[dramatic music playing]
[announcer] The World Wrestling Entertainment, for over 50 years,
the revolutionary force in sports entertainment.
[dramatic music playing]
[narrator] The monsters, they wear many masks in our world.
Some are deranged, psychotic beings,
unaware of the insanity that festers within.
Others are brutal, ruthless assailants, executioners of a sinister plan.
The monster slayers, they too are varied and unique.
Shawn Michaels, the WWE Champion,
yields 200 pounds to the beast known as Vader,
but he counters with guile, superb athleticism,
and the courage of a gallant champion.
And then there's The Undertaker,
the mysterious light in a world of darkness.
To exorcise the demon Mankind, he cannot rely upon convention.
In this cold, unforgiving battleground,
he must embrace the horror to defeat it.
For the monsters to be abolished, David must slay Goliath,
the reaper must claim another damned soul.
But good doesn't always triumph over evil.
Sometimes victory eludes heroics.
Sometimes the horror lives on.
[music fades]
[upbeat music playing]
[announcer] From beautiful, historic Cleveland, Ohio,
home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,
majestic Jacobs Field, and the spectacular new Gund Arena,
supersized Stridex pads presents WWE SummerSlam.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Welcome, everyone, to Cleveland, Ohio!
[explosions]
Welcome to the new American city!
Welcome to the Gund Arena!
Indeed, welcome to SummerSlam!
Vince McMahon here along with Mr. Perfect and J.R.
Indeed, it's the hottest night of World Wrestling Entertainment action
in the whole summer,
and history likely to be made here tonight.
You talk about history, Shawn Michaels tonight,
I believe, will lose the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship
to The Man They Call Vader, and I can't wait.
What about the boiler room?
Well, I'll tell you something, Shawn Michaels has been living a dream,
and it's gonna be a nightmare for either The Undertaker or Mankind.
I gotta think it's gonna be a nightmare for both.
They'll never be the same after tonight.
Indeed, there's a--
what an electric feeling here in this capacity crowd,
anticipating the arrival-- Here he comes now.
On the very first matchup, Savio Vega on his way.
-["Star of Vega" playing] -[bell ringing]
[Howard] This contest is scheduled for one fall.
Approaching the ring from the South Bronx, New York,
weighing 254 pounds…
[Vince] Savio Vega kicking off SummerSlam.
[Howard] …Savio Vega!
[Vince] Savio Vega squaring off against Owen Hart.
This is likely to be an extraordinary encounter.
[Ross] Both these athletes are very fundamentally sound.
Savio Vega's a fiery competitor, and there's certainly a man
that would like to score a big win here at SummerSlam
against the very talented Owen Hart.
Both of them very skilled in martial arts.
This should be a very offensive-minded matchup.
[Vince] There's a good look at the beautiful Gund Arena,
ladies and gentlemen.
Yes, the site of this year's SummerSlam.
And anything can happen here in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
That's for certain.
[Ross] No kidding, Vince. That's exactly right.
You know, about 18,000 fans are here with us now,
as we're gonna kick this SummerSlam off
in what I think will be a very offensive-minded contest
between Savio Vega and the-- of course, the Slammy Award-winning Owen Hart.
Both Savio Vega and Owen Hart, I would categorize,
as outstanding superstars,
who may be underrated by some here in the WWE.
[Vince] All right. Here he comes, Owen Hart.
Or I should say the Slammy Award-winning Owen Hart, folks.
Yes, indeed.
Capacity crowd getting settled down
and getting ready for SummerSlam.
And you will note the cast on the left arm of Owen Hart.
[Mr. Perfect] He's a champion.
[Vince] That's the slowest-healing injury perhaps of all time here in the WWE.
[Mr. Perfect] It's a tribute to how really tough Owen Hart is,
to be out here wrestling with a broken wrist.
[Ross] He could have had a bone marrow transplant
and be well by now. My goodness.
[Vince] And, apparently, Savio Vega questioning indeed
whether or not Owen Hart should be allowed to wear that cast now,
for how many weeks has it been since the initial injury,
or I should say how many months has it been?
[Mr. Perfect] Well, McMahon, let me put it this way.
-He just keeps re-injuring it. -[bell ringing]
Being on the road, wrestling in all the different towns
across the country, it doesn't have a chance to heal.
[Vince] I see. Conspicuous by his absence,
as the bell rings, by the way, ladies and gentlemen,
is Jim Cornette, the manager of Owen Hart.
Would you care to speculate, J.R., where Jim-- where he might be?
[Ross] Well, I think that Cornette all day has been sequestered with Vader,
been going over last-minute strategy.
Cornette really trying to get in Vader's head here.
[Vince] Look out. Look out from behind now.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh. Now, wait a minute.
-[Vince] Well, the official, rightfully… -[Ross] Uh-oh.
[Vince] …pulled Owen Hart into a neutral position.
[Ross] Wait a minute. That official is just telling Owen Hart
that if he uses that cast in this matchup, he's gonna be disqualified.
[Vince] Exactly what he was attempting to do.
We have seen Owen Hart strike an individual over the head
with that cast and obtain victory behind an official's back,
and all the officials now are pretty wise to the trickery of one Owen Hart.
Notwithstanding what happened to his cast last Monday on Raw, J.R.,
when Shawn Michaels pulled it right off his arm.
[Ross] Yeah. Shawn used that cast as a weapon.
That's what it is.
A cast is a weapon.
I don't think there's anything wrong at all with Owen Hart's arm.
[Vince] Shawn was attempting to use it, again,
not too different from what was going in the squared circle with Vader.
We all saw Shawn Michaels at the conclusion of last week's Raw.
He was in a poor condition, to say the least,
and, obviously, it's nice to see in the Free For All
that he is ready for action here tonight here at SummerSlam.
[Ross] You know, I was talking to some fans on the way in today,
and Owen Hart came from-- came behind us,
and somebody just asked him a question, how his brother Bret was doing,
-and you couldn't believe… -[Vince] Look at that.
[Ross] …what Owen had say to those kids.
[Vince] And-- Oh, yeah.
[Mr. Perfect] Now, see-- you see Savio going right after
-the broken arm of Owen Hart? -[Vince] It's not broken.
[Mr. Perfect] Why don't you just wrestle a man, Savio? Leave the arm alone.
Show the world you're a better wrestler or not.
[Vince] Savio Vega continuing to work on the left arm and shoulder.
And over goes Owen Hart.
[Ross] I mean, if Owen Hart is so incapacitated,
how did he pass a pre-match physical to wrestle here?
That's what I wanna know.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, Cornette had a talk with the doctor.
[Vince] Oh, yeah, right.
Cornette does a lot of talking these days.
Cornette, ladies and gentlemen, as in Jim Cornette,
perhaps tonight becomes the manager
of the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion
when The Man They Call Vader meets Shawn Michaels.
Big slam here by Savio Vega.
Off the rope and-- Oh, nobody home.
Owen Hart is quick, but not that quick.
And there you saw, again, he was going to strike him with that cast.
[Ross] Both these athletes will certainly take a lot of chances here.
[Vince] And wait a minute, I think we have a camera
in the locker room of Vader warming up for the matchup.
Jim Cornette back there with The Man They Call Vader.
And if I were Owen Hart, I would-- I think I'd be a little slighted.
Wouldn't you feel a little slighted indeed right now?
Jim Cornette concentrating on the title
and certainly not showing any support for Owen Hart whatsoever.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, you can't blame Jim Cornette
for being in the back with Vader.
Finally, Camp Cornette is gonna get the World Wrestling Entertainment title,
and it's gonna happen tonight.
[Vince] And here we go.
Savio Vega trying to set up Owen Hart again.
And up he goes.
-And down. -[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[Vince] Savio Vega in control of the matchup against Owen Hart.
That pesky Owen Hart has obtained a cheap victory
after victory with that cast.
Notwithstanding his extraordinary wrestling skill.
-Let's give him credit for that. -[Mr. Perfect] Yeah.
He's a thinking man's wrestler.
This guy knows what he's doing. Very versatile in the ring.
[Vince] Off the rope now.
Vega down on the canvas.
Owen Hart from the other side.
Leapfrog by Savio Vega. Vega trying to set him up.
Yes. Nice body drop.
Vega with an arm drag. Yes. Over the hip. Nicely done.
Savio Vega cover.
We get one, two-- and a kick-out by Owen Hart.
[Ross] Nice succession of offensive maneuvers.
[screams] My arm!
And Owen Hart lamenting that his arm is being tortured,
and I think that's pretty much the name of the game.
Hart, a two-time former WWE Tag Team Champion,
not to mention the 1994 King of the Ring winner,
so he's got great qualifications,
in addition to being the youngest of 12 children.
So I guess he's been competitive all his life. That last--
[Mr. Perfect] And the greatest of all the Hart wrestlers is Owen.
[Vince] So-- Oh no. Here we go.
Savio Vega gets the victory-- No.
Oh, whoa.
[Ross] Savio came off that pinning predicament,
couldn't get his balance,
and then fell forward right into the ring post.
So Savio's left shoulder striking the ring post.
[Vince] All right. Let's see if Owen Hart can capitalize now on Savio Vega.
-And again-- Uh-oh. -[Mr. Perfect] That's it.
Stay right on the shoulder, Owen.
[Vince] Owen Hart, unquestionably, an opportunist.
You mentioned before his championship qualifications.
Owen Hart, to a certain extent, following in the footsteps
of his older brother, Bret "The Hitman" Hart.
[Mr. Perfect] Do you have to mention his name at SummerSlam
around me, McMahon?
[Vince] Always have to mention the best there is, the best there was,
and perhaps the best there ever will be in "The Hitman" Bret Hart.
And you wonder if The Hitman is looking on,
watching his brother in action.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, what I was trying to get at,
I owe Bret Hart one at SummerSlam, if you recall.
-[Ross] I remember that. -[Mr. Perfect] Yeah, I'm sure you do.
[Ross] You lost the Intercontinental title to him at SummerSlam.
[Mr. Perfect] I didn't lose it. I-- Oh, what a move by--
-[Vince] Oh no! -[Ross] Change of subject, huh?
[Vince] And Owen Hart may wanna put a cast on Savio Vega's left arm after that.
What a maneuver.
[grunts]
[Ross] Owen Hart has Savio Vega in a very good position right now.
Savio likes to use his martial arts skills,
spinning heel kick, thrust kick.
He can't kick anybody right here.
[Vince] Well, down on the mat, right where Owen Hart wants him.
Owen Hart, much like his brother Bret and the other Hart brothers,
learning many of the holds from his dad, Stu Hart,
in The Dungeon, so to speak, as they called it, down in the basement.
-[Mr. Perfect] These are submission holds. -[Vince] The legendary Stu Hart. Yes.
And he certainly taught his sons well.
However, I don't know that he's necessarily as proud of Owen Hart
as he is of Bret.
Not necessarily in terms of accomplishments,
but in terms of sportsmanship.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, he's keep-- Owen's keeping the Hart name alive
in wrestling. I think that's what's important to Stu.
[Ross] I think Owen's total lack of character has been disappointing
to his mother and father.
-[Vince] Look at this. Oh. -[Ross] That's a good move.
Armbar takedown.
[Mr. Perfect] That could be it.
[Vince] And here we go. One, two, and it's--
-[Mr. Perfect] Yeah. -[Vince] And--
-[Mr. Perfect] Oh, he was down. -[Vince] That was close. That was close.
Owen Hart continuing to apply pressure here
on the left arm and shoulder of Savio Vega.
[Ross] Another submission maneuver right here.
Owen Hart trying to hyperextend the left elbow.
Remember, Savio, just a few moments ago, struck the ring post.
-Uh-oh. -[Vince] Uh-oh.
-That's one way-- Is Savio biting him? -[Ross] He sure is.
And I can prove it. Look at those teeth marks.
[Vince] One way to break a hold, I suppose.
And, again, not necessarily the most sportsmanlike thing to do,
but sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.
And look at this. Savio Vega locked in the rope now.
Owen Hart hammering down on the arm.
Whoo!
[crowd chatter]
[Vince laughs] Blatant slap.
[Ross] Owen Hart can be very inflammatory--
-[Vince] Oh. -[Ross] Hello.
How do you do?
[Vince] Owen Hart is inflammatory, all right.
[Mr. Perfect] You said what?
[Vince] Both physically and verbally.
Look at that. Yes.
Savio Vega-- Look, Owen Hart right back.
What a matchup we have kicking things off here at SummerSlam.
And, again, Savio Vega down on his knees and-- Wait a minute.
-We have a visitor walking this way. -[Ross] Indeed, we do.
[Vince] A number of individuals about ringside looking over
at the entrance of the arena, and, uh…
[Mr. Perfect] Yes, I think that's Clarence.
[Vince] That's-- That's Clarence Mason. Mr. Mason-- Uh-oh.
Representing, of course, Camp Cornette, legally,
and also representing-- Oh, look out.
Representing Crush, professionally.
Yes, Mr. Mason is, in fact, the acting manager-- Oh, here we go.
We have one, two, and he-- No.
-[Mr. Perfect] No. -[Vince] No, he didn't.
Oh, look at that. What a maneuver. Right to the back of the head.
And Clarence Mason coming down to take a little closer look.
Let's do it, Owen!
[Ross] What a martial arts head kick there, the enzuigiri,
-by Owen Hart that caught Savio-- -[Vince] Wait a minute.
-[Ross] …right in the back of the head. [Vince] A cover. One, two--
And that's enough to get him.
-[Mr. Perfect] Yeah. -[Vince] Yes.
[Ross] It's kind of unusual for Clarence Mason to be here.
[Vince] That should get him. Here we go. Look at this.
Double feature action. Right on the back of the head.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, we've seen that work before.
[Vince] We certainly have.
And I guess that was a count of two. Wait a minute.
This is likely to be a count of three.
-[Mr. Perfect] No. -[Vince] Oh, that was so close.
You wonder, is Clarence Mason moving in on Jim Cornette's territory?
I mean, we talked, again,
about what it would be like to have Clarence Mason actively managing
here in the World Wrestling Entertainment. Do you think he's--
-[Clarence] Let's go. Let's go, Owen. -[Vince] Look at that. Uh-oh. What--
Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Look out.
-[Ross] Hey, hey, hey. -[Vince] Oh!
Clarence Mason may be moving in on Jim Cornette's territory here.
-Watch your back. Watch out. -[Vince] Oh, here we go.
-One, two, and we've got-- -[Mr. Perfect] No, not yet.
[Vince] We didn't.
Whoa. That could do it.
[Ross] Caught Savio right in the face with that spinning heel kick.
[Vince] Owen Hart leveling Savio Vega.
Owen Hart with the presence of mind for the cover.
He gets one, he gets two, and he--
-[Mr. Perfect] No. -[Vince] He didn't get him.
He did not get him.
[Ross] You know, I gotta wonder if Clarence Mason came out here on his own
or if Cornette dispatched him out here.
[Mr. Perfect] I tell you what, though, Savio is tougher than he looks.
[Vince] Savio Vega to the buckle. Owen Hart now--
Oh my!
And Savio--
Savio just can't quite put him away after that.
Savio Vega and Owen Hart going at it.
-And Clarence Mason looking on. -[Mr. Perfect] Looking--
[Vince] And he does not like what he's seeing. Oh, look at this now.
Oh, center-- dropping a knee to the spine area.
Coming up.
What a clothesline by Savio.
Savio now on a tear.
Savio with a clothesline.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Savio kicked Owen like a government mule there
just moments ago,
and now Owen's in a lot of trouble.
Savio, keep the burner turned up.
[Vince] Savio Vega with Owen Hart.
Look at this. Hammering away now.
-[crowd counting] -One, two, three, four, five--
Get right off there.
[Vince] Thousands upon thousands of fans behind Savio Vega.
Vega now with the momentum.
And Owen right to the buckle. Whoa. My goodness.
-[Ross] Tremendous velocity. -[Vince] Owen Hart in trouble.
Owen scooped up and slammed by Vega.
Drops the leg down.
For the cover, two, and he got him.
Is that two or-- No.
[Ross] Not a good cover by Savio.
[Vince] To the buckle.
All right. Now, Savio Vega, sidewalk slam.
-Now he has him. Two and he-- -[Mr. Perfect] Get out of there.
No way.
[Vince] There have been so many near falls in this matchup.
[Ross] Owen's tough, resilient.
[Vince] Hart coming off now and--
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[Vince] Neckbreaker applied.
Let's see now if Owen Hart can capitalize.
[crowd cheering]
[Mr. Perfect] These Hart kids are tough. There's no doubt about it.
[Vince] To the top.
-Dropkick. -[Ross] Nicely done.
That should be it right there.
[Mr. Perfect] Perfectly executed.
-[Vince] One, two-- He got off. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] You gotta hand it to Savio Vega.
There's not an ounce of quit in his brain.
[Vince] And the same can be said for Owen Hart.
And is he going all the way to the top now?
Look at that. Uh-oh.
[Ross] That'll change your outlook on things.
[Vince] It certainly will.
Savio Vega with Owen Hart now in a comprising position.
Can he do it? He's setting him up now. What's he--
[Ross] Oh, Savio fell backwards on Owen Hart's cast.
The back of Savio's head…
-[Vince] He certainly did. -[Ross] …struck that cast.
I think Savio may have almost knocked himself out.
[Vince] I'm not so sure that Owen Hart didn't take the brunt,
however, of the effect of that.
Owen Hart suplex from the top.
-Owen Hart now-- -[Ross] Oh, he's playing possum.
-[Vince] What? -[Ross] Owen Hart is playing possum.
[Vince] Hey, wait a minute.
I think he has the-- Oh no.
[Mr. Perfect] Savio must have knocked the cast right off of Owen.
-[Vince] Wait a minute. -[Ross] The referee didn't see that.
-Can you believe that? -[Vince] And Owen Hart has-- Look at this.
Savio Vega…
-[Mr. Perfect] Cover him. -[Vince] …is out cold.
Owen Hart…
[Mr. Perfect] Here comes the Sharpshooter.
[Ross] Savio's already out.
He doesn't need to do that.
[Vince] The official has stopped the match.
-[bell ringing] -["High Energy" playing]
[Howard] The winner of this bout, the Slammy Award-winning Owen Hart!
