WWF Primetime 2-22-88

 Sorry I haven't done any updates in the last month.  I'm trying to juggle studying for my personal training certification with working out and doing this.

I had some problems with getting the 2-19 show going as my version cut off very early, so here's the results for that for you to get caught up, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com...

- Andre the Giant (w/ Ted Dibaise & Virgil) pinned WWF World Champion Hulk Hogan at 9:05 to win the title even though Hogan's shoulder came up before the three count; Ted Dibiase paid off Earl Hebner to fill in for his twin brother Dave as the referee for the match; according to storyline, Dibiase had plastic surgery done to get the referee to look like Dave; after the bout, Dibiase put the championship belt on as Dave Hebner ran into the ring and hit the other referee; Hogan then tossed Earl over the top rope onto Dibiase and Virgil; voted Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Match of the Year (Earl Hebner's debut) (Hulkamania 3, The History of the WWE Heavyweight Championship) (The Main Event - 2/5/88; Indianapolis, IN; Market Square Arena)
- Steve Lombardi & Barry Horowitz defeated Lanny Poffo & Scott Casey at 5:04 when Lombardi pinned Poffo with a clothesline after Horowitz landed a knee to the back from the ring apron (1/26/88; Hershey, PA; Hersheypark Arena)
- Ron Bass pinned Hillbilly Jim at 5:32 with the Pedigree (1/25/88; Madison Square Garden)
- Dino Bravo (w/ Frenchy Martin) pinned SD Jones with the side suplex at 8:19 (1/9/88; Philadelphia Spectrum)
- The Conquistadors defeated Brady Boone & Omar Atlas when Atlas was pinned at 6:19 after a slingshot / clothesline off the top double team (1/27/88; Salisbury, MD; Wicomico Youth & Civic Center)
- King Harley Race & Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan, who came ringside mid-way through the bout) defeated Davey Boy Smith & the Dynamite Kid via count-out at 9:05 when the Bulldogs chased Heenan backstage after he taunted them with a dog collar and leash; after the bout, the Bulldogs returned to the ring and attacked their opponents with the props (1/26/88; Hershey, PA; Hersheypark Arena)

Primetime is back on Mondays now and we've got George Steele v. The One Man Gang in the main event. Bobby and Gorilla both think Steele is very dangerous, even in 1988.

Bad News Brown v. Outback Jack-Salisbury, MD January 27, 1988

Jack didn't get any kind of intro at all for this one, at least not on this broadcast. Brown went right after him and kept striking him and working over his left shoulder a little towards the end. Jack got some small hope spots, very small. Bobby called Jack “Outhouse.” The biggest offense Jack had was a clothesline and then an elbow drop and a two-count. He then whipped Brown into the corner but ate a clothesline and then the Ghetto Blaster kick to the head for the win. Pretty boring match here.

Craig DeGeorge interviewed Bad News and this was way more interesting than the match. Brown said he came to the WWF for one reason and that's to take care of business. He “intends to slaughter, annihilate, mutilate, and downright assassinate any poor turkey who signs to get in the squared circle.” He's lived with rats and rodents and he takes no prisoners and gives no mercy. If you like rough fighting, he's your guy to watch in the future in the WWF. Craig said he's got a lot of stiff competition and Brown said the only thing stiff will be the bodies that he leaves laying in the ring and he'll pay for their bandages. Great promo.

Gorilla said Bad News would fit in well in the Heenan Family because Brown knows rats and rodents already. Bobby said he knows a lot of rats. He would like to manage him but Brown doesn't talk to anyone and keeps to himself. Gorilla then pointed out that he made some picks and filled out his tournament bracket for the WrestleMania 4 Title Tournament. Rick Rude and Jake Roberts were mentioned but they didn't end up in the tourney. Gorilla wondered what it would be like if Rude had to face Hulk or Andre late in the tournament.

It was stated that even Danny Davis was shocked at the outcome of the title match in Indianapolis.

“Dangerous” Danny Davis v. Brady Boone-Boston, MA-February 6, 1988

This match was pretty dull. Davis wasn't very good and Boone was boring. Davis started by telling the ref he knows nothing and that Davis was the best ref in the WWF before his suspension. He said he was suspended for nothing and that no one could buy him off. Boone attacked him and went to work with two great dropkicks and a crossbody. However, Boone missed a third dropkick and Davis stayed on top with strikes. Davis hit a clothesline and got a two-count and then argued with the ref and threatened to punch him. Boone made an uneventful comeback with no heat. He went for a Vader Bomb and seemed to nail it but he sold it like Davis countered it. Alfred Hayes and Craig DeGeorge said Davis got his elbow up on Boone but it didn't look very good. Davis did the Doink sit-down squash move on Boone's sternum from the top for the win.

Bobby said he talked to Davis on if he were the ref in Indy, what would he have done. He said he would've stopped the match and awarded it to Hogan. Gorilla laughed and Bobby admitted he was lying and that Davis in fact said he would've made the three-count.

Craig report on Mania IV and Jack Tunney's ruling on the Indy match. The ref's decision is final but Dibiase is not the champion. Also, Andre did surrender the belt, which means he isn't not the champ either and the belt is vacant and there will be a tournament held for a new champion. Hogan and Andre will also get first round byes.

