Original Airdate: October 13, 1997 (taped October 7)
From Topeka, Kansas; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler
Vince brings the Hart Foundation out to kick off the show, and mostly to rub salt in Bret Hart’s wounds about losing to Triple H last week, and having to deal with Shawn Michaels’ bullshit. And speaking of them, Shawn and HHH (along with Rick Rude and Chyna) show up on the TitanTron to do their own rubbing, and you can see the legitimate disdain on Bret’s face. He looks like he absolutely can’t stand either guy, and honestly, who could blame him? HHH breaking out Diesel’s “how sweet it is” is a weird choice. Bret responds by calling these ‘degenerates’ out, but they’re all relaxed backstage, so Bret will just have to wait for Survivor Series, where Shawn is going to take that ‘stupid piece of tin’ away from him. I’m sure Vince loved that. Shawn also coins the term ‘D-Generation X’ to describe his group, since they both Gen-Xers, and Bret’s right, they’re both degenerates. It’s hard to believe how quickly Bret’s heat dissipated after SummerSlam, as he went from the top heel in the promotion (if not the world) to a complete afterthought
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Owen Hart v Kama Mustafa: DX show up on the ramp before the bell, allowing Kama to sneak attack, and we’re off! Mustafa pounds him into the corner before delivering a clothesline, as DX steal headsets from the announce team to continue running their mouths. Meanwhile, Mustafa with a bodyslam and an elbowdrop for two, but Owen fights back with a spinheel kick. Missile dropkick connects for two, but Kama comes back with a savate kick, and a corner whip. Owen manages a leg-feed enzuigiri, as Lawler kisses DX’s ass. Hart tries a piledriver, but Mustafa backdrops him, as DX monkey around by eating bananas while threatening Lawler. I like how they didn’t just accept his praise like they would have before… they’re angry and horrible to everyone, and it’s a great character trait. Hart tries another piledriver, but Mustafa backdrops him again, as Shawn’s antics cross the line, and Bret marches over to fight him. He gets cut off by the Nation of Domination, however, and they pound the Hitman down as Shawn mugs for the camera. Seeing this stuff it’s almost unbelievable that they’d ever tried running Shawn as a babyface at all. So everyone brawls, and the referee throws the match out at 4:46. Owen and Kama felt like they were actually trying to have a match in between all of the angles and overbooking, but it just wasn’t meant to be. ¾*
The Legion of Doom talk about the influence of Paul Ellering on their careers
WWF Tag Team Champions The Godwinns are ready to put their gold on the line against the LOD’s careers tonight
Max Mini and Nova v Mosaic and Tarantula: How many times were they going to go to this well? Okay, they didn’t want to give up on the division too quickly, but couldn’t they at least have gotten a few more guys? Sadly, we don’t even get Sunny as the special guest ring announcer this time. Mosaic is dressed like 1994 Randy Savage this week, which may be the highlight here. Ross actually has the gall to try and hype up future WWF events during this, as if this is something enticing. Max with a sunset bomb on Mosaic at 2:20. They kind of botched that three count, somehow. Well, at least it was short. ½*
Survivor Series Super Supper Sweepstakes ad. Apparently, you can win dinner with Sunny! Though, no guarantee she won’t spend the majority of the meal in the bathroom
Over the weekend on Shotgun Saturday Night, Rockabilly dumped Honky Tonk Man, and joined up with Jesse James. Billy Gunn breaking the guitar over Honky’s head actually draws a pretty massive pop
Flash Funk v Kane: This is scheduled as Flash challenging WWF European Champion Shawn Michaels, but Kane shows up before Michaels can make his entrance, and steals the match. Oh, that Shawn. Even when he’s likely going over he can’t defend a title. Flash tries slugging, but Kane no-sells, and chokeslams him. Tombstone kills him dead, but Kane doesn’t even bother making a cover, and the match just kind of ends at 0:52. I’m not sure if that was even an official match, but there was a bell, so let’s go with yes. Afterwards, Paul Bearer comes in to cut another promo on Undertaker, as Kane stands around looking menacing. And that’s exactly all he needed to be doing at this point. And then after Kane leaves, Shawn shows up and covers Flash, while HHH counts the pin. Too bad we didn’t get a proper match here, since it actually might have been pretty good. But Shawn as a jerkoff is never not entertaining. And Lawler hating on them is a nice touch. DUD
