World Wrestling Federation House Show
Date: 10/16/1988
From: Los Angeles, CA
Opening Contest: Paul Roma vs. Steve Lombardi: Lombardi starts off with a scoop slam and taunts the crowd. Roma backs Lombardi into the ropes and Lombardi complains of a hair pull. Lombardi shoulder rams Roma against the ropes followed by forearms. Roma comes back with a hip toss and a scoop slam. Lombardi bails to the floor to regroup. Roma keeps control with a wrist lock upon Lombardi’s return to the match. Roma controls Lombardi with a hammerlock, but Lombardi elbows free. Roma tries for a catapult, but Lombardi stomps Roma on the face. Lombardi rams Roma into the corner face first. Lombardi continues to hammer away on Roma. Lombardi rubs Roma’s face over the top rope. Lombardi eye rakes Roma and delivers a back elbow strike for a one count. Roma fires back with right hands, but Lombardi tries for a sunset flip, but fails. Roma decks Lombardi with a right hand, but Lombardi regains control with strikes and a knee strike to the midsection for a two count. Lombardi keeps Roma on the mat with a headlock. Lombardi prevents Roma from breaking free by yanking Roma down by his hair. Lombardi tries for a cover after a stomp to the midsection for a near fall.
Roma elbows free, but runs into a clothesline. Lombardi forearms Roma and chokes Roma over the ropes. Lombardi forearms Roma followed by a backbreaker for a two count. Lombardi gets an inside cradle, but Roma kicks out at two. Lombardi sends Roma to the floor. Lombardi decks Roma over the chest and eye rakes Roma on the apron. Lombardi rams Roma into the corner face first and decks Roma off the apron to the floor. Lombardi stands on the middle rope and taunts the fans. Lombardi hooks Roma hitting a suplex into the ring for a near fall. Lombardi keeps Roma on the mat with a sleeper. Lombardi continues to wrench Roma’s neck, but doesn’t get a submission. Lombardi switches to a neck vice and comes off the ropes to stomp Roma. Roma leapfrogs Lombardi and decks Lombardi to the mat. Roma rams Lombardi face first into the turnbuckle ten times. Roma nails Lombardi with a running clothesline. Roma heads to the top and hits a missile dropkick for the win. (*1/2. Lombardi didn’t really do much to keep the crowd investment with his extended offense. However, Roma did well when he needed to be on fire. The missile dropkick looks incredible and his near ability to land on his feet is impressive.)
Second Contest: Blue Blazer vs. Jose Estrada: Estrada strikes Blazer in the corner, but misses Blazer in the corner. Blazer head scissors Estrada and hits an arm drag. Blazer shoulder blocks Estrada followed by a dropkick and another arm drag. Blazer knee drops Estrada on the elbow. Blazer runs the ropes and hits a standing hurricanrana followed by another arm drag. Blazer keeps Estrada on the mat with a hammerlock and knee drops Estrada on the mat. Blazer keeps control on the arm, but doesn’t get a submission. Estrada cheap shots Blazer, but Blazer retains control until another cheap shot by Estrada. Estrada leaps off the top and nails Blazer with a strike. Estrada leaps off the top to hit another strike for a two count. Estrada chokes Blazer over the ropes and knocks Blazer to the mat. Estrada keeps a nerve hold on Blazer and switches to a sleeper on the mat. Estrada keeps a nerve hold on Blazer, but Blazer elbows free and hits a couple of shoulder blocks, but Estrada cuts Blazer off with a knee lift to the midsection. Estrada goes back to the nerve hold on the mat. Blazer elbows Estrada, but Estrada sends Blazer to the floor. Estrada boots Blazer off the apron. Blazer shoulder rams Estrada and hits a slingshot sunset flip for a two count. Estrada comes off the top to nail Blazer with a strike. Estrada continues with a nerve hold. Estrada slams Blazer and heads to the top rope. Estrada misses a swanton attempt. Blazer dropkicks Estrada to the floor. Blazer takes Estrada out with a suicide dive. Blazer brings Estrada back into the ring with a suplex from the apron. Blazer misses a middle rope elbow drop. Estrada shoulder blocks Blazer, but Blazer kicks Estrada and hits a gut wrench suplex and a backbreaker. Blazer heads to the top rope hitting a big splash for the win. (*1/2. Blazer is a lot of fun to watch as he has some fresh offense compared to mostly anyone in this era. Estrada provided nothing of substance here and was just used to fill time for Blazer in there.)
