Summer Slam/Survivor Series - 1989

WM V and the build for this show are here.
Summer Slam – 1989 East Rutherford
(Dark – Bad News Brown d. Barry Windham)

Gorillia didn't do this show - I assume it was for health reasons and not because he was benched, if that's the case, then they will go, as did they, with Schiavone (shudder) but he's better than Vince and I'm not sure I trust Gene on play by play for a full show. If instead this was just Vince looking for a young PBP voice (not that he would ever do a thing like that...) in the Counterfactual universe, he'd never consider breaking up Gorilla and Jesse.

1. Hogan/Dusty d. Demolition
-Hogan/Big Dust do their legends tag team thing and go over the Dems.

2. Jacques (w/Ray) d. Greg Valentine
-Jacques is the Mountie! Almost. Jacques is gonna get a little bit of a singles run coming up in a modified version of his Mountie gimmick.

3. Jimmy Snuka d. Ultimate Warrior
-Jimmy returns to the company, gets a quick win - postmatch, Hercules runs in - he and the Warrior begin to beat Snuka down - then ignore him while Herc poses and the Warrior rants. "Your pinfalls wil mean nothing in the coming race riots. When Deuteronomy bursts into your world, all that will be left are the men with the purity and beauty to be true Warriors. The Mighty Hercules has heeded the call - and together - we will lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land and await the Coming Apocalypse. Snort"

And then they make out.

Okay, perhaps not. But the Warrior storyline is heading as gay as he's willing to do. The gimmick is now the juiced up Warrior, with his juiced up buddy Herc, spouting survivalist, militia based, White Man's Burden crap -- while getting his swerve on.

Like a KKK Christopher St. Connection.

So, they don't really do that.  But they'll rub each others shoulders, oil each other up - they won't acknowledge, even once, any sort of gay activity, they'll just be occurring, even as the White Power rap coninues. Big, muscle bound, closeted freaks. Good times.


4. The Male Model Rick Martel (w/Entourage) d. Tito Santana
Paul Roma can be his stylist. Koko can do his hair. Poffo can be his assistant, the three of them will also tag as The Entourage. Martel has a half dozen people, all fussing around him at all times. If he's hit in the face by Tito - there are immediate protests. After this, they rematch where Martel leaves after 10 minutes, saying he has another appointment. Rick's character changes a little in that he male models it up more. Posing in the ring - he's not playing gay, not even effeminate, think Zoolander. Lot of pouting. Posing. His people fussing over him. Martel can draw some good heat - and he goes over his old partner here. Might be too much homophobia going on at the same time.

5. Ted DiBiase (w/Virgil) d. Terry Taylor
-Hundred down the mouth.

6. Tags: Cage Match: Rockers d. Brainbusters
-That’s the blow off to the feud, the Rockers finally go over - again, it's a pinfall and not an escape cage match. It's also Tully’s last match. He takes the fall, he and Arn, recall, who are caught up in the Rude/Hennig feud, aren't actively feuding in this match, so as not to detract from the Rockers big win - but they aren't close. And when they drop the straps, Arn and Tully have words and Tully walks out alone.

Arn and Tully are going to feud until Tully leaves, Arn going over, obviously.

7. IC: Rick Rude d. Curt Hennig
-Here’s the end of the Family, the tension in the Heenan Family boils over – Hennig wanted a rematch, Rude and Bobby didn’t want to give him one – the Busters picked sides and they went into their tag match fractured as well. Heenan tried to keep it together – but the Busters exploded and Tully quit – and here, with Bobby calling it right down the middle….


Actually, this time, he doesn’t…Heenan sides with Rude, aiding in the finish, shocking because it’s the first screwjob title finish in the PPV era. Hennig hits the Perfectplex, Heenan puts Rude's free leg on the ropes. Hennig realizes what Bobby'd done and is distracted - allowing Rude to get the roll up win. A shocking result.

Heenan and Rude celebrate by getting out of the ring as fast as they can..Hennig looks shocked, but eventually figures out what has happened and he sprints after them postmatch.

It's time for face Hennig now. Or so the Germans would have you believe...

