WWF Superstars of Wrestling April 16th, 1988

April 16, 1988

From the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau, MO

Your hosts are Jesse “The Body” Ventura and Vince McMahon

“Ravishing” Rick Rude w/ Bobby Heenan vs. Reno Riggins

Rude hits a powerslam but breaks his covers and shrugs his shoulders. The camera shows Heenan laughing as Rude hits a snap suplex. We then get more comments from women talking about Rude as he stays in control as Vince wants to know what will happen when Rude gives a married woman a Rude Awakening. The announcers put over Rude’s aggression as he hits the Rude Awakening for the win (2:04). After the match, Rude talks about finding a woman to give the Rude Awakening too as he wants a woman with class, something Jesse says is hard to find in the “Show Me” state. They look over the crowd and finally find someone they welcome to the ring as Rude makes out with her.

Thoughts: They were really putting over Rude here, both for his gimmick and inside the ring. As a character, he was really awesome but still not quite there as a worker.

WWF Update with Lord Alfred Hayes. This week’s subject is Ron Bass as we see a replay of him choking out the Junkyard Dog two weeks ago on “Wrestling Challenge.” We then get promos from both men as they tease having a match down the line.

Hacksaw Jim Duggan vs. Pete Sanchez

Duggan roughs up Sanchez as Jesse is disgusted at Vince for talking about Duggan knocking out Andre the Giant with a 2×4. They argue about that as Duggan stays in control until he finally puts Sanchez away with the Three Point Stance (1:43). After the match, we see Andre the Giant head down the aisle with Heenan pleading with him to stop. Duggan winds up his 2×4 as Andre stops and stares him down. Andre gets on the apron but Duggan swings away and misses but that startles Andre as he falls down then yells and points at Duggan from the aisle.

Thoughts: The post-match stuff was good an since Heenan tried to bring Andre back, I assume they are paired up again for the first time since DiBiase “bought” Andre’s contract.

Gene Okerlund is at the Event Center. He talks about the Duggan/Andre feud before going on to the Dino Bravo/Ken Patera potential feud. We hear from Patera, accusing Bravo of cheating when he set the World Bench Press record, and to get use to the “USA” chants. Frenchy Martin warns Patera about Bravo, who then tells Patera to come and get him. Patera’s promo was all rambling and it was terrible. God help us for being subject to this feud.

Honky Tonk Man w/ Jimmy Hart vs. Omar Atlas

Hart is wearing a beret, selling the haircut he received from Brutus Beefcake at WrestleMania IV. We now see Greg Valentine at ringside as Hart has him watch his back, in case Brutus Beefcake came down to the ring. Honky backs Atlas into the corner and rakes his eyes. Honky hammers away as we hear him in an insert promo telling Beefcake he will never, ever put him to sleep or Hart’s hair and he will never take away his Intercontinental Title. Atlas takes control briefly but ducks his head and Honky hits the Shake, Rattle, and Roll for the win (1:48).

Thoughts: The Honky/Beefcake feud is still going strong, with an added side story of Hart being terrified of Beefcake cutting his hair again.

Okerlund is back in the Event Center. We hear from the Bolsheviks and Slick, who tells us that the road to the top leads with the Young Stallions, the opponents of his team. The Stallions put over the Bolsheviks toughness but that they are going to give them 110% and if they are the best Russia has to offer, do not even bother to show up and to head back home. Weak promos for an uninteresting feud.

British Bulldogs vs. Dusty Wolfe & Barry Horowitz

Vince cackles like a moron when he sees Matilda. Match starts with Dynamite working over Horowitz. Wolfe tags as Dynamite hits him with a snap suplex. Davey is in and puts Horowitz in a headlock. Wolfe is back in and gets powerslammed then Davey launches him for the flying headbutt and the win (2:12).

Thoughts: Easy win for the Bulldogs, whose purpose at the moment is to get over their mascot as a star.

