King of the Ring ’97

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

King of the Ring

June 8, 1997

Providence Civic Center

Providence, Rhode Island

News & Notes: The original card for King of the Ring was much different. We almost got the rematch between Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. Bret claimed he could beat HBK in ten minutes. If he didn’t, he’d never wrestle in America again. Also, they would handcuff the Hart Foundation to the ring posts during the bout. After A Cold Day in Hell, Bret called out Michaels. He called Shawn a degenerate and said he hated him. The segment ended with Bret standing from his wheelchair and Michaels superkicked him. However, this happened off-air. Bret missed his cue. Michaels accused Bret of doing it on purpose to make him look bad. The following week, an inebriated Michaels went off-script during a promo. He made his infamous Sunny Days comment, which implied Bret had an affair with Sunny. The real tensions between these men were at an all-time high. Plus, Bret’s knee recovery wasn’t where they expected. Vince changed his plans and scrapped the match. He also dropped the planned Austin vs. Pillman encounter. Thankfully, they already had a backup plan in the works.

Stone Cold and Shawn Michaels had a common enemy in The Hart Foundation. But Austin & Michaels couldn’t get along. Owen & Bulldog saw an easy target. They challenged the two men to a tag team title match. Austin & Michaels didn’t want to team. They looked for their own partners. But Monsoon ordered them to join forces for the bout. They won! Austin & Michaels were the new tag champions. The Hart Foundation attacked after the bell. Austin left HBK to his fate to go after Bret Hart. Steve attacked Bret’s knee. (They did this as a storyline reason to cancel the Bret/Shawn match.) Then Austin & Michaels brawled backstage. Pillman agreed to step aside and let Austin face Michaels at King of the Ring. Both men agreed because they wanted to settle their differences.

Meanwhile, the WWF named a new #1 contender to The Undertaker’s title. It’s Faarooq. He questioned Vince McMahon about the lack of black WWF champions. Faarooq said Vince gave African-Americans token victories. But they never won the big one. Even Ahmed Johnson agreed with this sentiment, despite his hatred for Faarooq. Then Faarooq attacked Taker and whipped him with a belt. Ahmed got involved, but Taker knocked Johnson into the ring steps by accident. However, this was the least of Taker’s worries. Paul Bearer returned with bandages on his face. He threatened to reveal a dark secret about Taker if he didn’t take him back as his manager. It was a secret he made over the graves of Taker’s parents. But there weren’t two graves. There were three! Taker asked for time and got a week to think about it. Taker almost attacked Bearer, but he relented at the last moment. He bowed before Paul and accepted him back. Taker said he did it to protect those he loved. (On a side note, Bearer looked quite different as the bandages came off. He looks more normal now.)

There’s one more thing I want to discuss before we begin. Jim Ross sat down and interviewed Mankind. These interviews mixed Mick Foley’s real-life stories with Mankind’s character. They spoke of his childhood. Kids bullied him often. But Mick discovered he could get reactions from people through blood and violence. It led to a love of wrestling. He hitchhiked to MSG to watch Snuka dive off a cage. Mick even filmed home movies of himself and his friends doing backyard wrestling. Mick dove off his friend’s roof in imitation of Snuka. In these films, Mick wasn’t Mankind. He had the alter-ego he always wanted. Mick was a ladies’ man named Dude Love. He wanted to be like Shawn Michaels. But he became Cactus Jack instead. This led to deathmatches in Japan, where Mick’s body was cut and burned. But it felt like home! He never became the heartthrob. Mick arrived in the WWF a physically and mentally scarred human being. These interviews humanized the character. It led to fans cheering him.

Tonight is a night of firsts. Tag team champions will face each other on PPV for the first time. They’re looking for respect in all the wrong places. Then we might see the first-ever African-American WWF champion! He’s not going into battle alone. Faarooq and the Nation face The Undertaker. But Taker formed an unlikely alliance with Paul Bearer. Also, there will be a first-time winner in the tournament. To the victor go the spoils. Super Soaker presents the 1997 King of the Ring.