[Vince] The official did not see Owen Hart take his cast off his wrist.
And look at this.
Clarence Mason in the ring congratulating Owen Hart in his victory.
-Look at this. -[Mr. Perfect] You gotta just love Owen.
[Vince] The Slammy Award-winning Owen Hart.
[Mr. Perfect] You gotta just love Owen Hart.
[Ross] Why?
[Mr. Perfect] He's so smart when it comes to ring savvy.
He's got plenty of it.
[Ross] Yeah, he's a good cheater, all right.
He used the cast to his advantage. It's not fair.
[Mr. Perfect] He's a-- He's a winner is what he is, Ross.
[Vince] There he is.
And Clarence Mason coming up against the victorious Owen Hart,
as we take another look at this replay now.
All right. Now, look, the cast is indeed behind the neck of Savio Vega,
which you astutely brought to our attention, J.R.
I didn't even see it.
That had an effect on both individuals,
but here, Owen Hart, behind the official's back,
will take the cast off.
Watched and waited--
[Ross] Look here. Wait a minute. What-- Bradshaw's out here.
Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw's out here.
Open your eyes. I want you to look.
And what you're calling a living legend, he just got beaten
like the Puerto Rican dog that he is.
He has been a thorn in my face for the time I've been here.
And I am gonna send him back to that island
where he rots away and rots--
[Vince] Mr. Bradshaw joining us…
-[Ross] Good grief. -[Vince] …in the commentary.
Savio Vega being helped back to the locker room area.
[Mr. Perfect] Uh-oh.
-Bradshaw-- -[Ross] Oh, come on.
Good grief.
The referee got knocked down with that cheap shot.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Savio Vega pummeled by Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw from behind.
[Mr. Perfect] Well…
[Ross] After what happened this weekend,
-I can understand Bradshaw being upset. -[crowd booing]
Bradshaw and Zebekiah lost the tag team matchup
to Savio and Freddie Joe Floyd, but this is totally uncalled for.
[Vince] And unfortunately for Savio Vega,
having insult added to a bit of injury.
Savio in bad shape after Owen Hart's cheating
and after what we just saw a moment ago with Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw.
Standing by now, ladies and gentlemen, I believe in the boiler room--
[Mr. Perfect] Oh my.
[Vince] …I believe we have Todd Pettengill. Todd?
Guys, thank you. Obviously, that was disturbing to see.
And you wanna talk about disturbing, you wanna talk about ominous,
this is totally freaky.
I am in the boiler room, and this is where The Undertaker and Mankind will do battle.
There are no rules in this matchup.
Anything goes.
Anything is likely to happen.
The only thing you have to remember is
the first person that gets possession of that urn will be victorious.
And I'll tell you, it is-- it's dark and ominous,
and there are things in here.
There are pipes.
There are tow--
[Mankind] There's no place like home, Todd.
There's no place like home.
The knowledge and disappointment.
There is no place like home.
But as much as I love…
every square inch within these hallowed halls,
it's time to leave because destiny awaits on the other side.
[Ross] Was he licking that thing?
Well, as for you, Deadman, take this simple warning.
Do not come in here because outside the walls awaits you
a fate worse than death
and a possible course of events
that could alter the future of all mankind.
Have a nice day.
You see this?
-Back to you, guys. -[Vince] Unbelievable. Thank you.
-[upbeat music playing] -[bell ringing]
[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen, this is a special--
[Vince] Was that strange or what?
[Ross] Licking the pipes down there.
This is-- I don't know. I don't-- I said it earlier,
I don't think that Mankind or The Undertaker will ever be the same
after tonight here at SummerSlam.
That Boiler Room Brawl is gonna be absolutely phenomenal.
And here come Marty Jannetty and Leif Cassidy.
Could they be the next Tag Team Champions?
[Vince] Four teams going at it for the WWE tag team title.
[Ross] Well, a coin toss has been held to determine
who's going to start the matchup.
Remember, once the match gets started, everybody,
that anyone legally can tag anyone else.
You do not have to tag your partner,
and partners can be in there against each other.
Once a man is defeated,
he and his partner must return to the locker room,
and that process will continue until there's only one team left,
and that one team remaining will be the WWE Tag Team Champions.
[Howard] Team number two, at a total combined weight of 454 pounds…
[Ross] You know, ironically enough, three of the teams in this matchup
have held tag team gold here
in the World Wrestling Entertainment in 1996.
The reigning champions, Smoking Gunns, The Bodydonnas we see coming to the ring.
[Vince] Yeah, what's the story on that neck brace there, J.R.?
[Ross] Well, you know, last Friday in Madison Square Garden,
Skip injured his neck in a title contest,
where The Bodydonnas were challenging The Smoking Gunns.
He fractured his fifth cervical vertebrae…
[Mr. Perfect] Yeah, right.
[Ross] …and got doctor's clearance to compete here.
This kid's got a lot of guts and a lot of heart.
["The Godwinns" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Sweet!
[Ross] Well, it's funny how this thing has evolved this year,
Bodydonnas, they beat The Smoking Gunns at WrestleMania
to become the Tag Champions.
Then on May 19th, The Godwinns beat The Bodydonnas in Madison Square Garden.
And then on May 26th,
The Gunns beat The Godwinns in Florence, South Carolina,
at In Your House: Beware of Dog.
[Ross] And along the way, The Rockers have got victories
over The Godwinns and The Bodydonnas.
[Vince] And the tag team action here in the World Wrestling Entertainment
is likely to heat up as a result of this matchup.
[Ross] Folks sitting at a hogpen here today, Vince.
[Mr. Perfect] Stay away from me with those pigs.
-[Vince] How you doing, Henry? -[Ross] Hi, Hank.
Good to see you, Hank.
[Vince] Hey.
[Ross] Uh-oh, he's got a walking BLT there.
I like that. Good luck to you.
-[Howard announcing] -[Vince] Oh my.
Ready to go basset hound out here?
Hogs are squealing.
Must be SummerSlam.
[Howard] …at 412 pounds,
the current World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Champions…
[Ross] That basset hound has got ears like my third cousin Joe-Bob.
-[Vince laughs] -[Howard] …Billy and Bart,
-The Smoking Gunns. -[Ross] I'll tell you something,
Sunny certainly has a great deal of confidence here,
leading her Smoking Gunns Tag Team Champions to the ring.
We are the best, and everybody's fixing to find out why.
[Ross] Well, Billy Gunn certainly fired up about this matchup.
It's not gonna be easy.
The surviving team wins the title.
This thing can quickly resemble one of those Jackie Chan movies.
[Mr. Perfect] Look at Sunny. She looks great, doesn't she?
[Ross] Oh, yeah. Just ask her how good she looks.
She'll tell you.
[Vince] Yes. Many of you saw Sunny along with, well, many other individuals
in the Bikini Beach Blast-Off.
She certainly was strutting her stuff, so to speak…
-[Mr. Perfect] She stole the show. -[Vince] …on the beach. Maybe she did.
Sunny along with The Smoking Gunns.
And the WWE Tag Team Championship up for grabs, ladies and gentlemen,
in this most unusual manner.
[Ross] So, remember, two men are gonna start,
and once contact has been made,
then they can tag anyone that they choose.
They do not have to tag their own partner.
It's an elimination tag match.
So once man of a team is eliminated, he and his partner…
-That's why we're number one. -[Ross] …gotta go back to the showers.
We're gonna stay the champs. I just love it.
[Ross] You know, you might as well.
I don't know if I'm looking at this erroneously or not,
but it's almost as if the doggone titles are vacant.
[Mr. Perfect] You notice The Smoking Gunn, he's in the ring ready to go.
That's a mark of a real champion.
-[Vince] All right. -[Ross] Well, yeah, he's--
-[bell ringing] -[Vince] Okay.
[Ross] He lost the coin toss. That's why he's ready to go.
-[Vince] Exactly. [laughs] -[Ross] He's also--
Billy's got an injured thumb.
-[thumping] -[Vince] Nonetheless,
the title's up for grabs in a--
[yells]
[Vince] All right. Time to call the hogs.
[Ross] You know, we got a hogpen over here tonight.
[Vince] Definitely. We just saw a little bit of it earlier.
And here we go.
Hank, big, strong country boy,
off the rope and, oh, down goes Billy of The Smoking Gunns.
[Ross] Hank could knock ol' Billy
right out of those Tony Lama boots if he's not careful.
[Vince] Henry and Phineas, The Godwinns.
A nice maneuver there on the part of Billy.
However, hanging onto the ropes and-- oh, again, Billy goes down to the canvas.
When it comes to size and quickness, I might add,
the advantage goes to The Godwinns, in my view.
-[Ross] I don't-- -[Vince] They are just so quick.
[Ross] I don't think either one of them were valedictorians in their class.
-[Vince] Well, no. -[Ross] This is not a spelling bee either.
[crowd chanting]
[Ross] It's almost like a sudden death situation here.
You lose a decision, in any manner, you and your partner gotta go.
[Vince] High hip toss by Henry.
Clothesline-- A hard right hand rather.
Henry reaching for that one. Nonetheless, the effect is fair, and here we go.
Here's comes our first pin after-- Wait a minute.
-Henry. Oh no! -[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
Oh, I haven't seen that move before.
[Ross] You know, normally, a champion has the--
what they call a championship advantage.
The champion doesn't have to win the match.
He just gotta keep from getting beat.
That's-- That advantage is out the window here.
The Smoking Gunns gotta survive three teams to retain their gold,
and it's not gonna be easy.
[Vince] And Billy with a look on his face as if he has no idea where he is.
There's Billy and Bart Gunn. Uh-oh.
Over on the side, and now here we go. Locking back up now.
This time, we have Phineas in there against Zip.
And again, not surprisingly,
The Godwinns are bowling people over in there.
[Ross] Looks like Phineas spilled something
all over his overalls there, don't he?
[Mr. Perfect] What a pig.
[Ross] My granny would say, "You missed your mouth."
[Mr. Perfect] He don't care.
[Vince laughs]
I'm not so sure he spilled something or whether or not it was, uh, residue
from one of the little animals he had out here.
[Ross] Oh, there you go. I hope that's what it was.
You people, sit down and shut up!
[Vince] Well…
standing side headlock now with Zip against Phineas,
the more eccentric of the two Godwinns, I think you can easily say.
[Ross] Oh, that's putting it nicely.
[Vince] Here we go, crisscross fashion. Where is he gonna stop?
Well, right about there maybe.
-Oh, how about that? -[Ross] Oh, there we go now.
[Vince] Both men tagged both Gunns in. Look at that.
[Mr. Perfect] Now, wait a minute. They're not gonna wrestle each other.
-[Ross] They have to. They have no choice. -[Mr. Perfect] No. They got some--
-They gotta have some-- -[Ross] They gotta make contact.
-That's the rules, Perfect. -[Vince] That's right.
Billy now must wrestle Bart,
and Billy protesting to the official.
And if he does too much of that, he'll just disqualify the team,
the referee will, and they would have lost the titles
in one fell swoop, just like that.
[Ross] Goodness gracious.
[Vince] Here we go.
And look at-- Trying to go for the same tactic and failing,
The Gunns, trying to tag in The Godwinns.
[Ross] They gotta make contact.
No goal-breaking here. You gotta get after it.
[Vince] All right. There we go.
Zip now.
[Sunny] Billy, come on!
-[Vince] Zip and Billy ready to go at it. -[Sunny] Billy!
[Vince] Down on the canvas.
Nice maneuver on the part of Zip, and Zip with an arm drag takedown.
Oh boy.
Oh, and a clothesline by Zip.
-And-- -[Ross] Oh, come on.
Marty Jannetty just-- Marty Jannetty just tripped Zip.
-[Vince] Two and-- -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, they're out of here.
-[Vince] My God. -[bell ringing]
And it's a good thing that Skip did not even get
into this match with that neck brace. You know what would have happened.
Someone would have gone completely for the neck.
[Ross] Yeah, but he was ready 'cause he really wanted
to be a part of this, did Skip. And right now,
the only thing they could be a part of is taking a hot shower.
Three teams remain.
-What do you think of that, Mr. P? -How you doing, Sunny?
[Vince] Sunny, of course, brought The Bodydonnas
to the World Wrestling Entertainment.
And when she saw a better opportunity, she dropped them.
[Mr. Perfect] Yeah. She got rid of them just as fast.
[Ross] Broke Phineas' heart. Oh, come on.
[Vince] All right, down to three teams now, ladies and gentlemen.
The Rockers, The Gunns, and The Godwinns.
[Ross] See, The Rockers, in there for the first time.
That's Leif Cassidy.
-[Vince] Leif now-- - [Mr. Perfect] The Rockers are smart.
[Vince] Oh, and a clothesline.
[Mr. Perfect] They let the other teams beat each other up,
then they get in there. That's what I'd have done.
[Vince] And they are aggressive.
-Leif Cassidy-- -[yells]
[Ross] They said if they win the title,
they're gonna dedicate the match to the Parkers family.
-[Vince laughs] -[Ross] Now, what the heck does that mean?
[Vince laughs] Well, Leif is a little unusual in his own right.
Marty Jannetty and Leif. Come on, ref. Get in there.
-[Ross] He thought you were Dick Clark. -[Vince] Yes, as a matter of fact.
[Mr. Perfect] What a compliment that is.
[Vince] To the buckle, Jannetty-- Uh-oh.
And Jannetty, former tag team partners with, of course,
the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion, Shawn Michaels, many years ago.
Look at this. Clothesline.
[Ross] Jannetty also a former Intercontinental Champion,
let's not forget.
A snapmare takeover.
That's where you want Henry. You want him on his back.
-[Vince] Oh. -[Ross] You don't want him upright.
[Vince] He could stay that way for a moment after that.
[Ross] They're wasting time here.
Marty and Leif gotta be more opportunistic, not waste so much time.
[Vince] Leif is right back in. Wide open Henry.
Leif going to work in the midsection.
-Come on, Marty. Come on, get it out. -[Henry grunts]
[Vince] And The Godwinns are in a bit of trouble now,
as it would appear as though
that The Gunns are somewhat cooperating with The New Rockers.
[Ross] It certainly seems that they have a little collusionary effort here.
[crowd chatter]
[thumping]
Look, look, look!
Come on, Billy. Come on. I'm telling you, Billy. Come on.
[Sunny] What's the matter, hot Phin, huh?
-[Mr. Perfect] Look out. -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Oh, a little miscue.
[Vince] And that may break up any collaboration…
[Mr. Perfect] Yeah.
[Vince] …that they had going earlier on.
Henry Godwinn setting up Billy now, coming off the rope, and--
Uh-oh, here we go.
[Mr. Perfect] Look at the strength of Henry Godwinn.
[Vince] A cover. A count and look-- Oh no.
And The Rockers really fouling up now.
-[Ross] Oops. Didn't mean to. -[overlapping chatter]
-[Mr. Perfect] I don't know if that's a-- -[Vince] Rockers and the Gunns in there.
And Henry is legal.
Uh-oh, look at that, knocking Rockers, swinging-- Look at this.
The Godwinns pretty much cleaning house in there at the moment.
Coming off the rope and elbow squarely in the butt of the jaw.
Henry Godwinn along with Leif Cassidy.
Leif, very quick, driving-- Oh, look at that.
A roll-up here. One, two, and he--
-No, he didn't quite-- -[Mr. Perfect] Oh!
[Vince] Look out, Slop Drop is coming.
[Mr. Perfect] Look.
-[Vince] That'll do it. -[Mr. Perfect] Nobody gets up after that.
-[bell ringing] -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And we say goodbye to The Rockers for a while.
So now we are down to two.
[Vince] And yes, here we go.
Bart wasting no time in driving a knee into Henry Godwinn.
Bart now scooping up the big hog farmer, slams him down to the canvas.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Bart and Billy Gunn walking into this matchup with the titles,
and surely they wanna walk out with 'em.
-[crowd chatter] -[Sunny] …you guys are ugly.
[Billy] Shut up!
[Ross] Well, Sunny can cause some trouble, I'll tell you something.
-[Mr. Perfect] Now you're on her side? -[Vince] All right.
Set up again to the buckle. Henry Godwinn.
Yes, Sunny. Oh, look out. Oh, miscalculating.
Just one effect-- A clothesline.
-[Vince] Look at that. Unbelievable. -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, wow.
-Good grief. That's power. -[Vince] Henry Godwinn exploding on Bart.
-[thumps] -[crowd chanting, clapping rhythmically]
[Vince] Hillbilly Jim on the outside trying to get it going for The Godwinns.
Sunny likewise trying to get it going for The Smoking Gunns.
The tag team title's up for grabs.
And remember, we don't have to have a pinfall or a submission
for this title to change hands, which is the normal procedure in a title match.
But here, even though it's down to two teams,
it doesn't matter how you win as long as you win.
It could be a disqualification from the opposing team.
It doesn't matter.
[Ross] Big Hank needs to make the tag there to Phineas.
Phineas is well-rested.
[Vince] And unfortunately, Bart there to make sure no tag was made.
[Mr. Perfect] If we really think about it, what a disgrace it'd be
if the Hogs won the World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Champion.
-[Vince] What do you mean by that? -[Mr. Perfect] I mean, walk around.
Look at how they dress and the way they present themselves.
[Vince] You better watch yourself, you may be covered in slop.
[Mr. Perfect] They can't hear me from here.
[Ross] And their biggest fan's birthday is today, President Bill Clinton.
[Vince] Matter of fact, yes.
The ripe old age of 50.
All right. Phineas trying to get in this matchup.
And Henry having great difficulty in making a tag.
Bart now bringing Henry over to the Gunns' corner, wide open.
Henry's had a lot of damage done to the rib area.
Come on, Henry, do something, you big sissy!
-Come on! Come on! -[Vince] Verbal tirade of Billy Gunn.
-Come on, stay off the head. -[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Billy and Sunny with a very similar temperament.
There we go. There we go. Well,
-my team, we're going home with the belt. -[Ross] You mean obnoxious?
-She's a Jezebel. -[Sunny] Come on.
-[Vince] And Bart. Come on. -[Mr. Perfect laughs]
You shut up! They're the champions!
