Monday Night Raw
Date: December 8, 1997
Location: Civic Center, Portland, Maine
Attendance: 6,510
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler, Kevin Kelly, Michael Cole

This is another request for reasons that I don’t remember. It’s the night after DX In Your House which means that Austin retained the IC Title and Shawn kept the WWF Title from Shamrock. It also means that Owen Hart ran in to attack Shawn after the match was over, revealing that he was still around after the Montreal Screwjob. I have no idea what to expect here. Let’s get to it.

We open with a stills package from last night of Austin vs. Rock. No mention of the world title match yet.

Here’s Vince to open things up. He talks about how Austin has been getting away with murder lately and that can’t keep going. Austin has been hitting WWF officials like announcers and referees which he did again last night. The big Austin chant is already beginning. Before there could be a DQ though, another referee came in and counted the pin on Austin to retain the title. Vince makes Austin vs. Rock tonight and cue the Rattlesnake.

Austin gets right in Vince’s face and says that he doesn’t care about the officials that are surrounding the ring. He doesn’t feel like defending the title but if he doesn’t, there will be consequences. Vince gets in Austin’s face and Austin is all like bring it on boy. Austin talks about defending the title already last night and doesn’t think he needs to do it again tonight. Someone is getting a beating tonight and Austin isn’t sure who it’s going to be yet.

Time to plug a sponsor! It’s Karate Fighters in this case which is kind of a Rock Em Sock Em Robots knockoff. Lawler beats Sunny to win a tournament but gets caught cheating, giving the chick the title.

We recap the not interesting stuff last night with the Outlaws, the Godwinns and the LOD.

Legion of Doom vs. Godwinns

The tag champion Outlaws (not yet named) are here with the Godwinns for no apparent reason. It’s a big brawl to start until we get down to Animal vs. Henry. They slug it out so here’s Hawk for some elbows. Animal comes back in with another elbow of his own before it’s off to Hawk vs. Phineas for some slow punching. Hawk hits his one wrestling move, the neckbreaker, only to miss his flying clothesline….and there go the lights. Cue Kane as the match is thrown out somewhere in there. Too short to rate but it was nothing to see at all.

Animal and the Godwinns brawl away as Kane is left alone with Hawk. A regular piledriver (huh?) is no sold by Hawk so there’s a chokeslam and tombstone to put him down. Kane leaves so the Outlaws come out for an attempted beatdown, only for Animal to make the save with a chair.

Post break the Outlaws sing a goodbye song to the “OLD”. Road Dogg issues an open challenge for anyone to face Billy, so here’s what we get.

Billy Gunn vs. Dude Love

The brawl starts on the floor and Roadie jumps in on commentary. Dude gets knocked into the announce table and Dogg gets to crack some jokes. Love comes back with right hands in the ring and a backslide for two, only to get taken down by a clothesline from Billy. Gunn misses a splash in the corner and Dude pounds away before sending Billy face first into the buckle a few times. Sweet Shin Music misses but a second attempt works a bit better, followed by the double arm DDT for the pin on Billy.

Rating: C-. For a four minute TV match between a comedy jobber and Mick Foley in his comedic persona, this was pretty decent stuff. The Outlaws would move on to feuding with Cactus Jack and Chainsaw Charlie (Terry Funk) before joining DX. In other words, we have a match that actually accomplishes something in the WWF.

Post match Billy hits a guillotine legdrop onto Dude’s face with a belt in between.

JR teaches Taka Michinoku, who won the first Light Heavyweight Title last night, some English.

Here’s Jim Cornette with Taka, but Lawler interrupts Cornette before the first challenger can be announced. Lawler says that Taka stole the title from Brian Christopher and we get some anti-Japanese jokes. The first challenger is El Unico, which is clearly Brian Christopher under a mask. Lawler and Unico stomp down Taka and there goes the mask to shock no one.

We get a history of Shawn destroying the Hart Family over the last few months.

Kurrgan vs. Flash Funk

Jackyl is on commentary here and he talks about how tonight is the start of a revolution. This is the same kind of monster dominance that you would expect. Kurrgan pounds Funk down, Funk gets in a few shots, the Claw ends Funk quickly.

Post match Kurrgan won’t let go of the hold and the referee reverses the decision. The other members of the Truth Commission can’t get Kurrgan off Flash either.

Some stills explain the world title match last night.

Shamrock was mad last night.

Hour #2 begins.

