WWF Superstars (May 1, 1993)

Original Airdate: May 1, 1993 (taped April 6)

From Tucson, Arizona; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Jerry Lawler

Raymond Rougeau brings Undertaker and Paul Bearer out to casually threaten Giant Gonzalez with full on murder

The Headshrinkers v Bob Young and Scott Bazo: The announcers are still putting over the Nasty Boys as chasing the tag title, despite the team having already finished their last dates by this point (though they would still air two more matches featuring the team in the coming weeks, since their taping cycles were so delayed). The Headshrinkers with the flying splash at 2:17, as Lawler makes multiple jokes about the shrunken head Afa has being based on Savage. Apparently he thought it was really, really funny, considering he made it about three times in two minutes. Nothing to this one. DUD

The Steiner Brothers are annoyed that they’ve had to go through the likes of the Beverly Brothers and the Headshrinkers before getting a shot at the WWF Tag Team title. Really? You’ve been in the promotion for all of a few months, and you’re already in line for a title shot! I guess they thought the concept of rankings were beneath them, but after years in WCW, were they really not familiar with the concept of a Top Ten?

WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels cuts a pretty terrible promo on Mr. Perfect. Watching this back-to-back with late 1997 RAWs really makes it plain just how much he improved later on

Smoking Gunns vignette

Virgil v White Shadow: Lawler is worried that the Smoking Gunns will bring their pistols to the ring, and Vince is all ‘well why not?’ Even Lawler stutters after that one. Anyway, can you even imagine someone pulling a gun on WWF TV? Let’s just hope they clear it with USA Network first. Vince is ‘sure’ that Virgil will try to qualify for the King of the Ring tournament, which is something that did not happen. Virgil with a Russian legsweep at 2:00. Virgil looked pretty bad out there. DUD

Gene Okerlund is in the studio with the King of the Ring Report. The King of the Ring theme music is still one of my favorites, though really all of the ones from this era were fantastic. Gene announces that Bret Hart has been named the first seed, and is in the tournament without needing to qualify. Meanwhile, WWF Champion Hulk Hogan defends against Yokozuna, which may be the first time we’ve heard of the Hulkster at all since WrestleMania. And we even get a promo from him (with a Brutus Beefcake cameo!) from the set of Thunder in Paradise! A pretty terrible promo, at that. It still feels so weird to me seeing them promote Thunder in Paradise on WWF TV, considering how instrumental that show became in Hulk’s jump to WCW. Oh, and Brutus is wearing the protective face mask out on the beach with Hulk, because that dog ain’t gonna bite him twice

King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: Mr. Perfect v Doink the Clown: Doink attacks in the aisle to kickstart the match, and Perfect eats the steps a few times out there. Inside, Doink hammers him in the corner, and a snapmare sets up a kneedrop, but Perfect dodges. Perfect capitalizes by going to work on the leg, and a big chop sends Doink clear over the top! Perfect follows to give Doink some payback with the steps, and he delivers a headbutt drop to the stomach on the way back in. Back to the leg, as the match slows way down. Kneelift knocks Doink back to the outside, but he suckers Perfect, and dives with a flying axehandle on the outside. Doink with a vertical suplex on the way inside, and another flying axehandle connects. Perfect gets fired up during a slugfest, allowing him a cradle for two, and a backslide is worth two. Rollup for two, and a side suplex gets two. Another brutal chop, and he hits the Perfectplex, but time expires at 7:43. This was pretty weak, with both guys looking off of their game. *

Bam Bam Bigelow gloats about cutting Tatanka’s hair last week. No wonder Brutus Beefcake stepped away, they gave his gimmick to someone else!

Meanwhile, Tatanka vows revenge. This is officially the most violent haircut since that scene in Boyhood

Typhoon v Larry Ludden: Vince wonders if Typhoon will be in the tournament, but Lawler notes that he can’t, because where in the world would they find a throne for him? The man speaks the truth. Typhoon with a splash at 2:30. At least Typhoon actually did get a shot to qualify, unlike poor Virgil. ¼*

King of the Ring ad

Lex Luger v Terry Zeller: No match here, as Luger knocks him out with the loaded forearm before the bell, and Zeller can’t compete. 

Giant Gonzalez sees the roster as a bunch of bowling pins for him to knock down. Well, not wonder he doesn’t have any friends

Jim Duggan loves his country, his family, and his name. In that order?

Razor Ramon is ready to qualify for the King of the Ring next week, but not if Tito Santana has anything to say about it!

BUExperience: King of the Ring is one of my favorite shows (and the ‘93 version is one of the best), so as we start the march to it, this show is definitely getting better. We’re officially out of the post-WrestleMania blues period.