The day before this show, the Arsenio Hall Show played host to a WWF Tag Team title match between the Legion of Doom and the Nasty Boys. Gene Okerlund, Jake Roberts, and Hall were commentators and Okerlund also served as ring announcer. Here is a breakdown of that match:
WWF Tag Team Championship Match: The Legion of Doom (Champions) (20-0) defeat the Nasty Boys (w/Jimmy Hart) (23-4) when Hawk pins Brian Knobbs after the Doomsday Device at 3:43:
Most of the commentary hypes Survivor Series for casual viewers. The Legion squash their former rivals, who have heel miscommunication with Hart’s megaphone. That leads into the Doomsday Device and Hart takes a headbutt from Animal during the winning pinning sequence because, why not? Rating: *
After the match, Roberts pulls out a cobra and taunts the Legion, arguing that the Disasters will put them in their place at Survivor Series.
And now onto WWF Superstars for November 23!
A replay of the Undertaker’s sneak attack on WWF Champion Hulk Hogan on last week’s episode is shown. The Undertaker and Paul Bearer do a taped promo with the Undertaker telling Hogan that his gold crucifix will not save him.
Vince McMahon, Roddy Piper, and Randy Savage are doing commentary, wrapping up the taping cycle from Fort Wayne, Indiana in the go-home episode for Survivor Series.
Opening Contest: El Matador (8-2) pins Bob Smedley after El Paso Del Muerte at 1:24:
All that Tito Santana is getting from this gimmick change is an aesthetic makeover as fans are not taking to him anymore than they had before. The change in Santana’s finisher where he hits the flying forearm on the back of someone’s head is also convoluted since his opponent has to keep their head down for an unrealistic amount of time, something that the end of this squash illustrates.
Sean Mooney’s Event Center airs some Survivor Series promos. What is notable about this is that when the Rockers and Bushwhackers do their bit, Shawn Michaels is indifferent to his teammates. He says that if the match comes down to him fighting the opposition three-on-one at the end that he is confident in his abilities. He also cuts off Marty Jannetty’s promo.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Bret Hart (Champion) (23-0-3) defeats Big Bully Busick (w/Harvey Wippleman) (8-6) via submission to the Sharpshooter at 2:45:
In the split screen, the Mountie and Jimmy Hart discount the Busick’s chances, arguing that Bret is merely keeping the Intercontinental Championship warm for them. In kayfabe, Busick would never get this title match since he has struggled against all name competition this year. A bored Bret goes into the moves of doom out of nowhere and applies the Sharpshooter for a quick win. Unsurprisingly, this would be Busick’s last televised match.
Repo Man breaks into a woman’s garage that is three days late on her car payments and speeds away with her car. This was hilarious because first, the Repo Man opens the vignette by announcing “What you are about to witness is a crime!” and takes his sweet time to cut a promo when an actual repo man would get in and get out as soon as possible. The woman opening her garage door and screaming as the Repo Man gets ready to drive away was another funny bit.
The Texas Tornado (33-1) pins Greg Green after the discus punch at 1:04:
Green corners the Tornado and throws some really weak shots, leading the Tornado to tee off on him. Then there is the discus punch off the ropes to finish. So, the Tornado wins by just throwing fists!
Elizabeth, who is backstage in the arena, pleads with WWF President Jack Tunney to reinstate her husband. During the segment, fans chant “reinstate” even though on the green screen fans are not saying anything.
Skinner (9-1-1) beats Ben Jordan after the inverted DDT at 1:32:
Skinner rebounds from his Prime Time loss to Bret Hart, stun gunning Jordan and winning with the inverted DDT.
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Okerlund interviews WWF Champion Hulk Hogan. Hogan says people have been gunning for him for eight years, a comment that reinforces how Hogan is getting stale. He promises that the light of Hulkamania will blind the Undertaker and asserts that the red he wears has granted him immortality. Hogan argues that when the Undertaker dropped Hogan’s crucifix necklace on his chest it warmed him back up. Ridiculousness aside, Hogan brought some good fire to this promo and it sold the main event well.
Okerlund does the Survivor Series Report. The Undertaker and Paul Bearer tell Hogan that there is no place to run, hide, or people with chairs to save him. WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom and the Big Bossman are still frustrated that Jack Tunney will not let them know if Savage can be their partner. Ric Flair, Ted DiBiase, the Mountie, and Warlord welcome Mr. Perfect as Flair’s executive consultant, saying that he will make things perfect at the pay-per-view. Okerlund says that the replacement for Hacksaw Jim Duggan’s team might be announced on Survivor Series Showdown.
Jake Roberts (21-1) pins Bob Werner after the DDT in 44 seconds:
Roberts wastes no time checkmating Werner with a short-arm clothesline and DDT.
After the match, Roberts gets on the house mic and calls out Savage, saying that the Macho Man has lost his edge since getting married. Even though McMahon and Piper urge him not to go to the ring, Savage goes anyway, saying he needs a closer look. A referee holds Savage’s legs to keep him from entering the ring, but that just allows Roberts to blast Savage with a clothesline and roll him into the ring, where he ties him in the ropes. Then, in the most shocking segment on WWF television this year, Roberts pulls out a king cobra and has it gnaw on Savage’s left arm. Medics, Piper, and Elizabeth run to ringside and struggle to get Savage out of the ring. When Savage is finally put on a stretcher, he falls off in the aisle, traumatizing a young fan who is shown crying near the front row. The segment ends with Roberts laying down on the mat, looking at the cobra, and smiling.
The Last Word: This was an amazing go-home show and one of the best that the WWF put on during this era. Hulk Hogan effectively put over his feud with the Undertaker, there was a funny Repo Man vignette, and the last segment was arguably edgier than anything the WWF had done to this point in its history. According to Jake Roberts, Randy Savage had a fever in excess of 100 degrees after this show even though the snake used had been devenomized. The angle took the Savage-Roberts feud to another level, making it the hottest program in the company.
Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for November 24!