Flashback Friday: WWF Magazine, March 1989

From the pages of WWF Magazine… this week, we look back at an issue featuring Demolition that went to press in January of 1988 and sold for $2.50 in the U.S. and $3.25 in Canada. But first, a special message from Jake “The Snake” Roberts.

We begin with Around the Ring by Ed Ricciuti where Ed tells us WrestleMania V has been scheduled for April 2 and will settle a lot of scores and build or break a lot of reputations. Also of note, John Studd and Rick Martel have returned to the WWF, and we’ll have more on that later in the issue. Finally, Ed asks readers to write in with their thoughts on the Brother Love scandal the magazine broke in previous issues where Brother Love was caught taking money from an associate of the Million Dollar Man.

We move right along to Fan Forum, where fans have written in regarding the idea of having two referees in tag team matches. Willie from Simi Valley, California says he’s all for it. Vanessa from Stockton, California says all matches should have two referees. Jason from Butte, Montana agrees. Janet from Ecorse, Michigan says there should be three referees: one on the inside and two on the outside. Then there’s David from St. Louis who says two referees is a bad idea because tag team matches would lose their spirit. (Interestingly, the AWA had an “ask the referee” feature on one of their shows, where a referee would answer fan’s questions, and one fan asked why there aren’t two referees for title matches. The referee, however, seemed confused by the question, saying it would be difficult for two referees to work side by in the ring and count pinfalls together.)

(Hopefully, one of these guys doesn’t go on to win the NWA World title while still being featured on the WWF ice cream bars.)

Next, it’s time for Body Language with Jesse Ventura where Jess says Big John Studd should have taken Heenan back as his manager. “And where does Studd get off picking fights with Akeem and the Big Boss Man? He better be careful. These guys are a lot younger than him and haven’t taken two years off.” (Indeed, Studd was born in 1948, and Akeem and the Big Boss Man were born in 1960 and 1963 respectively.) Next, Jesse says that he’s disgusted that Brutus “the Barber” Beefcake cut Outlaw Ron Bass’s hair, and there’s no place in professional wrestling for that kind of garbage. He says to look for Ron Bass to get some payback. (Bass actually made a fortune off that haircut thanks to video cassette royalties.) And speaking of payback, look for Bobby Heenan to get some after being slapped around by the Red Rooster! Jesse says Rooster is a mediocre wrestler who will now be lost without Heenan’s guidance. On the other hand, Jess says he’s impressed with newcomer Rugged Ronnie Garvin. “Granted, I don’t like some of the people he associates with, but I like Garvin as a wrestler.”

Newsbreakers! Rick Martel is back after being knocked out of action. (They don’t mention he was injured by Ax and Smash because Demolition is a fan favorite tag team now.) Doctors say his return was a combination of luck and determination. “Maybe the injuries weren’t as bad as believed,” said one anonymously. “Or perhaps they healed better than expected.” We’re told Martel’s goal now is to retain his high ranking among World Wrestling Federation grapplers.

Next, Personality Profile introduces us to the Bushwackers, Luke and Butch. We’re told they’re from New Zealand and they’re as smelly and rambunctious as the wild pigs that root through their native bush, yet their backwoods innocence has made them favorites with the fans. The Bushwackers say they look forward to matches with the Bolsheviks and the Ragu Brothers.

Next, an Interview with the Brain Busters and Bobby Heenan. Blanchard says their name says it all: they bust brains. (As Kevin Nash might say, look at the adjective.) Right now, their target is the Rockers, who they describe as nice guys who’ll finish last. From there, they’ll kick ass throughout 1989 all the way to Christmas. The interviewer, however, points out that Heenan has been trouble holding his family together, having recently lost Harley Race, Hercules, and the Red Rooster. “So are the Busters a permanent addition to your family or only temporary?” Heenan says as long as the WWF doesn’t test for cocaine, everything will be fine. Just kidding! He actually says the Busters will stay with him because they have more class than the other half-wit invalids. We move on to a discussion about other tag teams, with the Busters unimpressed by the Conquistadors, the Young Stallions, and the Bushwackers. They do think Demolition is tough, but when it comes time for a title shot, the Busters will be ready.

Next, Battle of the Titans looks back at the 20-man tag team match at the 1988 Survivor Series that boiled down to the Demolition/Powers of Pain double-turn. The magazine says the lesson to be learned from it all: beware of smiling managers.

We move on to an article about Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart on separate missions. Bret is going after the Honky Tonk Man, and Jim wants Greg “the Hammer” Valentine. Some insiders believe Jimmy Hart is using a “divide and conquer strategy.” (Or perhaps Honky and Valentine could form a tag team to make matters simpler for the booker. Of course, that’s about as likely as Valentine dyeing his hair black and pretending to play the guitar.)

Next, it’s WWF Trivia!

The answers – Animals: a teddy bear, a dog, and a cat. Odds & Ends: Run-DMC, Beverly Hills, and the cover. Foreign Objects: right, an attache case full of cash, and a megaphone. Rougeaus: the British Bulldogs, Napoleon, and 25. Numbers: three, two, and twenty.

