WWF 1997.06.08 - King Of The Ring

Location: Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island

Commentators: Vince McMahon, Jim Ross

Match 1. Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Ahmed Johnson

This is a semi-final for the King of the Ring tournament. Ahmed Johnson comes to the ring first. Then Triple H comes, accompanied by Chyna. Ahmed dominates the match from the beginning with his greater strength, tossing Triple H around the ring. Attacks by Triple H are shrugged off. After five minutes Triple H applies a Pedigree and pins Ahmed. It's not certain why. Triple H was losing until this point.

Match 2. Mankind vs Jerry Lawler

This is the other semi-final of the King of the Ring tournament. Mankind comes to the ring and complains that Paul Bearer isn't with him because he has more important things to do. He says that Jerry Lawler is like the emperor with no clothes. Todd Pettengill attempts to interview Jerry Lawler, but he refuses to answer questions and walks down the ramp, insulting members of the audience as he passes them. He tells Vince McMahon that he should be glad that the WWF has Mankind, because if Mankind died Vince would be the ugliest man on Earth.

The match starts outside the ring with a vicious attack by Mankind. When they're inside the ring Jerry Lawler gains the advantage by hitting Mankind with a foreign object that he pulled out of his tights. He stuffs it back in every time the referee wants to see what he's holding. Jerry repeatedly bites Mankind's damaged ear. Finally Mankind applies the Mandible Claw, and Jerry Lawler submits.

Todd Pettengill interviews Brian Pillman to ask him why he's in the arena, seeing that his match against Steve Austin has been cancelled. He says he's present to support his family (the Hart Foundation). Steve Austin attacks Brian from behind and drags him to the men's room, where he flushes his head in the toilet.

Match 3. Goldust vs Crush

Despite Crush's superior strength, Goldust has the advantage from the start. Overall it's a fair match, without interruption from the Nation of Domination (D-Lo Brown and Clarence Mason). The only incident is when they threaten Marlena outside the ring. Goldust has to leave the ring to protect her, and Crush attacks him from behind, but Goldust quickly recovers and wins the match.

Marlena watches her husband. Where's little Dakota tonight? She's probably at home watching the match on television.

Match 4. Legion of Doom & Sycho Sid vs British Bulldog & Owen Hart & Jim Neidhart

This is a six-man tag team contest. Before the match Dok Hendrix interviews the Legion of Doom and Sycho Sid, while Todd Pettengill interviews the Hart Foundation. It's the usual trash talking. There are doubts whether Sid will be able to work together with the Legion of Doom, but he soon proves himself to be a good tag team partner. The match starts out with discipline from both sides, but towards the end it breaks down into chaos and all six men are in the ring. Finally Owen Hart pins Sid. It's a fast-paced exciting match.

Match 5. Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs Mankind

This is the final of the King of the Ring tournament. Mankind comes to the ring clutching his ear, which was injured by Jerry Lawler in the semi-final. Triple H is accompanied by his bodyguard Chyna. It's a brutal match, with more brawling than technical expertise. Mankind should have won. He pinned Triple H, but the referee didn't see it because he was distracted by Chyna. That's understandable. She'd distract me as well. Less than a minute later Mankind applies the Mandible Claw, but Chyna pulls him out of the ring by his hair. In the aftermath Triple H pedigrees Mankind on the announcers table.

There's a third interference by Chyna. When Mankind is climbing back into the ring she hits him on the back with the metal sceptre for the tournament winner. Triple H pins Mankind and wins the tournament.

Todd Pettengill is too slow getting in the ring to proclaim Triple H the winner, so Chyna pulls him into the ring and throws him on the floor. Triple H is given a royal robe. When he's given his crown, he uses it to beat Mankind on the head.

Match 6. Steve Austin vs Shawn Michaels

The commentators have no more table, thanks to Triple H.

Nevertheless, Bret Hart comes to the ring as guest commentator, accompanied by the rest of the Hart Foundation. Todd Pettengill wants to interview him, but Bret pushes him away to give his own speech. Bret says he's almost fit enough to wrestle. He issues a challenge to any five American wrestlers to face the Hart Foundation in a ten-man tag team match at next month's PPV, the Canadian Stampede.

When Bret wants to sit down as commentator there's no headset and not even a chair for him. The Hart Foundation begins to threaten Vince McMahon and Jim Ross, so Jerry Brisco orders the whole Hart Foundation, including Bret, to leave the arena.

Dok Hendrix interviews Steve Austin. Steve says that he won't cripple Shawn Michaels, because he wants to remain the tag team champions with him a while longer, but he'll definitely win the match tonight. Steve Austin goes to the ring, and Dok Hendrix interviews Shawn Michaels. Shawn says that he doesn't want to hurt Steve Austin because they're partners, but he'll do what he has to do.

The girls all love Shawn Michaels. They don't call him Sexy Boy for nothing.

The match begins.

But Shawn interrupts the match to help a mentally handicapped boy who's fallen over the railing.

And the match continues. It goes slowly for the first few minutes. It seems like Shawn Michaels is pulling his punches. He has to start fighting harder, because Steve Austin is showing no mercy. The excitement mounts, and the whole audience is standing. Shawn throws Steve against the referee Tim White, knocking him unconscious. Steve pins Shawn, but there's no referee. Steve reacts by stunning the referee. Shawn pins Steve, but there's still no referee. Another referee comes in to check on Tim White's health. Shawn dropkicks the new referee for no particular reason. A third referee, Earl Hebner, comes to the ring and disqualifies both wrestlers. Steve and Shawn continue to fight. Another two referees enter the ring. I'm seeing stripes before my eyes. Steve and Shawn leave the ring together. At first they're arguing, but then it's clear that they accept one another as partners. They might not be friends, but they have respect for one another.

Match 7. WWF Championship, Undertaker vs Faarooq

The Undertaker is clearly the better wrestler, but there's a lot of interference from the Nation of Domination. After a long match, Savio Vega and Crush begin to fight outside the ring. This distracts Faarooq, allowing the Undertaker to attack him from behind. The Undertaker pins him with a Tombstone and retains the WWF title.

After the match Faarooq is lying in the ring, and Paul Bearer tells the Undertaker to slam him. The Undertaker refuses at first, but then obeys Paul's instructions. What's this great secret that gives Paul such power over the Undertaker? Paul insists on yet another chokeslam. This time the Undertaker resists longer before giving in. Then the Undertaker chokeslams Faarooq a third time for Paul Bearer. Ahmed Johnson runs into the ring and tells the Undertaker to stop listening to Paul. Ahmed slams the Undertaker, then leaves. When the Undertaker stands up, he's obviously questioning whether he should be loyal to Paul.