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Saturday Night's Main Event Memories/Discussion Thread


Newb82

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Finally finding the time to start this new project. Like the WCW one, I have not seen most of these shows, with most of my exposure to them coming from the "Best of" set that came out a few years ago.

#1 5/11/85

-From Uniondale, NY

-Cyndi Lauper gives Wendi Richter some advice on beating Moolah.

-Hulk Hogan will have Mr. T in his corner when he defends the WWF title against Cowboy Bob.

-Opening video shows Moolah dropkicking a ref, which I find hilarious for some reason.

-Hosts are Vince McMahon & Jesse Ventura

-Vince runs down the main card, focusing on the WWF and Women's title matches, Jesse is excited for the six man tag and a match with JYD.

-Match 1: WWF Tag Team Champions The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff and George Steele (w/Freddie Blassie) VS The U.S. Express & Ricky Steamboat (w/Captain Lou Albano)

-The crowd does not respect Volkoff's singing of the Russian national anthem. The faces come out to "Born in the U.S.A.", which shows even then some people didn't actually listen to the lyrics. It takes a while for the legal men to be determined, and it's Windham against Sheiky to start. Windham completely dominates the early going, hitting a hip toss and a big slam before tagging in Rotunda, who goes after the arm before promptly tagging in Steamboat, who naturally continues down that road. Steamboat & Rotunda hit a double back-elbow to the chest, then Rotunda drops an elbow for two. Steamboat gets back in and hits a couple chops, but gets caught in an abdominal stretch before turning that into a hiptoss. The heels charge the ring, but get cleaned out in short order as we go to commercial.

Back from break, Steamboat is still working on Sheik's arm. Steamboat hits a power slam, a missile dropkick (!), and a cross-body off the top for two, with Volkoff making the save. Volkoff tags in, but he doesn't fare any better, taking a double dropkick from Steamboat & Windham for two, then a double back elbow from the Express. Rotunda drops a leg, but Steele makes the save, allowing Volkoff to get a shot in. Rotunda promptly gets a roll-up and a backslide for near-falls before tagging in Windham, who gets a sunset flip, but Volkoff is in the ropes. Steele gets in and faces off with Windham, then when he turns to tag, the champs bail on him, allowing Windham to get a roll-up for the pin at about 6:19 shown. Surprised to see the tag champs basically get squashed here before the finish.

-The champs attack Steele, who fight them off before getting help from the face team. Vince & Jesse have no idea what the deal is with Sheik & Volkoff.

-Mean Gene gets words from the champs, who blame Steele for the turn, saying he wasn't tagging when he was supposed to. Steele wanders by and goes after them before being pulled away by Albano. The champs rant for a few seconds before Gene sends them away.

-It's time for Piper's Pit with guest Paul Orndorff and the shortest pair of shorts a man can wear without getting a public indecency charge. Piper wants to talk about WrestleMania, which pisses off Orndorff, who orders Cowboy Bob to stand in the corner away from them. When Piper asks Orndorff to sit, Orndorff says "ladies first", and Piper actually obliges, but then calls Orndorff a loser for dropping the fall at 'Mania. Orndorff gets mad again, then in a cute bit yells "STAY!" at Orton and "SIT!' at Piper, which draws a big response. Piper blames Orndorff for getting pinned, while Orndorff blames Piper for not being there for him. Piper calls Orndorff a "piece of garbage", then says he embarrassed Piper, Orton, and Orndorff's own family at 'Mania. That triggers a fight, and as Orndorff gets Piper up for a piledriver, Orton blasts Orndorff with the cast. Hogan & Mr. T rush out to make sure Orndorff doesn't take too bad of a beating, and cement his face turn.

-After a commercial, Gene interviews Hogan, who dedicates his match tonight to his mother (this show is taking place days before Mother's Day), and has a few words for Orton before taking off.

-Match 2 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] (w/Mr. T) VS Bob Orton Jr. (w/Roddy Piper)

-No "Real American" yet, as Hogan enters to "Eye of the Tiger". We go to commercial just after Hogan gets in the ring. The teaser reads UP NEXT: HULK HOGAN!!, so I don't like Cowboy Bob's chances here.

Back from break, Orton tries a sneak attack, but it fails miserably. Hogan hits a backdrop and three slams before Orton bails. Orton hits a knee to the midsection and sends Hogan into the buckles, but he then misses a charge and rams his shoulder into the post, allowing Hogan to go right back on offense. Hogan bites Orton, and when Jesse objects, all Vince can do is deny the blatantly obvious. Orton comes back with a nice high knee to the face to regain control. Orton hits an atomic drop for two, and focuses on Hogan's face. To clear up a discussion on the board from earlier this week, Vince refers to Hogan as "the WWF champion" while Jesse makes mention of "the championship of the world". Hogan has enough of getting punched in the face, and drops an elbow for two. Hogan goes for corner punches, but Orton counters with an inverted atomic drop to regain control. Orton goes for the superplex, but Hogan fights out, and drops the leg, but Piper interferes for the DQ at 6:58. Not a bad TV world title match.

-Piper & Orton attack Hogan, then beat T down in the corner. Just when it looks like Hogan might be mildly inconvenienced, Orndorff runs out to prevent that, and we go to break.

-Back from commercial, Hogan, T, and Orndorff do Hogan's pose routine, and Vince gets REALLY into it.

-Mean Gene is with Cyndi Lauper & Captain Lou. Cyndi says Moolah has no chance, then the topic changes to Cyndi's new video, "The Goonies R Good Enough". Gene doesn't know the song title. The video then airs. Piper enters, upset that his role in the video wasn't bigger. Cyndi objects to Piper's spitting on her while he talks.

-After a commercial, Mean Gene interviews Moolah, who promises to win the title and keep it forever. Moolah is tired of interference in her matches, and has talked WWF officials into barring Lauper from ringside.

-Mean Gene talks to Cyndi, who says she won't be barred, and that she'll make sure Wendi wins. Well that's kinda why she wants you barred. Cyndi harps on Moolah choking her at 'Mania.

-Match 3 for the WWF Women's Championship: Wendi Richter [c] VS The Fabulous Moolah

-Vince treats poor Wendi as a total afterthought in this upcoming match. Fink reads the proclamation from the WWF banning Lauper from ringside, which the crowd doesn't care for. Lauper is escorted to the back as we go to break.

Back from break, the match has started, and Moolah immediately takes control. Moolah sends Wendi outside and keeps her there, but stops to taunt the crowd, allowing Wendi to dropkick her outside. Back in, Moolah hits a backdrop for one. They exchange punches to the stomach, then Wendi kicks Moolah down. Moolah tries to grab the ropes, but Wendi twice pulls Moolah off, and gets a near-fall. Moolah goes for a slam, but Wendi counters into a small package to retain at 3:19 shown. Was that a popular finsi at the time, or did Savage & Steamboat actually steal the finish from this match? Not much of a match either way.

-Cyndi and Wendi dance to celebrate.

-Mean Gene interviews JYD, who has his mom with him. Bertha Ritter is proud of her son.

-Match 4: Pete Dougherty VS The Junkyard Dog (w/Bertha Ritter)

-JYD immediately scores with a headbutt and a big clothesline. Dougherty bails, but JYD yanks his hair to try to bring him back in. Dougherty's shrieks of pain are...interesting. JYD no-sells some punches, and floors Dougherty with one punch. JYD hits some more headbutts, sending Dougherty outside. Dougherty tries climbing up top, but gets slammed down. JYD hits more headbutt and an atomic drop, before finishing with a powerslam at 3:12. Basic squash. One odd thing I've noticed about this show: no ring bell.

-JYD & his momma get down.

-After another break, we come back to Cydi Lauper's Mother's Day Party. Bertha is still proud of JYD. Shiek & Volkoff are sick of Albano. Blassie has a woman about 40 years younger with him as his "mother". Albano wishes all moms a happy holiday. Hogan has his mom with him, and Cyndi has hers. Moolah crashes the party, insulting both Cyndi and her mother. Cyndi ends up knocking Moolah and Gene into a huge cake to end the segment.

-After a commercial break, Vince asks Jesse for his thoughts on the show. Jesse loved Piper's Pit, but not the world title match. After that we take another commercial break, only to come back for Vince to say good night and the credits to air over a replay of Hogan's entrance. Odd way to end the show.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was...a show, with not a whole lot to it, and some weirdness with the presentation. Hogan & Lauper were definitely showcased as the biggest stars of the show by far, especially Lauper.

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#2 10/5/85

-From East Rutherford, NJ

-Mean Gene opens the show by announcing that Hogan says that after his title match against Volkoff tonight, the Russian flag will never fly in U.S. arenas again. Volkoff threatens to take the title back to Russia and make wrestlers fly there to fight him, and if anyone has a problem with it, talk the Russian government into nuking the United States.

-Hogan responds, thankfully without threatening to do anything to the entire country of Russia.

-Mean Gene gets some words from Uncle Elmer before his wedding tonight. Piper is not amused about the whole thing.

-Hosts are Vince McMahon & Jesse Ventura

-Vince runs down the card, not even remotely in order as the crowd reacts to Volkoff & Blassie in the ring behind him. Jesse, and his 80's glasses, are pumped about the wrestling, but think the wedding has no place in wrestling.

-Match 1 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] VS Nikolai Volkoff (w/Freddie Blassie)

-Volkoff's singing gets the usual response. Jesse makes a good point that since the U.S. is a free country, Hogan should let Volkoff sing without any guff. Hogan tells Gene that he can't stand seeing the Russian flag in the ring, so he's carrying the U.S. flag to the ring with him to counter. Hogan's in his all-white outfit tonight.

Volkoff jumps Hogan before the bell (and there is one this time), and chokes Hogan with Hogan's own shirt. Hogan blocks a bash into the buckles and turns it around, then sends Volkoff into the opposite corner before adding a big clothesline, then another clothesline in the center of the ring, followed by an elbow drop. Hogan kicks Volkoff out over the top and onto the time keeper's table. Hogan goes outside, but ends up getting sent into the post, and they both roll back in. Volkoff goes to work on the back, and Hogan sells his weak-ass offense like death. Volkoff hits a very impressive gorilla press into a back breaker, but takes way too long going for the pin, and it only gets two. Volkoff goes for a piledriver (or, as Vince posits, and overhead back breaker), and the crowd is growing really concerned here. Hogan backdrops out of it, but loses a slug fest, and Volkoff hits a slam for two, triggering the Hulk Up. Hogan avoids an avalanche, causing Volkoff to crack his head on the post, and finishes with the leg drop at 5:14. Abbreviated version of the Hogan formula, but it had a lot of heat, which added a lot to it.

-Hogan uses the Russian flag to shine his boot, then parades around the ring before posing. Vince tries to throw it to commercial about 30 seconds early.

-After the break, Mean Gene gets some words from Hulk, who says if Volkoff didn't learn his lesson, Hogan will be happy to explain it again to Volkoff, a little slower than tonight. Hogan is excited about the wedding, including Mean Gene's playing of the organ.

-Uncle Elmer's wife gets ready for the wedding. Jesse points out the dress is "off-white".

-Mean Gene interviews the Hillbillies, who are not worried about their match or the wedding. What kind of asshole wrestles on his wedding day? What kind of asshole books someone to wrestle on their wedding day?

-Match 2: Jerry Valiant VS Uncle Elmer (w/Cousin Junior & Hillbilly Jim)

-Valiant charges into a slam, and Elmer gets the immediate pin at :07. Fink announces it as a new record of six seconds. Either way it was brisk, and pretty pointless. The hillbillies dance to celebrate.

-Bundy setting the past record is shown, and this match being a legit 6 or 7 seconds long exposes that one as being much longer that the supposed 9 seconds.

-Mean Gene gets some more words from the hillbillies, and asks Elmer if he plans to set another record tonight.

-Arnold Schwartzenegger is in the crowd.

-Jesse hosts The Body Shop, with his guest Bobby Heenan. Heenan cops to being fired by Orndorff on national TV, but claims it's because Orndorff got word Heenan was going to dump him. Heenan ups his bounty on Orndorff's head to $50,000. Heenan advises Orndorff to retire.

-Mean Gene gets Orndorff's reaction. Orndorff dismisses Piper's chances of cashing in the bounty, citing Piper's choice of dress. After Orndorff leaves, Gene questions whether he is mentally ready for this match with that bounty on his head.

-Vince points out that if Piper takes out Orndorff, Heenan might not pay him. Piper tells Gene that if Heenan doesn't pay him, then Piper will rip Heenan's throat out too. Piper says he objects to the wedding because in twelve years, there may be five more Uncle Elmers.

-Match 3: Paul Orndorff VS Roddy Piper

-Piper gets a live bagpipe band to accompany for his entrance. Heenan comes out with the briefcase full of money to remind everyone about it before we go to break.

Back from break, it's a really hot start as they slug it out. Piper kicks Orndorff down and rams his head into the mat. Orndorff blocks a punch and hits some of his own before getting a take down and pounding away. They roll around and Piper goes to the eye before hitting a really shitty DDT. I winder if he got any heat for that. Piper kicks Orndorff outside, then rams his head into a table. Piper misses a chair shot, and they go back inside, with Orndorff tossing the bell in beforehand. Orndorff hits a sledge off the top and hits a belly-to-back suplex. Orndorff pounds away, but Piper hits his Greco-Roman eye poke to cut that off. They knock each other down, then Piper goes for a choke, then a splash, which hits knees. Orndorff dives at Piper, and they tumble outside, fighting to a double count-out at 5:04, then all the way to the back, right underneath Jesse & Vince. Damn, this was AWESOME. A total hate-filled brawl that was worked like a fight and not a co-operative dance. Probably one of the best five minute matches in WWF history, no exaggeration.

-Piper bails to his dressing room and locks Orndorff out as we go to break.

-Back from break, it's time for the wedding. Jesse can't imagine either party spending the rest of their life with the other. This sacred ceremony goes a whole three minutes before Piper interrupts to try to save the segment, to huge heat. They finish, and the hillbilly-fied reception area is shown.

-Mean Gene is with Heenan, Studd, & Bundy. Heenan questions Gene's organ playing. Studd & Bundy don't like Andre claiming to be a giant.

-Match 4: Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy VS Andre the Giant & Tony Atlas

-Pre-match video shows Bundy & Studd destroying Andre in Toronto. Andre & Bundy start, and Andre immediately chokes Bundy with Bundy's own singlet. Andre mashes Bundy in the corner, hits a chop, then goes back to choking Bundy. Andres bashes Bundy's head into Atlas', and tags Atlas. Bundy knocks Atlas down, but misses an elbow drop. Atlas hits a headbutt, but Bundy tags Studd. Studd knocks Atlas down, but Atlas leapfrogs over Studd before hitting a headbtt. Atlas tries for a slam, but Studd blocks and goes on offense. Studd goes after Andre, drawing the ref and allowing Bundy to sneak in with a splash. Studd lets Atlas tag Andre, and Andre clubs Studd across the back before hitting a headbutt, a choke, and a big boot to send Studd outside.

Bundy attacks Andres from behind and works him over, while Studd rams Atlas into the post. Bundy hits an avalanche than Studd adds another. The ref gets tired of the double-teaming, and DQs the heels at 4:21. Nothing much to this one.

-Hogan makes the save for Andre to a big pop, and we go to commercial.

-Mean Gene gets in the ring and asks Hogan why he came out. Hogan says he's tired of Studd & Bundy trying to take advantage of Andre & Atlas. Hogan says something is going down, but says the reveal will have to wait.

-A video airs of Mean Gene going to a zoo, looking for George Steele. Gene finds him, and they compare several animals to WWF personalities. This had its moments, including a flashback to Steele getting electroshock therapy, which makes him "normal" for just a moment.

-Mean Gene gets a word from the new WWF Tag Team Champions The Dream Team with Johnny V. Valentine offers to take Gene on. A video of Beefcake blinding Windham leading to the title change is shown before we go to commercial.

