WWE 1st Ever Royal Rumble (1988) - OSW Review #7

[@travisblaze12386]

I can't believe this was nearly ten years ago. The lads are still going strong, here's to another 10 years and beyond for Jay, V1, and OOC.

[@OSW]

Thank u brother! I'll cancel the Horace Hogan run-in on you so

[@travisblaze12386]

@OSW Review HD Nah, you can't do that. We need the Horace Hogan run in.

[@jpeach17]

​@@travisblaze12386 Horace is the key to everything

[@AlwaysNerdyTV]

I love blasting thru these even 10 years later, since they are timeless! The Joe Cronin Wrestling Community Loves the OSW content!

[@dildonius]

​@@jpeach17Because he's a funnier character than OSW has ever had before!

[@Bellthorian]

I think the WWE messed up not putting the strap on Ted. The heat he could have generated using all sorts of technicalities to keep Hogan from getting an immediate rematch could have been hilarious.

[@TranslatedAssumption]

As all championships are acquired by kayfabe, I 100% recognize Ted DiBiase as WWF World Heavyweight Champion.

[@clinteldorado]

Even something as simple as paying off referees could have garnered nuclear heat. Jesse: “DiBiase beat Hogan fair and square!” Gorilla: “Hogan’s foot was on the ropes!” Jesse: “The referee said he didn’t see anything wrong, and his decision is final, Monsoon!” Then next week on Superstars you show “secret” video footage of DiBiase and Virgil handing a thick brown envelope to the referee in question. But he can’t be found because he’s taken the money and skipped town! DiBiase laughs and keeps his title. Like V1 always says: wrestling is not difficult.

[@JustGettinStarted]

Ted wouldn’t have drawn even as much as Warrior, let alone Hogan. He wasn’t WWF-leading material.

[@PoofOfLogic]

Totally agree. As a kid I would have been pissed, but as an adult I have come to realize just how great The Million Dollar Man gimmick was, and just how awesome a Ted Dibiase heel run as Champ would have been.

agreed

[@racewiththefalcons1]

I love how Mean Gene is totally serious all the time, the straight guy in a comedy, like a guy who couldn't get a job doing this in real sports and had to work in wrestling for a while before moving up, and just never did. His straight-laced character perfectly contrasts with the comical wrestlers all roided up in crazy costumes yelling and screaming all the time, and he's just a guy trying to do his job and maybe work in football one day. It sells the whole concept wonderfully.

[@adamwintz1072]

There will never be anyone else with the caché of Gene Mean

[@yeoshow1984]

His voice is so velvety smooth.

[@tz4637]

I grew up believing Mean Gene was a legitimate journalist.

[@paulk6399]

Leslie Nielson-like deadpan comedy approach which is rare He pokes and prods whoever is across him so blatantly buts says it like a professional

[@orangemaniabrother2232]

He plays the straight man but in a comical way, he's not like the interviewers of today who are super serious and just hold the mic, he was a character of his own.

[@msw8966]

These videos get me through a lot of days at work. 10 years later and I'm still watching. Thank you OSW!!!

[@mr.chippie4115]

No way this was 8 years ago, I remember waiting for this to come out! Didn’t realise these boys were with me for so long. Glad to have good company

[@jppennypincher9051]

Steamboat’s original theme is Sirius by Alan Parson Project. Also used by 90’s Bulls as their intro. Steamboat was my first fave. Pure 80’s martial arts madness!

[@zubrhero5270]

Lads, that woman with the megaphone is the reason why still to this day, I cant stand people in the front rows trying to get themselves over. Hotdogging and grandstanding.

[@sebom141]

Thanks a lot for doing this, awesome work! what a medley by Honky Tonk Man great promo! the more I listen to you the more I appreciate, I'm a fan of it, humor, we learn things about wrestling, fantastic!

[@OSW]

you're v kind mate, that's made my day. Esp as this is pre-upgrade to a better mic :D slainte brother!

[@rajveerkanojiya2985]

@@OSW hi

[@OSW]

@@rajveerkanojiya2985 hellooooo Raj!

[@ThePerfectSeth]

Despite having watched this review near a dozen times before and being no stranger to Jay's punishing wordplay, I only just *now* got the "Killer Bee's hometown didn't have cable; they only had antennae" gag. Well done, sir. Well done.

