WWF Wrestling Challenge (December 13, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: December 13, 1987 (taped November 18)

From Omaha, Nebraska; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Bam Bam Bigelow v Brian Costello: Bobby is in all his glory dunking on Bigelow here. Bam Bam with a slingshot splash at 2:18. Bigelow got some good shine in here. DUD

Craig DeGeorge is in the control center for Special Report, giving us a look at the break up of the Dream Team. Gosh, the New Dream Team was already no more by this point, and we’re still on the split of the original? It’s too bad they didn’t have SummerSlam back in 1987, they could have settled it then and moved on. Or, who knows, maybe they’d just let it hang forever like the Strike Force split. I miss the days of fewer pay per views, but so many obvious matches got left on the table in that era

Slammy Awards ad

The Bolsheviks v Brady Boone and Jim Evans: Why only Nikolai sings the anthem? It’s almost like Boris isn’t a real slavic person! Is anyone looking into this?! Meanwhile, Gorilla ‘has it on very good authority’ that Ted DiBiase is trying to buy the WWF Title. ‘On good authority?’ He’s flat out said that. Several times. Does Gorilla even watch the shows?! Anyway, Slick split screens in here, excited about potentially winning a Slammy. Boris Zhukov picks up the win with a pin on Evans at 2:33. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, who is ready to face One Man Gang in a cage. I know this is hardly news or any sort, but man, Hogan was enormous at this point

Slammy Awards ad. At least now they’re just marketing it as ‘the 1987 Slammy Awards’ instead of pushing that it’s the ‘37th annual’ version, or whatever bullshit they were trying to sell us

Sam Houston v Danny Davis: Houston kick starts things, and they brawl all over the ring, scuffling on the mat. They spill to the outside, and Houston rolls him back in, but gets nailed from the high ground while following. They get into another scuffle on the mat, and Davis is actually dominating things. Meanwhile, Mr. Fuji split screens in, fuming that DiBiase is trying to buy the world title. The scuffling continues, and the referee ends up going down while trying to break them apart. That allows Davis to clobber Sam with the megaphone, and the referee recovers to count Houston out at 3:59. The style they worked made this look extremely amateurish, like two kids fighting in the schoolyard, more than a pro-wrestling match. It was intentional, but I didn’t like the choice. DUD

Okerlund catches up with Randy Savage, and he doesn’t care who Honky Tonk Man is fucking, it’s not going to save his title

Strike Force v Steve Lombardi and Dusty Wolfe: The WWF Tag Team title is not on the line here. And speaking of the belts, the Hart Foundation split screen in, promising to get the belts back, since Strike Force won’t be able to ‘buy a referee’ next time. Rick Martel puts this away with the Boston crab at 3:22. DUD

DeGeorge brings Ted DiBiase out for a podium interview, and Ted shows off that he bought his way onto the cover of the WWF Magazine. But, that’s just the start, because he’s in a buying mood, and the WWF Title is next. He’s going to close the deal

Dino Bravo v Lanny Poffo: Gorilla again has things ‘on good authority’ about DiBiase’s aspirations to buy the title. Okay, what the fuck? Anyway, he doesn’t think Hogan would sell, and DiBiase probably couldn’t afford it. Where the fuck does he get off? Frenchy Martin split screens in here, excited to be Bravo’s new manager. Well, that makes one of us. Dino with a side suplex at 1:59. DUD

DeGeorge catches up with Koko B. Ware, who is excited about singing at the Slammy’s

Junkyard Dog and Koko B. Ware v Barry Horowitz and Terry Gibbs: Jimmy Hart split screens in here, laughing at Koko for even bothering to perform at the Slammy’s, since it’s obvious that Honky is winning the award. Koko with a brainbuster on Barry at 1:44. DUD

Okerlund catches up with Koko to talk Slammy’s again. Stop spamming us with Koko B. Ware

BUExperience: I have it on good authority that this is an enjoyable episode.