Matt's Classic RAW Review3.3.97 (European Title)

[The Stats Man]

Aired: March 3rd, 1997
Taped: February 26th, 1997 Berlin, Germany
Deutschlandhalle
Attendance: 6,373
Neilsen Rating: 1.9

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



Vince discusses the history of the Berlin Wall as we open RAW. Then he advertises the finals of the WWF European Title Tournament in which both WWF Tag Team Champions British Bulldog and Owen Hart will compete for the new championship in the finals. The Honkytonk Man makes his way down to join Vince McMahon and Jim Ross on commentary. No Lawler tonight. They go over the European Championship match in the main event, and add that Psycho Sid will defend the WWF Championship against Mankind, and Rocky Maivia will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Vader.


Hunter Hearst Helmsley makes his way down to open the show, introduced from Greenwich, Connecticut. They tell us that his opponent will be Bret "The Hitman" Hart, and cut to Bret backstage for a pre-match interview. Vince tells us that Austin will appear later via satelitte, and asks if Bret can stay focused. Bret says that he feels sorry for Hunter because what he's going to do to him tonight is the same thing he's going to do to Austin at Wrestlemania! He makes his way down to the ring.


1) Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Bret Hart

Huge ovation for Bret Hart in Europe as he slaps hands on his way down the aisle. Vince says that Bret is beloved all over the world. Vince says that Bret has been honored as being named as the best athlete in the world by a German magazine. Fans begin throwing things in the ring at Helmsley as he kicks them back into the crowd. Lock up at 6:55 as Hunter begins with a knee to the gut. Reversal of hiptoss by Hart into one of his own, armdrag takedown into a headlock by Hart. Helmsley escapes by pulling Hart by his hair. Hunter escapes to the ring apron to regroup. JR tells us Bret is obsessed with winning, and being WWF Champion. Tie up, headlock takedown into a pin but HHH gets his shoulder up. Up, and another take over into another headlock. Bret is grounding Helmsley early.

Off the topes, elbow by Hunter. Misses dropping an elbow to the mat, and Bret with another headlock takedown. Honkeytonk Man says thats illegal. Whip, Hunter ducks a clothesline, and sends a knee to the gut that flips Hart to the mat. We fade to a commercial break.

Back, with Helmsley pounding on Bret on the mat. The announcers tell us Helmsley was dominant the entire break, trying to break down Bret. Hunter throws Bret shoulder first into the turnbuckle. Whip, and Helmsley drops Bret with an armbar takedown. JR tells us that tonight we'll hear from Jerry Lawler from his home in Memphis, and Vince tells us we'll also hear from Paul E. Dangerously from ECW. Hunter with knees to the back and tries to dislocate Bret's shoulder. Hunter misses an elbow, and drops Bret with a jumping high knee! Bret catches Helmsley trying to climb to the top rope, and grabs Helmsley and throws him to the mat with a superplex. Quick leg drop. Pinfall, two. Russian legsweep. Another pin, again two. Backbreaker across the knee. Drops the forearm/kneedrop from the middle rope. Pinfall, and Hunter kicks out again!

Hard suplex from Bret. Pin, and Hunter kicks out again. Whip into the corner by Helmsley, kick to the gut. Sets up for the Pedigree, but Hart reverses into a catapault into the turnbuckle! Bret tries for the Sharpshooter but HHH kicks him off. Vince reminds us that there are three title matches coming up tonight as Bret whips Helmsley into the corner and HHH flips backwards into the corner and hangs upside down. Bret begins to stomp Hunter, and the shoves the referee, causing the disqualification.


Winner by disqualification at 8:20+commercial: Hunter Hearst Helmsley

Rating: 2.0[/color] Momentum sucked dry by the abrupt ending. Bret was in control after hitting a bunch of good moves but gets disqualified.


After the match, the big women who choked Marlena gets in the ring and confronts Bret Hart! She challenges Bret to fight her, and Hart declines and walks around the ring as she's escorted from the ring from WWF officials. Hunter embraces her in the aisle and walks to the back with her while raising his arms celebrating.


They recap the Royal Rumble where Owen Hart eliminated British Bulldog citing the differences between the tag champions headed into the main event. Paul Bearer accompanies Vader to the ring for his match against Rocky Maivia for the Intercontinental Championship as we fade to commercial..


