Matt's Classic RAW Review 1.13.97

[The Stats Man]

Aired: January 13th, 1997
Taped: December 30th, 1996 Albany, New York
Pepsi Arena
Attendance: 6,855
Neilsen Rating: 2.3

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We start off with a recap of Pyscho Sid's attack on Pete Lothario at the end of last weeks RAW. Vince tells us that it tore the hearts out of the entire Lothario family, then adds that Shawn Michaels will speak to us live from San Antonio and plugs the Royal Rumble in six days. He tells us that Bret Hart has his eyes on winning the Rumble, but Steve Austin has his eyes on Bret Hart. They revisit an Austin attack on The Hitman from WWF Superstars and asks if Bret Hart is down for the count----we'll find out tonight on MONDAY NIGHT RAW."


1) WWF Intercontinental Champion Hunter Heart Helmsley and Jerry Lawler vs Marc Mero and Goldust

The Intercontinental Champion, Hunter Hearst Helmsley makes his way out first. Then Mero, Lawler, and Goldust, with Marlena at his side. Goldust looks very serious tonight. He power walks towards the ring and takes off the blonde wig, dropping it to the ground and sprinting towards the ring. He slides under the bottom rope and goes right for Helmsley! The bell sounds at 3:13 and we're under way! Both teams start in the ring as Goldust drives Helmsley to the corner, and Mero buries King with lefts and rights. Hunter bails and tries to escape Goldust and the ref stops Goldust from getting to him. Goldust argues with the ref as King and Hunter talk on the outside.

Mero and King start as the legal men. King off the ropes, and Mero flips Lawler over his back with a low back body drop. King groans in pain and scampers to tag Helmsley. Referee didn't see it, and forces King to stay in the match. They circle around each other, and King tells the crowd to quiet down. Crowd doesn't listen as they start to yell loudly, King places his hands on his head in aggravation. Mero and King lock up in a one handed test of strength. King throws a punch, Mero lets go. Mero throws his own hook and knocks King down. Vince correlates getting punched by Mero is equivalent to getting punched by Sugar Ray Leonard.

Honkey Tonk asks what Mero is attempting because this isn't a boxing match. He said closed fists are illegal. King locks up Mero from behind, as Hunter gets in the ring. He throws a hard right hand, Mero ducks and Hunter connects with King! Mero chases Helmsley outside the ring by kicking him. After some regrouping from HHH and Lawler, Mero and King are back in the ring and they lock up. Mero pushes King toward his own corner, and King makes the tag as he's being held against the rope. Hunter ducks under the top rope as Goldust rushes into the ring, head strong at Helmsley. Helmsley bails again as the referee restrains Goldust and forces him back to his own corner.

Vince asks us if we can only wonder Goldust will do to Helmsley at the Royal Rumble this Sunday. Vince reminds us that Undertaker will take on Crush in the main event tonight. We will also see Rocky Maivia against the British Bulldog, in addition to that also Shawn Michaels interview! Helmsley in. Hunter kicks Mero in the gut and sends his head into the turnbuckle. Helmsley slaps Mero and whips him into the opposite turnbuckle. Helmsley charges, Mero moves, and Helmsley misses. Helmsley turns around and runs at Mero again, but is back body dropped as Mero tags in Goldust! Helmsley crawls quickly to his corner and tags in King. Goldust snaps at Hunter and tells him to get in the ring. Vince mentions that there will be no running come the Rumble, and asks if Goldust can win the Intercontinental Title or lose control. Honkey Tonk tells us that Goldust will keep his cool like OJ Simpson did at his trial.

King drives Goldust into the corner, as both men exchange lefts and rights. King tells Helmsley to lift his boot to he can run Goldust's head into it. Goldust reverses and King goes face first into Helmsley's boot! Goldust slams Helmsley and King into a double coconut! King and Helmsley go to the outside and regroup. Goldust tags Mero, and King gets in the ring. Mero throws King in a headlock as King fights his way towards his corner. The ref checks on King to make sure it wasn't a choke, as Helmsley attacks Mero from behind with a headlock from the apron and a forearm across the chest. He begins to punch Mero repeatedly from the apron, and the ref starts a five count. King holds Mero back, and Hunter runs and throws a hard punch at Mero from the apron. King tags Helmsley as they dig into Mero in their corner.

