Tape Reviews
Today in Wrestling History (August 3)
By Jared "JHawk" Hawkins
Aug 3, 2002, 09:18

Today in Wrestling History
by Jared "JHawk" Hawkins

More free TV goodness: Anytime SmackDown gives me a good opener, a great main event, a decent enough first hour main event, and Stacy Keibler, I'm a happy guy. But Stacy, don't put up with Stephanie's bullshit. Come to Raw! You know I love you! I'll treat you right... Anyway, today is the fifth anniversary of one of the scariest moments in wrestling history, ranking behind only Over the Edge 1999 and that picture of Eric Bischoff at the opening of Raw. So let's have Mr. Peabody set the Wayback Machine to 1997, shall we?

The story so far: The feud between Stone Cold Steve Austin and Bret Hart had been put on hold when Bret Hart was injured in April 1997, but that didn't stop Austin from representing America in the feud with the newly formed Hart Foundation. In Bret's absence, Owen Hart had won the Intercontinental Championship from Rocky Maivia and had been defending against all comers.

At Canadian Stampede (which is probably the most overrated PPV in the history of professional wrestling outside of possibly WrestleMania III) on July 6, 1997, Owen Hart pinned Steve Austin with a roll up--and a handful of tights--to win the ten man tag team main event. After the match, Austin returned to the ring by himself to take on all five opponents, plus any member of the Hart family that happened to run into the ring after the match, only to be escorted from the ring in handcuffs.

A match was immediately signed for SummerSlam with the Intercontinental Championship on the line. But Austin added a stipulation of his own. He agreed to kiss Owen Hart's ass (literally) if he couldn't win the title from Owen Hart.

Without any further ado: We go to August 3, 1997, from what is now the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey, for SummerSlam 1997.

Before the match, Michael Cole asks Austin if he's ready to kiss Owen's ass if he loses, to wish Austin responds "You're fixing to kiss my ass if you don't get out of my way!"

One fall for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Two Time Slammy Award Winning Owen Hart (WOO!--champion) vs. Cold Stones Steve Austin

Owen Hart goes right for Austin's oft-injured knee before the bell even rings. This is why knee braces are bad--they show your injuries to your opponent. Austin fights back and immediately gets in the Thesz press with punches. Austin has decided to use brawling to his advantage, and he pulls Owen by his crewcut and slams him to the mat. Ouch. Austin goes for a couple of pins, and then goes to work on Owen's left arm. A "USA" chant breaks out, because Canadians are evil. Hey, I like Canada, blame Russo for this one. JR mentions that Owen is right handed, but Austin is working on the left arm. This is why Ross used to be the best in the game. Simple, somewhat obvious, but important nonetheless. Owen finally breaks an armbar and takes Austin down with a flying elbow. Owen then decides to focus on the left hand of Austin. Owen tries to break Austin's middle finger. Ouch. Owen then ties Austin up in the ropes and goes back to the middle finger. Owen charges, but Austin frees himself and hits the Stun Gun. Owen recovers and goes for a Frankensteiner, but Austin counters with a powerslam and clotheslines Owen out of the ring. Austin follows him and they brawl down the aisle. Back in the ring, and Owen is begging off in the corner. Austin comes in, but gets caught with a suplex and a neckbreaker. Legdrop by Owen gets 2. A bodyslam is followed by a flying elbowdrop for 2. Owen begins to target Austin's neck, and JR mentions Austin's previous neck problems. Whip into the corner, but Austin bounces back with a clothesline. Austin decides to go for the Sharpshooter, but Owen kicks out of it and clotheslines Austin down. The crowd is going nuts for Austin. Owen goes for a springboard bodyblock, but Austin rolls through for 2. Owen is right back up and German suplexes Austin for 2. JR says that could do damage to the neck as Owen goes into a camel clutch. Austin eventually elbows out of it, but gets caught with a DDT (which affects the neck) for the count of 2. Owen into a chinlock. Austin comes out of it and gets a sleeper. Owen quickly reverses, but Austin breaks with a jawbreaker. Austin to the second rope for a flying axhandle, but Owen catches him with a punch coming down. Owen with a combination sleeperhold and bodyscissors (JR: "...putting more pressure on the neck of Steve Austin."), then turns it into more of a side headlock and uses the ropes for leverage from time to time. Earl Hebner finally catches Owen. Austin catches Owen as he argues with Hebner, but...

DISASTER STRIKES! Austin appears to go for a gutwrench suplex, but Owen counters it into a Tombstone...and Austin's not moving. Owen buys some time by taunting the crowd. Earl buys more time by pushing Owen away when he finally moves in. Owen turns his back, and Austin weakly rolls up Owen for a pin and the title in 16:16 as the crowd lets off a confused but heartfelt pop. Austin is able to get to his feet on his own, but he quickly goes back down and has to be helped to the back. The match was going pretty well until they had to rush the finish. ***1/4

Aftermath: Austin was temporarily paralyzed with that Tombstone, and if not for the ass kissing stipulation probably would have been pinned right there. Austin would end up missing three months of action, vacating both the Intercontinental and Tag Team Titles as a result. Austin finally returned to the ring on November 9, defeating Owen to regain the Intercontinental Title. However, the writing was on the wall for Austin, and within two years he was back on the shelf for a much longer period of time for another neck surgery. Of course, Owen died tragically 18 months later in probably the only scarier moment than the injury inflicted here to Austin.

Until Raw, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Any comments can go to my e-mail addy.

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