WWF Main Event '89

“Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews Slick with the Twin Towers. Slick tries to use logic (“wrestling dynamics”) to show that the Twin Towers can defeat the MegaPowers tonight. If he uses the Pythagorean theorem instead, perhaps his team could defeat Hulkamania.

After the Twin Towers make their entrance, a video promoting the MegaPowers is shown. It would seem that Hogan and Savage are quite buddy-buddy. Has harmony returned despite their little squabbles?

Apparently so because Okerlund interviews the MegaPowers who are amped up to tear down the Twin Towers together. 1989 was certainly a different time.

While Elizabeth chose Savage to start the match, Boss Man wanted Hogan instead.
After Hogan nailed Boss Man a couple of times, Slick got up on the apron only to get nailed too.
Add one for Akeem for the trifecta. Place your bets!

Hogan then gave Boss Man an atomic drop that sent him over the top rope to the floor as the Milwaukee faithful went CRAZY!
When Boss Man returned, Hogan gave him the ten-top-turnbuckle count-along.
While Boss Man ducked outside to avoid being pummeled, Savage gave him a double axe handle.
Akeem tagged in and got pinballed between the MegaPowers.

After Hogan staggered Akeem, Savage tagged in, mounted the top turnbuckle, and delivered a double axe handle.
He then whipped Akeem into the corner and gave him a back elbow.
Hogan tagged in, mounted the second turnbuckle, and nailed Akeem with a double axe handle.
It appeared that the MegaPowers were working on all cylinders.

Boss Man tagged in, got reversed on an Irish whip, but delivered a clothesline to Hogan.
He then gave Hogan a piledriver.
Could this be curtains for the MegaPowers?

Not yet, as Boss Man tagged in Akeem rather than pinning Hogan.
Shortly after, Hogan dumped Boss Man over the top rope to the floor. Hey! The Royal Rumble was last month!
Nevertheless, Boss Man pulled Hogan outside the ring, tried to ram him head-first into the ring post, but Hogan rammed him shoulder-first instead.
While Akeem distracted referee Dave Hebner, Slick grabbed Hogan’s leg. Savage took exception and put the boots to Slick.
Boss Man then gave Hogan a spinebuster for 2. Arn Anderson was backstage letting everyone know that his SPINEBUSTER is better. I wouldn’t disagree.

After some miscommunication between the Twin Towers, Savage tagged in and guillotined Akeem using the top rope.
Next, he mounted the top turnbuckle, hit a cross body block, but only got 2 thanks to a save by Boss Man.
While Akeem distracted Hebner again, Slick nailed Savage with the nightstick as he came off the ropes.
Akeem tagged in, and the Twin Towers gave Savage a double back elbow.
Akeem then tossed Savage over the top rope to the floor. These guys can’t seem to remember that this isn’t the Royal Rumble. They need more ginseng in their diet.

Regardless, Savage returned to the ring only for Akeem to toss him out again.
This time, Savage landed on Elizabeth!
When Hogan checked on them, Elizabeth was OUT COLD.
Akeem then brought Savage back into the ring.
After the Twin Towers gave Savage a double slam, they missed a double elbow drop.
Savage then gave them a double noggin knocker.
Meanwhile, Hogan carried Elizabeth back to the dressing room for medical attention.
He placed her on a stretcher while Boss Man tossed Savage back into the ring.
Hogan then took Elizabeth and the paramedics back to the first aid room.
An emotional Hogan then pled for Elizabeth to be OK.
Miraculously, after a commercial break, Elizabeth was OK so Hogan returned to the ring.
When Boss Man tagged in, the Twin Towers gave Savage a double backbreaker.
As Akeem fell out of the ring, Boss Man missed a splash.

Savage then mounted the top turnbuckle and gave Boss Man a double axe handle.
He then tossed Boss Man outside the ring.
When Akeem tried to return, Savage tossed him out of the ring on the other side.
Instead of tagging Hogan, Savage SLAPPED him and made efforts to leave the ring.
The Twin Towers then attempted a double avalanche but came up empty.
Savage then took the WWF title belt and bid Hogan adieu.

In the meantime, Akeem gave Hogan a cross-corner whip followed by an avalanche.
He then hit the 747 but only got 2.
It’s Hulk-up time!
Hogan then gave Akeem the big boot.
After nailing Boss Man, Hogan delivered the leg drop.
1-2-3.

