Matt's Classic RAW Review 1.27.97

[The Stats Man]

Aired: January 27th, 1997
Taped: January 20th, 1997 Beaumont, Texas
Ford Arena
Attendance: 4,834
Neilsen Rating: 2.2

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The opening for RAW shows up a full on replay of last weeks events where Bret Hart quit, Stone Cold antagonized Hart and questioned the announcement of the fatal four way made by Gorilla Monsoon, and the four participants brawling at the end of the show. Nothing that really captivated me in to watching this week at all.


Vince brings us in and tells us the first match is Ahmed Johnson against Crush and tells us the reason for this match branches from Savio Vega costing Johnson a match on Saturday Night Shotgun, which allowed Faarooq to pin his rival in a tag match. Crush was nominated by the leader of the Nation to finish Ahmed Johnson once and for all.


1) Ahmed Johnson vs Crush

The bell rings at 3:27 as they begin to fight outside. After a quick start by Crush, Ahmed Johnson gets a powerslam to even it up. Ahmed Johnson hits a bicycle kick! Johnson continues the beatdown, nails a diving clothesline into the corner then a hook kick that brings Crush to the mat! He misses an elbow and Crush hits a slow atomic drop. Crush unleashes some chokes and kidney shots and locks in a body scissor. We go to commercial.

When we come back, Ahmed Johnson drops Crush flat on his back and tries to get some offense in, but Crush nails a sidewalk slam, targetting the kidneys again! Crush with a backbreaker as Johnson rolls on the mat. Crush goes to the top after a failed pin, but Ahmed Johnson nails a dropkick in reversal! Johnson throws Crush outside, but doesn't capitalize as Crush upon re-entry, grabs the referee and causes a distraction which allows Faarooq to run down the aisle and assault Ahmed Johnson on the outside and in to the stairs kidney first! Faarooq rolls his nemesis back in the ring and Crush levels Ahmed Johnson with a Heart Punch and pin.

Winner via pinfall at 8:42: Crush


Rating: 1.5[/color] Small brawl. Johnson had some nice moves, but like Bart Gunn last week, fell to the numbers game. I wasn't all that impressed with it though, and it deteriorated at the end.


We're told to tune into Thursday RAW Thursday, LIVE February 13th! They hype up Bret Hart and Vader, as well as Shawn Michaels and Psycho Sid, but didn't actually announce any matches. They said it'd be two hours.


The fans start to chant "WE WANT SHAWN!" just in time for Sexy Boy to hit over the public announce system. The new WWF Champion enters the ring. We'll hear from him for the first time since he won the World Title eight days ago!

In the ring, Vince tells Shawn that at Wrestlemania XII the boyhood dream came true, at the Royal Rumble, it lived on, however.... on February 13th.. we are going to see a rematch of the Royal Rumble when Shawn Michaels and Psycho Sid go one on one for the title! Michaels says that the boyhood dream is now a reality, and that on Thursday, he'll hold on to the title by hook or by crook. He address the fatal four way mentioned by Vince, and tells us that the four men are four of the greatest wrestlers in the world. He talks about how Bret Hart isn't happy with him, and how Steve Austin isn't happy with anybody. He says that the Undertaker is the scariest man alive when he unleashes the monster inside, and Vader is a ton of wrecking machine. HBK says it's all about the world title though and lately it's bringing out the worst in the WWF superstars. He said if they want to have a bad, aggressive attitude, he'll do the same thing to stay where he is.


Vince brings out Bret Hart.

Bret Hart starts strong and tells HBK that he needs to do whatever it takes to walk out champion, because Michaels is the one Bret Hart wants to beat at Wrestlemania! Bret tells Shawn that he doesn't want any excuses, he doesn't want him to get hurt, he doesn't want anything getting in his way, Vince pipes up that Bret is over looking Psycho Sid.

Bret says that he didn't forget, but he's rooting for Shawn Michaels the entire way, he doesn't want anything to happen to him. Hart says he'll even be watching Shawn's back to make sure he can't come up with an excuse not to face Bret at Wrestlemania, because he will be the last man standing in the elimination four corners match and he will beat Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania XIII!


Vince introduces The Undertaker.

Undertaker tells Bret that he earned his respect at last years Royal Rumble, but as far as Bret Hart always being screwed, he's sick of hearing about it. He said if Bret Hart wants to talk about being screwed, he doesn't have to look any further than his own past. He pointed out that at last years Royal Rumble, the WWF Title was rightfully his, and Bret shrugged. Undertaker said no longer will be the hunted, he will now be the hunter, and the WWF Title will come back to the dark side at Wrestlemania XIII!


Vince brings down Stone Cold Steve Austin!

Austin makes his way with Jim Ross tailing behind with a microphone and he tells the crowd to shut up to start things off. He pauses in the aisle and he says that he's toughest sum bitch in the WWF but he recognizes an ambush when he sees it. He says they can all piss and moan, but he'll whip all their asses at the final four! He says no disqualification is right up his alley. He pointed to Undertaker and Bret Hart and said he threw them over the top rope in the Rumble, and if HBK was there, he'd have done the same exact thing!

