STW - WrestleMania 5 [Show Notes] (Patreon)

Today we’re discussing one of most requested topics and with WrestleMania coming up it was time to sit down Bruce and discuss…the whole card when the Mega Powers exploded - WrestleMania 5!

We discussed the 1989 Royal Rumble just last month so be sure to check that out in the archives as that was the prelude to this show…

Before we get to that - the idea of having WrestleMania be at the same location for the second year in a row at Trump Plaza in Atlantic City…what did you think of the decision to have it there again?

After the Rumble the WWF was putting all their hype into the second live Friday night prime time Main Event special on NBC.

After the success of the first show a year earlier with the Hogan-Andre twin referee deal, the second show would be taking place on Friday February 3, 1989 at the new Bradley Center in Milwaukee.

The big match advertised for the NBC show is the Mega-Powers - Hulk Hogan & Randy Savage vs the Twin Towers - The Big Boss Man & Akeem, and as we talked about way back on our Mega Powers episode in the archives, and after slowly teasing it ever since WrestleMania IV, Hogan and Savage are gonna break up - explode if you will.

The match itself is over 22 minutes long, but is really a backdrop from the impending soap-opera type storyline we are about to see.

As we know, Savage is thrown through the ropes onto Miss Elizabeth, and Hogan is gonna carry her to the back to the first aid room for medical attention. Savage sees this going on as he’s getting beat up in the ring and gets deserted by his partner.

We of course have the famous moment where Hogan is by Liz’s side on the gurney, and with his Oscar-worthy acting skills is begging and pleading for Liz to wake up and be fine.

He’s also asking for the “tizzz-ime” and “someone give me a countdown, brother!” when he thinks they’re still on a commercial.

But, this is all shown live on the air, and Vince on commentary quickly starts talking to try to cover it.

Bruce, you must be pulling your hair out while this is going on right?

Eventually, Liz does wake up and tells Hogan to go back out and help Randy. So Hogan does just that, but instead of getting a tag into the match from Savage, is met with a huge slap to the face and Savage himself goes back to see Elizabeth.

Hogan of course eventually wins the match and goes back to the first aid room to a pissed off Savage berating Liz.

Savage immediately tells Hogan he’s out of line, and he’s got jealous eyes that lust for Elizabeth.

Savage also says Hogan is jealous of him because he’s the champion and if he would dare to come at him man to man for the belt, Savage would beat him 1-2-3.

We have discussed this whole scenario in length - and I know we don’t talk about current stuff - but hard to not see the parallels in the Bloodline story with this one is there?

Hogan turns to Liz to ask her to talk some sense into Randy, but Savage hits Hogan in the head with the title belt and drops some punches on Hulk when he’s down on the floor.

Liz gets off the gurney to check on Hogan, Savage yells at her to get out of the way or he’ll splatter her with the belt, but instead he grabs her and shoves her to the floor.

Brutus Beefcake and some of the agents - Pat Patterson, Terry Garvin and Nick Bockwinkel come in and Savage leaves. The show would go off the air with Hogan searching the backstage area screaming for Randy and shoving around the Hart Foundation and the Rockers in the process.

The live Main Event special drew an 11.6 Nielsen rating and 19.9 million viewers compared to a 15.2 rating and 33 million viewers for the previous year’s live Friday night Main Event with Hogan vs Andre.

But, this is still the second biggest audience to watch a wrestling show after Hogan-Andre.

Even with those numbers, the show was in fact the lowest rated of the night on NBC, and one of the lowest for the season in the 8pm Friday night timeslot on NBC.

I’m sure everyone was expecting a drop off from Hogan-Andre as nothing is gonna top that, but is the number a disappointment?

Particularly on the NBC side?

How excited were you to have Randy back as a heel?

