WWF LiveWire (November 23, 1996)

 

Original Airdate: November 23, 1996

Your Hosts are Vince McMahon and Sunny from the control center

Tough Man Contest: Steve Austin v Mankind: From Monday Night RAW on November 18 in New Haven Connecticut. This is supposed to be Austin/Vader, but Vader got hurt at Survivor Series the night before (which they openly acknowledge), so we get this instead. Kind of a weird pairing, considering both were heels, and didn't really have any interaction before. Mankind attacks from behind during the entrances, and they brawl up the aisle before the bell even sounds. A bunch of officials run out to try and pull them apart so we can start the match officially, but they're swinging wildly, and some referees get dropped in the crossfire. They keep brawling around ringside, where Austin gets whipped into the steps, and now even Paul Bearer is trying to break things up. If Pat Patterson in his best Cosby sweater can't do it, no one can, Paul. They finally head into the ring to officially kick it off, and Austin immediately stomps a mud hole, and sends Mankind back to the outside. Steve dives off the apron with an axehandle, but loses a slugfest, and eats steps again. Inside, Mankind chokes him down in the corner, but it backfires when Steve comes barreling at him with a clothesline, followed by mounted punches. Right hand sends Mankind back to the outside, so he grabs a chair, but Steve kicks it away from him. Austin tries using the chair, but the referee cuts him off, so he decides to whip Mankind into the guardrail instead, in violent fashion. Inside, Mankind slaps on the Mandible Claw, but Austin is ready with a kick to the balls to shake him off. He goes up to the middle for an axehandle, but Mankind gutpunches him to blow, and he chokes him down in the corner again. Guillotine legdrop takes us back to the outside, where Mankind drops Steve across the rail, but Austin beats the count to the apron. He tries a suplex over the top, but Mankind reverses him back into the ring, and adds a swinging neckbreaker. Legdrop follows, so Austin tries a sleeper to hang on, but Mankind fights him off in the corner. Steve tries another charge, but Mankind is ready with his own clothesline this time. Piledriver, so Steve tries a backdrop over the top, but Mankind lands on the apron, and drops Steve throat-first across the top rope. Mankind goes upstairs, but Austin slams him off the top, and puts the boots to him for good measure. Right hand sends Mankind to the outside, where Steve drops him across the rail, and back in we go. Snapmare sets up a 2nd rope pointed elbowdrop for two - in the first cover of the match. Steve unloads in the corner until Mankind falls through the ropes to the outside, so Executioner runs in to attack Austin for the DQ at 11:01 bell-to-bell, and about 13:40 total. I have specific memories of seeing this match on live TV, and it was really crazy and unique for a 1996 RAW, no question. A really fun brawl that holds up well today too, though with a terrible finish. It's forgivable enough for TV, but still. Afterwards, Mankind and Executioner beat Austin down, until Undertaker runs in to make the save! But before we can book that awesome tag match for next week, Austin thanks Undertaker for the assist by clotheslining him over the top, so I guess it ain't happening. *** ¼ 

“Can you imagine? The Undertaker one-on-one against Steve Austin?!” asks Vince. Yeah, can’t even 

Todd Pettengill calls in, stuck in traffic. He’s running late because ‘New Jersey was closed,’ but he’s in the parking lot, and on his way up. “Cool,” says Sunny. “Yeah, way cool” old McMahon follows

Andrew calls in from Ohio, hoping that Shawn Michaels gets a rematch with Sycho Sid. Andrew thinks that Shawn is the best wrestler in the WWF, which immediately endears Andy to Vince (who has already spent a bunch of time defending his Boy Toy)

Mike calls in from Connecticut, inviting Vince to come on his wrestling talk show. “I’d be delighted,” answers McMahon. I’m going to go ahead and guess that Mike never heard from Vince again in his life

Dominick calls in from New York, and wants RAW to go live every week. Also, he wants the silly gimmicks to go away. Vince wonders if Dominick is associated with Jim Ross, so Dominick tells him to ‘put Bruno Sammartino in the Hall of Fame.’ This is incredible

Chuck calls from Florida, and thinks Sid’s title win was ‘dark.’ Sunny thinks that Bret Hart returning is ‘filling a dark void.’ I’m leaving that there

Survivor Series Top Rope Championship Plaque ad

From RAW, Jim Ross brings WWF Champion Sycho Sid out for an in-ring interview to close the show, since I guess that's what Nitro's been doing for their main events lately, and it seems to be working for them. Anyway, Sid offers no remorse for what happened to Jose Lothario, and we're lucky Vince sent Ross in to do this, or else we'd see McMahon break down crying right now. So Sid's first challenger will be new top contender Bret Hart at In Your House next month - or as Sid calls him 'Bretman Hitman.' Sid + live mics = awesome. Every time

David calls from Oklahoma, wondering if Sunny might consider managing Bret. She talks about the void again

Mark calls from New York, saying that he predicted Bret will beat Stone Cold at Survivor Series. And that’s it, he just wants to let us know

Last Wednesday in San Antonio Texas, the WWF held a press conference to announce that the 1997 Royal Rumble will take place at the Alamodome

In Karate Fighters Holiday Tournament action, this week we have our final quarterfinal match, featuring Bob Backlund taking on Sunny. Unfortunately for ol' Bob, not even his BluBlockers can protect him from the smoldering hotness of 1996 Sunny, and he loses. Maybe if he had his sombrero next time

The Acclaim Slam of the Week is a mix of moves from Rocky Maivia, in his debut at Survivor Series

On RAW, Ahmed Johnson made his return, chasing Faarooq off, and swearing revenge for putting him on the shelf over the summer

Some guy calls in and says Sunny should ‘sit quietly and look pretty’ while he talks, so she hangs up on him

Some other guy calls in, thinking Faarooq is a ‘Mike Tyson wannabe’ 

Heartbreak Express tour ad

Vic Venom joins Todd and Sunny, and he thinks Survivor Series was the greatest pay per view he ever saw

Mike calls from New Jersey, wondering if Bret will defend the title against Austin if he beats Sid for it

Gary calls from Ohio, and thinks Austin has a big mouth

Sam calls from New York and thinks Sid is screwed against Bret, since Hart doesn’t have a manager that Sid can beat up on as a distraction 

Sunny shows off his pictorial in RAW Magazine to Todd, which offends Venom, who wants to talk about wrestling, not sex. I guess people can change

Don calls from Connecticut, and thinks Bret got lucky with a flash pin on Austin. Venom predicts that they will meet again, and that it will be a ‘classic’

BUExperience: Vince interacting with fans is never not entertaining.