WWF Superstars (April 29, 1995)

 

Original Airdate: April 29, 1995 (taped April 25)

From Des Moines, Iowa; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix

Sycho Sid v Aldo Montoya: I always dig when Sid busts out the colored gear - red in tonight’s case. Sid attacks, and chucks Montoya over the top, but Aldo lands on his feet, and rebounds with a flying bodypress for two. A series of rights puts Sid on the outside, so Montoya tries a plancha, but gets caught, and press-dropped on the apron. Sid presses him back in (and over the top, to boot), and Sid puts the boots to him, before drilling him with a powerbomb at 1:53. Well, so much for whatever the series with Jeff Jarrett was supposed to do for Aldo. Just a complete squash here. But, Sid was headed to a pay per view main event, so Montoya was worth sacrificing. ½*

Todd Pettengill is in the studio for the In Your House Report. Welcome back! Seriously, he’s so much better at getting these over than Stephanie Wiand

Backstage, the Allied Powers get pumped up with their flag bearers

Bob Backlund is on spring break, trying to get the kids back into the library. These are actually pretty funny

The Allied Powers v Brooklyn Brawler and Black Phantom: I’ll say it again: the Allied Powers should have been a much bigger deal than they ended up being. Such a perfect use of both guys at this stage. Or, well, I mean, a heel Luger would have probably been an even better use, but fantasy booking aside. This was a real thing and direction that actually happened, and could have been something. Bulldog with the running powerslam at 2:53. ¼*

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vignette. These really sucked. Like, no effort at all, just ‘snobby guy sitting around’

Hakushi v Kwang: Odd to hear them put over how well they know each other considering they teamed up, like, once. Not exactly the breakup of the Rockers here. Hakushi attacks before the bell, and unloads on Kwang with martial arts strikes. Kwang responds in kind, and manages a spinkick to send Hakushi to the outside. Shinja with a distraction to allow Hakushi a sneak attack, and he pounds Kwang into the corner. A cross corner whip set up a handspring backelbow, and a bronco buster follows. A somersault senton splash misses, however, and Kwang makes a comeback. A corner spinheel kick misses, but Kwang recovers with a big boot, so Hakushi chops him in the throat. That allows Hakushi a chinlock, and he takes Kwang into the corner for chops, but Kwang turns the tables. Kwang with a sidewalk slam, but the corner spinheel kick misses again, and Hakushi bodyslams him to set up a flying senton splash at 5:28. They made an effort, but this didn’t connect with the crowd at all. *

Backstage, Bret Hart and Jimmy Del Ray each warm up for their match

Man Mountain Rock vignette

Jean-Pierre LaFitte v Gary Scott: A fan does the ring announcing here. She’s wearing a ‘Hitman’ t-shirt, they couldn’t at least give her Bret’s match? Vince is having fun saying LaFitte’s name in a French-ish accent, at least. LaFitte with a flying somersault senton splash at 2:22. DUD

Todd is back with a second In Your House Report. I like how their response to buyrates being down is to double up on the Reports. Yeah, that’s the problem

Bret Hart v Jimmy Del Ray: Hendrix makes his one and only interesting point per show here: wondering if the fact that Jim Cornette also manages Owen Hart has gives Del Ray some inside knowledge to prepare for this match. I like little bits like that. Bret with a few takedowns early, so Del Ray stalls. Del Ray tries a wristlock, but Bret reverses, and sweeps the leg. Hart with a snapmare to set up a legdrop, and he grounds Jimmy in an overhead wristlock. Funny bit here, as Tom Prichard rants at him, and nearly cracks Hart up. Hart with an inverted atomic drop and a clothesline, then back to an armbar. Del Ray tries a hiptoss, but Hart reverses, and uses a pair of armdrags to get back to the armbar. A reversal in the corner allows Del Ray a side suplex to set up a pair of elbowdrops for two, and a bodyslam sets up a flying moonsault, but Hart dodges. That allows the Hitman a Russian legsweep for two, and a backbreaker sets up a 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two. “Wait a minute, where’s the Hitman going?” wonders Vince as Bret climbs the ropes. Fucking really?! Del Ray makes a last ditch effort with a monkey flip, but Bret blocks, and gets the Sharpshooter on at 5:21. Basic, but Bret was just so masterful at all the little touches that it was better than the sum of its parts. Afterwards, Hendrix talks to Bret in the ring, and questions him about ‘ducking’ Jerry Lawler, so Hart offers to meet the King face to face on RAW. * ¼ 

BUExperience: A good card and some energetic performances make this a winner.