Not Youtubular: Bobby “The Brain” Heenan Two-Disc DVD

As a companion piece, check out my review of the complete run of “The Bobby Heenan Show” here.

Bobby Heenan is arguably the greatest professional wrestling manager and color commentator ever. Some would even go as far as saying that he is one of the most underrated entertainment personalities of his era. I would be one of those people as I have always been a huge mark for the Brain thanks to his quirky, quick wit. I was surprised Heenan was chosen by WWE for his own DVD set, but then again it always seemed to me that Vince McMahon knew exactly the talent he had in Heenan.

Let me mention that there is no booklet with the set listing the chapters and extras on disc one or the matches on disc two. How much extra would it have cost to create such a helpful little item that almost every DVD set has. Also, I couldn’t find any Easter Eggs.

Disc One
Main Feature

Chicago Roots: Generic narration gives an introduction to who Bobby Heenan is and what he meant to the business. Wrestlemania III is highlighted with his managing of Andre the Giant. A few superstars then put Heenan over in voiceover.
Heenan was born Nov. 1, 1944, and was raised by his mother and grandmother. His mother managed an apartment building. The family moved to Indianapolis when Heenan’s aunt died. He dropped out of school in eighth grade and began working to support his family. Heenan’s wife Cindi talks about his early life.

In 1961, Heenan began working as a stagehand at the Indianapolis Coliseum. Baron Von Raschke talks about meeting the young Heenan. Wally Karbo offered Heenan a job and he started out with the Blackjacks. Blackjack Mulligan talks about how over they got with Heenan as their manager.

The Brain is Born: Heenan moves up to managing Nick Bockwinkle and Ray Stevens in the AWA. Ken Patera, Dusty Rhodes and Greg Gagne talk about how Heenan helped to elevate that team. Bockwinkle reminisces about the good times they had and what a saint Cindi is for putting up with Bobby.

Heenan was loved behind the scenes, but hated by fans. He always carried brass knuckles and helped his men out. Baron Von Rascke remembers a time an audience member tried to shoot Heenan. He missed, but injured five others. Heenan was universally hated and great on the microphone.

Weasel Suit: Various people talk about how Heenan would wrestle a couple times a year for the AWA and it was always a big deal that drew a lot of money. His most famous feud was against Greg Gagne where the loser had to wear a weasel suit. Guess who lost?

Bright Lights, Big City: Vince McMahon came calling. Heenan wasn’t sure he should go to WWE, but Bockwinkle said he should. Heenan was supposed to manage Jesse Ventura, but he was having leg problems and was given to Big John Studd instead. Many of the guys Heenan managed are listed such as the Islanders, Rick Rude, Brooklyn Brawler, Hercules, Harley Race, Paul Orndorff, etc. Heenan is put over here again on his basic talents.

The first Wrestlemania is talked about. Heenan managed Studd against Andre the Giant where the winner was the first man to slam the other. Andre won and claimed $15,000. Andre began throwing the cash to the crowd and Heenan stole the bag.

Heenan later became Andre’s manager and led him against Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania III. At the show Heenan also managed Race and Hercules, but Andre was his main focus. We get clips of the Piper’s Pit segment that set up the match and the match itself. Matt Striker talks about the match.

I Am Not a Weasel: The weasel nickname followed Heenan to WWE. People had weasel shirts and sometimes even had live weasels. The weasel suit match was brought back as Heenan feuded with the Ultimate Warrior. Okerlund talks about how he helped get the weasel moniker over in WWE with him.

Manager of Champions: Arn Anderson talks about how having Heenan as your manager elevated your career and it was a privilege to have Heenan at your side. It was a right you earned. Those Heenan helped to take to that next level were Curt Hennig, Rick Rude and Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard as the Brain Busters. Heenan’s guys were always in title hunts.

Heenan’s promo skills are put over by Anderson, Pat Patterson, Michael Hayes, Larry Hennig, Patera and others. Patera said he was like Don Rickles with the quick one-line comebacks. We see Heenan’s daughter Jessica here, who refers to him by his real name of Ray.

