What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – June 16, 1991

Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, and Jim Neidhart provide commentary as fans get a new cycle of episodes from Tempe, Arizona. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the taping took place on May 29. Heenan shows off the fifty cent gift he got his dad for Father’s Day.

Opening Contest: The Big Bossman (19-0-1) defeats Mark Ming with the Bossman Slam at 2:37:

The Bossman must have wrestled a match before this one at the taping as his attire is caked in sweat stains before he gets to the ring. Ming tries to use his agility to get around the Bossman but that is stopped with a spinebuster. The Bossman uses a new move – a reverse shoulderbreaker – which gets a nice reaction. Its impact is muted by Ming still having some fight in him afterwards. That is until the Bossman Slam puts him down for a three count. After the match, the Bossman handcuffs Ming to the middle rope and poses for the crowd.

Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report sees Sergeant Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa, and General Adnan tell WWF Champion Hulk Hogan that he will lose the title before the end of the summer.

Power & Glory (w/Slick) (9-1-1) beat Scott Bazo & Larry Sampson when Paul Roma pins Cameron after a torture rack-flying elbow combination at 3:48:

Sampson was trained by Mexican wrestler the Great Goliath and went by Sweet Daddy Sampson when he wrestled for Vancouver All-Star Wrestling in the late 1980s. While there, he became the promotion’s heavyweight champion. He had been doing jobs for the WWF since 1988.

There was a wrestler in the late 1980s and early 1990s named Larry Cameron from Stampede Wrestling but this Larry Cameron does not have the same physique as that one.

Roma is more willing to work as a babyface here, headscissoring Cameron into the ring so that Hercules can bowl over both jobbers with a clothesline. Instead of using the Powerplex, Power & Glory go back to using their weird torture rack-flying elbow combo move.

The Dragon (7-0) defeats Larry Sharkey with the flying body press at 2:18:

The Dragon chops his way through a pedestrian squash, still looking for his first big feud.

Irwin R. Schyster’s squash from Prime Time Wrestling is shown.

Andre the Giant is this week’s guest on the Barber Shop. Andre says that his career is not over because his doctor will rebuild his knee to be better than ever. Once that is over, Andre promises vengeance on Earthquake, arguing that he will be the big man’s worst nightmare. It was sad seeing Andre try to move around at this point. He was trying to put a good face on the situation but he would never get back in a WWF ring as an active competitor.

The Warlord (w/Slick) (10-2-2) beats Larry Williams via submission to the full nelson at 2:51:

The crowd is not thrilled with this deliberate squash, working up a noticeable “Boring” chant. After a back suplex, the Warlord puts Williams in the full nelson for the victory.

The British Bulldog says that Sid Justice has the power to be a top dog in the WWF. Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect argues that Justice is going to take a road in the WWF that will be a surprise for the Bulldog and others.

The Orient Express (w/Mr. Fuji) (8-4-1) defeat Jim Kolhep & Bobby Jones when Kato pins Kolhep after a back suplex at 3:56:

The commentators discuss the possible relationship between Randy Savage and Elizabeth. Monsoon and Neidhart are high on it, but Heenan says that Elizabeth only wanted to get with Savage at WrestleMania VII so she could get a ride back to her hotel. The crowd also hates how drawn out this squash, working in a few boos over the lack of intense action. It is funny to the jobbers trade hot tags and be dispatched in prompt fashion by Tanaka, though. The finish is also creative as Tanaka leapfrogs over Kato to splash Kolhep’s back and Kato grabs a dazed Kolhep from behind and delivers a back suplex for the winning fall.

Tune in next week to see the Berzerker, Virgil, Sergeant Slaughter, and Bret Hart in action! And Hacksaw Jim Duggan will be a guest on the Barber Shop!

The Last Word: This was a dead-end episode because the squashes were mostly long and boring. They even lacked insert promos to give the fans something to focus on as the action dragged out. The Sid Justice segments are putting him over as a big deal and are keeping his alignment as a tweener, a great way to add intrigue before his debut.

Here is a recap of the WWF’s house show action from early June, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The Spectrum – June 15, 1991 (10,000): The Dragon pinned Smash…The Orient Express defeated the Bushwhackers…The Mountie pinned the Big Bossman after using the cattle prod…Earthquake beat Jake Roberts via disqualification…Hacksaw Jim Duggan pinned Colonel Mustafa…Irwin R. Schyster pinned Jimmy Snuka…WWF Champion Hulk Hogan pinned Sergeant Slaughter.

Long Island, New York – Nassau Coliseum – June 15, 1991 (7,800): The Berzerker pinned Koko B. Ware…Bret Hart beat the Brooklyn Brawler via submission to the Sharpshooter…Greg Valentine defeated the Barbarian…The Warlord pinned the Texas Tornado…Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect pinned the British Bulldog…Animal beat Brian Knobbs…Roddy Piper (w/Virgil) beat Ted DiBiase via count out.

Oakland, California – Oakland Coliseum – June 16, 1991 (6,700): The Berzerker pinned Koko B. Ware…Irwin R. Schyster pinned Greg Valentine…Ted DiBiase beat Roddy Piper via referee stoppage…The Big Bossman beat the Mountie…Earthquake beat Jake Roberts via disqualification…The Dragon pinned Smash…The Rockers & Virgil beat the Orient Express & Mr. Fuji…The Ultimate Warrior defeated the Undertaker via disqualification.

Los Angeles, California – The Sports Arena – June 16, 1991 (10,100): Bret Hart beat the Barbarian…The Bushwhackers defeated Paul Roma & the Brooklyn Brawler (substituting for Hercules)…The British Bulldog wrestled Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect to a draw…Animal beat Jerry Sags…The Texas Tornado wrestled the Warlord to a double count out…Colonel Mustafa beat Hacksaw Jim Duggan after Sergeant Slaughter interfered…WWF Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Sergeant Slaughter in a Desert Storm match after General Adnan threw in the towel for Slaughter.

Backstage News*: WCW’s show in St. Louis drew a paltry crowd of 1,700 fans, which lays the groundwork for the WWF coming in next month, showing them up, and retaking the city for their own.

*Haku was unhappy over doing jobs on television and house shows so the WWF has sent him to Japan as a full-time act for the time being. The decision was made easier by Bobby Heenan’s decision to exit managing, which left Haku and the Barbarian on their own.

*In talent relations news, Randy Savage is trying to work out a deal with All Japan that will allow him to still work for the WWF. However, since the WWF is not on good terms with All Japan it is unlikely that Savage will get what he wants.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for June 24.

Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for June 17!