Saturday Night's Main Event 7
Mr Wonderful just won't let that missed call go...The Snake and The Dragon bring Roberts and Steamboat with them...Greg Valentine has an eye on Dynamite Kid's leg...
History in the making
A new season of Saturday Night’s Main Event begins, with some slight tweaks to the format. One of the most important was not exactly a tweak, but NBC reportedly insisted on bringing Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura back to the commentary booth. Ventura had missed the last edition due to film conflicts, but according to Ventura, Dick Ebersol was adamant about having him on the commentary team, so he was back as a featured player on the show. We also are going to be treated to the wonderful opening promo segment that had been teased at on the previous edition and would become a SNME staple. Plus, the lighting was now brighter and more expensive, allowing a larger-than-life enormity that became a WWF hallmark.
In terms of the wrestling, the Hulk Hogan-Paul Orndorff war waged on, despite ‘Mr Wonderful’ suffering a neck injury that would eventually result in the severely atrophied arm he has today. Such was the money pouring in with this feud, however, that he kept going, knowing he would never get such a run again. Orndorff continued to use Hogan’s ‘Real American’ theme for his entrance and mock the Hulkster’s mannerisms, all to white-hot heat every night. Following the disqualification that ended their encounter at The Big Event, they were set for a rematch on this edition of SNME.
In terms of the wrestling, the Hulk Hogan-Paul Orndorff war waged on, despite ‘Mr Wonderful’ suffering a neck injury that would eventually result in the severely atrophied arm he has today. Such was the money pouring in with this feud, however, that he kept going, knowing he would never get such a run again. Orndorff continued to use Hogan’s ‘Real American’ theme for his entrance and mock the Hulkster’s mannerisms, all to white-hot heat every night. Following the disqualification that ended their encounter at The Big Event, they were set for a rematch on this edition of SNME.
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Also continuing their hostilities were Ricky Steamboat and Jake Roberts, who were finally going to have that Snake Pit match with their animal backup in their feud-ending showdown. Roberts had been doing such a good job on interviews during his feud with ‘The Dragon’ that he was given his own interview segment, The Snake Pit, on Wrestling Challenge.
In addition to Jesse Ventura’s return, ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper had reappeared at the end of August, more than a little peeved at what ‘Adorable’ Adrian Adonis had done to his Pit, turning it into the Flower Shop. Adonis had also taken on Cowboy Ace Bob Orton, Jr. on as his bodyguard, trading Orton’s old brown cowboy hat in for a dashing pink model. Piper displayed his disgust at the turn of events, only to receive a beat down from his former bodyguard, Adonis, and The Magnificent Muraco, the trio severely injuring his leg as a result. In an act of vengeance, hobbled onto the set of the Flower Shop and trashed it with a baseball bat, screaming and ranting as he did so, marking his turn into a babyface. It wasn’t quite solidified yet, but a match against evil foreigner The Iron Sheik on this show indicated where he was headed.
More excitingly, The Dream Team were getting the chance to get over the nightmare they had suffered at WrestleMania 2, which meant another match with The British Bulldogs. Capt. Lou was on his way out by this point, which meant that The Bulldogs were now all about just wrestling. Which is all that you need… It’s a new season, a new start, and it’s a happening… |
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IT'S A HAPPENING
Jesse Ventura is back, with a new look (no peacocks covering the baldness) and a new season!
Jake Roberts is in the shower in his tighty blackies, with his “wild, wet friend”; Johnny V says The British Bulldogs are full of “bull-bu-ba-do”; The Wizards yells about Kamala; Paul Orndorff is posing in front of three mirrors as Bobby Heenan explains why the end is near for Hulk Hogan; the WWF Champion responds by telling us that “Benedict Arnold is going down” and that ‘Mr Wonderful’ “had it all, man” – well, except for the WWF Championship, Hulk.
