By Wade Keller, PWTorch editor

KELLER'S WWE SUPESTARS
APRIL 23, 2009
AIRED ON WGN AMERICA

[Q1]

-The Superstars opening aired, followed by the stage pyro show. Michael Cole introduced the show as the camera panned the crowd.

1 -- REY MYSTERIO & C.M. PUNK vs. KANE & BIG SHOW

Jerry Lawler called the match with Cole. They replayed Big Show beating Rey Mysterio on Raw four days earlier. Rey opened against Kane. When Rey got the advantage at ringside, they cut to an early break at 1:00.

[Commercial Break]

Back from the break, Rey blind-tagged himself in and surprised Kane. He went after Show, but Show brushed him off. Kane then gave hi a big boot. Lawler: "Did you know Big Show used to be Rey Mysterio's height?... When he was born." At 8:00 Punk got the hot-tag and went at Kane with slaps and kicks and his signature running knees into the corner. Kane, though, caught Punk with a chokeslam leading to the three count.

WINNERS: Show & Kane in 9:00.

STAR RATING: *

-Backstage Finlay and Hornswoggle were warming up. Cole said they might team up for the final time tonight.

[Q2]

[Commercial Break]

-A video aired on the Jeff Hardy-Matt Hardy storyline.

2 -- FINLAY & HORNSWOGGLE vs. TYSON KIDD & NATALYA

Josh Matthews and Matt Striker were shown at ringside introducing this match. They recapped the Natalaya-Hornswoggle angle from Tuesday night on ECW. Finlay got early control on Kidd, then tagged in Hornswoggle who head scissored Kidd who bailed out to the floor in frustration. Hornswoggle juggled tennis balls in the ring, then threw them at Kidd. When Kidd chased him at ringside, Finlay leapfrogged Hornswoggle and clotheslined Kidd. Hornswoggle the tackled Natalya with a spear. Back in the ring Hornswoggle covered Kidd; Natalya broke it up. Finlay hit Kidd with his shillelagh and then Hornswoggle hit the tadpole splash for the win.

WINNERS: Finlay & Hornswoggle in 2:00.

STAR RATING: 1/4* -- Short comedy match, but why job out Kidd like that? And why almost no Natalaya vs. Hornswoggle action? And most of all, why is it treated as okay that Finlay - totally unprovoked - uses his Irish fighting stick as a weapon to win his matches.

-Afterward, Finlay asked the fans to sing Hornswoggle's favorite Irish song along with him, "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling." Hornswoggle got choked up and hugged daddy as the fans applauded Hornswoggle, who is moving on to college and leaving home. Hornswoggle, though, chased Finlay up to the stage and they hugged again.

[Commercial Break]

[Q3]

-The announcers from all three brands took turns hyping their matches at Backlash.

-They showed Todd Grisham and Jim Ross on camera who introduced highlights of the Edge-John Cena angle from Raw on Monday. Grisham magically appeared backstage for an interview with Cena. Cena did his soft-spoken routine as he told Grisham he's not going to answer his questions. He looked at the camera and in his soft-spoken indoor voice said the footage they just saw might be seen as overly graphic, but unfortunately, it was a necessity. He said the rivalry between he and Edge has nowhere else to go. He said it's one of the greatest rivalries in sports entertainment history. He said in a weird, crazy way they've manufactured each other's careers. He said it's the WWE version of Yankees vs. Red Sox. He said if they were to play only one more game, would the players risk their careers and health to win that night? He said at the end of the night at Backlash, there will only be one last man standing. He gulped as he looked earnestly and seriously at the camera, and then walked off camera. Very good promo.

-Edge's ring intro began.

[Commercial Break]

[Q4]

3 -- EDGE vs. KOFI KINGSTON

Kofi's ring entrance took place. No table-setting for this match at all. It was just thrown out there as the main event of the show. Grisham asked Kofi if he needs a more competitive attitude rather than the "don't worry, be happy" attitude that "most Jamaicans have." Ross said he's doing just fine. Kofi dominated the first four minutes. When Edge took over, they cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

Edge went for a late spear, but Kofi leapfrogged him and kicked him in the head, sending Edge tumbling to the floor. Kofi rolled Edge into the ring and went for a top rope sunset flip. Edge escaped and went for a sharpshooter. Kofi rolled him up. Edge then surprised Kofi with a spear out of nowhere. Kofi took a great bump. Three count.

WINNER: Edge in 13:00.

STAR RATING: **1/4 -- Fine match. Nothing all that memorable, and I'm not sure this format of three matches and not much context or storyline advancement has much of a place in today's marketplace. I'd rather see a WGN TV Title created and defended every two weeks against a winner of a multi-brand mid-carder two-week four-man tourney each week, giving WGN Superstars its own niche and reason for existing, with big stars also appearing in squash matches to show off their signature spots and cut promos hyping their PPV matches.

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