WWE Vintage Collection Report: 9th November 2008
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund
Welcome aboard. We continue our lookback at the thanksgiving tradition that is Survivor Series this week, with action from the 1988 and 1989 shows. First, we go back to November 24th 1988, to the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield Ohio. Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse "The Body" Ventura are on commentary. We kick things off with perhaps the biggest Tag Team matchup in WWE history.
Powers of Pain, Hart Foundation, British Bulldogs, Rockers & Young Stallions vs
Demolition, Fabulous Rougeaus, Bolsheviks, Brain Busters & Conquistadors
Tag Team wrestling at its peak. This match is famous for so many reasons, but mainly the infamous double turn between Demolition and Powers of Pain. More on that in a bit. Going into the match, Demolition and Powers of Pain had the highest profile feud. Others included the Busters/Rockers and the Rougeaus/Bulldogs. This was the Bulldogs' last night in the WWE, until Davey Boy's return a few years later. The match aired in edited form with most of the eliminations on show. The rules were that when one member of a team was eliminated, then his partner had to leave too. At this point, Demolition were the Tag Team champions. Early action sees Dynamite Kid catching an early sunset flip on Raymond Rougeau. Jim Powers dropkicks Boris Zhukov. Smash then sends Powers into a Jacques Rougeau dropkick. Jacques nails Bret Hart with a flying backelbow off the ropes. The Rougeaus are the first team to go after Bret catches Raymond in a small package. We cut to see Davey Boy Smith slam Nikolai Volkoff, before getting worked over by Tully Blanchard, with a backbodydrop and succession of elbow drops. When Blanchard misses, Smith sends him silly with a headbutt. Warlord press slams a Conquistador, as does Barbarian with Blanchard, in-between a short Demolition/Powers of Pain showdown. Young Stallions are the next team to go. Zhukov rolls through on a Jim Powers cross body attempt and pins him. We miss seeing the Bolsheviks get eliminated as the action gets clipped. (For the record, Zhukov gets pinned via a Marty Jannetty sunset flip from the apron.) The Anvil reverses a suplex on Blanchard and tags in the Hitman. Bret goes to work with a backbreaker and inverted atomic drop. When Blanchard reverses an Irish whip, Bret floats over a charge and catches Blanchard with a german suplex. The referee counts to three and Bret thinks he's scored a pin. However, Blanchard rolled his shoulder up before three, and the referee informs the Harts they're gone. After Blanchard survives a Dynamite piledriver, the Rockers/Brain Busters feud boils over, as all four men brawl in the ring and get DQed. They keep brawling on their way to the back. The Bulldogs are the next to go. Dynamite hits a snap suplex to Smash, but misses a diving headbutt from the top rope. Smash takes advantage with a clothesline and it's 1-2-3 see you later Dynamite Kid. Now to the interesting part of the match. The infamous double turn. With Demolition in control, Mr Fuji gets on the apron and pulls them open, causing Smash to take a spill outside and get counted out. Ax gets hot with Fuji, so Fuji retaliates with a cane shot behind Ax's back. The crowd pop when Smash delivers Fuji for Ax to slam. Once Demolition leave, the Powers of Pain pick Fuji up and dust him off. We're down to the Powers of Pain and the Conquistadors. Lifetime jobbers the Conquistadors put up a fight, until Fuji trips one and Barbarian finishes him off with a falling headbutt. A fun long match with a good twist at the end. Here Are Your Survivors: THE POWERS OF PAIN. After the match, Powers of Pain hoist Fuji up on their shoulders. Demolition rush the ring to get some more of Powers of Pain but we don't get to see this as we go to an exclusive post match promo with the survivors.
Mean Gene Okerlund asks for confirmation on Fuji's turn. Fuji says he made Demolition champions, but their britches got too big for them and their heads were swelling up. They thought they knew more than the Master. The Master turned, searched and found the Powers of Pain, who will demolish Demolition and make them suffer like the pigs they are. Okerlund asks if Fuji can be trusted. Barbarian wonders what Demolition will do now they've lost Master Fuji. He concludes by saying they had better kiss goodbye to those Tag Team titles. It was a smart move putting Fuji with the Powers, who needed a mouthpiece and were better off as heels.