Primetime: Some classic clips from “Primetime Wrestling” are shown of Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon acting up and doing bits together. People talk about the great chemistry they had with each other.

The Bobby Heenan Show: Vince McMahon didn’t tell USA Network what they doing, but he decided to give Heenan the last half hour of “Prime Time Wrestling” as his own variety show. Jamison was Heenan’s sidekick, the Rosatti Sisters were on set and Lord Alfred Hayes was the announcer. Heenan had crazy guests and the show was a showcase for his barbs. Again, check out my review for the full skinny on the short-lived series.

Commentating with Gorilla: Heenan transitioned into being a color commentator from being a manager. Cindi said he didn’t miss being sore and at ringside, but was glad he was still involved with the product. Heenan’s style as a commentator is gone over. Jerry Lawler says people often come up to him and say he and Jim Ross are the best announce team ever, then they pause and say next to Heenan and Monsoon. Dolph Ziggler, Okerlund and others talk about the Monsoon and Heenan commentary team.

Leaving WWE: In 1993, Heenan decided to leave WWE to pursue a career in Hollywood. McMahon said he didn’t think Heenan was having as much fun as he used to and the work load was getting to him. Monsoon, fired Heenan and tossed him out of the building during and early episode of “RAW.” (Leonard’s note: As noted in comments below Monsoon was not commissioner yet and Jack Tunney was still in charge on screen. So the question is how Monsoon had the authority to fire Heenan.)

WCW: Heenan was hoping to do commercials, but got a call from WCW. They offered big money, a lighter schedule and a chance to be closer to his family. Heenan’s debut with Okerlund at Clash of the Champions is shown. Jessica was going to college in Alabama, which was just an hour or so away from WCW’s home base in Atlanta. However, Cindi and Jessica both say Heenan was not happy in WCW most of the time. The incident where Brian Pillman attacked Heenan and Heenan was doused with Nitro cologne is shown.

Health Issues: At the end of 1999, Heenan began having problems with his mouth and was diagnosed with throat cancer. Cindi and Jessica get a bit weepy when they think about how they almost lost Heenan. As he got better, Heenan started doing some of the fan conventions and special appearances.

Hall of Fame: Okerlund inducts Heenan into the WWE Hall of Fame and clips of that segment is shown. Cindi talks about how excited he was, but he was also scared because it was his first big appearance after his cancer battle.

The outro has people from throughout the documentary putting Heenan over again as a manager, commentator, comedian and a just all around great guy.

Extras

The Executioners: Heenan talks about his first managerial experiences with a rock band called the Executioners. They were so named because they were so bad they murdered everything they played.

AWA Manager of the Year 1976
AWA All-Star Wrestling (12.25.76): Bill Apter presents Bobby Heenan with a trophy for manager of the year, the third year in the row he’s claimed the honor. Bockwinkle congratulates Heenan and then he starts talking. He keeps cutting off Ray Stevens and he snaps. Stevens really pops Heenan one and then goes after Bockwinkle. Stevens said he’s sick and tired of being put to the background by Heenan and destroys the trophy. Heenan is irate and fires Stevens. I don’t know if the turn was built up to or this was as sudden as it seems. Good intensity by all kind of helps to put the angle over. As you the wrestling fan knows, if there is a trophy involved it will be crushed.

The Wrestling Bear: Baron Von Raschke talks about an angle where Heenan lost a match to Dick the Bruiser and had to face a bear everyday for a week. Heenan would try to sneak up on the bear, who would turn around and scare Heenan out of the ring.

Centerfold: Bockwinkle talks about a gag Heenan pulled during a live interview. He had a wrestling magazine and said it showed why Bockwinkle would win that night. However, Heenan had put a centerfold picture from “Hustler” inside the magazine. Only he, the announcer and Bockwinkle could see it and the announcer went to commercial early because he couldn’t hold back the laughter.

“Honey, I’m Home!”: Heenan’s wife comes home while he’s doing interviews. “Someone made bail.” Heenan good naturedly rips on her.

The Other Weasel Suit: Jessica talks about how she had her own weasel suit and pictures are shown of her and Bobby in them together.

