Random Reviews: King of the Ring 1996
Apr 19, 2020 15:02:04 GMT
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Post by KanetakerResurrected on Apr 19, 2020 15:02:04 GMT
Live from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it's the 1996 King of the Ring! Great opening video has me hyped! Jim Ross and Vince McMahon are on commentary. But here comes Owen Hart to join them. And he did a great job throughout the night.
KotR Semifinal: Steve Austin vs Marc Mero - a great opening match between these two. The fans are really starting to cheer Austin so Mero has to go high-flying to get them back on his side. Austin ends up winning with the now-named Stone Cold Stunner and moves on.
KotR Semifinal: Vader vs Jake Roberts - I knew this would be a dud as Roberts is just not good in the ring at this point. I don't remember much except Jake went for the DDT and Vader grabbed the ref and got DQ'd. Stupid finish as Jake moves on. Vader snaps and attacks Jake after with an avalanche in the corner and a Vader Bomb.
Interview with the Smoking Gunns and Sunny. Footage is shown of The BodyDonnas' new manager Kloudi, who is clearly a built man with tattoos in drag. Pretty funny stuff I'll admit.
WWF Tag Team Championship: The Smoking Gunns (c) w/ Sunny vs The Godwinns w/ Hillbilly Jim. I was expecting another dull tag match, but it was actually really good. This whole match was the Gunns' heel turn basically. Henry Godwinn played the role of face-in-peril throughout much of the match until he gets the tag to Phinneas. All four men in the ring and as the ref is distracted, Bart nails Phinneas with his boot to the back of the head and Billy gets the pin. Good tag title match for once.
Dok Hendriks interviews Camp Cornette backstage. Bulldog is out of breath after his words.
The Ultimate Warrior vs Jerry Lawler: Lawler walks to the ring with mic in hand, berating the Milwaukee fans. If anyone can garner heat, it's Lawler. He was GOLD during this. "With faces like yours', you girls make men turn into guys like Goldust." As for the match, Lawler dominates early with basic heel tactics (foreign objects) and nails a piledriver. Warrior no-sells it of course, and hits his running moves for the win. DUD. Warrior's return has been lacklustre.
Mankind vs The Undertaker: my favourite feud heading into the show. This has been simmering since the first Raw after Wrestlemania. And this was a battle, in and out of the ring. These two tore into eachother with everything they had. The only downside was the looooong nerve-hold by Mankind. I hated when Yokozuna would use it every single match. The ending came when Paul Bearer accidentally hit Taker with the urn. Mankind applies the Mandible Claw and it's over! I'm surprised they had Taker lose to that move. But it makes Mankind look strong. This was definitely a precursor to a more edgier, hardcore, product to come.
Mr. Perfect tells Shawn Michaels not to worry. He'll call his match right down the middle.
IC Championship: Goldust (c) vs Ahmed Johnson - Goldust with his loooong entrance. Ahmed's music hits and he charges through the entry doors. I howled as the "guards" went flying lmao. Ahmed is a madman to start and unloads on Goldust. Goldust takes a breather on the outside as he always does. But Ahmed runs and flies over the top rope, just narrowly landing right on his head/face. Christ, that was dangerous. Again, the edgier side shows up as Ahmed grabs the ring steps and just misses Goldust. Hey, the super fan is there in the crowd... Goldust gains control and hits an awkward Piledriver in the ring. He slowly covers Ahmed, only as Goldust would. The ending came when Goldust gave Ahmed mouth to mouth again. Ahmed snaps and unloads on him in the corner. Spinebuster and Pearl River Plunge and it's over. New IC Champ!
Backstage Ahmed is celebrating with the face lockerroom. The Bushwhackers are still there?! Shawn Michaels is also there and congratulates him.
Ring-side interview with Brian Pillman. It's the usual Pillman babble, calling Jim Ross a son of a bitch. He challenged the lockerroom to step up to him.
KotR Final: Steve Austin vs Jake Roberts - as Austin comes out, Pillman is hobbling up the aisle. They meet and exchange words, then continue on their way. Seeds being planted already between the two. This match was a chore to watch as Jake was still hurt from the Vader attack. But thankfully it was short. After Austin works the injured ribs, he hits the Stunner for the win and it's over. What came after is probably the most famous promo in WWE history. "Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass!" And "And that's the bottom line, cuz Stone Cold said so!" The birth of a legend!
WWF Championship: Shawn Michaels (c) vs British Bulldog - Mr. Perfect comes out first as the special referee, followed by the competitors. But out comes Gorilla Monsoon with Earl Hebner. Gorilla says Hebner will be the inside ref and Perfect will man the outside. All that drama of a special referee for nothing lol. And judging by their boring match (my opinion) last PPV, I thought it would go downhill from there. But boy was I wrong. This was a classic match between the two. This match was too long to delve into, but it was a great one. But with a confusing ending. Shawn hits Sweet Chin Music and Hebner goes for the pin. Perfect quickly slides into the ring and stops him, then counts the pin along with him. Owen pulls Perfect out of the ring at the count of two but Hebner counts the three. Ok? A beat down ensues as Owen and Bulldog beat up Shawn until Ahmed Johnson runs to make the save. Vader rolls on out and attacks Ahmed. Fans are chanting for Warrior. It takes awhile but Warrior sprints out to make the save. Camp Cornette recollects and leaves ringside. Like I said all that drama of Perfect being the special ref, but they put him on the outside and ends up being a non-factor and simply leaves ringside as the beat down ensues.
Interview with Camp Cornette. A six-man tag between Shawn, Ahmed, & Warrior vs Bulldog, Owen, & Vader is set up for the next In Your House. So no championship match I guess. And something tells me Warrior won't make it to the event.
