WWE Superstars - September 20, 2012
by Scrooge McSuck
- Last week on Superstars, Cody Rhodes made Zack Ryder look like a goof, Tensai ignored Justin Gabriel's talent by squashing him with one move, Santino Marella went over Jinder Mahal with a goofy comedy spot, and Natalya beat someone because Superstars was (partially) taped in Montreal... she's Jim Neidhart's daughter, but whatever. It was an OK show, but left a "bleh" taste in my mouth, so lets hope we have a good week this time around.
- As always, the broadcast team consists of a rotation between the trio of Josh Mathews, Scott Stanford, and Matt Striker. I never really cared for Striker until watching these Superstars tapings. I can't put my finger on it, but I guess playing it neutral (for the most part) is more interesting than the "generic heel who hates all good guys" act that's been done for the last 30 years.
Ted Dibiase (Jr.) vs. JTG:
I made a comment about not knowing Dibiase (Jr.) was still hanging around in the Night of Champions review, but now we've got him on Superstars, so I'll just shut up. If only Dibiase had a quarter of his father's abilities. Mathews and Stanford remind us it's been since March (shoulder and ankle trouble) when we last saw Dibiase in action... wow, thanks for the info, and I mean that sincerely. Speaking of "how is he still employed", just lookat JTG. Dibiase with a quick takedown for two. JTG with a cheap shot and shoulder tackle. Dibiase pops up, hits a dropkick, and takes him over with a hip toss. Dibiase charges with a clothesline, sending JTG to the floor, and he follows out with a tope'. Back inside, Dibiase covers for two. Dibiase with mounted punches, but JTG escapes, hangs him up across the rope, and connects with a clothesline for two. JTG works a front facelock, then takes Dibiase down with a neck breaker for two. Shameless shilling of The Marine 2, starring Ted Dibiase (Jr.), from Scott Stanford. Dibiase with a surprise small package for two. JTG continues working the midsection. Dibiase offers a comeback, but takes a hard bump into the corner. JTG covers for two, and locks on a body scissors. Dibiase fights free, and takes JTG down with a clothesline and spinebuster for two. Charge to the corner, JTG with a boot to the face. He comes off the middle rope, and Dibiase nails him with a dropkick to the missection for two. JTG with a roll up for two. Dibiase with the Million Dollar Dream, but he turns it into a neck breaker, picking up the three count at 5:10. A little all over the place, but watchable. It's always nice to see fresh faces on Superstars, just to change it up from week to week.Drew McIntyre vs. Jinder Mahal:
I'm loving that video for McIntyre, leading into his entrance. I could've sworn both men were heels, but maybe McIntyre's tweening it. McIntyre is nursing an injured left-hand, apparently, and he's got a plan to avoid the Camel Clutch... Jobbing? Lockup into the corner, and we get a clean break. Mahal with a go-behind waistlock, but McIntyre counters. Mahal with a cheap elbow to the side of the head, then slaps on a headlock. Criss-cross, and McIntyre with a dropkick. He avoids a boot in the corner, and hammers away on Mahal with rights. He sends Mahal to the corner, but gets caught going to the middle rope, and gets yanked off. Mahal stomps away, then goes to work on the injured hand. USA Chant, but I thought McIntyre was from somewhere in Europe. McIntyre mounts a comeback attempt, but Mahal with a knee to the midsection, and a hard punt to the left hand for a two count. Mahal with a baseball slide to the back of the head, and more work on the hand. Mahal with a clothesline, followed by a knee across the wrist. He connects with an Indian Leg Sweep, but it's only for two. McIntyre with rights, but that injured hand is really handicapping him, and yes, pun intended. Mahal hits the ropes, and McIntyre drills him with a clothesline. McIntyre with a snap suplex for two. Whip to the ropes is countered with a yank of the hand, but McIntyre comes right back with a charging boot. He hits the Future Shock DDT, and gets three at 5:09. Wrong finish to what was looking like a pretty good match. Mahal definitely should've gone over, after working the hand to the point it should've been broken in a different realm of reality. Still a solid match, but they definitely went with the wrong finish.- Update on Jerry "the King" Lawler: He returned to Memhis, TN on Monday, after suffering a heart attack on live television the week prior on Monday Night Raw. It took 15-minutes of CPR to revive him... I still can't imagine how long that must've felt for people surrounding the situation. It had to feel like an eternity. This coming monday, Lawler will give an EXCLUSIVE Interview about his condition.
