Background: After being wiped out with ease, the Honky Tonk Man looked to recapture his Intercontinental Championship from the man who embarrassed him months ago, the Ultimate Warrior.
Saturday Night’s Main Event
Tampa, FL
December 7, 1988
Ultimate Warrior vs. Honky Tonk Man
Warrior had to bring his opposition into the ring via the gorilla press slam as his challenger looked to get some advice from his manager Jimmy Hart. Warrior had the challenger rocking and reeling early thanks to heavy strikes and slams. A shoulder ram in the corner worked so well the first time Warrior went for it again. HTM avoided the splash, grabbing Hart’s infamous megaphone as his manager distracted the referee. Bashing Warrior in the abdomen with the weapon gave Honky a chance to turn the tides illegally. Warrior took all of his opponent’s stomps and kicks, firing himself up before exploding off the ropes with the clothesline. Getting his knees up, HTM blocked the Warrior Splash, almost pinning him. Things got a little ugly until HTM whipped Warrior into the ropes for a haymaker of a clothesline. Warrior ducked on the rebound not once, but three times before landing that flying shoulder tackle to pin Honky and retain the title.
Winner: Ultimate Warrior (5:07)
Is It A Classic: While better than the previous match due to it going longer, this is pretty much everything you’d expect from a pre-WWF Heavyweight Championship Ultimate Warrior match where he dominates, loses the momentum, then makes a heroic comeback.
