WWF Monday Night RAW 02-03-97

For those unaware, the New Blackjacks were Barry Windham and John Bradshaw.
Phineas reversed an Irish whip and delivered a back elbow to Bradshaw.
Outside the ring, Windham made Henry HIT THE POLE!
Phineas then clotheslined Bradshaw over the top rope to the floor.
Upon joining Bradshaw, Phineas rammed him face-first into the steps.
In the ring, Henry gave Windham a military-press slam.
As the Manhattan faithful chanted “Nitro sucks,” Phineas tagged in.
Windham then reversed a cross corner whip, but Phineas gave him a headscissors over the top rope to the floor.
When Bradshaw tagged in, he clotheslined Phineas but missed an elbow drop.
Henry tagged in as the Godwinns hit a double clothesline for 2.
After a cross corner whip, Henry gave Bradshaw a back drop.
He then clotheslined Bradshaw, but when Windham distracted him, Bradshaw shoved Henry over the top rope to the floor.
On the floor, Windham nailed Henry.
Back in the ring, Bradshaw got 2.
Windham tagged in, and the New Blackjacks gave Henry a shot to the midsection followed by a boot to the head.
Meanwhile, Ken Shamrock was shown sitting in the front row.

Windham then delivered a belly-to-back suplex to Henry.
As Bradshaw tagged in, he gave Henry a cross corner whip but ate boot on his follow-through.
Bradshaw then applied a sleeper, but Henry countered with a belly-to-back suplex.
Hot tag Phineas.
As Phineas applied a sleeper to Windham, Bradshaw delivered a lariat.
1-2-3.
The New Blackjacks won.
Supposedly, Phineas’ leg was on the bottom rope so another referee entered the ring.
Unfortunately for the Godwinns, referee Mike Chioda’s decision stood.

Suddenly, the Eliminators give a ring attendant Total Elimination as Uncle Paul grabs the microphone and yells “ECW is in the houuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse!”

Uncle Paul was the ring announcer for this match, and the ECW graphics refer to him as “Paul E. Dangerously.”
For those unaware, Little Guido was known as Nunzio in WWE.
Also, the Blue World Order was comprised of Big Stevie Cool, the Blue Guy, and Hollywood Nova. Their flunky was called 7-11. HA!

Uncle Paul then joined the broadcast table for this match.
When Little Guido attempted a cross body block, Big Stevie caught and gave him a fallaway slam a la Scott Hall.
Big Stevie then delivered a sidewalk slam a la Kevin Nash.
Abruptly, ECW champion Raven emerged through the entrance and stood in the aisle.
Since Stevie was distracted, Little Guido rolled him up for 2.
Stevie then missed a clothesline as Little Guido dropkicked him twice sending Stevie between the ropes to the floor.
As Lawler subtly besmirched Joey Styles (Oh my God!), Goldust referred to this as “B-movies.” Don’t give Vince any ideas! The Toxic Avenger could debut on RAW next week.

Nonetheless, Little Guido gave Stevie a pair of cross corner whips but ate boot on his follow-through.
Next, Little Guido grabbed Stevie’s legs and powerbombed him for 2.
As the Manhattan faithful chanted “bWo,” Goldust hyped Marlena for her upcoming arm-wrestling match.
Meanwhile, Little Guido face-planted Stevie for another 2.
Stevie then came back with a Rocker Dropper for 2.
As Vince shilled La Femme Nikita, Stevie hit a jackknife powerbomb.
He then hit the Stevie kick and pinned Little Guido.

Prior to the next match, we revisit IYH XIII when the tall brunette grabbed Marlena from behind. Next, we revisit RAW from last week as she entered the ring and shook the bejesus out of Marlena.

Honkytonk Man was the special guest referee for this match.
When Sunny made her entrance, she imitated “Ravishing” Rick Rude and performed a strip tease with her robe.
Being “compassionate,” Sunny offered Marlena a chance to forfeit, but Marlena ran down Sunny and disregarded her offer.
Of course, Sunny, playing the heel, stalled twice.
Not to be outdone, Marlena pulled the same stunt on the third try.
Right before Sunny almost lost, she pulled powder out of her boot and tossed it in Marlena’s face.

Marlena won by DQ.

As a member of the Manhattan faithful yelled “you fucking bitch” at Sunny, Vega got in Marlena’s face until Goldust rescued her.

Match 4: Goldust (w/ Marlena) versus Savio Vega (w/ the Nation of Domination)

With the arm-wrestling table still in the ring, Goldust rammed Vega face-first into it.
Miguel Perez joined the broadcast table for this match.

