[dramatic music]
[announcer] The World Wrestling Entertainment,
for over 50 years, the revolutionary force
in sports entertainment.
[Bret] For the longest time, I've thought about one thing,
being the World Wrestling Entertainment Champion
again and again, and again.
Sure, Sycho Sid is six-foot nine,
but I can promise you one thing,
you will be excellently executed by the best there is,
the best there was and the best there ever will be.
I want one thing. I want that title.
And you're standing in my way.
[Sid] Let's see. I don't care!
It's a mad, mad world.
[dramatic music]
[narrator] And now Milton Bradley Karate Fighters
presents WWE In Your House: It's time.
[commentator] Welcome, everyone, to West Palm Beach, Florida.
Welcome to the West Palm Beach Auditorium.
Welcome to the WWE In Your House: It's Time.
[Vince] Yes, indeed, welcome, everyone.
Vince McMahon here along with Jerry "The King" Lawler.
And we've got Good Ol' J.R. as well.
Yes, we got action and plenty of it.
But first, the World Wrestling Entertainment
title up for grabs.
Oh, I can't wait, McMahon.
Bret Hart against Sycho Sid.
And what you failed to mention is
that Shawn Michaels is gonna come out here
and help color commentate.
I'm gonna tell you something.
If he does, if he comes out here,
I'm not gonna be responsible for what happens.
-Oh, boy. -I'm telling you.
Joining us as well, J.R., over here,
we've got Arturo Rivera along with Carlos Cabrera
and of course, Hugo Savinovich.
[J.R.] Providing our Spanish commentary.
Those guys are going to do a great job.
And I'll tell you something, I said it earlier.
I think Bret Hart is going to win
the title for the fourth time tonight, the WWE title.
I think he's going to do it by submission.
It will be a first for Sycho Sid to give up.
I think it's going to happen right here tonight.
[Vince] All right, and here we go, ladies and gentlemen.
Opening things up In Your House: It's Time,
here comes Leif Cassidy.
[bell ringing]
[announcer] [inaudible].
Coming down the aisle, from Cleveland, Ohio--
[Vince] Leif Cassidy ready to lock up with Flash Funk.
And Cassidy, notwithstanding athletic skills,
I would suggest that those athletic skills of one
Flash Funk are a little bit superior, at least when it
comes to the aerial assault.
[J.R.] Well, I think that Flash Funk's aerial assault may be the tops
in The Game right now.
But this is a very important match up for Leif Cassidy,
maybe a crossroads match for this man in single competition.
I know he's very nervous.
He's very ready, however, for this match up.
[King] He doesn't look a bit nervous to me, Jim Ross.
He looks confident. He looks ready.
He looks ready to prove to everybody that he
can make it on his own.
[announcer] That was so Funky!
[King] Oh!
I know that's right!
["Can't get enough" by Jim Johnston playing]
Yes, indeed, Flash Funk and the Funkettes.
♪ The way you love your ladies ♪
♪ You make 'em all feel fine ♪
♪ Oh, Flash ♪
♪ Get back ♪
♪ You got other ladies waiting ♪
♪ And I'm still the first in line ♪
♪ Flash, it's time to get Your rhythm around ♪
♪ Flash, I'll show you How to funk it down ♪
♪ Flash! ♪
♪ Funk! ♪
♪ Come on ♪
♪ Flash, funk, funk ♪
[Vince] Oh, yeah!
[King] Be still, McMahon.
[Vince] Loosen up.
-[J.R.] Don't start dancing now. -[Vince] Oh, my goodness.
I've been called out here.
[J.R.] Yeah, go ahead and dance.
Let's get a shot of this, folks.
[Vince] My goodness.
Look at this.
[J.R.] Yeah, here's the leader of the WWE right there.
Come on, loosen up, Jr.
Oh, I'm loose all right.
What's the matter with you?
I didn't come here to dance.
I came here to call a match.
[Vince] And we came here to watch Flash Funk
get it on in a squared circle.
That's right where he's headed, folks.
[J.R.] I tell you what, if you like high-risk offense,
if you like athletes that take chances,
both these men are going to take some hellacious chances
here tonight.
There's no doubt about that.
[Vince] Absolutely Flash Funk and the Funkettes capturing
this West Palm Beach crowd.
♪ Flash funky, funky boogie ♪
♪ Flash funky ♪
♪ Flash, funky, funky ♪
[Vince] Flash Funk sure looks like he's
having a good time in there.
You wonder whether or not he's gonna
have that smile on his face once things get
underway with Leif Cassidy.
What about it, J.R.?
[J.R.] Well, I'll tell you something.
The key to this match-up obviously is hitting some
of those high-risk maneuvers.
But both of these guys--
King, I disagree with you.
Both these guys got to be a little bit nervous.
This is a huge event seen all over North America live.
It's gonna be seen, eventually, all around the world
in over 80 countries.
Flash's single-match debut--
I got to think both these guys got some jitters.
[King] Oh I think-- you can see with your own two eyes
that Flash is jittering all over the ring.
They say when you're a little nervous, it's hard to be still.
Well, I think he must be a nervous wreck.
[Vince] The thing about Flash is not only does
he have the flash outside the squared circle,
he has the flash on the inside.
[J.R.] Both these guys have great martial arts
backgrounds to go with their high-flying aerial abilities.
[bell ringing]
I know that Leif Cassidy was looking
to try to ground Flash Funk, maybe
use some submission maneuvers.
[Vince] All right, here we go, Flash Funk squaring
off against Leif Cassidy.
Cassidy, of course, has spent quite a lot of time in the tag
team endeavors, wants to break out of that.
[J.R.] He certainly does, and this is his breakout match.
How well will he compete in one-on-one competition?
Nobody to tag here.
So as we said earlier, perhaps some sort of a cross road
match as far as the single career of Leif Cassidy
is concerned here in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
[King] I think first thing Leif needs to do
is slap that smile off the face of Flash Funk.
[Vince] I would suggest that's exactly what he's going to do.
-[J.R.] He'll get the opportunity. -[Vince] Oh, come on.
[King] He's nervous.
[Vince] And Flash Funk taunting Leif Cassidy just a bit.
[King] It's like Deion Sanders after he just scored a touchdown.
[Vince] Well, that's true, but you're talking great athletes.
[King] Leif Cassidy's no slouch.
[Vince] Definitely not.
Tight waist, into a bit of a reversal there by Flash Funk.
Hooks the elbow and a nice take over.
And shades of what we saw on the WWE Free
For All, if you joined us for the Free
For All with Rocky Maivia, who was victorious using the leg scissor,
the head scissor.
In terms of strategy here, Jr., what
would you advise Leif Cassidy?
[J.R.] I would advise Leif Cassidy to try
to wrestle a mat wrestling match, keep it very basic.
Don't take any unnecessary chances.
And if possible, go for the submission.
Take the legs from Flash Funk.
[King] Then he couldn't dance anymore, right?
[J.R.] Yeah, but when you got Don Kirshner here or whatever--
[Vince] That's all right, Jr.
[J.R.] Don Cornelius?
I don't know who you are.
[Vince] Oh!
Down across the arm--
yeah, Flash Funk and the arm bar in control.
[J.R.] Flash trying to Charlie horse
the upper arm of Leif Cassidy here in the early going.
[Vince] And you can feel the tension
starting to build, ladies and gentlemen,
not just in this match-up.
But I can tell you, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, who would not--
and it was interesting.
He would not grant you an interview there, Jr.
The Hitman, Bret Hart, we are told-- and you did speak
with him, although not on camera--
is wired some tight.
[J.R.] Oh he really is.
Bret and I had a conversation, very brief as it was.
Bret is physically 100%.
Mentally, I've never seen him quite like this.
[Vince] Flash Funk, look at that maneuver.
Unbelievable athleticism on the part of Flash Funk.
Leif Cassidy from the other side.
-[King] Yeah, there you go. -[Vince] Through the legs.
Nice maneuver on the part of Leif.
Nice takedown by Leif Cassidy.
Whoa!
Scissor there and arm drag takedown in control.
Here we go, Flash Funk.
[J.R.] We saw the great strength of Flash Funk's legs
being able to counter the move from Leif Cassidy.
That's what I said earlier.
With all that great leaping ability--
and the vertical leap of Flash Funk is the NBA level.
Take the legs, Leif, if you expect to win.
[Vince] And of course, ladies and gentlemen,
the Armageddon match rules,
and we haven't had an Armageddon rules match ever.
It's the first, isn't it, Jr.
[J.R.] It certainly is.
No disqualifications, folks, tonight on paper--
no countout.
After a pinfall or submission, remember,
the defeated wrestler's got a 10 count to resume the match.
And when one man can't continue, folks,
it is absolutely over, maybe in more ways than one.
[Vince] All right, to the buckle.
No.
Oh, put on the brakes, nicely done by Flash Funk,
up like a hard right hand.
Flash Funk quickly to the top.
Flash Funk tries to get up there again, goes way over him.
[J.R.] That's what we talked about-- taking chances.
[Vince] That's right. It'll backfire on you, too.
And can't quite get him.
Flash Funk, arm drag takedown.
[King] You know you're a Flying Wallenda,
and you walk that tightrope long enough, you're
going to fall sometimes. [J.R.] That's right.
[Vince] Wonder what happened to the Flying Wallendas.
[King] See, when I do that kind of stuff--
and when I say if at first you succeed,
try not to act too surprised.
-[Vince] Wait a minute now, King. -[King] What?
[Vince] You're not actually known for your aerial tactics.
-[King] Well, I can be. -[Vince] Yeah?
Is that right?
And Flash Funk having some problems now.
Leif Cassidy pretty much taking over.
And this time--
[J.R.] A face first powerbomb.
That's a heck of a counter.
[Vince] Yeah, that was a great counter
on the part of Leif Cassidy.
[J.R.] Flash is going for a head scissors there
again to use his leg strength.
And Leif took it right away from him.
[King] That's why I say all of this aerial stuff
can get you beat, McMahon.
[Vince] And Leif Cassidy now, much like Flash
did a little bit earlier on, having some fun with his fans.
[J.R.] King, I heard somewhere down
in Memphis in the mid '70s or '80s, you
-did a drop kick one time. -[Vince] Stop it.
[King] Is that what you heard, Ross?
[J.R.] It's probably not true.
[Vince] Uh oh, and again, look at that.
[King] Yeah.
[Vince] Oh, no!
A belly-to-belly over the top.
[King] What about that?
[Vince] Unbelievable.
-What a maneuver-- -[King] How does he get out up?
[Vince] On the part of Leif Cassidy.
He won't be getting up after that one.
[J.R.] I don't think people ought to call Leif Cassidy a geek
-anymore. -[Vince] Wait a minute. Look at this.
Oh, no!
[J.R.] A somersault plancha over the top-- a springboard somersault plancha.
Boy, you talk about high risk.
That personifies that term.
[King] Look at the look on McMahon's face.
This is all the stuff you were expecting out of Flash Funk,
isn't it?
You can't believe the tables have been turned.
[Vince] Yes, as a matter of fact.
They have definitely been turned.
[King] Look at him!
[Vince] The clothesline.
[J.R.] After the sprint right down the entrance way--
[King] Something you've never been able to do, Ross.
[J.R.] No, I never was known as a sprinter in high school.
[Vince] Funk looks much like Riddick Bowe
did after last night's match-up with Golota.
Flash Funk is having problems.
[J.R.] All right, listen.
[cheering]
[Crowd] Flash! Flash!
Flash!
[Vince] This capacity crowd very much behind Flash Funk,
and I would suggest he could use a little assistance
in some capacity.
[J.R.] He probably could right now.
Leif is, I think, wasting a little valuable time.
He didn't go for a pinning combination
once Leif got Flash back in the ring.
Now he's going for it.
[Vince] Here we go.
2 and-- no, doesn't get him.
[King] That's the way I like to drop
kick people, Ross, when they're already down on their knees.
[J.R.] That's what Lord Littlebrook dropkick that you
made famous, isn't it?
[King] Yeah, right.
[Vince] Well, no one would deny the success of Jerry
"The King" Lawler.
