WWF SummerSlam 1991

As a kid, SummerSlam ’91 was one of my favorite shows. Though I didn’t follow wrestling yet at the time it originally aired, I found it at a local video store one afternoon after school, and it quickly becoming a regular in my rental rotation. While the show came during a period when the WWF was trying to navigate the waters of the post-Golden Age boom in business, and was significantly less commercially successful than the three previous SummerSlams, it has often been a critical favorite.

The show also marked Ric Flair’s long awaited entry into the WWF, after having a legendary falling out with WCW. While he wasn’t advertised and didn’t appear on the show in person, the reigning NWA World Champion made a splash at SummerSlam by immediately targeting WWF Champion Hulk Hogan for a showdown, bringing the NWA title belt with him, and declaring himself the ‘real world champion.’ Unfortunately for fans, Flair’s use of the NWA Title on WWF programming led to disputes and lawsuits, and never to the anticipated dream match with Hogan.

From New York, New York; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon, Roddy Piper, and Bobby Heenan.


Opening Six-Man Tag Team Match: Davey Boy Smith, Ricky Steamboat, and The Texas Tornado v Warlord and Power and Glory: Ricky Steamboat starts with Paul Roma, and gets slammed out of the initial lockup. Dropkick, but Roma makes the mistake of showboating and a 2^nd rope shoulderblock is countered into an armdrag/armbar. Steamboat makes a rare mistake of putting him in his own corner with a snapmare, and Roma passes to Hercules. Steamboat catches him with an armdrag, too, and tags Tornado (Kerry Von Erich) to beat him into the corner for a ten-punch count. Eye rake allows Hercules to pass to Warlord, so Tornado tags Davey Boy to allow those two (the main issue in the match) to showdown. Davey wins a quick power-showdown with a shoulderblock, and a hanging vertical suplex hits. Tag to Steamboat for a flying tomahawk chop, but a monkey flip attempt leaves him on his back, and Roma tags in with a clothesline - the heels starting to cut the ring in half. Hercules tries a press slam to finish what his afro started at WrestleMania 2, but Ricky gets uppity, so Herc stunguns him instead, and passes to Warlord to finish him. He slams Ricky around with ease, but a 2^nd rope elbowdrop meets Steamboat's boot, and he gets the tag to Tornado. He's a house of arson, triggering a four-way brawl - Steamboat catching Roma with a flying bodypress for the pin at 10:42. Fun opener - it got the crowd going, and everyone put in a good effort. *

