7. Hulk Hogan And Brutus Beefcake vs. Randy Savage And Zeus - SummerSlam 1989
In 1989, a fictional film character jumped from the silver screen to the wrestling ring as Zeus made his WWE debut, immediately targeting "No Holds Barred" co-star Hulk Hogan. The idiocy of the entire storyline aside, Zeus was a character tailor-made for professional wrestling. He was huge, hulking and psychotic; exactly the type of villain that played well to the audience of that period. The only problem was that actor Tiny Lister had no wrestling training and, beyond some clubbing forearms, was largely useless between bells. Luckily for him, he had a tag team partner in Randy Savage who could not only mask his numerous deficiencies but could also elevate the match far beyond the fairly low expectations that had been set for it. Add to it a very game Brutus Beefcake, who was developing into a quality performer, and you have the ingredients necessary for a suitable main event match. Was it always pretty? No, especially when Zeus entered the ring, but it satisfied the fans who had bought into the story and that is all one could ask for given the circumstances.
Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.
