Tuesday, June 5, 2012

WWF RAW is WAR 12/08/97

We continue our run through the WWF Attitude Era Series, one night after the D-Generation X In Your House Pay Per View, a show that was one of the worst WWF Pay Per Views of the year, if not the worst. Yet, we had the return of Owen Hart after not being seen since Montreal and the first ever match between the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin which is points towards something.

Over on the other side, WCW Nitro had a mysterious figure in the dark whacking various members of the NWO throughout the evening. Kevin Nash calls the Giant one dimensional, bragging about how Hall and Nash had broke the Giant's hand, thus negating the choke slam. The Giant disagrees, saying that he's going to Choke Slam Nash at Starrcade 1997. Chris Benoit doesn't face Raven again, instead he absolutely beats the ever living snot out of Lodi in one of the best squash matches in recent memory. Ric Flair warns Bret Hart about choosing the right side.

Also Disco Inferno regains the WCW Television Title against Perry Saturn, managing to fight off the entire Flock. Disco was in a really weird period right now, where he was kind of goofy, but also bad ass. Kind of like a disco version of Stone Cold Steve Austin if that makes any sense. He even had the Chartbuster, which was a version of the Stone Cold Steve Austin. After a couple of attacks, Rick Rude threatens the announcer crew and he makes them do the See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil thing. Buff Bagwell triumphs over Lex Luger this week by a countout. And Diamond Dallas Page and Scott Hall was the main event that was marred by the usual NWO nonsense, with a Sting dummy dropping from the ceiling through the ring. However, underneath the ring, there was a switcharoo and the real Sting, making his return, beats up the NWO.

But enough about WCW, this is the World Wrestling Federation, and RAW is War, from December 8th 1997. Part 7 of the WWF Attitude Era Series.


WWF RAW is WAR Results from December 8th 1997.

A dark day in WWF/E history on this night, as Michael Cole is the newest member of the WWF
Announcing Team. He is commentating the show with Kevin Kelly and Jim Ross.

Out comes Vince McMahon and you can slowly see the evil Mr. McMahon slowly bubbling at this point. It didn't really breach out for a few months but the seeds were there and the fans were booing him. He calls out Stone Cold Steve Austin, not happy with the actions of Stone Cold last night. This would be a recurring theme during the Attitude Era. Austin endangered the fans by driving his truck down to the ringside era and he used his truck as a weapon. The referee was going to disqualify Austin before Austin stunned him.

Therefore, Stone Cold Steve Austin will defend his World wrestling Federation Intercontinental Title against the Rock tonight. The Rock is called the People's Champion, by Vince, the first time he is referred to as such. And here comes Stone Cold Steve Austin, who is not too happy with Vince. Again, another recurring theme during the Attitude Era. Austin doesn't give a damn who Vince is.

Vince says that Austin should give a damn, because Vince McMahon is the owner of the World Wrestling Federation and Austin's boss. Austin doesn't care and he asks the fans if they would like him to whip McMahon's ass. The fans give a loud hearty, "Hell Yeah" at that, again another recurring theme during the Attitude Era, the approval of the fans, wanting to see Stone Cold whip Mr. McMahon's ass. Its amusing how early a lot of these things were set up even if they were a bit rough around the edges. McMahon says that he's not a fan of Austin's foul language and has been meaning to talk to him about that lately. If Austin doesn't defend the belt tonight, there will be serious consequences.

Again, consequences for Austin, based on what Vince McMahon says. Austin is going to drink a beer, eat a hot dog, then he'll decide what he's going to do. One thing is for certain, Stone Cold Steve Austin is going to whip a man's ass. There are few men in wrestling history that have better chemistry than Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon and they nailed it pretty early on.

Sunny defeated Jerry Lawler to win the Karate Fighters Tournament. Lawler had won the tournament at first, but it was revealed that he used a Sable action figure to seduce the opposing karate figure and get him to win the match. So wacky. Sunny is the 1997 Karate Fighters Champion, a prestigious title that was never seen again.

