WWF Shotgun Saturday Night (April 5, 1997)

 

Original Airdate: April 5, 1997 (taped March 25)

From Peoria, Illinois; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Brian Pillman

Bob Holly v Mankind: Mankind tries to attack, but gets dodged, and Holly unloads. Mankind fights him off in the corner, and delivers an elbowdrop for two. Into the ropes, but Holly rebounds with a dropkick. Mankind cuts him off with a headbutt, so Holly tries another dropkick, but this one misses. Mankind tries for the mandible claw, but Holly ducks, and grabs a sleeper. They fall out of the ring in the hold, and Holly gets the better of it. He tries a dive from the apron, but misses, and hits the guardrail. Inside, Mankind hits a running kneesmash in the corner, and he gets the claw on for the win at 4:13. Two very good workers, but they didn’t have any chemistry at all here. Afterwards, Kevin Kelly is out to try and talk to Mankind about facing Undertaker at In Your House, but Paul Bearer runs him off. You try to take his mop, you try to take his floor - he’ll kill you. Anyway, Mankind promises to burn Undertaker to death. And, also, win the WWF Title. If there’s time. ¼*

Undertaker cardboard standup ad

Sycho Sid v Jerry Fox: Sid is good and pissed about losing the title, and delivers an energetic squash here. To great crowd support. Sid with the powerbomb at 2:33. Afterwards, Bret Hart, Davey Boy Smith, and Owen Hart are out, but the Legion of Doom quickly hit the ring to back Sid up, and everyone backs off. ¼*

A look at Ken Shamrock’s time in UFC

Eight-Man Tag Team Match: Venum, Super Nova, Ludxor, and Discovery v Histeria, Abismo Negro, El Mosco, and Maniaco: This is contested under Lucha rules. Pillman wonders if they all wear masks because they’re on the run from the law. “They still haven’t apprehended the strawberry smugglers. And they found fecal matter in those berries, which makes you wonder just how they were smuggled.” Brian, Brian, Brian. Stuff happens, including a pin at 6:56. ½*

Doug Furnas and Philip LaFon v Aldo Montoya and RT Williams: Pillman stands up for Bret Hart on commentary here. Maybe he should join up with him, if he thinks he’s so great. Meanwhile, Jim Cornette comes out to scout Furnas and LaFon. “He can’t even manage his weight,” notes Pillman. LaFon puts Williams away at 4:03. DUD

Sunny is out to host Sunny Undercover, with her usual rumor milling. She notes that ‘sunny days’ may be ahead for the Hart Foundation. Yeah

BUExperience: I’m really enjoying Pillman as a color commentator. Not much else of note here, though.