-Match 5 for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The Dream Team [c] (w/Johnny V) VS Lanny Poffo & Tony Garea

-Valentine and Poffo start, and Valentine easily beats him down. The champs make a tag, and Poffo somehow manages to turn the tide, hitting a buckles-assisted back-flip splash on Beefcake for two, with Valentine making the save. Beefacke gets Poffo back in the champs corner, where they double-team him. Valentine prevents a tag, then tags Beefacke. Beefcake hits a slam, but allows a tag. Garea cleans house, and gets a cross-body on Beefcake for two. Beefcake scores with a back elbow to regain control. Valentine gets in, drops an elbow, and slaps on the figure 4 for the submission at 2:54. Decent enough sprint, but far too short to mean anything.

-Vince & Jesse get ready to head to the wedding reception. Mean Gene gives a preview before commercial.

-Back from break, Jesse is NOT happy to be there, and starts writing a poem. Hogan & Orndorff loved the wedding. Elsewhere, Captain Lou is trying to teach Uncle Elmer to always eat with his left hand. Lanny has a poem for the occasion. Mean Gene breaks a glass by tapping it with a spoon. Hillbilly Jim proposes a toast to the couple before reminding them that he is open to dinner invites every Sunday. Mean Gene brings out Tiny Tim, deciding to insult him for some reason. Tim no-sells the insults, and has some advice for the couple. After Tim leaves, Jesse reads his poem, which starts out beautifully as Hogan & Orndorff wait for the other shoe to drop. It does, and Elmer ends up shoving Jesse into the wedding cake.

-After another commercial, Vince announces that on the next SNME, Hogan & Andre will meet Studd & Bundy. After another break, Vince says good night, and the credits roll over the hillbillies and Albano dancing.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was much better than the first show, mostly due to the heat in the world title match, the awesome Piper/Orndorff brawl, and the heels shitting on the wedding.

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Loved SNME. So much of the credit needs to go to Vince and Jesse on the headsets, they were fantastic and completely suited to the product. Looking forward to reading your posts Newb. I posted a photo of Andre / Hulk signing for their rematch in the phot thread the other day as it goes, surely the Zenith of SNME not only in terms of ratings, but storyline. That ending with the double ref / Dibiase is textbook pro wrestling. Seriously, one of the very best things in pro wrestling, ever. 

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The January 1987 SNME was what sucked me back into wrestling as an 11-year-old.  It was the Hogan-Orndorff cage match, I'd never seen a cage match before and thought it was the coolest thing ever.  And I can't tell you how upset I was that Hogan won the match.  The other kids were bigtime Hulkamaniacs, so I went with Orndorff because his complaints seemed valid and I just wanted to see a title change.  I knew for sure that Orndorff touched the floor first on the so-called "tie."  Danny Davis declared him the champion, he was a licensed official, how was I to know he was the middle of his crooked ref angle?  So yeah, that one SNME caused me to both fall in love with wrestling and hate Hulk Hogan with a passion.

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#3 8/2/85

-From Hershey, PA

-Mean Gene catches Heenan practicing for the pumpkin dunk tonight. Heenan smashes two pumpkins to simulate what is going to happen to Hogan & Andre. Hogan tells the fans not to listen to Heenan. Jesse interviews Super Piper about putting the hillbillies on Piper's Pit. Gene talks to Terry Funk & Jimmy Hart, stating that Funk's match against JYD could lead to a title shot against Hogan. Funk plans on house breaking JYD, while Jimmy won't speak about the legality of Funk's branding iron. Funk spits tobacco at the camera to end the segment as Jimmy laughs.

-Hosts are Vince McMahon & Jesse Ventura

-Vince runs down the card as the director cuts to shots of fans dressed in Halloween costumes. Vince is mad at Jesse for how he acted at the wedding, while Jesse protests that he merely commentated, and didn't agree with Piper trying to interfere.

-A video airs of Terry Funk beating the shit out of a ringside attendant. Mean Gene interviews the Funk & Jimmy Hart inside the arena, and Jimmy blames "TV tricks and special effects" for making Terry look bad. Another video of Funk beating on JYD with the branding iron airs, and Gene asks JYD whether he's out for the win, or revenge, and JYD doesn't really answer as we go to break.

-Match 1: Terry Funk (w/Jimmy Hart) VS The Junkyard Dog

-JYD jumps Terry as Terry jaws with the fans, and beats on him before knocking Funk outside. After Jimmy removes Terry's chaps, Funk gets back in hits a slam, before missing an elbow drop. JYD hits a slam, then a second to send Funk back outside. The dazed Terry almost hits Jimmy. Back in, JYD hits a whip into the buckles, a slam, and several headbutts to send Funk outside yet again. The crowd chants for JYD, and Funk goes into the front row to try to get them to stop. Once Terry gets back in, Jimmy gets involved, and JYD goes after him. Terry tries a sneak attack, which fails.

Back in, Funk absorbs a headbutt, and lands several punches for his first real offense, and gets two off that. Funk gets a sleeper as the crowd chants for JYD again. JYD reaches the ropes, then ducks a clothesline before slapping on a sleeper of his own. He lets go to go after Jimmy again, but that allows Funk to wallop JYD with the megaphone for the pin at 5:18. Not sure how eating 90% of the offense is supposed to build Funk for Hogan, but the match was a lot better than what I've seen of most of JYD's WWF efforts.

-To further add to my confusion, JYD fights off a branding attempt, and knocks Terry outside. Jimmy gets caught in a tug-of-war between JYD and Funk, losing his pants in the process. JYD takes care of Funk, and brands Jimmy on the ass.

-ROUND ONE OF THE TEAM ALBANO VS TEAM HEENAN HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE: PIE EATING CONTEST

-Shiek & Volkoff as Batman & Robin is awesome, as is Liz as Jungle Jane. This is thankfully the 1985 version of "pie eating" on TV, and not the 2003 version. It's Albano VS Bundy. Both guys seem to smear food all over their faces more than they eat anything. Albano wins, so a pissed Bundy slams a pie in his face. Albano isn't upset at all, and demands another one.

-After a commercial, the hillbillies are shown sitting in the ring, then highlights of the wedding air. Piper mistakes Jim for Mrs. Elmer. Elmer refuses to answer Piper's questions about Elmer's post-marriage sex life. Jim confronts Piper about what he said at the wedding. Piper denies saying anything, but does cop to agreeing with Jesse Ventura. The hillbillies challenge Jesse to come to the ring and face them, and Jesse accepts. Piper & Cowboy Bob do a schoolyard trip on Cousin Junior, then jim blasts Orton out of the ring. The hillbillies corner Jesse, but Piper pulls him to safety. The hillbillies stomp on Jesse's hat to end the segment.

-ROUND TWO OF THE TEAM ALBANO VS TEAM HEENAN HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE: THE PUMPKIN DUNK

-In a surprising bit of thought-out planning, we have to wait for Cousin Junior to supposedly return from Piper's Pit before we can start, since it's him VS Heenan. Heenan wins 7-4, getting excitedly cheered on by Savage & Liz the whole way.

-Mean Gene interviews a clean-and-changed Heenan, Bundy, & Studd. Bundy says neither he or Studd can be slammed. Studd accidentally calls Bundy "Bunny". After they leave, Gene gets some words from Hogan, Andre, & their manager Captain Lou.

-Match 2: King Kong Bundy & Big John Studd (w/Bobby Heenan) VS WWF Champion Hulk Hogan & Andre the Giant (w/Capatain Lou Albano)

-This is the "24/7" version, so it has "Real American" and a badly-dubbed Fink ring introduction as opposed to the original music. Hogan is again donning his all-white gear. Hogan immediately hits Bundy with a high knee for two, but Bundy grabs the ropes to block a slam. Hogan ducks a punch and regains control before tagging Andre, who chokes Bundy with Bundy's straps, causing Jesse to go apoplectic, especially since the ref does nothing about it. Hogan gets back in, and immediately gets caught and double-teamed in the heels' corner. Jesse offers to team with Piper against the hillbillies on the next SNME as Hogan botches an atomic drop on Studd. Andre gets in and accidentally pops the ref, causing the match to break down completely. Joey Marella shoves the original ref outside as Hogan & Andre clean house. We take a rather present-day-Raw-esque commercial break at that moment.

Back from break, Andre sends Studd into a knee from Hogan. Andre tags Hogan, then drops Studd with a chop on his way out. Hogan drops Studd with a boot, then tags Andre back in. Vince refers to Andre as "the big boss man". Andre gets caught in the ropes, allowing the heels to double team both him, and Hogan when he tries to help. Marella has enough, and DQ's the heels at 5:40 shown, then the faces clean house immediately after. Pretty much a squash, and I'm surprised that we didn't at least get a heat segment on Hogan before the finish.

-Mean Gene interviews the victors, and Andre loudly proclaims that he wants some more. Hogan says they proved Studd & Bundy can't beat Andre, then Andre challenges anyone in the world to face him & Hogan.

-Vince introduces a music video featuring the WWF roster, although it's oddly heels that get most of the speaking parts. Vince says the video can be seen "exclusively on MTV" despite this "world premiere" taking place on NBC. Vince looks absolutely psychotic during his portions of the video. Piper's ending rant is TERRIBLY edited, since he doesn't appear to even be speaking when he's shown on-screen during that part.

-After a commercial, Mean Gene asks Macho why he selected a female manager. Savage responds that any man that would ask that question is either blind or stupid.

-Match 3 for the Intercontinental Championship: Tito Santana [c] VS Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth)

-They feel each other out for a minute, until Savage uses a sucked punch in the ropes to take control. Tito avoids a clothesline and hits a hip toss, but misses an elbow drop, allowing Savage to quickly go to the top, and hit a double axe for two before switching to a chinlock. Tito almost gets out, but Savage uses a yank of the hair to keep the hold on. Tito starts to elbow out but Savage elbows him in the forehead, and hits a slam before going back up. Tito counters a double axe with a punch to the gut, and pounds away. Tito adds a slam and goes off the ropes, and Savage bails. Tito follows, and Savage sprints back in, then out, then in again, catching Tito coming back in. Savage tries a piledriver on the floor, then settles for a knee lift when Tito blocks. The ref calls for the fastest double count-out in wrestling history at 4:10. This was good while it lasted, which wasn't nearly long enough.

-Mr. Fuji prepares for his "kung fu" challenge by grinding his knuckles into his own head, while Steamboat breaks some boards as we go to break.

-Back from break, Mean Gene intros a video of Piper preparing for trick-or-treaters at his "rented American home". Vince enters and notes that Piper's home in Scotland does not have indoor plumbing, which Piper has no use for. Piper takes Vince's use of the word "native" to mean "African jungle stereotype". Some kids come trick-or-treating, and Piper intentionally breaks their bags in order to steal their candy, at least the ones he likes. Piper is excited by "something new" in the kids' bags, which turns out to be chocolate-covered red peppers, revenge for last year. Tremendous character stuff, which we all bitch they don't do anymore.

-Hogan loves what the kids did to Piper.

-Mean Gene interviews Fuji, who is now breaking bricks and wood.

-After a commercial, Fuji is shown in the ring with Don Muraco, as Vince notes that Fuji usually manages Muraco, but tonight it's the other way around.

-Over to Gene who has Steamboat, but first a video of Muraco and Fuji choking Steamboat with a strap airs. Steamboat says they so far have only face Steamboat the person, but tonight they will learn to fear The Dragon.

-Match 4: Mr. Fuji (w/Don Muraco) VS Ricky Steamboat [Kung Fu Challenge]

-Steamboat blocks Fuji's strikes, then lands a series of his own. Fuji sends Steamboat down with a questionably-low kick, then adds a diving headbutt to the stomach, and a stiff chop to the chest. Steamboat fires back, but Fuji actually cuts him off, and hits a pretty impressive throw. Fuji hits a kick, then goes for a suplex (o...k...), but Steamboat counters into one of his own, followed by a missile dropkick for the pin at 3:14. Short, but surprisingly competitive and good.

-Muraco promptly blinds Steamboat, allowing he & Fuji to beat the shit out of him in retaliation.

--ROUND THREE OF THE TEAM ALBANO VS TEAM HEENAN HALLOWEEN CHALLENGE: THE PUMPKIN PASS

-Vince & Jesse recap the first two rounds. The face make it through five passes. The heels make it through four (while blatantly cheating), only for pass number five between Liz & Piper to go awry. Liz is of course blamed for the loss as we go to break.

-Jesse re-iterates that he & Piper want to face the hillbillies on the next SNME.

-Children's-show Halloween music plays as the end credits scroll over highlights from the show.

-FINAL THOUGHTS A fairly entertaining show. Most of the matches were nothing, but had enough star power to be at least watchable. The Halloween-themed stuff played better than a lot of similar stuff they've tried in recent years, particularly the segment at Piper's house.
 

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#4 1/4/86

-From Tampa, FL

-Hulk Hogan prepares a shake in preparation for his title defense against Terry Funk. Hogan warns Mean Gene not to give Funk the recipe. Gene takes a drink, and can't help but flex afterward. Elsewhere, Piper, Orton, & Ventura spy on the hillbillies as they wade in a pool.

-Hosts are Vince McMahon & Jesse Ventura

-Vince runs down the card, accidentally stating that the WWF itself is up for grabs during Hogan-Funk. Jesse interrupts to talk about his match with Piper & Orton against The Hillbillies. Vince is excited because he won't have to listen to Jesse for a little bit. Jesse introduces his replacement for during his match: Bobby Heenan.

-Mean Gene interviews Piper & Orton. Piper talks about all the things the hillbillies do that he hates. Jesse enters to tell Piper not to let Gene bother him. After the heels leave, highlights of Jesse & Piper's behavior during the wedding air, and Gene gets some words from Hillbilly Jim before that team makes their entrance.

-Match 1: Roddy Piper, Bob Orton Jr., & Jesse Ventura VS The Hillbillies

-Jesse & Elmer start, and Jesse goes to the eyes right off the bat. Jesse pounds away in the corner, but gets caught when Elmer returns fire. Elmer gets a choke lift, then rams Jesse into a knee from Jim, who then tags in. Jim gets a side headlock, but Jesse gets out and hits a knee to the gut before tagging Piper. Jim tags out to Cousin Luke, who replaces Junior. Anyone know the story behind that? Piper goes for a handshake and takes a couple shots, but Piper & Orton manage to double team Luke to turn the tide. Orton gets a couple shots in, then tags Piper, who hits a knee lift before tagging Orton back in. Luke gets a headbutt, so Orton tags Jesse back in. Jesse steps on Luke's face, then tags Piper, who paint brushes Luke before adding an eye poke and tagging Orton. Orton gets a shot in then tags Piper back in. Luke backs Piper into the face corner and makes the tag, but the ref misses it. He quickly gets the tag again anyway to Elmer, and the crowd is pumped for this showdown. Elmer gets a couple bunches and a bear hug, but Piper goes to the eyes to escape. The match breaks down, and the hillbillies clean house a we go to break.

Back from break the heels charge the ring, but it doesn't go well for them. Piper tries to headbutt Jim, but apparently hillbillies have hard heads too. The heels manage to triple team Jim as Heenan says he likes seeing the hillbillies on their knees. Luke gets back in and the match breaks down. Orton nails Luke in the back on the head with the cast, and Piper gets a sleeper for the win at 7:24 shown. This was decent enough tag formula work.

-Heenan says he's proud of the work he did on commentary, and Jesse enters to gloat about his win.

-Mean Gene hosts a slide-off between Jimmy Hart & JYD. JYD gets a head start and wins, which Jesse rightfully objects to. Jesse interviews Terry Funk, who says he wants a tan for when he beats Hogan for the belt and gets on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

-Gorilla Monsoon narrates a video from "winter 1985" showing the finish of a match between Funk & Hogan, showing Funk nailing Hogan with the branding iron before branding him.

-Mean Gene interviews Hogan, who is embarrassed about getting branded. Hogan brings out JYD, who will watch his back.

