Matt's Classic RAW Review 1.20.97

[The Stats Man]

Aired: January 20th, 1997
Taped: January 20th, 1997 Beaumont, Texas
Ford Arena
Attendance: 4,864
Neilsen Rating: 2.2

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After the intro, we're shown stopped shots from last night's epic success, the 1997 Royal Rumble! Shawn Michaels used a ringside camera as a form of poetic justice, followed by Sweet Chin Music to claim the WWF Championship in front of the hometown crowd. To the Royal Rumble match, it seemed that Bret Hart had won his second Royal Rumble as Steve Austin was eliminated 26th, but the referees never saw him get eliminated. The Rattlesnake rolled back in the ring and threw Bret Hart over the top rope and was announced the winner. Vince tells us that the decision is up in the air, and the official winner will be decided by WWF President Gorilla Monsoon later on tonight!


Jim Ross is ringside to call tonight's RAW. JR discusses settling the dispute, and tells us that tonight is a huge night in RAW's history, where anything can happen, including tonight's main event between Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker!


Bret Hart makes his way out without music and in street clothes. Bret stares down Vince McMahon at ringside. He says that when he came back to the WWF, Vince promised him opportunities to succeed and he has not delivered so far. Hart says that when he signed his contract he was told he could have a match with Steve Austin, and if he beat Steve Austin, he would become the #1 contender. He asks Vince if he thinks it's convenient that during the match he had against Psycho Sid, Shawn Michaels was at ringside and he interfered causing blatant interference. He adds he doesn't think it's a coincidence either. Bret says that everyone told him it wasn't a big deal, because all he had to do was win the Royal Rumble, something he's already done, to get another shot. He said that last night it was very clear that he won the Royal Rumble. He sneers at Vince and says "So where is my opportunity?" in a very nice delivered line. He added that the way he sees it, he's been screwed by Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, the World Wrestling Federation, and he's been screwed by Vince McMahon. Hart collects himself and paces around the ring for a moment as you just now hear some "BRET! BRET! BRET!" chants. Hart goes back to looking at Vince, and says since it's clear that he's not going to get his opportunities,..... he's going to quit!


Bret throws down the microphone and exits the ring, brushing past Vince and making his way to the crowd. Vince badgers him not to do this and Bret walks out of the arena through the crowd. The crowd begins to chant "WE WANT BRET!" very loudly as he disappears from the cameras view.


Austin in the ring now speaking into a dead microphone. Provides high comedy for us watching at home who can't hear a word but he's going crazy yelled to the jammed packed arena. They tip him that it's not working, and he gets another one that doesn't work, but he doesn't know again until a few moments later and is tipped that this one isn't working either. He finally gets a third microphone from one of the announcers that is working and tells Bret that Stone Cold Steve Austin can belly ache with the best of them and to bring it on if that's how he wants to settle this. He tells everybody that all Bret has done since coming back is cry! He says the bottom line is that when the going gets tough, the Harts get going to a big pop from the crowd. Austin tells them to knock it off.

Austin tells Hart that he complains about nagged around, but he's at least been to the mountaintop. Austin said that he's been nagged around for seven years, and tonight he was supposed to face Psycho Sid and that some three hundred pound behemoth Gorilla Monsoon told him that Sid was at home with a concussion. Stone Cold says that Sid may be at home all beat up, with a black eye, a concussion, an ice pack, but he also has a yellow stripe down his back. So instead of Sid, he's supposed to face the Undertaker. He says why wait for the main event, bring out the Deadman right now because he ain't afraid of no one! He said that last night he threw the Undertaker over the top rope and if he wants to fight, right now he'll beat his ass again!


BRET HART segment:

Delivery: 2.0 (Hart was shaky at some points, but the Excellence of Execution never exactly cut the most charismatic interview ever. )
Purpose: 4.0 (I enjoyed it. It was a great way to kick off the show. In due time, Bret Hart will evolve to become of the companies biggest heels, and this sowed the seeds for decent by whining about everything.)
Reasoning: 4.0 (Bret Hart fans that ordered the pay per view deserved this opening to RAW after watching Bret Hart win the Rumble only for it to be taken away from him after it seemed Austin was eliminated plain and simple.)

