Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are in the booth, still broadcasting from Springfield, Massachusetts.
Opening Contest: El Matador (11-2) pins the Brooklyn Brawler (1-17) after El Paso del Muerte at 2:34:
In the split screen, El Matador insists that there are a million reasons why DiBiase does not want a piece of him. El Matador does not do anything flashy to put the Brawler away for the second time this year but ladies in the crowd pop for his entrance and after the bell.
Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report replays WWF President Jack Tunney’s announcement from Superstars.
Ric Flair (w/Mr. Perfect) (5-0) defeats Phil Apollo via submission to the figure-four leglock at 3:44:
Heenan argues that Tunney needs to give #30 in the Royal Rumble to Flair because Flair is the “real world’s champion.” Monsoon throws shade at Tunney by wondering if he gave his presidential announcement in Death Valley. Flair and Perfect do an insert promo where Flair argues that he will win the Royal Rumble and win a belt that will not be visually distorted. Flair wins a long squash, snatching a Hulk Hogan poster from someone in the crowd and stomping it in the ring.
Jake Roberts (22-2) pins Mark Thomas after the DDT at 2:39:
It is weird seeing Roberts come to the ring without a snake and it takes away some of the danger of his character. Roberts taunts the crowd by putting Thomas into a DDT position and refusing to do the move, throwing his opponent over the top rope instead. Thomas re-enters the ring, lands a few blows, and whips Roberts into the corner but Roberts rebounds out with a clothesline and quickly ends the match with the DDT.
The Big Bossman (39-0-1) pins Mario Mancini after the Bossman Slam at 2:50:
Heenan reprises last year’s gimmick by saying that IRS might look into tax returns from the Bossman’s mother. The Bossman pounds Mancini down, gives him a big boot off the ropes, and then becomes the first superstar to 40 wins on the year with the Bossman Slam. After the bout, the Bossman handcuffs Mancini to the middle rope and runs to the locker room.
Gene Okerlund does the Royal Rumble Report. The Undertaker and Paul Bearer say that they are looking toward the mass burial that will happen in the Royal Rumble.
Hacksaw Jim Duggan & Sergeant Slaughter (1-0) beat Duane Gill & Barry Hardy when Duggan pins Gill after a three-point stance clothesline at 4:04:
Gill and Hardy try to leave right after the bell but Duggan and Slaughter stop them, taking their opponents into the guardrail and ring steps. That is the extent of Slaughter and Duggan’s cooperation until the finish. Slaughter still has some heelish mannerisms by forcing Hardy to tag Gill and knocking Hardy off the apron multiple times. He also tosses both jobbers out of the ring after the bell.
Repo Man (3-0) defeats Bill Pierce via submission to a leg grapevine at 3:17:
Monsoon questions why Repo Man needs to carry around a rope since he is not a hangman. In the split screen, Repo Man tells Virgil that he has repossessed his Million Dollar Championship and will soon repossess his career. Repo Man works over Pierce’s left knee and then grapevines it to remain undefeated. Following the bout, Repo Man ties Pierce’s legs to the ropes and drops him on his head.
Tune in next week to see Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart, Ted DiBiase, WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom, and the Undertaker in action!
The Last Word: Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan had fun banter throughout the show and that is all that this episode had going for it. The WWF is trying new tag teams with the New Foundation and Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Sergeant Slaughter but neither of them are having fun squash matches.
Memphis, Tennessee – The Pyramid – December 6, 1991 (5,000): This was the WWF’s first show at the Pyramid. The Warlord pinned Greg Valentine…Chris Chavis beat Hercules…Virgil pinned Skinner…The British Bulldog pinned the Barbarian…Randy Savage pinned Jake Roberts…The Big Bossman beat Irwin R. Schyster…The Undertaker pinned Hacksaw Jim Duggan…The Beverly Brothers defeated the Bushwhackers when Blake pinned Luke..
Omaha, Nebraska – Omaha Civic Auditorium – December 7, 1991 (2,800): Chris Chavis (substituting for Jimmy Snuka) beat Hercules…The Warlord pinned Greg Valentine…The Beverly Brothers beat the Bushwhackers…Virgil pinned Skinner…The Big Bossman beat Irwin R. Schyster…Hawk beat Typhoon…Ric Flair pinned Roddy Piper.
Sacramento, California – Arco Arena – December 8, 1991 (matinee; 3,500): The British Bulldog pinned the Barbarian (substituting for Big Bully Busick) after a roll up at 9:00…El Matador pinned Kato after the flying forearm at 10:53…Sergeant Slaughter defeated Ted DiBiase via disqualification after Sensational Sherri interfered at 9:14. After the match, DiBiase accidentally hit Sherri when Slaughter moved out of the way…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart beat the Mountie via submission to the Sharpshooter at 8:19…The Undertaker pinned Hacksaw Jim Duggan after hitting Duggan with his own 2×4 at 7:01…The Nasty Boys defeated the Rockers when Jerry Sags pinned Shawn Michaels after Jannetty dropkicked Sags when he had Michaels in a bearhug at 16:56…The Texas Tornado pinned the Berzerker with a sunset flip at 6:01…Randy Savage pinned Jake Roberts with the flying elbow drop at 5:34.
Backstage News*: The WWF made sure that This Tuesday in Texas did not go past 90 minutes because going longer would have necessitated that they buy more pay-per-view time. This explains the lack of big entrances or pyro throughout the night. The buyrate was the lowest for a WWF pay-per-view to this point.
*There are also contradictory views within the company about how to read the buyrate for Survivor Series. One side is arguing that putting the show on a Wednesday night was a bad idea because holding it on the Thanksgiving holiday would have drawn a bigger number. The other side argues that Thanksgiving is a bad time for doing a pay-per-view and that the numbers would have been lower airing the show a day later.
*There are new rumors that Mike Tyson wants to face Hulk Hogan. The WWF might be open to that because a Hogan-Tyson pay-per-view would draw a big number. The problem is trying to convince Tyson to lose to Hogan if the event were to take place.
*Former WWF Tag Team Champion the Dynamite Kid announced his retirement following the conclusion of the All Japan Tag Team Tournament.
*In talent relations news, Akio Sato was at the All Japan Tag Team Tournament and reportedly tried to get the foreign talent to sign with the WWF. This could include Stan Hansen, Terry Gordy, Steve Williams, Dan Spivey, Doug Furnas, and Phil LaFon. However, the mission has been seen as a failure because he was not able to get a commitment from anyone. Kevin Von Erich, Soultaker, Ron & Don Harris, and Brian Lee were recently given tryouts. The WWF liked all the tryouts but seems more likely to sign Soultaker and Von Erich. Soultaker is probably going to get a voodoo gimmick.
*Backstage news is courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for December 16.
Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for December 9!