WWE Vintage Collection Report (02/13/11)

WWE Vintage Collection Report: February 13th 2011
By Shaun Best-Rajah.com Reporter
Hosted by: Mean Gene Okerlund

Back in early 1997, Monday Night Raw went to the Dogs – The Westminster Dog Show to be precise. Pre-empted from its usual primetime Monday evening slot, and giving WCW Nitro a clear ratings run, a special Thursday edition of Raw was put in place to make up for it. Airing on February 13th from Lowell, Massachusetts, it’s time to relive the tears, lost smiles, and title changes from what can only be described as a unique episode.

Announcers for the show are Vince McMahon, Jim Ross and Jerry “The King” Lawler.

Intercontinental Title: Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Rocky Maivia
The announcers question Helmsley’s wisdom at putting the title on the line six days before a scheduled defense against Ahmed Johnson. Helmsley’s butler Mr Hughes is “conspicuous by his absence.” Try fired. Both trade holds on the mat, as the crowd instantly reject the babyface challenger by chanting “Rocky sucks.” Helmsley arrogantly paintbrushes Rocky’s head. J.R dubs Helmsley the “most cerebral titleholder since the Honky Tonk Man.” Rocky fights back to send Helmsley to the floor. Helmsley goes to the eyes to regain control. Rocky escapes a chinlock and dropkicks Helmsley over the top rope. Rocky goes out to clothesline, but posts his own shoulder instead. Helmsley attacks the shoulder and the crowd actually get behind the rookie and start chanting “Rocky, Rocky.” Helmsley counters a backbodydrop into an armbar takedown and delivers a delayed suplex as Honky Tonk Man comes out to join the announce team.

Helmsley connects with a high knee, as Honky denounces both competitors, while hyping his search for a new protégé. Yeah how did Rockabilly turn out Honky? Rocky reverses a sleeper, only for Helmsley to run him head first into the corner. Rocky ducks a clothesline to hammer away and score with a backbodydrop. Helmsley rolls through on a flying bodypress, then cuts off Rocky’s momentum with a facebuster. Helmsley gets frustrated after a neckbreaker and piledriver don’t put Rocky away. Helmsley places Rocky on the middle rope so he can slap his face a couple of times. Helmsley climbs up and hits a superplex, but Rocky kicks out again. Helmsley sets up for the Pedigree, only for Rocky to slump down at his feet. Helmsley showboats and does his annoying bow. Rocky catches him unawares with a small package for the 1-2-3. New Intercontinental Champion! After the match, a shocked Rocky tells Dok Hendrix he’ll give his best so to make his family and fans proud. Only when Rocky turned on the fans and morphed into the Rock later in the year would he start realising his star potential. Winner: ROCKY MAIVIA.

The Headbangers vs Bob “Spark Plugg” Holly & Aldo Montoya
The Headbangers had just ditched the Flying Nuns gimmick in favour of a more fitting grunge gimmick. Sunny is our special ring announcer. Holly gives Mosh a hurracanrana to start. Holly clotheslines both Headbangers, dropkicks Mosh, then Aldo ducks underneath Mosh and connects with an enziguiri. Thrasher resorts to kneeing Holly from behind to turn the tide. Mosh sends Holly into the path of Thrasher’s clothesline from the middle rope. Thrasher hot shots Holly. The Headbangers dish out a double front suplex, then Thrasher suplexes his own partner from the top rope onto Holly. Thrasher misses a moonsault, allowing Aldo to go after both opponents. Aldo hits Mosh with a flying bodypress. Mosh prevents a backbodydrop and the Headbangers finish Aldo off with the Stage Dive (powerbomb/guillotine legdrop combo). Winners: THE HEADBANGERS. This was a fun squash, showcasing some unique double team maneuvers by the Headbangers. Holly and Aldo were also allowed to shine briefly. Shame the announcers ignore the whole match to talk about Shawn Michaels.