[J.R.] Oh, no, especially the King.
[Vince] Wait a minute. Something wrong with--
-[King] Whoa! -[Vince] That was clever.
[King] Whoa!
[Vince] That was clever on the part of Flash Funk.
And Funk, perhaps a little desperate
there, making a maneuver.
Look at this. Here we go.
Flash going to the midsection now.
Slug fest match-up ensuing, and Flash
Funk with another right hand.
And down goes Leif Cassidy.
[J.R.] Flip-flop and fly.
[Vince] And Funk now-- oh, there you go.
[King] Look out.
Here we go!
Whoa!
[Vince] Can you believe that?
Flash Funk is getting funky here live from West Palm Beach.
Dropkick, unbelievable.
[J.R.] Great dropkick right in Leif's face.
[Vince] Flash Funk now over Leif Cassidy from the other side.
And what's this?
Ow.
Unbelievable.
[J.R.] This is a sold-out crowd oohing and
aahing over that powerbomb.
Man, I could've sold a lot more tickets--
I mean, I could've-- we could've sold a lot more
tickets if we had more room.
[Vince] Well, no doubt about that.
Here we go. Count lies 2 in--
no.
[crowd clamoring]
[J.R.] Here's a submission maneuver right here.
Leif may have-- he doesn't have that-- the front
face hook good enough.
Should be a little bit lower.
[Vince] Right underneath that chin, it'd be all she wrote.
Flash Funk trying to make a maneuver here,
trying to find some sort of counter.
And Leif Cassidy really taking it to Flash Funk.
And thus far, I would suggest that Leif
is very impressive in single competition,
not that he wasn't in tag competition,
but I think even more in single competition.
[J.R.] I think maybe we've underestimated-- oh, my!
[Vince] And now Leif takes a page from Flash Funk.
High-risk maneuver, but it backfired.
[J.R.] Nobody there-- nobody there for that moonsault.
Again, you pay for it sometimes.
[Vince] What?
And Flash Funk is just full of all kind of funky maneuvers.
And then again, so is Leif Cassidy.
Although, you wouldn't be calling it-- uh-oh, look out.
Here comes Flash now from the other side with momentum.
Oh!
Got him right on the side of the head.
[J.R.] Great martial arts move out of the handspring,
gathering more momentum.
He may fly.
[Vince] Boy, I'll say.
[J.R.] Air Funk may be about to lift off here.
[Vince] Look out. Here he comes.
Oh!
[J.R.] Flash Funk-- maybe we should
call him Flying Flash Funk.
[King] He needs to take a stewardess with him
next time he goes that high.
[Vince] Flash Funk, again, high-risk maneuver,
but that one paid off.
It's Funk's game now.
[J.R.] Indeed, Funk has the momentum.
[Vince] The body slam.
What can he do?
Can he polish off Leif Cassidy all the way to the top?
Here we go.
[J.R.] Watch this.
[Vince] Beautiful moonsault.
[J.R.] 2 and he-- what?
[Vince] He did not get him.
[J.R.] You got to be impressed with the tenacity
of Leif Cassidy.
[King] I told you Leif is great.
[Vince] I am impressed.
[J.R.] Got to be impressed with this young man.
[Vince] I'm very impressed. Leif Cassidy back on his feet.
[J.R.] Look out.
[Vince] And Cassidy, the clothesline.
And now Cassidy, perhaps, can pick up the momentum.
Leif Cassidy, 1, 2--
[J.R.] No.
[Vince] 1, 2.
No.
Leif Cassidy, try 1, 2, and--
1, 2, and-- no.
[King] Look at this.
[Vince] 2 and--
1, 2.
No.
At any event, look at this.
Both men back up.
That should do it if Funk can follow up.
Can he follow up on it?
No.
Funk has had too much taken out of him.
What a grueling match up, opening up things
here In Your House: It's Time.
It's time for a great wrestling match.
And we're seeing one right now. Look at this.
Whoa, to the buckle.
Flash Funk, Leif Cassidy going at it.
Leif-- suplex down to the canvas.
And now maybe Funk--
here we go.
Here we go.
[King] This will make the highlight reel.
I promise you that.
[J.R.] If he can hit it.
If he misses it, it's all over for Flash Funk.
Here we go in.
[King] Oh my gosh!
[Vince] Unbelievable, yes.
And a big smile on the face of Flash Funk.
And that was a hard-earned victory.
And I say, earned, over Leif Cassidy.
Leif Cassidy proving he's a tremendous competitor
in individual action, but not quite
on the caliber of Flash Funk.
[J.R.] I'll tell you something.
It was a great match-up, a lot of high-risk offense,
as we predicted.
And we're going to see great things, I think,
from both these athletes, and as it looks,
especially Flash Funk.
[Vince] All right, Flash Funk, ladies and gentlemen,
getting it on.
Let's take a another look here.
King?
[King] Unbelievable.
What was that, almost a triple gainer, wasn't it?
[Vince] Here's another look at it.
[King] 1, 2, wow.
[J.R.] Great athleticism, balance, and leverage, the risk taker,
Flash Funk, successful here.
[Vince] Yeah, and Flash Funk has this whole capacity
crowd getting funky.
[J.R.] Shooting Star Press, beautifully executed.
[Vince] Look out.
Whoa.
Flash Funk, I'm sure we'll be seeing
a great deal more of this exciting WWE superstar.
[announcer] A 1997 Royal Rumble will
emanate from the 70,000-seat Alamodome in San
Antonio, Texas.
Join over 30 WWE Superstars and no doubt
some tremendous one-on-one competition
from the 1997 Royal Rumble, available March 11
on Coliseum Home Video.
[King] All right, here we go.
It's tag team championship action coming at ya.
[J.R.] I cannot believe that these people in this arena
are booing these two men.
Why would they boo two fine, young, upstanding athletes,
two fine young men?
[King] McMahon, you don't want to tell him
what they did a while ago when they announced Jim Ross's name,
do you?
[Vince] Go ahead, King.
[King] Ross, they even booed you.
[J.R.] I don't believe that, King.
I want to see the tape of that.
Why would anybody boo Good Ol' J.R.?
Beyond me.
[King] Yeah, there he is.
[J.R.] All these boys need is a little leadership,
just like I said before.
They stick to their game plan, and
they've got a good game plan.
It's rock solid.
They stick to their game plan, we'll have new tag
champions right here tonight.
They just got to focus and concentrate.
[Vince] Standing by right now, ladies
and gentlemen, Kevin Kelly with the tag team champions.
Kevin, take it.
Thank you very much, Vince.
Yes, indeed, here with Owen Hart,
The British bulldog, their manager, Clarence Mason.
The titles are on the line in just a few moments, gentlemen.
And as of late, I have to say that you
have shown no continuity at all as a team,
a real lack of focus.
And, Bulldog, I think the cause of that lack of focus, I know,
is here tonight, and that's Stone Cold Steve Austin.
I don't care if Stone Cold Steve Austin is here tonight.
I'm gonna have my eye on Razor and Diesel.
Stone Cold, if you're anywhere around,
I'm coming out to get you.
But if your thoughts are not on-- if your thoughts are not--
You listen up right here.
You quit poking your nose in our business.
Quit trying to rattle The Bulldog.
We know what we have to do.
We got to worry about Razor and Diesel.
Stone Cold is not on his mind, so quit trying to make trouble.
Quit trying to wreck our game plan.
Don't worry about Stone Cold.
We got to worry about Razor and Diesel first.
We've got the World Wrestling Entertainment titles
right here.
And this is where they're staying--
on the British Bulldog and The King
of Hearts, the Slammy-Award-winning,
Owen Hart.
All right.
All right, gentlemen, thank you very much.
Don't worry about Stone Cold.
[Vince] The Bulldog and Owen Hart, tag
team champions at the moment.
The title will be up for grabs, ladies and gentlemen.
Yes, can they stay focused?
J.R., what do you think?
[J.R.] Well, I don't know.
I don't-- right now, my inclination is to say no.
Earlier this morning, on WWE Superstars, as many of our fans
saw, The Bulldog wanted to retaliate
after a Steve Austin victory this morning.
The Bulldog came out-- you'll see it right here--
with a steel chair in his hand to retaliate
against Stone Cold.
But look what happens when he don't
think about your opponents.
You get attacked.
You get knocked down.
You get beat up.
And if it happens tonight, we're going
to have new tag champions.
[Vince] And you didn't have anything to do with that, did you?
[J.R.] Pardon me?
[Vince] I said you didn't have anything
to do with that, did you? [J.R.] Well, of course not.
[Vince] You were responsible for bringing
Razor and Diesel to the WWE.
[J.R.] I've been responsible for bringing a lot of people
-to the WWE. -[Vince] I bet you have.
[J.R.] More than we know.
[Vince] And Owen Hart's mother-in-law
in the audience with a--
there's one person here in support of Owen Hart,
and she brought a sign.
[King] Hey, I'm sort of in support of Owen Hart.
[Vince] Clarence Mason, the manager
of the tag team champion.
Can Clarence keep them together?
[King] He's a great litigator.
[Vince] Yeah, but that doesn't make him a great manager.
Time will tell.
[J.R.] He may be the WWE's answer to Rock Newman
before it's all said and done.
Wouldn't that be a supreme compliment?
[King] Clarence Mason has a lot of young fans now
that are starting to get behind him and on his bandwagon.
He calls them his Little Litigants.
[Vince] Oh my goodness, "Little Litigants."
[J.R.] I like this.
Just like we talked--
I mean, just like they talked about it,
it's going to be Diesel starting it off.
He'll set the tone--
the big power man 6' 9", 6' 8.5", somewhere in that
neighborhood, 300 pounds. [Vince] Wait a minute.
You said he was 7 feet at one time.
-What is it? -[J.R.] Well, just under 7 feet.
I'm being honest about it.
[Vince] All right, here we go.
Owen Hart starting things off with this monstrous Diesel,
who by the way, has tremendous agility,
great quickness as well.
[J.R.] He's an athlete.
[Vince] He is.
[J.R.] Bottom line, he's an athlete.
[Vince] Wait a minute. Are you saying Owen Hart is not?
[J.R.] Absolutely a great athlete is Owen Hart.
-[Vince] Look at that. -[J.R.] All four of these guys are.
[Vince] A hard right hand, Owen Hart now going
upstairs, trying to get a little leverage,
hammering away on Diesel. Look at this.
And that's that power you alluded to earlier on.
[J.R.] You know these guys aren't 45 or 50 years old.
They're not bald.
They got artificial body parts.
[Vince] Owen Hart and the British Bulldog
defending the WWE tag team championship, In Your House:
-It's Time. -[J.R.] Look at Bulldog.
He's not even looking at the match.
He was gazing around the back.
Wait a minute.
[Vince] The British Bulldog just may
have his mind on Stone Cold.
Look at this.
Owen Hart now hammering away.
Big Daddy Cool set up for the ride.
Nice reversal.
We'll see what he can do with him.
No, wait a minute.
-[J.R.] That's power right there. -[Vince] Hey, wait a minute.
Look what we have here.
That's a-- that's Cibernético and Pierroth from Triple-A,
two gentlemen who are going to be joining us
in the WWE Royal Rumble, ladies and gentlemen, live from San
Antonio, the Alamodome at the Royal Rumble.
Clotheslining Owen Hart out to the outside.
[J.R.] Pierroth and Cibernético are outstanding athletes,
phenomenal high flyers, great technical athletes and
obviously, in pretty darn good condition.
[Vince] And distracting The Bulldog.
[King] Apparently, they don't think too much of the WWE tag
team champions.
[Vince] And that might be a challenge
somewhere down the line.
Cibernético along with Pierroth just
might challenge The Bulldog and Owen,
or for that matter, Razor and Diesel,
whoever wins this tag team championship match-up.
All right, here we go.
[King] Started to say they threw their hat in the ring,
but it was one of their shirts.
What are we going to have, two matches in one?
What's going to happen here? [Vince] We might.
I don't know.
Anything can happen in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
Of course-- uh-oh.
