WWF Madison Square Garden – April 22nd, 1991

April 22, 1991

From Madison Square Garden in New York City, NY

Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, and Jim Neidhart

Haku vs. The Dragon

Heenan tells Gorilla the reason he’s not with Haku tonight is because Haku himself said he would take care of Steamboat with ease. They go back-and-forth to start. Haku bails after Steamboat takes him down with a pair of arm drags. Haku returns but Steamboat works over his arm as Heenan is displeased. Haku cheap shots Steamboat in the corner then hammers away but walks into another arm drag as Steamboat is back in control. Haku avoids a charge in the corner and stomps away before slingshotting Steamboat out from the corner. We get a chop exchange as Haku wins that battle. Haku clotheslines Steamboat for a two count then grabs a chinlock. Steamboat tries a comeback but ducks his head and gets kicked in the face. Haku hits a few clotheslines then Steamboat slings wildly and falls through the ropes in a weird spot. Haku brings Steamboat back in from the apron with a delayed suplex as that gets two before going back to the chinlock. Haku lights up Steamboat with chops in the corner. Steamboat fights back as these guys are now beating each other up good. Steamboat covers for a nearfall then avoids a charge and heads up to hit the flying body press for the win (9:35) **1/4.

Thoughts: Started off slow but picked up as it went along. The last couple of minutes were really fun. With Steamboat getting reintroduced as this gimmick and Haku rarely winning matches at this point the result was expected.

Power & Glory vs. The Bushwhackers

Herc is now sporting a mustache and is extremely bloated. Gorilla asks Heenan why he does not have a tag team as Heenan says he’s no longer interested in tag team competition. We get some comedy spots to start with The Bushwhackers biting then cleaning house as the crowd does not seem that impressed. Things settle down with Roma now beating up Luke. Roma taunts The Bushwhackers then Hercules grabs Luke from behind but Butch sneaks up behind Roma and grabs him as they clear the ring again. Man, that sequence was awful. Roma attacks Luke from behind and stomps away. Power & Glory stay in control as you can literally see fans getting up and leaving their seats. They beat on Luke until Roma misses a charge in the corner. Luke makes the tag as Butch fires away on Roma. The Bushwhackers send Hercules outside with a battering ram but Hercules trips up Butch then Roma hits an elbow drop. Luke breaks up the pin and puts Butch on top but the ref orders him off of the apron then Hercules puts Roma on top and that gets in the win on one of the ugliest finishing sequences I’ve seen in quite some time (8:34) -**.

Thoughts: The Bushwhackers are probably one of the worst teams on the planet at this point. They cannot even work a passable match in the ring anymore. Power & Glory did not appear to give much effort at all and this is easily one of the worst WWF matches of the year.

Big Bossman vs. The Mountie

Lord Alfred interviews Mountie on his way to the ring. Mountie says Bossman is a hick cop from a puny county and that’s the only jurisdiction he has. Mountie attacks Bossman from behind then hammers away. Bossman catches Mountie with an inverted atomic drop after an Irish whip sequence as Neidhart notes he looks slimmer. He might be at his lightest here. Bossman slaps Mountie around a bit until the Mountie bails. Bossman heads out to knock Mountie down then roughs him up some more. Bossman stays in control until Mountie avoids a charge in the corner. Bossman dumps outside then Mountie starts attacking the knee. Heenan takes delight in watching Mountie ram Bossman’s knee into the post. Mountie stays on the attack but Bossman fights back and puts Mountie away with a sidewalk slam (7:56) *. Bossman limps while celebrating but Mountie attacks from behind with his cattle prod. Mountie then zaps Bossman a few times as Heenan laughs that he “smells bacon.”

Thoughts: I expected a lot more from these guys. Bossman was in the zone as a worker during this time but the match itself was uninspired. The finish allowed them to heat up the feud for another MSG match in the future.

WWF World Heavyweight Title Match: Sgt. Slaughter w/ Gen. Adnan vs. Hulk Hogan (c)

