Saturday Night's Main Event XVII

Legacy Review

Saturday Night's Main Event XVII

October 29, 1988 (taped October 25) from the Baltimore Arena in Baltimore, MD

 

Commentary: Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura

We're back from SNME's summer break for the start of the new TV season, and the first ever Summerslam has come and gone. The first shot of the show is the Robertses heavily making out. Did I accidentally turn on one of USA's late night softcore porn movies? We get a recap of the longrunning Roberts/Roberts/Rude feud, including Roberts pulling off Rude's tights with Mrs. Roberts' face on them on weekly TV and Rude getting a censored dot over his midsection like he was naked. It's not the DX days yet.

Jake "The Snake" Roberts (w/Cheryl Roberts) def "Ravishing" Rick Rude (w/Bobby Heenan) by DQ in 7:22- Rude's got his Cheryl face tights on again and Roberts threatens to strip him again. Unsurprising fast back and forth start. Rude sells the hell out of an arm wringer. Early DDT tease. Rude bails out. When he gets back in he eye pokes to take over. Rude ducks out of the Roberts short clothesline and hits a clothesline of his own. Rude jaws and hip swivels at Cheryl in between moves. Roberts hits a clothesline from behind and a gutbuster. He holds Rude down and Cheryl slaps him. The ref lets it go. Heenan is furious and wants Cheryl booted. The ref agrees as we go to commercial. Back on, there's a slugfest on the entrance aisle. Roberts gets posted. Rude pulls Roberts' shoulder into the post twice. When they get back in Roberts doesn't sell it at all and goes back on offense. He hooks in for the DDT. Rude backdrops out. Fistdrop off the top for 2. He loads up the Rude Awakening. Roberts bites his hand to get out of it. DDT! Roberts pulls Rude's tights off him as Heenan runs in for the cheap DQ. **1/2

After the bell Andre the Giant comes to the ring and beats down Roberts. While Andre and Heenan are checking on Rude, Roberts gets Damien out. Andre is literally paralyzed with fear. Roberts throws Damien on him and Andre goes down, clutching his chest while he's on the mat before going completely unconscious. Heenan tears Andre's shirt off and pounds his chest. The doctors come out. Back from commercial the ring is full of doctors and officials as Andre's recovering. He leaves under his own power, checking for snakes under the ring the whole time. That's how you transition from one feud to another.

WWF Tag Team Championship: Demolition (c) (w/Mr. Fuji and Jimmy Hart) def The Hart Foundation in 5:58- This is a rematch from Summerslam. In fact, it's practically the same match in a shorter time, down to Jimmy Hart being with the Demos again to give up the Hart Foundation's secrets. They must be really slow learners. Ax and Anvil start. Anvil pounds Ax into the heel corner and gets a beatdown for his trouble. Anvil reverses a Smash suplex for 2. Bret hits a dropkick and elbow off the second rope for 2. Smash takes over with a clothesline. Bret bump! The Demos double team while the ref holds Anvil back. Fuji gets a cane choke in. More Demo beatdown until Bret hits a diving clothesline and tags. Anvil takes everyone out. Powerslam. Ax breaks up the pin. Donnybrook! I mean donnybrook, managers and everything. The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers come to ringside, distract Anvil enough to let Ax whack him in the back of the head with Hart's megaphone, and get the pin. Same finish as Summerslam, just with the Rougeaus added. Decentish match. **1/4

Hulk Hogan (w/Elizabeth) def King Haku (w/Bobby Heenan) in 6:16- Elizabeth is "on loan" from Savage and Ventura is suspicious. All Haku to start. After a bit of beating Hogan does a mini hulk up and takes over. Heenan grabs his boot on a rope run. Hogan chases and gets caught from behind by Haku getting back in the ring. Tongan Nerve Grip of Tightening Tightness +1. Hogan elbows out but then gets superkicked out of the ring. Heenan yells at Haku to hit a diving chop off the apron. Haku hesitates, and when he finally goes for it Hogan pulls Heenan in the way. Heenan has to be carried to the back in what's been a really bad night for the Heenan Family. Pillar to post Hogan beatdown until Haku hits a clothesline coming off a corner bump. Haku suplex. Hogan Hulks Up. 3 punches, big boot, legdrop, thanks for coming. *1/2

Dino Bravo (w/Frenchy Martin) def Ken Patera in 3:03- Shoulderblock standoff. Patera hits a clothesline and backdrop. Bravo powders and takes control coming back in. Lots of punchy chokey from both guys. Patera reverses a corner whip and hits a back elbow. He tries for the full nelson but Bravo gets to the corner. Bravo gets a boot up in the corner and Patera does a nice delayed flop sell of it. The side suplex to finishes it. They kept it lively at least. *

The Big Boss Man (w/Slick) def Jim Powers in 2:34- Boss Man had already started a feud with Hogan immediately after coming to the WWF and Powers was moving into a glorified jobber role with the Young Stallions dying, so it's pretty obvious how this one will go. Powers slides under Boss Man's legs and tries a sleeper. Boss Man squashes him in the corner then squashes him in the other corner with an avalanche. As Boss Man does his beat down he shouts "Where's Hogan?" to the crowd. Powers gets a little more token offense in but Boss Man squashes him with the Boss Man slam to finish the squash. The usual heel Boss Man cuffing and nightstick beat down follow. Squash. 1/2*

 

Replay from the previous week's Brother Love Show of the Boss Man beating Hogan down with his nightstick. Hogan is with Mean Gene and promises retribution brother. Ventura closes the show interviewing Andre and Heenan. Andre denies everything, Baldrick. Heenan is furious and demands Damien be banned from ringside.