Blog Archives

WWF: Raw is War (06.09.97)

WWF: Raw is War
June 9, 1997
Hartford, CT
Civic Center

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: The Undertaker (3/23/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Owen Hart (4/28/1997)

European Champion: Davey Boy Smith (3/3/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Shawn Michaels & Steve Austin (5/26/1997)

Most of you insiders reading this probably already know the story, but this is the infamous evening where Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels – both scheduled to appear on the program – got into a legitimate argument backstage. Apparently, the argument that started all of this was Bret confronting Shawn over his comments about Bret having “Sunny days” crossing the line a couple weeks back. Once they started fighting, Shawn got a hunk of his hair pulled out of his head and walked out of the company for the second time in four months this time claiming unsafe working conditions and threatened to leave the WWF for good to go work with his “real friends” over in WCW. Nothing concerning the off-screen altercation was mentioned on the air until the following week when the WWF tag team belts were declared vacant for the third time in three years.

Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Jim Ross. Read the rest of this entry

WWF: Raw is War (05.12.97)

WWF: Raw is War
May 12, 1997
Newark, DE
Bob Carpenter Center

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: The Undertaker (3/23/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Owen Hart (4/28/1997)
European Champion: Davey Boy Smith (3/3/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

Tonight’s broadcast is dedicated to the late Rose Anderson who was a family friend of the McMahons. The next image we see is the “Cold Day in HELL” logo. Got to love it.

Anyways, we get still shots of the previous night’s festivities courtesy of WWF Magazine.

The “Worldwide Leader in Sports Entertainment” ad debuts.

Your hosts are Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. Read the rest of this entry

WWF: Raw is War (04.28.97)

WWF: Raw is War
April 28, 1997
Omaha, NE
Civic Center

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: The Undertaker (3/23/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Rocky Maivia (2/13/1997)
European Champion: Davey Boy Smith (3/3/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

Very thorough highlights package of last week involving the Hart Foundation, Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, and the return of Brian Pillman kicks off the show.

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. Read the rest of this entry

WWF: Raw is War (04.14.97)

WWF: Raw is War
April 14, 1997
Muncie, IN & Johannesburg, South Africa
Worthen Arena & Johannesburg Stadium

(taped on 4/7/97 & 4/9/97)


The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: The Undertaker (3/23/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Rocky Maivia (2/13/1997)

European Champion: Davey Boy Smith (3/3/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

FINALLY! For the first time in three months, I’m able to recap some WWF 1997 again for you. Enjoy!

HOUR NUMBER ONE! Your hosts in the US are Vince McMahon and Jim Cornette while Jim Ross and the Honky Tonk Man are in South Africa. I have no idea why they thought a simulcast was a good idea. Read the rest of this entry

WWF: Raw is War (04.07.97)

WWF Raw is War
April 7, 1997
Muncie, IN
Worthen Arena
(Taped on 4/6/97)

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: The Undertaker (3/23/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Rocky Maivia (2/13/1997)
European Champion: Davey Boy Smith (3/3/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

Oh my gosh! Mankind threw a fire ball in the Undertaker’s face! Oh wait, that happened last week. The Raw theme song changes again. It’s less “Beautiful People” and more “Thorn In Your Eye”. Also, the ring ropes are no longer American colors (red and black for now) and the ring apron has changed with the rest of the classic Raw is War set.

HOUR NUMBER ONE! Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and the Honky Tonk Man. HTM has the gee-tar with him in a plastic bag that Jesse James smashed last week. Read the rest of this entry

Raw is War Recap (03.24.97)

WWF Raw is War
March 24, 1997
Rockford, IL
Metro Center

LIVE!

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: The Undertaker (3/23/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Rocky Maivia (2/13/1997)
European Champion: Davey Boy Smith (3/3/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

HOUR NUMBER ONE! Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler. Read the rest of this entry

WrestleMania 13

WWF WrestleMania 13
March 23, 1997
Chicago, IL
Rosemont Horizon

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: Psycho Sid (2/17/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Rocky Maivia (2/13/1997)
European Champion: Davey Boy Smith (3/3/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

INTRO VIDEO: No one is smiling this year – specifically not Shawn Michaels.

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler. Read the rest of this entry

Monday Night Raw (02.24.97)

Monday Night Raw
February 24, 1997
New York City
Manhattan Center
LIVE!

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: Psycho Sid (2/17/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Rocky Maivia (2/13/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

Your hosts are Vince McMahon and Jerry “The King” Lawler. JR has some time off to be with his family after his father passed away. Read the rest of this entry

Monday Night Raw (02.17.97)

Monday Night Raw
February 17, 1997
Nashville, TN
Nashville Arena

LIVE!

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: Bret Hart (2/16/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Rocky Maivia (2/13/1997)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

Your hosts are Good Ol’ JR and Jerry “The King” Lawler. Read the rest of this entry

Thursday Raw Thursday (02.13.97)

Thursday Raw Thursday
February 13, 1997
Lowell, MA
Memorial Auditorium
LIVE!

The current WWF champs were as follows:
World Champion: Shawn Michaels (1/19/1997)
Intercontinental Champion: Hunter Hearst Helmsley (10/21/1996)
World Tag Team Champions: Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith (9/22/1996)

Since the dog show interrupted Monday Night Raw’s regular timeslot and left WCW’s flagship program completely unopposed considering I highly doubt too many wrestling fans wanted to see which person’s dog took home the gold or whatever happens on those things, the WWF and the USA network fought back with a stacked card just three days before the next In Your House PPV with their own completely unopposed one-night-only wrestling program – THURSDAY RAW THURSDAY!

And they start us off with a bomb shell… “Tonight, the World Wrestling Federation Title will be declared vacant. Thus, this Sunday’s ‘Final Four’ winner will become the new World Wrestling Federation Champion. Tonight…live…Shawn Michaels will forfeit the World Wrestling Federation Championship.”

Your hosts are Vince McMahon, Good Ol’ JR, and Jerry “The King” Lawler. Read the rest of this entry