WWF Survivor Series 1989 (Version II)

Original Airdate: November 23, 1989

From Chicago, Illinois; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura

Opening Survivor Series Elimination Match: The Dream Team (Dusty Rhodes, Tito Santana, Brutus Beefcake, and Red Rooster) v The Enforcers (Big Boss Man, Rick Martel, Honky Tonk Man, and Bad News Brown): Tito starts with Honky, but a distraction from Martel immediately gets under Santana's skin, and Honky jumps him. Unfortunately for Honky, Santana wins a criss cross with a leapfrog, and he bodyslams him down for a wristlock. Tag out to Martel, and a criss cross goes his way with a dropkick, but Tito reverses an atomic drop, then schoolboys him for two. Tag to Boss Man, but he walks right into an armdrag, and Dusty gets the tag. Rhodes unloads with jabs, and the Bionic Elbow knocks Boss Man silly. Tag to Beefcake for a 2^nd rope flying axehandle, but Boss Man quickly rakes the eyes, and passes back to Honky. Elvis done fucks it up right quick though, so it's back to Martel for a backbreaker and a kneedrop for two. Tag to Rooster for a backdrop on Martel for two, but a cross corner charge misses, and the heels cut the ring in half on Rooster. Well, the WHITE heels anyway, since no one seems to want to tag Bad News in. #BLACKHEELSMATTER! A collision with Honky allows the tag to Tito, and he's a casa of fire on Martel! Figure Four looks to finish, but Rick blocks, and bodyslams him - only to miss an elbowdrop. Santana tries a rollup, but Martel reverses with a handful of tights for the pin at 9:44. Rhodes is in next, and he unloads with elbows, and even throws a dropkick for two. Go Dusty! The faces work Martel over, but Rooster eats a backbreaker while trying a headlock, and Boss Man tags in. The white heels cut the ring in half on Rooster again, and this time actually tag Bad News in, though more accidentally than anything else. He hammers Rooster, but ends up getting punched by Boss Man during a miscommunication, which quickly turns into a full blown confrontation - Brown walking out on his team at 15:27. Dust settles on Beefcake and Boss Man, which sounds like an 80s sitcom come to life. That quickly goes south for the Barber, and Honky tags in to side suplex him for two. Ten-punch count, but Brutus starts slugging back, and hits a high knee to get rid of Honky at 17:26. Martel quickly jumps Beefcake and grounds him in a chinlock, but gets caught using the ropes, and Beefcake sunset cradles him at 20:13. Quick tag to Rooster, but he runs right into the Boss Man Slam at 21:00. Boss Man's still down against two guys, however, and the Dream Team quickly polish him off when Dusty hits a bodypress at 22:04.
Survivors: Dusty Rhodes, Brutus Beefcake
This was pretty paint-by-numbers, pedestrian stuff here. * ½ (Original rating: * ½)

