The Chrononaut Chronicles – WWE 24/7: WWF @ Madison Square Garden – Monday, February 20, 1989
– Since this month is all about WrestleMania on WWE 24/7, we get this cool old-school MSG house show on the road to WrestleMania V, hosted by Rod Trongaard & Lord Alfred Hayes.
– Iron Mike Sharpe vs. Jim Powers
Iron Mike is introduced as “Canada’s Strongest Man” while Powers comes out to “Crank It Up”; was it ever explained why the Young Stallions used a theme sung by heel manager Jimmy Hart, or were we not supposed to recognize his voice? Powers refuses a handshake and Sharpe does some of his world-class stalling before grabbing a headlock, but Powers escapes and avoids Sharpe’s ill-advised dropkick attempt to take control while the commentators discuss the Powers Of Pain & Mr. Fuji vs. Demolition handicap match coming up at WrestleMania V. Vertical suplex gets a two-count and Powers works over Sharpe’s unprotected arm, but Sharpe gets tied in the ropes Andre-style and boots Powers when he charges at him. Iron Mike batters the Young Stallion until Powers mounts a comeback and barely touches Sharpe with a dropkick to knock him down for a near-fall. Sharpe reverses an Irish-whip and sets for a back-bodydrop, but Powers wraps up Sharpe in a small package for the 1-2-3. * – not long enough to be too offensive, just the typical opening match on a WWF house show in the ’80s.
– The Brooklyn Brawler vs. The Red Rooster
I believe this will be the first Red Rooster match I’ve ever recapped, so please excuse the requisite “MAN what a stupid gimmick” comment, but MAN WHAT A STUPID GIMMICK! And no, the fact that people still remember the gimmick doesn’t make it successful; people still remember Fonzie jumping over a shark, does that mean it was a good thing? Trongaard recalls that the Brawler sucker-punched the Rooster in the Prime Time Wrestling studio to set up this match as the Brawler introduces Bobby Heenan, who walks out and distracts the Rooster while Steve Lombardi attacks Terry Taylor from behind to start. Rooster mounts a comeback and unloads, but Brawler counters a back-bodydrop with a kick to the face and removes his dirty tattered Yankees t-shirt to choke Rooster with it. Brawler puts the shirt back on and controls Rooster with a chinlock as Taylor keeps trying to fight out and finally escapes, but Lombardi takes him right back down in the chinlock. The Rooster finally escapes for good, but the Brawler clotheslines him over the top rope and the Rooster comes back in with a sunset flip for a two-count as the crowd is surprisingly hot. Rooster backslides Brawler for another hot near-fall, but the Brawler gouges the Rooster in the throat and goes back to the chinlock. Taylor back-suplexes out of it and lifts Lombardi for a bodyslam, but the Brawler crashes down on top of him for two and reapplies the chinlock until the Rooster pecks his way out and shows great babyface fire as he mounts a comeback. The Rooster unloads on the Brawler and knocks him out to the apron with the patented Fivearm flying forearm before suplexing him back in, but Heenan grabs Rooster’s leg and Brawler crashes down on top of him to steal the pinfall, which is the same finish the Brain would use at WMV to help Rick Rude pin the Ultimate Warrior. See, if Warrior had done his homework, he wouldn’t have fallen for that trick. Afterwards, Heenan runs away while the Rooster clears the Brawler from the ring with a dropkick and protests the decision. **½ – surprisingly good, actually, as Taylor showed great babyface fire and got the crowd hot while Lombardi was solid in his role. This, of course, set up the epic Rooster/Heenan match at WrestleMania V.
