WWF Shotgun Saturday Night (June 14, 1997)

 

Original Airdate: June 14, 1997 (taped June 9)

From Hartford, Connecticut; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Brian Pillman

Jim Neidhart v Jesse James: Neidhart pounds him early, as Ross notes that Jim won the anvil toss at the Calgary Stampede ‘a few years ago.’ A few? Didn’t that predate his WWF debut? That would be over twelve years before this, at least. Neidhart dominates, and dumps Jesse to the outside for the Hart Foundation to abuse. Inside, Jim holds a chinlock, as Ross talks about Shawn Michaels leaving the promotion, and making overtures to him. Jesse escapes, but runs into a knee, and Neidhart goes back to slowly hammering him. Neidhart works a Boston crab that goes nowhere, and a running powerslam finishes at 6:08. This was terrible, but Neidhart moving so slowly that he was almost going backwards, and a dead crowd. Jim wasn’t the best worker even in his prime, but he was an embarrassment by 1997. He deserved a role in the group, but not in the ring, and it really blows my mind that he got the WCW gig after this. -¼*

Vince McMahon brings Ahmed Johnson out, and the guy running the on screen graphics is having a fun time tonight, printing that Ahmed is ‘bilingual.’ Vince grills Ahmed on his actions at King of the Ring, and Johnson talks about how much he respects WWF Champion Undertaker. That draws Undertaker and Paul Bearer out, and Johnson clarifies that, while he respects Undertaker, he will ‘stomp his ass’ if Undertaker crosses him. They were making a try of it with Ahmed as the challenger for the next In Your House, though sadly injuries derailed it. Story of his life, poor guy. And, honestly, this one not only derailed this program, but basically Johnson’s career

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The Headbangers v Jerry Lawler and Rob Van Dam: Thrasher starts with RVD, as Pillman takes so many shots at ECW that Ross has to remind him that he performed there himself. The Headbangers double up on and dominate Rob, as the announcers move on to making fun of the USWA. This period was incredibly odd. Lawler gets the tag, and turns things around, as Ross stands up for ‘great guy’ Lance Russell on WWF TV. Only in 1997. The Headbangers go back to working on Van Dam, as Ross and Pillman continue to invent new ways to insult ECW. Van Dam makes a comeback, and looks to be close to putting it away, when Tommy Dreamer runs in for the DQ at 7:27. This was painfully dull. DUD

Henry Godwinn v Salvatore Sincere: The graphics guy strikes again, noting that Henry is a ‘pain in the neck.’ Posturing to start, and Henry launches him over the top with a hiptoss. Henry follows with a right hand on the outside, but Sincere clobbers him on the way back into the ring. Sincere tries a backdrop, but Godwinn counters with a matslam, and Henry unloads in the corner. Sincere manages a hangman clothesline, and he goes to work on Godwinn’s bad neck. Sincere with a pointed elbowdrop to the neck, and a corner whip follows, but a charge in misses. The timing on that was really bad. Henry with a clothesline, and the inverted DDT finishes at 3:59. Not good, but relatively short, at least. DUD

Scott Taylor v Steve Ramsey: Ross and Pillman get into a weird exchange about Howard Finkel here, one that is so odd that I won’t even touch it. Brian then moves on to discussing his opinions on immigration. This show has been terrible, but at least the commentary has been consistently entertaining. Next: they talk about Tony Randall’s cock. No, really. Taylor with a flying DDT at 3:08. ¼*

BUExperience: This was one of the worst episodes. Just dull and with a dead crowd, to boot. I’m kind of surprised, too, since this period was a pretty hot one in general.