Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are doing commentary, taped from Dayton, Ohio.
Opening Contest: The Texas Tornado (31-1) pins Bob Smedley after the discus punch at 1:40:
The Tornado’s star lost some of its shine after last week’s squash to the Undertaker, so this bout is meant to get him back on track. When Smedley shows some life midway through the bout, the Tornado runs off a quick series of punches and comes off the rope with the discus punch.
Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report recaps Jim Neidhart’s injuries and how he will be out of Survivor Series. Neidhart does a taped promo on a crutch, vowing to get revenge on the Beverly Brothers and the Genius.
Skinner (8-0-1) pins Eric Freedom after the inverted DDT at 1:33:
Heenan tries to spin all the substitutions that have happened at Survivor Series thus far as a positive, arguing that it shows how seriously wrestlers are taking the event. Skinner slams Freedom on the floor, decks him with a forearm, and finishes shortly thereafter back in the ring. After the match, Skinner spits some of his tobacco juice on Freedom.
A replay of Sergeant Slaughter’s vignette from Superstars airs.
El Matador (6-2) defeats Brian Costello with El Paso Del Muerte in 51 seconds:
This must have been an ugly bout as it is clipped to a quick finish. Before the match, El Matador is having jobbers rush into his cape but that makes the new gimmick too cartoonish, not helping Tito Santana.
Big Bully Busick (w/Harvey Wippleman) (7-5) beats Brad Kramer via submission to the stump puller at 1:10:
Busick has an Intercontinental Championship match on Superstars next week, so he is getting built up for that. He quickly vanquishes Kramer and after the match Wippleman blows smoke in the referee’s face. What is funny during a few of these recent episodes is the commentary talks about guests on Prime Time Wrestling that never made it there because of the sudden switch in the show’s format. In this case, Heenan talks about the Berzerker, the British Bulldog, and the Undertaker showing up.
Gene Okerlund interviews Randy Savage and Elizabeth. Savage reiterates his interest in being reinstated and is confident WWF President Jack Tunney will do it before Survivor Series so he can take Sid Justice’s place. Elizabeth appeals to Tunney to reinstate her husband.
Okerlund does the Survivor Series Report. Jake Roberts is with his team and tells Savage to back off because Irwin R. Schyster has assured him that there is no chance they lose.
Ted DiBiase & Irwin R. Schyster (w/Sensational Sherri) defeat the Bushwhackers (19-3) when DiBiase pins Butch after IRS hits Butch in the back of the head with his briefcase at 3:49:
Before the match, IRS accuses the crowd of making tax cheating a way of life and promising that they will pay the full penalty when caught. DiBiase and IRS work well as a team, demonstrated by DiBiase helping IRS with leverage on an abdominal stretch spot on Luke. Luke kicks out of a DiBiase fist drop and IRS elbow drop, giving Butch a hot tag after a double KO spot. Sherri trips Butch when he runs the ropes, causing Luke to run over and confront her. The problem is that he is not in a position to help his partner, who is clobbered in the back of the head with IRS’ briefcase, enabling the DiBiase-IRS pairing to win their first bout together. For the short time this was given, each team got in a fair share of offense to make this enjoyable. Rating: **
Jerry Sags and Jimmy Hart tell Hacksaw Jim Duggan that he is a “fruit loop” that carries a flag to the ring, constituting no threat to them. Duggan rebuts that Sags will be no match for a fight against a real man.
Tune in next week to see Hacksaw Jim Duggan face Jerry Sags! Also, the Rockers, the Beverly Brothers, and the British Bulldog in action! Also, the Undertaker will appear on the Barber Shop!
The Last Word: The feature bout on today’s show was serviceable, which is more than can be said for a lot of feature bouts from this era. Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Schyster worked well together as a team and had good presence. The main event on this show might have been a way for the WWF to test the waters for whether they would look good on screen. If so, they easily passed that test.
