What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – April 28, 1990

Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura do commentary, still broadcasting matches from Glen Falls, New York.

The Hart Foundation squash from Prime Time Wrestling kicks off the broadcast.

Gene Okerlund’s Update segment recaps Bad News Brown’s fear of snakes.

Dino Bravo (w/Jimmy Hart) (11-3-1) beats Mitch Ryder with a sidewalk slam at 1:34:

In the split screen, Brutus Beefcake says he does not care about giving Bravo a haircut when they face off in the first round of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament because he just wants to be the Intercontinental Champion. Bravo tosses around Ryder with ease, taking him to a Canadian version of suplex city before finishing with the sidewalk slam.

There is a replay of a previous Rick Rude training vignette.

Intercontinental Championship Tournament First Round Match: Tito Santana (7-4) pins Akeem (w/Slick) (5-1) via count out at 4:04:

The match is largely a strikefest, but Santana keeps it moving. Akeem blocks a figure-four by pushing Santana with his free foot into the buckles but a clothesline misses and Santana knocks Akeem out of the ring with the flying forearm. Akeem fails to beat the count and Santana advances. That is a weak way to put Santana over, but it is in keeping with protecting big names as much as possible in feature matches during this era. Rating: *

The Paul Roma-Rick Martel match from Prime Time Wrestling airs.

Hulk Hogan is this week’s guest on the Brother Love Show, making his first televised appearance since losing at WrestleMania VI. Hogan works the crowd into a frenzy by posing. Love gets under Hogan’s skin by claiming that Earthquake is the reason Hogan lost at WrestleMania and that Earthquake will kill Hulkamania in the future. Hogan rebuts by saying that the quake he experienced before was a small tremor and the power of Hulkamania is greater than any natural disaster. He rips off his shirt and poses for the crowd to end the segment.

Earthquake’s squash from Prime Time Wrestling is shown.

A replay of the ending of the Rockers-Orient Express match at WrestleMania airs.

Tugboat (5-0) pins Joe Champ after a splash at 1:18:

Tugboat does an insert promo, promising to make a big splash in the WWF. He flattens Champ with an impressive dropkick and then pins him after an avalanche and splash. This is the appropriate length for all Tugboat squashes.

McMahon hypes matches for Saturday Night’s Main Event where the Ultimate Warrior will defend the WWF Championship against Haku! Also, Hulk Hogan faces Mr. Perfect!

In a taped promo, the Warrior tells Haku that he is going to fall before him.

Hulk Hogan continues the taped promos, vowing to ruin Mr. Perfect’s perfect record. Hogan must have missed Brutus Beefcake’s win over Perfect at WrestleMania.

Perfect follows Hogan’s promo, preferring to talk about facing Jimmy Snuka next week in the first round of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament. Perfect tells Snuka that he will find out why he has his name.

Tune in next week to see Jimmy Snuka face Mr. Perfect in the first round of the Intercontinental Championship Tournament!

The Last Word: The upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event seems like an afterthought, with Vince McMahon telling fans on commentary that Mr. Perfect’s focus is on the Intercontinental Championship Tournament more than getting a big match with Hulk Hogan. Fans likely gave Haku no chance against the Ultimate Warrior either because Haku has not been featured in any matches after WrestleMania. This show did not feature much unique action, but fans are still into Tito Santana despite his record, a testament to how he was able to stay over even after losing to bigger stars.

Up Next: Saturday Night’s Main Event XXVI!