WWF Superstars (February 2, 1997)

 

Original Airdate: February 2, 1997 (taped January 21)

From Lafayette, Louisiana; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Jim Cornette

Vader v Ced Mann: Ross puts over Mann as a ‘newcomer,’ which is a weird way to discuss an obvious jobber. Come on man, we’re not buying him as even a JTTS guy. And Vader certainly doesn’t treat him like anything more than a run of the mill jobber, finishing in short order with the pump-splash at 1:25. Afterwards, Kevin Kelly comes down so Paul Bearer can hype up Vader’s ‘final four’ match In Your House. Mankind appears in the aisle during this, looking upset, and saying stuff like ‘where’s my title shot, uncle Paul?’ Uh oh. DUD

Backstage, Marc Mero warms up

Blackjacks vignette. The original ones. I get that this was leading to the debut of the New Blackjacks, but this just makes it seem like the original team is coming back, which is a terrible direction 

Savio Vega v Jesse James: From Shotgun Saturday Night on February 1 in New York City. The Godwinns are hanging out at ringside, and Phineas sits in on commentary. Vega attacks before the bell, and hammers on Jesse in the corner. Cross corner spinheel kick finds the mark, as Vince claims that there were fears of a riot at MSG when Savio turned on Ahmed Johnson. There’s puffing, and there’s outright lying, and he’s on the wrong side of it. James manages a bodypress for two, but gets clobbered again, and Vega works an armbar. James escapes, and uses a sunset flip for two, but Savio cuts him off again. Clothesline gets Vega a two count, but he argues the count, and James schoolboys for two. Vega cuts him off again, and delivers a piledriver for two. Nervehold wears James down for a hiptoss, and Vega works a chinlock from there. Vega continues working James over in dull fashion, as Godwinn gets on Sunny’s last nerve. Maybe she should flash him again? Vega misses a corner splash, allowing Jesse to make a comeback, and a ten-punch count gets him two. Has that ever resulted in a pin attempt before? Or after, for that matter? Jesse fails to put it away, and Vega spinkicks him at 8:38. This show is at its best when they lean into the chaos, but these two were working like they’re booked on a house show in Iowa somewhere. ¼*

Perro Aguayo Jr v Abismo Negro: We get a AAA referee for this one, making it even weirder. They put over that Perro is only seventeen, which seems like it might not be legal. Abismo with a take down to set up a 2nd rope elbowdrop, and he catches Perro with a nice clothesline. Abismo with a standing dropkick, and a criss cross ends in Abismo taking a spill to the outside. Perro dives after him with a tope, but he misses a dropkick on the way back in, and Abismo delivers a rana off the top. Abismo goes up with a flying senton splash, but Perro dodges, and delivers a bodyslam. That allows Perro to go up with a flying double stomp for two, which probably should have been the finish. And then the real finish comes moments later, as Abismo tries a powerbomb, but Perro counters with a rana into a cradle at 3:11. The match was good, but this venture was doomed. * ½ 

Backstage, Mero has finished warming up, and is ready to give some thoughts on his match with Undertaker later. He’s feeling wild

Backstage, Undertaker promises to show Mero no mercy

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Undertaker v Marc Mero: Undertaker attacks to kick start the match, and he pounds Mero into the corner for a bootchoke. Undertaker with a cross corner whip, but a corner splash misses, and Marc unloads in the corner. Undertaker fights him off, and delivers a ropewalk forearm, then a bodyslam to set up a legdrop. Undertaker with a choke in the corner, but a clothesline misses, and Marc delivers one of his own. Marc with a kneelift and a headscissor takedown, followed by another clothesline for two. Marc slugs him in the corner, but a cross corner whip backfires when Undertaker rebounds out, and throws him into the corner. That draws Sable onto the apron, so Undertaker whips Marc into her, and she takes a bump to the floor. The match stops in its tracks for a while as Mero check on her, until Undertaker gets sick of waiting, and sends Marc into the guardrail. Inside, Undertaker with a turnbuckle smash, and he hammers on Marc, but Mero returns fire. Undertaker tags him with a big boot, and a bodyslam sets up an elbowdrop, but Mero dodges. Marc clotheslines him over the top for a plancha, but Undertaker catches him, and bashes him into the post out there. Sable responds by attacking Undertaker, and the distraction allows Mero to clip the knee, and both men are counted out at 8:59. And then afterwards, Mero beats the piss out of him with a chair, as this continues to be one of the most uncharacteristic performances from either guy. Undertaker attacking women? Sable attacking wrestlers? Mero beating a fellow babyface with a chair? This was wild. * ½ 

BUExperience: Superstars was on its last legs by this point, and it was clear that it didn’t matter anymore, but that didn’t stop this from being quite a good episode.