WWF Superstars (June 8, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: June 8, 1996 (taped May 28)

From North Charleston, South Carolina; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Mr. Perfect

The Godwinns v The Ringlords: The Ringlords are just a jobber team, don’t get excited. The Bodydonnas are out for commentary here, and that poor dog the Godwinns bring to the ring with them looks terrified. As a kid, I thought the animals were a cool part of the show, but the more I learn about how some of them were treated, the more I wish they never appeared. Meanwhile, Sunny split screens in to talk shit about the Bodydonnas, so they let her know that they’ll be replacing her with a new manager soon. Hopefully it will be somebody good! Henry Godwinn with the inverted DDT at 2:55. DUD

Dok Hendrix is in the studio for the King of the Ring Slam Jam

Steve Austin v Jason Ahrndt: Vince suggests that Ross is applying to be the Bodydonnas’ new manager, which, silly as it sounds, would still be about five hundred times better than what we actually got. The focus here is seeing how Austin can handle himself now that he’s without Ted DiBiase. But he seems fine, as he debuts the stunner as his new finisher at 3:02, as Vince finishes up a rant about how several wrestlers have recently left the WWF for another promotion, who will ‘surely try to take advantage of the fame they had in the WWF.’ Oh, I’m sure they will. DUD

Shawn Michaels/Davey Boy Smith feud review. I like how they act as if the double pin at In Your House was the first time one has ever happened in history. I honestly don’t remember a lot of them happening in the WWF before this, and certainly not at a high level like this, but I’m sure it happened in the promotion at some point

Mankind v Bruno Detista: Everyone is wondering how Mankind appeared in the casket at In Your House, and I don’t remember if they ever explained it that way, but that made some really good foreshadowing for the Paul Bearer heel turn at SummerSlam. Mankind with the mandible claw at 2:25. Good character, dull squash. DUD

President Gorilla Monsoon meets with Harvey Wippleman to review Harvey’s report on the officiating, and Monsoon is so impressed that he anoints Wippleman as a referee. Well, you knew Gorilla would be all about a report on officiating

Ultimate Warrior doesn’t want you to rob the blind. It’s not cool

Jerry Lawler v Marty Garner: King mocks Garner as being an Ultimate Warrior clone. Renegade is here?! Lawler with piledriver at 1:44. This made the Lawler/Junkyard Dog DVD for some weird reason. DUD

Dok is back with another Slam Jam. They couldn’t even be bothered to get Sunny a non-Bodydonna image now that she’s paired with the Smoking Gunns?

King of the Ring Tournament Qualifying Match: Marty Jannetty v Savio Vega: They feel each other out to start, and Marty takes control. Jannetty with a turnbuckle smash, but Vega throws a stiff chop, and they criss cross - won by Vega with a fist. Vega with a punch for two, and an armdrag leaves Jannetty in an armbar. Vega with an atomic drop and a clothesline to send Jannetty over the top, but Marty manages a facebuster as he comes back into the ring. Jannetty with a corner whip to rattle the ring, and he stomps Savio in the gut for two. Jannetty works a chinlock, but Vega escapes and throws a bodypress for two, before Jannetty cuts him off with a clothesline for two. Jannetty with a pair of corner whips, and a snapmare sets up a 2nd rope fistdrop, but Savio gets a boot up to block. Vega makes a comeback, and a spinkick finishes at 8:18. This was fine. *

Jake Roberts video package, looking at his first run, his downfall into addiction, and his return. As a kid, I didn’t find Jake particularly ‘inspirational,’ but he did keep me off drugs by simply looking so horrible that I never wanted to go down that same path

BUExperience: Not the greatest episode, but there was a lot going on in the promotion in general at the time, so it wasn’t boring.