Text By Jed Shaffer

What if...Paul Orndorff Landed First?

Part II

Our story continues in the summer of 1987. Paul Orndorff is champion once again, having used help from his friends in Bobby Heenan's stable of wrestlers to secure the vacant WWF Championship. But Orndorff finds that having the championship belt doesn't guarantee respect ... and will quickly make paint a bullseye on one's back ...

May-August 1987:

There isn't a moment when Orndorff and Heenan are on WWF television that they don't brag about two things: Orndorff being champion again, and putting Hulk Hogan "in a retirement home with the other fossils" (as said by Heenan in one interview). Heenan demands that, this time, Orndorff proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is not an accidental champion, and he deserves--nay, is owed--respect.

But, as Orndorff shows nobody respect, he is given none in kind. WWF Magazine runs a cover story that echoes the story from the prior year, with the banner: "He's got the belt again ... but is he any more of a champion?" Commentators and interviewers constantly take swipes at Orndorff's credibility as a champion, both for his methods of winning, and his keeping his contenders at arm's reach with excuses and dodges.

In June, Orndorff and Heenan are the guests on Jake Roberts' Snake Pit interview segment. Orndorff and Heenan go on for what is only a couple minutes, but seems like an eternity, about Orndorff being more of a champion then anyone before him, and how he will set the standard for champions for generations to come. Finally, Roberts has enough and gets right in Orndorff's face.

"Let me ask you something, boy," says Roberts, his voice louder then normal (but still a cold growl), "do you think that belt makes you a man?" Orndorff opens his mouth to reply, but Roberts keeps on rolling, now backed off and pacing. "You see, in this day and age, it's not like a hundred years ago, when a man's worth was easily measured, his growth marked by an event: he'd bring home a buffalo, or catch an outlaw. But today, the rituals and the traditions are no more; there is no more line one crosses that can show when a man truly is a man. The only way one can measure the content, the character, the strength of a man anymore, is by his actions and the context in which his actions are taken." Roberts stops, pivots on his foot and looks right into the eyes of Orndorff. "You are definitely a low-down, rotten, miserable, pathetic excuse for a human being ... but you're no champion." Roberts turns his back again, and adds, "And you're definitely no man."

His lip curled with rage, Orndorff springs forward, belt raised to clobber Roberts in the head, only to find he has been suckered; Roberts spins back, connecting with a punch right on the jaw that drops Orndorff to the floor. Heenan calls for his troops, but instead gets a squadron of Heenan haters: King Kong Bundy, Hillbilly Jim, Brutus Beefcake, and Randy Savage. Heenan and Orndorff back away until they hit the walls of Roberts' set. "You see, boy," says Roberts, "a real man woulda looked me in the eyes while he took me on instead of waiting till I turned my back. And a real man, a real champion, would pick himself up off the ground, square his shoulders and stand against his challengers instead of lying their like a kicked dog."

Heenan promises to make everyone pay as he helps his charge get to his feet and beat tracks for safer ground, but the image of the championship reign is now unshakably cast as that of a coward. To combat it, Orndorff begins fielding challenges on WWF television ... but only accepting challenges by long-time losers and scrubs like "Iron" Mike Sharpe and Steve Lombardi. Orndorff, who, despite the disdain of fans and commentators alike acquitted himself nicely in the ring, would roundly beat these "challenges" fair and square ... only to blatantly attack his fallen foe afterwards and drill them with a piledriver (be it on the mat, a chair or, his favorite, the title belt), which would net him a reversed-decision DQ loss. With his opponent unconscious on the mat, Orndorff always follows up his dastardly attack by confronting the camera, pointing at his victim, and saying; "Next time, it could be you." The message is clear for all who dare oppose his title run: Paul Orndorff will not stop at just pinning his opponent. And with Andre at his side, rare is the fool willing to get in Orndorff's face without a platoon of like-minded fools behind him.

But whatever warning Orndorff is sending his would-be contenders, none of them seem to heed it. Seemingly with every passing week, Orndorff earns new attention; Tito Santana, Don Muraco, Ken Patera, Ricky Steamboat, Jim Duggan and even the un-retired Billy Graham join the voices of Savage, Roberts, Bundy and others as people knocking on Orndorff's door by racking up convincing wins, issuing challenges and earning the support of fans. Week after week, someone throws down the gauntlet ... and week after week, Heenan and Orndorff promise to continue proving Orndorff's superiority by mowing down all the "ham-and-eggers" that keep popping up, but never actually delivers on any of his threats. It gets to be such a running gag that WWF Magazine dedicates an entire issue to the champ's ever-growing list of admirers, with the headline "The line keeps growing behind Orndorff ... who has his number?" and an article breaking down every challenger's attributes, obstacles, notable wins and loss, and quoting odds. Tied in the lead, with 3-1 odds in favor of the challenger, are King Kong Bundy and Randy Savage.

