Original Airdate: September 29, 1997 (taped September 23)
From Albany, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler
Vince brings WWF European Champion Shawn Michaels out to start, and he's got Rick Rude, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, and Chyna with him. The video quality seems especially poor this week for some reason. Vince calling Shawn the 'wise ass of the WWF' is pretty funny. And he sure is, but at least he comes off as cool, not the tryhard HHH was during this period. Him standing there giving bunny ears and mugging is just sad. I know a lot of people thought Shawn taking the European title was bad booking, but honestly, putting it on the top heel made the belt seem a lot more important than Davey Boy Smith carrying it around in background angles for months. So Hunter is sick of 'waiting for his break,' and he's taking matters into his own hands, and he's starting with Undertaker. That draws Commissioner Slaughter out to give Helmsley his wish via a match with Undertaker tonight, as he and Michaels try to use the title belt as a shield from Slaughter's spit brigade. The Hart Foundation then show up because they don't want Shawn and HHH to forget that they're gunning for them as well, though, just like everyone else, they're pretty rapidly forgetting about the Foundation
Back at One Night Only, Shawn Michaels defeated Davey Boy Smith to win the European title, and got ALL the heat in England in the process. The highlights here really did a great job of making it look like a must see
Davey Boy Smith v Vader: Vader fights of a headlock and bodyblocks Bulldog to the outside in the early going, and he tees off on Davey in the corner once Smith climbs back in. Vader with a cross corner whip to set up an avalanche, and he dives off the middle with a bodyblock. Looked like he was expecting Bulldog to catch him there, but Davey didn't get the message. And, indeed, Vader goes up a second time, and Smith catches him in a powerslam this time around. Davey knocks him to the outside and drops Vader front-first across the guardrail out there, and a side suplex gets him two on the way back in. Sunset flip, but Vader blocks, so Bulldog stomps him in the face for two instead. They spill back to the outside, where Bulldog tries dropping him across the rail again, but Vader reverses this time. Inside, Vader splashes him for two, and the Vaderbomb looks to finish, but the Foundation run in for the DQ at 7:01. These two always had good chemistry, though this was certainly a pretty low-key affair. Afterwards, they give Vader the big beat down, but Patriot makes the save - only to get overwhelmed against four guys, and beat up as well. *
One Night Only home video ad. Unfortunately, that version cut the Bret Hart/Undertaker WWF Title match, which was a legit four-star match, and the best part of the show. Luckily, the full version has been widely available since the Network launch
WWF Intercontinental Title Tournament Semifinal Match: Faarooq v Ahmed Johnson: This tournament has been a total mess thus far, and they've done a horrible job of promoting it, to boot. Ahmed has Ken Shamrock and the Legion of Doom in his corner to counter the Nation of Domination on Faarooq's. Ahmed attacks before the bell, and a cross corner whip rebounds Faarooq into a clothesline. Ahmed with another corner whip, but he misses a charge this time, and Faarooq snapmares him over. Faarooq goes to work on Johnson's taped up hand, and a slam gets him two. Backdrop, but Ahmed counters with a (very sloppy) axekick, and he clotheslines Faarooq over the top. Johnson follows to send Faarooq into the steps out there, and he viciously slams them down on his arm. The referee tries to intervene, but Johnson slaps him, and you'd better bet that's a DQ at 2:24. The booking just keeps getting better and better! What a weak way to send Faarooq to the finals, when he'd already lost a Quarterfinal match, and now got his ass beat on his way to a DQ victory. Afterwards, the factions brawl, and Hawk steals Faarooq's hat, at least leaving us with an entertaining visual out of this whole mess. ¼*
In Your House Badd Blood ad
Sable continues to occupy David Lynch's fantasies in a game of laser tag with the Headbangers. Oh. Sorry. WWF Tag Team Champions The Headbangers. My mistake
Brian Pillman sends in another edition of his XXX Files, taped from his motel bed with a disinterested looking Marlena tucked in beside him. And, according to him, a lot more than 'tucking' going on in that bed
