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WWF Wrestling Challenge (1.18.1987) Review

January 19, 2022 | Posted by Adam Nedeff
WWF Wrestling Challenge 9-14-1986 Honky Tonk Man Image Credit: WWE/Peacock
6.5
The 411 Rating
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WWF Wrestling Challenge (1.18.1987) Review  

-We’re relocating to Hershey, PA.

-Your hosts are Gorilla Monsoon & Bobby Heenan.

BLACKJACK MULLIGAN & U.S. EXPRESS vs. RAY MILLER, JOE MIRTO, & STEVE LOMBARDI
-Weird to see Mulligan teaming up with his son’s replacement, Danny Spivey. Rotundo starts with Lombardi. He tries an amateur move, but Lombardi goes to the ropes. Rotundo atomic drops him into his partners’ boots. Double-dropkick by Lombardi as Outlaw Ron Bass drops in to tell everybody to look out. Noted.

-Spivey slams Mirto and Rotundo comes off the top rope with an elbow. Mirto gets a cheap shot against the ropes, but Rotundo comes back with a bodypress for two. Double-backdrop by the Express and Spivey sends Mirto into the turnbuckle. Rotundo re-enters and hiptosses Mirto across the ring. Miller tags in as a “We want Blackjack” chant erupts. Rotundo gives in and the crowd gives a SCARY pop for Mulligan as he cleans house. Hard elbow to the throat finishes off Miller and Blackjack gets the three-count.

WRESTLER’S REBUTTAL
-Randy Savage vows that the Dragon will be burned by his own fire. Wait a minute, that has nothing to do with the cover of WWF Magazine!

“The Natural” BUTCH REED (with Slick) vs. MARIO MANCINI
-As a special surprise, Mel Phillips introduces “An individual undefeated for 15 years and the eighth wonder of the world, Andre the Giant.” Andre comes out to a standing ovation and smiles & waves to the fans, shaking hands with everybody in sight, although Slick blows him off. None of this is the special surprise, the surprise was that Mel Phillips managed to get through an introduction that long without screwing up. Anyway, Andre leaves without incident. I think the point there was to give Andre one final moment as a beloved face.

-Reed attacks before the bell and never lets up. Press slam and an elbow drop give him the win.

-Ken Resnick talks to the Hart Foundation. They aren’t scared of wrestling the British Bulldogs; they’re scared of the way the Bulldogs carry on lengthy conversations with Matilda. They have a point. They also gloat about their recent non-title win, insisting that Danny Davis had nothing to do with their triumph.

-Outback Jack isn’t worried about coming to the WWF because he has to deal with all of the crocodiles near his house.

CAN-AM CONNECTION vs. TERRY GIBBS & GLADIATOR
-Martel & Gibbs trade hammerlocks, but Martel catches him with a hiptoss. Zenk tags in and gets taken down. Mr. Fuji comes in to promise that the Can-Ams are going to go down as Zenk makes a comeback. Can-Ams double-team Gladiator. Zenk gets caught in the heel corner, but Gladiator accidentally knees his own partner. Zenk goes off the ropes and Gibbs hooks the leg to trip him up and the heels switch off on Zenk. Gladiator biels throws Zenk right into Martel for the hot tag. Dropkicks for everybody, double dropkick for Gladiator. Powerslam by Zenk and he slingshots Martel on top of Gladiator for the three-count.

-Ken Resnick talks to Randy Savage, who vows that the Dragon will be burned by his own fire. So I hear.

HONKY TONK MAN (with Jimmy Hart) vs. TOMMY SHARPE
-Honky throws his silk scarf at the fans again and he deliberately pulls back so it doesn’t even clear the apron. Quite amusing. Sharpe rolls up Honky right off the bat for two. We actually get a head-in-the-box promo from the jobber, as Sharpe promises an easy victory, and we cut right back to Honky giving him the Shake, Rattle, and Roll for a quick win. Oh, and what the hell, he does it again. He dances around the ring and up the aisle, then stops to ram Sharpe into the barricade and give him a THIRD neckbreaker in the aisle.

PIPER’S PIT
-From “Superstars” the previous day. Hot Rod has a huge trophy and brings in President Jack Tunney, who reads a long, fawning tribute to Hulk Hogan, complete with assurance that he’s one of America’s greatest & beloved citizens, and a video package. And now, on the third anniversary of his acquiring the WWF Championship, here’s Hulk Hogan. Hulk gives his acceptance speech as we cut to the footage of Andre the Giant dumping champagne on his head and congratulating him in the locker room.

-Speaking of which, out comes Andre the Giant, who nods and says, “Three years to be a champion is a long, long time.” He shakes Hulk’s hand, and based on Hulk’s reaction, he shook it awfully hard. Andre walks away and Hogan goes right back to smiling and posing with his newly acquired trophy.

HILLBILLY JIM, PEDRO MORALES, & TITO SANTANA vs. DINO BRAVO & DREAM TEAM (with Johnny V)
-Three stars vs. three stars. Okay, now I’ve been doing these WWF TV reviews enough in the last few weeks that you should be able to tell me IMMEDIATELY who the referee is for this match.

-Bobby Heenan throws a fit about the trophy ceremony, saying Hulk doesn’t deserve a trophy for a three-year title reign, given that Andre has never received any awards for a 15-year undefeated streak.

-Jim catches Bravo with an uppercut and brings in Tito quickly. Tito shoulderblocks Bravo and punches & kicks are traded. Bravo whiffs on a press slam and tags in Beefcake. Series of forearms by Beefcake, but Tito catches him with a flying forearm…for a slooooowwwww two-count. And Beefcake doesn’t even kick out, Danny just stops at two.

-Valentine tags in and gets the advantage quickly for two. Shoulderbreaker gets a fast two-count. Valentine tries a bridge, but gets kicked in the breadbasket and shoved into the turnbuckles. Morales tags in and gets a forearm and an uppercut. Davis counts one and just plain stops to reprimand Jim for interfering, which Jim isn’t doing.

-The faces have had enough and Tito grabs the mic to announce that they’re not staying to finish the match. They walk out of the building and Davis counts them out to give Johnny V’s men the win. Good angle, as Davis’ incompetence is reaching a boiling point.

GEORGE “The Animal” STEELE vs. TONY NARDO
-Nardo doesn’t even have his jacket off when Steele comes in and just bites & beats on him for a while. He throws Nardo into the steps and goes back inside to chow down on the turnbuckles. He throws the foam into the camera, and it stays there, which is a surprisingly effective visual. Flying hammerlock, but Nardo miraculously doesn’t submit within three seconds, so Steele drops him, stomps on his arm, and does it again, and this time it gets the win.

-Here comes the Wizard to waste what’s left of my spirit with another promo as Kamala wanders around the set and growls.

6.5
The final score: review Average
The 411
It’s the B-show but even still, it’s exciting to watch around this time.
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