WWF RAW 7/27/1998

Written by: Kevin Kindelberger

WWF Monday Night RAW 7/27/98
Last night was fairly solid. Hopefully the follow up will be just as good. RAW has gotten better but still needs a lot of work. However, they are hitting a groove with Vince and UT and Austin. Rock is getting better and even HHH is not as annoying. Sable is hot and the juvenile jokes are getting a bit more entertaining. There is still a lot of work to be done but on the whole it is better. Sure, women are treated like dirt and there are some issues but I am enjoying it. RAW got a near 4.9 off of a weak start with a 4.2 but the second hour was a 5.5 while Nitro had a 4.7 off of a 4.6 and then two 4.7’s.

UT comes down with both belts and while he acknowledges that he and Austin are the champs he will not be his partner until he comes down to apologize. An irate Vince comes down, berating the Undertaker. He tells UT he did what Vince would have done, as he Tombstoned Kane in order to throw off the fact that UT is in fact colluding with Kane. He does not think Austin will buy it as it took three Tombstones to finish off Kane at WM and now it only took one? Vince is the one who should be apologized too as UT put his hands on him and UT threatens to do so again but Vince continues anyway and he will get an apology tonight. UT takes a step toward him and then Vince tells him that the tag belts will be on the line against the Outlaws and he declares that he will not leave the ring until he gets an apology. Here comes Austin! Vince and crew wisely depart as Austin circles around the ring and UT too. Austin tells Vince to get his sorry ass up the ramp as he has nothing to say to him. UT hit the nail on the head that they are champions. He never wanted to be friends or shake his hand, but if Vince is going to set up matches then he is going to defend the titles. Austin refuses to apologize and flips him off instead (Why would UT even want one?) and then leaves a bitter looking UT.

Match 1: D’Lo Brown (c) v. Vader

Non-title match. Poor Vader. Brown has the mic and he just got off the phone with Euro Disney and they have two rides for him called, who cares. He tells Vader to get his fat butt down there and he comes out prancing around but he gets a solid response. Brown slugs him in the neck a few times, staggering the big man but he is whipped into the corner and crushed. Vader pounds on him but Brown fires back and then for some unGodly reason goes for a sunset flip and is nearly squashed. Brown retreats to the floor. He gets back into the ring, sends Vader into the corner where he sandwiches him. Vader is sent into the other corner and he is nailed again. Brown slams him with ease and drops a big elbow for two. Vader continues getting hammered, and is slammed again. D’Lo goes up and hits the moonsault but Vader is able to get his arm up. Vader pulls down the top rope and out goes Brown over the top. Vader goes out after him, takes off the chest protector and fucking murders him with a big splash and gets in the ring and gets the win!!! A countout.

***** Five fucking stars for a Vader win bitches!

They go to Droz’s house and it is called Droz’s World and he just rambles about nonsense and pukes a lot. Horrific.

Match 2: Steve Williams v. Bart Gunn

Brawl for All: They showed Williams training in the back.

Round 1: Williams pushes him into the ropes. Grazes him with a shot and pounds on him against the ropes but Bart fires back and the round is over.

Round 2: They are going back and forth. Williams has him in the corner but Bart takes him down. I mean stuck him like a pig.

Final Round: Williams has the lead: 15-5. Fans are turning against it. Bart flings him to the mat. Not a takedown apparently. Now Bart takes him down. Williams is gimpy as they slug away. They are flailing at one another and down goes Williams!! It is over with five seconds left.

**1/2 A knockout baby! So much for this tournament to try and show how tough Williams is. Bart was just pummeling him with wild shots and connected with a few.

Owen Hart is in the ring declaring himself the most dangerous man in the WWF and that he is not a nugget. If anyone has the guts to challenge him then bring it on. No one comes out yet and now his music hits and it is Jason Sensation. He is mocking Owen who just glares at him. Sensation yells it is time to stand nose to nose. He calls him a nugget and it is time to flush him down the toilet. Owen heads after him and Dan Severn steps out from the curtain and backs Owen towards the ring.

