WWF RAW is WAR (July 14, 1997)

Original Airdate: July 14, 1997

From San Antonio, Texas; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Jim Ross for hour one, with Jerry Lawler joining them for hour two

 

Vince brings the Hart Foundation out to open the show, and the Foundation run down all the stipulations for SummerSlam. If Brian Pillman loses, he has to wear a dress. If Davey Boy Smith loses, he has to eat a can of dog food. If Steve Austin loses against Owen Hart, he'll have to kiss Owen's ass. And if Bret Hart loses, he'll never wrestle in the USA again. Bret's getting a lot more comfortable cutting these heel promos now. All this draws Steve Austin out, and thank God they dropped having the American flag waving behind him after this one time, because that would have been the exact wrong direction to go with him. Like, holy shit wrong. And then Ken Shamrock, Patriot, Sycho Sid, and Shawn Michaels all comes out as well, so they can all tease being Austin's partner in the main event later

 

Jerry Lawler and Brian Christopher v Ivan Putski and Scott Putski: The heels attack while Ivan is busy singing, and they isolate Scott, but Scott fights them off, and powerbombs Christopher. Scott with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker, so Lawler tries a dropkick, but ends up hitting Brian. That allows Scott a dropkick of his own on Christopher, and a jumping clothesline follows, so Jerry trips him up. That allows Christopher to send Scott into the steps, and the tide has turned. The heels go to work, and Jerry looks to finish with the Piledriver, but Brian wants the glory. Lawler allows it, but Christopher misses a flying legdrop, and Ivan gets the tag - Roseanne Barr the door. Ivan nails Jerry with the Polish Hammer, and it's over at 4:52. This was completely watchable, but it's so weird seeing fucking Ivan Putski work in the Attitude Era. And to a good reaction, no less! **

 

Mankind is hanging out in the basement, still trying to get over Austin violently rejecting him last week

 

The Stridex Slam of the Week is highlights of the Owen Hart/Flash Funk match from Shotgun Saturday Night

 

Backstage, Paul Bearer is still all hot and bothered about the whole Undertaker/murderer thing. He is aware that there's no statute of limitations on murder, right? Though, he should probably double check about accessory to murder

 

Taka Michinoku v Yoshihiro Tajiri: Tajiri looks like such a fresh faced youngster at this point. They trade wristlocks to start, to a stalemate. Tajiri with a rana, but Taka rolls through, and knocks him to the outside via dropkick. Taka dives after him with a flying bodypress into the aisle, but Tajiri blocks a suplex back in. Criss cross allows Taka an overhead suplex for two, so Tajiri drills him with a sitout powerbomb for two. Spinheel kick sends Taka to the outside, and Tajiri is on him with a springboard moonsault press on the floor. Taka tries a flying bodypress on the way back in, but Tajiri blocks with a dropkick, nailing poor Taka right in the balls with it. Ouch. That leads to a slugfest, and both guys go down. Kind of backwards, but I'll allow it. Tajiri with a bridging dragon suplex for two, but a cross corner whip gets reverses, and Taka dives with a missile dropkick. Michinoku Driver finishes at 4:10. This was really fun, and the execution was all generally on point. ***

 

Backstage, Ken Shamrock is raiding Steve Austin's locker

 

Earlier today, Los Boricuas were using cinema mode on GTA V

 

The Headbangers v Miguel Perez and Jose Estrada Jr: Thrasher and Jose start, and Thrasher wins a criss cross with a side suplex. Tag to Mosh for a tandem gourdbuster, and he corners Jose for a ten-punch, so Perez comes over to assist. That turns the tide, and Miguel tags in with a dropkick, then back to Jose for one of his own for two. The Boricuas work Mosh over with mostly dropkicks, until he manages to figure out how to crack the code of the counter, and it's hot tag Thrasher - Roseanne Barr the door. Perez manages a victory cradle on Thrasher for the pin at 4:14. This was shit. Afterwards, the rest of the gang attack, but the DOA ride out to make the save, and we have a brawl. ¼*

 

Backstage, Patriot is now a character, and you should care about him

 

Backstage, Shawn Michaels is looking to make a buy

 

We get clips of Shawn Michaels regaining the WWF Title at the Royal Rumble, right here in San Antonio

 

Vince brings Shawn Michaels out for an in-ring interview, and he begs and pleads to be included in SummerSlam. Poor Vince can barely contain himself here

 

