WWF RAW is WAR (April 7, 1997)

 Original Airdate: April 7, 1997

From Muncie, Indiana; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jim Ross

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Davey Boy Smith and Owen Hart v The Godwinns: What a bunch of shit kickers this crowd looks like. So after years of feuding, Owen is now totally on the Bret train, threatening to kick the crap out of anyone who even says a bad word about his big brother. Owen and Henry Godwinn start, and a criss cross ends in Henry using a press-slam. Clothesline gets him two, and a bodyslam leads to a tag to Phineas Godwinn - Henry slamming Phineas onto Owen. He tries working the arm, but Hart outwrestles him (shocking, I know), and Bulldog gets the tag. Hiptoss, but Phineas reverses, as Shawn Michaels pops in on split screen to do the one thing Owen told everyone not to do: say bad stuff about Bret. The champs try doubling up on Phineas in their corner, but Godwinn gets all riled up, and cleans house. Bulldog and Owen getting heat with the anti-USA stuff is getting over like crazy here. Dust settles on the Godwinns pounding Bulldog, but Smith manages to make a blind tag, and Owen nails Phineas with a spinheel kick. Hart adds a leg-feed enzuigiri for two as the champs go to work, but Phineas fights off a double team long enough for the hot tag. Henry runs wild, hitting Smith with a wheelbarrow facebuster for two, as the Legion of Doom split screen in to hype their title shot for In Your House. Henry with the Slop Drop on Bulldog, but Owen dives in on him to break up the cover, and gets the pin at 8:54. That draws the LOD out to go after the champs, but they end up eating an accidental slopping from the Godwinns, and they brawl while Owen and Bulldog high tail it out of there - gloating from backstage once safely away. Owen is in all his glory cutting these promos here. **

 

Steve Austin v Billy Gunn: Honky Tonk Man accompanies Billy to the ring, but Gunn seems to want nothing to do with him, and Honky takes a seat to do guest commentary. How desperate were they that they were trotting Honky out there in 1997? He feels like such a relic at this point. It's hard to believe he's less than ten years removed from his big run. Gunn tries for a takedown early, but gets nowhere, and Austin unloads. Steve with a backdrop, and more right hands send Billy to the outside, as Bulldog and Owen split screen in to complain about Austin. They trade wristlocks, won by Austin with a thumb to the eye, and he ropechokes Billy. Matslam allows Steve to bash Billy's arm into the post, and he works an armbar from there. Backdrop, but Gunn counters with a swinging neckbreaker, as the announcers hype 'Sunday Night Heat'... which at this point is USA Network's Sunday TV lineup, not the WWF show that came later. Austin fights him off with a mulekick, and a snapmare sets up a dive off the top, but Gunn crotches him. The crowd is so hot for Stone Cold, it's clear he's going to be a huge star. Gunn tries a lariat, but Steve ducks, and the Stunner finishes at 6:09. This felt like it went on forever. Austin really should have just gobbled him up, instead of wasting time working armbars. Afterwards, Honky comes in to officially offer his services to Billy, but gets rebuffed again. You know, say what you will, Honky clearly had an eye. He wanted Jesse James, and he wanted Billy Gunn... two guys who eventually got over by singing songs on their way to the ring. ¼*

 

Backstage, Dok Hendrix engages in some child abuse

 

The Commandant appears, announcing on behalf of the Truth Commission, that the next episode of RAW will come from South Africa. Why do two anti-USA gimmicks at the same time? Truth Commission was destined to be a dud regardless, but living in the shadow of the Hart Foundation certainly didn't do them any favors

 

And, speaking of which, here's Bret Hart from South Africa, to cut his own (vastly superior) anti-USA promo

 

Backstage, Shawn Michaels fumes that Bret got a cameo on the Simpsons. Bet he didn't have to work too hard 'acting' there

 

Vince brings Shawn out for an in-ring interview, and poor McMahon can barely contain his glee. Shawn is feeling pretty bitter this week, and he wants to talk about Bret Hart. He's a bad guy now, and he's always been a bad guy. He drags out his sister, his kids, his parents on TV because he's a huge jerk who would sell his mother to make a buck. Also, when Bret was champion, Shawn was more than happy to 'play second fiddle' to him, but Bret wouldn't return the favor, because he's a stupid poopy head. This all came off so bitter, especially when Shawn talks about how his run on top did the best business of anyone since the 80s, and even makes Vince agree on camera. This was awesome to watch, but it felt super awkward hearing Shawn rip into someone for not wanting to do a job, or using WCW for leverage in a contract negotiation, or being 'obsessed' with the WWF Title. This all leads to Shawn deciding to 'do a little dance and take my clothes off,' and Vince looks to be fighting with all his power to stop smiling. Shawn starts his little routine, but Owen and Bulldog show up to put a stop to it, and how does that not make them the biggest babyfaces in the land? They advance, but Shawn holds them off with a chair to end the segment

 

The Headbangers v Freddie Joe Floyd and Barry Horowitz: Honky is still hanging around on commentary, and apparently he's staying for the rest of the show, lucky us. Thrasher starts with Barry, who looks way out of place at this point. Too bad they never really gave it a try with his push in 1995, but I can see why that wouldn't have worked out anyway. Barry works a headlock, so Thrasher makes a blind tag, and Mosh dives in to turn the tide. The Headbangers work Barry over, as some kid named Vernon White split screens in to talk about his match with Ken Shamrock later. Meanwhile, the crowd is so dead you could hear a pin drop out here. Tag to Floyd somehow deadens the crowd even more, and we get to hear Vince call a sidewalk slam a 'bulldog.' Maybe next time. Stage Dive finishes Freddie at 4:32. Dull match, but at least the dullness allowed me to notice that they've got a weird red/black/red rope color deal going tonight. DUD