[J.R.] Cibernético is the gentleman with his shirt off,
I might add.
[Vince] Well, we're looking at the two gentlemen
with their shirt off here.
The British Bulldog, the United Kingdom powerhouse
now locking up with Razor.
Razor, working on the wrist.
And again, Cibernético and Pierroth heading
back to the locker room area.
Their presence certainly felt here
in terms of a bit of a distraction,
but they'll be more than a distraction
in the Royal Rumble.
More on that later on, ladies and gentlemen.
Right now, look at The Bulldog go.
The British Bulldog and Owen Hart have had some continuity
problems as of late, and some would
say thanks in part, if not mostly,
-to Stone Cold Steve Austin. -[J.R.] Oh, look out.
-[Vince] Wait a minute. -[J.R.] This has just picked up.
[Vince] Stone Cold Steve Austin is coming out here.
There he is.
[King] Oh, yeah, here we go, baby.
[Vince] And that spells trouble for The Bulldog--
[King] Owen, look behind you.
[Vince] --and Owen Hart.
Look at that, a cover.
No, wait a minute.
The Bulldog comes up behind.
The Bulldog is going to work on Stone Cold Steve Austin.
[J.R.] We got a brawl out of here on the outside.
It's a fist fight.
It's a fist fight between Austin and The Bulldog.
And the Bulldog's a legal man.
He may be counted out.
[Vince] The British Bulldog will probably be counted out.
The Bulldog couldn't stand it.
Stone Cold Steve Austin came down out here to interject
himself in this match.
Wait a minute. No, Bulldog back inside the ring.
Again, officials trying to get Stone
Cold back to the locker room area or at least away
from the ringside area.
[King] What are you smiling at, Jim Ross?
Is this the big distraction that you were counting
on for Razor and Diesel?
-[J.R.] Of course not, King. -[King] Huh?
That's a big smile on your face.
[Vince] And Razor unquestionably taking
advantage of this distraction.
Razor now and The Bulldog going at it.
The tag is made.
Owen Hart comes in.
From the top rope, down across the shoulder.
[J.R.] Good teamwork by Owen and Bulldog at this point.
[King] Owen was screaming, concentrate
on the match, the match!
[Vince] Owen Hart working on the arm and shoulder area of Razor.
And Owen Hart set up for the ride
now off the rope, and a clothesline.
Razor and Diesel have not anywhere nearly had the--
well, as much experience functioning as a team as
compared to Davey Boy and Owen Hart.
[J.R.] No, but I know that they've looked at a lot of videotape
of The Bulldog and Owen.
They're well prepared.
I can promise you that.
[Vince] I'm sure they would be.
From the top now, Owen Hart, high-risk maneuver, dropkick,
nicely done.
[King] Wow.
[Vince] Owen Hart--
[King] And they do it.
[Vince] One, two, and not much of a cover there.
Owen Hart off the rope. Let's see if they can do it.
Going downstairs.
Hey, that was clever on the part of Big Daddy Cool Diesel.
[J.R.] I told you they were prepared.
[King] That was a good move there by Diesel,
-may not be legal, but effective. -[Vince] Oh, no. Oh, no.
Owen Hart rammed in the ring post,
and the official over there with Razor and The Bulldog.
And Big Daddy Cool Diesel just ramming
Owen Hart in the ring post.
And then throws him right back in.
Being admonished by the official,
who did not see all of that.
[J.R.] We know how delicate the kidneys are.
Just asked Ahmed Johnson.
And that's exactly the focus of that maneuver right
into the steel ring post.
Owen Hart, the quickest man in this match,
but you couldn't tell it right now in this position.
[Vince] Oh, no.
Razor, Diesel, obviously, they want to wear down Owen Hart.
And they're doing just that.
Razor and Diesel.
[J.R.] Focusing on the lower back.
No wasted-- No wasted motion.
Focus on the lower back.
Watch Big Daddy Cool here.
Guarantee you he'll go to work on the back.
[Vince] Big Daddy Cool Diesel--
Look out. Here we go, just as you said.
Owen Hart can't get out of this.
Sidewalk slam.
What a monster this Diesel is.
-[J.R.] Should have covered him. You got to cover him!
[Vince] No, no, no.
I think Diesel wants to punish Owen Hart.
I think Diesel thinks he can have this one any time
he wants him.
[J.R.] Well, he's not paid to think.
He could be underestimating the skills of Owen Hart.
[King] By the way, Jim Ross, you don't have
to shout into this microphone.
Who are you shouting to?
You shouting to-- shouting to Diesel up there, or what?
[J.R.] I'm just excited about being here.
[Vince] Owen Hart, who at this juncture
would like to tag his partner, the British Bulldog, but Owen
is going nowhere except--
look at that maneuver.
Ah-ha.
And here, Razor could very well-- here
he goes for the cover.
We have 1 2, and a kick out by Owen Hart.
And there, Razor just took too much time.
[J.R.] Well, there's no doubt about it, McMahon.
I hate to agree with you, but you make a good point.
The key to this match-up is for Razor and Diesel
to not allow Owen Hart to make the tag here.
[Vince] And a headbutt.
[J.R.] Rather innovative.
[Vince] All right, here we go, stepping over the top rope,
this monster coming back.
Oh-oh.
And burying that right into the midsection.
Setting up Owen Hart for the ride now.
Off the rope.
Big boot, forget about it.
[J.R.] Well, great flexibility by the near seven footer.
[Vince] 1, 2, and-- come on.
Diesel just let him up.
[Crowd] Diesel sucks!
[Vince] Look out!
Nobody home.
[Crowd] Diesel sucks!
Diesel sucks!
[J.R.] I'm personally offended by these fans--
those disparaging remarks about Diesel.
[Vince] The knee to the midsection,
make that a boot, succession of them now.
The official coming over, trying
to straighten things out.
[J.R.] Owen Hart is the quickest man,
but he's also the smallest man in this match-up.
The smart money is to keep him isolated from The Bulldog.
[Vince] And Owen Hart with a head butt.
Again, look at Diesel.
The official distracted.
Look at the double team effort.
[J.R.] Big Daddy Cool Diesel now--
slow it down.
Be methodical.
Don't take any unnecessary chances.
[King] I'd venture to say this, Jim Ross.
Owen may be the smallest, but I think he's the smartest.
[Vince] Look out.
[J.R.] Well, this ain't the GE College Bowl, King.
It's not an IQ test.
I don't think.
[Vince] Owen Hart must tag the British Bulldog.
[J.R.] It's a long way--
long way from this corner.
[Vince] Owen Hart, I don't believe
knows exactly where he is.
Now he does.
He's headed in the right direction.
And Diesel makes a tag to Razor.
Can Razor stop Owen Hart?
No, here comes The Bulldog.
[J.R.] Big mistake.
Big mistake by Razor.
[Vince] The Bulldog now with Razor sets him up for the ride,
off the rope and clothesline.
Here he goes again.
[J.R.] bulldog's building momentum.
[Vince] Bulldog all over Razor, all over Diesel.
Oh, no!
[J.R.] Razor made a big mistake there allowing the tag.
[Vince] And Razor slammed by The Bulldog.
Bulldog off the ropes, and drops the leg.
Is that enough?
A cover, 1, 2-- and he-- no.
The Bulldog must continue with this momentum.
Don't tell me he's powerful enough--
[J.R.] Good grief.
[Vince] What power on the part of The Bulldog.
[King] Got him up with ease.
[Vince] It's uncanny.
Here we-- and Diesel coming in.
Look out from behind.
[King] Look at Owen go.
[Vince] And in a match-up here that I think a lot of fans
really don't care who wins in terms of favorites.
Look at this.
All four men in the ring at the same time.
The official better get control of this match-up,
or anything can happen.
Look out.
Uh-oh.
Dropkick.
Owen Hart and Diesel flying over the top.
[J.R.] The Bulldog and Razor are the legal men.
[Vince] The two legal men going at it on the inside.
Meanwhile, Owen Hart on the outside.
Look out.
Diesel, no!
[inaudible]
Set it up for the ride.
[J.R.] Hey, ref, he's illegal.
[cheering]
[bell ringing]
[J.R.] That's not fair.
First of all, Owen Hart nails a kick,
and he's not even in the match.
That's lousy officiating.
I cannot believe that this is--
[Vince] Oh, look at this!
[J.R.] I can believe this, though.
[Vince] Stone Cold Steve Austin-- look.
Look at this.
Stone Cold Steve Austin came back
when The Bulldog was celebrating
a hard-earned victory and took the chocks
out from The Bulldog.
And Stone Cold has a big smile on his face.
Stone Cold, who was embarrassed earlier
on when he came out here--
The Bulldog really took it to Stone Cold.
And now look what Stone Cold Steve Austin has done.
[J.R.] Bulldog may have sustained some ligament damage in that
left knee thanks to the chop block by "Stone Cold"
Steve Austin.
[Vince] We might have the ability to show you that again.
Stone Cold Steve Austin asserting
himself, as we thought that he might, in the match-up.
However, when The British Bulldog just pummeled
Stone Cold and caught him by surprise,
officials were able to move Stone Cold back
to the locker room.
And Stone Cold watched every second.
You talk about someone who's cold and calculating.
That unquestionably describes "Stone Cold" Steve Austin.
[J.R.] We're taking another look at it right here.
Look, The Bulldog with his back turned,
and you're going to see "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
explode here momentarily.
And look-- Owen Hart--
I don't understand.
Wait a minute.
There's something wrong here. [Vince] What do you mean?
[J.R.] I don't know exactly-- I don't know.
Something's going on here.
[Vince] Clarence Mason with the tag team champions--
they are still champions.
But The Bulldog a little worse for the wear.
[J.R.] Well, I think the Razor and Diesel deserve a rematch.
I can lobby for that.
[Vince] Hey, how about this?
[J.R.] Yeah, this is very unique.
[Vince] I think--
[J.R.] The Nation of Domination has taken over.
[Vince] They certainly have taken over the--
[J.R.] America Online.
Fans, if you'd like to join us for exclusive coverage
of tonight's In Your House: It's Time, you can join
us live on cyberspace, on AOL.
And all the superstars will be dropping by.
You can chat with them on America Online.
[King] You understand all that online stuff?
[J.R.] Well, King, I'm not very computer literate.
[King] How do you spell domination, J.R.?
[J.R.] D-O-M- something.
[King] I think you're a speed bump on the
information superhighway.
[J.R.] I think you're right.
Well, anyway, join us on AOL.
[Vince] Ladies and gentlemen,
may I present to you, Ahmed Johnson!
[cheering]
[King] What's he doing here?
[rock music]
[J.R.] Man, you can hear this ovation.
The rafters are rattling in West Palm Beach
here at the auditorium, King.
Ahmed Johnson, we know what he has on his mind--
one man, one man only.
And you know I'm talking about Faarooq.
Whoa.
[King] Ahmed Johnson may be thinking about only one
man in Faarooq, but he's going to have
to contend with an entire nation, the whole Nation
of Domination.
[Vince] All right, he's back.
And ladies and gentlemen, a big announcement--
and I know, Ahmed, you're counting the days
until the Royal Rumble.
On January 19, finally, it will happen.
The leader of the Nation of Domination, Faarooq,
will meet Ahmed Johnson.
Hello. First of all, this goes beyond anything
that you can imagine.
I've lost my girlfriend.
I've lost my car.
I've lost my house.
I've lost everything due to this injury.
The only thing I got now is my fans.
[cheering]
That's all I have.
[Vince] That ain't much.
So, fans, I promise you, Faarooq
will feel the pain of Ahmed Johnson through his face!
With all due respect, you almost lost something else,
and that's your career.
And of course, that leads us to the injured kidney.
Can you give us the status on that?
Let me tell you this, Mr. McMahon, as far as me
losing my career and my life, as far as Ahmed Johnson go,
my life was over a long time ago.
That's what he don't understand.
My life was over a long time ago.
All I live for is these people out here.
That's all live for!
[cheering]
[J.R.] Call Dr. Kevorkian. What I'm saying is--
♪ Nation of Domination ♪
When Faarooq comes out--
[J.R.] Uh-oh.