Hunter walks towards Goldust, taunting him. The referee gets in between them, as King chokes Mero in the corner. Shameless. Hunter comes back and sends the boots to Mero and whips him off the ropes. He sends him down with a hard punch. Helmsley tags King. King taunts Goldust as Helmsley chokes Mero behind the referees back. Lawler lifts Mero in a suplex and drops him flat on his back. Mero crawls towards Goldust and makes the tag. King throws out his hand and runs towards Helmsley. Hunter wants no part in the action and bails off the apron.

Goldust throws punches at King. King throws punches at Goldust. King locks up with Goldust from behind. This draws Helmsley into the ring as he tries to punch Goldust who's being held by Lawler-- No! Helmsley accidentally punches King!!! Goldust turns around and starts wailing away on Helmsley as the crowd explodes. The referee breaks it up as Hunter is not the legal man. King comes from behind with a punch to the kidneys and drives Goldust to a neutral corner. Goldust manages to escape the quick fury and crawl to Mero and makes a tag. Mero jumps in the ring and chases King towards the corner with left and rights. Vince tells us everyone steps up their effort a gear or two, or three or five heading into the Rumble.

King gets whipped off the ropes and yells for Helmsley to make a tag. Mero kicks King in the gut as he falls down and scampers towards Helmsley. Lawler makes the tag as they quickly discuss some strategy. Helmsley whips Mero off the ropes and King pulls down the top rope as Mero takes a spill. Helmsley chases him to the outside as he sends a hard right punch into Mero's face. King slugs Mero with a hard right as we take a commercial break

We come back as Helmsley is in the ring with Mero as Helmsley drives Mero into the corner and sends punches and kicks. He irish whips him into the opposite corner and charges. Helmsley catches a boot to the face! Out of desperation Hunter throws a punch and knocks Mero back. He whips Mero off the ropes and Mero reverses with a head scissors takedown! Both men down for a five count. Mero makes it to Goldust and makes a tag! The crowd explodes again as Goldust wastes little time in taking Helmsley to the mat and begins to beat him down with right jabs to the face! He sends about twenty punches in ten seconds. Vince says Goldust aught to be careful that he could be disqualified for repetitively punching Hunter on the mat.

Goldust gets up and sends Lawler off the apron with a swinging right, he turns his attention back to Hunter as Vince asks what kind of mind set Goldust is in right now. Honky Tonk tells us that he doesn't care if he's disqualified. Honky adds that at the Rumble Goldust has nothing to lose in the Intercontinental Title match, and so he is very dangerous. Goldust sends Hunter off the ropes and drops him with a hard diving clothesline! Goldust back on top of Helmsley and begins a flurry of right hands again. The referee starts a five count as Goldust stops. Hunter to his feet, Goldust off the ropes and he drops to his knees. Hunter tries to punch him, but hits a THROAT THRUST from his knees! Hunter falls back and gets his arms crucified in the top and middle ropes! Goldust smiles and stalks Hunter. He jumps on top of him and begins choking him. The referee tries to break it up. Goldust continues to choke Helmsley who is defenseless. King gets in the ring and tries to pull Goldust off, but he continues to throttle Hunter. Mero gets in the ring, but no one can stop Goldust as he is a man possessed to inflict pain and punishment on Hunter Hearst Helmsley. The bell rings as the referee has disqualified Goldust.

Winners via disqualification at 11:24+commercial: Hunter Hearst Helmsley and Jerry Lawler


Goldust releases Helmsley after a good five or so more seconds of choking him. Mero turns Goldust around and Goldust sends Mero to the mat with a left hook! Helmsley escapes the twisted ropes and drops to the outside grabbing at his neck. Vince mentioned that Goldust has softened Helmsley up for the title match on Sunday. Goldust paces around the ring.


Rating: 2.0[/color]. Hunter played a scared champion in the best performance he could. Goldust was awesome playing the determined challenger, hell bent on getting revenge on Hunter assaulting his wife ten days ago. It lasted five more minutes than it should have though. Could have chopped out a few repetitive sequences here.


