What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – 07.09.94

Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler are today’s commentators, taped from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

Opening Contest: The Fake Undertaker (w/Ted DiBiase) (3-0) pins Tatanka (21-2-2) after the Tombstone at 6:21:

DiBiase’s Undertaker squashes the Native American star, choking him down and shrugging off chops and kicks. The imposter stops Tatanka’s warpath comeback with a thrust to the neck and wins after the Tombstone. Referee Earl Hebner does a slow count to rub salt in Tatanka’s wounds as he suffers his worst loss to date. DiBiase prevents the Undertaker from doing additional damage to Tatanka by showing him a lot of money. Rating: ½*

Todd Pettengill does the first SummerSlam Report. He announces that the main event will be the Undertaker facing the Undertaker. Paul Bearer argues that his Undertaker will rise from the darkness and destroy DiBiase’s Undertaker.

Mabel (8-1) pins the Black Phantom after a leg drop at 2:12:

Oscar is not at ringside for reasons that are not explained. As Ross and Lawler wonder how an Undertaker vs. Undertaker match can happen at SummerSlam the Phantom gets thrown around the ring. Mabel wins a decent squash with a short-arm clothesline, another clothesline, and a leg drop. After winning, Mabel does Oscar’s bit of asking the crowd to scream.

As part of the WWF’s continued shots at Hulk Hogan, the latest WWF Magazine shows Yokozuna pinning Hogan with the headline “Yoko Rules.”

Non-Title Match: Diesel (Intercontinental Champion w/Shawn Michaels) (16-0) defeats Chris Canyon after the Jackknife at 3:02:

Canyon was a New York talent that initially trained under Pete McKay Gonzalez, Ismal Gerena, and Bobby Bold Eagle. He had his first match in April 1992 and was fulfilling weekend bookings on the independent circuit while working as a physical therapist during weekdays. In 1995 his career would take off when he was signed by WCW, later working as Mortis and Kanyon.

One thing that works against Canyon being cast as an enhancement talent is his height. Michaels continues to play the role of antagonist even though he is not wrestling, getting a token shot on Canyon when Diesel throws him over the top rope and yelling that Canyon needs to find a new line of work when Diesel uses his power moves. A Jackknife keeps Diesel’s unbeaten streak alive as he awaits another challenge to his title.

WWF Women’s Championship Match: Alundra Blayze (Champion) (2-0) beats Luna Vachon after a German suplex at 3:43:

It is disadvantageous for Vachon that she finally secures a televised title match and Bam Bam Bigelow is no longer at her side. There is some good back and forth action but the crowd of this era was conditioned not to care much about women’s wrestling so they do not react to Vachon’s near-falls. Vachon misses a splash off the top rope and Blayze hits a bulldog and German suplex to retain. Ross argues afterward that the feud is not over but it seems to be since Blayze got a clean win. Rating: **

Owen Hart (w/Jim Neidhart) (28-0) defeats Gary Scott via submission to the Sharpshooter at 2:40:

Scott lost to Neidhart on Monday Night RAW so Owen must think he can notch any easy victory over him as well. And that is what happens as Owen outwrestles his opponent and finishes him with a missile dropkick and Sharpshooter. After the match, Owen puts Hitman shades on Scott and tells the camera that he is going to be the next WWF champion.

A video package puts over WWF Champion Bret Hart as a fighting champion.

Duke Droese (6-0) pins Jim Messenger after a corkscrew elbow drop at 1:53:

Rory Hummel is the guest fan ring announcer and does the job well. Lawler uses the Royal Magistrator to draw flies around Droese to continue his line of attack that Droese stinks. The crowd does not like Droese applying a chinlock 30 seconds into the squash. Messenger escapes a second one with a jawbreaker but Droese floats over a blind charge, slams his opponent, and uses the corkscrew elbow drop, which is his go-to finisher against an opponent who is too big to do the Trash Compactor.

Live Event News talks about Jason Taruskin of New York winning the WWF Mania co-host contest. He did the July 2 episode with Todd Pettengill and later went on to become a voice actor.

Yokozuna, Jim Cornette, and Mr. Fuji talk about how they are going to set Typhoon adrift next week.

Tune in next week to see Typhoon battle Yokozuna!

The Last Word: It was good to get a Women’s title defense but the division is just Alundra Blayze versus her challenger of the month and is not exciting. Seeing Tatanka get squashed was a surprise and it was a sign that the WWF believed they had gotten everything out of him as a babyface. After the dull opening match, the rest of the show found a groove and was entertaining enough.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for July 10!

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