Welcome to the latest edition of our WrestleMania Rewind series, written by yours truly, exclusively for everyone here at SLTD Wrestling. The aim of WrestleMania Rewind is to review every WrestleMania in roughly 2,000 words. Click here to read the series so far.
WrestleMania 5 was the second WrestleMania in a row to come from Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. The show took place on April 2, 1989. It’s also the first WrestleMania I ever saw, so it’s a sentimental favourite of mine. As usual, Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse Ventura were on announcing duties, and the Fink took care of things in the ring.
Let’s get right into it!
Match 1: King Haku vs Hercules
Haku sneak attacks Herc to get control. Herc lands a few power moves early to rattle the King. Heenan causes a distraction, allowing Haku to get back into it. Haku gets a couple of backbreakers in, and a bearhug. Herc gets a 2-count off a crossbody, and ducks one from Haku. Herc gets a 2 off a powerslam, then wraps up the win with a back suplex.
Opinion: Two big, strong powerhouses going at it was a great way to kick things off. They both had their chance to shine, with Herc just edging it.
Match 2: The Rockers vs The Twin Towers (w/Slick)
The Rockers use their quickness early, peppering the big men with dropkicks and right hands. The Towers isolate Jannetty and slow the pace with deliberate power moves. Hot tag to Michaels, who gets a 2-count off a double shoulder-block. Akeem lands a HUGE clothesline. Boss Man misses a splash. The Towers get back in control and hit a spinebuster. Akeem gets the 3-count off a big splash.
Opinion: Classic wrestling. A power team against a quick, technically sound team in the Rockers. Ultimately, power won the day.
Match 3: Ted DiBiase vs Brutus Beefcake
Quick start from Beefcake, who’s all over DiBiase. That is, until Virgil hooks Beefcake’s leg and DiBiase gets the advantage. DiBiase gets a 2-count from a double ax-handle. Both men are down after a double clothesline. DiBiase locks in the Million Dollar Dream, but Beefcake gets to the ropes and puts DiBiase in a sleeper of his own! Virgil causes a distraction, leading to a brawl that ends in a double count-out.
Opinion: A loss for either of them would’ve hurt. I’m usually not a huge fan of DQ/count-out finishes, but this one made sense.
Match 4: The Fabulous Rougeaus vs The Bushwhackers
Comedy filler. The Bushwhackers win with a double gut-buster.
Opinion: As you could’ve probably guessed, there wasn’t a whole hell of a lot to write home about. Filler, that’s all.
Match 5: Mr Perfect vs Blue Blazer
Both men shine early, with the Blazer shading it. We get some good chain wrestling. Blazer misses a top-rope splash. Perfect gets his knees up to take the advantage. Blazer gets a couple of quick 2-counts. Perfect gets back into it with a forearm, and nails the PerfectPlex to get the 3.
Opinion: These two had great chemistry together. Always enjoyed watching them wrestle. As far as the match itself goes, it was fairly even and Blazer could easily have won it, but Perfect just had the edge.
Match 6: WWF Tag-Team Championship Match – Demolition (c) vs Powers of Pain & Mr Fuji
Two big, smashmouth teams going at it, so this was NOT one for wrestling purists. Demolition dictates the early pace with their power and frequent tags until the Powers isolate Ax. Fuji misses a top rope elbow and Ax makes the hot tag to Smash. Smash cleans house with slams and clotheslines. Shenanigans ensue. Fuji blinds his own man with the slat and Demolition hit their finisher on Fuji for the win.
Opinion: A great match. The story of Fuji having turned on Demolition and siding with the Powers of Pain ended nicely here, and it made complete sense for Fuji to take the pin. Wrestling at its simplest.
Match 7: Dino Bravo (w/Frenchy Martin) vs Ronnie Garvin
Bravo asserts his power from the get-go. They exchange pins as Garvin grows into the match. Bravo escapes from a sleeper. Garvin rolls through a backdrop to get a 2-count. Bravo connects with an Atomic Drop and a side suplex to get the win.
Opinion: A decent little match actually. The spot where Garvin rolled through the backdrop was something I’d never seen before, and it was really cool. An evenly-matched contest.
Match 8: Brain Busters vs Strike Force
There’s a lot of counter-wrestling to start that leads to a brawl. Strike Force has the best of it early, with Martel countering a leg-scissors into a Boston Crab. There’s a cool spot with Strike Force getting 2 figure-fours onto the Busters.
Martel tags Santana. Santana goes for a flying forearm on Tully Blanchard, who ducks, and Santana blasts Martel instead. The Busters isolate Tito. Tito slams Arn and goes for the hot-tag, but Martel walks off, leaving Tito alone. The Busters toy with him before landing a spike piledriver to get the win.
