WWF Superstars (June 3, 1995)

 

Original Airdate: June 3, 1995 (taped April 25)

From Danbury, Connecticut; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Dok Hendrix

The Allied Powers v Mike Bell and Gus Kantarakis: I really thought they’d moved on from this opening theme music by mid-1995. I associate it with 1994 so much, but I guess it lasted for a while. Vince notes that all the tag teams had to ‘flip a coin’ to determine which member would enter the qualifying round of the King of the Ring. Considering how terribly weak the brackets ended up being, I’m surprised they didn’t just put both Powers and Owen Hart/Yokozuna in the actual tournament. My guess is that, much like SummerSlam, they wanted to give certain lower level guys a payday to avoid a revolt since the checks were getting so small. Didn’t make for much of a show, though. Lex Luger with the torture rack at 3:31. DUD

Jerry Lawler accepts Bret Hart’s challenge for a match at King of the Ring, but if Bret wants it, it’s going to be on Lawler’s terms: the loser must kiss the winner’s feet. And the King  has stopped washing his feet. Say what you will, but Lawler was great at getting this silly shit across, and making it memorable. Still a waste of the talents of a guy like Bret, but at least the angle was good

Bret Hart is disgusted, but he’s going to beat Lawler to bits anyway

Skip v Scott Taylor: This looks like a different ‘Scott Taylor’ than the one who went on to become Scotty 2 Hotty. And he looks like a real dork. What’s up with the Brutus Beefcake meets Randy Savage gear? Skip with a rana off the top at 2:20. Not an especially impressive performance (or character, really), but Sunny was destined to be a big star, clearly. DUD

Todd Pettengill is in the studio for the King of the Ring Report

King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: Doink the Clown v Roadie: Doink with a takedown into a full-nelson right away, but Roadie makes the ropes, and strategizes with Jeff Jarrett on the break. Back to a vertical base, but Doink sweeps the leg, and goes to a toehold, then down into an STF. Roadie gets the ropes again, and tries for a bodyslam, but Doink reverses. Doink with a second one ahead of a bootrake, and an earringer follows. A snapmare sets up a somersault necksnap, and Roadie bails to regroup with Double J again. Inside, Roadie manages a standing side-headlock, but Doink forces a criss cross, and delivers a hiptoss. Doink with a headlock of his own, so Roadie forces a criss cross of his own, and he clobbers Doink on a backdrop attempt. Roadie tries a backdrop of his own, but Doink is ready with a sunset flip for two, so Roadie throws an elbow to cut him off. Roadie with a 2nd rope axehandle, but another headlock gets countered with a side suplex. Doink with a kneelift, and a bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop. Doink goes upstairs for the Whoopie Cushion, so Jarrett goes after Dink. Doink takes the bait, allowing Roadie to recover with a high knee, and a schoolboy finishes at 4:59. Had some mojo, but the finish was terrible, and there were some awkward exchanges. Really, they couldn’t put Roadie over clean here? The brackets were already so weak, and it’s not like Doink needed protection by mid-1995. *

Waylon Mercy vignette. I didn’t get the Cape Fear reference at the time, but I’m digging them more now

Bob Holly v Raymond Roy: Speaking of the brackets, Holly has already qualified. So, we’ve got Holly, Mabel, Kama, and Roadie all confirmed. Make sure to get your checkbook out now, so you don’t miss it. And, just to put it over even more, the announcers discuss what a ‘major’ upset it was for Holly to beat Mantaur. It’s like they were trying to lose money. Bob with a flying bodypress at 2:10. DUD

Hall of Fame promo

Hendrix brings Bertha Faye and Harvey Wippleman out for an interview, and this is like all of Vince’s worst instincts from this period in one ring. Her theme is actually quite catchy, though

WWF Champion Diesel is recuperating in the hospital, legitimately injured at the hands of Sycho Sid at In Your House

Rad Radford v Bert Centeno: We get a fan doing the ring announcing here. Vince works the word ‘grunge’ in about two hundred times in the few minutes this goes, bless him. Radford with a bridging northern lights suplex at 1:51. DUD

Bob Backlund lays out his campaign for the presidency. It was a joke at the time, but sadly, I’d bet he’d be a front runner here in 2024

Undertaker v Tony DeVito: Undertaker has also qualified for the tournament, and considering he’s one of the only stars in the bracket thus far, you’d have to believe he’s going to go far. If not him, then certainly Shawn Michaels. Undertaker with the tombstone at 2:06. DUD

Todd is back with another King of the Ring Report. Kind of funny that we saw and acknowledged that Diesel was injured at In Your House, but we’re still replaying clips of him accepting Sid and Tatanka’s challenge for King of the Ring ‘last week,’ while looking perfectly fine

BUExperience: This period was one of the worst in the history of the promotion, but this episode was fine.