Vince McMahon and Roddy Piper call the action, starting a new round of television tapings in Hershey, Pennsylvania. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, these tapings took place on August 28.
Opening Non-Title Contest: The Hart Foundation (WWF Tag Team Champions) (17-0-1) defeat Paul Perez & the Brooklyn Brawler when Bret Hart pins Perez after the Hart Attack at 2:35:
Despite the Hart Foundation’s role as the company’s top tag team, this is only the second time they have wrestled a new match on Superstars this year, a curious thing since Superstars was the company’s flagship show. Before the match Rhythm & Blues and Jimmy Hart pop up in the split screen, promising to land another big hit by taking the tag team titles. The Foundation use frequent tags to wear out the jobbers, flattening Perez with the Hart Attack and getting a big pop for the win.
Gene Okerlund’s Update segment recaps Sensational Sherri challenging WWF Champion the Ultimate Warrior on Randy Savage’s behalf last week. Savage and Sherri do a taped promo where they gloat about the Warrior being weak because he let Sherri slap him with no repercussions last week.
The Warlord (w/Slick) (14-0) pins Mike Pocari after the running powerslam at 1:55:
The Warlord is getting a lot of squash wins in recent weeks but there is still no feud being set up for him. This squash just sees him run through a smaller opponent.
Tugboat’s squash from Prime Time Wrestling airs.
Mr. Perfect (w/Bobby Heenan) (26-3) beats Jim McPherson after the Perfectplex at 2:22:
Piper alleges that there is dissension between Perfect and Heenan because Heenan convinced him to take the match at SummerSlam against the Texas Tornado on short notice. Perfect gets back on the winning side of the ledger with this squash and after the match he lays out McPherson after Heenan helps the jobber to his feet.
Brother Love interviews the Legion of Doom and before they get out there, Rick Martel sprays the set with Arrogance. The Legion take credit for helping the Hart Foundation win the tag team titles at SummerSlam and they argue they are spoiling for a fight against Demolition.
Ted DiBiase (w/Virgil & Sapphire) (18-1-1) defeats Ross Lindsey via submission to the Million Dollar Dream at 2:22:
Lindsey was Ross Hart, the second youngest son of Stu and Helen Hart and brother of Bret Hart. He started wrestling in the early 1980s for his father’s Stampede Wrestling promotion and teamed with his brother, Owen, on some European tours during that decade.
Sapphire has joined DiBiase’s entourage to the ring, wearing a fur coat and carrying his wrestling buddy. Lindsey forces DiBiase to bail after some dropkicks but DiBiase regains the advantage by blocking a monkey flip out of the corner. The Million Dollar Dream follows shortly thereafter to conclude a fun, quick squash.
Saba Simba pins Chris Duffy after the Lion’s Roar at 1:11:
Simba was Tony Atlas, a Larry Sharpe trainee that started wrestling in 1974 for the NWA in the Mid-Atlantic region. Atlas quickly made a name for himself due to his athletic build and great physique, enjoying a successful run in the WWF from 1979-1984 and teaming with Rocky Johnson to win the WWF Tag Team Championship from the Wild Samoans in 1983, which made he and Johnson the first all-African-American team to hold the titles. After 1984, Atlas bounced between the AWA, the WWF, World Class, Puerto Rico, and the Boston-based International World Class Championship Wrestling (IWCCW), troubled by a drug habit that left him homeless by the end of the decade. This third WWF stint was done as a favor by Vince McMahon to try to help Atlas get back on his feet, but this time Atlas would dress in Zulu-like attire and have the name “Saba Simba.” The gimmick was sold to fans as a way for Atlas to reconnect with his roots, but it quickly came under fire for being racist and insensitive.
This debut is most remembered for Piper immediately screaming “That’s Tony Atlas!” and lampooning Atlas’ look, a tune he changes when McMahon reminds Piper that he wears a kilt. A less noted part of this debut is how Duffy does not know how to bump for a Samoan drop – billed as the Lion’s Roar – extending his arm out on the way down and appearing to break it. After the bell, Simba dances.
The Orient Express (w/Mr. Fuji) (18-1) defeat George Skaaland & Jim Powers when Sato pins Skaaland after a sitout powerbomb at 2:18:
As the Express work over Skaaland in their corner, the Bushwhackers do an insert promo about how the Express will not have any faces when they are done with them. Powers does very little as Skaaland gets annihilated by Tanaka’s flying forearm and Sato’s sitout powerbomb.
Sergeant Slaughter says that next week he will reveal who tells him what to do.
Tune in next week to see the Rockers, Earthquake, Nikolai Volkoff, Demolition, and the Texas Tornado in action! Also, Brother Love will interview Sergeant Slaughter!
The Last Word: The Sergeant Slaughter bit at the end is going to lead to a manager reveal next week and that fits this era because almost every heel act had a manager. The only other notable part of the show was Saba Simba’s debut. Despite his personal difficulties, Tony Atlas still had a great look so it is little wonder the WWF gave him another chance, terrible gimmick aside.
Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for September 16!