Summer Slam and the build are here.
Survivor Series 1990 Hartford(Dark – Dustin Rhodes d. Lanny Poffo)
Gorilla and Piper on the announce. Piper's full time color guy now, so while he remains a heel, he moves incrementally toward being more accessible to the audience. By the time he returns to the active roster in mid-91, he's basically a babyface.
Show begins with Okerlund in the ring. “Ladies and Gentlemen, Hartford, Connnecticut, please welcome back to the World Wrestling Federation, one-half of the greatest tag team in WWF history – the British Bulldog, Davey Boy Smith!”
Davey Boy – gone for two full years since losing his last shot at Bret’s IC title, enters. It’s face Davey Boy – he apologizes to the fans for how he was when he was last here, asks their forgiveness, and says the man he really needs to apologize to is his former tag team partner, his brother in law, the 2 time intercontinental champion, the best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be, Bret the Hit Man Hart…
Bret’s music. Bret. Big pop. He’s Bret Hart, after all.
Davey Boy apologizes, extends his hand – Bret refuses. Bret says that he turned on him, he turned on the family, he joined up with that awful Perfect to injure Owen and it’s been nearly 3 years and Owen can still barely walk much less wrestle…
Perfect’s music. Perfect, with the secret service, to the ring. Perfect basically says Owen was a pussy and Bret’s jealous because he’s never been WWF Champion and he, Perfect, will tonight be the first WWF champion of the modern era to hold his belt for more than one year..
Bret says the only reason that's the case is that he hasn't fought him. And if he had any guts, he'd get in the ring right now.
Hennig leaps into the ring, the secret service, unprepared, stays on the outside.
Bret and Perfect fight, we do a moment of pause – and Davey Boy shows his true colors by siding with Bret – press slamming Hennig completely out of the ring for the face pop – Davey Boy is back! Hennig is caught by the waves of security and bodysurfs back to the aisle.
Bret still refuses to shake Davey's hand, brushing him off and leaving the ring.
1. Demolition Smash/Crush d. Demoliton Ax/Bravo
-Smash/Crush continue unbeaten as the new Demolition. They have spikes, don’t forget that. This wraps up Ax, maybe Dino too.
2. Undertaker d. Jimmy Snuka
-Obviously, this is what they lights going out in arenas the past couple of months was in reference to. They do the full heel Undertaker thing – he’s a mystery opponent here – “who is this man, what does he want….it’s very scary.” It’s the Undertaker, we do it the same way. Match, after a brief Taker no sell, is two moves. Chokeslam, Tombstone. Taker puts Superfly in the bodybag – Taker carries the bag out of the ring. We have a new monster heel. No Bearer.
Undertaker gimmick is basically the same, once he starts wrestling competitive matches, he should work more like the post-gimmick dead man, who was a better worker.
Settle in. He'll be here awhile.
3. Baseball Bat on a Pole: Hulk Hogan d. Dusty Rhodes (w/Dustin)
-Okay, we’re wrapping this one up. Hulk and Dusty were a tag team, recall, then Dusty turned heel. They each won one match. Dustin's the guy who climbs the pole, no foreshadowing pun intended, Hogan winds up with it, puts it to Dusty, gets the fall. Dustin attacks after the match, taking the bat to Hogan – but is stopped by Dusty, who scolds him. You know, ‘cause Dusty’s really just a good guy after all – Dustin pouts, leaves, and Hogan and Dusty do a legends pose thing.
4. Ted DiBiase d. Shane Douglas
-Ted, clean. Ted looks even more smug than normal. Has an “I’ve got a secret” smile. Young Douglas continues to take his lumps
5. The Male Model Rick Martel d. Marty Jannetty
Competitive match – finish comes when Shawn superkicks his former partner out of his boots allowing Martel the pin. ‘Cause, you know, we haven’t done Shawn/Marty yet.
6. Tags: Road Warriors d. Orient Express
Squash. When the year started they were NWA champs – now they’re WWF champs. Strap ‘em up. They bury the Orients. They get the Warrior pop.
7. IC: Bret Hart d. Shawn Michaels
We love this feud for three reasons (1) every match great, the most important thing to me (2) these two had a specific oil and water chemistry (3) they're gonna hate each other. Fun! Marty runs in for retribution, hits the rocker dropper on Shawn – Bret covers, but Shawn kicks out – Bret pins him soon after, however Marty attacks, gets in a couple of shots – leaves Shawn laying.
8. WWF Title: Curt Hennig (w/Brain and Secruity) d. Kerry Von Erich
Hennig could carry anyone to a good match in 1990. Squeaky clean win – no interference – no Savage – Hennig has held the belt for over a year. Mr. Perfect. It’s a Flair-like title run, one good match after the next, the heel keeps the strap. Of course, in my world, Flair held the NWA title for 4 years and his current run is about the hit two years – so maybe we shouldn’t be comparing.
Hennig feels it as the show ends, yelling out, "Hey Savage...Hey Hit Man...When am I gonna get me some Competition?" Hennig and the Brain laugh and it is a manly laugh.
Pomp and Circumstance. Place comes unglued.
Hennig freaks out - the security swarms into the ring
But it's not Savage - coming to the top of the aisle is DiBiase.
"Bobby...Champ....don't panic. It's not Randy Savage. But it could be, Bobby. Anytime I wanted to pull that security, it could be. And if I hadn't paid off these men (the Natural Diasters enter to stand behind Ted) that title wouldn't still be on your waist, Perfect. And you know that wasn't the first favor I did for you, Bobby (recall the previous machinations by which Ted's money helped Hennig gain the strap). You owe me Heenan.
And at the Royal Rumble - I'm coming to collect. Everybody's got a price - and it's time to pay yours."
Hit Ted's music. Ted laughs. Hennig questions the Brain who looks like his dog has just died as the show ends.
The Rumble is in Miami.
Perfect is concerned, does he really want to wrestle Ted at the Rumble – can he trust Bobby? Is Bobby selling him out in the way he sold out Rick Rude? That’s your storyline. Bret will be facing Rick Martel, getting his first ever singles title shot. The Road Warriors continue as top card monsters – Demolition continues as bottom card monsters. Shawn and Marty hook it up for the first time ever. Dustin Rhodes is a bratty young heel. Davey Boy Smith has returned to the ring as a face. And the Phenom continues. It's Royal Rumble '91!
1990 ends with Starrcade. Terry Taylor gets a win! Steiners keep. But the Horsemen lose their belts – AA drops to Stan Hansen, the big cowboy best known for his work in Japan – and Flair, after two years, loses to Sting – it’s Sting’s first NWA title.
Starrcade – 1990 St.Louis
NWA Title: Sting d. Ric Flair
US Title: Stan Hansen d. Arn Anderson
Tags: Steiners d. Rock n Roll Express
Great Muta d. Rey Mysterio, Sr.
Bobby Eaton d. Chris Adams
Lex Luger d. Mike Rotundo
Terry Taylor d. Konan
Doom d. Sid/Spivey
