WWF Wrestling Challenge (March 15, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: March 15, 1987 (taped February 17)

From Springfield, Massachusetts; Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan

Billy Jack Haynes v Moondog Spot: Spot attacked from behind, but Haynes fights him off, and uses a backelbow to set up an elbowdrop. A standing dropkick knocks Spot to the outside, so Haynes hops out to roll him in, but Spot rakes the eyes on the way. Irish whip, but Haynes reverses, and lands a clothesline. That allows him to the slap on the full nelson at 1:10. DUD

Jesse Ventura is with Bob Uecker, teaching him to pose ahead of WrestleMania

WrestleMania III ad

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Greg Valentine, Brutus Beefcake, and Dino Bravo v Paul Roma, Salvatore Bellomo, and Mike Luca: Beefcake is wearing a bandana in response to the haircut he received. At least that’s what he says, but I’m inclined to believe he just wanted to look more like the Hulkster. The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers split screen in here, and they really don’t like Dino Bravo representing their home territory. Dino gets to finish with a side suplex at 3:50. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with the Can-Am Connection, who are ready for WrestleMania

Bob Uecker thinks WrestleMania will be more exciting than being in the Army

Junkyard Dog v Rick Renslow: Harley Race split screens in here, looking forward to making JYD bow at WrestleMania. Dog with a scoop powerslam at a brisk 0:59. DUD

Jake Roberts and Alice Cooper chillax

Okerlund catches up with Adrian Adonis, who is ready to send Roddy Piper to Hollywood to make his ‘super B-movies’

Okerlund catches up with Hercules, who is going to prove that Billy Jack Haynes is a loser. Not exactly a tough case there, prosecutor 

Demolition v Sivi Afi and Tommy Sharp: Aretha Franklin split screens in here, ready to sing at WrestleMania. Demolition show these goofs no respect, attacking them before even bothering to remove their entrance gear, and finishing Sharp at 2:02. DUD

Jake Roberts hosts the Snake Pit, with guests Andre the Giant and Bobby Heenan. Jake thinks Andre has lost the respect of the people, but Bobby thinks they can replace it with the WWF Title belt

Okerlund is in the control center with the WrestleMania III Report

Ricky Steamboat v Pete Doherty: WWF Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage split screens in, ready to finish the job on Steamboat at WrestleMania. Ricky with a flying tomahawk chop at 4:53. Steamboat took too long here. DUD

Okerlunc catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan and Roddy Piper, who each kick it into gear with WrestleMania hype. Hulk is in all his glory here. And, though the ‘winged eagle’ design is my favorite belt ever, the one Hulk has here (the ‘Hogan 87’) looks phenomenal 

BUExperience: They were full speed ahead for WrestleMania at this point, and while it wasn’t a great episode, there was a lot of good stuff happening in the promotion in general, so it wasn’t a tough watch.