What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – April 11, 1993

All American Wrestling had an exclusive feature match.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan (3-0) pins Damien Demento (7-3) after the three-point stance clothesline at 3:45:

This match was filmed in Augusta, Georgia on March 9. Duggan dominates the match and all Demento can do is stall a few times to delay the inevitable. Rating: ½*

Wrestling Challenge featured a new commentary team as Jim Ross replaced Gorilla Monsoon to commentate with Bobby Heenan. Despite the switch, the show is still taped from Augusta, Georgia.

Opening Contest: The Steiner Brothers (14-0) beat the Executioners when Scott pins Pain after the Frankensteiner at 3:09:

As the Steiner make their entrance, Ross hypes them as contenders for the WWF Tag Team Championship. Like the pilot episode of Monday Night RAW, the Steiners mow down the Executioners with suplexes and slams.

Bam Bam Bigelow (16-1) pins Reno Riggins after the flying headbutt at 2:23:

Poor Bigelow failed to get any shine from WrestleMania because his match was cancelled. Riggins, still wearing his ridiculous tassels, takes a nice bump from a stun gun. Instead of finishing with a flying headbutt after that, Bigelow prefers to lay in more punishment.

Tatanka (12-0) pins Glen Ruth after the Papoose to Go at 2:08:

Tatanka freshens up some of his squash formula, backdropping Ruth over the top rope and suplexing him into the ring. There are no discussions of Tatanka continuing to chase the Intercontinental Championship so he appears to be moving onto other things.

Mr. Hughes defeats J.D. Stryker after a sidewalk slam at 2:11:

Hughes was a trainee of Sonny Myers and Bob Geigel, starting his career in Central States Wrestling in 1988. Dubbed “the Cat” he moved on to the AWA in its dying days and was signed to WCW, where he worked from 1990-1992. He split time there as a wrestler and bodyguard for WCW Champion Lex Luger. Hughes briefly worked for Memphis’ USWA before reportedly showing up to this television taping, wrestling a dark match, and immediately being offered a contract.

Due to Hughes’ office-like attire one wonders if he is going to become the newest member of Money Incorporated. He makes an impression with some power offense, especially with a sidewalk slam finisher off the ropes that lifts Styker high off the ground.

Tiger Jackson (w/the Bushwhackers) defeats Little Louie (w/the Beverly Brothers) after Butch interferes at 4:30:

The WWF has decided to reheat the awful Bushwhackers-Beverly Brothers feud of 1991-1992 on house shows, this time plugging in little person wrestlers instead of Jamison and the Genius as seconds. Referee Earl Hebner has his work cut out of him as Louie slaps him and Jackson bites his rear end. Jackson also slaps during a front facelock and Hebner pushes Louie, thinking that is who has been hitting him. Louie has a funny offensive maneuver in setting Jackson on his head and spinning him like a top. For some reason, the WWF thinks the match needs an interference finish so when the Beverlys complain to Hebner, Butch gets into the ring, picks Jackson up, and throws him onto Louie for the winning fall. Matches like this are not meant to be technical masterpieces, just comedy for the audience and this did enough to be watchable. Rating: *

After the match, the Beverlys try to fight with the Bushwhackers but get driven from the ring.

Terry Taylor (1-2) defeats Joey Maggs after a spinebuster at 2:06:

Taylor had already begun hosting the WWF’s Wrestling Spotlight program so it was weird that he was still wrestling, especially as a heel. Heenan takes note of that in between conversations with Ross about Lex Luger knocking out Bret Hart at a brunch on the morning of WrestleMania IX.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan (4-0) pins Barry Hardy after the three-point stance clothesline at 2:01:

Hardy was busy today, having a unique distinction in this era of wrestling in the first match and the last match on a television program. Duggan fires up a dwindling crowd at the taping, mixing in some new moves like ramming Hardy into the corner and using a fist drop off the ropes.

Tune in next week to see the Nasty Boys battle the Beverly Brothers! Also, Lex Luger, El Matador, WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated, and Doink the Clown will be in action!

The Last Word: This was a weird episode as fans had a little person battle as the feature match and Terry Taylor wrestled for the first time since February 22’s Monday Night RAW. Mr. Hughes had a good debut and will be another body in a sea of heels. At this point the WWF has more interesting heels than babyfaces, a change from the last few years when the opposite was true. Jim Ross works well with Bobby Heenan but the pairing does not have the same magic as Heenan working with Gorilla Monsoon.

After WrestleMania IX, the WWF embarked on a European tour. Here were the results of some of those shows, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Paris, France – Bercy Stadium – April 8, 1993 (5,000): This show was televised on Canal+…Intercontinental Champion Sahwn Michaels pinned Bob Backlund after reversing a roll up and using tights for leverage at 13:10…Crush beat Doink the Clown via count out at 8:10…The Nasty Boys wrestled the Headshrinkers to a double disqualification when all four men brawled in the ring at 11:33. After the bell, both teams attacked each other with wooden chairs…Mr. Perfect pinned Lex Luger by lifting his shoulder out of a double pin situation at 6:44…Kamala beat Kim Chee after a splash to the back at 6:45…Typhoon pinned Damien Demento after a powerslam at 6:25…Yokozuna defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan after Mr. Fuji interfered, leading to Duggan taking Yokozuna’s sit-down splash off the second rope at 7:31. After the match, Duggan hit Yokozuna with his 2×4 and cleared the ring.

Sheffield, England – Sheffield Arena – April 11, 1993 (12,000; sellout): This show was billed as UK Rampage ’93 and aired on SKY Sports…Fatu pinned Brian Knobbs with the Flair pin at 9:43…Doink the Clown beat Kamala after using the tights for leverage at 5:54…Mr. Perfect beat Samu with the Perfectplex at 13:34…Bob Backlund pinned Damien Demento with a roll up and bridge at 7:56…Typhoon beat the Brooklyn Brawler with a powerslam at 9:49…Crush defeated Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels via count out at 8:51…Lex Luger beat Hacksaw Jim Duggan via disqualification when Mr. Perfect interfered, preventing Luger from covering Duggan late in the match…In a dark match after the show went off the air, Hacksaw Jim Duggan pinned Yokozuna after the three-point stance clothesline after heel miscommunication from Mr. Fuji at 3:17.

Backstage News*: Police had to be called to the office of a TCI cable office in Branford, Connecticut because a computer malfunction prevented them from getting WrestleMania. Irate fans stormed the office, beating on doors and windows until police arrived. The glitch forced TCI to refund $21,000 in purchases across the state.

-Dave Meltzer estimates that Hulk Hogan’s appearance at WrestleMania IX generated an additional $1.2 million for the WWF when it comes to ticket sales and pay-per-view buys.

-Hogan is not scheduled to work regularly until sometime in June. He is doing some house shows in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in May and will wrestle at the June pay-per-view. Hogan will also face IWGP Champion the Great Muta on May 3 at the Fukuoka Dome. If Hogan’s pilot for Thunder in Paradise gets picked up by CBS then he would miss 13 weeks in the fall.

-The WWF will probably push its hotline business more with Jim Ross coming aboard. It is estimated that Ross’ work for WCW’s hotline grossed more than $500,000 last year.

-In talent relations news, the WWF gave tryouts to the Lightning Kid, Butch Beardon, and Steve “Wild Thing” Ray. Of the three only the Kid is said to have impressed in his match with Louie Spicolli.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for April 19.

Up Next: Monday Night RAW for April 12!

And if you would like to read a compiled breakdown of 1990-1992 WWF, 1993 ECW, or of various promotions in 1995, check out my Amazon author page to purchase e-books or paperback copies!