Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, and Roddy Piper are in the booth, and they are live from New York City, New York. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the show took place on Monday, August 26 and drew a crowd of 17,474, 15,643 paid for their tickets. The show had an estimated buyrate of 2.70 (an estimated 405,000 buys), a decline from the 3.80 buyrate (and 507,000 buys) that the previous year’s SummerSlam drew.
The opening video package has a great line from Vince McMahon, as he hypes the show’s “Match Made in Heaven” and “Match Made in Hell” as nuptials turning to napalm.
Opening Contest: The Dragon, the Texas Tornado & the British Bulldog defeat Power & Glory & the Warlord (w/Slick) when the Dragon pins Paul Roma with the flying body press at 10:43:
The heel team gets no entrance, a consideration for time and their lack of theme music. Hercules has not appeared on television since the June 16 edition of Wrestling Challenge, taken off the road for a drug-related suspension. Aside from the Dragon, everyone involved in this match is in a worse spot than they were a year prior. The Tornado is nowhere near the Intercontinental title, the Bulldog is reeling from a loss to Colonel Mustafa, Power & Glory are not longer strong contenders for the tag titles, and the Warlord is winning squashes but doing nothing of note. The Dragon becomes the whipping boy for the heels, giving the Tornado a hot tag after the Warlord’s dive off the second rope eats boot. The Tornado’s offensive flurry is not very inspired, leading to the Bulldog tagging in. The Warlord lifts the Bulldog for a slam, leading to the Tornado doing a discus punch on the Warlord to help his partner but that only gets two. Roma gets the tag but runs right into the Bulldog’s running powerslam. There is some miscommunication after that as the Warlord forgets to break up the pin, so Roma kicks out of the Bulldog’s protected finisher. After that, the Bulldog tags the Dragon, who flies off the top rope and pins Roma following the flying body press. This was fine, but there was nothing special about it. Rating: **
Sean Mooney interviews Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect and Coach. Perfect frames the upcoming title bout as a battle between execution and perfection.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Bret Hart (17-0-3) defeats Mr. Perfect (Champion w/Coach) (17-3) via submission to the Sharpshooter to win the title at 18:03:
These two had a feud in 1989 during Bret’s second aborted singles push, putting on a series of great house show matches that helped build Perfect as a strong upper midcard heel. To return the favor, Perfect fought through a back injury to make this show and put Bret over. One of the highlights of the match is the commentary as Monsoon calls the match straight, Heenan cheers for his former charge, and Piper openly cheers for Bret. The middle portion of the match slows down, as is typical of many Perfect bouts of this era, and there is a big pop when Bret kicks out of the Perfectplex. That cues the moves of doom, with the crowd buying into many of the near-falls as finishes. The best piece of the match is the finish, as Coach distracts Bret from applying the Sharpshooter and Perfect gets cocky by leg dropping Bret’s groin multiple times. He does it one time too many, though, and Bret grabs Perfect’s leg, applies the Sharpshooter on the canvas, and turns it over to win his first singles title in the WWF. In a final indignity, Bret rips off Perfect’s tights on Perfect’s way out of the ring, putting them over his shoulder as he raises title over his head for fans to see. This bout is a template for how to put over a new star and Bret’s stock only went up from here. It is a great match that stands the test of time. Rating: ****¼
In a funny bit, Lord Alfred Hayes goes to interview Stu and Helen Hart, who are in the audience. Hayes asks Stu for his thoughts as Bret hugs his parents. Stu starts to speak and Hayes cuts him off after he says two words.
Gene Okerlund interviews the Bushwhackers and Andre the Giant. They vow to lick the Natural Disasters into submission and then feed them to Andre, who says that will be his revenge.
The Natural Disasters (w/Jimmy Hart) (7-0) beat the Bushwhackers (w/Andre the Giant) (15-2) when Earthquake pins Luke after the Earthquake Splash at 6:27:
The commentators keep selling the story that Andre is an equalizer in the Bushwhacker’s corner but since Andre is on crutches hardly anyone considers him to be effective at stopping anything. There are some fun spots in the beginning where the Bushwhackers whip the Disasters into each other, use Earthquake to give a Battering Ram to Typhoon, and knock Earthquake down with a double clothesline. After that, the match becomes an extended squash for the Disasters as they beat on Butch, shake off a hot tag segment where the Bushwhackers unleash more Battering Rams, and Earthquake takes out both opponents by himself when he gives Butch a backbreaker on the floor in front of Andre and finishes Luke in the ring with an Earthquake Splash. Not a great bout, but it got the Disasters over as one of the premier teams in the division. The match was also Andre the Giant’s last pay-per-view appearance. Rating: *
After the match, the Disasters try to go after Andre but the Legion of Doom come to his defense. This establishes the next big program in the tag team division.
