Matt's Classic RAW Review 2.13.97 (RAW Thursday)

[The Stats Man]

Aired: February 13th, 1997
Taped: February 13th, 1997 Lowell, Massachusetts
Memorial Auditorium
"Thursday RAW Thursday"
Attendance: N/A
Neilsen Rating: 2.3

[/size][/font][/b]



"Tonight the World Wrestling Federation Title will be declared vacant. This Sunday's fatal four way winner will become the new World Wrestling Federation Champion. Tonight, live, Shawn Michaels will forfeit the World Wrestling Federation Championship." -Vince McMahon, narrating a slow black and white montage of Shawn Michaels.

Rating: 4.0[/color] Interesting way to open the show. Of course this is huge news, so that's always a great way to hook viewers. Many questions as to why, but if you keep watching those questions will be answered, and much more as RAW is live in Lowell, Massachusetts!


1. Rocky Maivia vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Intercontinental Championship

While Rocky is making his entrance, Vince tells us that tonight's scheduled WWF Title match between Shawn Michaels and Pyscho Sid is off, but instead, Sid will face Steve Austin. Jim Ross (back on commentary) adds thats Bret Hart settles his score with Vader. As the reigning Intercontinental Champion Hunter Heart Helmsley makes his way out, King tells us that Undertaker will face Savio Vega later tonight as well.

The bell rings at 3:14, Jim Ross tells us that the young Maivia has been relatively unscathed since debuting at Survivor Series, and he's focused on the title tonight. King responds that Rocky's streak is coming to a halt tonight!

A tie up is won by HHH who throws Rocky off the ropes into a hiptoss, and poses. Another tie up, as they exchange wristlocks and Triple H counters with a drop toe hold into a front face lock, and Rock counters into a grounded hammerlock. Hunter reverses into a roll over arm wringer into another wristlock. Hunter sends Rocky to the mat with a takedown, and Rock counters with a scissor lock across the head. The crowd begins to chant "ROCKY SUCKS" as HHH counters the scissor hold into a bridging counter, escaping the hold by trapping Maivia on the mat and begins to browbeat him.

They separate, and tie up again. Rock off the ropes, and HHH with a shoulder tackle. HHH off the ropes and Rock counters with a hiptoss and follows with a dropkick which chases the champion to the floor. Hebner reaches a count of five as Helmsley regroups and gets in the ring. Jabs Rock, and throws a few more punches before snap maring him, and dropping an elbow to the head. Chinlock by the champion. Rock gets to his feet, sends HHH off the ropes and dropkicks him to the outside again,

Head first off the ring goes Helmsley, and Rock misses a charge into the turnbuckle, sending his arm into the metal post. HHH rolls Rock into the ring and drops him with an armbar takedown. Jumping knee to the shoulder. The champion pulls at Rock's arm and tries to get him to submit. Rock builds to supporting chants, sends HHH off the ropes and Hunter counters with another jumping armbreaker. Pin gets two! Into the corner, the champion chops the challenger as we go to commercial..

We're back to Hunter hammering away on Maivia in the opposite corner witha barrage of punches and kicks. Honkey Tonk Man makes his way down to ringside as Helmsley drives Rocky to the mat with a suplex. HHH plays the crowd. Falling knee to the face of the challenger. Pin gets two. An exchange of whips, Hunter sends Rocky down with a high knee! Another pin attempt, kick out. Whip into a sleeper hold by Helmsley. Rock to a knee, but counters into a sleeper of his own as the crowd cheers!

Hunter trips Rock as both men fall into the corner. They exchange punches and Rock ducks a right hand, and sends the champion to the mat with a slap. HHH off the ropes and down to the mat hard after a high back toss. Maivia leaps off the top rope into a crossbody, thats turned into a pin by Helmsley and Rocky kicks out at two! Hunter drops Rock into his knee, and rebounds into a neckbreaker. Tries a pin and Rock kicks out again! Helmsley grows frustrated and argues. Triple H drops Rock with a stiff piledriver and tries a pin again, and again the challenger kicks out as even the announcers think it's over. Hunter argues with the referee again and seats Maivia on the turnbuckle and slaps him.

