WWF RAW 2/13/1997

Written By: Bob Colling

World Wrestling Federation RAW
Date: 2/13/1997
From: Lowell, MA

Opening video mentions the fact that the WWF Championship will be vacated by Shawn Michaels

Thursday RAW Thursday Opening video promo.

Rocky Maivia defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley to win the title: Rock with a side headlock but is sent into the ropes and is taken down by Hunter with a hip toss. Hunter taunts Rock and gets the upper hand with a headlock and hammerlock briefly. Rock with a hammerlock of his own but is tripped down by Hunter. Hunter gets up to his feet after a reversal and takes Rock down with a headlock. “Rocky Sucks” chant which is not good for a baby face. Rock has a head scissors on Hunter but Hunter gets out of it and slaps the top of Rock’s head. Hunter taunts Rock again and they lock up with Hunter locking in a headlock. Hunter with a shoulder block but comes off the ropes where Rock hip tosses and dropkicks Hunter to the floor. Hunter regroups on the floor for a few seconds. Hunter with a poke to the eyes and hammers away on Rock. Hunter with a snap mare and wrenches Rock’s neck. Hunter has a chin lock on Rock but Rock gets out of it and dropkicks Hunter over the top to the floor. Rock rams Hunter face first onto the apron and misses a running clothesline hitting his arm on the ring post. Hunter with a arm breaker in the ring and drives his knee down onto the injured arm of the challenger. Rock goes for a backdrop but Hunter connects with another arm breaker and gets a near fall, again. Hunter sends Rock head first into the corner and chops away on Rock as RAW goes to commercial. Back from commercial, Hunter hammers away on Rock with a series of right hands and boots. Honky Tonk Man has made his way down to ringside. Hunter hooks Rock up and connects with a vertical suplex. Hunter taunts the fans and is getting some good head. Hunter with a knee drop but only gets a two count. Hunter with a few right hands and sends Rock into the ropes but misses a clothesline. Hunter is still able to nail Rock with a high knee lift and gets a near fall. Hunter with a sleeper hold and Rock drops down to a knee as the fans try to get behind him. Rock with a sleeper hold of his own but Hunter drops down in the corner and sends Rock face first into the top turnbuckle. Hunter continues to deliver right hands and sends Rock into the ropes but misses a clothesline. Rock drops Hunter with a right hand and a backdrop. Rock heads to the top rope and connects with a cross body but Hunter rolls through and nearly wins the match! Rock goes for a backdrop but Hunter drives Rock face first down across his knee. Hunter with a neck breaker but isn’t able to get a three count. Hunter plants Rock with a pile driver but Rock manages to kick out at two. Hunter backs Rock into a corner and places Rock on the top turnbuckle. Hunter with a few right hands and slaps Rock. Hunter climbs to the middle rope and brings Rock down to the mat with a superplex but only gets a two count on the pin attempt! Hunter goes for the pedigree but Rock is limp and just falls to the mat. Hunter taunts the fans and picks Rock up but is rolled up and Rock gets the three! Rock wins the title! **½
After the match, Dox Hendrix interview Hendrix and Rock can’t believe that he just won the title. Rock promises to give the best he can every time. Rock says he is going to make everyone proud.

Michael Hayes comes over and interviews Rocky after his win. Rocky says that he will be the best champion he can be for the fans. He will make the fans proud.

WWF Final Four promo video..

Commercials

Sunny makes her way down to the ring with a flower. She introduces the next contest.

The Headbangers defeated Bob Holly/Aldo Montoya in 5:43: Holly with a pretty good hurricanarana early on Mosh. During the match, Vince tries convincing the crowd that HBK’s career may be over, with his bad knee. Thrasher and Mosh with an impressive move. Thrasher front slams Mosh off the top rope onto Holly. Mosh with a power bomb, and Thrasher comes off the top with a leg drop with perfect timing. *

