WWF Prime Time Wrestling (October 8, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: October 8, 1987

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio

Paul Orndorff v Dave Wagner: From the October 3 episode of Superstars of Wrestling (taped September 15) in Peoria Illinois. Paul Orndorff v Dave Wagner: Bobby Heenan split screens in, promising a ‘surprise’ for Paul. Then, as the match carries on, Heenan appears on the podium with Rick Rude, who flashes his stuff to distract Orndorff. Luckily, Paul is able to stay focused, and beat his jobber at 2:53. DUD

SD Jones v Steve Lombardi: From Toronto Ontario Canada on September 20. The way the ring announcer announces Jones as ‘from Antigua’ sounds like it’s an accusation is hilarious. Jones with a schoolboy at 8:16. Yes, they gave these guys eight minutes, and then put it on TV. DUD

Craig DeGeorge is in the studio with Update, giving us a look at Ken Patera, who is still swearing payback on the Heenan Family. You know, as soon as he recovers. Again

Survivor Series ad. We actually get a little more detail this time, including the announcement of the main event teams. They don’t actually bother to explain the elimination concept yet, though

Clips of the Piledriver music video

Tiger Chung Lee v Brad Rheingans: From New York City on September 21. Tiger with a shoulderbreaker for the pin at 5:00, which should tell you everything you need to know about where Brad falls on the totem pole. Heenan immediately quipping “and you wonder why we don’t have any gold medals” is why I love him. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with the Killer Bees, who try really hard to convince us that they aren’t losers

Scott Casey v Steve Lombardi: From New York on September 21. I hope Steve gets royalties for this episode. Casey with a bulldog at 12:20. That time is not a typo. Monsoon claiming that Paul Orndorff might piledrive Andre the Giant with a straight face is something. DUD

Ron Bass v Lanny Poffo: From Peoria on September 15. Bass beats the hell out of him in response to the poem, but Poffo wins a criss cross with a dropkick. He hammers Bass into the corner, but Ron has enough of him, and goes to work. Bass with a pedigree at 5:13. This was really dull. “What an unusual finishing hold,” the announcers note. DUD

Survivor Series ad

Bam Bam Bigelow v Shadow #1: From Wrestling Challenge on October 4 (taped September 16) in Rockford Illinois. Well, at least it’s not a Shadows tag match. Monsoon suggests that Bigelow wrestle Bundy for a ‘New Jersey title,’ but Bobby brushes it off, noting that “who’d want to be champion of New Jersey?” Bigelow with a slingshot splash at 1:24. Good energy from Bam Bam here. ¼*

The New Dream Team v The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers: From New York on September 21. Dino Bravo and Raymond Rougeau start, and Monsoon immediately throws shade at Bravo by noting that he’s ‘gone downhill’ since his prime. Gorilla could be such a dick sometimes. I ain’t mad at it, though. Dino and Raymond posture, and Greg Valentine tries to double team, but it backfires. Ray wins a criss cross with a bodypress for two, and both guys tag out. Greg pounds Jacques into the corner, but a cross corner whip gets reversed, and Jacques adds a kneedrop for two. A criss cross allows Jacques a big punch, and Greg bails to break the momentum, and regroup. Back to Bravo, but the Brothers dominate him with quick tags. Jacques hits a splash for two, and Ray gets a Boston crab on, but Greg saves. Ray takes the bait and tries to charge the Hammer, but ends up in the wrong corner, and double teamed. That allows the heels to gain control, and Greg uses a shoulderbreaker for two. They work Raymond over, until Bravo misses an elbowdrop, and Jacques gets the hot tag! He runs wild on the Hammer, so Bravo comes in, and Roseanne Barr the door! Jacques hits Greg with a jumping backelbow, but Bravo saves at two. Jacques gets a sleeper on Valentine, but Bravo saves again, and the Dream Team double team. That allows Greg to put the figure four on, but time expires at 17:47. Solid action here. * ½ 

BUExperience: The match selections for this remain incredibly perplexing. How did this show stay on the air for so long?