We get a shot of Shawn Michaels at Park Place in San Antonio, and Vince tells us that later we will visit with the Heartbreak Kid, but earlier today Psycho Sid was in the AlamoDome and he had some things to say to Shawn Michaels. Sid starts by bringing us back to ancient Greece, a Greek philosopher claimed that in the act of finding monsters in the procedure, make sure that you do not become a monster yourself. He says that in the AlamoDome, he will have to feed a monster to take what is his, to walk out the champion. He says Shawn Michaels is thinking the same thing. Sid says as the battle progresses he will have Shawn Michaels by his throat. He says the look Michaels will give him, will be obvious. For at ringside will be Michael's mother, and she will see it. And Jose Lothario will see the look and he will know too. He says all of Shawn Michael's friends will see the look on his face too. He says Jose Lothario will summon all the Mexican's from Mexico and they will all be there, all along the top, and there they will be. There will be 50,000 of them, and even they will know that look too...
He says that look will say it all. He says that look will say "Sid, you are the master... and the ruler... of the world. Sid starts to laugh sadistically as the promo fades out.


Delivery: 4.0 (Awesome promo. It was sick and twisted, and got to the point and ended strong. Loved it.)
Purpose: 4.0 (Sid wanted us all to know that even home town advantages aren't always advantages when you're staring down the barrel of a gun, and everyone you know gets to watch you suffer.)
Reasoning: 4.0 (Established that Sid wouldn't let the crowd get to him. He'd used it to his advantage in destroying Shawn Michaels at The Rumble. Excellent.)

Total Rating: 4.0[/color]


Vince welcomes us back amd takes us to Park Place in San Antonio where Shawn Michaels has a dozen fans behind him. He tells us that Sid speaks of bringing out the monster, but that he may be bigger and stronger than the Heartbreak Kid, but he doesn't scare him. Shawn says that he'll get down and dirty, he'll get in the gutter with Psycho. He says that's the way they do it in Texas; they can be nice or they can kick you straight in the teeth. He says Sid took out his rath on the Lothario's because they were defenseless. Michaels says that he's a man. HBK says at the Royal Rumble, Sid is going to go where no man wants to go. He says Sid is going to his hometown of San Antonio, in the AlamoDome where his high schools friends, family, and all these fans are going to be. HBK gets a good line in here when he says that Psycho Sid is the master and the ruler of the world, but after the Royal Rumble he will not be the WWF Champion. He said he's going to kick his teeth down his throat and he'll be looking at them the next morning in his stool sample. The fans cheer.

Vince asks "It's not likely, but, what if... just what if you fail on Sunday? What happens to the Heartbreak Kid then?"
Michaels cuts him off, and he says he will not fail. He said the pressure has been on his shoulders for the past two years. He said he's delivered better than the US postal service! He says he is the man, and the one leader of the New Generation whether anyone likes it or not. He says the road starts here, and it begins in San Antonio!


Delivery: 3.5 (Great stuff, but two problems. He repeated himself with the "kicking teeth down his throat", and he was clearly reading off the teleprompter as his eyes darted down on a more than regular basis. C'mon, prepare just a little bit better for your taped segments, both from a professional and believable standpoint.)
Purpose: 4.0 (This feud is hot and all we've heard is talking. They tried to convey that the AlamoDome will be an advantage to Shawn Michaels and the people will be behind him 100%.)
Reasoning: 2.0 (I didn't hear much more that I haven't already. Knocked a couple points off.)

Total Rating: 3.2[/color]


Bret Hart comes to join the commentary team. Hart is limping, and Honkeytonk Man says that the second greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time is walking on a limp leg. Flashback to last nights edition of Superstars where Bret Hart was finishing a match, and Steve Austion attacks him from behind. Austin wraps a chair around Hart's ankle and jumps off the middle turnbuckle and contorts Hart's ankle between the folding metal. Vince says regardless of an injured ankle, Bret Hart will be competing in the Royal Rumble, and Hart walks to the commentary booth while we go to commercial


We're back with a flashback to Shotgun after the Fake Diesel/Marc Mero match, where Mero argues with Sable after the match. The Honkeytonk Man gets in the ring to try and cheer up Sable, but she has none of it and Rocky Maivia gets in the ring and comforts her. Moments later, Marc gets back in the ring and takes Sable away from Maivia and confronts him with a shove.


2) British Bulldog vs Rocky Maivia

The young Rocky Maivia makes his way out to challenge Bulldog who's already in the ring. Vince asks Bret what he thinks of the very young superstar and Bret tells us he thinks he is one of the best rising superstars in the business today. Hart says Rocky has the pedigree and bloodline to compete in this business because he's a third generation superstar.

