WWF SuperStars: January 28, 1995

The Memorial Coliseum – Corpus Christi, TX

Announcers: Vince McMahon & Jerry “The King” Lawler

Prior to the intro Vince voices over a recap of The 1-2-3 Kid and Bob “Spark Plugg” Holly going all the way in the WWF Tag-Team Championship Tournament which concluded at the Royal Rumble with another unlikely victory over the million-dollar machine team of Bam Bam Bigelow and Tatanka. This past Monday night on RAW, however, the clock struck midnight on the Cinderella duo when only 24 hours The 1-2-3 Kid & Bob “Spark Plugg” Holly dropped the titles to the very team they had replaced in the tournament … The Smoking Gunns. The SuperStars intro plays with Vince again in a voice over promising that “WWF SuperStars” this week will include commentary and highlights of the Royal Rumble. The bell 🛎️ immediately sounds and tag-team action kicks off SuperStars this week.

Men on a Mission [Mabel & Mo] (w/ Oscar) -VS- Sonny Pruitt & Lee Tobin

Result/Analysis: Men on a Mission via pinfall (2:33) when Mabel pins Tobin following a spinebuster from Mo and a leg drop by himself. There was no focus on the tag-team of Men on a Mission just solely upon Mabel, who Vince promotes his mini Royal Rumble match forthcoming on RAW on Monday night versus King Kong Bundy as a follow up to their confrontation in the Rumble match at the PPV. Vince and The King also use the match to discuss Bam Bam Bigelow’s interaction with Lawrence Taylor at the PPV with Lawler stopping short of echoing Vince calling Bam Bam an embarrassment to everyone associated with the WWF over his actions. On RAW, Vince announced Bam Bam’s suspension without pay but we learn here it’s a 30-day suspension. Men on a Mission were being phased out as a tag-team. Vince announces Mabel as the winner – – – he gets the pin – – – despite this being a tag-team match.

Rating: 1/2*

Todd Pettengill gives a post-Royal Rumble report entirely focused on the Bam Bam altercation with Lawrence Taylor following his embarrassing loss to The 1-2-3 Kid in the finals of the tag-team championship tournament. Pettengill reminds the TV audience that Bigelow will issue his public apology to LT this Monday night on RAW after technical difficulties on RAW this past Monday night delayed that. The WWF was milking the media attention they were receiving given LT’s NFL celebrity.

A promotional advertisement airs for Royal Rumble Encore Plus which comes up on Tuesday, January 31 and hosted by “Rowdy” Roddy Piper while featuring a special interview with Royal Rumble match winner Shawn Michaels.

Hakushi (w/ Shinja) -VS- Ben Jordan

Result/Analysis: Hakushi via pinfall (1:45) following a handspring splash. We learn two things from Lawler. The first is the tattoos that are all over Hakushi’s chest are Buddhist proverbs. The second is an accusation leveled against Bret “The Hitman” Hart with Lawler saying that Bret is prejudice against all Japanese people claiming he’s heard such rumors from locker room talk and Bret’s artistic expressions. Lawler was always throwing shade at Bret but given Hakushi was still a relative newcomer in the WWF, albeit an impressive mixed martial arts performer who could give Bret a good match, Lawler pushing the prejudice angle from Bret toward Japanese people came off as random. Vince went along with it though and said he’d like to hear from Bret himself on these rumors. Hakushi’s matches were often short against enhancement talent but he came off as tremendously gifted, something Vince and The King also discuss.

Rating: 3/4*

From the Live Event News desk Stephanie Wiand chronicles the last few months in the “explosive” (her characterization) tag-team division before discussing the newest duo to join the ranks: The Blu Brothers [Jacob and Eli]. Joined by their Uncle Zebekiah, The Blu twins, who recently debuted at the Royal Rumble, are heard from. Zebekiah does all the talking for his two nephews in their introductory promo to basically state that a kick to one of them is a kick to all. Wiand says The Blu Brothers will debut next week on SuperStars and she wonders if we’re already looking at the next tag-team champions? What a twit!