[Ross] Yeah, and I think
if The Smoking Gunns get disqualified here,
they kiss those belts goodbye.
[Vince] Henry Godwinn on his feet.
Bart now working into the midsection.
Left hand there. Big, powerful Bart Gunn.
Bart and Billy formerly on a rodeo circuit, so to speak…
[Ross] Uh-oh. Look out.
[Vince] …some time ago. Oh my goodness.
[Ross] Inverted atomic drop will get your attention every time.
[Vince] And so will an uppercut, and so will a rake in the face.
The Godwinns want to leave SummerSlam,
want to leave Cleveland, Ohio,
with the World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Championship.
Billy tagged right back in now.
-[crowd chatter] -[Sunny shouts indistinctly]
[Ross] That's not gonna happen if Henry doesn't tag Phineas.
Henry's been there a long time.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
It's why I am the best!
[Ross] Here he comes. Billy Gunn.
-Oh. -[Vince] Wait a minute.
-[Ross] What power. -[Mr. Perfect] Uh-oh.
[Vince] Now tag your partner, Phineas.
Henry still unable to make the tag.
[Ross] Well, Henry caught Billy Gunn in midair,
-and Billy Gunn is no lightweight. -[Vince] Wait a minute. He just might.
[Ross] He's about 270.
[Vince] Hillbilly Jim encouraging Hank,
encouraging Henry to get over and tag Phineas.
-And Phineas is tagged in. -[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Phineas.
Look at this.
Phineas coming loose on The Smoking Gunns.
And there's a new caper for anybody else that was around.
Oh, yeah.
[Ross] Oh my goodness.
-Billy-- Bart-- -[Vince] It comes down to two.
-Here comes the Slop Drop. -[Mr. Perfect] Here it goes.
[Vince] The titles are gonna change hands here.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] And wait a minute.
Slop Drop behind the official.
The official trying to stop Hillbilly Jim from slopping Sunny.
Oh my goodness, Bart.
Boy, look what Bart did.
-One, two-- -[Ross] Come on.
[Mr. Perfect] He got him. All right.
-[bell ringing] -[Ross] That's not right.
That's just not right.
["Smokin'" playing]
[Howard] The winners of this bout,
and still World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Champions,
The Smoking Gunns!
[Vince] Well, unfortunately for The Godwinns,
The Smoking Gunns continue to reign as Tag Team Champions.
[Ross] Well, I'll tell you something, quite a feat for The Smoking Gunns.
They didn't have any advantage coming into this matchup.
They survived this four-team elimination tag team matchup by hook or crook,
but they got the job done.
[Billy] Shut up!
We are the best, and you've got to like it!
[Vince] Billy and Bart Gunn out there with Sunny.
Wait a minute, Sunny has the microphone…
I want everybody to take a real good look right now at the winners
and still World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Team Champions,
and that's the way they're gonna stay.
[crowd booing]
Now, before we go and have our victory party,
I want all you women to look at The Smoking Gunns
and what real men are supposed to look like.
And, boys, take a good look at the woman next to you,
the fat…
-[Vince] Uh-oh. -[Sunny] …the cellulite,
how out of shape they are now.
[Vince] Please…
And as I look around here, this place is looking really sorry,
so my generous gift to you…
[Vince] What?!
…to make this building look a whole lot better,
hit it, boys!
[Vince] Unbelievable!
-[upbeat music playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Sunny] Do I look incredible or what?
[Vince] Is she stuck on herself or what?
[Mr. Perfect] There's nothing wrong with that
when you're good and you know it.
[Ross] A very conceited young lady.
I've said it many times.
She missed that much-needed trip to the woodshed.
[Vince] Sunny and The Smoking Gunns
victorious in grand style here in Cleveland.
All right. Well, if you want to talk superstars.
you have to be talking about everyone who has joined us here in Cleveland.
Yes, everyone in the Gund Arena, superstars themselves,
we thank you very much for joining us here tonight for SummerSlam,
and we salute you with an opportunity to show you so many events
that took place here in the Greater Cleveland area
involving World Wrestling Entertainment superstars
and many of you who are in this building who joined us for these opportunities.
[upbeat music playing]
[narrator] The question is what's the coolest and fastest way
to get to SummerSlam here in Cleveland at the Gund Arena?
Well, if you ask The Godwinns, they've got the answer.
From the, uh-- the rapid transit here, and we're out here to show everybody
that this is the fastest way through Cleveland.
No matter what you're on--
-For SummerSlam. -…into the Gund Arena for SummerSlam.
[narrator] And what about The Smoking Gunns?
Well, for one thing, those pig farmers over there
could never beat us in anything.
And, you know, we have a good old trusty horse,
which back in the old days always worked for everybody back then.
So it's gonna work for us now.
He almost looks as good as me.
And the Wrestling Entertainment will race the rapid to SummerSlam.
SummerSlam is this Sunday.
The race is going to prove the best way to get to the Gund Arena.
[narrator] So, the Godwinns boarded the rapid train,
and the Gunns boarded their carriage.
Who is gonna come out on top?
Yeah!
Oh, well, see you-- see you at the Gund Arena.
[narrator] And the race was underway.
Look at The Godwinns as they passed The Smoking Gunns.
It's air-conditioned in there. Look at that.
Sunny's having a great time in her carriage.
The horse is rolling, and the race is on.
The Smoking Gunns sitting back relaxing,
as you can see right here, in their carriage.
They think they've got it all wrapped up.
But The Godwinns have already arrived.
Look at this.
-Hey. -[woman] Hey, guys.
What time is it? We got time for lunch.
[narrator] Time for a little lunch break
as you can see The Smoking Gunns coming now.
And there's no question about it. Guys…
-Let's do it. -[narrator] …who's gonna cross?
Hey, you're both doing it at the same time. There you go.
But you know what? The Smoking Gunns cannot believe it.
Hey, that's not fair. They cheated.
-[man] Hey, shut up. -Wait a minute.
Oh, don't give me that.
There's no way that you guys got here that fast.
-You guys cheated. -[man] We don't have to ride a horse.
We don't know if you cheated.
You guys got in a truck and rode over here, and you know it.
We got something, it gets better and better.
[Henry] What a nice ride we had.
-Air-conditioned. -Air-conditioned.
Comfortable seats.
[Henry] Sunday, when you want to come to SummerSlam,
jump on that rapid transit as you come on.
-[Phineas] You're right here. -[Henry] Right here.
[narrator] Jacobs Field here in Cleveland will never be the same again.
That's because "the King" Jerry Lawler was hanging out at batting practice.
There you see number 32, Dennis Martinez.
How about this?
The King wants to get some advice on how to throw the pitch,
so he goes to Sandy Alomar Jr.
[crowd chatter]
All right, Sandy, you've shown me how to throw the fastball, the sinker,
the slider, but heck with all those legal pitches.
I wanna know how to throw the spitball.
That's against the rules, right?
Show me how to throw the spitball. I know you guys do it all the time.
If you show me how to do a piledriver.
-Piledriver? -Yes.
A piledriver? That's my-- That's my patented hold, man.
-Well, I can-- -I can--
-I can piledrive you. -You can piledrive me?
-Of course. -No way.
-Yes, I can. -You can't piledrive me, Sandy.
-You think? -Well, wait a minute.
Now, come on, okay. I'm--
[narrator] Well, the King didn't get an answer he liked there,
so he went to All-Star pitcher Charles Nagy.
Charles Nagy, I was at the game last night.
I saw you pitch. It was masterful.
The curveball was working beautifully.
The fastball, everything,
but, man, you were throwing the best thing, don't you?
You were throwing the spitter. It was-- It was terrific, right?
There's no such thing as a spitter. You can't throw those. Those are illegal.
-You should know that. -Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
You're right. I know that rules are made to be broken, too, Charles.
So, you go-- Hey, look, I'm the King. Go ahead, tell. Spitter, right?
I saw you-- Look, you wipe the forehead, slip it right off the--
-huh? -No.
[narrator] "The King" Jerry Lawler did a pretty good job
throwing out the first pitch, but his seats were-- Well, look.
The last time I let Vince McMahon tell me he can get me good tickets.
He knows I get a nosebleed when I get up this high.
Hey, buddy, how did you get up here, helicopter?
Hey, there's Bob Uecker down there. Even he's got better seats than I do.
[narrator] Then yesterday, the superstar of the World Wrestling Entertainment
helped paint the town.
You can see covering the graffiti there, the superstars glad to help out.
Savio Vega covering it up, all kinds of WWE superstars.
There you can see Sunny painting over things.
There's The Godwinns again after winning their race
painting over the town here in Cleveland,
and the "World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry
lifting a resident of Cleveland to help out a little bit.
SummerSlam weekend with the World Wrestling Entertainment
as The Godwinns hanging out.
It's just an awesome time.
The-- Oh, look at Sunny in there hanging out with the fans here
of the World Wrestling Entertainment, and Bob Holly painting as well.
Then, of course, you have what was very special,
The Undertaker and Paul Bearer actually gave away an entire funeral.
That guy looks like he's a few years away.
He can save it, however.
Plus, ladies and gentlemen, Stridex, of course, the official sponsor
of SummerSlam this year held a huge party earlier on today.
Autograph signing sessions going on.
There you can see The Godwinns hanging out.
It was an absolutely incredible weekend
topped off by a proclamation from the Mayor of Cleveland,
Mr. Michael R. White.
SummerSlam weekend 1996 from the World Wrestling Entertainment.
["Rule, Britannia" playing]
-[bell ringing] -[Vince] All right.
Here he comes.
[Howard] Coming down the aisle from Manchester, England,
weighing 253 pounds,
The British Bulldog!
[Ross] No Cornette either.
[Vince] Yes, again, conspicuous by his absence.
No Jim Cornette. The British Bulldog on his way to lock up with Sycho Sid.
What a matchup this was likely to be.
Two powerhouses going at it this year at SummerSlam.
[Ross] Bulldog's getting some intense training in preparation for this one.
And I got a gut feeling he's gonna need it.
[Vince] All right. Let's take you back now.
Dok, standing by, I believe, with Sycho Sid. Dok?
All right. Thank you, Vince.
Sid, it must be a nice surprise and a great feeling,
the overwhelming support you've received from the WWE fans since you've returned
-to the World Wrestling Entertainment. -Dok, Dok, stop right there.
I know what the question is, let me give you the answer.
You see, it didn't start then. It started months ago.
When I am laying asleep, and it came to me,
the people are screaming "Sid! Sid!"
They screamed, but their demand was simple.
They wanted their man back, and the man is here, my friend!
The man is here to stay!
All right. Sid, you've claimed on numerous occasions
you're the ruler and master of the world.
Question is, right now, can you rule and master
the world of The British Bulldog?
It's funny you said that,
but you see until just recently, I feel like there was just
a little bit of something missing.
So tonight, Bulldog, it's my chance to take one more step.
One more step at a time.
For when it's over, you're smokin' as my friend,
the people will be standing,
and they will say, "Sid, you are the master."
"You are the ruler of the world."
All right, guys. Here comes six-nine, 313 pounds of a powerbomb.
[Vince] Yeah. Well, we're ready for him. I'm not so sure The British Bulldog is.
However, you never can tell what Davey Boy Smith "The British Bulldog"
is gonna pull out of his bag of tricks.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, he's got the experience, no doubt.
[Ross] Can't underestimate The Bulldog.
He knows what it's like to wear gold. He's been Intercontinental Champion,
defeated the legendary Bret Hart at Wembley Stadium.
Already thousands of fans in here for that big matchup.
The Bulldog's been a Tag Champion here in the WWE.
What a great team he and The Dynamite Kid were.
Now, he's a phenomenal athlete.
-[crowd chatter] -The man is here! The man is here!
See.
Davey, the game we play tonight is simple.
-Two men enter, one man survives. -Yes!
-[crowd member] No mercy! -[overlapping chatter]
-It's a matchup. -[Vince] Look at this.
You wonder…
…And you will, my friend, and his name is Sid.
[Vince] …is Sid talking to himself,
talking to his demons, talking to the fans?
You wonder.
-[Ross] Yeah. -[Vince] And it's almost as if he--
almost as if he hears voices.
[Ross] I think you're right. Exactly what I was thinking.
[Vince] I've never seen any individual psych himself up quite like Sycho Sid
prior to a matchup.
I mean, he builds himself mentally and physically into a frenzy.
[Ross] He motivates himself into a rage.
He's not gonna beat you at technical expertise.
He's not gonna show you too many Fireman's Carry takedowns.
Sycho Sid's gonna come with intensity and that raw power,
that God-given size at six-nine, 313 pounds,
and he uses every inch of it.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] The British Bulldog against Sycho Sid.
["Psycho Dance" playing]
[Vince] And The Bulldog showing great respect for Sid
keeping his distance away from the-- from Sycho Sid.
I think Sid's building this capacity crowd into a frenzy as well.
[Ross] Oh, he knows he's psycho.
-Just go with it, I guess. -[bell ringing]
[Vince] You use what you have as an asset
out of the ring in a different environment.
Sid, one of the nicest gentlemen you'll ever wanna meet.
But… [chuckles] …when he's in the ring, look out.
[crowd chanting]
[Ross] I wonder what our fans back in the U.K. are thinking
of The British Bulldog these days.
[Vince] Well, I would suggest that fans are alike all over the world.
Here we go, The Bulldog coming off the rope and--
-[Mr. Perfect] Uh-oh. -[Vince] Oh, nothing doing.
As powerful as The Bulldog,
he's gonna try it again. He was invited to try it again.
Look at this, Sid with a forearm--
Oh, but he nailed The British Bulldog.
[Ross] Raw unadulterated power. We're gonna see a lot of it.
[Vince] And, oh, there it is again.
And Bulldog to the outside.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, he's doing the smart thing.
Take a little breather. Get your composure.
[Vince] Speaking on that--
[Ross] That's a Viktor-like maneuver by The British Bulldog.
Sid was building momentum.
Bulldog took a couple of stiff shots.
Smart thing to do is roll out of bounds, let things settle down.
One thing The Bulldog has going for him among many things is his experience…
[crowd chanting]
[Ross] …but Sycho Sid has these 18,000-plus fans going for him.
And that could be the difference in this matchup.
I talked to some nice fans just a few moments ago
who went on the air from Australia.
They've traveled all the way here to join us live at SummerSlam.
[Vince] Bulldog and Sid.
Sid again standing side headlock, trying to get out of it.
Sid going to his power.
What great leverage Sid has as well, really put together.
[Ross] Sid's about to keep this match very deliberate.
Bulldog is the quicker of the two, not to say that Sid isn't quick.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, see that? Lower center of gravity for The Bulldog
-[Vince] And again, conspicuous. -[Ross] Whoa!
[Vince] Oh, nice takedown.
Not much of a cover there.
Conspicuous by his actions, again, Jim Cornette,
who is no doubt concentrating on the WWE Championship.
Look at that maneuver by Sid, nice escape.
-[Ross] I don't think-- Uh-oh. -[Vince] Uh-oh. Oh, whoa.
One, two, and-- Kick-out by The Bulldog.
[Ross] I don't think the fans have missed Cornette.
He's about as popular here as Art Modell.
-[Vince laughs] Speaking about-- -[Mr. Perfect] There we go.
[Vince] Uh-oh, wait a minute. Setting Sid up now.
[Mr. Perfect] Bulldog just waiting for his opening
-and then taking advantage of it. -[Vince] Uh-oh.
[Mr. Perfect] Look at the strength of The Bulldog--
[Vince] Space, and he clears him. What a powerhouse.
-[Ross] Will you look at that? -[Vince] Yes.
-[Ross] Look at that. -[Vince] Oh!
That is power on the part of The Bulldog.
-But he doesn't follow up. -[Ross] And Clarence is there.
[Vince] There's Clarence Mason back down at ringside.
[Ross] I heard Clarence had dinner last night
right outside Cleveland with Don King.
I wonder what that was all about if it was true.
[Vince] Don King, of course, unlike many other luminaries.
Born here in the Cleveland area.
-[Ross] Lateral press. -[Vince] That'll do, and-- Oh, wow.
[Ross] Cleveland's got a lot of famous fights come between 'em.
Paul Newman, Bob Hope.
[Clarence] Get off the mat, Sid!
[Mr. Perfect] I think he's trying to announce here-- out here-- out here.
[Vince] Isn't Goldust from Cleveland also?
[Mr. Perfect] I don't think so.
-[crowd chatter] -No.
[Vince] All right. Bulldog continuing to work on Sid.
[Ross] Good move by the, uh-- by The Bulldog, that reverse chinlock.
He's gotta keep Sid grounded.
We talked a lot about vertical base,
in other words, when Sid is upright at six-nine,
he not only has the power advantage but leverage as well.
[Vince] Oh, wait a minute. We're told that Cornette--
If we can't take-- get a shot of Cornette's locker room,
we've had a camera back there-- A clothesline and Sid to the outside.
-[crowd chatter] -Come on.
[Vince] Jim Cornette back with Vader in the locker room area
watching this matchup.
And Clarence Mason…
with not-so-nice comments a moment ago just--
And a clothesline.
[Ross] I wonder-- I wonder if Cornette is even aware that Mason is out here.
And if he is, what's he think about it?
[Mr. Perfect] What great agility by The British Bulldog.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] And Sid brought in, ladies and gentlemen, and-- Oh!
[Ross] Boy, that takes a lot of strength by The British Bulldog.
Talk about a gutbuster.
[Mr. Perfect] A cover.
He's done. Count him out.
[Vince] A cover here by The Bulldog.
We have two and-- That was close.
[Ross] Bulldog with that big arm right around the neck of Sycho Sid.
Right now, The Bulldog is dictating the pace here, gentlemen.
Sycho Sid is not able to use that power in this position.
Smart wrestling by The Bulldog.
[Mr. Perfect] Was there any doubt in your mind
with the experience that The British Bulldog has, Ross,
that he would not wrestle Sid?
[Ross] Oh, no, no. No, no doubt at all.
And Sycho Sid building some momentum here now,
and again going back to what brought him to the dance.
That's raw power.
Clarence Mason getting a little bit concerned here.
[Vince] Look out and-- Oh!
Sid a little overzealous on that maneuver.
