Sage Cortez
SummerSlam 1991 featured two big main events, both of which appealed to different demographics. One of them wasn’t even a wrestling match. Of course, I’m talking about Randy Savage getting “married” to Elizabeth. Wrestling weddings became a bigger deal in the years to come, and the anarchy that has always come as a result of them has been quite entertaining. The handicap match was called THE MATCH MADE IN HELL, and that doesn’t sound entertaining at all. It was an old issue that didn’t need to be continued. Also on this show, there were some big matches that settled old scores. Virgil was getting another crack at Ted DiBiase, this time for the Million Dollar Championship. We also had the Legion of Doom getting a chance to challenge the Nasty Boys for the tag belts. The Mountie and the Big Boss Man were fighting to see who would get thrown in jail. Bret Hart facing Mr. Perfect for the Intercontinental Championship. This is quite the big show, and booked in a manner that was very favorable to babyfaces.
– August 26th, 1991, from Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York
This is a very similar package to the one used at the previous SummerSlam. First the hype for THE MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN, and after that, THE MATCH MADE IN HELL. Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, and Roddy Piper are on commentary for this thing. Quite the trio!
The Warlord and Power & Glory (w/Slick) vs. THE DRAGON, the British Bulldog, and the Texas Tornado
Pre-Match Thoughts: What are the odds that they call Ricky Steamboat by his actual name? Not so sure. Also, I’m not so sure why he’d sign up for this gimmick, and the fire breathing to go with all that. This is a nice opener, or at least it would seem to be one. Hercules appears to have gone completely off the juice, unlike the other guys in this match. I guess he took Vince McMahon seriously.
Match Review: Steamboat and Roma will start, and Roma bodyslams Steamboat. A Roma dropkick follows, and he heads up to the second rope only to be given an arm drag by Steamboat on the way down. Steamboat uses a karate kick, but Roma works him over in the corner. Roma misses a charge to the other side, and Steamboat goes back to the arm drag. After a dropkick by Steamboat, Hercules tags in and gets hip tossed. Tornado tags in as well, and they trade arm wringers. Tornado then rams Herc’s head into the buckle a lot, and Herc has to go to the eyes. Warlord and Bulldog tag in, and Bulldog hits Warlord with some clotheslines to knock him down. Bulldog then picks Warlord up for a nice suplex that gets 2, and Steamboat tags in for a chop from the top. Steamboat then dodges a charge by the Warlord, who blocks a monkey flip attempt. Roma tags in and elbows Steamboat, then levels him with a clothesline. Roma goes for a bodyslam, but Steamboat flips out for a cradle that leads to Warlord clotheslining him. Roma gives Steamboat a snap suplex for 2, then uses a repeated backbreaker. Hercules tags in, and picks Steamboat up for a press slam. Warlord tags in there and slams Steamboat, then brings Roma back in for a leap onto Steamboat’s back. Hercules tags in again, but Steamboat hits him with some chops, only for Hercules to hotshot him. Warlord gets in there, and drops Steamboat with another bodyslam. Now Warlord heads up to the second rope, only to come down with a flying nothing and eat Steamboat’s boots. Tornado makes the big tag in, and knocks down everyone with right hands. Warlord goes for a sunset flip, but Bulldog made a blind tag in. He leaps off the second rope with a cross body, but Warlord catches him. Tornado hits Warlord with the TORNADO PUNCH for a 2 count, and Warlord makes a tag out. Roma runs in and Bulldog drops him with the RUNNING POWERSLAM, but Roma kicks out at 2. Now Steamboat tags in and leaps off the top with a cross body, which gets 3 at 10:42!
My Thoughts: This finishing sequence was extremely sloppy, but I think the body of the match was pretty strong. Roma did a great job for the heel side of the match, and Steamboat did the same for the babyfaces. As for the finish, Roma had to kick out of Bulldog’s finisher because Warlord missed his cue, and the same thing happened when Warlord got hit with the Tornado punch, him having to kick out when nobody ran into the ring. Steamboat did a nice job with his finish, flying most of the way across the ring. **1/2. Also of note is that Steamboat was in the WWF for nearly six months and still opening shows.
