 |
| Bobby Heenan was busy that night |
These guys are excited for the main even tonight which will be WWF World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan facing off against Curt 'Mr. Perfect' Hennig. Also, the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase puts his Million Dollar Championship belt on the line against Jake ' The Snake' Roberts. I'm looking forward to both these matches too... Hennig could have a great match with Hacksaws 2x4 so should be able to put on a show with Hogan. Roberts and Dibiase are all time greats and should put on a good show. It's over to 'The Fink' Howard Finkel to start the show...
The Genius def. Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart (2*)
The opening match sees 'The Genius' Lanny Poffo (real life brother of the Macho Man) take on Jim 'The Anvil' Neidhart (real life brother-in-law of Bret 'Hitman' Hart) for the 'MOST overshadowed sibling' championship of the world. The Genius' gimmick is kind of obvious - he is very smart and will beat his opponents with cunning and intelligence, probably a source of inspiration for current WWE superstar Damian Sandow's gimmick. I think Poffo goes for sneering & arrogant, but just comes across as being very camp and goofy. The opening 5 minutes of this contest comprise of ballet theatrics, cartwheels and gymnastic showmanship from The Genius, which is pretty funny to watch. The Anvil gets mad and knocks him out of the ring with a forearm smash. Genius then lures The Anvil out of the ring and attacks him on the way back in with a series of eye rakes and punches. Anvil seems to be blinded and this continues for a few minutes until Anvil breaks the momentum with an inverted atomic drop. Anvil raises his knees to foil a moonsault attempt from The Genius, and then once again has to resort to chasing him around the ring. This time Mr. Perfect appears from the aisle and clocks the Anvil from behind leading to a pinfall victory for the Genius. A fun match made entertaining by the antics of the Genius (9:25).
Powers of Pain [w/Mr.Fuji] def. The Rockers (3*)
The next matchup sees The Rockers (Shawn Michaels & Marty Janetty) taking on Mr.Fuji's 'Powers of Pain' (The Barbarian & The Warlord). Shawn Michaels starts things off with the Barbarian in a series of tie-ups that are always going to favour the behemoth Barbarian. Michaels & Janetty use quick tags and a series of double team moves to clear the ring. There aren't many teams that had the speed & synchronization that the Rockers had in 1990. Warlord comes into the ring and eventually catches Janetty, and gets amazing elevation on two body drops. Marty is taking a severe beating at the hands of the Barbarian and gets a big boot that sends him clean over the top rope. Its a shame that Marty Janetty couldn't really develop as a singles competitor the way that Shawn Michaels eventually did, as he really was a solid wrestler at this point in time. The Barbarian goes for the bear hug, and hits a powerslam before missing the elbow drop allowing Janetty to make the tag. Michaels comes in with that babyface momentum but things soon descend into chaos with all four men in the ring (which is probably to allow the Rockers to put in their double team moves). Powers of Pain eventually score the pinfall on Shawn Michaels which comes via a trip from Mr.Fuji, followed by an elbow drop from the Barbarian. Michaels hits Fuji with a dropkick after the match which leads to a beatdown from the Powers of Pain, and Janetty being taken out on a stretcher (10:00).
 |
| The Rockers faced Powers of Pain |
Al Perez def. Paul Roma (1*)
Al Perez faces off against Paul Roma next. This is Roma between the Young Stallions team and Power & Glory. He recently jobbed to Bad News Brown & Rhythm and Blues on TV, whereas Perez scored a highly unremarkable victory over the Brooklyn Brawler. Neither of these guys are really even mid-card, so I have no idea what to expect. Monsoon and Hillbilly tell us to expect a mat classic, but less than five minutes in and they are talking about farming and milk. Hillbilly is excited and really gets into his gimmick, and I can no longer understand what the good old southern boy is saying. The match has basically been a series of hip tosses & arm drags five minutes in. Roma puts Perez in the tree of woe and stomps away, before Perez mounts a comeback with punches, stomps and rest holds. This one has been a disappointment, it seems like neither guy can call a match very well and are just repeating the same spots over and over again. It's ten minutes in before Roma starts working - small package, backslide, axe-handle, , dropkick, suplex. Finally, some variety! The finish comes when Roma attempts a flying crossbody, which is reversed by Perez for the pinfall. This may be the first and last time these two guys are given 10+ minutes at the MSG (11:20).
Mr.Perfect [w/ The Genius] def. Hulk Hogan (2*)
The Genius is back in the ring to introduce Mr. Perfect (with a poem) who will be facing Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Title. I love Curt Hennig, he was such a good performer, and his Mr.Perfect gimmick was awesome too. Hogan comes to the ring and is hot, going after Mr. Perfect who leaves the ring. The match gets underway and several bodyslams from Hogan force Perfect out of the ring to the outside. Hogan follows and beats on Perfect and The Genius, throwing them both into the ring. A double team follows which curiously draws no action from the referee, but Hogan continues the beatdown on both opponents. Perfect comes back with a kick to the midsection and knocks Hogan to the outside. Hogan runs Perfect into the ringpost twice, before Perfect applies a sleeper hold on Hogan. Hogan goes through his legendary fightback theatrics but is ran into the turnbuckle by Perfect. Hogan has Perfect on the ropes and hits an atomic drop (Perfect's selling of Hogans offense here is Shawn Michaels-esque c.2005). Hogan misses with an elbow drop and Perfect hits the Perfect Plex.. 1-2, and a kick out. Hogan starts to Hulk up, but his big boot sends Perfect over the top rope. Perfect misses with a chair shot and Hogan sends him back into the ring. The match ends when Mr.Perfect introduces brass knuckles into the match in a failed attempt to knock Hogan out, Hogan nails Perfect instead and is disqualified by the ref giving Perfect the DQ Win (13:38) |
Mr. Perfect battles Hulk Hogan for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship
|
Sean Mooney is backstage and conducts separate interviews with both Roberts and Dibiase ahead of the main event. Both men cut decent promos and the Million Dollar Belt will be on the line tonight. Next up is an interview with 'Rugged' Ronnie Garvin and Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka who will be facing Rhythm & Blues later tonight. Garvin is due to face Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine at the Royal Rumble in six days time, and has brought along his 'Hammer Jammer' thingy. Following a commercial, Sean Mooney is with Rhythm & Blues (with Jimmy Hart), and they are looking to take the Hammer Jammer tonight so Garvin cant use it at the Rumble.