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Mr. Perfect v Bret Hart: Bret very cautious in the early going, but Perfect goes right at him - only to get caught in a hairpull slam to send him to the outside. Inside, Bret tries a standing side-headlock, but Perfect whips him into the ropes, so Hart runs at him with a crucifix for two. Back to the headlock, so Perfect tries to shove him into the ropes again, but Bret grabs a handful of hair to pull him back into the hold this time. Perfect uses a kneelift to break, so Bret steps it up with a bodypress for two, and a sunset flip for two. Back to the headlock, so Perfect tries the kneelift again, but this time Bret catches his foot, and sweeps him into a low blow. Both guys go to a stalemate trading bodyslams, so Hart clotheslines him to the floor - where Perfect stays to regroup. He decides to walk out on the match, but Hart drags him back - near tearing his singlet off in frustration. Perfect hides in the ropes, frustrating Bret some more, so he fires off a closed fist to the bridge of the nose to get Bret off of his back. Another sends Bret to the outside, and Perfect follows with a chop out there, before using Bret as a literal stepping stone to climb back into the ring. Hart beats the count, but is still slumped on the apron, so Perfect pulls the ropes into a slingshot - firing Bret into the rail. Back inside, Perfect stomps him, and nearly breaks the ringpost with a cross corner whip for two. Necksnap sets up a cradle for two, and a dropkick sends Hart out through the ropes. Slugfest on the floor goes Perfect's way, but he makes the mistake of going to the top rope, and Hart meets him there - both men knocking each other to the mat in a heap. The crash leaves Perfect on top for two, and he returns the favor from earlier - giving Bret a hairpull slam. I'm surprised he was able to hold on to his hair long enough to pull that off, actually. Perfect with a sleeper, so Bret tries another crucifix, but Perfect drops him like a Samoan for two. Hart takes the chest-first cross corner bump for two, and the Perfect-plex looks to finish - but Hart kicks out at two. Perfect flips out on the referee in response, allowing Bret to come back with a pair of atomic drops, and another hairpull slam right into the ringpost. Snap suplex gets two, and an inside cradle for two. Russian legsweep for two, and a well executed backbreaker sets up the 2^nd rope elbowdrop for two. Now it's Hart arguing with the referee, and Perfect uses the opportunity to cradle him for two. They spill back to the floor for Hart to whip him into the ringpost, and Perfect's on dream street as he rolls back into the ring. Bret fires off a couple legsweeps to send Perfect into full oversell mode, and he goes for the Sharpshooter - but Perfect's Coach breaks it up. The distraction allows the champ to blow him low, and he adds another for good measure. Pair of Perfect legdrops, but Bret blocks another try, and counters it into the Sharpshooter for the title at 18:02. In a poetic ending, Hart then finishes tearing Perfect's singlet off, leaving him in his short tights - just as he was when he debuted. This quickly became one of my favorite matches as a young fan, both because it was a great match, and because I was a huge Bret Hart mark - this his first singles title in the WWF. Perfect had a legitimate career threatening back injury going into this, and while the ending was never in doubt, I don't think anyone expected them to do anything that good - full of great selling, fantastic bits of psychology like learning from previous mistakes, and all well paced. Their psychological thriller of a rematch at the King of the Ring two years later was slightly better (not by much), but this one is certainly more historically significant, and remains one of my all time favorite matches. ****

The Natural Disasters v The Bushwhackers: This came about when manager Jimmy Hart tried to recruit Andre the Giant for a tag team with client Earthquake, and ended up having Earthquake attack him on TV when he refused. Though, really, Andre was on crutches by this point - Earthquake should have attacked Jimmy Hart for thinking they'd make a good team. Tugboat then joined on (turning heel on the Bushwhackers, and becoming 'Typhoon'), so the 'Whackers bring Andre with them to get a good view as they avenge him. The Bushwhackers with their usual stall tactics in the early going (biting, licking, 'dancing'), before Earthquake gets annoyed, and starts slamming Butch around. Typhoon hugs him like a bear, and a backelbow gets two. Butch dodges a double-team to get the tag to Luke, and he's an outhouse of fire! Four-way brawl breaks out, and the 'Whackers unload a pair of Battering Rams, before getting overmatched by the fatties, and Earthquake buttsplashed at 6:27. Afterwards, the Disasters try to go after Andre on the floor, so the Legion of Doom run in to save - setting up their post-SummerSlam program. Stupid comedy match, but at least it was short. I've seen twenty minute Bushwhacker matches before - probably the only time I've ever serious contemplated suicide. DUD

Backstage, a rather nervous looking Bobby Heenan shows up at Hulk Hogan's dressing room door (you know it's his because there's a piece of computer paper with 'Hulk' scribbled on it taped to the door) - the NWA World Title belt in hand. He challenges Hulk on behalf of Ric Flair, but gets the door slammed in his face. This segment seems trivial, but in an era before either promotion even officially acknowledged the others existence, seeing Bobby Heenan at Hulk Hogan's door with the NWA Title (and on behalf of Ric Flair) was mind-blowing. Even watching on VHS in 1994 it was wild. Unfortunately, the steroid trials robbed us of a proper showdown between the two at WrestleMania - still one of the biggest disappointments in wrestling history.

