WWF The Main Event (Version II)

Original Airdate: February 5, 1988

From Indianapolis, Indiana; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura

We start with a SUPER gay montage of Hulk Hogan lifting weights in increasingly smaller outfits to prepare for Andre the Giant. Well, if the goal was to make Andre run away in disgust to retain via countout, this was a good first step. I guess if Hogan was dropping the belt they had to appease his ego

Honky Tonk Man prepares to retain his Intercontinental Title/fuck Elizabeth. Meanwhile, Randy Savage would really rather prefer it if Honky didn't do either of those things

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Honky Tonk Man v Randy Savage: Honky gives Liz a little shake before the bell, and gets chases out of the ring by an irate Macho. Savage catches him on the floor with an overhead elbowsmash, and he rolls him in - snapping Honky's throat across the top rope on the way. Whip into the corner sets up a backelbow, and he tries to bail, but Savage is onto him. That allows Jimmy Hart to hook Macho's ankle, however, and Honky capitalizes by blitzing his challenger on the way back in. Honky with a snapmare to setup an elbowdrop, but Savage dodges - Jimmy Hart distracting him again to prevent a comeback, and Honky capitalizing by whacking him with the megaphone for two. Not that I'm ever going to, but if I was ever going to become a pro-wrestler, I would insist on having a manager. Of course, it's different today anyway, but in the 80s and 90s, man, you could make or break your career with the right manager. Honky works a chinlock, but Savage escapes, so the champ dumps him to the outside for an axehandle off the apron. Back in, Honky puts the boots to him, and clotheslines him to setup a series of three elbowdrops. Honky stops to mess with Elizabeth again, however, and Savage goes berserk. He nails Honky with a flying axehandle on the floor, then a bodyslam sets up the Flying Elbowdrop, but Honky is up, so Savage settles for another axehandle instead for two. Sleeper, but Peggy Sue (Sensational Sherri in a wig) goes after Liz, and Savage breaks to save her. That allows Honky to attack, but Randy fights him off with a shot into the post - Honky getting counted out at 8:39. Their Saturday Night's Main Event match that led to the formation of the Mega Powers was better, but this was fine, and easily accessible and relatable for the casual audience they were shooting for with this broadcast. * (Original Rating: * ¼)

Review of the epic Hogan/Andre feud

Backstage, Andre the Giant and Ted DiBiase detail their plans for Hulk Hogan and the WWF Title, as after Andre beats Hogan tonight, he has agreed to sell the belt to DiBiase. Hulk Hogan responds by noting that he isn't interested in profit sharing, but has plenty of 'pills.' Well, as long as he's sharing those, then

WWF Title Match: Hulk Hogan v Andre the Giant: Funny gigantic 'Andre WHO?' sign in the crowd. This is also the debut of the classic 'winged eagle' design for the belt - still the greatest title belt design of all time. In hindsight, they probably should have just waited for WrestleMania IV to debut it though, given the whole tournament deal. Hulk attacks as Andre talks strategy with DiBiase and Virgil, and gets rid of his seconds with a pair of big boots. The crowd is just rabid for this. He goes back to pounding Andre for an extended period of time, and manages to stagger him after dozens of shots, but can't quite knock him down. Well, at least he's not stupidly trying to slam him again. With everything in his usual arsenal unable to take the Giant off his feet, Hulk decides to try going to the top rope and send his weight at the challenger, but Andre slams him down, and grips him in a chokehold on the mat. Cross corner whip and a bodyslam leave Hogan down and in trouble, and Andre puts the boots to him. Series of headbutts and a big boot follow - though executing the big boot knocks Andre onto his ass as well. Probably shouldn't be trying stuff like that, big guy. More choking, but Hulk fights free, and starts slugging away again. 2^nd rope clothesline is finally enough to knock Andre down, and Hulk adds the Legdrop, but the referee is caught up with Virgil. Hulk lets off to go protest, but that allows Andre to attack with another series of headbutts, and he hiptosses Hulk over for the three count at 9:05 - despite Hogan clearly getting the shoulder up at two! And, now having been awarded the title, Andre immediately relinquishes it to DiBiase per their arraignment, and Hogan goes fucking berserk. He chases the heels away, but it's too late for him - the decision has been made, and he is no longer the champion! While all this is going on, suddenly another referee joins them in the ring - an exact double of Dave Hebner (Earl, in his surprise debut). You see, DiBiase had hired his evil twin brother to stand in for him, and screw Hogan out of the title. And, of course, big man Hogan beats up the puny referee as well, since he can't take it out on Andre or DiBiase - nearly killing him with a press-slam halfway up the aisle. Great visual, though. This was a helluva piece of business, not so much for the in-ring action (which was decent for the guys involved) as the extracurricular activity. One of the better angles of the era. * (Original Rating: ¾*)

Backstage, Hulk Hogan is literally in tears as he delivers his famous 'HOW MUCH FOR THE PLASTIC SURGERY?!?' post match interview. The crying was a bit much, but it was still a great, memorable interview

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Strike Force v The Hart Foundation: We're joined in progress after the commercial break, with the Foundation taking a cheap shot at Rick Martel, and cutting the ring in half. Bret Hart tries a sunset flip, but Martel cradles the legs to retain at what was probably around 3:00. Didn't see nearly enough of it to rate, but I will note that the Network version actually does show the ending - which I'd never seen before. For those unfamiliar, on the original version, they went home early due to the show running long, but time was SO short that the match cutaway moments before the actual fall. Good use of the Network!

BUExperience: From a pure wrestling standpoint there’s not a whole lot to talk about here, but it remains a really fun show, as well as an extremely historically significant one, not only featuring the end of Hulk Hogan’s four year first title reign, but it’s also the highest rated wrestling broadcast in history, to this day.