As summer rolls on, taped vignettes begin to appear for a new player in the WWF: Ted DiBiase, who proclaims himself to be the Million Dollar Man. Personal appearances in stadiums earn him the ire of the crowd, as he promises to pay people hundreds of dollars for completing the most menial and humiliating of tasks, only to sabotage them to get out of paying. His claim that "everybody has a price for the Million Dollar Man" and his twisted, arrogant belly-laugh gets under the skin of everyone who sees him ... but he manages to captivate the people nonetheless, by promising that, at the next Saturday Night's Main Event on September 23rd, he will make the biggest acquisition ever, one that will put the WWF on notice.

And with SNME looming, the question of who gets a crack at Orndorff's WWF Title becomes all-important. With so many worthy contenders to choose from, there is no clear favorite, and as far as the champ and his manager are concerned, the challengers are interchangeable. On an episode of Wrestling Challenge three weeks before SNME, the question is answered; Randy Savage, the man ousted in the battle royal to crown a new champion and the man many feel will be Orndorff's undoing, will face Andre The Giant in a grudge match, while Orndorff will defend against the other man considered to be his greatest threat, King Kong Bundy. And, to ensure that Orndorff doesn't get his win with help from Andre as he did in the battle royal, the title defense will be inside the confines of a steel cage. The news doesn't sit will with Heenan, who expresses so in a taped interview.

"This man is the WWF Champion!" Heenan exclaims. "He's a hundred times better then the two-bit jerks in the locker room! He is Mr. Wonderful, a role model, a folk hero ... and he's gonna be locked up inside a steel cage, like some kind of criminal. This is a disgrace! A man like Paul Orndorff, a champion like Paul Orndorff, shouldn't be subjected to horrors like being stuck in a cage with Shamu; he should be revered, put on a pedestal with men like Ronald Reagan! He should be facing the creme of the crop, the best wrestlers money can buy, not some bloated penguin who gets winded trying to breathe! This is an injustice! This is--"

"Bobby," Orndorff says, putting a hand on Heenan's shoulder. "It doesn't matter how much better I am then that tub of goo. It doesn't matter how much the match-makers have it in for Paul Orndorff. They don't like me and want me in the spotlight anymore then Hulk Hogan did ... and look where I am now." Orndorff pats the belt that is fastened around his waist. "I'm Mr. Wonderful, the World Wrestling Federation Champion. You know what that means? Lardboy Bundy? He can't hold a candle to me. I'm wonderful. He's just a big fat sack of goo. He's a whale ... and I am an athlete." Orndorff turns to the camera, a grin on his lips. "I won this belt almost a year ago inside a steel cage. You know what happened to the guy I beat, King Kong Bundy? He's busy getting pushed around in a wheelchair by his old lady. So not only are you facing Mr. Wonderful, the WWF Champion, you're facing the guy who retired a man you couldn't even beat. What makes you think you got a chance against me?"

Saturday Night's Main Event--Sep. 23, 1987:

During the opening contest on Saturday Night's Main Event, commentators Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura are surprised by a telephone call patched through to the broadcast: none other than former WWF Champion Hulk Hogan. McMahon and Hogan exchange pleasantries, and Hogan announces his therapy and recovery are coming along nicely, and he's anxious to get back to living life without wheelchairs and crutches. After a couple minutes, Ventura can stand no more and jumps in.

"McMahon, would you ask some real questions, or just shut up?" Ventura barks, then keeps going before McMahon can reply. "Hulk Hogan, you've seen how wonderful a champion Mr. Wondeful Paul Orndorff has become. Much better then you, in fact. Are you ever gonna get up the guts to pull yourself up off the couch and face him?"

"That's just not in the cards, broth--"

"Cut the crap, Hogan!" snaps Ventura. "The fact of the matter is, Paul Orndorff is ten times the wrestler you are. He proved it, he took the title away from you, and now you're too scared to climb in the ring with him. It's just like Bobby Heenan has said all along; you're in this for yourself. You're an egotistical jerk, and because the suits finally found someone better then you, you'd rather fake an injury and watch Press Your Luck at home instead of facing the music, isn't that right?"

McMahon butts in for just a moment. "Jesse! How dare you--"

"It's okay, Vince," says Hogan. "Jesse's bitter cause he chickened out and never faced the Hulkster."

Ventura stammers through half-words and muttered syllables before throwing his headset down and storming off. Once Ventura is gone, McMahon apologizes and asks Hogan the purpose of the call.

