The Macho Man has been involved in many memorable feuds throughout his illustrious career. Opponents with names like Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Ricky Steamboat and Diamond Dallas Page are just a few that lit the wrestling world on fire. A combination of Savage’s intensity on promos and the fast paced wrestling style he could deliver, helped make many of his matches sensational. With all the wrestlers Savage had competed against, there was one that Savage fought hard not to get in the ring with.
When you think of steel cage matches in pro wrestling, you think of the violent, bloody and barbaric nature of them. You may immediately think of the mesh fence type structures that have been synonymous with cage matches. Whether it was Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka leaping off the top of the cage at Madison Square Garden or the violent confrontation between Harley Race and Ric Flair at Starrcade. That’s what many fans old school and new school see and remember.Continue reading →
It’s that time again to delve into some fun and quirky pro wrestling facts, stats and useless trivia. Some of these you may already know, but some you very well may not. All in all, though, they are all in good fun. So without any further adieu, here we go…Continue reading →
We all know Dustin Runnels as the WWE’s iconic character known as ‘Goldust.’ For over 20 years, with a break in between here and there, Dustin has perfectly portrayed the bizarre Goldust. While Dustin is known most for his work as Goldust, it wasn’t his first stint with the WWF/E and that’s the focus of today’s piece. Continue reading →
For many years there have been discussions over a wrestlers union, with Jesse Ventura being a long-time advocate for it. In today’s piece we take a look at these calls for wrestling to become unionized and the difference that it would make to the in-ring performers.Continue reading →
For a guy with the look that he had, King Kong Bundy’s descent from main eventing WrestleMania two to being treated as a joke by the company was staggering. In this piece we look at the career of Bundy and some of the events that played out during his time with the WWE.Continue reading →
With it being recently added to the WWE Network we thought a Top Five Saturday Night’s Main Event could be quite good fun. It was a show that featured many memorable moments.
Today Craig and Brian list their Top Five Saturday Night Main Event moments, plenty of old school ammo for that. Continue reading →
Hogan grabs Bossman through the old school blue bars. If only the law man had thought to just let go of the cage.
Today we head back to 1989 to revisit one of the most famous cage matches in WWE history. Here’s some background to this staple of any cage match compilation –
Hulk Hogan had been involved in a feud with The Big Boss Man and Akeem (aka The Twin Towers) for months, before and after his split from Mega Powers partner Macho Man Randy Savage. The rivalry between the two teams was the focus of the 10 man tag main event at the 1988 Survivor Series, and it was actually in a match against Bossman and Akeem when Hogan and Savage split in February ’89. In those days a traditional feud ending match was a cage match, which brings us to the May 27th 1989 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event where Hogan defends the WWE Title, which he won from Savage at Wrestlemania V a few weeks earlier, against The Big Boss Man.
This match was broadcast on the 14 November 1992 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event and pitted the WWF Intercontientnal Champion The British Bulldog against Shawn Michaels, who would face the man the Bulldog defeated, Bret Hart, later that same month at Survivor Series.
The British Bulldog is out to a great pop as Vince reminds viewers of The Bulldog defeating Bret Hart in front of 80,000 fans at Wembley stadium at that year’s Summerslam event.
They look up to start but Bulldog pushes Michaels to the ground. A second lock up attempt yields the exact same outcome as Michaels looks frustrated. Heenan states that Michaels told him he was going to win the Intercontinental Championship here and face Bret Hart in a Champion versus Champion match at Survivor Series later in November.
Michaels slaps on a headlock but Bulldog whips him into the ropes and Michaels charges into him twice but that doesn’t move the Bulldog. Instead of trying a third time he slides through his legs and cheap shots him from behind, drawing the ire of Vince as Heenan defends Michaels.
Bulldog whipped into ropes but blocks an arm drag but Michaels counters and manages an arm drag then slaps on the short arm scissors. Bulldog rolls through and picks Michaels up, whilst still attached to his arm. He balances Michaels on his shoulder and drops him back.
Michaels now whipped into ropes and Bulldog press slams him and clotheslines him over the top and to the outside as Davey Boy winces and limps whilst holding his lower back. Michaels back Bulldog into corner and when referee breaks them up Michaels cheap shots him again. Bulldog then manages to block another whip attempt but is caught by Michaels who tries to slingshot him into the turnbuckle but the Bulldog powers out and Michaels is sent flying.
An arm drag then puts the reigning Intercontinental Champion in control as the Bulldog works on Michaels’ arm. Shawn then breaks this up with a punch to the face and a back elbow in the corner. Bulldog reverses whip attempt and then shoulder blocks Michaels to the mat but Michaels dodges another charge attempt and throws the Bulldog to the outside.
With the referee making the count, Michaels removes the turnbuckle cover. We return from a break as Michaels is still attempting to remove the cover as the Bulldog hasn’t yet made it back into the ring.
Back inside, and a snap mare takes Bulldog down as Michaels does more work to the lower back of the Champion and applies an abdominal stretch. Bulldog breaks out with a hip toss but misses a running elbow and Michaels gets a two count.
As Michaels works on Bulldogs back, Vince McMahon talks about the men that he has overcame since becoming champion. Another abdominal stretch as the referee is down asking Bulldog if he wants to tap out. Again the Bulldog breaks out and runs to the ropes and when Michaels puts his head down, he drives him face first to the mat as the crowd go wild.
Shawn is whipped into the corner and takes his trademark turnbuckle bump before being clotheslined to the mat and Bulldog slingshots the challenger face first into the turnbuckle and another clothesline gets him a near fall.
Hanging suplex secures the Champion another near fall here. Michaels reverses an Irish whip attempt and the Bulldog is sent back first into the turnbuckle that Michaels removed the pad from. Michaels then attempts to whip Bulldog into the other corner but instead he’s sent face first into that corner and Bulldog kicks him in the air and he lands groin first on the turnbuckle.
Bulldog goes up top and hits a superplex but Michaels is able to counter and lands on top of The Bulldog and scores a 3 fall and wins the Intercontinental Championship setting up WWF Champion Bret Hart v IC Champ Shawn Michaels at Survivor Series 1992.
Elsewhere on that show, WWF Champion Bret Hart bested Papa Shango and in the main event The Ultimate Maniacs (The Ultimate Warrior and Macho Man Randy Savage) beat WWF Tag Team Champions Money Inc (Ted DiBiase & IRS) via count out. Post match, Razor Ramon, Ric Flair and Mr Perfect beat on Warrior and Savage.
Overall: A hugely important match in WWF history. Bret was meant to have lost the IC strap to Michaels at Summerslam until Bret convinced Vince that it would be better business sense, what with the event taking place in London, England, to have the Bulldog beat him. This match was when Shawn got his first shot of gold in the WWF.
For the Bulldog, this would be one of his final TV appearance during this run with the company. Prior to the 1992 Survivor Series both he and The Ultimate Warrior had been released (or fired depending on who you speak to) owing to, and again this depends who you speak to, asking for more money or for receiving growth hormones from England.
Ring the Damn Bell 