What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – 04.27.96

Vince McMahon, Mr. Perfect, and Jim Ross commentate the final episode of the taping in San Diego, California.

Opening Contest: Owen Hart (w/Jim Cornette) (4-2) defeats Fatu (0-5) via submission to the Sharpshooter at 6:11 shown:

The Samoan Gangsta Party once again observes the match in the aisle, also proving to be a small distraction for Owen. They eventually walk off when Owen beats Fatu down after missile dropkicking him out of the ring. At least Fatu does better than he did against Vader on RAW, making a comeback when Owen throws his head into the canvas off the ropes. After the Samoan bulldog, Fatu takes too long going to the top rope for the splash. That leads to Owen superplexing him off and applying the Sharpshooter for a submission win. This was a solid, fast-paced match that continues a WWF trend of midcard matches breaking the average ** barrier. At this point Fatu is in a race with Aldo Montoya for worst babyface act. Rating: **¼

Dok Hendrix’s Slam Jam has another face-to-face between WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and Diesel. Diesel makes fun of Michaels wearing a dress shirt and vest, arguing that it is further evidence that Michaels has sold out. Michaels calls Diesel “Kev” in his rebuttal, saying that he is tired of him riding his coattails. After this, they yell over each other a lot to end the segment.

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Non-Title Match: Goldust (Intercontinental Champion w/Marlena) (7-3-1) pins Mark Cassell after the Curtain Call at 2:26:

Goldust plays mind games with Cassell by rubbing his body at various points. Cassell does manage to a few weak knees but Goldust answers by using his rear end as a weapon, a spot that gets a reaction, and that sets up the Curtain Call. Ross makes a good point that the two-week series with Savio Vega may have weakened Goldust before he faces the Ultimate Warrior tomorrow night at In Your House.

WWF Tag Team Champions the Bodydonnas and Sunny gloat about embarrassing the Godwinns on Monday Night RAW and Sunny insists that the Godwinns are not going to take the belts tomorrow night.

The Bushwhackers (w/Kangaroo) (1-1) defeat Tim Patterson & Davey Starr when Butch pins Starr after the Battering Ram at 1:42:

Even though the Bushwhackers are Kiwis, they are given a kangaroo mascot, which is Steve Lombardi (the Brooklyn Brawler) in a kangaroo suit. Out of the kangaroo’s pouch the Bushwhackers pull some merchandise that they toss to fans. The kangaroo gets involved in the match as Luke rams Starr’s head into the kangaroo’s stomach from the Battering Ram position. As McMahon talks about Starr’s chest hair, the Bushwhackers mow him down with the Battering Ram. The way this match was laid out with the kangaroo was reminiscent of what the WWF did a decade prior but it did not fit 1996 at all.

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Vader (w/Jim Cornette) (4-0) pins John Black after the Vader Bomb at 2:21:

The squash allows Vader to show off his power as he gorilla press slams Black over the top rope. Cornette gets a few shots in as referee Earl Hebner chastises Vader, angering Ross, who wonders why Cornette even needed to expend the energy. Ross also bills Vader’s clash with Razor Ramon tomorrow night as a true test of the newcomer’s abilities. Today, Vader opts to finish with the Vader Bomb instead of a moonsault, probably because this crowd did not chant for one.

Hendrix announces that Marc Mero will face the 1-2-3 Kid on the Free for All, thereby officially scuttling the previously announced match for In Your House against Hunter Hearst Helmsley.

Non-Title Match: Shawn Michaels (WWF Champion w/Jose Lothario) (8-0) beats the 1-2-3 Kid (w/Ted DiBiase) (3-3) after Sweet Chin Music at 7:31 shown:

Michaels leads the yearly series 1-0 as he beat the Kid a month prior on RAW. Lothario comes out with Michaels, now positioned as his full-time manager, something that Michaels does not need as he has been working alone since his babyface turn the previous year. The match is the expected fast-paced showdown as the Kid capitalizes when Michaels misses a blind charge into the corner and scores close near-falls from whipping Michaels shoulder-first into the ring post and doing a leg drop. After a commercial break, the Kid misses a somersault senton off the top rope and Michaels annihilates him with a piledriver. Michaels’ signature moves follow before he mimics Vader by gorilla press slamming the Kid over the top rope and slingshot splashes him. When DiBiase intercedes, Michaels steals his money, crotches the Kid on the ring post, and finishes with Sweet Chin Music. That ending was quite the way to crush the Kid, who is no longer being prioritized in the booking. As a result, the match was not up to the same level as their RAW match in March but it was nice seeing Michaels display some viciousness to in the lead up to the no holds barred match at In Your House. Some nice bumping from the Kid was worth an extra ¼*. Rating: **¾

After the match, Michaels pulls DiBiase’s money out of his tights and tosses it into the crowd. That leads to an attack by Steve Austin but Austin is clotheslined over the top rope by the WWF champion and referees prevent Austin from re-entering the ring. McMahon wonders if Austin will interject himself into the no holds barred match tomorrow night. Ross predicts that Diesel will win the In Your House main event.

The Last Word: There was some good, smooth action on the show if one looks past the Bushwhackers squash. The Steve Austin attack was a great way to end the main event, which would seem to set up Austin as a challenger for Michaels’ title after In Your House.

The WWF wrapped up its tour of Germany and then headed home for In Your House 7. Here were the results of its final German card, courtesy of thehistoryofwwe.com:

Munich, Germany – Olympiahalle – April 22, 1996 (4,702): The Bushwhackers & the Godwinns defeated the Bodydonnas, 1-2-3 Kid & Leif Cassidy…Ahmed Johnson beat the British Bulldog via disqualification in a arm-wrestling match…Jake Roberts pinned Razor Ramon…Justin Bradshaw beat Duke Droese…Hunter Hearst Helmsley pinned Savio Vega…Bret Hart defeated Steve Austin…The Undertaker pinned Owen Hart…WWF Champion Shawn Michaels beat Diesel.

Up Next: In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies

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