Summerslam 1991 Review

On this week's bonus Episode, Gus reviews the first ever WWF PPV he ever watched - Summerslam 1991.

Hear Gus talk about the match that made him a fan for life, who are his favourite tag teams of all time and much, much more.

Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Warrior v Sgt Slaughter, Col Mustafa, Gen Adnan (Sid Justice the special referee)
IRS v Greg Valentine
Legion of Doom v Nasty Boys (WWF Tag Team Titles)
Big Bossman v The Mountie (Jailhouse Match)
Ted DiBiase v Virgil (Million Dollar Title)
Natural Disasters v The Bushwhackers
Bret Hart v Mr Perfect (Intercontinental Title)
Ricky Steamboat, Kerry Von Erich & British Bulldog v Power and Glory & Warlord

Watch along on the WWE Network https://watch.wwe.com/episode/SummerSlam-1991-11807

Twitter http://www.twitter.com/retrowrestling4

Email - retroreviews@hotmail.com

Transcript

Welcome to another bonus episode of the Retro Wrestling Review podcast.  On today’s episode we are going to be reviewing Summerslam 1991, which was originally the plan for last week, but was postponed as I wanted to do a tribute episode for Mr Wonderful Paul Orndorff and review The Big Event from 1986.  If you missed that episode it is up in the archives.  Don’t forget too that there are weekly shows reviewing Mid Atlantic Wrestling in the archives and new episodes are up every Sunday.  We are getting close to having Mid South joining the shows too.  I believe that Mid South is now on Peacock and hopefully Mid Atlantic is uploaded soon so you can all follow along.  If you enjoy the show today, then please subscribe to the podcast, leave a review and tell a friend.  Lets get on with the show.

Summerslam 1991 from MSG 26 August 2021

I wanted to review this show as this was the first big show I ever saw and it helped make me a fan for life.  When the WWE Network launched back in 2014, this was the first show I went and watched.  I have fond memories of this show and hopefully it holds up in this review.

Commentators:  Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan & Roddy Piper

Ricky The Dragon Steamboat, Texas Tornado, British Bulldog v Warlord & Power and Glory.  Crowd is hot for the start of this show.  I love 6 man tag matches, its tough to have a bad one, as you can keep the pace going really fast.  And this one is no exception.  There is a lot of titles on the babyface team.  Both Dragon and Tornado are both former NWA World Champions and IC Champions, while Bulldog is a former tag champion and future IC Champion.  Steamboat starts off with Roma.  Roma’s athleticism is really underrated, he hits an incredible dropkick early on.  I could probably watch a singles match with Roma and Steamboat.  Hercules and Tornado both tag in, Von Erich gets a bit of shine before the Warlord and Bulldog get tagged in.  Crowd goes wild for this confrontation.  Bulldog knocks Warlord down with a shoulder block and two clotheslines, then follows up with his big suplex.  Steamboat tags in and misses the monkey flip and the heat segment begins.  Steamboat is perfect for this role, he sells perfectly but also makes little comebacks to keep the crowd into it.  Great simple wrestling here as they cut the ring in half and work over Steamboat.  Warlord goes up to the second rope for one of those 80s/early 90s spots of jumping off into someone’s boot, without it being obvious as to what he was going for.  Tornado gets the hot tag and cleans house, Warlord goes for a sunset flip while Bulldog gets the blind tag.  Great false finish as Warlord catches Bulldog coming off the ropes and then Tornado hits him with his discus punch.  A bit of miscommunication towards the finish means Roma has to kick out of Davey’s running powerslam, but then Steamboat gets the win with a perfect crossbody off the top rope to a giant pop.  Excellent opening match, exactly what you need on a big show.

Bret Hart v Mr Perfect for the IC title.  This is the match that made me a fan as a kid.  I have said previously that I am more into characters and promos than matches, and while that is true, I still love great wrestling.  I remember when I first saw this at 11 or 12 years old, and I would watch it over and over again thinking “this match is great, but I don’t know why”.  Mr Perfect is great in this match, as its his last match for well over a year due to a back injury and he puts Hart over like a million bucks.  The crowd do their part in this match, as do the commentators.  They start off the match working a headlock, while mixing in some high spots and near falls.  Storytelling is great here as Bret constantly out quicks and out wrestles Perfect.  Perfect gets the heat by slowing down the pace, keeping Bret on the outside.  Bret’s selling is similar to Steamboat, he likes to have little comebacks and hope spots.  Keeps the crowd into it.  Bret also take corner bumps like nobody else, running full force into them.  Perfect does the rolling neck snap, always loved that move.  Perfect showing frustration at not being able to finish Bret adds to the match too.  More great storytelling as Hart hit a crucifix earlier in the match, but goes for it again and gets countered this time.  Perfect goes for the Perfectplex but Bret kicks out.  That starts Bret’s comeback.  Bret hits a picture perfect suplex for a two count, followed by a small package and a Russian legsweep.  Going for pins too after the moves because he wants to win.  Hart starts working on the leg, setting up for the sharpshooter.  He goes to apply it but Coach gets up on the apron and Bret nails him, which allows Perfect to hit the low blow.  Perfect starts dropping legs on Bret which Bret counters into the sharpshooter for the submission win.  This match still holds up after 30 years.  Best part of the show is next as Al Hayes tries to interview Stu Hart in the crowd.  He asks Stu how he feels and once Stu starts to reply, Hayes pulls the mic away from him and says he is speechless.  I’ll never stop laughing at that.