Kwang (w/ Harvey Wippleman) -VS- Doink The Clown (w/ Dink)

Result/Analysis: Doink via pinfall (3:22) following a reverse powerslam. I believe Steve Lombardi aka The Brooklyn Brawler was the one to portray Doink at this point in 1995. Either way, the gimmick, especially the babyface version with Dink as the sidekick, had run its course. Together, they were a comedy act but not even a good one. Kwang, yet another mixed martial arts gimmick Vince gave to us the fans, had flamed out, too, but his fuse was never fully lit to begin with. Thankfully for the Puerto Rican Savio Vega, who portrayed Kwang, his career would take off later in 1995 sans this terrible character and void of the incredibly useless Harvey Wippleman. The match here is at least passable but had no meaning other than to be a crowd pleaser. Vince discusses everything that’s still to come on the show while focusing on Razor Ramon and Jeff Jarrett having unfinished business with each other. After the match, Dink challenges Wippleman to duke it out with him but all that happens is Doink stepping in between which allows Dink to bite Wippleman in his keister for a laugh. Even at a house show this match would have been the bathroom break or concession stand run.

Rating: *

The Bam Bam Bigelow Slim Jim ad airs. I think sales went way down after “Macho Man” Randy Savage left for WCW.

Pettengill resumes his post-Royal Runble report to show still photos from the two championship matches on the undercard as he provides commentary on what went down in them. Diesel, of course, retained the WWF Championship in his title defense against Bret “The Hitman” Hart via a draw after a mass amount of outside interference. “Double J” Jeff Jarrett, meanwhile, he became the NEW WWF Intercontinental Champion by defeating “The Bad Guy” Razor Ramon. We also see the final images of the Royal Rumble match itself as “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels outlasted “The British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith after they had entered at #1 and #2, respectively. Michaels’ victory has earned him a WWF Championship match at WrestleMania XI and the escort to the ring by Pamela Anderson.

“The King of Hart’s” Owen Hart -VS- Sean Dakota

Result/Analysis: Hart via submission (2:15) with the sharpshooter. A mere warm-up for Owen as he goes back on the house show circuit to square off with Bret in “No Holds Barred” matches. Certainly that type of gimmick match made sense but a submission-only stipulation would have been the blow-off to the Hart Brothers year long plus feud. Vince brings up Owen again costing Bret the WWF Championship with his interjection at the Royal Rumble when Bret had Diesel in the sharpshooter. Lawler reminds Vince that Owen will stop at nothing, no depth, to prevent Bret from experiencing any type of joy for the rest of his life. And that has been proven true. It’s a testament to how great a heel and a prick Owen became. Vince counters with telling us how Bret has been named the #1 sports personality in Germany according to “Bravo” magazine. Owen can at least say he’s “The King of Hart’s.”

Rating: 3/4*

Man Mountain Rock has like his 5th different promo in three weeks. He compares playing the guitar to professional wrestling and says they both require intense concentration. In a word association, Rock calls Diesel “awesome,” The Undertaker “unparalleled,” and Jeff Jarrett “jerk.” As for himself, Rock says he’s “dangerous.” His goal is to become a WWF Champion without specifying which title he’s seeking. These vignettes were fine but Rock’s in ring debut awaits.

Matt Hardy -VS- Kama “The Supreme Fighting Machine”

Result/Analysis: Kama via submission (1:51) with the STF. Poor Matt Hardy resembles but a cadaver here as his lifeless body is but a rag doll for Kama to toy with in his television debut match. The live audience in Corpus Christi, TX reacts very little, however. Vince and The King have a side discussion on The Undertaker now being without the urn speculating what that might mean. Vince announces The Undertaker will square off with Henry Godwinn next week on SuperStars. After Hardy taps to the STF, Kama gets on the mic to ask that all the toughest WWF guys be sent his way. Perhaps Kama’s match that’s upcoming on Monday Night RAW will have more juice. This was completely dull.

