Post by Shatter Machine on Aug 13, 2016 19:02:28 GMT -5
This is a VHS rip of the Coliseum Video version of this card, so there’s some stuff missing, as usual. Most of this stuff showed up on Primetime Wrestling over the next month or so, which was cool, and the visual of them being outside at a baseball stadium is one of my favorites. I managed to track down just about everything missing, so I’ve now seen the whole card. The commentary team is the worst possible combination of guys: Sean Mooney, Lord Alfred Hayes, and Superstar Graham. The only one missing is… damn. There’s really no way to make it worse. As usual, all cut matches are in italics, and all match times come from Cagematch.net.
Scott Casey
Vs
Big Bossman
No Slick here, and it’s just Mooney and Lord Al on commentary. Casey was never a jobber until he came to Titan, and it’s a shame, because he was more talented than about 75% of his contemporaries. He could have flourished in a mid-card tag team role. Casey shows off some great work, skinning the cat and grabbing a wristlock, so he gets more offense than most jobbers. Bossman hits a backbreaker (Called a “backbreaker across the knee” by dipshit Mooney. I wish Lord Al would slap him.) Bossman does the sit down clothesline on Casey while Casey is draped over the second rope. Casey fires back, but he doesn’t have a lot behind it. Bossman grabs a bearhug, but Casey claps the ears a couple of times to escape. Casey slides through his legs and grabs a sleeper, but Bossman squishes him in the corner. Bossman eats knees on a charge, and Casey is punching, but a Bossman slam finishes it. He roughs Casey up with the nightstick, but just leaves the cuffs on his chest. (4:53 **)
Brutus Beefcake
Vs
Hercules
Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon are on commentary here, because this was broadcast on PTW. These two manage to bore the fuck out of me before the match is a minute old. They do absolutely nothing of note, and Hercules drags it down even further by grabbing a chinlock. Beefcake comes out of that with elbows and punches, then a running back elbow in the corner. Clothesline, and Beefcake calls for the sleeper. Mounted punches in the corner, but Herc leverages him into the buckles. He grabs the full nelson, but Beefcake runs him into the buckles and grabs a sleeper. Herc tries the same thing, but Beefcake lets him go and rolls him up for the pin. Hercules goes after him with his chain, but Beefcake grabs his scissors to run him off. That was actively bad. And to think Beefcake was one of my favorites as a kid. Dude couldn’t even throw a worked punch. (9:37 DUD)
The Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell & Brian Blair)
Vs
Jacques & Raymond Rougeau
The Rougeaus were in the midst of their heel turn here, and it really revitalized them as a team. They hadn’t added Jimmy Hart yet, which was when they got really overbearing and annoying, but also a lot of fun. This just goes on and on, with the Bees working Ray’s leg for a while. He makes the tag, and Jacques tries to stretch is hammy out, and Blair rolls him up for 2. Jacques gets a drop toehold, but Blair escapes and grabs an armbar. He leaps another drop toehold and they start working Jacques’ leg. His selling is SO over the top: “OW! YOU’RE HURTING ME!” Blair takes his eyes off of Ray to go after Jacques, and gets hit in the kidneys to allow the Rougeaus to take over. They do the cool abdominal stretch – karate kick spot, then Ray goes to a chinlock. I really am only watching this to see Brunzell hit that dropkick. Blair makes the hot tag, and Brunzell comes in, locking the figure four on Jacques. He levels Jacques with the dropkick, but Ray breaks it up at 2. Brunzell picks up Jacques for a slam, and Ray just punches him right in the face, allowing Jacques to fall on him for the pin. Overlong, and not very exciting. (13:59 **)
Bret Hart
Vs
Bad News Brown
