WWF SNME #25 1/27/1990

Written By: Matt Peddycord

WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event #25
January 27, 1990
Chattanooga, TN
UTC Arena
(Taped on 1/3/1990)

The current WWF Champs were as follows:
World Champion: Hulk Hogan (4/2/1989)
Intercontinental Champion: Ultimate Warrior (8/28/1989)
World Tag Team Champions: Andre the Giant & Haku (12/13/1989)

Your hosts are Vince McMahon & Jesse “New Wave may be dead, but the glasses are still cool” Ventura!

Macho King Randy Savage (w/Queen Sherri) vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan

The crown is on the line here, as we finally wrap up this feud. Savage is carried out on his throne by four faceless jobbers, but then gets turned over by Duggan. Duggan brings Savage into the ring and smashes his face into the buckle, but then Savage puts him down with a clothesline. Duggan, however, reverses a whip and drops Savage with a clothesline. Another Duggan clothesline gets two. Duggan follows up with an atomic drop and then spies Sherri up on the apron. He goes after her and then takes a knee from Savage that sends him out to ringside. Savage follows him out and delivers a top-rope double ax handle to the floor. Back in, Savage gives him another double-sledge for two. Running hotshot gets two. Savage sets up for the Bossman straddle, but Duggan avoids the contact. Duggan mounts a comeback and then backdrops Savage out to the floor. Sherri gets in Duggan’s face, but she ducks a clothesline and Duggan hits Savage instead. Back in again, Duggan connects with OLD GLORY (running knee drop) for wait, no! Sherri is up on the apron again. She gets down once she’s given Savage enough time to recover, but Duggan still goes for the pin which gets two. Duggan nails Savage and covers up against the ropes, but Savage gets his foot on the bottom rope. Duggan delivers another pair of clotheslines and Savage rolls out to take a count. Duggan brings Savage back in, but Sherri rakes him across the back. Duggan chases her in through the ring and finally catches her by her caboose. Duggan acts like he’s going to pop her in the corner, but ref Danny Davis stops it. Savage heads up top and tries for a double-sledge, but they end up knocking each other. That allows Sherri to slip Savage the loaded purse and nail Duggan in the face behind Danny’s back. Savage crawls over for the cover and gets 1-2-NO! Duggan blocks a slam with an inside cradle for 1-2-NO! Duggan avoids a turnbuckle smash and delivers an atomic drop/clothesline combo. Another pair of clotheslines set up the THREE-POINT STANCE, but the impact sends Savage out to the floor. Duggan wants to suplex Savage back in, but Sherri trips him up. Savage falls on top and puts his feet on the ropes to gain the 1-2-3. (7:55) Great heelish finish as Savage heads into his last big title match at “The Main Event”. **½

In the back, Jesse talks it up with Perfect and Genius about how the Hogan/Warrior team is too consumed with their own ego to make for a good team.

Mr. Perfect & The Genius vs. Hulk Hogan & Ultimate Warrior

Perfect bumps around like crazy for Hogan to start, then bumps around like crazy for Warrior. Genius gets tired of it and grabs his slate and begins to write down something while he’s on the apron. Hogan puts Perfect out on the floor with a Big Boot, so Genius slips him the metal slate. Hogan goes out after Perfect and gets waffled with the face! Jesse ~ “That’s poetry in motion!” I bet Jeff Hardy would beg to differ. Perfect tries to take his head off with a chair, but Hogan ducks out of the way. Back in, Perfect stomps away and then delivers the neck snap. Genius tags in for more stomping before tagging in Perfect for an assisted double-sledge. Genius prances around the ring to piss off Warrior. I don’t think I can imagine what would be going through his head at that moment. Perfect delivers some more stomps on Hogan and then looks to finish off Hogan with the PERFECTPLEX for 1-2-NO! What? Perfect stopped the count and tags in Genius for a top-rope moonsault, but Hogan gets the knees up. Perfect tries something off the top, but Hogan gets up his foot up. Hot tag to Warrior! He goes nuts on Perfect and then gives Genius a GORILLA PRESS SLAM to set up the Hogan LEG DROP for 1-2-3. (7:51) Total one-sided affair. Genius and Perfect attack after the match. Warrior starts swinging at everything that moves, including Hulk Hogan. Warrior tries to help Hogan up and apologize, but Hogan shoves him away. Warrior shoves back and they get in each other’s faces for the flash bulb moment. *

