Superstars on WGN America
Taped in Albany, NY and Boston, Mass.

[Q1]The opening video aired, followed by the pyro, and Todd Grisham and Jim Ross welcomed us to Superstars. They hyped Kingston vs. Miz for later…Cryme Tyme made their ring entrance. The Harts were out next…

1. Shad (w/JTG and Eve) defeated Tyson Kidd (w/The Hart Dynasty) at 11:45. Kidd hit quick kicks and hid in the ropes to start. He grabbed a quick headlock, but Shad pushed him off and hit a shoulder tackle. Shad worked strikes in the corner and then threw Kidd across the ring. Kidd stood in the corner and Shad hit a clothesline in the corner, followed by a gorilla drop for two.

Shad whipped Kidd to the corner and ran in. Kidd hit a low dropkick and worked the leg. Shadd tossed Kidd to the floor and went after him. Shad dropped Snake Eyes on Kidd on the apron. He went to kick him, but Kidd moved and Shad kicked the post. Kidd wrapped it around the post to inflict more damage. Kidd rolled in and out and tied up the leg on the post again. JTG complained to the ref and Kidd pushed him. JTG took off his glasses and got in Kidd’s face. Smith ran over and got between them. They stared off into the break…[C]

Back at 8:28, Kidd had a heel lock on Shad. He stood and twisted the leg and Shad kicked him to the floor. Kidd got back in the ring and hit several kicks, but Shad hit a shoulder block to level Kidd. A USA chant started as Shad went to work. Shad lifted Kidd like an atomic drop and then dropped him on his face for two.

[Q2]Shad tossed Kidd over the top, but he landed on the apron. Kidd hit a hangman on the top ropes and jumped up in a springboard. Shad caught him and hit his finisher for the win. Post match, the faces celebrated in the ring…The “Ask a Diva” segment aired…Shaemus was shown backstage, heading towards the ring. His match is next…[C]

Shore’s Slant: This show is starting out a lot like last week. There was nothing wrong with this match, but it bored me. Most of it is seeing some form of this match every week for the last 300 weeks because there are no other tag teams for them to work with. The other half is it served no purpose other than to get these guys on TV. Shad looks no better for the win and Kidd lost nothing here either. It just bored me. Hopefully Shaemus can help me out. Jesus does that guy need a tan. I heard he glows purple in black light. I’m just sayin’.

Back from commercial, Shaemus made his entrance as Josh Matthews and Matt Striker took over on the mics. Tyler Reks was out next. Damn…

2. Shaemus defeated Tyler Reks 4:30. How many times have we seen this match? Reks took quick control and Shaemus rolled to the floor to regroup. Reks let him in clean and Shaemus kicked him in the gut to take control. Shaemus worked the stomach with strikes and gut busters before locking in a rest hold. Reks escaped and hit several chops. He pandered to the crowd and the four people not in the bathroom/concession line cheered. He charged at Shaemus, but Shaemus hit a pump kick for the win…The announced team hyped the main event…

Shore’s Slant: Now that match sucked. It was just sloppy and boring and…well, ugh. I wish I had more to say, but it was just bad. Not spectacularly bad, just plain old I’ll forget about it in…what was I talking about? Will somebody please spray a tan on Shaemus? He looked green on my screen. Talking about being Irish to the core!

[Q3][C]Back from commercial, Michael “Cole Slaw” and Jerry “The King” Lawler took over on commentary. They played a Randy Orton hype video, followed by a WWE title match hype video…The announce team hyped the WWE, World Heavyweight, and DX/Legacy HIAC matches at the PPV…The Miz made his ring entrance…[C]

Back from commercial, Kofi Kingston made his ring entrance…

[Q4]3. Kofi Kingston defeated The Miz at 14:11. The men traded hammer locks to start. Kofi grabbed a headlock. Miz pushed him off into the corner, but Kofi went to the second rope and hit a diving punch for one. Kofi went back to the headlock and Miz walked him to the corner. The ref tried to break it up and Miz broke dirty. He pummeled Kofi in the corner and went to the top. Kofi punched him in the stomach for one when Miz jumped off. Kofi hit three shoulder blocks and kicked Miz to the floor. He started to do a plancha, but Miz ran up the ramp. He recovered as Kofi stared at him into the break…[C]

Back at 8:37, Kingston hit a hip toss. Miz reversed a whip to the corner and charged in. Kofi went for a big boot, but Miz grabbed his leg and dropped to the mat, stretching the leg. Miz went to work on the leg and locked in a leg rest hold. Miz set Kofi’s leg on the rope and jumped up to land on it. Kofi kicked him over the top rope with his good leg. Kofi reached for him and Miz grabbed the legs. He drug Kofi to the corner and worked the leg on the post.

Miz lifted Kofi with a gut wrench lift, but Kofi reversed into a sunset flip for one. Kofi stood in the corner and Miz charged in. Kofi moved and hit several clotheslines, but Miz grabbed the leg and dropped Kofi. He locked in a single leg crab, but Kofi made the ropes quickly. Miz broke the hold, stood, and turned into the Trouble in Paradise. Kofi covered for the win. Post match, Jack Swagger ran out and laid out both men. He posed with the US Title to end the show…

Shore’s Slant: OK, a fun match to close the show. Both men looked good here and Kofi looks very string going in to the PPV. I like the Swagger run in, as we rarely see storylines on the Thursday show. This match could steal the show at HIAC. I’m still not buying the show, but I might bill Jason for it anyway. An OK show that ended very well. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you tomorrow for the 10th Anniversary Smackdown show.

Questions? Comments? Anyone, anyone? Let me hear from you. Email me at css3238@gmail.com with whatever is on your mind.

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