2) WWF Intercontinental Champion Rocky Maivia[/color] vs Vader

The announcers mention that earlier in the week, Vader defeated Rocky Maivia in a non-title first round match at a house show in the European Title Tournament, giving Vader his chance at the title tonight. Bell rings at 21:01 and begins with a thumb to the throat. Into the corner, forearms to the chest as Vader mauls the champion with jabs and another forearm. Hard clothesline! Grounded abdonimal stretch, into a headlock. Maivia fights out, off the ropes, diving school boy. Vader kicks out and clothesline the champion flat to the mat. Running splash into the corner as the champion is down as Vader poses.

Vader tries a body drop, Maivia jumps over him and tries to roll him up, but Vader drops down on his chest! Pinfall, and Rocky kicks out. Tries again, and another kick out. Vader tries a suplex, but Maivia reversed into a suplex of his own. Maivia runs over Vader with multiple clotheslines. Back drop! Pinfall, and Vader kicks out as we go to commercial break.

We come back to Vader in control. Diving splash to the mat, and the champion kicks out. Vince says that Vader switched momentum during the break. Vader climbs to the middle rope, and crushes Maivia with a diving splash from the middle rope. Vader tries a pin, and Rocky gets his shoulder up! Vader wraps up Rocky's knee in a half crab, as he tries to win the title by submission. Maivia scratches to the ropes for a break. Hard powerslam by Vader. Vader tries another splash, but Rocky reverses into a hiptoss! Pinfall, Vader kicks out. Belly to belly suplex! Pin, Vader kicks out. Whip, Rocky with a tilt-a-whirl DDT! Rocky celebrates and climbs to the top rope. Diving Crossbody! Vader rolls out of the pinfall and Maivia dropkicks him to the outside! The champion takes chase, as Mankind comes out and lays out Rocky with the urn! Referee calls for the bell.


Winner, and still Intercontinental Champion, at 6:58+commercial: Rocky Maivia[/color]

Rating: 2.5[/color] Great back and forth match. Vader used his size and strength, and Maivia countered it with his quickness and agility. Rocky looked smooth here, and his in ring work is picking up.


After the match, Vader questions Mankind after costing him the match and attacks Maivia after the match with a clothesline, and an elbow drop as officials come in the ring and separate Vader from Maivia who is rolling on the mat.


They recap Lawler's challenge to ECW two weeks ago, and show highlights from last weeks feature matches in the Manhattan Center.


The announcers introduce The Sultan as he makes his way down the aisle and gets in the ring for the next match. Lawler calls in on the phone and says that last week was an insult to everyone in the back who worked hard to make it where they are, and the rest of the boys in the back agree with Lawler when he says he felt ashamed. Flash Funk makes his way down to the ring as Sultan's opponent and slaps hands with the fans as go to commercial.


3) Flash Funk vs The Sultan

The match began during the commercial break, as Sultan begins with a back elbow to Funk. Whip, and Funk dropkicks Sultan to the outside. Diving splash to the outside! Sultan is down as Funk jumps back in the ring. Sultan back in, tie up. Funk spins out of an armwringer, whip, into a headlock, down to a knee by the Sultan. Funk fights out and a springboard splash out of the corner flattens Sultan. Spinwheel kick! Pinfall, Sultan kicks out. Double clotheslines! Paul Heyman calls in on the phone, and Heyman says Lawler is the embarrassment which is reason he's not in Berlin tonight and says the next time Lawler challenges ECW, they'll show up anytime, anywhere. Flash Funk with a jumping frankensteiner! Both men down.

Funk to the top rope with a high angle moonsault, and Sultan kicks out at two! Into the corner, Funk tries a headscissors takeover, but Sultan with a sitout wheelbarrow slam! Sultan drags Funk to the middle of the ring, and locks in the camel clutch as the referee stops the match.

Winner by submission at 4:14+commercial: The Sultan


Rating: 1.0[/color] Short match, and it looks like Flash hurt himself with a neck stinger after the moonsault, and the match was quickly ended. Not much to rate. Sultan looked good.


Vince brings us backstage to speak with WWF Champion Psycho Sid about his upcoming match with Mankind. He shouts incoherantly to begin, and he says Mankind made a mistake earlier. He said he took his eyes off the prize, and the game is simple. Two men enter, one survives. He says he is the master, and tonight Mankind becomes just one of his victories on the road to Wrestlemania as he prepares to go to the dark side to battle the Undertaker. He says he is the man. He is the master. And the ruler.. of the world.