Total Rating: 3.3[/color]


STEVE AUSTIN segment:

Delivery: 4.5 (Vintage Austin. He lit that microphone on fire, after he could find one that worked. I was getting excited listening to him go off I won't lie. After he turned his attention from Bret Hart, he talked down Psycho Sid, and then sold the entire 10 minute segment between both men by finishing on a very strong note by not backing down from the Undertaker. I loved the ending the most. I tacked on an extra half a point on top of being perfect for the sensationalism that provided.)
Purpose: 4.0 (Stone Cold Steve Austin is a bad ass. Nuff said.)
Reasoning: 3.5 (It built his character plenty, but I'm not sure he needed to chase out Bret, run down Sid, and then the Undertaker. He danced the line a lot, and having to tell the crowd to shut up because they were cheering, showed it.)

Total Rating: 4.0[/color]


We go to a commercial break and come back as "God Save The Queen" is playing. The WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and British Bulldog are welcomed to the ring in a non-title tag team match against Phil LaFon and Doug Furnas


1) WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and British Bulldog vs Phil LaFon and Doug Furnas
-Non Title-

Bell rings at 11:01 with armwringers and arm drags by both Owen and Phil to start us off. Owen ends the exchange by pulling Phil's hair and taking him to the mat. Phil kips up though, and grabs Owen's leg and barrels underneath him and flips Owen on his back with a one armed release firemans carry. LaFon puts Owen in a wristlock, turned hammerlock, into a side headlock takedown, which Owen easily rolls over into a pinning predicament, but only gets a one count. Both men up, and off the ropes, LaFon nails a standing shoulder block, LaFon grabs Owen off the mat, and Owen drops LaFon with a drop toe hold. Owen tried a one armed shoulder lock on the mat, but is flipped into another roll up, met with a two count. They get up, and LaFon turns Owen inside out with an arm twist but nails a standing hook kick and tags in Doug Furnas.

Furnas hits the ring fast, tackles Owen down, and scares Bulldog off the apron. Furnas turns back to Owen and flips backwards into a standing star press but connects with a dropkick midway through before landing on his own stomach. (Not sure if Owen messed that up or it was supposed to look that way, but it looked nice anyway.) Furnas goes for a pin, and gets two. Owen up, and Furnas gets him in a front waist lock before releasing him over his head in a snapping release belly to belly suplex that was almost 180 degrees. Furnas tries another pin and gets two and a half. Furnas off the ropes, Owen ducks down, and hits Furnas with a feint spinning heel kick and scrambles to tag the Bulldog. Bulldog lifts Furnas off the mat and is met with a FRAKENSTEINER! Excellent form. It gets a two on a pin and Bulldog gets out of the ring. The tag champs and Clarence Mason regroup on the outside and Furnas tags in Phil LaFon.

Bulldog drives LaFon into the teams corner and digs a shoulder in. The ref takes him away, and Owen Hart chokes out Phil LaFon from behind the referees back. LaFon comes out though and headbutts Bulldog, and drops him with a forward jawbreaker. LaFon goes for a random leg vine submission, which doesn't cause Bulldog to even flinch. LaFon releases the hold and drags Bulldog to the Furnas&LaFon corner, where he tags in Doug Furnas and together they wishbone the British Bulldog to the fans delight. Bulldog bounces off the ropes, Owen makes a blind tag and nails a missle dropkick to an unaware Doug Furnas which gets a two count. Owen Hart locks in a headlock as we go to commercial.

And back! The tag champs are making quick work of Doug Furnas who is still on the mat and getting worked over by Hart with kicks to the midsection. Owen goes the Sharpshooter, but Furnas forces himself out and kicks Owen backwards. JR tells us that Furnas is a world class power lifter. Furnas can't make the tag to his partner though and is dragged by his hair to the champs corner. Hart tags in Davey Boy and they try a double team clothesline, but Furnas ducks and pop goes the weasel, he takes down both men with a flying lariat! It takes a lot of Furnas who struggles to his knees and is inches away from tagging in LaFon, but is stopped by a last ditch effort by Owen Hart! The gassed Furnas is taken again to the corner and beaten down. Off the ropes again, Hart missed a clothesline and Furnas hits a diving body splash for a two count.

Owen goes to kick Furnas, but Furnas catches Owen's leg. ENZUGURI! Hart's boot cracks Furnas across the back of his skull and both men are down. Owen gets two and a half in a pin attempt and he complains to the ref. Furnas is on the mat still as Owen tags in Bulldog and Furnas gets a long vertical suplex by Smith. After a pin attempt, Bulldog tags Owen back in for a quick exchange. Hart drops Furnas with a snapmare into a headlock. A few seconds go by and the crowd urges Furnas to his feet. Doug tries to escapes the headlock with elbows to Hart's gut, and flies off the ropes. OWEN HART WITH A VICIOUS T-BONE SUPLEX! Owen climbs to the top and goes for a diving headbutt, but it's missed and Doug Furnas finally gets a tag to Phil LaFon as the crowd explodes!

