WWF at Madison Square Garden (February 19, 1990)

 

Original Airdate: February 19, 1990

From New York, New York; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon, Hillbilly Jim, and Bobby Heenan

Opening Match: Tito Santana v Buddy Rose: Rose is wearing a hilarious ‘I worked hard for this body’ t-shirt here. They feel each other out to start, with lots of posturing along the way. Santana dominates all of that, until Rose manages to dump him to the outside, and gain the advantage. Buddy works him over in super dull fashion, but takes too long getting to the top rope, and Tito slams him off. Santana goes on the comeback trail from there, but Rose manages to block the figure four. He tries a headlock, but Santana throws him into the ropes to escape, and they collide for a double knockout spot. Tito is up first, and manages a backdrop, then lands a jumping forearm at 15:03. This was just so long, and way too dull for an opener. I mean, call me crazy, but if you’re booking something to go fifteen minutes it had better have a good story behind it. I’m not saying it has to be reserved for main events only, but that long for an exhibition match is just nuts. ¼*

Ron Garvin v Earthquake: Earthquake in the chocolate brown gear doesn’t work at all, and he was very wise to swap for the bright blue not long after this, because this look doesn’t scream ‘main event run.’ Garvin tries to get some shots in, but he just bounces off of the big guy, and Earthquake toys with him. Ron keeps coming, and eventually manages to pound Earthquake into the corner, but the big guy is big, so it only works for so long. Earthquake chokes him down, but Garvin keeps slugging, and manages to take Earthquake off of his feet. He tries for a sharpshooter, but Earthquake blocks. Earthquake tries an avalanche, but misses, allowing Ron to dive with a flying bodypress, but he gets caught in a powerslam. And I mean caught, not just shifted into a powerslam via momentum. That’s impressive. And Earthquake quickly puts him away from there with the running sitdown splash at 7:37. They did a good job of telling a story, even if the actual work was super basic. ½*

Rick Martel v Red Rooster: Posturing to start, with Martel casually stalling whenever Rooster gets some momentum. Rick gets control after getting Rooster to lose his temper, and he sinks his teeth into a headlock. Rooster fights him off and grabs an armbar, then moves on to a leglock, as they just grind along. Rooster keeps working the leg, until Martel is able to dump him out of the ring, and that turns the tide. Martel works him over, though Rooster is good about getting regular hope spots in here, instead of just sitting in holds. Though, there’s plenty of that, too. Martel gets a near fall, but Rooster is in the ropes, and Rooster schoolboys for two as Rick argues the count. Rick responds with a backbreaker, and he tries for the Boston crab, but Rooster blocks. Rooster fights his way out of the corner, but a bodyslam attempt gets toppled for two. Martel tries a backdrop, but Rooster counters with a sunset flip for two, then hooks a small package for two. Rick cuts him off with a reverse chinlock, but a charge backfires when Rooster catches him with a rotating spinebuster. Rooster unloads right hands, and an atomic drop gets him two. A charge in the corner misses, but Rooster recovers with a hangman clothesline for two. Dropkick, but Martel catches him in the Boston crab for the win at 21:22. Another one where it’s just way too long for a simple exhibition match with no backstory or angle. ¾*

Main Event: Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake v Mr. Perfect and Genius: The heels attack during the entrances, but of course babyfaces quickly fight them off, and clean house. WWF Champion Hulk Hogan starts with Perfect, and Perfect manages to weather the initial assault long enough to get control, and he knocks Hulk to the outside. Perfect with chops on the way back in, but Hulk reverses him into the ropes, and a big boot sends Perfect over the top! Genius runs in, but gets dispatched as well, and Brutus bashes their heads together out there. Back in, the babyfaces pinfall Perfect around, and Beefcake uses an earringer for two. Back to Hogan for a clothesline, as the announcers note that some might call him a 'closet genius.' Let's not touch that one. Beefcake hits Perfect with a high knee for two, and Hogan uses a 2nd rope axehandle. Bodyslam sets up a few elbowdrops, and a corner smash sees Perfect do some big spiral overselling. I'm surprised how much abuse Perfect is taking here, considering he was on deck to get the Intercontinental title. You'd think that's what Genius is out there for. Perfect takes another bump over the top, but manages to take a cheap shot with the metal scroll when Hulk goes after him, and Hogan eats the post and the guardrail. Inside, the heels go to work on Hogan, but a flying moonsault from Genius hits the knees, and Hulk is able to tag! Beefcake comes in hot on Perfect, and the sleeper looks to finish, but Genius manages to bop him with the scroll to break it up in time. That allows Perfect to cover, but Hogan saves at two, as the announcers have a hilarious conversation about Hillbilly Jim's horseshoe good luck charm. Heenan, in his prime, was incredible. Just so fast, so witty. Watching his Nitro era WCW stuff lately is just so sad, especially juxtaposed with this. They work Beefcake over in rather dull fashion as the match slows way down. Perfectplex looks to finish, but Hulk saves at two. That allows him to get the legal tag, and Roseanne Barr the door! The heels fly around for him, and the legdrop finishes Genius at 15:27 (16:52 total). This was mostly fine, but a little too long, and the heat segment on Beefcake dragged badly. *

