What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – 08.21.94

Jim Ross and Ted DiBiase commentate, taped from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Opening Contest: Lex Luger (20-2-1) defeats Frank Stalletto after the running forearm at 1:52:

Stalletto started his career in 1992 in the Midwest. On the independents he had a gimmick where he was deemed as handsome as country music star Billy Ray Cyrus.

DiBiase says he is not appearing with Luger today because Luger does not need his help. Tatanka does an insert promo where he reiterates the claim that Luger has sold out and he is going to prove it at SummerSlam. Luger works up a head of steam and takes Stalletto down with a clothesline. That is followed by the running forearm and Stalletto goes down for the count. Afterward, Luger poses for the crowd and fireworks go off.

Bob Backlund (2-1) beats Ron Cumberledge via submission to the crossface chicken wing at 1:35:

Backlund argues in the split screen that he is perfection and his era of wrestling was better than today’s. He outwrestles Cumberledge on the mat and rolls him into a crossface chicken wing, which he refuses to release until referee Tim White pulls on him.

Non-Title Match: The Headshrinkers (WWF Tag Team Champions w/Captain Lou Albano) (22-0) beat Chad Miller & Ben Jordan when Fatu pins Miller after the splash off the top rope at 2:37:

Afa has been absent recently at the Headshrinkers’ side, which is not explained. Jordan achieves a small win by dropkicking Samu out of the ring. That moment of achievement is short-lived as Samu quickly slams Jordan’s face into the canvas. Miller is unable to do anything and the Headshrinkers quickly finish him.

Thurman Plugg (18-3-1) pins Barry Horowitz after the flying body press at 1:57:

This is the third match between these two this year. Each man wears lime green tights. Like Plugg’s last bout, the commentators prefer to talk about the Bret Hart-Owen Hart cage match at SummerSlam. Plugg does some token arm work and wins a fifth-straight match with his trademark flying body press.

Todd Pettengill does the SummerSlam Report. Intercontinental Champion Diesel and Shawn Michaels are confident that Walter Payton will not affect the outcome of the Diesel-Razor Ramon match.

The Heavenly Bodies (10-0) defeat Sonny Rodgers & Butch Banks when Jimmy Del Ray pins Banks after the moonsault at 2:00:

The Bodies are wrestling on television for the first time since the July 2 edition of Superstars because of Jimmy Del Ray’s pelvis injury. Rodgers does a good job maneuvering around the Bodies. Banks does not do as well. Prichard delivers a sit out powerbomb and Del Ray does a moonsault to a prone Banks for the win.

After showing Paul Bearer’s segment from Superstars, DiBiase argues that his Undertaker will bury whatever Bearer brings with him to SummerSlam. Afterward, he leaves because the Fake Undertaker is wrestling next.

The Fake Undertaker (w/Ted DiBiase) (7-0) pins Mitch Bishop after the Tombstone at 2:53:

Bishop wrestled in four matches for the WWF in 1993, losing to Damien Demento, the Quebecers, Well Dunn, and Adam Bomb.

Ross theorizes about whether it is possible for there to be two Undertakers. Brian Lee does not do a good job keeping his face disguised as he chokes the life out of Bishop to set up the Tombstone. After the match, DiBiase and the Fake Undertaker put Bishop in a body bag.

Crush, who has not been seen in more than a month, gives some generic comments about throwing everything he has at Lex Luger later tonight on Sunday Night Slam and that he does not care about Luger selling out to DiBiase.

The Last Word: Jim Ross and Ted DiBiase did not have much to work with on this broadcast. The lone highlight was Bob Backlund creatively maneuvering his opponent into his finisher.

Up Next: Sunday Night Slam!

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