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Raw History: Episode 194 and Reliving Nitro: Episode 71

July 31, 2017 | Posted by Kevin Pantoja
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Raw History: Episode 194 and Reliving Nitro: Episode 71  

Royal Rumble 1997 Results
Hunter Hearst Helmsley (c) def. Goldust in 16:48 to retain the WWF Intercontinental Title
Ahmed Johnson def. Faarooq in 8:45 via disqualification
Vader def. The Undertaker in 13:19
El Canek, Hector Garza and Perro Aguayo def. Fuerza Guerrera, Heavy Metal and Jerry Estrada in 10:57
Steve Austin won the Royal Rumble in 50:30
Shawn Michaels def. Sycho Sid (c) in 13:49 to win the WWF Championship


Raw History
Episode #194
January 20th, 1997 | Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas

WWF Champion: Shawn Michaels (2) since 1/19/97
WWF Intercontinental Champion: Hunter Hearst Helmsley (1) since 10/21/96
WWF Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart and the British Bulldog (1) since 9/22/96

Clips and still images from the Royal Rumble last night are shown to open this episode. The big news? Shawn Michaels is WWF Champion again and Steve Austin won the Royal Rumble in controversial fashion.

Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler are on commentary. Bret Hart immediately storms out and is pissed about last night. He breaks kayfabe by screaming at Vince McMahon for being brought back to the WWF under false pretenses. He had to beat Austin for a title shot, only to deal with HBK on commentary, who cost him the title. Last night, he wins the Royal Rumble only for Austin to sneak in after being eliminated and steal the win. Bret says he’s been screwed by the “boy toy”, by Austin, by the WWF and by Vince. Segments like this make one think the Montreal stuff was a work since it all aligns PERFECTLY. Bret quits and exits through the crowd.

With Bret gone, here comes Steve Austin. His microphone doesn’t work, so he berates the equipment guy to a big pop. He says Bret’s done nothing but cry since returning. “When the going gets tough, the Harts get going.” Classic. Austin is pissed at Gorilla and delivers the infamous “I got a bunch of bananas and I’m gonna tell you where to stick each and every one of them” line. The Rumble winner was scheduled to face the loser of the WWF Title match tonight but Sid has a concussion, so Austin gets the Undertaker instead tonight. Very hot way to start Raw. It had one of those “anything can happen” feels to it that Raw’s missed for a long time.

Non-Title Match: WWF Tag Team Champions British Bulldog and Owen Hart w/ Clarence Mason vs. Doug Furnas and Phil Lafon
At the Rumble last night, Owen eliminated Bulldog to continue their dissension. Owen and Lafon do some fun grappling, while Furnas and Bulldog show off their power. Furnas makes Bulldog take a powder following a hurricanrana. Bulldog gets in trouble, but turns it around and they have control heading into a commercial. Returning, JR hypes La Femme Nikita as being tougher than Robin Hood (those shows aired head to head after Raw and Nitro, respectively). Furnas hits a double clothesline and it gets the loudest pop for the duo since their Survivor Series debut. The champs cut off the hot tag though at every turn. Lafon finally gets in and takes out both men. He even hits Owen with his own spinning heel kick. He brings the suplexes and gets two on an armbar takedown. Owen gets completely run over by Furnas but then whacks Lafon with his Slammy. Bulldog hits the powerslam and they win at 10:22. Lots of action and a hot crowd here, but there were a few sloppy moments. They’ll best this effort in a few weeks. Still, this was good. [***]

LAST NIGHT ~ Shawn Michaels’ entrance is shown.

