Repost - WWF Survivor Series 96

The Furious Flashbacks – Survivor Series 1996

Shawn Michaels by November 1996 had been the WWF champion since April and Wrestlemania. He had beaten all comers to his title including the British Bulldog, Vader and Mankind. But now he faced his biggest challenge of all in the shape of his former bodyguard and friend Sid. Also at Survivor Series Bret Hart was making his triumphant return to the ring to face his tormentor over the summer months – Stonecold Steve Austin. Bret had been quoted as saying he’d be in the WWF “forever”. Sure.

This PPV will be graded on the Furious Grading Scale. FGS grades are as follows –

A One of the greatest matches anywhere, ever.
A- Damn near perfect
B+ Excellent
B Very Good
B- Good
C+ Average
C Mediocre
C- Bad
D Terrible
F Hulk Hogan
U or Ungraded = Hacksaw Jim Duggan v Ultimate Warrior v Goldberg in a submissions only Ironman match. My worst nightmare.

We’re in Madison Square Garden and it’s not a church but it’s holy ground (Bret’s promo’s rule). Vince McMahon and Jim Ross are on commentary.

Free for all – Survivor match – “The Real Double J” Jesse Jammes/Aldo Montoya/Bob Holly/Bart Gunn v Justin “Hawk” Bradshaw/The Sultan/Sal Sincere/Billy Gunn

JR and Vince hype the Austin-Hart match by saying it’s the important non title match ever. Aldo hits the Sultan with all his offence at the time – drop kicks, a flying forearm and then a pescado. Back up top and a crossbody but Sultan kicks out and that’s the end of Aldo’s offence. Piledriver from the Sultan. Camel clutch and Aldo gives up at 2.57. Holly comes in with a sleeper and a bulldog. Big belly to belly slam from Sultan. They cut away in the middle of the match for a Steve Austin pre-recorded promo. “They say people dream in black and white, it’s 3.16 Bret”. I loved this build up. Back in the ring the Sultan is slamming Bart Gunn on the floor. Bart back inside with a sidewalk slam on Sal Sincere and he’s gone at 6.29. Bradshaw comes straight in but walks into a hip toss. Holly makes a blind tag and hits a nice dropkick. We cut to Doc Hendrix who tells Austin that if he wins he goes on to face the WWF champion in December. He doesn’t care. Bradshaw with a clothesline from hell in the ring and Holly is gone at 8.10. Double J rolls up Bradshaw but doesn’t even cover past 2 and the ref counts to 3. What? Bradshaw is gone at 8.19. Double J gets the Sultan in a small package and he’s gone too at 9.19. He gets nailed with Billy Gunn’s rocker dropper. Interesting to note these 2 men went on to form the New Age Outlaws. Double J is gone at 9.33. Now it’s down to the Gunns. Billy misses a splash in the corner and brains himself on the ringpost so Bart rolls him up for 3 at 10.20 and this is over. Match rating – D. Only watching Rikishi piledrive Justin Credible at the start was any fun.

The commentary team has gained a man and it’s Jerry Lawler but he’s in action later on as part of a Survivor elimination match.

British Bulldog/Owen Hart/Marty Jannetty/Leif Cassidy v Doug Furnas/Phil LaFon/Henry Godwinn/Phinneas Godwinn