8. WWF Title: Randy Savage (w/Liz) d. Bret Hart
-Savage, clean, again. Bret loses to Randy one more time.

With the Rockers finally going over - and Hennig only losing to Rude because of a screwjob - and with the buildup for this match focusing on Bret Hart's opportunity to win the Triple Crown - one might expect this is the switch. Nope. Savage, clean with the elbowdrop.

Bret's frustrated - he and Savage go nose to nose after the match (each match grows more hard hitting, dirtier, more contentious - but Shawn and Marty enter again - Marty talking to Savage, Shawn pulling Bret away and talking to him...Savage extends his hand again and Bret accepts it.

The Rockers and Savage go to the buckles, holding their title belts aloft, as Bret looks on, his emotions complicated, perhaps jealousy, or an increased seriousness of purpose, or a realization that he's not quite there yet -- but the camera definitely captures the mixed emotions of Bret the Hit Man Hart as he watches the Rockers and Savage celebrate as the show ends.

So, that gets us to Survivor Series.

This will be the last cleaving of years into only two parts, if you're reading along in sequence (Woooooo!) you'll note that, as promised, this is getting increasingly involved. And it will exponentially increase beyond this. So, beginning in the 90s, every show gets its own post.

Lots going on as the decade ends.

The legendary tag team of Hogan and Dusty work the opening tag again - this time against the newly monikered White Flight, the Warrior and Hercules.

Roddy Piper returns and Piper's Pit is back in business. Piper feuds during the fall with Jake, Piper's come back as a heel, saying that when he left, Jake was as feared as anybody in the WWF, but now he waits for fan approval - and he wants to see that son of a bitch come back. They heat that up over the autumn - selling that Jake and Piper will meet at Survivor Series - but as they get to November - Jake turns. He DDT's Terry Taylor multiple times, and, instead of his usual one snake bag - he pulls out a bag with dozens of smaller snakes - which he pours all over the fallen Taylor. When Taylor returns the week before the show and attacks Roberts - they make that match.

They set up a Piper's Pit to air at Survivor Series - with Jimmy Snuka as the guest.

Tito gets heat back by wiping out Martel's Entourage during a show - and challenging Martel to a
strap match at the PPV.

After Arn runs Tully out - he does singles with both Rockers - Bret face saves each time as Arn attempts to punk the Rockers out. The Rockers shift to a defense of the title against the Rougeaus - while Bret meets Arn in a singles.

The title matches -- Ted brings a briefcase full of money to Bobby and Rude - he says he wants a shot at the IC - doesn't need to buy it, doesn't need to win - he just wants a title shot and he's wiling to pay. Rude tells him to get the hell out of there, but Bobby persuades him that it's an easy payday, they take Ted's money, they keep the gold, it's a win/win.

So, there's that.

The title is babyface/babyface. Hennig, the newly minted babyface challenges Savage. Savage obviously is hesitant to belive that Curt has changed - but Curt face saves him when Rude and Arn attack - they might even do a tag match where Hennig tosses Savage out of the way when Rude attempts a chairshot - taking the full brunt of it himself. Hennig makes the case that Savage gave his friend Bret title shots - and just like that, Savage should give Hennig a shot too.

So, he does.

It's Survivor Series '89, Savage/Perfect for the strap - Rude defends against DiBiase, Rockers against the former tag champs, the Rougeaus, Bret v. Arn, Martel v. Tito in a strap match, Jake v. Terry Taylor, Hogan and Dusty meet White Flight - a very special Piper's Pit, featuring Jimmy Snuka. Call your local cable company!!

Survivor Series – 1989 (Chicago)
PPV returns to Chicago for first time since II.  Gorilla's back with Jesse.

(Dark – Bad News Brown/Haku d. Windham/Valentine)

1. Hogan/Dusty d. Hercules/Ultimate Warrior
-Hogan and Dusty roll on as the Legends Tag Team – I like the idea of the Warrior recruiting Herc, dressing him up – both guys with the crazy juiced up bodies, face paint, shaking the ropes, then talking about White Pride. The Warlord and the Barbarian, the Powers of Pain, enter, the four men take Hogan and dusty apart - then compliment each other on their lats - they all pose, apply extra oil to each other, talk about the White Man. The Barbarian looks a little askew at this, but then takes the stick, yells out, "Wake up White People!" and all is well as they go off to their gang bang.