The Legion of Doom reminisce about their first WWF Tag Team title win back at SummerSlam ‘91
The Truth Commission are ready to… tell the truth…? I don’t know, whatever it is their deal is
Skull and 8-Ball v Recon and Sniper: The announcers get into a weird conversation about Janet Reno being ‘angry’ at Bill Clinton on commentary here, which feels really out of place. And speaking of which, Lawler going on a rant about Bill’s taste in women (“have you seen the nose on Paula Jones;” “Bill’s not too choosy, just look at Hilary”) not only feels out of place, but bad form. The Commission work over one of the DOA guys, until Sniper crotches himself on the top rope, and a hot tag is made. And then Jackyl pulls the top rope down to send one of the DOA guys tumbling over the top, and we have a DQ at 3:42. Recon and Sniper seemed to be trying, but this was heatless, and felt like it dragged badly. ½*
The PlayStation Slam of the Week is Ahmed Johnson giving some jobber a sloppy Pearl River Plunge on Shotgun
Vince brings Steve Austin out, and this week McMahon has the paperwork to give Austin his match with WWF Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart at Survivor Series, if Steve is willing to sign the hold harmless agreement. Steve is willing, but he wasn’t born yesterday: he wants Vince to sign first. The way everything with him is like pulling teeth is a wonderful character choice, and he’s crazy annoying and terrible, but somehow it’s working in making him into a huge babyface. And that’s such a thin line they’re treading, because I can see the crowd turning on him for being stickler for details and fine print, like Eric Bischoff’s character or Jim Cornette’s. And the weird part is that it’s not like Vince is some especially dastardly heel that you just hate so much that you have to cheer for Steve, he’s still just ‘announcer Vince,’ and he’s still saying things any sensible person would… yet somehow you still want to cheer Stone Cold anyway. So the papers get signed, but then the Nation shows up, still fuming at Steve for costing Faarooq the title at Badd Blood. But, unfortunately for them, Austin can’t understand a word they’re saying. So they decide to show instead of tell, but Steve fights Rocky Maivia off with a Stunner, and escapes. Good segment here, covering a lot of ground, but not taking ages and talking in circles to do so
The Legion of Doom remember another high: SummerSlam ‘92 at Wembley Stadium. Well, it was certainly a high for one of them
Sable navigates the nefarious world of Lazer Tag villain Freddie Blassie, but Max Mini shows up to let us know that the writers failed to come up with an ending to the saga, so everyone just goes home. Sounds about right
The LOD think back on the days when they used to wear more leather
Backstage, the LOD note that they’re not guys who ‘can’t cut it anymore’ like Hulk Hogan or Randy Savage, which is why they’ll get the job done tonight. Of course, neither Hulk nor Randy would be caught dead headlining against a pair of hog farmers, but that’s neither here nor there
Brian Christopher v Tajiri: Brian dominates him in the early going, but Tajiri keeps bouncing back, and eventually out moves him with an overhead suplex. Tajiri with a missile dropkick for two, but a spinheel kick misses, and Brian drops him with a forward Russian legsweep. Bulldog gets two, so Christopher bootchokes him in the corner, but Tajiri counters a backdrop with a sunset flip for two. Handspring backelbow finds the mark, and Tajiri goes to the mat with a fujiwara armbar, but Brian fights to a vertical base. Tajiri responds with kicks in the corner, and a pair of chincrushers rattle Christopher. Clothesline, but Brian ducks, and throws one of his own, as Ross inexplicably hypes Hogan’s new movie. Christopher misses a flying kneedrop to allow Tajiri a few more strikes, as Lawler outdoes himself with iffy remarks on commentary. Tajiri with a brainbuster and a standing moonsault for two, but Christopher reverses a rollup on him at 5:19. This was technically fine, but didn’t get over in the least, and fell super flat. ** ¼
Jim Cornette is back with more of his views, this week turning his ire at Phil Mushnick of the New York Post, who had recently taken shots at the WWF for Brian Pillman’s death. This felt like such sour grapes, but at least he wasn’t putting WCW angles over for them this time around
