SummerSlam 1988 – Since we are just a few weeks away from SummerSlam 2012, I believe it is only appropriate to take a look at the very first one.

Long before I was born, okay two years before I was born, but long before I was thought of I’m sure, there was the great SummerSlam 1988. This is the historic night that set the precedent for the subsequent 22 almost 23 SummerSlams. What were the matches on that night? I’m glad you asked!

The British Bulldogs (The late Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) vs. The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond), this tag team match ended in a draw. Okay Answer for 1000 points, who are the Fabulous Rougeaus? Don’t worry I’ll wait. Buzz!!! The Fabulous Rougeaus were a tag team, duh! They were in the WWE for a short time but Jacques went on to become one half of the very popular Quebecers. Okay semi-popular Quebecers. But hey they were three time WWE tag team champions, three more than the Rockers. But in comparison to popularity…I guess championships really don’t matter *shrugs shoulders*.

The late Bad News Brown defeated Ken Patera. Both of these wrestlers won competitive gold medals, see Kurt Angle and Mark Henry weren’t the first! Ken Patera won 3^rd place in the 1977 World’s Strongest Man Competition and won the gold in the 1971 Pan American games. Bad News Brown won a bronze medal in Judo in the 1976 Olympic games and gold in the 1967 and 1975 Pan American Games. Ken Patera was the fan favorite in this one, but Bad News Brown won. Bad News was ahead of his time a good worker in the ring, charismatic, and he had good mic skills. If Bad News were a millennium wrestler he would certainly have a title around his waist.

The late “Ravishing” Rick Rude defeated the late Junkyard Dog by disqualification. Two of my favorite mid car wrestlers of the time! But the ending of this match…was a very bad way for the Junkyard Dog to lose but not really lose. I mean for real, Jake? You cost Junkyard Dog the match because Rick Rude pulled down his wrestling tights and had your wives face on his trunks, just like he has everyone else’s? I mean I guess it was the 80s semi conservative time, but still if I was JYD I’d be pissed!

The Power of Pain (The Barbarian and The Warlord) (with The Baron) defeated The Bolsheviks (Boris Zhukov and Nikolai Volkoff) (with Slick). I honestly never understood either of these two teams so please forgive me for my lack of enthusiasm. Maybe I’m just not a fan of big powerful mid card tag teams. I guess the Wrestling Observer Newsletter wasn’t either, because the Powers of Pain won worst tag team in 1989. The Bolsheviks won worst tag team in 1988, so hey I’m not too off.

The Ultimate Warrior defeated the Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart). This was the Ultimate Warriors beginning of the road to his Hall of Fame career…NOT.  I guess I was never a fan of the thirty second matches, especially against the Honky Tonk Man. Come on now this ended the longest Intercontinental Title Reign in history (454 days), that combined with the fact Honky Tonk Man is Jerry Lawler’s first cousin definitely means he deserved more than thirty seconds; that was just a slap in the face to all of the people he defeated in the 454 days SMH.

The late Dino Bravo (with Frenchy Martin) defeated Don Muraco. BORING!! Okay I’ll admit these wrestlers are before my time, both wrestlers debuted in 1970, okay that was almost when my mom was born. So forgive my ignorance, but why were they at SummerSlam at all? I totally understand having a seasoned vet on the card i.e. the Undertaker at WrestleMania, but not in a non-title midcard match, that’s just tacky. Hey if you get a copy of the tape or a find this match online with a few extra minutes after there is a very awkward and creepy Survivor Series 1988 promo, I didn’t know if it was a promo for a pay-per-view or a promo for a Friday the 13^th slasher. 

Demolition (Ax and Smash) with (Mr. Fuji and Jimmy Hart) defeated The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart). Didn’t Bret look hot? Okay maybe not when he opened his mouth right before Demolition came out, that wasn’t flattering, but the young Hitman definitely had hotness points. Speaking of the Harts…can you say dynasty? Name everybody that came out of the dungeon (look for my blog on the Hart Family). Demolition’s’ masks during their entrance…too creepy for me! From this match you would’ve thought Neidhart was the future star but THEY FOOLED YOU. But this was a really great and exciting match, but so were the subsequent matches between these two teams. This is wrestling tag team at its best…these are the types of matches that set the pace for future tag teams.

The late Big Boss Man (with Slick) defeated Koko B. Ware. Another match that I am confused why it was on the card. Don’t get me a wrong I am a fan of both, I love Koko B. Ware, he’s a Hall of Famer. Plus the Big Boss Man always had cool music…hey I might make that my ringtone. Interesting match, but hey maybe I just am used to the glitz and glamour of it all.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts defeated the late Hercules. I’m so glad Jake won because Hercules…well he wasn’t the best. I guess we all knew Jake was going to win because we didn’t even get to hear Hercules’ music on a Pay-Per-View, did he have music? *Shrugs Shoulders*. Nice well-worked match, we got to see Damien attack Hercules at the end…cool beans. Did Jake really kill Damien?? I just don’t believe it. But another match that did not have to be on Pay-Per-View...it was a good match but I don’t think it had a Pay-Per-View build up.

The Mega Powers (Hulk Hogan and the late “Macho Man” Randy Savage) (with the late Miss Elizabeth) vs. The Mega Bucks (“Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase and the late Andre the Giant) (With Bobby Heenan). This match has to be the match of the night because of its all-star line up. Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, the Million Dollar Man and Andre the Giant with Jesse “The Body” Ventura as the referee made this match unforgettable. We even got some fun anecdotes from Bobby the Brain and Miss Elizabeth pulled her skirt off! WOW that was too much for me. Did she even have boobs? Hey sorry didn’t mean to be disrespectful if you are into Miss Elizabeth, but Sensational Sheri was my favorite. This match was not just good because of the talent but it also had a great back-story. There was a real reason these teams were wrestling; we even understood why the teams had formed. They had a real story and a real will to win. Even the managers were committed. I really believed that Miss Elizabeth desperately wanted The Mega Bucks to win and I really believed that Bobby Heenan was a snake that’d do anything for money. This match put Summerslam on the map as a one of the biggest WWE Pay-Per-Views. Can you believe a mere car accident took out Macho Man...smh?? Nevertheless this match was amazing and it was definitely the match of the night…a true main event.