WWF RAW is WAR (April 28, 1997)

Original Airdate: April 28, 1997

From Omaha, Nebraska; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler

Brian Pillman hits the ring to start us off, and apparently he's found religion. Which is especially funny to hear him talk about with someone holding up a giant 'Pillman is God' sign in the background. So Brian wants us all to bow our heads in prayer for Bret Hart so that he may have a speedy recovery after what Steve Austin did to him last week. That draws Austin out to respond, and one dude in the crowd may be on the verge of orgasm. Pillman responds by 'turning the other cheek,' but in the form of showing Steve his ass, which Austin does not take to kindly. So it's ass beating time in Omaha, but here come the Hart Foundation to chase Steve off before he can get his hands on Brian. The crowd is just rabid for Stone Cold, it's so clear he's going to be the biggest star in the world that Vince could have probably taken a loan out with him as collateral. With Austin gone, Brian wants to get back to praying for Bret, and of course Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith are more than willing to join. They each take a knee in the ring (to pray for Bret's knee, how fitting), but that heathen Stone Cold returns with a literal axehandle and chases them off. This was a hell of a segment to start us off with this week... but will likely be the high point of an evening filled with Rockabillys and Sultans

Backstage, Pillman continues praying for Bret

Flash Funk v Rockabilly: See? Funk dominates him in the early going, but ends up in trouble in the corner, and Rockabilly backdrops him over the top - only for Funk to land on the apron, and dive back at him with a flying bodypress for two. Leg lariat knocks Rockabilly over the top, and Flash dives after him with a nasty looking 2^nd rope clothesline on the floor. Funk's sloppiness was fine for ECW, but he always looked out of place on a national stage because of it. Back in, Funk heads up again, so Honky Tonk Man distracts him, and Rockabilly is able to throw a clothesline on the apron. Rockabilly with a suplex-slam back inside for two, and a rocker dropper follows. Rockabilly goes upstairs, but Funk crotches him up there. Funk fires off some right hands, but Rockabilly fights him off with a tornado DDT, and his dancing is getting really annoying. Okay, big finish time, as Rockabilly wants to whip Funk into Honky - but, of course, it gets reversed, and Funk adds a rana into a cradle at 4:19. Afterwards, Rockabilly clobbers him with the guitar, since you can't just pin Rockabilly and not expect to pay the price. It's Rockabilly, fool. ¾*

McMahon brings the Hart Foundation out for an in-ring interview, led by a wheelchair bound Bret Hart, fresh off of legitimate knee surgery last week. But Bret can't get into the ring, so he'll just speak from the entrance stage, thank you. OSHA, Vince. ADA, Vince. Or, well, maybe that last one doesn't apply to Canadians. Not sure. Anyway, Bret is pretty annoyed with Steve Austin, but he's much more annoyed with all these stupid, bloodthirsty American wrestling fans. Bret's bitterness here is almost palpable, and he's tremendous. I love babyface Bret. For my money, he's one of the best characters in wrestling history. I always thought he was a fine promo, but watching him cut loose as a heel is really spectacular. Especially now that he has the confidence and presence he didn't during his first heel run in the 80s. I should also note that Bret's rocking the leather jacket/jorts look he'd hang on to for the next fifteen years or so

Backstage, Austin is storming around, looking for trouble

WWF Reality Check ad. Actually a pretty funny one, with a suburban couple who move their elderly grandfather in with them, and are disturbed by his aggressive WWF cosplaying. That's totally me in fifty years, by the way

Doug Furnas and Philip LaFon are annoyed that these American wrestling fans don't get or respect that they're international superstars, and real wrestlers. Okay, add them to the pile of foreign 1997 WWF heels along with the Hart Foundation and Truth Commission, I guess