[King] Uh-oh, yeah!
[J.R.] Well, we may not have to wait until the Royal Rumble.
[male speaker] We are the Nation.
[King] Look up there, Ross.
Shut up.
Let me tell you something, boy.
If there wasn't such a pitiful crowd in her tonight,
I'd come down and put my foot right up your butt right now.
Let me tell you another thing.
You come out here preaching about what you want to do
and the example you want to set for your people.
You're the reason that your people is behind 50 years.
They're not mine.
I'm going to form my own race of people.
Besides a redneck, it's you, the Uncle Toms of his world,
that I hate the most.
And when I get through with you,
boy, in front of the largest crowd in the world
at Royal Rumble, I'm gonna show you and this whole world
that when they say, Promise Land, they say Farooq.
[booing]
By any means necessary.
[Vince] Ahmed?
You know what?
First of all, you ain't got to wait till no Rumble.
You can come down right now.
Let's do it now.
Come on down.
'Cause you know what?
You're going down!
[Crowd] You're going down!
You're going down!
[Vince] Ahmed Johnson.
[J.R.] Well, I'll tell you something.
It's going to happen at the Royal Rumble,
ladies and gentlemen.
What an event at the 70,000-seat
Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas, The Royal Rumble, 1997--
going to be something.
[narrator] For Hunter Hearst Helmsley,
the Intercontinental Title means
more than a blue chip stock in his rather
impressive portfolio.
It symbolizes the one thing he cannot buy,
membership in the most elite of all clubs,
the athletic aristocracy of the World Wrestling Entertainment.
[J.R.] I can't stand people that think they're
better than other people.
I mean, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, it's almost like he's lowering
himself even to compete.
[narrator] For The Wildman, The Intercontinental Title
is a cherished symbol of athletic achievement.
There is no greater honor than to be called champion.
[Vince] What elevation!
Can you imagine?
This man puts his career on the line each and every time
he attempts that maneuver.
[narrator] Helmsley and Mero's first conflict
was not in the ring.
It was over the most stunning of Helmsley's many companions,
Sable.
When Sable stood up to the boorish Helmsley,
the blue blood was left red faced.
[J.R.] She slapped Helmsley!
[Vince] Yes, she did!
Helmsley is beside himself.
[narrator] No one had ever treated a Helmsley like that.
Sable then united with The Wildman,
adding insult to an already injured ego.
Retribution was sought in the ring, but none was found.
So Helmsley devised an insidious plan.
First, Helmsley used Curt Hennig to entrust
himself to Marc Mero.
Shortly thereafter, The Wildman reached
the pinnacle of his career.
[commentator] 1, 2, we got a new intercontinental champion!
[Marc] I want to thank my inspiration, my motivation,
my best friend, Sable.
[narrator] Mero had won, right?
Well, not quite.
It was all a part of Helmsley's ingenious plan.
Triple H then persuaded his unwitting accomplice
to pull off the perfect hook.
Marc Mero, the stand-up kind of guy that he is, offered
to wrestle you in my place.
If the belt's on the line, I agree.
The match is made.
Let's do it.
[narrator] As the match unfolded,
so did Helmsley's master plan.
[commentator] Boom.
No! No!
No!
[bell dinging]
[narrator] Helmsley got what he wanted,
not only retribution on Mero and Sable,
but the title as well Mr. Helmsley was in no further need
of assistance, and so he dismissed
his less than perfect servant.
Now, Hunter has leverage and status
in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
For Triple H, it's time to revel in the glory
of the Intercontinental Title.
For The Wildman, it's time too-- time
to regain what is rightfully his,
time to put Helmsley in his place.
Tonight, it's time to find out which
superstar will carry the intercontinental Title
into the new year.
[cheering]
[Vince] All right, here we go, Ladies
and gentlemen, [inaudible].
Here comes the Wildman Marc Mero along with Sable.
[J.R.] This should be a tremendous offensive-minded contest.
We saw some high flying, some risk
taking earlier with Flash Funk and the victory
over Leif Cassidy.
This could be more of the same as far
as The Wildman's concerned.
[Vince] Yes, and we understand we
have had some satellite transmission problems, ladies
and gentlemen.
The question is whether or not The Wildman Marc Mero
will have his problems, or will it be Hunter Hearst Helmsley?
What a hotly contested event this
should be for the Intercontinental Championship.
These men are certainly no strangers, Jr.
[J.R.] They certainly are not.
And of course, I would assume that in some shape,
form or fashion, they'll be in San Antonio
at the Royal Rumble.
And of course, ladies and gentlemen,
we'd love for you to be with us live in the Alamodome
in beautiful San Antonio.
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster throughout
Texas at 210-224-9600.
Ahmed Johnson and Faarooq one on one,
The Undertaker and Vader--
providing, of course, The Undertaker is
able to be there January 19.
[Vince] All right, "Wildman" Marc Mero now ready to lock up
with Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
What was going on earlier on in the free for all
with Helmsley and Marlena?
J.R., you were back there.
[J.R.] Well, I don't want to spread any ill rumors,
but my take on the situation, quite frankly,
is that Mr. Helmsley was making perhaps Marlena an offer
that he hoped that she would not refuse.
And she was very offended, obviously.
I don't know if you can hear everything I heard there.
But she was very upset over what Mr. Helmsley
had to offer apparently.
It just goes to show you that maybe Helmsley's mind
isn't 100% on The Wildman.
[symphony music]
[Vince] What a pompous entrance.
[J.R.] Are you-- are you guys neighbors in Greenwich?
[King] What?
[J.R.] Are you and Helmsley neighbors in Greenwich?
A lot of you rich folks live there, I hear.
[King] I think it would take a pompous person
to even know the meaning of the word pompous.
[J.R.] Pomposity.
[King] Yeah.
[J.R.] I know that's right.
[King] Hey, I want to invite everybody to join us tomorrow
night live on RAW when I go one on one with Sable.
I can't wait for that.
[Vince] Yeah, so we're talking about Karate
Fighters Championship.
That's all we're talking about, just to verify things.
[bell ringing]
Who will be the champion?
Will Sable be the Karate Fighter's champion, or will
it be Jerry "The King" Lawler?
[King] Sable beat me?
Never.
[J.R.] They're nose to nose.
That gives Helmsley the advantage.
[Vince] I'll say.
[King] All great men have prominent proboscises.
[Vince] I see.
All right, here we go.
Two tremendous athletes locking it
up here for the Intercontinental Championship
here tonight In Your House: It's Time.
Two individuals-- drop toe, nicely done.
Two individuals who know each other very well
in terms of their athletic skills
and the style indeed that each man uses.
However, I would suggest the winner of this match-up
is likely to be the man who brings a new arsenal,
if you would, into this match-up
as far as offense is concerned.
[J.R.] Well, as you said, both these guys know each other
very well, so it certainly would be advantageous to add
something new offensively.
I think both guys probably have attempted to do that.
We'll see if they can execute it here.
[Vince] All right.
Wildman set up for the ride from the other side.
Helmsley backing off.
Look at The Wildman.
[J.R.] Wildman, he may be a little too torched for this match.
You got to settle down a little bit.
[Vince] I don't know.
I would suggest to you that the demeanor of The Wildman
is nothing compared to Bret The Hitman Hart.
[King] Wound tighter than a $2 watch right now.
I guarantee it.
[Vince] He is in a foul mood.
However, sometimes that's what it takes.
And yes, I would suggest that Wildman
is a bit more aggressive than we have seen him in the past.
Look at him trying to keep Helmsley down,
keep the momentum from the other side.
But that doesn't work.
Helmsley back up, Helmsley coming off the rope.
Wildman now takes him over the hip.
[J.R.] Both men are trying to counter each other.
[Vince] Yeah.
[J.R.] That's what you're seeing right here.
[Vince] And that's an offensive maneuver.
[J.R.] Look out.
Look out.
[Vince] Uh-oh. Here it comes.
No, no, no, no, no.
Wisely-- oh, he got him anyhow.
[J.R.] Helmsley relaxed.
He turned his back on The Wildman.
It cost him.
[Vince] And you can't turn your back
on anyone here in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
[J.R.] Boy, do I know that.
[Vince] And so, for that matter, does Bret The Hitman Hart,
as we saw earlier with Sycho Sid.
And Helmsley clipping the jaw of The Wildman.
[J.R.] Both these guys are in magnificent condition.
How do you do?
[Vince] Well, that's all we have seen thus
far as well-conditioned athletes,
as you can only find here in the World Wrestling
Entertainment. Big body drop.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley, the reigning
Intercontinental Champion. Oh my goodness.
Look at this.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley will use any body and any--
oh great move.
[King] That was pretty.
[Vince] And anything to gain an advantage.
Helmsley becoming Intercontinental Champion,
some would say, partially because of Mr. Perfect,
but after that, then dropped Mr. Perfect.
I mean.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley got what he wanted.
[King] Take a look at this.
Look at this-- right on his face.
[Vince] Uh-oh.
Set up now, Wildman Marc Mero, back, driving bulldozer!
Did you see that?
[J.R.] Great elevation there by The Wildman.
Helmsley is hurt.
Now let's see how quickly Mero can capitalize.
[Vince] Hunter Hearst Helmsley up on his feet somehow.
Here comes The Wildman right after him.
[King] Look at this! Look at this!
[Vince] Oh, come on.
Cheap shot, that was.
[J.R.] That wasn't very gentlemanly.
[King] Well, if Sable wants him, she can have him.
[Vince] Hunter Hearst Helmsley, here we go.
[J.R.] Helmsley saw that evil side.
I heard this guy was court martialed
at the boarding school, the military school.
[Vince] Boarding school? Military school?
[J.R.] Yeah, military school.
Court martialed as a 12 or 13-year-old, how
could that happen to anybody?
[Vince] That's an unsavory individual, however,
it looks like indeed Hunter Hearst Helmsley's
going to do more than that.
No!
Oh, and the official grabs the chair.
[J.R.] I think Helmsley's trying to get himself disqualified
to save his title.
[King] That would be smart.
[Vince] And again. Oh, no.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley has taken
it to The Wildman Marc Mero.
And the official allowing a little latitude here,
recognizing that yes, Helmsley, if he gets disqualified,
will not lose the title.
[J.R.] Well, Helmsley's very, very bright.
He's a very intelligent man, a multifaceted, very
talented individual doing all he can to retain his gold.
[King] Helmsley has an illustrious background,
let's face it.
I used to love him on The Jeffersons.
[Vince] Again, ladies and gentlemen,
we understand we're having transmission difficulties.
We ask you to bear with us.
We're doing everything that we can to straighten
out this satellite problem.
Wildman Marc Mero now off the rope.
And uh-oh.
[J.R.] Oh wow.
[Vince] That could be it.
The official out of position--
2 in.
Had the official been in position,
Mero could have been pinned right there.
[J.R.] That was a tremendous backbreaker by Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
Again, Helmsley focusing on Mero's lower back,
and now the abdominal stretch again, putting great torque and
pressure on the lower back.
[Vince] Hunter Hearst Helmsley in control at the moment.
[J.R.] There's quite a rumor around Greenwich
regarding Hunter Hearst Helmsley and
Kathie Lee Gifford.
I don't think there's anything to it, but I'm going to--
I'm going to check into it.
I think there may be something there.
[Vince] I think you ought to check into what
was going on with Marlena.
Helmsley reaching for the rope for additional leverage,
and he gains it, no doubt about it.
However, the official--
[J.R.] Can't call what you don't see.
[King] Shut up, Marlena.
That's not Marlena.
That's Sable.
Who's talking about Marlena.
[Vince] Maybe you have-- [King] No, no, no.
[Vince] --Marlena on your mind.
[King] No, no, no.
But I see why--
[Vince] Maybe it's Kathie Lee Gifford you have on your mind.
[King] Oh, please.
I see why Sable is so upset with Hunter Hearst Helmsley
because Helmsley's got better looking hair than Sable.
[Vince] The Wildman trying to find a measure of escape
or trying to find the counter.
And again, from our vantage point,
we can see Helmsley grabbing the rope.
