WWF Primetime 2-1-1988

We've got Bobby and Vince McMahon this week. There was no show last week, from what I can tell. They both begin by hyping the Andre/Hulk match later on in the week. Bobby said signing for the match was Hulk's biggest mistake in his career and that Hulkamania will be dead.

Magnificent Muraco v. Sika w/Mr. Fuji-Taped October 16, 1987 in MSG

Very jacked

This looks to be a repeat from an All-American show in November 1987. Boy was this match awful and boring. Muraco began by working on the legs with stuff like a step-over toe hold. Gorilla and Bockwinkel started talking about why Fuji now wears paint. Gorilla asked Nick if he'd buy a used car from Fuji. Nick responded by saying the real question was whether he'd buy a car from Gorilla and he doesn't even wear face paint and Gorilla replied that he didn't sell used cars. Sika was then in control and Muraco ended up outside with the samoan not letting him get back in the ring but Muraco kept fighting to get in there. Finally, he got back in with no heat and Sika went for a move in the corner but missed. Then, Muraco climbed up top, put his knee in Sika's face, and jumped off, driving his knee into Sika's face for the win. Very boring match and even the crowd thought that way.

Bobby said he didn't like Muraco's recent new attitude and he now caters to all the humanoids. Vince said he thought he wasn't doing too bad and then went on about Muraco's vascularity and his muscles. He also wondered what Bobby would look like in the gym.

Koko B. Ware v. “King” Harley Race-From September 20, 1987 in Toronto Canada

This was a really good match that was back and forth. Race tried to make Koko look like a fighter and he succeeded. Bobby Heenan began by asking everyone to stand up and bow for Race. After Race's entrance, Koko came out and acted like Frankie was going to attack Bobby. Heenan replied on commentary that Frankie was going to end up in a bag of shake and bake. Gorilla then asked Bobby how do weasels get along with parrots. Koko exploded early with a crossbody and a nice dropkick. Heenan said that the hardest five years in Koko's life was the third grade. Both guys tried headbutts on one another and neither one worked as they dueled. Then, Koko just punched Race in the nose and that worked. Koko got in another dropkick before being stopped by a Race headbutt. The King started working on the lower back with a belly-to-belly suplex and a double underhook suplex. Throughout this whole match, Bobby kept emphasizing for Harley to “get the bird.” Race hit a piledriver but only got a two. Heenan said Frankie looked like Sir Oliver Humperdink. Koko was thrown out on the ramp but Race missed a headbutt and landed on the wood. Koko got in a slam before Race nailed him with a suplex that looked like he landed on his head.

 Koko began crawling back into the ring and Bobby said finally Koko was showing proper respect to The King by bowing. Koko had a hope spot but both guys ended up colliding and Race went down ass first. 

Ass first

Race then hit a neckbreaker and tried for a middle rope headbutt but failed. Bobby warned him about using that move but he didn't listen. Koko couldn't stay in control and he ended getting smashed into the ring bell outside. Bobby kept asking Gorilla to hand him the bell hammer. Race tried to ram Koko into the post but he reversed it and Bobby complained that Koko should have been disqualified. Koko was on fire and Race got tied up in the ropes. After two other diving strikes, Koko missed on a third attempt. Race was in control until they both hit clotheslines at the same time. Koko exploded for a little but couldn't stay in control. They then both hit small packages but both were nearfalls. Koko was thrown out for like the third time and Race nailed him in the throat with the mic. They both got back in but the bell was rung as the time limit expired and the match was ruled a draw. Afterwards, Race threatened to go after Frankie. This was a fantastic match and I would recommend to watch it if you can. It doesn't appear that these guys ever had a rematch or any other match together. 

Bobby talked about how he and Donny Trump were tight as Vince hyped WrestleMania IV and the title match this Friday. Ted Dibiase was announced as being in Andre's corner.

Craig DeGeorge had an update on the upcoming card on Friday with the WWF Title Match. Strike Force will face the former WWF Tag Champs The Hart Foundation and Honky Tonk Man defends the IC belt against Randy Savage. They showed clips of the angle where Honky was about to hit Savage with the guitar and he threw down Elizabeth. They also showed another replay of Andre attacking Hulk from SNME. We got a Dibiase interview about how he always gets what he wants and Andre said he would make Ted happy and deliver him the WWF Title.

Vince and Bobby talked the upcoming Honky/Savage bout and Bobby said Honky has been dominant but Vince predicted Savage would win the belt. For the tag title match, Bobby said in the match where the Strike Force won the belts, when Jim Neidhart was in the Boston Crab, he told Bobby he didn't give up. He said the ref asked him if the hold hurt and he said yes but he didn't submit. Vince was shocked at that statement. Then, Bobby said Neidhart would never submit to the Boston Crab of Lucky Pierre (Rick Martel) with his partner La Bamba (Tito Santana). They also showed a video asking several fans who would win on Friday.

