Post by Celexa Bliss 54 on May 14, 2023 19:36:44 GMT -5
Inspired by this thread in Wrest: officialfan.proboards.com/thread/626341/elimination-chamber-existed-before-2002
1988
Royal Rumble Quick Results
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat def. "Ravishing" Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan by disqualification
The Jumping Bomb Angels def. WWF Women's Tag Team Champions The Glamour Girls w/ Jimmy Harts in a two-out-of-three falls match to win the titles
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan won the 20-man Royal Rumble Match, last eliminating One Man Gang
The Islanders def. The Young Stallions in a two-out-of-three falls match
At the Royal Rumble, Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant would set up their WrestleMania rematch on February 5th. At the Main Event, Andre would defeat Hogan controversially, resulting in the WWF World Championship being declared vacant. While a tournament was expected to fill the vacancy, 1988 turned out to be a year of change for the WWF, beginning with the introduction of a new concept match, although not the last unique concept introduced this year...
The Elimination Chamber Match – WWF Superstars of Wrestling – February 1988
Jack Tunney announced a new concept match following the WWF Championship controversy on The Main Event. A large steel dome, with four small pods inside. Two men start, every five minutes, a new entry joins until all six men are in. The last man standing after the other five have been eliminated will be the winner and the new WWF World Champion.
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Randy Savage vs. One Man Gang vs. Jim Duggan
Savage and DiBiase are the first two entrants, battling for five minutes, before One Man Gang enters. DiBiase barricades himself inside Gang’s pod for the five minutes, as Gang wears Savage down. Duggan is the next entrant. He cleans house on Gang, as well as DiBiase when he tries to intervene. Andre is in fifth and Duggan is quickly eliminated by the big Frenchman. Andre and Gang work over Savage as DiBiase directs traffic. Hogan is in last, cleaning house on Gang and Andre. A bodyslam and leg drop combo eliminates Gang, but Andre splashes Hogan. He covers and DiBiase holds Hogan’s feet down, preventing a kickout. Hogan lays out Andre with a big boot and legdrop, however, allowing Savage to reappear and cover to eliminate the big man. Finally, we’re back to the two we started with, Savage and DiBiase. DiBiase is fresh, having kept out of the action for much of the match, but somehow, someway, Savage overcomes DiBiase and pins him after an elbow smash to capture the gold.
Following his World Title win, Randy Savage took the title with him to WrestleMania IV, where Ted DiBiase was waiting for him in a rematch. Savage would get the win, thanks to Hulk Hogan, who took DiBiase out with a steel chair behind the referee’s back, following plenty of cheating attempts by Andre The Giant and Virgil. The show ended with the iconic image of Miss Elizabeth on the World Champion’s shoulder as it looked like the start of a new era for the WWF.
WrestleMania IV Quick Results
Bad News Brown won a 20 man battle royal, last eliminating Bret Hart
“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan def. Butch Reed w/ Slick
Don Muraco w/ Superstar Graham def. Dino Bravo w/ Frenchy Martin
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart def. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat
One Man Gang w/ Slick def. Bam Bam Biglow w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink by count out
Jake “The Snake” Roberts def. “Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan in a No-Holds-Barred Match
Ultimate Warrior def. Hercules w/ Bobby Heenan
Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant fought to a double count out
Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake def. WWF Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue by disqualification
The Islanders and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan def. The British Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware
Demolition w/ Mr. Fuji def. WWF World Tag Team Champions Strike Force to win the titles
WWF World Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth def. “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil to retain
King of the Ring – June 1988
Jack Tunney announced the first-ever King of the Ring PPV would occur in June, featuring eight WWF Superstars attempting to win three matches in one night to be crowned King of the WWF. Throughout the month of May, Ted DiBiase, Jim Duggan, Greg Valentine, Dino Bravo, Bad News Brown, Brutus Beefcake, Junkyard Dog and World Champion Randy Savage would qualify to compete in the inaugural tournament.
In the quarterfinals, DiBiase advanced over Beefcake, while Duggan and Bravo fought to a double count out. On the other side of the bracket, Savage defeated Valentine, and Bad News Brown defeated Junkyard Dog.
In addition to the tournament, Demolition would defend the WWF Tag Team Championship in a rematch against Strike Force, with the Champions retaining, then putting Rick Martel on the shelf with repeated Decapitations.
In the tournament semifinal, Savage defeated Bad News Brown by disqualification, when Brown tied up Savage throat first in the ropes and refused to back off.