We switch gears to November 23rd 1989 for the remainder of the show. The location is the Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois, and once again, the Gorilla and the Body have the call from ringside.
Before we get to the matches, we get to hear what some of the participants in our next two matches are thankful for. This is taken from the start of the 1989 official video. Hulk Hogan's thoughts are included even though his match isn't featured. That wily Hogan. Always finds a way onto the show LOL. Hogan is happy because it's Survivor Series time and he's thankful for his team of Hulkamaniacs. Ravishing Rick Rude is thankful for having the most ravishing body in the WWF, while Rowdy Roddy Piper is thankful because he hates 'Ricky Rude'. Mr Perfect is thankful for being absolutely Perfect, while Dusty Rhodes is thankful for his polka dots. Big Boss Man is thankful for the justice he serves and the Bushwhackers appreciate having stuffing in their turkeys. You'll need to get a copy of the PPV to see the remainder of the promos as they're not shown here. Now, back to the matches.
The Dream Team (Dusty Rhodes, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake, Tito Santana & Red Rooster) vs
The Enforcers (Big Boss Man, Model Rick Martel, Bad News Brown & Honky Tonk Man)
The team names made these types of matches extra special in my view. Bad News Brown was a late sub for Akeem who must have been injured. Notable feuds at the time were Rhodes/Boss Man and Santana/Martel. Once again due to time constraints, only the main parts of the match were shown. The action kicks into gear when Santana faces off with Martel. Santana nails his former partner with two dropkicks and a slam, to send the crowd into a frenzy. Santana follows up with an elbow to the neck from the second rope, Irish whip and backbodydrop. Martel hooks the hair to prevent a figure four attempt. Martel eliminates 'Chico' after reversing a rollup off the ropes and grabbing the trunks. The 'Loner' Bad News Brown is next to go. Bad News flips after he gets hit by an errant Boss Man punch that was intended for the Rooster. After a shove exchange, Bad News ignores mediation attempts, takes a walk and gets counted out. Bad News cusses at the fans on his way to the back. Honky Tonk Man's elimination isn't shown. (Beefcake pinned him after a high knee.) Martel works over Beefcake with a chinlock and backbreaker. Beefcake goes out to the apron. Martel rams Beefcake into the corner twice, then turns away to taunt Dusty and the Rooster. This allows Beefcake to go for a sunset flip, but Martel holds onto the ropes. Fortunately for Beefcake, the referee catches Martel and the Barber hooks him then pins him. Boss Man is up against it now. Boss Man whips Rooster, but misses a charge. Rooster tries to knock Boss Man down but gets caught in a Boss Man slam and eliminated. Dusty and Brutus use their one man advantage to wear Boss Man down. It doesn't take long for Rhodes to hit a cross body for the winning pinfall. Here Are Your Survivors: DUSTY RHODES & BRUTUS "THE BARBER" BEEFCAKE. In a post match attack which isn't shown, Boss Man ambushes both faces. Boss Man handcuffs Rhodes to the ropes and beats him with the nightstick, until Beefcake gets his shears out to send Boss Man packing.
Time to check in with the Rude Brood who are with Sean Mooney. Rude says his problems with Piper are in the past and its time to celebrate Turkey day the ravishing way. Rude asks how he can he go wrong when he has fabulous on his side in the Rougeau Brothers, his simply ravishing self, and the man with the perfect record, Mr Perfect. Perfect says that tonight will be like no other for him and be a Perfect night. He then warns Jimmy Snuka to keep his eye on him, as he has the perfect way to eliminate him. Finally, the Rougeaus mock the Bushwhackers mannerisms. Raymond notes the four hours daily cardio, the 8pm bedtimes and consumption of vitamins as his preparation. Jacques thinks the Bushwhackers must be stuffed because at this time of night all the turkeys are stuffed. Finally, Rude shows his tights which states: "Roddy's Rowdies RIP" on the back, while the front have Rude's team members' faces airbrushed on. This was a good interlinking promo from the heels who all mentioned their respective feuds, with the opposing babyface team
The rebuttal from Roddy's Rowdies is hilarious and was typical Hot Rod. Mean Gene Okerlund is the poor interviewer but doesn't get a word in edgeways. Piper confiscates turkey from Bushwhacker Butch's gut and from behind Luke's ear. Piper scolds them, saying they can't have dinner until after the match. Piper likens his team to bonebreakers, as Butch and Jimmy Snuka fight over a piece of turkey in the background. Piper notices the bones and starts a big bones chant. Piper finishes by saying his team are wild, bold and don't do what they're told. These four are crackers. I must admit, this promo did provide a chuckle or two.
