WWF Friday Night's Main Event (September 5, 1997)

 

Original Airdate: September 5, 1997 (taped August 23)

From Chicago, Illinois; Your Hosts are Jim Ross and Dok Hendrix

Owen Hart v Patriot: They feel each other out to start, controlled by Patriot. Owen wins a criss cross with a spinheel kick to gain control, and he goes to work on the leg. Hart with a bodyslam to set up a 2nd rope elbowdrop for two, and a missile dropkick is worth two. Sharpshooter to finish, but Patriot manages to block, and comes back with a powerslam. Patriot with a series of punches, and he lands a dropkick. Patriot keeps coming with a corner whip, and he delivers a clothesline on the rebound. A side suplex gets him two, but Hart blocks a vertical suplex, and throws a leg-feed enzuigiri. Hart goes upstairs again, but Patriot slams him off this time, so Davey Boy Smith runs in for the DQ at 7:21. Bret Hart hits the ring moments later, and the three heels destroy Patriot, until Vader is able to make the save. ¾*

Earlier this week, Commissioner Slaughter announced that Steve Austin’s wrestling license is suspended for medical reasons

Earlier this week, an unnamed reporter showed up at Austin’s hunting lodge to get comments on the suspension, which he thinks is bullshit. He also doesn’t appreciate the care package the WWF sent him, but he’s not suing anybody, he’s coming for revenge

Davey Boy Smith v Dude Love: Davey’s WWF European title is not on the line. Bulldog attacks on the floor as Dude is having a chat with Jim Ross, and Davey unloads on him with weapons out there. Inside, Smith uses a cross corner whip to rattle the ring, and a second corner whip gives the posts an encore. Backdrop, but Dude blocks, and he hammers Smith into the corner, but hits a boot on a charge. That allows Smith a straddling ropechoke, but Dude finds a sleeper to buy time. Bulldog fights free, but hits an elbow on a charge, and Dude makes a lateral press for two. Another sleeper, but Bulldog dumps him to the outside to escape, and sends Love into the guardrail out there. Bulldog adds a whip into the steps out there, and a legdrop gets him two on the way back in. Chinlock, but Love fights free, and drops him with a jawbreaker. Dude with a series of turnbuckle smashes for two as he goes on the comeback trail, and a swinging neckbreaker leads to the double-arm DDT - only for Owen Hart to run in for the DQ at 7:08. Not the best showing, but it was a simple TV match, nothing crazy. Afterwards, we get another Hart Foundation beat down on Dude, and Owen tells Austin to watch closely, because he’s going to break Love’s neck, just for him. But, before they can deliver a spike piledriver, the Legion of Doom make the save. ¾*

Goldust/Brian Pillman feud review video

Backstage, Sunny catches up with Brian Pillman, who is full of bravado for Marlena, but notes that he’s ‘no taskmasker,’ so it won’t be all dungeons and stuff. Tremendous

Ross brings WWF Champion Bret Hart out to talk about his title defense against Patriot at In Your House

Backstage, Sunny catches up with Rick Rude, who is playing coy about who he works for and what he’ll be doing at In Your House

More from Austin’s ranch, where he shoots arrows at pictures of Owen Hart

Undertaker v Hunter Hearst Helmsley: Hunter tries evading him in the early going, but gets caught in the corner, and wrecked. Clothesline sends HHH over the top, so he suckers Undertaker into a chase, and steals the high ground. He tries capitalizing with a backdrop, but Undertaker counters with a matslam, and he violently dumps him over the top, as Rick Rude shows up at ringside. The distraction allows HHH to sneak attack, and he dominates for a bit. Corner charge hits boot, however, and Undertaker blasts him with a clothesline. Jumping clothesline finds the mark, allowing Undertaker to start working the arm, and he delivers a ropewalk forearm. Legdrop gets two, so Chyna and Rude distract him, and then Shawn Michaels just runs in for the blatant attack for the DQ at 4:33. Man, the parade of terrible finishes continues. And they’re all exactly the same! This was just a quickie TV match to build the Undertaker/Michaels main event for Ground Zero. ½*

Outside, Sunny catches up with Shawn Michaels as he hightails it out of the building, but Shawn is feeling good about In Your House, because he’s made Undertaker bleed, and therefore he’s found a weakness

The Legion of Doom v Jesus Castillo and Jose Estrada Jr: Both teams brawl, until the Godwinns show up, and it all turns into a mess at 2:16, with no winners announced. And the brawl continues, as the Disciples of Apocalypse show up, and it’s another big fight at the end of the a match, like everything else thus far tonight. DUD

Patriot hype video, giving us a look at his football background. I get wanting to introduce him to the audience a bit more, but no one cares about his football history. Luckily, they quickly transition to his wrestling career in Japan, and we even get footage

Ahmed Johnson recently hung out with LL Cool J. For the kids

Ken Shamrock v Salvatore Sincere: Shamrock puts him away with the anklelock at 5:16. They tried to make this look competitive, but who are they kidding? ¼*

Scott Putski v Steve Casey: Both guys look like they grew up idolizing Ultimate Warrior. Putski with the Polish hammer at 3:46. ¼*

Backstage, Sunny catches up with Paul Bearer, who is ready to move on from Vader. He’s got his mind on Kane anyway

WWF tour ad

Handicap Match: Interrogator v Sonny Rogers and Jerry Fox: Quick work here at 2:07. DUD

The Stridex Triple Action is Shamrock delivering a powerslam, rana, and anklelock against Sincere earlier

BUExperience: Terrible show. And I still don’t get why so many workers loved working at the Rosemont Horizon back in the day, the crowd always feels so dead and the atmosphere is always so drab.