Maivia and Bulldog circle around each other to start at 24:36, they lock up and Bulldog shoves him off and throws his arms up to stroke his ego. Vince asks Bret if anyone can throw him out of the Rumble. Bret says that he doesn't think so, but anyone can try. McMahon comments that Austin is a threat to Bret in the Rumble, and Bret doesn't think so. Maivia gets up and they circle and lock up again. Bulldog with an arm wringer. Rocky counters with an arm drag and Bulldog snaps up but grabs at his back. McMahon asks Bret what he thinks of the tactic Austin tried to use by injuring his ankle, and Hart comments that Austin thinks there are no rules in the WWF, and that's fine because if it's going to be anarchy, he'll do the same exact thing.

Rocky and Bulldog lock up, Maivia into a quick headlock and irish whip. He drops Bulldog with a shoulderblock and Vince says our future people's champ may not be as strong as the Bulldog but he's more agile and that might come in to play tonight. Rock steps over Bulldog goes off the ropes, Bulldog catches him in an attempted belly to belly, but Rock turns him inside out with another arm drag. Bullog up, and Bulldog down with a snap arm drag right into a shoulder lock by Maivia. Rocky twists but Bulldog doesn't give up, and reaches the ropes causing a break. After another second of circling, Bulldog gets Rock in a side headlock and drops down for leverage. Bret was commenting about Rock's father, Rocky Johnson, and says that Maivia's father and grandfather were great, great wrestlers in their day. Honkey cuts off Bret and tells the Hitman Maivia may be on his list when HonkeyTonk names the next great superstar in the business today.

Back in the ring, Rocky off the ropes, shoulderblock by Bulldog but Rocky kickflips up. Bulldog with a missed lariat, jumps off the ropes, Rocky leapfrogs Davey Boy, and brings him down with the fifth arm drag of the match. Bulldog up, and Bulldog down when Rock hits him out of the ring with a feint dropkick. Smith gathers his thoughts on the outside and thinks about leaving. His manager talks him out of it in the entrance ramp. Bulldog paces around before getting back in the ring, and they circle again. Rocky into an armwringer, and sends an elbow into Bulldogs exposed rotator cuff. Maivia turns up the pressure by twisting Bulldogs wrist some, and Bulldog winces. Here comes Owen Hart.The camera watches the Black Hart, as Bulldog fights over the armwringer and throws Rocky outside and takes chase. Rocky goes face first into the ringsteps. Owen jars with Bret near the commentary booth and keeps his brother in check as we go to commercial.

After the break, we're back to Bulldog pummeling Rocky on the ring apron, and Vince claims that Rocky's lack of experience is costing him the advantage. Owen and Bret talk a little bit more, as Rocky stands up and kicks Bulldog in the gut from the outside. Maivia launches himself into the ring and rolls up Bulldog with a springboard sunsetflip pin from the apron into the ring! Crowd makes some noise, as Maivia gets two and a half! Dog escapes the pin, and levels Rocky with a hard clothesline! After some posing, Bulldog snapmares Rock to the mat and slaps on a headlock. It's locked in about a minute before Rock builds some momentum and gets up and drives elbows into Bulldogs ribcage to try to escape which he does and bounces off the ropes. Maivia jumps into a flying body press and gets a two count! Bulldog counters an offensive strike by Maivia and brings him up into a vertical suplex, stalls, and drives the young superstar back first into the mat as Vince gets excited. Bulldog poses.

Bulldog hits a legdrop, but gets a two count in a pin attempt. Bulldog argues with the referee and locks Rock in a second headlock which Rocky escapes again and jumps off the ropes. Both men collide in the middle of the ring from dual shoulderblocks. They take a few moments to get to their feet, and Bulldog throws a punch which Rocky blocks. Rock smacks Bulldog. Bulldog tries another punch, which Rocky blocks and slaps Bulldog again! Bulldog tries for a third, but is blocked as Rocky drops into the theatrics and nails the haymaker. Vince says he is channeling his father, shades of "The Soulman". Rock hits some quick clotheslines which drop Bulldog against the far ropes, as Rocky rumns full speed and knocks Bulldog outside the ring. The energy of Maivia carries both men outside. Bulldog throws Maivia into the steel barricade as STEVE AUSTIN STRIKES BULLDOG FROM BEHIND!

