WWE Vintage Collection TV Report
August 16, 2009
Aired in the U.K. on Sky Sports
Report by Cody Endres, PWTorch contributor

WWE's Vintage Collection show airs in the U.K., Canada, and Australia. The show is hosted by Mean Gene Okerlund. They show a varied assortment of older matches every week, similar to WWE's "Classics On Demand" pay subscription service.

-A video aired hyping Shawn Michaels vs. Vader from SummerSlam '96.

-Gene Okerlund opened the show surrounded by the vintage SummerSlam sign and cardboard cutouts of Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon, and Bret Hart. This week's SummerSlam show features Shawn Michaels vs. Vader, but we start out with the opening match from that very PPV.

1 – OWEN HART vs. SAVIO VEGA

This match is from the SummerSlam PPV held on August 18, 1996 in Cleveland, Ohio. Hart has a cast on his left arm. Vega hits a series of clotheslines and Hart begs off in the corner. Vega with a sidewalk slam for a nearfall. Hart catches Vega with a neck breaker and then nails a missile dropkick from the top. Hart climbs up again, but Vega crotches him. Vega executes a back suplex off the top. The announcers explain that Vega knocked his head against Hart's cast on the landing. Behind the referee's back, Hart removes the cast and hits Vega with it. Hart locks in the Sharpshooter on an unconscious Vega for the win.

WINNER: Owen Hart in 3:00 of what aired. Not really fair to judge a 13 minute match that was edited down to three minutes. That being said, it was a good dose of Owen nostalgia.

[Commercial Break]

-A video aired hyping the SummerSlam PPV.

-The great Todd Pettengill did voice over for a short video hyping up the upcoming Diesel vs. Razor Ramon match for the IC Title. Speaking of Pettengill, see what he's up to now at www.ToddsCDs.com It's worth the visit just to check out his hair. Okerlund explained that Ramon was cashing in on his rematch clause after dropping the IC title to Diesel. To combat Shawn Michaels at ringside, The Bad Guy brought NFL legend Walter Payton as his backup.

2 – DIESEL (w/Shawn Michaels) vs. RAZOR RAMON (w/Walter Payton) – WWE IC Title Match

This match is from the SummerSlam PPV held on August 29, 1994 from the newly opened United Center in Chicago. Diesel works over Ramon with his typical offense of clubs and knees. We are still treated to this in 2009. Michaels manages to pull Ramon's hair from the outside. Diesel locks in a sleeper, but Ramon battles out with a back suplex. Diesel moves out of the way of a charging Ramon and tosses him over the top rope. With the ref distracted, Michaels removes one of the pads from the top turnbuckle. While the red admonishes Payton, Michaels leaps off the ring steps and takes out Ramon with a clothesline.

[Commercial Break]

-The "Please Do Not Try This at Home" video aired.

Ramon rallies with a series of punches. Ramon jumps off the second rope and connects with a bulldog for a nearfall. Ramon follows up with a slam for another nearfall. Michaels climbs up to the apron and Ramon punches him. Michaels does a fantastic bump off the apron and into the guardrail. Diesel attempts a Jacknife, but Ramon back body drops him. After more interference by Michaels, Diesel lands a running shoulder block. With the ref admonishing Payton again, Michaels enters the ring and accidentally superkicks Diesel instead of Ramon. Michaels runs away from Payton at ringside. Ramon slowly crawls over and covers Diesel for the victory.

WINNER: Razor Ramon in 7:54 of what aired to capture the WWE IC Title. Decent match, but the highlight was undoubtedly Shawn Michaels's ringside shenanigans.

[Commercial Break]

-Todd Pettengill recapped the Bret Hart-Jerry Lawler feud. After losing a "Kiss My Foot" match at the King of the Ring two months earlier, Lawler enlisted the help of evil dentist Isaac Yankem, D.D.S. Oakerlund said he would be flossing more often after witnessing Yankem's brand of dentistry.

