WWE Superstars TV Report – 13th February 2014

So the last episode of WWE Superstars before it becomes available to all on the WWE Network started up with a match to build up this Sunday’s ppv kick off show match. Yes, its low but its more than Superstars is normally deemed worthy of. Byron Saxton and Tom Phillips are again on commentary this week. If anyone knows where A-Ry is, let me know.

Cody Rhodes and Goldust come out to the ring: in the brief period between losing the tag titles and deciding whether or not they should pull the trigger on that brother v brother angle for WrestleMania, they’re here on Superstars. Cody is working tonight against Curtis Axel.

Cody Rhodes (w/Goldust) v Curtis Axel (w/Ryback)

Axel is comfortable on this show. Before this new failed gimmick he was a regular on Superstars as Michael McGillicutty. The difference is, tonight he’s joined by Ryback. Ryback comes out in a beanie hat and a leather vest/waistcoat and to be honest looks like a mechanic by day, bodybuilder by night, from Queens. Still, this is better than we’re used to on this who.

At the bell, Cody stops to try to get the crowd behind him. I guess when you know you’re about to try to go 8-9 minutes with Curtis Axel, you need to buy all the time that you can? A little harsh, yes. Axel over-celebrates an armdrag out of an Irish Whip and they cut to Ryback who pulls this wonderful smug face, kind of reminiscent of something Paul Heyman would do.

After some back and forth, Rhodes counters a suplex with a signature front suplex of his own. He goes for his moonsault (I still wince at the memory of the one in the cage) but Axel rolls out of the ring. Ryback tries to distract Cody but he sees Axel coming and clotheslines him to the outside. Cody climbs to the top rope and hits a flying forearm on Axel, celebrates to the fans and we head to a commercial. This looked great.

Cody is still in control out of the break. Axel regains some control when he dodges a splash to the corner and begins to beat him down getting a couple of near falls in the process.  Axel has some neat heel offence and thwarts Cody’s attempts to regain control with a stiff clothesline that really showed how slight Cody is. They do a spot where Cody is on the top rope being pummelled, they tease that Axel will suplex him off the ropes but Rhodes punches him off and hits the moonsault. Pleased to say Axel catches it.

With both men down, we go to the finish: Cody hits a springboard dropkick which causes Ryback to appear on the apron. Rhodes sees him off by hitting him with the Disaster Kick and Goldust makes sure he stays out of the way. Axel tries to roll Cody up but he holds the ropes and when he turns round puts Axel in the Cross Rhodes for the win.

This was fine, they worked well together but this isn’t whetting anyone’s appetite for the ppv pre-show.

Winner: Cody Rhodes via pinfall in 9:13.

On the Raw Rebound this week we get the opening segment on Raw where all six Elimination Chamber contestants cut promos in the ring and then we’re shown the last half of that wonderful Cesaro v John Cena match.

On Superstars next is 6-man Divas tag team action. The first team seems fine enough: The Bellas and Natalya. But when I saw their opponents, I feared for the worst: Summer Rae (a great, emerging heel – had new music this week), Tamina Snuka (improving but still fairly limited) and Eva Marie. Yup, seriously.

If Eva Marie makes it into the ring, it’s a rib.

Natalya & The Bella Twins v Eva Marie, Tamina Snuka & Summer Rae

Summer Rae and Nikki start off in the ring and its all comedy: Summer Rae, as she often does, busts a few dance steps so, in response Nikki does The Worm. They lock up and Natalya quickly blind-tags in. She hits a clothesline on Rae who forgets to take a bump until the last possible second so it just looked stiff and awkward. Nikki comes back in and they double team her.

Tamina comes in but only because Rae tags her shoulder. She punishes Nikki in their corner while Rae blind tags herself back in. Tamina tags back in, puts her hand out to tag Eva Marie but Summer snatches the tag. Eva acts pissed off. Summer works over Nikki but gets caught and is given an Alabama Slam and we get a double tag: Brie and Tamina. Brie has clearly learnt from Daniel Bryan on how to do a heat spot and looks really good here amongst the mediocrity so far.

The match breaks down as Tamina breaks up Brie’s pin attempt on Summer Rae. Eva Marie comes into the ring… but only to be quickly thrown to the outside by Natalya. Brie kicks Tamina's midsection, gets shoved back and smacked with a Superkick. Tamina goes for the Samoan Splash (and does that hilarious spot again where she takes off her waistcoat and throws it at Brie) but Brie dodges and hits the X-Factor for the win.

Nothing match, little to say about it. I really don’t know why the feel the need to put Eva Marie in matches if she is not ready to wrestle. I guess from next week, they’ll be trying to do more tie-ins on these sorts of shows because they’ll know that their audience base is likely to be larger, especially during the Network’s free trial period and in the run up to WrestleMania.

Winner:  Natalya & The Bella Twins via pinfall (4:04)

The show finishes with the end of the main event Randy Orton v Sheamus from Monday’s Raw which was also s really strong match.