IC Title Honky Tonk Man vs Brutus Beefcake International Challenge May 10th, 1988

[@DixiePokerAce]

Honky Tonk Man sure had some great moves. That guy could really dance.

[@jakejp74]

Holy cow this is extremely rare. Thank you thank you

[@damienkirksey7026]

It's great to see that both wrestlers are still alive

[@MrMontythemouse]

The pop when Beefcake puts the sleeper on owes itself to masterful booking of HTM as the cowardly lucky heel, people at that point were fit to burst and desperate to see him lose the title, btw BB is massive here

[@justinuptonn261]

that was huge. You could see the fans explode and jump to their feet. Back then we wanted to see a face...any face tear that title from him so badly. What an amazing heel he was. He was drawing major $$$ back then and headlining house shows around 87-88. Selling out 13-14000 seat venues on weeknights. No small feat. Honky was no technical master, but the guy told an incredible story in the ring, put on fun matches, and had personality and attitude

[@terrycarthy4433]

@@justinuptonn261 ; the HTM was just the best. Ya' don't have to be a great wrestler to be, er, a great wrestler ! Honky's promo's were gold, his reaction to - say - an atomic drop just fabulous, fans love it.

[@terrycarthy4433]

When I first saw Elvis-impersonator-as- wrestler I couldn't help but think Vince McMahon is a genius !

[@tims4502]

Referee got the decision wrong. Hart was just there to take a closer look. Then Beefcake assaulted him and through him at the HTM.

[@adamwatson6916]

Beefcake was not much of a technical wrestler but he was a good performer and understood psychology quite well and knew how to work the crowd . People crap on Beefcake and say he only had his spot because Hogan and Nepotism and I am sure he would not have gotten the job with WWF without Hogan but Beefcake was super over and he did that on his own. He got himself over. He did not get over because of Hogan and you can't tell fans who to like and who gets over with them. Beefcake 100 percent Owes the opportunity to Hogan but he made the best of his opportunity and worked hard and got himself over when I was a kid I loved Beefcake and he was one of my top 5 favorites and I knew nothing if his real life relationship with Hogan or that Hogan got him the Job and I suspect most Beefcake fans did not know that either .

[@justinuptonn261]

Well said. People for some reason just label him as a Hogan lackey type who fans put up with...absolutely not. He was a very over face who was colorful, had a good physique, and was well above average in the ring. Very quick and energetic, played to the crowd very well and got them involved.

[@Edgar1972]

100% agree with every word! In fact I was surprised that Hogan and Beefcake teamed up against Macho Man and Zeus. When Savage attacked Hogan in the dressing room all of a sudden Beefcake was there and soon thereafter Hogan declared he couldn’t anyone trust more than Beefcake. It is sad that Brutus didn’t get the opportunity to become IC especially not by finally getting a victory including hair cut over Honky.

[@richardsanders3750]

True...Hogan also got honky tonk man a push...HTM admitted that himself...

[@anthonys.5909]

His gimmick worked really well. I liked Beefcake in that era and I would've liked him to capture the IC belt instead of the ultimate warrior.

[@robertcoggeshall3071]

I don't think Hogan had much to do with beefcake. In the beginning, he was a heel with valentine, and turned face against Adonis with Pipers help.

[@Edgar1972]

When wrestling was gold! A sweet combination of thrill and entertainment instead of mere entertainment. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@justinuptonn261]

Bruce Pritchard - THE BEEFER😆

[@justinuptonn261]

Both were extremely over as faces and heels. Honky just sold a whuppin so well. That smug arrogance just made you want to see someone take that IC title from him...he also gave that title such prestige and weight and value. It doesn't have that today

[@randyragsdale23]

Jesus Christ. Bruce Pritchard is a terrible PBP commentator.

[@kingsports1113]

Brother love

[@d.b.cooper5096]

😆

[@slabbusterrtr7690]

I looooooove yooooou !!

[@rosemaryfarell5264]

I heard Bruce on his podcast talk about this time om commentary. He said he had no idea so just basically did a bad Vince Mcmahon. Lmao.

[@justinuptonn261]

@@rosemaryfarell5264 why was he on play by play anyway? Was Gorilla ill (his health wasnt the best) seems like it was a last second replacement and he was thrust into it

[@stevendrumm4957]

This was about one month before Prichard debuted as Brother Love.

[@CatsClaw44]

This may have been the first time Beefcake used his theme music. The fans seemed confused at first when it started. He also didn't have it the prior month when he wrestled at WMIV against HTM for the I-C title.

[@kingsports1113]

Beefcake should have been a ic champ

[@gregorywilliams8555]

IKR

[@CatsClaw44]

He was going to get it before he got injured. Kerry Von Erich and Mr. Perfect's second I-C title runs were supposed to be Beefcake's title run.

[@winstoncannady4224]

He had 2 chances. SummerSlam 88 and 90. Unfortunate/unforseen events changed the plans

[@terrycarthy4433]

Why ? We've already got the greatest intercontinental champion of all time.

[@bradyfry8031]

Obviously he had the parasailing accident in 1990, but what happened before summerslam 1988?

[@reneerobertson5478]

All that action in under 10 min. Great work

[@greglemieux9809]

Terrible commentary. Lord Alfred was good as usual but the other guy. Wtf

[@kevinw541]

its Bruce Prichard aka Brother Love. He sounds way too nonchalant about it. Lord Alfred Hayes was always great. Maybe Prichard was just filling in lol terrible

[@greglemieux9809]

@@kevinw541 wow, I'm surprised I didn't catch that. I'm usually hip to his voice. Thanks.

[@gregamania1327]

Pritchard is a terrible play-by-play announcer. 😂

[@randquadrozzi5850]

I'm sure nobody including the honky tonk man ever thought he would win a title and headline a card but he got an opportunity and made the most of it.

[@vibeofthee80s_]

Love to hear Brother Love doing commentary 😅 11/17/23

[@gqloc5987]

This was better than the last 15 years of WWE.

[@justman4891]

Hell yes!

[@hexkwondo]

I see back then the audience favorite came out last and not the champ.

[@ford2010]

Omg the nostalgia hit me relieving this feud... At the timei was brutus fan....little did ik in reality honkey was. Also my fave...all his talent made the babyfaces

[@SIXTHREEONEFOURTHREENIONEOOSEV]

KEWLLLLLLLL

[@VelvetMetrolink]

Good grief. Take off the nostalgia glasses and this is absolutely terrible 😂

[@Gannooch]

Jimmy Hart was in kayfabe banned from the building…yet he managed to run down the aisle to do a run in. What a lie.

[@felixdk8727]

The challenger should always enter the ring first

[@saiasi25007]

Todas las defensas de HTM terminaban en descalificación por intervención de JH! Vaya campeón de horchata.

[@acepaul407]

The fans got their money's worth that night. The whole point of professional wrestling is to entertain and give the fans a good time, and they certainly got a lot of that, that night.

[@josemontano7767]

Honky Tonk man Wrestled Ric Flairs style

[@terrycarthy4433]

Honky sells it better than anybody, just a real pro'.

[@saultiberius9086]

I and the Father are One John 10 30

[@duanereising3026]

The Skunky funk man!!... 😆🤣😆🤣😎

[@BrandonDefoe]

Duluth MN

[@99somerville]

Jimmy Hart loved taking bumps!

[@natpagle2237]

When I was but a child, this was the match I wanted to see badly

[@shipped_my_pants_3000]

Bischoff should have never buried Beefcake. Huge missed opportunity in WCW

[@JohnMurphy-mx7pd]

#ConvenientOutcome