Million Dollar Title Match: Ted DiBiase v Virgil: This came about after WrestleMania's less than satisfying blowoff.  Virgil wastes no time going after him - jumping Ted on the way in, and bouncing him off the ropes before clotheslining him to the floor. On the outside, Virgil rams him into everything he can find, then rolls him in for the Golden Gloves routine. Atomic drop sends DiBiase back to the floor, as Bobby Heenan makes his way back to ringside, and the camera crew misses Virgil miss a dive out after DiBiase to turn the tide. Ted returns the ramming favor (what is this, prison?), and rolls him in for a clothesline. Fistdrop and a 2^nd rope flying axehandle get two, and a backdrop for two. Another clothesline, but Virgil ducks into the Million Dollar Dream, so DiBiase manager/valet/hole Sherri runs in and nails Virgil with her brick-loaded purse for the disqualification. Referee Earl Hebner won't allow a screw job like that (he swore on his children, for God’s sake), however, and has Sherri sent to the dressing rooms to allow these two to finish things in peace. Well, not 'peace,' but killing each other on their own. Both guys are still laid out on the mat as Howard Finkel announces the decision, and fight to their feet. DiBiase tries a turnbuckle smash, but Virgil reverses, and Ted flops to the mat. Series of jabs leave DiBiase in the corner, and a ten-punch count has the crowd eagerly counting along. Cross corner whip ends with the referee getting bumped, but DiBiase is undeterred, and suplexes Virgil. Three times in a row. Piledriver looks to finish, but the referee is still recovering, and can't make the count. DiBiase goes to revive him with a kick (this is why the DiBiase's are known as fine wrestlers, but not so much medical professionals), and Ted uses the opportunity to expose one of the turnbuckles. He gets reversed going into it, of course, and Virgil crawls for the dramatic pin at 10:53. Not a great match, but a great moment - Virgil finally getting his revenge on DiBiase in grand fashion. The match was all good fun - elevated by Roddy Piper's brilliant job on commentary, and DiBiase's endless barrage of brilliantly evil tactics. Unfortunately for Virgil (despite the long career that followed), he was never really worked into another program, and just sort of hung around as JTTS. * ½   

Jailhouse Match: Big Bossman v The Mountie: The gimmick here is that the loser has to spend a night in a New York City jail cell. Despite being from Georgia (and having a Confederate Flag right on his uniform) Bossman represents New York here. And he's up to the task, winning a slugfest at the bell, and splashing the Canadian for two. Spinebuster slam hits, and Bossman hooks a headvise. Mountie manager Jimmy Hart gets involved to break the hold, and the distraction allows him to whip Bossman into the ring steps. Back in, Mountie slams him for two, and drops a pair of elbows for two. Dropkick gets two, so he bites him to soften Bossman up for a piledriver. Mountie grabs his taser in frustration, but Bossman dodges it - only for the Bossman Slam to get two. Mountie tries another piledriver, but Bossman counters into whiplash slam for the pin at 8:38. I have yet to see these two have a good match together, but this was certainly the most entertaining and satisfying - triggering a wonderful series of sequences, as Mountie gets dragged off by the boys in blue, and eventually ends up in a cell cuddled up to Bubba by the end of the show. DUD

WWF Tag Team Title Street Fight: The Nasty Boys v The Legion of Doom: The rules are: there are no rules! Which they take full advantage of by settling into a standard tag match almost immediately. Hey, just because there are no rules doesn't mean you have to act like a barbarian. There's no rule that says I can't eat thirty-six Hershey Bars later tonight, but it doesn't mean I have to do it. The LOD easily dominate in the early going, but the Nasties mace Hawk to turn the tide, and Jerry Sags wallops him with a drink cooler. The Nasties cut the ring in half, but Hawk manages to get the tag to Animal, and he's a house of arson! Four-way brawl breaks out (in a Street Fight?! Weird), and the Nasties try to use their motorcycle helmet to seal the deal, but Sags ends up getting nailed with it, and the Doomsday Device finishes him at 7:44. Booking a standard tag match where a Street Fight had been built up always annoyed me, but it served to FINALLY (after over a year on the roster) get the tag titles onto the LOD - though their reign ended up being more disappointing than this match. DUD