This is during Bret’s face turn and failed singles push. The nice thing with Bret and Bad News is that they couldn’t really have a bad match, since they’d literally wrestled 500 times. Bad News stalls at the beginning, but they lock up. They have an abbreviated version of their normal match, which starts with a short heat segment on Bret, then a shine that ends with Bret eating a boot in the corner. Bad News goes to the top, but Bret slams him off. Second rope elbow gets 2. Snap suplex and a legdrop gets 2. Backbreaker is broken up by a Bad News eye rake, and he takes over, running his mouth at the referee the entire time. Bret reverses a whip to the corner, but Bad News clotheslines him coming out and calls for the Ghetto Blaster, but Bret ducks. Bad News charges, and Bret dumps him over the top and busts out a PESCADO! They go back in, and Bret gets a crossbody for 2. Sunset flip gets 2. Backbreaker (which idiot Mooney calls a “Side suplex across the knee”), and Bret gets a rolling reverse for 2. Bad News reverses by pulling the tights and gets the pin. Jim Neidhart comes out to protest the decision, and the Harts run Bad News off. (6:36 ** ¾)
WWF Intercontinental Championship:
Honky Tonk Man (Champion, with Jimmy Hart)
Vs
Hacksaw Duggan
Before the match, HTM and Jimmy are interviewed by Gene Okerlund. He says nothing of note. Honky, God bless him, is game, but this is just a disaster. It’s mercifully short, however, and it’s mostly stalling. It’s really a clash of styles, as we have the Mid-South brawler in Duggan and the Memphis heel in HTM. Duggan eventually runs him down and starts pounding on him. 10-punch in the corner, then he runs Honky to the top turnbuckle 10 times, then clotheslines him. Honky bails, so Duggan runs him and Jimmy together. Honky goes back in, and gets a cheap shot to control. Duggan shrugs off Honky’s offense and sets up for the clothesline, but Jimmy Hart grabs his leg for the DQ. That was 100% pointless. After the match, shenanigans lead to Duggan destroying Honky Tonk Man’s guitar with his 2x4. (4:38 DUD)
The Bolsheviks (Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zhukov)
Vs
The Powers of Pain (Warlord & Barbarian)
The POP run to the ring, and the brawl starts. It’s basically an extended squash. The big problem is that Volkoff, who was strong and could go in his younger days, was well past his prime; Zhukov was a slug, and Warlord was just a big body. He was insanely strong, but not a great wrestler. Barbarian has had esteem grow as he’s gotten further away from wrestling, as people realize what a hard-hitting badass he was. Superstar Graham is about to have an orgasm on commentary talking about the juiced-to-the-gills Warlord build. It’s pretty back and forth until Barbarian posts himself, but the heat is short on him. Hot tag after a double clothesline, and the Powers finish Zhukov with a Warlord powerslam and a Barbarian top rope headbutt. (6:47 * ½)
Jim Neidhart
Vs
Lanny Poffo
Neidhart, a babyface earlier, works this match as a heel. Poffo has a poem about WrestleFest. Poffo catches him off guard and slams him, going for a moonsault early, but Neidhart gets his knees up. He clotheslines Poffo on the top rope, then just beats the shit out of him, laughing and screaming at him the whole time. Neidhart finishes him with a powerslam. (2:34. ¼ *)
WWF World Championship:
Randy Savage (Champion, with Elizabeth)
Vs
Ted DiBiase (with Virgil)
This wasn’t on the version of this card that I have, so I tracked down a copy of the match because it’s so damn good. Probably their best match. Savage is at his maniac babyface best, trying to retain the title while constantly having to keep one eye on Liz on the floor. This feud was red hot in the summer of 1988, and is one of my favorites of all time. Savage chases Virgil right away, leading to DiBiase getting a knee off the apron to control early. He works Savage over in the corner, but Savage comes back with a clothesline. Big high elbow, then he knocks DiBiase to the floor with a knee. Virgil distracts him to prevent the bombs away from the top, so Savage decks DiBiase on the apron. He pulls him back in and atomic drops him over the top. Virgil blocks the double axhandle again, and DiBiase collects himself on the floor. DiBiase comes in and buries a knee to Savage’s gut. He goes for a sunset flip, but Savage punches him. DiBiase begs off after a clothesline, and leverages Savage to the floor. He takes it to him on the floor, running him to the timekeeper’s table. Back in, and DiBiase