wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: WWF Royal Rumble 1997
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-We march forward in our quest to recap shows from twenty-five years ago. This is a big show for the WWE as they are back in a Dome Stadium for the first time in a few years, and they did draw a good number for this show. Let’s get to it!
-Date: Jan 19, 1997
-Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
-Attendance: 60,477
-PPV Buys: 244,000
-Announce Team: Vince McMahon, Jerry “The King” Lawler and Jim Ross
WWF Intercontinental Championship: Hunter Hearst Helmsley (c) (w/ Mr Hughes) vs. Goldust (w/ Marlena)
-Video package after Goldust hits the ring recaps everything nicely. This was the debut of Hughes being paired with Hunter and thankfully they ditched that idea quickly and gave Chyna the role. Goldust charges Hunter in the aisle before the bell and he pounds away before getting into Hughes’ face. Hughes is being referred to as Hunter’s butler. Again, it didn’t last long. Goldust drops Hunter on the guardrail and then things settle in the ring. Goldust sends Hunter head first into the corner and pounds away, but Helmsley hits an inverted atomic drop. Pedigree is prepped, but Goldust trips the legs and catapults Hunter over the top to the floor. Goldust grabs the ring steps and drops them on top of Hunter. That had to suck! More abuse as Hunter gets rammed face first into the steps and then does a Flair Flop onto them as well. They battle on the apron and Hunter drops Goldust throat first on the top rope. Hunter with a whip into the corner, but Goldust gets a boot up and follows with a clothesline for two. Low blow from Helmsley sends Goldust to the floor and it’s Lucha Hunter as he jumps off the top to the floor with a double axe. Goldust gets fired into the ring post, but ducks a knee as Hunter crashes into the guardrail. More fun with the ring steps as they got dropped on the damaged knee. Back inside the ring the work on the knee continues as Goldust drops a knee and goes to a knee-bar. Fun with the crowd as every time Marlena is shown there is a big pop. Goldust goes to the figure-four, but Hunter is able to fight off his back to avoid being pinned. Vince informs us that both of these men are set for The Rumble Match. Back to the floor as Goldust hits a chop block. Nasty move as Hunter gets dropped knee first on the steps. Hunter is just getting mauled in this one! Back inside the ring Goldust misses a body-press and ends up back on the floor. Goldust gets tossed into the guardrail and I question why this wasn’t a No DQ match if they were going through all this anyway. Would have made for a better match had they just been able to go all out. This is being stretched way too long. Hunter tries to use Marlena’s director chair, but apparently that’s too far for the ref as he stops it. We go to a picture in picture interview of Pettengill with country music star, Colin Raye. Okay then! Goldust hits a clothesline as Hunter is doing a solid job of selling the leg. Backdrop follows and now Goldust heads up top, but Hunter shoves the ref into the ropes which crotches Goldust on the ropes. Superplex is blocked as Goldust hits a head-butt. Top rope elbow is missed as Hughes tosses the IC Belt to Hunter. Marlena is on the apron, so Hunter gives her a kiss. Goldust grabs the title and blasts Hunter in the head, but Hughes makes the save by pulling Hunter out of the ring. Goldust takes a shot at Hughes but Hunter hits a clothesline from behind and The Pedigree finishes at 16:50.
Winner and Still WWF Intercontinental Champion: Hunter Hearst Helmsley via pin at 16:50
-Way too long for these two at this point in their careers. Hunter was dominated for most of this match before using Hughes to help get the win. This started fine, but they seemed to run out of things to do by the end. Technically fine and the aggression from Goldust was nice to see, but it could have had 5-6 shorter and been better. **
-Bret Hart and Mankind offer prerecorded comments about The Rumble Match!