[@TheFoodieCutie]

Whenever I’m sick, I got OSW to get me through!

[@GetOnTheFloor82]

So weird going back to watching these early eps lads. So so so glad you got your audio/mic sorted out!! 😀

[@dasstu]

I know, right? I couldn't hear OOC at all in this one!

[@flashinthepan3273]

"The prayers, the vitamins, the training!" And the roids, the pills and the blow...

[@henkpaschulke7267]

Welcome in the 80s

[@Big_Ben1988]

"The roids, the pills, and the blow" should be a rap song.

[@Tareltonlives]

@@Big_Ben1988 ♫Sex types and racist comments, yeah brother!♫

[@barrymatthews2438]

Flash Inthepan now that’s Hulkamania !!!

[@davea5414]

And the heroin. A wrestler asked me to get him stuff after an autograph signing in my area....not saying who. But that's the last thing i expected the guy to come with....

[@mastershake42019]

Here in 2019. Gonna watch every OSW this year.

[@mikecotroneo4770]

Doing it early 2020

[@Kobeat21]

Doing it now, September 2020

[@michaelkeller5927]

Started again in 2021 lol. Lots taken down from KZbin now though :(

[@planescaped]

The Honky Tonk man was great at this time... so great he ended up getting a severe ego that carried with him and shadowed/ruined the rest of his career.

[@Mrryn]

One of the more prevalent examples of a wrestler working themselves into a shoot

[@ZenOfMKVLI]

WTF are you talking about

[@gst013]

The main event was the Islanders against the Young Stallions? Like...what???? A midcard match where the heels go over. Bizarre af 😅

[@EmmaBonn96]

I always liked this royal rumble because it had a bit of the war games element Faces would only fight heels and heels would only fight faces for the most part. It gives it almost a war games aspect where the next entrant changes the tide in this ongoing battle.

[@chunky9791]

No bro, Andre was an icon. As a child, he scared me. He wasn't a great wrestler per say but when it came to a "bad guy" he was it. Plus his matches are wrestling folklore like how Hogan didn't know if he was gonna put him over in wrestlmania. No wrestler alive or dead today commanded the respect he did.

[@Gravydog316]

in the 60's when he was young & in good health, Andre was really good.

[@DethOfDrgnz]

check out Ricky steamboat and Rick Rudes matches from WCW in 1992. Those matches are classics. Not sure why it didn't work here but they would go on to have great matches in 1992.

[@Bedroom_Punk]

This Event was hosted in my hometown/current city! Three years before I was born, but hey! :D

[@technounionrepresentative4274]

it's funny looking back at your reaction to warrior here compared to your reaction from a few years later, your enthusiasm for warrior has certainly dwindled

[@sol20051]

I feel Jake Roberts could have done more if he had won.

[@shermanvermin76]

I know how you feel - just *why* did he turn heel in late August 1991? It especially didn't make sense for him to do so, after how upset fans were, when he lost to the 'Visionaries' team, at Survivor Series 1990 (especially what the captain of the 'Visionaries' - the Model Rick Martel - did to his eyes, in 1990, not too long before said Survivor Series).

[@evrbody]

40:05 "This is the ONLY time you'll see a tag match main-event a PPV." WrestleMania I. Dur.

[@VNCstudios]

evrbody And every early survivor series

[@djtommyc.3678]

Wait. And this isn’t a Ppv!

[@AnArchyRulzz]

Wrestlemania 1 wasnt a ppv. It was closed circuit. Wrestling classic was first ppv.

[@119Agent]

I think they mean between two standard tag teams. Everything else mentioned is a special match.

[@GhusisBest]

Wcw superbrawl 91 had Steiners vs Luger and Sting I think

[@yeoshow1984]

Honky Tonk Man called Mean Gene "Green Bean." Haha.

[@prestonmcilvaine3188]

He

[@yeoshow1984]

@@prestonmcilvaine3188 👌

[@KCRyder]

as far as guys coming out right one after another....Bruce Prichard said that several segments of the show ran long and they were out of time - so they just sent guys out fast in order to get everybody in the match

[@brandttroup2949]

I'm guessing that with this being on free tv, they wanted to make sure they got in the entirety of the rumble, and could axe the conclusion on the final match if things were running long (a la the Main Event a few weeks later).

