What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – September 27, 1992

Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are hosting today’s show, taped from Landover, Maryland.

Opening Non-Title Match: The Natural Disasters (WWF Tag Team Champions) (22-1) beat Gus Kantarakis & Nick Sherry when Earthquake pins Sherry after the Earthquake Splash at 2:57:

Kantarakis tries to lure Earthquake to the corner by getting on the second rope for a test of strength and then trying a flying body press but he just gets caught and slammed. One has to applaud the effort, though. Earthquake then does a funny spot where he does an airplane spin with Kantarakis and Kantarakis’ legs hit Sherry in the face. Earthquake is dizzy after doing the move so in his daze he falls over, right onto Kantarakis and doing more damage to the jobber. In the split screen, the Disasters say that they are ready to face whoever is named number one contenders, not seeing what the controversy is about between the Nasty Boys and Money Incorporated.

There is a replay of Gene Okerlund’s interview with Randy Savage on Superstars two weeks ago.

The Mountie (w/Jimmy Hart) (18-5) defeats Jay Sledge after the dropkick at 1:06:

The Mountie is back to using the dropkick as a finish for this squash, not taking long to beat Sledge in today’s match. The Canadian law enforcement officer is not humbled by his loss to Tatanka last week on Superstars, back to annoying crowds by singing his theme song and intimidating Sledge with the Great American Scream Machine after the bout concludes.

A commercial announces that Survivor Series will take place on November 25.

Nailz is supposed to face Tony DeVito in the next match. He throws DeVito over the top rope and gets the microphone, telling the Big Bossman that he has come to the WWF to fight him and he demands that the Bossman come out to face him, continually knocking DeVito off the apron. Monsoon says that the Bossman is not in the building to answer Nailz’s challenge and Nailz knows that.

A video package shows highlights of former WWF Champion Bob Backlund. Backlund announces from his home that he is making a comeback and wants to be WWF champion again. This was meant to introduce the WWF’s national audience to Backlund since many of its fans were not aware of the company’s history before Hulk Hogan. Doing a video package of Backlund doing workouts or something may have been the better choice because all this segment did was make him look like an old fogy.

The Komet Kid (1-0) beats Dwayne Gill after the Star Trek Splash at 1:53:

Like Superstars, the Kid does some flips and rolls before catching Gill with a spinning heel kick. Heenan tries to put over parts of the gimmick but does not really know what to say. Monsoon floats an interesting idea of the Kid joining forces with Papa Shango. He says that the Kid’s finisher – the rolling fireman’s carry – is the “Star Trek Splash.”

Footage of the end of the Undertaker-Kamala match from SummerSlam airs.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (26-0) pins Glen Ruth after the Tombstone at 2:19:

In the split screen, Kamala, Harvey Wippleman, and Kim Chee insist that they are not afraid of the Undertaker and the Undertaker is afraid of them. Ruth takes a minute to get into the ring, perhaps smarting over his loss to the Undertaker on the May 10 episode of Challenge, and when he does he is demolished in short order as the Undertaker remains undefeated in 1992.

Razor Ramon does a taped promo in the locker room talking about how he beat Randy Savage up so much that he ran to the Ultimate Warrior for new ring gear. Ramon says that none of that will help Savage because he is going to have to face him one-on-one sooner or later.

Shawn Michaels (w/Sensational Sherri) (26-1-1) pins Joey Maggs after the Teardrop Suplex at 2:50:

Michaels reprises his bit of looking into the mirror after taking a shot to the face and then beating up Maggs afterward. In the split screen, Michaels tells the British Bulldog that he is coming after his Intercontinental title. Monsoon wonders what Sherri looks like at 4 a.m. without her makeup and Heenan says that she wears it all the time but will not divulge how he knows that.

Tune in next week to see El Matador wrestle Kamala! Also, Tatanka, Money Incorporated, Bret Hart, and Razor Ramon will be in action!

The Last Word: Wrestling Challenge was one of the last places for big announcements or the beginning of angles but today’s show was an exception as it was announced that Bob Backlund would be returning to go after the WWF title and Shawn Michaels was going to be programmed against the British Bulldog for the Intercontinental Championship. The latter is more exciting than the former because it is unclear where a non-character like Backlund is going to fit into the “larger than life” WWF that has emerged in his absence.

After doing some television tapings in Canada at the end of the month, the WWF began an overseas tour of Europe while it kept another loop going in the United States. Here were the results of some of those shows, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Stuttgart, Germany – Hans-Martin-Schleyer Halle – September 24, 1992 (8,000): IRS pinned Virgil…Animal & Crush defeated the Beverly Brothers…Randy Savage pinned Ted DiBiase…WWF Tag Team Champions the Natural Disasters beat Papa Shango & Skinner…Bret Hart beat Rick Martel…The Bushwhackers defeated the Genius & Kato…WWF Champion Ric Flair pinned El Matador at 30:00.

Hamburg, Germany – Sporthalle – September 26, 1992 (4,500): The Bushwhackers beat Skinner & Kato…Rick Martel beat El Matador…WWF Tag Team Champions the Natural Disasters defeated Money Incorporated…WWF Champion Ric Flair pinned Randy Savage…Animal & Crush beat the Beverly Brothers…Virgil pinned the Genius…Bret Hart pinned Papa Shango.

Tampa, Florida – The SunDome – September 26, 1992 (2,600): Jerry Sags beat Repo Man…High Energy defeated Double Trouble (substituting for the Nasty Boys)…Razor Ramon pinned Hacksaw Jim Duggan (substituting for the Undertaker)…Intercontinental Champion the British Bulldog beat Shawn Michaels via disqualification when Sensational Sherri interfered…Tatanka pinned the Mountie…The Big Bossman defeated Nailz via disqualification…The Ultimate Warrior pinned Kamala.

Kiel, Germany – Ostseehalle – September 27, 1992 (6,000): Rick Martel pinned Virgil with a roll up…Money Incorporated defeated the Bushwhackers when IRS pinned Butch with a clothesline…Randy Savage beat Papa Shango after the flying elbow drop…WWF Tag Team Champions the Natural Disasters defeated the Beverly Brothers when Earthquake pinned Beau after the Earthquake Splash…El Matador pinned the Genius after the flying forearm…Animal & Crush beat Skinner & Kato after the Doomsday Device…WWF Champion Ric Flair beat Bret Hart via count out at 34:33.

Backstage News*: Prime Time Wrestling’s ratings dipped below a 2.0, with the most recent broadcast receiving a 1.9 rating due to competition from Monday Night Football and the season premiere of Murphy Brown.

-The Undertaker is out of action with a broken collarbone and Hacksaw Jim Duggan replaced him on house shows this week.

-If Captain Lou Albano is brought in, the plan is for him to be a babyface manager and paired with the Nasty Boys.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for October 5.

Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for September 28!