WWF Superstars of Wrestling (September 27, 1986)

Original Airdate: September 27, 1986 (taped September 16)

From Baltimore, Maryland; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino, and Jesse Ventura

Harley Race v Mike Kelly: Kelly is a young Shane Douglas, and he’s dressed like Harley’s little brother here. Race with a cradle suplex at 1:38. DUD

Gene Okerlund is in the studio with Update, giving us a look at Ricky Steamboat doing kung fu fighting. He’s got hands of lightning! It was a little bit frightening! But, luckily, he had expert timing

Jesse Ventura catches up with Superstar Billy Graham, who is coming back. Jesse without a bandana, or hat, is unnerving

Superstar Billy Graham v Bob Bradley: This is Graham's first match in the WWF since April 1983... and his last until July 1987. Quite a 'return.' Billy with the bearhug at 1:23. DUD

Ken Resnick catches up with King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd, who are guaranteeing to get those masks of the Machines

Kamala v Tony Parks: They’re still billing Kamala as the ‘Ugandan Headhunter’ instead of ‘Ugandan Giant’ at this point. When did it change, and why? Was ‘headhunter’ deemed too coarse for a child focused show? These are the things that keep me up at night. Kamala with a flying splash at 1:55. DUD

Resnick catches up with Tito Santana, who is sick of Bobby Heenan. Well, then, he’s an idiot

It’s time for the ‘battle of the bands,’ with Piper’s Pit v The Flower Shop. Adrian Adonis tries having Bob Orton on as the guest, but of course, Roddy responds in his usual level headed, non-hateful manner. Piper brings Don Muraco out as his guest, but Adonis complains that Piper’s set has no color, so Piper puts a pair of pink panties over his head. Muraco notes that this is a free country, and Piper shouldn’t mock Adonis. This, of course, makes Don the heel. And the crowd goes especially wild for Piper when he notes that he has kids, and ‘doesn’t want them watching someone like’ Adonis. That ends in Adonis, Orton, and Muraco all beating Piper with a chair as they destroy the Pit set, and all of that would make them massive babyfaces here in 2025, but in 1986, everyone boos them. Great segment, though

Slick promises a ‘big surprise’ up next

Butch Reed v William Tabb: This is Reed's WWF debut, and he’s Slick’s ‘big surprise.’ Reed puts this one away quickly at 0:59. DUD

Tito Santana v Jimmy Jack Funk: Tito grabs an armbar right away, so Funk forces a criss cross, but Santana catches him with an armdrag into another armbar. Funk gets into the ropes to force a break, but he loses another criss cross to a monkey flip, so he hides out in the ropes to break the momentum. Tito with a corner whip and an atomic drop, followed by a dropkick to put Jimmy on the apron. Funk manages to send Santana into the turnbuckles as he comes back in, and Jimmy bootchokes him from there. Funk drops Tito across the top rope, and a front-powerslam sets up a 2nd rope fistdrop for two. Funk keeps coming with a swinging neckbreaker for two, but Santana counters another one with a vertical suplex. Tito makes a comeback, and the figure four finishes at 3:52. *

Resnick catches up with the Machines, who are excited about teaming with Piper Machine 

Backstage, a battered and beaten Piper is refusing medical attention, and has to be held down by the Islanders and Billy Jack Haynes to keep him from going after Adonis and his crew 

BUExperience: The Piper’s Pit/Flower Shop segment was incredible, but the rest was pretty uninteresting this week.