[@chloedog47]

Honky's promo at the start is gold

[@johnnytyrrell7060]

Hearing fellow Irish men talking about wrestling that I grew up on when I was a kid is cool.

[@JeffreyJetsKohut]

Ricky Steamboat's WWF theme was awesome! I totally remember how much I loved it as a child

[@TonySucco-bl6xm]

You know you're a casual wrestling fan, when you had no idea there was two Hepners until watching OSW. I just thought Earl got around abit!! This is my second time around watching the reviews ❤ Thanks lads, its fucking awesome 👌

[@fallingnine9365]

Dudes, Sam Houston was/is Jake The Snake's brother! Different mother to Jake but same mother as Rockin' Robin.

[@marvingayle6415]

he was ?

[@fallingnine9365]

@@marvingayle6415 yeah his father was Grizzly Smith so he was his half brother

[@macdaddy1149]

Kane was a beast back in his early days. He was huge. He was also considered to be the strongest wrestler in the WWE. Brock leaner said arm wrestling Kane was like trying to are wrestling a tree. I remember Kane picking up Big Show like he was nothing. Big Show freaked out and kept yelling put me down. Kane told Show, your not much of a giant anymore, are you.

[@clinteldorado]

Kane was a fucking monster back then. I remember being stunned not because he was bigger than the Undertaker-because we’d already had useless giants like Gonzalez-but because he was so fucking good. It was the first time they found someone as big as Taker who matched it with in-ring talent.

[@ptfrog16]

If you consider what the Killer Bees were doing with the masks, then they were the first to use twin magic.

[@pigs18]

They only ran with the plastic surgery line for a very short time. Within a couple of months, WWE Magazine had a whole feature on Earl and Dave where Earl is portrayed as being the evil twin (minus the goatee) their entire lives.

[@shallendor]

The Jumping Bomb Angels were too good for the WWF!

[@gumdeo]

so true.

[@FranchiseSHR]

RR 88 home of Breakdown IYH, Hamilton woo hoo. The original winner was suppose to be Bam Bam but he missed his flight

[@BugOperator]

44:35 anyone else notice that the title belt changes from the globe to the winged eagle between Hogan’s promo and his ring entrance? Why not just wear the winged eagle for the promo (unless the promo was recorded days earlier before the belt was ready)? Regardless, I’m sure this was done to keep the globe design and its variations as strictly Hogan-only since he was dropping the title for the first time in four years.

[@jimdraven2432]

I was about to make the same observation. They probably taped the interview before he went out, then gave him the winged eagle, which makes it debut in this show. Good catch, I thought I was the only one who goes that!

[@Tarkamkrest]

Love it, Having V1 around makes the podcast that much better

[@lildwell2]

Whenever i do something amazing I do the Bret Hart hand thing.

[@andrewwagstaff5535]

I was surprised you didn't mention that Sam Houston is the half-brother of Jake Roberts. In the last vid you pointed out Rockin' Robin family connection. Great job on these.

[@REXX-STRONGSTYLE]

47:45 hold on wait just a moment here it's 1988 and Hogan is doing what was christened "Bret's rope" before Bret was doing it LOL are you telling me that Bret Hart stole Hogan's move it's really" Hogan's rope" LOL

[@SolidMike84]

12:17 Gene Mean? Jay has been possessed by Sheiky.

[@NPC-00361]

SolidMike84 and now he’s probably up there with him laughing at how bad the product is.

[@craigusselman546]

I love how simple everything looks.

[@polymathing]

I'm with you. I can't watch anything new. it's just a mosaic of advertising, marketing and fake.

[@ionfalcom1]

Ten years of awesome wrestling reviews!

[@harleydavidson9466]

Couple of things... The Hulkster promo from right before The Main Event match with Andre... Is that from a different night? The cheering/booing sounds like it was a track, and the belt he's wearing is different than The Winged Eagle he swings around before the match. What the fook?!?!?

[@megamarsonic]

"WWF Tag Team Ladies Championship" *spits out drink* THE WHAT!?