The Rude Brood (Ravishing Rick Rude, Mr Perfect & Fabulous Rougeaus) vs
Roddy's Rowdies (Rowdy Roddy Piper, Superfly Jimmy Snuka & Bushwhackers)
Mr Perfect was undefeated at this point. Piper and Rude was the main feud being showcased here. Also, the Rougeaus were close to the end of their tenure. In a funny note, Ventura got tongue tied trying to say the name of Roddy's team at one point. Jacques flips over Snuka to start and turns his back to pose. Snuka hits him with a flying headbutt, chop, backbreaker, kneedrop, and slam. Jimmy Hart begs for Jacques to move, as he gets hit with the Superfly splash from the top rope. Bye for now Jacques. Snuka causes some dissension between Rude and Perfect when the two collide. As they argue, Snuka bangs their heads together. Roddy's Rowdies keep up their momentum when Piper eliminates Raymond with a piledriver. Au revoir. Butch bites at Perfect's ass, but when he plays to the crowd, Perfect rolls him up for the three count. Luke catches Rude coming off the top rope and drives him to the mat. After some biting from Luke, Rude counters a backbodydrop with a leapfrog then the Rude Awakening to level things up. When Snuka and Perfect collide and tag out, Piper and Rude go at it with punches. Following a Piper backbodydrop, the fight spills outside and Piper and Rude get counted out as they brawl to the back. It's down to Perfect and Snuka. Snuka lands a shoulder tackle. Perfect comes back with a hiptoss, armdrag and dropkick to send Snuka out of the ring. Perfect brings the Superfly back in with a suplex. Following another Snuka shoulder tackle, both then exchange a series of great believable nearfalls from rollup variations. Snuka Irish whips once but gets a second attempt reversed. Snuka comes off the second rope with a cross body, Perfect rolls through, 1-2-no. Snuka goes for a backbodydrop, Perfect puts the brakes on, then delivers the Perfect Plex to pick up the win. Here is Your Survivor: MR PERFECT. This match started off tame, but had a great ending, with some good back and forth wrestling. Perfect and Snuka put on a nice little display.
Okerlund wraps things up to end the show. The Survivor Series throwbacks continue next week.
I really enjoyed this show. The opening match was the best part of the show for the drama that unfolded throughout. I'm a big fan of the first five annuals of the Survivor Series as I believe that's when the concept was at its best. Despite the Randy Savage and Ultimate Warrior omissions (for obvious reasons) I'll still give this show a thumbs up.
Finally, thank you to everyone who got in touch regarding my Survivor Series booking idea. I received quite a few ideas that included Evan Bourne which would have been great, had his injury not occurred. For that reason, I can't use those ideas. Sorry. Anyway, here are the pick of the pile that could still happen. Credit for the first two go to Brad Renfroe while the brainchild for the final two is Mark Atwood. WWE bookers take note and readers keep the ideas coming. I'll publish the best next week.
World Tag Team Titles: CM Punk & Kofi Kingston vs The Miz & John Morrison vs Cryme Tyme vs Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes
Divas Elimination Match:
Maria, Michelle McCool, Candice Michelle, Mickie James & Kelly Kelly vs Victoria, Beth Phoenix, Natalya, Jillian Hall & Maryse
Team Punk: CM Punk, Kofi Kingston & Cryme Tyme vs
Team Orton: Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, Ted DiBiase & Manu
Team Respect: Tommy Dreamer, Finlay, Carlito, Primo & Ricky Ortiz vs Team Ego: MVP, The Brian Kendrick, The Miz, John Morrison & Jack Swagger
I hope everyone attending Raw and Smackdown in the UK this week has a blast. I know I'm looking forward to the shows. See you next week. Shaun
Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.