[Ross] When the pace quickened, I think Sid is at a disadvantage
as in relation to The Bulldog.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, here we go. This one's over.
[Vince] Yes and big powerslam.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Hey, wait a minute. Cornette. Look at this.
Cornette's coming down here, and he is angry at Clarence Mason.
[crowd chatter]
[Ross] Well, Bulldog just-- Bulldog just powerslammed Sid,
and he's not covering him.
Bulldog distracted by what's going on in the outside.
And Sid has now a chance to get back up.
[Vince] And Sid scooped up now, and he's gonna get another one.
-[Mr. Perfect] Look at him. -[Vince] Oh, he's behind The Bulldog.
Oh, wait a minute.
Can we say Chokeslam? Yeah.
Will we see the powerbomb?
[crowd cheering]
[Mr. Perfect] Get in the ring, Cornette, and break it up.
[Vince] Cornette coming down to ringside, obviously taking exception
to Clarence Mason's presence.
And look at this.
Oh, powerbomb.
One, two-- Oh.
-[bell ringing] -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, come on.
How can Cornette stand on the outside and watch that happen?
-[Howard] Here is your winner, Sycho Sid! -["Psycho Dance" playing]
[Ross] And what would Vader think?
Vader was left alone back in the locker room.
Cornette bolted out of the locker room, apparently.
[Vince] And how about it? Sid victorious over The British Bulldog.
And now I'm not so sure if The British Bulldog
would not blame Cornette or Mason for his loss?
[Mr. Perfect] Well, Cornette's gotta be furious with Mason.
[Vince] Look at this.
-[Ross] Well, Cornette-- -[Vince] What do you mean by that?
[Mr. Perfect] Well, take a look at it. He's come out. What's he doing, man?
Is Mason out there looking at The Bulldog
trying to take over the job of Jim Cornette?
[Vince] Is this really what he was trying to do?
[Mr. Perfect] That I don't know.
[Ross] He's quite the entrepreneur, I hear.
[Vince laughs]
[Ross] That's the hot rumor that's going around.
[Vince] Nonetheless, it's a victory, ladies and gentlemen,
as we take a look at the powerbomb.
[Ross] Six feet nine and that gives a whole new dimension to the powerbomb.
Six-nine, 313, Sycho Sid, as the posters out in the--
this massive crowd says, "Sycho Sid rules."
[Vince] There are a number of them. "Sid for president." Who knows?
[Ross] That will be interesting.
[Vince] Anything can happen here in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
No doubt about that.
We certainly are anxiously awaiting, ladies and gentlemen,
for the presence of the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion,
Shawn Michaels, with a match that's gonna be with Vader.
Welcome to the World Wrestling Entertainment In Your House!
Hey, guys. What brings you back?
[alien] Continued examination of the World Wrestling Entertainment.
This time, we want to assess its influence on Earth babes.
[Vince] I've never seen anything like this in my life.
[Jerry] This whole building shook.
You guys rule.
-[Vince] Only in the WWE. -[Jerry] Oh, did you see that?
This WWE is cool.
Good.
[narrator] WWE In Your House.
Friends keep coming back for more.
["Golden" playing]
[Vince] Well, well, well, here he comes, ladies and gentlemen,
the most bizarre individual in the history of the World Wrestling Entertainment.
Those of you who joined us at the Bikini Beach Blast-Off saw him
along with Marlena. Here they come. Goldust.
-[bell ringing] -[Vince] And it's raining Goldust here
-at the Gund Arena. -[Howard announcing]
[Ross] Goldust certainly seemed to have his radar honed in on Sable
here in the Bikini Beach Blast-Off.
[Vince] Not just during then. He's obviously stated his affection.
[Ross] I had a chance to talk to Goldust and Sable--
uh, Goldust and Marlena about it yesterday, and I asked Marlena--
-[Vince] Ugh! -[Ross] Oh my-- I didn't see that.
She had a problem with Goldust's affection towards Sable,
and she said whatever makes Goldust happy makes her happy.
[Vince] Goldust against the "Wildman" Marc Mero.
It should be quite an outstanding matchup here at SummerSlam.
[Ross] I think it will be a great matchup.
You got Goldust with a size and leverage advantage,
but the Wildman has something to prove here.
I really believe that his high-flying style
will work very well in this matchup.
[Mr. Perfect] I think that high-flying style gets you
in trouble.
[Vince] Well, it is risky, no doubt about that.
If you connect with it, it normally assures you a victory.
If you don't, it normally assures you a defeat.
[Ross] Oh, by the way, Vince, uh, Marlena gave me a cigar to give you later.
[Vince] Thank you very much. I don't smoke.
Nonetheless, Marlena and Goldust going through some of their theatrics.
And it is the theatrics of Goldust that normally will throw an opponent off.
You wonder whether or not it will throw "Wildman" Marc Mero off.
With that in mind, let's take you now, ladies and gentlemen,
to Todd Pettengill. Todd?
Vince, thank you very much.
Obviously, tonight, all that glitters is definitely Goldust.
He has made it public now,
his infatuation with Sable is clear to everybody.
First, before I ask you to comment on the matchup,
I wanna show you some footage from earlier on this weekend on WWE Superstars.
It was absolutely incredible.
Mankind shows up right here, and obviously, Sable is freaked out.
-He begins calling her "Mommy." Listen. -Help me, Mommy.
-[crowd chatter] -I've been a naughty boy.
I've been a naughty boy, Mommy.
Help me, Mommy. Come on, Mommy.
Wildman, do you have any idea what's going on with Mankind or--
I can't understand Mankind.
I can't understand all the head games, but I'll tell you, Todd,
it's time to either put up or shut up.
Goldust, tonight, you, my friend, are gonna be a falling star.
That's all I can say.
Back to ringside.
[Vince] Thank you, gentlemen, very much.
Yes. "Wildman" Marc Mero, ladies and-- Uh-oh.
Oh my goodness. There they are.
[Ross] That's a bizarre pair, I'll tell you.
-[Vince] Goldust. -["Wild Cat" playing]
[Vince] Oh, it's time to get wild here.
It's time to crank things up at SummerSlam.
[Howard] His opponent, to be accompanied down the aisle by Sable,
from Buffalo, New York, weighing 225 pounds…
[Vince] Yes. The World Wrestling Entertainment's
one-two punch "Wildman" Marc Mero and Sable.
[Ross] It's a beautiful new ring attire, a new look.
[Vince] They are very special people, not only in the ring
but outside the ring as well. Very special people.
[Ross] Wildman told me earlier today that he is going to unveil,
if he had the opportunity, a new offensive maneuver.
And he wants to call it the "Wild Thing." I said, "What's it's all about?"
He says, "You'll know it when you see it."
[Mr. Perfect] Yeah, look at Goldust checking out Sable.
[Vince] That's pitiful.
[Mr. Perfect] Along with everybody else here.
[Vince] Fine-looking lady. And here we go, "Wildman" Marc Mero, yeah.
[Mr. Perfect] You know, McMahon, I don't know if I'm into these fancy suits
and all this dress and music.
Whatever happened to guys like Mr. Perfect,
just go out and get the job done?
[Vince] I don't know. Whatever did happen to them?
[Mr. Perfect] I'm still around, don't worry about it.
-[Vince laughs] -[Ross] Are you retired?
[Mr. Perfect] It's none of your business, Ross.
[Vince] Sable and the Wildman.
And, uh…
[Ross] You know, we talk a lot about high-risk offense.
I think that we're gonna see a lot of that in this matchup.
The Wildman is gonna take a lot of chances.
He wants a big victory here at SummerSlam.
Goldust, on the other hand, we have seen a transformation,
a metamorphosis of Goldust in the last couple or three months
becoming much, much more aggressive.
That harder edge that Goldust now possesses is a--
is a very dangerous side of this man.
[Mr. Perfect] I think that started when he lost the Intercontinental Championship.
-[Vince] Definitely did. -[Ross] Good point.
-[Vince] Far more intense. -[bell ringing]
[Vince] And the "Wildman" Marc Mero notches it up
a couple of rungs, too, in terms of the intensity.
Both individuals wanting to climb the ladder of success
in the World Wrestling-- And here we go with Goldust again with the theatrics.
[crowd chatter]
-[Ross] Sir Laurence Olivier-- -[Vince] I beg your pardon?
-[Ross] Sir Laurence Olivier-- -[Vince laughs]
[Ross] …God bless his soul, has nothing-- he's rolling over in his grave, I guess,
looking at this thespian.
[Vince] Wildman better watch what Goldust is gonna do.
Not too likely to get a clean break here.
-[Ross] See, I don't think-- -[Vince] Uh-oh.
[Ross] Well, the theatrics will not affect the Wildman, the slap in the face will.
[Vince] "Wildman" Marc Mero against Goldust.
Sable on the outside always behind her man.
As opposed to that, look at this.
-[Ross] Just sit back and take it easy. -[Vince] I guess.
[Mr. Perfect] I like that style.
[Vince] Hardly any emotion at all on the part of Marlena.
[Sable] Come on, Marc!
[Vince] Standing side headlock now, Goldust.
Leapfrog by Marc Mero, goes downstairs, Goldust from the other side.
-Oh! How about that? -[Ross] Good Japanese arm drag there.
[Vince] And-- Oh, arm drag takedown again.
Wildman Marc-- Uh, Goldust cowers in the corner.
[cheers]
[Ross] Almost had to put it in reverse there pretty quickly.
That's hard to do when you're six-six and weigh 265.
So that's such a pretty good-- a pretty good adjustment there physically
-by the man dressed in gold. -Whoa!
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Goldust taking his time.
Again, psychological tactics attempting to being employed by Goldust.
Talking about psychology, I guess all the mind games
will cease and desist once and for all tonight in the Boiler Room Brawl.
[Ross] You know, I wanna say it,
I know we all could concur on this.
Hello to Ahmed Johnson, who I know is watching down in Houston, Texas.
Ahmed, we certainly wish you a speedy recovery,
and I can assure you, sir, we wish you were here.
[Vince] Indeed. More on the Intercontinental title situation.
Then, oh, look at that.
-All right. One, two, and-- -[Mr. Perfect] He got him.
[Vince] No, he didn't.
"Wildman" Marc Mero, drop toehold driving Goldust down.
[Ross] That's a smart move by the Wildman using the drop toehold
to destroy that vertical base of the six-six opponent.
[groans]
[Vince] And again, Marlena looking on.
-She's like watching a film of some kind… -[Ross] Yeah.
…and not all that exciting one, I might add.
[Ross] Really? Doesn't she ever get excited?
Certainly, she's a-- she's very composed most of the time.
[Mr. Perfect] Boy, you're nosy, Ross.
[Ross] I know it.
[Vince] Wildman working on the wrist.
You mentioned Ahmed Johnson,
a little bit later on he's scheduled to join us with Faarooq.
We will then attempt to get a word with him.
Right now, Wildman again continuing to keep Goldust down on the canvas.
Ahmed, unfortunately, had to go back into the hospital
just last week. His kidney started bleeding again and…
-[Ross] This was after his surgery. -[Vince] That's correct.
[Ross] He had emergency surgery, went to the hospital and came home,
and has gone back into the hospital.
-[Vince] And he's now back home, so… -[Ross] Yes.
[Vince] Hopefully, they will not have to take the kidney.
[Mr. Perfect] Why don't you guys concentrate
on the match in the ring right now?
You think Goldust would like it if you guys were talking about something
other than his match while he's in the ring wrestling?
Who cares about Ahmed Johnson? He's not a--
[Vince] Oh.
Not a very cheerful attitude in here, partner, don't you?
[Mr. Perfect] That's wrestling. It's a part of it.
[Vince] It's also life.
Goldust setting up the Wildman, out in front, nice reversal.
And, oh-- Uh-oh, look out.
Side of the head and Goldust connects.
Again, here's a little look at the-- some of the athleticism
that Goldust can display from time to time.
Here comes the Wildman, and look at-- Oh! Oh.
[Ross] Backdropped all the way off the top to the floor.
[Vince] And I thought the Wildman was gonna land on his head
for a moment.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Sable coming over to help the Wildman
and encourage him to get back into the ring.
[referee] Get back now. Let's go.
[crowd chatter]
[Ross] Wildman's got to be back in before that count of ten,
-or he'll lose this contest via count-out… -[referee counting]
[Ross] …which I think probably would not make Goldust happy.
Goldust wants to leave this match with Sable.
[Vince] Another look at it. Yes.
Oh, you're right, J.R. Look at this.
[Mr. Perfect] Look at his legs. His legs get caught underneath him there.
[Sable] Come on, Marc, let's go!
[Vince] Look out. Goldust from the far side and-- Oh! Oh!
-[Ross] Hey, I got something for you. -[Vince] A double shot,
one from the back, and then from there,
right into the face, I think, right into the retaining barrier.
Oh, Wildman scooped up. Oh, dropped again this time, throat first.
[Mr. Perfect chuckles]
[crowd chatter]
-[Sable] Marc, come on! -[referee] One, two, three, four…
[Sable] Marc, come on!
[referee] …five, six--
[Vince] "Wildman" Marc Mero back in along with Goldust.
Here we go. Now, let's listen to this.
-Come on. -[grunts]
[Mr. Perfect] You know, I wonder if Goldust wins this matchup,
if Sable will just leave with Goldust.
[Vince] I don't think so.
I think Sable doesn't really wanna have anything at all to do with Goldust.
Off the rope and a clothesline.
A cover. We have one, two, and--
[Ross] Hey, wait. Oh my God.
-Oh my… -[Vince] Wait a minute, wait a minute.
-[Ross] …Mankind. -[Vince] Yes.
[Ross] He's out of the boiler room.
[Vince] Mankind has come out of the boiler boom where he was,
and this spells trouble.
-[screams] -[Vince] Yes. Look at this.
Mommy? Unbelievable.
"Wildman" Marc Mero, if he sees this, this no doubt will be distracting.
[Sable whimpers] Oh my God.
[Vince] Mankind stalking Sable.
[Ross] Mankind thinks Sable's his mommy.
-[Mankind] I've been waiting for you. -[screams]
[Mankind] I've been waiting for you.
[Vince] That horrible creature.
[Sable whimpers] No! No!
No!
[Vince] Sable is terrified of Mankind,
as you would suspect any woman might be.
And there he goes, just like that.
Nonetheless, he certainly had his effect on Sable.
Mankind running out of the arena now.
-[Mr. Perfect] I think he kinda likes her. -[Sable] Marc, come on, let's go!
[Ross] What makes you think that?
[Mr. Perfect] I don't know, a hunch.
[Vince] And, guys, again, look at the expression on Marlena's face.
Nothing bothers her.
Mankind, I don't think he'd bother her.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] And so, Mankind's probably headed back to the boiler room.
Mankind and The Undertaker had,
I don't know, the most bizarre matchup I've ever thought about.
[Vince] And catching a knee in the midsection.
"Wildman" Marc Mero, a cover here. We have a count, two.
No.
And maybe things could settle down a bit for the "Wildman" Marc Mero.
[Ross] Goldust has settled in that very deliberate pace,
not taking too many chances.
Mero definitely has the speed advantage, but can't tell it right now.
[Vince] Right in the ribs.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] "Wildman" Marc Mero, who takes tremendous chances
given the opportunity,
but Goldust has basically grounded the Wildman.
Wildman set for the ride and-- No, not this time.
Up on top.
Now, that was risky.
He had no idea Goldust was really gonna be moving in behind him.
Sort of a timing type thing, nonetheless, successful.
Maybe that could change the tide of the matchup a bit.
[Ross] Goldust up very quickly though.
[Vince] And Wildman with a right hand in the bread basket.
Another one.
Marc Mero on his feet, underneath the roundhouse of Goldust,
driving the knee.
Not so sure he caught more of a thigh than a--
[Mr. Perfect] Well, here's-- this is more Mero style right here with the fist.
[Vince] Fisticuffs, yes. Oh, and a clothesline.
[Ross] Pace quickens, speeds up a little bit, advantage Wildman.
[Vince] All right. Goldust now, off the rope
and back body drop nicely executed.
And again, "Wildman" Marc Mero picking up momentum.
Goldust set up again to the midsection,
Wildman and-- Oh, big knee lift. [laughs]
"Wildman" Marc Mero now,
with an opportunity perhaps to put this one away.
Goldust staying close to the corner.
Goldust on his feet, maybe not for long,
as the Wildman now climbs up right there on top of him.
-[crowd] One, two, three, four, five-- -One, two--
[Vince] This capacity crowd counting with the Wildman,
but wait a minute, what's this?
Oh no! What was that?
He simply dumped Wildman,
and "Wildman" Marc Mero's right back in the ring.
I can't believe that.
[Ross] Uh-oh. Watch this.
[Vince] And-- Oh!
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Right across Goldust.
"Wildman" Marc Mero taking his chances now,
and his chances are paying off, thus far.
Goldust back in the ring.
Wildman now, what's he gonna do?
[Mr. Perfect] Another high-risk maneuver.
[Vince] Here he comes and-- Oh!
[Ross] Quite the leg drop right there.
[Vince] What athleticism on the part of "Wildman" Marc Mero.
Goldust scooped up by the Wildman,
slammed down on the canvas, and that's a big slam.
Big man in the part of Goldust. Uh-oh, here we go, to the outside.
This might do it for the Wildman.
[Ross] This may be the move he was telling me about.
-He calls it-- -[Vince] Wildman going up--
Wait a minute, Marlena on the opposite side.
Marlena on the ring area and "Wildman" Marc Mero--
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, what a move!
[Ross] What was that?
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Some call it the Shooting Star Press.
-It's the Wild Thing. It's over. -[Vince] One, two, and he got him.
[Mr. Perfect] No, he didn't.
What a move by Marc Mero.
[Ross] Well, I'll tell you something, Marlena has just kept Goldust in this one.
[Vince] Marlena-- Oh my goodness. Elbow there by Goldust.
Wildman-- Yes, there it is.
Now for the cover. One, two, and he got-- No.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, man, that was close.
[Vince] Again, another look at this.
I've never seen anything like that.
-[Mr. Perfect] Wow. -[Vince] Unbelievable.
