February 28, 2014
Taped 2/24/2014
Resch Center
Green Bay, WI
Before the show starts there is an image of Nelson Frazier Jr. Rest in peace, Big Daddy V.
Ring
Kofi’s music plays as Tom Philips and Byron Saxton welcome us to WWE Superstars. Sandow makes his way to the ring and looks determined.
Match 1
Singles Match
Kofi Kingston vs. Damien Sandow
Kofi hammerlocks Sandow’s arm out of a tie up but takes an elbow and a snapmare but kicking out of a cover before 1. Sandow shoulder blocks Kofi off the ropes but takes a jumping back elbow himself. 1 count by Kofi.
Kofi tries to go for a cover after an arm drag but can’t quite get Sandow’s shoulders down to the mat. Kofi hits a flurry of kicks and mounts Sandow in the corner to set up a series of punches but Sandow dumps him over to the apron. Kofi lands on is feet but misses as he attempts a springboard cross body. Sandow covers him for a 2 count.
Sandow mounts Kofi and attacks with punches and headbutts. Sandow has a new intensity which is no doubt born from frustration. Sandow hits a side Russian leg sweep and looks like he is going to go for the Cubito Aequet, but instead he lays down across Kofi’s chest hand pummels him in the head with punches. 2 count for Sandow.
Sandow sends Kofi into the corner but misses when he goes for a strike and takes a double handed chop that sends him to the mat. Kofi follows that with a series of kicks and strikes before hitting the Boom Drop. Sandow retreats into a corner and calls for Trouble in Paradise but takes a boot to the face instead. Sandow misses a clothesline and takes a cross body from the top rope that gets Kofi a 2 count.
Sandow sets up Terminus. Kofi escapes and goes for Trouble in Paradise. Sandow ducks and chop blocks the back of Kofi’s knee as he lands. Sandow tries to apply the Royal Arch but Kofi rolls Sandow up for the 3 count!
Result
Kofi Kingston wins via pinfall with a rollup
Match Thoughts
Nothing wrong with this match. I like Sandow’s attitude. Having Sandow start the Cubito Aequet but disregard it in favor of just attacking Kofi was a good choice. Nice finishing sequence. I hope both of these guys can build momentum.
Ring
Jerry Lawler is up on the stage and congratulates Kofi on his win. He mentions Wrestlemania and asks how big this victory is. Kofi says it’s all about momentum and hopes this is his start towards a road that leads to Wrestlemania.
-Commercial-
Video
Saxton does a Hogan impersonation as Philips introduces a video replay of Hogan’s appearance from RAW this week.
-Commercial-
Video
Next up is a video replay of The Wyatt Family confronting Cena from RAW this week.
Match 2
Eight Man Tag Team Match
Goldust & Cody Rhodes & Los Matadores w/ El Torito vs. Curtis Axel & Ryback & Drew McIntyre & Jinder Mahal w/ Heath Slater
Goldust and Ryback start the match. Ryback floors Goldust with a few forearms but takes an arm drag that has Goldust in control. Ryback fights out of a wristlock and applies on of his own. Ryback misses a couple of clotheslines allowing Goldust to hit a kneeling uppercut and an inverted atomic drop.
El Torito has made his way to ring apron and his shenanigans distract Ryback. Ryback leaves the ring and approaches El Torito, but Goldust and Cody hit a tandem running senton and plancha combo on Ryback and Axel! Los Matadores follow suit and dive through the ropes to take out McIntyre and Mahal who are about to go after El Torito! The good guys are all in the ring as we head to a break.
-Commercial-
Diego chops Ryback in the ring as we return to the match. McIntyre tags himself in and separates the top and middle rope, sending a charging Diego tumbling out to the floor! Nice move! McIntyre is understandably proud of himself and drives Diego’s back into the ring apron three times before rolling him back in.
Mahal is tagged in and stomps Diego in the corner. Mahal tags Axel who drops an elbow on Diego. Axel hits a dropkick and an elbow drop for a 2 count. Ryback tags in and a quick double team elbow and avalanche get him a 2 count.
Diego tries to fight back but is whipped hard into the corner. The crowd gets behind Diego as he fights out of a chinlock with a jawbreaker, but Ryback stops his momentum with a military press into a powerslam. Ryback tags in McIntyre who understands that Ryback should have gone for the cover and wisely goes for it himself. 2 count. McIntyre knocks Fernando off the apron but takes a flapjack from Diego as he turns around. Both men are down. Diego makes it to his corner first and tags in Cody!
Cody hits a couple of clotheslines off the hot tag and gets a 2 count from a sunset flip out of the corner. He hits a jumping knee on McIntyre and fights of Mahal who as entered the ring before landing a springboard dropkick on both members of 3MB! He hits a Disaster Kick on McIntyre and goes for a cover that is broken up by Ryback. Everyone now enters and the ring is chaos.
Slater ends up on the apron. He tries to distract Cody but Goldust pulls him to the floor and El Torito takes him down with a flying head scissors from the apron! McIntyre tries to attack Cody from behind but Cody goes behind and hits Cross Rhodes for the win!
Result
Cody Rhodes, Goldust, and Los Matadores win via pinfall (Cody Rhodes on Drew McIntyre after Cross Rhodes)
Match Thoughts
This was a fun match. Goldust and Cody Rhodes brought some excitement, El Torito taking on Heath Slater brought some laughs, and Drew McIntyre looked good despite taking the pinfall. Drew is wearing trunks now instead of the 3MB pants. Could this mean he’s trying to become more serious?
Video
Video replay of Orton confronting Batista from RAW this week.
-Commercial-
Video
Video replay of The Undertaker returning on RAW this week,
Impressions
Two good matches make this, the first Superstars aired on the WWE Network, a good show. I’m just confused about the air date now though. It was taped on the 24th, but the WWE Network shows the 25th as the date of the show, and WWE.com shows highlights from this show dated on the 28th. Ugh. I guess I’ll just keep the same schedule as pre-WWE Network which is every Friday. Because that’s important, right?
Match of the Night
Goldust & Cody Rhodes & Los Matadores vs. Curtis Axel & Ryback & Drew McIntyre & Jinder Mahal
Both matches tonight were good but this one had a little more to it. Goldust and Cody Rhodes are always exciting and the stuff that McIntyre did was a nice bonus.