The Outbreak Flashback-Royal Rumble '88
With all of the hype that the Royal Rumble is getting, as it does every year, I thought it was only fitting that I write a review on the first one. I didn't even know there was a Royal Rumble in 1988 until I saw it on someone's tape list. It was aired on the USA network on January 30, 1988. It was quite different from all of the other rumbles in the fact that not many of the "superstars" of that time competed in it. Also, only 20 men were involved. The main pupose of this show was to hype the Hulk Hogan-Andre the Giant rematch.
The Show opens with Vince McMahon and Jesse "The Body" Ventura, as they will be our commentators. After hearing them speak a few words, they send it to Howard Finkel. The first match is "Ravishing" Rick Rude, who has different music than his usual WWF music, against Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. It's all brawling maneuvers early and surprisingly Steamboat is winning. Rude coaxes Steamboat into a test of strength, though, and takes him to his knees. The Dragon is able to turn it into an armbar which he holds for quite awhile. When Rude is able to escape it, he hits a few moves before Steamboat is able to go back to the armbar. The Ravishing one gets out of it again and knocks Steamboat to the outside. He brings him back in via a suplex and then puts Steamboat into a chinlock. He is able to hold this for awhile before Steamboat stands up with Rude on his shoulders. After they fall down, Rude goes back to the chinlock. This time Steamboat reaches the ropes and Rude has to let go. Then Rude puts him
into a headlock, which is quickly reversed into headscissors by Steamboat. This prompts a flurry of pin attempts within a short time span. Finally, Steamboat goes to the top to hit the flying crossbody, but Rude pulls the referee into his path, so the ref is the one who take the crossbody. Now Rude puts Steamboat into a backbreaker submission, and apparently Steamboat submits. As Rude is leaving, Howard Finkel announces that Steamboat won by Disqualification. Rude is pissed and jawing with the referee as the show goes to a commercial.
As the show comes back, Jesse Ventura and Gene Okerlund are now by a weightlifting bench. Dino Bravo is going to try to break the world bench press record of 705 lbs. Bravo says that he thinks it will be tough, but that he can do it, or else he wouldn't be here. Ventura, who will be his spotter, explains why Bravo has to do things like powder his hands. He first tries to lift 415 lbs., which is to warm up. Bravo says that he needs total silence, and the crowd boos. Okerlund then asks for the crowd to respect his wishes. They don't, but Bravo benchpresses the 415 ten times anyway. Once he finishes, they go to adding 90 lbs., making it 505 lbs. Bravo again asks for silence, and Ventura yells at McMahon, "shut these idiots up!" Bravo then lifts the 505 lbs. eight times. Frenchy Martin rambles on in French, but no one seems to care. Okerlund says that it must add a lot of pressure to do this in front of a live audience. Now they add another 50 lbs. to the bar, making a total of 555 lbs. Bravo is
very upset that the crowd won't shut up. Ventura tells them, "Whether you like the guy or not, give him a chance." Dino then lifts the 555 lbs. five times, as it still appears pretty easy. Dino says he feels pretty good, but needs less noise because it's getting heavy now. They add another 40 lbs. to make it 595 lbs. The crowd continues to boo, and Okerlund again asks for silence. Bravo benches the 595 lbs. three times, and is starting to sweat pretty good. As Frenchy starts to ramble off more French, Gene tells him that he knows he can speak English, enough is enough. They add another 70 lbs. to the bar, so the total is now 655 lbs., a mere 50 lbs. off the world record. Ventura accuses McMahon of inciting the crowd. Bravo lifts it once, and it appears as though he made have had a bit of trouble since the bar dipped on the right just a tad. The bar was bending, so there must be at least some legit weight on there. Jesse comments on how he has never even benched that much. As they add more weight
they bring the total to 715 lbs., 10 lbs. more than the world record. Jesse says it's unofficial because the bar has to be weighed. The crowd is finally silent when Gene reminds them to be quiet, causing them to boo again. The crowd continues to be noisy, so Bravo begins to leave. Ventura again tells the fans to give him a chance. Bravo comes back, and starts to lift it, but can't seem to do it. This causes Jesse to help him a little bit. Ventura denies the help, so Okerlund says that for now it is indeed an unofficial world benchpress record. That prompts another commercial break.
