What the World Was Watching: WWF Prime Time Wrestling – February 18, 1991

A corny voiceover puts over Stamford, Connecticut as a big media center relative to other places like Los Angeles and New York City. Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan argue backstage about getting ready and are introduced as the night’s hosts by Lord Alfred Hayes. There is a live audience, a mix of parents and young children. Heenan said years later that most of the audience were WWF employees.

After McMahon tells Heenan his fly is open, a replay of the tag team battle royal on Superstars airs.

Heenan announces that Haku and the Barbarian are going to start teaming up and will face the Rockers at WrestleMania VII.

McMahon says that Gorilla Monsoon is now the right-hand man of WWF President Jack Tunney and is working with him to revise some of the WWF’s rules and procedures. Then, McMahon stumbles his way through some jokes about current news. This was terrible.

A replay of Roddy Piper and Virgil’s interview with Gene Okerlund on Wrestling Challenge is shown.

The Viking’s debut on Wrestling Challenge airs.

Okerlund and Hacksaw Jim Duggan discuss trading WWF trading cards at Toys R Us. Duggan gets tired of the negotiations and throws his 2×4 on Okerlund’s foot so he can steal them.

Rick Martel (4-0) beats Dale Wolfe via submission to the Boston Crab at 1:46:

In the split screen, Martel screams at Jake Roberts in French over the blindfold match. Martel stays focused on wearing down Wolfe’s back, winning his fifth match of the year with the Boston Crab.

Okerlund provides facts about the U.S. Capitol as two people in Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush masks fight.

Okerlund does the WrestleMania Report.

The Bushwhackers come into the studio, marching around and licking fans. Afterward, they do a weather report. They funniest bit is that they get so into their act that they run out of breath halfway through.

The Big Bossman (5-0) defeats the Barbarian (1-1) with a sunset flip at 5:05 shown:

This rematch from The Royal Rumble that took place in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on January 25. It is joined in progress, with the Barbarian working over the Bossman’s back. Like their Rumble battle, the match has a hot finish as the Barbarian lays his fingers on the rope to kick out of a stun gun and the Bossman kicks out when the Barbarian rolls through a flying body press. The Barbarian initially blocks a sunset flip but the Bossman is able to turn the momentum of the move in his favor to remain undefeated for the year. Due to time this was not as good as the Rumble but it was still fun. Rating: **

After the bell, Haku runs into the ring and starts beating up the Bossman. A two-on-one attack by Haku and the Barbarian leaves the Bossman laying. That is a good segment because it keeps the Bossman-Heenan Family feud going while putting over the potential of the new Haku and Barbarian tag team.

As Okerlund provides facts about the Lincoln Memorial, Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush swordfight.

Shawn Michaels (w/Marty Jannetty) beats Crush (w/Mr. Fuji) after Jannetty interferes at 7:20:

This match took place at the Wrestling Challenge tapings in Savannah, Georgia on January 29. Crush dominates most of the match as the bigger man and Michaels does a good job selling. Crush misses a flying knee drop and Fuji hops on the apron. That causes his man to lose, though, as Crush has catches a Michaels crossbody but Jannetty flies off the top rope and gives Michaels a nudge, allowing the Rocker to score a rare singles win. Giving Michaels more offense would have made the match better, but this booking was meant to ensure that both sides stayed strong for future matches. Rating: **

Heenan answers questions posed by fans about personal relationships and problems.

A replay of the Earthquake-Tugboat match from Superstars two weeks ago airs.

A replay of the full nelson challenge on Wrestling Challenge with the British Bulldog and the Warlord is shown.

Okerlund provides facts about the Washington Monument as Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush take turns chasing each other with sharp objects.

Heenan gets excited about a fashion show but is disappointed when the models are the Bushwhackers.

The Texas Tornado’s squash from Superstars airs.

Okerlund discusses the Jefferson Memorial while Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush fight over a gun.

McMahon tells a nervous Heenan that Andre the Giant might show up on next week’s show. Then, Reagan and Bush come onto the set and throw water on Heenan.

The Last Word: USA Network wanted a change to Prime Time Wrestling but this pivot was probably not what they had in mind. There were a few humorous bits like the Bushwhackers weather report but almost everything came off like a cheap imitation of a late-night talk show. And the show only featured three new matches, so the WWF is sticking with its habit of doing a lot of replayed matches from syndicated shows that fans have already seen, arguably the biggest reason that ratings were declining for the original version.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for February 23!