Cassidy is Al Snow. Jannetty is a complete geek – they are the New Rockers! Jannetty has hurt his ankle already. Snow and LaFon put together a nice couple of sequences including a reverse drop toe hold from LaFon. Phinneas comes in and Snow spits on him which gets him all “riled up”. Snow tags out and Owen and Bulldog mug Phinneas. Snow tags back in. Phinneas goes to the wrong corner so they kick his ass. Jannetty is back in and is still limping. Jannetty gets crotched and Phinneas tries for a suplex. Jannetty misses a leg drop from the top. Henry tags in and hits a slop drop and Jannetty is gone at 8.10. Owen pearl harbours Henry though and pins him with a spinning heel kick on 8.17. Phinneas has a fit about his tag partner getting booted. Bulldog hits a running powerslam on Phinneas and boots him at 9.02. Furnas v Bulldog now and Furnas narrowly misses a big drop kick. JR points out he’s a world class powerlifter for the second time in the match. Owen blind tags in and nearly beheads Furnas on a drop kick. Furnas comes back with a small package for a 2 count. Owen gets a 2 from a fisherman suplex. Bulldog tags in with a vertical suplex. Gutbuster from Snow on Furnas. LaFon manages to get the tag and sets up Snow for a top rope reverse brainbuster for the 3 count at 13.43. None of the announce team have any idea what to call it. Owen comes in and hits a belly to belly suplex and a neckbreaker. Elbow from the second rope but LaFon kicks out. Bulldog tags in with a low blow but claims he was aiming for the stomach. LaFon goes for a crucifix then changes his mind and boots Bulldog with a sunset flip at 17.22. Bulldog hits a chop block on LaFon before leaving and Owen works over the knee of LaFon. Dragon screw leg whip. Owen appears to be warming up for the sharpshooter. Indian deathlock from Owen and he puts him in the sharpshooter. Owen spots Furnas coming in to make the save and he belts him. LaFon hits a reverse kick from inziguri position and tags in Furnas. Tremendous drop kick from Furnas. Release overhead belly to belly suplex for another 2. Release German suplex and that’s it. Match time – 20.43. Match rating – B+

In an Colliseum video exclusive we have an interview with the future Rock – Rocky Maivia and he doesn’t call Kevin Kelly hermy once. Not once.

Undertaker v Mankind

For this match they’ve put Paul Bearer in a cage above the ring. If Taker wins he gets 5 minutes alone with Paul. Taker hits a drop toe hold (no, really) and a firemans carry takeover. An armbar from Taker. Is my tape busted or something? The Undertaker is wrestling. Taker makes every effort to break the mandible claw hand of Mankind. He sets up the hand on the ring steps and then stamps on it. They spill over the guard rail and Mankind gets backdropped back into ringside over the guard rail. Mankind hits a senton off the apron. Knee charge into the corner. Taker bites the mandible claw hand. Mankind sees a back drop attempt coming and hits a piledriver. Mankind goes for a mandible claw, Taker goes for a chokeslam, blocked and Taker goes for a tombstone but Mankind slaps on the mandible claw. Taker uses a leverage move and throws Mankind through the ropes. Mankind takes a bump off the apron and his head smacks off the steel guard rail. Taker goes back to attacking the hand. Taker hits the top rope walk of doom. Mankind comes back with a neckbreaker. Mankind comes off the top rope but gets caught and Taker choke slams him despite another mandible claw attempt. Mankind misses the apron senton the second time and hits nothing but concrete. Mankind goes for a sleeper and Taker suplexes him out of it. Mankind some sort of weapon out and hits Taker with it. Mankind climbs all over Taker in the corner but Taker stands out of it and tombstones Mankind for the 3 at 13.04. Match rating – B+. Actually a lot better than I remember it. Taker actually wrestles the match instead of brawling his way through it.

Taker should get 5 minutes with Bearer but the Executioner (Terry Gordy) comes out and assaults Taker. After they’re all gone Sunny makes her way out to replace Jerry Lawler on commentary. Oh great. Sunny – looks great, but is extremely annoying.

Goldust/Triple H/Crush/Jerry Lawler v Marc Mero/The Stalker/Rocky Maivia/Jake Roberts

Mark Henry is injured so he’s replaced on Mero’s team with Jake Roberts. “Jake wanted to be a lawyer before he was a wrestler but he couldn’t pass the bar” – Sunny. The teams make 4 tags total before there’s one single piece of contact. The Stalker incidentally is Barry Windham. The King lets Rocky kick his ass and gets punched over the top rope. Triple H and Rock go at it about 2 years too early. Trips beats the hell out of him if you were interested. Rock looks quite fat and has a chia pet on his head. No wonder people booed him. JR makes fun of Jake Roberts. “He has some hyena like qualities” – JR. King catches a DDT from Jake and is out at 10.01. The Stalker and Goldust go at it and Stalker gets a 2 count from a suplex but he gets cheap shotted by Crush. Goldust hits the curtain call and Stalker is gone at 12.44. He’d next be seen as Blackjack Windham. Mero comes in and Goldust beats him down and Trips tags in to face Mero for the first time. Trips just took Mero’s IC belt from him. The heels work over Mero and Trips puts him in the abdominal stretch. Trips of course cheats by holding onto Goldust for extra leverage. Mero comes back with a headscissors and a back drop. Jake distracts Trips and Mero hits the Merosault which is a moonsault press with the flip beforehand. Trips is gone at 19.19. The faces are now a man up but Crush tags in. Crush goes to the floor and Mero goes for a pescado but Goldust pulls Crush out of the way. Crush drags Mero back in and nails a Heart Punch for the 3 count at 20.30. Crush smacks Jake in the throat as he comes in and Crush pins for the elimination at 20.54. Rocky is now left 2 on 1 down in his first match. Crush miscues a heart punch and decks Goldust by mistake so Rocky capitalises with a flying crossbody for a 3 count on Crush at 23.13. The stunned Goldust gets hit with the shoulder breaker and Rocky wins it at 23.43. Match rating – C. Very long with lots of nothing. Essentially there to put Rock over. Worked as the MSG crowd chant “Rocky” after the match.