2. Jake Roberts (w/Piper) d. Terry Taylor
-With the encouragement of Piper, who returned in the interim as a heel, Jake goes full heel, cheating at every chance, and DDT’ing Taylor multiple times. Jake and Piper dump the bag of snakes all over Taylor.

3. Roddy Piper (w/Jake) d. Jimmy Snuka
- First, comes Piper's Pit - Piper starts apologizing for the coconut incident, then decides he's not going to apologize, he didn't mean apologize, he meant re-live - he attempts to hit Snuka with the coconut, but Jimmy takes it away from him and smashes it over Piper's head. Jake runs in and he and Snuka brawl, while a bloody Piper takes the mic - challenges Snuka to go right now, fans pop, Snuka accepts, a referee enters -- Jimmy does as much as he can - but after Jake DDT's him on the floor and dumps him back in the ring, all w/o being seen by the official - Piper is able to get the fall. They dump coconuts and cocount paraphernalia all over Snuka.

4. Strap Match: The Male Model Rick Martel (w/Entourage) d. Tito Santana
Rematch from Summer Slam, Martel goes over again. It’s a simple feud, they used to be tag partners, now Martel’s the Model – and he keeps kicking Tito’s ass. Strap match stip is just so Martel can go over again without getting another pinfall over poor Tito.

5. Bret Hart d. Arn Anderson
Bobby doesn’t enter with Arn. Bret clean with the Sharpshooter. It's Arn's last match with the company. After the match, in the back, he confronts the Brain, “What happened to the Family, Bobby – what happened to the Family.” “The Family’s dead, Double A – now it’s just me and the Champ.” Arn packs his bags and leaves. There’s no program with this match – Bret’s feud for the strap with Savage is over – Arn is leaving the WWF – it’s just to re-establish Bret as a winner – and it’s also a helluva good match.

6. Tags: Rockers d. Rougeaus
There’s no feud here either – in fact, this is it for the Rougeaus, Jacques, recall has already started the singles career – and when Ray gets pinned here - Jacques turns on his brother, turning their postmatch hug into a bodyslam. Jacques tears off his Rougeau brother gear, grabbing the Mountie hat that he brought to the ring (no, er, "shock stick" however, Vince hates that crap) Rougeau yells out, "I am the Mountie!" and puts the wood to Ray. They're gonna meet in a singles at the Rumble.

The Rockers do have their own feud coming though. On Saturday Night’s Main Event, in January – they are set to face Hogan and Dusty for the straps – but they never make it out to the ring as they’re jumped…let’s say in the shower, for the homoerotic element the kids love – by Piper and Jake….DDTs to the shower floor – the snake is let loose – maybe a Hitchcock shot of blood going down the drain.

7. IC: Ted DiBiase d. Rick Rude (w/Brain)
Switch. Despite Rude’s concern, Bobby makes the match. During which, Virgil, who didn't come to the ring with Ted, enters with a briefcase – that he hands to Bobby. Bobby opens it up, smiles – hops on the apron –maneuvers himself into position and smashes Rude over the head with it. DiBiase takes advantage – applying the Million Dollar Dream and getting the win. Not only is it a screwjob, but there's no question that Bobby has turned on Rick Rude.

The lock breaks on the case, so it’s open – and the camera can see, obviously, that it’s stuffed with cash. Bobby sold Rude out.

Rude’s unconscious – Virgil puts the strap on his boss – Ted’s first WWF strap – Bobby grabs a headset at the announce – yelling, “I’m gone, Humanoids! You wanted the Heenan Family gone – the Heenan Family is gone – Woo-Hoo! You won’t have Bobby Heenan to kick around anymore – I’ve got a plane to catch.” Bobby grabs the briefcase – waves to the shocked crowd – disappears into the back – and the camera sees him hop into a limo in the parking lot and drive away.

