WWF Superstars (April 9, 1994)

Original Airdate: April 9, 1994 (taped March 22)

From Lowell, Massachusetts; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Irwin R Schyster v Koko B Ware: It’s subtle, but the show has made some changes to the presentation in recent weeks. Some more obvious (like the opening theme/video), some more subtle (like the entrance area), but it comes across well. Koko fights off some early dominance, and dumps IRS to the outside with a dropkick, leaving Schyster stalling. Inside, Koko tries a 2nd rope bodypress, but Irwin ducks, and Ware wipes out. IRS puts the boots to him for two, and he goes to a chinlock to wear Ware down. Koko escapes and hooks a sunset flip for two, but Schyster cuts him off, and delivers a legdrop for two. Back to the chinlock, as Lawler points out that Koko’s bird is nowhere to be seen. Geez, how bad were the budget cuts? Koko makes another comeback effort, but Schyster quickly puts a stop to it, and polishes him off with an STF at 6:27. This was a really dull match. ¼*

Howard Finkel brings us Live Event News, reviewing Lex Luger choking in his WWF Title match at WrestleMania, and sounding like an AI narrator 

Jeff Jarrett v Thurman Plugg: It’s interesting that they did the set up for this at the last taping (a month prior), and the pay off here. Usually they’d give the live crowd the angle and the pay off, even if they were broken up over multiple episodes. Jeff knocks him over the top before the bell to kickstart the bout, and Jarrett follows him to the outside to drop across the guardrail. Jeff adds a smash into the steps and post before taking it inside, where Double J puts the boots to him. A backelbow finds the mark, so Plugg tries a backdrop to turn it around, but Jeff blocks. Jarrett’s gear here is some of his most restrained from this period. Jarrett with a 2nd rope fistdrop, as Lawler goes for broke with automotive puns. Jeff with a suplex for two, and he grounds Plugg in a chinlock, using the ropes for leverage. Plugg side suplexes his way out of the hold, and a criss cross allows Sparky a bodypress for two, before Jeff cuts him off. Jeff tries a suplex, but Plugg reverses. Jeff tries a bodyslam, but Plugg counters to a small package for two, so Jarrett throws a clothesline. He manages to add a pair of 2nd rope axehandles, but Thurman blocks a third, and makes a comeback. He misses a 2nd rope elbowdrop, however. That allows Jeff to try a dropkick, but Plugg dodges, and uses a pair of corner whips. Charge in, but Jeff blocks, and Jarrett hooks a leveraged pin at 8:01. Oh, but Dink comes out to alert the referee to the illegal leverage, and I’m half expecting them to reverse the decision, but luckily he just takes a bucket of water to the face from Doink the Clown instead. This was a lot better than the rather listless effort last week, with lots of back-and-forth action. **

The Headshrinkers v Phil Apollo and Emilio Ulcia: Nikolai Volkoff is spotted in the crowd again here, as the announcers discuss a poll to determine who will get a shot at the Quebecers’ WWF Tag Team title this Monday night. The Headshrinkers put it away at a brisk 0:38. DUD

The Heartbreak Hotel with Shawn Michaels and Diesel, giving Shawn something substantial to do besides stand in Diesel’s corner as he takes four months away from the ring. What a weird way to follow up on the state of the art WrestleMania match, though. Anyway, his guest this week is WWF Champion Bret Hart, who is ready to put the belt up against anyone, including Owen Hart

Backstage, Yokozuna is badly constipated 

1-2-3 Kid v Chris Hamrick: We get a fan as guest ring announcer, and I’m pretty sure it’s Randal from Clerks. Hamrick takes his patented bump to the outside, of course, and Kid puts it away by submission at 2:47. I dug how they didn’t abandon Kid’s underdog roots right away, having jobbers kick out on him, which didn’t happen to any of the other superstars. ½*

Irwin R Schyster reminds us to pay our taxes 

WWF Unbelievable ad

Yokozuna v Terry Stubbs: The announcers hype WWF Greetings on Call here, which now seems like a gimmick way ahead of its time. The Banzai Drop finishes at 2:04. The announcers completely ignored the match to hype their call service, making Yoko look like a complete afterthought, despite being just weeks removed from a world title reign. DUD

Finkel is back with more Live Event News, this time hyping the WrestleMania Revenge Tour. Well, that is certainly live event news

BUExperience: The Jarrett/Plugg match was good (even if it did end in Doink hijinks), and the rest was passable.