Commercials

Vine McMahon is in the ring with Gorilla Monsoon. Vince introduces WWF World Champion, Shawn Michaels. Vince mentions that Shawn will be vacating the World Championship. HBK comes out, not being all giddy and loving with the fans. He rather seems to be serious and emotional. Shawn says that he has never had a doctor look him in the eyes and say “you may not wrestle again.”A “We Want Sid” chant starts to break out. HBK doesn’t want to use the schedule as an excuse, as he doesn’t do anything “half way”. He starts to break down a little, as he talks about wanting to make the fans happy with what that saw. He says he may not be able to fix his knee injury. He will not come back and “half ass”. He says he doesn’t have any toughness for anyone. Michaels proceeds to hand the title to Gorilla. Michaels will now go home and see what is left for him. He believes that he lost his smile, which means a lot to him. We see a woman nearly crying. Sympathy card anyone? Shawn thanks Vince, and the fans all around the world. He hugs Vince McMahon, and hugs Gorilla Monsoon. He is going home. Bye.

Commercials

Vince, JR and King continue to talk about Shawn leaving the WWF..

The Undertaker defeated Savio Vega in 8:49: Other than a few right hands from Vega, The Undertaker was in complete control throughout this match. Vega with a low blow on Taker. How could that hurt a dead guy? Vega soon connects with a spinning heel kick to take Taker down and appears to be in control. Vega is actually holding his own other than the beginning of the match. Several near falls by Vega, but Taker soon rises up, meaning he is done messing around. Leg drop to the back of Vega’s head, clothesline, choke slam gets Taker the win. **
After the match, Farooq and Crush attack The Undertaker. Until Ahmed Johnson comes down to help. Johnson is soon attacked, until Taker rises up and takes care of business. Johnson and Taker stand tall in the ring.

Commercials

Before the match, Michael Hayes interviews Gorilla about making the 4 way match at the next PPV now being the title. Gorilla says that he thinks it’s the favor thing to do. He says that Sid will get a title shot. And it will be on next weeks RAW facing the winner at the PPV.

Steve Austin defeated Sid Vicious via DQ in 3:42: Austin is really starting to get over. Huge Austin chant. Austin in control early on, sending Sid into the ring post. Austin has a weak looking abdominal stretch on. Sid with a few boots, and a few clotheslines to get the advantage. Once that happens, Bret Hart comes down and attacks Steve Austin causing the DQ. *
After the match, Sid and Bret Hart begin to brawl in the ring.

Vader is backstage with Paul Bearer. Vader has a question for Vince. He wants to know who beat Undertaker and who whipped Steve Austin, twice.

Commercials

The Nation (Crush/Farooq) defeated WWF World Tag Team Champion Owen Hart/British Bulldog by count-out in 9:22: Crush connects with a pile driver coming off the ropes that looked pretty nice. Back forth between both teams, with the Nation getting the advantage on Bulldog for a few moments. During the match we see Bret Hart backstage talking about HBK having to give up the belt. Vince is basically interviewing Bret during a match. Which takes away from the match. Bulldog is taking the majority, if not all the beating by the Nation about eight minutes into the match. Double clothesline spot, leads to Owen getting the tag. Two spinning heel kicks for the Nation. Owen is sent to the floor, and begins to holding his knee, just like last week. *
After the match, Bulldog continues to get attacked, even taking the Dominator.

Commercials

Bret Hart defeated Vader in 4:17: Before the match, The Undertaker comes out with Michael Hayes by the neck and cuts a promo about not receiving respect. During the commercial break, we see that Steve Austin had attacked Bret Hart, thus allowing Vader to have control. Bret comes back with slam and a Russian leg sweep. However, goes for the sharpshooter too soon and Vader shoves him off. Steve Austin shows up yet again this time in the balcony distracting Bret. Vader misses a moonsault and Bret gets the clean pin fall. *

End of Show

My Take: IC Title match was a good opener. Vega actually got a decent amount of offense in during his match. Bob Holly also looked good when he was given the chance to compete. Owen/Bulldog saga is continuing, which is a good thing as i think a feud between them could be a good one. No sense of Sid/Austin if its going to last three minutes. I felt that was a waste of a big match. I really dislike the emotional HBK stuff as he over doing the drama as everyone and their mother knows he will be back.

Thanks for reading.