wrestling / Video Reviews
Views from the Hawke’s Nest: The Best of King of the Ring – Disc 2
Image Credit: WWE
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June 23, 1996
Shawn Michaels(c) (w/ Jose Lothario) vs. The British Bulldog (Jim Cornette & Dianna Hart Smith) [WWF Heavyweight Championship]
Mr. Perfect was the special guest referee, but Gorilla Monsoon basically relegated him to “special enforcer” duty.
They battled for control early on. Shawn hit a sloppy ‘rana off the apron and then whacked Cornette with the racket. Shawn mostly remained in control for a while after that. He targeted Bulldog’s left arm during this time period. Bulldog finally cut Shawn off by driving him into a turnbuckle. Bulldog worked him over for a while. He applied the surfboard, and Perfect was trying to end the match. The ref wouldn’t end it though. Bulldog remained in control for a little while longer. Shawn was on the verge of coming back several times, but Bulldog was continuously a step ahead. Bulldog slipped on a diving headbutt, but luckily he was not supposed to connect on it. Shawn was finally able to string together some offense after a leaping forearm. Ref bump. Superkick: 1…2…3? There was this weird thing where Perfect went to make the count with the ref, but Owen Hart pulled him out of the ring.
Shawn applied a figure four on Owen and then got a phantom pinfall on Bulldog…after the match. The numbers eventually caught up to Shawn. Ahmed Johnson made the save. Vader then attacked him and Shawn. ULTIMATE WARRIOR made the save. What a time to be alive.
I am no Bulldog fan, but there is no denying that he was delivering in this match. While he wasn’t conveying any emotion or personality whatsoever, his work on Shawn was really done well. I liked how Shawn was teasing a comeback repeatedly. For a match with a predictable result, it made the journey of the match seem unpredictable. The clusterfuck finish definitely spoiled it to a degree. There was just no need for it. It remains a good match though.
Match Rating: ***1/2
June 8, 1997
Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels
These two were still the tag champs at the time of this match.
We saw footage of Austin attacking Pillman earlier in the show. Austin shoved his face in a toilet.
Shawn was trying to help a Special Olympian at the ringside area. Austin attacked him anyway. Shawn helped the kid to the back, and Austin backed off this time. Was this a cynical attempt to make Shawn seem likable? Otherwise, what on Earth was that?
Austin was mostly in control as the match got going properly. It wasn’t firm control though, and Shawn was staying more than competitive. Austin seemed to finally get firm control on the floor. The ref caught Austin using the ropes for leverage, and Shawn then made a comeback. Austin’s fans did not not like that. Austin made a comeback. Shawn accidentally caused a ref bump. Austin blocked the superkick and hit the stunner for a phantom pinfall. Austin decide to give the referee a stunner. Superkick to Austin. The second ref, like an idiot, checked on the first ref instead of making a count. Shawn gave him a superkick. A third ref showed up. He ruled the match a double DQ. “Both men are losers,” said Vince McMahon, not at the top of his game as a commentator.
Austin and Shawn tried to attack each other with their tag belts after the match. They ended up walking to the back and staring uneasily at each other.
This was light and fun to experience (and way better than their no-good Wrestlemania main event). You can see that these two had a ton of chemistry, and that they could have gone on to have some great PPV main events one day. This match kind of felt like the first stage in what could have eventually become a series of PPV matches (over years if circumstances allowed it). Neither man was working with a great deal of urgency or intensity, and the result was obviously not satisfying. I only wish they had some celebrated follow-ups to this one.
Match Rating: ***1/4
King of the Ring Finals
Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/Chyna) vs. Mankind
Both guys seemed tired and were working a methodical brawl that did not have much in the way of fun or energy. HHH cut Mankind off eventually and worked over the neck. Chyna interfered at one point, so Mankind decided to kick HHH in the balls. Mankind got hung up in the ropes though, and HHH went right back to working over Mankind. Mankind finally came back after hitting the Hot Shot. He later gave HHH a back drop on the concrete floor. Mankind hit the double-arm DDT, but Chyna had distracted the referee. HHH went for the pedigree, but Mankind got the Mandible Claw. Chyna pulled him off. The ref didn’t eject her for some reason. HHH came back yet again and even pulled off the mask. Mandible Claw. HHH escaped. Cactus Jack Clothesline. This is so freaking boring by the way. They brawled on the floor. HHH put Mankind through a table with a pedigree. Mankind survived, but Chyna broke the scepter on Mankind’s back. Mankind still kicked out after all of that. Pedigree: 1…2…3. Finally.
