Nickrj’s rant for IYH Badd Blood
This event aired on October 5th 1997 at the Kiel Center in St. Louis Missouri. A sad day in the wrestling world as Brian Pillman passed away in his hotel room in Bloomington Minnesota that afternoon at the age of 35.
The show opens with a video of the two month assault Shawn Michaels and his group, Degeneraton X (Triple H, Chyna and Rick Rude) has laid on the Undertaker. The main event is a special Hell In A Cell match where there is no way out.
Your hosts are Vince McMahon (his last PPV as an announcer) Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler
Opening Match: The Legion Of Doom VS The Nation Of Domination (Kama Mustafa, D’Lo Brown, Rocky Maivia)
Ken Shamrock was supposed to side with the LOD but footage from Raw Is War shows Farooq hitting a spinebuster on Shamrock and he spit out some blood as a result. Hawk starts with Brown. Hawk hits a hip toss followed by a drop kick. Brown gets kicked in the face and tags to Rocky and the crowd starts chanting “Rocky sucks!” He stalls for a minute before he pounds on Animal. Animal hits a flying tackle and a drop kick. More stalling on the outside. Animal goes to work on the right arm of Rocky and Hawk comes in and works on Rocky. Kama gets the tag and works on Hawk. He misses a charge and both men clothesline each other and Hawk hits an enzurguri. Hawk snap mares Kama into his own corner and goes to the chinhold. Animal makes a blind tag and hits a power slam. Rocky comes in and hits a DDT. Kama hits a reverse heel kick on Animal and throws him outside the ring. Brown and Rocky pound on Animal outside the ring. Brown comes back in and punches Animal in the ribs. Animal comes back with a clothesline. But Brown stops Animal from making the tag. Brown hits a snap mare into two quick leg drops for 2. Rocky comes back in and snap mares into the chin lock. Animal gets back up and takes a knee to the stomach but gets his foot on the ropes on the cover. Rocky kicks Animal in the corner and puts his foot on the throat. Rocky nails Hawk in the wrong corner and he nails a low blow for 2. Kama comes in and hits a spinning thrust kick but misses a charge in the corner. Hawk gets the tag but the ref didn’t see it and Brown hits the frog splash on Animal for 2. Kama throws Animal outside the ring and Rocky and Brown throw him into the steps. Animal clotheslines Rocky inside and tags to Hawk. He pounds on Rocky and hits a power slam. Brown accidentally elbows Rocky and runs into a neck breaker. The LOD go for the Doomsday Device on Rocky but Farooq comes out and distracts Animal and Hawk misses the flying clothesline. Kama kicks him in the head and Rocky hits the Rock Bottom for the pin at 12:19. Not a good way to start the show ¾*
This was the replacement match for Brian Pillman and Dude Love. You can’t blame Vince for this because this was a last minute change. Tartantula kicks Mini to start. Nova drop kicks Mosaic. Nova misses something with the ropes and Tarantula accidentally hits Mosaic. Tartantula misses a charge in the corner and he drop kicks his own partner. Nova gets tripped on the outside and both heels pound on Nova and Mini comes to the rescue. Mosaic comes in and misses a stinger splash on Mini. Mini hits a flying armdrag. Nova hits a flying splash form the top and gets a rollup for 2. Mini almost pins Tarantula. Tarantula kicks Nova. Mosaic trips Nova and he gets slammed. Tartanutla goes to the top and hits a flying splash for 2. Nova runs into Mosaic. He goes to the outside and tags Mini. Tarantuala kicks him in the behind. He takes Mini outside and press slams him on the table right in front of Vince JR and Lawler. Mosaic inside gets nailed by Nova. Mosaic hits a legdrop but misses a charge in the ropes. Nova hits a spinning arm drag and a springboard drop kick. Mini runs into a kick by Tartantula and he gets run into a clothesline. Mini goes to the outside and hits a flying armdrag. Another one into gets the pin for Max at 6:41. Okay little midget match *1/2
Sunny is the guest ring announcer here. The Godwinns have Uncle Cletus with him. Good thing he didn’t last long. 4 man brawl to start. Mosh drop kicks Phineas to the outside. Mosh catches his own spit. Gross! Phineas pounds on Mosh but runs into a head scissors and he gets pulled outside the ring. Thrasher nails Phineas on the outside with a spinning hurricurana. Mosh hits a flying splash from the top rope. The Bangers hits a double face splash on Phineas. Henry comes in for the first time and gets drop toe hold by Thrasher but he gets nailed. Henry blocks the hiptoss and gets rolled up for 1. Thrasher hits a drop kick and Henry rolls to the outside. Phineas comes back in and he and Thrasher do a test of strength. Henry grabs the right arm and goes to work on it. Mosh comes in and hits a flying splash on the back. Mosh slams Phineas and Thrasher throws him onto Phineas for 2. Thrasher comes back in and hits a flying clothesline. Henry comes in and nails Thrasher. He starts pounding on Thrasher. He hits a suplex on the ropes and Phineas runs him over. Phineas comes in and throws Thrasher to the outside and Thrasher gets nailed by Cletus. Phineas dumps Thrasher back in the ring and hits several knee drops for 2. Thrasher hits a sunset flip for 2. Henry comes back in and slams Thrasher and slams him face first for 2. Both men get knocked down and Henry tags Phineas who nails Thrasher. Phineas misses a charge and runs into a back suplex. Thrasher tags out to Mosh and he pounds away on Phineas and nails Henry and Cletus. Thrasher power bombs Mosh onto Phineas for 2. Mosh goes to the top and Phineas counters the sitting butt splash into a power bomb for the pin at 12:17 and the Godwinns are the new tag team champions. Boy oh boy ½*. The Godwinns pound on the Headbangers some more and Howard Finkel says that if they don’t leave the ring they’ll lose the tag team titles but they leave so they remain the champs for only a week before losing it to the LOD.
