Legacy Review
Summerslam '88
August 29, 1988 from Madison Square Garden in New York City
Commentary: Gorilla Monsoon and Superstar Billy Graham
The annual summer spectacular tradition begins. Summerslam was the third of the traditional Big 4 PPVs to be created (the first Royal Rumble had already taken place as a cable special, but wouldn't become a PPV until '89), and would quickly surpass Survivor Series to become the #2 WWF/E PPV of the year. It's in no small part thanks to the ongoing WWF/Jim Crockett Promotions scheduling wars this started up at all. JCP turned a show in their annual Great American Bash tour into a PPV in July, but due to an agreement made between the wresting promotions and PPV distributors to space the shows out after having Starrcade and Survivor Series take place at the same time last Thanksgiving, this was the earliest WWF could schedule a counter PPV. It was around this time that both companies were realizing the future of the business lay in PPVs so they were both trying to stake their claim as much as possible. The fact it's taking place in MSG goes to show how big a deal WWF wanted to make this. As Monsoon and Graham do their into we can hear Fink in the background counting the crowd down to the start of the live broadcast. We're live, pal.
The British Bulldogs and The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers 20:00 time limit draw- The Rougeaus have (finally) just turned heel and don't have Jimmy Hart or, sadly, All American Boys yet. As the bell rings the Rougeaus offer their usual insincere handshake. Nothing doing there. When the ring starts to clear Davey Boy gets impatient and jumps Jacques to get things started. Quick buckle shots and Jacques flops down. Davey Boy then smashes Jacques into the top buckle in the heels' own corner and pretty much tells him to tag. Jacques does, then the Rougeaus hug to restore HP and rile the crowd up. Raymond has a better time, using ref Joey Marella trying to get a corner break to hit a cheap shot. He tries a monkey flip but Davey Boy lands on his feet! Armdrag and tag to Dynamite. Double headbutt from the Bulldogs. Dynamite hits a shoulderblock and it's clearly obvious already watching him run this is in the period where his back was frakked up like no one's business. He's trying to plow through it though, which in the long run was a pretty bad idea. Armdrag into an ARMBAR from Dynamite. Speed run and Dynamite counters a monkey flip attempt with a diving headbutt. The Bulldogs continue arm work on Raymond. Bulldog mixes in a sunset flip for 2. Dynamite adds in a leg grapevine with an armbar which is actually an interesting looking hold. Big clothesline from Dynamite. Raymond manages to get a sunset flip on Davey Boy for 2. Davey Boy does a nice flipover counter cradle but can't hold the bridge for the full near fall. Double back elbow from the Bulldogs for 2. On a speed run Jacques hops down and trips Davey Boy to finally change momentum. He tags in and starts working on Davey Boy's leg. The Rougeaus stay completely focused on that and keep Davey Boy well in their corner. They work in a classic no tag swap behind Marella's back. Backdrop from Raymond. Jacques puts on a stepover toe hold. Davey Boy counters with a small package for 2, but can't get anywhere close to a tag. After a bit more leg work Davey Boy stands up, uses the hold to monkey flip Raymond, and gets the tag to Dynamite! Classic Dynamite snap suplex. Diving headbutt for 2. Back suplex for 2. Dynamite tosses Raymond out to the floor. Guardrail shot for Raymond. Jacques runs over to help his brother up, then helps him back in. Raymond quickly gets trapped in the face corner. Davey Boy hits the running powerslam! Jacques breaks the pin up. Dynamite sets Raymond up in the corner. Jacques comes from behind and back suplexes Dynamite! Dynamite hit the back of his head on the landing and can't do anything. Jacques tags in officially and is all over him. Slam and kneedrop for 2. Now Dynamite gets trapped in the heel corner. Raymond lifts Dynamite up and drops him on Jacques' knee for a gutbuster. Abdominal stretch from Jacques. As usual abdominal stretch expert Monsoon critiques how the hold is being applied. Davey Boy runs in and pushes them over! That's one way to break it. While Marella is getting Davey Boy out the Rougeaus swap with no tag again and Raymond puts the abdominal stretch back on. We go to arm drops. In abdominal