Survivor Series ’96

(All screen captures are the property of World Wrestling Entertainment)

Survivor Series

November 17, 1996

Madison Square Garden

New York City, New York

News & Notes: I covered much of the build in my RAW review. I’ll try not to retread any of it. But I’ll provide a little more information. Shawn Michaels saved Sid from a Camp Cornette beat down. This led to them teaming against Owen & Bulldog for the tag team titles. However, the match ended with Shawn accidentally superkicking Sid. Tensions were already high between the two men. This made things worse. Sid claimed he forgave Shawn for hitting him with a chair. But he couldn’t forgive the superkick. Sid vowed to do anything to win the WWF title.

Meanwhile, Rocky Maivia will debut on this PPV. After Dwayne Johnson’s football career fizzled out, he decided to try his hand at wrestling. He had $7 to his name and needed a new direction in life. He convinced his father to help train him. Rocky Johnson enlisted the help of Pat Patterson and Tom Prichard in the training. Dwayne then worked in the USWA under the name Flex Kavana. (Imagine if he kept that name. Would we call him The Flex instead of The Rock? Can you smell what The Flex is cooking?)

I have one last piece of bad news before we begin. I hope you’re sitting down for this one. The Smoking Gunns split up. I’ll give you a moment to recover. I know you’re verklempt. Billy and Bart wrestled on opposite sides of a Survivor Series match on the pre-show. Billy’s team also included a newcomer to the WWF, Salvatore Sincere. He’s the former Johnny Gunn (no relation). His gimmick is an Italian mafioso. His false sincerity hides a darker side. This match also saw a ref botch. Bradshaw was eliminated when Tim White counted three, despite Justin’s shoulder being up. Bradshaw took the blame for the mistake. He was supposed to survive the match.

The show begins with accelerated footage of New York City. The narrator says the city that never sleeps consumed extra caffeine because the WWF is in town. Thousands flocked to the Hall of Fame ceremony yesterday. But tonight is the main event! Shawn Michaels defends his title against the dangerous and unpredictable Sid. Living legend Bret Hart battles the menacing Stone Cold. The Undertaker looks to lay Mankind to rest. Plus, there are Survivor Series matches! Milton Bradley Karate Fighters presents the 1996 Survivor Series.

Vince McMahon welcomes everyone to Madison Square Garden. He’s with Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler. (The King has a match later. He’s a guest for this first bout. They switch the third announcer throughout the night.) JR explains the rules of the Survivor Series matches. Then Vince tries speaking, but Lawler tells him to shut up. He even threatens McMahon. Vince says the King is pumped.

The Godwinns, Doug Furnas, & Philip Lafon (w/ Hillbilly Jim) vs. Owen Hart, The British Bulldog, & The New Rockers (w/ Clarence Mason)

Notes: You may remember Doug Furnas from my old WCW reviews. Philip Lafon (formerly Dan Kroffat) is a Canadian wrestler. He trained with the Harts. Furnas & Lafon formed a team in Japan and made a name for themselves in Japan, Mexico, and ECW. The WWF signed them to bolster their tag team division. This is their debut. Since there wasn’t much of a build, the crowd is silent for their entrance. Jim Ross sings their praises. He can’t help but point out Furnas is from Oklahoma. Then the Godwinns arrive. They shake hands with the commentators. Afterward, Vince says, “Smell my hand, King.” (That made me laugh.)