Triple H drives Rock to the mat with a superplex off the top rope, tries a pin, and Rock gets the shoulder up at two! HHH tries a Pedigree, but Rock falls limp the mat as the referee checks on him. HHH taunts Rock and says it's over. Triple H tries the Pedigree again, and Rock counters into a small package for three! We have a new Intercontinental Champion!

Winner by pinfall at 14:23+commercial, and new Intercontinental Champion: Rocky Maivia

Rating: 4.0[/color] You just can't ask for more from a television bout. The sneaky quick upset victory over the dominant cocky champion. It was a solid match that went almost 18 minutes including commercial break. Both men showed off their athleticism and in ring prowness. Both men told a great story, with Triple H trying to end the match multiple times, but Maivia kicking out, until finally surprising him at the end. Tremendous. Thoroughly enjoyed it.


After the match, Dok Hendrix interviews Maivia at ringside and Rock says Triple H was a great champion, but he guarantees to the people he'll give the best he can give, always. He thanks his dad, his grandfather, and his whole family and says he'll make everyone proud.


Sunny introduces The Headbangers for the next match, as we take a commercial, and come back with their opponents in the ring Aldo Montoya and Bob Holly.


2. The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) vs Aldo Montoya and Bob Holly

Bell rings at 23:48 as Holly and Mosh start, and Holly drives into the corner. There's an exchange of whips, a leapfrog, and Holly sends Mosh to the mat with a hurricanrana takedown. Holly with a clothesline to both Mosh and Thrasher. Holly with a dropkick and a hip toss into an arm wringer and tags in Montoya. Montoya takes advantage with an enzuguri, and tags in Holly again. They get tied up and mess up a whip, and Holly gets sent into the ropes and Thrasher knees him in the back. Mosh with a tag and whips Holly off the ropes, Thrasher with a diving clothesline from the second rope.

Thrasher taunts Holly and tries a pin, but a kickout at one. Thrasher drops Holly neck first across the top rope and tags Mosh. A double team reverse suplex by the Headbangers. Mosh isolates Holly in their corner and Thrasher chokes Holly behind the referee. (Vince makes a reference to Shawn Michael's knee injury which caused him to forfeit the title, and King says it's a career threatening injury.)

Thrasher beats down Holly and tags Mosh back in. They double team Holly, and Mosh drops him with a sidewalk slam. Holly kicks out of a pin attempt. Mosh scoop slams Holly near their corner, and the Headbangers execute a double team move where Thrasher reverse suplexed Mosh off the turnbuckle onto Holly. Thrasher tags back in and misses a moonsault. Holly scampers to his corner and tags in a fresh Portuguese Man O'War as Thrasher tags in Mosh.

Montoya with a knife edge chop to both Headbangers, clothesline Mosh, and dives off the top with a crossbody into a pin for two. Montaya throws Mosh into the ropes, Mosh with a boot to the midsection and tags Thrasher as they double team Aldo with the Stage Dive and pin.


Winners by pinfall at 5:25: The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher)

Rating: 1.5[/color] Showcase match for the Headbangers who controlled most of the match. Aldo Montoya was barely in the match and when he was, the match was over.


After a commercial, Vince McMahon introduces us to WWF President Gorilla Monsoon and then brings down Shawn Michaels to forfeit the championship. HBK makes his way to the ring with the title in his hand and salutes the crowd. Vince says this comes to a shock to many, but it may not come to a surprise because of the way Shawn handles himself inside the ring, and it's taken his toll on his body and has reached a point where he is requiring knee surgery.

Michaels says he's had bad knees before but this is a lot more serious than any before this, and he's never had a doctor look him in the face and tell him he might not be able to wrestle again. Shawn says he has to deal with this on his own, as the crowd chants "Heart Break Kid". Vince says he knows Shawn is disappointed he won't be able to defend the title against Sid tonight. Vince says no champion before him ever did more or has gone as far as Shawn does as a wrestler.