Mr. Perfect (w/the Coach) vs. Bret Hart for the WWF Intercontinental Championship
Pre-Match Thoughts: This is one of my absolute favorite matches. Perfect was nursing a major back injury, and probably shouldn’t have done this match at all. Bret on the other hand was finally getting a chance to have a big singles match after numerous quality matches on house shows. Perfect did an interview before the match, and said that Bret wasn’t perfect enough to be the champion. Bret had a lot of fan backing, that much was clear.
Match Review: These two greats lock up, and Bret goes right to a headlock. Perfect gets out, and Bret hip tosses him to the outside. Perfect gets in and Bret uses a crucifix that gets 2, then takes Perfect down with a headlock. After hair tugs by both guys, Bret takes Perfect down with a cross body that gets 2. Bret then uses a sunset flip for another 2 count, and goes back to the headlock. Perfect gets out with a chop, but Bret trips him and kicks him down low. Perfect comes back with a bodyslam, but Bret comes back with his own. Bret then clotheslines Perfect to the outside, and Perfect takes a rest. He threatens to leave, but Bret follows him and brings him back to the ring, tearing his singlet apart in the process. Perfect resorts to the first punch of the match, and kicks Bret to the outside for some berating by the Coach. Perfect follows, chops Bret down, and steps on him as he gets back into the ring. Perfect then knocks Bret from the apron into the barricade, so Bret is busting out all his big spots here. Bret gets back in there, dodges a charge to the corner, and cradles Perfect up for 2. Perfect then launches Bret across the ring a few times, getting a 2 count on the last one. Perfect follows those with a neck snap, and that also gets 2. Perfect knocks Bret back to the outside with a dropkick, and heads up top only for Bret to meet him up there. I wonder what for! Perfect knocks Bret back into the ring and falls on top of him, getting a 2 count. Not quite what I hoped for. Perfect then grabs Bret’s hair and throws him across the ring, and after that he puts a sleeper on the challenger. Bret elbows his way out of it, and tries a crucifix again, only to be given a Samoan drop for 2. Bret takes the full speed turnbuckle bump for a 2 count, and Perfect follows that with the PERFECT-PLEX. Somehow Bret kicks out at 2, and follows with an inverted atomic drop. Bret uses an atomic drop as well, then tosses Perfect across the ring, leading to the nuts into the post bump Perfect was trying to perfect. Bret gives Perfect a suplex for 2, and a small package also gets 2. A Russian leg sweep gets 2, and that’s followed with a backbreaker. The elbow from the second rope gets 2 as well, and Perfect tries a cradle for another 2 count. Bret and Perfect then go to the outside and Perfect gets thrown into the post, then back in they go. Bret goes for the SHARPSHOOTER, but the Coach gets on the apron, so Bret has to knock him down. Perfect then kicks the rope Bret was straddling, crotching him. Perfect kicks Bret in the nuts as well, and leg drops him there. Smart attack. Bret blocks the next leg drop to the nuts, slaps on the SHARPSHOOTER, and PERFECT QUITS AT 18:02!
That’s a great bit at the end of the match, with Bret tearing off the rest of Perfect’s singlet. Bret then found his parents in the crowd, and hugged them. For some reason Lord Alfred cut Stu off before he could comment. What a fuck.
My Thoughts: Perfect’s performance with such a bad back was really amazing. He worked the whole bout so hard, using all his regular bumps despite the pain. The match did start a little slow, but that’s to be expected. It closed in a manner that certainly made up for it. The crowd also started chanting for Bret, which was really out of character for crowds in those days. You’d get a Hogan or Warrior chant on a given show, but never one for somebody who had never won a title. It shows the value of Bret Hart at this point in time, and it’s easy to see why he was the natural top babyface when Hogan and Warrior stopped showing up. If only figuring that out was so simple now. **** for a classic match, the only real negative points being a lack of high spots and Perfect quitting much too soon. I think every wrestling fan who could possibly be reading this has watched this.
