Sorry for the several week delay in getting this next review out to you folks. I’ve been down in New Orleans helping out with organizing and streamlining security in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Please pray for the people down there who have lost so much, and for those of us that are going down there to help them.
With only a month to go until the monumental WWF World Heavyweight Championship Tournament, we have our newest episode of SNME for you. Vince McMahon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura are your announcers. And what has taken place since our last episode? Well, if you remember correctly, it was on the 2/88 Main Event prime time special where Andre the Giant won the WWF Title from Hulk Hogan with the help of a bogus referee paid off by “The Million $$$ Man” Ted DiBiase to give the match to Andre. Hogan managed to uncover the plot, but not in time to avoid losing his title. Immediately following the match though, Andre the Giant surrendered the WWF Title to Ted DiBiase, who had unsuccessfully tried to buy the title from Hogan himself. DiBiase was on top of the world as the new WWF Champion. In fact, it’s a little known fact that DiBiase worked several house shows during the following week as the Champ. It didn’t last long though, as by the time the 2/13/88 episode of WWF Superstars came around, WWF President Jack Tunney declared that Andre the Giant’s surrendering the WWF Title title to DiBiase didn’t constitute a legal title change, as the only way a title can change hands in the WWF was by pinfall or submission. With that in mind, Andre’s relinquishing the title would stand, but as of that moment, the title would be held up pending the first ever WWF Heavyweight Championship Tournament at the upcoming Wrestlemania 4. The tournament would be a 16 man tournament with Andre and Hogan (the last recognized champions) receiving an automatic bye into the second round.
With everyone jockeying for position in this tournament, tonight’s SNME show features 1 tag match, and several singles matches where at least one participant in each match (if not both of them) is an entrant in the WWF Championship Tournament. Now with the back story out of the way, let’s get down to the show. We begin with…..
Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake v. Greg “The Hammer” Valentine
2 years ago, Beefcake and Valentine then known as “The Dream Team” were on top of the WWF as the tag team champions. Eventually though, the team broke up and Beefcake turned babyface and began cutting his opponents’ hair as the newly christened “barber”. Since then, the former tag team partners have been thorns in each other’s sides and we wind up here for what may be their final face off in the ring.
Valentine is in the ring, but Brutus runs him off with these huge hedge clippers that he brought with him. The ref makes him put the clippers away though, and the action begins. Valentine feints a lock-up, but knees Brutus in the gut. From there, the veteran Valentine “hammers” beefcake with several punches. Valentine whips Beefcake to the ropes, and after missing a clothesline, gets nailed by a high knee from Beefcake. Brutus follows up with a bodyslam and an irish whip into a big boot. Beefcake takes the advantage here with 2 atomic drops and a tomahawk chop to the head to take Valentine to the mat and a cover for 2. Brutus gets Valentine to the corner and punches him 10 times leaving the Hammer very dazed and trying to beg off from Beefcake. Brutus comes in, and gets sucker punched. Valentine then proceeds to drop several forearms on the fallen beefcake before going to the top rope and nailing Beefcake with an elbow to the top of the head followed by another forearm. From there, Valentine slaps on his patented figure 4 leglock and holds onto the ropes for leverage, nearly getting himself disqualified in the process. Valentine releases the hold, but continues to stomp continuously on Beefcake’s leg. Valentine argues with the ref as Brutus rolls out of the ring. But Brutus isn’t alone out there, as the Honkytonk Man comes down to ringside! Honky grabs the microphone from ring announcer Howard Finkel and begins taunting “The Barber”, yelling at him to get back in the ring. Several additional referees come out and usher HTM back to the dressing room.
Meanwhile, Valentine goes outside the ring and brings Brutus back in and continues hammering on him with several elbows and a bodyslam before signaling for another Figure 4. He doesn’t go for it right away though, but continues to punish Beefcake’s legs. When he finally goes for the figure 4, Beefcake manages to grab Valentine’s tights and trip him up. Valentine goes for it again, and Beefcake kicks him off. Brutus limps to his feet and starts firing away at Valentine, having seemingly gotten a second wind. Brutus catches Valentine with a running elbow and then signals for and successfully applies his sleeper hold. Valentine can’t escape, but manages to stumble out of the ring with both men falling to the floor. They fight out there for a while with Brutus throwing Valentine back in the ring. Jimmy Hart distracts Brutus though allowing Valentine to go for a back suplex on Brutus for the pin. Brutus has the presence of mind though, to lift his shoulder at the count of 2 while both of Valentine’s shoulders were still down, to steal the pinfall victory from Valentine. Brutus not only wins the match, but then manages to cut some of “The Hammer’s” hair when he wasn’t looking. Brutus chases Jimmy Hart around the ring for good measure before celebrating in the middle of the ring.
