wrestling / Video Reviews
Raw History: Episode 184 and Reliving Nitro: Episode 61
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Raw History
Episode #184
November 11th, 1996 | War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana
WWF Champion: Shawn Michaels (1) since 3/31/96
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Marc Mero (1) since 9/23/96
WWF Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart and the British Bulldog (1) since 9/22/96
Vince McMahon and Jerry Lawler are on commentary. No mention of the gun angle from last week.
WWF Tag Team Championship: British Bulldog and Owen Hart (c) w/ Clarence Mason def. WWF Champion Shawn Michaels and Sycho Sid w/ Jose Lothario in 11:19
We get some clips of the HBK/Sid trust issues in recent weeks. We also hear from Steve Austin on a split screen saying that he doesn’t apologize for last week and threatens Bret Hart. Owen jumps Sid from behind but it has no effect and he ends up taking the Hart sternum corner bump. Shawn and Sid work like a well-oiled machine in picking apart the champs. Bulldog and Owen turn things around, working the heat on Shawn. Lawler thinks Sid is content to let that happen so Shawn is softened up for Survivor Series. He especially thinks so when they do the false hot tag spot and Sid unintentionally distracts the official during double teams. During a break, there’s an awesome Bret Hart promo aired for Survivor Series. Bulldog kicks Shawn with a vicious low blow, leading to more double team offense. Sid gets the hot tag and the champs are in trouble. He chokeslams Bulldog and Shawn tries Sweet Chin Music but hits Sid by mistake. Sid sells it poorly. Bulldog pins Sid to retain. This was solid tag formula which worked because Shawn is a great face in peril and Sid is a good hot tag guy. The champs played their roles well and this added intrigue to the upcoming title match. ***
Both Survivor Series main event guys get left knocked out because Owen also drills Shawn with the ENZIGURI OF DEATH! Shawn and Sid had to be separated during the break in the back.
SURVIVOR SERIES REPORT ~ Dok Hendrix runs down the card, announcing Bulldog and Owen will team with the New Rockers against the Godwins and Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon. Spoiler: I love that match.
Mankind w/ The Executioner and Paul Bearer def. Freddie Joe Floyd in 2:41
I don’t remember Tracy Smothers being around this much as a jobber. He gets in a few shots early but misses a charge and is in trouble. Mankind beats him up before winning with the Mandible Claw. He doesn’t enjoy the victory because Undertaker’s music hits and the shark cage with the Bearer dummy lowers from the ceiling.
VIGNETTE ~ A special look at the first third-generation Superstar ever, Rocky Maivia. He makes his in-ring debut at the Survivor Series. He’s ultra bland here. Watching WWF and WCW in 1996, you’d never imagine guys like him, HHH and Chris Jericho would become major stars.
BIG BANG BOOM TOUR ~ They run down some upcoming house show dates.
Sid is interviewed in the back and is tired of all the “mistakes”. He promises there won’t be any at Survivor Series when Shawn Michaels’ title reign ends.
Also backstage, Steve Austin cuts a promo on his opponent tonight, Bob Holly. He plans on giving him a wrestling lesson and he hopes Bret Hart is watching.
KARATE FIGHTERS ~ Sable beats Dok Hendrix.
Kevin Kelly now gets a word with Shawn Michaels. Shawn is in a towel and talks about how everyone who doubts him or gets in his way gets their teeth kicked in. He still says the kick tonight was a mistake but it did knock Sid out. He manages to throw in a mention about Bret Hart saying he isn’t a role model, adding to the seeds for their planned rematch at WrestleMania 13.
Steve Austin def. Bob Holly in 7:36
If I’m right, this is the debut of the glass shatter theme. I could be mistaken though. Austin works the mat early to show that he’s a great wrestler. Bret Hart watches on a monitor backstage. It’s so much better that he sits watching instead of the awkward clearly fake standing in front of a screen stuff they do in present day. JR announces that Austin will take on Vader on next week’s episode. After a break, Holly hits a rana. JR tells Vince “That’s called a hurricanrana. Or WHATAMANUEVER!” Classic. Austin hits the Stunner for the win. Basic grappling here. It accomplished what it needed to and was mostly entertaining. **
Steve Austin promised to go after Bret, so he instantly heads to the back. He finds Bret’s locker room but tells the camera he won’t beat up Bret for free. You have to pay to see it this Sunday. In one week, the legend of Bret Hart ends.
