WWF 1989-Managerial Armageddon | BetheBooker (2024)

Main Show:

Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan welcome us to another edition of Prime Time Wrestling. Gorilla is excited to see the Ultimate Warrior in action and can't wait to see the tag team title match! The Brain says "Monsoon how can you not be excited at the prospect of Mr Perfect finally knocking some sense into that bird-brain Koko? You know I heard that bird of his beat him in a game of checkers last night!" Gorilla sighs and says "Lets just go to the footage of the Brainbusters match, a few nights back in the Boston Garden. I'm curious to see how they handle having the unpredictable Barbarian as their teammate!" The Brain pipes up, "If Tully and Arn are as smart as I think they are, they'll let him do all the work and take the night off!"

At first The Brainbusters are a little reluctant to tag Barbarian in, because they can't be sure he can be trusted. This changes however when the Blue Blazer starts becoming a bit of an annoyance for Tully with him countering a couple of moves and showing off his aerial prowess, tiring the former West Texas State alum. Tully tags Barbarian in and tells him to "have at it" Well 'at it' he certainly does have, pretty much destroying Casey and Iron Mike. The Blazer provides a tougher challenge for even the Barbarian to take on but all the tricks in the young masked wrestlers playbook aren't enough to save him from the sheer power of his opponent. Barbarian takes the wind out of the youngster with a powerslam, then nearly knocks his head off with a big boot. Being a little co*cky now, Tully blind tags Barbarian and covers with a foot on his prone opponent for a 3 count. Luckily for the Brainbuster, the Barbarian was occupied by beating up Scott Casey some more. In any case, it's another win in the books for all 3 men.

Winners: The Brainbusters & the Barbarian
Grade: C

We cut back to the studio and it appears that tonight's guest, Ted DiBiase has finally arrived. Gorilla Monsoon jokingly asks him "Mr DiBiase, where's your late note?" Bobby Heenan looks horrified and says "Ted DiBiase is one of the wealthiest men that's ever graced the squared circle and like all rich men with a bit of class, he was just being fashionably late!" The Million Dollar Man says he appreciates The Brain's understanding and lets it be known that he's mostly here to scout that troublesome Hercules, because he plans on winning the Rumble to press his claims for a title shot and he doesn't want that disloyal trash getting in his way. Gorilla tries objecting on Hercules behalf, which starts his broadcast partner arguing against the big man and for DiBiase, eventually the broadcast just cuts to the next match, featuring the return of Harley Race to the ring.

The former King certainly hasn't lost a step, throwing around Horner without a care and completely outwrestling him. He seemed to be wanting to make a statement though and kept punishing Horner, before finally ending things with a piledriver. Race gets on the microphone after the decisive win and says "Lesser men than me would have DIED after what I've been through this last year! They certainly wouldn't ever have gotten back into the ring but I am not like most men. I am THE man!" Race pauses and paces a little, composing himself. "There's someone out there, a former champion of the World Wrestling Federation, that thinks he's a man but I say HE'S A COWARD! He took me out, tried to end my career but I'm BACK and HULK HOGAN I AM COMING FOR YOU!"

Winner: Harley Race
Grade: C

"Strong words from a strong and tough individual, the former king of the World Wrestling Federation, Harley Race. It's good to see him back in action but maybe aiming straight away for fighting the Hulkster is not the smartest idea there Brain." says Gorilla Monsoon as the cameras cut back to the studio. Bobby Heenan is clearly indignant at what he feels is a slight against the Harley Race "How can you question a man like Harley Race Monsoon? What has Hogan ever faced that has been as life changing as Mr Race's battles with his own body over the last year? It doesn't surprise me that Harley Race himself is the only man on earth tough enough to take out Harley Race!" Ted DiBiase starts laughing, which takes both host by surprise "As far as I'm concerned if Race and Hogan want to fight each other, then neither of them is challenging Savage and that makes it all the easier for myself to win the World Wrestling Federation Championship! I say to both men, break a leg! AHAHAHHAHAHA!" Gorilla Monsoon then cuts in and says "Well we have to get to the next match immediately and it should be a good one, Mr Perfect taking on the Birdman Koko B Ware!"