-Match 2 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] (w/The Junk Yard Dog) VS Terry Funk (w/Jimmy Hart)

-No ring intros, as we go to commercial instead. Back from break, Hogan (going with powder blue tonight) sends Funk into the buckles, and follows with a clothesline, so Funk takes a powder. Funk charges and misses, allowing Hoga to knock him outside with a clothesline. Funk sends Hogan into the ropes, but Hogan repeatedly steps on Funk's back instead of over him, and Funk bails again. Funk chucks a chair into the ring, so Hogan takes a seat wile he waits for Funk. Funk manages to back Hogan into a corner and land a couple chops, but Hogan quickly turns that around and hits some punches. Hogan hits a belly-to-back suplex, then after a delay, covers for two. Funk comes back with a couple punches, then a mule kick to the nuts, which Vince oddly accepts as an accident. Funk goes up, but Hogan shakes the ropes, and Funk crotches himself. Hogan hits an atomic drop, then a big running clothesline and an elbow drop.

Jimmy grabs Hogan's foot. Hogan chases Jimmy right into JYD, and Jimmy hides under the ring to escape. Funk takes advantage of the distraction to take the tape off his wrist and choke Hogan with it. Funk hits a piledriver for two, then follows up with punches to the head. Funk lands a series of jabs, but Hogan starts no-selling, and fires back with punches of his own, before sending Funk outside with a big boot. Hogan goes for a slam, but Jimmy cracks Hogan in the ribs with the branding iron, allowing Funk to fall on top for two, as Hogan gets his foot on the ropes. JYD clobbers Jimmy, and Hogan catches Funk with a clothesline to retain at 8:29 shown. This was loads of fun, with a couple of really good false finishes thrown in.

-Funk attacks the ref, then throws some chairs in the ring as we go to break.

-Back from commercial, Funk drags a down-and-out Jimmy to the back by his ankle. Tremendous. Mean Gene gets some words from Hogan, who wants some more, then Gene congratulates JYD on his watching of Jimmy.

-A video shows Gene with a relaxed George Steele. Captain Lou shrugs off any idea of Steele having any ring rust. Elsewhere, Jesse interviews Macho, who says a real man is never afraid on an animal, before launching Liz off a ledge into a pool to "teach her how to swim". Jesse finds that HILARIOUS.

-This is the start of the "Animal Loves Liz" angle, as George fawns over Liz as she holds the ropes for Macho.

-Match 3: George Steele (w/Captain Lou Albano) VS Randy Savage (w/Miss Elizabeth)

-Savage does his pre-match preening, then gets freaked out and bails when Animal responds with his own antics. They lock up, and Animal promptly launches Macho out over the top. Animal follows, but gets distracted by Liz, only coming to when he sees Macho about to drop on him from the top. Macho catches Animal getting back in the ring, but Steele clubs Macho down. Macho rolls outside and pulls Animal out with him. Animal chases Macho around the ring, then Macho hides behind Liz. They get back in the ring, and Steele knocks Macho down before destroying a turnbuckle. Animal turns his attention back to Liz, allowing Macho to hit a double axe for the pin at 4:03. More of an angle than a match, but it's a pretty great angle. Macho quickly carries Liz to the back.

-A video recap of 1985, focusing on mainly WrestleMania and the first three SNMEs set to a song I don't recognize airs. This was pretty cool, and a feature I wouldn't mind seeing make its return.

-Jesse objects to not appearing in the video.

-Mean Gene interviews Nikolai Volkoff & Freddie Blassie about his "Peace Match" against Cpl. Kirschner. Sheiky interrupts to say his usual.

-A video of Jesse interviewing Kirschner airs, finishing with Kirschner hang gliding into a pool.

-Match 4: Nikolai Volkoff (w/Freddy Blassie & The Iron Sheik) VS Cpl. Kirschner

-Kirschner's entrance interrupts the Russian national anthem. Volkoff backs Kirschner into the ropes, but gives a clean break. Kirschner does the same given the opportunity. Volkoff gets a takedown, but Kirschner reverses into an arm bar. Kirschner gets a headlock take down, which Volkoff counters into a near-fall before Kirschner backs Volkoff into the ropes on an overhead wrist lock. Volkoff gets another take down, this time into a bridge for two. Kirschner gets a roll-up for one, then slaps on a side headlock. Volkoff gives another clean break, then shakes Kirschner's hand. Kirschner gets a key lock, but Volkoff picks his ankle. Volkoff cartwheels away from a backdrop, but runs right into another arm take down. Kirschner counters a slam attempt with a small package for two. Volkoff does not give a clean break this time, then drops Kirschner with a hot shot, then follows with a knee drop to the throat for the pin at 4:21. Jesse actually doesn't defend Volkoff's method of victory. This was another pretty good, scientifically-wrestled match before the obvious, but correct, finish.

-A video previews Steamboat/JYD VS Muraco/Fuji before we go to commercial.

-A video shows Muraco getting swarmed by women before Gene interviews he and Fuji. Muraco mocks objections over his & Fuji's cheating during matches against Steamboat. Fuji talks about all the methods the Japanese have for eating dogs, in reference to JYD, before the heels go to the ring. Steamboat & JYD then enter, and Steamboat talks about all the bad things Muraco & Fuji have done to him leading up to this match. JYD says he doesn't want kids following the example set by Muraco & Fuji before the faces make their entrance and we go to break.

-Match 5: Don Muraco & Mr. Fuji VS Ricky Steamboat & The Junk Yard Dog

-We come back right at the opening bell. Muraco takes JYD down, and Fuji slams Steamboat on the floor. JYD sends Muraco down, but misses a falling headbutt, and Muraco tags Fuji. Fuji's offense on JYD doesn't last long, but he does manage to land a couple more shots before tagging Muraco back in. JYD promptly takes over on Muraco, hitting a slam for two. Muraco staggers into the wrong corner, and takes a shot from Steamboat. JYD hits a headbutt to the nose, and Muraco tags Fuji. Fuji manages to land some shots on JYD to take control, and tag Muraco, who continues on offense until he goes for a piledriver, and JYD backdrops out. Muraco tags Fuji, who cuts off JYD's attempt at a tag, and drops a low headbutt before tagging Muraco back in. Muraco kicks at JYD, but misses a charge in the corner, allowing the hot tag to Steamboat, who cleans house.

Steamboat hits Muraco with chops and an enziguiri, before catapulting Muraco into Fuji. Steamboat gets the cross-body off the top, but Fuji saves at two. Fuji goes for a suplex, but Steamboat rolls out and tags JYD, who finishes Fuji with a headbutt at 5:23. This was pretty oddly booked, as Steamboat is the one with the issue, but he was barely in the match.

-Muraco gets a couple cheap shots in before leaving as we go to break.

-After commercial, Vince & Jesse argue over the highlight of the night, with Vince picking Hogan's win, and Jesse obviously picking his own.

-After another commercial, Vince wishes everyone a happy new year before parts of the "year in review" video air again with the end credits.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was my favorite of the shows so far, since it was by far the most in-ring heavy, with everything being at least decent, aside from the baffling booking of the final match.

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#5 3/1/86

-From Phoenix, AZ

-Mr. T is NOT happy when Gene interrupts his workout in advance of his boxing match against Cowboy Bob.

-Hosts are Vince & Jesse

-Vince & Jesse run down the card. Jesse is happy to see Hogan defend the WWF title against "someone not waiting for Social Security" in Don Muraco.

-A video airs of Hogan going on Piper's Pit and signing Cowboy Bob's open boxing contract on behalf of Mr. T. Piper is NOT pleased.

-Mean Gene interviews Piper & Cowboy Bob. Piper mocks Mr. T for being seen with Boy George, then reminds T that this isn't a Rocky movie.

-Mr. T gets his hands taped, then a video airs of T getting overzealous with his sparring partner before Gene interviews T again, and this time it goes better. T says "the man told me to take a dive because I need the money" in Rocky III, but this is for real, and he'll kill Orton before getting mad at Gene again.

-Match 1: Bob Orton Jr. VS Mr. T [boxing Match]

-ROUND ONE: Orton jumps T before the bell, which I'm pretty sure wouldn't go over well in a legit boxing match. This is pretty boring, and Orton clearly calls spots on camera. Orton uses a BLATANT thumb in the eye to gain the first clear advantage, which incenses Vince. T manages to continue, and after the round ends, Orton lands a big cheap shot, which again causes a freak out on Vince's part.

ROUND TWO: T lands a couple big shots, so Piper distracts the ref, allowing Orton to hit a knee to the midsection, and a double axe handle. Orton holds T for a punch from Piper, but Piper accidentally hits Orton, then T knocks Orton out over the top for the KO. Well that was...something.

-Piper challenges T to fight him right then and there, and Orton blindsides T with a knee to the back, kicking off a pretty vicious heel beat down, punctuated by Piper whipping T with a belt as Orton holds T down. T flips out as we go to break. Where's Mr. T's BFF Hogan during all this?

-After the break, Gene interviews Mr. T, who says he hasn't been whipped like that since he was six years old. T wants Piper. A video replay shows Piper whipping T.

-Gene interviews King Kong Bundy & Bobby Heenan. Heenan & Bundy want Hogan, completely not caring about tonight's match.

-Match 2: Steve Gatorwolf VS King King Bundy (w/Bobby Heenan)

-Not surprisingly, Bundy squashes the shit out of Gatorwolf, finishing with the avalanche (and getting a five count) at :41.

-Bundy interrupts the announcement of his victory by yelling for Hogan.

-Gene interviews Don Muraco, who thinks Hogan is behind Mr. Fuji coming down with the flu and not being in his corner. Muraco will not be on his own, as Mr. Fuji has talked Bobby Heenan into being in Muraco's corner tonight.

-Mr. Fuji is shown laying in the trainer's room.

-Gene interviews Hogan, who thinks something fishy is going on with this Fuji/Heenan business.

-Match 3 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] VS Don Muraco (w/Bobby Heenan)

-Muraco gets the early jump by going to the eyes and pounds Hogan in the corner. Hogan turns things around, and repeatedly scratches Muraco. Jesse defends Muraco doing the same by claiming that Muraco had his nails cut. Hogan drops Heenan, then hits a big clothesline in the corner. Hogan hits an atomic drop that sends Muraco outside, and then follows. Back in, Hogan wins a slugfest, and gets two off that. Hogan gets a bear hug, but a Heenan distraction allows Muraco to escape and go back on offense. Muraco goes to the ribs, then adds an ASIAN SPIKE OF DEATH.

Muraco adds more basic offense, then an ASIAN SPIKE OF DEATH from the second turnbuckle. Muraco gets a near-fall, triggering the Hulk Up. Hogan gets the leg drop, but Heenan interferes to draw the DQ at 6:56. Not a whole lot to this one, since it's basically a prelude to...

-Hogan goes after Heenan, allowing Bundy to attack from behind. Muraco holds Hogan in place in the corner for a series of avalanches. Hogan is down and out as we go to break.

-After the break, Gene & Vince cover Hogan being loaded into an ambulance like it's a presidential assassination.

-In a pre-tape, Gene interviews The Dream Team about their title match against the Bulldogs. Johnny V claims their non-title loss was simply a scouting mission, and Valentine dismisses them as a "circus act".

-A video of the Bulldogs beating the Dream Team airs.

-Match 4 for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The Dream Team (w/Johnny Valiant) VS The British Bulldogs (w/Lou Albano)

-Valentine starts with Davey Boy, who dominates right off the bat, getting three near-falls. Tags are made on both ends, and it's more of the same, with the Bulldogs controlling. Davey gets in and works on Beefcake's arm, yanking on it and holding Beefcake in the air by it. Davey hits a back elbow that allows a tag by the champs, but Valentine still does no better. Dynamite gets in and hits a diving headbutt for two, then tags Davey back in. He wins a slug fest, then gets a small package for two before tagging Dynamite back in. Valentine scores with an inverted atomic drop and tags, then Beefcake follows up with a questionably low stomp. Everyone ends up on the floor as we go to break.

Back from break, Beefcake gets caught in the Bulldogs' corner. Davey hits a missile dropkick followed by a splash for two. Beefcake makes a comeback then tags Valentine. Valentine gets the figure 4, but Dynamite breaks that up, then gets the tag. Valentine absorbs a couple blows, then fires back with some of his own. Valentine awkwardly climbs the turnbuckles, and drops an elbow off the second rope for two. Valentine follows up with a shoulder breaker for two, then tags Beefcake back in. Beefcake hits a big stomp to the chest for two, then tags Valentine back in. Valentine drops an arm on Dynamite for two. Dynamite kicks Valentine off him to block the figure 4, then slams Valentine off the top. Dynamite hits a missile dropkick, but Valentine gets his foot on the ropes for two. Dynamite hits a running clothesline for another two count, as the crowd, smelling new champs, are getting seriously into this. That proves to be wishful thinking, as Dynamite and Valentine clonk heads, and Valentine falls on top for the pin at 9:43 shown. Damn, just as things were getting good too.

-Mean Gene has no update on Hogan yet. Well, it's only been about 20 minutes.

-The video for "Real American" makes it's debut.

-In another pre-tape, Gene interviews Adorable Adrian Adonis about his match against JYD.

-Match 5: Adrian Adonis (w/Jimmy Hart) VS The Junkyard Dog

-JYD jumps Adonis before the bell, and tosses him around. Adonis is bumping huge here, including a 360 sell off a clothesline that gets two. Adonis gets a couple punches, then a LIMP-WRISTED SLAP OF 1980'S GAY STEREOTYPE-NESS. JYD knocks Adonis outside, then takes a shot at Jimmy before mocking Adonis to a big pop. JYD pulls both Adonis & Jimmy into the ring, before throwing Jimmy into Adrian to send them both out again.

After a break, Adrian rolls back in, only to get slugged down by JYD for two. JYD misses a diving headbutt, and Adonis holds the ref in a corner while Jimmy ties JYD's leg to the bottom rope. Adonis chokes JYD, then Jimmy adds a cheap shot when the ref pulls him away. Adonis adds another choke, forcing the ref to pull him away by the hair, which of course greatly upsets Adonis. Adonis hits a fist drop for two, and goes for a piledriver, but JYD's legs clip the ref, who takes a ridiculously exaggerated bump. Jimmy holds up the megaphone, but JYD shoves Adonis into it, and get the pin at 6:20 shown. More than a little surprised to see Adonis job here. Less surprised that most of the match consisted of Adonis bumping around for JYD.

-Adonis has a hissy fit after the pin.

-Gene gets an update on Hogan: he has back and rib injuries, but no internal bleeding.

-Vince & Jesse discuss the night's happenings before another commercial.

-Vince reminds us of the next SNME in two months and the end credits play as part of the "Real American" video airs again.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was an OK show. The tag title match was pretty good, and there is at least the Bundy/Hogan angle for historical value.

 

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#6 5/3/86

-From Providence, RI  

-STEAMBOAT VS JAKE! BUNDY VS ELMER! THE NEW TAG CHAMPS THE BRITISH BULLDOGS! ORNDORFF VS ADONIS (and Adonis REALLY wants to fuck Orndorff)! HOGAN & JYD (with the Haiti Kid) VS THE FUNK BROTHERS!

-Hogan promises a big surprise tonight.

-Hosts are Vince & Bobby Heenan

-Vince notes that footage from the WrestleMania 2 main event will air tonight. Heenan gets a great line in on Vince ("My suit hangs in my closet, yours has to be back by noon tomorrow!").

-Gene gets some words from Jimmy Hart & The Funks, then the finish of the Funks' win at WrestleMania 2 airs. Jimmy brings in a surprise of his own to take care of The Haiti Kid...Jimmy Jack Funk.

-After the Funks are shown in the ring, Gene gets a few live words from Hogan & JYD. JYD ain't scared of a man in red underwear. Hogan calls Jimmy & The Funks "butt watchers" that are jealous of JYD's popularity.

-Match 1: Terry & Hoss Funk (w/Jimmy Hart & Jimmy Jack Funk) VS WWF Champion Hulk Hogan & The Junk Yard Dog (w/The Haiti Kid)

-Cute start as the faces clean house and Hogan imitates JYD. Kid gets a shot in on Jimmy, then hides under the ring. After things settle down Terry gets a couple shots on JYD, but misses a charge and cracks his shoulder on the post. Terry goes outside and goes after Kid, but then lets go back and gets back in. JYD hits a big clothesline, then tags are made on both ends. The Funks try to confuse Hogan by criss-crossing, but it doesn't work. Hogan drops an elbow on Hoss for two, then tags JYD. Hoss makes the tag to Terry, who manages to go on offense and get JYD into their corner. The Funks hit a double clothesline, which pleases Jimmy. JYD slugs Terry down, and Terry tags Hoss, who promptly misses a high knee and gets tied up in the corner, then Hogan sends Terry into the same corner, and Terry does a Flair Flip. Jimmy cracks Kid with the branding iron, injuring Kid's neck.  JYD carries Kid to the back as we go to break. Heenan posits that JYD is heading to "Midgets R Us" to get a replacement.