Oh great, an ad for another Hulk Hogan match compilation video that they’re showing on pay-per-view this time. Sounds awesome!
The Natural Disasters (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. The Bushwhackers (w/Andre the Giant)
Pre-Match Thoughts: Sounds like a great way to bring the crowd back down to the reality of the rest of the show after having just watched that classic match. I mean, looking at the collection of matches here, they couldn’t have picked anything better. The babyfaces did an interview before the match, and it appears Andre had to use crutches. That’s sad. I thought it might be related to the Earthquake attack and working the injury, but I really doubt it. Funny how the Bushwhackers missed shows like WrestleMania, but they remained fixtures in the company for so many years.
Match Review: The Disasters immediately take a look at Andre, so the Bushwhackers come up from behind them and poke them in the eyes. This is a strange role for Andre, who does the Bushwhacker thing with his crutches. Typhoon and Butch then get things going, with Butch biting Typhoon’s butt. Quake runs into the ring and accidentally squashes his partner, then the Bushwhackers throw them into each other. After using Quake as a battering ram on Typhoon, they double clothesline Quake and knock him out to the floor! When he gets back in there, he goes to work on Butch and tosses him hard into the corner. Quake then goes for an elbow drop, but Butch moves out of the way. He tries again and this time the elbow drop lands, then Typhoon makes the tag in. He gives Butch a backbreaker, and follows that by squashing him in the corner. Typhoon then picks Butch up for an over the shoulder backbreaker, then Quake tags in and puts him in a bear hug. Quake uses a backbreaker as well, then tags back out of there. Typhoon hits Butch with a back elbow that gets 2, then Quake accidentally clotheslines his partner. Luke makes the switch in, and headbutts Typhoon to the canvas. Bobby Heenan has also gone to the back! The Bushwhackers hit both guys with the BATTERING RAM, and Luke falls on top of Typhoon for 2. Now Quake gives Butch a backbreaker, and squashes Luke from behind. BUTT SPLASH, and that’s it at 6:27.
The Disasters are now going to go after Andre, but here comes HAWK AND ANIMAL to get in the way! Next feud has been set up.
My Thoughts: Terrible match overall, but it did start well and finish well too. Regardless, the Natural Disasters are completely intolerable and I hate watching them. Everything they did as a team was so slow, and Typhoon was far worse than Earthquake. Maybe Earthquake should have had a smaller partner, following the Big Show pattern. Oh well. 1/2*.
Bobby Heenan is at Hulk Hogan’s dressing room door! He has the REAL WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP! Heenan challengers Hogan, who slams the door on him and causes him to drop the title belt.
Virgil vs. Ted DiBiase (w/Sensational Sherri) for the MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPIONSHIP
Pre-Match Thoughts: This really is a big show, with all these matches to blow off big programs. It’s a very clear case of the WWF drawing lines to signal the status quo was over. Tons of changes took place after this one. DiBiase and Sherri had a promo before the match, in which they made fun of Virgil rubbing DiBiase’s feet and removing dirt from his shoes. DiBiase’s part of the promo was excellent. I’m trying really hard not to mention Virgil’s recent escapades.
Match Review: Virgil attacks DiBiase, so we’re underwway! He gives DiBiase a backdrop, and follows with some clotheslines that send DiBiase over the top. Virgil follows, rams DiBiase into the steps, and sends him back in. Virgil hits DiBiase with punches, then gives DiBiase an atomic drop to send DiBiase to the outside again! Heenan is now back at ringside, and not too happy about how his challenge went. Virgil goes for a plancha to the outside and misses, wiping out on the floor with a sick belly flop. DiBiase rolls back into the ring and has his bearings, but goes back to the outside so he can launch Virgil into the steps. They get back in the squared circle, and DiBiase hits Virgil with a clothesline. He drops some fists, and heads up to the second rope for a double axehandle to Virgil’s head that gets 2. DiBiase backdrops Virgil, and that’s good for 2. Virgil tries to come back with the MILLION DOLLAR DREAM, and Sherri gets in the ring to hit Virgil with her purse. Earl Hebner calls for a DQ, and the crowd is not too happy about it. Howard Finkel announces that the referee can disqualify DiBiase, but instead Sherri must leave ringside or Sherri will be permanently suspended. THE MATCH WILL ALSO CONTINUE.