In another non-tournament match, The Honky Tonk Man defeated Don Muraco to retain the Intercontinental Championship. Following that, a third non-tournament match took place, this one featuring a new concept match, the first-ever Hell in a Cell Match. Hell in a Cell was a large steel cage with a roof, which surrounded the ringside area. Unlike normal WWF Cage matches, this one could end only by pin or submission, no escape. Jake Roberts would defeat Rick Rude in a brutal, bloody match to end their feud once and for all.
Finally, in the main event of the evening, Ted DiBiase defeated Randy Savage, following interference by Andre The Giant and Virgil, to win the King of the Ring Tournament.
Money in the Bank – WWF Superstars of Wrestling – July 1988
As the new King of the Ring, Ted DiBiase went to Jack Tunney with a new idea, one that he said would be Money. In fact, Money in the Bank would turn out to be a novel concept match. Six men would battle in a Ladder Match, with a briefcase hanging high above the ring. The winner would be the first man to retrieve the briefcase. Contained within the briefcase was a contract, guaranteeing the winner a WWF Championship match, good anytime over the next year.
Jake Roberts vs. Rick Rude vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Jim Duggan vs. Hercules vs. Tito Santana
This was the WWF’s first-ever ladder match. At first, everyone seemed hesitant to go for the ladder, instead choosing to brawl with one another. Rude was the first to try and climb for the case, but he was pulled down by Roberts. Later, Santana would climb, but with DiBiase and Hercules below, both trying to knock him down, he would instead jump off the ladder, collapsing both men with a cross-body block! Eventually, Duggan would be in the ring by himself and tried to climb. However, his arch-enemy, Andre The Giant, came into the ring and attacked Duggan, allowing DiBiase to climb up and retrieve the briefcase and a guaranteed title shot.
DiBiase would go on to make Randy Savage’s life difficult for weeks, before the return of Hulk Hogan. This set up a tag team main event for the first-ever SummerSlam PPV, in which Hogan and Savage were victorious.
SummerSlam Quick Results
The British Bulldogs and The Fabulous Rougeaus fought to a time limit draw
Bad News Brown def. Ken Patera
“Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan def. The Junkyard Dog by disqualification
The Powers of Pain w/ The Baron def. The Bolsheviks w/ Slick
The Ultimate Warrior def. WWF Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart to win the title
Dino Bravo w/ Frenchy Martin def. Don Muraco
WWF World Tag Team Champions Demolition w/ Mr. Fuji and Jimmy Hart def. The Hart Foundation to retain
Big Bossman w/ Slick def. Koko B Ware
Jake “The Snake” Roberts def. Hercules
The Mega Powers w/ Miss Elizabeth def. The Mega-Bucks w/ Bobby Heenan and Virgil; Jesse “The Body” Ventura was the guest referee
On an episode of Superstars of Wrestling in early October, Ted DiBiase would cash-in his Money in the Bank briefcase, winning via count out, but allowing Randy Savage to retain the title. After the match, Savage would begin having issues with his good friend, Hulk Hogan. At Survivor Series, while Hogan and Savage advanced to the Final Match of Survival, another new concept invented by Jack Tunney, Savage would be the only man on his team eliminated, furthering the rift between The Mega-Powers…
Survivor Series Quick Results
The Ultimate Warrior, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, Sam Houston, The Blue Blazer and Jim Brunzell def. The Honky Tonk Man, “Outlaw” Ron Bass, “Dangerous” Danny Davis, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Bad News Brown w/ Jimmy Hart in a Survivor Series Match (Sole Survivor: The Ultimate Warrior)
The Powers of Pain, The Rockers, The British Bulldogs, The Hart Foundation and The Young Stallions def. Demolition, The Brain Busters, The Bolsheviks, The Fabulous Rougeaus and The Conquistadors w/ Mr. Fuji, Bobby Heenan, Slick and Jimmy Hart in a Survivor Series Match (Survivors: The Powers of Pain)
Andre The Giant, “Ravishing” Rick Rude, Dino Bravo, Mr. Perfect and Harley Race w/ Bobby Heenan and Frenchy Martin def. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Scott Casey, Ken Patera and Tito Santana in a Survivor Series Mach (Survivors: Mr. Perfect and Dino Bravo)
Hulk Hogan, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Hercules, Koko B. Ware and Hillbilly Jim w/ Miss Elizabeth def. Akeem, Big Bossman, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, King Haku and The Red Rooster w/ Slick, Bobby Heenan and Virgil in a Survivor Series Match (Survivors: Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage)
The Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth def. The Powers of Pain, Mr. Perfect and Dino Bravo w/ Mr. Fuji, Bobby Heenan and Frenchy Martin in the Final Match of Survival (Survivors: Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan)
1988
Royal Rumble Quick Results
Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat def. "Ravishing" Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan by disqualification
The Jumping Bomb Angels def. WWF Women's Tag Team Champions The Glamour Girls w/ Jimmy Harts in a two-out-of-three falls match to win the titles
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan won the 20-man Royal Rumble Match, last eliminating One Man Gang
The Islanders def. The Young Stallions in a two-out-of-three falls match
At the Royal Rumble, Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant would set up their WrestleMania rematch on February 5th. At the Main Event, Andre would defeat Hogan controversially, resulting in the WWF World Championship being declared vacant. While a tournament was expected to fill the vacancy, 1988 turned out to be a year of change for the WWF, beginning with the introduction of a new concept match, although not the last unique concept introduced this year...
