Following WrestleMania III is a tough act. In fact, a challenge the WWF wasn’t really up to going into the fourth edition (they were still wildly popular, though they didn’t have a main event as marketable as the year before), so they went with something completely out of left field. A month before the show, at the WWF’s record smashing NBC primetime ‘Main Event’ telecast, Hulk Hogan lost the WWF Title to Andre the Giant after Ted DiBiase (who wanted to purchase the title belt) engineered one of the more famously devious plots in WWF history – using the official referee’s twin brother to get the title off of Hogan. Kayfabe WWF President Jack Tunney wouldn’t stand for it, however, and set up a fourteen-man single elimination tournament for the now vacant title at WrestleMania – with Hogan and Andre getting a bye past the first round to face each other in the quarter-finals, and the big angle being that DiBiase will do anything to cheat his way to the title.
As a diehard fan during my childhood, I made it a point to see all the WrestleMania’s that happened before my interest in wrestling (so, basically, I-IX), but WrestleMania IV took me the longest to get around to – our local video store not stocking it. I did eventually find it in another video store a year or so later, and was impressed by the fact that it was on two VHS tapes, inside of a giant box advertising sixteen matches – still the most of any WrestleMania to date.
Meanwhile, for the first time, the WWF was facing competition on the night of its flagship show. After Vince McMahon’s counterprogramming surrounding Starrcade/Survivor Series ’87 and Bunkhouse Stampede/Royal Rumble ’88, Jim Crockett and the NWA fired back – creating Clash of the Champions as a television special, set to air head to head with WrestleMania. While WrestleMania was still hugely successful, the weak card and the NWA’s promise of a pay per view caliber event on free TV at the same time certainly made a dent – though it would be one of Crockett’s last.
From Atlantic City, New Jersey (at Trump Plaza, as part of a cross promotional move with Donald Trump, which led to an arena filled with casually interested tourists); Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura. Gladys Knight sings America the Beautiful to kick things off.
Opening 20-Man Battle Royal: This is probably the only time I can think of where a major pay per view was opened with a battle royal - though on a show as legendarily bloated as this one, it actually sort of makes sense. We've got: Sam Houston, Ken Patera, The Killer Bees, The Hart Foundation, The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers, The Young Stallions, Nikolai Volkoff, Boris Zhukov, Bad News Brown, Hillbilly Jim, Junk Yard Dog, Danny Davis, Harley Race, Sika, Ron Bass, and George Steele. Standard kick-punch battle royal stuff, though George Steele fails to grasp the whole 'you have to get in the ring to participate' concept - trying to drag guys out from the floor. He actually manages to get Jim Neidhart out that way - literally by the hair on his chinny chin chin. Jesse Ventura gets so bored with it, he's literally taken to discussing Vanna White's ass for the bulk of the match, as we get down to Bad News, JYD, Bret Hart, and Paul Roma. Roma's first to go, so the heel Hart and Brown double up on JYD - only to run into a series of headbutts. He can't hold them off for long, however, and Brown and Hart decide to split the oversized trophy that they have at ringside for the winner. Not surprisingly, Brown wallops Hart with the Ghetto Blaster while they celebrate, and tosses him to win the thing himself at 9:48. Afterwards, Bad News admires his trophy, so Hart comes back in to smash it up - signaling a face turn for the Hart Foundation. Match was a waste of time (especially on a show like this), but it got its point across. ¼*
WWF Title Tournament First Round Match: Ted DiBiase v Jim Duggan: DiBiase's attempts at wrestling Duggan quickly devolves into a slugfest - Duggan atomic dropping DiBiase to the outside to regroup with Virgil and Andre the Giant. Back in, DiBiase fires off chops, but gets clotheslined out of a criss cross, and shoved into the corner for a ten-punch count. Blind charge misses, however, and Ted drops a fist for two. Backdrop, but Duggan pops off a sunset flip (even shocking Jesse) for two, and a suplex. Fists of fury and a powerslam set up the 3-Point Stance, but Andre sweeps his leg, and DiBiase nails him from behind at 5:02. Just going through the motions here. DUD