She leaves, and Virgil now has a fair chance to win. He rams DiBiase into the buckle a lot, then takes him to the corner for some punches. DiBiase uses momentum to send Virgil into the referee, because this match needed a ref bump too. DiBiase says something to Piper at ringside, who then tries to motivate Virgil. DiBiase suplexes Virgil, and follows with a second. There’s a third suplex, and DiBiase tells Piper there’s going to be a fourth. Instead, DiBiase piledrives Virgil, spiking him on the mat. Now DiBiase unties a turnbuckle, but Virgil drives DiBiase’s head into the exposed buckle a few times. Virgil crawls over after a long time for the cover, and WINS THE MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPIONSHIP at 13:11.
My Thoughts: This was a pretty good match given that DiBiase was working with someone who couldn’t really work at all. In that context, DiBiase carried the match and did so very well. He merely needed someone who had the cardio ability to keep up, and Virgil did. The finish was perfect, in terms of the selling seeing as chair shots and things of that nature should keep wrestlers down for longer than they actually do. It was pretty overbooked, which also differs from WWF matches of the era. ***. Also, it was a great payoff to the feud.
The Mountie (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Big Boss Man in a JAILHOUSE MATCH
Pre-Match Thoughts: The loser in this match will spend one night IN THE SLAMMER. Their matches at MSG that weren’t on this PPV were absolutely terrible. One would hope they did a hell of a lot better. In the video before the match, they showed a video from Superstars where the Mountie handcuffed Boss Man and used the shock stick on him. The Mountie then said that the hick cops would be throwing Boss Man in jail. Great promo. Boss Man did one too, saying the same thing from the opposite viewpoint, basically.
Match Review: Boss Man punches the Mountie in the face, getting things going. Mountie comes back with his own, and Boss Man hits him with a back elbow. A big splash gets 2 for Boss Man, then he uses a leapfrog body guillotine, landing on the Mountie’s neck. Boss Man goes for another, but Jimmy Hart pulls Mountie out of the way. Mountie goes up to the second rope, but Boss Man catches him and gives him a spinebuster. Boss Man puts a neck vice on Mountie, but Hart distracts him and Boss Man chases him around the ring, eventually getting pushed into the steps by Mountie. Back on the inside, the Mountie drills Boss Man with a flying back elbow and drops a fist on him. A Mountie bodyslam follows that for 2, and Boss Man misses a charge to the corner when he had a glimpse of dishing out some offense. Mountie drops some elbows for 2, then hits Boss Man with a dropkick for 2 again. Mountie then bites Boss Man, and goes for a PILEDRIVER. Mountie has the SHOCK STICK, but Boss Man punches him to stop any potential…electrocution. Boss Man then hits Mountie with a big right hand, gives him the BOSS MAN SLAM, and that only gets 2. Wow, that was somewhat shocking. Mountie goes for a piledriver again, and this time Boss Man reverses into a huge spinebuster that gets 3 at 8:38! THE MOUNTIE IS GOING TO JAIL!
My Thoughts: This match was better than their other MSG contests, but still not quite good. Lots of sitting around, not particularly great offense, and a strange finish. The match also didn’t have a lot of heat. Sure changed after that, though. People really just wanted to see the post-match with somebody being sent to jail. **.
It was time for intermission, but first, we had the post-match where Boss Man had the Mountie handcuffed by POLICE OFFICERS and dragged to the back. The cameras go through gorilla position, and all the way back to the PADDY WAGON. Great skit, quite a bit different for the WWF at this time to air something like this.
Now we have Ted DiBiase and Sherri with Mean Gene. They’re complaining a whole lot about Virgil winning that match.
Next up is Bret Hart talking about his title victory.
