What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – July 21, 1991

Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, and Jim Neidhart are in the booth, broadcasting the last show from Fresno, California.

Opening Contest: The Texas Tornado (21-0) defeats Ed Moretti after the discus punch at 2:35:

The Tornado continues his long undefeated streak in 1991 in this squash, which follows the formula of the jobber cheap shotting the Tornado out of a break, causing him to get furious and finish shortly thereafter with the discus punch. Moretti bumps well for the punch, the sole highlight of the match.

Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report recaps how Sid Justice is the guest referee for the SummerSlam main event. Footage of shown of Sid making his first appearance on Superstars.

The Mountie (w/Jimmy Hart) (19-0-1) defeats Larry Williams with the carotid control technique at 1:49:

Rather than talk up the Mountie, the announcers prefer to continue the talk about Sid Justice and the effect he might have on the WWF. The Mountie runs through his usual offense and after he wins, he handcuffs Williams to the ropes, reads him his rights, and shocks him.

A replay of the Skinner vignette were he emerges from a swamp is shown.

The British Bulldog (22-1) pins Mike Starr after the running powerslam at 1:55:

These squashes give the Bulldog a chance to showcase his power moves as he slams Starr several times and uses his impressive vertical suplex. With his feud with Mr. Perfect seemingly over, the Bulldog is awaiting a new program in the midcard.

The Rockers encourage fans to buy WWF ice cream bars.

The Warlord’s squash from Prime Time Wrestling is shown.

Randy Savage is this week’s guest on the Barber Shop. He and Brutus Beefcake remind fans that he cannot get in the ring anymore as an active competitor. This is tied into why Savage is looking forward to getting married to Elizabeth in the ring at Madison Square Garden because that is a way for Savage to return to the squared circle that he is fond of.

A replay of Vince McMahon’s anti-steroid message from Prime Time Wrestling airs.

Gene Okerlund does the SummerSlam Report.

The Natural Disasters (w/Jimmy Hart) (3-0) defeat Larry Ludden & Bobby Jones when Typhoon pins Jones after a splash at 2:34:

As the Disasters easily work over their opposition, the Bushwhackers do an insert promo that hypes Andre the Giant’s presence in their corner at SummerSlam. Jones takes the biggest beating of the match, getting wiped out with an Earthquake Splash and then Typhoon’s splash. Some online records suggest that Typhoon’s splash is called the “Tidal Wave” but announcers have not titled it as such thus far.

Tune in next week to see Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Irwin R. Schyster, the Dragon, the Big Bossman, and WWF Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys in action! Also, there will be footage of Jake Roberts on the Funeral Parlor!

The Last Word: Wrestling Challenge has lacked good content for a while and this episode was no exception. Next week’s episode looks to be more of the same.

And here were results from this week’s house show circuit, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – The Philadelphia Spectrum – July 20, 1991 (10,000): The show featured a Barber Shop segment where Sensational Sherri was a guest…Dino Bravo pinned Koko B. Ware…Irwin R. Schyster beat Greg Valentine…Bret Hart pinned Haku….The Ultimate Warrior defeated the Undertaker via disqualification…The Rockers & Virgil beat the Orient Express & Mr. Fuji when Virgil pinned Tanaka…The Big Bossman beat the Mountie…The Legion of Doom beat WWF Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys via disqualification.

Lexington, Kentucky – Rupp Arena – July 20, 1991 (4,800): The Texas Tornado wrestled the Warlord to a double count out…Jim Neidhart (substituting for Jake Roberts) (w/Andre the Giant) pinned Earthquake…The Berzerker defeated Jimmy Snuka…Hacksaw Jim Duggan beat Colonel Mustafa…The Bushwhackers defeated Power & Glory…The British Bulldog beat Typhoon (substituting for Mr. Perfect)…Randy Savage (substituting for Hulk Hogan) beat Sergeant Slaughter in a Desert Storm match after General Adnan threw in the towel when Slaughter was in the Camel Clutch.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada – Maple Leaf Gardens – July 21, 1991: The show featured a Barber Shop segment with Sensational Sherri, who ran down Virgil’s chances of winning at SummerSlam and stated that Beefcake should be in a hospital bed. Moments later, Beefcake accidentally called the Randy Savage-Elizabeth wedding at SummerSlam a “Match Made in Hell” before Sherri insulted the couple. Beefcake responded by tearing off Sherri’s wig, delivering an atomic drop, and cutting her dropped cash in half with scissors…The Berzerker pinned Koko B. Ware with a stun gun at 7:09…Jacques Rougeau pinned the Big Bossman after using the shock stick. Rougeau wrestled under his name for the match, wrestling in sweatpants and a white t-shirt with “USA Adopted Son” airbrushed on it…Bret Hart pinned Dino Bravo with an O’Connor roll at 9:18…Irwin R. Schyster defeated Greg Valentine with a Flair pin at 7:36…The Legion of Doom beat WWF Tag Team Champions the Nasty Boys via count out at 8:24…The Rockers & Virgil defeated the Orient Express & Mr. Fuji when Virgil pinned Tanaka after a clothesline at 15:04…The Ultimate Warrior beat the Undertaker in a body bag match after hitting him in the head with an urn at 15:21.

Backstage News*: WWF Champion Hulk Hogan appeared on The Arsenio Hall Show on July 16, saying that he only used steroids three times for a torn tricep muscle in 1983. No one believed his denial of using steroids since that point and if the WWF is found to have steroid users after owner Vince McMahon promised rigorous steroid testing, the company is going to be in a bad position. To prevent that, the WWF is talking to top drug enforcement officials but are signaling that it will take six months to create a “fair” system.

*The reason given for Hogan’s absence on recent house shows was that he was doing appearances for the Special Olympics.

*In injury news, Mr. Perfect is off the road for several weeks to rehabilitate his back.

*In talent relations news, there are rumors that Earthquake might be leaving because Jim Neidhart is beating him on house shows.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for July 29.

Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for July 22!