Survivor Series Elimination Match: The King's Court (Randy Savage, Greg Valentine, Dino Bravo, and Earthquake) v The 4x4s (Jim Duggan, Ronnie Garvin, Bret Hart, and Hercules): This actually serves as Earthquakes TV debut. Duggan forces Savage into the ring with Hercules to start, with the powerhouse press-slamming the Macho King. Tag to Valentine, but Hercules keeps control with an atomic drop, and the 4x4s take turns working Greg's arm. Garvin tries a sleeper (and looks hilarious doing so, since he's shorter than Valentine), but fails to cut the ring in half, and Bravo tags in. Dino makes the same mistake to allow the tag back to Hercules, but he quickly runs into the Earthquake Splash at 3:56. Dust settles on Duggan and Earthquake, and an assist from Hart gets Quake off his feet for the first time - Garvin splashing him for two. He quickly gets overwhelmed in the wrong corner, however, and Greg looks to finish him with a Figure Four, but Ronnie counters with a schoolboy for two. Slugfest is won by Garvin, and Duggan puts the Hammer away with the 3-Point Stance at 7:31. The heels gang up on Duggan, but Earthquake misses an elbowdrop to allow the tag back to Ronnie. He slugs it out with Bravo, and delivers the Garvin Stomp, then tags out to Hart as Dino passes to Savage. Big pop for the Hitman, too. It's stunning that it took them so long to break up the Foundation sometimes, but in many ways I'm glad that they didn't, since Bret's singles run came at the absolute perfect time, and he might have gotten lost in the shuffle earlier. Anyway, Bravo puts Garvin away with a sidewalk slam at 11:18. The 4x4s work Macho over in their corner, and Hart delivers a backbreaker for two. Inside cradle gets two, but a 2^nd rope elbowdrop misses, and Bravo gets the tag. He bodyslams Hart to setup an elbowdrop, and he tries a bearhug, but Bret won't give. He manages to get the hot tag off to Duggan, but Jim quickly misses an elbowdrop, which gives us a wonderfully brilliant bit of tag team psychology from Savage, as he drags the still relatively fresh Duggan over to the 4x4s corner (under the guise of beating on him), and deftly allows him to tag back to Hart. You don't see that often, even from very experienced tag wrestlers, and it's awesome! He then immediately drags Hart over to the heel corner, where they all gang up on him again, and cut the ring in half! Bravo with a shoulderbreaker and Savage with the Flying Elbowdrop to finish the Hitman at 19:07. Give it to 'em, they earned that one. That leaves Hacksaw alone against three men, but he holds his own - fighting off all three at once, and cleaning house! He keeps rampaging, until Sensational Sherri finally pulls down the top rope as he runs them - Jim taking a spill, and getting counted out at 22:25.
Survivors: Randy Savage, Dino Bravo, Earthquake
This had a lot more pep and spice than the opener, though the finish made the heels look terribly weak. I mean, they had a three-on-one advantage, and couldn't even string more than a couple moves together on Duggan, before resorting to having a girl get the job done for them? Weak! Especially for a debuting Earthquake. ** ¾ (Original rating: **)

Survivor Series Elimination Match: The Hulkamaniacs (Hulk Hogan, Jake Roberts, and Demolition) v The Million Dollar Team (Ted DiBiase, Zeus, and The Powers of Pain): Roberts wants to start with Zeus, but the big man wants Hogan or nothing! Hulk looks like a scared child, but tags in. God, Hulk is so tan he's nearly as black as Zeus. He gets destroyed as he matches up with Zeus so, hero to millions as he is, he goes to the eyes to turn the tide. Bodyslam, but Zeus totally no-sells it (good for him!), and chokes Hogan down. The referee objects, so Zeus throws him across the ring, and that's a disqualification at 3:22. This was a nice bit of hard sell for the No Holds Barred match/movie pay per view special planned for the following month, and provided a hot start to this contest. Not to mention, it got Zeus off the books early, which is always a good thing. So now, Hogan is all weakened, and DiBiase goes to work, but misses a charge in the corner, and Jake tags in. He blitzes Ted in the corner before clotheslining him over the top, and ramming him into the post out there. Boy, where was all this fire in their WrestleMania match?! Demolition take turns pounding DiBiase as well, and even Hogan gets in on the action with a 2^nd rope axehandle. Yeah, sure, big man now that Zeus is out of the picture. Ax with a clothesline for two, but Ted wins a criss cross with a running backelbow, and that's enough to allow the tag to Warlord. He and Barbarian cut the ring in half on Ax, and an assist from the devious Mr. Fuji allows Warlord to send him packing at 9:51. Smash rushes in to take revenge, but Warlord takes his eyes during a bodyslam attempt, and Barbarian blasts him with a big boot. Why would you try to slam Warlord to begin with? Smash tries to come back by hitting DiBiase with a stungun, but he fails to notice Barbarian tagging in, and Barbarian kills him with a flying clothesline at 13:44. Kinda surprised the Demos were made to look so weak, given that they were the tag champions (in an era when that still meant something), and the Powers of Pain were pretty much done as a team at this point. Jake comes back in, but immediately gets to play the victim - getting whipped around by the Powers. Barbarian with a falling headbutt and a backbreaker, as Jake earns his money like a champ tonight through his selling. The Million Dollar Team cut the ring in half, but Barbarian misses a flying headbutt, and the Hulkster gets the hot tag! He's a tanning bed of fire, and the axe bomber gets two. Vertical suplex for two, but a bodyslam draws Warlord in, and both Powers get tossed for double-teaming after spike piledriving Hogan at 19:43. Were they gearing up for a renewed push that got axed, or something? So that leaves DiBiase alone against two men, but they're both pretty battered. He doesn't waste any time capitalizing on Hogan with the Million Dollar Dream, and things look bleak, but Roberts saves. Ted takes it in stride and slaps the hold back on, but Hogan was able to recover enough that he's able to escape on his own this time. What a hero! Tag to Jake, and he unloads with a backdrop, then snaps Ted's throat across the top rope to setup a series of kneedrops. Short-clothesline sets up the DDT, so Virgil hops up onto the apron to protest, and ends up eating the DDT instead - leaving Roberts right in position for DiBiase to nail Jake with a fistdrop at 23:52. Meanwhile, Hogan is still down in the corner while all this has been going on, and so DiBiase retains control. Clothesline gets two, and Ted grounds him with a chinlock, but Hogan fights out. Criss cross ends in a double-knockout spot, and Hogan gets the best of it with an atomic drop, but DiBiase gives it right back to him with a side suplex. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't notice Hulk no-selling, and the big boot sets up the Legdrop at 27:32.
Survivor: Hulk Hogan
This didn't necessarily have the best workers in the world, but they all knew how to play to their strengths, and managed to have a good match through smart booking. *** (Original rating: * ½)