Vince McMahon and Jim Ross welcome everyone to the show. JR compares the atmosphere to the Superbowl and The World Series. (This isn’t WrestleMania. They can’t all be the Superbowl.) Next, Vince introduces the international announce teams. He stands up and points to them. The entrances for the first match begin. So Vince says, “Here comes Ahmed ‘Get in your face’ Johnson.

Semifinals

Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/ Chyna) vs. Ahmed Johnson

Notes: This is the second time these two fought in the tournament. Triple H lost in the first round by DQ when Chyna hit Ahmed with a chair. But Hunter threatened to sue the WWF. He claimed Tim White didn’t properly explain the rules. Helmsley didn’t know a disqualification could eliminate him. They gave Hunter another chance. He took Vader’s spot because Vader still had injuries from the Shamrock fight. Triple H defeated Crush in his second attempt because Savio Vega screwed up. Savio cost Crush the match.

The Match: Ahmed overpowers Hunter with shoves and shoulder blocks. Then Johnson absorbs Helmsley’s chops and kicks and hits a press slam. The fight spills to the floor, where Hunter whips Ahmed into the steps. Triple H follows with a baseball slide and a flying axehandle. But there’s a miscommunication next. It leads to Ahmed hitting an awkward scissor kick and a backdrop. Johnson continues with a spinebuster and calls for The Plunge. But Chyna distracts him. It allows Hunter to knee Johnson from behind and he nails a Pedigree for the win.

Thoughts: This was short and messy. It started hot, but a few miscommunications brought it down a notch. I don’t mind the tournament matches being brief. But they should be at least interesting. This wasn’t. However, the crowd was hot for it. This show drives that out of them.

Winner: Hunter Hearst Helmsley (7:42)

Hunter & Chyna leave the ring. So Ahmed chases them. They run through the entrance and Johnson stops his pursuit when he reaches the curtain. (His old nemesis foiled him again. That darn curtain!)

Mankind enters the arena to cheers. They show clips of his first-round match. Then Mankind grabs a mic. He cuts a promo before Lawler arrives. Mankind asks where Uncle Paul went. This is the biggest moment of his wrestling life, and Paul Bearer has more important things to do. But Mankind won’t let that stop him on his quest to be King. He mentions the history of both cruel and benevolent Kings. What kind of King do the fans want him to be? Jerry Lawler can surround himself with royal robes. But as far as Mankind’s concerned, he’s an emperor with no clothes! Mankind then realizes that’s a horrible thought. The only thing more disturbing would be himself with no clothes. Both the fans and Vince laugh at that. So Mankind gives them the old Cactus Jack bang bang! He also asks for some R-E-S-P-E-C-T and dares Lawler to sock it to him! (The end of the promo was a small glimpse of both Cactus Jack and Dude Love. I like that touch.)

Todd is backstage with Lawler. He shows Jerry clips of Goldust knocking Lawler down the ramp on RAW. Marlena then stepped on him. This pisses off Lawler. He wants no more of Pettengill. So he takes the mic and begins his entrance. Jerry insults fans on the way to the ring. He asks a lady if the massage parlor was closed. Then Lawler turns his attention to Mankind. He doesn’t care about Mankind’s history and childhood. Lawler calls him an ugly freak of nature. Jerry claims when Mankind was born, his mother took one look at his face and his rear end. She said, “My god! Siamese twins!” He then laughs at his own joke, so Mankind attacks.

Semifinals

Mankind vs. Jerry the King Lawler

Notes: Lawler defeated Goldust in the first round. Jerry pinned him with his feet on the ropes. This was after Lawler called Goldust the f-word. (I don’t mean the four-letter one.) Mankind reached this point by beating Savio when Crush hit Vega by accident. The two Nation members brawled afterward. During the bout, Lawler did commentary. He yelled at Mankind and called him a freak. So Mankind attacked Jerry.