WWF Title Tournament First Round Match: Dino Bravo v Don Muraco: Both guys trade power stuff early on, until Dino gets caught with a cross corner clothesline, and Muraco badly blows a Vaderbomb. Bravo with a gutwrench suplex, but he bashes his knee on a blind charge, and Muraco goes to work. Spinning toe-hold, but Bravo shoves him off into the ropes, and piledrives him for two. Another, but Don backdrops him, and they work a double knockout spot. Muraco makes it up first, but the referee gets bumped off of a jumping forearm attempt, and Bravo hits a sidewalk slam in the chaos for the pin at 4:54 - only to have the referee end up ruling that Bravo is disqualified for shoving him into the way of Muraco's forearm, and Don advances to face DiBiase. Dull stuff. DUD
WWF Title Tournament First Round Match: Ricky Steamboat v Greg Valentine: Big criss cross ends with Steamboat throwing armdrags into armbars, and he hits a pair of shoulderblocks for two. Third try gets him dumped, but he skins the cat back in, and catches Valentine from behind with a dropkick for two. Back to the arm, but Valentine throws elbows to break, but Steamboat flips out of a side suplex, and rams him into the corner. To the arm again, but Valentine with an inverted atomic drop, and a series of elbowsmashes leave Steamboat on his back. Series of chops from Steamboat return the favor, but a bodyslam attempt gets him toppled for two. Gutbuster, and he tries for the Figure Four - but Steamboat shoves him off. Slugfest goes Ricky's way, but he gets caught in a shoulderbreaker, and hit with a flying axehandle. Figure Four, but Steamboat just won't let him lock it on, and hits a flying tomahawk for two. Flying bodypress, but Valentine rolls through for the pin at 9:11. Crisp, well paced back-and-forth stuff, with lots of realistic pinfall attempts. No-brainer booking had Steamboat going over to face Randy Savage in the next round, but he was on his way out of the promotion, and the WWF wasn't looking to put him over anyone. * ¼
WWF Title Tournament First Round Match: Randy Savage v Butch Reed: Savage tries to use speed to keep Reed at bay, but he gets railroaded into the corner, and Butch drops a fist. Suplex and an elbowdrop for two, and a 2nd rope fistdrop sets up a backdrop - but he gets a face full of Savage's boot. Flying Elbowdrop finishes at 4:09 - Savage advancing to face Valentine. Moving right along. DUD
WWF Title Tournament First Round Match: Bam Bam Bigelow v One Man Gang: Gang jumps him right at the bell, and quickly hits an avalanche. Second try misses, however, and Bam Bam splashes him for two. Bodypress for two, so Bigelow unloads a series of headbutts - only to get pulled out by Gang manager Slick, and counted out at 2:55 - though he was actually walking into the ring when the referee hit 'ten,' which looked really awkward. Booking made sense, though, as Bigelow was also on the way out. DUD
WWF Title Tournament First Round Match: Jake Roberts v Rick Rude: Rude tries to showboat early on, but gets caught in an armbar, and forced to the mat with it. DDT, but Rude hits the deck, and bails to the floor to regroup with manager Bobby Heenan. Inside, Jake goes back to the armbar, so Rude initiates a criss cross - only to get slammed. Blind charge misses for Jake, however, and Rude goes right after him - stomping a mud hole. Rude works a chinlock, but Jake gets uppity, so Rick flattens him with a flapjack, and follows with a sloppy flying fistdrop. Back to the chinlock for a while, until Jake stuns his way out, and fires off a series of jabs to set up a backdrop. Short-clothesline, but Rude railroads him into the corner to block the DDT - so Jake gives him a gutbuster instead. Side-headlock, but Rude side suplexes his way out for two, so they work a double knockout to sell that they're both giving it their all. Rude tries to pin him with his feet on the ropes, but the time limit expires at 15:15 - sending One Man Gang to the semi finals. Generally well worked, but lots of resting to allow time to pass (Rude's long chinlock spot especially notable), and way too dull for a show that needed a shot of life. A double countout (or disqualification) after five minutes of more intense wrestling would have worked far better. ½*