Back from break Hogan cleans house as JYD gets back to the ring. Hoss lands a couple shots on Hogan, but then eats a suplex for two. JYD sneaks in and headbutts Hoss, but Hoss manages to knock Hogan outside, where Terry cracks him in the ribs with the branding iron. Terry & Jimmy add some stomps before Terry takes Hogan up the aisle and sends him into the guardrail. JYD gets involved, and whips Terry into a backdrop onto the floor from Hogan. Back in, Hogan hits a big boot as the Kid is back now too. JYD gets in, but runs into a punch from Hoss, who then scores with an uppercut to knock JYD down before tagging Terry. Terry hits some punches, but JYD no-sells as the crowd chants his name. JYD hits a clothesline, but then falls down for no apparent reason. Terry cuts off a tag attempt and hits a slam before going to the top and missing an awkward splash. JYD makes the tag, and Hogan promptly hits Terry with a big clothesline and the leg drop for the pin at 10:38 shown. This was a pretty fun tag formula match, thanks mostly to Terry carrying things.

-The Funks go on the attack and try to brand the Kid, but the faces make the save. The post-match celebration reveals JYD's music at this point to be "Another One Bites the Dust".

-EARLIER TODAY: Bundy weighs in at 468, Uncle Elmer (and his big bucket of fried pig parts) at 430.

-Match 2: Uncle Elmer VS King Kong Bundy

-Elmer has "Don't Go Messin' with a Country Boy" for music. They have a stalemate to start, until Bundy slugs Elmer down and goes to work. Elmer has no idea how to sell...anything, really. Elmer hits some really shitty punches then some butt bumps in the corner. Elmer hits an avalanche of his own, but misses a second, allowing Bundy to drop an elbow for the pin at 2:43. Well, at least it was short. Of note: a very young Tim White is the ref. Had no idea he was with the company for that long.

-Adonis & Jimmy sing "Hey Paula, I Want to Wrestle You Tonight". Adonis fawns over the physique of his cardboard cut-out of Orndorff, before promising to crack Orndorff's head like the liberty bell.

-Orndorff is shown in the ring, then a video airs of Gene interviewing Orndorff in a sauna. Orndorff takes that inopportune time to mock Adonis for his sexuality, before calling Adonis & Hart "a blimp and a wimp".

-Match 3 Paul Orndorff VS Adrian Adonis (w/Jimmy Hart)

-Orndorff kicks things off with a series of arm drags that sends Adonis rolling outside. Orndorff pulls Adonis back in, then sends him back out with a hard Irish whip. Adonis stalls, then is promptly locked in an abdominal stretch when he tries making a move. Tim White hooks Orndorff's arm to prevent a punch, allowing Adonis to land a cheap shot. Adonis hits a hip toss, but Orndorff back drops him out over the top before pulling Jimmy into the ring and throwing him out over the top onto Adonis to a big pop as we go to commercial.

Back from break, Orndorff gets an airplane spin, but Adonis hooks the ropes. They're both supposed to spill outside, but they blow the spot, so Adonis opts to simply pull Orndorff out. Orndorff sends Adonis into the post. Jimmy hits Orndorff with a knee to the back, and Orndorff chases him into the ring, allowing Adonis to cracks Orndorff in the back of the head with the megaphone. Adonis adds an elbow to the head and a knee to the midsection before missing a knee drop. Adonis shrugs that off and slams Orndorff, then drops a forearm across the chest for two. Adonis follows up with a suplex for two, but a splash off the top hits knees. Orndorff hits a high knee and Adonis gets tied in the ropes. Orndorff takes the opportunity to punch Jimmy out, he then hits Adonis with a dropkick, which causes Adonis to ram his shoulder into the post. Orndorff goes nuts, ripping Adonis' attire, then shoving White down for the DQ (although no bell sounds) at about 9:41 shown. The match started slow, but it was getting good before the lame finish.

-Adonis is fully stripped as the decision is announced. Orndorff stalks Adonis to the back with a chair.

-Earlier today: Gene interviews Hogan inside the empty arena. With video of the attack on Hogan from the last SNME being shown. Hogan says that attack made him realize that Hulk-A-Mania is something that needs to be fought for every day. Highlights of the Hogan/Bundy cage match air, then Hogan promises to knock out every one on his hit list, which consists of everyone tangibly involved in the attack on the last show.

-Gene interviews Ricky Steamboat, who won't tolerate Jake Roberts putting Damien on his fallen opponents. Jake is being promoted as being undefeated at this point.

-A video of Jake talking to Damien airs. Jake wants Damien to squeeze all the air out of Steamboat.

-The match never officially gets underway, as Jake attacks before the bell, and legit KO's Steamboat with a DDT on the exposed floor before impressively lifting his dead weight into the ring and throwing Damien on him. Remember when the DDT, let alone a DDT on the floor was death? Good times. GREAT angle.

-Mean Gene interviews the new tag champs, who credit Captain Lou with getting them to the belts. The finish to the title change at WrestleMania 2 airs, with Davey ramming Valentine's head into Dynamite's for the pin airs. Albano says he wanted the match to be 2/3 falls to show that Sheik & Volkoff got a fair shot, and that the challengers are not in good enough shape to keep up.

-Match 4 for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The British Bulldogs [c] (w/Lou Albano) VS The Iron Sheik & Nikolai Volkoff (w/Freddie Blassie) [2/3 Falls]

-FIRST FALL: Davey avoids a charge from Volkoff, and hits a couple forearms. Dyamite adds one, and Davey gets a small package for a one count. Volkoff tags in the Sheik, who hits a suplex and promptly slaps on the Camel Clutch for the submission and the first fall at 1:27. Well that's a hell of a way to put your new tag champs over.

SECOND FALL: After a commercial, the challengers continue to work Davey over, and Sheik gets an abdominal stretch. Davey hangs on and gets a sunset flip for a visual fall, but Volkoff has the ref. Sheik hits a gut wrench suplex as Vince posits that Dynamite is injured. Davey comes back and hits an atomic drop, but Sheik makes the tag. Volkoff gets a takedown for two, but Davey scores with a dropkick. Volkoff pulls Davey to the heels' corner and tags the Sheik. Blassie holds Davey in place for Sheik to sit down on him. Volkoff tags in, and hits a slam for one, with Davey getting his foot on the ropes. Volkoff celebrates for no reason, allowing Davey to get a roll-up for a cheap pin at 5:32 total.

THIRD FALL: After another commercial, Vince announces that he got confirmation that Dynamite has a torn ligament in his knee. Sheik gets a Boston Crab, but Davey makes it to the ropes. Volkoff gets in and hits a back breaker, then holds Davey across his knee. Volkoff uses a huge double hand full of tights for two, then applies a bear hug. Davey fights out, then catches Sheik with a running powerslam for two with Volkoff making the save. Tags are made on both ends and as Vince says we should see the challengers work the bad knee they...go for bear hugs. Sheik hits a gut wrench suplex and the Camel Clutch. Volkoff cuts off an initial save attempt, but as the ref pulls Volkoff away, Davey gets a small package and an illegal pin at 8:36 total. This was fairly entertaining and pretty action-packed, but holy shit was the booking backwards, with the babyface champs losing a fall less than 90 seconds in, then needing cheap wins in the next two falls to retain.

-We get the usual "go to commercial, then come back just to say good night and show the credits" ending.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a pretty good show, with the tag matches both being good (aside from the wonky booking of the tag title match), and the awesome Steamboat/Roberts angle. Throw in a decent enough Orndorff/Adonis match, and you have a perfectly acceptable way to spend an hour.
 

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#7 10/4/86

-From Richfield, OH

-Jesse the Body is BACK with a new look!

-Jake reminds Ricky Steamboat that there are two types of people: winners and losers, and that the DDT has never failed him.

-The Dream Team promise to send the British Bulldogs to the pound.

-Kamala is the face of savagery.

-Paul Orndorff is a heel again, and challenging Hogan.

-Hogan is upset that "Orn-doff" sold him out over jealousy.

-Hosts are Vince & Jesse

-Jesse (in a Buckwheat shirt for some reason) tells Vince that Vince is nothing without him. Roddy Piper is supposed to face Sheiky, but he's injured. Jesse, despite Piper being a face now, takes his side, saying if Piper says he's hurt, he must be hurt.

-Mean Gene gets some words from Piper, and the attack by Adonis, Muraco, and Cowboy Bob on Piper's Pit is shown. Piper is PISSED that the doctors won't clear him to wrestle, and he vows to wrestle anyway.

-A video of Orndorff's turn on Hogan airs, and Vince calls it "the worst betrayal since Benedict Arnold".

-Hogan can't believe Orndorff turned on him, and that god created him (Hogan) to set people like Orndorff straight. Hogan is unimpressed that the "old" Orndorff is back.

-Jesse disagrees with Hogan and Vince's recollection of Orndorff's turn.

-Mean Gene gets word from Orndorff & Heenan. Orndorff promises to rip out Hogan's tongue and place it on his title belt. Gene is aghast that Orndorff would steal "Real American" for his entrance music.

-Match 1 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] VS Paul Orndorff (w/Bobby Heenan)

-Jesse defends Orndorff's use of Hogan's music by saying he thiks anyone should be able to come out to any music they want to. Hogan casually shoves Gene aside before making his entrance. Dick.

Orndorff avoids a charge and lands some punches, but Hogan turns things around right away. That doesn't last long as Hogan takes a swipe at Heenan, allowing Orndorff to score with a clothesline to knock Hogan outside. Orndorff follows and tries to ram Hogan's head onto the ring, but Hogan counters and does it to Orndorff. Back in, Hogan focuses on the head and face, bashing Orndorff into the buckles before adding a headbutt and a big clothesline. Heenan hops on the apron while digging into his pockets, and Hogan drops him, but again the distraction allows Orndorff to take control. Orndroff knocks Hogan outside, right onto the timekeeper, then chokes him with a TV cable. Orndorff blocks Hogan from getting back in with a running knee to the forehead.

Hogan gets back in, and Orndorff keeps the pressure on, choking Hogan with a well-placed knee. Orndorff hits a chop to the throat for two, then adds a bite and a suplex for another two count. Hogan reverses a whip and hits a high knee, then loks to fiish with a slam and a leg drop, but Heenan grabs Hogan's leg to block. Orndorff charges, but gets backdropped to the floor. Several cops come to ringside to carry Heenan to the back, lucky for Hogan. Heenan pounds on a locked door as we go to break.

Back from break, Heenan is still pounding on the door, and the wrestlers apparently stalled during the whole break. Hogan chases Orndorff around the ring, and gets caught coming back in, with Orndorff going back to the throat with blatant chokes. Orndorff hits a back breaker followed by an elbow drop for two. Orndorff hits a big clothesline, as Vince actually says Hogan would shake Orndorff's hand should Orndorff win the title. Orndorff goes for a piledriver, but Hogan backdrops out of it. Orndorff slugs away, but Hogan Hulks Up, and hits a big clothesline like the one Orndorff hit during the turn, then calls for a piledriver. Hogan goes for it, but Adrian Adonis (mistaken for a fat old woman initially by Vince & Jesse) runs in and clobbers Hogan for the DQ at 10:22 shown. Decent enough Hogan formula match, except for the non-finish to set up the cage match.

-Heel beat down follows, but Piper limps out to go after Adonis. Piper almost hits Hogan with a crutch, and they tease going at it before Piper leaves. Jesse does not like Piper coming to Hogan's aid.

-Mean Gene interviews Jake in the shower. Jake doesn't believe Steamboat is unafraid, saying it is more shameful to deny fear then to run away from danger. Jake says Gene should "go back to selling encyclopedias" if he thinks Steamboat can win, then when Gene says he never has sold them, Jake ends with "you couldn't do that either, huh?".

-Steamboat has his dragon.

-Match 2 Jake Roberts VS Ricky Steamboat [snake Pit Match]

-Steamboat avoids a clothesline and scored with chops followed by a backdrop for two. Steamboat hits an arm drag, then pulls Jake towards the dragon before dumping Jake on his face for two. Steamboat hits another arm drag, and again Jake is shown to be uneasy with the dragon's presence. Steamboat goes up top, but takes too long, and ends up hitting knees on a splash. They go for their respective animals, but Jake thinks better of it and cuts Steamboat off. Jake pounds away, and hits a short-arm clothesline for two. Jake works the ribs, then taunts Steamboat after a choke. Steamboat hits a weak shot to the stomach, and Jake slaps him in the face. Steamboat tries to fire up, but can't quite do it, and Jake hits an inverted atomic drop. Jake goes for a clothesline, but Steamboat counters into a crucifix for the (fast) pin at 6:20. Good match, but it's weird to have the face win on a fast count, with both announcers acknowledging it. No gimmicks either, save the animals.

-Jake goes for the heel beat down, but backs off when Steamboat gets to the dragon.

-After a break, Mene Gene interviews Hogan in the locker room. Hogan talks about being the judge and the ring being his courtroom before warning Piper not to get in his business again. Hogan wants to kill Heenan now too.

-EARLIER TODAY: Jesse interviews Shieky and his new manager, Slick. Slick rented a limo because a happy wrestler is a champion wrestler, then says he always knew Piper was a coward. Sheik says he's ready for whoever Piper's replacement is.

-Pedro Morales is all set to wrestle Sheiky, but Piper hobbles out, and orders him out, finally threatening to hit Morales with the crutch to make him go.

-Match 3 The Iron Sheik (w/Slick) VS Roddy Piper

-Piper clobbers Sheik with the crutch as the bell rings. Piper goes after Slick, allowing Sheik to go on offense. Sheik has some serious welts on his back after the crutch shot. Sheik goes for a suplex, but Piper counters into a small package with a hand full of tights for the pin at :45. Jesse rightly points out that Piper should have been DQ'd for the crutch shot, and Vince ignores him.

-Mean Gene interviews The Dream Team. Johnny V accuses Gene of being a part of a conspiracy to get the tag belts off them. Beefcake & Valentine don't say much before they leave.

-After a commercial, Gene interviews Piper, who delivers a wonderfully insane promo.

-Jesse still can't comprehend that Piper was more going after Adonis and less helping Hogan earlier.

-Match 4 for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The British Bulldogs [c] VS The Dream Team (w/Johnny V) [2/3 Falls]

-FIRST FALL Dynamite pounds on Valentine as Jesse is upset about the 2/3 falls stip. Valentine goes on offense and tags Beefcake, but Dynamite hits a suplex before tagging in Davey. Davey yanks on Beefcake's arm, but when he tries to counter a hammerlock, Beefcake simply lets him drop before tagging in Valentine. Davey plays FIP for a little bit, until Valentine whiffs on an elbow drop, and that allows Davey to make a tag. Dynamite pounds on Valentine, until Valentine hits an inverted atomic drop. Now it's Dynamite's turn to play FIP as The Dream Team work him over with basic offense in between quick tags. Valentine clubs Dynamite on the hamstring, and gets the figure 4 for a submission at 4:44. What is with the booking of the Bulldogs? That's the second straight SNME where they've lost the first fall of a 2/3 falls match via clean submission.

-In between falls, Gene does not have an update on Adonis. Vince & Jesse speculate that his arm is broken after the crutch shot from Piper.

-SECOND FALL: The challengers continue to work on Dynamite's leg, then hit a double team for two. Beefcake hits an impressive gorilla press into a back breaker for two. Valetine gets in, but takes too long setting up a second rope elbow, and it misses, allowing the hot tag to Davey, who cleans house, hitting a nice suplex on Valentine for two. Davey hits a running powerslam on Valentine, then holds up an interfering Beefcake, tagging Dynamite, who springs off Beefcake's back with a diving headbutt for the pin at 8:22 total.