Savage is now officially a heel on TV, and we’re gonna get lots of promos back and forth between the former Mega-Powers every week leading up to WrestleMania but they’re cleverly done as for example, Savage in his promos would bring up the past teases from SummerSlam and Survivor Series of Hogan getting maybe a bit too touchy feely with Liz, with isolated video clips of those moments playing during Savage’s promos. Hogan would then respond with the full context of what was really happening.

How different is it booking Hogan to chase as that’s not something he’s ever done before?

Was Savage sad to see his title reign coming to an end?

Savage does continue to work house shows in a tweener role vs Bad News Brown on house shows into March. We’ve often heard people talk about when they turn about how their money goes down - does Vince ever take that in account? Merch sales slow down, etc.

The WWF had its final televised house show from the Philadelphia Spectrum on February 11, 1989.

This ended a 12-year run of all the Philly house shows airing on the PRISM Network since 1977.

This February show only has 10,000 people in the building with Hogan vs Bossman as the main event - which is normally selling out everywhere else.

Were these stopped due to declining attendance numbers at the Spectrum live shows because fans knew they could catch it on TV?

In February 1989, JJ Dillon left the NWA and joined the WWF around this period of time to be vice president of talent relations. What do you remember of JJ coming in? Did this involve you in any way?

Tony Schiavone also left the NWA to join the WWF the same month, and made his first appearance doing voiceovers for the matches on the February 20, 1989 edition of Prime Time Wrestling - which is billed as a 3-hour “Face to Face” special. What did you think of our boy coming in Bruce?

This is significant because this Prime Time was going head to head with the NWA’s Chi-Town Rumble PPV at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. I’m sure there was no counter programming against Jim Crockett Promotions though right?

Well…it seems as usual we are doing all we can to counteract the NWA PPV.
Two days before WWF has a loaded up house show at the nearby and bigger Rosemont Horizon, with Hulk Hogan vs. the Big Bossman in a steel cage and Randy Savage vs. Bad News Brown in a WWF title street fight. The WWF drew an impressive sell out crowd of 19,000 people for this house show.

The NWA couldn’t even sell out the UIC Pavilion for their Flair vs Steamboat main event, where Steamboat won the NWA World Title. That’s Jim Crockett’s problem right?

WWF also had a show at Madison Square Garden taking place at the same time as the PPV, being shown live on MSG Network, putting Randy Savage vs. the Ultimate Warrior against each other in a WWF Champion vs IC Champion match. Nope no counter programming here…

Were you aware at this point that the NWA was running Clash of the Champions on free TV against WrestleMania?

Back to the Prime Time “Face-To-Face” show, it is built around hyping up most of the WrestleMania V card with live arena podium interviews recorded in Binghamton, NY at the TV tapings.

Vince is moderating all of these and he is firing questions back and forth between the likes of - which will help us discuss the rest of the show:

-WWF Tag Team Champions Demolition / the Powers of Pain (w/ Mr. Fuji);

The story of Fuji turning on Demolition to side with the Powers of Pain - it was time to make Demolition babyfaces was it not?

Why put Fuji in the match to make it a handicap match?

-Hercules / King Haku (w/ Bobby Heenan);

Hercules as a babyface is…something. But this just doesn’t feel like a WrestleMania match does it?

Jake Roberts / Andre the Giant (w/ Bobby Heenan) / Big John Studd;

With Studd back in the fold and winning the Rumble he will be the referee of the match between Jake and Andre…and Studd promised to go back after Andre. Was the plan to hold off on Andre & Studd until later in the year?

-Ron Garvin / Dino Bravo (w/ Frenchy Martin);

We don’t talk enough about Frenchy Martin Bruce. What can we say about this?

-WWF Women’s Champion Rockin Robin / Sensational Sherri – in which they discussed which corner Miss Elizabeth would be in for the Hulk Hogan / Randy Savage match;

Did you know at this point that Sherri was going to be going with Savage?

Do you know why this match didn’t happen at Mania?