Jake Roberts is in the shower in his tighty blackies, with his “wild, wet friend”; Johnny V says The British Bulldogs are full of “bull-bu-ba-do”; The Wizards yells about Kamala; Paul Orndorff is posing in front of three mirrors as Bobby Heenan explains why the end is near for Hulk Hogan; the WWF Champion responds by telling us that “Benedict Arnold is going down” and that ‘Mr Wonderful’ “had it all, man” – well, except for the WWF Championship, Hulk.
Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura are back together, and Jesse is very keen to tell his broadcast partner that he’s nothing without him. Nice dig, Jesse. Vince tells us that they are getting word that Roddy Piper is hurt.
Backstage, Mean Gene is with Piper, whose leg is bandaged and iced up and he’s so unhappy that he’s chewing on some of his treasured towel. We see Messrs’ Muraco, Adonis, and Orton attacking ‘The Rowdy One’. “These fat, nasty, stretched-marked sons of…” is Piper’s way of describing his attackers, and he is in a foul mood as he’s been told he can’t wrestle… |
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Next up, we see the “most treacherous act since Benedict Arnold sold us out to the British” – Paul Orndorff turning on Hulk Hogan. The Hulkster still can’t understand it, but luckily God created people like him to sort people like Orndorff out. He also refers to himself as “the old broken down Hulkster” – in 1986…Jesse thinks Hogan is more “psycho” than “psyched up”, and doesn’t agree with the Champion’s side of events. Backstage, Orndorff and Heenan are with Mean Gene: “That albino ape is nothing more than a liar” – Bobby Heenan. ‘Mr Wonderful’ is going to rip out Hogan’s tongue and put it on his championship belt.
WWF Championship: Hulk Hogan (c) vs. 'Mr Wonderful' Paul Orndorff (w/Jimmy Hart)
Orndorff comes out to ‘Real American’ once again, and Vince accuses him of stealing music. Jesse argues that because Hogan didn’t write the music it’s all OK. Vince: “A roar like you’ve never heard before.” Mean Gene tries to talk to Hogan on his way to the ring, but the champion just lifts him out of the way, or manhandles him, according to Ventura.
Hogan misses a charge and Orndorff lays in the rights, except Hogan doesn’t care about them and hits his own, far more successful, punches. Heenan jumps up on the apron, but Hogan misses with his blow, much to Vince’s disappointment. It does give ‘Mr Wonderful’ a chance to clothesline the Hulkster out of the ring, however, as the crowd shows its disapproval. An attempt from Orndorff to ram Hogan’s head into the ring apron backfires as it is blocked and reversed. Hogan chops and punches Orndorff back in the ring, which makes him go all googly. A charging clothesline prompts Heenan to jump up on the apron again and fiddle about inside his pants. Hogan connects with a right this time, and ‘The Brain’ sails through the air. Orndorff takes his chance with knees and elbows to the Hulkster, including some elbows to a prone Hogan hanging through the apron. Hogan is battered until he stumbles through the timekeeper’s table, sending people and equipment sprawling everywhere. Ventura exclaims that, “Hogan’s trying to pin the timekeeper!” |
Orndorff uses the cable that is strewn over the floor to choke the champion. Hogan is not in a good way, and is prevented from re-entering by some Wonderful knees. Fans are booing the hell out of Orndorff as he finally lets Hogan back in the ring, but wears him down with kicks and stomps. Ventura thinks that Orndorff would make a wonderful idol for the children as a champion because he pulls out all the stomps to win. As Jesse proposes this, Orndorff gets a close two from an uppercut. A suplex gets another close two, which infuriates both Orndorff and Heenan.
Hogan reverses a whip and hits a big knee, but Bobby Heenan cuts off his comeback by grabbing his leg and holding on for dear life. Security appears to literally carry Heenan to the backstage area – a move very much appreciated by the fans – and deposit him behind some blue doors that make it very clear that they shouldn’t be opened. Heenan is in awesome form as he switches from pleading nicely with the security to let him out to insulting them and then back again, all the time sweating and panicking that he’s missing his charge’s big chance at the gold.
