WWF RAW is WAR (June 23, 1997)

Original Airdate: June 23, 1997

 

From Detroit, Michigan; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jim Ross

The Nation of Domination join us to start, and Ahmed Johnson is embracing his new gang right away. He has a fanny pack now, watch out! All kidding aside, his bitter promo about being held down due to race, and being ready to do things 'by any means necessary' is actually pretty strong, and the character probably would have gotten over fine if he didn't get injured again. And speaking of which, Crush shows up with his new gang to rival the Nation, riding out on motorcycles to surround the ring and intimidate the Nation. Crush introduces a 'real brotherhood,' the Disciples of Apocalypse. And, yeah, the 'white power' undertones are pretty obvious with that one. So this all leads to a big brawl, and Ahmed ended up getting injured during it, which pretty much killed his career for good

 

Backstage, The Legion of Doom are all riled up

 

Backstage, Ken Shamrock remains the world's most dangerous hall monitor

 

Ken Shamrock v Rockabilly: Dan Severn sits in on commentary for this one. Interesting that 1-800-COLLECT had a segment every week on Nitro, and was sponsoring RAW as well. I guess the collect calling market was on fire with wrestling fans in 1997. Ken with a fireman's carry and an armdrag into an armbar to start, as the crowd sits silently. Vince calling them the 'most enthusiastic fans anywhere in any sport' is especially hilarious considering they weren't even the most enthusiastic fans of this sport on Monday nights. Ken goes for the submission early, but Rockabilly is in the ropes, so Shamrock tries for a waistlock, but Rockabilly is in the ropes again. Backdrop, but Rockabilly hits an axehandle to block, but Ken quickly comes back with a belly-to-belly suplex to set up the Anklelock at 2:36. Really, that's it? Because it felt like an hour. Afterwards, Shamrock gets in Severn's face, but it ends in a handshake. Severn had a great look, and probably would have been a huge star if he came along in the 70s instead of the Attitude Era. DUD

 

The Godwinns are going to do things 'their way' from now on, which apparently means no longer wearing shirts. Well, I guess it's the highway for me, then

 

The Army Slam of the Week is Ahmed Johnson turning on WWF Champion Undertaker last week

 

This Saturday, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Chyna, and Ken Shamrock will be in Venice Beach California for some sort of muscle contest, AKA erection fuel for Hunter. No wonder he and Vince became family

 

This month's WWF Magazine delves into the relationship between Marc Mero and Sable

 

#1 Contender's Tournament Quarterfinal Match: The Godwinns v The Legion of Doom: The Godwinns as Deliverance style heels is actually a good direction to go with them. They throw slop at the LOD during the entrances, and you can guess how that goes. LOD hold the high ground and bask in a loud 'LOD' chant for the second week in a row. No wonder they got the tag belts again. Animal fights off a double team to clean house again, and the dust settles on Henry Godwinn and Hawk. Both guys no-sell everything, so Phineas Godwinn tries running in, but takes a neckbreaker, as Ross again references the AWA and NWA on WWF TV. Seems like no big deal now, but that was pretty mind blowing in 1997. The Godwinns cheat to get control of Animal, as Ross again goes on a rant about how the guys we're watching were really great in the 80s. I know it's not what he was going for, but way to make them sound archaic. Hawk hits Henry with a flying clothesline at 3:42. Just kind of a bunch of stuff. Afterwards, the Godwinns put a beat down on them, and the Hart Foundation arrive to make sure their painted up asses sell. ½*

 

Backstage, WWF Champion Undertaker can't get a word in edgewise with Paul Bearer, so he settles for choking him. And Vader too, for good measure

 

Backstage, WWF Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart is pretty unhappy that he has to defend the title in this newfangled 'triple threat' type match here tonight

 

'Cause Stone Cold Said So home video ad. "If you want to watch a video of someone dancing to a bunch of sparklers, you bought the wrong damn video," Steve notes

 

Flash Funk wants to rap about Sabu

 

