Love for Wrestling Challenge

[James Fabiano]

Sure, Superstars was the A-syndicated show pre-Raw, but do you have any memorable moments from Challenge?

I do know Challenge was the first time Bobby Heenan presented the Big Gold belt and promises of Ric Flair's debut "live." He had the segment on Superstars, but this was the first time he did the same in front of other people, Gorilla and Anvil as well as the fans (green-screen fans, but work with me here).

And outside of the filmreel Superstars intro, Challenge usually had the superior theme songs and intros...especially the one where wrestlers doing moves were accompanied by cymbal crashes. To be replaced by moves being accompanied by explosion sounds.

Was this repeated on Superstars? To this day I can still "quote" this promo, especially....whatever it was he said at the very beginning... www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q06xt7KEZ4

[Deleted]

I remember pretty much everything from the first 2 years thanks to WWF Classics on Sky

The 2 Savage/Billy Jack matches even though the finishes were virtually identical

Koko going to a double count out with Savage

Albano's retirement match as a wrestler
Piper running in during an Adonis match and them having a pull apart brawl
Kamala and Bundy having a staredown
Gorilla laughing after they showed a replay of Patera attacking Heenan and giving him shit for months about the "horse collar" he was wearing

Moondog Spot randomly wrestling Kamala and Harley Race
JYD hiptossing Danny Davis after he fast counted Koko and the crowd going crazy

Kamala wearing green paint instead of white

Can-Ams beating Kamala and Sika

Killer Khan spraying Outback Jack with the mist
Randy Savage and Mr. T having a staredown

DiBiase paying Mr. Washington to take his place in a match and him and Virgil taking the money back after he lost

Dynamite Kid giving Johnny V a back suplex from the top that looked like it sucked
Brother Love initially being brought on by Heenan as a one off and then DiBiase the next week buying the time for him

[greyfmdan]

I actually watched Wrestling Challenge more than Superstars as a kid, because of my family life & the times both shows aired in my area. I don’t remember a lot of the wrestling specifics, but I do remember that show being my introduction to Tony Schiavone.

[James Fabiano]

Gotta remember that the Snake Pit and Barber Shop were on Challenge. Giving us...

- HTM potatoes Jake with guitar.
- The aforementioned angle where Piper just asks Jake if Adonis is next, and waits at ringside so he can attack.
- Killer Khan misting Hogan.
- Marty Jannetty trying to run away, er, getting thrown out the window.
- Sid Justice destroys the Shop, gets shaving cream all over himself.

Did LOD show up on Challenge first? I want to say a match called their WWF debut had Bobby and Gorilla on commentary.

[Deleted]

On Challenge we didn't have to listen to Vince McMahon say "notwithstanding that" every single week while announcing who would be on the show or the lame scripted puns during the opening.

[Dean-o]

I loved Wrestling Challenge just as much as Superstars as a kid. How could you go wrong with Gorilla and The Brain on commentary?

[Rumble McSkirmish]

Wasn't Challenge the show where Barry Horowitz got his legendary pin fall victory over Skip, complete with Jim Ross' iconic call of "Horowitz Wins! Horowitz Wins! Horowitz Wins!"

[Ultimo Gallos]

I loved Challenge cause for 2 periods it was the only WWF show I got.

From about 85 or so until it went off the air it was on after SNL saturday nights. Were Superstars and WWF Spotlight we only got from 86 thru late 87. They aired around 6pm.

[James Fabiano]

Bump because the Network is going to start showing it.

What other memories do you have of Challenge?

[HMARK Center]

Man, to me it was on the same level as Superstars...but a big part of that was how in the North Jersey/NYC market both shows were on the local Fox affiliate at noon, Superstars on Saturday and Challenge on Sunday. I remember back then Superstars would be followed by American Gladiators, and for a little while Challenge was followed by a similar styled show called Knights and Warriors.

Hell, Challenge was probably my preferred show during that time, thanks to the commentating team being Monsoon and Heenan.

[fw91]

Jan 3, 2021 10:50:49 GMT -5 HMARK Center said:

Man, to me it was on the same level as Superstars...but a big part of that was how in the North Jersey/NYC market both shows were on the local Fox affiliate at noon, Superstars on Saturday and Challenge on Sunday. I remember back then Superstars would be followed by American Gladiators, and for a little while Challenge was followed by a similar styled show called Knights and Warriors.

Hell, Challenge was probably my preferred show during that time, thanks to the commentating team being Monsoon and Heenan.

Yeah I vaguely remember syndicated WWE on Fox. But that would mean Livewire/Mania would be on earlier on the same day?

[cjh]

Jan 3, 2021 11:54:08 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Jan 3, 2021 10:50:49 GMT -5 HMARK Center said:

Man, to me it was on the same level as Superstars...but a big part of that was how in the North Jersey/NYC market both shows were on the local Fox affiliate at noon, Superstars on Saturday and Challenge on Sunday. I remember back then Superstars would be followed by American Gladiators, and for a little while Challenge was followed by a similar styled show called Knights and Warriors.

Hell, Challenge was probably my preferred show during that time, thanks to the commentating team being Monsoon and Heenan.

Yeah I vaguely remember syndicated WWE on Fox. But that would mean Livewire/Mania would be on earlier on the same day?

