WWF Wrestling Challenge – June 25th, 1995

June 25, 1995

From the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, PA

Your hosts are Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon

We get footage of the WWF Blimp before the show starts as it is headed to Philadelphia for the King of the Ring PPV.

The hosts talk about whether or not Diesel’s elbow will hold up for his match at King of the Ring.

Sid & Tatanka w/ Ted DiBiase vs. Gus Kantarakis & Buck Quartermaine

The announcers talk more about the Tag match at King of the Ring as Kantarakis takes down Tatanka with a flying shoulder block but Tatanka comes back and catches him with the End of the Trail. Tatanka pulls up Kantarakis after a two count then tosses him over to his partner. Quartermaine tags and Tatanka uses an electric chair drop and follows with a back drop. Sid tags in and beats on Quartermaine. He then hits a helicopter slam as the announcers stress over Diesel & Bigelow never teaming up before. Sid stays in control then hits a powerbomb. Sid yells at Quartermaine then Tatanka runs in to hit Kantarakis and Sid powerbombs Kantarakis as well then covers both men for the win (3:16).

Thoughts: An easy win for Sid & Tatanka heading into tonight’s match against Diesel & Bigelow at the PPV.

Manny Garcia is in the aisle and asks the winners for an interview. Sid screams how they will destroy Diesel & Bigelow and that was that as they gloat while heading up the aisle. Not much an interview here.

Video package of the Diesel/Bigelow vs. Sid//Tatanka feud airs.

Waylon Mercy picnic vignette airs.

Adam Bomb vs. Reginald Walker

The announcers talk about the August 12th Madison Square Garden show is selling a lot of tickets. They also talk about the Shawn Michaels vs. Sid cage match from two weeks ago. Walker rams Bomb in the corner but Bomb comes back with a drop toehold. Ross mentions Diesel and his best friend Shawn will team up against The Corporation at this upcoming MSG show. Bomb hits a side slam then heads up top for the flying clothesline and the win (1:57). Gorilla puts over Bomb as a “rising star” and his career is “skyrocketing” while Ross brings up Darryl Strawberry now becoming a New York Yankee.

Thoughts: Lots of hype for the next MSG house show as its basically the same as the PPV main event just with Shawn replacing Bigelow and that should tell you all you need to know about Bigelow’s future as a babyface. And speaking about future as a babyface, Gorilla used some token references to describe Adam Bomb here which viewers weren’t going to believe whatsoever.

The Lawler torture chamber video airs.

Aldo Montoya vs. Bill Payne

We see the closeup of Montoya kissing Lawler’s foot from two weeks ago. Gorilla tells us that even after several gallons of mouthwash, Montoya still cannot get the taste of Lawler’s foot out of his mouth. Just the highest quality material for this feud. Montoya works over Payne to start. He works the arm after a dropkick as the announcers talk about the Kiss My Foot match. Payne fights back and punches away but Montoya floats over and hits a flying bulldog. Montoya fails to pump up the crowd then hits a flying bulldog for the win as Gorilla informs us that Lawler’s smelly feet set of a hotel fire alarm (1:50).

Thoughts: All hype for the Kiss My Foot match with lots of terrible jokes/comments courtesy of Gorilla. Its not his fault he has to deliver this shit but he did deliver it and boy does it suck. Montoya is now not only a lower midcarder but one that got embarrassed on TV.

WWF Live Event News with Stephanie Wiand. She tells us that there are still “a few” seats left for tonight’s King of the Ring PPV then hypes the 8/12 MSG show and what happens at the PPV will directly effect the card and that card will be released next week. Wiand closes by listing off four smaller house show dates in New York.

Hakushi w/ Shinja vs. Bob Cook

The crowd chants for Bret then Cook takes Hakushi over with a hip toss. The announcers talk up Cook for being a veteran with a great right hand but Hakushi fights back. Hakushi hits a throat thrust then drops a knee and follows with a Vader Bomb. Hakushi taunts the crowd as the announcers wonder if Lawler has Hakushi or Owen Hart part of his plan for the Kiss My Foot match. Hakushi hits Cook with a handspring back elbow smash in the corner then chokes him out with his foot. Hakushi now heads up top and hits the diving headbutt but Shinja doesnt want him to cover so Hakushi drags Cook near the corner and hits a springboard splash for the win (3:43). Ross puts over Hakushi’s balance and athleticism.

Thoughts: The late story now is whether or not Lawler’s cockiness that he will win this match is based on the fact he might have Hakushi or even Owen as part of his plan. It also keeps the Bret/Hakushi feud in our minds but that is fading.

The Bob Backlund campaign ad against Man Mountain Rock airs.

Manny Garcia welcomes Undertaker & Paul Bearer to the ring. Garcia again has the delivery of someone struggling to read off of cue cards as he asks them about what makes this King of the Ring so special. Bearer says they are in the tournament to get revenge on Kama but Garcia says before that, Undertaker has to get past Mabel. Bearer does not believe Mabel will be a problem at all but Ross disagrees. Undertaker now grabs the mic to say its time for the body count to continue. Undertaker then calls out both Mabel and Kama as the camera shows the Creatures of the Night. Undertaker says Kama will pay dearly for what he did to the urn whether he advances or not and then tells Mabel to rest in peace. Undertaker did a fine enough job here as a lot of hype has been going into Undertaker/Mabel the past week.

Mabel w/ Mo vs. David Haskins

Gorilla says after Sunday, Mabel wants to be referred to as “King Mabel.” Talk about foreshadowing. Barry Didinsky is in the aisle shilling the King of the Ring t-shirt that comes with a free Backlund for President pin. Haskins tries to work the arm but Mabel shoves him off. Ross says that Mabel was recently weighed on a cargo scale in Singapore and now 568 lbs. Mabel kicks Haskins in the corner then turns Haskins inside-out with a clothesline. The Creatures of the Night are once again shown in the crowd as Mabel hits a spinning heel kick. Mabel picks up Haskins as the announcers wonder how Undertaker can hit the tombstone on Mabel then Mabel uses a belly-to-belly suplex for the win (1:38). After the match, Garcia comes down the aisle and we can’t hear his question but Mabel says there will be major upsets this year and proclaims himself as “King Mabel.”

Thoughts: The day of the PPV we now have Mabel trying to establish the “King Mabel” moniker. Well, we can see how that turns out soon enough but an awful lot of focus on Mabel this weekend.

Jean Pierre Lafitte vs. John Sinowski

We see the cover of “WWF Magazine” after the announcers talk about the company’s involvement in the Special Olympics. Lafitte blocks a sunset flip as the announcers put over Lafitte for being undefeated and “destined for stardom.” Lafitte press Sinowski ten times and drops him with a press slam then ties him in the ropes and hits a crossbody block. The announcers switch gears to the Hall of Fame as Gorilla brings up Ross’s friend, Bill Watts, who will be inducting Ernie Ladd. Lafitte then heads up top and hits the Cannonball for the win (2:25).

Thoughts: Another win by Lafitte but Gorilla bringing up Watts inducting Ladd into the Hall of Fame was quite interesting. First, its the only time they announced who was inducting someone into the Hall of Fame and second its not the last time we will hear about Watts in this timeline.

King of the Ring Report with Stephanie Wiand.

The show closes with the announcers giving their tournament predictions with Gorilla thinking its either Shawn Michaels or Undertaker.

Final Thoughts: More last minute hype as just this week seems like the company wants to push a few favorites to win King of the Ring. Tomorrow is the Action Zone recap then its King of the Ring on Friday.