Bart Gunn vs. Faarooq w/ The Nation of Domination
They replay Ahmed Johnson putting an NOD member through a table last night. Bart works the mat almost instantly to take us through a commercial. Using help from PG-13, Faarooq takes over and wears down Bart. Neither guy has an interesting offensive plan. Bart rallies but PG-13 get involved again so he takes them out. Faarooq attacks him from behind and wins with the Dominator at 5:17. Bart is boring the Nation was a whole lot of lame until the Rock came around. The hot crowd kept this from being truly awful. [¼*]

Vince McMahon is back out with WWF President Gorilla Monsoon. Gorilla calls the Royal Rumble a travesty but admits the referee’s decision is final. The record books will show Austin won the Rumble. However, that tainted win won’t guarantee Austin a title shot at WrestleMania. Gorilla announces the Final Four match at the next In Your House match. Steve Austin vs. Vader vs. The Undertaker vs. Bret Hart. Vader and Taker since they were illegally eliminated, like Bret, and Bret gets in if he accepts. Austin storms out and delivers more awesome. “YOU CALL YOURSELF A GORILLA, YET YOU HEE-HAW OUT HERE LIKE A JACKASS!” He’s pissed about the match but accepts and threatens Gorilla. He and Vince have their first on-screen argument as well. Bret Hart returns through the crowd and accepts the invitation. He and Austin brawl in the aisle. HOT SEGMENT! I loved everything about it. I can’t imagine going with HBK/Bret at Mania because Austin/Bret was always superior in every single way. They fight through a break and when we return, GONG! Bret is taken out by security, but Undertaker attacks Bret in the aisle. Austin then jumps Undertaker from behind and they brawl too. THIS IS MADNESS!

Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker
Undertaker hits the first big move, going old school. Austin takes over with a neckbreaker. Lawler gets up from commentary to shout to Austin to go after Taker’s ribs, since he hurt them at the Rumble. It’s the extra mile for Jerry to go. I’d expected it against Bret but not Taker. They cut backstage where Vader and Bret, the other two men in the Final Four match, have to be separated by security. As Undertaker nails the jumping clothesline, Vader and Paul Bearer come to the ring. Vader hits Undertaker, resulting in the DQ at 6:38. This was just them killing time until the action packed finish. It was fine for what it was. [**]

Bret Hart joins the fray and fights Austin up towards the entrance. Vader and Undertaker go at it inside and the crowd is losing their minds as the show ends.


Reliving Nitro
Episode #71
January 20th, 1997 | United Center in Chicago, Illinois

WCW World Heavyweight Champion: Hulk Hogan (2) 8/10/96
WCW United States Champion: Eddie Guerrero (1) since 12/29/96
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: Ultimo Dragon (1) since 12/29/96
WCW Women’s Championship: Akira Hokuto (1) since 12/29/96

Tony Schiavone and Larry Zbyszko are on commentary as usual.

We start with a bang as, for the first time since Halloween Havoc, RNADY SAVAGE IS HERE! He hops the guardrail to a huge pop and stages a sit-in. Savage wants to be reinstated and calls out someone with authority. The crowd love it, especially when Savage tells Eric Bischoff to kiss his ass. Chavo Guerrero Jr., scheduled for the opening match, comes out. He tries to convince Savage to leave and gets his ass kicked for it. Maxx Muscle, Chavo’s opponent, suffers the same fate. I’m just surprised he’s still around. Head of Security Doug Dillinger also gets taken down. Larry complains that Doug’s an old guy, which begs the question of why he’s head of security in the first place. WCW stars continue to fail to get through to Savage. To get the crowd even more jacked, Sting rappels down from the rafters. Larry continues to believe he’s with the nWo. Sting has his bat and enters the ring. He hits the chair with it but Savage doesn’t budge. Sting shoves him back with the bat a few times, then gives it to him and turns his back, giving him a free shot. Savage gives it back and they leave together through the crowd. Strange but awesome segment with a hot crowd. Between this and the WWF starting with the Bret angle, the shows are off to an intriguing start this week.

PREVIOUSLY ON NITRO ~ Footage is shown from 12/16/96, when Masahiro Chono joined the nWo. He beat Chris Jericho that night and they’ll meet again at Souled Out.

