What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – 03.09.96

Sunny is in a silver bikini on the beach this time, reminding us that viewer discretion is advised.

Vince McMahon, Mr. Perfect, and Jim Ross are in the booth, concluding the taping cycle in Huntington, West Virginia.

Opening Contest: Justin Bradshaw (w/Zebekiah) (4-0) pins Fatu (0-1) after the lariat in 10 seconds:

When Fatu tries to take off his ring jacket and hand it to an attendant, Zebekiah brands him. This distracts Fatu and when he turns around, Bradshaw hits the lariat and earns a quick win. Fatu does his spinning sell for it too. The quick win puts over Bradshaw in a big way. Fans thought at the time that this was Fatu being written out but he would keep appearing for a while longer, continuing to try to make a difference.

Dok Hendrix hypes WrestleMania XII. As another shot at WCW, the Ultimate Warrior’s wins over Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage at past WrestleMania events are shown. Diesel talks about he is from hell himself so he does not fear the Undertaker taking him on a highway to hell.

Call 1-900-737-SLAM, and pay 99 cents a minute, to vote for the Slammys. New categories are “Match of the Year” sponsored by U.S. West. Nominees are Lawrence Taylor vs. Bam Bam Bigelow from WrestleMania XI, Henry Godwinn vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley in a hog pen match at In Your House 5, Bret Hart vs. Diesel from Survivor Series, Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon in a ladder match at SummerSlam, and the tuxedo match between Howard Finkel and Harvey Wippleman on RAW. The other category is “Leader of the New Generation” between Diesel, Razor Ramon, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and the Undertaker.

Ahmed Johnson receiving an “Anti-Violence Award” on February 26 in Cleveland, Ohio is shown.

Ahmed Johnson (5-0) pins Gary Scott after the Pearl River Plunge at 1:10:

Scott had been a mainstay enhancement talent on WWF television for the past few years, appearing in at least ten televised matches in 1994 and 1995. Prior to doing that work he also did enhancement matches in Smoky Mountain Wrestling in 1992 and 1993.

Scott has a terrible hair style where he has shaved his head into strips. The announcers make fun of it. This match had to be taped twice. In the one that makes television, Ahmed pulverizes Scott with strikes and slams his frail frame into the canvas with the Pearl River Plunge.

McMahon narrates a video package about the Ultimate Warrior’s career, again reminding fans about his triumphs over Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. The video package makes it seem like the Warrior disappeared in 1991, though, as opposed to his 1992 firing.

The British Bulldog (w/Jim Cornette) (0-2) defeats David Haskins after the running powerslam at 1:18:

Haskins was a Don Bass trainee and was a talent in the Memphis-based Continental Wrestling Association (CWA) before it became the USWA. He was often used as an enhancement or opening match worker after entering the business in 1984, doing more than ten jobs to talent in WCW in 1989 as Davey Rich. In 1992 he did some work for Smoky Mountain Wrestling and continued to do WCW squash matches from 1993-1995. In 1995 he returned to the USWA, teaming with college football star Marcus Dupree. That same year he appeared in five WWF enhancement matches, losing to Hakushi, Kama, Mabel, Tatanka, and Jean-Pierre LaFitte.

Haskins gets more rotation taking a Bulldog clothesline than Fatu took from Bradshaw’s lariat in the opener. After Bob Backlund is shown campaigning in the crowd, the Bulldog hits a vertical suplex and running powerslam to win his first singles match of the year. After winning, Diana Hart Smith, who is in the front row, gives her husband a thumbs up and then the Bulldog carries her over the railing and walks with her to the locker room.

McMahon narrates a video package that has a sports-like presentation of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels to hype their iron man match at WrestleMania XII. Mexican wrestler Jose Lothario is noted as Michaels’ trainer to put him on par with Bret being groomed for the sport by his father Stu. McMahon tells fans that the training that both men are engaging in for the iron man match will be shown in the coming weeks.

