What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – 10.08.94

Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler handle commentary, concluding the taping in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Opening Contest: Bam Bam Bigelow (w/Ted DiBiase) (26-4) beats Duke Droese (17-0) with a schoolboy roll up and using the tights at 4:48:

Droese gives his hat to a kid at ringside before the match. The hoss battle has some slow, basic action. Droese does not get much in until catching Bigelow coming off the ropes with a powerslam. After a leg drop, DiBiase jumps on the apron but the distraction does not go anywhere as Droese sidesteps a Bigelow avalanche. However, a blind charge sends Droese into the turnbuckles and Bigelow hands the trash man his first loss with a schoolboy roll up and a handful of tights. Rating: *½

The British Bulldog (3-0) pins Ben Jordan after the running powerslam at 1:54:

Jordan tries to knock the Bulldog down with a few shoulder blocks but the Bulldog stands like a brick wall and floors Jordan when he tries a third one. The Bulldog follows up with one of his better squash efforts in a while, doing a vertical suplex, double underhook suplex, clotheslining Jordan against the turnbuckles, and finishing with the running powerslam.

A New Generation ad sees Intercontinental Champion Razor Ramon in a confessional booth, asking forgiveness for hurting someone. He talks about doing it because someone knocked a toothpick out of his mouth, leading the priest to remark “Who do you think you are, Razor Ramon?” It ends with the priest getting Ramon to sign some autographs for other church fathers and nuns. This was the funniest of these commercials in some time.

Bob Backlund is a guest on this week’s Heartbreak Hotel. Backlund tells Shawn Michaels that he wants to be addressed as “Mr.” and not be called a “former” anything. He complains about dropping the title in 1983 because someone threw in the towel on his behalf. After proclaiming that Michaels and Diesel are not on his level, Backlund challenges WWF Champion Bret Hart, arguing that he is going to create a utopia. Backlund’s use of big words throughout the interview, along with Michaels and Diesel’s reactions made this entertaining.

Jeff Jarrett (29-6-1) defeats Billy Joe Eaton via submission to the figure-four leglock at 2:03:

Dawn Beamert is the guest fan ring announcer. The added bonus is she has her name read by Howard Finkel, who is now back to doing Superstars. Jarrett attacks Eaton before the bell and avoids his body press off the apron. Eaton later hits a sunset flip for two and avoids a Jarrett blind charge. However, he gets crotched going to the top rope and is put away with a superplex and figure-four.

The Undertaker and Paul Bearer warn Yokozuna that he is going to pay on the Hart Attack Tour. Some of these promos are starting to get repetitive since Yokozuna and his camp are barely responding to them and the Undertaker and Bearer only have so much material they can use.

The Headshrinkers (w/Captain Lou Albano) (26-1) beat Ron Hagan & Barry Horowitz when Fatu pins Hagan after the splash off the top rope at 2:29:

The taping schedule messes with backstage events as this was Samu’s last match before he quit. The New Headshrinkers tandem had already been introduced so McMahon tries to cover for it by saying that Samu has recovered from food poisoning and Albano is trying to confuse Shawn Michaels & Diesel about which version of the Headshrinkers they will face later. That is not a bad cover story. Albano seems to be watering down some of the Headshrinkers act, telling Fatu to get off the second rope midway through the squash after Fatu slams Horowitz. Horowitz tags out after a double headbutt and Hagan eats the front side Russian leg sweep and Fatu splash in the original Headshrinkers’ last televised WWF match.

McMahon announces that Arnold Skaaland, Backlund’s former manager, will appear next week to explain why he threw in the towel on Backlund’s behalf in 1983.

King Kong Bundy (w/Ted DiBiase) pins Mitch Bishop after the Avalanche at 1:23:

Bundy was making a return to the WWF after a six-year absence. A Larry Sharpe trainee, Bundy started wrestling in 1981 for the WWF. He did not adopt the Bundy name until he turned heel in World Class in 1982, getting a strong push against the Von Erichs. Bundy returned to the WWF in 1985 and got a strong push as well, going over S.D. Jones in record time at the first WrestleMania and losing a main event cage match to WWF Champion Hulk Hogan at the second WrestleMania. Bundy was slowly depushed after that event, leaving the company in 1988 after a dispute with McMahon over his appearance in a HeadStart computer commercial. By Bundy’s admission, he spent the next five years in retirement, running a bar after getting divorced. He resurfaced with a special appearance on ECW’s November to Remember show in 1993 as a tag team partner of Terry Funk, leading to a call from the WWF to return in a main event role.

McMahon spends much of the match talking about Bundy’s size. Like his last WWF tenure, he has a manager, this time siding with Ted DiBiase. Bundy does not make much of an impression for fans who have no memory of him, throwing Bishop into the corner several times and pressing his weight against him. After the Avalanche, Bundy demands his customary five count before being declared the winner.

There is a clip of George Steele’s appearance in Ed Wood.

Doink the Clown appears on the video screen and challenges Lawler to a match. Doink says that he can play a prank on Lawler without doing anything. That involves sending Dink to put a pie on Lawler’s seat. Lawler sits on it moments later and Doink laughs as the show goes off the air.

The Last Word: Bob Backlund’s promo was good but this show continued a series of lackluster episodes since SummerSlam. Lots of talent are grinding their gears without anything interesting going on. There is not a lot of excitement for the Adam Bomb-Bam Bam Bigelow program; the Headshrinkers have been disrupted by a new member; Doink the Clown-Jerry Lawler is a feud booked for young children; and King Kong Bundy, who the WWF is wanting to use as a main eventer in waiting, looks old and out of place. Maybe when Survivor Series gets closer things will get out of this rut but it will take a while to get there.

Up Next: Wrestling Challenge for October 9!

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