Match 3: Owen Hart v. Dan Severn

Owen nuts him as Dan gets in the ring. he takes down Dan and has him in the Sharpshooter. Dan counters and hammers him in the corner. Shamrock has run into the ring and he clotheslines Owen and chokes him out. Severn tries to pry Ken off and has him in a chokehold. Refs enter the ring as has Blackman and it is utter chaos.

NR

After the break Shamrock is screaming at a cowering Cole.

Match 4: Farooq and Scorpio v. DoA

Bradshaw is at the announce table claiming he should never be crossed and is pissed about Funk. Scorpio gets knocked around for a moment and here comes Farooq. He is hammered for a minute but bulldogs Skull. Farooq leaps out after him after Skull retreats to the floor. Eight Ball nails him and Scorpio leaps on top of all. Scorpio rolls back into the ring and hammers Skull but gets doubleteamed. Bradshaw just got in the face of Lawler threatening him and declared this not Comedy Central. Farooq gets the tag and they miss the clothesline and out goes one of the DoA members. Bradshaw assaults him and then gives Scorpio the big boot. He gets in the ring and he and Farooq beat on one another. Now all five are in the ring beating each other.

*1/2 Angle advancement.

The Rock is in the back and goes off on JR for asking a stupid question. He went 30 minutes with HHH and came out the champ and now it is two on one and says something about asses and scratching if you can smell what the Rock is cooking.

Match 5: HHH v. X Pac v. the Rock (c) for WWF IC Title

HHH informs us that it his birthday and that we need to suck it. Both men hammer him from the get go. Pac kicks him over and over. HHH strikes with the big knee drop. Rock is in the corner just getting manhandled. Rock ducks a blow, takes down Pac but HHH stops him with a clothesline. Rock is run over with the high knee. Jesus, HHH needs more moves. He hits the Pedigree but Pac pulls him off and he goes for the cover and now he and HHH are shoving one another. Rock belts HHH but runs into a spinkick. HHH is on the apron and after Pac gets two Rock slings Pac into HHH who crashes into the announce table. Now Rock is in command and he gets two. He hammers back him and gets two more after a Samoan Drop. Rock bodyslams him and it is Elbow time and he is getting quite the crowd support too! Rock gets two. Pac fights back but runs right into the Rock Bottom. HHH makes the save and takes it to Rock stomping away. Another knee shot and now a clothesline. After getting two, Rock ducks and takes down HHH but turns right into a faceplant from X Pac and HHH makes the save and they do some more arguing. Now they start beating on each other. Rock takes his belt and walks as Pac and HHH go off on one another.

**1/2. DUD for the ending. A countout in a Triple Threat match? Is that fucking possible? I need to be enlightened here. HHH was out for a minute and even JR scrambled to cover Russo’s shitty booking or someone’s. AWFUL.

Outlaws are not concerned about the issues with DX and they will get the tag belts back.

Match 6: Brakus v. Jesus

Brakus takes him down and drops some elbows. He connects with a big spinebuster and it is over.

* Squash and Brakus is clearly going nowhere.

Val is taking a shower with Yamaguchison’s wife.

Match 7: Val Venis v. Brian Christopher

Kaientai have come out and they have swords. Brian attacks Val from behind but his flurry is short lived as he gets dismantled. Val strikes with two atomic drops and sends him for the ride but telegraphs the back drop. Brian goes for a piledriver but gets spiked instead. Brian eats a big boot. Brian comes back with a DDT. Now both Too Much get clotheslined and the Plex ends it.

*1/2 So much for Brian Christopher

Too Much doubleteams him after the match and Taka runs in and annihilates both. Whatever happened to the Light Division.

Yamaguchi is screaming in broken English and he challenges Val to something next week and slices a salami in half and yells “choppy-choppy, pee pee” Yes he said that and yes that is racist.

Animal is talking about kicking some butt and Mark Henry and the Godfather are the victims. Hawk looks lost.

