WWF Superstars (April 6, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: April 6, 1996 (taped April 2)

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

Ahmed Johnson v Tim Patterson: Ahmed’s hand is taped up in a big way here, and it looks like he’s using electrical tape, or all things. Really making the most of that WWF budget. Ahmed with the sitout tiger bomb at 1:55. DUD

Dok Hendrix is in the studio for the WrestleMania XII Slam Jam, as they wrap up, and start promoting the next In Your House main event of Shawn Michaels defending against Diesel

Fatu v Hunter Hearst Helmsley: HHH has had a busy week, between jobbing to Ultimate Warrior at WrestleMania, and immediately diving into a feud with Marc Mero. It’s interesting that HHH was involved in the introductory angle for the two biggest female stars of the Attitude Era in both Sable and Chyna. Posturing to start, with Fatu dominating, as the Samoan Gangsta Party (unnamed) show up in the aisle to observe. That distraction allows HHH to attack, and he pounds Fatu out of the ring. HHH with a smash into the steps on the outside, but Fatu beats the count, so HHH welcomes him with a backelbow to set up a kneedrop for two. Pedigree, but Fatu backdrops him to block, so HHH tries a sunset flip, but Fatu blocks that as well. Fatu makes a comeback, and a powerslam gets him two. Cutter, but HHH blocks, and delivers a high knee. Cross corner whip is reversed, but Fatu misses the charge in, and staggers into a Pedigree at 5:02. ½*

Jerry Lawler v Greg Davis: Lawler is doing the gimmick where he does commentary on his own match again, this time ahead of challenging Shawn for the WWF Title on RAW. I like this gimmick, but the crowd is giving him nothing with it today. Lawler with a piledriver at 4:40, which is really long for a squash to begin with, but felt endless because the crowd was completely dead the entire time. DUD

The Karate Fighters Slam of the Week is Marc Mero doing some high spots against Isaac Yankem during his debut match on RAW

Duke Droese v Raven Clark: Bob Backlund is in the crowd, trying to win over voters here. A jobber named Raven? Couldn’t be! Duke with a tilt-a-whirl slam at 2:31. Crazy to think that Duke has been around for some two years, and he still feels like he’s in first gear as a character. DUD

Vader v Shawn Dakota: This crowd is terrible, not even waking up for Vader. I get sitting on your hands for Duke ‘the Dumpster,’ or whatever the fuck that Lawler match was supposed to be, but come on. Vader with a brutal looking powerbomb at 1:48. ¼*

Dok is back with another Slam Jam, announcing the Bodydonnas defending against the Godiwnns. This is also the first In Your House with an official subtitle, which was overdue

BUExperience: A lot going on as the first post-WrestleMania episode… even if all the big stuff happened on RAW.