8. WWF Title: Curt Hennig d. Randy Savage (Liz)
Switch. After a year as WWF Champ, and earlier two years as IC Champ, Savage drops. He should have seen it coming – he took this face/face match with his new friend Hennig, as after two such matches with Bret the precedent was set, but out of nowhere in this one – with the fans split down the middle between their two favorites – Heenan re-enters from the crowd, with the briefcase, he waffles Elizabeth over the back of the head, splitting her open (mmmm, splitting Miss Elizabeth open) and distracting Savage enough for Hennig to hit the PerfectPlex --- and get the fall.

Hennig and Brain embrace – Brain looking into the camera “Now, that’s Perfect” as he and Hennig raise the belt aloft. Rick Rude hits the ring hard – going after both men, so we know that he wasn’t involved in the swerve Hennig and Heenan bail out, laughing and pointing at Rude from the aisle.

On the way to WM, Bobby explains to Gene– he didn’t lie to Arn, the Family was dead, and it was just he and the Champ left. Except the Champ was Hennig. Gene asks how Bobby could do this to Rick Rude – Bobby says it was an easy decision – he traded up from the IC belt, took Ted's money, and walked away from Survivor Series a rich man – and with the WWF Championship Belt. Any one of the humanoids would do the same thing if they were in Bobby’s position – but they could never be in Bobby’s position, because they’re not perfect, like the new Heavyweight Champion of the World. Hennig and Bobby laugh and laugh. Suckers.

The decade ends with Starrcade. The Road Warriors keep – 2 years now into their title run. Flair keeps the NWA title in a 5 star match against Muta – and, in the rare circumstance when the secondary belt is the main event – Sting keeps the US belt against Luger. Following the match the other 3 Horsemen (Flair, Pillman, Shane Douglas) hit the ring – and punk Luger and Sting out – allowing for the introduction of the newest member of the Horsemen – Arn Anderson, returning to the NWA just two weeks after Survivor Series. Arn and Flair are reunited, and the Horsemen ride strong into the 90’s. They're a little shorthanded, so they give Muta the extra push with the multiple wins. Muta wrestles four times on one PPV, still unprecedented.

Starrcade – 1989 Atlanta

US Title: Sting d. Luger
NWA Title: Ric Flair d. Great Muta
Tags: Road Warriors d. Doom
Great Muta draw Lex Luger

Great Muta d. Scott Steiner
Great Muta d. Rick Steiner
Ron Simmons d. Butch Reed
Doom d. Wild Samoans

The first PPV of the 90s will be the Rumble from Orlando. Hogan and Dusty look for revenge against the Powers of Pain. Jacques meets Ray as the Rougeaus explode. They hotshot a Martel/Savage program. No Liz, she's gone selling the briefcase shot - Martel decides to taunt Randy about the loss of his wife and his belt - Savage is the wrong man to taunt, and there's that match. The Rockers, recall, are attacked in the showers by the veterans Jake and Piper - so there's that. Bret, former 2 year IC champ, looks to regain his belt against Ted. And your big main event - Rick Rude, now a babyface, challenges his former best friend, Curt Hennig, this time for the WWF Title. Perfect's never beaten Rude at anything, including 2 IC losses, but now he has the Brain, who screwed Rude out of that IC, at his side.

The Heenan Family Explodes at Royal Rumble '90!

The First Royal Rumble/Wrestlemania V - 1989

IV, Summer Slam '88, Survivor Series and the build to this show are here.
Royal Rumble 1989 Houston(Dark – Jacques Rougeau d. Lanny Poffo)

(a note - as there's no battle royal in the event, I would call it Royal Rumble in a Counterfactual universe - what I would call it is Justice Sunday. Soon, a battle royal that will run after Mania every other year will be Rumble style and be to name a number one contender - that's the event we'd call the Royal Rumble. But for purposes of communication and for historical tether to the real world, I won't actually make that change in the Counterfactual)

1. Demolition d. Powers of Pain
-the Dems have turned. It’s the face Dems! Their faces are painted and they have spikes and they are the babyface Demolition!