The start of the match was most noticeable for the pop Koko got on his entrance, he seems to be super over in Boston. Riding that momentum, he kept up with Mr Perfect with regards to mat wrestling and started to pull ahead with his quickness. The problem sometimes with being over with the crowd, leads to you taking risks to impress them and Koko was guilty of this, going to the top for some spectacular maneuver but he ended up eating canvas when Perfect dodged. Knowing his opponent is quick, Perfect starts to target his knees and this obviously slows the Birdman down a fair bit. A couple of crisp suplexes and it's looking like another victory for the undefeated Mr Perfect. Just when the Birdman was about to be put away with the perfect-plex, he counters into a facebuster! Urging the crowd to get behind him, which they do, Koko heads up top and looks to finish Perfect off with a spectacular dropkick. This time he actually hits it but he is unable to take advantage as his already weakened legs give out on him when he tries to stand. They both get to their feet and exchange a few lefts and rights before Perfect aims a kick square at Koko's left knee and quickly connects with the perfect-plex for the finish to a well fought contest.

Winner: Mr Perfect
Grade: C+

"Well a good win for Mr Perfect there, against a game Koko B Ware." Gorilla Monsoon enthuses, as the broadcast comes back from a short commercial break. "Game? That birdbrained birdman kept going to the top rope like he was some kind of dumb pirate's parrot looking for the crows nest and Mr Perfect was just the man to help him walk the plank!" quips Bobby Heenan. "Well I wasn't aware we were being sponsored by the Pirates of Penzance stage play here on Prime Time this week but to the cast and crew, I hope you got your monies worth from the Brain!" Bobby Heenan stares at his broadcast partner "You're a strange man Monsoon." Ted DiBiase looks at both men, looking a little unsure of what exactly they are going on about. He then mutters to himself, "I wish we'd hurry up and get to the Hercules match already....I've got stocks that I need to check on!"

If you thought you've seen domination in a WWE match on Prime Time before, you are very much mistaken. The Brawler, to his credit, immediately jumped the Warrior when he was getting into the ring but the IC champion shrugged off the blows, staggered the Brawler with a hard right and then knocks him down with a clothesline. The IC champ then picks his opponent up and press slams him, before finishing him off with a running splash. The Warrior is met in the ring by Tony Schiavone who bravely asks him "I gotta know, the fans have been asking Warrior, you are one of the most intense individuals any of us have ever seen.....are you ever able to turn it off and just relax after a match?" The Warrior paces around a little, before roughly grabbing the microphone "AM I EVER ABLE TO COME DOWN TO THAT NORMAL LEVEL OF CONCIOUSNESS? NEVER! I CAN NOT LET MY GUARD DOWN, NOR MY DEFENSES DOWN FOR ONE SECOND! I LIVE INTRAVENOUSLY ON THE POWER OF THE GODS FROM HEAVEN ABOVE! THE SAME GODS THAT HAVE TESTED ME TIME AND AGAIN! THE SAME GODS THAT HAVE DEEMED IT NECESSARY FOR ME TO REPRESENT THEIR POWER THROUGH THIS GOLDEN BELT I HOLD IN MY WARRIOR ARMS! COME WITH ME ALL MY WARRIORS AND WE WILL TRIUMPH OVER EVIL ALWAYS!" He then does that Warrior snort that kinda freaks Schiavone out, before the broadcast cuts to a commercial.

The smiling face of Gorilla Monsoon welcomes us back to the broadcast "Welcome back to Prime Time Wrestling WWF fans, that was an impressive win there from the Intercontinental Champion and followed up with another unique promo." Bobby Heenan looks at him like he'd just sprouted an extra head "Unique? The man's plain NUTS Monsoon, they should lock him up!" Ted DiBiase chimes in. "Personally I don't have a problem with the man! He's obviously a lunatic, with no class and dignity but he's keeping to his corner of the WWF and he's keeping wrestlers busy that might otherwise be getting in my way! So he can stay defending the Intercontinental Title against all challengers and I'll focus on what's important to me, getting the World Heavyweight Title off of that undeserving and so called Macho Man Randy Savage!" Sounding a little indignant, Gorilla responds "Well that....undeserving man is our World Wrestling Federation Champion and he got that belt by beating you, may I add Mr DiBiase!" Before we can hear a response from the Million Dollar Man, Bobby Heenan interrupts. "As much I'd love for you to slap some respect and sense into my broadcast colleague, Hercules match is up now." Ted DiBiase's expression brightens and he turns to the monitor. The Brain then whispers "Behave Monsoon, you're embarrassing me!"

