1989 Rumble
Live from The Summitt in Houston, Texas.
Howard Finkel should be announcing until he dies, if I had my way.
Entrant # 1 – Ax
Can’t tell if he has sweat or glitter on his body….what a nice touch to go with the S&M ring attire.
Entrant # 2 – Smash
Teammates decide to go at each other, will always blow my mind, kayfabe or not.
During a rest hold, referee on the far side of the ring just leaning up against the ring like he’d rather be anywhere else.
Entrant # 3 – No music for entrants after the first two……Andre the Giant w/Bobby Heenan
As soon as Andre steps in the ring, Demolition realized they shouldn’t attack each other.
Ventura mentioning that Andre has won “one or two more” Battle Royals than himself was a funny moment.
Entrant # 4 – Mr. Perfect, pre singlet
Andre eliminates Smash
I feel like in a match that is not 100% scripted, I would be afraid at making Andre mad on accident.
Entrant # 5 – Rugged Ronnie Garvin
Andre’s arms get stuck in the rope. That seemed to happen to him frequently.
3 mere mortals team up to eliminate Andre, to no avail.
Entrant # 6 – Greg “The Hammer” Valentine
Now 4 on 1 against Andre, he doesn’t care and eliminates Garvin.
Entrant # 7 – Jake “The Snake” Roberts
In a feud with Andre, so he goes right after him
Ventura - *“Look at Valentine, trying to hammer at the Giant." Puns man, puns.
Entrant # 8 – Outlaw Ron Bass, who is apparently had his head shaved from Brutus
Jake the Snake is eliminated, camera barely caught it.
We seem to have hit one of the slow parts of the rumble, lots of rest holds.
Entrant # 9 – Shawn Michaels…this kid has potential.
Mr. Perfect eliminates Ax, not a terrible showing.
Michaels with the patented almost out of the Rumble, I will just pull myself back over the top rope to stay in.
Entrant # 10 – Bushwacker Butch
Here comes Jake the Snake with the Snake!
Andre says “F this noise” and eliminates himself.
Jake goes back to the back with the snake.
Nice way to eliminate Andre in my opinion.
Entrant # 11 – Honky Tonk Man
Man he was hated, big boos.
Bushwacker Butch seems to be wasting energy with his signature walk, may come back to hurt him later in the match.
Entrant # 12 – “Chico” Santana
Entrant # 13 – Bad News Brown
I always wondered why he wasn’t given more of a push….seems to be a good heel.
Honky Tonk eliminated, didn’t see by whom.
Entrant # 14 – Marty Janetty, the future window diver.
Ron Bass eliminated by a Rockers double dropkick.
Entrant # 15 – Macho Man (WWF Champion)
Was still face at the time, really enjoyed fact he didn’t take off bandana or glasses before he attacked BNB.
Coming out a lot quicker than 2 minutes now…..
Entrant #16 - Arn Anderson
Valentine eliminated by Macho Man
Michaels eliminated by double clothesline by AA and Macho Man.
Entrant # 17 – Tully Blanchard
Brainbusters immediately work together, like all tag teams should in this, leave it up to the heels to do things the right way.
Entrant # 18 – Hulk Hogan
Dash and Daw..er..I mean Brainbusters eliminate Marty Jannetty
Hogan comes in on fire, eliminates Mr. Perfect, who lasted for almost 28 minutes, a new record at the time.
Tito Santana was eliminated
Entrant # 19 – Bushwacker Luke
Two tag teams are in there, until Butch was eliminated.
Entrant # 20 – Koko B Ware
The Hall of Famer(what?) comes in and delivers a few drop kicks before settling in
Koko tried to go after Hogan, bad decision, he’s eliminated.
Bushwacker Luke eliminated by Hulk Hogan
Brain Busters eliminated at same time by Hogan
Entrant # 21 – The Warlord
Warlord eliminated by Hogan in 2 seconds or so.
Bad News Brown and Savage eliminated by Hogan. Hogan now alone
Savage comes back in, pissed at Hogan, as he should be. Elizabeth comes down to help, eventually gets Macho Man to leave.
I love this year long burn from the moment Savage won at Wrestlemania IV until their match at V.
Entrant #22 – Big Boss Man
Hogan working over Big Boss Man
Reversal into an avalanche in the corner
Big Boss Man piledrives Hogan, that move looks so much more brutal now that it’s not used in WWE.
Entrant #23 – Akeem the African Dream
Apparently switched over to Akeem after last year’s Rumble.
Hogan can’t overcome the odds; eliminated by both.
Hogan shows greats sportsmanship and pulls Boss Man out of the ring.
Entrant # 24 – Brutus Beefcake Comes to Hogan’s aid as they fight on the outside
Hogan tries to get back in the ring, sore loser.
Big Boss Man eliminated by Hogan as he pulls down the rope, yep folks, he’s a face.
Akeem and Brutus in the ring, apparently, we wouldn’t know since they show Hogan attacking
Boss Man into the back.
Entrant # 25 – Red Rooster
RR clucks his way into the ring and attacks One Man Dream
Entrant # 26 – The Barbarian enters and immediately improves on the time of his tag team partner.
He breaks up the guys trying to eliminate Akeem, and then attacks Akeem. Gorilla Monsoon – “that was stupid!”
There is great dancing, and then there is Akeem’s dancing.
It's a thing of beauty, and racism.
Entrant # 27 – Big John Studd
Entrant # 28 – Hercules! Hercules!
Big John Studd has thrown Rooster to the side at least twice when he’s just trying to help eliminate Akeem.
Pride cometh before the fall John.
Entrant # 29 – Rick Martel
This time frame was just before I started watching, never knew Martel as a face, and just doesn’t seem right.
Entrant # 30 – Million Dollar Man Ted Dibiase
Apparently Ted spent a lot of money to get the # 30 spot; everybody apparently did have a price in 1989.
I feel like Dibiase was one of the best heels in WWE history. Shame he never was able to have the title in my opinion.
Rooster eliminated by Ted Dibiase.
Dibiase and Barbarian eliminate Hercules and Beefcake.
Martel eliminates Barbarian on worst excecuted dropkick ever.
Final 4 (I like believable winners)
Rick Martel – No way in the world
Akeem – Slight chance, mostly due to monster heel
Big John Studd – Best chance for faces, size helps
Dibiase - If I was watching live, he would have been my guess, one of top heels in company at time.
Back to action, Martel eliminated by Akeem after he attempts a cross-body on the African Dream.
Big John getting worked over in a double team.
Akeem listening to instructions barked out by Dibiase, backfires as Dibiase gets pulled in front of an avalanche
Akeem eliminated by Studd
Million Dollar Man offers money, Big John Studd doesn’t have a price.
Dibiase selling moves like a pro
Big double arm suplex by Studd, very well done
Big John Studd eliminates the Million Dollar Man
Virgil comes in and attacks Studd from behind, doesn’t work well.
Virgil gets “eliminated” as well.
Winner – Big John Studd
Fans seem to like it, early on in the event, makes sense to build someone of a bigger size as winners of the Rumble.
MVRP – Hulk Hogan: I know, I know but 10 eliminations is hard to do, even if 1 was after you were eliminated
LVRP – Warlord: 2 seconds, enough said
Overall
I liked this one, it had some underlying stories in it, helped progress what will be the main event at Wrestlemania V, and had a believable winner.
Rankings
1. 1989
2. 1988
Last edited by soonereagle; 10-11-2017 at 03:18 PM.