WWF 1997.02.24 - Monday Night Raw

Location: Manhattan Center, New York

Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry Lawler

This week's episode of Monday Night Raw starts immediately with the first match, without introducing the commentators. Don't worry, the voices are unmistakable. Jim Ross is absent this week because his father has passed away.

Match 1: Tag Team Match, The Godwins vs The New Blackjacks

I didn't even know there had been any old Blackjacks. The New Blackjacks are Blackjack Bradshaw and Blackjack Windham. Windham pins Phineas, and the referee doesn't see that Phineas' foot is on the rope. The Godwins react by pouring a slop bucket over the referee's head after the match.

Last week Jerry Lawler challenged the ECW to come to Monday Night Raw. The ECW's owner, Paul Heyman (calling himself Paul E. Dangerously), enters the ring.

Jerry Lawler looks on in shock.

Match 2. Stevie Richards vs Little Guido

The two ECW wrestlers have a short match. Paul Heyman, as guest commentator, keeps saying that this is extreme wrestling. I beg to differ. The match is tamer than most WWF matches. Amusingly, Paul offers Vince McMahon a job as commentator for ECW. Stevie Richards wins by pinfall, with the referee counting very fast. Did he want the match to be over as quickly as possible?

Match 3. Arm Wrestling Contest, Sunny vs Marlena

The Honkytonk Man is the special guest referee.

Sunny comes to the ring first.

Then Marlena. There's a lot of trash talking by both of them.

Which do you think is Marlena's best side? It's a tough choice.

Sunny throws powder in Marlena's face when she's about to lose, so Marlena wins by disqualification. Savio Vega enters the ring and attacks Marlena. Goldust comes into the ring to defend her.

Match 4. Goldust vs Savio Vega

The ringside officials allow an inpromptu match between Goldust and Savio Vega. Savio Vega is disqualified after the other members of the Nation of Domination enter the ring. Miguel Perez Jr, an unsigned Puerto Rican wrestler, is the guest commentator. After the match Miguel runs into the ring and attacks Savio Vega, saying he's a shame to Puerto Rico.

The Ultimate Fighting Champion, Ken Shamrock, is in the audience. Jerry Lawler introduces him as an old friend and says they used to work out together, but Ken insists that he doesn't know him.

Match 5. Taz vs Mikey Whipwreck

This is another match between two ECW wrestlers. Taz wins by submission.

Match 6. Tag Team Match, Legion of Doom vs The Headbangers

After a hard match with a lot of cheating by the Headbangers, the match is a draw by a double count out. That's unusual. The referee doesn't usually count wrestlers out when they're fighting outside the ring. Not often.

This is the Legion of Doom's first match after returning to the WWF after a four year absence.

Match 7. Tommy Dreamer vs D-Von Dudley

Yet another ECW match. This is the first ECW match tonight that lives up to the word Extreme, although it's not any more extreme than the harder WWF matches. Tommy Dreamer uses chairs, the ringside steps and a night stick as weapons. The referee loses control of the match. Bubba Ray Dudley interferes in the match. The Sandman enters the ring to attack the Dudley Boys. After the match Tommy Dreamer celebrates, but I'm not aware that he was declared the winner.

Paul Heyman tries to attack Jerry Lawler, but his ECW colleagues restrain him for his own good.

Ken Shamrock has another chance at giving an interview, this time with Todd Pettengill. This interview runs better, with no one accusing anyone else of lying.

Match 8. The Undertaker vs Faarooq

Before the match starts Faarooq bad mouths Ken Shamrock, saying that he isn't a real fighter and he's afraid to step into the ring. Ken replies that he'll fight any time, if Vince McMahon allows it.

Faarooq is disqualified when the other members of the Nation of Domination attack the Undertaker. The Legion of Doom enter the ring and attack the Nation of Domination.