What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – February 13, 1994

Jim Ross and Gorilla Monsoon call today’s action, wrapping up the shows in Florence, South Carolina.

Opening Contest: Tatanka (6-0) defeats Jeff Jarrett (5-0) via disqualification when Ludvig Borga interferes at 4:20:

Ross is replaced by Stan Lane because Ross is recalled for some big news in the Face to Face studio. This was a way to write Ross out as the lead play-by-play man because he suffered a Bells Palsy attack weeks before. It was bad timing for him because his contract was expiring, so the WWF let him go. Jarrett’s tights have so many colors he might as well be a living Fruit Roll Up. After a few minutes of decent action, Borga comes to ringside as it seems like the WWF had plans for his program with Tatanka continuing after The Royal Rumble. Borga punches Tatanka in the ring so Tatanka slides to the floor and throws him into the ring post. In response, Borga slides into the ring and he and Jarrett commence a two-on-one beatdown until WWF officials run out. They are ineffective in stopping the beating as the heels decide when they want to leave. This is Jarrett’s first loss in the WWF. As the heels leave, Lane says that Jarrett doctored a cover of Country Beat magazine. In a nod to Memphis fans, Monsoon jokes that Jarrett’s father probably had something to do with that. Rating: *½

Lord Alfred Hayes’ Special Report recaps the Lex Luger-Yokozuna feud. Yokozuna, Jim Cornette, and Mr. Fuji get promo time. Cornette is confident that Yokozuna will defend the title twice in one night.

Rick Martel (0-2) beats Tommy Angel via submission to the Boston Crab at 2:16:

It has been a rough start to the year for Martel. His gimmick seems dated and he is not even leaning as much into it as he did from 1989-1992. The former WWF Tag Team champion has to kick out of a sunset flip and body press off the ropes by Angel to get his first win of the year with the Boston Crab.

Ross does appear for a Face to Face segment between the Quebecers and Men on a Mission but it just repeats the Superstars announcement that the teams will face each other at WrestleMania X.

The Bushwhackers (2-0) defeat the Brooklyn Brawler & George South when Butch pins South after the Battering Ram at 2:29:

Monsoon and Lane say that the Bushwhackers will never lick the Brawler because he never bathes and they could pick up a disease. Brawler and South are the second accomplished enhancement team to lose to the Bushwhackers on the syndicated shows this week. The squash is a chance for Monsoon and Lane to hype the first Fan Festival.

Shawn Michaels (w/Diesel) (6-0) pins John Paul after the piledriver at 3:10:

Michaels is finding little things to get him over as a heel. He has a good opening sequence with Paul and after beating him he stands on his opponent’s chest so he can give Diesel a high five.

Thurman Plugg (3-0) beats Austin Steele after a missile dropkick at 1:44:

Monsoon and Lane plug Little Richard’s appearance at WrestleMania, with Lane yelling some lyrics to Richards’ songs. Monsoon pivots to hype Plugg’s great future. Plugg’s best move is a dropkick so he uses it conventionally and from the top rope to win.

Bastion Booger tells Earthquake that he is out to ruin his return to the WWF.

Tune in next week to see Earthquake battle Bastion Booger! Also, WWF Tag Team Champions the Quebecers, Irwin R. Schyster, and Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon will be in action! Bret Hart will appear for an interview as well!

The Last Word: Jim Ross will be sorely missed on commentary. His style of calling matches more on their athletic merits was a far cry from what most WWF fans were used to but it added diversity to the way WWF broadcasts were presented. His release would also spell the end of the Radio WWF project, which never quite picked up the steam the company was hoping for. Ross moved on to Jim Cornette’s Smoky Mountain Wrestling. As for the rest of the show, it was good to see an angle on Wrestling Challenge but it would not amount to anything because Ludvig Borga would never return.

The WWF continued its European (+ Israel) and Canadian tours during this week in its history. Here are the results of some of those cards, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Tel Aviv, Israel – February 8, 1994: Billy Gunn beat Adam Bomb…Jeff Jarrett defeated Jim Powers…The Steiner Brothers defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Quebecers via count out…Doink the Clown beat Bam Bam Bigelow…Diesel defeated Billy Gunn (substituting for Marty Jannetty)…Bret Hart & Lex Luger defeated Yokozuna & Kwang.

Frankfurt, Germany – Festhalle – February 9, 1994: Kwang beat Jim Powers…Diesel defeated Bob Backlund (substituting for Marty Jannetty)…The Steiner Brothers beat WWF Tag Team Champions the Quebecers via count out…Lex Luger defeated Jeff Jarrett…Doink the Clown beat Bam Bam Bigelow…Adam Bomb defeated Billy Gunn…Bret Hart beat WWF Champion Yokozuna via disqualification.

Peterborough, Ontario, Canada – Peterborough Memorial Centre – February 12, 1994 (2,400; matinee): Rick Martel beat Thurman Plugg…The Headshrinkers beat Mo & Doink the Clown (Steve Lombardi)…WWF Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze defeated Heidi Lee Morgan…Crush beat Randy Savage via count out…Irwin R. Schyster beat Tatanka…Owen Hart defeated Bart Gunn…Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon pinned Shawn Michaels.

Backstage News*: Legal analysts see the steroid charges against Vince McMahon and the WWF as a test of the federal government going after other sports organizations. The government’s key witnesses appear to be Hulk Hogan and Emily Feinberg, who was Vince McMahon’s former personal secretary.

-Japanese talents Genichiro Tenryu, Masao Orihara, Nobukazu Hirai, Yuji Yasuraoka, Masashi Aoyagi, Ginsei Shinzaki, Bull Nakano, Kyoko Inoue, and Sakie Hasegawa will work on the WWF’s Japan tour in May. Nakano, Inoue, and Hasegawa will be opponents of WWF Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze.

-Monday Night RAW’s rating slipped significantly, going down to a 2.6.

-In talent relations news, the WWF wants to use New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner as a guest timekeeper at WrestleMania. Burt Reynolds is likely to be involved at the show as well. Even though he appeared at The Royal Rumble, Ted DiBiase has not signed a contract yet. If he does, it will be for a manager or announcer position as injuries will keep him out of the ring until 1996.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for February 21.

Up Next: WWF Superstars for February 19!

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