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WWF Wrestling Challenge July 26th, 1987

July 26, 1987

From the Olympic Center in Lake Placid, NY

Your hosts are Bobby Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon

In action this week will be Ken Patera, George Steele, Demolition, Killer Khan, and the One Man Gang





Al Navarro vs. Ken Patera

Navarro got a haircut since the last set of tapings. Good for him. Navarro lands some truly horrendous offense into Patera, who then picks him up and places him on the apron. Patera knocks Navarro off then rams him into the stairs before the action heads inside. Patera tosses Navarro around before putting him away with the swinging neckbreaker (1:53). After the match, Patera points and stares at Heenan.

Thoughts: The Patera/Heenan Family feud has lost a lot of steam and at this point it is safe to say that Patera himself has failed in his new role.



Craig DeGeorge tells us that the Can-Am Connection is no more as Zenk quit. We are then shown Martel, who said his partner left because their feud against the Islanders was too tough for him. Heenan and the Islanders are shown as Heenan buries Zenk for being a coward and that Martel should follow suit and quit himself. They made sure to bury Zenk on TV.


Scott Casey & Steve Douglas vs. Demolition w/ Mr. Fuji

Casey lands a few shots on Ax but Smash comes in as Demolition takes control. We get an insert promo from Mr. Fuji talking about how he will manage Bam Bam Bigelow as Heenan says he is lying. Douglas tags as Demolition beat the crap out of him until they put him away with the Decapitation (3:11).

Thoughts: More of the Bam Bam stuff but with regards to Demolition, they really need a feud at this point instead of just destroying jobbers.



Gene Okerlund is with "Ravishing" Rick Rude. Okerlund asks him about his alignment with Heenan as Rude says it is about money, while referring to Okerlund as "Little Man." Okerlund brings up Heenan's past failed promises as Rude says that is all in the past as he is the future of wrestling. Rude is asked about Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage as Rude says both of them will go down. They are giving Rude a solid push from the start.



We get footage of the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase at a house show. He pays a woman $100 to wipe the sweat off of him after his match while he tells us everyone has a price.



The Gladiator vs. George "The Animal" Steele

Gladiator tries to attack Steele but ends up getting tossed outside. Steele heads back in and bites open a turnbuckle then tosses the stuffing at the Gladiator before trying to rip off his mask. He tosses the Gladiator back over the top rope again and works on the arm before putting him away with the flying hammerlock (2:32).

Thoughts: The crowds loved Steele but he was really just a side attraction at this point. He would be pitted against lower card workers at house shows but that role was just fine.



Okerlund is with Koko B. Ware, who is playing the harmonica. Koko tells us about his feuds with Danny Davis and the One Man Gang. Not much to this interview other than to show us that Koko had music ability, which would continue to be on display as the year continued.



We get a WWF Ice Cream Bar plug from Little Beaver, who said he eats one of these to cool off when he gets upset about what King Kong Bundy did to him at WrestleMania III.



Killer Khan w/ Mr. Fuji vs. David Stoudemire

Stoudemire looks like a slightly more toned version of Bo Dallas. Khan does some sumo rituals before attacking Stoudemire. He stays on the attack then sprays the mist in his face. Khan then hits a backbreaker before going up top and hitting the flying knee drop for the win ( 2:59).

Thoughts: They are making sure to put over the mist so they can sell Khan's house show matches against Hogan.



Snake Pit with guest Mr. T. This was shown in most markets on the 7/18 edition of "Superstars of Wrestling." Mr. T comes out and says that most referees do not know what they are doing so he is going to stand outside of the ring as the enforcer. Danny Davis comes out to interrupt and takes offense to Mr. T receiving his referee's license. Mr. T says that Davis isnt much of a referee or a wrestler. Jake then talks for a little bit before scaring Davis with the snake. This feud ended just as soon as it started.