Recap of that abyssal tag team title match last night with the Legion of Doom and Billy Gunn and the Road Dogg. And speaking of bad tag team matches.

Legion of Doom defeated The Godwinns via disqualification when Kane interfered.

Actually this could have been far worse all things considered, given some of the tag matches these teams have had in the past. Gunn and Road Dogg are out and the Godwinns are taken out, with Road Warrior Animal on the floor and out comes Kane, for his weekly beating. Kane enters the ring and piledrives Hawk but Hawk is back to his feet. Choke Slam but Hawk manages to get back to his feet a second time and Tombstone by Kane and Hawk is finally down. Then in comes Road Dogg and Billy Gunn to beat down the already beaten down Hawk until Animal makes the save.

Recap of what happened with Kane moments ago. Road Dogg and Billy Gunn are still in the ring. They want a match, or rather Billy Gunn wants a singles match. They've completely finished off all of the tag teams, so it’s time for a singles run, with LOD is finished. Out comes Dude Love and Road Dogg suddenly looks to be regretting this, saying that he wanted one guy, not three.

Dude Love pinned Billy Gunn.

This match was rather decent, especially compared to pretty much everything else on that Pay Per View the night before. Road Dogg is great on commentary, a pretty good part of this match, boasting when Gunn is on the offensive and worrying when Gunn isn't. The first attempt of the Sweet Shin Music is avoided but not the second one, leading into the Double Arm DDT for the pin.

Dude Love might have won the match but the Road Dogg registers his disapproval for the Dudester defeating his opponent by nailing him with a chair. Then Gunn and Road Dogg double team Dude Love, sandwiching his head in the belts and Gunn hits a kneedrop. Looked brutal but Foley's been through worse after all.

The Rock boasts that he clearly kicked Stone Cold Steve Austin's ass and tonight he's going to be the Intercontinental Champion as well as the People's Champion.

Recap of TAKA Michinoku becoming the first ever WWF Lightheavyweight Champion. A funny little bit with Jim Ross teaching TAKA the world slobberknocker. Jim Cornette is calling out TAKA for his first interview as WWF Lightheavyweight Champion. Then Jerry Lawler comes out, mocking TAKA. According to Jerry Lawler, every four seconds in Japan, a woman gives birth, but Lawler says that he's going to put a stop to that. Lawler asks TAKA if he knows any English, which TAKA replies with a nasty word.

Out comes TAKA's first challenger, who is El Unico, who is Brian Christopher under a mask, who is Jerry Lawler's son, which means Christopher and Lawler beat up TAKA and leave him laying. Three piledrivers on TAKA by the King.

Steve Austin is backstage, chilling and drinking beer, as he has a match with the Rock tonight where he defends his WWF Intercontinental Title.

Recap of the destruction of the Hart Foundation over the past couple of months and Owen Hart's return attacking Shawn Michaels at D-Generation X.

Flash Funk defeated Kurrgan(w/The Jackyl) via reverse decision disqualification when Kurrgan refused to break his clawhold.

And now we've got the Attitude Era version of the Great Khali in action. Actually Khali showed slightly more talent at times. Flash Funk, who eighteen months ago, was having great matches with Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, Chris Jericho, Sabu, and others in ECW, is squash fodder for the new and improved Kurrgan, who was formally known as the Interrogator in the Truth Commission. Kurrgan destroys Flash, claws him, wins, decision is reversed, the other two members of the Truth Commission cone in but no effect. Then Jackyl slaps Kurrgan in the face, forcing him to break the hold.

Recap of Ken Shamrock getting screwed out of the title last night and he vows to enter the Royal Rumble and win and go onto get another title shot against Shawn Michaels.

JR and Lawler are commentating for the second hour of the show, thank heavens.

