On the Marc Reviews: 1989 Royal Rumble

Please follow Marc Elusive on Twitter or like Marc Elusive on Facebook or check out www.marcelusive.net for reviews and recaps (of current WWE and old WWF PPVs, DVDs and VHS tapes) and a little analysis; more of a play-by-play style, like my reviews here on 411mania.The Summit, Houston, Texas; January 15, 1989

Commentators: Gorilla Monsoon and Jessie “The Body” Ventura

The first Pay Per View version of this event; as the final leg of the big four makes its debut. This was the only Royal Rumble the Hall of Fame pair of Gorilla Monsoon and Jessie Ventura commentated for.

Hart Foundation & “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan vs. Fabulous Rougeau Brothers & Dino Bravo (w/Jimmy Hart & Frenchy Martin) two out of three falls:   Early Rumbles has a lot of Intercontinental rules (two out of three falls) matches on them. Jim Neidhart starts off with Bravo who applies a side headlock. They go through a test of strength shoulderblock sequence that winds up with Anvil outsmarting Dino and both missing elbow drops. Duggan tags in so Dino tags Raymond Rougeau. Ray runs the ropes ducking clotheslines but runs right into a big slam by Duggan followed by a knee drop. Bret Hart tags in and he and Ray do some nice counter nearfall sequences. Jacques Rougeau tags in and gets his flip over the back on a backdrop attempt but Bret levels him with a Hart Attack clothesline. Everyone gets in on the action and the Harts and Duggan stack the opposition in the corner and assist Anvil’s shoulderblocks. Bret gets caught by a low bridge by Raymond; Dino comes in and hits the side suplex. The Rougeaus add Le Bombe de Rougeuax and the Rougeau Brothers and Dino Bravo win the first fall. Bret and Ray, winner and loser, start the second fall. Jacques flings Bret into the corner really hard and tags Bravo he hits an inverted atomic drop. They quick tag in and out on Bret Hart this allows the Rougeaus to unload all of their cool double teams; for example, Raymond slams Bret’s stomach first onto Jacques’ knee. Dino Bravo slaps a bearhug on Bret; to keep it interesting, he lowers Bret to the canvas to try to pin him but Bret (somehow) forces him up. Bret hits a desperate sunset flip but Jacques wind up with a reverse chinlock and the Rougeaus switch off when the referee is distracted by the Anvil. Now Jacques returns and applies a Boston crab. Ray distracts the referee as a tag is made allowing more double teams. The Rougeaus utilize the outside-the-ring-for-leverage abdominal stretch while Bravo distracts the referee. Jacques tags in and reapplies the abs stretch; Raymond tags and hits his savate kick while Bret is still in the hold. Jacques tries a monkey flip in the corner but Bret hooks the ropes to block and drops Jacques into a reverse atomic drop. Bret finally gets the tag and Duggan obliterates Quebecer in his path. Duggan slingshot splashes both Anvil and Bret consecutively onto Raymond; drops an elbow for three. The Hart Foundation and Jim Duggan win the second fall. The heels check on Raymond as he has to start the final fall with Duggan who kicks the crap out of him; however he stupidly decides to go after the other heels and gets caught from behind. Now they work over Duggan in the corner with the illegal double teams. Bravo chokes in the corner with his boot. Duggan tries a comeback but the Rougeaus keep him in their corner. The Harts come in to try to help and allow more double teaming. Bravo drops the big elbows on Duggan; Bravo battling Duggan for the Idiot Award atomic drops him right back into his corner and he tags Bert Hart. Bret unloads on all the opposition. Pendulum backbreaker followed by a second rope elbow but Ray slides down the apron pushing him off. Triggering a huge brawl that allows everyone to get involved; in the chaos, Duggan grabs the 2×4 and clobbers Bravo while the referee is distracted with it for three. The Hart Foundation and Jim Duggan win the third fall and the match. 7.5/10 Anytime you het the Harts and Rougeaus in the ring you get tag team gold; Duggan and Bravo held up their end resulting in a very good opening six-man tag match.

Comments from a bunch of Royal Rumble participants as they select their numbers; the intrigue here is Ted Dibiase buying a higher number from Slick.

Ultimate Warrior vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude (w/Bobby Heenan) super pose down:   I believe the Warrior was the Intercontinental Champion here. They both flex and the fans vote for the Warrior. During the final montage; Rude attacks the Warrior with his warm-up bar. The best part is Jessie Ventura sill describing the muscle definition during the beat down. 1/10 Boring, but it did launch off a feud that lasted through the summer.