“I Am Not a Weasel” from “Tuesday Night Titans” (10.02.84): Heenan comes out to a chorus of boos. He won’t shake Hayes’ hand. Heenan said he’s used to people getting on him, because he’s always been above everyone and they’re just jealous. Heenan’s a manager of champions and he’s going to take Big John Studd to the top. McMahon shows a clip from Minneapolis where Heenan is announced as Studd’s new manager. Of course, the crowd knew him from the AWA, so a weasel chant breaks out. McMahon asks about that. Heenan says he’s not a weasel and they just say that out of jealously. He doesn’t have paws, fur and a tail. He uses his mind, he’s not sneaky. Hayes says there are no weasels in England and instead the term is for a tailor’s press and that’s where the song “Pop Goes the Weasel” is from. Heenan naturally yawns and is bored.

Bobby Heenan & Gorilla Monsoon go to Busch Gardens from “Prime Time Wrestling” (12.12.88): Monsoon chastises Heenan for being an hour late. Heenan says it’s their vacation, but Monsoon says they’re working. Next segment, Heenan is tired of walking, so they’re going to take a truck. Monsoon says their mission is to find the Bushwhackers. Segment three, the truck drives them through a wild animal area. Monsoon feeds the giraffes and Heenan is scared the animals will eat them. He calls the hippos the Rosatti sisters. Next up, they ride an express train and go through a tunnel. They then stand on a bridge and talk. A woman and her daughter comes up and talks with Monsoon, but ignores Heenan. The little girl calls Bobby a weasel and stomps on his foot. In a later extra we learn this was Heenan’s wife and daughter. The Bushwhackers shows up in a log ride. Heenan and Monsoon then do the outro. The Bushwhackers run in and Heenan bails.

Get Your Popcorn Ready: Jessica talks about going on the road with her father. A clip is shown of Jessica as a child getting her popcorn stolen by Big Bully Busick and Harvey Whippleman. They then dump it on her. Another clip shows Busick popping her balloon with a cigar. Jessica said after that spot she thought she should get paid and Heenan later found her sitting in McMahon’s office asking for money. Bobby was mortified, but Vince laughed it off and Jessica said he understood because she was her father’s daughter.

Golfing Tips with Bobby Heenan & “Mean” Gene Okerlund at Sterling Farms Golf Course (Oct. 1991): Sean Mooney does the intro. Heenan, dressed funky, and Okerlund show up in a golf cart. Mooney asks what Okerlund’s handicap is and he says Heenan. Okerlund tees off and Heenan says he killed a squirrel. It’s golf instruction time and Okerlund is going to show how to make a chip shot. Okerlund makes a nice shot and Heenan goofs off. Next up is how to get out of a sand trap. They do the old address the ball gag from “The Honeymooners.” Okerlund makes a nice shot and Heenan slashes at the dirt. Finally we’re up to the putt. Gene makes a nice 20-footer. While Okerlund and Mooney talk, Heenan drops a ball into the hole. Next segment, Heenan hits one deep into the rough. While Okerlund looks for it, Heenan throws a new ball into the fairway and claims that’s his. While Okerlund and Heenan talk over a dog leg a ball comes their way. Heenan picks it up and when the guy comes up, Heenan claims the ball went into the rough. It’s revealed that Heenan didn’t pay the greens fees and now club personnel are after them. Heenan takes off in the cart.

Bobby’s Big Entrance at WrestleMania IX (04.04.93): Jim Ross welcomes Randy Savage. Heenan then enters riding backwards on a camel. Heenan has a rough ride and almost passes out. Savage pulls up Heenan’s toga to moon the crowd.

Gorilla Monsoon Fires Bobby Heenan on “RAW” (12.06.93): McMahon previews the next episode of “RAW.” Monsoon, current WWE commissioner, comes out and tells Heenan he’s got bad news and good news. The good news is he won a free trip. The bad news is that it’s out of the building as Monsoon fires Heenan. Monsoon drags Heenan to the back while he begs for his job the whole way. Monsoon tosses Heenan and his baggage, which is filled with toilet paper and stuff Heenan stole from the arena, into the night.