Summary: There is some significant dissension between Savage and Hogan. What happens next?

After the match, Boss Man tries to handcuff Hogan to the top rope, but Hogan rams his head into Slick’s instead. Hogan then goes backstage to check on Elizabeth.

As Hogan walks backstage, he yells “Macho Man.” Concurrently, Savage is in the first aid room telling Elizabeth that the WWF champion is #1. As Savage tells Hogan that he’s “out of line,” he also says that Hogan has “jealous eyes.” Yikes! He then tells Hogan that “man to man, (he) never asked (him) for a title shot.” Next, he accuses Hogan of lusting after Elizabeth. As Hogan pleads with Elizabeth for some sense, Savage ANNIHILATES him with the WWF title belt. WE HAVE A HEEL TURN!

As Elizabeth checks on Hogan, Savage pulls her away and tosses her down. The scoundrel! While Savage is ready to destroy Hulkamania, Brutus Beefcake runs in to take the belt away from him and questions his motives. In response, Savage nails him. That’s what he gets for being nosy.

When officials come in for Hogan, Savage tosses one of them into a wall! Before leaving, Savage knocks over the stretcher and claims to be #1. Due to the drama and historical significance of this segment, I’ll add an extra * to the match.

After a commercial break, Okerlund is in the first aid room as paramedics take care of Hogan. Beefcake remains alongside the Hulkster.

Match 2: The “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase (w/ Virgil) versus Hercules

And now for something completely different…

Before DiBiase can enter the ring, Hercules attacked him on the apron.
He then gave DiBiase an atomic drop followed by a clothesline that sent him to the floor.
Virgil mounted the top turnbuckle, but Hercules caught and slammed him down to the mat.
He then whipped Virgil into DiBiase on the apron.
Following that, he clotheslined Virgil over the top rope to the floor.
He’s not finished as he brought DiBiase back into the ring the hard way.
After a military press slam, Hercules gave DiBiase an atomic drop that sent him to the floor once again.
As DiBiase and Virgil conferred, Hercules gave them a double noggin knocker.
With DiBiase on the apron, Hercules tried to nail him, but DiBiase used momentum to send Hercules to the floor.
He then rammed Hercules face-first into the apron.
Back in the ring, he gave Hercules a clothesline followed by a pair of fist drops for 2.
After a knee to the midsection, DiBiase mounted the second turnbuckle and delivered an elbow smash for another 2.
He then attempted a vertical suplex, but Hercules blocked it and gave him one of his own.
After Hercules reversed a cross-corner whip, he ate boot on his follow-through.
DiBiase then delivered a backbreaker for 2.
All of Hercules’ kick-outs thus far have been overpowering. Methinks Hercules has done some shopping lately.

In any event, Hercules came back to give DiBiase the ten-top-turnbuckle count-along followed by a powerslam.
Virgil then wrapped Hercules’ chain around the top turnbuckle.
But when DiBiase tried to ram Hercules into it, Hercules blocked and rammed him instead.
That should be the finishing touch.

1-2-NO!
While Virgil distracted referee Joey Marella, Hercules rammed DiBiase again into the chained turnbuckle.
He then applied the backbreaker rack.
As Marella unwrapped the chain from the turnbuckle, Virgil interfered.
DiBiase then rolled up the distracted Hercules, grabbed the tights, and got the pin. Sigh.

Summary: DiBiase outsmarted Hercules here in a match I won’t remember tomorrow.

After the match, Hercules slams DiBiase and grabs his chain. Virgil then assists DiBiase backstage.

Back in the first aid room, Okerlund tries to interview a distraught and angry Hogan, but Hogan leaves the room shouting “Randy!”

Before going off the air, Hogan destroys equipment backstage and manhandles Jim Neidhart when looking for Savage in a dressing room. He then asks Shawn Michaels where Savage is and tosses him aside like a rag doll. He then gets in Bret Hart’s face but doesn’t get any answers. As an enraged Hogan continues to shout “Randy,” Marty Jannetty luckily gets out of harm’s way.

Conclusion: Wow! This was a monumental and historic episode with the breakup of the MegaPowers. Savage’s heel turn was absolute perfection while Hogan needs more acting classes. Despite that, if you’ve never seen this show, you owe it to yourself to do so ASAP. If it’s been awhile since you’ve seen it, pull up a chair and enjoy it as this is as good as the WWF gets.