The Main Event – February 5, 1988
We’re live for the Main Event in Indianapolis, Indiana. And I do mean live! And right away, I see a hand up in the crowd. You have 2 questions? I normally don’t take more than one at a time, but ok. Let’s hear ‘em:
”Why did you emphasize “live?” Weren’t ALL SNMEs live?”
I emphasized “live” because this was actually the first episode in the series that aired live. Despite the announcers giving the show the feel of a live broadcast, All of the previous episodes of SNME were taped and then aired anywhere from 2 days to 3 weeks afterward. This show actually aired live on primetine TV on 2/2/88. And now your second question:
”Why did you call this show “THE MAIN EVENT” and not “SATURDAY NIGHT’S” Main Event?”
That was because during the run of SNME, there were 5 special episodes that didn’t actually air on a Saturday Night. As a result, they couldn’t be called “Saturday Night’s” Main Event. The WWF simply shortened the name on those occasions to “The Main Event”. The episode that we’ll be reviewing today actually took place on a Friday.
Ok, now that the Q&A portion of our review is finished, let’s get to the buildup for our show. If you remember the review from the 1/88, Bobby Heenan had promised a huge deal that was going down that would guarantee that Hulk Hogan would lose the WWF Title. Well, on the normal Saturday Morning TV, the “Million $$$ Man” Ted DiBiase (who had arrived in the WWF several months earlier) had his eye on the WWF Championship. And since he had proven in numerous classic skits that all the old-school fans like me remember quite fondly (and yes I do have them all on DVD just like these SNME episodes), that “Everybody’s got a price for the Million $$$ Man”, Ted decided on the 12/20/87 episode of WWF Wrestling Challenge to purchase the WWF Title from Hulk Hogan himself. Unfortunately, Hogan wasn’t interested in selling the title and on the following week’s show, gave DiBiase a resounding ”HELLLLL NOOOOOO” much to the crowd’s delight. The enraged DiBiase couldn’t accept that he couldn’t have something that he wanted, and thus we bring you to the deal that Bobby Heenan had mentioned in the 1/88 SNME show.
Turns out that Since Ted couldn’t buy the Title from Hogan, he decided to buy the services of the one man in the WWF who had the best chance of beating Hogan for it in the ring. One Andre the Giant. Ted purchased Andre’s contract from Bobby Heenan. And vowed that Andre himself would not only win the WWF Title, but would then give the title to DiBiase. At the WWF’s first Royal Rumble (which wasn’t a PPV, but aired live on the USA network), we saw the official contract signing between Hogan and Andre for their first singles match since Hogan defeated the Giant at Wrestlemania 3. This re-match would take place on Feb 5, 88 on a special airing of the Main Event. The contract was signed with Ted DiBiase in the background taunting Hogan the entire time, and of course encouraging Andre to attack Hogan at the table (he actually attacked him with the table) to seal the deal.
And that brings us to our latest episode of “The Main Event”, as we prepare for the re-match of the century between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. Apparently, this show is all re-matches, as the other 2 matches on the card are: an Intercontinental Title re-match between Randy “Macho Man” Savage and the Honkytonk Man, who is the current IC Champion; and a re-match for the WWF Tag Team Titles between The Hart Foundation and Strike Force, who in November of 1987 had recently defeated the Harts for the titles.
Randy " Macho Man " Savage - vs - Honky Tonk Man
Our first match, as I mentioned earlier is a rematch from the 10/87 SNME where we saw Savage cement his status as the WWF’s newest babyface with the formation of the Megapowers alongside Hulk Hogan. HTM is in the ring with Jimmy Hart and his valet Peggy Sue (who was actually Sensational Sherri) when the Macho Man makes his way to the ring. Honky taunts Elizabeth right away, and Savage goes right after him, chasing Honky around the ring before catching up to him with an elbow before throwing him in the ring. Savage quickly follows HTM in, picks him up and runs him throat first across the top rope, snapping HTM back. Savage is unbelievably quick here, as he is clearly in his athletic prime and a real joy to watch work. At this point, Savage made anybody look good in the ring, Honkytonk Man being no exception.
