WWF Monday Night RAW Review: January 27th, 1997

Slammies & Snowsuits: Owen Hart Rules

Owen Hart clearly stole the spotlight in this one...

MATCH #2: THE BRITISH BULLDOG (w/ Owen Hart & Clarence Mason) vs. DOUG FURNAS (w/ Phil Lafon).

Owen Hart used his Slammy Award last week in order to capture a cheap victory against Furnas & Lafon. And let’s be true to ourselves here, strategically, that is probably the only way a Slammy Award actually comes in to play. It’s nothing but just a show-piece really.

So because of that, we get a glorified camera shot of the Slammy Award itself. Isn’t that so prestigious ladies & gentlemen?

Let me cut to the chase here, this technical match-up really does not help the show at all. Put it this way, in 2018 we have each & every superstar doing crazy flips & bumps in order to stand out as the best match of the night. But what it really does is create a show full of outside dives & crazy flips without any story motivating the past, present & the future.

That’s right, Professional Wrestling or specifically WWE is all about Storytelling, the moves always come second.

So it is what it is- A technical matchup with a secondary story behind it.

Mid-way through this contest, Vince reveals that he has received confirmation that Ahmed Johnson has caught up with N.O.D members backstage!

We see a glorified footage of Ahmed Johnson approaching the N.O.D locker room & legitimately breaking their door down. Johnson gets in & desperately searches for his enemies, only for Vince McMahon to go—

“…AAAAANND they were not there!” (laughing internally).

“…AAAAANND they were not there!” - Vince McMahon

We come back to the match, & Jerry Lawler is insisting that the Nation has laid a trap somewhere! Man, this is like a cheesy 90’s thriller now.

As I mentioned before, the wrestling does not help this show at all, no matter how good the performers are. But I have to hand it to Owen Hart.

His comic timing is impeccable. A ringside camera points towards him, which immediately prompts Owen to yell—

“I hate him (Phil Lafon)! He gives Canada a bad name. He’s like my lousy brother Bret. He’s a loser!”

Furnas goes for a head-scissor, but the Bulldog reverses it with a mid-air Pop-Up Power-Bomb. The best in-ring spot of the night.

As always, no matter how good the Harts are- They always need a little ‘something’ to win. So Owen interferes towards the end, which allows The British Bulldog to counter with a Sunset Flip & win the match using a leverage pin.

The post-match events are more interesting than the match itself. Owen & the Bulldog have an intense exchange of words after the match, with Clarence Mason desperately trying to separate both of them apart from each other.

It looks like Davey Boy Smith a.k.a The British Bulldog doesn’t agree with Owen’s tactics. Vince suggests that it’s either Professional jealousy involving Clarence Mason or maybe it’s just a family matter.

The next part was not scripted. You see, we get another glorified camera shot of Owen’s Slammy Award left on the surface of the ring. Due to so much shaking going around, the award trips & falls on the surface in that very camera shot. This coincidence allows Vince to comment— “That’s a bad omen…That’s a VERY bad omen!” (Improv at its best).

"That's a bad omen...That's a VERY bad omen!

The Hart Family come to a resolution anyways.

Oh, & did I mention that Owen Hart just randomly decided to wear a killer Nike Snowsuit throughout this match? Despite being a manager to Davey Boy Smith in this contest, Owen Hart clearly stole the spotlight.

RESULT: The British Bulldog wins via pinfall.