Next, an article about Elizabeth, a delicate, soft-spoken woman being torn between two Megapowers. Right now, she’s managing both Randy Savage and Hulk Hogan. But can she continue to represent both when the two superstars have such an intensity and desire to be the best that’s sometimes at odds with each other? We then get a recap of the match at Saturday Night’s Main Event where Hogan wrestled Akeem. Savage, watching from the back, refused to counter the Big Boss Man’s interference until the Boss Man put his hands on Elizabeth. At that point, he ran down to the ring and made the save, though he didn’t seem very happy with the fallout, which saw Elizabeth attempting to revive a groggy Hogan.

The Megapowers, for their part, say everything’s cool now, and the three of them are a unit that can’t be divided. Observers, however, can’t help but notice increasing concern and frustration written all over Elizabeth’s face.

Next, an article about Big John Studd. He’s back, but this time he’s refusing to let Bobby Heenan manage him. He says, “Bring on the big men,” and looks forward to wrestling Akeem, the Big Boss Man, and the biggest of them all, Andre the Giant.

We move on to an article about the perfect-plex, Mr. Perfect’s fisherman’s suplex he uses to pin opponents. Is it really perfect? Curt Hennig, Mr. P himself, says it is. (Just don’t use it in the Royal Rumble, Curt. That would be like Savage trying to pin someone to win the thing.) The magazine says there are many variations of suplexes that have made waves in the WWF in recent years. Dino Bravo and Bret Hart love using the side suplex, for example. Hart says the side suplex is better than the perfect-plex because it has more impact. Greg Valentine, who has studied suplexes throughout his career, prefers the vertical suplex, but says Hennig’s is impressive. “You get a pat on the back from the Hammer, brother.” Koko B. Ware does a variation of the vertical suplex by coming down at a 90 degree angle to drop his opponent on his head. (If I was a wrestler trying to pin an opponent, my aim would always be to drop my opponent on his head.) Koko says his version is much better than the perfect-plex. Then there’s Akeem, who has been known to use an inverted suplex where instead of falling backwards, he falls forward, dropping his opponent to the mat face first. He also claims his is better, though the magazine says that’s probably because he has more weight to put behind it. Jesse Ventura says Hennig’s suplex is more about skill and technique. “I know a lot of people don’t want to hear it, but Hennig could be turning the heads of the top dogs here in the WWF with the way he can do that move.”

Next, an article about the Red Rooster’s Revolt. On Saturday Night’s Main Event in a match against Tito Santana, he lost and turned against Bobby Heenan. Afterward, on Prime Time Wrestling, Heenan set up a sneak attack, with jobber Steve Lombardi, repackaged as the Brooklyn Brawler, attacking the Rooster from behind.

We move on to Private Eye, where the Rougeau Brothers have announced the location of their new home: they are now residents of Memphis, Tennessee! They’ve also recorded a new song, “All American Boys.” (That song was awesome.)

Next, WWF Lowdown: Rugged Ronnie Garvin, a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, has arrived in the WWF and is doing exceedingly well. Tito Santana has also been looking terrific. In merchandising news, the WWF Merchandise catalog now includes a deck of playing cards featuring your favorite superstars from the World Wrestling Federation, and the Survivor Series is now available on video cassette thanks to Coliseum Video. (If I remember correctly, they clipped two of the four matches to death and presented them out of chronological order.) In fact, Hillbilly Jim recently visited Videotowne in Dayton, Ohio, which was selling the video tapes, to talk to fans about the Survivor Series and sign autographs. Hillbilly says Dayton’s Videotowne reminds him of the stores in his hometown of Mud Lick, Kentucky, except Mud Luck doesn’t have any video stores. (???) Speaking of autographs, the Ultimate Warrior and Hacksaw Jim Duggan recently appeared at the Tower Department Store in Toronto to sign for the Canadian fans in the area and were said to have had a great time. Meanwhile, Brutus Beefcake stopped by Palmer Video in Bricktown, New Jersey and recommended the Macho Madness video to the store’s customers. (Was he invited, or did he just randomly show up and start talking to strangers about Macho Madness? I want to believe it’s the latter.) Feel like writing to a friend or relative who lives far away? If so, then write your thoughts down on the back of brand-new post-cards offered only by the World Wrestling Federation! Pictured on the full-color cards are top WWF wrestlers such as WWF World Champion Randy Savage, Tag Team Champions Ax and Smash of Demolition, and the muscular Paul Roma. And finally, Rockin’ Robin, the new WWF Women’s Champion has not one but two skilled challengers seeking her title. (TWO? What a woman’s division!) There’s the former champion, Sensational Sherri, and Judy Martin, whom many consider to be one of the most ruthless athletes in all of women’s sports.

Believe it or not, Judy was only 33 in early 1989 (left)! Today she’s 67 (right).

Next, Wrestler’s Rebuttal, where Mr. Perfect explains why he’s perfect…

And, the Crossword Puzzle…

And finally, Caught in the Act!

That’s all for this week! Tune in next week, same time, same channel. And if you’re new here, be sure to leave a comment and check out the archive. Also, check out my website to see what books I’ve written!