WWF Superstars (November 12, 1994)

 

Original Airdate: November 12, 1994 (taped October 18)

From Burlington, Vermont; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Lex Luger v Gary Scott: Scott has musical notes on his gear, so I’m guessing he had some sort of gimmick on the independent scene that didn’t carry over. I’m half surprised they didn’t bill him as ‘the Music Man,’ or some other lame thing. Or, at least, find him a different set of tights. But I guess things were tough enough during this period. Luger with the torture rack at 2:18. DUD

Live Event News is a look at a softball game the WWF participated in for charity. And apparently there’s been a fund named after Joey Marella, which is pretty great, actually. I can’t take the ‘chairman’ seriously though, considering he has a mullet. And, again, we get Ted DiBiase here, but at least that are some actual babyfaces mixed in this time

Owen Hart v Tony DeVito: I didn’t notice it as a kid, but Owen had nothing in the way of a direction after SummerSlam. First, he transitioned into Jim Neidhart’s second who may cost Bret the title by interfering, and now his identity is tied to standing in Bob Backlund’s corner for the towel match. Luckily, they found something for him to do with the Yokozuna team before he got completely stale. And speaking of Bob, he observes from the entrance as Owen squashes his jobber. Owen with the Sharpshooter at 3:07. Owen looked good here. ¼*

Irwin R Schyster makes another visit to the cemetery, where he’s now decided even more is owed, and repossesses the casket. Complete with digging it up - that’s dedication 

Vince brings Yokozuna, Jim Cornette, and Mr. Fuji out to discuss the casket match at Survivor Series. Not much of note this week (the usual ‘Yoko is afraid of caskets’ stuff), but Yoko has a unique kimono this week. So, there’s that

Bob Holly v Roy Raymond: Interestingly, Lawler does commentary by himself through the entrances, to give Vince ‘time to get back.’ I appreciate the attention to detail there, though usually they don’t bother when there’s a commercial break between the segments. Both Holly and Raymond have the same color schemes this week, and both are black/white, making this, perhaps, the darkest match of the New Generation era. Holly with a flying bodypress at 1:32. DUD

Todd Pettengill is in the studio for the Survivor Series Report

Bob Backlund v Bert Centeno: We have a fan doing the ring announcing, and the punk kid gets mouthy to Backlund! Lucky he didn’t catch a smack. Bob takes it out on Bert, however, and the crossface chickenwing finishes at 1:20. DUD

Live Event News is another look at that softball game

The Smoking Gunns v Bam Bam Bigelow and Tatanka: The heels attack before the bell, and quickly clean house, but they waste time gloating, and the Gunns dive in with stereo missile dropkicks to clean house back. The dust settles on Billy Gunn and Bigelow to start, and Bam Bam goes to the eyes right away. That allows Bigelow a clothesline, and a shoulderblock follows, as Bam Bam showboats. Another clothesline, but Billy ducks, and throws a dropkick for two. Tag to Bart Gunn for a wristlock, but Bam Bam goes to the eyes. Avalanche, but Bart sidesteps, and lands a dropkick of his own, ahead of a ten-punch. Bigelow manages an inverted atomic drop to shake him off long enough to tag, and Tatanka delivers a shoulderblock, but loses a criss cross, and ends up in an armbar. Tag to Billy for a 2nd rope axehandle, but Tatanka escapes a wristlock, and passes back to Bigelow. Bam Bam charges in, but Billy is ready with a drop-toehold, and he tags Bart for stereo dropkicks, followed by a tandem Russian legsweep for two. That draws Tatanka in, and Roseanne Barr the door. The Gunns clean house, so King Kong Bundy and Tom Prichard head out. That draws Lex Luger, Mabel, and Adam Bomb in response, and you know where this is going. The dust settles on the heels cutting the ring in half on Billy, until he slips away, and Bart gets the hot tag. The Gunns hit their combo on Tatanka, but Bigelow dumps Bart out, and Bundy runs in for the DQ at 8:45. This was very okay, and the predictable finish was a necessary evil. * ¾ 

BUExperience: Solid stuff this week, though them stretching for mainstream credibility with all these charity softball games, and stuff, is getting more annoying by the week.