Written by: Tom Hopkins
Vince McMahon and Mr. Perfect are semi-live at the Glen Falls Civic Center in Glen Falls, NY and they are just in time for Mick Jagger’s birthday! See, Jagger is from England where Summerslam is taking place. That event will have Savage vs. Warrior for the WWE Title which leaves Flair all alone, like a Rolling Stone. Perfect’s response, using Stones’ lyrics is pretty good. Neither of them show any moves like Jagger which is disappointing. I’ve come to enjoy these opening monologues more and more every week. Looking at tonight’s line-up, it may be the only think I enjoy about this episode.
–Tatanka vs. Peter Motts–
Motts inexplicably starts on the apron so Tatanka chops him coming in. Tatanka uses the bodyslam and back drop with some regularity before throwing chops. Tatanka cuts an in-match promo where he promises revenge for all of us against Martel. Get over it, Tatanka, it was just feathers! Samoan Drop ends this at 1:45. Did Tatanka have a name for that move?
It’s Update Time and it’s brought to us by Wrestlefest 1992. It features Heenan and Okerlund playing tennis and Okerlund name-drops Agassi. The big news this week is that the Natural Disasters are your new WWE Tag Team Champions! Okerlund tried to get an interview with Money Inc but they weren’t buying. The Natural Disasters WERE talking and they are proud and happy to have the belts around their waist. Who am I kidding, those don’t fit around their waists!
–Shawn Michaels (w/Sensational Sherri) vs. Phil Apollo–
Sherri has a mirror with her because Shawn was that damn-good-looking he needed to remind himself at all times. Apollo tries forearming Michaels but that goes nowhere fast. Shawn gets a top-rope axe-handle and a superkick before ending with the Teardrop Suplex at 1:37.
Sean Mooney is at the Event Center (it seems like something was cut out in between the end of the Michaels match and this) to bring us some promo’s. High Energy has issues with the Nasty Boys while Repo Man hates the summer because it doesn’t get dark until late and it makes it harder for him to reap.
Gene is here with our first Summerslam report! The main event has been set up: Randy Savage vs. Ultimate Warrior for Savage’s WWE Title. Bret Hart will also defend his IC title against British Bulldog. Hart tells us in his interview vignette that Bulldog is married to his sister. Hart doesn’t want bad blood but he will retain his title. Bulldog reminds Bret that he is undefeated in England and that the better man will win. Also on the card is Undertaker vs. Kamala. We hear from Undertaker and Bearer who suggest that a bigger casket will be needed. Rick Martel vs. Shawn Michaels will also be featured. Martel is mad at Michaels for costing him the title against Hart. Shawn was not available for comment since he’s left the building.
–Nailz vs. Jason Speed–
McMahon hypes the WWE vs. WBF superstars in some tug of war match. This match is much like Lebron in the fourth quarter – lots of choking. The rear naked choke ends this at 1:14. Nailz gets in some nightstick beatings in as well. Jason Speed even does the whole stretcher job. Perfect leaves the announce booth (and McMahon actually calls him Curt Hennig) as we head to the Event Center.
We go back to the Event Center with promo’s from Berzerker and Fuji (who is calling out Undertaker – did this feud end before Summerslam?) as well as the Mountie and Jimmy Hart. The Mountie has his shock-stick with him and he’s all about shocking the hell out of Slaughter. Why wasn’t that featured on Summerslam?
Gene Okerlund brings out the Ultimate Warrior and Randy Savage for some interview time. Warrior says he’s the most deserving of the WWE Title. Warrior sees Savage as one of the best, but not THE best. Savage takes offense to that and says he’s actually BETTER than the best. Warrior brings up their past meeting but Savage wants to put the past behind him and worry about RIGHT NOW. Savage is the champ now and the future will be no different. This was actually a VERY good promo between the two. They had a past history and their bravado quickly got the better of them to build some intensity for this feud.
Warrior brings Mean Gene away from the interview area and goes back up on the platform. Ric Flair and Mr. Perfect get into the ring as they stare down and they have a message for both men. Flair doesn’t like that he’s been put on the back burner. He tells Warrior he’s been beating up guys with paint on their face his whole career (whoa – Sting reference!) and he’s pissed at Savage for not getting a title shot. Flair challenges Savage right on the spot and they goad Savage into the ring by calling him the Macho Chicken. Savage of course races into the ring which was incredibly stupid. Perfect chokes Savage and Flair just goes to work. Warrior runs down to make the save and then hands the WWE title over to Randy and Randy getting in his face over it. This adds another element to this match – that even though Warrior and Savage are going to be wrestling each other they have some semblance of respect for each other. Why can’t WWE build a match like this now?
–The Beverly Brothers (w/The Genius) vs. Red Tyler & Chris Duffy –
Genius reads an uninspired poem before the match. The crowd chants LOD at the Beverly’s. It’s going to be tough for this to top the previous interview segment. We hear from the trio during the match calling out the LOS (Legion of Sissies) and their new friend, Rocco. The Beverly Drop ends this at 1:55. They paint LOS on the jobber’s chest after the match.
The new WBF Magazine is on the stands (with TOO LEGIT TO QUIT emblazoned on the front) and there’s a Lex Luger article inside.
We start heading home with more interviews from the Event Center including comments from Papa Shango and The Big Boss Man. Next week on Superstars: Bret Hart, The Nasty Boys, an interview with the Undertaker, Papa Shango and the Legion of Doom.
–The Bottom Line–
I was worried going into the episode that this would suck and I was dead wrong to be worried. The Summerslam hype and the Warrior/Savage interview really carried this into a very enjoyable episode. I just wish the WWE would spend this much time promoting their current PPV’s. Lay off the 14 you do a year and go back to 5 or 6 so you have time to really build to something. Don’t waste matches on TV, either. Great episode.