Tyson Kidd vs. David Otunga:
In case you didn't know, Otunga is a graduate of Harvard Law School. Where's Chris Nowinski to make his long-awaited return to the WWE? I don't think I've seen Kidd on Superstars, since starting a weekly recap of Superstars. Formerly of the Hart Dynasty, he's not doing much lately, I guess. Kidd quickly goes for the arm, but Otunga throws him over with a hip toss. Otunga escapes a waistlock, and hooks an armbar. Kidd goes to the apron and reverses. Kidd with a drop toe hold and la magistral for a two count. Whip to the ropes, and Otunga sends Kidd crashing to the floor. He follows out, and rams Kidd into the security wall. Back inside, Otunga charges into the corner with a clothesline, then plows through him with a shoulder tackle for a two count. Otunga slaps on a chinlock, but Kidd is quick to his feet. Otunga goes for a full nelson, but Kidd counters with a roll up for two. Kidd kicks away at Otunga, and comes off the ropes with a basement dropkick. He takes Otunga down with a tear-drop suplex, but only gets two. Kidd to the apron, and he lands a kick to the side of the head. He goes to the top, but Otunga catches him coming with a spinebuster, and that's all he needs for the three count at 3:23. I guess the underweights are still not allowed to look too good against the bigger, more more muscular Superstars.- Raw Rebound! Last Sunday at Night of Champions, Cena pinned Punk, but it turned out both men had their shoulders down, so Punk retained the title. I'd call it controversial, but it was an obvious call. This past Monday, Raw General Manager A.J. Lee made a big tag team main event, between Cena and Sheamus and Punk and Del Rio. It came down to Cena and Punk, with Cena hitting the AA and covering Punk for a three count, despite Punk having his foot on the bottom rope before the count was finished. Raw closed out with Punk bitching out the referee for the obviously bad call. (Heyman: He's a referee!, Punk: He's a bad referee!").
- John Cena had to undergo surgery to remove bone-spurs in his elbow, taking him out of action for at least 4-6 weeks. What will this do to Hell In A Cell, on October 28th? Will he be cleared in time for the big rematch?
The Usos vs. The Primetime Players:
(Jimmy & Jey Uso vs. Darren Young & Titus O'Neil)I am NOT looking forward to this. I've yet to see an Uso match I liked. I know it's only totaled at three, but still... Last week on Raw, the PTP took out Sin Cara and Rey Mysterio, to remind everyone they're still around, I guess. Young (and his fro-comb) and Jey Uso start. Lockup, and Jey messes Young's hair. OOOH! Whip to the ropes, and the Uso's with a double elbow and drop for two. The Uso's continue to double-team as Young yells to the referee to do his job right. O'Neil gets the tag, and plants Jey with a slam. He misses an elbow by a mile. Jimmy tags in and comes off the ropes with a dropkick. Young tags in, and gets taken over with an arm drag. Whip to the corner, and Young does the Harley Race bump to the floor. Jimmy follows him out with a top rope headbutt. Titus gets involved, and gets wiped out by Jey as we take a commercial break. We come back, with Jimmy covering Young for two. Young misses a charge to the corner, but manages to hang Jimmyy up across the top rope while going after Titus in the corner. O'Neil tags in, and quickly lays Jimmy out with a clothesline. Back in the ring, and a cover gets two. Titus slaps on a chinlock, because tag matches need more rest holds, I guess. Jimmy offers at an escape, but Titus remains in control. Young tags in, and gets suplex'ed across the chest of Jimmy for two. Cover again for two. O'Neil with a well-placed boot to the chest, followed by a vicious uppercut forearm for two. Jimmy flails about until taking a knee to the midsection. Whip to the ropes, and Jimmy takes Titus over with a back drop. Jey gets the hot tag, and lays into Young with forearms. He connects with a crescent kick, followed by a spiral forearm. I hate how the camera has to change to cover how badly blown spots are. Titus breaks a pin attempt, then takes Jimmy out on the floor. Jey with a Samoan drop on Young, but he gets crotched going for a splash. Titus tags in, and the Demolition Decapitator finishes Jey Uso off at 7:52. As if anyone thought the Uso's would be going over here. Does anyone feel bad the PTP were pushed aside for the sudden surge of Daniel Bryan and Kane as a Tag Team? Nah, me neither.
Final Thoughts: A lot of fresh faces compared to previous weeks, but other than that, a pretty pedestrian show. McIntyre vs. Mahal was going quite well before the finish, but other than that, everything else was very generic. The opener was just a bunch of stuff, Tyson Kidd's offense went for naught by doing the job to an out of nowhere transition move, and the Tag Team main event, while better than the last time we saw the Uso's, was still low-level stuff, like a match you would use to see on Deep South Wrestling, or other "minor league" promotions under WWE's control. Skipable show this week.
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