WWF Prime Time Wrestling (July 13, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: July 13, 1987

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Honky Tonk Man v George Steele: From Louisville Kentucky on June 24. Lots of stalling and posturing to start, until Honky suckers him into a chase, and hits him with a clothesline that leaves Steele tied up in the ropes. Honky unloads, but Steele escapes, and delivers a pair of bodyslams. Jimmy Hart distracts him, and George takes the bait - chasing Jimmy to the back, and getting counted out at 3:01. DUD

Ted DiBiase vignette. Today’s lesson: morals can’t buy you gold and diamonds. Pay attention, kids. All jokes aside, DiBiase’s genius here is that it would be so easy to cheer this type of character (much how people root for the bad guys in movies like the Godfather), but Ted plays him as such a complete jerk that you just can’t. It’s a fine line, and DiBiase walks it perfectly

Outback Jack v Jose Estrada: From New York City on June 14. I’m not acknowledging bootleg Bad News Brown. Jack with a swinging bodyslam, then a backdrop, and finally a bulldog at 4:46. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with The Can-Am Connection, who are still looking for revenge on the Islanders. No wonder Rick Martel let Tito Santana chase him around forever after their Strike Force breakup - neither guy can move on

Billy Jack Haynes v Paul Orndroff: From Philadelphia Pennsylvania on June 20, with Paul replacing Iron Sheik. They posture to start, both measuring each other. Haynes gets a standing side-headlock on, so Paul tries to criss cross, but gets knocked out of the ring with a shoulderblock. Paul gets increasingly frustrated as Haynes dominates the action, until he’s able to get off a cheap shot, and turn things around. He tries a turnbuckle smash, but Billy reverses, and adds a second for good measure. Paul bails, and Haynes continues hammering on him once Orndorff elects to come back in. Back to the headlock, so Paul forces another criss cross, but manages to dodge a bodypress from Haynes. That allows Paul to throw a clothesline, and he adds a few pointed elbowdrops to the mix. Paul goes to work from there, but Billy backdrops his way out of the piledriver. Paul keeps unloading anyway, and manages a corner whip, but hits a knee on the charge in. That allows Haynes a 2nd rope elbowsmash, followed by a kneelift, as he makes a comeback. Haynes with a 2nd rope axehandle for two, so Paul dumps him to the outside to buy some time. He nails a recovering Haynes with a knee to knock him off the apron, but Billy blocks a second one, and uses a slingshot sunset flip for two. Paul tries a bodyslam, but Haynes topples for two, so Paul tries a neckbreaker, but Haynes counters to a backslide for two. Paul with a wild charge that leaves both men looking up at the lights, and Haynes grabs the full nelson as they both recover - only for time to expire at 20:42. This had some legitimate mojo, but was ultimately too long. * ¼ 

Hillbilly Jim v Iron Mike Sharpe: From Rochester New York on June 3. Little Beaver is still tagging along with Jim here. They take forever to get to the fireworks factory here, with Jim scoring the pin at 7:41, after interference from Beaver. DUD

Okerlund catches up with the New Dream Team, who are dreaming of exterminating Brutus Beefcake

The Islanders v Jim Powers and Scott Casey: From Indianapolis Indiana on June 23. Was Paul Roma busy jerking off, or something? The Islanders put Powers away with stereo headbutt drops at 5:15. Wow, and Casey didn’t even do the job? Who did Powers piss off that day? DUD

The Hart Foundation v The Rougeau Brothers: From Toronto Ontario Canada on June 28, with the WWF Tag Team title not on the line. Bret Hart starts with Raymond Rougeau, and Ray dominates some early stuff, with Hart hiding in the ropes to avoid various pinning combinations. Ray manages to dropkick him over the top, and he passes to Jacques Rougeau. Jacques holds Bret in an armbar, but Hart wants to criss cross, so Jacques throws a bodypress for two. An armdrag puts Bret in a wristlock, but Hart throws an elbow to escape, and tags Jim Neidhart. Jim comes in all fired up, but walks into an armdrag. Tag to Ray for a wristlock, so Jim whips him into the ropes, and Bret throws a cheap shot from the apron. That allows the Foundation to go to work on Ray, with all their expertly timed shenanigans on full display. Finally, Ray slips free to make the hot tag, and Roseanne Barr the door! Jacques hits Bret with a jumping backelbow for two, but he gets drilled by the Anvil while trying a piledriver, and Bret hooks the leg at 7:48! Fun stuff here. **

BUExperience: Much better this week, as there were actual interesting pairings, instead of non-stop jobber matches.