In this WWF Royal Rumble 1997 review, Sycho Sid defends the WWF title against Shawn Michaels, controversy surrounds the finish of the Rumble match, and much more.
Let’s jump in!
- Show: WWF Royal Rumble 1997
- Date: January 19, 1997
- Location: The Alamodome in San Antonio, TX
VIDEO: Highlights of the feud between Sycho Sid and Shawn Michaels, including “The Favorite Son” returning home as a man. Congrats on puberty, Shawn!
RINGSIDE: Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, and Jerry Lawler hype the action.
VIDEO: We recap the feud between Goldust and Hunter Hearst Helmsley, with questions as to whether HHH is infatuated with Marlena.
Goldust (w/Marlena) vs. (c) Hunter Hearst Helmsley (w/Mr. Hughes) – Intercontinental Title
Hughes joining HHH is a surprise development, and Vince and JR play it up. Goldust is the aggressor right off the bat, which certainly makes sense from a psychology standpoint. He destroys HHH with the steel steps, and Earl Hebner apparently doesn’t give a flying fuck as he doesn’t even acknowledge it. Hilarious. Every time the camera cuts to Marlena, the crowd goes wild. HHH uses some underhanded tactics to take control, but he runs his knee into the steel railing. And then Goldust uses the steps on HHH yet again. Hebner for referee of the year! It’s pretty much all Goldust as he works on HHH’s leg. Meanwhile, JR points out that Hebner is calling the main event, so there won’t be any DQs in that one.
Now it’s HHH slamming Goldust’s face onto the steps, and Hebner calls for the DQ. Just kidding. HHH goes to use Marlena’s chair, and HERE COMES EARL to intervene. Steel steps aren’t weapons, but director’s chairs are. Noted! Todd Pettengill is with country star Collin Raye, and Todd asks him to sing. Meanwhile, the match is still going. Goldust misses an elbow off the top, and Hughes tosses the belt to HHH. Hebner gets distracted with Hughes, so naturally, HHH kisses Marlena. Goldust then clocks HHH with belt but Hughes pulls HHH out. More distractions, and HHH sneaks from behind and hits the Pedigree for the win at 16:50.
Blake’s Rating: I didn’t hate this match, but it could’ve accomplished the same goal in half the time. It was slow from the start, and the crowd was not having that. The finish didn’t exactly do Goldust any favors, though HHH retaining the belt was likely the predictable choice. **
VIDEO: Bret Hart says there’s no turning back in the Rumble, then Mankind talks about wanting to hurt people.
VIDEO: Highlights of the feud between Farooq and Ahmed Johnson, featuring Ahmed’s quick rise to the top of the WWF and his legitimate kidney injury at the hands of Farooq.
Farooq vs. Ahmed Johnson
Ahmed with a flurry of punches to get things started, and I can appreciate that given the bad blood between the two. He also continues the theme of using a weapon with zero repercussions, as he whips Farooq with a belt while Mike Chioda gently asks him to stop. Farooq returns the favor by bashing Ahmed’s back with a chair. Everything’s legal at Royal Rumble 1997! Farooq smartly keeps the focus on Ahmed’s back and kidney. But Ahmed fights back and gets some momentum going, which leads to the Nation hitting the ring. Ahmed fights them off, but Chioda calls for the bell for the DQ at 8:48. Weapons legal, humans illegal. After the match, Ahmed hits the Pearl River Plunge on one of the Nation members and puts him through the French announce table.
Blake’s Rating: This had decent intensity which is always welcomed in a battle between bitter rivals. But the DQ finish made it really nothing more than another way to continue the feud between Ahmed and the Nation. *1/2
VIDEO: Terry Funk is here to kick some ass in his home state.
BACKSTAGE: Pettengill with the Nation. Farooq is pissed that some of the Nation members left him out there with Ahmed, and he promises to get his revenge in the Rumble.
Vader vs. The Undertaker
This is officially a HOSS FIGHT. They exchange power moves in the early going, and Vader goes to retreat and hit the road. Taker gets him back involved, with Taker hitting a bodyslam and leg drop for two. JR says he’s never seen anyone deliver a leg drop like Taker, so take that, Hulkster. Taker goes old school, but Vader has it scouted and grabs the ropes to rack the mini Takers. Vader then hits a low blow. Rough match for Taker’s groin. Pettengill is in the crowd with a young girl, who saved her money from babysitting to travel to see Michaels. Good for her. Vader in control until Taker gets the strength to hit a back suplex. Vader goes up to the second rope, but Taker reverses into a powerslam. Vader picks up Taker and hits the Vader Bomb, and Taker kicks out at two and a half.
