-Today we look at SummerSlam ’89 from the WWF.
-SummerSlam ’89 was shown on PPV on August 28, 1989 from the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. There were 20,000 people in attendance.
-We get Tony Schiavone tell us that all the excitement of the World Wrestling Federation have found the Meadowlands at SummerSlam. The wait, the anticipation is over, now it’s time to Feel the Heat.
-Tony Schiavone and Jesse Ventura welcome us to SummerSlam and Jesse threatens Tony to not get out of line with him. They give a brief rundown of the night.
-Opening Credits.
-The Hart Foundation Jim Neidhart and Bret Hart VS. The Brain Busters Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard with Bobby Heenan: The Brain Busters are the tag champs, but this is a non-title match as it was signed before the Brain Busters had won the titles. Tony and Jesse argue about that for a bit. Blanchard doing some classic selling. Hart Foundation have the early advantage. Weasel Chant goes out. Hart Foundation continue to dominate. Brain Busters start to make a comeback. Anderson goes to the outside, Bret Hart gives him double middle fingers. Weasel chant goes out again. Back and Forth. Brain Busters take over. Neidhart and Anderson collide and both go down at one point. Hart comes in and dominates. Blanchard and Hart are the legal men. Neidhart slams Hart onto Blanchard. Neidhart then goes after Heenan, allowing Anderson to hit Hart and cover him while hiding his head so the referee counts the pin thinking it’s Blanchard.
-Mean Gene Okerlund interviews Dusty Rhodes, making his WWF PPV debut. He’s taking on The Honky Tonk Man, but has a police hat and nightstick as he’s about to start a feud with The Big Boss Man. This is classic Dusty Rhodes, who took those polka dots and got them over.
-The Honky Tonk Man with Jimmy Hart VS. Dusty Rhodes: Rhodes has a great theme and is over with the crowd. Rhodes messes up HTM’s hair at one point. Hart interferes and Rhodes goes after him. HTM hits Rhodes with the megaphone for a two count. Jesse tells us it’s whether you win or lose, it ain’t how you play the game. Rhodes fighting back. HTM almost puts him out with the sleeper. Rhodes comes back. Referee gets knocked out. Hart goes to hit Rhodes with the guitar. He ducks and HTM gets hit. Rhodes drops the elbow for the pin.
-Sean Mooney interviews HTM, who thinks he’s Elvis because of the guitar shot. Mooney has a classic line: If The Honky Tonk Man thinks Jimmy Hart is Pricilla Presley, they’re a long ways from Graceland.
-Mean Gene interviews Demolition and King Duggan. All three are wearing face paint. You don’t get to see Duggan’s, because he has a Jason style Hockey Mask on. It’s a weird visual. They talk about the 6-man tag match they’ve got coming up.
-Mr. Perfect VS. The Red Rooster: Short match, but there are some nice moves during it. Perfect hits a standing dropkick. It goes to the outside. Perfect wins with the Perfectplex.
-Survivor Series advertisement.
-Mean Gene interviews Rick Rude and Bobby Heenan about The Ultimate Warrior. This is the infamous Mean Gene “Fuck it” blooper. Warrior promised he would get his title back. Rude says promises are made to be broken just like arms, legs, and necks. Heenan says rules are also made to be broken and if they have to, they will.
-The Rockers Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty and Tito Santana VS. The Rougeau Brothers Jacques and Raymond and Rick Martel with Jimmy Hart and Slick: This is the brief time that Slick was managing Martel. Faces come in and triple Team which makes the heels and Jesse mad. Back and forth match. Heels have the advantage. Jacques hits a nice dropkick. Tito chant goes out. Michaels and Martel both tagged in. All 6 men brawl inside before Martel pins Jannetty in the confusion even though Michaels is the legal man.
-Flashback to everything that has happened between The Ultimate Warrior and Rick Rude leading up to their match.
-Mean Gene interviews The Ultimate Warrior. I don’t think decaf would help here. Standard Warrior promo. It’s for the kids though.