Survivor Series Elimination Match: Roddy's Rowdies (Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, and The Bushwhackers) v The Rude Brood (Rick Rude, Mr. Perfect, and The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers): The face team established that their rowdy by all taking turns biting Perfect, which is certainly a unique strategy, if nothing else. He (quite understandably) wants out of there, and passes to Jacques Rougeau. Jacques wastes time taunting Snuka with various acrobatics, but gets clobbered with a jumping headbutt once he's finally ready to make contact. Backbreaker, bodyslam, and the Superfly Splash send Jacques home at 4:03. Rude pounces, but Snuka headbutts him, so he passes back to Perfect - who ends up taking a spill over the top following a miscommunication with Rude! Back in, Piper sends him flying with a swinging kneelift, and the faces take turns working him over - largely avoiding using their teeth this time, at least. Not completely, but largely. Hey, it's a step. He evades Piper long enough to tag out to Raymond Rougeau, but Ray quickly palls prey to a piledriver at 7:41. Perfect's had ENOUGH of these shenanigans, and comes in with a snapmare to setup a somersault necksnap for two. Earringer leads to a front-facelock, but Piper sends him into the corner with a slingshot, and Butch gets the tag. He comes in with a fistdrop for two, and a... stomp... gets two. Not the most imaginative when it comes to the offense, is he? He stops to try and come up with something more interesting to do, but gets rolled up in the process at 10:47. Piper sneaks up on Perfect with a rollup of his own for two, and Snuka delivers a 2^nd rope tomahawk chop. The faces take turns allowing Perfect to put on an overselling exhibition, but Luke fails to cut the ring in half, and Rude puts him away with the Awakening at 11:17. The Brood suckers Snuka into their corner for a beating, and they cut the ring in half on him. Snuka manages an inside cradle on Perfect for two, and a jumping headbutt is enough for the tag. Big slugfest between Piper and Rude is won by Roddy, and he backdrops the Ravishing one to the heavens before both men spill to the floor - brawling up the aisle for a double countout at 18:38. Too bad we never got the proposed Piper/Rude match at WrestleMania VI (dropped in favor of keeping Rude strong to feud with Ultimate Warrior over the summer), because it likely would have been amazing. Unfortunately, that little flurry didn't give Jimmy much time to recover, and Perfect is able to take control again in short order. Dropkick puts Snuka on the floor, but he beats the count, so Perfect vertical suplexes him for two. Rollup gets two, so Jimmy tries a cradle of his own for two - reversed by Perfect for two. Snuka manages to reverse a whip into the corner, and a 2^nd rope bodypress follows - only for Perfect to roll through for two, before finishing with the Perfectplex at 21:30.
Survivor: Mr. Perfect
The heat segment on Snuka before the double elimination dragged a bit, and there seemed to be some miscue issues throughout, but overall a decent and well paced effort. ** ¼ (Original rating: ¾*)