Luckily for ‘The Brain’, Orndorff does all right without his manager, suckering Hogan into a chase that ends with him sucker punching his former friend. Knees and measured elbows follow to wear the Hulkster down, and in his desperation to wrest that belt from Hogan, ‘Mr Wonderful’ starts choking his opponent. A backbreaker and elbow gets a two count, as Jesse has changed his tune, noting that if Orndorff were now to win, having no Heenan at ringside would give Hogan no excuses for his loss. Vince of course disagrees, saying that Hulk wouldn’t make an excuse and would even shake his conqueror’s hand. The Benedict Arnold turncoat clothesline sets up the piledriver and the title on its way to ‘Mr Wonderful’, but Hogan backdrops his way out! Orndorff immediately pounces with more elbows, but the Hulk Up is in full swing now, and they have no effect on the champion. Hogan hits some big rights, a running elbow and two more punches. Jesse laments that the loss of Heenan and the resulting distraction made this inevitable…
Hogan nails his own turncoat clothesline, and sets Orndorff up for a piledriver, just as he did at The Big Event, but this time ‘Mr Wonderful’ is saved by, as Jesse puts it, “some fat sweat hog from the audience” who jumps in and clotheslines Hogan to earn a disqualification and give the champion another win.
The sweat hog is actually ‘Adorable’ Adrian Adonis, but after Hogan nails his attacker, Jesse is in uproar that the leader of Hulkamania would punch “some fat old woman.” Orndorff nails a knee from behind to seemingly give the heels the advantage, but here comes ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper, power walking with his crutches to the ring. He nails Adonis with a crutch with a nasty-looking shot, and Hogan whips Orndorff in Piper’s direction, but ‘Mr Wonderful’ manages to duck and escape. Piper is all crutches-blazing by now, and he nearly clobbers the Hulkster. The two old enemies stare each other down, but instead of finally settling the score on their war, Piper throws his crutch down and hobbles out. Jesse is disappointed, and wonders if the cheers he’s been receiving from the fans are not turning Piper’s head. Hogan forgets the big angle so that he can pose, and even throws Adonis’s floppy hat on, giving someone, somewhere, the basic idea for Mr. Nanny.
Hogan reverses a whip and hits a big knee, but Bobby Heenan cuts off his comeback by grabbing his leg and holding on for dear life. Security appears to literally carry Heenan to the backstage area – a move very much appreciated by the fans – and deposit him behind some blue doors that make it very clear that they shouldn’t be opened. Heenan is in awesome form as he switches from pleading nicely with the security to let him out to insulting them and then back again, all the time sweating and panicking that he’s missing his charge’s big chance at the gold.
Luckily for ‘The Brain’, Orndorff does all right without his manager, suckering Hogan into a chase that ends with him sucker punching his former friend. Knees and measured elbows follow to wear the Hulkster down, and in his desperation to wrest that belt from Hogan, ‘Mr Wonderful’ starts choking his opponent. A backbreaker and elbow gets a two count, as Jesse has changed his tune, noting that if Orndorff were now to win, having no Heenan at ringside would give Hogan no excuses for his loss. Vince of course disagrees, saying that Hulk wouldn’t make an excuse and would even shake his conqueror’s hand. The Benedict Arnold turncoat clothesline sets up the piledriver and the title on its way to ‘Mr Wonderful’, but Hogan backdrops his way out! Orndorff immediately pounces with more elbows, but the Hulk Up is in full swing now, and they have no effect on the champion. Hogan hits some big rights, a running elbow and two more punches. Jesse laments that the loss of Heenan and the resulting distraction made this inevitable…
Hogan nails his own turncoat clothesline, and sets Orndorff up for a piledriver, just as he did at The Big Event, but this time ‘Mr Wonderful’ is saved by, as Jesse puts it, “some fat sweat hog from the audience” who jumps in and clotheslines Hogan to earn a disqualification and give the champion another win.
