Matt's Classic RAW Review 2.17.97

[The Stats Man]

Aired: February 17th, 1997
Taped: February 17th, 1997 Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville Arena
Attendance: 5,876
Neilsen Rating: 2.1

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Odd rating off the biggest pay-per-view in terms of hype and star power in five years. There's no opening package this week, and Jim Ross welcomes us to RAW live from Nashville. Notably, no Vince on commentary this week. Psycho Sid is making his way out to challenge the new WWF Champion, Bret Hart, for the championship. Sid is using his rematch clause after losing the title at the Royal Rumble.


1. Psycho Sid vs WWF Champion Bret Hart
WWF Championship

Before the match begins, Steve Austin jumps in the ring and assaults Bret Hart, immediately being separated by referees. The announcers tell us Austin is obsessed with Bret Hart and he's a rabid animal. Sid tries to punch Austin, but Austin clips Sid's knee and jumps back on Bret Hart as the fans are going crazy. Austin is chased to the back as Sid is screaming on the mat. He rolls out of the ring and limps around, and motions that he still wants the match.

Sid paces around the ring, trying to gather himself. The fans are chanting "SID SID SID". They fade to a recap of Shawn Michael's interview and show stills of the pay-per-view. They announce the match will happen later in the night.


Thoughts: Can't exactly rate this, but the Monday Night Wars have been kick started here. We're given a tease of a WWF Championship match to start the show, and due to outside circumstances the match will happen later in the show. If you want to see it, stay tuned in! Really good strategy, though some may feel mislead and switch the channel.


After coming back from a commercial "The Wildman" Marc Mero is making his way down to the ring, escorted by Sable. A recap is shown of Sable interfering in Mero's matches as of late, as The Nation's music hits. The announcers say here comes trouble, and I groan. I think they have stock in RAW matches. As the Nation makes their way out, Faarooq and Clarence Mason is shown watching from the balcony.


1. Marc Mero vs Savio Vega

The bell sounds at 13:06 and Vega starts with a hip to the gut and forearms to the back, before sending Mero head first into the turnbuckle. An exchange of whips, a leapfrog, and an armdrag by Mero, followed by a second, and a hiptoss. Mero dropkicks Vega through the middle rope, and somersault planchas onto several members of the Nation outside! He double coconuts Crush and Vega, rolls Vega in, and buries him in the corner. Vega regains control and begins to choke Mero on the mat.

Spinning heel kick in the corner which stumbles the Wildman. Vega chokes him across the middle rope. Whip off the ropes, punch missed, and Mero with a crossbody into a pin but Savio kicks out. Ross reminds us that Savio Vega has disappointed a lot of people in the WWF by joining the Nation, ruining his chance at a bright future. They exchange punches and chops in the turnbuckle and Mero clotheslines Vega. To the corner, standing punches by Mero. He reaches five, before Vega drops him face first onto the turnbuckle. Vega with a grounded choke, then a snap suplex. He tosses Mero to the outside who is stomped by Wolfie-D, and Sable mule kicks Wolfie and saves her husband.

Back in the ring, Vega misses a splash in the corner, and Mero with a back body drop followed by a Samoan drop. The Nation chases Sable into the ring, and the referee calls for the bell at 17:18. The Nation try to attack Mero as he protects Sable, but Ahmed Johnson gets in the ring and chases them away with a 2x4.

I think the match is ruled a no contest at 4:12 due to the interference because they never touched Mero.

Rating: 1.5[/color] Short match with a clusterscrew ending. Mero hit some nice spots, Vega didn't do much. I wish there was more to it.


After a commercial, we're introduced to Leif Cassidy in the ring to challenge for the Intercontinental Championship.


Before the match starts, there's an impromptu interview with Bret in the back. He says every time he turns his back, Austin tries to attack him. He says he'll try not to worry about it. He says when he beats Sid tonight, he'll just look at the next match and the next one after that. He says he's going to look out for himself because he is the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be. JR tells him if he beats Sid tonight, he'll face the Undertaker at Wrestlemania 13. Bret says to bring him on, because he's not afraid of him. Lawler asks if he's happy Austin injured Sid, and Bret tells him to shut up.

Delivery: 4.0 (No bullshit, cut to the chase, impactful statements by the new champion.)
Purpose: 3.0 (Short, unadvertised interview. He introduces us to his new attitude because he's done caring about other people and only looks out for himself.)
Reason: 2.0 (Not much reason for this, other than showing a gray side to Bret that has already been slowly introduced all year.)

