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WWF Wrestling Challenge November 9th, 1986

November 9, 1986

From the Civic Center in Glens Falls, NY

Your hosts are Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon

In action this week are the Junkyard Dog & George Steele, Hercules Hernandez, Hillbilly Jim & Billy Jack Haynes and the Islanders




Joe Mirto & Al Navarro vs. Junkyard Dog & George "The Animal" Steele

Mirto tries to attack Steele from behind but that fails and he gets rammed into the turnbuckle. He tags JYD and he uses his crawling headbutts then nearly drops him as he hits the powerslam and they fuck up the finish even more as the ref stops counting so Steele can toss Navarro to the floor then he counts to three (1:26). After the match, Steele eats the turnbuckle then they dance with some kids in the ring.

Thoughts: Embarrassing in-ring action but regardless, these two got the crowd going. JYD was slowly being sent down the card as he was rapidly deteriorating.


A "Wrestler's Rebuttal" with the Dream Team pissed that the Fabulous Moolah won a battle royal after hiding under the ring until the end. A waste of time.


We get a recap of the events that led to Roddy Piper facing Mr. Fuji on Superstars. They even replay the entire match.


Ken Resnick is with Hillbilly Jim. He asks him about his theme song and his appearance at the "Farm Aid" concert. Jim puts over the show and lets us know how we can make a donation. Jim also thanks Resnick for asking about granny and says that she is doing well and even promised Jim some "possum pudding." A lot of Hillbilly Jim on this show.


Another replay from Superstars, this time of Bobby Heenan buying the contract of Hercules from Slick.


Scott McGhee vs. Hercules w/ Bobby Heenan

They have dropped the "Hernandez" part of Hercules' name here. Johnny V replaces Heenan on commentary for this match. Hercules destroys McGhee in the corner to start. McGhee hits a dropkick but gets caught with a clothesline then Hercules makes him submit to the backbreaker (1:06).

Thoughts: They certainly gave Hercules a huge push once they aligned him with Heenan. Monsoon even called him a contender for Hogan's title.


Resnick is with the Islanders. Haku talks about how he has learned sumo in Japan prior to coming to the WWF. Tama then takes over and is a lot more lively than Haku.


We get a replay of the Jesse Ventura interview with the Honkytonk Man were they announce the "Vote of Confidence.


Rick Renslow & Jimmy Jack Funk vs. Billy Jack Haynes & Hillbilly Jim

Johnny V remains on commentary. Funk knocks down Haynes but gets caught with a hiptoss then dropkicked out of the ring. We get an insert promo of Jim inviting Haynes over to granny's house for dinner in a comically awkward bit as Haynes didnt seem to know what to say and sat in silence. Funk catches Haynes with a clothesline then gets two with a fist drop. Renslow tags as Haynes chops him then tags Jim. The Hillbilly slams Renslow then they double team him until Haynes makes him submit to the full nelson (1:53). After the match, they do the do-si-do.

Thoughts: One of the oddest tag team combinations I have ever seen. Not much to add other than that.


The Snake Pit with guests Bobby Heenan and Paul Orndorff. They run down Hulk Hogan as Orndorff said you can even ask Hogan's girlfriend who is the better man. The Hogan/Orndorff feud was still going on strong.


Jerry Allen vs. "The Natural" Butch Reed w/ Slick

Heenan is back on commentary and announces that Capt. Lou Albano will be retiring from wrestling. Allen catches Reed with an armdrag but Reed knocks him down. He chokes out Reed against the ropes as Gorilla asks Heenan how much he paid for the contract of Hercules and shortly after that Reed hits Allen with a flying clothesline for the win (2:19).

Thoughts: Reed was getting pushed but despite that he still was not all that over with the crowd.


We are shown Albano as he says that next week he will have his final match teaming with the Bulldogs to take on the Dream Team and Johnny Valiant.


