WWF The Main Event

Not to be confused withWWE Main EventorSaturday Night's Main Event.

The Main Eventis an American series ofprofessional wrestlingtelevision specialsthat were produced by theWorld Wrestling Federation(WWF).The Main Eventwas a spin-off ofSaturday Night's Main Eventand was held only one time in a year (with the exception of 1990 where it was held twice) and was equivalent to today’s monthlypay-per-view(PPV) events. LikeSaturday Night’s Main Event,The Main Eventaired late and held its main event match on the first hour of the show. There were five shows between 1988 and 1991. Only the first threeThe Main Eventepisodes were shown live on NBC. The final two were taped and then shown on NBC at a later date. It included mainly high-card wrestlers of the WWF includingHulk Hogan,André the Giant,"Macho Man" Randy Savage,The Ultimate Warriorand"Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase.

WWF The Main Event
Genre	Professional wrestling
Created by	Vince McMahon
Starring	World Wrestling Federation roster
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No.of episodes	5
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Production companies	Once a Month Productions Titan Sports Inc.
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	February 5, 1988(1988-02-05)– February 1, 1991(1991-02-01)
Related
Saturday Night's Main Event

All episodes ofThe Main Eventare available on theWWE Network,included withSaturday Night's Main Event.

Dates and venues

Event	Date	City	Venue	Main Event	Ref
The Main Event	February 5, 1988	Indianapolis, Indiana	Market Square Arena	Hulk Hogan(c) vs.André the Giantfor theWWF World Heavyweight Championship
The Main Event II	February 3, 1989	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Bradley Center	The Mega Powers(Hulk Hogan&Randy Savage) vs.The Twin Towers(Akeem&Big Boss Man)
The Main Event III	February 23, 1990	Detroit, Michigan	Joe Louis Arena	Hulk Hogan(c) vs.Randy Savagefor theWWF ChampionshipwithBuster Douglasasspecial guest referee
The Main Event IV	October 30, 1990 Aired November 23, 1990	Fort Wayne, Indiana	Allen County War Memorial Coliseum	The Ultimate Warrior(c) vs.Ted DiBiasefor theWWF Championship
The Main Event V	January 28, 1991 Aired February 1, 1991	Macon, Georgia	Macon Coliseum	Hulk HoganandTugboatvs.EarthquakeandDino Bravo
(c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match

Results

The Main Event

The Main Event
Promotion	World Wrestling Federation
Date	February 5, 1988
Venue	Market Square ArenaIndianapolis, Indiana
The Main Eventchronology
←Previous First Next→ II

The Main Eventtook place, and aired live, on Friday February 5, 1988 at 8pm ET atMarket Square ArenainIndianapolis, Indiana.The live broadcast drew a 15.2Nielsen ratingand 33 million viewers, both records for American televised wrestling.

The match betweenAndré the GiantandHulk Hogansaw André receive apinfallvictory despite Hogan raising his left shoulder before a count of two could be reached. It was revealed, post-match, that the referee who worked the match was not the assigned referee,Dave Hebner,but rather his twin brother,Earl Hebner.Earl had been hired byTed DiBiaseto cheat Hogan out of the belt. Immediately after the match, André surrendered the title to DiBiase. Later on, WWF PresidentJack Tunneysaid the title can only change hands by pinfall or submission. Tunney acknowledged that the referee's decision is final but, due to André surrendering the belt, he declared the title to be vacant.Following the vacancy, a single elimination tournament was held atWrestleMania IVto crown the new champion.

TheStrike Forcevs.The Hart Foundationmatch was still in progress when NBC signed off. In 2014, when theWWE Networkmade available this episode to its on-demand section, the ending of the match was added in.