controls. Clothesline gets 2. Savage sends him to the buckle, but DiBiase gets a boot up on a charge to the corner. He goes to the floor, hitting elbows on the apron, then a double sledge from the second rope for 2. Shoulder breaker gets 2. I really wish they’d given Sean Mooney some sort of quiz before allowing him to call moves. He just called that a “backbreaker across the knee”. Savage blocks and reverses a vertical suplex for 2. He hits a crossbody for 2, but DiBiase hits a clothesline for 2. DiBiase grabs a chinlock, and this is the first real slowdown. Savage eventually gets to his feet and leverages DiBiase into the top turnbuckle. He whips DiBiase into the corner, but DiBiase moves and Savage runs his knee into the corner. DiBiase starts working the spinning toehold, but Savage kicks him to the floor. Savage mounts his comeback, nailing punches. He runs DiBiase into the corner 10 times, and that gets 2. Savage does his spot where he clotheslines DiBiase on top by grabbing his head and leaping over the top to the floor. DiBiase even manages to work in his full 360 sell of the that one. Savage comes off the top with a double ax, and when he goes up for the elbow, Virgil jumps up on the apron. Savage goes after him, and they tussle, allowing DiBiase to charge. Savage moves, DiBiase nails Virgil. Savage gets a rollup for 2. That was really close. Savage puts his head down for a backdrop, and DiBiase nails him. DiBiase grabs the Million Dollar Dream, and Savage starts to fade. They go to the ropes, and while the ref pushes DiBiase away, Virgil nails Savage with a chair. That only gets 2. The crowd really thought that was it. DiBiase gets a fist drop, and he pulls Savage up, but Savage gets an inside cradle for the pin. Good lord, that was as good, if not better, than I remembered. DiBiase and Virgil put the boots to Savage after the match, but he throws a chair at them to run them off. (14:52 ****)
Curt Hennig
Vs
Terry Taylor
This wasn’t on the VHS version of the tape either, so I tracked it down. Michael Cole and Mick Foley do commentary, and they talk about how either of these two guys could have been “Mister Perfect” but while Taylor would have been a double, Hennig was a home run. They exchange headlocks, and Hennig hits a back suplex. Taylor gets a backslide for 2. Mick tells about how much of a ribber Hennig was. The fans aren’t paying attention, because there’s a fight in the crowd, and Hennig grabs a sleeper. Some fan gets thrown out, and the fans sing for him. Taylor comes back, briefly, but Hennig hits him with a fist to the head for the pin. Could have been much better, but that’s generally the story with these two when they got together in the WWF. (4:52 * ½)
Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan)
Vs
Jake Roberts
Roberts jumps him before the bell, and Rude just runs and runs. Heenan disappears after the bell, probably to get ready for his match. One thing that amazes me is how good of a worker Rude became, because he was not very good here. He was improving, like head and shoulders better than he was in Memphis or JCP, but not yet as good as he was from 1990-91. This is a total snoozer, as Rude forearms him down. Jake fires back, teasing the DDT, but Rude runs again. He locks in an hour-long chinlock, and I’m sensing that they’re just working the exact same match they worked at WrestleMania IV. I fast forward because I’m not wasting that much time. Roberts eventually escapes, and they start duking it out in the middle of the ring. Rude crotches himself on top, and Jake hauls himself up, teasing the DDT again. The ref gets bumped, and Roberts DDTs Rude right on top of him. Roberts clotheslines him over the top, and they brawl up the aisle for the double count-out. So, so bad. So very, very bad. They brawl after the bell, and Roberts puts the snake on him to keep the feud going. (15:44 -***)
King Haku
Vs
Sam Houston
