Biggest babyface shows

[The Reverend]

4 hours ago, Chili said:

Summerslam 1991 is on the Vault. What a card (though I'd have loved The Rockers to have replaced The Bushwhackers), but it was my first ever PPV I saw. Jacques Rougeau's 'barter at the gates of St. Peter' trump card, hilariously pathetic.

 

I remember the rumour at school that it was going to be The Rockers vs The Beverley Brothers.

Just had a look and I can't see these teams ever had a match one-on-one 

Edited August 9 by The Reverend

[AshC]

They worked the house shows right at the end of the Rockers run, my uncle saw them wrestle at Maple Leaf Gardens on Boxing Day, 1991.

[Chico Torres]

Despite Marty Janetty throwing himself through the window in early December 1991, they still continued to team up on house shows until the angle was aired on tv in January 1992.

[tiger_rick]

23 hours ago, air_raid said:

You say that, but WCW took on the nWo and beat them for the World title, the US title and Nitro. The execution was iffy but the good guys did win big at the end.

Hogan beat Sting clean in the middle of the ring, brother.

[tiger_rick]

23 hours ago, air_raid said:

You say that, but WCW took on the nWo and beat them for the World title, the US title and Nitro. The execution was iffy but the good guys did win big at the end.

Hogan beat Sting clean in the middle of the ring, brother.

 

22 hours ago, Supremo said:

Double or Nothing 2021 will never be beaten. Vibes for days.

After over a year of depressing Covid hell, crowds finally return.

Show starts with Hangman vs. Brian Cage. For the first time, we have evidence that the hard work they’ve put in with Hangman has worked, he’s over as fuck with the crowd, busting out gorgeous Moonsaults as the beautiful sun sets behind him.

Moxley and Kingston do that entrance.

Jungle Boy wins the Battle Royale with all the fans singing and dancing to his song.

Britt Baker wins the Women’s Title and gives Tony Schiavone a big hug afterwards.

Sting wrestles his first real match after everyone assumed he was retired due to a broken neck and dives off the fucking ramp.

Kenny Omega comes out looking cool as fuck with ALL THE BELTS.

And then they close the show with the Inner Circle winning another brilliantly fun Stadium Stampede, closing on a huge singalong.

Pure, distilled joy from beginning to end. Just writing that out has put me in a great mood. Genuinely one of the best pay per views of all time.

When it’s good, it’s fucking great.

Incredible shout. WATTBA that was.

[tiger_rick]

19 hours ago, Chico Torres said:

It’s very obviously Summerslam 1991. The Tiger has expressed why but just adding some additional context.

It was the first year that WWF became huge in the UK, started the year before but in 1991 everyone at school was into wrestling, a lot of people had Sky and even if you didn’t the videos were widely available, the magazine was in every shop and we even had our even superstar in the British Bulldog. The toys and stickers were everywhere too. Perfect event at the end of the long summer holidays, especially after we had to endure fucking Bryan Adams and that fucking Robin Hood song all summer.

Also WWF was awesome in 1991, in my view it’s the peak of everything WWF is supposed to be with larger than life superheroes, evil supervillains, crazy gimmicks, very colourful and steroid and cocaine fueled American insanity. But 1991 WWF also had the craziest and darkest angles such as Warrior getting locked in a coffin by the Undertaker, the snake biting Macho, Earthquake killing Damien, Warrior locked in the snake room, Mountie electrocuting Bret, the Slaughter reign of terror and flushing pukamaniacs heads down the bog, Sherri trying to blow Warrior on live tv, mild mannered commentator Vince McMahon getting knocked out with a chair, supervillain Jake slapping Elizabeth etc.

So given how over the top the angles were that year, Summerslam 1991 was a joyous celebration of the goodies getting their revenge on the baddies. Bret winning was huge (and the legendary Lord Al interview with Stu), Virgil winning was en even bigger deal, Hogan and Warrior (whose look was at his peak here) teaming together to destroy the awesome (yes Rick) Triangle of Terror, SID joining the babyface army and Macho reunited and marrying the love of his life was the biggest wedding since Scott and Charlene.

Of course in typical awesome 1991 WWF fashion the reception was ruined by Jake and Undertaker but it was a wonderful time overall.

Good post. I love 1991. I just started watching through 1991 Superstars on YT for about the hundredth time. A couple of things though. The peak of the WWF is 1989. I know that's before it exploded in the UK but 1991 is the year they did immense damage to the brand in the US off the back of declining business in 1990. Late 1990 is my jumping on point and I love it so much. SummerSlam 90 to Survivor Series 91 are my ultimate wrestling comfort food. There's a clear irony in the fact things were starting to go to shit and several of those shows feature the backdrop of the Gulf War and the horrible exploitation of it.

You're right about the massive amount of real heavy heat angles through 1991. There's equally a massive amount of desperation in those angles. Even right through into 1992, with Jake and Ric Flair being particularly dasterdly but nothing was addressing the slide caused by the constant bad press and, if we're honest, a lot of the star names being a bit stale and then starting to disappear. From SummerSlam 1991, Warrior leaves immediately, as does Steamboat. Perfect doesn't wrestle for more than a year. Jake, Sid, Bulldog, LOD, Warlord, Kerry Von Erich, P&G, Valentine and the Triangle of Terror wouldn't see 1993. Flair, Bossman, Quake and the Nastys were done in early 93, while Savage took a backseat. And Hogan disappeared for a year too. It's a promotion that's hurtling off a cliff at home, at a point were it was a pop culture icon in the UK, peaking at SummerSlam 92. 

[The Reverend]

2 hours ago, tiger_rick said:

Good post. I love 1991. I just started watching through 1991 Superstars on YT for about the hundredth time. A couple of things though. The peak of the WWF is 1989. I know that's before it exploded in the UK but 1991 is the year they did immense damage to the brand in the US off the back of declining business in 1990. Late 1990 is my jumping on point and I love it so much. SummerSlam 90 to Survivor Series 91 are my ultimate wrestling comfort food. There's a clear irony in the fact things were starting to go to shit and several of those shows feature the backdrop of the Gulf War and the horrible exploitation of it.

You're right about the massive amount of real heavy heat angles through 1991. There's equally a massive amount of desperation in those angles. Even right through into 1992, with Jake and Ric Flair being particularly dasterdly but nothing was addressing the slide caused by the constant bad press and, if we're honest, a lot of the star names being a bit stale and then starting to disappear. From SummerSlam 1991, Warrior leaves immediately, as does Steamboat. Perfect doesn't wrestle for more than a year. Jake, Sid, Bulldog, LOD, Warlord, Kerry Von Erich, P&G, Valentine and the Triangle of Terror wouldn't see 1993. Flair, Bossman, Quake and the Nastys were done in early 93, while Savage took a backseat. And Hogan disappeared for a year too. It's a promotion that's hurtling off a cliff at home, at a point were it was a pop culture icon in the UK, peaking at SummerSlam 92. 

For a long time I always thought 1991 was a bit crap, mainly because I was judging the 'Big 4' against previous years - and also 1992 which has always been a fav. But I've been a real fan of 91 through being able to watch the weekly shows on Youtube. There is some really interesting stuff, with various angles and matches that I didn't really know about.