After a commercial break, Vega gave Goldust a sidewalk slam for 2.
As Perez gave a shout-out to los Puerto Riqueños en Español, Goldust hooked a sunset flip for 2.
While Vega distracted the anonymous referee, Crush piledrove Goldust on the floor. SNEAKY!
Goldust then hit a cross body block for 2.
However, Vega retaliated with a spinning heel kick for 2.
Shortly after, Goldust gave Vega a DDT as Sunny jiggled at ringside.
After a slam, Vega ate knees on a splash attempt.
Gdldust came back with a pair of lariats and delivered the ten-punch count-along.
After a slam, Goldust mounted the top turnbuckle but Vega crotched him.
He then joined Goldust, but Goldust head-butted and kissed him back down to the mat.
As Goldust leaped from the top turnbuckle, he ate boot.
Actually, Goldust caught it, came off the ropes, but got tripped by Crush.
Goldust then exited the ring and nailed Crush.
Upon Goldust’s return, Vega barely hit a spinning heel kick as a member of the Manhattan faithful plugged Dave Scherer’s The Lariat newsletter.
When D’Lo Brown distracted Goldust, Crush ran in to double-team Goldust.
Goldust won by DQ.

Summary: Meaningless match that made Vega look weak since he couldn’t beat Goldust.

After the match, Perez tries to interfere, but Vega tosses him over the top rope to the floor. He then mounts the top turnbuckle and hits a missile dropkick on Vega. Upon sending Vega over the top rope to the floor via a dropkick, Perez joins Goldust in double-teaming Crush.

Next week, RAW emanates from Berlin, Germany with the finals of the European title tournament.

After a commercial break, we revisit RAW from 7/19/93 when Lawler ran down Tiny Tim.

Following that, Lawler interviews Shamrock. While Lawler claims to be friends with him, Shamrock calls him a “liar.” HA!

Uncle Paul was the ring announcer and joined the broadcast table for this match.
As he plugged ECW Barely Legal on 4/13 on PPV, Taz hit a Northern Lights suplex with a bridge for 2. Sweet!
After a leap frog by Whipwreck, Taz hooked a straightjacket release suplex.
Meanwhile, Faarooq cut a promo on Undertaker.
In the ring, Whipwreck hooked a sunset flip for 2.
After a cross corner whip, Whipwreck floated over Taz.
Upon a second attempt, Whipwreck got caught and powerbombed.
Suddenly, Sabu emerged from the top of the RAW sign and fell onto Taz’s team.

When Sabu grabbed Alfonso, Taz gave Whipwreck an overhead belly-to-belly suplex over the top rope onto Sabu.
Taz then delivered a head-and-arm Taz-plex and hooked the katahajime.
Whipwreck submitted.

This was the first WWF appearance for the Road Warriors since Summerslam ’92.
As the Manhattan faithful chanted “L-O-D,” Animal hit a flying shoulder block to Mosh.
When Hawk tagged in, he mounted the second turnbuckle and lowered the boom on Thrasher.
Hawk then gave Mosh a back drop as the Manhattan faithful again chanted “Nitro sucks.”
After a cross corner whip, Hawk delivered a corner clothesline to Mosh.
He then gave Mosh a gutwrench suplex followed by a fist drop for 2.
As Animal tagged in, he gave Mosh a powerbomb for 2 as Thrasher made the save.
He then gave Mosh a back elbow as the Manhattan faithful chanted “Bischoff sucks.”
When Hawk tagged in, he gave Mosh a dropkick for another 2.
Mosh then attempted a sunset flip but ate a knuckle sandwich instead. I wonder if it had soppressata on it.

Next, Hawk gave Mosh a delayed vertical suplex.
Shortly after, Hawk gave Thrasher a cross corner whip but came up empty on his follow-through. In fact, he fell out of the ring.
While Thrasher held Hawk, Mosh leaped from the apron and nailed Hawk.
After a commercial break, Thrasher tagged in, mounted the second turnbuckle, and clotheslined Hawk.
Mosh tagged in, but Hawk double-clotheslined them.
Hot tag Animal.
All four wrestlers brawled outside the ring as Animal rammed Mosh face-first into the steps.
Both teams were counted out.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

After the match, the Road Warriors give Mosh the Doomsday Device. Why couldn’t they do this during the match?

As Vince noted Mero’s legitimate knee injury, the “Tell Me A Lie” Shawn Michaels video plays. They must have played this during the Prince Iaukea match on Nitro.