Shawn says he can't do anything half way. Shawn says he's always been the one to try to provide entertainment for the fans. He says regardless if he's good or bad, his performance was the important part. He said he didn't want the fans to regret spending money if they saw his match advertised. Michaels says that he may be beyond reconstructive knee surgery and if he can't return to the level he was at, he won't come back. He says he can't half-ass anything, and he took the schedule on because he wanted to do everything, because he couldn't say no to the fans or the company. He said he wanted to sign autographs, and ride in jets, and be on tv as the champion. He apologizes for not having any toughness because that's the direction the company is headed in, all he has is sorrow, and tears, and emotion.

Shawn hands the title over, and says he's going home. He says over the past months he's lost a lot of things, and one of them has been his smile. He says he needs to go home and find his smile. He says he doesn't care if people make fun of him because he's an emotional guy. He says if he can't come back he says he doesn't regret anything because this is everything he's always wanted to do, and he got to spend the last year as the #1 guy and it was single greatest year of his life. A tear streams down his grizzled cheek. He thanks Vince, and the fans, and says he's going to go home. He embraces Vince and Gorilla, and leaves the ring slapping hands with the fans.

Delivery: 4.0 (Amazing promo, though it's panned today for the repercussions, for what it was at that time, it was a great ten minute promo. The way it was delivered I honestly did not know if he was lying or not. I believed him, if I didn't know any better.)
Purpose: 2.0 (Giving up the title in a promo is a terrible way to give the title up. He should have lost to someone if he knew he was leaving regardless of the reason)
Reason: 4.0 (The promo gave us a way to look at Shawn Michaels as we never have before. An emotional, real, dedicated, thankful champion. We got to connect to someone we idolized as he was walking away from something he loved to do.)

Total Grade: 3.3[/color]


3. Undertaker vs Savio Vega (w/ The Nation)


They go to commercial during Undertaker's entrance and come back as the match begins with a choke by Taker at about 44:25. he throws Vega into the turnbuckle and unloads with soup bones punches, and slams Vega into another turnbuckle head first. Undertaker brawls and intimidates Vega, and chokes him in the turnbuckle. King tells us to stay tuned for Bret Hart/Vader, Austin/Sid, and the tag titles will also be on the line later. The brawl around the ring and Taker sends Vega to the mat with a big boot, followed by a legdrop. Pin gets two. Undertaker nails Vega across the back after walking on the top rope. Tosses Vega off the ropes and throws him in the air with a back drop.

Into the corner and Vega kicks Undertaker between the legs with a donkey kick, but Undertaker gives Vega a stiff clothesline! Undertaker tries to whip Vega, but Vega reverses into a calf kick, and then knocks Undertaker back with a spin kick! Off the ropes, and Vega drops Undertaker with a spinwheel kick! Undertaker kicks out of a pin, and Vega pounds the Phenom. Vega assumes control with a bunch of kicks and punches, but Undertaker with a boot to the gut and a thrust to the throat! Undertaker grabs Vega, but Vega stumbles Undertaker with a headbutt to regain control. Chokes Undertaker across the middle rope, and pounds him in the back. Wolfie-D chokes Undertaker from the outside.

Undertaker with a boot to the gut and sends Vega into the corner, but Vega uses the top rope as leverage and does a spinning heel kick to Undertaker! Tries a pin, but Undertaker BARELY kicks out! The crowd gets behind Undertaker, and Vega throws Undertaker to the mat by the hair, and clamps onto his shoulder with a nervehold. Undertaker gets a second wind, but Savio counters with a spinning neckbreaker! Cover gets two. Undertaker sits up. Undertaker brings Vega down with a running leg lariat, and clotheslines Vega hard! Chokeslam, three count.

Winner by pinfall at 9:01: Undertaker

Rating: 3.0[/color] Savio Vega gave Undertaker too much of a challenge for Undertaker to be taken seriously in the fatal four way. Too many near falls for Vega, but Vega did look good. His kicks hit the mark, and against any other opponent, he could have won multiple times. Not a bad match, but went too long for what it was supposed to accomplish.


