title. Some feel this is the best match these two ever have. Bret heads into the new year as the face of the WWF, but Shawn Michaels definitely proved he isn't going anywhere and also becomes a vital cog in the transition the WWF makes from the Federation Era into what will eventually be called the "New Generation". If you've never seen this match before, I highly recommend it. Before any personal issues had gotten in the way, these two were burgeoning talents that Vince absolutely needed. This match was their chance to showcase on a bright (but not too bright) stage. There's some long rest holds in the middle but that's understandable since Shawn is still honing his singles craft. As the year ends the company seems so fresh with new talents and deserving stars getting promoted. This may be a lost classic between these two future Hall of Famers, and if you haven't seen it check it out.

### Justin:

Well, we have preached how change was in the air here in the fall, and our main event would be the prime example of that for sure. We saw Bret Hart main event SummerSlam, but that was mainly on the back of native Englishman Davey Boy Smith. Since then, he has been trusted with the company's top prize in a shocking house show win and now is on top of the promotion. His opponent is pretty surprising as well, as Shawn Michaels was still just a mid card tag wrestler a year ago at this show. He had a strong 1992, but really picked up strong momentum after SummerSlam, knocking off the Bulldog for the IC title on Saturday Night's Main Event in October. This match had been booked on TV prior to either man holding the gold, so as it flowed in, the match picked up some cache. While Shawn's title wasn't on the line, it was still billed as Champion vs. Champion, which was pretty damn cool. Michaels had a cool hook for his confidence, talking about how he beat the man that beat Hart for the IC title. Transitive property and all that, natch. This was a really cool time to be a WWF fan with two longtime stalwarts having worked their way up the ladder and pushed into the spotlight to really signal a change for the company. It was neat how these guys battled over both tag team and Intercontinental gold in previous years, and now here they stand, closing out a major pay-per-view with the big gold on the line. Vince wasted no time prodding poor Bobby about how Hart had defeated Ric Flair to win that big gold. The two took some time early to feel each other out and alternate grinding basic holds, with Bret coming out on top on the majority of them. That continued for a while as they really were setting the table and building things nicely. Shawn gained firm control when Bret missed a charge in the corner and slammed his shoulder into the ring post. Michaels would take full advantage, diving in and targeting his attack to the shoulder in between clamping on a chinlock to wear the champ out. Michaels actually strayed from the shoulder and started to soften the back, which didn't totally make sense and played up his relative inexperience as a singles competitor. It would cost him as Bret came back, drilling Shawn with a boot in the corner and rattling him with a bulldog but coming up empty on a second rope elbow drop. Michaels would slip in a near fall here and there, but any time he felt he was losing his grip, he would lock in a front chancery and grind Bret to the mat to work him over. Bret would wriggle free and snap Michaels over with a great back suplex. Bret made a crisp comeback, crotching Michaels on the top rope and shaking him down to the mat. Bret then hoisted Michaels to the top and took him over with a big superplex for a close near fall. Just when it looked like Michaels was toast, he was able to shift his weight on a Hart go behind and send the champ careening to the floor. Michaels slammed him out there and pitched him back in, starting to feel like the gold could be his. Bret survived his offense, but Michaels struck a big blow with a strong side kick to the face. He dragged Hart to his feet and after a brief struggle, hit the champ with his Teardrop Suplex for another close two count. Michaels would end up hooked in the ropes, but wriggled free as Bret charged, causing the Hitman to slam his banged up shoulder into the ropes for one last bit of nice selling. Shawn decided to go high risk and tried a dropkick out of the corner, but Hart blocked it, hooked Shawn's legs and turned him into the Sharpshooter for the hard earned victory. That was a damn good match. It lacked the major bells and whistles, but was really solid in every way. It built logically (outside of Michaels abandoning the shoulder work) and had some nice back and forth mixed in before hitting the peak with some good near falls. It was exactly the type of match that Hart needed to get his reign off to a strong start. The match also set up Michaels as someone that could hang in a big spot. Santa Claus would emerge and celebrate with Hart as we go off the air. And with that, a new company ace was born.

### Final Analysis:

### Scott:

This is the show that transitioned out of the "Federation Era" and into the "New Generation Era". This show indicates a drastic change in the company. Again we have no Hogan, Warrior or other previous main eventers. Only Savage remains, and he's in the mid-card main event. Bret/Shawn at the top of the card really proves that Vince was looking ahead towards the future. Besides the shift of current roster guys, we have a myriad of PPV debuts (Razor, Doink, Yokozuna), all of which play a major impact in the next few years of the company. I really liked this show except for the Kamala/Taker mess, and sadly things for the Deadman don't get any better. This is definitely a forgotten show that if you have a couple hours should be one to check out or revisit.