Savage hits another elbow to the head and then whips Honky to the turnbuckle for you guessed it, another elbow to the head. HTM rolls out of the ring and tries to talk with Jimmy Hart, but Savage grabs them both and bangs their heads together. Savage clearly has the crowd behind him here as he throws HTM back in the ring. As Savage attempts to get back in, Hart grabs Savage’s leg, allowing Honky to attack the Macho man. Honky tries for an irish whip, but Savage reverses it and attempts a back body drop. Honky sees it coming and goes for a sunset flip (Honkytonk Man using a wrestling hold? Yeah, believe it!), but Savage blocks it with a punch to the head. HTM stumbles to his feet and right into a right hand by Savage. The Macho Man tries to whip Honky to the far corner, but it’s reversed, and reversed again by Savage who sends Honky back to the corner they started from. Savage charges in, but HTM gets out of the way, causing Savage to run right into the corner. Honkytonk Man snap mares Savage and tries to follow up with an elbow drop, but Savage moves out of the way in time. Savage, still in control picks HTM up to his feet, but goes after Jimmy Hart who was on the ring apron. Savage chases Hart around the ring and back into the ring but gets nailed by Honkytonk Man who had picked up the megaphone that Hart had dropped in the ring while he was running. The ref of course didn’t see it, as he was trying to get Hart out of the ring.
On an aside note, this is what’s missing (or one of the things that’s missing at least) from today’s wrestling. These days, managers are nothing more than half naked women who do nothing but stand there and pose for the audience who are mainly waiting for her to fall out of her top. Back in the day, managers actually got involved in the action and played an important role in the progression of the match. Men like Jim Cornette, Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and as seen here, Jimmy “Mouth of the South” Hart played a big role in the success of the WWF in the 80s. The gradual phasing out of managers has really hurt the sport.
Anyway, with Savage laid out, HTM can slow things down and press his advantage. He covers Savage for the first 2 count of the match, but is very confident as he goes back to work on the Macho Man with a snap mare and a rear chin lock. Savage fights his way to his feet and breaks the hold. Savage runs the ropes and takes down Honky with a shoulder block. Savage runs the ropes again, but HTM is there with a knee to the mid-section that knocks Savage down and out of the ring. Honky follows it up with a double ax handle from the ring apron to the floor before throwing Savage back in. Honky proceeds to alternate between stomping on Savage and arrogantly taunting Elizabeth and when the ref chides Honky on his behavior, Jimmy Hart sneaks in and chokes Savage. This was the sort of stuff that made Honkytonk Man the guy you just loved to hate. Honky goes back to work on Savage punching and kicking him, but Savage gets a second wind and fights back with several rights and elbows. Honky regains the momentum with a kick to the gut. Honky runs to the ropes, but both men go down with a double clothesline. Honky makes it to his feet first, and proceeds to go after Elizabeth on the outside of the ring. Liz is now trapped between Honky and Hart, but an enraged Savage nails Honky from behind and throws him back in the ring. Honky tries to beg off, but Savage is having none of it. Savage throws Honky out of the ring and then nails him with a double axe handle from the top rope to the floor. Savage gets Honky back in the ring, bodyslams him and delivers another double ax from the top rope for 2. Jimmy Hart tries to interfere, but Savage causes Hart and Honky to collide, sending Hart back to the floor, and Honky stumbling backward into a sleeper hold by Savage. Honky is trying to fight it, but he’s falling fast. Savage breaks the hold though, as Peggy Sue was on the outside ready to attack Liz. Honky tries to attack Savage, but Savage saw it coming, and runs Honky into the corner.
Savage then throws Honky back into the ring, and drops the patented flying elbow for the 1-2 3! Randy Savage has just regained the Intercontinental Title! And right on cue, every hand in the room angrily goes up. Yes?
”That’s not the way the match ended! Savage didn’t defeat Honkytonk Man for the IC Title!”