The Legion of Doom v Doug Furnas and Philip LaFon: Animal starts with LaFon, and walks into a spinheel kick early, but comes back with a jumping shoulderblock. Animal adds an elbowdrop, so LaFon tags out, and we get Hawk/Furnas. Hawk quickly hits a corner clothesline and a neckbreaker to set up a fistdrop, so LaFon takes a cheap shot, allowing Doug an overhead suplex. Doug adds a legdrop, and tags LaFon in for stereo jumping shoulderblocks for two. LaFon with a belly-to-belly suplex to set up a cross-armbreaker, but Hawk doesn't really give him much in the way of selling it. Suplex works, but Hawk ducks a spinkick, and throws a clothesline to allow the hot tag to Animal - Roseanne Barr the door! Doomsday Device looks to polish off LaFon, but Furnas saves before the LOD can execute the move, so Hawk just hits him with a flying clothesline instead at 3:46. Afterwards, Ross comes in to rub some salt into the wounds, but Furnas and LaFon aren't having it. The concept of Furnas and LaFon turning heel (and finally showing some personality) isn't a bad thing, but wrong gimmick and the wrong time. It might have worked better had they joined the Hart Foundation, but from an artistic standpoint it's better that they didn't, because the group was stronger with the core guys than it would have been with nWo-like extras. This also had potential to be an interesting outing, but it was too short to really go anywhere. ¾*

Over the weekend on Shotgun Saturday Night, the Headbangers tried to get into bed with Sunny. Not sure if that's the same giant bed that Edge and Lita used years later, but if so, I sure hope someone changed the sheets

Backstage, Ahmed Johnson apologizes for his actions last week. Yeah, well, he should apologize for that sorry excuse for a match. I'd also like to note that Ahmed's version of 'apologizing' is trashing a locker room, so maybe he needs to work on that

Also backstage, the Hart Foundation strategize ahead of Owen Hart's shot at the Intercontinental title tonight

WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Rocky Maivia v Owen Hart: Owen dedicates the match to his 'loving brother Bret,' inspiring a hilarious celebration from Bulldog at the top of the ramp with the Hitman. Everyone on the Hart team was just off the charts feeling it with this angle. Owen attacks before the bell, but Rocky fights him off, and puts him down with a clothesline. Dropkick follows, and an armdrag puts Hart in an armbar. Rocky's got serious job face tonight, so much so that he didn't even bother getting a shave beforehand. Maivia with a powerslam for two, and he goes back to the armbar, but Owen uses the hair to escape. Must be why he shaved his head. Maivia with a backdrop to allow him to take it back to the armbar, but a criss cross goes badly when Owen dumps him over the top, then blasts him with a baseball slide. Hart with a missile dropkick for two on the way back in, so he ground the champion in a chinlock. Maivia fights free, so Owen uses a drop-toehold into a toehold. Nice way to change it up where he'd normally throw a spinheel kick. Hart works the leg, so Rocky tries a small package for two to trigger a comeback, but Hart quickly cuts him off. The challenger stays on the leg, as Bret watches from a distance, doing a great job of selling is disdain for the fans. Sharpshooter time (complete with another dedication to Bret), but Maivia blocks. He tries kicking off a comeback, but Hart cuts him off again, this time via suplex. Corner whip, but Rocky rebounds out with a floatover DDT for two, and now it's comeback time for real! Uranage gets two, but a corner whip of his own backfires when Hart rebounds with a spinheel kick. That allows the challenger to get to the top, but Maivia crotches him, and brings him off with a side superplex for two. Vertical suplex, but Hart counters with a double-underhook cradle to win his first singles title at 8:25. Moving the title to Owen was a good idea. He needed it more, and Rocky was still working every match like a 1987 house show at this point anyway. The Foundation's victory celebration is, of course, over the top and fantastic. I especially love Bret getting to hold up the belt like HE won it, not to mention Bulldog's child-like enthusiasm for it all, like he's auditioning for a role in Step Brothers. **

Backstage, Austin tools around in a wheelchair of his own

Austin comes back out to the ring, and he's got his wheelchair and his axehandle with his this time, jokingly challenging Bret to a Wheelchair match. That... would be a terrible match. Still better than Randy Orton/Edge at WrestleMania, though

Vader has learned to shadow box. Guess he had to do something with his time while holed up in Kuwait

Ken Shamrock also knows how to shadow box. Things are heating up!