This does not look good for Houston. And it isn’t, as he just stomps the shit out of him right away. Houston gets some jobber offense, including a crossbody for 2. He gets an armdrag and armbar, but Haku just keeps hitting him in the face. Another armdrag and armbar, as Houston literally has no other offense. Haku presses and slams him on the top rope, and that will about do it for Mr. Houston. Haku gets some kicks and chops, and he grabs a nerve hold. Houston fires back again, but Haku slams him. Haku misses an elbow, and Houston nails a lariat for 2. Haku hits a crescent kick to the head and a running splash for the pin. Nothing to see here. Houston got more offense than I thought he would. (5:04 ½ *)
Weasel Suit Match:
Bobby Heenan
Vs
Ultimate Warrior
You win this match by stuffing your opponent into a weasel suit. Heenan made a ton of money with this gimmick against Greg Gagne all over the Midwest a few years earlier. Funny thing is, Heenan owned the suit. It doesn’t last long, as Heenan stalls like mad, then bumps like a rubber ball for the Warrior. He gets some token offense in with a foreign object, then Warrior wins with a sleeper and stuffs Heenan in the suit. Heenan wakes up and sells the suit better than Warrior ever sold anything. (4:59 NR)
WWF World Tag Team Championship:
Demolition (Ax & Smash, Champions, with Mr. Fuji)
Vs
The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith & Dynamite Kid)
This is during Demolition’s epic 18-month tag title run, but before the face turn, obviously. The Demos trap Dynamite in their corner and lay the wood to him for a bit, but this is abbreviated due to time constraints. This is pretty standard formula with no shine segment. Finally, Dynamite gets the hot tag, and Davey Boy gets a backdrop on Ax for 2. Dynamite comes back in for no discernable reason, hitting a snap suplex for 2 on Smash. They nail the press-slam headbutt, but Ax breaks it up. Fuji fires his cane in, and while the ref deals with Davey Boy, Dynamite locks in the Octopus on Smash. Ax wallops him with the cane for the pin. (7:08 **)
Dino Bravo
Vs
Ken Patera
This was the most hilarious feud, as neither guy was mobile or really able to work a decent match. Hilariously, Bravo can’t get his jacket off, and Patera just jumps him right off the bell. Patera controls for a while, then Bravo. Patera comes back briefly (and I mean briefly) but he’s a JTTS by this point, and Bravo gets in a shot and finishes with the side suplex. Surprisingly inoffensive. (3:28 ½ *)
Cage Match:
Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan)
Vs
Hulk Hogan
It’s the standard WWF “big blue” steel cage, under escape the cage rules. This is, I think, the last Hogan – Andre singles match in the WWF. Hogan comes in, and Andre chokes him. Shocking, I know. Hogan gets him into the corner and starts punching, then he STANDS ON ANDRE’S THROAT! What the fuck is that about? Andre ties Hogan to the cage with his own shirt, then he just chops the shit out of him. Andre goes for the door, but Hogan teleports over and grabs him. He knocks Andre down and starts choking him and kicking him. Andre grabs a bearhug from his knees, but Hogan hits him a few times to power out. Hogan goes to climb, but Andre pulls him down and drops an elbow. Yikes! They tangle in the corner, and Andre tears a turnbuckle pad off. Andre runs Hogan to the corner, and Hogan blades. Andre headbutts the shit out of him, runs him to the cage, headbutts him more, then tries to leave. Hogan stops him, so Andre headbutts him again. but then Hogan hits a clothesline to come back. He chops Andre and knocks him down. Hogan drops the leg, and Bobby Heenan just comes right in to attack. I thought the point of the cage was to keep people out? Andre tries to scale the cage, but Hogan pulls him down, knocks Heenan out, ties Andre in the ropes and climbs out for the win. Probably the best match that Hogan and Andre ever had as singles during the expansion era. (9:52 ** ¾)
The Bottom Line: Actually a pretty solid, if unremarkable show from top to bottom. The Hogan – Andre match was much better than WrestleMania III, or their 2/5/88 match, and light years better than the tournament match at WMIV. The undercard was hit or miss, with some stuff that was actually pretty bad, but the stuff that was good (Savage-DiBiase, Bret-Bad News, Hogan-Andre) actually outmatching the stuff that was awful (Rude-Roberts, HTM-Duggan, Beefcake-Hercules) Mildy recommended, but be prepared to sit through some bad shit to get to the good stuff.