Faarooq (w/Nation of Domination) vs. Ahmed Johnson
-They have been building to this match for like six months but due to various injuries it kept getting delayed. Ahmed rushes the ring and the fight is on to a big pop from the crowd. Johnson pounds away in the corner and that sends Faarooq to the floor. Ahmed gives chase and sends Faarooq head first into the ring post. Stiff kicks from Ahmed to the kidney, but Faarooq rakes the eyes to turn things. Faarooq gets a belt from Crush, but gets dropped with a flying clothesline. Ahmed grabs the belt and lights up Faarooq with it. Back to the floor as is becoming a trend on this show! Faarooq takes a weak bump into the stairs. I mean, you don’t have to go full Foley, but need something a little better there. A Nation flunky gets to be collateral damage to let Faarooq gain an advantage. A chair gets used as Ahmed gets dropped kidney first on an open chair. Faarooq hits Ahmed in the back with the chair which apparently isn’t a DQ, but the ref makes sure to continue his 10 count. What kind of awful reffing is that? Faarooq continues to work the kidney area as at least this match has a story to play off of. Faarooq lands some kidney punches and goes to a camel clutch. Faarooq lets off the hold to talk some trash and that bites him as he gets dropped with an Electric Chair. The crowd rallies Ahmed as he catches Faarooq coming off the top with a powerslam. Faarooq is right back though with a spinebuster. Johnson no sells though and plants Faarooq with a spinebuster of his own. The Nation hits the ring for the DQ at 8:40.
Winner: Ahmed Johnson via DQ at 8:40
-This was a fight as advertised and the fans were into it. They kept it short and the DQ continued the feud until the proper blow-off at WrestleMania. This was fine and kept me more engaged more than the opener. **
-Ahmed wrecks shop as he tosses a flunky onto a pile of other Nation members. A Nation member prevents Ahmed from going after Crush and Faarooq. He ends up paying for it as Ahmed uses the steps to hit a Pearl River Plunge through the French Announce Table. Mind blowing spot for 1997!
-Terry Funk talks Royal Rumble.
-Todd Pettengill is backstage with Faarooq and The Nation. He calls Ahmed an Uncle Tom and promises to end him in The Rumble.
Vader vs. The Undertaker
-I forgot about Taker having wind sounds during his entrance during this period of his career. Vader tries to jump Taker, but hits buckle and they start slugging it out. Taker no sells a forearm to the back and starts choking in the corner. He backs down the ref, but Vader catches him with an elbow. Taker sits up again, so Vader slugs him down again. Taker sits up again and Vader bails to the floor. Taker comes off the apron with a double ax, but Vader gets a thumb to the eye. He hangs Taker on the top rope, but sets way too early on a backdrop which lets Taker hit basically an ax kick. Slam from Taker and then he drops the leg for two. JR makes sure to get in a shot with, “I’ve never seen anyone deliver a leg drop like The Undertaker.” I mean Vader kicked out, so not that powerful. Taker goes Old School but Vader just knocks him off the ropes. Low blow from Vader as the crappy reffing continues on this show. The crowd is dead for this one, so we cut to Todd talking to a fan that saved money babysitting to come to this show. Okay then! Vader gets a splash in the corner followed by a clothesline. Vader off the middle rope with a standing splash for two. Vader goes to a nerve hold which gets the crowd back into the match as they try to rally Taker. He fights back with fists of furry, and escapes a side headlock with a belly to back suplex to leave both me down. Elbow drop from Taker is missed, but Vader doesn’t miss his. Vader goes for another splash off the middle rope but gets caught coming down with a powerslam. Taker sets too early on a backdrop and Vader plants him with a powerbomb for two. Taker ducks a clothesline and hits his leaping clothesline. This time Old School connects as Vader apparently forgot the strategy he used earlier in the match. Paul Bearer heads down as Vader gets dropped with a chokeslam. Taker sends Vader to the floor with a clothesline and then goes out after Paul Bearer. He shoves him to the ground before rolling him into the ring. Vader heads back in, but Taker lands a kick and sends Vader back to the floor with a clothesline. Taker uses the steps to leap, but Bearer pulls Vader out of the way, which lets Taker crash into the guardrail. Bearer blasts Taker in the back of the head with the urn from the apron. Vader-Bomb connects for the win at 13:19.
Winner: Vader via pin at 13:19
-This was kind of clunky as they didn’t seem to mesh at all here. Not sure what the deal was with this one. *1/2
-Taker chokeslams the ref after the match to get his heat back I guess. He throws a chair and a table as his tantrum continues. He yells something to Vince on commentary as well.