"Wildman" Marc Mero, you talk about taking chances,
driving his body into that of Goldust, and had it not been for Marlena,
-you would've counted who knows what? -[Mr. Perfect] You know what, McMahon?
I, myself, gotta give him a ten on that one.
Here we go, Curtain Call.
[Vince] "Wildman" Marc Mero in the clutches of Goldust.
He goes up and-- Oh my.
[Mr. Perfect] That was also a ten.
[Vince] A cover, a count,
-and a victory for Goldust. -[bell ringing]
["Gold-Lust" playing]
-[Howard] Here is your winner… -[Vince] Nonetheless,
-a hard-fought matchup… -[Howard] …Goldust!
[Vince] …between "Wildman" Marc Mero and Goldust.
[Ross] That's really unfortunate for Mero. A great effort
and a beautiful Wild Thing, that Shooting Star Press,
but Marlena saved Goldust's hide that time.
[Vince] Indeed, she did.
And Sable…
[Ross] And Mankind coming out here didn't help matters either,
-quite frankly. -[Mr. Perfect] I'm sure.
[Vince] Sable trying to encourage the "Wildman" Marc Mero.
[Mr. Perfect] Uh-oh.
[Vince] There'll be another day, ladies and gentlemen,
for the Wildman, there's no doubt about it.
[Ross] Goldust's like a vulture, circling.
-[Vince] Wait, wait, just a moment. -[Mr. Perfect] Look at this.
[Vince] Hey, wait just a moment.
[crowd chatter]
No.
[Vince] Right in front of the Wildman?
-[crowd chatter] -Stop. Damn it.
Leave her alone. Come on. The match is over.
[screams]
Get away from me.
Marc! Marc! [screams]
[overlapping chatter]
[Vince] How disgusting!
-[Sable screaming] -[Vince] Yeah. Come on!
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] "Wildman" Marc Mero,
hammering away on Goldust.
This match is over. Get out.
[Vince] Goldust, obviously, showing his affection-- Uh-oh.
[Ross] Well, that'll change his temperament there.
[Vince] Look out, the Wildman with a dropkick.
[crowd chatter]
[indistinct chatter]
[Vince] Now, look at this. Unbelievable.
"Wildman" Marc Mero trying to teach Goldust a lesson.
And Goldust taking off.
[crowd chatter]
[Ross] Poor Sable, it just-- What a shocking night this has been.
First, Mankind, and then Goldust.
[Mr. Perfect] I think Mero would be a lot better off
leaving his old lady at home where she belongs.
[Vince] All right. Come on. Let's be nice, please.
-[Ross] Yeah, come on. -[Vince] Have a little class.
Let's take you now, ladies and gentlemen, and show you some of the events.
We mentioned Ahmed Johnson earlier on.
Some of the events that led that up to the unfortunate kidney injury
of Ahmed Johnson at the hands of the individual known as Faarooq.
Let's take a look.
You know what? I can always ignore the physical pain.
This isn't the first time I've been in physical pain.
It's more the mental pain that's playing the game with me right now.
The mental pain hurts worse than anything in my life right now, the mental pain.
[Sean] Ahmed's pain started nearly four weeks ago
when he suffered a ruptured kidney in this attack by Faarooq Asad.
The injury was further aggravated two weeks later
when against doctors' orders, Ahmed competed
in the Raw Invitational Battle Royal.
It was one of the most extraordinary displays of courage we had ever seen,
Ahmed ignoring the pain to earn his first WWE title shot.
[Ross] Ahmed Johnson has won it!
Ahmed has won this Battle Royal!
[Sean] But his glory soon turned to tragedy.
Faarooq, once again, attacking the injured and exhausted Ahmed.
The severity of Ahmed's condition was not completely realized
until almost a week later
when Ahmed was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Internal bleeding from that ruptured kidney
was actually endangering his life.
The surgery was thankfully a success,
but the future of one of the most promising
young WWE Superstars remains in doubt.
Ahmed is out at least temporarily,
forcing Gorilla Monsoon to make a tough decision.
I'm left with no alternative but to say
that the Intercontinental Championship right now is vacant.
I understand that this is the people's belt.
This is the WWE Intercontinental people's title,
and I understand that to hold that title,
you have to defend it night after night after night,
in order to be able to keep that title.
I understand I'm not able to do that right now,
and I understand Gorilla Monsoon's decision.
I understand it totally,
and I have no business against him or the Entertainment.
[Sean] Gorilla Monsoon has announced there will be an eight-man
Intercontinental title tournament beginning tomorrow night live on Raw.
But for Ahmed Johnson, the question is,
will he ever be able to return to wrestling?
If the bleeding is stopped,
he may return in about three or four months.
If we can't get the bleeding to stop,
we have to go in and take his kidney out,
which means he won't be able to come back at all.
I don't care what the doctors say to me.
What the doctors say to me means nothing.
Ahmed Johnson's gonna do what he wants to do
and what his fans want him to do.
I got a commitment to the fans, to the people,
and I'm gonna do whatever it takes
and however long it takes to get the job done.
[Sean] As for the WWE title shot
Ahmed had earned by winning the Battle Royal,
Monsoon has decided that the last four men in the ring,
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Goldust, Savio Vega, and Sycho Sid,
will all take part in a Sudden Death Battle Royal,
live tomorrow night on Raw.
The winner gets the automatic WWE title shot on Raw Championship Friday,
a special edition of Raw on September 6th.
Ahmed Johnson will be watching from home that night,
watching someone else get his WWE title shot.
I hold no one at fault for what happened to me but myself.
And me and my fans, we will defend
our honor and our pride once again, hopefully, real soon.
[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen along with his manager Sunny,
please welcome Faarooq.
[dramatic music playing]
[Vince] Yes, here comes Sunny, along with the man who did
the unfortunate damage to Ahmed, Faarooq.
[Ross] He is a bad man, as the old expression goes.
[Vince] Has no remorse whatsoever for what he did.
[Ross] None. Absolutely none, very proud of his actions.
[Vince] And yet, I don't know that you would necessarily
concur with that department.
Again, being one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions
to ever wear the WWE title.
And look at this capacity crowd.
It's one thing to fight for the championship.
It's quite another to try and put someone else
out of the game that they so very much love, is it not?
[Mr. Perfect] Well, it certainly is, McMahon.
You know, I'll tell you what, being an Intercontinental Champion,
you got to wrestle all the top competitors here in World Wrestling Entertainment,
if they get hurt along the way it happens,
you know, I can't help what happens to other people,
I always look out for myself.
[crowd chatter]
[Todd] Faarooq, I guess, the first question is, very simple.
The first question is-- what do you mean with the first--
that's the first mistake you've made.
You don't ask the questions here, I do.
And the question is, why isn't Gorilla Monsoon out here now
handing me what you and he and everybody else knows is mine?
And that's the World Wrestling Entertainment Intercontinental title.
-Where is it? -[Ross] He has a good point.
Why isn't it he here now doing that?
Huh? Answer that.
Well, I think Gorilla Monsoon said he didn't want the criminal
to benefit from the crime and obviously…
-[Vince] So to speak. -…as you know, he has ordered
an Intercontinental title tournament to begin tomorrow night on Raw.
Ordered? What do I-- do I look like a waiter to you?
Nobody orders Faarooq Asad around, okay?
Let me tell you something, deal is dead.
I should be the Intercontinental Champion right now, all right?
I should be the Intercontinental Champion, no one else.
The tournament runs through me.
I, Faarooq Asad, not three or four other people,
put Ahmed, that punk, Johnson out, okay?
And let me tell you another thing, if that's the best you've got here,
I see a lot of sunny days ahead for us.
Let me tell you something, Todd, it's real simple.
This right here is what a real man is all about.
This right here is my special little modern-day gladiator.
And Ahmed Johnson-- poor Ahmed,
tried to stand in his way and look what happened.
So, Gorilla Monsoon, have your little tournament, honey,
ring that bell, because ladies and gentlemen,
I give you right now the next
World Wrestling Entertainment Intercontinental Champion,
Faarooq Asad.
And remember, what Sunny wants, Sunny gets.
And, Todd, baby, I want the gold.
[Vince] No doubt about it.
[dramatic music playing]
[Vince] Not a happy decision if you're Faarooq Asad or Sunny.
[Ross] One thing we can't take away from the man, awesome, awesome athlete.
[Vince] Yes, that's for sure.
[inaudible]
[Vince] All right. Ladies and gentlemen, Jake "The Snake" Roberts
squaring off against Jerry "the King" Lawler.
The matchup coming right here at SummerSlam '96.
Yes, in the Gund Arena.
We take you now to this very special footage
involving both individuals.
Anytime you become an addict or an alcoholic,
there's so much shame and guilt involved.
He had a problem and he drank it. [laughs]
But the bottom line for me was, is whenever I got to a point
that I didn't wanna live anymore, when I wanted to die.
You know, when most people get drunk, they see snakes,
but when snakes get drunk, they see Jake Roberts.
My hope is, is that, uh, I'll be able to help some of the younger athletes.
Where they don't have to make the same mistakes that Jake Roberts made.
People like you are supposed to turn the other cheek, right?
-Yeah. -Let see if you
-turn the other-- -Hey.
You see what I believe in, is an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
[Ross] Aldo doesn't even drink.
-Smell the-- -[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
Jerry "the King" Lawler, raveling in his victory.
One thing I promise you,
this week, you'll be reaching out, saying,
"God, please help Jake get off of me.
Jake, please don't put that snake on me. God help me."
Ain't nobody gonna help you.
You're gonna pay the price.
-[Mr. Perfect chuckles] -[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen…
-[Vince] What so funny? -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, King.
-I like Jerry "the King". -[Howard] …I'd like to introduce
the newest member of the World Wrestling Entertainment.
Fresh from representing the United States of America
at the 1996 Summer Olympics,
please welcome "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry.
-[Mr. Perfect] What is this? -[Vince] Here he comes.
-[Mr. Perfect] What's with this? -[Vince] Mark Henry.
[Mr. Perfect] Imagine this guy getting a better-- bigger introduction
than Mr. Perfect today? What's going on here?
[Vince] He's a big one, no doubt about that.
[Ross] You didn't go to the Olympics, you didn't represent our country.
[Mr. Perfect] I could've if I wanted to.
[Vince] And you certainly never achieved this title
as being the strongest man in the world.
Mark Henry, ladies and gentlemen, who soon will be in the ring, all right.
-[explosions] -By WWE prospect tonight.
Well, yeah, here we go.
The fireworks exploding
for this Olympian who gave it his all.
[Mr. Perfect] Mark-- forget it.
[Vince] Let's put a headset on him over here.
-[Ross] Hey, big man. -How you doing?
-How are you doing? -How are you doing?
-Have a seat. -Hey.
-[Vince] Have a seat. -[Ross] Wow.
It's like putting your hand on a catcher's mitt.
How about putting that headset on there
and come in and join us for some commentary?
There you go, Mark.
What's the deal? You can't even say hi to me over here?
Just roll that microphone down a little bit.
-[Ross] There you go. -[Mr. Perfect] You know, just because
you're The World's Strongest Man doesn't mean you can walk in
to the World Wrestling Entertainment and take it by--
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Okay. There you are.
Give him a good, firm handshake.
[Mr. Perfect] All right. All right.
Okay. And have a seat.
Mark Henry, ladies and gentlemen. And, uh, well…
[Howard] This contest is scheduled for one fall.
[Vince] Here comes the King.
[Howard] Coming down the aisle, from Memphis, Tennessee…
[Vince] Now, Mark Henry knows all about the King.
As a matter of fact, I think it was San Antonio, Texas,
and all of a sudden, you found the King above your head.
[Mark] Yeah. Well, he decided that he has something bad to say to me at the moment.
-[Vince] Yeah. -[Mark] And we can't have that.
[Vince] Oh, he regretted it.
He's had a lot of bad things to say about Jake "The Snake" Roberts,
I can tell you that.
[Ross] And what does Lawler have in that bag? What's--
[Mark] So I gotta represent.
[Vince] Yes. Exactly.
That's very similar to the bag
that Jake "The Snake" Roberts brings to ringside.
You don't think the King brought his own snake, do you?
[Mr. Perfect] Jake's in the bag.
-[Ross] King is afraid of snakes. -[Mr. Perfect] I don't mean that one.
[Ross] The King is afraid of snakes.
-[Mark] Is that a snake? -[Vince] He's not afraid of, uh--
he's not afraid of this one,
just like Jake "The Snake" and…
-What an-- oh, my goodness. -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, my God.
[Vince] This is not gonna be popular.
[Ross] That's a Baltimore Raven's Jersey.
[Vince] No, it's not gonna be popular with these Cleveland fans.
[Mark] You're talking about a slap on the face,
of all the stuff that happened to these people.
-[Vince] Yeah. -[Ross] Well, see Cleveland Browns
were here more than 50 years, and as a football league franchise,
-Cleveland town, thanks to-- -[Mr. Perfect] He tried it, Ross,
-listen up. -[Ross] Thanks to him, no doubt.
[Jerry] You ain't gonna cheer in Cleveland, huh?
-What about those Ravens? [laughs] -[crowd booing]
[Ross] A move from Cleveland to Baltimore.
Oh, yeah.
[Mr. Perfect] You gotta love this guy's sense of humor, Ross.
-[Ross] Oh, yeah. -[Mr. Perfect] What a guy.
[Mark] I think it's pretty sick personally.
-[Ross] That's cheap for sure. -[Mr. Perfect] Okay, Mark.
[Mark] But these people really love their-- really love their football.
[Vince] And the King rubbing it in.
You know, I left tickets for a lot of people here.
I know they're around here somewhere.
Where are my-- you saw me throwing out the first ball at the Indians game,
Mike Hargrove was down on his hands and knees begging me to sign a contract.
[Vince] Oh, my goodness.
And I know Sandy Alomar is here.
Where is Sandy Alomar? I know-- oh, yeah he's here.
Now-- hey, listen, two more of my close personal friends are here,
I had to leave them tickets.
David and Art Modell are here somewhere…
-[Vince] Oh, no. -…and if they're sitting next to you,
don't pester for an autograph.
[Mark laughs]
-Oh, my God. -[Vince] He is too much.
-[Mark] I can't believe this. -Now, let me tell you something.
I've got a lot of things here for Jake Roberts tonight.
I brought him-- I brought his two tag team partners.
-[Mr. Perfect laughing] -[Jerry] Jim Beam…
[Vince] Oh, no.
Jim Beam.
…and maybe Jack Daniels, I don't know.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, yeah. Like I said, what a great sense of humor.
These are just for Jake "The Snake."
-[Mark] It's actually not funny. -[Vince] A sick sense of humor.
I understand Jake "The Snake" Roberts' wife
is in the audience somewhere here tonight.
-[Vince] Oh, boy. -[Mark] Oh, my God.
[Vince] We don't have to go there. She'll be real ugly.
I'm telling you she's ugly, but Jake said,
"Nothing that a light switch and a six pack won't cure."
[laughter]
-[Jerry] Where is she? -[Vince] That's bad. That's bad.
The only reason he married her was because she had kisses sweeter than wine.
-[laughs] -[Vince] Uh-oh.
-He's gonna regret these comments. -Let me tell you something.
Hey, hey, Mark Henry…
-[Vince] Uh-oh. -…you think you can lift these, huh?
Oh, Jake sure can.
Why don't you sit-- hey, Mark Henry, you were at the Olympics, right?
-Huh? -[Vince] Obviously.
I don't see any medals.
Do you see any medals hanging around his neck?
[Vince] Mark Henry was hurt at the Olympics.
[Jerry] Hey, don't worry about it.
You can look at Mark Henry and tell that if he won a gold medal,
he'll just take it and have it bronzed. [laughs]
[Vince] Oh, my goodness.
[Jerry] Here, set these right over there or something.
Just set them right there in front of McMahon.
And, McMahon, don't you drink any of this.
[Vince] Not a chance.
[Jerry] Shut up with that Burger King garbage.
He would never know what it's like to be that type of an athlete.
That's right, Mark.
His lips are gold medal-sized.
[Mark] One of these days, somebody's gonna have to put an end on his mouth.
…A bar stool and let him use it as a walker and let him stagger out here,
and the first thing, I'm gonna do you all a favor,
I'm gonna knock him down horizontal, so you'll recognize him.
[laughing]
[Vince] Oh, the King's full of himself.
I told you, you know, Jake said it. He's been a little under the weather.
He's got bar-thritis.
That's why he was stiffing a different joint every night.
[laughing]
[Ross] It's like listening to a bad comedian on a cruise ship.
-["Snake Bit" playing] -[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Henny Youngman, where are you? We need you.
All right. [clapping]
-[Mr. Perfect] Let's go, Jake. -[Vince] Here he comes.
And, you know, what's in this man's bag.
[Howard] …from Stone Mountain, Georgia,
weighing 260 pounds, Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] And Jake looks like he's in a foul mood,
and who wouldn't be after those remarks about his family.
-[Mr. Perfect] Probably got a hangover. -[Vince] Stop it.
And wait a minute, here comes Jake "The Snake" and--
whoa.
[Ross] Harvey Wippleman is gonna have a tall task ahead of him here.
[Vince] If I were Jake, I'd be leery
of what Jerry "the King" Lawler has in that bag.
[Mark] I think that this man deserves a lot more respect
than what he is getting.
[Jerry] Hold it there, Jake. It's-- nobody said last call.
-[Mr. Perfect laughs] -Calm down.
Watch him there, ref.
Now, listen, Jake.
I know you've got something in that bag of yours that I don't like.
But I brought a bag myself.
Now, I got something in my bag
that you like better than what you got in your bag.
And I brought this just for you, Jake.
And we'll make a deal.
If you don't take out what you got in your bag,
I will take out what I got in mine, okay?
[Vince] Jerry "the King" Lawler trying to talk his way out of this match,
it's not gonna happen.
[Ross] It's like he's Monty Hall now, making a deal.
[Mark] Hmm.
[Vince] But what does he have in the bag?
-[Ross] Not a snake. -[Mark] I hope not.
[Vince] Not unless he gets in it.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, Mark, you don't like snakes either, huh?
[Mark] No, not-- I can't say that because, uh--
-[laughs] -[Mark] Oh, my God.
