Hall’s WWE Summerslam 1997 Review

Summerslam 1997
Date: August 3, 1997
Location: Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Attendance: 20,213
Commentators: Jerry Lawler, Vince McMahon, Jim Ross

This is one of the biggest shows of the year, to the point where it even had a subtitle with Hart & Soul. The main event is Undertaker defending the WWF Title against Bret Hart, with Shawn Michaels as guest referee. That’s in addition to Steve Austin challenging Owen Hart for the Intercontinental Title, which I’m sure will be fine. Let’s get to it.

We open with the Star Spangled Banner, albeit with no introduction or anything else. Kind of an odd way to go.

The opening video talks about how if things were fair, the greats would still be remembered positively forever. Instead, someone like Bret Hart is a fallen hero who hates everyone around him. Or Undertaker wouldn’t be facing these odds. Or Shawn Michaels might still be champion. No other matches are even mentioned.

Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Mankind

In a cage with escape only and Chyna is here with Helmsley. These two have been feuding for a long time now and this is the big finale. Helmsley immediately dives for the door but can’t get out, even as he kicks at Mankind’s head. Mankind drives Helmsley face first into the (big blue) bar and hammers away in the corner. There’s the running knee into a Texas piledriver to knock Helmsley silly.

Chyna won’t let Mankind go out the door so we’ll go with the Mandible Claw instead. That’s broken up with Chyna reaching through the bars to choke Mankind, allowing Helmsley to actually fight back for a change. A discus lariat puts Helmsley down again so Mankind goes up, only to get crotched by Chyna. One heck of a superplex from the top of the cage leaves Mankind thudding onto the mat and it’s time for the door. Mankind cuts that off so it’s time for Helmsley to send him into the cage over and over.

Helmsley goes up but gets caught by the leg to pull him…well mostly back inside. Instead Helmsley winds up hanging by the leg, allowing Mankind to pull him back down again. Chyna gets in yet another cheap shot though so there’s the facebuster to put Mankind back down. Back up and Helmsley is thrown hard into the cage as believe it or not, Mankind is good at the whole hardcore thing. A backdrop sends Mankind into the cage and they both go up, with Helmsley getting crotched on top.

Chyna is so upset that she almost has an expression on her face. Helmsley’s leg is tied up in the ropes so Chyna SLAMS the door on Mankind’s head (that looked brutal) and takes out the referee. A chair is thrown inside but Mankind counters the Pedigree into a catapult to send Helmsley into Chyna, knocking her off the cage.

A double arm DDT on the cage knocks Helmsley silly so Mankind goes up and almost out…but he stops to take off the mask. The fans chant SUPERFLY and Mankind climbs back up, where he rips open the shirt to reveal a Dude Love heart on his chest, and there’s the big elbow from the top of the cage. Helmsley is dead so Mankind climbs out to win at 16:33, even with Chyna pulling Helmsley to the door.

Rating: B+. These guys had an old school cage fight with that dive off the cage looking great. They always had outstanding chemistry together so it’s no surprise that they made it work again here. Helmsley and Chyna were an awesome combination too so it makes Mankind look like all the bigger star for being able to beat them on his own. Outstanding opener.

Post match Mankind lays on the mat but the Dude Love music starts playing and the foot starts tapping. A limping Love gets up and struts out in a great moment.

Here is Governor Christine Todd Whitman, with Gorilla Monsoon and the Headbangers (they’re from New Jersey but that’s not exactly well known) of all people, to be presented with a WWF Title for getting rid of the taxes keeping the company out of New Jersey. They talk about how big of a deal it is and as usual, the WWF is entertainment or sports depending on how it helps them the most (which, granted, a lot of companies would do).

Commentary recaps Goldust vs. Brian Pillman, which is basically Pillman is annoying Goldust and if Pillman loses, he has to wear a dress.

Tiger Ali Singh and Tiger Jeet Singh are here. Thanks for the warning.

There was a big party to hype up Summerslam earlier today, with Dok Hendrix singing. This is more filler as they get rid of the cage.

Goldust vs. Brian Pillman

Marlena is here with Goldust. Before the match, Pillman says he knows Marlena wants him in her dress, but he’s not that easy. Pillman jumps him in the corner to start but Goldust jumps to the middle rope for a back elbow to the jaw. Goldust kisses him to the floor so Pillman chases Marlena, only to get dropped by a hard clothesline. From Goldust, not Marlena.

Back in and Pillman snaps off a suplex before going up top, where Goldust throws him…onto the rope for a crash to the floor. That’s a weird way to go but Pillman hides behind Marlena (with noted superfan Vladimir looking on) and grabs a DDT on the outside. Back in and we hit the chinlock on Goldust, who fights up and gets put back down with a clothesline.