And the official now sees it as well.
[King] Now, what about that officiating?
[Vince] Wait a minute.
[J.R.] See, I think Helmsley is--
he's testing this referee to see how far Helmsley can push
the man in the striped shirt.
[Vince] Well, I can tell you Gorilla Monsoon has given
these officials a great deal of authority,
and he will back them up.
Whatever their decision is, Gorilla will back
up the official's decision.
[King] Yeah, but this is almost getting to be two against one.
[Vince] Helmsley now with The Wildman.
Reversal, nicely done.
A boot to the kisser, and The Wildman is paying the price.
[J.R.] Helmsley is very resourceful.
He uses people.
[Vince] Yeah, that's for sure.
[J.R.] He finds people that have an inflated value of themselves
and uses them, and then he discards them.
How do you think he got the Intercontinental belt?
[Vince] Helmsley hasn't been taking lessons from you,
has he? [J.R.] Oh, no.
-[Vince] All right. -[J.R.] Of course not.
[Vince] Helmsley.
[J.R.] Good Ol' J.R.?
I guess not.
[Vince] Helmsley, oh my.
[J.R.] I bet he's not thinking about Marlena now--
inverted atomic drop.
[Vince] Right on the spot.
Legal maneuver, and Hunter Hearst Helmsley,
however, recovers.
And here comes The Wildman from the other side.
clothesline misses.
Wildman with a clothesline, and it's all right.
[J.R.] You can feel the momentum beginning to turn here now.
The Intercontinental Title is on the line.
The champion is in trouble.
Let's see if Mero, the challenger,
can reach down and put some offense together.
[King] Come on, Hunter.
[Vince] Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
Oh, no, look out.
[J.R.] Upside down.
[Vince] Helmsley in big-time trouble.
Wildman waiting for a boot to the midsection,
off the rope in a knee lift.
[J.R.] Running knee lift by Wildman Marc Mero,
continuing to build that momentum.
[Vince] All right, reversal now.
Off the rope.
And this time-- there you go.
[J.R.] Great counter, a head scissors counter.
[Vince] 1, we get 2 in.
That was close.
[King] That was a quick count by the referee.
He's obviously biased.
[Vince] A quick count?
[King] Yes.
[Vince] Wildman Marc Mero with Helmsley cowering in the corner.
The Wildman must pull him out.
The Wildman taking offense, and justifiably so,
to a lot of the actions and verbiage
of Hunter Hearst Helmsley leading up to this match-up.
Oh!
[King] Referee's got to get in there.
Earl PawPaw Hebner's got to jump in between these guys
and separate them.
[Vince] No, no one's got to be separated except--
I don't know-- maybe a body part or two.
Look at this from the top rope.
[King] Oh!
[Vince] All right, here we go.
-[King] Hunter! -[J.R.] Showtime.
[King] Get up.
[Vince] It's time, all right.
Here we go.
If he can hit this-- Wait a minute.
Helmsley's starting to move.
Oh, no.
[J.R.] Helmsley shoved the referee right into the ropes.
And Mero--
[Vince] Lost his balance.
[J.R.] Well, he landed in a very precarious way here.
Well, we're starting all over, a level playing field again.
-[King] Yeah. -[J.R.] A gut check.
[Vince] And Wildman Marc Mero and Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
[J.R.] Helmsley, if this is a countout,
they got to get up and compete by ten, or it's over,
and Helmsley retains his title.
[King] No, Hunter's up.
[Vince] Count's at one, two, and-- No.
[King] That was a slow count.
[Vince] Presence of mind of The Wildman to raise that left shoulder.
Wildman Marc Mero and Hunter Hearst Helmsley giving it their all,
just as we have seen every other WWE Superstar
do here tonight, In Your House: It's Time.
-[King] Here we go! -[Vince] Here we go. Yes.
[King] Oh, no.
[Vince] For the ride.
[J.R.] Oh, Helmsley's head-- his head hit the ringpost.
I think his head hit the ringpost.
It could be a knockout.
[Vince] Can The Wildman cover him in time?
Wildman Marc Mero throws a shoulder.
1, 2, and he got-- no, the left shoulder barely coming up.
And again, give Helmsley credit for having presence of mind
to raise the left shoulder.
But now The Wildman knows what he has to do.
He tried to do it earlier on.
Here we go.
From the top, The Wildman.
Yes!
[J.R.] The Merosault. It's over!
[Vince] No!
How did he kick out of that?
[J.R.] I don't believe that. I don't believe that one.
[King] Hunter is great.
[Vince] He must be to kick out of-- oh, no!
[King] Whoa, what about that?
Intentional.
Disqualification-- come on, ref, do your job.
[J.R.] Neckbreaker, but nobody to count.
[Vince] Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
[King] Let me go count.
[Vince] Wait a minute.
What's he doing now?
[King] Where you going, Hunter?
[Vince] Helmsley has the Intercontinental Championship--
[King] What's he doing?
[Vince] I don't know.
The official is still down.
The inadvertent clothesline by Wildman.
Look out!
No, here we go.
Wildman pounding away with Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
Wildman missing.
Wildman set up, can he get him up?
Way up goes Wildman.
Here we go.
Shoulders down.
[J.R.] 1, 2, 3, 4.
It's over.
But nobody to count.
Nobody to count.
[King] He's put in a tight trap.
[J.R.] He got him.
[Vince] No.
The official able to see what was
going on there for the count.
Meanwhile, the official, I think,
has leapt back into-- oh, no, no.
[J.R.] Boy, you talk about some momentum.
[Vince] Look out.
Wildman Marc Mero, here he comes.
[J.R.] Somersault plancha, I think,
caught Helmsley on the shoulder.
I don't think Mero got all he wanted.
Wait a minute.
What's Goldust doing down here?
Where's Goldust?
[Vince] Goldust has that Intercontinental Championship
belt, the one he used to wear.
And look out.
I think Goldust--
Goldust, it looked like he was going for Helmsley, who ducked.
And Goldust nailed Wildman Marc Mero and then
nailed Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
And the official is back on his knees,
and he's beginning to count.
[J.R.] Well, if Goldust came out here to get even with Helmsley,
that shot in the head for both guys,
it may have been a big favor to Helmsley.
[Vince] I'm not so sure why Goldust was out here.
More on that Marlena story-- is it-- wait a minute.
Wildman back in.
Wildman-- Wildman beats the count.
Wildman Marc Mero is victorious.
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen,
the winner of this bout as a result of a countout,
Wildman Marc Mero!
[Vince] However, that's only half the loaf.
Wildman Marc Mero, I'm sure, wanted to leave here
with the Intercontinental Championship,
not just with the victory, but with the title.
Wait, he's coming back outside.
Wait a minute.
And Helmsley's thrown right back in.
Wildman Marc Mero.
He's upset. Well, wait a minute.
Now we're going to see it after all, I think.
[J.R.] I told you he was too pumped up.
-He got out of control. -[King] Come on, ref.
Get in there and do your job!
[Vince] Wildman Marc Mero on the top rope.
What's he gonna do now?
[cheering]
[J.R.] He made Helmsley's heart sing on that wild thing.
This rivalry is a long way from over.
[Vince] Wildman Marc Mero victorious, but again,
it was only half the loaf.
He won via countout.
He did not win the championship.
And he's going to take that championship belt with
him anyhow.
Wildman on his way back with Sable.
[J.R.] Well, Helmsley's still the champion.
But this is far from over, folks.
These two men will fight again.
I promise you that.
[Vince] Wildman Marc Mero victorious, but as you stated--
there we're seeing the Intercontinental Champion.
Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
What a match-up.
[J.R.] Well, Helmsley doesn't look like he's
going to go have tea with the aristocrats there in Greenwich.
But he's still the Intercontinental Champion.
[Vince] And I believe Howard Finkel is
going to make that official.
Howard Finkel about ready to announce to this
capacity crowd--
[announcer] A championship changes hands in a title match
is by a pinfall or a submission.
That did not happen.
[Vince] Oh, wait a minute.
[announcer] Therefore, still Intercontinental Champion,
Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
[J.R.] Goldust attacking Helmsley again.
He knocked him down.
He's stomping him.
Goldust has gone ballistic oh Hunter Hearst Helmsley.
What did Helmsley say to Marlena?
Goldust, I think, is jealous.
[Vince] I don't know.
But Helmsley has been beaten from pillar to post,
and he has raised the ire of Goldust.
There's no doubt about that.
Nonetheless, Hunter Hearst Helmsley, like him or not,
is still the Intercontinental Champion.
As we take you now to Dok Hendrix,
I believe, with the World Wrestling
Entertainment champion.
There you see.
Yeah, look at the outside, ladies and gentlemen.
And Dok is ready to interview the man himself.
Go ahead, Dok.
Sid, you have found out in the short month you've been
World Wrestling Entertainment Champion,
you are no longer the hunter.
You are the hunted.
Now, I'd like to take you back to earlier this morning
on Sunday Morning Superstars when that
has never been more evident.
Now, there it was--
Shawn Michaels diving on you as I was conducting
an interview with you.
Out comes Bret Hart, and at one time, you and Bret Hart
are both beating on Shawn Michaels.
And then Bret Hart really made the big bad mistake of turning
his back on Sycho Sid.
And boy, you sure took advantage of that opportunity
as we can see right here.
Here it comes.
Pow.
[Sid] Just like that, Dok.
See, if you haven't learned by now,
never turn your back on me, because if they do,
something horrible will happen.
See, don't put your nose in my business.
And if you can't believe that, ask Jose.
[Dok] All right, Sid.
But Jose aside, tonight, you can squelch the critics.
You can silence everybody by defeating the legend
Bret The Hitman Hart.
Let me do something real simple, even with you
and a bad hairdo, that you can even understand this.
We'll play connect the dots.
Figure this out, Bret.
Shawn beat you!
Yeah, Shawn beat you.
And I beat Shawn like a dog.
So how easy will it be for me to snap
[inaudible] because I'm the master, and I'm a [inaudible].
[Vince] All right.
All right, Vince, back to you at ringside.
Hold on to your hat.
[Vince] No doubt about that.
And hold on to your hat, ladies and gentlemen.
Yes, the Armageddon rules match-up coming at you.
We might have an opportunity to show you
some of the things that led up to this extraordinary match-up
involving The Undertaker, Mankind, and Executioner.
Let's take you back to the Survivor series.
[narrator] For The Undertaker, the pain of betrayal
has lit a fire in his soul.
Now and forever, the man from the dark side will walk alone.
In October, The Undertaker attempted
to bury his past along with the perpetrator of this betrayal.
But once again, deceit was at hand.
Paul Bearer's hired assassin struck without warning.
[commentator] The Undertaker was just nailed in the back
of the head by a shovel.
[narrator] The executioner furthered his evil cause.
Rivals then joined forces to finish the deed.
The Undertaker was buried alive.
But even in death, there can be life.
It marked the death of The Undertaker's past--
[dramatic music]
and the genesis of a new beginning, a metamorphosis
of body and soul.
The rebirth brought forth a new fire and a familiar desire--
destroy his betrayers.
At the Survivor series, The Undertaker's quest
was within his grasp.
[commentator] Wait a minute.
From behind, The Executioner!
[narrator] Now it's Armageddon.
Only one man will stand when this battle ends.
But as we found out last Monday night on RAW, the power of one
may not be enough to overcome the forces of betrayal.
[King] This is Armageddon for The Undertaker.
[announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, in this match
up, no disqualification.
Remember that.
No countout-- very simple.
After a pinfall or a submission,
the defeated wrestler has a 10 count to resume the match.
But when one man cannot continue, it is over.
[Vince] Yeah, well, it could be over for The Undertaker.
Here he comes.
[cheering]
[ominous music]
[announcer] His opponent, from Death Valley,
weighing 358 pounds, The Undertaker!
[cheering]
[Vince] And look into the eyes of The Executioner,
that vacant look, ladies and gentlemen.
Here we go.
Look out.
[King] Here we go.
[Vince] And again, a reminder, no holds
barred, ladies and gentlemen.
You can't stop the match for disqualification,
countout, or any reason.
