SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1 Hour, 58 Min.
Airing November 12, 1989, on the USA Network, “Gorilla” Monsoon and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan co-host this ‘special’ edition of the WWF’s weekly Prime Time Wrestling TV series. “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, with equal screen time, is a third host working solo in the program’s ‘Studio B.’ Meant to hype the WWF’s upcoming 1989 Survivor Series Pay-Per-View, this episode’s gimmick claims a random draw has lined up five singles matches pitting individuals from their imminent tag-team elimination matches.
Note: Captaining a squad consisting of “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka and The Bushwhackers against Rick Rude’s team (Curt “Mr. Perfect” Hennig & The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers), Piper would make his Survivor Series debut in 1989.
“Mean” Gene Okerlund’s update announces that Demoltion has recently reclaimed the WWF World Tag Team Championship from Heenan’s Brain Busters: Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson. Okerlund and Sean Mooney also help pitch promos from: Rick Rude, Piper, Randy Savage’s ‘King’s Court’ (including Barry Windham), “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan’s ‘4×4’s, Dusty Rhodes’ ‘Dream Team,’ and the WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan’s ‘Hulkamaniacs.’
Brother Love’s interview segment invites Heenan to introduce André the Giant and Haku as his newly-formed ‘Colossal Connection.’ It’s conveyed that they are replacing Anderson & Blanchard as Heenan’s preferred tag team. Sporadic hints are teased of turbulence in the Heenan faction re: Tully Blanchard’s future. The real purpose was to cover Blanchard’s quiet release from the WWF in early November 1991. Yet, the WWF’s storyline explanation would not be confirmed until the Survivor Series’ final match on Thanksgiving Night.
This episode’s five-match line-up is the following:
- Tito Santana (with Dusty Rhodes) vs. Big Boss Man (with Slick & Akeem). Running Time: 11:35.
- “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig (with “The Genius” Lanny Poffo) vs. Bushwhacker Butch Miller (with Bushwhacker Luke Williams). Running Time: 6:55.
- “Macho King” Randy Savage (with “Sensational Queen” Sherri) vs. Hercules. Running Time: 10:54.
- Brain Buster Tully Blanchard (with Bobby Heenan, Arn Anderson, Haku, & André the Giant) vs. WWF Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior (with Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart and The Rockers – Shawn Michaels & Marty Jannetty) in a non-title match. Running Time: 6:00.
- “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase (with Zeus & Virgil) vs. Demolition’s Smash (with Demolition’s Ax). Running Time: 10:11.
Recorded during a WWF Wrestling Challenge’s TV syndication taping, it isn’t revealed that the bouts occurred on November 1, 1989 at the Kansas Coliseum, in Wichita, Kansas. Without appearing on camera, Vince McMahon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura are the ringside co-commentators – or it’s possible they’re simply doing voice-overs.
Note: Despite being advertised in multiple segments, “Widowmaker” Barry Windham subsequently departed the WWF before the actual Pay-Per-View. His replacement would be John “Earthquake” Tenta. What’s still intriguing is Bret Hart’s desire to face off against fellow second-generation star Windham; their match-up (or even better a series of one-on-one bouts) likely would have been a classic for that era. The same second-generation potential would have applied to Savage vs. Windham, though they at least appear together as teammates in the ‘King’s Court’ promo.
REVIEW:
The entertainment value the Monsoon-Heenan-Piper trio musters is commendable, as far as carrying this two-hour Survivor Series infomercial. In particular, the needling ‘feud’ between a mostly gleeful Piper and a simmering Heenan is well-played.
As for the matches themselves, their TV quality is a pleasant surprise. Case in point: aside from Dusty and Akeem sporting fake nightsticks, the Boss Man vs. Santana opener is remarkably good (7 Stars). Santana, in this instance, gets a welcome boost where the match’s booking doesn’t reduce him to yet another of the Boss Man’s thrashed victims. One will catch that, in addition to another of his icky, sweat-soaked shirts before the match, the Boss Man evidently suffered a bloody facial scratch or even an inadvertent broken nose against Santana.
As for Curt Hennig vs. the Bushwhackers’ Butch Miller, this match surely doesn’t impress on paper. Yet, the ‘reality’ isn’t half-bad (5 ½ Stars). Packing a predictable finish, not to mention plenty of fake biting, Hennig and Miller, at least, make their effort watchable. In terms of in-ring chemistry, however, the show’s best match belongs to Hercules vs. Randy Savage (8 Stars). Though their bout is formulaic (i.e. Savage & Sherri regularly double-teaming Hercules), it delivers all the necessary goods for a fun and satisfying TV showdown.
The same applies to an ultra-rare Tully Blanchard vs. Ultimate Warrior match-up (7½ Stars). Impressively, Blanchard makes the Intercontinental Champion looks almost as good as the Warrior’s old partner: Sting. Added star power from both entire squads justifies the cheap finish – it’s a shame considering the match quality had been remarkably solid up to that point. Still, had they remained in the WWF, pitching the unscrupulous Blanchard and Arn Anderson as legitimate solo title threats (and likely future Intercontinental Champions) would have been a logical twist.
Lastly, Demolition’s Smash delivers a better-than-expected performance against Ted DiBiase (6½ Stars). One might think DiBiase carries Smash, but the guy frankly does fine on his own. The match’s ending won’t surprise anyone, but the players involved make it watchable.
Accomplishing its mission, this program serves up an all-ages blast back to the WWF’s Golden Age. For its intended audience, 1989’s Survivor Series Showdown is a kid-friendly wrestling treat worth re-discovery – for, at least, one viewing.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
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