EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2004 managed to download the '88 Rumble on my computer. The match itself was the WWF's answer to the NWA's Bunkhouse Stampede, which aired at the same time on Pay Per View. The '88 Rumble drew an 8.2 rating, while the Stampede drew 3.5. The Rumble smoked the Stampede in attendance, 18,000 to 6,000. Unlike future Rumbles, this match featured twenty wrestlers instead of 30. Moreover, there are almost no main event stars in the match. Hulk Hogan, Ted DiBiase, Andre the Giant, Randy Savage and the Honky Tonk Man are not entered. The lack of the buzzer was quite noticeable, as the WWF hadn't quite mastered the art of anticipating the next entrant. Wrestlers arrived with little fan reaction, and seemed to come out at a random point during the count at points. There was little fancy booking, beyond Nikolai Volkoff attempting to enter one slot early. For the most part, this was simply your run of the mill twenty man battle royale, stretched out to over half an hour. That is not to say the match was not good. It rarely lagged and provided solid action. But the aura of the Rumble match is not there, nor the anticipation. Especially after the last entrant enters (The Junkyard Dog), the match really feels just like a battle royal. Eliminations come slow until the last five minutes or so. Ten wrestlers were left when the JYD entered. Bret Hart lasts over thirty minutes, albeit with little hype outside of Jesse Ventura's infrequent mentions. Not having seen a Rumble match before obviously effects the way the commentators view the match. It is just notable for being one of many times the WWF toyed with the idea of a singles push for Bret Hart. It is sad to see the last days of Harley Race, active wrestler, in this match. Race is notably overweight, slow, and reduced to doing comedy spots. Race did the Big Bossman's punching bag in the ropes routine. In retrospect, managing Big Van Vader was the best thing to happen to Race, as that replaced Race's WWF days as the fans' most recent memory of Harley Race. The file itself contains a glitch around minute number five, causing the video to freeze. After skipping past this part, I experienced no further problems with the video. Anyone else ever watch the match? Thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lil' Bitch 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2004 I definitely didn't think Hacksaw was winning, I was going for Muraco the whole time. The women's tag match was pretty good and what an excellent opening bout of Rude Vs. Steamboat, the thing with Dino Bravo was really lame if their intention was to kill time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Staravenger Report post Posted August 9, 2004 God Damn website erased my entire post....Anyway, too many problems made this from being very good.... 1. The Random Entrances that the crowd didn't expect. 2. SERIOUS Lack of star power, with too many Jobbers filling up the match. 3. Felt too much like a Battle Royale after JYD entered. 4. Too few eliminations during the normal part of the match. 5. Face vs. Heel was the idea it seemed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spman 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2004 My copy of Rumble 88 is a copy of a copy x1000 so the quality is horrible. Regardless, the match and show itself is pretty run of the mill. The Rumble itself didn't get interesting untill the next year. Ax and Smash drawing 1 and 2 really added to the anything goes aspect, and was a seriously huge markout moment as a kid. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alfdogg 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2004 Where did you get it? I've never seen it before. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2004 I found it on Kazaa. If you can track me down on AIM, I'll gladly share the file. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alfdogg 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2004 I'm on my parents' computer right now. It'll be a couple weeks until I get cable hookup for mine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JHawk 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2004 The funny thing was the fact that a match that was guaranteed to go 36 minutes only went about 33 minutes from bell to bell. And they thought they needed the bench press thing to kill time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest AdamF Report post Posted August 9, 2004 The bench press thing may have been to kill time, but it also started off a long gimmick for Dino Bravo claiming to be the "World's Strongest Man" after apparently setting a new record. So it did serve a purpose. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Dynamite Kido Report post Posted August 9, 2004 Overall.....the show is nothing special except for a really solid Rude/Steamboat match. The Rumble itself wasn't too bad, but it was pretty basic without the big names. But they do a good job considering who was in it. The women's tag match was surprisingly good too........ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisMWaters 0 Report post Posted August 9, 2004 The rumble match itself may have not been that great in hindsight, but it served it's purpose: provide the fans with something new and exciting...and thusly it became a PPV event. Plus, if the stories are true, it proved to Vince that he isn't always right about ideas. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UseTheSledgehammerUh 0 Report post Posted August 10, 2004 Was Steamboat/Rude really good?? 'Cause Rude was still kinda shitty back then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JHawk 0 Report post Posted August 10, 2004 Was Steamboat/Rude really good?? 'Cause Rude was still kinda shitty back then. Honestly, it's pretty slow for the most part with a bad finish. Save for some good psychology and a hot counter sequence, it's nothing special. Still among Rude's best WWF matches though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2004 Show is also memorable for Paul Roma wrenching the HELL out of his knee in the tag match against the Islanders. I think they had to change the finish on the fly because they quickly had Roma submit to a half assed submission move by the Islanders. When do 2 out of 3 falls matches end in 2 straight falls anyway? It had to be an improv finish. Oh and for JHawk and Sledgehammer, have you seen Rude's matches in Memphis? I mean he was TERRIBLE. Rude was just plain awful in Memphis, improved slightly in WWF and hit his prime just as he left the WWF in 90 and went to WCW. I liked the Rumble match because it was new and fresh, but it was filled with Jobbers, Sam Houston anyone? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisMWaters 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2004 but it was filled with Jobbers, Sam Houston anyone? Like later Royal Rumbles were better? Barry Horowitz, for example? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alfdogg 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2004 Horowitz was a jobber, but they were actually working an on/off lowercard angle with him and Candido at the time. Plus in the 96 Rumble you had Michaels, Diesel, Yoko, Vader, Owen, etc...the first Rumble was *filled* with guys who never made it above JTTS. Duggan and Muraco were the biggest names (at the time) in the match. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2004 but it was filled with Jobbers, Sam Houston anyone? Like later Royal Rumbles were better? Barry Horowitz, for example? they didn't have any top guys in the 1988 RR. Every other rumble had the top guys. The biggest faces in the match were Jim Duggan and JYD. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisMWaters 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2004 but it was filled with Jobbers, Sam Houston anyone? Like later Royal Rumbles were better? Barry Horowitz, for example? they didn't have any top guys in the 1988 RR. Every other rumble had the top guys. The biggest faces in the match were Jim Duggan and JYD. Jake "The Snake" was in it too. Hogan was doing that contract signing on the show, so he was out. Don't know WHERE Savage was though... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
strummer 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2004 Savage wrestled the same night in Halifax, Nova Scotia. From Cawthon's site: WWF @ Halifax, Nova Scotia - Forum - January 24, 1988 WWF IC Champion the Honkytonk Man defeated Randy Savage via disqualification Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
King Cucaracha 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2004 When do 2 out of 3 falls matches end in 2 straight falls anyway? Austin vs. Rhodes, when Austin won the U.S Title. Other than that I can't really remember any other instances. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MillenniumMan831 0 Report post Posted August 11, 2004 Strike Force beat the Bolsheviks in 2 straight falls on the 1/88 SNME. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Staravenger Report post Posted August 11, 2004 If all kinds of ways count, The British Bulldogs def. The Hart Foundation 2 Falls to 0 in a SNME in 1987 I think. (1 fall was by DQ though) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alfdogg 0 Report post Posted August 12, 2004 I don't remember a *heel* ever winning one in two straight falls other than that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheFranchise 0 Report post Posted August 12, 2004 Only thing that comes to mind was Triple H beating Austin two straight falls, but he'd fallen one behind first before he won the next two. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted August 22, 2004 Um, when it's two out of three, it's ALWAYS loss-win-win, I thought Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Staravenger Report post Posted August 22, 2004 Didn't HHH/HBK From Armageddon 2002 go win-loss-win for HHH? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alfdogg 0 Report post Posted August 22, 2004 I meant as in two falls to zero. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Staravenger Report post Posted August 22, 2004 Damn Czech Republic got me thinking otherwise. (brainstorms) I don't think I've seen one in WWF that ended 2-0 heels, but WCW is a different story (because I wasn't a fan much past 1992) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
