March 1988

There's parts of this I can I say I like. Rude is so campy and fun when he's selling and bumping for Roberts. Roberts throws some nice punches. Rude throwing himself across the ring when he accidentally goes near Damien was funny. Sadly, this is a 15 minute time limit draw that felt like 50 minutes. After the Roberts shine, Rude keeps Roberts grounded with a chin lock whilst Jesse and Gorilla go on about how they only have 15 minutes to work with. It's clear that they are just trying to wait out out the time limit. Roberts makes the most uninspired comeback after we get literal minutes of boring chants from the crowd. There's certainly been worse matches than this on a Wr…

Dibiase comes down to Trump Plaza with not only Virgil in his corner, but Andre The Giant too. If Jim Duggan wasn't so awesome in Mid-South, I'd happily erase him from wrestling history. Speaking off Mid-South, we see some very fleeting glimpses of Dibiase and Duggan's brawls from a few years previously here, but it's lacking the blood, intensity and crowd heat that made those Mid-South brawls so magical. Just as Duggan is building up some steam, Andre trips him and Dibiase advances to the next round after a knee lift lays Duggan out for the count. ★★

Savage would go on to wrestle four more times on this night, so whilst it's understandable that he's pacing himself, this wasn't a good match by any measure. Reed is way too sluggish and brings literally nothing to the table. After Reed beats on Savage a bit, he attempts a top rope move. He's thwarted when he spends way too much time trash talking Elizabeth and Savage lands an elbow drop to win. Donald Trump is sitting ringside for this event and it's interesting to watch his reactions. He look bored during Steamboat's match, but was grinning ear to ear during this, proof the man has zero taste. ★

Yet another match that is hindered by it's predictability, even the crowd seem to be getting burnt out by this point. Valentine and Savage work an average match together, with Savage countering Valentine's Figure 4 with a small package to achieve the victory. It was a nice touch to the overarching story that Savage had a much tougher time reaching the finals when compared to Dibiase's relatively brisk two quick wins. ★½

Savage's next roadblock keeping him from the finals in One Man Gang. This is yet another predictable match with a dodgy finish. Seriously, six out of the sixteen matches on this show end in either a DQ or a count out. This isn't a good either, it's thankfully kept mercifully short. Savage does a good job at putting over Gang's size and power. Savage using Gang's beard to do his flying rope guillotine was a neat spot. Gang gets himself DQ'd by trying to use Slick's cane. Crap. ¾★

Andre is back in Dibiase's corner and as soon as he attempts to cut off Savage, the crowd immediately start chanting for Hogan and await his eventual appearance. Savage attempts an early elbow drop, but misses. The crowd go apeshit for this and it's clear that they are ready to move on from Hogan as champion. Hogan eventually comes in and lays out Dibiase with a chair as the referee is busy with Andre and allows Savage to win. Savage hoists Elizabeth in the air and celebrate in a picture perfect moment, only soured by Hogan coming in and trying to steal some of the glory. A fun and satisfying end to a piss-poor Wrestlemania. ★★¾

While Steamboat would never come close to his match with Randy Savage the previous year during a Wrestlemania, he'd always put in a good performance. Valentine is a mismatch for him. He's too slow to keep up with Steamboat's crisp and quick style, and he looks awkward cutting him off. Thankfully he makes up for this by selling Steamboat's chops like he's a big redwood tumbling over. It's a touch corny, but it's endlessly entertaining. Valentine advances by countering a top rope cross body and grabbing a handful of tights, kicking Steamboat out of the tournament and out of the WWF for a few years. ★★¼

After the events of the previous match, Dibiase has to go at this one on his own. He carries Muraco in this with his bumping and selling. Dibiase catches Muraco off-guard and lands a Stun Gun to advance cleanly to the finals. It's good to let your heels show that they can score some wins every now and then without having to bend the rules. Decent enough, but this struggle to be engaging by being so damn predictable. ★★

Islanders, Bulldogs and Koko bring the workrate, whilst Bobby Heenan brings the hammy comedy by coming to the ring in a protective suit to protect him from the Bulldog's mascot. Jesse Ventura says that Brain looks like 'a chinaman' in his suit. Fucking hell. Tamu bumps all over the place to start things off, and takes a big catapult spot over the ring post and to the outside. Dynamite's back is seriously damaged by this point, but he's still able to hold his own and keep up with the energetic pace. Heenan tags in and shows the world at what an underappreciated seller he is by bumping his ass off. Heenan pins Koko after using his padded suit as a weapon and splashing Koko …

Jerry Lawler vs Eddie Gilbert - Memphis 3/28/88 Missy My God Hyatt! WOOOOOOOO!!! Fun, gimmick brawl built around fire. Anyone who knows me knows I love fire in wrestling. Gilbert burned Lawler in the build to this. Lawler has vowed revenge. Good stalling early by Gilbert to put over how scared he was. Gilbert takes over with a nutshot. He choked Lawler with the turnbuckle rope and tied him in the corner by the throat. Lawler's comeback roared. Loved the piledriver! Missed the fist drop...Hot Stuff wants Missy's high heel shoe. The ref stops her...FIREBALL!!! YES! Great selling! Really good fireball and it really looked like Eddie Gilbert became Hot Stuff. Crowd …