Mean Gene backstage with the Bushwhackers and Andre the Giant.  Andre is going to be in the corner of the Bushwhackers.  They show a clip of Earthquake injuring the leg of Andre.  

Bushwhackers v Natural Disasters.  This match was set up when Tugboat turned heel on the Bushwhackers in a 6 man tag against Earthquake and the Nasty Boys.  Tugboat then became Typhoon.  The Disasters are one of my favourite tag teams of all time.  I just love fat guy wrestlers, especially in squash matches.  Wrestling is missing big fat guys these days.  This is the typical big man/little man match.  Butch uses his quickness to get away from Typhoon, then bites him on his arse.  Whackers then use Earthquake as a battering ram to take out Typhoon and then hit a double clothesline on Earthquake.  Disasters get the heat on Butch.  Again the psychology is on point as Disasters use their size and strength to dominate.  During the match, Heenan leaves the commentary desk to go backstage to challenge Hulk Hogan on Ric Flair’s behalf.  Luke gets the hot tag.  Bushwhackers use the battering ram on both Disasters.  Earthquake squashes Luke up against Typhoon then hits the Earthquake splash for the win.  It was fine for what it was.  After the match the Disasters go to take out Andre but LOD come out for the save, setting up their feud.  

Backstage to Bobby Heenan at Hogan’s dressing room door.  He has the NWA Title with him.  He challenges Hogan to face Ric Flair.  Hogan slams the door in Heenan’s face.

Ted Dibiase v Virgil, for the Million Dollar belt.  Sherri is looking hot tonight.  Vigil is over big and starts off quick against Dibiase.  This is the peak of Virgil’s career.  Once his feud with DiBiase was over there wasn’t much else you could do with him.  Then he starts wearing those long tights with the red and white stripes that look like pyjamas and that was it for him.  Dibiase works over Virgil, but then Virgil gets the million dollar dream on Dibiase which causes Sherri to come in and hit Virgil with her purse for the DQ.  That causes the crowd to die.  Finkel makes an announcement though that the ref said he isn’t going to call for a DQ, he instead wants Sherri to be banned from ringside and that the match must continue.  This brings the crowd back to life.  Both guys are back up and Virgil takes the advantage.  Referee ends up getting bumped in the corner.  Dibiase jaws with Piper while working over Virgil with suplexes and a piledriver.  Piper is perfect on commentary here.  Gets the visual pin but there is no referee.  DiBiase takes off the turnbuckle pad, he goes to ram Virgil’s head in it but Virgil reverses and its DiBiase who goes into the steel.  Both guys are down and the ref starts a very slow 10 count.  Virgil manages to crawl across to cover DiBiase for the pin and a giant pop.  Its amazing that fans like to see babyfaces prevail.  

Big Bossman v The Mountie in a jailhouse match.  The loser has to spend the night in jail.  I love the Mountie character.  He is just so over the top.  Jacques Rougeau deserves a ton of credit, as he went full in with this character.  Its also the perfect story between these two gimmicks too, a good cop v a bad cop.  Some things just need to be kept simple.  Bossman starts the match off with a perfect right hand.  Bossman looks so much smaller than he did when he debuted in 1988, looks like he has dropped at least 150lbs.  The crowd are a bit quiet here, but they have expended a lot of energy tonight with Bret Hart and Virgil’s title wins already.  Mountie hits a great flying elbow, that’s probably his best looking move.  Jimmy Hart distracts the referee so he can use the cattle prod, but Bossman moves then begins his comeback.  He hits his Bossman Slam but only gets a two count.  Mountie goes for a piledriver but Bossman counters with a big powerbomb/spinebuster combo for the win.  NY police run down to the ring and handcuff the Mountie and drag him backstage to the police van.  Mountie is playing this perfectly with his screaming and goes off to jail.  

Its intermission time in the building, so we get a ton of interviews with Mean Gene and Sean Mooney.  We hear from Ted DiBiase, Bret Hart, Natural Disasters, Big Bossman, and Randy Savage.

We then go to the Mountie arriving at the police station.  Still screaming his head off.  Then its an interview with Jimmy Hart and the Nasty Boys, before we head back to the Mountie in jail getting ready to have his mugshot taken  He refuses to lift his head until the police woman says ‘I guess the Bossman beat your butt then?’ That makes Mountie look up and shout ‘What?!’ just in time for his picture to be taken.

An interview with the Legion of Doom is followed by another trip to the jail to see the Mountie being fingerprinted.  Policeman asks Mountie to give him his finger, to which the Mountie replies ‘You want the finger, there’s the finger’ and flips him the bird, which I assume is the first time that happened on WWF TV.