Overall Grade: 3.0[/color]


The new Intercontinental Champion, Rocky Maivia makes his way out. Sunny is introduced as the special time keeper, and she comes out dressed very revealing, in a light pink bikini with a dress. Lawler says he's not sure what the Seven Wonders of the World are, but Sunny has two of them.


2. Leif Cassidy vs WWF Intercontinental Champion Rocky Maivia
WWF Intercontinental Championship

Bell rings exactly at 23:00, and they circle around each other. Cassidy looks familiar, because he'll go on to become Al Snow, leaving the WWF and reinventing himself in ECW with a styrafoam mannequin head aptly named "Head". But for now he's Leif Cassidy, midcard challenger for the IC Title. Jim Ross stated that Rocky Maivia hasn't backed down from any challenge since winning the title four days ago, defeating Hunter Hearst Helmsley with a bridging pin last night.

Cassidy drives Rocky into the corner as they exchange blows, and Lawler says Maivia is the luckiest kid on Earth. Maivia clotheslines Cassidy over the top rope. Rocky punches the challenger on the apron, and Cassidy somersaults over the champion and punches him against the ropes. Misses a clothesline and Maivia with a crossbody! Two armdrags by Rocky into an armbar on the mat. Maivia works on the arm with strikes to the elbow and shoulder. Both exchange arm drags, and Maivia back with another armbar. Cassidy up, exchange of whips, and Maivia blocks a side kick, but Cassidy counters into a shining wizard that floors the champion!

A hard clothesline by the challenger, a pin, and Maivia kicks out at two. Maivia off the ropes, float over school boy, and Cassidy kicks out at two. Cassidy up, forearm, and a hard gut to the sternum. A unique take down by Cassidy which I describe as a reverse russian legsweep hiptoss into an armbar. Cassidy drives knees to the elbow, rolls into a pin, but Rocky kicks out. Cassidy works over the elbow and poses. Maivia off the ropes into a sunset flip, but Cassidy kicks out! Inside cradle, and Cassidy out again at two! Cassidy drops Maivia with the jumping armbar, into another grounded armbar. The announcers tell us that in two weeks the WWF will crown a new champion, when the European Championship will be decided in Berlin, Germany on RAW.

Cassidy tries to hyper extend the elbow with a knee to the shoulder, into a cross armbreaker! Maivia says he won't submit. Rocky kicks out of multiple pinfalls while his shoulders are on the mat. Scoop slam, and a diving forearm to the head. Pinfall, and Rocky kicks out. Cassidy tries to go to the top again, and Rocky throws him off! Maivia throwing a combo of punches. Maivia dives onto the challenger with a diving crossbody from the top. Maivia with a thunderous shoulderbreaker and the three count.


Winner, and still Intercontinental Champion via pinfall at 9:30: Rocky Maivia


Rating: 2.0 Leif Cassidy controlled most of the match, working over the shoulder and elbow of the champion, and Maivia wins with a shoulderbreaker? Did they forget who was the injured one when booking? Rocky hit some armdrags, and a big crossbody the entire match. Critical of the ending, but Cassidy looked good and it went almost ten minutes.


After the match, Jerry Lawler grabs a fans sign that praises ECW, and discusses how ECW is like the movie "Escape from New York" where Manhatten is overrun by miscreants and misfits. He says thats what ECW is, a place where misfits and has beens who couldn't make it in the WWF migrated to. Lawler says he's stick of the chants chanting "ECW" and bringing signs and waving them on Monday Night RAW. He says 99.9% of everyone in the world doesn't know what ECW is (But now they do), and he's issuing an open challenge to anyone from ECW who thinks they're tough to appear on RAW to show him what they got. He says he wants to see them next week in the Manhatten Center in New York.


Thoughts: It wasn't an official interview, but, it was an interesting segment. The wrestling landscape was changing, and a little independent promotion in Philadelphia was catching the eye of Vince McMahon and the WWF.


Goldust is making his way to the ring for an exclusive interview. The announcers tell us that last night his valet Marlena was assaulted by a fan after Goldust distracted Helmsley during his match. Kevin Kelly is in the ring with the Bizarre One. Goldust says he's from the hills of Hollywood, but this isn't Hollywood, this is reality, and now it's personal between him and Helmsley. He says all the money in the world couldn't buy Marlena, and the only way Hunter could get to her is over his dead body. Kevin Kelly turns the microphone to Marlena. She says she needs to clear the air concerning herself and Goldust. She says ever since the debut of Goldust, there's been speculations and questions of his masculinity. She says he's all man from his head to his feet. She tells Helmsley that he is more of a man than Triple H will ever be.

