War Memorial Auditorium, Rochester, NY; April 20, 1997
Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jerry “The King” Lawler & Jim Ross
Post-WrestleMania 13 (full review, click here), Bret Hart had turned full heel and reformed the Hart Foundation with Owen Hart and the British Bulldog and was gunning for Steve Austin.
WWF Tag Team Championship Owen Hart & British Bulldog vs. Legion of Doom: The British Bulldog it the European champion here; Owen and Animal start off and he whips Owen’s ass in the corner and hits a diving shoulderblock. Hart gets the advantage and applies a front facelock but Animal tosses him off. The Bulldog tags in but so does Hawk who levels Davey Boy with a lariat and drops a fist for a nearfall. The LOD punish Davey Boy in the corner, Owen tries to help but the referee pushes him away, Hawk hits another diving tackle. Hawk telegraphs a backdrop and the Bulldog kayos him with a lariat; he hits a stalling vertical suplex. Owen comes off the top with a sledge and tries for the Sharpshooter but Hawk kicks him off and delivers a clothesline. Animal returns and hits a powerslam and applies a reverse chinlock; Owen fights free but runs into a press-slam. The LOD team up for a bodyslam/top-rope splash combo but it gets only two. Owen reverses Hawk into the buckle but they hit head-to-head in the rebound; Owen hits the enziguri and floors Hawk and tags in Davey Boy. The Bulldog stomps away and applies a reverse chinlock; Hawk fights free but a knee to the kidneys puts him back down again. Owen Hart returns and applies a sleeper hold; Owen tries to direct traffic on a Bulldog powerslam but it fails and they get shoved together. Animal tags in and the LOD double clothesline him. The LOD gets a second-rope tandem powerslam for three and win the tag titles… but a second referee comes down and informs the original referee that the Animal pinned the illegal man so the match will continue. Owen demands the belts back and stall; the referee declares if they do not reenter the ring by the count of then they forfeit the titles. They run in and tackle the LOD and toss Hawk to the floor; Animal gets the advantage on Davey Boy but Owen tags in and spinning wheel kicks him. They isolate Animal in their corner and Owen applies a neckbreaker and a legdrop; Animal sneaks in a sunset flip but Owen distracts the referee for a ten count to the actual count only nets two. Owen misses a top-rope splash and Hawk receives the tag, he runs over the Bulldog and big boots Owen; they try a double clothesline but Hawk ducks and levels them both. The match breaks down again and the Bulldog gets tossed into the steel steps. The LOD hit the Doomsday Device but Bret Hart, who must have missed his cue because the referee has to stall for about five seconds before he counts, breaks up the match drawing a DQ for Owen and the Bulldog. 5/10 It would have been a good one if all of the extracurricular shenanigans hadn’t taken place and Bret ran out on time to break up the ending; as it is, it is an average match.
Dok Hendrix talks to Owen Hart and the British Bulldog they say they were not lucky and are a bit perplexed when they learn that Steve Austin made it to the arena (he arrived during their match).
Rocky Maivia cuts a promo and it is just weird sounding; Rocky all modest and nervous.
WWF Intercontinental Championship Rocky Maivia vs. Savio Vega (w/Nation of Domination): Savio won a non-title match against Rocky using the tights. Rocky attacks at the bell and pummels Savio with the belt still on. Faarooq comes down to commentate (with a broken arm) meanwhile in the ring Savio eats an arm drag and applies an armbar. Vega reverses and trapped spinning wheel kicks Maivia in the corner; Vega applies a neck crank as Faarooq clarifies his gauntlet challenge to Ahmed Johnson, if he beats the entire Nation in succession, Faarooq will disband it. This match is getting little attention as all of it is with Faarooq at the announce table. Maivia fights back and hits a high crossbody for two; Vega punches Rocky in the face and keeps the advantage with a trapezius hold. Savio tries a suplex but Rocky inside cradles him for two and Vega big boots him back down and reapplies a trapezius hold. Maivia fights back again and hits a fisherman’s suplex but an unnamed D’Lo Brown distracts the referee so it gets two. Savio kills Rocky with a jumping roundhouse kick; in the corner Vega lays in the chops, back to the trapezius hold. Rocky avoids another roundhouse kick and hits the People’s DDT for a nearfall. Maivia fights back but Vega reverse rolls out of the corner for two; the kickout posts Savio’s shoulder. Rocky with a back suplex and a belly-to-belly slam; an unnamed Rock Bottom gets two as does a backslide. Savio tosses Maivia out of the ring inadvertently landing on Crush on the outside. Crush reacts with a heart punch and Rocky gets counted out. Post-match Savio is hot at Crush for essentially costing him the title; Faarooq runs in and clears everything up with a good old beat down on Rocky. Ahmed Johnson makes the save with a 2×4; Ahmed accepts Faarooq’s gauntlet the challenge saying he will take on “this illegal immigrant, this convict and yo’ black ass”. 3.5/10 The whole Faarooq on commentary and Ahmed Johnson storyline completely eclipsed the match. The tension in the Nation started to show here as well.