The sweat hog is actually ‘Adorable’ Adrian Adonis, but after Hogan nails his attacker, Jesse is in uproar that the leader of Hulkamania would punch “some fat old woman.” Orndorff nails a knee from behind to seemingly give the heels the advantage, but here comes ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper, power walking with his crutches to the ring. He nails Adonis with a crutch with a nasty-looking shot, and Hogan whips Orndorff in Piper’s direction, but ‘Mr Wonderful’ manages to duck and escape. Piper is all crutches-blazing by now, and he nearly clobbers the Hulkster. The two old enemies stare each other down, but instead of finally settling the score on their war, Piper throws his crutch down and hobbles out. Jesse is disappointed, and wonders if the cheers he’s been receiving from the fans are not turning Piper’s head. Hogan forgets the big angle so that he can pose, and even throws Adonis’s floppy hat on, giving someone, somewhere, the basic idea for Mr. Nanny.
They show a replay of Piper nailing Adonis, and it looks as if ‘The Adorable One’ has had his arm knocked clear out of its socket. Ouch…
We’re back to the shower again, where Mean Gene has joined Jake Roberts. We see footage of Steamboat’s win at The Big Event, but Jake doesn’t recall it. Mean Gene informs us that he’s “a little unhappy we’re in a shower. You’re a sick man, Jake Roberts.” Ricky Steamboat meanwhile has his komodo dragon, and they’re going to teach the snake a lesson.
We’re back to the shower again, where Mean Gene has joined Jake Roberts. We see footage of Steamboat’s win at The Big Event, but Jake doesn’t recall it. Mean Gene informs us that he’s “a little unhappy we’re in a shower. You’re a sick man, Jake Roberts.” Ricky Steamboat meanwhile has his komodo dragon, and they’re going to teach the snake a lesson.
Snake Pit Match: Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat vs. Jake 'The Snake' Roberts
They begin their bitter, feud-ending match with a lock-up that Jake gets the upper hand from with a wristlock. He misses his punch though, takes some chops as a result. Steamboat locks in an arm wringer and demonstrates his strength by lifting Roberts up and throwing him over his shoulder. An arm drag of perfection follows, and Steamboat drags ‘The Snake’ over to the dragon, which Jake does not appreciate. Steamboat leapfrogs and flapjacks for a two count. Roberts slithers his way out of the ring with Steamboat in hot pursuit, and after some ducking and diving and criss-crossing back in the ring Steamboat executes another perfect arm drag and back we go back into the armbar. Roberts tries to kick the Komodo dragon outside of the ring as he tries to escape the armbar, but when the bag moves, Jake freaks out and scoots away, all the while still being held in the armbar.
A fumbled chop sees both men fall to the floor. The Dragon climbs to the top rope, and just as Jesse says it’s too early in the match for it, Roberts’s knees counter his flying splash. They both crawl to their respective corners and animals, but Jake realises what’s going on and he runs over to pull Steamboat away. A quick gut buster gets a two count for The Snake. Roberts goes to work, with a short-arm clothesline, scoop slam and knees to Steamboat’s ribs. |
Mean Gene: “Hulk, we wanted to give you a chance to dry off after your shower.” Always so considerate. Hogan was turned on by his Hulkamaniacs watching him sentence Orndorff, but warns Roddy Piper not to come into his courtroom. Hogan makes it clear that he will never trust that guy. Mean Gene mentions that Hulk nearly lost his match a few times – “Get off that, Mean Gene!” It seems there are more important things, such as the champion completing his courtroom analogy.
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Slick! ‘The Doctor of Style’ had joined the WWF in the summer having worked throughout the South representing the likes of Butch Reed, and had taken on co-managing duties with ‘Classy’ Freddie Blassie, who was starting to suffer from ill health. By the time Saturday Night’s Main Event rolled around, Slick had – in terms of the storyline – bought Blassie’s contracts out and was now the sole manager of Hercules Hernandez, Nikolai Volkoff, and the man who he was representing on this evening, The Iron Sheik.