-The Red Rooster / Bobby Heenan (w/ the Brooklyn Brawler);

I have to read this to you that I found in my research. “Shortly after Terry Taylor joined the WWF in the summer of 1988, he was packaged as "The Red Rooster" and, paired with Heenan as his manager, given a novice wrestler gimmick, someone who could not navigate his way through matches without constant instructions from Heenan. Eventually, the Red Rooster grew tired of Heenan's demeaning style of coaching and turned against him, becoming a face. Shortly thereafter, on an episode of Prime Time Wrestling, Heenan claimed to want to break off their relationship amicably but it was a ruse to set Rooster up to be ambushed by Heenan's new protégé, long-time enhancement talent Steve Lombardi, who had just been reinvented as The Brooklyn Brawler.”

Was this all a rib on Terry?

-The Bushwhackers / Jacques & Raymond Rougeau (w/ Jimmy Hart);

Bruce - how many matches did this Mania need?

-WWF IC Champion the Ultimate Warrior / Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan);

This just got completely overshadowed by Hulk & Randy - but had it already ran it’s whole course after the Rumble posedown?

-And Hulk Hogan / WWF World Champion Randy Savage - although Randy is a no-show for his interview

What do you remember about producing and filming all of these segments?

A TV taping night is long enough and these must have taken a long-time to film in front of a crowd.

Let’s discuss what else happens about the Rooster/Heenan feud going into Mania V:

On Prime Time Wrestling the day after the Royal Rumble, the Red fuckin Rooster is on as a guest, and we have Gorilla sat in-between Rooster and Bobby Heenan to try and settle their differences,  after they had split up on the Saturday Night’s Main Event 9 days earlier.

It looks like Heenan is ready to let bygones be bygones and shakes Rooster’s hand but then slaps him!

Steve Lombardi - now christened the Brooklyn Brawler - runs in and nails Rooster with a stool and beats the crap out of him.

However, Brawler also hit Gorilla with the stool, and Gorilla took his first bump since probably 1983, leaving Heenan to host the rest of the show alone.

What do you remember about doing this particular Prime Time bit with Gorilla & Bobby?

On February 16th, Saturday Night’s Main Event was taped at the good ol’ Hersheypark Arena in Hershey, PA for a March 11th airing.

This is the third SNME to take place in Hershey and we’ve only had 20 of those shows by this point.

Why was Hershey a prime location for taping TV, particularly SNME?

The key match on the show is Hogan with Elizabeth in his corner defeating Bad News Brown.

Mean Gene is also gonna do a live interview with Liz to find out who’s corner she is gonna be in when the Mega-Powers will explode at WrestleMania V. After Elizabeth said she would not be in Hogan’s corner, Savage appeared gloating that she would be in his corner; when Okerlund finally asked her, she said she wouldn’t be in Savage’s corner either, with Savage then grabbing Liz by the chin, until Hogan appeared and said he has too much respect for his manager to tare Savage’s head off right now, but he will wait until WrestleMania where he will claim his title back.

Bad News Brown’s reputation isn’t great about losing…did he have any issues putting Hulk over?

At TV tapings in El Paso on March 7th, John Tenta makes his WWF debut, working as a babyface in a tryout match going to a draw vs Mr. Perfect.

Was this your first time seeing John Tenta in person? What did you think of him? What did Vince?

At a house show in Denver on March 19th, there was an 11-minute Brother Love Show featuring Roddy Piper in which Piper ended up slapping around and hip tossing you to end the segment.

This is Piper’s first WWF appearance in 2 years following Wrestlemania III, although the upcoming Piper’s Pit with you and Morton Downey Jr has already been announced for Wrestlemania V.

This was the first time you met Roddy, is it not?

Is this just so you and Roddy could have a bit of a run through throwing comments back and forth at each other in front of a crowd to see what could work or not before we get to WrestleMania?

April 2nd 1989 and we’re here for WrestleMania V, returning to Atlantic City and Trump Plaza for the second year in a row.

