WWF Superstars 2/13/1988

Written by: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation presents Superstars
Date: 2/13/1988
From: Hershey, PA

Matches:
1.)Jim Powers & Paul Roma defeated Terry Gibbs & Joe Mirto
2.)Butch Reed defeated Rex King
3.)Jim Duggan defeated Dave Wagner
4.)The British Bulldogs defeated Van Van Horne & Red Demon
5.)Demolition defeated Eric Cooper & Dave Stoudimiere

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.The show starts off with footage from the Main Event match between Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant. Remember, this was when the referee controversy took place and Andre got a controversial pin on Hogan, who had apparently kicked out well before the three count. Andre ended up handing the WWF World Championship over to Ted DiBiase who had paid Andre to do so. They actually show the whole match and segment. It takes roughly fifteen minutes of the show.

2.We hear some prerecorded comments from WWF World Champion Ted DiBiase who says that he always gets whatever he wants. He is going to be a true champion unlike Hogan. DiBiase thinks that Hogan was the guy trying to save his championship by getting a lookalike referee. DiBiase is obviously happy to have the championship around his waist.

3.They show footage of Hulk Hogan being interviewed right after the match. Hogan is really upset about having a referee screw him over and thinks that plastic surgery was used to take the title away from him.

4.Jack Tunney says that February 5th will go down as a day in infamy. Tunney says the referee’s decision is final. Tunney does announce that Ted DiBiase has been stripped of the WWF World Championship because he didn’t pin the champion. Tunney says that Andre gave up the championship and is not the champion either. So, he declares the title to be vacant and announces that at WrestleMania IV will have a tournament to crown a new champion. There are fourteen guys involved in the tournament. Hogan and Andre will be already in the second round. Tunney goes over the complete bracket.

5.The Young Stallions won their squash match after Powers hit a power slam.

6.Mean Gene interviews Randy Savage about his match at WrestleMania IV against Butch Reed in the tournament. Savage tells Reed that he has respect for Reed as an athlete. Savage says that other guys have paid their dues. Savage will be ready for WrestleMania IV, OH YEAH!

7.Speaking of Butch Reed, he competed in singles action this week. Reed won the squash match after a top rope clothesline.

8.Mean Gene is back to interview Slick in New Jersey, apparently. Slick has two guys in the tournament to win the WWF World Championship at WrestleMania IV. He will have Butch Reed and One Man Gang in the tournament. Slick says that Bam-Bam Bigelow will lose to his man One Man Gang in the first round. Butch Reed tells us that Savage has no chance to beat him at WrestleMania.

9.Footage from Wrestling Challenge last week is shown. Hercules worked on the Ultimate Warrior with a chain until Warrior broke the chain and was attacked by Hercules. Hercules choked Warrior with the chain for a few moments. Warrior recovered and chased Hercules to the backstage area with a chain wrapped around his throat too.

10.Jim Duggan won his squash match following a running clothesline.

11.Mean Gene is with Ted DiBiase, Andre and Virgil. DiBiase is livid that the championship is no longer his. He proved that he could buy the championship. DiBiase tells Hogan that he is number one on his hit list. He tells us that Hogan has no class and will do whatever it takes to win the championship. Andre thinks his match with Hogan is an easy match. Andre says the championship will be put around DiBiase’s waist.

12.The British Bulldogs were able to overcome the distraction of what happened to Matilda to win their squash match after Smith tossed Dynamite Kid onto a jobber to hit a diving head butt.

13.The last match involved Demolition. During the match they shared pre-tape comments demanding a match with Strike Force with the WWF World Tag Team Championships on the line. As for the match, they won after the Decapitator.

14.Mean Gene interviews Hulk Hogan to finish the show. Hogan wants to know how much DiBiase paid the referee to have a surgery to look like a referee. Hogan says that on WrestleMania IV he will go through all the trash to get the WWF World Championship back around his waist.

Final Thoughts:
It was a decent show, I guess. I don’t like the idea of a tournament to crown the champion. It just seems like they couldn’t figure out a way to get the title off Hogan so they went this way. Personally, I thought they should’ve just gone with a DiBiase/Hogan main event. Most of the show was dedicated to promoting the tournament and the situation involving Hogan and DiBiase. It would seem obvious that they would end up meeting in the finals, and probably should.

Thanks for reading.