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Survivor Series 1988

WWF Survivor Series 1988
November 24, 1988
Richfield, OH
Richfield Coliseum

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Randy Savage (3/27/1988)
Intercontinental Champion: Ultimate Warrior (8/29/1988)
World Tag Team Champions: Demolition (3/27/1988)
Women’s Champion: Rockin’ Robin (10/7/1988)

A lot in American wrestling changed in 1988: the AWA had basically gone to being the WORST promotion in the world, media mogul Ted Turner buys a major portion of the NWA (Jim Crockett Promotions) and attempts to salvage the mess that Dusty had made throughout the year, and then you had wrestlers who were either jumping ships or abandoning the ship altogether. What makes 1988 even worse is that we’re given major shows like this where you’ve got maybe one or two things going on that are interesting, is that everything else is just plum whacko.

Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon & Jesse Ventura! Read the rest of this entry

WrestleMania IV

WWF WrestleMania IV
March 27, 1988
Atlantic City, NJ
Trump Plaza

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Vacant
Intercontinental Champion: Honky Tonk Man (6/2/1987)
World Tag Team Champions: Strike Force (10/27/1987)
Women’s Champion: Sensational Sherri (7/24/1987)

Basically every review I’ve ever read of WrestleMania IV considers reviewing the show a mind-numbing task. Its 3½ hours long (I have the Anthology DVD version) and not the best quality wise, but it’s actually a historically significant show. The WWF World Title was declared vacant for the first time since 1962 a week or so after “The Main Event” show due to the “Twin Referees” scandal/angle, and a 14-man tournament was created. 14-man tournament you say? Yep, since Andre and Hulk both had claims to the belt, they received byes straight to the quarterfinals and were scheduled to meet each other there. With the on-going McMahon vs. Crockett wars, the Crocketts fired the next shot by putting on the rather awesome first-ever Clash of the Champions on TBS. Since WrestleMania began to bore the crap out of most of its buyers, they stopped watching and tuned in to the NWA. The cable companies were pissed about it because both they and the WWF lost millions of dollars as a result. To say the least, these were interesting times.

Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura! Read the rest of this entry

Royal Rumble 1988

WWF Royal Rumble 1988
January 24, 1988
Hamilton, Ontario, CA
Copps Coliseum

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (1/23/1984)
Intercontinental Champion: Honky Tonk Man (6/2/1987)

World Tag Team Champions: Strike Force (10/27/1987)
Women’s Champion: Sensational Sherri (7/24/1987)

Once again, Vince wouldn’t let JCP have a big event on the same night without him, so he uses Pat Patterson’s idea and turns it into a special cable television event on the USA network. Nevertheless, what only started out as a big “screw you” to Jim Crockett in the ongoing promotional wars, turned into an annual affair that would set up many of the main event feuds heading into WrestleMania.

Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Jesse Ventura! Read the rest of this entry

WrestleMania III

WWF WrestleMania III: Bigger, Badder, Better
March 29, 1987
Pontiac, MI
The Silverdome

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (1/23/1984)
Intercontinental Champion: Randy Savage (2/8/1986)
World Tag Team Champions: The Hart Foundation (1/26/1987)
Women’s Champion: The Fabulous Moolah (7/9/1986)

Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura! Read the rest of this entry

Saturday Night’s Main Event #10 (03.87)

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event #10
March 14, 1987
Detroit, MI
Joe Louis Arena
(Taped on 2/21/1987)

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (1/23/1984)
Intercontinental Champion: Randy Savage (2/8/1986)
World Tag Team Champions: The Hart Foundation (1/26/1987)
Women’s Champion: The Fabulous Moolah (7/9/1986)

Andre has torn out the hearts and souls of the little Hulksters by joining with the Heenan family. Now Hulk wants some revenge! Elizabeth is having her SCARIEST NIGHT EVER! The Hart Foundation likes to giggle! Damien is hungry enough to eat a huge fat guy! This is Saturday Night’s Main Event!

Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura! Read the rest of this entry

WrestleMania 2

WWF WrestleMania 2: What The World Is Coming To
April 7, 1986
Uniondale, NY/Chicago, IL/Los Angeles, CA
Nassau Coliseum/Rosemont Horizon/L.A. Sports Arena

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (1/23/1984)
Intercontinental Champion: Randy Savage (2/8/1986)

World Tag Team Champions: Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake (8/24/1985)
Women’s Champion: The Fabulous Moolah (11/25/1985)

Cheap plug: I strongly recommend the “Main Event: WWE in the Raging 80s” book that WWE has put out. It’s a great read with more 1980s information than you’ll probably ever want to know.

From New York, our hosts are Vince McMahon and Susan St. James! Remember McMillan & Wife? Well, she’s wife. The legendary Ray Charles sings “America the Beautiful”! Read the rest of this entry

Saturday Night’s Main Event #4 (01.86)

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event #4
January 4, 1986
Tampa, FL
The Sun Dome
(Taped on 12/19/1985)

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (1/23/1984)
Intercontinental Champion: Tito Santana (7/5/1985)
World Tag Team Champions: Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake (8/24/1985)
Women’s Champion: The Fabulous Moolah (11/25/1985)

Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura! Read the rest of this entry

Saturday Night’s Main Event #3 (11.85)

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event #3
November 2, 1985
Hershey, PA
Hershey Park Arena
(Taped on 10/31/1985)

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (1/23/1984)
Intercontinental Champion: Tito Santana (7/5/1985)
World Tag Team Champions: Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake (8/24/1985)
Women’s Champion: Wendi Richter (3/31/1985)

Because this is the SNME Halloween ’85 special, some of the wrestlers are dressed up (more than usual) in fitting costumes for a faux Halloween party. For example, Bobby Heenan is dressed as Daniel Boone with a “weasel” cap on his head. The best has got to be Piper dressed up as SUPERROD. Great stuff.

Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura! Read the rest of this entry

Saturday Night’s Main Event #2 (10.85)

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event #2
October 5, 1985
East Rutherford, NJ
Meadowlands Arena
(Taped on 10/3/1985)

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (1/23/1984)
Intercontinental Champion: Tito Santana (7/5/1985)
World Tag Team Champions: Greg Valentine & Brutus Beefcake (8/24/1985)
Women’s Champion: Wendi Richter (3/31/1985)

Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Jesse Ventura! Read the rest of this entry