In this Saturday Night’s Main Event 4/28/90 review, The Ultimate Warrior era has begun in the WWF, and his first title defense comes against a henchman of a familiar foe.
Plus, Hulk Hogan makes history against Mr. Perfect. And if you’re a Perfect fan, it’s not the good kind of history.
Let’s jump in.
- Date: April 28, 1990
- Location: Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX
VIDEO: We get a video package hyping the WWF title match between The Ultimate Warrior and Haku, and the big showdown between Hulk Hogan and Mr. Perfect.
RINGSIDE: An old western song starts playing as we cut to Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura, who are both wearing cowboy hats, RIDING UP THE AISLE ON HORSES. This is already the greatest Saturday Night’s Main Event ever. They hype the big matches.
BACKSTAGE: Sean Mooney with Perfect and The Genius. Perfect talks about his sports prowess and mocks Hogan for losing at WrestleMania.
BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene Okerlund with Hogan. He calls Perfect and Genius perfect fools. Hogan gives a motivational speech about getting back up after getting knocked down.
Mr. Perfect (w/The Genius) vs. Hulk Hogan
Vince is all over the Texas theme as he calls this match a shootout. Hogan quickly throws Perfect into the corner and he retreats to the outside. Back inside where Perfect hits a hip toss on Hogan as Genius dances around the ring. Hogan with a hip toss of his own and then he hits several bodyslams to send Perfect retreating once again. Perfect starts going to work on Hogan in the corner and he takes control with punches and chops.
Perfect with an Irish whip and Hogan reverses to try to hit the big boot, but Perfect holds onto the ropes and heads outside. Hogan follows him and throws Perfect into the post as Jesse is losing his shit about Hogan resorting to dirty tactics. They head back in the ring with Hogan hitting a big clothesline and then another in the corner. Hogan with hard rights and chops before hitting another clothesline. Hogan throws Perfect in the corner and hits a running reverse elbow as Perfect flips over to the outside.
Hogan heads outside the ring with more hard punches, and Genius sneaks up behind him. Hogan turns around and delivers a haymaker as Genius slides into the ring. Meanwhile, Perfect grabs the metal scroll and nails Hogan with it as the ref turns his attention to Genius. Perfect gets back in the ring, and Vince lets us know that the TUSSLE IN TEXAS will resume after the break. We return to see Perfect kicking Hogan’s ass on the floor. He throws Hogan into the steel rail before throwing him back in the ring.
Jesse keeps bashing Hogan as Perfect bounces Hogan’s head off the top rope. I mean, he didn’t actually take his head and throw it. That would probably be a felony. Perfect goes for an elbow drop but Hogan moves out of the way. Hogan with several right hands before attempting a back body drop, but Perfect kicks him in the face. Perfect then hits the Perfect Plex, and wouldn’t you know it, Hogan becomes the first person to kick out of it. Hulk up time as he runs wild and hits the big boot and leg drop for the win at 8:03. After the match, Genius tries to hit Hogan with the scroll but gets thrown over the top for his troubles. Hot match with an obvious finish.
• Rating: **1/2
VIDEO: Rick Martel, who is wearing a cowboy hat while sitting on a horse, hypes his new fragrance ‘Arrogance’.
BACKSTAGE: Jesse with Earthquake and Jimmy Hart. Earthquake is going to beat the hell out of Hillbilly Jim.
BACKSTAGE: Gene with Hillbilly Jim. He tells a story about pigs and reading a story about a guy named Earthquake.
Earthquake (w/Jimmy Hart) vs. Hillbilly Jim
Earthquake tries to attack from behind but Hillbilly moves out of the way. Hillbilly rams Earthquake’s head off the turnbuckle several times and hits a few chops before doing a cartwheel. Jesse basically calls Hillbilly an idiot for doing cartwheels, and it’s hard to disagree since Earthquake takes control. But Hillbilly regains the advantage with more chops as Hart climbs on the apron. Hart grabs Hillbilly’s horseshoe, and that allows Earthquake to hit a big splash on Hillbilly in the corner. Earthquake drops and elbow and hits the splash to win it at 1:58. Earthquake hits a few more splashes and elbow drops after the bell, which leads to Hillbilly doing a stretcher job. SQUASH.
• Rating: NR
VIDEO: More hype for ‘Arrogance’. Martel sprays it around and then two women walk out with him.
BACKSTAGE: Jesse with the Hart Foundation. Jesse praises them for challenging for the tag team titles before even knowing who the champs would be after WrestleMania. They hype their match with the Rockers.
BACKSTAGE: Gene with the Rockers. They want a shot at the tag titles too.
The Hart Foundation vs. The Rockers
Bret Hart and Marty Jannetty start things off. Jannetty slides between Hart’s legs and they exchange reversals before Shawn Michaels tags in and flies off the top onto Bret, who flips over to reverse it into a pin for two. Double team moves from Michaels and Jannetty, which leads to Jim Neidhart getting pissed and clocking both of them with a double clothesline. Neidhart tags in and he goes to work on Jannetty. Neidhart with a big shoulder block, but Jannetty quickly counters and hits a drop toe hold.
Michaels back in and he leapfrogs over Neidhart and hits a dropkick for two. Michaels goes for a cross body but Neidhard counters into a bodyslam. Bret back in and he hits the atomic drop before tagging Neidhart, who whips Michaels off the ropes as Bret holds the rope down. Back body drop from Neidhart to Michaels and Bret comes back in and whips Michaels into the corner. Another tag with Neidhart working on Michaels’ back.
