WWF Wrestling Challenge (November 22, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: November 22, 1987 (taped October 28)

From Rochester, New York; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Strike Force v Barry Horowitz and Terry Gibbs: The WWF Tag Team title is not on the line here. Meanwhile, the Hart Foundation split screen in, promising revenge on Strike Force at Survivor Series. Rick Martel with the Boston crab on Horowitz at 3:27. DUD

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

One Man Gang v Carmine Surace: Don Muraco split screens in here, excited to be a part of Survivor Series, as Gang finishes with a gourdbuster at 1:11. DUD

DeGeorge catches up with Strike Force, who are excited to captain their team at Survivor Series

Randy Savage is excited about being on the cover of the WWF Magazine, but he wants Honky Tonk Man to end up on next months - all battered up after what Macho is going to do to him

Demolition v Omar Atlas and Pete Lusik: Brady Boone split screens in here, promising that Ken Patera and Billy Jack Haynes will kick Demolition’s ass on his behalf. No wonder no one ever took Boone seriously. Demolition with the pin on Lusik with their finisher at 3:00. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, Don Muraco, Ken Patera, Paul Orndorff, and Bam Bam Bigelow to give their final push for Survivor Series. Patera is still in a brace here, so it’s hard to take his threats too seriously

Bam Bam Bigelow v Jose Estrada: Bam Bam split screens in, promising to be a ‘surviving man.’ Bigelow with a slingshot splash at 2:40. DUD

DeGeorge brings Andre the Giant, Bobby Heenan, and Slick out for a podium interview to talk about what they’re going to do to Hulk Hogan at Survivor Series. This was largely the same thing they’ve said in previous segments, down to the stretch action figure demonstration 

The Bolsheviks v Lanny Poffo and Van Van Horne: Poffo annoys them with his poem, and he gets killed. Gosh, he was so destined to be a heel that I’m surprised they ever bothered with the babyface run. But then, it was hardly a ‘run’ anyway. Horne eats the pin at 2:40. DUD

Brutus Beefcake v Danny Davis: Beefcake with tassels on his boots is a weird look, and makes his legs looks really skinny on top of things. Davis goes to the eyes right away, and slugs at him, but Beefcake slugs back, and that goes badly for Danny. Beefcake with a bodyslam, and Davis begs off, as Sam Houston split screens in to talk about Danny. Beefcake with an atomic drop, and he takes Danny into the corner for abuse, but Davis goes to the eyes again. Davis with a turnbuckle smash, but Brutus reverses a cross corner whip, and unloads with a ten-punch. Beefcake with a hiptoss and an earringer, before dumping Danny over the top, but Jimmy Hart helps him up. Beefcake brings Davis in the hard way, and puts the sleeper on, so Jimmy tries running in, but Beefcake cuts him off. He chucks Hart into Davis, and then covers Danny for the pin at 3:50. Beefcake looks for revenge on Jimmy after the bell, but Davis gets Hart out of harm’s way. ½*

DeGeorge catches up with the Islanders, ahead of Survivor Series 

BUExperience: Let’s just get to Survivor Series already.