2. Hulk Hogan d. Andre the Giant
-They drag Andre out one more time to put Hogan over as the New Legend of Professional Wrestling. Sure, that’s a WM staple, but now, we expand it a little bit as the numbers of PPVs expand. Andre gets a highlight package sendoff, but when the house lights come back on, Hogan's down in the middle of the ring - standing over him...

The Ultimate Warrior.

It’s largely out of nowhere, although the Warrior had been giving somewhat self aggrandizing promos for a few weeks, talking about immortality and the Master Warrior Race. But he was a bottom of the card face act, albeit an unbeaten one, and even though Hogan had now been a bottom of the card act for five years – he was once the WWF champion. They're gonna meet in the legends match at V, which will be the subject of mockery, as how can the Warrior think of himself as a legend?

He can, 'cause he's crazy. The Warrior will go Hellwig, with his crazy Koresh-like right wing rantings. I’m not saying he drops the gimmick, without the gimmick, no one cares, but the Warrior gimmick is now Ayn Rand-ish, with survivalist, libertarian, borderline white power language. Like the speeches he gives now. Real life Hellwig talking about the power of the Warrior inside us all is a hundred times more interesting than the watered down babyface we got back in the 80s. At least interesting enough to sell this legend’s match. He'll talk about the unions injuring the Warrior spirit, and the need to cut the capital gains tax, for all the little millionaire Warriors, and how we need to build more prisons to lock anyone up who doesn't believe in trickle down economics or the power of the Warrior. Snort.

3. Tito Santana d. Honky Tonk Man
-Arriba~

4. Rick Martel d. Terry Taylor
-Partner of Arriba~

This is the beginning of the new Martel – the Model version, still a good wrestler, although now juiced up, and with the midcard heel gimmick that served him well. It's a gradual turn, Martel starts to get more and more bronze, always fiddling with his hair. They do a couple of vignettes where there's no room for Tito to travel in the car from show to show - because Martel spent $1500 bucks on a tanning bed, and is loading it up to go from town to town. Martel misses some hot tags from Tito because he's fixing his hair on the outside. That kinda thing. He and Tito don't break up sharply - Tito is clearly frustrated by Martel, at his wit's end, and finally, as Martel is as dark as a man could possibly be outside of Ghana - just ridiculously, outrageously tan - maybe the burn from this particular tanning session causes him to miss a match, and Tito has to work a handicap -- Tito tells Martel that Strike Force is no more. Martel is totally nonplussed, "Hey, Tito, I'm sure this is important, but I have to go to the lab to test my new scent."

5. Jake Roberts d. Bad News Brown
-Face Jake moved from the Rude feud into the lower wattage Bad News feud, as Jake’s work starts sliding.

6. Tags: Brainbusters (w/Brain) d. Rockers
-They're gonna do the Somers/Rose feud. Rockers are the hot babyface team, Busters the grizzled veterans. Brainbusters keep clean here, spirited match, hopefully giving the Rockers the rub.

7. IC Title: Curt Hennig (w/Brain & Rude) d. Bret Hart
- A classic match, the Brain gets a singles title – and Bret’s 10 month IC run ends at the hands of the unbeaten Hennig. Hennig remains Perfect, going over Bret here. Rick Rude accompanies Curt to ringside, involving himself at a critical but nondeterminative juncture to aid his boy Hennig. Over the next few weeks, the angle that develops is that Rude hasn’t gotten a shot at a title in a year and a half, as everyone’s been ducking him – and the only guy who he knows his man enough to face him is his boy, Hennig. Bobby hates the idea – but Curt wants the competition – and as we drive to WM – neither man turns, but there is dissension between the two egomaniacal heels – and it drives Bobby crazy.

8. WWF Title: Randy Savage d. Ted DiBiase
Ted’s long unbeaten run, with accompanying Million Dollar heel heat, comes to an end as he feeds the Champ. Food chain, baby. Savage goes over clean, stuffs the hundred in Ted’s mouth – and heads to WM as a powerful champion….