Billy Jack Haynes v. “Outlaw” Ron Bass-Taped June 28, 1987 in Toronto

This might be a repeat from a July 1987 TV. This match was dull anyways. It was joined in progress as Haynes had Bass in a headlock. The fans were chanting “basshole” at Ron. Bass went after Miss Betsy, his whip, and threatened to attack Haynes with it. Bass ended up exploding out of the corner shortly thereafter with a clothesline and he got control. He threw Haynes into the rope twice, which was unique. They weren't Irish Whips but he was using the ropes as weapons. I've never seen that before. Bass kept asking Bobby at ringside “how's that Bobby.” Haynes fought back and tried his full nelson but Bass got to the rope and then jammed his fist into the throat of Billy Jack. Then, Bass got Miss Betsy, brought her into the ring, and began choking Haynes with it. The ref tried to stop him but he got shoved down twice and the bell was rung and Bass was DQ'ed. Billy did fight back and Gorilla said he was glad Bass wasn't at the Alamo and Bobby asked why. This wasn't nearly as bad as the Muraco match but it still wasn't pretty.

Bobby wants to talk about Bad News Brown as he said he's a talent and he needs a manager.

Bad News Brown v. Brady Boone-Taped in Huntsville, AL on January 5, 1988

This was just a squash match towards Bad News as Boone got no offense in. Vince said his father was born in Harlem. Brown gave some comments during the match saying that he takes no prisoners and gives no mercy. He won with an impaling clothesline and he chucked Boone outside afterwards.

Craig DeGeorge interviewed Hulk Hogan. Hulk said that everyone knows he would never sell out to Dibiase. He also said that everyone knows that Andre had his price when he sold out to Bobby Heenan before WrestleMania III. 

Craig: Look at those ladies over there Hulk
Hulk: They've got nothing on Brutus

Hogan said he wanted the rematch bad because of the controversial count at Mania III where Andre almost won the WWF Title. Ted Dibiase is putting all his money on Andre but Hulk is taking all his assets and spreading them out all over the world as a long range investment. The bottom might just fall out for Andre and Dibiase.

We're back with an update on Matilda to which Bobby doesn't care about. The Bulldogs gave an update on her saying she was doing better but that she still isn't responding to the vet's treatment as they would like. They've read all of the get-well cards to Matilda that have been sent out and she wags her tail hearing each one. Yea, Dynamite was really reading a dog some get-well cards and I'm going to be the next CEO of the WWE.

Bobby went on a huge rant about how he hates dogs. He said the people writing to Matilda are morons. Dog owners have a lower IQ because they talk to them and buy them dog food but they never share their prime rib when they are eating. They also have kitties who are independent don't like people and neither do dogs.

A video was shown of the Andre/Hulk contract signing and Andre attacked Hulk and smashed his head into the table.  Also, apparently it'll be Rip going against Andre on Friday.

Honky Tonk Man v. Ricky Steamboat-IC Title Match, Lumberjack Rules-Taped in MSG on August 27, 1987

This was an ok match and Ricky was pretty over. George Steele started by trying to pump up the crowd by pounding on the mat. Honky attacked Steamboat and threw him out but Ricky skinned the cat. Then, he dropkicked Honky and threw him over the top three times, and each time Honky was tossed back in. Jimmy Hart went on commentary and said there was a conspiracy against Honky tonight because he kept getting thrown back in by the faces. Steamboat was on top for a little bit and he smashed Honky's head into two turnbuckles, ten times each as the crowd counted along. Lord Alfred Hayes still referred to the Hart Foundation as the tag champs. Honky gained control and the Islanders tripped up Steamboat and then Steele tripped Honky followed by a quick roll-up for Ricky. Steamboat hit a back suplex then tried a monkey flip but it was blocked and Ricky sold it in an upright position for nearly ten seconds which was weird. 

According to Gorilla, the lumberjacks could catch the wrestlers if they so desired, as they flew out. Ricky hit a cross body hope spot and later went into his less than fiery comeback. He gave Honky a slingshot, then a slam, and went up top and hit his karate chop move and pinned him. The only problem was that the ref was being distracted by Jimmy Hart. George Steele came in and made the count and Hart came into the ring. Then, Ricky went after Hart as the ref was distracted by Steele and this led to Honky nailing Steamboat with the megaphone for the win. After the match, all ten or so of the lumberjacks came in and fought and the fans chanted bullshit.

Vince questioned Honky being called the greatest IC Champ ever and Bobby said it didn't matter how you win as long as you go home with the gold. On Friday, Honky will go home with the gold and Liz, at least that's what Honky told Heenan. Then, Bobby wanted to bet Vince dinner that Andre would win the match with Hulk. McMahon was appalled at the idea of going to dinner with Heenan. They also showed another Dibiase/Andre promo, similar to the one shown earlier.

Bobby asked Vince which dressing room he was going to be in after the match on Friday. Would it be Andre's, with champagne popping and media journalists everywhere? Or would it be Hogan's, where he could watch a grown man cry. Then, Vince asked Bobby if his tie was paper mache.

 As always, check my Twitter @stevesgraps for more photos that I didn't have room for here.  I'll be back soon for the next episode and maybe a 1977 MSG show I found recently.  Take care and keep Matilda in your hearts forever.