WWF Shotgun Saturday Night (January 25, 1997)

Original Airdate: January 25, 1997

From New York, New York; Your Hosts are Vince McMahon, Sunny, and Owen Hart

Bret Hart v Mankind: Mankind corners one of the go-go dancers during his entrance, so Bret comes out before his music hits to make the save, and they brawl into the ring. Nice way to take advantage of the fact that they're wrestling in a working nightclub. Bret dives off the middle at him, and this ring is so small that they end up in the next corner. Hart with a vertical suplex and a legdrop, and he hammers Mankind into the corner, but Mankind returns fire, and they spill to the outside. Bret bashes him into the guardrail out there, and they fight up onto a stage, where Hart delivers another suplex. Mankind fights him off on the way back inside, and he chokes the Hitman down for a running kneesmash in the corner. Mankind with a corner whip and a legdrop for two, and he grounds Bret in a chinlock. Bret slugs free, so Mankind pounds him back down, but a charge goes badly when Hart sidesteps, and Mankind takes a bump over the top. He decides to flirt with the dancers again while he's out there, but Hart sends him into the rail again to keep him away, and wow, there's less room between the ring and the fans here than even in ECW. And it's the same fans, too. Bret crotches him on the rail and clotheslines him off, and a flying axehandle connects on the way back inside. Headbutt drop to the groin connects, and a snap suplex sets up a 2nd rope elbowdrop, but Mankind dodges. Mankind drops him with a double-arm DDT for two, but a corner charge misses, and the Hitman uses a Russian legsweep. Hart with a pointed elbowdrop, followed by a bulldog for two. Swinging neckbreaker gets two, and a backbreaker sets up... no, he doesn't go for the pointed elbow. Okay. He does hit a clothesline, however, and he slaps on the Sharpshooter, but come on. Like Mankind is going to submit. No matter, Owen Hart decides to run in to attack his brother for the DQ at 12:19. That was a weird finish, considering Bret and Owen weren't really feuding (or even interacting) much during this period. I'd love to see a proper match between these two, though sadly this was not that. It was interesting in its own way, though it dragged a lot, and I really didn't care for the finish. *

Todd Pettengill is in the crowd with Paul Bearer, who claims that Mankind was distracted by the go-go dancers, and that’s why he lost. Considering what we’ve learned about Mick Foley since then, yeah, I buy that

Todd catches up with Savio Vega, who joined the Nation of Domination earlier today at a house show at Madison Square Garden

Rocky Maivia v Savio Vega: Owen is gone from commentary for the rest of the show, leaving us Vince and Sunny alone, lucky us. Feeling out process to start, as the Nation show up at ringside. That distracts Maivia, allowing Savio to hammer him down, and he unloads a ten-punch in the corner. Vega with a backdrop, but a criss cross allows Maivia a bodypress for two. Savio cuts him off and takes him down in a nervehold, as Todd tries to talk to Faarooq and Crush, but gets brushed off. Vega with a snap suplex for two, and it’s back to the nervehold, as the New York crowd vocally chants against Rocky. I get what they felt about him at the time, but he’s not the one dragging this match down with his endless nerveholds, that’s for sure. Vega with chops in the corner, and a snapmare sets up another nervehold. Vega misses a corner splash, allowing Maivia to make a comeback, and a side suplex gets the youngster two. Vega manages to dump him over the top, and Rocky hurts his knee on the landing, getting counted out at 13:57. Started off well enough, but turned into a nervehold exhibition. Afterwards, the Nation give Maivia a beating to cement Vega’s new role. ½*

Todd catches up with Jake Roberts, who seems to be right at home with nightclub life

Jake Roberts v Salvatore Sincere: WWF Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley sits in on commentary here, and he’s really rough in this role, as usual. He’s just so awkward and tryhard. Jake with a cross corner whip early on, and an inverted atomic drop follows. Snapmare sets up a chinlock, but Sincere fights him off in the corner, and delivers a cross corner whip of his own. The charge in misses, however, and Jake throws a series of rights. Short-clothesline finds the mark, and the DDT finishes at 2:30. Jake was looking fired up and full of energy tonight, while Sincere was doing some really goofy selling. Afterwards, Hunter hits the ring to hit Sincere with a Pedigree, just because. ½*

Sycho Sid v Crush: Sid wins a slugfest to start, and plants a big boot on him. Bodyslam sets up a legdrop for two, and Sid works a standing wristlock from there. Sid with a pair of clotheslines, and a third sends Crush over the top. Sid dives at him with an axehandle from the apron, so Crush goes to the eyes, but Sid manages to reverse him into the steps. Sid with an avalanche on the way back inside, but the Nation distracts him, and Crush turns the tide. Crush with a bodyslam, and it’s heart punch time, but Sid blocks. That allows Sid a chokeslam, and he delivers the powerbomb, but gets distracted by the Nation again. Sid bails to the outside to grab a chair, and decides to blast Crush with it for the DQ at 7:00. Well, they don’t call him Well Adjusted Sid. ¾*

BUExperience: This show is a breeze to watch.