PW Torch.com Nostalgia Review
1997 WWF Survivor Series
By Brian Hoops, PW Torch.com Special Contributor
This week's look back at wrestling nostalgia takes us back to November 16, 1997 and the most famous and arguably the most important PPV in wrestling history, WWF Survivor Series 1997. This PPV will be forever remember as the "Screwjob in Montreal." In the PPV main event, Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart for the WWF World Heavyweight Title amidst the most controversial and possibly the most famous finish in wrestling history. The buy rate of this PPV was .89, above the WCW November PPV WWIII; which drew a .56 buy rate. The crowd at the sold out Molsen Centre was announced at 20,593 and the crowd was red hot throughout the PPV. The WWF was doing a anti-American angle, that ironically was suggested first by Bret Hart, and this angle was reviving a slumping business as the WWF was beginning to gain ground on the WCW.
In the opening Survivor Series elimination match, Road Dogg & Bad Ass Billy Gunn & The Godwinns defeated The Head Bangers & The New Blackjacks in 15:27. In order of elimination, Bradshaw pinned Henry Godwinn; Phinneus Godwinn pinned Blackjack Windham; Gunn pinned Mosh; Thrasher pinned Phinneus; and Road Dogg pinned Bradshaw. This left Dogg & Gunn versus Thrasher, who was quickly pinned. This match was a below average match.
The second match saw The Truth Commision (Kurrgan the Interrogator & the Jackyl & Recon & Sniper) defeat Disciples of Apocalypse (Crush & Chainz & Skull & Eight Ball) in 9:58. The match was designed to push Kurrgan, but he didn’t get over. He destroyed and pinned Chainz in 1:18. Skull pinned Jackyl in 2:52 with a side slam. Jackyl did color on this match after being elminated. Eight Ball pinned Recon after a clothesline in 5:20. Sniper pinned Skull in 6:30 after a botched bulldog. Kurrgan pinned Eight Ball in 8:51 after a side slam. Crush pinned Sniper in 9:47 after a tilt a whirl slam. Kurrgan pinned Crush to win the match. This match was worse than the first match.
Next up, Team Canada (Davey Boy Smith & Jim Neidhart & Doug Furnas & Phil La Fon) defeated Team USA (Vader & Goldust & Marc Mero & Steve Blackman) in 17:47. This match had the potential to be a disaster, as this was Steve Blackman’s debut, Goldust had recently turned heel and Marc Mero was in the process of turning heel. Blackman was the first eliminated, counted out at the 5:47 mark. Vader pinned Neidhart in 7:32 after a splash, and also pinned La Fon in 9:07 after a splash off the middle rope. Furnas pinned Mero in 11:59 after reversing a sunset flip. Goldust refused to tag in the whole match (in reality he had a broken hand and couldn’t work), so Vader got mad at him and slapped him, tagging him in. Goldust then walked out on his team and was counted out in 17:00. This left Vader with Furnas and Smith. Vader pinned Furnas in 17:35 after a Vader bomb. Smith used the ring bell on Vader and pinned him to win the match at the 17:47 mark. It turned out to be a good match.
In the fourth match, Kane pinned Mankind in 9:29 of a very good match. This was Kane’s debut match. Mankind did an excellent job carrying this match, taking all kinds of big bumps including a plunge through a table. Mankind used a double arm DDT on the floor and also an elbow drop off the ring apron. Finish came when Kane threw Mankind off the top rope to the outside, then gave him the tombstone piledriver in the ring for the win.
The fifth match saw another Survivor Series elimination match, with Ken Shamrock & Ahmed Johnson & the Road Warriors defeating the Nation of Domination (Faarooq & Rocky Maivia & D-Lo Brown & Kama Mustafa) in 20:34. The purpose of this match was to get over Ken Shamrock as one of the top. Maivia pinned Hawk in 2:15 for the first elimination. Johnson pinned Faarooq in 4:39 after a Pearl River plunge. Faarrooq remained at ringside, and ended up tripping Johnson later in the match, helping Maivia to pin Johnson in 6:19. Johnson and Faarooq then brawled to the back. Animal pinned Kama Mustafa in 10:53, after Kama had bumped into Maivia on the ring apron. This left Shamrock & Animal vs Maivia & Brown. Road Dogg & Billy Gunn came out, wearing the Road Warriors spiked shoulder pads that they had stolen. Animal went after them, but Gunn threw powder in his eyes and Animal was counted out in 15:22. Shamrock pinned Brown after a belly to belly suplex in 17:11. Shamrock eventually made Maivia tap out via the ankle lock to win the match.
