WWF House Show 1/9/1988

Written By: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation House Show
Date: 1/9/1988
From: Boston, MA

NOTE: This appears to not be the full broadcast. There was a WWF World Tag Team Championship match that saw Strike Force retain the titles against the Hart Foundation. That match was not on the event I have, but did apparently take place on the show. Also, this show was broadcast on NESN.

Gorilla Monsoon opens up the show as he will be the host for the show. Tonight, WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defends the championship against Rick Rude who is the newest addition to the Heenan Family.

Opening video package showing highlights from previous Boston Garden shows.

Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are on commentary. Heenan predicts that Rick Rude will walk out the new WWF World Champion.

Opening Contest: Iron Mike Sharpe defeated SD Jones: Jones is able to knock Sharpe to the floor following a series of punches. Jones catapults Sharpe back into the ring from the apron and Sharpe begs off wanting to shake hands. Jones goes for it and is kicked in the midsection by Sharpe. Jones avoids a dropkick and leg drops Sharpe on the groin. Sharpe decides to walk to the backstage area but walks back to the ring. Jones gets out of a top wristlock and punches Sharpe into the ropes where Sharpe gets tangled. Jones wiggles the ropes a few times to deliver some more pressure. Sharpe cheap shots Jones to get out of trouble in the corner. Jones blocks a big boot and begins to go to work on Sharpe’s left leg for a few moments. Sharpe gets another cheap shot on Jones as Jones was talking to the referee. After a few minutes of trading right hands, mostly, Sharpe goes to the corner to pull something out of his trunks and nails Jones with an apparent object. Sharpe covers Jones and wins the bout. DUD

Second Contest: Dino Bravo defeated Jerry Allen: Bravo wins the extended squash match with a side slam. DUD

Third Contest: the British Bulldogs defeated the Conquistadors (#1 and #2?): Bobby Heenan leaves ringside, a second time, as the Bulldogs appear to threaten Heenan considering Heenan stole their mascot, Matilda. Smith starts the match countering wristlocks with Conquistador a few times. Smith gorilla press slams his opponents onto each other. Kid tags in and arm drags both Conquistadors. Smith tags back in and controls Conquistador with a sleeper. Cross body coming off the ropes by Smith for a near fall. Smith is backed into his opponents corner is choked as the referee is distracted. Conquistador snap mares Smith and delivers a few elbow strikes. Smith comes off the ropes and is met with a backdrop but kicks out at two on a cover. Conquistador attempts another backdrop but Smith rolls him up for a near fall. Smith avoids a elbow drop and Kid tags into the contest. Kid with a hook clothesline and a scoop slam. Kid leaps off the middle rope with a head butt for only a near fall. Kid grabs Conquistador with a sleeper but is attacked by the other Conquistador with a middle rope double axe handle. Inside cradle by Kid for a near fall as both men got to their feet. Kid is choked in the corner for a few moments. Kid kicks out of a near fall with power a couple of times. Conquistadors switch on the floor to keep control in the ring working on Kid’s lower back. Kid battles back with a clothesline to send Conquistador to the floor. Kid delivers a head butt and manages to tag in Smith! Smith cleans house with a backdrop and a few scoop slams. Smith follows up with a clothesline for a near fall. Delayed vertical suplex by Smith for another near fall. Smith plants Conquistador with a pile driver and sets him up for the running power slam. Smith connects and gets a near fall as the other Conquistador enters however he is sent to the floor by Kid. Smith lifts Kid up in the air and tosses Kid onto their opponent for a flying head butt for the win. *¼

Backstage, Gorilla Monsoon with Ted DiBiase and Virgil. DiBiase says the way you handle a snake is to lay on your stomach and crawl under. DiBiase tells Monsoon its none of Monsoon’s business how much money DiBiase paid Heenan and Andre the Giant. DiBiase says that he offered the same amount of money to Hulk Hogan, who refused the money. DiBiase assures Monsoon he gets what he wants and that is the WWF World Championship.

Fourth Contest: Ted DiBiase defeated Jake Roberts: Bobby Heenan has returned to ringside. DiBiase backs Roberts into the ropes a few times and attempts a few punches but they are blocked. Roberts stalks DiBiase around the ring before DiBiase goes to the ropes. Roberts controls DiBiase with a wristlock but DiBiase counters with one of his own. Roberts yanks DiBiase down by the hair and taunts DiBiase. DiBiase hammers away on Roberts and attempts a scoop slam but Roberts gets out of it and punches DiBiase to the floor. DiBiase is afraid of Robert’s snake in the corner. Test of strength sees DiBiase manage to get the upper hand after a brief struggle. Roberts is able to get the advantage but is kicked in the gut. Roberts attempts a DDT but DiBiase bails to the floor to avoid the DDT. Roberts goes back to work with a wristlock but DiBiase punches out of the hold. Roberts blocks a backdrop with a knee lift and goes for another DDT but DiBiase again bails to the floor. DiBiase talks to Virgil on the floor until Roberts has them collide together head first! Roberts begins to stalk towards Virgil but turns his attention to DiBiase with right hands. Roberts rolls back into the ring where DiBiase is waiting and goes to work on Roberts with a choke hold and stomps. DiBiase attempts a cover but Roberts kicks out at two. Roberts comes off the ropes and is met with a clothesline from DiBiase. Roberts gets to his feet while being in a sleeper but DiBiase drags Roberts back down by yanking on Roberts hair. Roberts delivers a shoulder block to DiBiase’s midsection and grabs his bag but DiBiase drags Roberts to middle of the ring. Roberts stops DiBiase with a jaw breaker and they begin to trade right hands with Roberts getting the upper hand with a series of jabs. Short arm clothesline by Roberts and signals for the DDT! Roberts goes for the DDT but lets go to attack Virgil. DiBiase shoulder rams Roberts in the corner from behind and rolls Roberts up using the tights for leverage to earn the win. **½
After the match, Roberts ties DiBiase up in the ropes and goes to grab his snake. DiBiase gets out of the ring as Roberts ends up putting the snake on Virgil. Roberts stands in the ring with his snake to close out the match.

