WWF Wrestling Challenge (February 1, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: February 1, 1987 (taped January 6)

From Hershey, Pennsylvania; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Koko B Ware v Harley Race: Johnny Valiant takes over for Bobby on commentary here. Koko’s got a top on this week, which is a different look for him. Koko with a backdrop, but Race catches him with a knee, and delivers a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Race adds a kneedrop for two, but a 2nd rope headbutt drop misses, with great timing on the dodge from Koko. Ware goes upstairs, but Heenan shoves him off the top, which referee Danny Davis conveniently misses. That allows Harley to hook the leg at 2:09. Afterwards, Junkyard Dog chases Race and Heenan off, so Davis gets in his face for coming out for a match he’s not involved in. Danny goes too far, however, and finally JYD has had enough - giving him a hiptoss to a huge pop! ¼*

Wrestlers’ Rebuttal is Blackjack Mulligan proving (claiming?) he can read

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Hercules v Don Driggers: Valiant is still on commentary, since Heenan manages Hercules as well. WWF Champion Hulk Hogan split screens in, putting over Hercules’ strength. Hercules with the full nelson at 0:51. Afterwards, Billy Jack Haynes comes out early for his match, and crosses paths with Hercules. They get into each others’ faces, but nothing comes of it. DUD

Ken Resnick catches up with George Steele, who still has the feelings for Miss Elizabeth 

Billy Jack Haynes v Jimmy Jack Funk: Haynes is still hot and bothered, and why is Valiant still on commentary? Give us Bobby back, already. Funk manages a ropeburn to allow him some shots in the corner, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Haynes delivers a clothesline on the rebound. Ah, I see, Herc is still watching from ringside, with Heenan at his side, trying to calm him down. Haynes with a vertical suplex for two, and an atomic drop leads to the full nelson at 2:01. ¼*

Resnick catches up with Honky Tonk Man, who says Hulk Hogan stabbed him in the back, and isn’t a good friend. Yeah, a lot of that going around, you’d think with that much smoke people would understand that there’s a fire going on

Can-Am Connection vignette, featuring them arguing USA v Canada in terms of where the best women and ‘skiing’ are

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, and Adrian Adonis v Tony Garea, Paul Roma, and Jim Parks: Bobby is back, and making excuses about what happened in the finish of the Race/Ware match. See, Koko called him a very bad word, and Bobby just wanted to talk to him when he fell off the top rope. But if Bobby shoved him, it would have been fair, because he said a very bad word! Adonis with a sleeper at 2:01. DUD

From Superstars, we get Roddy Piper hosting Piper’s Pit, and once again he’s got some trophies on set. He brings Jesse Ventura out, and Jesse wants to talk about why Hulk got a bigger trophy than Andre the Giant, when Andre’s been undefeated for fifteen years, and Hulk hasn’t even been around that long. So they get into a shouting match, and Jesse challenges him to settle it in the ring, which Roddy is quite happy to do. But instead, Jesse suggests they get Hulk and Andre together right here next week, and see what happens then. Great segment

Backstage, a furious Danny Davis wants JYD fined and suspended 

Jake Roberts v Gary Starr: Gorilla and Bobby are pretty excited about seeing Hulk and Andre hash things out next week. Yeah, I’ll bet. Roberts with a quick DDT at 0:25. DUD

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The Islanders v Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff: Haku and Volkoff start, and Haku catches him with a bodypress for two. Tag to Tama for some double teaming, so Sheik takes a cheap shot from the apron, which, frankly, fair. They were double teaming, why can’t Sheik get in on the action? Sheik tags in and tries a vertical suplex, but Tama reverses, and tags out. Haku throws a dropkick at Sheik, and a bodyslam ahead of a tag to Tama for a flying splash. That draws Volkoff in, and Roseanne Barr the door. That allows Slick to slide in a nail Tama with his cane, and Sheik covers at 2:13. ¼*

Resnick catches up with Ricky Steamboat and Steele, both of who still have problems with the Macho Man

Gorilla catches up with Andre, who agrees to meet Hulk on Piper’s Pit next week on Superstars

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