– Akeem vs. Big John Studd
Slick and his awesome “Jive Soul Bro” entrance theme accompany the African Dream while Big John gets a good reaction in his first match back in MSG since late 1986. Studd takes the early advantage and armdrags Akeem, but Akeem clubs away to fell the big redwood and wrenches his back attempting a bodyslam. Akeem keeps pounding away and tries another bodyslam, but his back gives out and Studd lands on top for a two-count. Big John unloads on Akeem and clotheslines him over the top rope as they slug it out on the floor and the referee counts them both out. Afterwards, Studd roars that he didn’t come back to MSG for a double-countout and drags Akeem back in the ring as he follows through on his threat to impressively bodyslam the 450-pound African Dream. *¾ – solid “clash of the titans” type match with a bullshit finish. There was no reason Studd couldn’t have pinned Akeem considering he won the 1989 Royal Rumble and Akeem was mainly a tag team wrestler at the time.
– The Brooklyn Brawler inexplicably gets MORE mic time as he comes out to brag about beating the Red Rooster and offers a rematch anytime, anyplace.
– The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers vs. The Bushwhackers
No Jimmy Hart, but the Rougeaus are accompanied by their tremendous “All American Boys” entrance song as all four men brawl to start and the Bushwhackers whip the Rougeaus into each other before Jacques & Raymond bail out. Luke & Butch play to the crowd as Jacques blindsides Luke, but the Bushwhackers drive the Rougeaus from the ring again and work the crowd some more with their usual antics. I didn’t know it at the time, but it’s amazing how Vince took a pair of notoriously violent rulebreakers like the Sheepherders and got them over as friendly fun-loving babyfaces in the WWF using many of the same mannerisms they did as heels. Raymond applies an abdominal stretch on Butch, but Luke bites Ray’s ass to save his cousin and Butch bites Jacques’ derriere as the Rougeaus stall and complain to the referee about being bitten. In a funny bit, Butch points out to the ref that Luke doesn’t have any teeth and therefore is innocent. Jacques offers a handshake, but Luke punches him and Jacques fires back with a beautiful dropkick as the Rougeaus isolate Luke and choke him with the tag rope behind the ref’s back. The Rougeaus control Luke with double-teams, frequent tags, and illegal switching until Luke finally makes the tag, but the ref didn’t see it and ushers Butch back out while the Rougeaus set up a double-team. However, Luke ducks and Jacques accidentally nails Raymond with a flying kneelift off the ropes before the hot tag is officially made to Butch, who marches in and cleans house on both Rougeaus. Raymond trips up Butch from ringside and Jacques covers him, but Luke hits Jacques and Butch rolls on top for the three-count as the crowd erupts. Damn they’re hot tonight. *** – great comedy match with good tag team psychology, as the Bushwhackers and the Rougeaus were perfect foils for each other and meshed well together, plus the fans loved it.
– “Ravishing” Rick Rude vs. Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake
Bobby Heenan seconds Rick Rude, who addresses the crowd as “inner-city swampsows” when he removes his robe to show us “the body that made the Ultimate Warrior look like a little boy”. I miss you, Ravishing Rick. Rude tries to intimidate Beefcake with a double-bicep pose, but Brutus motions for Rick to kiss his ass and overpowers him early on, so Rude bails out and Beefcake stomps Heenan’s hand on the apron when he’s not paying attention. Back inside, the Barber pounds the Ravishing One until Rude takes him out of the corner with an inverted atomic drop to gain the advantage and applies a chinlock, but Beefcake fights out and goes for a splash off the ropes. However, Rude gets the knees up (I guess Brutus learned that splash from Ricky Steamboat) and goes back to the chinlock, but switches to a choke while Heenan distracts the referee. Stomachbreaker gets a two-count and Rude chinlocks Beefcake again as Brutus battles out and attempts a piledriver, but Ravishing Rick back-bodydrops out of it and clubs away. This time it’s Rude who uses the Steamboat Splash as Beefcake gets the knees up, but Rude rakes the eyes to blind Brutus and ducks the Barber’s wild swings until Brutus outsmarts him and drills him with an inverted atomic drop. Brutus unloads on Rick and clamps on his trademark sleeperhold, but Rude gets his foot over the bottom rope just before his arm drops for the third time. Lord Alfred accuses the Brain of putting Rick’s leg on the rope even though that wasn’t the case as Rude leverages Beefcake face-first into the turnbuckle and dives off the top turnbuckle with a fistdrop for a near-fall, but Beefcake rolls up Rude to score the pin and the crowd loves it. Afterwards, Rude dumps Beefcake through the ropes and flees the scene when the Barber comes back in with scissors in hand. **½ – solid stuff, although if this had happened a year or two later (barring Beefcake’s accident) I bet it would have been a PPV main event and they could have hit ***+ as both guys were really coming into their own in terms of ringwork.