The Humor of Bobby Heenan: We get various clips of Heenan doing sight gags and delivering one-liners. McMahon, Jessica, Cindi and others talks about Heenan’s natural gift for comedy.

A Farewell to Gorilla on “Nitro” (10.11.99): Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan announce the death of Gorilla Monsoon. Heenan says the pearly gates will now be the Gorilla position, which is the nickname for the spot right before the entrance where guys are cued.

The Wedding Eulogy: Jessica tells a story of her wedding day. Heenan wore her veil and top to lighten the mood while she was getting ready. At the reception, instead of a speech he gave what he called a wedding eulogy.

“Freakish Noises” from WrestleMania XX (03.14.04): Jonathan Coachman is in the bowels of the arena tracking freakish noises. Out of a closet he finds a disheveled Okerlund and Heenan. Coach investigates to find Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young. They drag the guys back in against their will for more smooching.

Bobby Heenan’s Induction into the WWE Hall of Fame (03.13.04): Okerlund is hosting. Heenan’s Hall of Fame video is shown. Blackjack Lanza does the official induction speech. I can see why Heenan was the Blackjacks manager, because Lanza is horrible on the mic. He’s soft spoken and rambling.

Heenan finally gets up and goes over his own history with plenty of asides to people in the audience and on the dais. It’s classic Heenan as he proves he’s not as good as he once was, but once he’s as good as he ever was. Heenan talks about having a wedgie, how much fun he’s having sober and that he bet on wrestling, as a poke at the present Pete Rose. With Harley Race there Heenan thought they were going to be indicted, not inducted. The best line is when Heenan slips up and says WWF instead of WWE. He then says if you want to talk about wildlife, when he first came in they had Freebirds, a Junky Yard Dog, two Bulldogs who had another bulldog, a Mad Dog, two killer bees, a guy with a snake, a Hawaiian guy with a lizard and he was the weasel doing commentary with a Gorilla.

DISC 2

It’s a bunch of Heenan matches, I’m not giving star ratings.

Battle of the Managers
Bobby Heenan vs. Lord Alfred Hayes
AWA St. Paul, MN (01.12.80)

The match is joined in progress and video quality is shaky at first. Hayes breaks a waistlock and Heenan puts his head out of the ring to avoid Hayes. Hayes takes control on a test of strength into a knuckle lock. Hayes works Heenan over in the corner and the ref warns him. This allows Heenan to pull out a foreign object. The ref checks Heenan and he hides it. They slug it out with Heenan doing comical selling. Hayes knocks Heenan to the floor and follows. He slams Heenan head first into a chair.

Back in the ring, Heenan rakes the eyes with the foreign object. Heenan stomps Hayes on the mat as a weasel chant erupts. Heenan covers for one. He chokes Hayes out. Hayes Lords-up and rakes Heenan’s eyes. Hayes does like a choke sleeper using his tunic strap. Hayes lands a jumping stomp to the head. Heenan takes a chest first bump into the turnbuckle. He reverses a whip to the opposite corner, but runs into a big boot. Hayes rolls Heenan up with his feet on the ropes for the victory. Heenan nails Hayes and the referee with a chair. This was too long for what it was, but both guys knew how to tell a story and get the fans involved.

Weasel Suit Match
Bobby Heenan vs. Greg Gagne
AWA St. Paul, MN (08.17.80)

We join the match in progress again. Heenan and Gagne fight on their knees. Gagne goes to the floor and wraps Heenan’s arm around the ring post. He slams Heenan’s head into the top turnbuckle. He slugs Heenan in the corner. Heenan comes back with a couple shots to the gut. He loads up a cast on his hand and nails Gagne a couple times for some near falls. Gagne falls into the ropes and Heenan chokes Gagne while he half hangs off the apron. Heenan hurts himself after hitting a shoulder block. They struggle up and Gagne hits Heenan so hard he flies up and lands prone on the top rope. Heenan misses a wild haymaker and falls backward into a sleeper hold. Heenan falls backs and gets a near fall. Gagne reverses, but was in the ropes. Gagne comes back with a kick and a couple dropkicks. Heenan is knocked into the referee. Gagne checks on him and Heenan cheap shots Gagne for a near fall. Heenan loses his bearings and Gagne hits a second rope crossbody for the win. The crowd goes nuts.