Scott Casey
Vs
Big Bossman
No Slick here, and it’s just Mooney and Lord Al on commentary. Casey was never a jobber until he came to Titan, and it’s a shame, because he was more talented than about 75% of his contemporaries. He could have flourished in a mid-card tag team role. Casey shows off some great work, skinning the cat and grabbing a wristlock, so he gets more offense than most jobbers. Bossman hits a backbreaker (Called a “backbreaker across the knee” by dipshit Mooney. I wish Lord Al would slap him.) Bossman does the sit down clothesline on Casey while Casey is draped over the second rope. Casey fires back, but he doesn’t have a lot behind it. Bossman grabs a bearhug, but Casey claps the ears a couple of times to escape. Casey slides through his legs and grabs a sleeper, but Bossman squishes him in the corner. Bossman eats knees on a charge, and Casey is punching, but a Bossman slam finishes it. He roughs Casey up with the nightstick, but just leaves the cuffs on his chest. (4:53 **)
Brutus Beefcake
Vs
Hercules
Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon are on commentary here, because this was broadcast on PTW. These two manage to bore the fuck out of me before the match is a minute old. They do absolutely nothing of note, and Hercules drags it down even further by grabbing a chinlock. Beefcake comes out of that with elbows and punches, then a running back elbow in the corner. Clothesline, and Beefcake calls for the sleeper. Mounted punches in the corner, but Herc leverages him into the buckles. He grabs the full nelson, but Beefcake runs him into the buckles and grabs a sleeper. Herc tries the same thing, but Beefcake lets him go and rolls him up for the pin. Hercules goes after him with his chain, but Beefcake grabs his scissors to run him off. That was actively bad. And to think Beefcake was one of my favorites as a kid. Dude couldn’t even throw a worked punch. (9:37 DUD)
The Killer Bees (Jim Brunzell & Brian Blair)
Vs
Jacques & Raymond Rougeau
The Rougeaus were in the midst of their heel turn here, and it really revitalized them as a team. They hadn’t added Jimmy Hart yet, which was when they got really overbearing and annoying, but also a lot of fun. This just goes on and on, with the Bees working Ray’s leg for a while. He makes the tag, and Jacques tries to stretch is hammy out, and Blair rolls him up for 2. Jacques gets a drop toehold, but Blair escapes and grabs an armbar. He leaps another drop toehold and they start working Jacques’ leg. His selling is SO over the top: “OW! YOU’RE HURTING ME!” Blair takes his eyes off of Ray to go after Jacques, and gets hit in the kidneys to allow the Rougeaus to take over. They do the cool abdominal stretch – karate kick spot, then Ray goes to a chinlock. I really am only watching this to see Brunzell hit that dropkick. Blair makes the hot tag, and Brunzell comes in, locking the figure four on Jacques. He levels Jacques with the dropkick, but Ray breaks it up at 2. Brunzell picks up Jacques for a slam, and Ray just punches him right in the face, allowing Jacques to fall on him for the pin. Overlong, and not very exciting. (13:59 **)
Bret Hart
Vs
Bad News Brown
This is during Bret’s face turn and failed singles push. The nice thing with Bret and Bad News is that they couldn’t really have a bad match, since they’d literally wrestled 500 times. Bad News stalls at the beginning, but they lock up. They have an abbreviated version of their normal match, which starts with a short heat segment on Bret, then a shine that ends with Bret eating a boot in the corner. Bad News goes to the top, but Bret slams him off. Second rope elbow gets 2. Snap suplex and a legdrop gets 2. Backbreaker is broken up by a Bad News eye rake, and he takes over, running his mouth at the referee the entire time. Bret reverses a whip to the corner, but Bad News clotheslines him coming out and calls for the Ghetto Blaster, but Bret ducks. Bad News charges, and Bret dumps him over the top and busts out a PESCADO! They go back in, and Bret gets a crossbody for 2. Sunset flip gets 2. Backbreaker (which idiot Mooney calls a “Side suplex across the knee”), and Bret gets a rolling reverse for 2. Bad News reverses by pulling the tights and gets the pin. Jim Neidhart comes out to protest the decision, and the Harts run Bad News off. (6:36 ** ¾)
