WWF Superstars - September 24, 1994
by Scrooge McSuck
- Time for another random flashback into the WWF's weekly syndicated programs. This time the destination is landing in the post-SummerSlam fallout, and building up towards the 8th annual Survivor Series. Taped on August 31st, 1994, from Green Bay, WI. Vince McMahon and Jerry "The King" Lawler are on hand to call all the action for us, and rundown what we're expecting to see throughout the next hour. Looks like an unimpressive lineup, but you never know...
The British Bulldog vs. Reno Riggins:
This is the official in-ring return of Davey Boy Smith, and is thus the only thing hyped at the start of the show with any promise... sorry, no feature matches. For those unfamiliar, Davey Boy made a semi-surprise return, appearing at ringside at SummerSlam, and helping Bret Hart after his match fend off the attack from Owen and Jim Neidhart. No offense to whoever was in charge, but why bring in someone who is clearly on the juice, in an era where you're trying your best to make sure no one was, or barely looked the part? Oh well... Lockup, and Davey Boy throws Riggins across the ring, with ease. Riggins grabs a headlock, but is quickly taken over with a hip toss. Whip to the ropes, and Davey Boy with a back drop. Criss-cross sequence ends with Riggins filling his trunks with brown butter. He surprises Smith with a crescent kick to the chest, and covers for not even a one count. Bulldog with the "comeback", I guess, working his delayed vertical suplex, then grabbing a CHINLOCK. Really? He takes Riggins over with a double-underhook suplex, and finishes things with the Running Powerslam at 3:29. The Bulldog is back, and sucking wind like never before!- WWF Live Event News! The WWF Hart Attack Tour (har har...) is coming to the New York/New Jersey Area with stops at the Meadowlands Arena on October 27th, the Nassau Coliseum on October 28th, and good ol' Madison Square Garden on October 29th. Take a look at the stacked card we're expecting to see....
- Bret Hart defends the WWF Championship against Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart
- The Undertaker takes on Yokozuna in a Casket Match
- Lex Luger vs. Tatanka
- Doink & Dink the Clowns vs. Jerry Lawler & Mystery Prince?
- The Smoking Gunns vs. The Heavenly Bodies
- Duke "The Dumpster" Droese vs. Irwin R. Schyster
- The 1-2-3 Kid vs. Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz
- Special Challenge by Bob Backlund
Shawn Michaels & Diesel (Tag Team Champions) vs. Rod Bell & Kevin Krueger:
I don't want to check the long history of the WWF Tag Team Titles, but this might be the first instance of a super-team having a considerably lengthy reign as champions. I say it that way because I believe Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales won them from the Wild Samoans, but were forced to vacate them. I guess the team of Andre and Haku can be argued, too, to a lesser extent. Michaels starts, grabbing a headlock on Krueger, then coming off the ropes with a shoulder. He leads the scrub around the ring like a sheep, only to be met with a clothesline from Diesel. Back in the ring, Michaels connects with a diving elbow. Diesel tags in, pounds away on Bell, and plants him with a sidewalk slam. Shawn with a scoop slam and second rope elbow drop. Diesel with the sit-down splash across the middle rope. Michaels with Sweet Chin Music, Diesel with the Jacknife Powerbomb, and Shawn covers (with his hat on) for the three count at 3:41. Enjoyable squash match, with Shawn really hamming it up.Doink (the Clown) (w/ Dink, Also a Clown) vs. Sonny Rogers:
Before we get to the squash, we take a trip down Memory Lane... two weeks ago on Superstars, Jerry Lawler popped all of Dink's balloons, just to be a jerk. I found it entertaining, so sue me. The next Monday on Night Raw, they gave him a present in the form of a trash can, booby-trapped with weights, and a match against Duke Droese... OK? Doink is clearly being played by someone of a taller stature than usual. He talks Rogers into using the pogo sticker, with (non)hilarious results. Doink with an arm drag and scoop slam. He connects with an atomic drop and clothesline, but we get Clown Miscommunication in the corner, allowing Rogers to get some token offense. Suddenly, Lawler makes his way to ringside and trashes Dink's Tricycle. YOU MEANIE! Doink makes his comeback, and finishes Rogers off with the Whoopie Cushion at 3:08. Points for advancing a storyline, but taken away for the storyline being that ridiculously dumb Doink vs. Lawler angle.- We throw it to some unknown goober at the WWF Live Event Desk, doing his best to try and look like Barry Bostwick from Rocky Horror Picture Show. Suddenly, a giant hand grabs the set and lifts it in the air, revealing the arm belonging to King Kong Bundy. Growling. And looking really old. All part of the NEW Generation!
