WWF Superstars of Wrestling (June 6, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: June 6, 1987 (taped May 12)

From Anaheim, California; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Bruno Sammartino, and Jesse Ventura

Demolition v The Young Stallions: Ax and Jim Powers start, and Ax cuts him down. Ax with a bodyslam, but an elbowdrop misses, and Powers manages a pair of dropkicks to empty the ring. Tag to Smash for a slam, but Paul Roma comes in to dropkick Powers into toppling him for two. Tag to Powers, but he gets railroaded into the heel corner, and demolished. The heels cut the ring in half on him, but Ax misses a headbutt drop, and Paul gets the hot tag. Roma runs wild on Ax, but runs into a hard clothesline while charging in the corner, and Ax scores the pin at 3:04. ½*

Craig DeGeorge is in the studio for Update, giving us a look at the Islanders’ heel turn/new alliance with Bobby Heenan 

Koko B. Ware v Tiger Chung Lee: Koko split screens in here, pushing those ice cream bars. Guys, those things are going to sell themselves. I mean, they’ve been living rent free in my head for thirty years. Koko scores the pin here at 2:31. DUD

Gene Okerlund catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, who is ready for Harley Race

President Jack Tunney rules that, despite the campaign led by Honky Tonk Man and Jimmy Hart, his office has decided not to ban the DDT

Kamala and Sika v Sivi Afi and Don Adams: What was up with these non-jobber/jobber teams they’d randomly do one offs with during this period? Not that anyone took Sivi Afi that seriously, but he wasn’t a jobber. Kamala with a splash on Adams at 1:06. DUD

Gene catches up with Harley Race, who isn’t just promising to win the title, but end Hogan’s career for good measure 

DeGeorge is in the control center for another segment on Superstar Billy Graham being a broken down old man. They’re really working hard to convince us of this, but much like the ice cream bars, it sells itself

Ken Patera v Jimmy Jack Funk: Heenan split screens in, promising to rid the WWF of the ex-con Patera. He’s just trying to make things safe for us all, the gent. Ken with a bearhug at 2:43. DUD

Jake Roberts hosts the Snake Pit with guest Outback Jack, and they discuss the competition in the WWF compared to in Australia. Riveting 

Tito Santana and Billy Jack Haynes v Raider and Terry Gibbs: Haynes is another one. Here he’s on the star team, but a few weeks prior, he’s teaming with a jobber. Haynes gets Raider in a full nelson for the win at 1:37. DUD

Killer Khan vignette. I’m still not feeling it, but they’re making an effort to get it over

Brutus Beefcake v Tim Patterson: You know Vince is really into Beefcake, because he busts out a very enthusiastic version of his phony laugh. Beefcake split screens in here, promising more haircuts for the New Dream Team. His form of revenge is a very odd and specific one. Beefcake with a sleeper at 2:39. Patterson took his time going down for that one. Which I both appreciated, and couldn’t help but think he’s way too full of himself. Jobber. DUD

Okerlund catches up with Honky Tonk Man, and where is Jimmy Hart this week? It’s rare he’d miss a chance to make an appearance 

Okerlund catches up with Demolition, and they’re starting to inch closer to the look that would become familiar. Just a few very small tweaks away at this point

WWF Intercontinental Champion Ricky Steamboat is ready to defend against Honky Tonk Man next week

Honky retorts, and he’s got Jimmy with him now, so you know he means business

BUExperience: Not much of note this week, but enjoyable enough.