Sgt Slaughter, Col Mustafa & Gen Adnan are interviewed, and Slaughter hints at a surprise featuring Sid Justice later tonight.  Justice is then interviewed by Mean Gene and they show a clip of Slaughter’s group trying to recruit Justice.

Legion of Doom v Nasty Boys for the tag team titles, no countout, no DQ.  Piper refers to Knobbs as ‘Big Bird’.  Giant pop for LOD.  LOD attack before the bell, take both Nasties outside.  Animal nearly ends is early with a powerbomb, but Sags makes the save.  Nasties get the advantage by spraying something into the eyes of Hawk.  This sort of match suits both teams, Nasties are sloppy as hell but are great brawlers.  They cut off Hawk, but despite the no DQ stip, Animal is standing on the outside waiting for the tag.  Nasties hit their big splash in the former followed by the elbow off the top by Saggs finisher, but Animal makes the save.  Hawk catches Knobbs coming off the ropes with a boot to the face and gets the hot tag to Animal.  Animal runs wild and then it turns into the usual 4 way.  Nasties take out Animal with the crash helmet, it ends up outside with Jimmy Hart, a boot to the gut by Hawk takes out Jimmy, Knobbs gets hit with the helmet and then LOD hit the doomsday device on Saggs and we have new champions.  Another gigantic pop for the victory, this crowd has been incredible all night long.  LOD become the first team to win WWF, NWA and AWA tag team champions.  They might still be the only ones to win those three.

Back to the jail and the Mountie tries to escape but doesn’t get far and is put into a cell.  Mountie has been excellent in these skits.

IRS v Greg Valentine.  This isn’t much of a match, but its perfect for the card.  The crowd has been up for everything on the show, there has been a ton of babyface wins, three title changes and I think the Natural Disasters are the only heels who have gone over tonight, so they need to be brought down and have a breather before the main event.  And to their credit, these guys do an amazing job of bringing down the crowd.  IRS wins by countering a figure 4 into a small package, that’s about all you can say.

Backstage to Mean Gene with Hulk Hogan and the Ultimate Warrior.  No way you can transcribe an interview with those two, but I’ll go over the background, that you probably already know about why this is Warrior’s final appearance with WWF for 6 months or so….

Sgt Slaughter, Col Mustafa, Gen Adnan v Hulk Hogan & Ultimate Warrior with Sid Justice as the special guest referee.  Justice comes out first, the story here is will Sid be a babyface or heel.  Sid is one of those guys who just looks like a star.  Sid is guy who would have been a perfect opponent for Brock Lesnar if this was 15 years later.  The triangle of terror come out next and Sarge and Justice go face to face.  Warrior out next, to a decent pop but not his biggest.  Hogan gets a much bigger pop.  Hogan’s star power is something you can’t really compare to anyone else at this time.  Hogan was just perfect for the time period, a real life super hero.  Hogan and Slaughter start out.  Slaughter tries to use a belt, but Justice stops him.  Sarge takes a face first corner bump better than anyone.  Slaughter is bumping all over the place for Warrior and Hogan early on, taking a hell of a beating.  Tension between Hogan and Justice as Sid breaks up Hogan choking in the corner, that allows Sarge to poke Hogan in the eye and make the tag.  Adnan is in with some back rakes and stomps then tags out to Mustafa who puts Hogan in the camel clutch, which Warrior breaks up.  Slaughter whips Hogan into Sid who doesn’t budge, they look eye to eye just to keep the tension going.  Slaughter goes up top to drop a knee to Hogan’s back, but Warrior pushes him off.  Hogan makes the hot tag to Warrior who cleans house on Slaughter with shoulder blocks and clotheslines until he runs into Justice.  This allows Slaughter to cut off Warrior for another heat segment.  Slaughter is having to carry the load for his team as Mustafa and especially Adnan are useless at this point.  A flying clothesline by Warrior lets Hogan get the hot tag and he cleans house.  Warrior chases Adnan and Mustafa to the back with a chair and that is the last week see of him until Wrestlemania 8.  Hogan hits Slaughter with a face full of powder and a leg drop for the win.  Hogan is celebrating and posing in the ring then motions for someone to come out from the back.  That of course is Sid Justice and he comes out and poses with Hogan to end the show.  Well, there is one more clip of the Mountie in the jail, where he gets hit on by a stereotypical gay guy, because its 1991 after all.  Wouldn’t get away with that nowadays.

This was a fun show and still holds up from when I first watched it as a kid.  Bret Hart v Mr Perfect is an all time classic match.  For all the other matches, the right people went over and the crowd went home happy.

I hope you have enjoyed this bonus episode, next week we will be continuing with one of my other favourite shows from 1991 which is Battle Royal at the Royal Albert Hall.  This was a UK exclusive show back in the day, but its up on the Network but I’m not too sure how many non Brits have watched it.  It’s a fun show, so hopefully you will enjoy it.  I have already had some requests for other shows to be reviewed and they will be coming in future weeks.  There will also be another episode coming this Sunday of our retro review of Mid Atlantic Wrestling, so remember to tune in for that.

If you have enjoyed this show then please subscribe, leave a review and tell a friend.  Thanks again for listening, take care of yourself and I will speak to you all soon.