The crowd turns their attention to the aisle, and here comes Paul Bearer as Taker hits Vader with a choke slam. Taker turns around and sees Bearer, so he decks him. Taker rolls Bearer into the ring and goes for the chokeslam, but Vader gets in the way. Things spill outside, with Bearer moving Vader out of the way to send Taker into the steel railing. Bearer JUMPS OFF THE APRON onto Taker and hits him with the urn. One has to assume referee Jack Doan saw it, as weapons are clearly legal in this company in 1997. Bearer was so awesome. Vader then hits the Vader Bomb to pick up the win at 13:19. After the match, Taker is PISSED and chokeslams Doan before destroying the ringside area.
Blake’s Rating: I enjoy a good hoss fight, but this was pretty similar to the first two matches in terms of the slow pace and interference finish. On the bright side, where else are you gonna get a high-flying Bearer? **
VIDEO: Steve Austin is gonna win the Rumble, and so is British Bulldog. 1994 repeat?!
Fuerza Guerrera, Heavy Metal, and Jerry Estrada vs. Canek, Hector Garza, and Perro Aguayo
An interesting AAA trios match here. Early highlight is Aguayo coming in with zero fucks to give, as he has all the confidence in the world. Lawler talks about being a fan of Canek, but my guess is it’s simply because of his name. Some great athleticism on display from Metal and Garza, as they got about a hundred miles an hour during a rather entertaining exchange. Vince sounds like he just wants this match to be over, and the crowd isn’t exactly disagreeing with that. Guerrera and Aguayo also deliver a fun back and forth. Finally the crowd gets into it with a showcase of strength from Canek, then a flying maneuver from Garza. Aguayo gets the pin for the victory at 10:56.
Blake’s Rating: The match itself wasn’t terrible, but the issue is the crowd did not care at all since there were no storylines or stakes attached. With the WWF working with AAA, it’s understandable to put it on this card though. **
IN THE RING: Howard Finkel explains the rules of the Rumble.
The 1997 Royal Rumble Match
Crush is No. 1, and Ahmed Johnson is No. 2. The drawing is totally random! Totally random. They brawl until Fake Razor Ramon is No. 3, as he comes out to no countdown and no music. I’m sure Vince is pleased with that. Ahmed tosses Fake Razor in about 15 seconds. Ahmed sees Farooq in the aisle, so he eliminates himself and chases Farooq to the back. Genius idea. Phineas Godwinn is No. 4 with Hillbilly Jim in tow. Stone Cold Steve Austin is No. 5, which would’ve been more dramatic with a countdown clock. Vince is still pissed. Phineas throws out Crush after Austin accidentally hits him, then Austin hits the Stunner on Phineas to eliminate him. Bart Gunn is No. 6. Austin quickly eliminates his ass too and does some push-ups and sits on the turnbuckle looking at his imaginary watch. He’s a total star.
Jake Roberts is No. 7 as the countdown clock is officially working. All Jake until Austin eliminates him as the British Bulldog comes in at No. 8. Of course, Austin clipped Bulldog’s knee on the go-home edition of Monday Night Raw, so there’s bad blood with these two. AAA star Pierroth is No. 9. Here comes The Sultan at No. 10, and he’s got SHEIKY BABY with him. Who knew Sultan would run Austin over with a car nearly three years later? In at No. 11 is the one and only Mil Mascaras. Every time I see him, I think of Bruce Prichard’s stories of Mascaras not wanting to job to anyone. NO JOB. Hunter Hearst Helmsley joins the mix at No. 12. Who knew Austin would drop HHH from a crane nearly four years later?
Bulldog eliminates Sultan, then it’s Owen Hart at No. 13. Austin tries to eliminate Bulldog, which leads to Owen accidentally eliminating Bulldog while trying to put out Austin. Here comes Goldust at No. 14. And it’s Cibernetico at No. 15. He was only 20 years old and would go on to have quite a career. Marc Mero in at No. 16, and Cibernetico and Pierroth are eliminated. That leads to the infamous spot of Mascaras eliminating himself with a flying cross body onto Pierroth on the outside. The referees have to get Mascaras outta there. Goldust then eliminates HHH for a little revenge. Latin Lover makes his way out at No. 17.
Owen eliminates Goldust as Farooq joins at No. 18. Farooq eliminates Lover and here comes Ahmed who’s GOT WOOD. That’s enough to eliminate Farooq. Meanwhile, Austin throws out both Owen and Mero, and he’s alone again in the ring. Savio Vega runs in at No. 19, and these two had a nice strap match in 1996. Austin dumps Vega, and Jesse James is No. 20. Austin makes quick work of him and throws Double J out. And here comes Bret Hart at No. 21. They go at it until Jerry Lawler hops in at No. 22. Bret clocks him with two punches and Lawler flies over the top and goes right back over to commentary and puts his headset. Legit one of the most hilarious spots in Rumble history.