[Vince] Oh, no.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Oh, no. Look out.
-[Mark] I've never liked snakes. -[Mr. Perfect] Look at Jake.
[Vince] I've never seen a bottle that big before.
[Mark] But I like Jake Roberts.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, Jake wants to take a big slug off it. Look at him.
Oh, it's driving him crazy not having that.
[Ross] Well, as humiliating, as embarrassing,
Jake Roberts' family is here…
-[Mark] Oh, my God. -[Ross]…and so as his snake.
[Vince] Yeah. And a snake now…
-[Mark screams] -[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Oh, yes.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Nobody will never be able to tell how scared the King is
except himself and the lady that does his laundry.
[Vince] Oh, no.
And Revelations is just all over Jerry "the King" Lawler
and he's out of here.
[Mr. Perfect] Look at the size of that snake.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] And you can't blame Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
[Mark] Hey, you might need to get a hold of that snake.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] And Lawler trying to shake it off.
Lawler's big mouth, certainly not running at the moment.
[Ross] A lot of people respect snakes,
including our 410-pound Olympian right here.
He's putting it in the bag, Mark. Everything's gonna be all right.
-I don't like snakes either. -[Vince] At least until the match is over.
[crowd chatter]
[Ross] Well, I can smell a DDT in the air somewhere.
[Vince] I think you're right.
[Mr. Perfect] That was Jake's breath.
[Vince] No, not Jake's breath.
-[Jake] DDT! DDT! -[crowd chants] DDT!
[Ross] And the guy has admitted he had problems.
He's worked very hard to overcome and he's trying to help others.
He's admitted it, what else-- what else can he do for goodness sakes?
[Vince] Not only admitting it, and indeed, going around the country
and talking about the way life was for him.
-[Mr. Perfect] What is it, King? -[Vince] Hey, what are you doing?
Oh, not again.
-Are you gonna talk or wrestle? -Come on, Jake.
Come on, Jake.
-It's on, huh? -[Vince] He has a mic and-- is it on?
I suppose it is on.
I'm trying to get a better piece of him. Look, Jake, come on.
Hey.
[Vince] The King trying to get his microphone turned on and can't.
That's the best thing that's happened to the King all night.
[Ross] Yeah.
Maybe somebody'll muzzle him.
Now, the inevitable has set in for Lawler.
-He's gotta-- -[Vince] Here we go, here we go.
He's looking for a microphone. He's gonna find Jake.
Jake's gonna find him.
[crowd cheering]
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[Vince] Jake "The Snake" Roberts hot on the trail
of Jerry "the King" Lawler.
[Ross] Jake Roberts has turned the other cheek
the last time as to the likes of Jerry Lawler.
-[crow chanting] DDT! -Crowd knows what they want.
[Vince] Yeah. They want the DDT, all right.
Wide open, the King.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts, the wily veteran.
[crowd cheering]
[Mr. Perfect] Disqualify him, ref.
[Vince] And a boot there into the lower abdominal area.
And Jake "The Snake" Roberts at the moment, maintaining his control
over the Jerry "the King" Lawler.
Scoops him up here on the outside.
-[Ross] Oh. -[Vince] Jams him down.
[Ross] That was on the southern abdominals.
[Vince laughing]
By the way, we have word that, indeed, Mankind is back in the boiler room.
-[crowd chatter] -Three.
And The King-- oh.
-[Mark] Oh, my God. -[Vince] Right into the ring post.
[Ross] Mark, that post is very unforgiving.
[Mark] Yeah. I can tell.
[Vince] Right here in front us.
-Look at this. -[Jake] Do you see those? Huh?
You don't want me to pour you some, do you?
-[Harvey] Get him in the ring. -[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
Get him inside the ring, Snake, come on now.
[Vince] Jake "The Snake" Roberts teaching Jerry "the King" Lawler a lesson
he is likely to remember.
[Mr. Perfect] What was he asking him? Like, if he wanted a drink or what?
Everybody knows that King doesn't drink.
[Harvey] Oh, Jake, you're gonna get disqualified.
Get in the ring now.
[Vince] Jake "The Snake" Roberts rolling right back in,
and Jerry "the King" Lawler looking for something here on the outside.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Ah! And unfortunately, some canned soda…
[Mr. Perfect] I don't think he's ready to drink, Jake--
[Vince] …into the eye of Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
[Mark] So, what is the fan gonna do for drinking now?
[Ross] Well, Lawler's not worried about it.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, Jake will buy him a drink later.
[Ross] Sure he will.
Stop it. It's not nice.
[Mark chuckles] Oh, my God.
Everything turns into a joke.
[Vince] Well, if you're Jerry "the King" Lawler,
that's the way it starts and he tries to end it that way.
What-- oh, no. No.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, he's gonna get Jake--
[Vince] Jake's tied up in the ropes.
Jake, tied up in the ropes.
Snake is out and here we go now and the King--
oh, the King gets Jake "The Snake" over his back.
[Ross] Jake going for that DDT and Lawler countered it with a back body drop.
[Vince] And the King and Jake "The Snake" Roberts having a go.
Ripping the jaw there by Jake, wrapping up Jerry "the King" Lawler.
Jake "The Snake" Roberts, perfect shot to the body.
[Mark] Oh. Nice move, nice move.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] DDT, that's the set up maneuver.
That might be a good move for you to learn, Mark, the DDT.
[Vince] Yes, we are anxiously awaiting a present.
[Ross] And here we go-- wait a minute, the King grabbing the official.
[Mr. Perfect] What was Harvey doing in there?
[Vince] No. Wait a minute, it's not Harvey's fault.
[Ross] No, it sure wasn't.
-Lawler's had that bottle. -[Vince] Wait a minute, the King--
King has a bottle there and-- oh, no.
Right into the throat.
Jerry Lawler jammed that bottle to the throat of Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
Covers him up here.
-He pulls it tight. Oh. -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, yeah.
-Have you ever heard of a bottleneck? -[bell ringing]
[Mr. Perfect laughs]
[Howard] Here's your winner, Jerry "the King" Lawler.
[Vince] The official apparently did not see Jerry Lawler
use the bottle, and he jammed that bottle right up into the throat of Jake
impairing his breathing ability.
And Jake appears to be suffering somewhat on the other side.
[Mr. Perfect] Tonight, the bottle let him down.
The one true friend Jake thought he found, and tonight the bottle let him down.
[Mark] I mean, the referee didn't see that?
I mean, that was a blatant foul.
Hey, I didn't do anything.
Can't you-- ain't it obvious?
Can't you tell what's wrong with him, referee?
Something wrong with throat?
His throat's dry, he needs a drink.
-[Vince] Oh, wait a minute. -[Jerry] That's all.
[Ross] Oh, no, that--
Jake needs another drink.
[Ross] That would be utterly humiliating.
Jake Roberts' small children are in attendance tonight.
[Vince] And this is what he did to Aldo Montoya not long ago.
Like, he's not gonna do this to Jake.
-[Mark] Oh, my goodness. -[Vince] Ugh!
That's raw-- that's raw booze he's dumping down Jake's throat.
Look at this.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, Jake's off the wagon now for sure.
Might as well make a night of it now, Jake.
[Vince] Oh, come on. This is no time for humor.
A recovered alcoholic being dosed. That's--
[Mr. Perfect] Recovered alcoholic?
[Ross] This is not even-- this is wrong.
One more.
[Mark] Oh, my goodness.
Did you hear what Jake said?
He wants to know if anybody's got a beer for a chaser.
[laughs]
[Mr. Perfect] Let him have a double.
[Mark] Somebody got to stop this trash.
-[Mr. Perfect] Oh, can you smell that? -[Vince] That is horrible, that odor.
[Mark] The referee isn't--
-[Ross] And the official-- -[Vince] Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
-[Ross] Uh-oh. -[Vince] Mark Henry just went off headset.
And look at this. Whoa. No, sir. Mark Henry…
is stopping this in his own right.
[Mr. Perfect] Don't make me get up now and get over there.
What's Henry think he's doing over there?
[crowd chatter]
-[Ross] He's too upset-- -[Vince] He's a 400-pounder,
the strongest man in the world had had enough,
even though he has no experience actually wrestling in the ring,
he had had enough of Jerry "the King" Lawler's
tactics and antics.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] And Mark Henry, over to help Jake "The Snake" Roberts
who has been, if nothing else, totally humiliated.
[Ross] Well, that wasn't an athletic contest we just witnessed.
That was a-- nothing but humiliation and degradation
to Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
I feel so bad for him.
He's physically sick.
And I can't say I feel much different.
[Mr. Perfect chuckles] Oh.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Jake being helped back by Mark Henry.
[cheering and applause]
[Vince] And one day, I believe, Jerry Lawler will pay for this.
[crowd chatter]
[Mr. Perfect] You know, what Mark-- what's Mark Henry doing
sticking his big fat nose in everybody's business?
[Vince] Look he was-- he came down here just to have commentary with us.
[Mr. Perfect] Well, now that Jake's out of the way, Mark Henry,
-maybe you'll be next with the King. -[coughs]
[Ross] You could smell that liquor, this odor just reeks.
[Vince] Bob Backlund, I am told is out and very-- there--
Bob Backlund is actually campaigning.
Bob Backlund continuing to campaign, ladies and gentlemen.
And you wanna talk about a campaign,
you got to be talking about the Boiler Room Brawl,
coming up next, ladies and gentlemen, here at SummerSlam,
the Gund Arena likely to never, ever be the same again.
Let's take a look.
[narrator] The intense and unpredictable relationship
between The Undertaker and Mankind seems to have been forged by fate ages ago.
Although both dwell in the world of darkness,
only one embraces the light.
Based on an unearthly hatred,
Mankind began his assault on the realm of The Undertaker over five months ago.
-[Vince] Look out. -[Jerry] Oh, my gosh.
[Vince] He's gonna keep on jamming those fingers down the esophagus.
[narrator] The Undertaker has experienced the paralyzing effect
of the Mandible Claw on more than one occasion.
Mankind from the start,
had a dangerous craving to destroy The Undertaker.
Carefully choosing moments when The Undertaker would least expect it
[Vince] What is that? Oh, that's Mankind.
[Jerry] That's Mankind.
[Vince] Oh, that's Mankind underneath the ring.
Mankind, up from the bottom of the ring.
[Ross] He's got the Mandible Claw on The Undertaker.
[narrator] The Undertaker has emerged from each of these attacks
with a growing anger beyond earthly limits.
The uncontrollable rage of these two superstars transcends titles
and can only be confined within the bowels of tonight's arena.
Without doubt, Mankind poses The Undertaker's
most threatening challenge to date.
Mankind, physically and mentally disfigured,
seems to thrive on pain.
A consequence tonight's Boiler Room Brawl will most certainly deliver.
The only question left is how much pain can these Superstars endure?
["Rest in Peace" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Paul Bearer will be on his way shortly…
-[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen… -[Vince] …to the squared circle.
[Howard] …about to come down the aisle, with the urn,
Paul Bearer.
[Vince] Paul Bearer on his way to ringside,
exactly where the urn will be placed.
And of course, the winner of the Boiler Room Brawl
must…
emerge from the boiler room.
Must indeed, take possession of the urn out here in the arena.
What do you expect we're gonna see, J.R.?
[Ross] I'll tell you, it's so hard to predict
because there's no precedent for this matchup.
Nothing like this has ever-- has ever happened before.
I'm very surprised that Gorilla Monsoon has sanctioned this matchup even though--
[Vince] Well, it was a Backlot Brawl, I mean, at WrestleMania
with "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Goldust.
-That was different. -[Ross] Well, yeah, it certainly was.
But they're gonna be-- these two men, in a few moments,
are gonna be beating each other senseless in a boiler room.
There's no pads, there's no ring, it's a concrete block wall,
concrete floor, all the accoutrements that you would only find in a boiler room.
It's so hard to predict.
I'll say this, neither one is impossible,
in my opinion, to come out without injury.
[Mr. Perfect] Somebody's career could definitely be ended tonight.
And I think Mankind has the Undertaker's number.
[Vince] He could very well.
He has to a certain extent, thus far, certainly more so
than any other WWE Superstar.
Indeed, Mankind shows very little respect for The Undertaker.
And there, Paul Bearer, who during the free for all
had a number of salient comments to say about possession of the urn.
[Ross] He certainly did, and he-- and he-- and he directed those comments
to The Undertaker primarily in the interview we had the opportunity
to conduct in the ring.
I think Paul Bearer, quite frankly, is very, very concerned
for The Undertaker, more in this matchup, and perhaps rightfully so.
[Vince] And holding that sacred vessel for The Undertaker,
as the match now is ready to begin, ladies and gentlemen.
[Undertaker] Wait.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Mankind already in the boiler room.
A little cautious.
[machinery whirring]
[door slams]
[Mr. Perfect] Can't imagine being a cameraman assigned this task.
[metal clanking]
[Vince] The Undertaker beginning to look…
for Mankind.
He could be above, he could be behind one of those huge boilers.
He could be anywhere.
[Ross] Well, we know conclusively, Mankind is in that boiler room someplace.
[Vince] We are witnessing a relatively cautious Undertaker.
He's found him.
[Mr. Perfect] I think-- I think The Undertaker is scared, McMahon.
[machinery whirring]
[Vince] No.
You hear the whirring of those turbines
and-- oh, there's our first look at…
that massive boiler room.
Undertaker, looking at-- wait, oh, no.
[crowd cheering]
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[shouting indistinctly]
[objects clattering]
[speaking indistinctly] Okay, okay.
[speaking indistinctly]
[Mankind speaking indistinctly]
[Mankind squeals]
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[Mankind groaning]
[metal clanking]
[Mankind speaking indistinctly]
[screams]
[Ross] Oh.
[grunts]
[screams]
[screams, speaks indistinctly]
[Ross] Oh, gosh.
[screams]
[grunts]
[Vince] We have some transmission difficulties.
[Mankind grunting, screaming]
[Ross] Oh.
[metal clanking]
[speaking indistinctly]
Get up, get up.
[Undertaker grunts]
[speaking indistinctly]
[crowd cheering]
[grunting]
[gas hissing]
Hey!
[Mankind grunting]
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[Mankind speaking indistinctly]
-[objects clattering] -[grunting]
[crowd cheering]
[speaks indistinctly]
[grunts]
[Ross] This is amazing.
[grunting]
[metal clanking]
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Oh, oh.
[coughs]
[metal clanking]
[Mankind grunting]
[shouts indistinctly]
[grunting]
[Mankind yells]
-[metal clanking] -[Mankind speaking indistinctly]
[Mankind yells]
[screams indistinctly]
[metal clanking]
[grunting]
[crowd cheering]
[Mankind speaking indistinctly]
-[grunting] -[crowd member whistling]
[grunts]
[crowd member whistling]
[speaks indistinctly]
[audience whistles]
[grunting]
[Mankind speaking indistinctly]
[grunts]
Come on, Taker!
[grunting]
[grunts]
[speaks indistinctly]
[Vince] We're experiencing transmission difficulties.
[Mankind grunting]
[crowd booing]
[Vince] Oh, my.
This will be cleared up momentarily.
[crowd chatter]
[Mankind grunting]
[overlapping chatter]
[crowd booing]
[Vince] He's gonna hit him with that elbow again.
[crowd chatter]
[crowd member chanting] Rest in peace!
[Vince] Here he comes.
[Ross] Ten-foot ladder.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] In the arena, audience react to what's going on
and Mankind on the top of that ladder.
Mankind-- oh.
[crowd cheering]
[speaking indistinctly]
[Vince] Look at it again.
[Ross] Oh, not in the glass.
I think Mankind just went into some glass of some kind.
[Vince] Undertaker coming close to the exit door.
-[Undertaker grunts] -[Vince] Oh. Oh.
[Ross] Swinging right across the knee.
-[crowd chatter] -[Mankind screaming]
[Vince] Mankind, just a few feet from the exit door.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[Vince] Whoever gets out of this boiler room has the advantage.
[crowd cheering]
[Mankind grunts]
[Vince] That exit door leads into the locker room area,
which then leads into the arena.
And The Undertaker's just about ready to go through the exit door.
[Undertaker grunts]
[Vince] We've never witnessed anything-- oh.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] The Undertaker through the door.
No.
[Ross] Unbelievable.
Oh.
[screaming]
[grunting]
[crowd cheering]
[Mankind speaking indistinctly]
[speaking indistinctly]
[man] Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, hey, hey.
[overlapping chatter]
[man] Come on.
[Vince] Mankind has barricaded the door.
[overlapping chatter]
[man] Come on.
Come on.
[overlapping chatter]
[Ross] Oh.
The power of The Undertaker.
[crowd cheering]
[overlapping chatter]
[Vince] Mankind is gonna get to the entrance of the arena first.
[overlapping chatter]
[Vince] Mankind putting whatever he can in front of The Undertaker,
just to slow-- oh.
Oh.
[overlapping chatter]
Come on, Mankind, come on!
[man 2] Come on, Mankind, let's go.
[man 3] Come on. Mankind!
[overlapping chatter]
[Vince] Look out. Oh.
[Ross] This looks like a prison riot.
[man w] Come on, Taker.
-[man 3] Go get him, Taker. -[man 4] Get up, Taker.
[Vince] Mankind way ahead of The Undertaker.
-[man 5] Come on, Mankind. -[Vince] Mankind-- oh, no.
That's hot coffee.
Mankind…
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, man.
[Ross] A scalding hot coffee.
[man 3] Get up. Get up, get up. Come on. Get up, Taker.
[overlapping chatter]
[man 3] Come on. Get up,
Taker, go get him.
[Vine] Mankind is gonna come through these doors.
Mankind is gonna come into the arena.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Mankind is gonna make it to the ring first.
There he is.
No, he's waiting for The Undertaker.
He's waiting for The Undertaker to come into this arena.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Oh.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Remember the first man that gets to the ring,
gains possession of the urn, is the winner.
[Vince] These two men, have given it their all thus far.
[Ross] Is that a two-by-four?
-Oh. -[Vince] Oh.
[Ross] Good Lord.
The Undertaker broke that two-by-four right across Mankind's back.
[Vince] As was done to him in the boiler room.