Wally Karbo brings the weasel suit in, but Heenan refuses to wear it and tries to leave. It’s announced Heenan has to put the suit on or he will be suspended indefinitely. Heenan takes a walk, but Gagne chases him down and brings him back to the ring. He locks in the sleeper. Heenan is out and Gagne puts the suit on him. Heenan wakes up and freaks out. He can’t unzip the suit, because the paws are like mittens. Gagne actually did a good job of making Heenan seem a credible threat. However, the match was all about the payoff and the fans ate it up.

Handicap Match
Hulk Hogan vs. Nick Bockwinkel & Bobby Heenan
AWA – St. Paul, MN (05.02.81)

Heenan was apparently suspended, but it was lifted so Hogan could get his hands on him. The heels double team Hogan at the bell. Hogan comes back and rams the pair into each other. Hogan punches both and gets a double noggin knocker. The heels fall to the floor. Things settle down and Hogan wants Heenan, but Bockwinkle locks up with him. Hogan throws Bockwinkle into the corner to hit Heenan. Heenan tries to give leverage from the apron on another lockup, but Hogan yanks him into the ring. He smashes the heels together again and they bail. Back in, Hogan flexes and kicks his feet like a bull ready to charge. Bockwinkle takes control with a headlock. Hogan throws Bockwinkle into the ropes to break. Heenan runs in for a cheap shot, but Hogan ducks and Bockwinkle splashes him. They do a test of strength. Bockwinkle kicks at Hogan, but he no sells and powers Bockwinkle down. Hogan catches Heenan trying to come in. Hogan works a chinlock. Bockwinkle slides to his corner and reaches back to yank Hogan’s hair.

Tag to Heenan. He stomps a downed Hogan, but he hulks up. The heels collide again. Hogan throws Heenan like a dart into the corner and then knocks out Bockwinkle on the apron. Hogan knocks Heenan to the floor and Bockwinkle blindsides Heenan. Tag to Bockwinkle. He takes Hogan over to the corner and Heenan chokes Hogan out on the top rope while Bockwinkle distracts the referee. Heenan undoes the turnbuckle pad while Bockwinkle works Hogan over on the mat. Hogan comes back with a clothesline and elbow drop. Heenan saves on the cover. Hogan hits an atomic drop. Hogan gets kicked on a backdrop try. Tag to Heenan and he chokes Hogan while Bockwinkle cons the ref. Tag back to Nick. Bockwinkle knocks Hogan to the apron and punches on him. Hogan fights back, but Heenan gives him a knee to the back. Hogan blocks a shot to the ring post and nails Heenan with an elbow on the apron. Hogan floors Bockwinkle with a haymaker. Heenan tries to save. Hogan choke lifts Heenan, but Heenan cheap shots him with a foreign object and Bockwinkle covers for two. Hogan gets the brass knuckles and creams Heenan. He bites Heenan and throws him into the corner and out of the ring. Hogan slams Bockwinkle’s head into the turnbuckle ten times. Hogan wins with the big boot and leg drop. This match beautifully illustrates Heenan’s creed of wrestle like a manager and manage like a wrestler. Heenan was always poised to cheat and cheap shot Hogan. His presence as a competitor really added to the usual Hogan vs. Bockwinkle match.

Bobby Heenan vs. Salvatore Bellomo
Madison Square Garden (12.26.84)

Hayes and Monsoon are on commentary. They shake hands to start. Heenan asks Bellomo to wait while he adjusts his gear. He really plays the fake gentleman here. They go into the ropes a couple times to start and Heenan gives a clean break. Heenan hits Bellomo and Bellomo goes after him, but Heenan goes to the ropes. He punches Bellomo again and goes to the apron. Bellomo nails Heenan this time and like Heenan did, claims it’s an open hand. Bellomo works Heenan over in the corner and whips him to the opposite corner. Heenan bails. Heenan gets back in the ring, but begs off. Heenan works a top wristlock. Bellomo flips him out of it and gets a dropkick and head scissors. Heenan lays across the second rope in the corner and Bellomo stomps Bobby to the floor.

