WWF Wrestling Challenge – May 14th, 1989

May 14, 1989

From the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, IA

Your hosts are Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon

This week’s featured match is Demolition vs. Honky Tonk Man & Greg Valentine. Also in action is Hercules, Bushwhackers, and Rick Martel plus an interview with Rick Rude and more!

Greg Valentine & Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Demolition

Smash catches Valentine’s foot then hits an atomic drop. Smash lands a few shots but runs into a knee in the corner as Valentine slugs away. Honky tags but Smash beats him down then tags Ax as they both fire away on Honky. Valentine & Honky trap Ax in their corner as they are now in control. Ax finally makes the tag then Smash runs wild and even the referee gets knocked outside. Honky gets dumped now Ronnie Garvin runs down as Honky hits Ax with the megaphone. Garvin then maintains order and raises Demolition’s hands as they win via DQ (5:00) *. After the match, Honky & Valentine attack Garvin until Demolition makes the save.

Thoughts: Really dull until the end. They are continuing the Garvin/Valentine feud here too. Demolition, usually booked to look strong, really did not come off as anything special here.

WWF Special Report with Lord Alfred Hayes. This is the same recap of Ted DiBiase’s attack on Jake Roberts that we saw from “Superstars of Wrestling.”

“No Holds Barred” sneak preview airs

Dave Wagner vs. Bret “The Hitman” Hart

Wagner lands a few shots but Bret catches his foot and takes him down. Gorilla points out how Danny Davis is the referee as he’s been reinstated by WWF President Jack Tunney. We hear from Mr. Perfect in an insert promo as he promises to embarrass Bret in front of all his fans. Back to the match as Bret works over Wagner in the corner and hits a suplex before putting him away with a middle rope elbow drop (2:23).

Thoughts: Quick win for Bret to put over his feud with Mr. Perfect.

Sean Mooney is in the Event Center. Hillbilly Jim tells us how 1989 has been off to a great start and is ready for a tussle with anyone, like Honky Tonk Man or Boris Zhukov. What matches those must have been. Bobby Heenan & Andre the Giant remind us how there is only one giant in the WWF and that is Andre.

Koko B. Ware tells us to watch “No Holds Barred.”

The Barbarian w/ Mr. Fuji vs. Kim Yates

The Barbarian overpowers Yates as we hear from Jim Neidhart in an insert promo as he challenges the Barbarian. Fuji tells Barbarian to inflict more pain and he does until getting the win with a flying shoulder tackle (1:52).

Thoughts: In these singles matches, its more apparent just how talented the Barbarian was as a wrestler. His size and agility stand out more anyway. I am enjoying the wacky insert promos by Neidhart for this feud too.

Mooney is back in the Event Center. Bad News Brown lets us “fat-bellied sharecroppers” that no one in the WWF has enough guts to face him as he takes shots at Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake. The Red Rooster cackles a lot then tells his “Rooster Boosters” how much he loves them as he is going through the Brooklyn Brawler and Boris Zhukov en route to becoming the best. Holy shit this gimmick was awful.

Back from break, Zeus is in the ring as he scares away some jobbers. He screams a lot then we get the trailer for “No Holds Barred.”

The Bushwhackers vs. The Invader & Tony Leone

The Bushwhackers work over the Invader as we hear from The Genius in an insert promo as he talks about how much smarter Bobby Heenan & The Brainbusters are than the Bushwhackers. Leone is in their now as Butch catches him with a knee then the Bushwhackers hit the battering ram and finish him off with a double gut buster (2:02).

Thoughts: Not only was this to put over the Bushwhackers/Brainbusters feud but it also gave us The Genius actually taunting wrestlers as this is where his new gimmick seems to be taking him.

Gene Okerlund welcomes Heenan & Rick Rude to the interview platform before we see the clip of Heenan costing the Warrior his Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania V. Heenan tells the Warrior he is not man enough to beat Rude, who then tells us how there was not a woman in the world that night without a tear of joy as the belt went on the waist of the sexiest man in the world as Heenan tells Warrior to paint himself a belt because that is the closest he will get ever again. Fine heel promo by both men here.

Hercules vs. Randy Spears

Spears has a good physique but gets overpowered early. Dino Bravo is in an insert promo as he tells Hercules about being unstoppable and the strongest man in the world as Hercules puts Spears away with the backbreaker submission (2:00).

Thoughts: Another segment to hype the Hercules/Bravo feud, which brought us some truly awful matches.

Another trailer for “No Holds Barred.”

Jim Evans vs. Rick Martel w/ Slick

As Slick & Martel make their way to the ring, Tony Schiavone asks them about Tito Santana. Martel talks about carrying Santana for years and will show the fans who was the better man. Martel attacks Evans to start then taunts him a bit. Evans whiffs on a dropkick as we hear from Santana in an insert promo promising Martel will find who is the better man when they meet. Martel beats on Evans in the corner as Heenan cracks ethnic jokes as Santana’s expense before he gets the win with a top rope knee drop (2:11).

Thoughts: I liked the touch of having Schiavone interview Martel & Slick in the aisle. It was a nice, new touch. Guess it also makes up for the fact that “Superstars of Wrestling” got new graphics and everything while Challenge has their same presentation.

In the Event Center, Brutus Beefcake tells Randy Savage he can see his greed and jealously and promises to get his hands on him soon and give a “cue ball cut.” Slick calls the Twin Towers the “reflection of perfection” and issues an open challenge to any tag team in the WWF.

Next week in action will be Dino Bravo, Ultimate Warrior, Ted DiBiase, and Brutus Beefcake. Plus, the featured bout between the Rockers and the Fabulous Rougeau Brothers.

Final Thoughts: Decent show this week and much more newsworthy than your typical “B” show. The WWF’s production changes are continuing and they are making some changes in their product.

Here is my schedule for the next several days:

Saturday: Mid-South Wrestling 5/13/82

Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 5/20/89

Monday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 5/21/89

Tuesday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 5/27/89

Wednesday: EVOLVE 72

Thursday: Shoot Interview TBD

Friday: WWF Saturday Night’s Main Event 5/27/89