[@djtommyc.3678]

megamarsonic What the What?!?

[@SuperDevolution]

It was barely used and retired in 89. Rumors are that they are going to introduce new wemon's tag belts next week. I look forward to them calling the belts historic and pretending these belts didn't exist.

[@gladfan1989]

TBQH, until this night, I didn't think that championship existed.

[@streeTkiDwannaBe]

Yeah it sucks how it’s forgotten for modern audiences. Glamour Girls and Jumping Bomb Angels were great. Of course Fabulous Moolah fucked those four girls over and helped destroy the division.

[@streeTkiDwannaBe]

Just copying from Wikipedia if anyone wants to see how Moolah destroyed the division: “They spent much of 1988 feuding with the Jumping Bomb Angels for the WWF Women's Tag Team Championship. The Jumping Bomb Angels defeated them for the championship at the first Royal Rumble in 1988. Kai and Martin recaptured the title months later in Japan before the belts were abandoned. The Glamour Girls regaining the Tag Team titles from the Jumping Bomb Angels was not received well by the WWF and its head booker Pat Patterson. What had happened was prior to the tour of Japan, Martin and Kai had a falling out with The Fabulous Moolah over her no longer receiving a portion of their booking fees. Moolah then sabotaged them by going behind the WWF's back and informing the Japanese promoters that The Glamour Girls were to win the Tag Team belts in the last match of the tour. The girls did query this and tried to contact Patterson by telephone but were unable to do so and agreed to win the belts. When they returned to the USA, they were confronted by Patterson who informed them that they had totally screwed up the WWF's plans and that nobody within the WWF had made the decision for the title change. According to both Martin and Kai, he then refused to listen to them when told that it was Moolah who had ordered the title change. The plans Patterson had mentioned was a tag team championship match at Wrestlemania V between the Bomb Angels and Glamour Girls. The match was scrapped, ultimately costing all 4 women what would have been their largest pay day and the Women's Tag Team Championship was abandoned in mid-1989.”

[@jerryalexander8803]

Chris Jericho Voice: ARM BAR!!

[@JPS47]

Elvis is spinning in his crave after that promo.

[@OSW]

We've said much worse you'll be alright!

[@stevencampbell2018]

What's this in reply to? Lol

[@dontrll947]

Steven Campbell they make a racist joke

[@pamelaharrison9945]

Rest in peace

[@marjorieguerrero7246]

Honky tonk man is the best

[@MendelsonShape]

I saw a hockey game at the Copps Coliseum. That was just before they renamed it to the FirstOntario centre, which like so many of these renamings (SkyDome to the Rogers Centre) is far more dull.

[@sagesarabia5053]

Thank you for posting this

[@OSW]

Glad you enjoyed it dude!

[@sagesarabia5053]

@@OSW im not a dude I’m a binary and I wear a double mask and a mask on my ears

[@Joe4Schrute1]

Dooley’s: the unintentional beginning of What Bar?

[@aethelwulf20001]

It blew my mind when I realised the Glamour Girls were 32 and 27 at this point. Epic paper rounds for those two.

[@JennaLeigh]

I call BS. The one in the gold top looks like she could be late 20s/early 30s. The black top? No effin way!

[@user-ri3vg6kf4p]

1:06 you gotta be kidding me 😂😂

[@Dstone1187]

Funniest part in the Andre interview is when Craig DeGeorge interrupts Andre before he finishes his promo, resulting in Andre punching DeGeorge and telling him not to stop him during his promo. The lesson: don’t interrupt Andre

[@clinteldorado]

Reminds me of the story about Arnold Schwarzenegger drinking with the wrestlers back in the day. He got up to pay the (enormous) bar tab, and Andre said not to bother because he always paid. Arnie brushed this off and started walking towards the bar. Then he was in the air. Andre literally picked up this seven-time Mr. Olympia like he was a child, then placed him back in his seat, pointed at himself and shouted “I PAY.”

[@Wildberryjamband]

this was the best show in the history of our great sport

[@jocylean]

I missed this show when it aired... however, this match was so over, I heard about the results on the news... the real fucking news. People cared enough about wrestling then that a title change was news worthy. Today, I couldn't even tell you who the champion is.