The Elimination Chamber Match – WWF Superstars of Wrestling – February 1988
Jack Tunney announced a new concept match following the WWF Championship controversy on The Main Event. A large steel dome, with four small pods inside. Two men start, every five minutes, a new entry joins until all six men are in. The last man standing after the other five have been eliminated will be the winner and the new WWF World Champion.
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre The Giant vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Randy Savage vs. One Man Gang vs. Jim Duggan
Savage and DiBiase are the first two entrants, battling for five minutes, before One Man Gang enters. DiBiase barricades himself inside Gang’s pod for the five minutes, as Gang wears Savage down. Duggan is the next entrant. He cleans house on Gang, as well as DiBiase when he tries to intervene. Andre is in fifth and Duggan is quickly eliminated by the big Frenchman. Andre and Gang work over Savage as DiBiase directs traffic. Hogan is in last, cleaning house on Gang and Andre. A bodyslam and leg drop combo eliminates Gang, but Andre splashes Hogan. He covers and DiBiase holds Hogan’s feet down, preventing a kickout. Hogan lays out Andre with a big boot and legdrop, however, allowing Savage to reappear and cover to eliminate the big man. Finally, we’re back to the two we started with, Savage and DiBiase. DiBiase is fresh, having kept out of the action for much of the match, but somehow, someway, Savage overcomes DiBiase and pins him after an elbow smash to capture the gold.
Following his World Title win, Randy Savage took the title with him to WrestleMania IV, where Ted DiBiase was waiting for him in a rematch. Savage would get the win, thanks to Hulk Hogan, who took DiBiase out with a steel chair behind the referee’s back, following plenty of cheating attempts by Andre The Giant and Virgil. The show ended with the iconic image of Miss Elizabeth on the World Champion’s shoulder as it looked like the start of a new era for the WWF.
WrestleMania IV Quick Results
Bad News Brown won a 20 man battle royal, last eliminating Bret Hart
“Hacksaw” Jim Duggan def. Butch Reed w/ Slick
Don Muraco w/ Superstar Graham def. Dino Bravo w/ Frenchy Martin
Greg “The Hammer” Valentine w/ Jimmy Hart def. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat
One Man Gang w/ Slick def. Bam Bam Biglow w/ Sir Oliver Humperdink by count out
Jake “The Snake” Roberts def. “Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan in a No-Holds-Barred Match
Ultimate Warrior def. Hercules w/ Bobby Heenan
Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant fought to a double count out
Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake def. WWF Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue by disqualification
The Islanders and Bobby “The Brain” Heenan def. The British Bulldogs and Koko B. Ware
Demolition w/ Mr. Fuji def. WWF World Tag Team Champions Strike Force to win the titles
WWF World Champion “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth def. “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase w/ Virgil to retain
King of the Ring – June 1988
Jack Tunney announced the first-ever King of the Ring PPV would occur in June, featuring eight WWF Superstars attempting to win three matches in one night to be crowned King of the WWF. Throughout the month of May, Ted DiBiase, Jim Duggan, Greg Valentine, Dino Bravo, Bad News Brown, Brutus Beefcake, Junkyard Dog and World Champion Randy Savage would qualify to compete in the inaugural tournament.
In the quarterfinals, DiBiase advanced over Beefcake, while Duggan and Bravo fought to a double count out. On the other side of the bracket, Savage defeated Valentine, and Bad News Brown defeated Junkyard Dog.
In addition to the tournament, Demolition would defend the WWF Tag Team Championship in a rematch against Strike Force, with the Champions retaining, then putting Rick Martel on the shelf with repeated Decapitations.
In the tournament semifinal, Savage defeated Bad News Brown by disqualification, when Brown tied up Savage throat first in the ropes and refused to back off.