No.	Results	Stipulations	Times
1D	AxdefeatedKen Patera	Singles match	9:06
2D	Jake RobertsdefeatedHarley Race	Singles match	11:21
3D	Ron BassdefeatedKoko B. Ware	Singles match	6:33
4D	The British Bulldogs(Davey Boy SmithandDynamite Kid) defeatedThe Islanders(HakuandTama)	Tag team match	13:42
5D	Jim DuggandefeatedOne Man Gang	Singles match	5:55
6D	The Ultimate WarriordefeatedSika	Singles match	4:01
7	Randy Savage(withMiss Elizabeth) defeatedThe Honky Tonk Man(c) (withJimmy HartandPeggy Sue) bycountout	Singles matchfor theWWF Intercontinental Championship	8:20
8	André the Giant(withTed DiBiaseandVirgil) defeatedHulk Hogan(c)	Singles matchfor theWWF World Heavyweight Championship	10:05
9D	Strike Force(Tito SantanaandRick Martel) (c) defeatedThe Hart Foundation(Bret HartandJim Neidhart) (withJimmy Hart)	Tag team matchfor theWWF Tag Team Championship	10:03
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match D – this was adark match

The Main Event II

The Main Event II
Promotion	World Wrestling Federation
Date	February 3, 1989
Venue	Bradley CenterMilwaukee, Wisconsin
The Main Eventchronology
←Previous 1988 Next→ III

The Main Event IItook place and aired live on Friday February 3, 1989 at 8pm ET from theBradley CenterinMilwaukee, Wisconsin.The live broadcast drew an 11.6 rating and 19.9 million viewers.

The slowly building tension betweenHulk Hoganand"Macho Man" Randy Savageboiled over during the team's match againstThe Twin Towers,leading to the team's breakup upon Savage's heel turn when Savage contended that Hogan was lusting after his manager,Miss Elizabeth.

No.	Results	Stipulations	Times
1D	André the Giant(withBobby Heenan) defeatedJake Roberts	Singles match	7:11
2D	The Fabulous Rougeaus(Jacques RougeauandRaymond Rougeau) (withJimmy Hart) defeatedThe Hart Foundation(Bret HartandJim Neidhart)	Tag team matchwithBrother Loveasspecial guest referee	19:35
3D	The Ultimate Warrior(c) defeatedGreg Valentine(withJimmy Hart)	Singles matchfor theWWF Intercontinental Championship	05:19
4D	Demolition(AxandSmash) (c) defeatedThe Powers of Pain(The WarlordandThe Barbarian) (withMr. Fuji) by disqualification	Tag team matchfor theWWF Tag Team Championship	8:16
5D	The Brain Busters(Arn AndersonandTully Blanchard) defeatedThe Rockers(Shawn MichaelsandMarty Jannetty)	Tag team match	14:16
6D	Brutus Beefcakevs.Mr. Perfectended in a doubledisqualification	Singles match	12:34
7D	Jim DuggandefeatedDino Bravo(withFrenchy Martin)	Flag match	6:08
8	The Mega Powers(Hulk HoganandRandy Savage) (withMiss Elizabeth) defeatedThe Twin Towers(AkeemandBig Boss Man) (withSlick)	Tag team match	22:00
9	Ted DiBiase(withVirgil) defeatedHercules	Singles match	7:12
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match D – this was adark match

The Main Event III

The Main Event III
Promotion	World Wrestling Federation
Date	February 23, 1990
Venue	Joe Louis ArenaDetroit, Michigan
The Main Eventchronology
←Previous II Next→ IV

The Main Event IIItook place and aired live on February 23, 1990, at 10pm ET from theJoe Louis ArenainDetroit, Michigan.The live broadcast drew a 12.8 rating and 20.9 million viewers.

Mike Tysonwas originally scheduled to be thespecial guest referee,but this changed followingBuster Douglas' knockout title win over Tyson just undertwo weeks before,on February 11. Tyson would eventually be the guest referee atWrestleMania XIV.

Tito Santanawas a substitute forJimmy Snuka.

No.	Results	Stipulations	Times
1D	EarthquakedefeatedRon Garvin	Singles match	5:12
2D	Dusty Rhodes(withSapphire) defeatedMr. Perfect	Singles match	11:26
3D	Ted DiBiase(withVirgil) defeatedJake Roberts	Singles match	10:28
4D	The Colossal Connection(André the GiantandHaku) (c) defeatedDemolition(AxandSmash)	Tag team matchfor theWWF Tag Team Championship	10:04
5D	Bad News BrowndefeatedTito Santana	Singles match	5:31
6D	Rick MarteldefeatedBrutus Beefcake	Singles match	12:15
7D	Roddy Pipervs.Rick Rudeended in adouble disqualification	Lumberjack match	13:00
8	Hulk Hogan(c) defeatedRandy Savage(withQueen Sherri)	Singles match for theWWF ChampionshipwithBuster Douglasasspecial guest referee	11:14
9	The Ultimate Warrior(c) defeatedDino Bravo(withJimmy HartandEarthquake)	Singles match for theWWF Intercontinental Championship	4:11
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match D – this was adark match

