Tuesday, December 17, 2024

WWF Superstars (January 12, 1997)

 

Original Airdate: January 12, 1997 (taped December 17, 1996)


From Daytona Beach, Florida; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Honky Tonk Man


Goldust v Executioner: Executioner doesn’t even get an entrance here. He attacks from behind and delivers a hanging vertical suplex for two, then another vertical suplex, since he’s sleepwalking. Goldust fights him off, and uses a snapmare to set up a pointed elbowdrop. Goldust lands a clothesline, and a snapmare sets up a headvice. Executioner escapes, and delivers an avalanche, then a fistdrop for two. He tries another suplex, but Goldust reverses, and adds a bodyslam. Goldust with a kneedrop for two, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and Executioner nails him. Executioner with a bodyslam to set up an elbowdrop for two, and he puts the boots to Goldust. A pointed elbowdrop gets him another two, and a clothesline is worth two. Backdrop, but this time Goldust blocks, so Executioner goes to the eyes. Executioner with a few short-clotheslines, but Goldust counters a piledriver with a backdrop. That allows Goldust a piledriver of his own at 6:00. Goldust was trying really hard to get something out of Executioner here. Didn’t quite get there, but I appreciated the effort. Afterwards, Paul Bearer turns on Executioner, writing him out of the promotion (this was his last TV appearance, and he’d already worked his last house show by the time this aired, too). ½*


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TL Hopper v Hector Garza: I get that they hoped the AAA crossover would juice ticket sales for the Rumble in San Antonio. And I get that they needed to take the time to introduce Garza (and the others) to their audience. But I still hate it with a passion. Garza with a standing moonsault at 3:59. DUD


Sultan/Shredder is ready for Bret Hart later


Kevin Kelly brings Ahmed Johnson out to talk about getting his hands on Faarooq. He’s very excited about that


The Starburst Fruit Twists Rewind is Paul Bearer turning on Executioner earlier


Rocky Maivia v Dr. X: I’m not sure why they bothered having Tom Prichard work under a mask, instead of just having him do jobs as Zip. Maybe they were hoping the Bodydonnas were going to get another run, and didn’t want to turn him into a complete jobber? Rocky with a shoulderbreaker at 4:45. Way too long. There were a lot of missteps with Rocky’s push in the early days. DUD


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Bret Hart v Sultan: Whoa, Bret Hart on Superstars. It's been a minute. A quick check reveals that this is Bret’s first match on the show since November 1995, and this would be his last ever on Superstars. So savor it. Ross reminds us that Bob Backlund defeated Bret for the WWF Title in San Antonio ‘about four years ago.’ Missed it by that much. They spill to the outside almost right away, and Hart smashes him into the steps. Back in, Hart takes Sultan down for an armbar, but Sultan fights him off in the corner, so Hart tries a charge, but runs into a boot. Sultan hammers on him, and a belly-to-belly suplex gets him two. Sultan with a side suplex, and a cross corner whip rattles the ring. Sultan misses an avalanche, allowing Hart to try a clothesline, but both guys collide for a double knockout. Hart is up first, and goes on the comeback trail. Hart with a 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two, and a headbutt drop to the groin leads to the Sharpshooter, so Iron Sheik gets on the apron. Hart goes for him, so Sultan attacks, but ends up hitting Sheik. They criss cross, and Sheik trips Hart up for the DQ at 7:58. Yes, they didn’t put Bret Hart over Sultan. The guy who jobbed to boobies just days before this. Afterwards, Steve Austin runs out of the crowd to attack Hart, and he Pillmanizes him before officials can intervene. Oddly, Hart sells it as a knee injury, which is a weird lapse in psychology for a master level worker like him. I mean, I guess he’s selling when Austin clipped the knee initially, but after the Pillmanizing, you’d think he’d focus on the ankle. Especially since they were putting that move over like death.  ½*


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BUExperience: I appreciated getting some angles here, as opposed to just hearing about ones that happened on RAW.

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