WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/25/1989

WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/25/1989

Note - The quality is pretty rough for this one.  I never got around to doing Royal Rumble 1990 or the SNME from January 1990, so I figured I will cover the build up to those and cover them. The No Holds Barred: Movie and a Match PPV also falls within this time period as does SNME #24, so I guess I will see those too.

Jesse Venture and Vince McMahon welcome us to the show. Jesse is wearing sunglasses and says he's looking Hollywood-like. Vince says yeah, the horror movies are back in style.

Demolition vs Ken Arnold and Mike Scarberry

Smash pounds on Ken on the ropes. Ax clubs on Ken then Ken's head is banged off the buckles. Mike takes a shoulderblock. Mike is double teamed then Ax back elbows him. Smash lariats Mike then Mike takes a demolition decapitation. Ax pins Mike.

Thoughts: Mike and Ken looked like a tag team here with matching blonde hair. Everything Demolition did here looked good en route to their quick victory.

WWF Update with Mean Gene Okerlund

Gene says the final encounter between Zeus and Hulk Hogan is coming up on No Holds Barred: The Match and The Movie. He says Brutus and Hulk will face Macho Man and Zeus in a steel cage match on 12/27/1989 on PPV.

Macho Man and Zeus do a promo with Sherri. Macho says Zeus is the biggest and baddest dude to ever walk the earth. He says something about hitting Beefcake with a torpedo elbow drop off the top rope. Zeus just screamed here.  

Dino Bravo vs Tom Fuller

Earthquake is with Dino. He's called "The Canadian Earthquake" and is just wearing black jorts with no shirt. Tom wristlocks Dino and hits some shots. Dino kneelifts him then atomic drops him. Dino Bravo does an inset. He says when you are the world's strongest man, you can beat people in fairly easy fashion. He says he will take Warrior's Intercontinental Title.

Dino powerslams Tom then hits an elbow drop. Dino stomps on Tom then hits chops on the ropes. Dino snapmares Tom then hits knees to the back. Dino knees Tom in the gut then sideslams him for the win.

Thoughts: It was a quick squash here. Tom had some different looking punches here.

Earthquake butt drops Tom after.

Dusty Rhodes vs Rusty Riddle

Big dancing from Dusty here who is moving pretty well. Rusty kind of looks like Danny Spivey. He gets a few shots in from behind then Dusty hits punches and an elbow. Rusty is thrown out. The big Boss Man does an inset promo. He says she's coming for common thieves and criminals and says Dusty is the biggest one of all. He says he's got some ball and chain justice.

Dusty chops Rusty and elbows him in the head. Dusty back elbows Rusty then hits a big elbow drop for the win.

Thoughts: It was just a quick squash here with Dusty getting the win as expected. What a name on Rusty Riddle eh?  

Dusty dances after and dances with someone in the crowd who would turn out to be Sapphire. Jesse says "look, that lady ain't got no teeth".

WWF Event Center with Sean Mooney

Sean hypes up the 12/31/1989 Hartford Civic Center show. Tito Santana is fighting "The Widowmaker" Barry Windham. Rick Rude and Piper are fighting in a cage. Piper odes a promo behind a cage with sunglasses on. Piper signs and says he spent half his life in a cage. He says he's known as the most unpredictable and most dangerous man in the WWF. He says you'd rather be room mates with Tim Baker than spend 5 minutes in a cage with him.

The Powers of Pain and Mr. Fuji do a promo on The Rockers. Fuji says they wanted two big boys and got them. Fuji says they will squeeze their throats until their faces get red and their eyes pop out one at a time.

The Genius does a promo outside with Mr. Perfect. He says horse shoes is a game of the union of the body and the mind. Perfect says there's not one thing he can't do perfectly and says he can take the title from Hulk Hogan. He says like everything else in life, he's a dead ringer. He then scores ringers in a horse shoes pit. He says he's perfect in every way and says Hulk Hogan can't do that.

The Honky Tonk Man vs Jimmy Snuka

Honky charges him when he gets in and is hit. Snuka hits chops then hits him in the gut. Snuka headbutts him and superkicks him in the gut. Snuka hits him in the head then 2nd rope double chops him.

Honky eye pokes him then hits punches to the head. Jimmy Hart trips Snuka and Snuka goes after him. Honky double axe handles Snuka off the apron. Snuka headbutts Honky then flying headbutts him.

Honky hits elbows oto the back of the neck then chokes him on the ropes. Honky snapmares him and fistdrops him. Snuka flying headbutts him and jumping headbutts him. Snuka hits a backbreaker. Jimmy Hart distracts Snuka and Honky hits Snuka with his guitar over the head. Snuka no sells it and yells. Honky then runs for cover and Snuka rips up the guitar. Snuka wins via DQ.

Thoughts: It wasn't the best match here with Snuka mostly doing headbutts and Honky sticking to punches and eye rakes. I didn't like Snuka no selling the guitar shot and then destroying the guitar as it makes it look weak.

WWF Event Center with Sean Mooney

Sean hypes up the 12/31/1989 Hartford Civic Center show. Jake Roberts talks about Ted Dibiase. He says the whole world has changed for him in 5 months since Ted made his neck pop. He says Ted is a tough man and a great wrestler. He says when you put him down, you have to shovel the dirt on top of him to get the job done. Jake says it's simple, the snake is a meat and flesh eater. He says Ted is his meat.