Grade: B. An overall good show despite the lacklustre KotR tournament, although Austin/Mero was good.
Match of the night: Shawn Michaels vs British Bulldog.
DUD of the night: Vader vs Jake Roberts.
KotR Semifinal: Steve Austin vs Marc Mero - a great opening match between these two. The fans are really starting to cheer Austin so Mero has to go high-flying to get them back on his side. Austin ends up winning with the now-named Stone Cold Stunner and moves on.
KotR Semifinal: Vader vs Jake Roberts - I knew this would be a dud as Roberts is just not good in the ring at this point. I don't remember much except Jake went for the DDT and Vader grabbed the ref and got DQ'd. Stupid finish as Jake moves on. Vader snaps and attacks Jake after with an avalanche in the corner and a Vader Bomb.
Interview with the Smoking Gunns and Sunny. Footage is shown of The BodyDonnas' new manager Kloudi, who is clearly a built man with tattoos in drag. Pretty funny stuff I'll admit.
WWF Tag Team Championship: The Smoking Gunns (c) w/ Sunny vs The Godwinns w/ Hillbilly Jim. I was expecting another dull tag match, but it was actually really good. This whole match was the Gunns' heel turn basically. Henry Godwinn played the role of face-in-peril throughout much of the match until he gets the tag to Phinneas. All four men in the ring and as the ref is distracted, Bart nails Phinneas with his boot to the back of the head and Billy gets the pin. Good tag title match for once.
Dok Hendriks interviews Camp Cornette backstage. Bulldog is out of breath after his words.
The Ultimate Warrior vs Jerry Lawler: Lawler walks to the ring with mic in hand, berating the Milwaukee fans. If anyone can garner heat, it's Lawler. He was GOLD during this. "With faces like yours', you girls make men turn into guys like Goldust." As for the match, Lawler dominates early with basic heel tactics (foreign objects) and nails a piledriver. Warrior no-sells it of course, and hits his running moves for the win. DUD. Warrior's return has been lacklustre.
Mankind vs The Undertaker: my favourite feud heading into the show. This has been simmering since the first Raw after Wrestlemania. And this was a battle, in and out of the ring. These two tore into eachother with everything they had. The only downside was the looooong nerve-hold by Mankind. I hated when Yokozuna would use it every single match. The ending came when Paul Bearer accidentally hit Taker with the urn. Mankind applies the Mandible Claw and it's over! I'm surprised they had Taker lose to that move. But it makes Mankind look strong. This was definitely a precursor to a more edgier, hardcore, product to come.
Mr. Perfect tells Shawn Michaels not to worry. He'll call his match right down the middle.
IC Championship: Goldust (c) vs Ahmed Johnson - Goldust with his loooong entrance. Ahmed's music hits and he charges through the entry doors. I howled as the "guards" went flying lmao. Ahmed is a madman to start and unloads on Goldust. Goldust takes a breather on the outside as he always does. But Ahmed runs and flies over the top rope, just narrowly landing right on his head/face. Christ, that was dangerous. Again, the edgier side shows up as Ahmed grabs the ring steps and just misses Goldust. Hey, the super fan is there in the crowd... Goldust gains control and hits an awkward Piledriver in the ring. He slowly covers Ahmed, only as Goldust would. The ending came when Goldust gave Ahmed mouth to mouth again. Ahmed snaps and unloads on him in the corner. Spinebuster and Pearl River Plunge and it's over. New IC Champ!
Backstage Ahmed is celebrating with the face lockerroom. The Bushwhackers are still there?! Shawn Michaels is also there and congratulates him.
Ring-side interview with Brian Pillman. It's the usual Pillman babble, calling Jim Ross a son of a bitch. He challenged the lockerroom to step up to him.
KotR Final: Steve Austin vs Jake Roberts - as Austin comes out, Pillman is hobbling up the aisle. They meet and exchange words, then continue on their way. Seeds being planted already between the two. This match was a chore to watch as Jake was still hurt from the Vader attack. But thankfully it was short. After Austin works the injured ribs, he hits the Stunner for the win and it's over. What came after is probably the most famous promo in WWE history. "Austin 3:16 says I just whooped your ass!" And "And that's the bottom line, cuz Stone Cold said so!" The birth of a legend!
WWF Championship: Shawn Michaels (c) vs British Bulldog - Mr. Perfect comes out first as the special referee, followed by the competitors. But out comes Gorilla Monsoon with Earl Hebner. Gorilla says Hebner will be the inside ref and Perfect will man the outside. All that drama of a special referee for nothing lol. And judging by their boring match (my opinion) last PPV, I thought it would go downhill from there. But boy was I wrong. This was a classic match between the two. This match was too long to delve into, but it was a great one. But with a confusing ending. Shawn hits Sweet Chin Music and Hebner goes for the pin. Perfect quickly slides into the ring and stops him, then counts the pin along with him. Owen pulls Perfect out of the ring at the count of two but Hebner counts the three. Ok? A beat down ensues as Owen and Bulldog beat up Shawn until Ahmed Johnson runs to make the save. Vader rolls on out and attacks Ahmed. Fans are chanting for Warrior. It takes awhile but Warrior sprints out to make the save. Camp Cornette recollects and leaves ringside. Like I said all that drama of Perfect being the special ref, but they put him on the outside and ends up being a non-factor and simply leaves ringside as the beat down ensues.
Interview with Camp Cornette. A six-man tag between Shawn, Ahmed, & Warrior vs Bulldog, Owen, & Vader is set up for the next In Your House. So no championship match I guess. And something tells me Warrior won't make it to the event.
Grade: B. An overall good show despite the lacklustre KotR tournament, although Austin/Mero was good.
Match of the night: Shawn Michaels vs British Bulldog.
DUD of the night: Vader vs Jake Roberts.