This match was much better than I expected it to be. Brutus was never the best worker in the world in my opinion, but he was very popular at this point.. And Valentine was always a solid wrestler, who knew how to pace a good match.
”The King” Harley Race v. Hulk Hogan
Uh, I’ll save you the trouble of reading the same play by play as every other Hogan match. It starts with Hogan on top, and Race turning the tables for a while. The King nearly goes through a table, as he attempts to headbutt Hogan through it and the Hulkster gets out of the way. Race still has the advantage and attempts a headbutt from the top rope. And when Race makes the cover, it’s over as Hogan “Hulks up”. Three punches, a clothesline in the corner, another clothesline, a leg drop, and the 1-2-3.
Surprise, surprise huh? Like virtually all of Hogan’s matches, this was “Hogan by-the-numbers”. This was also Hogan’s first televised match since losing the WWF Title at the 2/5/88 Main Event show.
Ted DiBiase v. Randy “Macho Man” Savage
In his pre-match interview, DiBiase promised that he’d have a special guest for his match with Savage tonight. That guest turns out of course, to be Andre the Giant, who is still contracted to Ted DiBiase.
The bell rings with both men in the ring and instead of going after DiBiase, Savage goes right out of the ring after Virgil, who was yelling at Savage’s manager Elizabeth. DiBiase uses the opportunity to attack Savage from behind before throwing him back in the ring. DiBiase has Savage in the corner hammering him with solid right hands before choking him on the top rope. DiBiase presses the advantage with an irish whip and an elbow. DiBiase stomps on Savage before ramming him into the top turnbuckle. Ted keeps Savage there with several chops and then rams his shoulders to Savage’s mid-section several times before the ref backs him off. Ted catches Savage with a double ax from the second rope and then chokes him repeatedly on the mat, just breaking each time before the count of 5. Ted whips Savage to the corner, but it’s reversed, sending Ted into the corner and rebounding into an elbow by Savage. Savage whips DiBiase to the ropes, but Ted reverses it and goes for a back drop. Savage sees it coming and catches him with a boot. A rejuvenated Savage knees Ted from behind, sending him out of the ring. Savage follows him out and then throws him back in the ring. Savage follows up with a double ax handle from the top rope. Ted is in the corner now trying to beg Savage off. Savage is having none of it and clotheslines DiBiase for a 2 count. The Macho Man then slams DiBiase throat first over the top rope before sending him back outside the ring with an elbow. Savage sits on the second rope, casually inviting DiBiase back in the ring. DiBiase stays out there though to slow things down and confer with Andre the Giant.
Back in the ring, DiBiase gets the advantage, pounding on Savage and then dropping several fists on the Macho Man. Ted punches and chops away at Savage before whipping him to the corner. Ted charges in and catches a boot from Savage. Savage drops an elbow on Ted for 2. Savage slams DiBiase in the center of the ring, but misses a knee drop. DiBiase capitalizes with a spinning toe hold, but Savage manages to kick DiBiase off and out to the floor. Savage goes to the ropes, but DiBiase pulls Savage outside and both men brawl on the outside until Andre comes around. Savage is so concentrated on Andre, that he doesn’t see Virgil coming, and gets nailed. The referee in turn, sends Virgil to the back.
With both men back in the ring, Ted nails Savage with a double ax from the second rope and then drops a running elbow for a 2 count. DiBiase then attempts to wear down Savage with a rear chinlock. Savage tries to fight his way to his feet, but a pull of the hair by DiBiase takes Savage back down to the mat. Savage makes his way to his feet and elbows his way out of the hold. Savage runs the ropes and takes DiBiase down with a clotheline and the match is back in Savage’s favor. Savage runs the ropes, DiBiase goes down, and Savage collides with the referee. Savage kicks Ted n the ribs and throws him out of the ring. From there Savage launches a double ax handle from the top turnbuckle to the floor. Andre the Giant is right there and attacks Savage on the outside. Elizabeth sees what’s going on, and runs away. Meanwhile Andre is having his way with the Macho Man and the ref who finally regains his feet, counts the destroyed Savage out. Andre throws Savage back in the ring, and Virgil and DiBiase double team him until Hulk Hogan runs in, followed by Elizabeth. The former champ runs the heels off, and tends to Randy Savage.
