WrestleMania 5: The Brain Busters (with Bobby Heenan) vs Strike Force
Brain Busters are on their way to the ring with Heenan to boos. Strike Force get a better pop.
Unsurprisingly, given the four men involved, this was a really good match. However, the point of this match seems to be to turn Martel heel.
Winner: Brainbusters by pinfall after Martel refuses to tag in and leaves Santana to his fate after Santana accidentally hits him after Blanchard ducked a crossbody.
Highlights: Stereo Figure Fours by Strike Force on former members of The Four Horsemen. Anderson getting caught on the turnbuckle and slammed is never not funny.
Thoughts: I liked this match, but I can’t say that Martel turning heel was a surprise. Monsoon and Ventura telegraphed it a little with their comments.
We go backstage where Mean Gene is confronting Martel over what happened. Martel says that, as far as he’s concerned, Santana got what he deserved and that he’s tired of carrying Santana and that Santana’s been riding his coattails. Okerlund angrily points out that Strike Force was supposed to be a team. Martel says that he’s sick of Santana, that Santana’s timing was off when he accidentally hit him (instead of Blanchard ducking). Okerlund’s had enough and ends the interview.
WrestleMania 5 Piper’s Pit Segment
Next up is a special Piper’s Pit. ‘Piper’ comes out and it’s Brother Love and the crowd isn’t happy about it. Love starts out talking to an imaginary ‘Brother Rodney’ and making fun of Piper, which just makes the crowd angrier. Our guest is Morton Downey Jr (whoever that is). The crowd seems to like him and he’s puffing on a cigarette. Downey doesn’t seem impressed by Brother Love and is just a real jerk about the whole thing.
FINALLY, the real Piper comes out to save us all to a great pop, once the crowd realized it was actually Piper. Piper has that look where someone’s going to get it. Piper takes it to Brother Love, much to the crowd’s amusement. Downey seems put out at not being the center of attention.
As Piper takes it to Love, Downey gets sick of being ignored and throws a cigarette at Piper’s back, bad move. Piper ignores him for now and continues to rip apart Brother Love. Downey offers Love a cigarette and Piper looks about done with this nonsense. Piper finally strips Love down to his red briefs and turns his attention to Downey. Piper calls Downey ‘Morticia’. Downey seems to take Piper lightly because he’s not listening. Even Monsoon and Ventura know s**t’s about to go down. Downey makes the mistake of doing a ‘Your mama’ joke to Piper. Piper’s about to blow a couple of gaskets. Piper insults Downey’s girlfriend and it’s getting nasty. Piper, again, asks Downey to not blow smoke in his face. Downey replies that since Piper’s wearing a skirt, he doesn’t have to listen to him, another bad move. Piper tells him it’s a kilt and Downey spells it ‘killed’. Piper explains it to the crowd and slaps his knee, but his temper is getting short. He just compared Piper to a transvestite and the crowd is livid, and so is Piper. Piper, AGAIN, asks Downey to not smoke and blow the smoke in his face. Downey seems to comply and then deliberately blows the smoke in Piper’s face. Downey does it again, saying it’s good for ya (despite his smoker’s cough). As Downey turns away, thinking he’s won, Piper pulls up the third stool, revealing a fire extinguisher. He asks Downey for a smoke and blasts him with the fire extinguisher. Piper leaves in triumph.
Thoughts: This why you don’t bring in outsiders who don’t respect the business onto the show and let them talk. It says something about the feeling about Downey’s attitude that Ventura didn’t criticize what Piper did.
We go back to Mean Gene who is plugging ‘No Holds Barred’. This movie looked bad even in previews.
Sean Mooney is meeting with the sponsor of WrestleMania. The owner of the casino says that he’s very honored to have the WWF there and that it’s been a big boon to business and that he hopes WWF will come back.
Ventura is mad that Hogan’s doing a movie and encroaching on Ventura’s territory, despite Hogan having already done a movie long before ‘No Holds Barred’.
We get a recap of how the Mega Powers came to be and how things broke down, including the infamous Saturday Night’s Main Event.
We go to Mean Gene, who is with Hogan and he mentions what happened last year. Hogan agrees and says that if you’d told him that he and Savage would be locking at WrestleMania V, he’d have called that person a liar. He then says he should’ve seen it coming and that Savage made him believe that he was all in and that Savage was jealous and angry that he couldn’t be the man that the Hulkamaniacs wanted him to be and that his jealousy over Hulkamania and Elizabeth is what really tore them apart. Says the owner of the arena was worried about the foundation when the Mega Powers exploded. He then says his Hulkamaniacs are survivors and that he doesn’t care what Savage wants, he just wants Savage’s best so that there are no excuses.
Comments: That was a good promo for Hogan and continues the story that Savage’s turn was a surprise.
We’re back in the ring and Finkel introduces our special guest referee: Big John Studd. Studd looks good in a ref’s shirt.
Jake Roberts vs Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan)
Andre is out first with Bobby Heenan. Andre’s sporting mutton chops from ‘The Princess Bride’. Andre and Studd trade words. Jake’s out next to a nice pop.
This was not a pretty match and no one expected it to be. Studd did an okay job as ref, but he let stuff go. Andre’s performance was even worse than at WrestleMania III.
Winner: Jake Roberts by disqualification after Andre deliberately hits Studd from behind. DiBiase tries to take off with Damien while Andre chokes Studd. Jake throws Damien into the ring and Andre bails out.
Highlights: Jake hurting his hand on Andre’s head. Andre and Studd getting into it and Andre deciding he doesn’t have to listen to Studd.
Thoughts: This match was awful. Roberts and Andre really tried, but there was nothing saving this match.
Sean Mooney interviews a fan that’s a big Jake Roberts fan.
We go to Tony Schiavone, who is interviewing Sensational Sherri. Sherri throws some shade at Rockin’ Robin’s singing and wrestling skills. Sherri says that she’ll be taking the title back from Rockin’ Robin when she’s ready. She also throws shade at Elizabeth and says she’s not beautiful and that she (Sherri) is beautiful and vicious. Sherri thinks the destruction of the Mega Powers is funny and the interview ends.
Comments: This seems to be a set up of Sherri becoming Savage’s manager after WrestleMania V and the verbal feud with Elizabeth. There also seems to be a hint that Sherri had something to do with Savage’s turn.
Next up is another tag team match.
