What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – May 2, 1993

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Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan are in the booth, taped from Phoenix, Arizona.

Opening Contest: Hacksaw Jim Duggan (6-0) beats Al Burke after the three-point stance clothesline at 2:49:

Duggan works the crowd into a loud “USA!” chant as he simultaneously screams about Yokozuna. He is in a foul mood, whipping Burke into the timekeeper’s table. Duggan has an Intercontinental title shot against Shawn Michaels tomorrow night on Monday Night RAW so this match builds him for that encounter.

Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report recaps the Tatanka-Bam Bam Bigelow feud. Bigelow tells Tatanka that he should have learned not to mess with fire. Tatanka fires back that his parents taught him to protect women, so that he why he saved Sensational Sherri. He calls for the wisdom of the great spirit to help him get revenge on Bigelow.

Mr. Hughes (3-0) pins Mark Ming after the sidewalk slam at 1:48:

Ross puts over Hughes’ college football credentials as part of hype about how all of the WWF’s managers want him. In the split screen, Slick argues that he could take Hughes’ energies and channel them into a positive light.

Non-Title Match: Shawn Michaels (Intercontinental Champion) (10-2) beats Brian West after the superkick at 3:17:

Michaels lures West to chase him around the ring after a slap and then puts the boots to his opponent. The Intercontinental champion mixes a flying clothesline into his arsenal to set up the superkick.

Gene Okerlund does The King of the Ring Report. Bret Hart says that the tournament is the best chance for him to get to the top of the WWF. Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji doubt that WWF Champion Hulk Hogan is ready for them.

King of the Ring Qualifying Match: Lex Luger (15-0) beats Bob Backlund (11-1) via count out at 4:53:

Backlund attempts to neutralize Luger’s power with mat wrestling and Luger is forced to kick out of pinning combinations multiple times in the first 90 seconds of the match. After an atomic drop, Backlund goes for his bridging cradle finish but Luger kicks out before the bridge can happen and when Backlund tries to get in the ring, Luger clocks him with a running forearm, knocking the former WWF champion out. If Luger had contributed more to this it would have been a much better match. Rating: **

Crush (12-2) defeats Reno Riggins via submission to the head vice at 2:25:

There is discussion of Doink’s use of illusions to get the better of Crush and how Crush is still seeking revenge. Riggins tries back rakes and going to the eyes but none of that has a long-term impact on Crush, who manhandles him and evens out his loss earlier in the week on Monday Night RAW.

Non-Title Match: Money Incorporated (WWF Tag Team Champions) (8-1) defeat Jesse Storm & Raymond Clark when IRS pins Clark after the Write Off at 3:04:

IRS warns the crowd that just because they got an extension does not mean that they can still cheat on their taxes. As Ross discusses that Money Incorporated have signed to face the Steiner Brothers, they mimic some of the Steiners style in tossing Storm into the corner after beating on him to get Clark into the match.

Papa Shango tells Hacksaw Jim Duggan that magic is in store for him next week. Duggan talks about being afraid of the dark as a kid but he is not afraid of it anymore and he is not afraid of voodoo.

Tune in next week to see Hacksaw Jim Duggan face Papa Shango in a King of the Ring qualifier! Also, the Steiner Brothers will be in action! And there will be a special interview with Luna Vachon!

The Last Word: Bob Backlund and Lex Luger had sneaky chemistry in their match and one wishes that their match would have gone longer. It is unlikely that Hacksaw Jim Duggan and Papa Shango will have the same sneaky chemistry but at least Wrestling Challenge keeps getting feature matches due to the King of the Ring Tournament gimmick.

The WWF resumed its house shows in the United States after spending much of April in Europe. Here are the results of those shows, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Long Island, New York – Nassau Coliseum – May 1, 1993 (8,400): The Brooklyn Brawler pinned Jim Powers…Bob Backlund beat Blake Beverly…The Headshrinkers defeated the Smoking Gunns (substituting for the Nasty Boys)…Yokozuna beat Hacksaw Jim Duggan via count out…Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels wrestled Mr. Perfect to a 20-minute time-limit draw…Bam Bam Bigelow beat Kamala…Bret Hart defeated Lex Luger via disqualification.

Rochester, New York – The War Memorial – May 1, 1993: Owen Hart pinned Terry Taylor with a roll up…Crush wrestled Doink the Clown to a double cont out when two Doinks attacked Crush on the floor…Mr. Hughes pinned Virgil…The Undertaker beat Giant Gonzalez via disqualification when Gonzalez used the urn as a weapon…Tatanka beat Terry Taylor (substituting for Razor Ramon) after the Papoose to Go…Papa Shango pinned Typhoon after Typhoon missed the Tidal Wave…The Steiner Brothers beat WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated via disqualification when IRS hit Scott with one of the Tag Team title belts when Scott had Ted DiBiase pinned.

Backstage News*: Attendance in the United States was not good after returning from Europe. Most house shows drew just 1,500 to 3,000 fans and television tapings in Portland, Maine and Worcester, Massachusetts were moved to smaller venues that would seat fewer than 4,000.

-WWF Champion Hulk Hogan will face IWGP Heavyweight Champion the Great Muta on Monday at Wrestling Dontaku 93 at the Fukuoka Dome in Fukuoka, Japan.

-In talent relations news, the WWF has signed Boni Blackstone as an interviewer. She will do Event Center segments and host interview segments called “Face to Face.” Blackstone previously worked for Global.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for May 10.

Up Next: Monday Night RAW for May 3!

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!