Opinion: This match is one of my earliest memories as a wrestling fan, so I knew what happened even before I saw it! The leg-scissors counter from Martel is still one of the best I’ve ever seen and the image of him walking out on Tito is one that I still remember to this day. Great tag-team wrestling from 2 of the 80s most under-rated teams.
Match 9: Andre the Giant vs Jake Roberts
Big John Studd’s the special guest referee for this one. Andre removes the turnbuckle as Jake walks to the ring, and rams his head into it when he gets there. As with every Andre match, he’s mainly dominant, apart from a few flurries from Jake. Andre gets tied in the ropes and Jake chokes him. The big man gets free and dominates again, knocking Jake to the outside. Andre gets into it with Studd and gets DQ’ed.
Opinion: Neither man could afford to lose this match by pinfall/submission, so again – like the DiBiase match earlier – it made sense. Plus Andre and Studd had history (remember WrestleMania 1?), so the DQ finish was fine because it protected both Andre and Jake.
Match 10: Greg Valentine & Honky Tonk Man vs Hart Foundation
Good early start from the babyfaces until the heels isolate Bret and work him over. Honky Tonk hits his finisher on Bret and tags Valentine, who goes for the figure-four, but Bret kicks him off. The heels stay on top until the hot tag to Anvil. Honky Tonk breaks up a couple of nearfalls. Valentine and Anvil tag out. There’s a ref distraction which leads to Bret nailing Honky Tonk with the megaphone for the win.
Opinion: Four very good mid-carders going at it here, with Valentine and Hart being the most credible workers. The problem with managers comes when they’ve got objects outside, because they get involved in the finish. I wasn’t keen on it here.
Match 11: WWF Intercontinental Championship Match – Ultimate Warrior (c) vs Rick Rude (w/Bobby Heenan)
Unsurprisingly, Rude’s the one who crafts and puts this match together. It’s also the place of my favourite Ventura line ever: “Look at the Warrior. He’s got a billion-dollar body and a 10 cent brain”. Genius! Rude makes Warrior look like a million bucks, bouncing around the ring, selling his “offense”. Finish comes when Warrior tries suplexing Rude back into the ring, Heenan hooks Warrior’s leg and Rude falls on top of him to get the win, and the title.
Opinion: You can really see why Rick Rude was so highly thought of by his fans and his peers. Without him, this match would’ve been nothing. He was just sensational here.
Match 12: Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs Bad News Brown
Bad News is on the attack early and has the best of the match. It’s just a brawl really. Duggan ducks the Ghetto Blaster and hits his shoulder-tackle, which knocks Bad News outside. Bad News picks up a chair, Duggan picks up his 2-by-4 and they swing them at each other for a double-DQ.
Opinion: Essentially a pointless match. Not even sure why it was on the card when the time could’ve gone to something else.
Match 13: Red Rooster vs Bobby Heenan
Rooster wins a squash match to humiliate Heenan.
Opinion: The match lasted 30 seconds, if that, and like I said, it was there to humiliate Heenan. Job done I’d say.
Match 14: WWF Championship Match – Randy Savage (c) vs Hulk Hogan
If anyone’s in any doubt about what a sensational pro-wrestler Randy Savage was, then they need to watch this. 20+ minutes of a man at the peak of his powers. Apart from 5 minutes here and there, Savage utterly controls this match until Hogan’s inevitable comeback – legdrop and all – leads to a win. Go and find this match, and marvel at the sheer majesty of Macho Man Randy Savage. Quality.
Opinion: This is the first WWF Championship match I ever saw and, to this day, I still don’t understand why Savage was the heel. Surely Hogan’s the heel cos he’s been sniffing around Savage’s Mrs? Anyway, a great showcase for Savage, who put Hogan over BIG TIME.
Summary: This event’s a sentimental favourite of mine. It’s the first wrestling show I’d ever seen, and that was on VHS back in the early 90’s. I just love this WrestleMania and can’t speak highly enough of it, dodgy finishes and all. It’ll always be my favourite.
The highlights were the Strike Force match, Perfect/Blazer and the main-event. At the risk of repeating myself, Savage’s performance was just outstanding. Clearly the wronged man, yet booed by the fans. Idiots. Peons. Twats. And they’re all the ones saying now “Oh, I never liked Hogan, Savage was best”. I bet they’re all liars!
Clearly, this wasn’t just the best early WrestleMania. It’s one of the best of all-time, and one that you should all spend some time familiarising yourselves with. Go on…What are you waiting for? A written invitation?!?!?
Hopefully, you enjoyed that quick look back at WrestleMania 5. Leave your comments/feedback via the usual channels, and join me again tomorrow to revisit WrestleMania 6!
SLTD Wrestling's resident Scottish Nightmare. Some of my content may not be suitable for younger readers or those who are easily offended!
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