[1997-07-07-WWF-Raw] Steve Austin vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley / Steve Austin and Mankind

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Tim Cooke]

The best Austin TV match of the year so far. It could have been any competent wrestler in against him here, but I'll give HHH credit, he takes a huge corner bump off a irish whip. Austin is just so great at this point.

[Loss]

HHH looks really good here, not looking completely out of his league working opposite Austin (which I think would be easy for most guys during this time) and taking a huge bump to the floor. He shows good aggression too. Mankind tries to save Austin from eating a chairshot and eats it himself for his trouble. This distracts HHH long enough for Austin to hit the stunner and get the pin.

 

After the mic, Austin yells at Mankind and tells him to get up. Austin confronts him on the PICK ME STEVE stuff. Austin agrees to team with him after a handshake, but Mankind wants a hug. They hug, and then Austin gives him a stunner.

 

"You ain't never gonna be my partner, 'cause you're a long-haired freak and you suck!"

 

Mankind isn't happy and promises that he's going to take drastic measures next week, and the WWF will never be the same.

[Kevin Ridge]

Triple H is more aggressive here and him and Austin just had good chemistry together in ring. He takes the loss but was able to go with Austin until getting distracted by Mankind in the end. Austin agrees to be Mankind’s partner and even gives him a hug! But you know what is coming and Mankind gets the Stunner. Mankind promises a big change next week.

[soup23]

This was a fun match and the potential is there with HHH as he works hard to keep an intensity level to match Austin. The finish with intertwining Mankind is good and complex and also keeps his feud with HHH up.

[Robert S]

The interview by Mankind is really funny when you know what he is talking about.

[PeteF3]

This is a really good top-star-vs.-midcarder type match, with Helmsley sort of being along for the ride but contributing a terrific Harley Race bump over the turnbuckles and good enough timing in general. Mankind distracts Helmsley long enough for Austin to catch him with a Stunner for the pin. Afterward, Austin grudgingly gives some credit to Mankind for toughness and is willing to team with him for a handshake, but Mankind wants a hug instead. Austin obliges and quickly drops him with a Stunner. Then a tease for what's to come next week.

[Exposer]

Solid match, but I didn't like it as much as others. If it got a few more minutes I'd probably have gotten really good. It was on it's way to being something interesting. I do love it when Austin works a more basic style & goes to the mat. He's really underrated in that department. Mankind comes out to help Austin & gets whacked with a chair for his troubles. This helps though as HHH turns around into the stunner for the Austin victory. The post-match is great. Austin tells Mankind to come in the ring & says he hates him & that he's a freak but will go to war with him for the tag titles next week. He offers a handshake & in a funny moment Mankind asks for a hug! They hug & Mankind is ecstatic doing the bang bang gesture. It's a trick though & Austin stuns him to a huge pop! Austin calls him a freak & says he'd never team with him. Mankind gets the mic as Austin leaves & says he was just trying to make a friend & now Austin has made him do something he thought he'd never have to do again. He says the WWF will never be the same after what he does next week. I like that they teased Cactus Jack here & maybe the fans weren't thrilled with Dude Love coming out, but the Cactus return on 9/22 probably felt a little big bigger because of it. Solid TV match followed by a tremendous post-match. These spring & summer RAWs have been great.