WWF Superstars of Wrestling (March 28, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: March 28, 1987 (taped March 10)

From Dayton, Ohio; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino, and Jesse Ventura

Bob Uecker catches up with Andre the Giant and Bobby Heenan, and they make him practice announcing Andre as the new world champion, since Bob is handling the ring announcing for the WrestleMania main event

The Can-Am Connection v Steve Lombardi and Johnny K-9: Don Muraco and Bob Orton split screen in here, promising to polish the Connection off at WrestleMania. The Connection with a slingshot combo on Johnny at 3:10. DUD

Gene Okerlund is in the studio for Update, giving us a look at Ricky Steamboat’s fire ahead of the title clash with Randy Savage at WrestleMania 

WrestleMania III ad

Butch Reed v Jim Powers: Koko B. Ware split screens in here, promising to let his bird shit all over the Silverdome. I imagine a flood of tickets suddenly hit the secondhand market. Reed with a dive at 2:26. DUD

The Hart Foundation v Rick Hunter and Joe Mirto: The WWF Tag Team title is not on the line here. Jesse makes reference to the Dungeon here, which might be the first time that was talked about on WWF TV. The Foundation with the Hart Attack at 2:24. DUD

Jake Roberts and Alice Cooper threaten Jimmy Hart with MegaDeth. That sounds like a threat to us all

Gene catches up with Andre, who has sweat through his shirt so severely that it looks like it’s two colors

Iron Sheik challenges Jim Duggan to go at it one-on-one

Duggan accepts it, on behalf of the nation. Let’s just hope nothing derails what should be a super hot program 

Moondog Spot v Jake Roberts: Jake goes to the arm right away, and he cross corner whips Spot, as Honky Tonk Man split screens in to promise to ‘twist Jake like a pretzel.’ Well, pretzels are delicious. Jake Roberts does not look delicious. I think his promise is not very honest. Jake with the DDT at 1:47. DUD

Roddy Piper hosts Piper’s Pit, with his farewell episode. He takes down all the artwork, and gives his reasoning for retiring: his kids miss him. He’s been spit at, stabbed, shot at… but none of it bothered him as much as his little girl saying she doesn’t want him to go anymore. Good farewell speech from Piper here

Gene is in the control center for the WrestleMania III Report. Jimmy Hart trying to recruit Mary Hart for the Hart Foundation is fun stuff

Uecker catches up with Mary Hart, but can’t find his tickets for WrestleMania, so she refuses to go as his date. They’re both celebrity guests, why would they need tickets? I get that it’s a skit, but at least put some thought into it

Harley Race v Jerry Allen: Junkyard Dog split screens in here, still all hot and bothered about the bowing stuff. Harley with a cradle suplex at 1:04. Afterwards, Race and Heenan force Allen to bow. See, and he didn’t make a big deal about it. DUD

Gene catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, who is ready to fight through the pressure, and make sure Andre’s oversized title belt never sees any use

BUExperience: The entire purpose of this show was to make you want to go watch WrestleMania III. It worked.