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Review: Monday Night RAW from Hartford, Connecticut, 6/9/97.

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Time to get this one out of the way...

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To begin the show, we get some King of the Ring highlights, and then, our first match is the Legion of Doom and Ahmed Johnson vs. Faarooq, Savio Vega, and Crush.

 

- The Nation is falling apart, so to speak. I won't spoil what happens, mainly because I don't want to remember HOW exactly it happens.

 

- Faarooq's partners left him all by his lonesome, so Ahmed gives him the PEARL RIVER PLUNGE, getting the pinfall at 6:09. *3/4.

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The King of the Ring winner was HHH, who's with Vince McMahon in the ring. He tells Vince that the King of the Ring was supposed to be his last year, but Vince's politics got in the way. I larfed. Anyway, he says that this is his ring, at least until Mankind comes on the TitanTron. He wants a rematch, but Chyna tells him to kiss her ass. Mankind says he's a good kisser, and makes his way to the ring. HHH attacks him with the KotR crown, but Mankind steals it for his own when finished.

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Before this match, we flashback to Bulldog's European Title win. You know why? It's because this is our first European Title defense on RAW, as Goldust is taking on the British Bulldog.

 

- During the match, they do a little "Bulldog's foot on the ropes while being pinned, but they count to three anyway thing." Tim White spots it after the count, and the match continues as we go to a commercial.

 

- From what I've seen on this show, Vince is a much better announcer when not paired up with Jerry Lawler. I knew that already, but seemed to have forgotten. Anyway, the match ends in a double countout at 7:20 (shown). **. After the match, Bulldog drops Goldust face-first onto the steel steps. So Marlena slaps him, twice. Bulldog was going to hit her with a chair as she was keeping Goldust from being attacked, but Ken Shamrock runs down for the save. Bulldog leaves.

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In the back, the Nation of Domination argued. Faarooq said that he's going to the ring, without Vega and Crush. He says something about Vega and jalapeno's, and kicks Vega out of the Nation. He also kicks Crush out of the Nation, along with Clarence Mason and two of the black dudes that went with him to the ring. That leaves D'Lo Brown, who's allowed to stay. Next week, Faarooq has a challenge, he wants D'Lo and himself to face Ahmed Johnson and the Undertaker.

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Paul Heyman and Tommy Dreamer (yes, I really said those two names) come down to ringside through the crowd, and you know why? Well, Rob Van Dam has a match later. But right now, it's Doug Furnas and Phil LaFon vs. the Headbangers.

 

- I hate the Headbangers. Well, LaFon accidentally comes off the top and splashes Furnas, which allows the Headbangers to get the pinfall victory at 3:38. *.

 

Jerry Lawler's with RVD, because that's his guy.

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Time for the WARZONE, and Steve Austin's in the ring with Vince. Vince takes the asshole route, because he's outraged that Austin whipped on Pillman during the PPV last night and made him drink toilet water. He'll kick Pillman's ass later, and at Canadian Stampede, he wants in the 10 man tag match (Good thing this'll be on 24/7 next month). He calls Gorilla Monsoon a fat ass who better not get in his way, bottom line and all that, before leaving.

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NOW, we get Rob Van Dam's match, as he's taking on Flash Funk. Lawler accompanied him to the ring, and he'll join on commentary as well.

 

- There's great aerial stuff in the beginning, but even before that, Dreamer tried to fight RVD from the other side of the guardrail. Officials came down to separate, and the match began.

 

- Suffice it to say, I don't think many 4 minute matches can be better than this. These two tore the house down, IMO. Anyway, RVD pinned him after the split-legged moonsault at 4:23. Would've been great if the time was 4:20, harhar. After the match, Heyman and Dreamer jump the rail, so they brawl with Lawler and RVD until officials break it up.

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Ken Shamrock comes down for commentary, during this non-title bout between Psycho Sid and Owen Hart w/the Anvil.

 

- The look Owen had on his face when Sid's music hit was great. Probably an understatement.

 

- The crowd loves Sid, but who knows why. It never made sense. Good thing he left again or was forced out, because the booking indicates that he was going to be in the 10 Man Tag at Canadian Stampede. I don't know for sure, that's just a guess. It would've been ruined if that was the case.

 

- "Softball Sid" chant...before Ken Shamrock runs over to Neidhart and gives him a belly-to-belly suplex after multiple attempted interferences. He should've snapped. Sid finished with the chokeslam at 4:17, 3/4*. Like I always say, non-title means something's up.

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Here comes Sable to model a RAW shirt...was wondering where this segment went over the past few weeks. Anyway, I'm still embarassed for Michael Hayes.

 

Now, is part four of the Mankind interview. Much like when Pillman appeared in ECW, I'll just post it. Nothing else does it justice.

 

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Rockabilly w/Honky Tonk Man takes on Bart Gunn next, and nobody really gives a fuck.

 

- I like when former partners face each other way on down the line. Just because. I never like the way they break up, unless one throws the other through a plate glass window. Anyway, Rockabilly picks up the pinfall at 2:54 after a swinging neckbreaker. *1/2.

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Brian Pillman vs. Steve Austin is our much anticipated main event, but....the Harts attack Austin before the match. MANKIND(?) comes out to save Austin, and now, we have a match, that being Pillman vs. Mankind.

 

- Ok, Mankind coming out didn't make a whole lot of sense. You could say that he wants to team up against the Harts, but that doesn't explain him running down to the ring for a match. JR plays up that these two are nutcases, and the crowd shits on the match. That's great. Owen and the rest attack during the MANDIBLE CLAW, at 5:13, getting Pillman DQ'd. Austin and Shamrock come out to save Mankind, and once the ring is cleared, Austin gives Shamrock a STUNNER, and gives Mankind two middle fingers, to end the show. 1/2* for the match.

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Rating: Decent. Next week will be good, I'm sure, as that's the direction where the angles seem to be pointed in. Undertaker not being there made zero sense, he's the champion!

 

Best Segment: The fourth part of the Mankind interview.

 

Worst Segment: Furnas and LaFon vs. the Headbangers. Cannot stand the Headbangers.

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I'll put up a Survivor Series '07 review up within the next few days.

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