"Well, ya know something, Vince, I heard that the WWF has a big event comin' up on Thanksgiving called the Survivor Series. And the way I figure it is, it isn't a big event in the WWF without Hulk Hogan. So I'm here to tell the world that, on Thannksgiving Day, the Hulkster and all his little Hulkamaniacs will be at the Survivor Series!"

Vince McMahon says Hogan's announcement is fantastic news indeed, and it proves to be the only shining light amidst a dark, depressing evening. The grudge match between Randy Savage and Andre The Giant, Savage's biggest opportunity to step up to the plate and prove himself worthy of a top slot, turns ugly as Savage is overwhelmed by Andre's size and strength. Savage is tossed around like a piece of paper in a hurricane by his much larger opponent, clubbed and beaten at will, until he can barely stand, but Andre refuses to even try for the pin. Finally, Savage's manager, Elizabeth, can't take anymore and leaps up on the apron to beg for mercy for her charge. With a crocodile's grin on his lips, Andre advances on Elizabeth, who freezes like a deer in headlights. But before Andre can do the unthinkable, Savage drags himself up and clips Andre's knee, bringing the giant down to one knee. With Andre cut down to size, Savage summons up what is left in the tank and starts hammering Andre with jabs to the head and dropkicks. A double-axehandle from the second turnbuckle makes Andre wobble on his knee, but doesn't drop him, so Savage goes to the top and hits another axehandle. But as he goes up for a third strike from the top, a huge man, bald with tattoos of flames on his head and wearing a flaming jumpsuit, storms down to the ring and shoves Savage off the top turnbuckle, drawing the DQ. The big man grabs a steel chair and slides in the ring as Ted DiBiase saunters down the aisle, laughing as the massive, flamed monster pummels Savage with the chair. Andre joins in, torturing Savage as SNME goes to commercial.

When SNME comes back, Savage is being carried away by paramedics, while DiBiase is in the ring, alongside the tattooed behemoth and Gene Okerlund, who demands to know what is going on. "Little man, it's quite simple," says DiBiase. "I'm the Million Dollar Man. What I want, I buy. And what I want more then anything is the World Wrestling Federation Championship. So I've made a deal with the WWF Champion, Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorff. See, he's got a lot of people looking for him, and he needs protection. So I am providing him with the best protection money can buy: this is Bam Bam Bigelow. Anybody looking for Paul Orndorff will find Bam Bam Bigelow. And for this, Mr. Orndorff will pay me in a title shot when the time is right, and he's disposed of the filth that is nipping at his heels."

"You can't get away with this!" cries Okerlund. "You can't throw money around and expect everyone to just bow at your feet!"

"Okerlund, I could buy and sell a hundred of you before lunch without breaking a sweat. Money talks, and when it does, everybody wants to listen." Paul Orndorff and Bobby Heenan enter the ring, shaking hands enthusiastically with DiBiase. "Gentlemen, I trust you're pleased with the arrangement."

"Absolutely! Absolutely!" exclaims Heenan. He looks in the camera, then says; "Humanoids ... all you ham-and-eggers in the back ... King Kong Bundy ... Savage ... Jake Roberts ... everybody, take a real close look. It doesn't get any better then this. You got the money to grease all the wheels ... enough muscle to repel the 82nd Airborne ... the greatest athlete alive today ..." Heenan smiles as wide as the Grand Canyon. "And the brains to bring it all together in one place. Mr. DiBiase--can I call you Ted?" DiBiase nods amiably. "Ted, it's a pleasure doing business with you. At the first available opportunity, you have my word you'll get your title shot."

The new alliance caps off the night with a successful defense of Orndorff's WWF Title against King Kong Bundy, courtesy of assistance from Orndorff's new associates, who keep the door to the cage guarded, leaving the gargantuan Bundy stuck inside the cage when he has the advantage. A reappearence by Randy Savage to get at Bam Bam Bigelow seems to open the door of opportunity for Bundy, but Andre closes it, literally, by slamming the door in Bundy's face. A beaten and exhausted Orndorff is pulled out through the door by Andre, giving Saturday Night's Main Event the sour note to leave on of Orndorff and his cohorts celebrating as if they've achieved a noble accomplishment.

October 1987:

The month between Orndorff's tainted victory over King Kong Bundy and the next Saturday Night's Main Event on November 11th sees the new partnership--which the announcers nickname the "Brain Trust" (except for Gorilla Monsoon, who --bring "Ravishing" Rick Rude into the circle, while DiBiase finally steps into the ring and proves himself quite skilled. With the array of talent, strength and managerial brilliance, Heenan tosses out a challenge to any five men to get together a team and face them at the Survivor Series. And, on top of that, throws out an open challenge for any man to face Orndorff at Saturday Night's Main Event on November 11th in a straight-up wrestling match.

