WWF SummerSlam 1988 (Version II)

Original Airdate: August 29, 1988

From New York, New York; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Billy Graham. This is one of the few major Garden cards I can think of where the announcers are sitting up in a sky-box rather than at ringside

Opening Match: The British Bulldogs v The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers: Lots of empty seats visible as the show opens here, though that might just be the crowd still filing it. I know officially this card is listed as a sell out, but then they've been guilty of fudging numbers more times than a few, so. Dynamite Kid is wearing his tights backwards here, with the Union Jack on the front, rather than the back. I'm going to assume there's a story there, and knowing pro-wrestlers, it probably involves feces. Davey Boy Smith starts with Jacques Rougeau, and he unloads with turnbuckle smashes by the dozen. Smith arrogantly dumps Jacques into his own home corner to allow the tag to Raymond Rougeau, but it proves foolish when Ray decks him in the corner. Monkeyflip, but Davey blocks with a cartwheel, and takes Raymond down with a gorgeous armdrag before tagging out. Kid plants a headbutt and a shoulderblock on Ray, then armdrags him over for an armbar. Ray escapes for a criss cross, but an attempt at a monkeyflip is countered with a falling headbutt by the Kid. Tag back to Davey for a flying axehandle, and a sunset flip is worth two, before Smith armdrags him into another armbar. The Bulldogs take turns working Ray's arm - Davey working in a crisp pinfall reversal sequence in there as well. Tandem-clothesline gets two, as we get some close-up shots of Matilda on the apron - looking miserable. And given the disgusting stories we've heard about how the Bulldogs treated that poor animal, she probably was. Assholes. Anyway, a cheap shot from Jacques on Davey turns the tide, and the Brothers cut the ring in half as they work the leg. Smith manages to monkeyflip Raymond to escape a spinning-toehold, and Kid tags - blitzing Ray with a snap suplex and a falling headbutt for two. Side suplex only gets two, so Kid dumps him to the floor for Davey to toss into the guardrail. Back in, Davey delivers the Running Powerslam, but Jacques saves from the pin, and gives Dynamite a side suplex before being sent back to the apron. He tags in all official-like, and a bodyslam sets up a kneedrop for two. Hope he didn't knock any teeth out with that one. The Brothers cut the ring in half on Kid with a variety of tandem moves and heel tactics, and the crowd is just totally sinking their teeth into every bit of this. Maybe they're Kid's teeth, I don't know. Abdominal stretch/savate kick combo gets two, but Kid manages to fight off Jacques following a cradle attempt, and passes out. Davey comes in hot, but immediately misses a dropkick. He manages to win a criss-cross by pressing Jacques crotch-first onto the top rope for two - bringing Raymond in, and triggering a brawl. The Bulldogs control, and Smith press-slams Kid into a flying headbutt on Jacques - only for the twenty minute time limit to expire at 19:03. Someone went home a little early there. I guess they figured if Crockett opened the Bash with a twenty minute tag team draw, they should follow suit on their big summer card? Fine opener, aside from the whole lack-of-ending thing. I way underrated this one the first time. ** ¾ (Original rating: * ½)

Bad News Brown v Ken Patera: You know you're heeling right when you still get booed while you're kicking the shit out of Ken Patera. Brown blitzes him early on, but misses a charge in the corner, and Patera hammers away. Bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop, but Bad News rolls out of the way, and blasts him with a headbutt before choking him down. Turnbuckle smash and a fistdrop setup more blatant choking, but Patera manages to block a backdrop, and take him down for one. Man, News can't be bothered with this fool, can he? Clothesline gets two, and a backbreaker is worth two. Small package for two, and Ken slaps on a bearhug, but Brown avoids the Full-Nelson. Patera hammers him to setup another go, but Brown is in the ropes again. They somehow mess up a cross corner whip, and have to repeat the spot - Patera hitting the post this time, and Brown quickly putting him away with the Ghetto Blaster at 6:33. Not really a pay per view caliber match up here. ¼* (Original rating: DUD)

Rick Rude v Junkyard Dog: Rude tries attacking at the bell, but gets backdropped, and knocked to the floor via a series of headbutts. Back in, Dog unloads with rights, but misses a falling headbutt - allowing Rude to level him with a lariat. Well executed flying axehandle puts JYD down for a series of pointed elbowdrops, and a snapmare sets up a chinlock. For those of you sick of the elaborate set designs of today’s shows, this one is the complete opposite end of the spectrum (well, the Garden), as they've gone completely minimal, without even so much as anything to disguise the scaffolding or a simple logo to mask the 'exit' sign at the entrance way. That's ghetto. Rude keeps working that chinlock, but Dog slugs his way out, so Bobby Heenan distracts him for Rude to Russian legsweep over. He goes up, and pulls down his tights to reveal a picture of Jake Roberts' wife on another pair of tights he has on underneath, before hitting a flying fistdrop! He swivels his hips, but here comes Jake Roberts to attack him before he can cover - getting JYD disqualified at 6:18, in what would effectively be JYD's last high profile appearance in the WWF before leaving for the NWA two months later. This was TV stuff - just background for the real angle, Rude/Roberts. ½* (Original rating: DUD)