As we come back, the ladies' tag team champions, The Glamour Girls, are in the ring. They are defending their titles against the Jumping Bomb Angels in a two out of three falls matchup. Vince lays into Jesse, accusing him of helping Dino Bravo. Jesse says that Vince knows nothing about legal lifgts, and that he didn't touch the bar until Bravo's arms were locked out. The JBAs are now in the ring and start things
off by dropkicking the Glamour Girls. The Glamours, however, quickly gain control. The match goes back and forth pretty good for awhile. Eventually one of the Angels puts Leilani Kai into an Abdominal Stretch. Judy Martin tries to kick the Angel, but kicks Kai by mistake. Then the JBAs both put Figure Fours on the Glamour Girls. The JBAs continue to work on the legs. The Glamour Girls regain control when a tag is made. Judy Martin attempts a powerbomb, but the Angel's momentum takes her over Judy Martin and she lands on her stomach. Martin makes the pin to win the first fall for The Glamour Girls. After a commercial break, the second fall begins. The Glamour Girls are in control, then Judy Martin misses a splash, and the JBAs are able to take control. Later, the Glamour Girls clothesline each other. Eventually, Martin tries for another powerbomb, but again the Angel's momentum takes her over. However, instead of landing on her stomach, she lands on her back and sunset flips Martin for the
pinfall. It is now tied at one fall apiece. The Angels start off strong in the third fall, but Leilani Kai is able to grab the advantage. Her and Martin continue to work over the same Angel, focusing on the neck. Martin hits her with an impressive underhook suplex. The Angel gets the tag, but it doesn't help any, as she gets caught in the Glamour Girls's corner. When the JBAs gain control, they go for a doubleteam maneuver. One does a bodyslam as the other jumps from the top rope and connects with a knee to the stomach. This only gets a two count. A gutwrench with a bridge gets a slow two count. A few more pin attempts are made by the Angels. Finally, an Angel misses a backsplash from the top, but only loses control for a moment. Both Angels make their way to the top, and execute a double dropkick on Judy Martin. The get the three count, and are the new champs. Jesse says that when making the cover, one of the Angels hooked Martin's arm, raising her shoulder off the mat, but Vince insists that
the shoulderblade is down.
They come back from a commercial break and show hilights from Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant at Wrestlemania III. Vince and Jesse agree that there was some controversy. Right at the beginning of the match, Hogan goes for a bodyslam, but Andre falls on him. It was a two count, but Jesse thinks it was three. Vince says he thinks that the ref put his hand down a third time to lift himself off of the mat. Then they cut to The Million Dollar Man saying he will buy the belt. Hogan a week or two later says Hell No! DiBiase says Hogan has a price, and that he will get it (was he ever right...). Maybe not now, but he will get it. He says he WILL buy the belt. Vince says that Hogan doesn't have a price, but Andre does. Jesse thinks Hogan has made a mistake. They then show Andre coming in from behind on Saturday Night's Main Event and choking out the Hulkster. Jesse then calls Hogan a fool. He says that he could have been a multi-millionaire, but chose that choke out
instead. They then show DiBiase asking Andre if he will deliver the title. Andre, of course, says he will, and he will enjoy it. Then we go to present as Andre, DiBiase, and Virgil make their way to ringside for the official signing of the rematch. Okerlund says this is the official signing for the rematch on February 5, 1988 for the WWF Title. Real American begins to play, and Hogan enters the ring pointing at both Andre and DiBiase. Andre looks very calm as he has his hands in his pockets and just rocks against the ropes. Hogan, however, looks concerned as he sits down. Ted looks happy. Jack Tunney says the he is ready to get on with it. Andre just continues to rock on the ropes. Tunney and Okerlund both tell him to sit down, but he keeps rocking on the ropes. Then DiBiase says something to him, so Andre heads for his seat. Vince and Jesse wonder how much Bobby Heenan got for Andre's contract. Before Andre sits, he makes a choking motion with his hands. Finally, he sits. He looks huge
compared to the table. DiBiase asks Hogan why he is hesitating, and pisses off Hogan by saying he is getting cold feet. He also says it is a career ending contract for Hulk. Hogan then enthusiastically signs. Ted laughs and says Andre will have all of the money, and he will have the belt, bought and payed for. Andre leafs through the contract. Hogan looks both concerned and pissed at the same time. Andre keeps looking calm as he continues to look through the contract. DiBiase tells Tunney, Okerlund, and Hogan to shut up when they tell Andre to hurry up. He says that Andre is savoring the moment. Andre takes forever, but finally signs it. Then, DiBiase tells him to put his stamp of approval on it. Andre slams Hogan's head into the table, and then dumps the table over, Hogan still on it. They leave with smiles on their faces.
Go To Part 2
