What the World Was Watching: WWF Superstars – 05.25.96

Diesel has been removed from the opening song but not replaced in the graphics, thereby ruining the intro.

Vince McMahon, Mr. Perfect, and Jim Ross are in the booth, wrapping up the taping in Des Moines, Iowa.

Ross interviews Fatu on the way to the ring and asks about who is following him to shows. Fatu tells him that they are family members who are from a rough area and do not like his ways.

Opening Contest: Steve Austin (w/Ted DiBiase) (12-1-1) defeats Fatu (0-7) via submission to the Million Dollar Dream at 7:22 shown:

Austin defeats Fatu in their last battle on the February 10 edition of Superstars. Again, Fatu’s tights are his old Headshrinkers gear. Despite his winless record in 1996 Fatu does a good job firing up the fans and forces Austin to bail after winning a test of strength. The Samoan Gangsta Party soon comes down the aisle to check out the action, giving Austin an opening to beat Fatu down and debut what would later become his mudhole stomping spot in the corner. Fatu has a short comeback after a commercial break but Austin sidesteps and throws Fatu over the top rope. That appears to injure Fatu’s left knee so Austin rolls him inside and finishes with the Million Dollar Dream. This would the end of the line for the “Making a Difference” Fatu character and his storyline with the Samoans was dropped as the WWF thought it was not getting over. Although there were discussions of releasing Fatu, the WWF decided to keep him on the payroll and would take him off television for a while until they gave him a new gimmick later in the year. Needless to say, that would not make a difference either. Rating: **

When the match ends, Austin refuses to break the hold so Savio Vega rushes in and whips Austin with his Caribbean strap. The crowd goes crazy for that.

On Dok Hendrix’s Slam Jam, Savio talks about how he wants to whip Austin with the strap at In Your House 8: Beware of Dog.

There is an odd commercial of someone trying to steal from a blind newspaper salesman. The salesman talks about how the Ultimate Warrior gives him hope, which continues the cross-promotion of the WWF and the Warrior brand.

Bob Backlund is shown yelling at fans in the crowd as part of his presidential campaign.

Marc Mero (w/Sable) (5-1) beats the Brooklyn Brawler via submission to a figure-four leglock at 1:12:

Hunter Hearst Helmsley watches the squash backstage, promising that he is going to impress Mero at In Your House tomorrow night. Sable is getting more comfortable in front of the camera and McMahon’s thirsting for her on commentary is aiming to position her as the WWF’s next big sex symbol. Mero makes short work of the Brawler, doing a slingshot leg drop and then winning via submission with a figure-four leglock. It would help Mero’s character to have a clear finisher.

After the match, Backlund runs into the ring and puts Mero in the crossface chicken wing. Helmsley walks to the ring, finding this humorous. When Backlund is cleared out by WWF officials, Helmsley takes off his coat and gives Mero a Pedigree.

After a video package recaps the Shawn Michaels-British Bulldog feud, the New Rockers are shown on a tour bus. Marty Jannetty tells Leif Cassidy that Michaels always went after married women when he was part of the Rockers and women were all over them.

The British Bulldog (w/Jim Cornette & Diana Hart Smith) (4-3-1) pins Jason Arhndt after the running powerslam at 1:53:

Ross interviews WWF Champion Shawn Michaels backstage during the match. Michaels talks about how he cannot let Diana’s accusations distract him from beating the Bulldog at In Your House and that he is preparing for a brawl. The match is a display of the Bulldog’s power moves, pleasing Diana as he wins in less than two minutes.

The Bushwhackers (w/Kangaroo) (3-1) beat Tony Roy & Brian Walsh when Luke pins Roy after the Battering Ram at 1:27:

Roy was a Killer Kowalski trainee who had been wrestling since 1988. After appearing in some WWF squash matches in 1989, Roy wrestled in various Northeastern independent promotions and then started appearing each year for the WWF as an enhancement talent after 1991. In 1995 he appeared six times, losing to Men on a Mission, Hakushi, Kama (twice), Waylon Mercy, and Jean-Pierre LaFitte.

The match is filler so the announcers can hype the Wrestle Vessel cruise and the Bushwhackers restaurant business. It goes quickly as Walsh never tags in and the Bushwhackers beat up Roy, ram him into the Kangaroo’s pouch, and then beat him with the Battering Ram.

On the Slam Jam WWF Tag Team Champions the Godwinns and Hillbilly Jim talk about not letting down their fans and they sing Jim’s old “Don’t Go Messin’ with a Country Boy” theme song. The Smoking Gunns rebut that the titles belong to them. The Gunns are exuding some entitlement and arrogance, which is probably going to play into the match.

Vader (w/Jim Cornette) (7-0) defeats Bob Holly (0-5) after the Vader Bomb at 3:36 shown:

Ross raises a good point about how Cornette’s time will be limited in advising Vader at In Your House because his priority will be with the British Bulldog. As expected, Vader mauls Holly until Holly avoids a short-arm clothesline and fires off a few blows of his own. However, Holly’s body press off the ropes is caught by Vader and a powerslam sets the stage for an avalanche and a Vader Bomb. Holly sold well in this glorified squash. Rating: ½*

The announcers hype the In Your House card, placing a lot of emphasis on the Undertaker-Goldust casket match for the Intercontinental Championship. That is followed by the Undertaker and Paul Bearer declaring that they are out for retribution for what has happened the last few weeks on Monday Night RAW. The Undertaker invokes the names of James Dean and Marilyn Monroe to warn Goldust that his star will soon burn out like theirs. Using Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind” might have been more fitting.

The Last Word: There was good hype for most of the In Your House matches on the show, thereby making this episode much better than the previous week. The WWF spent a lot of time on the Fatu-Samoan Gangsta Party angle just to drop it so it is always disappointing to see that occur.

Up Next: In Your House 8: Beware of Dog!

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!