After the match, all the members of the Nation jump on Undertaker and beat him down. Ahmed Johnson runs from the back, but is also overwhelmed as Savio and Crush assault him before he too is down. Undertaker sits up and clears house as the crowd goes crazy. I really really hate The Nation, but that may be the point.



4. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs Psycho Sid

Before the match begins, Dok Hendrix interviews WWF President Gorilla Monsoon about the ramifications of Shawn Michaels surrendering the title. Gorilla tells us in the interest of the fans, the fatal four way will be for the WWF Championship, and Sid will still receive his rematch when he faces the winner of that match next week, as opposed to tonight.

Sid makes his way out and Austin attacks him at 58:46. Austin drives Sid into the corner and drives a shoulder and boots to the gut. Austin off the ropes, and Sid grabs him for a chokeslam. Austin kicks Sid in the groin. Austin mocks Sid, and kicks him between the legs again. The fans are going absolutely crazy chanting "AUSTIN AUSTIN AUSTIN". Loudest chant I've heard in six weeks of reviews. They're brawling on the outside now, Austin fully in control. Sid with a haymaker and clubs Austin. Austin sends Sid into the turnbuckle! Back in the ring, Austin with an elbow to the face and a two count pin.

Austin with an abominable stretch, pulling the top rope for leverage, as Sid yells in pain. Off the ropes, Sid with a sleeper hold which Austin immediately counters into a jawbreaker. Sid kicks out of a pin. Austin with a headlock on the mat, Sid powers out and mauls Austin and slams him to the mat. Sid misses a legdrop, and Austin immediately tries a Sharpshooter, but Sid kicks him off. Multiple hard clotheslines by Sid, and a big boot! Bret Hart runs in the ring and attacks Austin as the referee rings the bell for the disqualification..

Winner by disqualification at 3:43: Steve Austin

Rating: 1.0[/color] Both men hit some spots, but the interference cut the match short. Austin looked like a bat out of hell, and Sid looked strong, but a non-finish killed the rating.


After the match Sid brawls with Bret, as five referees pour into the ring to break it up as the announcers question if this could be the main event next week. As the brawl continues in the ring, they cut to Vader in the locker room who says no one else has done what he's done, and thats put Undertaker on his back, kicked Austin's ass, and beat Bret Hart on Monday Night RAW. He says he's the man, and that it's Vader Time.


5. Faarooq and Crush vs WWF Tag Team Champions Owen Hart and The British Bulldog
WWF Tag Team Championship

Both teams in the ring, as the bell sounds at 1:09:30, Owen and Crush begin. Crush throws Owen to the mat, but Owen kicks up and throws lefts and right on Crush, and sends him to the mat running from the turnbuckle. Diving crossbody by Owen, Crush kicks out of a pin. Owen off the ropes, and Crush with a powerlift, dropping Owen chest first. Crush easily picks Owen up in a body press and drops him to the mat. Owen quickly tags Bulldog (and I groan at the match up in the ring..) Crush tags Faarooq as we go to commercial.

We come back with Crush spiking Bulldog to the mat in a counter piledriver as Bulldog dove at Crush. Pin, and Bulldog kicks out at two. Crush throws Bulldog to the outside, as Faarooq assaults Davey Boy into the steps and rolls him back in. Another pin and the Bulldog kicks out again. Tag to Faarooq, and the Nation double teams Bulldog in their corner. Off the ropes, and Bulldog slams Faarooq to the mat face first! Tag to Crush, Crush pounds Bulldog and drops him across his knee with a backbreaker! Crush tries to wear down one half of the champions with a nerve hold to the shoulder, but Bulldog fights out.

Crush grabs Bulldog and tags Faarooq as there's more double teaming. Faarooq with a pin, but another kickout. Faarooq powerslams Bulldog and poses. Tries a splash, but Bulldog puts the knees up. Vince reminds us that tonight one championship has changed hands, one has been forfeited, and the tag champions are being dominated. Crush in and pounds on Bulldog on the mat. Crush with a deabilitating body scissors on Bulldog. Bulldog rolls over into a pin and Crush has to break the hold as he kicks out. Crush picks Bulldog up and drops him with a gutbuster. Tag to Faarooq and Bulldog kicks out of a pin.

