WWF Superstars (May 28, 1994)

Original Airdate: May 28, 1994 (taped April 27)

From Albany, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Backstage, Lawler catches up with Harvey Wippleman, who promises victory for Adam Bomb over 1-2-3 Kid in their King of the Ring Qualifier today

Diesel v PJ Walker: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line here. Just incredible how Walker got screwed out of a title shot here. Diesel with the powerbomb and an arrogant cover at 1:56. Diesel has gotten loads better since picking up the powerbomb as a finisher. DUD

King of the Ring ad

The Smoking Gunns v Iron Mike Sharpe and Tony Devito: Man, Sharpe was still kicking around in 1994? Meanwhile, McMahon tries to put Roddy Piper over by telling us that the package of his action figure states that he’s the best brawler around, so clearly Lawler should be scared. 1994 was a weird time. They’re also going hard on promoting that match - the entire ad that aired before this match focused on it, without so much as a mention of the namesake tournament or champion/champion title match. The Gunns put Tony away at 3:02. DUD

Hall of Fame ad

Live Event News chronicles the WWF’s recent charity efforts. I’m not sure showing Ted DiBiase at a charity event is sending the message they’re hoping it will

King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: Adam Bomb v 1-2-3 Kid: Bomb knocks him around to start, and biels Kid across the ring, before clotheslining him. Bomb with a bodyslam to set up a trio of elbowdrops for two, and a backbreaker allows him a blatant choke for a bit. Bomb with a turnbuckle smash and a ropechoke, followed by a snap suplex for two. A backdrop works, but another clothesline misses, and Adam goes sailing over the top. Kid tries diving after him with a plancha, but Bomb catches him, and bodyslams his ass on the floor. Bomb with a snapmare into a chinlock on the way back inside, and a straddling ropechoke rocks the Kid. Another one, but Kid dodges this time, and Bomb ends up crotched on the middle rope. Kid capitalizes with a spinheel kick for two, and a flying bodypress looks to finish, but the referee is caught up with Harvey Wippleman. That allows Bomb to recover with a sidewalk slam, and Kwang comes out to add some mist, but ends up spraying Adam! That allows Kid to schoolboy the blinded Bomb, and he’s going to the pay per view at 5:00. I wish it had a clean finish, but this was a fun match nonetheless, with Bomb working hard, and Kid pinballing around to make him look like a million bucks. Afterwards, a furious Bomb swings at Harvey, who runs off with Kwang. I kind of forgot that Bomb’s face turn came this early… I thought it wasn’t until much closer to ‘95. * ½ 

Yokozuna v Cory Student: Vince is very excited about the fat of Mabel getting into a tug-of-war with the US military. Aren’t we all? Not exciting: Yokozuna since WrestleMania. He’s just drifting, and unfortunately for him, he doesn’t really find any direction until blowing off the Undertaker feud at Survivor Series. And then it’s more dead space before they figured out he’d be a good fit for the tag ranks with Owen. Yokozuna with a belly-to-belly suplex at 2:07. No Banzai? DUD

Todd Pettengill is in the studio for the King of the Ring Report. At least they’re building the rest of the show some, not just Piper/Lawler

Irwin R Schyster v Mike Moraldo: Vince formally apologizes for Shit Lawler Says here, but promises that Piper will shut him up at King of the Ring. Again, pushing hard on that match. Much harder than I remember, my recollections are mostly of the build for Bret/Diesel. IRS with an STF at 1:24. DUD

Some tow truck driver has spotted Undertaker. Who has apparently been doing some pretty weird shit on the roadways, by the sound of it

Ted DiBiase is hanging out in a funeral home, also on the trail of Undertaker. Well, as long as he stays away from the charities, whatever. Ted announces that he’s made contact with Undertaker, and that he’ll be bringing him back to the WWF under his guidance - just as he originally did in 1990. The angle went off the rails pretty quickly, but this was an intriguing start

The Heavenly Bodies v Mike Davis and Phil Apollo: Two jobbers in a row named ‘Mike?’ Well, I certainly hope someone got fired for that blunder. Meanwhile, the announcers get a breaking report that Adam Bomb has officially broken up with Kwang, and that they’ll face off next week. The Bodies with a combo at 2:57. ¼*

Live Event News details the current brackets for the King of the Ring tournament

We get footage of Adam Bomb tracking Harvey Wippleman down backstage just after his match, manhandling him, and demanding to know Kwang’s whereabouts

The cameras catch up with Harvey live, but the microphone dies before he can reveal whose corner he will be in next week

BUExperience: While I did enjoy the Bomb/Kid match, this was a particularly weak episode.