Naturally, the second challenge has a million takers, and nobody from the Brain Trust shows to be in any rush to name the lucky man to get a shot. However, the first challenge has but one taker: Randy Savage. He accepts the challenge in a pre-taped promo that airs on Superstars, and his words send chills down the spines of everyone watchin:.

"Paul Orndorff ... Bobby Heenan ... Ted DiBiase ... Andre The Giant ... Bam Bam Bigelow ..." he says, glaring into the camera with eyes cold as the ocean's floor. "Two times ... two times, you've tried to put the Macho Man out of action. Two times, you've tried to put the Macho Man down, ooh, yeah. Two times, you pulled a surprise on the Macho Man. Five guys, and you couldn't get the job done in two tries, no, couldn't get it done. Well, never again! The Macho Man is through playing your game, and I'm gonna make you play mine, ooh yeah! A game of madness. Gonna take you to places none of you have ever been, dig it, deep in the madness. You like surprises? Well the Macho Man's gonna bring some surprises of his own at Survivor Series. And if I can get my hands on you, Orndorff, at Saturday Night's Main Event, they're not gonna carry you out on a stretch when I'm done with ... they're gonna soak you up with a sponge! You wanted my attention, and now you got it! Survivor Series ... Saturday Night's Main Event ... a back alley or a parking lot ... it doesn't matter to the Macho Man Randy Savage! I'm coming for each and every one of ya, and I'm not gonna stop until every one of you is beaten and broke! Dig it!"

And to put even more rain on the Brain Trust's parade, WWF officials put three of the four members of the Brain Trust in action at Saturday Night's Main Event, none of them getting pushovers either: Bigelow a piece of Bundy, Ted DiBiase and Rick Rude team up against Jake Roberts and Brutus Beefcake, and Orndorff's offer of an open challenge is circumvented and Randy Savage is named the number-one contender. Heenan cries foul at every opportunity, proclaiming a conspiracy exists to push Orndorff out of his rightful place in the spotlight as revenge for crippling Hulk Hogan, and threatens legal action if the Orndorff/Savage match isn't cancelled. Predictably, the WWF officials don't blink, and Heenan's lawsuit never materializes, leaving Orndorff stuck facing the company's hottest wrestler, and the man who has declared he is out for the blood of the champ.

Saturday Night's Main Event--Nov. 11, 1987:

The men standing against Bobby Heenan's Brain Trust strike first blood on Saturday Night's Main Event, as Jake Roberts and Brutus Beefcake take on, and defeat, Ted DiBiase and Rick Rude, although not without struggle, as Heenan, Andre The Giant and DiBiase's manservant Virgil all attempt to insert themselves into the match. Roberts and Beefcake, however, show astonishing teamwork, as if they've been partnering for months instead of minutes, dispatching the interlopers without causing their team to suffer. The well-oiled teamwork leaves the Brain Trust rattled and disjointed, allowing Roberts to score the DDT and the pinfall on Rude. Before Heenan can marshal his forces together, Beefcake and Roberts make tracks away from ringside.

But the anti-Brain Trust movement stalls when King Kong Bundy succumbs to the youth and surprising agility of Bam Bam Bigelow. Of course, Heenan and Andre insert themselves and help cost Heenan's former charge the match, but his streak of losses in high-profile matches frustrates him. When Gene Okerlund meets Bundy in the aisleway, Bundy explodes after Okerlund asks him how he feels about losing.

"It sucks, Gene, it really sucks! Every time I turn around, Bobby Heenan and his goons keep stickin' their nose in my business! You can't fight a guy when you gotta worry about 10 other guys trying to jump you! So, you know what? Randy Savage ... I know you're listening, I know you're watching. I want you to know two things; tonight, I won't let them do to you what they did to me in the cage with me. I will have your back tonight. And secondly, I heard you say you're gonna take on the Brain Trust at Survivor Series. We may not have shared word one in the back--heck, I don't even know if we got a thing in common, except for hating Bobby Heenan and his cronies. But I do know that I want a piece of every last one of the Brain Trust just as bad as you. So at Survivor Series, Randy Savage, expect to see me standing on the apron on your side, ready to tear Bobby Heenan's boys limb from limb!"

