SummerSlam A to Z: Zeus

Zeus and Macho Man
Courtesy: WWE

By Kevin Hunsperger
@kevinhunsperger & @my123cents on Twitter
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And we've reached the end of the alphabet.  I couldn't think of a better way to wrap things up than with Zeus.  He was a very small, but memorable part of SummerSlam.  Zeus and "The Macho King" Randy Savage teamed up in the main event of SummerSlam 89 against Hulk Hogan and Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake.

Ready to rumble
Courtesy: WWE

"Tiny" Lister played Zeus, who was the villain opposite  Hogan in the WWF produced film No Holds Barred earlier in the summer.  Like the monster he played in the movie, Zeus was a dominate force leading up to the SummerSlam match.  Of course there was tension still between Hogan and Savage following Wrestlemania V and Hogan's title victory.  Beefcake was thrown into the mix as well.  Plus Elizabeth and Sherri were outside the ring to add to the drama.

Courtesy: WWE

Zeus barely knew the difference between a wrist lock and a wrist watch.   I'm not judging as my in ring skills are limited to a few chops, a bodyslam and a clothesline.  The good guys won the battle, but the war was far from over.  Hogan and Zeus went head to head on opposite Survivor Series teams that year.  And 1989 wrapped up with a pay per view special called No Holds Barred: The Match, The Movie.  This time Hogan and Beefcake beat the bad guys inside a steel cage.  

Zeus pretty much disappeared after that.  He resurfaced in WCW years later as Z-Gangsta and once again battled Hogan.  This stint was even shorter than his first go around in the business. He'd never win wrestler of the year, but Zeus was a fun part of my childhood wrestling days as I can still picture him ranting and raving more than 25 years later.