WWF Superstars (June 10, 1995)

 

Original Airdate: June 10, 1995 (taped June 6)

From Wheeling, West Virginia; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix

Backstage, Jerry Lawler laces up his boots, but nearly passes out due to the stench of his unwashed feet

Sycho Sid and Tatanka v John Crystal and Mike Khoury: Tatanka trying to match Sid’s crazy facial expressions is a pretty funny sight. Tatanka with a Samoan drop at 3:33. And we didn’t even get to see Sid powerbomb the guy?! They really had no idea what they were doing with him after the turn on Shawn Michaels. Also, this was not a good tag team. Fine for a one off, I guess. DUD

WWF Champion Diesel is taking longer to heal than expected, and he’s not feeling too good about King of the Ring. He can’t even get to the gym! The poor guy sounds legitimately miserable here. Obviously, never fun to be injured, but the dude sounds burned out altogether

The WWF blimp is criss crossing America! I’m guessing that wasn’t the same one they started flying around inside of the arenas in 1996

Hakushi v David Haskins: The announcers wonder if Lawler will hire Hakushi to interfere in his match with Bret Hart at King of the Ring, like he did at In Your House. I’m going to file that one under ‘yeah, duh.’ Hakushi hits a dive on the outside, and leaves the jobber out there to eat the countout at 2:21. It’s too bad Berzerker was no longer around, could have been a real rivalry. DUD

Todd Pettengill is in the studio for the King of the Ring Report. It’s interesting that pretty much every bracket features a star, but in every single match they went with the weirdest choice to advance. Every single one! Even if they didn’t use a bunch of guys (who ended up doing nothing on the pay per view at all), they still could have gotten a better tournament out of the bracket they built. But, as I’ve said many times before, I get why Mabel needed to go over if they were set on giving him the SummerSlam main event

Razor Ramon v Bill Payne: As noted, Mabel needed to go over to set up SummerSlam, but that doesn’t excuse the booking, because the root is where the real problem is, not the booking to accommodate it. I get that they had a lack of heels at the top of the card, but why not turn Razor? He would have been a great feud for Diesel! Lex Luger would be another slam dunk. Instead, we got Mabel. The Razor’s Edge finishes at 2:39. DUD

Bob Backlund will do away with rock and/or roll music if elected President 

Kama v Buck Quartermaine: Two of Undertaker’s ‘creatures of the night’ are seated in the crowd for this one. People really thought these two were Shane and Stepahnie? Seriously? There isn’t even a slight resemblance. Some of the rumors that were going around in those days are perplexing. Kama with a cross armbreaker at 1:30, as Vince suggests that Kama might face Undertaker in the King of the Ring if both advance. Yeah, that would be neat. Instead, we got Mabel. DUD

Stephanie Wiand announces the inductees for the 1995 Hall of Fame class. We’ve got: Ernie Ladd, Antonino Rocca, Fabulous Moolah, Ivan Putski, and Grand Wizard. These felt so far removed from the time period that it was meaningless to kids my age. Though that isn’t to say they aren’t deserving, just that the promotion was really bad at acknowledging their own history in those days

The Smoking Gunns v Duane Gill and Iron Mike Sharpe: We get a fan doing the ring announcing for this one. Much like the show’s theme music, that’s another thing I so strongly associate with 1994 that it shocks me they’re still doing it in mid-1995. The Gunns with a sidewalk slam/legdrop combo at 3:25. Gosh, did he ever accidentally kick someone in the face while trying that one? Literally every time I’m half cringing as they set it up, but thus far, I’ve never seen it actually happen. ¼*

Waylon Mercy vignette

Jerry Lawler v Aldo Montoya: Lawler attacks before the bell, and delivers a backdrop in short order. Another one, but Montoya blocks, and Jerry bails. Aldo gives chase, so Jerry tries suckering him into the post, but it backfires. Montoya leaves him out there to eat the count, but the King beats it in, so Aldo welcomes him with right hands. A bodyslam sets up a splash, but Jerry gets his knees up to block, and uses a turnbuckle smash. King with a DDT, and he tees off on Montoya with a series of jabs, dominating the contest now. Jerry with a corner whip and a slam to set up a fistdrop. Montoya briefly tries to make a comeback, but Lawler quickly cuts him off with the piledriver at 4:55. Nothing much here. Afterwards, King pulls his nasty foot out of his boot, and forces it in Aldo’s face. Forcing someone to do something disgusting as a means of humiliation that gives the perpetrator gratification? Yep, feels like Vince booking. ¼*

Todd is back with a second King of the Ring Report

BUExperience: The feature match was trash, the rest wasn’t much better, but it it was a pretty easy watch.