Goldust v Sultan: Speaking of mistakes, Sultan is still a thing. Dude Love joins us for commentary on this one. Goldust delivers a jumping clothesline and a bodyslam right away, so Sultan bails, but Goldust is on him, sending him into the steps. Inside, Goldust corner whips him, but a charge misses, and he takes a bump to the outside. Iron Sheik is ready and waiting with some abuse out there, and Sultan capitalizes with a backbreaker for two on the way back in. He works a chinlock, as Dude gets really annoying doing his shtick on commentary. What a step back after the wild brawl as Cactus Jack last week. Goldust escapes the hold, but a splash hits the knees, and Sultan superkicks him for two. Backdrop, but Goldust blocks, and delivers a bulldog at 5:37. This was extremely dull, and Goldust really should have gotten a much stronger win here. DUD
Steve Austin arrives at the arena
Vince is scheduled to bring Austin out for an interview, but Steve hits the ring before McMahon can even do an intro, and he wants Vince to hurry up and talk. And if he pulls that 'big shot routine' Steve's ready to 'knock his damn head off.' Vince notes that clearly Steve doesn't give a damn, and hell, neither does Vince anymore. He's tried to reason with him, and he's done with that. So Vince is done with reason, and if Steve wants to come back so badly, fine, sign a waiver that absolves the promotion of all liability, and he can go out and break his other neck, if that's what he wants. Either that, or maybe Vince will just fire him. Austin notes that he'll straight up beat the shit out of Vince if he tries that shit, so he can bring the waiver next week, and Stone Cold will sign. Or he'll shove it right up Vince's ass. One or the other, right here next week. Vince playing his annoyance and frustration is pitch perfect here, and you can already see how they'll make perfect foils for one another
WWF Tag Team Title Match: The Headbangers v Jose Estrada and Jesus Castillo: The challengers try a sneak attack, but the Headbangers fight them off, and the dust settles on Mosh and Jose. Why is Jose dressed like he's coming to demo a kitchen? Not much before both guys tag, and Thrasher powerslams Jesus for two. Well, at least with Jesus the carpenters outfit makes more sense. Jose takes a cheap shot to turn the tide, and the challengers go to work on Thrasher, as Vince literally begs us not to change the channel. The match is so dull that they do a split screen on the announcers announcing the match, since even that's a step up compared to what's going on in the ring here. Jesus misses a corner charge to allow the hot tag to Mosh, and Roseanne Barr the door! Jose hits a rana off the top to wrap up, but the Godwinns run in on them for the DQ at 8:18. Match sucked, finish sucked. DUD
Badd Blood ad
Vince brings Owen Hart out, and Hart has cops in riot gear with him to make sure Austin doesn't try any funny business. So Owen will be facing Faarooq in the finals of the Intercontinental title tournament at Badd Blood, and Hart is really giving a low-key promo here compared to what you'd expect from him. Owen wants Austin fired, and tries to appeal to Vince by making a case that Steve is ruining his father's creation. So, he really should fire him, or he's just a bad son to his deceased dad. And that's the worst kind of son. But then one of his security guys pulls off his helmet, and it's Austin - hitting Hart with the Stunner, and bailing into the crowd. They didn't do a great job with the reveal here, and Hart's promo game was below par
Only Night Only video ad
Backstage, Jim Neidhart tends to an injured Owen
We get clips of the construction of the Hell in a Cell structure that's set to debut this Sunday at Badd Blood. I'd say they got their monies worth with that one
Undertaker v Hunter Hearst Helmsley: WWF Champion Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith attack Undertaker during the entrances, but Vader and Patriot run out to make the save. Why were they attacking Undertaker? Once the Foundation are cleared away, HHH and Michaels pick up where they left off, beating Undertaker on the ramp for a while. Inside to officially start the match, with HHH pounding him into the corner, where Shawn tees up some cheap shots. Hunter with a cross corner whip, but he loses a criss cross when Undertaker delivers a jumping shoulderblock. Chokeslam connects, and it's Tombstone time, but Rude runs in for the DQ at 1:54. This was some Nitro level bullshit, but at least it was building to something, instead of just another bad finish with the same guys doing the same thing for the hundredth time. Afterwards, Michaels delivers a Superkick, and they put Undertaker in a body bag, but he does the sit-up, and chases them off, with Shawn climbing the TitanTron to relative safety to end the show. DUD
BUExperience: The only good parts of this week’s show were the angle portions, and even then, only a portion of a portion. Though weak, it was watchable though, and flew by for the most part
Monday Night Wars Rating Chart
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