Austin drops Bulldog with a Stunner, as Bret starts to take chase, Owen chases Bret, and all three men run backstage. The referee has started a ten count with Rocky Maivia and the British Bulldog down on the outside. He reaches nine as Maivia rolls in the ring and gets the win via countout.

Winner by countout at 8:00+commercial: Rocky Maivia!


Rating: 1.5[/color] A bit slow. I felt this was a flop of a match and waste of over 12 minutes that didn't really achieve anything for either superstar in the match.


Backstage we get a word from Faarooq and his Nation of Domination. Vince McMahon asks Faarooq if this Sunday will it be every man for himself, and Faarooq tells us that it will not, because in order to have a nation, you need to be united. Vince asks Crush what he thinks about taking on the Undertaker later on tonight in the main event. Crush replies that he will do whatever it takes to succeed in the main event, any means necessary. Crush adds that he will dominate tonight.


The lights go out. Vince freaks out, as the gong strikes. The crowd cheers, and Vince introduces the man from the dark side, the Undertaker! Vince plugs Vader targeting Undertaker in the Rumble, and we fade to commercial.


3) Undertaker vs Crush

Nation makes their way out as we come back with PG-13 rapping as escorts. Undertaker meets the Nation in the aisle and takes out three or four guys at once. He finds Crush and sends him face first into the steel ring steps and Crush goes down in a heap! The bell rings at 37:29.

Taker stares down Faarooq on the outside before sliding into the ring and is met with a barrage of kicks and a headbutt by Crush. Crush sends Taker off the ropes, and Taker counters with a falling DDT. He powerslams Crush, and nails a legdrop in the middle of the ring. Both men up, and Taker sends Crush head first into the turnbuckle, risih whip into the opposite side, and sends a rebounding Crush down with a clothesline! This has been all Deadman so far and it looks to get worse as we get an armwringer from Taker as he ascends to the top rope and attempts Old School, but Faarooq trips Undertaker, as he crotches himself!!! Crush tries to take advantage but is back body dropped out of the ring! Undertaker attempts to lift Crush up by his ears from the ground into the ring, but Crush falls away and chokes Undertaker throat first across the rope.

Crush attempts to get something going after he gets in the ring by sending soupbones into Undertakers stomach in the corner. Crush whips Taker into the opposite corner and charges, but is met with a big boot. Vince plugs Faarooq against Ahmed Johnson at the Royal Rumble. Crush off the ropes, Undertaker tries to backtoss but Crush instantaniously crushes Undertaker with a spike piledriver! Crush targets Taker's head with some elbow drops and rolls his opponent outside and drops him headfirst into the barricade. Crush sends Taker into the steps and brutalizes him with hard rights. He rolls the Phenom back into the ring and chokes him in the corner and the Undertaker falls to his knees and grabs his throat. They show Vader near the entrance area before fading to commercial.

We're back as Crush is manhandling the Undertaker now. Crush knocks the Undertake down and goes for a cheap pin, but Taker gets the shoulder up. Crush puts Undertaker into a rear chinlock. Taker tries to fight out, but gets scoop slammed. Crush goes up top and misses a diving fistdrop. Taker to his feet and whips Crush off the ropes. Crush misses a clothesline, and Undertaker nails a diving lariat splash! Undertaker tries to put Crush into the Tombstonme position, but Crush wriggles free and drops Undertaker with a belly to belly suplex. Crush takes his time and gathers his thoughts and then pounds his chest and throws out his arm as the Undertaker sits up! Crush tries to club Taker, but Taker gets to his feet and grabs Crush's throat. Crush crumples to the mat after the chokeslam and the Nation gets in the ring as the referee rings the bell to call for the disqualification.

Winner by disqualification at 8:48+commercial; Undertaker!


Rating: 2.5[/color] Started a little slow. I had a thought that it might be a quick match, but I actually enjoyed it


Show Rating: A

There wasn't a single pinfall on tonight's show after seeing three clean finishes last week. This was the go home RAW before the pay per view, and there was some decent build up during the show. Lots of comments about who will be strong going in with so many stars having injuries with only a week to go. If I had money, after watching these past two weeks of RAW, I want to see the Royal Rumble event from start to finish. There was some tremendous hype for every match on the card.

MVP: Goldust
Non-MVP: British Bulldog

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