The Match: Lafon out-wrestles both New Rockers until Leif attacks his leg. Then Phineas enters the match. He catches his spit in his hand and rubs it in his hair. (Eww.) But it doesn’t help him. The heels use ref distractions to gang attack poor Phineas. This continues until Marty misses a diving elbow. Jannetty also appears to hurt his ankle. Henry enters the match and dispatches Marty with a Slop Drop. (Elimination: Marty Jannetty) But Owen takes out Henry with a wheel kick. (Elimination: Henry Godwinn) This riles up Phineas. He cleans house until Bulldog makes a blind tag. He pins Phineas after a running powerslam. (Elimination: Phineas Godwinn) Bulldog and Furnas show off their athleticism. But Doug gets in trouble in the heel corner. Owen & Bulldog give Furnas suplexes. Leif Cassidy then takes over and misses two attacks. This allows Lafon to eliminate him with an inverted superplex. (Elimination: Leif Cassidy) Then Bulldog and Lafon trade pin attempts until Davey uses a low-blow. However, Lafon surprises Bulldog with a sunset flip. (Elimination: Bulldog) Owen pounces on Lafon’s leg and puts him in a Sharpshooter. Furnas breaks the hold. Doug then tags in and hits dropkicks and suplexes. He pins Owen after a dangerous overhead belly-to-belly. (Final Elimination: Owen Hart)

Thoughts: This match was shaky, but it was decent. The early bout was awkward because of Marty’s injury. (I don’t think they planned to eliminate him then.) Also, this didn’t have much heat. The fans reacted to some high spots. But the crowd didn’t know Furnas & Lafon. They had some cool moves, but you can tell they must adapt to the WWF style. However, it made me want to see a match between them and Owen & Bulldog. It has potential to be a great pairing. (On a side note, this is Marty Jannetty’s final WWF PPV match. He disagrees with his creative direction and requests his release.)

Survivors: Furnas & Lafon (20:41)

Kevin Kelly is in the bowels of the building with Mankind and Paul Bearer. Kevin talks about Paul Bearer being locked in the cage. Bearer says that’s not happening. He’s not an animal! He then says, “I’m not going in a cage because I’m Paul Bearer and you’re not!” (He’s still trying to get that phrase over.) Next, Mankind says The Undertaker coming back to life doesn’t bother him. He doesn’t care what form The Undertaker takes. He will stomp him like the cockroaches he ate for dinner. Then Mankind promises to eat The Undertaker alive as he did the insects! (Don’t give Vince ideas, Mick. He’ll create an Eaten Alive Match. Oh, god. That’s a scary thought.)

The Undertaker vs. Mankind (w/ Paul Bearer)

Notes: Paul Bearer must enter a cage for this match. They don’t want him interfering. If Taker wins, he gets his hands on him. Bearer refuses to enter the cage until Taker scares him into it. We haven’t seen The Undertaker since Buried Alive, but we heard his voice. He taunted Mankind and Paul Bearer for weeks. The commentators speculated about what form Taker would take when he returned. (What an odd thing to ask. Is he a shapeshifter?) Taker’s entrance answers this strange question. He descends from the ceiling in a new leather outfit and cape. It makes him look like a cross between Batman and a goth pirate. Taker also drew a black teardrop on his face. (Doesn’t that mean he killed someone?) He evolves the new look over the next few months.

The Match: Mankind jumps The Undertaker and they brawl in and out of the ring. Taker uses a drop toe hold, which surprises Jim Ross. He then focuses his attack on Mankind’s hand and arm. Taker tries breaking Mankind’s claw hand. He bends the fingers and even ties the hand with the tag rope. Next, they tumble to the floor after a Cactus Clothesline. Mankind nails a cannonball off the apron. Then the match spills into the crowd. Taker answers with headbutts, punches, and elbows. He even bites Mankind’s hand. But Mankind rallies with a pulling piledriver. Both men block each other’s finishers, but Mankind gets the claw. Taker breaks it by sending Mankind through the ropes. Taker hits Old School. Mankind uses a neckbreaker. Mankind blocks another chokeslam attempt with the claw. But Taker hits the move. Taker takes another tumble, but he avoids a second cannonball. Taker also reverses a sleeper into a back suplex. Mankind then grabs a weapon and jabs Taker with it. He climbs onto The Undertaker’s back, so Taker pulls him into a Tombstone for the win.

Thoughts: It’s odd they did a regular match after two gimmick matches. It’s backward. This wasn’t bad, but it was slow. The finish was flat. I liked it, but it was a step down after their previous bouts. Plus, the crowd was dead. (They haven’t been lively all show. It’s a disappointing audience.) I liked the story of Taker working Mankind’s hand. Mankind took some good bumps. However, the match was decent at best.