And this one may be over very quickly.
The Undertaker is enraged.
[King] And rightfully so.
He's been betrayed.
It all started at the.
At SummerSlam when Paul Bearer nailed him with the iron,
turned his back on his friend.
[Vince] The Undertaker with The Executioner,
had it not been for The Executioner at Survivor Series,
The Undertaker could very well have gotten his hands
on Paul Bearer and ended this thing once and for Oh,
big boot.
[King] Have you ever had a friend turn his back on
you, McMahon?
-You know what I mean? -[Vince] Not exactly.
Yes, I do know what you mean.
[King] It's heartbreaking.
Ross, have you ever had a friend?
[J.R.] Oh, stop it now.
[King] Excuse me.
[Vince] For the ride, The Executioner.
Now, earlier on, we saw Mankind.
Mankind back with Paul Bearer and The Executioner.
And we do not see, obviously, Mankind
out around the ringside area.
Tonight, with everything the way
this thing is going, who knows what's going to happen.
[J.R.] Well, this one's not going to be a pretty match.
This is just a fight.
I mean, it's a very simple-- and even this referee
can't make any mistakes.
[Vince] And again, the way this one ends is after a pinfall,
the individual who has been pinned
must answer the bell before a 10 count, or it is over.
In other words, he's unable to continue.
[King] And in this match, if somebody
were to come out and interfere in a match, nothing can happen.
The wrestlers can't be counted out.
Nobody can be disqualified.
It's just going to have to keep on going.
[J.R.] I admire The Undertaker's individuality.
[Vince] The Undertaker going for Paul Bearer.
That's what it is. Look at this.
[J.R.] But he doesn't have a lot of allies, seems like.
-[Vince] And again. -[King] Distraction.
[Vince] No, he does not have a lot of allies.
And the reason for that, obviously,
is his unbelievable skills.
I mean-- oh, look out.
The Undertaker-- oh, to the midsection now.
Undertaker with Executioner off the ropes, scoops him up.
What's he going to do with him?
Slams him down.
[King] That's a load.
[Vince] That's a heavy load.
And oh!
[King] This Executioner must go around 280, 290.
[Vince] Here we go.
Executioner and a clothesline.
The Undertaker all the way over and right up on his feet.
Uh-oh, hooks the ankle.
Look out.
Executioner and Mankind on the outside.
And again, a reminder-- no countout here.
They can-- look out from behind.
[King] Paul Bearer.
[cheering]
[Vince] Would The Undertaker like to get
his hands on Paul Bearer.
Nothing doing-- not yet.
It may happen tonight.
It's time.
It's time for The Undertaker to get even with Paul Bearer.
[King] What's everybody got against Paul Bearer?
[J.R.] Hey, look out here.
Look out.
Get away here.
[Vince] The Undertaker and The Executioner.
Look out. Oh!
Clothesline.
[J.R.] What a clothesline indeed.
[Vince] And again, there's no countout.
They can stay out here all night.
They can go-- who knows up-- who
knows where-- wait a minute.
Look what that-- look.
Uh-oh.
[King] He's exposing the concrete floor.
Look out, Executioner.
[Vince] The Undertaker said this is gonna hurt.
Here we go. Concrete--
-[King] Look, look, look. -[Vince] Wait a minute.
Wait a minute. That's Mankind.
Mankind coming in.
[J.R.] Mankind caught The Undertaker's knee there,
and now it's a double team.
And it's absolutely legal.
[King] I told you.
I told you.
[J.R.] It is unethical, but it's legal.
[Vince] It may be time for the demise of The Undertaker.
[King] That's right.
You know why?
He's got no friends, McMahon.
[Vince] This is Paul Bearer's way of destroying once
and for all The Undertaker.
Set up. Look at this.
Both men now.
Double clothesline, down he goes.
Mankind, Executioner--
[King] Wait a minute.
[Vince] No, here we go.
Undertaker back on his feet.
[J.R.] This is no handicap match, but maybe it is.
Look at The Undertaker fighting them both.
[Vince] Mankind on the outside along with--
uh-oh, look at this, along with The Executioner.
Oh! And The Undertaker-- wait a minute.
It looks like this one's headed back to the locker room.
Hopefully, we can follow it with you.
[King] Get in there, Paul.
Bearer.
Use that urn again.
[Vince] Oh, no.
This is not--
The Undertaker with the headbutt, and Mankind--
uh-oh.
From behind, look out, The Undertaker.
Better watch from behind--
Mankind lurking in the shadows.
[King] Look out.
[Vince] Executioner down on the canvas.
Mankind.
Oh, no,.
[King] Oh, no!
[J.R.] They're tearing the house down.
[King] Look at what happened.
[Vince] What?
Where are they?
[J.R.] Where are they?
[Vince] Oh, there they are.
[J.R.] They didn't even bother knockin'.
Knocking heads is about it.
[Vince] And this match, we said it was no holds barred.
We said it was no disqualification,
but they're tearing everything apart.
Undertaker.
[King] No!
[J.R.] They're tearing the house down.
[Vince] The whole house.
Be careful.
The Undertaker has Executioner, and he's bringing him back.
He's gonna polish him off.
[King] And Mankind.
[J.R.] Well, this is not scheduled to be a handicap match.
[Vince] And The Undertaker may have
been foolish to sign for this match-up,
recognizing that it could turn into this.
[J.R.] Maybe without Paul Bearer.
The Undertaker doesn't have the managerial leadership
that he really needs.
I don't know. But listen...
[crowd chanting]
[Vince] The Undertaker has this capacity crowd behind him.
That might be all he needs.
And then again, it might not be enough.
[King] That's right, McMahon.
Even the creatures of the night, all these nails
and studd-- wait a minute.
What have we got here?
[Vince] And we've got a number of-- wait, that's mace.
I can smell that.
[King] Oh, gosh, it's irritating my eyes.
[J.R.] The security people have sprayed mace.
They're spraying it again.
[Vince] Undertaker on the outside with The Executioner.
And The Undertaker has taken the Executioner--
oh, no-- back to what's left of our house back there.
[King] What's the deal?
Who called these security guys in on Mankind?
[Vince] The Undertaker going back
in the bowels of the facility.
[J.R.] Yeah, they're in the bowels all right.
[Vince] Wait a minute.
[King] Wait a minute.
Where's The Executioner going?
[Vince] The Executioner's running for his life.
He's running out of the building.
He's going out around the building.
[King] Don't leave.
[J.R.] Meanwhile, back here in the ring,
Mankind's being put into a straitjacket
after he's been maced by the security.
[Vince] And unfortunately, The Undertaker
has left the building going after The Executioner.
We have no way of getting a camera up there,
I don't believe.
And meanwhile back here in the arena-- back here in the arena,
Paul Bearer has been subdued.
Paul, or rather--
[King] Mankind, they put a straitjacket on him.
Come on.
[Vince] Paul Bearer is objecting to what's going on.
[King] Look at this.
[Vince] They have a straitjacket on Mankind.
[King] This is not right.
[J.R.] They had-- the security had to do something
to subdue Mankind.
He didn't belong out here.
But my question is, where is The Undertaker
and The Executioner?
[King] Look out.
Look out.
[Vince] Mankind in a straitjacket--
and there's Gorilla Monsoon, president
of the World Wrestling Entertainment.
And this match has really gotten out of hand.
[J.R.] Well, it's about time.
[King] That's who's behind this, Gorilla Monsoon.
[J.R.] Mr. Fan-Friendly president's got
a big problem on his hands.
[Vince] Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.
Oh, right down into the water.
That's outside.
[J.R.] That's outside-- outside the auditorium here
in West Palm Beach.
The Undertaker has knocked The Executioner down the aisle,
that embankment there, that's concrete-- into the fountain,
into the moat.
[Vince] The Undertaker-- oh no, here he comes back.
Here he comes back.
And when he comes back, here he comes.
[King] Look out, Mankind.
[Vince] He's going to see.
Mankind is in a straitjacket.
[King] This is not right.
[Vince] Mankind charging The Undertaker.
[J.R.] Mankind's got more guts than brains
to want to fight The Undertaker while
wearing a straitjacket.
That doesn't seem too prudent to me.
[Vince] Again, no disqualification, no countout.
Armageddon rules.
And now, Mankind, defenseless against The Undertaker.
[King] The Executioner's back!
[J.R.] The Executioner is dripping wet after being knocked
into the fountain outside.
Hard clothesline by The Undertaker,
and the end may be near.
The Undertaker's clothes are ripped.
[Vince] The Undertaker now with The Executioner,
trying to get in the piledrive.
-[King] Look at the water. -[Vince] Look at the water.
Oh, forget about it.
Can he pin him?
[Crowd] 1, 2, 3!
[cheering] All right.
[Vince] Now, there's a count of 10.
This match may not be over if The Executioner
can get back up.
Here we go.
The match may not be over.
[King] Get up, Executioner!
[Crowd] 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
10!
[Vince] It's history.
[bell ringing]
The Undertaker, in his first-ever Armageddon Rules
match, and The Executioner
has been executed.
[ominous music]
[J.R.] Maybe not excellently executed
but effectively executed.
Physically executed with a Tombstone Piledriver.
May The Executioner now rest in peace.
[Vince] The Undertaker looking back at Paul Bearer.
[King] Stay away, Paul.
[Vince] One day--
[King] Get away, Paul.
[Vince] One day, The Undertaker will
get his hands on Paul Bearer.
I don't believe we've seen the last,
however, of Mankind, for that matter,
certainly not Paul Bearer.
The Undertaker victorious.
However, standing by right now, ladies and gentlemen, we've
got Dok Hendrix, I believe.
And Dok ready to talk to the Former WWE champion,
The Hitman, Bret Hart.
Dok, can you hear us?
Yeah, I sure can, Vinnie Mac.
It is crazy here in West Palm Beach.
But Bret, now it's time.
And I've got to tell you, I have always admired you,
like all your fans, because of your collectiveness,
your calmness.
You're always cool in a very, very volatile situation,
except this morning on Sunday Morning Superstars.
I'd like to take you back right now.
As I was interviewing Sycho Sid, Shawn Michaels came out,
jumped Sid from behind.
And here you came to jump into the fracas as well.
And there you can see it on the TV right now.
Now, I would imagine the reason you were coming out
there is because you didn't want Shawn to have Sid
in a position where he would be unable to defend the title
and ruin it for you tonight.
[Bret] Let me put it this way.
I wouldn't put anything past Shawn Michaels.
He's been trying so hard to rain on my parade.
This is a guy I've had it up to here with.
[Dok] Now, what about this right here, Bret?
I hate to interrupt, but there you made a bad mistake,
turning your back on Sycho.
You can't turn your back on anybody.
As far as I'm concerned, the only thing I'm gonna
worry about anymore is me.
I've waited to get back the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship
belt for eight months.
And all I thought about is one thing, Shawn Michaels.
Well, Shawn Michaels, you don't matter anymore.
six-footed Sycho Sid, he's the big man.
He is the man.
But as far as I'm concerned, it doesn't--
-[Shawn Michaels' theme music] -Wait a minute.
I think we got to go back to ringside. Shawn Michaels is coming to the ring.
Why are they playing his music? It's my time. It's my interview.
And everybody always cuts in with Shawn Michaels,
Shawn Michaels.
I am sick to death of Shawn Michaels.
As far as I'm concerned,
after I win the World Wrestling Entertainment Championship belt,
I look forward to him.
All right, Bret, thank you.
And, Vince, a very upset Bret The Hitman Hart.
You guys at ringside, better be careful.
[Vince] Ladies and gentlemen, there he is,
former World Wrestling Entertainment Champion in his own right.
For over eight months, this man electrified capacity crowds
all over the world like no one has ever
who wore the World Wrestling Entertainment title.
He is charismatic.
He is flamboyant and indeed, does not want to be a role model,
no doubt about that.
But some people think his honesty is to be applauded.
[J.R.] It's certainly very refreshing.
And I'm sure he's going to be very candid out here.
And, King, I suggest you mind your manners now,
maintain your decorum and your demeanor.