Dok Hendrix talks with Marc Mero and Sable who discusses being voted Miss Slammy. Mero says he’ll be back in the ring this summer. In the background Steve Austin walks into the men’s room; a fracas ensues in there and the British Bulldog and Owen Hart walk out, notice the camera and run off.
“The Real Double J” Jesse James vs. Rockabilly (w/Honky Tonk Man): Oy, the Honky Tonk Man offered to manage Jesse James but he turned him down and smashed his guitar so Honky offered the protégé spot to Billy Gunn, who originally spurned the offer, and thus Rockabilly was born; oddly, these two would go on to form one of the biggest tag teams of the Attitude Era by the end of the year. Honky says that after his first offer to Billy, when he punched him, that Honky had his man and persistence won out. Rockabilly kicks James in the gut but Jesse fights back with a hiptoss and a dropkick; James leaps off the apron with a clothesline. Jesse does the Real Double J strut and drags Rockabilly back into the ring. Billy pokes Jesse in the eye and hits the (unnamed) Fameasser and does the Honky Tonk taunt. Rockabilly stomps away and casually beats on James hitting a neckbreaker for two; Billy applies a reverse chinlock. Jesse tries to fight back but Rockabilly pokes his eyes again. This match is totally heatless due to the suck. Rockabilly hits a twirling reverse elbow but misses a Stinger splash. James fights back with the dancing punches and hammers away in the corner. James hits a running clothesline in the corner but Rockabilly momentums him to the floor; back in the ring, Rockabilly casually tries for a Shake Rattle ‘n’ Roll but Jesse turns it into an inside cradle for three. Post-match James avoids a guitar shot from the Honky Tonk Man. 1.5/10 The match was boring, the gimmicks sucked and it all was painful. Thank GOD for second tag chances.
Dok Hendrix shills the Undertaker door banner. Kevin Kelly is with Steve Austin who demands to fight Bret Hart tonight despite the attack earlier. WWF President Gorilla Monsoon rearranges the card and puts Austin versus Bret on last to give him a breather. Elsewhere Lance Wright is with Bret, Owen Hart and the British Bulldog; the Bulldog says they were minding their own business and attacked Owen… it was self-defense.
Mankind says this will be the greatest night of his life and Undertaker’s screams will be music to his ear.
WWF Heavyweight Championship Undertaker vs. Mankind (w/Paul Bearer): This match is available on Tombstone: The History of the Undertaker DVD (available to purchase by clicking here). Mankind, deciding he wanted a title shot, tossed a fireball at the Undertaker to set this up. Taker has a bandage over his right eye. Mankind attacks at the bell but Taker immediately comes back and lays Mankind out in the corner. Mankind fights back on Taker’s bad side; Cactus clothesline sends them both to the floor but Taker lands on his feet and goozle-tosses him into the ring barricade, twice. Taker tosses him over the barricade on the other side; he follows both Mankind out and tosses him into the barricade and breaks the count. Mankind reenters ringside and they return to the ring. Taker hits a series of trapped shoulderblocks and goes for the Ropewalk Forearm; Mankind pulls himself free so the Undertaker jumps off the top rope with a diving clothesline. Taker goes for Snake Eyes but Paul Bearer hops up on the apron so Taker goes after him; Mankind sneaks up and clobbers him with the urn whilst the referee is dealing with Paul Bearer and gets a two count. Mankind becomes frustratory and tears his hair out, hits the Cactus knee and chokes away. Mankind hits a swinging neckbreaker and gets another two count so he applies a trapezius hold. Undertaker fights back as the crowd chants “rest in peace” and punches him through the ropes to the floor. Mankind drags Taker to the floor but reverses a shot into the steel steps; Mankind grabs a glass pitcher and clobbers the Undertaker with it. The commentators (and I) question why that is not a DQ. Now Mankind grabs a chair and hits Taker in the head with it; he drops a second rope Cactus elbow and rakes the bandaged eye. Mankind pulls off the bandage revealing dark burns and pulling piledrives him… twice. Taker begins to fire back and punches away and hits the diving clothesline; he reverses a whip and follows up with a running clothesline but the referee manages to get sandwiched in between. Mankind immediately applies the Mandible Claw but there is no referee; a second referee runs down but Mankind takes him out with a Mandible Claw as well. Paul Bearer tosses a chair into Mankind; he decides he wants the steel steps instead. Undertaker sits up and dropkicks the steps onto Mankind; he gets up and beats on Mankind and smashes him with the steel chair. Taker tosses Mankind into the ring rope hangman; Taker rips the mask off and Mankind tumbles to the floor. Mankind climbs to the apron and the Undertaker knocks him off with the steel steps sending Mankind flying headfirst through the announce table. Back in the ring a chokeslam gets… a two count! Taker drops him with a Tombstone and that finally gets the pinfall. Post-match Taker goes after Paul Bearer and the brawl continues, Mankind was supposed to light another fireball and Taker was supposed to pull Paul Bearer in the way, but Mankind cannot get it lit. After two failed attempts, Undertaker grabs it away and lights it in Paul Bearer’s face. 7.5/10 Good wild no rules-like brawl as these two had a great feud throughout 1996 and it continued into 1997. The fireball botch hurt the ending but the point was made; good thing they were all professionals and didn’t shit themselves.