Fake Diesel is No. 23, and Terry Funk is No. 24. Put the belt on Funk! Rocky Maivia is No. 25, and what a visual as he goes right at Austin. It’s incredible to think how dramatically Rocky’s look would change over the next year or so. Mankind is No. 26, and there’s a hell of a group in there right now as all six are future Hall of Famers. That’s a cool trivia note. Some may argue Flash Funk deserves high praise as well, as he’s in at No. 27. Another future Hall of Famer joins the action with Vader at No. 28. Henry Godwinn is in at No. 29. And of course, No. 30 is The Undertaker. Vince already calls him the winner.
Taker choke slams both Austin and Vader, then goes after Fake Diesel and Rocky. Vader eliminates Flash via badassery. Taker eliminates Henry, with Rocky getting some shine until Mankind brings out the claw and eliminates him. Then Mankind suplexes Funk to eliminate him as well. Taker hits the boot to the face to send out Mankind, who starts fighting with Funk on the outside. All the referees try to break it up, and that’s where Bret throws out Austin, but he sneaks back in since the refs didn’t see it. Austin quickly eliminates Taker and Vader, and Bret eliminates Diesel. Austin then grabs Bret from behind and eliminates him to score the controversial victory at 50:30. After the match, Bret loses his mind and roughs up referee Jimmy Korderas before grabbing Vince by the jacket and berating him.
Blake’s Rating: I probably enjoyed this Rumble more than most, especially with the action-packed finish that involved so many legendary superstars. Of course, the controversial finish takes it down a notch, but I thought it worked well given Austin’s character. And this was undoubtedly a huge plot point in Austin’s trajectory to the top. It also added more ammunition for Bret to be pissed off at the WWF for being screwed, which would also play out in future storylines. ***
VIDEO: We get a recap of all the events leading up to the main event for the WWF title. And then it’s an interview from Superstars where Michaels talks about having the flu, but it won’t stop him from being ready for the match.
Shawn Michaels (w/Jose Lothario) vs. (c) Sycho Sid – WWF Title
Michaels’ entrance may have been longer than Taker’s, which is quite a feat. Very few boos for Michaels from the San Antonio crowd, unlike the reaction he got at Survivor Series. Still a lot of fans who love Sid though. I’ll tell you what I love, and that’s Sid’s pyro over the ring. It’s terrific. Hot start to the match with Sid going the power route, while Michaels uses his speed to counter and send Sid to the outside. Pete Lothario is ringside, and he better hope no tables are nearby. Sid will slam his ass again. Sid works on Michaels’ back by locking in the Camel Clutch for a good while. Michaels eventually fights out of it, but Sid whips out of the ring to continue the attack.
Sid rams Michaels’ back into the ring post and they head inside where Vince has to be livid about two visible nWo signs in the crowd. The story continues to be Sid overwhelming Michaels with his power which, in turn, allows him to slow the pace of the match. Michaels attempts to head up top to reverse the momentum, but Sid catches him for another bearhug. Here comes Michaels with a flurry of offense, including hitting a bodyslam. However, Sid thwarts Michaels’ plans by giving him a back body drop over the top.
That leads to Sid hitting the powerbomb on Michaels on the floor. Then the champ grabs both Jose and Pete before Michaels breaks it up. Hebner gets knocked down as Sid seemingly finishes off Michaels, but Mike Chioda runs down to count and Michaels kicks out at two. Sid is pissed, so he nails Chioda. Jose distracts Sid, which allows Michaels to grab the television and he hauls off on Sid. Hebner crawls over but Sid kicks out at two and a half. Pretty great sequence there. Michaels then hits the Sweet Chin Music to win the title at 13:49.
Blake’s Rating: The real question is how much the match structure changed due to Michaels having the flu. But when you look at the psychology, Sid’s approach probably would’ve stayed the same. He slowed things down to counter Michaels’ incredible speed and athleticism, but it was Michaels going into Sid’s own back of tricks by using underhanded tactics to regain the title. However, it was yet another screwy finish on a card stacked with them, and it was nowhere near the quality of their Survivor Series match (with Michaels having the flu perhaps playing a big role in that). The fact that it was on the shorter side helped I suppose, but there was little suspense since Michaels winning in his hometown was the obvious outcome. **3/4
Blake’s Take on WWF Royal Rumble 1997
- Best Match: The 1997 Royal Rumble Match
- Show MVP: Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Overall Rating: 5.0/10
- Thoughts: In all honesty, this was the definition of an average show. There are no matches that are must-see, and the majority of them followed the same pattern, which allowed none of them to truly stand out. Even the Rumble match involved a non-clean finish. But speaking of the Rumble, the true star on this show was Austin, who was already finding his groove as a top star.
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