Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan handle commentary duties for this Prime Time special, which aired on USA Network on the evening of November 24. The matches were taped in Utica, New York on November 11. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the card drew a sellout crowd of 5,000 fans.
Opening Contest: The Big Bossman (37-0-1) defeats Earthquake (w/Jimmy Hart) (9-1) via disqualification when Typhoon and Jake Roberts interfere at 10:16 shown:
Interestingly, these two faced off at last year’s Survivor Series Showdown as well, with Earthquake defeating the Bossman via count out. This bout is also the first singles match for Earthquake since June 1. Both men take turns slugging away on each other until Irwin R. Schyster comes to ringside before a commercial break. The distraction allows Earthquake to employ an interesting strategy of working over the Bossman’s left hand. McMahon and Heenan then spending time talking about a hotline where fans can vote yes or no on Randy Savage’s reinstatement, with each call costing 79 cents. In desperation, the Bossman uses his elbows to daze Earthquake and knocks the big man down with an enziguri. A clothesline follows, prompting Typhoon and Jake Roberts to run down the aisle. The Legion of Doom quickly run out to back up their partner and the heels flee. This was a great hoss battle as both men just kept laying into each other. The Bossman’s selling remains top notch. Rating: **½
A replay of the Superstars Funeral Parlor segment from two weeks ago airs.
Luke beats Blake Beverly (w/the Genius) with a schoolboy roll up at 6:32 shown:
Prior to the commercial break, Luke bites Blake’s rear end and the Beverly Brother stalls until Luke chases the Genius to the locker room. After the break, Blake takes control and gets a near-fall from a slam. However, he misses a flying headbutt from the second rope, pops up, and falls over Luke, who rolls him up and wins. Cute finish but horrible match. Rating: ½*
Gene Okerlund interviews WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom and the Big Bossman. The Bossman speaks of fighting for law, order, and justice and Hawk speaks of human combustion.
A replay of Jake Roberts’ beatdown of Randy Savage on Superstars is shown.
Okerlund interviews Roberts, Irwin R. Schyster, and the Natural Disasters. Roberts says that WWF President Jack Tunney does not want to reinstate Savage because he does not want what would happen to Savage on his conscience. He adds that Elizabeth wears the pants in her relationship with Savage and that modern medicine saved Savage after Superstars but if he shows up to Survivor Series he will not be that lucky again. IRS insists that there can be no late substitutions for their match at Survivor Series, turning the bout into a handicap affair since Sid Justice is out of action. The Disasters promise to leave a piece of their foes left for Roberts, who lacks a rival in the match. Roberts was tremendous on the mic here and his heel work is on a level well above everyone else in the company at this point.
Million Dollar Championship Match: Ted DiBiase (w/Sensational Sherri) (24-3-1) defeats Virgil (Champion) (20-0) after Repo Man interferes to win the title at 9:59 shown:
Since SummerSlam the feud between these two has gone down a notch because all they have done is jaw in insert promos. Virgil nearly puts DiBiase away early with a roll up and sloppy small package, but he loses the advantage after a blind charge. DiBiase earns two counts from a suplex, fist drop, and chinlock but misses an elbow off the second rope. That cues Virgil’s comeback, culminating in DiBiase kicking out of a side Russian leg sweep. As Virgil unloads punches on DiBiase on the second rope, Repo Man comes to ringside and tries to get away with the Million Dollar Championship Belt. Virgil goes to stop him, only to have Repo Man blast him in the face with the Belt and DiBiase covers to regain the title, celebrating like a babyface with Sherri afterward. This match lacked the same drama as SummerSlam – so it loses that on the rating scale – but it was their best in-ring encounter of the feud. DiBiase learned his lesson from this feud and never put the Million Dollar Championship on the line again. And this would be the last match for the Million Dollar Championship until 2021. The bout was also the beginning of the end for Virgil, who never reached the same heights as this match again. He handled various angles of this feud well but was not capable enough in the ring to get a sustained push after the feud ended. Rating: **½
After the bell, DiBiase gets on the house mic and gloats about how Virgil is back in the gutter where he found him. When DiBiase goes to shove $100 down Virgil’s throat, El Matador makes the save and sends DiBiase over the top rope with an atomic drop.
Okerlund interviews Hacksaw Jim Duggan, who calls out former USA hockey coach Herb Brooks for being a good American. He announces Jim Neidhart’s replacement as Sergeant Slaughter, who will also be the team’s honorary flag bearer. Slaughter leads the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. Piped in cheers make this seem like a popular segment but arena reports said the crowd reacted with boos.
El Matador (9-2) defeats Skinner (10-1-1) after El Paso Del Muerte at 11:37 shown:
Skinner continues to endear himself to the WWF fan base by stalling a lot and swallowing El Matador up with rest holds. This finally ends when Skinner’s dive off the top rope receives a fist to the gut. A quick knee lift and El Paso Del Muerte follow to keep Tito Santana undefeated in his new look. Rating: ¼*
A replay of Okerlund’s interview on Superstars airs.
