Live from NY, NY; MSG
Attendance: 20,000
Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and Bobby Heenan
Ricky Steamboat, The Texas Tornado, The British Bulldog Vs Power & Glory and The Warlord (W/Slick)
Bulldog gets the biggest pop out of the three faces. The faces win when Steamboat pins Roma after a flying cross body from the top. This is a fun opener and a good way to start the show. There were impressive spots, like The Bulldog hitting a vertical suplex on The Warlord.
**3/4
Intercontinental Championship
Mr. Perfect (C) (W/The Coach) Vs Bret Hart
Bobby Heenan had retired from managing at this point. Bret wins the title by making Perfect submit with a Sharpshooter. This is one of the best matches in wrestling history, it rarely gives you a chance to breathe. What's even more amazing is that Perfect's back was legitimately in bad shape with a bad back, as proved when he started favoring it and walking gingerly. If that's the type of amazing quality we get when he's injured, it's downright frightening to think what these two would be capable of if Perfect was fully healthy. Bret kicking out of the Perfect-Plex is a pretty cool moment as well. How on earth do you follow this? I almost feel sorry for the other wrestlers.
***** (5 stars out of 5)
The Bushwhackers (W/Andre The Giant) Vs The Natural Disasters (W/Jimmy Hart)
This match is one way to cool the crowd down after such a classic. The Natural Disasters win when Earthquake hits his sitdown splash. The Natural Disasters try to attack Andre after the match, but The Legion of Doom saves the day. This was a terrible match, as to be expected. Even Andre's presence couldn't liven it up. "Bobby Heenan had a great line, though. "If I was managing The Buswhackers, I'd commit suicide"
*
Bobby Heenan shows up at Hogan's dressing room with the REAL World Title, challenging Hogan to a match on Flair's behalf. Hogan slams the door in Heenan's face.
Million Dollar Championship
Ted Dibiase (C) (W/Sensational Sherri) Vs Virgil
Dibiase is initially disqualified after Sherri nails Virgil with her shoe, but the ref changes his mind and orders Sherri to the back, as well as the match to continue. Virgil wins the Million Dollar belt by ramming Dibiase's head into the exposed turnbuckle, which Dibiase used to try to cheat. The match itself is a little overbooked, but the story Dibiase and Virgil told really carries this one. The fans desperately wanted to see Dibiase get his comeuppance and Virgil winning the title provided a memorable moment.
**1/2
Jailhouse Match
The Big Bossman Vs The Mountie (W/Jimmy Hart)
The loser of this match goes directly to jail for a night. Bossman wins with an Alabama slam. This match was fairly boring for the most part. Despite the stipulation, I wasn't really able to get into it. Maybe I'm a stickler, but I didn't find The Mountie being hauled off to jail all that funny either.
*1/4
Up Next are a plethora of interviews that involve Bret Hart, The Big Bossman, The Natural Disasters, Ted Dibiase, The Nasty Boys, Jimmy Hart, Sensational Sherri, The Legion of Doom, Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa, General Adnan, Sid Justice, and a segment where The Mountie is suffering on his way to jail.
Tag Team Championship (No count out, no DQ)
The Nasty Boys (C) (W/Jimmy Hart) Vs The Legion of Doom
LOD wins the titles with the Doomsday Device. This was nothing more than a brawl for the most part and a fairly average one at that. At least this match played to both of their strengths, which is brawling. LOD winning the titles makes this the 3rd title that's changed hands at this PPV
*3/4
The Mountie is dragged by cops into a Jail cell.
I.R.S Vs Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Valentine was a face at this point and near the end of his WWE tenure. I.R.S wins by countering The Figure Four into a small package. This was a pretty uneventful match that the crowd was flat for. Valentine was past his prime and couldn't be depended on to carry a match anymore.
*
3 on 2 Handicapped Match
Hulk Hogan & The Ultimate Warrior Vs Sgt. Slaughter, General Adnan, and Col. Mustafa
Sid Justice is the guest referee for this match. For those who don't know, Mustafa is The Iron Sheik. Hogan wins with a legdrop after throwing powder in Slaughter's face. Afterwards, Hogan poses with Sid Justice. This was a pretty bad main event. It featured no excitement at all and three heels that really couldn't go all that well anymore. The big storyline here was if Sid would be impartial or not. The Ultimate Warrior would be suspended for arguing with Vince about money and wouldn't appear in the WWF again until Wrestlemania 8. Slaughter would also turn face not too long after this.
*
Macho Man and Elizabeth's wedding ends the show. It ends without any shenanigans. I'm not so sure this should end a PPV, but it was sweet enough. I love Macho and Elizabeth so it didn't bother me.
Overall, Summerslam 91 is worthwhile, but it takes a bit of a tumble after the first few matches. The faces dominated the entire PPV with only two heels getting a victory during the show. Not to mention that we also got three title changes as well. The main reason to see this show is the absolute classic between Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect. It's one of the best matches you'll ever see.
