World Wrestling Federation presents Shotgun Saturday Night:
Date: 2/22/1997
From: Nashville, TN
Matches:
1.) Crush defeated WWF Tag Team Champion British Bulldog
2.) Goldust defeated TL Hopper
3.) The Godwinns defeated The Headbangers by disqualification
4.) The Headbangers fought the Blackjacks to a no contest
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Bulldog backs Crush into the ropes, but Crush counters quickly and they break apart. Bulldog tries for a shoulder block, but Crush doesn’t budge. Bulldog ducks a clothesline to hit another shoulder block and two dropkicks to send Crush to the floor. Crush yells at several fans in the front row, but Clarence Mason calms down Crush. Bulldog arm drags Crush and keeps arm control on the mat. Bulldog hip tosses Crush followed by an arm drag. The show goes to commercial. Crush spikes Bulldog with a piledriver as Owen Hart has come down to ringside to watch the match. Crush delivers a strike to Bulldog’s lower back. Bulldog fights back with a forearm, but an eye rake stops his momentum. Crush hits a belly to belly suplex for a near fall. Crush controls Bulldog on the mat with a nerve hold. Bulldog comes off the ropes and is met with a big boot leading to a two count for Crush. Crush strikes Bulldog on the mat several times and a few stomps to the back. Crush drives Bulldog down with a backbreaker for a two count. Crush controls Bulldog with a body scissors on the mat, but doesn’t get a submission.
Crush chokes Bulldog on the mat followed by a leg drop. Crush leaps off the middle rope, but misses a fist drop attempt. Bulldog punches Crush and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Bulldog nails Crush with a few clotheslines. Bulldog lifts Crush up and hits a vertical suplex. Bulldog clotheslines Crush over the top to the floor. Bulldog decks D’Lo off the apron. Bulldog pulls Crush to the apron, but is tripped on a suplex by Savio Vega and Vega holds Bulldog’s foot down allowing Crush to steal the victory. (*1/2. They are really pushing the Nation with this victory for Crush even if it wasn’t a clean finish. I was not expecting Crush to get a pin over Bulldog, at all.)
2.) British Bulldog demands Clarence Mason to get into the ring. Mason is representing both the Nation and the tag team of Owen Hart and British Bulldog. Mason asks what did he do. Bulldog wants to know which side Mason and Owen are both on right now. Owen wants Bulldog to calm down and doesn’t want Bulldog to blame them. Bulldog fires Clarence Mason! Bulldog starts a “he’s fired”, but the fans correct Bulldog and chant “You’re fired!” Owen doesn’t seem to agree with Mason being fired. Mason flips out on the aisle.
3.) Goldust arm drags Hopper to kickoff the match. Goldust shoulder blocks Hopper and taunts Hopper to scare the plumber into the corner. Goldust traps Hopper into the ropes in a lockup, but lets go. Hopper shoulder rams Goldust against the ropes and continues with right hands. Goldust drops to his knees and nails Hopper with a right hand. Goldust comes off the ropes with a clothesline for a two count. Goldust controls Hopper with a neck vice on the mat. Hopper delivers a few strikes to stagger Goldust into the corner. Hopper rams Goldust into the corner. Goldust rams Hopper into the corner and delivers several strikes. Goldust arm drags Hopper to the mat and keeps arm control. Goldust keeps an arm bar on Hopper. Hopper forearms Goldust in the corner several times. Goldust sends Hopper into the corner chest first and hits the Curtain Call to cleanly win the match. (1/2*. You could hear a pin drop, and I think it has everything to do with Hopper.)
4.) Exclusive footage for Shotgun Saturday Night is shown where Bret Hart flipped out backstage regarding his title loss to Psycho Sid on RAW.
5.) WWF World Champion Psycho Sid makes his way down to the ring to be interviewed by Kevin Kelly. Kelly puts over Sid as being the most physically impressive competitor to be the champion in WWF history. Kelly notes that Sid wrestles Undertaker at WrestleMania. Sid talks about being put to sleep by his mother in the dark, and the fear of playing hide and seek in the darkness. However, the darkness has never bothered him once. Sid recalls walking through a cemetery and does whatever he wants because he’s the man. Sid thrives on adversity. Sid wants the light to shine bright on him, the ruler and master of the world.
6.) Mosh and Phineas kickoff the tag match with Mosh taunting Phineas by doing a mosh pit taunt. Phineas does a mule kick and is attacked by Mosh. Mosh shoulder rams Phineas in the corner, but runs into a mule kick. Mosh regroups and tags out to Thrasher. Thrasher knee lifts Henry and continues with right hands in the corner. Henry decks Thrasher with a clothesline. The Blackjacks appear at ringside attack the Godwinns! That causes the match to be thrown out. Godwinns win by disqualification. Bradshaw nails Henry with a lariat.
7.) Blackjacks go after the Headbangers and they are going to have a tag match. Windham slams Thrasher on the floor while Bradshaw nails Mosh with a clothesline in the ring. Bradshaw boots Mosh and Windham delivers a strike. Mosh is met with a double shoulder block by the Blackjacks. Mosh trades strikes with Windham until Mosh sends Windham to the mat and tags in Thrasher. Windham is double teamed in the corner for a moment. Headbangers drive Windham down to the mat, but Bradshaw enters to help and all four men brawl in the ring. Bradshaw plants Mosh with a pump handle slam and an elbow drop a few times. Bradshaw taunts the crowd as the Godwinns return to the ring. Godwinns enter the ring and all three teams being to brawl. The Godwinns stand tall in the ring. (*. I’m putting both matches together as it’s basically an extended segment between the three teams. I didn’t mind it and I found myself interested in the Blackjacks. They came across as a tough team and their ready to fight. I like that.)
Final Thoughts:
Action wise there’s nothing on the show that stands out or anything. Crush winning over Bulldog was a bit surprising, and Clarence getting fired was not expected either. Sid’s promo didn’t do anything for me as it felt predictable and a promo I’ve heard many times throughout the years. It’s a skippable show, but a harmless hour of TV.
Thanks for reading.