WWF Shotgun Saturday Night (June 28, 1997)

 

Original Airdate: June 28, 1997 (taped June 23)

From Detroit, Michigan; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Brian Pillman

We open with a memorial graphic for Stan Stasiak, who passed away on June 19. Feels like a really long time to wait for a memorial graphic

Owen Hart v Goldust: The WWF Intercontinental title is not on the line here. Goldust with a pair of shoulderblocks, each for a two count early on, so Owen backs off. They square off again, and Hart gets an overhead wristlock on, as Ross discusses the ‘rowdy’ crowd that are chanting ‘Pillman sucks.’ Brian gets upset and storms off for a bit, as Owen holds a hammerlock, but Goldust reverses. That draws Bret Hart down to ringside, and Owen slugs Goldust in the corner. Cross corner whip, but Goldust reverses, and backdrops Owen on the rebound. Goldust with an armdrag into an armbar, but Owen forces a criss cross, only to lose it. Goldust gets distracted by Bret, allowing Owen a clothesline, and a legdrop for two. Backdrop, but he telegraphs it, and Goldust blocks. That allows Goldust a turnbuckle smash and a bulldog, so Bret hops onto the apron. That gets Goldust’s attention, and allows Owen to sneak up with a spinheel kick at 6:05. Two strong workers, but this was pretty dull. ½*

The Headbangers appeared on a local newscast this morning. As guests, not subjects

The Headbangers v Crush and Chainz: The DOA attack to kickstart things, and the dust settles on Thrasher and Chainz, as Pillman nearly starts a brawl with a fan behind the commentary table. The Headbangers get control on Chainz, and go to work. The DOA turn the tide, and work Mosh over, as Pillman continues to get into it with the fan. It turns into a brawl (between the wrestlers, not Brian and the fan), and DOA hit a combo for the pin at 7:02. This felt endless. DUD

Vince McMahon brings Mankind out to make his case to replace Shawn Michaels as Steve Austin’s tag team partner 

Triple Threat match ad. Yes, it’s an ad noting that this new match type will be coming to an arena near you. I’ve never seen that particular ad, and it’s wild that they were advertising a match type over any particular workers involved 

Jesse James v Brooklyn Brawler: Pillman is still teasing a brawl with the obnoxious fan, and I really wish he’d just hit him at this point. Jesse with a pumphandle-slam at 2:22. Afterwards, Pillman finally has enough, and drags the fan over the guardrail, and beats the hell out of him with a pencil and a chair. Well, finally. DUD

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Interrogator, Recon, and Tank v Gene Miller, Al Brown, and Terry Richards: Those are three truly horrible jobber names. Commandant split screens in here, and I have no idea why Bret Hart supposedly thought this would get over in 1997. Might work in 2025, though. I completely forgot about Tank (Mantaur, under a mask), who only lasted for a couple of matches. I’m surprised there wasn’t a rumor that he and Golga were the same guy, especially considering how Interrogator became part of the Oddities. The Truth Commission get the win at 4:05. DUD

BUExperience: There were aspects of this that were okay, but it wasn’t worth a watch overall.