What wasn't done to The Undertaker?
[Ross] It's amazing either of these men could even stand.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Mankind, trying to get to the ring first.
If he does, if he takes possession of that urn, he's the victor.
[crowd chatter]
[Mr. Perfect] I thought I've seen it all.
[Vince] No.
Not until we have seen this.
[Ross] They're gonna fight around these monitors that were brought ringside,
so the fans can see what was going on in the boiler room.
That could be dangerous as well.
[Vince] And unfortunately,
those monitors-- oh.
Being used or attempted to being used as weapons.
Mankind-- The Undertaker now is going up.
Mankind reaching for a handful of hair pulls him backed down.
Grabs his face to the apron, and again.
[overlapping chatter]
[crowd chanting] Rest in peace! Rest in peace
-[Vince] Mankind, oh. -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, God.
[Ross] Mankind exposing the concrete floor here.
[Vince] And Paul Bearer guarding the urn.
There's nothing Paul Bearer will be able to do
if Mankind gets his mitts on that urn.
The Undertaker now being set up.
He's set up on concrete now.
And Mankind hits his-- oh.
Mankind is about to take possession of the urn.
Mankind has been the nemesis of The Undertaker.
And look at the look on Paul Bearer's face,
beginning to pace back and forth.
[Ross] Another thing Paul Bearer is concern here with,
he's gonna be face to face momentarily, apparently, with Mankind.
[Vince] Mankind…
seconds away from being declared
the victor-- no, The Undertaker has his ankle.
Undertaker has Mankind's ankle.
[crowd chatter]
[man] Don't let go.
[Vince] The Undertaker and Mankind,
pummeling each other into oblivion here at SummerSlam.
[Mr. Perfect] Their bodies have just gotta be aching.
[Vince] And The Undertaker on the apron now, hammering away.
Undertaker, Mankind going at it, on the apron to the ring.
Who's gonna step inside and take possession of the urn?
Mankind and The Undertaker,
neither individual will give up and-- whoa.
[Ross] Oh, my God, did you hear that?
Right on the concrete.
[Vince] Nothing will stop The Undertaker now.
Nothing will stop The Undertaker.
All he has to do is step over the top rope and take possession of the urn.
Mankind is-- well, I thought he was out of it. Mankind.
[Ross] Mankind may have broken his back.
What a hellacious fall from the ring.
Now, The Undertaker is gonna gain possession of the urn, it is over.
[Vince] And The Undertaker,
on one knee as we've seen so many, many times before.
Yes, The Undertaker, the victor here tonight at SummerSlam.
[Ross] Give him the urn.
[Vince] Wait a-- wait a minute.
Give him the-- Mankind, driving that Mandible Claw
into the gullet of The Undertaker.
[Mr. Perfect] Look at-- Paul Bearer's laughing.
Paul Bearer's laughing.
[Vince] That paralyzing hold being again placed on The Undertaker,
as we've seen so many times before,
and I don't understand it all, the attitude of Paul Bearer.
[Mr. Perfect] Undertaker's out.
[Ross] Oh, my God. Paul-- what?
-[Vince] Look at this. -[Ross] Oh, say it ain't so.
[Vince] Oh, The Undertaker just sat up.
-[Mankind speaking indistinctly] -[referee] Stay out of it.
Stay out of it.
[Vince] Why? Why is this going on?
What--
What has possessed
Paul Bearer after everything he said.
[Ross] Undertaker is out of it.
[Vince] Oh.
[Mr. Perfect] What?
[Ross] Oh, stop that.
Stop that. That's hideous.
[crowd jeering]
Oh, yes!
Yes!
[laughs]
[Vince] And The Undertaker beginning to crawl towards Paul Bearer.
[Mankind speaking indistinctly]
[referee] What are you doing?
[Vince] Undertaker, inching over towards Paul Bearer.
[Mankind speaks indistinctly]
[Vince] How could The Undertaker possibly…
[referee] Don't do it.
[Vince] …understand what has happened here?
-Look. -Don't do it. Paul!
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, no.
[referee] What are you doing?
[Ross] I can't believe what we're seeing.
[Vince] Mankind must take possession of the urn, he has it.
-He is the winner. -[Mr. Perfect] He got it.
-[Mr. Perfect] Wow. -[bell ringing]
[Howard] The winner of this contest, Mankind.
[crowd chattering, jeering]
[Vince] This is most disturbing,
as Paul Bearer looks in disdain, the prone body of The Undertaker.
[mellow music continues]
[Ross] Paul Bearer is leaving behind over six years of legacy,
a relationship, a bond that, here before we thought was inseparable.
[crowd chattering]
[Vince] And why-- why would Paul Bearer?
-[crowd chattering] -Oh, yes!
[mellow music continues]
[crowd member] You suck!
[Vince] Mankind with Paul Bearer
and in possession of the urn.
[Ross] I'm very concerned about The Undertaker.
That urn just slapped against his skull.
[Vince] Almost more than that
is the treachery of Paul Bearer,
as you mentioned earlier of the bond--
I'm Paul Bearer and you're not. [laughs]
[Vince] The bond that The Undertaker had with Paul Bearer.
[crowd chattering]
[Vince] Mankind, somehow victorious.
["Rest In Peace" playing]
[music cuts]
[crowd chattering]
-[Vince] And now what? -[Ross] Yeah, what now?
What else can happen?
What else can happen here?
["March of the Druids" playing]
[singers vocalizing]
[Vince] What is this?
[singers vocalizing]
[Vince] And masked druids
approaching the ring.
[Vince] There is a hush in this arena.
[vocalizing continues]
[Vince] And from our vantage point, The Undertaker has not moved.
[Ross] Certainly seems to be totally unconscious
after enduring that boiler room
and now this.
[Mr. Perfect] Does this mean we've seen the end of The Undertaker?
[Ross] I don't know.
I don't know what to think of this.
[Ross] Crowd here really doesn't know what-- how to react.
["Rest In Peace" playing]
[music cuts]
[Ross] We keep thinking he will sit up, but he doesn't.
[Vince] It's almost surreal that The Undertaker
is exiting the arena in this manner.
[crowd chattering]
[Vince] Some 20,000 fans here at the Gund Arena
are stunned, as we certainly are as well.
Who would've thought such treachery could possibly occur
between Paul Bearer and The Undertaker.
[Ross] That seemingly unbreakable bond
has not only been broken, but destroyed.
[crowd chattering]
[Vince] We're gonna go into a-- go to a way rather harsh departure
as we leave you in the Gund Arena
to take you to our WWE title match momentarily.
We just witnessed one of the most shocking things
in World Wrestling Entertainment history
and I know you guys intend on shocking 20,000 people
in the Gund Arena and millions across the world
by ending Shawn Michaels' boyhood dream in his championship reign.
I don't care if there's 50,000 stinking people out there,
it's gonna make no difference. Shawn Michaels,
we proved a lot of things, we proved that Vader
can pin you for a three-count because he did it last month.
We proved that he can beat you up, because he did it on Raw and now,
tonight at SummerSlam, we're gonna prove that Vader's
gonna beat you when it counts,
and that's for the World Wrestling Entertainment title.
I promised last month, Camp Cornette would win.
I'm promising tonight that Vader is gonna beat Shawn Michaels.
Shawn, when he grabs you around the neck and you try to talk,
and your voice is gonna sound like Peter Frampton's electronic kazoo
in the instrumental break of "Do You Feel Like We Do",
it's gonna be a bam, right from there,
because one way or another, we're going to come out on top tonight.
Vader's beating Shawn Michaels, once and for all.
I guess we're fixing to find out if it is Vader time.
Back to you guys at ringside.
["Mastodon" playing]
[man] It's time!
It's Vader time.
Time! Time! Time! Time!
-[Vince] Oh, it's Vader time, all right. -[bell ringing]
[Mr. Perfect] This is the time I've been waiting for,
-I'll tell you that. -[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen,
this contest, scheduled for one fall
is for the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship.
Coming down the aisle, accompanied by James E. Cornette,
it's the challenger, from The Rocky Mountains,
weighing 456 pounds,
The Man They Call Vader.
[Vince] He is a mastodon, no question of it.
The Man They Call Vader.
And Jim Ross, we have asked ourselves the question,
and we certainly don't have the answer.
is there anything Shawn Michaels can do to prevent
losing the WWE title to this monster?
[Ross] I don't know if there's any one thing specifically Shawn can do,
there are few things he can do to increase or to prove his chances of retaining,
as you look at this phenomenal crowd that's gathered here at the Gund Arena.
One thing Shawn can do is extend Vader.
I think the magic number maybe 30 minutes.
Past 30 minutes, Shawn has a great opportunity
because of his great cardiovascular conditioning.
The thing Shawn cannot do and that's to let Vader dictate
that slow, hard, methodical pace.
The Heartbreak Kid's gotta be quicker tonight than he has ever been,
more spectacular tonight than he has ever been.
[Vince] Yes, and The Man They Call Vader.
-[Mr. Perfect] Here we go. -[Vince] It's Vader time, all right.
-[Ross] You know, the last-- -[Vince] Mean, surly,
that's the individual.
When you talk about a bully, this is man has the qualification of just that.
How do you see the match, Mr. Perfect?
[Mr. Perfect] Well, I see it one way and one way only.
Vader's too big, he's too strong, he's too massive,
Shawn Michaels tonight is gonna lose
the World Wrestling Entertainment title because it is Vader time.
[Ross] You know the late Vince Lombardi once said that,
"Nothing strokes the fire like hate."
Vader hates.
-[Vince] Oh, God. -[Mr. Perfect] He hates everybody.
[Vince] Oh, no, no.
[Ross] Cornette's got Vader primed.
It's like sticking on mad dog with a sharp stick.
[Vince] Well,
I don't think the Kliq thinks too much of Vader,
and we're about to find out, ladies and gentlemen.
You're about to witness one of the most electric moments
in sports entertainment because in just a few moments,
the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion,
who may only be champion for a little while longer,
is about ready to make his way into the ring,
and when he does, you'll know all about sports entertainment,
you'll know all about the new WWE generation,
-you'll know all about Shawn Michaels. -["Sexy Boy" playing]
-[Vince] And here he comes! -♪ I think I'm cute ♪
[Howard] His opponent, accompanied down the aisle,
by Jose Lothario, from San Antonio, Texas,
weighing 227 pounds,
the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion,
"The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels.
[Vince] Here he comes!
Along with Jose Lothario.
♪ I'm just a sexy boy ♪
♪ Sexy boy ♪
[Vince] One of the most resilient
and unquestionably the most charismatic WWE Champions of all time.
Shawn Michaels on his way being mobbed here.
Where is the security? He's gonna need it.
♪ They hear me talk ♪
♪ I make them feel ♪
[Vince] Shawn Michaels against The Man They Call Vader,
and this could be the impossible challenge
for Shawn Michaels.
♪ Boy toy ♪
♪ I'm just a sexy boy ♪
♪ I'm not your boy toy ♪
[Vince] All right! Shawn Michaels appropriately rocking the house
in the home of rock and roll.
Yes, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,
Cleveland, Ohio,
the site of the 1996 WWE SummerSlam.
♪ I'm just a sexy boy ♪
♪ Sexy boy ♪
♪ I'm not your boy toy ♪
[Vince] Fans come from all over the world
to witness this World Wrestling Entertainment Championship matchup.
♪ I'm just a sexy boy ♪
[Vince] And on the night, in which we have seen a Boiler Room Brawl,
we've seen ropes break as we did in a Free For All players
for the pay-per-view with Yokozuna.
We've seen all kind of bizarre and unusual things here tonight.
Will we see the WWE title change hands in the past months,
just keep right on top.
Oh, yeah.
[Ross] You know, it's 2:30 a.m. in the morning in the United Kingdom
and I guarantee those folks have got a heck of a wake-up call
with that entrance from the and only Shawn Michaels.
But the question is, how good can Shawn Michaels be?
How-- really how good is he?
We're gonna find out right here tonight against this monster.
This man-ster, half man, half monster, The Man They Call Vader.
-[Vince] Shawn Michaels-- -[Mr. Perfect] Well, I'm happy
Shawn Michaels' entrance was great because it's over now.
-[crowd cheering] -[Vince] Michaels, living the dream.
Yes, Shawn Michaels, having his dreams come true
at WrestleMania with a victory
-over Bret "The Hitman" Hart. -[bell ringing]
[Vince] And has been the WWE Champion since that occasion.
Will his reign end here tonight?
Oh, my goodness.
[Mr. Perfect] Michaels has made a list of who's who
since winning the WWE Championship, but none as imposing,
none as dangerous as the man he is facing tonight.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] And this 400-pound monster,
Vader, who is quick as a cat,
great agility, unbelievable strength,
and only perhaps tested in the stamina department.
Michaels, however, with extraordinary athleticism,
perhaps one of the greatest,
maybe the most athletic WWE Champion of all time.
And look at this, Vader, unloading on Shawn Michaels.
Michaels must move.
He cannot let Vader hammer on him like this at any time in the match,
much less the beginning of it.
[Ross] Shawn cannot become a stationary target.
Shawn's gotta protect his body.
Vader's gonna try to take those body shots,
bust those ribs up, destroy Shawn Michaels-- oh, my!
From the inside out.
And then, I think, we'll see Vader work on Shawn Michaels' legs
to trying to take away the speed and quickness,
and to take away Sweet Chin Music.
[Mr. Perfect] You know, I've always been the one to say
a great wrestler can beat a big man anytime.
[Vince] Oh, wait a minute. Wait a minute, watch this. Yes.
Nice takedown by Michaels.
Michaels off the rope, Michaels hits the target, how about that?
I've never seen that before.
Shawn Michaels now.
Go ahead, Michaels-- Look at his feet, look at this.
Don't cover! He's covering up. That's right-- that's how he can counter.
Vader's in trouble already.
And Vader-- I can't believe what has happened here.
Michaels connecting,
Michaels hammering away with those rights and lefts.
And Shawn Michaels has taken it to The Man They Call Vader.
[Ross] Michaels is showing he's not intimated,
but Shawn, remember to win this match, he's got to be quick,
he's got to wrestle Vader, and keep the big monster down.
[Vince] Michaels has been known to have more guts
than brains to a certain extent. Oh, look at this.
And Michaels now,
working on the kidney area.
And-- oh, takes one of his own.
As long as Shawn Michaels is dishing out the offense,
he's in control, when it comes-- look at this.
-And a nice maneuver there! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] That's great focus by Shawn Michaels.
Shawn Michaels went south, Vader went north.
[Vince] Again, Shawn Michaels, using his God-given gifts
plus that all-important-- right in the middle. Here we go.
Nice maneuver there again on the part of Shawn Michaels.
Michaels with great strategy thus far as relates to Vader.
[Ross] That baseball slide took some air out of Vader.
Cornette's gotta get Vader regrouped here.
-[Vince] Here comes Michaels! -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, incredible.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Unbelievable.
[Ross] A crossbody over the top, and Shawn Michaels is fighting.
He's fighting for his life.
[Vince] And Shawn Michaels wants to retain the WWE title.
Yeah, The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels in control.
And Shawn now, what's he gonna do?
Watch out. He's measuring Vader again.
And here he comes right back out there.
Oh, uh-oh. And look-- oh!
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Michaels, with a little help there,
pulling Vader back in.
Shawn going right up to the top rope, he knows what he's doing.
Yes, double axe, nicely done.
[Ross] There you go, that's where you want him, Shawn.
[Mr. Perfect] Shawn Michaels in the best shape I've ever seen him, McMahon,
but I don't know if he's got what it takes to be the champ over Vader.
[Vince] And Shawn Michaels going up and-- wait a minute.
Yes. Beautiful maneuver.
[Ross] Hurricanrana by Shawn Michaels, taking Vader down.
Michaels giving up at least 234 pounds.
[Vince] And Michaels now, wanting Vader to get up.
Shawn Michaels measuring The Man They Call Vader.
Look at this. Right up on him.
Oh, my goodness.
And Michaels really taking a risk here.
Is he in control or is it Vader in control?
Look at that maneuver.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Unbelievable.
[Ross] What a great maneuver by Shawn Michaels.
That was a leverage move.
Shawn Michaels outsmarted Vader
and then utilized his leverage to get Vader up
and over and outside the ring.
Vader's got to be very frustrated right now.
[Vince] And wait a minute. Here we go.
Oh, look that same maneuver he did before!
Michaels setting him up for a form of the Frankensteiner.
-Shawn Michaels-- oh! -[Ross] Oh, my God.
Powerbomb on the outside.
That's how quickly this whole complexion of the match can change,
one big power move by Vader and the--
and the whole-- the whole thing changes.
[Vince] And indeed, the complexion,
the whole momentum of the match has completely shifted.
Vader pummeling Shawn Michaels.
-[crowd chatter] -[woman] Shawn!
Shawn, get up baby.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] We'll go back and take a look at this unbelievable maneuver here.
Look at Michaels.
Michaels having a presence of mind
that Vader was gonna dump him over the top.
Michaels hanging on and look, skinning the cat, coming right back up.
Unbelievable.
[Ross] So what it was is a victory roll over the top.
And then watch this maneuver right here.
[Vince] Look at this, a little success earlier and Vader just so strong.
Let's listen up as he drops him down.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] And that's exactly where we see Shawn Michaels getting himself back up.
[crowd chatter]
[Ross] Vader is gonna get Michaels back in the ring.
Vader cannot win the WWE title by count-out.
[Mr. Perfect] And he knows what's going on, Ross.
Don't worry about it. He'll get him back in the ring.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Michaels scooped up.
This is not good.
Vader walking up the steps. What's he gonna do?
[Mr. Perfect] Look at that power. That's--
[Vince] Vader with Shawn Michaels.
I have no idea what Vader's gonna do with Michaels now.
I'm not so sure if Vader knows.
He dumps him inside.
He just wanted to show how strong he was by walking up the steps
with Michaels across his back.
[Ross] I think that was a nice message from Vader to The Kliq.
"I'm the man here."
"I'm the biggest, the baddest bully in the woods."
[Vince] And indeed, certainly a message to Shawn Michaels.
[Mr. Perfect] And you watch how fast The Kliq changes after Vader beats 'em.