Goldust is back up with a clothesline of his own before winning a slugout. They horrible botch a sunset flip, as Goldust looks like he’s trying to rip Pillman’s legs off. Instead of just going back with it and trying something else, Pillman, eventually, crawls over to the ropes so Marlena can hit him with the purse to give Goldust the pin at 7:13.

Rating: D+. Yeah this didn’t work and that’s mainly because Pillman’s body was just not holding up. He was absolutely trying as hard as he could and I feel bad for him, but the match wasn’t there. The ending alone looked terrible and they would have been a lot better to improvise something else. Not an all time disaster, but not good in any way.

Post match Marlena throws in the mannequin with the dress and Pillman freaks out.

Legion Of Doom vs. The Godwinns

This is the evil Godwinns and that’s not their best period for an understatement. In the back, the Legion Of Doom swears revenge for everything the Godwinns have done for them. Granted the Godwinns were mad when Henry broke his neck off a Doomsday Device so it’s not exactly out of nowhere. They stare each other down to start and the brawl is on with some clotheslines dropping the Godwinns.

The villains bail to the floor and kick the steps a bit before coming back inside. Animal flips out of a double belly to back suplex and hits a double clothesline to send the Godwinns outside again. Back in and Henry hammers on Hawk to take over but gets taken outside for a whip into the steps. Hawk gets caught in the wrong corner back inside, with Phineas grabbing a hangman hold to work on the neck.

With that broken up, it’s off to Animal vs. Henry, with the latter hitting a heck of a Cactus Clothesline. Animal gets knocked into the barricade as Captain Lou Albano, in the front row, doesn’t approve. The bearhug goes on back inside, allowing Lawler to list off some towns in Arkansas. Animal gets out and knocks down a diving Phineas, allowing the tag back to Hawk. House is quickly cleaned and a neckbreaker gets two on Henry, but Phineas breaks up the Doomsday Device. Instead it’s a spike piledriver to beat Henry at 9:15.

Rating: C-. So I’m supposed to cheer for the guys who spike piledrove the wrestler recovering from a broken neck? That seems like quite the stretch and the match itself wasn’t much better. If nothing else, I was sick of seeing Hawk and Animal throw so many clotheslines, as it was most of their offense for a good chunk of the match. The Godwinns were never going to be taken seriously either, so this was a passable hoss fight and not much more.

Some fans, with Sable and Sunny, try to win a million dollars by picking a key to see if it unlocks a coffin. They also call someone to be a contestant and after three calls don’t work (one doesn’t answer, one is disconnected and one isn’t watching the show), a fourth finally picks a number of their own. None of them win as this must have been THRILLING for the live crowd (along with the Governor earlier).

We recap Ken Shamrock challenging the British Bulldog for the European Title. They were having an arm wrestling match when Bulldog cheated and covered Shamrock in dog food. Therefore, the title is on the line but if Bulldog loses the title, he has to eat a can of dog food. That hardly feels like a fair set of stipulations.

European Title: Ken Shamrock vs. British Bulldog

Bulldog is defending and they start with the early brawling. Shamrock starts fast with a suplex and goes for the ankle, with Bulldog making it straight to the ropes. A clothesline gives Shamrock two but Bulldog is back with his own clothesline to take over. There’s the delayed (well not so delayed in this case) for two and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up and Shamrock gets two off a sunset flip, only to be clotheslined into the chinlock again.

Back up and Shamrock backs him into the corner, where Bulldog clearly kicks him low. We hit another chinlock as Shamrock has a busted lip. Bulldog knocks him hard to the floor for a whip into the steps and they go inside for, you guessed it, another chinlock. That’s broken up again and Bulldog shoves some dog food in Shamrock’s face. That’s enough for Shamrock’s traditional snapping as he hits Bulldog with the can for the DQ at 7:35.

Rating: D+. You really shouldn’t have that many chinlocks in a match that doesn’t even break eight minutes. Bulldog was capable of so much better but instead it was just doing the same stuff over and over. Shamrock didn’t really get to do his insane stuff either and that took away the majority of what made him work. Nothing to see here.

Post match Shamrock wrecks Bulldog, putting him in a sleeper until referees and agents have to make a save. Bulldog is turning purple and is out cold before it’s broken up. Shamrock beats up the agents and referee too, as he often did.

Shawn Michaels promises to call the main event down the middle because nothing will get past his keen eye. Of note: Pettingill has a snazzy purple sports coat here.

We recap the Gang Warz match, with Vince calling it a ten man tag despite the graphic saying eight man. Well someone is fired. Anyway this is the fallout from Faarooq splitting up the Nation Of Domination and the two former members forming their own groups, who fought for the better part of ever.

