TED DIBIASE (C) VS. VIRGIL

 Sean Mooney is backstage with Ted DiBiase, recapping what Ted DiBiase had Virgil do during his time as DiBiase’s bodyguard. DiBiase says no matter how embarrassed Virgil was, he’ll be more embarrassed after their match. Gorilla Monsoon and Roddy Piper are on commentary for this match. DiBiase enters first with Sensational Sherri. Virgil enters the match and embraces Piper before sliding in the ring.

 

TED DiBIASE © VS. VIRGIL (Million Dollar Championship)

 WWF Summerslam 1991 (26^th August 1991)

 

Virgil jumpstarts the match, bringing DiBiase down from the turnbuckle and laying in right hands. Ted DiBiase is sent across the ring, he stumbles out of the corner into a back body drop, Virgil knocks him down with clotheslines.  DiBiase is sent over the ropes to the floor with another clothesline and Virgil has a discussion with the referee. We get a wide shot of the arena as Virgil follows and sends DiBiase’s head into the apron and then the ring steps. Virgil brings it back in the ring, dancing around as he boxes with DiBiase, The Million Dollar Man misses the haymaker and is sent back to the floor with an atomic drop. Bobby “The Brain” Heenan joins commentary as Virgil eats shit on a slingshot plancha. Heenan says Hulk Hogan would have surrendered the championship if Ric Flair had knocked on the door. Back to the match, Ted DiBiase breaks the referee’s count before sending Virgil into the ring steps. Virgil’s head is bounced off the steps then DiBiase chops him before bringing it back in the ring. Virgil is sent off the ropes into a clothesline, he connects with a fist drop and stomps. He climbs to the middle rope and hits the ax handle, he slowly covers (everything in this match has been slow, to be fair) and gets a nearfall. Virgil is sent to the corner, DiBiase connects with a chop and a right hand, then sends Virgil across the ring into a backdrop, Ted DiBiase covers for another 2 count as Sherri’s slamming on the mat starts to sound like it’s inside my head.

  Virgil is sent off the ropes, he ducks the clothesline and puts the Million Dollar Dream on DiBiase, Ted DiBiase drops to one knee and Sherri knocks Virgil down with a shot from behind. Referee Earl Hebner however, decides to send Sherri back to the locker room and to continue the match. They both get to their feet, DiBiase connects first with a right hand but Virgil blocks the attempts to send his head into the turnbuckle, DiBiase’s meets the padding as the crowd counts along and DiBiase drops to the mat. Back to the corner when DiBiase is vertical, Virgil lays in right hands and a chop, DiBiase is sent across the ring and Virgil gets the 10 punches in the corner. Ted DiBiase reverses the irish whip, sending Virgil into the referee. Ted DiBiase taunts Piper at ringside and hits three suplexes on Virgil, he tells Piper he has more and hits a piledriver. Ted DiBiase uncovers the turnbuckle and talks trash to Virgil as DiBiase drags him to his feet, Virgil counters at the last second and The Million Dollar Man’s head hits the turnbuckle! They both drop to the mat as the referee regains consciousness, he starts counting both men down, Virgil starts crawling to DiBiase at 6 and gets to the cover 1, 2, 3!

WINNER: VIRGIL (NEW MILLION DOLLAR CHAMPION)

This was a slow and basic match, but that’s all it needed to be. The right guy won in the end and DiBiase was protected with the finish. The crowd was really behind Virgil in the match and Piper’s commentary was similar to Heennan’s 1992 Rumble in a condensed format. [**] 3.75/10.