The Match: They brawl on the floor and around the announce table. Jerry bails to avoid a Mandible Claw. Then Lawler grabs an object from his tights. He keeps using it to throw loaded punches. Jerry focuses his attacks on Mankind’s mangled ear. He even bites it! Next, they brawl outside again. Mankind runs head-first into the steps on a missed charge. Lawler capitalizes with a piledriver outside the ring. Jerry also dropkicks Mankind off the apron. When Mankind returns, Lawler gives him another piledriver. But Mankind kicks out! Jerry continues with more loaded punches until Mankind fires back. Mankind nails a leg drop, a running knee, and a backdrop. Then they botch a neckbreaker spot before King lands a fist drop. However, Mankind blocks another piledriver and locks in the Mandible Claw. Lawler submits.

Thoughts: It wasn’t a technical marvel, but I found it fairly entertaining. I liked the story of the match. Lawler did a great job working the crowd. Plus, Mankind took his usual nasty bumps. I was hesitant about this bout. But they worked well together. It surprised me.

Winner: Mankind (10:24)

Todd interviews Brian Pillman. Brian wears an Austin 3:16 shirt. But he marked out the numbers and wrote the date of the next night’s RAW. (They moved the Austin/Pillman match to that episode.) Todd asks if Brian feels responsible for the Austin vs. Michaels match. Hell yes, he does! He reeled that sucker in, but it was Bret who inspired him. Pettengill asks why Pillman is there. Brian says he’s there to support the family and watch the Boy Toy violate that rat’s ass! (Um, what?) While Brian says this, Austin sneaks behind him with a maniacal grin. (His facial expressions are amazing.) Brian talks about Steve. He says seek and you shall find. So Austin attacks him. Stone Cold drags Brian to the toilet and gives him a swirly. We get an overhead shot of the action. (Did someone set up a toilet cam in this arena? That’s disturbing.)

Goldust (w/ Marlena) vs. Crush (w/ The Nation of Domination)

Notes: There’s no build for this match. It’s filler. So I’ll talk about Goldust’s recent interviews. Jim Ross sat down with Goldust & Marlena to learn more about their history. Both went under their real names (Dustin & Terri) for these segments. They spoke of Goldust’s childhood. Dustin revealed he hasn’t spoken with his father since he left WCW. They’re estranged. Dustin said the Goldust character was a way of escaping his dad’s shadow. He wished Dusty was proud of him. It’s all he ever wanted. We also met Dustin and Terri’s daughter, Dakota. She appeared on an episode of RAW dressed as her mother. It was adorable. These interviews humanized Goldust, much like the Mankind segments.

The Match: They brawl on the floor and into the ring. Goldust does ten-punches in the corner and makes Crush rub him. Then Goldust nails a neckbreaker. But Crush whips Goldust around the ring and focuses on his back. Crush uses a backbreaker and puts Goldust LONG rear chinlocks. Goldust almost rallies with a knee to the crotch. But Crush hits a pressing gutbuster and grabs a nerve hold. Then Goldust fights back with a drop-down uppercut, a jumping clothesline, and the flip, flop, & fly. However, D’Lo & Clarence harass Marlena. This draws Goldust outside, where Crush jumps him. When they return to the ring, Goldust avoids a press slam and nails a DDT for the win.

Thoughts: This was dreadful, boring, and pointless. Crush killed the crowd with his endless rest holds. The bout only existed to further the Nation storyline. I couldn’t care less. You can tell the roster is then when they add filler like this to a PPV.

