WWF Superstars – January 29th, 1994

January 29, 1994

From the Cumberland County Memorial Auditorium in Fayetteville, NC

Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Stan Lane

The show starts off with Vince narrating a bunch of still photos of the Royal Rumble as he talks about the two co-winners of the match. We now go to WWF President Jack Tunney in his office as he talks about his decision, which is that both Lex Luger and Bret Hart will each have a title match at WrestleMania X. And this Monday night on RAW there will be a coin toss to determine who is the first to face Yokozuna. We then get Tunney explaining how if Luger wins the coin toss that Bret will have to face “suitable competition” in his brother Owen before facing the winner of Lex/Yokozuna later on in the show. However, if Bret wins the coin toss, Luger will have to face Crush before getting a title shot. Tunney then says both Luger and Bret have agreed to these conditions and their will also be guest referees assigned to both WrestleMania title matches.

Men on a Mission vs. Terry Austin & Joey Stallings

Vince talks about cameras catching some of Yokozuna’s celebration after the Rumble as Austin lands a few shots on Mo. Austin misses a punch then Mo fights back and runs him over. Vince then talks about how he cannot wait to experience the Undertaker’s rebirth as Mabel tags in and hammers away. Austin comes off the middle rope then Mabel plants him with an uranage before using a vertical suplex. Vince then says Diesel, Tatanka, Jeff Jarrett, and The Headshrinkers will be competing today and we’ll be seeing a special video package on The Undertaker. Vince then adds how Sparky Plugg is making his debut today as MoM works over Stallings then put him away when Mo bulldogs Mabel on top (3:02).

Thoughts: They pushed Mabel a bit but mostly discussed what happened at the Rumble and ran down the rest of today’s show.

We see Yokozuna’s win celebrated as Cornette goes off about it being the biggest celebration in Japan while Fuji towels off Yokozuna. Cornette then goes into how despite the conspiracy to stack the deck against Yokozuna they remained victorious and beat The Undertaker in his own match. Cornette doesn’t know about what took place after the match then adds by the time they’re done in court Luger and Bret will be too old and gray to get a title shot. So, it appears that Cornette is attempting to block Tunney’s ruling.

An ad hyping 1-2-3 Kid vs. Johnny Polo for RAW airs.

Brookyln Brawler vs. Thurman “Sparky” Plugg

Plugg works over Brawler to start then avoids a cheap shot in the corner. Brawler complains of a hair pull as Lane puts over Plugg’s racing career. Brawler now fires away but Plugg catches him with a hip toss then follows with a slam and a dropkick. Brawler bails as Plugg tries to rally the crowd while Vince plugs RAW happening at Bushkill, PA this coming Monday. Plugg fires away then catches Brawler with a clothesline. Plugg then uses a snap suplex before going up top with a knee drop and the win (2:29).

Thoughts: Lane used a lot of corny race car puns here to put over Plugg, who looked solid in the ring. The crowd was not that into him though.

We get another video package on Alundra Blayze. It shows her with animals and looking glamorous while seeing her wrestle and ride a motorcycle as it ends with the phrase “Power & Grace” appearing on the screen. Oddly enough, it was reported in the “Pro Wrestling Torch” a few weeks prior that Blayze had quit for unknown reasons, citing that she did not hit it off well with her fellow wrestlers, but that now she worked out her problems and has returned. This probably explains why they barely mentioned her after winning the Women’s Championship.

Special guest ring announcer, LaTonya Johnson, announces the competitors for the next match. She is wearing a Razor Ramon t-shirt and struggles to get the names correct as even Vince jokes that she is “hooked on Phonics.”

Diesel w/ Shawn Michaels vs. Tommy Angel

Angel works the arm briefly until Diesel catches him with a backbreaker. Diesel now chokes out Angel in the ropes before cranking the neck. Diesel now takes Angel down with a big boot before launching him into the corner for the win (1:30). After the match, Shawn comes in and stands on top of Angel to slap hands with Diesel. Vince also puts over Diesel’s performance and how we are likely to see him at WrestleMania X.

Thoughts: They are definitely focusing more on Diesel going forward as Vince says he will likely be on the card at WrestleMania.

An ad for WrestleMania X airs. The tagline is “ten years in the making.

We are now backstage with The Quebecers & Johnny Polo. Vince talks about how next week they will face the Steiner Brothers in a “10 minute match” and if the Steiners win they will get a title shot. I do love Polo calling Vince “McMoron” though. Anyway, we now have a featured match for next week that also carries some stipulations.

Tatanka vs. Austin Steele

Lane jokes about Steele having “no sex appeal” as Tatanka chops away. Tatanka sends Steele into the corner a few times before using a slam. Tatanka follows with an elbow drop as Vince plugs how Todd Pettengill will have a WrestleMania Report coming soon. Steele fights back as the announcers talk about whether or not the first person to face Yokozuna at WrestleMania will have the advantage as Tatanka fires up then puts Steele away with a Samoan drop (2:32).

Thoughts: With Borga injured and about to leave the company we now have Tatanka without anything to do in terms of a TV feud.

We get a plug for “The History of WrestleMania” release from Coliseum Home Video. It is available this coming Wednesday.

WrestleMania X Report with Todd Pettengill. He mentions how all nine WrestleMania’s will become available for a limited time from Coliseum Home Video before plugging the coin flip this Monday on RAW. Pettengill also talks about the WrestleMania X fan fest and will have more info on that and the PPV in the weeks to come.

A video package hyping the return of Earthquake airs.

Jeff Jarrett vs. Tyrone Knox

Vince says that Earthquake will return this Monday night on RAW. We see Jarrett on the cover of “Countrybeat” magazine. Jarrett cheap shots Knox after complaining to the ref about a hair pull. Jarrett fires away then Knox almost puts him away with a rollup. Jarrett comes back with a clothesline but misses an elbow drop as Knox uses a slam for a two count. Knox now tries a sunset flip but Jarrett inches towards the ropes and blocks the move and holds those ropes for leverage and gets the win (2:23). After the match, Jarrett boots Knox and hits a jumping DDT.

Thoughts: More pushing of Jarrett’s character while we know now Earthquake is coming back this Monday night.

Paul Bearer now wheels out the special casket used at the Royal Rumble as we are once again shown the final comments from The Undertaker before he was levitated from the video wall. However, the levitation was not shown and the view was not shown on the video wall like at the PPV but rather closeup from inside of the coffin. Those who did not see the Rumble now know the Undertaker’s message without the rest of the theatrics that followed.

The Headshrinkers w/ Afa vs. Sid Garrison & Larry McGill

Samu shoves Garrison after a lockup then chops him hard. Samu then catches Garrett with a powerslam and tags out as they both slam him hard face-first into the mat. The announcers plug the coin toss on RAW as McGill gets his ass kicked until Fatu puts him away with a flying splash (2:41). Vince plugs next week’s Steiners vs. Quebecers match and how the Steiners will get a title shot the following week should they get the win in ten minutes or less.

Thoughts: More hyping of next week’s tag team match while pushing the Headshrinkers as a bad ass duo.

Next week in action are 1-2-3 Kid & Marty Jannetty, Kwang, and the featured match of Steiners vs. Quebecers match. The show closes with the Steiners calling out The Quebecers for needing all sorts of stipulations for their matches but that they will win anyway and go on to get the titles the following week.

Final Thoughts: The huge news here was learning about what will happen as a result of the Rumble match finish. It was convoluted for sure but they were able to hype another TV show to give us a peek at what will happen at WrestleMania. Plus, we get a big match for next week and learn that Earthquake is coming back too in a newsworthy edition of Superstars.