Call 1-900-737-4WWF to find out Shawn Michaels’ worst fear going into WrestleMania XII!

Handicap Match: Yokozuna defeats Reginald Walker, Mark Kyle, and Denny Parton when Yokozuna pins Walker and Parton after the Banzai Drop at 2:39:

This match continues the USWA connection from the last match as Walker, who was a seven-year veteran of that promotion, worked as Reggie B. Fine. To this point in Memphis Fine lost far more matches than he won but was one of the few fixtures of a promotion that always had a rotating door of talent. He worked his first WWF squashes in 1995, losing to Bam Bam Bigelow, Jean-Pierre LaFitte, Adam Bomb, Bob Holly, Fatu, and Duke Droese.

Kyle was best known to fans of Smoky Mountain Wrestling as Killer Kyle. He made his debut in the Continental Championship Wrestling promotion in Knoxville, Tennessee in 1988 and went on to wrestle for Jim Crockett Promotions and WCW as an enhancement talent. Smoky Mountain gave him a big run in the 1990s, positioning him as Jim Cornette’s bodyguard and becoming a two-time the Beat the Champ Television champion.

This time the handicap rules have the enhancements work against Yokozuna one at a time and tag in. Even though Yokozuna’s feature matches are not great anymore due to his growing size and conditioning issues, putting him in attractions like this are a good way to get him over as a babyface. Yokozuna quickly destroys Kyle with a leg drop and Banzai Drop. After a double clothesline by Walker and Parton fails, Yokozuna stacks them and Banzai Drops them to win.

WWF Tag Team Championship Tournament: Razor Ramon & Savio Vega (0-1) beat the 1-2-3 Kid & Tatanka (w/Ted DiBiase) when Ramon pins Tatanka after the Razor’s Edge at 5:42 shown:

Since Ramon was suspended after this match was taped there were questions about whether the WWF would try to change this match before its airdate. Indeed, there is a lot about the match that would be confusing to viewers. First, Ramon appears after Goldust has started to call out Roddy Piper and seems to be shifting his priorities to tag teams instead of trying to get the Intercontinental Championship back. Second, the Kid was more aligned with Sid but since Sid disappeared and has not been mentioned since prior to The Royal Rumble the Kid is now thrust into a makeshift team with Tatanka. That pairing also shows how much DiBiase’s stable no longer matters because it is down to just three members. Savio is quickly put in peril but the Kid and Tatanka do not work well as a team, doing nothing special on offense. A spinning heel kick by Savio off the ropes on the Kid leads to a hot tag to Ramon. Ramon takes out the heels by himself and goes to give the Kid a Razor’s Edge. Tatanka pulls the Kid off Ramon’s shoulders but then randomly decides to pose on the second rope with his arms out, a behavior that is not in keeping with what he usually does at all, and Ramon comes from behind him to do the Razor’s Edge and advance he and Savio. This means that the WWF will have to pivot the semi-final match because Ramon will not be available. As for the match itself, the clipping probably made things better than what fans had to see in the arena as the action was very uninspired before the stupid finish. Rating: *

Dok Hendrix puts over Shawn Michaels’ childhood dreams storyline for WrestleMania XII. Michaels yells about how he is respects WWF Champion Bret Hart but he is going to beat him and become the new WWF champion.

Call 1-800-TITAN91 to get a WWF denim jacket that has the two big matches from WrestleMania XII on its sleeves and the event’s logo on the back. Only 3,000 are made and for some weird reason the WWF decides it should put that on the jacket, as if that gives it more status. Fans can buy a jacket for $68.85 (plus shipping & handling) or break it into three payments of more than $22.

A new quick segment debuts: the Karate Fighters Slam of the Week. This week it is Yokozuna’s Banzai Drop from earlier in the show.