We get a look Steve Austin who can’t wrestle with a neck injury but he doesn’t care. He gives Jim Ross a stunner at Ground Zero then he stuns Comissioner Slaughter, Jerry Lawler and then he stuns Vince McMahon for the first time and he would get arrested. This IMO was officially the start of the McMahon/Austin war that would end at Wrestlemania XVII when these two would shake hands inside the ring. The next week on Raw Is War McMahon gives Austin three choices: 1. Austin would bring a doctor’s certificate that says he is ok to wrestle. 2. Austin would return if he follows the rules 3. Vince would end Austin’s career. Michael Cole interviews Owen Hart who will say he will win the IC title once again.
Next comes a St. Louis legends ceremony. Gene Kiniski, Jack Brisco, Dory Funk Jr. Harley Race, Terry Funk, Lou Thesz and Sam Muchnick are all honored and we get an in depth look at each one of these guys careers. Good segment done by the WWF.
Vince updates on Brian Pillman who says that no foul play was involved in the death but he says that he may have died of a drug overdose.
Owen has new music at this point and he insults Steve Austin by wearing a shirt that says “Owen 3:16, I just broke your neck.” Austin’s music then starts playing and he comes out. Austin will present the IC title to the winner and he gives Owen the double bird. He goes over to the timekeepers area and rings the bell then steals Vince’s headset and talks trash. He goes over and steals Lawler’s headset as both Farooq and Owen tie up. Farooq hits a shoulderblock. Farooq then throws Owen across the ring. Farooq pounds on Owen now. Owen comes back with a spinning heel kick and kicks away on Farooq in the left leg. Owen works on the injured leg. Austin shoves Vince and takes one of the Spanish headsets. Owen continues to work on Farooq’s leg as Austin takes one of the French headsets. Farooq misses a charge and goes for the Figure Four leglock but gets kicked off. Farooq pounds away on Owen now. Farooq hits a backbreaker for 2. Farooq tries to slam Owen but Owen falls on him for 2. Farooq slams Owen and misses a legdrop from the 2nd rope. Owen tries for the sharpshooter but Farooq kicks out. Farooq hits a powerslam. Jim Neidhart comes down to the ring as Farooq hits a spinebuster for 2. He chokes Owen on the 2nd rope and misses a sitting butt splash. Neidhart distracts the ref as Austin nails Farooq with the IC belt and Owen pins Farooq at 7:15 and throws the title in the ring for Owen. This match focused more on Austin than anything else. *
We get a look at the last Raw Is War where The Hart Foundation attack Vader and The Patriot and they cover them both with the Canadian Maple Leaf flags.
Vince actually says this is going to be an outstanding match. He must’ve meant Outstandingly bad. Skull pounds on Jose to start. 8-Ball comes in and Jose runs into a double boot. Miguel comes in and 8-Ball hits a clothesline in the corner followed by a power slam for 2. Crush comes in and Miguel tags to Savio Vega. Savio pounds on Crush in the corner but runs into a boot. Crush hits a belly to belly suplex for 2. Chainz comes in and hits a boot on Savio. Savio gets an eye rake and tags Jesus. Jesus gets press slammed. Chainz gets thrown in the wrong corner and the Boricuas pound on him on the outside. Jesus pounds on Chainz inside now. Jose comes in and works over Chainz in the corner. All four Boricuas nail Chainz in the corner with Savio hitting a spinning heel kick for 2. Joes then does a chinlock on Chainz and gets some leverage with his feet on the ropes. Savio comes in and then goes to the chinlock as well. Chainz hits a flying bodypress for 2 but Savio nails a spinning heel kick and tags Jesus who goes to the top and nails a flying dropkick for 2. Jesus and Miguel double team Chainz and Miguel goes back to the chinlock. Chainz runs into a knee. Savio comes in and works on Chainz in the corner. Chainz starts no selling and fighting back. Savio misses a spinning heel kick in the corner and all 8 men brawl in the ring. Crush covers Jesus but no ref is found and Jesus hits a DDT for 2. Jesus gets thrown into a clothesline and Crush hits a tilt a whirl backbreaker for the pin at 9:11. Another ho hum match between these two gangs DUD.
