TED DIBIASE VS. JIM DUGGAN

After the success of Andre the Giant facing Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship at last year's Wrestlemania Vince McMahon and company wanted a rematch. They booked it for a Television special in February 1988. Andre won the match and tried to sell the title to “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. WWF President Jack Tunney wouldn't allow this to happen, vacating the championship for the first time in it's history. He announced a 14 man tournament to crown a new champion, booked for Wrestlemania 4. Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan would face each other in the quarterfinal, with the other 12 competitors beginning the tournament a round before.

Gorilla Monsoon and Jesse “The Body” Ventura are on commentary for this match, Robin Leech from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous is the special ring announcer to summarise the vacancy. Jim Duggan comes out first, holding his trusty 2x4 Ted DiBiase is seconded by Andre the Giant along with Virgil.

TED DIBIASE VS. JIM DUGGAN

WWF Wrestlemania IV (27^th March 1988)

The bell rings and Jim Duggan backs DiBiase into a corner without contact, DiBiase leans through the ropes so Duggan has to back off. They circle and lock up, Duggan is backed into the corner and DiBiase breaks clean. Another collar-elbow tie up forces Duggan into the corner again. Ted DiBiase tries to cheapshot him, but eats a right. DiBiase and Duggan exchange right hands in the middle of the ring, with Duggan the brawler getting the better of it. An atomic drop sends DiBiase over the top rope. Ted DiBiase gets in the ring at 5 and this referee is having a volume contest with Duggan's “Hoooo” chants or something. He bellows every count, not just in this match but the whole event. If you didn't notice it before, you will now. Ted DiBiase rakes the eyes from a collar-elbow tie up and chops Duggan, backing him into the ropes. Some more punches soften Duggan up before he's sent across the ring but he ducks the chop and clotheslines DiBiase down.

Ted DiBiase is knocked back into the corner and the 10 punch is completed. Jim Duggan sends DiBiase from corner to corner but runs into the boot. Really selling it “I'm surprised if affected him that much, it's a hit to the head” - Jesse Ventura. DiBiase sends Duggan's head into the turnbuckle then guides him across the ring with bodyshots and a right hand. Duggan is sent corner to corner and stumbles out into a clothesline. DiBiase stomps Duggan and hits an elbow drop to the top of Duggan's head from the top rope, follows with a fist drop and covers for 2. Hacksaw fires back with rights but gets cut off with a rake to the eyes. DiBiase sends him across the ring but ducks early and Duggan gets a nearfall from a sunset flip. I can't remember Jim Duggan busting that one out often, but it didn't look great so maybe it was for the best. DiBiase is up first, sending Duggan into the ropes and hitting a kneelift to the gut. Duggan is bleeding from the mouth from some part of that sequence, I think it was his landing on the sunset flip.

Ted DiBiase hits another fist drop and brings Duggan to his feet, Duggan blocks a suplex but DiBiase blocks the counter. Finally, Duggan hits the suplex and the referee screams to count them down again. Jim Duggan cuts off an axhandle from the middle rope with a punch to the gut, then looks like he's setting up for a Sweet Chin Music a year before Shawn Michaels even debuted for the company. He hits DiBiase in the corner with rights and lefts, then sends him across the ring. Ted DiBiase walks out into a clothesline. Duggan sends him into the ropes, scooping DiBiase up for a slam and sets up for the 3 point stance but Andre grabs the ankle from ringside. Jim Duggan turns his attention to Andre, getting blindsided by DiBiase with a knee to the gut. A standing fist drop ends Jim Duggan's night in the tournament.

WINNER: TED DIBIASE

This was the first of a possible 4 matches for these guys, which meant it didn't get out of second gear, so they could preserve the energy. It was nicely back and forth for the time they had and besides the sunset flip and the honestly awkward-looking cover at the end it was just as expected. It made sense to put one of the top heels and top gatekeeper faces in the first match, the crowd ate up everything Duggan did.– [stars] match but personally /10

The winner of this match will go on to face the winner of the Dino Bravo vs. Don Muraco match up next (here). “Mean” Gene Okurland is backstage with Brutus Beefcake, who is looking forward to taking the Intercontinental Championship from The Honky Tonk Man, along with a clump of hair from him and his weasel manager Jimmy Hart. I'm paraphrasing, but that's the idea.