As he comes through the curtain, Slaughter tells us that he rules the WWF, not Hogan. Adnan speaks in his native tongue trying to get some heel heat. We get some “USA” chant as Hogan makes his entrance. Hogan gets attacked by both Slaughter & Adnan. However, Hogan quickly fights back and clears the ring. Hogan rips off his shirt then heads out and chokes Slaughter with the camera cord. Back inside, Slaughter begs for mercy but Hogan starts unloading in the corner. Hogan follows with a clothesline as Slaughter is bumping like a champ. Hogan points at his bandage as a result of the fireball then dumps Slaughter out once again. Hogan whacks Slaughter across the back with a chair then rolls him back into the ring. Slaughter rakes the eyes then starts punching away. He rakes Hogan’s face across the top rope to aggravate the burn mark on Hogan’s face. Slaughter mocks Hogan’s mannerisms before targeting the burn mark once again. The crowd chants for Hogan as he gets knocked outside. Adnan lands a cheap shot as Slaughter distracted the referee. Hogan’s forehead is busted open while Neidhart calls Adnan a “coward Iraqi.” Hogan gets knocked off the apron then Slaughter smashes Hogan’s head off of the steps. Slaughter hits Hogan in the face with the belt in a spot that showed an awful lot of light. Slaughter sends Hogan into the guardrail then stomps his face. Adnan now distracts the ref so Slaughter can whack Hogan with the timekeeper’s bell. Slaughter punches down Hogan for a nearfall then goes back to open up Hogan’s forehead. Slaughter now puts on the Camel’s Clutch as Heenan declares the match over. Hogan starts to power up then escapes and shoves Slaughter outside with a nifty move. Slaughter sneaks back in but Hogan fights back. They keep trading eye rakes until Slaughter pokes the eye. Slaughter hits a backbreaker for two then heads up top for what I guess was a knee drop but Hogan powers out at two then hulks up. Hogan fires away and hits the big boot. He then punches Slaughter a few times but ends up getting shoved into the referee. Slaughter attacks Hogan then Adnan slides a chair inside. Slaughter gets to his feet and then starts hitting the ref, who is out on the mat. Slaughter tries to hit Hogan but misses then whiffs again as the chair bounces into his own face. Hogan grabs the chair as Adnan runs in and whacks Adnan. Hogan then boots down Slaughter and is about to hit him with a chair but the ref stops him and disqualifies Hogan (16:09) **3/4. Hogan yells at the ref as Adnan & Slaughter prepare a fireball but Hogan blocks it with the chair as the crowd boos the finish. Hogan then chases Slaughter up the aisle and whacks him with the chair a few times. Hogan then heads back into the ring and starts posing.

Thoughts: It was wrestled at a slower pace than their match at WrestleMania VII but it still had heat and the work was good, especially from Slaughter who is bumping like a madman for Hogan in their matches. The finish allows them to run this program again at MSG.

Sean Mooney is in the Event Center to put over the 5/10 show at the Nassau Coliseum. We get some promos from Power & Glory and Jake Roberts to put over the #1 Contender Intercontinental Title Battle Royal. The main event is Ultimate Warrior vs. The Undertaker as the replay of Warrior getting locked in a casket on the “Funeral Parlor” is shown.

Irwin R. Schyster vs. “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka

Ring announcer Howard Finkel lets us know that Schyster is also known as “IRS.” Snuka uses a pair of hip tosses as IRS regroups in the corner. Snuka catches IRS with a chop as IRS takes a breather outside. IRS then sticks something into his boot on the floor and heads back inside. Snuka gets dumped then IRS goes out and hammers away. IRS suplexes Snuka back into the ring then drops a pair of elbows for a two count. IRS now uses an abdominal stretch but misses a charge as Snuka fights back. Snuka hits some chops in the corner then tries a crossbody but IRS rolls through and grabs the tights for the win (6:33) 1/4*.

Thoughts: Terrible and with a shit finish to boot. Snuka is washed up and IRS was just dreadful here and was even slower than Snuka.

An ad for the “WrestleMania History and Heroes” PPV special that will air next month.

Lord Alfred Hayes tells us he went to interview Roddy Piper and Ted DiBiase about their match tonight. Piper told Lord Alfred he will do his talking in the ring while DiBiase said he would bring a crutch with him for Piper to use but is confident Piper will get taken out on a stretcher.

The Warlord vs. Texas Tornado

Tornado taunts Warlord by flexing. They engage in a test-of-strength as Warlord gets Tornado on his knees. Tornado gets out and hits a discus punch but gets caught in a bearhug after that. Tornado escapes but is knocked outside. Warlord taunts the crowd then heads out and rams Tornado into the post. Tornado fights back from the apron but is unable to get Warlord over on a sunset flip. Tornado tries a slam but Warlord falls on top and gets two. Warlord hits a backbreaker but misses an elbow drop as both men are down. Tornado starts to run wild and nails Warlord with the Tornado Punch but Warlord is able to get his foot on the ropes. Tornado jumps on Warlord’s back for a sleeper but Warlord runs them both outside where they fight until the ref counts them out (9:15) 1/2*.

Thoughts: A poorly executed basic match. Tornado is really just a disaster at this point and Warlord needs someone to carry him to a decent match. And by the way, these two would wrestle each other at house shows for the next few months so get ready America!

