What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – July 11, 1992

Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect provide commentary, wrapping up the taping in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Perfect makes nude puns about the Big Bossman to play off national nude days happening this week.

Opening Contest: The Legion of Doom (w/Paul Ellering) (11-1) beat Barry Hardy & Kerry Davis when Hawk pins Hardy after the Doomsday Device at 2:02:

This match took place in Glen Falls, New York, site of the next Superstars taping. Ellering brings Rocco to the ring, clad in a small Legion of Doom jacket. Rocco also looks like a John Travolta sidekick from Grease. McMahon takes joy in Ellering making Rocco do his favorite promo lines and that is the focus of the squash as the Legion coast to another win. After the bell, the Legion pose in the ring with Rocco being held up in the middle. Most people in the crowd were probably wondering what was going on.

Gene Okerlund Update segment talks about the Mountie’s “Great American Scream Machine.” The Mountie and Jimmy Hart do a taped promo telling Sergeant Slaughter to stay out of their way.

Shawn Michaels (w/Sensational Sherri) (19-1) pins Chico Martinez after the Teardrop Suplex at 1:48:

In the split screen, Michaels asks a mirror Sherri is holding who the next Intercontinental champion will be. He gets the answer he wants, saying he will be the next titleholder. Michaels reprises his bit of getting incensed after taking damage to the face, using that as motivation to destroy his opponent.

There is a video tribute to WWF Champion Randy Savage. Miss Elizabeth is conspicuous by her absence.

The Undertaker (w/Paul Bearer) (17-0) pins Bruce Mitchell after the Tombstone at 1:48:

Mitchell has drawn some rough opponents in the last few weeks as he also lost bouts to the Berzerker and Nailz. Perfect is impressed at the ropewalk spot, which is used to set up the Tombstone.

After the bout, the Berzerker and Mr. Fuji come to the ring. Fuji throws salt in Bearer’s eyes and tries to get a hold of the urn. The Undertaker chokes Fuji and the Berzerker saves his manager but the Undertaker shakes off his blows. Fuji grabs his cane and hits the Undertaker but that has no effect either so the heels retreat. The Berzerker throws salt in the Undertaker’s eyes but does not follow up. This segment enhanced the Undertaker at the Berzerker’s expense but anything that gets away from the promo vs. promo nature of a lot of feuds at this point is welcome.

El Matador (21-2-1) beats Duane Gill after El Paso del Muerte at 1:42:

Since El Matador lost on Prime Time Wrestling this follows the usual pattern of immediately reheating him with a squash match. Gill runs through El Matador’s cape to start the bout, which is its only highlight.

Okerlund interviews Kamala, Harvey Wippleman, and Kim Chee. When Okerlund takes issue with Wippleman putting his finger in his chest, Wippleman has Kamala intimidate him under threat of being speared. Wippleman says lots of people in the WWF had better beg for mercy. One little girl is afraid of Kamala and cries near the interview podium. This segment established Kamala’s purpose for being in the WWF but the company is recycling the same thing they did with Big Bully Busick the previous year as Kamala is just a vehicle for Wippleman to take over the promotion. At least Kamala has more entertainment value.

Tatanka (20-0) pins the Dublin Destroyer after the Samoan Drop at 2:03:

Even though the crowd has thinned out at the taping, Tatanka still gets a good reaction from those who are still left. McMahon goes into ICOPRO shill mode, saying that Tatanka uses it and is a good example of “Grade A prime beef.” In the split screen, Tatanka says he is a buffalo who is going to run over Rick Martel. The Destroyer takes a nice bump from a backdrop as Tatanka retains his undefeated streak.

Nailz (5-0) defeats Rick Johnson via submission to a chokehold sleeper at 1:20:

Nailz does not wait until ring introductions are done, immediately cornering Johnson and choking him. The chokes continue as McMahon says that the Big Bossman will return to the WWF on Superstars next week. After the bell, Nailz beats and chokes Johnson with a nightstick for a while. McMahon asks the question other fans are of where WWF President Jack Tunney is with all of this. That is a good question since the Mountie is barred from using his Great American Scream Machine.

Lord Alfred Hayes announces that SummerSlam is taking place in London, England and will be on pay-per-view on August 31.

Howard Finkel tells the crowd that Shawn Michaels has left the building.

Non-Title Match: Money Incorporated (WWF Tag Team Champions w/Jimmy Hart) (14-1) defeat Bobby Perez & Angel Vega when Ted DiBiase submits Perez after the Million Dollar Dream at 1:29:

IRS tells the crowd that he is tired of hearing about the recession hurting people because they need to stop being tax cheats. In the split screen, Money Incorporated and Hart tells Natural Disasters that their odds are better in Vegas than of beating them for the tag team titles. Money Incorporated beat on their opponents in turn until DiBiase submits Perez with the Million Dollar Dream.

A new Razor Ramon vignette shows him eating a meal. He says that nothing is too good for him but there are some in the WWF that are talking him down. Ramon theorizes that those people are scared of him and then gets mad at the waiter when he is presented with a bill. According to Ramon, when people know he is eating there they will be lining up to come in. He does an entertaining rant at the waiter, who has retreated, about why he should not have to pay the bill and clears his table by knocking all of the dishes off it.

Tune in next week to see the British Bulldog, the Mountie, and Ric Flair in action! There will also be a special interview with the Big Bossman and the main event of SummerSlam will be announced!

The Last Word: The build for SummerSlam gets going next week and that should rejuvenate a product that has been struggling creatively since WrestleMania. Some wrestling historians blame that on the absence of Pat Patterson, who was forced to resign in early March over sexual harassment allegations. The Undertaker-Berzerker angle was an attempt to do something interesting but, as noted above, it would have failed to make fans buy into the Berzerker as a threat since the Undertaker did not sell anything he did. And it was odd to do a video tribute to WWF Champion Randy Savage. It was almost as if he was being forced into retirement or dead, but he might as well be because of a significant lack of developments concerning the WWF title in recent weeks.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for July 12!