What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – 06.05.94

Stan Lane and Ted DiBiase are commentating, concluding the taping in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Opening Contest: Razor Ramon (15-1) pins P.J. Walker after the Razor’s Edge at 2:19:

There is some hype for the Razor Ramon-Bam Bam Bigelow first round match in the King of the Ring Tournament. Bigelow does an insert promo about how he got robbed in the finals last year and is out to make Ramon ooze with Bigelow after their match. Walker takes a more devastating version of the Razor’s Edge as Ramon throws him down before going to his knees.

Lord Alfred Hayes slips back into heel mode, calling Roddy Piper a “pugilistic peasant.” However, he still encourages fans to donate to the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation. Piper provides new comments on some open land with a horse, saying the time for talk is over. This would be the last Special Report segment. Hayes would do some voiceover work for the company for another year before leaving when asked to take a pay cut. He was one of the last on-air talents from the Hulkamania era to depart.

Doink the Clown (w/Dink) (17-1) pins Ray Roy after the Whoopie Cushion at 1:39:

Like Tatanka, Doink is a babyface talent that is getting depushed since WrestleMania, losing house show matches to Jeff Jarrett. Jarrett does a split screen promo, repeating old material about getting the last laugh. The action is poor as Doink does not position Roy well for the Whoopie Cushion, something Roy compounds by sliding sideways on the mat rather than face the corner diagonally.

The Heavenly Bodies (w/Jim Cornette) (7-0) beat Virgil & Mike Bell when Jimmy Del Ray pins Bell after a Veg-o-matic at 2:28:

Del Ray appears to hold no hard feelings toward Cornette removing him from the King of the Ring Tournament. Virgil’s work remains sloppy three years after he broke out as a single, doing a weird clothesline to Jimmy Del Ray when he starts the match. DiBiase announces during the squash that Jerry Lawler will wrestle on next week’s show. The Bodies plant Bell with a DDT-side suplex combination and then finish him with a Veg-o-matic behind the referee’s back.

Jeff Jarrett (16-3) defeats Mike Davis via submission to the figure-four leglock at 1:51:

Doink the Clown and Dink do a one-note insert promo about how he is coming to fight Jarrett instead of aiming to outwrestle him. Jarrett takes Davis’ leg out after the enhancement talent gets a fluke near-fall, continuing to win with his new finisher.

Todd Pettengill does The King of the Ring Report. Tatanka says that there is no bigger dream for him than to become the King of the Ring. The 1-2-3 Kid speaks to how he is fortunate to be in the eight-man field. He sells himself as an underdog against Jarrett. WWF Champion Bret Hart says that Intercontinental Champion Diesel is worried about getting trapped in the Sharpshooter.

Non-Title Match: The Headshrinkers (WWF Tag Team Champions w/Afa & Captain Lou Albano) (12-0) defeat Mike Moraldo & Tony DeVito when Fatu pins DeVito after the splash off the top rope at 3:00:

Albano looks silly trying to participate in the Headshrinkers pre-match ritual. Yokozuna, Crush, and Jim Cornette do a split screen promo about how the Tag Team titles are coming their way at The King of the Ring. The Headshrinkers do not look as fierce as usual in this squash. Fatu does a better job emoting for the big moves than Samu.

Ray Rougeau does an in-ring interview with Owen Hart. Owen argues that he is the real “Excellence of Execution” and the reason that Bret won the King of the Ring Tournament last year was because he was not in the field. He is sad that Bret is not in this year’s bracket so he could beat him. In response to claims that he is arrogant, Owen says he is just confident in his wrestling abilities. He tells his mother and father that they should stop kissing up to him after they ignored him for so long.

Irwin R. Schyster (14-2) defeats Scott Taylor via submission to the Penalty at 2:44:

Before the match, IRS tells fans that Springfield needs an audit and that he is not done with Tatanka. As IRS works over Taylor’s leg, Mabel and Oscar do a terrible rap in the split screen about Mabel beating IRS in the King of the Ring Tournament. Lane and DiBiase talk about next week’s Hall of Fame ceremony in Baltimore. DiBiase is upset that he is not being inducted but holds out hope for a surprise. After winning, IRS drops an elbow on Taylor.

Tune in next week to se Owen Hart, Nikolai Volkoff, Lex Luger, and Jerry Lawler in action! Also, WWF Tag Team Champions the Headshrinkers will be interviewed!

The Last Word: The broadcast pushed some of the King of the Ring Tournament matchups. Owen Hart did a good in-ring promo, hyping his tournament participation and his ongoing feud with Bret Hart. It really says something for the state of the program when a Jerry Lawler squash is the selling point for next week.

The WWF continued its European tour while its “B” circuit visited Canada. Here are the results from some of those house shows, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Portland, Maine – Portland Civic Center – May 30, 1994 (2,578): Bob Backlund defeated the Brooklyn Brawler…Duke Droese beat Bastion Booger…Jeff Jarrett defeated Doink the Clown…Razor Ramon defeated Jeff Jarrett (substituting for Diesel)…Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze beat Luna Vachon…The Smoking Gunns beat the Executioners…Lex Luger defeated Crush.

Kassel, Germany – Sporthalle – June 1, 1994 (4,500; sellout): The 1-2-3 Kid defeated Thurman Plugg…The Bushwhackers beat Kwang & Adam Bomb…Tatanka defeated Irwin R. Schyster…Yokozuna beat Mabel…WWF Tag Team Champions the Headshrinkers defeated the Quebecers…WWF Champion Bret Hart beat Owen Hart.

Backstage News*: German fans were excited for the WWF tour this week. Stops in various German towns typically sold out 4,000-5,000 seat venues.

-Domino’s Pizza is going to be the corporate sponsor for SummerSlam. It is rumored to be paying the WWF $250,000 for the sponsorship rights. The WWF will heavily plug Domino’s in July and August and Domino’s pizzas will come with a SummerSlam ad on their box tops.

-David Schultz is reportedly dodging a subpoena to testify in Vince McMahon’s steroid trial. The WWF wants to use him as a defense witness to demonstrate that wrestlers not affiliated with the company were receiving steroids from Dr. George Zahorian.

-WWF Champion Bret Hart was interviewed by The British Satellite Times. He said that the Ultimate Warrior has no wrestling ability and is not missed. He also said he has little relationship at present with the British Bulldog but would not be surprised if the Bulldog returned to the WWF soon.

-WWF Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze is scheduled to defend her title against Bull Nakano at an All Japan Women’s “Big Egg Wrestling Universe” card in the Tokyo Dome on November 20.

-Monday Night RAW posted a 3.1 rating.

-In talent relations news, Maxx Payne quit WCW and is in negotiations with the WWF.

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

Up Next: Monday Night RAW for June 6!

And if you would like to read a compiled breakdown of 1990-1993 WWF, 1993-1994 ECW, or of various promotions in 1995, check out my Amazon author page to purchase e-books or paperback copies!