It’s crazy how well the WWF built up primetime specials during this era, and The Main Event III review proves just that.
But there was a significant replacement to the main event, and many wondered if it would make a huge difference.
Let’s jump in.
Date: February 23, 1990
Location: Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, MI
VIDEO: Randy Savage hypes the big match before we cut to Buster Douglas getting instructions on how to referee the match. Then Hogan is in another dressing room saying he’s gonna beat Savage.
ON THE STAGE: Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura hype the matches and talk about how Mike Tyson pulled out as special referee for the main event since he was knocked out by Douglas.
BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene Okerlund with Savage and Sherri. He warns Douglas to call it down the middle. Sherri says Hogan vs. Warrior won’t happen because Savage will be champ.
BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene now with Hogan after Savage’s entrance. He also warns Douglas.
BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene with Douglas after Hogan’s entrance. Gene talks about him knocking out Tyson and gives an inspirational speech about overcoming odds. Douglas basically calls Tyson a coward and says he’ll call it down the middle before he fakes a punch at Gene.
‘Macho King’ Randy Savage (w/Sherri) vs. (c) Hulk Hogan – WWF Title with special referee Buster Douglas
Savage with a little stalling early as he goes to the outside. Hogan attempts to go after him but Douglas tells Hogan to keep it in the ring. Savage back in and he leaps over the top while racking Hogan’s head on the ropes. Savage hits the knee to the back to send Hogan to the floor, and then Savage tries to go up top but Douglas steps in front of Hogan. Savage doesn’t like that at all and Hogan sneaks back in and gets occupied with Sherri on the apron. That leads to Savage running towards Hogan, but he moves out of the way as Savage nails Sherri.
Right hands from Hogan and then a big clothesline. Elbow in the corner from Hogan and then he gets eight out of the usual 10 punches. Another elbow from Hogan and then a bodyslam. More elbows from Hogan and he starts punching Savage while Jesse loses his mind about closed fists. Hogan runs off the ropes but Sherri grabs his ankle, and the champ isn’t thrilled about that as he grabs Sherri by the hair. But that allows Savage to fly in and hit Hogan from behind. Savage then stays on offense and hits a clothesline for a two count.
Knee drop from Savage before he starts choking Hogan. The action goes to the corner where Savage uses the boot to choke Hogan. The referee gets occupied with Savage, and Sherri decides she’ll get a nice choke in on Hogan as well. Douglas comes over to break it up, and then he tells Sherri to hit the road and throws her out of the match. He chases her up the aisle to make sure she heads to the back. Savage locks in the sleeper hold while all of this is going on until Hogan elbows his way out of it.
Savage gets cocky and stands and poses with his foot on Hogan for a two count. Savage then jumps onto Hogan on the outside before hitting a double axe handle off the op inside the ring for another near fall. Another pin attempt gets a two and Hogan is back on the floor. Savage goes up to jump on him but Douglas stops it again. Savage takes things back inside where he hits the bodyslam and then hits the elbow off the top for a near fall. Hulk up time and Hogan nails Savage so hard that he knocks the referee over. Hogan drops the leg and Douglas slides in to count the pin at 11:14. Savage gets up immediately and starts pointing at Douglas. Savage gets in his face and slaps him, which leads to Hogan pushing Savage into Douglas for the big right hook. Fine match here.
• Rating: **3/4
BACKSTAGE: Jesse with Earthquake, Dino Bravo, and Jimmy Hart. Jesse congratulates Dino on already winning the Intercontinental title before the match even begins. Bravo says he’s gonna win, and Hart says Earthquake is the insurance policy.
BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene with The Ultimate Warrior. He asks Warrior if he has earthquake insurance. Warrior talks about insurance and brain waves, and man is he jacked.
Dino Bravo (w/Earthquake and Jimmy Hart) vs. (c) The Ultimate Warrior – Intercontinental Title
Warrior hits the ring and bodyslams Bravo right away. Warrior then flies off the top and nails Bravo again. Then Warrior goes for another top rope move but Earthquake grabs his foot. More shenanigans from Earthquake sends Warrior down, but Warrior decides to go under the ring. We see Hart then get pulled under there before he comes out pantless thanks to Warrior. Bravo eventually stops the attack as Hart goes running into the back. Earthquake also gets a few shots in for good measure.
The action goes back in the ring where Bravo locks in the bearhug. Warrior reverses into his own bearhug, but Bravo quickly reverses and hits a side slam for a two count. That doesn’t do much as Warrior goes back on offense and hits the shoulder block and splash for the victory at 4:11. Earthquake jumps in and they double team Warrior until Hogan comes in to make the save. He knocks Earthquake off the top rope and Warrior doesn’t seem too happy about it. Jesse points out that Hogan is just here to steal the thunder, and referees try to break them up but they keep pushing them out of the way. Another match that was there to push the WrestleMania main event.
• Rating: *
BACKSTAGE: Vince with Hogan. We get a replay of the stuff with Warrior, and Hogan says he’s gonna watch Warrior’s back because he wants him at his best for WrestleMania.
BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene with Warrior. He warns HO KOGAN and hypes the WrestleMania showdown.
BACKSTAGE: Mean Gene with Douglas after commercial. Douglas says he and Hogan are going out drinking. Well then.
SHOW SUMMARY
Fun little show that was focused entirely around hyping the Hogan/Warrior match. Douglas did a fine job in his role and really embraced it.
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