Helmsley makes his way out, circling the ring, and pointing at Goldust. Helmsley throws water in Goldust's eyes and gets in the ring as they begin to brawl. Helmsley stomps Goldust in the corner and Pedigrees him! Marlena slaps Helmsley, and from behind a gigantic woman gets in the ring and begins to bearhug Marlena, thrashing her from side to side. They say it's the same fan that attacked her last night, as event security and referees swarm the ring trying to pull the woman from the ring. She's escorted to the back, as Goldust crawls over an injured Marlena. Jerry Lawler blames this on ECW, because think they can do whatever they want.


Delivery: 3.0 (Goldust spoke quick, telling Helmsley it was personal between them, and Marlena asserted Goldust as all man, regardless of rumors.)
Purpose: 4.0 (There was a bigger purpose than the spoken word, but we concluded a period in the Goldust character in which speculation about his sexuality was in question. We also delve deeper into real, dark, personal storylines that the company was exploring.)
Reason: 4.0 (Reason is the hardest thing to grade, but this segment was pinpoint. Goldust hates Helmsley, Helmsley hates Goldust. Both men are willing to go to extreme measures to gain an advantage. Marlena being attacked by a random woman only adds to the perplexity of this feud.)

Bonus half point: Lawler claiming it had to do with ECW was hilarious.

Overall Grade:3.8[/color]


The Headbangers are introduced for the next match, as Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy, "The Hardy Boyz" are already standing in the ring.


3. The Headbangers (Mosh and Thrasher) vs The Hardy Boyz (Matt and Jeff Hardy)

The Headbangers jump on their opponents at 43:56. Mosh starts with Jeff, and Jeff with a jumping clothesline! Tag to Matt, with a diving elbow to Mosh's arm. Leapfrog, and Mosh drops Matt with a high angle powerslam. Thrasher in, and takes Matt down with a diving clothesline off the turnbuckle. Tilt a whirl slam by Thrasher. Tag to Mosh and a double team beatdown. During the match, a split screen interview with Faarooq happened, where Faarooq says Ahmed Johnson doesnt know anything about the streets, and he doesnt know anything about poverty, and at Wrestlemania 13, he's challenging Ahmed to a Chicago Street Fight. Back in the match, double team stomps in the corner on Matt.

Thrasher with a body slam, but Matt lands on his face. Tag to Mosh, and Thrasher holds Matt in a suplex when Mosh comes off with a spike double team maneuver. Jim Ross says the Headbangers are unorthodox, and Lawler compares them to Marilyn Manson. (What?) Mosh body slam, and tag to Thrasher. Snapmare, but Thrasher misses an elbow drop when Matt gets up and tags Jeff Hardy. Dropkicks to both members of the Headbangers. Jeff off the ropes, and Thrasher spins Jeff inside out with a stiff clothesline. Stage Dive. Three count.

Winners by pinfall at 4:02: The Headbangers


Rating: 1.5[/color] Another showcase match for the Headbangers. Matt took most of the damage, and it followed the same story as last week as one guy took the beatdown, and the finish came when there was a hot tag and the Stage Dive on that member of the team shortly there after.


Up next, the WWF Championship match! Sid makes his way out for the second time tonight.

As Bret Hart is making his way out, Austin attacks Hart backstage as they brawl across the backstage. Sid joins the melee, as well as agents, referees, and Vince McMahon. They get them separated as we go to commercial..

Backstage, Gorilla Monsoon was standing with Kevin Kelly. Monsoon says that Austin has it out for Bret Hart ever since the Royal Rumble. He says the WWF is not like anyone else, and there will still be a WWF Championship match between Psycho Sid and Bret Hart tonight!


Flash Funk makes his way out, escorted by two valets dressed in bright green body suites who dance with him in the aisle way and in the ring. The two time Slammy winner and one half of the WWF Tag Team Champions, Owen Hart, makes his way out as his opponent.


4. Flash Funk vs Owen Hart

Bell rings at 57:30, as both men chain wrestle to open the bout. Shoulder tackle by Funk, a leap frog, into a spinning inverted mule kick. Armdrag into an armbar on the mat. Both men block armdrags, and Owen tries a back suplex, but Funk blocks, and Owen clotheslines him! Owen misses an elbow drop, and both men miss dropkicks. Owen raises his hands and cheers, but the crowd boos immediately and he tells them to shut up. Owen flexes, and asks Flash for a test of strength.