Now backed by Bundy, Randy Savage enters the ring more determined then ever to dethrone, defeat and destroy Paul Orndorff. The champ approaches the ring looking terrified; when Bundy fakes out Orndorff with a playful lunge, Orndorff jumps off the group and nearly out of his boots. And with his fear rattling him to the marrow, and Bundy acting as gatekeeper, Orndorff is left to fend for himself against a focused, driven Savage, who puts the champ on the defensive from the opening bell. For a solid ten minutes, Orndorff's sole offense comes in the form of the occasional eye rake or cheap shot punch, which Savage brushes off anyway and keeps coming at Orndorff. Even leaving the ring provides no sanctuary for the champ, as Savage is right behind, and Bundy is there to cut off any attempts at a retreat. But when Savage positions Orndorff for his patented diving elbow off the top rope, the Brain Trust swarm the ring; Bundy is attacked by Bigelow and Rude, while DiBiase grabs the title belt. Savage is distracted long enough for DiBiase to come from behind, clobber Savage with the belt and run; the ref, distracted by the chaos, turns around in time to see DiBiase fleeing with the belt in hand and signals for the disqualification.

Outside, Bundy suddenly rages and begins to fight off both Bigelow and Rude. DiBiase tries to jump in the melee, but does so just in time to meet the cavalry: Jake Roberts, Brutus Beefcake and Ricky Steamboat. With the numbers game running against them, DiBiase, Bigelow and Rude have no choice but to run ... but Orndorff, still groggy, is stuck in the ring with Savage, and a quartet of enemies on the outside, forming an impervious curtain across the aisle. When Orndorff sees Savage coming to his feet, Orndorff tries to escape, but literally runs into Bundy and falls down on his ass. Savage drops down, now with a microphone in hand, which he hands to Roberts.

"Look close, boy," says Roberts. "It's every man's desire to outrun that which he fears ... just as it's every man's fate for that which he fears to catch up one day. Today, you tripped and fell, boy, and we caught up. We five men are who await you at Survivor Series, Paul Orndorff; we five men will preside over delivering you unto your fate." A twinkle of a smile--pleasant on anyone else, but downright chilling on Jake The Snake--touches Roberts' lips. "And this man will be be the coach who leads us to victory, and you to your demise." Roberts, Bundy, Steamboat and Beefcake part so Orndorff has a clear view of the entrance, but before the man steps through, he knows; the familiar crunching power chords send Orndorff--his skin now sheet white, his eyes as big as planets--scurrying like a dog in front of a speeding car. When, dressed in street clothes, Hulk Hogan steps through the curtain, he is greeted by a thunderous ovation by everyone in the building ... save for Orndorff, who scrambles to his feet and runs through the audience  to get away.

Survivor Series--Nov. 26, 1987:

Randy Savage's team, with their coach Hulk Hogan, approach the interview area backstage. Immediately, Gene Okerlund gravitates to Hogan and asks; "Hulk Hogan, the world was shocked to see you on Saturday Night's Main Event two weeks ago when you came forward as coach of this team here tonight. What are your plans for your team here tonight? How have you coached them?"

"Well, you know something, Mean Gene," says Hogan, "I gotta correct you on one thing: these five dudes aren't 'my' team. While the Hulkster has been trainin' and going through therapy, these five men have bonded together because they all hate Bobby 'Weasel' Heenan and that slimeball Paul Orndorff. These men came together and made a team, and then they called me and said, 'Hulkster, be a part of the team. Be the coach.' I told them, you don't need me; you got Ricky Steamboat, former Intercontinental Champion. You got Jake The Snake Roberts, master of the DDT. You got the walking mountain himself, King Kong Bundy. You got the Barber Brutus Beefcake. And you got madness personified, Macho Man Randy Savage. You don't need the Hulkster. And they said 'No, but we want the Hulkster.' So my plan as coach is real simple, Mean Gene; I'm gonna let these guys do what I know they do best, what I know they can do, and that's beat Heenan's weasels within an inch of their life!"

"Jake Roberts, you gotta have something to say!" says Okerlund.

"A scared man runs. A scared man is liable to do just about anything to stay alive. A scared man, he doesn't have his head so clear, and that's when he's gonna make mistakes; when he'll show that soft underbelly, allow his weak point to show." Roberts chuckles and pulls his bag off his shoulder; he loosens the tie and pulls out Damien. He looks the snake in the eyes, kisses its head, then says; "That's when a snake will strike; when his prey is weak and careless. Paul Orndorff ... you and your men are weak. You're scared. You're running. Tonight, we strike."

"Team Captain Randy Savage, do you have anything to add?"

Savage is quiet for a handful of seconds, staring at the camera, his eyes squinted. "Ain't no need to say anything, Mean Gene, ain't no need. All our talking is gonna be done in the ring, dig it! DDTs, avalanches, flying elbows, whatever it takes! We're coming for each and every one of you, and we're taking you out!"