…where, in a rematch from their IC classic a year before at IV – he’ll take on Bret Hart.

So, it's Wrestlemania V from Atlantic City. They've got the Legend's Match with the messianic Warrior. Tito will work in the middle again, as will Martel, who is now the Model and takes on the returning Owen Hart. After losing the title match at the Rumble, Ted moves back down and is feuding with Jake. The Brainbusters have tormented the babyface Rockers - meeting them at every turn as they gear up for the Mania rematch.

I like face/face and heel/heel matchups at Mania - it sets Mania apart from any normal wrestling event.

The IC is Hennig defending against Rude. They each do their schtick - and now that it's in opposition to each other - it frays on their nerves. Bobby goes bonkers, trying to pacify each guy, "You're the best, Rick, of course" "You're the best, Curt, of course.." both guys are so narcissistic they can't imagine anyone challenging their supremacy. And what started out as a simple comment from Rude, "now that someone in the Family has the gold - I'll finally get another shot" has become a pretty good intrafamily feud.

Savage/Bret for the strap. Randy cuts a promo after the Rumble, saying he's going to headline his first Mania - saying he's at the top of his career - he's in a rocketship to infinity and beyond - he's got Liz, he's got the gold - he's got everything a man could want...

...but there's one thing that bothers him -- one year ago, in the same building at IV, he lost the IC title to Bret Hart. There's nothing in his career he hasn't accomplished - accept beat Bret Hart - so he calls Bret out - says that he's gotta know for sure that he really is the best alive, and to do that - they need to hook it up at V.

It's Savage/Bret, Hennig/Rude, the Rockers and the Brainbusters -- Owen/Martel, Jake/Ted, Hogan and the Warrior in the Legends. It's Wrestlemania V. Call your locak thing!


Prior to Mania, the workers threaten to walk unless Vince meets some demands. A radicalized Jesse Ventura, whose eyes have been opened to the plight of the American worker following his study of the Pullman Car Strike of the 1890s, takes these demands to the office.

Their demands: to end the facade that wrestlers are independent contractors and instead make them full time employees, with health and retirement benefits. Vacation. Days off. Company mandated health examinations. Greater profit participation.

"Sure, it may cost me some money," but we'll never be in a situation where my workers drop dead from the lifestyle that I create," Vince responds.

Drug testing is considered; after all, even if the incentives for steroid and pain killer use are diminished, one recognizes that athletes will always look for advantages. But Vince and Jesse agree - the civil liberties ramifications are too great. While complying with a search from private industry doesn't have 4th Amendment implications - the spirit of privacy, the fundamental right not to have your employer search your body - is worth preserving.

"There is no greater friend to consitutionally protected personal freedom than Vince McMahon," Ventura tells a jubilant locker room, without a trace of sarcasm, ignorance, or delusion in his voice, "The WWF will offer treatment to any wrestler with a substance abuse issue - and fortunately we work for a man who doesn't equate bodybuilders with good professional wrestling. Three cheers for Vince McMahon!"

Not that the public knew much about this, of course. Vince decided years ago to eschew the spotlight, "Leave that for the performers. I just want what's best for the boys and the fans. What kind of man would I be otherwise?"

Wrestlemania V Atlantic City 1989
(Dark – Bad News Brown/Haku d. Boss Man/Valentine)

Gorilla/Jesse. 5 straight years.

1. Demolition d. Rougeaus
-The face Dems go over the Rougeaus. People love the Dems!

2. Legend's Match: Hulk Hogan d. Ultimate Warrior (Dusty Rhodes - guest referee)
-See, the thing of it is, I’m stuck with Hogan, so I need to feed him. He doesn’t eat much under this plan, but he needs to eat. Andre coming back and feeding Hogan arguably isn’t the best story for that one night (although, actually, philosophically, I don’t really agree with that either, wrestlers don’t go out on top, they go out on their backs, you give to the company that gave to you, there’s some honor in it) but it allows Hogan to say he’s the Legend of Professional Wrestling, which means I can have this match (and the next, and the next, and the next). The caravan rolls on, baby dolls. I let Hellwig squash as many no account guys as I can, feeding his unbeaten streak going into WM, while his rants et more and more bizarre. “I invite you all to come live in Compound Warrior while we await the End Times. Except the Jewry. Dirty, Dirty, Jewry.”