Disciples Of Apocalypse vs. Los Boricuas

Believe it or not, it’s a big brawl to start with the Disciples clearing the ring as you can see fans heading for the concession stands/restrooms. We settle down to Perez kicking Crush down for two so it’s off to Chainz for a heck of a backdrop to Jesus. Some rapid fire elbows connect and it’s off to Skull, who gets taken into the wrong corner for some group stomping.

Cue the Nation Of Domination through the crowd as Jesus comes back in for a running Fameasser. Skull gets knocked back into the corner again as the Nation is at ringside. Vega grabs a chinlock and Perez’s missile dropkick connects. 8-Ball breaks up another chinlock and Skull avoids a charge in the corner, allowing the tag off to Chainz. Everything breaks down again and Chainz decks Ahmed Johnson in the face, earning himself a….I guess we’ll call it a powerbomb on the floor. Back in and Perez drops an elbow for the pin at 9:07.

Rating: C-. These teams fought for the better part of ever and it never got interesting. It felt like something out of a B or even C level movie made of bikers vs. Puerto Ricans and that isn’t much to get excited about. It’s one of those one note ideas and there was never any development, because there really couldn’t be. Hence so many fans leaving at the start of the match.

Post match the three groups brawl until Crush gets on his motorcycle and rides through everyone to clear them out.

We recap Owen Hart defending the Intercontinental Title against Steve Austin. Hart pinned Austin in a ten man tag at Canadian Stampede and kept bragging about it. Austin is getting one more shot at the title and if he loses, he’ll kiss Hart’s….uh, yeah.

Austin does not want to talk about this and threatens Michael Cole.

Intercontinental Title: Steve Austin vs. Owen Hart

Austin is challenging and dang the fans go nuts for him. Austin does his usual corners deal but Hart takes out his knee in a smart move. That doesn’t last long as Austin slugs away in the corner, followed by a clothesline for two. Hart fights back so Austin goes to the eyes, allowing him to stay on the arm. A hammerlock drop onto the arm keeps Hart down but he’s able to pull Austin face first into the post.

Back in and Hart starts working on the fingers, even biting the middle finger. Austin’s arms are tied in the ropes so Hart can stay on the finger, only to charge into a Stun Gun. Hart tries a hurricanrana but gets powerbombed (never seen that from Austin before or since) and tries to leave. Austin won’t let that happen because he has to win the title and they head back inside. Hart snaps off a belly to belly suplex and a top rope elbow gets two. Austin seems to be favoring his neck so Hart cranks away to keep him in in trouble.

That’s broken up and Austin hits a clothesline but can’t get his own Sharpshooter. Instead Austin is whipped into the corner but rolls through a crossbody for two. A bridging German suplex gives Hart two more and we hit the camel clutch. Austin fights out and charges into a DDT for two, meaning we can hit the chinlock again. That’s broken up and Austin grabs a quickly reversed sleeper. Austin jawbreaks his way out of Hart’s sleeper and goes up (ok then), only to get punched out of the air.

The chinlock goes on again but Austin fights up and slugs away. Hart reverses into a sitout Tombstone piledriver and the wrestling world changes forever as Austin is dropped on his head. Austin can’t move so Hart gets up and yells at the crowd, promising to make Austin kiss him. Somehow Austin is able to move and crawls over for the worst rollup in history (fair) for the pin and the title at 16:15.

Rating: B. And there it is. You don’t often see something that actually shakes up the wrestling world to no end but this is absolutely the case here. Austin’s neck, which was already banged up, is pretty much completely destroyed, requiring him to adopt the brawler style that he would ride to the top of the wrestling world and make him one of the biggest stars of all time. Unfortunately it would also lead to the early end of his career, as neck injuries are about as bad as you can get.

On the other hand, it’s a heck of a match, with the two of them beating the heck out of each other and Hart being more than capable of hanging right there with Austin. It helps that the fans were going nuts for every single thing Austin did as he was trying to get his revenge. They had a heck of a match going here and the ending is more than excusable as Austin should probably have been paralyzed. Very good match, with the all time game changer moment included.

Post match Austin can’t get up so the referee has to help him sit up, only for Austin to go right back down. More referees come out and Austin can’t stand on his own, though he manages to hold up the belt, further establishing his legendary status right in front of our eyes. The referees help him to the back and we look at the piledriver again, which is still hard to watch. We also see the rollup again, with commentary saying that Owen was jarred on the landing or maybe surprised. Yeah it’s nonsense but again, they didn’t have any other choice and it’s more than understandable.

