This week on Superstars, Tensai is in action against Michael McGillicutty and Kaitlyn takes on Beth Phoenix. Click “read more” for a full recap of the show.
 
Note: Superstars is watched on Hulu Plus so match times may differ from other recaps.
 

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After the usual intro, we go straight to the ring where Tensai is making his entrance. Scott Stanford and Josh Matthews welcome the home audience. They talk about Tensai’s failed attempts to beat up Sheamus and say he’s here tonight to take his frustration out on someone. His opponent, Michael McGillicutty, comes out second. Once again he’s in the face role. Weird.
 
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Match #1: Michael McGillicutty Vs. Tensai
 
After an intense staredown, McGillicutty and Tensai lock up. Tensai immediately throws him into the corner. McGillicutty snags a side headlock but Tensai picks him up and head to the corner. Tensai rubs his forearm in his face while yelling “WHO ARE YOU?!?”. McGillicutty gets fired up and starts laying into Tensai. Tensai reverses an Irish whip and catches McGillicutty during a leap frog attempt. McGillicutty slips out and hits the ropes, but runs right into a shoulder block. Elbow drop by Tensai followed by headbutts in the corner.
 
Tensai catches McGillicutty with a clothesline as he comes out of the corner. He goes for the cover. 2-count. Tensai locks McGillicutty in a neck vice. McGillicutty tries to fight out but Tensai takes the hits and throws him hard into the corner. Tensai headbutts the fallen McGillicutty. A “Let’s go Michael” chant breaks out. McGillicutty ducks a clothesline and dropkicks Tensai out of the ring. McGillicutty hits a running knee on Tensai as he gets on the apron, knocking him back to the floor. McGillicutty riles up the crowd (as much as a Superstars crowd can be riled) as we go to commercial.
 
*Commercial Break*
 
Tensai has the advantage once again as we come back from commercial. Tensai knees McGillicutty in the back and rips at his face. Tensai chokes McGillicutty on the bottom rope then slingshots him into the middle rope. McGillicutty falls to the outside. Tensai brings him back in and sends him head-first into the second turnbuckle. A series of elbow drops by Tensai followed by a pinning attempt. 2-count. Tensai grabs McGillicutty by the head and wrenches the neck to try and force a submission.
 
The crowd wakes McGillicutty up and he gets to his feet. He fights out of an attempted bear hug but runs into a chop. Tensai attempts the Senton Splash but McGillicutty moves and hits a running neck snap Mr. Perfect-style (nice). McGillicutty heads to the top and connects with a flying cross body for the 1…2…KICK OUT. McGillicutty sets up for the Perfect Plex but Tensai grabs him and hits the Baldo Bomb. Tensai follows it up for the Senton Splash and connects with it this time for the 1…2…3.
 
Winner [via Pinfall]: Tensai (7:59)
 A much much better match than I expected. McGillicutty working as a face takes a little getting used to but he did a good job of being in peril and trying to overcome the much larger Tensai. Much love to the power of low expectations. (B-)
 
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*Commercial Break*
 
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Raw Rebound: WWE Champion CM Punk makes a big hooplah about deciding on his opponent for Hell in a Cell so Vince McMahon intervenes and says since Punk was a douche about it he’s going to decide it himself later that night during a contract signing.
 
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Superstars Hype: Kaitlyn takes on Beth Phoenix next!
 
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*Commercial Break*
 
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Kaitlyn makes her way out first for what amounts to the “main event” of the evening. She still has her left ankle taped up thanks to the attack at Night of Champions. Plug for Hell in a Cell and WWE ’13 during her entrance. Her opponent Beth Phoenix makes her way out next. Stanford and Matthews talk about how Phoenix was the first to be accused of sneak attacking Kaitlyn at last month’s PPV.
 
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Match #2: Kaitlyn Vs. Beth Phoenix
 
Waistlock takedown by Phoenix to start the match. Phoenix grabs another waistlock but Kaitlyn breaks out and takes her down with a wristlock. Hammerlock by Phoenix and Kaitlyn backs her into the ropes to break the hold. Kaitlyn whips Phoenix into the ropes and ducks for a back bodydrop, but Phoenix grabs her and throws her out of the ring. Phoenix boasts long enough for Kaitlyn to run back in and attack. Phoenix goes to the outside and pulls Kaitlyn out with her. Phoenix gets punched in the mouth but hits a running polish hammer. Phoenix rolls Kaitlyn back in and goes to the top turnbuckle to boast as we go to commercial.
 
*Commercial Break*
 
After a WWE ’13 ad in-show, we go back to the match. Phoenix has Kaitlyn in a chinlock but Kaitlyn breaks out and hits a running crossbody for a 2-count. Phoenix immediately goes back on the attack and steps on her. Phoenix positions Kaitlyn into a tree of woe and kicks at her. Phoenix grabs her and sends her head-first into the bottom turnbuckle. Kaitlyn falls out of the tree of woe and Phoenix goes for the pin. 2-count.
 

Phoenix locks Kaitlyn in a sort-of seated abdominal stretch. Phoenix transitions into a wristlock as they get back to their feet. Kaitlyn pushes her into the corner and rolls out of the way of an elbow. Kaitlyn dropkicks the seated Phoenix and goes for the pin. 2-count. Kaitlyn rolls Phoenix up for another 2-count. Forearms by Kaitlyn followed by an uppercut and running shoulder block. Kaitlyn goes for another pin. 2-count. Phoenix regains the advantage and applies a chinlock following a snap mare.
 
Kaitlyn fights back to her feet and goes for a hurricanrana but gets thrown to the apron. Kaitlyn goes to the top but Phoenix picks her up. She goes for a gorilla press slam but Kaitlyn slips out and hits with a sunset flip for the 1…2…3.
 
Winner [via Pinfall]: Kaitlyn (7:07)
 A decent match with good back and forth action but nothing special overall unfortunately (although Stanford trying to solve who attacked Kaitlyn was pretty funny and made the commentary the most entertaining aspect of the match). Kaitlyn is still selling the ankle injury which is awesome but taping it over the boot? Doesn’t seem like the smartest idea (wrestling is real, right?). Kaitlyn’s win was an upset more than anything which is surprising since Phoenix has been jobbing a lot lately and Kaitlyn had been wrestling for the Divas Championship. Feels like Kaitlyn should have had a more emphatic and decisive victory. Also, I thought Phoenix was already gone from the company? Maybe the internet wrestling sites were wrong which is absolutely shocking. (C+)
 
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*Commercial Break*
 
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Raw Rebound: John Cena backs Ryback, who signs the contract to face CM Punk at Hell in a Cell. Ryback then takes Punk out with a Shell Shock and leads the crowd in a “Feed Me More” chant. And that concludes this week’s short as hell Superstars.