But Hogan goes over. Not long after WM, in a six man with Demolition (probably against the Warrior and Bad News/Haku, a tag I like) the Dems turn on him. Ax/Smash cut a promo saying they’re the real Legends of professional wrestling and they challenge Hogan at SSlam and tell him to find a partner.

He will. Dusty Rhodes. See how we use the people?

Dusty, note, isn’t as big a deal as he was in the actual universe, the plug on his NWA push gets pulled back in ’85, basically making him Hogan. But he’s got 2 NWA titles in the bank and a loyal following – and unlike his WWF run, you know, this time they actually talk about it.

3. Tito Santana d. Terry Taylor
-Arriba~

4. The Model Rick Martel d. Owen Hart
- Owen returns for the first time since November, he doesn’t wrestle at all before WM. They sell hard that he’s still injured but the possibility of working WM, the Granddaddy of Them All, is too much to pass up. It’s the biggest win of Martel’s career – and the Model push is now hard – as it’s both a good match, and since Owen was pushed as a big time guy, Martel beating him at WM is important. Owen goes away now for years, unfortunately. We sell his ankle (his heel) as his weak spot. Martel's got the large tanning bed in the back - and brings out a small tanning bed (some type of modified EZ bake oven - I don't know if they have portable tanning beds) to the ring.

After this, Martel gets his own production staff. Every time he appears, there's someone else with him. A personal assistant. A publicist. Makeup, hair, personal tanning specialist. It's Rick Martel w/Entourage.

5. Ted DiBiase d. Jake Roberts
- Ted gets his heat back after losing to Randy, with a decisive win here. Jake had gone over Rude, then gone over Bad News – and now feeds Ted. Hundred stuffed in the mouth.

6. Tags: Brainbusters (w/Brain) d. Rockers
- Busters go over again - and this is the heavy color match - Marty and Shawn (I realize I haven't named the Rockers, but if you're reading this and don't know who the Rockers were, you're really pretty far from home) show they aren't just pretty boys by doing the full Muta blade jobs, taking tremendous beatings but not giving up. So much blood they hose down the ring.

7. IC: Rick Rude d. Curt Hennig
Switch. I think the fans go for it (1) because of the compelling nature of the two personalities (2) because of the quality of the work and (3) because of the tease that someone might turn. Brain does his schtick here, running around the ring, trying to be on both sides, cheering for one guy and then the other, largely adding to the entertainment value. Rude wins a terrific match, getting his first WWF title. The unease between Hennig and Rude heightens as Rude takes the strap and he and Bobby celebrate while Hennig stands by himself. Between here and SSlam, we keep it going, they tag together, but have differences, you know the drill – so while they still remain aligned – and still remain heels – the Heenan Family becomes more divided, with Tully now taking Hennig’s side in the various disputes, Arn taking Rude's, which divides the tag champs. The Family grows increasingly fractured, Bobby desperately trying to keep it together, as we drive through the summer. But they still stand together after...

8. WWF Title: Randy Savage (w/Liz) d. Bret Hart
- Randy keeps. I really like this too, to my way of thinking, face/face at WM particularly gives off the aura of a special match – two guys who don’t normally fight – go at it full bore just because that’s how much they want the title at the biggest event of the year. And Savage/Bret is a great, natural matchup (even if they never put it together). Their styles complemented each other, even as faces, they had previously been heels, and had that edge to them that would come into play here – and this is great retribution for Randy after losing the IC title to Bret at WM IV. More than all of that, of course, it’s a great, classic match. And that’s what Vince wants from the main event at WM. The announce plays up heavily that even though Randy walks out the Champ – the two men are now 1-1. And that’s the angle as we drive through the summer.

Randy and Bret share the same uneasy handshake that Rude and Hennig had after their match - after Bret exits - Savage stands on top of the wrestling world as V ends....but not quite.