Third Contest: WWF Intercontinental Champion Ultimate Warrior vs. Honkytonk Man: Warrior wastes no time going after Honky and knocking Honky to the floor. Warrior knocks Honky to the mat and pummels the former champ with right hands. Warrior comes off the ropes to deliver an elbow drop. Warrior gets distracted by Jimmy Hart on the floor, but Honky follows and decks Warrior over the back. Warrior continues with strikes and a press slam into the ring. Warrior rams Honky into the corner face first a few times. Warrior chops Honky in the corner followed by shoulder rams. Warrior misses a splash in the corner, but Honky grabs a megaphone and hits Warrior with it. Honky stomps Warrior a few times to maintain control of the match. Honky axe handles Warrior over the back several times, but Warrior begins to get a second wind. Honky tries for the swinging neckbreaker, but Warrior backdrops Honky. Warrior no sells strikes and hammers away on Honky. Warrior scoop slams Honky and runs the ropes to hit a leaping shoulder block. Warrior decks Honky with a clothesline and signals for the press slam. Jimmy Hart gets in the ring to cause a disqualification. Honky throws powder into Warrior’s face to save Hart from a press slam. Honky hits Warrior in the ribs and over the back with a guitar. However, Warrior no sells it and swings wildly because of the powder. (*. I’m sure they will return to the area with another match between these two as that has to be the only reason there was a BS finish on the undercard here.)
Fourth Contest: Mr. Perfect vs. Jim Brunzell: They counter each other to start and shove each other after neither got the advantage. Brunzell back elbows Perfect, but doesn’t followup on the offense. Brunzell catapults Perfect to the mat and keeps wrist control. Perfect counters, but Brunzell quickly gets wrist control. Brunzell backs Perfect into a corner, but cleanly backs off. Perfect takes Brunzell down and keeps control with a toe hold. Perfect gets to the ropes to break Brunzell’s advantage. Perfect hip tosses Brunzell, but doesn’t followup. Perfect backs Brunzell into a corner to deliver a chop, but Brunzell comes back with an arm drag. Brunzell rolls through an arm drag, but Perfect bails to the floor to regroup. Perfect gains control with a side headlock. Perfect stomps Brunzell to the floor to maintain the advantage. Perfect decks Brunzell off the apron to the floor. Perfect punches Brunzell off the apron again. Perfect again knocks Brunzell off the apron. Brunzell fights back with a shoulder ram and strikes. Brunzell sends Perfect into the corner and delivers a head knocker. Brunzell boot scrapes Perfect followed by another head knocker. Perfect kicks Brunzell to avoid a backdrop. Perfect decks Brunzell with an overhand strike. Perfect eye rakes Brunzell to the mat. Perfect continues with a chop and Brunzell trades chops out of the corner. Brunzell delivers a flurry of uppercuts to send Perfect over the top to the floor.
Brunzell drops Perfect over the top rope throat first. Brunzell locks in a sleeper hold, but Perfect doesn’t pass out. Perfect goes to a corner and Brunzell lets go by ramming Perfect into the corner a few times. Brunzell covers for a two count. Brunzell nails Perfect with a dropkick coming off the ropes for a two count as Perfect got his boot on the bottom rope. Perfect hits a snap powerslam and wins the match. (**. There were a couple of decent moments, but the crowd knew that Brunzell didn’t have a chance against Perfect here. I’m wondering if Perfect isn’t using the Perfect Plex as a primary finisher yet.)