And here is a sampling of the WWF’s house show results for this week in its history, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:
Providence, Rhode Island – Providence Civic Center – November 14, 1991 (2,500): Chris Chavis pinned Skinner…The British Bulldog wrestled Irwin R. Schyster to a draw…The Beverly Brothers defeated the Rockers when Blake pinned Shawn Michaels…Randy Savage (substituting for Sid Justice) pinned Jake Roberts after the flying elbow drop…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart pinned the Barbarian (substituting for the Warlord)…The Undertaker pinned the Big Bossman after hitting the Bossman with the urn…The Bushwhackers beat the Nasty Boys via disqualification when the Nasties used a chair.
Portland, Oregon – Memorial Coliseum – November 14, 1991 (7,000): El Matador pinned Colonel Mustafa (substituting for Big Bully Busick)…Chris Walker beat Kato…The Berzerker defeated Greg Valentine…WWF Champion Hulk Hogan beat Ric Flair via count out…WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom wrestled the Natural Disasters to a double disqualification…The Texas Tornado pinned Hercules…Virgil pinned Ted DiBiase…Hacksaw Jim Duggan pinned the Mountie.
Allentown, Pennsylvania – Agricultural Hall – November 16, 1991 (2,000): Chris Chavis (substituting for Jim Neidhart) pinned Skinner…The British Bulldog wrestled Irwin R. Schyster to a draw…The Nasty Boys defeated the Bushwhackers…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart pinned the Barbarian (substituting for the Warlord)…The Big Bossman defeated the Undertaker via disqualification.
San Diego, California – San Diego Sports Arena – November 16, 1991 (7,000; close to a sellout): Chris Walker beat Kato…El Matador defeated Colonel Mustafa…The Berzerker beat Greg Valentine…Hacksaw Jim Duggan & the Legion of Doom defeated the Mountie & the Natural Disasters…Hercules beat Jim Brunzell…Virgil defeated Ted DiBiase…WWF Champion Hulk Hogan beat Ric Flair via count out.
Albany, New York – Knickerbocker Arena – November 17, 1991 (3,800): Chris Chavis pinned Skinner…The Beverly Brothers defeated the Bushwhackers…Roddy Piper (substituting for Mr. Madness, who was substituting for Sid Justice) pinned Jake Roberts…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart pinned the Barbarian (substituting for the Warlord)…The Big Bossman pinned Irwin R. Schyster with a roll up…The Nasty Boys defeated the Rockers…The Undertaker pinned the British Bulldog.
Backstage News*: WWF steroid testing has gone into effect, coincidentally one day before Inside Edition and Entertainment Tonight were about to run stories on the WWF not implementing a steroid program. The company’s testing program is meant to thwart regulations by Florida, which is holding hearings on regulating the pro wrestling industry. According to internal reports, only Vince McMahon will know about the results of tests. If a wrestler tests positive, they will receive a six-week suspension for a first offense, be sent to rehab for a second offense, and fired for a third offense.
*Entertainment Tonight still ran a story on steroids in wrestling, interviewing former WWWF Champion Bruno Sammartino, which angered the company. Inside Edition also went ahead with its story despite WWF pleas to kill it.
*Even though WCW/NWA have reached a settlement with Ric Flair they are now opening a new legal front to get the WWF to take footage of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship Belt off of television, arguing that it hurts their brand. They also want the WWF to never use a belt that looks like the NWA World title. The WWF has gone ahead and said it will digitally blur parts of the NWA belt, but this blurring did not air on a lot of shows recently so people are questioning whether they actually intend to go through with it.
*Rumors are flying about what might be booked for Tuesday in Texas. Early reports of Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair appear to have been false. Some have said a Rockers blowoff could occur there, but Dave Meltzer thinks it is too soon for that.
*The WWF is cooling on the idea of Hogan and Flair being a big main event as California markets are not dying to see it. The pair drew 15,000 to a show in Oakland on October 25 but drew less than 5,000 fans to a show in Fresno on November 17. While some could argue Flair has never been a big West Coast draw, Hogan typically draws strong in this region and his recent loop there with Flair is pulling in the smallest crowds a Hogan match has ever seen there.
*Elizabeth is likely to go on the road with Randy Savage after Survivor Series.
*The Texas Tornado was sent home from the recent West Coast loop as he showed up to Fresno in no condition to perform.
*In talent relations news, the WWF recently gave Del Wilkes, who is the Patriot in Global, a tryout. They were said to be high on him and will offer him a contract.
*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for November 25.
Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for November 18!