Rating: 1/2*

Pettengill completes his post-Royal Rumble report with still photos and commentary on what transpired in the I.R.S. versus Undertaker match. The Taxman was defeated by The Deadman in what Pettengill calls a hard fought battle. After the match, I.R.S. repossessed the urn from Paul Bearer while The Undertaker was getting attacked by King Kong Bundy.

Next week on “WWF SuperStars” The Undertaker is in action against Henry O. Godwinn. The Phenom versus The Hog Farmer ladies and gentlemen. Can you imagine if The Undertaker got slopped on? Wouldn’t that have been a sight?

Pettengill voices over another promo for the Encore Plus Royal Rumble re-air to be hosted by “Rowdy” Roddy Piper and featuring an interview with “The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels, who won the 30-man Royal Rumble match.

“Made in the U.S.A.” Lex Luger -VS- Ray Hudson

Result/Analysis: Luger via submission (2:24) with the rebel rack. The fans remained supportive of Luger at this juncture in his WWF run, however, there was no direction and no feud that he was in. Sure, Luger would get the fireworks treatment following his matches and he’d even have a young kid be the honorary flag bearer, but that’s where it ended for whatever reason despite being “over.” Lawler spends the time here discussing his reasons for despising Bret Hart and he again claims “The Hitman” is a prejudiced individual. Vince, meanwhile, he also ignores Luger to instead rave about The British Bulldog in the Royal Rumble thinking that Davey Boy Smith deserves similar credit to Shawn Michaels for almost winning. Since when does anyone recognize the second place guy? Anyway, the occasional tag-team of Bulldog and Luger was about to become a full-time thing. It made sense given the dearth of viable tag-teams the WWF at the time. Both guys needed some direction. The idea could have been to have them feud eventually but that wouldn’t happen.

Rating: 3/4*

Vince teases the TV audience to Michaels’ having a big announcement regarding “The Heartbreak Hotel” but that’s to come after the Live Event News segment.

Stephanie Wiand is at the Live Events News desk to discuss The Million-Dollar Corporation now possessing the urn of The Undertaker and to speculate what that might mean going forward for their quest to eliminate the supernatural force of The Undertaker from the WWF? We hear from Henry Godwinn regarding his match against The Undertaker next week on “WWF SuperStars” with Godwinn downplaying the urn as a case of hocus pocus as he believes The Undertaker is scared to face him. Bearer and The Undertaker respond saying while they currently don’t have possession of the urn they’ll make up for its powers, the lack of the spirits it contains, by having the creatures of the night behind them.

Vince and The King discuss the Godwinn and Undertaker matchup with Lawler having a Royal vision that without the urn The Undertaker will be on the receiving end of the slop drop and be planted at Godwinn’s hog farm. Michaels then announces that next week on the return of “The Heartbreak Hotel” he’ll have as his guest the 7-foot paper champion “Big Daddy Cool” Diesel. Vince has his doubts on whether Diesel is a lock for the interview but Michaels doubles down on his promise similar to his promise that he’d win the Royal Rumble. Lastly, Vince and The King give a final plug for fans to order the Encore Plus re-air of the Royal Rumble PPV.

The Verdict: The Undertaker is now without the urn and that was a big theme throughout the one hour. Next week, we’ll get our first glimpse of The Deadman in action without the urn’s power in the feature match versus Henry Godwinn. Shawn Michaels will also have WWF Champion Diesel on “The Heartbreak Hotel” as tempers are very likely to flare between those two. Bret Hart is a man of prejudice according to Jerry “The King” Lawler as he said during Hakushi’s match. Hmm. Kama debuted. Man Mountain Rock 🎸 has yet to. The matches all had similar quality with the newsworthy bits coming external to them. The fallout from the Royal Rumble was the primary talking point. I’d expect the build up to WrestleMania XI to begin as the calendar flips to February.