What the World Was Watching: WWF Wrestling Challenge – 09.18.94

Gorilla Monsoon and Ted DiBiase call today’s action, taped from Lowell, Massachusetts.

Opening Contest: Adam Bomb (12-6) pins Todd Mata after a slingshot suplex at 2:26:

Vince McMahon must have loved the Bomb-Bam Bam Bigelow battle as the WWF has shown a recap of it on every show over the past week. Monsoon chides DiBiase for the open challenge that led to that conversation but DiBiase insists that Bomb fell into a trap. In the split screen, DiBiase asks Bigelow about his thoughts on fighting Bomb and Bigelow argues that Bomb has had a “meltdown” of the brain. These two men are heavy hitters, which could be a draw on its own, but the WWF’s weird rhetoric and emphasis on puns is killing the seriousness of the program. Bomb shows impressive agility by dropkicking Mata out of the ring. He uses a different finish today.

Non-Title Match: Shawn Michaels & Diesel (WWF Tag Team Champions) (2-0) beat Mike Bell & Tim McNeany when Michaels pins McNeany after a splash off of Diesel’s shoulders at 3:04:

The enhancement talents are not in the same league as the champions and are clowned throughout. For example, Michaels knocks Bell down a few times and then punches McNeany off the ring apron. A Jackknife-splash off the shoulders combination allows the champions to win their third match together. All of those matches have been non-title.

Bob Holly (20-3-1) pins Tony DeVito after the flying body press at 2:23:

This where Thurman Plugg became Bob Holly. According to Holly, he complained to Vince McMahon about the Thurman Plugg name, arguing that it caused fans to not take him seriously. Surprisingly, McMahon agreed. The commentators stress the Holly name but since that was a decision made after the taping, Holly is still announced as Thurman Plugg. No kayfabe explanation is given for the switch. Abe Schwartz must have something against Holly as he pickets during another one of his matches. Holly spends half the match working the arm before going to the flying body press after a DeVito blind charge eats boot.

Jim Neidhart (w/Owen Hart) (11-0) defeats Tom O’Sullivan via submission to the Camel Clutch at 2:27:

Neidhart attacks Sullivan before the bell. Owen gets in on the act by slapping O’Sullivan when he gets tossed to the floor. Lots of the usual forearm blows keep Neidhart undefeated and Owen snaps Hitman shades into O’Sullivan’s face after the bell.

The Smoking Gunns (16-2) defeat Duane Gill & Barry Hardy when Billy pins Gill after the Sidewinder at 3:32:

In the split screen, Jim Cornette warns the Gunns that the Bodies are coming for them to avenge the destruction of their ring gear. Gill and Hardy bump well for the Gunns, as they do for all the other teams they face, until the Gunns go home with the Sidewinder.

Ray Rougeau hosts an in-ring interview with Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon. Like Tatanka’s segment on Superstars, this took place at a post-SummerSlam taping in Milwaukee, Wisconsin so as not to spoil the pay-per-view. Ramon acknowledges Jeff Jarrett’s recent challenge and urges the country music star to come after him if he wants his belt. He also calls out Owen Hart for keeping him from winning the King of the Ring, going so far as to propose a title vs. King of the Ring crown match.

Kwang (w/Harvey Wippleman) (20-5-1) pins Richie Rich after the spinning heel kick at 3:06:

Kwang is the hardest working wrestler on the roster this week, appearing on all of the television broadcasts. He beats down Rich with his slow martial arts offense as Monsoon scuttles any attempt to rebuild Kwang by mentioning the Undertaker’s destruction of him on Monday Night RAW.

Lex Luger (23-3-1) beats Nick Barberri via submission to the Rebel Rack at 2:06:

What Luger does in the ring plays second fiddle to a spirited discussion between Monsoon and DiBiase about the Million Dollar Corporation. Monsoon makes fun of many of its members as DiBiase insists that Luger was not what he needs in his stable. Luger makes a decent case against what DiBiase says by annihilating Barberri for his second win since SummerSlam.

The Last Word: Razor Ramon’s promo sets in motion a feud with Jeff Jarrett, although it also leaves open the possibility of an upper midcard feud with Owen Hart. The change of name for Bob Holly makes him sound like a real person but it will not mean much if he remains in a filler role.

The WWF’s European tour took it from Germany to Great Britain. Here is how that tour went, courtesy of the historyofwwe.com:

Birmingham, England – NEC – September 17, 1994 (sellout): Irwin R. Schyster beat the 1-2-3 Kid at 12:04…WWF Women’s Champion Alundra Blayze pinned Bull Nakano (w/Luna Vachon) with the German suplex at 11:59…Mabel pinned Bam Bam Bigelow after a sit-down splash at 17:00…WWF Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels & Diesel beat Lex Luger & Razor Ramon via disqualification when Ramon hit Diesel with one of the Tag Team belts after 19 minutes. When that happened, Luger had Michaels in the Rebel Rack and fans thought the titles changed hands…Jeff Jarrett pinned Doink the Clown after using the tights for leverage at 10:20…The Undertaker beat Yokozuna in a casket match…Bret Hart & the British Bulldog beat Owen Hart & Jim Neidhart when the Bulldog pinned Owen with a small package after Neidhart and Bret reversed the hold behind the referee’s back at 21:20.

Backstage News*: FOX’s deal with the National Football League (NFL) is destroying the WWF’s syndicated markets. Shows in Chicago have been moved past midnight on the weekends. In San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco, the WWF lost its access on Channel 2. The WWF also took a hit in Denver, Orlando, Miami, Greensboro, and Raleigh. It may also lose the Los Angeles market if Univision inks a deal with AAA. Losing syndication will likely hurt house shows, leading to lower draws or cancellations. For example, the WWF does not plan to run the San Jose-Oakland-San Francisco loop now that it no longer has a television slot. When asked why the WWF was cancelled there, station executives said that ratings were falling and it was tough to get advertisers to buy time during the program. Some advertisers specifically requested that their ads not air during the WWF’s shows. This was due in part to the steroid scandal but a lack of Hulk Hogan. In addition, television stations used to get a share of house show gates but since those have been in decline, the funds given to stations have declined.

-In response to the NFL decimating All American Wrestling’s ratings, the WWF is going to rename the show “The Zone” and feature more wrestling and less talking. The latter is a knock on the FOX pre-game show.

-Company executives were pleased that the SummerSlam buyrate was comparable to the previous year since house show attendance has been down. Some are crediting the double main event hype while others think the Domino’s tie-in moved the needle.

-Like Germany, the British shows were all sellouts. The WWF plans to return to Europe in November. Shows will be headlined by Bret Hart vs. King Kong Bundy.

-Monday Night RAW posted a 2.8 rating for the Undertaker’s return.

-On an international Superstars broadcast that airs in the Belgium and the Netherlands on Euro-sport one of the commentators went crazy and said that pro wrestling was pre-determined and the wrestlers were friends with each other.

-Jim Cornette was arrested and cited for vandalism and destruction of property on Monday for destroying the windows and front and back windshield of K.C. O’Connor, a former employee of Smoky Mountain Wrestling. Cornette was angry that O’Connor had not returned a video camera. O’Connor says he was not going to return it until Cornette paid him some money he was owed.

-Superstar Billy Graham’s lawsuit against the WWF over steroid use was dropped because of the statute of limitations. Graham will receive about $30,000 from various pharmaceutical companies but his lawyers will probably get all of it.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for September 19 and 26.

Up Next: Monday Night RAW for September 19!

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