What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – August 22, 1992

Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect are providing commentary, concluding the tapings in Worcester, Massachusetts. After a delay, Perfect says he is going to be in the winner’s corner at SummerSlam.

Opening Contest: The Beverly Brothers & Repo Man (w/the Genius) beat the Bushwhackers & Hacksaw Jim Duggan when Beau pins Luke after hitting him with the Genius’ scroll at 4:23:

The experiment of doing matches and big segments before the show’s introduction is brought to a quick end. Try as they might, the Beverlys cannot get away from the Bushwhackers, fighting them twice on television this year and they had a feud with them last year. The heels get stacked in the corner where they given modified Battering Rams three times and then the heels are whipped into some Duggan clotheslines. Beau hot shots Butch behind the referee’s back to put the heels in control but that does not last long before Duggan gets the hot tag. Duggan feed the heels into more Battering Rams but Repo Man intelligently drags Duggan and Butch out of the ring, allowing Beau to blast Luke with the Genius’ scroll so the heels can prevail. There were some nice spots here to excite the crowd, even if the offense got repetitive near the end. Duggan also seems to be injured or not 100% as he slid out of the ring slowly near the end of the match. Rating: *½

After the match, Duggan grabs his 2×4 and drives the heels from the ring.

Gene Okerlund’s Update segment recaps the big angle over the WWF Championship. The Ultimate Warrior does a taped promo about how it is clear that Randy Savage will do anything to retain the title and it remains a mystery who will sacrifice their fans to get Perfect in their corner and guarantee victory. Savage fires back that his fans know what he is about so he does not have to apologize to his fans for whatever decision he takes.

Papa Shango (19-0) pins Scott Taylor after the reverse shoulderbreaker in 57 seconds:

McMahon seems to indict Shango’s gimmick, promising fans that the WWF Championship bout at SummerSlam will not have have any voodoo, hocus pocus, or magic. Shango wins in less than a minute, barely earning recognition from the commentators until he beats up Taylor with his staff after the match, breaking it across the jobber’s back.

Referees intervene to stop Shango’s beatdown but they get tossed to the arena floor. Intercontinental Champion Bret Hart makes the save, restraining Shango in the ropes until officials can pull Taylor to the floor.

In a segment that aired on Prime Time Wrestling, Jimmy Hart tells Okerlund that he has a signed contract for his Nasty Boys to face Randy Savage & the Ultimate Warrior. That match will take place tomorrow night on the SummerSlam Spectacular show on USA Network.

Crush’s squash from Prime Time Wrestling airs.

Razor Ramon (3-0) beats Tony Roy after a crucifix powerbomb at 2:09:

Ramon paintbrushes Roy after a chokeslam and he wins another easy match as McMahon and Perfect discuss the SummerSlam Spectacular show. Roy folds up nicely for the finisher, which still lacks a name.

Bruce Hart says that his brother Bret has been a great Intercontinental champion and respects him but is sick of everything revolving around Bret’s achievements and the British Bulldog not getting enough credit.

Non-Title Match: Bret Hart (Intercontinental Champion) (25-1-1) defeats Richie Rich via submission to the Sharpshooter at 2:09:

Kids are all-in on the act of getting Bret’s shades, rushing to the ringside area when he makes his entrance to get them. In the split screen, Owen Hart picks Bret to win and wishes him luck. As expected, Papa Shango makes his presence felt and goes into a trance in the aisle before retreating to the locker room. Bret shows no ill effects as he finishes Rich shortly thereafter.

Okerlund does the SummerSlam Report. Okerlund says that Bret has recently been cursed by Shango. The British Bulldog repeats how he is coming to SummerSlam to win. Kamala, Harvey Wippleman, and Kim Chee tell the Undertaker that the big funeral at Wembley Stadium will be for the Undertaker. The Undertaker and Paul Bearer rebut that Kamala cannot look death in the eye.

Nailz (9-0) beats John Armstrong via submission to the chokehold sleeper at 1:53:

Armstrong does not sell well, mostly laying limp on the canvas when Nailz chokes him and then taking a weak chest-first bump into the corner. If Bret Hart was a one on that scale, Armstrong’ bump would be a 0.1. He also does not go limp for Nailz’s finish so the referee just calls for the bell instead of trying to check his arm. In the split screen, Virgil says that he is too legit to quit against Nailz. After the match, Nailz attacks with the nightstick and hits the referee in the arm.

To build the SummerSlam Spectacular show tomorrow night, the Nasty Boys tell Randy Savage that it is time for him to take a trip to Nastyville. They say the Ultimate Warrior was lucky to escape them several months ago and he will not be so lucky again.

The Last Word: The WWF had not done the bit of “two wrestlers who distrust each other are forced to team together before a pay-per-view” much before so it was a good way to build interest by making Randy Savage and the Ultimate Warrior team up a week before SummerSlam. This show also started a post-SummerSlam angle between Bret Hart and Papa Shango with it being implied that Shango’s curse might affect Bret’s performance at the pay-per-view. That feud does not look special on its face but it is the appropriate use of Shango rather than vaulting him into the main event. It also signals that Bret’s pre-SummerSlam feud with Shawn Michaels will not be continued afterward, unlike other programs like Tatanka-Rick Martel that were paused when the SummerSlam card reshuffled.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for August 23!