Main Event: The Ultimate Warriors (Ultimate Warrior, Jim Neidhart, and The Rockers) v The Heenan Family (Bobby Heenan, Arn Anderson, and The Colossal Connection): Heenan is subbed in for the already released Tully Blanchard, and this is partner Arn Anderson's last WWF match as well. The Family attack the faces before Warrior makes his entrance, and Andre chokes out Neidhart until Warrior blitzes him with a clothesline - the Giant falling out of the ring and getting counted out at 0:26. I get that you've got to suspend disbelief if you're going to enjoy pro-wrestling, but when would the bell have even reasonably sounded to start that match? Surely not before all the participants had arrived? Surely not when both Warrior and Neidhart were in the ring with Andre? So many questions. Someone should ask outside referee Shane McMahon for some clarification if he ever does an AMA chat. Okay, so with Andre gone, Neidhart is feeling all tough, but quickly realizes that no matter how tough you think you are, Haku is tougher - eating a superkick at 3:30. Warrior's gear tonight appears to be the inspiration for the Hasbro action figure I had of him when I was a kid. That was a good figure. The one where he had his legs stuck together fucking sucked. Never had the purple one, unfortunately. Shawn Michaels comes in next, and dodges a falling headbutt from Haku during a criss cross. The Rockers double-up on Haku with quick tags, and Warrior absolutely unloads on him with chops, then backdrops him - only to miss an elbowdrop. Over to Arn, but Warrior fights off a triple-team in the corner, and gets to Marty. Jannetty has less luck against the Family's cheap shots, however, and Haku superkicks him for Heenan to steal the glory of the fall with at 8:49. Wow, I hope Marty got a little extra that night. Warrior's in, and he gives both Arn and Haku a turn in a bearhug, before dropping Haku with an inverted atomic drop for Shawn Michaels to cover for two. Too bad we never got more interactions between Warrior and Michaels in 1996. Like, even a RAW tag match with them would have been fun, not to mention that 1996 Shawn Michaels would have probably even overshadowed Randy Savage in what he could get out of the guy had they run a singles match between them. Michaels with a dropkick for two, and he and Warrior work as a good team pinballing the heels around. Rocket launcher gets two, and a flying bodypress sends Haku packing at 12:51. That was a really fun segment. With only two guys left, Heenan is forced to take a more active role to help cut the ring in half on Michaels, but thinks better after teasing a flying dive to the floor at one point. Arn doesn't appreciate that, but can you blame him, really? I mean, in a kayfabe sense, that would be suicidal for Heenan to try, and would likely cause him to get injured, and immediately eliminated from the bout. Unfortunately for Shawn, he can't get past Arn long enough to tag, and eats a rotating spinebuster at 15:38. That leaves Warrior alone, but who are we kidding here? If it were Bobby and Andre that would be one thing, but Bobby and Arn? Yeah. Anderson gives it the old college try for a bit, but runs into the press-slam/splash combo at 18:18. And then there was one. The look of abject terror on Heenan's face as he realizes that his last remaining human shield is gone and he's alone is fantastic - equaled by Warrior's positively gleeful expression. Jumping shoulderblock and a splash finishes the Brain at 20:28.
Survivor: Ultimate Warrior
A lot of fun, and a fitting conclusion to the evening. ** ½ (Original rating: *)

BUExperience: There’s nothing particularly special going on in the ring on this show, and storyline wise it’s totally nonessential, but even so, it’s just fun. Everything from the over the top characters that made up 1980s WWF wrestling, to the brilliant commentary banter between Monsoon and Ventura, to the light hearted ‘there’s no school tomorrow’ holiday atmosphere makes it a fun rewatch. I mean, how do you dislike a show that features a synchronized 2x4 marching routine, anyway?

**