Delivery: 3.5 (Inaudible yelling was uncalled for. Very creepy, but powerful stuff from the WWF Champion. You never know what to expect, or how things tie together with Sid, but it seems to work out in the end I have to give him props, tonight was one of those nights wher everything flowed, and sort of made sense.)
Purpose: 2.5 (He's going to beat Mankind to prepare for the Undertaker.)
Reasoning: 3.5 (I don't think we needed to hear from the champion here, let his actions speak louder than his words. Nothing to fault him for though.)

Total Rating: 3.3[/color]


A flashback to In Your House: Final Four where Owen Hart accidentally dropped Bulldog with a spinwheel kick. Bulldog clotheslined Owen as Furnas dove for a pinfall, but Bulldog broke it up, saving the Tag Team Championships. The announcers say Bulldog doesn't like Owen, but he likes being a champion and tonight he has a chance at becoming two.


Ahmed Johnson makes his way to the ring to address Faarooq and the Chicago Street Fight at Wrestlemania 13. Honkeytonk says Ahmed Johnson has a yellow stripe running down his back. Ahmed is introduced by the German ring announcer as his comments are translated. Ahmed says he accepts the challenge, but he won't be coming alone. He starts a "YOURE GOING DOWN" chant.


A Wrestlemania 13 advertisement, hyping Ahmed/Faarooq, Sid/Undertaker, and Bret Hart/Austin. Live March 23rd! Action! Adventure! Danger!


Vince recaps the Legion of Doom returning to the WWF last week saying how successful their surprise return was. A flashback to Saturday Night Shotgun where Hawk and Animal were interviewed about Wrestlemania. Animal says that the Nation doesn't know anything about the streets of Chicago, and the Legion of Doom will be at Wrestlemania. Hawk says he knows about sleeping on a cardboard mattress, and not waking up to a home cooked meal, but because a sewer rat was biting on his toe. He says last time they had their psychological profiles done, it wasn't good. He says he likes they way they are, but no one else does, and adds "what a rush!"


Paul Bearer accompanies Mankind to the ring where he will challenge Psycho Sid for the WWF Championship. They show a pre-match interview with Mankind, in which Mankind speaks entirely in German. He says the WWF Championship is his as we go to commercial.


4) WWF Champion Psycho Sid vs Mankind

Sid makes his way down as Vince calls him one of the greatest WWF superstars today. Immediately pounds on Mankind at 54:50, whip, clothesline. Sid takes his vest off, and drops the title to the mat, as he chases Mankind to the outside. They brawl on the outside as Mankind misses a clothesline and hits the turnbuckle post. Sid rolls the challenger in, and pounds him with a forearm. Headlock. The announcers tell us that next week Sid and Undertaker will be tag team partners. Armbar takedown as Sid wrenches back on Mankind's arm.

There's split screen interview with Steve Austin as Sid wears down Mankind. Austin says the single greatest wrestler is sitting at home in the United States and earlier he was sitting on a seat. The toilet seat in an airport. He said he was eating a sandwich out of a brown paper bag, and usually this would make him sick, but tonight he's sick because Bret Hart whines and cries as Sid stomps Mankind out of the ring. Mankind drags Sid to the outside. Austin says he hopes someone knocks Bret's lights out tonight as we come back to the match. Mankind in control as he chokes Sid across the middle rope. Legdrop across the back of the head! Mankind drags Sid's head across the apron and spikes an elbow. Battling on the apron as Mankind drops Sid to a knee with hard shots to the head. Both men in as Sid reverses momentum with forearms to the back. Sid with running boots to the head from three corners of the ring. Sid tries a fourth, but Mankind moves and Sid calls into the corner as we go to commercial.

We're back and Sid is in control. Sid throws Mankind over the top rope as Sid takes chase. Bearer hit Sid from behind as Mankind hits Sid from behind. Sid throws Mankind into the turnbuckle and bends Mankind in half with a snap back suplex on the outside! Back on the apron, and Mankind drops Sid throat first across the top rope. Slingshot legdrop by Mankind, pinfall, and Sid kicks out! Headlock. Sid fights out. Misses a clothesline, and Mankind locks in the Mandible Claw in the middle of the ring! The champion is on the mat, trying to fight out, and falls on his back. Pinfall, and Sid gets the shoulder up! Sid biting his opponents finger, and powers his way out of the hold! Double arm DDT by Mankind! Pinfall.. and Sid barely kicks out! Sleeper hold by Mankind. The champion backs into the corner and breaks it. Mankind locks it on again.