Back in, Bellomo fires away, but Heenan takes over with an eye rake. He works a chinlock on the mat. Bellomo powers out and gets a shoulderblock, but then runs into a backdrop. Heenan drops a calf on the lower back and covers for two. Both guys are out after colliding on a crisscross. Bellomo charges and gets JYD like crawling headbutts. He smashes Heenan’s head into the mat several times. Heenan hits a thumb to the eye and tosses Sal to the floor. Heenan attacks Bellomo on the apron. Bellomo fights back and sling shots in with a sunset flip. Heenan blocks and drops a fist on him. Heenan sits down for the cover and win. I’ve certainly seen worst matches. The pace was a bit slow, but it was a decent back and forth match with both guys utilizing their strong points.

Weasel Suit Match
Bobby Heenan vs. Ultimate Warrior
WrestleFest `88 (07.31.88)

The Crusher is the special guest ring announcer. Warrior comes out with the weasel suit around his neck like a cape. Commentators are Hayes, Sean Mooney and Billy Graham. The ref tries to keep Warrior at bay while Heenan is on the floor. Warrior reaches through the ropes and slams Heenan into the ring post. Warrior chases Heenan in and out of the ring. In one of the smartest things he’s ever done, Warrior hides by the apron and waits for Heenan to run into him. In the ring, Heenan gets intimate with the top turnbuckle. Heenan pulls a foreign object out of his tights and nails Warrior. Heenan continues to attack the throat. Graham says it’s a wrapped in tape railroad spike. Warrior comes back with chopes. Heenan does his bump in the corner where he lays on the top rope. Warrior throws Heenan from corner to corner. Warrior shocks me by using a sleeper. Heenan is out and Warrior dresses him in the suit. Heenan wakes up and flops around the ring until eventually he gets the suit off. Not even against Heenan do they let Warrior go too long as to expose himself as a poor worker. Once again, this was all about the pay off of getting Heenan in the suit and the crowd eats it up.

The Royal Rumble Match
Royal Rumble (01.19.92)
Commentary By: Bobby Heenan & Gorilla Monsoon

If you’re going to pick a match to really demonstrate how good Heenan was on commentary and the chemistry he had with Monsoon, this would be the one to go with. Both have tons of classic lines throughout and their work is part of what makes this the best Rumble match ever.

Jack Tunney has the World Heavyweight Title belt and announces the winner of the match will get the title. Heenan: “Yeah, best president since Noriega.” First two guys are British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith and Ted Dibiase with Sherri. Smith opens up on DiBiase. Ted cuts Bulldog off with a back elbow then hits a clothesline and suplex. He lands a couple fist drops. He hits another suplex. He tosses Davey, but he catches himself. DiBiase thinks he’s gone and gloats, which allows Smith to toss Ted for real. Third is Flair and Heenan craps himself while Monsoon is thrilled. Hennig is out with Flair. Smith press slams Flair and Heenan wigs out. Flair whips Smith to the corner and he comes out with a big clothesline. Bulldog ducks a clothesline and nails Flair. Flair begs off. Next out is Jerry Sags with Jimmy Hart. Sags attacks Smith from behind and Flair helps on the double team. Smith hits a double clothesline. Sags almost goes out, but then Bulldog dropkicks him off the apron for the elimination. Flair begs off and Heenan says it’s not fair to Flair. Haku is next. He helps Flair to start, but then attacks Flair. Flair goes under the bottom rope for a breather. Haku hits a piledriver on Smith. Flair attacks Haku from behind and lands a knee drop. Haku hits a thrust kick on Smith and works Flair over in the corner until Smith attacks from behind. Smith throws Haku out as Shawn Michaels enters.

