I haven' completed the tags in this match, but there were 30 just from the participants and teams, so I'll get back to it. I just wanted to get the review out there at this point.
Before the match we see a promo from Team Hart Foundation with Craig DeGeorge. Bobby Heenan does a lot of the talking as the teams shout in the background. Jim Neidhart says this team doesn’t need luck before we go back to The Brain. Jimmy Hart arrives on camera and says someone is going to get hurt. Bobby Hennan says the Bolsheviks are already in the ring with Slick and we cut to the ring for the Russian National Anthem, which Jesse stands up for. Ventura says he got to stretch his legs, whereas Gorilla Monsoon didn’t.
Demolition are seen making their entrance first, followed by Johnny V and The Dream Team, The Islanders are lead out by Heenan and that just leaves The Hart Foundation and Jimmy Hart. We go to Gene Okerlund backstage with Team Strike Force, and the champions do all of the talking, saying they’ll win the tag division showcase. The British Bulldogs make their way out first with Matilda, then The Young Stallions, The Rougeau Brothers, The Killer Bees and finally the WWF Tag Team Champions and captains, Strike Force. If one member of a tag team (for example, Tito Santana) is eliminated, then both members of the team (in this case, his Strike Force partner, Rick Martel) also have to leave the match. The visual of 18 guys being on the apron and covering most of the ring is impressive.
Gorilla Monsoon & Jesse Ventura are on commentary for this match, Howard Finkel is our ring announcer
TEAM STRIKE FORCEVS. TEAM HART FOUNDATION
WWF Survivor Series 1987 (26th November 1987)
Rick Martel starts with Nikolai Volkoff, who gets the early advantage with strikes, including a headbutt. Martel is sent off the ropes but he slips out the back of the slam attempt and rolls Volkoff up for 2.
Rick Martel connects with punches, which Ventura calls illegal closed fists but the referee isn’t bothered. Team Strike Force make room for Volkoff to hit the ropes from an irish whip but Volkoff knocks Martel down before slamming him and tagging in Boris Zhukov. Rick Martel rolls out of the way of the elbow drop and connects with a drop kick, Rick Martel hits a running crossbody, but only gets 1. Zhukov is sent off the ropes into a backdrop and Tito Santana gets the tag. He covers but Zhukov kicks out at 1 as Jesse mentions that so far they’re only tagging in their regular partners. Gorilla mentions that it wasn’t a problem when the Russians did it, but Ventura can’t notice every detail, can he? Boris Zhukov has been getting some shine with basic strikes on Martel. Zhukov sends Santana into the ropes, Tito ducks the clothesline attempt and hits the Running Forearm to eliminate The Bolsheviks in short order. Demolition’s Ax jumps Santana before he can make it to his feet and slams him to the mat. Ax tries the jumping elbow drop but eats shit, allowing Jacques Rougeau to tag in. He connects with right hands and sends Ax into the ropes, before heading in the opposite direction for a jumping back elbow. Ax tags in Dino Bravo, who walks into a dropkick, Jacques wrings the arm before tagging in Brunzell to get another rotation. B. Brian Blair gets another immediate tag and comes off the second rope, hitting Bravo’s arm.
Davey Boy Smith tags in and headbutts Bravo down. Smash gets the tag, he’s met before he can get in the ring but he goes toe to toe with British Bulldog before Tito Santana gets the tag. Tito Santana takes it to Smash before sending him into Dynamite Kid’s boot in the corner. Kid tags in, connecting with chops and headbutts but Smash cuts him off with a knee to the midsection. Haku gets the tag, exchanging chops and forearms with Dynamite Kid. Haku rakes the eyes and Jim Brunzell tags in again, taking down Haku. B. Brian is in for some teamwork from The Killer Bees. Blair kicks at Haku’s hamstring until he tags in Neidhart, who walks into a drop toehold. Paul Roma gets the tag, working Neidhart’s legs with elbow drops. Jim Neidhart slams Roma and tags in Smash, a quick slam before Demolition tag between themselves. Smash clubs at Roma’s back. Paul Roma is slammed in the heels’ corner and Haku is back in, sending Roma off the ropes into a running clothesline. Tama tags in, exchanging shots with Paul Roma and moving across the ring, allowing Jim Powers to get the tag. Back across the ring for each member of Demolition to get some offence in, Jacque Rougeau gets the tag but he’s no match for Ax. Ax ducks too early and Jacques Rougeau rolls over his back and takes his chance, going at Ax. Ax reverses an irish whip, Jacques tries to rebound with the crossbody but Ax moves out of the way and covers for the elimination. That’s 4 vs. 4, if you’re counting.