Sid falls backwards to break the hold, as Sid gets a second wind. Flailing punches, eight punch in the corner by the champion! Sid grabs Paul Bearer on the ring apron, Mankind runs and accidentally hits Bearer. Chokeslam! Pin, and Mankind kicks out at two and a half! Boot to the gut! Powerbomb! And the three count!


Winner, and still WWF Champion, at 10:26+commercial: Pyscho Sid


Rating: 3.5[/color] Really great match here. The announcers played up the lethality of the Mandible Claw the entire match. Mankind tried to beat the champion different ways and came up short, even kicking out of the chokeslam. Went about 15 minutes including commercial and was everything you could want from an entertaining match with non-stop action.


There was a flashback to Saturday Night Shotgun two weeks ago when Crush cheated to beat the Bulldog, and Clarence Mason allowed it. Bulldog asked where his loyalties lyed, and Owen told him not to complain about losing. Bulldog told Owen to shut up, and then he fired Clarence Mason as the teams manager.


After coming back from a commercial, we're back with Steve Austin in the WWF Studios again. Vince said Austin tried to prevent Hart from winning the WWF Championship at Final Four, but Bret prevailed regardless of Austin's intentions, and then the next night Austin cost Bret the title. Vince asked if Austin had any remorse. Austin said he regrets he didn't hit him harder. He says all that Bret does is complain. He said that when Shawn hurt his knee, Bret complained. He said Austin wrestled at Final Four with a bum knee, and he regards himself as the WWF Champion. He said regarding the Submissions match, he doesn't know many submissions, but he'll beat the hell out of Bret Hart. He reiterates that he doesn't have any quit in him, quoting Shamrock from last week. He said there is no one in the company that could make him quit, and that's the bottom line. Vince asked him why he was so bitter, and Austin said if he's treated like a mule, he'll act like a jackass!


Delivery: 4.0 (Fun stuff here. Austin was on point. He has a valid claim to hate Bret Hart because he annoys him, and that's the bottom line.)
Purpose: 4.0 (Addressed his feelings towards Bret, why he has animosity towards him, their submissions match, and that he'll never quit.)
Reasoning: 3.0 (We've heard it before, but there's nothing wrong with continuation.)

Total Rating: 3.7[/color]


Inside the ring, the referee stands with the new WWF European Championship as Owen Hart makes his way to the ring, getting ready to challenge British Bulldog in the finals of the European Title Tournament. Bulldog makes his way out to pomp and cheers. Vince reminds us that both men are brother and brother-in-law of Bret Hart. Vince says we're going to see a wrestling match that we haven't seen before.


5. WWF Tag Team Champion Owen Hart[/color] vs WWF Tag Team Champion British Bulldog[/color]
WWF European Championship

Jim Ross tells us that this is the first new championship in the WWF in 35 years. He adds that Bulldog defeated Vader in the semi finals, and Owen defeated his brother Bret in the other semi-finals. Both men shake hands. Bulldog wearing long tights with tassels around his shins, adverse to his trunks of usual.

Bell sounds at 1:13:46 as both men circle. Tie up, into the corner. Another tie up, armwringer by Owen. Bulldog catch-as-can reversal, and Owen flips out of Bulldogs armwringer. Owen flips Bulldog to the mat with a wristlock, and reverses into one of his own. Owen kicks up. Whip into the corner, Owen with a monkey toss out of the corner, but Bulldog with a handspring to land on his feet! Jim Ross reminds us that the British Bulldog has history winning titles in Europe against the Hart family as at Summerslam 1992 in Wembley Stadium, Bulldog defeated Bret Hart for the Intercontinental Championship. Bulldog tries a back suplex but Owen reverses into a hiptoss. Both men up, and square away.

Tie up, test of strength as Bulldog bends Owen backwards. Owen escapes, jumps on the top rope, and backflips out! Hiptoss! Owen tries a headscissors takeover, but Bulldog plants him with a powerbomb! Bulldog catapaults Owen to the outside and shows off his athleticism with a handstand flip in the ring. Bulldog invites Owen back in the ring out of respect. Circle again. Tie up, hammerlock by Owen, reversal by Bulldog, Bulldog tries a back suplex but backside roll up by Owen! Bulldog quickly kicks out. Armdrag takedown by Bulldog into an armbar. Bulldog drops a elevated knee to the elbow. Hammerlock by Bulldog, Owen tries a snapmare, and Bulldog lifts Owen in the air and drops him to the mat with a inverted suplex! We go to commercial with Owen on the mat..

