What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – May 15, 1993

WWF Mania featured the debut of a new act.

The Smoking Gunns defeat Damien Demento & the Brooklyn Brawler when Bart pins the Brawler after a sunset flip off the top rope at 6:45:

The Gunns billed as brothers Billy and Bart. Billy was Monty Sopp, who was trained by Jerry Gray and Ron and Don Harris, making his debut in 1989. Bart was Michael Polchlopek, starting his career in 1991 after receiving training from Blackjack Mulligan and Boris Malenko. Sopp and Polchlopek began teaming in 1992, working for the Tampa-based International Championship Wrestling Alliance as the Long Riders and winning the company’s Tag Team titles twice.

This bout took place at the recent Monday Night RAW. The crowd likes the gimmick, cheering when the Gunns fire off some pistols as part of their entrance. The heels dominate much of the contest, a curious choice to debut a new team because normally the new act gets showcased. All four parties put forth good effort but there is nothing devastating in the heels’ arsenal that makes it seem like the Gunns are on the verge of losing. When Billy gets a hot tag he plants the Brawler with a DDT and Bart flies off the top rope at with a sunset flip to give the team its first win. Rating: *½

Giant Gonzalez and Harvey Wippleman say that Tatanka’s winning streak is going to end today on Wrestling Challenge. Tatanka says that he fears no one.

Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler, and Randy Savage are in the booth, concluding the long taping in Tucson, Arizona.

Opening Contest: The Steiner Brothers (17-0) beat Mark Ming & Jim Armstrong after Scott pins Ming after the Steinerizer at 3:41:

Ming has shaved his beard so he looks like a new wrestler. He also wrestles with the straps of his tights down to show off some of his physique. The jobbers get too close to the corner where the Steiners enter the ring, creating an awkward situation where they have to passively back off to let the babyfaces inside. Scott twists Armstrong up in a painful submission hold, working an armbar while simultaneously trapping Armstrong’s head in a leg scissors. That does not finish, though, as the Steiners put on a suplex display and continue their hunt for the WWF Tag Team Championship.

Mr. Hughes (5-0) pins Bobby Young after the sidewalk slam at 1:49:

Because of the taping cycle Harvey Wippleman is not a Hughes’ side and McMahon talks about how Hughes does not have a manager yet. Slick does an insert promo about how he can guide Hughes toward “a positive light.” Young takes a nice bump from a Hughes elbow off the ropes and Hughes gets a pin.

Bob Backlund (12-2) pins Terry Zeller after a body scissors roll up at 2:33:

The match is background noise for Lawler to complain about Bret Hart getting a bye through qualifying for the King of the Ring Tournament and McMahon needling Lawler about why he has not entered the event. Backlund outwrestles Zeller and traps him on the canvas in a body scissors, turning it over in a nice roll up for the winning fall.

Boni Blackstone, a former announcer for Global and host of her husband Joe Pedicino’s Superstars of Wrestling show, makes her WWF debut in interviewing Lex Luger. The weird setup at the Worcester, Massachusetts taping, where this was filmed, forces Luger to walk around the entrance set to get to the interview podium. Luger gets mad when Blackstone says that Luger will have to wear a protective covering over his forearm in the future, saying no one can tell him what to do. He warns Bret Hart that he is going to be his next knockout victim. Blackstone came off well as an interviewer. She is not at Gene Okerlund’s level but is an upgrade over Ray Rougeau.

Virgil (5-4) defeats Jose Martinez after the side Russian leg sweep at 2:44:

McMahon wonders whether Luger and Bret will face off in the King of the Ring Tournament. This squash is sloppy as Virgil botches maneuvering around Martinez several times and Martinez throws some weak looking fists in the corner. Even the finish looks bad as Virgil slings Martinez backward rather than add any polish to the side Russian leg sweep.

Non-Title Match: Shawn Michaels (Intercontinental Champion) (12-3) beats Billy Jones after the superkick at 3:37:

Lawler jokes that Jones was a Savage protégé. Michaels adds a fun spot to the squash, taking time to sit next to ring announcer Mike McGuirk and hit on her near the timekeeper’s table after he lays out Jones on the floor. He needs to do more of that as his run with the title has fallen into a rut. After a flying clothesline, Michaels wins his second match for the week with the superkick.

Gene Okerlund does The King of the Ring Report. It is announced that Bret Hart and Razor Ramon will be a first round match. Ramon argues that Bret is a loser and will face someone that is on a roll. Another tournament match will be Hacksaw Jim Duggan against Bam Bam Bigelow. Lex Luger argues that the tournament will be a forgone conclusion and he is patient in waiting to hear who his opponent is going to be. The WWF has stopped talking about seeding for the tournament because if one was sticking to their original announcements Ramon would be the eighth seed and that does not make a lot of sense based on recent results.

McMahon and Savage thank viewers for tuning in. That is a sign that the company is not in good shape.

King of the Ring Qualifying Match: Tatanka (15-0) beats Giant Gonzalez (w/Harvey Wippleman) (3-1) via disqualification when Gonzalez shoves the referee at 2:58:

After surviving some chokes, Tatanka tries to take Gonzalez off his feet with some flying chops. He lands a few but gets caught in another chokehold. When referee Bill Alfonso tries to get Gonzalez to break, he gets shoved down and Tatanka advances into the tournament by a weak disqualification. After the bell, Gonzalez chokeslams Tatanka and keeps choking him until WWF officials intervene.

Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels argues that he should not have to qualify for the King of the Ring Tournament against Crush next weeks because he is champion. Crush rebuts that he is going to show Michaels that he is big and powerful.

Tune in next week to see Crush face Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels in a King of the Ring qualifying match! Also, the Smoking Gunns, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan will be in action! And Adam Bomb makes his debut!

The Last Word: This show lacked life and with the addition of Monday Night RAW the syndicated shows are starting to show their age. Lex Luger gave a good promo with Boni Blackstone but everything else was skippable. Tatanka’s long unbeaten streak continues but aside from pinning Shawn Michaels in a non-title match this year, he has not won anything to get him to the next level. It also hurts the product when WWF Champion Hulk Hogan has been gone since WrestleMania, continuing the terrible trend for most years since 1990 when the champion would go missing for months after the biggest event of the year.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for May 16!

And if you would like to read a compiled breakdown of 1990-1992 WWF, 1993 ECW, or of various promotions in 1995, check out my Amazon author page to purchase e-books or paperback copies!