-THIRD FALL:  Dynamite wins a slugfest with Valentine, then hits a snap suplex before missing a falling headbutt. Valentine hits a couple hammer blows for two, as Jesse gets word that Adonis has a shattered elbow. The Dream Team hit another double team, and Valentine goes for the figure 4. Dynamite kicks him off, and tags are made on both ends. Surprisingly, Beefcake gets the jump on Davey, and gets several near-falls. Davey gets a desperation sunset flip for a VERY close near-fall. The challengers go back to double-teaming to regain control, and Valentine hits a suplex for two. Beefcake gets in, and hits  a high knee for two, with Dynamite making the save. The match breaks down, and Davey avoids a Beefcake high knee, before finishing with a fisherman's suplex to retain at 13:18 total. This was really good, with strong psychology throughout. I still question the logic of the face champs losing the first falls via clean submission.

-Leaping Lanny tosses some frisbees to the crowd.

-Mean Gene welcomes Kamala back to the ring.

-Match 5: Lanny Poffo VS Kamala (w/The Wizard & Kim Chee)

-Lanny gets some futile attempts at offense before Kamala turns things around with punches, chops, kicks, and finally a choke lift. Poffo fires back with punches before Kamala regains control with an eye rake. Kamala then finishes with a slam and a big splash at 1:40. Basic squash.

-Kamala teases a splash from the top as we go to break.

-Vince & Jesse recap the show.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a very good show with a lot of stuff happening. This is the first one that really had the "big event" feel to me

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#8 11/29/86

-From Los Angeles

-Jesse (w/bad hair piece) welcomes us to his town.

-Jake wants Damien to squeeze the IC title from Macho.

-Macho has words for Jake as Liz polishes the belt. Macho preemptively blames her should he lose. Awesome.

-Koko B. Ware and Frankie have Nikolai Volkoff tonight.

-Piper wants you to put grandma to bed before his match.

-The Hart Foundation discuss the best way to kill bees.

-Hogan defends his title against the "super human" Hercules.

-Hosts are Vince & Jesse

-Vince annoys Jesse by asking if he's "gone Hollywood" before warning Jesse not to "flip his wig".

-Mean Gene mistakenly turns his back to Jake, and gets startled by Damien. Jake says he shocked the world when he challenged Macho, and says he is the man Macho's mother warned him about.

-Vince & Jesse discuss whether Macho will take Jake lightly. Jesse says he wasn't sure whether Gene was holding a mic or a vibrator. Can't believe he got away with that on network TV.

-Gene gets words from Macho & Liz. Macho wants a "Jake skin belt".

-Match 1 for the Intercontinental Championship: Randy Savage [c] (w/Elizabeth) VS Jake Roberts

-Jake intimidates Liz as the crowd chants for the DDT. Macho goes to confront Jake about it, but gets backed away by Damien before hiding behind Liz.

They fight over a lockup to start, then take turns yanking each other down by the hair. Macho hits an arm drag, then threatens to stomp Damien. Jake gets a headlock take down, and Macho counters with a hair pull as Vince jokes that if either of these guys were wrestling Jesse, they'd be going home with a souvenir. Jake almost gets the DDT, and Macho takes a powder. Back in Jake hits a knee to the gut, but Macho again counters the DDT, then blocks a charge with a knee to the face for two. Macho gets a couple more near-falls, then Jake fights back with an uppercut before Macho regains control with an elbow to the head followed by an elbow drop for two. Macho uses the ropes to choke Jake as the crowd gets more and more behind Roberts, and gets a couple near-falls off that. Jake hits a couple desperation punches, but Macho fights back with another elbow to the head before tieing Jake in the ropes. Macho puts Damien under the ring as we go to break.

Back from break,Macho plays to the crowd as Jake gets untied, and Jake catches Macho with a knee lift before retrieving Damien. Jake gets a short-arm clothesline, but Macho gets his foot on the ropes. Jake hits a gourdbuster to a big pop, then taunts Liz as he goes for a cover. Jake slugs Macho down, but lowers his head too early, and takes a kick to the chest. Jake blocks a punch and floors Macho with one of his own, but Macho again blocks the DDT, this time by grabbing the ropes. They go outside and Macho hides behind Liz, then Pearl Harbors Jake as Jake goes for Damien. Macho hits a double axe handle from the top, throws Jake inside, then hits another for two. A third try is countered by a punch to the face, and Jake goes for his punch combo, but Macho blocks the last punch, and sends Jake down with a knee to the gut. Jake rolls out and pulls Macho out with him, hitting more punches before throwing Macho back in. They slug it out, with both throwing the ref down, and the ref throws the match out at 9:20 shown. This was excellent, and it was something to behold as the crowd slowly turned Jake babyface during the course of the match.

-Macho tosses a chair into the ring as Jake gets Damien. Macho bails the moment he sees the snake.

-A video showing Slick selling the contract of Hercules to Bobby Heenan is shown. It's tremendous how neither tursts the other.

-Mean Gene interviews Hercules & Heenan, and Herc is glad to have Heenan as his manager. Well that wouldn't last very long.

-Hogan has been training for Hercules by working out in the Garden of Eden with Eve, and shows Herc where the power lies. Hogan wants Herc out of the way so he can squeeze Heenan's head with the pythons.

-Match 2 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] VS Hercules (w/Bobby Heenan)

-They kick things off with a test of strength, and Hercules wins easily before Hogan Hulks Up and turns it around. Herc cuts him off with a headbutt to the chest, then rams Hogan back-first into the buckles before pounding away. Hogan reverses a whip, and follows through with a clothesline, then some punches. Hogan adds a couple more punches, then a knee lift after whiffing on a clothesline. Hogan chases Heenan, then catches Herc with a kick to the face. Hogan hits a slam, but misses an elbow drop, and Herc follows up by flexing. Herc works the back and gets a bear hug, before switching up to a back breaker. Herc taunts the crowd, then slaps on a very impressive torture rack. Jesse of course says he hears Hogan submit, and Herc lets go, thinking he won. Herc finally goes for a cover and gets two, before a proper Hulk Up. Hogan goes to work, shrugging off all the back work Hercules did, then finishes with the usual at 6:20. This was decent enough and certainly one of the better Hercules matches I've seen, but did anyone buy Herc as a serious challenger at this time? I'm genuinely curious about that.

-Hogan does his pose routine as Jesse flips out, stating that the WWF should go to instant replay.

-Roddy Piper is NEXT!

-EARLIER TODAY: Jesse interviews Cowboy Bob & Little Jimmy in Jesse's favorite restaurant. Jesse starts off by warning Bob not to order a burrito. Cowboy Bob: "give me twelve". Jesse is concerned because Piper might stoop to using a weapon like he did on Adonis, but Bob isn't because Piper always hid behind him while he did the dirty work.

-A video set to a sappy song shows how Piper & Cowboy Bob were BFFs.

-Mean Gene interviews Piper, who is pissed that Bob claims they were never friends. Piper delivers another great crazy promo, before finishing with "I was rowdy before rowdy was cool".

-Match 3: Bob Orton Jr. (w/Jimmy Hart & Don Muraco) VS Roddy Piper

-Vince notes that "earlier today" Piper was surprised by a returning Adonis and put to sleep during an edition of Piper's Pit. Muraco (wearing a kilt of his own) tries to provide an early distraction, but gets tossed right away. Piper & Orton slug it out, then Piper hits a bulldog. Orton begs off, but Piper doesn't buy it, and he puts the bite on Orton. Piper sends Orton into the buckles, then adds his Greco-Roman eye poke. Piper adds more punches and a knee lift for two. Orton comes back by catching a ducking Piper with a punch to the face. Orton hits a gut buster for two, then an elbow drop for another two count. Orton misses a second elbow drop, but Jimmy hooks Piper. Orton avoids punching Jimmy, but falls prey to a school boy for the pin at 3:47. This was alright while it lasted, but very disappointing for a blood feud match.

-After a commercial, Gene interviews Piper, who knows there is still work to be done. Gene is surprised by Piper's popularity, but Roddy couldn't care less. Piper says when he's good, he's good, but when he's bad, he's much better.

-EARLIER TODAY: Mean Gene interviews The Hart Foundation, who are not too concerned about the Killer Bees, concentrating more on the Bulldogs and the titles.

-Match 4: The Hart Foundation (w/Jimmy Hart) VS The Killer Bees

-Brunzell catches Bret with a knee to the face, then tags Blair. He and Bret do some stuff while a promo airs in the corner of the screen with Gene trying to figure out which masked Bee is which. Anvil gets in, and Bret helps him take control with a knee to Blair's back. The Harts hit a Demolition Decapitation, but the ref is out of position, so it only gets two. Anvil hits a dropkick, which impresses Jesse. The commentary indicates this is the debut of the pink-and-black look for the Foundation. Bret gets in and pounds away, then he antagonizes Brunzell into distracting the ref and allowing he and Anvil to double team Brunzell. Bret hits a back breaker, but misses an elbow drop. Bret tosses Brunzell out over the top anyway as we go to break.

Back from break, Brunzell gets a desperation sunset flip for two, but Bret gets out and tags Anvil. Anvil holds Brunzell in the Foundation corner, then tags Bret back in. Brunzell counters a European Uppercut into a backslide for one, then hits a sweet dropkick. Bret tags Anvil back in, and they do a false tag before the Foundation send both Bees to the floor, where they put their masks on. Blair takes Brunzell's place and cleans house. Blair whips Bret into Anvil, then locks on a sleeper. Bret nails Blair to break, but distracts the ref, allowing the Bees to switch. Anvil tags Bret, who falls prey to a small package for the pin at 8:36 shown. Strong tag formula match, but I'm surprised the Hart lost here, considering they're the ones winning the belts soon. This was also hyped as an elimination match throughout the show.

-Mean Gene interviews Koko, who says Frankie wants to go to Russia and spit on every one of their major cities.

-EARLIER TODAY: Jesse interviews Slick & Volkoff, who says to wrestle good you have to feel good, and to feel good you have to look good, and to look good, you need money. Slick says the only way he likes his bird is deep fried. Nikolai is happy with Slick because he's an honest man.

-Match 5: Nikolai Volkoff (w/Slick) VS Koko B. Ware

-Slick distracts Koko, allowing Volkoff to get the early jump. Nikolai pounds away in the corner, but after a whip Koko leapfrogs over Nikolai and slugs him down. Koko gets an awkward looking flying headscissors, then a couple dropkicks for two. Volkoff comes back with a spinning back kick, then a hot shot before adding a slam. Nikolai misses a knee drop, and Koko hits a missile dropkick for two. Nikolai comes back with knees and a back breaker, but he picks Koko up at two. Nikolai consults with Slick, allowing Kok to get a school boy for the pin at 2:26. Not much to this one.

-Mean Gene interviews Hulk, who doesn't care what Jesse thinks. Hulk gives credit for his victory to the Hulkamaniacs.

-Fuji sings a country song in advance of Muraco's match.

-Match 6: Dick Slater VS Don Muraco (w/Mr. Fuji)

-So Muraco is not only involved with Jimmy Hart, but he still has Fuji as his manager. Odd to see Slater as a babyface. Muraco gets the early jump, but Slater slides out of an airplane spin and gets a roll up for two. Slater hits some punches and a back elbow before adding an elbow to the head off the top. Fuji puts Muraco's foot on the ropes to save him, then follows that up with a blatant trip to turn the tide. Muraco hits a clothesline, and puts his feet on the ropes to get the pin at 2:07. Both announcers miss the feet on the ropes.

-Vince & Jesse recap the show.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: Another pretty strong show that was pretty heavy on in-ring action. There's a couple odd booking decisions, but it's not enough to ruin everything.

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#8 11/29/86

-Mean Gene mistakenly turns his back to Jake, and gets startled by Damien. Jake says he shocked the world when he challenged Macho, and says he is the man Macho's mother warned him about.

-Vince & Jesse discuss whether Macho will take Jake lightly. Jesse says he wasn't sure whether Gene was holding a mic or a vibrator. Can't believe he got away with that on network TV.

 

 

The quintessential SNME episode, IMO. So much going on and Jesse's remark quoted above brought up some interesting questions for a nine year old to my folks.

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#9 1/3/87

-From Hartford, CT

-Heenan says Hogan has nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Orndorff declares that Hulkamania dies tonight.

-Hogan replies that he likes the idea of having nowhere to run or hide tonight.

-Adrian has revenge against Piper on his mind.

-George Steele has a surprise for Macho.

-King Harley wants us all to bow down to him.

-JYD refuses to bow.

-Hosts are Vince & Jesse

-Jesse predicts that Orndorff will win the title, and notes that Heenan has taken out a very expensive policy on Orndorff's new title belt.

-Gene gets some final words from Heenan, who confirms what Jesse said. I wonder if Lloyds of London was the company Heenan got the policy through. Heenan says Orndorff will leave Hogan laying like an old newspaper lining the bottom of a bird cage.

-Orndorff makes his entrance, and crooked referee Danny Davis makes his presence known at ringside.

-Gene asks Hogan why he didn't settle this feud with Orndorff earlier, and Hogan only responds that the cage is a last resort, not really answering the question.

-Match 1 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] VS Paul Orndorff (w/Bobby Heenan) [Cage Match]

-Orndorff gets the jump right at the bell, and whips Hogan with the title belt. Orndorff tries to leave seconds in, but Hogan grabs his ankle to block. Orndorff adds a few more blows and tries again, with the same result. More punishment from Orndorff, and this time he tries to go out over the top, but Hogan manages to grab Orndorff by the hair and prevent it. Hogan pulls Orndorff back in, ramming Orndorff into the cage a couple times as he does so. Hogan chokes Orndorff with Hogan's head band, and Jesse blows a gasket. Orndorff blocks a Hogan escape attempt, and goes back on offense. Hogan blocks another escape attempt and avoids a couple elbow drops, then fires up and drops Orndorff with a punch, but the refs are slow to open the door, and Hogan can't get out. More really basic offense from Orndorff, who throws in a JYD headbutt. Orndorff calling the next spot is partly audible, and they ram each other into the cage. They both slowly get up and scale the cage, dropping down at the same time, with both guys being declared the winner by the ref that was on their side of the cage. Davis knocks Joey Marella down and Hogan goes after Davis, but Orndorff catches Hogan with a knee to the back, which also floors Davis. Fink first announces a tie, but then announces that the match will continue as we go to break.

Back from break, Orndorff manages to throw Hogan back inside the cage and hit a flying elbow. Orndorff hits a short-arm clothesline and goes for a choke, but Hogan Hulks Up, and turns the tide. Hogan rams Orndorff into the cage a few times, and Orndorff is out on his feet. Hogan hits a back breaker followed by the leg drop, and Orndorff is opened up. Hogan tries to climb, but Heenan gets in the ring and holds him back. Hogan drops Heenan, then stops Orndorff from climbing before adding an atomic drop. Hogan sends Heenan into the cage, then climbs out over the top before Orndorff can get out the door to retain at 13:04. Neither guy did anything special, but this was really well plotted out, and the crowd was way into it from bell to bell.

-Hogan adds a couple more punches for Heenan before starting his pose routine. Jesse & Vince argue over the photo finish from earlier.

-Mean Gene tries to talk to Liz, but gets put in his place by Macho.

-After Macho's entrance, Gene tries to get what the surprise is out of Steele, but can't do it.

-Match 2 for the Intercontinental Championship: Randy Savage [c] (w/Elizabeth) VS George Steele

-Steele's surprise is apparently his own action figure, which he gifts to Liz. Macho steals it, and Steele jumps him for it. Steele hits a couple big slams, then waves towards the back, allowing Macho to jump him and turn the tide. Savage hits a slam, and since this was recorded off WWE 24/7, it's fast-forwarded to later in the match, and the real surprise in Ricky Steamboat at ringside. Why they cut out the actual reveal is beyond me. Steele jumps Macho on the outside and kidnaps Liz. Steamboat stands in Macho's way, preventing him from going after Liz. Steamboat is escorted from ringside as we go to break.

