WWF Superstars (November 21, 1992)

Original Airdate: November 21, 1992 (taped October 27)

 

From Terre Haute, Indiana; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Bobby Heenan

 

WWF Title Match: Bret Hart v Virgil: Lots of empty seats all over the place here, which is kind of embarrassing considering this was a major taping that included Saturday Night's Main Event. Virgil gets the first takedown, and Bret pushes into the ropes to shake him off. Virgil grabs a headlock next, so Bret forces a criss cross, but Virgil is ready with a bodypress for two. Back to the headlock, so Bret counters with a headscissors this time, and then goes to a headlock of his own. Virgil tries to force a criss cross, but Hart is ready with a clothesline this time, and he adds a pointed elbowdrop. Bodyslam follows, and even Heenan is putting Bret over, which is something. Virgil fights out of the corner with a monkeyflip for two, but Hart ducks a 2^nd rope bodypress attempt, and Bret slap on the Sharpshooter at 3:39. This was too short, but you have to give it to him, Bret made Virgil (Virgil!) look like a threat! This may also legitimately be the best match on this show in months at a whopping * ¾

 

Gene Okerlund is in the studio with an update on the main event of Survivor Series. Why does he sound like he's in mourning? So Ultimate Warrior is out, Mr. Perfect is in, and Gene has an exclusive interview with Perfect and Randy Savage. Man, imagine if you went on vacation, came back and turned on Superstars for the first time in a few weeks, and suddenly Bret Hart is WWF Champion, Shawn Michaels is Intercontinental champion, Mr. Perfect is a babyface. It would be jarring. Perfect is great here, not going full babyface, and getting the character motivations over, well, perfectly

 

Yokozuna v Todd Becker: Speaking of great characters, Heenan is also on fire, ranting and raving about Perfect's betrayal. Yokozuna has apparently signed an open contract for Survivor Series, so I guess Virgil was feeling pretty good about himself after going the distance with the champ earlier. Banzai Drop finishes at 1:58. The crowd is still in awe of this guy, and rightly so. ¼*

 

The Natural Disasters and the Nasty Boys are having their weekly jilted tag teams meeting

 

Kamala ain't afraid of no ghosts

 

Lord Alfred Hayes is in the control center with highlights from Saturday Night's Main Event. Boy, Bret went over a lot of black dudes at that taping, didn't he?

 

The Natural Disasters v Steve Walker and Mike Kramer: Ugh, more Natural Disasters? I really feel like I've have my fill for the week. Or lifetime. The jobbers are wearing the same colors as the Disasters, too, which is just bad form. WWF Tag Team Champions Money Inc and the Beverly Brothers split screen in to hype Survivor Series, and despite a legitimate (and solid) angle behind this, everything about it is just super, super generic. Earthquake Splash and the Tidal Wave finish at 2:06. DUD

 

Gene is in the studio with the Survivor Series Report. Why are they still hyping up an event program with Ultimate Warrior on the cover?

 

Bam Bam Bigelow is... an arsonist?

 

Lance Cassidy v Barry Horowitz: Doink the Clown hangs around in the crowd during this. Cassidy split screens in to note that he comes from "Texas, and everywhere in between." What does that even mean? Is he confused? Cassidy with a flying clothesline at 2:19. As short as Cassidy's run was, it already feels too long. ¼*

 

High Energy won't let the Headshrinkers shrink their heads. They're high enough already, leave them alone

 

Rick Martel threatens to make sure Tatanka has nothing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. That's just mean

 

Tatanka practices yoga

 

Undertaker is in his workshop, where the casket is finally ready. Took long enough. But I shouldn't complain. He may be the first contractor to actually meet a deadline

 

BUExperience: This was a full hard sell for Survivor Series, and it wasn't very good. Despite another pair big shocking developments since the last episode (the Perfect turn and Shawn Michaels picking up the IC title) there was little going on this week