Bret Hart says that the match is more like a war; Bret rips the American fans and there is a war between him and them. Hart says he wants to end Steve Austin’s career and everyone else in the WWF until he proves he is the best.
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin vs. Bret “Hitman” Hart (w/Owen Hart & British Bulldog): Bret is morphing his ring attire with a lot more black in it to show his new heel edge. WWF President Gorilla Monsoon comes out immediately and ejects the Bulldog and Owen; Bret is none too pleased as Austin makes his entrance. Bret attacks at the bell and a slugfest erupts; Austin wins that exchange and hits a vertical suplex. Austin chokes Bret on the ropes and Hart escapes to the floor; he drops a sledge off the apron but Bret recovers and kicks him in the gut and tosses him into the ring barricade. Steve reverses a whip and launches Bret into the steel steps and mocks Bret’s strut. Austin tosses him into the crowd and hits a double axe off the ring barricade. Austin flings him back into the aisle and they return to the ring where Austin drops a second ropes Bret-like elbow for two. The commentary switches from English to French and back, due to a technical malfunction, meanwhile Bret tries to retrieve a chair right in front of Gorilla Monsoon, who is seated at ringside. Back in the ring, Bret has the chair but Stone Cold nails him before he could use it. Austin grabs the chair but referee Earl Hebner grabs it and they fight over the chair so Hart dropkicks Austin inadvertently bumping Hebner in the collision; Bret obtains the chair and skewers Austin’s previously injured knee with it. Hart revives the official and works the leg of Stone Cold ramming it into the apron a few times. Bret applies the ringpost figure-four leglock. Bret notes in his autobiography, Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling (great read, by the way) available to purchase by clicking here, that that move does not hurt the opposing wrestler in anyway yet looks devastating. Hebner yells at Bret to get it back in the ring; Hart responds by smashing a chair into the leg around the ringpost with a chair a few times. I guess we’ve totally abandoned disqualifications here. Austin fights back on one leg and stomps away but Bret kicks the leg out and promptly applies a leglock. We get a split-screen of Paul Bearer screaming and being wheeled into an ambulance. Back in the match, Bret removes Austin’s DonJoy and rope splashes onto the exposed knee. Austin sneaks in a blatant low blow and drops a leg onto Hart’s groin then removes his wrist tape and chokes Bret with it. Austin misses a second rope elbow and hurts his knee on the landing; Bret kicks away at the hamstrings in preparation for the Sharpshooter. Austin hotshots Bret off the ropes and tries to suplex he to the floor but Bret Hart reverses it. Bret applies a figure-four leglock; Austin eventually reverses it and Bret grabs the ropes. Hart works Austin over on the ringpost again and they battle on the floor where Austin backdrops Bret into the crowd where the brawl continues. Stone Cold tosses Bret back into the ringside area where he drops Bret’s throat onto the ring barricade; Austin dives off the apron with a clothesline. Back in the ring, Bret goes sternum first into the corner; Austin pummels Bret and gets a nearfall. Austin tries a piledriver but his leg buckles and he could not execute it correctly. Hart continues to work the leg again and tries to whip him into the corner but he (and his leg) collapses halfway there; Bret wraps Austin’s leg into the ropes. Hart charges but Austin catches him in a Stungun on the turnbuckle. Bret comes back with his own low blow. This match had a real fight feel as opposed to a professional wrestling match. Bret locks in a top-rope superplex right onto Austin’s DonJoy and goes for the Sharpshooter but Austin clunks him with the DonJoy and applies the Sharpshooter to Bret. Owen and the British Bulldog return to ringside, Austin fends them off and reapplies the Sharpshooter. The Bulldog runs in with a chair and nails Austin with it to draw the DQ, saving Bret from submitting. Post-match Bret gets the ring bell and tries to nail Austin but he grabs a chair and smashes it into Bret’s knee. Stone Cold reapplies the Sharpshooter; Owen and the Bulldog pull the injured Bret to safety. 8.5/10 Damn good fight here; Austin and Bret never met a good match they did not like together, this one was no different. The DQ ending (despite the numerous non-calls throughout the match) made sense in that Bret now had backup as opposed to being alone; good hard “war” as Bret Hart stated earlier.
OVERALL 7/10 The show had a bunch of non-finishes but in this case they fit well in the context of things; with the Hart Foundation reformed, Bret Hart now had more of a chance to be an aggressive dick, with them covering each other’s backs. The Mankind/Undertaker brawl is a hidden gem during a time period where everything was entertaining, creative and fresh. All off the rest was average to below but the nucleus for a future was beginning to take shape.