Steve Lombardi & Barry Horowitz vs. Jim Powers & Paul Roma

Powers works the arm of Lombardi to start. Roma tags and takes control until Lombardi blocks a monkey flip. Roma gets beaten down for a minute until Horowitz misses a leg drop from the second rope. Hot tag to Powers as one fan is screaming. His offense looks like shit as he works over Horowitz. Lombardi breaks up a pin attempt after a powerslam then the match breaks down until Roma tags himself in and jumps off the top rope with a sunset flip that puts away Horowitz (4:20).

Thoughts: Roma & Powers finally win a tag match. Roma looked like he just won the Powerball drawing. This win would lead to a mini-push for the duo.



DeGeorge is on the stage with Bobby Heenan, who brings out King Harley Race. But firsts, he tells the crowd to get up and bow to the king. Race comes out and says he tells, not asks, the crowd to get up and bow to him. He also says he is "the man in wrestling" today and that no one can beat him. Heenan closes by saying the one thing to top off his career will be the World Title as he guarantees that it will happen. I really didnt get the point of this at all as Race just lost a series of house show matches against Hogan, which drew poorly to begin with.



One Man Gang w/ Slick vs. Eric Cooper

Gang destroys Cooper as Slick is shown in an insert promo saying he is mad about the other managers saying Bam Bam will sign with them because "the brother is mine." Gang continues his assault until he finishes Cooper off with the gordbuster (1:38).

Thoughts: A quick squash that also furthered along the Bam Bam angle.



Okerlund is with Jimmy Hart and the Hart Foundation. Neidhart tells us that since they won the Tag Team Championships, everyone has been jealous of them. The Hart Foundation then make fun of the other Tag Teams as they leave. The Honky Tonk Man comes in as he lists off the guys he has beat and says no one else can beat him. This was done to put over Hart and all of his guys.



In action next week will be Koko B. Ware, Jake Roberts, Hart Foundation, and more.



Final Thoughts: The show was okay this week. The Bam Bam story continues to dominate and they were pushing other soon-to-be debuting acts like DiBiase and Rude. The Mr. T and Danny Davis stuff went nowhere though. The WWF had some bad luck with feuds after WrestleMania III, with several of them ending abruptly.



Here is my schedule for the rest of the week:

Tuesday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 8/1/87
Thursday: RF Video Shoot Interview with Kevin Steen
Friday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 8/2/87
Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 8/8/87

Comments

  1. I know I'm in the minority, but I liked Paul Roma. Not a Horseman at all -- too blue-collar -- but when he was out there, you knew he'd give the Superstar a run for his money. Power and Glory deserved more.

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  2. Roma was a good worker. Powers was useless though and delusional based off of his shoot interview.

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  3. Powers had a good look but was legit one of the worst workers ever. I like Roma in certain roles, too. He's good as a plucky underdog babyface and he was good as a douchebag heel, but he simply was not a Horseman.

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  4. One Man Gang really got over-shadowed by the Bam Bam build up. Having his own manager hyping Bigelow up as scary big man, when that's also OMG's role, seems stupid.

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  5. Pretty Wonderful were great too!

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  6. I would have thought Roma to be the delusional one based on the no selling to Alex Wright.

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  7. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarJune 22, 2015 at 6:20 AM

    Roma was awesome in Power & Glory and in Pretty Wonderful. Whoever thought making him a Horseman was a good idea should've had their heads examined.

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  8. Extant1979 - Extreme SuperstarJune 22, 2015 at 6:21 AM

    Lombardi and Horowitz together?!? It's a jobber SUPERTEAM! How those guys didn't beat the Hart Foundation for the tag strap is simply beyond me.

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  9. "Now there's only the Can."

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  10. Was Lombardi using the brawler gimmick at this point? If not when did he start using it? I remember the Brooklyn Brawler always being about when I was a kid.

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  11. He started using it when he joined the Heenan Family during his feud with the "Red Rooster" Terry Taylor.

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  12. Correct. That was Feb. 89 btw.

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