Shawn Michaels, ladies and gentlemen.
Come on over and join us.
There you go.
Yowzer, yowzer, yowzer.
Shawn, can you hear us all right?
I can hear you a little bit there, big man.
It's loud out here, no doubt about it.
And it's gonna get louder when The Hitman Bret Hart comes out.
It doesn't get any louder, except when HBK's in town.
That's a good point.
You can expect the volume to straight down after this.
Have a seat. Sit down.
Settle down.
The Hitman Bret Hart, ready to join us
momentarily in the squared circle.
[bell ringing]
Is it time for The Hitman to once again
be World Wrestling Entertainment champion?
[announcer] ...is for the World Wrestling
Entertainment Championship.
[dramatic music]
[Vince] All right, here he comes.
[cheering]
What an ovation for The Hitman!
[Shawn] Well, there he is, McMahon, the man who
is self-proclaimed role model of the World
Wrestling Entertainment.
The man who decided he is the one by which all the rest of us
shall be judged because Bret, the high and mighty, says so.
Hail, Bret.
Hail, Hit Man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[Vince] The Hit Man, Bret Hart, now over getting his glasses
and best of luck to you, Bret.
Tell your story walking, punk.
You know, I do my best to be obnoxious,
but I can't even hang with The Hitman anymore.
He outdoes everybody as far as being pompous and arrogant.
As far as I'm concerned, his time
off turned him into nothing but a bitter, bitter jerk.
[J.R.] I know what--
I know what you're getting at working with the people that
are pompous.
I've experienced that in my time.
[Shawn] But you know something, Bret, of all people,
should understand up-and-comers passing past guys who
maybe are out of their prime.
[Vince] That remains to be seen.
Here we go.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, you want to talk about someone
whose time it may be?
Here he comes now.
If Jerry The King Lawler is correct,
then this man will be the dominant force
in the World Wrestling Entertainment
for perhaps years to come.
Here comes The Monster himself, Sycho Sid, the WWE champion.
And it might be, yes, that Sid rules.
[King] Just take a look at him, McMahon.
You would need kryptonite to have any effect on this guy.
Shawn Michaels can beat his gums all he wants to.
Bret The Hitman Hart can brag all he wants to.
I think you can put Shawn Michaels and The Hitman
in the ring together as partners
and they couldn't beat Sycho Sid.
[Shawn] I think you're wrong.
Sid is the World Wrestling Entertainment most expensive
piece of luggage.
[King] What?
[Shawn] He's the World Wrestling Entertainment's most expensive
piece of luggage because we got guys like me
and other WWE Superstars carrying him
here and carrying him there.
Without us, Syd is a zero, not hero.
[Vince] Sycho Sid, the reigning World Wrestling
Entertainment champion.
There's no denying that Shawn Michaels, ladies and gentlemen,
very upset over what happened at Survivor Series,
losing the World Wrestling Entertainment title.
And of course, not only losing it, but in the manner in which
he lost it, in which Jose Lothario was involved as--
[Shawn] That is what's wrong.
I have no problem being a man and accepting a loss.
Bret couldn't do it.
I can.
He beat me.
Fine.
What I have a problem with is what he did to Josie Lothario.
He's a 62 year old man.
You can cheer Sid all you want, but that in any world, even
in the 21st century, is wrong.
[King] Well, let me say this, Shawn Michaels, maybe what
was wrong was you carrying around a piece of luggage
like Jose Lothario.
If he hadn't been at ringside,
you might still be the champion.
[Shawn] God forbid some of the superstars of today
want to give back to some of the superstars of yesterday.
If I'm doing it, I'm sorry if ain't cool to you, King.
I'm sorry if it's not cool to the fans of Sid.
But I'm doing what I do because I want to.
I'm gonna be me whether anybody at this table or anybody
in that ring likes it or not.
You guys can't stop me from being me,
and neither can either one of those two guys.
[Vince] No doubt about it.
Here we go, ladies and gentlemen,
the World Wrestling Entertainment-- look out!
[J.R.] Uh-oh, Sid turned his back.
The champion turned his back, and Bret Hart, the veteran,
is making him pay for it.
[Shawn] And being the upstanding citizen that Bret
is, he jumped him from behind.
What a guy.
[Vince] The Hitman Bret Hart taking it to Sycho Sid.
And indeed, prior to your match-up, Shawn Michaels,
with Sycho Sid, both of you stated indeed, that you would
do anything to be successful.
I would suggest that The Hitman
has taken a page from Sycho Sid's book right now.
[Shawn] Well, you know something?
Bret Hart--
[Vince] Look out.
[Shawn] I'm never, ever going to take anything away
from his wrestling ability.
He is one of the best, and he's come
out here and taken it to Sid.
To be perfectly honest, that's what you got to do.
You got to get to Sid before Sid gets to you.
[King] Wrong, wrong.
This is a big mistake.
You can see it already.
Bret The Hitman Hart should have never
tried to make this a slug fest with a man as powerful
as Sycho Sid.
[Vince] I'm agreeing with you.
I'm agreeing with you, King.
I think that was a mistake on Bret Hart's part.
-[King] Big mistake. -[Vince] He couldn't follow up.
Oh, look out.
And again, Bret will make the mistake of his life
if he fights Sycho Sid's kind of a fight.
If he wants to brawl, he's not going to win this thing.
Down across the chest with the foot.
[J.R.] Well, that's Sid's forte.
He's 6' 9", 313 pounds.
He's not a technical masterpiece.
He's an intimidator.
He overpowers people not with wrestling skill,
but with power and strength.
[Shawn] He's a wrecking machine, let's face it.
[Vince] And The Hitman Bret Hart now slugging it out again.
[King] Wrong.
[Vince] The Hitman Bret Hart with--
a little on the aggressive side.
[Shawn] Hey, Bret knows how to drop down, if you will,
to Sid's level.
Bret is the greatest technical wrestler around.
But Bret, he can scrap with the best of them.
I know you guys think it's wrong,
but Bret's in much better shape.
Sid's huge, but Bret is the man.
[King] So are you saying this would be your strategy too,
Shawn Michaels?
[Vince] No, that's not what he's saying--
not to put words in your mouth, obviously.
[Shawn] No, but the thing is we're all different individuals.
Is that-- am I the only one in the WWE
that can figure that out?
Can we all be different?
Is that OK with you guys?
Or do we all have to be vanilla and boring like Bret?
God forbid you smile once in a while
or you have an emotion here or there.
It's called real life, folks.
Get to know it.
[Vince] Words of Shawn Michaels.
And Shawn Michaels, always one for candor, no doubt
about that.
whether you like it or you don't, he'll tell you
exactly what's on his mind.
And right now, Sid with a hard right hand, and Bret Hart
is to the outside.
He wants to shake the cobwebs out, but here comes Sid.
-Bret Hart-- -[King] He's running.
He's running. [laughs]
[Vince] ...back in.
[Shawn] Can't get away from him.
[Vince] And Sid just hammering The Hitman.
[J.R.] I don't think Bret was running in fear.
He was trying to get Sid back in the ring.
[Shawn] It bothers me though, that that's his top speed.
That's all Bret's got.
He ain't the quickest guy in the world.
[Vince] Well, again, your question as to whether
or not The Hitman Bret Hart is past his prime, this match,
I believe, will be very telling in that regard.
[Shawn] Physically, Bret Hart is not past his prime,
but mentally, he's changed.
He's not the same.
He's gotten bitter like so many people
do after a matter of time.
And like I said, of all people, Bret Hart
should understand that.
But he doesn't.
He's now letting it get to him.
And it's wrong, folks.
Whether you like what I say or not, it's wrong.
I'm just telling the truth.
[Vince] Very interesting points made by Shawn Michaels.
You may not agree with him, however.
[Shawn] Yeah, well, you know what?
The truth has always scared, guys, in this business.
That's the way it goes.
[J.R.] Amen to that.
[Vince] Wait a minute.
Over the top.
[King] Oh!
[Vince] And when you're dumped out of the top with Sycho Sid,
that's a long way down.
[King] Come on. Sid.
[Vince] Sid to the outside now.
Unlike the Armageddon rules match-up,
there is a countout here.
And Sid could have been disqualified right there.
[Shawn] This is the World Wrestling
Entertainment Championship.
It's like being underneath the boards in the NBA playoffs.
You got to let these guys work it out for themselves.
[J.R.] That's right.
I agree with that wholeheartedly.
[Vince] That's a good point.
[J.R.] If Sycho Sid hits the powerbomb
on the concrete floor, obviously-- understatement
here coming-- it's over.
[Shawn] You ain't kidding.
It's more than over.
[Vince] That's what you're gonna see.
The Hitman set up now.
[J.R.] Ooh.
[Shawn] That's one thing about Bret Hart.
He's always thinking one step ahead.
That's where that experience you cannot beat experience.
I can, but most guys can't.
[J.R.] The spine of Sycho Sid's lower back
hitting that steel, and now again in the lower back area,
right in the kidneys--
Bret Hart mustering all the strength
he had to just drive Sid into the post.
[Shawn] See, one thing I get about Bret Hart,
and I like to think that I can do it too--
what makes him great is that he can adjust to any situation.
I know you guys say guys our size shouldn't be
brawling with guys Sid's size.
But every now and then, you got to go toe to toe with them,
if for no other reason to get their respect.
[Vince] All right, The Hitman, down across the lower back,
continuing to capitalize on the advantage he gained
on the outside of the ring.
[J.R.] Knowing the technical expertise of Bret Hart here,
Shawn, I'll be very surprised if he deviates
from the lower back of Sycho Sid the balance of this match
up. -Well, sure.
I mean, that's where Bret's going.
He's going to go with this bread and butter.
What Bret does between now and the end of the match,
that may vary.
But you know the one goal he's going for,
and that's the sharpshooter.
And if he puts it on, even as big as Sid is, Sid's done.
[Vince] And with the Sharpshooter applied
with the damage done to the lower back,
it would even be more effective.
Yeah, Bret's setting him up.
He's setting him up now.
There it is.
[Vince] Sid must mount an offensive.
[J.R.] Textbook Hitman.
Textbook offense.
[Vince] Yes, it is.
And Sid, obviously, much better on offense than he
is on defense.
[Shawn] And the thing is, with Bret Hart,
you know Bret's game plan most of the time,
but you still can't beat him at his own game.
Bret somehow still can go back to his same game plan that
has worked for him for years, and somehow,
he still pulls it off.
[Vince] Well, again, that's why they call it execution.
[Shawn] Exactly.
[Vince] It's not just the knowledge,
it's the execution of that knowledge.
And Bret, of course, is nicknamed
the Excellence of Execution.
[J.R.] Bret uniquely here a moment ago,
just drove his elbow right into the spine, now the head-butt.
Then it was the shin into the lower back.
Everything with a purpose.
In other words, Bret, Sean doesn't have a lot of wasted motion.
Everything means something.
[Shawn] Exactly, and it goes back to the execution.
[Vince] Here we go.
And again, that will even do more damage to the back.
The Hitman Bret Hart methodically
now taking apart this monster.
And quite frankly, I didn't think that could be done.
[King] Yeah, that's right.
I'll tell you this.
When you guys put in your two cents worth,
you're not overcharging.
Now you're all singing the praises
of Bret The Hitman Hart.
Well, I'm not changing my story.
I still think Bret can beat on Sid all night long
and put the Sharpshooter on him.
And Sid will not give up.
He's too strong.
[Shawn] He's too stupid.
[J.R.] I don't agree with that at all, King.
Anybody will give up in the sharpshooter.
And that's my prediction, and I'm sticking to that.
[Shawn] I didn't give up in the sharpshooter.
I stayed in the Sharpshooter for over 30 seconds,
and I didn't give up.
But then again, I'm no brain surgeon either.
Either is Sid.
[King] Understatement of the year.
[Vince] Nonetheless, both are great competitors.
[Shawn] Your point being?
[Vince] Give credit where it's due.
And again, methodically, Bret Hart taking Sycho Sid apart.
[J.R.] Corner the elbow again right into the kidneys.