WWF Intercontinental Championship:
Honky Tonk Man (Champion, with Jimmy Hart)
Vs
Hacksaw Duggan
Before the match, HTM and Jimmy are interviewed by Gene Okerlund. He says nothing of note. Honky, God bless him, is game, but this is just a disaster. It’s mercifully short, however, and it’s mostly stalling. It’s really a clash of styles, as we have the Mid-South brawler in Duggan and the Memphis heel in HTM. Duggan eventually runs him down and starts pounding on him. 10-punch in the corner, then he runs Honky to the top turnbuckle 10 times, then clotheslines him. Honky bails, so Duggan runs him and Jimmy together. Honky goes back in, and gets a cheap shot to control. Duggan shrugs off Honky’s offense and sets up for the clothesline, but Jimmy Hart grabs his leg for the DQ. That was 100% pointless. After the match, shenanigans lead to Duggan destroying Honky Tonk Man’s guitar with his 2x4. (4:38 DUD)
The Bolsheviks (Nikolai Volkoff & Boris Zhukov)
Vs
The Powers of Pain (Warlord & Barbarian)
The POP run to the ring, and the brawl starts. It’s basically an extended squash. The big problem is that Volkoff, who was strong and could go in his younger days, was well past his prime; Zhukov was a slug, and Warlord was just a big body. He was insanely strong, but not a great wrestler. Barbarian has had esteem grow as he’s gotten further away from wrestling, as people realize what a hard-hitting badass he was. Superstar Graham is about to have an orgasm on commentary talking about the juiced-to-the-gills Warlord build. It’s pretty back and forth until Barbarian posts himself, but the heat is short on him. Hot tag after a double clothesline, and the Powers finish Zhukov with a Warlord powerslam and a Barbarian top rope headbutt. (6:47 * ½)
Jim Neidhart
Vs
Lanny Poffo
Neidhart, a babyface earlier, works this match as a heel. Poffo has a poem about WrestleFest. Poffo catches him off guard and slams him, going for a moonsault early, but Neidhart gets his knees up. He clotheslines Poffo on the top rope, then just beats the shit out of him, laughing and screaming at him the whole time. Neidhart finishes him with a powerslam. (2:34. ¼ *)
WWF World Championship:
Randy Savage (Champion, with Elizabeth)
Vs
Ted DiBiase (with Virgil)
This wasn’t on the version of this card that I have, so I tracked down a copy of the match because it’s so damn good. Probably their best match. Savage is at his maniac babyface best, trying to retain the title while constantly having to keep one eye on Liz on the floor. This feud was red hot in the summer of 1988, and is one of my favorites of all time. Savage chases Virgil right away, leading to DiBiase getting a knee off the apron to control early. He works Savage over in the corner, but Savage comes back with a clothesline. Big high elbow, then he knocks DiBiase to the floor with a knee. Virgil distracts him to prevent the bombs away from the top, so Savage decks DiBiase on the apron. He pulls him back in and atomic drops him over the top. Virgil blocks the double axhandle again, and DiBiase collects himself on the floor. DiBiase comes in and buries a knee to Savage’s gut. He goes for a sunset flip, but Savage punches him. DiBiase begs off after a clothesline, and leverages Savage to the floor. He takes it to him on the floor, running him to the timekeeper’s table. Back in, and DiBiase controls. Clothesline gets 2. Savage sends him to the buckle, but DiBiase gets a boot up on a charge to the corner. He goes to the floor, hitting elbows on the apron, then a double sledge from the second rope for 2. Shoulder breaker gets 2. I really wish they’d given Sean Mooney some sort of quiz before allowing him to call moves. He just called that a “backbreaker across the