May 24, 1987
From the Sports Arena in San Diego, CA
Your hosts are Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon
Tonight’s featured match is Brutus Beefcake vs. Dino Bravo. Also in action will be Rick Steamboat, Kamala & Sika, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Dino Bravo w/ Johnny V. vs. Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake
Beefcake frustrates Bravo to start the match. He hits a slam then Bravo bails as he regroups with Johnny V. Back in the ring as Bravo works the arm then hits a gutwrench suplex. Elbow drop gets two. We get an insert promo from the Rougeaus, who cut some unbelievably lame promo about how after the Barber Shop, the New Dream Team will have to go to the “Rougeau Shop.” Back to the match as Beefcake comes back with a clothesline then hammers away. He hits an inverted atomic drop as Heenan hilariously questions why Beefcake turned on his former team. Beefcake knocks Johnny V. off of the apron then puts Bravo in the sleeper but Greg Valentine runs in and attacks Beefcake for the DQ (3:50). Beefcake gets triple-teamed briefly until the Rougeau Brothers run out for the save.
Thoughts: Nothing more than a segment to continue the feud between all these guys. I will say that the Beefcake turn has yielded positive results.
Ron Bass tells us that it is “Round Up” time as he will be going around the country branding people with his iron. They have now given Bass a gimmick since his feud with Mulligan was all done but the problem is that he still does not have a feud.
Iron Mike Sharpe vs. Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat
Sharpe works over the back of Steamboat to start. Steamboat hits Sharpe after an Irish whip sequence then sends him to the floor with a dropkick. Back inside, Steamboat skins-the-cat then backdrops Sharpe to the floor. We get an insert promo from the Honky Tonk Man asking Steamboat since he claims to be a fighting champion he should give him a shot at his Intercontinental Title. Sharpe works over Steamboat until he gets outsmarted then hit with a flying body press as Steamboat gets the win (2:32).
Thoughts: The story here was that Steamboat was a fighting champion and with the insert promo from Honky it seems that these two would be facing off in the future. This was aired before the tapings in which Honky beat Steamboat for the belt took place.
Gene Okerlund is with Koko B. Ware. He asks Koko about his hometown as he talked about it being small as Koko talks about loving what he does then Okerlund asks him to sing as Koko sings some a capella about “doing the bird.” The main point here was that Koko can sing.
Jerry Monti vs. King Harley Race w/ Bobby Heenan
Johnny V. has replaced Heenan on commentary. Race dropkicks Monti then we get an insert promo from Race about how his crown is above and beyond any man. Race beats on Monti as the camera zooms in on the crown then hits a powerslam before getting the win with a cradle suplex (1:36).
Thoughts: Another match to build up Race for his house show run against Hogan.
Okerlund is with the Killer Bees. Just a lame, generic interview to illustrate the depth of the WWF Tag Team Division at this time. The Bees were definitely starting to get phased out at this time.
Carl Schmidt & Terry Gibbs & Dave Barbie vs. Hillbilly Jim & Tito Santana & Billy Jack Haynes
Haynes chops the shit out of Schmidt before taking him down with a dropkick. Jim and Gibbs are in the ring now as Jim hits him with an atomic drop and a slam after getting attacked when offering a handshake. Tito beats on Barbie now then Schmidt tags as Tito puts him in an armbar as Gorilla makes fun of Heenan’s neckbrace. Haynes tags and beats on Schmidt until he puts him away with the full nelson (2:52). After the match, all three faces do the do-si-do. You haven’t lived until you see Haynes and Tito dance around together.
Thoughts: Just a match with three guys thrown together to pop the crowd.
Craig DeGeorge is with Danny Davis, who tells us that everything is coming together as far as him being a wrestler. Davis had arrogance like no one else.
Rick Hunter & “Leaping” Lanny Poffo vs. Kamala & Sika w/ Mr. Fuji & Kimchee
Poffo’s pre match promo is about how Kamala & Sika belong in the zoo. We get an insert promo from Outback Jack and how they look ugly, as Heenan laughs at Jack calling someone ugly. Poffo manages to kick Sika then tag out but Hunter gets knocked down then hit with a Samoan Drop then finished off by a splash courtesy of Kamala (1:31).
Thoughts: Quick squash to put Sika & Kamala over like monsters.
We get a replay of the Superstar Billy Graham segment from “Superstars of Wrestling” where he tells us that despite what the doctors say he will return to the ring.
Steve Lombardi vs. Hacksaw Jim Duggan
Duggan overpowers Lombardi to start the match. He yells “Hooooo!!!!!” throughout the match as he beats on Lombardi until getting the win with a running clothesline (1:49). After the match, Duggan sings “God Bless America.”
Thoughts: The crowd was into Duggan a lot. However, two days after this aired was when Duggan and Sheik got arrested together and that was the end of his mega push.
Okerlund is with Randy Savage, who refers to himself as the “uncrowned Intercontinental and World Heavyweight Champion.” He tells us that he and Elizabeth know that “Macho Madness” has had a minor setback but that he is a rock and everything will get better and better. Savage was in the zone here.
Next week in action we will see Koko B. Ware, One Man Gang, Demolition, Ken Patera, and the Killer Bees.
Final Thoughts: Not much of a show. They pushed some feuds but they were not terribly exciting or anything. I really dont have much more to add other than that.
Here is my schedule for the next several days:
Tuesday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 5/30/87
Thursday: RF Video Shoot Interview with Al Snow, Volume 1
Friday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 5/31/87
Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 6/6/87