Dynamite Kid is back in the ring, he hits a snap suplex on Demolition Ax but it’s covered by the bodies on the apron. Tama gets the tag and gets sent into the top turnbuckle by Dynamite Kid. Kid sends Tama across the ring and runs into his boot in the corner. Jim Powers tags in before Tama can take much control and Tama’s head is sent into the top turnbuckle again. Powers sends Tama into the corner but Tama runs through Powers with a clothesline. Neidhart back in for a battle of the Jims. He lifts Powers into an argentine backbreaker position and tags in Haku, who dives from the top rope with a double ax handle. Jim Powers kicks out before the referee can get down to count. Paul Roma gets the tag, after a short burst of offence Roma gets his eyes raked, Ax is back in, striking at Roma, but Paul Roma connects with right hands in the corner. Ax is sent into the opposite corner but he lifts his boot into Roma’s chin. Greg Valentine assists from the apron before getting the tag and hitting a shoulder breaker for 2. Valentine lifts Roma for a suplex and turns with him for the landing before tagging in his regular partner. Dino Bravo hits a gutwrench suplex and a leg drop after the New Dream Team utilise the 5-count. Smash and B. Brian Blair are tagged into the match whilst the referee tries to restore order, Smash charges at Blair in the corner, but collides with it sternum first. Dynamite Kid back in, he sends Smash off the ropes into a clothesline and covers for 2
Dynamite Kid sends Smash back off the ropes but he ducks too early and gets kicked in the chest. They go over to the Heels’ corner and Demolition double-team Dynamite Kid, tying him in the ropes. Smash shoves the referee and that’s enough for their disqualification. Bret Hart enters the match, dropping his elbow across the back of Dynamite Kid’s head and hitting a piledriver for 2. Bret connects with European uppercuts in the corner, Dynamite cuts him off with a shot to the midsection and a headbutt. Bret kicks at Dynamite in the corner but runs his own shoulder into the ring post. Jim Powers gets tagged in, followed shortly by Tama on the other side. Tama knocks Powers down with a jumping clothesline but misses the Vader Bomb in the corner. Rick Martel comes back in as Ventura mentions that they haven’t been involved for a while. He sends Tama off the ropes into a backdrop, Tama begs off into the corner but an alley-oop sends him into the air and back down on the mat. Martel is getting a serious reaction here. Rick Martel dropkicks Tama and puts him in the boston crab, but Neidhart gets the pin, knocking Martel from behind with a clothesline and covering for 2. Rick Martel is sent into the turnbuckles, but he gets both of his feet up and that gives him time to tag in Santana. Jim Neidhart reverses an irish whip but gets caught with the Flying Forearm. Bret Hart breaks up the pin at 2 with an elbow drop from the middle rope and that’s enough to eliminate Strike Force.
Paul Roma is legal now, locking up with Neidhart to tag back out to Powers. Neidhart tags out to Haku, who hits a dropkick for 2. Greg Valentine tags in, connecting with elbows to the top of Powers’ head. Jim Powers tries a sunset flip as Valentine ducks too early, but it comes to nought as Valentine connects with a right hand. Valentine slams Powers and rebounds off the ropes for a forearm shot for 2. Greg Valentine tries to hold Powers’ shoulders down, but Powers gets his knees up as Valentine tries to use his weight. Neidhart is back in, he drops Powers over the top rope and tags in Haku. Haku hits a thrust kick and a backbeaker for 2. Valentine is back in as Ventura says The Young Stallions are tough to pin. Powers is sent off the ropes into a back elbow/chop combination from Valentine and Haku, respectively. Valentine covers again for 2. Jim Powers reverses a suplex with one of his own, but Valentine trips Powers into the heel corner to tag in Bret. Bret Hart hits a backbreaker as Tama comes off the top rope with a shot to Powers. Bret Hart hits a suplex for 2, but Powers tags out to Roma. Paul Roma’s early momentum is stopped with a thumb to the eye as Ventura says it’s something he used effectively in his own career. Neidhart makes the tag and the Hart Foundation work over Roma. Greg Valentine is back in with a slam and a clubbing blow from the top rope. Roma kicks out at 2 and tags Powers back in. Ventura calls it a mistake, but I think it’s the only person Roma could reach.