The ten-man main event starts off hot, with Savage's team trading off quick tags, keeping the ring cut off and showing the kind of teamwork that everyone expects from the Brain Trust; on the other side of the ring, Heenan's soldiers can't seem to get any traction, as every pairing leads to a dissection of his strategy by the fiery Savage-led team. It is only through double-teaming by Andre and Bigelow that they are able to draw first blood, eliminating King Kong Bundy by with illegal double-teaming while Heenan distracts the ref. From the floor, Hogan yells at the ref, who admonishes Hogan to keep his composure or risk ejection from ringside. Fortunes don't improve for Savage's team as Brutus Beefcake is eliminated only a minute later, rendered unconscious by Ted DiBiase's Million Dollar Dream sleeper hold.

But the 5-3 advantage of the Brain Trust doesn't even seem to register with the remaining members of Savage's team. In short order, they regain the advantage with their earlier formula of quick tags and isolation techniques. DiBiase, Rude and Orndorff all find themselves in jeopardy, and even Bam Bam Bigelow is served notice that his size will not buy him any advantage through intimidation. But Andre's entrance into the match against Ricky Steamboat grinds the progress to a halt, as everything Steamboat throws at the behemoth bounces off harmlessly. Andre invites Steamboat to try his best shots; Steamboat bounces off the ropes and tries a couple clotheslines, which register no effect. But when Steamboat leaps into the air off the run and chops Andre between the eyes, the giant is noticably stunned. Steamboat quickly ascends the turnbuckles and leaps, planting his knifeblade-like hand right on the forehead, taking Andre down to one knee. Once again, Steamboat comes off the ropes, leaps for another chop and connects. Andre is sent tumbling out to the ground; the ref begins a count, which he stops himself several times to check on Andre's condition. When the prone giant shows no signs of movement, the ref has no choice but to continue the count. When the ref hits 10, the Brain Trust's largest man is eliminated.

Rocked by the loss of Andre, the Brain Trust try to swarm their opponents, but in the melee, wires get crossed; the Brain Trust doesn't see that a tag is made to Jake Roberts, and Bigelow tries to pin Steamboat. Instead, when the ref goes down for a three-count, it is on Rick Rude, who accidentally gets hit by Paul Orndorff and DDT'ed by Roberts. In the blink of an eye, a 5-3 deficit is erased, and the teams are even.

But once again, the tide turns for the Brain Trust. Orndorff, having spent most of the match hiding, barking orders from the corner and taking cheap shots, finally tags in when Steamboat, having come back into the ring, has taken a pounding from Bigelow. But rather then take a chance that Steamboat might find his second wind, Orndorff goes for the cheap victory, rolling up Steamboat with a handful of tights. Despite Hogan yelling at the top of his lungs, the referee makes the count, putting Savage's team back at a disadvantage, 3-2. Once again, Hogan gets a stern warning for his vocal outburst, which the crowd boos.

Roberts comes in and goes after Orndorff, who quickly tags out to Bigelow, who presses his size and strength advantage to beat down Roberts. The crowd chants "Jake The Snake" to try and infuse the superstar with a second wind, but Bigelow neutralizes it with raw power, and the enthusiasm of the crowd gives way to despair as a 3-1 match-up seems likely. But when Bigelow goes for a back body drop, Roberts finds enough presence of mind to hook Bigelow's head and spike him with the DDT, knocking Bigelow unconscious. Roberts struggles, but makes it to the corner before Bigelow even stirs, and gets the tag; Savage ascends the turnbuckle, leaps, drives the point of his elbow into Bigelow's heart and scores the pinfall, making the sides even yet again.

But once again, the match breaks down; Orndorff rushes Savage and sends him into Roberts, which knocks the Snake to the floor. Bigelow manages to get free from the throng of referees trying to get him to leave ringside and attacks Roberts as Savage and Orndorff spill to the floor. Hogan pulls Orndorff off Savage, which prompts the ref to jump out and get in Hogan's face; while Hogan and the ref argue, Bigelow tosses Roberts back in and DiBiase makes the cover. Heenan directs the ref's attention to the ring; he slides in and makes the three-count, leaving Savage without allies, against Ted DiBiase and Paul Orndorff.

