World Wrestling Federation presents Shotgun Saturday Night
Date: 4/19/1997
From:
Matches:
1.) The New Blackjacks (Bradshaw & Windham) defeated Phil LaFon & Doug Furnas
2.) Flash Funk defeated Salvatore Sincere
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Jim Ross says that WWF World Champion Undertaker was scheduled to compete on the show, but still hasn’t appeared since getting a fireball to the face by Mankind three weeks ago on RAW. While Undertaker will not be appearing on the show, Undertaker will be at the IYH PPV tomorrow night.
2.) Bradshaw and LaFon kickoff the tag match with Bradshaw shoving LaFon into the ropes. LaFon kicks Bradshaw a few times, but is met with a shoulder block. LaFon kicks Bradshaw, but runs into a big boot. Bradshaw rams LaFon into the corner and delivers a knee lift and overhand strikes. Bradshaw crotches LaFon on the top turnbuckle, but is shoved off. LaFon is caught on a crossbody attempt and is rammed into the corner. LaFon drives Bradshaw down with a DDT and tags in Furnas. Furnas yanks on Bradshaw’s arm to maintain control of the match. Bradshaw knee lifts Furnas, but Furnas comes back with a backdrop and a dropkick. Furnas keeps Bradshaw on the mat with arm control. Bradshaw backs Furnas into a corner and Windham tags into the match. Bradshaw runs the ropes and Furnas dropkicks Windham followed by an arm drag. Furnas tags in LaFon, who keeps arm control by yanking Windham down to the mat and keeps wrist control. LaFon double stomps Windham causing Windham to roll to the corner and tag in Bradshaw. Bradshaw tries to kick LaFon, but LaFon delivers a low blow. LaFon kicks Bradshaw on the left leg several times. LaFon drags Bradshaw to the corner and tags in Furnas to pull apart Bradshaw’s legs leading to a one count. Bradshaw decks Furnas with a clothesline and delivers an elbow drop. The show goes to commercial as Furnas is rammed into the corner.
Furnas takes Windham over with a suplex, but can’t followup. Furnas dropkicks Windham coming off the ropes leading to a near fall. Furnas arm drags Windham and keeps arm control on the mat. LaFon tags in and wrenches on the arm. LaFon knee lifts Windham and tags in Furnas to keep control. Windham drops Furnas throat first over the top rope after countering a leapfrog attempt. Bradshaw gets a two count after a couple of elbow drops. Bradshaw big boots Furnas into the corner and delivers a few strikes. Bradshaw sends Furnas into the corner but is met with a big boot. Bradshaw misses a clothesline, but side slams Furnas for a two count. Bradshaw puts an abdominal stretch on Furnas and gets assistance by Windham. However, Bradshaw can’t get a submission even with cheating. Windham tags back into the match and stomps on Furnas. Windham takes Furnas over with a float over suplex for a two count. LaFon tries to get involved, but is stopped by the referee. Bradshaw drops Furnas over the ropes throat first. Windham drives Furnas down to the mat for a near fall. Bradshaw kicks Furnas in the ribs a few times to maintain control. Bradshaw holds Furnas in the corner to allow a strike by Windham. Bradshaw decks Furnas with a clothesline. Bradshaw locks in a sleeper hold and Furnas begins to fade. Furnas elbows free and duck a clothesline, but is met with a boot. Bradshaw tries for a powerbomb, but Furnas counters with a backdrop. Furnas dropkicks Bradshaw coming off the ropes and both men are down.
LaFon tags into the match and kicks Bradshaw followed by a big boot and a savant kick to Windham. LaFon avoids Windham in the corner and hits a German suplex for a two count. LaFon nails Bradshaw with a spinning heel kick and slams Windham before heading to the top rope. LaFon hits a swanton bomb on Windham, but Bradshaw makes the save. Furnas decks Bradshaw to the floor. Windham is left alone in the ring and is met with a savant kick by LaFon, but manages to get his boot on the ropes. Bradshaw switches into the match and gets an inside cradle on LaFon to steal the match. (**1/4. They got a bunch of time and put on a decent match. I don’t know why they bash Furnas and LaFon on commentary for not having personality as it comes across counter-productive. Anyway, a solid enough tag match that didn’t feel like a drag to get through.)
3.) Sincere shoves Funk and they trade strikes until Sincere decks Funk with a clothesline. Sincere drops Funk to the mat gut first and continues with strikes. Sincere shoulder blocks Funk, but ends up being met with a dropkick. Sincere clotheslines Funk in the corner and misses a splash in the corner. Funk pulls himself up to the top rope and hits a crossbody for a near fall. Funk dropkicks Sincere to the floor and fakes a dive. Funk dives over the ropes to take Sincere out with a dive. Funk rolls Sincere back into the ring and heads to the top rope. Sincere avoids a crossbody and Funk crashes to the mat. Sincere drops Funk gut first over the top rope and taunts the crowd as the show goes to commercial.
Sincere delivers a jawbreaker to stagger Funk and hits a sit out front suplex for a near fall. Sincere misses a clothesline and Funk hits a spinning kick leading to a near fall. Funk misses a clothesline and Sincere hits a northern lights suplex for a two count. Sincere plants Funk with a tornado DDT for a near fall. Funk gets a rollup on Sincere for a near fall and delivers a superkick. Funk splashes Sincere in the corner and hits a back suplex. Funk signals for the end and heads to the top rope. Funk leaps off hitting the 450 splash for the win. (*1/2. If they let Funk do his thing and be the fun high flyer he could get some great momentum.)
Final Thoughts:
It’s the go-home show before the PPV so they focused a lot on the major feuds to sell the PPV. It was a solid enough episode that I wasn’t bored by it.
Thanks for reading.