Yes, in the case of Mania.  Livewire debuted in Mania's spot the same weekend that Superstars moved from syndication to USA Network.

Right before Superstars left syndication, it was airing in my area Sundays at 12:00 noon, the exact same time Action Zone was airing on USA.

[polarbearpete]

Jan 3, 2021 10:50:49 GMT -5 HMARK Center said:

Man, to me it was on the same level as Superstars...but a big part of that was how in the North Jersey/NYC market both shows were on the local Fox affiliate at noon, Superstars on Saturday and Challenge on Sunday. I remember back then Superstars would be followed by American Gladiators, and for a little while Challenge was followed by a similar styled show called Knights and Warriors.

Hell, Challenge was probably my preferred show during that time, thanks to the commentating team being Monsoon and Heenan.

Loved to watch Superstars followed by American Gladiators. Fun memories.

[wildojinx]

The Money Inc/Natural Disasters title change was also on Challenge, IIRC, it was the only title change to occur on that show.

[MolotovMocktail]

Jan 3, 2021 15:10:32 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

The Money Inc/Natural Disasters title change was also on Challenge, IIRC, it was the only title change to occur on that show.

That aired on Halloween 1992. We got that title change, the Nasty Boys’ face turn, Yokozuna’s debut, the Headshrinkers’ (non-ring) debut, and Marty Jannetty’s return all on that show.

[jason1980s]

Whatever channel Challenge was on I didn't get as a kid. The events you guys posts are pretty awesome. I wish I had seen it.

I wonder if certain guys debuts were on Challenge because I would see a guy come in, the commentators act like they were something big yet I had never seen them. The biggest case would be Quebeccers. I knew Jacques but the first I had seen of them on TV was their match with the Steiner's where they won the title. I knew they were a team because they were in the Superstars yearbook magazine but I had yet to see them on TV.

[lildude8218]

I remember being a dumb kid who thought these shows were live and wondered why Randy Savage would take a match with Hercules on the morning of the Royal Rumble when he had a chance to become WWF champion later that day. Especially after he had just fought The Barbarian the day before!

[horsemen4ever]

Aug 18, 2020 10:00:16 GMT -5 James Fabiano said:

And outside of the filmreel Superstars intro, Challenge usually had the superior theme songs and intros...especially the one where wrestlers doing moves were accompanied by cymbal crashes. To be replaced by moves being accompanied by explosion sounds.

I beg to differ.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhn9PL0lf4w

[cjh]

Jan 3, 2021 17:58:54 GMT -5 MolotovMocktail said:

Jan 3, 2021 15:10:32 GMT -5 wildojinx said:

The Money Inc/Natural Disasters title change was also on Challenge, IIRC, it was the only title change to occur on that show.

That aired on Halloween 1992. We got that title change, the Nasty Boys’ face turn, Yokozuna’s debut, the Headshrinkers’ (non-ring) debut, and Marty Jannetty’s return all on that show.

All of that was on Superstars.  This was the Wrestling Challenge line up that weekend.

10/13/92; Regina, Saskatchewan; Agridome
11/1/92 - included an opening segment where it was announced the tag team title bout would be simulcast on WWF Superstars, with Vince McMahon & Mr. Perfect then making predictions on the match; featured footage from the previous week's WWF Superstars of the confrontation between the Undertaker and Nailz; included an interview with Ric Flair & Razor Ramon in which they discussed their upcoming bout at the Survior Series against Randy Savage & the Ultimate Warrior; featured a vignette promoting the return of Bam Bam Bigelow; included a Survivor Series Report in which Taker was shown building a casket for his upcoming match against Kamala and the announcement Tatanka would face Rick Martel on the card and the Big Bossman would face Nailz in a nightstick match; featured a tribute video to WWF World Champion Bret Hart to the tune of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers' 'Makin' Some Noise;" included closing comments from Tatanka and the Beverly Brothers & the Genius regarding Tatanka's match against one of the Beverlys the next week:

Ted Dibiase & IRS (w/ Jimmy Hart) defeated WWF Tag Team Champions the Natural Disasters to win the titles at around the 7:15 mark when Earthquake passed out to Dibiase's Million $ Dream; after the challengers' introduction, the Nasty Boys appeared, upset they had been overlooked for the title shot, with Dibiase & IRS attempting to pay them off; the Nastys then attacked Dibiase & IRS and left ringside; late in the match, the Headshrinkers & Afa appeared ringside and argued with Typhoon as Dibiase & IRS sent Earthquake head-first into the ringpost and ringside barrier; after the bout, the Nastys grabbed Hart at the commentary table and tossed him onto Dibiase & IRS, knocking both men down on the arena floor (1992 Year in Review, Best of the WWF: Tag Team Champions)

WWF IC Champion Davey Boy Smith pinned Louie Spicolli at 1:43 with the running powerslam; during the bout, Smith cut an insert promo in which he congratulated Bret Hart on winning the WWF World Title; Doink the Clown was shown in the crowd during the contest

Papa Shango pinned Steve Gillespie at 1:27 with the reverse shoulder breaker

Razor Ramon pinned Tito Santana with the Razor's Edge at 4:42 (WrestleFest 93)

[Deleted]

Challenge is where this kid who didn't watch Prime Time Wrestling learned to love the Gorilla/Brain team, so yeah it is remembered quite fondly.