[1997-07-14-WWF-Raw] Steve Austin & ?? vs Owen Hart & Davey Boy Smith

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

They were cutting quite the pace before the angle, which remains a sentimental all-time favorite. We get the debut of DUDE LOVE, Mick Foley basically dressing like a hippy and working like Jimmy Valiant. Austin's transition from "WTF is this?" to "Fuck it, I'll just go with it" is greatgreatgreat.

 

"Owwww, have mercy."

[Death From Above]

Part of me actually wonders what it would have been like if there was more Dude Love stuff and less face Mankind, wearing shirt and tie, redeemed movie monster stuff. I mean once he'd taken the mask off in WWF it seemed weird putting it back on. Foley was such a fun promo he might have actually pulled it off.

 

Putting on facepaint and being Muta then taking it off and being Muto has always been a stretch for me, know what I mean?

 

I admit I could be way out on my own branch here.

[Kevin Ridge]

It is not as good as the Michaels/Austin tag match. Steve going alone until we get a backstage camera shot of some white boots! Dude Love shows up on the Titantron. Austin has that what the hell look on his face. Dude Love with his own music comes out to tag with Austin. Stone Cold does a good job selling this to the point of being so shocked but still accepting Dude as his tag partner.

[ajtroma]

This is still one of my favorite RAW moments ever.

[soup23]

I had forgotten all about this but it was amazing. The expression from Austin makes it for me and this feels like his first absolute babyface moment as he poses on the turnbuckle and shake Dude's hand. Great stuff all around.

[PeteF3]

Just a tremendous performance by Austin, not only acting but working. Owen and Davey are fine (and Owen gets better as the match goes along) but Austin is a machine, taking these two along for the ride. Oh yeah, and Dude Love appears here, too, and it's as glorious as I remembered. Even if I don't quite get a '60s hippie coming out to a BeeGees knockoff.

[Exposer]

This is hell of a match! Austin works maybe the best WWF handicap match of all time before the amazing Dude Love debut. Foley is tremendous here cutting a funny promo on the tron as an introduction. Austin's facial expressions are great. Dude Love comes out with to his awesome theme music & dances down to the ring. This gets a great reaction from the crowd. Austin reluctantly tags him in to another big pop. Dude gets a little bit of offense in before the finish. Austin stuns Davey Boy behind the ref's back & Dude gets the pin to a huge pop. I loved Owen's final attemp to make a save as he sort of trips over himself to try & stop the pin. The post-match is amazing. Dude celebrates in the corners like Austin & gives him both tag belts in gratitude & then suddenly two women show up & smother Dude Love in celebration! That's a great callback to the Mankind interviews about the Dude Love character & who Foley really wanted to be. Awesome. Austin indeed kind of has his first true baby face moment when he gives Dude Love the tag belt back & shakes his hand. One of the best RAW moments of all time.