The Main Event IV

The Main Event IV
Promotion	World Wrestling Federation
Date	October 30, 1990 (aired November 23, 1990)
Venue	Allen County War Memorial ColiseumFort Wayne, Indiana
The Main Eventchronology
←Previous III Next→ V

The Main Event IVtook place on October 30, 1990, from theAllen County War Memorial ColiseuminFort Wayne, Indiana,and aired on Friday November 23, 1990 at 10pm ET.The broadcast drew an 8.6 rating and 15 million viewers.

TheWWF Tag Team Championshipmatch betweenThe Hart FoundationandThe Rockerswas supposed to be on the show. The Rockers defended their newly won titles a few times before the WWF rehiredJim Neidhart,pairing him withBret Hartonce more, and quietly handing the belts back to The Hart Foundation, erasing The Rockers' reign from the history books. Retrospectively, the WWF explained that the title change had been revoked due to a ring rope malfunction during the second fall of thetwo-out-of-three falls match.The match can be seen unedited on the DVDThe Shawn Michaels Story: Heartbreak & Triumph.Marty JannettypinnedBret Hartin the first fall with a sunset flip counter at 9:33. Hart pinnedShawn Michaelsin the second fall with the Hart Attack at 19:23. Jannetty pinnedJim Neidhartin the third fall when Michaels dropkicked Jannetty onto Neidhart, who was setting up the Hart Attack at 25:41.

Nikolai Volkoffwas scheduled to faceSgt. Slaughteron the show, but Slaughter attacked Nikolai before the opening bell rang and the match never took place.

No.	Results	Stipulations	Times
1D	The Rockers(Shawn MichaelsandMarty Jannetty) defeatedThe Hart Foundation(Bret HartandJim Neidhart) (c) 2-1	Two-out-of-three falls matchfor theWWF Tag Team Championship	25:41
2	The Ultimate Warrior(c) defeatedTed DiBiase(withVirgil) bydisqualification	Singles matchfor theWWF Championship	9:47
3	Mr. PerfectdefeatedBig Boss Manbycountout	Singles match	8:15
4	Rick MarteldefeatedTito Santana	Singles match	6:46
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match D – this was adark match

The Main Event V

The Main Event V
Promotion	World Wrestling Federation
Date	January 28, 1991 (aired February 1, 1991)
Venue	Macon ColiseumMacon, Georgia
The Main Eventchronology
←Previous IV Next→ Final

The Main Event Vtook place on January 28, 1991, from theMacon ColiseuminMacon, Georgia,and aired on Friday February 1, 1991 at 8pm ET.

KNBC,the NBC-owned-and-operated stationinLos Angeles,did not air this program when it was shown by the network on February 1. That day, a collision took place atLos Angeles International Airportbetween aUS Airways passenger jetand aSkyWest Airlinescommuter plane. The crash occurred in the late afternoon, and KNBC opted to airnews bulletincoverage of this story throughout the night. The station did replay the program unadvertised on a later date.

The broadcast drew 10.6 million viewers and a 6.7 rating,which was at the time the worst rating any WWF program had received on NBC despite the presence ofHulk Hogan.This has been blamed on the controversial and exploitativeSgt. SlaughterIraqi sympathizer storyline that was on going at the time.

WWF PresidentJack TunneydeclaredHulk Hoganthe number one contender forSgt. Slaughter'sWWF ChampionshipatWrestleMania VII.

No.	Results	Stipulations	Times
1	Hulk HoganandTugboatdefeatedEarthquakeandDino Bravo(withJimmy Hart)	Tag team match	8:56
2	Jim Duggan(withHulk Hogan) defeatedSgt. Slaughter(c) (withGeneral Adnan) bydisqualification	Singles matchfor theWWF Championship	6:50
3	The Legion of Doom(HawkandAnimal) defeatedThe Orient Express(KatoandTanaka) (withMr. Fuji)	Tag team match	5:11
(c) – the champion(s) heading into the match

External links

• WWF The Main EventatIMDb