World Wrestling Federation presents Superstars
Date: 5/11/1996
From: Des Moines, IA
Matches:
1.) The Smoking Gunns defeated Techno Team 2000 (Travis & Troy)
2.) Steve Austin defeated Matt Hardy
3.) Davey Boy Smith & Owen Hart defeated Duke Droese & Bob Holly
4.) Jake Roberts defeated Derrick Stone
5.) Mankind fought Fatu to a no contest
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) WWF Tag Team Champions Skip and Zip are on commentary for the Smoking Gunns vs. Techno Team 2000 match.
2.) Travis and Billy kickoff the tag match. Travis avoids a right hand and a leg sweep to drop toe hold Billy. Travis clubs Billy over the arm, but Billy comes back with a modified Fame-Asser and plays to the crowd. Bart enters the match and kicks Travis in the midsection. Bart controls Travis with a headlock, but Travis fights out and Troy enters the match. Techno Team hit a double big boot leading to a two count. Troy works over the left arm of Bart. Travis returns to the match and quickly tags in Troy. Travis catapults Troy into Bart in the corner for a near fall. Bart drops Troy throat first over the top rope. Billy enters the match and stomps Troy several times. Billy slams Troy and delivers an elbow drop for a near fall. Bart tags into the match and clubs Troy over the back several times leading to a two count. Billy enters the match and stomps Troy in the corner. Billy sends Troy into the corner, but misses a splash and drops to the mat. Travis enters the match and hammers away on Bart and Billy. All four men are in the ring until Billy dumps Troy to the floor. Gunns hit a back suplex/neckbreaker combo on Travis for the clean win. (*1/2. That wasn’t really all that bad. I’m glad there was a clean finish. Gunns are coming across more and more like they are going to be heels at some point.)
3.) Jim Cornette and Yokozuna cut a promo on Yokozuna for their singles match. Cornette says that Yokozuna has two weeks before he feels Vader’s power. Vader is the new boss in the WWF.
4.) Savio Vega cuts a promo regarding his strap match with Steve Austin. Vega isn’t going to be DiBiase’s driver.
5.) Bulldog and Holly kickoff the tag match with Bulldog hammering away on Holly in the corner. Holly decks Bulldog with a clothesline and a flurry of punches on the mat. Droese clotheslines Owen as all four men are in the ring. Bulldog and Owen are sent into each other and they bail to the floor to regroup. Holly hip tosses Owen and drops Owen with a right hand. Droese enters the match and they back elbow Owen. Droese tosses Owen into the a corner to deliver a chop. Owen tries to avoid Droese in the corner, but is met with a right hand. Droese press slams Owen out of the corner for a near fall. Droese slams Owen to the mat by his hair. Bulldog knee lifts Droese from the apron allowing Owen to gain control with a leg drop. Bulldog enters the match and Droese is double teamed briefly. Bulldog stomps Droese on the mat several times. Owen chokes Droese in the corner while the referee is distracted by Holly. Owen kicks Droese on the back from the apron. Owen hits a swinging neckbreaker for a two count.
Owen continues with a dropkick for another near fall. Droese gets a sunset flip pin attempt for a near fall. Bulldog enters the match and works over the left leg of Droese by splashing down on the knee. Bulldog continues to work over Droese’s leg and wrenches on the knee, but doesn’t get a submission. Bulldog puts a single leg Boston Crab on Droese, but tags out to Owen. Owen and Bulldog nail Droese with a double clothesline. Owen leaps off the middle rope to hit a forearm drop for a near fall. Droese plants Owen with a vertical suplex and both men are down. Holly gets the tag, but the referee didn’t see it. Bulldog beats on Droese to keep control of the match. Bulldog stomps Droese on the knee and forearms Droese. Bulldog tries for a powerslam, but Droese counters with a rollup for a near fall. Bulldog slams Droese and leaps off the middle rope, but gets a boot to the face. Droese begins to crawl towards his corner and Holly finally gets tagged in. Owen got tagged in, as well. Holly cleans house with right hands and scoop slams. Holly nails Owen with a dropkick for a two count as the show goes to commercial.
Holly hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Holly rams Owen and Bulldog into each other. Owen connects with a spinning heel kick as Holly ran the ropes. Bulldog tags in and hits a running powerslam for the win. (**1/4. This absolutely exceeded my expectations. It’s a bizarre match of all the matches to be on Superstars for this one to go nearly ten minutes and get a commercial break during it. Holly’s hot tag segment was nicely done and while it was quick, I thought Holly looked good in the role. Bulldog and Owen got the most out of their opponents here.)
6.) Jake Roberts puts a snake on the enhancement talent after his victory.
7.) Paul Bearer and The Undertaker cut a promo on Goldust. Undertaker is pissed that Goldust would try to make a mockery of death. Taker says Goldust was once a shining light, but now he’s a dimmed light. Taker promises that Goldust will rest in peace in the casket match.
8.) Fatu is stopped by the Samoan Gangsters are on the aisle. Mankind attacks Fatu from behind and puts the Mandible Claw on Fatu. Mankind goes backstage while Fatu is laid out. Mankind runs back to the aisle to attack Fatu some more. Well, there’s no match between them.
9.) Sable and Marc Mero cut a promo on Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Sable says that Helmsley must answer the call of the wild. Mero talks about his intense eyes and he’s going through Helmsley at In Your House.
Final Thoughts:
I enjoyed the show that featured a better than expected tag match and they continue to focus on feuds well on Superstars.
Thanks for reading.