WWF Superstars of Wrestling (November 1, 1986)

 

Original Airdate: November 1, 1986 (taped October 6)

From Syracuse, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino, and Jesse Ventura

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Randy Savage v Sivi Afi: Billy Jack Haynes split screens in, noting that he had Macho beaten in a full nelson before Randy wiggled out of losing the title. But he’ll see him ‘down the road.’ Afi gets a headlock on during a criss cross, but Randy rolls back into a cradle for two. Afi responds with a bodypress for two, and a dropkick gets another two, so Savage bails to break the momentum. Randy takes his frustrations out on Miss Elizabeth, so Afi goes out and nails him, and rolls Randy in for a bodyslam. Afi tries a pump-splash, but Macho gets the knees up to block, and he tosses Afi to the outside for a flying axehandle on the floor. Savage follows up by dropping him throat-first across the guardrail, and a bodyslam on the way back in sets up the flying elbowdrop at 2:44. This could have been nothing (and would have every right to be nothing, frankly), but Macho was just too good to do ‘nothing.’ *

Gene Okerlund is in the studio for Update, giving us a look at the classic segment featuring Hulk Hogan teaching Vince and Lord Alfred Hayes how to make his special ‘protein shake’ on Tuesday Night Titans. Watching stuff like this, you can see why the Hulkster was a huge crossover star - he had charisma for days

Moondog Rex v Junkyard Dog: Paul Orndorff split screens in, but not even to talk about anyone in this match, but rather Hulk. JYD wins a criss cross, and uses a series of headbutts to send Rex to the outside. Back in, Dog with an atomic drop, and a headbutt gets two. Avalanche, but Rex blocks, and delivers an elbowdrop. A criss cross sees JYD duck a shot, so Rex goes to the middle rope, but gets blocked on a dive. That allows JYD a scoop powerslam at 2:04. ¼*

Ken Resnick catches up with Ricky Steamboat, who puts over a wrestler better than Randy Savage… Hulk Hogan. Not himself, Hulk Hogan. No wonder he never became a top star

Harley Race educates us on royal etiquette  

Harley Race v Jose Luis Rivera: Race with a cradle suplex at 1:34. Just going through the motions here, but I enjoy Race and Bobby Heenan’s shtick. DUD

Resnick catches up with the Hart Foundation, who feel like they have everything… except belts. Gosh, stop by Woolworths. Or Pennys. Or Woolworths. No, better make it Pennys

Chaos recently broke out as the Machines and the Heenan Family had their contract signing 

Honky Tonk Man v Al Navarro: Bruno puts Honky over as ‘a good guy,’ and he sounds like he’s being held at gunpoint to say it. Honky with the swinging neckbreaker at 1:36. DUD

George Steele visits a zoo, hanging out with the other ‘animals’ 

Kamala v Don Driggers: Lanny Poffo split screens in here, reading a poem about Kamala. Kamala with a splash at 0:51. DUD

Roddy Piper v Mr. Fuji: Piper is still on crutches here, but then removes the tape, and surprises Fuji by revealing that he’s healed up. And that goes badly for Fuji, who gets destroyed. Fuji goes low to shake him off, and Fuji hammers on him. Fuji goes up with a flying legdrop, but Piper rolls out of the way, and tackles him down for mounted punches. That draws Don Muraco, Bob Orton, and Jimmy Hart out, and they all attack Roddy, though the referee (Danny Davis) doesn’t call for the bell. He tries restoring order, but to no avail, so Piper grabs his crutch to clean house, and now it’s a DQ at 2:39. The match was just background for the angle. And that’s fine. DUD

Resnick catches up with Piper, fuming about what just happened

BUExperience: Some good stuff, but overall a bit of a dull episode.