WWF Superstars (May 11, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: May 11, 1996 (taped April 30)

From Des Moines, Iowa; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Mr. Perfect

The Smoking Gunns v Tekno Team 2000: WWF Tag Team Champions The Bodydonnas are doing guest commentary here. Billy Gunn starts with Troy, and loses a criss cross to a drop-toehold. Troy gets a wristlock, but Billy fights him off, and passes to Bart Gunn. Bart works a standing side-headlock, but Troy manages a bling tag, and Tekno Team manages a double team. They take turns working Bart’s arm, and another combo allows Travis a cover for two. Bart fights him off with a hotshot, allowing the tag to Billy. Billy puts the boots to Travis, and a bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop for two. Back to Bart for a pointed elbowdrop, followed by a series of standard elbowdrops for two. The Gunns work Travis over, but Billy misses a corner splash, and Troy catches a tag. As the Gunns heels here? Troy runs wild, and Roseanne Barr the door. The Gunns with a combo at 4:21. Pretty dull. And what was with the Gunns working heel here? ¾*

Dok Hendrix is in the studio for the In Your House Slam Jam. Not much here. I do get a chuckle out of them calling Diana Hart-Smith’s accusations of Shawn Michaels’ sexual misconduct ‘very serious,’ while literally laughing them off

Steve Austin v Matt Hardy: Hardy looks like he’s been using Bulldog’s gear person. Austin does a good job of working with Hardy here, instead of outright squashing him. Not that this isn’t an outright squash, but they work in just the right amount of hope moves before Austin ultimately puts him away with a cobra clutch at 4:11. ¼*

Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart v Bob Holly and Duke Droese: Bulldog and Holly start, and Davey tries to power him around, but Holly reverses a cross corner whip, and throws a clothesline on the rebound. That draws Owen in, but Droese cuts him off, and the babyfaces clean house. The dust settles on Owen getting double teamed, and Duke chops him in the corner. Duke with a cross corner whip and a punch, and a press-slam gets him two. Droese with a matslam, but he runs into a cheap shot from Smith during a criss cross, and Owen pounds him down. The heels take control, working over Droese, and Owen puts him through a nearfall clinic. Bless Owen for actually trying to work during this nothing match. Not a lot of guys would. Davey ends up missing a 2nd rope dive to allow the hot tag to Holly, and a dropkick on Owen gets two. A rana into a cradle is worth another two, but a criss cross allows Hart a spinheel kick. That back to Bulldog, and Davey pretty casually puts him away with the running powerslam at 10:43, with Droese not even trying to make the save. This was fine, but felt very long for what it was. Honestly, Holly would have been a much better choice to take the heat segment, as he would have timed his hope spots better. *

Warrior University ad. This was such a weird shift, as the guy who for years was best known for shouting nonsense, is suddenly a pitchman and an educator? 

Jake Roberts v Derrick Stone: Oh man, I’m surprised they were still making a go of it with Jake at this point. Also hard to believe he wasn’t even 41 years old yet when this was taped/aired. He looks so old. Imagine that in Gus Portokalos’ voice. Jake with the DDT at 2:39. I guess I can understand keeping him around given that he was still getting a good reaction, but the dude got to the finals of King of the Ring that year. That’s perplexing. But then, all worked out for the best, as ‘Austin 3:16’ would have never happened otherwise. DUD

Undertaker is mad at Goldust for ‘making a mockery of death.’ “How dare you?!” he wonders. Not exactly a hot angle here

Fatu v Mankind: The Samoan gangstas trail Fatu to the ring, so he tries to shoo them away, which allows Mankind to attack him in the aisle before the match can get started. Mankind puts him down with the mandible claw, and Fatu is unable to compete, so no match.

Dok is back with another Slam Jam. They announce Hunter Hearst Helmsley v Marc Mero, and boy, Sable’s look dramatically changed between this and 1998

Backstage, Ross visits Mankind’s dressing room, trying to make him feel guilty for hurting guys with the claw. But Mankind clarifies that it gets him off, so don’t judge. Mankind was so much better than most of the roster at this point (as a gimmick and as a promo)

BUExperience: Just another episode. Nothing of note, but watchable.