WWE Vintage Collection Report: 24th May 2009
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund

Welcome aboard. This week we’re going to party like it’s 1989. Our four matches emanate from Madison Square Garden, Saturday Night’s Main Event and Wrestling Challenge, in that order. Let’s begin.

Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake vs Mr Perfect
January 23rd 1989. Announcers are Lord Alfred Hayes and Ron Trongard. The latter was coming to the end of his WWF tenure. Perfect had recently joined from the AWA. He had yet to discover the singlet and wore blue trunks. Perfect gets the best of a test of strength. Beefcake is taken down by a kneelift. Perfect punishes the gut. The camera gets a close-up of Beefcake trapped in a chinlock. Beefcake steps on the bottom rope, dropping Perfect face first on the top turnbuckle to escape. Beefcake punches Perfect over the top rope. Perfect tumbles into the corner following an atomic drop. Beefcake winds up for a big punch, then sends Perfect into a backbodydrop. Beefcake hits a high knee and signals for his patented sleeper. Outlaw Ron Bass in a cap runs out to mess with Beefcake’s clipper bag. (Beefcake had recently cut all of Bass’s hair off). Beefcake steps out to hammer Bass. Perfect drops a double axehandle across Beefcake’s back, before rolling in to beat the count. Bass heads to the back happy to have cost Beefcake a victory. Perfect should have gone over stronger with a pinfall here, as the cheap finish made everyone look weak. Beefcake would have gained more sympathy that way too. Winner by Countout: MR PERFECT.

WWF Tag Team Titles
Demolition vs The Powers of Pain w/Mr Fuji
The Survivor Series 1988 doubleturn is brought up before the start. This match took place on February 3rd 1989, and was a prelude to a handicap match at WrestleMania V, which included Fuji. Tony Schiavone joins Hayes in announcing the rest of today’s show. Demolition clear the ring then hammer away on both heels. Warlord receives a double clothesline. Ax calls Fuji a stooge as he holds Warlord in a head vice. Smash misses a corner charge, allowing Barbarian to plant him with a big boot. Smash counters a second boot with a legtrip and some shots to the back. Ax takes the fight to Barbarian and Warlord. As Ax throttles Warlord, Fuji smacks him in the leg with his cane. Fuji hooks the cane around Ax’s throat to choke him, then lands another cane shot outside. Ax gets worked over with several chokes, a shoulderbreaker and a couple of nerve holds. With Ax struggling, Fuji goads him from the floor. Ax counters a backbodydrop with a hard shot to the back and tags out. Smash comes in with punches, slams and clotheslines, before dropping Warlord across the top rope. Barbarian breaks up the cover then throws Ax to the floor. Smash gets hit with a top rope Hart Attack. Ax breaks up the cover and tosses Warlord outside. Ax attacks Fuji on the apron, snatches the cane and goes to town on Barbarian and Warlord with it in full view of the referee. The bell is called for when Fuji blinds Ax with a salt throw to the eyes. Fuji jams the cane into Smash while Ax gets the boots put to him. Fuji smashes the cane across Smash’s back. Winners by DQ: DEMOLITION. A fun little match between two of my favourite teams from the 80s. This match did a good job of getting Mr Fuji over as a threat to Demolition ahead of their handicap bout. Despite the three-on-two odds, Demolition retained their titles at WrestleMania V, gaining a measure of revenge by pinning Fuji.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs
Andre The Giant & Ravishing Rick Rude w/Bobby Heenan
June 2nd 1989. Jake had endured recent feuds with both Rude and Andre. We join this in progress with Andre throwing Hacksaw around. Rude misses a fistdrop from the second rope. Jake ties Andre up in the ropes, before he and Hacksaw use Rude as a battering ram on the Giant. Andre calls for Heenan to untie him, as Jake gives Rude a gutbuster. Andre headbutts Jake from behind. Rude sends Jake into Andre’s knee then kicks him in the gut. Jake is worked over by a Rude chinlock, Andre choke and front facelock. Rude applies a second chinlock. Hacksaw shakes the ropes to crotch Rude when he climbs to the top rope. Jake avoids an Andre squash attempt to make a tag. Hacksaw keeps Andre in the corner with kicks and punches. Andre stops Hacksaw’s momentum with a kneelift. Rude chokes Hacksaw using the middle rope. Rude showboats by gyrating, as Hacksaw is cut off from Jake. Hacksaw drapes a foot on the bottom rope to prevent a pin attempt. Hacksaw wobbles Rude, attempts a shoulder tackle and both fall down. Rude staggers to the wrong corner, where Jake decks him. Andre walks across the apron to chop Hacksaw down in the corner. Hacksaw jumps past Rude to make a tag. Rude tries to beg off, as Jake goes to work with punches and a short arm clothesline. The crowd chant DDT. Jake staggers Andre with a kneelift. Andre stops Jake from DDTing Rude and headbutts Hacksaw out of the ring. As the referee clears Andre out and Rude sets up the Rude Awakening on Jake, Hacksaw smashes Rude in the chest with his 2×4. Jake covers for the upset pin. 1-2-3. Winners: HACKSAW JIM DUGGAN & JAKE “THE SNAKE” ROBERTS. Passable match and I was shocked at the outcome. I expected a non-finish or for the heels to have cheated. Nice surprise.

Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase w/Virgil
Our Main Event comes from March 1989. Okerlund puts over both ‘Icons’ careers and their Hall of Fame accolades beforehand. Virgil shows off DiBiase’s Million Dollar title, prompting Bret to attack DiBiase from behind. Bret hits a gut punch, side russian legsweep, atomic drop and flying cross body. DiBiase takes a brief walk outside. Back inside, Bret counters a slam, DiBiase blocks a rollup off the ropes, and Bret nearly wins it with a small package. An irate DiBiase goes back outside to shout and cuss at the crowd. Bret stops the referee from counting DiBiase out. Bret brings DiBiase into the ring as he argues with the fans. A headbutt momentarily ties DiBiase up in the ropes. DiBiase manages to avoid a charge and Bret’s body bounces off the ropes. Bret falls to the floor, props himself up against the ringpost and gingerly rolls back in, where DiBiase meets him with boots and several chokes on the mat. DiBiase sends Bret into the corner a couple of times then hits a clothesline. DiBiase hits a forearm from the second rope. Both trade suplexes, but DiBiase keeps the advantage with a chinlock. DiBiase uses the hair to keep Bret grounded. Virgil distracts the referee, allowing DiBiase to choke Bret. Both men clothesline each other simultaneously. Bret throws DiBiase from the top rope. DiBiase is drilled with punches, a couple of elbows, a backbreaker and elbow from the second rope. Bret Irish whips, but misses a charge, smashing his knee in the corner. DiBiase tries a leglock, but Bret pushes him to the outside. Bret connects with a plancha. Both punch it out on the floor and get counted out. Bret prevents post match sneak attacks by sending DiBiase packing with a headbutt. A very solid back and forth match from two of the best to have ever laced up a pair of boots. These two would have another excellent, albeit brief encounter at the end of a Survivor Series Elimination match in 1990 which is worth checking out. Winner: DOUBLE COUNTOUT.

Okerlund signs off to end the show. It’s always good to see Bret, DiBiase, Demolition, Jake, Perfect at work. See you next week. Shaun.

Comments/praise/feedback/criticism/discussion points please direct to shaunmb1@hotmail.com.