WWF Superstars (September 11, 1993)

Original Airdate: September 11, 1993 (taped August 17)

From White Plains, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Randy Savage, and Jerry Lawler

The Headshrinkers v Marty Jannetty and Virgil: No microphone can contain Randy Savage’s voice. Seriously, his pitch is all over the place, my poor ears. Samu and Marty start, and Samu powers him around in the early going, until Marty manages to use some speed. Dropkick and an armdrag work, so Fatu gives his partner a headbutt to ‘focus him.’ It works, as Samu chops Marty, and delivers a bodyslam. Tag to Fatu to stomp on Marty, but a clothesline misses, and Jannetty manages a bodypress for two. Armdrag allows an armbar, and he tags to Virgil for a flying axehandle to the arm. Virgil works a wristlock, but Fatu fights him off, and delivers a backbreaker. Shoulderblock finds the mark, but a clothesline misses, and Virgil uses a drop-toehold into a hammerlock. Virgil adds a kneedrop to the arm while cranking the hold, and he passes to Marty, but Fatu chops him in the throat to get away. Tag to Samu for a corner whip, but the charge in hits the boot, and Marty pounds him. Armbar, so Samu goes to the eyes, but Jannetty manages a sunset flip during a criss cross, and he delivers a superkick. Fatu responds with a cheap shot from the apron, however, and the Headshrinkers double team to turn the tide. Fatu tags in with a superkick of his own, as the heels go to work on Jannetty. Vince’s over the top reactions to the double teams are great, and part of what made him an effective commentator, regardless of his shortcomings. Samu misses a charge in the corner to allow the hot tag to Virgil, and Roseanne Barr the door! The babyfaces hit Fatu with stereo dropkicks, and Virgil goes for the kill with a Russian legsweep, but Samu dives with a flying headbutt drop to save, and Virgil is pinned at 9:42. This was fun tag wrestling, with a good pace, and strong selling from Jannetty. ** ½

Gene Okerlund is in the studio for Face to Face, with guests Bam Bam Bigelow, Adam Bomb, Luna Vachon, and Johnny Polo. Apparently, these two will be teaming up to challenge WWF Tag Team Champions The Steiner Brothers. That actually sounds like it would be a hot match. Kind of weird that Johnny would be backing this team, when the Quebecers already had a signed match for the title on the next episode of RAW. That’s a real Jimmy Hart move!

Irwin R Schyster v Jeff LiBolt: Vince and Randy are still in complete shock that Jannetty and Virgil lost in the opener. Really? The two guys who have never teamed before losing to a long established team counts as a shock? Vince then follows it up with a real whopper, noting that ‘no one’ has more scientific wrestling knowledge than IRS. I mean, he was a noted amatuer, but ‘no one?’ Really? And they never directly referenced his amateur background anyway. IRS with the (very scientific) jumping clothesline at 1:35. He’s practically Bill Nye. DUD

Tatanka v Damien Demento: Can we count this as a star/star match? Tatanka slaps him at the bell, so Damien throws a punch, but Tatanka fights him off with a hiptoss and a bodyslam. Dropkick sends Demento to the outside, as Savage wishes Crush well on commentary. I love slow burn angles. Inside, Tatanka misses an elbowdrop, and even babyface the announcers are calling out how telegraphed that one was. Demento with a turnbuckle smash and a clothesline, and he hammers on Tatanka for a bit. Demento with a snapmare to set up an elbowdrop for two, and he works a chinlock, but Tatanka escapes, and uses a sunset flip for two. Bodypress follows for two, but Demento cuts him off with a DDT. Turnbuckle smash, but Tatanka no-sells, and goes on the warpath. Powerslam leads to a flying tomahawk chop at 4:48. This was fine for what it was, and what it needed to be. ¾*

Gorilla Monsoon is in the control center with Update, and he notes that, at SummerSlam, Lex Luger fulfilled every single promise he made on the Call to Action Campaign, except for winning the WWF Title. What else did he promise, exactly? That he’d appear at SummerSlam? That he’d wear red/white/blue? Anyway, this leads to clips of Lex celebrating his victory in the locker room after the match, when Ludvig Borga stormed in to get in his face

1-2-3 Kid v Bastion Booger: This was was taped August 18 1993 in Lowell Massachusetts for the September 12 episode of Wrestling Challenge, but got thrown in here as well since they didn't want to use the Mr. Hughes squash they taped in White Plains (as he'd left the promotion by the time this episode aired). So we get Jim Ross and Bobby Heenan on commentary for this one. Booger knocks him around to start, and a pop-up flapjack sets up a legdrop. Booger with a headbutt, and a butterfly slam follows. Booger delivers a vertical suplex, and a cross corner whip sets up an avalanche, but Kid dodges. That allows Kid a schoolboy for two, and a leg-feed kick knocks Booger to the outside. Kid is on him with a flying somersault senton on the floor, and a plancha follows. Whip into the post, but Booger reverses, and he avalanches Kid against the steel. Booger goes to the well again, but it’s one time too many, and Kid beats the count in for the win at 3:54. This was okay. * ¼ 

Randy Savage ‘Speaking from the Heart’ music video

Adam Bomb v Ron Neal: Polo is drinking wine at ringside, which Vince suggests is ‘ICOPRO Storm.’ That’s what it was called? Talk about truth in advertising. Adam with the powerbomb at 1:55. DUD

Gene is in the studio for another Face to Face with guests WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels, Diesel, and 1-2-3 Kid. Apparently ‘many’ are saying that Kid is deserving of a shot at the title. The guy who just jobbed to IRS on pay per view, and barely squeaked out a countout victory over Bastion Booger? That guy?

BUExperience: Strong episode this week, with a whopping three star/star matches, and focused programming, even without any specific pay per view build yet.