Winner: The Undertaker (14:52)

The cage lowers while Paul Bearer cowers in fear. But The Executioner attacks before Taker can grab Paul. This gives Bearer an opening to retreat down the aisle. The Executioner throws punches until Taker sends him packing with a jumping clothesline. Taker looks disappointed, but he poses in the ring for the fans.

Then they show Furnas & Lafon in the AOL room. Two WWF employees type what they say on laptops. While this happens, Sunny enters the arena. She has a new theme song called “You Know You Want Me.” JR says the name of the tune, so Vine replies, “No, JR. You’re not my cup of tea. Thank you.” (Very funny, Vince.) Vince then dances to Sunny’s music. Ross mocks him for it.

Dok Hendrix is with Hunter Hearst Helmsley’s team. Dok mentions Mark Henry’s injury. Hunter must think victory is in the bag. Helmsley agrees. He promises to show Marc Mero why he’s Intercontinental champion. Then Lawler says Henry is faking his injury because he’s scared. Crush also speaks. He calls their team a well-oiled machine. Plus, he thinks Survivor Series is a fitting name for this event. (Crush punctuates this point with a fake laugh. Somewhere, Jeff Jarrett is annoyed.) Next, Goldust says you won’t forget his name. Dok wraps up the interview, but Hunter takes a moment to flirt with Marlena. Vince takes notice. (Remember that. It will come into play soon.)

Marc Mero, Rocky Maivia, The Stalker, & ???? (w/ Sable) vs. Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Jerry the King Lawler, Crush, & Goldust (w/ Marlena)

Notes: Mark Henry broke his leg. He won’t be in this bout. In fact, we won’t see him again for almost a year. But Rocky Maivia is here for his debut. He’s all smiles, but he hasn’t learned where the hard camera is. Marc Mero grabs a mic and says they weren’t foolish enough to come short-handed. They have a replacement for Mark Henry. It’s Jake the Snake Roberts! On a side note, Sunny joins the commentary team. She spends her time arguing with JR and taking shots at Sable. She’s also interested in managing Rocky Maivia. (If you’re wondering where Mr. Perfect is, he left the WWF. We’ll see him elsewhere soon.)

The Match: They stall and argue over who will start. Mero begins and Hunter does his best to avoid him. Then Rocky enters the fray, but the heels work him over in their corner. Lawler knocks him down, so Rocky kips up. Maivia rallies with chops and strikes. But everyone takes turns beating down the rookie. Rocky finally tags Jake. Hunter avoids a DDT, but Lawler isn’t so lucky. (Elimination: Jerry Lawler) The Stalker enters next. He controls the action until Crush attacks from behind. This allows Goldust to nail a Curtain Call. (Elimination: The Stalker) Triple H tags once Mero is hurt. He and Crush give Marc backbreakers. Hunter follows with an abdominal stretch. But Mero fires back with a sunset flip, head scissors, and a backdrop. Jake then distracts Helmsley and Mero eliminates him with a moonsault. (Elimination: Triple H) Mero continues his attack on Crush, but he crashes on a missed somersault plancha. Crush capitalizes with a Heart Punch. He eliminates both Mero and Roberts with the move. (Eliminations: Marc Mero & Jake Roberts) This leaves Rocky alone with Crush and Goldust. Crush cheap shots him during a test of strength. He and Goldust double-team Rocky. Goldust hits a low-blow and holds Maivia for another Heart Punch. But Crush hits Goldust by mistake. Rocky uses the opening to pin Crush with a crossbody. (Elimination: Crush) Goldust tries slamming Rocky. Maivia counters with a shoulderbreaker for the win. (Final Elimination: Goldust)

Thoughts: There were some fun moments, but this dragged in the middle. It doesn’t help the crowd was quiet for much of it. I wanted to like this. I enjoyed the closing moments with Rocky. However, it was flat. It was an odd match. It went longer than it should. Also, I’m unsure why they gave Crush multiple eliminations. He’s not due for a push.

