WWF Classics Report 4-29-02
Submitted by Segaboyno on Monday, April 29, 2002 at 7:52 PM EST



Note: WWF Classics is shown in the United Kingdom every week on Sky Sports, and runs for an hour - to the best of my knowledge it is not shown anywhere in the US, nor is it likely to be added to the current line-up. Unfortunately I can not provide tapes of the show, not only due to a huge demand, but also for legal reasons. Many thanks.

Hello once again, and welcome to the very first episode of Wrestling Challenge in the year of 1988, a year featuring many twists and turns along the way. At the start of play Hulk Hogan is the reigning WWF Champion, and has been since 1984 - but this would all change in a drastic way. Keep tuned and see it unfold before your very eyes!

Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan welcome us from the Lee Civic Center in Fort Myers, Florida, where we have been for several weeks. Heenan still has a neckbrace, and is seemingly in an unusually joyous mood. But first we get the introductory video package, and when we return, it is revealed that on today's show will be The British Bulldogs, The Hart Foundation, Danny Davis, Bam Bam Bigelow, Ted DiBiase and footage of Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy, courtesy of Saturday Night's Main Event.

Match #1
The British Bulldogs vs. Steve Lombardi & Terry Gibbs
Matilda, despite being retrieved by the Bulldogs, is not at ringside, and is instead missing. For reasons why, read on for the special report with Craig DeGeorge. The bell sounds and Davey Boy backs Gibbs into the corner, before a clean break. Davey Boy then locks Gibbs in a headlock, and shoves him down to the canvas. Lombardi tags in, but Davey Boy then delivers a high cross body, followed by an armdrag, and a succession of high hiplocks. Dynamite Kid tags in and takes down Lombardi with a headlock, before delivering a snap suplex. Gibbs tags back in and kicks Dynamite in the gut, before ramming his head into the turnbuckle. We go to footage of The Islanders who are standing over a hanging type device, and a dog is squealing in the background. Heenan is laughing his ass off, and judging by the footage, has every right to do so. Apparently nobody does know where the dog is after all, rather confusingly. Gibbs delivers a snapmere takedown and drops an elbow, before Lombardi re-enters and takes control with some right hands. Lombardi scores a one and a half count only, and so reverts to an irish whip, but it is reversed, as Dynamite delivers a huge clothesline, followed by a clothesline. Davey Boy re-enters and delivers a double underhook suplex, but Gibbs enters to make sure the match doesn't end. It breaks down with all four men going at it in the ring, but Gibbs is eliminated from the squared circle, leaving Lombardi to be sent to the turnbuckle. Davey Boy then lifts Dynamite above his head, and splashes his partner down onto Lombardi for the easy pinfall finish.
Winner - The British Bulldogs via pinfall, at 03:11

Craig DeGeorge is standing by with this week's special report, regarding The Islanders. For 14 days we have been wondering where Matilda is, and we see footage from Saturday Night's Main Event where the dog was taken. The dog is running wild around the ring, and The Islanders and Heenan refuse to get in there to start the match unless the dog is removed. Rather cunningly, Heenan distracts the Bulldogs, which allows the Islanders to sneak up from behind and attack the British duo, and assault them with a variety of headbutts, flying elbows, back bodydrops, shoulderbreakers and low blows, and whilst Heenan berates Matilda. After the Islanders throw the opponents out of the ring, they steal Matilda, which leads to a high speed chase down the tunnel backstage. The search for Matilda is still on, but so far, to no luck. President Jack Tunney is conducting a thorough investigation, but has not found the dog either. As a result, The Islanders are indefinitely suspended from the ring, and will be reinstated when Matilda's whereabouts is now. I get the impression that Bobby Heenan will be none to happy with this announcement.

Match #2
Outlaw Ron Bass vs. Tony Atlas
Back up at the commentators table Heenan, as predicted, claims that he is an innocent man, and that he does not deserve this punishment. He's certainly not laughing about the issue anymore, and will probably declare his disdain throughout the course of this match. The bell rings, and it takes just one second for Heenan to proclaim that the ruling isn't fair, and says that Tunney has no proof that he has Matilda. Monsoon says that it's obvious that that's the case, so Heenan says, "give me a break". Apparently there is a match going on at the same time, and Bass picks up Atlas and throws him across the ring, and then axehandles him down upon return. Atlas dropkicks Bass, but to little effect, as he then rams Atlas' head into the turnbuckle. He then whips Atlas to the ropes and delivers an elbow, followed by a knee to the midsection. He chooses to only accept a two count, as we go to pre-recorded comments in which Bass rambles on about his whip. They are exchanging blows in the ring, which are very weak indeed, but a clothesline by Bass enables him to pedigree Atlas, and gets him the three count. Afterwards he gets the whip and wraps it around the neck of Atlas, in what is supposed to be a vicious act, one would imagine. Please note that despite a short squash match, Bass seems to be exhausted.
Winner - Outlaw Ron Bass via pinfall, at 02:06