The Natural Disasters made comments after that, and without the straps on, Earthquake looked a whole lot larger. Never quite noticed that.
Big Boss Man had things to say about his victory, and said that he made a promise that he was the LAW AND ORDER in the WWF. I guess that’s true.
Mean Gene wants to talk with the Macho Man now, but he’s been on the phone for most of the show.
After the PPV intermission, it was back to the rest of the show, and we got to see the Mountie arrive at jail!
The Nasty Boys have an interview before their match with the Legion of Doom, and this is supposed to be a no disqualification match. Should be a brawl of some sorts, the way that the Nasty Boys usually had their best matches.
Back to jail! The Mountie had to do a mugshot!
LOD was interviewed, and had things to say about the Natural Disasters. Perhaps more so than what they said about the Nasty Boys. At least LOD had a chance to have a real match on PPV.
To jail again! Fingerprinting time is what this was.
The TRIANGLE OF TERROR did their interview, and Sgt. Slaughter did all the talking. Can’t believe the Iron Sheik was in a PPV main event in 1991.
SID JUSTICE had a microphone, and couldn’t go crazy because he was a babyface now. What a bummer. They showed Sid a video, and he was with the heel team earlier in the show, as they were talking to each other.
Legion of Doom vs. The Nasty Boys (w/Jimmy Hart) for the WWF Tag Team Championships in a NO DISQUALIFICATION, NO COUNT-OUT MATCH
Pre-Match Thoughts: I don’t remember ever paying attention to this match, even though I’ve seen this show a few times. That’s kind of a good thing as I’m able to be surprised. The post-intermission spot is usually poor for heat, but they stuffed a lot of promos into the broadcast and on the screens in the arena. Maybe people are hyped up again.
Match Review: LOD attacks, tossing both Nasties to the outside. All four guys brawl on the outside, but Animal and Knobbs get back in the ring. Animal drops Knobbs with a POWERBOMB that gets 2, and everyone’s in the ring now. Hawk hits Sags with an enzuigiri, and follows that with a flying shoulderblock for 2. Sags calls for some spray and shoots it into Hawk’s eyes, and that appears to be PEPPER SPRAY. Crowd didn’t quite know how to react. Hawk tumbles out of the ring, and Sags drops a tray of drinks on him. Knobbs tags in, and they hit Hawk with a double boot to the gut. After some choking with the tag rope, Hawk gets booted to the outside. Sags rams Hawk into the steps, and Knobbs lands a double axehandle on Hawk from the apron. Hawk gets back in there and tries to fight back, but Knobbs tags in and continues the work his partner was doing. Knobbs hits Hawk with a back elbow, and that gets 2. He splashes Hawk in the corner and tags back out, as Sags heads up top for a flying elbow that gets 2. Knobbs goes up to the second rope and comes down with a splash that misses, so Hawk makes the tag! Animal comes in like a house of fire, with clotheslines for both guys. Animal powerslams Knobbs, but the cover is broken and everyone’s in the ring now. The Nasties double team Animal after throwing Hawk to the outside, and Sags has the motorcycle helmet. He nails Animal with it, Knobbs drops an elbow, and Animal kicks out at 2! Hawk gets the helmet and drills Knobbs with it, then hits Sags too. Well, them’s the rules! DOOMSDAY DEVICE on Sags, Animal covers, and they’re new champions after 7:44!
My Thoughts: That was a nice match, with the crowd really getting into it and some good action that fit the gimmick of the match. The Nasty Boys were a solid team, which isn’t quite what their reputation is around the internet. LOD brawled with them well and I think they could have put on an even better match in theory. Good work on everyone’s part, **1/2. LOD should have won the titles sooner as there was no reason to wait so long after their joining the WWF, and we’ll never know what would have happened if they had done the right thing and put the belts on them sooner.
Time for another Mountie skit! He gets thrown in his cell, and it’s about time!