Shawn Michaels famously vacates the WWF Title (recently won at the Royal Rumble) during an in-ring segment with Vince McMahon and WWF President Gorilla Monsoon, citing a knee injury. Michaels has a case of déjà vu to start saying he’s done this before (referencing vacating the Intercontinental Title in 1995 instead of losing to Dean Douglas). Michaels says he’s never had a doctor look him in the face and say he’ll never be able to wrestle again. The crowd chant “we want Sid,” and Michaels says they’ll have Sid and Bret in the future. In a period where toughness is big, all Michaels has is a lot of tears, sorrow and emotion. He concedes that he has no toughness for anybody, as he hands the title over to Monsoon. Michaels tears up as he says he’s lost his smile and needs to go back and find it. He puts over the last year as the most wonderful year of his life and if he never gets to do it again it’s okay because he got to live one full year as the number one guy in this business. As he thanks the fans and hugs Vince (who looks like he’s losing a son), women are shown crying in the crowd. No-one knows for sure how hurt Shawn was. Sycho Sid has his theories on Shawn not wanting to lose to him, while Bret Hart has similar ones. Only Shawn knows how hurt his knee really was. Regardless, this prompted a reshuffling of plans going forward.

Instead of the scheduled Michaels vs Sid match, Sid was named #1 contender and would face the winner of a “Final Four” match between Stone Cold, Bret Hart, Undertaker and Vader the night after the next In Your House PPV. This also explains the Intercontinental title change earlier in the show, so to not cheat the fans out of seeing a title change. To compensate Helmsley, he was given a new bodyguard (Chyna) and the promise of winning King of the Ring, a title he was originally pegged for one year earlier until the “Curtain Call” incident at Madison Square Garden.

The Undertaker vs Savio Vega
Savio had recently turned his back on his fans and Ahmed Johnson to join the Nation of Domination. Clarence Mason, D’Lo Brown and PG-13 are at ringside. We pick things up with Savio working over Undertaker in the corner and in the ropes. PG-13 interfere from the floor. The crowd chant “Rest in Peace.” Undertaker reverses Savio into the corner, but runs into a reverse kick. Savio utilises a couple of nerve holds, before cutting off a fightback with a swinging neckbreaker. Undertaker catches Savio putting his head down too early and surprises him with a fameasser legdrop. A clothesline is followed by a chokeslam and Savio is done 1-2-3. After the bell, Undertaker fights off the Nation until Faarooq and Crush turn the tables. Ahmed Johnson tries to make the save, but is overwhelmed. Undertaker sits up, gives PG-13 a double chokeslam then helps Ahmed clear the ring. Winner: THE UNDERTAKER.

Sycho Sid vs Stone Cold Steve Austin
Both men slug it out to start. Austin avoids an early chokeslam with a low kick. Austin mocks Sid in the corner and the crowd rabidly chant “Austin, Austin.” Austin posts Sid’s face on the floor. Austin pulls Sid back into the ring to drill him with a backelbow and lock on an abdominal stretch. Austin is forced to break when he’s caught using the ropes. Sid catches Austin in a sleeper, but Austin drops him with a jawbreaker. Sid escapes a front facelock to drive Austin face first to the mat. Sid misses a legdrop, blocks a Sharpshooter attempt, then catches Austin with a couple of clotheslines and a big boot. Before Sid can go for the powerbomb, Bret Hart runs in to attack his hated rival Stone Cold to cost Sid the match. Sid is none too pleased with Bret’s nonchalance towards him and a brawl has to be broken up several times by a swarm of officials. Winner via DQ: STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN.

Bret “Hitman” Hart vs Vader w/Paul Bearer
During a commercial break we see Stone Cold run out to attack Bret. We rejoin the match to see Bret catch Vader with a powerslam as the Mastodon dives off the second rope. Bret slugs away to soften Vader up for a side Russian legsweep and slam. Vader kicks off a Sharpshooter attempt. Bret stays on the attack with a back suplex and vertical elbow smash. Vader reverses an irish whip, but misses an avalanche splash. Vader falls back over a crouched Bret, who manages to apply the Sharpshooter, however Vader is too close to the ropes. Bret maximises the full five count before breaking. Bret gets distracted by Austin, who’s now in the rafters. Vader floors Bret, teases a Vader Bomb, but raises the stakes and readies for a moonsault. Bret moves out of the way as Vader crashes to the mat. Bret hooks the leg and picks up the win. Winner: BRET “HITMAN” HART. Bret and Austin continue to taunt one another from afar after the bell.

Bret would go on to win at the “Final Four” then lose the title the next night to Sid after Austin interfered. This would then setup Bret vs Austin and Sid vs Undertaker for the WWF Title at WrestleMania 13.

This really was a “Vintage” show and was great from start to finish. Can’t believe it was 14 years ago. Michaels’s delivery was great, while the in-ring action was decent and never dull, albeit a bit short at times. I’ll give best match honours to the Headbangers squash. Have a happy Valentine’s Day everyone. See you next week!

Any comments or discussion points drop me a line at [email protected].