Here’s DX to open the second half of the show. Remember at this point it’s just Shawn, HHH and Chyna. HHH talks about how last night Sgt. Slaughter thought he could chop down a guy like HHH but that just wasn’t going to happen. There’s a card table set up in the ring. Shawn talks about schooling Shamrock last night before shifting over to the Hart Family, who he refers to bodily waste. As many times as you try to flush it, a tiny piece keeps coming back up. Owen Hart is that small piece and Shawn is tired of having him around.

Shawn wants Owen to come out here, so DX is going to sit down and play a little game of strip poker until Owen Hart comes out here. He guarantees full nudity tonight no matter how long the game takes. They sit down for the game as DOA is riding to the ring for their match. This should be interesting, but it’s DOA so that isn’t likely.

Disciples of Apocalypse vs. Los Boricuas

The poker game has moved to the floor after a break. This is Skull/8-Ball vs. Perez/Estrada here I believe. Shawn has lost his shirt already. The Puerto Ricans are destroyed for awhile until they start double teaming to take I think Skull down. Skull takes Perez down but there’s no referee to count. The card game is still going on at ringside while the match is going on. Estrada beats on Skull as Shawn loses his shoes and socks. Skull hits a swinging neckbreaker to put Estrada down and it’s a double tag. Everything breaks down and Savio hits Skull in the back with a board for the pin.

Rating: F. This was so boring and I have no idea why these teams fought so many times. They feuded for the better part of a year and the bikers almost never won a single thing. The match wasn’t any good and the wrestlers in it were nothing interesting either. That sums up a good bit of 1997 on Raw actually.

The poker game has moved back to the ring and Chyna still hasn’t lost anything. There go Shawn’s pants and here come the Headbangers. DX destroys them on principle and Shawn brags a lot, but here’s Owen for the run in and run away.

Buy the PPV replay!

Jeff Jarrett vs. Vader

This is Jeff Jarrett to debut in the ring tonight after jumping back from WCW. Before the match starts though, here’s the Artist Formerly Known as Goldust to flash Vader. The chase is on and we have no match. Scratch that as Jeff wins by countout. Ok then.

Salvatore Sincere vs. Marc Mero

Mero almost got knocked out in a toughman contest fight last night by Butterbean but wound up hitting him with a stool for a DQ. Before the match, Mero calls Sincere a jobber with a stupid gimmick (JR: “Yeah and you’re a Badd Badd Man) and brings out his property, Sable. She’s in a potato sack but takes it off to reveal a barely there swimsuit. Sincere dropkicks him to the floor and I guess it’s another countout.

Here’s the Nation for the IC Title match tonight. Austin comes out in jeans because he still hasn’t said he’ll defend the title. Vince yells at him and threatens to strip Austin of the belt, but Austin says that’s cool because he wants the world title. He isn’t being stripped, but rather forfeiting the belt. Rock is officially the champion but there’s a Stunner for him to end the show. Austin tells Vince he’s coming for the title and there’s nothing Vince can do about it.

Overall Rating: C-. This wasn’t about wrestling but DANG was it fun. Austin is clearly way too big for the Intercontinental Title at this point and he’s more than ready to fight for the world title. Perhaps he could get there by say….winning the Royal Rumble? That’s coming up in a few weeks so why not? Oddly enough no Undertaker tonight but I think he’s gone due to Kane. Fun but not good show this week.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and check out my ebook of 1998 Monday Night Raw reviews at:

Last night was a good example of this.Something that I’ve mentioned before is how nostalgic characters are supposed to be used today.  The problem with having guys like Roddy and Dusty and Slaughter doing nostalgia appearances is that they’ve been nostalgic for such a long period of time that the impact is gone.  They’re stars of the 80s, not the 90s.

 

Last night on the other hand, we saw guys like Goldust, Godfather and the year before that we had the Outlaws in the Rumble.  This is pure nostalgia for people that grew up in the 90s and are a bit bored by modern wrestling at the moment.  Geez if you consider Rock much more than a nostalgia character at this point you’re missing the point.  WWE is FINALLY catering to the 90s fans whose wallets they built the Attitude Era on.  It’s fine to bring out the 80s guys every once in awhile, but mix it up with the 90s every now and then.

Monday Night Raw
Date: November 30, 1998
Location: 1^st Mariner Center, Baltimore, Maryland
Attendance: 11,006
Commentators: Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler

We’re getting closer and closer to Rock Bottom and we have some of the card set already. We have Austin vs. Undertaker as the real main event but I don’t think there’s a world title contender yet. Other than that I think we have the Corporation running wild on Raw with Austin and Mankind basically being the only people standing against them. Let’s get to it.

We open with a recap of Austin vs. Taker so far. Undertaker and Paul Bearer arrive as well.

