It was supposed to be one of the greatest wrestling matches ever promoted. Tonight’s Survivor Series WWF World Title match-up held in the Molson Centre in Montreal, Quebec, pitting in and outside ring rivals Bret “The Hit Man” Hart versus “Boy Toy” Shawn Michaels was destined to be a classic.
What it will be remembered as is the biggest screw job ever in the history in professional wrestling. An open-handed, direct slap in the face to any wrestling fan shelling out their hard-earned cash on sports entertainment.
Whether it was Hart’s, Michaels’ or McMahon’s idea or a combination of them all, someone should be hanging their head low.
WWF officials represented by Titan Promotions company president and colour commentator Vince McMahon Jr. standing at ringside, called an abrupt end to the main event leaving fans world-wide and the two performers in a state of confusion and absolute disgust.
At eleven minutes into the hard-fought, furious battle, Shawn Michaels, the challenger, hog-tied Bret Hart in his own Sharp Shooter finishing hold. Before Canada’s Hit Man had even the chance to signal to referee Earl Hebner whether he had decided to submit or not; Hebner motioned for the bell to be rung. Shawn Michaels’ entrance music began to play. The bout was officially over.
Caught unawares, Hart and Michaels continued wrestling until they realized the plug had been pulled. Visibly disoriented at the unplanned, unscripted occurrence, Hart smiled to himself shaking his head while Michaels verbally confronted McMahon through the ropes. Hart traded heated words with McMahon from inside the ring. Hart then spit directly in McMahon’s face.
An incensed Michaels stormed past McMahon, snatched the WWF World Title belt off the time keeper’s table and was ushered back to the dressing room by WWF security and McMahon. The pay per view with ten minutes left in satellite time quickly went off the air without cutting back to the ring and granting Hart the opportunity to say good-bye in what could’ve been his last match in the World Wrestling Federation.
As reported on CANOE, the Internet and other news media last week, The Hit Man has enacted an “escape clause” in his WWF contract giving the promotion thirty days notice while he pursues other options (read signing with the competing World Championship Wrestling). At issue are the current mature WWF storylines sanctioned by McMahon and Hart’s promotion on WWF cards and pay-per-view shows.
Prior to the start of the match, Michaels and Hart brawled outside the ring, in the crowd and on the entrance way for approximately six minutes bringing the actual match time to seventeen minutes even. (See the results for more details).
The next WWF pay-per-view is In Your House: D-Generation X on December 7th.
Survivor Series ’97 Results
: In the Free For All segment, Sunny mistakenly says that this is the first pay-per-view held live in Canada.
The Headbangers / The New Blackjacks Vs The Godwinns / Road Dog / “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn
: A fan holds up a sign saying…”Lawler is the REAL wrestling icon”.
: At 3:52, Henry O. Godwinn is rolled up for the pin.
: Blackjack Wyndym is eliminated via a Phineas I. Godwinn clothesline at 5:14.
: The crowd pops big as the Headbangers are tagged in.
: Mosh is slammed and pinned by Billy Gunn at 8:42.
: At 12:38, Thrasher dives off the top rope and covers Phineas.
: Blackjack Bradshaw punks Road Dog and gets rolled up by Gunn at 13:44.
: Road Dog tags Gunn. Thrasher is blind to the switch. Gunn hits with a top rope leg drop and pins him.
Survivors: Road Dog and Billy Gunn at 15 minutes and 25 seconds.
Winners: The team of The Godwinns / Road Dog / “Bad Ass” Billy Gunn.
The Truth Commission Vs The D.O.A.
: Chains is sidewalk slammed and pinned by The Interrogator at 1:18.
: Skull does the same to Truth Commission leader Jackal at 2:50.
: At 5:18, Skull illegally switches with 8-Ball and clotheslines Recon out of the match.
: Sniper hits a neck breaker at 6:30 dumping Skull.
: At 8:50, The Interrogator pins 8-Ball.
: Crush ends Sniperis survivor series bid at 9:46.
: The Interrogator sidewalk slams Crush for the victory.
Survivor: The Interrogator at 9:59.
Winners: The Truth Commission.
Team USA (Vader / Goldust / Steve Blackman / Marc Mero) Vs Team Canada (The British Bulldog / Phillip Lafon / Doug Furnas / Jim “The Anvil” Niedhart)
: At a pre-match interview, the American-born Furnas says…”They say…America, love it or leave it. I left.”