WWF Women’s Championship Rockin’ Robin vs. Judy Martin:   Before the match starts Sensational Sherri challenges the winner. Martin attacks at the bell but Robin counters and moves out of the way on a corner charge. Sherri joins Gorilla Monsoon and Jessie Ventura in the broadcast booth to rundown both women. Martin gets the advantage in the corner with a boot and rams her face into the mat. Robin tries a crossbody but gets caught and slammed. Martin counters a sunset flip and continues the beat down; Robin comes back and applies a Boston crab. They go through a few nearfalls and Robin knees her in the corner. Robin misses a dropkick and Judy clotheslines her for two. Robin hits a DDT but misses an elbow as does Judy Martin. Martin tries a backslide for two. Robin fakes out Martin with a crossbody in the corner then nails her with one for three. 1/10 Really boring even the commentary was disjointed and Sherri sounded drunk.

Sean Mooney is with Slick and the Twin Towers who declares one of them winners. Mooney questions Slick about selling his number to Ted Dibiase. Slick denies any shenanigans. Elsewhere, “Mean” Gene Okerlund tracks down Rick Rude and Bobby Heenan who claimed they won and leave. Okerlund catches up with Elizabeth who skirts around who she is rooting for.

King Haku vs. Harley Race king of the WWF match:   Bobby Heenan manages both and straddles the fence rooting for whoever had the advantage at the time. Race was the original king but got hurt so Heenan gave the crown to Haku; Harley Race wants it back. I’m not too sure but this may have been Harley Race’s final match. Race tops the carriage that the jobbers brought Haku in on and he falls to the ground. Race hits a vertical suplex and knocks Haku to the floor. Haku posts Race on the floor who chops away. Harley hits a reverse atomic drop and a couple of elbow drops; Haku flings him in the corner and Race flops over the top rope backwards. Haku chops Race on the apron and he slowly flops over the top rope back into the ring. Chops to the face by Haku; they exchange head-butts, both of them known for hard heads, so no one wins that. Haku runs the ropes and gets hit with a shoulderblock; beautiful slowly falling piledriver by Race gets two. Double KO spot sends Harley Race to the floor; Haku brings him back in with a nice vertical suplex for two. Haku misses an elbow drop so Harley returns the favor and hits a stalling suplex. Race tosses Haku to the floor and gets backdropped off of a piledriver attempt. Harley eventually gets that piledriver on the floor! Ouch. Back in the ring, Harley hits a swinging neckbreaker. Haku slams Race in the middle and ascends the buckles to the top but MISSES the diving head-butt. Harley goes up and he also MISSES the second-rope diving head-butt. Heenan is funny on the floor rooting out of both sides of his mouth. Harley misses a clothesline and runs right into Haku’s reverse thrust kick, square in the face, for three. 7/10 I enjoyed this very much it was slow but a good throwback (for 1989!) match between two tough guys. I believe Harley helped train Haku so he put him over on his way out; the correct way to go out.

More Royal Rumble promos: Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, Powers of Pain with Mr. Fuji, Big John Studd, “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig and Randy “Macho Man” Savage all cut promos in that infamous room with their logos behind them. They all say the generic things like, no friends all enemies, 30 top stars, every man for himself and I’m winning. “Mean” Gene Okerlund talks with Ted Dibiase and questions the Slick deal. Sean Mooney talks to the Brain Busters and André the Giant who says he is winning. “Mean” Gene interviews Hulk Hogan who says a resurrection of Hulkamania is imminent and is winning.