The Powers of Pain v The Bolsheviks: The Powers blitz them before the bell, and clean house. These guys were such a better fit for the WWF than they were for the NWA. After much ass whoopage, the dust settles on Barbarian and Boris Zhukov, and Boris eats a clothesline for two - Nikolai Volkoff in for the save. That's still not enough to allow him more than a token shot on Barbarian, however, and Warlord tags in to deliver a few turnbuckle smashes and a fistdrop for two - again saved by Nikolai. Warlord with a belly-to-belly suplex, but Volkoff is in again to save his partner from getting pinned, and this time manager Slick lends a hand as well - the Russians able to capitalize. They try cutting the ring in half on Warlord, but get shrugged off, and Barbarian polishes off Boris with a Flying Headbutt at 5:27. Basically an extended squash, as this glorified house show continues. ¼* (Original rating: DUD)

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Honky Tonk Man v Ultimate Warrior: This is supposed to be Brutus Beefcake challenging for the title again, but he's been injured by Ron Bass on Superstars two days prior (kayfabe), so Honky makes an open challenge to anyone who wants a shot. And, boy does he get an answer: the Ultimate Warrior charging down the aisle, and totally obliterating him in 0:27 to win his first Intercontinental Title! As a match, it's nothing, but as a blow off to the long Honky Tonk Man title run, it's terrific - the entire thing from Warrior's entrance to exit just one sustained pop. Plus, it saved us from having to watch Honky and Beefcake stink up the ring on another pay per view, so there's that. DUD (Original rating: DUD)

Don Muraco v Dino Bravo: Some kid in the stands during one of the crowd shots looks like a clone of Tito Santana. Or, then, maybe it WAS Tito Santana! It could have been a swerve! Big criss cross goes Muraco's way when he stomps Bravo to block a monkeyflip, then unloads a pair of bodyslams that send Dino to the outside to regroup. Back in, Bravo tries a wristlock, but gets quickly reversed. He hammers Muraco into the corner to escape, but a cross corner whip is reversed, and Don hiptosses him. Monkeyflip sets up an armdrag into an armbar, but Don gets reversed into the corner, and Dino delivers an inverted atomic drop. Elbowdrop gets two, but Muraco manages a Russian legsweep as he mounts a comeback. Backdrop hits, but Bravo counters a bodyslam with a Sidewalk Slam for the pin at 5:28. When your WrestleMania IV match is the 'better one' of a series, it's time to seriously consider hanging it up. ½* (Original rating: DUD)

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Demolition v The Hart Foundation: Demolition have former Foundation manager Jimmy Hart in their corner for this one. Ax starts with Bret Hart, and he puts a pounding on the Hitman. Bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop, but Bret rolls out of the way, and unloads with rights. Rollup gets two, and Ax tags out. Smash rushes in, but runs into a pair of armdrags, and Hart tags. Jim Neidhart works the arm, but a cheap shot from Ax turns the tide, and the tag champions go to work cutting the ring in half on the Anvil. Jim manages to block a backdrop from Ax to allow the tag, and Hart cleans house on both champions, but gets reversed into the corner by Smash. The champs viciously work Bret's shoulder while cutting the ring in half, and try to show mercy by dumping him to the outside for a countout, but Bret fights to beat the count in! The Demos don't appreciate that, but Hart manages to win a criss cross with Ax, and puts him down with a hangman's clothesline. Smash distracts the referee so that he misses the tag to Neidhart, however, and Demolition go back to work. Smash misses a cross corner charge though, and Neidhart gets the tag for reals! He's a house of arson, and the crowd is just going nuts for the Hart's! Cool tandem spot during the brawl sequence sees Bret use the top rope to slingshot the Anvil into a plancha on Smash, and back inside, Jim running powerslams him for two. Bret whips Neidhart into Smash for two, and delivers a backbreaker for two - count broken by Ax. That triggers another brawl, and Jimmy Hart passes Ax his megaphone - Bret getting walloped to allow Smash the pin at 9:49. A little rushed, but it got really good towards the end, with the Hart's doing a great job of transitioning to working babyface. * ½ (Original rating: * ½)

Big Boss Man v Koko B. Ware: Really early into Boss Man's run here, and boy is he living up to the 'big' name! Boss Man attacks him before the bell, but before anyone cries police brutality, I should note that Koko was going after Slick, and Boss Man was just defending him. Ware manages to fight him off with a dropkick, but gets caught in a standing front-facelock, and Boss Man headbutts him down. Avalanche hits, as they show a close-up of Boss Man's gear - which include a fucking key ring! That's insane! Thankfully they got rid of those accessories later, because having a bunch of keys hanging off your belt while you're wrestling seems unnecessarily dangerous. Boss Man with a bow-and-arrow and a straddling ropechoke, but a flying splash misses - though Boss Man avoids splatting. Another avalanche misses, however, and Koko starts making his comeback. Well executed missile dropkick and a splash are worth two, but he runs into the Boss Man Slam at 5:57. Another TV level match. ½* (Original rating: ¼*)

