WWF Saturday Night's Main Event XXVII (July 1990)

Original Airdate: July 28, 1990

From Omaha, Nebraska; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura.


Opening WWF Title Match: The Ultimate Warrior v Rick Rude: The crowd is littered with people (kids and adults alike) in paper Warrior masks - which the WWF handed out for free at the door to both try and get people to start cheering the guy properly, and to keep up appearances on TV, as they often had to pipe in the cheers through the audio system to make him seem more popular. Anyway, Rude jumps him on the way in, but gets no-sold, and pinballed around. Atomic drop, and a clothesline put him on the outside, and Warrior follows to abuse him some more. Inside, he unloads more clotheslines, and a flying axehandle set up the big splash - but Rude lifts his knees. That puts Warrior on the floor, so Rude takes the opportunity to clobber him with the title belt - though makes the mistake of leaving him out there for a countout, which wouldn't make him champion. Rude manager Bobby Heenan points that out, so he heads out to force Warrior in - but the recovery time allows Warrior to block a flying axehandle. Inverted atomic drop, and a slam, but a second try is countered with a sleeper. That nearly gets him, but Warrior finds some coke leftover on the mat (I think The Rockers had a dark match), and powers out. He still walks into a Rude Awakening, but it only gets Rude two, as Warrior's CRACKING UP!! Series of Clotheslines! Diving Shoulderblock! Splash! - but Heenan gets involved, and Warrior gets the disqualification win at 9:43. This actually set up a SummerSlam main event between the two (in a cage, to keep Bobby Heenan out), though was horribly booked, as Warrior no-sold Rude's finisher and had him beat, as opposed to nearly losing the match (or actually losing it - there's no reason this couldn't have been non-title, with Warrior saying that he had already defeated Rude before, and wouldn't grant him a title shot) to set it up. ¾*

Vince McMahon brings Hulk Hogan out for an in-ring interview, led in with a brilliantly cheesy video package that ends with a lonely shot of Hogan's locker - his gear hung up. Hogan had done a stretcherjob for Earthquake back in May, and this was his first official appearance back – with doubt about whether he would get in the ring again. The WWF played this brilliantly: creating a 'Get Well Hulk' campaign, encouraging fans to send cards to Hogan 'in the hospital' (really, taking some time off) to build sympathy - and put Earthquake over as a monster. Hogan gets a real pop – making Warrior look a chump by comparison (not to worry - Warrior found comfort in a super goofy headband later in the night) - and gives an interview challenging Earthquake to a match at SummerSlam. Great segment, as the fans clearly missed Hogan, and welcomed him back with open arms, as well as setting up his 'comeback' match.

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Demolition v The Rockers: Demolition is represented by Smash and Crush tonight, as they had turned full-heel by this point - using the 'Freebird Rule' to alternate which two guys would defend the titles from week to week - as well as phase Ax out, over a perceived heart problem. Smash and Marty Jannetty start, with Marty using his speed to dodge, and dropkicking Smash to the floor. That brings Crush in, so Shawn Michaels joins the fun, and The Rockers hit a double headscissors takedown. The dust settles on Smash and Shawn - with Shawn trying a bodyscissors takedown - but Crush firing off a cheap shot. He tags to kill Michaels properly, but gets caught in a Rockers double-team. Crush tries to simply choke Marty out to counter, but gets caught with a sunset flip, and the Rockers trade off with quick tags - working the arm. The Demos have enough of their shit, and Ax (at ringside with the rest of the team) gets in a cheap shot to allow his partners to cut the ring in half. Crush flying axehandle and a backbreaker hit, and Smash locks a bearhug to finish - but Marty refuses to quit. The Demos keep hammering, but Marty Jannetty's used to being hammered, and gets the tag off to Michaels. He's a house of arson, and a double superkick sets up stereo fistdrops for the pin - but Crush saves. Four-way brawl, and Ax sneaks in to get the pin himself at 9:31. That draws the Hart Foundation out to protest, but when they can't clear the ring, The Legion of Doom (having only made their WWF debuts a few weeks prior) runs out - and that's enough to send Demolition packing. Demolition may have been falling apart behind the scenes, but they still could be a lot of fun with the right opponents – and this was a well paced, well booked match. * ¼

WWF Intercontinental Title: Mr. Perfect v Tito Santana: Perfect defeated Santana in a tournament final to win the title (after Warrior vacated it at WrestleMania), and this is a rematch. Tito controls early - hitting the armdrags - and dropkicking the champ to the outside. He gives chase - laying into Perfect with chops - but gets caught with a clothesline on the inside. Standing dropkick, and a bodyslam allow Perfect enough of an advantage to try a headvice, but Tito fights out. Perfect tries a blind charge, but gets clotheslined, and the referee gets bumped as Santana hooks his figure four finisher. Diving forearm, but the referee is still out, and by the time he crawls over, Perfect manages to kickout. He's still dazed, though, so Tito tries a 2^nd rope clothesline for two. Another diving forearm gets two, but he gets caught with the Hennig-necksnap. He tries one final rally (with Perfect overselling everything), but a small package gets reversed, and Perfect retains at 10:11. Well booked, well worked, dramatic back-and-forth match - using the 'ref bump' spot perfectly. **

The Texas Tornado v Buddy Rose: This is Tornado's (Kerry Von Erich) WWF debut. Rose makes the mistake of slapping him in the face during the initial lockup, which gets him slammed around. Dropkick gets two, and Tornado dumps him. Rose tries to rally, but the bloom is off, and Tornado finishes him with a Discus Punch at 3:09. Just a debut squash. DUD

BUExperience: Business may have been rapidly declining, but this was easily one of the better episodes - with a few good matches, and important developments in the SummerSlam main event angles. Fun, top to bottom.