Match 7: Mark Henry and the Godfather v. LoD

Godfather has some Ho’s! JR states that Hawk does not look to be himself. Henry and Animal start off. Animal runs him over with a shoulder block. Godfather is tagged in and Animal is sent into the corner where he is run over. He attempts it again but Animal greets him with a clothesline. Hawk will not reach for the tag as Hawk acts like he is sleeping. Meanwhile Animal is getting pummeled. Henry bodyslams him and Godfather kicks him in the head and he gets two. JR is trying to cover for Hawk as Godfather misses the elbow. Animal wakes up Hawk but before he can make the tag is stopped but he fights back and powerslams the Godfather and Mark makes the save. Animal is clotheslined and then trucked by Henry. He pulls up Animal only to be clotheslined and a dropkick sends Henry to the floor. Hawk goes up top and clearly fakes stumbling and down he goes. He stumbles to his feet and Animal gets finished with the Death Valley Driver.

** Nice way to make Hawk’s issues public and use it as a storyline. Sad.

Sable is getting an award. First comes Jackie and Mero and now here comes Sable. Lawler has a winner’s trophy and a consolation prize, the latter is really tiny. Lawler is trying to present the trophy but is given a note from the desk of Mr. McMahon. Vince has disqualified Sable as bodypaint is not a bikini and Jackie wins. Sable looks bitter as Marc and Jackie depart. Lawler shows Sable the note. Sable slowly grabs the mic and she does need a stupid trophy to tell her she won. She is not surprised this happened. She expected it and wishes Vince was man enough to tell it to her face. Here he comes, swaggering, and repeats man enough a lot. Sable dares questions Vince’s masculinity and he has dealt with a lot of ingrates before and then tells Lawler to beat it! He thought she would no longer be one. Vince is one the came to her rescue, her knight in shining armor and someone tosses something at Vince! He brought her back due to her popularity with WWF fans and he does everything for WWF fans. But people like Sable are a dime a dozen and she could be replaced by any number of bimbo’s and airhead’s and she owes him. He plays with her hair and tells her he generally collects, however, he will continue to employ her as long as she does not become an ungrateful bitch! He turns away and she flips him off and then takes off her top and has a bikini on. Vince has not noticed and finally turns and sees I think. He is just leaving.

They show Austin pacing in the back.

Match 8: New Age Outlaws v. Undertaker and Steve Austin (c) for WWF Tag Titles

How are the Outlaws over? How?

Austin and Gunn lock up, Steve turns him around in the corner and flips him off after the break. Gunn is pushed into the ropes and knocks down Austin with a shoulder block. Gunn flexxes and tells Austin to bring it. Austin flexes back and then flips him off. Austin unloads on him, and then shrugs Gunn off who grabs him and kills him with a clothesline. He then catapults him into the corner. Gunn leaves the ring with Austin giving chase. Road Dog blindsides him and now the Outlaws are in control. Road Dog gets the tag and he gets nailed. Undertaker gets the tag with UT destroying him. UT has him by the hair and now it is rope walk time and JR informs us of his amazing ability. Road Dog is goozled and Austin runs in and Gunn chop blocks UT and now Dog goes after the leg. He is still working on the leg. UT is up but Road Dog keeps up the pressure with some punches. UT grabs him and tosses him in the corner returning the favor. UT misses the boot and is taken down again by the leg. Gunn gets the tag, drops the elbow and goes to work on the leg. UT tries to fight back but is pulled into the corner where both work over the leg. Road Dog slugs him in the head. Jesus, this is boring. I mean fucking dull. UT drops Road Dog and Gunn misses in the corner. Austin gets the hot tag and he unloads as JR has kittens. Both Outlaws are getting destroyed and Gunn gets Thesz Pressed. Gunn is tossed to the floor and Road Dog is Stunned and it is over. Now UT gets sloppy seconds and chokeslams Gunn.

*1/2 Boring. Thank God Outlaws lost cleanly.

Austin has some beers and looks at Undertaker and tosses him one. Austin pounds it and UT opens his, glares at Austin and sucks it down too! Kane comes out and hits Austin from behind and Mankind is there too. UT goes after Mankind as Kane pummels Austin.

***Not the greatest but still a solid follow up to the PPV. It was fast paced to the point where I am not sure much was done. But they had at least one decent match with a an asinine ending. Sable is being turned into a big star and the Rock looked good. They are teasing the UT and Austin issues and probably will do so until SummerSlam. Williams losing put a crimp in the Brawl for All but it does add a sense of legitimacy. Though playing off of Hawk’s issues while fair game in no way helps him and if anything encourages more alcohol and drug abuse.