WWE Vintage Collection TV Report #24 – November 16^th, 2008

Shown on Sky Sports 3 in the U.K.

By Stephen Lyon.

This Week: The build up to the Survivor Series continued, with a look back at the 1990 and 1991 ppv shows.

Introduction:

Mean Gene Okerlund opened the show. This week, the look back at previous Survivor Series pay-per-views continued, with one match from the fourth annual Survivor Series, held on November 22^nd, 1990 in Hartford, Connecticut; and two matches featured from the fifth annual Survivor Series, held on November 27^th, 1991 in Detroit, Michigan.

1) The Visionaries (Rick Martel & The Warlord & Power & Glory) defeated The Vipers (Jake Roberts & Superfly Jimmy Snuka & The Rockers), when the entire Visionaries team became the sole survivors – the first time in Survivor Series history that a whole team ‘survived’. The announcers for this match were Gorilla Monsoon and Rowdy Roddy Piper. Before the match, Okerlund gave the back story behind the Roberts-Martel feud, explaining how weeks beforehand, Martel had blinded Roberts with his Arrogance cologne on the Brother Love Show, and how Roberts had battled back from near blindness to seek retribution. Roberts even wore one white contact lens during this match, still selling the effects of the attack. Another interesting aspect of this match was that a young Shane McMahon (not acknowledged by name or identity on camera) was visible, working as a referee outside the ring during this match. First person eliminated in this match was Marty Jannetty, who Warlord powerslammed and pinned. Snuka tried to gain retribution, but attempted a top rope splash on Martel, and Martel caught him and turned his attempt into a power slam before pinning him. Next, Power & Glory destroyed Shawn Michaels, even combining to give him their Power Plex finisher before pinning him. This left Roberts alone against the four heels. He battled valiantly against the Warlord, even managing to hit the DDT on him, before the referee was distracted by Power & Glory, and Martel sprayed Arrogance on Roberts, behind the referee’s back. Roberts responded by unleashing Damian the snake out of the bag, and chased Martel to the back with his snake. Roberts was counted out, and the entire Visionaries team were announced as the winners.

Next came a video feature on the infamous ‘hatching of the egg’, the debut of the Gobbledy Gooker. WWE made fun of their own lameness in this look back, playing mysterious music whilst clips aired of the various hype for it in the weeks leading up to the show, then when the Gooker emerged from the egg, playing the sound of crickets chirping. They aired some brief clips of Okerlund dancing with the Gooker, backed by some comedic music, before they returned to the studio, where Okerlund was eating scrambled eggs. In a nice segueway, Okerlund said, “From one of the worst WWE debuts in history, to one of the greatest”, and introduced a short video based on the Undertaker’s debut at the 1990 Survivor Series.

On to the Survivor Series 1991, where the announcers for the next two matches were Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan.

2) Big Bossman & Legion of Doom defeated I.R.S. & the Natural Disasters, when Legion of Doom became the survivors for their team. This became a 3-on-3 elimination match when Randy Savage and Jake Roberts – captains of the respective teams – were pulled from the match due to the snake biting angle that had occurred on tv the previous weekend. Savage was selling the injury and Roberts had been suspended by Jack Tunney for his heinous actions. This wasn’t much of a match. First elimination occured when I.R.S. nailed Bossman with his briefcase, behind the referee’s back and pinned him. I.R.S. tried a briefcase shot on Hawk a few minutes later, but missed and accidentally nailed Typhoon, who was then pinned by Hawk. Earthquake was really mad at I.R.S. for laying out his tag team partner, and walked out on him, leaving I.R.S. all alone.  The Legion of Doom then quickly finished off I.R.S., with Hawk pinning him after a top rope clothesline. Bobby Heenan was hilarious during this match, talking about how he, Flair and Perfect would be flying to Beverly Hills after the show for Thanksgiving dinner at his house, and how Heenan planned to charge his own mother $5 to attend the dinner.             

3) Ric Flair & Ted DiBiase & The Mountie & The Warlord defeated Rowdy Roddy Piper & Bret Hart & Davey Boy Smith & Virgil, when Ric Flair became the sole survivor. This was an interesting match, with lots of cool match ups. Piper & Flair, and Hart & DiBiase in particular worked well together. First elimination came when Smith press-slammed the Mountie, but Flair came off the top rope behind the referee’s back and nailed Smith with a double axe handle, and pinned him. Piper squared off against Flair, and it was the highlight of the entire match, in particular Piper putting the figure four on Flair. DiBiase broke up the hold, and put Piper in a spinning toe hold of his own. Piper sold for a while, with Mountie putting a Boston crab on him, before Virgil made the save and threw some punches. Warlord was the next to be eliminated, when Hart nailed him from behind, and Piper pinned him. Finish was something of a major disappointment, as all the wrestlers bar Flair brawled around the ringside area, and the referee disqualified everyone except Flair for brawling, leaving Flair as the winner and sole survivor. Piper chased him from the ring, as the faces celebrated in the ring despite losing. Looking back, this was a really cheap finish.  

Closing thoughts: I enjoyed this week’s show, although not as much as last week. I think some of the match choices could have been better here. For example, for Survivor Series 1990, they could have had the Ultimate Warrior’s team vs Mr Perfect’s team match, though I realise Warrior is clearly persona non grata at the moment. For 1991, I’m surprised they never aired Undertaker defeating Hogan for the title, particularly in place of the Bossman & LOD vs I.R.S. & Disasters match. Still, these are relatively minor quibbles, on an otherwise enjoyable show.  

Match Results:

1) The Visionaries (Rick Martel & The Warlord & Power & Glory) defeated The Vipers (Jake Roberts & Superfly Jimmy Snuka & The Rockers), when the entire Visionaries became the sole survivors (Hartford, C.T.: 22/11/90).

2) Big Bossman & Legion of Doom defeated I.R.S. & the Natural Disasters, when Legion of Doom became the survivors for their team (Detroit, M.I.: 27/11/91).

3) Ric Flair & Ted DiBiase & The Mountie & The Warlord defeated Rowdy Roddy Piper & Bret Hart & Davey Boy Smith & Virgil, when Ric Flair became the sole survivor (Detroit, M.I.: 27/11/91).

Please note: I DO NOT sell DVDs or tapes of any of these shows. Sorry!

I hope you enjoyed this week’s report. For other reports like this one, be sure to check it out my website archive at http://www.classicwrestlingreports.com .

It’s no longer updated, but this website carries all of my previous WWE Classics tv reports that have been featured on the old WrestlingObserver.com website.

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Until next week, have a good week.

Stephen Lyon,
St Helens, England, U.K.