Vince McMahon moderates tonight’s panel, which features Gorilla Monsoon, Slick, Bobby Heenan, and Mr. Perfect. Slick has been recast as a babyface reverend, saying that he “saw the light” after getting powerslammed by the British Bulldog. He shakes Monsoon and McMahon’s hands to make up for his heel ways.
Heenan says Jake Roberts went too far by hitting Elizabeth in Texas because it riled Randy Savage up. Monsoon is irate, arguing that Roberts “raped Elizabeth of her dignity.”
Opening Contest: El Matador (13-2) beats the Berzerker (w/Mr. Fuji) (29-0) via disqualification when Fuji interferes at 7:24:
This match was filmed in New Haven, Connecticut as part of the Superstars taping. The Berzerker is undefeated in singles action in 1991 but that is because of squashing lots of tomato cans. The bout follows a house show formula of someone landing a move and then taking a long time before doing something else. That makes things slow and plodding. A body press off the ropes by El Matador is turned into a Berzerker powerslam for a near-fall but El Matador avoids the Berzerker’s big knee and crotches him on the top rope. After El Matador hits a running knee lift he goes for his finisher, but Fuji trips him and that hands the Berzerker a loss. The result is not surprising because El Matador is programmed into a midcard feud with Ted DiBiase while the Berzerker still has nothing. Rating: *
Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report recaps those who have announced for the Royal Rumble. There is also a replay of Hulk Hogan’s promo from last week.
The Undertaker’s squash from Wrestling Challenge airs.
Mr. Perfect argues that Hulk Hogan getting a preferential draw for the Royal Rumble continues a pattern of special treatment from WWF President Jack Tunney. Slick rebuts that it makes since for two recent ex-champions, Hogan and the Undertaker, to get a better chance in the match. Heenan says that the Rumble format is not fair to Ric Flair because Flair should face the winner of the Rumble for the vacated title. Heenan fakes calling Hogan and repeating that Hogan thinks his fans are idiots.
The New Foundation (2-0) defeat Kato & the Brooklyn Brawler when Owen Hart pins the Brawler after a Rocket Launcher at 4:59:
Kato lost to the New Foundation eleven day ago so he went out and got a better partner from the jobber ranks. Since this is a Prime Time match, the bout drags out longer than a typical squash would on the syndicated shows. Owen dazzles the crowd with a hurricanrana on the Brawler and jobber miscommunication occurs when Owen surprises the Brawler with a reverse flying body press off the second rope. The Foundation finish Brawler shortly thereafter with a Rocket Launcher.
A replay of Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart being awarded the “Wrestler of the Year” Award on Superstars is shown.
The Beverly Brothers squash from Superstars airs, along with the post-match extracurriculars with Jamison, airs.
A replay of Rumble promos from the Texas Tornado, the Warlord, Virgil, Irwin R. Schyster, the British Bulldog, the Berzerker, Ric Flair, and the Undertaker are shown.
Heenan says that the Bushwhackers must like hanging out with Jamison because he makes them look good.
The Randy Savage-Jake Roberts bout from This Tuesday in Texas airs. They also include the post-match antics of Roberts slapping Elizabeth and Savage’s interview with Sean Mooney.
WWF Tag Team Champions Legion of Doom’s squash from Wrestling Challenge is shown.
Event Center promos with Sean Mooney! The Natural Disasters and Jimmy Hart tell the Legion they are going to kick them all over the ring. The Bushwhackers yell about how they are excited for Christmas, with Luke excited for “two front teeth.”
Ric Flair (w/Mr. Perfect) (6-0) beats Shawn Michaels (1-2) after Michaels crashes into the guardrail at 9:06 shown:
This match was filmed in Corpus Christi, Texas on December 2 as part of a year-end Wrestling Challenge taping. Marty Jannetty’s absence from ringside lends more credence to rumors that the Rockers are on the verge of splitting. Michaels shows good, competitive fire that is befitting of his recent personality by slapping Flair to get out of a corner attack and chopping Flair several times against the buckles. The cutting of the match is favorable to Michaels as well as he dominates the first seven minutes. Michaels hits the Rockers’ trademark flying fist drop but Flair kicks out at two. He then tries to dive onto Flair on the floor but Perfect gets Flair out of the way and Michaels crashes against the guardrail. When Perfect lays in some blows, Jannetty rushes to ringside. He picks Michaels’ limp body off the floor and rolls him into the ring and Flair just covers, putting his feet on the ropes to win. This was clicking well before the long finishing bit of Michaels getting knocked out but even that is good booking because it furthers the Rockers breakup storyline. Still, the lack of a hot finish takes it down a bit. And Jannetty looks like an idiot for rolling his partner into the ring so he could lose. Rating: ***¼
When Michaels comes to, he is mad that Jannetty rolled him into the ring.
Perfect, who is reading WWF Magazine, argues that the Rockers are definitely breaking up and that Jannetty has always been jealous of Michaels. As an aside, Heenan is confident that Ric Flair can win the Royal Rumble with any number.
Ted DiBiase’s squash from Wrestling Challenge airs.
Tune in next week to see Hacksaw Jim Duggan face the Barbarian, the Big Bossman against Kato, the New Foundation against the Nasty Boys, and there will be a special interview with the Bushwhackers! There will also be a replay of the Virgil & El Matador tag team match from Tuesday in Texas against Ted DiBiase & Repo Man!
The Last Word: Shawn Michaels’ performance in the big feature match against Ric Flair demonstrated that he was ready for a singles push. It is a shame that fans were only treated to a cut portion of the match on television, though. Since many fans did not order This Tuesday in Texas, getting to see Randy Savage against Jake Roberts was a big deal as well. And it looks like the WWF will recycle matches from that show as Prime Time filler in the weeks ahead.
Up Next: WWF Superstars for December 21!