– It must be intermission time as Sean Mooney interviews the Fabulous Rougeaus, who issue a challenge for a rematch with Dino Bravo in their corner if the Bushwhackers can find someone to join them.
– Mooney recaps how Greg Valentine recently attacked Jim Neidhart during a match against the Honky Tonk Man and interviews the Anvil, who vows to rip off the Hammer’s shinguard tonight and “do the wild thing” all over him. Eww.
– Mooney interviews WWF Champion Randy Savage, who refers to MSG as the home of Macho Madness and promises to preview what he’ll do to Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania V when he hurts the Ultimate Warrior tonight.
– King Haku vs. Rick Martel
Bobby Heenan comes out with Haku and demands that everybody stand up to pay respect to the King, but the crowd just boos as the Brain suggests the microphone must not be working. This is Rick Martel’s first match back in MSG after his injury as he withstands an early ambush and snaps off some hiptosses and armdrags to send Haku scurrying out to the floor. Back inside, Martel works over the arm until Haku breaks the armbar, but Martel rolls him up for a two-count and armdrags him back into the armbar. Martel hammerlocks the arm and rams the shoulder into the turnbuckle, but Haku breaks out again and Martel springs off the middle turnbuckle with a crossbody for two as he goes right back to the armbar until Haku sidesteps a charge and Martel goes sailing through the ropes. Haku cinches in a front-facelock in the ring and pounds the neck area, but Martel hits a crossbody for two and Haku goes back to the front-facelock until Martel breaks it by ramming Haku into the corner a few times. Martel sets for a back-bodydrop, but Haku clubs him across the neck and scores a near-fall off a shoulderbreaker before applying the dreaded trapezius nervepinch and going back to the front-facelock. Martel counters into a small package for two and even executes a vertical suplex, but Haku tenaciously holds onto the front-facelock until Martel jars him with an inverted atomic drop and they slug it out as the future Model mounts a comeback. Back-bodydrop and a backbreaker each get two and Martel applies an abdominal stretch, but Haku hiptosses out and misses a sweet somersault splash off the ropes. Martel locks Haku in the Boston Crab, but the bell rings as the 20-minute time limit has expired. Oh, that old chestnut. Afterwards, Martel drives the King out of the ring with a pair of dropkicks. **¾ – good psychology with Martel’s early arm work and Haku going after Martel’s injured neck, and the finish made sense as both guys needed to be kept strong going into WrestleMania.
– Greg “The Hammer” Valentine vs. Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart
The Anvil pounds the Hammer to start and tries to remove the shinguard, but Valentine bails out and takes the advantage with a forearm blast off the top turnbuckle for a two-count. Neidhart comes back with shoulderblocks, but runs into a knee and Valentine drops the elbow for two. Valentine ruthlessly zeroes in on Neidhart’s leg and works it over until the Anvil fights back and scoops him up for a bodyslam, but the knee gives out and the Hammer lands on top for two as he goes back to work on the damaged joint. Valentine adjusts the shinbrace and tries to hook the figure-four, but Neidhart rakes the eyes to stop him and Valentine tries the figure-four again. However, Neidhart kicks him off and uncorks a nice dropkick as he unloads on Valentine and gives him a taste of his own medicine by wrapping his leg around the ringpost. The Anvil keeps trying to remove the shinguard and the referee intervenes, but Neidhart shoves the ref off while Valentine removes the brace himself and whacks Neidhart with it for the 1-2-3. ** – nice stiff little match-up that told a good story and helped to build up the Hart Foundation reunion against the Hammer & Honky Tonk Man at WrestleMania V.