Back from break, Steamboat rushes back out and tries to get at Macho, but can't. Steele runs back out to resume the match, somehow having not been counted out. Steele goes to work, and eats a turnbuckle, sharing it with Savage and the ref. Savage manages to ram Steele into the post, turning the tide. Savage pounds away in the corner, but gets caught with a kick to the gut, a couple bunches, and a big bite. Savage fires back with kicks, but Steele counters a clothesline with a bite. Steele gets an object from his tights and clocks Macho before hiding it from the ref. Steele shoves the ref down, allowing Savage to KO Steele with the bell for the pin at 7:38 shown. The match was no great shakes, but the angles surrounding it were tremendous.

-Steamboat brings Steele back to life, showering him with pieces of one of the torn turnbuckles.

-Mean Gene interviews King Harley and Heenan, and a video of Harley's coronation with all the top heels in attendance is shown. Herley forces a bow from Gene, then Heenan guarantees that JYD will bow too.

-During Harley's entrance, Jesse points out that Harley earned the title by winning both of the WWF King of the Ring tournaments that had been held so far. I don't remember them being acknowledged much at this time.

-JYD asks who Harley thinks he is dealing with.

-Match 3: Harley Race (w/Bobby Heenan) VS The Junk Yard Dog

-Danny Davis is the ref, which upsets Vince. JYD mimes pissing on Harley when Harley demands that he bow. After a break, JYD notices who the ref is, allowing Harley to get the early jump, and drop a knee on JYD's forehead for two. JYD rams Harley shoulder-first into the post, then adds a headbutt. Harley fights back and hits a belly-to-belly, but tries a headbutt on JYD, which only manages to hurt himself. JYD adds a couple headbutts of his own, and whips Harley out over the top. JYD grabs the royal crow and robe, which flabbergasts Heenan, who attacks JYD. JYD grabs Heenan and slugs him, and Heenan does a 360 bump off it. Harley hits an elbow off the top, then he and Heenan stomp JYD, and the bell rings without Davis calling for it at 4:10 shown and JYD is announced as the winner by DQ. More of a angle to set up WrestleMania III than a match.

-Davis stands and watches the heel beatdown, but then tries to retstrain JYD when he fights back, and takes a big headbutt for his troubles.

-Heenan tells Orndorff not to worry, because Heenan will show the tape of the initial tie to Jack Tunney and have the title put on Orndorff. Gene interrupts and gets sent away by Heenan in short order. Orndorff isn't completely buying what Heenan is selling as the photo finish is shown again.

-Mean Gene gets some words from Adrian & Jimmy Hart. Gene isn't sure it's a good idea for Adonis to get back in the ring already, but he promises to do bad things to Piper.

-Adonis makes his entrance, then Gene gets words from a fired up Piper, who makes clear he is fighting for pride, not money.

-Match 4: Adrian Adonis (w/Jimmy Hart) VS Roddy Piper

-Adonis taunts Piper, who responds by throwing his kilt over Adonis' head then biting him. Piper knocks Adonis into the ropes, then gives him a hard whip into the buckles before adding another bite and a takedown as Vince states that Liz has been found and returned to Macho. Piper takes time to talk smack, allowing Adonis to fire back. Adonis works the midsection, but Piper fires back with a big punch that drops Adonis. Piper rams Adonis' face into the mat a few times, but gets caught with Good Night Irene, and Piper spills through the ropes to break the hold. Piper drops Jimmy, allowing Adonis to squirt Piper in the eyes with his cologne, and that gets a count out win for Adonis at 4:00. Not much to it, but this was also more of an angle to set up WrestleMania.

-The blinded Piper KO's a ref before others help him out.

-Mean Gene gets some words from a very happy Hulkster. Hogan isn't worried about Heenan's threat to show footage to Tunney.

-Match 5: Jimmy Jack Funk VS Blackjack Mulligan

-This is billed as "The Battle For Texas", and Jesse wonders who would want it. Funk gets Mike McGuirk to get Mulligan to remove his spurs. Funk goes for the early jump, but Mulligan immediately fires back, and sends Funk outside over the top. An inset promo from Mulligan airs during the match, in case you didn't know who was going to win this. Mulligan talks about the Mulligan family reunion, and accuses Gene of leaving with his missing Aunt Leverne. Mulligan finishes this squash with an elbow to the face at 2:36.

-Mulligan tries unsuccessfully to hang Funk.

-After a commercial, we get the usual closing segment with Vince & Jesse recapping the show. For some reason the closing credits are set to an instrumental version of "In the Air Tonight".

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a decent build-up show for WrestleMania III. The cage match was very good, and the next three were good angles to set up 'Mania matches. The closing squash is nothing.

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I remember this the moment I turned against Hulk Hogan, in my fandom.  I was convinced that Orndorff touched the ground first (I was a little kid, so what did I know); after that, with Hogan parading his "victory" around, I couldn't abide his lies about training and praying and a vitamin-based diet regimen when he gleefully took a "W" off a fallacy.

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That Hogan promo before the Hercules match is my all-time favorite Hogan promo.

 

Coked out of his mind, bizarre, absurd story about hanging with Eve in the Garden, telling us where the power lies, brother...  Just amazing.

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They chopped the Steamboat reveal for music rights reasons. In the original version his return was cued by "Sirius". To which Jesse had a shitfit about because if it was SUCH a surprise, why was Steamboat's music cued up?

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  • 3 weeks later...

...and we're back!

 

#10 3/14/87

-From Detroit, MI

-Hogan is PUMPED about tonight's battle royale and the opportunity to get his hands on that big nasty giant.

-Heenan responds to Hogan while Andre glares at the camera.

-Liz is nervous about being put up for grabs.

-The newly-crowned tag champs The Hart Foundation are excited about their match against Tito & Danny Spivey.

-Jake says Damien is hungry.

-Hosts are Vince & Jesse

-Vince asks Jesse if Jake knows Jesse is wearing amien's sister, and Jesse retorts that Vince doubled Burgess Meredith as The Penguin.

-Mean Gene interviews Hulk, who doesn't care if there were 450 men in the battle royale, he'd still have his eyes on Andre.

-Jesse predicts Andre will send Hogan into orbit.

-A video recaps Savage/Steele from the last SNME.

-Gene interviews Liz & Macho, who doesn't care that Liz is scared. Macho threatens to throw Gene through the set after he speculates that Liz is more than his manager. Macho is upset that, per the stips, Liz can't go to the ring with him, going last instead.

-After Macho makes his entrance, Gene gets some alone time with Liz, but is interrupted by Steele. After George makes his entrance, Gene wishes Liz good luck.

-Match 1 for the Intercontinental Championship & Miss Elizabeth: Randy Savage [c] VS George Steele

-Liz has her own chair at ringside. Steele is distracted by her, allowing Macho to hit a double axe and try to take Liz away, but Steamboat cuts him off. Macho gets back in the ring, backing right into Steele, who jumps him. Steele rams Macho into a couple corners, but then stops to destroy a turnbuckle, allowing Macho to hit a knee to the back, followed by a slam and a double axe handle from the top. Savage goes after Steele's eyes, so Steele responds in kind. Steele counters a clothesline with a bite, then adds a choke lift. Steele destroys another buckle, stopping to throw pieces in Macho's and the ref's face. Steele goes after Liz, allowing Savage to hit another knee to the back, and crack Steele with Liz's chair, winning by count out at about 3:15. Meh.

-Savage tries to attack with the belt, but Steele fights him off, and poses with the belt before hugging a poster of Liz.

-Hogan pumps up whilst yelling for Andre.

-As the unimportant wrestlers involved in the battle royale make their entrances, Gene gets words from Andre and Heenan, who both re-iterate that Andre wants Hogan.

-Match 2: 20 Man Battle Royale Featuring Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and 18 other guys

-HUGE heat for Andre's entrance. Hogan enters last, and Andre tells him to bring it. Just when it looks like Andre & Hulk will go at it, the heels attack Hulk and the faces go after Andre. Hogan fights back, and tosses The Honky Tonk Man at :33.Everyone starts paring off, and Andre tosses Sik at 1:00. Andre & Hogan continue to be the focus, and Andre tosses Haku at 1:37, then busts Lanny Poffo open with a huge headbutt and tosses him at 1:50. Hogan gets cornered, but not tossed. Vince gets upset at Andre for "punishing" people as Poffo is stretchered out, and asks why Andre didn't pick on Mulligan...as Andre fights with Mulligan. Ron Bass is out at 3:24, as Demolition try to toss Hillbilly Jim. Andre hip tosses mulligan out at 3:49. Hogan answers by eliminating Volkoff at 4:07. Andre tosses Brian Blair at 4:35, then steps on Koko's neck for fun.

Andre drops Hillbilly Jim with a headbutt as Hogan barely hangs on against Hercules and Orndorff. Those two whip Hogan into Andre, and we finally get the big confrontation. Hogan pounds away, but gets cut off by Orndorff and Demolition. Hogan recovers, and tosses Orndorff at 6:00, but gets caught, headbutted, and tosses by Andre at 6:10. Andre's dismissive wave of his hands is tremendous. Hogan, sportsman that he is, tries to rush the ring, but is held back by officials as we go to break.

Back from break, Hogan points towards Andre, who casually gives Koko an elbow to the face as he stares Hogan down. Hilarious. Brunzell is out soon after, but then everyone left gangs up on Andre and eliminates him at 8:14 shown. Tama & Ax follow seconds later, then Smash eliminates Hillbilly Jim at 8:44. Koko avoids elimination at the hands of Reed, and dropkicks him at out 9:14. Heenan warns Hercules not to trust anyone, as he and Smash pair off against Koko and Billy Jack Haynes. Haynes saves Koko from Hercules, but that's only momentary, as Hercules dumps Koko anyway at 10:16. Jesse loves that it's two-on-one on Haynes, and Vince can't complain about it. Hercules tries to set something up with Smash, but it backfires, and Smash is gone at 11:11. Heenan provides a distraction, allowing Hercules to win it at 11:23 shown. It was a battle royale, pretty briskly paced though.

-Hercules win is instantly forgotten as Gene interviews Andre, who notes that it took eight guys to eliminate him, but only one Andre to eliminate Hogan. Heenan enters to gloat about one of his men winning, then promises victory for Andre at WrestleMania III.

-Gene gets words from Jake, who promises Damien will feast on Bundy.

-As Jake enters, the Foundation talk about it being their "first time".

-Match 3: King Kong Bundy VS Jake Roberts

-7:52 Bundy clobbers Jake to start, but Jake avoids a second shot, and points out to Bundy that he's in the same corner as Damien. Bundy sends Jake into the ropes, then loses his shit when Jake puts on the breaks. Bundy wrenches Jake's arm, but Jake repeatedly kicks Bundy in the back to escape. Bundy easily wins a test-of-strength. Well duh. Jake almost gets pinned a couple times, but kicks his way out. Bundy slugs Jake down while talking some shit, then works him over in a corner. Bundy gets a front face lock, which would end this match if he actually wanted it to. Jake gets out, and catches Bundy with a knee lift, followed by a series of punches that sends Bundy down. Jake goes for Damien, but Bundy cuts him off. Heenan grabs the bag and takes off. Jake hunts him down as we go to break.

Back from break, Jake has Damien back, but gets caught and choked as he comes back into the ring. Bundy repeatedly knocks Jake down, but misses on his last charge, and crashes into the buckles. Jake fires up then lands another round of punches before dropping Bundy with a clothesline. Jake goes for Damien, then knees the ref when the ref tries to stop him, drawing a DQ at 6:16 shown. This was getting good before the dumb finish.

-Jake manages to DDT Bundy, but Heenan saves Bundy from Damien. Vince wants Damien to be draped over Bundy, but will settle for the ref, which rightfully appalls Jesse.

-A video recaps The Hart Foundation winning the tag titles from the Bulldogs, thanks mostly to Danny Davis.

-Mean Gene takes his life into his own hands by questioning how the Harts won the titles. Jimmy ignores that, then introduces Danny Davis as the Harts' official outside observer.

-Ricky Steamboat promises to breathe fire tonight.

-Match 4 for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The Hart Foundation [c] (w/Jimmy Hart & Danny Davis) VS Tito Santana & Danny Spivey

-Spivey gets a cross-body on Anvil for two right off the bat. The champs try to set up a double team, but it backfires, and Anvil tags Bret in. Tito & Spivey double team Bret, then Tito adds a big slam. Spivey gets in and hits a shoulder block on Bret for two, with Anvil making the save. The champs double team Spivey, then Anvil adds a hot shot. Spivey plays FIP, which I would think would have been a natural role for Tito. Anvil hits a slingshot splash for two, which greatly impresses both Vince & Jesse. More punishment for Spivey, who makes a tag, but Anvil distracts the ref, so he doesn't see it. Another double team backfires, and Bret accidentally hits Anvil with a high knee, allowing Spivey to make a proper tag. Tito cleans house, including a shot on Davis. Tito hits the flying forearm on Bret and applies the figure four, but the match breaks down, and Davis KO's Tito with Jimmy's megaphone, allowing Bret to steal the pin at 5:30. The crowd is NOT happy with that decision. Decent enough abbreviated tag formula match that established the Harts as undeserving champions.

-Mean Gene interviews Steamboat, who is not concerned about Sheiky going after his throat.

-Match 5: The Iron Sheik (w/Slick) VS Ricky Steamboat

-Macho distracts Steamboat, allowing Sheik to get the early jump, then Macho joins the announce team. Sheik stops to pose, allowing Steamboat to catch him with a belly-to-back suplex. Steamboat slugs Sheik down then goes for a front facelock. They roll outside, where Sheik rams Steamboat into the wooden steps. Sheik pulls Steamboat back in the ring, and hits a suplex for two, followed by an abdominal stretch. Steamboat fights out, and hits a chop from the top for the pin at 3:27. The match was OK while it lasted, but the best part was definitely Macho Monday morning quarterbacking Sheiky the whole time.

-Macho wants a piece of Steamboat, who is pulled away and led to the back by officials before anything can happen.

-Hogan questions Andre's whole career, obviously butthurt about being eliminated. Hogan is confident that he can handle "500 pounds of undefeated obesity".

-Mean Gene brings in the soon-to-be-retiring Piper, who gets emotional during his promo. A video tribute, set to cabaret music for some reason follows.

-Vince & Jesse recap Andre & Hogan's confrontation in the battle royale before we get the usual closing, again with the instrumental version of "in the Air Tonight" over the end credits.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was all about building towards 'Mania, and it did a good job at that. Not much else to ay about it, aside from IIRC, the battle royale being the highest-rated match in WWE history (either that or the title change the following February, can't remember which one it is).
 

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#11 5/2/87

-From South Bend, IN

-Macho is AMPED for his lumberjack match against Steele.

-Steamboat promises to melt Hercules' chains.

-The Harts are tired of hearing the Bulldogs complain they were screwed out of the title.

-Duggan vows to prevent Volkoff from singing the Russian national anthem.

-Heenan says he has film that shows Andre won at WrestleMania III.

-Hogan responds that everyone knows who won at 'Mania.

-Hosts are Vince & Jesse

-Jesse runs down tonight's card, then Vince segues to a video showing why Heenan is in a neck brace.

-EARLIER TODAY: Heenan had a debate with Ken Patera, and ended up getting whipped around by a belt around his neck.

-Mean Gene questions why Fuji would sign Kamala against Jake, since Kamala is afraid of Damien. Fuji says he is here to help Kamala.

-A video of Honky cracking Jake with a guitar on The Snake Pit airs.

-Gene gets some words from Jake, who tries to make Gene ask Damien what he would want with Kamala.

-Match 1: Kamala (w/Mr. Fuji & Kim Chee) VS Jake Roberts

-The sight of Kamala diving out of the ring to avoid Damien is hilarious. As the ref forces Jake to put Damien back in the bag, Kamala jumps Jake from behind with chops. Kamala hits a back kick, then cuts off a Jake comeback attempt with a shot to the throat. Kamala gets a bearhug, but Jake stomps on his bare feet to escape, and Kamala runs around the ring as Jake kicks at him. Jake gets an arm wringer, but Kamala drops Jake with a huge chop to the forehead. Kamala repeatedly chokes Jake with his foot, but then walks into a punch to the gut, and Jake follows up with a few more punches, before getting dropped via a big Kamala headbutt. Kamala knocks Jake outside, and Jake goads Kamala into a chase, then catches Kamala coming in with a couple knee lifts. Jake calls for the DDT, but Fuji distracts the ref, allowing Kim Chee to clobber Jake in the back of the head, and Kamala finishes with a big splash at 4:37. This was pretty well structured, and I was surprised by the result.