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Jesse Ventura is outside to welcome a limo earlier that day that had transported Slick and The Sheik to the arena. Slick declares that his man will be the next WWF Champion, and Sheiky Baby instructs, “Cameraman! Zoom it!” as he flexes for our pleasure.
Back in the arena, Pedro Morales is standing awkwardly in the ring and doing his best to not make you think he used to headline Madison Square Garden every month. It seems that the first Triple Crown holder is going to take the place of the injured Roddy Piper.
But, here comes ‘The Rowdy One’ hobbling up the steps. He points at Pedro and yells, “You! Out!” When this doesn’t have the desired effect, he threatens him with a crutch and Morales backs off, leaving us with our originally advertised match:
But, here comes ‘The Rowdy One’ hobbling up the steps. He points at Pedro and yells, “You! Out!” When this doesn’t have the desired effect, he threatens him with a crutch and Morales backs off, leaving us with our originally advertised match:
'Rowdy' Roddy Piper vs. The Iron Sheik (w/Slick)
The Sheik tries to jump Piper before the bell, but ‘The Rowdy One’ moves and cracks his opponent with the crutch. The bell rings as Piper unloads with some lefts and rights, even though Slick is still in the ring. Piper repeats his earlier threats to Slick, and ‘The Doctor of Style’ gets out sharpish. This does allow The Sheik a chance to jump Piper, rip off his shirt and choke him with it. A not-very-tight kick to the knee takes Roddy down. The Sheik sets up for a suplex, but, - no! – a small package from Piper gets the quick three count. Vince and Jesse acknowledge that Piper used the tights for leverage.
Piper has his crutch again and is sporting those crazy eyes. We see that The Sheik has some welts on his back as he leaves a quickly defeated man.
Piper has his crutch again and is sporting those crazy eyes. We see that The Sheik has some welts on his back as he leaves a quickly defeated man.
Mean Gene is backstage with The Dream Team. We see the “nightmare” of WrestleMania 2 again. Brutus Beefcake is still quite uncomfortable in front of the camera, but Greg Valentine and Johnny V don’t say much of note, either.
Roddy Piper is now with Mean Gene, who informs the oblivious ‘Rowdy One’ that he’s injured. “No I’m not!” barks back Piper. Roddy is in fine form, using lines such as, “You say I’m insane, I say ‘thank you, very much!’” and “(Adonis is running around with his) beautiful pectorals that look like you’ve had six litters of puppies.” Jesse Ventura thinks that Piper has actually gone insane this time.
The British Bulldogs (sans Lou Albano) are next to join the over-worked Mean Gene. The Dynamite Kid talks about World War III, and Davey Boy says…nothing.
Roddy Piper is now with Mean Gene, who informs the oblivious ‘Rowdy One’ that he’s injured. “No I’m not!” barks back Piper. Roddy is in fine form, using lines such as, “You say I’m insane, I say ‘thank you, very much!’” and “(Adonis is running around with his) beautiful pectorals that look like you’ve had six litters of puppies.” Jesse Ventura thinks that Piper has actually gone insane this time.
The British Bulldogs (sans Lou Albano) are next to join the over-worked Mean Gene. The Dynamite Kid talks about World War III, and Davey Boy says…nothing.
WWF Tag Team Titles 2 out of 3 Falls European Rules Match: The British Bulldogs (c) vs. The Dream Team (w/'Luscious' Johnny V)
We’re straight into action with Dynamite Kid grabbing Greg Valentine’s leg. Atomic drops and head-butts follow, with Vince mentioning the European rules. “We’re not in Europe,” Jesse scolds, to which McMahon retorts, “Yeah, well we’re in Cleveland.” Nice comeback, Vince. Valentine recovers enough to back Dynamite into a corner and stomp on his knees. Beefcake is in to try a suplex, but as per usual he screws up and Davey Boy Smith is tagged in. They exchange arm wringers, until Davey Boy lifts Beefcake up in the air to assert his dominance. Beefcake manages to reverse the hold into a hammerlock though, and then dumps Smith on his twisted arm.
