What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – August 11, 1990

Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura are in the booth, still broadcasting from Omaha, Nebraska.

The Legion of Doom squash from Prime Time Wrestling begins the show.

Gene Okerlund’s Update segment recaps Nikolai Volkoff getting a medal from a local Boy Scout troop on last week’s show. Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Volkoff do a taped promo, with Duggan saying that he is proud of Volkoff. Volkoff yells his thanks for receiving the gift.

Sergeant Slaughter tells McMahon from his training camp that anyone that supports Volkoff is a puke. He says that he will show up at SummerSlam to talk with Brother Love.

The Texas Tornado (2-0) pins Mike Sharpe after the discus punch at 1:27:

Most of the match is the Tornado and Sharpe circling each other until the Tornado corners Sharpe, punches him several times, and connects with the discus punch.

Non-Title Match: Mr. Perfect (Intercontinental Champion w/Bobby Heenan) (23-2) pins Randy Fox after the Perfectplex at 2:05:

Perfect yells about a lack of competition, appearing in the split screen with Heenan and wondering who his opponent for SummerSlam might be. He also yells that the Perfectplex is coming before he does the move, earning high marks from Ventura.

After the match, the Tornado comes to the ring and challenges Perfect for the title. Ventura rants about how the Tornado does not have enough credentials to get a title shot, while McMahon admires Tornado’s guts. Perfect is not sure what to make of the challenge, possibly because the Tornado never told him when he wanted a title shot.

Okerlund does the SummerSlam Report. A new match announced is Tito Santana vs. Rick Martel. Dusty Rhodes does a weak promo about how he looks forward to facing Randy Savage. Rick Rude and Bobby Heenan vow to use the cage’s steel bars to pummel the Ultimate Warrior and capture the WWF Championship. Earthquake, Jimmy Hart, and Dino Bravo tell Hulk Hogan to take a good look at what is going to bring him pain at SummerSlam. Hogan and Tugboat respond that they are getting stronger every day, bending steel bars like twigs.

Ted DiBiase (w/Virgil) (16-1-1) defeats Jim Brunzell (1-4) with the Million Dollar Dream at 2:07:

The match has a creative beginning as DiBiase outmaneuvers Brunzell with a few moves and Brunzell does an identical sequence in return, causing DiBiase to regroup. The Million Dollar Man does so, hits a clothesline, and a powerslam sets up the Million Dollar Dream. DiBiase’s feud with the Big Bossman has not gotten any attention since the Bossman was named as the special guest referee for the Jake Roberts-Bad News Brown match. McMahon highlights this, suggesting that DiBiase must have lacked the money to buy his way onto the SummerSlam card.

Brother Love’s guest this week is WWF Champion the Ultimate Warrior. After Love runs his mouth about the Warrior being dumb, the Warrior comes out; grabs Love by the tie; makes him acknowledge his fans in the crowd, who the camera shows wearing Warrior facemasks; and yells about how he will climb the cage at SummerSlam and leave as champion.

The Orient Express squash from Prime Time Wrestling is shown.

The Big Bossman (20-1) pins Paul Diamond (1-7) after the Bossman Slam in 58 seconds:

McMahon and Ventura talk about a new ring Sapphire received that was eighteen karats. In the split screen, Bad News Brown insults the Bossman for eating Kentucky Fried Chicken and says that he will not be enough to save Jake Roberts. The Bossman makes easy work of Diamond, beating him in less than a minute. After the bell, the Bossman handcuffs Diamond to the ropes but opts not to beat him up with the nightstick.

Tune in next week to see Bad News Brown, the Hart Foundation, Tugboat, and Randy Savage in action!

The Last Word: Just having the Texas Tornado come out and issue a challenge to Mr. Perfect is a weak way to establish Perfect’s new feud for SummerSlam. One could hardly argue with Jesse Ventura’s rant that the Tornado had not beaten enough competitors to earn a title shot, but when looking over the babyface side of the roster the other big, midcard acts like the Big Bossman and Jake Roberts are already in feuds. Overall, the show was heavy on promos to continue the SummerSlam build and did little beyond that.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for August 12!