Justin Bradshaw (w/Zebekiah) (5-0) defeats Scott D’Amore after the lariat at 1:13 shown:

This match was added to the card because Bradshaw demanded more competition. D’Amore is not on Fatu’s level and true to form, he serves as no significant test for Bradshaw. The bout is joined in progress and Bradshaw punishes D’Amore with a hard body slam, pumphandle slam, and lariat. Zebekiah brands D’Amore’s arm after the match.

Tune in next week to see the Bushwhackers face the Bodydonnas in the first round of the WWF Tag Team Championship Tournament!

The Last Word: The two feature matches were not great but surprisingly, the show still flowed well because the squash match action was kept short and nothing overstayed its welcome. Justin Bradshaw is getting a strong push upon his debut, crushing enhancement talents and mowing through two lower tier babyface acts in Bob Holly and Fatu. But Fatu’s quick loss was puzzling because crowds liked him and he had more natural charisma than many babyfaces that were under the WWF’s employ.

The WWF’s house shows went through Texas during this week in its history. Here are the results of some of those shows, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Austin, Texas – Frank Erwin Center – March 5, 1996 (4,023): The Godwinns beat the Bodydonnas when Phineas pinned Skip after the Slop Drop…Justin Bradshaw pinned Bob Holly after the lariat…The Ringmaster beat Barry Horowitz (substituting for Marty Jannetty) via submission to the Million Dollar Dream…Duke Droese pinned Hunter Hearst Helmsley with a rollup after avoiding the Pedigree…Yokozuna pinned the British Bulldog after the Banzai Drop…Ahmed Johnson beat Tatanka after the Pearl River Plunge…Jake Roberts & Savio Vega defeated Goldust & the 1-2-3 Kid when Savio pinned the Kid after a roll up…WWF Champion Bret Hart pinned Shawn Michaels (substituting for the Undertaker) in a lumberjack match with a roll up. The British Bulldog and Hunter Hearst Helmsley interfered and held down Michaels’ legs, preventing him from kicking out. After the match, Michaels did Sweet Chin Music to the Bulldog and Tatanka before accidentally doing it to Bret. The lumberjacks proceeded to fight each other and afterward, Michaels took the WWF title belt from the referee and handed it to Bret.

Houston, Texas – The Summit – March 8, 1996 (8,868): Ahmed Johnson pinned Tatanka…Barry Horowitz defeated Guido Falcone…Duke Droese defeated Hunter Hearst Helmsley…WWF Champion Bret Hart defeated the Undertaker via count out after Goldust came to ringside and piledrove the Undertaker…Savio Vega & Jake Roberts beat Goldust & the 1-2-3 Kid when Savio pinned the Kid…Yokozuna defeated the British Bulldog…Justin Bradshaw pinned Bob Holly…Shawn Michaels defeated the Ringmaster after Sweet Chin Music…The Godwinns beat the Bodydonnas.

Backstage News*: There will be no celebrities at WrestleMania this year because the WWF wants to present its talent as the main celebrities. Also, there will be a two-week break for talent before the show with a March 17 card in Madison Square Garden being the last event before the pay-per-view.

-The Corpus Christi Superstars taping was a big success on March 10, selling out four hours before bell time and turning away an estimated 2,000 people.

-In injury news, Owen Hart has a bad knee and missed some of the house shows in Texas. Marty Jannetty also missed some matches with a shoulder injury.

-In talent relations news, Diesel is accepting an offer from WCW, informing Vince McMahon. He told Vince McMahon he was leaving in a phone call on March 5. It has been suggested that WCW is offering him a contract of $450,000-$750,000 per year. The WWF is not going to change Diesel’s bookings until he leaves. His contract expires in June. At its Superstars taping on March 10, the WWF did tryout matches for Dwayne Johnson, the son of former WWF Tag Team champion Rocky Johnson; the Silician Studs (Guido Falcone & Vito Mussolini); Devon Michaels; Bo Vegas; Alex Porteau; Rod Price; and Bart Sawyer.

*Backstage news is provided courtesy of Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer for March 11 and 18.

Up Next: Monday Night RAW for March 11!

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