WWF Superstars (March 16, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: March 16, 1996 (taped March 10)

From Corpus Christi, Texas; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Mr. Perfect

WWF Tag Team Title Tournament Quarterfinal Match: The Bodydonnas v The Bushwhackers: This is the Bushwhackers’ first match in the promotion since September, and first televised since May ‘95, just showing how thin the division was during this period. The heels attack before the bell, but the Bushwhackers clean house before long. The dust settles on Zip and Butch, and Butch dominates with a headlock. A blind tag to Skip looks to set up a double team, but Butch fights it off. The Bushwhackers dominate Skip with quick tags, but a cheap shot from Zip on Luke allows the heels to turn the tide. They cut the ring in half on Luke, but Butch gets the hot tag, and the Bushwhackers run wild. The Battering Ram looks to finish Zip, but Skip saves with a dive off the top, and he pins Luke at 3:54. The Bodydonnas tried, but the Bushwhackers were difficult to get much out of at the best of times, let alone at this stage in their careers. ¼*

Duke Droese v Bill Irwin: Duke gives Irwin a lot for an enhancement guy from this era, even allowing him to get a pin attempt, which was mostly unheard of in the promotion. Duke with a sidewalk slam at 3:35. Good effort from Irwin here. ½*

Dok Hendrix is in the studio for the WrestleMania XII Slam Jam

Backstage, Ted DiBiase psyches up Steve Austin

Mankind vignette 

Steve Austin v Aldo Montoya: Austin split screens in here, reintroducing himself as ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. It’s clear that they saw something in him from the start, because usually they’ll just dig in with stupid gimmicks until they crash, burn, and smolder, but in this case they shifted to something better pretty quickly. Steve dominates on the mat for a bit, but Montoya wins a criss cross with a bodypress for two. Montoya uses an armdrag into an armbar, but Steve is in the ropes right away, and hammers Aldo in the corner. Austin with a vertical suplex, and a snapmare sets up a kneedrop for two. Turnbuckle smash, but Aldo reverses. He goes on the comeback trail, but telegraphs a backdrop, and gets caught with a gourdbuster. That allows Austin to go to the cobra clutch, and Montoya is out at 3:00. Afterwards, Austin won’t release the hold, so Savio Vega runs out to get in his face. ¾*

Earlier this week on the Tour de Force, Vince caught up with Yokozuna, Jake Roberts, and Ahmed Johnson for an in-ring interview, where they challenge Camp Cornette to a six-man at WrestleMania

WrestleMania XII ad

Isaac Yankem v Al Walker: Bob Backlund is campaigning in the crowd, though I can barely remember the last time he actually worked a match. A quick check reveals that it’s been about three months since his last televised bout (outside of the Rumble match), and he’d only have one more on TV during this run. Yankem with the DDT at 2:04. DUD

Dok is back with another Slam Jam

Ultimate Warrior hype video. ‘He’s back. And even more reckless than before” is not the flex they think it is

Bob Holly v Hunter Hearst Helmsley: HHH split screens in, ready to face Warrior at WrestleMania. Yeah, about that. Helmsley tries slapping him around, but Bob returns fire, and uses a few hiptosses. A criss cross allows Holly a shoulderblock, but Helmsley uses a hiptoss of his own. Bob keeps coming with a clothesline for two, and a backslide is worth two. Bob tries a charge, but Helmsley sidesteps, and Holly takes a bump to the outside. HHH follows to ram him into the apron before taking it back inside, and Helmsley dives with a flying axehandle for two. HHH with a corner whip, and he goes upstairs, but Holly nails him before he can dive. Helmsley fights him off and finishes his thought with another flying axehandle, but Holly blocks the Pedigree, and uses a catapult into the corner. Bob with a dropkick for two, and a sloppy rana gets two. And that’s it for the comeback, as HHH just drills him with the Pedigree at 4:22. ¾*

The Karate Fighters Slam of the Week is the finish of the tag title tournament match earlier

Ross visits the Bodydonnas’ dressing room, and he’ll have to speak up, they’re wearing towels. And speak up he does: informing them that, since Razor Ramon has been suspended, Savio Vega will get assigned a random partner for their semifinal match

BUExperience: This was far from the best episode of this show, but it had direction, and a few star/star matches, so you can’t really complain too loudly.