What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – March 21, 1992

Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect do commentary, broadcasting the final episode of the Tampa, Florida tapings.

Opening Contest: Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Sergeant Slaughter (8-0) beat Bob & Brad Avery when Duggan pins Bob after the three-point stance clothesline at 2:00:

Perfect drops a bombshell during the match that he has heard that WrestleMania will be Hulk Hogan’s final match. In the split screen, Duggan and Slaughter put over how the WrestleMania eight-man tag team match is something they are excited to participate in. Doing a “just happy to be there” promo telegraphs that the WWF does not know what to do with these guys. The squash is the same formula for both men, doing some token beating until Slaughter whips one of the Avery’s into Duggan’s three-point stance clothesline.

Gene Okerlund’s Update segment has Okerlund catching up with WWF Champion Ric Flair on a yacht. Flair welcomes Okerlund aboard and asks if he is going to attend tonight’s party, which Okerlund begs out of. New photographs show Elizabeth drinking wine with Flair and petting a horse. Flair tells Savage that he is going to be damaged goods after WrestleMania because Savage is going to be facing the best wrestler alive. There is also a replay of Savage’s denial of Flair’s allegations on last week’s show.

Owen Hart (2-0) beats Doug Somers after a splash off the top rope at 1:24:

Skinner does an insert promo about how WrestleMania is going to be an opportunity for people to see how mean he is. He laughs about how Owen will be all his. Owen catches Somers with a nice belly-to-belly suplex off the ropes and finishes with the top rope splash.

The Mountie & the Nasty Boys (w/Jimmy Hart) beat Dale Wolfe, Mike Casey & Scott Summers when Jerry Sags pins Summers after the Trip to Nastyville at 2:30:

Although the announcers do not talk about it, this is positioned as a tune up for the eight-man tag team match at WrestleMania because the Mountie and Nasties are on the same side. McMahon is distressed to hear that Hulk Hogan might be considering retirement, talking about all that Hogan has done for the WWF and America. He also puts Hogan over as a role model for children, a rebuttal to all of the negative press that Hogan has received in recent weeks over steroid and drug use. The heels beat the jobbers up in turn with their trademark moves and beat them up after the bell. The Mountie taking the shock stick to them is not shown, though, because the company prefers to throw the broadcast to a Sean Mooney Event Center segment.

Footage of Sid Justice attacking Virgil on last week’s show airs. Afterward, Okerlund interviews Hogan. Hogan says that Sid is out of control and he promises to prove the power of Hulkamania in the Hoosier Dome. Despite talk of Hogan retiring none of that came up in the interview, likely because it was not on the table when this taping took place.

Rick Martel’s squash from Prime Time Wrestling is shown.

Tatanka (8-0) beats Pete Sanchez after the Samoan drop at 1:17:

When Tatanka makes his entrance he has a confrontation with Martel, who threatens to spray Tatanka with Arrogance. Tatanka lands a few body shots and the two fight until WWF officials separate them. The fight gets a good crowd reaction. Tatanka does better than he did against the Warlord on Prime Time Wrestling, slamming Sanchez and winning quickly after the Samoan drop.

Okerlund does the WrestleMania VIII Report. Sid Justice and Harvey Wippleman laugh about breaking Virgil’s nose and scream about being the cause of death for Hulkamania. Bret Hart says that his father talked up Roddy Piper’s fighting spirit but reminded him that a good wrestler could beat a good fighter. Piper rebuts that he is not going to pull any punches against Bret. WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated tell the Natural Disasters that it is time to pay their taxes. The Disasters fire back that they are going to clean out Money Incorporated’s accounts and stomp out Jimmy Hart.

Another vignette shows a prison with a voiceover about how a prison is one day closer to release so that they can come after the Big Bossman.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (6-0) pins Lee Thomas after the Tombstone at 1:48:

Jake Roberts does a split screen promo about how he is going to put the Undertaker out of his misery like one would an injured horse. The Undertaker slowly stalks after Thomas between moves and Don Jardine ropewalk sets up the Tombstone. After the bout, the Undertaker stuffs Thomas into a body bag.

Tune in next week to see the Big Bossman! Also, there will be a special interview with Sid Justice and Ric Flair will provide more allegations!

The Last Word: Ric Flair is doing a great job in his interview segments with Gene Okerlund, coming off as a scummy heel that is creating unnecessary pain for Randy Savage and Elizabeth. The rumors of Hulk Hogan leaving happened out of the blue but they reflect the growing backstage turmoil that is slowly engulfing the company. Hogan’s departure would be bad for the WWF’s bottom line, as his absence after WrestleMania VI showed.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for March 22!