This is the newest Wayback Playback, and it's a great era of the WWF - so why not? The flaming ring intro is still great. I forgot the Raw is War intro was in use in '97. Headbangers come out, followed by Owen and Bulldog trying to steal the show from each other just walking down the aisle. Solid back and forth action leads to an LOD inset promo. Owen and Davey bicker and Owen leaves, but comes back by the time the break ends. Owen hits a slick gutwrench and a sharpshooter, resulting in Owen eating a lariat. Running powerslam hits, but Owen doesn't want the win - so Davey pushes Earl. Davey and Owen brawl - setting up the Hart Foundation reunion nicely. Davey talks about beating Owen to become European champion before Owen says he'll kick his butt.
Mankind is in the back with patches of hair missing. He calls out for Uncle Paul and is intense, but scared. Bart Gunn is mid-ring, but Bret chats first. He talks on the tron and says he wants a chance to talk...like this... Vince looks disgusted, and HHH comes down to Beethovan and NOT Metallica. Chyna is pre-some of her surgeries and looks bored. Still photos recap Marlena being beaten up by Chyna. Barts hits a press slam, but misses a really sloppy flying elbow. Goldust stares at Marlena's chair in sadness. Eye rake by HHH and Pat and Jim chat about how HHH's forehead is so much bigger now. Chyna posts Bart, slams him, and the Pedigree ends it.
El Mosco, Hysteria, and Abismo Negro are out for a six man tag. Venum, Super Nova, and Discovery. The costuming here is ridiculous, but usually pretty good-looking. Abismo is the only guy I recognize here, and Hysteria is Super Crazy. Venum hits a nice pop-up headscissors before FLIPPING TO THE FLOOR AND LANDING ON HIS FEET. Wow. Super Nova hits a rana off the top to win.
Rock and Rocky do an interview and Pat and Jim talk about their strained relationship. Honky Tonk Man is out looking for his protege. It's amazing how completely out of touch HTM seems in '97. Flash Funk comes down and he's of course a black pimp. The Funkettes or whatever they are are quite hot. Brawler jumps him. Wow. Funk gets a moonsault and Brawler...kinda gets the knees up. Major League was hyped up - and wow has Charlie Sheen aged. I guess he's just lucky to be alive really. 450 hits and wins. Vince hypes up Ken Shamrock being here later. Ken shows up and looks hilarious. He. Talks. Very. Oddly. Ken talks about how "I quit" wasn't said, but Austin couldn't defend himself - so he ended it.
THE WAR ZONE is here and this was all a way for them to bullshit the ratings. Bret is bitter - but not too bitter here. Bret apologizes for what he did to all of his fans...except the ones in the US. Bret calls out HBK for having earrings and tattoos and posing for girly and gay magazines. Crowd chants for Austin. Bret lays out the FACTS to talk about how he's been ripped off and how lawless things are. Shawn comes out in a tan suit walking around fine with fine, flowing hair. Shawn talks about how when he is booed, he didn't complain. HAHAHAHA. HBK says that if a girl goes out with someone you don't like - TOUGH TITTY SAID THE KITTY. Wow is that lame. HBK implies that Bret is gay for looking at his Playgirl, so Bret locks in the ringpost figure four. Sid comes down slowly and Bret leaves. Sid says that Bret ain't shit - which gets muted.
Vince speaks in somber tones about this. We get a recap of the beating. Rocky comes down to mild applause. Leif runs into the apron for some reason. Bret comes down, because we really can't have any wrestling on a wrestling show. Bret does commentary and HBK is taken out of the building with 20 pounds of bandages on his knee. Rock hits the floatover DDT and wins with a crossbody block. Bret jumps Rocky and attack the knee - getting a thumbs up from Leif. This sets up Rock vs. Bret, which is probably coming up pretty soon.
Ahmed Johnson is out and then the NOD comes down. Savio runs in, jumps him and dominates for a bit. Ahmed crotches Savio and then hits a shoulder tackle. Well, that's needlessly dangerous - so of course he did that. Ahmed hits a somersault dive off the top! And then he misses a corkscrew elbow. Savio hits a thrust kick and then DOES A KWANG POSE. Okay, that was great. Savio takes him down with a sleeper. Ahmed does a Warrior jog comeback. Ahmed hits the spinebuster, but Savio is saved from the Plunge. We get a shot of Ahmed's back cross tattoo, and his tights are in super-wedgie mode.
Ahmed challenges them to a match where if he loses, he'll join and if he beats them, they'll disband. Ahmed does the Hogan ear cup and is carrying a 2x4 like Duggan. Paul Bearer is backstage and frantic. Taker carries the belt and the fans are holding lighters up for him - proto Bray Wyatt there. Taker looks good with the Winged Eagle. Paul comes down, Mankind calls for him and then things just end. Well, no overrun. Yeah, that was awkward. This is seemingly the setup to Kane being around.
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