knee”. Savage blocks and reverses a vertical suplex for 2. He hits a crossbody for 2, but DiBiase hits a clothesline for 2. DiBiase grabs a chinlock, and this is the first real slowdown. Savage eventually gets to his feet and leverages DiBiase into the top turnbuckle. He whips DiBiase into the corner, but DiBiase moves and Savage runs his knee into the corner. DiBiase starts working the spinning toehold, but Savage kicks him to the floor. Savage mounts his comeback, nailing punches. He runs DiBiase into the corner 10 times, and that gets 2. Savage does his spot where he clotheslines DiBiase on top by grabbing his head and leaping over the top to the floor. DiBiase even manages to work in his full 360 sell of the that one. Savage comes off the top with a double ax, and when he goes up for the elbow, Virgil jumps up on the apron. Savage goes after him, and they tussle, allowing DiBiase to charge. Savage moves, DiBiase nails Virgil. Savage gets a rollup for 2. That was really close. Savage puts his head down for a backdrop, and DiBiase nails him. DiBiase grabs the Million Dollar Dream, and Savage starts to fade. They go to the ropes, and while the ref pushes DiBiase away, Virgil nails Savage with a chair. That only gets 2. The crowd really thought that was it. DiBiase gets a fist drop, and he pulls Savage up, but Savage gets an inside cradle for the pin. Good lord, that was as good, if not better, than I remembered. DiBiase and Virgil put the boots to Savage after the match, but he throws a chair at them to run them off. (14:52 ****)
Curt Hennig
Vs
Terry Taylor
This wasn’t on the VHS version of the tape either, so I tracked it down. Michael Cole and Mick Foley do commentary, and they talk about how either of these two guys could have been “Mister Perfect” but while Taylor would have been a double, Hennig was a home run. They exchange headlocks, and Hennig hits a back suplex. Taylor gets a backslide for 2. Mick tells about how much of a ribber Hennig was. The fans aren’t paying attention, because there’s a fight in the crowd, and Hennig grabs a sleeper. Some fan gets thrown out, and the fans sing for him. Taylor comes back, briefly, but Hennig hits him with a fist to the head for the pin. Could have been much better, but that’s generally the story with these two when they got together in the WWF. (4:52 * ½)
Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan)
Vs
Jake Roberts
Roberts jumps him before the bell, and Rude just runs and runs. Heenan disappears after the bell, probably to get ready for his match. One thing that amazes me is how good of a worker Rude became, because he was not very good here. He was improving, like head and shoulders better than he was in Memphis or JCP, but not yet as good as he was from 1990-91. This is a total snoozer, as Rude forearms him down. Jake fires back, teasing the DDT, but Rude runs again. He locks in an hour-long chinlock, and I’m sensing that they’re just working the exact same match they worked at WrestleMania IV. I fast forward because I’m not wasting that much time. Roberts eventually escapes, and they start duking it out in the middle of the ring. Rude crotches himself on top, and Jake hauls himself up, teasing the DDT again. The ref gets bumped, and Roberts DDTs Rude right on top of him. Roberts clotheslines him over the top, and they brawl up the aisle for the double count-out. So, so bad. So very, very bad. They brawl after the bell, and Roberts puts the snake on him to keep the feud going. (15:44 -***)
King Haku
Vs
Sam Houston
This does not look good for Houston. And it isn’t, as he just stomps the shit out of him right away. Houston gets some jobber offense, including a crossbody for 2. He gets an armdrag and armbar, but Haku just keeps hitting him in the face. Another armdrag and armbar, as Houston literally has no other offense. Haku presses and slams him on the top rope, and that will about do it for Mr. Houston. Haku gets some kicks and chops, and he grabs a nerve hold. Houston fires back again, but Haku slams him. Haku misses an elbow, and Houston nails a lariat for 2. Haku hits a crescent kick to the head and a running splash for the pin. Nothing to see here. Houston got more offense than I thought he would. (5:04 ½ *)