Bret Hart is tagged in, Valentine holds Powers for a shot to the midsection before leaving the ring. Bret sends Powers off the ropes, Jim Powers holds on, leaving Hart to eat shit on the front dropkick. Dynamite Kid gets the tag, and he sends Bret Hart into the corner, knocking him down and covering for 2, another 2 count for Dynamite off the back suplex before Paul Roma is back in. Roma sends Bret off the ropes into a back elbow, but misses the elbow drop. B. Brian Blair and Haku are tagged in, Blair backdrops Haku and sends him into Dynamite Kid’s head. No Islands Super Head in this match? Davey Boy Smith gets the tag, and Haku is sent off the ropes into a back elbow. Jim Powers is back in, he sends Haku’s head into the top turnbuckle but runs into the corner on the other side of the ring at full speed. Jim Neidhart is in, and he kicks Powers in the midsection before holding a front facelock as he decides who to tag. It was Bret, of course it was. Bret headbutts Powers, who tags out to British Bulldog. Bret backs into his own corner, Bulldog press slams Hart and covers for 2. Bret is beaten back into his own corner. Haku tags in and takes a Running Powerslam for 2. Dynamite Kid gets the tag, going to the middle rope. British Bulldog suplexes Haku, and Dynamite hits a falling headbutt. He seems to have gotten the worst of it because suddenly the Southern Islanders actually do have indestructible heads. Haku eliminates the British Bulldogs with a reverse thrust kick to Dynamite Kid’s throat.
Paul Roma is back in again, hitting Haku with dropkicks, Haku kicks out of the pin attempt at one, but Roma didn’t hook the leg. Haku rakes at Paul Roma’s face and slams him. Dino Bravo tags in and misses the jumping elbow drop (obviously) Jim Powers tags in (obviously). Dino Bravo is sent into the corner but he catches the monkey flip attempt and drops Powers with an inverted atomic drop. Bravo chops Powers and runs at him with a boot before tagging Valentine back into the match, Valentine connects with a chop as they use the 5-second count. Greg Valentine hits Powers across the back of his head before dropping him throat first onto the top rope. Jim Powers tries to fight back as Bravo is tagged back in but he gets sent into Neidhart’s boot. Neidhart gets the tag and the heels send Powers across the ring, he comes back into a double-team chop and Neidhart covers for 2. Bret Hart is back in, he sends Powers into the turnbuckles to hang him in the Tree of Woe and lays the boots in. The Killer Bees and Roma try to save Powers, but the referee backs them to their corner. Valentine is in now but I can’t tell you if there was a tag or not. I feel like not. Dino Bravo back in, he backdrops Jim Powers without his hands and drops his throat across the top rope. Dino Bravo sends Powers across the ring into a kick to the midsection before hitting a Spinning Sidewalk Slam (I presume that’s his finish from the reaction and the delay to work the crowd.) Greg Valentine gets the tag but Powers kicks out of the Figure Four attempt.
Paul Roma gets the tag, but Valentine doesn’t notice. Roma interrupts another Figure Four Leglock with a sunset flip to eliminate The New Dream Team. Jim Neidhart is legal now as Jim Brunzell gets the tag. Blair is quickly in, and he hits the ropes, jumping at Neidhart’s arm with an elbow drop. B. Brian Blair gets 2 from a small package. Jim Brunzell is back in, and Neidhart is sent off the ropes into a double back elbow. Brunzell sends Anvil off the ropes again, this time for a high knee. Brunzell covers for 2. Neidhart plants his feet before bringing Brunzell over to the heel corner and tagging in Bret. Jim Brunzell trips Bret, and The Killer Bees work over his legs as Blair is brought back in. B. Brian Blair drives his knees into Bret’s hamstrings before Roma is back in. The babyfaces use the wishbone leg stretch, but Bret is back to his feet. He tries to slow Roma down with a headlock, but gets sent across the ring. Paul Roma goes prone, then leapfrog,s but he’s caught with a right hand. Tama tags in and hits a shot to the top of Roma’s head from the top turnbuckle. Tama knocks Roma down with a headbutt before tagging in Haku. Roma runs into a double elbow and gets slammed by Haku but he avoids the leg drop. Jim Brunzell is tagged in, he slams Haku and connects with the running legdrop, covering for 1. Brunzell takes Haku down with a hip toss and covers him for another quick kickout before Bret gets tagged back in.