Jake Roberts vs. Greg Valentine (w/Jimmy Hart)

Roberts had stolen the Million Dollar Belt from Ted DiBiase a week prior on Superstars, and keeps it safe in a sack full of Damien. Valentine are here to get the belt back for DiBiase. Roberts goes for the DDT early, but Valentine blocks it and rolls out to the floor to regroup. Back in, Valentine beats on Roberts in the corner and then fires him across the ring. Valentine delivers an elbow drop across the back and covers for two. Valentine buries his knee into Roberts’ back a few more times for another near-fall. Roberts fights back and avoids a corner charge. Roberts connects with the Short-Arm Clothesline, but takes too long to delivers the DDT as Valentine counters with a backdrop. Valentine avoids the running knee-lift and sends Roberts flying into the corner. Jimmy hops up on the apron for a hug before Valentine goes for the FIGURE-FOUR, but Roberts kicks him off into Jimmy and catches Valentine with the DDT! Roberts covers for- wait! Here comes Ted DiBiase and Virgil out to attack Roberts! (5:12) Roberts fights back and stops Virgil before he can run off with Damien. Roberts whips out Damien to send DiBiase and Virgil running for their lives. *½

Rick Rude (w/Bobby Heenan) vs. Dusty Rhodes (w/Sapphire)

Rhodes works over Rude’s back to start by tossing him out to the floor and backing him up into the apron. Rude tries to go for a slam, but that just won’t happen. Rhodes delivers a bunch of elbows as Rude begs off into the corner. Rhodes buries his shoulder into Rude, but then misses an elbow drop to set up a Rude chinlock. Rhodes starts to elbow out as Heenan goes over to shut up Sapphire. Rhodes sees what is happening and goes over to confront Heenan, but Rude catches him from behind. Ref Joey Marella has enough of the managers and sends them both to the back. Meanwhile, Rude sends Rhodes out to the floor and rams his arm into the ringpost. Back in, Rude grabs an armbar as we see that Sapphire has a seat at ringside and a ticket in-hand. Rude spots her (get it?) at ringside and gets all distracted. He turns around and gets nailed, but grabs hold of Dusty’s hurt arm to regain control. Rhodes shoves Rude off into the ropes for a double-KO spot. Rude gets to his feet first and heads up top, but gets nailed on the way down. Rhodes kicks at the knee and goes for a FIGURE-FOUR, but Rude rakes Dusty’s face to escape. Rude fires away on Dusty, but he starts to shake it loose! He ducks low off a whip though. Rude goes out after Sapphire, which brings Dusty out for a big double-countout brawl up the entryway. (8:42) Ahh, we get to sit through post-match dancing from the overweight interracial couple. Boring stuff. ½*

Dino Bravo (w/Jimmy Hart & Earthquake) vs. Ron Garvin

They trade blows to start until Bravo throws Garvin out to Earthquake. Back in, Bravo connects with an elbow drop for two. Gutwrench suplex follows for another two. Garvin slips out of a slam and tries for a rollup off the ropes, but Bravo blocks. Bravo misses a couple elbow drops and gets punched down. Garvin delivers a backdrop and then brings Jimmy Hart in from the apron in order to throw him out on top of Earthquake. GARVIN STOMP to Bravo, but then he goes over to stomp on Earthquake’s hands and turns his back on Bravo. Bravo smashes his face into the buckle and then throws Garvin out to the floor. He falls on his feet and climbs up top to deliver a flying crossbody, but Bravo rolls through and gets the 1-2-3. (3:18) What a difference a year makes in terms of Garvin’s motivation when you consider he had a much better match against Bravo at WrestleMania V. But then again, this was being shown at like 12:50AM, so I can’t say I blame him. Post-match, Earthquake delivers a few EARTHQUAKE SPLASHES to Garvin. He even does a stretcher job afterwards. ½*

Before we go, Jesse gets a quick interview with Randy Savage on his thoughts about world heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson being named special guest referee in his match against WWF Champion Hulk Hogan at “The Main Event” on February 23rd. Savage says that Tyson better call it right down the middle or else, because even Tyson has to bow the Macho King. Hogan says whatever, because he’s going to beat Savage again. Brother. We’ll see how that turns out!

Final Thoughts: Once again, Randy Savage outshines everyone on SNME. Also you can’t forget about the big Hogan/Warrior standoff, which was pretty cool. Other than that, there’s nothing much else here to see. Next up, The Main Event #3!