Written by: Bob Colling
World Championship Wrestling presents Saturday Night
Date: 4/19/1997
From: Gainesville, GA
Matches:
1.) High Voltage defeated La Parka & Galaxy
2.) Chris Jericho defeated Super Calo
3.) Hector Guerrero defeated Billy Kidman
4.) Lord Steven Regal defeated Villano IV
5.) Hugh Morrus defeated Psychosis
6.) Glacier defeated Jerry Flynn
7.) Jim Powers defeated Sgt. Craig Pittman
8.) Scotty Riggs defeated Jeff Jarrett
9.) Jim Duggan defeated Alex Wright
10.) Diamond Dallas Page defeated Roadblock
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Lee Marshall interviews Hugh Morrus and Jimmy Hart after Hugh’s victory. Jimmy Hart says it is time for them to get down to business at Slamboree against the Steiner Brothers. Hugh Morrus says that things are changing since they have started to win. Morrus says that Slamboree is no laughing matter because this isn’t funny. Hugh is confident that they will be the only ones laughing at the pay per view on May 18th.
2.) Jarrett takes Riggs over with an arm drag and taunts the fans. Jarrett scoop slams Riggs and goes to the corner to relax and taunt some more. Riggs elbows Jarrett and takes him over with a hip toss followed by a scoop slam and dropkick sending Jarrett to the floor. Riggs taunts Jarrett by relaxing in the corner but is tripped by Jarrett who is taken over with a sunset flip for a near fall. Riggs gets another two count with an inside cradle and backslide. Jarrett cuts Riggs off with a knee lift to the midsection. Jarrett jumps down on the back of Riggs and continues to work over Riggs with stomps in the corner. Jarrett clotheslines Riggs as he comes out of the corner but only manages a two count. Jarrett hits a snap suplex and leaps off the middle rope hitting a double axe handle. Jarrett continues to work over Riggs with strikes in the corner. The referee prevents Jarrett for hitting Riggs. Riggs trips Jarrett in the corner and uses the ropes for leverage to get the cheap win. After the match, Jarrett attacks Riggs some more hitting a piledriver. Jarrett also delivers a DDT and another piledriver. The locker room empties trying to help Riggs including Alex Wright who misses a heel kick and Jarrett puts a figure four on him. The Steiner Brothers come down to finally scare Jarrett from the ring. (*1/2. I’m surprised that Riggs used the ropes for leverage since that would normally be a heel tactic to use. Anyway, it’s a good upset and the beat down by Jarrett makes him not look so much like an over the top annoying heel and adds a violent side to him. The aftermath is the best part of the segment. By the way, the match didn’t have any commentary, oddly enough.)
3.) Wright avoids contact with Duggan early on. Wright avoids elbows while having Duggan in a go-behind. Wright stops Duggan with strikes in the corner but Duggan battles back. Wright springboards off the ropes and buckles his knee allowing Duggan to win with a clothesline. I was mainly curious to see how or why Duggan went over Wright and that explains it.
Final Thoughts:
The main takeaway from this is character development for Jeff Jarrett who had largely been seen as a joke, for the most part. He showed a different side here and if that side shows more he can be presented as a credible upper mid card guy.
Thanks for reading.