WWF's Saturday Night Main Event January 3rd Edition, 1987 Review

Hello and welcome to another edition of Seanomaniac Wrestling Reviews, the only wrestling review series on the internet that is All In! It is all about Hogan vs Orndorff inside of a steel cage, this is going to be a massive edition because we are opening with a cage match while we also have George The Animal Steele batting long-time nemesis Randy Savage, Adrian Adonis vs Roddy Piper and King Harley Race taking on The Junkyard Dog. Another show that promises to be a tonne of fun, cannot wait for this edition.

(WWF World Heavyweight Championship Match) Hulk Hogan © vs Paul Orndorff W/ Bobby Heenan

Kicking it off big, we have the cage match between the two. Orndorff and Hogan had battled at The Big Event with Orndorff almost upsetting The Hulkster but this should settle the feud, it’s been six months of war between the two. There has to be a winner, only one way to win and that is by escape. Also note that there are two referees on the floor, one of them being corrupt referee Danny Davis.

Orndorff interrupts Hogan entering the ring, Orndorff whips Hogan with the championship. Orndorff almost escapes immediately before Hogan grabs the leg of the challenger, Orndorff begins dropping elbows on Hogan. Hogan thwarts the escape of Orndorff once more, clothesline by Mr. Wonderful. Orndorff almost out of the cage, Hogan has Orndorff by the hair. Hogan uses the cage to choke Orndorff, right hands both men are high on that cage. Orndorff is upside down, being smacked off the cage. Hogan chokes Orndorff with his headband, Hogan begin climbing the cage but Orndorff is too quick, a right hand floors Hogan.

Knee across the throat from Orndorff, Orndorff misses a series of elbows on Hogan. Hogan is powering up, Orndorff eats massive rights. Axe bomber from Hogan, Danny Davis is slow to unlock the cage door. Low shot from Orndorff, Hogan reverses Orndorff and Orndorff bangs off the cage wall. Both men are on opposite sides of the cage, they are racing over the cage. Both men’s feet hit the floor at the same time, we have a controversial decision. Danny Davis shoves down Joey Marella, we need a video replay. Orndorff knees Hogan in the back who was distracted with Davis.

Marella rules that the match will continue, Orndorff nails a top rope elbow. Orndorff attacks Hogan with his headband, knee to the back of the head. Hogan Hulks Up as Orndorff has gone too far, right hands from Hogan. Chops too, Orndorff meets the cage. Orndorff is dazed, Orndorff meets the cage for a fourth time. Rib-breaker from Hogan and a massive Atomic Leg Drop! Heenan nails the referee, Heenan is trying to stop Hogan. Heenan is buying Orndorff sometime, Hogan says no way. Heenan is down, atomic drop to Orndorff. Heenan is hurled to the cage, it is a race between Hogan and Orndorff but Hogan climbs over and wins the match.

So much fun in this match, starts off great with Orndorff attacking Hogan. I have enjoyed the heel run of Orndorff thoroughly, always seemed like a loose-cannon so being a heel came naturally. This match had the controversial finish, the screwy referee, Bobby Heenan doing what Heenan does best and Hogan overcoming the odds, you could not ask for a match on television, it was fantastic fun!

Winner: Hulk Hogan over Paul Orndorff via Escape!

(WWF Intercontinental Championship Match) Randy Savage © W/ Miss Elizabeth vs George The Animal Steele

Steele has a big surprise for Savage, Steel carries an action figure of himself. Steele gives the action figure to Elizabeth, Savage is irate. Savage hops it off the ground, here comes Steele. Two-handed throat toss by Steele, Savage is rammed off the top turnbuckle. Steele begins calling to the back, what could this be? Savage takes control, Steele is yanked down. Knee drop by Savage, scoop slam by Savage. It’s Ricky The Dragon Steamboat. Steele yanks Savage off the top rope, Savage has been tossed to the floor. Steele steals Miss Elizabeth.

