The Great American Bash (1997)

The Great American Bash
Promotional poster
Promotion	World Championship Wrestling
Date	June 15, 1997
City	Moline, Illinois
Venue	The MARK of the Quad Cities
Attendance	9,613
Tagline(s)	Give Him A Nice Warm Hug On Father's Day
Pay-per-view chronology
← Previous Slamboree Next → Bash at the Beach
The Great American Bash chronology
← Previous 1996 Next → 1998

The 1997 Great American Bash was the seventh Great American Bash professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW), and 11th Great American Bash event overall. It took place on June 15, 1997, at The MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois.

Production

Background

The Great American Bash is a professional wrestling event established in 1985. It was first produced by the National Wrestling Alliance's (NWA) Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) and aired on closed-circuit television before becoming a pay-per-view event in 1988; JCP was rebranded as World Championship Wrestling (WCW) later that same year. WCW then seceded from the NWA in 1991. ^[1] The 1997 event was the seventh Great American Bash event promoted by WCW and 11th overall. It took place on June 15, 1997, at The MARK of the Quad Cities in Moline, Illinois. ^{[2] [3]}

Storylines

The event featured professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Professional wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. ^[4]

Event

Other on-screen personnel

Role:	Name:
Commentators	Tony Schiavone
	Bobby Heenan
	Dusty Rhodes
Interviewer	Gene Okerlund
Ring announcers	David Penzer
	Michael Buffer
Referee	Randy Anderson
	Mark Curtis
	Scott Dickinson
	Mickie Jay
	Nick Patrick

The opening match of the pay-per-view saw Ultimate Dragon defeat Psychosis. Sonny Onoo who came out with Psychosis accidentally kicked him in the head, which enabled Dragon to apply the Dragon Sleeper and pick up victory via submission.

The second match saw Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray) take on The Steiner Brothers (Rick Steiner and Scott Steiner), with the winner becoming the number one contender for the WCW World Tag Team Championship. After Scott hit a Frankensteiner off the top rope on Booker T, Vincent came out and dropped an elbow onto Booker T. This caused the Steiners to be disqualified and enabled Harlem Heat to become #1 contenders.

The next match saw Konnan defeat Hugh Morrus. As Morrus went for the moonsault off the top, he hit his face on the top turnbuckle. This gave Konnan the opening to hit the Tequila Sunrise and pick up the victory.

During the following match, Glacier took on Wrath. During the match, Mortis was handcuffed outside the ring, however toward the end of the match threw a chain into the ring for Wrath. Glacier however got the chain, hit Wrath with it and followed it up with a superkick to pick up the win. Following the match, after Mortis’ handcuffs were removed, he used them to handcuff Glacier to the rope, as the two double teamed Glacier.

In a Title vs. Career match, Akira Hokuto put her WCW Women's Championship, against Madusa’s career. After Madusa hurt her knee during the match, Akira hit a brainbuster to pick up the victory, and forcing Madusa to retire. After the match, Gene Okerlund attempted to talk with Madusa and the trainer evaluating her knee, however neither was willing to talk with him.

The next match was fought under hardcore rules, referred to as a death match. During the match, Chris Benoit picked up the submission victory over Meng, who submitted to the Crippler Crossface. After the match, both wrestlers were put on a stretcher back stage.

Kevin Greene next defeated Steve McMichael after Jeff Jarrett came out to interfere, however he accidentally hit the wrong man with a steel briefcase. This match was followed by the WCW World Tag Team Championship match, which saw The Outsiders (Scott Hall and Kevin Nash) retain the titles against Ric Flair and Roddy Piper, and Hall hit the Outsiders Edger on Piper.

The final match was a Falls Count Anywhere match between Randy Savage and Diamond Dallas Page. Scott Hall came out and hit the Outsider’s Edge on Page, followed by Savage hitting the flying elbowsmash, to pick up the win.

Results

No.	Results [2] [5] [6]	Stipulations	Times
1	Ultimate Dragon defeated Psychosis (with Sonny Onoo) by submission	Singles match	14:20
2	Harlem Heat (Booker T and Stevie Ray) (with Sister Sherri) defeated The Steiner Brothers (Rick and Scott) by disqualification	Tag team match	12:02
3	Konnan defeated Hugh Morrus by submission	Singles match	10:34
4	Glacier defeated Wrath (with James Vandenberg and Mortis)	Singles match	12:02
5	Akira Hokuto (c) (with Sonny Onoo) defeated Madusa	Title vs. Career match for the WCW Women's Championship	11:41
6	Chris Benoit defeated Meng by submission	Death match	14:59
7	Kevin Greene defeated Steve McMichael (with Debra McMichael)	Singles match	09:21
8	The Outsiders (Kevin Nash and Scott Hall) (c) (with Syxx) defeated Ric Flair and Roddy Piper	Tag team match for the WCW World Tag Team Championship	10:02
9	Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Diamond Dallas Page (with Kimberly Page)	Falls Count Anywhere match	16:56
(c)  – the champion(s) heading into the match

References

1. "The Great American Bash". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 2009-07-17.
2. Cawthon, Graham (2015). the History of Professional Wrestling Vol 5: World Championship Wrestling 1995-2001. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN   978-1499656343.
3. "WCW Live Events - June, 1997". www.wcwwrestling.com. Archived from the original on 16 June 1997. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
4. Grabianowski, Ed (13 January 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications . Retrieved 2015-11-15.
5. "2007 Wrestling Almanac & Book of Facts: Great American Bash 1997". Wrestling's Historical Cards. Kappa Publishing. 2007. p. 146.
6. "Great American Bash 1997". Pro Wrestling History. June 15, 1997. Retrieved September 16, 2015.