When: February 3, 1989
Venue: Bradley Center
Attendance: 18,800
TV Rating: NBC 11.6
Where To Watch (Legally): Peacock
Background:
As the 80's wrestling boom happened following the first Wrestlemania, the WWF signed a huge contract with NBC to air one wrestling program a month in primetime starting in 1985. This was known as Saturday Nights Main Event and it would get Saturday Night Live’s primetime slot garnering larger ratings than that show. The Main Event was a spin-off that would air occasionally on NBC on Friday nights, with the first one being the much anticipated Wrestlemania III rematch of Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant in February of 1988. The first Main Event would garner the biggest primetime television rating in history with a 15.2 and the WWF would use The Main Event once a year as their biggest free wrestling show.
The big story leading into The Main Event II was the friendship of Hulk Hogan and WWF Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage. Savage won the vacant championship the previous March in the main event of Wrestlemania IV from Ted DiBiase with the help of Hulk Hogan. They would form a super-team known as the Mega Powers with Savage’s valet and real life girlfriend Miss Elizabeth. Even though Savage was the champion, Hogan being the biggest star in the company, was getting more of the spotlight and to make matters worse, Hogan seemed to make advances on Elizabeth even though he was insistent that they were just friends and he would never betray his best friend Savage. Lastly, in times they were in the ring prior they would have instances where tensions would slowly rise. On the previous episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event, Hogan was beaten by The Twin Towers, when Savage came out and cleared the ring with a steel chair. After Elizabeth took the injured Hogan to the backstage which angered Savage. Problems increased during the 1989 Royal Rumble Match where Hogan accidently eliminated Savage. The tensions were built because of the egos of Hogan and the champion Savage and it only built further because of Savage’s paranoia.
The Event
This was a one hour program but to fill the time for the live crowd in Milwaukee, several dark matches took place.
Andre the Giant defeated Jake “The Snake” Roberts
The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers of Jacques and Raymond Rougeau defeated The Hart Foundation of Bret Hart and Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart
The Ultimate Warrior defeated Greg “The Hammer” Valentine to successfully defend the Intercontinental Championship
Demolition of Ax and Smash defeated The Powers of Pain of The Warlord and The Barbarian
The Brain Busters of Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard defeated The Rockers of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty
Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake wrestled Mr. Perfect to a double disqualification.
“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan defeated Dino Bravo
Your announcers are Vince McMahon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura who like always is wearing a ridiculous outfit.
We first got a backstage interview with The Twin Towers and their manager Slick. The Twin Towers were a team made up of The Big Bossman who’s character was an evil, abusive former prison guard and Akeem who was formally the One Man Gang but Slick made him re-embrace his African roots. Both gimmicks were controversial with the obvious being Bossman and probably the bigger one Akeem because he was Caucasian and he spoke, danced and dressed as an extremely stereotypical African. They were both also over 300 pounds hence the name The Twin Towers. In their interview they were emphasizing that they were going to win because of three dynamics. The first was that they were three men which is more than two and a woman. The second was the law of the jungle being Akeem and the third was the law of the land, being The Big Bossman.
Next we get a backstage interview with the Mega Powers. Hogan says that it’s the love that the Mega Powers share between each other that will propel them over the Twin Towers.
The Twin Towers of Akeem “The African Dream” and The Big Bossman w/Slick vs. The Mega Powers of Hulk Hogan and WWF World Heavyweight Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth
The Twin Towers make their way to the ring to the great song “Jive Sole Bro” which was sung by Slick for one of WWF’s numerous wrestling albums recorded in the 1980’s. The Mega Powers come out to Hogan’s theme “Real American”; NOTE not “Pomp and Circumstance” which was the CHAMPION Savage’s theme. The match begins with an argument between the Mega Powers as to
whose going to start the match and it is decided that Hogan will start against Bossman. There’s nothing much to this match as it was all about pushing the storyline. Typical Hogan match where Hogan starts out with the advantage on Bossman and Akeem and Bossman gains advantage. Hogan makes a comeback and tags in Savage who goes ballistic. The Twin Towers once again gain advantage and Savage is thrown through the ropes into Elizabeth who is standing on the outside. Elizabeth sells it like she’s dead and Hogan goes to the outside doing the same crying “Oh my God” and checking her heart. Savage gets up and gets super mad at Hogan for tending to Elizabeth, in which the still crying Hogan lifts up the lifeless Elizabeth and carries her to the
backstage. Savage is left to defend for himself while Hogan takes Elizabeth to the medical room. Hogan and the doctor get Elizabeth onto a hospital bed while Hogan is crying saying it wasn’t Randy’s fault. Elizabeth eventually becomes conscious saying it’s alright and tells Hogan that he needs to help Randy, so Hogan makes his way back to the ring. Savage is still getting beaten on by the Twin Towers and the crowd goes nuts when Hogan gets back. Savage takes out the Twin Towers but refuses
to tag Hogan, then Hogan gets in the ring and Savage slaps Hogan in the face and leaves the match with the title belt. Hogan is left to fend for himself where he gets beaten on and takes an Akeem splash. Hogan kicks out and Hulks up where he hits the boot and the leg-drop to get the win. Hogan then fends off a post-match double team beating and makes his way back to the medical room where Savage and Elizabeth is. Savage is by Elizabeth angry and Hogan gets back. Randy gets in Hulks face saying his ego is big and he could never beat him for his title. Hogan and Elizabeth is pleading with Savage to stop until Savage slaps Hogan again and leaves. Hogan is still pleading with Elizabeth where Savage runs in and knocks Hulk out with the belt and starts punching him on the ground. Elizabeth and some officials are trying to stop Savage but he throws them all aside and forcefully tosses Elizabeth out of the view of the camera. Savage then goes for the death-blow with the belt but Hogan’s friend Brutus Beefcake comes in to stop it with some officials and Savage leaves.
An incredible story that was as they had the excellent slow build since the Wrestlemania before and they added the dynamic with both men’s egos, the fact Savage was champion and the involvement of Elizabeth. One of the greatest storylines, and feuds of all time and a must-watch for any wrestling fan.
“The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase w/Virgil vs. Hercules
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