[1997-09-29-WWF-Raw] The Undertaker vs Hunter Hearst Helmsley

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

[Loss]

Bret and Bulldog attack Undertaker at the entrance. I don't really remember why. Vader and the Patriot make the save and brawl out of sight with Bret and Davey Boy. Shawn and Hunter then capitalize on this and double team Undertaker. He eventually makes his own save and the match starts.

 

This is all about Shawn interfering non-stop and God do I hate these guys, which means they are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Match doesn't last long at all and the Shawn push is still completely too much without any retribution, especially for a guy who has at this point made clear he won't put over anyone in the promotion. Out of control. Cool moment to end this, as they put Undertaker in a bodybag and Undertaker sits up in the bag. Helmsley gets a tombstone at the entrance ramp as Shawn climbs up the Titantron to get away from Undertaker!

[Kevin Ridge]

I can't say why Bret/Bulldog attacked Undertaker either. Their singles match from UK was gone and past. Quick match. Michaels stayed on the outside while Rude came down the ramp and then hit Undertaker. Why didn't Shawn interfere? Unless he was suppose to be scared about getting involved but he's not really acting that way. Undertaker fights of Triple H and Shawn is finally running for his life from Taker.

[soup23]

Bret has been almost non existent on the yearbook since winning the title.

This did a great job of showing how Shawn wont be able to run on Sunday as he keeps escaping here. We get a glimpse of Kane in a neat moment and the damage Taker can inflict with him tombstoning HHH on the entranceway.

[PeteF3]

I...guess Bret and Bulldog were trying to get a pre-emptive strike in knowing Undertaker was the favorite to win the #1 contendership at Hell in a Cell? I dunno. Seems like an excuse to get in some extra hype for the tag match against Vader & Patriot at Badd Blood. Who knows why they didn't jump Not-Yet-DX during *their* entrance, though. Helmsley is turning into a degenerate but is still oddly doing some of his old blueblood gimmick stuff like the curtsy and bow. Rude whacks Undertaker with a briefcase in short order and UT is laid out with the superkick and bodybagged, but gets back up and gives chase to the back. Michaels is blocked from exiting by a mysterious red light and has to climb up the TitanTron instead.

 

This stunned me when I went back through the September '97 Observers, so I'll mention it here--Michaels DID eat a pinfall in a Raw dark match a week or two before this, in a triple threat against Undertaker and Bret. He got tombstoned and then UT got distracted or pulled out by somebody or another, and Bret stole the pin.

[Exposer]

This is barely a match. Bret & Bulldog attack Undertaker during his entrance & are chased off by Vader & The Patriot. I think they did that as a message to him if he wins Hell in a Cell. Shawn & HHH capitalize & go on the attack. They finally get into the ring for the match to start, but it doesn't last long. Taker hits a chokeslam, but Rude interferes & hits Taker with a briefcase leading to a DQ. The beat down is on as Rude removes a body bag from the briefcases & leaves. DX put Taker in the body bag but he sits up in a cool moment & breaks out of it. Taker goes after Michaels & HHH follows. They brawl on the stage. As Michaels tries to leave there's a glaring red light that scares him & keeps him from escaping. I'm assuming that was a sign that Kane is coming. Michaels scales the tron to get away in a crazy moment while Taker tombstones HHH on the stage. There actually isn't a ton of heat for this. It's good heat, but not great. Strong ending leading into Hell in a Cell though.