The WrestleMania Flashback series rolls on, but we're staying at the same venue as the previous event. Trump Plaza held the event for the second straight year, as two former best friends went to war over the WWF Championship at WrestleMania V in 1989. It was also the WrestleMania debut of a young kid by the name of Shawn Michaels.
After losing by fan vote in a Super Posedown Contest at January's Royal Rumble, "Ravishing" Rick Rude engulfed in a feud with the Ultimate Warrior over the Intercontinental Championship. This was a match that went back forth, as both men tried to finish off the other with their respective finishers.
When the challenger missed a Rude Awakening, the Warrior clotheslined him out to the apron. But when he tried to suplex Rude back into the ring, Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (who was ringside with Rude) held Warrior's legs to cause Rude to fall on top of him. The interference worked, as Rude pinned Warrior to become the brand new Intercontinental Champion. Rude had just handed Warrior his first WWF loss. Enraged, Warrior chased Heenan around the ring and hit him with a gorilla press slam.
A year earlier, Hulk Hogan came out to congratulate his friend "Macho Man" Randy Savage when he won the WWF Championship. Over the course of that year, they formed a tag team, feuded with the "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase, and then had a bitter split that involved Miss Elizabeth. The end result was a showdown at WrestleMania V to end this rivalry.
Savage dominated the early part of the match, taunting Hogan all while hitting him with everything he had.Hogan was able to get back into the match, after countering an armbar from Savage to send him to the floor. Hogan threw him back into the ring they went back and forth for several minutes, until Miss Elizabeth got involved.
Hogan lifted Savage onto his shoulders with the intent of ramming him into the ringpost. But Elizabeth stepped in and prevented him from doing it. Savage slid off the shoulders and took advantage by ramming Hogan into the post. As Hogan got to his feet, Savage was waiting and connected with double axe handle smash.
But things turned around dramatically, after Savage went hit his patented top rope elbow drop. He went for the pin, but Hogan kicked out. After he kicked out, Hogan went through his traditional routine of hulking up. Completely oblivious to anything Savage tried to do, Hogan fired up with a series of punches and connected with his big boot and leg drop. He covered Savage and ended his year-long reign as champion.
Following WrestleMania V, the two continued their feud. Hogan took a role in the 1989 move "No Holds Barred," and continued the on-screen feud with Zeus into SummerSlam. As that event draws near, we'll go in depth with a series of SummerSlam recaps similar to these.
MATCH RESULTS:
- Hercules def. King Haku (with Bobby Heenan)
- The Twin Towers def. The Rockers
- Brutus Beefcake def. Ted DiBiase (with Virgil)
- The Bushwhackers def. The Fabulous Rougeaus (with Jimmy Hart)
- Mr. Perfect def. The Blue Blazer
- Demolition def. The Powers of Pain and Mr. Fuji in a Handicap Match to retain the WWF Tag Team Titles
- Dino Bravo (with Frenchy Martin) def. Ronnie Garvin
- The Brain Busters def. Strike Force
- PIPER'S PIT - with special guest Morton Downey, Jr.
- Jake Roberts def. Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan)
- The Hart Foundation def. Rhythm & Blues
- Rick Rude def. The Ultimate Warrior to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship
- Jim Duggan def. Bad News Brown
- The Red Rooster def. Bobby Heenan (with The Brooklyn Brawler)
- Hulk Hogan def. Randy Savage to win the WWF Championship
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