Survivor: Rocky Maivia (23:44)

Next, they recap the Bret Hart/Steve Austin feud. We see Bret’s return. He accepted the challenge of Steve Austin. Then they show Austin whipping and stunning everyone in sight. They include footage from King of the Ring and other shows. Todd Pettengill speaks about Austin’s campaign of terror. They cut between different audio clips from Austin. He promises to whip Bret’s ass because Stone Cold said so.

Then Todd interviews Austin. Stone Cold stares at him like he wants to kill the guy. Todd reminds Austin of the new stipulation. The winner receives a WWF title match in December. Austin asks if he’s supposed to be intimidated by Bret or the stipulations. He doesn’t let Todd answer the question. Stone Cold says Bret calls himself the best there is, was, and ever will be. But cliches are cliches and an ass whipping is an ass whipping. That’s what Bret will get, and that’s the bottom line! Austin leaves for his entrance, so Todd looks sad he couldn’t ask more questions.

Austin enters the arena, but they return to Todd with Bret Hart. He also looks at Todd like he finds him annoying. Bret says the one thing Austin doesn’t have going for him is this is Madison Square Garden. He says it’s not a church, but it is holy ground. (I liked that line.) Bret also says he’s not greedy for money. He’s greedy for respect. Austin will respect him when this is over. Todd then turns to the camera and hypes Bret’s return. Bret stares at him for a moment before leaving. (Is everyone mad at Todd tonight? Why are wrestlers glaring at him?)

#1 Contender Match: Bret Hart vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Notes: They added a stipulation saying the winner will face the WWF Champion at In Your House: It’s Time. Vince accidentally spoils the main event. He says the winner will face Sycho Sid. JR corrects him, so Vince plays it off as a mistake. After the entrances, Bret and Steve go face-to-face. Austin flips him the ol’ double deuce. It gets a great reaction from the crowd. I also want to point out the commentary. Two things made me chuckle. JR says Bret isn’t a trash man or a clown. He’s a wrestler! Then Vince says, “Notwithstanding the integrity. Notwithstanding—the standing.” (Well said, Vince. What’s his obsession with the word notwithstanding? He says it all the time!) Also, Vince sells the idea Bret is rusty and slow. I don’t see that.

The Match: They begin with some mat wrestling. Bret controls Austin with arm work. But Austin counters with a Stun Gun. He then focuses on Bret’s throat and neck. Bret rallies with an atomic drop and a Russian leg sweep. He tries a bulldog, but Austin shoves him into the corner. Steve also avoids a backbreaker by raking Bret’s eyes. Then they fight to the floor and ram each other into the post and the rail. The railing breaks apart. Next, Austin catapults Bret onto the Spanish announce table and drops an elbow off the apron. He controls Bret with holds until Austin argues with the ref. This allows Bret to give Steve the Stun Gun. Bret also uses a piledriver and a backbreaker. But Austin comes back with a superplex. Bret surprises him with a pin attempt, but Austin nails the Stunner! However, Bret kicks out! Austin tries more pin attempts and puts Bret in a Texas Cloverleaf. Bret reaches the ropes. Stone Cold tries more submissions until Bret attempts a Sharpshooter. Austin escapes. Then Austin uses The Million Dollar Dream. He locks it in, but Bret pushes off the ropes. He lands in a pinning predicament. Austin can’t break free, so the ref makes a three count.

Thoughts: This was great. I liked how they slowly built tension and intensity. They finally woke up the weak crowd. I’m even okay with reusing the WrestleMania VIII finish. It’s been long enough since then. It makes Bret look crafty, and Austin doesn’t look weak in defeat. This bout was evenly matched enough to make both look strong. Plus, this rivalry continues to better matches.