Reliving Nitro
Episode #61
November 11th, 1996 | Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg, Florida
WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Hulk Hogan (2) 8/10/96
WCW United States Champion: Ric Flair (5) since 7/7/96
WCW World Tag Team Champions: The Outsiders (1) since 10/27/96
WCW Television Champion: Lord Steven Regal (3) since 8/20/96
WCW Cruiserweight Champion: Dean Malenko (2) since 10/27/96
Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko host hour number one.
LAST WEEK ~ They show clips of the Horsemen promo where Benoit and Mongo showed they weren’t excited about Jarrett being around. Jeff talked about leading WCW while Sting watched from the rafters.
Jeff Jarrett def. Chris Benoit w/ Woman via disqualification in 6:35
We hear from Kevin Sullivan on a split screen as he issues threats to Benoit. They go through a feeling out process that sees Jarrett act very cocky. It leads to a commercial break, which promotes World War 3. Returning, things get more heated. Jarrett and Benoit roll around trading fists. Benoit takes a typically insane bump on a suplex to the outside. Jarrett taunts but Sting arrives and plants him with the Scorpion Death Drop, resulting in the DQ. Up until that finish, it was a fine little match that was just picking up. **¼
After Sting leaves, Woman convinces Benoit to help Jarrett. She knows Jeff is WCW but they don’t know Sting’s affiliation. Jarrett shoves Benoit away heading to a break.
Following that, someone jumps the rail to give Tony Schiavone a package. He says it needs to be played on TV, then gets taken away by security. Schiavone opens the package to find a tape. It says “It was played in Europe in 1992 and was a hit. Piper wants Hogan – play it, you’ll see what I mean.” Interesting.
DR. JAMES ANDREWS ~ They run a cheesy video package where Andrews talks about Ric Flair’s recent injury and his comeback.
WCW Women’s Championship Tournament First Round: ZERO w/ Sonny Oono def. Malya Hosaka in 1:42
Malia (how it’s spelled outside of WCW unless this was a nameplate typo) still wrestles over twenty years later. She tries early offense but fails and gets her ass kicked. ZERO wins with splash mountain. It looks too close to the Outsider’s Edge.
Mean Gene is back and interviews DDP by the entrance. He questions the nWo seemingly recruiting him and brings up their past. DDP says he doesn’t need anybody because he has the Diamond Cutter. They’re interrupted by Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. Hall officially makes the offer and DDP scoffs at being their eighth pick. Nash brings up Eric Bischoff living two houses down from DDP and something about politics, basically insinuating that DDP got his job because he’s Bischoff’s friend. It’s a great start of a turn for DDP. He doesn’t flat out decline the offer but there’s intrigue there now.
SATURDAY NIGHT ~ Chris Benoit, Jim Duggan, Lord Steven Regal, Dean Malenko and more!
Rey Mysterio Jr. def. Ciclope in 5:59
It’s the Nitro debut of Ciclope. Ultimo Dragon, his tons of titles and Sonny Oono watch from ringside. The match gets off to a quick start and Rey nails a suicide dive. Ciclope blocks a Frankensteiner with a clothesline for two. Ciclope takes over with a flapjack and sunset flip bomb. He then busts out a middle rope DDT. Dean Malenko and Psicosis both come out to watch also. The match slows a bit until Rey hits a spinning heel kick. He springboards into a tombstone though and I can’t believe that didn’t end it. Ciclope goes up top but gets crotched. After a headscissors outside, Rey wins with the springboard rana. Fun sprint. It was a showcase of two guys doing moves without much story, but it was fine for what it was. **¾
The nWo are here! Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Syxx make their way to the ring. They’re going to be at the Cable ACE Awards on Saturday because the nWo is the reason TNT is the hottest network on cable. They bother commentary but Larry Zbyszko isn’t pleased and threatens them if they get physical. Nash says they no longer want their weekly segment on Saturday Night, they want nWo Nitro.
HOUR NUMBER TWO! Eric Bischoff, Mike Tenay and Bobby Heenan take over.
Lex Luger def. Scott Norton in 6:17
Commentary notes that Norton just won New Japan’s annual tag team tournament. He works Luger’s arm throughout this match. Guess what? Sting is watching from the rafters. Poor guys has to continually watch Lex Luger matches. I’d be sad too. Norton continues working the arm through a commercial break. Luger rallies and shakes off the arm stuff to win with the Torture Rack. This was just not very good at all. ¼*
Mean Gene interviews Luger. Luger says WCW is at its lowest and he’s trying to save it but it’s more than one man can do. He wants Sting to come back and help. He admits to the mistake of not trusting him and apologizes.
