WWF Prime Time Wrestling (February 29, 1988)

 

Original Airdate: February 29, 1988

Your Hosts are Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan from the studio

Sika v George Steele: From New York City on February 22. Sika keeps George from getting in for a while, so Steele starts throwing chairs around, and Sika takes one to the head - allowing George the pin at 3:12. DUD

WWF Tour ad

Sensational Sherri v Rockin' Robin: From Wichita Kansas on February 16. The WWF Women's title is not on the line here. Sherri tries a sneak attack, but it misses, and Robin dominates her a bit. A backelbow gets Robin two, so Sherri begs off. She tries another cheap shot, but Robin is ready again, and schoolboys for two. A sunset flip gets another two, and Robin delivers a bodyslam for two. Clothesline, but Sherri ducks it, and bails. She tries stalling, but Robin sneaks up on her out there, and feeds her the apron. Robin snaps her throat across the top rope for good measure, and she drags the champion back in for a matslam. Robin works a side-headlock from there, but Sherri clobbers her, and turns the tide. Sherri works her over, but Robin comes back with a clothesline for two. Sherri tries a 2nd rope bodypress, but misses, and Robin covers for two. She hammers in the corner, but a charge misses, and Sherri puts her in a Boston crab. Robin counters to a cradle, reversed by Sherri for one. Robin throws a kneelift to keep her at bay, but a backdrop gets countered with a (sloppy) knee. Sherri with a clothesline and a bodyslam to set up a dive, but Robin slams her off before she can leap. Robin dives with a 2nd rope bulldog, and Sherri is pinned at 8:46. Some notable sloppiness, but it had good energy and effort. * ¼ 

Craig DeGeorge is in the studio for Update, with a look at the Honky Tonk Man/Randy Savage beef that we should be well past by this point

Fans weigh in on the title tournament 

Bob Uecker catches up with One Man Gang, but Slick takes exception to Bob calling Gang a ‘regular guy’

WrestleMania IV ad

Ken Patera v Ax: From New York on February 22. Patera comes out to the Olympic theme, which may be the only time you’ll ever hear John Williams on a wrestling show. Meanwhile, Lord Alfred Hayes actually makes a great point, talking about how Mr. Fuji putting Ax in a singles match is smart tag managing, since it forces him to hone his skills without the safety net of a tag, which could be very helpful in difficult tag matches where Smash might be incapacitated. I love shit like that! Patera dominates early, and works the arm. A distraction from Mr. Fuji allows Ax to clobber Ken, and that turns the tide. Ax goes to work on the bad arm, but Patera makes a comeback, and gets a full nelson on. That draws Smash onto the apron, and the distraction allows Ax to clobber for the pin at 7:18. Afterwards, Demolition do a number on Patera, but Junkyard Dog makes the save. ¼*

The British Bulldogs can’t wait to let Matilda get at Bobby Heenan at WrestleMania IV

Smash v Junkyard Dog: From New York on February 22. Smash dominates, but the cheating from Demolition enrages Ken Patera, and she shows up to help Dog nail Smash with a chain for the pin at 3:44. DUD

The Fabulous Rougeau Brothers v Dave Wagner and Rick Renslow: From Wichita on February 16. Wagner and Renslow don’t generally associate much on WWF shows, but they were a regular team elsewhere, and they even dress and look alike, which I appreciate. The easiest way to make a jobber team seem like a star team is making them aesthetically similar. The Brothers put this away at 2:54. DUD

DeGeorge catches up with WWF Intercontinental Champion Honky Tonk Man, who isn’t worried about haircuts or title losses 

Brutus Beefcake v Brian Costello: From Wrestling Challenge on February 28 (taped February 17) in Topeka Kansas. Beefcake split screens in, excited to take the WWF Intercontinental title, and hang it on his wall. With their travel schedule?! Heenan rightly mocks that as well. Beefcake with a sleeper at 1:56. DUD

From Superstars of Wrestling, DeGeorge brings Hulk Hogan out for a podium interview, and Vince introduces the segment by referring to Hulk as the ‘WWF Champion,’ which Jesse jumps all over. It does feel super weird to see him without the belt after years of him as champ

DeGeorge is in the control center for the WrestleMania IV Report

WrestleMania IV ad

Rick Rude v Koko B. Ware: From Topeka on February 17. Koko sticks and moves early on, and gets a wristlock on. Rude slugs free, but misses a charge in the corner, and Koko jabs away. Koko with a dropkick, and a bodyslam leaves Rude begging off. Rude stalls a little, but comes back with a side suplex, and then slaps on a reverse chinlock to keep Koko grounded. Ware gets vertical long enough to drop him into the turnbuckle to escape, but he can’t follow up, and Rude puts the boots to him. Rude with a pointed elbowdrop for two, and he goes back to the reverse chinlock from there. Koko fights free, so Rude tries a dropkick, but Koko dodges. That allows Ware to properly make a comeback, and he lands a missile dropkick. He goes in for the kill, so Bobby Heenan steals Frankie, and Koko chases - getting counted out at 9:28. Man, Heenan took off running with that poor bird. ½*

WWF Tour ad

BUExperience: They’re lucky they had Hulk Hogan on their roster, because this show is a steaming pile of shit every week, and they’re still making money hand over fist.