Here are the ICP and the Headbangers who are apparently allies now. We quickly cut to the back to see Austin arriving with a shovel. He comes to the ring and beats up the Clowns and the Headbangers in probably the high points of their careers. Austin says he’s going to hit Taker with that shovel tonight and that’s it. Literally that’s it. He talked for ten seconds.

Mark Henry has his date with Chyna tonight.

Austin is hunting for Taker.

New Age Outlaws vs. Edge/Gangrel

Non-title here I think. The Corporation has been recruiting the Outlaws to join the evil side recently so we may be nearing a heel turn. The Outlaws jump Gangrel to start so he spits his liquid in Dogg’s face to take over. Those two start things off officially but it’s quickly off to the future multiple time world champion. Christian offers a little external help and Edge hits a top rope rana to Road Dogg but an attempt at one for Billy results in a powerbomb. The Corporation pops up on stage as Roadie hits a shaky knee for two on Edge. Everything breaks down and Billy loads up a piledriver, but Christian hits him with a belt for the DQ.

The Corporation runs in to save the Outlaws and destroys the Brood. The Outlaws leave with the Corporation but they never shook hands or anything like that.

Austin is still looking for Undertaker, searching in a freezer this time. Taker pops up from behind him and locks him in the freezer.

D’Lo gets Henry ready for his date. Mark wants D’Lo to go with them for moral support.

Here’s Undertaker with something to say. Taker calls out Kane because tonight they have a common enemy. Tonight, one of them will face the future and the other faces eternal darkness. There go the lights and here comes Kane. Apparently they’re not friends as the fight is on. Here come some guys with straightjackets but Kane bails before they can catch him.

Brown and Henry go to their limo and Brown gets a jacket, sunglasses, and a chauffeur’s hat.

Post break Henry picks up Chyna at her hotel.

Here’s X-Pac to talk about the Outlaws possibly joining the Corporation. Actually never mind as he says if you want to know about them then ask them. Instead he wants a piece of Shawn Michaels and here’s the new Commissioner. Shawn comes out and says that if Pac wants to fight him, Shawn will kick his teeth down his throat. Pac still wants to go but Shawn says if Pac touches him, he’ll be heading down to Atlanta. Tonight Pac is facing Shamrock but only X-Pac’s title is on the line.

Henry and Chyna get to the restaurant and Chyna gets some flowers that cost $1.99.

Austin is out of the freezer.

Henry tries to order expensive water and plays some Marvin Gaye music.

Goldust vs. Jeff Jarrett

Owen Hart is on commentary here. Goldust jumps Jarrett to start but Jeff hits a kind of DDT on the arm to take over. Goldust comes back by sending Jarrett into the corner and hitting the Curtain Call, but Debra puts Jeff’s foot on the ropes. Jeff hits a swinging neckbreaker to take over and a clothesline gets two. Goldie comes back with a bulldog for two and it’s time for Shattered Dreams. Debra offers some skin as a distraction but before Goldust can react, Owen jumps him for the DQ.

Rating: D. These two never quite mixed at all. Not much of a match here but the whole point of it was for the ending. That being said, the wrestling in it didn’t work at all as it never got interesting. At least it wouldn’t last much longer as Jarrett and Owen would team up and get the tag titles in a few months.

Post match the Blue Blazer comes out to help Owen but winds up jumping him. It’s Steve Blackman.

Austin and Taker are still looking for each other.

Hardcore Title: Big Bossman vs. Mankind

Ladder match. Shawn comes out with Boss Man and climbs the ladder for old times’ sake. Boss Man knocks Mankind into the ladder as Shawn ejects the JOB Squad who came with Mankind. Shawn jumps in on commentary as Boss Man is sent into the steps. Mankind throws the ladder at Bossman’s head as Shawn is giving scores to every move Mankind does. Foley drops the ladder on Boss Man and they head inside.

Boss Man gets crushed between the ladder and an elbow drop onto the ladder onto Boss Man onto the ladder crushes him even more. Mankind vs. Rock for the title at Rock Bottom is confirmed. Boss Man keeps Mankind from getting the belt but walks into a double arm DDT. Another climb is countered and Boss Man slams Mankind down (getting a ten from Shawn) and they fight on top of the ladder. Socko goes into Boss Man’s mouth but here’s Rock to shove the ladder and Mankind over. Mankind gets back up and hits Rock low but gets knocked off the ladder again. The Rock Bottom allows Boss Man to win the title.

Rating: D. This is in the time of Russo and there’s one of your first instances of the title being a prop in a feud. Now to be fair it’s not like the Hardcore Title was ever meant to mean anything, but it clearly is being treated like nothing at all here other than a way to enhance Rock and Mankind’s feud. The match only had six minutes to work with too so it didn’t get anywhere.