This was a very good match, but during the course of 1988, DiBiase and Savage would have loads more matches. And as good as this was, they only got better, the more they wrestled. Without question, Savage and DiBiase were the best workers in the WWF at this time. Together, they clicked so well, it was unbelievable.
Killer Bees v. Islanders
The Killer Bees were B. Brian Blair and ‘Jumping’ Jim Brunzell. A very good babyface team that only suffered from being in the WWF at the same time as so many other good tag teams. As a result, they got lost in the shuffle and never achieved the level of success that they deserved. The same went for the Islanders, Haku & Tama. They started out as a babyface team, but eventually turned heel and took Bobby “The Brain” Heenan as their manager. The Islanders are another great team that wound up never being able to crack that main event ceiling due to the glut of tag teams that the WWF already had working there.
The match starts with Brunzell and Tama. Brunzell wastes no time with a bodyslam an legdrop and a cover for 2. He tags Blair who rolls Tama up for a 1 count. Brunzell tags in and takes Tama down with an arm bar. Irish whip by Brunzell, but he misses a dropkick when Tama grabs the ropes. Tama takes control here with a punch, a rake to the back and a vertical suplex for a 2 count. Haku tags in, irish whips Brunzell and nails a dropkick for another 2 count. Haku slams Brunzell into Tama’s foot before tagging out. Tama with several chops to the head, but Brunzell counters with a reverse atomic drop. It does no good, as he’s still in the Islanders’ corner and Tama tags Haku back in. Haku with an irish whip on Brunzell, but both men go down with a double clothesline. Both men make the tag, but it’s Blair with the advantage as he controls both Islanders with bodyslams and drop kicks. Tama goes for a bodyslam, but Blair goes behind him and executes a reverse rollup. The ref only gets to 2, as both partners run in to interrupt things. The ref ushers Brunzell back to his corner, and Haku uses the opportunity to clothesline Blair off of Tama and cover him for the 3 count.
These two have had much better matches than this. It was short, and generally put the Islanders over as they approach their upcoming Wrestlemania 4 match against the British Bulldogs.
Ken Patera v. One Man Gang
Like the Savage/DiBiase match, both Patera and the Gang are in the WWF Championship Tournament at Wrestlemania. Patera now out of prison, is enjoying a babyface run in the WWF.
The match is under way with the Gang attacking Patera before he was ready. The Gang chokes the hell out of Patera with his ring jacket and then pounds away at him in the corner. Patera fights back though and after an irish whip into the corner puts the Gang in a bear hug. The Gang eventually fights his way out of it and goes back on the offensive with several punches, but Patera manages to apply his patented full nelson! The Gang manages to reach the ropes though. Patera and the Gang trade turns pounding on each other in the corner for the next minute or so. Neither man is really getting any edge over the other. Irish whip by Patera into what looked like a clothesline, but the Gang managed to hit a clothesline of his own and fell on top of Patera for the 3 count. After the match Patera nearly bodyslams the One Man Gang, but his manager Slick interferes and runs off with the Gang.
This was more of a dud, than anything else. Lots of punching and kicking with a weird finish. Fortunately, the match wasn’t very fast.
This was the final SNME show prior to Wrestlemania. We saw Hulk Hogan victorious, and Randy Savage get his ass kicked, leading people to question whether Savage has a chance at winning the title in the upcoming tournament. But for that matter, with Hulk Hogan in the tournament, most everyone was sure that Hogan would wind up winning it. In the end, this was just a so-so episode. Nothing stood out here. In fact, I was slightly disappointed with Savage v. DiBiase and Islanders v. Killer Bees. Both of those matches should have been a lot better than they actually were. I know for a fact that the matches that they had at Madison Square Garden all brought the house down (and yes, I have the MSG cards where these matches took place).
My Score: 7.5. It was a solid show, but could have definitely been better. Our next episode will be in April of 1988, following Wrestlemania 4. See you real soon.
-Corey