Fifth Contest: Hulk Hogan vs. King Haku: Haku gains the early advantage with several strikes in the corner and bites Hogan. Haku drops Hogan with a throat thrust and another strike on the mat. Hogan powers up and fights back with right hands to drop Haku to the mat. Hogan decks Heenan off the apron to the floor. Hogan back rakes Haku and delivers a leaping elbow strike followed by elbow drops. Hogan boot scrapes Haku while Heenan struggles to recover on the floor. Hogan chops Haku and hits a running clothesline in the corner. Haku drops to the mat as Hogan plays to the crowd. Hogan clotheslines Haku, but is tripped by Heenan. Heenan backs off on the floor while Hogan stalks. Heenan runs away and rolls back into the ring. Haku over hand strikes Hogan and delivers a dropkick for a two count. Haku beats on Hogan with strikes, but Hogan fights back with an eye rake and a scoop slam. Hogan misses an elbow drop as Haku rolls out of the way. Haku keeps a nerve hold on Hogan, but doesn’t get a submission. Haku hammers away on Hogan and delivers a double forearm throat thrust. Haku goes back to the nerve hold to control Hogan on the mat.
Hogan powers to his feet and elbows free from Haku. Haku eye rakes Hogan and delivers a double chop followed by a kick to knock Hogan to the floor. Haku taunts the fans while on the middle rope. Hogan struggles on the floor and would have been counted out if Haku didn’t stop the count for some reason. Hogan gets in the ring before the count of ten and is pummeled by Haku. Haku takes Hogan over with a snap suplex. Haku tries for a cover, but Hogan kicks out at two. Haku delivers several chops, but Hogan powers up and no sells Haku. Hogan blocks a kick and punches Haku. Hogan big boots Haku and plays to the crowd. Heenan gets on the apron with Hogan’s helmet. Haku eye rakes Hogan, but Hogan sends Haku into the helmet and knocks Heenan down. Hogan wears the helmet and hits the leg drop on Haku to win the match. (**1/4. It’s kind of weird to see Hogan in an undercard match on the house show circuit, but here we are. Haku isn’t the strongest of challengers, but Haku is capable of putting on a decent match with Hogan that’s what we got here. Hogan matches are one of the easiest matches for me to get through and it was no different here.)
Backstage, The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers are interviewed. Jimmy Hart says that the Hart Foundation are crybabies. Jacques notes they won the last time they met. Jacques doesn’t understand why they want a rematch. Raymond says there’s no purpose since they already won, but they’ll give them a wrestling lesson tonight. They tell the Hart Foundation to not worry, but to be happy.
Backstage, The Hart Foundation are interviewed. Bret says they are very tense because of what happened to them last time. Bret promises they mean business and the Rougeau are going to regret having a rematch. Neidhart notes that Jimmy Hart gives 25% for their money to the Rougeau’s and says they will earn every penny tonight.
Sixth Contest: Big Bossman vs. Koko B. Ware: Ware avoids Bossman to start the match. Ware avoids a strike and jabs Bossman. Ware avoids Bossman in the corner again. Bossman clubs Ware over back knocking Ware to the mat. Bossman continues to strike Ware over the back. Bossman drops Ware throat first over the top rope. Bossman chokes Ware over the middle rope. Bossman splashes onto Ware’s back over the middle rope. Bossman chokes Ware with the bottom rope and Slick gets a cheap shot in while the referee is distracted. Bossman chops Ware against the ropes, but Ware goes to the floor and chases Slick. Bossman stops Ware with a right hand. Bossman puts a bearhug on Ware. Bossman kicks Ware away after Ware broke out of the bearhug. Bossman slams Ware, but misses a big splash attempt. Ware fights back with a few headbutts to the midsection. Ware strikes Bossman to stagger the big man. Ware staggers Bossman with strikes. Ware pummels Bossman with more right hands. Ware shoves the referee away, but Bossman nails Ware with the nightstick. Bossman hits a side slam and wins the match. (*1/2. Not too bad of an extended squash for Bossman. The finish seemed as if Bossman struggled to get Ware up for it compared to other times I’ve seen it done. Regardless, Bossman is a good, solid heel worker.)