Goldust v Savio Vega: Vince, apparently still annoyed that JR was promoting Hogan’s movie earlier, notes that he once made a movie with Hulk, and it lost money. But, to end on a positive thought, notes that watching him act is still better than watching him wrestle. McMahon is a moody son of a bitch this week, and I kinda love it. Savio’s gear here is pretty ridiculous, even by 1997 fashion standards. Goldust with a few armdrags to start, but Vega fights him off with a bodyslam, only to miss an elbowdrop. That allows Goldust a chop on the ropes, so Savio’s buddies trip him up, allowing Vega a spinkick. The referee boots them from ringside, but the damage is done, and Vega is in control. He works a ropechoke, but Goldust counters a hiptoss with a backslide for one. Vega cuts him off with a clothesline, but he stops to go after Marlena on the outside. Goldust chases, but Vega is ready with a crescent kick to block. Vega with a splash on the way back in, but Goldust lifts his knees to block. He goes for the Curtain Call, but Vega counters with another spinkick for two when he gets busted using the ropes. Goldust with a cradle for two, so Savio tries a backdrop, but Goldust blocks. Vega goes back to the well with yet another spinheel kick, but Goldust whacks him with Marlena’s purse before he can follow up, and Goldust hooks the leg at 4:16. Excruciating. Though, of note, I believe this is the first time McMahon says the name ‘Eric Bischoff’ on WWF TV. ¼*
Jakks WWF Figures ad. With Steve Austin’s figure beating up McMahons, for realism! The Jakks figures combined with the old Hasbro roster would have been the greatest thing ever. Unfortunately, they didn’t start doing classic era figures until well after I’d stopped playing with toys, and it was never part of my childhood
Triple H v Patriot: Rude throws a cup of coffee in Patriot’s face during the entrances, and he’s done, so no match. In reality, he was dealing with real life injuries, and was actually in the hospital just days before this. So, with Patriot out, HHH is happy to take the forfeit victory, but Commissioner Slaughter joins us to rain on that parade, booking Hunter against Ahmed Johnson instead. Of course, Michaels and Helmsley totally no-sell it, and treat Ahmed like a joke. And then the Nation run out to attack Johnson before the match can happen, with DX retreating to the stage to eat popcorn, and laugh it up. The beating of Johnson continues for a bit, until Ken Shamrock and the LOD run out to make the save. I’d never wish ill on anyone, but man, Shawn getting injured and having to retire probably saved the entire promotion, because he would have taken everyone down with him if he didn’t
Steve Austin vest ad
WWF Tag Team Title v Career Match: The Godwinns v The Legion of Doom: Phineas Godwinn and Animal start, and they posture for a bit. Over to Henry Godwinn and Hawk, and Hawk barrels into him with a jumping shoulderblock. Corner whip rebounds Henry into a backelbow, but somehow Hawk ends up going down off of that, and Phineas tags back in for a double team. Hawk fights Phineas off in the corner and unloads, and Animal tags in to blast him with a clothesline for two. There is no flow to this thus far, and everything is coming off all stuttered. Animal with a powerslam for two, and he works an armbar, but a tag back to Hawk ends badly when he ends up trapped in the heel corner. The Godwinns go to work, and after the referee misses a tag to Animal, the champs send him into the steps to injure him. They go back to cutting the ring in half on Hawk as Animal is carried out, which is apparently supposed to serve as the drama portion of the contest. But then Animal just decides to no-sell the injury, and runs back in. They try the Doomsday Device on Phineas, but Henry saves before they can. That draws Cletus in with the horseshoe, but he accidentally bashes his own man, and Hawk wins the team’s final title at 9:36. This was really bad, but the crowd popped huge for the finish, so at least it had that going for it. Afterwards, the Godwinns beat up Cletus to end his run with the team (and the promotion). -½*
BUExperience: This was a pretty weak episode, with the shadow of Brian Pillman’s death still hanging over the production, bad matches, and DX acting like complete buffoons the whole night. Not to mention trying to make the LOD’s title shot into a big dramatic story point (which didn’t work), and Vince at his pettiest on commentary all night.
Monday Night Wars Rating Chart
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.