In this Saturday Night’s Main Event 3/11/89 review, Elizabeth must make a choice between Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage.
Let’s jump in.
- Show: Saturday Night’s Main Event
- Date: March 11, 1989
- Location: Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, PA
VIDEO: We open with the video showing the Mega Powers exploding and Vince hyping Elizabeth having to choose between whose corner she’ll be in at WrestleMania V.
BACKSTAGE: Bobby Heenan and Rick Rude tell Gene Okerlund that they’re gonna get rid of Brutus Beefcake. Thank goodness.
Rick Rude (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. Brutus Beefcake
Rude has the Warrior on his tights here. Beefcake unloads on Rude early but eventually the better wrestler takes control. A snap suplex from Rude sees the typical Dave Hebner flop all over the ring when he goes for the three count but Beefcake kicks out.
Sleeper hold from Rude, and then we see Andre the Giant walking down the aisle and approaching Heenan. This leads to Rude sending Beefcake to the outside and Andre chokes the life out of him with Hebner’s back turned.
Jake Roberts arrives and Andre breaks the hold on Beefcake. Then we get a brouhaha for the DQ finish at 5:45. Typical storyline advancement with a hot crowd, as the four men go at it after the bell. Big John Studd then makes his way into the ring and he and Andre go toe to toe before Jake throws the snake in the ring to send Andre scurrying.
BACKSTAGE: Jesse Ventura is with Bad News Brown. Bad News don’t give a flying fuck about Hogan and pretty much says that. He also calls him a big dummy and says that Elizabeth may have done “favors” for Jack Tunney. Incredible. You gotta love this guy.
Bad News Brown vs. Hulk Hogan (w/Elizabeth)
Bad News goes straight to work and isn’t here to play around with this Hogan dude. We then get a brawl to the outside and these guys are beating the hell out of each other. Bad News as a brawler was one of the best.
Eventually we work our way to Bad News grabbing a chair and going after Hogan, but Hogan knocks it away and slides back in the ring. Bad News starts searching for something under the ring and then goes to the back as we hit the commercial break.
BAD NEWS IS BACK WITH A SHOVEL OF SOME KIND. Seems fitting when you consider that he’s gonna get buried in this match. Bad News starts kicking Hogan’s ass some more and Hogan kicks out of a near fall. He then gets kicked to the outside as Elizabeth is concerned. Bad News throws Hogan’s head into the apron and chases after Liz. But here comes Hogan to save the day. Unfortunately for him, it resulted in Bad News throwing him into the post.
A cover from Bad News gets a two as Hogan throws the foot under the ropes. BAD NEWS ON THE MIC NOW. He makes fun of Hogan crawling around like a buffoon. Then he goes for the Ghetto Blaster and misses. You know what’s next. We get the hulk up and leg drop for the win at 9:44.
This was actually very good. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as both guys were able to brawl and do what they do best.
BACKSTAGE: Macho Man is pacing around outside of Elizabeth’s dressing room door. Then we go to an interview with Ted DiBiase, who has the Million Dollar belt.
Ted DiBiase (w/Virgil) vs. The Blue Blazer
Good back and forth as Blazer brings some high energy. Pun intended. DiBiase takes advantage and hits an elbow off the top rope. But now the Blazer is on the attack as he sends DiBiase to the outside with a dropkick. Then Blazer hits the dive through the ropes onto DiBiase.
Back in the ring and it’s dropkick city bitch. Blazer is on fire and the crowd loves it. But DiBiase manages to counter the cross body and turns it into a powerslam for the victory at 3:57.
ON THE RAMP: Gene invites Elizabeth to make her DECISION OF A LIFETIME. She stalls and Gene asks her once again for her decision. She says she won’t be in Hogan’s corner, which brings out Randy Savage gloating. Of course, then she says she won’t be in Savage’s corner either. Savage gets ready to go after her and Hogan shows up.
The Brain Busters (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. The Rockers
Arn and Tully attack from behind to start the match. All hell breaks loose and all four find themselves in the ring. Rockers use the kicks to send Arn and Tully to the outside. Pretty fast pace thus far. Heenan gets involved and the ref tosses him. Also a dude that looks like Daniel Bryan is working the camera cord here. Absolute spitting image. Watch this match just to see it.
We return from commercial and we’ve got more back and forth. We get to Jannetty making the hot tag to Michaels and the crowd is all about some Michaels. All four brawl to the outside and the referee has no choice but to count them both out at 9:19. There would be greater matches to come for these two teams.
VIDEO: We get the classic footage of Brooklyn Brawler crashing the Prime Time Wrestling set and attacking Red Rooster and Gorilla Monsoon. Then we go backstage where Heenan hypes up Brawl with Jesse.
Brooklyn Brawler (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. Red Rooster
Brawler starts throwing Rooster around like a rag doll. Heenan is once again mic’d up as Rooster makes his comeback and uses the small package for the quick win at 1:05.
BACKSTAGE: Savage is pissed off and says he’s the champ and needs no one. Then he destroys the dressing room.
OVERALL
Really liked the Hogan/Bad News match, and the build to WrestleMania V was in full effect on this show. Entertaining episode.
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