Frenchy Martin & Dave Wagner vs. The Islanders

Tama works the arm of Martin as we get an insert promo from Sheik & Volkoff and Slick as they run down the Islanders. Wagner tags and the Islanders work him over until Tama puts him away with a top rope splash (2:26).

Thoughts: Seemed like filler to me although they are teasing a feud between the Islanders and Sheik & Volkoff.


Resnick is with Bobby Heenan, who puts over Orndorff for being the greatest athlete today and the fact that he has been the only person to leave Hulk Hogan lying down. Orndorff comes in and lets us know that Heenan was not bragging but that the truth hurts and that he will even sell his own family down the river for the belt. He then tells Hogan he was dumb for thinking that he was his friend.


Next week, Koko B. Ware will face Randy Savage in a non-title match. Also, King Harley Race vs. Corporal Kirchner and the featured match of the British Bulldogs & Albano vs. The Dream Team & Johnny V.


Final Thoughts: Another skippable show. They set up net week's show nicely as they have a lot going on then but really, not a whole lot happened here but if you missed "Superstars of Wrestling," you got recaps of all the major happenings.




Schedule for the following week:

Tuesday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/15/86
Thursday: RF Video Shoot Interview with Ted DiBiase, Volume 1
Friday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 11/16/86
Saturday: RoH Night of Champions 3/22/03
Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 11/22/86

Comments

  1. So next Sunday is the recap of the Savage-Steamboat throat smashing match.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes. Also the 11/29 SNME will be reviewed the following week. I might also review the 12/6/86 Boston Garden show too.


    They are slowly shaping up things for WrestleMania III

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  3. This also starts the mini feud with Sammartino and Savage as well, but it was a smart booking as Bruno was out for respect and revenge and not the IC title. I was lucky to actually see the Superstars episode that set it all up and Savage's heel promo on Steamboat that begins the Bruno feud is amazing.

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  4. It's amazing how they were setting up Wrestlemania III that far back even though you only realize that with hindsight.

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  5. Exactly. I wrote that in a review of a show recently when I said at the time, the show seemed useless but looking back, it was vital in planning for WM 3. They were booking well here.

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  6. They had a nice house show run, like Piper and Bruno did several months prior

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  7. I also have house shows for 87 like the Frank Tunney Memorial Tag Tournament that will be reviewed

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  8. The 80s were prime time for tag team tournaments.

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  9. Demolition is actually in this tournament.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Stranger in the AlpsOctober 5, 2014 at 8:56 PM

    "You...you...you slime!!"

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  11. Beardmoney will be happy with this one.

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  12. We'd probably taste like shit. Just look at what most people eat. Plus people are getting fatter- we'd taste like big, fatty steaks. Asians would taste more like rice. Indians would be spicy as shit.

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  13. No, all that stuff isn't on YouTube. The best tag match of all-time (perhaps) between The Brain Busters and The Rockers from L.A. isn't on there. And, A WHOLE LOT of other stuff. Even if it is on YouTube, it looks like shit in 240 or 380, if you're lucky it's 480. I want 720 (at least), which the WWE Network is.


    They should have a system where you can select the matches or moments you want and have computers just make a DVD for you. That would go over big time. I'd be willing to pay $50 a pop for a two hour disc full of stuff I haven't seen or want to see in better quality versions.

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  14. I know there are a lot of ideas out there about how the Network could have been set up. I was wondering what it would have been like with a set up similar to iTunes. You could rent/buy the live pay-per-view specials for $10 each, then you could also buy episodes of Raw or Nitro, etc. That would have been offering a good deal, while also not butchering their PPV and Home Video business.


    That said, I won't complain about the deal I'm getting with the Network. I never bought PPV's before the Network launched and now I get them for cheap. Other content is just bonus that I will only take advantage of every now and then. I'm sure WWE was aiming for folks like me who either never bought PPV's or only ordered WrestleMania. But yeah, their calculations were definitely off.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Say what you will about late period WCW Nitro, but at least it was only two hours and wasn't essentially a repeat each week with a slightly varied opening and closing segment.

