WWF Superstars (September 29, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: September 29, 1996 (taped September 24)

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

Marty Jannetty v Sycho Sid: Some posturing to start, and Jannetty loses a criss cross when Sid blocks a sunset crackle with an elbowdrop. Sid with a backbreaker to set up a legdrop, and he grabs a wristlock. Jannetty goes to the eyes to escape, and he tries a corner whip, but Sid reverses. Jannetty blocks the impact, and dives with a 2nd rope bodypress, but Sid catches him with a fallaway slam. Sid works a reverse chinlock, until Jannetty escapes, and tries a sunset flip, but Sid blocks. Sid with a chokeslam, and the powerbomb polishes him off at 3:17. ¼*

‘Razor Ramon’ is ready to thump Savio Vega on RAW tomorrow. This angle was shit, but the Razor impression was pretty great, actually 

Sultan v Mike Khoury: Bob Backlund sits in on commentary here, and immediately knocks it out of the park by referring to the ‘WWWF.’ The sound mixing has been really weird since they switched to the USA Network shows, with the in-arena noise brought way down, which makes the commentary sound obviously recorded in post production. I have no idea why they would suddenly do that. Sultan with the camel clutch at 2:41. This was an unimpressive squash, and Backlund was putting me to sleep with his horrible commentary. I’m surprised it was so bad, usually unhinged heel Backlund is entertaining. DUD

Undertaker is in the cemetery, ready to bury Mankind alive at In Your House: Buried Alive. Boy, he’s lucky that mood struck him right in time for that perfectly named event. What luck

Aldo Montoya v TL Hopper: Brian Pillman is out to do guest commentary here, despite not having anything to do with either guy involved in this match. Thank God. Aldo with a flying bodypress for three at 4:01. ¼*

Backstage, WWF Champion Shawn Michaels is ready for Justin Hawk Bradshaw later on

Kevin Kelly brings Faarooq out, and apparently he’s dropped both the last name, and Sunny as a manager. Sadly, he still has the gear. Faarooq is still fuming over losing the finals of the Intercontinental title tournament to Marc Mero, but he’s coming for the belt soon. Unless Ahmed Johnson can get himself out of his robe long enough to come back, because then Faarooq will just beat his ass first

The Smoking Gunns v The Spiders: The Gunns split screen in, promising to get the WWF Tag Team title back from Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart. The Gunns with a combo at 1:50. DUD

In Your House ad

Shawn Michaels attended an MTV’s Rock the Vote event in New York yesterday

Shawn Michaels v Justin Hawk Bradshaw: The WWF Title is not on the line here. Bradshaw powers him around early on, so Shawn starts moving, and even takes the time to mess with Uncle Zeb. Shawn dropkicks Bradshaw out of the ring, but a criss cross on the way back in allows Bradshaw a big boot. Bradshaw goes to work in the corner, and a cross corner whip rebounds Shawn into a bodyslam. Bradshaw adds an elbowdrop for two, and he hangs Michaels in a tree of woe for some abuse. Bradshaw with a vertical suplex, and a chokeslam follows. Piledriver, but Shawn counters with a backdrop, and he sets up the superkick, but Zeb distracts him. That allows Bradshaw to recover, but he collides with Zeb, and Shawn schoolboys for two. Bradshaw tries a big boot, but Shawn ducks it, and hits him with a jumping forearm. That allows Michaels to go up with a flying elbowdrop, and the superkick finishes at 7:10. ¾*

Mankind is ready to do some burying 

BUExperience: If not for the Michaels/Bradshaw feature match, this show would have nothing here. It’s become a horrible, inconsequential show, which is kind of surprising, considering Mania is gone, Action Zone is gone, and the only other weekend show at this point is LiveWire, which is a talk show. This is really the only show other than RAW, and you’d think they’d put more behind it.