What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – November 29, 1992

Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan are hosting today’s show, taped from Louisville, Kentucky.

Non-Title Match: Money Incorporated (WWF Tag Team Champions w/Jimmy Hart) (28-3) defeat George Anderson & Rock Werner when Irwin R. Schyster pins Werner after the Write Off at 2:12:

Before the match, IRS tells fans that they still do not realize that tax cheating is illegal in the United States. Monsoon and Heenan talk up a future Money Incorporated-Nasty Boys match as Ted DiBiase outwrestles both enhancement talents. IRS does mop up duty after DiBiase powerslams Werner.

WrestleMania IX is coming to Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 4, 1993! To get ticket information dial 1-800-634-6698!

Papa Shango (29-3) pins Jim Powers (3-11) after the reverse shoulderbreaker at 3:00:

Monsoon jokes that Shango does not know about the Clean Air Act because of how much smoke his entrance creates. Monsoon and Heenan push Shango as a threat as he blocks Powers’ sunset flip and beats him down. After winning with the reverse shoulderbreaker, Shango has his voodoo stick explode with fireworks. The unknown clown watches all of this develop and looks concerned.

Crush (21-0) defeats Brian Costello via submission to the head vice at 2:32:

Crush twists Costello up into an Indian deathlock and easily flips Costello over when Costello applies a hammerlock. As Heenan laments the outcome of Ric Flair and Razor Ramon’s tag team match at Survivor Series, Crush press slams Costello and submits him with the head vice.

Yokozuna (w/Mr. Fuji) (5-0) pins Buck Zumhoff after the sit-down splash off the second rope at 1:55:

As Yokozuna makes his entrance, Monsoon and Heenan give Yokozuna’s avalanche spot a name: the Banzai Splash. It is interesting that a trademark move has a name but not his finisher. Yokozuna only needs three moves to beat Zumhoff: a uranage, the Banzai Splash, and sit-down splash off the second rope. Heenan says that he hopes Ric Flair gets to Bret Hart first before Yokozuna gets a title shot.

Lance Cassidy (2-0-1) beats the Brooklyn Brawler (1-17) after a flying clothesline at 3:10:

Monsoon takes umbrage with the Brawler’s attire, arguing that he makes a good enough living in the WWF to wear better clothes. In the split screen, Cassidy says he does everything with 100% effort and right now that means wrestling in the WWF. He urges fans to strap in for a long ride. The Brawler goes almost 50/50 with Cassidy, running shoulder-first into the ring post on a blind charge and that mistake leads to the Brawler’s downfall. Steve Armstrong is trying with this character but it is just Sam Houston 2.0. Rating: ½*

Gene Okerlund interviews Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels, who laughs at how easy it was to win the title. He says he is ready for all comers, including Marty Jannetty, and also laughs about Jannetty going through the Barber Shop window in January. When asked about Sensational Sherri, Michaels tells her to sit by her phone and wait for it to ring because he will call her when he can since his life is busy after winning the title.

Max Moon (9-0) defeats W.T. Jones after the reverse flying body press at 2:15:

Jones had been doing WWF enhancement work since 1989. He also served that role in the AWA in 1989 and 1990. On the independent circuit he went by names Conan the Dark Rider and Jawbreaker Jones.

Moon wrestles the squash conventionally, doing arm work before a back splash and spinning heel kick in the corner. The Star Trek Splash makes no appearance as Moon does a reverse flying bulldog and then follows up with a reverse flying body press.

Razor Ramon (15-0) pins Mark Morgan after the Razor’s Edge at 2:25:

Before the match, Ramon hits on ring announcer Mike McGuirk and asks for a kiss but McGuirk does not reciprocate. Scott Hall said in shoot interviews that he thought McGuirk was attractive and did bits like that as a rib. In the split screen, Ramon tells Mr. Perfect that he is going to cut him down for betraying him. Morgan is no match for Ramon, destroyed like many jobbers before him. As the match wraps up, Heenan says he has dreams of Ramon giving Perfect the Razor’s Edge.

Tune in next week to see Bam Bam Bigelow, the Headshrinkers, Crush, and Marty Jannetty in action! Also, Mr. Perfect will appear for an interview!

The Last Word: This was just a typical Wrestling Challenge show of filler squashes so Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby Heenan could talk about the main event angles. There is not much developing yet, so that made some of their banter repetitive since Heenan would not stop talking about Mr. Perfect.

Here is a recap of the WWF’s house show action that followed Survivor Series, with results courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Kingston, Ontario, Canada – Memorial Centre – November 26, 1992 (2,300): Lance Cassidy beat the Brooklyn Brawler…Max Moon defeated Terry Taylor…Tatanka beat Papa Shango…The Headshrinkers defeated the Natural Disasters when Samu pinned Earthquake at 11:00…The Big Bossman defeated Kamala…Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels beat Marty Jannetty with the Flair pin…The Undertaker (substituting for the Ultimate Warrior) defeated Razor Ramon.

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada – Ottawa Civic Centre – November 26, 1992 (3,500): Virgil pinned Damien Demento…El Matador defeated Skinner…Crush beat Repo Man…Crush (substituting for Hacksaw Jim Duggan who was substituting for the Undertaker) defeated Nailz…Bob Backlund pinned Rick Martel (substituting for Jacques Rougeau)…WWF Champion Bret Hart defeated Rick Martel via submission to the Sharpshooter.

New York City, New York – Madison Square Garden – November 28, 1992 (12,300): Lance Cassidy pinned the Brooklyn Brawler…Crush beat Repo Man via submission to the head vice…Bob Backlund pinned Rick Martel (substituting for the Mountie) with a small package…The Nasty Boys defeated WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated via disqualification when Ted DiBiase shoved Jerry Sags off the top rope…The Big Bossman (substituting for the British Bulldog) pinned Kamala after heel miscommunication. After the match, Kamala chased Harvey Wippleman and Kim Chee to the dressing room…Max Moon beat Terry Taylor…The Undertaker (substituting for the Ultimate Warrior) pinned Nailz after a chokeslam at 12:00.

Chicago, Illinois – The Rosemont Horizon – November 29, 1992 (2,400; matinee): El Matador beat Terry Taylor…Razor Ramon defeated the Big Bossman…Bob Backlund beat Rick Martel…WWF Champion Bret Hart defeated Ric Flair…Virgil defeated Skinner…The Nasty Boys beat WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated via disqualification…The Undertaker beat Nailz.

Backstage News*: It is estimated that Survivor Series netted the WWF a gross of $3.1 million in revenue when ticket sales and pay-per-view revenue is combined.

-The dark match for Survivor Series saw Crush beat Repo Man via submission to the head vice.

-Survivor Series Showdown drew a 2.0 rating, the lowest of any WWF pre-pay-per-view special. It is a 36% decline over the previous year. The WWF’s syndicated ratings were not good in November either, which bodes ill for ad revenue going forward.

-The WWF has already sold 1,000 tickets for WrestleMania IX. The venue in Caesar’s Palace will hold 15,500. Since Hulk Hogan is on the advertising posters, it can be assumed that he will be on the card.

-The next WWF tour of Europe will kick off in Manchester, England on February 2.

-Bruce Prichard will soon be enlisted to do color commentary on one of the syndicated shows but will not be reprising his Brother Love character.

-In talent relations news, the Steiner Brothers have signed and will make their first appearance at television tapings in Green Bay, Wisconsin on December 14. Genichiro Tenryu will appear at The Royal Rumble.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for December 7.

Up Next: Prime Time Wrestling for November 30!

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