WWF Superstars (December 19, 1992)

Original Airdate: December 19, 1992 (taped November 24)

 

From Dayton, Ohio; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bobby Heenan, and Jerry Lawler

 

Crush v Dark Destiny: Lawler was really leaning hard into the royalty gimmick in the early going, though it would largely become background later on. Destiny does a great job of selling for Crush, even taking a bump to the outside off of a punch at one point, and then taking another one off of just getting pressed back into the ring. This is some Mr. Perfect level shit. Headvice finishes at 2:50. This jobber really understood what it meant to be an enhancement talent. ½*

 

Gene Okerlund is in the control center with an update on last week’s confrontation/brawl between WWF Champion Bret Hart, Mr. Perfect, Ric Flair, and Razor Ramon. We watch the segment over, and then get a promo from Flair and Ramon, and I don't think these two fully grasp that they can't both win the WWF Title. You'd think a Cuban would have no trouble understanding the perils of socialism

 

Kamala v Bill Koby: These taping cycles are so weird. I get that it was a very different time, but the idea of booking a month's worth of stuff for after Survivor Series the day before Survivor Series is mind blowing to a guy who came of age during the Monday Night Wars. And what's really odd is that this was supposedly the era when kayfabe still mattered. Kamala with the splash at 1:47. DUD

 

Reverend Slick offers his holiday spiel

 

Big Boss Man v Barry Hardy: I believe it was Hardy under the mask as Dark Destiny during the opener, so hopefully he's in the mood to put Boss Man over as strongly as he did Crush. Doink the Clown shows up during the bout, and ties a wire between the guardrails in the aisle, as Boss Man polishes Hardy off with the Boss Man Slam at 1:47. This idiot referee counted three despite Boss Man pretty clearly letting off the cover at two. And it's Earl Hebner, of course. Barry screwed Barry. Afterwards, Boss Man high tails it up the aisle, but gets tripped up by Doink's wire, in another prank from the clown. DUD

 

WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels is sick of jealous punks like Marty Jannetty, who reeks of jealousy. Oh, I believe he reeks of something, all right

 

Tatanka is still on the hunt for gold. Maybe ask for a meeting with Jack Tunney, or something? I'm getting sick of him constantly talking up his game, but never actually angling for a title shot. You're undefeated! Do something about it

 

Yokozuna v Richard Myers: Mr. Fuji has finally switched over to the more familiar gi look that he'd stick with for the rest of his career. He hasn't started shaving his head yet, though, and it looks weird. Meanwhile, Yokozuna has got the red tights/black trim look going, giving us a good twofer. He's also drawing looks of legitimate shock and awe from the crowd, though he looks positively lightweight compared to what would become of him even just a few years later. Banzai Drop finishes at 1:31, without the videogame taunt this time. They worked out a lot of the kinks with the character by this point, and he was clearly a star. ¼*

 

Royal Rumble ad

 

Joe Bevins brings out 'Santa's little helpers,' in the form of the Bushwhackers dressed as Santa Claus. This was pointless

 

Damien Demento v Kerry Davis: Davis somehow looks even weirder than Demento, which is a high bar to clear. Demento with his stupid kneedrop finisher at 1:55. DUD

 

Gene is in the studio with the Royal Rumble Report. Not much this week, just a few names announced for the Rumble match. Do they even announce the field these days?

 

Money Inc v Chris Hahn and Laverne McGill: The WWF Tag Team title is not on the line here. Jerry Lawler also officially adds himself as an entrant to the Rumble match. Hahn looks like a dead ringer for Brian Christopher, so are we sure he's not an illegitimate son of the King's? Doink shows up in the crowd, messing with some fans, as they continue slow building the hell out of this character. The Nasty Boys split screen in to continue doing their jilted tag team thing, as I continue to not care. Million Dollar Dream finishes at 2:27. DUD

 

Tito Santana has gone from promising to be the next WWF Champion to simply hoping to 'be around for a long time.' Poor guy

 

The Headshrinkers make a statement. A fashion statement

 

Virgil apparently thinks he was the most popular wrestler of 1992. I doubt he was even the most popular wrestler in his own house that year

 

The WWF superstars wish us all a Merry Christmas

BUExperience: Not much doing this week.