-Kim Chee unmasks as Honky, which Jesse takes to mean Honky has always been Kim Chee. Honky adds a beatdown, finishing with the Shake, Rattle, & Roll to monster heat. Since most of my exposure to Honky in the WWF has been PPV tapes, this may be the first time I've ever seen him actually hit that move.

-A video hypes Hogan & Andre re-visiting the main event from 'Mania.

-The Harts and Bulldogs jabber at each other as both are lumberjacks for the next match.

-Gene tries to explain the lumberjack match concept to Steele, who only seems to understand when Gene tells him this could be the last time he sees Liz.

-Honky comes out with Kim Chee, which confuses the announce team.

-Steamboat is mad at Gene for trying to confuse Steele.

-Macho gets PISSED when Gene introduces him as the former I-C champ. Macho is all about vengeance tonight.

-Herc trips up Steamboat, and the two almost come to blows.

-Match 2: George Steele (w/Ricky Steamboat) VS Randy Savage (w/Liz) [Lumberjack Match]

-Steele is distracted by Liz, allowing Macho to jump him. Steele turns things around, and Macho rolls outside, where he is escorted by Hercules to the heel side, but thrown back in by the invading Bulldogs. Steele gets a bite, then goes to the nose when Macho tries to turn the tide. Macho tries to bail, but gets caught and thrown back in by the Bulldogs. Macho suddenly scores with a big punch, which finally turns the advantage his way. Macho goes to work in a corner, bhtn cuts Steele off with a kick to the chest and a double axe handle off the top when Steele tries to fight back. Macho sends Steele out to the heel side where they attack him before Duggan comes to the rescue. Duggan gets overzealous,and ends up getting kicked out of ringside as we go to break.

Back from break, Macho keeps Steele from getting back in, so Steele headbutts Danny Davis. Steele gets a choke lift on Macho, then destroys a turnbuckle. Macho comes back with a sloppy suplex, followed by a knee drop. They take turns throwing each other outside, then Macho blocks an attempt by Steele to throw him again. Steele manages to do it moments later anyway. Macho slugs Steamboat, then Hercules gets involved, kicking off a brawl outside. Davis sneaks in during the chaos, and KO's Steele with the ring bell, allowing Savage to finish with the big elbow at 6:42 shown. This was alright.

-The fight continues in the ring, and everyone fights with their opponents for tonight, until Jake comes back out with Damien to chase everyone away, before wrapping Damien around Kim Chee.

-Gene takes his life into his own hands, asking Andre and Heenan about the loss at 'Mania. Heenan narrates a video showing the opening moments of the big title match, finishing with the near-fall off the failed slam attempt, which Heenan insists ended in a three count by Joey Marella, and that Marella was lying when he said it was only two.

-Jesse of course is now not sure that Hogan beat Andre.

-Duggan re-iterates that he won't let Volkoff sing.

-Gene gets upset with The Harts and Davis, saying repeatedly that the Harts stole the belts, which they just laugh off. Gene says the title match cannot be fair with Davis at ringside, prompting Davis to go after Gene, and the Harts have to pull Davis away to end the segment.

-Matilda puts the bite on Jimmy as the Harts get in the ring.

-Match 3 for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The Hart Foundation [c] (w/Jimmy Hart & Danny Davis) VS The British Bulldogs (w/Tito Santana) [2/3 Falls]

-FIRST FALL: The stip isn't mentioned until the bell rings. Bret & Davey start, and exchange holds. Davey gets out of a side headlock, then hits a big monkey flip. Davey gets a crucifix for two, but then runs right into a knee to the stomach. Anvil gets in, and yanks Davey up by the hair. Things settle into Davey playing FIP, and Bret hits a big back breaker for two. Vince wishes Matilda had "eaten that megaphone ALIVE". As opposed to dead? Davey manages to knock Bret down and make the tag to Dynamite, who yanks Bret by the hair, then hits a snap suplex for two. Dynamite gets a diving headbutt, but Anvil makes the save, and the Harts double team Dynamite and get DQ'd for it at about 4:00.

-SECOND FALL: The second fall starts after a commercial, with the Harts continuing to work Dynamite over. Davey gets upset after Bret cheap shots him to prevent a tag, and chases Bret around the ring as Anvil chokes Dynamite. Bret ties Dynamite in the ropes, but ynamite gets free moments before Bret dives at him, and Bret gets caught in the ropes. Davey gets the hot tag and cleans house, hitting Anvil with a big clothesline for two. Davey follows up with a big suplex for two, ut lowers his head too early and takes a kick to the chest to turn the tide again. That doesn't last long as Anvil accidentally blasts Bret. Davis hops on the apron, and gets KO'd by Tito. Dynamite hits a big splash onto Anvil for the pin at 8:47 total to a HUGE pop, since everyone thinks they won the titles, but Jesse gets to enjoy breaking the news that since the first fall was a DQ, the titles don't change hands. What a horse shit idea that was, and it really brings down what was a good tag formula match.

-Gene visits with Hogan, who takes his turn narrating the opening moments of the main event at 'Mania. Hogan is fine with any kind of investigation or a rematch.

-Jesse says after seeing the footage again, he thinks Andre should be the champ.

-Gene interviews Steamboat, who says he's come too far to be stopped.

-Gene is for some reason with Macho as Steamboat makes his entrance, and Macho says he wants Steamboat to slide by tonight so that Macho can take the belt from him.

-Match 4 for the Intercontinental Championship: Ricky Steamboat [c] VS Hercules (w/Bobby Heenan)

-Steamboat tries to slug it out to start, and that doesn't go well for him. Steamboat manages to slide through Herc's legs then hit a dropkick to turn the tide. Steamboat knocks Hercules outside, then follows him, hitting a few chops and an atomic drop. Back in, Hercules manages to pull Steamboat into the turnbuckles by his tights. Hercules scores with a big clothesline as Macho is shown rooting for Steamboat. Steamboat tries to fire back, but Hercules scores with a couple punches, which Steamboat sells quite dramatically for. Steamboat fires back again, and hits a swinging neck breaker. Herc goes to the eyes, then slaps on the full nelson as Savage freaks out before leaving his locker room. Savage rushes out and tugs on Hercules to back him into the ropes and force a break. Savage argues with Herc and Heenan as we go to break.

Back from break, Savage continue to watch from ringside as Herc goes up top. Herc hits knees on the way down, but comes right back with a big slam before missing on an elbow drop. Steamboat avoids a charge in the corner then scores with a series of chops to a huge pop. Steamboat goes for corner punches, but Hercules counters with an inverted atomic drop. Heenan tosses the chain into Herc, who chokes Steamboat out for the DQ at 6:42 shown, because who needs the title? Match was going good and telling an interesting story with Savage before the dumb finish.

-Savage comes into the ring as Vince actually thinks Savage is going to help Steamboat. Savage drops the big elbow instead to the shock of Vince and the joy of Jesse.

-Gene gets words from Duggan, who LOVES the U.S.A. Duggan bought a ticket to get around being banned from ringside.

-EARLIER TODAY: Slick fights for his team's first amendment rights and vows to join the party...the communist party.

-Duggan, as promised, interrupts Volkoff's singing and chases the heels off before starting a "U.S.A." chant as we go to break.

-Match 5: The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel & Tom Zenk) VS Nikolai Volkoff & The Iron Sheik (w/Slick)

-Volkoff starts by jumping Martel, who uses his speed to turn the tide. Tags are made on both ends, and Sheik catches Zenk with a kick before ramming him into Volkoff's boot and adding a sweet gutwrench suplex for two. Sheik hits another suplex, then tags Volkoff, who hits a double stomp to the back before tagging in Sheik, who hits a belly-to-belly for two. Sheik gets an abdominal stretch, but Zenk hangs on and hits a hiptoss. Sheik scores with a huge clothesline, then throws Zenk outside, and then he does the same to Martel. The heels double team Zenk in front of Duggan, who eventually gets in the ring, which allows Zenk to get a rollup on Sheik for the pin at 4:40. Not that it does anything for the Can-Ams. Match was watchable enough.

-The heels attack Duggan, but the faces clean house before the next break.

-We get the usual closing, this time with the credits rolling over a full version of "Please Take Me Home".

-FINAL THOUGHTS: A couple shitty finishes aside, this was a pretty entertaining show. Things are really getting moving into territory that is more recognizable to me.

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#12 10/3/87

-From Hershey, PA

-Honky promises to beat Macho and steal Liz afterwards.

-Macho responds, and he doesn't like Honky's big mouth.

-Heenan says Orndorff was nothing before he met Heenan, and that Orndorff will be crushed by Bundy.

-Fuji wants Sika to take a bite out of Hogan.

-Hogan says Sika is going into Hogan's jungle.

-Hosts are Vince & Heenan

-Vince & Heenan talk about there being three title matches tonight. Vince needles Heenan about the fact that he doesn't manage any of the champions. Vince says that Honky is demanding to enter first before the I-C title match.

-Mean Gene interviews Honky & Jimmy. Honky says he wants to go out first so he can thank all the fans for their support. Jimmy isn't concerned because he's the only manager with champions today. Honky again talks about his intentions to steal Liz.

-After Honky enters, Gene gets some words from Macho, who is considerably nicer to Gene now that he's a face. Macho delivers a pretty incomprehensible promo about traveling through "The Danger Zone", then scolds Gene for laughing when he says Honky doesn't know the difference between a guitar string and a G-string.

-Match 1 for the Intercontinental Championship: Honky Tonk Man [c] (w/Jimmy Hart) VS Randy Savage (w/Liz)

-They tie up, and Honky gets a cheap shot in to take control. Honky lowers his head, and takes a kick to the chest, then Macho uses the top rope to snap against Honky's throat. Macho chokes away, then adds a knee drop to the chest. Savage hits a back elbow, but then stops to keep Jimmy away from Liz, allowing Honky to hit a cheap shot from behind. Back in, Macho ducks a clothesline and hits an elbow to the forehead, followed by some jabs and a snap mare, but Honky avoids a knee drop. Honky turns his attention to Liz as he taunts the crowd. Honky hits a fist drop from the second turnbuckle, then makes a move on Liz, which obviously pisses Macho off. He goes on the attack, hitting a double axe off the top before throwing Honky back in. Savage gets a school boy, but Jimmy rakes Macho's eyes to break. Savage hits a suplex, and it happens again. Savage goes up again, kicking Jimmy away in the process, and hits a double axe, forcing Jimmy to put Honky's leg on the bottom rope. Macho KO's Jimmy for that little stunt.

Macho blocks a sunset flip and punches Honky in the forehead. Honky rushes out to tend to Jimmy, and the Harts come from the back to do the same. Macho keeps the pressure on as The Harts tends to Jimmy. Macho knocks Honky outside, and Honky goes to the back with the Harts as Anvil carries Jimmy and e go to break.

Back from break, Honky comes back accompanied by the Harts. Macho immediately regains control, hitting a standard elbow drop. Macho absorbs a couple kicks and hits an elbow to the head before whiffing on a charge in the corner. Honky hits a big backdrop as Anvil laughs. Honky gyrates towards Liz, and Macho gets a double-leg takedown for two. Honky fires back with punches, including some in the corner. Honky takes time to taunt the crowd, and misses on a second rope fist drop. Macho comes back and hits a back drop, forcing Honky to beg off. It doesn't work, and Macho hits a back elbow for two, followed by a suplex for another near-fall. Honky goes to the eyes and tosses Macho out over the top, where the Harts attack him. The Harts roll Macho back in, and Honky covers for two. Savage counters the Shake, Rattle, & Roll then drops the big elbow, but Bret clobbers him to draw the DQ at 12:04. This was really good, possibly the best match on SNME to this point.

-A heel beat down follows, and in a pretty infamous moment, Honky shoves Liz aside to deliver EL KABONG to Macho. Honky takes so long to deliver the blow that if I didn't know better, I would have thought something was going to happen to prevent it. Liz leaves before the guitar shot, and afterwards comes back with Hogan, whose "what do you want?---> OHHHH" reaction is really funny. The faces clean house, then join forces via the MEGA POWERS HAND SHAKE.

-Fuji is pleased because for some reason, he thinks what just happened in the ring has tired Hogan out. Fuji then describes Hogan's brains and eyes dripping out of his head via a bite from Sika.

-Hogan is ready to defend his jungle.

-Match 2 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] VS Sika (w/Mr. Fuji & Kim Chee)

-This match starts up pretty much the same way as the first, with a lock up, and a heel cheap shot. Fuji gets his licks in too as Sika detains the ref. Hogan avoids a diving headbutt, then punches Sika through the ropes, but not knocking him down. Hogan does send Sika down with a big boot, then follows up with a series of elbow drops. Hogan slugs Sika down, then takes care of Kim Chee before turing into a shot to the throat from Sika, which knocks Hogan out over the top. Sika tries to ram Hogan into the post, but Hogan shoves him off. Fuji tries to crack Hogan with his cane, but Hogan blocks and steals it. One of the Hebners keeps Hogan from hitting anyone with it, and two refs try to calm Hogan down as we go to break.

Back from break, Hebner finally gets the cane from Hogan, who avoids a charge from Sika, but then hits knees on a big splash attempt. Sika chokes away, then adds a thrust to the throat. Fuji uses the cane to choke Hogan, and Sika slugs Hogan down, getting two off that. Sika locks on the TITTY TWISTER OF GREAT DISCOMFORT, but Hogan somehow manages to hang in there and not give away the title. Hogan fights out, but he's still hurting, and collapses after hitting a shoulder block. Sika hits a couple headbutts, but that only leads to the inevitable. Hogan retains at 8:06. This was purely the TV version of the Hogan formula, so you should know what you're getting here.

-Hogan takes care of the managers for shits and giggles, then poses.

-Mean Gene interviews Orndorff and his new manager Sir Olver Humperdink. Orndorff has declared war on The Heenan Family because Heenan dared to try to put someone else in the front of the Family. Orndorff is tired of Heenan's lies.

-Hogan is still posing as we go to break.

-Back from break, Heenan opts to stay in the booth instead of going out there with Bundy, saying he has a surprise.

-Bundy is not concerned that Heenan will not be there, saying that "the Heenan Family is a big family".

-Match 3: Paul Orndorff (w/Sir Olver Humperdink) VS King Kong Bundy

-Orndorff pepper Bundy with punches off the bat, but whiffs on a dropkick, allowing Bundy to turn the tide. Bundy pounds away in the corner, but falls victim to a sunset flip for two. Bundy immediately goes back on offense, and hits an elbow to the sternum. Bundy misses an elbow drop, and Orndorff gives him a rope burn. Orndorff hits a fist drop for two, and Heenan leaves the booth. Orndorff hits a dropkick for two, as Andre makes his way to the ring. Orndorff knocks Bundy outside, where Andre consoles him as we go to break.

Back from break, Bundy misses a shot in the corner, and Orndorff pounds away. Bundy fires back, and drops a knee. Bundy lowers his head and takes a kick to the chest, followed by a series of punches which knocks him down. Orndorff plays to the crowd, but then misses an elbow drop. Bundy takes Orndorff down and slaps on a chin lock. Orndorff avoids an avalanche and pounds away. Bundy reverses a whip, and Andre pulls Orndorff into the corner in position for the avalanche and the pin at 7:39 shown. This was pretty good, despite being mostly of the punch-kick variety.

-Gene interviews The Hart Foundation, who justify their attack on Savage because Savage KO'd Jimmy. The Harts aren't too concerned about The Young Stallions. Gene is so disgusted with The Hart Foundation that he throws the mic down and storms off.