Heenan is seen knocking on Hulk Hogan’s dressing room door with the NWA World Heavyweight Championship Belt in tow. Heenan issues a challenge on behalf of Ric Flair but before he can finish his speech, Hogan slams the door in his face, giving Monsoon and Piper a laugh.
Randy Savage is shown talking on the WWF Hotline about how he is nervous about getting married.
Sean Mooney talks with Ted DiBiase and Sensational Sherri. DiBiase says that he has a crying towel ready for Virgil after their upcoming match.
Million Dollar Championship Match: Virgil (13-0) beats Ted DiBiase (Champion w/Sensational Sherri) (18-2-1) after taking DiBiase to an exposed turnbuckle twice to win the title at 11:30:
Heenan returns to the commentary table, giving Monsoon and Piper a chance to chide him for his altercation with Hulk Hogan earlier. After Virgil misses a pescado, DiBiase goes on offense for the next five minutes but is trapped in the Million Dollar Dream out of nowhere. That causes Sensational Sherri to run in and hit Virgil in the back of her head with her purse. That appears to trigger a disqualification but referee Earl Hebner orders Sherri back to the dressing room and the match to continue. The restart starts with Virgil firing away but it does not take long for Hebner to get bumped into the corner on an Irish whip spot. DiBiase suplexes Virgil several times and piledrives him. Then, DiBiase takes the corner turnbuckle pad off but when he tries to take Virgil to the exposed steel, his former charge reverses, takes DiBiase to it twice, and then crawls over to cover and win the title to a massive pop. It marks the first – and only – time that someone other than DiBiase would hold the Million Dollar Championship until 1996. The match was average because of Virgil’s limitations, but it told a good story and was easily the highlight of Virgil’s career. The added drama was worth an extra ½* from me, but for others it is worth more. Rating: **½
After recapping the Big Bossman-Mountie feud, Okerlund interviews the Mountie, who demands that the local police be rough with the Bossman after he loses the Jailhouse Match.
Mooney talks with the Bossman. The Bossman says that the Mountie needs to beg God for help to get through a night in jail.
Jailhouse Match: The Big Bossman (27-0-1) pins the Mountie (w/Jimmy Hart) (22-0-1) after an Alabama Slam at 9:38:
The Bossman has had some good pay-per-view matches in 1991 but this is not one of them because the match meanders between strikes and the pace stalls on a few occasions. The placement of the match does not help either as the crowd is recovering from the emotional roller coaster of the last bout. After a piledriver, the Mountie tries to use the shock stick but the Bossman blocks with an uppercut. The Mountie surprisingly kicks out of the Bossman Slam. After tripping the Bossman, the Mountie goes for another piledriver but the Bossman counters with an Alabama Slam and scores the win in a match that had little heat. Rating: *½
As per pre-match stipulations, New York City police come to the ring, handcuff the Mountie, and begin hauling him to jail with the Bossman’s assistance as he screams that this cannot be done to him.
Okerlund is interrupted by Ted DiBiase and Sensational Sherri, who are upset about the outcome of the Million Dollar Championship Match. DiBiase argues that his property was stolen.
Sean Mooney catches up with Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart. Bret says that Mr. Perfect was not good enough to beat him, proving that no one is perfect.
Okerlund chats with a flummoxed Jimmy Hart, who is concerned about the Mountie. The Natural Disasters warn Legion of Doom that they are going to chew them up and spit them out.
Mooney interviews the Big Bossman, who says that the Mountie is now a jailbird.
Okerlund finds Randy Savage as he gets dressed for his wedding. Savage is on the Hotline and cannot talk, so Okerlund starts going to Elizabeth’s dressing room, but Savage puts a quick stop to that. This triggers an intermission for viewers.
The police vehicle with the Mountie pulls up to jail, who screams about his rights as he is lead into the facility.
Mooney interviews WWF Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys and Jimmy Hart. In a twist from promos leading up to the show, the Nasties made it seem like the stipulations for the tag team title match favor the Legion of Doom, alleging that the Legion worked with WWF President Jack Tunney to conspire against them.
Back in jail, the Mountie resists having his jail taken until he is tricked to look up when the camerawoman says the Bossman must have kicked his butt.
Okerlund talks with the Legion of Doom, who are already looking forward to facing the Natural Disasters. They say that they are ready to face the Disasters at any time. Hawk promises that after the tag team title match, the
The Mountie resists getting his fingerprint taken, hilariously flipping the bird to the police when they ask for his fingers.
Mooney interviews Sergeant Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa, and General Adnan. Slaughter repeats prior claims that Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior are too weakened to face them. He also implies that one more surprise might exist for them in the “Match Made in Hell.”
Okerlund interviews Sid Justice, who is annoyed that people keep asking him what side he stands on for the SummerSlam main event. Okerlund shows footage of Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa, and General Adnan chatting with Sid earlier in the day, trying to get him to join their corps. Sid argues that he never promised Slaughter and his allies anything and he will make sure justice is served in the ring.
