by Adam Gutschmidt
Exclusive to OnlineOnslaught.com

It’s time again for another installment of the Rasslin Revue Remark from another reader.  This time MikeBruno8 writes:

“I was baffled and pissed over the squash of Power and Glory by LOD.  P and G seemed like a WWF home grown successful team prior to that and it lead to interest going into that match.  Didn't the team disband immediately after that match?

Also, do you know the story behind why the Japanese team went over Demolition only to never be seen again?”

The Japanese team presumably went over Demolition because Demolition was nearing their end; in fact I’m not positive they wrestled again after the event.  Soon afterwards Smash became Repo Man and a little bit later after that Crush became…well Crush but the Hawaiian version.

As for Power and Glory, I too was disappointed by the squash.  I always thought they had potential and they had an awesome finisher, the Powerplex.  In fact, I would have rather seen Demolition get squashed by LOD since they were near their end and have Power and Glory in convincing fashion go over the Japanese duo.  But to answer your specific question, Power and Glory did not disband after that match.  In fact, they wrestled at the event that we’ll look at today.  So let’s get right to it…

OOld Tyme Rasslin Revue for WWF Summerslam ‘91

Your hosts are the real Triangle of Terror: Gorilla Monsoon, Rowdy Roddy Piper and Bobby Heenan

Emanating from Madison Square Garden in the city so redundant they named it twice New York, New York

Opening Match: British Bulldog, Texas Tornado and Ricky “the Dragon” Steamboat vs. Power and Glory and The Warlord

Convention says this match should have been Bulldog and The Rockers vs. the heels but Vince decided to go with Von Erich, who was past his usefulness and Steamboat, who was bogged down with his goofy gimmick.  Why the Rockers weren’t on the card anywhere is a headscratcher to me.  To the match, Steamboat and Roma start off.  Nice standing dropkick by Roma.  Dragon armdrags Roma off the 2^nd rope and then continues working on that arm.  Not to be outdone, Steamboat gives Roma a standing dropkick of his own.  Roma makes a desperate tag to Hercules.  A couple of armdrags for Herc and then the Tornado is tagged in.  Interest…. slowly…. fading…. must…struggle…. to…. watch.  Tornado picks up where Dragon left off on the arm.  A rake to the eyes by Herc allows for both men to tag.  Warlord and Bulldog are in now.  Bulldog knocks down the Warlord after 2 clotheslines.  Bulldog follows it up with a big suplex.  Bulldog goes for the cover but Warlord launches him off.  Steamboat, back in, delivers a flying ax handle to the Warlord.  Dragon goes for a monkey flip but Warlord tosses him off.  Tag is made to Roma.  Roma with a big clothesline on Steamboat.  Dragon does some dramatic overselling.  Rollup by Steamboat.  Herc comes in to stop the pin but misses and is left standing in the middle of the ring like a deer caught in the headlights.  Weird spot.  Heels doing a nice job working over Steamboat’s back now.  Herc hotshots Steamboat on the top rope.  PSYCHOLOGY! (Because you see Steamboat broke his larynx in 1987 and this would hurt…ah, nevermind)  Warlord back in now and he continues to toss around the Dragon.  Warlord goes to the second rope and (of course) gets booted coming down.  Tornado gets the hot tag and delivers a whirlwind of punches, or so the announcers would like you to believe.  Warlord tries for a sunset flip but Tornado tags the Bulldog before going down.  Everybody is in the ring now and the ref has lost complete control.  Bulldog gives Roma the running powerslam, which is followed by a flying crossbody by the Dragon for the 3 count. 

Bottom Line: All things considered, everything was pretty decent action-wise in this matchup.  Ending was a little disjointed but didn’t really hurt anything.  Nice opener.  ** ½

- Sean Mooney interviews Mr. Perfect and that whistleblower Coach.  Perfect says he’s well…um…Perfect.  ‘Nuff said.