-WWF Intercontinental Championship Match: Rick Rude with Bobby Heenan VS. The Ultimate Warrior. Rude does his pre match spiel. Jesse mentions Rude winning The Jesse the Body Award If You’re Drinking At Home. Jesse then calls Warrior a nut. Your mileage may vary. Warrior throws Rude outside the ring and follows him outside the ring. Jesse is irate. Warrior hits Rude with the belt and Jesse says that should be a disqualification. Tony says its outside and Jesse give the classic retort that so what you’re saying you can shoot someone outside the ring as long as it’s outside the ring? This is brilliant commentary. Warrior is the fan favorite and Jesse is the Heel Commentator, but Jesse is right here. Rude is selling like crazy for the Warrior. Crowd loves Warrior. Rude comes back, but Warrior breaks out of the Rude Awakening. Rude is by far Warriors best opponent. Both men and the ref are down at one point. Warrior hits a piledriver on Rude for a two count. Rude gets the knees up when Warrior goes for the splash. Rude gets a piledriver for a two count. The fans see Roddy Piper come out before it’s shown on camera and they go nuts. Rude goes over to jaw jack with Piper, who moons him. Warrior hits the shoulder tackle. Then he does the military press and splash for the pin. The Crowd goes crazy.
-Sean Mooney is in the crowd doing a report and they are loving it.
-Mean Gene talks to Mr. Perfect, who says The Red Rooster was a stepping stone on his way to the top. Mean Gene then talks to Roddy Piper, who is seriously going 1,000 MPH. He says everybody’s got to pay the Piper, including Rude. Mean Gene then introduces Ronnie Garvin, who’s dressed up for his “Special Assignment” storyline, he’s interrupted by Rick Rude and Bobby Heenan. Heenan and Rude are irate at Piper.
-After the promos, they take an intermission here.
-Mean Gene narrates what led up to the main event. Slightly clipped as they take out about 10 seconds of No Holds Barred footage.
-The Twin Towers Akeem and The Big Boss Man and Andre The Giant with Slick and Bobby Heenan VS. Demolition Ax and Smash and Jim Duggan: We see the face paint on Duggan. This is a big man power match. Faces in control to begin. Heels come back. Andre wants to be there so badly, but can’t do much at this point. Smash slams Akeem and Boss Man before being stopped by Andre. Duggan hits Akeem with the 2X4 and Smash covers him to win. Duggan sure did cheat a lot for a face.
-Another Survivor Series promo.
-Mean Gene interviews Ted DiBiase and Virgil. He says Jimmy Snuka will end up like Jake Roberts, another statistic for the Million Dollar Man.
-The Fink introduces special ring announcer Ronnie Garvin, he’s announcing Greg Valentine with Jimmy Hart VS. Hercules: Garvin puts down Valentine during his introduction to a big pop. Valentine is distracted early by Garvin. Valentine wins with his feet on the ropes. Garvin keeps saying Hercules won. Valentine knocks Garvin down so he punches Valentine.
-Mean Gene interviews Randy Savage, Zeus, and Sensational Sherri. This is the famous Cauldron of Madness promo. It should come out Hokey but somehow, it works here.
-Ted DiBiase with Virgil VS. Jimmy Snuka: DiBiase mentions that he ended the career of Jake Roberts to further their feud since Roberts is out having neck surgery. Snuka takes the early advantage. Jesse compares Snuka to an animal. DiBiase hits a stun gun to gain control. Snuka then mounts a comeback. He goes for the Superfly, but Virgil distracts him. Snuka then gets counted out. He attacks DiBiase and Virgil afterwards and hits the Superfly on Virgil.
-Sean Mooney gives another report from the cheap seats.
-Mean Gene interviews Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. Classic Hogan interview talking about Hanging and Banging, parting the Hudson River, riding Harleys and the like.
-The Genius reads a poem about the main event.
-Randy Savage and Zeus with Sensational Sherri VS. Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake with Miss Elizabeth: It takes a long time to get this one started. Then Miss Elizabeth comes out to a big pop. All four brawl to begin. Hogan can’t hurt Zeus. Savage will be doing the heavy lifting of the match. They restrict Zeus to power moves. He keeps Hogan in a bear hug. Hogan fights back. Beefcake comes in and he has some quick offense and puts the sleeper on Savage. Savage then hits Beefcake with Sherri’s purse. It breaks down in and out of the ring at one point. Hogan gets tagged in. Big boot knocks Savage out of the ring. Hogan no sells a Savage Flying Elbow. Hogan knocks Zeus to one knee. Liz knocks Sherri into the ring. Hogan hits Zeus with Sherri’s loaded purse. He hits the leg drop and pins Zeus. Liz then hits Sherri with the purse. Beefcake cuts off Sherri’s weave that was clearly put in to be cut off. Hogan and company must pose. Jesse says the Hulkamaniacs can stick it. They do a final push for Survivor Series before signing off from the Meadowlands.