During the match, Jerry Lawler receives a phone call from a representative from ECW. He introduces himself as a man who doesn't need to hide unlike Vince McMahon and says his name is Paul E. Dangerously, Paul Heyman, and he will be there next Monday night. Owen and Flash exchange athletic monkey flip pins. Heyman says he's going to bring his athletic and hardcore wrestlers from ECW. Funk with a super kick which catches Owen under the jaw! Lawler asks Heyman if he's going to bring the Blue Meanie, or the Sandman and mocks them. Heyman says he's going to slap Lawler sideways and that Lawler will change his tune and respect Extreme Championship Wrestling. Lawler says he'll never respect for the misfits and no talent bums in ECW, as Owen flips Funk inside out with a clothesline. Owen tries for the Sharpshooter, as Clarence Mason gets on the ring apron.

Flash rolls Owen up, but only gets two. Owen and Mason bicker on the outside as Flash dives to the outside from the top turnbuckle! Bulldog makes his way out to ringside, and Bulldog begins to argue with Mason as Funk rolls Owen in the ring. Bulldog argues with Mason to the back as we go to commercial.

Back as Flash has Owen in a bridging pin rollover and Owen lifts out of it but gets caught in a crucifix pin, but Owen kicks out. Hart with a bridging german suplex, but Flash kicks out! Jumping legdrop to Funk into a whip into a belly to belly suplex. Pin by Hart gets two. Neckbreaker. Split screen interview with Steve Austin as Owen dives with an elbow from the second rope. Austin says he's close to kicking Monsoon's ass. He said he pissed Austin off when he made the Final Four match because there isn't an instant replay rule in the WWF. He says he won the Royal Rumble when he tossed 29 other guys over the top rope. He says Shawn Michaels quit when he knew Austin was the #1 contender, and that's the bottom line. Austin says he gets held back because he doesn't smile for the publicity stunts, instead he opens a can of whoopass on everybody and that's the bottom line. Owen with a sambo suplex into a two count.

Owen misses a splash and lands groin first in the turnbuckle. Flash with a body drop, scoop slam, and climbs to the top. Diving crossbody for two count! Funk signals for the 450 Splash. Funk with a diving splash into the turnbuckle, and another scoop slam. Funk lands a high angle moonsault and Owen kicks out!! Off the ropes, Bulldog hits Funk with the Slammy trophy, and Owen drops Funk with a heel kick. Bulldog holds Funk down from the outside for the three count!

Winner by pinfall 8:32+commercial: Owen Hart

Rating:3.0[/color] Very athletic match, both men have great chemistry and ability. Went over 12 minutes including commercial. Another great RAW match from Owen Hart.


After a Wrestlemania 13 promo, Hunter Hearst Helmsley makes his way out for a match. 25 minutes left on the tape, with a WWF Championship match still to come. Jim Ross asks Hunter his thoughts on Goldust and the mystery women, Helmsley replies he doesn't know who she is and doesn't care. His opponent already in the ring in Bart Gunn.


5. Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Bart Gunn

Tie up at 1:10:12, Gunn with a side headlock. Gunn shoves HHH into the corner and Helmsley regroups. Another tie up into armwringer by Gunn, off the ropes, shoulderblock, off the ropes, hiptoss, dropkick, and an armdrag into into an armbar. Bart Gunn in full control. Bart Gunn targeting the arm, lifting HHH in the air by his arm, and dropping multiple elbows into the shoulder. Drops knees into the elbow, and a hammerlock on the mat. Helmsley up, breaks the hold with an elbow to the head, and whips Gunn into the corner. Misses a splash, and Bart Gunn takes down Hunter with another armdrag into an armbar. Helmsley up ande whips Gunn off the ropes, missing two clotheslines, but planting Gunn with a high knee to the face! Helmsley whips Gunn into the turnbuckle and Goldust slides in the ring, chasing Helmsley around the ring and through the crowd!

Winner by count out at 3:48: Bart Gunn

Rating:1.0[/color] Alot of armbars and rest holds. Never seemed to get going and get to the next level. Helmsley barely did anything until being chased by Goldust. Pass.


Jim Ross tells us that the WWF Championship between Bret Hart and Psycho Sid is next as we fade to commercial. Come back to a flashback of the previous match. Lawler says this is not ECW and the fans can't touch Helmsley even though they tried.


They cut to an interview with orthopedic specialist, James Andrews who says Shawn Michaels knee injury dates back five years. He said he tore his ACL five years ago and he twisted it last week. He said surgery is not required at the moment, but he will be out for six weeks and will rehabilitate at home.