In another non-tournament match, The Honky Tonk Man defeated Don Muraco to retain the Intercontinental Championship. Following that, a third non-tournament match took place, this one featuring a new concept match, the first-ever Hell in a Cell Match. Hell in a Cell was a large steel cage with a roof, which surrounded the ringside area. Unlike normal WWF Cage matches, this one could end only by pin or submission, no escape. Jake Roberts would defeat Rick Rude in a brutal, bloody match to end their feud once and for all.
Finally, in the main event of the evening, Ted DiBiase defeated Randy Savage, following interference by Andre The Giant and Virgil, to win the King of the Ring Tournament.
Money in the Bank – WWF Superstars of Wrestling – July 1988
As the new King of the Ring, Ted DiBiase went to Jack Tunney with a new idea, one that he said would be Money. In fact, Money in the Bank would turn out to be a novel concept match. Six men would battle in a Ladder Match, with a briefcase hanging high above the ring. The winner would be the first man to retrieve the briefcase. Contained within the briefcase was a contract, guaranteeing the winner a WWF Championship match, good anytime over the next year.
Jake Roberts vs. Rick Rude vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Jim Duggan vs. Hercules vs. Tito Santana
This was the WWF’s first-ever ladder match. At first, everyone seemed hesitant to go for the ladder, instead choosing to brawl with one another. Rude was the first to try and climb for the case, but he was pulled down by Roberts. Later, Santana would climb, but with DiBiase and Hercules below, both trying to knock him down, he would instead jump off the ladder, collapsing both men with a cross-body block! Eventually, Duggan would be in the ring by himself and tried to climb. However, his arch-enemy, Andre The Giant, came into the ring and attacked Duggan, allowing DiBiase to climb up and retrieve the briefcase and a guaranteed title shot.
DiBiase would go on to make Randy Savage’s life difficult for weeks, before the return of Hulk Hogan. This set up a tag team main event for the first-ever SummerSlam PPV, in which Hogan and Savage were victorious.
SummerSlam Quick Results
The British Bulldogs and The Fabulous Rougeaus fought to a time limit draw
Bad News Brown def. Ken Patera
“Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan def. The Junkyard Dog by disqualification
The Powers of Pain w/ The Baron def. The Bolsheviks w/ Slick
The Ultimate Warrior def. WWF Intercontinental Champion The Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart to win the title
Dino Bravo w/ Frenchy Martin def. Don Muraco
WWF World Tag Team Champions Demolition w/ Mr. Fuji and Jimmy Hart def. The Hart Foundation to retain
Big Bossman w/ Slick def. Koko B Ware
Jake “The Snake” Roberts def. Hercules
The Mega Powers w/ Miss Elizabeth def. The Mega-Bucks w/ Bobby Heenan and Virgil; Jesse “The Body” Ventura was the guest referee
On an episode of Superstars of Wrestling in early October, Ted DiBiase would cash-in his Money in the Bank briefcase, winning via count out, but allowing Randy Savage to retain the title. After the match, Savage would begin having issues with his good friend, Hulk Hogan. At Survivor Series, while Hogan and Savage advanced to the Final Match of Survival, another new concept invented by Jack Tunney, Savage would be the only man on his team eliminated, furthering the rift between The Mega-Powers…
Survivor Series Quick Results
The Ultimate Warrior, Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake, Sam Houston, The Blue Blazer and Jim Brunzell def. The Honky Tonk Man, “Outlaw” Ron Bass, “Dangerous” Danny Davis, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine and Bad News Brown w/ Jimmy Hart in a Survivor Series Match (Sole Survivor: The Ultimate Warrior)
The Powers of Pain, The Rockers, The British Bulldogs, The Hart Foundation and The Young Stallions def. Demolition, The Brain Busters, The Bolsheviks, The Fabulous Rougeaus and The Conquistadors w/ Mr. Fuji, Bobby Heenan, Slick and Jimmy Hart in a Survivor Series Match (Survivors: The Powers of Pain)
Andre The Giant, “Ravishing” Rick Rude, Dino Bravo, Mr. Perfect and Harley Race w/ Bobby Heenan and Frenchy Martin def. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Scott Casey, Ken Patera and Tito Santana in a Survivor Series Mach (Survivors: Mr. Perfect and Dino Bravo)
Hulk Hogan, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Hercules, Koko B. Ware and Hillbilly Jim w/ Miss Elizabeth def. Akeem, Big Bossman, “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, King Haku and The Red Rooster w/ Slick, Bobby Heenan and Virgil in a Survivor Series Match (Survivors: Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage)
The Ultimate Warrior, Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage w/ Miss Elizabeth def. The Powers of Pain, Mr. Perfect and Dino Bravo w/ Mr. Fuji, Bobby Heenan and Frenchy Martin in the Final Match of Survival (Survivors: Ultimate Warrior and Hulk Hogan)