The NWA is also countering with a free Clash of Champions on TBS going head-to-head like they did the previous year. There live show only draws 5,300 fans at the SuperDome in New Orleans for Steamboat & Flair’s nearly 60-minute rematch from the Chi-Town Rumble, and a 4.6 rating on TV (last year they had a 5.8 rating against WrestleMania IV).

That’s a win right?

Because the ticket prices were jacked up at Trump Plaza, WrestleMania V drew the largest live gate up to that point in the history of U.S. wrestling. Because more homes had PPV than in 1987 for the Hogan-Andre match, it also broke the all-time record for PPV buys with more than 600,000, and that’s with the free TV special on TBS going head-to-head. The estimated $18.9 million total revenue gross (PPV, live gate, closed circuit etc) was the largest for a wrestling show in history up until that point.

WrestleMania V had 18,946 in the building, with 17,500 paid

You all have to be happy regarding all this right?

Did you still think there was more growth for pay-per-view?

Noticeably on the ringskirts and banners above the ring, it’s the same ones used at WrestleMania IV, although the “I” has clearly been scrubbed out and not very well.

How the hell did Vince allow this?

Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura are on the call as usual, and a notable singing sensation…

um… WWF Women’s Champion Rockin Robin is here to kick it off to sing “America the Beautiful”.

Well she’s supposed to anyway. The music blares up and Robin… just stands there for what feels like an eternity until the music is cut off and we cut away.

This is…live TV pal?!?!

They come back to Robin a few minutes later once Gorilla and Jesse welcome us to the show, as Howard Finkel apologises for the “audio difficulties” and Robin finally performs arguably the worst rendition of “America the Beautiful” ever.

Jesse quickly says in the commentary “she needs to keep her day job Monsoon”.

Robin wasn’t around much longer in the WWF after this.

Why Robin singing here instead of wrestling Sherri? Was there no one else that could sing?

The first match is King Haku with Bobby Heenan vs Hercules. We’re not having a good start as Finkel flubs up and introduces Haku as his old ring name “King Tonga”. The Robin and King Haku flubs were completely edited out of any future releases of the show following the original PPV.

Bobby Heenan had of course sold the contract of Hercules to Ted DiBiase 6 months earlier, which if this match wasn’t just thrown together, Herc coming for revenge on one of Bobby’s men is a good reason. Hercules is gonna get the win over Haku at 6:53 with a back suplex into a bridge in not exactly a hot opener to the biggest event of the year.

This…was what it was right?

For the next several matches there’s not really any rhyme or reason or feud to explain the matches. But this is a norm for the early WrestleManias just to get everybody on the card.

Is that a Vince directive to get everyone on the card?

The Twin Towers accompanied by Slick defeated the Rockers in match #2 at 8:05 when Akeem pinned Michaels with a splash after Bossman caught Michaels coming off the top and hit a powerbomb. This of course is the first WrestleMania for “Mr WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels.

The splash is called Air Africa by the way…but not exactly the Mr. WrestleMania debut for the Heart break Kid huh?

Tony Schiavone is in the locker room with Ted DiBiase, who is now the Million $ Champion after having his new belt created and unveiled on the Brother Love Show about a month earlier. DiBiase wasn’t defending the belt here however.

At least Tony got on one WrestleMania…

Match #3: Brutus Beefcake fought Ted DiBiase (w/ Virgil) to a double count-out at 10:00; prior to the bout, DiBiase and Virgil shook hands with Donald Trump at ringside; after the match, Beefcake put Virgil in the sleeper and fought off DiBiase but both men were able to escape the ring before Beefcake could use his cutting shears on DiBiase.

We’re just a year from Ted in the main event against Savage and here he is not even beating Brutus the fucking Barber…

We next see footage from the WrestleMania Brunch of Lord Alfred Hayes trying to interview the Bushwhackers while they’re eating as only the Bushwhacker can.

The Fabulous Rougeaus now come to the ring with their song on PPV for the first time - the amazing “We’re All American Boys” song.

