World Wrestling Federation presents: Shotgun Saturday Night
Date: 1/25/1997
From: New York, NY
Matches:
1.) Bret Hart defeated Mankind by disqualification
2.) Savio Vega defeated Rocky Maivia by count-out
3.) Jake Roberts defeated Salvatore Sincere
4.) Crush defeated Psycho Sid by disqualification
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) This week we’re at Webster Hall, which is not a bar scene or nightclub. Mankind tries to get involved with a few dancers, but they are creeped out and runaway.
2.) Owen Hart is on commentary with Vince McMahon.
3.) Bret Hart jumps Mankind to protect the dancers and their match starts off the show. Hart continues to attack Mankind and rams Mankind onto the ring steps. Mankind climbs the ropes and goes to the apron where Hart decks Mankind again several times. Hart flips Mankind into the ring and leaps off the middle rope to deliver a forearm. Hart splashes down onto Mankind’s back. Hart takes Mankind over with a snap suplex and delivers a leg drop. Hart continues with strikes in the corner as Mankind staggers, but responds with several right hands. Mankind tosses Hart to the floor, but Hart pulls Mankind to the floor. Hart sends Mankind into the guard railing. Hart continues to deck Mankind on the floor in front of the commentary table. Hart hits a a snap suplex on the floor. Mankind rolls down the steps, but strikes Hart in the midsection. Mankind elbow strikes Hart on the apron and they return to the ring. Mankind chokes Hart on the mat to maintain the advantage. Mankind rubs Hart’s face on the top rope and pummels Hart with right hands before hitting a running knee strike in the corner. Mankind sends Hart chest first into the corner and delivers a leg drop for a two count. Mankind keeps a sleeper on Hart, but doesn’t get a submission with the hold.
Hart punches out of the headlock, but Mankind drops Hart to the mat. Mankind stomps Hart on the mat several times. Hart sends Mankind into the corner, but Mankind elbows Hart. Mankind continues with a headbutt against the ropes and misses a running attack going over the top to the floor. Hart rams Mankind into the railing and they continue to brawl on the floor as the show goes to commercial. They’ve remained on the floor where Mankind is controlling Hart. Hart drops Mankind onto the railing with an atomic drop and clotheslines Mankind. Hart rams Mankind into the ring steps. Hart leaps off the top to deliver a strike. Hart hits a snap suplex on Mankind and misses an elbow drop off the middle rope. Mankind plants Hart with a double arm DDT for a two count. Mankind misses a splash in the corner and Hart hits a side Russian leg sweep. Hart continues with a forearm strike on the mat. Hart delivers a bulldog out of the corner, but Mankind gets his boot on the ropes to break the cover. Hart continues with a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Hart drives Mankind down with a backbreaker. Mankind kicks Hart to stop the momentum. Hart counters a backdrop and clotheslines Mankind. Hart locks in the Sharpshooter, but Owen Hart leaves commentary and attacks Bret to cause a disqualification. After the match, Owen brawls with Bret trading right hands until Bret knocks Owen to the floor. They brawl on the floor and head backstage to end the segment. (***. A solid brawl and good action. I didn’t like the lame DQ finish.)
4.) Todd Pettengill talks to Paul Bearer who says the alcohol and the women are not good for Mankind and has ruined all the work he’s done on Mankind.
5.) Todd Pettengill talks to Savio Vega about seemingly turning on Ahmed Johnson at MSG earlier in the day. Vega tells Pettengill that he hasn’t joined the Nation and just had a bad day with his Puerto Rican temper. Vega likes Rocky Maivia and says people will be proud of him.
6.) Vega and Maivia trade waist locks until Rocky reaches the ropes to break the hold. Vega arm drags Rocky, but doesn’t follow up. Vega gains control with a wrist lock and switches to a headlock. Vega shoulder blocks Rocky and backs off. The crowd is chanting ‘BWO’ in reference to ECW. Rocky shoulder blocks Vega and stares down Vega. Vega hammerlocks Rocky, but is taken down with a snapmare. Vega controls Rocky with a top wrist lock, but Rocky takes Vega down to the mat and they trade some mat wrestling with Vega getting the advantage nearly winning with a rollup attempt. Rocky controls Vega with a wrist lock, but Vega takes Rocky down to the mat and gains leg control. Crush and Faarooq make their way down to ringside as the show goes to commercial.