Michaels peppers Flair with punches, backdrops him and then superkicks him. Smith press slams Michaels. Michaels goes to the apron, but returns to the ring to superkick Smith. Flair tries to toss Michaels, but he breaks with a thumb to the eye. Smith crotches Michaels on the top rope. Tito Santana is out. He goes after Flair. Michaels saves Flair. Bulldog works on Michaels as Flair hits a backdrop suplex on Santana. Flair gets a low blow on Bulldog. Santana saves Smith from elimination. He hits the flying forearm on Flair. The Barbarian is next. There’s enough guys now that it’s just general brawling and trying to force people out. Next up is Kerry Von Erich. Flair breaks off from the pack and tells Von Erich to bring it on. They’re old foes, but it was outside WWE, so it goes unmentioned. Smith slingshots Michaels into the corner. Flair gets a reverse atomic drop on Von Erich. Heenan’s strategy idea is to bring a wrench with you. Now up is the Repo Man. He slinks around the outside and eventually sneaks into the ring. Santana hits a high cross body on Barbarian. Heenan tries to figure out the math on how many guys are left. Flair chops Kerry while Barbarian holds him. The next entrant is Greg Valentine. He goes after Flair. Von Erich holds Flair while Valentine chops him. It’s not fair to Flair.

Nikolai Volkoff is next out as we hit the 20 minute mark. There’s not been any eliminations for a while, so you know a string of them are coming. Valentine puts Flair in a figure four leg lock. Volkoff is tossed by Repo Man. Big Bossman is next. Repo Man eliminates Valentine, then he’s tossed by Bossman. Flair backdrops Smith to the floor, then eliminates Von Erich. Hercules is out and goes after Flair. Santana and Michaels eliminate each other. Barbarian slams Flair and tries to toss him, but Hercules gets him from behind and Bossman gets Hercules. Bossman goes after Flair. Flair ducks on a cross body and Bossman eliminates himself. Flair is so happy he does a Flair Flop. You just know the next guy out is going to be huge and it’s Roddy Piper. Piper backdrops Flair and hits a big knee. Flair bails and Piper follows. They brawl on the floor. Back in the ring, Piper does the mounted punches. Flair takes Piper out with a reverse atomic drop, but Piper lands on his feet and pokes Flair in the eye. An airplane spin leads to a sleeper hold.

Jake Roberts is next. He sits in the corner and tells Piper to keep going. Roberts eventually goes after Piper and tries to toss him. He gets the short arm clothesline on Flair. It’s not fair to Flare. We’re past the 30 minute mark. Piper breaks up the DDT and Flair gets a figure four on Roberts. Heenan thanks Piper for the save by saying his kilt isn’t a skirt, it’s a kilt. Then when he attacks Flair he calls Roddy a skirt wearing freak. Jim Duggan is next and he goes after Flair. Piper works on Flair and Duggan goes at it with Roberts. Dance partners are switched as IRS struts out. Duggan holds IRS by the tie and punches on him. Duggan hits a double noggin knocker on Roberts and Flair as they try to eliminate Piper. Jimmy Snuka is the next grappler. Guess what he does? Goes after Flair! Everyone brawls. Undertaker is number 20. He immediately takes out Snuka. Undertaker chokes Flair out in the corner. Duggan saves, but UT kicks him in the balls. Randy Savage is next and wants Roberts. Jake hides outside the ring so Undertaker and IRS can work Savage over. Roberts comes back in and fights with Savage. Savage puts Jake out with a high knee and follows to beat on Roberts. Undertaker goes under the bottom rope to attack Savage on the floor. UT throws Savage back into the ring. Heenan and Monsoon believe the rule is someone has to throw you out, so since Savage went over the top rope on his own power he’s still legal. However, that makes me question the Bossman elimination, because no one touched him before he hit the floor, he just missed a crossbody. Maybe the thinking there was he didn’t leave the ring intentionally.