For Match #4, the Bushwhackers defeated the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 5:11 when Luke pinned Raymond following the battering ram and a double gutbuster behind the referee’s back.

After the bout, Sean Mooney attempted to interview fans up the steps in the aisle when the Bushwhackers came up behind him and licked his face.

What can we say besides what a great song for the Rougeaus?

Speaking of those steps, Mr. Perfect stumbles slightly on his way to the ring for the next match, as did one of the Bushwhackers before their match.

These Trump Plaza long steps down from the entrance to the ring were a nightmare for the guys that it appears they got Rene Goulet to start telling each person as they came through the curtain to mind the steps.

Were those steps a bitch or what?

Match #5 and Mr. Perfect pinned the Blue Blazer with a forearm blow and the Perfect Plex at 5:49. Perfect is now wearing a singlet for the first time as he had previously just wrestled in short trunks.

This is a fun quick little match, but the crowd are completely quiet for it as they are for a lot of the show.

It was during this weekend where Bret Hart tells the memorable story of Owen prank calling dad Stu on the phone saying he was Reggie Parks and really riling Stu up that he wanted to go with him right now.

I mean…Owen went for a split-legged moonsault here - but look at all the talent here that will rise in the ranks through the company isn’t it?

Howard Finkel then introduces Jesse Ventura to the crowd who then gets up and poses in the broadcast booth, in the same bit they did last year.

We then see pre-taped footage from the previous morning’s WrestleMania 5k run with Lord Alfred Hayes conducting an interview with Mr. Fuji on the Atlantic City boardwalk.

Fuji says he has entered the race to show he is in superior shape”, and we see him setting off in full tuxedo with a head start, while everyone else literally runs by him.

We then cut to later in the race and apparently Fuji has just completed it in an impressive 19 minutes 30 seconds - it’s questionable whether he really did.

Is this just a normal intermission that’s needed?

Before getting to the next match, Run DMC performed the WrestleMania Rap. How did Run DMC come to be at this show?

Match #6 and WWF Tag Team Champions Demolition defeated the Powers of Pain & Mr. Fuji in a 2-on-3 handicap match at 8:55 when Ax pinned Fuji following the Decapitation after Fuji accidentally threw salt into the Warlord’s face.

Was this to just get to another match with these 4 with Fuji taking the pin?

Tony Schiavone is in the back and tries to enter Randy Savage’s dressing room but he runs out and says no interviews and pushes the cameraman down…DIG IT!

Match #7 and Dino Bravo (w/ Frenchy Martin) pinned Ron Garvin at 4:00 with an inverted atomic drop and the side suplex; prior to the match, Howard Finkel introduced Jimmy Snuka, with Snuka then appearing, coming into the ring, posing for the fans, and then leaving; after the match, Garvin knocked Bravo to the floor, attacked Martin, and executed the Garvin Stomp.

This is Snuka’s WWF return after last appearing in June 1985. This was also how Frenchy Martin is written off as Bravo’s manager as Jimmy Hart would take over in the weeks following.

Why Snuka’s return here?

This…this is the 7th match Bruce! We’re only halfway through…and there’s 7 more to go. How hard is this show dragging at this point?

So the next match has some interesting things to consider…as this is the famous Strike Force break up…

But the crazy thing is that this is their first time teaming since June of 1988…Martel had left for 6 months and only worked as a single for a few months since coming back in January. Why do you think this is always so well remembered?

The Brain Busters (w/ Bobby Heenan) defeated Strike Force at 9:17 when Arn Anderson pinned Tito Santana following the spike piledriver; late in the bout, Rick Martel walked out on his partner after Santana accidentally hit him with the flying forearm; after the contest, Mean Gene Okerlund conducted a backstage interview with Martel regarding his actions, with Martel claiming he was sick of Santana wanting to ride his coattails and calls him a loser.

I mean hard to disagree…but the whole story is about Rick & Tito…why do you think there was never a big payoff?

