What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – May 19, 1990

Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura are doing commentary, still taped from Austin, Texas.

Opening Non-Title Contest: Demolition (WWF Tag Team Champions) (10-0) beat Black Bart & Mark Ming when Smash pins Ming after Demolition Decapitation at 1:57:

In the split screen, Demolition hype themselves as the WWF’s top tag team and downplay the Hart Foundation’s chances of winning the tag team titles. Demolition run through their usual offense, beating up Bart and laying out Ming with Demolition Decapitation.

Gene Okerlund’s Update segment recaps Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s altercation with Earthquake on last week’s show. Earthquake and Jimmy Hart do a promo where Earthquake promises to end Duggan’s career. Duggan rebuts that no one in the world can put him down.

Ted DiBiase (w/Virgil) (11-1-1) defeats Jim Powers via submission to the Million Dollar Dream at 1:54:

Ventura hypes an article in the recent WWF Magazine that talks about DiBiase’s feud with the Big Bossman. Powers staggers DiBiase with a couple of dropkicks but a blind charge sets up a DiBiase powerslam and the Million Dollar Dream turns Powers’ lights out in less than two minutes. Referee Danny Davis might have been on the take for the finish as he did not bother checking Powers’ arm after the Million Dollar Dream was locked in. After the bell, DiBiase shoves a $100 bill down Powers’ throat.

A recap of last week’s match between Brutus Beefcake and Dino Bravo is shown

Intercontinental Championship Tournament Finals: Mr. Perfect (14-2) defeats Tito Santana (9-4) with a small package to win the title at 7:01:

As expected, this is a technical exhibition where Santana ties Perfect in knots in the early going, first working Perfect’s left arm and then his left knee. When Santana is set to hook the figure-four, Bobby Heenan comes to ringside and provides a distraction, allowing Perfect to block with a small package for a near-fall. When Santana looks to get up the flying forearm, Heenan provides another distraction and Perfect traps Santana in another small package to capture the championship. The weak finish seems like a fitting end to the tournament, which was littered with them. Rating: **

After the match, Perfect gets the title but it is a tag team belt because the WWF forgot to bring the Intercontinental Championship Belt to Austin. He gets on the house mic and announces that Heenan will be his new manager.

Bad News Brown (11-0-1) pins Ricki Ataki after the Ghetto Blaster at 1:11:

Brown attacks Ataki before the bell and makes short work of him, tossing his opponent out of the ring when the match is over.

Brother Love’s guest this week is Tugboat. Tugboat gives some generic comments about not getting pushed around in the WWF before Hulk Hogan wanders out. Hogan says he has brought Tugboat to the WWF, putting him over as someone who lives by the “demandments of Hulkamania.” The former WWF champion says that Tugboat will be watching his back and he will do the same. Love asks Hogan if he will show up on his program next week when he talks with Earthquake. Hogan says he will.

The Rockers (8-2-1) defeat the Bolsheviks (3-5) when Shawn Michaels pins Boris Zhukov after a double flying fist drop at 2:43:

This is a short, blitz match as heel miscommunication by the Bolsheviks triggers a hot tag to Shawn Michaels. Michaels jumps over Jannetty when the Bolsheviks try to whip the Rockers into each other and knocks Nikolai Volkoff out of the ring, allowing the Rockers to knock Zhukov down with a double superkick and finish with a double flying fist drop.

After the bout, the Bolsheviks argue and brawl. Volkoff comes out the better for wear and the altercation sees blows land this time.

A replay of Rick Rude’s training vignette where he runs on the beach is shown.

Hercules (7-2) defeats Pez Whatley via submission to a torture rack at 1:29:

After teaming with Paul Roma on Prime Time, Hercules is back to the powder blue tights and singles competition today. He knocks Whatley loopy with some clotheslines and quickly finishes with a torture rack.

Earthquake and Jimmy Hart tells Hulk Hogan he better show up on the Brother Love show next week. Hogan responds by saying that he looks forward to showing Earthquake what the strongest force in the universe is.

Tune in next week to see the Big Bossman, Mr. Perfect, Jake Roberts, and Rick Martel in action! Also, Hulk Hogan confronts Earthquake on the Brother Love Show!

The Last Word: Mr. Perfect’s victory in the Intercontinental Championship Tournament returns that belt to one of the promotion’s best workers but he does not win the title with a lot of momentum after absorbing losses to Hulk Hogan and Brutus Beefcake on television, as well as losses to the Ultimate Warrior on house shows. Bobby Heenan will be an upgrade over the Genius as Perfect’s manager, though. It is hard to see why fans will care about the Bolsheviks breakup angle since the WWF did not build Nikolai Volkoff or Boris Zhukov as more likeable than the other before the split. That is shaping up to be a D-level feud at best. And once again, where is the Ultimate Warrior? He has largely been AWOL since WrestleMania VI and this show is positioning Hulk Hogan vs. Earthquake as a big summer program. Overall, a good show for setting up new stories and angles for the coming months.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for May 20!