In the semi-final main event, Stone Cold Steve Austin regained the Intercontinental title, defeating Owen Hart in 4:04 of an average match. Austin won the IC Title from Owen at SummerSlam, but was injured on a botched piledriver and had to forfeit the title. Owen won it in a tournament and this was the rematch for the title. Neidhart tried to jump Austin early, but received the stunner for his efforts. They teased a piledriver spot, but Austin escaped from it. Hart tried to get himself DQ’d, but the referee wouldn’t DQ him, and Austin hit the stunner for the win. After the match, Austin also gave the stunner to both Doug Furnas and Phil La Fon.
Final match was the main event. Background of the match was this: In October 1996, Bret Hart was made offers by both the WWF and WCW as his WWF contract was expiring. Out of loyalty to the WWF, Hart agreed to a long term contract with the WWF (20 years). However, by September 1997, Vince McMahon had asked Bret to take a 50% pay cut because of financial problems within the WWF. Vince told Bret he was going to release Bret from his WWF contract and Hart should negotiate with WCW. In October 1997, Vince asked Hart to lose in Montreal several times, but Hart refused, partly because it was in Canada, but mainly because Michaels had repeatedly said that he wouldn’t do a job in return. On November 1, Hart gave his notice to the WWF that he would be leaving the WWF for the WCW. McMahon again asked Hart to lose at the Survivor Series, and Hart again declined citing the creative control clause in his contract. Vince agreed to a D.Q. finish at Survivor Series and Bret agreed to either hand the belt over at the next Monday Night Raw or to lose the belt to Michaels at the December PPV. Here is what transpired the night of the Survivor Series PPV. Shawn Michaels defeated Bret Hart to win the WWF World title in 12:11, in a very good match that will be remember forever for the finish. The heat for this match was incredible, with fans standing throughout the match. Hart and Michaels brawled around ringside. Michaels punched Pat Patterson in the aisle. Vince McMahon came out with Gerald Brisco and stood at ringside, with Hart and McMahon having words at one point. Michaels knocked down referee Tim White, and Hart punched referee Jack Doan. This was all before the match actually started. They had an excellent match together, with Michaels attacking Hart with the Canadian flag pole and Hart putting Michaels in a figure four, wrapped around the ring post. The two had several near falls, before the famous sharpshooter finish occurred. Hart allowed Michaels to put him in the sharpshooter, with the idea that Hart would reverse it and Triple H and Chyna would run out and cause the DQ finish, with the Hart Foundation then running out to fight with Michaels and Triple H. However, referee Earl Hebner claimed Hart submitted and called for the bell to be rung. Hart immediately knew he was screwed over by McMahon and spit right in the face of McMahon from the ring. Michaels grabbed the title belt, and accompanied by Triple H, was walked to the back very quickly by Gerald Brisco. The Hart Foundation was furious and refused to leave the ring until Bret went to the back area to find Vince McMahon.
Summary: This PPV is a must see from a historical standpoint as the finish of the main event is infamous. This PPV was a turning point for the WWF as this PPV created one of the greatest heel personas of wrestling history, literally by mistake. Vince McMahon was a TV broadcaster prior to this match, however because of Vince screwing over Bret, he became the hottest heel in wrestling and the persona of "Mr. McMahon" was born. Vince originally wanted this incident to be forgotten, however he quickly became absorbed by his new heel role and would continue to play off this personality for well over the next 10 years. Soon, every wrestling fan wanted to see Vince McMahon get his ass kicked and the emergence of Stone Cold Steve Austin was the perfect opponent for McMahon.
Next week, we will look at the WCW PPV, World War III 1997.
I hope you enjoyed this week's look at wrestling nostalgia. As always, your questions and comments are welcome. Please contact me at bhoops@iw.net.
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