The Amazing French Canadians w/ Col. Robert Parker vs. Harlem Heat w/ Sister Sherri ended in a double disqualification in 3:06
I’m not sure what happened to cause Parker to join the AFC. The teams trade rather meaningless offense until the cameras catch the Nasty Boys trying to enter the arena. Sherri gets involved, yelling from inside the ring to the action outside. I’m not sure why. When the Nasty Boys can’t get in, they leave and bump into Ed Leslie, formerly Brutus Beefcake, the Booty Man and a bunch of other bad gimmicks. Sherri beats up Parker inside, leading to the weird non-finish. Not much to rate here.
Konnan def. Chris Jericho via disqualification in 5:18
I have no clue what belt Konnan is carrying. They discuss Jericho’s father and even show a photo of a trading card he had. “If he was so good, why was he traded so many times.” – Heenan. Nick Patrick officiates here despite having issues with Jericho. Jericho sends Konnan outside and misses a plancha. Konnan attacks the arm and gets two on a powerbomb. Jericho starts a rally while Bischoff makes bad hockey puns. After some flash pin attempts, Konnan dropkicks Jericho. He falls back, grazing Patrick, who calls the DQ. There was potential here but neither guy brought it and the finish was lame. *
Miguel Perez Jr. def. Juventud Guerrera in 3:56
It’s future Los Boricua member Miguel Perez. He’s the hairy one. They start as soon as it returns from commercial, with Juvi dropkicking him. Juvi connects on a missile dropkick that Bischoff calls a “double dropkick.” Perez nails a leg sweep, corkscrew senton and moonsault for a near fall. Juvi sends him outside and dives onto him. Insane Juvi wants a rana off the guardrail but has it countered into a POWERBOMB ON THE FLOOR! Goodness, Juvi. It’s a throwaway match on Nitro, calm down. The camera misses Perez hitting a Space Flying Tiger Drop outside. Back in, Juvi hits another dropkick but misses the 450 splash. Perez rolls him up to win his debut. That was a blast. Short and sweet with lots of action. I dig it. ***
Ted Dibiase and Vincent are in the crowd. Ted addresses Sting, thanking him for what he did to Jeff Jarrett earlier. He’s already wearing the nWo colors, so they offer Sting an nWo shirt.
The Faces of Fear w/ Jimmy Hart def. The American Males in 3:35
I’ll never get over how bad the American Males’ theme is. While the teams brawl, Bischoff says the tape they got earlier is a music video that will clear up the Hogan/Piper stuff. I’m sorry, what? Also, I thought the feud was cut and dry. What needs to be cleared up? Anyway, Bagwell takes a beating and hasn’t even removed his entrance vest. He finally gets free and hits a clothesline. Tag to Riggs who hits both guys with dropkicks. Bagwell trips him up at one point, leading to the kick of fear that ends it. Bagwell and Riggs argue and shove each other outside. Nothing match that honestly played out like a squash.
Jimmy Hart is pissed about the Nasty Boys getting a Tag Team Title shot at World War 3. He notes they can’t even get into the building and wants a triangle match involving the Faces of Fear. Commentary downplays his promo at first but then realize he has a point.
MUSIC VIDEO ~ The song is called “I’m Your Man” and is from October 1992. It’s legitimately Roddy Piper singing one of the cheesiest songs I’ve ever heard. They air the entire video but the real thing to note is there’s a point where the Hollywood Bowl sign reads RODDY PIPER VS. HULK HOGAN on the marquee. SEE HE WANTED THE MATCH FOR FOUR YEARS!
Another week, another show closing Hulk Hogan promo. This time, he’s with Vincent, Giant, Dibiase and Elizabeth dressed as Mrs. Claus. She isn’t happy about it, but she looks great. Hogan says “Santa with Muscles” is destroying everyone in the box office. I checked and saw the film was released three days before it. It lasted just two weeks in theaters, made just $220,198 and is considered one of the worst films ever. Anyway, he says Piper is scared to face him and then poses to close another episode. Do they not have any other ideas on how to end Nitro?
Raw Rating: 2.5
Nitro Rating: 3.7
Nitro: This was a strange episode. The Piper music video was so damn strange and closing the show the same way three straight weeks with zero resolution is maddening. It was clear they were killing time to stretch out Hogan/Piper until Starrcade. Juvi/Perez and Mysterio/Ciclope were solid but short matches. The rest of the show was kind of just there.4.0