The Ultimate Warrior v Hercules: Big power-showdown to start, until Hercules fires off a series of clotheslines to get him off of his feet. Warrior shrugs it off with a clothesline of his own (only one needed to take Herc off his feet), but he gets backdropped to the floor out of a blind charge. Inside, Warrior wins a slugfest with a ten-punch count, so Hercules fires off an inverted atomic drop to take the pep out of his step. Full Nelson to finish, but Warrior runs the ropes, and falls back on him for the pin at 4:36. Dull, and poorly worked to boot. DUD
WWF Title Tournament Quarter Final Match: Hulk Hogan v Andre the Giant: Hogan charges in, but runs right into Andre's big paws, and hit with a series of headbutts to put him on his knees. Hogan fires back with the big right hands, and gets Andre tied up in the ropes so he can properly tear his shirt off and pose. Hey, when you work that hard on your body/tan, you gotta take every opportunity you can get. Series of elbowdrops gets two, so Andre turns it into a blatant choke to slow the Hulkster down. Nervehold, but Hogan's got the Power of Hulkamania, and shit, so he goes to slam the big guy - only for Ted DiBiase to whack him with a chair. Hogan gets it away from him for a shot of his own on Andre, but the referee throws it out as a double-disqualification at 5:23. Underwhelming to say the least (this was the main selling point of the tournament), though DiBiase's evil plan is moving along nicely - eliminating Hogan from the tournament, with Andre sacrificing his spot for the payoff. DUD
WWF Title Tournament Quarter Final Match: Ted DiBiase v Don Muraco: DiBiase gets jumped before he even makes it into the ring, and Muraco unloads with a powerslam for two. Backelbow and a 2nd rope fistdrop get two, and a snapmare leaves DiBiase cowering in the corner. Standing dropkick for two, so DiBiase bails to the floor - but Virgil is still dead from a post-Hogan match beating, and Andre must be in the showers. Muraco forces him in, but Ted manages to sucker him into the corner, and stomps a mud hole. Kneelift and a pair of fistdrops get two, so DiBiase just starts choking him outright. 2nd rope falling backelbow misses, however, but a stungun doesn't, and DiBiase's one match away from the title at 5:35. DiBiase carried this, but not far. ¼*
WWF Title Tournament Quarter Final Match: Greg Valentine v Randy Savage: Valentine just unloads on him at the bell, but Savage takes him down with a snapmare, and drops a knee for two. Valentine keeps hammering anyway, and an elbowdrop gets two. Shoulderbreaker for two, so Valentine tries pitching him over the top for some coloring outside the lines - starting with the guardrail. Inside, Valentine takes a few token shots at the knee before trying for the Figure Four - but Savage dives for the ropes. Undeterred, Greg with a hanging vertical suplex for two, and a backbreaker gets two - but he gets caught with a backelbow coming out of the ropes, and hit with a flying axehandle for two. Suplex, and another flying axehandle - but Valentine gut punches him on the way down this time, and tries for the Figure Four, only to have Savage cradle him at 6:07 - advancing to face One Man Gang in the semi finals. Well paced back-and-forth match, if a bit psychologically spotty. ¾*
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Honky Tonk Man v Brutus Beefcake: Honky wins the initial lockup with a kneelift, but gets caught coming off the ropes, and atomic dropped into... having his hair messed up. New champion! Beefcake with a high knee to put Honky on the floor, but the Barber drags him back in - only to miss an elbowdrop. Honky works him over, and tries the Shake Rattle 'n' Roll - but Beefcake counters 'roll' by hooking the ropes. Backdrop, and Brutus hooks the Sleeper to finish, so Honky manager Jimmy Hart blatantly whacks the referee with his megaphone - getting Honky disqualified, but saving the title at 6:50. Really dull stuff - particularly Honky's kick-punch heat segment. DUD
Six-Man Tag Team Match: Koko B. Ware and The British Bulldogs v Bobby Heenan and The Islanders: This was set up when the Islanders stole the Bulldogs' bulldog mascot, so Heenan wears a full body protective dog catcher suit to block any potential biting. Presumably from the dog. Dynamite Kid starts with Tama, and dumps him almost right away, then tags Davey Boy Smith in to do... what he does. That apparently consists of missing an elbowdrop to allow the tag to Haku, but Davey redeems himself with a bodypress for two. Crucifix gets two, and he hooks a chinlock - only to have Haku counter into an armbar. Tag to Koko to blast him with a dropkick, but Kid misses a blind charge, and Heenan tags in to get off his licks. One shot from Dynamite sends Bobby scurrying back to Tama, and he properly backdrops Kid - only to have a Vaderbomb hit the knees. Tag back Koko, and he's a birdcage of fire - but runs into a double-team from the Islanders to slow him down. Six-way brawl doesn't take long to break out from there, and the Islanders slam Heenan onto Ware for the pin at 7:35. Really dull, disjointed match - the last thing the already bored crowd needed this late in the show, especially with the heels going over (even if they did get post-match revenge). DUD
