Welcome everyone to my review of yet another edition of WWF’s SNME. This edition features WWF Champion The Ultimate Warrior teaming up with LOD to take on Demolition, a SummerSlam rematch between Randy Savage and Dusty Rhodes with the young debuting Dustin Rhodes sitting at ringside, and much more.
Here is the list of champions in the WWF heading into this show:
- WWF Champion: The Ultimate Warrior
- WWF Intercontinental Champion: ‘The Texas Tornado’ Kerry Von Erich
- WWF World Tag Team Champions: The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart & Jim Neidhart)
Enjoy the review!
The hosts are Vince McMahon & Roddy Piper
Taped from Toledo, Ohio
It’s an Oktober fest edition, meaning we have all kinds of pre-taped segments throughout the show such as Bushwhackers eating all the cheese of a cheese factory, a sausage competition (yes), etc, which ultimately ends in a food fight at the very end of the program. With that out of the way, moving on to the actual wrestling product.
The Ultimate Warrior & Road Warriors (Hawk & Animal) vs. Demolition (Ax, Smash & Crush)
Before the match starts we get our first shot of Dustin Rhodes sitting in the front row. Smash controls Animal early on with some illegal choking. Animal powerslams him for two, but Animal stays on top with more choking. Warrior makes the tag and he cleans house like a French maid. He runs wild on all three Demolition members with powerslams but Ax gets his knees up to avoid the Warrior Splash. The Demos pound away on Warrior and eventually set up for the Demolition Decapitation, but Hawk runs in and makes the save. Warrior makes the hot tag to Hawk and Smash eats the flying shoulderblock. Tag back to Warrior so he can put him away with the Warrior Splash at 04:59.
- Rating: An absolute Superstars-like squash against the record holders of the WWF’s Tag Team Championship belts. Might as well have put the iconic trio of Mario Mancini, Iron Mike Sharpe & Barry Horowitz in there. 3/4*
‘Macho King’ Randy Savage(w/ Sensational ‘Queen’ Sherri) vs. Dusty Rhodes
Once again, Dusty’s young son Dustin is at ringside watching. Savage had just recently moved on to his feud with WWF Champion Ultimate Warrior on weekly TV, while Dusty is obviously in the program with DiBiase after the latter bought Sapphire from him. So this should be the final match from this story after their two-minute rush job at SummerSlam. Dusty pounds away to start until a Sherri distraction allows Savage to jump him. Kneedrop gets two. Meanwhile, Ted DiBiase & Virgil appear in the crowd and pay all the people in the front row to leave their seats, with only Dustin refusing and the heels sitting next to him. And we take a break.
Commercial
We return with Savage in control and distracting the ref so Sherri can choke Dusty. Flying double axehandle gets two. For some reason Savage tries to slam Dusty who falls on top and gets two. Savage goes for another flying double axehandle but Dusty nails him coming down. Meanwhile Dustin and DiBiase start fighting each other at ringside, with Dusty coming in to save his kid and getting counted out at 9:30. Afterwards DiBiase knocks Dustin out with a chair, leaving him bloody in Dusty’s arms who covers him to prevent his son from getting hurt even more.
- Rating: More of an angle than a match, but a really good piece of business done here. Dusty selling the attack on his young son was very good and added some extra emotion to the angle. Good job here. **3/4
Hulk Hogan & Tugboat vs. Rhythm & Blues (The Honky Tonk Man & Greg Valentine)(w/ Jimmy Hart)
This is obviously just here to promote Survivor Series as Hogan is still feuding with Earthquake, who happens to be managed by the same guy who manages Rhythm & Blues, Jimmy Hart. Hogan pounds away on both heels to start and Tugboat adds some boots on the apron. Classic babyface teamwork! Tugboat gets tagged in and quickly gets worked like a big geek. Honky chokes away and drops an elbow for two. Honky and Valentine telegraph a double-team elbowdrop way too much that of course misses and opens the door for the hot tag to Hogan. Hogan cleans house, including on Jimmy who runs to the back. Hogan continues to destroy everyone himself and sets up for the Legdrop… but Tugboat stops him and points at the ramp. It’s Jimmy Hart with Earthquake and Dino Bravo coming out to ringside. Why not let him finish the match and then focus on them? They’re at the top of the ramp and it’s not like they’re the fittest people in the world! We take a break.