Intercontinental Title Match: Mr. Perfect (champ) vs. Bret “the Hitman” Hart

Prematch notes:  This was the beginning of Bret Hart’s singles career after splitting from Jim Neidhart following their loss to the Nasty Boys at Wrestlemania 7.  This is also the PPV debut of Perfect’s new manager Coach who took over for Bobby Heenan who began devoting his life to being a broadcast journalist and general pain in the neck for Gorilla Monsoon.  Lockup to start and Bret gets an immediate headlock.  Bret hiptosses Perfect who spins around like a dreidel on the mat.  Crucifix by Bret gets 2.  Lengthy headlock sequence by Bret.  Bret goes for a high crossbody and Perfect gently falls to the mat.  That gets 2.  Perfect sells some shoulder thrusts to the midsection like only Perfect can.  Sunset flip gets 2 for Bret.  Bret appears to go for the Sharpshooter but only stomps on Perfect’s nuts instead.  It’s all Bret here to begin with.  Perfect notices that too so he decides to leave.  Bret says he’ll have none of that and drags him back inside, ripping his unitard in the process.  This angers Perfect who kicks Bret to the floor.  Outside, Perfect chops Bret down and then walks on his back to get into the ring.  NICE!  Bret, on the apron, gets shoved by Perfect right into the guardrail.  Big bump for ’91.  Back in, slugfest is won by Bret.  Rollup by Bret gets 2, as the crowd is already coming unglued.  Perfect whips Bret HARD into the corner.  Back first, surprisingly.   A couple of nearfalls for Perfect.  Dropkick sends Bret to the concrete.  Both men climb up the same corner but Perfect knocks Bret off.  Sleeper by Perfect.  Bret elbows out and goes for a crucifix.  Perfect just falls back to slam Bret into the canvas.  Bret now gets whipped HARD face first into the corner.  Perfect hits the PerfectPlex but Bret kicks out.  Coach is hopping mad.  Bret whips Perfect, who slides and crotches himself on the post.  YEEOWCH!  Bret goes for the Sharpshooter.  Coach, up on the apron, gets nailed by Bret.  “That’s for being a lousy replacement manager,” says Bret (or was that me?)  Perfect uses the distraction to his advantage.  Perfect drops a leg on Bret’s midsection.  He tries for it a second time but Bret grabs his leg and turns it into the Sharpshooter.  Perfect then IMMEDIATELY quits.  Bret is then a complete dick by keeping the hold on and then ripping Perfect’s unitard completely off.  Postmatch: Lord Alfred Hayes shows what a piss-poor interviewer he is by trying to ask Stu Hart a question just as Bret is coming up to hug him in the stands.  Then, when Stu decides to speak, Hayes cuts him off in mid-sentence. 

BL: Tough one to call as it has its moments and the crowd was great.  BUT Perfect’s back was in terrible shape and they could have had an even better match. Match resembles a lot to Austin/Michaels at Wrestlemania 14.  A passing of the guard match as the man with the sore back fades into the sunset.  It’s getting tougher to watch this match each time seeing how much pain Perfect was in.  *** ¾

- Mean Gene talks to the Bushwackers and Andre.  We also see how Earthquake put Andre on crutches.  If only Andre would have chosen Mr. Fuji as his manager, none of this would have happened.

Natural Disasters vs. The Bushwackers

So the Bushwackers get on the card and the Rockers don’t?  That stinks worse than Ottman’s stormtrooper helmet.  Bushwackers do their usual stalling to begin as the Disasters go after Andre.  Bushwackers poke the Disasters in the eyes to stop them.  Oooh manly!  Line of the night honors go to (who else) Bobby Heenan for this gem, “Well, if I was managing the Bushwackers, I’d commit suicide.”  Finally, match starts with Typhoon and Butch.  And at 0:07 we get the biting.  Miscommunication by the heels allow the Bushwackers some mild offense.  Disasters are sent to the floor so the Bushwackers can pose and dance some more.  Piper describes the Bushwackers as “Americana”.  Sure.  Earthquake in now and starts to pound away on Butch.  Missed elbow by Quake gives Butch a chance to tag but Quake holds onto his leg.  Quake though, does tag Typhoon.  Heenan hears that Hulk Hogan is in his dressing room so he decides to leave the booth to talk to him.  Hey, during this match, everyone is looking for a reason to leave.  More heel miscommunication allows Butch to tag.  Luke somehow knocks down Typhoon.  All four guys in now as both Disasters get the Battering Ram.  Luke covers Typhoon for 2.  Earthquake gives Butch a backbreaker on the floor.  All alone on the inside, Luke gets double-teamed and is finished off with a big butt splash. 