Brunzell connects first with a kick to the gut and he brings Bret over to the babyface corner, tagging in Roma. Ventura questions The Young Stallions’ stamina as they’ve been in the match for a lot of the duration and their inexperience has been a theme on commentary throughout. Paul Roma slams Bret and hits a fist drop from the middle rope for 2. Bret trips Roma and hits a knee in the lower abdomen, Bret Hart gets 2 off a back suplex. Tama is back in, working over Roma’s face for a while. The Islanders knock Roma down with a double headbutt. Paul Roma kicks out at 2 again, but there was less behind it. Haku is sent into the corner, he staggers out into an arm drag, Roma keeps hold of the arm until Haku bombards him with strikes, Haku hits a standing dropkick and tags in Neidhart. Gorilla Monsoon says he wants to see Neidhart do that as Haku sends Paul Roma off the ropes. Neidhart obliges, hitting a dropkick with less height, but still impressive. Neidhart covers but Roma gets his foot on the bottom rope. Jim Neidhart brings Roma back to the middle of the ring with a powerslam and he covers for 2, Bret is back in to send Paul Roma off the ropes, Roma rolls under Bret’s attack and tags Brunzell back in. Jim Brunzell sends Hart into the corner, Bret Hart reverses an irish whip but they clash heads. Haku dropkicks Bret as Brunzell has him up for a slam, but Brunzell rolls through to eliminate The Hart Foundation!
Haku wastes no time going after Brunzell; he tags in Tama (his only choice now), who chokes Brunzell on the mat. The crowd chant “Weasel” at Bobby Heenan as Tama snapmares Jim Brunzell down to the mat for a trapeze hold. Jim Brunzell makes it to his feet but runs into a back elbow. Haku is back in, he hits a shoulder breaker and stomps Brunzell before covering for 2. Haku snapmares Brunzell down and goes for his own trapeze hold. Brunzell turns into the move but gets cut off with a knee to the midsection. Tama is back in, keeping Brunzell in The Islanders’ corner with a chop. Another snapmare into a nerve hold keeps Brunzell on the mat for a while. Jim Brunzell tries to get over to his corner but is thrown across the ring. Haku gets the tag, he sends Brunzell off the ropes and someone finally learns to duck the back elbow. Jumping Jim gets a sunset flip but Haku kicks his ears at 2, easy way to get cauliflower ear. Haku strikes at Brunzell before getting 2 from a suplex. The Islanders are getting frustrated as Haku sends Brunzell off the ropes. Haku ducks too early, Brunzell catches him with a knee and tags in Jim Powers. Powers gets the early strikes in and sends Haku off the ropes into a backdrop. Paul Roma gets the tag, Powers sends Haku off the ropes and drops to the mat, leaving him to run into a powerslam by Roma.
Tama breaks up the pin. The Islanders double-team Roma as B. Brian Blair questions the referee, Paul Roma is sent into the corner but ducks the charge sending Haku into the turnbuckles. B. Brian Blair gets the tag but Haku meets him with strikes, Haku sends Blair into Tama’s foot and tags back out. Tama sends Blair off the ropes into a jumping hip attack and slams him but the jumping elbow drop misses again. Jim Brunzell tags in, going after Tama and sending him off the ropes for an attempt at a backdrop. It looks awkward, but the slam on Haku makes up for it. Brunzell sends Tama’s head into Haku’s head and Ventura says it will hurt them since they’re both from the Islands.
Tama is sent off the ropes into a Standing Dropkick, Haku breaks up the pin at 2, which draws in both Young Stallions. Haku and the Stallions spill to the floor as Brunzell tries to bring Tama down with the sunset flip. B.Brian Blair has the mask on though, and he slingshots into the ring to complete the move, pinning Tama as the illegal man for the win!
WINNERS: TEAM STRIKE FORCE (The Killer Bees and The Young Stallions Survive)
This is a marathon to sit through, but the constant tags and interwoven stories between teams make it fly by. Bret Hart and Dynamite Kid get some good sequences in their time together, as do Bret and Davey Boy Smith. The Young Stallions took A LOT of the heat running through the match, with one long time period in the final third. The Southern Islanders Cranium Power (I’m still not sure what to call it) didn’t kick in until part-way through the match which was strange, but no one seemed like a weak link in the match once the Russians left. The surviving teams both got to look better than their place on the card and the match was a great showcase for the tag team division. [*** 1/2] 7/10
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