Weasel Suit Match:
Bobby Heenan
Vs
Ultimate Warrior
You win this match by stuffing your opponent into a weasel suit. Heenan made a ton of money with this gimmick against Greg Gagne all over the Midwest a few years earlier. Funny thing is, Heenan owned the suit. It doesn’t last long, as Heenan stalls like mad, then bumps like a rubber ball for the Warrior. He gets some token offense in with a foreign object, then Warrior wins with a sleeper and stuffs Heenan in the suit. Heenan wakes up and sells the suit better than Warrior ever sold anything. (4:59 NR)
WWF World Tag Team Championship:
Demolition (Ax & Smash, Champions, with Mr. Fuji)
Vs
The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith & Dynamite Kid)
This is during Demolition’s epic 18-month tag title run, but before the face turn, obviously. The Demos trap Dynamite in their corner and lay the wood to him for a bit, but this is abbreviated due to time constraints. This is pretty standard formula with no shine segment. Finally, Dynamite gets the hot tag, and Davey Boy gets a backdrop on Ax for 2. Dynamite comes back in for no discernable reason, hitting a snap suplex for 2 on Smash. They nail the press-slam headbutt, but Ax breaks it up. Fuji fires his cane in, and while the ref deals with Davey Boy, Dynamite locks in the Octopus on Smash. Ax wallops him with the cane for the pin. (7:08 **)
Dino Bravo
Vs
Ken Patera
This was the most hilarious feud, as neither guy was mobile or really able to work a decent match. Hilariously, Bravo can’t get his jacket off, and Patera just jumps him right off the bell. Patera controls for a while, then Bravo. Patera comes back briefly (and I mean briefly) but he’s a JTTS by this point, and Bravo gets in a shot and finishes with the side suplex. Surprisingly inoffensive. (3:28 ½ *)
Cage Match:
Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan)
Vs
Hulk Hogan
It’s the standard WWF “big blue” steel cage, under escape the cage rules. This is, I think, the last Hogan – Andre singles match in the WWF. Hogan comes in, and Andre chokes him. Shocking, I know. Hogan gets him into the corner and starts punching, then he STANDS ON ANDRE’S THROAT! What the fuck is that about? Andre ties Hogan to the cage with his own shirt, then he just chops the shit out of him. Andre goes for the door, but Hogan teleports over and grabs him. He knocks Andre down and starts choking him and kicking him. Andre grabs a bearhug from his knees, but Hogan hits him a few times to power out. Hogan goes to climb, but Andre pulls him down and drops an elbow. Yikes! They tangle in the corner, and Andre tears a turnbuckle pad off. Andre runs Hogan to the corner, and Hogan blades. Andre headbutts the shit out of him, runs him to the cage, headbutts him more, then tries to leave. Hogan stops him, so Andre headbutts him again. but then Hogan hits a clothesline to come back. He chops Andre and knocks him down. Hogan drops the leg, and Bobby Heenan just comes right in to attack. I thought the point of the cage was to keep people out? Andre tries to scale the cage, but Hogan pulls him down, knocks Heenan out, ties Andre in the ropes and climbs out for the win. Probably the best match that Hogan and Andre ever had as singles during the expansion era. (9:52 ** ¾)
The Bottom Line: Actually a pretty solid, if unremarkable show from top to bottom. The Hogan – Andre match was much better than WrestleMania III, or their 2/5/88 match, and light years better than the tournament match at WMIV. The undercard was hit or miss, with some stuff that was actually pretty bad, but the stuff that was good (Savage-DiBiase, Bret-Bad News, Hogan-Andre) actually outmatching the stuff that was awful (Rude-Roberts, HTM-Duggan, Beefcake-Hercules) Mildy recommended, but be prepared to sit through some bad shit to get to the good stuff.