Irwin R. Schyster vs. Greg Valentine
Pre-Match Thoughts: Sounds like a totally enthralling and potentially entertaining match, doesn’t it? IRS got a lot of heat for somebody without a big PPV match, without entrance music, and without particularly entertaining qualities at all. This was a great gimmick. Before the match, IRS did his usual spiel. I had forgotten Valentine was still in the WWF!
Match Review: Valentine goes to a wristlock, but IRS makes the ropes quickly. Valentine shoulderblocks him, and goes to a headlock as this match takes a more…wrestling approach than the others I suppose. Valentine hits IRS with another shoulderblock, and hip tosses him as well. A clothesline knocks IRS out to the floor, but he gets back in there and goes to work with some forearms. Valentine sunset flips him for 2, follows with a bodyslam, and back out to the floor he goes. Valentine follows this time, sends IRS back in there, and IRS stomps on him. IRS puts the Hammer in an abdominal stretch, which he hip tosses his way out of. IRS hits Valentine with a big clothesline, and drops an elbow for 2. To the chinlock IRS goes, and there’s a backbreaker. Now he heads up to the top, and Valentine gets up in time to slam him down. IRS misses a charge to the corner as well, so Valentine goes to work on the leg. The crowd pops because he’s going for the FIGURE-FOUR, but IRS makes the ropes. Valentine pulls him away, misses an elbow drop, and responds with a shin-breaker. Valentine headbutts IRS down low, goes for the hold again, and this time IRS cradles him up for the victory at 7:07.
My Thoughts: This was a very dull match that the crowd didn’t care at all about. Valentine did try to spice things up at the end, but he wasn’t over enough for people to even want him to beat IRS. That’s just the way it goes sometimes, I suppose. * and finally on to the main event. Good way to make sure the crowd expended no energy.
THE MATCH MADE IN HELL: Sgt. Slaughter, Gen. Adnan, and Col. Mustafa vs. The Ultimate Warrior & Hulk Hogan (WWF Champion) with SID JUSTICE AS SPECIAL REFEREE
Pre-Match Thoughts: I really dislike that this match even needed to happen. There was really no reason for it to. Warrior would have been better off facing Jake Roberts here, and they could have done the Desert Storm match between Hogan and Slaughter. That’s just how I feel anyway. Sometime before this show, the Ultimate Warrior submitted an infamous letter to Vince McMahon, in which he made some demands for equal treatment and pay to Hulk Hogan. Vince did agree to those terms…until this show was over. Hogan wasn’t ripped at all anymore and was so obviously off the juice. Still looked to be in good shape though! Now, as for the steroid policy, uh, this Sid guy…
Match Review: The bell rings, but the Triangle of Terror is stalling. This is taking up a large portion of the match. Hogan and Slaughter will commence with the action, as Bobby Heenan rants about Ric Flair. Sid takes a belt away from Slaughter, who gets balder by the day. Sarge hits Hogan with some clubbing shots, but Hogan throws him hard into the corner and hits him with punches. Sarge pinballs back and forth from Hogan to Warrior, Hogan knocks the other guys off the apron, and Warrior tags in for a double clothesline. Warrior gives Sarge an inverted atomic drop, and goes back out after a double big boot. Sarge gets rammed into the post for 2, as Mustafa breaks the cover. Hogan hits Sarge with a running elbow, and Warrior comes in for a gut shot. Hogan tags back in, goes up to the second rope, and hits Sarge with a double axehandle for 2. Hogan clotheslines Sarge in the corner, as the crowd is totally dead. I wonder why. Sid winds up stopping Hogan from a choke, and threatens him with disqualification. Sarge finally gets in some offense with some punches, and tags in Adnan for the first time. Adnan RAKES THE BACK, and Mustafa gets in there for a gutwrench suplex. He puts Hogan in the CAMEL CLUTCH, and Monsoon cuts Piper off from referencing Hogan’s title victory at MSG. Smart, but too late. Sarge tags in for a backbreaker that gets 2, and goes to a choke that Sid has to break. Sarge throws Hogan into Sid, which makes both of them mad, but nothing happens. Sarge heads up top, but Warrior pushes him to the canvas and is able to make the tag in. He hits Sarge with clotheslines, then Sid has to run into position for a spot where he and Warrior collide. That was…bad. Sarge attacks Warrior from behind and tags in Adnan, who scratches the back more. Mustafa gets back in there, only for Warrior to suplex him. Sarge quickly tags in and chokes Warrior, following with a clothesline. Warrior hits him with his own flying clothesline, and rolls over for the tag! Three punches by Hogan on Sarge, and there’s the big boot. He hits Adnan, Warrior runs in for punches to the two jabronis, and Hogan rams Slaughter into the turnbuckle. Warrior has a chair and chases Adnan and Mustafa to the back, as Hogan throws powder in Slaughter’s face. Leg drop by Hogan, a somewhat fast count, and that’s the victory at 12:38!