Attendance: 20,000
Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, and Bobby Heenan
Ricky Steamboat, The Texas Tornado, The British Bulldog Vs Power & Glory and The Warlord (W/Slick)
Bulldog gets the biggest pop out of the three faces. The faces win when Steamboat pins Roma after a flying cross body from the top. This is a fun opener and a good way to start the show. There were impressive spots, like The Bulldog hitting a vertical suplex on The Warlord.
**3/4
Intercontinental Championship
Mr. Perfect (C) (W/The Coach) Vs Bret Hart
Bobby Heenan had retired from managing at this point. Bret wins the title by making Perfect submit with a Sharpshooter. This is one of the best matches in wrestling history, it rarely gives you a chance to breathe. What's even more amazing is that Perfect's back was legitimately in bad shape with a bad back, as proved when he started favoring it and walking gingerly. If that's the type of amazing quality we get when he's injured, it's downright frightening to think what these two would be capable of if Perfect was fully healthy. Bret kicking out of the Perfect-Plex is a pretty cool moment as well. How on earth do you follow this? I almost feel sorry for the other wrestlers.
***** (5 stars out of 5)
The Bushwhackers (W/Andre The Giant) Vs The Natural Disasters (W/Jimmy Hart)
This match is one way to cool the crowd down after such a classic. The Natural Disasters win when Earthquake hits his sitdown splash. The Natural Disasters try to attack Andre after the match, but The Legion of Doom saves the day. This was a terrible match, as to be expected. Even Andre's presence couldn't liven it up. "Bobby Heenan had a great line, though. "If I was managing The Buswhackers, I'd commit suicide"
*
Bobby Heenan shows up at Hogan's dressing room with the REAL World Title, challenging Hogan to a match on Flair's behalf. Hogan slams the door in Heenan's face.
Million Dollar Championship
Ted Dibiase (C) (W/Sensational Sherri) Vs Virgil
Dibiase is initially disqualified after Sherri nails Virgil with her shoe, but the ref changes his mind and orders Sherri to the back, as well as the match to continue. Virgil wins the Million Dollar belt by ramming Dibiase's head into the exposed turnbuckle, which Dibiase used to try to cheat. The match itself is a little overbooked, but the story Dibiase and Virgil told really carries this one. The fans desperately wanted to see Dibiase get his comeuppance and Virgil winning the title provided a memorable moment.
**1/2
Jailhouse Match
The Big Bossman Vs The Mountie (W/Jimmy Hart)
The loser of this match goes directly to jail for a night. Bossman wins with an Alabama slam. This match was fairly boring for the most part. Despite the stipulation, I wasn't really able to get into it. Maybe I'm a stickler, but I didn't find The Mountie being hauled off to jail all that funny either.
*1/4
Up Next are a plethora of interviews that involve Bret Hart, The Big Bossman, The Natural Disasters, Ted Dibiase, The Nasty Boys, Jimmy Hart, Sensational Sherri, The Legion of Doom, Sgt. Slaughter, Col. Mustafa, General Adnan, Sid Justice, and a segment where The Mountie is suffering on his way to jail.
Tag Team Championship (No count out, no DQ)
The Nasty Boys (C) (W/Jimmy Hart) Vs The Legion of Doom
LOD wins the titles with the Doomsday Device. This was nothing more than a brawl for the most part and a fairly average one at that. At least this match played to both of their strengths, which is brawling. LOD winning the titles makes this the 3rd title that's changed hands at this PPV
*3/4
The Mountie is dragged by cops into a Jail cell.
I.R.S Vs Greg "The Hammer" Valentine
Valentine was a face at this point and near the end of his WWE tenure. I.R.S wins by countering The Figure Four into a small package. This was a pretty uneventful match that the crowd was flat for. Valentine was past his prime and couldn't be depended on to carry a match anymore.
*
3 on 2 Handicapped Match
Hulk Hogan & The Ultimate Warrior Vs Sgt. Slaughter, General Adnan, and Col. Mustafa
Sid Justice is the guest referee for this match. For those who don't know, Mustafa is The Iron Sheik. Hogan wins with a legdrop after throwing powder in Slaughter's face. Afterwards, Hogan poses with Sid Justice. This was a pretty bad main event. It featured no excitement at all and three heels that really couldn't go all that well anymore. The big storyline here was if Sid would be impartial or not. The Ultimate Warrior would be suspended for arguing with Vince about money and wouldn't appear in the WWF again until Wrestlemania 8. Slaughter would also turn face not too long after this.
*
Macho Man and Elizabeth's wedding ends the show. It ends without any shenanigans. I'm not so sure this should end a PPV, but it was sweet enough. I love Macho and Elizabeth so it didn't bother me.
Overall, Summerslam 91 is worthwhile, but it takes a bit of a tumble after the first few matches. The faces dominated the entire PPV with only two heels getting a victory during the show. Not to mention that we also got three title changes as well. The main reason to see this show is the absolute classic between Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect. It's one of the best matches you'll ever see.