Uncle Paul was the announcer and joined the broadcast table for this match.
After Dreamer countered a leap frog with an inverted atomic drop, he gave D-Von a bulldog.
He then tossed D-Von over the top rope to the floor and WALLOPED him with a frying pan.
Upon hitting D-Von with a walking cane, Dreamer whipped him shoulder-first into the steps.
After dislodging the top step and placing it on the apron, Dreamer delivered a snap suplex on the floor.
He then hit a baseball slide into the step knocking D-Von somewhere into 1999.
As the Manhattan faithful chanted “Beu-lah,” D-Von reversed a cross corner whip sending Dreamer back-first into the step lodged in the corner. OUCH!
D-Von then procured a steel chair and BRAINED Dreamer.
Next, he gave Dreamer a sidewalk slam on the chair.
While Uncle Paul and Lawler argued at the broadcast table, D-Von delivered a leg drop onto the chair atop Dreamer’s head.
He then mounted the second turnbuckle but hit the chair instead of Dreamer on a diving head butt attempt.
After a piledriver, Dreamer received a chair from Beulah, but Sign Guy prevented him from using it.
D-Von then dragged Beulah into the ring as Undertaker watched from backstage.
To escape, Beulah used her trick knee, and Dreamer hit the DDT on the chair.
1-2-3.
Dreamer won.

After the match, Bubba Ray hits the ring and ambushes Dreamer. From the stands, Sandman emerges and chugs a Budweiser tall boy. The Dudley Boys then bring him into the ring the hard way. After a cross corner whip, Bubba Ray comes up empty knocking himself silly on his follow-through with a chair. Sandman then BRAINS both Dudleys with chairs.

Before Uncle Paul leaves the broadcast table, he lunges at Lawler as a scuffle breaks out.

After a commercial break, Lawler threatens Uncle Paul with VIOLENCE. I wonder what my great uncle Richard thought about that.

We then revisit RAW from last week as Stone Cold Steve Austin interjected himself three times into the WWF title match. That enabled Sycho Sid to beat Bret Hart and win the title. In a Superstars exclusive, an angry Bret sought after Austin backstage.

At WrestleMania XIII, Sid will defend the WWF title against Undertaker. Also, Bret will face Austin in no-holds-barred match.

Afterward, Todd Pettengill interviews Shamrock who introduces his then-wife and father. Shamrock then chooses Undertaker in the main event of WrestleMania XIII. When Pettengill asks for a prediction of the no-holds-barred match, Shamrock can’t decide. He then polls the Manhattan faithful who are solidly behind Austin.

As Faarooq makes his entrance, he dismisses Shamrock’s UFC credentials. Shamrock’s ready to get it on if the price is right.

When Undertaker followed Faarooq outside the ring, he rammed Brown face-first into the steps.
In the ring, Undertaker hit a flying clothesline followed by the rope walk shoulder smash.
He then gave Faarooq a back elbow and clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor.
After a cross corner whip, Undertaker ate a back elbow on his follow-through.
Faarooq then delivered a clothesline, gave Undertaker a cross corner whip, but ate boot on his follow-through. That earned a 2-count for Undertaker.
After a short-arm clothesline, Undertaker missed an elbow drop.
As Faarooq clotheslined Undertaker over the top rope to the floor, he distracted the anonymous referee as Brown chop-blocked Undertaker. How dastardly!
During the commercial break, the WWF Rewind is the Doomsday Device by the Road Warriors.
Afterward, Faarooq slammed Undertaker, attempted a slam, but ate knees.
He then took down Undertaker with a leg sweep for 2.
After a cross corner whip, Undertaker exploded with a Rocker Dropper.
Upon dodging a leg drop, Faarooq rammed Undertaker’s leg into the ring post twice.
Undertaker came back with a rollup for 2.
Next, Faarooq hooked a rope-assisted rear chin lock, but Undertaker made the ropes.
Faarooq then reversed an Irish whip, hit a powerslam, and got 2.
Afterward, he mounted the top turnbuckle, leaped, but received a powerslam.
When a member of PG-13 got up on the apron, Undertaker nailed him.
After a slam, Brown gave Undertaker a low bridge sending him to the floor.
Faarooq then tried to hit Undertaker with the top step, but Undertaker kicked it in his face. Fortunately, Faarooq didn’t bleed like a stuck Vader.
Back in the ring, Faarooq hit a piledriver, but Undertaker no-sold it. He must have learned that from Road Warrior Hawk.
Suddenly, the NoD hit the ring to attack Undertaker.
Undertaker won by DQ.

Conclusion: Despite returning to its original broadcast location, RAW didn’t offer much other than an advertisement for ECW’s Barely Legal. Of course, that’s because most of the roster was overseas. Can the ECW infomercial beat Nitro this week?

Who won? Nope, Nitro won by half of a ratings point. With Nitro live from Hotlanta, and RAW taped from Germany, I fear for RAW’s ratings.