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

Vince McMahon and Jesse Ventura are in the booth, concluding the taping cycle in Omaha, Nebraska. This show would be Ventura’s last WWF appearance until 1999 as he quit the company over a video game licensing dispute.

The Hart Foundation squash from Prime Time Wrestling begins the show.

Gene Okerlund’s Update segment recaps the Texas Tornado issuing a challenge to Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect on last week’s show. Perfect and Heenan do a taped segment where they decide to accept the Tornado’s challenge, but they promise that the Tornado will regret asking for the title shot. The Tornado responds with a good promo about how he is going to come “fist and fire” to SummerSlam and prove that Perfect is not as perfect as he thinks he is.

A replay of Randy Savage’s squash on Prime Time Wrestling is shown.

Okerlund does the SummerSlam Report. Rick Rude and Bobby Heenan promise that their focus is all about the Ultimate Warrior and winning the WWF Championship. The Warrior responds with a weak promo where he rambles before saying he will walk out of SummerSlam as the ultimate champion. WWF Tag Team Champions Demolition recap the stipulations for their battle with the Hart Foundation, arguing that they have the advantage because the Foundation does not know which two men they are going to fight.

The Rockers squash win on Prime Time Wrestling airs.

Brother Love interviews Earthquake, Dino Bravo, and Jimmy Hart. Hart shows off his new jacket that proclaims “Hulkamania is dead.” Bravo promises to take out Tugboat, while Earthquake vows to send Hulk Hogan back to the hospital at SummerSlam.

Bad News Brown’s squash on Prime Time Wrestling is shown.

Hulk Hogan is shown training in the gym. He says he looks forward to getting revenge on Earthquake at SummerSlam.

Tugboat (17-0) beats Bob Bradley via disqualification when Dino Bravo interferes in 46 seconds:

Tugboat manhandles Bradley for the second time this year but before he can finish him off, Bravo runs into the ring and causes a disqualification.

After the bell, Bravo beats on Tugboat but the big man turns the tide and traps Bravo in a bearhug. That triggers a run-in from Earthquake, who hits Tugboat and works with Bravo to slam him. Then, Earthquake does two Earthquake Splashes. Earthquake is primed to try a third, but the Big Bossman makes the save because Hulk Hogan is not in the building to help. Ventura laughs as Tugboat is carted away on a stretcher. One female fan is overcome and cries like she is present at the Kennedy assassination.

The Last Word: So, Jesse Ventura’s swan song is laughing in glee at Tugboat’s misfortune. The announcing quality for big shows will take a dive without him around. It looks like the Big Bossman will take over Tugboat’s role of accompanying Hogan at SummerSlam, a switch that is good because the Bossman has been red hot since his babyface turn and is better suited for an enforcement role. That said, the Bossman’s booking this month has turned on a dime because his feud with Ted DiBiase has been abandoned for a random referee gig for the Jake Roberts-Bad News Brown feud and backing up the former WWF champion. The show also makes a Mr. Perfect-Texas Tornado match official for SummerSlam but the storyline to get there is poor. Why have Bobby Heenan scream for a week about how the Tornado was not a worthy challenger only to turn around and grant a title match anyway? The story would have been better served by WWF President Jack Tunney stepping in and naming the Tornado as Perfect’s challenger since Perfect and Heenan were not cooperating.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for August 19!