Commercial
We return with Hogan still dominating like they’re nothing, until Honky just hits Tugboat with the guitar for the sudden DQ at 07:20. With Tugboat knocked out due to the guitar shot, Quake runs down to put Hogan away once more with the Earthquake splashes, until Tugboat gets back with Honky’s guitar to make the save.
- Rating: Nothing match with a non-finish. Just a glorified ad for Survivor Series. 1/2*
WWF Intercontinental Championship: ‘The Texas Tornado’ Kerry Von Erich(c) vs. Haku(w/ Bobby Heenan)
Kerry’s matches during this stage of his career and life are not exciting or fun to watch whatsoever, and I still think it was a horrible idea to take the belt off Perfect for this. Kerry teases the HEADSQUEEZING CLAW but Haku avoids it and bails. He pounds away for a while back inside until he eventually gets caught in said HEADSQUEEZING CLAW OF EXCRUCIATING PAIN. Tornado Punch follows and gives Kerry the win to retain at 3:10.
- Rating: Just a Superstars squash. 1/4*
Main Event: Sgt. Slaughter(w/ General Adnan) vs. Koko B. Ware
Do it for Murica, Koko! Koko runs wild with armdrags to start, while Slaughter claims hair pulling. Koko ignores him and stays in control with a series of dropkicks, until he misses a blind charge. Slaughter hits a backbreaker but Koko kicks out. Koko runs wild with another series of dropkicks until Slaughter catches him with a stungun. The TEMPLE DESTROYER KNUCKLES HOLD OF DEATH(!) puts Koko away at 5:18. That move will certainly win you wars.
- Rating: Decent enough match. It was actually one of the most fun matches of the whole card, which doesn’t necessarily mean much but it’s sadly true. *1/2
Ultimate Warrior is backstage with Sean Mooney and he accepts Randy Savage’s title challenge. We cut to Savage & Sherri with Roddy Piper, and they promise Warrior will be no more. Piper slaps Sherri in the ass while they leave to close the show. Can’t say I blame him!
END OF THE SHOW
Final thoughts: This felt like a major advert for the Survivor Series, with only the Rhodes/DiBiase being must-see. Easily the worst SNME of the year so far, which had been full of awesome editions up until now. It also happens to be the very first one without Mr. Perfect, so maybe that tells you something. Not good. 3/10
For comments and feedback, e-mail me at cunhatomas2001@hotmail.com
POINT SYSTEM
Click here to know more about my point system.
| Wrestler | Star ratings | Result | Main-eventing | Extras | Total |
| Sgt. Slaughter | 1.5 | 1 | 1 | 3.5 | |
| Randy Savage | 2.75 | 0.5 | 3.25 | ||
| Dusty Rhodes | 2.75 | -0.5 | 2.25 | ||
| The Texas Tornado | 0.25 | 1 | +1 for retaining a title | 2.25 | |
| The Ultimate Warrior | 0.75 | 1 | +0.5 for winning the fall | 2.25 | |
| Road Warriors | 0.75 | 1 | 1.75 | ||
| Koko B. Ware | 1.5 | -1 | 1 | 1.5 | |
| Hulk Hogan Tugboat | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1 | ||
| Honky Tonk Man Greg Valentine | 0.5 | -0.5 | 0 | ||
| Ax Crush | 0.75 | -1 | -0.25 | ||
| Smash | 0.75 | -1 | -0.5 for losing the fall | -0.75 | |
| Haku | 0.25 | -1 | -0.75 |
That’s all for the piece. Make sure you follow the blog so you make sure you don’t miss the next reviews coming up, including NWA/WCW’s Halloween Havoc and WWF’s Survivor Series pay-per-views. Thank you for your time and stay safe!