Next up and it’s your big WrestleMania moment Bruce. It’s Piper’s Pit with you and Morton Downey Jr.

Howard Finkel does an elaborate introduction for Roddy Piper, but you come out wearing a kilt and you pretend to interview Piper, but doing your own impersonation of Piper to answer each question; moments later, Morton Downey Jr., scheduled as Piper’s guest, appeared and insulted you until the real Piper was introduced; Piper then spoke with you, mentioning his “kilt,” before eventually taking the kilt off to reveal your red underwear, and then running back up the steps trying to cover yourself up;

Piper then turned his attention to Downey, with the two insulting each other as Downey repeatedly blew smoke in Piper’s face; Piper eventually asked for his own cigarette, then doused Downey with a fire extinguisher when he turned back around; Piper then left ringside, with Downey close behind but held back by officials.

How important is this to you in your career?

We then see a commercial for the upcoming No Holds Barred movie, and Jesse Ventura is pissed following this, saying Hogan is trying to invade his territory in Hollywood and trying to steal his thunder

What a program this could’ve been…was this real between the two?

A very nervous Sean Mooney then conducts a very awkward interview with Donald Trump in the front row, where Mooney constantly stumbles over his words.

Crazy to think - ya know - what Trump would turn into…

We see a recap now of everything leading up to the Hogan / Savage main event later before Mean Gene interviews Hogan, and it’s one of those crazy Hogan promos, here’s part of it:

Bruce - can you read this?

“Just like Donald Trump Macho Man, I hope you’re ready brother, because Trump has questions in his own mind.

He sent a whole team of seismologists out here to check the foundation of the Trump Towers, because when the Mega-Powers explode off the launching pad brother, as we erupt over the whole Atlantic City, he was worried about the foundation, he was worried about the thousands of people in the arenas, might become unseated and swallowed by the earth.”

Match #9 and one of the big matches is Andre vs Jake with John Studd as the ref. This of course began back in October 88 on SNME when Andre suffered a “heart attack” when Jake threw Damien on him, showing that Andre is indeed afraid of snakes.

Another story we’re also trying to tell is how Jake can possibly get the DDT on Andre.

Jake The Snake Roberts defeated Andre the Giant (w/ Bobby Heenan) via disqualification at 9:39 when Andre attacked guest referee Big John Studd and repeatedly headbutted him as Roberts chased Ted Dibiase and Virgil in the aisle after Dibiase attempted to steal Damien from ringside;

after the bout, Roberts slid Damien in the ring, scaring Andre from ringside

What was the real plan for Studd & Andre?

This is to set up the Jake vs DiBiase which would eventually conclude the following year at WrestleMania VI once Jake took some time off for neck surgery…what do you think this could’ve been if Jake didn’t need that surgery?

Tony Schiavone is now with Sensational Sherri, and calls out Elizabeth and blames her for the Mega Powers exploding, as we’re teasing the upcoming partnership with Sherri & Savage after Mania

What made Vince think Sherri would excel in this spot?

Bret Hart is another tripper on the steps coming to the ring as we go to match #10. The Hart Foundation defeated the Honkytonk Man & Greg Valentine (w/ Jimmy Hart) at 7:40 when Bret pinned Honky after hitting him with Jimmy Hart’s megaphone, thrown in the ring by Jim Neidhart.

Did we need this match do you think?

Match #11 is for the Intercontinental title with the Ultimate Warrior defending against Ravishing Rick Rude as we’re continuing on their feud that started at the Royal Rumble in the super posedown.

Rude has the IC Title airbrushed on the front of his tights in a nice touch.

Ravishing Rick Rude (w/ Bobby Heenan) pinned WWF Intercontinental Champion the Ultimate Warrior at 9:42 to win the title as the champion attempted a suplex into the ring, Heenan swept Warrior’s leg out from under him, and held the foot down during the cover; after the bout, Warrior attacked Heenan, dropped him with the gorilla press slam, and ran backstage to find Rude.

