World Wrestling Federation (1986–1991) The Honky Tonk Man

1 world wrestling federation (1986–1991)

1.1 run (1986–1987)
1.2 intercontinental heavyweight champion (1987–1988)
1.3 rhythm , blues , departure (1989–1991)

world wrestling federation (1986–1991)
early run (1986–1987)

farris entered world wrestling federation (wwf) in 1986 under ring name honky tonk man. honky made televised wwf debut on september 28, 1986 episode of wrestling challenge, defeating terry gibbs pushed fan favorite wrestler elvis impersonator gimmick, honky cut series of promos jesse body ventura aired on wwf s syndicated programming asking fans vote of confidence , while these promos insulted fans in manner of andy kaufman before him. results predictably came negative, , not long before honky turned cocky villain , took on mouth of south jimmy hart manager. hart billed colonel jimmy hart honky s matches, reference elvis manager, col. tom parker. honky s first major feud came against jake snake roberts, in midst of fan favorite turn. feud intensified when honky attacked roberts on talk show set, snake pit. according roberts, honky supposed hit him gimmicked balsa wood guitar. roberts believes farris accidentally grabbed real, non-gimmicked guitar , smashed across roberts back, legitimate injuring him, , starting him on dependence of prescription pain medication (in interview, roberts claimed picking pieces of guitar out of weeks after hit). however, in interview world wrestling insanity, honky tonk man disputed roberts assertion saying, s not true and, in fact attribute of mick foley, wrote in book, , jake, lied , although television footage of incident showed guitar did not break gimmicked 1 have , took several more hits roberts guitar break apart. during feud, culminated @ wrestlemania iii, honky grabbed ring ropes score tainted win; afterward, roberts cleared ring of honky before , alice cooper attacked hart damien, roberts python.

intercontinental heavyweight champion (1987–1988)

on june 13, 1987 episode of superstars, honky defeated ricky dragon steamboat wwf intercontinental heavyweight championship; honky reversed steamboat s inside cradle , grabbed onto bottom ropes leverage pinfall win. honky meant transitional champion hold on title short period of time. yet since roberts still suffering intermittent effects of guitar shot several months earlier, honky became booked remain champion record-setting run. in later interview, honky remarked hulk hogan, whom had friendly, collaborative relationship outside of scripted in-ring rivalry, had helped give honky chance @ title after coincidental meeting between hogan, honky, , vince mcmahon took place. hogan stuck honky, though mcmahon had had else in mind. preserve title, taken pinfall or submission, honky got himself deliberately counted out or disqualified against challengers such steamboat, billy jack haynes, bruno sammartino, , george animal steele. during time, honky began using 50s-styled, themed entrance song performed farris (included on piledriver - wrestling album 2, wwf s second album of wrestling themes). september 1987, macho man randy savage in midst of fan favorite turn , began challenging honky title (after honky had made comments himself being greatest intercontinental heavyweight champion of time , disparaging comments former champions, particularly savage). although had several matches beforehand – had met in 1986, when then-villain savage champion , challenged fan favorite honky – first savage-honky match air on national television on october 3, 1987 episode of saturday night s main event, taped on september 23 in hershey, pennsylvania. during match, savage defeated honky until honky s allies in jimmy hart s stable, hart foundation (who had interfered throughout match), ran ring , attacked savage, getting honky disqualified. savage s manager, miss elizabeth, attempted stop attack on savage, honky shoved down , fled locker room; meanwhile, honky completed attempt break guitar on savage s head. shortly thereafter, elizabeth returned savage s former rival, hulk hogan, aided savage in running off heels (leading formation of mega powers). honky tonk man continued bitter feud against savage, honky make advances toward elizabeth – including 1 such incident @ 1987 slammy awards – agitate challenger. last high-profile savage-honky match, aired part of undercard hulk hogan vs. andre giant on 1988 main event, saw honky lose countout after savage rammed him ring post on outside of ring. feud blown off in weeks before wrestlemania iv through series of tag team-style steel cage matches, involving various allies of both honky , savage on respective sides , savage emerging victorious.

honky retained title in matches savage , brutus barber beefcake, honky s next major rival. during beefcake-honky tonk feud – began @ wrestlemania iv (where jimmy hart got him disqualified knocking out referee megaphone while beefcake had honky in sleeper hold, , saw honky retain title, hart got haircut beefcake himself) , continued during spring , summer of 1988 – honky vowed not let beefcake cut ducktail hair, beefcake said in promos. in matches, honky seconded mysterious woman named peggy sue; while wwf women s champion sherri martel played role television tapings, more not, peggy sue jimmy hart dressed in drag. beefcake countered woman of own: georgina (george animal steele in drag). honky , beefcake scheduled square off @ 1988 summerslam in billed beefcake s last shot @ renamed intercontinental championship. however, in storyline twist, beefcake thrust in feud outlaw ron bass after bass committed sneak attack on beefcake; incident aired weekend before summerslam. @ event, announced mystery opponent face honky title. when came time match, honky grabbed microphone , proclaimed did not care opponent was. ultimate warrior ran out , pinned stunned opponent in 31 seconds intercontinental championship, ending reign @ 454 days. honky had been champion 1 year, 2 months , 27 days – longest intercontinental championship reign in history. honky s bids reclaim title unsuccessful , began moving down card.

rhythm , blues , departure (1989–1991)


honky tonk man (right) rhythm , blues tag team partner greg valentine

in 1989, honky began feud against american dream dusty rhodes, lost. in late 1989 , 1990, , greg valentine, managed jimmy hart, aligned tag team rhythm , blues. after competing against such teams hart foundation , legion of doom, rhythm & blues part of ted dibiase s million dollar team along mystery partner, debuting undertaker, against rhodes dream team of hart foundation , koko b. ware @ 1990 survivor series. honky wrapped wwf career stint pro-villains color commentator alongside vince mcmahon , roddy piper on superstars before leaving in january 1991.