stretch? That's different. Dynamite short hiptosses free. Raymond (completely legally) fights off Dynamite's comeback attempt. Big splash from Jacques for 2. He puts on a double chinlock. Dynamite powers up, but Raymond suckers Davey Boy to distract the ref so he can get Dynamite back down. More double teams in the heel corner and now Raymond puts the double chinlock on. Again Dynamite powers up to his feet and he backs Raymond into the corner. Jacques just barely cuts the tag off. While Marella is distracted by Davey Boy Dynamite gets a small package on Raymond that would have been 3. Poor teammating there. Back to the abdominal stretch. Raymond covers for 2, then puts a front facelock on. As usual that leads to the phantom tag spot, despite the fact Marella let the heels swap twice with no tag at all. Dynamite finally has enough, headbutting Jacques in the gut, hitting a chop, and tagging out. Jacques quickly kills the hot tag run by dodging a Davey Boy dropkick. Davey Boy comes back with a press, and drops Jacques crotch first on the top rope! DONNYBROOK! The Bulldogs hit their press slam rocket launcher, but the bell rings with no count. As usual because WWF doesn't do time counts everyone is confused until Fink announces a time limit draw. Good tag wrestling from two teams you know can deliver that had enough momentum switches and action to sustain the length, though the second half did feel slightly time limit stall draggy. Not bad, just a bit. ***1/2
Monsoon brings us up to date on some breaking news from just this past week. Brutus Beefcake was originally scheduled to challenge Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental title in a Wrestlemania 4 rematch. However, this past week on Superstars WWF newcomer Ron Bass attacked Beefcake after his jobber squash, choking him out with his bullwhip. After that the attack got even more heinous when Bass took his spur and used it to CUT RIGHT INTO BEEFCAKE'S FOREHEAD! This was pretty hardcore by WWF's standards of the time, well outside their comfort zone. Hilariously because of that they put up a giant red X on the screen with "CENSORED" on it to make it look like they're trying to cover it up because it's so GRUESOME. Who knew Right to Censor was active already? The bottom line is, due to the injuries he sustained Beefcake is out tonight. This is the second time he was originally scheduled to win the IC title only to have plans Meltzered at the last second. Monsoon then makes it clear there WILL be an IC title match tonight featuring the as yet unnamed new #1 contender.
Bad News Brown def Ken Patera in 6:33- Patera's music is dubbed over. I'm not sure I remember that from previous streaming viewings or not. I hate it when they change things. Don't get me started on Rick Rude's overdubbed music. As soon as Patera steps in the ring Brown jumps him because he's a BAD DUDE. Patera can't even get his jacket off. Slam and elbow drop from Brown. Patera comes out of the corner with a clothesline and finally gets his jacket off. Back elbow from Patera. Return slam, but Brown dodges the elbow drop. Headbutt from Brown. He chokes Patera on the apron. Buckle shot and Patera looks done. In this match. In real life he's been done for a while. Patera manages to counter a backdrop attempt and drops some standing elbows. Rough takedown into a cover for barely 1. Clothesline and elbow drop for 2. Backbreaker for 2. Small package for 1. Patera says screw the pin attempts and puts the babyface bear hug on. Brown eye rakes free. Patera, half blinded, tries for his full nelson finisher but Brown feels it and quickly gets himself in the ropes. Patera hits a shot off the second rope and calls for it again. Again Brown ties up in the ropes. Now Brown counters a backdrop attempt, but Patera is quickly back on him. They go into the corner and clearly are reading completely different books, much less not being on the same page. That was ugly. That gets some audible boos. They try again on the other side and Patera posts his shoulder. Ghetto Blaster! It's over. Brown got the best he could out of a completely washed up Patera. Side thought: the Ghetto Blaster is one of my favorite finishers from this period, because it's well before the enzuguri got popularized in the US and looked awesome. 3/4*
Main event promo time from the Mega Powers. They say Elizabeth is their secret weapon tonight. They'll end up being completely correct about that.