We recap Bret Hart challenging the Undertaker for the WWF Title. Hart can’t stand anything about the United States but loves wrestling and wants the title back. He’s so confident here that if he loses, he’ll never wrestle in America again. Special referee Shawn Michaels has said he’s done in America if he doesn’t call this right down the line. Undertaker, the reigning WWF Champion, is just kind of there too

Commentary talks about the main event, probably filling in missing time due to Austin’s injury.

WWF Title: Bret Hart vs. Undertaker

Undertaker is defending, Shawn Michaels is guest referee and if Hart doesn’t win the title, he can never wrestle in America again (the same being true for Michaels if he doesn’t call it down the line). Hart comes out first with a huge Canadian flag and wants the Canadian national anthem played. We do indeed get the song and it’s actually not interrupted. Michaels does a weapons check and holds up the “belt” (as McMahon calls it), which Hart takes away for a cheap shot before the bell.

The match starts with Hart hammering away in the corner but Undertaker grabs him by the neck and sends him in for the pummeling instead. Hart bails out to the floor and gets sent into the post, only to post himself by mistake. That lets Hart whip him hard into the steps but Undertaker is back up with some rams into the post. They get back inside so Undertaker can give him a backbreaker for two.

The bearhug goes on for a good while until Hart is able to escape and immediately goes after the leg. The stomping in the corner and some drops down onto the leg have Undertaker in more trouble as things slow down a good bit. Some more cranking on the leg make it worse and Undertaker has to stagger into the corner. The Figure Four goes on and here is Paul Bearer to watch.

That seems to fire Undertaker up and he finally turns the hold over to escape. Undertaker goes after Hart’s leg for a change before heading outside to beat up Bearer. That’s enough for Hart to hit a chop block and the Hart Breaker goes on, with Michaels making him break it (as he should), earning quite the glare from Hart in the process. Now the Hart Foundation comes out to watch as Hart stays on the bad leg. Undertaker finally uses the good leg to kick his way to freedom and heads outside to beat up the Foundation.

Michaels gets rid of them as Undertaker hits a chokeslam but Michaels isn’t paying attention so there’s no count. Hart rolls Undertaker up for two so Undertaker hits a clothesline and scares Michaels all the way up the corner. Back up and Hart sends Undertaker into the post but has to back away from a screaming Michaels. The backbreaker gives Hart two and Undertaker sits up, earning himself a snap suplex.

Hart flips off the fans (as he becomes more and more like Austin, the man he hates, and hits the middle rope elbow. The slow beating continues, including a legdrop, but Undertaker fights up and uppercuts away to put Hart down for a change. There’s the big jumping clothesline to Hart, followed by the chest first whip into the corner for two. The big boot and legdrop get two and the chokeslam connects, but Undertaker’s knee gives out.

The rather delayed cover only gets two so Undertaker tries Old School, which is broken up with a crotching. A top rope superplex brings Undertaker crashing down and the Sharpshooter goes on. Undertaker powers out and breaks the hold, which I believe is the first time that has ever done.

The knee is still in trouble though and Hart gets creative with a Sharpshooter around the post. That doesn’t last long due to issues with physics and Hart crashes onto Michaels, which can’t go well. Hart grabs a chair and cracks Undertaker in the head (ouch) for two, so he pulls the chair back again. Michaels takes it away so Hart spits at him. The ticked off Michaels swings the chair…and cracks Undertaker by mistake, giving Hart the pin and the title at 28:08.

Rating: B. This was a good, long match but it never felt great, which is a bit of a surprise. The stipulations pretty much guaranteed that Hart was going to win, as there was no way he was going to be gone all of a sudden. The story was more about Michaels than anything else and that’s a fine way to go, as that chair shot is going to cause him quite a bit of pain going forward. Hart winning is great too, as he was so far and away the best heel in the company at the moment. They would have a rematch the next month at One Night Only which was far better.

Replays and celebrating wrap us up.

 

Results
Mankind b. Hunter Hearst Helmsley – Mankind escaped the cage
Goldust b. Brian Pillman – Purse to the head
Legion Of Doom b. Godwinns – Spike piledriver to Henry
British Bulldog b. Ken Shamrock via DQ when Shamrock hit him with a can of dog food
Los Boricuas b. Disciples Of Apocalypse – Elbow drop to Chainz
Steve Austin b. Owen Hart – Rollup
Bret Hart b. Undertaker – Chair to the head

 

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7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

The show was good due to the last two matches and the opener, but there is NOTHING between those matches. The middle portion of the card, between the two awful interview style segments and the bad matches with fairly dumb stipulations, dragged things way down. The top and bottom of the card work, but there was just absolutely nothing in the middle and it hurt things a lot. This is also a weird show where the stuff you get is nowhere near as important as what this would lead to, but dang the next stuff was pretty awesome. Watch the opener and last two matches and run away from everything else.