Greg Valentine v IRS: Valentine unloads a shoulderblock to get IRS cowering in the corner, and hooks a standing side-headlock. IRS tries to go to the ropes to break, so Valentine clotheslines him through them - only to get suckered into a chase, and clobbered on the way back in. IRS with a rope-assisted abdominal stretch, but the referee gets wise to it, so IRS gives him a diving clothesline for two. To the top rope, but Valentine slams him off, and starts kicking at the leg to set up the Figure Four. He's too close to the ropes, however, and IRS quickly gets a break. Greg drags him back to the center for a kneebreaker, but another Figure Four attempt gets him cradled at 7:07. IRS was still a newcomer, and he probably should have squashed JTTS Valentine a little quicker - especially since this was just going through the motions for both of them. ¼*

Main Event Handicap Match: Sgt. Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa, and General Adnan v Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior: WWF newcomer Sid is the guest referee for the main event, billed as the 'Match Made in Hell.' The heels spend a long time trying to figure out who gets to get beat up first - finally settling on Slaughter starting with Hogan after they spit at each other. Come on now! Are they wrestling, or courting each other? Get serious, guys! Slaughter gets slaughtered when he ends up in the wrong corner early on, and the faces hit a double big boot for two - saved by Mustafa. Undeterred, Hogan clobbers Slaughter with a running forearm smash, and a 2^nd rope axehandle for two - again saved by Mustafa. Hulk still ignores them, and focuses on cross corner clotheslining Slaughter, but Sid forcing a rope break distracts Hogan long enough for Slaughter to pounce. Tag to Adnan for an eye rake, and Mustafa (the Iron Sheik) with a gutwrench suplex to set up a Camel Clutch. Unfortunately, we don't get to see the Hulkster power out this time, as Warrior saves - but Slaughter tags right in to keep the ring cut in half. He tries a flying kneedrop, but Warrior shoves Sgt. Jobber off the top to allow Hogan the tag, and Warrior's a nuthouse of fire! Criss cross sees him collide with Sid, however, and Slaughter drives him into the wrong part of town for some three-on-one fun. Warrior shrugs them off with relative ease, though, but a double clothesline leaves them both on their backs. Luckily, Warrior makes the tag before Sid has to be relied on to count too high, and it turns right into a big brawl - Warrior chasing Adnan and Mustafa to the dressing rooms as Hogan finishes Slaughter with the Legdrop at 12:38. Shitty match from a workrate perspective, but the crowd loved it, and it served to finally blowoff the whole Iraqi turncoat angle. Not that it mattered by this point, since the war was long over, and Slaughter was being treated like a jobber at will - but it is what it is. It was also Warrior's last appearance in the WWF until WrestleMania VIII (not even coming back out to pose with Hogan), as he got into a dispute with Vince McMahon over money, and ended up out in the cold. ½*

The Match Made in Heaven: The ring crew does a fantastic job (and quickly, too) of dismantling the ring, and turning Madison Square Garden into a church for Randy Savage to marry Elizabeth in - 'blowing off' the angle set up at their WrestleMania VII reunion. In reality, they were already married (back in 1984), but were having real-life marital problems that resulted in Savage taking a year off under the guise of 'retirement' to try and work things out. Unfortunately, it failed, and they got real-life divorced the next year - though they seemed to have a friendly relationship for many years after. Sadly, Howard Finkel doesn't do the ring introductions (a gig he would up in real-life, later), but everything else goes wonderfully, and it's a nice moment for everyone.  Afterwards, they go off to the reception, and you haven’t LIVED until you’ve seen the Macho Man bring his intensity to opening presents, and yelling things like 'CANDLESTICKS!!' while his eyes light up like a kid on Christmas.  I mean, we’re talking Monica Geller territory here. Of course, the night ends in tragedy, as a gift cobra from Jake Roberts and the Undertaker starts and panic, and Savage is fuming.

BUExperience: While the star-ratings may not properly illustrate it, this is one fun, well booked show. Fondly remembered by most, it features lots of crowd pleasing blowoffs (Bossman/Mountie, DiBiase/Virgil, Nasties/LOD, Slaughter angle, Wedding), and a hot, New York crowd. On top of that, there’s a fantastic Hart/Perfect title change, half an evenings worth of truly hilarious Mountie skits, and the historical significance of Flair’s entry into the company while still NWA World Champion. ***