Ultimate Warrior vs Rick Rude (8/28/89 East Rutherford, NJ Summerslam)

#11 Ultimate Warrior vs. Rick Rude (16:02) (Summerslam 8/28/89)

-          The atmosphere is electric for this match. This is peak popularity Warrior. I am happy I am watching this before the other nominated matches because this is the standard by which to judge the others. Damn, this starts off INSANELY hot when Rude is thrown to the floor from a military press. He follows outside and ramsn him in the table and hits him with the IC belt. Jesse is pissed. He suplexes Rude on the floor. Warrior is relentless. Another toss to the floor, bodyslam on the floor and then an axe handle from the top for two. Rude is selling the pain of every shot. Rude turns the tide when he crotches Warrior on the turnbuckle. Rude attacks the back which is important because when he hooks his stupid chin lock, hi is at least working the back. The follow-up with slamming into him and hammering the back was vicious. Rude attempts the Rude Awakening but Warrior powers out and Rude counters with a sleeper. Great sequence. Warrior breaks it with a jaw breaker. Huge 3-man collision and the referee is knocked out. Warrior and Rude are up and battling. Warrior with a back drop, 3 clotheslines and powerslam. No ref. And a piledriver!!!! The ref slowly goes over and counts to two. Rude’s foot is on the ropes and the crowd is losing their minds. Warrior splash fails when Rude lifts his knees up. The crowd is nervous. Rude delivers a powerbomb, piledriver variant. Two count. Flying fist drop, piledriver. Rude cannot put Warrior away. Roddy Piper is coming to the ring and the crowd erupts. Rude takes his eyes off the prize and talks to Piper who moons him. Warrior grabs Rude from the corner and German suplexes him. Shoulder tackle. Press slam. Warrior splash. This was an epic match. SLAM DUNK NOMINATION.