Winner: Goldust (9:56)

Dok Hendrix is backstage with The Legion of Doom and Sycho Sid. Dok calls the Hart Foundation a close-knit unit. But these guys never teamed before. The Harts want revenge. Hawk says revenge is a dish best served cold. He then says, “By diddly-do-squat, we’re serving the coldest dish in town!” (He turned into Ned Flanders! Give me a moment. I’m laughing too hard.) Next, Animal questions Dok’s comments. There’s no tighter-knit unit than The Legion of Doom. But he wants to know if he can trust Sid. Sycho Sid tells him not to worry. He’s the man and the ruler of the world. They can all agree on one thing. Tonight will be the worst night for the Hart Foundation. Everyone laughs. So Dok sends it to his twin brother from another mother, Todd Pettengill. (On a side note, Sid mouthed the words to Hawk’s promo. I’m unsure why. I guess he found it as amusing as I did.)

Todd is with The Hart Foundation. Bulldog says they beat The Legion of Doom fair and square! (With Bulldog’s accent, it sounded more like fur and squr.) There’s no reason history won’t repeat itself. Then Owen makes Todd hold his Slammy while he does his promo. Owen says The Legion of Doom has pretty makeup and funky Halloween costumes. But that doesn’t cut it! The Hart Foundation is family. It takes more than makeup to beat them. The LOD can’t even trust Sycho Sid. Speaking of Sid, Anvil has words for him. If Sid thinks he’s crazy, he hasn’t seen anything yet! HAHAHAHA!

Owen Hart, The British Bulldog, & Jim Neidhart vs. The Legion of Doom & Sycho Sid

Notes: Sid returned from injury on the go-home RAW. He confronted The Undertaker. Sid said he didn’t ask for a rematch out of respect for Taker. But he lost that respect when Taker bowed to Paul Bearer. Sid and Taker fought that night. But Sid forgot to specify he wanted a title match. It was non-title. See, this happens when you have half a brain! Meanwhile, The LOD had issues with the Hart Foundation. They were slated to face Owen & Bulldog for the titles. They challenged Michaels & Austin on RAW instead. But the Hart Foundation got involved and Michaels & Austin were counted out. They announced this six-man encounter during the same episode.

The Match: Animal slams, powerslams, and tosses Owen around the ring. Then Bulldog faces Sid. He suplexes him, but Sid answers with clotheslines for everybody! Next, Hawk and Anvil fight and absorb each other’s offense. But Hawk nails a flying clothesline. The LOD & Sid use some clubbering and Hawk no-sells Bulldog’s piledriver. However, Animal gets in trouble. The Hart Foundation attacks him outside the ring and triple-teams him. They also use ref distractions for more cheating. Animal shows life. But they give him a superplex, a slingshot shoulder tackle, and an assisted shoulder block in the corner.

After some rest holds, Animal fights and tags Hawk. This disappoints the fans because they wanted Sid. Hawk misses a flying headbutt and the Hart Foundation triple-teams him as well. Then Hawk answers with a double clothesline and tags Sid. He cleans house with clotheslines and a big boot. Sid also chokeslams Bulldog and attempts a powerbomb. But Owen is the legal man. He surprises Sid with a flying sunset flip for the victory.

Thoughts: This was decent. But the heat spot on Animal went on for too long. He made the hot tag to Hawk, but the fans wanted Sid. It deflated the crowd. The action wasn’t bad. They structured it wrong. This caused the match to fall flat. (On a side note, this is Sid’s final PPV match in the WWF. He makes two more RAW appearances. But a car wreck puts him on the shelf. We won’t see him again on this blog for a while. Say goodbye, for now.)

Winners: The Hart Foundation (13:37)

JR and Vince speculate on a winner of the King of the Ring. Ross picks Mankind as his sentimental favorite. Then they show Austin’s victory speech from last year.

Todd interviews Mankind while Mankind holds his neck in pain. Pettengill says only Hunter Hearst Helmsley stands in Mankind’s way. Mankind says he doesn’t feel like a million bucks. But how does he look? He also says Triple H will have to run him over with a train. He’s not going down for anyone! Then Mankind quotes a line from a movie that inspired him. He says, “I just can’t wait to be king! Have a nice day.” Todd sends it back to Vince with a goofy grin on his face.

