Original Airdate: December 22, 1997 (taped December 11)
From Lowell, Massachusetts; Your Host is Jim Ross with Michael Cole and Kevin Kelly (hour one), and with Jim Cornette (hour two)
DX join us, and they’re wearing bathrobes this week, God help us. They take issue with WWF Tag Team Champions The New Age Outlaws taking credit for beating up the Legion of Doom last week, before moving on to Undertaker and Owen Hart, and Triple H is really coming into his own as a promo here. It being the holidays, they decide to give us a ‘present’ in the form of mooning the cameras, and God, I wish I had a receipt. This all draws Commissioner Slaughter out, and he has a little present of his own: either Shawn Michaels defends the WWF European title against Triple H tonight, or Slaughter will strip him of it. At first DX is hesitant, but HHH makes the mistake of saying he’d beat Shawn if the match happened, and Michaels quickly informs him that, friend or not, he “doesn’t lay down for anybody.” So I’ve heard
Henry Godwinn v Thrasher: The snow falling from the ceiling in this cozy venue gives tonight’s show a really unique feel. Not as charming: the really obvious green screen the announcers are hosting in front of. That was straight out of 1995. Thrasher grabs an armbar right away, so Phineas Godwinn trips him up, and Henry throws a clothesline. Henry with a cross corner whip, but Thrasher reverses a second one, and avalanches him. Thrasher with a flying bodypress, so Phineas runs in for the DQ at 1:08. This was barely a complete match. DUD
Mankind is in the bowels of the building, swearing revenge on the New Age Outlaws on behalf of his pal Dude Love
Last week after RAW went off the air, Sable stood Santa Claus up, leaving him in a grouchy mood, so he started calling some little girl in the crowd ‘boy’ over and over again, until Steve Austin came out and beat his ass. This felt really weird, with Austin defending a kid, and interacting with Santa
Backstage, DX are still arguing, with Chyna trying to play peacekeeper
WWF Attitude ad
WWF Intercontinental Title Match: Rock v Undertaker: The Nation distract Undertaker to allow the champion a sneak attack, but he hits boot on a corner charge, and Undertaker clotheslines him. Undertaker with a big boot to set up a legdrop for two, and he works the shoulder a bit before trying the ropewalk forearm, but Kama Mustafa shoves him off the ropes to prevent it. The Nation beat Undertaker down on the outside, and Rock takes control as he’s sent back inside. Bodyslam sets up the theatrical elbowdrop for two, and he works a nervehold. Undertaker escapes, but hits an elbow while trying a corner charge. Rock with a cross corner whip, and he tries a backdrop on the rebound, but Undertaker uses a rocker dropper to block, getting him two. The Nation tries another distraction, but Undertaker stays focused, delivering a chokeslam. Tombstone looks to finish, but the lights die before a cover can be made, and here comes Kane! Everyone just sort of forgets about the match, with Rock and referee all leaving, and no decision ever announced. I assume it’s a no-contest at 9:00. As usual, these two have zero chemistry. Though, there wasn’t a ‘usual’ yet at this point, as this marked their first match against one another. Afterwards, Kane and Paul Bearer get in Undertaker’s face, but he again refuses to fight back, or even defend himself as they attack him. ½*
WWF European Title Match: Shawn Michaels v Triple H: Doesn’t happen, as Owen Hart clips Hunter’s knee during the entrances, and though HHH is able to stand up on his own power, and looks generally fine, they think the match should be called off. Slaughter doesn’t agree, but everyone argues, and leaves, so I guess it’s not happening for now. But let’s watch about 2,000 replays of the attack instead!
The Outlaws are walking around in the basement, looking for Mankind. They attack, but it turns out to be some building worker instead
Marc Mero v Scott Taylor: Mero makes Sable come out in a reindeer costume (complete with head) so no one can see her body. Or, maybe he’s just a furry. She takes off the head, allowing Taylor to get control of the distracted Mero, and Scott dives with a flying clothesline for two. Mero quickly comes back with a pop-up flapjack and an elbowdrop, and Marc puts the boots to him. He gets distracted by the crowd chanting for Sable, allowing Taylor a schoolboy for two, and a somersault rocker dropper is worth two. He looks to continue, but Mero is done with him, and the TKO finishes at 2:23. The match was just background for the angle, but it’s a good angle, and it’s TV, so that’s all fine. Afterwards, Tom Brandi runs in to attack, beating Mero down as Sable strips down to a sexy Mrs. Clause outfit to pay off the gag. ½*
Backstage, Triple H is ready to prove himself to Shawn Michaels (and everyone else) later tonight
Kurrgan v 8-Ball: Kurrgan’s theme is a perfect fit for him. Jackyl grabs a microphone and does his own commentary on the match. Cornette gets a funny line in response, noting that there’s “nothing I hate more than a motormouth manager.” 8-Ball tries some stuff, but Kurrgan no-sells it all, and finishes with a sidewalk slam at 2:27. If Kurrgan wasn’t so horrible in the ring, he would have been a huge star. Afterwards, the rest of the Truth Commision run in for an attack, but Skull makes the save with a 2x4. DUD
The Outlaws, undeterred by their earlier mistake, continue to search for Mankind
The 1-800-COLLECT Rewind is Kane beating Undertaker down earlier tonight
Ken Shamrock v D-lo Brown: The announcers, hip as ever, lament the cancelation of the Bob Hope Christmas special. Ken with a brutal takedown, and he grapevines Brown, but D-lo has the ropes. Brown manages to throw some rights as they get back to their feet, and he tries a wristlock, but Ken suplexes his way out. Magistral cradle gets him two, and he grounds Brown in a headlock. Brown counters to a headscissors, but Shamrock counters back to the headlock, so Brown fights to a vertical base. Whip into the ropes, but Ken reverses, and delivers a belly-to-belly suplex. Anklelock, and D-lo taps at 2:24. This was too short to really be anything. Afterwards, Rock shows up, issuing a challenge to Shamrock for the Royal Rumble. This felt like a really weird shift, considering Rock was heavily feuding with Steve Austin up until now. I get that they needed to free Austin up for bigger things, but they could have at least done something more active to turn the focus. Like Nation beating Austin down, and Shamrock sticks his nose in (even against Austin’s will) to save, and he gets a visual tap out from Rock in the process, or something along those lines. Rock randomly challenging him feels out of place. ½*
In the basement, the Outlaws finally find Mankind, but he’s ready for them, and they brawl. The Outlaws manage to fight him off long enough, and they lock him in a freezer
Backstage, Shawn Michaels prepares for HHH
Goldust and Luna Vachon join us to read a Christmas story, but Vader comes out (disguised as Santa) to beat him down
WWF European Title Match: Shawn Michaels v Triple H: Shawn’s WWF Title is not also on the line. Both guys stall, until finally making contact, with Shawn falling dead after a shove. HHH then runs the ropes a bunch of times, before ‘splashing’ the champ, and scoring the pin at 1:38. This was a total joke, and that’s in character for these two, but way to make the title feel like an even bigger joke than it already was. Afterwards, Shawn mock cries over the loss, until HHH brings him in for the real thing, and they sell it like Hogan/Warrior at WrestleMania, as Slaughter glares at them from the aisle. DUD
BUExperience: This wasn’t the best. It had some memorable moments and an interesting venue, but the wrestling was junk, and the show felt really thin, with lots of replays and other padding to fill the airtime. And, even so, this managed to close the gap in ratings to their tightest since May.
Monday Night Wars Rating Chart
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