SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: Approx. 1 Hour, 34 Min.
Taped at Memorial Auditorium in Utica, NY, on August 15, 1990, this episode of WWF Prime Time Wrestling is entitled SummerSlam Fever. The USA Network subsequently aired this special on August 19, 1990. Vince McMahon and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan host this arena show hyping SummerSlam 1990 set for August 27, 1990, on Pay-Per-View (PPV).
The contents are as follows:
Match # 1: The Hart Foundation’s Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart vs. WWF World Tag Team Champion Smash of Demolition. Running Time: 6:08.
Quick Review: 6/10. Given these two players, their match is surprisingly watchable. A nimble Neidhart looks remarkably good in what is likely the show’s second-best bout.
Notes: A flashback clip from a recent Saturday Night’s Main Event tag team title defense between Demolition and The Rockers is included. Both the Hart Foundation and the Legion of Doom enter this fracas. As for the Neidhart/Smash showdown, the other two-thirds of Demolition: Ax and Crush make a post-match appearance.
- “Mean” Gene Okerlund interviews the gloating Demolition trio.
Match # 2: “Texas Tornado” Kerry Von Erich vs. Black Bart. Running Time: 2:40.
Quick Review: 4/10. Von Erich looks sharp easily dispatching an old World Class Championship Wrestling adversary.
- Okerlund interviews Von Erich’s upcoming foe: WWF Intercontinental Champion “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig (with Bobby Heenan).
Match # 3: “Pistol” Pez Whatley vs. The Warlord (with Slick). Running Time: 2:53.
Quick Review: 4/10. Despite the veteran Whatley’s best Junkyard Dog imitation, the Warlord crushes him.
- With a sweaty Heenan, “Ravishing” Rick Rude delivers a Rocky-style training promo hyping his steel cage title challenge of WWF World Champion The Ultimate Warrior.
- Okerlund interviews The Ultimate Warrior (who wears minimal facial makeup).
- A “Brother Love Show” flashback depicts “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan befriending Nicolai Volkoff. A second clip depicts an in-ring Boy Scouts medal ceremony awarding Volkoff, which is then followed by the group’s Pledge of Allegiance.
Match # 4: Boris Zhukov vs. Nikolai Volkoff. Running Time: 2:37.
Quick Review: 2/10. To no one’s surprise, this mercifully brief ‘Battle of the Bolsheviks’ falls far short of watchable.
- Okerlund interviews “Macho King” Randy Savage and “Sensational Queen” Sherri (wearing Cats-style facial makeup).
- Flashback clip: Dino Bravo and then Earthquake (with Jimmy Hart) ambush Tugboat mid-match. Big Boss Man also make an appearance.
- “Brother Love Show:” Earthquake ‘no-shows,’ so fellow guest Hulk Hogan eventually punts a taunting Jimmy Hart out of the ring. The Hulkster’s solo promo, suffice to say, is lackluster at best.
Match # 5: Power & Glory: Hercules & Paul Roma, with Slick vs. Mark Thomas & Mike Williams. Running Time: 2:35.
Quick Review: 3½/10. Against two hapless jobbers, Power & Glory are solid.
- Okerlund interviews Dusty Rhodes’ valet, Sapphire, broadly hinting at an imminent SummerSlam plot twist.
Match # 6: Jake “The Snake” Roberts (with Damian) vs. “Iron” Mike Sharpe. Running Time: 2:37.
Quick Review: 5/10. With a game Sharpe delivering some competitive blows, this one proves entertaining – no matter the squash finish.
- “Bad News” Brown’s promo shows him selecting ‘Harlem sewer rats’ for his upcoming showdown with Roberts.
Match # 7: WWF Intercontinental Champion “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig (with Bobby Heenan) vs. “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin. Running Time: 5:56.
Quick Review: 6 ½/10. As the sole commentator, McMahon doesn’t clarify if Garvin is actually challenging for the I-C title or not. Even so, despite its short length, Hennig and Garvin reliably supply the night’s best effort.
- Okerlund interviews Dino Bravo and Jimmy Hart.
Match # 8: Mr. Fuji’s Orient Express; Pat Tanaka & Sato vs. Shane Douglas & Sonny Blaze. Running Time: 2:08.
Quick Review: 3/10. Though Douglas briefly exhibits his future star power, the bout is an instantly forgettable squash.
Match # 9: “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan vs. Earthquake (with Jimmy Hart & Dino Bravo). Running Time: 6:20.
Quick Review: 4½/10. Hulk Hogan’s ‘heroic’ save fails to salvage a lumbering brawl that predictably goes nowhere.
- In the locker room, Okerlund interviews Earthquake, Bravo, and Jimmy Hart.
- McMahon & Heenan sign off.
- Okerlund and ‘Brother Love’ trade off on SummerSlam match predictions.
SUMMARY REVIEW:
Given it is a glorified WWF infomercial, unsurprisingly, the interview segments tend to surpass the middling in-ring content. Yet, the whole kid-friendly package is relatively entertaining for die-hard fans. If anything, a single viewing is more than sufficient.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
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