WWF Superstars (October 8, 1994)

 

Original Airdate: October 8, 1994 (taped August 31)

From Green Bay, Wisconsin; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Bam Bam Bigelow v Duke Droese: Bam Bam tries to corner him a couple of times, but Duke keeps slipping away, and goes to town with a series of rights. Duke works a wristlock, so Bigelow dumps him to the outside, and follows to smash his face into the apron on the way back into the ring. Bigelow with a few headbutts ahead of a headbutt drop for two, and a vertical suplex gets him another two. Bigelow works a chinlock, but Duke gets free, and manages a powerslam for two. A shoulderblock sets up an elbowdrop for two, so Ted DiBiase hops up for a distraction. That allows Bigelow to sneak up, but Duke dodges. Droese capitalizes with an avalanche, but Bigelow dodges that, and hooks a schoolboy at 4:48. Nothing to this one, it felt like a condensed house show level effort. ½*

Live Event News is a look at Paul Bearer doing an autograph signing at a video store

Davey Boy Smith warms up backstage

Davey Boy Smith v Ben Jordan: Bulldog looks really happy to be back in the WWF. I guess a year in 1993 WCW will do that to you. Of course, considering where the promotion was by this point, maybe he hoped he’d stayed. Oh well, maybe he’ll get a chance to go back someday. I’m sure it’ll be too good an opportunity to pass up. Davey with a running powerslam at 2:03. DUD

New Generation ad

WWF Tag Team Champions Shawn Michaels and Diesel host the Heartbreak Hotel, with guest Bob Backlund. Again, they make a point of noting that this was taped at a different event than the Green Bay show, which feels completely pointless since you’d never be able to tell otherwise. They were so weird about that sort of thing. I like that, despite all being heels, they play up the generation gap anyway. Anyway, Backlund claims that he’s still the WWF Champion since he never properly lost it, and thus lays out a challenge to Bret Hart. Good work from everyone involved here

Jeff Jarrett v Billy Joe Eaton: We get a fan doing the ring announcing for this one, and we get a funny bit where Lawler doesn’t want to be politically incorrect by calling her ‘ugly,’ so he calls her ‘facially challenged’ instead. And then it gets better, as Vince goes on a run where he works ‘Stone Temple Pilots’ in about ten times in thirty seconds. Were they paying him? I mean, times were tight in late ‘94, take what you can get, I guess. Jarrett with a figure four at 1:26. A lot of energy here. ¼*

Pre-taped creepy words from Undertaker for Yokozuna. I get wanting to finish the feud after the bullshit Royal Rumble finish, and it’s fine booking, but the actual build thus far has been terrible 

Meanwhile, Randy Savage hits a few with some kid who’s depressed over the baseball strike. “Do you guys ever go on strike?” the boy wonders. “Never!” notes Macho

The Headshrinkers v Barry Horowitz and Ron Higgins: I guess since this was taped Samu had already left the promotion, because the announcers are already writing him off, noting that there are now three Headshrinkers, and that Captain Lou Albano will decide which of the three will participate in matches, like the Freebirds or New Day. I remember being somewhat upset when that happened, hoping he would return. Not sure why, since the Headshrinkers are a pretty dull team, but I guess they worked for nine year old me. Fatu with a flying splash at 2:35. DUD

Action Zone ad. With Mike Zitka. They were so lame with this type of thing during the New Generation, but yet I still enjoy this stupid shit so much. Nostalgia is the most powerful drug

King Kong Bundy v Mitch Bishop: This is Bundy’s TV return (he wrestled at a house show and taped one other match before this), back for the first time since February 1988. And the first time back on TV since Saturday Night’s Main Event in January ‘88. And he’s got Ted DiBiase as his manager, as they continue to try and make the Million Dollar Corporation into a force. They really pushed hard with that for, like, a year, but it never truly caught on. Even though they technically got a WrestleMania main event. Also here, Vince claims that Donald Trump bought the Empire State Building, which, yeah. Bundy with an avalanche at 1:23 - complete with Bundy insisting on a five count. DUD

Live Event News is a look at the Sports Celebrity Carnival, where a bunch of 90s Chicago Bulls players attended, but, apparently, the real draw was seeing the Bushwhackers

Just as we’re wrapping up, Doink the Clown appears on the video wall, and challenges Lawler to a match right now. But, it ends up being a distraction, allowing Dink to sneak up and put a pie on Lawler’s chair for the King to sit on. Classic

BUExperience: Not the most interesting episode this week, as they just kind of wander along towards Survivor Series. All the pieces are there, they’re just advancing them ever so slowly across the board. It's still lightning pace compared to the Crockett shows, though.