Vader’s interview is a classic “The best there is, the best their was, the best their ever will be, AIN’T THAT A BUNCH OF BULLSH*T?!!!” Patriot comes out to what is now Kurt Angle’s music. A team can win by any four regular ways or by capturing their own flag in their opponents corner. All four men brawl in the aisleway to start it off and they brawl for a while before the match is officially underway. Both Vader and Patriot have a chance to grab the American flag but neither do it. Patriot goes for the flag but Bulldog pulls him off. Patriot hits a snap mare followed by a snap suplex. Patriot goes for the flag but Bret stops him. Bret hits a low blow. Patriot hits a hiptoss and tags Vader. Vader pounds away on Bulldog. Vader hits a clothesine. Bret comes in and pounds on Vader but Vader turns it around. Vader pounds Bret in the corner. Vader misses an avalanche and gets clotheslined by Bulldog. Bret hits an elbow from the 2nd rope. Bret goes for the Maple Leaf flag but takes a low blow from Vader. Bret hits a sunset flip but Vader sits on him for 2. Patriot comes in and works on Bulldog and hits a dropkick for 2. Patriot works on Bulldog in the corner and throws him into the other one. Patriot slams Bulldog and goes for the American flag but gets nailed by Bret. Bret puts his foot down Patriots throat. Bulldog almost gets the Canadian flag but gets pulled down by Vader. Patriot shoulders himself on the ringpost and Bret hooks the Figure Four around the ringpost. Vader pounds on Bulldog and Bret releases it. Bret comes in and slams Patriot and works over him. Bret hits a headbutt in the low ab. Bret goes for the sharpshooter and hits it but Patriot reverses it and gets nailed by Bulldog. All four men are in one corner and Patriot almost gets the American flag. Bret continues to work on Patriot. Bulldog comes in and hits an elbow drop from the 2nd rope for 2. Vader comes in and works on Bulldog. Vader hits a back suplex. Vader hits a big splash for 2. He goes for the flag but Bret stops him. Bret works over Vader now. Bulldog comes in and goes to the chinlock. Bret comes in and hits a back suplex. He goes for the sharpshooter and hits it but Vader reaches the ropes. Vader then works on the lower ab of Bret. Vader goes for the sharpshooter but gets nailed by Bulldog. Patriot hits a flying bodypress on Bret and hits the Figure Four leglock. Bulldog gets the tag and hits Vader on the outside. He hits a vertical suplex on Patriot for 2. Patriot hits a power slam for 2. He goes for the flag and Bulldog pulls him off. Bret comes in and hits a kneedrop into the back. Bret hits a snap suplex and hits a fistdrop followed by a legdrop. Bret goes for the flag but Vader stops him. Bulldog knocks Patriot down. Vader comes in and so does Bulldog. Vader slams Bulldog and goes for the moonsault but he misses and LANDS ON HIS FEET?!! Amazing for a 450 pounder. Vader works on the Bulldog and goes for the flag but Bret stops him. Vader clotheslines Bulldog outside the ring. Bret hits Vader from behind and they both double team on Vader. Patriot stops him but gets nailed by the ring bell and he hits Vader with it as well. Bret tags in and slams Vader and hits an elbow drop. Bret goes to the 2nd rope and hits an elbow drop. He hits a couple of legdrops. Bret hits a DDT for 2. Bulldog comes in and Vader clotheslines both heels. Patriot comes back in and works on both Harts. Patriot hits the Uncle Slam for 2 before Bulldog saves Bret. A fan comes in the ring and gets tossed out by the ref. Vader hits the vader bomb on Bret. Bulldog goes after Vader outside. Patriot rolls up Bret but Bret reverses it and pins Patriot at 21:15. Pretty good match between four good workers ***1/4. Both Americans then knock the Harts outside the ring so they don’t get to wave the Maple Leaf.
We get a look at the Shawn Michaels/Undertaker feud. We look at Shawn as one of the biggest stars of the WWF but him attacking the Undertaker has turned him heel once again.Shawn is reluctant for the HIAC match coming up. We also look at his assault on UT. But UT comes back for more.