The match was over, but Hogan wanted to call Sid out there to pose with him. What a benevolent champion. These two guys as Mega Powers II would have been hilarious. You know, if not for Flair coming in, this is the spot where you have Sid attack Hogan and create a series of house show matches and a Survivor Series main event.
My Thoughts: That was a truly brutal PPV main event if there ever was one, one of the worst the WWF had put on in years. I found absolutely nothing about this slightly interesting. Maybe it would have been if Warrior wasn’t due to be suspended by the WWF for his power play. I’m really glad this Slaughter bullshit is over, I couldn’t bear it for much longer. The WWF simply didn’t have any other top heels to use on this show, even though they really should have. 3/4* is my rating. I wonder what they intended to do with Sid, too. Sid wanted to be a heel, but Vince was fairly intent on pushing Sid as a babyface until he relented and let Sid do what he wanted to do. I find that the upcoming era of the WWF featured the most talent, even though the boom period was well and truly over. Sid and Hogan posed for a really long time as well, I suppose they were making sure fans got their money’s worth with the length of the PPV.
Now the Mountie is in the slammer, and his cell mate told him to shut up. His other cellie was a BIG GAY GUY. YES, WHAT A GREAT JOKE. I’m sure people thought that was hilarious, and Heenan had to cover his face to keep from laughing.
THE MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN
For obvious reasons, this is just too sad to watch now. The live report said that people were leaving during the wedding and that it wasn’t all that interesting. Maybe people assumed they were married all along. This is the first time I’ve skipped out on watching anything because I just can’t do it. That’s the show!
This was aired on a Superstars episode following SummerSlam, but it’s very relevant to the show. This is the RECEPTION. This gave off the pretense of absolutely nothing untoward taking place. Until it was time to open presents, that is. Savage opened a blender in typical Macho Man fashion, and Elizabeth took the next presents. BUT LOOK, THERE’S A COBRA IN THE BOX.The Undertaker then hits Savage over the head with his urn, and Jake Roberts walks over to harass Elizabeth with the VENOMOUS SNAKE. SID SHOWS UP THOUGH, AND TELLS HIM TO GIT OUTTA HERE.
SummerSlam wasn’t quite a financial success, but for me it’s a great show for nostalgia purposes. Wrestling wise there are only a few strong matches, but there are also only two or three bad matches. The WWF was headed for a really good creative period, or at least that’s my perspective of it. The reason it didn’t draw was probably down to the steroid trial and erosion of the fanbase after the Sgt. Slaughter stuff. All in all, a solid show with nostalgia taken out of the equation. Mr. Perfect vs. Bret Hart was also a better match than fans would usually get when ordering a WWF PPV. Next up for me is Clash of the Champions 16!
Wrestling Time: 1:23:29. This is actually quite a lot, at the previous SummerSlam there was almost 20 minutes less wrestling. Longer matches are better than the quantity of matches.
Best: Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect. It would be the best thing on a lot of shows, and showed that the WWF was headed towards a new era.
Worst: Natural Disasters vs. Bushwhackers. Terrible match, with a sad use of a legend at the end.
Card Rating: 7/10. Taking the wedding reception into account as well, this was a good show. Bad main event, but the babyfaces went over in all the big matches and shut those programs down. New ones were ahead!
