What the World Was Watching: WWF Prime Time Wrestling – December 14, 1992

Vince McMahon moderates this evening’s panel, composed of Hillbilly Jim, Sergeant Slaughter, Bobby Heenan, and Jerry Lawler.

Opening Contest: The Bushwhackers (8-7) beat Barry Horowitz & the Brooklyn Brawler when Luke pins the Brawler after the Battering Ram at 6:27:

The Bushwhackers have not had a televised match since the October 11 edition of Wrestling Challenge. In an imbalanced tag team division, they have been used throughout the year to substitute for injured teams on house shows or occupy a feature match slot on syndicated programs. The Brawler and Horowitz get a competitive match out of the Bushwhackers but much of their offense on Butch are kicks and punches. Butch also awkwardly rolls into a small package and has trouble getting up for a Horowitz backbreaker. A Brawler blind charge that sends him shoulder-first into the ring post provides a window for Luke to get the hot tag and when all hell breaks loose, the Bushwhackers whip the Brawler into his partner and finish him with the Battering Ram. The Bushwhackers were good to pop a crowd occasionally but this match was a good demonstration of why they needed to be de-emphasized from an in-ring role. Rating: ½*

The Berzerker (w/Mr. Fuji) (15-4) defeats Buck Zumhoff after a powerslam at 2:45:

Fuji is still with the Berzerker because this match was filmed in late October. Fans facing the hard camera get into the Berzerker’s “Hus!” yelling. The Berzerker yells it a lot between moves, vanquishing the smaller Zumhoff with slams and a knee drop.

Promo time with Sean Mooney! Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji talk about Japan’s superiority to the United States and dare any American wrestler to try to slam Yokozuna.

McMahon wonders how anyone will be able to matchup with Yokozuna. Heenan hypes Yokozuna’s sumo abilities and how Fuji will teach him WWF wrestling. Lawler adds that Yokozuna is great because he comes from a country with a monarchy.

The Rockers’ breakup angle in January is shown. Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels joins the show via satellite from KABB-TV and Marty Jannetty does the same from WXTX in Columbus, Georgia. Michaels argues that Jannetty is trying to ride his coattails again and that Jannetty was a coward for not coming after him right after going through the Barber Shop window. Jannetty does not have a good response to any of this, just offering generic comments about wanting to kick Michaels’ ass, so Michaels wins this round of the exchange.

The Beverly Brothers (w/the Genius) (23-3-1) defeats Jim Powers & Jim Brunzell when Beau pins Brunzell with a schoolboy roll up at 6:15:

This is the Genius’ last televised appearance as this bout took place in Springfield, Illinois on October 26. Powers and Brunzell are the babyface equivalent to an all-star enhancement team just like what Barry Horowitz and the Brooklyn Brawler represented for heels in the opening match. Powers and Brunzell get more offense than the Beverlys in a back-and-forth match. Powers spends a brief time in peril until giving the hot tag to Brunzell after a simultaneous clothesline spot. Brunzell blasts Beau with his dropkick and Blake interrupts the pinfall, causing all hell to break loose. When Brunzell runs the ropes he takes a shot a Blake but Beau knees him in the back and rolls him up. Tag teams have been partial to that finish this year for some reason. Rating: *½

Randy Savage (6-2) pins Terry Taylor (3-0-2) after the flying elbow drop at 9:44:

This match took place in Erie, Pennsylvania on November 23. Within a few months Savage has gone from WWF champion to directionless in storylines as Mr. Perfect has usurped his babyface position against Ric Flair and Razor Ramon. Both men have good counters to each other’s offense as Savage arm drags out of a Taylor hiptoss effort and Taylor catches Savage’s flying double axe handle to the floor with a fist to the gut. Taylor racks up near-falls with a backbreaker, dropkick, and spinebuster and Savage counters with any type of hope spot roll up one can imagine. The former Red Rooster tries to finish with a slingshot corner splash but that eats knees. Savage hits his flying double axe handle in the ring for two and a backdrop suplex gets two. Taylor makes one last stand with a blind charge but runs into Savage’s boot and a slam and elbow drop finish off one of the better Prime Time matches this year. This should have resulted in Taylor getting elevated. Rating: ***

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (31-0) beats Dwayne Gill after the Tombstone at 1:54:

If Gill had dreams of doing better than his last outing against the Undertaker on the June 20 edition of Superstars, that ends when he runs into a chokeslam. After the match, the Undertaker and Bearer put Gill in a body bag and the Undertaker stomps on it.

Jim and Slaughter are shown reading the latest issue of WWF Magazine. Lawler jokes that Jim and Slaughter do not really know how to read.

Heenan argues that he interrupted Bret’s promo on Superstars because Bret was not getting the facts right. He alleges that Bret threw the first punch against Razor Ramon and triggered the brawl that ensued afterward.

Repo Man (24-11-1) wrestles Papa Shango (30-4) to a double disqualification at 4:09:

This is another match from Erie, Pennsylvania and it features an interesting clash of heel gimmicks. Neither man attempts to play a babyface role but neither try to cheat throughout either, which ruins some of the fun of doing these types of matches. The bout never gets out of its first gear and after a simultaneous clothesline spot, Shango grabs his voodoo stick and shoots fireworks at Repo Man. In response, Repo Man grabs his tow rope and the referee decides to disqualify both men even though Shango used his object first. Rating: DUD

Lance Cassidy (4-0-1) defeats Skinner (12-12-1) after the flying clothesline at 5:23:

This match was filmed in Louisville, Kentucky on October 28. Lord Alfred Hayes is surprised to learn that boxing legend Muhammad Ali is from Louisville. Over the last few months Skinner has demonstrated greater wrestling knowledge and he gets a near-fall from a half nelson cradle and takes Cassidy down with an armbar. Cassidy gets a late offensive rally out of nowhere, whipping Skinner into the corner, hiptossing him, and winning his biggest match to date with a flying clothesline. Hayes calls the outcome an upset but fans would beg to differ. Rating: *

There is a replay of Marty Jannetty’s return before he and Shawn Michaels rejoin the broadcast. Michaels argues that Sensational Sherri was so concerned about his looks that she sacrificed herself for him. When McMahon asks Michaels how Sherri is doing, Michaels argues he has been too busy defending the Intercontinental title to know. Jannetty argues that he knows how Sherri is doing because he called her and relays that Michaels has never called Sherri since the incident. Jannetty promises to beat Michaels until his fists hurt.

The Last Word: There were few panel discussions on this evening’s show, but that was no great loss because Hillbilly Jim nor Sergeant Slaughter can match wits with Bobby Heenan and Jerry Lawler. Shawn Michaels outclassed Marty Jannetty in the promo segments, although Jannetty found his fire again in their second encounter. The Randy Savage-Terry Taylor match is worth checking out on its own and it was later used on the WrestleFest ’93 Coliseum Video as well as a DVD release of Randy Savage’s unreleased matches in 2018.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for December 19!