[@Sevfin]

"While hes doing it, he gives hogan a MASSIVE finger of fudge" Maannnnnn I'm still laughing...I had to replay that twice

[@Big_Ben1988]

Back when there was no wellness policy. Steroids and Blow were not only encouraged they were given out by a doctor in the locker room to all the wrestlers.

[@jimdraven2432]

You guys are amazing, but one thing here. Andre's gigantism is in full affect right now. He only worked a couple PPVs in '87, filmed Princess Bride, then had surgery to try to arrest the disease and dull the incredible pain he was experiencing. As for his work, he was brilliant. He worked like a giant, period. The comparisons you make to Big Show are off though. Show had his gigantism arrested in time so the same thing that took Andre didn't take him. Show was faster, Andre was better. I'm also an 80's kid, so I'm biased lol keep it up boys!! PS - for the Main Event bonus, this was the first appearance of the WWF Classic Winged Eagle Belt! Fun fact, he starts his interview with the '87 World Title, then goes to the ring wearing the winged eagle. History! Cheers boys!

[@ramboraph4life]

50:56 lol when you said that, I remember that they did that same/exact thing in the early 90's with Doink the Clown vs. Crush, and then Doink's twin comes out and they do that 'mirror gag'. These shows are beyond Excellent. Fantastic job so far guys. I'm currently watching them in order for the first time, one by one. Really sorry that the damn copyright police is hassling you guys on these videos.

[@Cian._.]

Crush brah brah

[@tiredhippo82]

I personally think the jumping bomb angel is wearing pink...not purple >_

[@borednow5838]

One of the gems from this show is Jesse giving Vince shit for not knowing the names of the Jumping Bomb Angels😂

[@logansmith13]

I'm not sure if anyone mentioned it or not, but did you notice that in Hogan's pre-match promo he has an older belt, and he has the winged-eagle belt when he comes out to the ring?

[@Wildberryjamband]

Jesse The Body was also the commentator for the Rude-Steamboat match in WCW. Beach Blast 1993 Iron Man match.

[@kunzesolify]

Sam Houston is Jake Roberts brother

[@LlamaFIL]

Shockingly, Leilani Kai was only 28 when this event took place.

[@TOFKAS01]

50:57 Whow, that stunt was quite dangerous....he is flying into a small hallway with iron fences not far away from each other...that was precise work...

[@mrchopsticks3]

They keep saying pay per view, this was not a pay per view, it was on regular cable.

[@KR1736]

Man I love that Honkey Tonk Man promo at the beginning

[@NinpoUK]

I think that bench press stuff used fake weights. The bar doesn't move as you'd expect for 200kg+ being on it.

[@cockyjeremy]

Jay is wrong about the Golden Girls. They weren’t popular in the 1970’s. The show ran 1985-1992.

[@doowoppingchainsawer]

There are 10 people in the ring as Warrior is being eliminated. At his elimination, 6 people are left. What the hell? Where did Hillbilly Jim go?

[@ryannunez1545]

edited out probably

[@BlackzSparrow]

he almost killed earl hebner with that throw, overshot him

[@Jrocc811]

I caught that too! Andre completely missing spots because he can barely move.

[@soothingsoundsforeveryone2695]

You guys won me over with the BTTF “doodely doodely doo”! Love yer feckin vids!

[@mr.x9566]

Also, did anyone else notice that Hogan wears the 87' championship belt in the promo before the match but walks out wearing the Winged Eagle belt? The Saturday Night Main Event promos were filmed the day before. I don't know if it's a continuity error or what?

[@TenchiJeff]

When Andre was on the mic, he said "I am proud to be the world world tag-team champion." For reals, he was so out of it.

[@captinweestain526]

He was with Hacku

[@doowoppingchainsawer]

was that at the time he was tag champions in the Colossal Connection?

[@dizzy1369]

With his size he could have been the "world world tag-team champion." 🤣😂

[@johnnyfive222]

Is there any chance you can get to the Nwo Era or vince vs austin era after ECW?

[@mdc2077]

Love how Vince just played the square company broadcaster kafabing his ownership and roll.