Flash Funk v Sabu: ECW's Paul Heyman joins us on commentary for this one. We get a hype video for Sabu during the entrances, and even during the highlight reel he's blowing spots. Kind of says it all, doesn't it? Sabu with a springboard leg lariat and a spinheel kick to send Funk to the outside, and he adds a baseball slide, then a somersault plancha. He goes for a table, but Funk fights him off, as Heyman gets a shot in on Public Enemy. Inside, Funk uses a bodyslam to set up a flying twisting splash for two, but another trip to the top rope ends in Sabu bringing him down with a rana for two. Sabu with a springboard seated leg lariat for two, but another springboard misses, allowing Funk a superkick. Funk with a 2^nd rope clothesline, and a handspring pele kick knocks Sabu to the outside, setting up a plancha. Flash with a corner splash on the way back in, and a bodyslam sets up a nice flying moonsault for two. Charge, but Sabu ducks, and Flash goes over the top. He dives after Funk with a slingshot rana on the floor, and puts him of the table for a springboard moonsault. Table doesn't break, so Sabu tries a splash, but it still doesn't break. "You don't see pre-cut tables like you do elsewhere," notes Heyman. Well, they're kind of making a case for them here. Sabu with a third dive to finally break it, and it's a double countout at 5:09, with a legitimately angry Sabu storming out through the crowd. Good match. ** ¾

 

'Cause Stone Cold Said So home video ad

 

Davey Boy Smith v Mankind: Davey's WWF European title is not on the line here. Mankind is still campaigning to be Steve Austin's tag partner here, wearing a 'pick me Steve' sign around his neck, and dedicating the match to Steve. Letting his personality shine through was one of the best decisions they ever made with the character. Mankind slugs him into the corner to start, and a snapmare sets up a legdrop, as Steve calls in to continue being the best part of this show, even when he's not there. Mankind hits Bulldog with a double-arm DDT, and a running kneesmash follows, as Austin complains that they're focusing on the match too much instead of asking him questions. Clothesline sends both men over the top, but Mankind loses control, and eats a clothesline on the floor. Smith whips him into the steps and uses a suplex-slam on the ramp, then a corner whip on the way back in. Running Powerslam time, but Mankind counters to the Mandible Claw, so Bulldog mulekicks him off. Smith bails to grab a chair, and he blatantly uses it for the DQ at 4:11. Not a very good match, but Mankind went out there and bumped like a crazy person, as usual. And Austin was crazy entertaining while calling in. Also of note: while hyping up the live tour stops, Ross notes that Karl Malone is a 'big WWF fan.' Not big enough, I guess. ¾*

 

Backstage, Owen Hart demands that President Gorilla Monsoon allow him to have Brian Pillman in his corner, since Goldust has Marlena and HHH will have Chyna

 

We get a video on the history of the Intercontinental title. A very selective history there

 

WWF Intercontinental Title Triple Threat Match: Owen Hart v Hunter Hearst Helmsley v Goldust: First fall wins it, and Pat Patterson is the guest referee. Couldn't they at least get him a referee's shirt? Owen tries fighting both guys at the same time, but that goes badly. Goldust hits him with a jumping clothesline, but HHH breaks up the cover, and he and Owen double team Goldust for a bit, before Owen turns on Hunter with a schoolboy for two. HHH responds with a high knee for two, and Owen hits Goldust with a vertical suplex for two - both pin attempts broken up by the third man. They keep playing that game for a while, as Ross puts Patterson and Ray Stevens over as the 'greatest tag team of all time.' What is with him these last few weeks? Hunter gets dumped to the outside, allowing Goldust a Curtain Call on Owen for the pin at 3:11, to a surprisingly big pop. Oh, but it turns out that Owen's foot was on the ropes, and another referee runs out to alert old man Patterson to it. Actually, he wasn't that old here, but you know. Pat won't restart the match, so President Monsoon himself joins us to insist, and everyone involved is doing a great job playing their parts here. Okay, so we restart, and both heels pound Goldust in the corner, but he fights them off. Owen manages a gutwrench suplex on Goldust to set up the Sharpshooter, but HHH quickly breaks it up. HHH uses a snapmare on Owen to set up a kneedrop, but Goldust breaks up the pin at two. Owen dives off the top with a flying dropkick on both challengers, and a spinheel kick on Goldust is worth two. Goldust tries a dive, and hits Helmsley, but then Pillman prevents him from covering, and Hart steals the pin at 3:49 (7:00 total).  This was the first of many, many, many Triple Threat matches, and while it's nice to see a new match type, I've never been a fan of it (or the Fatal Four-Way, etc). It's interesting how easily the workers settled into this new match type though, and I liked that all three guys stayed in the ring most of the time, as opposed to the modern versions where one guy takes a long nap on the outside. *

