WWF Superstars (March 2, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: March 2, 1996 (taped February 20)

From Huntington, West Virginia; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Mr. Perfect

Owen Hart v Barry Horowitz: Do you think it blew Perfect’s mind when he came back in November, and suddenly Horowitz is a pushed guy? They feel each other out a bit to start, and Horowitz gets a suplex for two to take control. He goes to a keylock, but Owen escapes, and stomps him down. Owen with a cross corner whip, and a vertical suplex sets up a legdrop. Backdrop, but Barry blocks with a kneelift, and follows up with a chincrusher. Horowitz with a hiptoss and a dropkick, followed by a backslide for two. Dropkick, but Hart dodges, and slaps on the Sharpshooter at 2:42. Decent enough while it lasted. * ½ 

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

WWF Tag Team Title Tournament Quarterfinal Match: The Godwinns v The New Rockers: Man, Al Snow was going through gimmicks like Jack Victory. This is his debut as Leif Cassidy, and it looks like he borrowed some of Marty’s old gear. And they don’t even match each other. A dog literally shits in the ring during the introductions, and they don’t even bother properly cleaning it up, which kind of shows you the level of respect the workers were getting during the period, I guess. Phineas Godwinn starts with Marty Jannetty, but Marty immediately passes to Cassidy for a double team. The Rockers try dominating Phineas with quick tags, but he fights them off, and tags Henry Godwinn. Marty hits him with a bodypress for two, but they fail to cut the ring in half, and Phineas tags back in. The Rockers with a combo, and Marty holds him in an armbar. It goes nowhere, and Henry gets the tag - Roseanne Barr the door. Cassidy hits Phineas with a flying bodypress, but Phineas rolls through for the pin at 3:33. Quite the debut for Leif. This never found a groove, it was just a collection of moves, with no flow or story. ½*

Ringmaster v Tony Williams: The announcers are so high on Ringmaster every week, hyping him up as a big star during every appearance, so it’s clear that they saw something in him from day one. Kind of makes it all the more perplexing that they saddled him with this stupid gimmick, an ice cold manager, and didn’t let him show any of the personality that made them take notice of him to begin with. And speaking of which, Ringmaster and Ted DiBiase split screen in, and it’s a full DiBiase promo, with Steve whispering a few words at the end. Meanwhile, Bob Backlund is campaigning in the crowd, as that angle is still going on. Ringmaster with a cobra clutch at 2:54. I also find it so funny that they keep putting over what a great technical wrestler Ringmaster is, and how he keeps it on the mat instead of brawling, when it was literally the opposite that became his signature style. ¼*

Ultimate Warrior hype video

Goldust v Hakushi: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line here. Goldust blocks a kick with a corkscrew legwhip to start, so Hakushi tries a wristlock, but Goldust reverses. Hakushi slugs at him, and a dropkick connects. Hakushi keeps it going with a bodyslam to set up a pump-splash for two, and Goldust bails. Hakushi is on him with a plancha, and Goldust is begging off on the way back in. Hakushi tries a backdrop, but Goldust blocks, and throws a clothesline. Goldust with a hip attack, and he ropechokes Hakushi in position for Marlena to blow cigar smoke in his face. Hakushi fights back by going to a sleeper, but Goldust drops down to escape. He goes up to the middle rope, but Hakushi dropkicks him over the top, and rushes Goldust back inside for a series of strikes. Hakushi with a cross corner whip to set up a handspring backelbow, and a jumping forearm follows. Hakushi with a flying shoulderblock for two, but a clothesline misses, and Goldust catches him with the Curtain Call at 6:09. This was on track to becoming a pretty good match, if they had a few more minutes. It wasn’t bad as-is, just a little short. **

Dok is back with a second WrestleMania Slam Jam

Backstage, Jake Roberts gears up for action

Mankind vignette

Jake Roberts v Sherdell Taylor: Jake split screens in, and he’s all about Jesus now. Man, the guy aged thirty years in the four he was away. And probably gained as many pounds. Jake with a DDT at 2:32. I still can’t believe this guy made it to the finals of the King of the Ring that year. DUD

Billionaire Ted’s Wrasslin’ War Room is the Huckster and the Nacho Man on Larry Fling Live, arguing over who will go over when they meet at WrestleMania. This was pretty funny, with Huckster farting every few seconds, though it’s pretty mind boggling that they’re taking WCW to task for pushing these ‘old has-beens’ in a segment moments after pushing Jake Roberts

BUExperience: I enjoyed this one. With WrestleMania season here, they’re giving us two (or three, depending on how you consider Horowitz at this point) feature matches, and you can’t hate that.