WWF Wrestling Challenge – October 29th, 1989

October 29, 1989

From the Sports Arena in Toledo, OH

Your hosts are Tony Schiavone and Gorilla Monsoon

In action this week are Dusty Rhodes, Colossal Connection, Jimmy Snuka, and Mr. Perfect.

“Superfly” Jimmy Snuka vs. Brooklyn Brawler

This starts out with a shoving match then Snuka chops down Brawler after a criss-cross sequence. Snuka knocks Brawler outside then gets yanked out but fights off Brawler. Back inside, Brawler bites Snuka but misses an attack in the corner. Snuka ends up chopping Brawler down and hits a slam before the Superfly Splash gets the win (2:48).

Thoughts: They put over Snuka a bit here as he will be a part of the Survivor Series.

WWF Special Report with Lord Alfred Hayes. He runs down the Survivor Series card.

Colossal Connection w/ Bobby Heenan vs. Paul Roma & Chuck Coates

We hear from The Brainbusters in an insert promo as they put over Haku & Andre and how they will dominate at the Survivor Series. Andre headbutts Roma from the apron as Haku taunts him to get up. Haku throws a kick at the referee’s direction as he tried to back him up then hits an inverted atomic drop. Coates tags in as Haku hits a shoulderbreaker. Andre tags and he holds up Coates for Haku, who hits a thrust kick, then Andre drops an elbow for the pin (4:02).

Thoughts: Long squash match as they are going all out in putting over the Andre & Haku team.

Bret Hart vs. Barry Horowitz

Bret works over Horowitz to start as the announcers talk about his Survivor Series match. Horowitz rakes the eyes then hits a knee lift but Bret fights back then gets the win with a piledriver (2:27).

Thoughts: Quick match to put Bret over as his new pre-match gimmick of giving his sunglasses to fans in the front row is starting to get over.

Sean Mooney is in the Event Center to hype the 11/11 Boston Garden show. We hear from Demolition running down the Brainbusters and Ted DiBiase doing the same to Jake Roberts.

Mark Young vs. Mr. Perfect w/ The Genius

Perfect comes out to the theme music that he used the rest of his run for the first time here. The Genius is shown in an insert promo telling Hulk Hogan that he is no match for Mr. Perfect, who takes control of the match. Perfect cuts off a comeback by Young and hits a knee lift. He then ducks a crossbody and hits the Perfect Plex for the win (2:04).

Thoughts: Perfect is still being built up as a potential challenger to Hogan as he calls him out now on a weekly basis.

Mooney is back in the Event Center for some Survivor Series hype. We hear from The Hulkamaniacs team.

Dusty Rhodes vs. Joe Cruz

Cruz attacks Dusty from behind but Dusty fights back and tosses him outside. We hear from Big Bossman in an insert promo as he promises to save Dusty for last at the Survivor Series then Dusty gets the win with an elbow drop (1:28).

Thoughts: Quick win for Dusty as his feud against Bossman remains heavily pushed on TV.

Gene Okerlund welcomes the Million Dollar Team to the interview platform. DiBiase says no one else could put a team together like this and are shown clips of DiBiase & Zeus attacking Hogan from “Saturday Night’s Main Event.”

Tim Horner vs. “Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan

Rude has Piper’s face airbrushed on the back of his tights here. Rude hammers away but Horner fights back. Horner hits a dropkick and a monkey flip but Rude blocks a second monkey flip attempt and hits a delayed vertical suplex as Piper is shown in an insert promo giving his thoughts of this match, which consists of laughing and joking then Rude hits the Rude Awakening for the win as he dedicates the move to Piper himself (2:16).

Thoughts: Good action here. Rude’s tights were great as he also had the patterns to match Piper’s kilt as that feud remains hot.

Mooney is in the Event Center for more 11/11 Boston Garden hype with Jim Duggan running down Macho King Randy Savage.

Next week in action are Jake Roberts, Dino Bravo, Ted DiBiase, and Roddy Piper.

Final Thoughts: Lots more Survivor Series hype here. They did continue some of the top TV feuds too. There was a Ronnie Garvin squash match against Tony Burton but it was not on the copy I saw either.

Here is my schedule for the next several weeks:

Sunday: Mid-South Wrestling 8/12/82

Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/4/89

Monday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 11/5/89

Tuesday: WWF Prime Time Wrestling 11/6/89

Wednesday: EVOLVE 80 3/30/17

Thursday: Highspots Shoot Interview with Curtis Hughes

Friday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/11/89