-Match 4 for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The Hart Foundation [c] VS The Young Stallions (Paul Roma & Jim Powers)

-Pretty fast start with the challengers controlling early. Powers gets a cross-body on Bret for two, which Vince mistakes for a three. Bret comes back with a back breaker, then tags in Anvil. Powers plays FIP for a bit, and Anvil hits a nasty hot shot. Bret allows a tag to Powers, and the Stallions ram the Harts together. Powers hits Bret with a power slam, but Anvil breaks the cover, and the Harts finish with the Hart Attack at 4:30. Pretty much a squash for the champs.

-Mean Gene gets words from Hogan & Savage, coining the term "Mega Powers" in the process. Hogan is worried that their combined power may destroy the planet, and talks about seeing a whole different solar system run by the Madness. Savage talks about Liz & Hogan opening his eyes and giving him a new direction.

-The world premiere of the video for "Piledriver" follows. The video featuring various stars (of course mainly Hogan) as a construction crew threatening the Honky Tonk Man then fucking with their foreman, with some footage of Koko actually hitting the Ghostbuster (brainbuster) and singing cut in has zero to do with the song. The shot of Vince reacting to hot women walking by the site is tremendous.

-After a break, Heenan gloats over his surprise.

-After another break, Vince says Jimmy is OK, then we get the usual closing. Closing music: "Stand By Your Man".

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a pretty good and very historically significant show. Everything surrounding Macho/Honky was great, and the Mega Powers coked-out team promo towards the end is...something. The rest is watchable at the very least, with Orndorff/Bundy being much better than that.

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  • 2 weeks later...

#13 11/28/87

-From Seattle, WA

-Heenan tells the fans to tell everyone they know to watch tonight, because BUNDYMANIA lives.

-Hogan responds.

-Hosts are Vince & Jesse

-The hosts run down the card. Jesse is thrilled to be spending Thanksgiving weekend with "a turkey in a tuxedo". Jesse gets mad at Vince's "biased" view of George Steele VS Danny Davis.

-A video shows Davis clocking Steele with the ring bell, then Gene tries, and mostly fails, to get words from Steele about the match.

-EARLIER TODAY: Jesse interviews Davis, and both agree that Steele should be banned. Davis promises to ring Steele's bell again.

-Match 1: Danny Davis VS George Steele

-Animal charges Davis right off the bat, biting him and sending him running. Animal no-sells a couple punches, then slugs Davis down and out of the ring. After some shenanigans involving Animal and a chair, Davis uses a hidden foreign object to take control. Steele blocks a weapon shot and lifts Davis into a standing hammerlock, and Davis' flailing legs catch the ref, drawing a DQ at 3:53. I have to agree with Jesse that it was a terrible decision. Not much to this one.

-Davis tries a post-match attack, which is easily thwarted.

-A video recaps Bret's role in costing Macho the IC title on the last SNME.

-Gene gets words from the whole Foundation. Gene is disgusted at the tactics Bret practices, and Bret's response of "practice makes perfect" is tremendous. Jimmy says his men merely defended themselves from Liz, and that Macho is lucky that Honky doesn't play a piano.

-A video shows Honky shoving Liz down, and Jesse won't condone it, but does say "if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen".

-Gene gets words from Macho, who is out for vengeance, and Liz, who is OK after what happened on the last show.

-Macho refuses to let Liz in the ring, and back everyone away from her as we go to break.

-Back from break, Brian Bosworth is here. Honky says he told Bret to leave some of Macho for him.

-Match 2: Bret Hart (w/Jimmy Hart & Jim Niedhart) VS Randy Savage (w/Liz)

-Macho rams Bret into the post, injuring Bret's shoulder. Macho tries to press the advantage, but whiffs on an elbow in the corner, allowing Bret to go on offense. Bret telegraphs a backdrop, allowing Macho to regain control, and launch Bret off the apron onto the guardrail. Anvil tries to distract Macho, and gets rammed into Jimmy for his troubles. Macho tries a double axe handle on Bret, who catches him on the way down with a megaphone shot to the gut. Bret works the midsection, stopping to taunt Liz. Bret ties Macho in the tree of woe and goes to work, drawing serious heat in the process. Bret hits a really nice piledriver for two.

Macho avoids a couple charges in the corner, then hits a double axe for two. Bret comes right back, hitting a backbreaker, but he then misses on an elbow from the second rope. Macho hits a rope-assisted clothesline for two, but stops to pie face the ref, giving Bret time to recover and backdrop the charging Macho out over the top, and Macho injures his ankle. Liz tries to help, taking Macho's boot off as Bret and Anvil loom and we go to break.

Back from break, Macho pulls himself into the ring, and refuses to give it up. Bret works the ankle, drawing more heat with a step-over toe hold. Macho kicks Bret off, sending him into the post. Macho gets Bret down and gets a near-fall. Bret goes back to the ankle, but tries a suplex, and Macho reverses into a small package for the pin at 12:00. This was really good (duh), and winning despite the ankle injury was definitely done to build Macho for his title win in March.

-The Foundation go for the heel beatdown, but it backfires.

-Gene tries to interview Bundy & Heenan, but Heenan snatches the mic from him, and says tonight Hulkamania dies, and Bundymania is born. Heenan doesn't care about the Hulkamaniacs, and says he has a HUGE surprise, which is probably the same as his last one.

-Heenan immediately confirms my suspicions, bringing Andre out after he and Bundy make their entrance.

-Gene interviews Hogan, who says he has a surprise for the Heenan Family while lovingly putting over his own arms.

-Match 3 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] VS King Kong Bundy (w/Bobby Heenan & Andre the Giant)

-Shoving match proves nothing, then Hogan tries a couple shoulderblocks, which doesn't go well for him. Hogan hits a clothesline for two, but then tries a slam, and Bunday falls on top for a near-fall, which also injures Hogan's back. Bundy works the back for a bit. Hogan makes a comeback, but Bundy cuts him off, hitting a clothesline and a splash for two. Bundy slaps on a chinlock, and it goes for a while. Hogan fights out, and Andre hooks Hogan's leg to trip him, and that actually seems to draw a DQ at 5:01. Instead, it's announced that the match is over only if Andre won't leave ringside. It takes some pleading from Bundy and Heenan to convince Andre to leave ringside. Andre takes out a camera man on his way out.

After a break the match restarts. Bundy gets the early jump, but Hogan quickly makes a comeback. Bundy avoids an elbowdrop, which turns the tide. Bundy goes to the back, first standing on it then locking Hogan in a bearhug. Hogan fights out, but gets knocked down. Bundy hits an avalanche for two, but Hogan Hulks Up, and slams Bundy. They go outside, where Hogan no-sells a few punches, and fires back. Hogan sends Bundy back in, but Heenan hooks Hogan's leg, getting Hogan counted out at 10:05 total match time. Not sure why Heenan is excited about that, since Bundy doesn't win the title. Match was alright, if mostly backdrop for Hogan/Andre.

-Hogan beats up Heenan for a bit to blow off some steam.

-Mean Gene interviews Hercules, who can't believe he and the rest of the Heenan Family are called all kinds of names when they do something, but when Hogan does something it's OK. Hercules promises to squeeze Bam Bam and then Humperdink with the full nelson.

-Match 4: Hercules VS Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Sir Oliver Humperdink)

-They feel each other out for a bit. Bam Bam gets the better of things until Herc hits a back elbow to the chin, then clotheslines Bam Bam out over the top. Herc hits a couple forearms while Bam Bam is in the ropes, but then a third is blocked, and Bam Bam snap mares Herc out over the top, and they fight to a double count out at 3:05. Bam Bam isn't satisfied, and challenges Hercules to finish what they started as we go to break.

Back from break, the match restarts. They try charging at each other from a three point stance, and Bam Bam wins that exchange. They do it again with Herc going low, but Bam Bam cartwheels away from that. Bam Bam whiffs on a dropkick, and Herc follows up with a couple elbow drops. Herc tries a cross-body off the top, but gets caught and slammed, and Bam Bam finishes with a slingshot splash at 5:45 total match time to a nice pop. The match was alright, but I have to question the booking of having to restarted matches back-to-back.

-Jesse leaves Vince to go hang out with Bosworth.

-Gene interviews Bundy & Andre. Bundy wants a rematch, this time with Andre in his corner. Jesse comes in to congratulate Bundy on his win.

-Gene next interviews Hogan, who wants the rematch too.

-After another break, Gene doesn't care about Heenan's status, which upsets Jesse.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a pretty interesting show. Bret/Macho is worth tracking down if you haven't seen it. The rest is mostly setting things up, specifically the Hogan/Andre rematch.
 

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I was at the Seattle SNME. One of the dark matches was Warrior vs Neidhart which ended when Neidhart was DQ'd for choking Warrior on the ropes. It was as terrible as it sounds.

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#14 1/2/88

-From Landover, MD

-Jimmy Hart & Greg Valentine refer to Koko & Frankie as "a bird and a birdbrain".

-Strike Force promise to strike first and strike hard.

-Slick and the Bolsheviks wish their fans a happy new year.

-Heenan announces that Andre is taking his place tonight as Bundy's manager.

-Hogan promises to kill Bundymania.

-Hosts are Vince & Jesse

-Jesse is pumped because he thinks Hogan is done for.

-Gene interviews Hogan, who says more of the same from his opening promo.

-Gene next interviews Slick & the Bolsheviks. Slick wants the kids to hold his men as role models. Slick claims Gorbachev flew to D.C. to talk strategy with him and the Bolsheviks.

-A video shows Strike Force winning the tag titles.

-Gene interviews the champs, who don't say much of note.

-Match 1 for the WWF Tag Team Championship: Strike Force [c] VS The Bolsheviks (w/Slick) [2/3 Falls]

-FIRST FALL: Tito & Zukov start, and Tito controls the early going before tagging in Martel. The champs try working Zukov's arm, but Zukov forearms Martel in the face before tagging in Volkoff. Martel gets a couple roll-ups on Volkoff, who promptly tags Zukov back in. Tito gets in too, and gets two off a cross-body with Volkoff making the save. Volkoff gets back in, and it's FIP time for Tito. That doesn't last long, as Tito tags Martel, who cleans house and submits Zukov with the Boston Crab at 4:25.

SECOND FALL: The champs clean house and Martel gets the crab on Zukov again, but Volkoff makes the save and goes to work on Martel. Now it's time for Martel to play FIP for a bit. Again that doesn't last long, and Tito cleans house, hitting the flying forearm on Zukov. Volkoff makes the save, but then accidentally clocks his partner with Slick's cane, allowing Tito to get the pint at 7:55 total. Really abbreviated tag formula match. It was OK.

-Mean Gene interviews Fuji, who has Sika bring out a giant bread roll, fit for a Damien sandwich.

-After Sika' entrance, Jake responds.

-Match 2: Sika (w/Mr. Fuji) VS Jake Roberts

-Jake uses his quickness advantage to control early, but then runs into a backdrop. Fuji adds a couple cane shots to the ribs, then Sika slaps on a nerve hold. Jake gets out and fires back with punches, but Fuji hooks his leg. Jake avoids an avalanche and gets a school boy for the pin in short order anyway at 3:31. Meh.

-Jake blocks a cane shot and DDTs Fuji to a big pop before throwing Damien onto him.

-Gene gets some words from Heenan, Andre, and Bundy. Heenan confirms that he won't be in Bundy's corner and that Andre will be taking his place, claiming it's per doctors orders. Gene doesn't buy it, and rightfully so.

-Bundy & Andre make their entrance, and Gene interviews Hogan. Hogan says he had a black cloud hanging over his head since the last SNME, but he had a "summit meeting" with Ronald Regan, and is now ready to end BundyMania and take care of "that big nasty giant".

-Match 3 for the WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan [c] VS King Kong Bundy (w/Andre the Giant)

-Hogan wins a test of strength, then side steps an avalanche before pounding away. Hogan can't knock Bundy off his feet until a big boot sends Bundy out through the ropes. Hogan scores with a big clothesline to knock Bundy down, and Bundy bails to confer with Andre. Hogan blocks a couple punches and slugs Bundy down before going to work on the arm. Bundy reverses, and yanks the hair to get Hogan down. Bundy holds onto the arm for a while until Hogan slugs his way out and hits a slam before missing an elbow drop. Bundy hits a slam of his own, but then misses on a couple elbow drops himself, allowing Hogan to go back on offense. Bundy throws Hogan at the ref who actually avoids it, but then the ref gets caught in a corner with Hogan, and avalanched. Bundy hits another avalanche on Hogan, but misses a splash. Hogan slugs Bundy outside, and the ref is stretchered out while one of the Hebners takes his place and we go to break.

Back from break, the ref is taken out while Bundy and Andre have a strategy session. Bundy goes to the eyes to take control, and hits a clothesline followed by a knee drop for two. Bundy chops Hogan outside and keeps him there, as Jesse points out that it's a bad idea for Andre to be pushing for a count out, since the title can't change hands. Hogan gets in, and Bundy drops a forearm for two before slapping on a chinlock. Bundy hits a couple avalanches, and Jesse goes nuts because Bundy's foot is touching Hogan's, and the ref is not counting. Bundy hits a splash, but Hogan kicks out, and finishes with the usual at about 12:09 shown. This was a pretty good Hogan formula title defense.

-Hogan stupidly challenges Andre then turns to pose, and Andre jumps him, hitting a headbutt to the back of the head, then choking him down. The Bulldogs try to save, but get easily dispatched by Andre. Strike Force, Jake, and JYD try their luck, and it takes all four of them to temporarily pull Andre off Hogan. Duggan gets in and clocks Andre with the 2X4. Andre shrugs that off, and Duggan actually bails out rather than fight Andre. That does allow the other faces to get Hogan out of the ring and away from Andre. This was a pretty great angle to set up the title change.

-After a break, Jesse interviews Jimmy Hart & Greg Valentine, who are happy it's not Gene. The Hammer is very happy to have Jimmy as his manager. Jesse taunts Gene to end the segment.

-Gene is with Koko, who opts to sing his promo.

-Match 4: Koko B. Ware VS Greg Valentine (w/Jimmy Hart)

-Valentine quickly hits a hot shot and a couple big hammer blows for a near-fall. Hammer goes for the figure 4 right away, but Koko kicks him off. Hammer beats on Koko, then drops an elbow for two. Hammer slaps on a chinlock, then breaks to drop another elbow and throw Koko outside. Hammer pulls Koko back in, and hits a clothesline for a couple two counts. Hammer holds Koko down as Brutus Beefcake makes his way down. Koko gets a series of two counts off the distraction, and years of that being a finish on Raw conditioned me to expect that to be it. Joey Marella kicks Beefcake out from ringside as we go to break, which greatly pleases Jesse.

Back from break, and Hammer is back on offense, hitting a back drop followed by an elbow drop for two. Hammer goes up top, but gets caught and slammed. Well, he asked for that. Koko Birds Up and makes his comeback, hitting a flying fist drop off the top for two. Koko goes for a headlock and punches, but Hammer counters with a shin breaker, and get the figure 4 for the submission at 7:19 shown. Pretty much an extended squash for Hammer with the Beefcake stuff added in.

-Hammer goes for the figure 4 again, but Beefcake comes out to chase him away. That leaves Jimmy alone with Beefcake and Koko, and Jimmy loses a little bit of hair.

-After a break, the beginning of Andre's attack on Hogan is shown.

-Gene is DISGUSTED with Andre, who thuroughly enjoyed choking Hogan. Andre says the next time he does it, he will win the title. Heenan says he has plans to make Andre more money than any athelete in the history of sports, and mentions being close to closing a huge deal. Andre squeezes Gene by the shoulders to end the interview.

-After another break, Jesse, who of course loved what happened to Hogan, is with Gene. Gene claims that doctors thought Hogan might need an assisted breathing device and/or a tracheotemy, but neither will be neccessary. Jesse is thrilled he won't have to hear Hogan talk anymore.

-After another break, Vince joins Jesse & Gene to close the show, and the credits play over "Take Me Home" by Phil Collins.

-FINAL THOUGHTS: This was a pretty brisk-moving show that mostly served to set up the next one. Loved the subtle tease by Heenan as to what was to come between Andre and Ted DiBiase. The title match is good, the other three matches are at least watchable, but not much better than that.

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