Austin turns to leave and sees Vader standing near the RAW sign, and says that on second thought, he'll whip all their asses right now! Before he gets in the ring he stops though, and makes his way back up the aisle, gets in Vaders face, and disappears backstage as we head to commercial.


Delivery: 4.0 (Thought that was a great segment. Took about 15 minutes, and we heard from four different guys.)
Purpose: 4.0 (Now I want to see this match! I want to see Undertaker kick some ass, I want to see Austin get his ass kicked by the other three, I just want to see who faces Shawn Michaels at Wrestlemania! Definitely exciting as it unfolded.)
Reasoning. 4.0 (Excited everyone for the fatal four way. It used all four guys. Vader used his size and didn't speak any words, but his size was all that was needed to be said. This did an incredible job at hyping Fatal Four as well as Wrestlemania XIII. Good stuff.)

Total Rating: 4.0[/color]


2) British Bulldog vs Doug Furnas

Bell sounded quick without much fanfare at 23:45. Davey Boy starts off with an irish whip that Furnas counters with a dropkick, followed by a charge into the corner, and a vertical suplex. Unfortunately those all were not in a row due to Bulldog moving rather slow and taking his time. Furnas can't get enough for a pin as Bulldog falls into a corner. Furnas charges with a full head of steam and jumps over the top rope and to the outside after Bulldog moved out of the way. Bulldog takes chase, and sends Furnas into the steps, then lifts the steps above his head and drops them on Furnas's back! Vince and King remark at how strong the British Bulldog is to lift those 45 lb steps all the way above his head. Bulldog poses in the ring as we go to commercial.

When we come back, we're told that Ahmed Johnson broke into the Nations locker room by breaking down the door looking for revenge during the commercial break but the Nation was not there. Back in the ring, Bulldog is beating down Furnas in the corner.

Bulldog is dominating here with a headlock, and a kitchen sink knee to the gut! They begin to exchange slaps and punches but Bulldog almost steiner-lines Furnas flat to the mat! Bulldog tries a piledriver, but is back body tossed by Furnas! Furnas can't get much going as Bulldog nails him with a quick suplex! They exchange counters from a back lockup, but Furnas gets a dropkick! Off the ropes again and Furnas drops Davey Boy with a powerslam! He tries a pin but can't get three! Too close! Bulldog goes off the ropes a third time and Furnas tries a FRANKENSTEINER but he's power bombed flat on his back by the British Bulldog! Dog tries a pin, but gets two and a half!
Bulldog tries to throw Furnas into Owen Hart on the apron who has the Slammy Award in hand, but Furnas reverses the irish whip and it's the Bulldog who goes face first into the Slammy Award! Furnas knocks Owen off the apron and school boys Bulldog BUT CANT GET THE PIN! Furnas tries a sunset flip, but Bulldog hooks Furnas's legs and falls forward and escaping with a reverse roll up for the three.


Winner by pinfall at 10:20+commercial: British Bulldog!

Rating: 2.5[/color] Match of the night here. Fun match between two guys who can really wrestle.


After the match there's a confrontation between the tag champs when Bulldog accuses of Owen hitting Bulldog in the face with the Slammy. King questions if it's professional jealously that Owen has one and Bulldog doesn't. After some jawing, Clarence Mason makes them shake, and the tag team looks like it's on the ropes. Vince announces that at IYH: Fatal Four Way, they'd defend the tag titles against Phil LaFon and Doug Furnas.


They recap Saturday Night Shotgun where Savio Vega joined the Nation of Domination, and attacked Rocky Maivia with a group assault.


Vince tells us that tonight's main event is going to be Mankind and Vader against the Godwinn's in tag team action.


3) Mankind and Vader vs The Godwinns

(an issue with my tape prevented me from watching this entirely.)

The match ends when Mankind tries to hit one of the Godwinn's with a chair but misses and levels Vader in the face. The referee counts them out as Mankind stares at what he's done.

Winners by count out at 7:16, The Godwinns!

(cant rate)



Show Rating: C

Thoughts: It was an all right show. The first match was a bit slow, the middle match was the match of the night (I don't even have to watch the main event to know that.) which means Doug Furnas is involved with match of the night three of the four weeks I've reviewed these.

Do I want to watch next week? Not sure. They're still not offering anything of value week to week. The only thing they've hyped is the fatal four way match, which is fine by me, but there's definitely other things going on. We hear that the tag titles are going to be defended at the pay per view, but where the hell is Helmsley? He's been on one RAW and hasn't been mentioned since that show. He's the Intercontinental Champion for sakes! Throw him in tonight's main event, and maybe I care a little.

We're getting the Nation forced down our throats like it's nobody's business every week, there has to be other things going on here, like the Intercontinental Title, or another feud that doesn't involve championships or the Nation? And w uphat the hell is Shawn Michaels doing? He's got a title defense three days before the show, but is he defending the title at the pay per view itself? Am I buying the PPV for the main event? Most likely, but no singles titles being defended? That doesn't seem right to me, if I'm spending what they're charging for this show.


MVP: Doug Furnas vs British Bulldog

Non-MVP: My tape

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