Manhattan Center - New York, NY
Attendence: 1,200
Commentary team: Vince McMahon, Randy Savage & Bobby Heenan.
The show kicks off with Doink the Clown promising Randy Savage a surprise in retaliation for getting involved in his match a few weeks back. Savage had foiled a dual Doink spot to set this up.
Match #1: Bret Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Luna Vachon).
Stu & Helen Hart are in attendance in the balcony seats which becomes important to the finish of this match. Solid match hurt by the commercial breaks, with back and forth action. Bret wrestled a more physical match to counter the power of Bigelow, but the finish ruins what could have been a very good match. Jerry Lawler shows up to taunt Stu and Helen, and they are both way out of their league with their weak retorts. Stu can't even form a coherent sentence, which Lawler rightfully points out. Bret leaves the ring to confront Lawler, who disappears before Bret can get there. Bigelow wins via count-out. *** (17:00-ish)
Gene Okerlund brings us the SummerSlam Report. Lex Luger vs. Yokozuna for the WWF Championship is announced as then-WWF President Jack Tunney officially granted Luger the match with an announcement on WWF Superstars the weekend prior. Also on the card is Bret Hart vs. Jerry Lawler and The Undertaker vs. Giant Gonzalez in a Rest in Peace Match. I'm not sure why Mr. Hughes didn't get the nod there, as he was the one who stole the urn and put Paul Bearer out of commission. Speaking of whom:
Match #2: Mr. Hughes (w/ Harvey Wippleman) vs. Ross Greenberg.
Squash action for Hughes here as yet another black wreath is brought to ringside. Hughes finishes Greenberg with the Boss Man Slam (for lack of any other name other than Vince's "Oooh, lookitthat!". Hughes destroys the wreath after the match.
Then we get a peek at the Wrestlemania: The Album release party, which is out in stores tomorrow. I want to see you all at your local K-Mart waiting in line for that bad boy.
Match #3: The Smoking Gunns vs. Duane Gill & Glen Ruth.
Imagine the future Gillberg and Headbanger Thrasher as fodder for these two talentless hacks. Heenan tries to get Dr. Ruth over as Glen Ruth's mother. WILL YOU STOP?? Gunns finish Ruth with the back bodydrop/piledriver combo.
We get a Ludvig Borga vignette with him pummeling jobbers. I liked Borga because I thought he came off as a tough guy bad-ass even if he was sloppy in the ring.
Before the show, in the empty Manhattan Center, Vince spoke with Lex Luger in his bad boy American flag zubaz. Suddenly, the babyface Luger has no issue wearing the protective pad over the forearm. This was such a sudden 180 in character that it was almost as if The Narcissist never existed.
Match #4: Doink vs. Phil Apollo.
Phil Apollo is not Ray Apollo, the individual who would take up the Doink mantle later on. Doink puts on a clinic against this bum and finishes him with the Whoopee Cushion. We take a break and come back to Doink calling out the Macho Man. He challenges Savage to a match and we get three Doinks come out of nowhere to taunt the Macho Man. Savage accepts the challenge and says that he has a "little surprise" for Doink. I don't like the sound of that. Like, at all.
THE FINAL WORD: Okay episode here. The main event was spoiled by a weak ending and we got a bunch of uninteresting squashes. The Lex Express continues to be crammed down our throats and we have a set-up for next week between Savage and Doink, which could be a good match if the hijinks are kept to a minimum. Which I doubt they will be.
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