What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – July 26, 1992

Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are in the booth, still broadcasting from Binghamton, New York. Heenan is coy about left out of the WWF title match at SummerSlam.

Opening Non-Title Contest: Bret Hart (22-1-1) beats Vito Krus via submission to the Sharpshooter at 1:24:

Heenan assumes that Bret will defend the Intercontinental title against Shawn Michaels at SummerSlam and Monsoon has to correct him that nothing is guaranteed for the pay-per-view. Bret beat Krus two months ago on Superstars and quickly demolishes him today.

Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report announces that the Natural Disasters are the new tag team champions.

The Mountie (w/Jimmy Hart) (15-4) pins Bill Pierce after the dropkick at 1:26:

Monsoon clowns Heenan that he should have had the scoop about the tag team titles before fans heard from Hayes. Heenan feigns that he knew but Ted DiBiase told him not to tell anyone. Monsoon says that is because DiBiase paid him off. The Mountie is doing a great job being a heat magnet without having to do much in the ring, smothering Pierce before hitting the dropkick to beat the jobber for the second time in 1992.

Gene Okerlund does the SummerSlam Report. Shawn Michaels, with Sensational Sherri, tells Rick Martel that he will not get in the way of his destiny to be Intercontinental champion.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (18-0) pins Barry Hardy after the Tombstone at 1:52:

Heenan hypes every match on SummerSlam as a main event. Monsoon wonders how the Undertaker and Bearer will get the urn through customs. Kamala, Harvey Wippleman, and Kim Chee pop up in the split screen, with Kamala wailing as Wippleman tells the Undertaker that he is in a grave situation. Monsoon and Heenan say that when Kamala wails he needs to be fed. The banter and talking is good cover for the squash. After the bell, the Undertaker and Bearer put Hardy in a body bag.

A replay of Razor Ramon’s vignette from Superstars is shown.

Rick Martel (16-5-1) beats Brian Brieger via submission to the Boston Crab in 41 seconds:

In the split screen, Martel covers a lot of ground. He tells Tatanka that he is glad to have his feathers and Shawn Michaels that he is going to leave SummerSlam a loser. Martel wins his quickest squash of the year today with the usual backbreaker-Boston Crab combination.

The face-to-face segment between WWF Champion Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior from Superstars airs.

The Nasty Boys (w/Jimmy Hart) (16-0) beat Tony DeVito & Tony Ulysses when Jerry Sags pins DeVito after the Trip to Nastyville in 43 seconds:

DeVito broke into the business in 1991 after being trained by David Schultz. He would work Northeastern independent promotions in the early part of the decade before finding some fame later in ECW as part of Da Baldies stable.

After the recent round robin-style action in the tag team division on Prime Time Wrestling the Nasties are the last active tag team with an unbeaten record in 1992. The string of quick squashes continues as the Nasties finish DeVito with the Trip to Nastyville in less than a minute. This was meant to get the Nasties back over as top contenders for the tag team titles.

Tune in next week to see High Energy, Repo Man, Shawn Michaels, and the British Bulldog in action! Also, there will be a special interview with Nailz!

The Last Word: The big content that was the focus of this show took place on Superstars. The only good thing about the show was the fun commentary of Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan for some of the squash matches.

Here is a recap of this week’s WWF house show action, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Phoenix, Arizona – America West Arena – July 24, 1992 (6,300): This was the first show held at this venue…Kamala pinned Jim Powers…The Nasty Boys beat High Energy…Hawk (substituting for the British Bulldog) beat Repo Man…The Ultimate Warrior pinned Papa Shango with a press slam and splash…The Beverly Brothers beat the Bushwhackers (substituting for the Legion of Doom)…El Matador (substituting for Sergeant Slaughter) beat the Mountie…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart pinned Shawn Michaels.

Auburn Hills, Michigan – The Palace – July 24, 1992 (3,300): Crush beat Skinner via submission to the head vice at 9:38…The Big Bossman beat Nailz via disqualification at 7:11…WWF Tag Team Champions the Natural Disasters defeated Money Incorporated via disqualification when Ted DiBiase hits Earthquake with Jimmy Hart’s megaphone at 8:47…Tatanka pinned Rick Martel at 16:38…Virgil beat Kato at 12:15…The Undertaker pinned Ted DiBiase (substituting for the Berzerker) at 6:30. After the match, the Undertaker gave Tombstones to DiBiase, Jimmy Hart, and Mr. Fuji…WWF Champion Randy Savage pinned Ric Flair with a small package at 20:42.

Chicago, Illinois – The Rosemont Horizon – July 25, 1992 (3,600): Virgil pinned Kato…The Nasty Boys beat High Energy…The Bushwhackers defeated the Beverly Brothers…Animal (substituting for the British Bulldog) pinned Repo Man…The Big Bossman defeated Nailz via disqualification…Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart pinned Rick Martel…The Ultimate Warrior pinned Papa Shango.

Orlando, Florida – Orlando Arena – July 26, 1992 (4,000): Jim Brunzell beat the Brooklyn Brawler…Virgil pinned the Mountie…The Undertaker defeated Kamala (substituting for the Berzerker) & Mr. Fuji in a handicap match…WWF Tag Team Champions the Natural Disasters beat Money Incorporated via disqualification…Crush beat Skinner…The Big Bossman beat Nailz via disqualification…WWF Champion Randy Savage beat Ric Flair at 26:00.

Backstage News*: The first ladder match in WWF history took place in Portland, Maine at a Wrestling Challenge taping on July 21 as Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart beat Shawn Michaels.

-The Samoan tag team will be composed of Samu and Fatu and they will be managed by Afa. At recent television tapings Afa went by “Big Daddy.” Kokina might be a third member of the team.

-Konnan wrestled at the Superstars taping in Worcester, Massachusetts as Relampago, Spanish for “The Flyer.” He was wearing a space-suit costume.

-At the Wrestling Challenge tapings, J.W. Storm wrestled with Jimmy Hart as his manager.

-New Japan does not have a deal with Hulk Hogan but is still trying to broker one as they want him to wrestle on their January 4 card at the Tokyo Dome. Do not look for Hogan to wrestle in Japan in late 1992 because that conflicts with the WWF sending some stars over to Genichiro Tenryu’s new WAR promotion.

-Several stars are on the shelf for various reasons. The British Bulldog blew out his knee at television tapings and is not expected back until SummerSlam. Hawk has a shoulder injury. The Berzerker was off the road because his wife went into labor and Sergeant Slaughter missed shows because of a family illness.

-Prime Time Wrestling continues to draw strong ratings, posting a 2.8 share this past Monday.

-In talent relations news, there were rumors that Bret Hart and Ted DiBiase were negotiating with WCW but there is no substance to those reports. Rumors that Sting was looking to go to the WWF are also wrong because Sting has two years left on his WCW deal. Another rumor was that the Steiner Brothers were going to the WWF but their WCW contracts do not expire until December. It is possible at that time that the WWF could sign them, though. Referee Bill Alfonso will be coming into the WWF since he is a personal assistant of El Gigante.

*Backstage news is courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for July 27 and August 3.

Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for July 27!