WWF Superstars of Wrestling (September 12, 1987)

 

Original Airdate: September 12, 1987 (taped August 26)

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

Nikolai Volkoff v Bam Bam Bigelow: This is Bigelow's TV debut. Volkoff tries to attack before the bell, but Bam Bam fights him off, and Volkoff ends up on the outside. He dusts himself off, and comes back in to do some measuring, which Bigelow gets the better of. Volkoff tries engaging in a slugfest, but Bigelow wins that exchange as well, and Bam Bam adds a headbutt drop. Bam Bam with a clothesline, so Volkoff throws a kick to the midsection, plus an eyerake to finally slow Bigelow down. Volkoff unloads, but Bam Bam starts shrugging him off, and a standing dropkick sends Volkoff over the top. Volkoff beats the count, so Bigelow rakes the eyes as payback for earlier, and he throws a series of headbutts to knock Nikolai out of the ring again. Volkoff beats the count, and manages to get a few shots in to stagger Bam Bam. A clothesline misses, however, and Bam Bam tags him with a jumping headbutt at 4:01. The structure and psychology of the match made it watchable, even if it was mostly punching and kicking. ½*

Craig DeGeorge brings Ted DiBiase out for a podium interview, and he grabs a kid out of the crowd, offering him $300 for 10 pushups. But, Ted makes him do 10 ‘warm ups’ before the official ones, and then the poor kid can only hit 9 when it counts. So, no money, punk. This wasn’t a bad segment, but it dragged a little

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Koko B. Ware, Jacques Rougeau, and Raymond Rougeau v Billy Anderson, Rudy Ryder, and Leroy Malion: Jesse is immediately in full defense mode of DiBiase’s actions. He makes one really good point: if Vince and Bruno were so offended, why didn’t they reach into their own pockets, and make it right? The babyfaces do a bunch of fun combo stuff here, before finishing at 2:13. ½*

Gene Okerlund catches up with WWF Champion Hulk Hogan, who is ready to fight off the challenge of Killer Khan’s mist

Bobby Heenan celebrates his new WWF Magazine cover. He’s a Cover Boy, Jerry! A Cover Boy!

Rick Rude v Jerry Monti: The entire Heenan Family is out to support Rude here. Rude makes short work of him with a backbreaker rack at 0:21. DUD

The producer of American Bandstand says that Piledriver is cool beans

Randy Savage bursts into Jimmy Hart’s dressing room, and chokes him down, in response to Honky Tonk Man going around calling himself the ‘greatest Intercontinental champion of all time’

Honky Tonk Man v Steve Gatorwolf: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line for this. Honky with the swinging neckbreaker at 2:12. Afterwards, Honky doubles down on calling himself the greatest IC champion. DUD

Butch Reed v Sivi Afi: Reed manages to throw a knee during a ropebreak, but Afi fights off an Irish whip. Reed with another knee, and a jumping clothesline finds the mark. Reed hammers with right hands, but Afi makes a brief comeback, before getting caught with a powerslam. That allows Reed to go to the top, and a flying clothesline finishes at 3:02. They were moving in slow motion here. -¼*

Craig DeGeorge is in the studio with Update, still trying to convince us that Superstar Billy Graham is ‘amazing’

Strike Force v The Shadows: Oh, the Shadows are back. It’s a holiday miracle. Meanwhile, Billy Jack Haynes split screens in, noting that Strike Force are his favorite team in wrestling. Were we all waiting on word there, or something? Force with a combo at 3:16. DUD

Okerlund catches up with Mr. Fuji, who promises that Khan will finish the job on Hulkamania

BUExperience: The Reed/Afi match was horrible, but the rest of the episode felt peppy.