WWF Superstars (October 6, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: October 6, 1996 (taped September 24)

From State College, Pennsylvania; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Mr. Perfect

Zip v Steve Austin: Brian Pillman is out to do commentary here, in cheerleader mode for Austin, now that Bret Hart has snubbed Brian. Zip looks really annoyed and grumpy for a babyface. Austin dominates early, as they trade off, feeling each other out. Steve takes him down and hits a 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop, and he takes Zip into the corner for some abuse. Zip manages a small package for two, so Steve throws a clothesline for two, and a vertical suplex gets him another two. Steve goes to a chinlock, but Zip escapes, and catches him with a bodypress for two. Steve tries a turnbuckle smash, but Zip reverses, so Steve cross corner whips him a couple of times for two. Steve with a snapmare into a chinlock, as they hype up Austin against Savio Vega for In Your House. Yeah, about that. Zip escapes, but misses a charge in the corner, and Austin gives him a pair of pointed elbowdrops, ahead of the stunner at 6:42. ¾*

Mankind and Paul Bearer are ready for Buried Alive

Jake Roberts v Salvatore Sincere: Jake’s lost the shirt, and he’s got his tights pulled up like he’s 1993 Shawn Michaels. But the only difference is the announcers actually acknowledge how out of shape he is. Well, not the only difference, I suppose. Jerry Lawler split screens in to pile on with the ‘Jake is fat’ stuff, and it’s down to Perfect, of all people, to defend him. And speaking of Perfect, Ross congratulates Perfect on getting an award from the Cauliflower Alley Club, with Perfect even thanking Lou Thesz. All of those things feel very weird to acknowledge on WWF TV. Jake with the DDT at 5:39. ½*

Undertaker is ready to bury mofos alive. Also, he’s a genie, apparently 

Backstage, ‘Diesel’ and ‘Razor Ramon’ chat

The Grimm Twins v Wildo Jinx and Ingus Jinx: The Jinx brothers are Matt and Jeff Hardy, under masks, and the Grimm’s are yet another Harris Brothers joint. Ross is already putting the Twins over as possible contenders for the tag title. Oh, fuck right off. The Twins with a combo at 2:24. The Jinx boys sold their little chili pepper hearts out here, but this was better suited as a dark match. ¼*

Hunter Hearst Helmsley is excited about Perfect accepting his challenge to a match, and they cut promos on each other here. I was very excited for that one at the time

Kevin Kelly brings Sunny out, and she’s dumped the Smoking Gunns, since they’ve lost the tag title. She also is no longer representing Faarooq, but she’s not worried about having no clients, because Steven Spielberg and Hugh Hefner have been calling her, so she’ll be just fine. I’m trying to imagine Sunny in Amistad, and now I can’t stop picturing it

An expose reveals that Jeff Jarrett did not sing With My Baby Tonight, and it was Roadie - who will now be known as Jesse James

Marc Mero v Leif Cassidy: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line here. They feel each other out a little to start, dominated by Mero. Mero hooks an Oklahoma roll for two, and he works the arm, but Cassidy reverses a full nelson. Marc uses a headscissors to escape, and Cassidy ends up on the outside. Marc tries diving after him, but misses, and Cassidy drops him on the apron. Faarooq split screens in, promising to take the title back from Mero at In Your House, in another advertised match that never happened. Inside, Cassidy uses a wheelbarrow suplex, and a clothesline gets him two. Cassidy goes to a chinlock, but a German suplex gets countered with a victory cradle for two. Mero adds a sunset cradle for two, but Cassidy spinheel kicks him for two before he can follow up. Cassidy gets a Boston crab on, but Marc gets free, so Cassidy unloads on him in the corner. Cassidy with a bodyslam to set up a flying moonsault, but Mero rolls out of the way, and makes a comeback. Mero lands a Samoan drop to set up the flying shooting star press, and that’s it at 6:46. This was okay, no surprise there. **

Aldo Montoya v 'Diesel': Mero split screens in, since he’ll be facing Diesel tomorrow on RAW. Well, at least that match actually happened for him. Diesel with a powerbomb at 2:33. He did a good Kevin Nash impersonation, give him that. DUD

BUExperience: This is some real bottom of the barrel stuff as far as the general direction of things, but the episode wasn’t bad in a vacuum.