[@BeardedBruh]

I 100% understand and agree with the general concept of "doesn't need the belt to get over" for some performers (Jake Roberts is brought up often when talking about this)😮. Fair enough. BUT, that means nothing when talking about what someone deserves. I think Ted DiBiase deserved a run (even if a short transitional role) with the strap. One of the best characters ever, could hold his own in the ring, could give classes on delivering incredible promos, was an all-time great heel. With his Million Dollar Corporation and all the great heel henchmen involved, I think it would've been amazing. Just an old head's opinion. Love you guys!

[@guyincognito5706]

28:00 Patterson brought the Royal Rumble match into the WWF from San Francisco, like Bret brought over the Ladder Match

[@knarftahw]

Lol taking that girls match seriously was hilarious XD

[@HurriShane00]

Hogan interview....wearing the old belt. Hogan entrance.....new Winged Eagle Belt. Continuity error

[@rickwillard2002]

I really thought Hogan, Andre, and DiBiase should have been in the rumble and have Andre win.

[@krlm2280]

Dino bravo was a beast rip

[@ajkundrath9661]

I never knew Elvis held the intercontinental title

[@YN-sj6mu]

Regardless of the sport, if you touch the ref, you're pretty much done, Mr. Rick Rude. LOL! Fun childhood memories...although many of them are considered living legends, it's too sad that quite a few of them have passed on...God bless and R.I.P.

[@LessThan-wr1nr]

The weightlifting bullocks at 10:40 puts Dino directly into my boi stable

[@Wildberryjamband]

Rude vs Steamboat WCW Iron Man should be attached here as a bonus clip

[@davidwalker3626]

26:38 "Hulk Hogan was wearing purple." Was he not wearing a white sleeveless shirt with white wristband??

[@HellhammerSS]

It's some of his no holds barred attire

[@bk31883]

Did Hogan have the old belt on during the promo and then the eagle belt in the ring?

[@harleydavidson9466]

I just commented that... Hell yeah they were different. Good catch!!

[@jacob9538]

8:37 I don't mind that. It shouldn't ALWAYS be exactly the same (the face getting beaten up via slow offense and then making a comeback). But I notice (after watching many OSW Review videos) that V-1 frequently complains when things don't follow a very strict generic wrestling playbook, including the finishes. If he was a booker, we'd be able to predict the outcome of every match with 100% accuracy. Awesome job though overall, I just like to nitpick sometimes.

[@PeterParker-vq2cz]

been watching the royal rumbles again, amazing to discover ddt chants and jake doesnt drop a single ddt in them :P he goes for it a couple times, but never delivers

[@MX-qx6kh]

The Main Event. I remember sneaking downstairs to watch that and being pissed that they cut off the Hart Foundation.

[@Norma-uc8dy]

Barry Bloom was Jesse Ventura's agent at the time. This is perhaps the only time that Bret Hart and Jake Roberts ever cross paths. This was also one of the few times Bret and Warrior were in the same match. They didn't lock up here, but in 1992 they teamed together on a house show, in 1998 WCW Nitro Sting and Warrior faced Hart and Hogan, and that match is the only time they faced each other. Then at 1998 WCW War Games, Bret and Warrior were opponents but did not interact in the ring at all.

[@jamesmnaylor]

30:45 Sam Houston is the brother of Jake ‘the snake’ Roberts and Rockin Robin. So Houston and Roberts were in the Rumble at the same time.

[@walka112]

In all fairness to Vince, this wasn't (as you stated) a pay-per-view event- more of an experiment than anything else really, and also the early developmental stages of what would soon establish the companies main stay annual events- the first survivor series having been just two months previous. That said, it was a horrific shambles of a card and when the segments of never ending predictability were lobbed on top for good measure, the event ultimately had all the charisma and appeal of a child's funeral on a wet Wednesday morning in Mullingar.

[@slickpulla07]

Matt from Two Best Friends Play brought me here funny as fuck when he was tellin the story of the bomb in the potato not sure which video you guys say it on

[@mr.x9566]

One Man Gang won the first Rumble 3 mths earlier.

[@PurpleWorldOrder]

46:53 that's called "checking the oil"

[@therealcarlosv1521]

Honky Tonks face and voice when he said In the Ghettooo 🤣🤣🤣