Winner: Bret Hart (24:41)

Austin is stunned. (Pun intended.) He stares a hole through Bret as he leaves. Jim Ross speculates the feud isn’t over. They show a replay. JR says Austin basically pinned himself.

Next, Dok Hendrix interviews Sid. Dok asks if this is the night Sid finally snaps. Sid replies, “You say snap. I say survive!” He then promises to do anything and everything it takes. He knows he’s the better man. He will walk out the WWF champion. Dok says Sid is focused. Either he or Shawn will face Bret at the next PPV. Dok thinks Sid will be the one. He warns Bret to watch out. (Sid wore a baseball cap during this segment. It’s small, so I thought he wore a yarmulke. I didn’t know Sid was Jewish.)

Then Captain Lou Albano wanders out to ringside. They inducted him into the Hall of Fame the previous night. Vince and JR joke about how often Lou mentioned his new book. Lou shakes hands with JR, but he fakes out Vince. Ross mocks Vince for not seeing it coming. Albano then joins the Spanish announcers. (I’d love to hear that commentary.) While Vince and Ross have a laugh, strange theme music plays in the arena. It begins with the words, “We are the Nation of Domination!” This confuses Vince and JR.

The entrance opens and a tag team named PG-13 (JC Ice and Wolfie D) rap over the music. They threaten to bum rush our mothers. (How dare they!?) They lead Faarooq, Clarence Mason, and an unnamed entourage to the ring. Faarooq ditched the gladiator costume for a more sensible outfit. He poses in the ring and raises his fist into the air. (They don’t explain it on this show. But this is the beginning of Faarooq’s Nation of Domination. It’s a militant group of wrestlers. He adds new members soon.)

Faarooq, Vader, “Diesel”, & “Razor Ramon” (w/ Clarence Mason & Jim Cornette) vs. Flash Funk, Savio Vega, Yokozuna, & ????

Notes: Flash Funk is the former 2 Cold Scorpio. The WWF signed him away from ECW. But that company had a deal with Tommy Boy Records to use their music as Scorpio’s theme. Vince agreed to pay ECW the money they lost in the deal. This fueled rumors the WWF financed ECW. It’s also why the two companies worked together around this time. Scorpio arrived in the WWF with a new gimmick. He dresses like a pimp and dances to the ring with two women called The Funkettes. (It’s almost a prototype of Brodus Clay’s character.) Meanwhile, Funk’s team has a mystery partner. It’s the new Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmy Superfly Snuka! Cornette joins the commentary and tries his best to sell Snuka as a threat.

The Match: Vader knocks down Flash with punches and a short-arm clothesline. Funk kips up and hits a wheel kick and a crossbody. He also lands a moonsault to the floor! Vader fires back with an avalanche attack and a powerbomb. But Yoko prevents a pin with a sloppy Uranage. Next, Savio fights off Faarooq, Razor, and Diesel. Funk returns, but Diesel clotheslines him out of the air. Faarooq also gives Funk a spinebuster and Vader nails another avalanche. Both Vega and Snuka get in trouble in the heel corner. However, Snuka gives Vader headbutts, dropkicks, and a slam. The heels finally eliminate Savio. Vader low-bridges him, and Faarooq rams him into the post. This allows Diesel to hit a jackknife. (Elimination: Savio Vega) Next, Snuka fights off Razor and Diesel. He pins Razor after a Superfly Splash. (Elimination: “Razor Ramon”) Diesel has enough. He grabs a chair and causes a wild brawl. The ref throws out the match. (Final Elimination: Everybody)

Thoughts: Flash Funk looked impressive, and there were a few fun spots. But this was a mess overall. It didn’t help they had a disappointing finish. This proved pointless. They must have run out of time and rushed the ending. It was a forgettable match. (Also, this is Yokozuna’s final WWF match. They sent him to lose weight. He lost one hundred pounds, but he couldn’t pass a physical.)

