WWF Superstars (February 3, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: February 3, 1996 (taped January 23)

From San Jose, California; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Mr. Perfect

The Godwinns v James Samudo and Ed Morretti: So Henry’s got Phineas as a partner and Hillbilly Jim as a manager now, as it becomes all about that Godwinn. Phineas with the inverted DDT at 1:25. They couldn’t even be bothered to work up a unique finisher for him? He had to have Henry’s leftovers? Well, hey, fits the gimmick - that’s what the ‘slop’ is, after all. DUD

Roddy Piper is back as the interim President while Gorilla Monsoon recovers from Vader’s attack, and he doesn’t care what Vader’s lawyer (Clarence Mason) has to say, Vader is guilty. And so is OJ

Isaac Yankem v Avatar: Avatar sticks and moves, but runs into a press-slam, and Yankem uses a pair of short-clotheslines, as the announcers hype up the latest and greatest: a WWF fax line! Fax them your thoughts on the WWF! Who are they, a dentist’s office? That’s fitting here, at least. Yankem with a clothesline, and a DDT finishes at 2:22. I kind of expected a more competitive match, but Avatar was a full jobber here. DUD

Dok Hendrix is in the studio for the In Your House Slam Jam

Marty Jannetty and Greg Davis: Jannetty looks like such a sad hanger-on, still doing the whole rocker thing four plus years after the break up. Shawn’s literally about to ascend to the world title, and he’s still bopping around like a frat boy. And it would only get worse from here. The rocker dropper finishes at 3:07. Marty was still a good worker, but come on. ¼*

Hakushi v Buddy Wayne: Hakushi split screens in to try and convince us that he’s not a total JTTS now. Nice try, pal. Next up, we get another split screen, spotting Jeff Jarrett and 1-2-3 Kid chatting in a hallway backstage, before they notice the camera, and shoo them away. Hakushi with a missile dropkick at 1:58. ¼*

A look at the WWF Title picture

Mankind vignette

Razor Ramon v Jeff Jarrett: Jeff tries to sneak attack, but loses the exchange, and nearly gets caught with the Razor’s Edge before hitting the deck and bailing. Razor chases to the outside, and slugs Jarrett. Inside, Razor wins a criss cross with a right hand, and then wins a second one with the same tactic. Backdrop, but Jarrett blocks with a matslam, and Jeff adds a straddling ropechoke. Jarrett with a slingshot side suplex for two, but Razor blocks a sunset flip, and cradles for two - Jarrett reversing for two. Jarrett throws a dropkick for two, and he slows things down by grounding Ramon in a chinlock. I keep having to remind myself that this isn’t for the Intercontinental title, since Razor doesn’t have it anymore. He feels so naked without it. Razor escapes the chinlock, so Jeff goes to a sleeper, and then a swinging neckbreaker for a leveraged two count. Jarrett argues the count, allowing Razor to schoolboy for two, but Jeff cuts him off with a clothesline for two. Back to the chinlock, but Razor manages a side suplex to escape, and both men are left taking the count, as 1-2-3 Kid makes his way out, carting a baby stroller. Ramon covers Jarrett for two, and the Bad Guy makes a comeback as they get vertical. Razor with a fallaway slam, and he clotheslines Jeff over the top. He follows, but runs into Kid, and knocks him cold. Back in with Jarrett, Razor delivers a side superplex, and he goes back to the Edge, but Jarrett dumps him to the outside to block. Jeff follows to post Razor, but Kid attacks him with the stroller for the DQ at 7:15. Afterwards, it’s beatdown time, but Ahmed Johnson makes the save, looking like he just ran out on his shift at McDonalds. These two had plenty of experience working with one another, and it shows. This would mark Jarrett’s last TV appearance for the WWF until late 1997. He worked a few more house shows over the week after this was taped, and then worked in the USWA before turning up in WCW in October. ** ¾ 

Dok is back with another Slam Jam

Billionaire Ted’s Wrasslin’ War Room features Ted refuting the rumors that he’s a ‘hillbilly.’ These are getting increasingly ugly and insider, as they accuse Ted of ‘not caring about the fans’ by counterprogramming RAW with Nitro, and other shit about undercutting advertising rates

BUExperience: I really liked the feature match this week, and the rest was pretty focused television. The Billionaire Ted stuff is horrible, though.