What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – April 4, 1992

Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect commentate the go-home episode before WrestleMania VIII. It is taped from Mobile, Alabama.

Opening Contest: The British Bulldog (8-0) pins Brad Avery after the running powerslam at 1:17:

Perfect tells McMahon that he and Ric Flair have a major centerfold of Elizabeth and they plan on revealing it at WrestleMania. Avery awkwardly runs the ropes, bumping into the Bulldog and then getting hiptossed. The Bulldog locks in an armbar, clotheslines Avery against the buckles, and remains unbeaten for the year with the running powerslam. Even though the Bulldog has a WrestleMania match against the Berzerker, the commentators do not talk about it.

Gene Okerlund’s Update segment replays Elizabeth’s interview with McMahon from the March to WrestleMania VIII special. Okerlund is relieved to hear that the photographs Flair and Perfect have been spreading were doctored.

Tatanka (9-0) pins Sandy Beach after the Samoan drop at 1:55:

Tatanka does a Native American yell between moves that comes off as corny. In the split screen, Rick Martel tells Tatanka that has no class because he attacked him in the aisle a few weeks ago, something he will correct at WrestleMania. Beach does a nice bump running into Tatanka’s boot on a blind charge but he puzzles Tatanka after going down after one chop and takes an awkward bump from the Samoan drop.

A replay of the Sid Justice-Hercules match from last week’s Prime Time Wrestling is shown. Considering Hercules’ refusal to sell in that match it is surprising that the WWF has aired it several times.

Some of the Roddy Piper-Shawn Michaels match from the March to WrestleMania VIII special is shown.

Okerlund does the WrestleMania VIII Report. Footage if shown earlier in the week of Okerlund catching up with WWF Champion Ric Flair and Perfect on the tarmac of an airport as they get ready to board their private plane. Flair denies that the photographs were doctored as Elizabeth says, discussing how he remembers how Elizabeth loved riding “Space Mountain.” He claims to have gotten 10,000 letters a week asking about what it was like to have Elizabeth and he promises to answer those letters by unveiling a massive centerfold of Elizabeth at WrestleMania. Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Sergeant Slaughter, the Big Bossman, and Virgil tell their opponents that they are coming for a fight. Shawn Michaels and Sensational Sherri say that El Matador constitutes no threat and that he wants a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. El Matador rebuts that he is going to prematurely end Michaels’ title ambitions. Sid Justice and Harvey Wippleman promise to end Hulkamania.

Jake Roberts (6-1) defeats Scott Allen after a short-arm clothesline at 2:08:

Roberts works slowly, blasting Allen in the head with an elbow to escape a hammerlock. When the crowd is about to pop for the DDT, he refuses to do the move and opts to finish Allen with a second short-arm clothesline instead. This would be Roberts’ last match on a weekly WWF television program for almost four years.

An amalgamation of clips about Hulk Hogan from March to WrestleMania VIII as shown, along with Hogan’s interview with McMahon.

The Last Word: The WWF has done a good job hyping WrestleMania VIII. Parts of the booking were convoluted and even lazy in rearranging the card into a double main event and giving fans Money Incorporated vs. Natural Disasters for the tag team titles but the promos leading into the show, as well as the various angles, were effective enough to build interest. This program largely replayed footage from the March to WrestleMania VIII special so if fans had seen that there was not much here for them.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for April 5!