Owen reaches Bulldog and the two fresh men run at each other. LaFon wins with a shoulder block, Bulldog off the ropes and LaFon flips him with a hiptoss. LaFon brings Owen into the ring and hits a spinning heel kick. LaFon quickly back to work on Bulldog and nails a snap suplex, off the ropes and jumps onto to Bulldog with a diving senton splash right into a pin. Unsuccessful with getting the win, LaFon nails Bulldog with a release northern lights suplex and gets another two count.

Bulldog messes up a DDT, and Ross tells us it was a very nice armbar takedown into a pin. Owen breaks it up and gets bounced out of the ring by a Doug Furnas hard shoulderblock. Owen flipped once and fell through the ropes. Phil LaFon off the ropes, gets tripped up by Owen Hart. The distraction causes LaFon to try and grab Owen on the outside, but Hart slams LaFon in the face with his Slammy trophy. LaFon stumbles back, and gets hit with a Running Powerslam for the three


Winners by pinfall at 12:44; Owen Hart and the British Bulldog[/color]


Rating:3.5[/color] Furnas and LaFon put on a great match, and was met by a great effort in performance and entertainment by the tag champs. A finish I didn't care for, but, it was fun nonetheless



2) Faarooq vs Bart Gunn

Bell sounds at 25:10. Side headlock followed by a shoulderblock for Faarooq. Gunn doesn't down long as he hits a nice hiptoss followed by a quick dropkick. Bart Gunn catches fire as he flips Faarooq with an arm drag takeover into a headlock. Out of the headlock, Bart Gunn features an arm wringer into a wrist lock into a very innovative take down I can only describe as a drop toe hold while holding on to the wristlock. Bart drops knees into Faarooqs shoulders and we fade to commercial.

When we get back it's a different story as Faarooq is now standing over Bart Gunn looking to inflict some damage. Bart Gunn comes off the ropes and tries a tornado DDT, but Faarooq has it scouted and Gunn goes back first into the mat with a whipping spinebuster. Pin gets two for the leader of the Nation, as he now chokes Bart Gunn throat first over the middle rope. The ref backs Faarooq off and condemns him for choking as members of the Nation begin to triple team a dazed Bart Gunn with left hooks.

The announcers plug the main event, and Jim Ross adds that you'll be able to watch it here live tonight, and not have to sit through Robin Hood. (The Monday Night Wars everyone!) Faarooq into a headlock, and he uses the ropes and members of the Nation surrounding the ring to create some leverage for a few moments. King relates this to being bitten by a snake because when you pick a snake up, you know it's a snake and it could bite you. King says that when Bart Gunn came out here, he knew the Nation would surround the ring.

Bart Gunn fights out and bounces off the ropes. Faarooq lowers his head and catches a boot to the face! Bart misses an elbow drop and Faarooq stomps Bart Gunn in the throat and tries a pin. He gets a one count. Faarooq into another headlock and he cinches it in and twists. He releases it just to drop Bart Gunn with a scoop slam and ascends to the top rope. Bart Gunn stands and moves from the attempted body splash and Faarooq crashes chest first into the mat. The crowd starts to cheer as Bart Gunn catches a back elbow and then two clotheslines which teeter Faarooq. Bart Gunn hits a bulldog and he goes for the pin! ONE! TWO! A member of the Nation puts Faarooq's foot on the ropes!

Bart Gunn dives outside and takes out several members of the Nation before falling to a double ax handle splash from behind from their leader. Crush mellowly rolls Bart Gunn into the ring and Faarooq finishes him off with a Dominator for the three count


Winner by pinfall at 8:17: Faarooq


Rating: 2.5[/color] Nice little match here. Nothing amazing, but it wasn't boring.


While the Nation exits, Jim Ross hypes the announcement concerning the end of the Royal Rumble match, as Vince McMahon and Gorilla Monsoon make their way through the exiting guerilla faction and towards the ring. JR tells us that the announcement is coming up next after the break!


We're back with the President and Chairman in the ring now. Gorilla tells us that they could not get Bret Hart to come back into the arena tonight and he understands why. A travesty was bestowed upon the Hitman at the end of the Rumble. He says the record books can not be changed and it will forever be known that the 1997 Royal Rumble winner was indeed Steve Austin because referees decisions can not be over turned here in the WWF. However... If Austin thinks that the way he won entitles him to a title match at Wrestlemania XIII, he has another thing coming!