Faarooq into a bearhug on Davey Boy. Bulldog reverses into a belly to belly suplex, Faarooq tags in Crush who knocks Owen off the apron. Bulldog reaches Owen, but the referee didnt see the tag and forces Owen back to the corner. The Nation is choking Bulldog who is still the legal man over the top rope. Crush and Bulldog hit double clotheslines and both men are down. Bulldog has been in the match over ten minutes straight at this point. Bulldog crawls to the corner, Crush grabs his leg, but Bulldog kicks him away and gets the hot tag to Owen Hart!

Owen with a head of steam, off the ropes, spinwheel kick! Faarooq in, and a spinwheel kick for him as well. Owen in control, with a missle dropkick, and a pin. Crush kicks out at two. Owen trips to the outside, and grabs at his knee. The referee counts him out at 1:18:37, to retain the titles.

Winners by count-out at 9:07+commercial: Faarooq and Crush, but still champions: Owen Hart and British Bulldog[/color]

Rating: 2.5 Good length. Fans hate the Nation, so they were behind the champions. Bulldog played the face in peril for over ten minutes including the commercial, and Owen got the hot tag and then escaped the match with a heel tactic countout which is the same thing as the last time they had a match on RAW. It's odd booking, and I need to take half a point off for the lack of creativity. If Owen acted like a heel at all, it'd make sense, but to feign a knee injury against another heel team while playing the face team was confusing. Also, a 9 minute match that never seemed to get going that involved Crush. Enough said.

After the match, The Nation beat down the Bulldog, as Owen tries to get in the ring to stop them but can't stand. Faarooq with a Dominator and the Nation get their hands raised. With only eight minutes left, we head to the main event after a plug for the PPV.


6. Bret Hart vs Vader

As Bret Hart gets in the ring, Undertaker's music begins and he comes out and tells Vader and Bret Hart they know neither man can beat him, and he doesn't get any respect. He says the time will come to meet their maker and in four days, they will rest in peace.

Vader attacks Bret from behind as the bell sounds at 1:23:25. He unloads on Bret with a flurry of punches to the chest and head and throws Bret to the outside. They take a commercial break quickly. It's shown that during the break, Austin came out and assaulted Bret on the outside and was pulled away by referees.

Back as Vader headbutts Bret into the corner, beating him to the mat with punches and forearms. Whip into the corner, rebounding clothesline as Vader poses. Vader leaps from the corner, but Bret counters with a powerslam. Bret exchanges punches with Vader, and executes the worst russian legsweep I've ever seen, where he didn't even trip Vader, and Vader fell. Body slam by Hart, who tries the Sharpshooter and Vader kicks him away. Back suplex by Bret, into the diving knee/forearm spot. Vader reverses a whip, but misses a splash in the corner, Bret trips Vader and puts him in the Sharpshooter. Vader gets to the ropes. Austin appears in the crowd, and taunts Bret as Vader hits Bret from behind. Vader misses a moonsault and Bret Hart covers for three.

Winner by pinfall at 4:55+commercial: Bret Hart


Rating: 2.0 Ran a little short on television, but with a commercial break was almost 9 minutes of in ring action. Austin interfering at the end, and Undertaker cutting a promo in the beginning really added to the main event of the PPV. I still want to see Bret Hart kick Austin's ass, even though Austin is wildly over with the crowd. He's an instigator that everyone loves while Bret is playing the straight honest man that annoys everyone.


Show rating: A, slow in some spots. The filler tag match took time away from what would have been a stellar main event. This episode is historically important in retrospect, but at the time it was just really good. A all-time great television match for the IC Title and upset victory set the tone, and an electric main event scene, and Shawn Michaels lost his smile. Do I want to buy the PPV? I already bought it at this point, there's no longer a question of if.


MVP: Rocky Maivia vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley
Runner up: Shawn Michaels
Non-MVP: Crush
Runner up: Owen Hart

[/center]