"Ravishing" Rick Rude (w/Bobby Heenan) def The Junkyard Dog by DQ in 6:18- One of the big feuds over the summer has been Rude versus Jake Roberts after Rude was making moves on Roberts' wife Cheryl. A big blowoff match here would seem the obvious thing to do, but wrestling was still a house show first business. A PPV focused product was the future, but not quite yet the present. Speaking of awful replaced music....I won't get into it again. Rude's starting up his legendary tights design game, he's got pictures of JYD on both sides tonight. First time he's done that, at least on a major show. Another jump start as Rude attacks JYD before the bell. It doesn't go so well for Rude as JYD backdrops him and Rude lands right on his ass. He was the king of ass sells. Crawling headbutts from JYD and Rude goes out to the floor. Heenan helps him up and they try to put the pieces back together. JYD pulls Rude back in and hits a shot to the gut, while Rude was aiming for a clothesline at the same time. The little things being done right, we're getting right on the cusp of when Rude gets freaking awesome in the ring. Rude dodges a diving headbutt and this time hits a clothesline. Double ax handle off the top rope from Rude. Some classic Rude elbows follow. Forearms to the head do absolutely nothing to JYD. Rude sees and snap mares him over into a chinlock instead, mixing in a straight choke when Heenan distracts the ref (a *very* young Tim White in his first PPV appearance). JYD fights free but runs into a Rude boot in the corner. Another Rude elbow drop and cover for 2. Now Rude tries an arm wringer, but he gets a bit too clever and crotches himself on JYD's arm. JYD loads up and hits a big headbutt, then grabs Rude so he doesn't go down. Heenan distracts and Rude hits a running knee to JYD's back, then a Russian leg sweep. Rude goes up top again. He pulls his JYD tights down and he has a second pair on underneath with Cheryl Roberts' face on them! Jake Roberts runs in and attacks Rude! Damn that was a quick run in. He must have been watching closely in Gorilla. That's an obvious DQ. Rude gets the hell out of town. Roberts then apologizes to JYD for costing him the match, explaining what happened to set him off. Weak finish to keep the Roberts/Rude feud drawing on the house show loop, but it was pretty much nothing anyway because JYD was useless by this point. In fact he'd be out of the WWF before Survivor Series and would hop over to JCP, then just becoming WCW, in time for the last Clash of the year to be their problem. 1/2*
Mean Gene is in the back with the longest reigning IC champion of all time the Honky Tonk Man. Honky and Hart aren't worried at all that Beefcake is out. In fact, Honky says "give me anybody". Be careful what you ask for. Mean Gene tries to drop the name he's been hearing, but Honky doesn't want to know! He wants it to be a surprise for everyone, including himself. Someone's gotten a bit overconfident after keeping his title by running for so long. Not that he ever lacked in overconfidence to start with.
The Powers of Pain (w/The Baron) def The Bolsheviks (w/Slick) in 5:27- The POP had jumped over from JCP just before the start of the Great American Bash tour while in the middle of a feud with the Road Warriors, purportedly because they didn't want to work the scaffold matches JCP had booked for them. This is actually a rematch from WWF's summer stadium Wrestlefest show that took place about a month prior. Baron is the legend Baron von Rashke with a Sith lord robe on pretty much completely covering his face, part of a very short lived managerial run he'll have in WWF. Fourth straight jump start of one kind or another tonight. What is this, the Attitude Era? Full 2v2 brawl and the POP kind of sloppily clear the ring. Volkoff tries tripping Barbarian but that does nothing to stall the POP's momentum. Double clothesline on Zhukov. Volkoff then tries to jump from behind but that also doesn't work out well for him. Reset with Zhukov and Barbarian. Shoulderblock standoff. Big chop from Barbarian for 2. They trade corner whips and Zhukov does the most telegraphed backdrop attempt ever. I mean, what even was that? Barbarian drags him by the singlet to his corner. Warlord knocks Zhukov around the turnbuckles. Belly to belly suplex on Zhukov. Marella gets distracted and Volkoff jumps Warlord from behind, which works this time. Warlord gets choked with the tag rope in the heel corner. Quick tags from the Bolsheviks to keep working Warlord over and the do a good job keeping him isolated in their corner. The managers tease getting into it to try to liven things up. Finally Warlord counters a double backdrop attempt and tags. Mild tag run from Barbarian. A big boot sends Volkoff over the top rope to the floor. Double flying tackle on Zhukov. Running powerslam/top rope headbutt combo and it's over. Not pretty. The POP were immediately positioned as future challengers for Demolition after coming in, but management would quickly sour on them because they were, well, crap. 1/4*
Next up we get the first ever PPV edition of the Brother Love Show, which had debuted on weekly TV early in the summer and was an instant hit, in the heat getting sense. Bruce Pritchard's greatest character. Many big and important angles the next few years will be either started or advanced on Brother Love's show. Sadly, tonight is not one of them. His guest tonight is Hacksaw Jim Duggan, but absolutely nothing of note is said or done. A pretty big waste of PPV time. Keep reading after the main event for some more notes on this particular segment.
