Hello and welcome to this weeks WWF Classics report, in which vintage wrestling action is showcased. It was great to see Shawn Michaels back on TV this past weekend on Excess, as i'm sure you'll agree. But for now it's back to the heart of 1987, as we begin our hour of Wrestling Challenge here in the UK.

Today's show comes from the LaCrosse Center in Wisconsin (again), as Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan welcome us to the show. But before we start, let's head to a special interview. Mean Gene Okerlund is standing by with Tommy Thompson, the governor of Wisconsin, who is wearing a WWF hat. He thanks the WWF for bringing their top superstars here (i'll refrain from making an easy joke here), and congratulates them for doing so. The opening video package rolls, and this week we shall see Koko B. Ware, George "The Animal" Steele, Butch Reed, Killer Khan, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Speaking of the devil...

Match #1
Jake "The Snake" Roberts vs. Steve Lombardi
Tough to decide who is the more famous, but before we can, they lock up with one another. Jake is backed up into the corner, but manages to send Lombardi to the other corner. As he follows up Lombardi lifts a knee to his face. The momentum switches when Lombardi puts his head down and is countered, as Jake follows up by going to work on the left arm. He follows this up with a short clothesline, as the crowd is calling for the DDT. Jake takes Lombardi down to the mat and stretches Lombardi in many directions, and has his knee over his head. Jake pulls him to his feet, continues to wind up that arm, but Lombardi manages to break it. Only temporarily though, as Jake persists with the work on the arm, making for some extremely boring action. I know Jake specialised in mind games, but this is just crazy! Thankfully Lombardi battles back and breaks the hold, but Jake rams him back down. Roberts then signals for the DDT, executes it, and scores the pinfall in one of the longest Wrestling Challenge matches of all time. After the bell, Jake unleashes Damian the snake, and drapes the beast all over Lombardi, before threatening the referee with it also.
Winner - Jake "The Snake" Roberts via pinfall, at 04:34

Craig DeGeorge is standing by with this weeks special report, and informs us that Rick Martel and Tito Santana have formed a tag team by the name of 'Strike Force'. In comments from the duo, they say that it is no longer 2-on-1, and they're going to force the Islanders back to their island. Bobby Heenan, however, is planning on showing this new team exactly how dangerous the Islanders are. They grunt in agreement.

The battle for Bam Bam Bigelow rages on, as Jesse Ventura informs Mr. Fuji that he is out of the running as far as acquiring his managerial services goes. By my estimations, that means that only Bobby Heenan and Slick are left as remaining contenders. It's getting really exciting now folks!

Match #2
Killer Khan (w/ Mr. Fuji) vs. Jack Milliman
Khan begins with a traditional sumo pose, before knocking Milliman down to the ground, and kicking him. Khan chokes him on the bottom rope, and delivers a reverse knife-edge chop, which puts him straight down to the canvas. Fuji distracts the referee as Khan spits the green mist into the face of Milliman. Khan executes a backbreaker, goes to the top rope for the kneebreaker and scores the pin.
Killer Khan via pinfall, at 01:54

Mean Gene Okerlund is standing by with Jimmy Hart, who has the intercontinental and tag team champions in his stable. Hart says they have open contracts to face anyone at any time, as they are not scared. The Honky Tonk Man enters and mocks the deceased Elvis Presley, and strives to defeat every contender. He already says that at this stage, he is the greatest intercontinental champion of all time - and if you go over to his site, he's still saying the same thing 14 years later.

Gorilla Monsoon informs us that Don Muraco and Bob Orton have split up, and comments from Muraco suggest that he doesn't really care either way. Works out well, because neither do i.

