'''''WWF Prime Time Wrestling''''' (also known to fans as simply '''''Prime Time''''' or '''''PTW''''') was a TV wrestling program that aired on the [[USA Network]] from [[1985 in television|1985]]-[[1993 in television|1993]]. A precursor to ''[[WWE RAW|Monday Night Raw]]'', ''Prime Time Wrestling'' was a two-hour long, weekly program that featured stars of the [[World Wrestling Federation]] (now [[World Wrestling Entertainment]]). The program featured wrestling matches (most of which were compiled from the WWF's syndicated programs of the era, combined with "house show" matches from venues such as [[Madison Square Garden]]), interviews, [[Promo (professional wrestling)|promos]] featuring WWF wrestlers, updates of current [[Feud (professional wrestling)|feuds]] and announcements of upcoming local and [[pay-per-view]] events.
[[Image:Monsoon&heenan.jpg|right|thumb|275px|[[Bobby Heenan]] and [[Gorilla Monsoon]] on the set of ''Prime Time Wrestling'', circa 1987]]
The original hosts of ''Prime Time Wrestling'' were [[Jesse Ventura]] and [[Jack Reynolds]]. Later, [[Gorilla Monsoon]] replaced Reynolds as Ventura's co-host, and [[Bobby Heenan]] would replace Ventura in [[1986 in television|1986]]. Heenan and Monsoon hosted ''Prime Time'' together from 1986-1991.  [[Roddy Piper]] replaced Heenan briefly in the summer of 1989, during the period Heenan "took over" the last half-hour of the ''Prime Time'' program for his own [[talk show]]; after Heenan returned to the main program, Piper was retained for the remainder of 1989 as a second co-host.

The best-remembered ''Prime Time'' format featured Heenan and Monsoon introducing [[Broadcasting#Recorded_or_live|taped]] matches and analyzing them afterward, with Monsoon taking a neutral/[[babyface (professional wrestling)|babyface]] position and Heenan unashamedly cheering on the [[heel (professional wrestling)|heels]]. The chemistry between Monsoon and Heenan made this show popular with fans for many years, despite the fact it was not considered one of the WWF's "primary" shows for most of its history, and many other wrestling programs—both produced by the WWF and by other companies—would attempt to copy this formula, with varying degrees of success.

On [[February 18]], [[1991 in television|1991]], ''Prime Time'' changed formats to something vaguely resembling a talk/variety show, with an in-studio audience.  [[Vince McMahon]] and Bobby Heenan hosted this version of ''Prime Time'', with [[Lord Alfred Hayes]] serving as an announcer. WWF wrestlers were frequent guests during this particular incarnation of ''Prime Time'', which was similar to the WWF's old ''[[Tuesday Night Titans]]'' program.  [[Sean Mooney]] replaced McMahon during the final weeks of this format, which disappeared in November of that year.

''Prime Time'''s final format (November 1991 - Janurary [[1993 in television|1993]]) featured Vince McMahon and a panel of WWF personalities (including, at various points, Bobby Heenan, Gorilla Monsoon, [[Jim Duggan|Hacksaw Jim Duggan]], [[Randy Savage]], [[Curt Hennig|Mr. Perfect]], and [[Jerry Lawler|Jerry "The King" Lawler]]) participating in a roundtable discussion about the goings-on in the WWF at the time.  Despite the format changes in its last years, the main focus of ''Prime Time Wrestling'' remained unchanged—recapping the highlights of the WWF's flagship syndicated programs and presenting occassional exclusive matches taped from the house show circuit.

==External links==
*[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0283816/ IMDb.com Entry]
 
[[Category:World Wrestling Entertainment television programs|Primetime Wrestling]]
[[Category:1980s TV shows in the United States]]
[[Category:1990s TV shows in the United States]]