Finals

Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/ Chyna) vs. Mankind

Notes: They show footage of Mankind defeating Lawler with the Mandible Claw. JR says Mankind’s hand covering must reek of odor. How would Hunter like that in his gullet? Vince says he never thought of that. They also show clips of Triple H’s victory. Ross says nobody, not even Ahmed, recovers from the Pedigree. Mankind rocks in the corner, so Hunter gives him a mocking bow. JR says Helmsley is a blue blood. Mankind lost blood. (I liked that line.) Ross also says he spoke with Mankind earlier. Mankind said he wished Dude Love was there to see this.

The Match: Hunter focuses his attacks on Mankind’s sore neck. Mankind rips, claws, and bites in response. But Helmsley answers with hotshots and neckbreakers. Mankind even uses a low-blow, but he gets caught in a hangman spot. Hunter continues with more neck-based offense until Mankind uses his own hotshots. Mankind then nails a running knee, a tree of woe attack, and a Cactus Elbow on the floor. Back in the ring, Mankind uses the Double-Arm DDT. But Chyna distracts the ref. Next, Mankind blocks a Pedigree and grabs a Mandible Claw. However, Chyna pulls Mankind out of the ring.

The ref warns Chyna to no avail while Hunter continues attacking the neck. Helmsley blocks another Claw, but Mankind hits a Cactus Clothesline. Outside the ring, Mankind crashes on the rail on a missed dive. So Hunter brings him to the announce table and puts him through it with a Pedigree. Then Hunter distracts the ref while Chyna breaks the scepter on Mankind’s back. Hunter also knocks Mankind off the apron and onto a photographer. But Mankind kicks out of a nonchalant pin. So Hunter follows with a Pedigree for the win.

Thoughts: You could tell wrestling earlier made them tired. This was slow. It picked up steam by the end. The closing few minutes were great. But they didn’t save it. These two have better matches after this. However, I do like the storytelling of the match. This was decent but flat.

Winner: Hunter Hearst Helmsley (19:26)

It’s time for the coronation, but the scepter is shattered. Hunter demands Pettengill enter the ring. Chyna shoves him when he does. Then Todd presents Hunter with the cape and crown. Hunter takes one look at the crown and beats Mankind over the head with it. He destroys the crown over Mankind’s head and back. (He did this because Hunter refused to wear the costume as part of his gimmick.) Hunter and Chyna then leave while Mankind crawls after them.

Then they recap the Austin/Michaels feud. Shawn Michaels returned from injury and formed an unlikely alliance with Stone Cold. They temporarily put aside their differences to fight the Hart Foundation. Or did they? Reality found its way into the picture. The hated odd couple won the belts. But mayhem replaced celebration after the bout. Austin abandoned Michaels and zeroed in on Bret Hart. Controversy substituted for comradery. Now, one must wonder if this showdown was crafted by Bret Hart. The once-plotted demise of the Hart Foundation twisted into a competition of can you top this.

JR and Vince commiserate over their broken announce table. And they sing the praises of Mankind. But The Hart Foundation interrupts them. Bret leads the group to the ring. Todd joins them, but Bret takes the mic and tells him to get lost. (No one likes Todd tonight.) Bret tells the fans to shut up. It’s about time. He’s no longer a cripple to be bullied. The time is coming for retribution. (Oh, not them! They’re years away.) Bret introduces the Hart Foundation. He says he’d allow them to pump their blood with his heart. Then Bret issues a challenge for In Your House: Canadian Stampede. He calls for any five WWF wrestlers to cross the border. They can come into his hometown and face The Hart Foundation. But don’t be surprised when everyone has sudden injuries. Bret says it’s payback time at In Your Hase—House.

Bret Hart tries joining the broken announce table. But they don’t have an extra headset. The Hart Foundation intimidate Vince and JR. So the WWF officials make them leave. Bret wonders what happened to his freedom of speech. The Hart Foundation leaves, but they antagonize the fans on the way out.