We're back with both men tied up. Bulldog lifts Owen in the air by his wrist. Vince remarks about how strong Bulldog is. Off the ropes, Bulldog with a crucifix roll up! Two and a half! Bulldog tries a suplex, Owen escapes. Owen misses an ezuguiri. Bulldog with a bow and arrow surfboard submission! Owen grabs the referee and slips out. Bulldog with a snapmare into an armbar. Off the ropes, monkeyflip by Bulldog! Bulldog misses a clothesline, and Owen tosses Bulldog to the outside. Owen with a headstand flip mocking Bulldog from earlier. Owen invites Bulldog back into the ring, mirroring his partner from earlier. Square off again. Tie up, headlock takedown by Bulldog . Quick pin, Owen kicks out. Owen with a leapfrog and clutches at his knee as he stumbles around. Bulldog doesn't buy it, and Owen kicks Bulldog in the knee.

Owen back in control as he targets the knee, and tries the Sharpshooter, but Bulldog kicks him off. Shoving contest. Off the ropes, spinning heel kick by Owen!! Owen dances around Bulldog, kicking in in the stomach between the legs. Backbreaker across the knee. Elevated knee to the lower back. Hard whip into the corner! Owen raises his arms and celebrates. Power scoop slam. Knee drop. Owen covers, and Bulldog kicks out. Headlock by Owen. Bulldog fights out, misses a clothesline off the ropes, and Owen with a knee to the gut that drops Bulldog as Owen kicks Bulldog under the bottom rope. Bulldog with a leaping sunsetflip from the outside, and Owen kicks out at two! Owen with a clothesline! Elbow drop. Pin, Bulldog kicks out! Headlock by Owen as we go another commercial..

We're back as both men off the ropes, Owen with a release belly to belly suplex! Cover, Bulldog kicks out! Owen with a camel clutch. Bulldog doesn't submit. Bulldog lifts Owen on his shoulders, and falls backwards. Bulldog runs, and Owen with a boot to the face. Owen with a roll up and puts his feet on the ropes for leverage but Bulldog kicks out! Spinning neckbreaker by Owen. Diving elbow from the second rope. Pin, and a kickout! Owen can't believe it. Owen sits Bulldog on the top rope, and tries a superplex, but Bulldog reverses into a press pin! Owen kicks out! Diving forearm by Bulldog! Running forearms! Owen reeling. Vertical suplex by Bulldog! Pinfall, and Owen kicks out!! Whip into the corner, Owen crashes chest first. Bulldog lifts Owen in the air with a military press, and drops Owen groin first across the top rope. Owen quickly back in, reversal into a bridging German suplex by Owen!! Bulldog gets the shoulder up!!

Bulldog tries the Powerslam, but Owen rolls him up. Kickout! Owen dives out of the corner with a springboard crossbody, but Bulldog slams him down. Pin, Owen kicks out! Owen with an enzuguiri!! The announders remind us that Owen Hart almost ended Shawn Michaels career with that move. Owen has the Sharpshooter locked in in the middle of the ring! BULLDOG DRAGS OWEN TO THE ROPES!! Owen tries a piledriver, but Bulldog reverses it into a Powerslam! He drops Owen in the middle of the ring, and OWEN KICKED OUT! Owen from behind with a victory roll, Bulldog reverses into a leverage pin,.. three count!! The crowd breaks into a frenzied cheer!


Winner, and NEW WWF European Champion via pinfall at 22:43 (including commercials): British Bulldog[/color]!


Rating: 4.5[/color] I don't rate higher than a 4.0, but this match deserved everything and much more. This match was one for the record books, a forgotten classic here. This was better than the Maivia/HHH match which I rated a 4.0. Went almost 23 minutes on live television. Tremendous back and forth unpredictable match between two great athletes who gave it their all. The announcers were great. The story was great. We have a new championship in the WWF for the first time in 35 years, and it's held by the British Bulldog!


Show Rating: A+
Thoughts: This show was easily the best show thusfar of 1997 in terms of in ring match quality. There were no slow spots what so ever. Vader/Maivia was a good matchup, Sid/Mankind delivered, and HHH/Bret was enticing but short. Austin having a great interview discussing and being great there. Good Wrestlemania build. Capped off by an all time great match between Owen and Bulldog, hands down great show. Add this to your watch list immediately!


MVP: Owen Hart vs British Bulldog
Non-MVP: Flash Funk

[/center]