WWF Prime Time Wrestling (February 16, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: February 16, 1987

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio

King Kong Bundy v Pete Doherty: From Boston Massachusetts on February 7. Bundy drills him with a clothesline right away, and uses a snapmare to set up a kneedrop for two - Bundy letting off the pinfall because he wants to deliver more punishment. Bundy tries a splash, but Pete dodges, and Pete manages to pound the big man into the corner for a ten-punch. Bundy shakes him off, and delivers an elbowdrop, for another self-interrupted two count. Bundy with a splash, but the avalanche misses. That allows Pete to grab a chair, and he whacks Bundy for the DQ at 3:01. Well, that is not the way I would have predicted that finish to go. DUD

Dino Bravo v SD Jones: From Boston Massachusetts on February 7. Jones stupidly goes after Johnny V, allowing Bravo to attack from behind, and he goes to work. Cross corner whip gets reversed, allowing Jones a series a bodyslams, until Dino bails. Inside, Jones with an atomic drop, as Johnny stops by the commentary desk to rant (mostly just putting himself over). Jones works a wristlock, but Dino gets into the ropes, and Jones hits a boot while trying a corner charge. That allows Bravo to take control, and he dumps Jones to the outside for Johnny to bodyslam on the floor. “Right on the concrete,” notes Resnick - despite it being a very clear brown wood floor. Bravo vertical suplexes him back in for two, and a series of kneedrops is worth two. Gutwrench slam gets two, and the Boston crab looks to finish, but Jones powers out. Dino stays on him with a bodyslam, but a legdrop misses, and Jones makes a comeback - only to miss a corner charge, and get dropped with a sidewalk slam at 7:30. This was pleasantly energetic. ¾*

Gorilla and Ken Resnick recently caught up with Slick, who is playing his cards for WrestleMania III close to the vest. Why did this require two interviewers?

From Superstars, Roddy Piper is out to host Piper’s Pit, with guest Hulk Hogan. Roddy recaps the last few weeks of his show, and then Hulk kind of stumbles out, looking like a broken man, and without any of his usual entrance. He has the broken crucifix necklace hanging in his hand, as he tells us how shocked he is at what’s been going on with Andre. Roddy presses him about the challenge, until Hogan gives us an enthusiastic ‘YESSS!’

Tito Santana v Terry Gibbs: From the February 14 Superstars (taped January 26) in Tampa Florida. Gibbs tries to sneak attack as Tito is reacting to President Jack Tunney suspending Danny Davis for life, but Santana quickly fights him off, and uses the jumping forearm at 0:20. The match was just there to give the angle a platform, and that’s all good. DUD

WrestleMania III ad

Koko B. Ware v Red Demon: From Boston Massachusetts on February 7. They take forever here, before Koko finally puts this scrub away with a missile dropkick at 9:52. This was insanely long for what was basically a squash. DUD

Tama v Frenchy Martin: From Boston Massachusetts on February 7. This is joined in progress, with Frenchy in firm control. Tama fights him off, and hits a sitdown splash for two, and Frenchy begs off. Tama keeps coming in the corner, and a shoulderblock gets two, but a charge ends badly when Frenchy sidetsteps, and Tama goes flying out of the ring. Tama sneaks to the other side of the ring by crawling underneath, and he sneak attacks Frenchy with a flying bodypress at 3:50 shown. I think we can safely call this one a DUD

Haku v Terry Gibbs: From Boston Massachusetts on February 7. The announcers completely ignore this to talk about WrestleMania. Haku with a flying splash at 4:27. DUD

Recently, Gorilla caught up with Ricky Steamboat, who notes that Randy Savage has been ducking his challenge for a match at WrestleMania

Ricky Steamboat v Sika: From Boston Massachusetts on February 7. Sika attacks before the bell, but Steamboat gets fired up, and starts unloading with chops. Sika goes to the eyes to put a stop to that, however, and he dumps the Dragon to the outside. Ricky beats the count, so Sika cracks him with a knife-edge chop, and he works a choke in the corner to capitalize on the injured larynx. Steamboat ducks a shot, and manages to get upstairs for a flying chop. He makes a comeback, and a schoolboy gets him three at 4:03. Not much to this one, but, and I know this will be shocking: Steamboat is really, really good at selling. ¼*

The Can-Am Connection v Tiger Chung Lee and Gladiator: From the February 14 Superstars. Bob Orton and Don Muraco split screen in here, ready for the Connection at WrestleMania. The Connection put this one away at 3:16. DUD

Hercules v Billy Jack Haynes: From Boston Massachusetts on February 7. Hercules tries a sneak attack, but gets nailed, and Billy unloads with right hands, as Bobby Heenan stops by the commentary desk to talk about his relationship with Andre the Giant, and hype WrestleMania III. The angle with Andre turning heel and challenging Hulk Hogan to defend the WWF Title at WrestleMania actually aired earlier this same day on Superstars. Billy keeps unloading in the corner, and a clothesline finds the mark, but a corner version gets reversed. Hercules hammers him for a while, and he works a bootchoke, as Gorilla gives a good kayfabe reason for why Andre was never granted a world title shot: he goes from territory to territory, and thus doesn’t build an adequate record in any one place. Flimsy, but not bad, actually. Hercules with a short-clothesline for two, and a hanging vertical suplex gets two. Bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop, but Billy dodges. Hercules tries again, but Haynes rolls once more, and it’s comeback time in Boston! Press-slam looks to lead to the full-nelson, so Heenan hops onto the apron to distract him. Haynes takes the bait, allowing Paul Orndorff to come in with a cheap shot while the referee is distracted, and Hercules gets the pin at 10:18. This was really, really dull, with lots of punch/kick/nothing, and tons of space between big moves. ½*

BUExperience: Despite the build for WrestleMania being in full swing, this show is, like, “hey, come watch some boring action from the Boston Garden instead.”