3 – BRET HART vs. ISAAC YANKEM, D.D.S. (w/Jerry Lawler)

This match is from the SummerSlam PPV held on August 27, 1995 in Pittsburgh. Yankem would go on to become the fake Diesel and Kane. Hart hits an inverted atomic drop followed by a clothesline to send Yankem out to the floor. Hart takes out Yankem with a plancha. Back in the ring Hart tried to attempt the Sharpshooter, but dropped a headbutt to the midsection instead. Hart with a backslide for a nearfall. Yankem hoists up Hart and drops the Hitman across the top rope. Yankem whips Hart across the ring and Hart does the chest first bump.

[Commercial Break]

-Another video aired hyping the SummerSlam PPV.

Hart tugs Yankem's legs around the ringpost and ties them up with an electrical wire. Hart stomps away at Yankem. While the referee unties Yankem, Hart attacks Lawler at ringside. Yankem leaps off the top rope to the floor and nails Hart with a double axe handle. Lawler trips up Hart from the outside. Lawler and Yankem work together to entangle Hart's head between the ropes. The ref calls for the immediate disqualification.

WINNER: Bret Hart by DQ in 5:37 of what aired. Nothing worthwhile.

[Commercial Break]

-An awesome video aired of Vader highlights including the Mastadon murdering various jobbers with powerbombs and even taking Yokozuna down with a clothesline. Okerlund explained that 1996 was a changing of the guard in WWE as Michaels captured the WWE Title at WrestleMania and achieved his boyhood dream. A new crop of contenders emerged including the man they call Vader.

4 – SHAWN MICHAELS (w/Jose Lothario) vs. VADER (w/Jim Cornette) – WWE Title Match

This match is also from the SummerSlam PPV held on August 18, 1996 in Cleveland, Ohio. Michaels hammers away at a downed Vader. Back on his feet, Vader attempts to toss Michaels out of the ring. Michaels reverses the situation and Vader tumbles to the floor. Michaels runs across the ring and leaps over the top rope with a crossbody to take out Vader. The action continues in the ring where Michaels lands a double axe handle off the top and then a hurancanrana. Michaels leaps up on Vader's shoulders and sends him to the outside with a victory roll. Michaels leaps over the top for another huracanrana, but Vader simply powerbombs him on the floor.

[Commercial Break]

-John Cena hosts a "Please, Don't Try This" video

Michaels gains momentum with a running clothesline and then climbs up to the top. Instead of landing his usual elbow drop Michaels jumped down to the mat, screamed a few times, and stomped Vader in the face. Apparently, Vader was supposed to move out of the way. Very unprofessional of Michaels. Michaels with a running crossbody that sends both men to the floor. Vader whips Michaels into the edge of the ring and then drops him throat first across the guardrail. Vader enters the ring and the ref calls for the bell and awards the match to Vader by countout. Cornette grabs a microphone and wants the match to continue so Vader can win the title. Referees escort Michaels to the back. Cornette calls him gutless. The match is restarted as Vader attacks Michaels at ringside. Cornette smacks Michaels with the dreaded tennis racket. Vader hits a big splash in the corner and a belly to belly suplex for a nearfall. Vader hoists up Michaels for a powerbomb, but Michaels breaks free with some punches. Michaels with a running punch and then an elbow drop off the top rope (no hissy fit this time). Cornette tosses his tennis racket into the ring. Michaels grabs the racket and smacks Vader with it repeatedly for the DQ. Michaels also gets some shots in on Cornette. Cornette grabbed the mic and claimed Michaels got disqualified on purpose to keep his title. Gorilla Monsoon orders the match to continue. Michaels hits another elbow drop off the top rope and then tunes up the band in the corner. Michaels hits Sweet Chin Music, but Vader kicks out at two. Vader shoves Michaels into the referee. Vader hits the Vader Bomb for a nearfall. Vader drags Michaels towards the corner, but Michaels rolled out of the way of a moonsault attempt. Michaels slowly climbs to the top and hits a standing moonsault for the sudden victory.

WINNER: Shawn Michaels in 13:17 of what aired to retain the WWE Title. Great match that saved the show. Michaels's unprofessionalism was inexcusable.

-Next week: Our look back at SummerSlam concludes.

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