No Count Out, No Disqualification Match for the WWF Tag Team Championship: The Legion of Doom (14-0) defeat the Nasty Boys (Champions w/Jimmy Hart) (19-2) when Animal pins Jerry Sags to win the titles at 7:46:
Since the match is no disqualification, it should be more of a Texas tornado-like bout but instead it is wrestled under conventional rules and referee Joey Marella demands that only one man can be in the ring at a time. The Nasties even work in cheating behind the referee’s back, which also makes no sense with the stipulation. Hawk is placed in peril after the Nasties use hair spray in his eyes, but Animal makes the save after the Sags flying elbow. That leads to Animal getting the hot tag but that is cut off when Sags blasts him with a motorcycle helmet. Animal kicks out at two, though, and Hawk gets a hold of the helmet from Hart, blasts each Nasty Boy, and the Legion win the titles after the Doomsday Device. That makes them the first – and only – team to win the AWA, NWA, and WWF tag team titles. This should have been booked as a wild, chaotic brawl. Instead, it played more to the weaknesses of the teams rather than their strengths and ended up a mess. And the stipulations barely factored into the match. Rating: *½
The Mountie is thrown into a cell, continuing to scream and trying to run away.
Monsoon announces that Survivor Series will take place on November 27.
Irwin R. Schyster (12-0-2) pins Greg Valentine (15-5-1) with a small package at 7:03:
Monsoon says that Jake Roberts and the Undertaker have been spotted in Madison Square Garden even though they are not booked on the show, leading Heenan to speculate that they could be here to crash Randy Savage’s wedding or continue to mess with the Ultimate Warrior. This match gets the cool down spot before the main event. It is a standard television affair where each man exchanges offense until Valentine gets an opening, drops elbows, and applies the figure-four. However, IRS gets to the ropes. Valentine uses a kneebreaker to set up a second attempt but IRS surprises him with a small package and remains unbeaten. The loss continued Valentine’s slide down the card and this match was his last singles bout on WWF pay-per-view. Rating: **
Okerlund interviews WWF Champion Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior. Hogan and the Warrior promise to destroy Sergeant Slaughter and his corps, arguing that a cobra bite cannot weaken them.
Handicap Match with Sid Justice as the Special Guest Referee: Hulk Hogan & the Ultimate Warrior beat Sergeant Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa & General Adnan when Hogan pins Slaughter after a leg drop at 12:39:
This bout marks the culmination of the Hogan-Slaughter feud, which has been going on since Royal Rumble ’91. And what makes no sense is that it is a “Match Made in Hell” but still has rules because the company did not want to steal the no disqualification stipulation from the tag team title match. Sid calls the match down the middle as promised, hurting Slaughter’s team who are at a talent disadvantage despite outnumbering their opponents. An average match unfolds where Hogan and the Warrior dominate Slaughter early, Slaughter gets a cheap shot after Hogan is forced to break up a choke in the corner, and the heels do some token work on Hogan and the Warrior when they are in peril. The heels are never in a position to seriously win and at the end, Hogan beats up Slaughter in the ring as the Warrior chases Mustafa and Adnan to the locker room with a chair. Hogan throws powder in Slaughter’s eyes, as if that was necessary, and drops the leg as Sid logs a fast count pin. The best thing that can be said about this is that the feud between Hogan and Slaughter is over. Rating: *
After the bell, Hogan poses for the crowd and then welcomes Sid back to the ring to pose. This makes Sid a babyface.
The Mountie screams about wanting his own jail cell as a big inmate comes up to him and asks “Don’t you like the way leather feels against your body?”
A video package recaps the Randy Savage-Elizabeth wedding storyline. Then, they get married without interruption in less than ten minutes!
The Last Word: This was an important show for the company for several reasons. First, three titles changed hands in one night, a first for a WWF pay-per-view. Second, the Ultimate Warrior was fired right after the show by Vince McMahon for presenting a list of demands to be compensated the same as Hulk Hogan and, according to Hulk Hogan and Sergeant Slaughter, demanding $500,000 to participate in the match. That scuttled what was going to be the company’s hottest feud coming out of SummerSlam between the Warrior and Jake Roberts, altering a lot of booking plans for the remainder of the year. And finally, the show cemented Bret Hart’s rise to stardom. The show’s great booking, which sent fans home happy, overcame a poor main event and made this a SummerSlam to remember.
Up Next: WWF Superstars for August 31!
And don’t forget that if you want a recap of the WWF in 1990 or all of the major wrestling promotions in 1995 (WWF, WCW, ECW, SMW, or USWA), you can check out my e-book and paperback collection of books on Amazon. Each book provides reviews for that year, win-loss statistics, angle breakdowns, a timeline of major events, and more.