Neidhart with some vicious shoulder drives to Michaels’ midsection, which leads to a near fall. Bret tags in but Michael uses the sunset flip for a pin attempt, but the crowd starts going nuts as Demolition make their way down the aisle. Bret hits a backbreaker on Michaels and then turns his attention to Ax and Smash. However, Michaels hops up and dropkicks Bret over the top. Ax and Smash try to help him back in the ring but Bret shoves them away.
Back from commercial with Bret beating up on Michaels. Bret with an Irish whip but Michaels reverses, with Bret caching him with a kick to the face. Bret comes off the top with an elbow, but Michaels moves out of the way and makes the hot tag to Jannetty. The crowd goes apeshit for Jannetty who hits a powerlsam on Bret and then a super kick for a near fall. Jannetty counters an Irish whip attempt and uses a sunset flip for a two count. Jannetty tries to go back on offense but Bret hits a neckbreaker before tagging Neidhart, who catapults over but misses a splash on Jannetty.
Tag to Michaels who gets destroyed by a huge shoulder block by Neidhart for a near fall. Neidhart goes for a back body drop but Michaels hits an elbow to the face for two. Neidhart catches Michaels off the top, with Michaels falling on him for another two count as Neidhart’s kick out sends Michaels to the floor. Ax and Smash rolls Michaels back in which doesn’t please Jannetty as he hits Ax. Jannetty and Smash go it and all six men hit the ring for a good ‘ol fashioned BROUHAHA for the double DQ at 9:30. Despite the DQ finish, this was still a really good match.
• Rating: ***
BACKSTAGE: Mooney with Earthquake and Jimmy Hart. Earthquake says he’s gonna finish Hogan.
BACKSTAGE: Gene with Hogan. He says he’s a Texas tornado and that he’s gonna mow him down. Gene hypes up Earthquake’s strength and we get another speech from Hogan about fighting adversity.
VIDEO: Vince recaps the Hogan/Warrior match from WrestleMania.
BACKSTAGE: Jesse with Haku and Bobby Heenan. They run down Texas, and Heenan talks about the state being known for shit among other things. Haku says he’s gonna win the title, with Heenan running down all the historical figures from Texas.
BACKSTAGE: Gene with Warrior. We get the usual wild promo which includes grains of sand, being chosen to lead warriors into darkness, and threats towards Heenan and Haku. Gene’s facial expression during this entire thing is just pure gold.
Haku (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. (c) The Ultimate Warrior – WWF Title
Haku charges at Warrior and chops away at him, but Warrior uses some kicks to the midsection before hitting a back body drop. Haku rolls outside the ring as Warrior finally takes the belt off. They slide back inside where Warrior hits a shoulder block and ducks a clothesline. More chops from Warrior as he goes to work on Haku’s arm. Warrior then throws Haku over the top.
Warrior chases Haku back into the ring, which allows the latter to take control momentarily before Warrior rams Haku’s head 10 times into the turnbuckle. Multiple clotheslines from Haku and a dropkick to Warrior for a two count. Backbreaker from Haku gets another two. And then Haku hits a back suplex for yet another near fall. Haku with a bodyslam and he delivers a splash for……wait for it…..a two count. Warrior has had enough of this shit as he goes nuts with a clothesline and shoulder block before hitting the splash to retain at 4:49. Successful first title defense for Warrior.
• Rating: *1/2
VIDEO: Martel is playing tennis and he starts spraying ‘Arrogance’ everywhere.
VIDEO: We recap Ted DiBiase attacking the Big Boss Man before his match with Akeem at WrestleMania.
BACKSTAGE: Mooney with Akeem and Slick. They talk about DiBiase giving them an offer they can’t refuse.
BACKSTAGE: Gene with Boss Man. He bashes DiBiase’s money and says there are some things that can’t be bought. He adds that everything is bigger in Texas, including the ass-kicking he’s about to get.
Akeem (w/Slick) vs. Big Boss Man
Boss Man goes right at Akeem and throws him across the ring. Boss Man with the leg drop on Akeem’s neck before he misses a splash in the corner. Akeem whips Boss Man into the opposite corner and hits a huge clothesline. Then we get Akeem using the vaunted ASS SMASH to Boss Man’s face. Akeem with more offense and he hits a big splash, but Boss Man kicks out with authority at two.
Akeem goes for a piledriver, but Boss Man back body drops him over the top. Akeem gets back on the apron and Boss Man flips him into the ring. Boss Man whips Akeem into the corner and catches him for the side slam but here comes DiBiase and Virgil to force the DQ at 3:18. DiBiase and Virgil beat down Boss Man and handcuff him to the corner. Virgil grabs Boss Man’s nightstick and hands it to DiBiase. But Boss Man pulls out the key to the handcuffs and breaks loose to send DiBiase and Virgil scurrying to the back. The match was there to further the hot storyline between DiBiase and Boss Man, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
• Rating: 1/2*
VIDEO: Martel continues to promote ‘Arrogance’ as a hot woman hops in his car. He also insulates that it’ll improve your engine’s performance. Basically Martel was doing his own BlueChew ad read before BlueChew was a thing.
BACKSTAGE: Mooney with Heenan. He says he noticed weaknesses with Warrior and announces that Rick Rude is coming for the WWF title.
BACKSTAGE: Gene with Warrior. He yells about being out of control.
ON THE STAGE: Vince and Jesse hype the Warrior/Rude and Hogan/Earthquake feuds before hopping back on their horses. We also get a hilarious closing visual with Jesse sharing a carrot with a horse.
SHOW SUMMARY
It’s incredible how entertaining wrestling shows can be when they focus on building stories and characters. Saturday Night’s Main Event accomplished just that throughout the years, and this was another example of how to do it effectively by pushing multiple main event feuds, the loaded tag team title scene, and Martel’s awesomeness.
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