Bret Hart v Steve Austin

“I’m not greedy for money, I’m greedy for respect” – Bret. I loved this feud and this is the opening match. Austin starts out jawing with Bret and then gives him the double digit salute. We start out with some nice technical stuff and Bret is showing no signs of ring rust. Example – Austin with a drop toe hold and Bret comes straight out of a headlock with a hammerlock. Bret has been working the arm for the first 5 minutes of the match with mainly hammerlocks. Austin catches Bret coming off the ropes and hits a hot shot and follows in with an elbow. Austin is over in MSG. He takes a moment to taunt the crowd. Nice. Austin with a snap mare into a sleeper. Austin drops a couple of knees and goes back to the sleeper. Bret fights out and we have a slugfest. Austin wins the brawl and backs Bret into the corner. Inverted atomic drop and a clothesline from Bret as he comes back. Bret sneaks behind and rolls Austin up for a 2 count. Side Russian leg sweep for another 2. Bret goes for a bulldog and Austin shoves him off into the turnbuckle. They both block a suplex and Austin goes for a superplex but Bret blocks it and hits an elbow. Tremendous. Bret goes for a backbreaker and Austin rakes the eyes to get out. Onto the floor Bret drives Austin into the guard rail and they spill into the crowd. I hear a quiet “ECW” shout. “This one is turning into a donnybrook” – Vince. Still on the outside and Austin slingshots Bret onto the Spanish announce table. Austin follows him over with a couple of knuckle sandwiches. Austin slams Bret on the announce table and comes off the apron with an elbow drop but this is back when the tables were sturdy so nothing breaks. Austin suplexes Bret back in fakes for a sharpshooter. Austin drops an elbow off the second turnbuckle and gets a long 2 count. Austin gives the fans the finger for chanting “let’s go Hitman”. Austin goes to the abdominal stretch and the noise in the Garden is just getting louder and louder as Austin cheats. “Let’s go Hitman”. We go to another fist fight and Bret wins this time. Bret reverses a whip and hotshots Austin as a receipt for the earlier hot shot from Austin. Austin actually back bumped onto Bret’s ankle there. Bret piledrives Austin for a 2 count. Bret nails a backbreaker and the tempo is rising. Bret goes to the ropes and Austin crotches him. Austin goes for superplex and this time he hits it. Bret counters the pin and gets a 2 count himself. Bret sneaks up on Austin but eats a stunner and Austin gets only a two count because he had to pull him out of the ropes. Austin goes for another pin and can’t believe that Bret keeps kicking out. Austin puts on a Texas Cloverleaf. Bret makes the ropes and breaks it. Bret gets whipped and his leg gives way and he hits the ringpost back first. Austin puts Bret in the bow and arrow. Bret fights out and goes for the sharpshooter to a huge pop but Austin makes the ropes. Bret goes to a sleeper and Austin breaks it with a jawbreaker and Bret has broken his nose. Austin goes for the Million Dollar Dream and hooks it but Bret climbs the turnbuckles and pins Austin. Austin doesn’t let go of the hold and Bret has won at 28.40. Match rating – A. Bret hadn’t wrestled in 6 months and went nearly 30 minutes without ever looking out of shape.

Captain Lou Albano comes out to be a guest commentator. Jim Cornette also joins in the commentary.