You’re absolutely correct there. That last short paragraph is how the match was supposed to end. Something that not everyone knows is that Savage was originally booked to regain the Intercontinental Title here. However, Honkytonk Man had refused to do the job to Savage. Honky, who had actually been negotiating with Jim Crockett Promotions (NWA) threatened Vince McMahon that if the finish wasn’t changed, he would jump ship to the NWA while still holding the IC belt and toss it in the trash can on NWA TV. McMahon as a result changed the script to allow HTM to keep the title, but when Savage heard about this, he promised to SHOOT on HTM during the show which as we know was to be broadcast LIVE! In order to avert a surefire disaster, McMahon promised Savage the World Title at Wrestlemania 4, which was supposed to be won by Ted DiBiase. As a result, everyone was happy.
……..Except Ted DiBiase.
What really happened, is that after Savage ran Honky into the corner as mentioned above, Savage manages to get back in the ring to beat the ref’s 10 count and win the match via count-out. Honkytonk Man gets back in the ring with his guitar and looks ready to nail Savage with it like he did on the 10/87 SNME show. Savage winds up getting nailed from behind by Jimmy Hart. Honky is now ready to destroy Savage with the guitar, but just like last time, Elizabeth gets in the way and Honky holds up his swing. But only for a second though, as he decides to swing anyway. Savage this time blocks the guitar in mid swing and takes it from the Honkytonk Man, running him and Jimmy Hart away. Savage destroys the guitar in the ring and enjoys the crowd’s cheers as he is announced the winner. Savage makes a show of helping Elizabeth into the ring afterward, further showing the crowd that he’s not the disrespectful “Macho Man” that he used to be, but now really cares about his manager.
Hulk Hogan v. Andre the Giant
Prior to this match, they show all the footage covering their entire feud. Andre and Ted DiBiase are then interviewed with both men promising that Hogan will not leave with the ring with the WWF Title. Hogan is interviewed as well. Nothing unusual here. Same interview he always does. Just insert Andre the Giant’s name.
The match gets underway with Dave Hebner officiating and DiBiase and Virgil at ringside. Andre takes his time getting in the ring, not wishing to give Hogan the fast start that he knows would put the match in the Hulkster’s favor. DiBiase and Virgil are still on the ring apron, Hebner still having not made them get down. Hulk gets tired of waiting and attacks all 3 men, pulling Virgil and Ted in. But not for long as a pair of big boots sends both men down to the floor. Hogan then immediately attacks Andre with several punches and chops. Andre is looking weakened here after the initial onslaught. Hogan runs the ropes and clotheslines the Giant. Andre is definitely weakened, but Hogan can’t make the Giant fall. Several more punches and even a rake of the face by Hogan, followed by another clothesline. Hogan brings Andre to the middle of the ring for another punch and a face rake. Hogan then goes to the top rope, but Andre is right there and bodyslams Hogan off the turnbuckle. Andre goes for a splash, but Hogan moves out of the way. Hulk goes for the cover, but Andre chokes him. Andre proceeds to choke Hogan relentlessly, breaking each time at the count of 4 to avoid the disqualification. Andre then proceeds to press the advantage on Hogan, whipping him into the corner before stomping and then bodyslamming him. Andre kicks Hogan several times, followed by a head butt and a kick to the back. Andre delivers several hard chops to Hogan in the corner followed by another head butt before going back to the choke hold. Andre with an irish whip, followed by a big boot of his own. Hogan falls out of the ring, but Virgil throws him back in.
The ref admonishes Virgil, but misses Andre wrapping his singlet around Hogan’s throat in an obviously illegal choke hold. Andre releases the singlet, but goes back to choking Hogan again. Hogan fights back with several punches, drags Andre back to the center of the ring, and finally drops Andre with a flying clotheline off the second rope.. Hogan attempts a leg drop, but Virgil grabs Hogan as he hits the rope. Ear Hebner argues with Virgil and Hogan manages to drop the leg on Andre and covers him. Unfortunately, Hebner is still arguing with Virgil and doesn’t count the pinfall. An obviously upset Hogan grabs the ref and yells at him for missing the pinfall. Andre then attacks Hogan from behind, holding Hogan by the hair and headbutting him several times. The ref misses the hair pulling, because he’s inexplicably gone back to yelling at Virgil. Andre then executes a modified butterfly suplex and falls on Hogan for the cover. Hogan lifts his shoulder at the count of 1, but the ref continues to count Hogan down and calls for the bell! Andre the Giant has just pinned Hulk Hogan to win the WWF Heavyweight Title!
