Live from Atlantic City, NJ
Airdate: March 27, 1988
Attendance: 18,165 (17,000 paid)
Hosted by Gorilla Monsoon & Jesse “The Body” Ventura
Due to the chicanery and shenanigans perpetrated by DiBiase and André, the WWF title was declared vacant by WWF President Jack Tunney. Hence, a tournament will crown a new WWF champion tonight.
Taped from Landover, MD
Airdate: January 2, 1988 (taped 12/7)
Attendance: 11,000
Hosted by Vince McMahon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura
To begin the show, Roberts welcomes us to 1988 and cuts a promo on Sika.
Afterward, Valentine and Hart tell Koko B. Ware jokes.
In case you didn’t know them, here’s a quick snippet by the tag champs.
Slick then speaks up for his Bolsheviks.
Next, Heenan, in a neck brace, informs us that André will be in Bundy’s corner for tonight’s title match.
In response, Hogan, sans fringe, shoots down Bundymania.
Live from Richfield, OH
Airdate: November 26, 1987
Attendance: 21,000
Hosted by Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura
WWF’s message to all the cool kids in 1987: “Starrcade who? We’ve got something RAD!”
Was Strike Force always meant to be broken up the minute they got together? They certainly didn’t last very long despite being popular. Plus, it’s not like pretty boy tag teams were going out of style at the time (hello Rockers). Or was Vince that in love with with the model gimmick that he felt it was worth the sacrifice.
I know it’s hard to believe with the intense buildup and well-crafted interviews that they gave to set up the team ("We’re gonna STRIKE with lightning FORCE!") but yeah, poor Tito was always just the designated goober who Martel was turning on. But I mean, it’s just Tito Santana and it was easy for him to get himself back to the previous level he started at anyway.