Jake Roberts v Hercules: Hercules jumps him, but runs into a kneelift when he tries a backdrop. He manages to bail to the floor to escape the DDT, and Jake bodyslams him when he heads back in. Roberts grabs a headlock, but Hercules blows him low to turn the tide, and a snapmare sets up a chinlock. I love that Jake, despite being a babyface, still openly reaches for the hair to try and escape. And I don't mean that sarcastically! Hercules with a lariat for two, and he slaps another chinlock on. Man, I know Jesse Ventura couldn't do commentary here because he was busy refereeing the main event, but I would have preferred if they'd just not run that angle altogether since Monsoon's banter with Graham is really terrible. Relatively speaking, though. Like, it's still light years better than anything we've seen in recent years. Roberts manages to escape, and he snapmares Hercules over the top rope - only to get his throat snapped across it when he tries bringing him back in. More chinlock, but Jake slugs free, and starts mounting a comeback. Short-clothesline sets up the DDT, but Hercules backdrops him to counter. Jake tries to keep control with a kneelift, but Hercules dodges, and bodyslams him to setup an elbowdrop for two. Another slam, but this time Jake counters with the DDT at 10:06. Why did this extended chinlock, of all things, get so much more time than everyone else tonight? Maybe they were running ahead of schedule? ¼* (Original rating: ¼*)

Main Event: The Mega Powers v The Mega Bucks: Jesse Ventura acts as the special guest referee for this one. Jesse's refereeing outfit is an odd fashion choice, even for him. And, speaking of 'odd fashion choices,' Hogan's standard gear with 'Mega Powers' embroidered on the tush is up there, too. Ted DiBiase forces Ventura to switch the tag ropes onto the traditionally neutral corners before the bell, to put over that Jesse is on the take, and will do what he says. They take a while deciding who's starting, before finally settling on Hulk Hogan with DiBiase. Ted tries an eyerake, but Hulk no-sells, and atomic drops him into the Powers corner for some pinballing. Running forearm smash hits, and he tags out to Randy Savage for a tandem clothesline/tandem elbowdrop combo. The Mega Powers work DiBiase over for a bit, but Hulk stupidly goes after Andre on the apron, and gets smacked. Well, it's his own damn fault! Andre was just minding his own business out there, and Hogan ran up and punched him in the face! What did he expect would happen? Andre tags in and chokes the Hulkster down, then grabs a nervehold after literally ten seconds in the ring. That's, like, Yokozuna level conditioning there. He was terrible at this point, but he was such a presence that you really can't blame them for booking him on top. The Mega Bucks cut the ring in half on Hogan, but he fights off a chinlock from DiBiase, and they work a double-knockout spot. Tag to Savage, and he's a nuthouse of fire! Flying axehandle and a bodypress on DiBiase get two, but he runs into a clothesline, and Andre tags in. The Giant wallops Randy in the corner to completely cut him off, and DiBiase tags in with a vertical suplex for two. Backbreaker sets up a 2^nd rope diving back-elbowdrop, but Savage dodges. Tag to Hogan, and he's a tanning salon of fire! Cross corner clothesline and a vertical suplex on DiBiase hit, but Andre rushes in before he can cover. Hulk grabs a sleeper on DiBiase as Savage tries the Flying Elbowdrop on Andre, but hits the giant foot. With Randy down on the floor, Andre headbutts Hogan off of Ted, and they dump him out to the floor as well. With both Mega Powers down on the outside, Elizabeth climbs onto the apron, and rips her skirt off as a distraction. That'll certainly work! The look on everyone's faces (especially Jesse's) is a thing of beauty. So, with the Mega Bucks distracted by Elizabeth's shapely posterior, the Powers attack - Savage hitting the Flying Elbowdrop on DiBiase to setup the Legdrop from Hogan. Ventura stops short of counting three, however, so Savage slams his hand to the mat to help him finish his thought at 13:57. Afterwards, Hogan grabs Elizabeth in a giant bearhug, and though nothing explicit is made of it, you can already see the jealousy blazing in Savage's eyes. Not really a great match, but fun, memorable, and sent the crowd hope happy. * ¼ (Original rating: **)

BUExperience: While it was basically more a jumped up house show than the mid-season ‘summer WrestleMania’ blow off show it would become in later years, the first SummerSlam is still memorable and fun. Compare this to the NWA’s Great American Bash pay per view offering from the month before, and the wrestling isn’t close to as good, but the booking is tremendous – delivering big moments (like Warrior’s surprise title win), and sending the paying customer home happy, instead of enraged.

It’s also an interesting show to fantasy book. This was still the era when booking centered around doing blow offs on the house show circuit, but had this show come ten years later, I could see them running the same main event and Intercontinental title matches, but with a lot less of the TV and squash matches peppered in. Like, this would be the perfect place to blow off Roberts/Rude, instead of having both guys wrestle dudes they have no issue with. This would be the perfect card to run Demolition/Bulldogs for the tag title, after they had an inconclusive match on the last Saturday Night’s Main Event. Throw in Harts/Rougeaus too, and you’ve got yourself a hell of a mid-season blow off show.

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