Hogan jumps to his feet in disbelief trying to figure out how the ref could have robbed him like that. Meanwhile DiBiase and Andre jump in the ring and celebrate their victory. Hogan argues with the ref, but Hebner is hearing none of it, as he presents Andre the Giant with the Title. At the announcer’s booth, Jesse “The Body” is ecstatic as he finally gets his wish, seeing Hogan lose the title. Andre while being interviewed in the ring by “Mean” Gene Okerlund immediately surrenders the WWF Championship to Ted DiBiase! Turns out that this was Ted’s plan all along. Not to see that Andre won the title, but to see that Andre won it and then gave it to DiBiase. Hogan has had enough of this and after moving the ref aside, tries to attack Andre, DiBiase and Virgil. All 3 heels bail out of the ring and are arguing with Hogan, but the real action is happening behind him as ANOTHER DAVE HEBNER HAS ENTERED THE RING! Both men are identical and arguing with each other. Hogan sees them and is completely confused, as he can’t figure out which one of them counted his shoulders down. The only thing he knows for sure, is that he just got screwed, but can’t figure out who screwed him. The argument between the 2 Hebners gets heated and the ‘imposter’ Dave Hebner becomes clear as he starts beating the hell out of the real one. Hogan snatches up the imposter and press slams him out of the ring and into Andre, Virgil and DiBiase.
In a post match interview in the back, Hogan is distraught, as he can’t figure out how an imposter referee got past him and all of his hulkamaniacs and completely robbed him of the WWF title. Hogan is incensed, wondering how much money Ted DiBiase spent on plastic surgery to insert his own referee to impersonate Dave Hebner just to get a the WWF Title. (Now of course, we all know by now that there was no plastic surgery. What wasn’t widely known at the time, was that Dave had an identical twin brother named Earl who previously had been a referee in the NWA. Earl was hired by the WWF just in time to play the role of his brother Dave in this match) The interview is cut short as we immediately go to:
Strike Force v. The Hart Foundation
This match is joined in progress, as tonight’s Main Event episode was only an hour long, and the match had started while the interview was being aired. In a taped show, they’d have simply waited until the previous interview finished before starting this match, but this was live, and as a result the interview and the match were going on simultaneously.
We enter the action with Rick Martel being double teamed by Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart. Hart piledrives Martel and goes for the cover, but that’s all the time we have for the show, as the roll the closing credits with the match still in progress. If this were aired today, the WWE would have of course negotiated an overrun with the network, allowing the show to continue airing like they do on RAW which regularly runs 15 minutes overtime. Unfortunately, this was 1988 and the first prime time Main Event wrestling show of its kind, so there was no overrun. Too bad, as this would no doubt have been a great match.
My score 9.5
This show just about had it all. If they didn’t cut off the final match, tonight’s show would have scored a perfect 10. Andre the Giant winning the WWF Title kicked off the biggest angle of the year and would lead the WWF right into the main events for every PPV that occurred for the next year and a half. This was an historic event, as not only did the WWF put on its first prime time special on National TV, but they did it in spectacular fashion with a title change. Both the Savage/Honkytonk Man and the Hogan/Andre match would tie directly into the upcoming Wresltemania 4 PPV. But we’ll get more into that when I review the 3/88 SNME show. As I said, this show had all the makings of a perfect 10, but unfortunately ran out of time before they ran out of wrestling. This was easily one of my top 3 SNME episodes ever. The other 2 being the 10/87 show and the 2/89 Main Event that will happen (obviously) a year from this one.
Hope you guys liked this review. Thanks again for your responses to the previous review. Keep them coming. It helps a lot in putting together future write-ups. Next up, will be the 3/88 episode that will feature a FANTASTIC match between Ted DiBiase and Randy Savage. Remember when I said that Savage could make anyone look good? Well imagine how it is when his opponent is already top-notch? Think back on how good Savage v. Steamboat was, and you’ll get an idea as to how Savage v. DiBiase will be. These two were hands down (now that Steamboat had left) the 2 best workers in the entire company. Can’t wait to watch it again for the review. Till then, thanks for reading, and keep those emails coming!
gnagus@comcast.net
-Corey