Tatanka (w/ Ted Dibiase) vs. Gary Jackson:
Where to begin with the Tatanka heel turn... was it a dumb decision? No, not at all. He clearly had lost all steam as a babyface, and needed new direction. However, once he turned heel, he didn't do anything to change his character. He still dressed up as he typically did (eventually going for a color swap, big deal), and other than a few more chinlocks, used the same spots. For someone who sold out, he really didn't do much to alter his persona other than telling people to boo him. Some random kid does intros for the match, and that's always fun. Tatanka with a knee to the gut, followed by chops across the back. Then more chops in the corner. He tosses Jobber to the floor, then back in the ring... that was pointless. Jackson with a surprise roll up for two, then a sunset flip for another two count. Tatanka starts no-selling, hits more chops, including the one from the top rope, and finishes with the "End of the Trail" (Papoose to Go, Samoan Drop) at 2:47. He gives the scrub another one, just because he's a heel. Boo him.- Raw Rebound, a good decade before that became an actual phrase: Vince McMahon interviews Bob Backlund, who offers to demonstrate the Crossface Chicken Wing. WWF Magazine Editor Lou Gianfredo agrees and lets Backlund apply it, then he snaps and really clamps it on until a gaggle of referees force him off. Then we get the crazy eyes. CRAZY EYES, I TELLS YA!
Adam Bomb vs. Barry Horowitz:
I would say that Bomb hasn't had much direction since turning face, but if you think about it, and not too hardly, he never had a true program as a heel, either. It's a shame we never got that epic Adam Bomb vs. Giant Gonzales program that was supposed to take place. Horowitz quickly goes for the arm, but Bomb counters with a headlock and takeover. Horowitz with a head scissors to counter that, and Bomb quickly escapes, takes him down with a drop toe hold, and grabs another headlock. Scoop slam and a hip toss from Bomb, but he misses an elbow, allowing Horowitz to cover for one. Bomb no-sells some stuff and catches Horowitz off the ropes with a powerslam, followed by a standing dropkick. A boot to the gut and pumphandle slam finishes Horowitz off at 2:41. Thank you and good night.- The Undertaker and Paul Bearer cut a promo on Yokozuna, because they have unfinishes business. Yay, another Casket Match is coming up. Because the last one was such a classic, wasn't it?
Yokozuna (w/ Jim Cornette) vs. Gary Scott:
What, no Mr. Fuji this week? That saddens me beyond any words can explain. Yokozuna controls with offense that would best be described as throwing his fat around. Whip to the ropes, and he takes Scott over with a bak drop. He no-sells some rights and lays the scrub out with one clubberin' blow, followed by a headbutt, and the Rock Bottom (or whatever the move used to be called) finishes for three at 1:48. No Banzai Drop? BOO! Post-match, Undertaker haunts Yokozuna from beyond the grave. SCARY!Next Week on WWF Superstars... a Special Interview with Lex Luger. In action will be Irwin R. Schsyter, Mabel, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon, and the in-ring debut of Abe "Knuckleball" Schwartz. Hot damn, get me a ticket for that one! Looks like another week without a feature match. Lame!
Final Thoughts: With no feature matches to enjoy, we've got to look a little deeper in the presentation to see what was the focus of the promotion: the Lawler/Doink program seemed to get the most air time, unfortunately. There's the rehash of Undertaker/Yokozuna following the immortally stupid "Twin Undertaker's" angle, Bob Backlund turning to the dark side as a crazy old man, and Native American Tatanka selling out to the dark side of the reservation. Not exactly the best storylines the WWF ever produced, but at least the majority of the show had a purpose, instead of just randomly throwing people out their to do squash matches.
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