They'll all be on Vader's side.
These people just wanna go with the winner, that's all.
[Ross] Bad place here.
Shawn Michaels cannot afford to be in this corner.
[Vince] Vader measuring Michaels.
Hammering away on Shawn Michaels, The Man They Call Vader.
Oh, my goodness, just pummeling on Shawn Michaels.
[Mr. Perfect] This is what I came to see.
[crowd booing]
[Ross] Those body shots are like getting kicked by a big Hereford bull.
It's kinda what Vader resembles, that red face.
[Vince] And Vader setting up Shawn Michaels,
what's he gonna do with him?
Up goes Michaels very easily.
[Ross] What a suplex.
What a suplex.
All high-impact out on the body.
[Mr. Perfect] Come on, boy toy, how about a nip-up? [laughs]
[Vince] Not now, not with that back.
Not-- considering the damage has been done to the back on the outside of the ring
and Michaels has not been the same sense.
Vader continuing to attack to the back a moment ago
and now chin shoved back, and Vader gets him with a forearm.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, that will cave your chest in.
Come on, one! Two!
[Vince] And again, another huge forearm.
Come on, move.
[Ross] If Michaels is stationary, he's gonna lose.
Shawn Michaels cannot retain his title in this position, no way.
Oh, no!
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Michaels on his feet, maybe not for long.
All the way over to the outside.
[Ross] Vader having his way now.
[Vince] Unbelievable torque on the part of Vader.
[crowd booing]
[Ross] And Shawn Michaels hit Vader with a variety of high-risk maneuvers,
Shawn controlled the tip on the early going,
had Vader frustrated and off-balance.
But since the Vader-- the Vader Bomb-- the powerbomb rather, on the outside,
Shawn Michaels has not been the same
and may not be the same for the balance of this match.
[Vince] I wouldn't count Shawn Michaels out quite that quickly.
We have seen him indeed possess the heart of a champion.
If it comes to an end here tonight, as he said himself, "So be it."
But it won't be because he hasn't given it everything he had.
[Ross] Oh, I agree with that, but the human body
can only absorb so much.
[Vince] All right. Michaels set up in the other side now.
-Oh! -[Mr. Perfect] Oh. Good grief.
[Vince] Again, more damage to the back
and Vader shot Michaels sky high,
that back body drop, and now taunting this capacity crowd.
[crowd booing]
[Ross] Great elevation there.
Shawn had to be eight, nine feet in the air.
[Cornette] You are the man.
Stay on him.
[Mr. Perfect] You know, I was actually thinking about
getting back in the ring sooner or later.
But now after seeing Vader destroy Shawn Michaels,
I'll just stay right here.
[Vince] Vader, dominating the matchup with Shawn Michaels at the moment.
And-- uh-oh, this doesn't look good as well.
[Ross] With a suplex coming.
[Vince] Vader, playing around-- and wait a minute,
Michaels, hammering away, and yanked in the hair by Vader.
Oh, a shot to the midsection.
The official did not see that hair pull obviously on the opposite side.
And again, now Vader sets up Michaels in his-- wait a minute,
Michaels is gonna-- Michaels with a right hand.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Michaels slugging it out with Vader.
[Ross] Michaels hit Vader with everything he had in his body…
-[Vince] Yup. -[Ross] …rights and lefts,
and Vader didn't even go down to a knee.
[Vince] And I think Shawn's vision might be impaired there, and look out.
[Ross] There he goes, quicken the pace-- oh.
-[Vince] Oh, forget that. -[Ross] Oh, so much for pace.
[Mr. Perfect] All right. Let's go home, Vader.
Get him out of here.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] That was a clothesline.
That would've rocked The Rocky Mountains.
What a-- what power, scary power.
[Vince] There's never been a dog quite like this big dog,
and certainly everyone here in Cleveland
knows about big dogs, but look at this.
He's got Michaels up in the air.
Michaels from behind again, and again a clip to the jaw, another one.
Michaels trying to get everything he can behind.
Here comes Shawn Michaels and Michaels over the top rope.
No. Michaels trying to hang on.
Michaels coming right back up.
Vader kept-- oh, wait a minute,
Vader trying to pull Michaels back up. Michaels--
[Mr. Perfect] Look at the strength of Vader.
[Vince] Unbelievable power.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[Vince] Forget about it.
Now Vader's starting simply to methodically destroy Shawn Michaels.
[Ross] It's a physical dissection of the WWE Champion.
-[referee] One, two-- -[Vince] No, not yet, not yet. No way.
[Mr. Perfect] Vader's just manhandling Shawn Michaels.
It's the boy against the man.
Take a good look at it.
[Vince] All right. Let's take another look at it.
[crowd chatter]
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[Vince] And again, Vader now.
[Mr. Perfect] I haven't had this much fun since I left the ring.
[Vince] Vader dominating the matchup,
even more than he did earlier on.
If it ends here tonight for Shawn Michaels,
Michaels nonetheless would've left his mark
on World Wrestling Entertainment
as one of the great champions.
Any individual who can accomplish what he accomplished
beginning at WrestleMania
has to go down in the history book,
I believe, even though he has had a short reign thus far
-as one of the great champions. -[Mr. Perfect] Well, it's a--
[Vince] However, his reign is not really over,
at least not yet, not officially.
[Mr. Perfect] it's a matter of time right now.
Summer's over, Shawn Michaels.
Go back to school and learn what you're doing.
[Vince] You wonder what sort of strategy,
Jose Lothario and Shawn Michaels discussed coming into the match
and Michaels somehow feeling a power of The Kliq here in Cleveland,
able to get back to his feet,
drives in the knee, that'll do it.
Use your feet, coming up the rope, and Michaels with a clothesline but no.
It has no effect to that big mastodon.
[crowd chatter]
[Ross] You're not gonna beat Vader high-impact moves,
-you gotta wrestle him. -[Vince] Wait a minute.
Oh, no, and Michaels hit big time trouble, standing right upon the chest. Vader…
-[referee counting] -[crowd chatter]
[Vince] …right up on his throat.
-And-- no! -[Ross] Yes!
[Mr. Perfect] Oh. What a cheap shot by Michaels.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Gotta protect yourself,
that's what Shawn was doing.
[Vince] Michaels lifting a knee.
Michaels with a clothesline and now the big man went down!
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] All right. Now's the time to build that momentum, quick in the pace.
[Vince] From the top, here we go.
Shawn Michaels with an opportunity to win this match.
[Ross] Take some chances and go for it
while you've got the opportunity.
-[Mr. Perfect] Michaels on the top! -[Vince] No. No.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Michaels kicking Vader.
Vader starting his move.
Michaels knew full well he wouldn't be able to nail him
like he wanted to.
Vader now being set up for the ride.
Michaels-- oh, underneath,
from the other side and Michaels with Vader.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] Oh, my God!
[Mr. Perfect] Somebody's hurt here.
[Ross] That's a 450-pound man and the WWE Champion falling
on each other to the floor.
[man] Come on, Shawn! Move!
[Vince] And Shawn Michaels, amazing.
Here's another look at it from the other side.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] And I don't think-- oh, look at this.
Oh, no.
[Mr. Perfect] Look at the strength of this guy.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] No.
-[Vince] Vader! -[Mr. Perfect] Oh. There you go.
-Throw him right to his Kliq. -[crowd chatter]
[Vince] But Vader can't win the title if Michaels is counted out.
[Ross] I wonder if Cornette has got Vader tuned in to that fact.
-[Vince] He can't win the match. -[bell ringing]
-[Vince] Wait a minute. -[Mr. Perfect] What's going on here?
[Vince] That's exactly-- that's been-- what's happened?
[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen, the referee has awarded this belt
as a result of a count-out
to The Man They Call Vader.
[crowd booing]
[Vince] The Man They Call Vader has won the match.
[Cornette] No, no.
-No, wait a minute. Wait a minute. -[Vince] But he hasn't won--
Wait a minute. Cut that music off, stop it. Hold on! Hold on.
We came here to win the title.
We don't want it like that.
-[Vince] Tell him, Jimmy. -[Cornette] We don't want it like that.
We came here to win the title.
Shawn Michaels, if you got any guts, get back in here.
Referee, start this thing over again.
We want a fight.
[Vince] Oh, I think Shawn Michaels would a bit foolish
-to do that actually. -[Cornette] We want a winner.
[Vince] Michaels…
-[Ross] Michaels is all guts. -[Cornette] We came here…
-to take this thing, the title. -[Vince] …discussing this
-with the official. -[Cornette] We want a winner.
[Ross] Michaels' insides gonna be broken apart.
[crowd chatter]
[Mr. Perfect] Yeah. He wants no part of Vader.
[Ross] How can he physically continue, is what I wanna know.
[Cornette] Come on, Michaels are you gutless?
Come on.
-[Vince] And Shawn Michaels… -[Cornette] Are you gutless?
-[Vince] A smart Shawn Michaels… -[Cornette] No.
You can't do it.
[Vince] …leaving the--
-Wait a minute. -[Cornette] Come on and get back in here.
-[crowd cheering] -I'll go. Yeah. Get off me.
[Cornette] Get back in here. We wanna win that belt.
[Ross] Well, if Shawn Michaels continue this match,
that is not a wise decision on his part.
[Vince] I think that's exactly what's gonna happen
and I think Shawn might be doing this against Jose Lothario's advice.
[Vince] I don't know
-what's going on here. -[Mr. Perfect] Yeah, me too.
[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please. I've been informed
by the referee that this match will continue.
-[crowd cheering] -[Vince] Oh, no.
[Ross] Oh, come on.
[Mr. Perfect laughs]
[Ross] Well, the referee is at least-- that Shawn gets back in the ring
and the bell is resounded.
This match is officially underway again.
[crowd chatter]
[Ross] It's just a matter of time now.
[Vince] And look at this.
Jose Lothario would be-- no, no, wait a minute.
-Jose, 62 years old… -[Mr. Perfect] Sit down, old man.
[Vince] …will be staying away.
[Ross] Oh, no, no, no.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Well, I can't believe that hideous Cornette.
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] What guts on the part of Shawn Michaels.
We said before, sometimes he has more guts than veins-- brains rather,
and take a look at this.
This was-- occurred earlier.
[Ross] That caused the count-out right there.
Shawn couldn't get back in the ring to continue.
[Vince] And look at this.
-This match is on underway again… -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, my.
[Vince] …inside the ring and we pick up right where we left off.
-[Mr. Perfect] Here we go. -[Ross] Oh, what a belly-to-belly suplex.
-[Vince] Dominating the match. -[Mr. Perfect] There's your new champion
-right there. -[Vince] A cover and-- no!
Kicked out by Michaels, Vader didn't hook the leg.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] I'll tell you something, Shawn Michaels is gonna fight this--
the rest of this like he was planting the flag on Iwo Jima.
Never ever give up.
There's-- what can be left in this kid?
[Vince] Michaels set up by Vader.
He has no place to go now.
-Vader wants him to go. -[Mr. Perfect] Here comes the bomb.
[Vince] Vader Bomb coming in, bomb-- no, wait a minute.
-Michaels-- look at that. -[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Michaels off the rope, underneath,
Michaels, underneath again and goes down.
[crowd cheering]
-[Mr. Perfect] Oh, give me a break! -[Vince] Unbelievable.
[Mr. Perfect] Give me a break!
[Vince] Michaels can do it.
Michaels can do it from the top.
He's coming in with the elbow.
Michaels can do it.
[Ross] The band is tuning up.
[Mr. Perfect] I'm not falling for it. Do you hear the--
[Vince] Here we go! Sweet Chin Music, here we go!
-And Cornette grabbing-- -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, come on.
[Vince] He just threw the racket in.
[Vince] Now, Shawn Michaels has the racket that Cornette threw in there.
-[bell ringing] -[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Michaels hammering away on Vader just to follow his own.
[Ross] He could get himself disqualified here with that racket.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Michaels just beating the tar out of Cornette.
[bell ringing]
[Ross] That mama's boy Cornette
is getting whipped like a government mule.
[crowd cheering]
[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen, the winner of this bout
as a result of a disqualification,
The Man They Call Vader.
[Vince] Well, Vader, once again, wins this match.
The referee obviously did not see Cornette throw the racket into the ring.
All he saw was Shawn Michaels using the tennis racket
-against Vader and then-- wait a minute. -[Cornette] No.
Shawn Michaels, cut that stinking music off.
Cut it off.
Michaels, you got yourself disqualified on purpose
just to try to save that stinking title of yours.
You're a gutless, no-good, coward.
You knew you couldn't beat him. If you got any guts,
if you got any courage,
Get that thing started again.
-[Vince] Gorilla Monsoon's in there. -[Cornette] Let's have a winner.
Let's have a winner.
I dare you.
I double-dog dare you, you stinking coward.
[Vince] Gorilla Monsoon,
President of WWE, in the ring trying to straighten things out,
along with a bunch of other luminaries in there.
-[Howard] Ladies and gentlemen… -[Vince] Wait a minute.
-Here we go! -[Howard] WWE President Gorilla Monsoon…
-[Ross] This is chaotic. -[Howard] …has informed us
that this match will continue.
[Vince] Yes, the match is continuing, Vader-- no!
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Michaels, oh, nailed him, Vader with that forearm.
Michaels is going upstairs.
Shawn Michaels now from the top, drops the elbow!
[Mr. Perfect] J.R., Michaels gets his win back.
Now he's a big man, huh?
-I don't-- -[Vince] It's Michaels and The Kliq.
It's Michaels and The Kliq together, that's where he's getting his power,
that's where he's getting resilience.
Here we go, chalk up to Vader.
-[crowd cheering] -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, come on.
[Vince] He got him. He got him.
-One, two, three! -[Mr. Perfect] Give me a break!
[Mr. Perfect] No, no, no. He didn't--
-[crowd cheering] -[Vince] No, no, no.
[Ross] Vader got his shoulder up.
Vader got his shoulder up.
-[crowd cheering] -[Ross] The Sweet Chin Music
did not keep Vader down for the three-count.
[Mr. Perfect] That's the first time I've ever seen anybody kicked out
of Shawn Michaels' kick.
[Vince] Unbelievable. Vader.
Wait a minute, Vader trying to set--
and the official goes to the rope to the outside.
Shawn Michaels unable to put Vader away.
[Ross] Oh, no.
[Mr. Perfect] Oh, Shawn Michaels going to any extreme
to save that belt no doubt about it.
-Don't do it, man! -[Vince] Vader Bomb.
The Vader Bomb. And cover.
-[Mr. Perfect] Come on. -[Vince] There's no-- there's no official.
[Mr. Perfect] Get at the top.
[Vince] Wait a minute, there's another one. Two
[Mr. Perfect] No, he got him.
-It's over! -[crowd cheering]
[Ross] I can't believe it. I can't believe it.
-Michaels kicked out… -[Mr. Perfect] Come on, ref.
[Ross] …from a powerbomb.
[Vince] Another official came into the ring and counted.
[Ross] But Vader kicked out of Sweet Chin Music.
What's it gonna take to keep either one of these guys down?
[Vince] Michaels shoulders on the canvas
-for some time. -[Mr. Perfect] Oh, here we go.
-Oh, here we go. -[Vince] Oh, no.
[Ross] Shades of Vancouver International Incident coming up maybe.
Shades of Raw, just last week.
It could be a Vader Bomb right off those ropes.
Michaels is helpless.
[Vince] Shawn Michaels on the mat.
And this one's gonna over for sure now.
Here we go, Vader coming up.
All right. He's on the second rope.
Here we go. Michaels isn't moving.
[Ross] Wait a minute,
Cornette's telling Vader to go to the top.
That only means one thing,
that's the moonsault, a 458-pound moonsault.
[Vince] Vader, here we go now!
[Mr. Perfect] Oh.
[crowd cheering]
[Ross] Can Shawn Michaels reach down in his gut?
Can he pull his self together?
How much heart does he have left?
How much heart can he have left?
[Vince] Where is he going? What's he doing?
[crowd chatter]
[Vince] Michaels,
maybe with one desperate high-risk maneuver left, Michaels--
-[crowd cheering] -[Vince] Michaels--
-[Mr. Perfect] No. -[Vince] Michaels, Michaels.
-[bell ringing] -[crowd cheering]
-[Ross] He did it. -[Mr. Perfect] I can't believe it.
[Howard] The winner of this match and still…
[Mr. Perfect] I'm out of here. I can't take it.
[Howard] …World Wrestling Entertainment Champion,
-The Heartbreak Kid! -[Vince] Shawn Michaels has done
-the impossible. -[Howard] Shawn Michaels.
["Sexy Boy" playing]
[Vince] The Man They Call Vader defeated Shawn Michaels via count-out.
He then defeated him as a result of a disqualification.
And then, ladies and gentlemen, somehow Shawn Michaels pulled it out.
Somehow Shawn Michaels has retained
the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship.
Let's take another look.
-[crowd cheering] -[Vince] And here we go,
-this is the one! -[Ross] This is the one.
I think this ended the match right here.
This was the turning point.
If Vader had hit the moonsault,
we would have a new champion,
but Vader missed, the missed moonsault,
a modified moonsault, watch Shawn Michaels,
that knee-- his left-- his left knee caught Vader right in the head.
Shawn Michaels wins it, but the big question,
what if-- what if Vader had hit the moonsault.
[Vince] And Michaels may not feel so much like a winner of the moment.
The Man They Call Vader.
[Mr. Perfect] And look at everybody protecting Shawn Michaels.
[Vince] Well, wait a minute, what else do you want?
-[Mr. Perfect] Oh, don't you-- -[overlapping chatter]
[Vince] Give the man credit for crying out loud. Come on!
[Mr. Perfect] I'm giving him no credit. I'm oughta go up there
-and knock him out myself. -[Vince] Be my guest.
Vader.
♪ I'm not your boy toy ♪
[Vince] And there you have it.
Shawn Michaels on his feet as we say so long, ladies and gentlemen,
from the fabulous Gund Arena
in Cleveland, Ohio, the site of the 1996 WWE SummerSlam.
We thank you very much for joining us.
We look forward to once again joining you
in September in Philadelphia in your house.
Thank you very much. So long. n your house.