Orndorff and DiBiase work the two-man advantage for a while, keeping Savage from getting much of any offense in; but the fighting spirit of Savage obviously won't be extinguished, as he keeps pulling himself up to his feet. When Orndorff telegraphs a back body drop, Savage stops and throws Orndorff face first into the mat, then runs over and throws a forearm across DiBiase's face, sending him to the mat. Drawing on some kind of reserve of energy, Savage peppers Orndorff with jabs until the champ goes running and tags in DiBiase as he climbs up the mat again. DiBiase, too busy being stunned by the sudden tag, ets yanked in by Savage and beaten from pillar to post. As Savage climbs the turnbuckle to deliver his elbow on a prone DiBiase, the Million Dollar Man's servant, Virgil, climbs up and pushes Savage off. When the ref doesn't call for the immediate DQ, Hogan jumps up on the apron and demands the disqualification; once more, the ref yells at Hogan for overstepping his role, but this time, he has back up in the form of several other referees, who all support Hogan. Reluctantly, the ref calls for the disqualification; DiBiase protests the decision and refuses to leave ringside. With the ref's back turned, Orndorff charges Savage--who is still tyring to shake off his fall from the top--and clobbers him in the back of the head. As Orndorff takes Savage down to the mat, DiBiase takes off around the ring; Orndorff covers and DiBiase reaches in, holding Savage's feet, while the ref counts to three. The other refs arrive a half-second too late, as DiBiase lets go and taunts Hogan and Savage, in the ring together as Hogan checks on his team's captain.

But as the ref holds up Orndorff's hand, Orndorff tears it away and gets in Hogan's face, holding up the WWF Championship belt, and mocking Hogan's neck injury by holding his own and pretending to limp about like an old man. Hogan glares at Orndorff, as still as a statue as Orndorff continues berating Hogan. Suddenly, Orndorff spits in Hogan's face; it is too much for the former champ to bear. From out of nowhere, Hogan hauls off and slaps Orndorff stiff across the face, the force putting Orndorff on the mat. Hogan fires off a few words of warning to the champ, and turns his back to check on Savage; Orndorff stands up and blasts Hogan in the back of the head with the belt, then picks him up and nails a piledriver. Paramedics rush to the ring and carry Hogan off on a stretcher as Survivor Series fades to a close.

Saturday Night's Main Event--December 7, 1987:

Even though there is only 11 days between Survivor Series and the next Saturday Night's Main Event, the WWF is electric with activity and speculation; there is the matter of who will be getting a title shot at Paul Orndorff on SNME. The strange officiating in the main event of Survivor Series is another issue. And, of course, Hulk Hogan. Word is passed down that the second two issues will be deal with in a special address by WWF President Jack Tunney.

The first, however, is handled right away. To the disappointment of many, Orndorff avoids a title defense, as WWF officials feel that there is no clear #1 contender. However, Orndorff's mood is soured by the news that while he won't be defending, he won't get the night off either; alongside matches pitting Rick Rude against Brutus Beefcake, and a grudge match between Jake Roberts and Ted DiBiase, Orndorff is partnered with Bam Bam Bigelow against Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage in the main event.

Saturday Night's Main Event opens up with Rick Rude facing Brutus Beefcake. While the Barber mounts a formidable offense, the self-proclaimed "sex appeal" of the Brain Trust manages to overcome Beefcake and puts him away soundly with a Rude Awakening. It is an auspicious start for the evening.

The big moment everyone wants to see--one that doesn't involve DiBiase or Orndorff eating their teeth, that is--is Tunney's address. Tunney approaches the ring to a receptive but anxious crowd. "First off," he begins, "I am going to address the officiating during the main event of Survivor Series. After viewing tapes, it is undeniable that there was bias shown by the referee assigned in that match that I believe can be traced back to none other then Bobby Heenan, Ted DiBiase and Paul Orndorff. The referee, Dave Hebner, has been suspended pending an investigation, which I believe will l implicate these three men. And rest assured, if this does come to light, I will not hesitate in leving fines, suspensions and stripping of titles or title shots." Tunney pauses, straightens his lapels, then says; "Now, I would ask that Hulk Hogan please join me in the ring for the remainder of my address."

"Real American" hits the PA, ushering in Hulk Hogan, who is dressed in street clothes and wearing a soft neck brace. When Hogan gets in the ring, he offers Tunney a hand, but Tunney does not accept it, earning him boos. "Hulk Hogan, I have asked you to join me based on your actions at Survivor Series. I understand that the referee unquestionably showed bias against your team, costing you the victory. However, your actions following the match, when you struck World Wrestling Federation Champion Paul Orndorff, were a gross violation of the agreement that allowed you to be at ringside for the match. You were a special guest of Randy Savage's team; you do not have a license to manage, nor are you an active competitor. I cannot have people--people who are not employees of the WWF--striking WWF talent."

Hogan's eyes are as wide as the moon. "So what I'm hearing from you, Jack," Hogan says disdainfully, "is that, even though Paul Orndorff got in my face and spit on me, because I don't get paychecks from you, I gotta take it?"

"Mr. Hogan, I am still the President of the WWF, so I would ask you show me the proper respect."

"Listen, brother, I'll show you the proper respect when you show me some respect. Instead of firing the dude who intentionally broke my neck, you give him a title shot. Instead of calling him out here on the carpet and yelling at him like a kid for spitting on me, you get angry at me for slapping the taste out of his mouth!"