Boris Zhukov was up for this and he kind of needed to be, with both his poor win/loss record of late and also considering the astonishing strength of his opponent. He seemed to be working the ribs of Hercules, probably thinking a cracked rib would cause even a god to fall. For his part, when Hercules got some offense in he didn't seem to care where he hit, as long as it hurt Zhukov. A turning point came when Zhukov charged at Hercules and was met with a boot to the face. He staggers back to the ropes and was sent to the outside with a clothesline. Hercules and Zhukov brawl on the outside, with the new fan favourite in control. We see the Iron Sheik in the crowd again and he appears to be trying to distract Hercules. It turned out to be a ploy to keep him out of the ring and give Zhukov a chance to sneak back inside for a cheap countout victory but it failed when Hercules made it back in the ring at 9. He may have beaten the count but Zhukov at least made sure he didn't have a chance to regain momentum and after a particularly stiff looking clothesline, the Russian looked to finish Hercules off with a diving headbutt. Much to The Iron Sheik's dismay in the crowd, it didn't land and Zhukov knocked himself loopy. He made it to his feet but Hercules was behind him and bam! Full nelson is locked in, for the win!

Winner: Hercules
Grade: C

Back to the studio and appears Ted Dibiase is in a bit of a foul mood. "That Russian moron.....how can you lose to that traitorous nobody? You could have taken him out for me and I'd have even rewarded you for it....but you LOST, you left him standing and you LOST!" Gorilla Monsoon interrupts, "I'm interested in what business the Iron Sheik has with the Bolsheviks. Is he coming back to manage them? Does he want another run at the WWF title and he wants them as his stooges or something?" Now Bobby Heenan interrupts "Well I'd be all for another run for the Iron Sheik, I like his style! If he wants to flex his managerial muscles though, he should take some advice from a pro and get himself some winners because the Bolsheviks aren't doing a lot of that lately!" The Million Dollar Man then stands up, "I've got more important things to do with my time than be interrupted and disrespected! Good day!" DiBiase storms out of the studio and The Brain turns to his co-host "See what you've done now Monsoon, you've upset our guest!" Gorilla shakes his head, "Will you stop!"

The crowd reaction of the night was to the tag team champions but it didn't distract them at all, as they were pure business. Blunting any early confidence and enthusiasm from their co*cky canadian challengers with their powerful yet controlled offence, it was a classic display of championship calibre tag team wrestling from Demolition. Of course as has been the case for the Rougeau's ever since their slide to the dark side, they are not above cheating when things don't go their way. At one point Raymond gets a near fall on Smash after a handful of tights and on another occasion Jacques kicks Ax a little low and the Rougeau's double team him for a while until he's able to make the hot tag to Smash. The momentum turns back towards the champions and it looks like it is over, when they set Raymond up for the Demolition decapitation but Jacques shoves Ax off the top rope. While his partner is recovering, Smash tries to fight off both of his opponents but the number disadvantage is starting to get to him. Raymond has Smash in a bear hug and Jacques connects with a seated senton. The younger Rougeau then co*ckily just sits on his opponent for the cover but when he realises the referee is not looking up and is focusing on Smash's shoulders, he grabs a hold of the ropes for leverage. He soon regrets this as Ax connects with a stiff right, from the outside and this allows Smash to reverse the pin. Raymond then starts kicking Smash, with Ax getting in the ring to help his partner and Jacques is soon up and the match devolves into a brawl. The referee is struggling to maintain any kind of control but just before it looks like he's about to throw the match out, Ax clotheslines Raymond over the top rope and it's back to 1v1 in the ring. A dropkick sends the tag champion down to the canvas and his co*cky young opponent ascends to the top rope and looks to finish him off with a diving crossbody. He sees Smash rise to his feet but clearly still groggy and Jacques taunts the crowd by making belt motions. He then leaps off the top and the tag champion counters with a powerslam and covers Jacques and gets the 3, as Raymond is held back by Ax and can't break the count.

Winners: Demolition (Still Champions)
Grade: C+

We are back in the prime time studios, for the last time this evening. "Boy how lucky did Demolition get tonight Monsoon! The Rougeau's had that match won but for poor officiating! They should be our new tag team champions!" Gorilla looks at his broadcast partner, shaking his head. "Surely even you can at least admit that Demolition were the better team on the night? I mean credit to the Rougeau brothers for their efforts, despite a little bit too much cheating but they're still growing as a tag team in the World Wrestling Federation and Demolition are simply the best of the best in our tag team division!" Quick to respond, The Brain replies "I admit nothing Monsoon, Jacques and Raymond were robbed! They need a manager to help stop blatant cheating from the champions and the referee!" Rather than take the bait, Gorilla decides to follow up with a question. "Are you saying you want to manage the Rougeau's?" A mischievous smirk at his broadcast partner. "I'm not at liberty to confirm or deny any rumours to that effect Monsoon." Gorilla turns to the camera. "Well that about wraps it up for Prime Time Wrestling. Join us next week, when we will have another guest host....making his return to the World Wrestling Federation........none other than 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper!" The show starts to fade to black, as we see Bobby Heenan completely start to lose his cool. "That lunatic is BACK?"

Show Grade: C-