World Wrestling Federation presents Shotgun Saturday Night
Date: 7/26/1997
From: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Matches:
1.) Jerry Lawler defeated Scott Taylor
2.) The Headbangers defeated Scott D’Amore & Tony Roy
3.) Kama Mustafa defeated Flash Funk
4.) Mankind defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart by disqualification in a non-title match
Angle Developments/Notes:
1.) Steve Austin cuts a promo about competing at the Meadowlands wrestling WWF Intercontinental Champion Owen Hart and Owen can’t avoid the beating. This is reference to SummerSlam, obviously.
2.) Brian Christopher is on commentary for Jerry Lawler’s bout.
3.) Interestingly, the crowd is responding to Lawler in a positive manner. Throughout the match, Taylor shows glimpses of fire and offense, but Lawler finishes Taylor off with the piledriver to cleanly win the match. This crowd is not the prototypical WWF crowd and Lawler getting a positive crowd reaction was not something I was expecting.
4.) Headbangers pickup a victory by prevailing in this weeks enhancement tag match when they hit the Stage Dive onto Roy. The crowd gave a positive reaction towards the Headbangers.
5.) Vince McMahon is in the ring and introduces the Godwinns to have an interview. Phineas and Henry make their way down and are greeted with jeers from the crowd. McMahon notes that they will be wrestling the WWF Tag Team Champions Steve Austin and Dude Love in Pittsburgh on RAW. Henry runs down the teams they went through to get the title shot. Henry believes they will win the tag titles and wrestle LOD at SummerSlam. Henry says they will cram the tag titles down LOD’s throat. Henry knows they will win the tag titles on RAW. Henry claims they haven’t tried to break Hawk’s neck.. yet. Instead, they are playing with them. Henry says LOD doesn’t know what pain is all about. Pain is when he broke his neck. Henry says LOD may be good for one thing and Phineas says “Hawk… you sure do have a pretty mouth, boy.”
6.) A vignette promoting Brakkus is shown.
7.) Funk uses his speed to avoid Kama in the opening moments and takes Kama to the mat to deliver a few strikes before they have a standoff. Kama tosses Funk into the corner, but misses a strike. Funk backs off after a strike to the body. Kama body strikes Funk in the corner a couple of times to drop Funk to the mat. Funk hits a twisting crossbody off the top and dropkicks Kama into the ropes and to the floor. Kama regroups as the show goes to commercial.
Kama lifts Funk by the neck and drops Funk to the mat for a two count. Kama kicks Funk several times in the midsection and an axe kick to drop Funk to the mat. Kama misses a standing spin kick and is nailed by a spinning heel kick. Funk scoop slams Kama and heads to the top hitting a moonsault, but Faarooq breaks the cover. Funk decks Faarooq off the apron. Kama kicks Funk and hits a sit out front suplex for the win. (*1/2. Kama didn’t show the same aggression that I saw in his last appearance. Funk was able to fly around a little bit and pop the crowd. The cheap finish isn’t all that shocking, but it wasn’t horrible.) After the match, Faarooq decks Funk with a clothesline.
8.) WWF European Champion British Bulldog talked about Ken Shamrock’s submission style and claims he’s good at putting submission holds on people since he’s been in the dungeon before, as well. Bulldog agrees that someone would get hurt.
9.) Vic Venom (Vince Russo) talked with Steve Austin earlier today. Russo asks what is more important to Austin winning the title or kicking Owen’s ass. Austin is more focused on beating Owen’s ass. Austin hasn’t been given many chances to win the Intercontinental or World Championship and that’s why he hasn’t won either yet. Austin isn’t going to drop the ball and Owen can’t avoid the ass kicking at the Meadowlands. Venom notes that Owen is considered a better wrestler, but that doesn’t bother Austin. Austin got to this level by being the meanest SOB in the world. Austin turns on switch when it’s time to kick ass. Venom brings up the stipulation that Austin would have to kiss Owen’s ass. Austin is prepared to do that if he loses. Austin says Owen can’t beat him on his best day. Austin promises it is not going to happen. Austin added the stipulation so that either wrestling fans or not would dig into it.
10.) Earlier today, Mankind cut a promo thinking about Hunter Hearst Helmsley’s face in the cage and how he’s going to make that face unrecognizable.
11.) The crowd is loving Owen and are 100% behind Owen for the main event against Mankind.
12.) Owen and Mankind lockup, but break apart with neither man getting the advantage. Mankind backs Owen into the corner and misses a right hand strike attempt. Owen controls Mankind with a wrist lock, but Mankind counters. Owen kips free and regains wrist control. Mankind forearms Owen to the mat a few times. Mankind rams Owen into the corner followed by a kick. Mankind sends Owen into the corner and chokes Owen for a few moments. Mankind sends Owen into the corner and delivers a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. Mankind tosses Owen through the ropes to the floor. Mankind tries to send Owen into steps, but Owen counters and decks Mankind with a few strikes. Owen rolls Mankind into the ring, and Mankind strikes Owen to regain control. Mankind leg drops Owen over the middle rope. Mankind strikes Owen and misses a running clothesline attempt going over the top to the floor. Owen baseball slides Mankind into the railing. Owen strikes Mankind several times. Mankind fights back and hits the post shoulder first as the show goes to commercial.
Owen missile dropkicks Mankind and follows up with strikes. Mankind sunset flips Owen, but Owen blocks it until Mankind puts the Mandible Claw on Owen, but Owen kicks out of a cover. Mankind clotheslines Owen, but misses an elbow drop. Owen hits a spinning heel kick and covers Mankind for a near fall. Owen hits a belly to belly suplex on Mankind and heads to the top rope. Owen leaps off, but is met with double boots to the face. Mankind runs into a boot in the corner and Owen tries for a middle rope strike, but Mankind puts the Mandible Claw on until Helmsley comes out and Mankind puts the Mandible Claw on Helmsley. Owen beats on Mankind and Helmsley double teams Mankind as the referee has tossed the match out. After the match, Helmsley pummels Mankind and delivers the Pedigree. Owen locks in the Sharpshooter until Steve Austin marches down to the ring. Austin simply grabs Owen and delivers the Stunner! Austin grabs the WWF Intercontinental Championship and taunts Owen before departing the ring to close the show. (**. As a whole, this was a solid match and segment. They were never going to do a clean finish since both men are involved in high profile matches at the PPV and a clean finish on the B-show would have been bizarre.)
Final Thoughts:
An enjoyable episode of Shotgun this week. I thought they advanced everything pretty well and there wasn’t a dull moment on the show, I’d say.
Thanks for reading.