WWF Wrestling Challenge (July 19, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: July 19, 1987 (taped June 24)

From Louisville, Kentucky; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Kamala and Sika v Lanny Poffo and Sonny Rogers: We’re back to accepting that Lanny is a jobber again, all is right with the world. Meanwhile, Mr. Fuji split screens in, again promising that he’ll be bringing Bam Bam Bigelow in. Kamala with a splash on Rogers at 1:15. DUD

Craig DeGeorge is in the control center with a look at Danny Davis’ various heel exploits 

Honky Tonk Man v Scott Casey: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line. Casey and Poffo should have formed a team of jobbers-who-sometimes-aren’t-jobbers. Not quite JTTS, but JWSAJ. I agree that the acronym needs work. Jimmy Hart split screens in here, also hyping up Bam Bam. Honky with a swinging neckbreaker at 2:11. Honky could really put the swing into that move. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with Junkyard Dog, who wants to challenge Honky for the WWF Intercontinental title 

Ted DiBiase vignette. These are never a miss

The Can-Am Connection v The Shadows: Gorilla suggests that it might be the elusive Bam Bam Bigelow under one of those masks. The Connection split screen in, wanting to use beating the Islanders to leverage a shot at the WWF Tag Team title. The Connection put this away at 4:09. As always with any match involving the Shadows, this was too long. DUD

Okerlund catches up with 

The New Dream Team v Jerry Allen and Mario Mancini: Johnny Valiant split screens in here, promising to lead Bam Bam. This isn’t a bad angle, but it’s been going on for too long already, and needs to get to the point. Greg Valentine puts this away with a figure four at 3:29. DUD

DeGeorge catches up with Ron Bass, and wonders if there’s been any official talk about banning his bullwhip. Bass responds by threatening people

Jake Roberts v Dusty Wolfe: Jake with the DDT at 1:28. Easy does it for Jake this week. DUD

Butch Reed does some posing. As a flex at Superstar Billy Graham

Clip of Bam Bam Bigelow growling, and looking mean. Supposedly ‘presented’ by Heenan

Randy Savage v Sivi Afi: Afi gains control, but misses a flying splash, and Macho clotheslines him over the top. Randy follows with a flying axehandle on the floor, and Monsoon and Heenan even have to agree: it’s only a matter of time before Savage has a title again. Savage with a snapmare to set up a kneedrop for two, and a bodyslam sets up the flying elbowdrop at 2:14. ¼*

Okerlund catches up with Demolition. Smash’s facepaint has reached the classic look (though with differing colors), though Ax’s looks like Sting’s in 1987

BUExperience: Solid stuff, though I wish they’d get to the point with the Bam Bam Bigelow stuff.