The first two of the match follows an elbow to the top of Smith’s head from Valentine off the top rope. The Dynamite Kid is tagged in after Valentine misses an elbow, but he is selling his leg from the earlier beat down. An atomic drop and shoulderbreaker gives The Dream Team the advantage, and they exchange tags and two counts on the struggling Dynamite. The tag champ manages to club Valentine off the ropes, but doesn’t tag, instead trying to set up a suplex that is nullified by a swipe at the legs. ‘The Hammer’ locks in the figure-four…Davey Boy tries to save his partner, but is successfully blocked by Beefcake and Dynamite gives up! Fall one to The Dream Team, although Ventura proclaims new champions until Vince reminds him of the stipulations here.
We are informed after the break that Adrian Adonis has potentially suffered a separated shoulder following the crutch shot, which is then shown in disturbing slow motion a few times.
Back to the second fall, where Valentine is continuing the assault on Dynamite’s leg. A second figure-four is kicked out of by Dynamite, but The Dream Team continue to beat him down, taking turns to stomp, twist, kick and all kinds of stuff to Dynamite’s leg. They fiendishly keep winding Davey Boy up so that he enters the ring, distracting the referee and allowing The Dream Team to double team his partner behind the ref’s back. Beefcake hoists Dynamite up awkwardly into a press slam position, but he manages to turn it into an impressive dropped back breaker. Ventura wonders what Lady Diana would have to say about The Bulldogs losing two straight falls. It is surprisingly Valentine that misses a second rope elbow and allows Dynamite to make the hot tag to Davey Boy Smith. The Bulldog is house on fire, clotheslining Valentine and dropkicking Beefcake. A good vertical suplex gets a two on Valentine, but his running powerslam is broken up at 1 by Beefcake so he lifts Brutus up on his shoulders and allows Dynamite to use him as a springboard for the diving head-butt that gets three and ties this match up at one fall apiece.
The first two of the match follows an elbow to the top of Smith’s head from Valentine off the top rope. The Dynamite Kid is tagged in after Valentine misses an elbow, but he is selling his leg from the earlier beat down. An atomic drop and shoulderbreaker gives The Dream Team the advantage, and they exchange tags and two counts on the struggling Dynamite. The tag champ manages to club Valentine off the ropes, but doesn’t tag, instead trying to set up a suplex that is nullified by a swipe at the legs. ‘The Hammer’ locks in the figure-four…Davey Boy tries to save his partner, but is successfully blocked by Beefcake and Dynamite gives up! Fall one to The Dream Team, although Ventura proclaims new champions until Vince reminds him of the stipulations here.
We are informed after the break that Adrian Adonis has potentially suffered a separated shoulder following the crutch shot, which is then shown in disturbing slow motion a few times.
Back to the second fall, where Valentine is continuing the assault on Dynamite’s leg. A second figure-four is kicked out of by Dynamite, but The Dream Team continue to beat him down, taking turns to stomp, twist, kick and all kinds of stuff to Dynamite’s leg. They fiendishly keep winding Davey Boy up so that he enters the ring, distracting the referee and allowing The Dream Team to double team his partner behind the ref’s back. Beefcake hoists Dynamite up awkwardly into a press slam position, but he manages to turn it into an impressive dropped back breaker. Ventura wonders what Lady Diana would have to say about The Bulldogs losing two straight falls. It is surprisingly Valentine that misses a second rope elbow and allows Dynamite to make the hot tag to Davey Boy Smith. The Bulldog is house on fire, clotheslining Valentine and dropkicking Beefcake. A good vertical suplex gets a two on Valentine, but his running powerslam is broken up at 1 by Beefcake so he lifts Brutus up on his shoulders and allows Dynamite to use him as a springboard for the diving head-butt that gets three and ties this match up at one fall apiece.
