The Flying Hammerlock Video Review #41: Hulk Vs. Quake

 

This review is dedicated to the memories of John "Earthquake" Tenta and Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea.   R.I.P.
 

Hulk Hogan vs. Earthquake (w/"The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart), dark match from after the taping of the April 15, 1990 WWF Wrestling Challenge, Onondaga County War Memorial, Syracuse, NY, April 3, 1990.

This was two days after WrestleMania VI and during Quake's initial monster push.  Quake claimed credit for Hogan losing to Warrior.
 

Hulk comes out to the cheers of the crowd, of course.   Hulk slides into the ring and Quake and Hart begin stomping on him.  The referee gets Hart out of the ring and we're underway.  Earthquake continues stomping and pounding on Hogan.   Quake clotheslines Hogan.  Quake goes for an elbow drop but Hogan moves out of the way, giving Hulk time to rip off the shirt and the bandana.  Hulk starts punching away on Quake, grabs Quake by the hair and smashes Quake face first into a turnbuckle.  Hulk drags Quake to another corner and smacks Quake's face into another turnbuckle.  Hulk chops Quake.   Hulk whips Quake across to another corner and clotheslines him there.  Hulk does the ear-cupping pose to cheers.  Hulk drags Quake into the middle of the ring and punches him.  Hulk comes off the ropes with a clothesline that barely moves Quake.  Hulk runs off the ropes with an elbow to the head that staggers Quake but he is still standing.  Hulk tries a big knee off the ropes and, eventually, Quake falls to one knee.  Hart gets on the apron and Hulk walks over and punches him down.   Hulk goes out to the floor and chases Hart but Quake follows and hits Hogan from the back.  Quake grabs Hulk and sends him into the ring post, sending Hogan into the guardrail.  Hulk rolls back into the ring and Quake follows.   Hogan is down and Quake pounds on him.  Hulk gets up and Quake grabs him and rams him back first into the corner.  Again.   Quake brings Hulk into the ring and gives him a backbreaker across the knee.  Quake does the biceps pose as Hart rants about how Hulk is finished.  Quake brings Hogan up and gives him a big forearm shot to the back.  Quake locks on a bearhug, which eats up about a minute.   The referee does the arm check but Hogan Hulks up before three.  He starts punching Quake to escape the hold, which works.  Hogan sells his back.  Hulk runs off the ropes but Quake knocks him down with a shoulderblock.  Quake positions Hogan and proclaims, "THIS IS THE END OF HULK HOGAN!"  Quake starts the tremors and hits the Earthquake Splash but Hulk kicks out at 2!  Hogan gets up and Hulks Up for real this time.   Hulk is on his knees and Quake punches him but Hogan no-sells it.   Two more shots, same result and Hulk is back on his feet.  Quake hits Hogan again and Hogan starts waving his finger to say "No."   Quake goes for a shot but Hulk blocks it and follows with the three punches.   Hulk SLAMS Quake with ease, runs off the ropes and pins him with the legdrop at 8:36.   ***1/2.
 

For their first in-ring encounter, they worked well together and would continue to do so into the summer.  Recommended and you can watch it here.