Dok Hendrix then interviews Stone Cold Steve Austin. He says Austin and Michaels aren’t friends. But being champs puts green in his jeans. (What a weird saying.) Dok asks where Austin draws the line on hurting each other. Austin says being a champion makes you more money. Then he decides not to cripple Shawn Michaels. He’ll keep him around as long as he’s useful. But if Shawn raises the violence factor, he’ll do it. That’s the bottom line because Stone Cold said so.

The camera follows Austin to the ring. He flips off the Hart Foundation when he passes them. They also show clips of Austin attacking Pillman. Then Stone Cold taunts Vince. So McMahon says you can’t trust Austin. (They’re already planting the seeds of Austin vs. McMahon.)

Next, Dok interviews Shawn Michaels. He asks if the end will justify the means if it hurts the tag team. Shawn says The Hart Foundation wants them to destroy each other. So he doesn’t want to do it. The whole world expects the classic of a lifetime. But he has his belt to worry about. Shawn asks Dok what he should do. Hendrix doesn’t know, so Shawn heads to the ring.

Shawn Michaels vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin

Notes: Some female fans give Shawn roses while Austin yells at a cameraman. Shawn has to pull himself away because some women grab him. During the entrance, Vince brings up Shawn’s pierced navel. He says he’s not fond of it. (Yeah, right.) I also want to point out something that happens early in the bout. A special needs fan jumps the guardrail. The security guards tackle him until they realize the situation. Shawn heads outside and escorts the kid back to his mother. Shawn may be a dick during this time period, but he handled this well.

The Match: After the fan interference, both men play a game of can you top this. They trade takedowns, mat holds, and Thesz Press attempts. Austin even mocks Shawn’s posing. Then they do a test of strength spot. But the match spills to the floor and becomes a brawl. Austin exposes the concrete and press slams Michaels. Then Shawn tumbles outside again on a missed jumping forearm. Next, they trade pin attempts until Austin grabs a chinlock. He uses the ropes for leverage, but the ref catches him.

They fight on the floor and the apron again. Shawn collides with the post on a missed corner charge. When Austin grabs Shawn, he exposes his butt. The women go crazy. Then they trade more pin attempts until the ref is wiped out by an Irish whip. Austin nails a Stunner, but there’s no ref. So Steve wakes the ref—and gives him a Stunner! When Stone Cold turns around, he eats Sweet Chin Music. Mike Chioda arrives and checks on Tim White instead of counting Shawn’s pin. A frustrated Michaels gives him Sweet Chin Music. This draws out Earl Hebner, and he’s having none of this nonsense! He yells at both men and calls for a double disqualification.

Thoughts: This was great. I like how they built to the chaos. Most of it was a technically solid bout. But then it turned into something else. That’s fun storytelling. I’m even okay with the finish. Neither man should lose right now. It was a unique way to get around it. Plus, Hebner’s reaction amused me.

Winner: Double Disqualification (22:29)

After the bell, Austin grabs the tag belts. He tries to hit Shawn with one, but Shawn moves. Both men have belts in their hands. So Hebner stops their fighting and tells them to leave. The officials restore order while Vince and JR speculate about fines or suspensions. Austin and Shawn argue with each other. Shawn calls him a jackass.

Then Todd interviews Faarooq and The Nation. He shows footage of Faarooq attacking Taker on RAW. Todd says Faarooq has a chance to become the first African-American WWF champion. Faarooq says chance is for old folks and fools. History will be made tonight. The hicks can punch it into the record books. Faarooq then says, “Undertaker, don’t worry about Paul Bearer’s blackmail. Worry about this black male!” (I liked that line.)