Bad News Brown v Jim Brunzell: Brunzell is subbing for Jimmy Snuka here. Jim fights off a sneak attack with a sunset flip for two, and he dumps Brown to the outside, holding the high ground. Brown climbs back in, but Jim wins the resulting exchange, and Brown ends up back on the outside. He teases walking out before getting back in, so Brunzell charges, but Brown is ready to clobber him this time. Bad News goes to work, until Jim is able to fight into holding a front-facelock. Brown quickly fights it off, and hammers him in the corner, then delivers a turnbuckle smash. Brown goes back to work, but misses an avalanche, and Brunzell capitalizes by taking him down for a wristlock. They spill to the outside, and that’s where shit really hits the fan for Brunzell, as Brown kicks the hell out of him in a brawl. Inside, Jim desperately tries a 2nd rope bodypress, but misses, and Bad News dumps him back to the outside. That allows Brown to pull the turnbuckle pad off, but Jim is able to reverse a smash into it, and land a dropkick for two. Jim puts a sleeper on, wearing Brown down for a rollup for two. Jim misses a corner charge, however, allowing Brown to land an enzuigiri at 14:43. Okay, is this a joke now? Did half the roster get caught in a snowstorm? I can’t think of any other reason why every match is getting such crazy amounts of time. This wasn’t even the advertised match, why the hell are they going fifteen minutes?! ½*

Akeem v Dusty Rhodes: Dusty had been in the WWF for a while by this point, but apparently this is his first match in the Garden of this run. Akeem dominates a bit early, but gets reversed into the corner, and Rhodes puts him down with a series of elbowsmashes. I’m pretty sure the selling here is what inspired a bunch of memes I’ve seen on social media recently Akeem regroups on the outside, and man, the commentary here is super sleepy, even with Gorilla and Bobby on the headsets. Dusty with a series of elbowsmashes to leave Akeem tied up on the ropes, but Akeem throws a few punches, and delivers an elbowdrop for one. Akeem with a nervehold, until Dusty slugs free, but Akeem dumps him. Slick goes after Dusty out there, and Akeem hops out to hammer the Dream. Inside for another nervehold, but Dusty fights free, and takes it into the corner for a ten-punch. They spill to the outside, where Akeem goes after Sapphire, but Dusty saves, and wins via countout at 9:04. DUD

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Barbarian, Warlord, and Mr. Fuji v Jim Duggan, Shawn Michaels, and Marty Jannetty: Warlord starts with Shawn, but things quickly break down, and we get everyone in the ring. Duggan helps the Rockers hook stereo sunset flips on the Powers of Pain for two, and the babyfaces clean house. The dust settles on Barbarian and Duggan, and they get right into a slugfest - won by Jim. Jim with a turnbuckle smash and a clothesline, before passing to Marty for a wristlock. Barbarian powers his way into his home corner while in the hold, and he tags Warlord - only for Warlord to end up in a front-facelock. Marty peppers him with a dropkick, and he grabs a standing side-headlock from there. Tag to Shawn, and Duggan sends him with a rocket launcher at Warlord for two, but the kick out puts Shawn on the apron, and Warlord takes his head off with a clothesline. That allows Barbarian to grab Shawn for a trip into the post, and the heels take control, working Michaels over. Barbarian misses a flying headbutt drop, allowing the hot tag to Hacksaw, and off we go! He dominates the Powers, and hits Barbarian with a three-point stance, but Warlord saves at two. That allows the heels to get control of Duggan in their corner, and they work him over, starting a second heat segment. He manages to win a criss cross before getting a hot tag off to Marty, and he runs wild on Warlord. Both Rockers come in to double team Warlord, but Barbarian clobbers Jannetty to put a stop to it. That allows the heels to try cutting the ring in half on a third victim, but Duggan whacks Fuji with his 2x4, and Marty pins him at 15:48. *

BUExperience: What a boring collection of overlong matches. 

DUD