 

Vince brings Bret Hart out for an in-ring interview to talk about In Your House, and Hart is all worked up because people are going around calling the Legion of Doom the greatest team in history, when clearly it's he and Jim Neidhart. I hope Ross isn't listening, he might come in to rant about the Valiant Brothers, or something. He runs down everyone on the American team, and then turns his attention to boxer Thomas Hearns (at ringside), picking a fight with him over 'stealing' the Hitman nickname from him. Which is especially funny because, in reality, Bret did just that. After some goading, Hearns hits the ring, but only ends up taking out Neidhart before a bunch of officials can step in. This was a pretty good segment, though it failed to capture the zeitgeist the way another segment with a boxer a few months later would

 

Backstage, Savio Vega storms into the Nation's dressing room to complain about being dumped, but quickly gets beat down. That was a pretty stupid move, especially from a guy who used to be part of the gang, and knows how they operate. Too bad Razor went to WCW, you know he'd have given him the right advice there

 

Brian Christopher is going to show us why they call him 'Too Sexy.' No, please don't

 

Brian Christopher v Scott Taylor: Jerry Lawler sits in on commentary for this. Last week Christopher was out here representing the USWA, and now he's apparently part of the Light Heavyweight division. Christopher with a German suplex early on, but an elbowdrop misses, and Scott hits a sloppy leg lariat. That looked bad. He does a better job with a somersault senton for two, but telegraphs a backdrop, and eats a rocker dropper. Christopher with a snapmare and a 2^nd rope dropkick, followed by a backbreaker for two, as Lawler denies being Christopher's father. Charge in the corner misses, allowing Taylor a springboard flying clothesline, but Christopher quickly gets control again with an inverted DDT. He goes up with a flying legdrop to put it away at 2:53. This was solid enough while it lasted. * ¾

 

'Cause Stone Cold Said So home video ad. I think they really want you to buy that damn tape

 

Backstage, Paul Bearer is making more cryptic comments about Undertaker, while Vader flexes. Oh, I get it. Lex Luger is coming in. Hopefully after the Bash at the Beach, or that would really suck for WCW

 

#1 Contender's Tournament Quarterfinal Match: Undertaker and Vader v Faarooq and D-lo Brown: Brown attacks Undertaker from behind, but gets quickly fought off, and we see Ahmed Johnson watching from the back, looking like a man who realizes he's just fucked up his last chance to become a mega star. And he was right, sadly. Undertaker works the arm, but Brown fights him off in the corner, and hits a cross corner whip. Backdrop, but Undertaker counters with a matslam, as the DOA show up at ringside. They waste no time getting into a brawl with the Nation, and Undertaker actually decides to step in for some reason. Dust settles on Vader slugging it out with Brown, and you can guess who wins that one. Vader with a slam to set up the Vaderbomb, but Faarooq breaks the pin up at two. Faarooq tags in to pound on Vader, but a cross corner whip backfires when Vader rebounds with a bodyblock. Vader dives off the middle, but of course gets caught in a powerslam, like every other time he's ever done that. Tag back to D-lo, and if you need any more proof that this promotion didn't know how to book Vader, watch him take a heat segment. Vader fights Brown off and delivers a splash, but Faarooq breaks up the cover at two again. Vader responds by getting in Undertaker's face, and Faarooq capitalizes with a clothesline at 7:01. Afterwards, Bearer instructs Vader to attack Undertaker, but Undertaker fights him off, and delivers a Tombstone. That just pisses Paul off more, however, and he promises to reveal the big blackmail secret next week. That kind of kills his leverage, but sure, whatever. ¾*

 

BUExperience: Even with Steve Austin literally phoning in his effort, this was a pretty enjoyable episode.

 

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	6/23/97
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.4	3.3
Total Wins	17	68
Win Streak		51
Better Show (as of 6/16)	34	47