WWF Title Tournament Semi Final Match: Randy Savage v One Man Gang: Gang has had considerably more rest than Savage, and tries to capitalize early - ramming him into the corner, and hammering away. Gang plods around with forearm shots, but makes the mistake of trying to use manager Slick's cane, and that's a disqualification at 4:35, sending Savage on to face Ted DiBiase in the finals. Really slow, plodding match - the crowd heading to the snack bar en masse, as Savage's victory was all but a sure thing, and they did nothing to build drama. -½*
WWF Tag Team Title Match: Strike Force v Demolition: Rick Martel starts with Smash, and lots of smashing happens - triggering a four-way brawl, with the champs managing to clean house. Dust settles on Strike Force working Smash's arm, but he manages to catch Tito Santana in a bearhug, and the challengers cut the ring in half. Criss cross allows Tito to get off a desperation jumping forearm, and he gets the tag off to Martel. House of arson, but the Boston Crab on Smash ends with Ax getting hold Mr. Fuji's cane, and the Demos get the pin at 8:02 - kicking off the longest reign in the titles history. ½* This show desperately needs to wrap up.
Main Event: WWF Title Match: Ted DiBiase v Randy Savage: Bob Uecker acts as the guest ring announcer, Vanna White as the guest timekeeper, and Robin Leach as the bearer of the new WWF Title belt. Big debate going in (between Gorilla and Jesse): Vanna or Elizabeth? DiBiase forces Savage right into the corner, and there's Andre the Giant to trip him up - triggering a 'Hogan' chant from the restless crowd. They trade hammerlocks ending in a criss cross - and Andre trips Macho up yet again. Armbar trading, and DiBiase forces him into the corner again - this time for some knife edge chops. Clothesline gets two, and a sunset flip - but Savage decks him on the way down, and hits his own clothesline for two. DiBiase regroups with Andre before hitting a backelbow, but he gets his neck snapped over the ropes - selling it wonderfully by flying across the ring. Clothesline to the outside, but Andre blocks Savage's flying axehandle attempt - literally standing over DiBiase and daring Macho to jump. DiBiase takes over with a series of fistdrops for two, as Elizabeth heads to the back - the crowd chanting for Hulk Hogan. And here comes the Hulkster - looking like he just snorted a gallon of cocaine (possibly out of Liz's crotch) before popping through the curtain. He uses his pussy-coke to distract DiBiase, but Savage can't swing the momentum, and gets suplexed for two. Gutwrench suplex gets two, but he ends up getting slammed off of the top rope, and Savage goes for the Flying Elbow - only for Ted to roll out of the way. Million Dollar Dream, but Hogan runs in with a chair behind the referee's back, and the Flying Elbow crowns a new WWF Champion at 9:17. Afterwards, Hogan and Savage make their previously casual bromance official, forming the Mega Powers – a path that would lead them right into the main event for next year. Match was solid, but both guys had already had a long night (like pretty much everyone else in the building by this point), and it was overbooked to death. Reliable sources still say Ted DiBiase was originally booked to win the title, though I'm more than a bit skeptical that the WWF (the kings of 'send the crowd home happy' booking) would have ended WrestleMania with a heel cheating his way to the title - in fact, not trying anything close to that until the sixteenth one. *
BUExperience: Certainly the worst WrestleMania to that point, and one of the worst in general, really. A bloated show (as noted, sixteen matches – more matches than any other WrestleMania to date), filled with quickie matches, and pointless segments (the battle royal, having guys come down to formally accept byes, an entire subplot with Bob Uecker trying to
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.