Final Grade:

### Justin:

This is a really tough show to grade. It is pretty important historically in ways thanks to all of the debuts up and down the card, as well as the fact of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels ascending to the main event scene. It was a major shift in company philosophy in multiple ways. The two big matches that headlined the show definitely delivered and were easily the best bouts on the card. However, the rest of the in ring action was very lacking as nothing stood out in any way. Also, it was a bit jarring to have zero traditional Survivor Series matches on the card for the first time. I think they easily could have shuffled a couple in here to keep the tradition alive. The crowd was into most of it and I really enjoyed Vince and Bobby on the call again as their chemistry has grown quite a bit. More change was imminent in 1993, some of it positive momentum and some severe regression, but things remain to be very unsettled at the end of the year. I will give this show a decent bump due to the fresh feel, injection of new talent and the general excitement around it, but the in ring quality was severely lacking across the board.

Final Grade:

Place To Be Podcast: Episode #63

#  Appendix A: All Time PPV Active-Wrestler Roster

Adrian Adonis

Akeem

Andre the Giant

Animal

Arn Anderson

Ax

Bam Bam Bigelow

Barbarian

Barry Windham

Beau Beverly

Berzerker

Big Boss Man

Big John Studd

Bill Fralic

Billy Jack Haynes

Blake Beverly

Blue Blazer

Bob Orton

Bobby Heenan

Boris Zhukov

Bret Hart

Brian Blair

Brian Knobbs

Bruno Sammartino

Brutus Beefcake

Buddy Rose

Bushwhacker Butch

Bushwhacker Luke

Butch Reed

Conquistador Dos

Conquistador Uno

Corporal Kirschner

Crush

Danny Davis

Danny Spivey

Davey Boy Smith

David Sammartino

Dawn Marie

Don Muraco

Donna Christanello

Dory Funk, Jr.

Dustin Rhodes

Dusty Rhodes

Dynamite Kid

Earthquake

Ernie Holmes

Fabulous Moolah

Fatu

General Adnan

Genichiro Tenryu

George Steele

George Wells

Greg Valentine

Haiti Kid

Harley Race

Harvey Martin

Hawk

Hercules

Hillbilly Jim

Honky Tonk Man

Hulk Hogan

Iron Sheik

Irwin R. Schyster

Itsuki Yamazaki

Jacques Rougeau

Jake Roberts

Jerry Sags

Jim Brunzell

Jim Covert

Jim Duggan

Jim Neidhart

Jim Powers

Jimmy Snuka

Judy Martin

Junkyard Dog

Kamala

Kato

Ken Patera

Kerry Von Erich

King Kong Bundy

King Tonga (Haku)

Koji Kitao

Koko B. Ware

Leilani Kai

Little Beaver

Little Tokyo

Lord Littlebrook

Marty Jannetty

Matt Borne

Mike Rotundo

Mountie

Mr. Fuji

Mr. Perfect

Mr. T

Nailz

Nikolai Volkoff

Noriyoi Tateno

One Man Gang

Owen Hart

Paul Orndorff

Paul Roma

Pedro Morales

Randy Savage

Raymond Rougeau

Razor Ramon

Red Rooster

Repo-Man

Ric Flair

Rick Martel

Rick Rude

Ricky Steamboat

Rockin' Robin

Roddy Piper

Ron Bass

Ronnie Garvin

Russ Francis

Sam Houston

Samu

Sapphire

Sato

Scott Casey

SD "Special Delivery" Jones

Sgt. Slaughter

Shane Douglas

Shawn Michaels

Sherri Martel

Sika

Skinner

Smash

Tama

Tatanka

Ted Arcidi

Terry Funk

The Genius

Tito Santana

Tom Zenk

Tony Atlas

Tugboat/Typhoon

Tully Blanchard

Ultimate Warrior

Uncle Elmer

Undertaker

Velvet McIntyre

Virgil

Warlord

Wendi Richter

William Perry

Yokozuna

Zeus

#  Appendix B: PPV Rest in Peace List

Name - Last WWF/WWE PPV Appearance

"Playboy" Buddy Rose - Wrestlemania I

"Special Delivery" Jones - Wrestlemania I

Uncle Elmer - Wrestlemania II

Adrian Adonis - Wrestlemania III

Haiti Kid - Wrestlemania III

Little Beaver - Wrestlemania III

Junkyard Dog - SummerSlam 1988

Big John Studd - Wrestlemania V

Sapphire - SummerSlam 1990

Dino Bravo - Wrestlemania VII

Andre the Giant - SummerSlam 1991

Texas Tornado - Royal Rumble 1992

Hercules - Royal Rumble 1992

Miss Elizabeth - Wrestlemania VIII
**###**

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