In comes DX right now for more fun and games. The usual stuff, before Shawn Michaels gets into the Hart Family, calling them a bunch of stinky nasty turds. But Owen Hart is just that one stinky, stanky little nugget, that just won't go down the commode. Shawn says that he's not leaving until Owen gets to the ring to face him but there is no Owen. So DX is going to play a game of strip poker at ringside. Anything but this, please.

Out comes DOA for the latest match with Los Boricuas. ON SECOND THOUGHT GO BACK TO THE MEN PLAYING STRIP POKER!

Jose Estrada and Jesus Castillo defeated Skull and 8-Ball.

The Strip Poker game is at ringside during this match. Savio Vega helps his team get the win. Not a shining match.

The strip poker game continues. . Out come the Headbangers. Never thought I'd be so happy to see two men in skirts. Mosh is taken out and Thrasher is put through the table with a triple team power bomb with Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Chyna. Then Shawn Michaels, for lack of a better term, adjusts his crotch.
Thankfully Owen Hart saves the day and attacks Shawn Michaels for the second night in a row, beating him senseless. Triple H makes the save, but Owen escapes to fight another day. The Owen part is good, the rest, I have no idea.

Jeff Jarrett defeated Vader via countout after Goldust interfered.

Then this show really takes a hit, as Jeff Jarrett comes out in that awful Aztec warrior outfit, to little reaction. This is the point of Jeff Jarrett's career where he couldn't draw flies if he was rolled in manure. Goldust gets involved before the match even starts. Vader chases Goldust off and technically speaking, Jeff Jarrett has beaten both the Undertaker and Vader on back to back nights. And Jeff Jarrett never really got all that much of a reaction before then in WWF until he started hitting women with guitars. Jeff Jarrett in the Attitude Era was not a really good fit in many ways.

Recap of Butterbean and Marc Mero. Butterbean still wants Mero, in a tease for a match that never happened.

Next, we have Salvatore Sincere against Marc Mero, which might have been decent, but Mero said that Sincere is a jobber named Tom Brandi. Sable is brought out wearing a burlap sack. Mero says he owns her. Mero wants Sable to take off his robe and she acts like it, but its a swerve. Sable takes off her burlap sack to reveal a string bikini. Mero is dropkicked to the floor and the segment ends.

The Rock is in the ring, for his return match for the WWF Intercontinental Title. And now out comes Stone Cold Steve Austin, still dressed in jeans and a t-shirt with his match with the Rock. Austin drank a few Steveweisers, but decided that he's not going to face off against the Rock tonight. He asks Vince what he's going to do, which leads to this exchange.

The Rock: "The Rock thinks you should fire him, Vince."

McMahon:" YOU KEEP OUT OF THIS DAMNIT!"

Ah, the early days of the Vince McMahon that we all know and love, the crazed aged billionaire. Vince won't fire Austin, knowing how much money that Austin is making him obviously but he is going to strip Austin of the WWF Intercontinental Title. Austin surrenders the title, saying that he has bigger fish to fry and he has his sights set on winning the World Wrestling Federation Championship. That's the only belt that Austin is interested in, so Rock can have the Intercontinental Title. The Rock takes the belt and Austin offers a handshake, which the Rock takes. We all know where this is going. Vince announces the Rock the new champion and Austin hits the Stone Cold Stunner on the Rock.

 Stone Cold Steve Austin takes the belt back, saying that he has huge plans for the belt, but we need to tune in next week for them, Same Stone Cold Time, Same Stone Cold channel! Austin then accidentally bumps Vince off the ring apron and Vince McMahon basically freaks out. He curses a blue streak and the show goes off the air at that point.

Stone Cold Steve Austin has huge plans for the WWF Intercontinental Title Belt, which the Rock now officially holds. Plus Owen Hart is on the hunt for DX and Ken Shamrock wants another crack at the gold. Also, Kane still wants his match with the Undertaker, and doesn't care who he destroys to get his match with his brother.

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