Savage has no clue, Savage enters the ring. Savage cannot do a thing because standing in his way is Ricky Steamboat. Savage had crushed the larynx of Steamboat in November of 1986 using the ringbell. The Dragon has stopped Savage who wants no part of The Dragon. Steele is back, Savage is rammed off the turnbuckle. Steele rips at the turnbuckle, scoop slam by Steele. Savage has been blinded, Steele rips at another turnbuckle. Savage rams Steele into the ringpost, elbows and middle rope choke from Savage. Steele fires back at Savage, biting from Steele.

The referee is admonishing Steele, Steele shrugs off the referee. Eye rake by Savage, sleeper attempt goes awry as Steele bites the arm of Savage. Clothesline to the floor by Savage, Steele has some object. Surely a disqualification? The referee is searching for the object, Steele shoves down the referee. Savage has a ring-bell, Steele has been waffled in the back of the head and Savage gets away with the win. Savage grabs the ring-bell, planning to do what he did to Steamboat but Steamboat makes the save.

Great angles coming out of this feud, first you have The King Kong tendencies of Steele who just wants to see Elizabeth treated properly, Savage being the ultimate dick who mistreats her and just wants to hold his championship. In the middle of the match, Steamboat returns and the fans want to see Steamboat murder Savage so bad.

Winner: Randy Savage over George Steele via Ring-Bell To The Back Of The Head!

King Harley Race W/ Bobby Heenan vs The Junkyard Dog

Race takes a cheap shot to take control, headlock with punches by Race. High knee from Race, another knee from Race for two. Right hands from JYD, Race meets the ringpost. Headbutt by Junkyard Dog, eye rake by Race. Right hands, belly to belly suplex. Falling headbutt from Race but JYD does not feel the effects, Dogbutts from JYD. Race is sent tumbling to the floor, JYD has the crown and robe of Race, JYD tries on the gear and Heenan looks on in utter disgust. Heenan tries to attack JYD, no dice. Massive right hand by JYD, Race is climbing the top rope, elbow to the back of the head of JYD. Elbow drops, Heenan gets in too. We have a DQ, Race and Heenan batter Junkyard Dog.

More of an angle than a match, Junkyard Dog is super popular and the feud will come to an end soon enough but this is good stuff. Sidenote: Heenan’s face when JYD strutted around in the robe and crown may have made my day, fantastic from the best of all-time.

Winner: Junkyard Dog over Harley Race via DQ!

Rowdy Roddy Piper vs Adrian Adonis W/ Jimmy Hart

Piper throws his kilt on Adonis, right hands and hiptoss from Piper. Huge knee lift, Adonis is all tied up in the ropes. Boot from Piper, Piper bites the head of Adonis. Adonis is in a bad, bad way. Piper hotshots the arm of Adonis, Adonis is begging for mercy. Two low shots from Adonis, eye rake from Adonis. Knees in the corner, Adonis is raking at the body of piper. Huge rights from Piper, Adonis is smacked off the mat. On the floor, the referee is dealing with Jimmy Hart which leads to Adonis spraying Piper in the eyes with his perfume spray gun thing. Piper is blinded and gets counted out.

I understand that they have to get heat on Adonis for the Wrestlemania match but Piper wandering around aimlessly while he gets counted out was a bit stupid, not my type of thing at all.

Winner: Adrian Adonis over Roddy Piper via Count-Out!

Jimmy Jack Funk vs Blackjack Mulligan

Mulligan clotheslines Funk to the floor, we are on the outside. Funk eats a backdrop to the floor, Funk rakes the eyes but he cannot get the scoop slam. Mulligan scoop slams Funk, Mulligan nails a massive clothesline. Funk begs for mercy, Mulligan nails a spinning reverse elbow for the win. DUD!

Winner: Blackjack Mulligan over Jimmy Jack Funk via Reverse Elbow!

Another really good edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, Hogan vs Orndorff delivered in bucketloads, you had everything when it came to the match. The crowd were in a frenzy, Hogan and Orndorff tore the house down with some awesome wrestling spots. The return of The Dragon, big things on the horizon between Steamboat and Savage, loved the feud between Adonis and Piper despite the weak finish on the show, I felt Adonis could have blinded Piper in the ring instead of Piper just getting counted out while still being on his feet, surely Piper could feel where the ring was? That’s nit-picking though, this was a good show, fun and enjoyable. Thanks for reading and remember: There’s always another night!