Next up, Honky Tonk Man makes his way out for his defense against a now mystery opponent. Fink doesn't even know who the opponent is when he goes to do his intro. Honky takes the mic and says "Give me somebody to wrestle, I don't care who it is!". Once again, be careful what you wish for..... After a (overly long) dramatic pause, music hits. Music we already know. IT'S THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR!
WWF Intercontinental Championship: The Ultimate Warrior def The Honky Tonk Man (c) (w/Jimmy Hart) in :31- Warrior as usual tears into the ring and before Honky even has time to form a thought Warrior's all over him! Bodyslam. Flying tackle! Clothesline. Big splash! 3 count and it's already over! MASSIVE pop! Our long national nightmare of Honky Tonk Man's IC title reign is over! Warrior cracked the code- destroy him before he has a chance to get himself DQ'd or counted out. Of course, putting the title on Warrior presented a whole new set of problems, but it's not like Honky had been putting on wrestling masterpieces the past year and a half either. Tonight, it matters not at all. You couldn't ask for a better or more satisfying payoff. The first truly great Summerslam moment. NR
That brings us to intermission, mostly cut off on this copy. As commentary welcomes us back Bobby Heenan storms the booth to give us his news update on what the main event teams are up to. For Heenan's team, Andre is reading the Wall Street Journal while DiBiase is counting four briefcases full of money with Virgil lounging back watching it all. According to Heenan's sources, Hogan and Savage have barricaded themselves in their dressing room and are screaming for mercy from whoever walks by. I'd want some double checking on that sourcing.
Dino Bravo (w/Frenchy Martin) def "The Rock" Don Muraco in 5:28- Another rematch here, this time from the first round of the Wrestlemania 4 WWF Title tournament. Heenan stays on commentary! Fantastic. Sadly only for this match. They reference the fact Graham had been managing Muraco since his face turn. Frakking hell, Graham is STILL going off about that sham "world record" bench press Bravo did back at the Royal Rumble special in JANUARY. Let it go, man. Meanwhile, we get some long lockup standoffs in the ring between the two power guys. Muraco hits a shoulderblock. He strings some moves together and Bravo casually steps out to the floor for some space. Back in Muraco wins an arm wringer tradeoff. Bravo backs him into the corner and hits a chop. Muraco responds with a hiptoss and a monkey flip that they barely pull off, then a half assed armdrag. He continues to knock Bravo around. Bravo reverses a corner whip and Muraco goes in chest first. Inverted atomic drop from Bravo. Elbow drop for 2. Muraco comes back with a Russian leg sweep, then dodges an elbow drop. Backdrop from Muraco. Frenchy gets on the apron and takes a shot. Bravo slips out of a slam attempt, hits the side suplex and it's over. I said their WM match was not as bad as it could have been. That was the could have been. It would also be one of Muraco's final WWF matches. 1/4*
In the back Sean Mooney is with Jesse Ventura. The reason Ventura's not on commentary tonight is because he was hand picked by WWF President Jack Tunney to be the special guest referee for the main event, the "only man that could keep order". Mooney says controversy is swirling because Ventura took money from DiBiase. Ventura doesn't only not deny it, he proudly admits it! That's a hell of a position for a future Libertarian candidate, "Hell yes I took the special interest money! You'd be an idiot not to."