Royal Rumble:   #1 Demolition Ax and #2 Demolition Smash starts us off showing right off the bat what they could do with this event and what surprises were in store. If there ever was a “Royal Rumble moment” this is it. They battle and sledge each other a lot with neither getting a clear-cut upper hand. These two are the tag team champions at this point. #3 André the Giant come out next since Demolition would eliminate anyone else handily (except maybe Hulk Hogan but he ain’t drawin’ #3). Demolition knocks him down upon his entrance and chokes him under the ropes. André gets a few shot in and begins to dominate both tag champions when #4 Mr. Perfect slowly walks to the ring. He enters and attacks the Giant immediately and then Demolition. André finally getting a one-on-one tosses Smash immediately ELIMINATING him. Mr. Perfect and Ax work over André until Ax attacks Perfect and sends him into the buckle face first that would make Bret Hart say, “Damn”. André head-butts Mr. Perfect and he nearly flips out. #5 “Rugged” Ronnie Garvin arrives and assists on the André beat down. They tie him in the ropes but André flings them all off. André sits on Ax in the corner and fends off Perfect and Garvin. André begins to dominate three guys as #6 Greg “The Hammer” Valentine jogs to the ring and helps out against André the Giant. Now Hennig, Ax, Valentine and Garvin all beat on André who fends them all off and ELIMINATES Ronnie Garvin with a hiplock over the top. They pair off and Hennig goes 360 off an Ax clothesline. Here comes #7 Jake “The Snake” Roberts and goes after André as there is storyline involved per Damian giving André the Giant a heart attack on Saturday Night’s Main Event early in 1988. André focuses all his attention to choking Jake including not even acknowledging running forearms from Greg Valentine. Everyone else beat on each other while André squashes Jake in the corner. #8 “Outlaw” Ron Bass with his bald head runs in. Then André ELIMINATES Jake Roberts, rather quickly. André stalks Valentine who begs off; Mr. Perfect tries to assist but gets chopped away. Bass beats on Ax. André piles up Valentine and Perfect in the corner and squashes them there. Next is #9 Shawn Michaels making his Rumble debut. Mr. Perfect ELIMINATES Ax with a shoulder-dip backdrop. Perfect tosses Shawn Michaels but he skins-the-cat to save off elimination; so he dropkicks Perfect over and he swings off the ropes back in. Everyone brawls.

#10 Bushwhacker Butch runs in with Jake Roberts in tow behind him with Damian; that freaks out André the Giant who ELIMINATES himself. With André gone that allows everyone else to just Rumble-brawl by the ropes. Perfect and Bass try to double team Shawn but they mess up and Bass takes a Hennig clothesline. #11 Honky Tonk Man to a huge chorus of boos. The six guys pair off and Rumble on the ropes. Shawn almost goes over again; I bet in Rumble history Shawn Michaels holds the record most near eliminations. #12 Tito Santana attacks Mr. Perfect setting up their Intercontinental feud a few years later. Valentine and Santana battle because they still hate each other from 1985. Shawn takes a really high backdrop from Bass. Perfect and Bass double suplex Michaels as Tito hangs between the ropes with the Hammer. Time for #13 Bad News Brown, the lone wolf, the he does not have friends comparisons start. Tito and Butch team up to ELIMINATE Honky Ton Man. Tito rings Valentine’s bell. Bad News hammers Shawn as the Hammer drops a hammer on Butch. Shawn comes off the top and double forearms Bad News and Ron Bass. Shawn nearly goes out off a Valentine atomic drop as #14 Marty Jannetty comes in to help him. The Rockers work over Bass; double elbow and a double dropkick ELIMINATES Ron Bass. The Rockers dominate the rest of the field; Santana nails a flying forearm on Valentine who almost goes out. Undisputed WWF Champion #15 “Macho Man” Randy Savage sprints down and attacks Bad News for disparaging Elizabeth. At least he did not disparage Pete Chilcutt. Valentine tries to interfere but Savage is on fire. Hennig and Jannetty double lift Bad News. Onward for #16 Arn Anderson as Greg Valentine is ELIMINATED by Macho Man. Arn Anderson and Savage double ELIMINATE Shawn Michaels. Savage works well with heels, hmm. Jannetty attacks Anderson to up the awesome in this Rumble. Savage works over Bad News some more; Jannetty crotches Arn on the top rope. Here’s #17 Tully Blanchard (personal favorite) and takes out Butch. Perfect and Tully battle for Marc Elusive favorite heel supremacy as Bad News is wrapped up with Savage. Tully tries an atomic drop on Jannetty but gets clotheslined. Arn joins Tully and they whip Marty into Arn’s awesome spinebuster and Tully drops elbows onto him. The Brain Busters eventually ELIMINATE Marty Jannetty just as #18 Hulk Hogan comes in. Hulk cleans house; saving Savage by ELIMINATING Mr. Perfect and goes after Bad News. Tito Santana gets ELIMINATED off camera. Bad News and Tully Blanchard almost get Hogan out. Then a whole mess of guys try to help and Savage does not offer any assistance to Hogan. #19 Bushwhacker Luke runs in. Bad News ELIMINATES Butch keeping both Bushwhackers from being in the ring at the same time and sending this Rumble into suck. Hogan and Savage team up on Bad News. Hogan presses Tully and clotheslines him off the top rope; everyone in the ring double teams Hogan and Savage.

