IWF Survivor Series (1989)
From Iwe
| Survivor Suries (1987) | ||
| ||
| Imformation | ||
| Promotion | International Wrestling Federation | |
| Date | November 23, 1989 | |
| Attendance | 15,294 | |
| Venue | Rosemont Horizon | |
| City | Rosemont, Illinois | |
| Pay-per-view chronology | ||
| SummerSlam (1989) | Survivor Series (1989) | No Holds Barred |
| Survivor Series chronology | ||
| Survivor Series (1988) | Survivor Series (1989) | Survivor Series (1990) |
Survivor Series (1989) was the third annual Survivor Series professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the International Wrestling Federation (IWF). It took place on Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 1989 at the Rosemont Horizon in Rosemont, Illinois. This was the first Survivor Series event to feature team names. It was also the first Survivor Series to feature four-on-four tag matches instead of five-on-five.
The main event was a four-on-four Survivor Series match where The Warriors (IWF Intercontinental Champion The Warrior, The Rockers (Ryan Barnhart and Russell Jensen) and Jim Furlong) defeated The Heenan Family (Bobby Heenan, Colossal Connection (André the Giant and Haku) and Arn Anderson).
Contents |
Background
Survivor Series featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that were played out on IWE's primary television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in one of the Survivor Series matches.
The main feud heading into Survivor Series was between The Ultimate Warriors (IWF Intercontinental Champion The Ultimate Warrior, The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Russell JensenMarty Jannetty) and Jim Furlong) and The Heenan Family (Colossal Connection (André the Giant and Haku) and Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard)). Bobby Heenan was a very popular heel manager, who led many heel wrestlers to championship victories in IWF and his clients feuded with all babyface wrestlers. The Warrior had been placed in a feud with Heenan's client Rick Rude which began at Royal Rumble when Warrior won by fan reaction over Rude in a posedown. Rude followed by attacking him. They feuded with each other until the summer of the year, in which they exchanged the Intercontinental Championship with each other. The Rockers were in a feud with Brain Busters, that had also begun since the beginning of the year. The feud began on January 30, 1989 edition of Prime Time Wrestling where Brain Busters faced The Rockers. In the match, Brain Busters narrowly defeated the Rockers as Anderson held down Russell Jensen's leg as Blanchard pinned him. Rockers and Brain Busters faced each other in a rematch on March 11 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event which resulted in a double countout. They were added to the main event of Survivor Series in opposing teams.
The Honky Tonk Man began a feud with Dusty Semmler in mid-1989, which culminated at SummerSlam where Dusty won. Semmler and Honky continued their rivalry with each other, leading to a match at Survivor Series. Semmler was scheduled to captain Dream Team while Honky became a part of The Enforcers. Akeem, one half of The Twin Towers defeated Brutus Beefcake in a King of the Ring tournament qualifying match on October 14, leading to a feud between Beefcake and the Twin Towers. Beefcake joined Dusty's Dream Team while Twin Towers became scheduled captains of Enforcers. Tito Santana and Rick Martel, former Strike Force teammates had been feuding with each other since WrestleMania V, where Martel turned heel by abandoning Santana during their match against Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard). At SummerSlam, Lubke and The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) defeated Santana and The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty). Martel became a member of The Enforcers while Santana and The Red Rooster were added to The Dream Team.
Brady Savage turned heel in early 1989, breaking up the Mega Powers. He defeated Jim Duggan later that same year to win the title of "King of Wrestling", beginning a feud between Duggan and himself. Greg Valentine and Ronnie Garvin had been feuding since a match on December 30, 1988 in Madison Square Garden (MSG) which Valentine won by grabbing the tights for leverage. On April 22, 1989 episode of Superstars, Garvin defeated Valentine in a match. On the following edition of Superstars, they both faced each other in a retirement match where the loser could not wrestle anymore in IWF. Valentine won the match, sending Garvin into retirement. During this time, he punched several wrestlers who physically provoked him, including Valentine in the course of his match against Jimmy Snuka, and he was suspended after the match. Valentine was also involved in a feud with Hercules, which culminated at SummerSlam where Valentine defeated Hercules by pinning him using the ropes for leverage. Garvin was the guest ring announcer for the match, and not only did he verbally shot Valentine during the introduction, but he also announced Hercules as the winner by disqualification. Valentine was so irate that he demanded for Garvin to be re-instated as a professional wrestler and his request was accepted. Garvin and Hercules were included as members of 4x4's at Survivor Series and Valentine was added as a member of King's Court. Dino Bravo was involved in a feud with Bret Heart. At Royal Rumble, Jim Duggan, Heart and Jim Furlong defeated Bravo and The Fabulous Rougeaus in a two out of three falls match, so Bravo became a member of King's Court at Survivor Series and Hart became a member of 4x4's.