Faarooq/Razor Ramon (Rick Bogner)/Diesel (Glen Jacobs)/Vader v Savio Vega/Yoko Zuna/Flash Funk (Too Cold Scorpio)/Jimmy “Superfly” Snuka

Snuka is a surprise and it’s over. Flash is making his debut and looks good. Flash takes Vader over the top rope with a crossbody then hits the ropes with a moonsault to the floor to chants of “ECW”. Flash goes for a hurracurana so he gets powerbombed. Yoko comes in and we have the slowest slugfest of all time. “You couldn’t manage a Wendy’s” – Cornette to JR. “I could if you were in town” – JR to Cornette. “I’m so excited I think I’m having a stroke” – Cornette. Savio tags in when Vader’s in there. That’s a mistake. Savio gets his ass kicked but tags out to Snuka. Snuka scoop slams Vader! Woah. Savio comes back in and Vader hits a low bridge. Faarooq batters Savio on the floor and Diesel hits the powerbomb. Savio is gone at 8.31. Snuka and Razor go at it and Snuka hits his splash for the 3 count at 9.26. Diesel comes in with a chair and Savio comes back out with one. Everyone spills into the ring and we have a massive brawl. At 9.54 everyone is disqualified. Match rating – C+

WWF title – Shawn Michaels (c) v Sid

Sid is over as a face and for some reason the New York crowd boo the champ. Sid starts out just drilling Shawn with big right hands to a large pop. Shawn comes back with speed and a crossbody for a 2 count. Then he goes to the headlock takeover and holds Sid down in the side headlock. Shawn slaps Sid so Sid goes to the headlock takeover. We have a fist fight and Shawn gets his ass kicked. Sid goes for a press slam but Sid gets out. Shawn goes for a back drop but Sid sees it and sets up a powerbomb and Shawn runs. Shawn fears the powerbomb. Shawn goes for the chop block to take the knee out. Shawn goes to the figure 4 and he’s really working that body part. Shawn continues to work the knee to a chorus of jeers from the MSG crowd. Shawn goes for another figure 4 and Sid just kicks him off. Shawn hits the ringpost shoulder first. Sid kicks Shawn in the shoulder therefore demonstrating some psychology. Shawn comes back with a drop kick to the already injured knee. Shawn gets knocked over the ropes but skins the cat to come back in and Sid takes him over with a clothesline. Shawn goes to the ropes but gets caught and Sid hits the backbreaker for a two count. Shawn is down but he keeps gesturing for Sid to bring it on. Shawn is playing rope-a-dope. Shawn comes back with a scoop slam. MSG is really on Shawn’s case here. Shawn misses a double axe handle. Sid puts the Cobra clutch on. Shawn gets out of chokeslam with a rake of the eyes and goes for the superkick but Sid catches his leg and spins him round and goes for the chokeslam again. One arm chokeslam. Sid goes for the powerbomb and Shawn rolls him up for a 2 count. Sid with a big powerslam. Shawn comes back with a flying forearm and nips up only for Sid to plow him down with a clothesline. Sid grabs a TV camera and Jose Lothario gets on the apron to complain so Sid belts him in the chest with it. Shawn hits the sweet chin music but Jose is down and Shawn goes to check on him instead of pinning Sid. Sid comes out after Shawn and back inside Shawn wipes out Earl Hebner with a crossbody. Sid grabs the camera again and waffles Shawn with it. Powerbomb and a pin for the win and title at 20.02. Match rating – B+. Only Shawn Michaels could carry Sid to a match this good.

Best matches –
3. Doug Furnas/Phil LaFon/Godwinns v Owen Hart/Bulldog/New Rockers. Owen and Bulldog are good enough but put them with Furnas and LaFon and you have a great match. Shame they never got Furnas and LaFon over because they were a great team.
2. Shawn Michaels v Sid. Shawn manages to carry Sid for 20 minutes. That’s not easy people.
1. Bret Hart v Steve Austin. At the time I just thought it was great because my 2 favourite wrestlers were going head to head. Now it’s brilliant on so many other levels because it’s a great wrestling match and a great contest. Probably not even the best they had either.

Overall PPV rating –
A-. Hart-Austin was nothing short of excellent and every singles match was worthwhile not to mention some entertaining filler in the elimination matches. Good show. Perhaps the best Survivor Series ever.