WWF Tag Team Championship: Demolition (c) (w/Mr. Fuji and Jimmy Hart) def The Hart Foundation in 9:49- Bret turned face at WM 4 with the initial idea of that kicking off a singles run for him, but soon after the plug was pulled and he re-teamed with Anvil, which also turned Anvil face by default. Their former manager Hart is with the Demos and Fuji to help point out the Harts' weaknesses and break down their strategery. The Harts get a jobber entrance, which doesn't say much for their chances. Bret and Ax start. Ax easily wins the first lockup and Hart lets Bret know all about it through the megaphone. Another lockup and Ax is quickly axing. Slam. Bret dodges an elbow drop and slugs away. Roll up for 2. Smash tags in but walks right into armdrags. Anvil tags in and outmaneuvers Smash. Big shoulderblock. When Anvil hits the ropes Ax kicks him in the back of the head. That'll slow the big guy down. Ax tags in with more axing. Then Smash smashes. Anvil counters an Ax backdrop attempt with an uppercut and gets a tag to Bret. Bret standing dropkick on Smash. Ref Marella is distracted by Hart doing something on the outside we can't quite see. Behind that Fuji has hung his cane over the top turnbuckle. Smash runs Bret's shoulder into it, breaking the cane! The Demos have a target and attack it. Meanwhile Anvil temporarily runs Hart off backstage. The Demos trap Bret's arm in the ropes to really work it over. Ax runs the shoulder into the corner again. Shoulderbreaker from Smash. He puts on almost an arm version of a spinning toe hold. They work Bret down to the floor and run his shoulder into the post. That thing is mush by this point. I like Ax casually kicking Bret in the shoulder from the apron. Bret out here taking a Ricky Morton level of beating. Back in Bret ducks a clothesline, hits the ropes again to really get a huge head of steam, and hits a diving clothesline on Ax! Tag to Anvil! But Smash had Marella distracted and he doesn't allow it! That's twice tonight. Useless git. Bret manages to get a boot up in the corner on Smash with a fantastic delayed flop sell. Tag to Anvil for real! Dropkick on Ax! Slams for both guys. He runs the Demos into each other and just murders Smash with a clothesline. The crowd's going bonkers now. But, the Demos are on the floor recovering. Bret slingshots Anvil and he over the top rope topes into Smash! Freaking hell Anvil's flying around tonight. I love it. Gotta get them back in the ring though. He does and plants Smash with a powerslam for a long 2 that the crowd bit on. Bret whips Anvil into a corner shoulderblock on Smash then covers for 2. Backbreaker from Bret. Ax breaks the pin up and it's EVERYONE IN THE POOL time. Fuji takes a shot on the apron. But behind that, Ax gets Hart's megaphone and nails Bret with it! Smash covers and gets the pin to retain. The what would become longest WWF tag title reign ever to that point continues. It took them a bit to get in a groove, but once Bret went face in peril they did very nicely. ***1/4
Mean Gene is in the heel locker room with a furious Honky Tonk Man. Apparently Warrior wasn't included in "anybody". He should have specified that before the match.
The Big Boss Man (w/Slick) def Koko B Ware in 5:57- Boss Man, formerly Big Bubba Rogers, was another recent former JCP/UWF signee and was already being positioned to be the next big man challenger for Hogan. After the bell Slick distracts Ware so Boss Man can jump him from behind. After the bell, should have been ready. After getting tossed to the floor Ware fires back with punches and turns on the jets. Dropkick and Boss Man goes backward and gets tied in the ropes Andre the Giant style. Ware takes advantage with a big Stinger splash style splash. Boss Man gets free and we have a small reset. More stick and move from Ware. But he tries to dodge the wrong way and Boss Man grabs him, then hits a clubbing blow. Headbutt from Boss Man. Avalanche in the corner. Clothesline. Boss Man lifts Ware out of the cover! He stretches Ware's arms out. Ware manages to flip free and put boots in Boss Man's face. That only makes Boss Man mad. After a slam he goes up top. Ware dodges a big splash! But Boss Man landed on his feet and keeps going. Not quite sure what that was or if it went as intended. Ware dodges and Boss Man crashes in the corner crotch first! Ware flaps up a bit and hits some jabs. Missile dropkick off the top! Big splash! Boss Man kicks out! Ware tries something in the corner leaping on Boss Man but Boss Man flips him over the top rope. Also not sure that went as planned. The Boss Man Slam hits and it's over. Ware takes a nightstick shot for the road in lieu of being handcuffed like all the other jobbers. Pretty much a squash to get Boss Man going but Ware got some in. Still, it's another TV loss for Hall of Famer Koko B Ware. *1/2