HHH attacked Mankind with the crown after the match. Mankind crawled to the back after the match. HE WILL NOT DIE!
This was a struggle to get through. Mankind surviving the match was an interesting idea for a story, but it was not told in a compelling or exciting way. Avoid this match.
Match Rating: *1/2
June 28, 1998
King of the Ring Finals
The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock
Rock wasn’t having much success early on, but he got control soon enough. Tragically, we were treated to the comedic stylings of Triple H on commentary for this match. He was atrocious. Rock worked Shamrock over for a while. Shamrock had an injured ankle from a previous match in the tournament. Rock hit a few DDTs, but Shamrock kept kicking out. Shamrock finally started to fight back. He hit a number of throws. They started going back and forth. Rock started jawing with the ref, and that allowed Shamrock to catch him with the ankle lock. Rock tapped out.
This was okay. Rock was a bit awkward in 1998, as he hadn’t fully figured out how to tap into his larger-than-life personality in the ring. (Once he did that, everything he did was super-over.) His movement in the ring also just didn’t feel natural yet. Shamrock moved similarly, and they just never got into a physical rhythm. Shamrock’s victory got over though at least. So, they were doing something correctly.
Match Rating: **1/2
Mankind vs. The Undertaker [Hell in a Cell]
Mankind decided to climb to the top of the cage before the match even started. Taker climbed up to do battle. Mankind actually started to attack him before he made it all the way up. They gingerly walked on the top of the cage. Taker eventually tossed him off the cage and through the Spanish announce table. Kevin Dunn actually missed the landing, ffs. Terry Funk, Vince McMahon, and Sgt. Slaughter checked on Mankind with some other officials. The cage was being raised with Taker still on top so that the EMTs could reach Mankind. Mankidn was stretchered out, and the cage was lowered again. Taker started to climb down, but Foley got off the stretcher. Everyone looked panicked and tried to stop him. Taker brought a chair with him back on top of the cage. Taker chokeslammed Mankind through the cage and onto the mat. The chair fell onto Foley’s faced on the way down. Everyone dove into the cage to check on Mankind. Terry was crawling on his hands and knees to get to him. Taker dropped down to the mat. Terry yelled at him, and Taker gave him a chokeslam. Terry Funk literally got chokeslammed out of his shoes. Amazing. That moment was all spur of the moment to buy Mankind some time to recover, and it added so much to the match. Can’t put over Terry Funk enough for his presence in this match.
Mankind somehow remained alive and even crotched Taker on an Old School attempt. Gotta love Taker doing “Old School” after Foley’s two bumps off a cage. “Well, he didn’t die. Suppose I better start working over the arm.” Taker hit him with the steel steps and then missed a tope suicida. He crashed into the cage on that one. Has Taker ever done a tope suicida other than this match? Mankind came back with a piledriver on a chair. Mankind emptied a bag of thumbtacks. He then applied the Mandible Claw. Taker dropped Mankind onto the thumbtacks though to escape the hold. CHOKESLAM ONTO THE THUMBTACKS! TOMBSTONE ONTO SEVERAL THUMBTACKS: 1…2…3
Taker walked to the back, as medical personal worked with Mankind.
I have always considered this to be one of the very best matches in the history of wrestling. The common complaint I see about this match is “it’s just two big spots and nothing else.” First of all, that completely undersells two of the most memorable highspots in wrestling history. Secondly (and more importantly), those two spots kick off an amazing story. Mankind surviving those two moves and everything that happens after that makes for one of the most compelling spectacles that I’ve seen in any art form.
Match Rating: *****
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