Gorilla hypothesized about the Mania tournament that Dibiase could again have a chance to buy the belt. If the finals end up with Andre facing Dibiase, he could buy off Andre again in the match.

Killer Bees v. Barry Horowitz/Steve Lombardi-Hershey, PA-January 26, 1988

This was a pretty average tag match. The Bees had recently won a tournament in Canada. The Bees controlled the match until Lombardi gave Brunzell and eye rake and kept him isolated in his corner for a couple minutes. Bobby doesn't think it's right to allow the Bees to take their masks on and off during their matches. Alfred Hayes said that Lombardi has gotten a lot of good training from Pat Patterson, who takes an active interest in Lombardi at all times. Brunzell got the tag to Blair who cleaned house with two individual slams and then a slam of Horowitz onto Lombardi. All four guys were in but Lombardi got knocked outside. Brunzell hit Barry with an atomic drop sending him into the awaiting Blair who clotheslines him off the middle rope and won the match. The finish was fun.

Gorilla thinks Terry Garvin needs to re-evaluate his training of Lombardi and Barry. Bobby didn't know what kind of training they go through and it's none of his business.

Ultimate Warrior v. Harley Race-Hershey, PA-January 26, 1988

I really anticipated this match since they announced it earlier in the show. The dynamic of these two guys together in a match is very intriguing. It didn't end up very well and the best parts were Race selling for the Warrior. They fought several times on house shows in 1988 and they'll fight again on Primetime in March, so we'll see how that turns out. Race ran right in and hit a piledriver on the Warrior followed by an elbow drop.

 He tried striking the Warrior but the Warrior came back with his own strikes that sent Race falling backwards over the top rope. Warrior got him back in and hit a huge clothesline out of the corner but Hercules came in from behind and nailed the Warrior with his chain and started to choke him with it. Eventually, the Warrior tossed Herc out of the choke and the heels bailed, leaving the Warrior to swing the chain like a maniac.

Work that chain

Gorilla shilled the 1988 WWF calendar with Hulk on the cover. Bobby asked if he could have it because his friend just got a cat and he needs a liner for the litter box.

Sam Houston v. “Iron” Mike Sharpe-Boston, MA-February 6, 1988

This was a pretty solid match with Sharpe on top most of the time but Houston kept getting hope spots. Houston hit a big dropkick early followed by an arm drag and a hip toss and Sharpe bailed. Sharpe stalled a lot in order to keep the pace slower, in his favor. Sharpe came back in and posed, asking for a test of strength but Houston was reluctant but he agreed. Sharpe won out and every time Houston tried to power out, Sharpe would shut him down with a kick to the guts. Houston cartwheeled out but got blasted by Sharpe hard. Houston then got in a crossbody but Sharpe bailed and began to leave but changed his mind. Sharpe got back in control and stayed that way until the end as Houston got his hope spots. Houston got thrown outside and Sharpe followed and threw him into the guard rail. 

Sharpe got him back in and was pounding on him until Houston hit a big monkeyflip out of the corner and then nailed a bulldog for the win. Danny Davis came in after the match and laid out Houston.

Gorilla said Davis was a piece of garbage. Bobby saw at the end how Houston was on his hands and knees hurting. He said that Houston had heard The King was in the building and he was showing proper respect. Bobby then tried calling Donald Trump about what celebrities were going to be at WrestleMania this year.

We've got a Mania report with Craig. Matilda will return at Mania in the corner of the Bulldogs and Koko against the Islanders and Bobby Heenan. The Islanders and Heenan cut a confident promo saying Koko's mother's name is Tupper. Bobby knows a great taxidermist for his opponents and Matilda. The Bulldogs and Koko cut a short promo about the match. It was also announced that the Honky Tonk Man would defend his IC belt against Brutus Beefcake. Jimmy Hart said he wants to ban Beefcake's scissors. Honky said he can't and won't be beat and he won't be humiliated by Brutus at all. Bob Eucker also cut a promo about Mania.

Bobby said he has enough faith in himself and his team to not worry about the match at Mania. He said that he going to send Matilda back to her vet along with two more bulldogs and a bird.

The Bolsheviks w/Slick v. Brady Boone/SD Jones-Hershey, PA-January 26, 1988

Squash match with no heat except for one USA chant. Nikolai started off with a huge boot to Boone's face and then a one-hand choke press. 

SD got the tag in and did well as his team made some quick tags but SD got clipped with a clothesline later. SD was isolated and double teamed until he made the tag to Boone who was quick but not effective. Nikolai made a blind tag, Boone got clipped by Zhukov and then sledged by Nikolai. Finally, Boris came in, dropped a knee, and won the match.

Gorilla was back on Bobby about the match at Mania, saying he doesn't even want to wrestle, yet he still signed for the match, and it's because he's an idiot. Bobby hung up on Trump to respond by saying that Gorilla was actually concerned about his well-being.

FLEX magazine spokesman

Gene interviewed Don Muraco about WrestleMania IV. He said he wanted Dino and they both want to be WWF champ. Dino won't be better than him and Muraco can go toe-to-toe with anyone in the tournament. Terrible promo.

Gorilla made the announcement that there were so many calls into the show demanding to see more clips from the Indy title switch, that they're not going to show the One Man Gang/George Steele match this week. Then, they showed the clips and that was about it.