WWF President Jack Tunney’s WrestleMania VIII press conference leads off the show. WWF Champion Ric Flair, Mr. Perfect, and Bobby Heenan appear. Flair tells the media that the five title contenders, who are seated, are great wrestlers but he beat them all in the Royal Rumble. After Flair leaves, Tunney steps to the microphone and announces that he has chosen Hulk Hogan to face Flair. This angers Sid, who was rising up with a smile on his face when Tunney turned to him before announcing Hogan’s name. As Sid tears some papers apart, Hogan does a generic promo about how Hulkamania will run wild on Flair at WrestleMania.
Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect are on commentary, broadcasting another episode from Daytona Beach, Florida. Perfect is happy that Tunney chose Hogan because that is who Flair wanted to face.
In post-press conference comments, Randy Savage tells Sean Mooney and the press that he was not happy with Jack Tunney’s choice but acknowledges that Hogan deserves the title shot. Since he respects Hogan and sees him as a friend, he wishes Hogan the best of luck. Sid Justice has a different tone. He yells to Mooney and others that he would have won the WWF Championship at the Royal Rumble if it had not been for Hogan and he considers Tunney’s decision “bogus.” Sid, in another good promo, argues that Tunney is biased against him because he is a newcomer and thinks that Hogan cannot beat Flair on his best day.
Opening Contest: The Beverly Brothers (w/the Genius) (3-0) defeat Kevin Katlin & Scott Colantonio when Beau pins Katlin with the Shaker Heights Spike at 2:16:
Colantonio had been wrestling for the WWF in squash matches going back to 1988.
Before the match, the Genius reads a poem about how the New Foundation cannot match up to the Beverlys abilities. In the split screen, the Foundation rebut that they are poetry in motion. As the Beverlys dismantle their foes, the Genius is disgusted at Jamison eating something in the crowd. Blake yells for Neidhart to take in a belly-to-belly suplex that he gives to Katlin, who is finished shortly thereafter with the Shaker Heights Spike.
The Big Bossman (1-0) beats Terry Davis after the Bossman Slam at 1:22:
Davis tries to outmaneuver the Bossman by running the ropes but ends up running into a spinebuster instead. The Bossman has such ease with Davis that he has time to high five some young fans in the front row before getting back in the ring and putting his opponent away. After the bout, the Bossman handcuffs Davis to the ropes and yells to the camera about what justice looks like.
Tatanka pins Pat Tanaka with a flying double chop off the ropes at 2:04:
Tatanka was the gimmick name given to Chris Chavis, a native of the Lumbee tribe of North Carolina. Chavis was a former bodybuilder who got into wrestling at the behest of former WWWF Champion Buddy Rogers, who got him to call Monster Factory trainer Larry Sharpe. He debuted in 1990 in the Carolinas, working for George Scott’s South Atlantic Pro Wrestling and winning the heavyweight title there from Ken Shamrock by the end of the year. He received several WWF tryouts in early 1991 before getting signed by the company in the fall.
This is the first time on WWF television that Tanaka’s first name has been used, distancing him from his partnership with Kato in the Orient Express. McMahon explains that a red streak through Tatanka’s hair is meant to represent the blood of all Native Americans. Tatanka’s debut is nearly spoiled when Tanaka catches him with a superkick off a blind charge but Tanaka does not go for the cover. Tatanka then starts no selling Tanaka’s offense, doing what Perfect dubs as a war dance, and he catches Tanaka with a flying double chop off the ropes to win his first match. Although Tatanka did not show off a lot of moves, he had good energy and has a fun, colorful look. It also helped to put him with Tanaka, who bumped well for his offense.
Footage of past WrestleManias is shown to encourage fans to call 317-239-5151 to get tickets.
Irwin R. Schyster (2-0) pins Bob Smedley after the Write Off at 1:41:
IRS tells fans before the match that he hopes that one of fans new year’s resolutions is not to cheat on their taxes like they did in 1991. IRS does a nice back suplex, beats down Smedley, and wins another squash with the Write Off.
Sean Mooney announces on the Event Center that Saturday Night’s Main Event is returning and that it will take place next Saturday on FOX at 9 p.m.
A vignette for a new talent, Papa Shango, airs. Shango is a voodoo master, looking like Baron Samedi from the James Bond films with a black top hat, black coat, and a skull painted on his face. Shango screams that the time has come for blood in a dark room with lots of candles.
El Matador (3-0) defeats Bob Morgan after El Paso Del Muerte at 2:06:
Morgan has gaudy ring gear, wearing a black shirt underneath a bright yellow top. It makes him look like a construction worker. Morgan’s attempts at punches and clotheslines are also slow, leading McMahon to rag on him throughout the contest, saying that El Matador can see Morgan’s offense coming from a mile away. He also jokes that the bigger Morgan will likely not be attending the upcoming WBF Fitness Weekend. After backdropping his larger foe, El Matador puts Morgan away with El Paso Del Muerte.
Sensational Sherri is a guest on the Funeral Parlor. Sherri is happy because she is in love with a man with blonde hair, that possesses the body of a Greek god, and has amazing wrestling ability. Even though Perfect says this could be him, Sherri screams that this man is Shawn Michaels. In terms of Ted DiBiase, Sherri says that DiBiase is open to her leaving for what makes her happy. That destroys rumors that DiBiase and Michaels were going to become a tag team. Even though the Funeral Parlor might seem like a weird place for this segment, the ambience worked perfectly and Paul Bearer was hilarious, looking animated when Sherri stepped onto the set and being taken aback when Sherri mentioned Michaels’ name.
WWF Tag Team Champions the Legion of Doom’s squash from Prime Time Wrestling airs.
The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (2-0) pins Mickey Jay after the Tombstone at 1:48:
The future WCW referee is no match for the Undertaker, who chokes the life out of him and pins him after a Tombstone. After the bout, the Undertaker and Bearer put Jay in a body bag.
Tune in next week to see Virgil, Jake Roberts, and Marty Jannetty in action! Also, Papa Shango will make his debut! Ric Flair will appear on the Funeral Parlor and more matches will be announced for WrestleMania VIII!
The Last Word: This episode of Superstars covered a ton of ground. The main event for WrestleMania VIII has seemingly been set, although Sid Justice is not happy and could wreck those plans. Tatanka had a good debut and his challenge will be standing out in a bloated babyface midcard scene. Papa Shango is also coming in as a new heel act but only getting one vignette beforehand is not a good sign for his prospects. And Shawn Michaels’ heel push is getting more direction now that he will be paired with Sensational Sherri. This show was taped when Michaels was doing work in Japan and by his own admission, he was not initially happy to be paired with Sherri as he wanted to do his own thing. However, Pat Patterson convinced him that being with Sherri would elevate him as no one would care about him coming out of a tag team on his own. According to Michaels, that was humbling advice and he went to Sherri, apologized, and the two of them were off to the races to make him a star.
Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for February 2!