Akeem def. Bret 'Hitman' Hart (1*)
Next up we have a godawful gimmick in the form of Akeem (The African Dream, aka One Man Gang). Akeem is a huge white guy who hails from Africa (specific), who with the help of some old-school rap music struts around the ring like a moron. He will be facing Bret 'Hitman' Hart today. After a few minutes of Hillbilly rambling incoherently the match starts. Akeem lumbers around the ring trying to catch the Hitman, but he is way too slow and misses with all of his offensive moves. Hitman bites Akeem on the nose and per his style, goes to work on a body part methodically. Not sure of the logic behind working on the fingers, but thats what we have here. Hitman sells his own headbutt, and Akeem begins an assault of his own for a few boring minutes. Eventually, Hart goes for a sunset flip which Akeem reverses into a sitdown splash for a pinfall (8:31)
 |
Akeem. From Africa, SC.
|
Rhythm & Blues Time Limit Draw w/ 'Rugged' Ronnie Garvin & Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka (2*)
Next on the bill is Jimmy Hart's 'Rhythm and Blues' team comprising of Greg 'The Hammer' Valentine, and The Honky Tonk Man. They will be facing off against 'Rugged' Ronnie Garvin & Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka. Snuka starts the match with Honky after what seems like an age, and Snuka goes to work with the martial arts. After a few headlock punches, Honky tags in Valentine. Snuka brings in Garvin who beats on the 'Hammer' until he does the patented Ric Flair fall face first to the canvas. Garvin hits the Garvin stomp but his Sharpshooter attempt is blocked and a double team ensues. Both teams go back and forth before eventually the 'Hammer' applies his figure four, but Garvin just smiles and pulls faces implying that the 'Hammer Jammer' shin pad thingy is nullifying the hold. Tags are made and Snuka misses a crossbody which enables Rhythm and Blues to double team further. Snuka eventually makes the tag and Garvin gets a close two count with a backslide. Garvin scores another near pinfall with a sunset flip from the top rope. Ronnie Garvin was long gone before i started watching WWF as a kid, so this is kind of my first experience of him... before that move I was kinda thinking 'shit Dino Bravo'. Honky Tonk Man manages to remove the 'Hammer Jammer' and Valentine hits the figure four leglock, but Snuka breaks the hold. Valentine goes to the top rope but is caught by Garvin who is about to apply the sharpshooter when the bell rings for a time limit draw (early). Decent match that served its purpose in building for the clash at the Royal Rumble (19:39).
'Million Dollar Man' Ted Dibiase def. Jake 'The Snake' Roberts (2*)
A young(er) Regis Philbin is in the crowd enjoying the action. Its time for our main event, with The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase facing Jake 'The Snake' Roberts for the Million Dollar Championship Belt. Roberts enters the ring with a head of steam and goes to work with a headlock. Several near pin attempts and Jake goes for the DDT early two minutes in, but Dibiase slithers to the outside. Roberts goes back to work with the headlock and Monsoon repeatedly points out that he has never seen anyone pinned with a side headlock, which may still be true nearly 25 years later. As if the Virgil black man slave gimmick wasn't bad enough to begin with, Hillbilly douses the fire with some gasoline by adding that Virgil will probably be 'back working in Burger King' should Dibiase lose the match, and that he probably wouldn't be able to work at KFC. This shit will probably be edited if it ever makes WWE Network. Dibiase hits a side suplex but Jake doesn't let go of the headlock... Dibiase eventually breaks free and lands with a piledriver. Jake breaks free from a camel clutch which sends Dibiase perilously close to Damian (the live snake at ringside) prompting a display of fear from the Million Dollar Man. Jakes attempt at a neckbreaker is blocked by Dibiase holding the ropes, and he returns in kind planting the same move on Roberts. Dibiase hits a powerslam and applies the Million Dollar Dream sleeper hold, but Jake makes the ropes and the ref breaks the hold. Dibiase then misses with an elbow from the top rope. Roberts gets a second wind and hits irish whips, a body slam & a short clothesline. The match goes outside the ring and Jake nails Virgil with some punches and a bodyslam, which probably makes Hillbilly happy. Roberts gets back into the ring and hits the DDT, but the bell sounds before Jake can make a count. He thinks he has won the belt, but it would appear that he has been counted out, therefore losing the match. Jake tries to set Damian on the ref (Earl Hebner), but he manages to escape the ring (20:31)
 |
| The MSG screwjob |
This show was decent enough, but far from a classic due to BS Finishes and some pointless matches.
No comments:
Post a Comment