20 YRS AGO – KELLER’S WWF RAW REPORT (10-20-97): Rocky Maivia, Shamrock, Owens, Michaels, Vince McMahon, Rick Rude, Jeff Jarrett, Godwinns vs. DOA headlines

By Wade Keller, PWTorch Editor

Shawn Michaels talks his gimmick
Shawn Michaels (photo credit Adam © PWTorch)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...

WWE RAW REPORT
OCTOBER 20, 1997
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA.
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK

(NOTE: Quarter hour ratings are included in brackets in each segment.)

[Q1: 2.7]… (1) Rocky Maivia & Kama Mustafa (w/Faarooq & D-Lo Brown) beat Ahmed Johnson & Ken Shamrock (w/The LOD) when Rocky pinned Shamrock at 6:30. Faarooq KO’d Shamrock with a briefcase. Degeneration X (Shawn Michaels, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Chyna, and Rick Rude) showed up on the rampway holding up signs. Ahmed charged back at the NOD after the match. LOD just walked up the rampway toward the brawl. The Godwinns then attacked the LOD from behind with trash cans. Shamrock ran up for the save…

[Q2: 3.1]… Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler discussed the previous match and how Rick Rude appeared to call for Faarooq to interfere in the match. They wondered about the relationship between the NOD and DX. McMahon also plugged that “a former WCW champion” would be in the ring later in the show. They went to the locker room for an NOD interview with Michael Cole. Cole stood in an empty, defaced NOD locker room. It appeared the Hart Foundation vandalized the locker room with toilet paper and spray paint as a Canadian flag was left in the background along with a painted message, “Stay in your own country.” The NOD stormed to ringside in a rage. Faarooq called for the HF to come out. McMahon said Vandalism doesn’t necessarily mean racism, as Faarooq was claiming. Earlier than scheduled, the HF came out for the scheduled singles match… (2) Bret Hart pinned Faarooq at 8:20. DX came to ringside at the start of the match and commandeered the announcing headsets. Michaels called Bret an exposed racist. At 7:30, after the NOD and HF brawled at ringside, Steve Austin came through the crowd and gave Faarooq the Stunner. Bret returned to the ring and covered Faarooq for the pin…

[Q3: 2.8]… Jeff Jarrett returned and cut a newsworthy and inflammatory promo. (see “Cover Story” – READ IT HERE)…

[Q4: 2.9]… (3) Marc Mero (w/Sable) beat Brian Christopher (w/Jerry Lawler) at 4:15. Mero came to the ring with an all-business look on his face. He wrestled the same way. When the ref turned his attention to Lawler on the ring apron, Mero hit a low blow and followed with his fireman’s cutter finisher. After the match he dragged Sable away as she played to the cheers of the crowd…

[Q5: 3.1]… (4) Owen Hart fought Shawn Michaels to a no contest at 8:45. Owen got to the ring first and proposed that they fight one on one with their cohorts remaining in the back. Rude introduced Michaels, who instructed them to remain in the back during the match as Owen requested…

[Q6: 2.9]… At 8:00 Michaels went for Chin Music, but Owen ducked and then hit an Enziguiri. At that point Austin entered the ring and gave the ref a Stunner. Then Bret came to the ring and attacked Michaels. Rude, Hunter, and Chyna ran to the ring and dragged Michaels out of Bret’s range. Neidhart, Bulldog, and Sgt. Slaughter ran to the ring. Ross explained that Austin stopped Michaels from capturing the IC Title by his interference because he doesn’t want anyone to be IC Champ other than Owen heading into his IC Title match at Survivor Series, although that doesn’t make sense since Austin interfered as Owen was about to win… An Undertaker promo aired. They hyped it as being a huge deal, but it was pretty short. He said for 20 years he’s been living with the pain of what happened and there is no way his parents would want him to wrestle his long lost brother, so he won’t… Dude Love came to the ring to face British Bulldog. Kane and Paul Bearer came to the ring first. Dude went after Kane, clotheslining him over the top rope and nailing him with a chair. Kane was unfazed as he chokeslammed Dude Love on the rampway in response…

[Q7: 3.2]… (5) “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn & Road Dog beat The Head Bangers when Roadie pinned Thrasher at 4:05. Roadie yapped on the house mic on his way to the ring, re-introducing himself and his partner. He predicted they would win the tag belts. In the end, Gunn KO’d Thrasher with a boom box. Roadie got in McMahon’s face after the match… An excerpt aired of Bret Hart on Mad TV…

[Q8: 3.0]… (6) Taka Michinoku pinned Tajiri at 2:53. Before the match they showed Taka’s contract signing at Titan Towers on Thursday. That was Bruce Prichard (a/k/a Brother Love) standing to McMahon’s right… Jim Cornette read fan comments responding to Mushnick last week on the internet. Cornette implored fans to voice their opinions. They listed the address for TV Guide. Cornette may now be the WWF’s top babyface. Who would beat him in a popularity contest right now among WWF fans?… (7) The Godwinns fought DOA to a no contest as the Truth Commission joined in the brawl… Mankind rocking back and forth in the boiler room, vowed revenge on Kane for his actions against Dude…


NOW CHECK OUT THIS RECENT FLASHBACK: 5 YRS AGO WWE RAW REPORT (10-15-2012): Vince McMahon appearance, Bryan vs. Big Show, Heyman and Punk promo, Miz TV, Cesaro, Barrett, Striker

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