WWF RAW is WAR (July 28, 1997)

Original Airdate: July 28, 1997

 

From Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler

 

Ross brings the Hart Foundation out to open the show, with Vince happily giving him 'the honors' after last weeks scuffle. Ross notes that they're all facing suspension, but it's on hold for now, since there's basically no SummerSlam card without them. So this is the infamous 'stick the hose right here in Pittsburgh' promo, and it's a good one

 

Earlier today, fans on their way into the building sounded off about who will win the WWF Title match at SummerSlam

 

Earlier today, Savio Vega knew how to do math

 

The Legion of Doom v Savio Vega and Miguel Perez: Hawk and Savio Vega start, and Savio manages to power him into the corner for chops, but a cross corner whip backfires when Hawk barrels out with a clothesline. He adds a neckbreaker before tagging, and Animal sends Savio flying with a shoulderblock. Vega tags out, but Perez walks into a powerslam, and Animal adds an elbowdrop. Bodyslam sets up a tag to Hawk for a flying splash, but Perez dodges. Perez with a stiff clothesline, and they go to work on Hawk, as Vince calls the match like it's 1982. Hawk fights Perez off with a big boot, but Animal doesn't even bother waiting for the tag, coming in for the Doomsday Device. That draws the rest of the Boricuas in, and it's a DQ at 3:01. This was energetic, though not especially interesting. And then afterwards, the Godwinns run out to attack Hawk again, as the Boricuas put the boots to Animal. ¾*

 

Backstage, Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Chyna watch clips of their greatest hits on Mankind

 

Hunter Hearst Helmsley v Vader: Before the bell, a camera man attacks HHH, which turns out to be Mankind 'in disguise.' Not sure how no one spotted him, considering the idiot wore his mask. So Mankind beats on him for a while, until Chyna comes in to make the save, but Mankind crotches her on the top rope to keep her out of things, and he chases HHH into the crowd. This was a fun angle, but why can't they book these fun angles to interrupt DOA or Boricua matches, instead of stuff people actually want to see?

 

Commandant is here, and he's snorting

 

Brakus is not here, but he's on the way. Likely less snorting and more injecting with him

 

The Truth Commission v Bob Holly, Jesse James, and Flash Funk: President Gorilla Monsoon joins us for commentary on this one, promising the appointment of a new Commissioner next week. From the Truth Commission? Because that’s a missed opportunity, if not. Recon starts with Funk, and a big criss cross ends Flash's way with several dropkicks. Funk comes off the top with a flying bodypress for two, and both guys tag out, the Commission quickly cheating to get control of Jesse. They cut the ring in half, but Interrogator misses a charge, and Holly gets the tag. He comes in hot, but quickly walks into a sidewalk slam at 3:02. This was nothing, and Interrogator in particular looked horrible out there. DUD

 

Let's take an extended look at a bunch of one dollar bills, which signify the SummerSlam Million Dollar Chance

 

Patriot is an international superstar, and now he's part of the WWF. This whole introduction felt incredibly heavy handed. Like, who is this guy, and why are we supposed to suddenly care about him just because he wears the American flag on his gear? It's like the Lex Express push, but times one hundred

 

Backstage, Patriot is ready to do his patriotic duty, which apparently involves beating Bret Hart. Exactly what our forefathers envisioned, I'm sure

 

Faarooq v Crush: It's only been a few weeks, and I'm already sick of this Gang Warz shit. And there's still months and months of it to go. Ahmed Johnson looks like a total goof in his new heel gear. Faarooq pounds Crush into the corner to start, but a dive off the middle gets caught in a powerslam, and Crush unloads with mounted punches. Big boot, but Faarooq ducks, and clips the knee. Faarooq pounds on the lower back, and a backbreaker gets him two, between taunts at the DOA. Faarooq works him over in dull fashion, before falling prey to that same electric chair counter that happens to him in literally every match, and Crush makes a comeback. Piledriver and a big boot connect, so the Nation trip him up, and both factions brawl for a no-contest at 3:15. DUD

 

Earlier today, the fans outside the building continued to be fans outside the building

 