After Faarooq’s entrance, Dok interviews The Undertaker and Paul Bearer. First, Dok tells Taker everyone loves him. It doesn’t matter what the secret is. That won’t change. Taker starts to answer. But Bearer says, “Zip it, Lazarus!” Paul also tells Mr. Microphone to stay out of their business. As long as he has the secret, Taker will do whatever he says. He’ll do it when he says to do it. Taker walks away. So Bearer yells at him and leaves. Vince claims Dok was overzealous in his comments.

WWF Title Match: The Undertaker (c) (w/ Paul Bearer) vs. Faarooq (w/ The Nation of Domination)

Notes: PG-13 doesn’t rap The Nation to the ring. They’re gone now. Faarooq fed them to The Legion of Doom on RAW. It was a squash. The Nation left them to their fate, and we never saw them again. (JC Ice & Wolfie D had heat backstage. There was also a dispute over money. They left the WWF.) During Taker’s entrance, Vince brings up some of Taker’s comments. The Undertaker said he won’t go to hell when he dies. He’s living it right now. Vince also accuses Faarooq of playing the race card. Faarooq orders The Nation out of the ring while Taker enters. They have a conference on the floor. Meanwhile, Paul Bearer orders Taker around. Taker looks ready to deck him.

The Match: Faarooq jumps Taker, but Taker gives him punches, a clothesline, and a big boot. Faarooq answers with a powerslam and distracts the ref. This allows Crush & Savio to attack. But Taker rallies and attempts Old School. However, he dives onto The Nation instead. When Taker tries it a second time, Faarooq crotches him. Faarooq then uses a suplex, a low-blow, and more Nation interference. Faarooq also grabs the ring steps. But Taker boots them into Faarooq’s face. It’s not enough. Faarooq nails a piledriver and grabs a chinlock. He uses the ropes for leverage.

Taker rallies with a jawbreaker and tries a splash. Faarooq raises his knees. Then Taker blocks a Dominator, but he misses a leg drop. Taker also catches Faarooq in a slam. But he misses the jumping clothesline. Faarooq has control of the match until The Nation argues with each other. It distracts Faarooq. He yells at them, so Taker uses the opening. He gives Faarooq a Tombstone for the win.

Thoughts: This was slow and uninteresting. There were some cool moments. Taker’s dive onto The Nation was good. But it wasn’t enough. It was disappointing for a main event. The crowd was quiet for much of it. I get they wanted to do this storyline for Faarooq. But he doesn’t match up well with Taker.

Winner: The Undertaker (13:43)

The Nation attacks. So Taker chokeslams Savio and Crush. Everyone except D’Lo Brown leaves Faarooq in the ring because they don’t want the same. Paul Bearer then tells Taker to attack Faarooq next. Taker ignores him. So Bearer grabs Taker by the hair. He yells at him until Taker chokeslams Faarooq. Then Paul makes Taker do it multiple times. Ahmed Johnson finally has enough and runs to the ring. He tells Taker to stop this. Faarooq is a human being! Ahmed yells at Taker. He wants to know why Taker’s taking orders from Bearer. Johnson says get it together. Taker turns away, so Ahmed shoves him. Taker throws a punch. But Ahmed ducks and gives Taker The Pearl River Plunge. He then leaves. Paul Bearer yells at Taker until he rises and chases Paul out of the ring.

The Good:

• Austin/Michaels was great.

• Mankind’s promos.

• There was some good storyline work.

The Bad:

• The Goldust/Crush match.

• Some of the action was disappointing.

• The main event was dull.

Performer of the Night:

I’m giving it to Mankind. His character work and bumps were great. Even though he lost, this was his night to shine. He put a cap on the growing face turn.

Final Thoughts:

This show was heavy on the story and character work, but light on the in-ring quality. They haven’t found that good balance yet. I didn’t hate the show. But it wasn’t great. Much of this fell flat. The WWF still suffers from a thin undercard. Thankfully, the next PPV is much better.

Thank you for reading. My next review is WCW’s Great American Bash ’97. Look for it next Sunday.