SummerSlam '88: Tag Match featuring Guest Referee Jesse Ventura - Mega Powers (Randy Savage & Hulk Hogan) vs. Megabucks (Ted DiBiase & Andre the Giant)
Date: August 29, 1988
Link: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3m...ucks-sum_sport
Background: The build for this match began at that July 9th promo I linked earlier, when DiBiase and Andre challenged Savage to a tag match, with Savage being allowed to select his own partner. It was obvious who this would be, but Hulk Hogan had been off filming a movie for several months, so fans didn't necessarily know that he would be back at this point. Savage introduced him at a Superstars taping shortly after the match was announced, so here we were.
The Match: I notice that they at least tended to give Savage enough respect to have him and Hogan come out to Savage's music more often than not.
Savage opens up against Andre. Andre gets the advantage quickly, but tags out within 30 seconds to DiBiase. As Savage and DiBiase are about to tangle, Ted calls out Hulk. Savage obliges and tags him in.
Hogan with an atomic drop on the Million Dollar Man, then he and Savage play ping pong with DiBiase as the two punch him and he staggers back and forth between them. Savage tags back in. Turnbuckle smashes from Savage get a collapse from Ted, and Hogan is back in. Frequent tags are always a good thing for the pace of a match. Hogan tags back out and holds Ted for Savage, and Savage enters with an axhandle off the top.
Hogan back in, the two send DiBiase off the ropes and hit him with a double big boot on the way back. Three elbow drops in a row from the Hulkster. Chaos ensues, with all four men fighting and guest referee Jesse Ventura starting to lose control of things. Andre and Hogan are the legal men, and Andre gets control, beginning to choke Hogan down. We have our heat segment, as DiBiase tags in and continues the weardown holds.
Hogan powers up to try to escape DiBiase, and temporarily gets free, but after coming off the ropes the two men clothesline each other and both are laid out. Hogan is up just in time though, and makes the hot tag to the champion. Savage in with a back bodydrop on DiBiase. Hangs him over the top rope. Up top for the axhandle to the middle of the ring. Comes up empty chasing Ted into the corner, but manages a cross-body for a two-count. DiBiase manages a tag to Andre though, and Macho is stuck dealing with the big guy.
Andre gets Savage down in a corner and sits on his head multiple times. It may not have had the sheer disgust factor that Rikishi brought, but it also looked painful, so there's that. DiBiase tags in and suplexes Savage. Backbreaker. Up to the second rope for that back elbow drop that DiBiase always, always missed. He does likewise here. Savage with the hot tag to Hogan.
Hogan clotheslines DiBiase in the corner, suplexes DiBiase, and Andre comes in after him. Hogan knocks Andre down. Savage heads up to the top rope and tries to attack Andre, but gets a big boot in the face. Hogan has a sleeper on Ted, but Andre goes and breaks that up. Andre tosses Hogan out, and has cleared the ring. Elizabeth up to the apron, and we get this magic moment:
This duly distracts the heels, the Mega Powers both re-enter, Hogan with a bodyslam on DiBiase, Savage follows with a flying elbow, and Hogan hits the legdrop. Jesse counts 1, 2, and hesitates before Savage forces his hand down for the three-count.
Hogan gets a bit affectionate with Liz after the match, and Savage gives him an evil eye, but that moment is completely subtle, not acknowledged by the announcers, and Savage shakes it off and goes into celebrating with his partner to close the show. I still sit in awe of how good the long-term booking plan for this angle was.
Result: Mega Powers via pinfall when Hogan pins DiBiase (13:57)
Rating: This match is all kinds of fun. Really good pacing, really well-worked, they have the one heat segment with wear-down holds on Hogan but they mostly keep the action moving throughout. Definitely an enjoyable main event for the first-ever SummerSlam.
3.5 stars out of 5.