"Hulkster, I understand your frustration, but unprovoked brawls are not how we settle things in the World Wrestling Federation. They're solved here in the wrestling ring."

Hogan steams for a moment, then a light bulb goes off. "You say that things got solved here in the ring?" Tunney nods, so Hogan continues. "Then how about me and that snake in the grass Orndorff settle things the right way, in this ring, once and for all?"

The crowd explodes with support for the idea. Tunney has to wait a full three minutes before the crowd is calm enough for him to be heard. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but I must decline. Your injuries forced you to retire from active competition. I simply cannot overlook that. It's a legal liability ... it's a moral liability."

"Then I'll sign a medical waiver. I don't care what it takes, Mr. President; I want that a piece of mangy dog Paul Orndorff! I will do whatever you ask of me; I'll sign a waiver, I'll bring lawyers, I'll bring doctors, I'll get President Reagan himself to come down here and gimme the okay, dude. The fans want it, the Hulkamaniacs need it, the WWF needs it!"

Tunney is once again drowned out by the crowd; Hogan urges their chants of "bring him back" louder by tearing off the neck brace and posing. Hogan looks Tunney dead in the eyes, his gaze as serious as a heart-attack. Finally, reluctantly, Tunney offers a hand; Hogan grabs it and shakes, sending the crowd into a higher state of euphoria.

The bombshell announcement of Hogan's return creates a celebratory mood in the arena ... that is, except in the camp of the Brain Trust, who refuse to grant interviews. Likewise, the normally verbose Jake Roberts cuts his pre-match interview very short, telling Gene Oklerund; "Ted DiBiase doesn't need words from me to know what's in store for him. He bought this trouble for free at Survivor Series. Tonight, I will deliver unto him that which he deserves." The normal deliberate, methodical demeanor of Roberts is thrown aside when he gets in the ring, going after DiBiase before he can even make it to the ringside area, throwing him into the guardrails and the steel steps. Even in the ring, away from the dangerous steel surroundings, proves unsafe for DiBiase, as Roberts skirts the line of disqualification in his quest to destroy DiBiase. An eye rake momentarily stops Roberts, long enough for DiBiase to get to the arena floor, but Roberts follows behind, grabs a camera cord and strangles DiBiase. Virgil clubs Roberts on the back to save his employer, who scurries for the safety of the back. Roberts wheels around, surprising Virgil by brushing off Virgil's attack. Roberts grabs Virgil, tosses him in the ring, then DDT's him not once, not twice, but three times, each time yelling out "This is for you, Ted!" Medics rush up the aisleway as Roberts walks away from the ring, looking unsatisfied as the official announcement proclaims the match thrown out with no winner.

For the bulk of the main event, Orndorff spends his time on the apron, letting Bam Bam Bigelow do all the dirty work ... and take all the punishment, as Steamboat and Savage unload on the monster with precision teamwork. But rather then be concerned about his partner, Orndorff keeps looking over his shoulder, as if expected Hogan to come looking for his head. But eventually, even Bigelow needs to tag out, and when he does, Orndorff--his back turned to the match, looking down the aisleway--is shocked. Even worse, on the other side of the ring, Steamboat tags out to Savage, who comes in ready to take Orndorff down and get the pinfall that has eluded him twice. Steamboat cuts off Bigelow, leaving Orndorff without help; Bobby Heenan calls for reinforcements, but DiBiase can't even get through the curtain without being ambushed by Jake Roberts. Rick Rude tries to come out, but gets intercepted by Brutus Beefcake. And when the fresh and rested Andre The Giant comes lumbering out, he gets cut off by his former friend, Hulk Hogan. With no one left to help him, Orndorff begs for mercy from the raging Macho Man; instead, he gets a taste of his own medicine by way of a Savage piledriver. Savage ascends the turnbuckles as Orndorff lays prone and his troops are neutralized; this time, the elbow connects with the black heart of the hated champion. Savage hooks the leg as the referee issues the three-count, giving Savage a clean pinfall victory over the WWF Champion. Once Orndorff's troops fall back to safer ground, Savage's allies congregate in the ring. One by one, they line up to shake hands with Savage. Hogan is the last in line, and when he comes face to face with Savage, the picture polarizes the crowd; for some, Savage's near-year-long chase of Paul Orndorff's title is now a goal everyone knows he can achieve, and rightfully deserves. For others, the now-returned Hulk Hogan is a man on a mission of vengeance and justice. It is Savage who extends the hand first; Hogan accepts it, but the glare between the two of them betrays the friendly gesture. There is respect ... but there is also a clash of destinies.

To be concluded ...