What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – May 30, 1993

All American Wrestling had an exclusive match, taped from the Manhattan Center on May 10.

Bam Bam Bigelow (23-1) wrestles Bob Backlund (13-2) to a time-limit draw at 8:52 shown:

Backlund has had goodwill from the Manhattan Center crowd at past tapings but not this one as there are multiple, loud chants for the Beast from the East. The former WWF champion finds it hard to counter Bigelow’s size, failing to slam him three times. Bigelow works the back to set up a Canadian backbreaker, which Backlund escapes. When he plants Bigelow with a back suplex the bell rings because the time limit expires. This was telling a good story but had an abrupt, unsatisfying ending that ruined it. Backlund did not even get to make a comeback. Rating: *½

Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan are calling today’s action, taped from Portland, Maine. Heenan tries to make sense of there being two Doinks on RAW but fails.

Opening Contest: Crush (16-2-1) defeats Chris Duffy via submission to the head vice at 2:30:

Duffy does some of the small stuff well, positioning himself to take Crush’s back kick to the face and then running himself into the ring post after a Crush blow on the floor. Heenan argues that Crush has a short temper that Shawn Michaels will take advantage of at The King of the Ring.

The Headshrinkers (w/Afa) (13-1-1) defeat Russ Greenberg & Jay Sledge when Fatu pins Greenberg after a splash off the top rope at 3:39:

To borrow a phrase from Ross, Sledge “goes through a couple of time zones” when the Headshrinkers throw him into the air for a double flapjack. Heenan makes fun of Oklahoma as the Headshrinkers destroy Greenberg. And Ross and Heenan raise a good point that the eight-man tag team match is dangerous for Money Incorporated because all three teams in the match could turn on them.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan (10-1) pins LA Gore after the three-point stance clothesline at 2:44:

It is too bad Gore did not lean into the LA Gear shoe line and have ring boots that lit up when they contacted the canvas. Fans are learning that lots of WWF wrestlers had football career as Ross discusses Duggan’s play at Southern Methodist University. Duggan is still screaming about Yokozuna as he annihilates another enhancement talent.

Luna Vachon is this week’s guest on the King’s Court. Vachon puts herself over as the most dominant force in wrestling and tells Sensational Sherri that she will not be sensational when their feud is over.

Bam Bam Bigelow (23-1-1) beats Jason Knight after the flying headbutt at 2:16:

Bigelow’s back splash is one of his best moves as it never fails to get a reaction. Knight mounts no challenge, put on dream street after an enzuigiri.

Gene Okerlund does The King of the Ring Report. Yokozuna and Mr. Fuji tell fans that they are ready for WWF Champion Hulk Hogan. Bret Hart talks about making Razor Ramon submit to the Sharpshooter in the first round. Lex Luger says that all good things have to come to an end, including Tatanka’s undefeated streak. Tatanka rebuts that the Great Spirit and the power of Native Americans will help him get past Luger in the tournament.

Adam Bomb (w/Johnny Polo (2-0) beats Virgil (6-5) after a powerbomb at 2:21:

Ross and Heenan flush out more of Polo’s character, saying that he is a rich young man. This would explain why Polo brings different trinkets to the ring. On RAW it was a putter. On today’s show it is a riding crop. The match does not feature much action. Virgil avoids a blind charge but crashes and burns when doing a reverse flying body press off the second rope. Bomb’s powerbomb has some English on it, spiking Virgil hard.

Tune in next week to see the Steiner Brothers, Shawn Michaels, Adam Bomb, Mr. Perfect, and Doink the Clown in action! Also, Yokozuna will be a guest on the King’s Court!

The Last Word: It is good that Wrestling Challenge has its own interview segment but the King’s Court is off to a rough start with guests as Giant Gonzalez and Luna Vachon had unmemorable appearances. All that can be said of this show was that the squash matches were decent.

The WWF remained in the Northeast after doing some television tapings in Nova Scotia. Here are the results of some of those shows, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Kitchener, Ontario, Canada – Memorial Auditorium – May 26, 1993: Virgil beat Damien Demento…Papa Shango defeated El Matador…Bob Backlund beat Blake Beverly…Yokozuna defeated Hacksaw Jim Duggan…The Headshrinkers beat the Smoking Gunns…Mr. Perfect defeated Shawn Michaels…Bret Hart defeated Lex Luger via disqualification.

Brockville, Ontario, Canada – Memorial Centre – May 26, 1993: Tatanka beat Razor Ramon…Doink the Clown defeated Crush…Owen Hart beat Terry Taylor…The Undertaker defeated Giant Gonzalez…WWF Tag Team Champions Money Incorporated beat the Steiner Brothers.

Backstage News*: Vince McMahon resigned as President of Titan Sports two weeks ago, transferring it to his wife, Linda on or around May 14. McMahon is still CEO of Titan Sports and will remain on television. The move, which has not been announced publicly, is said to be tied to the ongoing federal investigation of the WWF. McMahon announced the change at a production meeting in Nova Scotia on May 24. Prior to the change, Linda McMahon was serving as Executive Vice President. The WWF’s “Headlock on Hunger” campaign earlier in the year has been credited to her.

-Former ring boy Tom Cole, who was rehired by the WWF last year, filed a $1.6 million sexual harassment lawsuit against Titan Sports, Pat Patterson, Mel Phillips, and Terry Garvin on Tuesday. Cole was promised a tryout as a ring announcer as part of his original settlement with the WWF and his legal team argues that since the WWF never gave him the tryout that it breached the agreement. Cole’s lawyers are also arguing that the WWF tried to pressure Cole to retract his sexual abuse claims against the company and that he was falsely imprisoned when the company forced him to sign an affidavit that made false claims against his brother, Lee.

-All American Wrestling is pulling impressive ratings above a 2.5 the last few weeks, rivaling what Monday Night RAW is doing.

-Sean Waltman will not have any new matches until mid-June because he is wrapping up dates in Japan.

-Hulk Hogan’s new film, Mr. Nanny, comes out in the United States in a few weeks. It was in the top ten in England for six weeks.

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

Up Next: Monday Night RAW for May 31!

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!