-Austin and Bulldog give their thoughts and this is where Bulldog drops him famous “I’m bizarre” line.
Fuerza Guerrera, Heavy Metal, and Jerry Estrada vs. Hector Garza, Perro Aguayo, and Canek
-Yes, the WWE’s roster was thin around this time, why do you ask? Vince is confused already about who is starting the match which isn’t helping me. I believe it is Garza and Heavy Metal and they have a stalemate early. Tags made and that brings Aguayo and Estrada into the match. Aguayo gets dropped with a clothesline. Estrada takes a crazy bump off a backdrop to the floor. Tags made to Canek and Guerrera and they have masks which will help me. Clotheline from Guerrera, but he misses a splash from the top. Canek gets a crossbody from the top and then we switch again with Heavy Metal and Garza back in. The crowd is just gone and this match isn’t helping. They are just doing a routine to no reaction from the crowd as this is nothing like what WCW was giving fans with their Cruiserweight division. Vince is still confused about who is in the ring. Canek runs wild with armdrags on Estrada as JR does his best to help me and Vince out. Estrada gets a two off a roll-up and makes the tag to Aguayo. He and Guerrera have a go and it’s more armdrags. Nothing else really happens and we trade out again as Canek and Heavy Metal have a go. Garza in and he hits a flying clothesline followed by the STF. Tag back to Aguayo and he drops an elbow on the knee. Senton backsplash and then another elbow. Canek back in and he misses a kick. Guerrera in and he accidentally dropkicks Heavy Metal. Gorilla press Slam from Canek. Garza botches something off the ropes. Garza hits a twisting splash to the floor. Heavy Metal gets press slammed back in the ring and Aguayo in with a double stomp off the top for the win at 10:52.
Winners: Hector Garza, Perro Aguayo, and Canek via pin at 10:52
-This was awful and a major misfire by the WWE. In no way was this anywhere even remotely close to what WCW was doing with their Cruiserweight division. The crowd didn’t care. The action was sloppy and we didn’t even get any high spots or crazy dives outside of the one. 1/2*
-The Fink announces the attendance and by all accounts it was apparently legit.
30 Man Royal Rumble
–Crush is #1 and Ahmed Johnson is #2 which continues that feud. Intervals are 90 seconds for this one which is fine. Crush attacks and pounds away in the corner a Lawler and McMahon go over the rules. Johnson actually gets the crowd back into this show. Not much of note happening as the clock is slow before “Razor Ramon” is #3 at 1:45. Vince notes they are having a problem with their clock. Razor is tossed at 2:16. Crush hangs on and comes back in. Ahmed jumps over the top to eliminate himself at 3:00 as he goes after Faarooq. Phineas Godwin is next at #4 and they brawl in the corner. They roll around on the mat for a bit before brawling some more. Vince mentions they are still having clock problems as Steve Austin enters at #5. Weird hearing the glass shatter without a massive pop. Austin comes off the middle rope with a clothesline, but hits Crush. He gets tossed by Phineas and then Austin hits him with a stunner before tossing him. Bart Gunn is #6 and he runs wild for a few seconds before a clothesline sends him packing. Austin does some pushups in an awesome spot and the crowd is loving him. In another brilliant touch he sits on the top rope and checks the time on his “watch.” Jake Roberts is #7 and these two have history together as there is no Austin 3:16 without Roberts. Jake gets some shine as the crowd chants for the DDT. Austin delivers some right hands as the countdown starts and Bulldog is #8. While he makes his entrance, Jake gets tossed to the floor. Bulldog stomps a mud hole in Austin in the corner as JR puts over Bulldog’s history in The Rumble. Bulldog hits the running powerslam as the crowd is finally into this one. Pierroth is #9 as the AAA guys continue to help fill out this card. Pierroth goes for a cover on Bulldog which is weird, but Randy Savage did the same against Yoko in 93 so he is in good company. The Sultan is 10 as we have more than 3 people in the ring for the first time. Lots of laying on the ropes and teasing of eliminations. Sultan gets a slam on Pierroth as the clock hits zero and Mil Mascaras is #11. He does get a solid pop as he takes Sultan down. Sultan back with a weak belly to belly. The clock seems to be spot on now as Hunter Hearst Helmsley is out at 12. Bulldog clotheslines Sultan out to eliminate him. Austin and Hunter battle in what