Mean Gene Okerlund is standing by with Dino Bravo and his new manager, Frenchie Martin. Okerlund says that Martin looks like the kind of guy that should be painting pictures rather than being a wrestling manager, but he responds saying that before he became an artist, he was one of the greatest wrestlers around. Puh! He says that Bravo is the best athlete he has seen in his life, and when Okerlund speaks of Martin's attire, he astutely points out that Okerlund always wears the same suit. Bravo says that Martin always knows what he is talking about, and adds that 1988 is going to be his year, and no force is going to stop him. He's going for the WWF Title from Hulk Hogan, but at the same time, everybody else is.

Match #3
Bam Bam Bigelow (w/ Oliver Humperdinck) vs. Jobber
They lock up and Bam Bam instantly takes down the purple-panted jobber with an armdrag, and they lock up again, with the same outcome, yet this time Bam Bam locks in an armlock. Bam Bam whips jobber to the ropes, and misses with a clothesline, but makes no mistake the second time, knocking down jobber with an elbow. Bigelow delivers several elbows to his opponent, followed by a snap suplex, but gets raked in the eyes when attempting another elbow. Bam Bam lifts jobber up though a delivers a press slam, followed by a reverse chin lock. He whips jobber to the corner but missed an incoming elbow, as jobber delivers some elbows of his own. He goes to work on the right arm of Bigelow, but gets clotheslined right down. Bigelow delivers another suplex which was dangerously close to the ropes, before slingshotting himself in onto his opponent from the outside, scoring the victory.
Winner - Bam Bam Bigelow via pinfall, at 02:32

Mean Gene Okerlund is backstage promoting the first ever Royal Rumble event, to take place on January 24 in Ontario, Canada, and explains the rules of the Rumble match, which everyone must know by now. Enter The Killer Bees who will be part of the event, and Jim Brunzell says that it'll be something different, yet they are looking forward to it. B. Brian Blair says that it sounds interesting, and they are ready for any kind of action, and are going out there to win the match. At various stages during this interview, each man takes turns in referring to the match as a "Rumble Royal", which rather annoyed me in all honesty.

Match #4
The Hart Foundation & Danny Davis vs. Doug Wellington,
Danny Davis starts out for his team, and locks up with the jobber in blue tights, backing him into the ropes in the process. Davis shoulder blocks blue tights down, but then receives a spinning heel kick, sending him down. Gorilla Monsoon takes this opportunity to promote the latest issue of the WWF Magazine, featuring Jake "The Snake" Roberts as the cover star. Davis kicks out after the count of two, and Doug Wellington then tags in to take over. He immediately gets double teamed as the illegal Jim Neidhart enters, and Bret then enters and executes a backbreaker to Wellington. Neidhart tags in and nails Wellington with some right hands, forcing him to take red & blue pants. Neidhart hammers him with more heavy shots, as Bret tags in and nails blue & red with a clothesline, as Neidhart hoists him up in the air. The obvious pinfall victory follows as a result.
Winners - The Hart Foundation & Danny Davis via pinfall, at 02:00

