While the opening theme music of the show stays the same, new footage is added in to reflect the roster and the end of WrestleMania VIII. There are also new, updated graphics in dark blue and red colors. This is also when the show changes its name to WWF Superstars versus the longer WWF Superstars of Wrestling because the WWF lost a lawsuit over the term “Superstars of Wresting” to promoter Albert Patterson. That is why the current WWF archive on Peacock begins with this show, so you can use that as a supplement to follow these reviews.
Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect commentate another episode of Superstars, starting a new taping cycle in Kalamazoo, Michigan. According to thehistoryofwwe.com, the taping took place on April 8. McMahon gives Perfect an Easter basket. Perfect says that the Ultimate Warrior has jellybeans for brains because of his decision to mess with Sid Justice.
Opening Contest: The Legion of Doom (w/Paul Ellering) (3-1) defeat Duane Gill & Barry Hardy when Hawk pins Gill after the Doomsday Device at 2:18:
Gill and Hardy were both trained by Larry Sharpe. Hardy started wrestling in 1987 while Gill started wrestling three years later in 1990. On the independent circuit the two teamed up under masks as the Lords of Darkness and won tag team titles for the Atlantic States Wrestling Alliance, the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation, and the World Wrestling Association between 1990-1992. Hardy had been working WWF squashes since 1987 while Gill began doing them in 1990. The duo would sometimes wrestle under masks as the Executioners for tag team bouts.
This is the Legion’s return to the ring after being off television since the February 9 edition of Wrestling Challenge. In the split screen, the Beverly Brothers and the Genius run down the Legion’s look and say that they Legion and Ellering are sissies. Hardy takes a dangerous bump when Hawk misjudges how far he has to throw him for a modified stun gun and Hardy’s head comes close to snapping across the corner turnbuckles. That aside, the Legion pick up where they left off and get a big reaction for decimating their opponents.
Gene Okerlund’s Update segment highlights how the new edition of WWF Magazine has an article called “Flair Exposed” that exposes the photographs of Ric Flair’s camp as a fraud as Randy Savage was in place of Flair in the photographs with Elizabeth. Flair is alleged to have used “Scitexing” to insert himself in place of Savage in the photographs. Footage is shown of Flair forcing himself on Elizabeth after losing the WWF title to Savage at WrestleMania and the fight that provoked with Savage.
Repo Man (10-0) beats Chris Hahn after slingshotting his opponent underneath the bottom rope at 1:51:
Hahn started his career in 1989 and began doing WWF squashes in 1990. He would later become a personal trainer and Hollywood stuntman.
Perfect alleges that Elizabeth has feelings for Flair saying that he heard Elizabeth beg Flair to kiss her at WrestleMania. Repo Man spams slingshotting Hahn underneath the bottom rope, doing it three times to win. After the bell, Repo wraps his tow rope around Hahn’s throat and drags him in a circle around the ring.
A vignette from the unknown prisoner promises to bring the “Eye for an eye, a life for a life” ethic to the WWF when he goes after the Big Bossman.
Non-Title Match: Bret Hart (Intercontinental Champion) (11-1-1) defeats Tom Bennett via submission to the Sharpshooter at 2:20:
Bennett began his career in 1986. He worked as a preliminary wrestler for the AWA in 1990 and was part of a tag team called the Texas Hangmen on the independent circuit at this time. The duo competed for the Illinois-based Windy City Pro Wrestling (WCPW).
As Bret beats down Bennett, Shawn Michaels and Sensational Sherri do an insert promo about how the Intercontinental Championship has lost dignity in recent years and he promises to get the belt and restore it to its former glory. After the second rope elbowdrop, the Sharpshooter makes Bennett submit.
A vignette airs for Crush. This time he is not in his Demolition gear but in neon colors. He says that he got his name because as a kid he liked to crush things. Old “footage” shows him crushing a soda can. He wonders aloud what a bigger man like himself can crush now.
The Berzerker (w/Mr. Fuji) (5-2) beats Mark Roberts after a powerslam at 2:11:
Fuji calls out the Undertaker in the split screen, issuing a challenge on behalf of his man. He says that he and the Berzerker have a viking funeral ready for the Undertaker and Paul Bearer. This is the first time that the Berzerker looks to be in a prominent program, although that appears to scuttle the initial plan for the Undertaker to feud with Papa Shango, which was discussed right after WrestleMania. The Berzerker lays in some boots are trapping Roberts in the ropes. And he gets a pin to beat the jobber, showing that he is moving into prominent feuds because he needs a finisher that crowds will react to.