Postmatch: The Disasters try to attack Andre but the Legion of Doom come out for the save.

BL: No way did this deserve PPV time.  Matches like this make me wish I had a time machine or a gun.  ¼ *

- Backstage, Bobby Heenan speaks of the marvels of the REAL World’s Champ, Ric Flair to Hulk Hogan.  Hogan slams the door in Heenan’s face.  Shoot segments that aren’t meant to be shoot segments.

- Sean Mooney goes over the Virgil/Dibiase feud with Ted.  Dibiase says he will show Virgil pure humiliation.  What is he going to do?  Have him wrestle Reno Riggins on Superstars week in and week out?  Oh wait, that didn’t happen for another couple of years.

Million Dollar Championship: Ted Dibiase (champ) vs. Virgil

Backstory here is that Virgil used to work for Dibiase and Ted treated him like Sigfried and Roy treat their tigers.  Now Virgil wants revenge in the form of Dibiase’s Million Dollar Belt.  Virgil comes in and immediately fires away on Million.  Big clothesline sends Dibiase down and out to the floor.  While Ted recovers, Heenan returns to the booth where Monsoon and Piper really lay into him.  Meanwhile, Virgil comes off the top rope but misses a splash on the floor.  Dibiase cleans the floor with Virgil before tossing him back in.  Million whips Virgil, but Virgil comes back with a Million Dollar Dream on Dibiase.  Sherri comes in and clocks Virgil with the dreaded purse, giving Virgil the DQ win.  Oh well Virgil, better luck next time.  Wait!  The ref decides to have the match continue and have Sherri ejected.  Sherri nearly falls out of her tin foil dress as she’s escorted out.  Virgil rams Dibiase’s head 10 times into the turnbuckle.  Dibiase whips Virgil and he collides with Earl Hebner.  Three big suplexes by Ted.  He follows them up with a piledriver.  Dibiase covers but the ref hasn’t recovered yet.  Ted walks over and knocks Hebner down again.  Dibiase removes the turnbuckle pad.  He goes to ram Virgil’s head into the exposed area but Virgil reverses it and rams Ted’s head there instead.  OH THE IRONY!  Virgil slowly crawls over to Dibiase and gets the very emotional 3 count.  Crowd goes bezerk, as does Roddy Piper.

BL:  Much better than their Wrestlemania encounter.  Tremendous heat and emotion flowing through the match.  It’s a shame Virgil could never find another opponent or angle like this one that garnered so much face heat for him.  ***

- Mean Gene shows a clip of The Mountie’s attack on the Big Boss Man and then listens to the Mountie give explicit directions to New York’s finest as to what to do when they arrest the loser.  Oh, you better watch your words Mountie.

Jailhouse Match:  Big Boss Man vs. The Mountie

Stipulation here is that the loser is spending the night in a New York prison.  Mountie tries talking Canadian smack to which the Bossman puts him on his butt.  Slugfest is won by the Bossman.  A big splash by the Bossman gets 2.  The Bossman is all over Mountie like scandal on Enron.  Mountie comes off the second rope but the Bossman catches him and gives him a spinebuster.  Jimmy Hart goads the Bossman to the outside.  Mountie comes from behind and tosses the Bossman into the steps.  Mountie takes over with some weak offense.  Standing dropkick by the Mountie gets a 2 count.  Crowd seems to have fallen asleep.  Mountie hits a piledriver and the Bossman does the seizure sell.  That doesn’t make sense at all!  He just received a move that’s supposed to injure his neck yet he’s moving his head around like he’s a friggin bobblehead doll.  Mountie goes to “shock” the Bossman, but misses him.  The Bossman hits him with the Bossman Slam and gets 2 (??).  Thought that would have been it there.  Mountie goes for another piledriver, but the Bossman picks him up and hits another spinebuster.  THAT gets the win. 

