What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – July 17, 1993

Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler, and Randy Savage call the action, finishing the taping in Huntington, West Virginia.

Opening Contest: Tatanka (25-0-2) pins Brian Costello after the Papoose to Go at 2:42:

McMahon reports that Crush suffered a collapsed chest cavity from the sit-down splashes suffered from Yokozuna on RAW. He then educates the audience about Jim Thorpe as Tatanka keeps padding his unbeaten streak.

Gorilla Monsoon’s Update segment says that Lex Luger wants fans to engage in a “Call to Action” campaign to flood WWF President Jack Tunney’s office with communications so that he can get a WWF title match against Yokozuna. It is also announced that Luger is going to go on a bus tour of America called the Lex Express.

Adam Bomb (w/Johnny Polo) (11-0) pins Rich Myers after the Atom Smasher at 2:43:

Polo’s object of choice today is a pool cue. Since Bomb is not in a program, his squash is used to hype the next edition of Monday Night RAW. Lawler refuses to tell McMahon who his guest will be on the King’s Court. Unlike Bomb’s match on RAW, this squash is treated with silence by the crowd.

WWF Tag Team Championship Match: The Steiner Brothers (25-0) defeat Money Incorporated (12-1) via reverse decision at 14:02 shown:

Like the six-man tag team match on the recent episode of Wrestling Challenge, this bout is given a lot of time and goes through several commercial breaks. The Steiners outwrestle Money Incorporated in a series of amateur sequences for the first seven minutes, forcing Ted DiBiase to trip Scott when he runs the ropes to place him in peril. Scott takes a lot of punishment but Money Incorporated never seem on the verge of beating him so that keeps the crowd investment low. After fighting out of an IRS chinlock, Scott tags Rick who cleans house so Scott can plant DiBiase with the Frankensteiner. However, the referee takes his time getting Rick out of the ring and IRS clocks Scott across the back with his briefcase so DiBiase can pin and Scott and win the titles. However, referee Joey Marella runs out and tells referee Earl Hebner what happened, leading to a reverse decision where Money Incorporated are disqualified. Both teams put in good work but that terrible finish negates much of it. Rating: **½

Gene Okerlund does the SummerSlam Report. He announces that the Undertaker and Giant Gonzalez will face off in a “RIP match.” Okerlund has no idea what that match is.

Boni Blackstone does an in-ring interview with Money Incorporated, who complain about the reverse decision. They challenge the Steiners to a rematch next week.

Mr. Hughes (w/Harvey Wippleman) (16-1-1) defeats Sonny Rogers after the sidewalk slam at 1:41:

Rogers was trained by Bob Sabre and Kevin Clayton and spent much of the 1980s as an enhancement talent for the AWA. He also worked as an enhancement talent for the WWF starting in 1987, a role he held until 1990.

Like Monday Night RAW, an individual delivers a black wreath to Hughes. During the match, McMahon tells fans that the Steiners have accepted Money Incorporated’s challenge. Hughes has no trouble with Rogers, winning with the usual big boot-sidewalk slam combination. After the match, Hughes tears the wreath apart.

WWF Tag Team Champions the Steiner Brothers tell Money Incorporated that next week will be their last chance of getting back the titles.

Tune in next week to see the Steiner Brothers defend the WWF Tag Team Championship against Money Incorporated! Also, WWF President Jack Tunney will make a decision about whether Lex Luger will get a WWF title match! And new stars will debut!

The Last Word: There were several important SummerSlam developments as Lex Luger is using a pressure campaign to get a WWF title match and the Undertaker is facing Giant Gonzalez in a specialty match. It seems weird that the Undertaker is facing Gonzalez and not Mr. Hughes, though, as Hughes’ fight with the Undertaker has gotten more television time since King of the Ring and Gonzalez has been missing in action.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for July 18!