 

No Holds Barred Match: Ken Shamrock v Vernon White: This is Shamrock's TV debut, and it's actually kind of fitting that he comes on right after a Barry Horowitz match, as Barry actually beat him in Shamrock's first (and last until 1997) WWF match back at a house show in 1989. Both guys square off, sizing each other up, as the crowd has no idea what to make of this. And I can't blame them. I always hated when they'd do worked MMA 'style' matches. It's a wrestling show. If I want to watch MMA, I'll watch MMA. Shamrock gets a takedown and tries for the Anklelock, but White manages to fight him off. They trade off on the mat for a bit, but end up in the ropes, and White throws a kick to the chest to express his displeasure. Ken responds with a takedown for some mounted punches, and he unloads with these horribly phony looking blows until White taps out at 2:02. White is a bloody mess, though it should be noted that he cut himself on the canvas, not as a result of the punches. Though the timing sure worked in their favor. Yeah, so this was really weird. White became an MMA fighter of some note, though this was his only pro-wrestling match until, oddly, dusting off the boots in 2019 for some indie promotion. Such an odd career.  Afterwards, Shamrock tries to cut a promo, but Vader interrupts (he has a match scheduled next), and they get in each other’s faces before officials intervene. -*

 

Vader v Frank Staletto: Vader takes his anger at Shamrock out on poor Frank, as Vince has fun trying to call the match in an MMA style. 1997 was such a weird, desperate time. Not everything worked, but I loved how willing to try new things they were. Vaderbomb hits, but Vader pulls Frank up at two, as Mankind split screens in to talk about WWF Champion Undertaker. Another Vaderbomb and a powerbomb finish for real at 2:17. DUD

 

WWF President Gorilla Monsoon shares that Sycho Sid has no showed, and thus his match with Mankind is off. But Steve Austin is here, and Gorilla thinks he'd make a good replacement. Steve, however, doesn't appreciate being told what to do. He doesn't have a problem beating up Mankind, but he'll do it on his own terms, or nothing. And in this case, he wants Bret Hart at In Your House, and if Monsoon books the match, then Steve will wrestle Mankind tonight. If not, fuck off, enjoy your lack of main event. Monsoon agrees, which is actually a creative and logical way to write Sid out of the pay per view

 

Speaking of Mankind, Ross brings Mankind out to explain why he set Undertaker on fire last week. Does that really require explanation? We've known Mankind for a year now, is there anything about that sort of behavior that really strikes us as 'strange' at this point?

 

Mankind v Steve Austin: Oddly, Austin's pop has disappeared since earlier. I'm guessing all the bullshit and lack of big stars all night didn't do him any favors. They brawl onto the ramp right away, where Steve reverses a vertical suplex, and they slug it out. Mankind throws a clothesline, but Steve reverses him into the steps, and sends Mankind into the post, as Bulldog and Owen split screen in to bitch about Bret having to face Austin again at In Your House. Into the ring, Mankind manages to get control with some choking, and it's right back to the outside for Mankind to whip Steve into the guardrail. He grabs a chair, but Austin knocks it away from him, and he drops Mankind across the rail for revenge. He adds a short-clothesline out there, but Mankind wins a slugfest, and Steve eats timekeeper's table. Back in, Steve manages a takedown for some mounted punches, and he adds a stomp to the groin. Backelbow gets two, so Steve goes to the mat with a chinlock, as Bulldog and Owen appear in the crowd to observe. That gets Austin's attention, allowing Mankind to attack, and he nails Steve with a chair out on the floor. Mankind tries a vertical suplex back into the ring, but Steve tries reversing him over the top, so Mankind snaps his throat across the top rope instead, and blasts him with a baseball slide. Inside, Mankind works a chinlock of his own, as Ross announces that the LOD will face the Godwinns next weeks with the same level of excitement one might announce a WrestleMania main event. Though, to be fair, in 1997 that could have well been a WrestleMania main event. Steve escapes the hold, but misses an elbowdrop, so Mankind goes to the outside to pull up the mats. He dumps Steve to the outside and dives with an axehandle off of the apron, then dives again with an elbowdrop from there on the exposed concrete. Not sure how that would hurt Austin more than if the mats were there, but it would certainly fuck Mankind up more. So there's that. Over to the ramp for a piledriver, but Steve shoves him off, Mankind taking a bump into the rail. Back in, Steve sets up a superplex, but Mankind goes low to block, as Bulldog and Owen make their way to ringside. That draws the LOD out to prevent interference, as Steve and Mankind criss cross for a double knockout. They stagger up for a slugfest, won by Austin this time, and he stomps a mud hole in the corner. That brings Vader out to make the save, but he accidentally collides with Mankind, and it's ruled a no-contest at 12:38. Not sure how that's a no-contest, seems like a pretty clear DQ win for Mankind, actually. Mankind and Vader keep fighting afterwards, but Paul Bearer is able to keep the peace. Fun brawl to end this dull episode. ** ¾

 

BUExperience: Owen and Bulldog are entertaining, but man, there was way too much of them on this episode. I assume this was an effort to try and add some star power while most of the roster was abroad, but I got sick of seeing them by the last segment. But, hey, too much Bulldog and Owen is still tons better than the rest of this show, which featured shit matches up and down, aside from the main event and an epic bitter promo from Shawn Michaels.

 

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	4/7/97
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.2	3.7
Total Wins	17	57
Win Streak		40
Better Show (as of 3/31)	29	42