Faarooq and Crush salute Vega, which confuses Vega. Vega decks Rocky to take advantage of the distraction and axe handles Rocky several times. Vega returns to the salute and appears to have joined the Nation. Vega chops Rocky into the corner and delivers several right hands. Vega chops Rocky in the corner followed by a backdrop. Vega decks Rocky with a right hand several times and rams Rocky into the corner. Rocky ducks a strike to hit a crossbody off the ropes for a two count. Vega regains control with a nerve hold on the mat. Pettengill talks to Faarooq on the floor, but Faarooq doesn’t want to talk and Crush threatens Pettengill. Vega takes Rocky over with a snap suplex for a two count. Vega keeps Rocky on the mat with a nerve hold, but doesn’t get a submission. Rocky almost wins with a rollup and nails Vega with a clothesline. Rocky continues with a chop in the corner, but runs into a spin kick. Vega goes back to controlling Rocky with a nerve hold. Vega stomps Rocky on the mat and continues with strikes, but Rocky responds with a flurry of right hands. Vega boots Rocky out of the corner leading to a near fall. Vega continues to pummel Rocky in the corner, but Rocky comes back with a sunset flip attempt. Vega punches Rocky to block the move and puts another nerve hold on Rocky. The crowd is chanting ‘Rocky Sucks’, but it’s noticeably the ECW crowd. Rocky fires back with right hands and chops Vega in the corner a few times. Vega chops Rocky several times. Vega keeps Rocky on the mat with a nerve hold, but continues to not get a submission. Vega misses a splash in the corner and Rocky punches Vega several times. Rocky clotheslines Vega several times followed by a back suplex for a near fall. Vega tosses Rocky over the top to the floor. Vega taunts the crowd and Maivia ends up being counted out. After the match, Vega continues to beat down on Rocky and works over the right knee. Vega kicks Rocky on the leg and splashes down onto the knee. The crowd wants Vega to break Rocky’s knee. Crush and Faarooq enter the ring and triple team Rocky. Faarooq destroys Rocky’s knee with a slapjack. Several officials try to assist Rocky, but Crush sends Rocky to the floor to end the beating. (*1/2. Savio joining the Nation is probably much needed since he’s kind of fizzled out as face in recent months. The moment Vega officially turned he became more vicious for a minute, but then switched to the typical slow moving heel relying on the nerve hold. This was an extended match, but Vega’s offense was kind of boring in long moments during the match. Also, I’m starting to think that the NY crowd is the only crowd that hates Rocky.)
7.) Backstage, Jake Roberts is interviewed and says that he’s back and he’s going to do exactly what he wants to do. Roberts didn’t come across as the bible thumping reborn guy here.
8.) WWF Intercontinental Champion Hunter Hearst Helmsley is on commentary and takes a shot at WCW saying that the big boys don’t have time to play in the WWF.
9.) Roberts stalks Sincere to the corner and gets wrist control. Sincere goes to the corner and punches Roberts a few times. Roberts sends Sincere hard into the corner and delivers an atomic drop. Roberts snapmares Sincere and keeps control with a sleeper. Sincere back elbows Roberts in the corner and continues with shoulder rams. Sincere misses a spear in the corner and hits the post. Roberts continues with jabs and drops Sincere with a right hand. Roberts clotheslines Sincere to the mat and the crowd continues to chant for BWO. Roberts plants Sincere with a DDT and wins the match easily. After the match, Roberts drops his snake on Sincere. (1/2*. I feel like there’s an attitude change for Roberts and he’s ditching the sympathy aspect of his character. I’d prefer Roberts with an edge instead of preaching.)
10.) During the commercial, Hunter Hearst Helmsley attacked Salvatore Sincere by hitting a Pedigree. Helmsley says that by doing that he’s proving he’s the best.
11.) Sid and Crush trade right hands at the start until Sid nails Crush with a big boot. Sid continues with a scoop slam and a leg drop for a near fall. Sid maintains the advantage with a wrist lock and yanks down on Crush’s arm followed by a kick to the ribs and a clothesline. Sid clotheslines Crush over the top to the floor. Sid axe handles Crush on the floor from the apron. Crush eye rakes Sid and delivers a few headbutts. Sid blocks being sent into the ring steps and rams Crush onto the steps. Faarooq and Savio Vega have come down to ringside as the show goes to commercial as Sid splashes Crush in the corner.
Crush delivers a standing fist drop and pummels Sid with right hands. Crush headbutts Sid again, but Sid tries to fight back with strikes. Crush stops Sid by biting Sid in the corner. Crush sends Sid into the corner and continues with strikes in the corner. Crush continues with a headbutt in the corner. Sid blocks a strike and punches Crush a few times, but is met with an eye rake. Crush scoop slams Sid and salutes Faarooq and Savio on the floor. Crush signals for the heart punch, but Sid counters and chokeslams Crush! Sid signals for the powerbomb and drives Crush to the mat. Sid rolls to the floor and grabs a steel chair to prevent Faarooq and Savio from getting in the ring. Sid whacks Crush over the back to cause a disqualification. (*. It wasn’t too bad as I’ve seen worse by both men. The crowd atmosphere certainly helped the action, too. Sid tends to entertain me no matter what.)
Final Thoughts:
Another decent overall show for Shotgun Saturday Night as it was loaded with stars. Bret/Mankind was a good match and the rest of the show kept my interest with the names involved. The crowd atmosphere was a great and really helps the product.
Thanks for reading.