This is easily Warrior’s greatest wrestling match in his career at this point.

Warrior dropping Heenan at the end looks pretty scary (and Heenan still has to wrestle), and this is of course Warrior’s first pinfall loss in the WWF and he didn’t suffer many and will lead to Warrior chasing Rude on the house shows all summer before reclaiming the title at SummerSlam 89.

This is also Heenan’s first champion in his nearly 5-years as a WWF manager.

That’s crazy that it took 5 years for this to be the moment Heenan finally manages a champion…but my goodness Warrior dropping Heenan…how wreckless was that?

Speaking of wreckless if you really take a look at the finish - Warrior literally drops Rude on his head coming back in as well…is that just Warrior?

What was the reasoning behind Warrior taking the loss here?

Match #12 and Hacksaw Jim Duggan fought Bad News Brown to a double disqualification at 3:47 when Bad News grabbed a steel chair, after sustaining Duggan’s running clothesline, and swung at Duggan with it while Duggan swung back with his 2X4.

Just filling time at this point, although there is a pretty famous shot of Duggan with a huge wad of snot hanging out of his nose at the end of the match, and Jesse on commentary is disgusted.

Did ANYONE need this match?

Match #13 is a quickie and the Red fucking Rooster - now sporting red dye in his hair to further establish that he is a fucking Rooster vs former manager Bobby the Brain Heenan.

Before the match, Mean Gene has the Rooster for a promo:

BRUCE! PLEASE!

“Cock-a-doodle do…

I’m gonna meet the teacher and I’m gonna teach him something he never taught me and that’s how to lose.

Bobby The Weasel Heenan you said I was limited, I’m fixing to show everyone I’m not limited.

The Red Rooster can’t wait to get his rooster claws into that weasel hide, I’m gonna take out all this frustration, and when I’m done with you Weasel, there will be nothing left and it’ll be a great day at the barnyard and everyone going cock-a doodle do..”

Heenan is selling getting dropped by the Warrior earlier, and also has the Brooklyn Brawler with him.

Rooster gets the win in 32 seconds after Heenan hit the ringpost shoulder-first; after the bout, the Brawler attacked the Rooster from behind but the Rooster quickly cleared him from the ring.

Rooster then clucks around the ring or whatever a fucking Rooster is supposed to do here.

Great job Rooster beating up an injured manager.

Mean Gene is with a concerned Elizabeth before the main event, and she emphasizes she will be in a neutral corner and hopes that neither Hulk or Randy will get hurt.

Finally we’re here and it’s the 14th match on the card, and the Mega-Powers are about to explode.

14 matches?!?! This just shows the power of how over these two were doesn’t it that the crowd is still awake for this…

It’s customary for the challenger to enter first for a big title match, but here the champion - the Macho Man, as he’s the heel, entered first. Savage is also competing here with a serious staph infection.

What can you tell us about his injury?

Why the champion coming out first?

The gimmick was that Elizabeth would be at ringside, but in a neutral corner, and would make her decision of which guy she was going with at the end of the match. Even though everyone saw Savage as the company’s top heel once again, she still saw the good in him.

Savage took a bad bump on the outside, but Elizabeth went to help him, but he yelled at her. Later Hogan tried to post Savage, but Elizabeth got in the way. This allowed Savage to post Hogan, but Elizabeth then stopped Savage from attacking Hogan. The referee then ordered Elizabeth to leave ringside, and later Savage hit the flying elbow during the closing moments but Hogan kicked out at 2 and came back to get the pin in 17:54 with his big boot to the face and the legdrop, and we have a new WWF Champion for the second time - the Hulkster.

A great wrestling match considering Hogan was involved and Hogan must pose.

How great is this match?

Could you believe Randy had Hulk kick out of the elbow drop?

Bruce - what do you think of the show?

Was this just the WWF still finding its way to present the best product possible on pay-per-view?