Rick Rude does a promo with Bobby Heenan behind a cage. Rude yells that he is not an animal and does not belong in a cage. He says the WWF is trying to end his career. He says he's in a cage with the most dangerous man in wrestling - Roddy Piper. He says Piper could lose that reputation in the cage with him.

We see Hercules playing the WWF Wrestlemania video game.

The Colossal Connection vs Ray Oakley and Todd Becker

Bobby Heenan does an inset promo. He says if Demolition wants competition, The Connection is more competition than he can handle.

Haku backs up Todd and hits punches and boots. Haku jumping back elbows him and Haku backbreakers him. Haku rakes Todd's back then back body drops him. Andre headbutts Ray in the back of the head and holds him for a superkick from Haku. Andre elbow drops Ray and gets the pin.

Thoughts: It was a quick squash here with them putting over Haku well. I liked Haku's superkick here. They talked about The Rockers vs Brainbusters match on SNME #24.

The Brother Love Show

Love's music hits but he is nowhere to be found. Fink introduces him 2 more times. Roddy Piper comes on the set with rope and says "I love you". He says Love is hanging around and can't make it. Piper says he was humiliated last time here and we see Rick Rude throwing mouthwash in Piper's eyes.

Piper knocks over the podium and says let me clear the air here. He says don't expect him to sit back and have no one pay the piper. He says he likes this gig and asks if Rude ever heard of dope on a rope. Piper says it's fun to fight then pulls on the rope. Someone then comes out under a sheet. He says he will show us the height of humiliation and shows a tied up Brother Love in his underwear. Piper asks if Love is having fun.

Love tries to run away but can't. Piper takes the tape off of Love's mouth and he runs for it. Piper puts a pacifier in Love's mouth and says everybody's gotta pay the piper. He then says "I love you" and kisses the camera.

"Macho King" Randy Savage vs Paul Roma

Savage and Sherri do an inset promo. He talks about Jim Duggan. He says he sits way up there on his throne and looks down on small people like Duggan. He says there's nothing Duggan co do about it.

Macho knees Roma in the gut then Roma hits a big powerslam. Roma goes up top and hits a top rope dropkick. Sherri gets on the apron and Roma goes after her. Roma misses a corner charge then Macho lariats him for 2.

Roma is thrown over the top and Sherri kicks Roma outside. Macho snapmares Roma and kneedrops him for 2. Macho hits punches and a double axe handle. Macho then pulls Roma off the ropes. Roma leapfrogs Macho and hits a dropkick. Roma slams Macho and goes up top. Sherri pushes Roma off the top and Macho slams Roma. Macho top rope elbow drops Roma and gets the win.

Thoughts: Roma was seriously protected here with Sherri having to cheat multiple times to help Macho. Macho wore real light pink tights here that looked white. Roma had a good showing here.

Rick Martel is on the stage. Lord Alfred Hayes puts him over as Rick poses. Rick says modesty is the worst policy. 

Jake "The Snake" Roberts vs Dave Watson

Jake locks up with Dave and Dave pushes him off. Dave shoves him again and Jesse says he likes Dave as he's cocky. Jake boots Dave and snapmares him. Jake does an inset promo. He says he's right over Ted's shoulder and is just waiting for him to make a mistake. He says he will write on his tombstone and thank him for the dinner in the same breath. He says he breathes fire and Ted blows smoke.

Jake snapmares Dave then short-arm clotheslines him. Jake then hits the ddt for the win.

Thoughts: It was a quick squash here. Jesse put over Dave a bit which was nice.

Jake puts Damien on Dave after.

WWF Event Center with Sean Mooney

Sean hypes up the 12/31/1989 Hartford Civic Center show. Ted Dibiase does a promo with Virgil. He says Jake is obsessed with him and can't believe he's back. Ted says Jake is not normal and never has been. He says one more injury and he's finished.

The Rockers do a promo on The Powers of Pain. Shawn says the WWF is throwing the big boys at them. Marty says they are the biggest and strongest team but asks how good they will be 20 minutes in when their tongues are hanging out. Marty says they got a gameplan and are coming at them. Shawn  says they are human like everyone else and says The Powers of Pain will go down.

Vince and Jesse close the show. We hear words from Andre The Giant and The Ultimate Warrior prior to their match. Heenan is with Andre. He says he's bringing Andre and tells Warrior to bring the Intercontinental Title. He says he will leave with Andre and the title but Warrior won't leave at all. The Ultimate Warrior does a promo. He says he will retain the IC belt and destroy a legend which once was. The Genius says Hulk Hogan's time is running out and he will soon be in a state of disarray. Hulk says he's facing one of the most dangerous challenges of all-time in The Genius. He says he's well-educated but when it comes to the school of hard knocks, he's the student and Hulk is the teacher.

Thoughts: I laughed at Hulk calling Genius one of his toughest challengers. I didn't like Warrior basically saying Andre is over the hill.

Overall thoughts: We got a rare star vs star match with Snuka vs Honky. I wonder where that one is leading. SNME #24 is the same night here so they hyped that up some along with No Holds Barred: The Movie and The Match. Piper was a wildman as usual here and Paul Roma had a good showing against Macho. I found it to be an easy watch but it wasn't must see.