WWF Superstars (December 8, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: December 8, 1996 (taped November 19)

From Springfield, Massachusetts; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Jim Cornette

Rocky Maivia v TL Hopper: So Jim Cornette is in Hopper’s corner here, in response to Rocky rebuffing him last week. Rocky dominates early, so Hopper goes to the eyes, and hiptosses him. Rocky fights him off, and uses an armdrag, followed by a hiptoss of his own. A dropkick puts Hopper on the outside, so Rocky brings him in hardway, and Hopper begs off. Rocky with another dropkick, so Hopper goes to Cornette for advice, but Rocky bashes their heads together. Inside, Rocky tries a headlock, so Hopper forces a criss cross, and Cornette trips Maivia up. That allows Hopper to dump him to the outside, and the tide has turned. Rocky fights him off and makes a comeback, finishing with a shoulderbreaker at 5:56. Gosh, Rocky was as bland and bland could be at this point. It’s honestly hard to believe he was only a couple of years away from becoming both a great character and having great matches. ¾*

Highlights of the UK Xpress tour, and UAE Xpress tour. Kind of odd that they’re openly acknowledging that they ran a King of the Ring tournament in Dubai, when usually they didn’t with those house show deals. And Bret Hart won it - making him a three time King of the Ring, wow

Savio Vega v Bert Centeno: Okay, so now we’ve got Rocky and Bert on the same show. We’re inching closer and closer to a match between them. Slowly but surely. Vega with a bicycle kick at 2:26. DUD

Backstage, Bart Gunn vows to take the WWF Intercontinental title off of HHH tonight, to prove that he’s better than Billy. Well, as long as he proves it to Billy. I mean, fuck the title, as long as Billy is satisfied 

Jerry Lawler (sub for Sycho Sid) defeats Todd Pettengill (sub for Mr. Perfect) in the Karate Fighters Holiday Tournament. Yes, two substitutions in one match. I like how they claim Perfect was a coward and bailed, while also openly noting that Sid just didn’t feel like participating anymore. Really great ROI for the Karate Fighters folk

'Diesel' and 'Razor Ramon' v Brian Walsh and Tony Roy: Obviously the ‘Diesel’ gimmick was a loser, but you can’t deny that Glen Jacobs looked impressive here. Meanwhile, WWF Tag Team Champions Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart split screen in to hype their meeting with the phonies for the title at In Your House. I still can’t believe that match made pay per view. Diesel with the powerbomb at 3:09. DUD

Two weeks ago in London, Bret Hart and Sycho Sid cut promos on each other. On their way to the toilet, from the looks of it. The build for that main event has been really lackluster, or even outright terrible, honestly. They’ve had no direct interaction - not on any of the shows

Kevin Kelly brings Ahmed Johnson out to let us know that Faarooq is going down. That draws the Nation of Domination out in the stands, and they do literally nothing - just stare at Ahmed from a safe distance. Riveting 

The Headbangers v Doug Furnas and Philip LaFon: Thrasher and Furnas start, and Doug dominates. Furnas with a powerslam before passing to LaFon for a tandem backdrop, so Thrasher bails. He passes to Mosh on the way back in, and a reversal sequence ends in LaFon throwing a spinheel kick. He adds a snap suplex to set up a senton splash for two, and a suplex is worth two. LaFon tries for a cross-armbreaker, but Mosh is in the ropes, so Doug tags in to wrench the arm himself, but Mosh is able to dump him in the corner, and tag. The Headbangers hit Doug with a combo, as JR threatens to beat his kids if they dress like them. Father of the year for 1996 is in the bag, stop the voting. The Headbangers work Furnas over, until Doug catches Thrasher with a German suplex at 5:19. The work was fine, but they just couldn’t get the crowd into it at all. * ¼ 

Backstage, Hunter Hearst Helmsley gets ready to defend his title against Bart Gunn

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Hunter Hearst Helmsley v Bart Gunn: Posturing to start, dominated by the challenger. Bart with a backdrop, and an armdrag allows him to work an armbar. Billy waltzes out, distracting Bart with his presence, and allowing Hunter a side suplex to escape the hold. HHH unloads in the corner, and he delivers a swinging neckbreaker for two. Helmsley with a pair of kneedrops for two, so Bart starts slugging, and reverses a corner whip. He misses the charge in, however, and Helmsley goes up - only for Gunn to slam him off! Bart hits a rocker dropper, and a cross corner whip rebounds Helmsley into a powerslam for two. Bart with a sidewalk slam, and a bulldog looks to finish, but Helmsley blocks. That allows Helmsley to go for the Pedigree, but Bart backdrops him to block, and lands the bulldog. Cover, but Billy runs in for the DQ at 8:48. Pretty dull stuff here, though it got better as it went along. Before the shit finish. Afterwards, Helmsley and Billy beat Bart down, until Marc Mero makes the save. ½*

BUExperience: This show just continues cruising along without much interesting going on. The whole promotion was in something of a tailspin at this point, though, so it’s not like it was specific to Superstars.