Sid makes his way out for the third time, as they recap the evenings events between Hart and Austin. Bret Hart makes his way out and quickly gets in the ring. 14 minutes left on my tape. They fade to their commercial break as Hart holds the title above his head.


6. Psycho Sid vs WWF Champion Bret Hart
WWF Championship

Bell sounds at 1:18:30, and they tie up. Bret drives Sid to the corner and pounds on him with punches and a boot to the gut. Sid spins Hart into the corner, and pounds on the champion. Whip to the opposite corner, and a kidney punch. Axe handles floor the champion. Bret grabs Sid and drops him with a russian legsweep. Sid immediately up as both men exchange blows trying to gain an advantage. Sid with a stiff clothesline! Sid beats on Bret, jumping on him with a boot near the ropes. In the corner, but Bret fights out.

He catches Sid with a backbreaker. Bret with a headbutt to the groin! Bret climbs the turnbuckle and drops the forearm kneedrop to the challenger. He begins to headbutt Sids lower back from behind and pounds on the challenger. Sid back in control, and he makes Bret winch with a right hand to the kidney followed by a stalling hipbreaker. Sid begins to choke Bret across the middle rope and breaks at a four count. More jumping boots to the chest off the ropes from Sid. Pinfall gets two. Hart kicks Sid's knee, and clips him behind. Then Hart grabs ankle on the mat and flips over Sid causing the knee to bend awkwardly. Bret drops a leg across the leg and targets the hamstring with a kick. He drags Sid to the turnbuckle from the outside and snaps Sid's leg across the steel. Bret Hart locks the Sharpshooter on the turnbuckle!!!! There's a commercial as Jim Ross screams he's going to break Sid's leg!

We come back with Bret dropping an elbow across the challenger. Headbutt in the corner, and he pulls on the leg between the ropes. Bret really working the leg with kicks to the exposed leg, pulling on it again. Sid with forearms across the chest. Hart whips Sid, Sid reverses and drops Bret with a clothesline! Sid with a legdrop! Pinfall gets two and the champion kicks out! Sid tries again, and Bret kicks out again! The announcers remind us that Sid did not wrestle on the PPV, and Bret Hart went through hell in the No DQ four corners match. Sid power slams Bret to the mat. Sid climbs the turnbuckle and nails a diving legdrop from the second rope! Pinfall, and Bret kicks out again!

Sid grabs Bret across the throat and signals for the chokeslam, but Hart rakes Sid across the eyes. Bret ties Sid in the ropes, and tries a leg lariat to the outside, but Sid moves and Bret falls over the top rope to the apron! Sid pounds on Bret, but Bret gets underneath Sid and back tosses him to the floor. Both men down. Austin comes through the crowd and jumps on Sid, but Sid throws him aside like a rag doll! Sid stomps on him and gets back in the ring. Sid tie up on the apron, and sunset flips inside! Bret reverses into the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring! Sid tries to power out of it. The announcers say no one has ever broken the Sharpshooter. Austin nails Bret with a steel chair while the referee checks on Sid!! Sid hits the powerbomb and covers for three! NEW WWF CHAMPION!

Winner by pinfall and NEW WWF Champion at 11:48+commercial: Psycho Sid

Rating:3.5 Great matchup. The dirty finish caused me to knock a half a point off here, but they really had a slobberknocker going almost 16 minutes with commercial break. I thought Sid was done with the Sharpshooter, but it was not to be as Stone Cold costs Bret the title! Bret holds the title 24 hours, as Sid goes to Wrestlemania 13 to face the Undertaker!


Overall Show Grade: A
Thoughts: The show start off hot, and never stopped going right from the beginning. They had me interested in the WWF Championship match the whole night. A great card with exciting matches from Owen and Flash Funk, and the main event. We get a great build for Wrestlemania in five weeks, with two matches being announced tonight between Ahmed/Faarooq, and Sid/Undertaker. Goldust and Helmsley is on fire, as well as Austin and Bret Hart! There's a new WWF Champion. The opening matches being less than spectacular prevented this show from getting an A+. Another great week from the WWF.


MVP: Jerry Lawler. (Everyone else had good weeks, but he was flat out awesome on commentary tonight. He had me rolling with laughs the way he talked about ECW all night. Austin, Sid, and Goldust had good nights, but Lawler wins)

Runner up: Steve Austin


Non-MVP: Bret Hart. (Anytime you lose the WWF Championship 24 hours after winning it, you had a bad night. Plus, Crush didn't wrestle.)

Runner up: Rocky Maivia (One shoulderbreaker?)
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