It's like a bullseye has been drawn on the kidneys and
the lower back of Sycho Sid.
[Shawn] Exactly, it's one thing to have a game
plan in your head, but then to bring it to pass in the ring,
is two very different stories.
And Bret's making it happen right now.
[J.R.] Maybe this match should be subtitled,
The Physical Dissection of the WWE Champion, because that's
what we're seeing here.
[Vince] And you wonder whether or not
Sycho Sid was prepared for this type of match, this kind
of action from Bret Hart.
[J.R.] This is a unique--
[Vince] Right from the get go, The Hitman attacked Sycho Sid
from behind.
[J.R.] The steel is exposed on the turnbuckle.
[Shawn] And this right there shows the desperation
that Bret Hart feels.
He knows this might be the only chance he'll ever have
to be WWE Champion once again.
And he's pulling out all the stops.
[King] That's right.
He knows that on his own, he cannot beat Sycho Sid--
can't do it.
[Vince] All right, Sid over to the buckle.
And Sid puts on the brakes.
[King] Look at this.
[J.R.] Too much power, too much upper body strength.
-[Vince] To the back. -[J.R.] Right back to the kidney.
[Vince] Head-butt to the back.
[Shawn] Go with what's working, right, J.R.?
[J.R.] That's it. Dance with what brung you.
[Vince] Oh, suplex, that'll do even more damage.
[Shawn] If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I guess we could go on all day. Couldn't we, Jim?
[J.R.] Cliche battle.
[Vince] Time for a cover, 1, 2, and no, that left shoulder.
[J.R.] I'm surprised Bret did not hook the leg.
Very uncharacteristic of The Hit Man,
who prides himself on his excellence of execution.
[Shawn] Well, I'll tell you what.
If you watch Hitman, he is not--
he doesn't hook the leg much.
He does not.
That is the one thing that Bret Hart--
a basic-- a basic move that he leaves out of his repertoire.
[Vince] We have 1, 2, and this time--
[Shawn] There it is again.
He doesn't hook legs.
And if you want to beat Sid, believe me,
you got to keep all of that big man down.
[Vince] The Hitman Bret Hart trying to find a way to defeat
the monster Sycho Sid.
Here we go.
[King] I don't think he can get him.
[Vince] Snap suplex, nicely done.
Again, more damage to the lower back.
[Shawn] Now, I wonder, though, Bret
is applying all the punishment, but how much
-is this taken out of Bret? -[King] Right.
[Shawn] The lifting of Sid-- he's a big man.
It takes a lot of strength.
[King] Right.
[Vince] The Hitman-- oh, my god.
That could do it.
[J.R.] I thought the smartest thing Sid was doing
was rolling over on his stomach where he couldn't be pinned.
I don't know if that's so smart now.
[Vince] Here we go. One, two, and--
[Shawn] No leg once again.
[Vince] I got to tell you,
if you're Bret Hart, psychologically are you wondering what do you
have to do to this big monster to beat him?
[King] Exactly, how demoralizing
is this for The Hitman after all his punishment?
Look at this!
[Vince] [inaudible] ...is up and along for the ride.
[Shawn] That's going to leave a mark.
[Vince] And look, Sycho Sid holding his lower back in one
hand, in anguish, in pain, nonetheless,
continuing this match.
Forget about it.
[J.R.] Sid's not going to execute a wrestling maneuver.
It's a big right hand and another right hand.
[Vince] Whatever works.
All right.
Set up for the ride.
Big boot, and that worked as well.
Now the momentum has shifted back to Sid.
[King] Yeah, more powerful than a locomotive.
Look at him.
[Shawn] And this is again, where you wonder
how much did Bret applying all the punishment take out of him.
Now he's the one getting hammered.
Can he last?
[Vince] Off the rope and boom.
There's a powerslam for you.
There's a cover.
There's hooking the leg.
There's almost a count of three.
[Shawn] That was 3, wasn't it?
[King] Don't worry, Sid.
-Don't get upset. -[Shawn] Sid, hooked the leg.
You're talking about the technical ability of Sid--
every now and then, the big man, he'll surprise you.
[King] He's full of surprises.
[J.R.] The WWE champion to beat Shawn Michaels.
See I put it that way instead of Shawn Michaels
to be the WWE champion?
[Shawn] Hey, at least even Sid acknowledges the fact
that he beat the best.
Again, my problem with Sid is what he did
to Jose Lothario, bottom line.
For that, he'll have to pay.
[Vince] Oh, a clothesline and down goes Bret Hart.
Seesaw match-up, a cover, 1, 2.
And there, Sid did not hook the leg,
and The Hitman able to kick out.
[J.R.] Everything elementary, everything high impact for Sid.
He keeps it simple.
I never liked that maneuver. [Vince] Here we go.
Sharpshooter coming up.
[Shawn] Here it is, the Sharpshooter.
If he gets this on, it is--
[King] Look at that.
[J.R.] Great leg strength there by Sycho Sid.
[Shawn] Oh, you're going to get plenty of that from Sid
every time.
I don't care if it's 20, 30, 40 minutes in.
The man is a powerhouse.
[J.R.] Shawn, have you ever been in the ring
with anybody as powerful as Sycho Sid in your life?
[Shawn] No, I mean, at one time, I thought Vader,
but no, I felt the wrath--
[Vince] Hey, wait a minute. Wait a minute.
-Steve Austin. -[J.R.] What the hell?
[Shawn] Man, I tell you what.
[Vince] Steve Austin behind the official's back,
coming in and doing just what he did to The British Bulldog.
[Shawn] Steve Austin, doing what he does best,
and that's what he wants when he wants.
[Vince] Bulldog, Owen Hart.
Don't tell me that this match is going via countout.
What a shame for Bret The Hitman Hart
to lose a match in this manner.
It could be his last time ever of becoming W--
wait a minute.
[J.R.] Bret's not going to quit.
I'll promise you that.
[Vince] He's back in.
[Shawn] There is no quit in Bret Hart.
[Vince] He's back.
[J.R.] And I'll tell you something.
For those that may not be aware,
Stone Cold is no ally of Sycho Sid.
They're not buddies.
[Vince] Well, certainly, no ally of Brett
The Hitman Hart either.
[Shawn] But are Owen and Bulldog--
I'm a little confused by all this.
I thought they mended things.
[Vince] We know that Stone Cold Steve Austin is going to be
in the Royal Rumble match-up.
[King] Come on, Sid.
[Vince] He was out earlier on.
I'll tell you what, if Sid's going
to sit around and wonder if he should punish Hitman's leg,
I can answer it.
You sure as hell do.
Go after that leg.
Go after that knee.
Break him down.
You got to beat Bret Hart any way you can.
[Vince] He is pummeling The Hitman.
[King] Finally, you're talking some sense, Shawn Michaels.
[Shawn] I always talk sense because
I speak the truth, King, whether you like it or not.
[Vince] Sid stomping Bret The Hitman Hart.
The official trying to get this monster, the WWE champion,
off of Bret The Hitman Hart.
[J.R.] I'll tell you something.
You don't have to graduate wrestling
school as a valedictorian to learn those skills.
That's just stomping somebody right in the face.
[Shawn] But that's the thing about Sid.
He will sit there and tell you he's no technical wrestler.
He uses the assets that God gave him
to the fullest of his ability, and you
at least have to respect that.
[Vince] The Hitman Bret Hart is in trouble.
Wait a minute.
[J.R.] Bret Hart trying to run Sycho Sid into the corner.
But Sid, with a very unorthodox counter
there, preventing the contact.
And it gives Sycho Sid, this monster at 6' 9",
313, the opportunity once again to use his power.
That turnbuckle is exposed.
And Sid-- again Bret goes face first into the turnbuckle.
Bret Hart wanted to drive Sycho Sid
into that exposed turnbuckle.
And Bret Hart hit the turnbuckle face first.
Bret may have a request for a dentist after going face first
to that exposed turnbuckle.
[King] Well, he's the one that pulled the--
exposed the turnbuckle.
[Shawn] Exactly, and it turned against him.
King. You're right.
[J.R.] Bret Hart certainly trying to gain an advantage
there, gentlemen.
But now Sycho Sid has the opportunity to reassert himself
and use all that power.
Here it comes.
Here comes a-- it's a chokeslam.
[Shawn] This one takes everything out of you, folks.
[J.R.] Just like in London.
Oh, my god!
[Vince] There it is.
The cover, the leg is hooked, and we have--
[Shawn] He's done.
[Vince] Whoa!
[cheering]
[Shawn] We can't deny the heart of Bret The Hitman Hart.
I may not respect him anymore.
I don't like what he's saying about me.
But I'll tell you what, he can still go.
[Vince] Well, you may not respect him as a person,
but you definitely respect him as a wrestling talent.
No doubt about that.
[Shawn] Certainly, I do.
Just don't respect his opinion anymore.
[Vince] Bret Hart and Sid.
[J.R.] Gut check for The Hitman.
[Vince] Uh-oh.
Look out.
Here comes-- whoa!
Sid almost going over.
Whoa, wait a minute.
Both of them coming over right out in front of us.
Bret The Hitman Hart on the outside.
Hey, take it.
It's your match, pal.
[Vince] Bret's reaching for Shawn Michaels' chair.
Take it.
There he is.
There's the role model, folks, grabbing a chair.
Desperate times call for desperate measures.
[Vince] Bret's going to use that chair.
-Oh, Sid just leveled Bret Hart. -[King] Get him, Sid.
Get the chair.
[Vince] We're about to encounter-- the referee's
gonna let it go here.
Sid now-- Bret throws him back in.
Wait a minute.
I got no problem with you.
[King] He gave it to him.
[Vince] Oh, come on.
Come on.
Shawn Michaels has climbed the--
whoa!
Oh, good god!
Powerbomb!
Powerbomb.
[crowd] 1, 2, 3!
[King] Yeah!
[J.R.] I can't--
Sycho Sid has just powerbombed his way,
perhaps, to immortality.
[announcer] --and still World Wrestling
Entertainment champion--
[J.R.] Sycho Sid has beat Bret Hart.
[announcer] --Sycho Sid!
[Vince] And Shawn Michaels is hurt.
Shawn Michaels--
[King] We didn't--
[Vince] Shawn Michaels flat against the concrete.
And there you see a man who,
in just a short period of time,
defeated Shawn Michaels on the WWE Championship
with the powerbomb.
He defeated Bret The Hitman Hart with the powerbomb.
Sycho Sid indeed rules
the World Wrestling Entertainment.
Unbelievable, the turn of events
here tonight In Your House: It's time.
And Bret with a bloody nose, maybe a broken nose.
And Bret hart, he may have seen his last effort ever,
ladies and gentlemen, as a contender
for the WWE Championship.
[King] Look out!
[J.R.] Come on, Bret!
No, don't do that.
Bret, no!
[King] Hey, Bret, come on.
[crowd cheering]
[Vince] Good grief.
Bret Hart exasperated.
Bret Hart has taken his actions out on Shawn Michaels.
Bret Hart is blaming Shawn Michaels for his loss here tonight.
[J.R.] Poor Shawn.
Settle him down.
Good God.
[Vince] Shawn Michaels pummeled, but there you see
the man looking down on Shawn Michaels,
Sycho Sid as the WWE Championship.
[J.R.] Whoa.
[Vince] So long, everyone.
Before we take you back to our studios,
let's take you and show you exactly what happened here.
All right, here we go.
Look at that.
Unbelievable.
[J.R.] Sycho Sid, I think, instigated this situation.
But Shawn Michaels inadvertently cost--
he cost Bret Hart.
I don't think he meant to do it,
but Shawn Michaels perhaps cost Bret Hart the WWE title.
And at the Royal Rumble, Sycho Sid will meet Shawn Michaels.
I can't believe this.
And reigning champion!
[indistinct chatter]
You're a punk. And I have news for you.
Somewhere down the line, I'm going to kick your teeth down your throat.
[Vince] Well, they say anything can happen in the World Wrestling Entertainment.
And I think we have just about seen it all, ladies and gentlemen.
In Your House: It's Time.
Unbelievable. It's Time.