: Goldust has the letter F painted on his right cheek and U on his left. Itis supposed to stand for “Forever Unchanged”. On his black wrist band is the word “Freedom” and on the back of his head is “Alive Again”.
: At 5:16, Blackman is counted out.
: Vader splashes and kicks Niedhart out at 6:53.
: Lafon get the same treatment at 8:28.
: Furnas rolls up Mero and hold his tights pinning him at 11:18.
: At the 12:15 mark, Vader goes to tag Goldust who shakes his head negatively pointing at his cast.
: Vader tried tagging Goldust again at 14:26. Goldust leaps off the canvass ignoring him.
: At 15:33, Vader tags then pulls Goldust into the ring over the top rope. Goldust leaves. At 16:26 Goldust is counted out.
: Vader bombs Furnas at 16:54 splatting him all over the canvass.
: While distracted, The Bulldog brains Vader with the ring bell scoring the win.
Survivor: The British Bulldog at 17:05.
Winners: Team Canada (The British Bulldog / Phillip Lafon / Doug Furnas / Jim “The Anvil” Niedhart).
Kane Vs Mankind
: The match is wrestled under Kane’s red light.
: Mankind puts the Mandible Claw on Paul Bearer but Kane knocks him flying through the Spanish commentators table injuring Tito Santana in the process.
: Kane applies the Tombstone Piledriver.
Winner: At 9 minutes and 27 seconds, Kane.
The Nation Of Domination Vs The Legion Of Doom / Ken Shamrock / Ahmed Johnson
: In a stunning development, Maivia chokeslams Hawk sending him to the locker room at 2:09.
: Ahmed Pearl River Plunges Faarooq at 4:53. Though he is out, Faarooq wonit leave ringside.
: At 6:09, Faarooq holds Johnson’s foot from the outside as Maivia covers him.
: Faarooq and Johnson brawl back to the dressing room.
: Animal drop kicks eliminating Kama at 10:44.
: At 14:12, Billy Gunn and Road Dog come out dressed as The Legion Of Doom throwing powder into Animalis face. Animal is counted out.
: All alone, Shamrock makes D-Lo quit at 16:54 with an ankle lock and Maivia punks The Worldis Most Dangerous Man with a steel chair.
: Maivia submits while in a leg hold submission move.
Survivor: Ken Shamrock at 20:28.
Winners: The Legion Of Doom / Ken Shamrock / Ahmed Johnson.
Owen Hart (champion) Vs “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (challenger) (Intercontinental Title Match)
: Ross calls Owen the “REAL Hit Man of the Hart Foundation”.
: Niedhart tries to Pearl Harbor Austin but gets the Stone Cold Stunner.
: The crowd shouts to Owen…”Break his neck. Break his neck.”
: 40 seconds in, Owen attempts a piledriver. The crowd pops. Austin backdrops out of it.
: Frustrated, Owen heads for the dressing room. Lawler says…”Owenis opening a can of haul ass”.
: Owen dares the ref to DQ him at 2:32 as he strangles Austin with a camera cord.
: Out of nowhere, Austin spikes Hart with the Stone Cold Stunner to unstrap the I.C. Title.
: Furnas tries to punk Austin but gets stunned for his efforts.
Winner: …and new WWF Intercontinental Champion, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin at a measly 4 minutes flat..
Bret “The Hit Man” Hart (champion) Vs “Boy Toy” Shawn Michaels (WWF World Heavyweight Title Match)
: In a nauseating display, Michaels rubs the Canadian flag on his crotch, blows his nose in it and humps it in the ring. Real nice. The commentators offer apologies.
: The fans go wild as Hart enters the ring alone flashing them the “I Love You” hand signal.
: The bell hasn’t rung yet Hart hurls Michaels into the first row where overzealous fans throw punches at Michaels until Hart can bail him out.
: Hart beats Michaels with a fire extinguisher. Both men haymaker referees.
: McMahon pleads with them to take it back to the ring.
: Michaels rips the Canadian flag off its stick and pounds Bret with it.
: Michaels suplexes Hart on the steel steps.
: At 6:20, The Hit Man slaps the figure four on Michaels legs wrapped around the steel post. The fans cheer…”Break Shawn’s leg”.
: At 11 minutes in, the match is prematurely called making fools out of Hart, Michaels and the fans.
Winner: …and new WWF World Heavyweight Champion, Shawn Michaels at 11 minutes square.
Total event time: Two hours 45 minutes