Ventura is very unhappy that they’re in Cleveland, not Europe. Dynamite and Valentine begin the final fall after the referee refuses to allow the fresher Beefcake to take part as Valentine had been the legal man at the end of the last fall. The pair exchange punches in the corner until a head-butt and chop from Dynamite gets him free. He manages a snap suplex despite his bad wheel. A head-butt misses its mark, though, and Valentine winds up an elbow to get a two count. Smith makes a tag, but the referee doesn’t see it and The Dream Team again double team Dynamite as the ref sends Smith out of the ring. They go back to the leg, Valentine in particular taking pleasure in wearing down the limb. “He wants to take that leg home with him tonight,” notes McMahon.
Dynamite kicks out of the figure four and makes the tag to Davey Boy, but Beefcake has also tagged in and stomps him down into a two count. Beefcake blatantly chokes Smith, but nearly loses it to a sunset flip, which gets a two count close enough for McMahon and Ventura to argue with one another over whether or not Davey Boy got the three count. This time it’s Dynamite who falls into The Dream Team’s trap, running in and allowing the challengers to double team whilst the ref is distracted. A vertical suplex by Valentine gets two.
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Beefcake hits a high knee, which ten years later would be his finisher, but the pin is broken up at 1, and Valentine and Dynamite brawl with one another. As their partners scrap, Beefcake misses another high knee in the corner, and Davey Boy traps him in a fisherman’s suplex for three and the win. Another very satisfying Bulldogs-Dream Team match.
'Leaping' Lanny Poffo vs. 'The Ugandan Headhunter' Kamala (w/Kimchee and The Wizard)
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The Kamala character had begun life in Memphis as Kimala (where he also teamed with Uncle Elmer’s Kimala II). Under the tutelage of Freddie Blassie, Kamala had a decent run in the WWF in 1984, feuding with Andre The Giant, as well as having decent spells in World Class and Mid-South. He returned to the WWF under the management of The Wizard (King Curtis Iaukea, later to be of Dungeon Of Doom, “Sullivan my son!” fame) and with his handler, Kimchee (who was mostly played by The Brooklyn Brawler, Steve Lombardi). With this match, Lanny Poffo was now tied with brother Randy Savage for Saturday Night’s Main Event appearances.
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As Poffo is throwing Frisbees to the audience from the ring, The Wizard is shouting to Mean Gene about not wanting to know stuff, whilst Gene just says, “Oh, welcome back, Kamala. Welcome back.”
In the ring, Poffo and Kamala lock up, but Kamala misses a chop and ‘Leaping’ Lanny cartwheels acrobatically away from the Ugandan monster. Kamala throws his opponent across the ring and jumps up. “Where did he learn that?” asks Vince. “Maybe watching films of ‘Leaping’ Lanny,” suggests Jesse. McMahon dismisses that with, “I doubt that. Probably in the jungle somewhere.” Keep it non-politically correct. Kamala chops and kicks at Poffo, and then nails a back kick that prompts Vince to ask himself, “Where did he learn that?” Jesse responds, “I’ll tell you where, in the jungle with The Wizard,” in a tone that suggests ‘Happy now, Vince?’ Kamala chokes and then starts slapping his belly. Poffo manages to duck a shot and hit some punches of his own. This leads only to Kamala hitting a double throat shot, a slam and then a splash from the ropes for a three count. Kimchee struggles to control Kamala after the bell, but the handler and The Wizard manage to talk the Ugandan Head Hunter down from the top rope before he can “crush” Poffo. Kamala was being set up for a run with Hulk Hogan around the circuit, and this kept up his strong push.