Vader v Jesse James: Vader wrecks him in the corner to start, but Jesse reverses a cross corner whip, and follows in with a clothesline. Charge, but Vader decimates him with a bodyblock, and wow, James just ate that one. Vader with a 2^nd rope splash, but he pulls Jesse up at two. Vaderbomb finishes at 1:34. Wow, this was a total squash. Afterwards, Ross want to talk Kuwait, so Vader threatens to flatten him as well, but Ken Shamrock makes the save. Vader had a major Brock Lesnar vibe here. ¼*

Backstage, Goldust warns Marlena to stay in the back during his match with Hunter Hearst Helmsley later, since ringside is 'no place for a lady.' Taking a firm hand might be more effective if you're not putting on makeup while doing it. Just saying

Hunter Hearst Helmsley v Goldust: Goldust runs in to kick start the match, and unloads with rights. Criss cross ends in Goldust hitting a jumping clothesline, and a regular version follows. He beats the piss out of HHH in the corner, and a cross corner whip flips Hunter over the buckles, leaving him begging off. Goldust responds with a ten-punch count, and another cross corner whip sets up a hip attack. Another ten-punch, but HHH shakes him off with an inverted atomic drop this time, and wins a criss cross with a high knee. He dumps Goldust to the outside for Chyna to abuse, which draws Marlena down to make the save, but the referee intervenes. Told ya, Goldie. HHH goes to work as they take it back inside, but Goldust starts making a comeback, and uses a cross corner whip to set up a bulldog. That's Chyna's cue to start advancing on Marlena, and the distraction gets Goldust off track. He heads out to defend his lady, but Marlena is ready with a handful of powder to blind Chyna on her own. No DQ called, since obviously maybe he nose was shiny. It's a woman thing. With Chyna blinded, HHH heads out to try and help, but she (thinking he's Goldust) grabs him in a choke, and Hunter is counted out at 6:54. *

WWF Champion Undertaker appears on the video wall, stating that he has no remorse for setting Paul Bearer on fire, and will do the same to Steve Austin at In Your House, if it comes down to it. It's funny how overshadowed the WWF Title was throughout 1997. Undertaker's got it, but the main focus of the promotion is Hart/Austin/Michaels. Then top heel Bret gets it, and the focus promptly shifts to Undertaker/Michaels

WWF Reality Check ad. This time, it's a little kid who decides to start acting like Stone Cold around the house. Yep, pretty sure we'll be seeing a lot more of that all across the country for the next few years. They're usually not good at being intentionally funny, but these were pretty good

Austin paces around backstage. Well, at least he's out of the wheelchair. Progress

In Your House: A Cold Day in Hell ad

Undertaker v Davey Boy Smith: Neither Undertaker's WWF Title or Bulldog's European title are on the line. Bulldog also dedicates the match to Bret, though his promises to win the WWF Title are a little hollow considering this is non-title. But it's the thought that counts, I guess. Anyway, pretty sure Bret would be less than thrilled if anyone else gets to win the big belt, family or not. Undertaker dominates him in the opening moments, causing Bulldog to bail, and stall. Inside, Davey manages a vertical suplex for two, but he walks into a chokeslam, and it's Tombstone time, but Owen runs in for the DQ at 3:48. This was barely a match. Owen and Bulldog proceed to beat on Undertaker after the bell, but Austin runs out to make the save, and the heels retreat into the crowd. Steve celebrates by stealing the WWF Title to pose with, and not surprisingly, that gets him Undertaker in his face. Steve responds with a Stunner, but makes the mistake of gloating, and eats a chokeslam for his troubles. Such a weird 'feud' to headline the pay per view with, with no clearly defined heel/face boundaries. Austin is not happy, but turns his attention to Bret instead, the Hitman all alone now that his pals have been chased off. Steve corners him on the stage, when suddenly Jim Neidhart runs out to make the save as the newest (and thankfully last) member of the Hart Foundation. DUD

BUExperience: Hot episode this week, with lots of great antics from the Hart Foundation, a major title change, a semi-major return, and good pacing.

 

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	4/28/97
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.7	3.4
Total Wins	17	60
Win Streak		43
Better Show (as of 4/21)	29	45