WWF Prime Time Wrestling (June 1, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: June 1, 1987

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio. The gimmick this week is that Heenan has his shady lawyer on hand for the entire episode to document Monsoon’s behavior 

Don Muraco v Lanny Poffo: From Toronto Ontario Canada on May 17, with Poffo subbing for Sivi Afi. Don uses power early, but Lanny is quick. Muraco manages to ground him in a chinlock to take the speed away, but Lanny is able to counter to a hammerlock. Muraco escapes, but misses a charge in the corner, and Lanny is able to unload with rights. He really goes to town, too. Poffo with a bodyslam to set up a flying moonsault, but it only gets two. Lanny keeps coming with a dropkick, but a bodypress gets caught in a bodyslam. Muraco adds a tombstone to finish at 7:04. Muraco had a hell of a tombstone. ¼*

The Can-Am Connection v The Islanders: From Superstars of Wrestling on May 30 (taped May 12) in Anaheim California. Rick Martel and Haku start, as the Islanders split screen in to literally laugh at the Connection. So I guess they’re the heels here. Martel wins a criss cross, and uses a rana for two, so Haky bodyslams him. Again, but Rick hooks a small package for two, and then a 2nd rope bodypress for another two. Tag to Tom Zenk for an armdrag into an armbar, so Haku bodyslams him, but misses an elbowdrop. That allows Zenk to go back to the hold, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and gets nailed. Tag to Tama, and he tries a slam, but Zenk counters to a rollup for two. Meanwhile, Bobby Heenan shows up at ringside, pleading his case to the Connection about something. That allows the Islanders to attack, and they isolate Zenk for a beating. They leave him for dead on the outside, and it’s a countout at 3:48. Afterwards, Heenan rushes in to raise their hands, and we’ve got a heel turn. The match was going along fine for the minute or so it existed prior to the angle taking over, but was ultimately too short to amount to much. ½*

Gene Okerlund catches up with the Killer Bees, and they want the tag title from the Hart Foundation. Who doesn’t?

Craig DeGeorge is in the studio for Update, giving us a look at how WWF Ice Cream Bars are made. Letting George Steele on the factory line doesn’t exactly inspire feelings of confidence in the consumer 

DeGeorge is in the control center for a Special Report on the end of Superstar Billy Graham’s career

Sam Houston v Johnny K-9: From Toronto on May 17. Gorilla spreads rumors that Bobby is bringing Johnny K-9 into the Heenan Family, which feels like grounds for a lawsuit right there. As if! Next, they get into a conversation about Urban Cowboy - which Gorilla confuses with Midnight Cowboy. At least the commentary is never a miss when these two are together. Houston with a bulldog at 7:36. DUD

The Young Stallions v The Shadows: From Houston Texas on May 15. The video quality from this taping is really terrible, and looks like something from 1993 ECW. I’m surprised they’d use it, honestly. It’s almost like a fan-cam. If not for the Monsoon/Heenan commentary, this would be borderline unwatchable. Tom Zenk with a bodypress at 14:37. This was really long for what it was. DUD

Gene catches up with Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, and literally everything Slick is saying here feels like it’s gone mainstream in 2025

WWF Women's Title Match: Fabulous Moolah v Angie Minnelli: From Houston on May 15. Joined in progress with the challenger in control. Moolah is dressed like Ted DiBiase would later on. Actually, funny enough, this card was where DiBiase made his debut for the WWF (though he didn’t wrestle until June 5). I’m kind of surprised they never paired DiBiase with Moolah, though I guess it makes sense not to anchor him with this old lady. Moolah with a (sloppy) cradle at 6:19 shown. I think we can safely call this a DUD

Ron Bass v Jesse Cortez: From San Diego California on May 13. Bobby takes issue with the Federettes here, upset that they always try to collect Harley Race’s crown when he comes out for matches. Yeah, what bitches. Bass puts this away at 2:42. DUD

WWF Title Match: Hulk Hogan v Bob Orton: From Superstars on May 23 (taped May 12) in Anaheim. Orton muscles him into the corner right away, and unloads, but Hulk returns fire. Hulk grabs a headlock, but Bob reverses, so Hogan whips him into the ropes, and clotheslines him over the top. Orton takes a bump into the first row off of it, which is wild. Bob beats the count back in, so Hogan cross corner whips him, with Orton taking a flip bump into it. Hulk with another corner whip that sees Orton bump over the turnbuckles, and Hogan uses a bodyslam to set up a trio of elbowdrops. Hulk with the axe bomber for two, and he puts Bob in a standing front-facelock, but Orton railroads into the corner. Bob tries a cross corner whip, but Hulk reverses, and follows in with a clothesline, as the ropes break. A distraction from Mr. Fuji allows Orton to knock Hulk out of the ring, and Fuji goes to work with the cane. Bob hammers on the champion, and he dives with a 2nd rope axehandle, as the broken ropes mess with their timing. I’m surprised they didn’t stop to fix it, considering it was a taped show. Orton with a chinlock, and a pair of fistdrops connect on a worn down Hulkster. Bob with a vertical suplex for two, and a modified neckbreaker gets two. Back to the chinlock, but Hulk escapes, so Orton bodyslams him, and delivers a kneedrop for two. Bob with a swinging neckbreaker for two, and he tries a turnbuckle smash, but Hogan reverses. Hogan takes him from corner to corner with a series of smashes, so Bob throws a knee, and snapmares him. That allows Bob a legdrop for two (after abandoning an attempt to climb the ropes), but it triggers the HULK UP!! Fists of Fury! Cross Corner Whip! Big Boot! Legdrop! 9:14! This was solid, but the ropes breaking hurt it. It’s not like they would have been doing crazy dives otherwise, but it just messed with their timing. * ½ 

BUExperience: The stuff with the lawyer was great, and I like that Hogan/Orton match.