What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – July 12, 1992

Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan provide commentary, concluding the tapings in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Heenan is excited because Ric Flair is on today’s program and Monsoon has fun teasing him about other acts on today’s program that are more important.

Opening Contest: Ric Flair (w/Mr. Perfect) (5-1) defeats Jason Knight via submission to the figure-four leglock at 1:45:

Flair gets a lot of “woos” from the crowd as he chops Knight in the corner. In the split screen, Flair and Perfect tell WWF Champion Randy Savage that he is going to run out of places to hide and it is Flair’s destiny to be WWF champion again. After the figure-four is locked in, Knight immediately submits.

Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report replays the Randy Savage tribute from Superstars.

The Beverly Brothers (w/the Genius) (15-1) beat Tony Ulysses & Nick Danger when Beau pins Danger after the Shaker Heights Spike at 2:04:

Ulysses was trained by WWF Hall of Famer Killer Kowalski and worked in Northeastern independent promotions. He previously worked as a WWF enhancement talent between 1988-1990.

The jobbers mount no offense against the Beverlys, who outclass them with their usual arsenal. After the bell, the Beverlys paint Danger’s face and write “LOS” on his chest.

El Matador (22-2-1) pins Joe Milano after El Paso del Muerte at 2:03:

Many of El Matador’s matches since WrestleMania have been used to hype other things and that continues to be the case today as Monsoon and Heenan talk about ICOPRO. Heenan argues that it will become so popular that NFL players will be using it soon. Milano gets in some token shots but El Matador shrugs it off, throws a dropkick and knee lift, and El Paso del Muerte lets him go 2-1 on WWF television this week.

Rick Martel (15-3-1) beats Scott Colantonio via submission to the Boston Crab at 1:58:

In the split screen, Martel tells Tatanka that he would never make fun of his heritage and will exterminate Tatanka like people once did with buffalo. Martel gets surprised with a sunset flip for two and Colantonio misses a reverse flying body press off the second rope, allowing Martel to lock in the Boston Crab and earn a fifth-straight singles win.

Crush (7-0) beats Glen Ruth via submission to the head vice at 1:48:

Ruth is no match for Crush’s power, getting his back broken several times before succumbing to the head vice. After the match, Crush helps Ruth up and raises his hand, only for Ruth to faceplant on the canvas when Crush lets go of his arm.

A video package recaps Papa Shango’s recent curses. Shango is shown in his lair telling the Ultimate Warrior that he is the “ultimate fool” and repeats how the living will fall and the dead will rise. The Warrior’s face is superimposed on flames that Shango is looking into and he laughs. Just like the Warrior’s promo last week, this was a weak effort to interest fans in their feud.

Non-Title Match: Bret Hart (Intercontinental Champion) (20-1-1) defeats the Dublin Destroyer via submission to the Sharpshooter at 2:00:

A father is proud that his son gets Bret’s sunglasses, holding him high in the air for the crowd to see. Heenan jokes that the glasses are so greasy that they are not a prize worth having. In the split screen, Shawn Michaels admires his reflection in Sensational Sherri’s mirror, saying that he looks forward to beating Bret for the Intercontinental title. The mirror bits are fine for Michaels’ character but this feud has been on a constant loop about that and it is getting old. Bret makes quick work of the Destroyer as female fans in the audience – young, middle age, and old – loudly cheer for him.

There is a replay of the Razor Ramon vignette from Superstars.

High Energy (10-0) beat Kerry Davis & Joe McMullen when Owen Hart pins McMullen after a missile dropkick at 2:33:

Monsoon must have read his recent Zoobooks as he discusses how sometimes macaws like Frankie molt and get new feathers. Heenan says none of that matters because Frankie never looks good. He also continues his bit about how ridiculous Ware looks in the parachute pants. High Energy flatten their opponents with a double clothesline early, their most impressive spot of the match. Owen wrestles a toned-down style until he blasts McMullen with a missile dropkick when Koko B. Ware does the same to Davis. All the WWF’s tag teams except for the Bushwhackers now have winning streaks that extend beyond eleven matches.