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Okerlund has a group of young fans on the interview podium with their faces painted like the Ultimate Warrior. The Warrior puts over how Hulk Hogan is his friend and he talks about getting power from his warriors. He promises to carry the banner of the WWF into his fight with Sid Justice. This segment was all about positioning the Warrior as the WWF’s top babyface and it humanized his gimmick by having him talk normally.
Rick Martel (8-2-1) beats Red Tyler via submission to the Boston Crab at 2:11:
Tyler had been doing enhancement work for the WWF since 1988. He had a good look and bore an uncanny resemblance to the Undertaker. Aside from the WWF, he had also made appearances in the AWA, Pro Wrestling America, and Stampede. In Stampede he wrestled as Blackheart Destruction and won the Stampede International Tag Team Championship with Tom Nash, who went by Blackheart Apocalypse.
Tyler gets a two count from a body press off the ropes and another from a sunset flip. Martel uses a body slam to turn the tide and uses the backbreaker to set up the Boston Crab.
Sean Mooney narrates some of the activities that surrounded WrestleMania VIII such as a charity event attended by Jimmy Hart, the Nasty Boys, Sensational Sherri, and the Mountie; a video game tournament for the WrestleFest arcade game; and a WWF superstar look alike contest.
The Texas Tornado (4-1) defeats Warren Bianchi after the discus punch at 1:47:
Bianchi went by the nickname “Man of the 90s” on the independent circuit. He did WWF enhancement matches going back to 1988.
McMahon says that the Undertaker will respond to the Berzerker’s challenge later in the telecast. In the split screen, the Tornado says that he is back and rededicating himself to family, religion, the United States, and the WWF. Obviously, no mention of the Tornado’s absence due to legal problems is made. McMahon covers for the Tornado’s absence by saying he has had “a brief respite.” The Tornado does not do a lot in the match but he is not as spastic as he had been in the early part of the year. The sad thing is that if the Tornado had been able to straighten himself out there was time for him to get his career on track because of talent defections that were hitting the company.
Non-Title Match: Money Incorporated (WWF Tag Team Champions w/Jimmy Hart) (5-1) beat Jim Powers & Buck Zumhoff when Ted DiBiase makes Zumhoff submit to the Million Dollar Dream at 1:31:
Zumhoff was trained by Verne Gagne and made his professional debut in 1972. He reached his highest fame as a light heavyweight competitor in the AWA, winning the promotion’s Light Heavyweight title three times. He was also a tag team champion with Iceman Parsons in World Class. Zumhoff started doing enhancement work for the WWF in 1987. Among wrestling fans, Zumoff is most known for despicable criminal behavior as he was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2014 for sexually abusing his daughter. And in a sad sign of the times, he was still appearing on television after he was convicted of fourth degree sexual misconduct with a minor in January 1989.
Before the match, IRS tells people that if they filed an extension on their taxes that is no reason for them to cheat on giving the government its fair share. Powers looks good in his short battle with DiBiase but Zumhoff gets tagged in and dominated. The Natural Disasters do an insert promo about how Money Incorporated will not escape from them again like they did at WrestleMania, with Earthquake having a nice line of how Money Incorporated’s future exit will be hastened by their lack of the tag team titles.
The Undertaker and Paul Bearer tell the Berzerker that he has made a fatal mistake challenging them. The Berzerker and Mr. Fuji tell the Undertaker and Bearer that they have fallen into their trap. The Berzerker promises to stomp the Undertaker into dust.
Tune in next week to see the Undertaker face the Berzerker! Also, Sergeant Slaughter, Shawn Michaels, and Ric Flair will be in action! And there will be a special interview with Sid Justice!
The Last Word: The updated presentation of the show was good but underneath that veneer were problems. First, the taping took place at Wings Stadium, which seats about 5,000 fans, a smaller venue than past television tapings. It seemed as if the WWF was filming their show from a warehouse and it was a sign that the company was anticipating smaller crowds because of Hulk Hogan’s departure, its public relations problems, and a growing economic recession. Also, there are some signs of booking confusion as it is unclear whether the Undertaker’s primary feud after WrestleMania is against Papa Shango or the Berzerker. And the show was supposed to have a Piper’s Pit segment with new WWF Champion Randy Savage. That segment was never taped, illustrating some of the backstage chaos that was starting to spill into the televised product.
Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for April 19!