Alex Wright vs. Chris Jericho
Maybe the first segment ran long because these guys work quickly and sloppily. Jericho has control until running into a spinning heel kick. As they flub some offense, there are loud “boring” chants. The guys trade rollups before Jericho counters the German suplex into another rollup to win it at 2:27. Sloppy and too short to rate. [NR]

Fake Sting vs. Scotty Riggs
How funny is it that bootleg Sting is just a roster member now? Riggs remains the jilted ex, coming out to the American Males theme. Riggs attacks during a Fake Sting shout. He eats a stun gun that stops his momentum but hits a missile dropkick for two. The crowd focuses on something else and it turns out to be Bagwell in the aisle. The back of his shirt says “BUFF” which confuses commentary. He calls Scotty fat and charges the ring with the rest of the nWo (sans Hogan, Hall, Nash and Syxx), resulting in the DQ at 2:46. Again, not much here as it was used to give some build to Riggs/Bagwell. I just don’t care about that feud. [NR]

SATURDAY NIGHT ~ Anderson, Benoit and Mongo team up, plus Harlem Heat takes on Public Enemy.

INTERVIEW ~ Ric Flair interviews Chicago Blackhawk enforcer Bob Probert at the United Center recently. He’s playing in Buffalo tonight but sends a warning to the nWo when WCW comes back to Chicago.

Arn Anderson and Steve McMichael w/ Debra vs. WCW United States Champion Eddie Guerrero and Jeff Jarrett
Eddie being in this is random as hell. Mongo’s over since it’s Chicago. Jarrett and Anderson go at it for a while, since they’re the main feud here. Eddie comes in and wants Mongo, who gets a huge ovation. He feeds off the crowd until Eddie nails a dropkick. Mongo sends him over the top behind the referee’s back. Jarrett tags in and Eddie leaves because he apparently saw Syxx, who has possession of his title. The cameras completely missed it all. Arn MURDERS Jeff with a spinebuster and slaps on a Boston crab. Debra throws in her white sash like a towel, ending the match at 3:40. Strange match and stranger booking. It was somewhat entertaining though and had a hot crowd. [*]

Mean BAH GAWD Gene interviews the Four Horsemen in the aisle. Ric Flair says he doesn’t like what he’s seen from the Horsemen lately. He says they used to take care of business before driving the women crazy but it’s reversed now. Mongo gets cheap pops for being in Chicago, Debra says nothing of note in her grating voice. Chris Benoit says they’re all winners in wrestling, while Debra is one in pageants, so she should keep things in perspective. Mongo stirs the pot more by saying they had Jarrett beat, which Benoit couldn’t do. As they leave, Debra, loving the sound of her own voice, calls Woman fat. These segments are running on a treadmill.
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THE PRECEEDING ANNOUNCEMENT HAS BEEN PAID FOR BY THE NEW WORLD ORDER ~ Eric Bischoff discusses the rivals of the nWo while sitting on a motorcycle that Hulk Hogan bought him. It goes on for far too long.

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Ultimo Dragon (c) w/ Sonny Oono vs. Dean Malenko
There’s a small “ECW” chant at the start. These two met at Starrcade and Dragon took the title from Dean. Here, Dean gets lit up with a series of kicks before countering a cross body with a powerslam. Dean takes the time to wear the champion down. Outside, Dragon misses a dive and crashes to the floor. Back in, Dragon comes back with the twisting rana but can only muster up a near fall. Malenko goes after the leg but Dragon scrambles to the ropes. Dragon counters a brainbuster into a pinning combination to retain at 4:17. Decent but short. They’d have a much better match at the Clash of the Champions the next night. Though that makes me wonder why they even had the match happen here too. [**]

HOUR TWO! As usual, Bobby Heenan and Mike Tenay replace Larry Zbyszko.