would become a Main Event program in a few years. Owen Hart is 13 which gives Bulldog his tag team partner. Austin and Owen go right after each other and that draws Bulldog over. Owen eliminates Bulldog as he tells Bulldog he was trying to get rid of Austin. Goldust is 14 and Austin goes right after him. Austin drops a knee as we get more laying on the ropes. Cibernetico is and he goes right after Mil. Goldust lands a clothesline on Hunter. Marc Mero is out at 16 as Pierroth and Cibernetico get tossed. Mascaras dives off the top rope onto them which means he is eliminated. Goldust dumps Hunter to end his night. The Latin Lover is 17 and he goes after Austin. He runs wild for a bit as he hits a slam on Owen. Speaking of Owen, he skins the cat to avoid being eliminated and then dumps Goldust. Faarooq is number 18 and he backdrops Latin Lover to the floor. Ahmed is back out with a rather large 2×4 and that gets Faarooq eliminated. Austin dumps Mero and Owen as they fight in the corner to leave him as the only man in the match. Savio Vega is 19 and these two also have history. Savio is all over Austin and catapults him into the corner followed by a spinning heel kick. Austin hits a stun gun and then clotheslines Savio out as his run continues. Oh you didn’t know, Jesse James is #20. He runs wild for a bit, but gets dumped to the apron and then elbowed to the floor. The crow is digging this Austin run now as he is the star of this thing. Bret Hart is 21 and Austin does a great bugged eye sell as Bret’s music hit. Now it’s on! They start trading blows as we have honest to goodness emotion from the crowd now. Austin goes to the eyes with a well placed thumb. Bret back with a clothesline followed by The Sharpshooter. Jerry “The King” Lawler is in at 22 and immediately out via Bret. In a memorable spot, Lawler finishes his sentence as he gets back to the announce table. That was great! Bret starts to go through the five moves of doom as the clock hits zero. “Diesel” is next and that would be three Hall of Famers in the ring now. Bret and Diesel Kane have some history from when he was a practicing dentist. Also of note, “Diesel” would end Austin’s first WWF Title reign 17 months after this show. Wrestling can be funny! Terry Funk is 24 and that’s another Hall of Famer! Things settle back to guys laying on the ropes and teasing eliminations. Funk hits something of a piledriver and Rocky Maivia is next at 25. Not a Hall of Famer, but I mean come on….it’s The Rock! Rock and Austin have a go which is fun considering what awaited those two in the next 5 years. Mankind is 26 and that is another Hall of Famer. This is fascinating as you have a big chunk of what made The Attitude Era in this ring and at the time you had no clue. Funk and Mankind torment each other because DUH. Austin and Bret continue to beat on each other as well. The clock seems to be picking up the pace now as they are burning through these entries. Flash Funk is 27 and if this was today, he would have to drop that last name with Terry Funk being in the company. Bret spikes Austin with a piledriver. Nice! Vader is 28 as they have at least done a good job of putting the stars in the back end of this match. Killed the first half, but things are picking up now. Vader flattens Austin as Henry Godwin is in at 29. Well, we needed some canon fodder in this back end. He drops Vader with an impressive clothesline. The announce team realizes who is 30 and business is about to pick up as a pissed off Undertaker is #30. Vince is declaring him the winner, but that would be 10 years later. Taker goes right after Vader and then gets in some shots at Mankind just because. Chokeslam to Austin! Chokeslam to Vader! Taker beats on his future brother as Vader tosses Flash in impressive fashion at 45:00. Nice bump! Hank gets to beat on Taker a bit as I am sure Taker is taking care of his friend there. Bret nearly gets tossed by Rocky, but Austin makes the save. Austin and Funk exchange chops in the corner. Things are petering out here and we desperately need to start clearing the ring a bit. As I type that Godwin gets dumped by Taker at 47:58. Rocky gets dumped by Mankind at 48:30 thanks to The Mandible Claw. Cactus clothesline sends Funk and Mankind to the apron. Mankind dumps Terry at 49:24 and then Taker dumps him at 49:38. All the refs deal with Funk and Mankind which causes them to miss Austin getting tossed by Bret. He comes back in and dump Taker and Vader at 50:26. Bret dumps Diesel at 50:30 and then Austin tosses Bret to win the match at 50:34.
