WWF Prime Time Wrestling (November 26, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: November 26, 1987

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio. They immediately acknowledge that this is pretaped, since they’re at the Richfield Coliseum for Survivor Series in real time, leading to a fun back-and-forth about what they might be talking about at this moment in the future

Ultimate Warrior v Rip Oliver: From Houston Texas on November 6. Oliver goes by Crippler, and I’m half surprised they didn’t edit all references to Chris Benoit into Oliver references during that period around 2009, or so. Warrior with the press-drop at 5:03. Clearly, they hadn’t figured out how to book Warrior yet. DUD

The Bolsheviks v The Young Stallions: From Philadelphia Pennsylvania on November 7. The Stallions clean house at the bell, and the dust settles on Boris Zhukov with Paul Roma. Roma dominates a criss cross, and he delivers a bodyslam before grabbing a standing headlock. Boris tries to escape, so Roma runs the ropes while keeping he hold applied, and he takes it to the mat. Tag to Jim Powers, and Jim uses a bodypress for two. Back to Roma, but the heels take control, and work him over. A collision on a criss cross allows Paul to make the hot tag… to Jim Powers… and Roseanne Barr the door! Roma ends up on the outside, allowing the Russians to double team Powers, and Boris pins him at 12:42. ½*

Craig DeGeorge is in the studio with Update, and the big news is that Superstar Billy Graham is out of Survivor Series following the attack by Butch Reed, and will be replaced by Don Muraco

Frenchy Martin v SD Jones: From Philly on September 18. Jones hooks a small package, but Martin reverses at 9:44. DUD 

Brady Boone v Jose Estrada: From Boston Massachusetts on October 3. Boone with a sunset flip at 9:29. DUD

Dan Spivey v Sam Houston: From Houston on November 6. Some posturing to start, with Houston outmoving Spivey. Sam tries a bodypress, but gets caught in a backbreaker, and Spivey adds a powerslam for two. Dan grabs a bearhug from there, and a suplex follows. Spivey works an abdominal stretch, but Sam fights free, so Spivey powerslams him again for two. A sidewalk slam gets another two, so Sam tries triggering a slugfest, but it ends badly for the kid. Spivey with a backdrop, but Houston tries countering to a sunset flip, though Spivey is able to block. Spivey misses a charge in the corner, allowing Sam to come off the middle with a punch. Really making the most of his chance to shine there. Spivey cuts his pathetic comeback off, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and Sam goes on the comeback trail again. Bulldog, but Spivey blocks, so Sam tries a 2nd rope bodypress, but Dan ducks. That allows Spivey a jumping clothesline, and a neckbreaker finishes at 7:49. They couldn’t give Sam the win over Dan Spivey this late in 1987, and in Houston?!? Dan hadn’t even worked on TV since before WrestleMania, and wouldn’t again for the rest of this run! ¾*

Demolition music video

Scott Casey v Barry Horowitz: From Houston on November 6. Casey with a bulldog at 6:11. DUD

Ricky Steamboat v Ron Bass: From Rochester New York on October 28. An awkward criss cross ends in Steamboat delivering a rana, and he goes to the top for a flying tomahawk chop, so Bass bails. Bass manages to get control, and he delivers a powerslam for two, but argues the count, and Steamboat rolls him up for two. Bass tries a wild charge, but misses, and Steamboat covers for two. Steamboat tries a bodyslam, but Ron topples him for two. Bass tries for a swinging neckbreaker, but swings too long, and Steamboat counters to a backslide for two. Both guys collide during a criss cross, and Bass is up first. He grabs Steamboat for a vertical suplex, but Ricky reverses, and both guys are left looking up at the lights again. Steamboat is up with a piledriver, so Bass backdrops, but Steamboat hangs on into a sunset flip for two. They stagger for a slugfest on their knees, and Bass gets the better of it with a headbutt. Bass with another right, but Steamboat ducks, and grabs a sleeper. Bass drops into the corner to break free, and he tries dumping Steamboat over the top to buy recovery time, but Ricky skins the cat, and pulls Bass out with him! Bass tries an atomic drop on the floor, but Steamboat blocks, so Bass feeds him the post instead. Again, but Steamboat reverses, and beats the count in before Ron for the countout at 8:06. This was a well worked, hard fought match. **

BUExperience: Given that this aired on the same night as Survivor Series, you can’t imagine that this was a priority. Considering it was basically wall to wall matches, with almost no other segments, that’s a definite. That said, it was no worse than usual.