In the ring, Poffo and Kamala lock up, but Kamala misses a chop and ‘Leaping’ Lanny cartwheels acrobatically away from the Ugandan monster. Kamala throws his opponent across the ring and jumps up. “Where did he learn that?” asks Vince. “Maybe watching films of ‘Leaping’ Lanny,” suggests Jesse. McMahon dismisses that with, “I doubt that. Probably in the jungle somewhere.” Keep it non-politically correct. Kamala chops and kicks at Poffo, and then nails a back kick that prompts Vince to ask himself, “Where did he learn that?” Jesse responds, “I’ll tell you where, in the jungle with The Wizard,” in a tone that suggests ‘Happy now, Vince?’ Kamala chokes and then starts slapping his belly. Poffo manages to duck a shot and hit some punches of his own. This leads only to Kamala hitting a double throat shot, a slam and then a splash from the ropes for a three count. Kimchee struggles to control Kamala after the bell, but the handler and The Wizard manage to talk the Ugandan Head Hunter down from the top rope before he can “crush” Poffo. Kamala was being set up for a run with Hulk Hogan around the circuit, and this kept up his strong push.
It’s time to wrap up, and Ventura doesn’t think that Hogan-Orndorff is over. Vince confirms that Adrian Adonis has a shattered elbow. Meanwhile, Jesse thinks that The Dream Team should be champions again because they’re not in Europe. Vince asks us to tune in next time from LA, which is Jesse’s town. ‘Real American’ plays as we see more Hogan clips and the credits roll.
Well you know something, Mean Gene...
There is a clear and simple reason that Saturday Night’s Main Event was such a success in its early years (this show posted a 9.4 rating): stuff happened. On this show we got to see the first Hogan-Orndorff match on television, the culmination of the Jake Roberts-Ricky Steamboat feud – featuring animal antics, Roddy Piper turning babyface, and The Dream Team getting the big rematch against The British Bulldogs.
There was something to enjoy in all of those moments: Bobby Heenan did a great job selling his frustrations during the WWF Championship match, and although the match ended in a disqualification again, most people would not have seen The Big Event match by this point, so it was fine as a way to continue the feud, which was still drawing big money; the Roddy Piper babyface turn came in much the same way as Orndorff’s had on the first SNME, in that it was pretty obvious it was happening, but when you’re in the ring with Hogan and you help him, that means that you are for sure a good guy now, and Piper was still as charismatic as ever in his interviews despite the change; Roberts and Steamboat had a decent enough match, but not as good as The Big Event scrap, although it had the spectacle of the real snake and dragon going at it; The British Bulldogs had another fantastic match with The Dream Team, making the tag team match the standout bout on another 1986 WWF card. Oh, and Kamala slapped his belly…
All in all, nearly everything had a purpose, the wrestlers were over, and nothing over-stayed its welcome, which is what you want from a Saturday Night’s Main Event. Most importantly, The Junkyard Dog has stopped questing for Jimmy Hart’s underwear.
There was something to enjoy in all of those moments: Bobby Heenan did a great job selling his frustrations during the WWF Championship match, and although the match ended in a disqualification again, most people would not have seen The Big Event match by this point, so it was fine as a way to continue the feud, which was still drawing big money; the Roddy Piper babyface turn came in much the same way as Orndorff’s had on the first SNME, in that it was pretty obvious it was happening, but when you’re in the ring with Hogan and you help him, that means that you are for sure a good guy now, and Piper was still as charismatic as ever in his interviews despite the change; Roberts and Steamboat had a decent enough match, but not as good as The Big Event scrap, although it had the spectacle of the real snake and dragon going at it; The British Bulldogs had another fantastic match with The Dream Team, making the tag team match the standout bout on another 1986 WWF card. Oh, and Kamala slapped his belly…
All in all, nearly everything had a purpose, the wrestlers were over, and nothing over-stayed its welcome, which is what you want from a Saturday Night’s Main Event. Most importantly, The Junkyard Dog has stopped questing for Jimmy Hart’s underwear.