Survivors: None (Double DQ) (9:48)

Next, they recap the Shawn Michaels/Sid feud. Todd narrates footage of Shawn’s WWF title reign. Shawn lived his dream while Sid struggled with reality. Sid calls himself the ruler of the world. But Todd says the champion rules. Shawn overcame bigger and more vicious opponents. (I see what they did there.) Shawn persevered, but now the enemy is from within. For Sid, the enemy was always within. He struggles with sanity. Sid thought he found rationality in Shawn’s friendship. However, misunderstandings bred contempt. It fueled Sid’s psychotic desire. Sid complains about Shawn kicking him in the face. Shawn says he’ll do it again. He claims he can’t miss that chin Sid is sporting. Todd believes Shawn unleashed a monster with a champion’s appetite.

WWF Title Match: Sycho Sid vs. Shawn Michaels (c) (w/ Jose Lothario)

Notes: They show both competitors walking backstage. The ominous cage music plays over the footage. (I always liked this. It gives it a big match feel.) Sid gets a great reaction from the fans. He poses in front of pyro that spells his name. Jim Ross says it stands for suddenly I’m dominant. Then Shawn enters the arena. Women and children cheer him. He has to pull himself away from a female fan. But the men boo him. This gets to Shawn during the bout. He becomes more and more frustrated.

The Match: They trade takedowns and head scissors. Both men kip up out of the hold and trade slaps. Then Shawn regroups after avoiding a powerbomb. He evades Sid and attacks his leg. Shawn uses a Figure Four, but Sid reverses it. Sid then returns fire with kicks and boots. But Shawn continues attacking his leg. They fight to the floor and Sid whips Shawn into the apron and the railing. Michaels tries rallying, but Sid catches him with a backbreaker. Shawn then switches tactics. He uses a rope-a-dope technique to tire Sid. But Shawn eats a boot on a jumping nothing and does a headstand! (See the screen cap.) Next, Sid uses a Million Dollar Dream. (Hey! Austin used that earlier. Way to pay attention, Sid.) Then Sid catches Sweet Chin Music and nails a chokeslam. However, Shawn rolls him up on a powerbomb attempt. Shawn rallies again, so Sid grabs a TV camera. Jose interrupts to stop the attack. Sid hits him with the camera instead. This allows Shawn to hit Sweet Chin Music, but he sees Jose having an apparent heart attack.

Shawn checks on him and calls for help. But Sid returns Shawn to the ring. Shawn tries a springboard crossbody and hits the ref by mistake. Shawn uses the opening to check on Jose again. This frustrates Sid, so he takes the camera and nails Shawn in the back. Sid then rolls Shawn into the ring and lands a powerbomb for the win.

Thoughts: This was fun. I loved the storytelling, especially with the finish. It makes Sid look like a crafty bastard. It also gets sympathy for Shawn (maybe not with this crowd). This was easily Sid’s best match I’ve covered. Plus, Sid is over with the crowd. This was the right time to put the title on him. He’s on a roll.

Winner: Sycho Sid (New Champion) (20:02)

Sid celebrates while Shawn rolls out of the ring to check on Jose. The medical staff load Lothario onto a stretcher. Shawn crawls down the aisle after them. He can barely stand. Vince and JR hope Jose isn’t having a heart attack. Sid continues celebrating and fist bumps the fans. Ross says Sid rules the WWF. Vince calls the show extraordinary.

The Good:

• The main event was great fun.

• Bret/Austin was amazing.

• There were a couple of good debuts.

The Bad:

• Some of the Survivor Series matches were disappointing.

• The crowd was dead for much of the show.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Steve Austin. This was a career-defining night. He lost, but he looked strong in defeat. Plus, this begins one of his best feuds.

Final Thoughts:

Bret/Austin and Shawn/Sid saved this show from being average. It suffered from a poor crowd and some disappointing matches. However, it was an overall enjoyable experience. The memorable parts outweighed the bad. It’s a snapshot of the gulf between the midcard and the main event scene in the WWF at this time. The primary storylines are great. But the rest needs work.

Thank you for reading. My next review is WCW’s World War 3 ’96. Look for it next Sunday!