WWF Superstars (July 17, 1993)

Original Airdate: July 17, 1993 (taped June 15)

From Huntington, West Virginia; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Jerry Lawler 

Tatanka v Brian Costello: Lawler brings up the haircut Bam Bam Bigelow gave to Tatanka, and McMahon suggests that Tatanka is looking to even the score. Against a bald guy? And Jerry doesn’t even call him on it! Jesse Ventura would have torn him to bits. Tatanka with the Samoan drop at 2:32. This was a nothing squash, with really annoying commentary. And I’m usually more of a fan of this trio than most people are! DUD

Gorilla Monsoon is in the control center with Update, and once again, we have to talk about Lex Luger bodyslamming WWF Champion Yokozuna. I get that it was the crux of their big angle of the summer, but they’re relentless with it. So, apparently Luger has started a ‘call to action campaign,’ and is asking us all to send cards and letters to President Jack Tunney’s office to petition for a title match. Why is Gorilla acting like Tunney is a heel here? And, Lex will be riding around the country in his new gas guzzling Lex Express bus to drum up support. No wonder he drew the ire of Ludvig Borga

SummerSlam ad

Adam Bomb v Rich Myers: You know, you can criticize a lot about the WWF during this period, but their production values were beyond fault. I mean, just the way the camera would always catch Adam’s eyes when he’d flip his hair up. It’s not really a big thing, but they were always so smooth with it, whereas even other big promotions (like WCW) would have absolutely messed it up. Regularly. Interestingly, Vince talks about how Myers’ dad (‘Jim Myers’) was ‘one of the all time greats,’ and I’m pretty sure his dad was George Steele. Which is doubly odd, both that Vince acknowledged the connection, and that he was identifying him by a different name than had ever been known to WWF audiences. Adam with the powerbomb at 2:38. DUD

Gene Okerlund is in the studio with Face to Face, and his guests this week are WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels and Diesel. Diesel makes clear that his job is to keep girls away from Shawn Michaels. “Isn’t it great?” asks Michaels

WWF Tag Team Title Match: The Steiner Brothers v Money Inc: This is a pretty huge match for this show, actually! When was the last time we saw a title defended on Superstars? Scott Steiner and Irwin R Schyster start, and they feel each other out. Scott dominates, but IRS catches him with a leg-feed enzuigiri to turn the tide. Irish whip, but Scott reverses, and delivers a powerslam, so Irwin bails. Tag to Ted DiBiase, and he tries a wristlock, but Scott reverses. Ted counters to a standing headlock, but Scott forces a criss cross, and nails him with a dropkick for two. Tag to Rick Steiner, and he takes DiBiase to the mat in a side-headlock of his own. Ted forces a criss cross, but Rick catches him with a belly-to-belly suplex for two, and the champs take turns working DiBiase’s arm. DiBiase manages to catch Scott with a knee to allow the tag out, but Irwin immediately misses an elbowdrop, and the Brothers start working his arm to pick up where they left off. Criss cross sees IRS bail, so Scott drags him back in by the necktie, and he snaps his throat across the top rope for one. A cheap shot from DiBiase allows IRS to dump Scott to the outside, however, and Ted is right there to send Scott into the steps! Inside, the challengers take control, and they go to work cutting the ring in half on Scott. Scott manages to fight Ted off with a vertical suplex, but IRS cuts off the tag. Scott tries a sunset flip on Irwin, but DiBiase is right there with a distraction, delaying the referee from counting. That allows Irwin to keep Scott cut off with a chinlock, but Scott fights to a vertical base, and forces a criss cross - ending in both guys colliding for a double knockout. Both men tag, and Rick comes in hot, Roseanne Barr the door! DiBiase tries a piledriver on Rick, but Scott dives off the middle to save, and Rick covers for two. Powerslam follows, and Scott tags back in to drop DiBiase with the Frankensteiner. Cover, but IRS blasts him with the briefcase to save, and puts DiBiase on top. Cover, count, and we have new champions at 16:07. The referee is ready to award the belts to Money Inc, but another official runs out, and informs him of the cheating, resulting in a reversed decision - the Brothers winning by DQ. Weak finish aside, this was a good match, getting plenty of time to tell an interesting story, and keeping a good pace. ***

Gene is in the studio with the SummerSlam Report, and this week we get the announcement of a second match: Undertaker/Giant Gonzalez in a Rest in Peace match. Which Gene openly acknowledges is not something anyone knows the rules to. But it’s happening anyway. I remember seeing that on the back of the Coliseum Video case when I saw SummerSlam ‘93 for the first time, and being really excited at the possibility of some cool gimmick match. What a letdown. And a surprising one, at that, since the WWF was usually pretty good at delivering with stuff like that

Back out in the arena, Money Inc is refusing to leave the ring, so Boni Blackstone comes out to see what their beef is, and they want a rematch next week. Boni is not holding that microphone up high enough for someone so short, causing both guys to hunch down in a pretty comical looking way. Just hold it up, Boni! Do your best Statue of Liberty impression

Mr. Hughes v Sonny Rogers: Rogers looks like the type of guy who sells vitamins and supplements out of the trunk of his car. Meanwhile, a wreath is delivered to ringside as a taunt to Hughes, who is still walking around with Undertaker’s urn at this point. Hughes with a scrapbuster at 1:34. DUD

Gene is in the studio with Face to Face, with guests Bret Hart and Harvey Wippleman. Bret is still fuming at Jerry Lawler, and I’ll say, Bret wasn’t always a great promo, but he really showed a lot of fire in this feud. He has such real hatred in his voice here. Meanwhile, Harvey doesn’t know what the Rest in Peace match is either, but Giant Gonzalez is going to win it anyway

 

Backstage, the Steiner Brothers accept the challenge for next week 

BUExperience: The tag title match was really good stuff (and takes up the bulk of the show on its own), and everything else was fine, and inoffensive. A solid episode.