Postmatch: We see the Men in Blue drag the Mountie to the paddy wagon.

BL:  Odd finish to a somewhat slow match.  Highlights didn’t come until the vignettes of the Mountie going to jail after the match.  On another note, I blame this match for being the precursor to all those stupid “wrestler x” gets arrested vignettes we see today.  * ¾

And now…Promopalooza

- Mean Gene starts to babble but Dibiase cuts him off and rants and raves about his loss.

- Sean Mooney listens to Bret Hart gloat about his IC win

- Mean Gene hears Jimmy Hart and the Natural Disasters moan about nothing

- Sean Mooney chats with a jubilant Big Boss Man

- The Mountie arrives to the prison and receives more rough treatment.  Funny stuff here.

- Sean Mooney gets the Nasty Boys’ thoughts on LOD.  They don’t like the LOD and Jack Tunney “coagulating”.  Huh?

- More Mountie hijinx

- A hot poker is rammed into my ear.  Uh…I mean the Legion of Doom cuts a promo

- The Mountie gives the cops the finger.  Hey, this is a family show.  Will somebody please think of the children!

- Sean Mooney looks for a poncho while Sgt. Slaughter babbles about the Match Made in Hell.  (For those keeping score at home, puke references beat slime references tonight 2 to 1)

- Mean Gene asks Sid a question that he’s tired of answering.  Luckily there were no squeegees around.

Tag Team Title Match: The Nasty Boyz (champs) vs. Legion of Doom

Gee, we finally get back to wrestling and it has to be this?  Ugh!  This match is No DQ and No Countout.  LOD launch the Nasties out of the ring before the bell.  A powerbomb by Animal gets an early 2 count.  Hawk gets an enziguri on Sags.  Sags uses pepper spray on Hawk.  The announcers completely ignore this for some reason.  On the floor, Sags nails Hawk with the dreaded tub of pop (or soda, since they’re in New York).  Knobbs comes in now and attacks Hawk in the corner.  Hawk does about as good of a job selling, as does Willy Lohman.  Knobbs splashes Hawk in the corner.  Flying elbow by Sags gets 2.  Knobbs gets booted coming off the second rope.  The breather allows Hawk to make the tag.  Animal wails on both Nasties.  All four guys brawl it out now.  Sags nails Animal in the back with the motorcycle helmet.  Knobbs hits a Slaughter elbow on Animal but it only gets 2.  I’m stunned!  Hawk grabs the helmet and nails both Nasties.  LOD hit the Doomsday Device on Sags and become new tag champs.

BL:  Tedious and lame match.  No surprise there.  The WWF still needed to learn how to do a No DQ match at this point.  History notes: LOD became the first tag team to hold belts in both the WWF and the NWA.  Also, this was the first PPV that had three titles change hands.  ¾ *

- The Mountie finally gets thrown into his cell.

IRS vs. Greg “the Hammer” Valentine

Greg gives IRS a couple of shouldertackles to begin.  This match is moving in slow motion.  The most interesting thing so far is Gorilla mentioning that Undertaker and Jake Roberts might be in the building.  Why aren’t either one of them on the card, says I.  A Valentine sunset flip gets 2.  IRS heats up the match with an abdominal stretch.  Roddy Piper sings Sinatra to pass the time.  No joke.  IRS hits a big clothesline.  IRS goes up top but Valentine didn’t want to hurl so he grabs IRS and slams him.  IRS misses a knee so Valentine begins to work on it.  Hammer slaps on the figure four but IRS gets to the ropes.  Valentine goes for it again but IRS gets him in a small package for the victory.