Now Mooney is in the face locker room as they all celebrate Warrior's IC title win. Warrior: "I was sitting in Parts Unknown waiting for the next spaceship to higher planes and lightning bolts came down from the skies and Warriors spoke, and they said 'Make it to the Garden'." Well sure, who among us haven't gotten a phone call like that at some point.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts def Hercules in 10:06- Commentary wonders why Heenan isn't with Herc. Guess he's getting ready for the main event. Odds on Rude counter-interfering in this match? Herc makes a show of his physique being better than Roberts' which, no question. Roberts succeeded despite not being a body guy in an era of body guys. Herc then says he wants Damien moved. Roberts goes to do it, but knows what's coming and is ready for Herc's jump attempt. Herc gets a knee up in the corner to put Roberts down hard. Roberts counters a backdrop with a kneelift, then we get the usual early DDT tease with Herc bailing. When Herc gets back in both guys want ref Tim White to get out of the way to slug it out. Herc hits the ropes but Roberts scoops and slams him. Roberts works a headlock and manages to keep Herc in it, even when Herc tries a back suplex. Herc manages to get a foot on the bottom rope to take a break. Headbutt to the gut from Herc. He drops a couple of elbows, then snap mares Roberts into a chinlock. When Roberts tries to get free Herc hair pulls him down and hits a clothesline. Arrogant cover for 2. Another chinlock slowly gets Roberts down. There we stay for a long while. Finally he gets up and reverses the chinlock into a hammerlock. Herc gives him a back elbow and Roberts flops through the ropes down to the floor. Herc gives him some clubbing blows against the ropes. While setting up for one Roberts grabs him and pulls him over the top out to the floor! Herc then snaps Roberts over the top rope coming back in. Chinlock the third. Roberts quickly jawbreakers free! Classic Roberts short jabs. Short clothesline. DDT time. Herc backdrops free. Roberts goes for a running kneelift but Herc dodges! Monsoon gets "external occipital protuberance" in! Drink! Slam and elbow drop from Herc for 2. Another slam attempt. Roberts gets free! DDT! Roberts covers for the pin! That's one of those matches that you're inclined to hate at first, but they kept plugging away and got it to halfway decent. No counter interference from Rude either. **
Main event recap time, which in the case of this saga is really not possible in one video package. These various feuds can be traced back the past year and a half, to Hogan and Andre's first encounter at WM 3. The formation of the Mega Powers was one of the biggest moments in WWF history, probably the biggest mega team of top stars ever created to that point. Andre and DiBiase had initially teamed up at the start of the year as part of a plot to get the WWF Championship off Hogan and onto DiBiase via Andre, which initially succeeded before President Tunney laid down the law that giving away titles wasn't kosher. DiBiase was then the man Savage defeated in the WM 4 tournament final to win the title. The appointment of Ventura as guest ref delighted the heels, thinking he would be easy to pay off, which we've already seen. Rumors were also spread that Ventura was afraid of Andre. Because of all of that it's widely expected Ventura will be biased in the Mega Bucks' favor. This match also started the tradition of tag matches main eventing Summerslam, which will happen in three of the first four events.
The Mega Powers (w/Elizabeth) def The Mega Bucks (w/Bobby Heenan and Virgil) in 13:57- Ventura comes out in his regular clothes to ref, no ref shirt. He'll learn that later on when he was the main event ref again at the '99 edition of Summerslam. The Mega Powers get the traditional MSG hallway entrance shot, the only one tonight. All three team members are in Hogan yellow and red. The heels definitely look very pally with Ventura before the match starts. After entrances Ventura makes a big show of giving instructions to everyone, wrestlers and managers. He orders all the managers out to the floor. Then for no discernible reason Ventura decides to move the tag ropes to different corners. I guess he's trying to establish that he's the one in charge. Savage makes it very clear to Hogan he wants to start and Hogan lets him have at it. But he turns around into Andre. Savage quickly ends up in the wrong part of town being chopped and headbutted. When DiBiase tags in Savage manages to get away and we have a reset. DiBiase wants Hogan in. And Savage obliges. DiBiase tries an eye rake but it barely fazes Hogan. Atomic drop from Hogan and the Mega Powers bounce DiBiase around with punches. Running clothesline from Hogan. Double back elbow and elbow drop on DiBiase. Heenan gets on the apron to protest while Savage gives DiBiase some buckle shots. Hogan then knocks DiBiase around the corners. And Savage's boot. Hogan holds DiBiase for Savage to hit the double ax handle off the top rope. Kneedrop from Savage for 2. Savage wasn't too happy with Ventura being slow to count. Double