Match #5
Hulk Hogan vs. King Kong Bundy (w/ Andre the Giant)
This match comes courtesy of Saturday Night's Main Event, and is joined in progress. For those who remember, this was also the main event of Wrestlemania II - but this time, no steel cage is involved, and Andre the Giant is in Bundy's corner. As we go to it, Hogan appears to hulking up, as Bundy is currently in control. He goes to whip Hogan to the opposite corner, but it is reversed, and Bundy gets sent over instead. Hogan then runs the ropes and drops the leg over Bundy, scoring the three count. That was quick. The fans go nuts, as the referee gives Hogan his belt back. However, Andre, in his suit, climbs up on the edge of the apron, and Hogan challenges him to enter the ring. Andre declines, and steps down off the apron, as Hogan begins posing for the crowd. But whilst he is occupied doing this, Andre sneaks up and attacks Hogan from behind, and delivers a headbutt to the neck of Hogan. He then chokes him out, and Hogan slowly begins to die away. The referee demands that the bell be rung again, but the choke hold is still locked in, and The British Bulldogs, for no real reason, run in and attempt to break the hold - they only just succeed, and so Andre rams their heads together, and throws them out of the ring. He then goes back and chokes out Hogan, but loads of superstars enter, such as Strike Force, Jake Roberts and The Junkyard Dog. They can't get him off Hogan at first, but they finally do, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan runs in and attacks with Andre with his 2x4, but to seemingly no effect whatsoever. The ring is cleared, and the fan favourites all help to evacuate Hogan from the ring.
Winner - Hulk Hogan via pinfall, at 00:12 (match joined in progress)

Craig DeGeorge is standing by with an interview in the arena, and introduces the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, alongside Virgil. DiBiase says that Hogan rejected his generous offer to buy the WWF Title, but he always gets what he wants, and he wants the WWF Title. DiBiase then introduces the 8th wonder of the world, Andre the Giant, accompanied by his manager, Bobby Heenan, who will bring him the WWF Title. Heenan says that with the money he'd be able to live his life the way he wants, and thanks DiBiase for his offer. Andre says that he will deliver DiBiase the WWF Title, after defeating Hogan for the very belt.

Match #6
Sam Houston vs. Jerry Gray
Houston, from Texas dances around to country and western music, whilst undressing his cowboy outfit simultaneously - thankfully, he leaves his hat on. They lock up and Houston whips Gray to the ropes but gets shoulder blocked down, but fights back with a hiptoss, and locks in an armlock. Gray is then on the receiving end of an atomic drop after a reversal, and Houston winds up the left arm of Gray, and pounds away at it with right hands as well. Houston delivers another hiptoss, and then knocks down Gray, who has attempted to fight back, with a reverse elbow. Houston delivers a bulldog, and scores a rather unimpressive win.
Winner - Sam Houston via pinfall, at 02:11

Match #7
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine (w/ Jimmy Hart) vs. Pete Sanchez
They lock up and Valentine backs Sanchez into the ropes, before nailing him with some reverse knife edge chops, followed by an elbow to the head. Valentine bodyslams Sanchez, and pounds away with his right hand, before elbowing Sanchez back down to the canvas. Valentine delivers a suplex, and then nails Sanchez with another chop, as we are informed that the new WWF Magazine features an article on Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake. Valentine sends Sanchez to the outside, and Sanchez returns only to be side suplexed, and nailed with an elbow. Valentine then applies the figure four leglock, and the submission victory is imminent, as Sanchez screams in agony.
Winner - Greg "The Hammer" Valentine via submission, at 02:01

Match #8
Koko B. Ware vs. Rick Renslow
Oh good - another match. Renslow attacks the Birdman before the bell sounds from behind, and goes to work with elbows, right hands and several axehandles. He backs Koko into the corner and rakes his eyes, before pounding him down to the mat. Koko battles back and knocks Renslow down with a headbutt, before delivering a kneelift, and a dropkick from the top rope. Koko then delivers the ghostbuster, and scores the pinfall.
Winner - Koko B. Ware via pinfall, at 01:12

Mean Gene Okerlund is now standing by with Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, and refers to Wrestlemania III where he defeated Randy Savage for the Intercontinental Title, before losing it to the current title holder, The Honky Tonk Man, later during the year. Steamboat says that many of his fans have contacted him asking about his whereabouts, and he says that in 1988, his wrestling career is going to get even better, and will hope to take on superstars such as Ravishing Rick Rude. Ricky says that he'd like to get his hands back on the Intercontinental title, but having a new child was somewhat of a distraction for him - i'd say so.

Up next week will be Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Ravishing Rick Rude, Demolition, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, and we'll also get a special report on the status of Matilda, the dog. Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan say goodbye, and hope to see us all again next week.

I'll be off as well, but if you wish to contact me you can do so via e-mail: Segaboyno@aol.com, or alternatively AOL IM users can find me online there. I'm off to the WWF Insurrextion pay-per-view event in London this coming Saturday, and if I enjoy it, I may even sneak in some reactions here next week. Take care, and thanks for reading.








*NEW GALLERY* Wow! Very Rare but AMAZING Natalya Neidhart Bedroom Photos!

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