BL: Wow, I’ve seen more moves in a 30 second squash than I did here.  This belonged on Wrestling Challenge.  ½ *

- Hulk Hogan and the Warrior are forced to share one interview segment.  It’s a wonder how Mean Gene fit into the same room with these two egomaniacs.

Main Event: Hulk Hogan and The Ultimate Warrior vs. Sgt. Slaughter, Gen. Adnan and Col. Mustafa

Special Guest Referee: Sid Justice

This is aptly named the “Match Made in Hell” because only Satan would book General Adnan in the main event.  Stallfest to begin things.  Slaughter tries to start off by using a belt but Sid grabs it out of his hand.  Hulk and Warrior play pinball with Slaughter.  Warrior and Hogan make quick tags and make Slaughter their personal rag toy.  Hogan delivers a double ax handle of the second rope.  LUCHAHULK!  Sid gives Hulk a warning about a choke but Hulk blows him off.  It’s enough to give Slaughter an opening to attack Hulk.  Adnan is tagged in and delivers some EVIL backrakes to Hogan.  Adnan can’t think of any other moves to do so he tags Mustafa.  Mustafa slaps on the camel clutch but Warrior comes in and breaks it up.  Slaughter back in and puts the boots to Hogan.  Sarge almost whips Hogan into Sid.  Hulk looks like he’s about to deck Sid but Slaughter hits Hogan first.  Adnan goes back in and does another backrake.  He bites Hogan just for fun and then tags Slaughter.  Sarge goes up top but Warrior shoves him off.  Hulk makes the tag and Warrior delivers a series of clotheslines.  Warrior has a run in with Sid now, which allows the heels to get the advantage again.  Hmm, could Sid be joining Iraqis?  Nah!  He may be a nutjob, but he’s an American nutjob!  Adnan comes back in and lets Warrior feel the wrath of one of his backrakes.  Mustafa comes in but gets suplexed by Warrior.  Slaughter comes in and slaps on a chinlock.  Warrior comes back with a clothesline.  Hogan is tagged in and nails all three heels.  Warrior chases Adnan and Mustafa from ringside with a chair.  Warrior must have gotten lost in MSG because he wasn’t seen from again until April 1992.  Hogan pulls a bag of powder out of his trunks and throws it in Slaughter’s face.  OUR HERO!  A legdrop later and it’s all over.  Postmatch, Hogan and Sid pose for the fans.  Gag me!

BL: Well when the heels were in control, it was a yawner.  When the faces were in control, it was standard fare.  Sid was pretty much a non-issue.  **

- We get one last look at the Mountie belly moaning and meeting his cellmates.

- We get a music video of Macho and Liz set to “Together”, the standard WWF wedding song.

The Wedding:  No need to rant or review here.  I do wonder how many people left MSG after the main event or shut off the PPV.  I only suggest seeing the wedding for the continued brilliance of Heenan on commentary.  Oh yeah and…

THE RECEPTION FROM HELL!!  Yes, what was supposed to be a lovely party afterwards turned into a nightmare, as Liz opens up one of the wedding presents and finds one of Jake Roberts’ cobras inside.  Roberts and the Undertaker come out of nowhere, attack the Macho Man, and destroy the place.  Complete cheese but did a nice job of setting up Savage’s eventual return to the ring.

Final Thoughts:  Certainly a memorable show that has some clearly forgettable parts.  The Bret/Perfect is a must-see for sure.  The commentary was really coming together as Heenan was proving he was gold on the mic.  The rest of the show is probably worth a look once and yes that even includes the wedding.

Next time, death takes a championship and trouble in Rockertown.

Until then, thanks for stopping by the OOld Tyme Rasslin Revue
  

E-MAIL ADAM
BROWSE THE OOLD TYME ARCHIVES

Originally from Cleveland, Adam is now a graduate student at the University of Dayton who is looking to make a couple extra bucks writing this column. What do you mean Rick doesn't pay his columnists?

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