The Berzerker is out and it’s mentioned how his specialty is throwing people to the floor. Heenan is spazzing out because Flair is fighting with everybody. Heenan: “Weasel you’re way out if you have to. I never thought I would say that.” Flair tries to suplex Savage from the apron, but Savage reverses. Piper and Undertaker work over Flair. Virgil runs out and attacks IRS. Flair works on Duggan. More random brawling as we have too many guys in the ring again. Undertaker attacks Flair and tries to throw him out. Col. Mustapha power walks to the ring, that’s the Iron Sheik incase you didn’t know. Piper does the mounted punches on Flair in the corner. UT nails Piper from behind and Savage goes back to Flair. Rick Martel is 25. He’s the record holder for longest time in, which Flair will shortly be passing. Savage tosses Mustapha. Next out is Hogan, who has won the past two Rumbles. He starts with Flair. Hogan eliminates Undertaker. Duggan and Virgil go together. Skinner is out. IRS saves Flair from elimination by Hogan. Heenan is begging and bartering with God for Flair to stay in there and win. Flair and Martel try to toss Piper. Flair then whips Hogan into the corner and he explodes out with a clothesline. Sgt. Slaughter is out and goes after Flair. It’s hard to believe that Slaughter won the title at the Rumble the year before. We’re at 55 minutes and Flair has the record for most time in. Martel tosses Skinner. Sid Justice is out. Justice stops Flair from working on Hogan and beats him down. Last man out is the Warlord.

Flair and Hogan fight on the floor. Justice slings Slaughter so hard into the corner he flies out of the ring. Hogan and Flair get back into the ring and Flair eats a big boot. IRS tries to toss Piper, but he holds onto the tie and yanks Schyster out. Hogan and Justice toss Warlord. Justice tosses Piper and Martel from behind as they duke it out. Justice follows with Savage. It’s the final three. Justice allows Hogan to go after Flair. Justice sneaks up from behind and flips Hogan over the ropes. Hogan grabs Sid’s arm and won’t let go, which allows Flair to go low and flip Justice out. Heenan just screams yes over and over again. Hogan chases Flair from the ring, but he doesn’t care. Hennig comes out to get Flair and Heenan leaves his post for the celebration. We get the post match segment of Tunney giving Flair the belt. Flair is telling you all with a tear in his eye that this is the greatest moment in his life. Heenan puts Flair over on his performance. Hennig says they’re not the kind of guys to say I told you so, but they told you so.

Gimmick Battle Royal
WrestleMania X7 (04.01.01)
Commentary By: Bobby Heenan & Gene Okerlund

Okerlund in a white tuxedo is out first. Heenan in black follows. Jim Ross and Paul Heyman are the main commentators. The participants are the Bushwhackers, Duke “the Dumpster” Droese, Iron Sheik (Heenan: “By the time the Sheik gets to the ring it’ll be Wrestlemania 38”), Earthquake, the Goon, Doink, Kamala with Harvey Whippleman and Kim-Chee, Repo Man, Jim Cornette, Nikolai Volkoff, Michael Hayes, One Man Gang, The Gobeldy Gooker (with a flashback to the Gooker’s debut), Tugboat Thomas, Hillbilly Jim, Brother Love and Sgt. Slaughter

The Bushwhackers lick Mean Gene before the match starts. Needless to say people are tossed left and right in rapid fire succession. Tossed in order are Repo Man, Gooker, Tugboat, Earthquake, Cornette, Droese, Goon, Volkoff, Butch, Luke, Doink, Hayes, OMG and Kamala. Jim tosses Slaughter as he’s tossing Brother Love. Sheik tosses Jim. Slaughter gets back in the ring and puts out the Sheik with the Cobra Clutch. Okerlund accuses Heenan of trying to pick pocket him as we fade out. The entrances were fun and that’s about it.

The 411: Those not familiar with Heenan will get a taste for his greatness, but longtime fans might be a bit disappointed. The main documentary was a bit light and generic without a lot of details or intricate stories to explore things as other WWE sets have had. The fact that someone once fired a gun at Heenan at a show is pretty much just mentioned in passing. The matches are what they are, but a few more could have been picked just to demonstrate Heenan’s commentary ability or managerial skills. The 1992 Royal Rumble is great, but it’s on the Flair set. The main reason to buy the DVD is the extras on disc one which are a nice collection of promos and segments which showcase Heenan at his best, but even still there is a lot more that could have been on here. Still, it’s a must own for any true mark of the Brain.

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]