WWF Superstars (December 31, 1994)

 

Original Airdate: December 31, 1994 (taped November 29)

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

WWF Tag Team Title Tournament Quarterfinal Match: The New Headshrinkers v Owen Hart and Jim Neidhart: Sionne and Neidhart start, and a criss cross ends in Sionne with a jumping shoulderblock. He grabs a wristlock before passing to Fatu, and Fatu throws a series of punches, but gets a corner whip reversed on him. That allows Jim a forearm, and he passes to Owen for a flying axehandle. He tries turnbuckle smashes, but Fatu no-sells, and slugs Hart down. He grabs a headlock, but Hart whips him into the ropes, and Jim pulls the top one down, causing Fatu to go over the top. Jim clotheslines him on the floor, and the heels take control as the action goes back inside, cutting the ring in half as they work Fatu over. Fatu fights Owen off with a superkick to allow the hot tag, and Sionne hits Jim with a powerslam for two, so Owen comes in. Sionne presses Hart into Neidhart, and then nails Jim with a big boot. Tag to Fatu to finish up with the flying splash, but the boots that Captain Lou Albano makes him wear are slowing him down. That allows Owen to take a cheap shot, and the heels hit him with the Hart Attack. Cover, but Sionne saves. Owen responds by grabbing Fatu’s discarded boot, and he nails Fatu with it, but the referee sees it, and calls for the DQ at 8:29. This was a solid enough match, but compared with the rest of this tournament thus far, it was a near classic. * ½ (Original rating: ¼*)

Live Event News is Stephanie Wiand trying to solve the mystery of the druids that have been appearing with Irwin R Schyster. Has she tried reaching out to Leslie Nielsen? He’s had some experience

Jeff Jarrett is hanging out in Las Vegas, promising to headline, after he takes the WWF Intercontinental title off of Razor Ramon at the Royal Rumble

Razor Ramon v Brooklyn Brawler: The Intercontinental gold is not on the line here. Razor dominates early, and gets a hammerlock on, but Brawler throws an elbow to escape. Brawler goes to the eyes to allow a few rights, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and takes the Razor’s Edge at 1:22. Razor made short work of him here. DUD

Todd Pettengill is in the studio with the Royal Rumble Report. I like how he throws shade by noting that the WWF is the only global force in wrestling, which is why they’re the only ones who could land Pamela Anderson for their show. Yeah, a real get. And then WCW went and got the entire cast of Baywatch a little while later, probably just to stick it to them

Kwang v Buck Quartermaine: The announcers hype the feud between Harvey Wippleman and Howard Finkel here, which was a weird little thing that went on for years before they finally got into it. And then Finkel split screens in to apologize for pulling Harvey’s pants down on RAW, which is good form. I always make sure to call with an apology whenever I do that. Kwang with a spinkick at 1:48. DUD

Shawn Michaels hosts the Heartbreak Hotel, taped from elsewhere, not in Poughkeepsie. His guest this week is Undertaker, along with Paul Bearer, who, both, are not afraid of those druids

Henry Godwinn v John Paul: We get a fan doing the ring announcing, and the kid does a funny Finkel impression. Nice. Henry with the inverted DDT at 2:03, as the announcers make endless farm jokes. DUD

Kama vignette. He has a motorcycle! 

Aldo Montoya v Mike Bell: The announcers are still making farm jokes, somehow. Lawler is great, but sometimes he can be really insufferable. Aldo with a 2nd rope bulldog at 2:01. The gimmick was stupid, but Montoya was a solid worker. And I get needing the mask, after spending so long as an enhancement guy. DUD

Live Event News hypes up the final Quarterfinal round match for the tag title tournament, which will be the Smoking Gunns against Well Dunn

BUExperience: The tournament match was solid this week, but the rest of the episode felt like everything else in the world feels between Christmas and New Years: total cruise control.