This is a 20 feet high, 20 feet wide fencing cage with a roof on top. The winner is determined by Pinfall or Submission. Once both men are in the door is padlocked to keep Degeneration X out. UT chases Shawn outside the ring to start. Shawn runs back in the ring and runs into a big boot. UT then throws Shawn into the buckle three times. UT goes for a chokeslam but Shawn counters by fighting back. He does the 10 punch count on UT in the corner. UT sends Shawn flying into the other corner and Shawn gets clotheslined for 2. UT grabs the right arm and pounds on Shawn. He does the top rope walk and elbow to the back. Shawn is selling this like crazy. UT headbutts Shawn and puts his foot on the throat. UT slams Shawn and hits a legdrop for 2. UT hits a big backdrop and Shawn’s feet hit the roof of the cage in the process. UT hits a right hand and knocks down Michaels. UT throws Shawn over the top rope. UT places Shawn in a high choke hold but Shawn gets an eyerake. UT pulls Shawn down from the cage. UT throws Shawn back first into the cage and hits a clothesline. He does the same thing again. UT throws Shawn’s face into the apron. UT goes for a piledriver but gets him high and Shawn starts hammering but UT shoves him backfirst into the cage again. UT throws Shawn knee first into steps and hammers on him some more. UT grabs Shawn and dirves him back first into the cage and the ringpost. A camera man falls down as UT drives Shawn’s face into the cage but Shawn comes out and rams UT into the cage but gets clotheslined again. Shawn has his face rammed into the steps. He takes an elbow in the face and has his foot shoved down his throat again. Shawn is thrown back first in the cage but UT misses a charge and Shawn pounds on UT to take over on offense. Shawn goes in the ring to try to get some oxygen back before pounding on UT on the apron. UT clotheslines Shawn on the top rope. Shawn knocks UT off the apron and into the cell. Shawn hits a flying toupee on UT outside. He climbs the cage and hits an elbow drop. Shawn hits a flying clothesline from the apron. Shawn takes the steel steps apart and hits UT in the back with em. Shawn then hits a wicked piledriver on UT on the steps. Shawn shoves the camera man away from him. Shawn hits a flying foot from the apron. Shawn goes to the top and hits a double ax handle. He pounds on UT inside the ring and goes underneath the ring and brings a chair out. Shawn nails UT in the back with the chair twice. He throws the chair outside and covers UT for 2. Both men start pounding on each other. Shawn ties UT in the ropes. He pounds away on UT. He charges and runs into a boot. Shawn is then backdropped outside the ring onto a cameraman. Shawn then beats up the cameraman. Shawn throws UT out of the ring and toss the cameraman aside. Officials come in and open the cage door to let the cameraman out. Shawn hits a flying forearm. He goes to the top rope and hits the flying elbow. Shawn warms up his foot for the superkick and he nails it on UT but UT sits up and Shawn escapes through the open door. He tries a dropkick on UT but UT grabs his legs and slingshots in the cage. Shawn is bleeding now. UT pounds on Shawn outside the ring and torpedo’s him face first into the cage. He does it again. Shawn hits a low kick. He climbs up the cage up onto the roof and UT goes right after him. Both men are on top of the cell now. Shawn goes for a pile driver but gets backdropped and UT rakes his face into the fencing. UT press slams Shawn on top of the cage and Shawn is on the edge of the cage hanging on for dear life. UT steps on both hands and Shawn falls 10 feet onto the Spanish announce table. Wicked! UT climbs down the cage and pounds on Shawn and throws him onto the French table and into the Spanish table wreckage. They both go back inside the cage and Shawn is bleeding badly now. UT hits a clothesline followed by a chokeslam from the top rope. UT then takes the chair and nails Shawn across the face with it and Shawn is out of it. UT signals for the tombstone and then the lights go out. We then see Paul Bearer coming out with UT’s brother. Kane! He tears the door off the hinges and throws the ref into the cage. Kane then comes in the ring and stares UT in the face and does the fire on the ringpost thing. He then nails UT and gives him the tombstone. Kane leaves the ring to 21,151 boos. Shawn then crawls over and puts his arm over UT and the ref makes the slow 3 count for the pin at 29:55. Despite the bad ending it didn’t even hurt this match one bit. This one overtook Bret VS Austin at Wrestlemania XIII for match of the year *****. Triple H and Chyna come out and carry Shawn to the back and Triple H gives the crotch chop.
Summary: Well after the first 5 matches, this was on it’s way to becoming one of the worst PPV’s of all time but then the last two matches really save it. RECOMMENDED but don’t watch anything before the flag match except the legends segment and the video of Austin stunning every WWF authority figure in sight.