– Non-Title: “Macho Man” Randy Savage vs. The Ultimate Warrior
This non-title bout is champion vs. champion as the Macho Man is the WWF Champion and the Ultimate Warrior is the Intercontinental Champion. Savage pounces on Warrior as soon as he steps through the ropes, but Warrior no-sells it and knocks Savage to the floor with a flying shoulderblock off the ropes as the fans are electric. Warrior presses Savage back into the ring, but Savage scurries back out and lures Warrior outside again in order to slide back inside first and attack the Warrior as he’s sliding in. The Macho Man dives off the top turnbuckle with a flying bodypress, but the Ultimate One catches him and hangs him in the TREE OF WOE as he stomps away and throws chops when Savage regains his proper vertical base. Warrior unloads on Savage until he misses a charge in the corner and Savage knocks him through the ropes with a knee to the back before diving off the top turnbuckle with the flying double-axhandle all the way out to the floor. That’s still f*cking awesome no matter what year it is. Back inside, Savage snaps Warrior’s throat across the top rope and chokes away for a two-count as he follows up with a kneedrop to the throat for two and continues to focus his attack on the Intercontinental Champion’s throat. The Warrior breaks free of a chinlock, but Savage clotheslines him down for two and connects with the flying double-axhandle off the top for barely a one-count as Warrior does the power-kickout and reverses a vertical suplex for two.
Rick Rude appears at ringside and starts flexing, but the Warrior actually remains focused and lands an atomic drop for a near-fall as the WWF Champion gets his foot over the bottom rope. In an unintentionally funny moment, Warrior stops to argue with the referee just as Lord Alfred is praising him for not letting Rude distract him. Savage rolls up Warrior with a handful of tights for a near-fall and Warrior faceplants him, but Savage gets the knees up when Warrior goes for a splash off the ropes. At least it makes sense for Warrior to use a splash since he always does it. Macho covers for a near-fall and pounds away, but the Warrior no-sells and hulks-up as he levels Savage with a clothesline and plants him with a running powerslam. Instead of going for the pin, Warrior goes after Rude at ringside and Savage drops the double-axhandle off the top as the ref counts Warrior out and the WWF Champion wins via countout. Afterwards, Rude & Savage shake hands and embrace (what a heel combo they could have made in the early ’90s) but the Warrior returns to send the crowd home happy by hurling the Macho Man over the top rope and Gorilla-Pressing the Ravishing One. ***¾ – really good Savage/Warrior match as they always had good chemistry together and I loved the classic Savage psychology of targeting the throat, but I hated the finish because Warrior was able to ignore Rude… right until the end, when he randomly went out after him. It looked like maybe Rude missed his cue to interfere or something. Other than that, really entertaining match-up thanks mainly to the Macho Man.
Afterthoughts: Entertaining house show to build to WrestleMania V (“The Mega-Powers EXPLODE!”) with one of, if not the earliest Savage/Warrior match in the WWF and some other midcard programs that would lead to WrestleMania such as Rooster/Brawler, Valentine/Neidhart, and Rougeaus/Bushwhackers. Even Martel/Haku could have been tied into WMV if the commentators had suggested that Heenan wanted Haku to soften up Martel for Strike Force’s big reunion match against the Brain Busters. I remember seeing pictures from this show as a kid in one of the PWI magazines (I think they had a story about Savage possibly joining the Heenan Family because Rude helped him, and a “Battle of the Sex Symbols” recap of Beefcake/Rude) so it was pretty cool to finally see it. Thanks WWE 24/7!