Craig DeGeorge is on the interview platform as he welcomes Dino Bravo and Frenchy Martin. Vince tells Jesse he cheated to help Bravo set the World Bench Press record. Frenchy mocks the United State for lacking intelligence because they cannot appreciate the “charisma and strength” of Bravo. The crowd starts up a mild chant for Patera as Bravo tells him his records were set a long time ago and that he does not stand a chance against him. Good god, this feud has not even happened yet on TV and it had two segments teasing it on this show alone.

“The Rock” Don Muraco w/ Superstar Billy Graham vs. Jerry Hall

Muraco is ultra-aggressive at the start as he hits a gutwrench suplex then a powerslam . He then hits a leg drop before finishing Hall off with the Tombstone (0:46).

Thoughts: Muraco obilterated this guy, wrestling like a heel destroying a jobber. His push as Superstar Graham 2.0 continues.

Jim Evans vs. Bad News Brown

Brown immediately destroys Evans as the announcers talk about Bad News winning the WrestleMania IV Battle Royal and screwing over Bret Hart. Bad News then hits a clothesline before putting Evans away with an enziguiri (1:12).

Thoughts: They are going with a Brown/Hart feud for now, with the next step being to officially turn Hart babyface.

Vince lets us know that Elizabeth is on the cover of “WWF Magazine,” and that she has a feature inside about her workout regime.

WrestleMania IV Report with Gene Okerlund. This was a repeat of the one shown on the 4/10/88 edition of “Wrestling Challenge” as they go over the end of the Battle Royal with comments from both Bad News Brown and Bret Hart.

Koko B. Ware vs. Tom Stone

Jesse makes fun of Ware getting pinned by Heenan, a manager, at WrestleMania IV. Koko fights out of a headlock and hits a headbutt as we then hear Koko in an insert promo, telling Heenan he is looking for him. Stone rakes the eyes and lands a few elbow smashes. Then, on commentary, we get this exchange:

Vince: “What Koko lacks in size, he makes up for with tenacity and speed and all-around agility.”
Jesse: “Oh yeah, he does all that but the best thing is that I got a job for him when he decides to retire.”
Vince: “I beg your pardon, you’re going to go into managing?”
Jesse: “Nah, I’m going to make Koko a yard jockey in my front lawn.”
Vince: “Oh, you’re a wiseguy.”

Back to the match as Stone gets caught with a fist coming off of the top rope. Koko then catches Stone with a powerslam before putting him away with the Ghostbuster (3:10).

Thoughts: A win for Koko to continue tension with Heenan as he vows to get revenge after being pinned at WrestleMania IV.

Okerlund is in the Event Center. We hear from Heenan as he reminds Koko about embarrassing him at WrestleMania IV and is not stupid to risk another neck injury and his best bet is too take his bird and head back home to his mother and father. We then hear from Danny Davis, telling Sam Houston even his name stinks as he can wrestle cattle or whatever but is nothing but a drugstore cowboy. I guess there feud is still going on, five months later.

In action next week will be Rick Rude, Brutus Beefcake, Ted DiBiase, and Jake Roberts. Plus, we will see the WrestleMania IV match between Randy Savage and Butch Reed. Vince then alerts us that Hulk Hogan is a nominee for the “Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award” for Male Athlete of the Year.

Final Thoughts: We had some good character and angle building here. However, there was a lot of crappy feuds highlighted throughout the show. Actually, a lot of midcard and even lower midcard feuds were featured here and that was odd as “Superstars” is considered the “A” show. The company is still trying to put together storylines after WrestleMania IV and the early results are a mixed bag.

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Here is my schedule for the rest of the week:

Wednesday: EVOLVE 53 1/22/16 @ 11am EST (There is a chance it might be moved back until the following Wednesday)

Thursday: Shoot interview TBD by poll @ noon EST

Friday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 4/17/88 @2pm EST

Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 4/23/88 @ 8pm EST

Tuesday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 4/24/88 @ 8pm EST