WWF Superstars (March 25, 1995)

 

Original Airdate: March 25, 1995 (taped February 21)

From Augusta, Georgia; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler

Davey Boy Smith v Tatanka: Tatanka manages to hammer him down for an elbowdrop, but a second one misses, and Bulldog hiptosses him. Davey adds a bodyslam ahead of a dropkick, and a snapmare gets him two. Bulldog goes to a chinlock from there, and a bodyslam gets him two. Smith blasts him with a clothesline, so Tatanka bails, and manages chops as he comes back in. Backdrop, but Bulldog blocks. He tries a rollup, but Tatanka blocks, so Davey takes him for a ride with a hanging vertical suplex for two. He goes to an armbar from there, but Tatanka slugs free, and he dumps Davey to the outside. Tatanka follows to send him into the steps out there, and he uses a corner whip on the way back inside. Another one rattles the ring, and Tatanka uses a bodyslam to set up an elbowdrop for two. Chinlock, but Bulldog escapes, and schoolboys for two. Tatanka responds with tomahawk chops, and another cross corner whip works, but the charge in doesn’t. That allows Bulldog a bodypress for two, and a big clothesline puts Tatanka on the outside. Smith rolls him back in, so Tatanka begs off, but Bulldog stays on him. Smith lands a backelbow, so Tatanka bails. Davey chases, allowing Tatanka to try a shot from the high ground on the way back in, but Smith blocks. Tatanka responds by bailing again, and this time Ted DiBiase manages to trip Smith as Bulldog gives chase - allowing Tatanka the countout victory at 10:00. Solid enough. *

Todd Pettengill is in the studio for the WrestleMania XI Report. The build has been really lackluster thus far, with everything aside from the very top matches getting very little attention. Maybe there was more down card stuff going on during RAW, I can’t remember 

The Smoking Gunns v Rip Rogers and Chic Donovan: We get a fan doing the ring announcing here, and the WWF Tag Team title is not on the line. The jobbers here look like real dorks, acting like they think they’re actual stars. Unfortunately, they’re not, and the Gunns put them away at 2:13. DUD

Hakushi v Aldo Montoya: A criss cross goes Aldo’s way with a hiptoss, so Hakushi goes to the eyes, and chops him. Another criss cross is won by Hakushi with a superkick, and he goes to a nervehold from there. Backdrop, but Aldo counters with a sunset flip for two, and a backslide gets two. Montoya adds a small package for two, and a dropkick sends Hakushi to the outside, so Shinja distracts him, allowing Hakushi to sneak attack. Not the same without Gorilla Monsoon there to scream about a ‘Pearl Harbor job.’ Hakushi with a handspring backelbow, and a bronco buster follows. Hakushi with a series of short-chops, and he lands a dropkick, followed by a flying shoulderblock for two. Chinlock, but Aldo fights free, and uses a spinebuster to kick off a comeback. Aldo lands a jumping clothesline for two, and a missile dropkick is worth two. Aldo tries a dive off the middle, but Hakushi blocks, and uses a flying moonsault press at 6:39. Hakushi had some great moves, but this was lacking in storytelling. * ¼ 

Todd is back with another WrestleMania XI Report. What’s with the double duty with these things lately? 

WrestleMania Moment: A look back at Hulk Hogan v Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III. “It was a generation ago,” notes narrator Gorilla. Wow, finally one of these that doesn’t focus on celebrity involvement 

Henry Godwinn v Mark Starr: The announcers ignore Godwinn to discuss bigger stars, and poor Henry couldn’t even make the WrestleMania card, either. He had no luck there. Even the next year, when he was in the tag title match, he was shuffled onto the pre-show. Henry with the inverted DDT at 1:38. DUD

Jim Ross brings out members of the Japanese press, there to present an award to Bret Hart for his popularity in their country. Are we sure they aren’t Germans? So Bret gets his award, and Ross asks him about Lawler’s constant accusations that Hart is a racist who hates Japanese people. Bret notes that it’s a sad state of affairs when someone can just make an accusation and ruin your reputation on the spot, without evidence. Oh, you ain’t seen nothing yet, kid. But then Hakushi shows up, and Shinja accuses him of racism as well, but when the media guys don’t buy it, Hakushi resorts to beating the Hitman down, and hitting him with a moonsault press on the floor. And then Bob Backlund runs out to put him in the crossface chickenwing for good measure

BUExperience: Solid episode, though Bret’s direction feels like such a step down for him.