What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – March 4, 1990

Tony Schiavone and Gorilla Monsoon are in the booth and they start a new round of television tapings in Tucson, Arizona. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, these tapings took place on February 14.

Opening Contest: Rhythm & Blues (w/Jimmy Hart) (5-0-1) defeat Louie Spicolli & Ricki Ataki when the Honky Tonk Man pins Ataki after a double side suplex at 2:41:

Spicolli and Ataki were trainees of Bill Anderson, who worked WWF squashes on the West Coast throughout the 1980s. Spicolli was still green at this time, getting into the business at the age of seventeen in 1988, but his career would blossom soon after in Mexico.

Valentine debuts a new look in this squash, sporting black hair, a black ring jacket with a broken heart on the back of it, and a guitar. In shoot interviews Valentine says that he was not keen on dying his hair but gave it after being pestered by the WWF and Hart so the Rhythm & Blues gimmick could get over. As the heels work over Spicolli, Hart does an insert promo that promises a big announcement for WrestleMania VI next week. Valentine and Honky still need to work on adding more double team moves to their arsenal but they do add a new move – a double side suplex – to win the match.

Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report segment recaps the promos that aired on Superstars.

The Dusty Rhodes squash on Prime Time Wrestling airs.

Bad News Brown (6-0) beats Frankie Valdez after the Ghetto Blaster at 1:37:

Brown tears into another jobber as he cuts an insert promo against Roddy Piper, saying that his American citizenship would be revoked if he lost to a sissy in a skirt at WrestleMania. A boot to the gut sets up the Ghetto Blaster for Brown’s seventh win of the year.

Gene Okerlund interviews Brutus Beefcake. Beefcake puts over his WrestleMania record of experience, arguing that he will be ready to face Mr. Perfect at Skydome. He claims to have a plan to deal with the Genius if he tries to interfere in the match.

Ted DiBiase (w/Virgil) (4-1) defeats Steve Gatorwolf via submission to the Million Dollar Dream at 2:39:

Gatorwolf started working for the WWF in 1984 using a Native American gimmick. He was confined to a preliminary role and this would be his last appearance for the company. After retiring from the ring in 1997 Gatorwolf had several ruin-ins with law enforcement and was arrested in 2014 for seven felony counts of sexual assault of a child. He passed away in 2017 while in federal custody.

In the split screen DiBiase argues that by WrestleMania the Million Dollar Championship will be back around his waist. DiBiase drops an elbow off the second rope and once again uses a clothesline to set up the Million Dollar Dream.

Okerlund does the WrestleMania VI Report. Randy Savage and Sensational Sherri promise to turn the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes into a nightmare. WWF Tag Team Champions the Colossal Connection and Bobby Heenan put themselves over as problem solvers, while Demolition promise to be a problem to get the tag team titles back. Roddy Piper says he has all kinds of colors in him except for being yellow as looks forward to a fight against Bad News Brown. Earthquake and Jimmy Hart scream about how Hercules dream world will be shattered in Toronto. And Rick Rude and Bobby Heenan warn Jimmy Snuka that he has flown his last flight.

Akeem’s squash from Prime Time Wrestling is shown.

Tune in next week to see Earthquake, Rick Rude, Jake Roberts, and Mr. Perfect in action! Also, Roddy Piper will talk with Gene Okerlund!

The Last Word: This was a simple show where the focus was on the promos to hype WrestleMania VI. Greg Valentine’s new look was surprising, but it was needed to make Rhythm & Blues look like less of a makeshift unit. It also makes him a fresher act after using his blonde hair and Ric Flair-like robe for six years to this point.

Here is a breakdown of results for the WWF’s house show events for this week in its history, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Omaha, Nebraska – Civic Auditorium – February 27, 1990 (5,998): Hillbilly Jim beat Frenchy Martin…Earthquake pinned Ronnie Garvin…The Red Rooster beat Al Perez via submission…WWF Tag Team Champions the Colossal Connection beat Demolition via count out…Jim Neidhart pinned Black Bart…Hercules defeated Akeem via disqualification…Intercontinental Champion the Ultimate Warrior pinned Dino Bravo.

Fargo, North Dakota – Civic Memorial Auditorium – March 3, 1990: Sam Houston beat Bob Bradley…Koko B. Ware defeated Buddy Rose…Ronnie Garvin defeated the Brooklyn Brawler…Jim Neidhart beat the Genius…The Bushwhackers defeated the Bolsheviks…Mr. Perfect pinned Hillbilly Jim with the Perfectplex…Jim Neidhart won a 16-man battle royal, last eliminating Earthquake. The battle royal featured everyone who appeared on the card, as well as Dino Bravo. It replaced the scheduled main event of the Ultimate Warrior against Dino Bravo and Earthquake in a handicap match when the Warrior no-showed.

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – Winnipeg Arena – March 3, 1990 (3,200): Paul Roma pinned Black Bart…Akeem pinned Tito Santana…Hacksaw Jim Duggan wrestled Bad News Brown to a double count out…Tugboat beat Conquistador #2…Bret Hart pinned Greg Valentine…WWF Tag Team Champions the Colossal Connection beat Demolition via count out…Jake Roberts pinned Ted DiBiase in a match where the Big Bossman was the special guest referee.

San Antonio, Texas – Freeman Coliseum – March 4, 1990 (6,500): Al Perez beat the Red Rooster…The Orient Express defeated Pez Whatley & Mark Young…Dusty Rhodes beat Randy Savage via count out…Hacksaw Jim Duggan wrestled Bad News Brown to a double disqualification…Hercules & the Rockers beat Mr. Fuji & the Powers of Pain…Jake Roberts pinned Ted DiBiase after the Big Bossman, who was special guest referee, nailed DiBiase after DiBiase hit the Bossman over making a slow count.

Backstage News*: The WWF is going to tape some of the matches from the Japanese supershow at the Tokyo Dome for Coliseum Video. This is why Hulk Hogan is likely to wrestle Terry Gordy because Genichiro Tenryu will not job to Hogan’s leg drop.

*Superstar Billy Graham is causing some headaches for the wrestling industry by claiming that his bone disintegration issues are because of his steroid use, something that wrestling does not take seriously.

*Backstage news was provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for March 12.

Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for March 5!