Fifth Contest: WWF Women’s Tag Team Champions Judy Martin/Leilani Kai defeated the Jumping Bomb Angels to retain the titles: I apologize, but I am not interested in 1980’s female wrestling. So, this is just going to highlight the finish. Martin plants one of the Angels with a frontward slam and Kai got the pin. NR

Before the next match, Rude shows all the ladies what simply ravishing truly is. After Hogan comes out Bobby Heenan grabs the microphone and cuts a promo. Heenan puts over Rude as the international arm wrestling champion. Heenan suggests that Hogan is a coward.

Main Event: WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Rick Rude to retain the title: Rude shoves Hogan into a corner a few times and poses. Rude wants to have a arm wrestling match with Hogan. Rude lays on the mat setting up for the arm wrestling match. Rude gets the early advantage in the arm wrestling contest but Hogan comes back and wins, three times. Hogan tosses Rude into a corner and taunts Rude. Hogan hammers away on Rude with several right hands. Hogan rams Rude head first into the corner a few times and delivers a few chops. Hogan atomic drops Rude which sends the challenger to the floor. Hogan knocks Heenan off the apron with a right hand. Hogan blocks a few right hands and comes back with a flurry of his own. Hogan works on Rude’s left arm with a few elbow strikes until Rude yanks Hogan down by the hair a few times. Hogan gets to his feet and yanks Rude down the hair two times. Hogan connects with a vertical suplex but misses a elbow drop. Rude regains the advantage with a few forearm strikes. Hogan rams Rude face first into the corner and goes to the floor to go after Heenan. Heenan rolls into the ring where Rude is waiting and hammers away on Hogan. Rude brings a wooden chair into the ring and smashes Hogan over the head with the chair! Rude covers but Hogan gets his foot on the bottom rope! Rude has a sleeper hold on Hogan right in the middle of the ring. Hogan battles to his feet after several moments and breaks free following elbow strikes. Hogan shoulder blocks Rude but runs into a savant kick from Rude! Rude locks in a backbreaker and lets go thinking that Hogan has submitted, but Hogan didn’t give up! Rude heads to the top rope and leaps off connecting with a knee drop! Rude taunts the fans before covering and getting a two count. Hogan begins to Hulk Up as Rude hammers away on the champ. Hogan with a running clothesline in the corner and scoop slams Rude. Hogan comes off the ropes and connects with the leg drop to win the bout. **¾
After the match, Hogan celebrates his win until Ted DiBiase and Virgil enter the ring from behind. Virgil grabs Hogan and DiBiase attempts to hit Hogan with the title but fails. Hogan chokes Virgil until DiBiase manages to hit Hogan over the back and then right in the face with the championship. Hogan has been busted wide open! DiBiase lays the championship onto Hogan and drops money on the champion. DiBiase and Virgil leave the ring as Hogan struggles to sit up. Several referees come down to the ring and help Hogan to the backstage area.

End of show

My Take: The first two matches were pretty boring as I don’t have any interest in the men involved. I never knew Mike Sharpe actually won matches. Considering this is before my time, I have always known Sharpe to be a jobber. I guess SD Jones was a bigger jobber than Sharpe.

I like the British Bulldogs as both Smith and Kid are very good wrestlers, in my opinion. I don’t know the tag team they competed against and I didn’t know how to properly recap the match since they don’t actually have names, but I tried. Not a good match, but a good win for the Bulldogs as they keep strong while their feud with the Islanders heats up.

DiBiase/Roberts a solid bout, I thought. Some basic wrestling with some decent brawling to go along with it. I liked the finish as it gives DiBiase the much needed and necessary win while not hurting Roberts. Roberts sure was popular back in the late 1980s. Fans love the DDT!

I never knew that Rude fought Hogan for the WWF World Championship. Hell, I didn’t know they ever had a televised match. I actually liked the match as Hogan didn’t just punch and kick throughout. He actually did some wrestling and allowed Rude to get some good spots in. Rude is clearly a heel that could give Hogan some problems later in the year as long as he sticks with the Heenan Family. The beat down by DiBiase and Virgil was great to see. I am a big DiBiase fan and seeing him bust Hogan open to close out the show was fantastic. Good to see a heel get some momentum as he feuds with Hogan.

Overall, the first three matches were lackluster but DiBiase/Roberts and Rude/Hogan were both entertaining. I can’t recommend the complete show but if your looking to waste a hour or so check out those two matches. I enjoyed them. But, a lackluster overall show.

Thanks for reading.