WWF Wrestling Challenge – August 13th, 1995

August 13, 1995

From the Kiel Center in St. Louis, MO

Your hosts are Jim Ross and Dok Hendrix

Allied Powers vs. Bob Cook & AC Conner

This match was on “Challenge” but I could not find a full copy of this show with this match include so I am recapping the “Action Zone” version with Ross & Pettengill announcing. Ross hypes the Superstar Line as Luger works over Cook to start. He drops him with a clothesline then Conner tags and beats on Bulldog. Conner even takes Bulldog down with a spinning heel kick but Bulldog comes back to hit a delayed vertical suplex for a two count. Bulldog now works the arm as Ross talks about Bulldog keeping Luger focused on trying to win a championship in the WWF since Bulldog has won gold here before. Ross now talks about the Powers spending all of their time together training and how it might be a matter of time before they wrestle away the titles off of Yokozuna & Owen Hart. Bulldog avoids a charge from Conner then puts him away with a running powerslam (3:23). The Powers pose after the match.

Thoughts: This is the last time we will see the Allied Powers on this timeline. While on this episode of “Challenge” they talked about the MSG show matches, usually the Challenge episodes you can find from this era are New York market area like this one, here they hyped the cohesiveness of the Powers. I was listening to some “Something to Wrestle With” podcasts and Bruce Prichard said that the Powers were put together since Bulldog was in the midst of an assault trial and they could not commit to a singles push to him at that time and Luger’s single push fizzled out so since Vince liked both guys he stuck them together. Prichard also said there was never any plans for them to win the Tag Team Titles either and at the time Luger was not officially signed and hesistant to commit so WWF was not going to feature him more until he agreed on a new deal.

We get clips from the Diesel vs. Mo match from RAW that saw Mabel attack both Diesel and Shawn Michaels afterwards. After that we get the announcers hyping Shawn vs. Jerry Lawler on RAW.

The Report Card with Dean Douglas. We even get sound effects of a school bell and kids making noise as Douglas breaks that up by raking his fingernails across of the chalk board. He talks about Diesel referring to himself as “Big Daddy Cool” then defines cool as a slang word and shows Mo taking him down during their match. This has Douglas give Diesel a giant “D” for “Defeatable” as that is what will happen if Diesel steps into the ring with Douglas. God these segments are awful.

We see Barry Didinsky in the WWF control room with two teenage boys playing Mad Caps as she shills that sheet with all the free shit tacked on like from “Superstars” the day prior.

Jean Pierre Lafitte vs. Jerry Faith

We get a clip of Lafitte stealing Bret Hart related materials over the past couple of weeks. Ross says that the Madison Square Garden crowd booed Lafitte out of Manhattan than puts over his performance against Bret at MSG. Lafitte beats on Faith then counters a crucifix with a rolling fireman carry slam. Lafitte chokes out Faith on the ropes but charges and gets dumped outside. Lafitte drags Faith outside and beats him down as the announcers talk about the MSG card. We head back inside as Lafitte back drops Faith then chops him down. Ross plugs the next MSG show on 10/6 then the announcers talk about SummerSlam as Lafitte hits a slingshot leg drop. Lafitte now ties up Faith in the ropes and hits a pair of crossbody blocks then hits a jumping DDT before putting him away with the cannonball (3:40).

Thoughts: They talked up Lafitte’s effort at MSG last night in defeat against Bret as here he beat on Faith during an extended squash match. And with how much they talked it up and the fact Lafitte has been stealing Bret-related items expect this to continue.

The clip of Lawler & Dr. Isaac Yankem at the dentist office talking about what is going to happen to Bret at SummerSlam.

Fatu vs. Mike Bell

Dok talks about Afa & Sika leading the way for their fellow Samoans as Ross says Fatu will make a difference. Fatu pops right up and dances after Bell hits a DDT then Bell shoves Fatu. Dok brings up Fatu being a victim of a drive-by shooting as Fatu’s hard head is giving Bell fits. Fatu fires away as Ross now talks about the Wild Samoans then hits Bell with a running cutter. Fatu tries to get the crowd to make noise but they barely react and Fatu hits a middle rope splash then a top rope splash for the win (2:42).

Thoughts: We got some Samoan wrestling history here as Fatu gets another win while displaying the typical Samoan wrestling stereotypes despite a new character. This gimmicked feels so forced and in its infancy has not gotten over with the crowds.

We are shown the Skip vs. Barry Horowitz ten minute challenge match in its entirety from “Superstars.” Horowitz lasted the whole ten minutes.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Scott Taylor

This is the Stridex sponsored match of the show with the Stridex box in the corner of the screen. Stridex is also the official sponsor of SummerSlam. Ross refers to Taylor as an “outstanding young prospect” and at this time Taylor was solid in the ring. Ross now plugs the Superstar Line as Taylor and Helmsley trade arm wringers. The announcers now talk about Sid doing something this week on RAW as Helmsley stomps on Taylor. We see Taylor nearly upset Helmsley with a cradle but he then gets caught in a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker. Helmsley bows then puts Taylor away with the Pedigree (3:03). Ross says that Helmsley’s first big match will be against Bob Holly at SummerSlam.

Thoughts: Interesting comments about Taylor aside they pushed Helmsley’s undefeated record ahead of his match at the PPV.

WWF Live Event News with Stan Lane. He runs down last night’s MSG show and we learn that the 10/6 MSG show will feature a World Title match and Bret Hart as a contract for a match.

The hosts then hype RAW as Dok addresses Shawn to tell him that Sid will be hunting him down tomorrow night. Dok also warns Bret about Isaac Yankem at SummerSlam.

Final Thoughts: Not much happening here other than learning about a couple of matches that might take place on the next MSG show. But, Challenge as we know it will be done in just two weeks so we get some more generic SummerSlam hype for the remaining two shows.

Here is my schedule for the next several days:

Sunday: WWF Monday Night RAW 8/14/95

Monday: WWF Valleyfield, Quebec 8/16/95

Tuesday: WWF Superstars 8/19/95, WWF Wrestling Challenge 8/20/95

Wednesday: WWF Monday Night RAW 8/21/95

Thursday: WWF Superstars 8/26/95, WWF Wrestling Challenge 8/27/95

Friday: WWF Action Zone 8/27/95

Saturday: WWF 1995 SummerSlam 8/27/95