Winner: Stone Cold Steve Austin at 50:34
-This sucked in the first half and got pretty good when the stars hit the ring in the back half. The ending was rapid fire as they just went to the finish. The story goes that Bret was to win, but Vince Russo blabbed about it on Live Wire, so it was changed. Not sure how true that is, but I’ve seen it mentioned in a few places. That first half was death thanks to the depleted roster even if Austin was doing all he could. The screwy ending set up a great match next month though. More crappy reffing in this one as that is a theme tonight. **3/4
-Austin bails as he celebrates and Bret is pissed! He grabs up McMahon and bitches about what happened. He tells Vince to do something about it as he uses non PG language. JR makes sure he lets Bret know that he saw Austin get thrown out. I’m sure things will get better for Bret.
-Shawn/Sid video package. As mentioned by Shawn recently, he came into this match rather sick and I believe Sid was coming off an injury as well. They throw to a Shawn interview from Superstars and yeah, he looks like crap.
WWF Championship: Sid (c) vs. Shawn Michaels (w/ Jose Lothario)
-Stare down to start just to show Sid’s size advantage. Sid shoves Shawn across the ring, but Shawn is back in his face. Repeat and this time Sid just punches him when he comes back. Shawn gets a cross-body and goes nuts banging Sid’s head off the mat. Sid gets sent to the floor and Shawn stops the ref’s count. Shawn heads out and sends Sid head first into the railing. Sid whips Shawn into the apron and tries a Gorilla Press Slam, but Shawn goes to the eyes to counter. Back in the ring Shawn gets caught coming off the top and that gets a two count. Sid goes to a camel clutch to work the back and the crowd is not happy. The camel clutch goes on for a bit before Shawn is able to escape. He catches Sid charging with a boot to the face. Sid gets an Irish Whip that sends Shawn upside down and to the floor in one of his patented bumps. Sid rams Shawn back first into the post and then again. Back inside it gets Sid a two count. Sid buries a knee in the back as he works a chinlock now. Shawn breaks and starts to rally, but Sid murders him with a clothesline. Another whip to the corner and then again before Sid hooks a bear hug. Yeah, Shawn being sick is definitely affecting this match. Shawn punches his way out as we see Shawn’s parents sitting in the crowd. Sid goes back to the bear hug, but Shawn get an inverted atomic drop to break. Shawn comes off the middle rope, but gets caught with the bear hug. Great! Sid releases to get a pin for two. Leg drop gets another two count. Now Sid back to the chinlock. Shawn fights backs and slides out of a slam. He gets a slam as the crowd is losing it now. Flying forearm connects and Shawn heads up top. He drops the elbow and starts to tune up the band. Sid catches the foot though, but misses a clothesline as Shawn learned from their previous match. Shawn makes the mistake of charging though and gets backdropped to the floor. Sid obliterates Shawn with a powerbomb on the floor and then goes after Jose and his son, but he then goes back to Shawn. Back in the ring, the ref gets bumped. Sid gets a chokeslam, but no ref and by the time one hits the ring Shawn is able to kick out. Sid decks the ref which should be a DQ, but that’s par for the course tonight. Shawn grabs a video camera and decks Sid to play off their last match. The ref crawls over to make the count, but Sid is out at two. Sweet Chin Music finishes for Shawn at 13:49.
Winner and New WWF Champion: Shawn Michaels via pin at 13:49
-The crowd was into this one big time, but you could tell the flu took it’s toll on Shawn. This had a hot start and finish, but the meat of the match was a bunch of rest holds to give Shawn a chance to get through. Credit to him for getting through and I am sure winning the WWF Title in his home felt great. **1/4
-Thanks for reading!
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