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Steve Austin and Dude Love v The Godwinns: Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith join us for commentary here. Austin triggers a brawl to start, and wins it, too. Dust settles on Love with Phineas Godwinn, and Dude outsmarts him in the early going. Well, not exactly a high bar to clear there. Dude with a clothesline, and it's over to Austin, but Phineas fights him off long enough to tag. Henry Godwinn charges in, but Steve is ready with a thunderous clothesline, and he passes back to Dude to give Henry a double-arm DDT for two. Phineas distracts him to allow Henry a clothesline, and the challengers take control. They work Dude over, but Love reverses a cross corner whip from Phineas, and capitalizes with a bulldog. Tag to Steve, and Roseanne Barr the door! Stunner on Phineas looks to finish, but Henry clotheslines him to the outside before a cover can be made, and of course that's all the provocation Owen needs to whack him with the title belt to cause a countout at 4:59. That triggers a big brawl, with the LOD running back out to attack... the Harts? Shouldn't they be going after the Godwinns? I hope this lead to an eight-man tag as the dark match after the taping. ¼*

 

Devon Storm v Ace Darling: You can almost feel the remotes being clicked to flip over to Nitro here. Ken Shamrock is hanging around at ringside for no apparent reason. Storm pounds him into the corner to start, but Ace lands on his feet during a monkeyflip, and he dives with a 2^nd rope bodypress for two. Victory cradle gets two, but a reversal sequence ends in Storm rolling through a rana cradle at 0:43. Uh, okay then. If you're going to book two no names that the crowd has never heard of/seen, at least give them some time to get over. DUD

 

Sunny comes out to hype up the SummerSlam Million Dollar Chance, and at least she's flashing bills bigger than ones this time

 

Arm Wrestling Match: Davey Boy Smith v Ken Shamrock: If you've seen one of these, you've seen them all. And if you haven't, it ends in Bulldog flipping the table over and giving Ken a beating to sell SummerSlam. This wasn't great, and it was super predictable... but there's absolutely nothing wrong with this type of simple hype up segment. And, to my point, there's a young girl in the front row who is absolutely losing her shit over it, buying into the angle 100%, and that's great to see

 

Goldust v Rockabilly: Rockabilly is still a thing? Marlena brings out a mannequin with a dress for Brian Pillman after Goldust beats him at SummerSlam. Rockabilly pounds him down to start, but he telegraphs a backdrop, and Goldust clotheslines him over the top. That results in Rockabilly getting into boxer Michael Moorer's face (he's in the crowd), and Rockabilly gets knocked out for his troubles. Meanwhile, Pillman runs in on Goldust at 1:18. So many no contests tonight. I get that some guys need to be protected, but fucking Rockabilly?! DUD

 

Video package with different superstars talking about WWF Champion Undertaker like it's a Hall of Fame piece

 

Vince is all smiles as he brings Shawn Michaels out for an in-ring interview, and the crowd is losing their shit for him. So Vince wants to know if Shawn will apologize for his comments about Canada last week, but Shawn refuses. He also seems totally back to normal, not even so much as acknowledging that he was supposedly so badly beaten on last week's show that he couldn't work the Flag match. Though, to be fair, he was probably on so many drugs that he didn't even remember it anyway

 

Backstage, Bret Hart is throwing a tantrum about Shawn

 

Earlier today, the fans talked shit about Canada. Great, now Vince is going to have to interview them, too

 

Bret Hart v Patriot: Shawn sits in on commentary, stirring the pot as only Shawn can. Bret attacks while Patriot is having the National Anthem played, drawing great heat for it. He pounds Patriot into the corner as the Anthem continues to play, and the idiot fans actually cheer the end of the song despite that Patriot is getting the shit kicked out of him. That never would have happened to Lex Luger! Bret hits boot on a corner charge to allow Patriot a clothesline, and a backelbow sends the Hitman to the outside. Patriot drags him back in for a flying shoulderblock for two, but Bret fights him off with a backbreaker. All the dog food staining the mat from the Arm Wrestling segment makes it look like Sid was working. Hart with a Russian legsweep for two, and Bret unloads with a ton of rights. Saito suplex sets up a 2^nd rope pointed elbowdrop, and he keeps unloading with rights. Bret was a much more interesting worker as a babyface. Patriot tries the Uncle Slam out of the corner, but Hart runs the ropes to block, and the referee gets bumped in the process. Hart with a piledriver, but there's no referee to count, so Bret goes to revive him. He gives Patriot a legdrop and a headbutt to the groin, but Shawn breaks the cover at two - the referee still too dazed to notice. Bret gets all riled up, of course, and Patriot capitalizes with a rollup at 8:44. This was pretty weak, but at least Patriot has started connecting with the crowd. ¾*

 

BUExperience: Nothing in the way of good wrestling, but the hard sell for SummerSlam was strong.

 

Monday Night Wars Rating Chart

	7/28/97
Show	RAW	Nitro
Rating	2.9	3.4
Total Wins	17	72
Win Streak		55
Better Show (as of 7/21)	38	47