WWF LiveWire (November 16, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: November 16, 1996

Your Hosts are Todd Pettengill and Sunny from the control center

Last Saturday in London England, Sunny represented the WWF in some sort of parade 

Steve Austin v Bob Holly: From Monday Night RAW on November 11 (taped October 21) in Fort Wayne Indiana. Feeling out process to start, as Bret Hart observes on a monitor backstage. Steve takes control with a hotshot to set up a 2nd rope pointed elbow for two, as Bret studies him. Steve uses a kneedrop before going to town with turnbuckle smashes, and cross corner whipping Bob. Holly manages to knock him down for a splash, but Austin gets the knees up to block, and he works a headlock. Holly slugs free, but runs into a Thesz-press as they criss cross. Austin unloads with mounted punches, but Bob counters with a sunset cradle for two, and manages a rana. Dropkick finds its mark for two, so Holly goes up with a dive, but Austin lifts his boot to block. That allows him to hit the Stunner, and Holly is done at 7:19. Solid action. Afterwards, Austin marches to the back to go look for Bret, though the backstage stuff is obviously pre-taped, because he's covered in water the same way he was in the pre-match promo. Anyway, he finds the room Bret is in, but the door is locked, so nothing happens. Really, that's it? Last week, you drove out to Kentucky and broke into a man's home simply because you perceived some minor disrespect, but now a little locked door is enough to send you packing? ** ¼

Jim Ross swings by, and thinks that Austin didn’t try harder to get his hands on Bret that night because he’d rather get paid to do it tomorrow at Survivor Series 

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Ross breaks down the Hart/Austin match, noting that both guys will likely try to win by submission, and teasing a possible added stipulation for the match (that never happened)

Johnny from New York calls in, predicting a win for Austin

Hank from Pennsylvania calls in, and he thinks Bret is going to win, because he knows how to deal with big guys, like Diesel and Yokozuna. What does that have to do with anything?

Sean calls in from New Jersey (was there a ‘Sean’ who called in every single week with this show?) and thinks that Austin reminds him of a young Bret Hart

Yesterday, on New York City radio, Bret put Austin over as a serious challenge, and hyped their match

WWF Champion Shawn Michaels is hanging out in the green room

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Craig calls from Florida, wondering why we’re supposed to be impressed by Austin, since ‘who has he beat.’ Ross counterpoints that Bret has been around a lot longer

Lou calls in from Washington, suggesting that Austin won’t be able to handle the pressure of a major pay per view match against the Hitman

Joe calls in from Ohio, and thinks Austin could win, because he was a big star in ECW. But, Joe thinks it’s going to end in a non-finish

A look at Rocky Maivia, ahead of his debut at Survivor Series 

Shawn is still chilling in the green room

In Karate Fighters Holiday Tournament action, this week it's Dok Hendrix taking on Sable, with Dok playing Karate Fighters like he's trying to show Sable how he motorboats, or something. Luckily he loses, so we never have to go through the trauma of watching Michael Hayes make any of those noises and/or faces ever again

Michaels recently stopped by to charm Regis and Kathie Lee

WWF Tag Team Title Match: Owen Hart and Davey Boy Smith v Shawn Michaels and Sycho Sid: From the November 11 RAW. Steve Austin split screens in during the entrances to cut a promo on Bret Hart, as Vince hastily apologizes for what happened last week, though neither mentions the gun angle specifically. Owen tries to Pearl Harbor Sid at the bell, but quickly eats a corner whip, followed by a matslam. Sid unloads with those softball pitches in the corner, but Owen turns the tables with a ten-punch, so Sid shoves him off. Hart is bumping all over the ring here. Over to Shawn with a flying axehandle, and he holds Hart in an armbar, but Owen forces a criss cross. Shawn gets the better of it with a monkeyflip, followed by a hiptoss, and Owen takes a clothesline over the top. He passes to Bulldog on the way back in, but Shawn armdrags him over, and passes to Sid. Sid throws kicks, but Davey fights him off with a hanging vertical suplex, only to miss a legdrop. Tag back to Shawn for a 2nd rope fist, but he takes a cheap shot from Owen while running the ropes, and the tag champs wishbone him. Hart with an inverted atomic drop as the champions cut the ring in half, and Vince gives us the hard sell for Survivor Series. Owen tries a flying bodypress to put it away, but Shawn rolls through for two, but is so disoriented that he falls into the heel corner while trying to dive for the tag. That allows the champs to double team, and Owen throws a spinheel kick for two. Suplex, but Shawn manages a small package for two, so Owen quickly traps him on the mat, and passes to Bulldog before Michaels can tag. More double teaming leaves Shawn in a heap, but Bulldog picks him up for Owen to missile dropkick - only for Hart to hit his own partner! That's finally enough to allow the hot tag to Sid, and Roseanne Barr the door! Chokeslam on Bulldog leads to the Powerbomb, but here comes Owen. That allows Smith to backdrop his way out of trouble, so Shawn launches a Superkick - only to hit Sid when Davey ducks! Bulldog falls on top of Sid as Owen neutralizes Michaels, and the champs retain at 11:52. Good stuff here, with exemplary heel tag psychology and smooth work from the champs, plus excellent timing on Shawn's part. Like his contemporary Bret Hart, he was a true expert at the timing and execution of hope spots. Afterwards, Owen gives Shawn a leg-feed enzuigiri for old times sake, leaving both babyfaces down and out in the ring. ***

Clips of Shawn filming Baywatch

Shawn also appeared on NY radio, and he’s just doing his best

Shawn is in the studio, and tries to psychoanalyze Bret. It’s only an hour long show, guy

Joel calls in from Alabama, wondering about Michaels’ training routine

Jennifer calls in from New Jersey, wondering if Shawn will give a title shot to the winner of the Hart/Austin match

Richard emails in, claiming that Shawn is afraid of Bret, since he never gave him a rematch

Mark calls in from New York, asking Shawn what the powerbomb feels like

Shawn names Bret as his ideal tag partner, despite their personal differences. Say what you will, but Michaels has been going out of his way to put Bret over throughout the show

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Robert calls in from New Jersey, wondering if Shawn can get a superkick off on Sid. Hasn’t he done that a million times already?

Mike in Texas wants to know what part of San Antonio Shawn is from, and hopes he’ll never go to WCW. Michaels notes that the WWF has him all locked down

Debbie calls in from California, asking what type of gum Shawn chews. Really hard hitting stuff this week

Shawn/Sid hype video

Shawn sexually harasses Sunny, and she looks genuinely uncomfortable here 

BUExperience: Lots of Survivor Series hype, but super mundane fan interaction here.