Kane jumps Taker in the back but Taker comes back with a chair shot. Bearer pulls back a body bag and Taker tells him to go find the orderlies. After Bearer leaves, Austin pops up from behind and breaks the shovel over Taker’s face.

Duane Gill vs. Marc Mero

Gill is a hometown guy and he comes out with a local youth football team. That’s kind of cool. Mero says if he can’t win, he’ll leave the company. Mero dominates to start, hitting a running knee lift and sending Gill into the corner. The TKO hits but here’s the JOB Squad for a distraction. Mero goes up but the Blue Meanie pops in and shoves Mero off the top to give Gill the pin. Mero would never appear in a WWF match again.

Bearer sends the orderlies after Kane again.

Henry reads Chyna a poem.

European Title: X-Pac vs. Ken Shamrock

Even though both are champions, for the sake of simplicity I’ll only refer to X-Pac as a champion here. Shamrock takes him into the corner to start and elbows him down. A slam puts Pac down but the champ comes back with a clothesline. The Outlaws are being recruited in the back some more. Shamrock hooks a front facelock followed by a leg lariat to take Pac down. Back to the facelock but Pac comes back with a spinwheel kick for two. The champ hits some kicks in the corner and the Bronco Buster followed by the X-Factor but Shawn has the referee. Boss Man lays out Pac but HHH runs in for the DQ.

Rating: C-. As is often the case with matches in this era, this didn’t have time to get going. Not a bad match or anything here but again it was about the angle instead of the wrestling. That would get WAY out of hand in the next year or so and it was only beginning here. Shawn being another evil boss doesn’t really need to be happening but at least people care about him unlike Slaughter.

Bearer and the orderlies go to the body bag and take it away on a stretcher.

Henry is dancing but Chyna doesn’t want to join in. She eventually does and it lasts all of ten seconds. Henry leaves to go to the restroom and some guys come up to hit on Chyna. She’s not interested and some insults are used. Chyna blasts him in the face and Henry makes the save. Chyna leaves arm and arm with Mark.

Val Venis vs. Tiger Ali Singh

Venis comes out with Godfather and some women. Val beats on him to start but walks into a DDT for two. A belly to belly overhead suplex puts Val down as Godfather sends the ho’s after Babu. Val comes back and here are Jackie and Terri to get on my nerves. Terri hits Val low for our fourth DQ in six matches.

The Acolytes come out and beat up Singh and Babu for no apparent reason.

Bearer sees the ambulance leave. Austin and Kane are in the back watching Bearer on a monitor.

Here’s Shane to explain how Vince has made Sable what she is today. He asks Sable to come out here and she models the WWF perfume. This was a real thing.

The Rock vs. Al Snow

Non-title of course. Rock’s R&B remix doesn’t work at all. Snow gets in some fast offense to start and a shoulder block gets two. Rock shrugs it off and takes over, but they head to the floor and Snow rams him into the table. Back in and Rock fires off some clotheslines before the referee gets bumped. The Rock Bottom lays out Snow and Head gets the Corporate Elbow. Snow gets up and hits Rock with Head but there’s no referee. Boss Man and Shamrock come out but before they get in, another Rock Bottom gets the pin.

Rating: D+. Energetic match here but as always it didn’t have the time to go anywhere. Snow was a guy who was always on the brink of meaning something in the midcard but he was too silly to really get there. It’s so strange to see matches like this anymore as this would be something like Punk vs. Bateman today.

Post match Mankind comes out and gets beaten down. The JOB Squad makes the save and actually beats up the Corporation for a bit until Boss Man beats them down with the stick. Mankind jumps Rock and they brawl to the back.

Bearer gets caught by Austin and Kane and after a break they’re in the ring. Austin goes over the ridiculousness of last week’s events but stops for a beer. Austin tells Kane to get him but first of all he wants a gas can. That’s not good enough either as Austin has some scissors. Bearer has apparently passed out. Austin cuts Bearer’s shirt open as well as the tie. Austin gets ready to stab Bearer but stops because he has a better idea. They head outside with Bearer and drop him down a manhole to end the show. Well that’s different.

Overall Rating: C+. While not a good show from a quality standpoint, this show was fast paced enough to avoid being boring. The constant DQ’s got annoying and putting Bearer in the sewer didn’t really work, but the buildup was good enough. This is an interesting time for the company as they’re letting Austin do something other than feud with Vince and it’s letting some other guys grow into the top role. That’s a good idea and it’s working here with Mankind looking like a bigger star.

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