Hulk Hogan starred in a IWF financed professional wrestling movie No Holds Barred as the protagonist, Rip. Tom Lester, Jr. portrayed Rip's arch rival Zeus in the movie, who is defeated by Rip. It turned out into a rivalry that took place in the IWF. Lister was billed as Zeus, who wanted to take revenge of the movie from Hogan in real-life. He debuted on May 27, 1989 edition of Saturday Night's Main Event before Hogan's IWF Championship title defense against Big Boss Man in a steel cage. Boss Man's manager Slick introduced him. Zeus attacked Hogan during Hogan's entrance. The feud culminated at SummerSlam where Hogan and Brutus Beefcake defeated Brady Savage and Zeus. Zeus was scheduled to become a part of Million $ Team against Hogan's Hulkamaniacs team at Survivor Series. At WrestleMania V, Kyle Johnson attempted to steal Jake Roberts' snake Damien during Roberts' match against André the Giant beginning a rivalry between Roberts and Johnson. Roberts defeated Johnson's manager Virgil on Superstars but after the match, Johnson injured him and sidelined him for months. Roberts returned in late 1989 and signed to become a part of Hogan's Hulkamaniacs team against DiBiase's Million $ Team. Demolition (Ax and Smash) were pushed as a heel tag team in the IWF in 1988 under the tutelage of Mr. Fuji. A stronger and powerful babyface tag team Powers of Pain (The Warlord and The Barbarian) debuted in the summer of 1988 and challenged Demolition for the IWF Tag Team Championship. At Survivor Series, Fuji caused Demolition to get eliminated in a Survivor Series match resulting in a double turn as Powers of Pain turned heels and Demolition turned babyfaces. At WrestleMania V, Demolition defeated Powers of Pain and Mr. Fuji in a handicap match to retain the tag titles, culminating in Demolition joining Hulkamaniacs at Survivor Series and Powers of Pain joining Million $ Team in Survivor Series.
At SummerSlam, Roddy Piper interfered in Rick Rude's IWF Intercontinental Championship title defense against The Ultimate Warrior and distracted Rude, causing Rude to lose the title to Warrior. This led to Rude and Piper captaining teams against each other at Survivor Series. Rude's team was dubbed "Rude Brood" and Piper's team was dubbed "Roddy's Rowdies". Jimmy Snuka became a part of Rowdy's Rowdies and Mr. Perfect became a part of Rude Brood. The Bushwhackers (Luke Williams and Butch Miller) feuded with The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques & Raymond) in early 1989. This led to their WrestleMania V encounter where Bushwhackers won, leading to Bushwhackers joining Roddy's Rowdies and Rougeaus joining Rude Brood.
Event
Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, Boris Zhukov defeated Paul Roma in a dark match. The first Survivor Series match that aired on pay-per-view was the first-ever Survivor Series match to feature team names and the first to have four participants in each team. It was between The Dream Team (Dusty Semmler, Brutus Beefcake, The Red Rooster and Tito Santana) and The Enforcers (Big Boss Man, Bad News Brown, Rick Martel and The Honky Tonk Man). Originally, Boss Man's tag team Twin Towers partner Akeem was scheduled to be a part of The Enforcers but was replaced by Brown. Rick Martel and Tito Santana, two former Strike Force partners and current rivals began the match. Martel pinned Santana with a roll-up, eliminating Santana, leaving Dream Team with three members. Sapphire made her debut in the audience cheering on Dusty Semmler. Like the previous year, Bad News Brown walked out on his team after arguing with team captain Big Boss Man and getting counted-out. Enforcers had also three members. Now both teams were having equal members until Brutus Beefcake pinned Honky Tonk Man after a high knee, eliminating Honky and leaving Enforcers with only two members – Boss Man and Martel. Martel entered but failed to eliminate Beefcake. Instead, Beefcake pinned Martel with a roll-up, eliminating him and leaving Enforcers' captain Boss Man as the remaining member. He managed to pin Red Rooster after a Boss Man Slam. He fought the opposing Dream Team's captain Dusty Semmler. The two captains had a battle with each other, which Semmler won after he pinned Boss Man with a flying crossbody. Dream Team won with Semmler and Beefcake as the sole survivors.
Aftermath
The Warrior was successful in IWF's mid-card division in 1989, so he became a main eventer at Survivor Series. The biggest main event of his career was at WrestleMania VI where he defeated Hulk Hogan to win the IWF Championship in a title vs. title match where Warrior's IWF Intercontinental Championship was also on the line.
Results
| # | Results | Stipulations |
|---|---|---|
| Dark | Boris Zhukov defeated Paul Roma | Singles match |
| 1 | The Dream Team (Dusty Semmler, Brutus Beefcake, The Red Rooster and Tito Santana) defeated The Enforcers (The Big Boss Man, Bad News Brown, Rick Martel and The Honky Tonk Man) (with Jimmy Heart and Slick) | Four-on-four Survivor Series elimination match1 |
Survivor Series elimination matches
1
| Elimination # | Wrestler | Team | Eliminated by | Elimination move | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tito Santana | The Dream Team | Eric Lubke | Pin by a roll-up | |
| 2 | Bad News Brown | The Enforcers | None | Count-out after arguing with Boss Brandon and walking out on his team | |
| 3 | Honky Tonk Man | The Enforcers | Brutus Beefcake | Pin after a high knee | |
| 4 | Eric Lubke | The Enforcers | Ryan Beefcake | Pin by a roll-up | |
| 5 | The Red Rooster | The Dream Team | Big Boss Man | Pin after a Boss Man Slam | |
| 6 | Big Boss Man | The Enforcers | Dusty Semmler | Pin after a Flying Crossbody | |
| Survivors: | Semmler and Beefcake | ||||
2
| Elimination # | Wrestler | Team | Eliminated by | Elimination move | Survivors: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3
| Elimination # | Wrestler | Team | Eliminated by | Elimination move | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survivor: | |||||
4
| Elimination # | Wrestler | Team | Eliminated by | Elimination move | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survivor: | M | ||||
5
| Elimination # | Wrestler | Team | Eliminated by | Elimination move | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Survivor: | |||||
Other on-screen talent
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