WWF Superstars (September 10, 1994)

Original Airdate: September 10, 1994 (taped August 17)

From Portland, Maine; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Abe Knuckleball Schwartz strikes in the crowd

Shawn Michaels and Diesel v Tom O'Sullivan and Nick Barberri: Since this was taped before they won them, Shawn and Diesel don’t have the WWF Tag Team title belts, and in a rare departure, the announcers actually bring it up! In this case, Vince wonders where the belts are, and Lawler claims that they sent them to get steam cleaned since the Headshrinkers stunk them up. Shawn is rocking the ‘splotch’ style gear here, which I thought was a thing of the past after WrestleMania X. Diesel with the powerbomb to set up a flying splash from Michaels at 4:53. A pretty extended squash here. ¼*

Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart swear revenge on Davey Boy Smith for ruining their cage party at SummerSlam

Jim Neidhart v Mike Maliacia: Jim was a dude who really got his money's worth out of a pair of tights. He wore those Hart Foundation era ones ragged before they got him new ones in ‘94… which he stuck with for the rest of his career. Jim with a camel clutch at 2:31. DUD

Live Event News is a look at a WWF event at Hard Rock Cafe in New York

Doink the Clown v Black Phantom: Lawler pops Dink’s balloons during the entrances, which I remember made me feel really bad as a kid… because I thought Dink was a child. And Vince acting like he is doesn’t help the matter. Phantom actually gets a lot in here, and even gets to kick out of something, which is pretty wild for a jobber in this era. And then Doink puts him away with a bridging German suplex at 2:45. ¼*

New Generation ad

Raymond Rougeau brings Jim Cornette and the Heavenly Bodies out to rehash the brawl with the Smoking Gunns last week. Good on them for trying to give both teams something to do, but the Bodies especially are ice cold, and I’m having a hard time caring

Bam Bam Bigelow v Tony Roy: Bam Bam wrecks him before the bell, and ends up beating him so badly that the match is called off. Again, points to the bookers for doing something instead of just going through the motions of a squash. And Bam Bam is a much better candidate to get some spotlight than the Heavenly Bodies. Ted DiBiase wants a real match, however, so he makes an open challenge on Bigelow’s behalf… and Adam Bomb answers! They don’t do an official ‘match,’ but they slug it out, and Adam cleans house

Merchandise catalog ad. Featuring some extremely 1994 graphics

The Headshrinkers v Mike Bell and Tony DeVito: They cut around the entrances to avoid showing the tag title belts (I’m guessing), though the Headshrinkers have two serious cases of ‘jobber face’ here, so maybe they already knew their days were numbered. Meanwhile, Shawn and Diesel split screen in (wearing street clothes, in another departure for this period) to hype up the rematches on the house shows. They never actually had a televised match, did they? Before, after, and including the title switch. Fatu with a flying splash at 3:20. DUD

Lex Luger fumes at Tatanka for selling out. Pot kettle something

Yokozuna v Steve King: We get a fan doing the ring announcing for this one. We get a cool bump here, with Yokozuna bodyslamming King over the top rope, which is quite the thing for a nothing squash. Yokozuna with a belly-to-belly suplex at 2:07. I’m guessing he took mercy on the jobber after the slam bump and spared him the Banzai. Afterwards, Undertaker’s gong sounds to mess with him. ¼*

Live Event News is the Headshrinkers cookbook. This feels like something meant for Coliseum Video

BUExperience: I enjoyed it this week! They’re making an effort to spice things up throughout the card, and that’s a good thing.