Bobby leads the Family back down the aisle - Hennig, Rude, Arn, Tully all charge the ring - all four men putting the boots to Savage as Heenan barks out instructions.

Down to the ring run the Rockers, Shawn and Marty, now in streetclothes, both heavily bandaged up, they show the babyface fighting spirt as they face save Savage...

...but the numbers are still too much, the Heenan Family gets the advantage...Liz runs up the aisle...

...to go get Bret Hart.

Bret stands with Randy, Shawn, and Marty - the four men battling the Heenan Family, finally knocking them out of the ring. The Family stands cockily in the aisle - Arn, Tully, and Rude holding up their belts as the show ends.

Two months later, NWA has Great American Bash. GAB ’89 now passes SSeries ’88 as the greatest PPV of all time. Consider how much bigger Flair/Steamboat is here, given Steamboat's hugely increased presence. In the Counterfactual, as of 1989, Steamboat's a bigger star than Flair - and Flair's still Ric Flair. It's the biggest match in the hundred year history of the NWA, and prompts Ted Turner, watching at home, to decide that one day he will purchase this company - and never, under any circumstance, give up control of the name National Wrestlign Alliance. "The lineage is too important - that's one thing that McMahon fellow can't ever take away."

And Muta/Pillman, not bad either.

Great American Bash – 1989 Baltimore
NWA Title: Ric Flair d. Ricky Steamboat
US Title: Sting d. Terry Funk
Tags: Road Warriors d. Midnight Express
Great Muta d. Brian Pillman

Lex Luger d. Johnny Ace
Steve Williams d. Shane Douglas
Mike Rotundo d. Kevin Sullivan
Steiners d. Sid/Spivey

So, what's set up for Summer Slam?

Well, there's Dusty's debut - he and Hogan teaming up against Demolition. Also making his PPV debut is Jimmy Snuka, who returns to the WWF after the Ultimate Warrior proclaims his genetic supremacy over all women, Catholics, schizophrenics, and "mud people."

Martel and Tito finally begin their post Strike Force feud - as Martel develops his entourage over the summer - Santana tells him he's embarrassing, that he's ridiculous - Martel whispers to an assistant, who responds, "Mr. Martel is unavailable right now - if you will leave your name, perhaps he can squeeze you in sometime in August."

That sets Tito off - and he attacks - and there you are.

Brainbusters defend against the Rockers in a steel cage.

Rude defends against Hennig. Bobby does everything he can to keep it from happening - there's lots of tension now between Perfect and Bobby, as Bobby wants them to move on. We fictionalize a little here - as part of the Minnesota backstory between Rude and Hennig will be that despite his claims of being Perfect, he's never beaten Rude at anything. Hennig's always been cock of the walk - but for some reason Rude's always been a little bit better. This comes out now, Rude saying Curt's his best friend and the greatest wrestler alive...except for him. That Curt should go wrestle anyone else, but unless he wants another loss on what used to be a perfect record, he needs to look another place. When Bobby kinda agrees with Rude, it really fractures the family.

The main...Savage/Bret. It's the Rubber Match. Bret still a little underneath Randy here - Bret now coming into his own - Bret's had long runs as tag champ and IC Champ - and now Vince brings in another piece of the puzzle.

Bret's fighting for the Triple Crown.

The Triple Crown?

Okay - even beyond the WWF Title is a three tiered trophy, designated for all men who have held all three WWF titles. It's beyond angles - it's beyond face and heel - its presitige is mythic. The names of each man who has held it are carved in it (like the Stanley Cup) and whomever was last to hold it maintains possession until passing it to the next man.

There's only one name on the Triple Crown: Pedro Morales. Not Bruno or Steamboat, not Dynamite or Backlund. Only one. Pedro Morales.

Now (and at Mania, but we had enough going that we didn't need to do this) Bret Hart has an opportunity to carve his name into immortality.

It's Savage/Bret, Rude/Hennig, Brainbusters/Rockers in the cage - all rematching at Summer Slam. Tito takes on Martel, Hogan teams with Dusty, Snuka returns to the WWF - it's Summer Slam '89! Call your local local!