WWF Saturday Night's Main Event XVII (October 1988)

Original Airdate: October 29, 1988

From Baltimore, Maryland; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura.


Opening Match: Jake Roberts v Rick Rude: Jake brings wife Cheryl with him, as this was another chapter in the year long Jake/Rude feud, where Rude tried to make sexual advances on Cheryl. Rude, in full heel mode (does he have another?) wears tights with Cheryl's face airbrushed across his dick. That really sets off Jake, and he charges in. DDT attempt, but Rude slithers to the floor to regroup with manager Bobby Heenan. Inside, Jake tries the short-clothesline, but gets reversed, and Rude showboats for Cheryl. That strategy eventually backfires, distracting him enough for Jake to jab away. Gutbuster, and he holds Rude for Cheryl to slap - something she likely had quite a bit of experience doing in her everyday married life. It backfires, though, as the referee threatens disqualification, and Jake has to go out and handle his woman. That allows Rude to post him, but Jake DRINKS UP!! Backdrop! DDT! but Rude counters with a backdrop of his own, and drops a visually impressive flying kneedrop for two. Rude Awakening, but Jake bites to counter, and drops him with the DDT. He decides to tear the tights off Rude instead of going for the pin, though, drawing in Bobby Heenan for the disqualification at 7:22. These two had a great, memorable feud - but never had the chemistry in the ring to properly do it justice. Not that this match was bad - just not particularly good, either. Afterwards, fellow Heenan Family member Andre the Giant runs (well...) in to help beat down Jake, so Roberts unleashes the snake on him - causing him to 'have a heart attack’ – in another fantastic, memorable angle. Years later, when I got into wresting in the mid-90s, my mother (who has never had even a passing interest) told me she once flipped by a wrestling show, and saw the Andre heart attack angle - which forever freaked her out. *

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Demolition v The Hart Foundation: Ax and Jim Neidhart start - with the Anvil overpowering - but he gets caught in the wrong part of town, and beat down. He manages a suplex reversal on Smash for two, and tags Bret Hart in. Dropkick and a 2^nd rope splash get two, and he goes to the arm. Ironically, Smash counters that with a clothesline, and sends Bret chest-first into the corner. The Demos cut the ring in half, but Bret catches Smash with a hangman's clothesline off of a criss cross, and tags Neidhart. He's a house of arson (even pulling out a pair of shitty dropkicks), and a running powerslam looks to finish Smash. Ax breaks it up - leading to the obligatory four-way brawl - which draws The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers out. In the chaos, The Rougeau’s toss Smash Jimmy Hart's megaphone, and Neidhart takes the pin at 5:58. This was part of the Hart Foundation's face turn, as manager Jimmy Hart had signed The Rougeau Brothers to his stable, and in turn, promised them a portion of the Foundations contract - which led to a split, and turn. As for the match, the heat segment on Bret was dull - but the rest was fun. ½*

Hulk Hogan v Haku: Hogan is accompanied by Miss Elizabeth for this one, as the brilliant Mega Powers angle develops. Great bit, as she tries to hold the ropes open for him (as she always does for Savage, heel or face), but Hogan stops to hold them for her instead. It was the little touches like that that really made the angle, and why it's still considered today to be among the best ever done. Anyway, no amount of first class ass saves Hogan from getting jumped before the bell (in fact, it probably distracted him), but Haku misses an elbowdrop. Hogan unloads the fists of fury, and hits a big clothesline. Legdrop, but manager Bobby Heenan gets involved, allowing Haku another cheap shot. Nervehold, but Hogan has the power of premium pussy, and fights out. Savate kick still puts him on the outside, but a miscommunication with Heenan distracts Haku enough that he doesn't even realize Hogan's HULKING UP!! Big boot! Legdrop! 6:16! Nothing match, but it was well paced, and fun. ¼*

Ken Patera v Dino Bravo: Patera dominates with slams to start, so Bravo bails to the floor to regroup. Inside, Bravo unloads in the corner, so Patera responds with his own corner action - a ten-punch count. More slams, and he tries a full-nelson, but Bravo makes the ropes. Bravo with an inverted atomic drop, and a sidewalk slam to finish at 3:03. Patera and Bravo are two of my least favorite guys in the history of the sport, so thankfully they kept it short. DUD

The Big Bossman v Jim Powers: Bossman unloads, so Powers tries a sleeper, only to get railroaded into the corner. Poorly executed Stinger Splash, and a headbutt kill Powers dead, and the Bossman Slam make it official at 2:34. Just a squash, as Bossman was getting a push, and feuding with Hulk Hogan at this point. DUD

Everyone offers some closing thoughts with Mean Gene Okerlund. They discuss Jonas Salk, Albert Sabin, and, you know, other shit.

BUExperience: You have two great angles in the first half hour alone with the Jake Roberts stuff, and a couple of fun matches before the obligatory squashes at the end of the show, when the kiddies were mostly all in bed.