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  16. honestly i still dont mind the crusty quality of my dubbed vhs collection lol. also that dvd thing you mentioned Scott has been saying for years that would be his dream job at WWE ironically. also like i said my ex roomate lets me use his name n pass now bc why not. If WWE has no interest in stopping ppl sharing their info why should i be concerned lol. but i really dont watch the network. only for the events.

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  17. i enjoyed wcw right until its end. the lsat ep of nitro is like poison in my mouth wth the way Vince couldnt let them have their own last ep before burying em. he had to interrupt every ten mins to talk shit on it. thats y flairs promo from that show was special. wvwn though he sold his soul to vince eventually too.

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  18. As much as I want to enjoy the network and current programming, I really can't anymore. The sad fact is that WWE is creatively dead with a product that is essentially a unique opening and closing segment each week stuffed with goofball midcarders and divas who ultimately go nowhere lest they get buried by Cena in the ring or HHH on the mic.

    It's very hard to get excited about anything anymore related to WWE outside of Mania or the Rumble and apathy amongst the general public seems to be at an all time high. Ratings are now good when they hit 2.8-2.9 which a few years ago was panic mode. If the current downward trend continues, they'll be lucky to be pulling 2.5 by 2016. By the next renewal, I honestly don't see NBC Universal bothering to pick them up again.

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  19. I've said from before the launch that this thing will not be sustainable. People are not going to renew their subscription in perpetuity. A couple years down the road (if that), is there really going to be enough new content or nostalgic material for your to renew your subscriptions? Once you have plowed through the good stuff, will you really renew so you can watch GAB'89 and Wrestlemania 17 forevermore?

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  20. remember the sega game gear needed 8 double a batteries to work haha.

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  21. So you can basically just go fuck yourself.

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  22. Well, to be fair they're not supposed to be punching with closed fists in kayfabe.

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  23. Foot had to taste better.

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  24. I've said many time a solution to many problems is sitting in college dorms all over the northeast dying for a video editing or camera work internship. There is no reason they shouldn't be doing road stories on these guys essentially for free.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Oh...you're a console gamer?


    I'm sorry baby.

    ReplyDelete
  26. This. Or let the PPVs be live on the network for 5$ or so and make them free after some months.

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  27. kip--theKingIsNotHereOctober 6, 2014 at 2:51 AM

    October 23, 1996 was the most significant day of the Monday Night Wars because it was the debut of the nWo head of security Vincent. Vincent also known as Virgil in the WWF is the most underrated wrestler of all time. Vincent was one the best workers of the early 90s and i think he should have at least gotten a run with the U.S. Title. Once Vincent joined the nWo Nitros ratings starting going through the roof and his presence added the credability to the nWo that had been missing. Vincent aka Virgil for 2015 HOF!

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  28. I remember Meltzer talking a while ago about how In Your
    House buys went up when they changed the price from 19.99 to 29.99 because
    people felt they were getting something more important. I think it’s always
    shown as well that you can add $5 to the ppv price and it doesn’t affect the
    buys. If you keep telling people things are only 9.99, and end shows with DQ
    finishes, brawls instead of matches, and every card being a near complete
    repeat of the card before, then nobody’s gonna watch.

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  29. I'd eat trees and sand. And that seaweedy stuff from in the water. Can't taste that bad, trees, sand, and seaweed. That muppet.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I read a great book recently called Console Wars that covers
    the whole Sega/Nintendo war of the 80s and 90s. Great stuff.

    ReplyDelete
  31. The Ghost Of Meekin's MoobsOctober 6, 2014 at 5:42 AM

    Mike Jones has discovered the BoD

    ReplyDelete
  32. kip--theKingIsNotHereOctober 6, 2014 at 6:14 AM

    Mike Jones? Like the rapper?

    ReplyDelete
  33. MaffewOfBotchamaniaOctober 6, 2014 at 6:40 AM

    We've all seen those photos...

    ReplyDelete
  34. "SHLIME!"

    ReplyDelete

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