The Orient Express & Mr. Fuji vs. The Rockers & Virgil

Tanaka and Shawn shove each other to start. They work a fast-paced Irish whip sequence that ends with Tanaka connecting on a thrust kick. Shawn comes back with a clothesline then pulls Tanaka back inside. The match breaks down as The Rockers and Orient Express start fighting. Virgil comes in with a double clothesline then shows off his footwork. Things settle down as Virgil and Kato are now in the ring. Virgil fights off Tanaka on the apron then hammers away on Kato until he is pulled into the corner. Fuji tags and chops down Virgil, who fights back with some punches that look horrendous. Fuji hits Virgil in the gut and tags out as Kato takes control. Virgil chases Kato around the ring as Marty comes out to deck Kato. Marty is now in with Tanaka despite no tags being made. Kato is in now and is accidentally low-bridged by his partner. Shawn heads out to give The Orient Express a double-noggin knocker as The Rockers work over Kato. Shawn is in now and gets kneed in the back from Tanaka. Kato hits a backbreaker as Shawn is trapped in the wrong corner. Marty makes the save on a pin attempt then Kato puts Shawn in a chinlock. Shawn gets out and I guess was suppose to drop him across the ropes from his shoulders but it did not work out that way. The ref did not see the tag to Marty but Shawn hits a double clothesline then tags out as Marty runs wild. Virgil is in and puts Tanaka in the Million Dollar Dream and gets the win (10:33) *1/2. Heenan is screaming about Virgil insulting DiBiase by using the Million Dollar Dream.

Thoughts: I thought this would be a solid match but I was wrong. It didn’t flow and Virgil had a rough showing. Having Virgil use DiBiase’s finisher signals that this is something we might see going forward on television.

Finkel is on the 6/3 show at 7:30pm. Matches announced are: The Berzerker vs. Tugboat, The Barbarian vs. Bret Hart, The Dragon vs. Smash, Col. Mustafa vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan, The Mountie vs. Big Bossman, Power & Glory vs. Legion of Doom, Earthquake vs. Jake Roberts, and the main event is a “Desert Storm Match” between Sgt. Slaughter and Hulk Hogan, with the winner having to make his opponent surrender.

“Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase w/ Sensational Sherri vs. Roddy Piper

DiBiase tries to hit Piper with the crutch but the ref holds it and that allows Piper to attack. Piper whips DiBiase with the belt and then puts it around DiBiase’s neck. Piper hurts his knee dropping DiBiase on the middle rope with an atomic drop. Sherri tries to pull DiBiase to safety put gets pulled in herself. Piper then takes Sherri off his back and kisses her before she bails. The crowd goes nuts but Piper turns his back too long and gets attacked. Piper fights back but Sherri grabs his leg. DiBiase ducks his head for a back drop and gets slammed off of the mat. Sherri continues to distract Piper on the outside and ends up getting booted by DiBiase. DiBiase puts Piper in the tree-of-woe and starts attacking the knee. Sherri distracts the ref and slides a chair into DiBiase as DiBiase whacks Piper but only gets a two count. DiBiase goes back to the knee and removes the bandage before ramming it into the post. DiBiase comes off the middle rope but is punched in midair. Piper then goes over to take a cup from Sherri and tosses it into DiBiase’s face. Sherri screams and shoves Heenan off of his chair and gives it to DiBiase. Sherri then distracts the ref and DiBiase applies a figure four. The ref then rings the bell and we are informed that the ref stopped the match to prevent further injury to Piper’s knee as DiBiase is the winner (7:33) **1/2. Immediately after the ruling, Piper uses a double noggin knocker then goes nuts on DiBiase. He then tries to pull Sherri back inside and ends up ripping off her dress. Piper also went after the ref as Heenan cannot believe Piper is standing.

Thoughts: I liked the match except for the finish. Having the ref stop the match only for Piper to immediately get up and kick the crap out of DiBiase made it seem ridiculous but I guess they needed a reason to run this match again at some point.

Final Thoughts: There were a few decent matches but a whole lot of crap on this card. I don’t know if the travel was wearing the guys down (they went to Japan and flew back only to go over to the United Kingdom a day later) because there were a lot of sluggish performances. We also have our stipulation match main event for June with Hogan vs. Slaughter but for this show, which is on the WWE Network in its entirety, I recommend that you avoid watching.

Here is my schedule for the next several days:

Thursday: WWF UK Rampage ’91 4/24/91

Friday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 4/27/91

Saturday: Mid-South Wrestling 7/14/83

Sunday: WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event 4/27/91

Monday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 4/28/91

Tuesday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 5/4/91

Wednesday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 5/5/91