#20 Koko B. Ware flaps his way down. Koko throws a bunch of dropkicks. Hogan catches Arn on the top rope and Flairs him back into the ring. Hogan rakes Koko’s eyes and ELIMINATES him; Hogan then ELIMINATES Luke. The Brain Busters double team Hogan. #21Warlord jogs down meanwhile Hogan catches both Brain Busters with clotheslines and ELIMINATES both of them. Warlord steps in and Hogan clotheslines him out immediately ELIMINATING him and setting a record that would last for about twenty years. Hogan then goes to where Bad News and Savage are battling and ELIMINATES both of them. Savage is pissed and gets in Hogan’s face about it. Elizabeth gets in between Hogan and Savage and smoothes everything over. They shake as the buzzer goes off for #22 Big Bossman. Convenient, they are feuding. Hogan goes right at him and beats on the Bossman. Hogan slams the (much fatter at that time) Bossman; he comes back though with an avalanche and a piledriver. Bossman slams Hogan and spits on him but misses the splash. #23 Akeem trots down; Twin Towers draw back-to-back numbers as Gorilla Monsoon and Jessie Ventura feel Ted Dibiase is to blame. Hogan handles both of them pretty well and slams Akeem; eventually they get the better of Hogan and beat him down. Hogan back suplexes Bossman but hurts his own back; double avalanche in the corner. The Twin Towers ELIMINATE Hogan. Hulk Sportsman then pulls Bossman out from the floor and beats on him. #24 Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake runs down and helps Hogan on the floor with the Towers. Brutus gets worked over by the Towers when Hogan low-bridges Bossman out over the top ELIMINATING him from the floor. Hogan and Bossman battle back to the locker room. Meanwhile, Akeem works over Beefcake. Here is #25 Red Rooster who tries to take out Akeem to no avail. Bruti does though and he and the Rooster try to toss Akeem. A high knee from Beefcake traps Akeem on the ropes. Now #26 Barbarian comes in; and tosses Beefcake and Rooster aside and works Akeem over all by himself. Everyone hangs on the ropes for a while. Akeem nails Air Africa in the center of the ring on Red Rooster. #27 Big John Studd as a babyface, is just weird. How is the Rooster on his feet so quick after that splash? Studd just tosses him aside to work on Akeem alone. Brutus chokes out Barbarian on the top rope. Freshly turned face #28 Hercules runs down. Everyone battles on the ropes again. Barbarian is perilously hanging on the top rope but falls back in. #29 Rick Martel tries to go after Akeem but Studd ain’t havin’ it so he goes after the Rooster. Everyone else trades off trying to eliminate each other. #30 Ted Dibiase having bought the top number. Dibiase goes after Hercules for the slave storyline. Virgil hangs out at ringside because he is not a manager but a bodyguard; Gorilla calls him a stooge as usual. Dibiase ELIMINATES the Red Rooster. Hercules gets all fired up on Dibiase and hits a series of clotheslines. Rick Martel manages both of Akeem’s legs over the top but for some indiscernible reason Dibiase saves him; sleeper by Brutus to Hercules. Dibiase and Barbarian sneak up on them and ELIMINATE both Hercules and Beefcake. Shoulderblock by Barbarian on Martel and then a running powerslam; Barbarian goes up and drops the top-rope diving head-butt on Martel. Barbarian thinking Martel is dead sets him up to eliminate but Martel ducks and a dropkick ELIMINATES Barbarian. The final four for the 1989 Royal Rumble are; Ted Dibiase, Akeem, Rick Martel and John Studd. Martel works over Dibiase; Akeem misses an avalanche on Martel. Rick comes back with a few dropkicks but gets caught in a crossbody and ELIMINATED by Akeem. Now Dibiase directs traffic (via money) as Akeem and he work over Studd. Avalanche by Akeem; Dibiase calls for another but Studd pulls Dibiase in between. One forearm by Studd and Akeem is ELIMINATED. Dibiase tries to buy Studd off to no avail. Studd busts out a butterfly suplex. Just as Jessie Ventura sings the praises of Dibiase, Studd ELIMINATES him and wins the Rumble. Virgil tries to attack from behind and gets tosses over the top as well. 8/10 Fun, unpredictable Rumble.

“Mean” Gene Okerlund gets a word with Randy Savage and Elizabeth they believe everything out there tonight was a misunderstanding. Jessie Ventura smells a rat.

The 411:  This Rumble was far less predictable than its future versions. Fun undercard featuring the genesis of Warrior and Rude storyline and a great six-man tag match. The cracks in the Mega Powers begin to show first here.
Final Score:  7.5   [ Good ]