big boot and Hogan covers for a quicker 2. Slam and elbow drop trio from Hogan. But then he makes the mistake of going after Andre and takes a headbutt. Andre gets in the ring. Savage gets in to protest and Andre headbutts him too as things start to break down. So much for Mr. Keep Order. Instead he yells at Elizabeth to get off the apron like she's going to do anything. Andre tags in an squashes Hogan with his ass of iron. He puts on a double fist nerve hold that could easily be a choke but Ventura says no. Hogan turns around and Andre puts on a full Nerve Pinch of Double Fistedness +2. Savage runs in again and Andre uses the opening to do his singlet strap choke disguised as a chinlock on Hogan. DiBiase tags in and clotheslines Hogan for 2. Kneedrop and fistdrops for another 2. Ventura's count was the same for both teams at least. DiBiase puts on a chinlock that commentary insists is a choke but I don't see it. Hogan slowly goes down. Arm drops and Hogan is still in it. Double clothesline! Tag to Savage! He knocks DiBiase around. Backdrop. Running snap top rope clothesline with the usual superb DiBiase sell. Double ax handle off the top. DiBiase dodges a corner charge and Savage crashes shoulder first. Speed run and Savage gets a crossbody for 2, but then runs into a DiBiase clothesline. Tag to Andre. He squashes Savage in the corner, then easily scoops him up with one hand to punch him back down again. Andre sits on Savage in the corner, a stinkface before there was a stinkface. Big headbutt from Andre and he tags back out. DiBiase suplex for 2. Backbreaker. DiBiase goes to the second rope. Savage dodges an elbow drop! He has a hard time figuring out the right corner to go to, but fights DiBiase off again and gets a tag to Hogan! DiBiase backs the hell off but Hogan is all over him. Corner clothesline. Suplex from Hogan. Andre comes in and Hogan clotheslines him. Andre's down! Savage goes up top! The heels stir and Hogan kills the play. Instead he puts a sleeper on DiBiase. Savage goes up top on the other side behind that. He comes down into Andre's boot! And that's a big boot. Andre then saves DiBiase and tosses Hogan out to the floor, right on top of Savage. Elizabeth gets up on the apron and ignores Ventura demanding she get down. Elizabeth takes her skirt off! She's in her red underwear! The secret weapon is unleashed! The heels, and Ventura, have no idea what to do but sure can't look away. Behind them, Hogan and Savage slowly come back in. Savage top rope double ax handle to Andre's back, sending him out to the floor! Hogan setup slam on DiBiase. Savage goes up top again. The elbow hits! Hogan legdrop! No one is getting up from that combo. But Ventura doesn't want to count 3! Savage grabs his hand and forcibly pushes it down, giving the Mega Powers the win! Very fun and perfectly laid out match, amplified by everyone involved working hard throughout, even Andre as much as he physically could anymore. A fitting and satisfying finale to the grand intertwining saga involving all four guys, as they would all finally move on during the fall. In both Andre and DiBiase's case never to see the main event again. Well, Hogan and Savage of course will continue teaming as they still had plenty to do, but that's another story. ***
One final historical note I should add on because it's been mentioned by parties involved in the years since: WWF was in serious talks to bring in Ric Flair and perhaps all of the Four Horsemen over in time to debut for this show. The idea being put together was Flair would be the surprise guest in the Brother Love segment, then wrestle Savage for the WWF Title later in the night. It didn't happen because Flair, who for whatever his faults tends to be a pretty loyal guy professionally, didn't think the time was right to jump ship on JCP yet, especially with the rumors of the potential Turner buyout in full swing during the summer. All in all the right decision I think. He was still killing it there and would have his best year ever in '89 wrestling AND booking, and when he did jump his '91-'92 WWF run was still superb, including getting a WM match with Savage that remains one of my favorite of all time. WWF did succeed in prying Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard away. They finished up with JCP in September and later debuted in WWF as the Brain Busters. Horseman manager JJ Dillon would also leave in early '89 to take up a longtime backstage role in WWF.
OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- A pretty dull start to the Summerslam line, but not a completely useless one. Warrior's IC title win, and Honky Tonk's dethroning, is still an all time great moment, most of the tag matches deliver (very unusual for WWF), and the main event is a one time only match and conclusion to over a year's worth of ongoing stories definitely worth checking out. The less said about the rest the better.
OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C-
v2.0 pubished 10/8/26