Tune in next week to see Tatanka, Nailz, and the Legion of Doom in action! Also, there will be a special interview with Ric Flair!

The Last Word: When Papa Shango was hyped as getting a special interview most fans assumed it would be with Gene Okerlund but Okerlund must have begged off after Shango made his wrist bleed black goo a few weeks ago so Shango had to do it from the comfort of his own home instead. That segment was underwhelming and typifies the continued creative problems in the company.

The WWF continued its house show run in the Northeast and a few other markets during this week of early July. Here were the results of some of those cards, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Allentown, Pennsylvania – Agricultural Hall – July 7, 1992 (3,100; sellout): El Matador pinned the Brooklyn Brawler after the flying forearm at 12:00…The Undertaker pinned the Berzerker with a flying shoulderblock at 8:00. After the match, the Undertaker gave Mr. Fuji a Tombstone…Kamala pinned the Texas Tornado after a splash at 6:00…The Natural Disasters beat WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated via count out after the champions left ringside…Virgil pinned Skinner with a sunset flip at 7:00…The British Bulldog beat Repo Man after hitting Repo Man with his own tow rope at 8:00…Randy Savage & Sergeant Slaughter defeated Ric Flair & the Mountie when Savage pinned the Mountie with a flying double axe handle.

East Rutherford, New Jersey – The Meadowlands – July 11, 1992 (12,500 paid): This was the WWF’s return to the venue after an 18-month absence. They boycotted the venue while the Meadowlands allowed WCW to run shows there…El Matador pinned Skinner…The Mountie beat Sergeant Slaughter via count out…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart pinned Shawn Michaels…The Legion of Doom & Paul Ellering beat the Beverly Brothers & the Genius when Animal pinned Beau…Virgil beat Kato…The Big Bossman defeated Nailz via disqualification…The Ultimate Warrior pinned Papa Shango with a clothesline and splash.

Charlotte, North Carolina – Charlotte Coliseum – July 11, 1992 (3,000): The Nasty Boys beat High Energy…Tatanka pinned Rick Martel…Jim Powers beat the Brooklyn Brawler…The Natural Disasters defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated via count out when the champions walked out of the match…The British Bulldog pinned Repo Man…The Undertaker beat the Berzerker…WWF Champion Randy Savage beat Ric Flair via reverse decision.

Backstage News*: The WWF wants Hulk Hogan to return in September but Hogan might be working with New Japan on September 23 for $100,000 per show and all revenue from his merchandise sales. If Hogan works the Tokyo Dome card on January 4 that would mean he would be participating in an event co-promoted by New Japan and WCW. The WWF wants Hogan back for WrestleMania next year and most expect him to return for that show.

-The WWF is planning another tour of Europe that will commence in September. WCW is doing a tour of Great Britain in October so the WWF is pre-empting them with this move.

-Ric Flair was greeted as a returning hero and WWF Champion Randy Savage was loudly booed at the Charlotte house show on July 11. The crowd is said to have popped for Flair winning the title before the decision was reversed. There are rumors that Flair might go back to WCW now that Bill Watts’ has assumed control there but Flair’s WWF contract does not expire until September 5, 1993.

-The WWF is close to settling WCW’s lawsuit over Flair bringing the NWA World Championship Belt to the WWF last year and carrying it on television. A $30,000 to $40,000 figure has been discussed as adequate to end the litigation along with an injunction preventing the WWF from using footage involving the belt in video packages or other forms of media.

-The strong crowd for the WWF’s show at the Meadowlands – the company’s biggest since WrestleMania – guarantees that WCW will not be running the venue for the foreseeable future.

-Prime Time Wrestling notched its highest rating in some time, scoring a 2.7 share.

-The Arco Arena in Sacramento, California has been chosen as the site for next year’s Royal Rumble. The event will be held on January 24.

-The WWF has hired a public relations firm run by Howard Rubenstein in Manhattan to help it improve its image. Rubenstein’s other clients have included the Metropolitan Opera, Donald Trump, and the New York Yankees.

-In talent relations news, El Gigante’s signing with the WWF has been confirmed and it is expected that he will start working in January.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for July 20.

Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for July 13!