Seventh Contest: Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart vs. Jacques & Raymond Rougeau: Hart and Neidhart knock the Rougeau’s to the floor to kickoff the match. Ray and Bret legally start the match and Bret delivers an atomic drop followed by strikes in the corner. Bret pummels Ray with several strikes. Ray is choked in the corner by the Hart Foundation. Bret forearm strikes Ray and delivers an elbow strike. Neidhart tags into the match and punches Ray in the midsection followed by clubbing blows. Neidhart prevents Ray from tagging out and works over the left arm before tagging in Bret. Bret continues to work over Ray with strikes and a headbutt. Bret stomps Ray on the lower midsection. Bret stomps Ray on the mat several times before tagging in Neidhart. Neidhart maintains control with overhand strikes. Neidhart strikes Ray in the corner. Neidhart taunts Ray to make a tag and prevents the tag from being made. Bret returns to the match and allows Jacques to be tagged into the match. Jacques looks a bit worried.
Neidhart holds Jacques allowing Bret to deliver a forearm smash and an atomic drop. Bret rams Jacques into the corner and tags in Neidhart. Neidhart hits a standing dropkick. Neidhart chokes Jacques on the mat. Neidhart pummels Jacques in the corner with strikes and puts a chin lock on Jacques for a few moments. Bret tags in and pummels Jacques with strikes. Neidhart tags into the match and stomps Jacques. Neidhart chokes Jacques over the middle rope and Bret chokes Jacques over the middle rope while the referee is distracted. Bret delivers a backbreaker, but Jimmy Hart knocks Bret off the ropes and Neidhart chases Jimmy around ringside. Ray rams Bret into the corner and Jacques chokes Bret in the corner with a tag rope. Ray decks Bret from behind after sending Bret into the ropes a few times. Jacques returns to the match and forearms Bret over the back. Jacques stomps on Bret and locks in the Boston Crab in the middle of the ring. Bret reaches the ropes to break the hold.
Ray sends Bret into the ropes and hits a leaping back elbow strike. Neidhart enters the ring and chases Ray, but Ray gets away and continues to strike Bret. Ray locks in a chin lock, but Bret refuses to give in. Jacques locks in an abdominal stretch and gets added leverage from Ray. Ray slaps Bret while in the abdominal stretch and Jacques stomps Bret. Ray tries for a cover, but Bret kicks out. Bret tries for a sunset flip and gets it, but Ray is distracting the referee. Jacques regains control with a chin lock, but is decked by Neidhart. Jacques keeps the chin lock on Bret, but Bret tags in Neidhart, but the referee didn’t see it. Jacques rams Bret into the corner and along with Ray knock Bret to the mat. Ray tries for a cover, but Bret kicks out at two. Ray drops Bret over Jacques knee leading to a near fall for Jacques. Jacques dumps Bret through the ropes to the floor. Ray rams Bret into the apron back first while the referee is distracted. Ray tags in Jacques and nails Bret with a strike to the midsection. Jacques covers Bret for a two count. Jacques tries for a monkey flip out of the corner, but Bret counters with an atomic drop.
Ray causes a distraction to prevent the tag being seen. Ray rams Bret into the corner and delivers a few strikes in the corner. Jacques pummels Bret on the apron while the referee is distracted. Ray ram Bret face first onto the mat and hits a dropkick. Jacques tries for a cover, but Bret kicks out at two. Bret gets an inside cradle, but only manages a two count. Bret nails Ray with an elbow strike off the ropes. Ray and Jacques are tagged in and Neidhart cleans house hitting a backdrop to a huge ovation. Neidhart elbows Jacques and delivers shoulder rams in the corner. Neidhart spears Jacques into the corner after Bret sends Neidhart into Jacques. Hart Foundation hit a middle rope forearm drop over Neidhart’s knee for a two count. Bret goes after Ray with strikes in the corner. Neidhart decks Jacques to the apron. Hart Foundation try to hit the Hart Attack, but Jacques sends the referee into Bret to stop the move. Bret delivers a backbreaker to Jacques, but another referee calls for the bell. The Hart Foundation wins by disqualification. (***1/4. It’s a solid tag match with a cheap finish, which is a bit surprising if they are going to run this back next month, too. I only say that because it’s similar to what they did with Warrior/Honky. It makes it feel as if this show served little purpose and it just a matter of advancing for a bigger blowoff down the road. Anyway, a solid tag match and the crowd was into it.)
