The Big Takeaway: Superstars gave us a squash match using indie talent as enhancement for the Shining Stars, while, inexplicably, WWE are still paying Bob Backlund’s airfare every week for him to only appear for eight minutes on TV.
*****
The Shining Stars defeated Jared Pimm & Josh Andrews (3:44)
The Shining Stars now come down the aisle handing out timeshare pamphlets for a resort in Puerto Rico, but their gimmick is still that they love where they’re from. They even want their opponents to check out their homeland.
Epico offers the pamphlet to Andrews and then clotheslines him. A blind tag in from Primo allows him to clothesline Andrews too, and the two continue to bully and belittle him. Andrews tries a sunset flip, but the Shining Stars hit stereo dropkicks. Epico hits two German suplexes on Andrews and then hits a suplex with a huge hang time.
Andrews tries to catch Primo with a small package but he only gets two. A jawbreaker from Primo gives him payback but he finally manages to tag in Pimm. He tries to look explosive but is cut off by Primo and is suplexed into the ring and then stomped on.
Epico hits Pimm with a double underhook into double knees to the sternum. The Shining Stars then hit the imaginatively titled “The Shining Star” (a legsweep from Primo and a jumping gamengiri from Epico) for the win.
Darren Young w/ Bob Backlund defeated Jinder Mahal (8:32)
On the bell, the two exchange headlock takedowns until Mahal gets Young in the corner and they chop each other. Young gets at Mahal with a flying shoulder barge, a swinging neckbreaker, and a vertical seated senton for a two count. Mahal then rolls outside and goes to threaten Backlund.
Young comes out to rescue him and then rolls Mahal back in and they get mixed up with Young even calling out “no, no, no” when Mahal messes up the spot. They save it with Mahal countering a back suplex attempt on the apron and charging Young into the ring post as we head to a break.
Mahal has Young in an abdominal stretch as we return. He hip tosses Mahal to get out but is then thrust throat-first into the ropes. Mahal gets a two count and then whips Young from post to post. Mahal bullies Young trying to show his vicious streak, adopting a modified cobra while trash talking Backlund.
Young hits Mahal with a belly-to-back suplex to get out of the chinlock and then clotheslines and suplexes Mahal. He then back bodydrops Mahal on to the apron, but can only get a two count from the move.
Mahal hits Young with a big boot and starts to get frustrated. Young reverses a suplex and smashes Mahal with a forearm. In exactly the same finish as last week, Backlund calls for the crossface chickenwing, but Mahal escapes so that Young uses the Gut Check to get the win instead.