Roddy Piper (3-0) beats Hercules (2-4-1) after a bulldog at 5:08:
The whole gimmick of the show is that members of opposing Survivor Series teams are facing off, but this departs from that formula even though the Warlord could have been sacrificed to Piper here. Hercules is on defense for much of the bout and Piper reverses a test of strength in his favor. Piper sunset flips into the ring, but Hercules grabs onto the ropes to block. However, the referee stops his count at two and kicks Hercules’ hands away, allowing Piper to complete the move for two. Piper then grabs a hold of Hercules and puts him away cleanly with a bulldog. Without a gimmick change, Hercules is on borrowed time. Rating: *½
Okerlund interviews Ric Flair, Mr. Perfect, Heenan, the Mountie, Ted DiBiase, and the Warlord. Perfect argues that Hulkamania is on the decline and hypes Flair’s team as a perfect collection of gentlemen. DiBiase gloats about regaining the Million Dollar Championship Belt, arguing that Virgil will be the first man eliminated from the Piper-Flair team match.
The Last Word: It was a good night for babyfaces except in the one match that mattered. It made sense for Repo Man to aid Ted DiBiase’s quest to get back the Million Dollar Championship as that fit his gimmick. It also sets up a midcard feud with Virgil for Barry Darsow’s new character. Overall, the show was decent but did little to convince those on the fence that they needed to buy the show. The lack of clarity on Randy Savage’s reinstatement was a surprise as one would have thought the WWF would let people know what was happening a few days before the pay-per-view.
And here is what the WWF’s house show business was like in the week before Survivor Series, with results courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:
Richfield, Ohio – The Richfield Coliseum – November 22, 1991 (10,000): El Matador pinned Colonel Mustafa with a roll up at 11:20…The British Bulldog beat the Barbarian at 11:30…The Warlord pinned Greg Valentine at 13:01…Ted DiBiase & Irwin R. Schyster beat the Big Bossman & Virgil at 12:12…The Nasty Boys beat the Bushwhackers at 11:14…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart beat the Mountie at 11:47…WWF Champion Hulk Hogan defeated Ric Flair via count out at 12:15.
Orlando, Florida – Orlando Arena – November 22, 1991 (2,100 – Lowest attendance for a WWF show at the venue to this point): Chris Chavis pinned Kato…The Beverly Brothers defeated the Rockers after Shawn Michaels accidentally reversed a pin attempt, causing Marty Jannetty to lose…Skinner beat Jimmy Richland (substituting for the Texas Tornado)…Randy Savage (substituting for Sid Justice) pinned Jake Roberts…The Berzerker beat Chris Walker…The Undertaker pinned Hacksaw Jim Duggan…WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom beat the Natural Disasters via disqualification.
Tampa, Florida – The SunDome – November 23, 1991 (2,500): Chris Chavis beat Kato…Shawn Michaels pinned Blake Beverly…Beau Beverly beat Marty Jannetty…Skinner pinned Hurricane Walker (substituting for the Texas Tornado)…WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom beat the Natural Disasters via disqualification…The Berzerker pinned Chris Walker…Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Sergeant Slaughter (substituting for Mr. Madness) beat Jake Roberts & the Undertaker.
Chicago, Illinois – Rosemont Horizon – November 24, 1991 (9,000; 8,000 paid): El Matador pinned Colonel Mustafa with a sunset flip…The Warlord beat Greg Valentine after shifting his weight during a body slam attempt at 11:25…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart pinned the Mountie with a flying clothesline at 8:20…Ted DiBiase & Irwin R. Schyster beat the Big Bossman & Virgil when IRS pinned Virgil after hitting him with his steel briefcase at 12:19…The Nasty Boys defeated the Bushwhackers when Brian Knobbs pinned Butch with a clothesline at 10:28…The British Bulldog pinned the Barbarian (substituting for Big Bully Busick) after reversing a suplex attempt into a small package at 8:49…WWF Champion Hulk Hogan beat Ric Flair via count out at 13:25.
Backstage News*: The Randy Savage-Jake Roberts snake angle drew a lot of complaints, especiall when it aired uncensored on USA Network.
*The WWF’s steroid testing program is being blasted as a sham because wrestlers are still using. They just quit using the week that testing took place.
*In a bad sign for the WWF’s bottom line, ticket sales were awful in Orlando for the B-show circuit and Chicago drew a disappointing number for Hulk Hogan-Ric Flair.
*The WWF has lost some ground recently to WCW as WCW’s television programming is starting to beat the WWF on cable. The WWF was not happy that WCW used Ricky Steamboat on its recent Clash of the Champions telecast where Steamboat teamed with Dustin Rhodes to win the WCW Tag Team Championship. However, Jim Herd and Kip Frye decided to ignore the WWF’s late objection and use Steamboat anyway.
*To settle the existing legal issues with WCW/NWA over Ric Flair having the NWA World Championship Belt, the WWF is digitally blurring the belt and is replacing the belt with an old WWF tag team title belt.
*In talent relations news, the WWF was on the verge of signing Del Wilkes to a contract but pulled it when Bill Eadie, who was working as the booker for Global, trademarked the Patriot gimmick and registered it to the promotion’s previous owners.
*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for December 2.
Up Next: Survivor Series ’91!
And don’t forget that if you want a recap of the WWF in 1990 or all of the major wrestling promotions in 1995, you can check out my e-book and paperback collection of books on Amazon. Each book provides reviews for that year, win-loss statistics, angle breakdowns, a timeline of major events, and more.