Main Event: Rick Rude vs. Jake Roberts: Rude runs into a knee strike in the corner. Roberts controls Rude with a wrist lock and Rude is clearly in pain as Roberts twists Rude’s fingers. Roberts prevents Rude from grabbing the ropes. Roberts lifts Rude into the air and back down to the canvas. Rude goes over the ropes to the apron, but Roberts pulls Rude back into the ring and delivers several knee drops to Rude’s back. Roberts keeps a hammerlock on Rude to maintain control on the mat. Rude ducks a right hand and tries for a slam, but Roberts nails Rude with a boot and signals for the DDT, but Rude bails to the floor to regroup. Rude eye rakes Roberts from the apron and delivers several strikes. Rude forearms Roberts several time and drives Roberts down to the mat face first. Rude hammers away on Roberts to maintain control of the match. Rude forearms Roberts, but Roberts responds with an eye rake. Roberts jabs Rude several times, but misses a short arm clothesline. Rude nails Roberts with a clothesline and taunts the crowd. Rude boot scrapes Roberts on the mat. Rude punches Roberts against the ropes and ties Roberts up in the ropes. Rude leaves the ring and goes towards Cheryl, Jake’s wife.
Roberts breaks free and attacks Rude on the floor before returning to the ring. Rude delivers an atomic drop to stop Roberts. Rude drives Roberts shoulder first into the ring post. Rude taunts the crowd while Roberts struggles to get to his feet. Rude rams Roberts into the corner face first several times. Roberts misses a wild strike and is decked by Rude. Rude locks in a sleeper on Roberts, but doesn’t get a submission. Rude controls Roberts with the headlock, but Roberts struggles to his feet. Roberts gets a hammerlock on Rude, but is decked to the mat again. Rude delivers a strike to the midsection and sends Roberts hard into the corner. Rude sends Roberts hard into the corner three times total. Rude keeps a neck vice on Roberts and taunts Cheryl at ringside. Roberts prevents his arm dropping three times. Roberts stops Rude with a jawbreaker. Roberts gets to his feet and tries for a slam, but Rude lands on top for a two count. Rude keeps a headlock on Roberts, but Roberts fights out again. Roberts struggles to get out of the hold and trades hammerlocks with Rude. Roberts dumps Rude through the ropes to the floor.
Roberts rams Rude shoulder first into the post and sends Rude into the post a second time. Roberts scoop slams Rude on the floor. Roberts rolls Rude into the ring and Rude begs off. Roberts drives Rude down with a gut buster and rams Rude face first onto the mat. Roberts knee lifts Rude after coming off the ropes and Cheryl signals for the DDT. Roberts tries for a DDT, but Rude holds onto the ropes. Roberts grabs Rude by his rights to expose his butt. Roberts nails Rude with a short arm clothesline. Rude rams Roberts into the corner to avoid a DDT. Rude heads to the top rope hitting a fist drop. Rude tries for a cover, but Roberts kicks out at two. Rude spikes Roberts with a piledriver for a two count. Cheryl slaps Rude from the floor. Roberts gets a rollup on Rude and gets the three count. After the match, Rude attacks Roberts knocking Roberts to the corner. Rude goes after Cheryl on the floor. Roberts scares Rude away with a snake. (**1/2. A decent main event and I’m glad it was a mostly clean finish considering the other finishes on the show. They kept a good pace and they didn’t overdo the Cheryl involvement.)
Final Thoughts:
For a local house show that was televised in the area, I thought it was a solid show. Some solid tag action, Hogan working well with Haku and a strong main event between Rude and Roberts. The crowd was vocal throughout and it was an easy watch all the way through.
Thanks for reading.