Savio Vega comes out in a huff, dragging a camera man to the back to 'show him something.' Yeah, a lot of that was going around in entertainment before MeToo. So Savio leads him out to the garage, where someone has, sadly, destroyed the DOAs motorcycles. That, of course, leads to another brawl. I don't care for this angle, but I do like how they found an organic reason to have the camera there, as opposed to the 'magic invisible camera' deal that would become the norm later

 

Ken Shamrock v Jim Neidhart: Vince notes that this will be a 'tremendous matchup' with a completely straight face. Yeah, a barely mobile Anvil and a rookie Shamrock, I hope I have enough stars left today. Ken takes him down and dominates to start, until Jim grabs the ropes to save himself. Shamrock with a cradle for two, and an armdrag leaves Neidhart in an armbar. Jim escapes, and ropechokes him for a bit, then works a chinlock. Jim tries a 2^nd rope axehandle, but lands in a gut-punch, and Shamrock makes a comeback. Neidhart can barely even get into position for stuff at this point, and looks embarrassing. He actually manages to take a rana, and Ken slaps on a sleeper for the submission - Neidhart not even bothering to leave his feet before tapping at 4:41. Phew, thank God this sucked, I'd hate for Vince to be proven correct. Afterwards, Bulldog runs out for the beat down, with Neidhart so blown up that he can barely even help with THAT. And then Patriot makes the save, since like I told you, you need to care about him now. –½*

 

The Legion of Doom v The New Blackjacks: Wow, lots of tag wrestling tonight. Oh, but here comes the Godwinns, attacking the LOD (and busting Hawk open hardway) to make sure we don't go over quota

 

The Discovery Zone Rewind is Shawn Michaels offering to blow McMahon earlier

 

Vader v Flash Funk: Vader beats him into the corner to start, and an avalanche flops Funk. Clothesline, but Funk ducks, and he throws a pair of dropkicks to knock Vader over the top. Flash adds a baseball slide and a tope suicida out there, then whips Vader into the steps for good measure. Vader beats the count in, so Flash tries whipping him into the ropes, but gets reversed, and Vader throws a bodyblock. Vader with a short-clothesline to set up a splash for two, but Flash blocks a powerbomb, and makes a comeback. Flying moonsault gets two, but Vader bodyblocks him again, and the powerbomb finishes at 4:09. They looked a little tired out there, but this was fine. * ¼

 

WWF Tag Team Champion Steve Austin clarifies that his partner won't be Shawn Michaels, because fuck that guy, basically. Can't really blame him, considering what happened last time

 

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Steve Austin and Dude Love v Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith: Austin has no partner as we start, going it alone. He charges in and beats both challengers down, the dust settling on he and Owen. Austin with a vertical suplex, but a criss cross goes badly for him when Hart throws a spinheel kick. Leg-feed enzuigiri, but Austin ducks, and he throws a clothesline. Sharpshooter, but Bulldog comes in to prevent him from locking it on, and the challengers double team. Bulldog with a cross corner whip, but Steve rebounds back with a clothesline, so Davey dumps him over the top for Owen to abuse. Steve eats guardrail and steps out there, as we cut to the back for a tease of someone walking out to join the match. Inside, Hart hits a sloppy belly-to-belly suplex, nearly breaking Austin's neck a month early. Neckbreaker gets Owen two, and a bodyslam sets up a dive off the middle, but Steve throws a gut-punch to block. Stunner, but Steve gets distracted by Bulldog, and ends up backdropping Hart over the top instead. With the ring clear, Dude Love appears on the TitanTron, making his case to be Steve's partner. And then he makes his entrance, as Steve looks at him like he's crazy. Gotta appreciate the initiative, though. Everyone else just kept asking, Dude Love told. Though, where was his ass when Austin was in trouble? Austin tags Dude in, and he pounds Owen down for a running kneesmash in the corner. Hart rakes the eyes and tags out, and Bulldog goes for the Running Powerslam, but Love counters with the Mandible Claw. Owen saves with a missile dropkick, but in comes Steve with a Stunner on Smith in response, and Love covers at 9:39. This was more about angle than workrate, but it was fine. Afterwards, the new champs actually celebrate in peace, and Mick Foley looks legitimately happy to finally have won a belt in the WWF. * ½

 

BUExperience: This wasn’t an especially good episode, but it had a memorable ending, that’s for sure.

 

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	7/14/97
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.6	3.5
Total Wins	17	71
Win Streak		54
Better Show (as of 7/7)	37	47