Match #3
Butch Reed (w/ Slick & Nikolai Volkoff) vs. Brady Boone
The ring announcer informs us that Nikolai Volkoff is going to sing the soviet national anthem - and he does! The crowd unanimously give the thumbs down, as we're reminded that these kind of songs are not on the Piledriver album. Cheap, but comical all the same. Boone starts off well, as pre-recorded comments from Slick indicate that he is happy that he is going to become manager of Bam Bam Bigelow. Reed has rather unsurprisingly taken control in the ring, and delivers some fast and powerful right hands. Boone is then sent face first into the top turnbuckle, before being bodyslammed down. This is followed up with a swinging neckbreaker, but Reed doesn't accept the three-count. Butch sends his opponent to the ropes and nails him with a dropkick, before scoring another two-count. Butch delivers a 360 degree clothesline, before delivering the gorilla press slam for the pinfall.
Winner - Butch Reed via pinfall, at 03:54

Mean Gene Okerlund is still lurking around, and brings in Billy Jack Haynes who has sustained a knee injury, and has been unable to compete for a lengthy three and a half weeks. Haynes says that Hercules was the man who gave him this injury, as Okerlund suggests that he may have done so deliberately. Haynes flies into a fit of rage, which is unusual for him, and is after the Heenan family as soon as he is recovered - we could be waiting a long time here.

The British Bulldogs are standing by with more dog tips, and say that if you give your dogs water and good treatment, you can't go wrong. Maybe they should stick to wrestling - but then again...

Match #4
George "The Animal" Steele vs. Rick Gantner
Gantner tries an axehandle to the back of Steele before the bell but to no avail, as Steele runs his opponent into the turnbuckle, before ripping out its contents. Meanwhile, Gorilla Monsoon announces that they will shortly be showing footage from Superstars featuring Bobby Heenan. However, Bobby decides that he's not going to stick around to be embarrassed, so takes off his headset and leaves to a big pop! Steele rams Gantner's head into the turnbuckle again, in another corner, before he gets tossed to the outside. Steele rams Gantner face first into the wooden steps (!), before bringing him back and locking in a flying hammerlock for the submission victory.
Winner - George "The Animal" Steele via submission, at 01:59

Courtesy of WWF Superstars, we go to a special interview with Bobby Heenan. He says that he never lies, and brings out Paul Orndorff in an attempt to get him to admit that he's glad to have Ravishing Rick Rude in the Heenan family. Orndorff is having none of this though, and refuses to accept that Rude has a better body than himself. Orndorff says that he is sick and tired of lying for Heenan, the people, and to himself. Heenan claims that he made him the star he is today, but Orndorff says "You're Fired!", and introduces his new manager, Oliver Humperdinck. Who?

Match #5
King Harley Race & Hercules (w/ Bobby Heenan) vs. Jim Powers & Paul Roma
Johnny V. joins Gorilla in the commentary position, as Hercules is already in control. He rams Powers' head into the turnbuckle before tagging in Race, who gets a two-count. Hercules delivers a swift elbow to his head, and again rams his head into the turnbuckle. He whips Powers to the opposite corner, before Harley Race resumes control. Roma manages to get a tag and delivers a scoopslam to Race, as Hercules gets knocked down also. Roma then dropkicks both opponents individually, as both members of the Heenan team are sent flying. Powers tries an aeroplane spin on Hercules but gets dizzy, which allows Hercules to score the pinfall.
Winners - King Harley Race & Hercules via pinfall, at 03:25

The WWF Piledriver album is once again advertised in it's own segment with the producers, but let's skip on.

Match #6
Koko B. Ware vs. Dave Wagner
Criss-cross opens the match up, as Koko instantly delivers a dropkick before flapping his arms around. We go to pre-recorded comments from Koko who once again plugs the Piledriver album, Koko delivers a backdrop in the ring. He then goes to the top rope and delivers a dropkick, followed by the ghostbuster for the finish.
Winner - Koko B. Ware via pinfall at 01:36

Mean Gene Okerlund is alongside Mr. Fuji, manager of Don Muraco, Bob Orton, Kamala, Sika, Killer Khan and Demolition. Okerlund compliments Axe and Smash for being rugged wrestlers, as Fuji claims that they are smart as well. Highly doubtful. Fuji wants to go after the Hart Foundation's tag titles, as the team members come in to announce their desire for the belts.

That does it for today, but next week we'll have Hillbilly Jim, One Man Gang, Strike Force, and the reigning Intercontinental champion, the Honky Tonk Man. The battle for Bam Bam Bigelow will also be hotting up, and we may well find out who the eventual manager is.

For those wanting WWF Classics video tapes, send your name and address along to me at Segaboyno@aol.com, and 5 winners will be chosen at random. I'll be back on Christmas Eve with the next report, so i look forward to seeing you then. Those with AOL IM can send me a message should you please. Take care.