The WWE will be heading to the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas this Sunday for Hell In A Cell. So today, we look back at a classic event in the same city, as the WWF brought This Tuesday In Texas to the Freeman Coliseum! Just six days prior at Survivor Series, Hulk Hogan had shockingly lost the WWF Title to The Undertaker. However, the Hulkster wasted no time in getting his rematch at this special Tuesday night pay-per-view in 1991!

Open: 6 days prior at Survivor Series, Gene Okerlund scoured the Joe Louis Arena in search of new WWF Champion The Undertaker before finding him with Paul Bearer in the bowels of the building. Paul would speak about nothing being immortal, claiming Hulkamania died on that evening, however the services have been held off until This Tuesday In Texas.

Match #1 for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Skinner vs. WWF Intercontinental Champion Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart
Collar & Elbow to start the action, Bret with a quick armdrag and Skinner regroups. They tie-up again and the champion with another armdrag, maintains an armbar, Skinner pushes him off to the ropes and gets knocked down by a shoulder. The Hitman back to the ropes, Skinner drops down, Hart ducks a right hand and hits an atomic drop, follows up with an inverted and clotheslines the challenger to the outside. Skinner collects himself and steps back in the squared circle, they lock-up oncce more and the champion grabs a wristlock, working over the left arm. He takes the challenger down and controls with an armbar, Skinner looks to armdrag his way out of it, but Hitman hangs on and maintains the hold.

The challenger gains the ropes to force the break, another tie-up and they exchange hammerlocks, Bret getting the advantage with a back elbow, going right back to the armbar. Skinner goes to the eyes to get control, drives Hart shoulder-first into the ring post and kicks him to the floor under the bottom rope. The challenger heads out after him and chokes the champion on the floor, rolls back inside and catches Bret coming in with double axe handles to the back. Irish whip to the ropes and Skinner locks on an abdominal stretch, utilizing the ropes for extra leverage, breaks the hold on his own and cracks Hart with a shoulder breaker for a near fall. He rams Hitman head-first into the top turnbuckle, shoots him to the corner and follows in, running into a boot to the face.

Bret tries to capitalize with a 2nd rope elbow and misses, Skinner grabs his spittoon and looks to use it, the referee disposes of it, creating an opening for the challenger to get his gator claw and drive it to the champion’s throat. He chokes The Hitman on the middle rope, whips him sternum-first into the turnbuckles and uses another blatant choke. Skinner punishes Bret with boots and double axes, plants him with the Gatorbreaker and gets a near fall off a nonchalant cover. The challenger to the 2nd rope, comes down and meets a boot to the chin, Hart pops to his feet and buries right hands to the midsection.

He shoots Skinner to the ropes and scores with a back elbow, another whip for a fist to the breadbasket, following with a side russian leg sweep for a count of 2. The champion gains another 2 count off a snap suplex, splits Skinner with a backbreaker and connects with a 2nd rope elbow, but can’t get the pinfall. Bret has words with the official, the challenger with a roll-up from behind for 2, getting sent to the outside off the kick-out and Hart follows him out. Skinner rakes the eyes and rams Hitman’s head into the apron, slides inside and pulls Bret to the apron, looking to suplex him into the ring. Hart slips out and attempts a roll-up, the challenger hangs onto the ropes and scales the top turnbuckle. The champion sees it coming and slams Skinner to the canvas, slaps on the Sharpshooter and retains the title.
Winner and STILL WWF Intercontinental Champion: Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart (Sharpshooter)

• EA’s Take: Solid opening contest although for the live crowd it wasn’t the opener as there had been 8 dark matches prior to the PPV going live. Steve Keirn (Skinner) didn’t have too many years left in the ring as his career was winding down in the next few years. The Skinner character never did much of note and this was his highest profile match. The character would be used less and less on television and Keirn would fulfill other roles in the future, occasionally portraying an infamous clown in the future. The Hitman’s stock continues to rise and although he would lose the title to The Mountie a few short weeks later (Bret was in contract negotiations with the company leading to him dropping the championship), it was becoming more and more evident that Bret had all the tools to be a top player.

Backstage: Sean Mooney is joined in the locker room by Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts. Jake talks about the last time he saw Savage he was drowning from the poison injected into his arm from the cobra. It’s all in a man’s eyes, but his favorite eyes are that of Elizabeth. It gave him goosebumps to hear her squeal as Macho writhed in pain. Roberts blames WWF President Jack Tunney for his actions as Tunney allowed Jake to act this way. ‘Mean’ Gene Okerlund is with ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage & Elizabeth in the interview area, Macho stating he’s learned Roberts can’t be trusted at all. He knows Jake gets a rush by seeing fear in Elizabeth’s eyes, but he’ll be getting the rush dropping the big elbow on The Snake.

Match #2: Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts vs. ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage w/Elizabeth
Savage ambushes Jake during his entrance to the ring, the bell rings and Macho rams Roberts into the steel steps before throwing him in the ring. He unloads on The Snake in the corner with jabs, sends him into another corner and connects with a back elbow off the rebound. Macho heads upstairs and hits a double axe, Roberts seeks refuge on the outside, Savage finally taking his hat & jacket off and gives chase. Macho Man with more heavy right hands, they head back in the ring and Jake tries to beg off, uses the official to create a distraction and takes the opening, tossing Savage over the top to the floor.

Roberts rolls out on the other side, pulls Macho down from the apron, Randy attempts to drive him into the ring post, but Jake counters and introduces Savage instead. The Snake wraps Macho’s taped-up arm into the post, Savage collecting himself outside before heading back in. He buries rights to the ribs, Roberts stops the momentum by going to the eyes, then splits him with an inverted atomic drop. Jake works over the bandaged arm and starts to rip at the wrapping, shoots Macho to the ropes for a back body drop, but Savage stops it with a kick. He can’t capitalize however and Roberts goes back to the arm, attempts a short-arm clothesline, Savage ducks and scores with a running elbow.

He looks to whip The Snake into the corner, Jake reverses, they double back and the referee nearly gets squashed, Macho charging Roberts in the corner and meeting a knee to the face. Jake levels him with a short-arm clothesline, calls for the DDT, Savage backs Roberts to the turnbuckles to avoid it, then goes up top and connects with the elbow drop for the 1-2-3.
Winner: ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage (Top Rope Elbow Drop)

• After The Bell: Macho isn’t done yet, heading outside to get a chair, but the referee and a WWF official prevent him from bringing it into the ring. Savage goes to get the ring bell instead, the referee intervenes and Jake takes the opening to spike Macho with a DDT. Savage struggles to his feet only to get planted with another DDT, The Snake starts to take his leave, but changes his mind, pulls the cobra bag out from under the ring and heads inside. Elizabeth makes her way back down and covers Savage to protect him, pleading with Roberts to leave him be. The Snake slaps Macho in the face and taunts him, Savage pulls himself to his feet, Roberts grabbing him and forcing Elizabeth to watch him get spiked with another DDT. He starts to open the bag and puts the protective glove on, telling Elizabeth to beg in order to save Macho. Jake grabs her by the hair and throws her to the canvas, another official and WWF President Jack Tunney head to the ring, finally getting Roberts to the back.
• EA’s Take: While this was not really a great match by any means, it was right for the angle, all the extracurriculars and the story made it very interesting. This was one of my favorite storylines even as a kid, it was very dark and really was perfect for Jake Roberts’ character. Although this storyline was originally intended for Sid Justice (Sid was forced out due to a biceps injury), the substitution of Savage & Elizabeth brought out far more emotion than anything Sid would have been able to contribute. The heated rivalry would continue into 1992 with Savage still seeking retribution.

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