WWF RAW is WAR 11/24/97

After Rick Rude's magic act last week, appearing on both RAW and Nitro, the WWF and WCW were both kicking things into high gear. WCW in particular, was coming off of their annual World War 3 Pay Per View, the annual sixty man Battle Royal, won by Scott Hall, to earn a WCW World Championship match at Superbrawl VIII, against the winner of Hollywood Hogan and Sting, which was locked and loaded for Starrcade 1997.

The WWF Attitude Era Series continues with Shawn Michaels calling out Bret Hart. Plus the New Age Outlaws challenge the LOD for the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Titles and the fallout of the Rock stealing Austin's WWF Intercontinental Championship Belt in Part 4 of the WWF Attitude Era Series.




WWF RAW Is WAR for November 24th 1997. 

There are many rumors that Bret Hart was going to show up on this RAW. He was still under contract to WWF until the end of the month and there was a buzz of what might happen, if he showed up.
Rick Rude's music pops up, but it is Harvey Wippleman(the only man to ever hold the WWF Women's Championship), walking down to the ringside area.

Out comes the rest of DX and Shawn Michaels sarcastically states that it was really hard to replace Rick Rude and they shove Harvey to the side, before getting to business. Shawn Michaels begins to cut a promo, talking about how he's not too happy with what happened at Survivor Series and he promises to apologize to Bret Hart tonight, to clear the air. The fans are needless to say, quite skeptical.

"Oh, what a flush", out comes the still not quite New Age Outlaws, Billy Gunn and the Road Dogg, clad in the LOD's shoulder pads. LOD will be putting the WWF Tag Team Title Belts on the line against the new upstart team of Gunn and the Road Dogg.

Billy Gunn and the Road Dogg defeated the Legion of Doom to win the World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Titles. 

This was a passable match. The act of the not quite Outlaws was not down pat right now. Doomsday Device on Billy Gunn but Road Dogg waffles Animal with the chair. Hawk goes for Dogg but Billy Gunn scores the pin. Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, we have new World Wrestling Federation Tag Team Champions. Out rush Gunn and Road Dogg and Hawk and Animal give chase, but our new WWF Tag Team Champions drive off.

There is a limo pulling out to the arena.

Sunny uses the ancient and mystical art of breast-fu to advance into the Karate Fighters Tournament.

Goldust comes out in a wheelchair, talking about his recent injuries. The bone break has spread to the rest of his body apparently. Goldust states that he's a paraplegic and gets a rubdown from his nurse. Out comes Vader, who is dubious about the injuries of Goldust and goes after him, but the nurse throws rubbing alcohol into the eyes of Vader and she reveals that's no nurse, that's Luna Vachon. Jim Ross says that the duo has raided Elton John's wardrobe. I'm not sure what that segment was but as I said, this was around the time where Goldust was getting really weird.

Sgt. Slaughter talks about his boot camp match with Triple H, on December 7th 1997, at DeGeneration X.

Brian Christopher pinned Flash Flanagan in the Quarterfinals of the WWF Lightheavyweight Tournament. 

Not exactly the most exciting encounter. Jerry Lawler is out with his son for this match. Brian Christopher advances and will face Scott Taylor in the Semifinals next week, while Aguila takes on TAKA Michinoku.

The War Zone starts out and out comes DX. More penis related military humor from Triple H. Then Shawn Michaels decides to call out Bret Hart, but obviously in a swerve, its a midget with a Bret Hart mask. HBK pushes the Bret midget down and puts him in the Sharpshooter, to reenact Survivor Series. With the benefit of hindsight, people were fools for believing that Bret Hart would show up, but it was a different time in 1997. And then out comes Jim Neidhart, who says that he's the last member of the Hart Foundation. Bret's gone, Owen went home, and the British Bulldog is injured. Shawn Michaels decides to offer Jim Neidhart a spot in DeGeneration X. Well this is going to end well.

A look at Butterbean, who will be facing Marc Mero in a Toughman Match at DeGeneration X(the Pay Per View, not the group, obviously).

Ken Shamrock made Savio Vega submit to the Ankle Lock.

This was just to hype up Ken Shamrock for his match with Shawn Michaels. Ken Shamrock would never be this important ever again, despite many attempts to make him relevant. Then again, he was a solid midcarder, but I don't think he really was main event level. Kind of like Jack Swagger in many ways. He cranks on the Ankle Lock and makes Savio Vega tap out.

Steve Austin arrives at the building in his pickup truck, so I suspect hijinks are going to ensue.

Out comes the Rock for an interview, to ensure us that he is indeed the WWF Intercontinental Champion. Suddenly the lights flicker and Die Rocky Die flashes on the titan tron. Steve Austin is playing with the Rock's head and then he tells the Rock, in one of the most famous lines of the Attitude Era, if he's going through the airport and his beeper goes off and says 3:16, he needs to ask himself if its live or if its Memorex.

Steve Austin then strikes, attacking the Rock, in an attempt to steal the belt that the Rock stole back. In rushes the Nation of Domination, and Austin brawls with them, but the Rock slips off with the belt once again. Steve Austin flips off the Rock, thus ending a great segment.

The next match was supposed to be Crush against Jeff Jarrett, but Jeff Jarrett states that his contract states that he's not going to face a grease monkey like Crush, although he calls him Chainz(another DOA member). This is during Jeff Jarrett's short lived Aztec Warrior phase. And then out comes Kane, to destroy Crush, another victim. And this was Crush's last appearance on RAW, joining WCW shortly thereafter. Gerald Brisco gets Choke Slammed when the officials try to pry Crush from the ring.

WWF World Champion Shawn Michaels(w/Jim Neidhart, Chyna, and Triple H) defeated Vader.

Vader has his eye taped up, from getting rubbing alcohol splashed into it earlier. Not much to write home about this time, with Vader managing to fight HBK off, despite only having one eye. Distraction by the Anvil and Hunter throws hot coffee right into the good eye of Vader. A dose of Sweet Chin Music puts Vader down for the count.

Then afterwards, Chyna hits a low blow on Neidhart and DX beats him up, taunting him.

Thoughts on the Show: Well not much to write home about in the ring, although the Austin/Rock segment and the first tag team title win of the soon to be New Age Outlaws were historic moments.

Next week, Jim Neidhart tries to gain revenge, against Triple H, and the final show before the DeGeneration X Pay Per View.