WCW Television Championship: Lord Steven Regal (c) vs. Jacques Rougeau w/ Col. Robert Parker
This is strange since both guys are heels. Parker trips Regal a few times early, so Regal stomps on his hand. In comes Parker but his plans fail as he ends up hitting Rougeau. It results in a DQ at 1:53 and Regal cleans house. What? [NR]

Chris Benoit w/ Woman vs. Kevin Sullivan w/ Jimmy Hart
They fight in the aisle before the match even gets started. The brawl moves through the stands and into the concession area. 4/10, needs more Concessions Kane. They make it to the bathroom, where random fans go nuts. Doug Dillinger is back and again gets put on his ass. If you ever needed indication that a new Head of Security is in order, tonight is it. They move back towards the ring and the bell finally rings. It doesn’t last long though. Hart gives Sullivan the ring bell and Benoit’s diving headbutt is blocked with it. Sullivan covers and gets his one televised win over Benoit at 1:56. The match was too short to be anything but the angle itself worked very well and built to the rematch the following night. [NR]

The nWo is here to take over on commentary. Eric Bischoff, Kevin Nash and Ted Dibiase are the ones talking.

Carl Oulette w/ Col. Robert Parker vs. Jim Duggan
Bischoff pugs this as a tag match. Duggan interrupts the Canadian national anthem and takes control. Jacques Rougeau shows up to give his buddy the upper hand. Oulette hits a leg drop but out comes the Steiner Brothers. Rick beats up Rougeau and Scott decks Oulette. Duggan uses the taped fists to win at 1:02. At least it was short. [NR]

RECAP ~ We get a look back at DDP turning down the nWo’s offer.

Dave Taylor vs. Masahiro Chono
Commentary makes fun of Chris Jericho and say he needs the beating Chono will hand him. Nick Patrick is officiating this in his nWo shirt. Taylor wrestles in khakis for some reason. They fight outside a bit and though Taylor gets in some offense, the outcome is never in doubt. Chono isn’t interesting in selling either. He hits the Mafia Kick and wins with the STF at 2:36. Another squash on this episode. It worked to get Chono some momentum before Souled Out. [NR}

Booker T w/ Sister Sherri vs. WCW World Tag Team Champion Scott Hall
You know, if both guys were motivated and in their primes, this could’ve been good. Nash mentions that he wrestled Hall on the first wrestling show in the United Center (SummerSlam 1994), while Bischoff admits he watched the Royal Rumble last night. Nash also plugs the nWo Hotline, doing a great Mean Gene impression. Booker gets in a fair amount of offense here. Despite that, he’s nothing but a tag guy at this point, so he’s not going to win. Patrick gives a SLOW count on a Booker cross body. Booker argues with him, opening the door for the Outsider’s Edge to end it at 2:47. Another squash. [NR]

Lex Luger vs. Stevie Ray w/ Sister Sherri
So, one Harlem Heat member gets an nWo guy and the other has a random match with a WCW guy. Nash calls Stevie “the other one.” Bischoff mentions the scars on Stevie’s back, saying he’s been in the “streets”. They clobber one another until Luger nails a powerslam. He wins with the Torture Rack at 2:21. Man, WCW didn’t even try with these matches tonight. [NR]

Hulk Hogan and the nWo are out for the show closing promo. He poses and flexes for the crowd. HANGING AND BANGING according to Kevin Nash. Hogan and Dibiase make fun of the Giant for a while but say nothing of value or importance. The Giant comes out to brawl but is held back by security until the show ends.

Raw Rating: 2.2
Nitro Rating: 3.7

5.8
The final score: review Not So Good
The 411
Raw: This was an AWESOME episode. The live atmosphere was great and it was an early sign that this was rapidly becoming the Steve Austin show. He cut two great promos, had a solid match and was involved in the most entertaining parts of the show. The Bret Hart quitting stuff was intriguing and the brawling towards the end of the show kept me glued to the TV. Throw in a good tag match and you’ve got a winner. With a better filler match instead of Faarooq/Gunn and we’re talking about an all-time great episode. 8.5

Nitro: After a hot start, this show fell off a cliff. The Sting/Savage segment was interesting and made me want more, then nothing on the show even came close to that level. Most of the matches were squashes or barely got time to do anything, the Horsemen and nWo promos were retreads that did nothing and the guy who should’ve been on the show after last week, DDP, was nowhere to be found. 3.0

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Monday Night War, Nitro, RAW, WCW, WWE, Kevin Pantoja