Vince asks him what he plans on doing, and Monsoon announces that he has made the first ever No Disqualification Four Corners Elimination match to determine an undisputed #1 contender. He announces the first participant as The Undertaker and the crowd goes crazy! Monsoon says that the four guys will be the threepeople illegally eliminated by Steve Austin last night. Vader and Bret Hart. Steve Austin will try to defend his tainted win by being the fourth member. Monsoon and Vince shake hands and exits the ring and the crowd boos as Steve Austin makes his way down.

Austin confronts Monsoon who is now on the outside. He says Bret Hart can't be in the match on February the 16th because he quit. He asks if there is instant replay here in the WWF. He actually says "EH UH!". Austin on fire again as he tells Monsoon that he calls himself a gorilla, but all he hears is him hee-haw'ing like a jack-ass! He says there ain't no way he belongs in this match to earn a shot because he won the Rumble, but the bottom line is if that's what he has to do, that's what he'll do and when he's done kicking their ass, he'll toss Monsoon's ass around the arena! Austin drops to the outside and gets in Monsoon's face as Bret Hart careens from the crowd and dives into the ring, he says, he's accepts! They begin to brawl in the entrance ramp as officials and crew try to separate them and we go to commercial!


Delivery: 3.0 (Enjoyable, but actually a little slow. We get the main event for the pay per view announced, and Austin saying a couple words, but, I wasn't all that enthralled with it as a whole. [Monsoon has lost his touch just a little, non-sarcastically and it wouldn't be soon until he would leave us making sparse appearances here and there. ] Just wasn't up to par with what it could have been, so a lower rating.)
Purpose: 4.0 (What a huge match. The President delivered on his executive power to undo any injustice caused by cheating putting the final four men into an elimination match at the next PPV.)
Reasoning: 4.0 (This settled the debacle surrounding the Rumble and now suffices everyone involved in the end of the match.)

Total Rating: 3.6[/color]


The gong strikes as we come back from commercial and Undertaker runs down the aisle like a bat out of hell.


3) Undertaker vs Steve Austin

The bell sounds quick at 39:06 and Undertaker explodes on the Rattlesnake as they brawl on the outside! Austin digs in with boots inside the ring now, and bounces off the ropes. Taker up and slams Austins down with what would be a hairpull takedown if Austin had hair. Taker grabs Austin arm and hits Old School early! Austin is down. Undertaker beats down the Rattlesnake with clubbing blows and sends Austin into the ropes. Austin counters with a quick swinging neckbreaker to change the momentum but Undertaker sits up as the crowd cheers. Too bad Austin sends a boot to his face and bounces off the ropes. Taker is up and is sent down with a shoulderblock.

Austin sends some more boots after a failed pin, and falls into Undertakers face with an elbow and knee drop. Classic Austin there. Austin begins to beatdown the Undertaker, and chokes him on the middle rope. Couple moments go by and it's just jockeying for position, and Taker sends a back elbow to Austin's face. Austin relies on his persistence to take a little damage and comes right back. Austin jumps off the middle turnbuckle with a diving forearm and gets a two count. Undertaker spikes Austin in the throat and slams him down as Austin favors his neck and head. Undertaker stands over Austin and brings him up, but Austin drops him with a STUNNER out of no where! Both men are down and not getting up, as we go backstage and Vader and Bret Hart are fighting. They're being held back by other wrestlers and officials as we face to commercial!

Back, and Austin is on the offense with Undertaker still on the mat. Austin unleashes a flurry of elbow drops and tries a pin. Two count. They show a double feature from the break of both men running into each other with a dual clotheslines. Austin to the top now and Undertaker kicks the top rope and Austin crotches himself on the turnbuckle. Undertaker tries a superplex but Austin slams a fist into Undertakers ribs and throws him to the mat. Austin throws his arms in the air and drops a super elbow and knee drop! He tries a pin, but doesn't get the win. Austin picks Taker up and whips him off the ropes and Taker jumps into a flying lariat! Undertaker goes for a chokeslam and Vader makes his way down to the ring. Undertaker chokeslams Vader and the referee calls for the bell and the disqualification.

Winner by disqualification at 9:39: Undertaker!


Rating: 1.5 An alright match. Some regular spots by both men. Unfortunately I wasn't highly thrilled with the entire thing. For the slow match, and the DQ finish.



Show Rating: C

Thoughts: The only thing that saved it was a hot opening match. If I'm on the fence, I may very well watch Nitro next week. Nice in ring interviews by Austin though.


MVP: Opening match
Non-MVP: Gorilla Monsoon ( )

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