What the World Was Watching: WWF Prime Time Wrestling – June 17, 1991

Gene Okerlund and Bobby Heenan host this evening’s show. Heenan says that Vince McMahon is having some cosmetic work done.

After showing footage of Tugboat’s turn on Superstars, Jimmy Hart walks into the studio laughing. Hart says that Tugboat has sunk and he has big news.

Opening Contest: The British Bulldog (19-0) defeats Paul Roma (w/Slick) (1-0) with a small package at 6:30:

This match was filmed at the Tucson Superstars taping. In a weird bit, Roma is announced and called “Glory” in ring introductions and in parts of the commentary. Lord Alfred Hayes acts like Roma is Jim Brunzell, arguing that a dropkick is his finishing move even though Roma has a much better powerslam. Both guys put in some good work, getting the crowd excited with near-fall exchanges in the first five minutes. Roma throws the Bulldog to the floor and tries to suplex him back in, but the Bulldog floats over and small packages his opponent for the win. This is more evidence that there was value to Roma as a midcard single in the future. Rating: **½

Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report replays the Sergeant Slaughter promo against Hulk Hogan from Wrestling Challenge.

Jamison returns to the studio on a gurney, attended to by an attractive nurse named Terri. Okerlund is smitten with her immediately.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (19-0) pins Scott Bazo with the Tombstone at 1:28:

The urn that Bearer carries is becoming a bigger part of the Undertaker’s character as he is starting to gesture toward it in matches. The Undertaker uses few moves to check Bazo, relying on a quick flying clothesline off the ropes and the Tombstone. After the bell, the Undertaker and Bearer stuff Bazo in a body bag and carry him to the locker room.

Jimmy Snuka is the next guest. He climbs into the set from the ceiling and talks about his life in the islands. Snuka hits a button on a telephone Heenan is holding and wins the Hulk Hogan interactive game. There was really no point to this because Snuka was not in a feud and was jobbing to Irwin R. Schyster regularly on house shows.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s squash from Superstars airs.

Promo time with Sean Mooney! Irwin R. Schyster reminds people that he works 24/7 to catch tax cheats.

Heenan goes backstage so he can show people that Virgilina is really Virgil. He goes into Virgilina’s locker room and through a bag, finding women’s underwear. Roddy Piper and Virgilina show up. Virgilina is clearly Virgil in a dress, blonde wig, sunglasses, and speaking in a woman’s voice. Virgilina and Piper haul Heenan back to the studio. Virgilina comes onto Okerlund, giving him a long kiss on his bald head. Piper tells Ted DiBiase that Virgilina will counteract trouble from Sensational Sherri.

DiBiase’s squash from Superstars is shown.

Back in the studio, Virgilina says that DiBiase humiliated her brother for years. Heenan insists that Virgil is Virgilina but Okerlund does not believe him. This segways into a taped promo where camera tricks show Virgil, Virgilina, and Piper calling out DiBiase at the same time. All of this is presented as evidence to debunk Heenan’s assertion.

Nurse Terri returns to take Jamison’s temperature, albeit not by his mouth. The camera cuts away.

The Mountie (w/Jimmy Hart) (17-0) wrestles Bret Hart (8-0-2) to a time limit draw at 8:45 shown:

This bout also took place in Tucson on May 28. Bret dominates most of the match as the Mountie’s offense is wisely cut out by a commercial break five minutes in. The Hitman gets several near-falls from the moves of doom and Jimmy Hart hops on the apron to distract Bret and stop a Sharpshooter attempt. That allows the Mountie to reach for his shock stick, but Bret stomps his hand before he can get to it. They continue to wrestle until the bell goes off and Howard Finkel announces a draw, angering the audience. Overall, this worked up a good flow because of Bret’s moves but all these draws against name talents are not putting him over as strongly as would be expected for the next challenger to the Intercontinental Championship. Rating: **¼

Okerlund takes a phone call from Jimmy Snuka, who has lost his beads. Okerlund says they will look for them, but suspects Heenan stole them.

Intercontinental Champion Mr. Perfect’s appearance on the Funeral Parlor on Superstars airs. This announced Coach as Perfect’s new manager.

Earthquake and Jimmy Hart walk into the studio. After the six-man tag match that had Tugboat’s turn from Superstars is shown, Hart announces the formation of a new tag team called the Natural Disasters. This includes Earthquake and Typhoon, which is Tugboat’s new gimmick. Typhoon comes out and Heenan shakes his hand, telling him that he is intelligent for aligning with Hart. In a funny bit, Typhoon flips out when Okerlund puts over the Hulk Hogan Hotline, grabbing the phone and yelling into it as if Hogan is on the line. He screams about how Hogan was never there when he needed him.

Okerlund does a WBF Report that recaps the WBF Championship at the Taj Mahal. He interviews winner Gary Strydom, who says his physique is due to hard work and dedication. Randy Savage and Elizabeth put it over as an incredible event. And the Ultimate Warrior, dressed like Irwin R. Schyster, argues that the thirteen bodybuilders melded their bodies into one to create the WBF.

Sean Mooney has the missing beads and knocks on Jimmy Snuka’s hotel room door. The door is unlocked so he opens it. Snuka has coked out eyes and dives from the room’s air conditioner onto the bed with his Superfly Splash. This must have been the same act Snuka did for Allentown police officers in 1983.

Jake Roberts (12-1) pins Mark Ming after the DDT at 1:26:

Andre the Giant does an insert promo that says he and Roberts have problems with Earthquake. When the promo ends, Roberts hooks Ming into the DDT and pops the crowd. After the bell, he dumps Lucifer onto his opponent.

Jamison is now receiving Jell-O from Nurse Terri as Heenan jealously looks on.

The Warlord’s squash from Wrestling Challenge is shown.

Heenan takes the broadcast to a hidden camera he has placed in Virgilina’s dressing room. Virgilina is singing “My Guy” and taking off her clothes as Virgil comes into the studio and goes after Heenan for looking at his sister.

Tune in next week to see Jake Roberts, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, the Nasty Boys, and Jimmy Hart!

The Last Word: The Virgilina stuff was embarrassing because the gimmick did not fool anyone. It reeks of the weird Vince McMahon-like humor that has permeated the show since its inception. On the bright side, the show did provide two above average matches and announced the formation of the Natural Disasters tag team. Considering the sorry state of the tag division, the Disasters are immediately top contenders for the tag team titles, although they are blocked in that quest by their stablemates the Nasty Boys holding the belts. If Andre the Giant was able to wrestle this would have led to matches pitting Jake Roberts and Andre against the new team, but Roberts will need a new partner to face them if the WWF continues his storyline with Earthquake.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for June 22!